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Lynwood Police Department submitted an original card to the Cardz For Kidz Program at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. The card has an amazing drawing of Captain America on the front, drawn by I.T. Coordinator Joshua Watson and an image of all of the officers and their signatures on the inside along with the message "Youre much stronger than you think you are. Remember that bravery is not the lack of fear but the ability to move forward in spite of fear. The brave men and women of the Lynwood Police Department stand beside you and your bravery. Be Brave. The card was chosen for the top ten out of 2,498 submitted and resulted in an invitation from Cardz for Kidz for two department representatives to spend Valentines Day with the children. Deputy Chief Terrence Shubert and Watson spent the day entertaining the kids with fun games and activities while Watson sat with each child and drew pictures of anything they wanted. Later Shubert and Watson visited with family members in the waiting area. The Lynwood Police Department would like to give a gigantic thank you to Cardz for Kidz for the amazing opportunity.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  When the editor of a gay-oriented newspaper in Florida requested records he thought should be public, he cast a wide net, asking that the email of every employee of the Broward County Sheriff's Office be searched for specific gay slurs over a five-month period.

The sheriff's office initially told Jason Parsley his request would cost $399,000, take four years and require the hiring of a dedicated staffer. The response set off a public-records marathon that lasted nearly a year.

The Associated Press featured Parsley's effort last year during Sunshine Week, a national government-transparency initiative that takes place each March, and then decided to join forces with his newspaper, the South Florida Gay News.

As law enforcement agencies have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, media organizations, watchdog groups and others have become more vigilant about filing public-records requests for emails and documents, particularly after police shootings.

Police agencies have not always complied, and those that do sometimes put up obstacles, charging fees that many open-government advocates say are excessive and aimed at keeping hidden information that should be public.

In many states, including Florida, government agencies can waive records fees if they deem releasing the information in the public interest. While it is routine for media organizations and others to seek such waivers, it is rare for agencies to grant them.

After the fatal 2014 shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, the city hired an outside firm to handle the requests for police officers' and city officials' emails, said Adam Marshall, a lawyer with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

The firm charged requesters $500 plus $135 an hour. If done by Ferguson clerks, the cost would have been $13.90 an hour. In one example, he said, a search for emails containing any of seven key words cost $1,375. Two Ferguson police officers resigned after they were found to have sent racist emails.

"Anyone who uses modern email programs knows you can find any email containing a key word in about a half a second," Marshall said.

"The practical effect is that it is inhibiting the public's right to know."

The AP and Parsley decided to press the issue in Florida, rather than let his original request die after he received the estimate for $399,000 in fees.

Last May, the AP asked two other Florida sheriff's offices, in Hillsborough and Orange counties, to search for employee emails containing any words on a list of specific racial and gay slurs. Hillsborough County said the search would cost $2,668, a cost that was prohibitive.

Orange County originally said the search would cost $37, an amount the AP paid. In November, six months after the request, Orange said it was mistaken  the search would cost $1,224. When AP questioned the jump, Orange County responded by saying it again had provided a mistaken figure: The actual cost to search its officers' emails would be $44,360.

The cost dropped last month, nine months after the original request, to $349, a cost the AP and South Florida Gay News paid. Officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Office say those emails are now being processed.

David Herzog, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Missouri, said such conflicts could be avoided if law enforcement agencies simply posted relevant emails and documents to their websites when a major case develops.
Police arrested a 15-year-old boy Thursday morning for bringing a loaded gun into a Queens school, according to the police department, one day after a boy brought a loaded firearm to another school in the borough.

Police arrested the teenager around 9 a.m. after they say he brought the gun to York Early College Academy, which is off of 167th Street and 108th Road in Jamaica.

Police said the 15-year-old student showed the handgun seen above to a classmate.



A student reported the firearm to school officials, according to the police report.



The 15-year-old was stopped and found to be carrying a .38-caliber revolver. The police department was then called to the school, according to officials.



Parents NY1 spoke to at the school said they are concerned.



"It's very disturbing, but my son has been coming here for the last, almost six months, and we have never heard of any incident like that here before," one parent said.

"We hope that the principal and the administrators would get the situation under control because, again, there is no place for this type of incident in a school like this," said another.



Charges against the student are pending, and the investigation is ongoing.



The city's education department said no evacuation happened.

"This is deeply alarming, and we are working closely with the NYPD to ensure that all students and staff are safe. The police department immediately responded and are investigating the troubling incident," the education department said in a statement. "We are providing additional resources to support the school community and families were notified."

Earlier this week, a man was arrested and charged after authorities say his 11-year-old grandson brought a loaded gun into his school in Queens.

Police said school officials at P.S. 40 in Jamaica found the weapon in his backpack with one live round in the magazine.
"Everything is unsafe over here," said Minyon Mitchell, a NYCHA resident.

Mitchell has lived in the Linden Houses for six years.

"The elevators are dirty," she said. "The staircases are dirty. Kids can slip and fall."

NY1 found feces on the wall in the stairwell, mold growing nearby, and paint chipping in the hallway, along with the smell of urine permeating the air.

U.S. Attorney Preet Baharara wants to know if the city lied to the feds about conditions in all city public housing in order to get federal funds.

The investigations are into environmental health and safety conditions and potential false claims for payment submitted by NYCHA to the U.S. related to such conditions in violations of the False Claims Act.

It's part of a civil inquiry regarding individuals with elevated lead blood levels in NYCHA public housing.

Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the city Department of Health to produce the information and documents demanded by the Department of Justice.

The city said it is fully cooperating with the federal investigation.

At the Linden Houses, there is an extensive effort to erect scaffolding related to the upkeep of the buildings.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has invested $300 million to fix the city's aging stock of public housing and catch up with the backlog of complaints.

Federal law requires the city to keep public housing in good repair in order to receive federal funds.

Mitchell says she's complained about her cabinets numerous times, and that NYCHA keeps failing to properly fix her fridge. She's frustrated and welcomes the chance to vent.

"It's not the rubber; I need a new fridge. My cabinets are terrible, you can't even close it, I can't even use the cabinet under my sink," Mitchell said. "What else? Oh man. Let's get it. It's ridiculous."

The mayor's office issued a statement saying, in part, "We will cooperate fully with the investigation. We are concerned about any reports of lead paint, both in NYCHA and in private buildings. New York City has one of the most aggressive efforts in the country to deal with lead paint in older buildings."

"The health and wellbeing of our residents is a top priority," NYCHA said in part in a statement.
New York is close to legalizing mixed martial arts, the final state in the union to do so. As State House Reporter Zack Fink explains, a change in leadership in the State Assembly means that ultimate fighting  and we're not talking politics  may be soon be coming your way.

The sport is called mixed martial arts or, MMA. For several years, bills have passed the State Senate to legalize it, but it was never brought up for a vote in the Assembly by Sheldon Silver while he served as speaker.

But times have changed. Silver was convicted of corruption last year and removed from his position, and his successor, Carl Heastie, is a supporter of the sport. He says he now has enough votes to pass it.

"Maybe I'm just more exact, and I'd say more open..If we get to a point of 76, then we will look to move a bill," Heastie said. "It has nothing to do with my personal feeling or preference. I'm not a co-sponsor of any pieces of legislation anymore."

One of the biggest critics of MMA is Manhattan Assembly Member Deborah Glick, who is disappointed with Heastie's decision, since she believes the sport is too violent.

"This is the wrong way to go," Glick said. "I find it disappointing and upsetting that New York State is going to take this step."

In 2013, Silver was accused of covering up sexual harassment allegations involving Vito Lopez, a fellow Assembly Democrat who hailed from Brooklyn.

While some called for Silver's resignation at the time, Glick was one of Silver's most ardent and vocal supporters.

But now, not only has the speakership changed, but so has the makeup of the Democratic Assembly conference. And Silver's old allies have seen their influence wane.

"We have a lot of new members, many of whom have not been party to any of the debates and discussions that we have had in the conference, but are supporters," Glick said. "It seems to attract a lot of younger people.

"This is evidence that the speaker is actually listening to members, has clear directives that he wants members  rank-and-file as well as senior members  to be involved, and really allowed the members to make the decision on this bill and a lot of other things that are coming before the house," said State Assembly Leader Joe Morelle. "So, it's a much different feel."

The State Assembly is expected to take up the bill next week. A version of it has already passed the State Senate, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said previously that he would be open to signing the legalization.
Were foreigners here, Mr. Ali said in a telephone interview from Lahore, Pakistan, where he lives with his daughter and wife, both United States citizens.

In Alaska, Rogelio Mejorada-Lopez, who manages a gasoline station, had received a voter registration form in the mail. Because he had applied for citizenship, he thought it was permissible to vote, his lawyer said. Now, he may be deported to Mexico after 16 years in the United States. What I want is for them to leave me alone, he said in an interview.

Federal prosecutors in Kansas and Missouri successfully prosecuted four people for multiple voting. Several claimed residency in each state and voted twice.

United States attorneys offices in four other states did turn up instances of fraudulent voting in mostly rural areas. They were in the hard-to-extinguish tradition of vote buying, where local politicians offered $5 to $100 for individuals support.

Unease Over New Guidelines

Aside from those cases, nearly all the remaining 26 convictions from 2002 to and 2005  the Justice Department will not release details about 2006 cases except to say they had 30 more convictions were won against individuals acting independently, voter records and court documents show.

Previous guidelines had barred federal prosecutions of isolated acts of individual wrongdoing that were not part of schemes to corrupt elections. In most cases, prosecutors also had to prove an intent to commit fraud, not just an improper action.

That standard made some federal prosecutors uneasy about proceeding with charges, including David C. Iglesias, who was the United States attorney in New Mexico, and John McKay, the United States attorney in Seattle.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Thursday evening stopped officials in Wisconsin from requiring voters there to provide photo identification before casting their ballots in the coming election.

Three of the courts more conservative members dissented, saying they would have allowed officials to require identification.

Around the same time, a federal trial court in Texas struck down that states ID law, saying it put a disproportionate burden on minority voters.

The Wisconsin requirement, one of the strictest in the nation, is part of a state law enacted in 2011 but mostly blocked by various courts in the interim. A federal trial judge had blocked it, saying it would deter or prevent a substantial number of the 300,000-plus registered voters who lack ID from voting and would disproportionately affect black and Hispanic voters.
As my colleagues Herve Taoko, Alan Cowell and Rukmini Callimachi report, the fate of President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso was in doubt late Thursday, after tens of thousands of demonstrators set fire to the Parliament building and seized the offices of state television in the capital, Ouagadougou.

Gen. Honore Nabere Traore, the chief of staff of Burkina Fasos armed forces, announced that a transitional authority would take power and rule the country until elections were held, within 12 months.
Anomalisa, a stop-motion animated film about the despair in everyday life directed by Duke Johnson and Charlie Kaufman, arrives online. And the How to Get Away With Murder season finale delivers dependable Shonda Rhimes drama.



Whats Streaming

ANOMALISA (2015) on Amazon and iTunes. Charlie Kaufman, the writer and director known for boggling minds and breaking hearts with films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, dipped his toes into the world of animated film last year with this stop-motion adaptation of his play of the same name, directed with Duke Johnson. David Thewlis is the voice of Michael, a self-help author stuck in a rut until he meets an anomalous woman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who shakes up his monotonous life. Reviewing the film in The New York Times, Manohla Dargis wrote that Michael is brought to life with disturbing familiarity in scenes where he, for example, pops a prescription pill and looks in the mirror with sad resignation. Thats because while Anomalisa is filled with uncomfortably, at times sourly, humorous moments, its also a horror movie about the agonizing, banal surrealism of everyday life, she wrote. Mr. Kaufmans gift for quotidian horror remains startling; hes a whiz at minor miseries. (Image: The characters voiced by Ms. Leigh and Mr. Thewlis)

Whats on TV

FINIANS RAINBOW (1968) 5:30 p.m. on TCM. Francis Ford Coppola directed the film adaptation of this 1947 Broadway musical, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg. Fred Astaire stars as Finian, who with his daughter, Sharon (Petula Clark), moves to the fictional Southern state of Missitucky from Ireland to bury a stolen pot of gold at Fort Knox, believing that the soil is what makes Americans rich. Various complications arise, including the arrival of Og (Tommy Steele), a leprechaun who needs to recover his stolen treasure before its loss turns him into a human. But, Renata Adler wrote in The Times, some of the musicals magic seems to have been lost in the translation from stage to screen. The whole story of the Irishman who buries his gold and the white Southern senator who turns black has just gone dim, as though nobody had troubled with it, she wrote.

GREYS ANATOMY 8 p.m. on ABC. Shonda Rhimess Thursday-night drama begins with the residents and attending physicians thrown for a loop when their pairings are switched, and Dr. Arizona Robbins takes a risk on a woman pregnant with quadruplets. On Scandal, at 9, a blast from the past is a surprise for everyone, while campaigns heat up. At 10, How to Get Away With Murder ends its second season with Annalise finding she needs to escape the chaos surrounding her, while other characters come to terms with their pasts. (Image: Alfred Enoch of How to Get Away With Murder)
At a brainstorming session in early January, the watch department at Phillips auction house zeroed in on what it said would be the first such auction of its kind: the vintage stainless steel chronograph.

Called Start  Stop  Reset, the May 14 auction at La Reserve hotel in Geneva will have 88 lots in a range of prices with an estimated value of as much as $10 million.

In a nutshell, its an auction thats never been done before, said Aurel Bacs, the firms chief consultant. We have secured the worlds most beautiful and epic chronographs ever made.

Among the watches Phillips plans to present:

Rolex ref. 6239: With a silvered dial and tachometer bezel, the 1967 Daytona Cosmograph is one of fewer than 10 Rolex models designed with a doctors pulsation scale. It is known to connoisseurs as the The Doctor, and Phillips says only a few still exist. Guide price: 350,000 to 700,000 Swiss francs, or about $351,000 to $703,000.
Whether or not the Swiss watch industry is in the midst of a crisis depends on whom you ask.

The pessimists point to Swiss watch exports, which fell 3.3 percent in 2015 to $22.1 billion, the industrys first full-year decline since 2009. Many believe that 2016 will not be any better: Total exports in January dropped 7.9 percent from the previous year, while exports to Hong Kong and the United States, the Swiss watch industrys leading markets, plummeted 33.1 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively.

As the trade gathers in Switzerland this week for the Baselworld watch fair, the industry has been further rattled by reports of as many as 350 job cuts coming at Compagnie Financiere Richemont  the Geneva-based luxury group that owns eight prestige watchmakers, including Cartier, IWC and Panerai. While the company refuses to say which of its brands will be affected, most, if not all, of the cuts are reported to be coming in Geneva, where the bulk of its watch brands are based.

The optimists, however, believe that growth is within reach for watchmakers who are willing to embrace new ideas, even those the industry tends to reject out of hand: smartwatches, for example.

Its all about continuing to drive newness, said Efraim Grinberg, chief executive of the Movado Group, which unveiled a new collection last year, Movado Edge, designed by the San Francisco-based industrial designer Yves Behar, and introduced its first two smartwatches, Movado Motion and Movado Bold Motion.
The Monsieur, whose fully integrated movement incorporates two technically challenging complications, a jumping hour and a retrograde minute, took five years to develop. To bring it to life, Chanel hired a team of eight watchmaking specialists in movement construction, testing and assembly.

And to further burnish its watchmaking credentials, the house acquired a stake in the business of Romain Gauthier, a highly regarded independent Swiss watchmaker. Although the move was made in 2011, the somewhat secretive, privately owned Chanel is announcing it only now, in conjunction with the debut of Monsieur.

Mr. Gauthier, who makes an exclusive line of his own watches including the prize-winning Logical One, also supplies several high-end brands with wheels for their movements. It is that expertise Chanel has incorporated into the Monsieur, with Mr. Gauthier supplying them to its specifications.

As in Chanels relationship with Parisian heritage ateliers like the embroiderer Lesage and the hat maker Maison Michel, Mr. Gauthier remains totally independent and can even work for Chanels competitors, Mr. Beau said.

The decision to support the long-term development and skills of such companies makes for a productive business, he added: The richness of Chanel is that we are in so many metiers that it creates innovation. Each metier inspires the other one in invisible but clear ways.

In the past Chanel has designed and selected movements to compliment a watchs overall aesthetic but, for the Monsieur, the Calibre 1 movement became the driving force for everything that followed. Every component, including the wheels, screws and rubies, Mr. Beau said, was specially designed by Chanels creative team in collaboration with its watchmaking department.
That surprised Mr. Noy, but Jewish family history from that era has often been obscured, he said.

You have to understand that people who came from Germany erased everything, he said. They didnt speak German; they didnt tell us younger people anything. If we asked them anything about the past, they would say, No, no. You dont want to hear about it. 

But learning this piece of family history changed his career, giving his designs more of an artistic and philosophical flair, he said.

It was like discovering a treasure to know that I had a background in watchmaking, Mr. Noy continued. He even sent me a photo of his father working in Italy and sent me a watch his father gave him when he was 15, when they smuggled him from Germany to England.

Mr. Noy designs his watches and makes the cases and dials, using movements made by ETA, the Swiss watch manufacturer, which he adapts to his needs. Assembly, polishing and brushing are done in his small atelier, where he also makes the leather wrist straps with some assistance from a craftsman.

He employs a part-time assistant for clerical work, and his sister and brother help as needed. (Mr. Noy is married with two children, so days off are essential from time to time.)
From the beginning, we thought of it as the village with the unpronounceable name.

Frankly, that was part of the charm of visiting Mela Thiruvenkatanathapuram, the ancestral village of Sri Srinivasan, the federal judge who by all accounts was a finalist for nomination to the United States Supreme Court (on Wednesday, President Obama picked the other guy). That, and the fact that the village in the southeast India state Tamil Nadu was holding all-night rituals, praying for what residents called our son to get the nod.

When Ellen Barry, our South Asia bureau chief, filed her story Tuesday afternoon (well, it was 1 a.m. Wednesday for her, in India), it was missing only one thing. Need a pronouncer on the village name, I wrote, referring to an age-old New York Times convention of putting, in parenthesis, a phonetic guide to how one should say a complicated name, complete with capital letters for which syllable to stress.
Meredith Marshall, managing partner and co-founder of BRP Development, a company that builds both affordable and market-rate housing, said his company had rushed to start at least one project last year before the 421-a program expired. But the firm was unable to move quickly enough to begin a second one, on a parcel in central Harlem where BRP had planned a medium-size building with fewer than 50 rental units. As a result, Mr. Marshall said, the company was considering a nonresidential use for the site.

Though the project might have included fewer than 10 affordable units if it had proceeded, its demise shows how the lack of 421-a subsidies could steadily undermine the mayors housing goals.

Would I prefer to have 421-a? Absolutely, said Vicki Been, commissioner of housing preservation and development. But does it mean the mayors housing plan is doomed? No. It will require us to be more creative and more nimble.

Ms. Been believes state lawmakers will eventually revive the tax break. Even without it, she said, the city could still meet the 12,000-unit goal connected to the rezoning by using other tax-abatement programs and city subsidies, though some officials contend that doing so could divert part of the $8 billion the city has earmarked for meeting the mayors housing goals.

At the same time, Ms. Been acknowledged that it would be harder to deliver the full results envisioned under the zoning change without the tax abatement.

Youre working without one spark plug so youre not running at full throttle, she said.

She cited an internal study that estimated that 60 percent of the affordable units that began construction over the past two years and were eligible for the 421-a program might have qualified for a different sort of abatement.

But because the other types of subsidies were geared toward developments that were either entirely affordable or subject to other stringent requirements, it was unclear whether developers of similar projects would seek to use them or would simply choose to build condos instead of rental housing, which is the trend in many areas of the city.
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y.  The driver of a limousine in which four passengers were killed when a pickup truck slammed into it last summer on Long Island was found criminally responsible for the collision by a grand jury, prosecutors in Suffolk County said on Wednesday.

The driver, Carlos F. Pino, was chauffeuring a bridal party of eight women after a day of wine tasting at a vineyard on July 18, 2015, when he made a U-turn on Route 48 in Cutchogue, N.Y. As he turned, the pickup truck, driven by a man the authorities said had been drinking, broadsided the limousine, nearly cutting it in two.

On Wednesday, prosecutors said that Mr. Pino made the turn even though a sport utility vehicle was in front of him, blocking his view, and it appeared that he did not stop before turning. The Suffolk County district attorney, Thomas J. Spota, said in a statement that Mr. Pino failed to take any precaution or any action to make sure he could safely enter the westbound travel lanes.

In the indictment unsealed on Wednesday, Mr. Pino, 59, was charged with criminally negligent homicide, assault, reckless driving and failure to yield the right of way, prosecutors said. The driver of the truck that hit the limousine, Steven Romeo, was charged with counts related to driving while intoxicated or impaired, but prosecutors said he could not be held criminally responsible for the crash.
Top othe morning on this St. Patricks Thursday.

Among the bagpipe players youll see marching in the St. Patricks Day Parade are members of the County Tyrone Pipe Band.

The Queens-based group, one of the oldest Irish pipe bands in North America, always meets at Smith & Wollensky before filing along Fifth Avenue.

Its a decades-old tradition.

To join the marchers, it takes more than a year of practice, said John McGovern, 31, a pipe major who has been in the band for 18 years and a physical therapist on any other day.

But mastering the melody is only the beginning.

Then you need to learn to breathe and play the music at the same time  so its like going back to the very beginning again, even just to play one note, he said.
The city plans to add two more ferry routes to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and to Soundview in the Bronx in 2018.

On Wednesday, Mr. de Blasio said that the ferries would become a permanent part of the citys transportation network. Asked how he could ensure that the system would continue into the future, he did not flinch.

Id like to meet the mayor who takes it down, he said. I guarantee you people are going to like it, theyre going to demand it, and its going to be a part of this city for decades to come.

But the announcement of the Hornblower contract  for about $30 million per year over six years  was not without controversy. New York Water Taxi, a company that operates yellow-and-black-checkered boats in the city, had threatened to shut down if it did not win the citys ferry contract after bidding on it with New York Waterway, another local ferry company.
A 54-year-old Queens man was arrested after his grandson brought his loaded handgun to school in his backpack, the police said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, police officers were called shortly after 1 p.m. to Public School 40, an elementary school on Union Hall Street in the Jamaica neighborhood, after faculty members discovered the gun and called 911, the authorities said.

The student, an 11-year-old boy in fifth grade, had a loaded Hi-Point 9-millimeter pistol in his backpack, the authorities said.

Investigators found that the gun belonged to his grandfather and was kept in his bedroom, the police said. The grandfather, Kenneth Miley, who lives two blocks from the school, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment, the police said.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are conducting a sweeping investigation of environmental health and safety conditions, including cases of elevated blood lead levels, in public housing and homeless shelters and the possibility that the New York City housing and homeless agencies filed false claims to federal housing officials for payment related to the conditions.

The investigation was disclosed on Wednesday in a letter from the office of Preet Bharara, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, and in a judges subsequent order, which were both filed in federal court.

The order, from Judge Deborah A. Batts, compels the citys Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to produce information about the cases of elevated blood lead levels among residents and complaints of unsafe, unsanitary or unhealthful conditions in public housing and homeless shelters.

The documents said the health agency, in response to an earlier civil investigative demand from the prosecutors, had declined to provide the information without a judges order, to avoid violating the city and state health codes.
The guidelines also advise doctors prescribing opioids to start with low doses, prescribed for three days or less and rarely for more than seven days. Doctors should also clearly warn patients that the drugs are highly addictive and check prescription-monitoring programs to see if people are getting drugs from multiple physicians. Most states have such programs, but many do not require that doctors use them.

Though the guidelines are voluntary, they carry a lot of weight with doctors, hospitals, insurers and health regulators. The C.D.C.s analysis is likely to influence how state governments develop laws and regulations for opioid prescriptions. Last month, the National Governors Association said it would create prescription protocols by July. Some states are already far along in this process. Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts signed a law on Monday that forbids doctors from writing opioid prescriptions for more than a seven-day supply. Lawmakers in Vermont and Maine are considering similar laws.

There is more that could be done. Now that the C.D.C. says these drugs should not be used to treat chronic pain, the Food and Drug Administration should forbid the makers of opioids from marketing them to doctors for those purposes. There also needs to be more access to treatment for opioid addicts. The Senate recently passed a bill that authorizes treatment programs, but that legislation did not include adequate funding. President Obama has proposed spending $1.1 billion on opioid abuse programs, with $920 million going to help states provide medication-assisted treatment, a plan Congress should support.

For far too long, the medical profession and policy makers ignored growing evidence that prescription painkillers were causing great harm. Now that abuse has become an epidemic, the government needs to mount a much stronger response to it.
One lesson of South Sudan is that government and regulations are like oxygen: You dont appreciate them until theyre not there.

Two political scientists, Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson, argue that Americas achievements rest on a foundation of government services but that we Americans suffer from American Amnesia (thats also the title of their book coming out this month) and dont appreciate this.

We are told that the United States got rich in spite of government, when the truth is closer to the opposite, they write. Every country that journeyed from mass illiteracy and poverty to modernity and wealth did so, they note, because of government instruments that are now often scorned.

These instruments also create a sense of national identity that eclipses tribal identities, even if this process is still incomplete in America.

I came across a group of homeless women and girls in the South Sudan swamps, hiding from soldiers who would have killed or raped them. One teenager was wearing a castoff T-shirt that read Obama Girl, so I asked her if she knew who Barack Obama was.

She was confused; there are no functioning schools in the area, so she cant read and didnt know what her shirt said. But I explained. That didnt help, for she had never heard of Obama. I asked her friends if they knew, and finally I found one woman who did. She said shyly that Obama is president of the United States.

These women and girls are all members of the Nuer tribe, which the army of South Sudan has often targeted and which remains to some degree marginalized in the central government. And the Nuer are related to the Luo tribe, which is the tribe of President Obamas father. So a Nuer now cannot in practice become president of South Sudan, but someone of similar ancestry can be president of the United States.
Today, however, this problem-solving mentality is set against powerful currents in our political culture that portray government as corrupt and ineffective. The public sectors reputation has crumbled, with trust in federal officials and in Congress  once relatively high  reaching record lows. According to the Pew Research Center, Fewer than three in 10 Americans have expressed trust in government in every major national poll conducted since July 2007  the longest period of low trust in government seen in more than 50 years.

The fiercest attacks come from the right: In apocalyptic terms, conservatives attack government as an enemy  not an essential complement  of markets. Yet the left has its own sources of skepticism. Calling for a political revolution, Mr. Sanders casts government as so captured by powerful interests that only a popular upsurge will right the situation. This stance may not have the same anti-government tenor as conservatives, but it sets up an impossibly high standard for reform and slights governments continuing achievements (including the much-maligned Affordable Care Act, which has broadened coverage without driving up health prices).

We are trapped in a vicious cycle: Disillusionment encourages dysfunction, and dysfunction empowers those who spread further disillusionment and dysfunction.

Breaking out of this cycle is particularly hard for candidates for public office. Their primary imperative is to win an election, not change the conversation. A candidate who wants to buck the trend must be willing to take on more than just campaign opponents (and Mrs. Clinton will certainly face fierce attacks for proposing to raise taxes and create new programs in the general election). They must also overcome a juggernaut of organized anti-government forces: market-worshiping think tanks, right-wing media, a more staunchly conservative business leadership. In the face of a skeptical electorate, its a tough sell  even for Democrats.

The emergence of Donald J. Trump makes a serious national conversation about governments role even more improbable. Mr. Trump is not as reflexively against government as, say, Ted Cruz, but he supports cuts in taxes, heavily skewed toward the wealthy, that can be financed only by huge budget cuts or staggeringly large deficits. More important, his chaotic policy pronouncements and equally chaotic character hardly lend themselves to a campaign focused on policy issues or principles of governance. He is a candidate whose claim to fame is his lack of association with (and stunning lack of preparation for) conventional governance.

Mrs. Clinton is heir to an enormously successful bipartisan governing tradition. Yet this tradition has been disowned by the Republican Party and has lost allure within a significant segment of the Democratic Party; it also runs sharply against the grain of current public sentiments about government and politicians. In this hostile environment, it should come as no surprise that Mrs. Clinton has proved reluctant to lead the charge for a more balanced discussion of governments role.

Still, however understandable, this circumspection comes at considerable cost. Mrs. Clintons mixed-economy philosophy is what most clearly distinguishes her from both Mr. Sanders and Mr. Trump, and most clearly marks her as an heir to President Obama  who, notwithstanding conservative charges of socialism, has mostly sought to adapt and update existing policies to address pressing problems like global warming, unaffordable health insurance and uneven and poor school quality. Mrs. Clintons proposals not only have popular appeal, but they also could be financed with relatively modest tax increases (the bipartisan Tax Policy Center calculates that they will increase revenues by around $110 billion a year over the next decade, with almost all the increase borne by the richest households).
AS a nation, we have become disciples of data. We interview 60,000 families a month to determine the unemployment rate, we monitor how much energy we use every seven days, Amazon ranks sales of every book it sells every hour.

Then there is water.

Water may be the most important item in our lives, our economy and our landscape about which we know the least. We not only dont tabulate our water use every hour or every day, we dont do it every month, or even every year.

The official analysis of water use in the United States is done every five years. It takes a tiny team of people four years to collect, tabulate and release the data. In November 2014, the United States Geological Survey issued its most current comprehensive analysis of United States water use  for the year 2010.

The 2010 report runs 64 pages of small type, reporting water use in each state by quality and quantity, by source, and by whether its used on farms, in factories or in homes.
NEW YORK

An article on Wednesday about John Kilgallon, a native of Far Rockaway who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising rebellion against the British, misidentified, in some editions, the branch of the United States military he joined after returning to America from Ireland. It is the Navy, not the Air Force.

BUSINESS DAY

An article on Wednesday about a sharp drop in the value of Valeant Pharmaceutical International shares and the effect on a major investor, Pershing Square Capital Management, misstated the year Pershing Squares founder, William A. Ackman, first began to buy Valeant shares. It was 2015  not 2014, which is the year Mr. Ackman teamed up with the company in a joint takeover effort.



An article on the Square Feet page on Wednesday about the transformation of the decommissioned Quonset Air Naval Station in Rhode Island into a thriving industrial park misstated the size of a $5 million addition for Norad, an early tenant that imports and finishes cars. It is 35,000 square feet, not 230,000 square feet.



A listing in the Transactions column on the Square Feet page on Wednesday about a property for sale at 101 Seventh Avenue omitted part of the name of the company that owns it. It is 70 Grove L.L.C., not Grove L.L.C.
Elwyn L. Simons, an intrepid scientist known as the father of modern primate paleontology for his discovery of some of humankinds earliest antecedents, died on March 6 in Peoria, Ariz. He was 85.

His death was announced by Duke University, where he was an emeritus professor of evolutionary anthropology.

Though Dr. Simonss career took in myriad fossils, including whales feet (in the distant past in which his professional life was lived, the footed whale was no oxymoron), he was concerned in particular with the earliest primates.

Elwyn made an enormous and really incomparable contribution to the science of human origins, particularly at the very early end of the scale  the background out of which our hominid lineage emerged, Ian Tattersall, an emeritus curator in the division of anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.
As children, Caterina and Raffaele Fabrizio traveled widely with their parents, the founders of a small textile design company called Dedar, based near Como, Italy. The trips were for business, and so the siblings found themselves enrolled in an early education in the trade they would come to master as adults. We discovered the world, and also the world of materials and craftsmanship, says Raffaele, who joined the company when he was 29 and now runs it with his sister. Its not something that we planned, its something that weve lived. The second-generation Fabrizios have put those years of experience to good use since taking over Dedar, expanding its size and finding new footholds, especially in the form of partnerships with companies like Hermes, and collaborations with designers like Stephen Burks. When you exchange ideas with people who are not fabric specialists, Raffaele says, its kind of a mirror that gives you a new image of yourself. For their collection with Burks, the designer repurposed ribbons normally used as trimming, stitching them together and wrapping wide swaths around chopped-off bunches of coarse nautical rope to make a series of fantastical poufs.

And they have continued to travel. On a recent trip stateside, Caterina and Raffaele spent a day at the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation outside New Haven, where they found inspiration for their spring 2016 collection  which is also influenced by 18th-century Chinoiserie and the Russian painter Kazimir Malevich. When it comes to creative decision-making, they follow their hearts. And, says Raffaele, we have many hearts in the family, so we can follow many hearts at the same time.
If the Roman letter recalls the chisel, Arabic is borne of the brush. Arabic calligraphy links back to ancient scripture and the origins of Islam. The Koran was revealed to Muhammad in Arabic, and the distinctively fluid form of writing is intertwined with the religion and culture of more than a billion people worldwide. That a writing system as lyrical and visually poetic as Arabic has come to signify something insidious  at least to Western eyes  is not just a little ironic. It speaks to the limitations of a technology-driven global community.

While the first printing presses arrived in the Middle East within decades of Gutenbergs prototype  the quintessential disruptive technology  Ottoman bureaucrats allegedly outlawed any printing of Arabic text, by penalty of death. The mechanization of sacred writing bordered on blasphemy or at least cultural capitulation. By the time the draconian restrictions against printing were allayed in the 18th century  at least for secular texts such as mathematics and medicine  typographers faced a new challenge: the inherent complexity of Arabic. With 29 letters, each with two or four different contextual shapes, and thousands of possible unique letterform combinations, calligraphic Arabic simply wouldnt fit the limited matrices of Western machinery that, in the intervening centuries, had developed to accommodate a limited system of Roman upper- and lowercase letters.
Navigating the Diverse and Affluent Coasts

There will still be a fair number of decent opportunities for Mr. Sanders after his hot streak is expected to fade. He could win big in North Dakota, Oregon and Montana, or maybe in a few mostly white working-class states like Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. The race in New Mexico could be close. Mrs. Clinton is probably the favorite in a few more diverse contests in the territories, like Puerto Rico or Guam, but theres virtually no information about how these areas might go.

These contests, though, are pretty small. The preponderance of delegates will be from the diverse, affluent, blue states along or near the coasts, like California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

Based on the results so far, including those from Tuesday night, Mr. Sanders is not a favorite to win big in any of those. Hell need to beat Mrs. Clinton by at least an average of 10 percentage points, and perhaps more if he underperforms in the other states mentioned.

Why? These states arent as bad for him as those in the South, but they force him to confront his two weaknesses: diversity and affluence.

The metropolitan East Coast and coastal California are among the most affluent regions of the country. Mr. Sanders has struggled in places with high median incomes, even when those areas have a liberal reputation  like Boston or Northern Virginia, which anchor both ends of the Northeast megalopolis. They provide a pretty good model for what we can expect in between.

The areas he needs to win are also fairly diverse. No, theyre not nearly as diverse as the South. But all of the East Coast states have a roughly average share of black Democrats. Other states, like California, have a large Hispanic population, and its still a little unclear how much of a disadvantage that is for Mr. Sanders.
Theres no way that we could condone Anita Alvarez being our states attorney for another term, said Veronica Morris Moore, a leader of a coalition of black community groups called the Bye Anita Campaign. This does not mean that we believe in Kim Foxx, the winning challenger.

Critics of law enforcement hope the results send a message to prosecutors, but they do not claim they are part of a trend. In Missouri, the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, Robert McCulloch, easily won re-election in 2014, days before announcing that a grand jury there had not indicted an officer for killing Michael Brown in Ferguson. In New York, the Staten Island district attorney, Daniel M. Donovan, won election to Congress in 2015, after a grand jury decided not to indict an officer in the death of Eric Garner.

Its really hard to gauge whether its something thats going to spread or not, said Representative Marcia Fudge, Democrat of Ohio, a critic of Mr. McGinty and the Cleveland police. It always depends on the case. In Cleveland, it was a number of things that came together, kind of a perfect storm.

Chicagos mayor, Rahm Emanuel, and the former police superintendent Garry McCarthy have been battered over the McDonald case and other police shootings; Mr. Emanuel has become so unpopular that in the Democratic presidential primary, Bernie Sanderss campaign worked hard to link the mayor to Hillary Clinton.
Black students are four times as likely to be suspended from charter schools as white students, according to a new analysis of federal education data. And students with disabilities, the study found, are suspended two to three times the rate of nondisabled students in charter schools.

These inequities are similar to those in traditional public schools, where black and disabled students are disproportionately disciplined for even minor infractions, and as early as preschool  although on average, charter schools suspend pupils at slightly higher rates than traditional public schools.

The analysis of charter school data from the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights of close to 5,000 charters was done by the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California, Los Angeles, a nonprofit civil rights research and policy organization.

Still, the report is likely to fuel an often fierce debate about disciplinary practices in charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run. Some charter networks have come under fire for no excuses behavioral codes, under which students can be suspended for offenses like clothing violations.
ATLANTA  The Georgia General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal to strengthen legal protections for opponents of same-sex marriage, delivering a sudden victory for religious conservatives.

The legislatures votes defied the wishes of many of Georgias most influential companies, as well as gay rights groups that said the bill would allow for lawful discrimination. Critics warned that the bill could provoke a backlash similar to what Indiana faced last year after officials there backed a measure that was also promoted as safeguarding religious liberty.

Wednesdays votes in Georgia, which were scheduled abruptly and came after weeks of turmoil, do not ensure that the compromise bill will become law. Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, has previously voiced misgivings about legislation that could be perceived as intolerant. On Wednesday, Mr. Deals spokeswoman, Jen Talaber Ryan, said, The governor has been clear as to his position on this issue and will assess the legislation in April during bill review.

The proposal declares that with few exceptions, the government may not substantially burden a persons exercise of religion even if the burden results from a law, rule, regulation, ordinance or resolution of general applicability. The language is similar to that in laws in effect at the federal level and in 21 states.
A judge overseeing the hush-money case against former House speaker Dennis Hastert on Wednesday ordered an independent review of his medical records. His sentence had been delayed when his lawyers said he had nearly died and was in poor health. The order by Judge Thomas M. Durkin in Federal District Court in Chicago does not explain the need for an expert. Mr. Hastert, 74, pleaded guilty to violating bank laws in seeking to pay someone $3.5 million in hush money. His deal calls for a sentence of no more than six months in prison.
A man has been charged in a shootout with the Fort Worth police that left his fugitive father dead and an officer injured. The police said Wednesday that Ed McIver Jr., 20, is charged with attempted capital murder, evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon. The shootout Tuesday happened after officers tried to arrest Ed McIver Sr., 43, on two aggravated assault charges and for jumping bail. His son was captured hours later with a rifle. Officer Matt Pearce was in critical condition Wednesday. Police were trying to determine who shot him.
A senior South African government official said Wednesday that a wealthy family close to President Jacob G. Zuma offered him a cabinet position, a revelation that added to mounting corruption allegations against the president. The official, Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, said that members of the Gupta family, which has extensive business interests in South Africa, asked him to replace Nhlanhla Nene, who was dismissed in December. Mr. Jonas said he rejected the offer from the Guptas. The basis of my rejection of their offer is that it makes a mockery of our hard-earned democracy, the trust of our people and no one apart from the president of the republic appoints ministers, Mr. Jonas said in a statement. The family denied the deputy ministers claim. Mr. Zuma is scheduled to answer questions from lawmakers on Thursday, where opposition parties say they will seek clarity on the political influence of the Gupta family.
Otto F. Warmbier, the American college student sentenced to 15 years of prison and hard labor on Wednesday in North Korea, is one of about a dozen Americans arrested there in recent years. Some have been expelled quickly and others have been held as long as two years. They have been accused of crimes including illegal entry and seeking the overthrow of the Pyongyang government. Here are summaries of their cases:

Kim Dong-chul, October 2015 - Present

Mr. Kim said in an interview with CNN that he was a naturalized American citizen from Fairfax, Va. He was accused of spying for South Korea while running a trading and hotel services company in a special economic zone of North Korea near the Chinese border.

Sandra Suh, April 2015

A humanitarian aid worker said to be from California was accused of using her status to gather and produce anti-state propaganda.



Matthew Todd Miller, April 2014-November 2014

A tourist from California was accused of hostile acts after tearing up his visa upon arriving in Pyongyang and requesting asylum. Mr. Miller was released after the Obama administrations national intelligence director, James R. Clapper Jr., visited North Korea.
CALAIS, France  With buzz saws and heavy equipment, workers in hard hats finished dismantling part of one of Europes most notorious migrant camps on Wednesday  less than a month after a judge ruled that the operation could proceed.

Day after day, police officers in riot gear kept watch in the southern half of the camp as the saws sliced through wooden shelters and mechanical diggers crunched the debris into large metal bins.

Now that the migrants in the southern part of the camp have been evicted, the question of where they will go lingers.

Dismantling all of this is all well and good, but once it is done, what are they going to do? said Olivier Marteau, a field coordinator for Doctors Without Borders at the camp.
BRUSSELS  European Union authorities sought on Wednesday to alter the terms of a provisional agreement brokered by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany to curb the flow of migrants and refugees streaming into Europe through Turkey.

The revised proposals were put forward by Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, on the eve of a two-day meeting that was supposed to be the deadline for signing a deal with Turkey to ease the blocs migration crisis.

Under the deal backed by Ms. Merkel, Turkey would get visa-free travel to much of Europe for its citizens by the summer, accelerated prospects for joining the European Union and more financing to support the nearly three million refugees inside Turkey. In return, Turkey would effectively guard Europes eastern shores and take back all migrants who enter Greece using clandestine routes. In addition, for each Syrian sent back, the European Union would resettle a Syrian refugee from Turkey.

Yet the last European Union meeting 10 days ago ended in disarray because the leaders would not consent to the deal.
WASHINGTON  Gerry Adams, the prominent Irish politician, accused the Obama administration of singling him out after he was stopped at the gates of the White House on Tuesday for a lengthy security check when he arrived for a St. Patricks Day reception.

Mr. Adams, the president of the Sinn Fein political party and a member of the Irish Parliament, has been a guest at the reception since the mid-1990s when he took part in the Northern Ireland peace process.

I arrived at the proper time and had all the appropriate documentation, he said in a telephone interview. But the guard told him there was a an issue of security. 

I wasnt disturbed when they said they had a problem because that happens all the time, he said, adding that he felt as if he were in a receiving line, greeting the other guests as they filed past him.
The Tatars revived cultural and religious festivals and restarted the teaching of their language and of Arabic. The two remaining centuries-old, traditionally constructed mosques in Poland, which had survived World War II and the Communist years, were renovated, and new ones were opened. An Islamic education center is scheduled to be built in the village of Sokolka this year, and another is planned for Bialystok in 2017.

We want to awaken the precious traditions, before they are forgotten, said Roza Chazbijewicz, chairwoman of the Tatar cultural foundation in Poland. The identity must be kept.

The Tatars traditional practice of Islam differs from that of many recent Muslim arrivals in Poland. At the historic Bohoniki mosque, one 70-year-old Tatar woman talked about the niqab, the veil worn by women from some conservative Muslim countries that covers the whole face except for the eyes. What would I do in all of that  sit around and pray all day? said the woman, Eugenia Radkiewicz. Can you imagine that in Bohoniki?

While they tend to stay clear of partisan politics, many Polish Tatars echo the nationalist and antimigrant sentiments of the new Law and Justice government. The partys leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, has said that the flood of migrants would bring a host of ills to Europe, including infectious diseases.

Poland is not ready for immigrants, said Mr. Miskiewicz, the mufti.

On the other hand, the brewing Catholic nationalism that has grown alongside Polands antirefugee stance has taken aim at Muslims, at times including the Tatars, whose uniquely Polish roots are not well known outside the Podlaskie region. When politicians paint Islam itself as a threat to Poland, the Tatars say they feel targeted.

We hear this, said Ms. Bogdanowicz, the restaurateur. We dont know which way its going to go.

There have been flashes of anti-Tatar violence in recent years as the migrant crisis has mounted. The mosque in the port city of Gdansk, built by Tatars in 1991, was firebombed in 2013. In Kruszyniany the following year, vandals painted anti-Muslim slogans, a pig and a red X on the 18th-century mosque and vandalized the adjacent cemetery, painting wartime resistance symbols and covering Islamic religious script on Tatar tombstones.

Its hard to say if there are going to be more of these incidents, because of the situation with the immigrants, Mr. Miskiewicz said. On this huge wave of negative feelings about Islam, all are being thrown into one pot.
Sometimes you go to a dance and a concert breaks out.

In There Might Be Others, performed Wednesday at New York Live Arts, the choreographer Rebecca Lazier collaborates with the composer Dan Trueman for an ambitious work inspired by Terry Rileys trailblazing In C from 1964. Composed of 53 short musical phrases or modules played according to a set of open instructions, In C is regarded as a Minimalist masterpiece.

Created as a choreographic adaptation of the score  or what the collaborators refer to as a collective composition  There Might Be Others features sound and movement modules arranged in real time by the performers. Even moments of the lighting, designed by Davison Scandrett, are decided on the spot.

So what does this look like? At times, a college improvisation class. The movement sections, despite being executed by Ms. Laziers charismatic cast of 14  including dancers she worked with in residencies in Poland, Canada and Turkey  are a less than enthralling set of phrases that multiply at a pace more insistent than intriguing.

But what does it sound like? Heaven. The dancers share the stage with the ensembles So Percussion and Mobius Percussion and four other musicians. No matter if theyre shredding newspapers, cranking sirens or pounding on drums, the musicians  who mercifully take up a third of the stage  attract your gaze.
Its almost finished, said Mr. Nouvel, the Pritzker-winning French architect. Almost.

A visit to the museum offers clues as to what its galleries will ultimately contain:artifacts related to themes like Life at Sea/Pearling, Oil and Gas, Trade and Souk, and the People of Qatar.

Image Inside the construction site at the National Museum of Qatar. Credit... Robin Pogrebin/The New York Times

There will be animals  not live, or taxidermied, totally artificial, Mr. Nouvel said, like toys.

The slanted walls will feature films about this oil-rich country on the Persian Gulf, including some by documentarian Jacques Perrin. The museum will include one restaurant and two gift shops, said Walid Nashwan, the museums engineering director.

In addition to that museum, Sheika al Mayassa oversees the Museum of Islamic Art and the Arab Museum of Modern Art.

But it is still unclear where all of the Western contemporary art the sheikha has purchased  making her among the biggest buyers in the art market  will end up. On Sunday evening she attended an opening for a show on contemporary art from China, at Qatar Museums Gallery Al Riwaq, organized by the artist Cai Guo-Qiang.
Excitement builds as the age of flight draws near. Over time, dinosaur bodies became adapted to motion through the air, and feathers assumed their modern form. In 1998, Caudipteryx (tail feather), the first nonavian dinosaur described with feathers as we know them  thin filaments branching out from a central shaft  was discovered in Liaoning Province, China. With Microraptor, paleontologists beheld the first dinosaur outfitted with asymmetrical feathers on its hind limbs and forelimbs  that is, feathers designed specifically to aid flight instead of for warmth or display.

Circling the glass cases, visitors arrive at the immediate ancestors of the modern bird, dinosaurs whose feathered arms meant business. Theres Microraptor, of course, with two sets of wings, as well as Anchiornis, Xiaotingia and Confuciusornis, which is considered a true bird, with a beak rather than teeth and a feathered rather than a bony tail.

So how did they fly? Not so well. Recall the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, that first lurching foray into the wild blue yonder, then fast-forward to the Concorde, cutting a smooth, aerodynamic path through the sky. The biplane and the SST are, nevertheless, both considered airplanes. And so, too, with the dinosaurs and birds.

Early bird flight was probably a series of leaps with a little extra lift helped by feathered arms, or a cruising, glider-like descent from tall branches, flying-squirrel style. And this is where the real fun begins in Dinosaurs Among Us. The organizers have set up an interactive station that lets visitors assemble their own dinosaurs and watch them fly  in a variety of modes.

Using puzzle pieces inserted into a dinosaur illustration, visitors can change the wingspan, body weight and breastbone size from large to small and back again, in all combinations. With each selection, an animated creature takes shape on a giant screen depicting a forest scene. When all the pieces are in place, the name of the dinosaur pops up, and once a launch button is pressed, it springs into action. Some dinosaurs hop up a tree trunk, with feather-assisted bounds, while others sail effortlessly to the top of the canopy. Success at last  150 million years in the making.
Raised in Brooklyn, he began his education at an Orthodox Jewish yeshiva where he was bullied for being overweight and effeminate. Fortunately, he was able to persuade his parents to let him go to New York Citys High School of Performing Arts. After that, he attended Parsons School of Design; worked for Perry Ellis; and, in 1988 at 26, had his first show of his own designs, an event that catapulted him into fashion world fame. Then came Unzipped, a winningly candid 1995 documentary about the production of a fashion show, in which hes seen working and horsing around with Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and other models, and comically effusing and fretting about the new collections progress. It made him a broad-spectrum celebrity in his own right, for which he was resented by some fashion-world purists who would have preferred that he let his clothes speak for themselves.

You get the feeling that Mr. Mizrahi is always daring people to criticize him just so he can prove them wrong. Besides Desert Storm, other pieces in the exhibition also seem to willfully court controversy  even more so today than when they debuted. From a 1991 collection called the Tee Pee series, for example, theres Totem Pole Gown, a strapless, form-fitting sheath of yellow wool embroidered with imagery mimicking the faces and patterns of Native American totem poles from the Pacific Northwest. (Ms. Campbell appeared in that dress on the Sept. 16, 1991, European edition of Time magazine, making her the first black model to appear on that magazines cover.) Another from the series is Tee Pee Shearling, a red coat adorned with beaded patterns emulating American Indian motifs.
Seizures cannot be good for the Asian antiquity market. But it is not clear what impact they are having this week on sales, gallery owners said. Many collectors are savvy and familiar with widespread reports about Subhash Kapoor, a former Manhattan dealer who is accused of having run the largest antiques smuggling operation ever uncovered in the United States.

Mr. Kapoor primarily dealt in objects from South Asia  India, Pakistan and Afghanistan in particular  and those are the sorts of items that have been seized in the past week by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. There have been fewer reported instances of stolen antiquities from Japan, China or Korea turning up in the United States.

Historically, Asian governments havent monitored their antiquities in the same way as nations like Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, said Leila A. Amineddoleh, the former director of the Lawyers Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation. It makes them vulnerable.

Mr. Kapoor, who is awaiting trial in India, has been the pivotal figure in Operation Hidden Idol, and the sheer volume of illicit artifacts he is said to have donated or sold  hundreds are in museums around the world  has raised questions about the level of scrutiny being practiced in both the art market and the museum world. Museums in the United States, Australia and Singapore, among others, have returned items obtained from Mr. Kapoor, many valued at well above $1 million. The Antiquities Coalition, which fights illicit antiquities trafficking, said major dealers and auction houses have the resources to conduct due diligence and should coordinate more with law enforcement and source countries.

The burden of proof should fall on these global businesses, said Deborah M. Lehr, the coalitions founder, not on the individuals and countries who are victims of the illicit trade, to validate antiquities before any sale.

Some experts say many problems would be solved if law enforcement shared information about suspect items rather than publicized eye-grabbing confiscations. The Committee for Cultural Policy, an advocacy group for collectors, has called for a digital system under which museums and collectors could document items publicly and address foreign claims in a neutral forum.
Now in its third year in New York, this event will offer small and large jam sessions, workshops grouped by instrument and age, mentoring opportunities and a panel discussion on increasing the visibility of girls and women in the field.

Accomplished musicians on the faculty of the Middle School Jazz Academy, another Jazz at Lincoln Center program, will serve as leaders, including Ms. Jones, the percussionist Annette A. Aguilar, the trombonist Deborah Weisz, the bassist Mary Ann McSweeney, the baritone saxophonist Claire Daly, the vibraphonist Nikara Warren and the trumpeter Angeleisha L. Rodgers. The pianist Connie Crothers, a guest, is likely to demonstrate her specialty, free improvisation.

The days goals, Ms. Jones added, include learning how to be a better jazz musician, how to play with other people and how to bring your own voice to this music.

While only girls can attend the program, everyone is invited to a post-event screening of Judy Chaikins 2013 documentary, The Girls in the Band, which examines the obstacles pioneering female musicians faced.

Although todays girls probably wont be told to stick to their ironing (a phrase from the film), they may still feel isolated. For them, JazzGirls Day is like finding your tribe, Ms. NGonzi said. Such an experience could mean a future onstage  and maybe even in the dictionary.
She wasnt smiling, which was exactly the point: The images played off the notion of Mrs. Clinton as a take-no-prisoners professional, getting it done. As enshrined in Texts From Hillary, she wasnt approachable, she was sharp-witted, fearsome  and, above all, cool.

That was 201112; this is now. The meme machine has moved on to new iconography, like the hip-hop-styling of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Notorious R.B.G.  and, of course, Mrs. Clintons opponent, Bernie Sanders, who has won over millennials and been lionized in online culture while Mrs. Clinton has fielded endless uncomfortable questions about why more young women werent supporting her.

All this may explain why Mrs. Clinton said yes to the pitch  via the shows executive producer Amy Poehler  that she appear on Broad City, which is millennial, ardently feminist and a virtual fountain of Internet GIFs. Late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live are still integral to campaigns, but in todays politics, the dream is to meme: to be portrayed in images that frame you through the lenses of another viewers passion.

Mrs. Clintons part on the episode, titled 2016, was relatively small. (The episodes other story, a descent into the hell of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, was funnier.) Ilana (Ilana Glazer), having lost her job, ends up cold-calling voters at Clinton headquarters in Brooklyn. In the story lines first GIF-able moment, upon realizing that shes in Mrs. Clintons office, Ilana rears up to a swell of choral music and salutes, like the feminist analogue of a World War II recruitment film.
Like the Muppets and the Simpsons, Pee-wee Herman seems not to age. But in his new Netflix movie, Pee-wees Big Holiday, he does take things down a notch; hes less frenetic and more reactive. Perhaps he knows that a lot of people watching this sweet, silly film will be in a mellower place than they were when Pee-wees Playhouse was on television more than a quarter-century ago.

Those, of course, would be adult viewers. The movie is perfectly appropriate for children, too, but whether the kiddies of 2016 will get Pee-wee, the man-child character played by Paul Reubens, the way an earlier generation did is hard to gauge. A digital-era 6-year-old might well slip off with a more typical 21st-century diversion, while Mom and Dad revel in the kitschy loopiness that they loved as children or younger adults.

Pee-wees Big Holiday, which becomes available on Friday, is a road yarn, as was Pee-wees Big Adventure, the 1985 film directed by Tim Burton. (John Lee directs here; Judd Apatow produced with Mr. Reubens.) Pee-wee, after a delightful signature opening full of Rube Goldberg-like devices, has his bland but blissful life disrupted when the three other members of his musical group, the Renegades, tell him theyre dismantling the band. Just when hes at his lowest point, who walks into the diner where he works but the actor Joe Manganiello, playing himself.

Its a fortunate encounter, both for Pee-wee and for viewers: The two pair charmingly. Mr. Manganiello (True Blood) is a big star, but Pee-wee, whose sheltered existence has been confined almost exclusively to the tiny town of Fairville, doesnt recognize him, which only endears him to Mr. Manganiello more.
Two Senate Democrats introduced a bill on Thursday that would take aim at activist hedge funds and their ability to act together in wolf packs to overtake public companies.

The bill would shorten the number of days that activists have to disclose newly acquired shares in a company and force the disclosure of derivatives and other holdings that now dont have to be reported. It would also redefine the rules about who has to report when they have amassed a greater than 5 percent stake in a company.

The bill, by Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Senator Jeffrey A. Merkley of Oregon, comes after years of debate about reforming share ownership disclosures both at the Securities and Exchange Commission and among shareholder advocacy groups. Senator Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Democrat, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is vying for the Democratic nomination for president, are co-sponsoring the bill.

Activism is on the rise. The pending merger of Dow Chemical and DuPont came after months of prodding by Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management. Carl C. Icahn threatened a proxy battle at the American International Group before the insurer agreed this year to give board seats to his firm and another activist, John Paulson of Paulson & Company.
NEW ORLEANS  What is the Tulane Corporate Law Institute, the mergers and acquisitions conference here, without some memorable comments from Leo E. Strine Jr.?

Nursing what he jokingly described as a hangover  followed by a short lesson on why one does not order black and tans at an Irish pub  Mr. Strine, the chief justice of Delawares Supreme Court, spoke freely about big mergers, activist investors and a few other things that crossed his mind.

Where to begin? In no particular order:

 Mr. Strine isnt a big fan of the pending merger-and-breakup of Dow Chemical and his states hometown corporate champion, DuPont. Initially he avoided naming names, before eventually calling out E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company outright.

The idea of putting two companies together, only to split them into three soon after, appeared baffling to him. Moreover, he repeatedly lamented the fate of workers in Delaware who would probably suffer and lose jobs, thanks to what he described as the legions of M.B.A.-holders who concocted the transaction.
NEW ORLEANS  As shareholder activism continues to escalate, some deal makers at a conference in New Orleans have been focused on cracks that they think are beginning to show.

The 28th Tulane Corporate Law Institute  an annual gathering of mergers and acquisitions advisers  took place days after the shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, a significant holding for several activist hedge funds, plummeted.

In a speech on Thursday, Roger C. Altman, a founder and the executive chairman of the investment bank Evercore, focused on the rise of activists  and the challenges they have faced recently.

Some of the biggest activists have had setbacks, he said, referring to William A. Ackmans hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, which has been buffeted by its Valeant stake.
Another former employee of a Federal Reserve Bank has admitted walking off with confidential documents.

On Thursday, a former senior analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of misdemeanor theft for taking 35 confidential financial documents from the bank as he was leaving it for a new job.

The documents including financial data and information about the health of various financial institutions in the United States, according to the plea agreement for Jeffrey Cho, 35, who faces a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for June.

Prosecutors said Mr. Cho took the documents home even though he knew he was not permitted to do so. They also said he initially denied taking them, under F.B.I. questioning. He later admitted he had taken them home and shredded most of them after the first F.B.I. interview last June.
One of the reports recommendations was that governments start disclosing the amounts promised to retirees, so that everyone can see them.

Government officials are in many cases loath to do that because they believe it will harm their credit ratings, driving up borrowing costs. And the unions that represent public workers believe calls for full disclosure mask a broad anti-labor campaign to cut benefits.

The disclosure issue has grown increasingly contentious in Washington. Republican members of Congress are planning to introduce a bill in the next few days that would require states and local governments to measure their pension obligations using the method now universally used to price municipal bonds. States and cities currently report their pension obligations as calculated by actuaries, and actuarial numbers can greatly distort economic reality.

It was actuarial numbers in Detroit, for instance, that obscured the value of that citys pension promises before the bankruptcy.

States have long argued that as constitutional sovereigns, they cannot be forced to meet any federal pension disclosure requirements. Republican lawmakers are generally sympathetic to states rights issues, but they are also worried about being asked to bail out troubled pension systems in places like Illinois and Puerto Rico.

Since the tax-exempt treatment of municipal bonds is, in fact, a federal subsidy, they have written the bill to require full, market-based pension disclosure only in connection with tax-exempt borrowing. If states and cities remain unwilling to reveal their pension obligations, they could still borrow  but they could not market their bonds as tax-exempt.

Senate Republicans introduced a similar disclosure measure late last year as part of a package to help Puerto Rico through a huge debt crisis. The island appears not to have nearly enough money to pay both its bond debt and its retirees pensions, but up-to-date information about its pension system does not exist in the public domain.
Jurgen Haugs suntan from his vacation in Cuba in January has long faded.

But his anger over his first experience flying across the Atlantic on Eurowings, Lufthansas new budget airline, remains as vivid as it was on the day he and 300 fellow passengers landed back in Germany  68 hours late.

It was an end-to-end disaster, Mr. Haug, 53, said of the two-week trip to Varadero, on Cubas northern coast. The trip was also delayed by a full day at the beginning, when Eurowings canceled his outbound flight to Cuba from Cologne.

I was told this was a new Lufthansa airline, so I expected it to at least be reliable, said Mr. Haug, a steel salesman from Lauffen am Neckar, near Stuttgart. Instead it was just cheap, cheap, cheap.

Eurowings, which analysts say still has too few planes to support its overseas ambitions, cited technical problems with its aircraft.
Announcing government support for clean-energy projects, President Obama hailed a Spanish company, saying its new solar technology would supply tens of thousands of American homes with renewable power, while spurring local employment.

Its good news, Mr. Obama said in 2010, that weve attracted a company to our shores to build a plant and create jobs right here in America.

Since then, the Spanish company, Abengoa, has built two American plants, in Arizona and California, supplying electricity to more than 160,000 homes. It is the world leader in a technology known as solar thermal, with operations from Algeria to Latin America.

But Abengoas global ambitions are now the source of its troubles.

Saddled with debt from its expansion, the company is scrambling to avoid what would be the largest bankruptcy in Spanish corporate history. Creditors and shareholders are taking the company to court as losses mount and crucial financial support disappears.
Many staples of St. Patricks Day in the United States have little or nothing to do with Ireland, such as green beer and green bagels. But some Irish Americans might be surprised by another entry on that list of suspect foods: corned beef and cabbage.

Experts say the meal originated on American soil in the late 19th century as Irish immigrants substituted corned beef for bacon, which was meat of choice in the homeland.

When they came here they found bacon was expensive, said Niall ODowd, the publisher of Irish America magazine and The Irish Voice, an Irish newspaper in New York.

Mr. ODowd suggested another plot twist in the meals back story. Like Leopold Bloom, the protagonist of the Irish classic Ulysses, the dish of boiled brisket and root vegetables may actually be of Irish-Jewish extraction.
AUSTIN, Tex.  Pee-wees next big adventure? A trip to South by Southwest.

It has been 28 years since the last Pee-Wee Herman film, Big Top Pee-wee, and the new one, Pee-wees Big Holiday, has finally arrived. The movie, which is being unveiled at the South by Southwest film festival ahead of its Friday release on Netflix, has the gray-suited, red-bow-tied character up to a few tricks fans will recognize, along with a few surprises that will help introduce younger audiences to the character.

In a recent phone interview, the man behind Pee-wee, Paul Reubens, discussed the new movie. Below are excerpts from that conversation.

What got you interested in bringing back Pee-wee?

I guess just time. Id been trying to get a new Pee-wee movie made for several years. I stopped doing it for a while because I really felt like I had enough of it. And then I started to feel like there was more to do. It just turned out to take longer than I thought it would.

You wrote two other unproduced scripts before Pee-wees Big Holiday was made. Would you tell me about those?
Near the end of My Golden Days, an elegy for young love and its lingering ache, a wind starts to stir. And, for the second time in this transcendent film, Paul Dedalus, its middle-aged hero, is caught up in a gust. But where once autumn leaves swirled at Pauls feet, he now finds himself walking in keeping with the storys romantic melancholy  amid a tornado of flying book pages and thinking of the girl who once loved him. The hour of the waning of love has beset us, William Butler Yeats writes in his poem The Falling of the Leaves. Paul, we know, began reading Yeats early.

The brilliant French director Arnaud Desplechin likes to mix lofty touchstones with George Clinton beats, slipping in nods to Ulysses alongside the post-punk band Marine Girls. Theres a restless intelligence to his sampling, which always feels organic, experiential instead of merely ornamental. In My Golden Days, which largely takes place in the 1980s, every musical, literary and fashion cue speaks to the moment when Paul began a feverish love affair. When he reads the Yeats poem Among School Children (She stands before me as a living child), theres meaning in the moment, as there is when the score picks up a haunting thread from Alfred Hitchcocks Vertigo.

The story is straightforward; the telling, less so. It opens on the middle-aged Paul (Mathieu Amalric, Mr. Desplechins longtime collaborator), an anthropologist in Tajikistan. Hes packing for his return to France after a lengthy time abroad, and trading looks with a slinky blonde, Irina (Dinara Drukarova), whos in a mans shirt and little else. The women in his life run the gamut: blond, brunet, young, old, underdressed, undressed, sane and rather less so. When this one crawls on top of him in bed, he murmurs in voice-over, I remember, as the scene fades to black. What follows are three epoch-defining chapters from Pauls life, the longest dedicated to the turbulent teenage affair thats still haunting him in the films epilogue.
The Clan, Pablo Traperos wrenching, exciting new film, could be described as an examination of the banality of evil. Its the story, closely based on actual events, of an ostentatiously normal family involved in crimes enabled by a climate of political violence and repression.

But the patriarch, Arquimedes Puccio, played with regal sang-froid and deadpan perversity by Guillermo Francella, is also a study in the evil of banality. His steadfast attachment to conformity and respectability is inseparable from his coldblooded, self-serving sadism. In his own mind, everything he does  the kidnappings, the beatings, the occasional murder  is an expression of his essential rectitude. Hes a good father, a good businessman, a paragon of petit-bourgeois virtue who happens to keep hostages tied up in the basement.

The pathology is not his alone. The Clan takes place in Buenos Aires in the early 1980s, when Argentina was ruled by a military dictatorship that specialized in disappearing its suspected political opponents. Arquimedes, though he is proud of his government connections (and adept at exploiting them), has neither an official position nor any particular ideological commitment. Hes in it for the money, selecting his prey based on the ransom he can collect. Rather than targeting supposed leftists, he and his accomplices  principally his son Alejandro (Peter Lanzani)  focus on members of their own class and social circle, including a young man who belongs to Alejandros rugby club.
The Republican governor himself is not on trial, but in some ways his administration is; two of his former top lieutenants face nine counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud, in what federal prosecutors have called a callous and audacious scheme to exact political revenge by creating a traffic jam that punished a mayor who declined to endorse Mr. Christies 2013 bid for re-election, and then cover it up. A third has pleaded guilty and is expected to testify against them.

Defense lawyers have suggested they will argue that their clients have been scapegoats for what they call routine politics in the Christie administration  that the governors inner circle was well aware of the scheme and attempts to cover it up as officials, reporters and legislators began to ask questions. There are 1.5 million pages of documents in the case, making about as many chances for surprises or unflattering revelations in court. There is also the possibility that Mr. Christie could be called as a witness.

But even in the unlikely event that no one mentions the governors name in the courtroom, the trial will dredge up nagging questions and allegations about how he runs his office, meaning that voters will be bombarded in the eight weeks before Election Day with accusations of bullying, using government resources for political gain and a win-at-all-costs culture.

In the state of New Jersey, there is this kind of pervasive sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop, said Brigid Callahan Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University. It seems as if there are still more details left to be revealed.

I dont know that theres the smoking gun that leads directly to Chris Christie, she added, but it could show that it infiltrated his inner circle even more. Which then creates even more media frenzy about What did he know and when did he know it? 
If any of the officials happen to mark up the memos with thoughts and concerns, new versions and new rounds of signatures become necessary.

The memos are intended to help the mayors office control high-level decision-making across the sprawling apparatus of New York City government.

They provide a look at the behind-the-scenes methods by which Mr. de Blasio  a Democrat steeped in Washington politics, but lacking in experience leading a large organization  has coped with the flood of information and demands flowing into his office.

The memos, a feature of the White House with roots at least as far back as the Carter administration, are also the most striking managerial innovation brought by Mr. de Blasio, who has faced criticism for the slow pace of his decision-making.
The existence of the group had become something of a political liability for Mr. de Blasio, garnering unfavorable headlines about its fund-raising, which included hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies with business before the city, and its spending, much of it on political consultants with close ties to the mayor. Its dissolution signaled the beginning of a shift for Mr. de Blasio away from policy fights and toward his re-election campaign in 2017; the Campaign for One New York, which closely coordinated its efforts with City Hall, would have been prohibited from raising money to advocate his re-election.

The group has raised and spent more than $4 million since its creation in 2014, according to voluntary disclosure forms. Donations included at least $1.3 million from unions, including $350,000 that the American Federation of Teachers gave during the mayors push to create universal prekindergarten, and more than $1 million from real estate interests, including Two Trees Management and others with interests along the Brooklyn waterfront.

Mr. de Blasio has consistently defended the group and its mission since the early months of his administration. Last month, he said that it should be judged differently from the opaque nonprofits supported by the conservative Koch brothers that similarly grew out of the Citizens United decision by the Supreme Court.

The Koch brothers are not doing what theyre doing to help kids get pre-K, he said, adding that another key difference is that his groups voluntarily disclosed their activities.

An investigation into the Campaign for One New York by the states Joint Commission on Public Ethics over whether the nonprofit should have registered as a lobbyist last year remains active, according to several people briefed on the matter. The citys Campaign Finance Board and Conflicts of Interest Board are both considering the formal complaint by Common Cause, spokesmen for the city agencies said, declining to comment further.
The St. Patricks Day Parade is just a parade again.

With Bill de Blasio finally joining the ranks of New York City mayors who have marched in the annual procession, the path to peace seems to have worked its way to Fifth Avenue, where on Thursday a gay Irish delegation, accompanied by the mayor, marched proudly under its own banner for the first time.

For two decades and more, we had a blemish on our city, Mr. de Blasio said at a breakfast at Gracie Mansion before the parade. People worked together. They overcame it. People will be able to express their pride, their pride as Irish-Americans, their pride as L.G.B.T. Americans, their pride as New Yorkers. Since taking office two years ago, he had declined to march as a way of protesting a ban by the organizers of the event on open participation by gay groups.

In what seems a fitting selection, George J. Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader who presided over the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement and power sharing in Northern Ireland, served as the parades grand marshal this year.
When we started Women on 20s a year ago to engage the nation in replacing Andrew Jackson with an iconic American woman on the $20 bill, we never imagined that Alexander Hamilton would be pleading for his life in a redesign of the $10 note. But now Lin-Manuel Miranda, the star who plays Hamilton in his own eponymous hit Broadway musical, is celebrating an assurance from Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew that Hamilton is safe. As Mr. Miranda tweeted to his followers, Lew told him, Youre going to be very happy. But will the redesign make women happy?

Anything short of a simultaneous redesign of the $20 bill giving women a place of their own in the all-male pantheon of our paper money is an affront. Sparked by our movement, hundreds of thousands of women and men have sent that message to the Treasury in the form of petitions, tweets and emails. Despite Secretary Lews hints in recent months that the back of the $10 bill offers ample real estate for honoring women, there is little evidence the public would support this compromise. We certainly dont.

Talk about, to paraphrase one of Mr. Mirandas brilliant lyrics, throwing away our shot. With the 100th anniversary of womens suffrage just four years away, giving women a spot on the back  or even in some shared position with Hamilton  on a bill that represents just 5 percent of the paper money in circulation is inadequate.
Doha, Qatar  If you believe many of the commentators and policy makers in Washington, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is an expansionist on the march. Hes had one great success after another: First, he annexed Crimea and fueled a destabilizing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Then he intervened in the Syrian civil war and rescued his client, the government of Bashar al-Assad, in its moment of need. Last month, Ashton B. Carter, the secretary of defense, indicated that he believed that Russia is the worlds greatest threat to American national security, ahead of a nuclear-armed North Korea and the jihadists of the Islamic State.

This alarmism is counterproductive and largely wrong.

Three weeks into a partial truce, Russia has begun withdrawing most of its forces from Syria after Mr. Putin claimed that the militarys goals there had been achieved. In Ukraine, a cease-fire has been in place for over six months with few changes to the countrys situation. These realities underline the truth: Russias objectives are limited. The United States should recognize and accept this, and  while it may be hard for some in Washington to imagine  work with Moscow when interests overlap.

In Syria, Russia has had two linked aims: making sure that the Syrian regime survives in some form and ensuring that Russia will play a key part in whatever peace process eventually brings an end to the civil war. Washington has now been forced to accept these Russian positions.

Despite Russian air support, there was never a chance that the Assad regime would retake most of Syria from the rebels. It seems that Russia never intended for this, either. To help put the government in Damascus back in control of Idlib and Deraa, for example, Russia would have had to commit a huge, costly and dangerous infusion of forces over several years and risk provoking an even larger regional conflict. Instead, it seems Moscow just wanted to ensure that its ally in Damascus was not defeated by the rebels, many of whom are radical jihadists. The partial Russian military withdrawal at a time when the war has entered a tenuous cease-fire demonstrates the limits of Russias aims and Mr. Putins desire to work with  not against  the United States to achieve a settlement.
More broadly, partition resulting from war has a deservedly dubious reputation: In Korea and Germany, for instance, it has meant the brutal sequestration of large populations and laid tripwires for future major wars. In India, it produced a huge demographic rupture and seemingly permanent enmity. The partition of Vietnam in 1954 proved unsustainably vulnerable.

In exceptional circumstances, partition can produce relative long-term stability and security in small and isolated populations. Cyprus has been partitioned for over 40 years, with United Nations troops patrolling the Green Line separating the Greek and Turkish Cypriot portions of the island pending theoretical unification. Similar stability has held in Northern Ireland, where the power-sharing Belfast Agreement has helped smooth over residual tensions. The formal partition of Bosnia under the Dayton Accords satisfactorily ended a terrible war among the Serbs, Bosnian Muslims, and Croats. But in all three cases partition was eased by Europes overall peace and stability, the presence of a powerful supranational body in the European Union that diluted the significance of putative national sovereignty and, most important, the relative absence of external provocation.

None of these conditions apply to Syria. The Syrian civil war has occurred in an extraordinarily tough neighborhood. The Arab League has been unable to ameliorate it. It has been stoked by outside parties  notably Iran and Russia on the regimes side, and Saudi Arabia on the oppositions  inclined to treat it as a proxy war. And the conflict has been bloodier and its combatants more plentiful and heavily armed than those in Cyprus or Ireland.

The only way to make partitioning work in Syria is for the outside powers to get involved  to agree to an armistice that would freeze the conflict and isolate the Islamic State, and to use force under United Nations auspices to maintain that armistice, facilitate partition and discourage regional actors from geopolitical meddling.

That, in turn, would require a large multinational peace enforcement effort, probably with an American/NATO component alongside Arab League troops and possibly Russian elements. Such a force would also have to oversee the relocation of Syrians who felt unsafe in their current situations.
Timothy D. Cook, Apples chief executive, last month telegraphed what his employees might do in an email to customers: The same engineers who built strong encryption into the iPhone to protect our users would, ironically, be ordered to weaken those protections and make our users less safe, Mr. Cook wrote.

Apple declined to comment.

The fear of losing a paycheck may not have much of an impact on security engineers whose skills are in high demand. Indeed, hiring them could be a badge of honor among other tech companies that share Apples skepticism of the governments intentions.

If someone attempts to force them to work on something thats outside their personal values, they can expect to find a position thats a better fit somewhere else, said Window Snyder, the chief security officer at the start-up Fastly and a former senior product manager in Apples security and privacy division.

Apple said in court filings last month that it would take from six to 10 engineers up to a month to meet the governments demands. However, because Apple is so compartmentalized, the challenge of building what the company described as GovtOS would be substantially complicated if key employees refused to do the work.

Inside Apple, there is little collaboration among teams  for example, hardware engineers usually work in different offices from software engineers.

But when the company comes closer to releasing a product, key members from different teams come together to apply finishing touches like bug fixes, security audits and polishing the way the software looks and behaves.

A similar process would have to be created to produce the iPhone software for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A handful of software engineers with technical expertise in writing highly secure software  the same people who have designed Apples security system over the last decade  would need to be among the employees the company described in its filing.
Theres optimistic, and then theres delusional. The penniless matriarch in Mona Mansours monotonous black comedy, The Way West, a Labyrinth Theater Company production at the Bank Street Theater, definitely falls into the delusional category. Awash in unpaid bills and barely able to gather her wits to declare bankruptcy, she nevertheless tries to buck up herself and her two grown daughters with tales of the fortitude and defiance of the pioneers who tamed the western frontier in days of yore.

As portrayed by the always likable Deirdre OConnell, Mom, as she is known, lives in a largely abandoned housing tract in Stockton, Calif. Her younger daughter, Michelle, called Meesh (Anna ODonoghue) seems to have moved in, while Meeshs older sister, Amanda, called Manda (Nadia Bowers), is visiting from Chicago in an attempt to help Mom get her personal finances in order.

Trouble is, Mom doesnt really have any personal finances anymore. Having lost her job at a tire store, shes merrily sunken into a state of cheerful denial about her insolvency, preferring to unleash another preposterous tall tale whenever her daughters try to jostle her into facing the situation.

Ms. Mansours dialogue can be bleakly funny. When Manda discovers, to her horror, that someone has charged $3,500 on an Elizabeth Arden credit card that Mom adamantly denies having acquired, Manda becomes alarmed by the prospect of identity theft. Mom shrugs it off, chortling: They can take my identity. Have fun!
For commuters in the San Francisco area, the announcement of delays Wednesday on the Bay Area Rapid Transit network from the struggling systems Twitter account was no surprise.

Weve come to expect rush-hour equipment problems and train delays from you, one rider tweeted. What youre saying is that today ends with -day.

Then, in an unusual move for an account belonging to a government institution, BART tweeted back, describing the systems struggles with extreme candor. It seemed like a peek behind the institutional curtain, but the tweets were online for all to see.
CHICAGO  Facing intense pressure to mend his citys frayed relationship with its police force, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was presented Thursday with three candidates for police superintendent who will leave him weighing tough choices: Should he promote an officer with strong ties to the community, or should he shake things up by selecting someone who has been critical of city leaders or someone who led a turnaround in another state?

The job may be the most challenging in American law enforcement. The superintendent will lead the nations second largest municipal police force, about 12,000 officers, as it responds to a spike in shootings and homicides while facing scrutiny over how its officers use force, receive discipline and interact with residents, particularly African-Americans. The department, which is contending with low morale among officers, is also the subject of a Justice Department investigation into its patterns and practices.

A police board selected three finalists on Thursday from among 39 applicants, but the final decision belongs to the mayor. The political stakes are high for Mr. Emanuel, who has faced widespread criticism over the police department, and even calls for his resignation.

The candidates for the job, which pays $260,000, are Cedric L. Alexander, public safety director of DeKalb County, Ga; Anne Kirkpatrick, a retired police chief of Spokane, Wash.; and a deputy police superintendent in Chicago, Eugene Williams, chief of the Bureau of Support Services, which serves as the administrative backbone of the citys police department.
When a Colorado man thought his wife might be having an affair, he asked a Denver police officer to dig up personal details about the man he suspected. The husband then drove by his house and threatened him, according to a civilian oversight agencys report.

Another Denver police officer used official databases to get the private telephone number of a hospital employee he had casually chatted with while investigating a sexual assault. He then left the woman a voice mail message that upset her.

When caught, the officers were given written reprimands, and one was fined.

These 2015 cases were highlighted in the annual report released on Tuesday by the Denver Office of the Independent Monitor, a civilian oversight agency, that said the citys Police Department must impose harsher punishments to deter officers from mining law enforcement databases for their personal use.

There have been 25 cases of database misuse in the Police Department in the past 10 years, including three in 2015, the report said.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he would not seek a recount of the results in Missouris Democratic presidential primary, conceding defeat to Hillary Clinton.

Mr. Sanders said that it was unlikely the results of any recount would affect the awarding of delegates in the state and that he would prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money.

Mrs. Clinton has a narrow lead of 1,531 votes. Under state law Sanders could have sought a recount because the margin was less than one-half of 1 percent.

Mrs. Clinton will get an extra two delegates from Missouri for winning the statewide vote. She won all five of Tuesdays primary contests, including Florida, Ohio, Illinois and North Carolina.
Mr. Obama chose his words carefully, and did not explicitly call on Mr. Sanders to quit the race, according to those in the room. Still, those in attendance said in interviews that they took his comments as a signal to Mr. Sanders that perpetuating his campaign, which is now an uphill climb, could only help the Republicans recapture the White House.

Mr. Obamas message came at a critical juncture for Mr. Sanders, who had just upset Mrs. Clinton in the Michigan primary and has been trying to convince Democrats that his campaign is not over, despite Mrs. Clintons formidable lead in delegates.

Mr. Obama has been careful in public to avoid disparaging Mr. Sanders, given his deeper history and relationship with Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Obama also does not want to alienate the liberal voters who have flocked to Mr. Sanders.

Mr. Obama acknowledged what have emerged as the central complaints about Mrs. Clinton among Democratic activists: that she is not generating enough excitement in her campaign, and lacks the authenticity of Mr. Sanders.
SENATE TV - AP CLIENTS ONLY Washington - 17 March 2016 SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader: When it comes to filling the current Supreme Court vacancy, which could fundamentally alter the direction of the courts for a generation, Republicans and Democrats just simply disagree. Republicans think the people deserve a voice in this critical decision, the President does not. So we disagree in this instance and as a result we logically act as a check and balance. Theres no reason one area of disagreement should stop us from other areas of agreement. Well continue our work in the Senate as the American people make their voices heard in this important national conversation. // AP TELEVISION 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Harry Reid, Minority Leader: Merrick Garland is a fine man in every way, his character is impeccable, his record of public service is unsurpassed and his time on the bench has been really very exemplary. All were asking is for the Republicans to do their jobs, now Mitch McConnell set out and he did it publicly, his number one goal was to make sure Obama was not re-elected, he failed at that miserably, just like hes going to fail miserably here. We are going to have a Supreme Court justice, its the right thing to do and McConnell leading his troops, hes leading them over the cliff, and theyre going to rue the day they fall in over the cliff. // SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D) New York: Judge Garland is a widely respected legal mind who puts the law above ideology, exactly the type of nominee that Republicans profess to love when it comes to the Supreme Court. You simply cant lay a glove on him. So Republicans continue to stand in the way and refuse to do their job, it will only be because they want Donald Trump to pick the next nominee. Occasionally, Republicans may try to distance themselves from him with their words, but their failure to do their job and give Judge Garland the consideration he deserves, ties them to Trump in a way they cannot untangle. If the Republicans in the Senate want to continue to tie themselves to Donald Trump, so be it. Donald Trump wont make America great again, but he will make Republicans the minority again.
Readers emailed us their pressing questions on the next steps in the nomination fight over Judge Merrick B. Garland. Here are some answers on whats to come:

Q. What is the process to confirm a Supreme Court nominee?

A. Typically, the Senate Judiciary Committee would ask Judge Garland to fill out an extensive questionnaire and provide reams of material, including speeches and published academic articles, from his career.
A Texas police officer has been charged with murder after chasing down and fatally shooting one of two teenagers he suspected of trying to break into his car.

An arrest warrant made public on Thursday said the officer, Ken Johnson, was arrested on Wednesday after confronting the two teenagers on Sunday in Farmers Branch, a Dallas suburb, because he believed they were trying to burglarize his car in the parking lot of his apartment complex.

The youths fled in a red Dodge Challenger, but the officer gave chase, the teenagers vehicle spun out of control, and he fired his weapon, the police said.

The shootings spurred a protest and left police officials facing questions about how an effort by Officer Johnson, 35, a member of the Farmers Branch Police Department, to stop what he believed to be an attempted burglary had spiraled into a shooting that left one teenager dead, another wounded and the officer facing murder and assault charges.
JOHANNESBURG  President Jacob G. Zuma of South Africa, reeling from new allegations of corruption and growing criticism from inside his own party, on Thursday denied accusations that a wealthy family with close links to his own had influenced his appointment of ministers.

In a parliamentary session, Mr. Zuma rejected statements made in recent days by current and former government officials that they had been offered ministerial positions by the Guptas, a family with widespread business interests and links to one of Mr. Zumas sons.

Im in charge of the government, Mr. Zuma said. I appoint in terms of the Constitution.

Opposition leaders urged Mr. Zuma to resign. You and your family are getting richer while South Africans are getting poorer, said Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance.

Under Mr. Zuma, who has been entangled in a series of personal scandals since taking office in 2009, the governing African National Congress has steadily lost popular support and faces the risk of losing in critical local elections this year.
RIO DE JANEIRO  In Brazil, a poor man goes to jail when he steals, a fiery left-wing congressman named Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in 1988. When a rich man steals, he becomes a minister.

Those words are coming back to haunt him now.

On Thursday, Mr. da Silva, the former president facing investigations into his accumulation of wealth since leaving office, was sworn in as exactly that: a cabinet minister.

With prosecutors seeking his arrest, Mr. da Silva was sworn in as chief of staff to his protege and successor, President Dilma Rousseff. The post may give him broad legal protections, but immediately set off a national firestorm.

A judge in the capital, Brasilia, issued an injunction against the move, arguing that Ms. Rousseff may have violated the law in appointing Mr. da Silva. Protesters rallied outside the ceremony and on the streets of Sao Paulo as police officers tried to prevent clashes
NAIROBI, Kenya  Elephant experts in Kenya were excited recently by some rare good news: An elephant had crossed into Somalia  and survived.

Somalia, one of the worlds most war-torn nations, used to be home to thousands of elephants, but they were wiped out during the 1980s and 90s as the country descended into chaos.

For the first time in decades, researchers said, there is now anecdotal evidence that a small elephant population still exists in Somalia, a finding based on the unusual migration of one big bull named Morgan who journeyed stealthily across the Kenya-Somalia border, most likely to look for a mate.

Fitted with a GPS tracking collar, Morgan was found to have traveled more than 130 miles, demonstrating an uncanny sense of direction  and self-preservation. He moved mostly by night. During the day, he rested in thick bush.
China has been one of the major markets in the global trade in wildlife products. According to Traffic, the wildlife trade monitoring network, it is the leading consumer of illicit ivory and the second-leading buyer (after Vietnam) of rhinoceros horn. However, China has recently made high-profile commitments to help change this. In September, during his state visit to the United States, President Xi Jinping announced that China would enact nearly complete bans on ivory import and export. And in December, while Mr. Xi was visiting South Africa, Chinese officials pledged at a meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) to support Africa in its efforts to protect wildlife.

These moves were applauded by conservationists, among them the African Wildlife Foundation, a Pan-African conservation organization that aims to build international alliances in the battle against poaching and that views China as a crucial partner. Its chief executive, Patrick Bergin, an American who has spent much of his adult life in Africa and frequently visits China, says there is much the Chinese government and its people can do. In an interview in Beijing, he described the challenges and how his group could help.

Q. Why is the African Wildlife Foundation seeking to engage China in helping safeguard Africas wildlife?

A. We are Africas oldest and largest conservation organization. For Africa to succeed in protecting the continents wildlife and wild lands, we need a partnership with the West and we need a partnership with the East. And when you talk about the East, you are talking about 70 percent about China and 30 percent about everybody else. So Ive been coming to China a lot, because we know we need the help of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and Chinese companies for Africas conservation goals to succeed.
BEIJING  A low-flying drone glides at full speed over gravel scattered on a swath of desert near Hami in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang. The desolate expanse betrays little sign of human habitation. But the drone ascends and, gradually, the stones cohere into shapes that clearly show human intervention, and the ghost of Mao Zedong.

Bare earth cutting through the gravel forms huge Chinese characters that read Long live Chairman Mao, Serve the people, Seize the minute, seize the hour, Learn from struggles and Surmount every difficulty to win victory. These Maoist slogans now form the core of a new film, Big Characters, by the independent director Ju Anqi, who is based in Beijing.

The slogans were constructed in 1968, two years after the onset of the decade-long Cultural Revolution, as navigation aids by members of a military aviation school. Although they have attracted sporadic attention over the years, because they are visible in satellite images, they went largely unknown to the public.

Mr. Ju said he had long wanted to make a film about the Cultural Revolution. This part of history has always been affecting us, distorting us and reshaping us, he said in an interview.
HONG KONG  Marcus Lau was born in 1996, but his argument for Hong Kongs independence from China goes back to 1984, when Britain agreed to return its colony to Chinese rule without admitting a third party  Hong Kong itself  into the negotiations.

Less than two decades since Hong Kongs transfer, in 1997, Mr. Lau says that he and many other young people have lost confidence in Chinas promise to maintain Hong Kongs civil liberties and way of life for 50 years under a one country, two systems formula. Instead, he said in an interview on Thursday, China has meddled in Hong Kong peoples affairs and has denied them the right to a greater say in the election of their leader, the chief executive.

Mr. Lau said that he and other young people in Hong Kong had come to see themselves not as Chinese, but as belonging to a distinct Hong Kong identity. If people ask him whether he is Chinese, he said, he says no.

It was for this reason that Mr. Lau and 12 other students at Hong Kong University called in the latest issue of the student magazine Undergrad for Hong Kong to declare independence in 2047. In their manifesto, which was released online on Sunday, they cited the Chinese governments resistance to allowing greater democracy.
TOKYO  A Japanese journalist believed to have been captured by militants in Syria last year appeared in a video posted online on Thursday. He delivered an emotional message to his family but revealed little about his captors demands or intentions.

I want to hug you, I want to talk with you, but I cant anymore, the journalist, Junpei Yasuda, says in the video. It was the first direct public evidence of his fate since he disappeared in the summer after telling associates that he was headed to Syria to cover the civil war there.

Mr. Yasuda is believed to be held by the Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al Qaeda that has taken a number of foreigners, including journalists. Some have been released, reportedly in exchange for ransoms.

NHK, the Japanese national broadcaster, said it spoke with the man who posted the video, but it did not identify him. Mr. Yasuda makes no reference to his captors in the video.
SEOUL, South Korea  Punishing a foreign tourist with 15 years of prison and hard labor for trying to steal a poster inscribed with a political slogan might seem preposterous in most of the world. This week, North Koreas Supreme Court did just that to Otto F. Warmbier, a 21-year-old American student.

But in North Korea, where the leader is treated as a deity, political slogans are sacrosanct  a point that does not loom large in many outside appraisals of Mr. Warmbiers plight.

At the beginning of each year, North Korea issues a new set of slogans as unbreakable guides. The gate of every factory and the wall of every classroom bear such slogans. The freshly painted and ubiquitous red-on-white banners are virtually the only thing that leaps out in otherwise drab North Korean towns.

And the most important among them  the ones that must be treated like sacred objects  are those that bear the names of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, his father Kim Jong-il, and his grandfather, the Norths founding president, Kim Il-sung, North Korean defectors and South Korean officials say.
BERLIN  Two men and a woman who made a gasoline bomb, drove to a building converted to home for refugees and then hurled the bomb into an apartment last year received stiff prison sentences on Thursday as the judge in the case said all three were motivated by neo-Nazi beliefs.

Dismissing the defenses argument that the two men were drunk and the young woman was a politically naive person who just drove the car, Judge Wolfgang Rosenbusch in Hanover attributed their actions to radical right-wing views.

The underpinning for their action was racial hatred informed by National Socialism, the judge said.
LEEDS, England  When floods swept through northern England late last year, many complained that the response from London was far less energetic than when waters engulfed swaths of the southwest almost two years earlier.

Then, as the authorities in London announced plans for huge spending on transport projects, civic leaders in this northern city observed tartly that the amount earmarked for the capital, 170 miles to the south, outstripped those for their entire region by a factor of 13.

The distinctions and resentments are part of a divide that has drawn a blue-collar curtain between the cosseted south and the mills and plants of the north since the Industrial Revolution.

Those divergent perspectives are likely to come under ever greater strain as Britons face a referendum on June 23 to decide whether the country will remain in the European Union.
BRUSSELS  European leaders edged closer early on Friday to a deal to return asylum seekers from Greece to Turkey despite a host of legal, political and moral issues raised by their latest effort to quell the migrant crisis.

The common stance agreed by the European Unions 28 national leaders still needs the approval of Turkeys prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu. He flew here late Thursday for face-to-face talks on Friday.

Those negotiations will revolve around what incentives to grant Turkey, which is not a European Union member, in return for Turkeys taking on the job of housing more of the migrants while they wait for word on whether they qualify for resettlement in Western Europe.

We need to put all our efforts into achieving an agreement with Turkey, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, told an early morning news conference. These will be negotiations that will certainly be anything but easy, she warned.
ISTANBUL  A militant group with links to the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has waged a three-decade insurgency for autonomy inside Turkey, claimed responsibility on Thursday for a car bombing in the capital, Ankara, over the weekend that killed 37 people.

The group, known as the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, said in a written statement that it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Turkish military operations against Kurdish rebels in the countrys southeast.

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks had also claimed responsibility for an attack in the capital last month, when a car bomb struck a military convoy and killed 28 people.

The group apologized on Thursday for the civilian casualties, but it vowed to stage similar attacks against those responsible for security operations in the southeast.
MOSCOW  President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Thursday that his countrys more than five-month military operation in Syria had been a success, with the upper hand on the battlefield returned to the Syrian government and with President Bashar al-Assad ready to make the compromises necessary for a peaceful settlement.

As the Russian leader spoke, Kurdish leaders in northern Syria were putting the final touches on a plan that would unite territories controlled by Kurdish forces within an autonomus entity within a federated Syria.

The new entity is to be called the Democratic Federation of Rojava-North Syria, Kurdish leaders said at a news conference later in the day, and its structure and bylaws are to be hashed out by an executive council with 31 members, half of them female.

Anticipating criticism, a spokeswoman for the group, Hediye Yusif, said this was not intended as a first move toward the partition of the country. We are against the division of Syria, she said. Federalism doesnt mean partition. Its the opposite; we see it as a positive step towards a democratic Syria for all.
Hassan Aboud, a feared Islamic State commander and double amputee who led the jihadist groups rank and file in a string of prominent battles in Syria, died Wednesday from wounds received in a battle near Aleppo roughly two weeks ago, a former aide and one of Mr. Abouds townspeople said.

Mr. Aboud, in his 30s, was admired by jihadists but despised by many Syrian rebels and activists, who accused him of betrayal and of organizing an assassination campaign against rebel leaders with whom he had collaborated before publicly defecting to the Islamic State in 2014.

Mr. Aboud, a former mason from Sarmin, a town on the flatlands of Idlib Province, was profiled in The New York Times last year.

He was wounded near Khanaser when a vehicle he was traveling in struck a roadside bomb, one of his former neighbors said. Khanaser, a town southeast of Aleppo, has been the scene of fighting between Syrian government forces and the Islamic State over control of the highway passing through the area.
Though he never spoke publicly about his role, Mr. Dagan was central to the Israeli part of the program, conferring regularly with senior members of President George W. Bushs administration.

Ultimately, Israel did not use its military option. And last summer, the world powers reached a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which Israeli leaders consider an existential threat to their country.

In 2007, Mr. Dagan provided American officials with the pictures that proved that Syria had been building a nuclear reactor with North Korean help. The Bush administration declined to bomb it, but after much debate Israel destroyed it in an air raid in September of that year.

Bald and stocky, Mr. Dagan was regarded by reporters as humorless, though always eager to court them, and readily outspoken. He criticized Israels political leaders for failing to seriously pursue a peace initiative with the Palestinians, and last year he again lashed out at Mr. Netanyahu shortly before the general elections returned the prime minister to office for a third consecutive term.

How did it happen that the country, stronger by far than all the countries in the region, is incapable of carrying out a strategic move that will improve our situation? Mr. Dagan said at a rally in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv calling for political change. The answer is simple: We have a leader who is fighting one campaign only, the campaign for his political survival.

Having emerged from the shadows, Mr. Dagan said at the rally, he was not a man of speeches or a member of any political party. The only party I am loyal to every day is the state of Israel, he said.
He says he loves me! the woman insisted. But she quickly moved on to joking  sort of  about getting her husband arrested by Israeli forces, which would at least mean she would not have to pay for his meals. The employee and the lawmaker collapsed into shrieking laughter.

And so it went for 17 days, as Ms. Abu Baker hid inside the all-but-abandoned legislative building to avoid arrest by her own government. Summoned by prosecutors on accusations that she had insulted President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, Ms. Abu Baker had taken refuge in the three-story edifice, which has become a testament to the dysfunction of Palestinian politics.

The 132-member legislature has been defunct since a 2007 split between Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Hamas, the Islamist faction that rules the Gaza Strip. Yet there are not one but three legislative buildings: one here in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority; one in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas lawmakers occasionally make decisions whose legality is dubious; and a half-built one in Abu Dis, outside Jerusalem, once imagined as the capital of a future independent Palestinian State.

Where else in the world would a parliamentarian, doing her job, calling out corruption, become a prisoner, while the corrupt walk free? Ms. Abu Baker asked in an interview. This is painful for me, to be here like this. This is a place that should be full of dialogue, people, justice, not a place of detention for a parliamentarian.

Ms. Abu Baker left the building last week after making a deal with prosecutors to avoid arrest. She was the fourth Palestinian legislator in trouble to hide out in what is viewed as a protected space where security forces, Palestinian or Israeli, may not enter.
PHILADELPHIA  Angel Corella knows a thing or two about Don Quixote, a ballet in which he had few rivals during his reign as a star dancer with American Ballet Theater. So at a recent rehearsal of his new production at the Pennsylvania Ballet, where he is artistic director, he had some practical advice to offer.

And it was not just about how to execute the dazzling leaps and turns that the ballets grand pas de deux is famous for. The main thing he stressed to Etienne Diaz, a young member of the corps getting a star turn in a role Mr. Corella once owned, was how to draw the audience in before becoming airborne.

When you come in, there should be a moment when you stop, so we can actually see your eyes  connect with us and then go, Mr. Corella said, demonstrating with a flourish. Its like youre talking to us: Hello everyone. Here we go. Youre having a good time? Youre going to have a better one.

Mr. Corella, 40, seems to be having a very good time these days as he works to reinvent the Pennsylvania Ballet, where he has made top-to-bottom changes since becoming artistic director in 2014. He has brought on new artistic staff, new administrative leadership, new dancers from all over the world and a new approach to programming.
What moves me most is style, the quality of the writing rather than the story being told.

Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine? Your favorite antihero or villain?

My original favorite fictional hero was Heathcliff in Brontes Wuthering Heights. (I also loved the character of Dalva, who I created.) My favorite antihero is Stavrogin in Dostoyevskys The Possessed. There are lots of villains in A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini.

What kind of reader were you as a child? Which childhood books and authors stick with you most?

As a child I was an obsessive reader, as was everybody in my family all winter long with my father. I think I was only 8 when I read Edward Gibbons The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Early on in our childhood, our parents bought us the 12-volume set called My Book House, which had a great influence on me. I spoke with Robert Duncan about My Book House, who also read them early on, to his delight.

Youthful reading can be a melancholy procedure. Your credibility is so forlorn you believe everything you read. Later the feeling became quite humorous. The little cripple boy drew on his cowboy boot. Unfortunately, there was a small rattlesnake in the boot, which bit and slowly killed him. His dog tried to revive him and the snake fatally bit the dog on the nose. Now there were two friends slumped in death on the porch. That sort of thing. Otherwise my faithful reading boyhood was quite pleasant, although I lost my left eye at the age of 7, when a little girl shoved a beaker in my face. This only led to harder work finding alternative realities in books. At age 21, my favorite people, my father and sister, died in an auto accident. This served to fuel me to write totally without compromise. If people you love can die in an accident, you refuse to step back from your work.

What book that you read for school had the greatest impact on you?

I remember in the seventh grade I did a project where I had to read all of Willa Cathers books, which were wonderful.

If you had to name one book that made you who you are today, what would it be?

The King James Version of the Bible. Also the works of Dostoyevsky. I read the Bible over and over in my youth, and the Judeo-Christian sensibility focused the world for me, for better or worse. Now, at my advanced age, I wonder how we are taught to believe something, but then we fail to learn how not to believe it. I find that I still believe in the Resurrection, though I improved it somewhat in a poem:

In the forty days in the wilderness Jesus

took along a stray dog from town. When

they got back home Jesus told the dog he

had to go off to Jerusalem to get crucified.

Jesus stored the dog in his tomb and after

he himself was brought there they

ascended into heaven together.

If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?

The works of Dostoyevsky, to enrich his nature.
NOONDAY

By Pat Barker

307 pp. Doubleday. $27.95.

We have been here before, with a screaming spread across the sky as the bomb goes into its long, shrieking descent and the chandelier begins to shake and an argument vanishes into air as the walls buckle from the shock of the blast. London, 1940. We know the pictures: St. Pauls Cathedral in the smoke, with its dome popping out into a patch of clear sky; walls caught in midtumble, and fire hoses playing in the dark, their jetting water like a band of light; the Henry Moore drawings of people sheltering in the tube stations. And we know the books. The Blitz and the later V-1 and V-2 bombings of the city have left an extraordinary literary record, whether in works produced at the time by writers like Graham Greene or in later fiction by Ian McEwan and Sarah Waters, among others. So Pat Barkers 13th novel deliberately puts us on familiar ground, and all the more so because Noonday doesnt limit itself to the bombs. Almost all books about the period pair the uncertainties of war with those of sexual passion, and in its account of a triangle that has endured for almost 30 years, this one is no exception.

Thats not the only way weve been here before. Noonday is also the third volume in a trilogy. We already know the now middle-aged painters who are its major characters, two men and a woman to whom Barker first introduced us in Life Class when they were students at Londons Slade School of Fine Art in the years before the Great War. The trilogys second and finest volume, Tobys Room, took us into that wars hardest days, and in 1940 Paul Tarrant still limps from an old wound. Kit Neville got it worse  his nose was shot off, and he now lives with a surgically reconstructed face. Paul and Kits fellow student Elinor Brooke lost her brother, Toby, in 1917, and one of the first things we learn in Noonday is that she and Paul have now married. Though we suspect shell have more to do with Kit.

All that allows Barker to start in the middle of a family drama, and the novels opening chapters get the full benefit of the careful development these characters have earlier received. But theres one final way Barker has brought us here before: This is her second trilogy about war and art and the relation between them. Barker began her career with two novels set in the tough north-of-England world from which she herself came. Both Union Street and Blow Your House Down  pounding accounts of womens physical experience, of their lives as bodies  should be better known than they are. Barker first found a large audience, however, with whats become known as the Regeneration trilogy, whose final volume, The Ghost Road, won the Booker Prize in 1995.

Regeneration begins in a hospital for shell-shock victims at the height of the Great War, and differs from the new work in that most of its major characters are historical figures, including the poet Wilfred Owen and the pioneering psychiatrist W. H. R. Rivers. In the years since her first trilogy appeared, Barker has returned obsessively to the questions about war and its representation those books raised. Her 2003 novel Double Vision involves the legacy of a British photographer killed in Afghanistan, and this latest trilogy depends in part on a series of actual paintings that were once thought impossible to hang, before-and-after images of Great War plastic surgery by the Slades own Henry Tonks.
We are a family of four siblings. We always got along pretty well, then our luck ran out. Last year, Siblings 1 and 3 (in birth order) had a huge blowout. The other two of us dont know what was said, and we are staying out of it. But Sibling 3 was so hurt and angry that he skipped the Christmas holidays, which put a damper on things. Soon, Sibling 2 will be celebrating a milestone birthday. Im afraid that Sibling 3 will skip that, too. Id like to encourage him to put aside his feelings for one day and not let selfishness ruin her big day. How would you approach this?

ANONYMOUS

Speaking of birth order, am I the only one whos amazed that the baby of the family is assuming some responsibility here? In my clan, No. 4, your sole job would consist of being carried to the party on soft cushions.

I was with you until your penultimate sentence. Minimizing your brothers hurt feelings, or worse, labeling him selfish, is no way to induce him to attend the birthday gala. You have been wise to stay out of this blood feud. Still, it is possible to insert yourself supportively: Im sorry that you and Danny are having a rough time. We missed you so much at Christmas. Will you let me know if theres anything I can do to make it easier for you to come to Janes big birthday? We really want you there, but we want to respect your feelings, too.

Then listen. Unless this milestone birthday is a Sweet 16, its safe to assume that the nasty fireworks were decades in the making. If so, only time and a desire to mend things will help your enemy-combatant siblings. Beyond kindness, theres not much you can bring to that party.
Mixing artistic processes is another, more modern approach, Ms. Albert said. It can be seen in Robert Rauschenbergs For Artists Rights Today (1976), which combines lithograph, screenprint and collage. The work includes a red paper bag, red polka dots and an image of the top of a columned courthouse with the words Equal Justice Under Law inscribed above the columns.

A wall text written by Ms. Albert explains the four major printmaking methods. Relief prints, mainly woodcuts and wood engravings, are created by carving into wood and cutting away the areas not to be printed. In intaglio, the image to be printed is incised into a plate to which ink is added,with the plate then wiped clean so that only the ink that has fallen into the incisions will transfer to paper. Lithography, invented in 1798, allows the artist to draw an image with a greasy crayon or paint directly on a stone or plate; the surface is treated so that ink adheres only to the greasy areas. In screen printing, an artist uses a tightly stretched screen, blocking out the areas that will not be printed. The method was used commercially in the 1930s and adapted by artists in the 1960s.
Im an unabashed fan of the New Jersey staple known as Taylor ham (most people in the state call it pork roll, but my North Jersey roots compel me to use the brand name.) Theres just something about this salty, smoky processed pork product that makes me happy.

So when I saw that the Committed Pig offered variations on the classic pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich, along with a menu full of burgers and other comfort foods, I had to go.

The Morristown location, which opened in January 2015, has integrated nicely with the towns growing dining scene; it was packed for both Sunday brunch and Tuesday dinner. Jerry Rotunno, a co-owner, envisioned the restaurants noisy, Williamsburg-y vibe when he opened the first Committed Pig, in Manasquan, in 2012.

Image The Burgernut, a glazed doughnut stuffed with two cheeseburgers. Credit... Bryan Anselm for The New York Times

We did what we did best, but with a smaller menu, said Mr. Rotunno, 36, about taking the best-selling dishes from his first restaurant, Food, in Summit, and combining them with the pork-roll menu and a quirkier design to create the Committed Pig. Hes looking to expand his roster of funky diners to other locations. This week, for example, Food is reopening following several weeks of renovations, to become the third Committed Pig.
The year after Ms. Farassat emigrated, 4-year-old Golnar Adili arrived in the country with her parents, Iranian political activists who had been students in the United States. They returned to support the revolution, but with the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, her father was forced to flee to America, while she and her mother stayed behind. Ms. Adili was not reunited permanently with her father until 1994, when she moved to Virginia to attend college. Now 39, she lives in Brooklyn.

Shabnam K. Ghazi, 44, lived through the revolution as a child, and remained in Iran until 2001, when she moved with her husband to Toronto. By then she had established her career as an artist in Tehran. You live in paradox when you live in Iran, she said. You live in two separate worlds: inside your studio and outside your studio.

A sense of paradox, of duality, pervades Where We Are Standing. Although Ms. Farassat, who is Jewish, was never forced to wear a chador, the women in her 24 paintings are all shrouded, sometimes revealing only a single oversize eye. In cartoonlike portraits created from 2009 to 2013, the women are depicted with layered brush strokes in a limited palette. Some have devils horns; in a piece titled Neither Angel Nor Monster, the face is featureless and gray, engulfed in a frilly pink veil. Ms. Farassat wrote later in an email: I paint the resistance of faceless women who are in need of identity and who question their personal, sexual and political freedom.

Her subjects are often set within a decorative oval that resembles a mirror (the paintings are part of a continuing series of works called A Mirror Has Two Faces, which now number 65). Though partially obscured, the women express emotions ranging from defiance and puckishness to frustration and despair.
Low lights and dark wood, paintings of temples half-eaten by jungle, the interior gaze of a long-lobed Buddha head: The dining room of Angkor Cambodian Bistro, on the Upper East Side, is handsome and hushed, far from the brimming-over refugee camp in Thailand where Minh Truong, the chef, first learned to cook.

He was 16. Food was scarce, and volunteering for kitchen duty was one of the few ways to secure a meal. His family had fled Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, in 1975 as the Khmer Rouge were closing in, and made their way on foot, with seven children, to Vietnam. (It took three months; a younger brother died on the way.) Two years later, when Mr. Truong was old enough to be drafted into the Vietnamese Army, his mother sent him to Thailand.

In 1981, he came to the United States and started apprenticing at French restaurants, eventually working his way up to chef at the Midtown nightclub Au Bar. For two decades, he ran Royal Siam, a plain-spoken Thai restaurant in Chelsea, alongside his wife, Mandy, a native of Guangzhou, China.

Returning to Cambodia a few years ago, he was troubled to see burgers and pizza crowding out local fare. His mother said it was time to cook his own food, and taught him how.
Pradeep Lall, the John and Anne MacFarlane Professor in Auburn Universitys Department of Mechanical Engineering, received the Wright Gardner Award from the Alabama Academy of Science.

The Wright Gardner Award was established by the Alabama Academy of Science in 1984 to honor individuals whose work during residence in Alabama had been outstanding. Past recipients nominated for this award have included researchers, teachers, industrialists, clinicians, scholars and active members and office bearers of the Alabama Academy of Science.

Lall joined the Auburn faculty in 2002 as an associate professor after a successful career at Motorola, where he worked on the development and manufacturing of wireless products including cellular phones and two-way radios.

He is best known for his research in the areas of reliability and prognostics for electronic systems operating in harsh environments.

I am honored to receive this award and want to thank the Alabama Academy of Science for this recognition, Lall said. The award is a testament to the strong research environment at Auburn University which has provided me the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Lall said his prior experience in the development of manufacturing processes in high-volume environments enabled him to bring aspects of the electronics manufacturing industry into the classroom and to his research at Auburn. Lall is director of Auburns NSF-CAVE3 Electronics Research Center, which is dedicated to working with industry to develop and implement new technologies for the packaging and manufacturing of electronics.

Lall also leads a national manufacturing effort on harsh environment electronics established at Auburn as part of a U.S. Department of Defense-led flexible hybrid electronics institute called NextFlex.

Auburn Universitys Harsh Environment Node of NextFlex will help catalyze the establishment of a flexible electronics ecosystem in Alabama through the development of technology product demonstrators and workforce training programs to make an impact on the manufacturing economy in Alabama, Lall said.

Submitted by Auburn University
A three-way bankruptcy auction for The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise turned into a major legal tussle on Wednesday, with an investor group led by Freedom Communications CEO Rich Mirman leaving the bidding after all-day negotiations stalled the auctions start.

Freedom is auctioning off its assets after filing for bankruptcy protection in November. Mirmans group was competing with Digital First Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News and Long Beach Press-Telegram, and Tribune Publishing, owner of the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune.

The auction for the two newspapers and related parcels of land is proving to be a complex dealmaking endeavor. By 7 p.m. Wednesday, the formal bidding had yet to begin, said Alan Friedman, Freedoms bankruptcy attorney who is supervising the auction.

Bidding finally got underway Wednesday night. No winner had been announced by 9 p.m.

Mirmans group had made a bid in the pre-auction process that was calculated in bankruptcy terms to be worth $45 million, said the groups attorney, Leonard Shulman of Shulman, Hodges & Bastian. Mirmans group was below the Tribunes $46.5 million bid valuation but above Digital Firsts $43.3 million.

Shulman said his group was prepared to up its bid by accepting the Registers pension plan liabilities, something no bidder had done in initial bids. That move would have gotten more cash to Freedom creditors, because if the pension is handed over to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the federal pension guarantor would exert a $155 million bankruptcy claim, which would wipe out much of the recoveries unsecured creditors could get.

As the bidding was to start  after lengthy delays  Mirmans investor group was told it had to add $5 million in cash for creditors to waive the right to sue the groups principal players  Mirman, Freedom Chairman Eric Spitz and Santa Ana developer Michael Harrah, according to Shulman.

It was an irregular and unreasonable request over bogus claims, Shulman said.

Friedman, Freedoms bankruptcy attorney, declined to comment.

Mirmans group is considering its options, including joining the Tribunes dispute with the bidding process at a Monday hearing where the auction results were expected to be reviewed by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mark Wallace. The deal is scheduled to close March 31.

Late Tuesday, Tribune filed a court motion claiming that Digital First improperly won the stalking horse opening bid.

Because bankruptcy bidders may want various parts of a bankrupt entity, financial advisers conducting the auction can value bids on essentially what theyre worth to creditors vs. the raw cash in a bid. That can explain the difference between the auction valuation of Digital Firsts bid and the $45.5 million price tag announced when Digital First was accepted as the stalking horse bid on Sunday.

If Tribune wins the auction, the company would face its own legal hurdle.

U.S. Justice Department attorneys this week indicated they would fight Tribunes purchase of the two Freedom papers on antitrust grounds, saying the companys ownership of four papers in the region would give Tribune an illegal competitive advantage that harms both readers and advertisers in Orange and Riverside counties.

Contact the writer: jlansner@ocregister.com
SKIEN, Norway  Norways worst mass killer pledged allegiance to Nazism, compared himself to Nelson Mandela and complained about being served cold coffee and microwaved food as he testified Wednesday in a trial over his prison conditions.

Anders Behring Breivik, 37, accused the government of trying to sap his will to live by isolating him from other prisoners and denying him mail correspondence with other right-wing extremists.

This is inhuman treatment, said Breivik who killed 77 people in 2011 in a bombing in Oslos government district and a shooting massacre on Utoya island, where the youth division of the left-wing Labor Party had gathered for its annual summer camp.

Testifying in a prison gym temporarily used as a courtroom, Breivik was given three hours to explain why he thinks his human rights have been violated in a prison system widely seen as among the worlds most lenient.

He said the government had abused him through 885 strip searches, frequent handcuffing and restrictions on pen pals and visitors. His long list of grievances included being served microwaved food and having to eat it with plastic utensils.

But he also used his first chance to speak to an outside audience since his 2012 criminal trial to declare himself a pure national socialist, or Nazi. After the attacks he had described himself as a commander of a Christian militant group, which investigators found no trace of.

Throughout his rambling speech, Breiviks focus was on himself, his political views and the perceived injustices he faces in prison, not on the lives he took and the families he destroyed.

This is a waste of time. He has nothing to complain about, said Freddy Lie, whose teenage daughters were on Utoya when Breivik attacked. One of them died and another was seriously wounded.

Lie, the only family member of a victim attending the trial in Skien prison, said the judge should have stopped Breivik from making irrelevant political statements.

Norwegian authorities insist Breivik has the same rights as any other inmate to challenge his prison conditions. Judge Helen Andenaes Sekulic repeatedly urged Breivik to speed up his monologue to the court, but didnt stop him from describing his ambitions to lead a fascist party from prison.

Though he refrained from doing a Nazi salute, like he did on the first day of the trial, Breivik explained how he became a Nazi at age 12 and how Adolf Hitlers teachings helped him endure his isolation in prison.

Those principles are the only reasons that I am alive today, Breivik said.

But he also said that his loneliness was taking a toll on his mental state, resulting in headaches and difficulty sleeping.

Prison psychiatrist Randi Rosenqvist testified that she found no signs that Breivik had suffered serious mental health problems because of his isolation.

Everyone has headaches from time to time, she said, adding that could be remedied with painkillers and water.

Later, court officials inspected the three cells that Breivik has to himself in the high-security wing of Skien prison and where he can play video games, watch TV and read newspapers. The government says he has an electronic typewriter and a computer that isnt connected to the Internet.

He is allowed to receive visits from family and friends, but hasnt received any except for his mother before she died. Breivik declined to meet with his father. Government lawyers said they had rejected visits from right-wing extremists for security reasons.

Comparing himself to Mandela, the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate and South African president who was jailed during his struggle against apartheid, Breivik told the court he no longer sees violence as a way to achieve his political goals.

We dont necessarily believe that, government attorney Marius Emberland said.

The trial is set to finish on Friday.
IRVINE  Backers of a proposal to build a state veterans cemetery at the former El Toro air base say a proposed land swap could fast-track the project, which has been beset by complaints from residents who oppose putting a burial ground near homes and a school.

Emile Haddad, chief executive officer of Aliso Viejo-based developer FivePoint, said he will consider trading land the company owns to the south of the Orange County Great Park for the citys crescent-shaped piece in the northern portion of the park where the cemetery is slated to go.

Vietnam War veteran Bill Cook, who heads the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park group that has been fighting for years to get a military cemetery at the former base, said the committee is in favor of the proposal.

If elected officials in Irvine back it, that would allow the project to move ahead more rapidly than previously expected, he said.

Councilwoman Christina Shea, who has in recent weeks facilitated talks between FivePoint and cemetery backers, has requested the council talk over the offer at its April 12 meeting.

FivePoints Great Park Neighborhoods communities, which are being built around the park, have many Asian residents, some of whom follow the principals of feng shui, which discourage situating homes and schools near burial grounds. Hundreds of residents have demanded elected officials in Irvine relocate the cemetery.

The council agreed to set aside land for the cemetery in 2014.

After the site was identified, state legislators allocated $500,000 for a feasibility study, which the California Department of Veterans Affairs has been conducting ahead of a July 1 deadline for a federal grant.

Its unclear how the proposed swap would affect that effort.

While CalVet is on track to finish the study by May, the land the study considered cant be developed until the end of 2017 at the earliest, Shea said.

I could see what a long-term effort this was going to be, to hopefully see anything in the next five, 10 or even 15 years, she said.

Cook said the 125-acre plot was never an ideal spot for a cemetery.

We went after that site because it was the only site left to us in the park, he said. It has a strange shape with pointy corners and it has a significant amount of prep work and probably demolition mitigation needed, which will be expensive.

No such work would be needed at the land to the south of the Great Park because it has only been used for agriculture, Shea said.

Theres never been any development on it so theres no issue of clean up like youve seen at many areas at the park, she said.

Cook, who called the proposed trade with the city a very generous and gracious offer on behalf of FivePoint, said the location would also provide visitors with easier access and the cemetery with a higher profile because of its visibility from the 405 and 5 freeways.

Its going to say: youre in Irvine, he said.

Haddad said he has heard concerns about the proposed cemetery site from area homeowners and salespeople alike.

Its not a secret that the cemetery issue has created a little bit of tension, Haddad said. As we are building homes, moving into our future phases and getting closer to the proposed cemetery location, you could see that issue was not going to go away.

That spurred him to consider trading the parcel south of the Great Park, even though those acres are valuable because of the nearness of the freeway, he said.

Still, from my perspective, I think trying to come up with a solution has a lot of value for everyone, Haddad said.

That includes, of course, FivePoint.

The terms of a swap  including the exact parcels to be traded  would be determined only if the council were to support the proposal, he said.

But the land at the north of the park  although it would need work before it could be developed  is in a prime location, near scores of homes and next door to the future Portola High.

The role I play is simply putting this as an option, Haddad said. At the end of the day, this is really between the veterans and the city.

Any benefits accrued by FivePoint arent a concern to the veterans group backing the cemetery, Cook added.

Ive been called a sellout, but I think Im moving the program forward expeditiously, he said. We want a cemetery that honors, with perpetual rest, the veterans. If Mr. Haddad makes five times as much money by swapping land, good for him. He gave us a good deal.

Contact the writer: sdecrescenzo@ocregister.com
Trailing in the hunt for delegates but still winning important state contests, the No. 2 Democrat in a hard-fought primary had this to say about whether it was time to withdraw to make way for the front-runner: The more people get a chance to vote, the better it is for our democracy.

That was not Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in 2016. It was Hillary Clinton in 2008, answering calls in March that year to pull out and endorse then-rival Barack Obama. She refused to leave the race until June.

Now its Clinton who is far ahead in the delegate count and, as her campaign aides regularly say, nearing the point at which it would be functionally impossible for Sanders to catch her. And now its Sanders who is making the argument that voters should have a choice  and that a narrow path to victory remains for him.

What excites me so much as I go around the country is to see the incredible energy of people who love this country but know we can do so much better, Sanders said Tuesday night, when Clinton won four of five states, inching ever closer to locking up the Democratic nomination. The fifth state, Missouri, remained too close to call on Wednesday.

All of it puts Clinton in an uncomfortable bind: eager to turn her attention to the general election and the Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, but loath to alienate Sanderss supporters by urging him out of the race.

Where we stand right now, as of now before weve gotten the results tonight, Ive gotten more votes than anybody including Donald Trump, Clinton said Tuesday. I think Im ready to take him on if he is in that position.

If anything, Clinton is uniquely prepared to face this moment. Her team includes veterans from both her and Obamas 2008 campaigns. They see no advantage in pressing Sanders to drop out, and they know that she fell short eight years ago in part by focusing on state victories instead of the delegate count. The central lesson of 2008, they say, is for Clinton to keep her head down, stay the course and do the math.

Its the complete role reversal, said Neera Tanden, a senior aide to Clinton in 2008 and a supporter and sometime-adviser now. She learned a really central lesson then, which is delegates matter the most. In fact, its the only thing that matters. And she has run her campaign accordingly.

Clintons team had been hoping Tuesdays primaries in big, delegate-rich states such as Florida, Illinois and Ohio would be the tipping point after which Sanders would have no real path to the nomination. In a memo to supporters Wednesday, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook called her lead commanding.

Hillary Clintons pledged delegate lead grew by more than 40 percent, to a lead of more than 300, Mook wrote. Sanders is now overwhelmingly behind . . . and without a clear path to catching up, he asserted.

Nonetheless, Sanders made clear Tuesday night, again, that he intends to remain in the race through the Democratic National Convention in July. He believes the second half of the primary calendar, starting now, favors him. The Clinton campaign is planning for him to be a force at least through the spring.

Clintons own experience is part of the reason she has offered no advice on how long Sanders should remain in the race.

I absolutely respect Senator Sanders. He has a right to run his campaign in any way that he chooses, and Im proud of the campaign weve run, Clinton said Tuesday.

Her wrenching loss in 2008 came after a campaign sustained by intensely committed supporters  a parallel to the zeal of the Sanders throngs now. With that in mind, Clinton is careful to say that Sanders should run as long as he chooses, although she has exhorted her own supporters to turn out in force and perhaps hasten his exit.

I remember those days well, said a senior Clinton aide who worked on the Obama campaign in 2008. We thought then, and its the same thing we think now: The other candidate has a total right to stay in. It would be untoward, not to mention that it would alienate a lot of people, for us to encourage them to drop out.

Clinton knows better than most that Sanders has very little incentive to cede the nomination to her early.

If we go to the end, we go to the end, Clinton said in Tampa last week. Just as I did in 2008.

There is also the view that a sustained nominating process will make her stronger by forcing her to examine her weaknesses and hone her message. Even though Sanders is costing her money and perhaps scraping her up some, many of her advisers and uncommitted Democrats caution that, as long as the Democratic contest remains largely civil, there is no hurry to end it.

Its really refining both of the campaign messages, and they are talking about things that people really care about, said David Pepper, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. I think its good as long as we continue to have a substantive debate about who best can carry on the legacy of the president.

After Clinton dominated the South Carolina primary in late February, she began pivoting to take on Trump. But after her stinging loss in Michigan last week, she campaigned hard against Sanders in the five states that voted Tuesday  Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Missouri.

For instance, the former secretary of state has moved to fortify her opposition to the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, a position Sanders suggests is a johnny-come-lately shift born of political expedience. Clinton has also focused on bringing back manufacturing jobs, but she has resisted the urge to shift her campaigns message too much away from the strategy she intends to deploy in the race against the Republicans this summer.

She has had little choice. As Clinton did in 2008, Sanders is mounting an aggressive challenge that appears to set aside the issue of delegate math. In recent days, he has bored in on Clintons record on trade issues, a vulnerability in economic Rust Belt states including Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Tommy Vietor, who worked for Obama in 2008 and backs Clinton now, said the long slog through the spring made Obama a better candidate and will do the same for Clinton this year.

The longer exposure to Sanders, and what Vietor described as his completely unrealistic agenda, may also give some voters time to reassess  even though he and other Clinton supporters acknowledge that her message of preparation and practicality can sound dull by comparison.

I think the key is she has done a very good job, especially lately of pushing back but not getting to the point where you turn off his supporters, Vietor said.

The senior Clinton aide, who spoke candidly on the condition of anonymity, said those supporters, many of them young, idealistic and new to the political process, should have the chance to vote for the candidate who energizes them. Clinton is counting on the fact that most such supporters, given the chance to dance with the one that brung ya in their states primaries, would then support her in November.

A narrow path is a very different thing than no path to the Democratic nomination, the Clinton aide said. It bears remembering, he added, that Clinton won a big victory in Pennsylvania in late April 2008, temporarily setting Obama back on his heels.

Still, Mook, Clintons campaign manager, responded to Clintons setback in Michigan by simultaneously congratulating Sanders and saying that the victory would be meaningless in the end.

Sanders would have to win so many contests in such an improbably lopsided fashion from here on out now that the die is cast, Mook told reporters the morning after Clintons loss in Michigan. While Clinton is strategically racking up the delegates who ultimately determine the winner, Sanders is focused on winning a few selected states, Mook said.

That argument is even stronger this week, when Clinton appears poised to register a sweep of all five states contested Tuesday.

You have to set a 50-state strategy, said Robert Wolf, who is a former chairman of UBS, was an economic adviser for Obama in 2008 and now advises Clinton. I think that whether you like it or not, you cant change what your vision is for each and every state.

For the presidents campaign in 2008 and now the secretary, when youre running a 50 state primary, it is the way you have the best opportunity to win and then run in the general. You have to look at the issues that have the largest themes and have the largest impact.

Privately, Clinton backers concede that the math is on my side is not a very compelling message when compared with Sanderss call to the ramparts for economic justice.

But theyll take it, and many are not surprised to find themselves here.

Nothing is ever easy with the Clintons, said one senior Democrat with long ties to Clinton and her husband. Shes going to grind it out. Its like crawling through glass with them. Shell get to the promised land, but its going to be a slog.
WASHINGTON  If Donald Trump does not win enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination before the party meets this summer, it might produce something millions of Americans have never seen: a contested convention.

This could be a real mess, said Richard Berg-Andersson, researcher for The Green Papers, which studies the nominating process.

Trump, the New York billionaire businessman, has 673 delegates, and needs 564 more to be nominated. The only candidate with a reasonable chance of catching up is Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who has 411 and needs 826. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio has 143.

The last time a major-party candidate entered a convention without a majority was in 1976, when President Gerald Ford had to convince blocs of uncommitted delegates to back him over challenger Ronald Reagan. The last time a convention went beyond one ballot was in 1952, when Democrats chose Adlai Stevenson on the third ballot.

Republicans havent seen a second ballot since 1948, but they might see one this summer. Heres a quick primer on what could happen:

Q. Who are the Republican delegates?

A. Theyre awarded by each state, usually based on primary or caucus votes. In some states, delegates are elected directly, while in others candidates choose delegates.

Starting with Tuesdays primaries, states yet to vote are ones that can award all their delegates to the winner. All 99 of Floridas delegates will go to Trump. All 66 Ohio delegates will go to Kasich. In other states, they have been awarded using different formulas, often based on a percentage of the vote.

Q. Must delegates vote for their candidates?

A. On the first ballot, virtually all the delegates must vote for their candidates. In some states, however, they are not bound. In Pennsylvania, for instance, 17 of the 71 delegates go to the state winner. The rest may vote for whomever they choose, though most are savvy politicians who will go by the wishes of the voters.

Nationally, the rules loosen on a second ballot. Most of the delegates, but not all, can vote for anyone they want. On a third ballot, almost all the delegates are free.

Q. What happens to delegates of candidates whove suspended their campaigns?

A. Depends on the state. In some cases, delegates have not yet been chosen in states that have already had primaries or caucuses. In Nevada, for instance, Marco Rubio won seven delegates and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson won two. Both candidates have since suspended their campaigns, and at the states GOP convention in May, they might now wind up with none.

The battle for those delegates has already begun. Most of Rubios estimated 172 delegates are now in play. Rubio, as with any candidate no longer active, cannot control those delegates; he can only recommend.

Q. Whats a brokered convention and is it likely?

A. Its a throwback to the days when party bosses controlled blocs of delegates, who were rarely chosen in primaries or caucuses. State leaders could cut deals with one another to boost an underdog or assure that their pick for vice president would get on the ticket.

Thats unlikely today, said Berg-Andersson, since party bosses rarely hold such clout.

Q. What kind of maneuvering is likely before the convention?

A. Watch the conventions Rules Committee. It usually meets a few days before the convention opens, and it has one man and one woman from each state and six territories or other jurisdictions. It can decide, among other things, what it takes to get ones name placed in nomination, meaning the name is eligible for votes in the full convention.

Before the last convention, Republicans said a candidate would need a majority of delegates in at least eight states to be formally considered. That could change in July, though. Rules Committee members are delegates, chosen by each state. Its hard to know who will be on the committee.

Q. If Trump is close to 1,237, is a contested convention likely?

A. Thats still to be determined, said veteran GOP legal strategist Ben Ginsberg, but you have to pay attention to the (idea) of a contested convention.

The problem for the stop-Trump forces would not only be alienating Trump and his supporters, but also doing exactly what voters have railed against all year: insiders controlling the presidential selection process.
WASHINGTON  The head of the Environmental Protection Agency and the governor of Michigan faced calls to resign from angry lawmakers Thursday, as a congressional oversight committee bore in on which level of government was most responsible for the contamination of Flints water supply.

Repeatedly shouting at EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, faulted her for failing to require the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to move more quickly after lead was discovered in the tap water of some Flint homeowners.

If you want to do the courageous thing, like you said former EPA Midwest region head Susan Hedman did, you, too, should resign, Chaffetz thundered.

When McCarthy tried to explain the limits of the EPAs power under the law, Chaffetz repeatedly cut her off. Well it failed, he yelled. You failed.

But Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, R, received his own blasts of criticism, some of it sarcastic, when Democrats were asking the questions. Plausible deniability only works when its plausible, Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Cartwright told Snyder as he pressed why the governor was slow to act. You were not in a medically induced coma for a year.

Weve had enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies, Cartwright said. Youre doing your dead level best to spread accountability. . . . You need to resign, too.

This second of two contentious hearings on lead in Flints water followed the same pattern as the session Tuesday, with a federal official blaming the state for causing the disaster and the governor pointing the finger at the EPA for moving too slowly in its oversight role. Sharp questioning from members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee broke down mostly along partisan lines. Republicans targeted McCarthy and the EPA; Democrats slammed Snyder and the state.

But not in every case. With hundreds of people from the Flint area in attendance, Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., whos running for the Senate, told both officials they should quit.

McCarthy reviewed the states efforts to engage the state and force a quicker response throughout the second half of 2015, saying that her agencys staff begged the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to address the growing lead threat. At every turn, she said, the state agency dragged its feet in responding.

But like Hedman on Tuesday, McCarthy repeatedly declined to admit that EPA had done anything wrong. That drew several comparisons with Snyder from lawmakers, who forcefully pointed out that the governor has admitted wrongdoing.

Were we late in getting it done? Yes, McCarthy said. Were there consequences to that? Yes. But she said EPA staffers, from Hedman on down, worked very hard with state environmental officials to solve the crisis starting last summer and throughout the fall.

In her opening testimony, McCarthy had placed blame for the Flint water crisis squarely on Michigan, saying a state-appointed emergency manager made the decision that led to the contamination and that the state bureaucracy approved it.

The crisis were seeing was the result of a state-appointed emergency manager deciding that the city would stop purchasing treated drinking water and instead switch to an untreated source to save money, she told the committee as its hearing opened. The state of Michigan approved that decision.

McCarthy acknowledged that in hindsight, we should not have been so trusting of the state for so long when it assured EPA that action was taken to prevent lead from leaching into drinking water. The states environmental quality department admitted in October that it had not ensured that corrosion control chemicals were added to the water as they should have been.

We missed the opportunity late last summer to quickly get EPAs concerns on the publics radar screen. That I regret, she said.

For his part, Snyder said systemic failures at the states environmental protection agency led to the catastrophe. But he repeated his message that a failure of government at all levels resulted in the catastrophe. He also insisted that a water specialist at the federal Environmental Protection Agency was silenced when he tried to warn about the lead contamination in February 2015.

I do want to thank Miguel Del Toral, a water specialist at the EPA, who spoke up early about the crisis, Snyder said. Tragically, his superiors at the EPA told local leaders in Flint to ignore his call for action.

Hedman, former head of the EPAs Midwest region, repeatedly denied muzzling or retaliating against the scientist when she testified before the same panel Tuesday.

Snyder pledged to hold those responsible accountable, noting that bureaucrats created a culture that valued technical compliance over common sense  and the result was that lead was leaching into residents water.

Some officials, including Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, have called on Snyder to step down. Some Flint residents want him jailed. Three recall efforts are seeking his removal, and a special prosecutor is investigating the disaster to determine whether criminal charges are warranted.

Residents tap water was tainted when the city began using the Flint River as its source in April 2014, and state environmental officials failed to ensure that anti-corrosive chemicals were added to the supply. That caused lead to leach from aging pipes. Anyone who drank the water  including nearly 9,000 young children, the most vulnerable population  was exposed.

At Snyders order, the city of about 95,000 people switched back to Lake Huron water in October, but unfiltered tap water is still not safe to drink.

On Wednesday, the EPA released thousands of pages of emails about the Flint debacle. One suggests that McCarthy grew concerned in late September after receiving a memo from Hedman.

Seems like the Flint lead issue is really getting concerning, McCarthy wrote to Hedman and other agency officials on Sept. 26 as she called for a meeting on the subject. This situation has the opportunity to get very big very quickly.

The emails detail the EPAs efforts to work with the state Department of Environmental Quality and the city as the crisis mushroomed. In October, the emails show, the EPA began to receive requests from citizens groups and at least one lawmaker to intervene using its emergency power.

But it didnt take that action until Jan. 21, when it found that Flints water posed an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of the people drinking it. McCarthy accepted Hedmans resignation the same day.
ATHENS, Greece  The European Union told member states Wednesday they urgently need to deliver on commitments to resettle more refugees on the continent, as the number of refugees arriving in Greece since the start of 2015 reached the 1 million mark.

The demand came on the eve of a summit of leaders from the EU and Turkey that aims to try and limit the number of refugees coming to Europe.

We need to see a substantial increase in relocations in the coming days and weeks, EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said. With the humanitarian situation in Greece getting more acute every day, member states urgently need to deliver on their commitments and prevent a further deterioration of the situation for refugees in Greece.

U.N. refugee agency envoy Angelina Jolie was in Athens on Wednesday to visit overcrowded refugee shelters, as the number of refugees stranded in Greece neared 44,000.

Success of the deal with Turkey relies heavily on scaling up of EUs relocation scheme for mostly Syrian refugees. Fewer than 1,000 people have so far been resettled in the EU under the scheme, but the European Commission said Wednesday it wanted 20,000 placements in the next two months.

So far, most migrants have traveled to Europe through the Greek islands from nearby Turkey  a number that topped 1 million since the start of 2015, according to the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR.

Greek officials reiterated Wednesday they had no plans to use force to evacuate a squalid refugee camp at Idomeni, on the Greek-Macedonian border, where some 14,000 people are living in harsh conditions.

So far, refugees camped out there have ignored government appeals to move to other shelters in northern Greece, still hoping that Balkan borders will reopen. That could change if the Brussels summit confirms that the way north will remain closed in the long term.

The people there take as strong an interest in the summit meeting as if they were journalists  and everyone is waiting to see what will happen tomorrow, Giorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for Greeces emergency response committee, told the AP.

Kyritsis said right now there is space for up to 2,000 more people in shelters near Idomeni, while by the beginning of next week another 8,000 places will be available in the area.
SANTA ANA  A plan to house 49 of Orange Countys estimated 450 homeless veterans received county support this week, opening the way for a national nonprofit to construct the Placentia Veterans Village.

The village would be the countys largest permanent housing development for homeless veterans, county officials said. On Tuesday, the board directed staff to negotiate the lease of the county-owned land to Mercy Housing, but the two sides still need to finalize the agreement.

If approved, Mercy Housing would build a housing community in east Placentia for homeless and disabled veterans, providing onsite resources  including job training, financial literacy courses and Veterans Affairs services. In 2014, the nonprofit opened a similar housing village for veterans in El Monte, which representatives said has proved successful in rehabilitating the former military members.

Weve found that the type of setting where they are back in a structure of relationships is very similar to the military experience theyve had, where the camaraderie is a link to success, said Ed Holder, California regional vice president of real estate development for Mercy Housing, one of the nations largest developers of affordable housing and permanent supportive housing for the homeless.

There is a pretty pressing need in (Orange) County, he said.

Last month, supervisors approved the distribution of 14 federal housing vouchers for local homeless veterans. The county has issued 624 such vouchers since 2009, according to county staff.

But homeless local advocates, talking at a February conference on Orange County veterans and housing, said that kind of vouchers are not enough to help, because some landlords wont accept them. Thats why more permanent housing built specifically for homeless people is needed, they said.

Placentia Mayor Pro Tem Craig Green said the veterans village project was near and dear to my heart, as I continue to see the number of homeless veterans increasing across our county.

Holder said that if the lease is approved, the village could open in 2018 or 2019.

Contact the writer: jgraham@ocregister.com or 714-796-7960
WASHINGTON  A group of Republican senators on Thursday unveiled legislation that requires the Obama administration to impose stricter sanctions on every sector of Irans economy that supports the countrys ballistic missile program.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., is a reflection of longstanding exasperation among GOP lawmakers whove complained that President Barack Obama has failed to properly punish Tehran for repeatedly defying a U.N. ballistic missile test ban.

Ayotte and other Republicans said senior U.S. military officials are in favor of tougher sanctions. Both Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Army Gen. Joseph Votel, Obamas choice to be the next U.S. commander for the Middle East, have told the Senate Armed Services Committee in the last week that harder hitting sanctions are necessary.

Irans Revolutionary Guard test-fired two ballistic missiles on March 9 and U.S. officials said the launches were in defiance of the U.N. resolution, which calls for Tehran not to launch any ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon.

But Irans U.N. Mission said in a statement that the country has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons and never will in the future. It said the missile tests were part of ongoing efforts of its armed forces to strengthen its legitimate defense capabilities  against security threats.

The administration in January announced sanctions against Tehran for missile firings in late 2015, but Republicans called those measures tepid and weak.

Ayottes legislation is supported by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, which suggests the bill could be taken up quickly. Republicans remain frustrated after they were unable to scuttle the international accord to check Irans nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.

Tough words alone will not deter the worlds worst state sponsor of terrorism from continuing to develop its ballistic missile program, Ayotte said.

The legislation requires new sanctions against persons who knowingly aid Irans missile program and against entities controlled or owned in part by Irans primary ballistic missile organizations.

The bill also would mandate a broad reach by requiring the president to issue sanctions on entire sectors of Irans economy found to be directly or indirectly supporting Irans missile program.

Republican senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mark Kirk of Illinois also are backing the bill.
Being from Santa Ana and living all over Orange County, Im no stranger to catching waves from a good swell, but all those days at the beach never prepared me for the wave of excitement generated by the first direct detection of gravitational waves.

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detected ripples in space-time created by two black holes smashing into each at near light speeds on Sept. 14, 2015. At the time of the discovery, I was in New York working on advancing LIGO technology at Syracuse University.

Its been about 100 years since Einsteins Theory of General Relativity predicted the existence of gravitational waves, but the technology we needed was only recently ready. When I first saw the signal, I wasnt sure if it would withstand the rigorous checks of the scientific method. However, it was clear from my professors excitement and hasty reallocation of resources that this was not a drill.

My experiences leading up to this amazing scientific discovery help tell the story of how this wave of excitement took me as an undergraduate at Cal State Fullerton to another set of laboratories across the country, as a Ph.D. candidate in Syracuse, N.Y.

I began working with LIGO at CSUF in early 2011, when physics professor Joshua Smith, the leader of the gravitational-wave group at CSUF, hired me as a student researcher. I didnt know it at the time, but he would give my scientific journey a major boost by exposing me to the worldwide network of LIGO scientists.

My research at the CSUF LIGO lab consisted of studying advanced mirror coatings for experiments at Caltech and MIT. I was given an opportunity to present my research at MIT and at a conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. I even got to show off my research to renowned astrophysicist Kip Thorne of Caltech at the grand opening of CSUFs Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astronomy Center in 2012.

After finishing my B.S. in physics at CSUF, I began applying to LIGO-affiliated grad schools. Meeting professors that came through the gravitational-wave center at CSUF gave me an edge when applying to Ph.D. programs, since I was able to show them what kind of work I was capable of doing.

At Syracuse University, I was offered a paid fellowship, which I could use to support myself while learning about LIGO technology. This opportunity was too good to pass up, so I packed my bags and drove my life across the country.

At SU, I admired the work of professor Stefan Ballmer, who was developing awesome LIGO technologies. Working with him, I began designing a system of thermal lenses that would later be proposed as an upgrade for LIGO, while completing graduate physics coursework. I joined the weekly SU group meetings in the summer of 2013 to discuss the state of the LIGO detectors and participated in LIGO discussions leading up to the discovery.

Last fall, the detectors were finally ready to go online, and our upgrades would continue to be developed for future use just as planned.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the detectors measured two black holes about 30 times more massive than our sun spiral into each other at near the speed of light.

In this process, about three suns worth of mass were converted to energy in the form of gravitational waves, and that is incredible! To me, imagining this event was mind bending. Up close, space-time must have been so distorted that our intuition of time no longer applied.

Our whole group became busy with rigorously checking the results and discussing the contents of the discovery paper, and I was invited to be one of the co-authors.

Its not often that scientists get celebrated for their achievements, so I feel really lucky to have been involved at this time. Its been truly inspiring to learn from so many great scientists and to be allowed to participate in this historic scientific discovery.

This event marks the beginning of a whole new field of astronomy and has been compared to the moment when Galileo first looked up at the stars with his telescope.

Im extremely excited to finish up my Ph.D. in the next few years, so that I can enter this new era as a well-equipped scientist ready to explore the universe and use its lessons to push forward our technology.

Fabian Magana-Sandoval from Cal State Fullertons Class of 2012 is among six CSUF physics alumni who are co-authors of the journal article describing the detection of gravitational waves, published Feb. 11 in Physical Review Letters.
An Uber driver is suspected of raping a woman at an Anaheim motel after giving her a ride from a Fullerton bar, leading authorities to ask for the publics help in locating other potential victims.

Omar Mahmoud Mousa, 52, of Anaheim is expected to appear in court on April 8 to face felony charges of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by foreign object in connection with the Oct. 25 incident, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

The latest incident comes amid growing national concern over the safety of Uber and other app-based ride-sharing services.

The company in a statement on Thursday said: Uber has a zero-tolerance policy for violent behavior, and our thoughts are with the victim of this atrocious crime. We immediately blocked this individuals access to the Uber platform upon learning of this incident and actively assisted law enforcement in their investigation.

Prosecutors said Mousa was working as a driver for Uber when he picked up a 21-year-old woman and her female friend at their Anaheim motel room and drove them to a bar in Fullerton.

Mousa gave the women his business card and told them to call him directly when they planned to leave, rather than going through Uber, authorities said.

Several hours later, one of the women called Mousa and he gave them a ride back to their motel, helping them into their room, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the victims friend immediately passed out, and Mousa then placed the victim on the same bed as her friend. The woman was intoxicated, prosecutors said, but told Mousa no multiple times as he raped her before she managed to push him away.

The woman contacted the Anaheim Police Department. Charges were filed against Mousa on Jan. 25, but authorities say he was out of the country.

An arrest warrant was issued, and Mousa was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport as he returned to the United States on March 7. He was taken to the Orange County Jail on Tuesday.

If convicted, Mousa faces up to 24 years in prison. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Orange County court records show no history of felony convictions for Mousa.

The rapidly growing Uber company, based in San Francisco, has faced scrutiny in the wake of recent high-profile incidents.

Last month, Uber driver Jason Dalton was charged with killing six people in a shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Mich. In October, Alejandro Done, a former Uber driver, was sentenced to 10 to 12 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a woman in Massachusetts.

The district attorneys in San Francisco and Los Angeles expanded a consumer-protection lawsuit against Uber last year, claiming the ride-sharing company failed to uncover the criminal records of 25 California drivers, including several registered sex offenders and a convicted murderer. The case is pending.

Uber drivers have been targets as well.

In Newport Beach last year, Uber made headlines when Benjamin Golden, a 32-year-old former executive for Taco Bell, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery on allegations of slapping and hitting his Uber driver, Edward Caban, in an incident that was caught on video.

Authorities are asking anyone who might be a victim of Mousa to contact Senior District Attorney Investigator Mark Gutierrez at 714-347-8794.

The Associated Press

contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com
The new exhibit at the Bowers Museum may leave you feeling a little uneasy, or a little spooked, but also fascinated.

Billed as the largest exhibition of real mummies and related artifacts, Mummies of the World already has garnered 1.4 million visitors since its debut in 2010. It opens at the Bowers Museum on Saturday and runs until Sept. 5. In it are more than 150 artifacts, including about 40 authentic mummies.

But keep in mind, these arent just bodies. They were real people, points out James Schanandore.

Schanandore is a mummy expert who teaches human anatomy and physiology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He has worked with the exhibit at its last stop at the Leonardo museum in Salt Lake City and now at the Bowers Museum.

In Mummies of the World, the lighting is low, and soft music will play, setting a reverential tone. Visitors will enter in groups, with timed tickets. A short video will start the show, reminding visitors that the mummies were once living people, with names and families, and must be treated with respect.

Theyre deceased, but theyre still present  and theyre still telling us their story, Schanandore said.

Its almost like a memorial, he added. You can learn about them, and the focus is put on them  in terms of their story, what they can tell us from the science.

The exhibit opens not with a mummy, but an empty sarcophagus from ancient Egypt created for a woman of high status. The purpose, said Schanandore, is to show the links between cultures of the past and our present. Like the ancient Egyptians, we put a lot of effort, detail and thought into how we memorialize and prepare our dead.

But the show isnt all about Egypt. Most of the mummies at the Bowers Museum come from elsewhere, including South America, Europe, the South Pacific and even, in the case of a modern-day mummy, from the United States. With these mummies, some intentionally mummified and others naturally preserved by the elements, papery skin covers the bones. Faces, teeth, hair, eyelids, fingers and sometimes internal organs are visible.

When you add a face to it, it changes the dynamic of what youre looking at, Schanandore said. You can see that theres a human being there.

Though low lighting pervades the exhibit, spotlights highlight each body, which is placed in the context of his or her story, another way to lend importance to the people these remains once were. The mummies come from lending museums and institutions such as the San Diego Museum of Man, the Buffalo History Museum in New York and museums in Europe.

Two exceptions are the mummies of the Baroness Schenck von Geiern and Baron von Holz, found in a family crypt at the Sommersdorf Castle in southern Germany. The Baron had taken refuge at the castle during the Thirty Years War that roiled Central Europe from 1618 to 1648. Though the bodies werent embalmed, they were preserved, likely because a constant flow of air through the crypt dried out the bodies. The Baron is still wearing his high leather boots. Rather than being lent from a museum, these mummies come from the Baronesss descendants, who live at the castle today. The castle now serves as a bed and breakfast and is pictured in a backdrop behind the two mummies, completing their story.

Probably the most graphic of the specimens in the show is the Burns Collection. These mummies were created in the early 1800s to teach anatomy. They show a lot of internal detail, so be prepared. One is the mummy of a child with its chest opened up to show its heart and circulatory system. Another is a skin shell of a shoulder and an arm, which still shows the tattoo this man had in his lifetime.

Shrunken heads from the Amazon and a Trophy Head from the Mundrucu tribe of Brazil are other highlights. In both of these cultures, the victors in battles made trophies of the heads of their defeated enemies.

MUMAB, or the Mummy of the University of Maryland at Baltimore, is a modern-day mummy. In 1994, Egyptologist Bob Brier and anatomist Ronn Wade recreated ancient Egyptians mummification methods to preserve the remains of a man who donated his body to science. They used replicas of ancient tools, like a bronze hook for removing the brain, plus the same ingredients ancient Egyptians used, such as cedar chips to pack the body cavity. Schanadore said MUMAB is still squishy and in the process of preserving.

The Orlovits family  mother Veronica, father Michael and baby boy Johannes  end the exhibit. They were discovered along with bodies of more than 250 other townspeople, in a forgotten crypt in a church in Vac, Hungary. Researchers plan to perform a CT scan in April at a local hospital on Veronica Orlovits, who had tuberculosis. Their findings will become part of the Bowers exhibit.

Interactive displays about the science of mummy study add context throughout the exhibit. One allows visitors to touch surfaces that replicate the feel of preserved skin, like the skin of a female mummy found naturally preserved in a peat bog in the Netherlands, also on display. The surfaces arent as icky as you might think; theyre more like tanned leather or rubber. Other interactive displays demonstrate the tools researchers use to learn from preserved bodies, like CT scans and x-rays, which can show how long a person lived, what they valued and what injuries or diseases they had, all without destroying a mummy.

Contact the writer: aboessenkool@ocregister.com
A pair of Orange County residents were among four people arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration agents and now facing federal narcotics and money-laundering charges.

The suspects are accused of participating in a ring that operated primarily in Long Beach and Baldwin Park that imported acetyl-fentanyl, a drug similar to the powerful painkiller fentanyl, according to prosecutors.

Acetyl-fentanyl  sometimes called fake heroin, although significantly more potent that heroin  is not approved for any use in the United States, prosecutors said.

So-called designer drugs may seem to have a similar effect as traditional narcotics, but these back-alley laboratory concoctions are very dangerous, said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker.

They have caused many deaths in the United States, and this abuse led the DEA to put it on a list of the most dangerous and easily abused drugs in our country, she said.

Arrested Tuesday were Joseph Stanley, 30, of Huntington Beach; Dylan Simpson, 25, of Fountain Valley; Christopher Bowen, 30, of Los Angeles; and Gary Resnik, 31, of Long Beach.

Each are charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics, possession of fentanyl and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, conspiracy to launder money, and money laundering.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter: @thechalkoutline
YORBA LINDA  The United States Mint celebrated the release of a $1 coin featuring Richard Nixon on Wednesday at the 37th presidents library in Yorba Linda.

The event, held on what would have been the 104th birthday of Nixons wife, Pat, also unveiled a partner coin in her honor.

The $1 coin features a profile of the president, with a rendition of the Statue of Liberty on the back, while the collectors coin of his wife features a front view of Pat Nixon wearing a string of pearls and a globe surrounded by figures holding hands on the back. The image is meant to symbolize her commitment to volunteerism around the world, Mint officials said in a statement.

More than 100 people attended Wednesdays unveiling, including the presidents brother, Ed Nixon.

The Nixon coin is being sold in the librarys store for $3; a set with a metal version of the Pat Nixon coin is $10, and there are other sets with additional presidential coins available.

The Nixon coin was designed by the mints sculptor-engraver, Don Everhart. Both coins have a good likeness of the couple from the years Nixon was in office, Richard Nixon Foundation spokesman Joe Lopez said.

The Mint has been releasing four presidential dollars each year in the order they served.
WASHINGTON  Cubas government said Thursday it plans to do away with a penalty on converting U.S. dollars, but warned the Obama administration not to expect more changes until the U.S. trade embargo is lifted.

Three days before President Barack Obama visits the island, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez dismissed Obamas lofty rhetoric about using his visit to speak directly to the Cuban people about their future. In a stern and lengthy speech in Havana, he put Obama on notice that any attempt to circumvent the Cuban government by lobbying Cubans directly would not be warmly received.

Various U.S. officials have declared in recent hours that the objective of Obamas measures is empowering the Cuban people. The Cuban people empowered themselves decades ago, Rodriguez said, referring to the 1959 revolution that put the current Cuban government in power.

Of Obamas talk about engaging directly with Cubans, he added, Its a nonsense approach.

Still, Rodriguez laid out a scenario under which the 10 percent penalty on dollars exchanged at banks and money-changers in Cuba would soon be lifted, making it easier and cheaper for Americans to spend time in Cuba.

Earlier this week the U.S. lifted a ban on Cuban access to the international banking system, a longstanding Cuban demand. Rodriguez told reporters in the Cuban capital that Cuba will attempt a series of international transactions in coming days. If they work, Cuba will eliminate the 10 percent penalty.

The tough talk from the Cuban government came as Obama prepared for a history-making trip to Havana aimed at cementing the normalization in relations that he and Cuban President Raul Castro began. Though Cubas government is hungry for more U.S. investment, it is also wary of increased U.S. influence and frustrated that Obama has been unable to get Congress to lift longstanding U.S. sanctions.

Rodriguez lamented the remaining limits imposed by U.S. sanctions, as he downplayed Obamas efforts to unilaterally ease economic restrictions.

While in Havana, Obama plans to give a major speech that the White House has said will focus on the future of U.S.-Cuba ties and how Cubans can pursue a better life. Announcing that Obamas speech would be carried live on Cuban television, Rodriguez said Cubans would be able to draw their own conclusions from the president.

In pushing back against Obama, the Cuban minister signaled that the Castro government will be closely watching Obama on his visit for signs of meddling in Cubas affairs. Obama has said they dont expect Cuba to change overnight but that more interaction with Americans would help Cubans help themselves.

Though Cuban officials are prone to bouts of anti-American rhetoric, Rodriguezs speech ahead of Obamas visit was particularly piercing. White House officials have downplayed concerns about such antagonistic comments, including a scathing editorial that appeared this month in a state-run newspaper laying out Cubas list of grievances against the U.S.

The Obama administrations latest attempt to ease restrictions on Cuba despite the embargo came earlier Thursday when the U.S. removed Cuba from its list of countries deemed to have insufficient security in their ports, eliminating a major impediment to the free flow of ships in the Florida Straits.

The shift clears the way for U.S. cruise ships, cargo vessels and even ferries to travel back and forth with much less hassle. No longer will all ships have to wait to be boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard for inspections, though the Coast Guard still can conduct random inspections.

Removing Cubas designation under rules designed to fight terrorism also addresses a sore spot in the painful history between Cuba and the U.S., which dominated the island before relations were cut off amid the Cold War. After all, it was only last year that the U.S. removed Cuba from the State Departments list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Obama hopes to use his trip to Cuba  the first by a sitting president in nearly 90 years  to lock in as much progress as possible between the U.S. and Cuba before he leaves office. On Wednesday, a flight carrying mail directly to Cuba took off from the U.S. for the first time in half a century, as part of a pilot program.

Among the letters aboard that flight was one from Obama, who used the occasion to highlight his goals for the trip. Responding to a 76-year-old Cuban woman who had written him, Obama wrote that he hoped his note serves as a reminder of a bright new chapter in the relationship between our two nations.

Hopefully, I will have time to enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee, Obama wrote to Ileana Yarza in a letter released by the White House. At her Havana home, Yarza told The Associated Press she was eagerly awaiting the letter and charmed by Obamas gentlemanliness.
Map of the 75 best places to eat in Orange County in 2022
1905: Santa Ana businessmen, including publisher S. Frank van Ormer, launch the Santa Ana Register. The paper is based in downtown Santa Ana at Fourth and French streets.

1906: Banker J.P. Baumgartner buys the paper. Terry Stephenson, editor until 1927, was a founder of the Orange County Historical Society.

1912: The Register moves to Third and Sycamore streets, and changes its name to the Santa Ana Daily Evening Register.

1918: The Register acquires its biggest local competitor, the Santa Ana Evening Blade, which had been printing since before Orange Countys birth in 1889.

1927: Former Ohio newsman J. Frank Burke purchases the newspapers parent company, Register Publishing Co., installs new presses and modernizes the paper.

1931: The Anaheim Register is launched, but folds amid the Great Depression.

1935: Ohio-native Raymond Cyrus Hoiles buys the Register. His son, Clarence, takes over business operations and the elder Hoiles takes control of editorial content. Hoiles also buys the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal, the first of several paper acquisitions.

1937: Hoiles launches his famously libertarian six-day-a-week column, which is eventually named Common Ground.

1939: The Register moves to Sycamore and Sixth streets in downtown Santa Ana, and changes its name to the Santa Ana Register, dropping Daily from the flag.

1946: Hoiles buys the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph.

1950: Hoiles launches Freedom Newspapers in Santa Ana with the Register as its flagship.

1952: The Santa Ana Register becomes just The Register.

1957: The Register moves out of downtown Santa Ana to 625 N. Grand Ave.

1965: Circulation tops 100,000. Freedom buys community dailies and weeklies in Orange, Brea, Anaheim and La Habra.

1970: Hoiles dies at 91. Family ownership is split among his three children, Clarence, Harry and Mary Jane. Clarence becomes CEO and serves until his death in 1981.

1979: R. David Threshie, who married into the Hoiles family, becomes publisher.

1981: D.R. Segal becomes CEO, the first non-family member to be chief executive.

1985: The Register staff wins its first Pulitzer Prize for photography of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The same year, the newspaper is renamed The Orange County Register.

1986: The Register moves next door to a new five-story headquarters on Grand Avenue, next to the papers old production facility. Circulation tops 300,000.

1989: Register reporter Edward Humes wins the Pulitzer Prize for Specialized Reporting, based on his coverage of the military. Its the papers second Pulitzer.

1990: Freedom starts a regional 24-hour cable TV news service, Orange County Newschannel, operated out of the Register building. (Sold in 1996, OCN closed in 2002.)

1992: James Rosse, Stanford Universitys provost, is named CEO. At this point, Freedom owns 27 daily newspapers, 16 weeklies and five television stations.

1994: Freedom Newspapers becomes Freedom Communications.

1996: The Register staff wins its third Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting on the UC Irvine fertility clinic scandal.

2002: Timothy Hoiles, R.C.s grandson, forces the board to consider selling Freedom.

2004: Freedom partners with two Wall Street firms, Blackstone Group and Providence Equity Partners, to raise $1 billion to buy out dissident Hoiles family shareholders, but the family retains control of the company.

2006: Scott Flanders is named Freedom CEO. He leaves three years later, becoming CEO of Playboy Enterprises.

2006: Freedom launches the OC Post, a daily tabloid with condensed news reports. It folds 18 months later.

2007: Terry Horne is named president and publisher.

2009: Freedom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to the financial burdens of the recession and debt tied to the 2004 recapitalization. Burl Osborne is named interim CEO.

2010: Freedom emerges from bankruptcy. Family ownership is out and several Wall Street investment firms  Alden Global Capital, Angelo Gordon & Co., Luxor Capital Group and lenders led by JPMorgan Chase  take control.

2011: Freedom sells its TV stations to pay off post-bankruptcy debts.

April 2012: Editor Ken Brusic is named interim publisher.

July 2012: Boston businessmen Aaron Kushner and Eric Spitz and their 2100 Trust group buy Freedom Communications for $50 million. After years of staff reductions, the new owners go on a hiring spree; the newsroom staff alone balloons from roughly 185 to more than 400. With a focus on print, rather than digital, the pair launch new sections, magazines and expanded community editions.

December 2012: As Freedom moves to sell off its smaller daily newspapers, the company acquires Churm Media, which includes three local magazines.

November 2013: Kushner and Spitz buy The Press-Enterprise, a daily paper in Riverside, for $27.25 million.

August 2013: Freedom launches the Long Beach Register, a daily newspaper.

April 2014: The Los Angeles Register is launched in April, but folds in September. The Long Beach Register folds in December.

September 2014: Real estate developer Michael Harrah buys the Orange County Registers Santa Ana headquarters for $27 million.

October 2014: Rich Mirman, a Freedom investor and former casino executive, replaces Kushner as publisher. The Los Angeles Times sues the Register, claiming the newspaper breached a delivery contract with the Times to switch to new carriers. The rapid switch disrupts delivery of the Register for months.

March 2015: Kushner resigns; Mirman takes over as CEO. Spitz, once Freedom president, becomes chairman.

November 2015: Freedom files for bankruptcy protection, the second trip to bankruptcy court in six years.

February 2016: A three-way battle for the Register emerges among an investor group led by Mirman, Tribune Publishing and Digital First Media.

March 2016: Bankruptcy auction begins March 16 for ownership of The Register and Press-Enterprise. After Tribune is announced as the auctions winner, the Department of Justice seeks and receives a temporary restraining order to stop the sale. Digital First Media announced Saturday that Freedoms attorneys will accept its offer. A hearing is scheduled for Monday.
A 93-year-old Seal Beach woman reported missing was found distraught and walking on the side of a road in Tijuana, Mexico, on Wednesday, authorities said.

Shirley Reimers was reported missing by her son after she failed to pick him up from the Long Beach Airport at 8 p.m. Tuesday, a police statement said.

Realizing his mother was not coming, Reimers son walked to her home in the Leisure World retirement community and searched for her throughout the night before calling Seal Beach police at 8:20 a.m. the next day.

While investigators were at Leisure World, a female in Tijuana called the property saying she found a distraught lady around 9 a.m. walking on the side of a road. She said her name was Shirley Reimers, police said. The female brought Reimers to her home.

Seal Beach police used the departments Facebook video messenger app to see Reimers and the good Samaritan.

The Tijuana Police Department went to the home and drove Reimers to the United States/Mexico border to meet with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

Reimers was then taken to a California Highway Patrol office in San Diego where Seal Beach police officers were waiting. She was reunited with her family at Leisure World by 5 p.m.

Details on how she got to Mexico were not available, and calls and emails to the Seal Beach Police Department were not immediately returned Thursday.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com
A U.S. district court in California has barred Orange County resident Stacy John Sanchez from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

The DOJ complaint alleged Sanchez, who owned and operated 12 Liberty Tax Service franchise locations, and his employees prepared tax returns with fake forms that falsely claimed dependents. Sanchez allegedly used stolen names and Social Security numbers on tax returns, then kept refunds generated by the returns, the complaint stated.

While the DOJ would not confirm Sanchezs city of residence, records show a house in Los Alamitos is owned and occupied by someone with the same name.

Under the ruling Sanchez is not allowed to own, operate or profit from tax-return businesses.

In the complaint, the U.S. Treasury estimated it lost $14 million to Sanchez.

Sanchez agreed to the injunction but did not admit to the allegations.

Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
The Board of Trustees of the California State Bar took a long-overdue step Friday and required that unaccredited law schools in California disclose their attrition rates. The next step should be to require that these schools have a minimum bar pass rate in order to continue to operate.

In virtually every other state, students must graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association in order to take the bar examination. The ABA has detailed guidelines to ensure a minimum quality of education in the law schools that it accredits. There also are specific requirements for disclosure, including admissions data and bar pass rates, to provide transparency to prospective students. Law schools are subject to regular visits to monitor and ensure compliance with these rules. Schools with low bar pass rates risk losing accreditation.

California has 21 ABA-accredited law schools, including UC Irvine School of Law. But California also has two other types of law schools: state-accredited schools and unaccredited schools. There are 18 law schools accredited by the California State Bar, but not the ABA, such as Trinity Law School in Santa Ana. And there are 22 unaccredited law schools operating in the state, such as Irvine University College of Law in Cerritos.

These state-accredited and unaccredited schools have the virtue of making a legal education available to those who do not have the credentials or the resources to attend an ABA-accredited school. Admissions criteria at these schools are generally minimal or nonexistent. The cost is vastly less. In theory, these schools open up access to the legal profession for disadvantaged students who otherwise could not go to law school.

The problem, though, is that these schools have very high attrition and very low success on the bar exam. A Los Angeles Times investigation last summer found that about 90 percent of students at unaccredited law schools never finish. At Concord Law School of Kaplan University, an online law school, 17 percent are still enrolled after four years; it is only 9 percent at Northwestern California University School of Law. At the state-accredited schools, 46 percent finish. By contrast, at the American Bar Association-accredited law schools, the completion rates are dramatically higher, with about 88 percent of the students graduating.

Even if a student perseveres and graduates from an unaccredited or state-accredited school, the chances of passing the bar are low. Overall, on the July 2015 bar exam, only 13.4 percent of students from state-accredited schools and 11 percent of those from unaccredited schools passed. By contrast, 60 percent passed who had graduated from an ABA-accredited law school.

All of this has led some to propose that California, like almost all other states, effectively eliminate these law schools by requiring graduation from an ABA-accredited law school as a condition for taking the bar examination. But state-accredited and unaccredited law schools have long existed in California, and they are defended as opening the legal profession to those who otherwise could not go to law school. Eliminating them is not likely.

If these schools are going to continue, there must be more transparency and closer regulation to allow those considering such schools to make an informed choice. The Bar Trustees voted 12-1 to require that unaccredited law schools disclose their drop-out rates over the past five years. This is essential so that prospective students can accurately assess their chances of graduation. The ABA already requires this disclosure for the law schools it accredits.

The next step must be to impose minimum bar passage rates for these schools. State-bar accredited law schools must have a minimum pass rate of 40 percent over five years. But no such requirement is imposed on the unaccredited law schools. They, too, should be covered by this requirement to ensure that students spending money on four years of legal education have at least some minimal chance of passing the bar exam.

I am not arguing for the elimination of unaccredited and state-bar accredited law schools. Nor is my support for regulation based on a desire to reduce competition for my law school. The state-accredited and unaccredited law schools do not compete with ABA-accredited schools.

Anyone who pays tuition to such a school should know the risks and have at least some chance of graduating and of passing the bar exam. The State Bar Trustees are to be applauded for their action and now must go even further.

Erwin Chemerinsky is dean of the UC Irvine School of Law.
SANTA ANA  A 25-year-old woman was killed late Wednesday night in a gang-related shooting inside a residential garage behind a Catholic church, police said, just two hours after another attack in this city that has been plagued with gang violence.

Vanessa Elizabeth Rodriguez was inside a single-car garage that had been converted into a living space around 11:30 p.m. in the west alley of the 700 block of North Lacy Street with two men and the door to the garage closed, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department.

At least two suspects on foot walked to the garage door and opened it, fired multiple rounds in the garage, hitting all victims before fleeing, Bertagna said.

Rodriguez died at Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Officials said the two men survived, but were not cooperating with police, who were investigating the shooting as gang-related.

The attack was less than two hours after a 19-year-old man was injured in a gang-related, drive-by shooting in the 1200 block of Highland Street, police said.

He was shot at multiple times from a gray Honda Civic, although only one round hit him in his lower stomach, said Santa Ana police Sgt. Michael Claborn.

Authorities said the man was expected to survive, but he was not cooperating with detectives.

Police do not suspect the shootings are related since they were in different neighborhoods and involved different gangs, Bertagna said.

Its something well look at, but (the connection is) doubtful, Bertagna said.

The city recorded 70 shootings through March 1, the highest number in the same period since 2011, according to police.

Anyone with information about the shootings was asked to call the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. Tips can be left anonymously.

Staff writer Louis Casiano Jr. contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com
A 19-year-old man was shot while walking in Santa Ana on Wednesday night, authorities said.

The victim was walking around 10 p.m. in the 1200 block of Highland Street, when he was shot at multiple times from a gray Honda Civic, said Santa Ana police Sgt. Michael Claborn.

He was hit once in the lower body and was taken to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening wound.

Investigators believe the incident is gang-related, but the man was not cooperating with detectives, Claborn said.

The city has seen a surge in gun violence since Jan 1. Julian Barragan, 21, died after being shot several times on Sunday. The killing came one day after church groups and others held a rally to denounce the spike in violence in Santa Ana.

The city recorded 70 shootings through March 1, the highest number in the same period since 2011.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com
RIO DE JANEIROBrazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday appointed her predecessor and mentor, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as her chief of staff in a move supporters say will help her fight impeachment proceedings but which critics blast as a scheme to shield the former leader from possible detention in corruption probes.

Rousseff hailed the appointment, which capped days of intense speculation and hours-long meetings between the two leaders, saying she was very happy with his arrival.

His joining my government strengthens my government, she said at a news conference in the capital, Brasilia, adding, Many people dont want it to be strengthened.

But he is coming and hes coming to help.

Rumors of Silvas appointment to a Cabinet post surfaced after the former leader was taken to a police station this month to answer questions connected to a sprawling investigation into corruption at the state-run oil company Petrobras. Wednesdays appointment will make it harder for prosecutors to investigate Silva because only Brazils Supreme Court can authorize the investigation, imprisonment and trial of Cabinet members and legislators.

Rousseff herself served as chief of staff under Silva from 2005-2010. That powerful role projected her into the spotlight and led Silva to anoint her as his successor.

A dexterous political operator, Silva is seen as Rousseffs best hope for shoring up support for the government and its agenda by sealing alliances with key centrist and right-wing parties in Congress and securing the support of social movements. Hes also regarded as crucial to blocking impeachment proceedings against Rousseff over allegations of fiscal mismanagement.

Rousseff vehemently denied that Silva had accepted the post to delay investigations against him, stressing that Cabinet ministers special judicial standing does not grant them immunity.

It doesnt mean that he will not be investigated, Rousseff said. Its a question of whom he will be investigated by.

The head of Silva and Rousseffs governing Workers Party, Rui Falcao, said on Twitter that Silva would be sworn in on Tuesday.

The opposition excoriated Wednesdays much-anticipated announcement.

Another former president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, called his successors appointment as an error, according to a report in the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper, and analysts have said Silvas appointment could weaken Rousseff dramatically.

Dilma will be surrendering the presidency to Lula, said Thiago de Aragao of the Brasilia-based Arko Advice political consulting firm. He will become the new president.

Aragao predicted that Silva would take over key decisions on political and economic matters and said the appointment underscores the high level of concern with his (Silvas) possible imprisonment and with the end of the government with Dilmas impeachment.

An analysis piece in the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper echoed the sentiment, saying that Silvas signing in ceremony would effectively mark the end of Rousseffs presidency.

At that moment, in practice, Lulas third term in office will begin, it said, referring to Silva by the nickname by which he is universally known.

Brazils stock market and currency initially fell on news of the appointment, though they rallied later in the day. Silva has made no secret of his desire to dip into international reserves in order to kick start economic growth, an approach widely criticized by market analysts.

Rousseff denied any plans to use the reserves and said Silvas two terms in office had proven his commitment to fiscal stability.

Silva, a former metalworker who entered politics as a labor union leader, presided over years of galloping economic growth that saw tens of millions of people lifted out of grinding poverty. Despite a massive bribes-for-votes that took down one of his chiefs of staff, he was wildly popular when he left office in 2010.

His support has since slipped along with Brazils economy and the mushrooming Petrobras corruption probe that has implicated numerous members of his Workers Party and now embroiled Silva himself.

Rousseff had been untouched by the turmoil, but the Supreme Court on Tuesday accepted a plea bargain by the partys former leader in the Senate, Delcidio do Amaral, that alleged Rousseff at least knew about wrongdoing at Petrobras, which she formerly oversaw.

The scandal also has ensnared many opposition figures, including house Speaker Eduardo Cunha, Rousseffs sworn nemesis, who has spearheaded so-far unsuccessful efforts to impeach her.

On Tuesday, Supreme Court ruled that Cunhas wife and daughter be tried by a judge who is handling the Petrobras investigation. Investigators allege the two benefited from illegal funds from Petrobras contracts.

Amaral was detained late last year on allegations of obstructing the Petrobras probe, and Tuesdays release of hundreds of pages of his testimony to investigators sent shockwaves throughout Brazils political class.

In the document, Amaral said Rousseff knew about a scheme to buy a refinery in the United States at an inflated price. He also alleged Silva ordered him to make payouts to another key operator of the Petrobras scheme to protect a close friend.

Both Rousseff and Silva have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and the most of those mentioned in the plea deal have discredited the allegations.

In an interview published in Wednesdays O Estado de S. Paulo daily, Amaral insisted his agenda and records of his trips would substantiate the veracity of his claims.

This weeks political turmoil came on the heels of nationwide protests against Rousseff and her Workers Party that brought an estimated 3 million people onto the streets Sunday. Newspapers called their showing the biggest political demonstrations in Brazilian history.
Parents who bring their toddlers to Disneyland surely hope that their children see the park as a magical place. But they might be surprised when they discover one of the reasons why little kids love Disneyland so much.

The toilets.

No, were not talking about those regular toilets you find in bathrooms around the resort. Those things scare the daylights out of little kids  with tall seats kids have to be hoisted up on to, not to mention how their terrified when they automatically flush. That roar of sound and water scares many kids into fearing that they are about to sucked down into the bowl and flushed into the Anaheim sewers, never to see Mom, Dad, or Mickey ever again. No thanks.

So what toilets do the youngest Disney fans love so much?

Its the special, toddler-sized toilets that can be found inside the Baby Care Centers at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Unlike those kid-sized plastic potties at home, these are real, porcelain toilets  only scaled down to a small childs size. With toilets this size, theres no waiting for a parent to pick up and drop you down atop the grown-ups Mount Poopmore, and no terrifying automatic flush to steal you away from your family forever.

Its hard for some grown-ups who dont have little kids of their own right now to remember, but when youre a toddler, everything is so big and intimidating around you. A grown-up toilet really does look and sound like a volcano into which frustrated parents toss their children as sacrifices to the theme park gods.

But those baby care toilets are small and perfectly sized. They look and feel like a kids own personal, special toilet. Just like Mom and Dads  but kid-sized.

And better yet, theyre not a plastic bucket. Toddlers might feel excited when they first get their own potty (Hey, a present! And bonus! Its not even my birthday or Christmas!), but they wise up fast. Kids learn that their special little seat is just a cheap imitation of the grown-up potty that the big people use. And if theres anything that terrifies growing children more than big people stuff, its being caught with little kid stuff.

As my daughter once said, oblivious to the irony, plastic potties are for children.

Disneys toddler toilets let kids enjoy a rare opportunity to have it both ways. They get a place to go that looks and works just like a real toilet, helping them feel grown up. But the toilet is just their size, so it doesnt make them feel small.

Thats why, as a Twitter follower wrote recently, If you ever see an adult carrying a young child and double timing it toward Main Street, get out of the way. That kid knows about the good toilets at Disneyland. No matter where you are when nature calls in the park then, theres only one place to go for small kids.

(Of course, some grown-ups are equally guilty of this. Im already mourning the loss of the Big Thunder Ranch restrooms. Im leaning toward Rancho del Zocalo as my new favorite.)

Running your kid across the park to get to Baby Care is one thing, but the real struggle happens once you get back home. After a kid has seen the real thing at Disneyland, that plastic bucket in the bathroom at home is going to look pretty lame in comparison.

Im betting that my daughter, way back when, wasnt the first and wont be the last child to go on a plastic potty strike once she saw the alternative at Disneyland. Now, I dont know how much of that was inspired by the toddler toilets, or how much the toddler toilets provided a convenient excuse to demand another trip to Disney. But whenever she cajoled me into another visit, shed yell like a champion

Im going at Disneyland!

Robert Niles is the founder and editor of ThemeParkInsider.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThemePark.
Tuesdays five presidential primaries gave strong boosts to the candidacies of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, while affirming voters anti-establishment sentiment. Also, for the first time in decades, Californias June 7 primary is emerging as possibly the key contest, especially for Republicans.

Usually races are decided by the time of our late primary. But this time, according to a New York Times analysis of delegate counts, If Mr. Trump loses California, he could narrowly miss the delegate cutoff for a majority at the GOP convention in July.

We noticed that Orange County Business Council President Lucy Dunn wrote on Facebook, Shouldnt we be encouraging CAs decline to state voters (maybe 500,000 former Republicans) to reregister Republican so they can vote in the primary? Otherwise, recent CA polling doesnt bode well for Cruz or Kasich?

Mr. Trump and his supporters can be expected to make a similar pitch. Well soon know if the Secretary of States office sees a surge of reregistrations. However the primary goes, this race could be a boost for the state GOP after years of declining registrations.

As for Tuesdays results, Sen. Marco Rubio, the last strong GOP establishment candidate, quit the race after losing his home state of Florida to Mr. Trump, 46-27. Mr. Trump also easily won North Carolina and Illinois. The Missouri Secretary of States office said Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Trump won that states primary by less than 1,800 votes, giving Sen. Ted Cruz the option of requesting a recount.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich won his home state over Mr. Trump, 47-36. Yet Mr. Kasich finished third or fourth in the other primaries, indicating problems outside the Buckeye State.

Except for Ohio and Florida, the second-place finisher was Sen. Cruz, also an anti-establishment candidate. That reflected CNN exit polls, which showed bipartisan concern about both the economy and access to jobs. Republicans continued the trend of saying they felt betrayed by their party.

For Democrats, Mrs. Clinton won all five contests over Sen. Bernie Sanders, but by less than 2,000 votes in Missouri, and less than 34,000 votes in Illinois, where more than 2 million Democratic votes were cast. As in Michigan, which Sen. Sanders won, she continues to struggle with Rust Belt voters.

Although the fire feeding Feel the Bern continues to wane, Sen. Bernie Sanders vowed to press on. And brace yourself for more Trump stadium rallies, including possibly violent protests. This time, California could be the decider.
When the retail giant Target wants your bathing suit brand, do you jump into deep end and say yes?

Swimwear designer Amahlia Stevens, the creator of Laguna Beach-based Vitamin A, was all in.

Stevens, who has designed and sold high-fashion bathing suits since 2000, thought about the millions of shoppers who would be introduced to her brand, said it was a no-brainer.

Ultimately, Im hoping that were able to bring the brand to a whole new demographic that wouldnt have known about (it) before, she said.

Stevens, who lives in Laguna Beach, created Vitamin A Soleil, an affordable bathing suit line that launched in February and will be sold exclusively on target.com.

A Vitamin A one-piece suit can cost upward of $200, and a bikini costs at least $175, with some tops alone in the $100 range.

In the Vitamin A Soleil collection, a trendy, black-mesh bikini top runs $39.99. A set of braided hipster bikini bottoms run $29.99. Shoppers can score a one-piece for $59.99.

They have 30 million customers that we werent going to reach otherwise, she said. Theres a certain number of Target shoppers who are going to like the brand and who will seek out the real deal.

But she said Target has long carved out a niche as being the place to go for collaborations with designers, including Lilly Pulitzer, Missoni, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Zac Posen and Jason Wu.

Stevens notes the Soleil (French for sun) brand is not the same product as her Vitamin A line. The Target line is not made in California, and not made with recycled nylon, as her other suits are. But the brand is designed by Stevens.

She started making her own bikinis in the 1990s and launched her first Vitamin A collection of sleek and sexy silhouettes using fabrics in 2000.

 Laylan Connelly

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
The cameras are eyeing the news desk. The lights are on. The video screens, audio boards and servers in the control room are whirring.

All systems are go for the West Coast studio of the largest religious television network in the world, which was scheduled to broadcast its first show from the Christ Cathedral campus on Wednesday (after press time).

The Eternal World Television Network, which airs newscasts, theological roundtables and Mass to a potential 230 million-plus homes across 144 countries, has its only West Coast studio on the eighth floor of the Tower of Hope. The control room, which houses most of the production equipment, is in the basement of the campus cultural center, 100 yards away.

The 33-year-old network entered into a 10-year lease with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange for about $100 a year. The Catholic network, which is not technically affiliated with the Vatican, spent north of $1 million to create the studio, diocese spokesman Ryan Lilyengren said.

Robotic cameras in the studio swivel without the help of a cameraman. There is a green screen. In the control room, a massive screen capable of showing feeds from all of EWTNs studios sits in the front.

Its incredible, said Ligia Maria Rojas, one of the networks producers, about transforming the tiny eighth floor into a professional-grade studio.

Rojas will produce from the control room the studios first and so far only program, a Spanish-language news-and-commentary show, Cara a Cara.

But on Wednesday, when the studio was set to launch, the program  broadcast around the world  was scheduled to be in English and feature interviews with the Most Rev. Kevin Vann, the bishop of Orange County, and Michael P. Warsaw, the networks chairman of the board and CEO.

The network and the diocese would like, eventually, to add more programs, in multiple languages, as well as to broadcast Mass. The first Mass in the Christ Cathedral, sometime in early 2017, will be broadcast globally, Lilyengren said.

At least 10 robotic cameras will be installed in the cathedral. The diocese, though, is still working out whether it wants to build a second, smaller control room so it can film Mass even when EWTN does not want to syndicate it.

The studio in the Tower of Hope has a news bureau to conveniently interview people. Its hard to fly people out to Alabama (the networks headquarters), Lilyengren said. So its easier for the network to do interviews with people from here.

EWTN is available on several cable and satellite providers, including Channel 370 on DirecTV and 460 on Time Warner Cable.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3707 or chaire@ocregister.com
Casios latest offering, the Exilim EX-TR70, is priced at a whopping $1,399! Thats rather steep for a compact camera, but the price tag is justified by its unbelievable selfie-friendly features. Targeted mainly at Chinese women who are obsessed with taking photos of themselves and sharing them online, the camera is expected to earn the Japanese company a $403 million profit this year.

The new TR70 is a third generation Exilim, a line of unusually shaped cameras that are specifically made for selfies. Right from the physical features to the UI, these cameras are streamlined to help the user click the perfect pic of their face every time. The hinged frame helps the device support itself, so it can easily be placed on any surface to face the subject. It offers several ways to actually click a picture, including squeezing the body, using the selfie pad on the side, using a countdown self-timer, placing the hand on a certain part of the frame to be detected by the camera, and by touching the 3 LCD.

Photo: Japan Bullet

The TR70 lens has an angle view equivalent to a 21mm or a 35mm system  excessively wide for a regular camera, but perfect when clicking pictures from an arms length distance. So users can easily get their friends into the frame, without having to resort to selfie-sticks. The camera also uses an LED light instead of a flash, positioned very closed to the lens axis to produce soft and shadowless lighting. The round shape of the LED is designed to create an attractive circular sparkle, or catch-light, in the eyes.

Nicknamed zipai shenqi (which loosely translates to magical weapon for ultimate selfies), the TR70 truly is a smart camera  its pose bracketing feature comes with a voice guidance system that counts down from three to give the user time to alter their stance between consecutive shots. Five photographs are clicked per session this way, so users can easily figure out their best angles.

Photo: Casio

The TR70 also comes with special digital makeup software that can be used to erase blemishes and make the face look slimmer, skin fairer, and eyes larger. While most other compact cameras have digital retouch shooting modes, the TR70 offers much more advanced makeup modes where users can choose from 12 different levels of skin smoothness and skin tones. Theres also the makeup mode bracketing that displays two extra images with smoothness levels below and above the one chosen by the user. Whats more, the makeup mode can be used on videos as well.

The Exilim cameras are wildly popular among women in China, so much so that in 2015, Casio recorded its highest profit in nine years. In fact, Chinese women in other parts of the world are scrambling to buy them too, although theyre currently only available in Asia. By the time I bought this camera in Shanghai, it was super popular, Lin Shi, a Chinese student in New York, told Quartz. Whenever I went into a restaurant, I would see girls taking photos with these cameras.

Photo: On.cc

When it came out, it was only about $249, added Chaoyi Xu, another student. But the demand was way higher than the supply so the price shot up to $800 within half a year. I think whats magical about this camera is its lens. It makes you look prettier!

In China, Casio has three exclusive stores dedicated to selling the Exilim series. These shops resemble makeup boutiques, but instead of buying makeup, women can shop for cameras that make them look picture perfect.

Sources: DP Review, Quartz, Straits Times
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Destiny Czaplewski lives in Lincoln and has a Nebraska phone number. But she often finds herself reassuring people that she indeed lives in the Cornhusker State.

Her new cellphone number begins with Nebraskas newest area code: 531. Because of that, a lot of people think Im from out of state, she said.

It appears that those three numbers dont yet have a familiar ring, even though area code 531 made its debut about a year ago. The code overlays the eastern Nebraska area served by mainstay 402.

A lot of people say theyve never heard of that area code in Nebraska, Czaplewski said.

A telephonic refresher:

In 2009, Nebraska was simply running out of 402-based telephone numbers. So the powers that be in phone numbering  officially the North American Numbering Plan Administration in Virginia  worked with the Nebraska Public Service Commission to adopt the 531 code.

The new area codes launch was delayed several times because the supply of 402-based numbers lasted longer than expected. Finally, last spring, 531 hit the scenes. The new code still is a local call.

When Czaplewski got her cellphone last May, she got a number starting with 531.

Other early adopters say they too have encountered youre not from around here talk.

In January, the Early Learning Center at Skinner moved from its location inside the Skinner Magnet Center, an Omaha elementary school, to a building next door, a mere 100 feet away.

As part of the move, the centers former number  402-453-6857  was disconnected. Its replacement: the still very local 531-299-2099.

However, said Melissa Hennings, the centers site director, parents worried: Would calls cost extra? Had the facility moved out of state?

None of our families knew what happened, Hennings said. We pretty much had to explain the change to everyone.

Finally the centers workers posted a note on a bulletin board  in big block letters, Hennings said  noting that 531 is a new Nebraska area code. Its not a long-distance call.

So far, the Nebraska Public Service Commission, which is in charge of such things, has distributed 135,000 numbers bearing the new 531 area code to phone carriers, including Cox Communications, CenturyLink, Verizon, and Great Plains Broadband, said Cullen Robbins, an analyst in the agencys telecommunications department.

That doesnt mean that 135,000 people have the new area code, Robbins said. It just means that many potential phone numbers are ready to be put into service.

The commission doesnt keep a tally of how many 531s  or for that matter, 402s or 308s  are in use. (308 is the code for central and western Nebraska.) Telecom firms dont always disclose those figures.

It depends on how many carriers have sold, Robbins said.

In any case, 531 isnt exactly taking over the state: The 135,000 possible 531-based numbers are a drop in the bucket compared with the nearly 1.7 million 402-based numbers that have been provided to telecommunications companies since the late 1940s, when the 402 code was assigned to cover the entire state.

And at least one business with a 531 number hadnt even realized that one of its phone lines bore the new code.

Wow, I wasnt aware that we had phone lines with a 531 area code, said Ron Doty, managing broker at Tri-Win Properties in Lincoln.

The real estate management company lists its main number on its website as 402-438-0946, but a Google advertising blurb on the same web page gives the firms number as 531-333-4723. Dial that and youll get Tri-Win.

If the 402 number is busy, it bounces to the next line, which would probably be the 531 number, Doty said.

He said he wasnt concerned that callers might think 531 means out of state.

Besides, he said, its just a matter of time before 531 finally rings a bell and is widely recognized as a Nebraska area code.

Lisa Caudle, a local spokeswoman for Cox, says its possible for a business to have phone numbers with different area codes if it has an existing 402-based number, then later requests a large bank of numbers be added to the account. Those could be 531-based.

Caudle noted that Cox has not had this happen locally.

The last time Nebraska got a new area code was more than 60 years ago.

In 1954, the 308 area code was assigned to central and western Nebraska.

In the late 1990s, the Nebraska Public Commission began preparing for the 402 area code to run out of new numbers. Back in those days, the commission gave carriers phone numbers in blocks of 10,000, Robbins said, no matter how many would in fact be used.

That meant a small-town phone company might be sitting on 9,000 unused 402-based numbers.

The commission then decided to start allotting numbers in blocks of 1,000. That more efficient distribution and the Great Recession gave 402 more life. (Less economic activity means fewer new phone numbers requested for things such as new businesses.)

It wasnt until March of last year that the commission determined that 531 needed to come on line.

There are still lots of 402-based numbers available, but theres a catch: Theyre reserved for specific geographic areas and cant be used elsewhere, Robbins said.

Say you have some 402 numbers assigned to the Tecumseh area. You wouldnt be able to access one of those numbers if you lived outside Tecumseh in Omaha or Lincoln, he said.

So, welcome to the 531.

Says Czaplewski, the Lincolnite with the 531-based cellphone: Its nice to have something new and refreshing.

Even if it means you have to explain yourself for a while.

World-Herald staff writer Hailey Konnath contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: 402-444-1142, janice.podsada@owh.com
Norfolk, Nebraska, lodging company Condor Hospitality Trust said Wednesday it sold $30 million worth of preferred stock to StepStone Real Estate, an affiliate of StepStone Group, with a payment rate of 6.25 percent a year.

Condor said the preferred shares may be converted into common stock at $1.60 per share. Condors stock price closed Wednesday at 95 cents per share.

Brendan MacDonald, a StepStone partner, and two other people designated by StepStone have joined Condors board of directors.

MacDonald said the investment comes at what we believe is a turning point for the company and its shareholders. Condor, previously called Supertel Hospitality Trust, has recorded losses in recent years and struggled to compete with other hotel and motel operators.

Bill Blackham, Condors chief executive, said the transaction will support the companys strategic plan for the future. Part of the $30 million will go to redeem other preferred stock and part toward the companys plan to acquire higher-level hotels and sell lower-quality properties.

The company also exchanged all its preferred stock into a single class, simplifying Condors finances, said Jonathan Gantt, chief financial officer.

StepStone is a private equity firm that manages $14 billion in real estate and other assets, with offices in China, England, Australia, Brazil, South Korea and the United States.
Some people celebrate St. Patricks Day by taking the day off from work and heading to their favorite Irish beverage establishment. That is not the case for employees of Senior Market Sales of Omaha.

The independent marketing organization, with 165 employees at 8420 West Dodge Road, rolls out the green carpet to its staff for a whole week of Irish-inspired fun and festivities. Employees are encouraged to decorate their office space, dress up in costumes, play games and participate in interoffice competitions in the days leading up to St. Patricks Day.

It all started with SMS President Jim Summers. For the Kansas City, Missouri, native who hails from two Irish families, St. Patricks Day has always been a time for celebration. He served on Kansas Citys St. Patricks Day Parade committee for more than a decade before moving to Omaha in 1984.

In 1998, not long after joining the staff at SMS, Summers decided it was time to bring some St. Patricks Day fun to the company, then with 14 employees in the Omaha office. What began with one day and a few decorations quickly grew into something bigger.

As the company has grown, weve developed a culture where we have three or four special events a year, and St. Patricks Day has its own personality, he said.

Each year, theres a theme. Past themes have included the Olympics, the eco-friendly Going Green and March Madness. This year, the theme is Star Wars.

In the past, cubicles have been transformed into Irish villages, an Irish castle and an Irish pub  complete with plywood walls.

Then, there are the costumes. Just ask Ken Colvard, SMSs 6-foot 2-inch tall leprechaun with the snappy green suit, hat and long red beard.

They threw a Star Wars theme on me this year, and I wasnt sure how I was going to incorporate that, but I found a way, said Colvard, a marketing coordinator. Its going to be the leprechaun outfit with a Jedi robe on and Im calling myself Obi-Chaun Kenobi.

Other activities include Spud Wars  a team competition where employees decorate a potato in the most creative way they can; Test Your Jedi Senses, where blindfolded employees guess what color of Froot Loops cereal theyve eaten; and Destroy the Deathstar, where employees toss toy leprechauns into a cutout of the Deathstar spaceship.

The competitions are held in all SMSs offices, including those in Harlan, Iowa; Alexandria, Virginia; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They compete via web cameras. Traveling trophies and other prizes are awarded, and the competitions can get quite fierce, employees said.

Senior Licensed Agent Bob Glaze said his group once got accused of cheating for even considering inviting an art teacher to give them decorating ideas.

Office-to-office rivalries have been born. I think its Harlan versus Omaha, said Robin Butler, lead licensed agent for SMSs retail division in Harlan, which has six employees and has won a trophy three years in a row.

The week also allows the company to give back to the community. The festivities include a casual for a cause fundraiser, which allows employees to wear jeans for a monetary donation, said Sandy Washa, SMS human resources director. This year, funds raised will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Even with the competitive nature of the celebration, employees find it all in good fun. Glaze said the festivities come at a good time of the year when peoples moods are being lightened by the prospect of spring.

On a day to day basis, were all pretty intent on what we are doing, he said. ... This gives us a break ... and it also gives us an opportunity to collaborate as a team, too.
Exclusive Interview: Find out more about Fametick Media and First HelpCare founder Afzal Anis

Digital India: The four pillars of 5G Era listed out by PM Modi

Bandahalli Villages Government School shows Way for Digital India

Feature

oi-Lisa

The Digital India programme is a flagship programme of the Narendra Modi Government with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

The Digital India programme is centred on three key vision areas:

Digital infrastructure as a core utility to every citizen; Governance and services on demand; and Digital empowerment of citizens.

Beginning of e-Governance in India:

The journey of e-Governance initiatives in India took a broader dimension in mid 90s for wider sectoral applications with emphasis on citizen-centric services. Later on, many States and Union Territories started various e-Governance projects.

Despite the successful implementation of many e-Governance projects across the country, e-Governance as a whole had not been able to make the desired impact and fulfil all its objectives.

In order to transform the entire ecosystem of public services through the use of information technology, the Government of India has launched the Digital India programme.

Success achieved by Digital India programme:

For most the biggest success of Digital India programme will be that upon its launch it was able to attract pledges worth 4.5 lakh crore from major industrialists of India.

Many would also be tempted to quote digital product of Kotak Mahindra Bank 'Jifi' as one of the success stories of Digital India or Da Milano's digital presence and marketing as its success stories.

However, not many would know about Bandahali Village's Government school.

Bandahali Village's Government School gets inspired by Digital India programme:

However, government school of Bandahali Village of Karnataka can be called the real success story of Digital India programme. The village is located 60 km from Mysuru.

The school's website http://ghsbandahallikrn.org is set to be formally launched tomorrow. The site will have school's study material online. The headmaster of the school Dr. Suresh has also put up solved question papers, exam time table and photos of the school students.

Dr. Suresh is PhD in Education got the idea of creating a website for school in September 2015 when lot of talk was going on about Digital India.

He wanted the website to be made to prove that government schools can be at par with private school. Dr. Suresh first shared his idea with English teacher Subbaraman and they made the initial plan. After spending Rs. 15,000 on design and contacting a website designer in Mysuru the plan achieved concrete success.

Initially the website was to be only in Kannada. Later the content was added in English too. Dr. Suresh also spent Rs. 6,000 from his own pocket and got a UPS put in school to beat power cuts and began teaching his students on the big screen using computer.

Five years back he set up a computer section in his school and got 13 computers sanctioned by the government.

The website will cater to the staff of the school too by putting up important notices and circulars coming from Education Department on the site.

The school has only 107 students all of them come from families where agriculture is the main source of income. The tiny school has a staff of seven of which two are support staff and five are teachers.
Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again

BJP seeks ally as Puducherry goes to poll

Feature

oi-Lisa

By Lisa

Puducherry goes to poll on the 16th of May to elect its 30 Members of Legislative Assembly. With the announcement of the election date the political atmosphere in the Union Territory has changed completely. Here is a look at the major developments in happening in the Union Territory since the announcement of poll date:

Fishermen want to boycott the poll:

Fishermen belonging to coastal areas have threatened to boycott the assembly poll unless the Union Government steps in and helps in release of fishermen and their boats arrested by Sri Lanka. The deadline given for the same by fishermen is 15th of April.

Various fishermen association leaders met and have come to this decision. Fishermen's Association President Rajendran was reported to have said that in the year 2015 Sri Lanka has arrested around 70 fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Also Sri Lanka has captured around 90 boats belonging to Indian fishermen. The president of Fishermen's Association was also quoted to have said that the boats cost anywhere between Rs. 5 to Rs. 30 lakh depending on the size of the boat.

The Fishermen's Association President has also threatened to launch agitations if the Union Government doesn't help in release of fishermen and the boats.

AIADMK doesn't criticise AINRC government:

MLAs belonging to AIADMK have refrained from criticising AINRC government in the Union Territory as it is interested in forging an alliance with Rangasamy's party.

AIADMK had become a fierce rival of N Rangasamy but during the last day of the 13th Assembly didn't show rivalry with the CM. For CM Rangasamy too this is good proposition in the sense that renewed ties with AIADMK during the Rajya Sabha candidature helped AINRC when the government's Chief Whip G Nehru resigned from the post along with four other legislators.

AIADMK by keeping silent has opened up an opportunity of forging an alliance with the ruling party. Meanwhile AIADMK leaders dismissed the party's easy stand with regards to the government as one off incident.

The age of coalition politics is yet far from over.

BJP interviews ticket seekers:

Puducherry unit of the Bharathiya Janata Party recently began interviewing aspirants who want to contest Puducherry Assembly Election on the party ticket.

The election slated for the 16th of May attracted applications from 142 aspirants from Puducherry, Oulgaret, Ariyankuppam, Villianur, Puducherry (suburb), Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.

The ticket seekers were interviewed by Puducherry president of BJP, V Saminathan. He was assisted by former state presidents of BJP Visweswaran, Kesavalu, Damodaran as well as general secretaries Thangavikraman and Ravichandran.

On day one 45 ticket seekers from Puducherry town and Oulgaret were scrutinised. Next day ticket aspirants from Puducherry (suburb), Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam were interviewed.

BJP trying to get an ally:

BJP is yet to get an ally in Puducherry. Tough through Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu the party has expressed its desire to from an alliance. When Union Urban Development Minister visited Puducherry recently he had expressed the desire to form an alliance at a public forum.

For 2014 Lok Sabha election BJP was able to forge an alliance with AINRC and the NDA candidate R Radhakrishnan had won the election. He belongs to AINRC.

Post which BJP Puducherry state president M Visweswaran was appointed as a nominated MLA to Puducherry Assembly.

AINRC has as yet shown no interest in carrying ahead with the alliance that was done for 2014 election. This move by AINRC has led to the talks doing round that the party may be more interested in forging an alliance with AIADMK alike 2011 elections.

BJP's performance in Puducherry:

The party has never done well in Puducherry till date but in 2001 when it won just one seat during the Assembly election. However, the party is trying to do much better this time around with the support of AINRC.

Though nothing concrete has come up as yet BJP has already stated shortlisting the candidates that it will filed for 30 assembly constituencies for Puducherry election.
In Pics: SAARC Summit 2016  Swaraj and Aziz Meet

Feature

oi-Lisa

By Lisa

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in is Nepal to attend South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Mini Summit.

She met her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz this morning over breakfast at the Fishtail Hotel on Fewa River ahead of the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting.

Sartaj Azis has sought a formal meeting with Sushma Swaraj to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the SAARC Summit to be hosted later this year in Pakistan.

Yesterday also at dinner both the Foreign Ministers were seated together. This is the first meeting between the two Foreign Minister after Pathankot Air Base attack earlier this year.

Sushma Swaraj's address at the 37th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers:

Mrs. Sushma Swaraj began her address at the 37th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers by stating that SAARC embodies aspirations of our people who are poised to take off as region of vitality, creativity and economic growth.

She further added that, "We must think innovatively and find solutions to harness our economic complementarities."

Alike Nepalese PM she too stressed on increasing connectivity. She said, "Economic, cultural and people to people contacts will flow naturally from connectivity."

On future of SAARC she had this to say, "Together we can create viable ecosystem of regional integration, cooperation and socio-economic development."

On behalf of India she promised SAARC that we are prepared to work within SAARC to realise developmental goals. Our universities remain open for SAARC citizens she added.

She concluded her speech by saying that, "We have moved forward on unilateral initiatives announced last summit for sharing Indian Science and Technological progress with SAARC. We have a shared history and as shared destiny. Let us reach for it together."

Neighbourly Engagement!

EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Maldives FM Dunya Maumoon on sidelines of 37th SAARC Ministerial pic.twitter.com/qzPh1cybyh  Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) March 17, 2016

KP Sharma Oli addresses inaugural segment of SAARC:

Nepalese Prime Minister addressed the inaugural segment of the 37th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers in the Resort Town of Pokhara. In an emotional appeal PM Oli said that, "What we need is the political will of highest order to cooperate and to collaborate in a spirit of enduring partnership."

He also highlighted the need for better connectivity among the South Asian nations. He said that, "Connectivity remains a key enabler for robust regional cooperation. Connectivity of infrastructures as well as of ideas, connectivity in terms of information and telecommunication technology as well as of knowledge, connectivity in terms of energy as well as of literature and culture, connectivity of markets as well as of minds can indeed unleash the potential of South Asian cooperation, he pointed. The dream of prosperous South Asia cannot survive without the lifeline of connectivity."

While stressing on the need to vitalise trade which is called the engine of economic prosperity for development of South Asia he said that, "It is unfortunate to note that we trade little within the region."

He concluded his speech by outlining his vision for the SAARC by saying that SAARC must be established as the region where women are safe, where children are secure, and where they will live with dignity, with freedom from fear.

During his speech PM Oli expressed hope that this ministerial meet will focus on the review of the implementation of the decision that are part of the Kathmandu Declaration 2014 and will work out agendas for consideration at the 19th Summit to be held in Pakistan in November.

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Story first published: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 17:00 [IST]
From terror, mingling with migrants to fake currency: How JMB made South India its playground

Arrested JMB members had played major role in Burdwan blasts

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The National Investigating Agency has managed to get a lot of information regarding the functioning of the Jammat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or the JMB following the arrest of two persons.

Two persons Habibul Haq and Enamul Mollah were arrested at West Bengal in a joint operation conducted by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) and the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

Their arrests were carried during the ongoing investigations into the Khagragarh blast more popularly known as the Burdwan bomb blast of October 2 2014.

Also read: Two JMB operatives arrested in West Bengal

What role did they play?

Investigations that are being conducted following these arrests have found that the duo had played an active role in arranging for training camps and also providing hideouts to the other accused.

The operatives of the JMB who had come in from Bangladesh had sought the assistance of these two persons while going about their activities, NIA officials tell OneIndia.

NIA officials say that Haque was the senior of the two and was actively involved in collecting funds to assemble bombs and set up training camps.

In the case of Mollah it was found that he was assisting Haque while also arranging for safe hideouts for the other accused persons. His role into providing a safe route for accused who came in from Bangladesh too is being probed by the National Investigation Agency.

It is further alleged by the NIA that the duo were in touch with Maulana Yusuf one of the masterminds of the Burdwan attack.

Both these persons had helped Yusuf find a safe hideout after the incident. Further, it is also stated by the NIA that the duo had tried recruiting some persons for the JMB from West Bengal. Both had been actively involved with the JMB since 2008, the NIA also states.

It may be recalled that an accidental blast had triggered off in Burdwan on October 2 2014. During the raids several bombs were found in a small house at Burdwan.

Investigations showed that these members were preparing bombs and were attempting to smuggle it into Bangladesh with an intention of carrying out a series of blasts in that country.

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Story first published: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 12:53 [IST]
Same town, same time: Idol for Durga Puja celebrations vandalised in Bangladesh again

Thief calls cops for help after being caught by mob

Bangladesh to commemorate Indian soldiers' contribution

India

oi-PTI

Chottakhola(Tripura), Mar 17: To commemorate the contributions of Indian soldiers in 1971 liberation war, the Bangladesh government will organise programmes in eight different places in India to honour them.

"We are grateful to the Indian soldiers who fought for liberation of our country and sacrificed their lives. Our government has decided to organise functions in eight places in India to honour them," Bangladesh Minister for 'Liberation war' AKM Mozammel Haque told reporters here today.

"We have intimated our decision to the Indian government and finalise the programmes in consultation with the appropriate authority," he said.

An eight-member delegation from Bangladesh, led by Haque, today visited a park here constructed by Tripura government to mark the liberation war.

Chottakhola is a village near the Indo-Bangla border in South Tripura district, about 130 km from Agartala. The guerrillas of the liberation war established a camp in 1971 to launch a bush war against the Pakistan army.

"We are also grateful to the government of Tripura for constructing a park and museum in memory of the war," he said.

Tripura was the war headquarters of the Bangladesh liberation war. The state had accommodated 14 lakh refugees from the war, which was more than its own population at that time.

PTI
Congress's war room is Rekha's official residence now

India

oi-Mukul

New Delhi, Mar 17: Bollywood actress Rekha once again is in the news for wrong reasons. Reportedly, she has been alloted a new house by the Congress party. It is being said that Rekha's official residence at 15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road used to be party's war room till the date.

In past, Congress used to conduct several key meetings in the House which was on the name of Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Telangana, till Wednesday. In 2009, 2014 Lok sabha elections too Congress used the address to make party strategies for the poll.

As per media reports, newly appointed adviser of Congress party, Prashant Kishor has also taken couple of meetings in the house.

When asked about the news report, Congress spokeman Randeep Singh Surjewala said that he doen't know about new allotment to Bollywood actress.

One of the party leader was quoted by ET as saying, "The war room was a name given by others. For us, it was always a place where coordination meetings were planned. This is where five to ten people work every day. We can always shift to another place if needed"

OneIndia News
German Bakery blasts verdict: Bombay HC commutes accused's death sentence to life term

India

oi-Vicky

Pune/Mumbai, March 17: Himayat Mirza Baig, the 35-year-old who was convicted for conspiracy in connection with the Pune German Bakery blasts case will serve a life sentence.

The Bombay High Court bench comprising Justices Naresh Patil and S B Shukre reversed the verdict of the trial court which had awarded him a death sentence.

As per the procedure, an award of death penalty needs to be confirmed by the High Court. In this case the court ruled since his did not fall under the rarest of rare cases, it was converting his death sentence to life.

Baig was arrested on conspiracy charges in connection with the 2010 German Bakery blasts case in which 17 persons had died. The police concluded that this blast was the handiwork of the Indian Mujahideen.

The case against Baig:

According to the prosecution there was enough and more circumstantial evidence to suggest that Baig was a conspirator. The prosecution had relied on the testimony of the other accused coupled with the ones given by the other accused.

[Bhatkal told co-passenger about the bomb enroute to German bakery]

However, interestingly during the course of the investigation, Yasin Bhatkal who was the head of the Indian Mujahideen post his arrest had claimed that Baig was innocent.

The police had alleged that there was RDX found at his residence. The chemical analysis conducted showed that the material found at his home and the samples collected from the spot of the blast matched.

The contention of the defence:

However, Baig's lawyer contended that he was innocent. This is a concocted case by the police, the lawyer had argued. It was also contended that Baig was not even in Pune at the time of the blast. He was in Aurangabad on that day was the contention by his lawyer pleading to release him.

Photo Credit:

This case had generated a lot of debate with many coming out in support of Baig. Several persons contended that he was being harassed unnecessarily. They even contended that the trial court was wrong in awarding a death penalty while convicting him.

On April 2013, Baig was sentenced to death by a trial court at Pune. The blast had claimed 17 lives and injured 58 persons. The target was the upmarket German Bakery and it was stated by investigators that the main target were the foriegners.

OneIndia News
Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai

India assures Nepal of support for peace, stability

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, March 17: India has assured Nepal of all its support for ensuring peace and stability in the Himalayan nation, a statement by the external affairs ministry issued here on Thursday said.

"India will continue to extend all support and assistance to Nepal, for peace, stability and socio-economic development of the country," India said in its statement on the adoption of the Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Nepal at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on Wednesday.

Sushma Swaraj, Sartaj Aziz meet over breakfast in Pokhara

"A climate of political stability, consensus and predictability is a pre-requisite for Nepal's socio-economic development, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in April 2015," it said.

"As the principal donor in global support for Nepal's post-earthquake reconstruction, India urges a strong national consensus in Nepal on its political and developmental agenda."

The UPR is a unique mechanism of the UNHRC aimed at improving the human rights situation on the ground of each of the 193 UN member states.

Under this mechanism, the human rights situation of all UN member states is reviewed every four-and-half-years. Forty-two states are reviewed each year during three Working Group sessions dedicated to 14 states each. These three sessions are usually held in January-February, May-June and October-November.

In its statement on Wednesday, India welcomed the delegation of Nepal for the adoption of the report of the UPR working group held on November 4, 2015.

"The UPR review reflected the intense participation and engagement by peer countries, with as many as 73 delegations taking the floor and 195 recommendations addressed to Nepal that cover a range of human rights both in the realm of promotion and protection," it said.

"It is encouraging to note that Nepal accepted as many as 152, which is nearly 80 percent, of the total recommendations."

It said India regarded the two constitutional amendments passed by the Nepal parliament in January this year as positive developments.

"We hope that other remaining issues will be similarly addressed in a constructive spirit in a defined time-frame," the statement said.

"India believes that Nepal has gained much from its participation in the UPR and will continue with its efforts to implement its recommendations," it added.

IANS
Jat quota stir: Security tightened across Haryana as 72-hour deadline ends today

India

oi-Mukul

Chandigarh, Mar 17: Haryana government has told security agencies to be on high alert as 72-hour deadline given by various Jat organisations set to end on Thursday.

Jat leaders has threathened to resume agitation again if government does not meet their demands. Leaders want 10 per cent quota in jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of FIRs registered against the protesters.

Apart from these demands, they also want compensation to those killed during the stir and action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini for his "anti-Jat" reservation stand.

Reportedly, Manohar Lal Khattar government has sought paramilitary forces from the Centre to be deployed in sensitive areas. "Paramilitary force has been demanded (through state Home department) from the Centre and we will get the same," IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said.

He said additional police forces also been arranged from within the state. "We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly," he said.

However, he refused to shed light on how many police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in case Jat leaders resume their agitation.

"I cannot disclose it because of security considerations," the IGP said. Haryana police was criticised for its "failure" to prevent and control violence during the Jat agitation last month, in which 30 people lost their life.

The then IGP Rohtak Shrikant Jadhav was suspended by Haryana government. Several districts including Rohtak, the epicentre of Jat agitation, Jhajjar, Kaithal, Jind, Sonipat, Bhiwani had witnessed violence by arsonists and unruly mob.

The influential Jat community led by All India Jat Sangharsh Samiti had threatened to relaunch their agitation if the state's BJP government did not meet their demands by March 17.

"On March 17, we will decide on the next mode of action on whether to block roads, railway tracks or any other type of agitation," Samiti Chief Yashpal Malik had said on Tuesday.

Malik had said the state government must bring a Bill in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly to ensure reservation for Jats.

OneIndia News

(with inputs from PTI)
Jayalalithaa DA case: How did this newspaper without advertisements raise money?

India

oi-Vicky

Bengaluru, March 17: The arguments in the Supreme Court which is hearing the appeal challenging the acquittal of J Jayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu chief minister were focused on largely around the manner in which she had filed her income tax after the case was filed against her.

B V Acharya, Special Public Prosecutor for Karnataka argued before a Bench comprising Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Amitava Roy that it is the duty of the accused to explain the source of income.

The Supreme Court has adjourned further hearing on the matter to March 29. On that day, the counsel for Jayalalithaa is expected to submit his responses to the arguments made by the prosecuting state, Karnataka. [Jayalalithaa earned Re 1 salary, but amassed Rs 66 crore: Karnataka]

The arguments today:

Acharya argued that the Supreme Court has laid that "known sources of income" must be taken to mean "Sources known to the complainant", and not sources know to the public servant says B V Acharya. It surpasses anyones imagination how there was such a steep rise in the income for a person who was supposed to be receiving only Rs 1 as monthly salary.

Jayalalithaa had not responded to notices issued to her by the Income Tax Department. This only showed that she had no answer for this rise in income. This was then followed a major rush to file the Income Tax and that was after the DA case was filed.

It is quite surprising when Jayalalithaa paid the tax in a teething hurry after the DA case was filed, the balance sheets were not asked, Acharya questions in the Supreme Court. We have made out a case against her and it proves beyond reasonable doubt that a case of disproportionate assets has been made out.

She not only filed the IT returns after the DA case was filed, but also created documents falsely to substantiate her claim that the wealth was not disproportionate assets. All action taken by her was after the registration of the case. Not once before that did she even respond to notices, Karnataka also contended.

I do not subscribe to the claim that the income was generated from Namathu MGR, the newspaper. Jayalalithaa claimed that there was a subscription, but there was none until 1996, the period the disproportionate income as pointed out. There were no advertisements either. So how did she raise money from the newspaper.

The only intent was to cheat and misguide says B V Acharya while once again pointing to Jayalalithaa's hurried filing of tax. How was Rs 14 crore deposited into Sasi Enterprises? It was said that this money was from Namathu MGR. How was this raised when it had no subscription scheme or advertisements.

OneIndia News
Truth has come out, says Sasikala in reaction to OPS's remark before panel

Jayalalithaa earned Re 1 salary, but amassed Rs 66 crore: Karnataka

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Mar 17: A salary of Re 1 for 27 months and yet there was Rs 66 crore with her. This is what Special Public Prosecutor for Karnataka, B V Acharya said to the Supreme Court while challenging the acquittal of Tamil Nadu chief minister, J Jayalalithaa and three others.

Jayalalithaa DA case: It is settled, only Karnataka can file the appeal

I fail to understand how she managed to amass wealth to the tune of Rs 66 crore between 1991 and 1996 when her salary as Chief Minister was just Rs 1.

Acharya further argued that in cases of corruption it is upon the accused to prove the legal source of income. However the accused in this case, Jayalalithaa, Sasikala Natrajan, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran failed to do so, the prosecutor further submitted.

Acharya further argued that the trial court had concluded rightly about the disproportionate assets. It has taken count of of all the assets and expenses and came to the conclusion Rs 53 crore was the disproportionate amount while Rs 13 crore was the expense.

The High Court however reversed this decision and even committed an arithmetic blunder which gave the accused the benefit of an acquittal, Acharya also submitted. The High Court also made a mistake in concluding that the loans taken from the nationalised banks were not considered by the prosecuting agency.

OneIndia News
JNU: Umar and Anirban behind the Feb 9 event, cops tell courts

India

oi-Pallavi

New Delhi, March 17: Delhi Police has told the court that Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were the organisers of the Feb 9 event that took place on the campus. However, JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar was not behind it.

Opposing the bail plea of the duo, who are also facing sedition charges, the police said that their case was different from that of Kanhaiya's case.

The two had sought bail citing parity with Kanhaiya's case who had already been granted six-months interim bail by the Delhi High Court on March 2 in a sedition case.

In this event, anti-national slogans were raised. It is also said that the controversial posters were designed by Anirban and approved by Khalid via mail. The posters also bore the name of the duo as event organisers. Police also said that the duo went to the university office with other students seeking permission for the event. While the permission was allowed initially, it was withdrawn once the posters surfaced. The two, nevertheless, went ahead with the event.

[Read: JNU row: Plea seeking cancellation of Kanaihya Kumar's bail adjourned]

Delhi Police also claimed that they had 10 witnesses, which also included university staff, that support the allegation against the accused.

Police said in their status report,"The larger conspiracy behind the seditious act of the accused is to be unearthed and exposed." They further said,"They argued that if the accused were granted bail at this stage, the very line of investigation would get adversely affected."

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 13:07 [IST]
Modi government's record mixed, experts tell lawmakers

India

oi-PTI

Washington, Mar 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government record after completion of over two years in power has been "mixed" as despite doing its best to roll out a red carpet for investors, it preferred caution over boldness, an American expert on India has told lawmakers. "So far, the Modi government's record has been mixed.

It has done its best to roll out a red carpet for investors, with the prime minister himself acting as India's chief pitchman," Sadanand Dhume, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

"However, in terms of deep structural reform, the government has either been stymied by the opposition or has itself preferred caution to boldness," Dhume said.

Despite a comfortable majority in the Lower House of Parliament, the Modi government has done nothing to reverse the previous government's laws like an unpopular retroactive tax, said Dhume, also a Wall Street Journal columnist.

Dhume said, "instead of winding up the previous government's flagship make-work programme, a notoriously leaky rural job guarantee that wasted billions of dollars, the Modi government has increased its funding to a record level." At the same time, he said a lot has been achieved under the Modi-led government.

UP BJP MPs failed to answer PM Modi's questions: Here is what he asked

"Foreign investment norms have been eased in, among other areas, defence, insurance and food processing. Between May 2014 and December 2015, foreign direct investment in India rose 33 per cent to USD 64 billion compared to USD 48 billion in the 20 months before Modi's election," Dhume said.

"Several high profile firms, including Taiwan's Foxconn and South Korea's Posco have pledged billions of dollars of fresh investment in India. Large US investors include General Electric, General Motors, Uber and Oracle," he told lawmakers.

Dhume told lawmakers that Washington should continue to encourage the emergence of India as a prosperous and strong democracy that acts as a stabilising force in the region and beyond.

"At the same time, the US needs to deepen trade ties with India with the strategic goal of remaining India's largest single trading partner taking into account both goods and services," he said.

Meanwhile, Richard M Rossow, senior fellow, Wadhwani Chair in US-India Policy Studies Center for Strategic and International Studies and other commentators regularly lament that they expected more, deeper reforms by this point. "But the Modi government's track record is solid, if unspectacular," Rossow said.

Rossow also said that Modi has surprised the American security community with his forward leaning views on Asian security which matches that of the US.

"We have also made progress on our long-stalled 'Defense Technology and Trade Initiative' programs for co-development and co-production of defence materiel, as well as renewing our defense framework agreement for another ten years," he said. "India has become one of the largest markets for US defence exports, and a major partner for joint exercises," he said.

PTI
UP ATS nabs 8 with links to al-Qaeda and its affiliate from UP, Uttarakhand

Report of 3 terrorists being killed: Why this news is all wrong

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, March 17: The news regarding three terrorists being killed in a Western State as reported in some quarters appeared to be suspect right from the word go.

There was never any official confirmation on the so-called operation in which 3 out of the ten terrorists who had entered India from Pakistan had been killed.

No clarity on operation claiming to have killed 3 terrorists from Pak

To begin with, the information regarding the ten terrorists entering India was given by Pakistan. The alert was taken seriously and the Central Intelligence Bureau along with the Gujarat IB and police did check on the alert.

It was almost concluded that the alert was not actionable (10 terrorists entering India: The real story behind the alert from Pakistan), although the vigil in Gujarat was exceptionally high.

What was this operation about?



The Gujarat police who were checking on this alert received a tip off about some suspicious activity. Shishir Gupta, senior journalist with the Hindustan Times and leading strategic affairs expert writes that nine persons had gone missing from guest houses in Swagat, Bhuj and Saagar on the 5th of March. They had left the guest house without paying rent.

The police who visited the guest house found gas cutters and a cylinder. Upon further investigations the nine persons were traced and it was found that they had planned on robbing an ATM. Currently the Gujarat police is probing to find out if these persons were involved in any ATM thefts.

Was it a selective leak?

The timing of the report about 3 persons being killed is quite interesting in nature. It came a day before the SAARC ministerial being held at Nepal. There is a lot of hype built around the meeting between the external affairs ministers of India and Pakistan.

When Pakistan issued the alert, it was indeed a rare occurrence. Central Intelligence Bureau officials told OneIndia that the alert was viewed in two ways. One it was seen as a good will gesture by Pakistan to reduce the trust deficit in the wake of the Pathankot attack.

Secondly it was also seen as a ploy by Pakistan to wash their hands off in case there was a terror attack in India.

Whether the news of the 3 terrorists being killed was a case of miscommunication or a strategic leak is debatable. While Pakistan issued the alert, India did not want to be seen as doing nothing about it.

Suggesting that action was taken on the basis of the alert was only a way of reciprocating and this would have given a feel good factor when the two foreign ministers met.

One cannot also rule out the possibility of a miscommunication. The operation by the Gujarat police against the ATM thieves did make it look as though a counter terror operation was on. None in the Home Ministry were ready to come on record to state that 3 terrorists had been killed.

All some had to say was that there was an operation that was on and it could have been related to intelligence alert issued by Pakistan.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 8:41 [IST]
Haryana: Will Dushyant support Hooda, the man who jailed his grandfather

Robert Vadra land case: Probe panel summons former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda

India

oi-Mukul

New Delhi, Mar 17: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda could be in trouble soon. He has been summoned by an inquiry commission in Robert Vadra land deal case.

Shoes hurled at Bhupinder Singh Hooda during Rohtak visit

Commission which was set up in 2015 to probe grant of commercial licence of land to hundreds of private companies, including Skylight Hospitalityand DLF has asked Hooda to join the investigation. Robert Vadra, Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law is the promotor of these companies.

The Justice SN Dhingra Commission of Inquiry has asked former Chief Minister of Haryana to appear before it by March 23 to record his statements.

Last month, the Commission had summoned Haryana chief secretary Deepinder Singh Dhesi and officials of the private firms for recording of statement.

The commission has earlier examined retired IAS officer and member of Union Public Service Commission Chattar Singh, who was the principal secretary in Hooda's CMO.

Singh handled files of the town and country planning department in the chief minister's office.

After being set up by the BJP government in May 2015, the scope of the commission's inquiry was widened on Justice Dhingra's advice.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)
Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out

Fact Check: Images falsely shared with claim that it is chopper that crashed in Uttarakhand

30 Shebab killed in two clashes in Somalia, say officials

International

oi-PTI

Nairobi, Mar 17: Thirty insurgents in Somalia's Al-Qaeda-aligned Shebab jihadist group were killed in heavy clashes in the south and northeast of the country, Kenya's armed forces and local authorities said separately.

In the first incident, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) yesterday said it had thwarted an assault on a military camp at Afmadhow in the Lower Juba area in southern Somalia, killing 19 rebels and seizing a haul of weapons.

Kenyan troops operating under the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) mission "foiled a planned attack" near the camp, operated by the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM, the KDF said in a statement. "The... terrorists had approached the camp at night with the intent to attack and cut off the SNA from the AMISOM KDF camp," it said.

"KDF soldiers on patrol identified the militants and engaged them in a fierce battle. The (Shebab) attempted to fight back, but were swiftly repulsed by the KDF soldiers on patrol and those at the camp," it said, quoting army spokesman David Obonyo. "Following the incident, 19 (Shebab) militants were killed and one technical vehicle destroyed.

Some of the arms and ammunition recovered include 10 AK 47 rifles and three rocket-propelled grenades." In a separate incident yesterday, troops in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region killed 11 Shebab in heavy fighting in villages on the northeastern coast, local authorities said.

The clashes came a day after around 100 insurgents sought to take control of the villages of Garmal and Suuj, near the port of Eyl, a pirate hotspot, local officials and residents said.

"Puntland forces have attacked elements of the Shebab group who have attacked coastal villages in the Puntland region in order to destabilise the area," Mohamud Hassan, the Puntland administration's information minister, said at a press conference.

"Eleven of the fighters were killed in the fighting and the rest are surrounded now," he said, adding that the clean-up operation was still ongoing. It was not immediately possible to independently verify the information. Residents in the Eyl district said the Shebab arrived in the villages in fishing boats.

They seized Garmal late Tuesday and then took up positions in Suuj village where the fighting yesterday was "very heavy", said Ali Weli, a resident.

AFP
At UNSC, US calls on world to tell Russia to stop its nuclear threats

Aggressive Trump or pacifist Sanders? US military is divided

International

oi-Shubham

Washington, March 17: The American military is divided on supporting Republican Donald Trump and Democratic Bernie Sanders on tthe question of choosing a presidential candidate, according to an article in RT.com.



Video: When Trump called Modi 'amazing' and 'brilliant'" title="Complete list of US presidential election primaries/caucuses schedules and results



Video: When Trump called Modi 'amazing' and 'brilliant'" />Complete list of US presidential election primaries/caucuses schedules and results



Video: When Trump called Modi 'amazing' and 'brilliant'

US presidential election: Who has won which state

The US president is the commander-in-chief of the country's military.

Like the rest of the US which has been polarised in this presidential election, the country's armed forces are also in splits over the new incumbent in the White House in January 2017. The military personnel are concerned over what tactic the new president adopts when it comes to war. American military personnel are based in almost 150 countries acorss the world.

While Trump has vowed to make the US military a force that nobody will dare to mess with, Sanders is known for his anti-war stand.

According to a sample survey of the American military conducted by the Military Times, almost 27 per cent backed Trump while Sanders came second with 22 per cent.

The duo were followed by Republican Ted Cruz at just below 17 per cent while Hillary Clinton got only 11.17 per cent.

Marco Rubio, who pulled out of the race after losing in his home state of Florida, finished with just 9.33 per cent.

However, Sanders led among the US Navy and Air Force personnel. The Marine Corps, on the other hand, gave a majority to Trump.

The results are interesting since Trump and Sanders have completely contradictory stands on the style of conducting the country's military policy.

Oneindia News
Pakistan should continue to take credible action against terror: India

India, Pakistan vie to house Saarc environment centre

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Pokhara, March 17: India and Pakistan are vying to host the Saarc Environment and Disaster Management Centre, a new body to look into the environment- and disaster-related issues in the region.

During the ongoing 37th Saarc Ministerial Meeting underway in Pokhara, some 200 km west of Kathmandu, the two countries have laid their respective claims to host the headquarters of the proposed body.

Sources said the matter figured during a brief meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, foreign relations adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, on Thursday morning during a breakfast meeting hosted by Nepal Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa.

Climate change, degradation of environment and recurring natural disasters have taken a toll in the region and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) member-states are less prepared to combat these menaces.

With this realisation, the member-states have agreed to set up the centre to meet the environmental challenges in a professional way.

Other interested member-states have dropped their claims to host the regional body, said two diplomats familiar with the development.

The member-states had agreed to merge the Saarc Disaster Management Centre, Saarc Forest Management Centre, Coastal Area Management Centre and Environment Centre into the proposed body.

As the issue could not make a headway at different levels, it has finally landed at the ministerial-level meeting.

India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have expressed the desire to host the headquarters of the proposed body but during several rounds of negotiations, Bhutan and Bangladesh opted out of the race, leaving India and Pakistan in the field.

IANS
'ISIS has lost almost 1/4 of its territory in 15 months'

International

oi-PTI

Washington, March 17: Cash-strapped Islamic State has lost almost a quarter of its territory in the last 15 months and the dreaded terror group is increasingly isolated and on the decline, according to a new study.

Data published by IHS Jane's 360 has shown that since January 2015 the militant group has lost 22 per cent of its territory in Iraq and Syria and 8 per cent of the losses were in the past three months.

"The tide of the war is turning against the Islamic State. Between January 1 and December 15, 2015, the Islamic State lost control of 14 per cent of its territory. New analysis indicates that in the last 3 months, the Islamic State has lost a further 8 per cent of its territory," the report said.

"In 2016, we have seen major losses in the north-east extend south towards Raqqa and Deir al-Zour as the mixed- sectarian Kurdish and Sunni Syrian Democratic Forces advance under the cover of US and Russian airstrikes," it said.

The monitoring group attributes these defeats to a changing strategic landscape. The loss of the pivotal Syrian border crossing of Tal Abyad took out one of the Islamic State's chief access points for smuggling in weapons, materiel and new fighters.

Tighter Turkish border controls also have thinned out cash flows, as well as the numbers of foreign recruits seeking to join the group, the media reported citing the report. Airstrikes by the US-led campaign and an ongoing Russian mission in Syria have pinned the Islamic State back, it said.

"Isolation and further military defeats will make it harder for the Islamic State to attract new recruits to Syria from the pool of foreign jihadis," writes Columb Strack, a Middle East analyst at IHS. "The Islamic State is increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline.

This plays into the hands of its main rival, al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, which despite sharing the same ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate, has criticised the Islamic State for prematurely declaring it," the IHS report said.

Local smuggling channels still operate, the report said but noted that the risk of detection, and therefore the associated costs have skyrocketed.

"But the demise of the Islamic State is hardly a foregone conclusion. As a separate report from the Institute for the Study of War points out, the threat posed by the extremists is not limited by geography. Even as the group suffered defeats in Iraq and Syria, its proxies carried out brazen attacks from Jakarta to Paris and numerous other places in between," the US daily said.

PTI
Cuba protests: What you need to know

Cuba to allow foreign investment in wholesale and retail

Mail links between US, Cuba restored

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Havana, March 17: The mail links between the US and Cuba were restored with the arrival of the first mail flight in Havana.

A plane from IBC Air landed at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on Wednesday, Xinhua reported citing the report of Cuban News Agency (ACN).

Carlos Rodriguez, an inspector from the US Postal Inspection Service, ceremonially delivered a letter to Carlos Asensio, president of Correos de Cuba, the state-owned postal company.

This letter formally re-initiated the direct sending of letters and parcels between the two countries, and was followed by an exchange of postal seals, specially designed for this occasion.

Correos de Cuba vice president Zoraya Bravo told ACN that from March 25, three weekly flights would leave Miami for Havana on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and that all post offices in both countries were now accepting mail to be sent on this route.

The restoration of direct postal services was part of the steps laid out by Cuban President Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama to normalize relations.

IANS
Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik slams prison food, praises Hitler in court speech

International

oi-PTI

Skien, Mar 17: Norway's worst mass killer pledged allegiance to Nazism, compared himself to Nelson Mandela and complained about being served cold coffee and microwaved food as he testified on Wednesday in a trial over his prison conditions.

Anders Behring Breivik, 37, accused the government of trying to sap his will to live by isolating him from other prisoners and denying him mail correspondence with other right-wing extremists.

"This is inhuman treatment," said Breivik who killed 77 people in 2011 in a bombing in Oslo's government district and a shooting massacre on Utoya island, where the youth division of the left-wing Labor Party had gathered for its annual summer camp.

Testifying in a prison gym temporarily used as a courtroom, Breivik was given three hours to explain why he thinks his human rights have been violated in a prison system widely seen as among the world's most lenient.

He said the government had abused him through 885 strip searches, frequent handcuffing and restrictions on pen pals and visitors. His long list of grievances included being served microwaved food and having to eat it with plastic utensils.

But he also used his first chance to speak to an outside audience since his 2012 criminal trial to declare himself a pure "national socialist," or Nazi.

After the attacks he had described himself as a commander of a Christian militant group, which investigators found no trace of. Throughout his rambling speech, Breivik's focus was on himself, his political views and the perceived injustices he faces in prison, not on the lives he took and the families he destroyed.

"This is a waste of time. He has nothing to complain about," said Freddy Lie, whose teenage daughters were on Utoya when Breivik attacked. One of them died and another was seriously wounded.

Lie, the only family member of a victim attending the trial in Skien prison, said the judge should have stopped Breivik from making "irrelevant" political statements.

Norwegian authorities insist Breivik has the same rights as any other inmate to challenge his prison conditions. Judge Helen Andenaes Sekulic repeatedly urged Breivik to speed up his monologue to the court, but didn't stop him from describing his ambitions to lead a fascist party from prison.

Though he refrained from doing a Nazi salute, like he did on the first day of the trial, Breivik explained how he became a Nazi at age 12 and how Adolf Hitler's teachings helped him endure his isolation in prison.

AP
Pak Pathankot JIT to arrive in India on March 27: Swaraj

International

oi-PTI

Pokhara (Nepal), March 17: A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced here on Thursday, March 17.

The announcement came after Swaraj's 20-minute meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31 on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"It is not possible that Pathankot be not discussed in my meeting with Sartaj Aziz...the date for JIT visit has been decided. It will arrive on (March) 27th night and will begin their work on March 28," Swaraj said addressing the media with Aziz after the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.

Aziz, on his part, expressed satisfaction over the way the Pathankot incident was handled on both sides.

He hoped that Sharif and Modi will meet in the US. "Not sure whether there will be a structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.

Aziz also handed over an invitation to Swaraj for Prime Minister Modi to attend the SAARC Summit hosted by Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Swaraj said she has accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister and thanked Sharif and Aziz for it. Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the January 2 Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.

PTI
The persecution of Hindus in Pakistan continues with a Hindu girl forcibly converted and married

'India won't listen to anyone': Anurag Thakur gives strong reply to PCB

Pakistan off the FATFs grey List: What this means

Pak, Turkmenistan sign MoU to curb terror financing

International

oi-PTI

Islamabad, Mar 16: Pakistan and Turkmenistan today sealed eight accords including a Memorandum of Understanding on curbing money laundering and terror financing and reiterated their commitment to USD-10 billion TAPI pipeline project that will also provide gas to India.

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who arrived here earlier today for a two-day official visit, witnessed the signing ceremony at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's residence, where the two leaders also signed the Joint Communique.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in exchange of financial intelligence related to money laundering and terror financing was signed by Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his Turkmenistan counterpart Muhammetguly Muhammedov, Radio Pakistan reported.

The MoU on cooperation in the field of energy was signed by Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Turkmenistans Minister for Oil and Gas Myraigeldi Meredov.

The two nations also inked agreements related to the Programme of Cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, as well as MoUs on cooperation in areas of information technology, education and research, the report said.

Sharif reiterated Pakistan's commitment to the early completion of the multi-billion dollar Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project that will open a new chapter in economic collaboration in the region.

"Pakistan is ready to provide any assistance to expedite the implementation process of TAPI and help minimize the project cost," he said, while adding that Pakistan views TAPI as a precursor to making it a trade and transit corridor as well.

"Such corridor could comprise gas pipeline, road, electricity transmission and fiber optic lines besides economic zones connecting Pakistan with Turkmenistan," Sharif said.

The Pakistani PM also suggested how the two countries could be connected through a railway corridor connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran.

PTI
Saddam was good at killing terrorists, says Donald Trump

International

oi-Sandra

Washington, March 17: Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is on a high after his wins in Republican primaries in four states took his delegate count to 673 but that has not stopped him from making a few comments that are bound to raise eyebrows.

Speaking in Ohio, Trump said that it was a bad decision to pull out US troops too soon from Iraq. "Iran has taken control of the world's second largest oil reserves," he went on to add.

Donald Trump warns of riots if he is not Republican nominee

Trump claimed that he was always against US for invading Iraq in 2003 and says that he had warned that this would destabilise the Middle East.

During his speech he goes on to say that Saddam Hussein was good at killing terrorists. He says: "Saddam Hussein was not a good person. Who cares. He was very good at killing terrorists. Now, Iraq is the Harvard for terrorism."

"Iran is taking over Iraq. They're taking over the second largest oil reserves in the world," he said.

Trump said that the Iran filled in the vaccum that was created when the US troops withdrew from Iraq.

OneIndia News
What does the US actually want in Syria?

Syria peace talks broaden as pro-Russia opposition meet UN envoy

International

oi-PTI

Geneva, Mar 17: Peace talks to end Syria's brutal war broadened to include an opposition group close to Moscow, as the UN intensified efforts to find a political solution to the five-year conflict.

UN mediator Staffan de Mistura met for the first time late yesterday with an umbrella delegation including the so-called Moscow Group, which are demanding an equal seat at the negotiating table.

That would be hotly contested by the "official" opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which insists it alone must represent the opposition in the talks. The UN did not clarify what role the new group would play in the negotiations but co-president Randa Kassis told reporters "We are here as a negotiating delegation."

The entry into the Geneva talks of the Moscow Group, along with the so-called Cairo and Istana groups, followed Russia's surprise decision to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, where they had been fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Western governments voiced hopes the continuing pull-out could boost the talks by pressuring Assad. Russia has said its five-month bombing campaign in Syria had helped push back the jihadists and analysts say it has allowed Assad's forces to gain ground and cement their hold on key parts of the country.

But the US military yesterday said it had seen significant reduction in Russia's combat power in the war-torn country.

In Geneva, it was not immediately clear what impact the inclusion of the pro-Moscow group would have on the talks, or whether it was a gesture from de Mistura to Russia following the pullout.

The UN envoy has said Russia's action could have a "positive" impact on efforts to end the conflict and that Moscow's announcement on the day negotiations opened was "not a coincidence".

After multiple failed peace efforts, de Mistura has said he sees added "momentum" in the current round of dialogue, which comes as a ceasefire imposed on February 27 remains broadly in place.

His tentative optimism was backed by US Secretary of State John Kerry who heads to Moscow next week to discuss the peace drive. "We may face the best opportunity that we've had in years to end (the war)," Kerry said on Tuesday.

The conflict has killed more than 270,000 people and send millions fleeing, many seeking new lives in Europe where the influx of refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia has created a huge headache for the EU.

AFP
Pak, China team up again, say UN counter-terrorism mechanism being politicised

UN demands inquiry into Yemen market bombing

International

oi-PTI

United Nations, Mar 17: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has demanded an investigation into an air strike on a market in Yemen that reportedly killed dozens of civilians.

The situation in Hajja province in northern Yemen is not clear, but local sources blame the Saudi-led coalition fighting Huthi rebels for carrying out Tuesday's strike.

Initial reports from health officials said the bulk of the more than 40 dead were civilians, but a tribal chief later told AFP that 33 of those killed were Huthi militiamen.

"The secretary general condemns the airstrikes that hit al-Khamis market in Mastaba district in the Hajjah province of Yemen yesterday," Ban's office said yesterday. "This incident is one of the deadliest -- reportedly killing and wounding scores of civilians, including women and children -- since the start of the conflict," he complained.

"This is the second major incident of this kind in just over two weeks," he added, stressing that attacks on civilian areas like markets are a breach of international law.

Human rights groups have repeatedly complained that air strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition -- with technical and logistical support from the United States and Britain -- hit Yemeni civilian targets.

AFP
What does the US actually want in Syria?

US asks N Korea to immediately release American student

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Mar 17: The US has asked North Korea to immediately release its national, who was jailed for 15 years with hard labour for subversive activities after stealing a propaganda banner, and accused the reclusive nation of using imprisoned Americans as "pawns to pursue a political agenda".

Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was arrested in North Korea in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state, according to the country's official news agency KCNA. He was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour, KCNA said.

The White House asked the North Korean regime to pardon Warmbier. "Now that Mr Warmbier has gone through this criminal process, we strongly urge the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"Warmbier was reportedly sentenced to 15 years of hard labour, the allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or in just about any other country in the world," he said yesterday.

Warmbier was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion, KCNA said. "In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating.

The White House accused North Korea of using US citizens for furthering its political agenda. "Now, despite official claims that US citizens arrested in North Korea are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these US citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.

"This underscores the risks associated with travelling to North Korea. And the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by US citizens to North Korea," Earnest said.

PTI
Trump is convinced Russia didnt interfere in 2016 polls; blames US for sour ties with Moscow

US Prez poll 2016: Missouri may see a recount of votes

International

oi-Shubham

Jefferson City (Missouri), March 17: The inconclusive results in the Missouri primary for both the Democratic and Republican parties have raised the possibility of a recount.

Missouri goes down to wire for both Republicans & Democrats

US presidential poll 2016: Who has won which state so far

Complete list of American presidential election primaries/caucues schedules and results

According to the office of Missouri's secretary of state, Donald Trump beat Ted Cruz by 1,726 votes or less than a half of one per cent in the Republican primary. In the Democratic camp, the scene was even more closer with Hillary Clinton defeated Bernie Sanders by 1,531 votes, the office said.

These numbers did not include Kansas City absentee and same-day votes that were not counted till Wednesday (March 16) morning, as per the Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners. Those votes, however, are not much and unlikely to affect the final outcome in the state.

It is hence possible that a recount could take place in both contests. Under the state's law, a candidate who loses by less than a half of one per cent can ask for a recount.

Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party, John Hancock, said on Tuesday that any recount would be a legal question, according to a report published in St. Loius Post Dispatch.

Missouri has 52 Republican and 71 Democratic delegates at stake.

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A Nigerian woman based in Spain, has been making the rounds online after deciding to go diabolical against her supposed rival/enemy on Facebook.

The woman identified as Laura Ben from Edo state, lashed out on another popular social media influencer from Edo, Monica Ambrose based in Netherlands.

In a video which she posted online and even urged her followers to share, Laura can be seen making some incantations with a traditional artifact which had a small snake, keys and other fetish items on it as she said the snake will swallow Monica and all her things.

Laura who also lit a candle while she continued with her incantations and swearing  said she will deal with Monica seriously.

She said the war is between both of them and she doesnt need to buy plane ticket to meet her (Monica) in her country because she can fight her spiritually.

Watch the video below;

Article source: Gistreel

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A new investigation by The PUNCH has revealed that Nigerians are not allowed to enter and order food at a racist Chinese restaurant called Shi Shi in Lagos.

The PUNCH visited the restaurant to investigate claims made by some Nigerians on social media. The findings are riveting.

The restaurant is located on 21, Emina Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to The PUNCH, it was learnt that only Chinese are allowed entry into the upscale restaurant, though findings showed that Nigerians and other Blacks are allowed to enter only if they are accompanied by a Chinese.

When our correspondent visited the restaurant on Tuesday, he was stopped by a guard in army camouflage from entering the restaurant.

Who are you looking for? the guard asked.

When The PUNCH correspondent responded that he wanted to order a Chinese cuisine, the guard said he (this correspondent) was not permitted to enter inside.

The guard also quickly escorted our correspondent from the premises, saying he was only following instructions.

It was gathered that the restaurant operates from 11am to 4pm daily.

When The PUNCH sought to speak with the manager of the restaurant, he was told he was not around.

An official, who declined to give his name, said, The manager is not around. Since youve dropped your card, I can assure that he will call you to respond to your questions, he said.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman

Justice Inyang Ekwo of a federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from proceeding with the collation, concluding and announcing the result of the governorship election in Bauchi State held on March 9 by the electoral body.

The order issued on the strength of an ex parte application filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the incumbent Governor of Bauchi State, Mohamed Abubakar, shall however last till the determination of the suit brought before the court by the two plaintiffs.

They asked the court for a declaration that INEC cannot review what a collation officer has cancelled, and having made a pronouncement for a supplementary election they cannot go back on it.

They also told the court that the powers of the Electoral officer having declared the election inconclusive can only be Overturn by the court.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had announced that it will no longer go ahead with a supplementary election in Bauchi state. Instead it will conclude with the collation of results in the remaining local government in the state.

Definite hearing has been fixed for March 20th 2019.
A Chinese restaurant which does not serve or even admit Nigerians into its premises, has been exposed in the city of Lagos . A new investigation by The Punch revealed that Nigerians are not allowed to enter and order food at a racist Chinese restaurant called Shi Shi in Lagos.

Following claims made by some Nigerians on social media, the findings are riveting

The restaurant is located on 21, Emina Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to The Punch, it was learnt that only Chinese are allowed entry into the upscale restaurant, though findings showed that Nigerians and other Blacks are allowed to enter only if they are accompanied by a Chinese.

When the correspondent visited the restaurant on Tuesday, he was stopped by a guard in army camouflage from entering the restaurant. Who are you looking for? the guard asked.

When the correspondent responded that he wanted to order a Chinese cuisine, the guard said he was not permitted to enter inside. The guard also quickly escorted the correspondent from the premises, saying he was only following instructions.

It was gathered that the restaurant operates from 11am to 4pm daily.

When The Punch sought to speak with the manager of the restaurant, he was told he was not around.

An official, who declined to give his name, said, The manager is not around. Since youve dropped your card, I can assure that he will call you to respond to your questions, he said.

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A teacher at Ingezi Primary School is being accused of initiating a grade two pupil into Satanism. Her name is Estere Gudoshava, shes 39. She was arrested and charged for the act.

The Zimbabwean woman is set to appear in court on March 20. Gudoshava who resides in Jacaranda Avenue, Westview in Kadoma was summoned to court on Wednesday and ordered to return on March 20 for commencement of trial.

The charge stated that on March 6 the accused ordered the complainant to go out of the classroom. While outside she allegedly took a razor blade from her handbag and cut the pupil underneath her right leg.

The State alleges that she wiped off the blood from the wound using a cloth taken from her handbag, placed it back in the bag and ordered the complainant not to disclose the matter to anyone.

When the issue was disclosed, she was arrested and the complainant was taken to Kadoma General Hospital for medical examinations and a medical report would be produced as an exhibit.

In her defence, Gudoshava is denying the charges, instead saying the pupil absconded lessons on the said day and she did not know where she was.

I do not admit charges levelled against me. On the day in question l went to work at around 9:30am and l then went for a school meeting at 11:00am; later on the day l went back to the class after the meeting.

The student did not participate in school activity and did not write her homework at school; l do not know where she was, she said.

The father of the pupil and some relatives reportedly stormed the institution on Monday baying for the blood and sacking of Gudoshava over the issue.

Learning temporarily came to a halt as they were demanding instant justice for the teacher.

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Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, has said the present Super Eagles team lacks star players like it used to in the past.

In an interview with The Interview on Tuesday, Rohr said the present Super Eagles squad has team spirit but lacks star players like Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu.

Asked whether he could win the next African Cup of Nations with the crop of talents in his team, Rohr said:

We have to be optimistic but if you look at our players, how many of them are playing for big clubs? Who among them is playing in the Champions League?

I watched the last champions league games and no Nigerian players. We dont have the big players like we used to have in the past; the likes of Austin Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Vincent Enyeama and the rest, he said.

Mr Rohr said though the Super Eagles squad does not have star players like it used to have in time past, it has team spirit.

What we have now is team spirit; we dont have the stars again. We have young players like Alex Iwobi playing for Arsenal in the Europa League even though he was on the bench in their last game. Our strength is the team and I hope it will take us far in Egypt, said Rohr.
Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York for New Managers:

Adrian Elwoods Clerkenwell Matterhorn Fund, a European listed real estate equity long/short fund has had a strong run since it launched in 2012. The fund is up net 91 percent since inception and annualized 20.5 percent through January 2016. Elwood even managed 2015's volatility, posting returns of 22.8 percent for the year, versus 12.8 percent for the EPRA benchmark. Elwood recently sat down with Opalesque TV to discuss how he has been able to achieve this level of success with his strategy.

"We take a top-down view of real estate," he explains. "You can't base your whole strategy on the macro, but you have to have a view of what's happening."

If anyone knows about the big picture, Elwood has certainly seen all sides. Over the course of his 30-year career, he's been a real estate banker, an equity investor, and now runs his own fund. He says he was driven to start his firm by the desire to make his own investment calls. To that end, the Clerkenwell Matterhorn Fund is a long-biased portfolio, with approximately 20 holdings in listed real estate. Large cap stocks are held in the trading book while small and mid-cap stocks make up the core portfolio. Elwood keeps the AUM limited to 50m in order to ensure the maximum flexibility within ......................

To view our full article Click here
Opalesque Industry Update - The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global representative body for alternative asset managers, is to establish a new volunteer network in Bermuda. AIMA members on the island will be represented by a new Executive Committee (ExCo). This ExCo and supporting committees will seek to boost membership and support the continued development of Bermudas alternative investment community. The initiative is being chaired by Craig Bridgewater, a Managing Director of KPMG in Bermuda, who called for volunteers to join the ExCo and contribute to AIMA initiatives locally and globally at a launch event at the Bermuda National Gallery attended by around 85 professionals earlier this month. Other speakers at the event included Dr. the Hon. Grant Gibbons, JP, MP, Bermudas Minister of Economic Development; Shauna MacKenzie, Director, Policy, Legal and Enforcement at the Bermuda Monetary Authority; and Sean Moran, Business Development Manager with the Bermuda Business Development Agency. Mr Bridgewater said: We look forward to AIMA Bermuda becoming the focal point and voice for the industry in Bermuda. We are keen to increase AIMAs activities in Bermuda and will be organising events and creating working groups and committees to encourage participation and collaboration among local AIMA members and other industry partners. Jack Inglis, CEO of AIMA, said: I am delighted with the establishment of an ExCo for AIMA in Bermuda, and I very much look forward to collaborating with the group going forward. AIMAs expansion continues to gather pace, with offices and volunteer networks in every region of the globe.


Could the GOP be holding out for THIS Supreme Court?

(Image by Supreme Court of the United States) Details DMCA



President Obama has nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Once again, senate Republicans are citing the "Biden Rules." They claim that the then-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee set forth rules that prevent them from considering any nominee in the last year of a president's term.

In a 1992 speech on the floor of the Senate, Joe Biden said...

"It is my view that if the president goes the way of Presidents Fillmore and [Andrew] Johnson and presses an election-year nomination, the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over. It would be our pragmatic conclusion that once the political season is underway... action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. That is what is fair to the nominee and essential to the process."

There was no nominee in play in 1992. Biden's "rules" were neither adopted by the Judiciary Committee nor the Senate. They were set forth in the wake of the very contentious confirmation of Clarence Thomas -whose dirty laundry was in conflict with Anita Hill's privacy. The rules themselves were procedural:

Advise sources that any information the Committee obtained would be placed in a nominee's FBI file and be available on a confidential basis to the Senate before voting on the nomination;

Hold closed, confidential sessions about all Supreme Court nominees; and

Meet routinely with nominees in closed session, on the record, and under oath about any investigative charges."

If the above doesn't sound to you like the "Biden Rule" GOP leaders are citing, chalk it up to politics. The only "rule" cited by senate Republicans is taken from the text of his speech. His speech reflects his personal opinion and his concern for domestic tranquility. And realistically of course, it's also a political position. But to "seriously consider" postponing a theoretical late-term confirmation hearing is a far cry from flatly refusing an actual nominee in the spring of an election year.

Biden concluded his 1992 speech with a statement that gives the lie to today's GOP position....

"If the President consults and cooperates with the Senate or moderates his selections absent consultation, then his nominees may enjoy my support as did Justices Kennedy and Souter."

Such a position is completely absent from GOP rhetoric today. And until they soften their position to permit a hearing and and up-or-down vote by the Senate, Republicans are promoting a blatantly false equivalency.



Verna Williams, Judge Joseph P. Kinneary Professor of Law, University of Cincinnati College of Law, says...

"But, in discussing the history of such nominations, Mr. Biden noted that when a President sought to appoint a justice in the summer or fall of an election year - just a few months before the election--that typically resulted in failure. In contrast, when the President selected candidates before the summer, the Senate confirmed them. Not a rule - an observation."

(Article changed on March 17, 2016 at 12:11)
Reprinted from Smirking Chimp



Tuesday night was pretty tough for Bernie Sanders. Hillary Clinton won four of the five primary contests at play in the latest Super Tuesday, and leads in a fifth contest in Missouri that's still too close to call. She also added to her already significant lead in delegates.

The mainstream corporate media, of course, have now declared the Democratic race for president over, and Hillary Clinton is now once again the "inevitable" nominee, and they couldn't be happier. This is probably the reason not one of the major networks covered Sanders' speech live last night. They're already writing him off as a cute but harmless afterthought.

But here's the thing: this race isn't over -- far from it. Sanders still has a path to the nomination, and a strong one at that.

Over the next few weeks, the primary schedule shifts to the West and upper Midwest, where Sanders has already had success and where he's favored to pick up even more victories.

If Sanders manages to win by big margins in states like Wyoming or Wisconsin, he can whittle away at Clinton's delegate lead -- which, despite what you might hear on the mainstream media, only grew by a net total of 57 delegates last night.

But more importantly, success out West and in the Midwest could win Sanders some much-needed momentum and media coverage, which will mean a lot when voters in big states like Pennsylvania, New York and California head to the polls later on in the year.

What happens after that is anyone's guess, but in the wake of what happened last week in Michigan, when Sanders won the largest primary election upset in history, there's no reason to think the "impossible" couldn't happen again. The experts and pundits in the establishment media industrial complex have written Sanders off before, and they've been wrong about pretty much everything this election, so we should take what they say with a gigantic grain of salt.

Even so, Sanders could still end up losing this race.

Even if he does win big in the West, he has to win really big (or at least not lose big) elsewhere to overcome Clinton's substantial pledged delegate and superdelegate leads. That superdelegate lead will be the hardest to overcome, because superdelegates are the establishment and likely won't ditch Clinton, the ultimate establishment candidate, unless things go really badly for her.

They ditched her back in 2008, but that was a different race -- a personality clash between mainstream Democrats, as opposed to an ideological clash between a neoliberal and a true-blue progressive.

All this is to say that while Sanders supporters should ignore the "conventional wisdom" BS that Sanders can't win and that this race is over, they should also be prepared for the real possibility that he won't be the Democratic nominee for president. And they should be prepared because an electoral loss is not the end -- not if a political revolution is what you're fighting for.

It's only the beginning.

There is no better example of this than Ronald Reagan's first campaign for president.

Although a conservative, Reagan was a revolutionary who wanted to fundamentally transform his party and his country. And so in 1976, when conservatives called for a true right-winger to challenge President Gerald Ford, he threw his hat into the ring.

Reagan lost, but it was a very, very close race that was only decided at the convention. This close loss then set the stage for Reagan's 1980 campaign, the campaign that set in motion the chain of events that led to the Reagan Revolution, which persists to this day.
Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future

Here's what remains true after Tuesday's primary results: Sen. Bernie Sanders will arrive at the 2016 Democratic Convention in Philadelphia July 25-28 with a large support base, serious money, and the ability to ask for even more money for progressive groups.

This is leverage that he can build on and use. Sufficient delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination or not, Sanders has every reason to keep actively campaigning and speaking out until the last primary has concluded.

In The Beginning

Sanders' campaign began without hope that he would actually become the nominee. Before he announced that he would run Sanders even feared he wouldn't be able to raise much money or support.

At the time, progressives felt that the "presumptive" and "inevitable" nominee Secretary Hillary Clinton needed:

1) Progressive opposition in the primaries that would force Clinton to take positions more in line with what polling showed most voters (on the left and right) supported. That included such "populist" policies as supporting labor, opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), raising the minimum wage and restoring taxes on the wealthy and corporations. (See Populist Majority: Exposing the gulf between American opinion and conventional wisdom.)

This succeeded. Watch this video as Clinton morphs into Sanders:

2) Opposition to "practice" on so she didn't go into the general election without a few months honing her campaign and message, making her a better candidate. It is not clear how well that has worked out.

What is clear is that Sanders lit a fuse on a gasoline can. He raised $1.5 million on the first day of his campaign and continued raising large amounts of campaign donations. He also began drawing very large crowds to his rallies. He won in several state primaries, and will win more.

Even if he does not receive enough delegates to clinch the nomination, Sanders will arrive at the convention having accomplished more than anyone imagined at the beginning.

Clinton Needs Sanders' Help

Clinton will need Sanders to not just endorse her but to campaign for her. Following a divisive primary campaign, she will need a healing effort to unite the Democratic Party. Many Sanders supporters feel that Clinton used up a lot of goodwill with what they consider scorched-earth campaign tactics, including misrepresenting Sanders' positions and accusing Sanders of things like opposing the auto bailout and supporting the racist Minutemen. Many of Sanders' supporters also blame the campaign for using "red-baiting" tactics.

Clinton will need Sanders' help as she attempts to undo that damage. This means Sanders will have significant leverage at the convention.

Leverage At The Convention
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Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future

As expected, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton won big in the "Mini Super Tuesday" primaries Tuesday.

On the Republican side, the outsiders -- Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz -- will brawl all the way into what still may be a contested convention. On the Democratic side, Clinton's increased her edge in pledged delegates. Sanders is likely to fare better in the states to come as he gains more time to introduce himself to voters. The Democratic race, too, will battle on to the convention.

Trump won three states (Florida, North Carolina and Illinois), crushing Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state of Florida, booting him out of the race. Gov. John Kasich won his home state of Ohio, stemming the Trump tide. Cruz ran second in Illinois and North Carolina, with Missouri still a tossup on Wednesday morning.

Two inconceivable interlopers -- the outlandish Trump and the loathed Cruz -- will compete for the Republican nomination all the way to the convention. Kasich -- outlasting Bush, Rubio, and Chris Christie -- will struggle to stay afloat carrying the "establishment" banner.

Republican voters scorn Obama, and increasingly are in revolt against their own party leaders. Counting Cruz and Trump together, large majorities are voting for candidates who are committed to blowing up politics as usual. Trump's base is non-college educated, white males, but he's drawing support across the party.

Clinton won North Carolina and Florida handily, Ohio by more than expected, Illinois by a whisker, with Missouri still up in the air as of early Wednesday. Clinton's base -- older Democratic voters -- is voting for continuity. They favor continuing Obama's policies, not changing them. They favor experience and electability over honesty and shared values. They outnumber younger voters at the polls and are boosting the establishment candidate.

Sanders continues to capture the future by large margins. Millennials under 29 flock to his banner; a majority of voters under 45 support him. In closely contested Illinois, Sanders won voters under 45 by nearly two to one, 64 percent to 35 percent (and voters under 29 by 86 percent to 13 percent). In Ohio, where Clinton's margin was greater, Sanders won voters under 45 by 66 percent to 34 percent, including those under 29 by 82 percent to 18 percent. They are looking for change big time. Sanders also continues to win independent voters by large margins, his candidacy no doubt drawing them to the voting booth.

Call this the Obama effect. The conservative party, the Republicans, is increasingly older, male and white. This bastion of privilege is angry, offended by a black president, threatened by the changes in America and turning to brazen outsiders to roll back the tides.

The reform party, the Democrats, is dominated by the rising American majority -- young, minority, and women. But they are divided. Older voters want experience and electability. Minority voters are proud of Obama, and favor Clinton who has wrapped herself around him in the campaign. The younger voters, independents and large numbers of single women are flocking to the insurgent candidate who decries a system that is rigged and a politics that is corrupted. Whites, including in many states white women, favor Sanders.

Democratic gatekeepers are overwhelmingly lined up behind Hillary Clinton, but the party's voters are divided. Republican gatekeepers are divided, with some mobilizing to stop Trump, others unable to stomach Cruz, and no viable standard bearer in the race. But the vast majority of Republican voters are united in revolt.

Going forward, the mainstream media will feature speculation on whether Trump's rise will blow up the Republican party. More attention should be paid, as E.J. Dionne details in his "Why the Right Went Wrong," to a Republican base that has been consolidated from Barry Goldwater on by a constant cry of betrayal.

The punditry is already rushing to crown Clinton the Democratic winner. However, the growing divide among Democrats between the older and the younger deserves more attention. The Clinton campaign people are certain that the threat posed by Trump or Cruz will help mobilize Democratic turnout. But a party whose leaders are selling more of the same may well find it hard to inspire young voters and independents who are looking for a very new deal.
By Dave Lindorff



Sanders in Phoenix Tuesday night: campaign continues

(Image by ThisCantBeHappening!) Details DMCA



Bernie Sanders' brash campaign to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president took a "Yu-u-u-u-ge" hit on Tuesday, not only losing big as expected in Florida and North Carolina, but also in Ohio, and narrowly losing too in Illinois and Missouri.

But the good news is that at a big rally in Phoenix, Arizona, held (but blacked out by the corporate media) on the night of the ballot counting in those elections in a state that will be holding its Democratic primary next Tuesday, Sanders announced that his now incredibly long-shot campaign for the nomination will continue.

Sanders, early in his campaign, had said that at the end of the day, if Hillary Clinton were to win the nomination, he would support her.

But the reality is that by not conceding at this point in the campaign, with two and a half months of primaries still to go, including in such big states as California, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Sanders will continue (as he did in Phoenix) to shame and embarrass his opponent Clinton, calling out her reliance on millions of dollars in corrupt and corrupting campaign contributions from Wall Street banks and hedge funds, military contractors, pharmaceutical companies and oil companies.

Then too, while the corporate media are treating Sanders as if his effort is now quixotic, the other reality is that he can still win. Clinton has run through all the states that she had any real advantage in and Sanders has come painfully close to winning others, like Illinois and Missouri. Now the the focus of the primaries moves west, where Sanders should be at his strongest. He needs to win the rest of the races by 58%. That's a high bar, but consider that he's already done that in Kansas, Vermont, Minnesota and New Hampshire, and came close to that landslide figure in Nebraska, it's doable. The Sanders goal is to win big going forward, and if Clinton starts losing badly in those contests, to then work at prying loose both Super and pledged delegates worried that Clinton will lose against Trump or whoever the Republicans end up nominating.

He will continue to denounce the job-killing trade agreements, from NAFTA to the latest one, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (sic) currently being pushed by President Obama, and promoted by Clinton while she was Secretary of State.

He will continue to call for a country that uses diplomacy, not war, as its default foreign policy approach.

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Reprinted from Consortium News

Co-written by *Michael Winship





From their "Dark Money" bagman Karl Rove to their philosophical guru David Brooks , the GOP elites are in a tizzy over saving the Republican Party from Donald Trump and the other intruders, extremists and crackpots who have fallen in behind Trump as if he were the Pied Piper of Hamelin. But who will save the party from the elites?

Look around at just some of the other sheer lunacy their party perpetrates when it's not trying to shut government down, redistribute wealth upward, and prevent the president of the United States (who, the last time we looked, has the constitutional right and mandate) from filling a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

The Republicans in southern California just got a 7-6 majority on the region's air quality board and have set out to reverse all of its safeguards, "reaffirming new smog rules backed by oil refineries and other major polluters," according to the Los Angeles Times .



Mary Lou Bruner, a Republican crank in Texas who claimed that a young Barack Obama had worked as a black male prostitute, is on track to become a key vote on the state's board of education, the group that, as Matt Levin at the Houston Chronicle writes , is, "already drawing intense criticism for textbooks that, among other issues, downplayed slavery and racial segregation."

That's important because the school board is such a major buyer of books its decisions affect editorial content in texts all over the country . So remember that Bruner is an eccentric whose Facebook declarations include "School shootings started after the schools started teaching evolution" and "The dinosaurs on the ark may have been babies and not able to reproduce. It might make sense to take the small dinosaurs onto the ark instead of the ones bigger than a bus." Huh?

Yet Republican elites seem quite satisfied to have a Mary Lou Bruner as the arbiter of what their children read in schools.

And while we're talking about education, travel over to Texas neighbor Louisiana and look at the legacy that former Republican Gov. and presidential candidate Bobby Jindal has left behind for his Democratic successor, John Bel Edwards.

At The Washington Post , Chico Harlan reported , "Louisiana stands at the brink of economic disaster. Without sharp and painful tax increases in the coming weeks, the government will cease to offer many of its vital services, including education opportunities. ... A few universities will shut down and declare bankruptcy. Graduations will be canceled. Students will lose scholarships. ... Since the 2007-08 school year, Louisiana has cut funding for higher education by 44 percent, the sharpest pullback in the nation."

Part of this can be attributed to the precipitous drop in oil and gas prices and loss of fossil fuel industry revenue crucial to the state's economy. But the real problem, according to the Associated Press , is that "Jindal, burnishing his fiscal conservative credentials for his failed presidential campaign, refused to hike taxes or approve any action that even resembled a tax hike, including trimming expensive business tax credits, even amid an economic downturn. ...

"Legislators are hearing that cuts described by the Jindal administration as 'efficiencies' actually went much deeper, striking at services. They've learned about borrowing practices that increased state debts and about threats to Louisiana's cash flow because it spent down reserves."

The result? A calamitous budget crisis in the second most impoverished state in the country, a $900 million shortfall that has to be fixed by June 30 and another amounting to around $2 billion that will need to be closed next year. So that's how you govern when you have the power. Thanks, Republicans!

And while we're at it, ponder, too, the once-great state of Kansas, where, under the right-wing ideology and bumbling leadership of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, the clowns are running the circus. The state legislature there is moving toward passage of a bill that would allow the impeachment of Kansas Supreme Court justices for, among other newly-thought of high crimes and misdemeanors, "attempting to usurp the power" of said same legislature or the executive branch.

The reason? As per Edward Eveld of The Kansas City Star , "A recent state Supreme Court decision, citing the Legislature's constitutional duty to properly finance public schools, has demanded that lawmakers fix a school funding formula by June 30 or risk the shutdown of public schools for the 2016-2017 school year."

The court also has overturned death sentences and is considering a case that would void anti-abortion rules. The Republican legislature doesn't like any of this one bit -- not to mention that four of the seven judges were appointed by former Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sibelius.
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

Give a group of 21 Republican and Democratic Florida mayors credit. When it comes to sea level rise, they live at what might be considered Ground Zero for climate change in the U.S. As Philip Levine, the mayor of Miami Beach, put it, "Some people get swept into office. I floated into office." The group wrote to the moderators of the recent Republican and Democratic debates in Miami asking that the candidates be questioned on the subject. Amazingly enough, though previous debates often didn't even hint that the warming of the planet might be an issue of importance, the questions were indeed asked. It was a rare moment in which the media people leading the debates in this endless primary season bothered to address what could be history's deal-breaker. In the Republican debate, only Marco Rubio and John Kasich got to respond and Rubio offered a classic version of what is now the Republican establishment position on the subject. (On Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, of course, we know from statements elsewhere that they are deniers of the first order -- wildly so.) As it happened, Rubio did forthrightly accept the reality of a changing climate since, as he put it, "the climate has always changed." Doh! And his answer only went downhill from there.

Of course, in the race to do us all in, it's no news that, Kasich aside, the Republicans are so out of step with what the burning of fossil fuels is doing to this planet that it should make your head spin. In recent weeks, for instance, here are a few of the transformations reported or predicted: in February, we learned that January had been the ninth-straight "hottest" month ever experienced and that it was a particular record-setter, being "above normal by the highest margin of any month on record." Then, when the February numbers came in, they, too, were jaw-dropping. And if that wasn't cheery enough news, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere "exploded" to levels not seen in at least 11,000 years and possibly not in millions of years, while across the northern hemisphere the temperature briefly hit 2 degrees Celsius more than the pre-industrial revolution norm for the first time in history, even if only for a few hours. Meanwhile, the vast Greenland ice sheet is melting ever faster in a self-feeding loop of destruction, and that is anything but good news, since a recent study revealed that, even if temperature rises were capped at that two-degree mark, "20% of the world's population will eventually have to migrate away from coasts swamped by rising oceans." And given how long carbon remains in the atmosphere, any such sea level rise will hang in there for at least another 10,000 years.

So it went in the early months of 2016 and that -- though given the pace of melting on this planet, it's a metaphor we might have to abandon one of these days -- is just the tip of the iceberg.

There may only be one area where the present crew of media interrogators and presidential candidates are more out of touch when it comes to asking or answering crucial questions, and that's foreign policy and the national security state. In a piece posted four years ago, during the last set of presidential debates, State Department whistleblower and TomDispatch regular Peter Van Buren laid out a series of such questions on foreign and military policy that no one then showed the slightest interest in asking or answering. Like so many things one says (and writes), that was then and this is now and who even remembers? Recently, however, he and I went back and reread that piece, and I must admit that the experience was a heart-sinking one. But let him explain. Tom

Back to the Future

Five Questions That Weren't Asked During the 2012 Presidential Debates and Are Unlikely to Be Asked in 2016

By Peter Van Buren The nuances of foreign policy do not feature heavily in the ongoing presidential campaign. Every candidate intends to "destroy" the Islamic State; each has concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea, and China; every one of them will defend Israel; and no one wants to talk much about anything else -- except, in the case of the Republicans, who rattle their sabers against Iran. In that light, here's a little trip down memory lane: in October 2012, I considered five critical foreign policy questions -- they form the section headings below -- that were not being discussed by then-candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Romney today is a sideshow act for the current Republican circus, and Obama has started packing up his tent at the White House and producing his own foreign policy obituary. And sadly, those five questions of 2012 remain as pertinent and unraised today as they were four years ago. Unlike then, however, answers may be at hand, and believe me, that's not good news. Now, let's consider them four years later, one by one. Is there an endgame for the global war on terror? That was the first question I asked back in 2012. In the ensuing years, no such endgame has either been proposed or found, and these days no one's even talking about looking for one. Instead, a state of perpetual conflict in the Greater Middle East and Africa has become so much the norm that most of us don't even notice. In 2012, I wrote, "The current president, elected on the promise of change, altered very little when it came to George W. Bush's Global War on Terror (other than dropping the name). That jewel-in-the-crown of Bush-era offshore imprisonment, Guantanamo, still houses over 160 prisoners held without trial. While the U.S. pulled its troops out of Iraq... the war in Afghanistan stumbles on. Drone strikes and other forms of conflict continue in the same places Bush tormented: Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan (and it's clear that northern Mali is heading our way)." Well, candidates of 2016? Guantanamo remains open for business, with 91 men still left. Five others were expeditiously traded away by executive decision to retrieve runaway American soldier Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan, but somehow President Obama feels he can't release most of the others without lots of approvals by... well, someone. The Republicans running for president are howling to expand Gitmo, and the two Democratic candidates are in favor of whatever sort of not-a-plan plan Obama has been pushing around his plate for eight years. Iraq took a bad bounce when the same president who withdrew U.S. troops in 2011 let loose the planes and drones and started putting those boots back on that same old ground in 2014. It didn't take long for the U.S. to morph that conflict from a rescue mission to a training mission to bombing to Special Operations forces in ongoing contact with the enemy, and not just in Iraq, but Syria, too. No candidate has said that s/he will pull out. As for the war in Afghanistan, it now features an indefinite, "generational" American troop commitment. Think of that country as the third rail of campaign 2016 -- no candidate dares touch it for fear of instant electrocution, though (since the American public seems to have forgotten the place) by whom exactly is unclear. There's still plenty of fighting going on in Yemen -- albeit now mostly via America's well-armed proxies the Saudis -- and Africa is more militarized than ever. As for the most common "American" someone in what used to be called the third world is likely to encounter, it's no longer a diplomat, a missionary, a tourist, or even a soldier -- it's a drone. The United States claims the right to fly into any nation's airspace and kill anyone it wishes. Add it all together and when it comes to that war on terror across significant parts of the globe, the once-reluctant heir to the Bush legacy leaves behind a twenty-first century mechanism for perpetual war and eternal assassination missions. And no candidate in either party is willing to even suggest that such a situation needs to end.

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If you can get presidential candidates in the Democratic or Republican parties to answer any of these, please let me know.

1. President Obama's 2017 budget proposal, according to the National Priorities Project, devotes 54% of discretionary spending (or $622.6 billion) to militarism. This figure does not include care for veterans or debt payments on past military spending. Is the percentage of discretionary spending now devoted to militarism, as compared to what you would propose for 2018,

_______too high,

_______too low,

_______just right.

Approximately what level would you propose? ______________________.

2. The United States budgets approximately $25 billion per year for non-military foreign aid, which is less per capita or in relation to the nation's economy than many other countries. Is the percentage of discretionary spending now devoted to non-military foreign aid, as compared to what you would propose for 2018,

_______too high,

_______too low,

_______just right.

Approximately what level would you propose? ______________________.

3. Does the Kellogg-Briand Pact forbid war? _____________________.

4. Does the United Nations Charter forbid war that is neither actually defensive nor authorized by the United Nations Security Council? _________________.

5. Does the U.S. Constitution require a Congressional declaration of war? __________________.

6. Do the anti-torture and war crimes statutes in the U.S. code ban torture? _________________.

7. Does the U.S. Constitution forbid imprisoning people without charge or trial? ________________.

8. The United States is the leading weapons supplier, through sales and gifts, to the Middle East, as to the world. In what ways would you reduce this arms trade?_______________________ _________________ ______________________ _________________________ _________________________ ___________________ _________________ _________________ ____________________.

9. Does the U.S. president have the legal authority to kill people with missiles from drones or manned airplanes or by any other means? Where does that legal authority originate? _____________ ____________ __________ ___________________ _________________ ______________ ___________________ __________________.

10. The United States military has troops in at least 175 countries. Some 800 bases house hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops in some 70 foreign nations, not including numerous "trainers" and participants in "non-permanent" exercises that last indefinitely, at a cost over $100 billion a year. Is this,

_____ too many,

_____ too few,

_____ just right.

What level would be appropriate? ___________ ________________ ________________ _______________ ____________.

11. Would you end U.S. war making in

_____ Afghanistan

_____ Iraq

_____ Syria

_____ Libya

_____ Somalia

_____ Pakistan

_____ Yemen

12. Does the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty require the United States to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control? ________.

13. Would you sign and encourage ratification of,

________ the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

________ the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction

________ the Convention on Cluster Munitions

________ the Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

________ the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture

________ the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance

________ the proposed treaty on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space

14. Should the U.S. government continue to subsidize

______ fossil fuels

______ nuclear energy
Process Monitoring of Vibrations at Hydro Turbines

Vibration Monitoring System Detects Turbine Fault

www.DataLoggerInc.com

www.dataloggerinc.com

Delphin TopMessage System Diagnoses FaultsCHESTERLAND, OHMarch 16, 2016Delphin Technology recently provided the vibration monitoring solution for Femaris, a Romanian company focusing mainly on providing products and services for measuring and analyzing technical parameters.Femaris offers complete solutions for the implementation of predictive and proactive machine maintenance, as well as online and offline monitoring of industrial values. This includes static and dynamic balancing of different kinds of rotors, data acquisition systems to record vibrations and noises, and service including training of personnel. CAS DataLoggers, a Delphin distributor, presents this Applications Note showing how Femaris supplied its own customer with a Delphin system to monitor vibrations in hydro turbines.Introduction:Femaris required a solution for its customer HIDROELECTRICA SA, Romanias main electrical producer. The company is divided in several branches depending on the geographic area. HIDROELECTRICA has an installed power of 6438 MW and produces approximately 30% of the entire electrical power in Romania. This particular Delphin Vibration Monitoring system was implemented in Hidroelectrica Oradea SA.Application/Problem:Technicians at Hidroelectrica noticed a suspect sound originating from the generator of a turbine, a sound believed to be caused by vibrations at a hydro turbine within their plant. Because of this situation they required vibration measurement. To discover the source of this sound, their main objective was to install an easily-configurable real-time portable monitoring system to increase the safety conditions and improve fault prediction.Besides this, the system had to be modular so that it could be extended in the future, for example to make absolute vibration measurements with piezoelectric accelerometers.The customer decided to install a Delphin TopMessage Data Acquisition and Control system along with Delphin ProfiSignal software to monitor the following parameters:- Global vibration  peak-to-peak displacement- FFT analysis- Smax parameter- Orbit- Trend analysis etc.Technical Conditions:ISO 7919-5:2005 Mechanical vibration, Evaluation of machine vibration by measurements on rotating shafts. Part 5: Machine sets in hydraulic power generating and pumping plantsISO 10817 Rotating shaft vibration measuring systemMeasurement direction: Radial on two directions X  Y with two proximity transducers mounted at 90Measured parameters: Relative vibration of journal bearingMeasuring unit: Peak-to-peak displacement of vibration [m] for the distance between the sensor and shaftAnalysed machine: Hydro turbine Vertical Kaplan, 10 MW power.Monitored journal bearings: Turbine bearing - LTInferior radial bearing - LRIAxial radial bearing  LraxSolution/Hardware:For this application Femaris recommended the following components:- Delphin TopMessage Master device- AMDT Module (enables shaft/bearing vibration monitoring & analysis)- Voltage divisor- Proximity systems  Transducers with conditioner- Delphin ProfiSignal Basic softwareHere the necessary vibration measurements were performed with proximity systems mounted on all three journal bearings of the turbine. Two transducers were mounted on each journal bearing, with a radial direction and at an angle of 90 between them.The TopMessage system was mounted within an portable electric panel. The customer requested that the system must be portable to be mounted on different hydro turbines that presented electrical or mechanical faults.The software used for fault diagnostics are ProfiSignal Basic and ProfiSignal Vibro.Following the vibration measurements, it was established that the operating mark is UNALLOWED according to ISO 7919. The vibration diagnosis indicated a misalignment of the turbines shaft, but this offsetting is caused by the instability of the inferior radial bearing LRI, practically an increased mechanical looseness inside this bearing having the Y direction.The software tracks the relative vibrations at different turbine loads.Proposal/Hardware:Following this vibration diagnosis, the data recommended that users check the fixation mode of bearing LRI onto the foundation, the state of the bushing, and also the mechanical looseness inside the bearing.While checking bearing LRI, the repair team found that the nuts which adjusted the looseness in the bushing (Y direction) were all destroyed, as well as the thread on the bolts.The absolute vibration measurements were taken with accelerometers using a portable analyzer, and the highest vibrations were recorded on the radial axial bearing LRAx, while on the inferior radial bearing the vibrations amplitudes were small.In conclusion we can say that the machine diagnosis of those machines which have journal bearings in their assembly are done more precisely if the vibration measurements are done with proximity transducers and are acquired using the on-line mode, simultaneously on all the machines bearings. For this purpose the TopMessage system was ideal here and the customer was very satisfied post-installation.Benefit Summary:The advantages of vibration monitoring using the Delphin TopMessage system and the Profisignal software are as follows:- Simultaneous monitoring of vibration amplitudes on all the bearings of the machine- The possibility of extending the system for on-line monitoring and other technical parameters needed for machine diagnosis- The creation of virtual channels to calculate looseness in the journal bearings- The possibility of copying the measured data  amplitude 1x and phase 1x  in a balancing program which allows balancing--in situ, static and dynamic--of the rotors.- Precession movement simulation of the shaft within the journal bearings.- Data transmission and storage within the TopMessage device and on the hard disk of a computer.- The ability to connect vibration transducers with an output of 4-20 mA as an economical solution for vibration monitoring- The increase in safety conditions and the prevention of machine damage with the help of the Alarm Management software and the TopMessage systems analog and digital outputs.To learn more about Delphin Data Acquisition and Control systems, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atContact Information:CAS DataLoggers, Inc.8437 Mayfield Rd.Chesterland, Ohio 44026(440) 729-2570(800) 956-4437sales@dataloggerinc.com
THE GODDARD SCHOOL'S DYNAMIC LEARNING THROUGH PLAY CURRICULUM COMES TO COLLEGEVILLE COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. (March 16, 2016) Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School preschool system, announces its newest school in Collegeville, PA is open. Located at 500 Springhouse Drive Collegeville, PA 19462, the new school is owned by franchisees Adrienne and Tim Clark and operated by Adrienne.



Prior to joining The Goddard School, Adrienne Clark earned her Bachelors Degree from Randolph-Macon Womans College. She spent more than 10 years working at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Adult Learning and Education division where she created and implemented professional development curricula for newly promoted mangers, senior staff and partners. Adrienne and Tim first learned about The Goddard School from a relative who owns a school and were impressed by the successful franchise model, reputation, brand strength and positive working environment. As parents who were also looking for a school for their son, they decided to bring this model to the Collegeville community to provide families in the area with a quality educational program.



The Goddard School preschool system prides itself on its unique dual-management system, a distinguisher in the early childhood education industry. Franchise owners are onsite at each location and work alongside an educational director, whose focus is to communicate and work with teachers, as well as to implement The Goddard School curriculum. This dual-management system ensures a hands-on, community-focused approach when it comes to early childhood education. With each school opening, The Goddard School also has a local economic impact, creating an average of 20 to 25 jobs within the community.

The Goddard Schools play-based approach, called Fun, Learning Experience (or F.L.EX.), is grounded in research on how children learn best: children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun. At The Goddard School, the focus is on building each childs emotional, academic, social, creative and physical skills to provide a well-rounded experience and ensure each one becomes confident, joyful and fully prepared in school and in life. The Goddard Schools proprietary F.L.EX. curriculum has earned AdvancED and Middle States Corporate Accreditation by demonstrating excellence in early childhood education.

With nearly 30 years of experience in early childhood education, The Goddard Schools unique dual-management system creates lasting community bonds as owners are on-site at the Schools to provide support to the communities they serve, said Joe Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer of Goddard Systems, Inc. One area that truly sets us apart from other childcare systems is our philosophy based on learning through play, designed to teach and reinforce 21st century skills, including social behaviors such as communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. This philosophy fosters a lifelong love of learning and creates meaningful connections at an early age.

Jobs relating to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy, and a focus on developing 21st century skills such as creativity and innovation as well as the abilities to collaborate, communicate and think critically, is expected to increase over time. By introducing 21st century skill concepts early on, children develop a strong foundation and a passion for STEAM at the very beginning of their education.

My husband and I had always planned to open a business together. After learning about The Goddard Schools outstanding curriculum and progressive franchise model, we immediately knew it was an ideal fit for the family-owned business we had in mind, said franchisee Adrienne Clark. Goddards incorporation of play-based learning in a positive environment is important to the growth of these kids, and we hope to do our best to inspire, motivate and encourage our young students.



Long recognized as the industry leader, The Goddard School preschool system has been consistently listed in Entrepreneur magazines Franchise 500 ranking as the number one childcare franchise for 15 consecutive years (January 2016).



The Goddard School located in Collegeville, PA is located at 500 Springhouse Drive, Collegeville, PA 19462, across from Providence Town Center. To reach this location, please call (610) 232-7939 or email collegeville2pa@goddardschools.com. For general information and franchising opportunities, please visit www.goddardschoolfranchise.com .



ABOUT THE GODDARD SCHOOL FRANCHISE

The Goddard School Franchise, franchisor of The Goddard School preschools, was named the No. 1 Childcare Franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine for the fifteenth consecutive year (January 2016) and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise Times for the ninth consecutive year (October 2015). Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, The Goddard School Franchise currently licenses more than 430 franchised Schools with more than 50,000 students in 35 states. The Goddard School's AdvancED- and Middle States-accredited F.L.EX. Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience), a comprehensive play-based curriculum developed with early childhood education experts, provides the best childhood preparation for social and academic success. With a proven system in place and a strong network of dedicated franchisees, The Goddard School Franchise is the



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Maison Routin 1883 First to Unveil Orchid Flavored Beverage Syrup

NEW YORK  March 16, 2016  Known for its range of gourmet syrups imported from the French Alps, Maison Routin's 1883, became the first brand to introduce an Orchid syrup to flavor coffee based drinks, cocktails, sodas, beers and granitasMaison Routin 1883 has built an innovative brand on irresistible aroma and taste, which is why its first-to-market with the elegance of the new 1883 Orchid syrup. Crafted as a beautifully transparent syrup that reveals the delicateness of a flower, 1883 Orchid offers a light fragrance that distils a wide floral array and exposes a well-defined flowery taste. The syrup mixes marvelously with Gin, Vodka, and Vermouth. An ideal companion for infusions and teas, it exudes elegance in milk and shows off beers and white or rose wines.The debut of Orchid, also comes with the creation of three other syrups, including Chocolate Cookie, Lemon Concentrate and Lime Juice Cordial: 1883 Chocolate Cookie  Imagine the power of chocolate wedded with a biscuity sweetness.With this new flavor, 1883 shows its true colors with a brown that sets the tone for a syrup pitched evenly balanced between soft chocolate and biscuit. The captivating aroma expresses that irresistible appeal of freshly baked cookies right out of the oven while on the palate, the power of the chocolate and the cookies sweetness serve up a compelling contrast. The syrup goes perfectly with all hot drinks, pastries, ice creams, smoothies and milkshakes. 1883 Lemon Concentrate  Using pure lemon juice, 1883 concentrate reveals the essence of the authentic yellow fruit without added coloring, preservatives, or sugar. A lovely pale yellow glow, both opaque and translucent, indubitably invokes the sunniest of all citrus fruits. The cool, fruity, and invigorating scent is the same as all-natural, freshly squeezed lemons. The clear and immediate acidity on the palate allows for an extremely full and complex flavor to blossom. The concentrate replaces the juice in every one of its many applications. The powerful acidity wonderfully balances out every cocktail, whether a classic Daiquiri or planters Punch. The concentrate also distills its extremely pure taste to spruce up dishes or pastries. 1883 Lime Juice Cordial: Containing less sugar than a syrup and 50 percent lemon and lime juice, 1883 Lime Juice Cordial delivers a very balanced flavor, with the sourness of the lime fully expressed. Essential in the famous Cosmopolitan cocktail, but also in the Gimlet, Mai Tai and Gin Fizz. Its also a talented partner for water, teas and infusions, and highlights beers and white/rose wines to great effect.All four new syrup flavors complement Maison Routins current line-up of Classic, Rock, Pop, Jazz, RNB and Reggae flavors and products.For more information on 1883s new products or for a list of Spring and Summer drink recipes, please visit 1883.com or on Twitter.Maison Routin is the number one French manufacturing exporter of syrups. For more than 130 years, Maison Routin has relentlessly strived to demonstrate its expertise in the field of beverage flavoring. Made in Chambery, in the heart of the Alps, Maison Routin produces and distributes over 50 million units in more than 75 countries.Connect Communications4305 N. Lincoln Ave, Suite CChicago, IL 60618Lauren RussConnect Communications773.868.0966Lauren@connectcomsinc.com
Foreign Digital Marketing  Educate Your Customers and Gain New Sales

Each of our businesses focuses on delivering a product or service locally, regionally, or internationally. When asked What is your type of business?, the normal response may be, Im in architecture, recruiting, pharmaceutical sales, construction, etc. And while this may be partially true, it is not entirely true. Regardless of the category where our business may be listed, we are all in the marketing business. And this is because no matter how phenomenal or expert you may be in your profession, the most vital part of your business is getting business. Without clients and customers, you have no business. An effective marketing strategy remains the single most important initiative for a company to thrive and survive.And while this is true when promoting your products and services nationally, it is even more crucial when promoting them around the world. Here are some questions to evaluate your current digital marketing strategy:How Does my Company:1.Market to clients and customers that we cant see and meet face-to-face?2.Position itself as an expert in this industry?3.Educate rather than sell to clients and customers?4.Create, manage and deliver all of its content and/or digital assets to clients and customers?5.Automate the posting of content and build brand awareness around the world on a 24/7 basis?6.Drive traffic to its website and engage with clients and customers anywhere in the world all day and all night?7.Know if its website pages are optimized for search engines across the globe?8.Know if all of the efforts and strategies are working?9.Know what needs tweaking or adjusting to increase engagement?Foreign Staffing, Inc. has developed and launched a new division called Foreign Digital Marketing to address this growing need.Why Foreign Digital Marketing1.You need to focus your time on the day-to-day activities of your business, but you want a large social following, more traffic to your website, and most importantly you want to CREATE MORE LEADS - worldwide.2.You dont have time to study all the latest techniques, watch hundreds of training videos and test, test, test. We handle everything from set-up to ongoing monthly management.3.Your website is the centerpiece of your brand and must be optimized to encourage customers to move through the sales funnel with ease. Web forms are added to your website to increase lead generation.4.We provide you with comprehensive monthly reports so that your company can make informed business decisions. Each month engagement, post-performance, and website analytics are tied together allowing you to make focused improvements to your marketing campaign.Foreign Digital Marketing Services1.Foreign Marketing Automation  Automate all of your companys systems, processes, registrations, content distribution, and inbound lead generation.2.Foreign Content Marketing  Position your company as an expert in your industry. We manage all of your companys digital assets and assist in the creation of new content.3.Foreign Search Engine Optimization  Get found on major domestic and foreign search engines. We help drive organic traffic from around the world to your new or existing website.4.Foreign Social Media Marketing  Increase your brands awareness worldwide on all the major social media outlets: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and Instagram.5.Foreign Email Marketing  Nurture your leads by sending valuable educational content on a weekly basis.6.Foreign Video Marketing  We help your company tell its story and generate leads with animated, explainer, whiteboard, and motion graphic videos.Foreign Staffing, Inc., is a global leader in Multilingual, International Staffing and Recruiting anywhere in the world.FSI provides its comprehensive services as a retained based search firm. We facilitate the entire recruitment effort from startup until the candidate starts working.Our 25-step Foreign Advantage Candidate Screening process (FACS) is unparalleled in the industry for finding the best candidates for any job anywhere in the world.At FSI, every position we work on is unique in terms of language, industry, and location. Unlike many recruiting firms, FSI does not maintain a database of candidates which quickly become obsolete. We aggressively seek and recruit top performers including those not actively looking for a job.With over 20 years of International business experience, the company has become more than just a staffing firm.It can also provide and administer foreign assessments for employees in 25 languages, foreign background checks, foreign language testing, foreign cultural training, foreign language training, foreign immigration and foreign relocation services.It can also assist with global payroll outsourcing in over 150 countries.At Foreign Staffing, Inc. we help companies Go Global With Confidence Foreign Staffing Inc.Greenville, SCstaffing@foreignstaffing.com
Open Cashflow 101 Session

A session to simulate effects to your financial status based on decisions you make over time.Cashflow 101/202/kids are board games that were developed by Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the Rich Dad Poor Dad book series, with the intention of providing those who have read his books with a way to practice the skills he advocates. The board games allow you to test the principles in a rapidly within a safe and controlled environment.A single 3-6 hour moderated session you will get to live through ten years of your financial life and thus be able to experience the effects of making or not making certain decisions. This means that you can change the outcome of your financial future, it allows you to make mistakes, learn and correct. It has been practically proven that taking part in 10 sessions will change your financial thinking process.The event goes down on Saturday 19th of March 2016 at the Silver Springs Hotel, Argwigs Kodhek road. Advance tickets are available at Ticketsasa for only: Early Bird Ticket Ksh2500 Normal Ticketa Ksh 5,000Note :Advance tickets will be available before Saturday 19th March at 12.00 am. Please full terms and conditionsTicketsasa is an online company that sells advance tickets and holiday packages to you online.Pamoja Media East AfricaP.O BOX 68151 - 00200
Stottler Henke to Develop an Adaptive Threat ID System for Navy Pilots

http://www.stottlerhenke.com

www.stottlerhenke.com

Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. today announced the award of a contract with the U.S. Navy to develop the Adaptive Target Threat Identification System (ATTIS), an advanced software system that will analyze infrared and thermal imaging video data to identify threats to aircraft automatically. ATTIS will dynamically combine computer vision, statistical analysis, and artificial intelligence techniques to identify threats accurately at a wide range of distances.Todays Navy aircraft such as the F/A-18 strike fighter and the F-35 stealth multi-role fighter carry numerous infrared and thermal imaging devices and sensors to provide tactical information to pilots. These systems detect and track objects, but they cannot identify them. In order to identify objects and determine threat levels, pilots must observe the data manually. This process is time-consuming and takes the pilots attention away from other critical tasks. Identifying objects and determining threat levels earlier and at a greater distance would provide pilots with more time to process the information and determine the best course of action. However, at far distances, detected objects are only a couple of pixels in size, down to less than a pixel in size, so manual threat identification is extremely difficult.ATTIS will identify objects accurately, even at large distances, by dynamically adjusting its processing method depending on the input data. It will combine traditional computer vision techniques for object classification with statistical analysis on pixel data when the pixel size of the object is too small to analyze using traditional vision algorithms. When the detected object is close (i.e., several pixels or more in size), the image of the object will be sharpened by combining several frames to gain sub-pixel resolution, and the image will then processed by the object classifier module using computer vision techniques. The statistical analysis module will estimate the objects location, speed, and size from object detection and tracking data. The behavior analysis module will also input object detection and tracking data to classify the objects maneuvers and actions using Stottler Henkes SimBionic(R) intelligent agent toolkit. SimBionic runs many hierarchical finite state machines in parallel to detect meaningful temporal patterns of events and state conditions that indicate threat behaviors and intentions.ATTIS will intelligently combine the output of the object classifier and statistical and behavioral analysis modules to perform the final threat level identification. Low-level feature extraction and high-level behavioral pattern and logical analysis will detect distinctive characteristics of each target. Object characteristics such as heat signatures, movement over time (including minimum and maximum speeds and altitudes), and size will be correlated with an existing database of aircraft and missile types to determine the objects type, classification, and trajectory, which, taken together, determine the threat level."The Adaptive Target Threat Identification System is unique in its ability to combine diverse computational and reasoning methods to extract the most information possible from the infrared sensor data," says Richard Stottler, the projects principal investigator. "The ability to accurately identify threats at greater distances will enable U.S. Navy pilots to see farther and act sooner," continues Stottler.During this contract, Stottler Henke will demonstrate the effectiveness of the combined technologies.Founded in 1988, Stottler Henke Associates, Inc. applies artificial intelligence and other advanced software technologies to solve problems that defy solution using traditional approaches. The company delivers intelligent software solutions for education and training, planning and scheduling, knowledge management and discovery, decision support, and software development. In 2012, Stottler Henke, in a White House ceremony, was awarded the prestigious Tibbetts award, which honors small businesses for outstanding technical achievements and innovativeness. US Government agencies have designated ten Stottler Henke systems as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) success stories. Four Stottler Henke systems have been included in Spinoff, NASA's showcase of successful spinoff technologies. Stottler Henke was the subject of a NASA Hallmarks of Success video profile for its work developing and later commercializing advanced scheduling and training software systems. Stottler Henke received a Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning award for innovative technology. Stottler Henke was named one of the "Top 100" companies making a significant impact on the military training industry by Military Training Technology magazine for 2014 and ten previous years. Stottler Henke has received a Blue Ribbon from Military Training Technology magazine, recognizing it as a company that leads the industry in innovation. Email: info@stottlerhenke.com. Web:Stottler Henke1650 S. Amphlett Blvd., suite 300San Mateo, CA 94402Contact:Jim Ong(650) 931-2700
kea14 abs material access control key for gate access control(gyrfidstore)

RFID keyfob is the extension products of normal ISO card, which is designed for easy carry by person. GYRFID present various kinds of keyfobs to fit different customer's demands.KEA-keyfobs ABS : widely used type in worldwide market, cost affordable.KEC- keyfobs PC: luxurial and unique appearanceKEL-keyfobs leather: luxurial and unique appearanceKEP-keyfobs PVC: easy to be attached on rings or phones, can be printed with sponsor's logo.KEE-keyfobs epxoy: can be printed with sponsor's logo, smoothly touch and luxurial appearance.KES - keyfobs with silicon material.Features:Model number: KEAMaterial: ABSDimension: 43.7x30.5x5.3mmColor options: Blue /red /orange / black / yellow/ transparent blue/ transparent redPersonalization Support: offset screen printing logo Silk-screen printing logo/serial number Laser Logo/ Serial number Chip encodingApplication: Access control Membership Loyalty System Time attendance Hotel locks Payments TransportationsIC options:125KHz RFID: EM4200, EM4102, EM4100, GK4001; T5577; EM4305; Hitag1, Hitag2, Hitag S256 13.56Mhz ISO14443A: NXP MIFARE Classic 1K, MIFARE Classic 4K, MIFARE Ultralight, MIFARE Ultralight EV1, MIFARE Desfire 2K, MIFARE Desfire 4K, MIFARE Desfire 8K, MIFARE Plus, Fudan FM11RF08; NTAG203, NTAG213, NTAG215, NTAG216; LEGIC MIM256, LEGIC ATC1024, LEGIC ATC2048 13.56Mhz ISO15693: ICODE SLI; ICODE SLI-X; Tag-it 256, Tag-it 2048 840-960Mhz UHF: Alien Higgs, Monza 3, Monza 4D, Monza 4QT; NXP UCODE G2iLGYRFID STORE offers a wide range of products embedded with contact chip and contact-less chip (LF, HF, UHF), and there are some competitive products like ISO CARD, KEYFOB, WRISTBAND, DISC TAG, LAUNDRY TAG. The products are widely applied in access control, payment system, inventory control, asset tracking, and industrial managements.Should any of these items be of interest to you, please let us know. We will be happy to give you a quotation upon receipt of your detailed requirements.ADDRm1516, Qiangjin Building, QiXin Rd No.1318 ,Shanghai, 201100, China
Research Report On Global Interior Design Products Sector Market 2016 Share And Size To 2019 Just Published By 9dimen Group

http://www.9dimengroup.com/market-analysis/global-interior-design-products-sector-market-2016-industry.html

http://www.9dimengroup.com/report/57762/request-sample

http://www.9dimengroup.com/

9Dimen Group Has Recently Announced The Addition Of A Market Study Global Interior Design Products Sector Market 2015 Industry Growth, Size, Trends, Share, Opportunities And Forecast To 2019, Is A Comparative Analysis Of The Global Market.Global Interior Design Products Sector Industry is an accurate and quality research study on the Global Interior Design Products Sector market. This report is based on the briefings and interviews conducted with product manufacturers and their consumers, with demand-side research. This research is based on the interviews with end-users and their service providers. The blend of checks and balances combined with involving the players in the industry offers a clear and accurate picture of the entire Global Interior Design Products Sector market.Browse Full Report with TOC @:Furthermore, the research data in the report after working closely with the investment bankers and financial analyst presents a clear idea of the investment scenario in the Global Interior Design Products Sector market. The report assess the market outlook for public companies, evaluates business cases of several private companies, and discusses investment trends in the Global Interior Design Products Sector market.The report on the Global Interior Design Products Sector market covers the present and future trends of consumer preferences that will shape the industry. The report assess the buying trends along with the purchase process, technology preference, expenditures, and manufacturers and service provider preferences of end-users in the Global Interior Design Products Sector market.The report dwells deeper by providing the region-wise consumer preferences and their impact on the market revenue and growth. The report also presents the current regulatory scenario of individual regional sectors in the Global Interior Design Products Sector market. Furthermore, the current regulatory scenario along with the upcoming regulations that will come in effect in the coming few years have also been mentioned in this report.Download Sample Report of @:Several key players operating in the Global Interior Design Products Sector market have been profiled in this report. The key players business overview, product offering, revenue share, business strategies, and latest innovations have been included in this report. The in-depth competitive framework of the Global Interior Design Products Sector market will help clients to formulate the better strategies for a desired business outcome.9Dimen Group Is A Single Destination For All The Industry, Company And Country Reports. We Feature Large Repository Of Latest Industry Reports, Leading And Niche Company Profiles, And Market Statistics Released By Reputed Private Publishers And Public Organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@9dimengroup.comWeb:Blog: 9dresearchgroup.com/
Attention: Lymphoedema Health Care Professionals - New Research Study Being Undertaken by Melanie Thomas MBE

http://www.physiopod.co.uk/assets/files/Participant%20Information%20Leaflet%20Version%2001.250116%20final.pdf

http://www.physiopod.co.uk/assets/files/Health%20Care%20Professionals%20questionnaire%20VS%2003%20final.pdf

http://www.physiopod.co.uk/assets/files/Invitation%20Letter%20to%20participants.%20version%2001%20250116.pdf

Attention: Lymphoedema Health Care Professionals - Please Help Melanie Thomas By Completing Questionnaire on Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer Related Lymphoedema.Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK, March 17, 2016 -- Calling All Lymphoedema Health Care Professionals: Nurses, Doctors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, MLD DLT Therapists and unregistered support staff (if they see breast cancer patients)Melanie Thomas, National Clinical Lead for Lymphoedema Services in Wales and Lymphoedema Physiotherapist requires help. As part of her 5th year doctorate with Swansea University Melanie is conducting research utilising a questionnaire to establish perceptions on lymphoedema risk reduction after breast cancer and is looking for Lymphoedema HCP's to participate in a questionnaire that takes around 10-20 minutes to complete.The answers will help Melanie gain an understanding of current views of breast cancer lymphoedema risk reduction recommendations and identify any barriers in disseminating information to breast cancer patients. This will then formulate a Lymphoedema Risk reduction strategy.All responses which will be treated anonymously and it is requested that all completed questionnaires be returned by post to Melanie by the end of May 2016.Melanie ThomasLymphoedema Network Wales Cimla Health and Social Care Centre CimlaNeathSA11 3SUAlternatively email to: Melanie.J.Thomas@wales.nhs.ukPlease copy and paste the following links in order to participate:1 Participant information leaflet2 Healthcare Professionals Questionnaire3 Invitation Letter to ParticipantsAbout PhysioPod UK Limited:Though not endorsing the research PhysioPod UK Ltd are disseminating this information because they feel it is very important for it to reach as many health care professionals as possible. Thankyou, Mary Fickling, Director, PhysioPod UK LtdThough not endorsing the research PhysioPod UK Ltd are disseminating this information because they feel it is very important for it to reach as many health care professionals as possible. Thankyou, Mary Fickling, Director, PhysioPod UK LtdMary FicklingPhysioPod UK LimitedSherbrook RoadDaybrook, Nottingham, NG5 6AS01159167685info@physiopod.co.ukphysiopod.co.uk
Vizocom Signs New Contract with US Airforce for Digital Cinema Projection System

http://www.vizocom.com

Vizocom, a leading global ICT provider signed a new contract with the US Air Force to provide a new revolutionary Digital Cinema Projection System.Dubai, UAE, March 17, 2016 -- Vizocom, a leading global ICT provider signed a new contract with the US Air Force to provide a new revolutionary Digital Cinema Projection System for the US Air Forces Morale, Welfare, and Recreation programs.Vizocoms Digital Cinema Projection System solution includes the NEC NC1100L Digital Cinema-compliant projector that uses a built-in laser light source and is ideal for MWR, professional cinemas, and theaters with small screens. It delivers 2K DCI-compliant cinema quality, which translates to an image brightness of 14-ft-L (using a 1.8 gain screen) on screens up to 36 ft./11m in DCI color. The product delivers an enhanced theater experience with pristine images. With its S2K chip set, the NC1100L is the first compact lightweight laser based 2K DCI-certified digital cinema projector on the market. Its small size enables it to be installed in small projection booths within the theater or transported for mobile applications. The all-in-one Integrated Media Server (IMS) with 2 TB RAID5 of storage offers versatile connectivity, while reducing the number of peripheral devices needed.Vizocom believes that the new product will help the US Air Force in its missions, and we hope that we can do more for our forces in the CONUS as well as OCONUS. The product provides the compactness, mobility, and quality our soldiers deserve especially on missions where quality of MWR matters more.About Vizocom:Vizocom is a full scope ICT and SATCOM provider to US Government, Federal Government contractors Fortune 1000 companies. Vizocom is a Small Business concern with a focus on providing highly sophisticated IT and Communications solutions in the US, Middle East and Africa.Vizocom is a full scope ICT and SATCOM provider to US Government, Federal Government contractors Fortune 1000 companies. Vizocom is a Small Business concern with a focus on providing highly sophisticated IT and Communications solutions in the US, Middle East and Africa.Ganesh MalputeVizocomPO Box: 123987#87, 5th floor, Z2 blockSharjah, UAE+ 971 55 990 6298ganeshm@vizocom.com
Health Care Markets in China

https://www.bharatbook.com/healthcare-market-research-reports-343606/health-care-china.html

https://www.bharatbook.com/life-sciences-market-research-report/healthcare.html

https://www.facebook.com/BharatBook3B

https://twitter.com/researchbook

March 17th 2016 Mumbai, India: Bharatbook.com announces a report on  Health Care Markets in China . The primary and secondary research is done in China in order to access up-to-date government regulations, market information and industry data.China's demand for Health Care has grown at a fast pace in the past decade. In the next decade, both production and demand will continue to grow. bharatbook.com/healthcare-market-research-reports-343606/health-care-china.html The Chinese economy maintains a high speed growth which has been stimulated by the consecutive increases of industrial output, import & export, consumer consumption and capital investment for over two decades. This new study examines China's economic trends, investment environment, industry development, supply and demand, industry capacity, industry structure, marketing channels and major industry participants. Historical data (2005, 2010 and 2015) and long-term forecasts through 2020 and 2025 are presented. Major producers in China are profiled.The primary and secondary research is done in China in order to access up-to-date government regulations, market information and industry data. Data were collected from the Chinese government publications, Chinese language newspapers and magazines, industry associations, local governments industry bureaus, industry publications, and our in-house databases. Interviews are conducted with Chinese industry experts, university professors, and producers in China. Economic models and quantitative methods are applied in this report to project market demand and industry trends. Metric system is used and values are presented in either Yuan (RMB, current price) and/or US dollars.Our market research reports provide hard-to-find market data and analyses. Today, China has the largest market in the world. Tremendous fast-growing markets for imports and business opportunities for companies around the world. If you want to expand your business or sell your products in China, our research reports provide the insights and projections into Chinese markets necessary for you to do so.For more information kindly visit :Related Reports :About Bharat Book Bureau :Bharat Book Bureau is the leading market research information provider for market research reports, company profiles, industry analysis, country reports , business reports, newsletters and online databases Bharat Book Bureau provides over a million reports from more than 400 publishers around the globe. We cover sectors starting from Aeronautics to Zoology.In case the reports dont match your requirement then we can do a specialized Custom Research for you. Our multifarious capabilities, cross-sector expertise and detailed knowledge of various markets, put us in a unique position to take up Custom Research demands of yourself.ORContact us at :Bharat Book BureauTel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773Email: poonam@bharatbook.comWebsite: bharatbook.comFollow us on Facebook:Follow us on Twitter:Follow us on Linked In : linkedin.com/company/bharat-book-bureauOur Blog : bharatbook.com/blog/I am working with a market research company which provides market research reports, company profiles, custom research, industry analysis, country reports , business reports, online databases etc. Through our industry analysis you can identify opportunities, analyze the requirements of the customers and study the competition sector wise.808, Real Tech Park, 8th Floor, Sector - 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai - 400703 , INDIA .
Solar PV Market Size in Israel 2015 industry Trend, Growth, Key, Size, Analysis, Outlook 2025

http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/solar-pv-in-israel-market-outlook-to-2025-39321#RequestSample

Solar PV Market Size in Israel , Outlook to 2025, Update 2015  Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummaryThe report  Solar PV Market Size in Israel Outlook provides in depth analysis on Solar PV market in Israel with forecasts upto year 2025. This report analyzes the Solar PV market scenario in Israel (also includes renewable energy, nuclear, conventional thermal and large hydro sources) and includes future outlook upto 2025. The report ( Solar PV Market in Israel ) highlights installed capacity as well as power generation trends in Israel Solar PV market from 2001 till year 2025. Israel Solar PV Market Research Report also provides company snapshots of some of the major Solar PV market participants.Get Free Sample Report Here :Scope:-The report analyses global renewable power market, global Solar PV market, Israel power market, Israel renewable power market and Israel Solar PV market. The scope of the research includes  Israel Solar PV market includes a brief introduction on global carbon emissions. Report on global Solar PV market also provides brief introduction on global primary energy consumption on Solar PV market scenario. An review on Israel power market, highlighting installed capacity Solar PV Market trends, Solar PV generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources Solar PV energy scenario. Report  Israel Solar PV market covered for the historical period 2001-2014 and Solar PV Market forecast in Israel during period 2015-2025. Solar PV Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), concentrated solar power (CSP), solar photovoltaic (PV), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal. Overview of the global Solar PV market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major Solar PV countries in 2014 and key owners information of various regions on Solar PV market scenario. Solar PV Power market scenario in Israel and provides detailed Solar PV market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with Solar PV forecasts up to 2025.Reasons to buy The report ( Israel Solar PV market) will enhance your decision making capability time sensitive manner. Solar PV Israel Market report will help you to identify key growth as well as investment opportunities in Israel Solar PV renewable power market. Facilitate decision-making based on deep historic (2001-2014) and forecast data (upto 2025) for Solar PV market in Israel . Solar PV Israel Market report will help you to position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the Solar PV industrys growth potential. Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events. Identify key partners and business development avenues. Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Thermal Power Market Outlook in Pakistan 2016 Size, industry Trend, Growth, Key, Analysis

http://goo.gl/Dl5FbU

Thermal Power Market in Pakistan , Outlook to 2025, Update 2015  Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummaryThe report  Thermal Power Market in Pakistan Outlook provides in depth analysis on Thermal Power market in Pakistan with forecasts upto year 2025. This report analyzes the Thermal Power market scenario in Pakistan (also includes renewable energy, nuclear, conventional thermal and large hydro sources) and includes future outlook upto 2025. The report ( Thermal Power Market in Pakistan ) highlights installed capacity as well as power generation trends in Pakistan Thermal Power market from 2001 till year 2025. Pakistan Thermal Power Market Research Report also provides company snapshots of some of the major Thermal Power market participants.Get Free Sample Report Here :Scope:-The report analyses global renewable power market, global Thermal Power market, Pakistan power market, Pakistan renewable power market and Pakistan Thermal Power market. The scope of the research includes  Pakistan Thermal Power market includes a brief introduction on global carbon emissions. Report on global Thermal Power market also provides brief introduction on global primary energy consumption on Thermal Power market scenario. An review on Pakistan power market, highlighting installed capacity Thermal Power Market trends, Thermal Power generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources Thermal Power energy scenario. Report  Pakistan Thermal Power market covered for the historical period 2001-2014 and Thermal Power Market forecast in Pakistan during period 2015-2025. Thermal Power Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), concentrated solar power (CSP), solar photovoltaic (PV), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal. Overview of the global Thermal Power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major Thermal Power countries in 2014 and key owners information of various regions on Thermal Power market scenario. Thermal Power Power market scenario in Pakistan and provides detailed Thermal Power market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with Thermal Power forecasts up to 2025.Reasons to buy The report ( Pakistan Thermal Power market) will enhance your decision making capability time sensitive manner. Thermal Power Pakistan Market report will help you to identify key growth as well as investment opportunities in Pakistan Thermal Power renewable power market. Facilitate decision-making based on deep historic (2001-2014) and forecast data (upto 2025) for Thermal Power market in Pakistan . Thermal Power Pakistan Market report will help you to position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the Thermal Power industrys growth potential. Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events. Identify key partners and business development avenues. Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Energy Market Study is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Research Report on Global RF Devices for Smart TV Market 2016 Industry Growth, Segment, Demand, Share, Analysis to 2020

http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/rf-devices-for-smart-tv-market-2016-global.html

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9D Research Group Has Recently Announced The Addition Of A Market Study RF Devices for Smart TV Market 2016 - Global Industry Size, Trends, Growth, Share, Opportunities and Forecast by 2020, Is A Comparative Analysis Of The Global Market.Global RF Devices for Smart TV Industry 2016 Market Research Report was a professional and depth research report on Global RF Devices for Smart TV industry that you would know the world's major regional market conditions of RF Devices for Smart TV industry, the main region including North American, Europe and Asia etc, and the main country including United States ,Germany ,Japan and China etc.Access full report with TOC atThe report firstly introduced RF Devices for Smart TV basic information including RF Devices for Smart TV definition, classification, application and industry chain overview; RF Devices for Smart TV industry policy and plan, RF Devices for Smart TV product specification, manufacturing process, cost structure etc. Then we deeply analyzed the world's main region market conditions that including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc.In the end, the report introduced RF Devices for Smart TV new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis and Global Twin-screw Extruder industry.In a word, it was a depth research report on Global RF Devices for Smart TV industry. And thanks to the support and assistance from RF Devices for Smart TV industry chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.Inquiry for buying reportThe report including six parts, the first part mainly introduced the product basic information; the second part mainly analyzed the Asia RF Devices for Smart TV industry; the third part mainly analyzed the North American RF Devices for Smart TV industry; the fourth part mainly analyzed the Europe RF Devices for Smart TV industry; the fifth part mainly analyzed the market entry and investment feasibility; the sixth part was the report conclusion chapter.Table of ContentPart I RF Devices for Smart TV Industry OverviewChapter One RF Devices for Smart TV Industry Overview1.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Definition1.2 RF Devices for Smart TV Classification Analysis1.2.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 RF Devices for Smart TV Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 RF Devices for Smart TV Application Analysis1.3.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Main Application Analysis1.3.2 RF Devices for Smart TV Main Application Share Analysis1.4 RF Devices for Smart TV Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 RF Devices for Smart TV Industry Development Overview1.5.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Product History Development Overview1.5.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Product Market Development Overview1.6 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 RF Devices for Smart TV Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter Two RF Devices for Smart TV Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend AnalysisChem Gadgets is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Denmark Power Plant Market 2016 industry Trend, Growth, Key, Size, Analysis, Outlook 2025

denmark power plant

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Power Market in Denmark , Outlook to 2025, Update 2015  Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummaryThe report Power Market in Denmark Outlook provides in depth analysis on Power market in Denmark with forecasts upto year 2025. This report analyzes the Power market scenario in Denmark (also includes renewable energy, nuclear, conventional thermal and large hydro sources) and includes future outlook upto 2025. The report ( Power Market in Denmark ) highlights installed capacity as well as power generation trends in Denmark Power market from 2001 till year 2025. Denmark Power Market Research Report also provides company snapshots of some of the major Power market participants.Get Sample Report Here :Scope :-The report analyses global renewable power market, global Power market, Denmark power market, Denmark renewable power market and Denmark Power market. The scope of the research includes  Denmark Power market includes a brief introduction on global carbon emissions. Report on global Power market also provides brief introduction on global primary energy consumption on Power market scenario. An review on Denmark power market, highlighting installed capacity Power Market trends, Power generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources Power energy scenario. Report  Denmark Power market covered for the historical period 2001-2014 and Power Market forecast in Denmark during period 2015-2025. Power Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), concentrated solar power (CSP), solar photovoltaic (PV), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal. Overview of the global Power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major Power countries in 2014 and key owners information of various regions on Power market scenario. Power Power market scenario in Denmark and provides detailed Power market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with Power forecasts up to 2025.Reasons to buy The report ( Denmark Power market) will enhance your decision making capability time sensitive manner. Power Denmark Market report will help you to identify key growth as well as investment opportunities in Denmark Power renewable power market. Facilitate decision-making based on deep historic (2001-2014) and forecast data (upto 2025) for Power market in Denmark . Power Denmark Market report will help you to position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the Power industrys growth potential. Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events. Identify key partners and business development avenues. Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Medical Report Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Global and China tert-Butylamine (CAS 75-64-9) Market is Expected to Reach USD 295.92 Million in 2020

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Zion Research has published a new report titled Global and China tert-Butylamine (CAS 75-64-9) Market for Rubber Industry, Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals and Other (Chemical Synthesis, etc.) Applications, 2014 - 2020. According to the report, global demand for tert-Butylamine was valued at USD 200.0 million in 2014, is expected to reach USD 295.92 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% between 2015 and 2020. In terms of volume, the global tert-Butylamine market stood at 50,000.0 tons in 2014.tert-Butylamine (tBA) is a primary aliphatic amine that is used as an intermediate for the production of accelerators for the rubber and tire industry. It is also used in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries as a building block. tert-Butylamine is produced commercially by the Ritter reaction of isobutene with hydrogen cyanide under acidic conditions to give the formamide. In the laboratory, it can be prepared by the hydrogenolysis of 2,2-dimethylethylenimine, or via tert-butylphthalimide.tert-Butylamine is used as an intermediate in the preparation of the sulfenamides such as N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazylsulfenamide and N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazylsulfenimide. As rubber accelerators, these compounds modify the rate of vulcanization or rubber. A variety of pesticides are derived from this amine, including terbacil, terbutryn, and terbumeton.Browse the full Global and China tert-Butylamine (CAS 75-64-9) Market for Rubber Industry, Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals and Other (Chemical Synthesis, etc.) Applications, 2014 - 2020 report attert-Butylamine is widely used as a accelerator in rubber industry. Rubber industry accounted for around 40% share in total volume consumption in 2014. tert-Butylamine has a vast range of applications and is used as a chemical intermediate in the manufacturing of a variety of agrochemical and pharmaceutical formulations and chemical synthesis. The rubber market is the largest application area for tert-Butylamine, followed by pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals respectively. However, chemical synthesis is a fast growing application of tert-Butylamine.Get Sample Research Report:The global tert-Butylamine market was dominated by Asia Pacific, which accounted for over 45% of the global volumes consumed in 2014. Growth of tert-Butylamine in Asia Pacific has been mainly driven by the extensive use of tert-Butylamine by end-user industries such as rubber, pharmaceuticals, crop protection chemicals and increasing chemicals industry in the region. It is the largest tert-Butylamine market in terms of production and consumption.Key players operating in this market includes Zibo Fufeng Chemical Co., Ltd., BASF SE, Linshu Huasheng Chemical Co., Ltd., Sterling Chemicals, Tianjin Luhua Chemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Yanggu Huatai Chemical Co., Ltd., etc.This report segments the global market as follows:Global tert-Butylamine Market: Application Segment Analysis Rubber Industry Pharmaceuticals Agrochemicals Others (Chemical Synthesis, etc.)Global tert-Butylamine Market: Regional Segment Analysis North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of the WorldDo inquiry Before Purchasing Report:Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each Zion Research syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food and beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve the overall research requirement of clients.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite:
U.S. Pet Food Market is Expected to Reach USD 28.19 Billion in 2020

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Zion Research has published a new report titled U.S. Pet Food (Dry Food, Wet Food and Treat & Snacks/Mixers) Market for Dogs, Cats and Other Pets, 2014 - 2020. According to the report, U.S. pet food industry was valued at USD 23.15 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach USD 28.19 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 3.41% between 2015 and 2020.Plants or animal extracts are key raw materials used in the manufacture of pet food products. Pet food products are manufacture red according to the nutritional value of the raw materials that go well with the requirements of the type and age of the animal being fed. Pet food products in U.S. are sold through retail outlets in supermarkets and specialized pet stores.Browse the full U.S. Pet Food (Dry Food, Wet Food and Treat & Snacks/Mixers) Market for Dogs, Cats and Other Pets 2014 - 2020 report atThe pet food market growth in U.S. is triggered by increase in pet humanization and growing pet health concerns further supported by revival in economy. People in the region are more concerned about fulfillment of the physical and emotional need of their pet. This has resulted into increase in spending on providing good quality food products to their pets. Further, increase in pet health concerns has made pet owners to shift towards healthy and nutritious food that is exclusively prepared according to the age and type of pet. U.S. is mature market for pet food products and the package, label, and other claims by pet food companies influence the purchase trends.However, ever increasing product recalls and increasing pet obesity have posed major threat to the pet food industry in U.S. market. Obesity has become very common problem with pets such as dogs and cats. Over, 50% dogs and cats in U.S. are facing health problems owing to obesity. Moreover, arthritis and heart disease are other ailments affecting aging pets, thus discouraging the adoption of pets.The U.S. pet food market was valued at USD 23.5 billion in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.4% between 2015 and 2020. Pet food market is mainly segmented into dry food, wet food and treat & snacks/mixers. Dry food was the largest market segment of pet food industry in U.S. Wet food was the second largest market segment with around 20% share in total sales in 2014. Treat & snacks/mixers is small volume market and holds small market share. In terms of revenue, dog food accounted for largest market share followed by cat food segment with around 30% share in total revenue generated in year 2014.Get Sample Research Report:The U.S. pet food industry is characterized by presence of large number of pet food product manufacturers. Intense competition among the producers has been resulted into increasing focus on research and development. Big Heart Pet Brands, Mars, and Nestle are among the leading players in the U.S. pet food industry.This report segments the U.S. pet food market as follows:U.S. Pet Food Market: Product Segment Analysis Dry Food Wet Food Treat and Snacks/MixersU.S. Pet Food Market: Application Segment Analysis Dogs Cats Other PetsDo inquiry Before Purchasing Report:zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each Zion Research syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food and beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve the overall research requirement of clients.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite:
Ireland Power Market Share 2016 industry Trend, Growth, Key, Size, Analysis, Outlook 2025

Ireland Power market

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Power Market in Ireland ,Outlook to 2025, Update 2015  Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummaryThe report  Power Market in Ireland Outlook provides in depth analysis on Power market in Ireland with forecasts upto year 2025. This report analyzes the Power market scenario in Ireland (also includes renewable energy, nuclear, conventional thermal and large hydro sources) and includes future outlook upto 2025. The report ( Power Market in Ireland ) highlights installed capacity as well as power generation trends in Ireland Power market from 2001 till year 2025. Ireland Power Market Research Report also provides company snapshots of some of the major Power market participants.Get Free Sample Report Here :Scope:-The report analyses global renewable power market, global Power market, Ireland power market, Ireland renewable power market and Ireland Power market. The scope of the research includes  Ireland Power market includes a brief introduction on global carbon emissions. Report on global Power market also provides brief introduction on global primary energy consumption on Power market scenario. An review on Ireland power market, highlighting installed capacity Power Market trends, Power generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources Power energy scenario. Report  Ireland Power market covered for the historical period 2001-2014 and Power Market forecast in Ireland during period 2015-2025. Power Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), concentrated solar power (CSP), solar photovoltaic (PV), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal. Overview of the global Power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major Power countries in 2014 and key owners information of various regions on Power market scenario. Power Power market scenario in Ireland and provides detailed Power market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with Power forecasts up to 2025.Reasons to buy The report ( Ireland Power market) will enhance your decision making capability time sensitive manner. Power Ireland Market report will help you to identify key growth as well as investment opportunities in Ireland Power renewable power market. Facilitate decision-making based on deep historic (2001-2014) and forecast data (upto 2025) for Power market in Ireland . Power Ireland Market report will help you to position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the Power industrys growth potential. Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events. Identify key partners and business development avenues. Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Medical Report Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Global Electrostatic Precipitator Market Growth, Outlook, Industry Trends 2015: Acute Market Reports

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http://www.briskinsights.com/report/biometrics-system-market

The Global Electrostatic Precipitator Industry Report 2015 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Electrostatic Precipitator industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Electrostatic Precipitator market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.View Full Report with TOC @ acutemarketreports.com/report/global-electrostatic-precipitator-industry-report-2015Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, Installed Power, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Electrostatic Precipitator industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Browse All Reports of This Category @With 258 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.About Acute Market ReportsAcute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. Acute Market Reports provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade Acute Market Reports collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Acute Market Reports database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.For More Information visit:Contact:Chris PaulOffice No 01, 1st Floor,Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune,MH, 411045 IndiaPhone (India): +91 7755981103Toll Free (US/Canada): +1-855-455-8662Email: sales@acutemarketreports.comMore Related Category Reports, Visit -Acute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. Acute Market Reports provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade Acute Market Reports collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Acute Market Reports database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.Office No 01, 1st Floor,Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune,MH, 411045 India
Europe Conveyor System Market is Expected to Reach USD 12 Billion in 2020

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Zion Research has published a new report titled Conveyor Systems Market in Europe (Conveyor Components, Bulk Handling Systems, And Unit Handling Systems) for Automotive, Food & Beverages, Aviation, and Retail : Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020. According to the report, Europe demand for conveyor systems market was valued at around USD 10 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach around USD 12 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 2.8% between 2015 and 2020.Conveyor system is a commonly used mechanical material handling equipment which helps to move materials from one workstation to another within a factory or premises. Conveyor systems are mainly used for the movement of heavy or bulky materials within a workstation. Use of conveyor systems facilitates the easy and quick transportation of wide variety of materials. Use of conveyor systems is growing in popularity among the end user industries. Retail, food & beverages and aviation are among the major end users of conveyor systems. There is a vast variety of conveyor systems is available in the market to fulfill various needs of different industries.Browse the full "Conveyor Systems Market in Europe (Conveyor Components, Bulk Handling Systems, And Unit Handling Systems) for Automotive, Food & Beverages, Aviation, and Retail : Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast 2014 - 2020" report atConveyor systems market in Europe is expected to exhibit moderate growth in the years to come. Growth of conveyor systems is mainly driven by the advantages offered by it against traditional bulk handling practice. Conveyor systems provide end users with reliable and safe transport of materials from one workstation to another. Increasing use at airports across Europe is driving demand for conveyor systems. Use of conveyor systems allow the end used to cut down unnecessary processes involved in material shifting and to eliminate the idle time in carrying material between two assembly points. However, major challenge for this industry is the technical problems associated with their continuous operations along with high capital expenditure and maintenance cost.Conveyor components, bulk handling systems and unit handling systems are the major product segments of this market. Unit handling systems dominated the conveyor systems market in Europe with around 39% share in the total market in 2014. Strong demand for unit handling systems in the market can be attributed to the various advantages associated with it such as uniformity in material handling and storage operations that facilitates proper storage planning and packaging of units. However, conveyor components segment is expected to exhibit fastest growth during the forecast period.Roller, belt, overhead, pallet, etc. are major types of conveyor systems available in the market. The chain conveyor is the most commonly used conveyor systems. Key end-user segments served by the conveyor systems include retail, food & beverage, aviation, and others (automotive and airport baggage-handling). Assembly line, paint shop, and body shop are key application segments of conveyor systems in the automotive industry. While, in retail sector it helps reducing errors in the manual handling of distribution and warehousing, sorting, cross-docking, and distribution. Thus, these factors in the conveyor system are expected to drive the growth of retail application sector market.Growth of automotive, food and beverages, retail and aviation industry in the region is expected to trigger the further growth of the conveyor systems market. Germany, UK and France dominated the Europe conveyor systems market in region. However, Eastern Europe is also expected to exhibit growth in demand for conveyor systems.Get Sample Research Report:Dematic Group, Siemensc., SSI Schaeferd., Swisslog Holding are some of the key conveyor system vendors in the region. Other promising vendors for the conveyor system market in Europe includes Caterpillar, Daifuku, Dorner Conveyors, Eisenmann, Emerson Electric, Fives Group, Flexlink, Interroll, Mahindra Conveyor Systems, Murata Machinery, Redler, RUD, Shuttleworth, Taikisha, and Vanderlande.Conveyor Systems market in Europe  Product Segment AnalysisUnit Handling SystemsBulk Handling SystemsConveyor ComponentsConveyor Systems market in Europe - Product AnalysisRoller ConveyorsBelt ConveyorsOverhead ConveyorsPallet ConveyorsOther ConveyorsConveyor Systems market in Europe  Application AnalysisRetailFood & BeverageAviation SectorsDo inquiry Before Purchasing Report:Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each Zion Research syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food and beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve the overall research requirement of clients.Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite:
Buyforexonline.com launches Forex Offer with Three Free Incentives

Forex Offer

[Bangalore, March 17, 2016]Buyforexonline.com launches yet another Forex Offer with Three Free Incentives for travel enthusiasts. In addition to their lowest currency exchange rates, now customers can avail Three incentives on every Forex order. The free Package includes: 5000/- off on International holiday packages from TUI. 200/- Voucher from Amazon 100/- off on ForexTerms and Conditions for this offer are: This offer is only valid for fresh orders on Buyforexonline.com. This offer is not valid on Reloads and encashments. The International holiday coupon from our travel partner is valid for 6 months. Amazon.in Gift voucher is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. Use Coupon code TRAVEL100 while placing your Forex order and get 100/- off. This deal cannot be clubbed with any other offer/coupon.This offer is active for a 2 month time period. So if you are looking to buy forex for your upcoming international trip, this website is a good place to start, for it also offers online Reload, 24/7 customer support and a facility to upload documents online. This is an exciting opportunity for people planning to spend this years summer vacations at exotic destinations abroad.About BuyForexOnline:BuyForexOnline India is a Private limited company partnered with TATA Capital Forex & Axis Bank, is based out of Bengaluru the IT hub of India and started operations in July, 2013.For information, queries or any assistance, please contact BuyForexOnline.com on 18002002940 or write in at helpdesk@buyforeonline.com where company representatives are available 24/7 to offer immediate solutions.Rekha Jagannath"As the first non-banking online platform in India geared solely towards your personal travel Forex needs, BuyForexOnline.com is a bold and unique initiative to simplify the experience of acquiring foreign exchange. Expect the best rates and transparent pricing, coupled with the convenience of D3 - direct doorstep delivery. What's more, unlike traditional money changers who cannot guarantee a fixed Forex rate when placing your order, BuyForexOnline.com ensures that you stay insulated from any rate fluctuations, once you confirm your order. No More IVRs - Expect shorter response times with dedicated customer service lines and personnel that are always available to you while in India or abroadIn a nutshell, we have brought to you an online Forex store which requires no phone calls or physical visits to a bank or money changer, no last minute rush for arranging cumbersome documentation, and no hassles of preparing a DD or withdrawing large sums of money. All it takes are a few simple clicks.""Buy Forex Online India Pvt. LimitedMaruthi Complex 1st floor,#14 Langford Road,Bangalore - 560027"Rekha Jagannath1800-2002-940
Global Food Traceability Market 2016 Size, Trends, Share, Research, Review & Analysis 2020

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Global Food Traceability Market 2016-2020Food traceability systems are used to keep a record of the flow of products meant for human consumption and product attributes throughout the production process or logistics network. Since food production and its distribution is a complex process, companies consider food traceability system as the best tool to solve all food-related challenges. Food traceability helps companies make fresh food products available to their consumers, thereby helping in reducing food-borne diseases. In many countries, such as the US and the UK, consumers are ready to pay more for products having a food traceability and point-of-origin certificate. Technologies such as infrared, RFID, biometrics, and sensors have made food traceability convenient for companies in the Food industry.Global Food Traceability market to grow at a CAGR of 9.88 percent over the period 2014-2019.Get Free Sample Report :Covered in this ReportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Food Traceability market for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report takes into account the total revenue generated through the technologies used in food traceability, equipment used, and various applications of food traceability.Global Food Traceability Market 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the APAC region, Europe, Latin America, the MEA region, and North America; it also covers the Global Food Traceability market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key RegionsAPACEuropeLatin AmericaMEANorth AmericaKey VendorsC. H. RobinsonDuPontHoneywellIBMOther Prominent VendorsAirclicAdvanced Traceability SolutionsAFS TechnologiesBar Code IntegratorsBio-Rad LaboratoriesCheckpoint SystemsCognexDayMark Safety SystemsFoodLogiQHarvesterGearIndustrial Technology SystemsLotpathMarkem-ImajeMass GroupMatthews Marking SystemsMotorola SolutionsN2N GlobalOmron GroupProWare ServicesSoftTraceToolWorxYottaMarkZebra TechnologiesMarket DriverIncrease in Demand from Food IndustryFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket ChallengeHigh Costs of EquipmentFor a full, detailed list, view our reportAbout Us:Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: Market Research StoreEmail: sales@marketresearchstore.com
Global Gear Manufacturing Market 2016 Trends, Research, Demand, Size, Review & Analysis 2022

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Global Gear Manufacturing Market 2016-2020A gear is a rotating machine that enables the transmission of torque through meshing of cut teeth or cogs with another toothed part or rack. The ttransmission occurs by synchronous working of two or more gears using mechanical force to achieve the desired output and thus act as a simple machine. Gears are transmission devices that require human effort for operation, and are made of various raw materials such as steel, brass, cast iron, stainless steel, brass, aluminum alloys, and bronze.The analysts forecast the Global Gear Manufacturing Market to grow at a CAGR of 5.33 percent over the period 2014-2019.Get Free Sample Report :Covered in this ReportThe Global Gear Manufacturing Market can be segmented into three product segments: The Worm Gear, The Bevel Gear and The Spur GearThe report, the Global Gear Manufacturing Market, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas; it also covers the Global Gear Manufacturing Market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key RegionsAmericasEMEAAPACKey VendorsDavid Brown Gear Systems Ltd.Emerson Electric Co.Rotork plcOther Prominent VendorsBonfiglioli GroupCurtis Machine CompanyEatonFLSmidth MAAG GearHaley Marine GearsZF FriedrichshafenMarket DriverDemand in Oil and Gas IndustryFor a full, detailed list, view our report.Market ChallengeIncrease in Capital ExpenditureFor a full, detailed list, view our report.About Us:Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: Market Research StoreEmail: sales@marketresearchstore.com
Nuclear Power Plants in Ukraine 2016 Trend, Size, Analysis, growth, Outlook 2020

Nuclear Power in Ukraine

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Nuclear Power in Ukraine, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Power Plants, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummary"Nuclear Power in Ukraine, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Power Plants, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles is the latest report from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the nuclear power market in Ukraine.The report provides in depth analysis on global nuclear power market with forecasts up to 2025. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Ukraine (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewables) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2025. The research details nuclear power market outlook in the country and provides forecasts up to 2025. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2001 to 2025 in Ukraine nuclear power market. A detailed coverage of nuclear energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to nuclear is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active nuclear reactors in the country, market size of major equipment and company snapshot of some of the major market participants.Download Sample Report:Scope- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- Historical period is during 2001-2014 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2015-2025.- Overview on the global nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by region in 2014, installed capacity split by major nuclear power countries in 2014, cost analysis by reactor type, average capital expenditure and investment trends, market size of major equipments such as steam generator and turbine and nuclear decommissioning trends (2015-2025).- Power market scenario in Ukraine provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewables) with forecasts up to 2025.- Details of Ukraine nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by reactor type, installed capacity share by contractor/owner and information on major active and upcoming projects.- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting nuclear power development.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buy- The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in Ukraine nuclear power market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for nuclear power market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Tech Report Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Fast and easy backup for your VMware vSphere environment

http://www.acronis.com/en-us/business/backup/virtual-machine/?third_party=padati

Protecting virtual data doesn't have to be complicated! Acronis Backup for VMware (formerly vmProtect) is the fastest, easiest way to back up your VMware vSphere environment. The latest edition includes easy web-based management, agentless 1-step backup, full application support, flexible Universal Restore technology, and exceptionally fast data recovery - up to 100x faster than traditional methods.Get up and running with almost zero learning curve. Installation and configuration requires very little IT expertise, while agentless backup eliminates the need to install on every VM. Once set up, manage all your backup activity with Acronis Backup's easy web interface, accessible from any workstation/mobile device.Because it is fully integrated with VMware vSphere, Acronis Backup recognizes and captures your entire system in 1 easy step (including all virtual, configuration & application data). This ensures consistent, reliable, and complete recovery every time.With 1 easy click, send your backups to up 5 different destinations simultaneously (including the ultra-secure Acronis Cloud). When disaster strikes, restore anything in minutes! Recover your VMware ESXi host, specific VMs, individual files, or application data - all from the same disk image. Acronis Backup for VMware also includes Universal Restore, a unique feature that enables full system restore to any compatible device. Recover VMs to a new hypervisor or completely different hardware, without complications.Other features include incremental backup, data compression, AES 256 encryption, VM disk hot-plug support, and easy, unlimited P2V/V2V migrations.Learn more atAcronis is a world leader in providing advanced, scalable storage management and disaster recovery software that helps users and enterprises safeguard their information and assures the availability, security, integrity and recoverability of their infrastructure. Acronis patented disk imaging and disk management technology have won broad industry acclaim and numerous awards for excellence in data protection, backup and recovery, system deployment, and server migration for both physical and virtual machine servers. Its flagship product, Acronis True Image, is a leading commercial disk-imaging and bare-metal restore solution for Windows and Linux servers, as well as an automated system portability and migration tool. Since 2002, Acronis True Image has been the solution of choice for tens of thousands of customers, from small to mid-size businesses to the Fortune 500 in the banking, professional services, healthcare, technology, retail, government and manufacturing markets.Acronis, LLCUnited States of America Woburn 300 TradeCenter, Suite 6700Julie Toman appvisor@acronis.com
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Market in India 2016 Industry Research, Demand, Review & Analysis 2022

http://goo.gl/Jy9cGW

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Market in India 2016-2020Active pharmaceutical ingredients are the active substances that are used in the manufacture of a drug and have a pharmacological effect. They provide health benefits and play a vital role in disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Active pharmaceutical ingredients may be synthesized either chemically or through biotechnological methods. They are used in a wide range of therapeutic areas such as oncology, respiratory disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis.API market in India to grow at a CAGR of 10.76 percent over the period 2014-2019.Covered in this ReportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the API market in India during the period 2014-2019. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of API by vendors in the market.Get Free Sample Report :The report provides the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the top three vendors in the market. The market segmentation data and analysis is also provided for the following segmentation types: type of production process and area of therapy.In addition, the report discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the market. It also outlines the challenges faced by the vendors and the market at large, as well as the key trends that are emerging in the market.API Market in India 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts.Key VendorsAurobindo PharmaCiplaDr. Reddy''s LaboratoriesOther Prominent VendorsAnuh PharmaAlembic PharmaceuticalsA. R. Life SciencesAtul BioscienceBioconCadila PharmaceuticalsCalyx Chemicals & PharmaceuticalsCIRON Drugs and PharmaceuticalsCTX Life SciencesDishman Pharmaceuticals & ChemicalsElder PharmaceuticalsEmcure PharmaceuticalsFDCGlenmark PharmaceuticalsHetero DrugsHikalInd-Swift LaboratoriesIpca LaboratoriesJ. B. Chemicals and PharmaceuticalsLaurus LabsLupinMangalam Drugs & OrganicsMylan LaboratoriesOrchid Chemicals and PharmaceuticalsRanbaxy LaboratoriesSandozSequent ScientificShasun PharmaceuticalsSterling BiotechSun Pharmaceutical IndustriesThe Piramal GroupTorrent PharmaceuticalsUnichem LaboratoriesWockhardtMarket DriverStrong Preference for Generic DrugsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket ChallengeRegulatory BanFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket TrendEmergence of AfricaFor a full, detailed list, view our reportAbout Us:QY Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: QY Market ResearchEmail: sales@qymarketresearch.com
Biopower Market Outlook in Netherlands 2016 Trend, Size, Analysis, growth, Forecast 2020

Biopower in Netherlands

http://goo.gl/pGTJwW

Biopower in Netherlands, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends Regulations and Company ProfilesSummary"Biopower in Netherlands, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends Regulations and Company Profiles" is the latest report from the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the Biopower market in Netherlands.Get Sample Report:The report provides an in-depth analysis on global renewable power market and global Biopower market with forecasts up to 2025. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Netherlands (includes conventional Hydro, nuclear and renewable energy sources) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2025. The research details renewable power market outlook in the country (includes Wind, small hydro, biopower and renewable) and provides forecasts up to 2025. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2001 to 2025 in Netherlands Biopower market. A detailed coverage of energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to Biopower market development is provided in the report. The research also provides company snapshots of some of the major market participants.ScopeThe report analyses global renewable power market, global biopower (Biomass and Biogas) market, Netherlands power market, Netherlands renewable power market and Netherlands biopower market. The scope of the research includes -- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- An overview on global renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends, generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources. The information is covered for the historical period 2001-2014 (unless specified) and forecast period 2015-2025.- Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal.- Detailed overview of the global biopower market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major biopower countries in 2014 and key owners information of various regions.- Power market scenario in Netherlands and provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with forecasts up to 2025.- An overview on Netherlands renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends (2001-2025), generation trends(2001-2025) and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources in 2014.- Detailed overview of Netherlands biopower market with installed capacity and generation trends and major active and upcoming biopower projects.- Deal analysis of Netherlands biopower market. Deals are analyzed on the basis of mergers, acquisitions, partnership, asset finance, debt offering, equity offering, private equity (PE) and venture capitalists (VC).- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting the development of renewable power sources in general and biopower in particular.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buy- The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in Netherlands biopower market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for wind power market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Tech Report Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Robert Miller and Future Electronics Celebrates 10th Anniversary of System Design Center in China

www.FutureElectronics.com

www.FutureElectronics.com

Future Electronics, a global leading distributor of electronic components, led by founder and President Robert Miller, is pleased to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company's System Design Center in China, one of three locations operating around the world.First opened in 1986, Future Electronics' System Design Centers (SDCs) provide a complete offering of solutions, from the simple proof of concepts to full turn-key design services. The SDCs also develop reference and evaluation platforms, with designs that incorporate a variety of technologies to enable faster and more efficient product development. These tested and documented designs include the hardware, software and documentation needed to replicate example designs or applications. Key focus technologies include Power, MCUs, FPGA, LCDs, Wireless and Lighting.One of the most valued services of the company's System Design Centers is an exclusive Tool Loaner Program. Future Electronics offers, on loan, free development tools from many major manufacturers. This allows customers to evaluate both hardware platforms as well as tool offerings without significant up front expenditures.Future Electronics has more than 400 Advanced Engineers based in the Americas, Asia and Europe, providing in-depth engineering services including technical support and global logistics, enabling lower system costs, increasing product integration and functionality, and reducing time-to-market.Future Electronics' Advanced Engineers are factory certified system design experts, with in-depth knowledge on a variety of design approaches to help solve real design challenges and provide insight into new product roadmaps, reference designs, tools and design methodologies. They can help with system and architecture trade-off analyses, product selection, product evaluation, benchmarking and selection, design tool and methodology consulting and design reviews."Our System Design Centers offer full turnkey design services, covering everything from requirements to manufacturing hand-off," explained Martin Bernier, Director of the Engineering Support Group. Bernier continued, "We help customers minimize risk, and we provide engineering support throughout the production lifecycle."About Future ElectronicsFuture Electronics is a global leader in electronics distribution, ranking 3rd in component sales worldwide, with an impressive reputation for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions. Founded in 1968 by President Robert Miller, the company has established itself as one of the most innovative organizations in the industry today, with 5,000 employees in 169 offices in 44 countries around the world. Future Electronics is globally integrated, with one worldwide IT infrastructure providing real-time inventory availability and access, while enabling full integration of its operations, sales and marketing worldwide. Offering the highest level of service, the most advanced engineering capabilities and technical solutions through all stages of the design-production cycle, and the largest available-to-sell inventory in the world, Future's mission is always to Delight the Customer. For more information, visitMedia ContactMartin H. GordonDirector, Corporate CommunicationsFUTURE ELECTRONICS514-694-7710 (ext. 2236)Fax: 514-630-2671martin.gordon@FutureElectronics.com###Future Electronics is a global leader in electronics distribution, ranking 3rd in component sales worldwide, with an impressive reputation for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions. Founded in 1968 by President Robert Miller, the company has established itself as one of the most innovative organizations in the industry today, with 5,000 employees in 169 offices in 44 countries around the world.237 Hymus Boulevard, Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 5C7, Canada
Global Metal Stamping Market 2016 Industry Research, Demand, Trends, Growth & Analysis 2020

http://goo.gl/ICsN1Z

Global Metal Stamping Market 2015-2019Metal stamping refers to a metal forming process in which a metal sheet is punched or pressed by a die to form the desired metal shape. Punching or pressing process can be carried out manually or can be automated depending on the requirement. Metals such as steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminum, and copper are used in the metal stamping process. Stamped components are widely used in the Automotive, Engineering Machinery, Telecommunication, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Aerospace and Defense, and Electrical and Electronics industries.Global Metal Stamping market to grow at a CAGR of 3.02 percent over the period 2014-2019.The growth of the Global Metal Stamping market is highly dependent on the production and consumption of various metals worldwide. The increased need for metals in the Automotive, Transportation, Precision Engineering, and Aerospace industries has led to increased dependence on metal working and metal stamping tools.The increased need to provide quality products and the reduction in the overall weight of products have forced companies across industries to use non-ferrous materials as an alternative to ferrous materials,.The increased use of non-ferrous materials for forming metal has led to an increase in demand for metal stamped products worldwide.Request For Research Report Sample @Covered in this ReportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Metal Stamping market for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of metal stampings. The Global Metal Stamping market can be segmented into three products segments: Motor Vehicle Stamping, Job Stamping, and Others.Global Metal Stamping Market 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the APAC and EMEA regions; it also covers the Global Metal Stamping market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key Market DriversIncreased Demand from Automotive IndustryLow-cost Method of Metal FormingIncreased Demand for Metal ComponentsIncrease in Outsourcing of StampingKey Market TrendsEmergence of Next Generation Metal StampingReplacement of Ferrous Materials with Non-ferrous MaterialsIncrease in Mergers and AcquisitionsKey Market VendorsAlcoa Inc.American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.Magna International Inc.ThyssenKrupp AGTo define the market circumstances in the next 3-4 years, Our analysts have conducted in-depth analysis of the impact of market drivers, challenges and trends featuring data on product segmentations, vendor shares, growth rate by revenue and an evaluation of the different buying criteria in the order of importance.About Us:Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact Us:Joel JohnDeerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Web: Market Research StoreEmail: sales@marketresearchstore.com
Thermal Power Plants Market in Egypt 2016 Trend, Size, Analysis, growth, Outlook 2025

Thermal Power in Egypt

http://goo.gl/JjW07o

Thermal Power in Egypt, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company ProfilesSummary"Thermal Power in Egypt, Market Outlook to 2025, Update 2015 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles is the latest report from the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the thermal power market.Get Sample Report:The report provides in depth analysis on global thermal power market with forecasts up to 2025. The report analyzes the power market scenario in Egypt(includes thermal, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewable energy sources) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2025. The research details thermal power market outlook in the country and provides forecasts up to 2025. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2001 to 2025 in Egypt thermal power market. A detailed coverage of thermal energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to thermal is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active thermal power plants in the country, upcoming thermal installation details and company snapshots of some of the major market participants.ScopeThe report analyses global thermal power market, Egypt power market and Egypt thermal power market. The scope of the research includes -- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- Historical period is during 2001-2014 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2015-2025.- Detailed overview on the global thermal power market with installed capacity and generation trends, market forces analysis (drivers, restraints and challenges), installed capacity by fuel type, installed capacity split by region, installed capacity split by major countries and cross country comparison among thermal sources such as coal, oil and gas.- Power market scenario in Egypt and provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with forecasts up to 2025.- Detailed overview of Egypt thermal power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by fuel type, net capacity addition by fuel type, owners share, market size of major equipments such as steam generator and turbine, and information on major active and upcoming projects.- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting thermal power development.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buyThe report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. It will allow you to -- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in Egypt thermal power market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for thermal power market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Energy Market Study is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United States
Global Biometric Scanner Market 2015 Industry Growth, Size, Trends, Share, Analysis and Forecast to 2019

http://www.9dimengroup.com/market-analysis/global-biometric-scanner-market-2015-industry-growth-size.html

http://www.9dimengroup.com/report/56044/request-sample

http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/

According to the latest market report published by 9Dimen Group titled "Global Biometric Scanner Market 2015 Industry Key Trends, Demand, Size, Share, Analysis to 2019"The report titled Biometric Scanner is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview of the global Biometric Scanner market.The report provides an executive-level blueprint of the Biometric Scanner market beginning with the definition of the market dynamics. The analysis classifies the Biometric Scanner market in terms of products, application, and key geographic regions. With focus on presenting a detailed value chain analysis, the study evaluates the set of region-specific approaches forged by the industry. To determine the market potential for Biometric Scanner in the international scenario, the study delves into the competitive landscape and development landscape exhibited by the key geographic regions.Browse Complete Report with TOC @:Development plans and policies significantly impact the market dynamic. The report therefore studies in detail the impact of the strategies, plans, and policies adopted by leading vendors of the Biometric Scanner market. Manufacturing cost of products and the pricing structure adopted by the market is also evaluated in the report. Other parameters crucial in determining trends in the market such as consumption demand and supply figures, cost of production, gross profit margins, and selling price of product and services is also included within the ambit of the report.To provide a detailed analysis on the competitive landscape, the report profiles the key players in the Biometric Scanner industry. Information present in these chapters includes details of products manufactured by the leading companies, product specification and price, and production capacity. Using reliable analytical tools, the report evaluates the information sourced from both primary and secondary research. Results obtained through the detailed analysis helps in presenting refined forecasts regarding growth prospects of the Biometric Scanner market. Apart from this, the analysts have also conducted upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis to compile and present an exhaustive study on the Biometric Scanner market.Request for Sample Report @:A detailed segmentation evaluation of the Biometric Scanner market has been provided in the report. Detailed information about the key segments of the market and their growth prospects are available in the report. The detailed analysis of their sub-segments is also available in the report. The revenue forecasts and volume shares along with market estimates are available in the report.9Dimen Group Is A Single Destination For All The Industry, Company And Country Reports. We Feature Large Repository Of Latest Industry Reports, Leading And Niche Company Profiles, And Market Statistics Released By Reputed Private Publishers And Public Organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@9dimengroup.comWeb: 9dimengroup.com/Blog:
Handheld points of sale computer unit market is anticipated to reach $3.1 billion by 2018

Handheld points of sale computer unit market

http://goo.gl/RmO4Bu

Custom Market Insights releases a new market research report "Handheld Point of Sale (POS) Device Market: Global Industry Size Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, 2012 to 2018" to add to its collection of research reports.Handheld points of sale computer unit market shipments at $1.1 billion in 2011 are anticipated to reach $3.1 billion by 2018. Markets will grow as the retail and inventory process is made significantly more efficient by portable terminal function set including wireless transport and capability. E-commerce initiatives are enabled. Implementation depends on groups of people defining goals together to achieve a common goal. That goal is sometimes elusive. The retail and inventory process is made significantly more efficient by portable terminal function set including wireless transport and capability. E-commerce initiatives are enabled.Read Sample Report @Handheld Point of Sale (POS) devices are more versatile than existing standard PC based point of sale systems, providing greater range of functions and providing for wireless connectivity to the network. Both WiFi 802.1x fixed wireless and 4G / 3G wireless data solutions are supported by the handheld POS systems permitting seamless transport of information to enterprise systems. Transport of information does depend on middleware integration software.The segments addressed by handheld POS point of sale devices relate to extension of and replacement of standard cash register POS retail terminals, integrated direct inventory POS applications, portable combined remote / on site POS solutions, and mobile indoor payment POS solutions. Products go beyond simple retail sale processing. Products help retailers control inventory flow, combine in-store and back office solutions to enhance productivity, and track customer purchasing patterns for pinpoint marketing. Industry-specific solutions are provided across retail segments. Customer-facing technology is positioned to increase customer loyalty, retention, and sales.The companies that have measurable shares in handheld point of sale device markets are being challenged by dozens of Chinese companies that make lightweight, inexpensive, very portable handheld point of sale (POS) devices. There is a significant other portion of market share that is at the low end of the market. Handheld point of sale device low end products come from multiple companies in China that collectively garner a significant market position.Markets grow because systems leverage customer loyalty programs to increase sales. Incentive pricing, coupon management, repeat business, customer service and managed transaction systems all can be implemented in an efficient manner using the handheld terminal computers. Both the scanner and the handheld terminal have separate computing capability to create efficient systems.According to Susan Eustis, the lead author of the study, the purchase of handheld point of sale (POS) is driven by the need for modernization of restaurants, retail, healthcare, and supply chain. The handheld POS devices support flexibility and analytics implementation permitting more informed conduct of the business. The use of handheld point of sale (POS) devices is based on providing a way to automate process. That automation of process and modernization has appeal to those who run the businesses, track inventory, and serve customers.About Custom Market Insights:Custom Market Insights is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: admin@custommarketinsights.com
Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots Market is anticipated to reach $4.6 billion by 2022

Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots Market

http://goo.gl/vznlzh

Custom Market Insights releases a new market research report "Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022" to add to its collection of research reports.Hip and knee orthopedic surgical robot device markets at $84 million in 2015 are anticipated to reach $4.6 billion by 2022 as next generation robotic devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery.Worldwide Hip and Knee Orthopedic surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth. The accuracy provided by the robot is not reproducible by the human surgeon, so ultimately all surgeons will want to perform the orthopedic implants using this technology.Read Sample Report @Robot assisted medial knee arthroplasty: orthopedic surgical robots are poised to take knee and hip surgery quality far beyond what has previously been available. The quality of knee arthroplasty is improved with robotic capability. All the advantages of surgical robots carry into the Stryker Mako orthopedic reconstruction surgical products.. When the knee and hip surgical robots are used, patients have less bleeding, reduction of post-operative pain, fewer re-admissions to hospital and faster recovery. Robots support high-precision surgery. A clinic in Switzerland, La Source, has reported a reduction in the average days of hospitalization from 10 to 6.Knee and hip surgical robots provide consistent reproducible precision. This capability is so significant for implant surgery that the robots are positioned to become the defacto standard of care for knee and hip surgery within five years. Any one getting a knee or hip replaced will demand attention to quality of life, to maintenance of lifestyle provided by a robot when they have a joint replacement.As next generation systems, hip and knee robotic units provide a way to improve traditional orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgery. Total hip replacement surgery has evolved dramatically as advances in technology have brought improved surgical techniques. Surgical robots are a significany [art of that advance.Once, the penetration achieves this 35% level, all orthopedic surgeons will demand that hospitals offer robotic orthopedic surgical capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better. If the hospital does not offer the robot, the surgeon will move to a more modern facility.Knee and Hip Surgical Robots have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to start acting as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers were examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is reduced to put pressure on the ones that remain. Those remaining are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Stryker has thrived in this cost efficient environment with a surgical robot that permits faster surgeries, more cost efficient surgeries. In addition, Stryker offers an integrated system. The ability to include a Mako total knee application with Stryker Triathlon total knee system is anticipated to increase market share for Stryker. Stryker market leading Triathlon total knee system is helped in the market by the robot simply by the improved surgical technique possible. Surgical robots are proving themselves in a variety of disciplines, lending credibility to the Stryker robotic initiative.According to Susan Eustis, lead author of the study, Use of the robot with the orthopedic implant represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Robots provide an opportunity to transform orthopedics. By furthering the growth of robotic-arm assisted surgery, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire orthopedics implant market will grow more rapidly than it would otherwise.Stryker uses the Mako to perform partial knee resurfacing and is happy to add robotic capability to total knee resurfacing. Technology is enhancing a wide variety of procedures in many surgical specialties.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site.About Custom Market Insights:Custom Market Insights is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements. We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: admin@custommarketinsights.com
Global DNA Diagnostics Market (Product types, Application, Technology, End User and Geography) : Industry Size, Share, And Groth to 2020

Intense Research

http://goo.gl/mPdZjl

http://www.intenseresearch.com/

Intense Research has added a new research reports titled " Global DNA Diagnostics Market (Product types, Application, Technology, End User and Geography) - Size, Share, Global Trends, Company Profiles, Demand, Insights, Analysis, Research, Report, Opportunities, Segmentation and Forecast, 2013 - 2020 " to its report store.DNA diagnostics is a cutting edge method which is set to revolutionize the field of medical diagnostics. This technique enables medical professionals to identify various diseases, such as cancer, infectious diseases, and myogenic disorders, and to determine the appropriate treatment for the same. It is also used for clinical diagnostic confirmation and in prenatal diagnostics. The concept of DNA diagnostics has evolved via the breakthrough human genome project that resulted in the discovery of various disease-causing agents. The DNA diagnostics market is expected to generate 19 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 9.8% during the analysis period. Technological development has played a major role in improving DNA diagnostic platforms and techniques.Read Sample Report@Some of the significant technologies which incorporate DNA diagnostics include polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarray techniques, sequencing technology and mass spectrometry; these technologies are used for sample preparation, DNA isolation etc. Technological developments, which have led to improvements in these methodologies, drive the growth of the DNA diagnostics market. The use of DNA diagnostic methods in prenatal diagnostics and clinical confirmation has also boosted market growth. The DNA diagnostics market is expected to experience a growth spurt in the foreseeable future. Innovations in product design and technology have prompted doctors and researchers to shift their focus from traditional diagnostic methods to personalized medicines. The increased adoption of the personalized medicines approach would positively impact the DNA diagnostics market in the foreseeable future. Next generation sequencing is a powerful tool for decoding a number of human diseases, including various forms of cancer. Next generation sequencing reduces the cost of sequencing and increases the throughput. The optimization of sequencing technology could greatly impact the DNA diagnostics market.The report breaks the market into segments based on product type, technology, application, end users and geography. Based on product types, the market is segmented into instruments, reagents and service & software. The instruments segment holds the dominant share in the market, due to improved healthcare facilities, availability of user-friendly instruments, its competitive cost structure, reliability, size and the growing demand for it in the DNA diagnostics market. However, the service & software segment is expected to grow at a steady rate in the near future due to technological advancements and the incorporation of information technology in the DNA diagnostics market. There are several technologies used in the DNA diagnostics market; these include PCR, mass spectrometry, sequencing technology, in-situ hybridization and microarrays. PCR holds the dominant share due to its frequent usage in diagnostic procedures such as sample preparation, separation and isolation of DNA from collected samples. The DNA diagnostics market is also segmented based on its application in various diseases such as oncology, infectious diseases and myogenic disorders. The oncology segment leads the market and is followed by infectious diseases due to the rising incidence of these diseases and growing elderly population. In terms of geography, the market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and LAMEA. North America holds the dominant share in the market due to the increased adoption of the DNA diagnostics technology and the high prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. Companies profiled in the report include Roche Diagnostics, Bayer Diagnostic, Sysmex, Abbott laboratories, Gene-probe Inc., Cephide, Illumina, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Johnson and Johnson, and Novartis.KEY BENEFITSAn in-depth analysis of various regions would provide a clear understanding of current and future trends so that companies can make region specific plansThe report studies the application of next generation sequencing technology and biotechnology and their impact on the DNA diagnostics marketA comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restrict the growth of the DNA diagnostics market is providedKey regulatory guidelines in various regions which impact the DNA diagnostics market are critically examinedA quantitative analysis of the current market and estimations through 2013-2020 are provided to showcase the financial caliber of the DNA diagnostics marketDetailed analysis of the Asia-pacific region provides insights that would enable companies to plan their business move strategicallyValue chain analysis in the report gives a clear understanding of the roles of the stakeholders involved in the supply chain of the DNA diagnostics marketMARKET SEGMENTATION:The DNA diagnostics market is segmented based on product type, technology, application, end users and geographyMARKET BY PRODUCT TYPEInstrumentsReagentsService & SoftwareMARKET BY TECHNOLOGYPCRMicroarrayIn-situ HybridizationSequencing TechnologyMass SpectrometryOthersMARKET BY APPLICATIONOncologyProstate CancerBreast CancerColorectal CancerOthersInfectious DiseaseHepatitis B VirusHepatitis C VirusHIVTBChlamydia Trachomatic and Neisseria Gonorrhea (CT/NG)HPVMethiciline Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)OthersMyogenic DisorderClinical Diagnostic ConfirmationPrenatal DiagnosticsPre-implantation DiagnosticsOthersMARKET BY END USERSPoint of CareDiagnostic CenterSelf Testing/OTCMARKET BY GEOGRAPHYNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeLAMEAAbout UsIntense Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: admin@intenseresearch.comWeb:
Global Hernia Repair Devices and Consumables Market (Product Types, Hernia Type, Surgeries Type and Geography) : Industry Size, Share, And Groth to 2020

Intense Research

http://goo.gl/MYtQnP

http://www.intenseresearch.com/

Intense Research has added a new research reports titled " Global Hernia Repair Devices and Consumables Market (Product Types, Hernia Type, Surgeries Type and Geography) - Size, Share, Global Trends, Company Profiles, Demand, Insights, Analysis, Research, Report, Opportunities, Segmentation and Forecast, 2013 - 2020 " to its report store.A hernia is a type of disease in which the inner layers of abdominal muscle become weakened and the lining of the abdomen then bulges out into a small sac. Hernias can occur in several places, such as the navel (umbilical hernia), groin (inguinal hernia), and at the incision site of surgery (post-surgery hernia). Hernia can be treated in two ways, i.e. watchful waiting and surgical procedures. The surgical procedures involves two approach, namely, open tension-free repair surgery and laparoscopy. These surgeries are performed using mesh, made-up of biological or synthetic material with the help fixation devices. Owing to afore mention factors the global hernia repair devices and consumables market was valued at $3.9 billion in 2013.Read Sample Report@The market is segmented based on the product types- devices (fixation devices) and consumables (mesh, tacks and staples). Currently, the consumables constitute to the largest market share of about 87% of the global hernia repair devices and consumables market and would likely to grow at faster rate in the near future.The market is also segmented based on the types of hernia, namely, incisional hernia, inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, femoral hernia and other hernia (hiatal hernia and epigastric hernia). Inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia accounting for ~75% of the total market. About 20 million inguinal surgeries are performed annually across the globe and the number would eventually increase in coming years. Moreover, the number incisional hernia patients are likely to increase due to the increasing cases of post-surgical complication. Owing to afore mention factor, the incisional hernia is the fastest growing segment among the other types of hernia registering a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period.Geographically, the hernia repair devices and consumable market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. North America holds the largest market share followed by Europe. Presence of large obese population, changing lifestyle, early adoption of technologically advanced products and increase incidences of hernia in these region are driving the growth of the hernia repair devices and consumable market. The key player includes, Medtronic (Covidien), Ethicon (Johnson and Johnson), Davol (C R Bard), Cooper Surgicals, Cook Medicals, LifeCell Corporation, Insightra medical, B Braun Melsungen, W. L. Gore Inc., and Baxter Inc. KEY BENEFITSCompetitive landscape of the global hernia repair devices and consumables market helps to understand strategies adopted by various companies for growthComprehensive analysis of factors that drive and restrict growth of the hernia repair devices and consumables market is provided. For example, rising number of hernia patients drives the global hernia repair devices and consumables market; however, unfavorable reimbursement policies are likely to be a restraint of the marketMarket conditions of global hernia repair devices and consumables across all geographic regions are comprehensively analyzed. Development of technologically advanced products such as absorbable and non-absorbable meshes and devices, and synthetic and biological meshes are trackedPorters Five Forces model gives an in-depth analysis of the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, threats of new entrants and substitutes and competition amongst the key market playersMARKET SEGMENTATIONThe hernia repair devices and consumables market is segmented based on product types and geography.MARKET BY PRODUCT TYPEDevicesConsumablesMeshSynthetic materialAbsorbableNon-absorbableBiological MaterialMARKET BY HERNIA TYPEIncisional herniaInguinal herniaFemoral herniaUmbilical herniaOthersMAREKT BY SURGERY TYPEOpen tension-free repairLaparoscopic surgeryMARKET BY GEOGRAPHYNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificLAMEAAbout UsIntense Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: admin@intenseresearch.comWeb:
Series 3 DataTaker Loggers for Your Application!

Universal Data Loggers

www.combinedpower.coop

www.DataLoggerInc.com

www.dataloggerinc.com

Log Data from Many Sensor Types Using One Device!CHESTERLAND, OHMarch 17, 2016Do you need to monitor Temperature, Current/Voltage, Pulse, or another physical or electrical value? Now CAS DataLoggers can supply your business or organization with the new dataTaker Series 3 Data Loggers, flexible solutions offering users a suite of communications features combined with higher-precision measurements. No matter what these devices need to measure, they have the flexibility to get the job done. Call CAS DataLoggers today at (800) 956-4437 and see what dataTaker can do for your application!Truly Versatile Monitoring:Every day, Series 3 dataTaker dataloggers fulfil applications in every industry. Series 3 dataTakers easily connect to most sensors and data measurement sources, ensuring that almost any physical value can be scaled and logged including temperature, voltage, current, 4-20mA loops, resistance, strain gauges, frequency, and more.Models include the DT80, DT85, the environmental E series, the G series of geotechnical loggers, the industrial I series, and the modem-equipped M series.New Series 3 Features: Improved cold junction compensation is now available using a high-precision RTD sensor accurate to 0.1%, allowing up to 5x more accurate thermocouple measurements. The dataTakers 5V terminal can power external devices with a limit of 25mA, further extending the loggers flexibility. DT80 and DT85 devices are also viable for pulse counting applications, including measuring flow rate in the wastewater industry and integrated engine speed for automotive design.Their many communications capabilities include RS232 with modem support, Ethernet and USB memory stick ports, enabling connection to the dataTaker locally, remotely or over the Internet. Featuring support for multiple SDI-12 sensor networks, CANbus, Modbus for SCADA systems, FTP and Web interface, and 12V regulated output to power sensors, the DT80 is an ideal solution no matter the project.User-Friendly Software:Free user-friendly dEX software is also included with dataTaker dataloggers, featuring an intuitive graphical interface allowing hassle-free configuration and displaying real-time sensor measurements, calculations and diagnostic information in an easy-to-use Windows Explorer style interface. Real-time data can be viewed in mimics, trend charts, or tables, and users can also retrieve historical data for analysis.To get users started quickly, dEX comes built-in with no applications to install, runs directly from a web browser, and can be accessed either locally or remotely anywhere that a TCP/IP connection is available including worldwide over the internet.Hear what one of our customers says:1. The dataTaker is easily accessible via our local network instead of only via USB;2. The dataTakers ability to provide power to sensors has been helpful since we dont need to hook up the DC transformer in series with the sensing devices;3. The GUI is easy to set up and monitor;4. Recent data is easily accessible any time its needed, and real-time data for temperature and pressure can be read on the GUI;5. The data is retrievable in two separate types of files, in both graphic and comma-separated formats.--Kristofer Olsen, P.E.Project Director, Combined PowerFor further information on the dataTaker Series 3 family of data loggers, other data logging devices, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atContact Information:CAS DataLoggers, Inc.8437 Mayfield Rd.Chesterland, Ohio 44026(440) 729-2570(800) 956-4437sales@dataloggerinc.com
Peg, Nasogastric (NG) and Other Enteral Feeding Tubes & Devices Market To See 5.2% of Global Growth Rate

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=183623035

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomization.asp?id=183623035

The enteral feeding devices (e.g. Feeding Pump, Feeding Tube, Giving Set, Enteral Syringe) market has experienced significant growth over the last decade especially in areas such as Oncology, Gastroenterology, Neurology & End User segment such as Hospital, Ambulatory Care. The global enteral feeding devices market is expected to reach $2,517.2 million by 2019 from $1,953.6 million in 2014, at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2014 to 2019 and is not significantly impacted by the economic downturn.The statistics are revealed by Enteral Feeding Devices Market Research by Product (Feeding Pump, Feeding Tube, Giving Set, Enteral Syringe), by Stage (Adult, Paediatrics), by Application (Oncology, Gastroenterology, Neurology), by End User (Hospital, Ambulatory Care) - Global Forecast to 2019, which analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and burning issues in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World.For Inquiries before Buying this Report? visit @An increased number of hospitals and ambulatory care settings are adopting enteral nutrition practices and feeding devices. Technological advances have made these devices user-friendly and safe, to avoid complications, such as misconnections, tube dislodgment, aspiration, and tube blockage. Other technological enhancements include unique connection systems to avoid misconnection of feeding tubes, user-friendly techniques, such as portable feeding pumps, programming options, programmable flushing intervals, multiple languages, occlusion pressure alarm options, history of previous feed rates, and screen and program lock-out features to prevent manipulation.Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports; specify your area of interest here @Technological advances such as such as programming and safety features in feeding pumps, user friendly, and portable feeding pumps are expected to drive the adoption of enteral feeding devices in the global clinical nutrition industry.With the rapid rise in healthcare infrastructure and healthcare expenditure such as India and China and the rising awareness on enteral feeding as a suitable alternative to parenteral nutrition, the markets in these regions has seen a significant upsurge in recent years. Moreover, the large base of preterm births in developing countries and the growing geriatric population in Japan are also likely to fuel the demand for enteral feeding devices in these regions in upcoming years.However, insufficient reimbursement in developing and underdeveloped countries and the complications associated with enteral feeding tubes may restrain the growth of this market during the forecast period of 2014 to 2019.Major players in this market are Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Covidien PLC (Ireland), Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Halyard Health, Inc. (U.S.), B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), C.R. Bard, Inc. (U.S.), Cook Medical (U.S.), ConMed Corporation (U.S.), Vygon SA (France), and Moog, Inc. (U.S.). Other players include Applied Medical technology, Inc. (U.S.), Danone Group (France), Nestle S.A. (Switzerland), Amsino International, Inc. (U.S.), and CORPAK MedSystems, Inc. (U.S.).About Research Publisher: MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanMarkets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, Hadapsar
Lucintels PESTLE Analysis of Chile 2014: External Demand and Domestic Consumption to Drive the Economy

Insights that Matter

www.lucintel.com

http://www.lucintel.com/lucintel-product-catalog.html

http://www.lucintel.com/newsletter.aspx

Increase in external as well as domestic demand is expected to boost high economic growth of Chile. As the country is having worlds third largest copper reserves, so increase in copper prices will also have significant positive impact on the economic growth of Chile. Chilean economy is likely to grow to $283.7 billion at the current price by 2019, with a CAGR of 5.5% during 2014 to 2019. Economic recovery across the globe is likely to improve producer confidence that is likely to boost the demand of Copper. Lucintel expects a rebound in the economy by 2014, especially after a phase of recession in European countries.Lucintel, a leading global management consulting and market research firm, has conducted a detailed analysis of this economy and presents its findings in PESTLE Analysis of Chile 2014. The study indicates that Chile is likely to face some challenges in its quest to achieve growth and competitive edge in the economy. High dependency on copper export is one of the major challenges for the Chile. The report also highlights the major drivers of the economy.The service sector is contributing 69% of the GDP in Chile, where business services are playing crucial role. High growth in business services like administrative services and professional services are backed by the high skilled work force. Mining is one of the leading industries in Chile which contributes 14.2% to GDP. Huge copper reserves have led to the growth of the Mining industry.Chile is known for its mining Industry, ranked third in world for copper output. Huge Copper reserves (28% of global reserves) are making mining support services industry an emerging industry of Chile. Mining Support service and capital goods industry are one of the emerging industries in Chile. It is expected that Chile will attract more than $50,000 million investment by 2017 in this industry. Lucintel highlights key challenges faced by Chile. Low R&D and high dependency over Copper export are concerning factors for the GDP growth of the country. On social front, Chile may face higher dependency ratio which is likely to increase to 16.6% in 2019 from 13.9% in 2013.This report includes in depth analysis of the Macro economy of Chile, Political Scenario, Economic and business risk, Social and Technological analysis. This report provides the knowledge on leading industries and the emerging industries in the country.For a detailed table of contents and pricing information on these timely, insightful reports, contact Lucintel at +1-972-636-5056 or via email at helpdesk@lucintel.com. Lucintel offerings include Business Diagnostic and Implementation, Industry / Market Analysis, Strategic Growth Consulting, Capital Investment Analysis and SWOT Analysis. To learn more, visit. Visit Lucintel Product listto see a complete list of Lucintel reports. Sign up for our free Email NewsletterLucintel, the premier global management consulting and market research firm creates winning strategy for growthwhether you need to understand market dynamics, identify new opportunities, or increase your profitability. Lucintel team of trusted industry experts for materials and manufacturing industries have executed over hundreds of consulting projects for clients, ranging from small up to multinational companies such as 3M, Audi, BASF, Cytec, DSM, Eastman, GE, Huntsman, Momentive and Sumitomo. To learn how Lucintel can help focus your business development efforts with pragmatic solutions, watch a 3.5-minute short movie at lucintel.com/imovie/.Lucintel222 Las Colinas Blvd West, Suite 1650, Irving, TX 75039, USAPh: +1-972-636-5056 Fax: +1-877-883-5140marketing@lucintel.com
TekTone receives California OSHPD Special Seismic Certificate Pre-Approval

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TekTones Tek-CARE400 P5 nurse call system and its components received the Special Seismic Certificate Pre-Approval from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. The materials were tested to the standards provided by OSHPD and in accordance with California Building Code Section 1705A.13.3. The pre-approval certificate listing designates that the Tek-CARE400 P5 will maintain functionality and structural integrity during and after an earthquake occurrence.The Special Seismic certificate further illustrates the durability and assurance that TekTone systems offer. In the event of an earthquake, TekTones Tek-CARE400 P5 nurse call system will continue to operate as normal, assuring the safety of residents and staff. Care providers will be able to maintain efficiency while attending to patients.Follow TekTone on Facebook atTekTones pre-approval listing can be viewed on the OSHPD website.Founded in 1973, TekTone Sound & Signal Mfg., Inc. opened its manufacturing facility in Franklin in 1989. The company designs and manufactures nurse call, apartment entry, wireless nurse/emergency call, area of rescue assistance, and alert integration systems. TekTone nurse call systems are found in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and public and private hospitals around the globe. TekTone is headquartered in Franklin, NC  plus a network of first-rate distributors and representatives that stretches worldwide.277 Industrial Park RoadFranklin, NC 28734USA
Poop beer is old news for Oregonians. But one California brewery is trying to introduce the water-starved state to what some are calling an "I pee A."

Half Moon Bay Brewing created an IPA with gray water from toilets and showers. The water, of course, is treated using NASA's system that allows astronauts, such as recently-returned Scott Kelly, to brew coffee with their sweat and urine.

The beer isn't for mass sale yet, according to the Guardian, just as Oregon's experiments at turning wastewater to beer haven't quite earned the right to store shelves yet.

But, as you can see from The Oregonian/Oregonlive's coverage, there is plenty of interest:
A convicted felon has pleaded not guilty to a federal charge after Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents seized more than 30 guns and over 32,000 rounds of ammunition he stored on someone else's Clackamas County property, court records show.



Robert Evans Mahler, 66, of Silverton was arraigned Wednesday on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The federal indictment identifies 17 pistols, shotguns and rifles that belonged to Mahler.



Mahler, who owned a gun store in Salem, was convicted of making a false statement in acquisition of a firearm in April 1994 for illegally buying four machine guns. He was convicted in March 1995 of illegally exporting a defense article after he was found guilty of illegally shipping 227 firearms and 46,900 rounds of ammunition to South Africa, court records show.



According to a federal criminal complaint, a woman who was storing Mahler's belongings on her property called a federal agent in January saying the items included an estimated 50 firearms. The woman, the sister of Mahler's son-in-law, said she read an article online that indicated Mahler is a convicted felon.



Mahler's son-in-law claimed Mahler buys guns online and has them shipped to the home of his sister and brother-in-law, and that Mahler is a registered firearms trainer with the National Rifle Association, the complaint said. He told federal authorities he also didn't know beforehand that Mahler was a convicted felon.



The son-in-law's sister and brother-in-law claimed Mahler began storing items in two gun safes and a large toolbox two years ago. The brother-in-law said he helped Mahler unload 12 to 20 long guns and other handguns into one of the safes.



The sister said the toolbox contained a bow, arrows, handguns and ammunition. The couple said Mahler paid them more than $5,000 to ship a pallet of 19,000 rounds of ammo to their business in 2014, the complaint said.



ATF agents used a search warrant in February to seize 34 guns and 32,161 rounds of ammunition from the safes and toolbox. The relatives have not been charged.

Mahler was arrested later that month and has since been released from custody.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
Three former Les Schwab employees are asking for an additional $15 million in punitive damages in a lawsuit accusing the tire chain of "outrageous" actions, including pushing unneeded tires, wipers and other automotive supplies on customers.

Two of the three ex-workers say in the lawsuit that a manager at the Clackamas Les Schwab demanded that they "up-sell" every customer or tell customers that they needed batteries, windshield wipers, tires, brakes, shocks and other items or services even if they didn't.

All three -- Vincent Finzer, Tracie Lee Udey and Synthea Russell -- filed an amended suit filed last week in Multnomah County Circuit Court. They worked at the Clackamas store, 10602 S.E. Oregon 212, between 2010 and 2015, according to the suit.

"Plaintiff Finzer told (the manager) that he would not sell unneeded products to customers because it was unethical to do so," the suit says. "When Plaintiff Finzer refused to do so, (the manager) shouted at him and made unlawful physical contact, grabbing Plaintiff Finzer's arm."

While a company spokesman first declined to comment citing the pending litigation on Wednesday for this story, the company on Friday issued this statement:

"We cannot comment on any pending lawsuit, but we're deeply concerned by any claim that questions our dedication to providing superior value and service to our customers. For more than 60 years, Les Schwab Tire Centers has taken pride in performance, value and honesty - and we believe in building customers for life.

"If you live in a town with a Les Schwab Tire Center, or you've been to one of our stores, you know we don't just sell tires; we take pride in doing the right thing. We would never condone or encourage behaviors that could damage the history of world-class customer service we've built in the communities where we live and work."

The lawsuit originally was filed in June 2015, seeking $750,000 for past and future pay and benefits and other compensatory damages for Finzer, Udey and Russell. Les Schwab denied all of the allegations of wrongdoing in a court filing.

All three employees claim they were yelled at, threatened or grabbed by their manager -- or saw the manager shout and chest-bump other employees, the suit states.

Finzer, Udey and Russell complained through a confidential company system that promised no retaliation, but they were fired or forced out of their jobs as a result, the suit claims.

Les Schwab was founded in 1952 with a single store in Prineville. Schwab, who died in 2007, promoted hometown values of honesty and friendliness -- values that the company says are still at the forefront of its mission today as it has expanded to more than 460 locations. The chain was featured as a "Top Workplace" in The Oregonian/OregonLive in 2015.

Although the lawsuit seeks $15 million in punitive damages for the plaintiffs, under Oregon law, the state would collect 70 percent of any punitive damages awarded in the case.

The suit is scheduled for trial in late September.

Portland attorney Jennifer Palmquist is representing the former employees. Read the lawsuit here.

-- Aimee Green

503-294-5119
Six Eld Inlet oysters rest on a bed of ice, guts submerged in brine, gills spread out like a porcelain shell. Raised near Olympia, they survived the ride south, shells clasped around a mouthful of the Puget Sound. The oyster tray, dotted with small discs of radish, pickled jalapeno and lime, is about as inviting as youre likely to find.

But tip a half shell toward your mouth and there's a surprise: The oyster stays put. That's because at Olympia Oyster Bar, which opened three months ago in a space once home to Pastaworks, shuckers don't slice the lower adductor muscle, the one that connects the oyster to its bottom shell. The reason: In France, some believe maintaining that connection keeps oysters fresh. Sometimes, Olympia's servers explain this quirk, and how you're meant to slip your small fork under the oyster and sever the muscle, typically mauling the perfect flesh in the process. Other times, they don't.

If this were the only eccentricity, it might be fun, an oddity that offers insight into a different culture's eating habits. It's not. From the menu setup to the roller-coaster service, Olympia Oyster Bar seems set on going its own way, even when it's confusing or inconvenient for the customer.

Olympia Oyster Bar

Rating:

* (One star: satisfactory)

Cuisine and scene:

This North Portland oyster bar is trying to revolutionize the genre. (Not all revolutions are successful.)

Recommended:

Kataifi oysters, crevettes, sardines in a tin, goat's milk ice cream sandwich.

Vegetarian friendly?

How do you feel about oysters?

Sound level:

Conversational, with a soulful African electro-pop soundtrack.

Beverages:

French wine, Oregon beer, craft cocktails, sake.

Price range:

Raw oysters, $2.50-$3; small plates, $11-$17; dessert, $6.

Extras:

, major credit cards, on-street parking, disabled access.

Serving:

Dinner, Tuesday-Friday; lunch and dinner Saturday.

Details:

4214 N. Mississippi Ave., 503-841-6316,

.

As such, that stubborn muscle is a good metaphor for the restaurant itself. Though I've heard rumors of popular Portland restaurants pre-shucking their oysters, then dropping them into scrubbed shells, that's not the norm, especially at local oyster bars. At B&T, The Woodsman Tavern, the nearby EaT, old-school haunts such as Dan & Louis or new-school beer bars like N.W.I.P.A., the assumption is and should be that raw oysters are both fresh and freshly shucked. Without proper explanation, leaving the oysters attached feels like a solution in search of a problem.

Of course, we wouldn't be talking about this restaurant at all if it weren't for the promising food, which comes from chefs and co-owners Melissa Mayer and Maylin Chavez. If it's your first time at Olympia Oyster Bar, start with a round of the "kataifi" oysters, four bivalves mummified in shredded phyllo dough, then deep-fried into crunchy little squibs, the oil cut with a drop of sweet serrano jam and mellowed with some smoked avocado puree. Biting through the crisp, spiky shell into the juicy oyster is this restaurant's greatest pleasure.

Elsewhere, the oyster-filled gyoza fall flat, but the oyster tostada is interesting, part of a welcome vein of Mexican-inspired dishes that include a cod "torta" built on a crusty French roll and, better still, the crevettes, a bowl of fat prawns tossed in house chimichurri. You can plan a nice evening around these and a glass of sparkling rose or fizzy farmhouse ale. Later, dessert's are plain but comforting -- on my most recent visit, a simple cookie and goat's milk ice cream sandwich.

But service and design issues abound. The menu is overthought, with its oysters and small plates divided into "raw," "naked," "dressed," "the world is your oyster" and "delicatessen," designations that won't mean anything when you arrive, and won't mean much more after you leave. A large swath of real estate is devoted to a relatively straightforward cocktail list, including the name brands of various lower mid-shelf spirits. Service, meanwhile, whips from manic to passive aggressive, often leaving you feeling to blame for the restaurant's idiosyncrasies Some nights, as many as nine employees wander the tight space, yet Olympia Oyster Bar still feels understaffed. You're better off sitting at the bar, though even there you might be distracted by the trio in the window waving their arms, trying to flag down a server to get their check.

Still, it's clear the restaurant respects its products, even those obstinate oysters -- it gets into trouble where it tries to reinvent the oyster bar. If they're looking for examples of oysters bars that have tinkered with the concept, there are plenty of examples, both in and outside of Portland. In Seattle, those include Little Gull, Taylor Oyster Bar and the Walrus & The Carpenter, which Olympia Oyster Bar already resembles. All three offer successful takes on the model that feel both novel and distinctly Northwest.

-- Michael Russell
Rose.jpg

Jeff Rose has led the Beaverton school district since 2011.

(Wendy Owen / The Oregonian / 2012)

The Beaverton School District will lose its superintendent, Jeff Rose, to a bigger district in Georgia this year, officials announced Thursday.

The school board plans to choose an interim superintendent to lead Oregon's third-largest district during 2016-17 and use that time to select a permanent successor, officials said.

Rose is the sole finalist to become the next superintendent of Fulton County in Georgia. Fulton schools educate 94,000 students, compared with Beaverton's 40,000.

He is expected to depart shortly before the end of the school year to start in Georgia on June 1.

Before he leaves, Rose is expected to make the call on a highly controversial question: How should Beaverton redraw the boundaries on all five of its existing high schools in order to relieve overcrowding and determine which students will attend the district's new high school being built in the South Cooper Mountain area?

The committee that has been weighing that question is expected to give its final recommendation to Rose today.

The Fulton school district has an unusual split configuration: It educates students who live in the county that contains the city of Atlanta and who live north or south of the Atlanta city limits. That district is currently waiting through the required two-week period between announcing Rose as its choice for superintendent and the official vote to give him the job.

Beaverton school board chairwoman Anne Bryant praised Rose's contributions to the district he has led since 2011. He "directed the district through shrinking budgets, refocused efforts to promote equitable student achievement, inspired innovative classroom practices, and galvanized the community to collectively support our students," she said in a statement.

Last May, the school board raised his base salary to $200,800 and also offered him a $3,500 retention incentive bonus. It is unclear if he will quality for that, since he is leaving.

In a statement, Rose said, "My five years in Beaverton have been tremendously rewarding. Even our challenges have shaped our schools for the future in immeasurable ways. We have exhibited our character, honed our collective vision and continue to demonstrate our commitment to excellence, equity, innovation and collaboration. While my decision to transition to Fulton County Schools in Georgia has not been an easy one, I have faith that it is what is best for my family and for me."

Rose was chosen to lead Beaverton schools at age 38, so he is only 43 now. He and his wife, Lisa, have two middle school- and elementary school-aged children.

Fulton County schools need a new leader because their last one did exactly what Rose is planning: He left to take a superintendent job in a larger district, in Fulton's case, in Palm Beach County, Florida, the nation's 13th-largest district with 176,000 students.

Rose is not the first sole finalist to succeed departed Fulton Superitendent Robert Avossa. In February, the 2015 national Superintendent of the Year, Clarke County, Georgia, schools leader Philip Lanoue was named the sole finalist to become Fulton's new superintendent. But he dropped out of the running before the two-week waiting period ran out, saying in a statement he felt a pressing need to stay in Clarke County.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that three male students accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in a Clarke County high school were allowed to remain in school for weeks after the rape was reported, and parents were told of the allegations for a month.

Fulton County schools are about 47 percent white and 45 percent black, with Latinos the next largest group, at 8 percent. By contrast, Beaverton schools have extremely few black students, less than 3 percent. Beaverton's enrollment is 50 percent white, 26 percent Latino and 6 percent multi-racial.

-- Betsy Hammond
SophieM.jpg

Lincoln High senior Sophia Mautz, recognized as one of the nation's best high school writers, says she hopes when people read her poems, "they'll feel a sense of recognition that they too, have felt the things I have." But she says, Maybe they'll read my poems and become even more confused. Either outcome is positive to me... I want to awaken people's sense of awareness."

(Lorijo Daniels Photography)

Lincoln High senior Sophia Mautz, already an esteemed Oregon poet, has been named one of the nation's very best high school writers.

Her body of work -- 10 lyrical poems detailing moments of beauty, transcendence and raw emotion -- won her the highest honor and a $10,000 scholarship from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Only eight seniors nationwide earn the distinction of a gold medal writing portfolio each year.

Mautz is having a banner year, after a humbling experience of not even advancing to the Scholastic state contest, let alone to national honors, for her poetry last year.

Failing to advance beyond the lowest tier of the contest "was really good for me," Mautz said.

When she was just 14, the first poems she submitted for publication, to the online journal Voice Catcher, both were accepted. The first time she entered her poetry in the prestigious Scholastic competition, as a sophomore, she won a national gold medal.

"I got a little full of myself," she said in retrospect. Her loss the following year "was a great wake up call for me. It made me pay more attention to my poems."

Mautz has never had a formal class in poetry -- Lincoln doesn't offer one, and the school's creative writing class did not fit into her International Baccalaureate-dominated schedule.

"Poetry just found me from a very early age," Mautz said. "I have always had a thing for language."

She describes herself as sensitive and ambitious, facets that she sometimes finds tricky to reconcile.

Her sensitivity, which she says is heightened when she travels or spends time in nature, is evident in her poems. Of the 10 she submitted, at least half are set in China, Belize or Hawaii, all places where she has traveled with her family. Some are set in a forest, on a beach at night, in a verdant rice paddy.

But the stress she sometimes suffers because of her ambition has also fueled her best poems, she said. It is not surprising, therefore, that a poem written on the evening of a very important exam ends this way: "the smell of thyme (time?) overpowers me / and all I want is for you to take my cold wet hair, my fear, and my heat;/ tell me i am good, tell me / you are good."

Most of that pressure is self-induced, she said. But it doesn't help when your older sister is a national academic hotshot with perfect SAT and ACT scores and over-the-top skills in both science and the humanities who was admitted early to Harvard.

Three poets have helped shape her into the writer she is today, Mautz said.

Mary Oliver is the nation's best-selling poet. And, like Mautz, someone who has a transcendent relationship with nature and an uncanny ability to convey it with just a few well-chosen words.

"She was the first poet I read, the first one who showed me poetry can be accessible and joyful," Mautz said.

Mautz also looks to Jorie Graham, a Harvard professor described by the Poetry Foundation as "one of the most celebrated poets of the American post-war generation." Graham's works, Mautz said, are "more confusing and wild and reckless" than Oliver's and are more experimental.

Graham is known for the way she uses space on the page. She mixes long lines and short ones. She uses unusual patterns of indentation and spacing to help the reader better sense a poem's pace and understand its silences and meaning. Mautz has deployed some of the same techniques in her most recent poems.

Finally, Mautz has been mentored by Paulann Petersen, Oregon's poet laureate from 2010 to 2014. When she was just 14, Mautz introduced herself to Petersen after the famous poet gave a reading.

To Mautz's delight, Petersen invited the girl over to talk about some of the teen's poems. And they have continued to talk over tea at Petersen's Sellwood home about once a month ever since.

Petersen calls Mautz a true talent: "Her poems are full of very strong, very rich imagery: language that conveys what we take in through our senses."

And, Petersen said, "Her abilities are extraordinary. They're remarkable regardless of what her age might be. They are 100 times remarkable when you are talking about a 17-year-old girl."

Petersen has helped Mautz enter poetry contests and submit works to be published, and she successfully nominated her to be the only teen poet ever to give a reading at the Silverton Poetry Festival, Oregon's premiere poetry event.

"I really have to thank her for every poetry opportunity that has come my way," Mautz said.

Mautz also was a finalist in 2014 for the National Student Poets Program and one of 12 Portland-area youth "Poetry Ambassadors" in 2015. Polaris Dance Theatre selected one of her poems, along with works by Maya Angelou and Samuel Beckett and other well-known writers, to choreograph dance pieces to.

But Mautz said she has divined a truth that lies beneath her success: "Being recognized doesn't change me as a poet or my worth."

She put that philosophy into practice when facing her biggest college admission decision. She dreamed of attending Harvard, not because her sister and father went there, but because one of her favorite poets teaches there and because Mautz felt it would be the perfect school for her.

She applied early. But she knew the odds were low. And she had a strong intuition: "I completely knew I wasn't going to get in," she said.

So, when the notice flashed across her phone that she should log in and learn the truth, she shut it off. Calmly, she read a Mary Oliver poem. Then she got out her journal and wrote for 30 minutes. "I am the same person regardless if I get in or not," she told herself.

Then she went, of all places, to a graveyard near her home, a spot where she had gone before during a dark emotional experience. "I wanted to feel sorry for myself to be honest," she said.

Once there, she turned on the phone and punched in her code. "Congratulations," it said. She was in.

At Harvard, she isn't sure what she will study -- probably creative writing and art history, maybe philosophy. She realizes she will need to prepare for a career besides poetry: "I would never want to force myself to write a poem to make money."

What she does know, she says, is this: "I will always write poetry. I think in stanzas. Poems just start forming in my thoughts. I think it would just happen no matter what I try to do."

-- Betsy Hammond
The Midland Morning Rotary Club will welcome a 16-year-old boy from Germany to Midland for the coming year. He will arrive in August and the club is looking for two-three host families for him. The club needs to identify the first family now in order for the youth to get his visa processed.

He lives in Lower Saxony, northwestern Germany, a town of 50,000 people. He is in the top 5 percent of his class and thinking of a career in physics, medicine or law. His favorite subjects are the arts, music, geography and politics/economics. He plays the trombone in the orchestra and with his family, who all play instruments. He has traveled extensively with his family and visits relatives in Paraguay annually.
A volunteer, educator, leader and mother: Fran Hamburg of Midland has earned several recognitions throughout her life and added a Lifetime Achievement Award from the YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region after Wednesdays awards ceremony.

Hamburg discovered she was chosen as a recipient in February, after being nominated by her colleagues from the League of Women Voters of the Midland Area.

I was really surprised, Hamburg said, adding with a laugh: My feeling is I dont have to achieve anything after this.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is granted to women who have, through a lifetime of volunteer and/or professional activities, made outstanding contributions to the community. Other recipients include Rozanne Giunta of Lambert Leser Attorneys, and Kathy Conklin of Saginaw County Business and Education Partnership.

She has made a wide variety of significant contributions to her local community as well as at the state level over an almost 50-year time span, wrote LWV-Midland President Susan McCollister. A major focus for her in the early years was the availability of services and facilities for individuals with disabilities.

These actions were prompted by Hamburgs daughter, diagnosed with cerebral palsy following her birth in 1968, and culminated in decades of philanthropy through organizations like The Arc of Midland, Midland City Housing Commission and the Coalition for Choice.

Hamburg helped form the LWV-Midland in 1967 and has held numerous local and state board positions. Her work has included registering voters, explaining ballot issues and conducting League studies on issues like health care and public education.

The LWV-Midland board nominated Hamburg for the Maryann Mahaffey Community Service Award, which she received in 2015.

Fran has performed her roles in long-term community service with commitment, intelligence, character and courage, McCollister wrote. She embodies the intent and spirit of the Women of Achievement Awards.

Hamburg talked about how honored she is to receive the award, but also noted some confusion about her selection.

When I look at the list of people whove won this thing, I know them for their accomplishments, Hamburg said. Ive had lots of coworkers whove been an inspiration and done just as much as I have in this sort of thing.

Accompanying Hamburg at the awards ceremony were members of the LWV-Midland and friends from her church.

In addition to multiple Emerging Leader awards, two women with Midland connections were nominated as 2016 Women of Achievement: Terri Johnson of The Dow Chemical Co. and Dr. Diane Postler-Slattery of MidMichigan Health.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Tuesday, March 15

3:45 a.m.  A Sterling Heights man, 20, and a Warren man, 19, were arrested in Lee Township for drug possession.

11:33 a.m.  A Larkin Township woman, 67, reported a fraud involving $83.70 sent to renew a magazine subscription.

11:52 a.m.  A motorist was arrested at Isabella Street and Currie Parkway for driving on a suspended license.

3:09 p.m.  Deputies investigated a domestic assault involving a man and woman, 22 and 19, that occurred in Edenville Township. A report is being sent to the prosecutor.

3:39 p.m.  A motorist was arrested at Kent Court and Bay City Road for driving on a suspended license.

4:25 p.m.  A Geneva Township man, 61, was arrested in Warren Township for driving while his license was suspended. He was warned for defective equipment.

5:17 p.m.  A Midland man, 33, was arrested at Patrick Road and Washington Street for driving while his license was suspended. He was stopped for an expired license plate.

5:43 p.m.  Police investigated a driver license violation after a traffic crash on private property in the 2800 block of Ashman Street.

7:45 p.m.  Police were called to the 1400 block of Springfield Drive for a disorderly person and ordinance violation.

11:56 p.m.  A motorist was arrested at Ashman and Ellsworth streets for drunken driving and violation of license restrictions.

Monday, March 14

9:11 a.m.  Police were called to the 400 block of Sam Street for an assault.

11:26 a.m.  A trash can was reported stolen from an East Dopp Road home. The resident had just moved in and found the trash can was gone. A report was needed to obtain a new trash can.

11:38 a.m.  A trash can was reported stolen from a West Redstone Road home. The resident had just moved in and found the trash can was gone. A report was needed to obtain a new trash can.

2:13 p.m.  A Virginia man, 29, was arrested in Lee Township for driving while his license was suspended. He was cited for seat belt violation.

2:35 p.m.  Property in the 1700 block of North Dublin Avenue was damaged.

3:11 p.m.  A Midland woman, 53, reported her special needs son, age 17, was being bullied at school. School officials had taken disciplinary issues against the problem student.
Readiness and continued development of multilateral interoperability remains a key priority for Indo-Asia-Pacific partners participating in the 22nd year of Exercise Cope Tiger, a joint multilateral field training exercise that began here March 7.



During the two-week exercise, more than 1,200 combined service members and civilians from the U.S., Thailand and Republic of Singapore aim to enhance cooperative relationships and improve procedures in air power.



Cope Tiger 16 is a great experience for our Airmen, building upon the exercises 22 year history, to deepen relationships with two key Indo-Asia-Pacific partner nations and to reinforce our combined airpower interoperability, said Lt. Col. Jack Arthaud, exercise director for the U.S. Air Force. The flying exercise not only builds USAF capabilities, but also [Royal Thai Air Force] and [Republic of Singapore Air Force] capabilities by reinforcing common training standards and team work.



Arthaud explained that by participating in exercises with multilateral military forces, the U.S. demonstrates its commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Exercise Cope Tiger bolsters PACOMs theater security cooperation and enhances allied interoperability as the three partner countries train side-by-side.



The ability for us to work together as a team just to put this exercise together is an amazing accomplishment, said Col. Sim Pengshin, RSAF exercise director. To then have us fly, conduct mission planning, brief, and debrief, as well as work through the problems together, is the best way to strengthen our relationships and I feel that it improves our readiness and processes.



There are multiple types of training conducted during Cope Tiger 16, including: mission planning, airborne air control, in-flight air refueling, air-to-air employment including basic fighter maneuvers, electronic warfare, airlift, and close air support.



The exercise increases the capability and experience of the pilots and gives the aeronautical staff an opportunity to learn from our counterparts, said Group Captain Manoon Rukitna, RTAF exercise director. I am confident that Cope Tiger 16 will enable the participants to increase combat readiness from the intensive training.



A trilateral Link 16 network is new to this years exercise providing a significant increased capability for the RTAF. Link 16 is fundamental to interoperability because it increases mission effectiveness by raising the situational awareness of all the forces on the network facilitating improved team work and safety.



USAF Link 16 experts worked closely with both RTAF and RSAF technical experts to ensure that we would have success [with link 16 Data Link Network] on the first day of the exercise, said Arthaud. This is a huge leap in technical capabilities that enhances our effectiveness and partnership.



Over 220 U.S. personnel will participate in Cope Tiger 16 along with approximately 1,000 service members from the Thai and Singaporean militaries. The exercise involves a combined total of 87 aircraft and 48 air defense assets from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Thai Air Force, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan, provided twelve F-15 Eagles and one E-3B Sentry aircraft to participating in Cope Tiger 16.



Exercise Cope Tiger aims to reinforce the U.S. commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and demonstrates U.S. capabilities to project combined and joint forces strategically in a multilateral environment. The exercise concludes March 18.
HONOLULU -- An HC-130 Hercules aircrew returned to Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, in late January after a two-week Joint Interagency Task Force South counter-narcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific.

During deployment the aircrew monitored and detected the movement of narcotics from drug smuggling vessels into the U.S. resulting in the interdiction of 1,872 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $28.2 million.

The aircrew flew 60 hours and more than 7,250 miles in support of the counter-narcotics mission.

The hard work and commitment demonstrated by this aircrew to support the Coast Guards missions was remarkable, said Cmdr. Jeffrey Jager, operations officer at Air Station Barbers Point. As a result, we disrupted transnational organized crime networks and kept illegal drugs from reaching the United States and partner nations.

Aircrews routinely conduct operations from South America to the Bering Sea conducting alien migrant interdiction operations, domestic fisheries protection, search and rescue, counter-narcotics and other Coast Guard missions at great distances from shore keeping threats far from the U.S. mainland. In fiscal year 2015, which runs Oct. 1, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2015, ASBP aircrews flew four counter-narcotics deployments resulting in four disruptions and one interdiction.

U.S. military, law enforcement agencies and regional partner-nation law enforcement agencies patrol the waters in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific on a year-round basis in an effort to detect, monitor and interdict illicit traffickers.

Illicit trafficking networks threaten the stability of Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. public health and our national security, said Vice Adm. Charles Ray, commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area. Well-resourced organized crime groups move drugs, weapons, counterfeit items, money and people through these networks. This insidious web of crime threatens citizen security, undermines basic human rights, cripples the rule of law through corruption, erodes good governance and hinders economic development. The U.S. Coast Guard works with federal agencies and international partners in the region to counter these threats.

The Coast Guard removed over 319,185 pounds of cocaine and 78,262 pounds of marijuana in fiscal year 2015 with an estimated value of $4.4 billion. Approximately 75 percent of the cocaine was removed from the Eastern Pacific Ocean near Central and South America.

The Coast Guards leadership role in Western Hemisphere security and prosperity is critical in the fight against transnational organized crime networks active in region as continually strained national security resources are stretched across the globe.
BLOOMINGTON  Rex James Jim Bates, 92, of Sequim, Wash., died March 8, 2016, at home.

He was born Nov. 9, 1923, in Seattle, to parents Rex L. and Lucy Anderson Bates. During the Depression years, the Bates family lived with two other families in a house which is now a Boeing Field runway. After a brief interim stop in Tacoma, Wash., the family moved to the Multnomah Village area of Portland, Ore., where Jim attended Lincoln High School.

In 1942, after a year at Oregon State University, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army and was recruited into the Army Air Corps Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. This was a handpicked group of 24 engineering students who were commissioned as lieutenants, trained at the University of Washington, and sent to the Pacific to fly into the weather to determine conditions before the commencement of major battles. They were based on Guam and were the first Hurricane Chasers  the first to fly into the eye of a hurricane. During one of many reconnaissance flights, his B-24 ditched into the South Pacific and, while Jim was severely burned, he aided in the rescue of several of his crew mates. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal.

Upon his return to Portland, Jim renewed his acquaintance with Reva Meyers. They married in 1947, while Jim was a student at the University of Chicago School of Business. After earning a bachelor of science in physics and a master of business administration specializing in statistics and applied mathematics at Chicago, and turning down an offer to be a radio and TV weatherman, he joined the investment firm of Stein Roe and Farnham. As a partner, he worked for 23 years as both a stock and bond analyst. During those years, Jim and his growing family, wife, Reva; daughter, Patsy; and son, Rex, lived in Park Forest, and then in Barrington.

In 1972, Jim became financial vice president of State Farm in Bloomington, where he served for 19 years and assisted in substantially improving State Farms long-term financial sustainability. He was a modest man and was embarrassed by a 1981 Wall Street Journal article which called him the lone ranger of investing for his decision to buy high-yield municipal bonds in an era when they were not a preferred investment. He was elected to the boards of directors of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. and all of its affiliates and retired in 1991 as mutual company vice chairman. He served as a trustee of Illinois Wesleyan University and The Brookings Institution. Subsequent to his retirement, he served on the boards of directors of 20th Century Insurance and Ventana Medical Systems.

A lifelong birder, Jim served as a trustee of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology for many years. He was also an avid stamp collector, tennis player and salmon fisherman. Tennis playing took him to the USTA National Championships in 1989, where his 65 and older 3.5 doubles team won first place. Fishing took him to Alaska, the Northwest Territory of Canada, Iceland, New Brunswick and Russia.

Jim touched the lives of many. He was always willing to assist others with financial advice and at one time had more than 30 widows and divorcees for whom he provided free financial consulting. He loved to mentor young people and provided financial assistance to an unrecorded number of young people struggling to get through college or graduate school.

Jim and Reva moved to Sequim, Wash., in 2000, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. His patronage of the Sequim City Band led to the development of the James Center for the Performing Arts. Annie Wright Schools in Tacoma and The Dungeness River Audubon Center, along with a number of other institutions, also benefited from his largess. Jim will be missed by the Driftwood Club, the Stamp Club, and by his many friends with whom he kept in regular telephone contact.

Predeceased by wife Reva in 2011, Jim is survived by their children, Patricia (Dave) Mattingley, Sequim, and Rex (Angela) Bates, Seattle; three granddaughters, Jennifer Mattingley (Tom) Hommel, Gabrielle Bates and Amber Bates; and two great-grandsons, Lucas and Brandon Hommel.

At Jims request, no services will be held. Arrangements have been made with the help of the Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel, Sequim, Wash. Interment will be in Sequim View Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to the Reva Bates Scholarship at Annie Wright Schools, 827 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, WA 98403, www.aw.org; Sequim City Band, P.O. Box 1745, Sequim, WA 98382, www.sequimcityband.org; or Dungeness River Audubon Center, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road, Sequim, WA 98382, www.dungenessrivercenter.org.
Leech therapy may be the farthest option from your mind if you are trying to get pregnant. However, for this woman, she owes her pregnancy to 500 leeches.

Nina Evans credits a successful pregnancy to the black, slimy, and to some, icky leeches. She was originally told by her doctor that she had no chance of conceiving after she was diagnosed with having multiple fibroids in her uterus. Due to her desire to have another baby even at the age of 45, she turned to leech therapy in order to help her conceive.

According to She Knows, the perceived weird and scary leech therapy did not only help Evans get pregnant, but it also gave her extra benefits. Some of the additional benefits that Evans experienced out of the therapy were a clearer skin, regular periods, more energy and better orgasms.

Evans said, "I chose leeches because I was born in Lithuania and leech therapy is used for a whole range of illnesses." She also mentioned that, "They're considered a general cure for all, and I knew from experience, having had leech treatment before, that it gave you more energy and a more positive outlook."

The Sun reported that Evans started with external leech therapy. Leeches were placed on her back, and she said to have felt better thereafter. Although placing leeches in her cervix was initially uncomfortable, she decided to do it anyway.

Evans described it as, "My first treatment was like having a pap smear. The doctor used the plastic device known as a speculum and inserted it into my vagina so three leeches could be popped in." She went on saying, "The leeches attached themselves to the inside of my cervix. I didn't feel it, the speculum was the most uncomfortable thing really."

Reports have it that after an hour, the leeches simply dropped out. According to Evans, "They came out tenfoldsome fatter than a bottle of nail polish."

Today, Nina Evans is very happy with her 6-year-old son, Noel, whom she conceived when she turned to leech therapy, using 500 leeches that helped her get pregnant. She's also the director of the British Association of Hirudotherapy.
Looks like Anne Hathaway will be very busy after giving birth as "Princess Diaries 3" may just be waiting for her. Director Garry Marshall has just confirmed plans to make the third installment of the successful "Princess Diaries" series.

During an interview with People, Marshall said, "I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago, it looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan." Based on what the acclaimed film director stated, both he and Hathaway share the same enthusiasm for doing a sequel to "Princess Diaries 2."

Everyone knows that Hathaway is pregnant at the moment and with a baby bump, so there might be no way she could handle being the crowned Queen Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi. So they would have to wait for her to give birth, recover, and get back in shape.

According to a Huffington Post, Marshall said, "Anne Hathaway is very pregnant, so we have to wait until she has the baby and then I think we're going to do it." Although the parties have not signed a contract, or laid concrete plans on the table, it's quite enough for royal fans that both Marshall and Hathaway "want" to do "Princess Diaries 3."

But according to the director, they will be doing it in Manhattan, New York City. This has gotten a lot of fans speculating as to what the storyline will be all about. Will it be Queen Amelia meeting world dignitaries? Will there be a brewing world crisis concerning Genovia? Whatever it is, many believe that Anne Hathaway and Garry Marshall will be able to hack it, just like the way they did a tremendous job with Princess Diaries 1 and 2.

Now what about the other characters? Well, although there's still no confirmation as to the rest of the cast, many are hoping that Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo, and Chris Pine, will still be gracing the project. Reports have it that Chris Pine was asked earlier this year if he's willing to do the third installment and he said, "Have you been reading my diary?"

Now with this news out, a lot of fans would be asking, "When will we see Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi again?" It's a waiting game for "Princess Diaries 3" but it's a nice one that many will not get tired of.
Currently, there are more than 700 million young girls around the world were forced into marriages by their fathers and are expected to bear children soon after. If the trend continues, at least 280 million young girls who are walking the face of the earth today could become child brides before they even turn 18. Thus, U.N. and UNICEF organized a program called Population Fund in a bid to end the child marriages by 2030.

Greeta Rao Gupta, deputy executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund said the program aims to put an end to child marriages. It is currently targeting young girls aged 10-19 who are at risk of being married off or who are already married in 12 countries, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Yemen and Ethiopia. She said the countries were chosen based on several criteria, including the rate of child marriages.

UN aims to eliminate child marriage by 2030 https://t.co/gOMwwxPTUD pic.twitter.com/hnSKNsNBfA  Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) Marso 16, 2016



"Just think where those women and girls would be today if they were allowed to have a childhood," Gupta said to Global News. Agency officials and Gupta are working together to save young girls from child marriages, so they can have a better future. Likewise, the program aims to put into place laws and policies that can protect the women's rights.

Another person who is also vowing to lead a campaign to put an end to child marriages is "Divergent" actress, Ashely Judd. The actress told USA TODAY the global problem is a "violation of every human right" and she wants it to stop. "It is unacceptable," she said. "Child marriage in a gruesome way amplifies global gender inequalities."

The 47-year-old actress, who has been a global advocate for women's rights and AIDS said she is hoping to work with U.N. She is now looking forward to visiting all the program that aims to stop child marriages.
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St. Patricks Day may be the foremost celebration of Irish culture on the calendar, but the Celtic holiday has long since been Americanized beyond recognition. What once was a family-centric Christian holiday is now, on this side of the Atlantic, a nationwide beer festival.

So, when celebrating an Americanized Irish holiday, it only makes sense to drink Americanized Irish beer. Though Guinness, Harp, Killians, and other macro exports from The Emerald Isle are the go-to for celebrants of St. Paddys, we found almost a dozen Irish-influenced microbrews that are worth seeking out when celebrating this Irish saint.

When youre out shopping for beer to fill your Pota Padraig, try some of these stateside takes on the classics.



Alternatives to Guinness, Beamish Stout, Porterhouse Oyster Stout

Ellensburg, Washingtons Iron Horse is an iconoclastic brewery. Theyre not ones to copy/paste a style into their profile just to compete with the Irish beer giants. Quilters Irish Death was born of a reverence to the dry Irish stout, and its deep, deep black body and deathly sweet taste really separate it from the field of similar brews. The brewery calls it beer candy, but youd be wise to not let your sweet tooth get the best of you. At 7.8% ABV, its nearly twice as heavy as a Guinness Draught.

You could practically chew down an O.V.L. Stout from Russian River. It goes down like a loaf of soda bread, but still finishes with a crispness you wouldnt expect from the style. Its a far cry from the California brewerys name-making IPAs and sours, but O.V.L. helps to showcase the extent of the expertise working at Russian River. With a thick, lip-clinging foam and a pitch-dark body, its more filling than its 4.8% ABV would suggest.

We ranked Moylans Dragoons Dry Irish Stout as number two on our list of the 10 best American stouts back in 2014, but this California flagship has been impressing ever since, accumulating an enviable 86 rating on BeerAdvocate. Dragoons is brewed in a strictly traditional style using malt and hops from the U.K., but it doesnt come out as plain as many stouts from the Isle. Lightly carbonated and abounding with coffee and chocolate flavors, Dragoons packs a lot of flavor in with the history. At 22 ounces a serving, its a pint-plus of American ingenuity for your St. Paddys celebration.

Another callback from our 10 best American stouts list, Schlaflys take on the Irish dry stout is generously hopped, rounding out at 45 IBU. And unlike Guinness  which surprisingly ranks at 40 IBUs  Schlafly shows its bitterness in the brew. The tinge of bitterness is accentuated by the espresso undertones, and theres a hint of dried fruit that carries it along. The increased carbonation makes it a little bit easier to drink than many of the stouts on this list.

If youve ever been to St. Paddys in Boston, you know its the apex of American-style blarney. The raucous parade in South Boston drives tens of thousands to the streets and bars, and Southie destination brewery Harpoon knew they could capitalize on the yearly sensation with an ersatz Guinness. But ersatz is an unfair way to characterize Boston Irish Stout. Its thick, creamy head and rich malt backbone match up to the standards Guinness set, and this brewery exclusives warm roastiness adds a warmth the Irish macro cant combat. Nothings better to prompt a stumble down the cobblestones this March 17.



Alternatives to Harp Lager, Smithwicks Irish Ale, Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

When it comes to Irish interpretations, Rogues St. Rogue Red Ale is definitely their more popular offering, but their spring seasonal, Irish Style Lager (formerly Kells Irish Style Lager) is quickly usurping that title. Its uncharacteristically (for Rogue, anyway) simple formulation makes it a clean, easy drink. The Czech pilsner yeast give it a distinct paleness and gold color that reaches back to the Continent with respect to the roots of American brewing.

As an early spring seasonal, Boulevards Irish Ale comes off rotation right after St. Paddys, so if youre looking to go bragh with this Kansas City craft ale, youd better stock up on it ahead of time. This Irish ale nearly qualifies as a red ale with its bronzy body and hoppiness that makes its closest analog Smithwicks. But unlike Smitticks, theres a toasty warmth to the malt character that makes Boulevard feel homey instead of overproduced.

Cream ales, when done right, make for a hearty slainte. Kilkenny has led the market in this Irish specialty for a long time, but Chicagos Argus Brewery has taken up the challenge of building a St. Paddys competitor in their McCafferys Irish Cream Ale  a silky, caramel-forward ale brewed exclusively for Ballydoyle Irish Pub. In Chicago, where they dye the river green for St. Paddys, you know youre bound to find some quality Irish brew, but this pub specialty is worth seeking out when youre in the Second City.



Alternatives to Killians Irish Red, Murphys Irish Red, OHaras Irish Red

Hunter S. Thompson knew how to blur his vision, and the Flying Dog Brewery is an homage to his frantic, drunken worldview. Like ol Raoul Duke, theyre not afraid to experiment, which is why they brew their red ale with real four-leaf clovers. You cant taste the luck in the brew  notes of bread and caramel prevail  but superstitious drinkers should turn to Lucky SOB this St. Paddys.

Minneapolis charity brewery Finnegans was founded as an homage to the generosity of the Irish people. Theyre inspired by the blue-collar ethic of the Irish people, and so they built their hunger-eradicating brand around the Irish Amber  an unassuming craft beer that honors the simplicity of the Irish tradition while incorporating some of the American malt characteristics. Its an easy six pack to drink alongside some corned beef and cabbage or a shepherds pie.

Toppling Goliath has become a giant in the brewing industry for its bold, big beers. The Iowa brewery is something of the Stone of the Midwest with its obliterating hops, but Murphs Irish Red is a big departure from that profile. Its a smooth, wispy brew that honors its Celtic heritage. Theres a detectable cultural tradeoff between the Irish roots and the distinctly American malt profile, but as TG puts it, Who needs a pot o gold when you got yerself a pint o red?
Its the ultimate indie-Hollywood dream come true: Direct a couple commercials, a half dozen music videos for rad bands like Passion Pit and Dum Dum Girls, write a feature script, and get Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood to star in it.

Brothers Alex and Benjamin Brewer Ill coin them the Brothers Brewerhave realized that dream and premiered The Trust, a not-so-heist heist movie, at SXSW this week. While Cage was held back in L.A. due to illness, Elijah Wood was on hand to wax poetic about his co-star, life after Lord of the Rings and working with first-time directors.

Paste: Did you watch other heist movies to help you with this character or storyline?

Elijah Wood: Not really, because this movie sort of subverts the heist genre in a way. Its not what youd expect from a heist movie and its not even what youd expect from a crooked cop film. Its really quite different. There wasnt a great deal of inspiration character-wise because the character is a little idiosyncratic, a bit of a stoner, very unhappy and kind of bored. Hes very well written so there was a lot for me to play with. Theres a lot of nuance to the character.

Paste: You dont immediately think Oh yeah, Elijah Wood and Nicolas Cage, what a great duo, but you two worked incredibly well together.

Wood: Objectively, I get that. And thank you, by the way. Believe me, even from my perspective I would have thought it unlikely, but Im glad it works. And it works because I think we worked well together like on a day-to-day basis. We got on so well. Its one of my favorite experiences working with another actor for so many reasons. Im a long admirer of his work so just the opportunity to get to work opposite him was extraordinary. Hes so professional and hes filled with ideas. His mind never stops working. You can constantly see the wheels turning and that makes for a very exciting working relationship. I dont always know what hes going to do and that is terribly exciting.

Paste: What did you two talk about?

Wood: Id ask him very specific questions about specific performances in movies that I loved and he was so candid with me. I asked him about Leaving Las Vegas, what that experience was like and what his preparation was for that, and same with Vampires Kiss. There are so many different performances that are so wildly different on the spectrum. Raising Arizona is one of my favorite films; we talked about that too.

The more we hung out, the more I realize there were all of these performances that I loved and adored and sort of earmarked through [my years growing up] that he was responsible for. The more you discuss with him too, the more you realize what an extraordinary career hes had, how long its been, and hes worked with everyone. From Francis Ford Coppola to the Coen BrothersMartin Scorsesewe talked about Bringing Out the Dead, where he plays the EMT driver thats losing his mind. Its actually a really under-appreciated film. We talked about that and what an interesting experience that was. Anyway, we were talking non-stop and it was just a joy. He was an absolute delight.

Paste: Your own career transitions have been really interesting as well. You have gone from Lord of the Rings to starting an indie horror production company. How did that happen?

Wood: After the Lord of the Rings trilogy was finishedlike immediately after we finished principle photographythe notion of doing something massive again was impossible for me to conceive. I was away for 16 months and the scale and the scope of those films was extraordinary but intense for that length of time. After that, the idea of doing something really small and so different was the first thing I could think of. Then after that I didnt think so much about the scale and size of Lord of the Rings looming so large, but rather always wanting to do something different, looking for new challenges and new experiences and being motivated by a gut feeling.

I also really love a varied life. Ive always loved horror, so the horror production company and starting Spectre Vision, that all was very organic. It came from a place beyond horror, even, where I just wanted to be a part of the creative process from inception. I want to foster films from great writers and be a part of the full creative process. That comes from the love of making movies. And it just happened at the timefive or six years agowhere I felt like horror was a genre that was not being actively supported consistently in the U.S. Now, I feel like horror is alive and well, especially independent horror. There are some shining examples of the genre of late, so its a super-exciting time.

Paste: The Brewer brothers are first-time feature directors. What are your thoughts on working with first-timers?

Wood: They had a very strong vision for the film and knew exactly what they wanted and what they were doing. Nic, especially, was great with them. You can imagine that there might be a little fear with someone who is as seemingly unpredictable as Nic in his performances that he could railroad directors, but he was so reverent to them and the way that they saw the film. It was a great working relationship. Id often see a glint in his eye like he was about to do something crazy, but the directors would come over and ask to try a different version, and he would [get right on board with] their wishes.

Paste: Is that nerve-racking to you at all, going into a project with first-time directors?

Wood: It isnt. I think if youve spent time with the director prior to the movie being madeand why would you just go blindly into somethingyou know whether or not someones ready. A lot of it is just the confidence of vision: knowing the kind of movie they want to make, hearing them articulate with clarity what their process will be, the way they see the film unfolding, the way that they want to shoot it. All of those things indicate a sense of confidence that you can get behind, first time or not. I dont feel like a risk with a first-time director as long as you have a sense that they know what theyre doing.
A jetset lifestyle doesnt have to be all private planes and decadent digs. In Paste Travels Jet-Set Bohemian series, we blend the best of high and low for just the right balance  enticing everyone from backpackers to luxury boutique hotel lovers to come along for the ride.

on a Wednesday, and while most markets in France would be getting ready to pack up their wares and head out for the day, Les Docks is just getting started. Strolling through the sleek Chelsea Market-style stands, fishmongers arent chanting rimes to entice you over to the stall for the fresh catches of the day. Marseilles newest market is all about minimalism, a stark contrast in a city known for a strong maritime spirit and even stronger accents that can easily be marked as Marseillais.

In November, the abandoned 19th century docks along Marseilles port took on a new life, transforming into a village of artisan boutiques and eateries with courtyards covered in colorful mosaics and stones from Provence and Italy. But its the marche des Docks at the far end thats redefining market culture in the city. Lined in white Subway-inspired tiles, each of the stands sells a more gourmet version of market fare thats still supposed to be shopped the same way as a typical French provencal market: stop for cheese at the Marrou fromager before filling your basket at the butcher and baker. Here, though, theres also time to pause for a coffee or craft beer (also given their own stalls) and post up at one of the communal picnic tables where noshing on your freshly bought fare is more than encouraged.

This modernized version of a market seems to be the trend du jour in Marseille, with another newish spot, Les Halles de la Major, transforming the vaults under the Cathedrale de la Major into a gourmet food hall. Less market and more of a lunching kind of place, these former merchant stock areas are now buzzing with wine bars, artisan ice cream and Mediterranean seafood. Locals will surely recognize the name behind Le Kiosque Passedat, a patisserie whipping up homemade cakes and tartes by Gerald Passedat, the three Michelin-starred chef and owner of Le Petit Nice. Grab a plate from your favorite stand and try and find a seat on the sprawling terrace not far from the sea. Half the fun here is people watching in the industrial-style neighborhood thats about as far as provincial as you could get.



Photo by Lane Nieset

I was in Madrid and mentioned to a friend Id be dining at Platea that night. In a city of markets each more outlandish than the next, its not often one makes such a striking impression, but from the look my friend shot me, Platea is one. The tiered tapas spot opened up a little over a year ago in a former theater and still plays on its past, with movies streaming on the big screen above the stage, serving as background imagery as the night unfolds. The concept is tapas with a twist: stop by one of the stalls on the ground floor, which includes cuisine from six Michelin-starred restaurants, and head back to your table with a collection of small plates spanning from Italian to Mexican, Peruvian and of, course, classic Spanish with plenty of jamon and cheese. Even close to midnight, the spot was still packed (on a Monday) with families dining on the bottom floor tables and couples cozying up at he El Placo cocktail bar, a sleek bar lining one side of the room that wouldnt be out of place in a James Bond film (just replace martinis with vermut). Theres a nightclub down below and restaurants on each level, but the best seat in the house is from the very top in the VIP speakeasy sitting behind one-way glass mirrors that looks out at the scene unfolding.

After almost a century, Sarona in Tel Aviv has returned to its roots reopening as a marketplace and the spot locals crowd come weekends. The Templar settlement was once home to 41 houses, a communal hall, a winery and workshops before the British troops transformed the village into army barracks in the early 1900s. After years behind barbed wire, 37 of the buildings have been restored and now sport art galleries and sleek boutiques, while the main hall is devoted to a modern day food market and specialty shops selling kosher chocolate and pastries, as well as some not-so-kosher food stands filled with Italian hams, American burgers and Turkish platters. While the experience seems like something that could be replicated in the U.S., the mostly Hebrew-speaking vendors (and lack of tourists) make this spot seem like its still one of the citys more uncovered treasures that hasnt made its way into the guidebooks yet.

Lane Nieset is Pastes Jet-Set Bohemian columnist and a freelance writer covering all things travel from her home base in Nice, France.
They say everyones Irish on St. Patricks Day, but growing up in one of the oldest Irish settlements in the Midwest, everyone was Irish every day. We had the oldest continually-licensed tavern in the state  a pub that bears an Irish name to this day  and todays holiday was celebrated with special gusto.

Every St. Paddys Day, come later afternoon or very early evening, my mom would usher us all downtown to that tavern for a bowl of beef stew before it began to fill up with locals and visitors. The entire pub would celebrate, packed to the gills with people until it was standing room only, everyone shoulder-to-shoulder until the wee hours of the morning, imbibing in a constant flow of green beer, straight from the tap.

It wasnt until I was a teenager that I realized most Irish-Americans celebrate St. Paddys with a meal of corned beef rather than beef stew, and it wasnt until I was an adult that I learned that Irishmen would just as soon have pork on their table as beef  for this holiday and every day, for that matter.

The pig is firmly ensconced in Irish culture. Ancient Irish folklore tells us that one night, Saint Martin bestowed the a piece of fat upon a girl at a farmhouse in the countryside. Wise, or perhaps kind and culinarily-inclined, Saint Martin saw that the farmer had a surplus of grain and chaff, and no animals to eat it. He told the girl to put the piece of fat under a tub overnight. In the morning when she looked inside, there was a magical gift only a saint could materialize  a sow and twelve pigs where the fat had been.

Beloved folkloric place aside, how did the pig become the Irish favorite? The thing is, throughout most of Irelands history cows were regarded highly for their milk, and considered too valuable to be used for meat. Royalty and the particularly wealthy could afford beef for special occasions, but not the commoner  especially in the days St. Martin would have been wandering around supposedly creating animals out of everyday objects. (Hes said to have thrown a mitten at a bunch of mice and rats to create the cat at the same farm. Given the era, its probably just a good thing he hadnt done this in a more Protestant country where the girl would, no doubt, have been accused of witchcraft when she turned up with never-before-seen creatures, and burned at the stake.)

However you believe pigs originally showed up in Ireland, the Irish farmers later figured out they could feed pigs excess potatoes in addition to chaff and grain, and as they say, the rest is history. Swine reproduce quickly, and Irish farmers had potatoes aplenty. Meat was soon accessible to the masses, and to this day, pork is the staple meat of the Irish isle. Only in the past few years has poultry consumption begun to catch up.

This isnt to say the Irish are complete strangers to corned beef. Ireland was, in fact, the worlds hub for corned beef in the late 1600s. But it was the Brits appetite for beef that drove the industry. Every Brit from the middle class up had a voracious appetite for beef. After England conquered Ireland, they turned the isles cow herds to their own uses and began exporting tens of thousands of cows back to Britain each year.

Corned beef in Ireland was a necessity that only came about after it became illegal to export live cows from Ireland to Britain in the 1660s. Needing some way to get their beef to the Brits or risk the collapse of their now-booming beef industry, the Irish began salting the beef heavily with salt the size of corn kernels to preserve it. (And while this is not the story of how corned beef was born, that corned beef didnt resemble the corned beef we know today. Todays corned beef is sweeter and not as salty, and for it we owe thanks to the Jewish immigrants who welcomed Irish men, women and children into America during and following the Great Potato Famine.)

The Irish and Jewish immigrant experiences were not dissimilar back then. Both pushed out of they homeland by dire circumstances and persecuted where they eventually settled, many Irish and Jewish families forged tightknit communities together. So when it came time to make a celebratory meal for one of their favorite holidays, it was only natural for the Irish immigrants to pick up a little something from the neighborhood kosher butcher, and it happened to be that corned beef was the cut they could afford. Paired with the cursed and beloved potato and the cheapest vegetable they could find, cabbage, it was in the earliest Irish-American kitchens that the corned beef tradition took hold.

So this St. Paddys Day, you could have corned beef, potatoes and cabbage as a nod to the Irish immigrants who settled here in America. Or you could really take your tubers back to their Irish roots and pair them with pork or bacon  or even pork and bacon  instead.

Main photo by Irish Typepad CC BY-SA

Diana Prichard owns a small farrow-to-finish hog operation in the heart of Michigans farm country. She works as a freelance agriculture and food writer, photographer and filmmaker. She is also the co-host of The Postmodern Farmer Show. Her work has been featured by major media outlets such as CNN, MSNBCs iVillage, Modern Farmer Magazine and The Huffington Post. She has traveled internationally to report on agriculture, food security, nutrition, and policy, visiting countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Every year, on March 17th, the city of Savannah hosts the second largest Saint Patrick Day Parade in the United States. Only New York City can boast that its parade is bigger than Savannahs.

Savannah has been celebrating its Irish heritage for several days already. The Celtic Cross Mass was held last Sunday at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist where several Irish-American societies were represented at the very solemn celebration. Afterwards, everyone paraded to Emmet Park, the area of the city where Irish immigrants lived back in the day. There was a great influx of Irish immigrants, many from County Wexford, to Savannah throughout the twentieth century. They provided labor to build canals, railroads, and roads. By the time the Civil War began, there were an estimated 85,000 Irish immigrants living in the Confederacy.

The Saint Patrick Day Parade began in 1824, hosted by the Hibernian Society which had been founded in 1812 by a group of 13 Irish Protestants to help needy Irish families. In 1870, the office of Grand Marshal for the parade was started. Every year, a distinguished Irishman is selected from among his peers to be the Grand Marshall. This year, the Grand Marshal was Michael Foran.

Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv. celebrated this mornings Mass at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, and Father Finbarr Stanton, an Irish priest of the Diocese of Savannah, was the homilist.

Father Stanton recalled his years as a seminarian at All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland where the words from Matthew 26 were engraved in stone on the main building of the campus: Go, teach all nations. He noted that those words were not only engraved in stone, but also on the young minds of the seminarians. The 250 men who studied with him were sent out into the English-speaking world to preach the Gospel to all nations. Inquiring why there was such a missionary impulse in Ireland at that time, he gave a simple answer; the memory of Saint Patrick and the personal realization, as you are given, you must give back. As Saint Patrick left his people to come to the Irish to speak of Christ, so now it was our turn to go out. It was the faith of Saint Patrick the missionary that inspired countless young men to leave their country behind to become missionaries in the world. He referred to this moment of religious fervor in the Irish Church as an explosion of grace.

Wherever the Irish have gone, they have taken along their culture and traditions. Father Stanton recalled a priest who addressed his class before ordination. He advised the young men, In bringing the Gospel with you, dont forget the other gift, the other treasure that is yours. Remember your Irish heritage, love of learning, poetry and music that has kept us alive through the centuries. Dont forget what made you.

Today, the citizens of Savannah remember their Irish heritage proudly; they have not forgotten what made them nor who they are.

Father Stanton remarked that the faith in Ireland is not lived as energetically, loyally, creatively nor thankfully as in ages past. He prayed that this is only a period of purgation, and not a sclerosis of the spirit, or hardening of the heart. For if the sons and daughters of Saint Patrick lose their faith, there seems no way forward, he stressed. The leprechauns, the fairies, wont hold the Irish together it takes faith, the challenge of the Gospel of Christ, to enable human living.

In Savannah, today is a celebration of faith and family. It is a time for people to gather and celebrate life. Though many relate Saint Patricks Day to green beer, the celebration in Savannah has deep roots, and for just today, everyone is a little bit Irish.

All the pictures are mine, all rights reserved. Savannah, 2016
Patna: While the Bihar School Education Board (BSEB) chairperson Lalkeshwhar Prasad Singh was busy telling matriculation candidates not to cheat in their ongoing exams, a BSEB official was caught taking bribe at his home in Patna on Wednesday.

As reported, Harendra Singh, the Principal of Bindeshwari Dubey College in Bhojpur district had filed a complaint with the Vigilance Bureau against Anil Kumar Singh, a BSEB official, for demanding a sum of Rs. 1 lakh from him in bribe money for moving his application forward.

To trap the corrupt official in action, Harendra Singh was able to 'negotiate' a deal with Anil Kumar Singh for a price tag of Rs. 50,000.

On Wednesday, the Principal arrived at the BSEB official's home in Indrapuri in Patna and handed over Rs. 50,000 in cash to him. As soon as the money exchanged hands, Vigilance officials sprung into action and arrested Anil Kumar Singh with bribe money still in hand.

Singh will be presented before a special court on Thursday.
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The Iranian Ballistic Missile Launches That Didn't Happen

03/17/16

By Greg Thielmann (source: LobeLog)



Iran's Simorgh space rocket (photo by ISNA)



Irans binge of short- and medium-range ballistic missile launches on March 8 and 9 garnered considerable attention in the press and in American political circles. These provocative launches, which coincided with a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden, were roundly condemned by U.S. politicians in both parties.

It may be more revealing, however, to focus on two Iranian missile types that were not launched last week-launches that have been expected for years. These systems, the Simorgh space rocket and the Sejjil-2 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), represent aspects of missile development that have been of most acute concern to those who worry about the threat that future long-range Iranian missiles could pose to Europe and the United States.

The missiles launched last week have been identified as the 750 kilometer-range Qiam and the 1,600 kilometer-range Ghadr-1. Both are single-stage, liquid-fueled systems. Neither demonstrated a new capability; neither system is prohibited by the Iran nuclear deal.

The two Iranian MRBMs launched in the fall clearly violated UN Security Council Resolution 1929, then in effect, which banned any nuclear-capable ballistic missile activities by Iran. This language was commonly understood as a reference to the inherent range/payload capabilities of any missile that could serve as a potential nuclear weapons delivery vehicle. For example, the Missile Technology Control Regime sets forth as criterion the ballistic missiles ability to deliver a 500 kilogram warhead to a distance of at least 300 kilometers.

However the UN Security Council restrictions on Irans ballistic missile activities were changed in January 2016, following the adoption of the Iran nuclear deal. Security Council Resolution 2231, which substituted for 1929, calls upon Iran not to conduct launches of missiles that are designed to be nuclear capable [emphasis added]-a change all Security Council members understood would give Tehran a stronger claim to legitimacy for its continuing launches of space rockets and conventionally-tipped ballistic missiles.

U.S. Representative to the United Nations Samantha Powers contended on March 14 that the missile technology Iran used is inherently capable of delivering nuclear weapons and thus [is] inherently defying Resolution 2231. Powers logic unfortunately ignores the Security Councils unanimous agreement to add language that implies nuclear weapons intent must now be established in assessing the design of any missile launched by Iran-an even higher bar in light of Irans acceptance of stringent limits on its nuclear program.

Moreover, the March 2016 launches provide scant clues on the status of Irans missile programs in general and no insight into whether or not an Iranian long-range missile capability will emerge in the next few years. Moreover, the launches do not constitute evidence that Iran is interested in developing a nuclear weapons capability for its ballistic missiles.

One vector of concern is Irans declared intention to develop a large space rocket, the Simorgh, which would be a more capable system for launching satellites than the Safir rocket Iran had been using. When Iran rolled out a mock-up of the two-stage Simorgh six years ago, many saw the system as a cover for the country developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). This interpretation was encouraged by the reluctance of U.S. officials to change their projection that an Iranian ICBM could emerge by 2015.

When evidence of a long-range military missile flight test in 2015 failed to appear, the date was not revised in intelligence information provided to the public, but the rationale was subtly altered. The estimate of Iran launching an ICBM by 2015 was increasingly justified by referencing Irans plans to soon launch the Simorgh space rocket.

Irans government has announced the maiden launch of the Simorgh several times since 2010, most recently in a window ending on March 10, 2016, but it has not yet happened. The repeated postponements of the Simorgh launch should not be interpreted as a lack of interest in, or resources for, Irans space program. Irans four successful satellite launches and its construction of an elaborate new facility at the Khomeinei Space Center in Semnan provide convincing evidence of the seriousness of its efforts.

There are reasons, however, to question assumptions about the direct applicability of the Simorgh space rocket for ICBM use. If, as appears to be the case, the Simorghs design is optimized for placing satellites in orbit rather than delivering warheads to the earth, converting it to an ICBM would not be a trivial endeavor. Satellite launches are not sufficient for mastering the challenges of ensuring that a warhead can safely re-enter the atmosphere and achieve sufficient accuracy in reaching its target.

Even if the space rocket were converted into an ICBM and Iran had a nuclear warhead, the Simorgh would not be able to deliver such a payload to the United States, more than 9,000 kilometers away. Whatever the validity of concerns that Iran intends to apply its space program experiences to military ends, the six-year launch delay has played a role in the U.S. military finally moving its projections of an Iranian ICBM capability to 2020, at the earliest.

Another vector of concern is Irans work on larger solid-fueled missiles, starting with the Sejjil-2 MRBM, and possibly leading to longer-range systems, which could be the basis for a more formidable ICBM down the road. Five years ago, Iran completed its fifth launch of the Sejjil-2, a two-stage, solid-fueled system, superior in range and survivability to the liquid-fuel Shahab-3 and Ghadr-1 MRBMs then in Irans operational inventory.

All of Irans medium-range missile types have the range/payload characteristics necessary for use as nuclear delivery vehicles, but the Sejjil-2 would be particularly well suited for threatening Irans enemies in the region with nuclear strikes. The Sejjils range (2,000+ kilometers) would give Iran much greater flexibility in locations for deployment inside the country. Also, because the Sejjil uses solid fuel, it would require less time (and involve fewer support vehicles) for launch preparation and rapid relocation of the launcher, further complicating enemy attempts to preempt the system or destroy the launchers before they could be reloaded.

However, opinion is divided on whether the Sejjil-2 is operational. Sejjil missiles have been subsequently displayed in parades and filmed in underground tunnels, but no further developmental flight tests or operational training launches have occurred since 2011.

The two Emad MRBMs launched last fall and the two Ghadr-1 MRBMs launched last week were all liquid-fuel Shahab-3 derivatives. The five-year absence of Sejjil flight activity and Irans use of less capable delivery vehicles as the platform for testing MRBM accuracy improvements raise questions about the Sejjill-2s status.

The long wait for a Simorgh rocket launch and the long hiatus in the series of Sejjil-2 launches could reflect significant technical obstacles in Iran procuring critical materials, serious developmental challenges, or shifting political priorities among Irans leadership.

Whatever the explanation, the absence of these events deserves at least as much attention and exposition as the more-of-the-same launches depicted in last weeks headlines. Irans failure to achieve developmental milestones in its rocket and missile programs should have real implications for U.S. missile defense and arms control policies. But the failure needs first to be acknowledged and analyzed.

Greg Thielmann is a senior fellow of the Arms Control Association. This article is an updated version of anArms Control Now blogpost. Photo courtesy of ISNA.
Iran Criticizes Australian Asylum Policy

03/17/16

By Phil Mercer, VOA

SYDNEY-Irans foreign minister has criticized Australias policy towards asylum seekers. Mohammad Javad Zarif also rejected continued scrutiny of Tehrans human rights record and its ballistic missile program during a visit to the country.



Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to migrant camps in the South Pacific. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to migrant camps in the South Pacific.

Zarif is known for his forthright views. At the end of an official two-day visit to Australia, Irans foreign minister again took aim at Israel and the United States for threatening to bomb what he called Irans peaceful nuclear facilities.

Zarif also tackled the contentious issue of human rights, just days after the United Nations reported on an "extremely high" rate of executions in Iran, especially for juvenile offenders.

In an interview with Australian television, the foreign minister said while other countries were concerned about human rights in Iran, he too was worried about the treatment of asylum seekers detained in Australia.

We don't like some aspects of the way Australia treats Iranians who have been basically lied to by human smugglers who come to Australia. Well, the fact [is] that they live in unconscionable situations, said Zarif.

Asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to migrant camps in the South Pacific, where conditions have been described by rights groups as inhumane. The government in Canberra insists that offshore processing of refugee claims has helped to stem a steady flow of asylum seekers risking their lives at sea.

Zarif said the 9,000 Iranians who had sought asylum in Australia were preyed upon by traffickers and propaganda from "government sources.

This week, Canberra has been trying to strike a deal with Iran to forcibly repatriate asylum seekers whose refugee claims are rejected in Australia. But opposition politicians have insisted that safeguards must be in place to ensure the safety of anyone who returns.
Jailed Iranian activist teacher gets respite before exile

03/17/16 Source: Radio Zamaneh

Jailed teacher Ali Akbar Baghani, who is the deputy head of the Iranian Teachers' Association, was released on bail from Rejai Shahr Prison on Wednesday March 16 .The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that Baghani was released at the end of his jail term and has been given a furlough before going on to serve his time in exile in Zabol.



Ali Akbar Baghani



Baghani was sentenced to one year in jail and a 10-year exile for the charge of "propaganda against the regime".

Baghani was arrested together with Esmail Abdi and Mahmoud Beheshti after the Central Council meeting of the teachers' union in 2011, and after two months in solitary, he was released on bail pending his trial and sentencing.







cartoon by Ali Divandari, Etemad daily





Iranian teachers have staged widespread protests across the country demanding pay parity with other public employees. Many of their organizers have faced arrests and prosecution for their protests.
Iran says regained lost oil market share

03/17/16

Source: Press TV

Iran says it has already been able to regain the share of the oil market that it had lost as a result of multiple years of draconian sanctions. Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh says this has been materialized as a result of an increase in the country's production and exports of crude oil as well as gas condensate.





Happily jumping over sanctions at the start of Iranian New Year

(cartoon by Mohsen Zarifian, Iranian daily Ghanoon)





Zangeneh - who made the announcement in a message to the nation on the eve of the new Persian calendar year (to begin 21 March) - emphasized that these are only part of a series of achievements that the Oil Ministry has been able to make after the removal of sanctions against Iran in mid-January.

The US-led sanctions that were imposed against Iran in 2011 limited the country's oil sales to only one million barrels per day (bpd) from the previous levels of above two million barrels a day.

After the election of President Hassan Rouhani and his appointment of Zangeneh as the oil minister, Iran undertook serious efforts to lift its oil production capacity in face of the sanctions that also barred foreign investments in the Iranian oil industry. Accordingly, when the sanctions were lifted in mid-January, Iran increased its export ceiling to around 1.4 million bpd within a few weeks with the bulk of supplies heading to European markets.



Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh



Zangeneh had previously emphasized that Iran would increase its oil production by some 500,000 bpd immediately after the removal of the sanctions and by another 500,000 bpd within the following months.

He had also called on global producers to make way for the incoming Iranian oil supplies, stressing that Iran has no plans to freeze its production - as demanded by market heavyweights such as Russia and Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, Iran's President Rouhani told reporters that the country's oil exports will reach 2 million bpd within the next few months.
Against the Odds: A Big Achievement for A Small Community

03/17/16

New York, February 16th, 2016: On March 26th, 2016, Zoroastrians, traditionally known as Zarathushtis, from the tristate area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will come together to celebrate a once in a lifetime event the inauguration of the new Arbab Rustam Guiv DareMehr building, a religious and cultural community center, in Pomona, NY. The Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY), the Iranian Zoroastrian Association (IZA), and the DareMehr Zoroastrian Temple (DMZT) will host this auspicious event. This will be the communitys third home in the last 40 years, but the first that will reflect traditional Zoroastrian architecture and character.



The new Arbab Rustam Guiv DareMehr facade

( photo credit: Shirin Kumaana-Wadia)



Zoroastrianism is considered to be the first monotheistic faith and one of the worlds oldest religions. Once widely followed in ancient Persia, it found a home in India when Zoroastrian followers fled following religious persecution. It has struggled in modern times through oppression and dwindling numbers. The tristate community has sought to maintain its Zarathushti identity and follow the teachings of the Prophet Zarathushtra, who preached the importance of Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds in the service of one God, over 3,000 years ago.

Contrary to recent reports noting that the Zarathushti population is in decline, the membership of ZAGNY and IZA has grown since their inception forty and thirty years ago respectively. The current Zarathushti population in the Greater New York area is estimated to be about one thousand.

Based on this growth and the needs of the community, a new DareMehr building was conceived - one that reflectsa Zarathushti ambiance and creates a sense of belonging, so as to preserve the faith and culture, grow the community, and create a legacy for future generations to enjoy and cherish. Inspired by ancient Persian and Zoroastrian architecture of the fire temples of India, the building features a stone facade with a colonnaded portico, and decorative capitols, evoking the architectural style of Persepolis as a nod to the long road traveled. This 22,000 square foot structure has four classrooms, three meeting rooms, a library, a traditional prayer hall, kitchen facilities and a main hall that can accommodate up to 400 guests.

The Zarathustis have demonstrated an unwavering and dedicated mindset and in just four short years of fundraising, locally, nationally and internationally, the small but determined group has secured the approximately $5M required to construct and complete the building.

During the week of Navroze, the start of the Persian new year, the community will celebrate their achievement with an inaugural event. On March 26 th , an auspicious day that coincides with the birthday of the Prophet Zarathustra, a ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries will kick off the event. A record number of priests, lead by the honorable Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, the high priest and religious leader of Zarathushtis in India, will bless the building. The event will culminate in a traditional celebratory meal enjoyed by the community.

This is a monumental achievement for the Zarthushti communities of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to be able to see the day that they have been dreaming about, and contributing their time, their work, and their funds towards. said Shirin Khosravi, President of IZA.





About Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism or the Zarathushti religion is one of the earliest monotheistic faiths and considered to be one of the worlds oldest religions. The faith flourished through the rise and fall of many civilizations. For a thousand years (558BC to 652AD) it was the court religion of three Persian empires, however suffered a setback when Persia was conquered by Alexander in 330BC. After a revival, it reeled once again with the Muslim invasion of Persia in 652AD. At this time a few shiploads of devotees fled and landed on the western shores of India. Their descendants, the Parsis, still keep the faith alive in India. Today the total number of Zoroastrians in the world is about 200,000 with the majority being in India and Iran. Zoroastrians have also settled in USA, Canada, Pakistan, Europe, Africa and Australia. Wherever they have settled, Zoroastrians have well served the countries of their adoption.



About IZA

The Iranian Zoroastrian Association, originally functioning with ZAGNY, was formed in 1986. IZA aspires to meet the educational, cultural, and religious needs of the growing IranianAmerican

Zarathushti communities in the Northeastern region of the United States. Although IZA is based in the State of New York, its coverage also encompasses interested members and enthusiastic prospects from the States of New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C. As a nonprofit, educational, religious and cultural organization, IZA conducts religious ceremonies, celebrates Persian holidays and rituals (Nowruz, Tirgan, Mehregan, Yalda, Sadeh, etc.), and organizes and/or sponsors cultural congregations and events. IZA strives to sustain and pass on the Zarathushti faith, preserve Persian cultural rituals, provide educational opportunities in the teachings of Zarathusht: Asha and harmony of the beings, the Persian language, and the culture and history of Iran.



About ZAGNY

ZAGNY is a nonprofit, cultural and educational organization, registered in New York. ZAGNY aspires to sustain Zoroastrian identity, preserve and share cultural traditions, and strives to create a sense of belonging for community members of the tristate area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. ZAGNY members are proud ambassadors of the Zoroastrian community at official events at the United Nations, at various interfaith events, and other social events like the Persian Day Parade in New York City, and the New York City Mayors Celebrations during Nowruz.



Since its inception, ZAGNY has been a champion for worthy causes in India such as the B.D. Petit Parsee General Hospital, Parsi Ambulance Division, Udvada, Surat and Navsari Atash Behrams and has provided assistance to the priestly community - the Mobeds. ZAGNY is also an active participant in the local community through involvement with local Westchester and Rockland County schools in educating students about the tradition of Nowruz as well as supporting local causes such as with People to People of Rockland, Red Cross Blood Drives, and the Bone Marrow registry.



About DMZT

The Dar-e-Mehr Zoroastrian temple is a Religious Corporation that holds title to the property. The Trustees of DMZT are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the premises. Both ZAGNY and IZA share the use of the premises.




Be sure to have open and ongoing conversations with your children about the importance of responsible device usage, so they don't immediately scheme to get rid of whatever app you install or find some clever workarounds. Check out our article on what parents of connected kids need to know if you don't know where to begin.

If you intend to monitor your children's device activity in the modern age, you need a parental control service that works well on mobile platforms, in addition to desktops. Kids can get into all sorts of mischief on their mobile phones (or tablets), either on purpose or by accident. Maybe they spend too much time every day staring at a screen or use age-inappropriate sites and apps. In any case, a good parental control app can restore your sense of control and help you keep a cautious eye out for anything that can harm them.

More About Our Picks

Qustodio Parental Control 3.5 Good Best for All-Around Protection Bottom Line: Parental control app Qustodio is an easy-to-manage tool for keeping track of your child's activity, but it's expensive and requires sideloading for a key feature to work. Pros Well-designed web interface

Well-designed web interface Comprehensive time restrictions

Comprehensive time restrictions App blocking on desktop and mobile platforms

App blocking on desktop and mobile platforms Cross-platform support

Cross-platform support Intuitive apps Cons Expensive

Expensive Child can evade web filter by using a VPN

Child can evade web filter by using a VPN No social media tracking

No social media tracking Sideloading required for Android calls and text monitoring Read Our Qustodio Parental Control Review 10% off all Premium Plans at Qustodio See It (Opens in a new window)

Symantec Norton Family Premier 4.0 Excellent Best for Easy Setup Bottom Line: Norton Family makes it easy for parents to track their children's activity across many devices, though it doesn't work on Macs, and its iOS app relies on Apple's free Screen Time feature to do the blocking and tracking. Pros Affordable

Affordable Comprehensive web dashboard

Comprehensive web dashboard No limit on the number of monitored devices

No limit on the number of monitored devices Easy setup and configuration

Easy setup and configuration Excellent geofencing tools

Excellent geofencing tools House Rules encourage family dialogue about online safety Cons Does not work on Macs

Does not work on Macs Browser extensions can be disabled easily

Browser extensions can be disabled easily Cannot block individual apps and games on PCs

Cannot block individual apps and games on PCs Unlocking an iOS device breaks monitoring alerts Read Our Symantec Norton Family Premier Review Available at Norton LifeLock Check Price (Opens in a new window)

Boomerang 3.0 Average Best for Custom Geofences Bottom Line: Boomerang is a solid parental control app for Android and iOS that helps parents track their children's web, app, and mobile activity. It's mobile-only, though, so you can't use it to monitor Macs or PCs. Pros Good app and device usage controls

Good app and device usage controls Useful web filters

Useful web filters Supports geofencing

Supports geofencing Call and SMS supervision on Android Cons Only monitors mobile devices

Only monitors mobile devices Currently requires users to sideload Android app

Currently requires users to sideload Android app Single-device plan is expensive

Single-device plan is expensive Limitations on iOS Read Our Boomerang Review Free Trial at Boomerang See It (Opens in a new window)

Circle Home Plus 3.5 Good Best for Seamless Home Setups Bottom Line: Parental control device Circle Home Plus delivers good tools for keeping an eye on your home network and protecting your children's phones and tablets, but it is susceptible to workarounds and its reporting features aren't as robust as competitors'. Pros Easy setup.

Easy setup. Reliable web and time restrictions.

Reliable web and time restrictions. Detects and implements restrictions for devices on the network quickly.

Detects and implements restrictions for devices on the network quickly. Intuitive apps.

Intuitive apps. Supports an unlimited number of devices. Cons Expensive.

Expensive. Lacks top features, such as geofencing and ability to fully lock device use.

Lacks top features, such as geofencing and ability to fully lock device use. Physical device introduces some vulnerability. Read Our Circle Home Plus Review $129.00 at Circle Parental Controls See It (Opens in a new window)

Mobicip 3.5 Good Best for Cross-Platform Monitoring Bottom Line: Mobicip gives you the basic tools you need to monitor your children's web and app activity, but the lack of sophisticated time- and location-tracking features hold it back. Pros Well-designed mobile apps.

Well-designed mobile apps. Organized web interface.

Organized web interface. App blocking.

App blocking. Supports lots of platforms. Cons Kids can bypass desktop browsing restrictions.

Kids can bypass desktop browsing restrictions. Awkward iOS configuration.

Awkward iOS configuration. No geofencing.

No geofencing. Only lets you set time schedules, not total time limits. Read Our Mobicip Review Available at Mobicip Check Price (Opens in a new window)

Locategy 3.5 Good Best for Location Tracking Bottom Line: Locategy's parental control app for Android and iOS keeps track of your kid's activities and location, but the apps are missing social media monitoring of any kind and there's no support for Macs or PCs. Pros Excellent iOS and Android app design

Excellent iOS and Android app design Accurate and well-implemented location tracking

Accurate and well-implemented location tracking App blocking and usage schedules

App blocking and usage schedules Free version available Cons No support for Macs and PCs

No support for Macs and PCs No social media monitoring

No social media monitoring Web filtering only works on specific browsers Read Our Locategy Review Visit Site at Locategy See It (Opens in a new window)

Net Nanny 3.0 Average Best for Custom Web Filters Bottom Line: Net Nanny boasts customizable web filters along with solid screen time and app blocking features, but it's a bit pricey and its geofencing features are not yet competitive. Pros Simple setup

Simple setup Capable screen time options

Capable screen time options App blocking

App blocking Custom web filters Cons Expensive

Expensive Web filters defeated by Tor

Web filters defeated by Tor Relatively few preset web filters

Relatively few preset web filters Limited geofencing features Read Our Net Nanny Review Available at Net Nanny Check Price (Opens in a new window)

Where's Kaspersky?

Kaspersky Safe Kids was in this roundup for quite some time. We have, however, opted to remove the company's parental control software from this list.

Although Kaspersky has long faced controversy for its connections to Russia, we have continued to endorse many of the company's products. That's partly because our work at PCMag focuses on the products themselves, not their geopolitical ramifications. Also, despite accusations of being in cahoots with the Russian government, no evidence has ever been provided to definitively prove Kaspersky was a bad actor.

However, on March 27, 2022, the FCC issued a warning that labeled the company a national security threat. This came after several other organizations and governments dissolved their relationships with Kaspersky in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While we stand by our evaluations of Kaspersky products, we felt this latest development warranted a different response. We have removed Kaspersky's products from our "Best for" lists, and added a statement to all our Kaspersky product reviews.

How to Monitor Your Kids' Mobile Devices

Parental control apps can help you maintain control in a variety of ways. Some of the most common types of monitoring include web content filtering, app blocking, time management, and location tracking. We dive into more detail about these top features below. Keep in mind some of the products we highlight are mobile-only solutions, meaning they cannot monitor your child's activities on Macs or PCs. If these platforms are your greatest concern, make sure to check out our roundup of the best parental control software.

Most parental control services work similarly. You install a monitoring app on every device you want to keep tabs on and manage settings and restrictions from either a web desktop or a parent-focused mobile app. Changes you make on any devices take effect immediately. We appreciate those services that offer flexible device management.

Getting Started with Parental Control Software Getting Started with Parental Control Software

Pricing and Platforms

Most parental control apps require you to pay for an annual subscription based on the number of devices you monitor. Prices range anywhere from $10 to $30 for monitoring one or two devices and go all the way up to over $100 in some cases if you want 10 or more licenses. Circle Home Plus requires a hardware device and, eventually, a premium subscription to get its full capabilities. That said, there are some exceptions. Some services, like Locategy, operate on a freemium model, albeit with some limitations that don't apply to the premium edition. Others, like Kaspersky Safe Kids and Norton Family, do not restrict the number of devices you can monitor.

Parental control software tends to be more powerful on Android than on iOS, since Apple locks down app permissions and device access. Most parental control apps for iPhones require you to install a mobile device management (MDM) profile for all the features (especially those related to app management and time restrictions) to function correctly.

For monitoring iOS devices, consider using Apple's Screen Time tools, which rival the for-pay offerings of standalone competitors. Apple's built-in (and free) solution is account-based, meaning it keeps track of data across all a child's Apple devices. Apple already included a good range of app-blocking and web-filtering options within the Restrictions section of its main settings app. Microsoft (Family Safety) and Google (Family Link) also offer first-party parental management solutions, which we cover in more detail in our guide on how to manage kids' screen time. We also have a feature on how to manage parental control settings on every game console.

Web Filtering

The hallmark feature of any parental control app is its ability to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate or dangerous websites. Many apps bundle a proprietary browser that makes it easier for the services to manage, track, and control browsing activity. This makes more sense than trying to reverse engineer support for every conceivable mobile browser. As such, most of these apps instruct you to block every other browser or restrict your child from installing any other apps at all.

Some parental control utilities don't force your child to use a proprietary browser. Rather, they leverage VPN technology, running internet connections through a local app to enable content filtering. You'll see the VPN icon when such a utility is active. The presence of this icon doesn't mean the child's connection is secured by a full-scale virtual private network, nor that the device's IP address is masked.

Most of these browsers operate similarly in that they block access to websites that fall under banned categories, including all the biggest offenders, such as file sharing, gambling, pornography, and violence. The best examples have no trouble picking up on HTTPS-encrypted traffic and blocking access to anonymizing proxies. Some apps, such as Net Nanny, let you create custom web-filtering categories, and the vast majority let you add specific rules for custom domains. Others can lock Safe Search settings and block profanity. The quality of web history reporting also varies from service to service.

App Monitoring, Messaging, and Time Restrictions

One area in which most mobile parental control solutions excel is in their ability to prevent children from using certain apps. This can come in handy for parents looking to prevent their kids from using social media apps, messaging services that are difficult to monitor, or browsers that get around the defined web filters. Still, it can be difficult to keep track of every new app your child installs. Better yet are those services, such as Boomerang, that automatically block new apps your child installs until you explicitly approve them. Mobicip gives you the option to whitelist only the apps you want your child to be able to use.

App blocking works differently on iOS. You can block access to system apps such as Safari, Camera, and Siri, if you wish. You can also disable the iTunes Store and App Store and ban in-app purchases. Some parental control apps can even remove app icons completely from the home screen, so there's no chance your kid can access them.

One thing you won't be able to do with most parental control apps is monitor calls or SMS, MMS, and encrypted messages. You can block secure messaging apps, but Boomerang and Qustodio are the only options aside from Apple's ScreenTime function we tested that allow you to monitor SMS messages and call data. This capability is only for Android devices and is not built into the app versions on the Google Play store; instead, you have to sideload a custom version of the app.

Time restrictions are another major feature of parental control apps. Some services, like Norton Family and Locategy, let you specify how many total hours (or minutes) a day your child can spend on any given device as well as a schedule for when they can use it. Qustodio lets you set up schedules for specific apps and device usage, as well as specifying a total time allotment for your child that applies across every piece of hardware they use to access the internet.

Location Reporting

A mobile parental control app should at the very least be able to keep track of a child's current location and some historical location data, too. It's also important for them to offer some level of control over notifications and the frequency of location reporting, to avoid bombarding the parent with useless data. Both Qustodio and Norton Family offer these features.

Some services, including Locategy and Boomerang, go one step further, letting you construct geofences around a location. For the uninitiated, geofences are digital boundaries around a physical location that help parents keep track of when a child arrives at or leaves a given location. Kaspersky Safe Kids even lets you add a dimension of time to a geofence, so you can easily make sure a child stays where they are supposed to be throughout the day. Boomerang offers a unique feature that lets you draw custom geofences on a map; other apps just create a circular radius around a point you define. Android and iOS themselves also let you track your kid's location.

Microsoft Family Safety users with an active Microsoft 365 Family subscription can monitor their teen's driving habits with the Drive Safety feature and Drive History reports. The reports alert the Microsoft Family Safety group if the monitored person accelerated quickly or braked hard during their last driving session.

Talk to Your Kids

Although the range of features parental control software supports is impressive, no system is perfect. If your children want to get around the limitations you impose, they will likely be able to do so either by using unmonitored devices or finding ways to wipe their devices clean of the controlling apps. Thus, it's worthwhile to take the time to talk with your child about why you have installed monitoring software in the first place. After all, digital safety and security are worthwhile topics for everyone. It's better to approach these conversations honestly, rather than have them find out on their own and stop trusting you. Especially for older children, it's also important to listen to your child's specific privacy concerns, rather than just setting rules and restrictions that may otherwise be seen as arbitrary.
Security researchers exploited previously unknown vulnerabilities in Apple Safari, Google Chrome and Flash Player to compromise the latest versions of OS X and Windows during the first day of the annual Pwn2Own hacking contest.

On Wednesday, four teams and a researcher who competed on his own made six attempts to hack this years targets: Safari running on OS X, Chrome running on Windows, Microsoft Edge running on Windows and Flash Player on Windows. Four attempts were successful, one was only partially successful and one failed.

The 360Vulcan Team from Chinese Internet security company Qihoo 360 combined a remote code execution vulnerability in Flash Player with a vulnerability in the Windows kernel to gain system privileges. For this feat, they received a US$80,000 prize, $60,000 for the Flash Player exploit and a $20,000 bonus for the system-level escalation.

Later in the day, the same team demonstrated a remote code execution attack against Google Chrome on Windows that members also managed to escalate to system. For that attack, they combined exploits for four vulnerabilities: one in Chrome, two in Flash and one in the Windows kernel.

The attack was considered only a partial win, because the Chrome flaw had previously been reported to Google by an independent researcher without the teams knowledge, so it didnt qualify as a zero-day. The team still won $52,500, putting their first-day payout at $132,500.

South Korean researcher JungHoon Lee, known in hacking circles as lokihardt, demonstrated a remote code execution attack against Apple Safari on OS X with an escalation to root privileges. He also combined four vulnerabilities, earning a $60,000 prize.

This year, Safari exploits are rewarded with $40,000, compared to $60,000 for Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows. The privilege escalation bonus of $20,000 is available for both Windows and OS X.

Its worth noting that during last years edition of Pwn2Own, JungHoon Lee was the most successful contestant, taking home $225,000, almost half of the total payout.

He still has time to come on top this year, too, because he was scheduled to attempt attacks against Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Thursday, the contests second day. Meanwhile, 360Vulcan Team, which is currently in the lead, has no other demonstrations scheduled.

Chinese Internet giant Tencent has three teams in the contest, with members from several of its subsidiaries.

During the first day, Tencent Security Team Shield demonstrated an attack against Safari to achieve root-level code execution. The exploit combined two vulnerabilities, one in Safari and one in another privileged process, and earned the team $40,000.

Meanwhile, Tencent Security Team Sniper demonstrated an attack against Flash Player on Windows that involved privilege escalation to system, for which the group received $50,000.

The third Tencent team, Xuanwu Lab, tried an exploit against Adobe Flash in Microsoft Edge, but it failed to work.

During the first day, security researchers won $282,500 and disclosed 15 previously unknown vulnerabilities. The exploits were shared with contest organizers from the Zero Day Initiative, which is now part of Trend Micro, and will be reported to the affected vendors.

This year, the Pwn2Own contest is sponsored by Trend Micro and Hewlett Packard Enterprise and has a total prize pool around $600,000.
Re: Anti-smoking bills treat everyone like kids [Editorial, March 16]: Gov. Jerry Brown finally has a bill in front of him that makes sense. The Senate has passed an anti-smoking bill that will raise the legal smoking age from the current 18 years old to the age of 21. As an ex-smoker, 22 years clean, I believe that most rational people recognize the dangers of smoking (plus it stinks).

Clearly, people do not become rational until the age of 21. Sadly, the California Senate does not go far enough as this is not just about personal consumption habits.

If we are unable to trust an 18-year-old to decide whether to smoke, should we trust him with the vote (i.e., support for Bernie Sanders)?

What about buying a house or entering into a contract? How do we consider a 20-year-old as an adult in a court of law if they dont have brain development to know the difference between right and wrong?

What about the armed forces? Had we not given these young preadults the right to decide to allow themselves to join the military and to go fight in Middle East conflicts, the overall casualty rate would have been substantially lower for people in this age group.

Finally, since we do not consider people under 21 to be adults, how about making high school last seven years? They need to do something between 18 and 21 thats not too responsible, and perhaps the state testing will improve.

It is time to dump our personal prejudices about bad habits (we all have them) and decide once and for all at what age a person is an adult, for everything.

Wayne Marshall

Corona
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected a South Coast Air Quality Management District clean-up plan, saying it does not require the best known technologies for reducing emissions from oil refineries, power plants, factories and other smokestack polluters.

Use of the cleanest technologies is required by the federal Clean Air Act, said a Wednesday letter to AQMD from the EPAs regional office in San Francisco.

The letter from Deborah Jordan, director of the EPAs Region 9 air division, referred to the AQMDs 2012 cleanup plan for diesel soot and other kinds of fine particle pollution that is blamed for an array of health problems, including heart disease and early deaths.

The regions worst fine-particle pollution is in the Mira Loma area of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County. In 2015, the air district missed a federal deadline to achieve the federal health standard for this kind of pollution.

AQMD spokesman Sam Atwood said a decision by the air district board in December to reduce nitrogen oxide emission from 275 smokestack facilities to 12 tons a day by 2022 should address the EPAs concerns. Those facilities are in Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The AQMD board, however, had rejected a staff proposal to reduce the emissions by 14 tons a day, which then-Executive Officer Barry Wallerstein said was needed to meet state and federal health standards. The 12-ton reduction has been criticized by state lawmakers and the California Air Resources Board for not doing enough to protect public health.

Earlier this month, seven Republican members of the AQMD board voted to fire Wallerstein, saying the air district needed to be more business-friendly.

State Senate leader Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, then announced that he is drafting legislation to add three seats to air district board, so people living in polluted areas have better representation

SCAQMD board members should rethink their votes to weaken the regions clean air standards and take the necessary steps to comply with state and federal law, de Leon said in a statement. Their actions are not only irresponsible, but illegal.
UPDATE (Thursday, March 17): Tribune wins auction for Press-Enterprise, OC Register

A three-way bankruptcy auction for The Press-Enterprise and The Orange County Register turned into a major legal tussle on Wednesday, with an investor group led by Freedom Communications CEO Rich Mirman leaving the bidding after all-day negotiations stalled the auctions start.

Freedom is auctioning off its assets after filing for bankruptcy protection in November. Mirmans group was competing with Digital First Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram and San Bernardino Sun; and Tribune Publishing, owner of the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune.

The auction for the two newspapers and related parcels of land is proving to be a complex dealmaking endeavor. By 7 p.m. Wednesday, the formal bidding had yet to begin, said Alan Friedman, Freedoms bankruptcy attorney who is supervising the auction.

Bidding finally got underway Wednesday night. No winner had been announced by 9 p.m.

UPDATE (Thursday, March 17): Tribune wins auction for Press-Enterprise, OC Register

Mirmans group had made a bid in the pre-auction process that was calculated in bankruptcy terms to be worth $45 million, said the groups attorney, Leonard Shulman of Shulman, Hodges & Bastian. Mirmans group was below the Tribunes $46.5 million bid valuation but above Digital Firsts $43.3 million.

Shulman said his group was prepared to up its bid by accepting the Registers pension plan liabilities, something no bidder had done in initial bids. That move would have gotten more cash to Freedom creditors, because if the pension is handed over to Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the federal pension guarantor would exert a $155 million bankruptcy claim, which would wipe out much of the recoveries unsecured creditors could get.

As the bidding was to start  after lengthy delays  Mirmans investor group was told it had to add $5 million in cash for creditors to waive the right to sue the groups principal players  Mirman, Freedom Chairman Eric Spitz and Santa Ana developer Michael Harrah, according to Shulman.

It was an irregular and unreasonable request over bogus claims, Shulman said.

Friedman, Freedoms bankruptcy attorney, declined to comment.

Mirmans group is considering its options, including joining the Tribunes dispute with the bidding process at a Monday hearing where the auction results were expected to be reviewed by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Mark Wallace. The deal is scheduled to close March 31.

Late Tuesday, Tribune filed a court motion claiming that Digital First improperly won the stalking horse opening bid.

Because bankruptcy bidders may want various parts of a bankrupt entity, financial advisers conducting the auction can value bids on essentially what theyre worth to creditors vs. the raw cash in a bid. That can explain the difference between the auction valuation of Digital Firsts bid and the $45.5 million price tag announced when Digital First was accepted as the stalking horse bid on Sunday.

If Tribune wins the auction, the company would face its own legal hurdle.

U.S. Justice Department attorneys this week indicated they would fight Tribunes purchase of the two Freedom papers on antitrust grounds, saying the companys ownership of four papers in the region would give Tribune an illegal competitive advantage that harms both readers and advertisers in Orange and Riverside counties.

Contact the writer: jlansner@ocregister.com
Norco will soon buy an $805,000 vacant lot and give it to a used car dealer looking to expand next to Hemborg Ford on Hamner Avenue.

The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night, March 16, to front the full cost of the 1.6-acre parking lot so Paul Blancos Good Car Company can run a new flagship dealership there.

Paul Blanco has a lease agreement with Bob Hemborg for 2000 Hamner Ave., where Blanco plans to build a dealership that could bring more than $300,000 annually in city sales tax, a city report states. The company will also create roughly 60 jobs through a new call center and reconditioning shop, Blanco spokesman Kevin Knox said at the meeting.

Blanco, who needs more space to park cars, asked the city for help purchasing a vacant spot along Four Wheel Drive, beside his rental lot that has already undergone some renovations. Blanco owns several dealerships in California, Nevada and Florida, according to PaulBlanco.com.

As part of the agreement, Blancos sales taxes exceeding $200,000 annually over the next five years will be applied as credits to repay the city for the land, City Manager Andy Okoro said. The land is owned by the successor agency to the defunct Community Redevelopment Agency.

If Blanco fails to generate enough sales tax to cover the $805,000 purchase price, the company will enter into a monthly repayment plan for the difference.

Councilman Greg Newton praised the deal, saying his colleagues have long talked of a need for economic development after the loss of Redevelopment Agency money in 2012.

The reduced financial capacity requires new thinking, new partnerships, Newton said. I want to compliment Andy (Okoro), who put together a very forward-thinking package.

Norco resident Karen Leonard pointed to two failed businesses at the location in recent years, saying Blanco should be responsible for a good faith down payment to ensure the citys investment isnt taken for granted.

In late 2008, a Mazda dealership operating at the same location received a $500,000 loan from the now-defunct Norco Redevelopment Agency to help the business stay open, records show. Though the agency generated its funds independently, the city council was tasked with making decisions on their expenditures.

The Mazda dealership closed in 2009 with $463,000 remaining on its loan, Okoro said. Only about $50,000 of the remaining balance was ever repaid.

This is entirely different from the previous two businesses there, Okoro said, adding that Blancos used car dealership is the second largest in California. Weve looked at their sales tax returns, and we feel very confident that theyll be successful here in Norco.

If Blancos dealership folds, the land would become city property, Okoro said.

Subsidies are used to spur economic development within local agencies through things such as grants, bonds, loans, tax exemptions and fee waivers. California law requires cities to provide specified information to the public before approving an economic development subsidy of more than $100,000.

Another dealer made an offer for $800,000, but Okoro said the estimated revenues and additional employment from Blanco made this a better option for the city to pursue.

Okoro said hes fielded questions from residents who want to know why the city is acting as a bank for local businesses. Subsidizing reliable businesses such as Blancos will enhance the citys economic base for years to come, he said.

The money for the lot will come from the citys Special Asset Revenue Fund, which has $1.7 million.

Councilwoman Robin Grundmeyer assured residents the project was vetted and said the city has been burned a couple of times and the council does not take these decisions lightly.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9644, poneill@pressenterprise.com, @PE_PatrickO
California Attorney General Kamala Harris came to Ontario this week, where she keynoted the opening day of the California Police Chiefs Association annual symposium.

Her appearance a stones throw from San Bernardino, site of the worst terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11, came against the backdrop of the continuing court battle between the U.S. Justice Department and Apple over the governments demand that the company help the FBI hack into the encrypted iPhone used by one of the attackers who laid waste to the Inland Regional Center.

I suggest we cannot afford to accept a false choice on this, said Ms. Harris. That (y)oure either in favor of Apple or youre in favor of the FBI; youre either in favor of just getting rid of encryption, or locking everything down so law enforcement cant have access.

We agree with the attorney general. The issues involved in the dispute between the DOJ and Apple are not as black and white as those on either side of the issue suggest.

Indeed, what is playing out in the Riverside County courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym, who is refereeing the high-stakes legal battle, is a clash of principles  civil liberties and national security.

Much of the civil libertarian community backs Apple. They are informed by the familiar words of Benjamin Franklin, who said, Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Conversely, much of the law enforcement community  including most of the police chiefs who made their way to Ontario this week  sides with the Justice Department.

They share the fear expressed decades ago by Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson that if the civil liberties ideal is not tempered with practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact.

So, as paradoxical as it may seem, both Apple and the Justice Department have a persuasive case. Civil liberties are important. But so is national security and protecting the homeland.

What Judge Pym has been asked to do is determine the hierarchy of principle between civil liberties and national security  much as judges often have to determine whether the constitutional right to a free press trumps the constitutional right to a fair trial.

We respect those who have the awesome challenge of preventing terror attacks  such as that which occurred Dec. 2 in San Bernardino. But our civil libertarian instincts predispose us to side with Apple in its opposition to Judge Pyms order that the company enable the FBI to unlock one of its encrypted iPhones.

Indeed, we agree with Salihin Kondoker, whose wife was shot three times during the attack at the IRC. It was the husband-and-wife terrorists who shot his wife and killed 14 other people. Not technology, he said.
The American Bar Association wants Gov. Jerry Brown to issue an executive reprieve and order a review of guilt or innocence for Kevin Cooper, sentenced to death in 1985 for the knife-and-hatchet slayings of four people, two of them children, in Chino Hills.

Cooper has exhausted all of his appeals and is expected to be among the first scheduled for San Quentins death chamber when California resumes lethal injections.

He has been an activist in prison and has conducted a lengthy campaign to overturn his case, insisting he was wrongly convicted through police misconduct, a claim which investigators and prosecutors say defies the evidence that convicted him.

California hasnt executed an inmate since 2006, when a federal judge ruled its lethal injection protocol was a potentially cruel and unusual punishment. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is receiving public comment until April 6 for its latest proposed lethal injection protocol.

The ABA wants the reprieve for Cooper to be in effect until the investigation necessary to fully evaluate his guilt or innocence is completed, saying that evidence has emerged in the 30 years since Coopers arrest that continues to cast doubt on his conviction and that has never been comprehensively examined by any court, American Bar Association President Paulette Brown wrote in a letter dated March 14.

Neither Gov. Browns office nor the bar association would comment on the letter Thursday, March 17.

Most requests for American Bar Association intervention letters are not granted, the organization says. The voluntary professional organization claims almost 400,000 members, including lawyers, law students and others interested in the legal profession.

Annual reports filed by the governors office show he granted no reprieves since taking office in 2011, through 2015.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos said he was disgusted by the comments made by the president of the American Bar Association and the fact that they show no concern or respect for the victims and their families in this case.

The bloody June 4, 1983 attack for which Cooper was convicted took the lives of Doug and Peggy Ryen; their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica; and neighbor Christopher Hughes, 11, who was staying overnight at the Ryens home.

The boy was a friend of the Ryens 8-year-old son, Joshua, who survived the attack with a slashed throat.

The slayings took place two days after Cooper had escaped from the nearby California Institution for Men in Chino. Cooper admitted hiding in a vacant house near the Ryen home, but he denied killing anyone.

Paulette Brown said in her letter that while her organization takes no position on the death penalty per se, we have a strong interest in ensuring a fair and accurate justice system.

The ABA president cited several matters that she said raised questions for the ABA, including law enforcements pursuit of Cooper, who is black, despite considerable evidence pointing to multiple white or Hispanic perpetrators.

Joshua Ryen initially described the attackers as three white or Hispanic men. In a federal court statement years later, however, an adult Joshua Ryen said Cooper was his attacker.

Paulette Brown also mentioned other matters that Coopers attorneys have raised in their appeals, including:

 A pair of bloody coveralls that a woman had given police and said they had been worn by her boyfriend, a convicted murderer. The coveralls were thrown away without any forensic testing to determine if they were linked to the slayings.

 A blue shirt, possibly with blood on it, recorded on police logs as found near the attack site but never handed to Coopers defense attorneys. Police now say the shirt doesnt exist and was likely mistaken for a tan T-shirt also found near the scene.

 DNA evidence collected from the T-shirt that the defense has challenged as possibly planted  a contention the ABA says has not been conclusively resolved  along with other DNA issues.

Mr. Coopers arrest, prosecution, and conviction are marred by evidence of racial bias, police misconduct, evidence tampering, suppression of exculpatory information, lack of quality defense counsel, and a hamstrung court system, Brown wrote.

She said in her letter that the ABA would like Gov. Brown to take action based on Coopers petition for executive clemency, which is now before the governor.

An investigation request to the Board of Parole Hearings Investigation Division for a death penalty case is among the options for a governor who receives a clemency petition.

We encourage the Board to conduct this robust review and investigation in light of significant evidence that was never satisfactorily reviewed by the courts, Paulette Brown wrote.

Ramos, in an emailed statement, said he believes the matter of Coopers guilt had been settled, several times.

Kevin Cooper is the perfect example of how dysfunctional the appellate process is and how it is being abused by those on Death Row in California. He has appealed multiple times  and each time our case gets stronger, Ramos wrote. The American Bar Association has no business commenting on a case in San Bernardino County and calling into question the integrity of this office.
The federal government filed an antitrust lawsuit Thursday in an attempt to block Tribune Publishing from buying The Press-Enterprise and Orange County Register newspapers.

The suit was filed in federal court hours after Tribune, whose newspapers include the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune, announced it had placed a winning $56 million bid in an auction for the two newspapers owned by the bankrupt Freedom Communications.

A bankruptcy judge must still approve the sale. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday, March 21, and the deal has been scheduled to close Thursday, March 31.

In a news release Thursday afternoon, the Justice Department said the acquisition would monopolize newspapers in Orange and Riverside counties. It is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the sale from proceeding.

According to the departments complaint, filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times and the Register together account for 98 percent of newspaper sales in Orange County and the Los Angeles Times and Freedoms newspapers together account for 81 percent of English-language newspaper sales in Riverside County, the release says.

Tribunes acquisition of its most significant competitor would give it a monopoly over newspaper sales in each county and allow it to increase subscription prices, raise advertising rates and invest less to maintain the quality of its newspapers.

William Baer, assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Departments antitrust division, wrote a letter this week to Freedom Communications bankruptcy attorney, saying his division would exercise its antitrust law enforcement responsibilities if Freedom selected Tribune to purchase the newspapers.

In Thursdays statement, Baer was quoted as saying:

If this acquisition is allowed to proceed, newspaper competition will be eliminated and readers and advertisers in Orange and Riverside Counties will suffer. Newspapers continue to play an important role in the dissemination of news and information to readers and remain an important vehicle for advertisers. The Antitrust Division is committed to ensuring that competition in this important industry is protected.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Tribune is prepared to defend the legality of the sale.

The (antitrust) division is living in a time capsule, with a framework that predates the arrival of iPhones, Google, Facebook, and modern media outlets that are killing the traditional newspaper industry, Tribune Publishing spokeswoman Dana Meyer told the Times. It wasnt competition from the L.A. Times that forced the Register into bankruptcy. It was the Internet and related technology.

Freedom, which purchased The Press-Enterprise in late 2013, is auctioning off its assets after filing for bankruptcy protection in November.

Tribunes competitors for those assets were an investor group headed by Rich Mirman, Freedoms current CEO; and Digital First Media, publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach-Press-Telegram and San Bernardino Sun.

Digital First had been selected last week as the so-called stalking horse bidder, with an opening bid of $45.5 million. But Tribune filed court papers Tuesday before the auction, complaining about how Digital First had won that position.

Wednesdays auction turned into a major legal tussle. Mirmans investor group left late Wednesday afternoon believing it had been unfairly treated, said its attorney Leonard Shulman. Formal bidding didnt begin until after 7 p.m.

Mirmans group is considering its legal options.

The successful bid for the business of Freedom Communications will allow the Orange County Register and the Press-Enterprise to continue providing a distinct local voice in their communities and deliver premium news and information to consumers across Southern California, Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn said in a brief statement announcing the deal.

Tribune is trying to build a Southern California regional news powerhouse that can survive a tough operating environment for newspapers. The strategy is to create efficiencies by spreading reduced costs across a broader news and advertising sales operation.

Tribune has had its share of management upheaval in this year. Dearborn, a former health care industry executive, became Tribune CEO last month, replacing Jack Griffin, who was ousted in a boardroom coup orchestrated by Chicago investor Michael Ferro. Griffin brought Ferro into Tribune Publishing less than a month before as its chairman and largest shareholder.
Two Apple Valley men were arrested Tuesday, March 15, after San Bernardino County sheriffs deputies say they found the men at a cannabis extraction lab.

The deputies arrived at the home in a remote area in Apple Valley off Joshua Road about 10:35 a.m. to serve a search warrant, according to a news release. While there, they discovered evidence of a cannabis extraction lab.

The illegal labs pull a yellow, honey- or wax-like substance from marijuana plants. Some people prefer to use the wax or oil because it has a higher concentration of THC, the chemical responsible for getting a user high.

Deputies detained 30-year-old Christopher Keiser and 35-year-old Johnathan Conklin, who both lived there, and Keisers 21-year-old girlfriend, Tandra OKeefe, while they investigated.

The deputies learned the lab had likely been operating for a long time because of the homes remote location in the 22900 block of Broken Lance Road.

More than 500 marijuana plants were found on the property, the release said, in addition to 200 pounds of marijuana used for extraction. The wax product was also there.

Stolen electricity was supplying the home with power, the release said. The suspects allegedly stole an estimated $16,000 from Southern California Edison.

Investigators believe the suspects and their operation, which they say was capable of producing several pounds of concentrated cannabis per week, were likely responsible for selling the product.

The extraction process comes with a high risk for an explosion, investigators say, because the number of flammable chemicals used.

Keiser and Conklin were both arrested on suspicion of manufacturing a controlled substance, cultivating marijuana, possessing marijuana and theft of utilities, the release said.

Conklins name did not turn up in a jail records search, but the release said both were booked into the High Desert Detention Center and bail was set at $700,000.

The San Bernardino County District Attorneys office will review the case against OKeefe and determine whether to file charges.

Anyone with information related to the ongoing investigation can call 909-890-4840.
The chairman of a Senate committee on national security says a federal agency blocked investigators from entering an office where a man charged with supplying weapons for the San Bernardino terrorists was scheduled to meet with immigration officials  the day after the Dec. 2 massacre.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, fired off a letter Wednesday to Inspector General John Roth in the Homeland Security Department requesting the incident be investigated.

If accurate, these accounts reveal an alarming lack of coordination between DHS components in the wake of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11, Johnson wrote.

A complete and thorough investigation of this incident is warranted to identify failures in coordination and to implement procedures that allow for the free flow of information in the wake of potential future terrorist attacks.

On the morning of Dec. 2, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire on a crowd at a holiday party held for San Bernardino County health employees at the Inland Regional Center, killing 14 people and wounding 22. Both died a few hours later in a shootout with police.

About two weeks later, authorities arrested 24-year-old Enrique Marquez Jr., a friend and former neighbor of Farooks, and accused him of supplying rifles and explosive powder used in the massacre. Marquez also was charged with conning immigration officials through a sham marriage with a Russian emigre who was the sister of Farooks brothers wife.

According to information Johnson provided at a committee hearing Tuesday, the FBI alerted Homeland Security Investigations agents that Marquez and his wife, Mariya Chernykh, had a scheduled meeting at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in San Bernardino at 12 noon on Dec. 3. Citing what he said was a Homeland Security Investigations memorandum, Johnson stated that when armed agents arrived with the goal of intercepting and detaining Marquez, they were denied entry into the USCIS building.

Marquez and Chernykh did not show up for the appointment, Johnson said.

Reading from the memo, he stated: The special agent requested copies of the A-file in which USCIS refused. The special agent was allowed to take a photo of Chernykhs photo contained with the A-file.

Johnson then questioned federal officials about the matter.

In response, USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez characterized the incident as a misunderstanding.

Unfortunately, it all happened so quickly that it was incorrectly perceived that our folks were trying to, in some way, obstruct what ICE was trying to do, Rodriguez said at the hearing, according to a videotape.

He said the officer in charge of the office was attempting to follow protocols, saying law enforcement officers dont normally come to USCIS offices.

Do we need to look at our protocols to make sure that those misunderstandings dont occur? That may well be something that we need to do, Rodriguez said. But there was never an actual attempt to prevent them from doing what they needed to do.

Sarah Saldana, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), cited the chaos in the aftermath of the massacre.

I will say, in all honesty, senator, that I had a similar reaction when I first heard of the incident, Saldana said. But we do forget the number of law enforcement and other people involved in this incident, the confusion, the chaos that was going on in San Bernardino. We had immediate conversations when it came to my attention.

Johnson said, however, that investigators did not receive the full Chernykh file until Dec. 10  a week later.

Johnson termed the report quite puzzling and said the USCIS response should have been, Come on in.

Aside from his request for an investigation, Johnson asked the inspector general to make sure officials dont discipline federal employees for providing information to the committee.

He repeated the concern in a letter to Jeh Johnson, Department of Homeland Security secretary.

I will not tolerate, nor should DHS tolerate, any effort to retaliate the senator wrote.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@pressenterprise.com
Jason Luper cannot remember a time in his life when he did not identify himself as an artist. The 36-year-old does not recall a single point of inspiration, only what he referred to as endless trial and error.

The result is a successful career as a visual artist that led Luper across the country from his hometown of Sarasota, Florida to San Diego. He recently moved to Riverside after getting to know the city through his longtime girlfriend, who lives there.

I found I really enjoy it here in Riverside, especially the way the city welcomes the arts, he said.

Luper attended Sarasotas Ringling College of Art and Design, counting as highlights the figure drawing classes he took with John Williams and being able to meet noted artist and Ringling faculty member Leslie Lerner.

Known primarily as a muralist the past five years, Luper amassed an extensive list of commercial clients including the Van Dyke Group in Sarasota, Bungalow Beach Resort in Bradenton Beach, Florida, Belmont Station, Essex Properties and Bunker Hill Apartments in Los Angeles and Ramona Music Center in San Diego.

A gallery I was in recommended me for a commercial client of his, he said. I recognized quickly that I could make a living in the area, so I followed that avenue.

Luper said it took luck and referrals to develop the relationships he has with his commercial clients, but that keeping them is more about being flexible and working with the designers instead of against them.

Luper hopes to produce a mural in the area and exhibit locally on a regular basis.

Before moving primarily into the mural scene, Luper had work shown at a number of Florida galleries including H. Poto, Atelier Gallery of Fine Art, Baobab Tree Gallery and Art Uptown.

I let the painting find its own path, he said. I have control, but I choose to keep hold of it loosely. Most people identify my work as surrealism, but I dont strictly fit that category. I think I basically create abstract paintings with realistic objects and the occasional wink at surrealism.

Luper is most excited about the micro painting series that he recently began developing. He described the six-inch square paintings as individually unique.

When you combine them they become something like a miniature gallery or a large, modular painting, he said. You put them in any arrangement you want, in any available quantity. Their only commonality is their size and my general style. They each have their own personality. It is like a gathering of different characters who all belong to the same play.

Luper is in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign, where giclee prints of his micro paintings will be available as rewards.

And I make a fool of myself on video, which is basically why most people go check it out, he said.

Information: jasonluper.com.

Patrick Brien is executive director of the Riverside Arts Council, a private, nonprofit corporation. Contact the council at info@riverside, 951-680-1345 or riversideartscouncil.com.

Contact the writer: community@pressenterprise.com
Cal State San Bernardino lags behind most other Cal State campuses when it comes to enrolling community college students through new streamlined transfer programs, a new report by a nonprofit education advocacy group shows.

The report by The Campaign for College Opportunity is an assessment of the progress made since legislation passed in 2010 designed to increase graduation rates.

Cal State campuses are expected to collaborate with area community colleges to line up course requirements so the colleges can provide associate degrees for transfer, or ADTs.

Students who arrive at Cal State campuses with ADTs have a guaranteed path to graduation if they complete a prescribed 60 units of coursework, said Audrey Dow, a spokeswoman for the advocacy group. Non-ADT transfer students may have to take additional courses, or even retake courses.

Figures from fall 2014 show that among the 2,109 transfer students admitted to Cal State San Bernardino, just 14 had ADTs, or just .7 percent of the transfer pool. That placed the school 22nd on the list of 23 campuses. Only Cal State San Marcos had a lower number, with a .1 percent rate.

Olivia Rosas, Cal State San Bernardinos associate vice president of enrollment management, said that she wasnt sure why the schools number was so low.

Its not a concern because we are accessible, Rosas said, noting that the schools transfer numbers have been increasing each year.

In terms of raw numbers, Cal State San Bernardino ranks 12th in the total number of transfer students admitted. That lines up exactly with where the campus sits in terms of total enrollment compared with its sister schools. And the school ranks near the middle of the pack when it comes to the number of degrees it offers that either have transfer pathways established or are aligned to have them established.

Audrey Dow, spokeswoman for The Campaign for College Opportunity, said just admitting transfer students is not addressing the problem that AB1440 was meant to overcome when the legislation was passed.

We want to make sure students can get into the CSU efficiently and graduate on time, Dow said.

Rosas contends that the number might not accurately reflect the number of transfer students who have completed an ADT. The rankings indicate the number of students with ADTs that enroll in the major associated with that ADT, she said, and some students could have changed their majors.

In fact, the study found that only 37 percent of students with ADTs enroll in Cal State universities in programs aligned with those transfer degrees.

Part of the problem also could lie with community colleges.

Figures from the 2013-2014 academic year show that 23 percent of students graduating from Crafton Hills College had ADTs, but that is the highest in the inland region. The rate at Chaffey Community College was 10 percent and at San Bernardino Valley College and Riverside City College, the rates were 6 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Having the degrees available is one of the two steps, Dow said. What are the campuses doing to make sure that students enroll?

Dow holds up Cal State Fullerton as a model for using transfer pathways. Nearly 30 percent of the schools 3,100 students admitted in fall 2014 had ADTs and were enrolled in the majors they had prepared for.

They have pretty solid relationships with their local community colleges, Dow said of Cal State Fullerton officials.

Although the number of students with associate degrees for transfer has been doubling each year, Dow said there is still a long way to go toward meeting the expected need for an additional 1.1 million four-year college graduates in California by 2030. Experts say the states businesses will need that many people with degrees to meet their needs.

Theres no way that this state fills the 1.1 million bachelor degrees we need by 2020 without fixing transfer, Dow said. We never close that workforce gap if we dont fix it.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9595 or mmuckenfuss@pressenterprise.com
Christ. A 21-year-old American uni student who tried to steal a propaganda poster from his hotel in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang has been sentenced to 15 years hard labour.

University of Virginia student Otto Frederick Warmbier was convicted after a one-hour trial for crimes against the state. According to state media, he was encouraged by the CIA, a secretive university group, and his church in Ohio to enter the country with the intent of bringing down the foundation of its single-minded unity.



He was arrested in January as he tried to leave the country, and last month appeared in a government-produced news conference to beg for forgiveness.

I have made the worst mistake of my life, but please act to save me, he said, sobbing. Please. Think of my family.



#breaking Sobbing UVA student Otto Frederick Warmbier detained in #NorthKorea I made the worst mistake of my life pic.twitter.com/McjeSOPDnF  Will Ripley (@willripleyCNN) February 29, 2016

Its impossible to know what motivated Warmbier to attempt to steal the poster, since propaganda lies at the very heart of the North Korean government.

In the press conference last month, he said that a deaconess had offered him $US10,000 if he could bring the poster back as a trophy for his church (the church has no idea who that is), or $US200,000 to his mother if Warmbier was detained.

Theres also allegations that a secret philanthropic organisation at UVA known as Z Society offered him membership, but a member told CNN that theyd never made contact with Warmbier, and dismissed North Koreas allegations that Z Society had connections with the CIA as laughable.

Theres just not even the semblance of a relationship between a group of undergrads who get together to eat hummus and write nice things about people, and the CIA, the member said. Touche.

International media is reporting that its impossible to tell whether or not Warmbiers statement last month was genuine  which, okay, it *technically* might be  but read it yourself and make an educated guess:

I committed the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel. I apologise to each and every one of the millions of the Korean people, and I beg you to see how I was used and manipulated. My reward for my crime was so much smaller than the rewards that the Z Society and the Friendship United Methodist Church get from the United States administration. I never, never should have allowed myself to be lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country. I wish that the United States administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries. I entirely beg you, the people and government of the DPRK, for your forgiveness. Please! I made the worst mistake of my life!

He also added that he was very impressed by the humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself. Um.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Nope. No idea.

The White House has urged North Korea to grant Warmbier special amnesty and release him immediately.

Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the allegations against him would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in just about any other country in the world.

It is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these U.S. citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.



Source: CNN.

Photo: Will Ripley / Twitter.
FRIARS

The state Attorney General's office Tuesday announced that church officials who gave Baker those assignments -- Giles A. Schinelli, 73, Robert J. D'Aversa, 69, and Anthony M. Criscitelli, 61 -- have each been charged with endangering the welfare of children and conspiracy.

(Mark Pynes/PennLive)

Amid mounting clergy sex abuse cover-up scandals in Pennsylvania, a state lawmaker long opposed to amending the laws to allow victims to go after their abusers on Wednesday did an about-face on his stance.

House Urban Affairs Committee Democratic Chairman Thomas Caltagirone, (D-Berks), came out in support of a full wholesale change to the statute of limitations, which victims and their advocates have long claimed have thwarted victims' efforts in facing their abusers in court.

Rep. Tom Caltagirone, (D-Berks)

"Today, I am announcing after many hours of soul searching, praying and deliberations, that I have decided to come out in support of my good friend, state Representative Mark Rozzi in his efforts to combat child sexual abuse within Pennsylvania," Caltagirone said.

"I feel compelled to act and do what I can to move legislation forward that will help protect our children: past, present and future. I will spend my remaining time in the legislature protecting children."

Caltagirone pledged his support to the removal of the time limits for criminal charges and civil matters, as well as a limited window for civil action to be filed by past victims of childhood sexual abuse.

"I have based my entire career on helping the most vulnerable among us and supporting Representative Rozzi, a victim of child sex abuse, is my way of keeping my commitment to always protect children," Caltagirone said.

"I have been standing by and have watched the steady stream of horrifying stories of historic institutional child sexual abuse coming out of some of the most trusted institutions in the world and I can no longer sit quietly."

Caltagirone's change of heart comes at the heels of a grand jury investigation report that found that officials of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese had for more than four decades concealed the fact that more than 50 priests were abusing hundreds of children.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane, whose office launched the investigation, said diocesan leaders knew about the predator priests but concealed the information and instead moved the priests around for years to assignments that kept them in contact with children.

Additionally, Kane's office this week brought down criminal charges against three members of a religious order based in Johnstown, Blair County. Investigators found that senior-ranking members of the Franciscan Friars, Third Order Regulars, Province of the Immaculate Conception for years knew about the sexual abuse allegations against Stephen Baker, but concealed it from law enforcement officials and school administrators and continued to assign him to posts that gave him access to children. Investigators uncovered evidence showing Baker molested more than 80 children; he is suspected of having molested more than 100 children.

Stephen Baker

Caltagirone has long opposed amendments to the statute of limitations.

Under current laws, victims of child sexual abuse are barred from seeking civil action after they reach the age of 30. That leaves out most if not all the victims in the latest grand jury report. Victims can bring criminal charges against offenders until they reach 50 years of age -- but only if the victim turned 18 years old after Aug. 27, 2002. The law allows victims older than that to report until their 30th birthday.

Lawmakers have tried for years to amend the laws, introducing variations of each other's legislation designed to give victims opportunities to seek redress in court. One such current bill proposes removal of all limitations in such sex crimes.

Rep. Mark Rozzi, (D-Berks) has recently seized the outcry amid the mounting clergy sex abuse scandals to urge fellow lawmakers to sign off on legislation that would amend the law.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), an advocate for changes in the statute of limitations, on Tuesday praised his colleague Rep. Tom Caltagirone (D-Berks) for his change of heart on the law.

Rozzi on Wednesday evening said he was simply stunned at Caltagirone's change of heart. Rozzi, who has had several press conferences calling for a change in the law, said he was talking with the fellow Berks Democrat and asking what it was going to take to change his mind.

"I asked him, "How do you want to be remembered,'" Rozzi said. "What is the Tom Caltagirone legacy going to be?"

Rozzi said the senior lawmaker told him he "didn't know how bad it was," referring to the recent news of additional scandals. The Catholic Church has in recent years roiled from similar scandals out of Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Ireland and elsewhere.

Rozzi said Caltagirone told him he had "tossed and turned" and thought about his own personal story and changed his mind. Rozzi is a survivor of clergy sex abuse.

Rozzi said Caltagirone told him of his new stance during a break in Monday's legislative session.

"He takes me back and hands me this letter...I practically started crying," Rozzi said. "We hugged...I have chills right now. Thank you Tom. When you are long gone, I will let people know that Tom Caltagirone did the right thing."

In addition to Caltagirone, Rep. Ron Marsico, (R-Dauphin), the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, has opposed changes to the law, along with the powerful legislative branch of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.

Marci Hamilton, a constitutional law expert and author on statute of limitation reform, this week called the recent Altoona-Johnstown grand jury report "a tipping point" in the movement to reform the law. At a rally in the Capitol Rotunda, Hamilton drew attention to the large contingent of press, which she said 10 years ago, at a similar rally, was virtually non-existent.

Hamilton said the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference was "the only obstacle" at reforming the law.

Caltagirone said "thoughts and prayers for these victims and families" were no longer enough "without concrete action."

"We need to enact new laws that will send the strongest message possible: if you commit heinous crimes against children, if you cover-up for pedophiles, if you lurk in the shadows waiting for time to run out, we are coming for you; there is nowhere to hide and the passage of time will not save you from answering for your crimes against humanity!

"My heart breaks for the innocence lost by so many children. My soul aches for the broken spirits hurt by such heinous and despicable acts perpetrated by too many. Enough is enough. Today, I implore the leaders of the House, Senate and the governor to come out in support of Representative Rozzi's efforts and finally make these individuals and institutions pay for their crimes," Caltagirone said.
Lou Barletta

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton

(The Associated Press/file)

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta is citing the case of Artur Samarin, the 23-year-old Ukrainian who attended Harrisburg High under the name Asher Potts, as proof of potentially dangerous holes in the visa system.

"How many more Asher Potts are there?" Barletta, a Republican from the 11th Congressional District, asked Wednesday during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. "Nationwide, my question is, how many individuals have overstayed their visas, falsified their identities, lied about their age, and are sitting in school classes today?"

Barletta also is renewing a push for his legislation that would increase penalties for overstaying a visa, including criminalizing such an act, according to a news release from Barletta's office.

Samarin is facing multiple charges and has been accused of falsifying documents to stay in the United States after his work and tourist visas expired. Samarin attended Harrisburg High School under the name Asher Potts, and, with the help of his "adoptive mother," he fraudulently obtained a Pennsylvania driver's license under the name Asher Potts, according to his criminal complaint. It said he also obtained a Social Security card in the name of Asher Potts and a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania delayed birth certificate.

When Stephayne and Michael Potts, Samarin's "adoptive parents," met with reporters last week, they brought new claims that Samarin, a stellar student who allegedly visited the Pentagon at one point, became angry and talked about "blowing up the school."

"Nothing could be more chilling than the thought of terrorists enrolling as students," Barletta said. "Previously, we have heard of terrorists taking flying lessons. But imagine them sitting next to your kids in algebra class. The fact that this has happened in central Pennsylvania shows how serious this is."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he agreed with the "spirit" of Barletta's question on how many people have overstayed visas, taken on false identities and are now attending schools.

Johnson said, in the "current threat environment, the potential for fraudulent travel documents is a big concern." Though, he said he was primarily concerned about issues with fraudulent travel documents due to "the migration crisis."

"I've done a lot to support DHS's fraudulent documents lab, which we have," Johnson said. "We have the capability to detect fraudulent documents. I also have asked our folks to -- now that we have some better clarity on visa overstays -- develop priorities for enforcement with regard to visa overstays."
U.S. courthouse

U.S. Courthouse in Harrisburg

(Matt Miller, The Patriot-News)

A man facing deportation to El Salvador is facing federal criminal charges for biting and scratching immigration agents during a confrontation in Mechanicsburg, U.S. Attorney Peter Smith said Thursday.

Jose Luis Benitez-Hernandez, 30, had been given the chance by a federal judge to leave the U.S, voluntarily, Smith said, but he failed to honor that promise. Benitez-Hernandez bit one agent's hand and scratched another's face when he was taken into custody during the Feb. 8 incident, the prosecutor said.

He could face up to 8 years in prison on the assault charges, Smith said.
Pennsylvania's effort to legalize medical marijuana is being hailed as a rare example of grassroots activism winning out over partisan politics and long-held viewpoints. That was the gist of state Sen. Mike Folmer's remarks minutes after the state House overwhelming approved a bill to legalize medical marijuana late Wednesday.

Folmer, a Republican from a conservative district encompassing the Lebanon area, has said that a few years ago medical marijuana was a subject he knew and cared little about. But he was swayed by a pair of mothers of children with disabling seizures seeking a Republican to sponsor a legalization bill. Folmer said he spent much of the night reading their materials, and became convinced that marijuana has been demonized as a result of politics, denying people of its medical benefits.

Folmer's bill now comes back to the Senate, which is back in session on Monday. Gov. Tom Wolf urged the Senate to act quickly and send him a bill to sign.

In this video, Folmer joins mothers of sick children and other medical marijuana advocates right after Wednesday's vote.
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Laytaisha Ionyeah Leon

(East Lampeter Township police)

East Lampeter Township police are looking for a 27-year-old Lancaster woman accused of trying to steal more than 50 items from a discount store.

Laytaisha Ionyeah Leon is accused of trying to steal 53 articles of clothing just before 1 p.m. on Wednesday from the Gabe's on the 2000 block of Lincoln Highway East, police said in a news release. The items were valued at $474.56.

Authorities said Leon fled the scene in a 2003 Honda Civic with Pennsylvania registration plate KBB-9493. Police were able to identify Leon through surveillance video, leading to the arrest warrant for felon retail theft. Police said Leon has prior convictions for retail theft.



Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact East Lampeter Township police at 717-291-4676.
pennsylvania capitol building

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a series of Republican-authored budget bills with some bipartisan support Wednesday, setting the stage for a possible veto override battle with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf next week.

Wolf said earlier in the day he is not satisfied with the latest budget proposal - a set of supplemental appropriations designed to finalize the 2015-16 budget at just over $30 billion - and that he expects to veto it.

Democratic leadership sources downplayed the prospect of a successful veto override. But Republicans, as of Wednesday night, appeared emboldened by their success in peeling away Democratic votes.

In a series of votes that included general fund appropriations and separate votes earmarking funds for Penn State, Pitt and Temple, anywhere from 13 to 28 House Democrats voted with the Republican majority.

A veto override - which would start in the House on this bill - needs 134 votes based on the House's current 200-member makeup (118 R, 82 D). That would require a minimum of 16 Democratic votes.

Earlier Wednesday, the bill had passed the Senate, 31-18. with one Democratic vote.

Wednesday's result clearly left Republican leaders - who see themselves as now being just a handful of votes from closing the deal on an unyielding budget quagmire - openly planning for the possibility, depending on Wolf's next move.

"If he (Wolf) vetoes the whole thing, then I would expect an override to be quickly scheduled," said Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader David Reed, R-Indiana County.

Wolf's Press Secretary Jeff Sheridan said a full veto of the nearly $7 billion in supplemental appropriations is likely, because the governor does not think the GOP's fix is a serious solution to the state's fiscal problems.

"We can't keep getting something for nothing," Wolf told a radio interviewer Wednesday morning, referring to the GOP's goal of avoiding all tax increases for at least the rest of this budget year.

"We actually have to have a budget that balances," Wolf said.

The Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled General Assembly have been locked in Washington-style partisan gridlock for this entire budget year, which started July 1.

State government has operated on a combination of Treasury waivers permitting the nuts and bolts state operations to continue without a budget, and, more recently, a partial budget that routed some dollars to cash-starved schools and human service providers.

The battle has pivoted primarily on two poles:

Wolf's aggressive demands for school funding and other spending increases, much of which the governor argues is simply

Conservative Republicans' aversion to anything approaching

Wolf has proposed an increase in the state personal income tax from 3.07 percent to 3.4 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016, as well as extending the state's 6 percent sales tax to cable television services and a $1-per-pack hike in cigarette taxes.

Republicans argued vehemently Wednesday that, in mid-March, long-term answers aren't needed when the pressing reality is that some public school districts may not be able to finish their current academic years.

This plan, House and Senate GOP leaders said, is the best way to keep the unending gridlock in Harrisburg from having real impacts on schools and human services across the state.

"As important as structural deficits are... and there is a commitment from this side to continue to work on that issue," said Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, "it pales in comparison to the decisions parents are going to have to make if their schools are closed. It pales in comparison to the decision that employees are going to have to make - Are they going to work without pay?

"That's the real life decision that's going to happen if we do not pass this budget, and the governor does not sign it."

More than ever before in this year's budget debate, Democratic lawmakers agreed.

Rep. Gerald Mullery, a Democrat from Nanticoke, said after Wednesday's votes that he broke with his caucus to support the GOP plan - despite a face-to-face with administration officials - because local school officials in his district told him they both need and could adequately finish the current year with its funding levels.

Mullery, for one, said that has to be the top priority for him right now.

"I am not willing to stand by and watch schools close," Mullery said.

Asked if that meant he would vote to override a Wolf veto, however, Mullery hedged, saying "That's a battle to be fought another day."

Mullery's colleague, Rep. Nick Kotik, a Democrat from Allegheny County, said the political math in the legislature - not to mention the April 26 primary elections - has left him convinced there will be no tax increases for the current-year budget, so it's best to turn the page now and reset for 2016-17.

With the latest supplementals, overall state spending would grow 3 percent, or $873 million, from 2014-15 levels, but $238 million less than the budget that the General Assembly passed in December and Wolf partially vetoed.

Most importantly for many Republicans, they say the new bill does not need any tax increases to get through the remainder of the fiscal year, which runs through June 30.

The Wolf administration disputed that last night, asserting the plan is still $290 million out of balance.

Republicans say the lower spending numbers are justified because even some previously agreed-to spending increases can not practically be put to use in the last quarter of the current fiscal year.

As an example, Wednesday's plan spends about $5.93 billion in direct aid to public schools - an increase of $204 million from 2014-15 levels, but still about $175 million less than Wolf has sought.

GOP supporters say the savings are justified because it's impossible for districts to implement new programs or open new classrooms to cut class sizes at this point in the year.

Similarly, the plan shaves about $150 million in Department of Human Services' spending, which GOP leaders said they now can do based on reductions in medical assistance caseloads through the first nine months of the year.

Wolf is expected to formally receive the budget closure bill Thursday. His options include a full veto, line-item vetoes to specific appropriations, signing in into law or letting it take effect without his signature.

Whether it actually results in budget closure?

We should know by next week.
UPDATE:

Beth McCormack of Camp Hill was among a group -- some with sick children and some sick themselves -- who celebrated on Wednesday evening after watching the House finally pass a medical marijuana legalization bill 149-43.



Many had lobbied for the bill for more than two years, and endured let downs and frustration as public opinion swung strongly in favor of medical marijuana and the state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill, but the House let eight months pass before Wednesday's final vote.



"I feel like I can see the end of the the road. I feel like I can see health in my future for the first time in 18 years," said McCormack, 33, who has suffered from medication-resistant epilepsy since being injured in a fall during her late teens.



Christine Brann, a Derry Township lawyer whose son suffers from severe seizures which have held back his intellectual development, said: "I couldn't be more grateful. It's almost surreal."



The House passed an amended version of Senate Bill 3, approved 40-7 last spring. State Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, a primary sponsor of SB 3, joined the celebration following Wednesday's vote.



Folmer said leaders have promised to quickly deal with the bill after the Senate comes back in session Monday. "We're gonna get it to the governor's desk ASAP," he said.



The bill would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to people with one of 16 "serious medical conditions," including seizures, chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, HIV/AIDs, autism and several neurological and gastrointestinal conditions.



Doctors would have to apply to the state and receive special training to prescribe medical marijuana. Patients and their caregivers would need a card issued by the state.



The program would be overseen by the state Department of Health, which would be advised by a new board that would regularly evaluate the program and consider changes in areas such as medical conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana and methods for consuming it.



At least at the beginning, medical marijuana could be dispensed in forms including pills, creams and oils, including forms that could be vaporized or converted to edible forms. Smoking of medical marijuana wouldn't be allowed.





The state would initially license up to 25 growers/processors and 50 dispensaries, with dispensaries allowed to have up to three locations. Growers/processors would have to pay an initial registration fee of $200,000, and annual renewal fees of $10,000.



Grower/processors would have to pay a 5 percent tax, but the law says the tax can't be passed to patients or caregivers.



Pennsylvania would become one of about two dozen states that allow medical marijuana. But some have programs that are more narrow than the one envisioned for Pennsylvania, and some have gotten off to slow starts and low usage because of red tape.



In fact, Folmer said late Wednesday he must do a line-by-line review of the House bill to make sure there is no buried wording that could diminish the program's effectiveness.



It's expected to take at least 18 months - some say at least two years - to get the program up and running and providing patients with medication.



On Wednesday, the bill's passage was being hailed as a rare example of bipartisan cooperation.



A driving force has been the lobbying and personal stories of many Pennsylvania mothers of children with a severe form of epilepsy that can't be well-controlled with available drugs, and who experience damaging side effects from the powerful and highly toxic drugs. Veterans suffering from PTSD and chronic pain were also highly influential, as were arguments that medical marijuana can provide a safer alternative to opioid painkillers linked to a rash of addiction and overdoses.



Medical marijuana supporters have been regularly stationed in the Capitol Rotunda since last fall, and they filled the gallery this week -- and endured long waits -- as the House considered the bill. Their table was piled high with pizza boxes late Wednesday.



They endured another two-plus hours of debate late Wednesday, including last-ditch arguments to vote down the bill, before the final vote.



State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Berks, said his "heart goes out" to people who are suffering, and knows they are sincere in their belief it will help them. But the former police officer argued that marijuana is "dangerous," and medical marijuana will serve as a "gateway" to drug abuse and addiction. He further stressed that medical marijuana isn't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "This is in direct violation of federal law," he said.



State Rep. Mike Regan, R-York, a former U.S. marshal, told of his father-in-law seeking marijuana on the streets as he endured the pain of late state cancer and treatment-related loss of appetite that withered him. "We have a moral obligation to do what's right here. My faith tells me this is the moral, compassionate, right thing to do ... Is there anything more important than people who are suffering?," Regan said.



State Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, the chair of the judiciary committee, said "It is time to provide medical marijuana for patients across this Commonwealth who are suffering ... This bill will help change countless lives."



Late Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf urged the Senate to quickly pass the bill, which he has long promised to sign.



Latrisha Bentch of Dauphin County has pushed for the bill for more than two years. She is one of the mothers of children with medication-resistant seizures who were critical in persuading a conservative legislature to support the bill.



She said it has been a test of endurance, with people such as her juggling trips to Harrisburg and lobbying with caring for sick family members.



She said on Wednesday night it has an eye-opening experience, and taught her that many elected officials lack a true commitment to executing the will of the people. She vowed to watch legislators more closely and stay involved.



"We want to move forward and pitch in and change things so other people can feel the way we do," she said.
The Pennsylvania State Police Academy will graduate 49 cadets Friday amid dual investigations of cheating and other allegations.

In September, the 144th cadet class entered the Hershey academy with 116 members. The class of 49 cadets marks the lowest number of graduates since 2012, when the 45 cadets graduated from the 133rd class.

Commissioner Tyree Blocker called on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to launch its own outside investigation Wednesday, which will take place alongside the existing Internal Affairs probe.

"I believe that given the broad nature of recent allegations reported in the press, an outside investigation is in the best interest of both the State Police and the people of Pennsylvania," Blocker said.

The OIG investigates fraud, waste and misconduct in state agencies, as well as fraud in public assistance programs. It can launch such investigations based on tips from the public, state employees or the agencies themselves.

Ellen Lyon, an OIG spokeswoman, said she could not comment on the status of ongoing investigations.

She noted that the Special Investigations Bureau investigated 78 complaints last year, 15 of which were referred to law enforcement for prosecution. The other 63 resulted in reports provided to agency heads. The Bureau of Fraud Prevention and Prosecution, which oversees public assistance, saw 25,974 field investigations in 2015, with an estimated $85.7 million in savings and cost-avoidance.

While the OIG includes a number of former law enforcement officers in its staff, Lyon said none of its current employees came from the Pennsylvania State Police.

Cadets and other state police officials told PennLive that dysfunction at the academy went far beyond any single alleged cheating incident. They described tests that were recycled year after year, instructors who shared answers directly with students and study guides that were passed down between classes.

The scope and timeline of the OIG's investigation remains unclear.

Meanwhile, the State Police face a looming staffing shortage with 800 troopers expected to become eligible for retirement this year and about 350 cadets to go through the academy in the next fiscal year.

The 144th class' graduation will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg.
Why are these Pennsylvania communities distressed?

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"Geography is too often destiny"

The Distressed Communities Index, developed by the Economic Innovation Group, aims to determine the well-being of communities in the United States.

The index looks at a variety of data points to determine well-being:

No high school degree  percent of the population 25 years or older

Housing vacancy rate  percent of habitable housing that is unoccupied

Adults not working  percent of population 16 years or older

Poverty rate  percent of population living below the poverty line

Median income ratio  ratio of a place's income to the state's median income

Change in employment  percent change in the number of jobs between 2010 and 2013

Change in business establishments  percent change in the number of business establishments between 2010 and 2013.

The reason those points were chosen was is to determine economic distress and prosperity at the community level.

"Each metric is important for understanding community economic well-being, but studied in isolation each provides an incomplete picture," the report says.

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What does it mean to be "distressed?"

From the report:

"A zip code, city, or county is considered distressed if its distress score falls in the highest 20 percent of its peer group. Since distress scores are normalized to reflect percentiles, scores over 80.0 are considered distressed. 'Most distressed,' when used, refers to the highest 10 percent of distress scores."

The following slides show Pennsylvania's most distressed communities.

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18102 -- Allentown

A somewhat high number of residents without a high school diploma contributes to the distressed status of this area.

Includes: parts of northeast Allentown (but not downtown or the First Ward), roughly bound by North 17th Street to the west, the Lehigh River to the east, Mauch Chunk Road and Sumner Avenue to the north and Little Lehigh Creek to the south.

Distressed score: 97.6

No high school diploma: 31 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 14 percent

Adults not working: 51 percent

Poverty rate: 37 percent

Median income ratio: 52 percent

Change in employment: -8.8 percent

Change in business establishments: -3.7 percent

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Daniel Zampogna, PennLive

17103 -- Harrisburg

A drop in employment helped put this area of Harrisburg and its suburbs on the most distressed list.

Includes: Penbrook and parts of Harrisburg, roughly bound by railroad lines and Industrial Road to the west, South 31st Street to the east, Market Street to the south and Arsenal Boulevard, Stanley Avenue and East Harrisburg Cemetary to the north.

Distressed score: 97.7

No high school diploma: 19 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 31 percent

Adults not working: 46 percent

Poverty rate: 27 percent

Median income ratio: 64 percent

Change in employment: -59 percent

Change in business establishments: -9.1 percent

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19121 -- Philadelphia

Small growth in business and employment is not enough to counter the poverty and vacnacy rates in this area of Philly.

Includes: west Philadelphia, including part of Temple University, Girard College Brewerytown and East Fairmount Park, bound by the Schuykill River to the west, North Broad Street to the east, West Susquehanna Avenue and Dauphin Street to the north, and West Girard and South College Avenues to the south.

Distressed score: 98.1

No high school diploma: 26 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 26 percent

Adults not working: 63 percent

Poverty rate: 53 percent

Median income ratio: 31 percent

Change in employment: 0.2 percent

Change in business establishments: 3 percent

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16503 -- Erie

This area of Erie scores consistently low across all data points.

Includes: central Erie, bound roughly to the north by East Sixth Street, to the south by Route 20, to the east by Camphausen Avenue and railroad lines, and to the west by State, French and Holland streets.

Distressed score: 98.2

No high school diploma: 28 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 19 percent

Adults not working: 56 percent

Poverty rate: 43 percent

Median income ratio: 41 percent

Change in employment: -1.8 percent

Change in business establishments: -4.2 percent

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SEAN SIMMERS

17101 -- Harrisburg

The area of Harrisburg that includes Restaurant Row, has a somewhat high amount of people who aren't working and relatively low wages.

Includes: downtown Harrisburg and City Island bound roughly by the Harvey Taylor Bridge and North and State streets (but not the state capitol), Cameron Street to the north, and Mulberry and railroad lines to the south.

Distressed score: 98.2

No high school diploma: 24 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 23 percent

Adults not working: 57 percent

Poverty rate: 45 percent

Median income ratio: 36 percent

Change in employment: 0.4 percent

Change in business establishments: -6.6 percent

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JOE HERMITT

17976 -- Shenandoah

Lower income plays a role in Shenandoah's distress level.

Includes: Shenandoah, Shenandoah Heights and surrounding areas

Distressed score: 98.6

No high school diploma: 20 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 24 percent

Adults not working: 57 percent

Poverty rate: 28 percent

Median income ratio: 57 percent

Change in employment: -11.6 percent

Change in business establishments: -7.9 percent

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Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

15104 -- Braddock

:Like other areas on this list, Braddock does not have one particular data point that indicates high distress, but is consistently distressed across the board.

Includes: Braddock, Rankin and part of North Braddock

Distressed score: 98.8

No high school diploma: 17 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 25 percent

Adults not working: 51 percent

Poverty rate: 32 percent

Median income ratio: 46 percent

Change in employment: -23.8 percent

Change in business establishments: -12.6 percent

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Flickr

19133 -- Philadelphia

With the highest distress code in the Philly area, this section of Philadelphia has a very high right of adults who aren't working, as well as the second highest poverty rate in the state.

Includes: Parts of northern Philadelphia, bound roughly by Allegheny and Glen Rock avenues to the north, West Susquehanna Avenue to the south, North Front Street to the east and North 13th Street to the west.

Distressed score: 98.8

No high school diploma: 43 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 19 percent

Adults not working: 70 percent

Poverty rate: 58 percent

Median income ratio: 28 percent

Change in employment: -1.8 percent

Change in business establishments: -2.9

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15325 -- Crucible

Only four communities have lost more business in the past three years than Crucible, which may also account for the somewhat high number of adults who aren't working.

Includes: Crucible

Distressed score: 99.4

No high school diploma: 20 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 22 percent

Adults not working: 65 percent

Poverty rate: 48 percent

Median income ratio: 82 percent

Change in employment: -50 percent

Change in business establishments: -50 percent

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18617 -- Glen Lyon

While none of the data points for Glen Lyon are particularly high, the area scores consistently low on the index, making it the worst off in the state, according to the data provided.

Includes: Glen Lyon and surrounding areas

Distressed score: 99.4

No high school diploma: 19 percent

Housing vacancy rate: 31 percent

Adults not working: 53 percent

Poverty rate: 48 percent

Median income ratio: 44 percent

Change in employment: -13.60 percent

Change in business establishments: -30 percent
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Tara Hall, left, and Jacqueline Williams, right, were charged in a March 10, 2016 attack at Pizza Hut.

(submitted)

Two women are accused of barging into the kitchen of a Pizza Hut in Swatara Township and punching a woman working there.

Jacqueline Williams, 22, and Tara Hall, 27, both of Harrisburg, are accused of attacking a worker in the kitchen of Pizza Hut, 3273 Paxton Street, around 9:01 p.m. March 10.

They were charged with simple assault, trespassing, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Police said they entered the Pizza Hut looking for a particular employee, and when they found her in the kitchen, began striking her with closed fists. During the attack, several dishes and kitchen items fell to the floor and were broken. The manager at the location tried to help the victim by pulling the attackers away, police said.
Donald Trump

FILE - In this March 9, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Fayetteville, N.C.

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

By Christopher Beem

As Donald Trump continues to make mincemeat of the Republican primary, the question arises: Will he do the same in the general election?

Christopher Beem (Penn State Univ. photo)

Will he pummel his Democratic opponent, too, or will his strong negatives--i.e., his foolish behavior and chronic predilection to make outrageous statements--render him "unelectable?"

There used to be lots of ways for a candidate to be termed unelectable. But most of them are long in our past.

In 1924, Al Smith became the first Catholic to win the Democratic nomination for president.

But so many Americans believed that his religion constituted an allegiance to a foreign political power (the Pope), that the election was effectively over before it began.

Of course, after Kennedy, Catholicism ceased to be a disqualifier in American politics. The same happened to Judaism, race or ethnicity, and gender. Though all of these certainly used to make a candidate unelectable, none of them do so today.

There are some forms of identity that still remain broadly unacceptable. Before the campaign began, in June 2015, a Gallup poll showed that large minorities of Americans were disinclined to vote for candidates who were Muslim (38 percent said no), atheist (40 percent) or socialist (50 percent).

A few months later, many Americans are voting for Bernie Sanders, who is not only a Jew (and a non-practicing one to boot), but also a socialist. So here is further evidence that these former taboos are vanishing.

Sanders receives astonishing majorities among young voters. And those same voters are least likely to see any of these three as being reason enough not to vote for someone.

Only 25 percent of young voters would reject a candidate who was atheist, 24 percent a Muslim candidate and 31 percent a socialist candidate. That means that as the body politic ages, even these last holdouts are likely to disappear--and thus, perhaps too, the very idea of someone being inherently unelectable.

But unelectability is not just a matter of identity. It is also a matter of behavior.

Americans expect that their presidents act, well, presidential. Until the early 20th century, for example, it was considered undignified for one to appear too eager for the office, so candidates did not campaign. In fact, they did not even show up at the nominating convention.

This conceit, too, is long gone, but the idea that candidates must meet behavioral standards remains.

In 1984, for example, accusations regarding Gary Hart's personal life derailed his 1984 presidential campaign.

So, what about 2016?

Given that Trump's behavior is so breathtakingly un-presidential, is there reason to think that the electorate might judge him unelectable as well?

No doubt, a wide swath of citizens reject his candidacy outright. An NBC poll in December showed that about half of voters would be embarrassed to have Trump as their president.

Among Latinos, that number is much higher (over 80 percent). I would expect similar numbers among other groups that Trump has maligned, including Muslims, African Americans, and the disabled.

What about young people?

Are they as willing to ignore behavioral standards as they are those based on identity?

Do they care that the Republican frontrunner mocked a disabled person, calls his opponents schoolyard names, and refers to his manhood during a presidential debate?

Maybe not. But young people are far more concerned about the impact of hate speech, that is, speech that disparages or intimidates. A survey published in October by Yale University found that over half of college students think their school should forbid people from speaking who have a history of hate speech.

Since Trump is exhibit A for these kinds of insults, it is probable that these young people, too, are likely to reject his candidacy.

But this number is not as large as it might seem. Exit polling shows that Trump is at least holding his own with young Republicans, and in some states he is the leading candidate.

So, while there are many groups who reject Trump's behavior and therefore his candidacy, it is hardly certain that the nation at large will do so. But our electorate is split down the middle.

If enough young people, disabled persons, Mexicans and Muslims--not to mention Americans who prefer that their president act like an adult--decide that Trump is unelectable, it might be enough to tip the partisan balance, and keep him out of the White House.

Here's hoping, anyway.

Christopher Beem is managing director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. His latest book is "Democratic Humility."
Bernie Sanders

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, pumps his fist as he arrives for at a rally at the Macomb Community College, Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Warren, Mich.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

By Okla Elliott

What is a "Democratic Socialist?"

Okla Elliott (Misercordia Univ. photo)

Is it a politician who believes media, business and utility conglomerates should be nationalized? Or is it a leader who takes the approach of sharing wealth in a manner which allows citizens to enjoy the rewards of a civilized and developed nation?

These are interesting questions that all need to be answered with this historical presidential election fully underway.

Bernie Sanders, the U.S. senator from Vermont, has billed himself as a democratic socialist while seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.

His opponents, however, have labeled him a communist and even a Soviet sympathizer, while others claim he isn't a socialist at all.

Professor Frances Fox Piven, the honorary chairperson of the official Democratic Socialist of America coalition, says Sanders does not quite meet the definition of the term, preferring to call him a New Deal Democrat.

That's a reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's ambitious set of social programs after the Great Depression and during the Second World War.

Piven did admit, however, that "people mean a lot of different things by (democratic socialism)." Famed activist and linguist Noam Chomsky also has said Sanders is not a socialist of any sort, calling him "a decent, honest New Dealer."

Splitting hairs over terminology might seem like an academic exercise with little or no value, and it largely is just that.

But since Sanders calls himself a democratic socialist and many Americans do not fully understand what he means by that statement, it is worth investigating the term -- and more importantly, figuring out what he means by it.

In 2006, Sanders himself defined what he meant by the term.

He stated: "... I think it means the government has got to play a very important role in making sure that as a right of citizenship, all of our people have health care; that as a right, all of our kids, regardless of income, have quality child care, are able to go to college without going deeply into debt; that it means we do not allow large corporations and moneyed interests to destroy our environment; that we create a government in which it is not dominated by big money interest. I mean, to me, it means democracy, frankly.''

All of that is pretty tame stuff compared to what many Americans might imagine when they hear the word socialism.

It is sometimes just as useful to define a thing by what it isn't as by what it is. The Sanders brand of democratic socialism is not Latin American-style socialism where businesses and utilities are seized and nationalized.

It is also not Chinese or Soviet-style communism where much of the economy is centrally controlled and the rights of individuals are trampled under the heavy book of government.

To see the difference between communism and social democracy, we need look no further than one of the major theorists and architects of the Russian revolution, Leon Trotsky, who was such a vehement opponent of social democrats in Western Europe that he blamed them for saving capitalism and preventing communist revolutions in places like Germany and France.

To equate democratic socialism or social democracy with revolutionary communism is therefore both definitionally and historically inaccurate.

The closest models are ones Sanders regularly cites -- countries such as Canada, Denmark, England, and Germany.

Whether political scholars and activists think Sanders is a democratic socialist or a social democrat or a New Deal Democrat is ultimately immaterial.

What matters is that we understand his policy record and positions, since no one country he names is a perfect model for what his vision for America is.

And no single definition of any of the terms that might correctly apply to him sum up the entirety of his political views.

While it is certainly incumbent upon us as citizens to educate ourselves about a candidate's views, Sanders is going to have to explain his views and what he means by the somewhat nebulous term democratic socialism.

The term socialism is no longer as hated a word as it once was, but it still scares many Americans.

According to a recent Gallup poll, only 47 percent of Americans say they would vote for a socialist (the category of democratic socialist was not used in the poll, so it is hard to say if that would have registered more support).

Another recent Gallup poll showed that 63 percent of Americans think that the distribution of wealth is unfair, 52 percent want to see the rich pay more in taxes, 79 percent believe education is not affordable for everyone, and 71 percent believe global warming is occurring (with 52 percent certain it is a human-made problem).

These numbers show that a majority of Americans agree with much of Sanders' version of democratic socialism.

The question is: Can he convince them to look past the label to his policies.

Okla Elliott, an assistant professor of English at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., recently published the book, "Bernie Sanders: The Essential Guide.'' This column was first published by The Hill (www.thehill.com), on March 4.
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FILE- This undated file photo provided by the Farmers Branch Police Department shows Ken Johnson. The off-duty suburban Dallas police officer who fatally shot a 16-year-old and wounded another juvenile has been arrested charges of murder and aggravated assault. Authorities say that off-duty Farmers Branch officer Ken Johnson was taken into custody Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (Farmers Branch Police Department via AP, File)
Ileana Yarza, 76, speaks by phone at her home in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Yarza wrote to President Barack Obama on Feb. 18 saying "there are not many Cubans so eager as I to meet you in person." Obama wrote back that "hopefully, I will have time to enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee" when he visits Havana Sunday. His letter flew to Cuba Tuesday on the first direct mail flight since shortly after the 1959 Cuban revolution. It hasn't yet been delivered, but the White House has released the text. Yarza tells The Associated Press that she's "charmed" by Obama, "by his gentlemanliness."(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Break out your green! Its St. Patricks Day  and Prince William has the shamrocks to prove it!

With his wife Princess Kate at home looking after their children, the prince made it a solo St. Patricks Day celebration with the Irish Guards on Thursday.

William, who has the honorary title of Colonel of the Regiment, took part in the traditional handing out of shamrocks to the officers and servicemen and women at a barracks on the edge of London.

In recent years, Kate has done the job herself or alongside William. But, with a tour of India and Bhutan coming up, she is focused on spending time with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Kate has only one more outing  opening a charity shop in Norfolk not far from her Anmer Hall home  in her public diary before leaving on the tour with William.

Missing the St. Patricks Day celebration has raised some eyebrows, as the handing out of the Irish flower has usually been done by female members of the royal family for more than 100 years.

 Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter.

William, meanwhile, has found himself answering accusations hes not working enough, while his air ambulance employers have also come to his defense.

Last year, William and Kate, who was 8-months pregnant with Charlotte, attended the parade together in Aldershot. Thursdays event was closer to London at a barracks at Hounslow, on the western edge of the city.

A Kensington Palace spokeswoman told PEOPLE, The Duchess has very much enjoyed the occasions when she has been able to attend, but the Duke is the Colonel of the Regiment and is looking forward to presenting the Irish Guards with their Shamrock.

The Duchess looks forward to marking St Patricks Day with the Irish Guards many times in the future.
Election Q&A: Meet the candidates for Emmet County Commission

The first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth districts are all contested races on Nov. 8.
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COGGS is laying down so much new trail each year that it's hard to solidify a favorite. However, when Home Brew was completed in 2014 it made a big impression on me and quickly became my favorite. Home Brew is a real 'playground' of a loop. It has more b-lines incorporating natural rock features than I can keep track of, making it a very cerebral ride. You can hit this trail 50 times and have a different ride each time. Yet, despite all of the trail's 'texture', it still flows to some degree. I tend to wear a fair bit of tight petroleum-based clothing, but for those baggy-shorted folks with a bit more bike under them, The Kissing Booth is quick 'n gnarly descent off of Home Brew with a trail back up, so you can get back onto Home Brew right where you left it. About half of the Home Brew loop edges along the top of a ridge line overlooking the City of Duluth, the expansive St. Louis River, Lake Superior, and beyond them, Wisconsin.....if you have a chance to glance up from the trail. - Matt Goodman
Williams has spent a total of 362 days in space. Astronaut Scott Kelly holds the current American record for cumulative days in orbit: 534. Kelly racked up that total after spending a year aboard the station participating in experiments to see how humans react to long-duration spaceflight.

NASA expects Williams to break Kelly's record before returning to Earth with Skripochka and Ovchinin in September. Williams will tie Kelly's 534-day total on September 6.

Of Williams' Russian crewmates, only Skripochka has flown before, participating in Expeditions 25 and 26 in 2010 and 2011. Ovchinin, a rookie, will be in command of the trio's Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft. The vehicle will dock with the station's space-facing Poisk module, which was left empty by the departure of the one-year crew on March 1.

Starting next week, the ISS is scheduled to receive two cargo spacecraft in nine days. On March 22, an Orbital ATK Cygnus freighter launches from Cape Canaveral aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V. And on March 31, a Russian Progress resupply ship will lift off from Baikonur. A SpaceX Dragon could also launch next month, but a NASA spokesperson said the date was still under review.

There are no spacewalks planned for Expedition 47. A second Dragon spacecraft will carry a new International Docking Adapter to the station as early as summer, and require a spacewalk for installation.
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Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) looked Republicans in the eyes and called out the absurd lies that they are using to obstruct President Obama during a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Franken (D-MN) said:

First, it was we should let the people decide. Well, we would argue the people decided. The President has a four-year term. Scientists tell us that there are approximately ten months left in his term. But then I hear, let the people decide, and the presidential election should decide, but then I hear colleagues from the other side saying well, you know what? If the election goes the wrong way, Id be happy to consider this nomination during the lame duck. How absurd is that? So, its let the people decide unless they decide on Hillary Clinton, in which case let us decide. Do you guys talk to each other? Thats what I want to know. I just hear such contradictory stuff coming out from your side. .. Lets at least be honest while were talking about this stuff. You cant say I want the people to decide wait for the next president. Oh wait a minute, if we lose the election, then well vote for this guy. Then well have this. Will you at least admit to me that is contradictory?

Franken accused the Republicans of both double talk and misquoting Vice President Biden for their own obstruction. Sen. Franken added, I used to make a living identifying absurdity. And Im hearing a lot of it today.

As Sen. Franken mentioned, Republicans are trying to have it both ways. Senate Republicans both want the voters to decide, but if the voters elect another Democrat to the White House, they also want to reserve the ability to confirm President Obamas nominee.

The Republican argument for the obstruction of Merrick Garland is undercut by their own argument about confirming him in the lame duck session. What Republicans are arguing makes no sense. It is an absurd contradiction that only grows more absurd with each examination. Sen. Franken was shocked by the fact that the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans played dumb, and ignored the obvious contradictions in their own arguments.

The consequences of the decision to obstruct President Obamas Supreme Court nominee have gone from bad to worse. Democrats are teeing off on the flailing Senate Republicans who are desperately tossing any nonsense that they think of against the wall to save their declining Senate majority.
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Talk about getting it backwards. There is no rehabilitating Adolf Hitlers image. Sure, Hitler loved kids, as long as they were German (read: not Jew or Slav or of some other mongrel race). Balance his appearance with children against the activities of the 101st Police Battalion, which was busy by 1942 murdering entire villages of people.

Duke said,

The reason theres a war on Donald Trump is because theres a war on the real America, theres a war on the European-American majority of the United States of America. The media has been the ones inciting hatred and violence. They have portrayed Donald Trump as a vicious racist who basically wants to create a Hitlerian regime; thats what they present him as, which is, of course, the biggest boogeyman and the most hateful thing these days you can say about something



The truth is, by the way, they might be rehabilitating that fellow with the mustache back there in Germany, because I saw a commercial against Donald Trump, a really vicious commercial, comparing what Donald Trump said about preserving America and making America great again to Hitler in Germany preserving Germany and making Germany great again and free again and not beholden to these Communists on one side, politically who were trying to destroy their land and their freedom, and the Jewish capitalists on the other, who were ripping off the nation through the banking system. We have the same thing going on here with Goldman Sachs.

Listen courtesy of Right Wing Watch:

According to Duke, This war thats going on against Donald Trump is really a war going on against America, its a war going on against the European-American majority. In fact, this sounds a lot like Hitler talking. The German majority was under constant attack by mongrel races from within and without.

Hitler had a solution for that. So lets look at what Duke says will be rehabilitated:

Take Nazi plans for their Drang nach Osten, (Drive toward the East) which would involve the spatial repression  a Nazi euphemism for displacement (kicking people out of their homes and forcibly removing them) of at least 35 million people according one version of Generalplan Ost (GPO), or Master Plan East.

Hitler had a fear of Russian Bolshevism that we might equate with Trumps Mexican obsession and his forcible removal of 11 million people. Needless to say, for Hitler as for Trump, undesirables were not going to be allowed to emigrate. All travel would be in the other direction for those who were not German or, in Trumps case, American enough.

The Nazi total did not include Jews, of course, an estimated 8,391,000 of them in the East. They were to be exterminated as a matter of course.

All in all, the man Duke would rehabilitate planned, according to Generalplan Ost, the violent death of 21,266,000 individuals, starved to death, exterminated by work, or killed by mobile killing units and in the death camps. In the words of scholar Christian Ingrao (Believe & Destroy: Intellectuals in the SS War Machine, 2013),

The practice of genocide, which had been in operation since 1941, was not just integrated into the planning: it had even become a condition of Germanization, the final aim of the Nazi utopia.

There are those, of course, who deny the holocaust. But the Nazis were meticulous record keepers. And we have those records, many of them, despite frantic attempts at destruction as the Reich collapsed around them. We know what was said. What was planned. What Hitler approved of.

In fact, we have the exhibition catalog for Planning and development in the east, what Ingrao describes as glossy paper with the RKFdV [The Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationhood] crestadorned with photos, maps, and plans, comprising one of the most complete representations of the SS project.

The Nazi leaderships anxiety over racial impurity extended to what was intended to be a Germanization front across the east, a cordon sanitaire running from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea occupied by colonies of German SS peasant-soldiers. The Nazis had crunched the numbers and despite rising birthrates since 1933 only 4.5 million Germans, including ethnic Germans (Volksdeutsche) and captured German blood (liberated from Bolshevik rule) could be found to replace the displaced natives.

The fact is, the Nazis, like white supremacist Americans like Duke, recognized the need for more white babies, and they talked in their policy papers of awakening a Wille zum Kind (Desire for a child) in their colonists in order to contest the monstrous way our neighbors in the East are increasing their numbers.

How was this monstrous growth counterbalanced? See the photo above. Ingrao puts the activities of the four German Einsatzgruppen (literally deployment groups i.e. death squads) in perspective:

In the USSR, the groups executed over 5550,000 persons: 50,000 from 22 June to the end of August, and 500,000 between September and December 1941. Thus, they killed 55 times more than in Poland: a number that, if projected to the idividual level, would imply that each of the 3,000 men operating in Russia must have killed one person per day over six months.

A Viennese policeman engaged in these activities wrote home to his wife that he had volunteered for a special action the next day and had too few bullets for his pistol (only 28), because there were about 1200 Jews who need to be killed (his words).

He writes he has some nice things to tell his wife when he gets back. Its hard to imagine what. In this way groups of 8,000 to 18,000 people were regularly being exterminated by these units in towns across Western Russia during Hitlers invasion.

Duke claimed, if you love your country and if you love, or at least what your country is supposed to represent, what it originally represented, because I dont know if we can everything love our government  we certainly cant love everything our government is doing today, that If youre a European person, the government is purposefully wiping you out and your families and your children and your future.

This is, in a nutshell, what the Nazis thought of the democratic Weimar regime they overthrew in 1933. Hitler warned that his country was having its greatness taken away from it too.

There is no rehabilitating Hitler, and there can be no rehabilitating Donald Trump. He has talked the talk and earned every comparison to Hitler made. To the extent he has been able, he has also walked the walk, encouraging violent behavior among his followers, demanding a personal oath of loyalty and even an exchange of the Hitler salute.

Comparisons of Trump to Hitler dont rehabilitate Hitler. They only damn Trump.

Photo credit of execution of Jews by Einsatzgruppen near Ivangorod, Ukraine: By Unknown (Sometimes mistakenly attributed to Jerzy Tomaszewski who discovered it.)  Original publication: Zwiazek Bojownikow o Wolnosc i Demokracje / League of Fighters for Freedom and Democracy / Union des Combattants pour la Liberte et la Demiocratie / Verband der Kampfer fur Freiheit und Demokratie (1959) 1939-1945. We have not forgotten / Nous navons pas oublie / Wir haben es nicht vergessen., Warsaw: Polonia, pp. 267 no ISBN (multilingual book)[3][2]Latest digital copy from www.levandehistoria.se, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3580125
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Senate Republicans admitted that they are blocking President Obamas Supreme Court nominee as an election tactic. Some Senators admit that they will confirm Obamas Supreme Court pick during the lame duck session if they lose the presidential election in November.

Politico reported:

Some Republicans acknowledged they could move Garlands nomination during the lame-duck session, should their party lose both the White House and control of the Senate this fall. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican on the Judiciary Committee who is generally deferential on presidential nominees, said yes when asked whether he would move to confirm Garland in the lame-duck session if Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, wins in November. For those of us who are concerned about the direction of the court and wanting at least a more centrist figure than between him and somebody that President Clinton might nominate, I think the choice is clear  in a lame duck, Flake said Wednesday after Obama named Garland.

The fact that Senate Republicans would leave a seat on the Supreme Court empty in an attempt to win an election should surprise no one who has been paying attention for the past seven plus years. All of the arguments that the right is making about precedence and the Biden rule are nothing more than nonsense distractions.

If Republicans lose the presidential election and control of the Senate, they will try to rush through the confirmation of President Obamas centrist nominee, because they wont want Hillary Clinton to appoint a more liberal justice. This cynical ignorance of the Senates constitutional duties is one of the main reasons why Republicans deserve to lose their majority.

Mitch McConnells Senate Republicans are displaying the same disinterest in governing that was on display for years while McConnell obstructed every major Obama proposal and piece of Democratic legislation. For McConnell, everything is about keeping control of the Senate. Once Republicans have been defeated, Republicans will try to cave and confirm Merrick Garland nomination to the Supreme Court.
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MINNEAPOLIS  Gov. Mark Dayton's administration has proposed expanding the rights of tribal members to harvest wild rice throughout the state.

One provision in a broader Department of Natural Resources policy bill introduced last week would allow band members who possess valid tribal identification cards to harvest wild rice without a license on state-controlled waters anywhere in Minnesota. A House committee has already backed the bill and it is expected to get its first hearing in the Senate next week, DNR Assistant Commissioner Bob Meier said Wednesday.

Meier told The Associated Press that the idea arose after some American Indian protesters announced plans last summer to gather wild rice without state-issued licenses on Hole-in-the-Day Lake in Nisswa to assert rights they contend they still hold under an 1855 treaty. The DNR, which disputes their interpretation of the treaty, moved to defuse the conflict by issuing a special one-day permit on Aug. 27 to allow them to harvest without licenses.

"That sparked a series of discussions about the cultural significance of wild rice to the Chippewa tribes, in particular," Meier said. "We try to look for areas where we can work with the bands cooperatively."

With some exceptions, the state currently requires everyone to have DNR-issued licenses to harvest wild rice outside reservations. Band members can gather wild rice from waters within reservation boundaries subject to tribal regulations.

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Budget recommendations that Dayton released Tuesday say the change would reduce license fee revenues that go toward wild rice management by about $4,000 annually. DNR resident wild rice licenses cost $25 for a season or $15 for a day.

The proposal does not deal with off-reservation fishing rights that activists from some bands say they still hold under treaties from the 1800s. And Meier said it doesn't affect four pending court cases in Crow Wing County stemming from the second day of last summer's protests.

Two Native Americans were charged with misdemeanors for harvesting wild rice without licenses from Hole-in-the-Day Lake on Aug. 28, and two others were charged with gross misdemeanors for setting gill nets for fish in nearby Gull Lake. They pleaded not guilty last month in the hopes of forcing the courts to decide how the treaties should be interpreted.

Their lawyer, Frank Bibeau, welcomed the wild rice provision as "a step in the right direction," but he called on the state to go further and recognize all the rights they're trying to assert.

"I don't think we're all that far away. It sounds like they're starting to figure it out," said Bibeau, who's executive director of the 1855 Treaty Authority, a group that's independent of the state's tribal governments, which organized last summer's protests.

Meier said there were no objections when the bill, which also includes provisions dealing with invasive species and other issues, passed its first House committee Tuesday.

"We don't anticipate any opposition to it but you never know," Meier said. "When it comes to wild rice it's always interesting."
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PR-Inside.com: 2016-03-17 13:53:01

- Secure power to automatic level crossing control systems

- Safety being at stake, choice was based on high reliability and a proven track record

AEG Power Solutions Selected by Powertronics to Provide Power Supply Solutions for Rail Transport in Egypt

Claire Pairault, Mobile: +33 6 19 60 91 64

Corporate Communications

AEG Power Solutions

Email: claire.pairault@aegps.com

or

Moustafa Ali, Mobile: +201093333435

Executive Manager

Powertronics For Engineering Systems

admin@powertronics-eg.com

AEG Power Solutions (FWB:3W9K), a global provider of power electronic systems and solutions for industrial power supplies and renewable energy applications, announced that Powertronics has selected one of its power system solutions to secure power supply to the new automatic control systems it will provide to Egyptian National Railways. The current contract was signed for a first wave of over 300 Protect MIP DC rectifier/ charger to be delivered within the next two years.

The Egyptian Ministry of Transportation has launched a major transformation program of its national operator, Egypt National Railways, which includes upgrades to its rolling equipment and rail infrastructure to improve user safety and service. To reach international technical standards, Egyptian railway level crossing control systems will shift from currently manual/ semi-automatic control to fully automatic control.

AEG Power Solutions Protect MIP 24V-50A battery chargers have been selected to supply the DC load to control and automatically open and close the barriers.

When it comes to this type of application, security is highly at stake, so reliability of the system was our first concern when we selected our partner explained, Mr. Ali Moustafa, Executive Manager at Powertronics. We selected AEG Power Solutions based upon the high reliability of their product and their proven track record in transportation applications worldwide.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603170056

Protect MIP 24V-50A by AEG Power Solutions (Photo: Business Wire).

The Protect MIP rectifier/charger has state of the art switch mode technology and high reliability with N+1 redundancy. It is designed to be scalable, simple to use and with hot swappable rectifier modules, assures easy maintenance making it the solution of choice when reliability and reduced operational costs are at stake. The system is already in use in many critical applications such as rail, airport and utility infrastructures.

This contract is also a mid-term partnership, which is of underlining importance for us said, Alberto DallAsta, Managing Director in Italy who leads the cooperation between AEG Power Solutions and Powertronics.

We have real expertise in power supply when safety is at stake and by working closely together with the customer, we identified the right solution for this critical application explained, Daniela Antenori, Technical Sales Engineer, at AEG PS.

Powertronics is located at 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt and provides power line monitors and critical railway safety systems.

# # #

About AEG Power Solutions

AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS) Group is a global provider of power electronics systems and solutions for all industrial and demanding commercial power requirements offering one of the most comprehensive product and service portfolios in the area of uninterruptible power supply and power management.

Thanks to its distinctive expertise bridging both AC and DC power technologies and spanning the worlds of both conventional and renewable energy, the company creates innovative solutions for next generation distributed power generation.

AEG Power Solutions Group is the sole subsidiary of the holding company 3W Power S.A. (WKN A114Z9) / ISINLU1072910919), based in Luxembourg. The Group is headquartered in Zwanenburg in the Netherlands. The shares of 3W Power are admitted to trading on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 3W9K).

For more information, visit www.aegps.com.

This communication does not constitute an offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or exchange any securities of 3W Power. This communication contains forward-looking statements which include, inter alia, statements expressing our expectations, intentions, projections, estimates, and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable evaluation and opinion of the management but are subject to risks and uncertainties which are beyond the control of 3W Power and, as a general rule, difficult to predict. The management and the company cannot and do not, under any circumstances, guarantee future results or performance of 3W Power and the actual results of 3W Power may materially differ from the information expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, investors are cautioned against relying on the forward-looking statements contained herein as a basis for their investment decisions regarding 3W Power.

3W Power undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603170056
PR-Inside.com: 2016-03-17 17:11:01

Region will grow at rate of 38.7 per cent to become a 2bn industry by 2020

More than half of online video advertising expected to be traded programmatically in 2020

SpotX infographic reveals growth of programmatic video advertising in Europe

SpotX

Joanna Burton

jburton@spotxchange.com

+44 0203 705 1738

SpotX, the video inventory management platform for publishers, unveils an infographic charting the rise of programmatic online video advertising across Europe. The image shows how the industry has grown almost twenty-fold from 22m in 2012 to 375m in 2015 and will grow at a rate of 38.7 per cent between now and 2020, to become a 2bn industry in 2020, by which time more than half of all online video advertising revenue in Europe will be generated programmatically.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603170059

The Road to Programmatic Ubiquity Infographic (Photo: Business Wire)

The big five European markets are highlighted as responsible for 286m of programmatic online video advertising revenue generated in 2015, which is expected to climb to 1,512m by 2020. The Benelux region is forecast to triple from 62m in 2015 to 198m in 2020, whilst Nordics saw 21m programmatic online video advertising revenue in 2015, predicted to reach 138m in 2020.

Based on research conducted by global analyst firm IHS (NYSE: IHS), the source of information and insight, the infographic shows the UK as the largest market for programmatic video advertising in the region, generating more than one third of all programmatic online video revenue in Europe in 2015 (36 per cent). The UK programmatic video advertising market was worth 135m in 2015 and is expected to be worth more than 600m by 2020 with the proportion of video advertising traded programmatically expected to almost triple from 23 per cent in 2015 to 60 per cent by 2020.

Programmatic online video advertising is pictured as 31m in Germany with growth expected to reach 254m in 2020, making it the third largest market in Europe. The Austrian market is predicted to grow from 2m in 2015 to 19m in 2020 and Switzerland will grow from 3m in 2015 to 22m in 2020, revealing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) across the DACH region of 53 per cent.

In France, the infographic sizes the market at 67m - where 19 per cent of video advertising is traded programmatically - and highlights expected growth to 358m in 2020 more than half of which (54 per cent) will be traded programmatically. The infographic charts the growth of programmatic video in Italy from 6m in 2013 to 38m in 2015 to a predicted size of 245m in 2020, a compound annual growth rate of 45 per cent. 12 per cent of online video advertising in Italy was traded programmatically in 2015 and it is predicted to grow to 47 per cent. The Spanish will also trade 47 per cent of online video advertising programmatically in 2020, by which point the market is expected to be worth 98m, up from 4m in 2013 and 15m in 2015.

Mike Shehan, CEO of SpotX explains, The data shows the dramatic rise of video advertising across Europe, which has been reflected in our own growth across Europe with rising revenues every year. We introduced video real time bidding in 2010, and now have established offices in London, Hamburg and Amsterdam contributing to the global growth of SpotX. The UK, France and the Netherlands are leading the adoption of programmatic online video in Europe, followed by a sizeable and important market in Germany, as well as emerging markets with high potential including the Nordics, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

Daniel Knapp, Senior Director of Advertising Research at IHS, adds, This infographic illustrates the research we conducted showing how programmatic online video advertising has exploded across Europe from experimentation in 2013 to ubiquity by 2015. Publishers and broadcasters have embraced a programmatic mindset. They are innovating with video content and exploring different programmatic video advertising strategies including acquisitions and partnerships as well as building in-house capabilities to drive revenue growth.

The infographic is based on research titled Video Advertising in Europe: The Road to Programmatic Ubiquity commissioned by SpotX, from IHS. The full report from IHS can be downloaded here.

About SpotX

SpotX is a video inventory management platform for premium publishers and broadcasters, helping them manage all of their demand sources from one place, and monetise content across all screens. The SpotX platform offers publishers unprecedented transparency and insight, creating a safe, controlled environment that allows them to connect with advertisers, and achieve the highest revenue possible.

Premium publishers and mobile app developers trust SpotX as the independent solution that helps them better understand the buying behaviour of todays leading brands and maximise inventory yield across private marketplace, programmatic direct and open marketplace deals. SpotXs ad serving, leading programmatic technology, and open and extensible architecture help simplify the complex digital video ecosystem for global publishers.

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, SpotX also has offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Sydney, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Belfast and Singapore. In July 2014, RTL Group acquired a 65 per cent stake in SpotX, which was founded by CEO Mike Shehan and CFO and COO, Steven Swoboda, in 2007. For updates, please follow SpotX @SpotXchange or visit www.spotxchange.com.

About IHS (www.ihs.com)

IHS (NYSE: IHS) is the leading source of insight, analytics and expertise in critical areas that shape todays business landscape. Businesses and governments in more than 140 countries around the globe rely on the comprehensive content, expert independent analysis and flexible delivery methods of IHS to make high-impact decisions and develop strategies with speed and confidence. IHS has been in business since 1959 and became a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange in 2005. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs approximately 8,600 people in 32 countries around the world.

IHS is a registered trademark of IHS Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.  2016 IHS Inc. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603170059

.@SpotX launch infographic to coincide with @IHS research into #programmatic online video advertising in Europe
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, says it is not opposed to the on-going reforms in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The National President of the Association, Francis Johnson, told our Business Editor, Bassey Udo, that all what its members want was an all-inclusive arrangement for all interest groups in the industry.

Excerpts

PT: The oil workers unions seem uncomfortable with the on-going restructuring of the NNPC. What are your concerns?

PENGASSAN: For the unions, there must be consistency in policy formulation and implementation by government. Again, there must be an informed consensus on all issues affecting the industry. There must be a buy-in by everyone  government, players and workers. All interest parties must be on the same page. Everyone must understand the direction the industry is heading. Where there are problems, we should join hands together to solve them

It is not too good for the country that the oil and gas industry, the mainstay of our economy, would show such inconsistency in the way policies are formulated and implemented. We seem to be going one step forward today, and two steps backward tomorrow.

If there are things the government needs to do (I believe there are many) to strengthen the industry and bring it to globally acceptable standards, we must be open and transparent about it, by laying all the cards on the table for all parties to see.

One cannot put one hand on the table and the other under the table and expect others to believe one is sincere about the process.

When the present administration came to office, PENGASSAN presented a comprehensive roadmap to Mr. President on what our members think the industry should be. The roadmap was given full exposure in most media in the country. We also submitted the document to the then Ahmed Joda-led All Progressives Congress, APC Transition Committee.

In the roadmap, PENGASSAN asked government to declare a state of emergency in the oil and gas industry. This is an industry that is grappling with a whole lot of issues, namely crude oil theft (which costs the country billions of dollars over the years), pipeline vandalism, backlog of joint venture cash calls, poor state of refineries, corruption in the importation of petroleum products and subsidy payment to marketers, abuse of Nigerian Content policy, etc.

Also, it looked at the status of the PPPRA (Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency) and Petroleum Equalization Fund, PEF, viz-a-viz the role of the NNPC in the performance of their mandates.

With the state of emergency proposal, PENGASSAN believed all Nigerians could sit down together to discuss these problems and proffer solutions. But, if government is talking about restructuring and reorganisation of the NNPC now, and the same issues are the key issues the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, set to achieve, when did that arrangement change? That is the policy inconsistency PENGASSAN is talking about.

The unions are not aware government has jettisoned these issues in the draft PIB currently before the National Assembly for approval. Yet, government has gone ahead to implement what has not yet been approved. That is clearly a setting for confusion. What is worrisome is: what happens if the National Assembly finally approves something different from what government is already implementing in NNPC?

The unions do not seem to know where the industry is going. The essence of any policy is to build a system that would stand the test of time. We must strive to build a legacy that we would all be proud to be associated with long after we have left the system.

For instance, the NNPC Retail was an idea started by the Gaius Obaseki administration in NNPC. When it was conceived, a lot of people opposed it vehemently. But, Mr. Obaseki saw it through, because he carried everybody along and drove the vision to the end. Today, we can see the benefits.

The need to work together is not only in NNPC. It is applicable in every sphere of the industry and government agencies. At every stage in the decision making process, all parties have the responsibility of letting members of their constituencies know what is going on. If as a union the leadership is not carried along in decisions that affect their interests, how would they explain to members how they would be accommodated?

PT: Are you saying PENGASSAN and its members were left out by management in the decision to restructure the NNPC?

PENGASSAN: Precisely, that is what I am saying, and that is the main grouse of our members. Government cannot successfully carry out such massive restructuring without the workers, who would be used in the implementation of the decisions. Government cannot pretend that is right. It is not done anywhere.

Government cannot successfully restructure NNPC without first laying a solid foundation, by first removing all issues capable of posing problems or frustrating the exercise. The NNPC Act of 1977 that set up NNPC is still there. Just like any legal entity, for government to do anything like unbundling, that Act must either be repealed, or amended, to give a legal backing to that exercise.

The unions are concerned that government dont seem to know exactly what it wants to do. Initially, it was talking about unbundling. But, when there was so much pressure from the National Assembly, the Minister of State turned around to say government was not unbundling, but restructuring or reorganising NNPC.

For Gods sake, there is no way the unions or anybody would be against any decision that Nigerians are convinced would yield benefits to the people, provided such decisions are open, honest, transparent and with sincerity of purpose. If those fundamental issues are not addressed, it means it is business as usual.

PT: Your tone sounds surprising. The unions had a long meeting with the minister on Wednesday night. At the end, the unions called off the strike, indicating that all concerns were addressed. What were resolutions during the meeting?

PENGASSAN: At that meeting, it was agreed that a tripartite committee, consisting representatives of NNPC management, workers and government be set up urgently. The committee was mandated to look at all the issues and ensure that all parties were on the same page. There was also the issue of timelines and the need for all parties to put all the cards on the table. If any decision is to be taken, let everybody look at it together. But, everything must follow due process.

If government does not follow these basic rules in its handling of these issues, it means nothing has changed from the past. Its like we are trying to go round in circles. The unions can never be against the interest of anything that would be in the greater interest of Nigerians.

PT: What were those issues the unions tabled at the meeting?

PENGASSAN: The issues included our concerns about the unbundling exercise; labour issues, staff welfare, staff redeployments to the strategic business units, SBUs and how they are going to be protected. There was also the issue of what the group management structure would function under the new arrangement.

But, going forward, to guard against the repeat of this kind of crisis, the major decision affecting the corporation must involve the unions. If people are not made to understand what government is doing and how the thing would affect their interest, there is always a genuine fear that the policy may be sabotaged.

During the meeting, the minister owned up to some mistakes, and promised that going forward things would be done properly.

The politicians would come, and maximum three four years after, they would move on. But, the workers would remain. They want to build a career, without any fear of their career progression being stalled. But, if government says it would bring people into positions, has it first look exhaustively within whether there are no competent hands that can do the job, and who are passionate that the corporation must survive?

If people must be brought from outside, let them compete with those inside, then the best is chosen. In doing that their experiences and qualification must be taken into consideration. Everybody must be made to be happy, and have the belief that there are prospects and a future for their career.



PT: Since the meeting, has anything changed in the body language of government that creates fears in the mind of the unions that government might not be sincere?

PENGASSAN: No! But, we have to let Nigerians know our position on these issues so that going forward there would be no friction. If all parties agree that what we are preaching is what we are doing, there would not be any problem. The key is openness and transparency.

PT: A lot of Nigerians, including the National Assembly, seem to be on the side of NNPC reform. How come the oil workers are the only ones that do not seem to see things from that same perspective?

PENGASSAN: No. no, no! Initially it was the way the exercise was being carried out. But, the unions are afraid, not because they do not believe in the reform, but they want to be sure that the way it is done would help build their careers. When they cannot get guarantees that their careers would not be stalled after reaching a certain level, then they have genuine reason to be afraid.

If the workers know that they have nothing to be afraid of; that the company belongs to everybody, and they have potentials to grow to any level, they would not complain. If all the people appointed to positions are from outside, it means the people inside are not competent.

If that is the case, look for a way to make them sit up. Where they have been found wanting, sanction them to serve as a deterrent to others.

PT: Most Nigerians see NNPC as synonymous with corruption, making it difficult for them to be trusted with responsibilities, therefore the need for the reforms?

PENGASSAN: I dont share that opinion. Since the minister came on board, has there been any instance where any official is found wanting and he wants to sanction such official and the union opposed it? Labour does not condone corruption in any form.

But, look at it this way, because of the high level of political interference in the operations of NNPC and some of its affiliates, we have reason to be afraid. But, we are happy that the President has assured us that there would be minimum interference during his tenure. But, the NNPC is supposed to have a Board. All operating and regulatory agencies are supposed to have a Board. But, it appears the oil and gas industry is not given the priority it deserves. For instance, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI Board was reconstituted recently, like others. Why not NNPC, so that things could be done transparently? At least that would show that no single individual is lording over everybody. When there is a Board, consisting technical professionals than politicians, it would provide the necessary checks and balances, to ensure that things are done with due process. If the Board were to have been in place, the restructuring would not be seen as a one-man show.

PT: But, the National Assembly has already given its support to the minister to go ahead with the reforms. What do the workers really want government to do now?

PENGASSAN: I dont want it to seem as if I am indicting members of the National Assembly, because they are representing all of us. But, what I have to say is that what is worth doing at all is worth doing properly.

Nigerians have watched and listened to various public presentations by the minister on the issue. He has accepted that his handling of the issue was not very tidy, particularly the non-involvement of all stakeholders.

When one sees Nigerians lambasting the unions as selfish, for protesting against the decision, they have to be careful the way they look at these things. During the January 2012 fuel subsidy protest, it was the union that rose against the decision to remove the subsidy, because we believed the high price of fuel would affect the entire economy.

What we want is an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting, so that Nigerians will hear the position of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, PENGASSAN, National Union of Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, civil society, government and all other interest groups, so that we all know that whatever we are doing is in the open and transparent in the interest of Nigerians.

No responsible union enjoys protests. But, it is the last resort where dialogue fails. All what we want is for everyone to agree to work as one indivisible entity in the interest of Nigeria, so that the benefits from the oil and gas industry can come to all Nigerians.

NNPC restructuring a one-man show, says PENGASSAN President

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, says it is not opposed to the on-going reforms in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The National President of the Association, Francis Johnson, told our Business Editor, Bassey Udo, that all what its members want was an all-inclusive arrangement for all interest groups in the industry.Excerpts

PT: The oil workers unions seem uncomfortable with the on-going restructuring of the NNPC. What are your concerns?

PENGASSAN: For the unions, there must be consistency in policy formulation and implementation by government. Again, there must be an informed consensus on all issues affecting the industry. There must be a buy-in by everyone  government, players and workers. All interest parties must be on the same page. Everyone must understand the direction the industry is heading. Where there are problems, we should join hands together to solve them

It is not too good for the country that the oil and gas industry, the mainstay of our economy, would show such inconsistency in the way policies are formulated and implemented. We seem to be going one step forward today, and two steps backward tomorrow.

If there are things the government needs to do (I believe there are many) to strengthen the industry and bring it to globally acceptable standards, we must be open and transparent about it, by laying all the cards on the table for all parties to see.

One cannot put one hand on the table and the other under the table and expect others to believe one is sincere about the process.

When the present administration came to office, PENGASSAN presented a comprehensive roadmap to Mr. President on what our members think the industry should be. The roadmap was given full exposure in most media in the country. We also submitted the document to the then Ahmed Joda-led All Progressives Congress, APC Transition Committee.

In the roadmap, PENGASSAN asked government to declare a state of emergency in the oil and gas industry. This is an industry that is grappling with a whole lot of issues, namely crude oil theft (which costs the country billions of dollars over the years), pipeline vandalism, backlog of joint venture cash calls, poor state of refineries, corruption in the importation of petroleum products and subsidy payment to marketers, abuse of Nigerian Content policy, etc.

Also, it looked at the status of the PPPRA (Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency) and Petroleum Equalization Fund, PEF, viz-a-viz the role of the NNPC in the performance of their mandates.

With the state of emergency proposal, PENGASSAN believed all Nigerians could sit down together to discuss these problems and proffer solutions. But, if government is talking about restructuring and reorganisation of the NNPC now, and the same issues are the key issues the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, set to achieve, when did that arrangement change? That is the policy inconsistency PENGASSAN is talking about.

The unions are not aware government has jettisoned these issues in the draft PIB currently before the National Assembly for approval. Yet, government has gone ahead to implement what has not yet been approved. That is clearly a setting for confusion. What is worrisome is: what happens if the National Assembly finally approves something different from what government is already implementing in NNPC?

The unions do not seem to know where the industry is going. The essence of any policy is to build a system that would stand the test of time. We must strive to build a legacy that we would all be proud to be associated with long after we have left the system.

For instance, the NNPC Retail was an idea started by the Gaius Obaseki administration in NNPC. When it was conceived, a lot of people opposed it vehemently. But, Mr. Obaseki saw it through, because he carried everybody along and drove the vision to the end. Today, we can see the benefits.

The need to work together is not only in NNPC. It is applicable in every sphere of the industry and government agencies. At every stage in the decision making process, all parties have the responsibility of letting members of their constituencies know what is going on. If as a union the leadership is not carried along in decisions that affect their interests, how would they explain to members how they would be accommodated?

PT: Are you saying PENGASSAN and its members were left out by management in the decision to restructure the NNPC?

PENGASSAN: Precisely, that is what I am saying, and that is the main grouse of our members. Government cannot successfully carry out such massive restructuring without the workers, who would be used in the implementation of the decisions. Government cannot pretend that is right. It is not done anywhere.

Government cannot successfully restructure NNPC without first laying a solid foundation, by first removing all issues capable of posing problems or frustrating the exercise. The NNPC Act of 1977 that set up NNPC is still there. Just like any legal entity, for government to do anything like unbundling, that Act must either be repealed, or amended, to give a legal backing to that exercise.

The unions are concerned that government dont seem to know exactly what it wants to do. Initially, it was talking about unbundling. But, when there was so much pressure from the National Assembly, the Minister of State turned around to say government was not unbundling, but restructuring or reorganising NNPC.

For Gods sake, there is no way the unions or anybody would be against any decision that Nigerians are convinced would yield benefits to the people, provided such decisions are open, honest, transparent and with sincerity of purpose. If those fundamental issues are not addressed, it means it is business as usual.

PT: Your tone sounds surprising. The unions had a long meeting with the minister on Wednesday night. At the end, the unions called off the strike, indicating that all concerns were addressed. What were resolutions during the meeting?

PENGASSAN: At that meeting, it was agreed that a tripartite committee, consisting representatives of NNPC management, workers and government be set up urgently. The committee was mandated to look at all the issues and ensure that all parties were on the same page. There was also the issue of timelines and the need for all parties to put all the cards on the table. If any decision is to be taken, let everybody look at it together. But, everything must follow due process.

If government does not follow these basic rules in its handling of these issues, it means nothing has changed from the past. Its like we are trying to go round in circles. The unions can never be against the interest of anything that would be in the greater interest of Nigerians.

PT: What were those issues the unions tabled at the meeting?



PENGASSAN: The issues included our concerns about the unbundling exercise; labour issues, staff welfare, staff redeployments to the strategic business units, SBUs and how they are going to be protected. There was also the issue of what the group management structure would function under the new arrangement.

But, going forward, to guard against the repeat of this kind of crisis, the major decision affecting the corporation must involve the unions. If people are not made to understand what government is doing and how the thing would affect their interest, there is always a genuine fear that the policy may be sabotaged.

During the meeting, the minister owned up to some mistakes, and promised that going forward things would be done properly.

The politicians would come, and maximum three four years after, they would move on. But, the workers would remain. They want to build a career, without any fear of their career progression being stalled. But, if government says it would bring people into positions, has it first look exhaustively within whether there are no competent hands that can do the job, and who are passionate that the corporation must survive?

If people must be brought from outside, let them compete with those inside, then the best is chosen. In doing that their experiences and qualification must be taken into consideration. Everybody must be made to be happy, and have the belief that there are prospects and a future for their career.

PT: Since the meeting, has anything changed in the body language of government that creates fears in the mind of the unions that government might not be sincere?



PENGASSAN: No! But, we have to let Nigerians know our position on these issues so that going forward there would be no friction. If all parties agree that what we are preaching is what we are doing, there would not be any problem. The key is openness and transparency.



PT: A lot of Nigerians, including the National Assembly, seem to be on the side of NNPC reform. How come the oil workers are the only ones that do not seem to see things from that same perspective?



PENGASSAN: No. no, no! Initially it was the way the exercise was being carried out. But, the unions are afraid, not because they do not believe in the reform, but they want to be sure that the way it is done would help build their careers. When they cannot get guarantees that their careers would not be stalled after reaching a certain level, then they have genuine reason to be afraid.

If the workers know that they have nothing to be afraid of; that the company belongs to everybody, and they have potentials to grow to any level, they would not complain. If all the people appointed to positions are from outside, it means the people inside are not competent.

If that is the case, look for a way to make them sit up. Where they have been found wanting, sanction them to serve as a deterrent to others.

PT: Most Nigerians see NNPC as synonymous with corruption, making it difficult for them to be trusted with responsibilities, therefore the need for the reforms?



PENGASSAN: I dont share that opinion. Since the minister came on board, has there been any instance where any official is found wanting and he wants to sanction such official and the union opposed it? Labour does not condone corruption in any form.

But, look at it this way, because of the high level of political interference in the operations of NNPC and some of its affiliates, we have reason to be afraid. But, we are happy that the President has assured us that there would be minimum interference during his tenure. But, the NNPC is supposed to have a Board. All operating and regulatory agencies are supposed to have a Board. But, it appears the oil and gas industry is not given the priority it deserves. For instance, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI Board was reconstituted recently, like others. Why not NNPC, so that things could be done transparently? At least that would show that no single individual is lording over everybody. When there is a Board, consisting technical professionals than politicians, it would provide the necessary checks and balances, to ensure that things are done with due process. If the Board were to have been in place, the restructuring would not be seen as a one-man show.



PT: But, the National Assembly has already given its support to the minister to go ahead with the reforms. What do the workers really want government to do now?



PENGASSAN: I dont want it to seem as if I am indicting members of the National Assembly, because they are representing all of us. But, what I have to say is that what is worth doing at all is worth doing properly.

Nigerians have watched and listened to various public presentations by the minister on the issue. He has accepted that his handling of the issue was not very tidy, particularly the non-involvement of all stakeholders.

When one sees Nigerians lambasting the unions as selfish, for protesting against the decision, they have to be careful the way they look at these things. During the January 2012 fuel subsidy protest, it was the union that rose against the decision to remove the subsidy, because we believed the high price of fuel would affect the entire economy.

What we want is an all-inclusive stakeholders meeting, so that Nigerians will hear the position of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, PENGASSAN, National Union of Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, civil society, government and all other interest groups, so that we all know that whatever we are doing is in the open and transparent in the interest of Nigerians.

No responsible union enjoys protests. But, it is the last resort where dialogue fails. All what we want is for everyone to agree to work as one indivisible entity in the interest of Nigeria, so that the benefits from the oil and gas industry can come to all Nigerians.
President Muhammadu Buhari said Thursday in Abuja that his administration would vigorously implement policies that will revive Nigerias agricultural sector and reposition it as the mainstay of the national economy.

Speaking at an audience with the new Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Vesselin Delcher, Mr. Buhari said his administration would implement policies that would help Nigeria become self-sufficient in food production.

The president said continued importation of food could expose the country to more external shocks.

Mr. Buhari noted that the unbridled importation of food also contributes to the depletion of the countrys foreign reserves and deprives citizens of job opportunities.

We must produce what we eat. We dont have unlimited resources to continue the importation of food items that can be produced locally.

Fortunately, some Nigerians have shown foresight by building factories that process agricultural products within the country.

They have created a value chain that boosts employment, protects our foreign reserves and safeguards the economy from external shocks.

We will do all that we can to encourage others to join in the effort to achieve national self-sufficiency in food production, Mr. Buhari said.

The president said his administration would also help and encourage Nigerian farmers to adopt modern, technology-driven methods that guarantee higher production and returns on investment.

Mr. Buhari, who also received Paul Lehmann, the new High Commissioner of Australia; Afsatu Ebiso-Kabba, the new High Commissioner of Sierra-Leone; and Thordur Oskarsson, the new Ambassador of Iceland, told them that Nigeria would welcome the further strengthening of relations with their countries, especially in the areas of agriculture, solid minerals and trade.

The president wished the four envoys, who were at the Presidential Villa to present their letters of credence to him, very successful tenures in Nigeria.
Eight persons attempted suicide in Indias Gujarat State on Thursday after their demand that the cow be named the countrys national animal was not met, the reports said.

Indias Hindu majority regards cows as holy and their slaughter is banned in several regions.

One of the election promises of the Hindu nationalist, Bharatiya Janata, party before it swept to power in 2014 was that it would bring in necessary legal framework to protect the cow.

Gujarat, in western India, is the Prime Minister at Narendra Modis home state.

Eight members of the Gau Raksha Samiti in the town of Rajkot submitted a memorandum to the district administration demanding that the cow should be a designated national animal within 24 hours.

When their demands were not met, they consumed a poisonous pesticide in front of the district office on Thursday.

They were rushed to the hospital and all were out of danger, police official Manish Nakum,said.

Dhaval Pandya, a member of the cow protection organisation said that the cows needed to be protected.

If we want to protect our cows, we need to declare it as national animal and we must declare it as Rashtra Mata, national mother.

Saints and cow protectionists from across the country have been staging protest in New Delhi in the last 18 days but government has not responded to them, he said.

(dpa/NAN)
Nigeria has been ranked the 103 happiest nation of the world, and 6th in Africa in the World Happiness Report.

The World Happiness Report 2016 update, which ranks 157 countries by their happiness levels, was released in Rome on Wednesday, in advance of UN World Happiness Day, March 20.

As indicated by the report, Nigeria dropped from its 78th position in the World and 2nd in Africa in the 2015 happiness ranking.

Denmark emerged the worlds happiest place, while Algeria, standing at 38 at the global level, maintains its position as the happiest place in Africa.

Mauritius is now the second happiest country in Africa, followed by Libya, Morocco and Tunisia respectively.

According to the report, eight sub-Saharan countries were among the 10 least happy places on earth to live.

The bottom 10 were; Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi.

South Africa and Ghana stood at 116 and 124 respectively on the Global happiness ranking.

NAN reports that the World Happiness Report, an initiative of the UN, is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness, aimed at influencing government policy.

The report reviews the state of happiness in the world and shows how the new science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness.

It reflects a new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness as criteria for government policy.

According to the report, leading experts across fields  economics, psychology, survey analysis, national statistics, health, public policy and more  describe how measurements of well-being can be used effectively to assess the progress of nations.

Healthy years of life expectancy, GDP per capital, social support , perceived absence of corruption in government and business, freedom to make life decisions and generosity are some of the factors the report considers.

The first world happiness report was published in support of the April 2, 2012 United Nations (UN) high level meeting on happiness and well-being.

The report was prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Jeffrey Sachs is the head of the SDSN and special advisor to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

(NAN)
The Nigeria Police Force says it will launch the first phase of the deployment of more than 6,000 policemen to liberated communities in the North-East on Friday.

Solomon Arase, the Inspector-General of Police, disclosed this at the second Round table on security stabilisation in the Northeast in Abuja on Thursday.

The round table was organised by the police in collaboration with the British Embassy.

Mr. Arase had promised that over 6,000 personnel of the force would be deployed to liberated communities in the northeast to restore police primacy and civil authority.

I can confirm that by tomorrow Friday, March 18, the logistics procured and personnel mobilised for the first phase of the deployment will be launched, said Mr. Arase said Thursday.

He said that following the outcome of the last round table, the police had heightened the deployment process of personnel to the region.

Mr. Arase explained that in addition, massive human and material assets have also been mobilised while the engagements of the military and local communities were being pursued vigorously.

He said efforts and strategies of the Federal Government had further strengthened the determination of the police to end terrorism in the country.

The successes so recorded, can best be consolidated with sincere and workable plans expected to be the outcome of this roundtable, he said.

Mr. Arase charged the participants to come up with a working guide for the police in planning for its deployment to the northeast.

The task that lies ahead of us this morning is to consolidate on what we have so far started.

Our honest contributions will go a long way in changing the narratives in the northeast in particular and Nigeria in general, he said.

In attendance were representatives of the Army, Air force, Immigration, among others.

Meanwhile, Mr. Arase has urged officers and men of the force to key into the police housing scheme.

Mr. Arase made the call at the balloting for the pre and post-service housing scheme in Abuja on Thursday.

He noted that the scheme was one of his administrations efforts to achieve a virile, focused and corruption-free police.

Mr. Arase said the desire by officers and men to own a house had remained one of the reasons for corruption in the force.

He said the construction of 100 units of two bedroom bungalow semi-detached houses each have been completed in Benin, Enugu, Katsina and Yola.

Mr. Arase said this batch is specifically for the Inspectors and rank and file cadres of the force.

I want to assure you that this scheme is already in the process of being replicated in all the states of the federation including Abuja, he said.

He assured all officers and men seeking to key into the scheme that they would have access to decent and affordable houses.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Cooperative Society Ltd, Dorothy Gimba, said that 20 per cent of the houses would be sold to members of the public.

She said the decision was to foster the concept of police community partnership.

Ms. Gimba urged officers and men to support the laudable vision of the Inspector-General of Police.

The highpoint of the occasion was the picking of the ballot papers by Arase and the announcement of winners of the houses in the four states.

(NAN)
The United States Government on Thursday condemned Wednesday bombing of a Mosque near Maiduguri, Borno State, where 22 people were killed and some injured.

The United States embassy in Nigeria said in a statement that its government strongly condemned Boko Harams continued vicious attacks on innocent citizens in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.

The U.S. condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist bombing at a mosque on March 16 near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in North Eastern Nigeria.

Dozens of people were killed and injured. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the latest victims of Boko Harams senseless brutality.

Boko Haram continues to commit vicious attacks against innocent civilians including children, it said.

The statement also frowned at the number of persons the insurgents had killed, raped and injured, as well as those displaced in the Lake Chad Basin region.

It also restated the U.S. governments commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and support to those affected by Boko Harams violence.

The US will continue to support those affected by Boko Harams violence through ongoing humanitarian aid and victim support services.

We also remain committed to assisting our partners in the Lake Chad Basin region who are leading the fight to end Boko Harams wanton violence and restore peace, the statement said.

(NAN)
The Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, North East, Major General Hassan Umaru has handed over the mantle of leadership of the command to Major General Lucky E. Irabor who was his Deputy Commander.

During the handing over and taking over ceremony at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri, General Umaru said his transfer to the Nigerian Army Headquarters was to take over as the Chief of Training and Operations after the demise of Major General Yushau Abubakar Mahmood who died recently in a road accident along Maiduguri-Damaturu road on an official assignment.

While taking over, the new Theatre Commander, Major General Lucky E. Irabor said he would sustain the military operations against terrorists towards ensuring stability in the North-Eastern Nigeria.
Nigeria and the European Union on Tuesday in Brussels agreed to deepen their strategic cooperation to support efforts to fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

The agreement was reached between the Vice President of the EU, Federica Mogherini, and Nigerias Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, during the 6th Nigeria-EU ministerial dialogue.

The ministerial dialogue, which is the first since President Muhammadu Buharis election in 2015, was a key event in deepening the existing EU-Nigeria partnership, to provide the opportunity to discuss a broad range of topics.

Nigerian Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau, and the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, also attended the meeting.

While Mr. Onyeama met with the EU Peace and Security Committee, Mr. Danbazau had an exchange with the EU Commissioner Avramopoulos, and CTC De Kerchove.

On security, the EU welcomed the progress by the Nigerian armed forces in the fight against Boko Haram and assured Nigeria of its continued support to ensure that insurgency was checked in the region.

Welcoming the Abuja Security Summit held May 2016, the EU highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach by both parties, including humanitarian aid, reconstruction, socio-economic development and respect of human rights by security forces.

On its part, Nigeria welcomed the substantial humanitarian aid by the EU in support of the affected population, while both parties agreed to take steps to expand their cooperation in countering terrorism and violent extremism.

With respect to migration, the Messrs. Mogherini, Onyeama, Avramopoulos, and Danbazau discussed the next steps to implement the Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM), signed in March 2015.

They also reviewed the Action Plan of the Valletta Summit on migration held in November 2015 and agreed that the EU and Nigeria would work together to tackle irregular migration, including return and readmission, and to better take advantage of the opportunities provided by regular migration.

During the meeting both welcomed the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa established at the Valletta summit, saying this would also support actions in Nigeria and the neighbouring Lake Chad countries.

Also on the agenda of discussion was the situation in West Africa and the wider Gulf of Guinea, including the situation in the Sahel and the continued crisis in Libya.

While recognising the key role Nigeria was playing in the region and beyond with regard to peace and security, particularly in its capacity as a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, AU PSC, Mogherini said the EU would continue to support these efforts.

He identified Burundi as one of the urgent situations to focus engagement on.

He commended the steps taken by the Buhari administration in fighting corruption and assured that the EU would continue to assist through capacity building activities for the Nigerian anti-corruption agencies and their participation in international initiatives.

Mr. Mogherini and Mr.Onyeama reiterated their commitment to a long-term trade and investment partnership, including the organisation of the fifth edition of the EU-Nigeria Business Forum this year.

They also discussed the signature process of the Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA and broader trade and investment issues, which would be further discussed between the State Minister and Commissioner Malmstrom on Wednesday.
The Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has pledged to build a new hostel for the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State.

Mr. Akpabio made the offer Thursday while delivering a lecture as part of events for the schools 7th convocation.

In his lecture on The Nigerian Question: Ethics in an Age of Uncertainty, Mr. Akpabio called on Nigerian leaders to uphold ethics and morality as part of efforts to curb corruption in the country.

Mr. Akpabio defined ethics as doing things that are right and moral.

He commended the Federal Government for fighting corruption but stressed that it should be done across board.

Mr. Akpabio also advised political leaders against cross carpeting, saying it was mostly done in selfish interest.

He assured members of the National Assembly would continue to maintain ethics and good moral behaviour in making laws in the interest of the masses.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, commended Akpabio for his promise to build a hostel in the institution.

Mr. Okafor urged students and graduates to imbibe the spirit of morality in life.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institution will hold its convocation on March 18.

(NAN)
The Senate on Thursday passed the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Act (Amendment) Bill 2016, to increase the number of judges in the High Court of the FCT from 37 to 75.

The passage followed a clause by clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the bill.

The bill was sponsored by Joshua Lidani (Gombe South), and co-sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, David Umaru, and Sen. Andy Uba (PDP-Anambra South).

Presenting the report, Mr. Umaru said the amendment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Act had become necessary in view of the fact that it had not been amended since 2003.

He said the bill sought to reduce workload of judges in the High Court of the FCT, who had been overwhelmed due to increased population, criminal activities as well as level of political and socio-economic activities.

The passage of the bill will increase the number of judges from 37 to 75, thereby aiding quick dispensation of justice.

We conducted a public hearing and stakeholders unanimously agreed to the increment in the number of judges for quick dispensation of justice, Mr. Umaru said.

The chairman said that Section 255(2b) of the 1999 Constitution (Amended) empowered the National Assembly to prescribe the number of judges for the High Court of the FCT.

Contributing to the debate, some senators said the amendment had been long-overdue in view of the increased number of criminal cases and increased population in the FCT.

They said that with current developments in the FCT, there was urgent need to increase number of judges.

They, however, advised that FCT indigenes should be given consideration in the appointment of judges of the High Court of the FCT as they had been marginalised over time.

In his remarks, the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said the 8th National Assembly would continue to make laws to assist the judiciary in carrying out its mandate.

We will ensure that the judiciary is given the necessary support for quick dispensation of justice, he said.

(NAN)
Contrary to its promise on Wednesday, the National Assembly on Thursday failed to lay the 2016 budget for commencement of consideration and passage.

The parliament had first reneged on its earlier promise to pass the Appropriation Bill on Thursday, a date it gave to Nigerians after it failed to pass the bill on Feb. 25 which it pledged.

Senate spokesperson, Abdulahi Sabi, had at a news conference on Wednesday said that the National Assembly would be unable to pass the budget on Thursday but would have it laid by the Appropriation Committee for consideration.

However, Thursday plenary of the Senate was concluded without mention of the 2016 Budget.

But, briefing journalists after plenary, Mr. Sabi said that the bill would be laid next week.

He said that the Senate had not failed Nigerians by not keeping to its word as the postponement was still within an acceptable error margin.

We are here to let you know that as of today, we are unable to lay the 2016 Appropriation Bill and thus, we are hoping next week that process will be completed.

When I briefed you, I recalled you were asking if the passage will be completed by next week; and, we said yes when you lay the budget the next thing is for you to discuss the budget and get it passed.

The two activities will be carried out next week God willing.

As far as we are concerned, we have not failed. What is happening is the seriousness with which we take the 2016 Appropriation.

Its such that we cannot also afford to make errors that will become very costly to this nation.

We have finished all necessary work within the context of the various committees. But remember, when you do the paper work, you have to also get people who will sit down and check.

That is what we call data cleansing and integration; that is the two appropriation committees must integrate, that is the essence of what you call harmonization, he said.

He added that the National Assembly was trying not to do the work in a haste and also make mistakes which was why the `data cleansing had to be done without haste.

In everything you do, you must give freedom for degree of error. And, plus or minus, five is the basic standard that Im aware of.

Within this context, if next week we will be able to take this, then within that margin of error, the National Assembly is still on course.

We call on Nigerians to understand that we are as eager as you to get this budget out but at the same time, we owe you a duty to ensure that the budget will be implementable, Mr. Sabi said.

In his contribution, spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Abdulrazak Namdas, added that the budget was the most important bill and as such mistakes could not be afforded.

He also promised that the budget would be passed next week.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday paid tribute to late Minister of State, Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, describing him as an epitome of civility, archetype of intellectualism and the paragon of loyalty.

In the tribute issued in Abuja, Mr. Buhari described Mr. Ocholi as one of his right hand men in the quest to reposition Nigeria for the betterment of all citizens.

The president maintained that Mr. Ocholi had taught many, including himself, fidelity, commitment and loyalty to party, to government, and to God.

Mr. Buhari, who said that a lot had been said about Mr. Ocholi and a lot more would be written on him, added that the late minister was no mean man. He was a man among men, an Iroko in a forest of trees.

How do I begin to pay this tribute to a man who was the epitome of civility, the archetype of intellectualism, and the paragon of loyalty?

How do I begin to mourn James Ocholi, whom you can describe as one of my right hand men in the quest to reposition our country, and fashion a land of peace and prosperity, where no man is oppressed?

A lot has been written about Ocholi since the tragic event of March 6, 2016, which took the life of our Minister of State, Labour and Employment, his wife, Blessing, and his son, Joshua.

And a lot more will be written, for Ocholi was no mean man. He was a man among men, an Iroko in a forest of trees.

How are the mighty fallen!

Among many other positive and pleasant things, I will always remember Ocholi for his loyalty to our beloved country Nigeria, loyalty to our party, the All Progressives Congress, and loyalty to our administration, in which he had served for just about 4 months, before death took him.

In 2011, Ocholi ran to be governor of Kogi state on the platform of our then party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). I believed so much in him, and in his ability to add value to the governance of his state, that I followed him round the state on campaign.

We visited all the local governments, visited the paramount rulers, and urged the people to vote in a worthy man as governor. But politics is a peculiar game in Nigeria.

The best often does not win. Ocholi did not win. But he bore it gracefully. In 2015, he threw his hat into the ring again.

He sought to be governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he had helped midwife. He still did not win at the party primaries, an eventuality he bore gracefully again.

When the APC was being negotiated into existence among the legacy parties, Ocholi did a yeomans job, contributing his quota to the legal processes.

This he did under a junior lawyer, who was not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), like him then. But what mattered to Ocholi was the birth of a strong, solid party, which could wrest power at the centre, and bring change to our country.

Hierarchy is important in the legal profession, just as it is in the military. But Ocholi subordinated pride and ego, served under his subordinate, and APC was born.

Dream became reality.

Steadily but sure-footedly, he was part of the Change Cabinet, resolved to bring our country from out of the woods, and pedestal Nigeria among the greats in the comity of nations.

Then the unthinkable happened. The Grim Reaper harvested Ocholi. What a pity! Sad and tragic.

But we have this consolation: the departed has taught us fidelity, commitment and loyalty to party, to government, and to God.

He will be sorely missed.

(NAN)
The Kano State House of Assembly has approved a request by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to obtain N1billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria to boost commercial farming in the state.

During the house emergency plenary on Thursday, the speaker, Kabiru Rurum, presented a letter signed by Mr. Ganduje seeking the houses approval.

Presenting the letter, Mr. Rurum said the request needed emergency approval of the house in order to contribute their quarter in boosting commercial farming in the state.

The speaker quoted the governor as saying that the loan, when obtained, would be distributed to farmers to boost their production capacity.

If the state receives the loan and distributes to our farmers, it will assist them in producing goods in large quantity, he said.

The governor expressed optimism that the assistance would go a long way in solving economic challenges not only in the state but also in the country.

(NAN)
Ogun State workers have issued a two-week ultimatum to the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to address their demands, saying they would embark on strike if the governor fails.

The demands include payment of salary deductions, compulsory pension contribution and gratuities.

The workers had earlier embarked on indefinite strike, but called it off 10 days later, following the intervention of some traditional rulers, legislators, retired heads of service and permanent secretaries.

However, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in conjunction with the National Public Negotiating Council and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, said two weeks was given for the state government to respond positively to their demands.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Akeem Ambali, said the workers called off the previous strike to show respect to the notable individuals who intervened.

The speaker and honourable members of the House of Assembly met with us and they asked for two weeks to enable them iron out our issues with the governor.

If they are saying two weeks, then let us wait and see what would happen. The governor will meet labour personally in the next couple of hours, Mr. Ambali added.
RURAL RAJASTHAN CHILDREN TO GET A NEW LIFE AS INDO-US CARDIAC SPECIALISTS

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Jaipur, The Pink City gears up to witness heartwarming moments as Narayana Little Hearts program presents two free cardiac treatment camps for rural children born with congenital heart defects from economically challenged families between 15th and 20th March at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur.



A team of Indian and American cardiac specialists will perform free surgeries for 17 children at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital (NMH), a tertiary care hospital offering high quality affordable health care to the people of Rajasthan. An expert team of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeons and anaesthetists led by Dr. AlokMathur, Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon along with eminent cardiac surgeons from USA - Dr. SandeepKhanna, Dr. Peter Pastuszko and Dr. Howard Michael Worthen, from the University of California, San Diego, U.S.A. - will operate on the children aged 3 months to 16 years.



Dr. AlokMathur Consultant Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital saidWe are grateful to the specialist team from the US for introducing the modern techniques and equipment to Indian hospitals. Since last few years, our joint effort has explored new boundaries resulting in benefits to economically challenged sections of society. Our biggest regret is that these children are generally offered treatment very late even though the malady is detected early. We all realize that if we dont do it, it will never be done and the children will never get a chance to grow up normally. Very few people can understand the emotion and energy that makes us participate in this camp year after year. The joy on the faces of parents and children is a sight to behold.



The second camp involving pediatric device closures for poor children will be held at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital on 19th and 20th March in association with an NGO, Unfold Foundation. For the third year in a row, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital has provided such a platform for children from economically backward community of Rajasthan to avail of super-speciality treatment at a tertiary care hospital for life-threathening congenital heart conditions.



Dr. Mala Airun, Clinical Director Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur said, Our initiative has helped over 100 poor children but there are 1,200+ children registered with the States Government hospitals and waiting for such surgeries to get a fresh lease of life. With its ethos of affordable high quality healthcare, Narayana Multispeciality Hospital has put Jaipur on the map by becoming a significant centre in North India for offering criticare to people of all sections of urban and rural society. We hope to spread more awareness and encourage more donors to come forward and participate in such joint initiatives.



At Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, a specialist team of Indian and American cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac anaesthesiologists, perfusionists, intensivists and OT nurses specialising in cardiac critical care will perform complex cardiac surgeries and procedures on low weight babies requiring a lot of precision, skill and expertise. Sufficient time will be devoted for the treatment and care of each patient. These children will be able to lead a normal life post treatment, however regular heath checkups are recommended and follow-ups will be done by doctors at Narayana. All surgeries for this year were jointly funded by Chordia Trust, Mr. N. M. Mathur and Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur.



The Pediatric Cardiac Department at the hospital has the most comprehensive model of a dedicated and cohesive team that is specifically focused on children with complex heart disease. Experienced team of doctors, nunrses and technicians combined with the required infrastructure at the pediatric cardiac ICU helps to give the babies the advantage of quality treatment and accurate diagnosis for disorders of the heart and vascular system.









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All eyes are on the Awards Night of the 12th edition of the PrintWeek Awards to be held at the Grand Hyatt (Santacruz East, Mumbai) on 2 Nov...
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




DUBLIN, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f3km3m/the_africa_2016) has announced the addition of the "The Africa 2016 Wealth Report" report to their offering.

This is the 3rd annual Africa Wealth Report. It provides a comprehensive review of the wealth sector in Africa, including HNWI trends, luxury trends and wealth management trends in each country.

Scope of the report:

- African countries ranked by HNWIs and multi-millionaires. - The top performing African countries for HNWIs. - The top African cities for HNWIs and multi-millionaires. - The fastest growing African cities for HNWIs. - African countries ranked by average wealth per person. - The top luxury markets in Africa by revenue. - Spending review of African HNWIs, including: behavioural mapping, collectables, prime real estate, second homes review, clothing, cars, hotels, watches, liquor, private jets and yachts. - Review of African wealth management sector, including major players by AuM in each country.

Key highlights:

- Mauritians are the wealthiest individuals in Africa with US$21,700 in wealth per person, whilst people in the Zimbabwe are the poorest with US$200 per person. - There are approximately 165,000 HNWIs living in Africa, with combined wealth holdings of US$860 billion. - Approximately US$125 billion of African HNWI wealth is tied up with wealth management companies. - South Africa (mainly Johannesburg) is the hub for African private banking with US$72 billion in AuM. - African HNWIs (outside South Africa) tend to keep their funds in traditional holding centers such as the UK, the Channel Islands and Switzerland. Dubai is another popular destination, especially for North African HNWIs. - It is estimated the African private banking market will grow by 7% per annum over the next 10 years. - The most promising emerging African markets for private banking are Ghana and Kenya. - In Africa, around US$28 billion is tied up in venture capital companies and foundations that are linked to the wealthy. Many HNWIs use these vehicles as a way to transfer money to the next generation.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Country statisitcs

3 City statistics

4 Asset allocations of African HNWIs

5 Luxury sector in Africa

6 Wealth management in Africa

7 Case studies

Companies Mentioned

- ABSA Wealth (Barclays) - Afrasia Bank - Citadel - Credit Suisse - Credo Group - Investec - Maitland - Momentum Group - Nedbank - Old Mutual Wealth - PSG Konsult - RMB - Sanlam - Standard Bank Pvt Clients - Stenham - Stonehage - UBS

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f3km3m/the_africa_2016

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

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SOURCE Research and Markets
The Cognitive Era, its impact and growth opportunities for businesses will be at the centre of the European summit that returns to London on 30th June

LONDON, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Industries are being flooded with data from millions of connected devices. Autonomous vehicles, real-time cities, connected supply chains, smart clothing, bio-embedded sensors and robotic home assistants are happening here and now. The next step will be the use of artificially intelligent systems to make real-time decisions. This will mark the advent of the Cognitive Era in business.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345054

At Frost & Sullivan we believe that every single company, large and small, should be asking itself how the availability of real-time data and artificial intelligence will change its relationships with customers, partners, and competitors and, crucially, its ability to prosper and grow.

The Cognitive Era and its impact on businesses that will transform the future European economy will be the theme of Frost & Sullivan's Growth, Innovation and Leadership (GIL) 2016: Europe. The GIL congress returns to London for its eighth consecutive year on Thursday, 30 June at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, in London. Over 200 industry leaders are expected to convene from all over Europe to explore how Artificial Intelligence will revolutionise business models; monetise data generated by the Internet of Things; drive operational efficiencies; and exploit the connectivity and convergence of once unrelated industries.

To download the brochure and to attend the conference, please visit http://frost.ly/4c.

With his keynote on "The impact of Mega Trends on Europe's complex environment/A single digital Europe," EIA Senior Partner Sarwant Singh will open the conference. "The Cognitive Era will drive change in business models, products/services and industry ecosystems, stemming from the integration of new artificially intelligent products," explains Senior Partner Sarwant Singh. "Business leaders will need to be attentive to this new mindset to develop proactive and predictive business practices."

The summit will highlight top Mega Trends and new business models with specific industry developments, and will review their direct impact on the success of an enterprise. It will also emphasize the importance of efficiently using a company's current portfolio of digital assets and integrating cognitive technologies to support critical client facing decisions and drive business outcome.

Highlights include:

The Cognitive Era and Implications for the future of your career and our society by Sanjay Brahmawar, Global Head of Sales, Managing Partner, IBM Watson Internet of Things

Future of Business in Europe by Rohit Talwar, Futurologist, Fast Future Research

Opportunities in Connected and Mobile Africa & Emerging Market Opportunities in Iran by Aroop Zutshi, Global President & Managing Partner, Frost & Sullivan

The future of Fintech by Luca Raffellini, Director, Business & Financial Services, Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan's Global GIL Community continues to be the industry's only resource that supports CEOs and their management teams in critical decision-making, offering tools that help industry leaders in achieving the three essential objectives of Growth, Innovation and Leadership.

Schedule:

GIL 2016: Europe

The Jumeirah Carlton Tower - London

30 June, 2016

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.

The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us: Start the discussion

Join Us: Join our community

Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing"

Register: Gain access to visionary innovation

Contact:

Chiara Carella

Corporate Communications  Europe

P: +44 (0) 20 7343 8314

M: +44 (0) 753 3017689

E: chiara.carella@frost.com

http://www.frost.com

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
DUBLIN, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gx87hf/china_glufosinate) has announced the addition of the "China Glufosinate Market Report 2015 Edition" report to their offering.

China Glufosinate Market Report 2015 Edition is a professional and trusted study on the current state of the Chinese glufosinate industry. With more than 80 tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals who are interested in the market. It helps them fully understand the current Chinese glufosinate market. The report provides reliable data and analysis in the following aspects:

In the China domestic market, Lier Chemical Co., Ltd. launched a new glufosinate technical production line with the capacity of 1,000t/a in July 2015 and it plans to build a new glufosinate technical project with the capacity of 2,000t/a; Inner Mongolia Jiaruimi Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. launched a 600t/a glufosinate technical production line, which started its trial production in May 2015.

What's more, more than 20 enterprises have registered glufosinate technical from the ICAMA, and more than 10 have glufosinate project plans with detailed capacity.

Chinese glufosinate has been playing an important role in the global glufosinate market and become a vital glufosinate supplier globally: about 40% of the global glufosinate products are produced in China, and the rate will increase in the future years.

As a substitute for glyphosate and paraquat for some crops, the consumption of glufosinate in the domestic market has increased very fast in recent years, with a CAGR of 74.9% in 2011-2014.

Thanks to the strong demand in the global market, the output of glufosinate in 2014 is double of that in 2013 in China. It can be said that home-made glufosinate has been influencing the global glufosinate supply remarkably.

Companies Mentioned:

Bayer CropScience

Hebei Hongrun Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.

Hebei Veyong Bio-Chemical Co., Ltd.

Inner Mongolia Jiaruimi Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.

Jiangsu Huangma Agrochemicals Co., Ltd.

Lier Chemical Co., Ltd.

Yongnong BioSciences Co., Ltd.

Report Structure:

Executive summary

Research scope and methodology

1. Production technology introduction

2. Registration situation

3. Key raw materials introduction

4. Glufosinate market situation

5. Profile of the major glufosinate producers

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gx87hf/china_glufosinate

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
$19 million Uganda solar plant will power 40,000 homes and businesses

SOROTI, Uganda, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, representation from the Ugandan Ministry of Energy, joined sustainable energy investors and developers EREN Renewable Energy ("EREN RE") and Access Power to celebrate the start of East Africa's largest solar project, based in Soroti, Uganda. They were joined by the European Union and Netherlands Ambassadors to Uganda, representatives from German and Dutch development banks KfW and FMO, and local dignitaries.

The 10 megawatt (MW), US$19 million solar photovoltaic plant is owned and operated by Access Uganda Solar Ltd, a partnership between EREN RE and Access Power. The plant is expected to be operational and connected to the national grid in July 2016, providing clean, low-carbon, sustainable electricity to 40,000 homes and businesses. It is also the largest privately-funded solar power plant in Sub-Saharan Africa, outside of South Africa.

Reda El Chaar, Executive Chairman of Access, commented: "Breaking ground today marks a major milestone for Access Power and its shareholder EREN RE, for Uganda and for the development of Africa. Only by working together can we effect real change and answer the urgent need for electrification of so many. Our company brings innovation, expertise and determination to every project we work on and we are particularly proud of Soroti and proud of everyone involved".

Christophe Fleurence, Vice-President of Business Development - Africa of EREN RE, declared: "We are glad to launch the construction of the first project co-developed on the African continent with our partner Access Power, especially as part of such a promising and well-thought out scheme. The extensive political and international support to this project, unprecedented in Uganda and in the region, demonstrated again at the occasion of the ground breaking ceremony, underlines the broad willingness to shift boundaries in electricity generation. EREN RE which is a renewable energy investor and a long-term independent power producer, is determined to switch light on in many other places in Africa and emerging markets more generally, as efficiently as it was achieved at Soroti."

Spain's TSK Group has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract and will sub-contract parts of the work to local firms. Local labour is being hired for the construction phase and the developers will also recruit and train engineers to operate the plant.

The project was financed by a mix of debt and equity with the senior debt facility being provided by FMO, the Netherlands development bank, and the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF). The project reached financial close in record time, providing a successful and easily replicable case study of fast-track implementation of a renewable energy generation project conducted by private developers in Africa.

Today's ceremony took place at the solar plant site in Soroti, 300 kilometres northeast of the Ugandan capital Kampala. It was attended by local community chiefs as well as national dignitaries and concluded with the symbolic breaking of soil and subsequent laying of the foundation stone, followed by closing speeches.

Following the opening address from Stephane Bontemps, Board Director, Access Power attendees were given a full update on the construction timeline of the plant. Next, guests heard from KfW bank regarding the GET FiT Facility, a dedicated support scheme for renewable energy projects. The Soroti project is the first solar power plant to be successfully developed under the GET FiT scheme, in partnership with the Government of Uganda through the country's Electricity Regulatory Agency (ERA). It is funded by the European Union Infrastructure Trust Fund, and supported by the governments of Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom.

H.E. Ambassador Kristian Schmidt, European Union Head of Delegation to Uganda said: "Uganda is a good place to invest in solar energy. The regulatory framework is conducive and Government rightly recognises Uganda's energy future must be renewable. It is great that this is now triggering private sector interest in solar power generation. The European Union is proud that our Euro 8.7m grant contribution ensures the realisation of the Soroti Solar Plant, and I hope this is only just the beginning for many more to come."

Kathrin Kastle, Senior Project Manager (Energy), KfW said; "KfW is very pleased to witness the launch of the first solar project under the GET FiT programme. We believe it will be an important addition to diversifying the energy mix in Uganda and creating more generation capacity in a very short time frame."

Notes to Editors:

In attendance:

Access Power: Stephane Bontemps, Board Director; Giorgio Borgia, Director, Operations

EREN RE: Christophe Fleurence, Head of Business Development Africa

Ministry of Energy, Uganda

Ambassador of EU to Uganda: H.E. Mr. Kristian Schmidt

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda: H.E. Mr. Alphons Hennekens

KfW bank: Kathrin Kastle

FMO bank: Wilfred van den Bos

ERA

UETCL

District & County officials

Landlords

- The project is owned and will be operated by Access Uganda Solar Ltd, a partnership between EREN Renewable Energy and Access Power.

- The tender was launched in March 2014 and the procurement process managed by Germany's KfW Development Bank.

- The tender was awarded to Access Uganda Solar Ltd in Nov 2014.

- Environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) in line with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards, the most comprehensive and detailed in the world were conducted.

- All the necessary approvals and permits were received from local, regional and national authorities in Uganda.

- The 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed in 2015.

- The PPA is with the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (UETCL), the state-owned utility company.

- The project reached financial close on 20th January 2016.

- Uganda currently has about 800MW of installed electric capacity, mostly from hydro and thermal sources, and has an 18.2 percent electrification rate, according to the World Bank.

The location of the solar plant was chosen due to the region's low power generation capacity and the need to reduce transmission losses. The first grid-connected solar plant in Uganda, Soroti will make a significant contribution to increasing electrification rates in the region, which enjoys some of the highest levels of solar resources in the country. In addition, with a design life of 30 years, the plant has the capacity to expand as its sub-station is able to handle a further 20MW of solar energy.

Current power generation in the region is intermittent, especially during the summer months, with extensive load shedding of up to four hours a day. Only homes and businesses in the town of Soroti itself have access to the grid but more than 80 percent in the region have none. This has impeded economic development in the area and also has an impact on the quality of life.

About Access Power

Access Power was founded in 2012 by Mr. Reda El Chaar with the aim of structuring, developing, and investing in renewable energy projects in frontier markets. Access has assembled a development team with a track record of financially closing around 30GW of power projects across the globe, with a specific focus on the MEA region. Access is currently developing renewable energy projects worth more than US$1 billion in 17 African countries, and has now expanded its reach to the Central Asian sub-continent.

For more information: www.access-power.com.

About EREN RE

EREN RE, member of EREN Groupe, was founded in 2012 by Paris Mouratoglou and David Corchia, both with significant experience in the renewable energy sector. EREN Groupe is the first group dedicated to natural resource efficiency. The Group promotes and invests in technological innovations in the water, basic materials and energy sectors. EREN RE develops projects in countries where renewable energy provides an economically viable response to growing power demand. Through partnerships established with local developers, EREN RE has accumulated a portfolio of 240 MW (net) of renewable energy assets in operation and under construction, and over 1.5 GW of assets under development.

For more information: www.eren-groupe.com

Related Links

http://www.access-power.com



SOURCE Access Power
DUBAI, UAE, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

On Wednesday 9th March 2016, Dr. the Honorable Timothy Harris Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, in conjunction with Savory & Partners, addressed a private audience of prominent Middle East CEOs at the Capital Club, the exclusive private members club in DIFC, Dubai.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160317/345331 )



Top Government representatives from several Caribbean countries with Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs were in attendance including The Hon Alexandra Otway-Noel MP, Minister of Implementation for Grenada, Ms. Josephine Huggins, Cabinet Secretary of St. Kitts and Nevis, Ms. Elsa Wilkin-Armbrister, Deputy Consul General of the Consulate of St Kitts and Nevis in Dubai, UAE, and Mr. David Holukoff, chairman of the Grenada CBI committee.

Prime Minister Harris spoke passionately of his country's identity and heritage, impressive economic growth figures and the growing tourism sector. Positive changes to the St. Kitts & Nevis CBI Program since Dr. The Honourable Harris's appointment include a new citizen case management team which will allow for the faster processing of applications and a thorough and robust due diligence process allowing clients to have continuous updates on the process of their applications. St Kitts & Nevis has now been granted visa free travel to Brazil with more countries to follow. With other similar CBI and Residency by Investment (RBI) programs launching in recent years, the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program remains the oldest of its kind in the world today.

For the Government of Grenada, The Honourable Otway-Noel praised her country's fast growing Grenada CBI Program and its benefits to both the country and citizens alike. She spoke highly of the culturally vibrant community, exceptionally low crime rate, beautiful harbors and beaches and forthcoming real estate projects, all of which underpin Grenada's strong evolution towards becoming a key Caribbean tourist destination.

Guests at the exclusive invitation only event were also fortunate to learn of exciting new real estate developments from several of the key real estate developers from the Caribbean and Europe including Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Kitts - A Pelican Bay Development, Tranquility Beach Dominica by Curio - A collection by Hilton, and the One Tower by Pafilia in Cyprus.

Sponsoring the event, Savory & Partners, a British owned and managed Citizenship and Residency by Investment Company headquartered in Dubai, invited applicants, naturalized citizens and other interested parties to learn and engage on the benefits of Citizenship by real estate investment.

With demand for such dual citizenship programs on the rise, Savory & Partners assists clients to obtain a second passport and residency through experience, service and trust to ensure their clients a successful application.

SOURCE Savory & Partners
DUBLIN, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6fk5wj/biocides_in) has announced the addition of the "Biocides in Personal Care - 2016 Edition" report to their offering.

The report provides an overview for Biocides for each of the major geographical regions. It provides value and volume data for different Biocides. In addition, the report provides a summary of each of the Biocides that are being used to control microbes. Industry influences on the Biocides market are also discussed.

The scope of the study is worldwide. The overview section provides extended definitions of the Biocides to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the technology involved. In addition, this section provides an analysis of Biocide consumption by application and region. There is a profile of an ideal Biocide as outlined by end users.

The company profiles section includes a discussion of the companies that have pioneered Biocide development and examines how their available products and services are setting the standards for preservation.

In this report more than 30 companies are discussed, and 10 of the most important companies are examined. The base year for this study is 2015. Figures are based on revenue figures at the manufacturers' level and also at the formulated products level and are projected at 2015-U.S. dollar value.

For the future, Biocide companies are expected to continue the introduction of new formulations to address shifts in demand. For example there has been a big increase in the supply of paraben free formulations. In addition, less sensitising biocides are increasing their share of the market such as the substitution of cmit/mit formulations with mit. Also companies must also examine the specific needs of each regional market to adjust their strategies for growth accordingly.

Questions Answered:

What are the future directions of the Biocide industry?

What are the most important Biocides being used in enduser applications today?

What are the most promising Biocides?

What impact will regulations have on Biocides consumption?

Key Topics Covered:

Industry Overview

Biocide comparison and market shares

Evolution and adoption of trends

Leading suppliers and distribution channels

Increased Regulatory Impact on Business and Technology

End-user analysis and what Biocides they are using

Mergers and Acquisitions

Report Structure:

1 INTRODUCTION & METHODOLGY

2 END USER ANALYSIS

3 BIOCIDE COMPARISON

4 BIOCIDE CONSUMPTION

5 BIOCIDE MANUFACTURERS

6 DISTRIBUTION

7 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

8 REGULATORY ANALYSIS

9 TRENDS

10 FUTURE

TABLE OF TABLES

TABLE OF FIGURES

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6fk5wj/biocides_in

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
CALGARY, Alberta, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina" or "the Company") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements to acquire certain sour natural gas processing assets (the "Acquired Assets") from Paramount Resources ("Paramount") for cash consideration of approximately $556 million, subject to customary closing adjustments (the "Transaction").

Transaction Highlights

The Acquired Assets include Paramount's recently constructed Kakwa sour natural gas processing complex and associated infrastructure including gas gathering pipelines, sales gas pipeline and future disposal wells (the "Kakwa Assets"); and Paramount's preliminary engineering studies, licenses and surface rights for the future construction of a sour natural gas processing facility (the "6-18 Facility"). The Transaction will add 250 million cubic feet per day ("mmcf/d") of processing capacity in one of Pembina's core areas. This will increase total processing capacity under Pembina's Gas Services business to over 1.7 billion cubic feet per day ("bcf/d"), inclusive of the Musreau III and the Resthaven expansions which are expected to be on-stream by mid-2016, making Pembina one of the largest third-party gas processors serving the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

Key Transaction highlights include:

Development of a Strategic Asset Base: The combination of the Acquired Assets with Pembina's existing Cutbank Complex will create a strategic asset base with over 1 bcf/d of processing capacity by mid-2016, including 405 mmcf/d of deep cut processing capacity, and approximately 450 kilometres of gathering pipelines. The Kakwa Assets are already physically connected to Pembina's Cutbank Complex via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount.

The combination of the Acquired Assets with existing Cutbank Complex will create a strategic asset base with over 1 bcf/d of processing capacity by mid-2016, including 405 mmcf/d of deep cut processing capacity, and approximately 450 kilometres of gathering pipelines. The Kakwa Assets are already physically connected to Cutbank Complex via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount. Enhances Service Offering: By acquiring sour gas processing, Pembina is expanding the Company's service offering and strengthening its ability to capture future liquids rich sour gas production growth.

By acquiring sour gas processing, is expanding the Company's service offering and strengthening its ability to capture future liquids rich sour gas production growth. Supporting Economic Geology: Situated in the liquids rich and economic Deep Basin, the Acquired Assets serve amongst the most economic resource plays in North America , given their condensate focus. Paramount has established a substantial land base of Montney and Cretaceous rights, which have the potential to support robust throughput levels, for both the Kakwa Assets and the proposed 6-18 Facility, for decades to come, with attractive returns even in a low commodity price environment.

Situated in the liquids rich and economic Deep Basin, the Acquired Assets serve amongst the most economic resource plays in , given their condensate focus. Paramount has established a substantial land base of and Cretaceous rights, which have the potential to support robust throughput levels, for both the Kakwa Assets and the proposed 6-18 Facility, for decades to come, with attractive returns even in a low commodity price environment. Long-Term, Take-or-Pay Volume Commitment: In conjunction with the Transaction, Pembina and Paramount have entered into a 20 year midstream services agreement, which includes a substantial take-or-pay commitment, in support of the Kakwa Assets. Pembina retains the right to contract spare capacity to third-parties.

In conjunction with the Transaction, and Paramount have entered into a 20 year midstream services agreement, which includes a substantial take-or-pay commitment, in support of the Kakwa Assets. retains the right to contract spare capacity to third-parties. Cash Flow per Share Accretion: The Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to cash flow per share.

The Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to cash flow per share. Platform for Long-Term Growth: The Transaction includes accretive growth potential through the expansion option for the future 6-18 Facility. Pembina has agreed to construct, subject to certain conditions, additional sour natural gas processing assets. The site acquired in conjunction with the Transaction has sufficient scale to support additional processing facilities and in Pembina's view, the 6-18 site is capable of supporting up to 600 mmcf/d of additional sweet or sour gas processing capacity.

"I am very excited to announce our agreement to acquire these assets," said Jaret Sprott, Pembina's Vice President, Gas Services. "The acquisition of these assets strengthens Pembina's strategic positioning in one of our core areas, supported by some of the most economic resource plays in North America. Pembina looks forward to expanding on its long-term relationship with Paramount by broadening its service offering to include sour natural gas processing services, in addition to liquids transportation and natural gas liquids fractionation services. The combination of Pembina's large-scale integrated value chain and Paramount's substantial Montney and Cretaceous land position, creates significant opportunities for future infrastructure development. Furthermore, this transaction builds on a long-term track record of driving significant shareholder value through acquisitions."

Description of the Acquired Assets

Kakwa Assets

The Kakwa Assets are comprised of a recently constructed natural gas processing facility located approximately 15 kilometres from Pembina's existing Cutbank Complex with raw gas processing capacity of 250 mmcf/d, including a 200 mmcf/d deep cut train, a 50 mmcf/d shallow cut train and 22,500 barrels per day ("bbls/d") of condensate stabilization. The Kakwa Assets also include an amine processing train to facilitate sour gas processing at the facility, and is the only sour gas processing facility west of the Smoky River within 50 kilometres. Additionally, the Kakwa Assets include gas gathering pipelines, sales gas transportation pipelines and future disposal wells. The Kakwa Assets are connected to Pembina's conventional pipelines for natural gas liquids and condensate transportation services, as well as connected to Pembina's Cutbank Complex, via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount. The shallow cut and deep cut facilities were placed into service in the first quarter of 2012 and August 2014, respectively.

6-18 Facility

Paramount has secured site licenses and undertaken preliminary engineering work to support the construction of a new sour shallow cut facility to be located approximately seven kilometers from Pembina's Cutbank Complex. As part of the Transaction, Pembina will acquire all of Paramount's preliminary engineering studies, licenses and surface rights for the proposed facility. Upon Paramount's election or sufficient third-party demand, subject to certain conditions, Pembina will construct a sour natural gas processing facility at 6-18. If built, commercial provisions underlying the 6-18 Facility are expected to be similar to the Kakwa Assets and include a substantial take-or-pay commitment.

Additional Transaction Details

Pembina has agreed to fund a debottlenecking initiative supporting the Kakwa Assets, for approximately $35 million. In addition, Pembina has agreed to optimize existing transportation agreements to match Paramount's anticipated production growth but keeps Pembina whole on a net present value basis. The purchase price will be funded by net proceeds from the Company's concurrently announced bought deal common share financing and existing capacity under the Company's $2 billion revolving credit facility. Completion of the Transaction is subject to approval under the Competition Act (Canada) and other customary closing conditions. The Transaction will close following receipt of Competition Act (Canada) approval, which is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2016.

Dividend Increase

In connection with the Transaction, Pembina's Board of Directors has approved a monthly common share dividend increase of $0.0075 per common share, which is an increase of the same amount as announced in 2015. The increase from $0.1525 per common share to $0.16 per common share denotes a 4.9 percent increase, which is expected to start with the dividend payable, subject to applicable laws, on May 13, 2016 to shareholders of record on April 25, 2016. While the decision to increase the dividend by the Board of Directors at this time was a direct result of the Transaction and the expected benefits therefrom, the Board of Directors considers many factors in determining the payment of dividends.

"For the fifth consecutive year, we are pleased to provide our shareholders with an increase in our monthly common share dividend," said Scott Burrows, Pembina's Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer. "The resilience of our business in-spite of a challenging commodity price environment demonstrates the strength of our integrated value chain. Incremental cash flow from the $1.3 billion of new fee-for-service assets placed into service in 2015, along with the contribution from the acquired assets announced today, creates the opportunity for Pembina to confidently increase our dividend. Pembina remains committed to enhancing shareholder value through the development of a large-scale, majority fee-for-service asset base, supporting long-term dividend growth potential."

About Pembina

Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading transportation and midstream service provider that has been serving North America's energy industry for over 60 years. Pembina owns and operates an integrated system of pipelines that transport various products derived from natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids produced in western Canada and North Dakota. The Company also owns and operates gas gathering and processing facilities and an oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics business. Pembina's integrated assets and commercial operations along the entire hydrocarbon value chain allow it to offer a full spectrum of midstream and marketing services to the energy sector. Pembina is committed to working with its community and aboriginal neighbours, while providing value for investors in a safe, environmentally responsible manner. This balanced approach to operating ensures the trust Pembina builds among all of its stakeholders is sustainable over the long-term. Pembina's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under PPL and PBA, respectively. For more information, visit www.pembina.com.

Forward-Looking Statements & Information

This document contains certain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of applicable securities legislation that are based on Pembina's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "expects", "will", "shall", "expand", "would", "plans", "develop", "anticipates" and similar expressions suggesting future events or future performance.

In particular, this document contains forward-looking statements, pertaining to, without limitation, the following: the Transaction, including the expected closing date and the anticipated benefits of the Transaction to Pembina; financial results related to and growth opportunities associated with the assets acquired pursuant to the Transaction; the economics associated with the areas surrounding the Acquired Assets; future dividends which may be declared on Pembina's common shares and any future dividend payment date; the planned use of proceeds of the common share offering; the ongoing utilization and expansions of and additions to Pembina's business and asset base, growth and growth potential.

These forward-looking statements and information are being made by Pembina based on certain assumptions that Pembina has made in respect thereof as at the date of this news release, including: the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Transaction and the common share offering in a timely manner; that favourable growth parameters continue to exist in respect of current and future growth projects (including the ability to finance such projects on favourable terms); future levels of oil and natural gas development; potential revenue and cash flow enhancement; future cash flows; with respect to Pembina's dividends: prevailing commodity prices, margins and exchange rates; and that Pembina's businesses will continue to achieve sustainable financial results.

Although Pembina believes the expectations and material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that these expectations, factors and assumptions will prove to be correct.

These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: non-performance of agreements in accordance with their terms; the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Transaction following closing due to integration issues or otherwise; the impact of competitive entities and pricing; reliance on key industry partners, alliances and agreements; the strength and operations of the oil and natural gas production industry and related commodity prices; the continuation or completion of third-party projects; regulatory environment and inability to obtain required regulatory approvals; tax laws and treatment; fluctuations in operating results; lower than anticipated results of operations and accretion from Pembina's business initiatives; reduced amounts of cash available for dividends to shareholders; the ability of Pembina to raise sufficient capital (or to raise capital on favourable terms) to complete future projects and satisfy future commitments and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Pembina's public disclosure documents including, among other things, those detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Pembina's management's discussion and analysis and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which can be found at www.sedar.com. In addition, the closing of the Transaction and the common share offering may not be completed, or may be delayed if their respective conditions to the closing of the Transaction, including the timely receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, are not satisfied on the anticipated timelines or at all. Accordingly, there is a risk that the Transaction or the common share offering will not be completed within the anticipated time, on the terms currently proposed or at all.

Accordingly, readers are cautioned that events or circumstances could cause results to differ materially from those predicted, forecasted or projected. Such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the above statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date of this document. Pembina does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information contained herein, except as required by applicable laws.

The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Pembina Pipeline is a registered trademark of Pembina Pipeline Corporation.

For further information: Investor Inquiries: Scott Burrows, Vice President, Finance and CFO, (403) 231-3156, 1-855-880-7404, e-mail: investor-relations@Pembina.com, www.pembina.com; Media Inquiries: Tanis Fiss, Supervisor, External Communications, (403) 817-7131, email: media@Pembina.com

Related Links

http://www.pembina.com



SOURCE Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Gary Laben Selected as New CEO of Research Now

PLANO, Texas, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Now, the global leader in digital data collection to power analytics and insights, today announced that Gary Laben has been chosen as the new Chief Executive Officer effective as of March 29 and will become a member of the Board. He succeeds former President and CEO Kurt Knapton, who tendered his resignation in October 2015, but remains on the Board.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150723/240761LOGO

Laben brings over 25 years of executive leadership and industry experience in using data to power marketing decisions for clients, most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of KBM Group and as Global Chief Data Officer of Wunderman. KBM Group, a data-driven marketing solutions company, and Wunderman, a digital and direct marketing agency, are both part of WPP. As CEO of KBM, he led the company through the successful integration of several acquisitions and mergers, directed its global expansion, and is recognized for having built and unified the management teams.

Research Now also announced today that John Rothwell, the company's Chief Operating Officer has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer. Rothwell, the first employee of Research Now, returned to the company four years ago and now leads the company's market-facing functions.

"The Board of Directors of Research Now is very excited about Gary joining the company as its CEO," said John Civantos, Board member and Managing Partner at Court Square Capital Partners, the majority owner of Research Now. "He is an executive with substantial demonstrated leadership success; and we are thrilled to have him leading Research Now, along with John Rothwell and the rest our exceptional management team. His experience in growing businesses both organically and through acquisitions will further support Research Now's innovation, customer focus and growth in this dynamic industry."

"Research Now is at the forefront of an evolving industry," said Laben. "The organization is preparing to offer extensive data and technology solutions to research problems, and continues to be the dominant player in data collection for the market research industry. I am thrilled to join at this exciting time."

About Research Now

Research Now Group, Inc., is the global leader in digital data collection to power analytics and insights. It enables data-driven decision making for its 3,000 market research, consulting, media, and corporate clients through its permission-based access to millions of deeply-profiled consumers using online, mobile, social media and behavioral data collection technology platforms. The company operates in more than 36 countries, from 23 offices around the globe, and is recognized as the quality, scale and customer satisfaction leader in its industry. For more information go to researchnow.com.

Related Links

http://www.researchnow.com



SOURCE Research Now
ARLINGTON, Va., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, American Trucking Associations announced the opening of the application window for its premier industry leadership initiative, LEAD ATA. Now in its fourth year, LEAD ATA is searching for the 2017-2018 class of diverse trucking industry leaders who are looking to grow their careers and meet other ambitious trucking professionals.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight.Trucking Moves America Forward.

"ATA is excited about continuing to grow the LEAD ATA program because we've seen three years of success and know that these professionals are the future of the industry," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "ATA aims to foster engagement among all sectors of the industry and build on the success this program has demonstrated over the last few years."

Sponsored by PeopleNet, the program provides exclusive education opportunities to up-and-coming trucking industry professionals highlighting how the regulatory and legislative process affects the trucking industry and the important role ATA plays in influencing those processes. LEAD ATA also exposes its participants to the many tools available to industry executives through ATA.

"Teaching the next generation of trucking's leaders about the importance of being active within ATA and advocating on behalf of the industry is one of the main focuses of LEAD ATA," said Kevin Burch, ATA first vice chairman and president of Jet Express Inc. "Each class of LEAD ATA has developed strong relationships with peers in the industry and that has tremendous benefits for the future of trucking."

"As we move into a time of unprecedented change in the transportation industry, identifying and training our next generation leaders are top priorities in our industry," said Mark Kessler, PeopleNet trucking general manager. "PeopleNet applauds ATA for its innovative approach to addressing this important industry need. We're proud to continue our sponsorship of LEAD ATA, and excited about introducing a new group of future leaders selected to join this fantastic program."

As part of the LEAD ATA program, participants will meet and learn from ATA executives and policy experts, train in media relations and improve public speaking strategies, gain valuable insight into how ATA works with legislators to create a more efficient and profitable environment for trucking, and see firsthand how ATA and its members are improving the trucking industry's image.

"I'm a firm believer in the idea that when younger professionals take part in industry-wide initiatives and get out and meet peers from other companies and sectors, they'll find more meaning in their work and see that what we do in trucking impacts millions of people," said ATA Second Vice Chairman Dave Manning and president of TCW Inc.

LEAD ATA is a one-year program that includes four mandatory meetings and three optional meetings throughout the course of the year. As part of their journey, these emerging trucking executives will develop a vast network of industry peers, enhanced leadership and management skills, and a thorough understanding of the ATA and the industry it represents.

Visit the official LEAD ATA website to find out more about the program, to fill out an application form or watch this program video documenting LEAD ATA's success in 2015.

Completed applications should be submitted by June 22.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140523/90962

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Related Links

http://www.trucking.org


PHOENIX, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Accident victims need someone by their side, someone with knowledge and experience. Hastings & Hastings maintains the belief that no accident victim should be denied the right to legal representation. For this reason, David Hastings, the founder of Hastings & Hastings, pioneered the Discount Accident Fee. The Discount Accident Fee ensures that legal representation is affordable to everyone. The Discount Accident Fee means more money for accident victims.

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Hastings & Hastings educates on one of the primary benefits of the discount accident fee: if a settlement isn't reached, accident victims don't owe anything. That is part of Hastings & Hastings' No Fee promise. As they say, "If there is no recovery, there is no fee." They waive all costs, as well.

Hastings & Hastings handles all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that there are no out of pocket costs for legal representation. Accident victims do not need to worry about mounting legal expenses.

It is common for the size of contingency fees to increase should a personal injury claim require formal litigation. This is not the case at Hastings & Hastings. The Discount Accident Fee remains the same no matter what happens.

"I created the Discount Accident Fee to put more money in the pockets of accident victims. They are the ones suffering from the hardships. They are the ones whose lives have been impacted by the accident. Shouldn't they be the ones benefiting from the settlement? Our fee is contingent on the success of your case. Out interests are your interests! That is the philosophy behind everything we do," said David Hastings, the founder of Hastings & Hastings.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Hastings & Hastings
HUNTINGTON, W. Va., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, America's mainline religious denominations have battled dramatic declines in membership, financial support, and just about every other standard measure of what makes a church successful. (After peaking in the 1950's, mainline church denomination membership in the U.S. has declined by nearly 33% percent, to 21 million from 31 million.)

But don't tell that to The Very Rev. Dr. Chip Graves, Rector of Huntington, WV-based Trinity Episcopal Church. He adores his congregation and their love for Christ.

Feeding thousands with food and the Gospel at Trinity Episcopal Church Resurrection is new life. The Rev. Dr. Graves baptizing newborn at Trinity Episcopal Church.

And together they have resurrected their church. New feeding programs now serve over 14,000 people each year. New worship services have nearly tripled their weekly attendance. New stewardship programs have increased their annual pledge by 25%. New educational programs have multiplied their Bible study attendance. Their food pantry now serves over 5,000 families with over 60,000 meals of groceries each year. Their anti-drug programs now support hundreds each year with addiction, unemployment, homelessness and medical care. Their partnership with local Marshall University medical students now serves thousands of people each year.

Because for the past few years, Dr. Graves and his congregation have been turning those statistics on their heads with Metro Theology, a unique program created by Dr. Graves that uses newly-formed, powerful partnerships between church, city, and state organizations to tackle some of the region's toughest challenges.

A philosophical and moral imperative as well as a practical, action-oriented program, Metro Theology was designed to strengthen engagement between his church and his city.

Metro Theology  A Unique Approach to Asset-based Community Development

By design, Metro Theology focuses on discovering  and using  Huntington's strengths; moving deeper into the community to and extending the reach of limited resources. Huntington mayor Steve Williams calls Metro Theology "a partnership that offers a unique approach to asset-based community development."

With innovative outreach programs, strategic partnerships with other non-profits, and non-traditional opportunities for worship, Metro Theology is helping Trinity attract members and supporters with a fresh take on what it means to be a church member; win grants that fund its own and other local initiatives; and draw in new parishioners from that most-prized of demographics, the American family.

The program has also played a key role in reinvigorating a sense of Christian community both inside and outside church walls. "When you're an urban," Dr. Graves says, "you don't have to look very hard for places to do good things. They're right outside your sanctuary door."

Mayor Steve Williams: It Takes a Village

Citing the old adage "it takes a village," Williams adds that "Metro Theology has already had an enormous impact on our city when it comes to addressing poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, crime, and other societal problems."

By stepping outside Trinity's walls to create ecumenical and interfaith alliances and partnering with local nonprofit organizations and the city, Graves and others are addressing, at the grassroots level, the challenges facing Huntington. Dr. Graves describes Metro Theology as a Christ-centered strategy for partnering a church with another local business or non-profit to develop new ministries that can lift up underserved members of the community and have a positive impact on serious issues like homelessness, addiction, unemployment, and health care.

Metro Theology's Four Steps to Success

In laying the groundwork for what would become Metro Theology, Trinity:

Conducted a church-wide survey in 2012 that identified the congregation's goals, challenges and assets. Surveyed its immediate city neighborhood and challenges such areas faced. With a team that included Dr. Graves, Mayor Steve Williams , and parishioners who had found renewed enthusiasm for doing God's work in the world, outlined specific areas for the development of new ministries Began to theologically reflect on the new ministries and their impact, working together to discern: Where is Christ in these new endeavors? Are there signs of Resurrection and new life? Are there signs of Baptism and transformation? This Metro Theology process takes one on a journey of self-reflection and how we may help others, given our resources, traditional and non-traditional. This process allows one to more deeply discern and therefore connect Christ's teachings

People really stepped up to the plate, says Dr. Graves.

"If we were to succeed, both clergy and congregation had to let go of the old 'dependency' model of the clergy-congregation relationship," he observes. "Church leadership could no longer be the sole provider of spiritual sustenance. In a re-invigorated Trinity, we are all responsible for what takes place. Everybody has to step outside their comfort zone."

Learn More About Metro Theology Might Work in Your Community

Trinity Episcopal Church in Huntington, West Virginia has successfully partnered with its city and other nonprofit and business groups to actively address local challenges like drug addiction, unemployment, youth education, homelessness, and the development of local fine arts projects.

The concept of Metro Theology transcends specific Christian denominations. To learn more, visit http://www.wvtrinitychurch.org/ or MetroTheology.com.

Media Contact:

The Very Rev. Dr. Chip Graves, Rector

Trinity Episcopal Church

520 11th Avenue, Huntington WV 25701

E: [email protected] I T: 304.529.6084 I wvtrinitychurch.org

RESOURCES:

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160317/345432

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SOURCE Trinity Episcopal Church

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Phnom Penh, March 14 : Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday warned politicians who are making campaigns for cancelling the debt of bank borrowers.

At the opening ceremony of a micro-finance conference, Hun Sen said that these leaders are cheating people out of ballots ahead of the upcoming elections, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prime minister said that some politicians have been launching campaigns promising to write off all debts that people owe to the banks if they gained victory in the upcoming elections.

"I'd like to call on politicians in political parties not to do such a cheap act that violates the financial regulation," he said.

"The arrest will be made on the spot, though you are lawmakers, because this is an act of committing a crime."

"It is unacceptable that they cheat people for their own political gain," he said, adding that such campaigns are dragging people into worse debts.

Hun Sen did not specifically name any political parties in his remarks.

Cambodia is gearing up for its elections in 2017 and the national election in 2018.
New York, March 16 : Traumatic brain injury may be related to both increased risk and earlier onset of mild cognitive impairment, which typically occurs later in life, says a study.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which typically occurs later in life, can involve problems with memory, language, thinking and judgement that are greater than normal age-related changes.

"This is one of the first studies to demonstrate later-life risks of mild cognitive impairment in relation to a remote history of traumatic brain injury in a large population sample," said senior study author C. Munro Cullum, professor at University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Centre in the US.

The study analysed cases of 3,187 people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment versus a normal-cognition group of 3,244 people.

Researchers discovered those who had experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) with loss of consciousness for more than five minutes were at greater risk of being diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, and showed signs of that impairment 2.3 years earlier on average than those with no TBI history.

The results were published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The researchers found several important variables associated with a higher risk for MCI: TBI with loss of consciousness for greater than five minutes, certain genetic risk factors, and a history of depression.

However, these MCI risk factors need closer examination, the researchers said.

"We cannot yet determine who is at greatest risk for later-life cognitive decline following TBI, but these results suggest that a relationship exists for some people. Our ultimate goal is to identify various risk factors that may play a role," Cullum said.

"TBI is hypothesised to activate a neurodegenerative process that may interact with age and other factors over time," Cullum noted
Pokhara (Nepal), March 16 : India is pursuing with "renewed vigour" its "neighbourhood first" policy, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said on Wednesday.

"As far as India is concerned, we are pursuing with renewed vigour our 'neighbourhood first' policy which also translates into priority for our Saarc initiatives," Jaishankar said while addressing the 42nd meeting of the standing committee of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation here.

Pointing out that India was systematically pursuing the important ideas flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the last Saarc summit held in Kathmandu in November 2014, he said: "These are important not because they were made by India but because they have the potential to help us achieve our goal of greater connectivity and integration."

The standing committee is a foreign secretaries-level forum of the Saarc- member nations and Wednesday's meeting was part of the build-up for the 37th session of the council of ministers meeting here on Thursday that will be attended by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her counterparts from other Saarc nations.

Speaking about the initiatives India was pursuing, Jaishankar referred to the Saarc Annual Disaster Management Exercise (Sadmex), the Saarc Regional Supra-Reference Laboratory for TB and HIV, the Satellite for Saarc, and the Saarc Knowledge Network.

He said the first Sadmex was organised in November 2015 and work on execution was underway on the laboratory.

He also said that India has received "enthusiastic support" from other Saarc nations on the Satellite for Saarc project and hoped to launch it by end of the year.

"This satellite will be of value to all our peoples as it will support applications in the area of health, education, disaster response, weather forecasting, communications etc," Jaishankar said.

As for the Saarc Knowledge Network, he said it would provide a unified high speed network backbone for knowledge-related institutions in the region.

"This will bring together all stakeholders -- scientists, researchers and students -- to work closely for faster development The Saarc Network will take the connectivity being provided by our respective national networks to research and education communities beyond national borders," he stated.

He also said that the Saarc Business Travellers' Card, an initiative designed to enable easier movement of south Asian businessmen to India, would be launched within the next two months.

The Indian foreign secretary also called for deeper financial integration of the south Asian region and for achieving the South Asian Economic Union.

"Free flow of capital is an essential element to increase trade in the region and for significant remittances within and from outside the region," he said.

"Initiatives that we have offered from our side to enable such integration include offering a currency swap arrangement for Saarc countries to overcome shortage in foreign currency and capacity building programmes in the areas of taxation and customs. We have also made unilateral concessions to LDC (least developed country) states by offering duty free access to all but 25 products."

Jaishnakar said a peaceful, secure and prosperous neighbourhood would yield rich dividends for all Saarc member states.

"We have some useful agreements in the area of security, including the Convention on Terrorism, Narcotic Drugs and on Human Trafficking," he said.

"Another major challenge that we face today is that of circulation of fake currency notes. This is closely interlinked with the problems of money-laundering, drug trafficking and human trafficking as well as financing of terrorism. It would, therefore, be in the interest of the people of our region for us to collaborate at the Saarc level to tackle this matter."

Stressing on connectivity within the region, Jaishankar said India has embarked on significant projects in the region in areas such as rail and road building, power generation and transmission, waterway usage and shipping through regional, sub-regional, trilateral and bilateral arrangements.

"In this context, I urge that we sign, at an early date, the Saarc Motor Vehicles Agreement and Saarc Railways Agreement," he said.
Ranchi, March 16 : The Jharkhand assembly witnessed disruptions for the second consecutive day on Wednesday over the opposition demand for a domicile policy in the state.

When the house assembled at 11 a.m., leader of the opposition Hemant Soren said the domicile issue was a big one for the state and demanded the government should bring a legislation without delay.

He called for extension of the assembly budget session, if the government was willing to take a concrete decision on the domicile issue.

Labour Minister Raj Paliwar accused the opposition Jharkhand Mukti Morcha of misleading the people on the issue.

"Whenever the JMM is in power, it forgets about the 'moolvasis' and the 'adivasis' and is worried only about 'mudra niti'," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Rai said that the opposition should listen to the government reply on the issue. "The house has been held hostage for the last three days by the opposition over the domicile issue, which is condemnable," Rai said.

He said that the government was serious and the process was already underway to formulate the domicile policy and it will be announced soon.

He again repeated the government stand that the opposition should submit written suggestions to help it formulate the policy.

As the opposition members trooped into the assembly well shouting slogans, the house was adjourned by Speaker Dinesh Oraon till noon. When the house re-assembled, a similar situation forced the speaker to adjourn the house till 2 p.m.
Dehradun, March 16 : President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Uttarakhand on April 1 for the convocation of the Swami Ram Himalayan University.

The President will be the chief guest at the convocation of Swami Ram Himalayan University at Doiwala in the hill state and will participate in the convocation ceremony between 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., an official told IANS.

A high-level meeting of officials was held in the state assembly building on Wednesday where preparations for the visit of the president on April 1 were reviewed.

The meeting, presided over by Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, reviewed the security measures being taken for the presidential visit.
New York, March 17 : Oil prices surged as a government report showed US crude stockpiles increased less than expected.

The West Texas Intermediate for April delivery on Wednesday moved up $2.12 to settle at $38.46 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for May delivery increased $1.59 to close at $40.33 a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange, Xinhua news agency reported.

US crude supplies of last week gained 1.3 million barrels to 523.2 million barrels, 64.7 million barrels more than one year before, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its weekly report released on Wednesday.

The declining output from US also buoyed the market. Crude production of the country lost 10,000 to 9.068 million barrels a day last week, according to EIA.

Qatari oil ministry said Wednesday that OPEC and non-OPEC producers will meet on April 17 in Doha to discuss the output freeze.
Nay Pyi Taw, March 17 : Myanmar's president-elect U Htin Kyaw on Thursday submitted to the a proposal plan of forming the new government to the Union Parliament, as part of the process in preparation for taking office.

U Htin Kyaw's proposal plan was forwarded two days after he was elected by the parliament as president of Myanmar for the next five years, Xinhua news agency reported.

The new government will be sworn-in on March 30 and will assume office from April 1.

U Htin Kyaw has proposed the formation of 21 ministries with 18 ministers to be appointed and the proposal will be discussed by parliament on Friday.

The listed ministries are those of foreign affairs, agriculture, transport, culture and religion, natural resources and environment conservation, electric power and energy, labour and immigration, national planning and finance, industry, health, education, construction, social welfare, relief and resettlement, hotels and tourist, commerce, information, ethnic affairs, president's office, defence, home affairs and border affairs.
Washington, March 17 : With her favoured candidate Marco Rubio dropping out of the presidential race, South Carolina's Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley is now hoping for "solid and strong" Ted Cruz to stop Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

"My hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can pull through this and that he can push through and really get to where he needs to go," she told reporters in Columbia, the state capital.

"Because we do want a strong leader, we do want somebody that's conservative, we do want somebody that's action-minded. So we'll see what happens."

Haley said her prayers fall short of formally endorsing Cruz but would like to see the Texas senator succeed.

She suggested Cruz's path to nomination lies with his disciplined and concerted campaign, but she doesn't think Ohio Governor John Kasich has much of a chance.

After wins in Republican primaries in four states on Tuesday, Trump's delegate-count has risen to 673 as against Cruz's 411 and Kasich's 143. Trump would need 1,237 delegates to capture the Republican prize.

The rising Republican star who is often mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick was chosen by Republican Congressional leaders to give the party's response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in January.

Haley had endorsed Rubio last month. The Florida senator pulled out of the race after Trump routed him in his own home state.

"I don't know that I need to formally endorse," she said. "If anybody asks me, that's what I want to see happen."

However, she said she will put her weight behind the Republican nominee even if it's Republican front-runner Trump.

Haley and Trump have been at loggerheads over the tactics employed by the latter on the campaign trail, sparring most publicly over Trump's stance on banning Muslim immigrants.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
Kolkata, March 17 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a West Bengal youth over suspected links with the Islamic State (IS) terror group, an official said on Thursday.

The 19-year-old, a student of a private engineering college in Burdwan district, was detained and questioned by the NIA in February.

The NIA in January busted a terror module, arresting several people from cities across the country "who were in the process of organising themselves to commit terrorist acts".

"He has been formally arrested and we are in the process of presenting him before a court and secure his custody," said an NIA officer.
New Delhi, March 17 : Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the state government's action in ordering a probe into alleged land scam in the state was "politically motivated".

Hooda has been summoned by the Justice S.N. Dhingra Commission of Inquiry, which was set up in 2015 to probe the grant of commercial licences to a number of private companies, including Skylight Hospitality of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and DLF.

Hooda has been accused of extending favours to Vadra and has been asked to appear before the commission by March 23.

Reacting to the summons, Hooda lashed out at the BJP government in the state, saying it would not achieve anything.

"Obviously, there can be no second opinion on this," Hooda told reporters when asked to comment whether the summons were politically motivated.

"Otherwise, why should there be a commission for one or two villages. Everyone knows who is their target, but they will not achieve anything," the senior Congress leader said.

On February 10, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said in Chennai that the one-man commission inquiring into the controversial land deals was likely to submit its report before June.

"The commission is looking into the matter. It is supposed to give its report in June. It seems the commission will give its report before June," Khattar had told IANS.
New Delhi, March 17 : India will soon sign an agreement with Myanmar and Thailand to provide road connectivity in the region, following a similar agreement with three other nations, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.

"The IMT trilateral highway project will be signed among three countries -- India, Myanmar and Thailand. The agreement is ready. We will sign it within 15 days so that there will be seamless connectivity to all these countries," Gadkari told the India Today Conclave here.

"Connectivity between Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal to promote seamless movement of goods from border has been already signed," the minister said, referring to the agreement inked in June last year, as part of a larger plan to connect the Subcontinent with Asean members.

"Now, 25 places from India have a bus service to Bangladesh."

Dwelling on faster road network, Gadkari said work had started on eastern and western principal express highways. This apart, the Delhi-Panipat highway was being built at a cost of Rs.15,000 crore, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi setting a target of 400 days for completion.

He also said that the 90-km, 14-lane Delhi-Meerut Express Highway will be a first of kind in India.

Gadkari said the country's northeast region was also a top priority for his government and that Rs.1 lakh crore had been allocated for roads projects there. "Our target is to complete the project in the northeast by five years," he said.

"Our 'Bharatmala' project is also on track," the minister said, referring to the plan for a major initiative for the national highways to improve road connectivity along the coast, borders, least developed regions, religious places, tourist spots along with bridges and road widening.

Detailed project reports are already being prepared for 17,200 km of roads with 205 rail over- and under-passes and 1,500 major bridges along the national highways. In ports, modernisation plans are afoot, even as work is progressing fast on inland waterways, Gadkari said.
Abu Dhabi, March 17 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated in a seminar organised by the Arab Commission for Human Rights (ACHR) at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo.

The seminar, under the theme "Human Dignity For All", was held on Monday to mark Arab Human Rights Day, which falls on March 16.

The one-day seminar discussed the theme of human dignity in international covenants on human rights.

The UAE delegation included Ahmed Mohammed Nakhira, director of the human rights department of the interior ministry; Abdul Rahman Jassim Al Dhahiri, ministry official; Hani bin Huwaidin, diplomat at the UAE Embassy in Cairo; and Mansour Al Jawaad, representative of the foreign ministry.

Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan, speaker of the Arab Parliament, stressed the importance of the symposium to contribute significantly to the development of the mechanisms of action and preserve human dignity in the Arab world, in addition to modernisation of the legislative system throughout the Arab world.
Mumbai, March 17 : With eyes highlighted by kohl, superstar Shah Rukh Khan has sported a tanned and scruffy look for his upcoming film "Raees".

Taking to online platforms like Instagram and Twitter on Wednesday, the 50-year-old has shared an image in which he is looking sideways. He captioned it: "Oily tanned scruffy and Kohl eyed. Raees shoot."

The Rahul Dholakia film is said to be based on the life of a city-based underworld don of the 1980s, Abdul Lateef Shaikh, who was killed in a shootout with police.

Also starring Nawazuddin Siddique and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, "Raees" is expected to hit the screens on Eid this year.
New Delhi, March 17 : The JNU Students Union on Thursday said it won't accept an inquiry committee report into the happenings in the campus as the students' demands were not considered by the administration.

A resolution to this effect, proposed by union vice president Shehla Rashid, was passed on Wednesday after student demands to expand the panel to include representatives of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

"The accused students have not even been given the entire report despite demands by the union," the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) said in a statement.

"The accused students have not even been told the specific charges against them. We will oppose any disciplinary action based upon the findings of this partial and biased enquiry," the union said.

The inquiry committee, set up by Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, found 21 students guilty of violating the rules and norms of the university when a meeting was held on February 9 to mark the anniversary of the execution of Afzal Guru, who was hanged for the terror attack on Indian parliament.

The office of the Chief Proctor issued show cause notices to the students.

The deadline to reply to the show-cause notice has been extended to Friday.

The JNUSU slammed the university for not addressing their concerns.

"The students union has expressed its concern over the composition, terms of reference and functioning of the high level inquiry committee. We have communicated to the JNU administration how the committee has violated the principles of natural justice in the inquiry process," a student leader said.

The university suspended JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and general secretary Rama Naga as well as students Anant Prakash Narayan, Anirban Bhattacharya, Ashutosh, Umar Khalid, Ashwarya Adhikari and Shwetha Raj for allegedly raising anti-national slogans. Their suspension was revoked last week.
New Delhi, March 17 : Bomb threats on two commercial flights, including one international, at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here on Thursday led to the grounding of both aircraft while security officials searched for the explosives. police said.

According to the police, a call was received at the Gurgaon-based centre of Delhi International Airport Limited at around 10.30 a.m. claiming that bombs had been placed on a Kathmandu-bound Nepal Airlines flight RA 206 and a Bhubaneshwar-bound Air India flight AI 075.

"Immediately after the information was received, a decision was taken to ground the flights and the passengers were deplaned. The bomb squad is on the spot and search operations in both the flights are going on," Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) D.K. Gupta told IANS.

All passengers on board the two aircraft were evacuated and were safe, Gupta said adding that both planes were taken to an isolated area for the security check.
Imphal, March 17 : Confirming that President Pranab Mukherjee will attend Khongjom Day in Manipur on April 23, the union Home Ministry has urged the state government to make the necessary security arrangements, official sources here said.

Khongjom Day is observed in Manipur on April 23 every year to pay tribute to the Manipuris who fell in the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891.

This is the first time that the president of India will participate in the Khongjom Day celebrations.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had on March 10 personally gone to New Delhi to extend the invitation to President Pranab Mukherjee to be the chief guest at the Khongjom Day function in Imphal, said the sources.

Rashtrapati Bhavan has sent an acceptance letter informing the chief minister that the president will attend the function, they added.

There are over 50 armed groups in Manipur causing security concern to the union Home Ministry. Most of them declare boycott of the visiting VVIPs and impose 'bandh' (general shutdown), thereby reducing state functions to mere official rituals.

Though Mukherjee had visited Manipur while he was a union minister, this will be for the first time that he is coming to this border state as president.
New Delhi, March 17 : Union minister Uma Bharti will release a detailed project report (DPR) on forestry intervention for the Ganga river here on March 22.

Forestry interventions all along the river course have been envisaged as part of the Ganga rejuvenation programme.

The National Mission on Clean Ganga under the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation had given a one-year assignment to the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, to prepare the DPR on forestry interventions for Ganga last year.

After the institute submitted the draft DPR to the mission, the water resources ministry conveyed its approval and asked the Dehradun-based institute to finalise the DPR incorporating specific comments and suggestions made by the ministry.

The final DPR will be released in the presence of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sanwar Lal Jat.

A daylong workshop will also be organised to mark the release of the DPR.
Pokhara, March 17 : Pakistan, the incoming chair of Saarc, has proposed the name of Pakistani diplomat Amjad Hussain B. Sial as the next Saarc secretary general, officials said on Thursday.

The name was proposed during the ongoing 37th Saarc Ministerial Meeting in Pokhara, and circulated for endorsement from the member-states and a ratification is expected from the ministerial meeting on Thursday.

Sial, a career diplomat at the Pakistan Foreign Service, has been an ambassador to various countries. He will replace incumbent Arjun Bahadur Thapa of Nepal who will retire in March 2017.

Sial had served in the Saarc Secretariat in Kathmandu as director from 2003 to 2006.

Pakistan is also hosting the 19th Saarc Summit this year. The date and venue are, however, yet to be announced.

The Saarc secretary general is usually picked according to the English alphabetic order among the member states. Their tenure is three years.

A standing committee meeting at the foreign secretary-level on Wednesday decided to host the Saarc Summit in November after every two years.

Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi said that in 32 years of its history, Saarc could host only 18 summits.

India also got the approval of Nepal for a satellite for Saarc during the meeting. This was already approved by Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The Saarc satellite will be used for meteorological purposes as well as communication.

India and Pakistan also gave the nod to Nepal's proposal on sharing its experience and expertise on community forestry management.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
Yangon, March 17 : Myanmar's Parliament of Representatives (Lower House) on Thursday appointed Aung San Suu Kyi as chairperson of the Joint Coordination Committee for Development of Parliamentary Affairs, according to the ruling National League for Democracy.

U Htin Kyaw, a 69-year-old academic and long-time aide of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was elected with 360 votes while U Myint Swe from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), who was directly assigned by the military, was elected first vice president with 213 votes.

U Henry Van Thio, an NLD upper house member and an ethnic Chin Christian, was elected second vice president with 79 votes.

The appointed military bloc in parliament holds 166 seats, 25 percent of the total, while the military-backed USDP has 41 seats in the two houses.

Suu Kyi, who led her party to victory over the military-backed USDP in last November's general elections, is barred by the constitution from becoming president because her sons are foreign nationals.
London, March 17 : Sending a message to millions of Android users that their devices are vulnerable to virus attack, a team of researchers has successfully exploited the Android-based "Stagefright" bug and remotely hacked a smartphone.

Israeli software research company NorthBit claimed it had "properly" exploited the Android bug that was originally described as the "worst ever discovered", Wired.co.uk reported.

The exploitation, called "Metaphor", also has a video that shows the exploit being run on a Nexus 5 smartphone. NorthBit said it had also successfully tested the exploit on a LG G3, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S5 devices.

The exploit could be altered by those wanting to cause more damage. "Approximately 36 percent of the 1.4 billion active Android phones and tablets run Android 5 or 5.1 and devices lacking the latest updates would be vulnerable," NorthBit co-founder Gil Dabah was quoted as saying.

"Our research managed to get it [the attack] to the level of production grade, meaning that everyone - both the bad guys and good guys, or governments - could use our research in order to facilitate it in the wild," Dabah added.

Reportedly, the hack is able to execute remote code on Android devices and could possibly affect up to 95 percent of Android devices.

The researchers said they have been able to create an exploit that can be used against Stagefright on Android 2.2, 4.0, 5.0 and 5.1. Other versions are not affected. The company's research paper says it is built on work from Google itself.

Google released a patch for the bug and promised regular security updates for Android phones following the publication of Stagefright's details.

Stagefright is a software library, written in C++ (computer language), that is built inside the Android operating system.

Google released a patch for the bug and promised regular security updates for Android phones following the publication of Stagefright's details.

According to a report by Cheetah Mobile, a China-based mobile tools provider, India ranks two on the list of countries having malware-affected Android smartphones due to an extensive use of third-party apps.

"The number of Android viruses, especially Root Trojans, rose sharply with a growth rate of 22 percent infecting a total of 11,170,960 devices in India in 2015," the report said.

The report, which focused on virus infections in Android devices all over the world, said the number of Android viruses exceeded 9.5 million in 2015, which is larger than twice the total number in the past three years. The number stood at 2.8 million in 2014.

"Stagefright" is the collective name for a group of software bugs that affect Android operating system, allowing an attacker to perform arbitrary operations on the victim device through remote code execution.

A Trojan Horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cyber-thieves and hackers trying to gain access to users' systems.
New Delhi, March 17 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll back the hike in excise duty levied on jewellery.

"The central government declared in the budget to hike 1 percent excise duty on jewellers. The Delhi government strongly objects to it and I request you (Modi) to roll back the duty immediately," Kejriwal wrote in a letter to the prime minister.

His demand came after a delegation of jewellers met him and sought his support for the rollback.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader said jewellers did not have to pay any excise duty so far, and this was the first time when excise duty has been imposed on them.

"Now excise inspectors would create problems for jewellers. The government would not get any revenue by hiking 1 percent excise duty. All the money would be sacrificed on the altar of corruption.

"This would increase problems for jewellers. In spite of doing their work, the jewellers would be busy making new account registers for the excise department and the government will have to spend more money compared to the money collected from the hiked excise duty," he wrote in the letter in Hindi.

Kejriwal said jewellers across the country were unhappy over the government decision. He said most of these jewellers voted for Modi and now felt cheated.

"Jewellers are very peaceful and law abiding people but all of them have been protesting the government decision. The UPA government had also tried to hike excise duty in 2012. At that time, you (Modi) were the chief minister of Gujarat.

"After a 22-day strike, the then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had to roll back the excise duty hike. Now people are surprised that you (who) had opposed excise duty hike at that time (now) did the same thing," Kejriwal said.

"Following this issue, people have also started feeling that you are applying all those policies which you had opposed when you were in opposition," Kejriwal said.
Panaji, March 17 : Goa legislators, irrespective of party affiliation, have backed Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar's proposal to make feni, a popular local alcoholic drink distilled from cashew juice, the state heritage drink.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, a day after Parsekar outlined his plan, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar said feni was good for health and its status as a state heritage drink was an "excellent idea".

"Liquor is separate, feni is separate. Feni is available only in Goa, the way cashew nuts were available in Goa, but are now a fad all over India. People take feni for good health also. Usually this drink is available in this monsoon, but it is very popular all over the world," Dhavalikar said.

Cashew feni is distilled from fermented juice extracted from the cashew apple and is a popular alcoholic beverage in Goa. A similar process is also used to distill coconut feni from palm toddy.

The opposition Congress, too, congratulated Parsekar for bestowing the state heritage drink status upon feni.

"It is a good decision. Goa is known for its feni and it is unique to the state," said Congress MLA from Cumbharjua Pandurang Madkaikar.

Parsekar also said that feni was not just an alcoholic drink but also has medicinal value.

"Feni is not just a liquor, not just a spirit, not just an alcohol... it has medicinal value also. It needs to have special status and our government, after thinking about it, has declared it as a state heritage drink," he said.
Srinagar, March 17 : A bank guard was killed here on Thursday after being shot by his colleague, police said, adding they were probing if the incident was intentional or accidental.

"A bank guard identified as Muhammad Altaf was hit in the chest when the shotgun of his fellow guard at an ATM in Hawal area went off today (on Thursday). He was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his critical injuries," said a police official.

"The guard whose gun went off was identified as Javaid Ahmad and is being questioned to ascertain whether the firing was accidental or was intentional," the official added.
Pokhara (Nepal), March 17 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to the Pakistan prime minister, on the sidelines of the Saarc ministerial meeting here on Thursday.

During the meeting, Aziz handed over to Sushma Swaraj an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to attend the South Association Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan later this year.

This was the first formal meeting between the two leaders after the January 2 cross-border terror attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot, Punjab, that claimed the lives of seven Indian security personnel.

The attack derailed the foreign secretary-level talks between the two south Asian neighbours scheduled for the middle of January after Aziz and Sushma Swaraj had in December last year agreed to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

The two leaders arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday to attend the 37th meeting of the Saarc council of ministers which was held on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj and Aziz met for five minutes over breakfast here. Their first meeting was over dinner on Wednesday night.
Siliguri/Guwahati, March 17 : Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday flagged off a 'goodwill' rail rake carrying 2200 tonnes of high speed diesel from Siliguri in West Bengal to Bangladesh.

The consignment, an outcome of discussions between the two governments, was sent by Siliguri Marketing Terminal of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd to Parbatipur storage depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

Pradhan is Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

From Siliguri, the 42-wagon consignment will travel over 516 km on the existing railway line via Rangapani, Singabad, Rohanpur to Parbatipur, where it will be received by Bangladesh's energy minister Nasrul Hamid on Saturday.

A Numaligarh Refinery spokesman said the consignment is a gesture of friendship and cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh.

"During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015, both India and Bangladesh welcomed the Sale-Purchase Agreement signed between NRL and BPC for construction of a pipeline from Siliguri to Parbatipur for supply of high speed diesel to Bangladesh," said the spokesman.

During the Prime Minister's visit, it was also agreed to jointly work towards implementation of the 135 km 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline', a project with a capacity to carry 1 MMTPA from Siliguri terminal to Parbatipur depot of BPC.

The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' of the government of India to boost trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation within South Asia.

Bangladesh meets its requirement of petroleum products through imports at Chittagong port.

The products are subsequently transported to the rest of the country using river route. Once the Numaligarh Refinery's expansion from present 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA is complete, India will be in a position to export petroleum products on a regular and long term basis to Bangladesh.

Prior to the construction of the pipeline, the rail rake mode is considered an effective way of supplying fuel from India to Bangladesh with minimum loss and pollution.
New Delhi, March 17 : President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of India's armed forces, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the firepower of the Indian Air Force on Friday as 181 aircraft showcase their capability to fight a war at the Pokharan firing range in Rajasthan, a state bordering Pakistan.

The exercise will show India's capacity to "deter aggression", the IAF said.

A major highlight of the exercise will be the display of the IAF's capability to operate day and night as a significant achievement for the force which did not have this ability last time India got into an armed conflict with Pakistan at Kargil.

The exercise will include combat manoeuvres and live firing of air-to-ground and air-to-air precision weapons by fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters.

Tejas, the indigenous fighter jet that won global appreciation at the recent Bahrain air show, will for the first time display its firing capabilities.

Also on public display for the first time will be the Astra air-to-air missile, being developed by DRDO, and the Akash missile.

The event titled "Iron Fist 2016" will see the participation of 181 aircraft, 103 of which are fighter planes.

The demonstrations include firing of lethal ordnance, combat and combat support demonstrations.

The last Iron Fist held in 2013 was the IAF's first day-night exercise, and more than 100 aircraft and 30 different weapon platforms were showcased.

The exercise is aimed at displaying network-centric operations capabilities of the IAF.
Kolkata, March 17 : A 19-year-old engineering student hailing from West Bengal was arrested by the NIA in Delhi for acting as a facilitator for the Islamic State (IS) terror group, an official said on Thursday.

"Ashik Ahammed alias Raja, a resident of Dhaniakhali, in Hooghly district was arrested in Delhi in a case relating to terrorist conspiracy. He was engaged as a facilitator to some of the key members of the IS-affiliated terror module, who wanted to recruit and radicalise youths in West Bengal," said an officer of the National Investigation Agency.

Ahammed, who is pursuing a diploma course in mechanical engineering from a private college in Durgapur of Burdwan district, was in February detained by the NIA and interrogated at length.

The NIA in January busted a terror module, arresting several people from cities across the country "who were in the process of organising themselves to commit terrorist acts". During the interrogation of the accused Ahammed's name cropped up.

Ahammed was presented before the NIA Special Court in Delhi on the day which sent him to police custody for five days.
Mumbai, March 17 : Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal was sent to 14 days judicial custody by a Special Court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act here on Thursday.

He was arrested late on Monday by the Enforcement Directorate and sent to two days custody of the investigating agency, which is probing money laundering and other cases against him.

Shortly after the Special Court ruled, Bhujbal was sent to the Arthur Road Central Jail where his nephew Samir Bhujbal is also lodged since his arrest on February 1 in related cases.

Bhujbal had earlier pleaded innocence in the cases pertaining to the construction of Maharashtra Sadan, a government guesthouse in New Delhi and the Kalina (Mumbai) land grabbing cases.

In a major embarrassment to the Nationalist Congress Party to which he belongs, Bhujbal was interrogated by ED officials for nearly 11 hours on Monday and then placed under arrest for alleged corruption.

The ED action came after over a month after his nephew Samir Bhujbal was similarly summoned in February and arrested by the ED.

Later last month, ED questioned Pankaj Bhujbal, a legislator, and allowed him to go even as his father Chhagan Bhujbal cried foul. The NCP termed it "political vendetta".

The ED's probe follows a Bombay High Court ruling in January when it sought progress reports from the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau and the ED within four weeks on their investigation against the Bhujbals.

The ED had conducted searches twice at nine premises belonging to the Bhujbal trio and others and subsequently served attachment orders on three prime properties linked to the Bhujbal family members worth over Rs.280 crore in Mumbai.

Simultaneously, the State Anti-Corruption Bureau lodged a chargesheet against the three Bhujbals and 14 others in the Maharashtra Sadan case.
New Delhi, March 17 : State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) plans to invest Rs.2,000 crore for the upgradation of its network, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Thursday.

"The company has plans to invest Rs.2,000 crore for the upgradation of its network which includes adding another 21,000 BTS (base transceiver stations). The addition would include 13,000 BTS which the telecom operator would use for its 3G services," he said.

According to the minister, investment plan is part of the government's initiative to modernize the public telecom operator so as to make it relevant in the competitive environment which telecom sector is facing now.

He dedicated 1000th Wi-Fi hot spot to the nation with the operationaliation of the facility at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a bid to tap new sources of revenue, the government also introduced a plan to deploy public Wi-Fi hotspots across the country covering all religious, tourist and important locations in the country. It proposes to set up 2,500 hotspots across India in the first phase of the plan.

A slew of initiatives which include free night calling from its fixed landline to any other service providers' network, free incoming calls while roaming and upgraded minimum speed of broadband from 512 kbps to 2mbps have been taken by the company to regain its financial health.

As a part of upgrading and expanding both mobile as well as fixed telephone network, approximately 660 telephone exchanges have already been upgraded to NGN (Next Generation Network) from PSTN (public switched telephone network) exchanges.

The minister also gave go ahead to the NGN technology designed and manufactured locally by centre for development of telematics.

Prasad also inaugurated several value added services (VAS) on NGN and a new innovative services called fixed mobile telephony (FMT) which enables customers to make and take calls while moving.
Kolkata, March 17 : Leading battery maker Eveready Industries India, which makes its foray into home appliances sector, is aiming at four to five percent market share in the segment in the next three to five years time, a top company official said on Thursday.

The company is also focusing on e-commerce channel to popularise the 'Eveready Appliances' brand, said managing director Amritanshu Khaitan.

"We are targeting to have four to five percent market share of small appliances in the next three to five years time," he said, adding the the small appliances market in India is estimated to be around Rs.10,000 crore and growing at around 10-12 percent per annum with the premium segment growing at a faster pace between 30-35 percent.

Eveready is launching about 60 products of different ranges including ceiling fans, choppers, coffee maker, mixer grinders irons, food processors, water heaters, induction cookers, mixer grinders, juicers, kettles, etc.

"Our focus will be on e-commerce channel. There will be exclusive products for exclusive e-commerce sites," said Khaitan.

In the perspective of product souring, he said: "Depending on the different product ranges, about 50-60 percent of the products are being sourced from Chinese vendors and rest is being sourced from reputed Indian vendors."

The company wished to positioning the brand in both premium and popular segment. "To mitigate after sales service expectations of our customers, we have already set in place a network of 76 authorised service centres across the country," said Khaitan.

He also said like lighting business, the company would be leveraging FMCG distribution channel for selling of small appliances. "We expect about 25 percent of products ranges which we are launching today would be sold through our FMCG network."
New Delhi, March 17 : The indefinite hunger strike by members of the Jat community to demand a judicial probe into violence during the quota stir in Haryana continued for the fourth day here on Thursday.

The protesters alleged that violence in Haryana was a "government conspiracy" to defame the entire community.

"It has become a matter of self-respect for us. Our community has been blamed across the country for the looting of shops and rape of women in the garb of the reservation movement. There should be a judicial probe to find out the real culprits," Vishwa Jat Chetan Manch president Omveer Singh told IANS.

Singh accused the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana of turning the "peaceful movement" violent.

"Jats were sitting on a peaceful agitation but the BJP-led government in the state as well as the Centre intentionally used force to make it look like violent movement. The police arrested innocent youths from our community and framed them in false cases. We will travel from village to village and expose the Bharatiya Janata Party," the Jat leader said.

"We will not let the government sleep in peace if our demands are not fulfilled," he said while reiterating the demand for reservation in government jobs.

As many as 30 people died in the violence during the Jat quota stir in Haryana.

Meanwhile, the 72-hour deadline set by the Jats for the passage of the reservation bill, that envisages 10 percent quota for the Jats along with four other communities under the special Other Backward Class category, in the Haryana assembly ended on Thursday.

The community members had threatened to resume their agitation if the bill was not passed.

As a precautionary measure, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas of Rohtak and Jhajjar.
Ghaziabad, March 17 : Prince S.A.S. Marcello I, the prince of Seborga, a region in Italy, along with nine members of his cabinet, on Thursday visited Ghaziabad and appealed to the people here to visit his state.

Addressing mediapersons, Marcello said the state of Seborga was a "sovereign state which never signed any treaty with the Italian government".

"For its independent entity, we have approached the UN and filed a petition in a court in Europe but a decision has not yet gone in our favour.

External Affairs Minister Nina Menegatto said: "Our purpose to visit Ghaziabad is to invite its residents. They just have to obtain Schengen Visa (applicable in some European countries). Our state is 45 minutes drive from the Nice Coteazur airport in Italy on the France border.

"Our state is spread over just 14 square km area. Its population is only 320, and is visited by 2,000 tourists (annually). The maximum tourists are from Japan," Menegatto said.

Stating that August 20 was their National Day, the prince said: "We have honorary ambassadors in 12 countries, including India and the United States. We invite all of you to visit and witness our grand function."
Kathmandu/Pokhara, March 17 : India and Pakistan have agreed to conduct a joint investigation into the terror attack at the Pathankot air base. In this connection, a Pakistani probe team will arrive in India on March 27 and the probe will begin the next day, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday.

Sushma Swaraj said this after her meeting with Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to the Pakistan prime minister, on the sidelines of the 37th Saarc Ministerial Meeting held in Pokhara on Thursday.

Aziz said the Pakistani side will fully cooperate with India.

Terrorists believed to be from Pakistan attacked the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Pathankot in Punjab on January 2, leaving seven security personnel dead. Security forces killed six terrorists.

India and Pakistan had earlier agreed to conduct a joint investigation but could not finalise the date for starting the probe.

After the talks, both Sushma Swaraj and Aziz held a press conference.

Sushma Swaraj said she received an invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sarif to attend the 19th Saarc Summit to be held in Islamabad on November 9-10.

Aziz, meanwhile, expressed the hope that Modi and Sharif will meet in Washington on March 31, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"I hope both prime ministers will meet on March 31," he said, adding that he was not sure if there will be a structured dialogue between the two leaders at that time.

Sushma Swaraj said they also discussed about the Saarc process, and how to move ahead.

"The meeting took place in a very cordial manner...," she said.

"We discussed how to achieve success in the upcoming Saarc summit," added Aziz.

Pakistan, meanwhile, refused to become a member of the India-initiated Satellite for Saarc programme.

"We have our own satellite programme and we do not need help of India in this respect," a Pakistani official said.

Other Saarc member states have agreed to join the project.

Nepal's deputy prime minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa said this time the Saarc meeting "faced no shadow of any country despite rivalry between the two South Asian nuclear giants".

"India and Pakistan are natural and important members of Saarc but relations of India and Pakistan did not reflect throughout the meeting," he said.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
Ahmedabad, March 17 : A son of a Dubai-based businessman was arrested on Thursday from neighbouring Rajasthan on the charge of killing three persons with his sport utility vehicle in Kutch district.

Pankil Mohatta (25) was apprehended from Abu Road early Thursday morning when he arrived at his relative's house, police said.

"We had alerted the police in Palanpur, Ahmedabad and Abu Road where his relatives live as we thought he might visit them," said Kutch (East) Superintendent of Police G.V. Barot.

The accused's blood sample was sent for analysis to ascertain if he was driving under the influence of liquor or drug on Monday night when his SUV rammed a group of people, killing three and injuring two others.

The incident took place near the IFFCO Colony gate on the Gandhidham-Kandla Road after which Pankil fled from the spot.

"Pankil was behind the driving wheel when the accident took place," Barot said.

His father, Sunil Mohatta, is into the export-import business and resides in Dubai, while Pankil stays with his grandparents in Gandhidham, around 250 km from here, police said.
New Delhi, March 17 : At least 800 women from Iraq, Jordan and Syria were forced to join the Islamic State terrorist group recently, a US based Iranian journalist Azabeh Moaveni said at the India Today conclave here on Thursday.

"All these women had to join the terrorists as they had no other choice," Moaveni said claiming she talked to six of these fighters in Syria.

"IS have reintroduced the concept of sex slavery and they have been justifying it under the name of Islam," Moaveni said.

"This was the first Jihad where you can have female companion that maybe the reason why many people from Europe ended up joining IS. Later they realized that it gave no autonomy to the women," she said.

She said many of IS's top leaders are of British origin. Azabeh Moaveni covered the Middle East for Times magazine.

Counter-terrorism expert Daniel Benjamin said "they use women as temporary comfort for their fighters," adding that fear remains the most effective weapon of the IS to control its people."

"Other militia groups who don't impose barbarism are being endured by the people in Syria and other affected countries these days as it has evolved as another reason of worry for the global security establishment," he added.

A freelance photographer from Denmark Daniel Rye Ottosen who escaped from IS captivity after paying a ransom said, "The world has become a difficult place to live in as there (was) no space for freedom of expression."

"People who are joining IS from these countries believe that media is Islamophobic and it is lying to them."
New Delhi, March 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming Sufism "the voice of peace" and "one of the greatest contribution of Islam to the world", noted that none of the 99 names of Allah stands for violence.

In his address at the World Sufi Forum here on Thursday, he said that Sufism promoted peaceful co-existence and celebrated diversity and pluralism.

"Sufism is the voice of peace, co-existence, compassion, equality and a call to universal brotherhood.

"When we think of 99 names of Allah, no one stands for force and violence. The first two names of Allah are compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Rahim. Sufism is the celebration of diversity and pluralism.

"Sufis experience universal message of almighty that perfection in human life is reflected in qualities that are dear to God. For the Sufis, service to God meant service to humanity."

He hit out at people who spread terror across the world in the guise of religion.

"Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious. The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be," he said.

Extolling the Sufis, he said: "At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor or the light of hope.

"When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals."

Noting Sufism has upheld the highest ideals of Islam and has rejected terrorism, Modi said: "However, to me the message of sufism is not just confined to combating terrorism. The values of harmony, compassion and love for human beings are the foundastion of a just society.

"That is a principle we had agreed of 'sabka sath sabka vikas'. And these values are important to preserve and nurture diversity in our societies."

Citing Sufi saints and poets like Jalaluddin Rumi, Amir Khusro, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia, as well as Kabir and Guru Nanak, the prime minister underlined the importance of compassion and inclusiveness and love for all.

Invoking Punjabi Sufi poet, humanist and philosopher Bulleh Shah, he said: "In wisdom of Bulleh Shah, the lord exists in every heart. His values are the need of our times. This is reality of nature. We learn this wisdom in perfect balance and harmony that exists in vast diversity of our forests."

He also stressed on Sufism's "huge" contribution to poetry in India and "its profound impact" on the development of Indian music.

"You have come from different lands and cultures, but you are united by a common faith.

"All are creation of God and that if we love God we must also love all his creations. This is an assembly of those whose lives itself is a message of peace, tolerance and love," said Modi.

"Welcome to a land that is a timeless fountain of peace and an ancient source of traditions and faiths. All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India," he added.

The forum saw a large gathering of mystics and their followers from a number of countries including Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Turkey and US apart from India.
New Delhi, March 17 : As the RSS on Thursday dubbed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi as anti-national for his refusal to say 'Bharat mata ki jai', BJP president Amit Shah said other factors will be taken into account to judge Owaisi's patriotism.

"Anyone who refuses to say 'Bharat mata ki jai' is anti-national for us," Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at the India Today conclave here.

Shah also echoed similar sentiments at a subsequent session at the event.

"We will explain the meaning of 'Bharat mata ki jai' to Owaisi. Whether he is anti-national or not will be concluded after taking other factors into account," Shah said.

"Ninety nine percent people in India have no problem saying 'Bharat mata ki jai'. If you also start considering one percent dissent so seriously, how will the country be run," the BJP leader said.

Both leaders however were categorical that students who participated in an event on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on February 9 were anti-national.

"People who are anti-India are anti-national for us. If a student raises slogans in favour of a criminal who was hanged by our Supreme Court for attacking the temple of democracy, he is anti-national for us," Hosabale said when asked to comment on the JNU event.

"To commemorate the death anniversary of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru itself is anti-national and seditious," Shah said.
Islamabad, March 17 : The Pakistani government has allowed former President Pervez Musharraf to travel abroad for medical treatment, the country's Interior Minister said here on Thursday.

The decision came a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered removal of a travel ban on Pervez Musharraf, enabling him to go out of the country.

"We have decided to permit Pervez Musharraf go out of the country for medical treatment in line with the court's verdict," Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said at a news conference in Islamabad.

Khan said Musharraf will return to the country within six weeks.

Reports earlier suggested that Musharraf planned to depart for the United Arab Emirates late Wednesday. However, he could not leave the country as his name was on the list of those who cannot leave the country without government permission.

"We have removed Musharraf's name from the Exit Control List," the minister said.

The federal government had earlier banned Musharraf, who quit as president in 2008, from leaving the country as he faces several cases including high treason and the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

A special court, hearing the treason case against Musharraf for abrogating the constitution, had summoned him to personally appear on March 31, but it is unclear if he will return for appearance. The former president has been formally charged in the case.

Musharraf was also charged in the murder case of former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Musharraf has been formally indicted in the case.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court ended a travel ban on the former president after his lawyers told the court that their client suffers from "back pain" and the treatment is not available in Pakistan.
Hyderabad, March 17 : Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer on Thursday said it has received an order for a new entry-level business jet Phenom 100E from an undisclosed customer based in India.

Embraer Executive Jets announced this during India Aviation 2016, India's largest aviation show currently underway here.

The aircraft, to be delivered later this year, will be managed by Titan Aviation Group, a global aviation specialty service provider headquartered in the United Arab Emirates.

Captain Sakeer Sheik, managing director of Titan Aviation Group and Claudio Camelier, Embraer Executive Jets' vice president, sales (Asia-Pacific and Middle East) announced the deal.

Currently, there are 28 Embraer jets in India under three different categories, executive, commercial and defense and security.

"The Phenom 100E has proven itself to be a very agile aircraft that is capable of taking off and landing on short runways, while fuel economy helps keep operating costs low," said Camelier.

"We are grateful for the confidence the customer has placed in us and thank Titan Aviation for their unwavering support. This order takes the Embraer Executive Jets aircraft registered in India to 22, across six aircraft types."

"Titan Aviation Group has been in the aircraft management business for 12 years providing differentiated services to our customers," said Sheik.

"Embraer Executive Jets' broad portfolio of efficient aircraft and their solid customer support and services network allow us to assure the low operating costs, high dispatch reliability and superior operational readiness expected by our customers," he said.
Jammu, March 17 : In a significant development, the Indian Army on Thursday decided to vacate huge portions of land held by it close to civilian habitations in Jammu and Kashmir and hand over the possession to the state government.

An official statement issued here said that "in extensive discussions" with Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda at Raj Bhavan on Thursday, Governor N.N. Vohra reviewed the implementation of decisions taken in earlier civil military liaison conferences on all land matters relating to the army.

It was agreed that the Northern Command would hand over 16.30 acres adjoining the Jammu University campus, 212 acres at Tatoo Grounds in Srinagar, 456.60 kanals at High Grounds in Anantnag, and also land held at lower Khurba Thang in Kargil.

The land at Khurba Thang would be taken over before March 31 when the chief secretary visits Kargil.

"Regarding the Tatoo Ground land, the governor and army commander will jointly visit the site, before March 31, to also discuss certain proposals regarding the utilisation of this land for creating a park, recreational facilities for youth etc.," the statement said.

The governor directed that the committee headed by the chief secretary will visit Jammu University, Kargil and Anantnag to fulfill all formalities on the spot and take over the sites.

Vohra also arrived at an understanding with the army commander over the location of high altitude warfare school (HAWS) in Gulmarg. He will have a further meeting with Hooda.

"The meeting also discussed issues relating to the notification of firing ranges at various places. It was decided that the chief secretary shall pursue the pending issues with the ministry of defence, particularly regarding the enhancement of the scales of rent payable for the required areas of land."

The demand to vacate these lands was high on the list of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti to pave the way for her heading the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state.
Visakhapatnam, March 17 : Global information technology leader Cisco said it will set up an Internet of Everything (IoE) innovation centre here as part of strategic initiatives to help accelerate the digital transformation of Andhra Pradesh.

Cisco on Thursday signed an MoU with the state government for this purpose. It will also set up Technology Center of Excellence and Research Lab in Tirupati focused on manufacturing and cyber security solutions.

The others initiatives includes skills development for the new digital economy through expansion of the Networking Academy programme, investing in innovative start-ups in the state and sponsoring a research program at University of Andhra to develop and customize digital technologies and solutions for rural areas, the company said in a statement.

The agreement was signed as part of the inauguration of AP Fiber-Net in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Cisco executive chairman John Chambers, Cisco Asia Pacific & Japan president Irving Tan and Cisco India and SAARC president Dinesh Malkani.

Cisco has collaborated with the state government to design and implement AP Fiber Net, the first statewide broadband project in India. It is a huge step toward realising the government's vision to provide broadband on fiber to every house in the state.

"This transformational project is aimed at providing on-demand, affordable broadband connectivity of 2 to 20 Mbps for all households and 1 to 10 Gbps for all institutions by 2018 and is expected to significantly boost the economy," it said.

"The network will cover 2,500 locations and is 22,500 km long, reaching 2 million households. Cisco has designed and implemented the network infrastructure for AP Fiber Net using statewide high-speed, aerial-optical fiber leveraging existing electricity distribution assets," it added.

The proposed IoE Innovation Centre will foster regional innovation and will enable partners and start-ups to build solutions around IoE and engage in rapid prototyping. This will also act as a platform to bring startups, accelerators, developers, researchers, ecosystem partners and the venture community together to showcase possibilities of the IoE.

Cisco will also invest in an advanced Technology Center of Excellence and Research Lab in the Institute of Digital Technology (IDT), Tirupati, focused on cyber security, smart city and manufacturing solutions. The centre will help train graduate engineers in advanced digital technologies and solutions and equip them with skill sets required for the digital era.

The company will sponsor and collaborate with Andhra University in Visakhapatnam on a 12-month research programme to identify and explore the possibility of developing and customising digital technologies and solutions for rural Andhra Pradesh.

The company announced plans for the expansion of Cisco Networking Academy in 70 colleges to train approximately 10,000 new students in Andhra Pradesh over next three years.

As part of the Golden Mile project, Cisco has started deploying key technologies in the 5 km area including smart Wi-Fi, smart safety & security, smart lighting, smart parking, in Vijaywada. As part of the expansion of the project, the company announced that it will develop new applications specifically for Indian smart cities and collaborate with the state for its upcoming smart cities in Andhra Pradesh.
New Delhi, March 17 : The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee - the highest temporal body of Sikhs - to suggest the areas where it could give direction for curbing Sikh-centric jokes and which are implementable.

"What are the areas where we can give directions and they can be implemented," said a bench of Chief Justice T.S.Thakur and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit as SGPC's counsel Satinder Singh Gulati told the court that because of Sikh-centric jokes, the community had got a stereotype image which was an impediment in their progress in the competitive world.

While entertaining the plea by the SGPC, the court tagged it with an earlier plea by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and one by advocate Harvinder Chowdhury seeking to sensitise the people about the impact of Sikh-centric jokes on the community particularly the children and clamp down on the more than 5,000 websites circulating these jokes.

The SGPC has sought direction to communications ministry to install filters to screen websites which targets Sikh community with indecent, offensive and oppressive jokes being violative of the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Besides this, the SGPC has sought direction to the website owners to pay adequate compensation to the National Legal Aid Authority for having caused damages to the reputation and dignity of Sikh community.

Addressing the court, Gulati said that the stereotype image that Sikh centric jokes creates of the community impacts them at all levels.

Pointing to the difficulties being faced by the community, Gulati said that even before a Sikh child faces an actual competition, he/she has to get over the stereotype of his/her image.

The SGPC has urged the court to decide "whether such acts of circulation of funny jokes on Sikhs, amounts to violation of their fundamental right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the constitution; their right of equality under Article 14 of the Constitution; and their right to profess and propagate their religion, as enshrined under Article 25 of the constitution."

The petition, filed by the advocate on record Kamaldeep Gulati for the SGPC, has referred to an article by Justice Sunil Ambwani of Allahabad High Court which argues that "negative stereotypes about minorities may affect decision-making in myriads of areas".

The SGPC's plea along with that of DSGMC and advocate Harvinder Chowdhury would come up for hearing on April 5.
Tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg says that the governments proposed Residential Property Development Tax may lead to some investors pulling out of the market.

The taxs designs, which the government invited commentary on last week, are predicted to raise 2bn over a decade to help contribute to the cost of cladding remediation work. The government said last week that the tax would be applied be profits from UK residential development and would encompass the conversion of existing buildings rather than the construction of new ones.

Heather Powell, a partner and head of property at Blick Rothenberg, said: Governments plans to raise 2bn from residential developers to pay for the cladding crisis via a tax on their profits and will cause many investors to think again.

She added: The Residential Property Development Tax is to be payable on profits generated from residential development in excess of 25m, but no deduction will be allowed for any interest and finance charges when calculating the profit to be taxed. As interest is a major cost for many developers the tax could push a profitable development into a loss.
With each adjustment to tax and spending categories, users instantly see the near-term and long-term impact on balancing  or not balancing -- the nations budget. - Bill Hoagland, SVP, Bipartisan Policy Center Past News Releases RSS

The Bipartisan Policy Center in partnership with Engaged Publics Balancing Act today launched Federal Balancing Act: An Interactive Budget Simulation to promote a deeper dialogue and citizen engagement on the federal budget. The user-friendly interactive tool was created by Denver public policy firm Engaged Public, with the budget narrative and analysis provided by BPC, a Washington think tank.

With the federal budget deficit increasing once again and a presidential election underway, now is the perfect time for citizens to engage on the issue with the Federal Balancing Act budget simulation, Bill Hoagland, senior vice president at BPC, said. This tool gives individual citizens the opportunity to easily craft a budget that reflects their priorities.

The Federal Balancing Act simulation begins with a breakdown of the budget for Fiscal Year 2016, which is projected to run a $544 billion deficit, and includes information about how the government collects taxes and what programs the money is spent on. Users are then able to make changes to tax and spending categories based on their policy priorities. The simulator also projects the impact of those decisions 25 years out.

Citizens pay trillions of dollars a year in taxes, but few understand the process for collecting and spending that money, said Chris Adams, president of Engaged Public. We are changing that with a convenient simulation-based tool that not only shows the public how their federal tax dollars are currently raised and spent, but also asks them to constructively join the decision-making process.

Users have the opportunity to adjust a wide variety of federal programs, including health care, Social Security, defense, anti-poverty safety nets, veterans benefits and services, infrastructure, education, scientific research, and many others. Changes to revenue sources -- such as individual income taxes, corporate income taxes, the federal gas tax and more -- can pay for these programs.

As consumers, Americans have come to expect information about what they buy, Adams said. As citizens, they should expect the same. Our goal is to connect people to government at all levels through transparency and genuine opportunities for participation.

Federal Balancing Act also allows users to see the potential impact of changes to politically sensitive policies including:



Addressing the costs of entitlement programs like Medicare

Raising Social Securitys retirement age

Changing average income tax rates

Adjusting spending levels on domestic investments such as infrastructure, education and scientific research

With each adjustment to tax and spending categories, users instantly see the near-term and long-term impact on balancing  or not balancing -- the nations budget, Hoagland said.

BPC and Engaged Public will report regularly on what is learned about public preferences from the simulator.

For more information, visit the Federal Balancing Act.

Bipartisan Policy Center

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a non-profit organization that drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation and respectful dialogue. With projects in multiple issue areas, BPC combines politically balanced policymaking with strong, proactive advocacy and outreach. As the only Washington, DC-based think tank that actively promotes bipartisanship, BPC works to address the key challenges facing the nation. Visit us at http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org.

About Engaged Public

Engaged Public is a Denver-based, boutique public engagement firm that develops strategies for solving problems, working with civic leaders, stakeholders, and the public. Engaged Public is also the creator of civic engagement apps Balancing Act, an interactive budget simulation tool for learning about public budgets, and the Taxpayer Receipt, a breakdown of taxes paid. To learn more visit us at http://www.EngagedPublic.com.
JD Decker, administrator of the Nevada Real Estate Division, speaks to HOA board members regarding legislation. This is primarily why we felt it was important to facilitate planning sessions and a trip for board members to have their voices heard and to make a difference.

FirstService Residential, the leading community management company in Nevada, hosted a Night Out with the Real Estate Division for HOA board members on Thurs., March 3, 2016. JD Decker, administrator of the Nevada Real Estate Division, and District 9 Senator Becky Harris discussed the 2015 legislative session and the laws affecting the HOA industry.

JD Decker also explained the goals of the Ombudsmans Office regarding common-interest communities and their services. The Ombudsmans Office handles HOA disputes through two processes  informal mediation and disciplinary investigation. The informal mediation process is typically used for situations where a board member acted with the communitys best interest in mind; however, their actions were a slight infraction of the law. Situations where board members acted in their own best interest with no regard for the community while violating the law are handled through the more formal disciplinary investigation process. Decker stated that the Ombudsmans Office resolved 84% of submitted complaints through the informal dispute resolution process in 2015.

Both speakers encouraged event attendees to get involved in the upcoming legislative session by vocalizing their views. Senator Harris gave a brief explanation of each bill from the 2015 session that effected homeowners associations, as well as her stance on them.

With the 2017 legislative session right around the corner, lobbyists across the state are gearing up for their presence at the Capitol. In early 2015, FirstService Residential organized their first Day at the Capitol event where they encouraged and facilitated HOA board members to visit the Capitol, attend hearing sessions and meet with their legislators. A number of board members from northern and southern Nevada visited the Capitol equipped with talking points and voiced their opinions. We realize after many years of trying to represent our board members at the Capitol that the legislators do not want to hear from management companies, they want to hear from their constituents, said Steven Parker, president of FirstService Residential in Nevada. This is primarily why we felt it was important to facilitate planning sessions and a trip for board members to have their voices heard and to make a difference.

FirstService Residential is planning to return to the Capitol again in 2017, and is hoping to bring along a larger group of board members to represent the HOA industry.

About FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is recognized as Nevadas leading and most experienced full-service community association management firm. For over 25 years, FirstService Residential has continued to provide the best-in-class community management solutions and genuinely helpful service to its over 370 properties and communities throughout Nevada.

FirstService Residential is North Americas largest manager of residential communities and the preferred partner of HOAs, community associations and strata corporations in the U.S. and Canada. FirstService Residentials managed communities include low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives, single-family homes, master-planned, lifestyle and active adult communities, and rental and commercial properties.

With an unmatched combination of deep industry experience, local market expertise and personalized attention,

FirstService Residential delivers proven solutions and exceptional service that add value, enhance lifestyles and make a difference, every day, for every resident and community it manages. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, a North American leader in the property services sector. For more information, visit http://www.fsresidential.com.

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Fortytwo is proudly at the forefront of innovative messaging solutions and the latest release of advanced capabilities to their IM solution is no exception. As an industry leader, the inclusion of advanced features to the IM API enables Fortytwo to offer its clients a wealth of feature rich functionalities including images, call-to-action buttons, as well as the option of incorporating two-way messaging to IM campaigns. As a result, Fortytwos clients can take advantage of heightened brand exposure opportunities, interactive functionality and cost effectiveness.

In collaboration with Viber, its first IM gateway provider, Fortytwo is delighted to offer its clients these additional features and the opportunity to reach Viber users worldwide through our innovative instant messaging platform.

The introduction of these features present an exciting opportunity for brands and companies to engage their clients in new and innovative ways and with our collaboration with Viber reach an ever expanding customer base, says Glen Warren, CEO at Fortytwo. Fortytwos ability to offer ubiquity, together with feature-rich content, means A2P messaging is evolving into a more efficient customer engagement channel.

This latest release of advanced capabilities further adds to Fortytwos broad portfolio of innovative communication APIs and services that help companies to engage with their mobile consumers.

With Fortytwos IM solution it has never been easier to interact with your audience. Enhance your customer experience with Fortytwos IM API.

For further information about our messaging solutions, please contact sales(at)fortytwo(dot)com
LumenVox announced today that Forty 7 Ronin received LumenVox Partner Skills Certification. LumenVox Skills Certification demonstrates Forty 7 Ronins capability to deliver high quality speech solutions based on the LumenVox speech automation suite. Forty 7 Ronin provides voice solutions supported by the LumenVox Speech Recognizer (ASR) and Text-To-Speech Server (TTS) on the Genesys, Aspect, and Avaya IVR platforms.

Forty 7 Ronins experience, commitment and skills in speech solution design, deployment and tuning across industry-leading platforms bring unique breadth and knowledge to speech enabled Self Service, states LumenVox VP of Sales and Business Development, Lisa Cowan. LumenVox is very excited to welcome Forty 7 Ronin to our family of Skills Certified Partners.

LumenVox unique combination of high performance speech engines and tools make speech easy to configure, deploy and maintain. Combined with Forty 7 Ronins unique tuning methodology and practices, the LumenVox Speech Tuner helps us provide our customers and partners a high value, cost effective approach to deploying and maintaining speech solutions. We are very excited to be a certified LumenVox Partner. Their outstanding products are only exceeded by their wonderful corporate culture. The Forty 7 Ronin team is excited to be a part of the LumenVox family. -- Mark W. Stallings, Managing Partner of the Forty 7 Ronin

About Forty 7 Ronin

Forty 7 Ronin specializes in VUI Design, IVR Development and Speech Recognition. They have developed unique transcription tools and a proven tuning methodology to improve any speech implementation. Forty 7 Ronin has deep expertise in IVR self-service and CTI to the call center whether on Premise using Genesys Composer or in the Genesys Cloud using Genesys Designer. For more information, call +1.719.445.8054 or visit http://www.forty7ronin.com - See more at: http://www.forty7ronin.com.

About LumenVox

LumenVox is a speech automation software company providing core speech technologies that include the LumenVox Speech Recognizer, Text-to-Speech Engine, Call Progress Analysis, Speech Tuner, and natural language solution support. Based on industry standards, LumenVox Speech Software is certified as one of the most accurate, natural sounding, and reliable solutions in the industry. LumenVox technology provides tools for effectively connecting and communicating with users, increasing user satisfaction, and improving employee productivity. For more information, call +1.858.707.7700 or visit http://www.lumenvox.com - See more at: http://www.lumenvox.com
Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Edward Buckingham

Beginning in March, Edward D. Buckingham, M.D. started interviewing candidates for a facial plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship position at his practice. This opportunity is available to one outstanding physician, providing them with postgraduate training in facial plastic surgery. Competitive candidates will be reviewed through the end of May.

The Educational and Research Foundation for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) fellowship is one of the medical communitys most respected programs. Founded in 1969, the AAFPRS program has prepared more than 900 specialized physicians. Those who complete the year-long program will be prepared for ongoing growth and development facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Each year, numerous eligible physicians from both the U.S and Canada will put in their application for 40 or more available facial plastic surgery fellowship positions in the U.S. and Canada. The AAFRPS fellowship program is one of the top programs in the world for training facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons.

Completing his AAFRPS fellowship training in 2003, Dr. Buckingham became a Fellowship Director for Facial Plastic Surgery in 2014. Fellowship directors are recognized authorities in the teaching and practice of facial plastic surgery. Applicants for fellowship positions are encouraged to choose a director whose practice specialty and teaching style will best supplement their residency training and future practice interests.

Today, Dr. Buckingham mentors one surgeon annually, providing valuable training that will develop specialized knowledge and the advanced skills necessary in facial plastic surgery. The fellowship position at Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery will foster the development of new skills and knowledge, including basic research and clinical trials.

A standard curriculum is followed at each fellowship training site. An oral and written examination will be administered after the completion of the year-long fellowship. To be eligible, applicants must have completed a residency in otolaryngology or plastic surgery, approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or hold board certification from the American Board of Otolaryngology or the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Buckingham has served the Austin area for more than 10 years. He is an alumnus of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he graduated in the top two percent of his medical school class. Dr. Buckingham is Double Board Certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology.

For more information on the facial plastic surgery fellowship position at Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, contact the office at 512.401.2500. To learn more about the AAFPRS fellowship program, go to http://www.aafprs.org/fellowship/descriptions.html .
Branchfood, the largest group of food innovators in New England, announces IDEATE, a day-long event showcasing the innovative work of restaurateurs and entrepreneurs in Boston and beyond on Monday, April 4, 2016. The citys large technology sector and booming restaurant industry prime Boston, both intellectually and geographically, to lead in entrepreneurial opportunity. The event will serve as a platform for discussion of Bostons restaurant scene, opportunities for innovation, new technologies, and resources available to new restaurateurs and entrepreneurs.

"We're thrilled to host this event uniting entrepreneurs and restaurateurs in Boston," said Lauren Abda, founder at Branchfood. "Restaurants face unique challenges and are increasingly becoming early adopters of new technologies and services to solve them. We have some of Boston's best chefs, entrepreneurs, and industry members contributing to the conversation."

Through IDEATE, suppliers, purveyors, farmers, investors, entrepreneurs, restaurant professionals, and community-builders will gather together to participate in this unique educational and networking opportunity. The event will take place at Community Work Services at 174 Portland St in Boston, MA. Morning panels will feature topics including investing, entrepreneurship, and the state of the Boston restaurant scene. After lunch, select startups will participate in a showcase. Additional panels in the afternoon will focus on the details of sustainable sourcing, monetizing brand and content, running social media, hiring and retaining talent, managing restaurant staff, and more. The day will end with a discussion on the importance of restaurants, their impact on the economy, and Bostons role in the industry nationwide followed by an after-party at a nearby restaurant. IDEATE attendees will have the chance to network with industry members, make new connections, learn more about resources available to help launch new restaurants, and hear from Bostons hottest restaurant tech businesses.

About Branchfood: Branchfood is New England's largest group of food innovators. Based in Boston, they are the leading community of food entrepreneurs and pioneers who believe innovation will provide the necessary solutions to our greatest food system challenges. They host events, workshops, and networking opportunities to help food entrepreneurs grow their businesses and have co-working space for food entrepreneurs at their 50 Milk Street location in Boston.
TruShield Security Solutions, Inc., a global cyber security company providing continuous security monitoring solutions, has announced their partnership with BW Cyber Services, a cyber security company based out of New York.

We're very excited about our new partnership with BW Cyber Services, says Paul Caiazzo, Princial and Chief Security Architect at TruShield, BW Cyber's deep expertise within hedge funds, coupled with TruShield's experience supporting the Federal regulators who oversee this market will ensure that clients aren't just compliant with mandates, but also secure. TruShield's advanced threat prevention and detection technologies comprise key parts of our partnership's holistic offering, and, our mission of helping clients achieve tactical security quickly and efficiently blends extremely well with BW's 'Complexity Simplified' approach."

"We are exceptionally pleased with the outstanding cyber security capabilities TruSheid offers as BW Cyber Services' 24-hour security monitoring partner, says Michael Brice, Founder of BW Cyber Services. With this relationship, we can now ensure our customers have the ability to obtain world-class managed security services that are custom-tailored for the unique needs of the small to mid-size NFA and SEC members. I could not be more pleased with the exceptional relationship we have with TruShield and the outstanding value that it will provide to our customers - both now and into the foreseeable future.

TruShield will be providing Risk Assessments and Penetration Tests for BW Cybers client base, as well as 24/7/365 monitoring capabilities.

About TruShield: TruShield Security Solutions, Inc. (http://www.trushieldinc.com) is a global provider of concierge cyber security solutions. Founded in 2008 by a group of cyber security experts with backgrounds in Finance, the Federal Government, E-Commerce, Healthcare and Legal industries, TruShields mission is to enable organizations of all sizes to access advanced threat detection and mitigation capabilities at costs within their reach. TruShield offers a comprehensive suite of Managed Security Solutions and Professional Services aimed at solving complex cyber security problems with practical solutions that are proven to work in the real world, at organizations across a variety of industries, and any size. TruShields program-oriented approach utilizes the most current threat intelligence to prevent, detect, contain and eradicate threats on our clients networks 24 hours a day.

About BW Cyber Services: BW Cyber Services (http://www.bwcyberservices.com) focuses on small to medium size NFA and SEC members providing full cyber-lifecycle solutions from an initial assessment to penetration & vulnerability testing, 24-hour security monitoring, and even forensics and/or law enforcement outreach if needed. Additionally, BW Cyber Services has perfected delivery of these solutions in an extremely cost-effective manner to address the ever emerging threats to small and medium size financial organizations - solutions that have historically been too costly for all but the largest players in this market.
ProBrew believes brewing is both art and craft, but also understands certain tools are needed to effectively work the craft of brewing. Their goal for todays breweries is to give brewers the latest and greatest tools allowing them to brew more efficiently, economically and consistently. In order to accomplish this, ProBrew offers brewers a full compliment of equipment solutions, ranging from: semi and fully automatic brew houses, automated cellar solutions, state-of-the-art bottle, can and keg filling systems, inline carbonation and nitrogenation systems, centrifuges and separation systems, plant wide CIP On-Demand systems, and any other brewery system to help their customers succeed.

Brian Loughrey, ProBrew Sales Manager and 20-year brewing and craft brewing industry veteran, says, never before have I seen a company so capable of providing the full range of equipment, services and customizable engineering solution to the US brewing industry as ProBrew.

ProBrew is located in Wisconsin and offers brewers national coverage for technical support services that are often lacking in the industry. They work closely with the breweries they service to ensure they have what is needed to meet their demand. ProBrew believes equipment should be reliable and service and support should be outstanding because greater production efficiency is a critical component to the success of so many breweries today.

John Lavelle, president of Like Minds Brewery in Chicago, stated, The team at ProBrew did an awesome job building our complete brewery. We were up and running without a hitch in no-time from when the first fermenters showed up.

For brewers who would like more information, the ProBrew website is now available or a representative can be reached by phone at 262-278-4945.
It Pays to Have Prestige The PrestigePay teams experience in the automotive industry, specifically relating to portfolio optimization, made them the best fit to enhance our strategy in our target market.

PrestigePay, LLC today announced that is has completed the acquisition of Titan Card, LLC (Titan), a leading provider of prepaid products and services for the sub-prime automotive industry. PrestigePay partnered with Titans President, Andy Fox, who will continue to lead the automotive dealer recruitment effort under the PrestigePay brand.

Andy Fox, who has led Titan Card since its inception in 2012, commented, I am excited to have found a growth oriented partner with values that are consistent with our own. The PrestigePay teams experience in the automotive industry, specifically relating to portfolio optimization, made them the best fit to enhance our strategy in our target market.

PrestigePay is a leading provider of prepaid products and services, enabling sub-prime automotive dealers to better serve their clients in the United States. Together with PrestigePays sister company SkyBank Financial (http://www.skybankfinancial.com), a privately held provider of merchant solutions, they are perfectly positioned to assist automotive dealers in improving their portfolio by providing access to electronic payment systems that could make it easy and convenient for their customers to make payments.

Throughout the years, we have always been looking for new and innovative ways to support our dealers in the automotive industry, says Thomas Aronica, CEO of Miami-based PrestigePay, LLC. With the implementation of a prepaid solution, we not only been successful in assisting our dealers with the overall reduction of delinquent car payments, but we have also been able to assist their clients  our cardholders  in reducing the potential fees they may encounter at alternative financial service centers.

PrestigePay, LLC is a registered ISO of Sunrise Banks, N.A., St. Paul, MN 55103. PrestigePay Visa Prepaid Card is issued by Sunrise Banks N.A., St. Paul, MN 55103, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. This card may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Use of this card constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions stated in the Cardholder Agreement.

About PrestigePay

PrestigePay is a registered ISO of Sunrise Banks, N.A., St. Paul, MN 55103, and is a leading provider of customized prepaid debit card programs enabling retailers, distributors, marketers, employers, and financial institutions to serve consumers in the United States. PrestigePays secure software and proprietary business tools allow for the rapid and cost-effective deployment of custom solutions that are integrated with credit, debit, and ATM networks, payment processors, POS networks, and retail systems around the world. Visit PrestigePay at PrestigePay.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/prestigepay.

About Sunrise Banks, NA:

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sunrise Banks seeks to radically change the way urban communities and underserved people thrive by empowering them to achieve their aspirations. Sunrise is certified by the U.S. Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), a designation given to approximately 109 banks nationwide. Sunrise Banks is also a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values and is a certified B Corp for its demonstrated commitment to transparent corporate governance and positive community impact. Visit Sunrise Banks at SunriseBanks.com, on Twitter @SunriseBanks, or on Facebook.
How do we find redemption and hope in the aftermath of injustice? How does faith inform our identity, regardless of race? How can we learn to appreciate and pursue different perspectives?

A multi-ethnic panel will discuss these questions and more on April 3 at Christ Presbyterian Churchs Racial Realities forum. From 4:00-5:30 p.m. several hundred Nashville residents will gather at Christ Presbyterian Church on Old Hickory Boulevard to learn from the diverse panel and spend time talking about the issues.

The Racial Realities panel includes Dr. Paul Lim, a Korean-American professor who teaches in the Divinity School and History and Religious Studies departments at Vanderbilt. Dr. Lim is an award-winning historian of Reformation Europe and recently joined the staff of Christ Presbyterian Church as a Scholar-in-Residence.

The panel also includes Pastor Thomas Hunter, an African-American pastor and the Director of Community Relations at the Davidson County Sheriffs Office. Pastor Hunter serves on several boards furthering the cause for justice and racial reconciliation in Nashville.

Charles Robinson, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, will join the panel. Mr. Robinson is the founder and Executive Director of The Red Road, a non-profit organization that ministers in tribal communities in Biblically and culturally relevant ways.

The forum also features Pastor Richie Sessions, a Cacuasian-American pastor who leads the Reformed University Fellowship ministry at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Brandi Kellett of Lipscomb University will interview the Racial Realities panel before opening the floor for questions from the audience.

The goal of Racial Realities can be summed up with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior:

The whole concept of the Imago Deithe "Image of God," is the idea that all men have something within them that God injectedand this gives him a uniqueness, it gives him worth, it gives him dignity. And we must never forget this as a nation: there are no gradations in the Image of God. Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant on God's keyboard, precisely because every man is made in the Image of God. One day we will learn that. We will know one day that God made us to live together as brothers and to respect the dignity and worth of every man.

Registration for the Racial Realities forum is free, and tickets are available online through Eventbrite. Childcare is available for children 12 and under. Find out more information at christpres.org.
PixelPeople, a new digital agency in Naperville, Illinois, launched this month, to serve fast-growing businesses and new startups throughout the Chicago area and across the country. The agency specializes in web design and development, helping new brands to establish a professional online presence. PixelPeople was founded by Steve Lovisa, who brings to the business his experience of nearly 20 years in advertising, design, web development and ecommerce.

Lovisa spent the first 10 years of his career working for Chicago-area agencies and startup companies. Then, in 2005, he founded his first digital agency, Silverline Creative, and led that agency until 2013, when he sold the business so that he and his team could join his largest client, Red Frog Events, in Chicagos River North. Lovisa spent two-and-a-half years at Red Frog as the Vice President of Creative Services & Information Technology. He also served on Red Frogs Leadership Team and on their Brand Development team, where he helped to create and launch more than 30 different brands and events.

Now, bringing that experience to a new agency, Lovisa believes PixelPeople is well-positioned to be the in-house, off-site creative team for fast-growing businesses and funded startups in Chicago and beyond. I love being involved with Chicagos startup community, and Im used to working in a think-fast, launch-fast environment. PixelPeople will be the creative & technical experts for businesses who need branding and development projects done fast and done right, while they stay focused on their core business.

For more information about PixelPeople, contact Steve Lovisa at (630) 352-3903, email contact(at)pixelpeople(dot)com, or visit the website at http://www.pixelpeople.com.
Sensiba San Filippo LLP (SSF), a leading Northern California-based accounting and business consulting firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Matt Noonan to SSFs team.

With over 38 years of experience in public accounting, Noonan has joined SSF from his role as a director in another regional firm. He has held various positions within the profession and brings with him experience from an international accounting firm. Noonan has significant experience working with closely-held companies in manufacturing, distribution, transportation, private schools, trade associations and the nonprofit industry. In particular, he specializes in succession planning and structuring transactions to maximize after tax proceeds.

We are very pleased to welcome Matt as a Principal to our team, says John Sensiba, Managing Partner of Sensiba San Filippo. As a firm we pride ourselves on the level of talent and experience we bring to our clients, and we are delighted to have Matt on board.

About Sensiba San Filippo

With over 35 years of experience, Sensiba San Filippo LLP (SSF) ranks among the regions top 20 public accounting firms. Offering comprehensive assurance, tax and consulting services, the firm has a regional focus with global expertise. As a member of Morison KSI, SSF is a part of an international association of affiliated accounting firms that supports their clients global business needs in over 88 countries. Headquartered in Pleasanton, the firm has offices in Oakland, San Mateo, San Jose, Morgan Hill and San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.ssfllp.com.
Top 10 Health & Beauty Brands 2015

MBLM, the Brand Intimacy Agency focused on strategy, design, creative and technology, announced today that the health & beauty industry ranked third for brand intimacy, after automotive and retail. Chanel was the top most intimate brand in the industry, according to the agencys extensive Brand Intimacy 2015 Report. Brand intimacy describes an essential relationship between a person and brand that transcends usage, purchase and loyalty. According to the report, intimate brands create enhanced business performance.

The remaining brands part of the top 10 are: Clinique, bareMinerals, Estee Lauder, Olay, MAC, Dove, Lancome, LOreal and Bobbi Brown.

Also of note, Sephora, (a major retailer of health and beauty products) ranked third in MBLMs retail category and 15th overall.

Retail sales in health & beauty in the U.S. came in at $87.21 billion in 2013 and the global beauty market grew by 4.5 percent annually over the last 20 years.

Consumers are much more discerning with products they apply to their bodies and this is understandably so, stated Mario Natarelli, MBLMs managing partner. Benchmarking Brand Intimacy as a measure of the bonds these consumers form reveals opportunities for brands and pathways to growth and profit.

Additional findings of the report include:



bareMinerals ranked #1 among women millennials, ages 18-34

Dove was #1 for women 45-64 years old

Clinique ranked highest among those with an income above $100K

Olay held the highest position among those with an income of $35K-$100K

MBLMs 2015 report contains one of the most comprehensive rankings of brands based on emotion, analyzing the responses of 6,000 consumers and 52,000 brand evaluations across nine industries in the U.S., Mexico and UAE. MBLMs reports and interactive Brand Ranking Tool showcase the performance of almost 400 brands, revealing the characteristics and intensity of the consumer bonds.

To download the full Brand Intimacy 2015 Report or explore the Ranking Tool please visit: http://mblm.com/brandintimacy/.

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About MBLM: MBLM is the Brand Intimacy Agency, dedicated to creating greater intimacy between people, brands and technology. With offices in nine countries, our multidisciplinary teams help clients deliver stronger marketing outcomes and returns for the long term. To learn more about how we can help you create and sustain ultimate brand relationships, visit mblm.com.
AIM is pleased to announce the addition of KSM Delta as its representative for AIMs complete line of solder materials for the plumbing market within Tennessee and Georgia. KSM Delta will provide service and support, assisting AIMs plumbing customers within this region in finding the best solution for their soldering needs.

KSM Delta is a leading manufacturers representative agency in the wholesale plumbing industry. Founded in 1979, KSM Delta has made a reputable name for their service and support in the plumbing industry. The experience and skill that KSM Delta offers will make for an excellent addition to the AIM US Plumbing Solder representative team. For more information about KSM Delta, visit http://www.ksmdelta.com.

For sales and support please contact KSM delta at (770)934-9960 or email ksmdelta(at)aol(dot)com.

About AIM Alloys Division

AIM Alloys specializes in standard and custom industrial-grade metals and alloys for casting, plating, and soldering for the industrial and plumbing industries. AIMs manufacturing facilities are ISO 9001 certified and products are manufactured using high-purity metals. AIM offers one of the most robust support systems in the industry, providing metallurgical assistance, extensive inventory, and flexibility in formulas, shapes, quantities. AIMs direct sales force and authorized distributors and representatives guarantee reliable and immediate service. For more information on AIM Alloys, visit http://www.aimalloys.com.
This study uncovers a lot of information about common practices within the industry. We are excited to share the study and its findings with legal and claim professionals alike. - Steve Schumacher, President

A recent study commissioned by Keais Records Service on the industry practices in records retrieval yielded several interesting results that shed light on the importance of records retrieval in the claims and litigation management process. Sixty-six senior claim and litigation executives participated in the study.

Key results of the study include:



Records retrieval is a very high-frequency and high-cost activity for claim organizations.

Almost 70 percent of claim organizations retrieve records on at least 60 percent of their files.

Seventy percent of respondents said they do not capture the amount spent retrieving records, and only 10 percent have ever analyzed law firm invoices to understand what firms charge for records retrieval.

Records retrieval activities consume significant internal resources and drive significant cost. Retrieval activities can take on average 12 percent of a claim professionals time.

Claim executives believe there is a correlation between faster retrieval time and improved claim cycle time. Seventy percent reported having to wait for records in order to close a file.

To receive a copy of the complete report, email report(at)keais(dot)com.

About Keais

Keais is a leading provider of records retrieval services and has been providing the highest level of service to law firms for the last 40 years. As an industry leader, Keais fully understands clients claims and legal records needs, and provides the best product and fastest turnaround time. All records retrieved by Keais are organized chronologically and can be viewed electronically or printed.
Dmitri Wright (born 1948). Black Couple in Bed Looking at TV, 1971. Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 54.5 in. Gift of the Prudential Insurance Company, 1971 71.167  Dmitri Wright 1971 African-American art and culture are an important focus in the Museums collections and exhibition history.

Building on the Museums historic role as a leader in collecting and exhibiting African-American art, a new exhibition at the Newark Museum will present a distinguished group of works by leading modern and contemporary artists. Modern Heroics: 75 Years of African-American Expressionism at the Newark Museum explores expressive painting and heroic themes through 32 works of painting and sculpture. Covering a broad span from the 1940s to the present, the exhibition is organized almost entirely from the Museums permanent collection of American Art, with a few additional works loaned by artists and private collectors in New Jersey.

On view from June 18, 2016 through January 8, 2017, Modern Heroics will showcase works by founding figures of the Harlem Renaissance and the Spiral group, along with a diverse selection of contemporary artists. Works by a number of self-taught artists will also be included, highlighting the strength of Newarks collection of Folk and Self-Taught art. Featuring large-scale paintings by Norman Lewis, Purvis Young, Emma Amos, Bob Thompson and Mickalene Thomas, Modern Heroics will also include rarely-exhibited works by Romare Bearden, Minnie Evans, Herb Gentry, and Emilio Cruz, among others; and sculpture by Chakaia Booker and Thornton Dial.

Mythical and universal subject matter, the bold use of color and large scale, and a direct engagement with materials  gestural approaches to painting and inventive sculptural forms are themes that the exhibition will highlight. Approximately half of the works on display will be by self-taught artists, and several works will be shown for the first time in this exhibition. Through this strategic selection of artists, Modern Heroics will open up a conversation that looks beyond traditional categorizations including self-taught, folk and outsider art, and foster a broader appreciation for all of the works on view.

Modern Heroics is a focused exploration of expressionism across a diversity of styles and subjects, said the exhibition curator, Tricia Laughlin Bloom, Ph.D., Curator of American Art. All of the works in the show have a strong physical quality, and many are layered with symbolism and multiple narratives.

The Newark Museums earliest acquisition of African-American art, Henry Ossawa Tanners The Good Shepherd, 1922, entered the Museums permanent collection in 1929. In 1931 Newark hosted its first exhibition dedicated to African-American art, a group exhibition organized by the Harmon Foundation. From 1944 onwards, the Museum has presented numerous group exhibitions of African-American art, showcasing its rich holdings and bringing new artists into the growing collection, which now totals some 360 works.

African-American art and culture are an important focus in the Museums collections and exhibition history. By presenting a selection of works by both prominent and lesser known artists, this exhibition will open up new perspectives and insights on narrative abstract painting in America as well as on artists that remain underrepresented in museums, said Newark Museum CEO and Director Steven Kern.

Modern Heroics: 75 Years of African-American Expressionism at the Newark Museum will be documented with a fully illustrated catalog, published by the Newark Museum. A one-day symposium featuring scholars of African-American art and artists from the exhibition is being planned for fall of 2016.

Funding for this exhibition has been provided by The Marie and Joe Melone Exhibition Fund for American Art. For additional information, follow the Museum on Facebook at facebook.com/newark.museum or Twitter at twitter.com/newarkmuseum; or by visiting http://www.newarkmuseum.org.

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View of Brimfield Flea Markets, Brimfield, Mass.

The antiques experts at Kovels.com have compiled a list of spring flea markets that are well worth a trip. Spring is a busy time for flea markets. Its the best time to find antiques and collectibles that dealers discovered during the winter. And its a great time to get out and enjoy the bustling hunt for vintage furniture, clothing and jewelry. Each of the 3 markets is renowned for its variety of items, negotiable prices, popularity among both vendors and shoppers across the U.S. and great food. Kovels Top 3 are listed below, with details on each flea market.

1. Original Round Top Antiques Fair  Spring Antique Week

March 28 to April 2, 2016

4036 Texas Hwy., Round Top, Texas 18954

Everything is bigger in Texas and its premier flea market is no exception. Spring and Fall Antiques Fairs are held during the week that ends on the first Saturdays of April and October each year. This year, it runs from March 28 through April 2. Its a giant marketplace with 100 percent antique and vintage merchandise, attracting thousands of dealers and tens of thousands of buyers from around the world. There are four locations in Round Top  the Big Red Barn, Big Red Barn Tent, Continental Tent and Carmine Dance Hall. Admission is $10, $20 for a VIP early shopping pass. Parking is free. Find American and European antiques, vintage decorator items and collectibles, all kinds of art, glass, signs, toys, clothes, jewelry, architectural and repurposed items, and much more. There are also more than 50 other shows that start March 19 and run through April 2, in neighboring communities (like Warrenton, Carmine and Shelby) within about 15 miles of Round Top, mostly along Highway 237. Interested? Contact the Round Top Chamber of Commerce or the City of Warrenton.

2. Renningers Kutztown Antique and Collectors Extravaganza

April 28 to 30, 2016 and June 23 to 25, 2016

740 Noble St., Kutztown, Pennsylvania 19530

Renningers Kutztown hosts a flea market extravaganza three times a year: April, June and September. The extravaganza is set up behind Renningers Antique & Farmers Market, with exhibitors outside, under tents and in two 350-foot long pavilions. The Indoor Antique Market and the Indoor Farmer's Market are also open during the Extravaganza. Admission is $4 to $6 per day, or $15 for all three days. Dress for all weather; the show runs rain or shine.

3. Brimfield Antiques and Collectibles Show

May 10 to 15, 2016

Brimfield Town Hall, 23 Main St., Brimfield, Massachusetts

Make your way to central Massachusetts to visit the market that attracts over 50,000 people three times a year. The six-day Brimfield Flea Market hosts Tuesday-through-Sunday shows each year in May, July, and September. Over twenty independent fields of dealers make up the market, and they have a staggered opening and closing schedule. Some fields have an admission fee of about $5 but most are free. This large market, stretched along a mile on both sides of Route 20, is an exciting tradition that attracts visitors from many states and countries.

Spring flea markets await thousands of antique enthusiasts and collectors  be sure to plan a visit soon. See Kovels.com for more information and tips on navigating flea markets, negotiating smart deals, and identifying original objects.

About Kovels.com

Kovels.com, created by Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel, provides collectors and researchers with up-to-date and accurate information on antiques and collectibles. The company was founded in 1953 by Terry Kovel and her late husband, Ralph. Since then, Kovels Antiques has written some of Americas most popular books and articles about antiques, including the best-selling Kovels Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide, now in its 47th edition. The website, Kovels.com, online since 1998, offers more than 1 million free prices, and includes a weekly email, Kovels Komments. It gives readers a birds-eye view of the market through the latest news, auction reports, a Marks Dictionary, readers questions and answers and much more.

Contact Information:

Liz Lillis

216.752.2252

Pr(at)kovels(dot)com
Richard Sabatino, Executive Director Scholarships are vital pieces of the higher education financial aid puzzle. They can make all the difference, especially for a student who wishes to attend a professional graduate school.

Students who will be starting law school for the first time in August have a new financial opportunity, courtesy of prominent NYC injury law practice Kaplan Lawyers PC. The firm revealed today an application on its website seeking to award a $1,000 legal scholarship as a way to encourage and reward creative writing. Judging criteria is based on originality, creativity, and the ability to clearly convey a complex message.

Higher education comes with a pretty hefty price tag, commented Executive Director Richard Sabatino. According to the National Law Journal, NYCs own Columbia Law School tops the charts as the most expensive law school in the country, with 2014 tuition clocking in at $60,274. Among all law schools accredited by the American Bar Association, the average tuition increased almost 10 percent just between 2011 and 2014. Scholarships are vital pieces of the higher education financial aid puzzle. They can make all the difference, especially for a student who wishes to attend a professional graduate school. We are so pleased that we are in a position to offer this encouragement, and we hope to be able to repeat it in the future.

Those who wish to apply for the scholarship must be U.S. citizens or authorized to work in the U.S., must be commencing law school in August of 2016, and must have written an article that has been published in a newspaper, magazine, professional blog, or academic publication. Completed application forms must be submitted with a copy of the applicants law school acceptance letter and either a copy of the applicants previously published article or a link to the articles online location. While the subject matter of the article does not have to be related to the law, its main purpose should be informational.

Applications can be submitted on the Kaplan Lawyers PC website. All materials must be received by May 1, 2016. The successful candidate will be notified by June 15, 2016. The winners law school will receive a $1,000 check by August 1, 2016, to help defray his or her tuition costs and other expenses.

About Kaplan Lawyers PC

The attorneys of the NY personal injury law firm Kaplan Lawyers PC have decades of combined experience protecting the interests of victims throughout the New York City area. Whether the accident happened in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island, the firm is committed to diligently representing its clients' interests and working hard to see that they get justice. Kaplan Lawyers is able to advise and assist people who have been injured or lost loved ones in motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, through medical malpractice, and with a variety of other personal injury and wrongful death claims. For more information or to get help with a potential claim, call them in the City at (212) 563-1900 or on Long Island at (516) 399-2364.
Working with IV Interactive has been nothing less than perfection.

IV Interactive recently launched a fully re-branded Pacific Family Practice website to provide a clearer focus on the comprehensive range of care offered and to educate patients about the practices Whole-Family mission. The new website offers a modern, responsive design along with fresh branding, a new logo and improved messaging.

Debbie Tassone, Practice Manager of Pacific Family Practice noted, The new site has been very well-received by our existing patients and staff, and it has significantly increased our new patient appointments. Working with IV Interactive has been nothing less than perfection."

Since the sites deployment, performance metrics have increased markedly, resulting in a significant influx of new patients. Some of the highlights include:



New patient acquisition via the practice website is now 3-4 times the industry average

The number of patients visiting the site on a mobile device has increased by 170%

The average time visitors are spending on the website has increased by 50%

The central components of the new website strategy were to improve usability and place an emphasis on patient experience and practice growth. To that end, IV Interactive created a website that:

Educates patients about primary care services, pediatrics/newborn care, and urgent care services

Provides access to the patient portal and required health/HIPAA forms

Creates an optimized, easy-to-navigate experience for mobile and tablet users

Allows patients to quickly request appointments online

Pacific Family Practice has been operating in San Francisco since the early 1980s and enjoys a strong reputation that has resulted in a committed patient following. The practices long-term success has been proven through the generations of patients (newborns, kids, teens, parents and grandparents) who return for exceptional care.

Pacific Family Practice chose IV Interactive for their expertise in helping medical practices attract more patients. IV Interactive has a proven track-record improving online patient acquisition through a combination of award-wining design, expert inbound marketing tactics and a sharp focus on the patient experience. The results for clients include improved reputation in the community, steady growth of new patients and a marketing effort that requires less practice involvement, freeing up time to allow physicians and their staff to focus exclusively on patients.

About IV Interactive

IV Interactive is a full-service interactive agency specializing in the four major elements required for success in a digital world: innovative design, interactive marketing, technology implementation and strategic consulting. Using this multidisciplinary approach, the agency provides results-driven, award-winning solutions to organizations of all sizes and disciplines. Which elements are you missing? Visit IVInteractive.com to find out.
Bobbie Collins

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP welcomes Bobbie Collins as an associate in the firms Litigation practice group, focusing on complex civil litigation, real estate, and taxation law. Collins is based in the law firms Albuquerque office.

Clients turn to Collins for representing national, regional and local business entities in a variety of commercial disputes, including director/officer liability, shareholder derivative actions, business management agreements, defamation, strict product liability, construction claims, and patent and trademark infringement. She also provides general advice and litigation representation of individuals, business entities, and tax exempt organizations in local, state, and federal taxation matters.

Collins commercial real estate experience includes representing lenders, landlords, tenants, retail/shopping centers, and loan servicing companies in loan document reviews, title matters, receiverships, foreclosures, evictions and lease negotiations. She also maintains a New Mexico Real Estate Associate Brokers license.

Prior to private practice, Collins was a Deputy District Attorney in the El Paso County District Attorneys office in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was named a Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Star, and is admitted to the Bar in New Mexico and Colorado, the U.S. Tax Court and U.S. District Court of New Mexico.

She earned her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and holds a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Colorado. She is also expected to complete an LL.M. (Masters in Law) in Taxation in December 2016 from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

About Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP is built on the strengths of legacy firms Lewis Roca Rothgerber and Christie, Parker & Hale, providing clients across a wide range of industries with representation in litigation, intellectual property, business transactions, gaming, government relations and other practice areas. Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie offices are located in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, Reno, Silicon Valley and Tucson.
We are proud to sponsor CACM events, especially the Law Expo, which explores important legislation and legal issues impacting California community associations, says Androniki Bossonis, WICRs Director of Markeing. As a vendor that works with deck repair, maintenance and other waterproofing issues for condominium associations, apartments, resorts and commercial properties daily, the seminar topics are timely and relevant.

A valuable resource for property managers and association managers, the 2016 CACM Law Seminar & Expo will offer 18 different breakout sessions, as well as access to California legal experts, and an exhibit hall packed with the latest industry products. The Expo will be held at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA, March 17-18, 2016. WICR Waterproofing & Decking will be at Booth #1004.

About WICR, Inc., Waterproofing and Decking

WICR, Inc. has been providing waterproofing solutions for roof decks, balcony decks, planters, courtyards, podiums, below tile systems, and more throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada for over 17 years. We are deck coating specialists as well as deck construction and deck repair experts. With over 17 years of experience, WICR provides owners, contractors, project managers, property managers, and HOAs with the peace-of-mind that their deck construction, deck repair and waterproof coating installations are built to last. Dex-O-Tex, MerKote and Westcoat certified. http://www.wicr.net

Contact WICR, Inc.:

Androniki Bossonis

Director of Sales and Marketing

niki(at)wicr(dot)net

(714) 526-3584
Education is one of the most impactful ways to help those in remote or impoverished areas develop the skills they need to succeed.

Riecken Community Libraries recently partnered with Study.com to support educational programs within rural libraries of Honduras and Guatemala. The programs focus on giving impoverished areas access to information and technology.

The contribution from Study.com will support the work of over 60 Riecken Community Libraries in the region. This helps the libraries provide communities with books, technology, training and dynamic programs that range from early childhood nutrition to leadership development to support for local entrepreneurs. Last year, Riecken libraries had over 300,000 visitors benefiting from these offerings.

By empowering children in these communities, we strengthen their voice in a world that often overlooks them, and help them to become tomorrows leaders within  and beyond  their communities, said Bill Cartwright, President of Riecken Community Libraries. We are thrilled Study.com has partnered with us and provided $25,000 towards the programs, which will enable us to enhance the quality of materials, technology and training that we can deliver in our programs.

Adrian Ridner, Founder of Study.com, is enthusiastic about the companys partnership with Riecken Community Libraries: Education is one of the most impactful ways to help those in remote or impoverished areas develop the skills they need to succeed. Study.com is dedicated to making education accessible by both offering affordable online courses and study tools and by fostering partnerships with organizations like Riecken libraries. We feel that we have a natural alignment with Riecken Libraries because they are also providing access to information that can change lives in their communities. We are honored to help by using our contribution to bring otherwise unavailable resources to this very challenged region.

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About Riecken Community Libraries

Riecken Community Libraries bring access to information and programs to poor rural areas of Central America through a network of over 60 dynamic community libraries. Offering books, programs relevant to the needs of the communities being served, and access to technology whenever possible  Riecken libraries connect people in Honduras and Guatemala to each other and to the world. They help prepare a generation of local leadership and open minds and imaginations to a world of possibilities otherwise inaccessible to these underserved communities.

About Study.com

Study.com is the simplest, most efficient way to learn. Over 30 million students a month use our online courses and study tools to master any subject. We help K-12 and college students excel academically and professionals gain the skills they need in the workplace. Study.coms animated videos bring concepts to life and provide an easy, low cost way to improve grades, earn college credit and close skill gaps. Study.com was founded in 2002 and remains a privately held company located in Mountain View, California.
The Board of Directors of the California Hedge Fund Association (CHFA) has elected Adam R. Wagner, the Chief Operating Officer of Blue Jay Capital Management LLC, to become a Director on the Board. In his current role Mr. Wagner is responsible for the daily trading operations, marketing and investor relations functions at Blue Jay which manages long/short equity healthcare portfolios.

Prior to joining Blue Jay in 2013, Wagner was a vice president of Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon company, where he was a senior member of the Sales and Relationship Management group within Pershing Prime Services. Wagner was responsible for establishing and maintaining prime brokerage and financing relationships with hedge funds, mutual funds and other alternative managers.

Before joining Pershing, Wagner served as a Relationship Manager in the prime brokerage divisions of J.P. Morgan and Bear Stearns where he supported the clearing and trading needs of the firms hedge fund clients.

The key to the long term success of CHFA has been the continual addition of talented, committed individuals to our Board of Directors and in this tradition we welcome Adam Wagner as our newest Board member. The knowledge and depth of experience he brings to our organization is tremendous and Californias alternative investment community will be well-represented by his involvement, said Jason Gerlach, CHFA President, and CEO and Managing Partner of Sunrise Capital Partners LLC.

ABOUT THE CHFA: The California Hedge Fund Association is a non-profit, member based organization founded in 2010 to foster the growth and development of the hedge fund community in California through advocacy of sound business practices, events, resources and educational programs. The CHFA is comprised of over 1,200 members. For more information, visit: http://www.calhedgefund.org
#PharmacyVoter is the social media tag for NACDS' get-out-the-vote campaign The point is to demonstrate that the people of pharmacy are as politically-engaged as they are patient-accessible.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) has announced the expansion of its get-out-the-vote initiative for 2016, with new video ads to encourage pharmacy personnel to volunteer and vote for the candidates of their choice.

The new ads are part of the larger NACDS RxIMPACT Votes get-out-the-vote effort, one aspect of NACDS suite of grassroots advocacy resources under the NACDS RxIMPACT name. The ads will bear the hashtag #PharmacyVoter that will be used on social media to foster a community-wide focus on voter engagement. NACDS also launched PharmacyVoter.org  a website targeted to the pharmacy community to showcase the effort.

The first 30-second ad  called Effective  debuts today during the launch of NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill, when nearly 400 pharmacy advocates will meet with approximately 90 percent of the U.S. Congress to discuss key patient care issues.

The first ad makes a clear case to pharmacy personnel: We talk all of the time about helping patients take their medications, and it is just as important to encourage voters to make their mark on the elections, said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.

NACDS members operate pharmacies in every state and Congressional District. Nearly all Americans  86 percent  live within five miles of a community pharmacy. The point of NACDS RxIMPACT Votes is to demonstrate that the people of pharmacy are as politically-engaged as they are patient-accessible, Anderson said.

The videos, website and social media engagement are designed to call attention to resources that pharmacy personnel and companies can use to inspire engagement in the political process. NACDS online resources help to identify candidates running for office in a geographic area; help to understand how to take the first step to volunteer on a campaign; help to plan an effective get-out-the-vote rally; and how to build a company culture that emphasizes participation in our nations system of government.

NACDS will release the next 30-second ad later this spring.
The successful completion of this voluntary audit demonstrates Crawford Technologies is implementing the most stringent and secure controls to protect and secure its customers confidential information.

Crawford Technologies announced today it has successfully completed a Service Organizations Controls (SOC) 2 Audit Type II examination as part of its continuing commitment to the security of customer data.

SOC 2 is an internationally-recognized auditing standard developed by the "American Institute of Certified Public Accountants." SOC 2 audits are performed by independent auditing firms that thoroughly examine the controls and processes involved in storing, handling and transmitting data securely. Successful completion of a voluntary SOC 2 examination demonstrates commitment to maintain the most stringent controls for protecting the security of confidential customer information.

Performed by leading assurance solutions and compliance company, Skoda Minotti, CrawfordTechs SOC 2 audit ensures the organization is storing, handling and transmitting data in a manner that meets or exceeds the following requirements:



Security: Protection against unauthorized access to information

Availability: Services are available and operated as committed and agreed to

Integrity: Processing of data is complete, accurate, timely and authorized

Confidentiality: Information is confidential and protected as committed and agreed to

The successful completion of this voluntary audit demonstrates Crawford Technologies is implementing the most stringent and secure controls to protect and secure its customers confidential information, said Ben Osbrach, Partner, Skoda Minotti.

The SOC 2 audit report also ensures that Crawford Technologies is complying with other regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Biley Act of 1999) and ISO 27001.

We believe that this underscores our commitment to our customers and their clients, said Ernie Crawford, CEO of Crawford Technologies. It ensures that any confidential information provided to us will be kept confidential.

The SOC 2 audit covered CrawfordTechs U.S. and Canadian data centers.

About Crawford Technologies

Crawford Technologies is an award-winning, worldwide leader in print-stream conversions, document re-engineering, high-volume document workflow, document accessibility and archiving software solutions. For 20 years, Crawford Technologies has expanded its solution offerings in Customer Communications Management (CCM), Enterprise Output Management (EOM), Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Document Accessibility markets. CrawfordTech is dedicated to helping organizations improve their customer communications delivery systems so people can receive their documents in their format and channel of preference.

For media and other enquiries, please contact the Crawford Technologies Press Office:

North America Tel: +1-416-923-0080

UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3289 4724

media(at)crawfordtech(dot)com

http://www.crawfordtech.com
The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) is reporting that requests for cosmetic surgery in Japan continue to rise each year. ISAPS surveys plastic surgeons around the world to provide statistics about the number and type of aesthetic/cosmetic procedures performed. New research shows that the Japanese people underwent 1.26 million total procedures (both surgical and non-surgical) in 2014, compared to about 808,000 in 2010. Numbers in East Asia are on the rise in general; in South Korea, for example, the total rising to 980,000 in 2014, from about 531,000 in 2010.

Susumu Takayanagi, MD, president of ISAPS, explains: It is true that South Koreans undergo a high number of aesthetic procedures, and the ISAPS Global Survey shows that the Japanese culture has also embraced this practice.

Of the over 20 million surgical and non-surgical procedures performed worldwide in 2014, Japan was third in the world for total number of procedures performed, and South Korea was fourth. The US led the way, with just over 4 million, followed by Brazil at about 2 million.

The most requested types of procedures vary by country and culture. In 2014, the most popular procedures in Japan and South Korea combined were botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid (non-surgical), and eyelid surgery and rhinoplasty (surgical).

Dr. Takayanagi cautions people, however, when comparing present statistics to past. We are committed to following sound analytical practices, he says, and the methodology of gathering the dataset continues to be improved. Variances can be attributed to many factors. Clinics and medical practices often see the same client for multiple procedures, and though they should report each of these as a separate incidence, some may be reporting only one. Some practices have a diverse definition of what constitutes a surgical procedure, as well. The numbers may have been skewed in the past due to variances in how reporting was done and the willingness of cosmetic surgeons to share their data. As people the world over have become more comfortable with aesthetic surgery, however, the taboos are being lifted, Dr. Takayanagi adds.

ISAPS holds a Congress every two years to discuss new trends, innovative research and other topics relevant to the fields of plastic surgery. In 2016, this event will be held in Kyoto, Japan, from October 23rd to the 27th. To learn more, or to register, please visit ISAPS Congress.

About ISAPS

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery works toward an important three-fold mission of continually educating members, accurately informing the public and promoting patient safety. They have greatly expanded their focus and content to serve not only their members, but more importantly, patients interested in cosmetic surgery abroad. Their website contains extensive explanations of most plastic surgery procedures and information about its members in 94 countries around the world. For more information, please visit isaps.org.

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Lincoln College Prep's education system has propelled them to state-wide success. With the new resources, Ms. Raynor was able to establish a yearbook class which also empowers the students to become leaders.

In hopes of helping schools grow their yearbook programs, Entourage Yearbooks is teaming up with one of their schools, Lincoln College Preparatory Academy of Kansas City, MO, to tell the story of "before and after" in yearbook creation.

According to marketing manager Sara Aniano, There is a cycle amongst yearbook advisors and all educators where they have to sacrifice education due to limited resources."

But Jenny Raynor, the yearbook advisor at the Lincoln College Prep, figured out a way to work smarter and break that cycle. Recognizing the schools success, Entourage Yearbooks visited the school in December 2015 to document the students expectations for the project as well as the ways that changing yearbook providers has enabled the school to improve their educational programming. In 2013, Ms. Raynor decided to switch yearbook providers and the change allowed the school to recover from prior year's debts and use the freed funds to purchase new equipment for the school. With the new resources, Ms. Raynor was able to establish a yearbook class which also empowers the students to become leaders in their school. Camry, a student yearbook designer at Lincoln College Prep, said Its cool to be in a positive environment where everyone is pushing you to do better.

By having primary control over all of the content, students have an increased commitment and are able to feel more pride for their contribution to their historic school. Ayana, another student designer, explained that the class has been helpful because It teaches you things that you can actually apply to your life.

Entourage Yearbooks will return to Lincoln College Prep for their yearbook signing party at the end of April to document the full transformation of the students, the class, and their yearbooks. Entourage hopes that other schools will be able to use Lincoln College Preps story to find ways to overcome their own financial burdens.

For more information about how Entourage Yearbooks can help grow your yearbook project, please contact Sara at sara(at)entourageyearbooks(dot)com or 888-926-6571.
When I started this company back in 2000, one of my goals was to create a workplace that fostered the professional and personal development of employees  particularly women.

To commemorate International Womens Day, Glassdoor, the workplace review and jobs site, featured a few of the most highly rated women CEOs on the site. 24 Sevens founder and CEO Celeste Gudas was among this prestigious group which was ranked according to feedback shared by their own employees. These woman leaders head up U.S. based companies of all sizes.

Ms. Gudas 93% approval rating was the highest of the CEOs appearing on the list which also included General Motors CEO Mary Barra and PepsiCos Indra K. Nooyi. In the feature, Glassdoor also reported that 24 Sevens employees rate the company 4.1 stars out of 5 as a place to work.

To say that Im honored is an understatement. And the fact that I was featured to celebrate this particular day makes it even more significant to me personally, said Ms. Gudas, When I started this company back in 2000, one of my goals was to create a workplace that fostered the professional and personal development of employees  particularly women. I share this latest recognition that our company is a great place to work with the phenomenal team that personifies 24 Seven. Its very meaningful to me that our employees promote and appreciate the culture that weve created together.

Ms. Gudas has grown 24 Seven, a specialized talent recruitment firm, from a single New York office to twelve locations around the U.S. and the globe. From the start, the woman-owned company has been dedicated to creating an innovative and inclusive workplace. Women comprise over 90% of the employees and the companys magnetic culture influences a higher-than average employee retention rate for the recruiting industry.

About 24 Seven:

24 Seven is an award-winning creative staffing and recruiting firm that connects high caliber talent with leading brands, marketing departments, design firms, ad and interactive agencies. For 16 years, 24 Seven has been providing temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire and executive search solutions to leading organizations across many industries, including fashion, luxury retail, e-commerce and beauty. We support our clients' evolving talent demands with offices in New York, London, Toronto, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Orange County, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Philadelphia and Atlanta.
Moss Adams We understand the impact our clients will feel when implementing these new accounting standards, and we believe that our unique partnership with Moss Adams will help alleviate some of the burden.

Lucernex announced today that we have engaged Moss Adams to assist management in tackling the new lease accounting standards published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

Moss Adams, one of the 15 largest accounting and business consulting firms in the nation, will be assisting us in our testing of the Lucernex Lease Accounting and Lease Management solutions compliance with FASB and IASB standards.

Lucernex has always kept financial regulations and compliance top of mind. We provide a powerful financial tool that allows our clients to meet these new FASB guidelines with ease, stated Jim Short, Lucernexs Senior Solution Engineer. We understand the impact our clients will feel when implementing these new accounting standards, and we believe that our unique partnership with Moss Adams will help alleviate some of the burden.

The new FASB standard requires that companies and organizations recognize assets and liabilities for substantially all leases on the balance sheets. Companies have the option to not recognize lease assets and liabilities for leases with terms of 12 months or less than, but instead disclose the terms in their footnotes similar to how operating leases have been reported off-balance sheet for years.

Lease standards take effect for public business entities (and certain other entities) for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2018. All other companies have an additional year for compliance. However, early application is allowed by FASB.

Simple spreadsheet lease management may no longer be sufficient for maintaining compliance with the new requirements given the additional scrutiny on the right-of-use asset and liability, and additional reporting and disclosure requirements. We encourage companies to assess their readiness as early as possible. stated Charlie Shannon, Moss Adams Partner.

Moss Adams and Lucernex will also be holding local and web based educational events for Lucernex clients. More information regarding these educational events will be announced in the following weeks.

About Lucernex

Lucernex provides cloud based Integrated Workplace Management Solutions (IWMS) to both emerging and enterprise companies around the globe. Our analytics, market planning, site selection, contract management, project management, facility management and maintenance management solutions are used by our valued customers everyday and helps them drive revenue, reduce costs, ensure compliance and mitigate risk. For more information please visit us at http://www.lucernex.com

About Moss Adams

Moss Adams and its affiliates provide insight and expertise integral to the success of organizations across the globe.

Moss Adams LLP is a national leader in assurance, tax, consulting, risk management, transaction, and private client services.

Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC provides investment management, personal financial planning, and insurance strategies to help clients build and preserve their wealth.

Moss Adams Capital LLC offers strategic advisory and investment banking services, helping clients create greater value in their business.
Chris Binstadt, Head of Publisher Development at Twine 'Mobile data monetization is poised to explode.' -- Chris Binstadt

Twine, the leader in mobile data monetization, today announced it has appointed former Nexage VP Chris Binstadt as its new Head of Publisher Development and Strategic Alliances. Binstadt will be based in San Francisco and will be responsible for growing Twines mobile data supply and developing new products, services, and revenue streams for mobile app publishers. He brings a rich history to the role, with more than 15 years of building growth companies through product support, sales, and business development.

Mobile data monetization is poised to explode, and I believe Twine is ideally positioned to grow its leadership position in the space, said Binstadt. I took this role because of Twines vision and approach to data and because of the opportunity to help mobile app publishers solve problems and find new sources of revenue.

Twine is working with some of the most sophisticated app publishers in the world to safely monetize their data, said Elliott Easterling, Twines co-founder and CEO. Chris will strengthen our offering and accelerate our leadership position. The data business is funded in trust and legitimacy, and Chris brings plenty of that to Twine. 

Prior to joining Twine, Binstadt was VP of Strategic Alliances at Nexage, a leading programmatic exchange later acquired by Millennial Media, where he managed strategic accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, Zynga, and Electronic Arts. Prior to that, he was responsible for premium publisher accounts at Greystripe (acquired by Valueclick), including the Wall Street Journal, AT&T, and the NFL. Previous stints include roles with Nokia/NAVTEQ, Food.com, WebTV (acquired by Microsoft), and MetaTV (acquired by Comcast).

Binstadt will work alongside Twines VP of Business Development, Will McGivern-Smith, who joined Twine last fall from Nielsen Catalina Solutions. Our growth strategy is based on acquiring the highest-caliber talent in the industry, said Beth Morgan, Twines COO. Were fortunate that weve been able to attract top performers like Chris and Will.

About Twine

Twine is the leader in mobile data. We provide app publishers with the infrastructure to safely generate an incremental revenue stream while delivering mobile marketers high quality, 100% deterministic data to power their ad campaigns. Our deep network of publisher partners provides the top names in the business one-deal scale for mobile identity, audience, and location data. For more information, visit http://www.twinedata.com.

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Webinar to learn about the new abacus for adult tissue stem cells ...technology for counting adult tissue stem cells for the first time.

Asymmetrex, a stem cell medicine technology start-up company headquartered in Boston, began a social media campaign in late 2015 to increase awareness of a long-standing unmet need in stem cell research and stem cell biomedicine. Since the beginnings of stem cell biology in the 1950s, it has not been possible to count adult tissue stem cells. The problem stems from difficulty discovering biomarkers that recognize tissue stem cells, but not their more abundant relatives called committed progenitor cells.

The company has a lot of interest in rekindling attention to this stem cell counting problem, which has existed for so long that some stem cell investigators are unaware of it, some try to work as best they can while knowing it, or some ignore it. Each of these responses undermines the potential of stem cell research and stem cell medicine progress. By providing a solution, Asymmetrex has the potential to improve the quality of stem cell research and greatly accelerate progress in stem cell-based regenerative medicine, including drug development and gene therapies.

Both the educational campaign and the webinar are hosted by the UK social media network RegMedNet. In anticipation of the webinar, RegMedNet posted an audio interview with Asymmetrex Director James Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. on March 14. During the campaign, Director Sherley has posted discussions that describe how the ability to count adult tissue stem cells will transform a wide range of practices in stem cell research, regenerative medicine, drug development, and even environmental health science. Suggested transformations include early identification of drug candidates that would cause organ and tissue failure later in more costly animal studies and clinical trials; evaluation of the stem cell sufficiency of cord blood bank donor samples; determination of the dose of stem cells in transplantation treatments; and increased efficiency and long-term efficacy in gene therapies and gene-editing therapeutics.

In the RegMedNet audio interview, Sherley related the scientific history that culminated in the new AlphaSTEM technology for counting adult tissue stem cells. A key partner in the development of the technology is the statistical modeling and computer simulation leader AlphaSTAR Corp. The two companies are now seeking venture funding to spin out a new company, AlphaSTEM Co., that will further develop and market the new counting technology.

In the upcoming March 22 webinar, Asymmetrex will continue its aim of introducing the attributes of the new technology to the stem cell biology, drug development, regenerative medicine, gene therapy, and gene-editing therapeutics communities. Director Sherley will present the essential elements of the AlphaSTEM method and the results of several experimental validations. Significant time will be allotted for discussion with webinar attendees. The partnering companies are particularly interested in this initial public comment.

About Asymmetrex

Asymmetrex, LLC is a Massachusetts life sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. Asymmetrexs founder and director, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on the unique properties of adult tissue stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems  production and quantification  that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing induced pluripotent stem cells for disease research purposes. Currently, Asymmetrexs focus is employing its technological advantages to develop facile methods for monitoring adult stem cell number and function in clinically important human tissues.
Programmatic Reporting This powerful tool allows revenue ops, ad ops and sales to automate, aggregate and organize their programmatic data through the use of proven technology. says Mike Lewis, President and Co-Founder of Ad-Juster.

Ad-Juster, the leader in third-party data aggregation and ad delivery discrepancy management technologies, has announced new capabilities that will eliminate many of the inefficient repetitive tasks facing ad operations professionals. Ad-Justers newest offering  programmatic reporting  enables publishers to simplify workflows while experiencing faster, accurate and more reliable results.

The labor-heavy task of monitoring partner revenue streams falls on the shoulders of ad operations teams. They must carefully monitor vast amounts of information in relation to eCPMs and fill rates for multiple sources  from Rubicon to Google Ad Exchange to any of the hundreds of supply-side networks, exchanges and trading desks. Considering the variability of rates offered by vendors and the risk of devaluing publisher audience inventory, the stakes are high. Accuracy and precision must be applied when monitoring revenue, impressions, discrepancies and fill rates for each demand source.

This is a growing challenge, as spending in this area continues to rise. In fact, total US programmatic ad revenue was on track to reach $15 billion in 2015, according to BI Intelligence estimates. RTB, particularly mobile and video RTB, are fueling this growth. As a result, ad ops teams are working feverishly to keep up with the growing data and reporting challenges it presents.

Programmatic reporting allows companies to recapture and maximize the value of each dollar spent. Ad-Justers technology works by pulling reports from dozens of third-party digital ad systems and then consolidating the various data into reports and live dashboards. This automation creates increased transparency with capabilities, such as:



Viewing revenue by platform. Data is ready to view 24 hours after adding log-ins.

eCpm by platform, advertiser, and more. View how your inventory is being purchased across many channels quickly. Identify and close loopholes allowing advertisers to pay less for inventory based on the where they buy it.

Visibility into fill rate by platform. Prioritize partners by quickly viewing who is filling to maximize the yield.

We are thrilled to provide our industry-proven data management technology for digital publishers indirect sales channels, says Mike Lewis, President and Co-Founder of Ad-Juster. This powerful tool allows revenue ops, ad ops and sales to automate, aggregate and organize their programmatic data through the use of proven technology.

About Ad-Juster Inc.

Ad-Juster is a data management platform for digital publishers, ad agencies, ad networks and ad tech platforms. Its the only fully automated reconciliation and aggregate reporting system in the digital ad industry. Ad-Juster specializes in Display Ad Reporting, 3rd Party Data Aggregation, Programmatic Reporting, Ad Viewability, Mobile and Video Reporting, 3rd Party Tag Verification, Automated Buffer Optimization and more.

Digital publishers, ad agencies and networks are provided with a single centralized web-based location to connect to and aggregate data from supported third-party and local ad servers. The technology integrates with all major publisher ad serving systems, top third-party platforms, order management systems, billing and invoicing systems, data warehousing, proprietary systems and SalesForce. For more information, visit http://www.ad-juster.com.
The customization, support, and proven track record are what separated the InfoSnap solution from its competitors. Many districts in the area, as well as throughout the entire state, successfully use the InfoSnap solution.

PowerSchool Groups InfoSnap Online Student Registration will streamline data collection for Californias Jefferson Union High School District. The 4,800-student district is going green to improve efficiency and decrease costs associated with the collection and management of student information. Seamless integration between the InfoSnap solution and the districts student information system (SIS), Synergy, will result in accurate data by the first day of school.

Annual student registration was a time-consuming and paper-intensive process. It was imperative to implement a more efficient solution, eliminating the burden placed on our families and staff each year, as well as the costs associated with paper-based student registration. Were going green and saving over $30,000 a year in summer mailings, said Director of Technology and Information Services, Simon Bettis of Jefferson Union High School District.

The electronic format allows families who have more than one child in the district to snap data from one student to another. SmartForm technology, an intuitive tool built into the solution, collects relevant data based on previously entered information or choices (grade, activities, medical history, etc.). The data submitted by families is reviewed, polished, and formatted to meet district policies and then delivered into Synergy, resulting in up-to-date records on the first day of school.

Were excited to launch a paperless process for our school community. Families will be able to complete registration from the comfort of their own home and kiosks will be available at the district for those who dont have internet access. Its a much more efficient process for our school staff as they will no longer have to manually enter data from our partner schools into our student information system, notes Bettis.

Jefferson Union High School District did its due diligence by reviewing several online registration providers. The customization, support, and proven track record are what separated the InfoSnap solution from its competitors. Many districts in the area, as well as throughout the entire state, successfully use the InfoSnap solution. It offers us something weve never had before  the ability to see who has and hasnt started the registration process. Well know our numbers before the start of each school year so that we can allocate our resources appropriately, said Bettis.

About PowerSchool Group LLC

PowerSchool, the #1 leading provider of K-12 technology solutions, serves more than 40 million users and over 15 million students in 70+ countries, playing a central role in K-12 education around the world. PowerSchool provides industry leading best-in-class secure, compliant school operations solutions including Student Information System and Student Enrollment solutions, including online applications, school choice lotteries, new and annual student registration designed specifically for Pre K-12 independent, charter, and public schools of any size. PowerSchool also provides innovative digital classroom capabilities, enabling a consistent user experience for managing attendance, grading, assignments, assessments and analytics to empower teachers and drive student growth. Learn more about PowerSchool at http://www.powerschool.com.
The Legal Cloud Computing Association released the first set of cloud security standards crafted specifically for the legal industry today at ABA TECHSHOW.

Cybersecurity and protection of privileged client data are paramount concerns today in the legal industry. Additionally, the ABA Model Rules impose a duty on lawyers to use reasonable efforts to prevent unauthorized access to client data and made related changes to address the advances of technology. The LCCA has issued 21 standards to assist law firms and attorneys in addressing these needs.

Version 1.0 of the standards was created after the associations initial draft was opened to a 30-day public comment period. The standards were also reviewed by an expert panel of advisors including: Craig Ball, board certified trial lawyer, certified computer forensic examiner, law professor and electronic evidence expert; Chad Burton, Burton Law LCC and CuroLegal; Adriana Linares, LawTech Partners; Kelly Twigger, ESI Attorneys LLC and eDiscovery Assistant; Antigone Peyton, Cloudigy Law PLLC and member of the Sedona Conference; and Jonathan Redgrave, Redgrave LLP and Chair Emeritus at The Sedona Conference Working Group 1.

The completed LCCA Security Standards are public for all to review at: http://www.legalcloudcomputingassociation.org/standards/.

Weve received feedback on these standards from attorneys, bar associations, law societies, law firms, and leading technology companies, said Jack Newton, President of the LCCA. Each gave their support for the LCCAs efforts to organize standards that help with law firms security.

Compared favorably to the Sedona Conferences e-discovery efforts in Above the Law, the LCCA is becoming a central authority on cybersecurity in legal technology. The association will continue to research and adjust the Cloud Security Standards to meet emerging concerns surrounding confidential information.

Theres a reason were referring to this as version 1.0 of the LCCA Security Standards: technology must constantly evolve to meet new threats, and so too will these standards. The LCCA will help the legal industry stay prepared and secure, added Newton.

Newton said the LCCA has recently been approached by many potential new members ranging from Fortune 500 technology titans to emergent legaltech startups, and expects to make new membership announcements shortly. Interested legal technology companies can apply via the LCCAs website.

About the Legal Cloud Computing Association:

Formed in 2010, The Legal Cloud Computing Association (LCCA) is the collective voice of the leading cloud computing software providers for the legal profession. The LCCAs inaugural members consist of Clio (Themis Solutions, Inc.), DirectLaw, Inc., NetDocuments Inc., Nextpoint, Inc., Onit, Inc., and Rocket Matter, LLC. To find out more about the LCCA, visit http://www.legalcloudcomputingassociation.org/.

About Clio:

Clio is the most comprehensive cloud-based practice management platform for the legal

industry. With the help of the cloud, Clio eases the process of time tracking, billing, administration, and collaboration for law firms of all sizes. Based in Vancouver, B.C. and launched in 2008, Clio is used by legal professionals in over 50 countries. Clio has raised $27 million from investors including Bessemer Venture Partners. Learn more at http://www.clio.com.
NCAS not only inspires community college students to advance in STEM fields, but it also opens doors for future careers at NASA.

Salt Lake Community College student Katlynne Bills has been selected to travel to NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory Center this spring to participate in the [NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars project (NCAS). Bills was selected as one of 216 community college students from across the U.S. to be part of NCAS.

NCAS not only inspires community college students to advance in STEM fields, but it also opens doors for future careers at NASA, said Tania B. Davis, manager of the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). NCAS has a legacy of alumni moving from NASA internships to and ultimately entering the NASA workforce. It is rewarding to see the progression of a student from NCAS participant to NASA colleague.

The five-week scholars program culminates with a four-day on-site event at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and offers students the opportunity to interact with NASA engineers and others as they learn more about careers in science and engineering. While at NASA, students form teams and establish fictional companies interested in Mars exploration. Each team is responsible for developing and testing a prototype rover, forming a company infrastructure, managing a budget, and developing communications and outreach.

The on-site experience at NASA includes a tour of facilities and briefings by NASA subject matter experts. NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars is a project funded in part by MUREP, which is committed to the recruitment of underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to sustain a diverse workforce. With this project, NASA continues the agencys tradition of investing in the nations educational programs. It is directly tied to the agency's major education goal of attracting and retaining students in STEM disciplines critical to NASAs future missions, which include missions to Mars and beyond. For additional information, please contact National Community College Aerospace Scholars by email at JSC-NCAS@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at 281-483-0493.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the College is Utahs leading provider of workforce development programs. SLCC is also the largest supplier of transfer students to Utahs four-year institutions and a perennial Top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded. The College is the sole provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area, with multiple locations, an eCampus, and nearly 1,000 continuing education sites located throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Personal attention from an excellent faculty is paramount at the College, which maintains an average class size of 20.
Career Partners International-Houston is proud to be sponsoring such a beneficial, innovative event.

Advancing women in the workplace, in both corporate and entrepreneurial roles, continues to be a topic that Career Partners International  Houston believes in supporting. CPI Houston is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring an upcoming event for high growth women entrepreneurs at the Circular Summit. This invitation-only event will involve a select group of 250 esteemed female founders, mentors, media, investors and experts from across the US. The event is set for April 14-15 in Houston.

The Circular Summit was created in order to support women-led ventures. Career Partners International  Houston is committed to supporting the development of current and future women leaders in traditional corporate roles and those choosing to enter the entrepreneurial world.

It is time to increase the numbers of women CEOs in the top 3% of the Fortune 100. We are changing this by helping women understand the three pillars of their companies; purpose, profit and people, said Carolyn Rodz, CEO of Circular Board and co-chair of Circular Summit.

Career Partners International  Houston believes that the Circular Summit is the ideal opportunity to focus on womens leadership topics that explore the emerging and best practices, as they relate to women in the workplace.

Circular Summit, presented by Circular Board is an interactive challenge to build bigger, bolder, smarter businesses that scale by creating strategic partnerships, accessing sources of capital and creating more purpose-driven organizations.

The Summit has attracted well-known leaders in business as featured speakers, including:



Elizabeth Gore, Entrepreneur In Residence, Dell

Janet Gurwitch, Operating Partner, Castanea Partners and former Founder and CEO, Laura Mercier

Maureen Hackett, Honorary Chair, Circular Summit and Philanthropist

Rachel Roy, Designer and Philanthropist

Mikaila Ulmer, ten-year-old Founder, BeeSweet Lemonade

Cindy Whitehead, Co-Founder, Sprout Pharmaceuticals

Jane Wurwand, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary, Dermalogica

Career Partners International-Houston welcomes the opportunity to partner with this extraordinary group of women leading the way in business. For information about the event or to request an invitation, please contact Erinn McMahon at +1.281.830.3130 or erinn(dot)mcmahon(at)cpitexla(dot)com.
Saturn Systems, a Duluth-based software engineering firm, has been named to the 2016 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For by Minnesota Business Magazine. This marks the companys second year on the list.

Our employees are the driving force behind the success of our business, said President and CEO Keith Erickson. We pride ourselves on establishing a corporate culture where our employees feel challenged, respected, appreciated and satisfied in their jobs. We are honored to receive this distinction again.

Saturn Systems provides custom software development solutions to clients across the nation, in a variety of industries. The companys focus ranges from project-based development and quality assurance testing to fully integrated staff augmentation teams. Saturns key advantage is our highly skilled software engineers, coupled with our location in Duluth, which allows us to offer quality services at significantly lower rates than metro-based firms, said Scott Risdal, VP of Business Development.

Growth on the Horizon

Named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the U.S. for five years in a row, Saturn Systems celebrated its 25th Anniversary last year. The company is currently hiring for several additional positions and projects a 15-20% increase in staff by the end of the year, with no plans of slowing down.

About Saturn Systems

Saturn Systems has provided custom software development and quality assurance services since 1990. Focusing on core technologies including .NET, Java and C++, and an Agile software development process, Saturn provides services across many industry sectors. Based in Duluth, Minnesota, Saturn Systems competes with high cost metro based-firms and offshore firms by providing an attractive, lower cost, U.S. based alternative called Rural Outsourcing.
M-Files Corporation, a provider of solutions that leverage a unique new metadata-based approach to dramatically improve how businesses manage documents and other information, today announced a $36 million round of Series B funding led by Partech Ventures, with participation from Finnish Industry Investment and Draper Esprit.

M-Files continues to experience explosive worldwide growth resulting in a six-year compound growth rate of nearly 1,000 percent. The new investment will further accelerate existing sales and marketing activities, as well as expansion into new markets in North America, EMEA and APAC. The company will also focus on expanding and strengthening its global partner network, which currently consists of over 450 partners operating in more than 100 countries.

While other systems manage information according to antiquated folder structures, with M-Files, content is not tied to a specific location, but is intuitively classified and managed based on "what" it is versus "where" it's stored. This approach also enables organizations to easily and directly integrate core business systems, such as CRM, ERP and HR, with documents and other unstructured content.

The M-Files approach relies on a unique metadata-driven architecture that enables users to quickly find and access information based on its relevance, regardless of the system or repository in which it is stored. This patent-pending technology also forms the foundation of a revolutionary new repository-agnostic solution that creates an intelligent metadata layer that overlays and unifies existing data repositories and core business systems, including Documentum, OpenText, SharePoint, Box, Salesforce, SAP and others. The new solution also employs state-of-the-art search, auto-classification and machine learning technologies that enable businesses to intelligently manage information based on its value, without migration or duplication, and without disturbing other core business processes and applications.

Were excited about working with the world-class team at Partech Ventures to accelerate our plans for sustained growth, said Jim Geary, executive chairman of M-Files Corporation. Were succeeding by helping customers in a variety of industries with key business processes related to accounting, HR and quality management, with solutions that are simple, secure and scalable. This funding will enable us to build on that success, as well as further develop our world-class professional services organization, and expand local teams in the UK, continental Europe and APAC to better support our customers and partners.

"Partech Ventures invested in M-Files not only because of their demonstrated track record of success, proven leadership and enormous market potential, but also because we saw a unique vision for a new generation of solution beyond traditional document management and enterprise content management (ECM) that has the potential to transform the market," said Bruno Cremel, General Partner at Partech.

About Partech Ventures

Partech Ventures is an international investor specialized in high-growth digital and ICT companies with three types of fundings: seed capital (Partech Entrepreneur), venture capital (Partech International) and growth capital (Partech Growth). With offices in the Silicon Valley, Paris and Berlin, the Partech team has a strong experience in the international development of companies. Since its creation, Partech Ventures has achieved 21 IPOs and more than 50 sales worth more than $100 million to large global companies. Due to its track record, Partech Ventures has been identified by Preqin - the independent source of data and intelligence  as one of the top ten global venture capital funds, being the only European amongst the first 25. For more information, visit http://www.partechventures.com.

About M-Files Corporation

M-Files enterprise information management (EIM) solutions eliminate information silos and provide quick and easy access to the right content from any core business system and device. M-Files achieves higher levels of user adoption resulting in faster ROI with a uniquely intuitive approach to EIM that is based on managing information by "what" it is versus "where" it's stored. With flexible on-premises, cloud and hybrid deployment options, M-Files places the power of EIM in the hands of the business user and reduces demands on IT by enabling those closest to the business need to access and control content based on their requirements. Thousands of organizations in over 100 countries use the M-Files EIM system as a single platform for managing front office and back office business operations, which improves productivity and quality while ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards, including companies such as SAS, OMV and NBC Universal. For more information, visit http://www.m-files.com.

M-Files is a registered trademark of M-Files Corporation. All other registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Cubic Logo - 2014 Cubic is an invaluable partner in supporting the museums mission of education and preservation of Londons magnificent transport history.

Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), a business unit of Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB), received an award of recognition from Transport for London (TfL) for its long-standing support of the London Transport Museum.

The museum explores the story of London and its transport system over the last 200 years and is regarded as having the largest collection of urban transport displays and exhibitions. Cubic has been partnering with the museum for more than 25 years and sponsors various events and activities including the Cubic Theatre, Tube150  a year-long celebration of London Undergrounds 150th anniversary in 2013  and this years Transported by Design exhibition celebrating the role design plays across the transport network.

Cubic is an invaluable partner in supporting the museums mission of education and preservation of Londons magnificent transport history, said Sam Mullins, director of London Transport Museum. This recognition is well deserved and reinforces the spirit of community this institution brings to our city, and its role in engaging the imaginations of both future transport users and career seekers.

We have always appreciated the opportunity to contribute to such an important part of Londons culture and history, particularly to support our long-time customer, said Roger Crow, executive vice president and managing director for CTS Europe. Cubic is closely connected to the evolution of Londons transport history  from magnetic tickets to the Oyster card, and today with contactless bankcard payment across the network.

# # #

About Cubic Corporation

Cubic Corporation designs, integrates and operates systems, products and services focused in the transportation, defense training and secure communications markets. As the parent company of two major business units, Cubics mission is to increase situational awareness and understanding for customers worldwide. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services to create intelligent travel solutions for public transit authorities and operators. Cubic Global Defense is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems, secure communications and networking and highly specialized support services for military and security forces of the U.S. and allied nations. For more information about Cubic, please visit the companys website at http://www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp.

Media Contacts

Hannah Williams

Director, Technology

Zeno Group

+44 20 3047 2675

Hannah.williams(at)zenogroup(dot)com

Laura Chon

Corporate Communications

Cubic Corporation

858-505-2181

Laura.chon(at)cubic(dot)com
Dignitaries who attended the 18th Microcredit Summit (Photo credit: Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development) Together we can make a world where everyone has access to the financial services that help them mitigate their risks, take advantage of opportunities and build assets for the future, where human beings fulfill their potential in solving human problems

The 18th Microcredit Summit concluded on Wednesday in the capital under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Organised by the Microcredit Summit Campaign in partnership with Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) the Summit gathered 1000 global policy makers, central bank managers, and microfinance experts to explore and discuss innovative financial inclusion strategies that can create clear pathways to economic and social inclusion. High-level dignitaries attending the Summit included H.M. Queen Sofia of Spain, Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, UAE Minister of Economy H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Arab Monetary Fund Director General Chairman H.E Dr. Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohammed Yunus.

The delegates recognized the importance of microfinance and financial inclusion in contributing to a balanced distribution of development growth, poverty alleviation, reduction in unemployment, social welfare, empowerment of women as well as its contribution to other economic benefits that enhance the pillars of a sustainable economy.

At the closing ceremony, the summit partners committed to a declaration that supports the success of the Universal Financial Access 2020 goal, the World Bank 2030 goals, and the U.N. Global Goals.

Larry Reed, director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign, recommended a focused and collaborative approach among governments, regulators, businesses, financial institutions, and citizens towards building strong, stable financial systems for the most marginalized segments of society.

Reed said: "We accomplish this when we understand that we cannot achieve our potential as nations or a global community as long as we exclude people from basic services. Together we can make a world where everyone has access to the financial services that help them mitigate their risks, take advantage of opportunities and build assets for the future, where human beings fulfill their potential in solving human problems."

H.E. Abdullah S. Al Darmaki, CEO of Khalifa Fund commented on the declaration that aims to devise financial instruments and programs that support targeted efforts to reduce poverty and promote social. Nasser Bakr al-Kahtani, CEO of AGFUND, reaffirmed AGFUNDs commitment to execute the declaration with the support of high level decision makers, executives, and leaders.

Abu Dhabi Declaration on Economic Empowerment and Social Inclusion includes:

Work with governments and regulators to develop national financial inclusion strategies that:



Utilize digital technology to build a national payments system that can reach everyone at low cost

Create space for specialized financial institutions that provide a broad range of financial services that include saving to micro, small and medium businesses owners.

Build financial systems that include a package of diverse and integrated services geared for low-income people

Develop legislation and incentives to encourage banks and financial institutions to adopt clear policies and strategies to increase the share of micro-projects of the total loan portfolio

Expand financial literacy/education so that people can use financial products in a way that improves their lives and helps them build assets

Developing innovative financial options for entrepreneurs through:



Extending agricultural value chains to reach small scale farmers, especially in the rural areas.

Linking government social payments to financial systems in a way that expands financial inclusion

Creating graduation pathways from social payments and basic livelihoods to micro, small and medium sized businesses

Increasing the financial access for Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME's)

Creating partnerships between sectors and institutions that link increased financial inclusion to greater social inclusion, including:



Expanding access to health financing, health insurance, and health education

Expanding training and access for women

Creating employment opportunities for all those who can work, especially youth

Providing financial services for the older people and people with disability.

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The Microcredit Summit Campaign (the Campaign), a project of RESULTS Educational Fund, is a global network of institutions and individuals involved in microfinance and is committed to expanding microfinance to the worlds poorest families and helping them lift themselves out of extreme poverty. The Campaign convenes a broad array of actors involved with microfinance to promote best practices in the field, to stimulate the exchange of knowledge and to work towards alleviating world poverty through microfinance.
Feature pressure and a need to develop and deploy apps quickly are some of the key reasons that the necessary security considerations are often overlooked in mobile app development. Appmobi solves this security challenge for the enterprise.

Appmobi (https://appmobi.com), a Mobile Security-as-a-Service (MSaaS) company that makes enterprise-grade mobile apps secure in minutes, today announced the launch of Appmobi Native Support, an all-in-one solution that instantly adds enterprise-grade security at the code level to both new and existing native iOS, Android and Windows Phone mobile apps. Appmobi is the first platform uniquely dedicated to providing enterprise-grade security to native and Cordova-based HTML5 apps with astonishingly fast deployment. The Appmobi Secure Mobile Platform easily integrates and works with a developers existing development tools, providing the mobile services required to build truly secure mobile apps in an easy-to-install package  all hosted on the Appmobi Secure Cloud, an enterprises private cloud, or on premise.

Feature pressure and a need to develop and deploy apps quickly are some of the key reasons that the necessary security considerations are often overlooked in mobile app development, said Marcel E. Smit, CEO of Appmobi. As a result, many mobile apps  including native apps  are being released into the enterprise in an insecure state. Appmobi addresses this challenge head on and makes it easy to integrate security into mobile apps at the code level in a matter of minutes.

Why Appmobi

Employees bring their own devices, and access and input data on a daily basis in an increasingly mobile way. Enterprise IT departments are being asked to cater to this new reality, but the numbers are not in their favor. Gartner forecasts that by the end of 2017 the market demand for mobile app development resources will grow at least five times faster than internal IT organizations capacity to deliver. Appmobi adds the deepest layer of security possible for new and existing native mobile apps and Cordova-based HTML5 mobile apps within minutes, and security can be customized  at the app level, device level, and/or the individual level.

Appmobi Native Support key features include:



Appmobi Security Kit provides a strong foundation to quickly build secure, IT compliant apps. Security settings are completely configurable, and app data is protected at-rest, in-use, and in-transport. Developers can integrate applications with existing authentication gateways faster than ever before, and can easily select their level of data encryption and user authentication within minutes.

Secure Push Messaging is part of the core line of defense to secure enterprise messages. It encrypts messages with multiple levels of key security (server/device), and offers enterprises the ability to force authentication on top of the encryption to keep vital information confidential.

Secure Analytics delivers realtime intelligence from a fully scalable, secure privatestack, and is tested for optimal enterprise us, helping developers know what theyre protecting while theyre protecting it.

Secure Data Store provides a safe and secure way to store encrypted data on the mobile device as well as the Appmobi Secure Mobile Platform server - mirrored from device to server with configurable syncing options.

Appmobi solves the security challenge for the enterprise. We integrate with other enterprise mobility solutions and differentiate in that we focus solely on security, said Mark Stutzman, CTO of Appmobi. We offer functionality that extends beyond a core set of security capabilities. Our goal is to be the security technology layer for mobile apps utilized in support of an enterprise mobility strategy.

The full range of Appmobi services are available on the public cloud at no charge via the Appmobi Secure Cloud. Developers can sign up on the Appmobi portal and immediately use the services without the need to sign up for Amazon Web Services (AWS), launch instances, or configure the backend. The service is free for up to 500 devices and can be seamlessly transitioned to private stack services.

View a short video of how Appmobi works or visit https://appmobi.com to learn more.

About Appmobi

Appmobi is a Mobile Security-as-a-Service (MSaaS) company that makes enterprise-grade mobile apps secure in minutes, not months. It is the first company of its kind to provide enterprise-grade security to hybrid HTML5, Cordova and native mobile apps at such an astonishingly fast deployment. The Appmobi Secure Mobile Platform works with a developers existing development tools, and provides the services required to build truly secure mobile apps in an easy-to-install package  all hosted on the Appmobi Secure Cloud, an enterprises private cloud or on premise.

Originally founded in 2006, the Appmobi Software Development Kit (SDK) was acquired by Intel in February 2013. Based in San Francisco and Poughkeepsie, NY, Appmobi is a privately held company backed by Aspire Ventures. Follow @Appmobi on Twitter or learn more at https://appmobi.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

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"The iManage user conference is all about creating connections," said Neil Araujo, CEO of iManage.

iManage today released the agenda for its first user conference, ConnectLive 2016, scheduled to take place in Chicago, May 11-12 and London, May 18-19. Across four days and two continents, iManage is bringing together CIOs and IT professionals, technical architects, administrators and members of the press and analyst community to learn and share ideas on how professional work is changing and how the management of work product is adapting in response to those changes.

The agenda includes a jam-packed two days with keynote sessions, three tracks of educational sessions (business, technical and developer focused) and exhibits from iManage and iManage partners.

Keynotes will include Hyperion Research President Eyal Iffergan and Senior Analyst Christopher OConnor discussing first-hand the trends in the legal marketplace as well as iManage CEO Neil Araujo providing a high level overview on the Vision for the Future, laying out iManages vision and strategy for 2016 and beyond. The company will also host a Reception and Gala dinner, providing a networking opportunity on day one.

The iManage user conference is all about creating connections. Between customers and partners. Between professionals in the legal and other industries. Between those that are working with advanced technology and others that are still searching for solutions to important issues in their businesses, said Neil Araujo, CEO of iManage. At the event, well explore those solutions in more than 25 educational sessions across Business, Technical and Developer tracks. Well talk about industry trends and how to address them. Well get real with people that have already implemented. And well discuss the concerns of those that havent.

Click here to register for Chicago, May 11-12 and London, May 18-19.

About iManage

iManage is the leading provider of work product management solutions for legal, accounting and financial services firms and the corporate departments they serve worldwide. Every day iManage helps professionals streamline the creation, sharing, governance and security of their work product. Nearly 3,000 organizations around the worldincluding more than 1,800 law firmsrely on iManage to help them deliver great client work. Headquartered in Chicago, iManage is a management-owned company.
Were looking forward to connecting with even more entrepreneurs this year who want to join us in introducing this degree of culinary artistry to the U.S.

Le Macaron French Pastries, a chic pastry shop and cafe concept offering customers a taste of France in every bite, announced today its expansion goals for 2016.

With the year well underway, the brand is gearing up for nationwide development throughout the southwestern U.S. before stretching expansively toward the East Coast. Spurred primarily by a pioneering expansion initiative, this years growth plans call for 60 additional franchise locations by years end 15 of which are currently under development.

Its been a pleasure to share our expertise with committed owner-operators thus far, Manager and President Rosalie Guillem said. Were looking forward to connecting with even more entrepreneurs this year who want to join us in introducing this degree of culinary artistry to the U.S.

Launched in 2009, Le Macaron French Pastries has since grown to 37 locations, both corporate-owned and franchised. The European-inspired patisserie concept is the brainchild of mother-daughter duo Rosalie Guillem and Audrey Guillem-Saba, who founded the business shortly after coming to the U.S. Featuring the lauded French macaron as its specialty offering, Le Macaron French Pastries offers customers 20 different flavors of the dessert, with newly-featured varieties every day. Guests can also enjoy an assortment of fine gourmet chocolates, imported French-style gelato, espresso, and other classic French pastries in a chic shop setting characterized by luxury.

We have tested and perfected our recipes, and we are very proud of the quality of our products, Guillem added. We continue to stay true to our core philosophy of providing people a little luxury  and the chance to slow down long enough to appreciate the quality of a thing done right.

The Le Macaron French Pastries concept operates within an increasingly popular market niche within the $36 billion U.S. bakery product industry. Over the past year, national retail outlets have seen a 40 percent growth in sales of macarons. Franchisees receive start-up and ongoing support as they launch their own store location, including assistance with new product development, operations and management, and customer feedback programs.

A typical Le Macaron French Pastries location occupies 800 to 1,000 commercial square feet of space. Macarons are handcrafted in a central kitchen to ensure quality and freshness, then delivered to store locations. Individual franchise locations require no on-site baking preparation and minimal staffing requirements, which allows a franchisees focus to remain on premium customer service.

Were offering a streamlined business model designed with simplicity in mind, and we are excited to share our experience and knowledge with new franchisees, Guillem said. No other pastry shop, bakery or cafe offers the same ambience, variety, quality, convenience and simplicity of operations that Le Macaron French Pastries does.

About Le Macaron French Pastries

Launched in 2009, Sarasota, Florida-based Le Macaron French Pastries (http://www.lemacaron-us.com) is a franchised pastry shop business creating an elegant cafe ambiance with all the charms of a traditional patisserie. Customers enjoy a sophisticated product selection, featuring handcrafted French macarons made from the finest ingredients. Franchise owners convert 800 to 1,000 square feet of commercial space into modern, attractive boutiques with the help of a streamlined business model and first-rate expertise in retail management. Le Macaron French Pastries has grown to encompass 37 locations  with 15 additional locations under development. The franchise brand continues to seek interested owner-operators as it prepares to expand throughout the United States.

For more information on the Le Macaron French Pastries franchise opportunity, visit lemacaron-us.com or e-mail lemacaronfranchise(at)gmail(dot)com.
Codeless mobile app development platform

Work in manufacturing industry requires flexibility and work in the field using paper forms. Most manufacturing workers have smartphones. Now workers can use their smartphones to do rapid operations and work with data anywhere, any time while saving time and money. Snappii, which has over 250 free and customizable business apps in the Apple and Google Stores, offers powerful and feature-rich manufacturing apps, that can be 100% customized to meet the specific needs of each organization. Thanks to Snappiis codeless DIY App Builder, customers can build or customize apps without any programming.

For quick and convenient manufacture inspections, Snappii offers Manufacture Inspection app. It is an ideal solution to perform manufacture inspections on premises and ensure that everything on manufacture sites is in order and does not require repairs. Also, Manufacture Inspection app provides safety for employees at work. The app embraces a large range of aspects on sites and involves:



Training

Environment

Work process

Fire emergency procedures

Means of exit

Warehouse and shipping

Loading/unloading racks

Lightning

Machine guards

Electrical

Tools and machinery

Confined spaces

Housekeeping

Floor and wall openings

Elevating devices

Sound level and noise

Temporary work structures

Employees facilities

Medical and first aids

Personal protective equipment

Materials handling and storage

Manufacture Inspection app allows users to:

Perform manufacture inspections on smartphones and tablets

Save and store completed inspections on a device

Email completed inspections

Generate PDF and Excel reports and share them

Import users own fillable PDF forms

Sync completed inspections across multiple devices

Print reports out

Work offline and online

Welding Environment Inspection app is another useful tool for manufacturing industry. With this app users will always have a welding safety inspection checklist and reports of previously completed inspections right at the fingertips. The main features of the app are:

Detailed information about the company being inspected and the inspector

Separate Personal Protective Equipment checklists for up to 12 welders

Checklists on WHMIS, standards, oxy/fuel Systems, electrical and abrasive equipment, hand tools, and some other guidelines

The ability to sign, save, retrieve, edit, and email the safety inspection reports in PDF format

Local data storage

Community forum

Users can use Snappiis Energy Efficiency app to conduct energy efficiency inspections at the manufacture. The app covers the following aspects:

Facility conservation program

Internal checks

External checks

Facility issues

Pre-holiday shutdown procedures

Recommendations

Users can easily start a new inspection, fill it out and save on the device. The collected checklists can be edited later and re-sent if needed. Each time users perform an inspection, it will create PDF files that can be shared via email, uploaded to cloud drives and printed out. The energy efficiency calculator will help to calculate the cost of kW/hour and reduce expenses and bills.

Manufactures need constant inventories. Inventory Anything app can help specialists to quickly and easily conduct any inventory. With this app users will be able to:

Instantly collect and manage any inventory

Add information about different items

Capture photos, text, cost

Scan bar codes

Calculate sales, cost and profit

Generate and share custom PDF reports with all items listed

There is a huge amount of useful apps at the Snappii website http://www.snappii.com. All these apps are available for free download from Apple and Google Play Stores.

Moreover, users are able to order custom app development and get ready-made apps in days not months. All apps can be customized with necessary features just in a few days. Snappii allows customers to increase companys efficiency, optimize the workflow, reduce costs and improve the business. The combination of reasonable price, quality and high speed of work will benefit any user.

About Snappii:

Snappii is a unique instant mobile solution for business that offers both a platform to create mobile business apps without programming in days, not months, and a wide selection of ready-made industry specific apps that can be downloaded from the iTunes and Google Play stores at no cost. Over 27,000 apps have already been built on Snappii by large, medium and small companies. Learn more at http://www.Snappii.com
Free kidney health screenings are available at the American Kidney Fund's Kidney Action Day Our Kidney Action Day events help shine a spotlight on this silent killer in communities across the country.

Residents of six cities nationwide will take action against a silent killer at the American Kidney Funds (AKF) popular Kidney Action Day events beginning this Saturday, March 19, in Bessemer, Alabama, outside Birmingham. Additional Kidney Action Day events will be held in Philadelphia (April 29), Washington, D.C. (July 10), Chicago (August 10), Houston (October 9) and New Orleans (October 22). Event details can be found at KidneyActionDay.org.

Kidney Action Day is AKFs signature outreach event that brings chronic kidney disease (CKD) awareness and free health screenings to thousands of individuals who are at risk. Held in communities where rates of kidney disease are above the national average, Kidney Action Day is free and open to the public, and features kidney health screenings, health education, healthy cooking demonstrations, fitness activities and fun for children. Kidney Action Day is made possible through the generous support of Presenting National Screening Sponsor American Renal Associates, National Screening Sponsor U.S. Renal Care, Inc., and Regional Sponsor Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

An estimated 31 million Americans are living with chronic kidney disease, but most of them dont even know it. And millions more Americans are at risk because of diabetes and high blood pressure, the leading causes of kidney disease, said LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund. Our Kidney Action Day events help shine a spotlight on this silent killer in communities across the country. With the support of our generous sponsors, three outstanding leaders in the renal field, we are reaching those with the greatest need.

Burton noted that many cases of kidney disease could be prevented by controlling the underlying conditions that most often cause it--diabetes and high blood pressure. Other factors that put people at risk for kidney disease include a family history of the disease, being African-American, Hispanic or Asian-American, and being over age 60.

Prevention is vital to keeping at-risk individuals in good health, and early detection through testing is a key factor in slowing or stopping the progression of CKD. At its Kidney Action Day events, AKF screens attendees for kidney disease risk factors, including diabetes and high blood pressure, and provides a blood test that checks kidney function in individuals at high risk.

About the American Kidney Fund

As the nations leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 31 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF fulfills its mission by providing a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling kidney patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation.

AKF helps 1 out of every 5 U.S. dialysis patients with treatment-related expenses. More than 93,000 patients in all 50 states received AKF grants last year. AKF invests in clinical research to improve outcomes for kidney patients, and fights tirelessly on Capitol Hill for legislation and policies supporting the issues that are important to kidney patients. To address the enormous public health threat of kidney disease, AKF provides public and professional health education materials and courses, the Kidney Action Day community outreach program, a Kidney Health Educator program, and a toll-free health information HelpLine (866.300.2900). AKFs new grassroots fundraising platform, KIDNEYNATION, unites Americans who are raising funds to support the organizations mission.

AKF spends 97 cents of every donated dollar on programs and services. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nations charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its top 10 list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar.

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The first-of-its-kind 10,000 mile Pet Safety Tour will roll across the Southern U.S. this Fall with award-winning author and Pet First-Aid instructor turned Pet Safety Crusader behind the wheel! Denise Flecks Sunny-dog Ink motto has been Helping people to help their pets, and she hashaving personally taught more than 10,000 pet lovers animal life-saving skills and millions more on national television segments (CBS-TVs The Doctors, Kirstie Alleys Big Life, Animal Planets Pit Boss and Groomer Has It, CNN Headline News and pet safety segment on KTLA in Los Angeles). Still, Fleck feels many more dogs and cats could benefit from their humans receiving better pet parenting education.

In my 2016 role as Pet Safety Crusader, I plan to educate a large number of people in one concerted effort! she explains.

Pet First-Aid & CPR classes will be taught at animal shelters that havent had the benefits of larger city educational opportunities. Fleck will also provide Pet First-Aid Kits to Therapy Dog Handlers, teach Pet Disaster Preparedness at Fire Stations to emergency response volunteers and read childrens books at school at libraries, all aimed at educating people to better care for the family pet and never judge an animal based on age, fur color or breed.

ZOOEYIA (zoo-ey-ah) is the scientific proof that animals improve our health, says Fleck. Animal lovers have known this for decades but there is now substantial evidence that having an animal in your life can lower blood pressure, develop stronger immune systems and create empathy in humans who have bonded with animals. For all they do for us, I want to make a difference for them and the people who love them.

Flecks first partner on-board this adventure is Pet Sitters International. Established in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the worlds largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing

nearly 7,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad.

As the worlds leading educational association for professional pet sitters, we work with our members throughout the year as they advocate for the health, safety and quality care of their clients pets, explains PSI President Patti Moran. We are delighted to be part of this innovative tour to educate pet ownersand our professional pet sitters along the tour route are excited to work with Pet Safety Crusader Denise Fleck to bring this valuable training to their clients and local communities.

The 2016 Southern U.S. Pet Safety Tour will kick-off its journey on September 15th, departing from the PSI World Education Conference in San Diego, California. Several PSI members will serve as event coordinators in cities where the Tour will make educational whistle stops. To-date, events are being planned in Phoenix, AZ; Dallas, TX; Baton Rouge, LA; Jackson, MS; Mobile, AL; Sarasota & Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Atlanta, GA; Winston-Salem, NC; Winchester, VA; La Plata, MD; Clarksville & Nashville, TN and Camden, AK with other cities still coming on board.

Denise Fleck also created the curriculum for and teaches a 20-week course in Animal Care through the Burbank Unified School District for high school juniors and seniors at the Burbank Animal Shelter. As the proud instructor, I hope one of my students will cure a debilitating canine disease or end animal homelessness, but if each student adopts a shelter pet (particularly a Senior), shares with friends the need for spay/neuter or never harms or judges a dog by his breed alone, Ill still wag my tail, she smiles. Fleck resides in Southern California with her husband and their pack of rescued Japanese Akitas. Learn more at http://www.SunnyDogInk.com.

About Pet Sitters International (PSI):

Established in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the worlds largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing nearly 7,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad. PSI provides members with access to group-rate pet-sitter liability insurance and bonding and educational resources including a comprehensive certificate program, Pet Sitters World magazine and PSIs annual Pet Sitter World Educational Conference. For pet owners, PSI offers the Official Pet Sitter Locator, which pet owners can search free of charge to find a local pet sitter. For more information, please visit http://www.petsit.com.
Darin Moore, VP Customer Experience at Clearwater Compliance We are thrilled to add someone of Darins calibre to the Clearwater leadership team, said Bob Chaput, the companys founder and CEO.

Clearwater Compliance is pleased to welcome Darin Moore to the company as Vice President of Customer Experience. Mr. Moore is a seasoned executive with over two decades of valuable experience in technology and health care. At Clearwater, Mr. Moore will work with the companys current customer implementation, software support/service, and professional services delivery teams to find new and innovative ways to deliver superior service to its customers while strengthening ties to its customer community.

We are thrilled to add someone of Darins calibre to the Clearwater leadership team, said Bob Chaput, the companys founder and CEO. He brings a wealth of invaluable experience as we continue to grow as health care faces unprecedented cybersecurity threats to maintaining the privacy and security of patient data in this new era of electronic health records.

Before joining Clearwater, Mr. Moore worked as an executive-level consultant, providing leadership guidance to numerous health care companies. During this time, he has served as chief technology officer for a provider-owned health insurance company and guided two health insurance companies in developing a technology roadmap for creating a third entity that would handle back-office processing;. Additionally, he led a Medicaid migration and implementation at one health care BPO organization and the restructure operations at another.

Prior to his work as a consultant, Mr. Moore was chief technology officer for a Nashville-area health care company focused on the senior home health market, where he was responsible for development, testing, security, HIPAA compliance, and operations support of the firms software platform and operations.

At Healthways, a well-being improvement company based in Nashville, Mr. Moore served as VP of IT Applications, led the design and development team of a new technology platform in addition to managing IT departments at five companies acquired by Healthways. Prior to his work with Healthways, Mr. Moore was VP of Applications at Aflac in Columbus, Georgia where he led a team numbering more than 400 in strategic planning, architecture and application development

A graduate of Electronic Data Systems System Engineering Program, Mr. Moore earned his Bachelor of Science degree in computer information systems from Murray State University in Kentucky. Darin resides in the Nashville area with his wife and two sons, and enjoys running, fishing and hiking.

About Clearwater Compliance

Clearwater Compliance, LLC, helps health care organizations and their business associates improve patient safety and quality of care by assisting them establish, operationalize and mature their compliance and cybersecurity programs. Led by veteran, C-suite health care executives, Clearwaters award-winning software, educational events and expert professional services provide scalable, cost-effective solutions for all sizes of organizations. Since 2009, the company has served hundreds of clients ranging from major health systems, hospitals, health plans and Fortune 100 companies, to medical practices and health care startups. Find out more about Clearwaters compliance, cybersecurity and information risk management solutions at clearwatercompliance.com
Loma Linda University Childrens Hospitals (LLUCH) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is featured in the latest Southern California Honda Dealers Random Acts of Helpfulness campaign. The television commercial is the first to feature a hospital in the campaign. Both TV and radio spots launched this week and will run through May 1.

In the SoCal Honda commercial, the men and women in blue delivered three vanloads of equipment to the NICU, including specialized thermometers and stethoscopes, privacy screens, blankets, mobiles, bouncy seats and a rocking chair. All items are those that can be used by nurses and parents of babies being treated in the NICU.

We are beyond grateful for the donations made by the SoCal Honda dealers, said Tristine Bates, RN, director, LLUCH NICU. The new equipment will definitely enhance our nurses ability to provide quality patient care to their tiny patients and will provide parents with an extra sense of comfort.

Jennifer Gingras, a NICU nurse at LLUCH submitted a letter through the Help Me Honda website, requesting items she and other NICU nurses needed. About three weeks later, she received a call from the Helpful Honda people stating they would fulfill her request.

I couldnt believe it was actually happening, Gingras said.

Also a mom to a baby who was treated in the NICU at LLUCH, Gingras knows firsthand what moms and nurses need on the unit. She attributes her experience at LLUCH to becoming a NICU nurse. We care for about 80 babies, and can always use more equipment.

Her story perfectly embodies the spirit of Helpful Honda, said Lauren Kay, spokesperson for SoCal Honda Dealers, giving back to an organization, in this case Loma Linda University Childrens Hospital, that helped save her son 27 years ago, inspiring her to become a NICU nurse.

Since 2007, the SoCal Honda Dealers have been committed to lending a hand in the community and surprising residents with unexpected Random Acts of Helpfulness. Why? Because its their job to be helpful - no strings attached.

Last year, the SoCal Honda Dealers began sharing their Random Acts of Helpfulness on TV to continue helping people who truly need a hand. Residents are encouraged to share a request for help through Help Me Honda, which is exactly what Gingras did.

Watch the Helpful Honda people as they made a special delivery LLUCH here.
Learning Series Webinar with Richard Millington

Higher Logic will feature community thought leader and founder of Feverbee, Richard Millington, for todays Learning Series webinar at 2 p.m. ET, to discuss Automation and Motivation to Support Online Communities.

During the webinar, Richard will present key tactics for tapping into what motivates community members long term, and how to use automation rules and campaigns to increase intrinsic motivation. He will outline how successful community managers can leverage competence, autonomy and social relatedness for members, as well as streamline tedious tasks and granular member monitoring to bump engagement and retention.

What: Higher Logic Learning Series: Automation and Motivation to Support Online Communities

When: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 2 p.m. ET

Registration: Register for the online webinar here.

Who: Feverbee Founder Richard Millington, and Higher Logics Creative Director Lauren Wolfe and Community Manager Calista Rollogas

In addition, Higher Logic will brief attendees on several client case studies outlining success with automation rules in online communities, including strategies on implementing automated campaigns and top performance metrics.

About Feverbee

Our mission is to ensure you build a successful community. We help organizations harness powerful psychology to transform audiences, employees, and customers into united, supportive groups. In the past 6 years, weve helped almost two hundred organizations like Google, Wikipedia, The World Bank, Autodesk, EMC, and Oracle develop communities. Were proud to be considered among the leading community consultancies in the world. We combine a proven track record of success, a clear commitment to our clients success, with a reputation for pushing our field ever closer to the thrilling edge of social science. Learn more at http://www.feverbee.com.

About Higher Logic

Higher Logic is an industry leader in cloud-based community platforms, with over 25 million engaged members in more than 200,000 communities. Organizations worldwide use Higher Logic to bring like-minded people all together, by giving their community a home where they can meet, share ideas, answer questions and stay connected. Learn more at http://www.higherlogic.com
If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move.
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Checkers plans to open at least 11 new restaurants in the Quad-Cities during the next five years, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

The fast food restaurant has five area locations, including two in Rock Island, two in Davenport and one in East Moline. Bruce Kim, the company's director of franchise development, said he expects one new Checkers to open locally this year and two more in 2017.

The Tampa, Fla.-based Checkers & Rally's Restaurants averages 20 to 25 employees at each of its 828 locations nationwide.

Last year, Thrillist.com named the company as the fastest-growing fast-food chain in Illinois, growing 90 percent to 27 restaurants. Its only Iowa restaurants are in Davenport. The chain averages about one location per 30,000 people in a metro area, Mr. Kim said, opening 37 stores nationwide last year.

"We're growing, and by no means at a saturation point," said Mr. Kim, adding the company always is looking for new franchisees. He said, based on target demographics, populations and available real estate, Checkers is looking to expand in specific cities and get new locations in Peoria and Springfield.

"Our demographic is middle income to below," he said. "We're looking for value-conscious consumers who want a big bang for their buck."

Mr. Kim said the restaurants' most common customers are between 18 and 25 years old. He said the restaurants have many low-cost options and often are open to 1 a.m. or later.

Mr. Kim said another reason he likes the Quad-Cities is its varied number of industries, with several manufacturers, and a strong potential customer base.

"There's been lot of pent-up demand," he said.

Mr. Kim said it's a "challenge and a joy" to compete in the crowded fast-food world where McDonald's has 14,000-plus U.S. locations, Burger King has more than 7,000 and Wendy's has more than 6,000.

"The consumer has choices," Mr. Kim said. "We do fill a unique niche."

Mr. Kim said 323 of the Checkers and Rally's restaurants are corporate owned and operated, with the rest run by franchisees. In recent years, the brand has been awarded several industry awards, including Top Franchise in Fast Food by Franchise Business Review, Top 500 by Entrepreneur Magazine and "Best Drive-Thru in America" by QSR Magazine.
The Azubuike African American Council for The Arts is hosting the local premiere of the documentary, "The Montford Point Marines: The First African American Marines Unit," tonight at the auditorium in the Figge Art Museum, 225 W. 2nd St., Davenport.

A reception with complimentary appetizers and a cash bar, will start today at 5:30 p.m. The film will start at 6:15 p.m. with a Q-and-A discussion immediately following. This free event is sponsored by The Department of Veteran Affairs -- Quad Cities Vet Center, and Azubuike African American Council for The Arts.

RSVPs are encouraged via email: gayeburnett.azubuike.artcenter@gmail.com.

More than 20,000 African-Americans trained in segregated facilities between 1942 and 1949 at Montford Point, N.C., and became the first blacks to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to the University of North Carolina. Until 1942, the Marines refused to recruit African-Americans, among other minorities.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's creation of the Fair Employment Practices Commission in 1941 forced the Corps (over opposition of its leadership), to begin recruiting African-American Marines in 1942, according to library.uncw.edu/web/montford. Starting in 1943, 1,000 African-Americans would enter the Marines each month.
But it was part of a mock treason trial of fictitious Greek heroine Antigone. The trial organized by the National Hellenic Museum ended with a not guilty verdict.

Antigone was accused of unlawfully burying her brother after he was killed trying to topple a Greek ruler.

One participating judge was an actual federal appellate judge, Richard Posner. Posner called for order and threatened to clear the mock courtroom when the audience loudly demonstrated their support for Antigone.

The defense team included the former U.S. attorney in Chicago, Patrick Fitzgerald. The defense argued that burial is a fundamental right. Fitzgerald told jurors about Antigone: "She doesn't deserve to die."
PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - Tornadoes touched down at least five times in central and western Illinois during the storms that blew through the state this week, destroying homes and causing some injuries.

National Weather Service damage surveys show tornadoes touched down Tuesday near Curran, Good Hope, Trivoli, Moline and Peoria. The storms passed through the state around the time polls were closing in the Illinois primary election.

"You could hear the wind pick up," said Kathy Madrigal, who took cover in her basement with her husband in Rock Island County. "I said to my husband, 'That sounds like a train.' Then we came outside and found all this devastation."

Authorities in Rock Island County say the tornado sent ten people to hospitals but none had life-threatening injuries. About 40 homes were damaged and about a half-dozen were destroyed. The twister had wind speeds of up to 130 mph.

Several farms were hit by the tornado that swept through Good Hope, Prairie City and Avon. The weather service said that tornado had peak winds of 115 mph and lasted for 16 miles.

Frank Craver said four buildings, a silo and three vehicles on his a farm near Avon were destroyed.

"It took those bales (of hay) and launched them probably 100 yards, and what gets me is we got a chicken coop on skids and it didn't even touch it," Craver said. "But it took my little aluminum livestock trailer and took it a half-mile down the road into some trees and that probably weighs 5,000 pounds. It's weird how a storm works."

In Peoria County, a tornado ripped the roof off of the Texas United Methodist Church near Trivoli. The tornado also downed 70-year-old trees, tossed a car 50 yards into a field and knocked over headstones in the Texas Union Cemetery.

"About everything that could be knocked down got knocked down," said Daryl Harding, president of the cemetery association.

In the Springfield area, one young family escaped when a tornado destroyed their home in New Berlin.

"We'll all be ok," John Thompson said after he, his wife, and their 1-year-old son survived.

Weather service forecasters said hail was common and they received nearly 60 reports of quarter-size hail or larger.
COAL VALLEY -- Trustees on Wednesday approved an ordinance raising water and sewer rates, but not before resident Brooke Hendrickx asked them to consider what an additional $20 each month does to a middle-class family.

"As my village trustees, you are tasked with running our village, just like I am tasked with running my household. You have a ton of water projects in mind, but the village can't afford it -- the people can't afford it. Its not just me, it's every other middle-class family that lives in this village," Ms. Hendrickx said.

Water and sewer rates will increase $1, from $13.50 to $14.50 per 1,000 gallons per household, and monthly commercial water and sewer fees will increase from $19 to $23 per 1,000 gallons. Rates for Candlelight Community mobile home park residents will increase from $10 to $11.25 per 1,000 gallons.

The residential connection fee also will increase from $11.50 to $12, with the commercial connection fee increasing from $24 to $25.

Also on Wednesday, Mayor Emil Maslanka said Tony Struyk, who owns the former Jack & Jill property at 201 W. 2nd Ave., received a property maintenance violation letter with regard to numerous repairs the building needs.

Mayor Maslanka said Mr. Struyk asked for a 30-day extension from the March 17 deadline but was advised to make an appointment with the mayor and building inspector Tony Fairchild to discuss a list of repairs before an extension would be granted.

Mayor Maslanka said Mr. Struyk has until March 25 to meet with them, and if he does not, daily fines of $750 will be assessed retroactive to March 18.

Repairs and needed maintenance include exterior awnings, painting, removal of broken glass and cleaning up of the parking lot and property.

In other news, assistant village administrator Penny Woods told trustees she was contacted by Geneseo Communications representative Matt Storm, who said the company would install fiber optic cables above ground using telephone poles, in order to avoid the village's $1.50-per-foot fee.

Mr. Storm asked trustees to waive the fee during the March 2 board meeting, claiming it was cost prohibitive for the company to run fiber optic lines to Bicentennial Elementary School. Trustees rejected his request, saying the fee would bring an estimated $6,000 each year in revenue.

Ms. Woods said she informed Mr. Storm the ordinance still applies, whether the lines are in the ground or above it. Mr. Storm told her he would refer the matter to Geneseo Communications' attorney and file a waiver request with the Federal Communications Commission.

"If they get the FCC involved and they do win, we will get nothing. They want to pay a $6,000 one-time fee," Ms. Woods said.

Mayor Maslanka recommended tabling the matter until an agreement can be reached.

Trustees also:

-- Approved hiring two part-time police officers to work at least one eight-hour shift per month at $20 per hour.

-- Considered a proposal from police department administrative assistant Sandra Standefer for the purchase of a new computer server. Ms. Standefer presented a quote from Advanced Business Systems for $13,394, noting the current village server, which was purchased in 2009, is outdated and lacks adequate firewall protection.

-- Approved a bid of up to $200 to Edwards Creative for placement of a For Sale sign at the former Nazarene Church on U.S. 6 between 3rd and 4th streets.
Two years later, though, he joined the Army, obtaining a waiver from rules that bar the enlistment of those with certain psychological problems.

The details about his mental health  including the Army's later diagnosis of Bergdahl as suffering from "schizotypal personality disorder"  are contained in newly released documents that offer a glimpse of the legal strategy his lawyers may use in the desertion case against him.

"That evidence will be really important during the sentencing hearing. In the military, for almost all crimes, you can be convicted and still get no jail time," said Eric Carpenter, a law professor at Florida International University who served as an Army prosecutor and defense attorney but has no role in the Bergdahl case.

Bergdahl, 29, was held five years by the Taliban and its allies before he was swapped in 2014 for five Guantanamo Bay detainees in a deal bitterly criticized by members of Congress. He is charged not only with desertion but with endangering comrades who were sent out to search for him, and could get life in prison if convicted at a military trial set to begin this summer.

In a 2014 interview soon after his release, Bergdahl told a general investigating his disappearance that he grew up reading about the samurai code and World War II heroes, spending much of his time alone wandering the Idaho woods with cats, dogs and horses. He loved the ocean and found the Coast Guard's domestic mission honorable, but admitted in the interview to being overwhelmed around other people.

"Growing up the way I grew up, I also lacked the understanding of how to move through society," he said, according to the documents released by his lawyers.

He found the pressure intense at a Coast Guard boot camp in 2006: "You were right there in the focal point and every action you were doing was pressured and it was watched. What ended up happening was, I ended up having a panic attack, about three weeks into it."

The officer who conducted the investigation, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, later testified at a hearing that Bergdahl was found on the floor, blood on his hands. Bergdahl told Dahl that at the time, his family, especially his father, had been making him feel as if "I can't succeed in anything, that I am a failure."

Bergdahl said a psychiatrist asked him to sign paperwork, and he received an "uncharacterized discharge" from the Coast Guard. In court, his lawyers have described it as a "psychological discharge."

In 2008, however, Bergdahl was granted a waiver to enter the Army, which at the time had relaxed its recruitment standards because it was stretched thin by the fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

He told Dahl that he disclosed his panic attack and reasons for leaving the Coast Guard to an Army recruiter. The recruiter then typed a statement for Bergdahl to sign saying he "had a hard time adapting to change" but not mentioning the panic attack, Bergdahl said.

By several accounts, his Army stint was successful until he walked off and fell into the hands of the Taliban, with one sergeant testifying last September: "He was a great soldier."

The documents released Wednesday night also include a form from July 2015 showing that an Army Sanity Board Evaluation concluded that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder when he left his post in Afghanistan. A Mayo Clinic website says people with the disorder have trouble interpreting social cues and can become significantly distrustful of others.

However, the sanity board said that despite the "severe mental disease or defect," Bergadhl was able to understand that his actions in walking away from his unit were wrong. The board also concluded Bergdahl isn't currently suffering from psychological problems that would prevent him from standing trial.

On Thursday, Bergdahl's lawyer Army Lt. Col. Franklin Rosenblatt declined to discuss how the psychiatric issues figure in their strategy. But defense arguments at his 2015 Article 32 hearing  similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding  shed light on the role his mental health may play.

Defense attorney Eugene Fidell told the officer presiding over the hearing that mitigating factors in the case include "the psychological diagnosis that's before you, and the need for continuing medical and psychiatric or psychological care. This is totally undisputed."

Fidell also said the decision to let Bergdahl in the Army was "improvident."

"I think a reasonable observer, nonetheless, would wonder why the Army would've taken a person who, within the relatively recent past, had bilged out of Coast Guard recruit training  boot camp  for this kind of reason," he said.

Bergdahl's diagnosis could garner sympathy from jurors if it is allowed as evidence during the guilt-or-innocence phase of the court-martial, said retired Army Maj. Gen. Walt Huffman, who served as the branch's top lawyer and later as dean of the Texas Tech University School of Law.

"Sometimes juries hear things and say, 'We understand the law and all that, but it's not right to punish this guy,'" Huffman said.

Some legal experts said the diagnosis may not be allowed in at that stage, but it's likely to give the defense a strong argument for leniency at sentencing.

Carpenter said the waiver letting Bergdahl into the Army could also be a factor at sentencing and help the soldier win a lighter punishment. "A panel member could think that the Army shares some blame for what happened," the law professor said.
Deutsche Welle, the massive German international broadcaster has partnered with the CBAA to award paid internships to radio and online journalists.

Community broadcasters can apply for a chance be selected for a three-month internship in Bonn, Germany. Successful applicants will work in the Deutsche Welle multimedia newsroom, gaining experience in a multinational work environment, exposure to international stories, on-the-job training in the latest journalism software and references from a highly respected international broadcaster. As well as being great professional experience, internships can lead to longer contract or freelance work at Deutsche Welle.

The internship includes 1 return airfare from Australia to Germany, a monthly payment of 1,430 Euros and assistance with paperwork and finding accommodation if needed.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible, you must have:

A University degree in a relevant area of study

English as your first language

Conversation-level German speaking skills

You must also be connected with a community radio station that is a member of the CBAA.

Selection Criteria

Commitment to community broadcasting

Experience working in a newsroom with a high content turnover and time pressure

Experience in print and/or online newswriting

Experience using social media for journalistic purposes

Solid understanding of international media and how to cover stories for a global audience

A good technical foundation for learning to use browser-based journalism tools and content management systems

Ability and willingness to work night shifts

Ability to work in a team

Creativity and initiative

Applications

Applications are open now and will close on 15 April 2016. Fill in the online form to apply if you meet the criteria.
Mix 102.3s Jodie & Sodahad a powerful interview this morning where they re-connected Adelaide mum Kelly with Amanda  a fellow student who Kelly had bullied 27 years earlier at school.

Friday is National Day of Action Against Bully and Violence.

Kelly recently found out her daughter was being bullied in school and it brought back memories of what she did at school to others. She has been trying to track down Amanda in the hope of apologising and has been unsuccessful, so left a message on Jodie & Sodas page asking if they could help.

Jodie & Soda tracked down Amanda, who has been living in the UK. Amanda was willing to speak with Kelly.
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More than five years after the Arab Spring began, the euphoria that accompanied the region's early uprisings has been replaced by a dogged realism. From the indignant graffiti scrawled on walls across Tunis to the war-torn neighborhoods of Damascus and Tripoli, the region and the world's hopes of establishing peace and democracy have largely faded.

Take Tunisia, where the street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in January 2011 and inspired millions across the Arab world to rise up against oppression. Today, the country, the only functioning democracy to have emerged out of the turmoil of 2011 and 2012, is in danger of sliding into violence thanks in part to the chaos engulfing neighboring Libya. This month, dozens of militants allied with the Islamic State, or ISIS, stormed the Tunisian town of Ben Gardane, near the Libyan border, assaulting police and military posts in what Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi called an unprecedented strike that left at least 54 people dead. In fact, it followed several high-profile attacks in the past year: in June 2015, militants targeted Western tourists at the beach resort of Sousse and in March 2015, they did the same at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis. Ordinary Tunisians, meanwhile, are growing restless. A sputtering economy and high unemployment have triggered protests across the country, and the Tunisian government imposed a nationwide curfew that lasted from late January to early February in response.

The situation looks similarly grim in other Arab Spring hopefuls. In Egypt, for example, the democratic elections that catapulted the Muslim Brotherhood to power in 2012 gave way the next year to a coup that installed a military government under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former head of the Egyptian armed forces. Sisi, too, now faces a growing danger of militant attacks, as the downing of a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula in October 2015 made clear. He also faces a struggling economy, including an acute foreign currency shortage that is crippling some businesses. Perhaps most disconcerting, the Sisi government has failed to stem a wave of discontent that has spread from the country's poor to its wealthy.

What is even more troubling is that Libya, Syria, and Yemen, all erstwhile Arab Spring aspirants, remain mired in bloody civil wars. Libya, where the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama helped overthrow the government of Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2011 and supported democratic elections in the aftermath of his ouster, now hosts the highest number of Salafijihadist groups in Africa. In the place of a functioning government, the country hosts a patchwork of warring militias that are unaccountable, poorly organized, and deeply fractured.

Across the region, according to the World Bank, the quality of governance today is lower than it was before the Arab Spring.

Yemen is little better. After cracking down on Yemeni protesters in 2011, President Ali Abdullah Saleh eventually agreed to cede authority to his vice president, Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi. But Hadi resigned in January 2015 after Houthi insurgents seized the capital, plunging the country deeper into a civil war that has since drawn in a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and killed thousands of civilians.

Finally, Syria remains locked in a civil war that has killed between 250,000 and 500,000 civilians and displaced some 11 million people, nearly five million of whom have sought refuge abroad. The war, which has spilled over into Syria's neighboring countries, has attracted more foreign extremists than any other modern conflict in which Salafi jihadists have foughtby some estimates, over 20,000 of them.

Across the region, according to the World Bank, the quality of governance today is lower than it was before the Arab Spring in nearly every categoryfrom government effectiveness to corruption. As the NGO Freedom House noted in its 2016 annual report, the prospects for improvement remain bleak due, in part, to the prevalence of a model of governance that erodes the kind of long-term and inclusive stability the region desperately needs and sacrifice[s] public safety for regime security.

Stemming the Slide

There are many reasons for the failure of democratization in the post-Arab Spring Middle East, some of which I discussed in The Mirage of the Arab Spring, published in Foreign Affairs in 2013. Many of the region's governments, especially in the Gulf, derive the majority of their funding from sources such as oil and foreign aid that allow them to avoid taxing their citizens, eliminating a possible source of demand for greater political representation.

The Saudi government, for example, is fighting reforms by buying off dissenters, providing lavish benefits in the form of education, medical care, energy subsidies, and well-paid government jobs to its citizens. Meanwhile, those regional monarchies without large per-capita oil incomes, such as Jordan, Morocco, and Oman, have managed to hold on to power by accepting modest legislative changes in the place of abandoning their monarchies. Nor have regional conditions encouraged further political change. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States and its Western European allies supported political liberalization in Eastern Europe, welcoming countries such as Poland into democratic institutions including the European Union and NATO. No such comparable institutions exist in the Arab world.

Despite this gloomy prognosis, at least for now, all is not lost in the Middle East. The United States should focus on at least two steps to prevent further destabilization in the region.

The first is shoring up Tunisia, the last bastion of the Arab Spring. The United States can provide assistance in several areas. To begin with, Washington should help fund Tunisian programs that strengthen local governments, building on Tunis' own efforts to this end. In 2014, the Tunisian government began a five-year municipal investment plan to improve local governance by, among other measures, reforming the management of public funds assigned to municipalities. The goal is to make local governments more capable and accountable and to cut down on graft.

The United States can also provide assistance to higher education institutions in Tunisia and encourage them to improve the quality of teaching and to adhere to international best practices. That would help ensure that Tunisia's universities produce graduates with the skills required by the job market. It could also help to reduce unemployment and encourage a high-skilled workforce that supports long-term economic growth.

Washington should focus on stemming the Arab world's slide into further chaos and laying the groundwork for future stability.

The U.S. Departments of State and Defense should also ramp up efforts to assist Tunisia's Ministries of Defense, Interior, and Justice, which can serve as bulwarks against the growing tide of extremism in Tunisia and the region. Through U.S. State and Defense Department security cooperation programs, the United States has already helped encourage the gradual restructuring of the country's security architecture: from the police-heavy state of former leader Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to a system in which the Ministries of Defense and Justice play greater and more effective roles in countering ISIS and other terrorist groups. Finally, to help counter violent extremism in Tunisian communities, the United States should ramp up its support for de-radicalization programs in the country.

In Libya, meanwhile, the United States needs to establish a sound equilibrium between its counterterrorism efforts and its attempts to contribute to political stability. The growing influence of Islamist extremist groups in Libya, especially that of ISIS, has caused some in Washington to demand greater U.S. counterterrorism activity in the country. Some U.S. military leaders argue that U.S. Special Operations Forces need to train, advise, and even accompany Libyan militias attempting to retake territory from ISIS and other militant groups, and that Washington should conduct airstrikes against ISIS' training camps, command centers, and munitions depots. But there is an equally pressing need to make progress on diplomatic initiatives to form a unity government in the country, without which U.S. military strikes could reduce the prospects for stability by strengthening illegitimate nonstate actors. The challenge will be finding a way to defeat ISIS and cobble together a unity government that can prevent the country from again becoming a sanctuary for extremist groups. Across the region, the United States should keep this necessary balance of political and military initiatives in mind.

The United States' power to force political change in the Arab world is limited. In 2013, I wrote that the demise of Middle Eastern authoritarianism may come eventually but that there is little reason to think that day is near. That remains the case today. For the moment, Washington should focus on stemming the Arab world's slide into further chaos and laying the groundwork for future stability.

Seth G. Jones is Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University's School for Advanced International Studies.

This commentary originally appeared on Foreign Affairs on March 17, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Telefonica's over-the-top (OTT) platform Movistar Play has quietly landed in Guatemala and El Salvador, and is readying four more rapid deployments.





The Spanish telco announced its plans for video expansion across Latin America less than a month ago, with its plans quickly coming into effect. Premiering first in Uruguay , Movistar Play will also launch in Costa Rica before the end of the month.Although local strategies have not yet been unveiled, it's known that Telefonica plans to start similar operations in Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Panama within the next few months.Once the aggressive OTT expansion is complete, Movistar's video-on-demand (VOD) and streaming platform will be operating in 12 Latin American countries  including Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil  becoming a solid alternative to other pan-American services such as Claro video and Netflix.Currently, Movistar Play enables subscribers to access a similar catalogue of 3,000 VOD titles no matter what country they are in.
Kiss TV is an upcoming DTT network operated by Kiss Media and almost entirely fed by Discovery Networks' content, becoming a second free-to-air (FTA) distribution channel for the US-based company in Spain.





Both companies have announced an extensive content deal prior to launch of Kiss TV, one of the country's six new DTT signals, which have to be live before the end of April.Under the terms of the agreement, Discovery Networks International will be the main content provider for the 24-hour channel, which gains access to some premium titles as well as Discovery's vast catalogue of documentaries and factual shows.However, the Spanish media group has stated that there will be room for in-house content and Spanish fiction.For the US-based company, the agreement also signals an important step forward into Spain's FTA TV, through which it has been airing Discovery MAX since 2012. In addition, several pay-TV platforms include Discovery Channel, Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 in their schedules.In addition to Kiss TV, April will see the premiere of Secuoya's Ten channel, Real Madrid TV and 13TV, and Mediaset's new channels. Atresmedia's Atreseries is the only recently-awarded signal currently on air.
Pay-TV giant Sky is launching a training programme dubbed Get into Tech, to provide free training for women seeking careers in the industry.





With the significant lack of gender diversity within the industry, Skys initiative aims to provide a unique and supportive environment in which women can learn some of the necessary skills to begin a career in the tech field. From April, Sky will offer these free training courses for up to 60 women per year with a range of structures available including full-time, part-time and evening courses.In recognition of the programmes support to the whole tech industry, UK Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan MP, noted: I am delighted that Sky is working to support women in technology training, through their new Get into Tech initiative. We know that traditionally too few women have been encouraged into STEM subjects, so Skys work to nurture the talent pipeline is incredibly welcome.The programme, which has been designed in partnership with technology training specialists, will include courses in software development, testing and integration, as well as soft skills development and job preparation.Our Get into Tech training courses aim to address the real and well-recognised issue of too few females working in technology, said Elaine Bucknor, director for group technology strategy, security & planning at Sky. For women who are just starting out, changing or returning to their careers, and who may not have otherwise considered technology jobs, the programme will help them build the skills they need to enter the industry. As technology continues to evolve and become an ever important part of our lives, Im proud that at Sky were heralding a new age of women into tech.Sky isnt the only company to be community-minded of late. As part of its campaign to preserve and protect the environment, Sony Pictures Television Networks this week launched a free app , dubbed Picture This.
St. Petersburg court denies release for two women dying of cancer in prison

ST. PETERSBURG, March 17 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) - The Smolninsky District Court in St. Petersburg has refused to release two seriously ill women convicted of drug dealing, lawyer Vitaliy Cherkasov told RAPSI on Thursday.

The women at the age of 37 and 28 are suffering from cancer, HIV and Hepatitis C.

Motions filed by the convicts for early release were supported by the head of a penitentiary clinic for St.Petersburg and Leningrad Region. However, the court dismissed the petitions.

The lawyer is going to apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over this decision.




Dagestan ex-mayor sentenced to life pleads not guilty at appeal trial

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI) - Said Amirov, the former mayor of Dagestan's capital Makhachkala sentenced to life in prison for terrorism, again pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him while making final speech before Russias Supreme Court on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported.

According to Amirov, investigators received the defendants evidence in violation of law using torture against them.

The Supreme Court as an appellate instance will later set the date for ruling in this case.

On August 27, 2015, the North Caucasus District Court sentenced Amirov to life in prison for terrorism. His nephew, Yusup Dzhaparov, who was a deputy mayor of Kaspiysk, was sentenced to 18 years in a high security prison and 18 months of supervised release. Six other men who had been also convicted in this case received long jail terms ranging from 10 to 22 years.

They were found guilty of organizing a 2011 terrorist attack in a shopping mall in the city of Kaspiysk and killing Arsen Gadzhibekov, the director of the Investigative Committee in one of the districts of Makhachkala.

Gadzhibekov at the time of his death worked on a number of high-profile criminal cases, including the 2010 twin bombings in Kizlyar, a town on the border with Chechnya, that left 10 killed and 270 injured. He was also investigating misconduct allegations against members of the Makhachkala city administration headed by Amirov, according to Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin.

Moreover, in July 2014, Amirov and Dzhaparov were sentenced to 10 and 8.5 years in prison, respectively, for plotting a murder attempt on Sagid Murtazaliyev, head of the Pension Fund in Dagestan and a prominent Russian wrestler, whose plane was supposed to be shot down by a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile.
Interior Ministry suggests banning convicts, suspects in extremism from leaving Russia

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Deputy Head of Russias Interior Ministrys main anti-extremism department Vladimir Makarov during the meeting at the Federation Council on Thursday proposed to prohibit people suspected or convicted of extremism from leaving abroad, RIA Novosti reported.

The Ministry has already submitted a range of relevant legislative initiatives for consideration, Makarov said.

In December, Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov announced that about 2,000 Russian nationals participate in activities of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria.

The Islamic State is currently one of the major threats to global security. Over three years, these terrorists have managed to seize large areas of Iraq and Syria. The organization is also attempting to spread its influence to North Africa  particularly, Libya. The area controlled by ISIS covers up to 90,000 square kilometers.

The Islamic State has been banned in Russia.




As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain.
In 2008, Stratfor published The Geopolitics of China: A Great Power Enclosed, the second in a series of monographs describing the underlying geopolitics of key countries and explaining their current positions within that context. In the eight years since its publication, despite major changes in the global situation, the monograph has largely stood - largely, but not completely. Since then, a new imperative has emerged for China, one that is pulling it into a much more active global posture despite economic, social and political undercurrents at home.

At the core of the monograph is an assertion of China's strategic imperatives - the core compulsions and constraints on the state imposed by the interaction of geography, economics, politics, security and society throughout history. As we stated at the time, China has three overriding geopolitical imperatives:

Maintain internal unity in the Han Chinese regions.





Maintain control of its buffer regions.





Protect the coast from foreign encroachment.

If we were to summarize the monograph (though we recommend reading it in its entirety), we could recount these three imperatives fairly succinctly.

Maintain internal unity in the Han Chinese regions: The core of the nation sits along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, the heart of Han China. This area encompasses the bulk of the population and, if the Pearl River is added, comprises most of China's agricultural and industrial activity. Ensuring the unity of the Han core is vital to maintaining the cohesion of China and the security of the Communist Party as the paramount power. But even the Han core is extremely complex and diverse culturally, geographically and economically. Balancing these differences requires a deft hand at the center, and with China's current economic slowdown, this balancing act is growing more difficult.

Maintain control of the buffer regions: One challenge faced historically by the agricultural and stationary Han civilization was that it was surrounded to the north and west by nomadic tribes, and faced fluctuating borders and populations in the mountains and dense forests to the south. To secure the Han core, China historically fought (and occasionally was overcome by) its neighbors and established a Middle Kingdom policy, whereby it kept neighbors at bay through a nominal tributary system, requiring minimal military force but also gaining minimal true influence or control. Modern China has integrated a series of buffer regions, stretching from Manchuria in the northeast through Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet, into Yunnan and along the mountains in the south. These territories provide strategic depth but bring their own challenges in the form of internal ethnic policies and cohesion.

Protect the coastline: For much of China's history, the country was largely self-sufficient in natural resources. What additional resources or luxuries it needed could be supplied along the Silk Road routes to the west. The coast was often plagued by piracy and suffered occasional international raids, but given its massive interior and its ethnic diversity, China rarely focused on naval power, concentrating instead on coastal defense or even alternatives to coastal travel, such as its Grand Canal system. The much-touted "treasure fleets" of Zheng He were more frivolities than a true assertion of military might. Traders and fishermen plied the seas but with minimal protection from the central government. Even modern China's naval development policies are designed primarily to fill a coastal defense role.

An Emerging Imperative

These three imperatives long remained the core of China's national and international strategy. But imperatives are not static, and at times the pressures on a state can add an imperative. China's economic growth created a new imperative, one that shifted China out of what had been a near self-reliant capability and into one that left China vulnerable to international involvement. Although we didn't formally recognize this new imperative in our 2008 monograph, we did allude to it as a manifestation of the coastal protection imperative.

This new, fourth imperative builds from that imperative but is not simply a matter of coastal defense. Namely, it is: Protect China's strategic trade routes, resources and markets from foreign interdiction.

China's economic success has broken its national independence. China imports at least as much of its key commodities as it produces. Foreign trade is a vital piece of China's economic activity, even as the country attempts to drive its economy toward a domestic consumption model. Outbound investments provide access not only to markets and resources but also to technology and skills. This has impelled China to seek ways to secure its vulnerable supply lines, expand its maritime presence, and extend its international financial and political presence.
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Rod Durham, a former contestant on "Extreme Weight Loss," was found dead over the weekend. He was 52 years old.

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The Florida-based high school teacher's body was discovered by motel employees in Fort Lauderdale.

Durham, an employee of Leon High School in Tallahassee, Fla., reportedly died of diabetic shock while visiting Ft. Lauderdale during his school's spring break.

The teacher's friends and family, including "Extreme Weight Loss" trainers Chris Powell and Heidi Powell, have started posting messages of love and sadness over Durham's sudden death.

"Your positive energy and contagious laugh brightened this world and everyone lucky enough to meet you. You had an ability to make everyone feel special and loved," Chris Powell wrote in an Instagram dedication post. "You changed your own life and in the process, you motivated and inspired millions of others. You have forever made a positive difference in this world."

"While I am selfishly so sad and completely devastated that I won't get to see him on earth anymore, I am rejoicing for the spirit he is carrying with him and spreading to everyone up there...including my dad," Heidi Powell wrote in another post. "Rod, you will be missed terribly. Everything from your kindness, to your warm smile and bear hugs, to your friendship, to your extraordinary ability to make ANYONE (including me) feel special."

Leon High School principal Billy Epting released a statement Monday morning in remembrance of Durham saying the beloved teacher and local theater group director was a true source of support for students, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

"He was someone they could go talk to when they needed to," he said. "He gave them tough love when they needed it and a big bear hug when they needed it, too."

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"If you saw Rod, your day got better. His laugh was simply infectious. ... Everyone loved Rod Durham," Leon County Schools administrator Rocky Hanna added.

"There are tens of thousands of kids today who are broken-hearted."

Durham appeared on ABC's "Extreme Weight Loss" in 2014, soon becoming a national inspiration when he lost more than 180 pounds during the course of the show.

"I don't want to sound like a Debbie Downer," he told the Democrat, "but it was hard."

Last month, Durham posted a selfie to social media in celebration of his 52nd birthday celebrating his life.

"I'm 52 today (February 6th)," he wrote. "Behold [expletive] (sorry! I'm happy to still be alive!)"
HOME > The Bachelor > The Bachelor 20 'The Bachelor' star Ben Higgins: Joelle "JoJo" Fletcher and I would've been happy together forever if I had not met Lauren Bushnell

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/17/2016



star



ADVERTISEMENT During Higgins' final one-on-one date with Fletcher in Jamaica, the bachelorette was desperate for answers before throwing herself into the Final Rose Ceremony without confidence.



"[JoJo] was instantly worried that something she had cared so much about might be taken away without her having any say. And if you guys didn't know already, JoJo is a worrier. Everything I said or in every kiss I could see her searching my face for some sort of sign or reassurance that it was all going to be okay. But I couldn't give her that," Higgins



"That night on the floor in the bathroom of her suite might have been the most I have ever cried in my life. I wanted so badly to make her feel better and to stop her tears and just enjoy the rest of the night but I couldn't. And when she asked me if I loved [



Higgins had promised Fletcher he would always be honest with her, so as hard as it was for the Bachelor to come clean about his feelings for both women, he did.



"I had to. I could see that it crushed her. And that, in turn, crushed me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. The woman who had stood by my side every step of the way. But I couldn't keep my promise to her and always tell her the truth without hurting her in this moment," Higgins said.



"Part of me hoped that I would be able to erase all that pain in a day when I was on one knee, but at that point, hard as it may be to believe, I still didn't know what I was going to do."



Even when Higgins sat down with Neil Lane to pick out an engagement ring, he was still "torn" and didn't know whether Fletcher or Bushnell was going to be his fiancee. It wasn't until Lane probed him with questions about his future wife that Higgins realized one woman had stolen his heart.



"There was one girl and one relationship that kept popping up in my mind first. I couldn't ignore that. In that moment, I knew," Higgins noted.



So when it came time for the Final Rose Ceremony, Higgins was overjoyed to pop the question to Bushnell. But his happy ending meant devastating Fletcher beforehand, and he knew she didn't deserve it.



"I'll spare you all my feelings standing across from JoJo as she arrived and I told her that I was going to choose Lauren because words aren't enough to give you even a tiny taste of what that was like. It was excruciating. Multiply what you think that word means by a billion and you might get close to what that was like for both of us," Higgins confessed.



"I knew what I was doing. And I knew how badly that would hurt JoJo after what she had told me about her past and how far we had come together. Had I known back when this all started what I felt in that moment, I would've spared her all of that. But I didn't. I needed every bit of this journey, the good and the bad, to know."



Higgins wished he didn't need to drag Fletcher all the way to the end, but it was necessary. The 25-year-old real estate developed from Dallas, TX, was rejected that day in Jamaica as she stood anxiously awaiting a proposal from the man she loved in a beautiful blush gown.

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"It killed me because even in that moment I loved her. I saw a wonderful future with her. And in any other world than one where I'd met



"But there was no way she could really know that. And nothing I could say to make her feel better at all. I simply had to say goodbye and it was the hardest thing I have done or probably ever will do in my life. It took me a lot longer than you think to come down from that. On TV you see one happen right after the other, but I needed some time. Time to recover."



Higgins then focused his attention on his bride-to-be. Meeting Bushnell was apparently everything he had "prayed for" and "dreamed about," even years prior to appearing on .



"As hard as it was to put JoJo behind me, I needed to in that moment..." Higgins explained.



"It has been the single most tumultuous, emotional, gut-wrenching, wild, yet amazing ride of my life. And as I look back at it now, and you all know how it ended, I don't think I could ever go through it again. But I'm also so happy that I did. Because I stand here now the happiest man in the world because I have found my person. And I can't wait to start my life with her."



About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS star Ben Higgins says dumping Joelle "JoJo" Fletcher was probably the most painful moment of his life.During Higgins' final one-on-one date with Fletcher in Jamaica, the bachelorette was desperate for answers before throwing herself into the Final Rose Ceremony without confidence."[JoJo] was instantly worried that something she had cared so much about might be taken away without her having any say. And if you guys didn't know already, JoJo is a worrier. Everything I said or in every kiss I could see her searching my face for some sort of sign or reassurance that it was all going to be okay. But I couldn't give her that," Higgins wrote in his People blog following the finale Monday night."That night on the floor in the bathroom of her suite might have been the most I have ever cried in my life. I wanted so badly to make her feel better and to stop her tears and just enjoy the rest of the night but I couldn't. And when she asked me if I loved [ Lauren Bushnell ] too, I couldn't lie to her."Higgins had promised Fletcher he would always be honest with her, so as hard as it was for the Bachelor to come clean about his feelings for both women, he did."I had to. I could see that it crushed her. And that, in turn, crushed me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. The woman who had stood by my side every step of the way. But I couldn't keep my promise to her and always tell her the truth without hurting her in this moment," Higgins said."Part of me hoped that I would be able to erase all that pain in a day when I was on one knee, but at that point, hard as it may be to believe, I still didn't know what I was going to do."Even when Higgins sat down with Neil Lane to pick out an engagement ring, he was still "torn" and didn't know whether Fletcher or Bushnell was going to be his fiancee. It wasn't until Lane probed him with questions about his future wife that Higgins realized one woman had stolen his heart."There was one girl and one relationship that kept popping up in my mind first. I couldn't ignore that. In that moment, I knew," Higgins noted.So when it came time for the Final Rose Ceremony, Higgins was overjoyed to pop the question to Bushnell. But his happy ending meant devastating Fletcher beforehand, and he knew she didn't deserve it."I'll spare you all my feelings standing across from JoJo as she arrived and I told her that I was going to choose Lauren because words aren't enough to give you even a tiny taste of what that was like. It was excruciating. Multiply what you think that word means by a billion and you might get close to what that was like for both of us," Higgins confessed."I knew what I was doing. And I knew how badly that would hurt JoJo after what she had told me about her past and how far we had come together. Had I known back when this all started what I felt in that moment, I would've spared her all of that. But I didn't. I needed every bit of this journey, the good and the bad, to know."Higgins wished he didn't need to drag Fletcher all the way to the end, but it was necessary. The 25-year-old real estate developed from Dallas, TX, was rejected that day in Jamaica as she stood anxiously awaiting a proposal from the man she loved in a beautiful blush gown."It killed me because even in that moment I loved her. I saw a wonderful future with her. And in any other world than one where I'd met Lauren Bushnell on the same day in the same place, JoJo and I would've been happy together forever," Higgins admitted in his blog."But there was no way she could really know that. And nothing I could say to make her feel better at all. I simply had to say goodbye and it was the hardest thing I have done or probably ever will do in my life. It took me a lot longer than you think to come down from that. On TV you see one happen right after the other, but I needed some time. Time to recover."Higgins then focused his attention on his bride-to-be. Meeting Bushnell was apparently everything he had "prayed for" and "dreamed about," even years prior to appearing on ."As hard as it was to put JoJo behind me, I needed to in that moment..." Higgins explained."It has been the single most tumultuous, emotional, gut-wrenching, wild, yet amazing ride of my life. And as I look back at it now, and you all know how it ended, I don't think I could ever go through it again. But I'm also so happy that I did. Because I stand here now the happiest man in the world because I have found my person. And I can't wait to start my life with her." THE BACHELOR 20 THE BACHELOR SPOILERS MORE THE BACHELOR 20 NEWS << PRIOR STORY

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Despite the reports that real estate prices around the city may be leveling out, it seems like New York still has one of the most expensive listings around the country. New York Curbed listed the most expensive real estate properties in New York to date, and here are the top five on their list.

The most expensive property on the list is the one at 12-16 East 62nd Street which is listed for $120 million. It was listed in June 2015 and is a three-townhouse combo. With 30,581 square feet of space, it has a total of 11 terraces, dozens of bedrooms and common areas.

In the Sherry-Netherland, the 18th floor apartment is the most expensive co-op with an asking price of $86 million. It was said to be back on the market last March, and it was the former home of New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.

The Atelier's whole 45th floor was put on one mega sale by its developers in 2013, and it was listed for $85 million. After more than two years of being on the market, no one seems to have bitten the bait. Despite that, the asking price of the property has not been lowered. The listing details reveal that the apartment now comes with a $1M yacht with docking fees for five years, and a year of courtside season tickets to the Brooklyn Nets are just some of the perks included in the deal.

At 8 East 62nd Street, a 1903 Beaux Arts mansion was put on the market in February with an asking price of $84.5 million. The place was said to be a 15,000-square-foot limestone mansion with over-the-top finishes and high-end amenities.

Lastly, a townhouse at 12 East 63rd Street is listed for $84.5 million. It was first listed on the market for $77 million in November but came back with an additional $20 million price increase because of the renovations done in it which include a basement spa with 20-foot swimming pool and a three-story greenhouse.
Amid the ongoing global economic downturn, it does not come as a surprise that investors try to look for new markets to inject their money in hopes of better return. This is true among the commercial real estate investors as a recent JLL report revealed that new world cities that are increasingly becoming attractive markets for CRE.

According to Seeking Alpha, 20 percent of the global real estate investment volumes came from 32 markets that qualified as new world cities. JLL defined a new world city as "typically a small to medium-sized city that has a transparent market, open real estate markets, favorable infrastructure, and dynamic economies.

"With pricing at near-record levels in many gateway cities, New World Cities can offer better value for investors and are establishing themselves as consistent and liquid markets," said Jeremy Kelly, Director of Global Research Programs at JLL.

According to JLL's Investment Intensity Index, eight out of 10 of the top cities attracting the most real estate investment in relation to their size are new world cities. The other two are already established world cities - London at No. 1 and Sydney at No. 4.

Leading the new world cities is Oslo at the second spot followed by Munich. Honolulu came at No. 5. Copenhagen, Auckland, Frankfurt, Silicon Valley and Melbourne complete the top 10.

Meanwhile, a report from the CBRE revealed that Germany has taken over the U.K. as the most attractive country for commercial real estate investment. According to The Wall Street Journal, a survey conducted by the property broker showed that 17 percent of investors indicated Germany as their top choice to invest in property. The U.K. only received 15 percent, a decline of around 50 percent from last year's 31 percent. Nonetheless, CBRE's results match JLL's in terms of having London as the most attractive city for property investment.
Posted by Jeremy on at 07:41 AM CST

As part of their on-going collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, Royal Selangor is focusing on the teeth and claws of the Empire and its successor, the First Order, which is featured in the movie,The Limited Edition Captain Phasma figurine headlines the additional line-up. The imposing physique of the captain who commands the First Order legions of troopers is meticulously captured. From the pockets on the grainy cloak to the sleek compartments on the utility belt cum holster and the blaster, the high level of detailing accentuates the air of menace that radiates from this prominent stormtrooper.Complementing the figurine are four finely crafted keychains that feature the helmets of the clone trooper, Imperial stormtrooper and First Order stormtrooper. View these additions at any Royal Selangor retail store, authorised dealers and online at starwars.royalselangor.com
With breakfast being the most important meal of the day, choosing a brunch spot is equally as important. Thankfully, Athens is home to many well-known and highly praised breakfast locations. The real question is which is the best.
As the campaign period for the University of Georgia Student Government Association 2016 Student Body Elections began March 14 at midnight, three executive office tickets were announced, vying for the chance to represent the voice of the Bulldogs.
Daniel Krashen and Joachim Walther were two of the 106 researchers honored with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from President Barack Obama. The award was given to professors across the country and Krashen and Walther were the only two chosen from the University of Georgia.
Arriving at the quarterly All you can stand breakfast at Masonic Lodge in Old Shasta.

SHARE The dining hall in the lodge basement

By Marc Beauchamp

Save this date: Saturday, May 21 from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Thats the next All you can stand breakfast at the historic Masonic Lodge in Old Shasta.

The $7 breakfast is held quarterly at the Western Star Lodge #2, said to be the oldest chartered Masonic lodge in California. Pioneer Peter Lassen brought the charter overland from Missouri in 1849. The lodge building dates to 1854; the Masons bought it in 1859.

On the day of the breakfast, a corps of volunteers from among the lodges 170-odd members work from 3 oclock in the morning to make their justly famous all homemade biscuits and gravy, Lodge Master Mark Pesut told me.

Also on the menu: eggs, sausage, pancakes, coffee, fruit and orange juice.

The breakfast is held in the dining hall in the basement of the lodge. On one wall is a portrait of Peter Lassen. Nearby, theres a watercolor of the lodge building painted in 1934 by local artist (and my maternal grandmother) Mabel Moores (later Mabel Frisbie).

The Masons are a friendly lot, judging by the ones we met  Pesut, Charles Cross and Darryl Knak.

Diners eat at six long tables. Paper placemats explain the structure of Freemasonry. The breakfast typically attracts multigenerational families. We overheard folks reminiscing about Sambos and other bygone restaurants in Redding and discussing what they were giving up for Lent. One woman worked the tables selling tickets for a spaghetti fundraiser at Shasta High for a boy battling cancer.

After breakfast you can take a tour of the historic lodge building.

The all you can stand breakfast has been held since the late 80s, Pesut told me. It was a monthly affair but its been held quarterly for the past two years. Its the third Saturday of the month, to coordinate with other events at Shasta State Historic Park such as docent-guided tours of the fascinating Litsch general store and a blacksmith demonstration, both across Main Street (Highway 299E).

You can also take a self-guided tour of the ruins of the Gold Rush-era brick buildings that dominated Main Street and visit the Courthouse Museum and its grounds. Or grab a coffee and pastry or a soda at Shortys Eatery (open Wednesday through Sunday).

Another fun thing the Old Shasta Masons do: In September there's an evening spaghetti feed followed by a family-friendly movie (such as "Frozen" or "Home") projected on the side of the lodge.

The Masonic "all you can stand breakfast" in Shasta is a wonderful local tradition. Heres hoping it can be a monthly affair again before long.

go now 

Western Star Lodge #2

Address: 15344 Highway 299E, (Old) Shasta

Phone: 241-1602

Hours: 7:30 to 11 a.m. (quarterly, 3rd Saturday of month)

Website: westernstarlodge.org

Social media: Facebook

Owners: Masons

Established: Breakfast (late 80s), lodge (1854)



Sample menu items:

All you can stand breakfast $7

Biscuits and gravy

Eggs

Pancakes

Potatoes OBrien

Sausage

Fruit

Coffee

Orange juice
SHARE

By WILSON RING, Associated Press

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  Colleges and universities worldwide are incorporating into their curriculums the evolving genre of literature that focuses on the changes coming to Earth as the result of climate change  "cli-fi."

Some of the books and movies now being considered part of the genre are old classics, while others were written more recently in direct response to today's changing climate.

"It's a very, very energized time for this where people in literature have just as much to say as people who are in hard science fields, or technology and design fields, or various social-science approaches to these things," said Jennifer Wicke, an English professor at the University of Virginia who will be teaching a course this June on climate fiction at the Bread Loaf campus of Middlebury College in Ripton, Vermont.

The Bread Loaf School of English is mainly for elementary- and high school-level English teachers who can, in turn, take what they learn back to their classrooms to get their students to understand how literature can reflect current events.

"This course gives them a model for creating and imagining English courses that will help the young people whom they teach understand that reading literature, looking at the arts, looking at film isn't something you do as an aside," said Bread Loaf school Director Emily Bartels, also a professor of English at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "It's something you do as you learn how to navigate your own moment in the 21st century."

Climate fiction, a term that emerged less than a decade ago, is now being discussed by academics across the nation and world. Next month, about three dozen academics are expected to attend a workshop in Germany called "Between Fact and Fiction: Climate Change Fiction," hosted by the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study in the northwestern city of Delmenhorst.

The website for the workshop lists some contemporary examples of books that fit the definition: Barbara Kingsolver's "Flight Behavior," about an Appalachian town to which confused monarch butterflies have migrated; Nathaniel Rich's "Odds Against Tomorrow," the story of a mathematician coping with catastrophe in New York; and Paolo Bacigalupi's "The Water Knife," about water wars in the southwestern United States.

But some of the literature now being recognized as cli-fi was written decades, or even centuries, ago. Some of Shakespeare's works focus on humanity's relationship with nature. Works of fiction such as H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds" or "The Time Machine" also fit the profile of climate fiction, Bartels said.

Retired Hampshire College Professor Charlene D'Avanzo, a marine scientist who spends her summers in Yarmouth, Maine, is about to publish her first novel, "Cold Blood, Hot Sea," the first of a three-volume series of what she describes as "cli-fi eco-lit novel and amateur sleuth mystery novels" sparked by what she sees as the harassment of scientists studying climate change.

She said that there's much uncertainty in the scientific study of climate change and that readers are more willing to accept uncertainty in fiction. In her first book, the protagonist is an amateur sleuth who investigates the mysterious death of a colleague who was crushed to death by a buoy on a research vessel off Maine.

"You have to make people care," she said.
SHARE Chamblin Lawrence Bruce Carlson

By Joe Szydlowski of the Redding Record Searchlight

Four people, two of them incumbents, are running for two seats on the Tehama County Board of Supervisors in the June 7 election.

In District 1, which covers northwest Tehama County and north Red Bluff, Cottonwood cattle rancher and retired teacher Richard Lawrence, 66, is challenging incumbent Steve Chamblin, 63, of Red Bluff.

In District 2, which includes most of Red Bluff and additional land to the southwest, semi-retired accountant Sandra "Sandy" Bruce is eyeing a rematch with incumbent Kathleen "Candy" Carlson.

Supervisor Burt Bundy is running unopposed.

All candidates had to file key paperwork by the previous Friday.

Sandra Bruce

Bruce, who lives in Red Bluff, is vying for another stint on the board  in April 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her to fill the seat of George Russell, who had died.

She retired from her accounting job in the county's Department of Social Services after 28 years. She came back to work on a part-time, temporary basis. She said she would not be employed by the county if she were to win the supervisor's race.

Support from various members of the community encouraged her to run. She said she wants to fight for property owners who don't want to smell nearby medical marijuana. She also said she wants to focus on water rights, public safety and fighting for rural and agriculture interests.

"What works in Southern California doesn't work in rural California," she said.

She did not list any gifts in her financial statement.

Kathleen Carlson

Carlson, who has a background in mortgages, originally defeated Bruce for the District 2 seat in 2014.

Carlson said she has served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, most recently at Elmandorf Air Force Base in Alaska.

Carlson said she focuses on veterans' well-being  she said she helped found a group that has increased veterans' access to various benefits. She said she also spearheaded an effort to get a full-time veterans service officer in the county.

She touts her opposition to urgency ordinances, a fast-track process, because it limits public review.

She said she also holds quarterly town halls and monthly meetings about county government with the public "so the public knows what their government is doing."

She listed a single gift on her financial disclosure forms: a $400 loan from a private citizen to her campaign that was forgiven.

Steve Chamblin

Incumbent Chamblin, of Red Bluff, is running for his second term after winning former supervisor Gregg Avilla's seat.

A licensed marriage and family therapist who has worked in both the private and public sectors, Chamblin earned his bachelor's degree at Chico State and his master's degree in educational psychology at the University of San Francisco.

He moved to Tehama County around 40 years ago. According to his campaign packet, he wants to focus on increasing the number of jobs and property values.

He did not return a phone call and an email seeking comment.

He listed one gift in his financial disclosure: A $260 dinner for two from Opterra Energy Services Dec. 2.

Richard Lawrence

A Cottonwood rancher who also designs additions to buildings, Lawrence said he takes issue with several county policies.

Chief among them is the timing of supervisors meetings  usually they start between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.

"(Schedule) at least one meeting at 6 or 7 p.m. so working-class people can attend the meeting," said Lawrence, who retired after a 36-year teaching career.

During part of that time he also served on the administrative board and as a department head at James Logan High School in Union City.

Another problem he takes with the board is a more recent ordinance that imposes hefty fees on those who let someone stay in a trailer on their property.

Lawrence also serves as the president of the Shasta-Cascade Farms Association, which he said works to maintain 25 miles of rural roads.

He did not list any gifts in his financial statement.
Morning Star Gali, right, the Pit River Tribe's tribal historic preservation officer, speaks with Mickey Leland Gemmill Jr., the tribe's chairman, Tuesday at the Gaia Hotel in Anderson. Gali is a recipient of a 2016 Leading Edge fellowship from the Rosenberg Foundation in partnership with the Hellman Foundation.

SHARE Morning Star Gali, right, the Pit River Tribe's tribal historic preservation officer, greets Art Baggett, president of the board of directors for the Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council, Tuesday at the Gaia Hotel in Anderson. Morning Star Gali

By Sean Longoria of the Redding Record Searchlight

For Morning Star Gali, exposure to American Indians in prison came at an early age.

Her father, Isidro Gali, was released from San Quentin state prison in the late 1970s and soon began working for American Indian rights, becoming a spiritual adviser at the prison and, eventually, the first fulltime American Indian chaplain the state prison system.

"I grew up very aware of his incarceration, aware of the work. As a child, I attended powwows and gatherings at the prison," said Morning Star Gali. "I knew very early on about the injustices of the overrepresentation of native peoples."

Gali, 36, has taken that childhood knowledge, time spent volunteering with other American Indians at prisons and her life experiences as a member of the Ajumawi band of the Pit River Tribe to heart as she works toward reducing American Indian prison incarceration and better serving those already incarcerated and their families.

To help in that effort, Gali is set to receive $225,000 over the next three years. The money comes from the Leading Edge Fund, a $2 million total award to eight people working to tackle barriers to opportunity for communities of color and low-income communities, according to the Rosenberg Foundation.

The foundation is a nonprofit that believes "every person in California must have fair and equitable opportunities to participate fully in the state's economic, social and political life," according to the organization's website.

"We have an 81-year history of supporting cutting-edge social justice and civil rights work," said Tim Silard, Rosenberg president.

For her project as a Leading Edge fellow, Gali said she plans to first conduct a survey of state and federal prisons in California to find out how much of the population is American Indian.

About 2 percent of the federal prison population is American Indian, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in a 2014 census reported 1.1 percent of its total population  1,458 people  were identified as American Indian. The CDCR press office did not return a message Wednesday seeking details on how that data was gathered.

Gali said it's unclear how the numbers were derived, though it's already greater than the American Indian percentage of the U.S. population  about 1 percent in the 2010 census  and is likely higher.

"Native Americans still are not accurately counted," she said.

The CDCR also reported recidivism is highest among American Indians compared to other ethnic groups, with two out of every three people returning to prison within three years of being released. The rate is around 50 percent for all inmates.

Gali's project also includes increasing services for incarcerated American Indians and their families, including providing religious material for those serving time.

"It's providing a clearinghouse of resources for family members and tribal members who have been impacted by incarceration in California," she said.

Beyond that work, Gali said she'll also explore what else can be done.

The seven other Leading Edge fellows are working on similar issues  from youth incarceration, legal representation for immigrants, increasing civic participation among people of color and more.

"They've already started to meet with one another to look at ways to collaborate and leverage one another's work," Silard said.

The Leading Edge Fund is offering ongoing support in the form of retreats, mentoring, connections with other individuals and groups in civil rights and social justice organizations and other technical support, Silard said. Rosenberg is also looking at nominating a second group of fellows.

"My hope is we can expand it a bit to about 10 or 12," he said. "We haven't decided what the selection process will be next time."

Rosenberg funded the fellowship in partnership with the Hellman Foundation, another nonprofit that focuses on improving lives and communities in the Bay Area.

Gali and the others nominated for the Leading Edge Program were selected by a group of about 25 who sought people with a "bold, cutting edge" vision in the areas of civil rights and social justice work, Silard said.

"We had a sense that there would be something really interesting and exciting about looking for awesome individual leaders regardless of what organization they belonged to," he said.

Visit http://leadingedge.rosenbergfound.org/ for more information.
SHARE

As soon as I saw the March 11 Speak Your Piece, "Climate experts skeptical of forecasts," it only took a quick Google search to see that the author, Merrill Matthews, is just another flim flam man and his Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) is just another part of a long-running campaign of climate deception.

IPI is a Texas think tank founded by former Republican Congressman Dick Armey to "research, develop and promote innovative and non-partisan solutions to today's public policy problems." It is among the most conservative groups in the United States, with funding by other conservative foundations and corporations like ExxonMobil and Koch Industries.

For decades, fossil fuel interests have been secretly funding so-called studies authored by climate contrarians, like Merrill Matthews. Their goal is to echo the earlier tobacco industry's strategy to stave off government regulation by deceiving the public into believing that the scientific evidence is not conclusive. "Doubt is our product" was how one tobacco official stated it. The same applies here.

Unearthed documents reveal that, as early as the 1970s, the world's largest fossil fuel companies  British Petroleum, Chevron, ConocoPhilips, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy, Shell and the American Petroleum Institute  were fully aware (as were the tobacco companies of nicotine's health risks) that human-induced climate change threatened planetary health, but continued to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to sow doubt and promote contrarian arguments they knew to be wrong, the health of people and the planet be dammed.

Officials in these corporations and organizations have been caught stating that "victory will be achieved when average citizens accept uncertainties in climate science. "Far from settled" and "no consensus" are frequently repeated phrases by deniers.

In fact, the science on climate change due to human causes that is producing vast damages around the globe is irrefutable. Ninety-seven percent of scientists are in agreement with this. Despite this almost unheard of level of consensus, there are still a handful of scientists who will sell out, and who show up on television (or in newspaper columns) to present a contrary view, paraded as a counterweight to 97 percent of his professional peers.

Politicians can also be bought, and in fact an entire political party has been. The GOP is the only political entity left in the world that still denies that man is causing climate change. And if a Republican has the political courage to even acknowledge climate change, which more and more of them are now doing so as not to appear to be totally ignorant, the tactic is to say that nothing can be done about it, certainly not by passing regulations and other laws that will "hurt the economy." Marco Rubio enunciated this twisted view at the GOP debate in Miami on March 10.

The planet and all of life are being endangered by climate change and rising seas. This is the most pressing problem in the world, greater than ISIS, because the future of all humanity is at stake. It's happening now, as seen in ferocious storms, massive flooding across the globe, new heat records each year, rising oceans and higher tides that are already swamping countries and cities, e.g. Miami. But the fossil fuel industries and their partners in denial are still putting out huge sums to sow doubt. Just like the tobacco companies, they don't want today's profits to be slowed down. And they buy flunky "experts" and politicians to do their bidding.

Addendum. Just as I finished writing this piece, the paper published another column "Fuel standards hurt middle class." This too is written by research fellows of a conservative foundation, The Heritage Foundation, which is also funded by fossil fuel companies like Koch Industries, ExxonMobil, and more. Much of what I wrote above applies to this column. One should ask: why would oil and gas companies be against increasing gas mileage of automobiles? Such research reports are part of ongoing efforts by oil-funded organizations to discredit any legislation aimed at reducing the use of oil.

Bob Madgic lives in Anderson.
An early morning dance party, a free screening of "Afronauts" and more things to do in Chicago on Thursday, March 17.

EAT



CHIrish Pride



Staytion Market & Bar



1 W. Wacker Drive 312-372-7200



Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with traditional bangers and mash ($10) and a black and tan ($6) while listening to Irish music. 11 a.m.

DRINK



Daybreaker St. Patrick's Day Green Juice Edition



1st Ward at Chop Shop



2033 W. North Ave. 773-537-4441



Take a yoga class followed by a dance party with DJ DangerWayne and MC Haile Supreme plus cold brew coffee, healthy juices and breakfast treats. 5:30-8:30 a.m. $26.75-$37.05. Tickets: eventbrite.com

Shamrock 'n' Roll



She-nannigans



16 W. Division St. 312-642-2344



93XRT's Ryan Arnold hosts a live broadcast at the Gold Coast bar with a special performance by The Record Company. Plus, enjoy $5 16-ounce cans of Miller Lite, Irish pipers, drummers and leprechauns on stilts. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

Advertisement

DO

'The Bachelors'



Greenhouse Theater Center



2257 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-404-7336



Cole Theatre presents the Midwest premiere of Caroline V. McGraw's dark comedy about three roommates living together on a fraternity row long past their college days. 7:30 p.m. $5. Tickets: coletheatre.org

'Afronauts'

'Afronauts' (Free!)



Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts



4 W. Burton Place 312-787-4071



Catch a screening of the short film about the Zambian space program in the late 1960s along with a discussion with director Frances Bodomo and University of Chicago professor Jacqueline Stewart. 6-8 p.m.; doors open at 5:30 p.m. Free. RSVP: grahamfoundation.org


The acquisition of South African Breweries traditional beer business by Diageo is part of a complex web of transactions signed by the British firm with Mallya.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Enforcement Directorate are set to study a transaction between British multinational Diageo and UB group Chairman Vijay Mallya, in which the British firm acquired the South African Breweries traditional sorghum beer business for close to $77 million.

The January 2013 transaction to acquire 50 per cent in the beer business was announced within months of the sale of United Spirits to Diageo in November 2012.

The money was paid to Mallya in two tranches in his offshore accounts.

In April 2015, Diageo had taken full control of the business by buying the other 50 per cent from Pestello Investments, a Mallya-owned company.

The entire transaction was completed in May last year.

The offshore accounts and Trusts based in tax havens of Mallya are currently under investigation by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Sebi had earlier said it would investigate the non-compete fees worth $75 million paid by Diageo to Mallya under the takeover regulations.

The valuation of traditional sorghum beer business in South Africa was not made public either by Diageo or Mallya, leading to speculation that the sale of USL transaction and the sale of traditional beer business by Mallya-owned United National Breweries are linked.

Corporate lawyers said it would be difficult for Sebi to link the South Africa and USL transaction owing to jurisdiction issues and transaction across various locations.

The UNB transaction gave Diageo control of the leading sorghum beer business in South Africa.

"Our evaluation process for any such transaction is rigorous but confidential.

"We have received a request for information from Sebi and will of course cooperate with them, as we would with any government agency," said a Diageo spokesperson.

Sebi rules currently bar giving any premium to the promoter of a company at takeover.

More than Mallya, it will be Diageo which will be under pressure. Sebi can ask it to revise the open offer if it finds that non-compete fees flout the takeover code, said a corporate lawyer.

A mail sent to Diageo did not elicit any response, while a UB group spokesperson declined to comment.

In January this year, Diageo had said it would run the traditional beer business separately for now as the sorghum business provides it with an entry point into the segment of South Africa.

Sorghum beer will continue to exist as a separate segment in the beer market, and will be an important part of South African beer landscape, the company had said in a conference call with investors in January this year.

The acquisition of South African Breweries traditional beer business by Diageo is part of a complex web of transactions signed by the British firm with Mallya.

Apart from the sale of South African business and paying non-compete fees, Diageo also paid off a $141-million loan to Standard Chartered Bank taken by Watson Ltd, a UB group company.

It also paid off another $41-million loan taken by United Breweries Overseas Ltd.

In India, United Spirits -- under Diageo -- has written off dues worth Rs 2,100 crore (Rs 21 billion).

Diageo has also agreed to sponsor Mallyas Force 1 Formula One race team for $15 million per season.

SWEET DEAL

Nov 2012: Diageo buys USL from Mallya at $2.1 bn

Diageo buys USL from Mallya at $2.1 bn Jan 2013: Diageo buys 50% traditional beer business in South Africa for $36 mn

Diageo buys 50% traditional beer business in South Africa for $36 mn Apr 2015: Diageo buys rest of South African business for $27 mn and $14 mn as earn out payment

Diageo buys rest of South African business for $27 mn and $14 mn as earn out payment Feb 2016: Diageo agrees to pay $75 mn to Mallya as non-compete fees; Diageo pays off $141 mn loan of Watson Ltd of UB group; Diageo pays off $41-mn loan of UB Offshore, USL writes off Rs 2100 cr dues from UB entities, Mallya gets ROFR to buy 13 prime properties in India

Diageo agrees to pay $75 mn to Mallya as non-compete fees; Diageo pays off $141 mn loan of Watson Ltd of UB group; Diageo pays off $41-mn loan of UB Offshore, USL writes off Rs 2100 cr dues from UB entities, Mallya gets ROFR to buy 13 prime properties in India Mar 2016: ED, CBI, Sebi start probe into Mallya-Diageo transactions

Image: A file photo of Vijay Mallya. Photograph: Reuters
While there was no official word from Saharas, reports said that the two hotels can fetch up to $1 billion.

Image: Reports said that the two hotels can fetch up to $1 billion. Photograph: Reuters

Beleaguered Sahara group seems headed for a fresh blow with the mortgage holders of its prized overseas hotel assets reportedly readying a billion-dollar auction for the iconic Plaza and trendy Dream Downtown properties in New York next month.

The group has been trying hard to raise funds including through refinancing of loans on these two hotels as also on the historic Grosvenor House property in London, to ensure release of its chief Subrata Roy from New Delhi's Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged for over two years.

While there was no official word from Saharas, reports said that the two hotels can fetch up to $1 billion.

Without identifying the source, a Bloomberg report said the "foreclosure auction" has been scheduled for April 26 by the billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben, who had refinanced an earlier Bank of China loan of Indian group on its three foreign hotels.

It pegged total mortgage for the two US hotels at $500 million, saying they serve as collateral for the loan and were cross-collateralised with the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

Another report in the New York Post quoted unnamed hotel industry insiders as saying the price could top $1 billion at the auction of Plaza and Dream Downtown.

Queries sent to the Sahara group, including about the trigger to the 'foreclosure action', remained unanswered.

Reuben Brothers also didn't reply to the queries. In March last year, Bank of China had put Grosvenor House under "administration" for recovery of its loans after the lender declared "an event of default" on the US loans due to some technical breaches in the financial covenants.

The loan on Sahara's three hotels -- Grosvenor House in the UK and the two prime hotels in New York -- from Bank of China was "cross collateralized and cross guaranteed".

Subsequently, Sahara reached a $850 million (Rs 5,500 crore) refinancing deal with Reuben brothers and averted the 'default-triggered' sale of Grosvenor House hotel property.

Grosvenor House, a landmark property on Park Lane in London that was designed by acclaimed architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, was purchased by Saharas in 2010. The two hotels in the US were purchased later.

The three hotels were acquired between 2010-2012 at an estimated valuation of $1.55 billion. Market experts peg their current valuation at upwards of $2.2 billion.

The 109-year-old Plaza in New York is situated off Central Park and its ownership has changed hands several times, while currently Sahara group has about 75 per cent and the remaining 25 per cent is with Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal of Saudi Arabia.

In the past, its owners included real estate tycoon and the current US Presidential candidate Donald Trump, who had married to his second wife Marla Maples in this hotel.

The hotel, which has 282 rooms in addition to several condos, restaurants and shops, have hosted the famous Plaza Accord to devalue the US dollar in 1985.

Sahara group has been engaged in a legal battle with markets regulator Sebi for a long time over a case involving raising of funds from investors to the tune of over Rs 24,000 crore (Rs 240 billion). Sahara, however, claims it has already repaid 95 per cent of the investors' money directly.
The deadlock over finalising alliances has had a deleterious effect on the candidates of every party. The delay in alliance conclusion has also sent out confusing signals to the grass-roots who are unsure who will be their party candidate, or which party within an alliance will be allotted a particular constituency, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Continuing confusion over the complex nature of coalition formation has seemingly cut into the limited campaign time even otherwise available for candidates of almost every other political party in poll-bound Tamil Nadu.

Baring the Pattali Makkal Katchi, which has nominated former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss as its chief ministerial candidate, no other party or candidate has launched the campaign for assembly elections slated for March 16 in Tamil Nadu and the Union territory of Puducherry.

The party too has not declared that it would not open alliance talks even at this later hour, where the Bharatiya Janata Party figures as a possible candidate still.

For the BJP, however, to accept Anbumani R as chief minister candidate could expose chinks in its TN electoral armour.

Trying to bring the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and the PMK on the same platform as in 2014 parliamentary polls, the BJP declined to project actor-politician Vijayakanth, founder of the former, as its chief minister nominee.

Now to accept Ramadoss Jr, could expose the party in ways it would not want to promote itself in the caste-ridden Tamil Nadu election scenario.

Another political party that has announced its candidates for all 234 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu is the Naam Tamizhar Katchi of actor-politician Seeman with a defined streak of pan-Tamil ideology standing out.

This is Seemans first full-fledged electoral outing, and hence will have to prove its poll credentials before other parties took him and his ideology seriously.

Its surprising that even a week after Vijayakanths go-it-alone decision, the two Dravidian majors have not taken any firm step forward.

The ruling AIADMKs Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and rival DMKs heir-apparent and former deputy chief minister M K Stalin have begun receiving leaders of a host of less significant parties and/or groups, to discuss seat-sharing, or for the latter to pledge their support.

In the past, Jayalalithaa has been known to pip everyone else by coming up with her candidates list, poll manifesto and even launch her personal campaign days and weeks ahead of others.

This time, however, the AIADMK has delayed the process.

There are issues for the AIADMK too to reportedly consider. Though Vijayakanth has declared the DMDKs decision to contest alone, he is said to have come under intense internal pressure from party cadres to reconsider the near-unilateral decision imposed by him and his inner circle, comprising wife Premalatha and her brother Sudeesh.

In particular, DMDK electoral aspirants, whom Vijayakanth had personally interviewed for nominations, have returned to him saying that the party stood no chance without and alliance with the DMK -- and none else.

This has caused ripples whose effects are felt in the AIADMK shores, too, it is said.

With the result, the AIADMK is also said to be continually reconsidering the option of tying up with the BJP, if it came to that.

The conclusion is that with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaya campaigning together, the combine could still turn the tide in their favour even more -- as some leaders in the two parties claim.

In recent times, however, national level BJP leaders like TN party in-charge, Muralidhar Rao, and poll negotiator and Union minister Prakash Javadekar have begun targeting the Jayalalithaa government frontally, on development issues  possibly hoping to please Vijayakanth and his DMDK cadres. Rao made the most recent attack in Chennai this week.

This contrasts with the recent political behaviour of state BJP leaders. They used to target the Jayalalithaa leadership fiercely through the past year, when the national leadership was at times seen as wooing the AIADMK leadership. Now, they are silent, not knowing whom to target, when, how and how far.

Speculation about an AIADMK-BJP alliance began doing the rounds again after Jayalalithaa held back alliance/seat-sharing talks with the Tamil Maanila Congress and the Muslim-centric TMMK, though she has already met others of the ilk.

The TMC was revived by former Union minister G K Vasan, son of original party founder the late G K Moopanar, out of the Congress parent after his fathers death.

Both the TMC and the TMMK are said to be uncomfortable in the BJPs company -- and more so could be their respective cadres.

For all this, however, the TMC in particular has an open invitation from the four-party front of Vaikos MDMK, Thiumavalavans VCK, the CPI and CPM. But the AIADMK is the TMCs first preference.

More importantly, the four-party combine is still keeping the doors open for the DMDK, openly offering the chief ministers job to Vijaykanth. The alliance has not made any move/noise on the TMMK, which should fit into their bill as much as the DMK-led combine.

Yet, in the absence of any positive signals from the AIADMK and the DMDK respectively, the TMC on the one hand and the four-party alliance on the other have not been able to formalise their poll strategy, list of candidates, etc.

The AIADMK is also reportedly being plagued by yet another phase of weed removal, personally by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who is also the partys all-powerful general secretary.

The current crop of weeds has included the five-man army in the party second-line, led by two-time stand-in chief minister, O Pannerselvam.

Many of their known loyalists have been removed from key party posts across the state when the assembly elections are already round the corner.

In recent months and years, these five senior ministers used to be entrusted with all election-related work. Not this time, however -- or, at least so far.

Jayalalithaa met the smaller parties, though together, personally and without aides. Earlier, these tasks used to be handled by the second-line leadership, Panneerselvam more recently and others, before him.

By doing so, Jayalalithaa seems to have sent out two messages to her cadre and the TN voters.

One, she was in control of the party, and no one need to dream of replacing her, without her intent and consent.

Two, she was in good health, enough to meet with alliance partners to discuss serious issues of seat-sharing.

It is another matter that nothing serious seemed to have transpired at the common meeting with the smaller party leaders, other than the demonstrative effect that it was sought to produce -- however limited it be.

In turn, its argued that the DMK too was left with little option but to be seen as being seriously into alliance-building.

There is nothing otherwise to suggest that the DMK was wholly ready to ditch Vijaykanth as yet -- and proceed with seat-sharing talks with the Congress and other minor allies, candidates nominations and launch its poll campaign.

This deadlock has had a deleterious effect on prospective candidates of every party and prospective allies, too. Apart from individual party/candidates campaign, the delay in alliance conclusion has also sent out confusing signals to the grass-roots. They are unsure who will be the party candidate, or which party within an alliance  existing or possibly prospective  will be allotted a particular constituency.

Given the phased-out nature of the five-state assembly polls this time, the Election Commission may have helped set the right mood for them to launch their poll campaign early on. But the party leaderships in Tamil Nadu are not ready as yet to pass on the time advantage to their candidates and district/constituency level poll managers.

The leaderships seem to have convinced themselves that proven poll mathematics alone was enough to see individual alliances through. Barring Vaiko, as convenor of the four-party Peoples Welfare Alliance, no other political leader seem to have given weightage to the substantial number of non-committed, swing voters, whose number still hovers around 25 per cent, through the past two-plus decades.

With the result, candidates might get only about three weeks of campaign time. This comes with an added problem for the parties, too.

Where faces of individual candidates are fairly well-known to their voters, they owe it to notoriety of some kind rather than popularity of any kind.

Gone are the days when candidates were as established as the parties concerned, at least in their immediate geographical and community surroundings.

With the result, the candidates invariably face the uphill task of having to market their faces first even before being able to campaign for votes.

They hardly get time for the former in most cases -- and virtually none at all for the latter task.

With the result, the candidates dependence on the party leaderships face identification and those of the party symbol and flag have become greater in recent years and decades.

They seldom have any votes to call their own, and hence suffer from no responsibility or accountability to their constituents or constituency. Their loyalty to the party and the leadership, whose face alone have marketed them, ends up becoming at times disproportionately high.

This tells a different story of its own. That is to say, respective party leaderships either win or lose elections  candidates, dont.

Its akin to saying that Tamil Nadu, if not the rest of India, is voting for leaders, and not candidates  though using the institution and tools of indirect elections belonging to the parliamentary democracy scheme.

In the past, when the Indian electoral process was in its infancy and the procedural hiccups owed to absence of the present-day computerised systems management, candidates initially used to get eight weeks for campaigning.

It came down to six weeks later, and down to four weeks. Now it is closer to three weeks.

Today, when computerisation and greater use of technology has smoothened the poll process, the predicament and predilection of parties and their leaderships seem to be weighing down on the parliamentary poll scheme in more ways than thought to be.

Cut in the campaign time now being made available to individual candidates  and their constitutional emotional commitment to their voters, and subsequent responsibility and accountability  thus travel hand in hand, but with consequences not just for the election of individual candidates or parties, or even in individual states, but more so to the credibility of our electoral scheme and systems.

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is director, Chennai Chapter of the Observer Research Foundation.
'How can you say this is a test of my loyalty? I feel comfortable saying "Jai Hind." I feel comfortable saying "Hindustan Zindabad".'

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi took on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat when he said he would refuse to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' even at 'knife-point.'

Addressing RSS leaders at a conclave on March 3, Bhagwat said the new generation needed to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India, comments which came against the backdrop of the row over alleged anti-India sloganeering on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus.

Owaisi's statements have drawn sharp criticism across political lines, including from poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar who remarked in his farewell address in the Rajya Sabha: Owaisi 'will not say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' as the Constitution does not require him to say so. But the same Constitution does not ask him to wear the sherwani either.'

Owaisi spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com about the controversy.

You are okay with saying 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Jai Hind,' why won't you say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'?

Is there a test of nationalism for me?

Am I a loyalist only if I say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' There is no test of nationalism.

Over and above that, India is a Republic. Even Constitutional duties do not say that I have to raise this slogan.

And where is my freedom of expression? Why are you forcing me to say something which I don't want to say?

What is the problem with 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'?

The moot point is: That I will not say it, does that make me anti-national?

The most popular slogans are 'Jai Hind' and 'Hindustan Zindabad.' What is wrong in that?

To people who are objecting to my remarks and questioning my loyalty, my counter question to them is: Why don't you say 'Jai Hind'? What is wrong with 'Jai Hind'?

But 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is a very popular slogan....

Am I saying you don't say it? I have no issues with it, but you cannot force me to say what you want to say.

Where is the freedom of expression? It is my Fundamental Right.

Don't you think this makes you appear to be anti-national?

How? You are wrong. How is this anti-national, please tell me. Which section of the Indian Penal Code says so?

I am not a practising lawyer, but I know little bit about the law. Please tell me which section applies here.

Javed Akhtar said in the Rajya Sabha, in this context, that the Constitution doesn't say you must wear a sherwani and topi either

He has got his facts completely wrong. I am talking about the Constitution and freedom of expression.

I am talking about things like India is a Republic.

I am saying, I will say 'Jai Hind.' But he (Javed Akhtar) goes on to my clothes. That itself shows the fallacy of his argument.

Just because you cannot counter my argument, you make fun of my beard, topi and sherwani.

I am fine with what he said, but my argument is, is it mentioned in the Constitution?



Is it part of my fundamental duty? Is it a test of my loyalty or nationalism? No.

How can you say this is a test of my loyalty? I feel comfortable saying 'Jai Hind.' I feel comfortable saying 'Hindustan Zindabad.'

Why are you questioning it? And how come the RSS will decide what I eat or wear?

It is because the RSS wants 'uniformity in diversity' rather than 'unity in diversity'?

Yes, because the RSS believes in one language, one culture and one religion.

You don't want to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' because it refers to India as a goddess?

People talk about the rights of a horse which was brutally assaulted in Uttarakhand. Here I am talking about my Fundamental Rights.

I will never say what the RSS wants me to say. Believe me, I am a prouder Indian than anyone else.

Your legislator, Waris Pathan, was suspended from the Maharashtra assembly for refusing to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai.'

It is very unfortunate. One can get suspended for uttering unparliamentary words or for unparliamentary behaviour, but here you want to force (us to say something).

'You have to say this (Bharat Mata ki Jai) or else we will take action.' And this was supported by the Congress and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).

Outside the assembly they say they will not allow the Hindutva agenda, but inside the assembly they support them (the BJP).

Is there a possibility this issue will unnecessarily rake up communal tensions?

Are you telling me that the Gujarat riots happened because someone did not say that (Bharat Mata ki Jai)?

Are you telling that the Muzzafarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh, in which 50,000 Muslims were affected, happened because they did not say that slogan?

We have a long history of communal riots in India.

The fundamental problem is that you make nationalism a Hindutva issue and show that 'Look here, they are not saying this (Bharat Mata Ki Jai).'

This is my Fundamental Right. I am happy saying 'Jai Hind.'

The difference is, I am not saying 'my way or the highway.' I am saying pluralism and diversity must be reflected in our democracy.
A man died and three others are in critical condition after a group of cow protection activists attempted suicide on Thursday by consuming poison, seeking Rashtra mata (mother of nation) status to cow and beef ban across country, on the premises of collectorate in Rajkot, Gujarat.

Despite deployment of police personnel, the eight activists managed to consume pesticides and were immediately rushed to civil hospital earlier in the day.

One of them, identified as Hindabhai Vambadiya, died at the hospital while undergoing treatment whereas condition of three others is said to be critical, said assistant commissioner of police Kalpesh Chavda.

35-year-old Vambadiya was part of the group that had gathered outside the premises of the collector office in Rajkot demanding that government should declare cow as Rashtra Mata.

They managed to consume pesticides even before police personnel could prevent them from doing so.

Former Congress MP from Rajkot, Kunvarji Bavaliya and chairman of Gau Seva Ayog Vallabhbhai Kathiriya rushed to the hospital after the incident but were blocked by protesters from entering the premises of the hospital.

A call for Gujarat bandh has been given by Gau Rakshak Samiti, which had launched the protest for declaring cow as Rashtra Mata, over the death of Vambadiya.

The ACP said they will investigate how the activists managed to consume poison despite presence of police and the tip-off in advance about the impending suicide attempt.

Those in hospital are identified as Kamlesh Rabari, 29, Dinesh Loriya, 45, Amar Danidharaiya, 35, Raghuvirsinh Jadeja, 30, Vala Maru, 36, Vijay Sindhav, 28, and Deepak Vaghela.

Police did not disclose the names of the activists whose condition is critical.
The BJP's tie-ups with the Bodoland People's Front and the Asom Gana Parishad have incurred the wrath of local party leaders and workers ahead of next month's assembly elections, reports Bivekananda Biswas.



Discontent brewing among sections of leaders and workers in the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam over its choice of alliance partners threatens to hamper its prospects in the state's assembly polls next month.

On January 19, the BJP forged an alliance with the Bodoland People's Front when the latter's popularity had hit a low point. The alliance caused a stir among local BJP workers.

Political analysts say the BPF does not have much of a hold over the Bodo tribals in the state. In the Bodoland territorial council polls last year, the BPF won 20 seats out of 40 -- 13 less than its tally of 33 in the 2010 election.

A BJP worker in Chirang district said on condition of anonymity, "This time the party had a good chance, but the alliance is a historic blunder. All the non-Bodo people were supporting the BJP because they got a sense of security after the party tackled militancy successfully."

Chirang, along with Kokrajhar, Udalguri and Baksa, is part of the Bodoland territorial area districts in Assam.

From 2012 to 2014, the BTAD areas saw several curfews. In 2012, more than 100 people were killed and at least 50,000 rendered homeless in violence in the BTAD areas.

In December 2014, Bodo rebels gunned down more than 70 Adivasis. After the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre, it initiated steps against the militants, forcing them to either surrender or flee the country. Such actions restored normalcy to an extent. Economic activity, too, picked up.

But the BJP's tie-up with the BPF has caused much resentment. Several local BJP leaders have left the party; many others are planning to quit soon.

Some BJP workers have joined the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Aikya Mancha, a party floated by Lok Sabha member Naba Kumar Sarania, popularly known as Hira Sarania, with non-Bodo people in the BTAD areas, following the Bodo violence against Adivasis and other non-Bodo people in 2014.

The SJAM had earlier decided not to field candidates, but following the rift in the BJP, is reconsidering its decision.

The BJP's tie-up with the Asom Gana Parishad, too, has not been received well by some sections of workers in both parties.

One faction in the AGP has formed a new party, the AGP Jatiyatabadi Mancha (AGP Regionalist Forum). Those in the BJP who are against the alliance have formed a new outfit, the Trinamool BJP.

Given the AGP's plank of regionalism, a section in the party could not accept the BJP's move to grant citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh, who had settled in Assam before December 13, 2014. They contended that the Assam movement and the Assam accord were against illegal Bangladeshi infiltration, be it Hindu or Muslim migrants.

A group of AGP workers from various places across the state allegedly ransacked the party headquarters in Guwahati, demanding that either the alliance with the BJP be scrapped or the AGP be given more seats.

Meanwhile, the BJP workers held demonstrations in Sivasagar, Sarupathar, Tezpur and Bongaigaon.

The BJP has agreed to give 24 out of the total 126 assembly seats in the state to the AGP. These include Kamalpur and Patacharkuchi -- seats that were won by the BJP in the last assembly polls. On the other hand, it has kept Biswanath and Kalaigaon, both of which were bagged by the AGP last time.

There are some others in both parties who are rebelling because they have not been promised tickets. Among them is Prabin Hazarika, the AGP MLA from Biswanath. Kalaigaon's AGP legislator, Mukunda Ram Choudhury, has threatened to contest as an Independent.

Jadab Deka, the BJP MLA from Kamalpur, is trying to field his wife as an Independent. In Tezpur, BJP workers protested after the seat was given to the AGP.

Even amid such opposition, several leaders in the BJP and the AGP are optimistic that everything will work out before the polls. BJP spokesperson Siddhartha Bhattacharya, a former state party chief, said no party was without problems.

The present situation would not last long as the party was reaching out to protesting leaders and explaining to them the significance of the alliance with the AGP, he added.

AGP chief Atul Bora appealed to party workers to understand the 'ground realities' and respect the 'wish' of the people of Assam to dislodge the Congress.

The BJP has so far announced the names of 88 candidates for the assembly polls. These include its chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal, former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma who joined the party last year and Lok Sabha member Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, who has been fielded against Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress.

The ruling Congress has allied with the United People's Party, backed by the All Bodo Student Union. The newly formed party is said to have a considerable support base in the state. The All India United Democratic Front has said it will not contest 66 out of the total 126 seats in order to help the Congress defeat the BJP and its allies.

Assam goes to the polls on April 4 and April 11.

IMAGE: Preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Guwahati in January.
Two cases were on Thursday filed in Bihar seeking sedition charges against AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyaparthi Party leader Ramji Singh in Buxar filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Hari Shankar Prasad seeking booking of the Hyderabad MP under section 124 A which relates to sedition.

Petitioner's lawyer Uma Shankar Singh said along with the writ-application, two CDs of the AIMIM leader's provocative speech in Maharashtra have been attached.

Another case was registered against Owaisi in Gopalganj by Mohammad Kurwan Ansari, a native of Ektarwah village, urging Chief Judicial Magistrate to prosecute him under the sedition charge.

Meanwhile, in the Bihar legislative assembly, BJP members trooped into the well of the House over absence of the Health minister in the House to answer their questions of the members and also chanted "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans.

Later, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar while talking to reporters outside the House said they were patriotic citizens of the country who feel proud in chanting nationalistic slogans.

Without naming Owaisi, he said people displaying "pro-Pakistan inclination" by triggering such controversy and hurting nationalistic feeling of citizens should be dealt with severely in accordance with the law of the land.
The emergence of real estate tycoon Donald Trump as Republican presidential nominee sounded the death-knell for the party establishment, Indian-American former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said.

"The GOP (Grand Old Party i.e. the Republican Party) establishment is done for. This race shows that," Jindal told MSNBC's "Meet the Press" on Wednesday.

The 44-year-old was one of the 17 Republicans in the race to the White House, but dropped out as he was unable to gain any support.

"Voters are angry and frustrated and, in some part, the Republican Party deserves some of that frustration. Donald Trump should serve as a wake-up call," Jindal said.

A brokered convention to prevent Trump from becoming the presidential nominee would only further discredit party leadership, said Jindal, who has been one of the billionaire's most vocal critics.

"When huge chunks of your base are telling you something, you have to listen to them. Let's let the voters speak," he said and opposed the idea of a 'brokered convention'.

"It (brokered convention) makes for a great fiction novel. The reality is, you can do the math. He has done very, very well. It is exactly what is wrong with the GOP establishment and it is ignoring the will of the voters," he said.

Meanwhile, another Indian-American and governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley has endorsed Republican candidate Ted Cruz in the race for the White House which will provide a fillip to the Texas Senator's aspiration to become the US president.

Haley had earlier endorsed and campaigned for senator Marco Rubio, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of front runner Donald Trump in his home State of Florida.

Haley, who has not yet made an official announcement to endorse Cruz, told reporters she hoped that the Senator would emerge as the Republican presidential nominee.

"Ask me when the time comes again, but as of now I strongly believe I will support the Republican nominee," Haley was quoted as saying by a local State news paper.

"The only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that senator Cruz can come through this. Thats who, privately, I am fighting for," Haley said.

Jindal, whose popularity came down crashing after he took on Trump in the early phase of the presidential campaign, said that he would support the frontrunner in the race to the White House against Democratic party's Hillary Clinton.

"If it comes down to Donald Trump and (Democratic presidential frontrunner) Hillary Clinton, I would certainly support Donald Trump as the Republican nominee," he said.

"I didn't wake this morning a big fan of Donald Trump. I hope it's not him (as) he is not my favourite. I think Donald Trump is wrong on a whole host of issues," Jindal said.

Cruz is currently lagging far behind front runner Trump in the delegate count and unlikely to cross the half way path of 1237 delegates but Haley thinks otherwise.
Thousands of Muslims will hoist the Indian flag, sing the national anthem and chant Bharat Mata ki jai at Mumbai's famous Mahim dargah, reports Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com.

IMAGE: The Mahim Dargah in Mumbai. Photograph: Nicholas/Wikimedia Commons

At a time when a debate rages over patriotism and refusing to chant Bharat Mata ki jai can brand you an anti-national, thousands of Muslims will hoist the Indian tricolour, sing the national anthem and chant Bharat Mata ki Jai within the premises of the famous Mahim dargah in Mumbai to celebrate the 603rd Urs of Peer Maqdoom Shah Baba, on March 17.

Sohail Khandwani, president of the dargahs trust, said the Muslims would be carrying out the event for the love of the nation. "Bharat Mata ki jai is praising the victory of the nation and we will chant it this evening, he said.

Reacting to the controversy that erupted after All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi refused to say the slogan, Khandwani said it was wrong to force fellow Indians to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai and it should not be used as a test of ones patriotism.

It is wrong to force somebody to do it, but it is not restricted in Islam to praise the victory of a nation, he said. India is a progressive, secular country.

Khandwani said Maharashtras Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be hoisting the national flag at 5 pm on Thursday evening following which the gathered assembly will sing the national anthem. Maqdoom Shah Babas flag will be hoisted and then Bharat Mata ki Jai will be chanted.



I am doing it out of love for my country but I will not call anybody who refuses to do so as anti-national or unpatriotic. I cant say that this event is a reaction to what Owaisi has said, but it is out of love for my motherland that I will be doing it, Khandwani said.



For the first time ever, the tricolour will be unfurled inside the dargah. This is a historic moment for us and will send a great message to the entire nation, said Haji Arafat Shaikh, president of Shiv Vahtuk Sena and a Shiv Sena leader.



Shaikh said it was important for clerics from the community and prominent citizens of Mumbai to be present for the event. It is indeed a matter of great pride for us that this is going to happen in the presence of Shah Maqdoom Baba (a famous saint of international repute).



Desh ka pyaar dil mein hona chahiye (you should love your nation from within). Many maulanas have sacrificed their lives for Indias independence. Maybe the Owaisi brothers and his partys legislators should read the nations history first before making controversial statements. Muslim clerics have always said we should love our mother at home and more than that, we should love our nation, Shaikh said about Owaisi and his party MLA Waris Pathan from Byculla, in central Mumbai, who was suspended from the state assembly for refusing to chant the slogan.



If you dont want to sing in praise of our mothers victory then what do you want to sing about? When I was born I was comforted in my mothers lap. When I die, my dead body will seek comfort in the depths of Mother India. Our nation is like our mother to us and whats wrong in chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai?
'When you come to Delhi, you see that there are many Kashmirs here -- the Dalits, Muslims, women, bonded labourers.'

Manavi Kapur meets Shehla Rashid, a most unusual student leader.

IMAGE: In this photograph dated March 4, 2016, the day Kanhaiya Kumar, extreme left in black jacket, was released on bail, Shehla Rashid is seen cheering Kumar along with Rama Naga, who along with Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya was charged with sedition, but was not arrested. Photograph: Shehla Rashid/Facebook

Working behind the scenes as well as taking centrestage, Shehla Rashid has shaped the narrative at JNU as much as it has shaped her

As she makes her way towards me, Shehla Rashid halts to share a smile, a casual greeting or a quick handshake with several people who cross her path.

Dressed in a grey kurta with a stole around her neck, Rashid looks even more petite than her photographs. After winning the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) election and being elected vice-president in 2015, Rashid has been at the forefront of the Occupy UGC and Hyderabad Central University protests.

But the real test came when JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested last month over charges of sedition and raising 'anti-national' slogans inside the campus. Rashid stepped up and mobilised a widespread campaign for Kumar's release.

As I begin my questions, she requests me to keep our conversation and this report focused on "political issues." "I don't want my personal story to take the focus away from the ongoing debate," says the 27 year old.

In fact, it is hard to find a single post on her social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter that is remotely personal -- almost all of them are in response to one recent political event or another.

The only time she agrees to speak about her family is when I ask her how they feel about her role in the recent 'anti-national' controversy at JNU. "They are worried sick," she says, staring into the distance for a moment, before snapping our focus back to politics.

Born and brought up in Srinagar, Rashid says she was always politically inclined, but never fully knew how to articulate herself. "While I was growing up, politics was a bad word, usually something that had the potential to attract violence," she says.

Does this have something to do with her formative years in Kashmir? "There was heavy emphasis on maintaining normalcy." But, as Rashid would grow up to realise, life in the 1990s in Kashmir was hardly 'normal.'

"An aunt of mine was hit by a bomb and her arm was severed. There was always a military presence wherever you went in the valley. And yet, we weren't brought up to question these things," she says in her characteristic husky voice.

Yet, her seemingly apolitical upbringing did not keep Rashid away from political activism for too long. Even during her short stint at a software company in New Delhi, Rashid was writing critical blog posts and petitioning against acid attacks on women. In a particular blog post from 2011, Rashid criticises Doordarshan's agenda-driven presence in Kashmir.

"Tufail Ahmad's death from a teargas shell in 2010 was a moment of awakening for a lot of us in Kashmir. The civil unrest brought out everything about our reality that we were trying to ignore," she says.

But it was really after the December 2012 gang-rape case in Delhi when Rashid began to develop a keener interest in social issues.

"My association with the All India Students' Association (AISA) began during the protests in 2012. While the popular rhetoric was to protect women, activist Kavita Krishnan's emphasis on freedom for women greatly impacted the way I look at gender politics."

AISA is the student wing of the ultra-Left Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and the party that won Rashid her seat in JNU.

In some senses, then, Rashid is 'more' Left than Kumar, who is a member of the CPI-affiliated All India Students Federation.

Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, feel that despite the various differences within Left politics, the splinter groups come together in an 'assault' against the ABVP, a Right-wing party.

"Saurabh Kumar won ABVP the joint secretary's seat in JNUSU for the first time after 14 years. And yet, during this entire controversy, he carried out activities under the ABVP banner and not JNUSU's. Rashid and Kumar, on the other hand, have misused this forum for their own agenda," says Saket Bahuguna, national media convener, ABVP. But even Bahuguna, an alumnus of JNU, refuses to comment on Rashid or her Kashmiri identity.

Rashid came to JNU in 2013 as a student of MA Sociology, a moment she describes as "life-changing."

"JNU is often believed to be a microcosm of India, not just in the fact that it has students from all over the country, but also that it offers students space to engage with different, often opposing ideologies."

Interestingly, it is Rashid's association with the Left that has brought her out of and beyond her Kashmiri identity. Rashid promptly tells me that she does not speak for other Kashmiri students as a whole.

But even as a Kashmiri, Rashid says that her time at JNU and in Delhi has helped her broaden her worldview.

"When you come to Delhi, you see that there are many Kashmirs here -- the Dalits, Muslims, women, bonded labourers. You begin to see your struggles in a larger context," she says.

Anand Kumar, retired professor of sociology at JNU and whose class Rashid attended during her MA in Sociology, sheds light on Rashid's political evolution. "She had a bright, inquiring mind with her own perceptions of the government and State because of her experiences in Kashmir. But despite that, she gradually rose above her ethnic consciousness and never played the victim," he says.

This may be different in the case of other students from Kashmir, the North East or Naxal-affected areas, who are psychologically overwhelmed by negative Statecraft, he says, but not Rashid.

"Over the three years at JNU, she has become politically mature and has a modest manner of putting things across." Rashid, too, agrees that she has been "mainstreamed" within JNU. Siddhartha Chakraborti, a PhD scholar at JNU, agrees with this.

"Even though I knew her for some time, I did not know she was a Kashmiri till we started working together for the Kashmir flood relief efforts," he says.

The same, though, is not true for other Kashmiri students on campus. Rashid believes that like the various groups within the Left, Kashmiri students, too, are not a unified political community and many of them remain away from politics altogether.

"Many Kashmiri students have a sharp political understanding. The irony is that it is what perhaps makes them feel alienated from the existing socio-political scenario," she says.

Beyond her oratorical skills, Anand Kumar also explains how Rashid is an able coordinator when it comes to conflict situations. "During the Occupy UGC protests, AISA and JNUSU were at loggerheads and wanted to take the movement in different directions. Rashid was able to rise above this conflict and find a solution, which eventually made her the face of the movement," he explains.

Pujita Guha, a student of the arts and aesthetics department at JNU, adds that Rashid is a diligent political worker. "She is organised and hardworking and knows when she is required behind the scenes. She is fierce and assertive, but I have never seen her take on an aggressive position."

Rashid's ability to resolve conflict was seen when a teach-in by professor Makarand Paranjpe was interrupted by the booing audience and she stepped in to calm the crowds, rather successfully.

As we sip lemon tea at the Ganga Dhaba in JNU, Rashid's phone rings often and she answers certain phone calls to coordinate the evening's teach-in event. The day we meet is also the day activist Soni Sori from Chhattisgarh is speaking at JNU.

Her calls are short, her tone affectionate, but she never once veers off-topic. The words "comrade" and "andolan" often feature in her conversations. When I ask her if her lexicon has changed since she came to JNU, she laughs and says, "Absolutely, there's a lot more Hindi than there used to be!" But on a serious note, she adds, her education at JNU has given her the political vocabulary to articulate her views.

A classmate of Rashid's joins us at the dhaba to update Rashid on the class schedule. They banter about coursework and submission deadlines, almost as though the last turbulent month at JNU never happened. "If it wasn't this latest sedition issue, it would have been something else. As a JNUSU member, one always has to juggle coursework," she says.

But despite her political stint within the university, Rashid is unsure of whether she will pursue mainstream politics outside campus. "In Kashmir and otherwise, I find it depressing to see that politicians have to work under an Intelligence Bureau-surveilled environment. I have to give it some more time and thought to see if there can be a positive intervention in the existing political framework."

Till then, Rashid plans to acquire a doctorate, preferably from JNU. "Unless you come from a feudal political party, you need solid academic credentials for a politically active career." JNU, it seems, has cast its political spell on Rashid quite well.
The amputation surgery of injured police horse Shaktiman been has concluded and it has been fitted with a prosthetic limb in Dehradun.

Doctors said the surgery was successful.

"Shaktiman is standing, so I think the operation has been successful. Long term success is yet to be seen," Dr Khambata of the team which carried out the operation said.

The left hind leg of Shaktiman, the horse which suffered multiple fractures after being brutally attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ganesh Joshi, was amputated on Thursday evening.

The horse's amputation surgery took place two days after its fractures were fixed by external fixation by a group of 10 doctors -- six from Pantnagar and four district veterinary officers.

Earlier in the day, the Dehradun Police informed that the condition of police horse Shaktiman, had deteriorated.

The Dehradun Police had on Sunday registered a case against BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi for beating a police horse, reportedly breaking one of its legs, during a protest against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Monday for 'misuse' of funds.

Giving an update on the medical condition of the horse which was operated upon by a team of vets a day after the attack, the director general of police said a team of doctors from Pune which examined Shaktiman on Thursday are of the opinion that its fractured hind leg will have to be amputated to save its life.

"Army doctors are attending on the horse. We are doing everything we can to help it recover fully from the injuries," he added.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse's condition.

"We are worried about the horse as it is still in pain and cannot stand on its feet. However, it is being looked after properly. Let people decide who is wrong," he said.
India on Thursday pitched for unleashing the "collective strength" of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj underlined the need for a South Asian Economic Union with greater connectivity and forward movement on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles.

Swaraj stated that while SAARC countries are doing well individually, they have not been able to unleash their collective strength effectively.

"We have taken some important decisions to integrate our economies through SAFTA and South Asian Trade in Services Agreement. These need to be developed and consolidated further if we are to achieve a South Asian Economic Union," she said in her address at the 37th SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in Pokhara, Nepal.

Underlining that the South Asian region is hailed as having the potential to be the front-runner of growth and prosperity and is one of the fastest growing regions of the world, she pointed out that regional integration is lacking.

"The statistics are telling: our region accounts for merely 2 per cent of world trade and 1.7 per cent of world FDI. Our intra-regional trade is less than 6 per cent of our global trade and intra-regional FDI accounts for only 3 per cent of total FDI inflows," she said.

Swaraj said that despite strong growth and huge advances in education, healthcare and rural development, the SAARC region still has the world's largest number of people living below the poverty line.

"We continue to face significant challenges in delivering food security, health, nutrition and education to our peoples. All this goes to show that while we are doing well individually, we have not been able to unleash our collective strength effectively. We must think innovatively and find solutions so that we may harness our economic complementarities and ensure a conducive environment for rapid growth," she said.

Swaraj said connectivity is central to regional development and will determine how "we meet our goals of growth, employment and prosperity".

"As we seek to overcome basic problems of physical connectivity, it is important for us to move forward quickly on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles. Economic activities, cultural connections and people to people contacts will flow naturally from such connectivity," she said.

The minister asserted that the Indian government has shown its commitment to a 'Neighbourhood First' policy from its very first day in office.

"Our vision of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' is for the whole SAARC region and together, we can create a viable ecosystem of regional integration, cooperation and socio-economic development," she said adding that together, "we can unlock the latent talent of South Asia".

Swaraj said India is prepared to work within the SAARC community to realise developmental goals.

"Indian Universities remain open for SAARC citizens. We are committed to supporting campus and infrastructure development of the SouthAsianUniversity that has been established exclusively for the students of the region.

"We have moved forward on unilateral initiatives that we announced at the last Summit for sharing Indian scientific and technological progress with the SAARC community," she said.

Swaraj said these include among others a dedicated Satellite for SAARC to support applications in health, education, disaster response, weather forecasting and communications for our people, establishment of a supra-national laboratory to combat diseases like TB and AIDS, creation of a SAARC wide Knowledge Network to interlink our students, academic and research communities, and organisation of the first SAARC Annual Disaster Management Exercise.

"Looking ahead, I am confident of your support for a SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Centre in India. Such a Centre can benefit from domain expertise of a large network of specialised Indian institutions experienced in quick response to various natural disasters," she said.

Swaraj said SAARC is about positive synergy that will allow each of its members to achieve their full potential.

"We must recognise that we have common enemies in poverty, illiteracy, terrorism and environmental degradation. We will need to fight these challenges together since we have a shared history, and a shared destiny. Let us reach for it together," she said.

The minister also paid tribute to Nepalese people's grit and determination in wake of their resolve to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake last year.

The SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Photograph: MEA/Flickr
Asserting that there are terror groups that are instruments of state's policy and design, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes that cannot be justified.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing at the opening ceremony of World Sufi Forum at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Vjay Verma/ PTI

Addressing the first World Sufi Forum, Modi in an oblique reference to Pakistan said while some are trained in organised camps, there are others who "find their inspiration" in cyber space.

"There are forces and groups that are instruments of state policy and design. There are others recruited to the cause in misguided belief.

"There are some who are trained in organised camps. There are those who find their inspiration in the borderless world of cyber space. Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified," he said at the forum convened by the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board to discuss the role of Sufism in countering rising global terror.

Asserting that terrorists "distort" a religion, he said they kill and destroy more in their own land and people than they do elsewhere while making the entire world "insecure and violent".

"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. And, they are putting entire regions to peril and making the world more insecure and violent," he said.

Noting that terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion, the prime minister said it is a battle that must be won through the strength of values and "real" message of religions.

"The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. It is a struggle between the values of humanism and the forces of inhumanity.

"It is not a conflict to be fought only through military, intelligence or diplomatic means. It is also a battle that must be won through the strength of our values and the real message of religions," he said.

Strongly emphasising on rejecting de-linking terrorism and religion, Modi termed as "anti-religious" those who spread terror in its name and stressed the need to advance the message of Sufism which he noted stood for principles of Islam and the highest human values.

"As I have said before, we must reject any link between terrorism and religion. Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious. And, we must advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values. This is a task that states, societies, sages, scholars and families must pursue," he said.

"Every year, we spend over 100 billion dollars on securing the world from terrorism, money that should have been spent on building lives of the poor. The impact cannot be fully captured in statistics alone. It is changing the way we live," he said.

Modi compared the existence of varies communities in the country with strings of a sitar in which they together create melody.

"Like the strings of sitar that each produces a note, but come together to create a beautiful melody. This is the spirit of India. This is the strength of our nation. All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, the micro-minority of Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India," he said.

Alluding to the Partition, the prime minister said, "at the dawn of Independence some chose to go away and, I believe, it also had to do with colonial politics of that time."

He underlined that leaders like Maulana Azad, and important spiritual leaders such as Maulana Hussain Madani, and millions and millions of ordinary citizens rejected the idea of division on the basis of religion.

The prime minister gave the credit to "every member of every faith in our diverse and yet united nation" for India moving forward in all spheres.

On the spread of terror, he said in this digital century, the reach of terror is growing and its toll is rising every year.

"Since the beginning of this century, tens of thousands of families have lost their loved ones in thousands of terrorist incidents globally. Last year alone, I am talking about 2015, over 90 countries experienced terrorist attacks.

"Parents in 100 countries live with the daily pain of their children lost to the battlefields of Syria. And, in a globally mobile world, one incident can claim citizens of many nations," he said.

He said terrorism is a "daily threat" from the centres of conflict in West Asia to calm cities in distant countries and in remote villages of Africa to the towns in our own region.

"Each day brings us terrible news and horrifying images of schools turned into graveyards of innocence, of prayer gatherings turned into funeral processions, of call to prayer or Azaan drowned by the sound of explosion, of blood on the beach, massacres in malls and smouldering cars on streets, of thriving cities ruined and priceless heritage destroyed, and of parents bearing coffins, entire communities dislocated, millions displaced, and refugees caught between fire and stormy seas," the prime minister said.

Modi said the conference should send a message to the world of "a melody of harmony and humanity, the embrace of diversity, the spirit of oneness, of service with compassion and generosity, a resolve against terrorism, a rejection of extremism and, a determination to advance peace".
Rejecting criticism that United States President Barack Obama missed a golden opportunity to bring in diversity in the Supreme Court bench and could have chosen someone younger, the White House asserted that he nominated "the best" to serve on the apex court.

Federal appellate judges Merrick Garland, left, and Sri Srinivasan

Obama on Wednesday nominated one of America's "sharpest legal minds" Merrick Garland as the Supreme Court judge over Indian-origin Sri Srinivasan, risking a showdown with Senate Republicans who have warned the US President against taking a decision in an election year.

The nomination comes at a time of bitter political divide when it would be tough for Obama to get through his choice of the judge and sets the stage for an intense showdown by Senate Republicans who have maintained that Obama should not choose Scalia's successor, with less than a year left for his presidency.

The Senators have said they do not plan to vet or hold hearings on the nominee, and say the next President should choose the new judge on the nine-member bench. However, Obama and Democrats are of the view that that with 10 months left, there is plenty of time for the Senate to take up and confirm a new justice.

Earlier, it was widely reported that Obama could nominate 48-year-old "trailblazer" Srinivasan to the country's highest judicial body. The moderate judge, who enjoys impeccable bipartisan support, would have been the first Indian-American to be on the bench of the US Supreme Court.

"The President's commitment to the principle of ensuring we have a judiciary that looks like the rest of the country is rock-solid," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily news conference.

"And the other principle that he has strongly adhered to is making sure that he's choosing the best person for the job, and I think he's demonstrated over the course of his seven years in office that it is absolutely possible to do both," he added.

Earnest was responding to questions as to why Obama overlooked the strong credentials for the judge from diverse communities including African Americans, Indian Americans and Asian Americans even as some of them figured on his short-list.

"I can tell you that the President considered a diverse array of candidates, and I think that's what you'd expect considering the diverse array of individuals that the White House consulted in advance of the President making his decision. The President took that advice quite seriously and considered a diverse array of candidates," he said.

"The President ultimately settled on Chief Judge Garland for one reason, and one reason only, and that is simply that he believes that Chief Judge (Merrick) Garland is the best person in America to do that job. And that's how the President made the decision," Earnest said.

He said that the President himself has talked on a number of occasions about how important it is to ensure that the federal bench is as diverse as the rest of the country.

"When you take a look at the President's track record, it's quite strong. That starts with the two previous appointments that the President has made to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court. He appointed the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court in the form of Justice Sotomayor," Earnest said.

He pointed out that Obama appointed the third and fourth women to serve on the Supreme Court in Justice Sotomayor and Justice Kagan, besides appointing 117 minorities to the federal judiciary which is more than any other President.

"He has appointed 26 African American women to the federal bench. That is more than any other President. He's appointed 37 Hispanics to the federal bench. That is more than any other President.

"He's appointed 20 Asians to the federal bench. That is more than any other President. And he has appointed 11 LGBT judges. That is more than every other President combined," the spokesman said.

Earnest also refuted the impression that age played a factor in Obama's nomination process.

"The President, in choosing Judge Garland, chose somebody who's 63. Some of his other candidates were roughly 15 years younger. If this candidate, Judge Garland, is confirmed, that means the President's legacy on the Supreme Court will be significantly shorter than it could have been if he had chosen someone who is younger.

"Why not take that opportunity? To what extent did age play a role in this decision?" he was asked.

"I'm not aware that age played any role in the President's decision-making," Earnest said.

"Maybe there are some people who would suggest that it would have, but the President was looking for the very best person for the job. And regardless of age, the President was focused on choosing somebody who has the proper temperament and the unquestioned legal credentials and a commitment to public service to do this job," he argued.
Kazakhstan: Religious books banned as "extremist", but Prosecutor "can't remember" why

Publisher Forum 18 Author Felix Corley Publication Date 16 March 2016 Cite as Forum 18, Kazakhstan: Religious books banned as "extremist", but Prosecutor "can't remember" why, 16 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eab7fe4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

On 15 February a court in Kazakhstan's capital Astana upheld the Prosecutor's suit to ban four further Christian books as "extremist", according to the decision seen by Forum 18. The books were among 47 items seized when Christian prisoner of conscience Yklas Kabduakasov was arrested. Prosecutor Temirlan Adilkhanov, who led the case in court, told Forum 18 he "can't remember" in what ways the books might have caused harm to anyone. "I knew nothing about the case until the court decision came into force on 15 March," one of the authors, Pastor Manarbek Baieke, complained to Forum 18. "They concocted all this out of thin air." He fears the ban might provide the authorities with a reason to arrest him. Religious believers have expressed concern over a list of 254 "radical" religious books, including Muslim, Ahmadi Muslim, Christian, Hare Krishna and Jehovah's Witness items. Shortandy District Administration said that Akmola Regional Religious Affairs Department gave them the list in late 2015 for publication. Asked the status of books on the list, an official of Akmola Regional Religious Affairs Department explained to Forum 18: "If it is on the list it is banned."
Belarus: Plenipotentiary attacks Catholics and Jehovah's Witnesses, no religious radio

Publisher Forum 18 Author Olga Glace Publication Date 14 March 2016 Cite as Forum 18, Belarus: Plenipotentiary attacks Catholics and Jehovah's Witnesses, no religious radio, 14 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eab8f24.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

In December 2015, two Polish Catholic priests invited by the Church to work in Belarus were denied entry to the country. The visa application for one of the priests is being re-considered and there is a chance that the decision will be positive, Forum 18 News Service has learned. But "it's becoming ever more difficult for priests from abroad to come to Belarus" the Catholic Bishops Conference stated. Also, the government's Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs, Leonid Gulyako, has as usual criticised the Catholic Church for alleged failings in clergy training and alleged "destructive" work by priests. Plenipotentiary Gulyako also threatened to revoke the state permission to exist of Jehovah's Witness communities, even though he does not have the legal power to do this. Forum 18's questions to him have not been answered. Also, no individual or belief community is able to have a religious FM broadcasting band radio station, despite several attempts. No official is prepared to take responsibility for dealing with such applications.
Myanmar: UN chief welcomes election of first civilian President in more than 50 years

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 16 March 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar: UN chief welcomes election of first civilian President in more than 50 years, 16 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eac3e04ea.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

16 March 2016 - Following the historic national polls last 8 November, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Htin Kyaw, who was elected today by the Myanmar Parliament as the first civilian President in more than five decades.

"He welcomes this as a significant achievement towards advancing the democratic reforms ushered in by the outgoing Government," indicated a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General hopes the people of Myanmar will continue steadfastly on the path of democracy and national reconciliation and, at this defining moment of transition, calls upon President-elect U Htin Kyaw, as well as all other significant stakeholders, to work inclusively towards a smooth and peaceful consolidation of unity and stability in the country," it added.

The UN chief also reaffirmed the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support efforts to advance peace, development, human rights and the rule of law for the benefit of all the peoples of Myanmar.

The Organization has long been involved in Myanmar's transition after more than 50 years of military rule, appointing a Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the issue. In 2007 Mr. Ban set up the "Group of Friends of the Secretary-General on Myanmar," a consultative forum of 14 countries to assist him in his efforts to spur change in the South-East Asian nation.
Say No To A Bad Deal With Turkey

Publisher Amnesty International Author Salil Shetty, Ken Roth & Catherine Woollard Publication Date 17 March 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Say No To A Bad Deal With Turkey, 17 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eac63e4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Let's not confuse desperation for legality when it comes to Europe's proposed refugee deal with Turkey. No one should be under any illusion - the very principle of international protection for those fleeing war and persecution is at stake.

Every government in Europe will have to declare its hand this week: does it uphold the right to seek asylum, or does it subordinate that right to horse trading with a country that has an inadequate record of respecting it.

This new proposal is only the latest in a dangerous trend. Over the past few months, various European governments have imposed discriminatory border closures and unlawful caps on asylum applications. The result is a deepening humanitarian disaster for thousands of refugees trapped in Greece, a surge in alarmist, vitriolic rhetoric stigmatizing asylum seekers and migrants.

EU leaders hit a new low last week by proposing that Turkey accept fast-track mass returns of boat migrants from Greece and a plan to resettle one Syrian refugee from Turkey for each irregularly arriving Syrian returned from Greece in exchange for 6 billion, promises of visa-free travel for Turkish nationals, and revival of EU accession talks.

We favour large-scale resettlement of refugees to Europe and elsewhere as the best way to remove the need for desperate refugees to take the dangerous step of boarding rickety boats across the Mediterranean and act in concrete solidarity with those countries hosting the vast majority of the world's refugees, including Turkey. But EU leaders should reject any linkage of resettlement for some refugees to the blocking of access to a fair asylum procedure for other refugees.

While insisting on the right of those who arrive irregularly on Europe's shores to a full and fair hearing of any asylum claim, we recognize that those who fail after a fair process to demonstrate a legitimate case to stay can be returned. Our objection is to fast-track collective expulsions that fail to take individual circumstances into account.

The breach of the right to seek asylum is not mitigated by the fiction that Turkey is a "safe" country for refugees. Turkey has granted "temporary protection" to more than two million Syrians, but it still refuses effective protection in practice to non-Europeans including Afghans, Iraqis and others applying for it. Turkey has also repeatedly pushed Syrians back into the war zone and closed borders to others seeking to flee.

Meanwhile, all refugees in Turkey are struggling to find work, educate their children, and build dignified lives-essential elements of a "safe" refuge.

To make matters worse, Turkey's president and government have embarked on an intense crackdown on human rights. The breakdown of the Kurdish peace process and extended security operations in the south east, along with nationwide repression of critics, political opposition and media perceived as hostile to the government, may soon add Turkish nationals to the refugee flows.

In their determination to sidestep their responsibilities in the face of the biggest global refugee crisis since World War II, EU leaders have been mute in their response to these trends in the misguided hope of securing Turkey's co-operation in stopping the boats.

The best way to fight the demagogues in Europe who are currently profiting from the chaos in the Aegean is not to indulge their disregard for international law, but to offer sustainable, principled solutions. These exist. The flow of boats can be substantially eased by expanding resettlement directly from countries of first refuge to reduce the need to board a boat, investing in those countries so refugees can lead a dignified life there, and redoubling efforts to stop the atrocities in places like Syria that drive the refugees to flee in the first place.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Pakistan: Government must deliver justice for victims of Peshawar bus bombing

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 16 March 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Pakistan: Government must deliver justice for victims of Peshawar bus bombing, 16 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eac7214.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Pakistani authorities must promptly, thoroughly and effectively investigate this morning's bomb attack on a bus which killed at least 15 people and severely injured 25 in Peshawar, and bring to justice anyone suspected to be responsible in fair trials, said Amnesty International.

"There can be no justification for intentionally targeting civilians or carrying out indiscriminate attacks. Those responsible for the bombing have shown contempt for the right to life and fundamental principles of humanity," said Champa Patel, Director of Amnesty International's South Asia Regional Office.

Media reports indicate that explosive material was packed into a toolbox and detonated remotely inside the privately hired bus, which was carrying government employees from Mardan to the provincial capital. No individual or group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.

"As well as providing victims and their families with access to justice or reparations, the Pakistani authorities must now ensure that their response to this atrocity is compliant with international human rights law. It is abundantly clear that putting people to death in the name of 'fighting terrorism' has done nothing to protect civilians from these kinds of attacks," said Champa Patel.

Indiscriminate attacks continue in several regions of Pakistan, despite a military offensive in the north of the country and the implementation of the 'National Action Plan' to counter terrorism.

There have also been other attacks recently in the same region. In January, 22 people were killed when gunmen stormed Charsadda's Bacha Khan University. On 8 March, 18 people were killed and 31 injured in the town of Charsadda, 30 kilometres from Peshawar, after a suicide attack outside the district court. Jamatul Ahrar, a splinter group of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack on the court, while there were conflicting reports about who was responsible for the attack on Bacha Khan University.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Release of Qatari poet 'long overdue good news'

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 16 March 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Release of Qatari poet 'long overdue good news', 16 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eac7824.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The release last night of Mohammed al-'Ajami, also known as Ibn al-Dheeb, is a welcome development that ends a needless four year ordeal for the Qatari poet.

Amnesty International has spoken to Mohammed al-'Ajami's legal representative, who said that relatives of the poet confirmed to him that the poet was released around 7.30pm Doha time on 15 March. The organization has also seen video footage of him after his release.

"The release of Mohammed al-'Ajami is long overdue good news," said James Lynch, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa program,

"It is absurd that he had to spend more than four years behind bars, when his poetry was simply the peaceful expression of his conscientiously held beliefs.

"We hope that the authorities will take the opportunity of this release to review Qatar's criminal justice system and ensure that such flagrant violations of the right to freedom of expression are not repeated. This case has been a blight on Qatar's international reputation."

The terms of Mohammed al-'Ajami's release are not yet clear. It is essential that the authorities do not impose conditions on Mohammed al-'Ajami's peaceful exercise of his rights, including his right to freedom of expression. Prisoners of conscience should be released immediately and unconditionally.

Background

Mohammed al-'Ajami recited a poem on 24 August 2010 to a group of people in his apartment in Cairo, Egypt where he was studying Arabic literature at the time. Unbeknown to him, one of the group recorded him and uploaded the video to YouTube, where it was widely circulated. It led to his arrest and detention in November 2011.

The government charged him with "publicly inciting to overthrow the ruling system", "publicly challenging the authority of the Emir" and "publicly slandering the person of the Crown Prince" (taken together, these are sometimes termed as "insulting the Emir"). He was initially sentenced to life in prison in November 2012. An appeal reduced his sentence to 15 years on 25 February 2013. The trial was marred by irregularities and lacked basic fair trial guarantees.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Russia: Rights Defender Attacked in Chechnya

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 17 March 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russia: Rights Defender Attacked in Chechnya, 17 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eac80a4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A mob of unidentified people attacked a leading Russian human rights defender on March 16, 2016, in Chechnya, Human Rights Watch said today.

The attackers hit Igor Kalyapin, head of an independent Russian human rights group called the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, as he was leaving his hotel in Grozny, the capital. They also pelted him with eggs, and threw flour and bright antiseptic liquid on him, which stained his face and clothes. The attack came a week after a group of masked men brutally beat six journalists and two members of Kalyapin's group traveling together from neighboring Ingushetia to Chechnya.

"The attack on Igor Kalyapin shows again that it's open season on human rights defenders in Chechnya," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities' utter failure to hold anyone to account for a series of vicious attacks in recent years is like a bright green light for further attacks."

Kalyapin had gone to Chechnya to meet with journalists to discuss the March 9 attack. At about 7:30 pm, on March 16, an administrator at the Grozny Citi Hotel, where Kalyapin was staying, went to his room accompanied by several armed policemen and told Kalyapin he had to leave the hotel. Kalyapin told Mediazona, an independent Russian online news outlet, that the administrator told Kalyapin that he was being told to leave because of the "unpleasant things" Kalyapin had said about Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kalyapin gathered his belongings and left the hotel. As soon as he got outside, the mob of men, who were clearly waiting for him, attacked him, and then fled. Dmitry Utyukin, a lawyer with the committee, told Human Rights Watch that Kalyapin was not seriously injured. Police eventually appeared at the scene and took Kalyapin to the city police station for questioning. Kalyapin told Human Rights Watch that police took his statement and photographed all of his clothing. A federal investigator came to the police station at Kalyapin's request, and both of them left Chechnya together..

Unidentified attackers had pelted Kalyapin with eggs once before, at a news conference in Moscow in December 2014.

The Committee for the Prevention of Torture, a Nizhny Novgorod-based group, was one of the founders and participants of the Joint Mobile Group of Russian Human Rights Groups in Chechnya in 2009. The Joint Mobile Group was founded following a wave of killings of activists in the region.

The March 16 attack was the fourth in the last 15 months on Joint Mobile Group staff and offices in the North Caucasus. In addition to the March 9 attack, on June 3, 2015, unidentified people in masks forced their way into the organization's office in Grozny, destroying the contents of the office and forcing its staff out. On December 13, 2014, unidentified attackers set fire to the office. The next day, Chechen police without a warrant ransacked the office and took mobile phones, several cameras, laptop computers, and other electronic equipment. They also conducted body searches of the two Joint Mobile Group employees who worked there and searched their car. No one has been held accountable for these attacks.

President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, called the March 9 attack "absolutely outrageous" and said the Kremlin was counting on local law enforcement to "take the most effective measures to find the perpetrators, in order to ensure the safety of human rights defenders and journalists."

"The pattern here is so painfully clear," Williamson said. "Russia's federal authorities should be making sure that credible, effective investigations into these attacks in fact take place."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Look back and learn: Safe zones in Iraq and Bosnia

Publisher IRIN Author Kristy Siegfried Publication Date 15 March 2016 Cite as IRIN, Look back and learn: Safe zones in Iraq and Bosnia, 15 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eadc3b4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A long-standing Turkish proposal to create a so-called safe zone inside Syria, where civilians displaced by fighting could find refuge and assistance without having to leave the country, received a boost last week with an apparent endorsement from European leaders.

The final statement that emerged from the 7 March meeting between the European Union and Turkey on the migration crisis included an agreement to work jointly on improving humanitarian conditions inside Syria with the goal of allowing "the local population and refugees to live in areas which will be more safe".

Some have interpreted this somewhat oblique reference as the first indication of international support for an idea first touted by Turkey in 2012.

But do safe zones actually work?

"History has taught us that 'safe areas' have rarely been safe," says Ariane Rummery, spokesperson of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Here's what we can learn from past attempts in Iraq and Bosnia.

Iraq

Following the US-led Gulf War in 1991, 400,000 mostly Iraqi Kurds fled northern Iraq for Turkey but were prevented from crossing the border to claim asylum. Stranded in the mountainous border area, 1,500 refugees died from the cold while Turkey ignored pleas from UNHCR to open its borders. Rather than exerting pressure on an important ally, the US-led coalition quickly established a safe zone in northern Iraq with the backing of a UN Security Council resolution that characterised the movement of such a large number of refugees as a threat to international peace and security.

According to Bill Frelick, director of Human Rights Watch's refugee programme, the resolution marked a turning point in viewing refugees as a threat to security rather than victims of the lack of it.

The safe zone ultimately proved a denial of Kurdish refugees' right to seek asylum in Turkey. UNHCR accepted it as the least bad humanitarian outcome and took a lead role in the provision of protection and assistance, eventually facilitating the refugees' voluntary repatriation.

But in 1997, it warned:

"The non-consensual way in which the safe haven was established and the absence of any recognized authority in the area has had several adverse consequences. Residents have had to contend with a stringent economic blockade imposed by the Baghdad government, which has itself been subjected to sanctions by the Security Council. Living conditions in the area, now a 'no-fly zone' patrolled by allied aircraft, have consequently been very difficult for the population."

Bosnia

The establishment of safe zones in six towns in Bosnia in 1993 highlighted the risks of trying to create such zones without the consent and cooperation of all parties involved. The safe zones failed to protect the town's residents from constant attack by Bosnian Serb forces, which had not consented to their creation. In 1995, the Serbs conquered two of the safe areas  Srebrenica and Zepa  and committed atrocities that led to the death and disappearance of thousands of people.

Lessons for Syria?

1. You have to be ready to enforce a safe zone

In the case of northern Iraq, the initial presence of 20,000 NATO troops and a no-fly zone that remained in place until 2003 meant that the Kurdish refugees and the humanitarian workers assisting them were not at significant risk.

"If you're working in an insecure country, you do need a very strong military presence," said Jeff Crisp, former head of policy development and evaluation at UNHCR. "The major difference between then and now seems to be the lack of a coalition of countries unified by the same aims," he added.

The idea of a safe zone in Syria has been widely viewed as impossible to implement without significant military support from the US, but President Barack Obama's administration has so far rejected the idea, arguing that it would require not only an enforced no-fly zone, but also a significant presence of troops on the ground.

2. You need the consent of all parties

The Geneva Conventions allow for the designation of safe zones with the agreement of all parties to a conflict and providing they are in neutral and demilitarized areas.

"Without full International Humanitarian Law (IHL) safeguards in place, including consent of the government and warring parties and the zone being civilian in character, safety of civilians would be hard to guarantee." UNHCR's Rummery told IRIN in response to questions about whether the agency would support the creation of a safe zone in Syria.

In Iraq, the central government in Baghdad had consented to the safe zone, but such agreement would be near impossible in Syria. Experts describe the 96-kilometre stretch of northern Syria that Turkey wants to designate as a safe zone (between the towns of Azaz and Jarabulus) as a highly contested area. It includes the last remaining strip of territory along the Turkish border still under the control of the so-called Islamic State as well as an area near Azaz under the control of moderate opposition groups. About 70,000 people displaced from Aleppo Province by fighting and Russian airstrikes are already staying in eight camps near Azaz, having been barred from crossing into Turkey. [https://www.irinnews.org/analysis/2016/03/10/no-way-out-how-syrians-are-struggling-find-exit]

According to Ege Seckin, an analyst with the IHS think tank, the area is extremely unsafe because Syrian regime forces are determined to retake it from the opposition.

"It's a narrow strip of territory over which a lot of parties have an interest and that's a recipe for disaster," he told IRIN.

3. You better have the right motivations

Analysts and rights groups also warn that Turkey's interest in establishing a safe zone is not entirely humanitarian.

"Turkey is also concerned about very strategic interests that are in jeopardy in Syria right now," said Seckin. "So it would be hitting two birds with one stone."

Turkey wants to stem the flow of Syrian refugees into Turkey (2.7 million at last count), but also wants to prevent Syrian Kurdish fighters from making further advances in the area. Kurdish groups currently control areas to the west of Azaz and to the east of Jarablus. A safe zone would serve to prevent the establishment of a continuous Kurdish territorial entity in the region.

"When [safe zones] have to do with the containment of refugee flows and military objectives, then I think the risk is of a death trap rather than a protection scheme," HRW's Frelick told IRIN, echoing the thoughts of HRW Executive Kenneth Roth in this recent letter to EU leaders. "I can't think of any instances where they provided effective humanitarian protection."

So what is the EU thinking?

Even with yesterday's surprise announcement of a partial Russian withdrawal from Syria, the obstacles to creating a truly safe zone for civilians in the midst of a highly complex conflict involving multiple actors are clear.

"What's changed is an increased sense of urgency on behalf of the EU for dealing with a massive influx of refugees," Seckin pointed out.

"The stakes for the EU are very highand this is the reason why they are willing to provide such expensive concessions to the Turks in these negotiations."

Given Turkey's military objectives and the slim chances of making the area truly safe, Frelick described the EU's willingness "to either collaborate in the creation of such a zone or to give a free pass to Turkey as really quite worrying".

Referring to the wording of Monday's statement, he commented that "simply to make the area 'more safe' is not a very high bar".

"If barrel bombs are still going to be falling on people, how on earth do you even contemplate what is going to be 'more safe'?" he asked.
Kazakhstan: Follow-up to the United Nations Committee Against Torture's Concluding Observations on Kazakhstan

Publisher World Organisation Against Torture Publication Date 25 February 2016 Cite as World Organisation Against Torture, Kazakhstan: Follow-up to the United Nations Committee Against Torture's Concluding Observations on Kazakhstan, 25 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eae3514.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

On 20 November 2015, under the follow-up procedures of the Committee against Torture (CAT), Kazakhstan submitted a report providing follow-up information in response to the CAT's recommendations relating to: (a) the effective investigation of allegations of torture, (b) the transfer of detention authority to the Ministry of Justice ; (c) the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) and National Preventive Mechanism ; and (d) the administration of justice. In February 2016, the World Organisations Against Torture (OMCT), jointly with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (IBHR) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) submitted an alternative follow-up report highlighting how the concerns addressed in the CAT's concluding observation continue to be valid. In particular, it denounces the ineffectiveness of investigations into allegations of torture as well as the lack of accessible and independent complaint and national preventive mechanisms in Kazakhstan. It further includes several case studies showing that perpetrators of torture and ill-treatment keep enjoying a high degree of impunity for their crimes.

25 February 2016

FOLLOW-UP TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE'S CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ON KAZAKHSTAN (CAT/C/SR.1286 and CAT/C/SR.1287)[1]

The Committee against Torture (CAT) requested the State party to provide, by 28 November 2015, follow-up information in response to the Committee's recommendations relating to: (a) the effective investigation of allegations of torture; (b) transfer of detention authority to the Ministry of Justice; (c) the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) and National Preventive Mechanism; and (d) the administration of justice, as contained in paragraphs 8, 10, 13 and 15 respectively of the present document.

I. Effective investigation of allegations of torture

Recommendation # 8:

(a) Establish an effective, fully resourced, independent and accountable body that is able to carry out prompt, impartial, thorough and effective investigations, including preliminary investigations, into all allegations of torture and ill-treatment, ensuring that such investigations are never undertaken by personnel employed by the same ministry as the accused persons;

(b) Ensure that such an independent body is also empowered to receive and act on complaints of alleged torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials, including complaints of sexual violence; ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are able to transmit confidential complaints to such bodies; and ensure that this body is able to protect effectively complainants from reprisal;

(c) Provide the Committee with information on the number of complaints of torture made by persons deprived of their liberty, the number of claims of acts of torture and ill-treatment that have been investigated and by which body(ies); the number of persons prosecuted and under what charges; and the penalties applied for those found guilty.

The following concerns addressed in the UN CAT's concluding observations relating to the effective investigation of torture allegations continue to be valid:

Laws and policies concerning the state's protection of human rights and prevention of torture and ill-treatment remain to be inconsistently implemented in practice (point 7).

Most allegations of torture and ill-treatment continue to be referred for preliminary investigation to the same department as that in which the persons accused of torture are employed (point 8).

Comprehensive and disaggregated data on complaints, investigations, prosecutions and convictions of cases of torture and ill treatment by law enforcement, security and prison personnel, including in detention facilities is still absent (point 27).

Based on extensive monitoring and work on individual cases, the NGO Coalition against Torture in Kazakhstan concluded that investigations continue to be ineffective despite positive legislative changes pertaining to the procedure of crime reporting and the investigation. In January 2015, the new criminal and criminal procedure codes entered into force. According to the new Criminal Procedure Code, crime reporting should trigger immediate investigation. However, there still remains a provision allowing law enforcers to subject the information contained in the crime report to preliminary checks. To perform the checking, the crime report is routinely referred to the same body whose staff are being accused of torturing the victim. As a result, the allegations are usually found unsubstantiated and hence not meriting investigation. Even if an allegation of torture or other forms of ill-treatment is registered it is often dismissed due to the alleged lack of evidence. Yet, such investigations or checks are very superficial in practice consisting typically of interviews only with the alleged perpetrators. Bodily injuries, if documented, are usually ascribed to accidents or natural causes. Incarcerated victims are especially vulnerable to retaliation for complaining about torture. There is no mechanism of transferring such victims to institutions other than those that are also under the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In general, torture victims prefer not to lodge complaints given these and other problems it might cause. The NGO Coalition against Torture in Kazakhstan is aware of cases in recent years where perpetrators of torture or other law enforcement officers threatened victims with further violence or other reprisals when they wanted to lodge complaints about torture or other forms of ill-treatment. Many decided not to complain out of fear for their own or their family's safety or they withdrew their complaints at a later stage.

Cases brought to the attention of the NGO Coalition against Torture in Kazakhstan in 2014 and 2015 that have either been dismissed or indefintely suspended include: (a) cases of deaths in custody under suspicious circumstances (e.g. the case of Alexey Mamuch-Ogly, 29 year-old, who died in a prison hospital in April 2014 allegedly of liver cirrhosis after less than 3 years in prison and whose death certificate did not state the cause of his death. According to his mother, the cause of death was never investigated and his medical records file was not shared with her despite her numerous requests); (b) a case of post-traumatic trauma (the case of Iskander Tyugelbaev, a 25 year-old prisoner, who fell into a coma after being beaten during a "planned search operation" in May 2015 at the -156/18 prison in Eastern Kazakhstan); and c) other cases of torture or ill-treatment (e.g. the case of Alexander Albrandt, 52 year-old, Kostanay region. By the time of writing, the investigation into his allegations of police abuse had been dragging on for over a year.

The Coalition observed that problems associated with investigations into reports of torture stem from the lack of effectiveness of the existing investigation mechanism and the prejudiced attitude of investigatory and regulatory agencies vis-a-vis complaints by suspects, accused or individuals who are kept in custodial institutions. At the heart of the problem lies the authorities' reluctance to expose the law enforcement system to public criticism and their fear that doing so would increase public distrust of law enforcement agencies even further. The NGO Coalition documented many cases where investigations have not been conducted adequately, i.e. where not all available methods and means were responsively employed throughout the investigation. In those instances where criminal cases are opened into allegations of torture, they are investigated by offices of Special Prosecutors under the Prosecutor General. The Coalition supports the idea that a body other than the police should investigate complaints of torture but points to the need for improving the institution of special prosecutors especially in terms of its public accountability and transparency.

Another problem regarding the investigation of torture is the lack of an accessible and safe complaint mechanism, especially for persons deprived of or limited in their freedom, including patients of special institutions for compulsory treatment and temporary isolation facilities (special detention centres). Detainees are not always aware or informed of what complaint channels are available to them by law. In many closed institutions complaint boxes are out of daily or free access of detainees. Often, detainees report that their complaints do not leave the institution after they pass them to the administration for mailing. When detainees complain to an overseeing prosecutor or public monitors they risk facing even harsher treatment by the guards at the knowledge or consent of the administration. As a result, many cases of torture go unreported. In prisons, the prisoners' despair caused by inhuman treatment or torture  especially during mass searches to uncover prohibited items  sometimes leads to riots or massive self-mutilation to draw public attention to what is going on. In written complaints to the NGO Coalition, prisoners say they do not see any other way of complaining than that.

Conclusion: Kazakhstan has not implemented the UN CAT's recommendation no. 8.

II. Transfer of authority over detention facilities to the Ministry of Justice

Recommendation # 10:

The State party should transfer authority for all detention and investigation facilities, including prisons, temporary holding facilities (IVSs) and remand centres (SIZOs) away from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The following concern of the UN CAT relating to its recommendation regarding the transfer of the authority for all detention and investigation facilities away from the Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to be valid:

Authority over the penal correction system remains with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Places of detention are controlled by the government ministry with responsibility for the police and internal security. [] Detention is seen as a tool of the investigative process or a means to compel prisoners to confess to the charges against them and thus amplifies the risk of torture and ill-treatment in such places of detention (point 10).

Victor Akhmetov from Kostanay region was unofficially held in the police department of the town of Zhetikara for four hours. When he was about to leave he was charged with an administrative offence ("Disorderly conduct", Art. 330, part 1 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Administrative Offences), arrested and placed in the Special Detention Centre for Administrative Detainees that, like all other detention facilities, is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. For 7 days in a row he was repeatedly taken to the police station and beaten to make him "confess" to murdering his mother. His complaint of torture was dismissed as unfounded, despite the broken jaw he had sustained, which the investigators said was the result of a private fight.

Conclusion: Kazakhstan has not implemented the UN CAT's recommendation no. 10.

III. The Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) and National Preventive Mechanism

Recommendation # 13:

The mandate of the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) should be broadened to enable it to function effectively as both the national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles and as the national preventive mechanism (NPM).

The mandate of the National Preventive Mechanism should be broadened to include monitoring of all places of deprivation of liberty such as offices of police departments and of the National Security Service, orphanages, medical social institutions for children with certain disabilities, special boarding schools, nursing homes, and military barracks and to examine the conditions and treatment of children in penitentiary and non-penitentiary institutions.

Measures should be taken to improve the ability of the NPM to carry out urgent and unannounced visits to places of detention upon its request.

The State party should consider authorizing the NPM to publicize its findings and recommendations shortly after undertaking visits rather than only on an annual basis and to ensure that NPM members and the public can assess whether their recommendations have been acted upon. The annual and other reports of the NPM should not be subject to prior review and approval by the President before publication.

The following concern of the UN CAT relating to its recommendation on the NPM and the Ombudsman continues to be valid:

The National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has not always been able to undertake ad hoc visits due to bureaucratic constraints. The NPM's mandate still does not provide for visits to all places of deprivation of liberty, such as orphanages, medical social institutions for children with certain disabilities, special boarding schools, nursing homes, elderly homes, and military barracks. The findings and recommendations of the NPM are only made public in the form of an annual report that is subject to prior review and approval by the President. The Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) is still lacking independence (point 13).

In 2015, the NPM's Coordination Council extended the monitoring mandate of the NPM to cover offices in police stations. However, this has not yet been reflected inlegislation. Also, as before, the NPM's mandate still does not provide for visits to all places of deprivation of liberty as defined in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, including orphanages, medical social institutions for children with certain disabilities, special boarding schools, nursing homes, homes for the elderly, and military barracks. In May 2015, the NPM released its first annual report[2]. The report indicates that in 2014, apart from preventive visits, the NPM made 14 special visits in response to reports of the risk of or actual torture or other ill-treatment. 12 of these reports came from those detained in institutions of the penal system under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As a result of these ad hoc visits, 4 criminal cases were instituted, 3 of which were subsequently suspended. The grounds given by investigators included that there was no evidence to suggest that a crime had taken place at all or that the suspect had carried out a criminal act. It is noteworthy that with respect to one of the suspended cases (the case of Alexey Ushenin, see below), the Coalition submitted a complaint to the UN Committee against Torture precisely in connection with the lack of an effective investigation of Alexey Ushenin's complaint of torture. The case is currently pending with the CAT for a review on the merits.

On 28 August 2011, for 12 consecutive hours, Alexey Ushenin, then 34 years old, was tortured by a group of police officers in the building of the Department of Internal Affairs in the city of Uralsk. They tried to obtain a confession from him that he had engaged in "hooliganism with the use or attempted use of a weapon". Police hit Alexey on his hands and feet and bashed his head against the wall. He was choked with a plastic bag that was pulled over his head until he lost consciousness, and then he was reanimated with ammonia. Police officers burned his body with cigarettes including his anus after they had pushed a rubber truncheon into it. The offices threatened to kill his pregnant wife. Alexey lost consciousness five times. After this torture, Alexey Ushenin was unable to move for several days. Both the medical records of the temporary detention facility and of the investigation-isolation facility where he was placed after being tortured contained information about injuries. On 31 August 2011, during the authorization of Alexey Ushenin's arrest, a judge of Terektinsky District Court in the village of Fedorivka in West Kazakhstan region ignored the injuries on his body and his allegations of torture. On 14 September 2011, the prosecutor's office of Uralsk initiated a criminal case for aggravated torture (Art. 141-1, part 2, para. "a" of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan). On 23 September 2011, the case was referred for additional checks to the financial police of Uralsk. On 30 September 2011, a forensic medical examination was conducted, with the participation of an assistant of the city prosecutor, which confirmed the presence of burn wounds, contusions on the neck, abrasions, and scars on the abdomen. The expert concluded that "given the localization of the burn wounds on the anatomical parts of the body, the wounds could have been self-inflicted by Ushenin". On 30 December 2011, the case was dismissed "for lack of evidence". In protest, Alexey Ushenin attempted suicide by swallowing 8 nails folded in a cross. In response to the West Kazakhstan branch of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law, a member organisation of the NGO Coalition, the prosecutor's office of West Kazakhstan region reported in February 2012 that "the arguments set out in Mr Ushenin's appeals about sustaining injuries and burns were refuted by the testimony of the medical staff, police and detention center officers of SI-170/1 of Uralsk city, as well as during the confrontation of Mr. Ushenin Alexey with others, and other collected materials of the criminal case". During the main trial Alexey Ushenin repeatedly informed the court that he had signed the confession under torture, but to no avail. Alexey Ushenin was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

The NPM's official report, in the Coalition's view, lacks firmness in its conclusions. Thus, according to the NPM's report on its activities in 2014, not torture  which the report addressed as well  but "poor sanitary conditions, lack of necessary medicines and poor food", "the need to make minor or major repairs of buildings and facilities, or to construct new ones", and "inadequate control and supervision by the state authorities" were named as the main problems with regard to the prevention of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in places of detention.

The NPM has not proved effective in responding to calls for urgent monitoring in cases of alleged torture. This is mainly due to the bureacratic process of coordinating such visits by the Ombudsman. Moreover even when the NPM visited the institution in response to a complaint, in most cases it did not report any violations. At the same time, the NGO Coalition against Torture in Kazakhstan continues to receive many credible complaints of torture or other ill-treatment from closed facilities. There have been cases where the Coalition received complaints about torture shortly after the NPM had visited the institution in response to a complaint, but failed to report any violations. Indeed, not all regional NPM groups are seen to be unbiased and many detainees do not see the NPM as a safe and effective complaint mechanism.

The Coalition sees the NPM as a government-censored mechanism lacking operational independence.

Conclusion: Kazakhstan has only partly implemented the UN CAT's recommendation no. 13.

IV. The administration of justice

Recommendation # 15

The State party should undertake a structural reform of the system of administration of justice with a view to balancing in practice and ensuring equality of arms between the respective roles of the prosecutor and the defence counsel in judicial proceedings and ensuring the independence of the judiciary. The State party should reform the system of prosecution and subject prosecutors to greater oversight by judges. Defence lawyers should be allowed to collect and present evidence from the outset of judicial proceedings as well as to call defence witnesses and should have prompt, effective and unimpeded access to all evidence in the hands of the prosecution.

The following concern of the UN CAT relating to the above recommendation remains valid today:

There continues to be a lack of balance between the respective roles of the prosecutor, the defence counsel and judges. The dominant role of the prosecutor throughout judicial proceedings remains in place. There is a lack of judicial control over the actions of prosecutors and that judges are overly deferential to prosecutors due to a lack of their independence from the executive branch. [Defense lawyers continue to lack power to collect and present evidence.] Defendants are not permitted to attend appeal proceedings in person and investigators can hand-select state-appointed defence lawyers, which serves as a disincentive for defending their clients (point 15).

Copyright notice: OMCT
On eve of Iranian New Year, concern about fate of imprisoned journalists

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 16 March 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, On eve of Iranian New Year, concern about fate of imprisoned journalists, 16 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eaea2c417.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates its concern about the conditions in which journalists are being detained in Iran, especially Afarine Chitsaz of the daily newspaper Iran, a young woman arrested at the same time as three other journalists on 2 November.

She was able to make a short phone call after her arrest but the authorities have provided no official information about her detention.

According to the information obtained by RSF, she is now being held in isolation in Section 2A of Tehran's Evin prison. The Revolutionary Guards control this section and subject detainees to a great deal of pressure, often with the aim of extracting confessions to be used at their trials.

Iran is the world's biggest prison for women journalists, with four others currently held. The other four - Rihaneh Tabatabai, Roya Saberi Negad Nobakht, Narges Mohammadi and Atena Ferghdani - are serving jail terms ranging from one to twelve years and some some are in poor health.

There is also concern about the state of health of Issa Saharkhiz, a well-known independent journalist who is being tried along with Ehssan Mazndarani and Saman Safarzai by a Tehran revolutionary court on charges of "activities threatening national security" and anti-government propaganda. After going on hunger strike and suffering a heart attack, Saharkhiz has been in a Tehran hospital since 10 March.

"On the eve of the Iranian New Year on 20 March, many journalists and citizen- journalists are separated from their families," said Reza Moini, the head of RSF's Iran/Afghanistan desk. "The Iranian authorities - including President Hassan Rouhani, whose silence facilitates this persecution - could display clemency towards these detainees, who have been arrested arbitrarily and convicted unjustly. We call for their immediate and unconditional release."

RSF has meanwhile learned that Saraj Mirdamadi, a journalist who worked for various media outlets including Hayat-e-No (a daily closed in January 2003) and Zamaneh (a radio station based in the Netherlands), was released conditionally on 13 March. He was freed under article 58 of the Islamic criminal code (as amended in 2013), under which detainees who have served a third of their sentence can be released for good behaviour. Arrested on 10 May 2014, he was convicted on 21 July 2015 on charges of "meeting and plotting against the Islamic Republic" and "anti-government publicity."

With a total of 36 journalists and citizen-journalists currently detained, Iran is still one of the world's five biggest prisons for media personnel and is ranked 173rd out of 180 countriesin the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
Government offensive against opposition media outlets

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 14 March 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Government offensive against opposition media outlets, 14 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eaea6d411.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the closure of La Voix du Katanga, the third broadcaster to be shut down by the authorities in the strategic southeastern city of Lubumbashi since the start of the year.

The authorities of the newly-formed province of Haut-Katanga announced the closure on 11 March. "This station has not paid its annual dues and does not even have a broadcasting licence," a senior Haut-Katanga official told Agence France-Presse.

This was denied by the head of La Voix du Katanga, who insisted that its papers were up to date and that the closure was politically motivated. The radio and TV station belongs to Gabriel Kyungu wa Kumwanza, one of the leaders of G7, a coalition formed last September to oppose any attempt by President Joseph Kabila to run for a third term.

"For the third time in six weeks, Katanga has seen the closure of a media outlet that does not toe the government line," said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk.

"This seems to be becoming the systematic method for preventing any criticism from being broadcast in this very rich province, which is highly strategic for the government in Kinshasa. We call on the authorities to prove the allegations made against La Voix du Katanga or, failing that, to reopen the station at once."

RSF previous condemned the 28 January closure of two opposition TV station owned by Moise Katumbi, Katanga's former governor, who used to be a leading member of the ruling party but recently changed sides.

During a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo last month, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon voiced concern about the restriction of political space in the country.

The DRC is ranked 150th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2015 World Press Freedom Index.
Azerbaijan: ARTICLE 19 welcomes release of political prisoners

Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 17 March 2016 Cite as Article 19, Azerbaijan: ARTICLE 19 welcomes release of political prisoners, 17 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eaeb8c4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes today's release of human rights defenders, journalists and activists in Azerbaijan and calls on the Azerbaijani government to immediately and unconditionally release all those who continue to be detained on politically-motivated charges.

This afternoon, a Presidential Pardon was issued, listing the release of a number of people, including the following:

Rashadat Akhundov, youth activist and member of N!DA

Mammad Azizov, youth activist and member of N!DA

Rashad Hasanov, activist and board member of N!DA Civic Movement

Parviz Hashimli, Editor of independent news website Moderator and reporter for independent newspaper Bizim Yol.

Rasul Jafarov, human rights campaigner and head of the Human Rights Club

Siraj Karimov, youth activist and brother of detained Musavat political activist, Faraj Karimov.

Taleh Khasmamedov, human rights defender

Anar Mammadli, Chairman of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre

Hilal Mammadov, Editor-in-chief of the Talysh-language Tolishi Sedo newspaper and consultant for the Institute for Peace and Democracy.

Omar Mammadov, youth activist and member of N!DA

Nemat Panahli, leader of the (opposition) National Statehood party

Yadigar Sadiqov, Deputy chairman and adviser to the head of the (opposition) Musavat Party

Tofig Yagublu, Deputy Leader of the opposition Musavat Party and columnist for the Yeni Musavat newspaper

"Today's news will be of comfort to the family of friends of those released. However, it's worth remembering that these journalists, human rights defenders, and activists should never have been imprisoned in the first place and a number of others remain in prison on trumped-up and politically motivated charges" stated Katie Morris, Head of Europe and Central Asia at ARTICLE 19.

In addition to today's Presidential Pardon, this morning, the Baku Court of Appeal ordered the conditional release of journalist Rauf Mirkadirov, who was sentenced to six years imprisonment in December 2015 on charges of high treason. The Court of Appeal reviewed this sentence, ordering a five year suspended sentence and releasing him from the courtroom.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the Presidential Pardon and the conditional release of Rauf Mirkadirov. However, we are concerned that many more innocent people remain behind bars, including Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist, Intigam Aliyev, a human rights lawyer and Ilgar Mammadov, an opposition politician, among others.

We call upon the Azerbaijani authorities to drop all charges against Mirkadirov and to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and opposition figures who remain imprisoned on politically-motivated charges.

Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Honduras: Gustavo Castro Soto, witness to Berta Caceres murder, must be allowed to return to Mexico for his safety

Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 10 March 2016 Cite as Article 19, Honduras: Gustavo Castro Soto, witness to Berta Caceres murder, must be allowed to return to Mexico for his safety, 10 March 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56eaec4b4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The murder of Berta Caceres, a prominent Honduran human rights defender, has shocked the human rights community. ARTICLE 19 offers its sincere condolences to her friends and family. We call on Honduras to guarantee a thorough and impartial investigation, recognising that impunity fuels further risks for defenders in the country.

Berta Caceres, founder of the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organisations of Honduras (COPINH) was killed on 3 March. Fellow activist, Gustavo Castro Soto, director of the NGO Otros Mundos (Other Worlds) and coordinator of Friends of the Earth Mexico was present at the time, and was himself seriously injured.

The violent attack took place in a context of repeated threats, harassment and criminalisation of human rights defenders in Honduras. Both Castro Soto and Caceres had been working to protect land rights and other fundamental rights of the indigenous Lenca community in Honduras. This tragic event is emblematic of the grave risks faced by defenders addressing economic, social, and cultural rights on a daily basis.

Castro Soto recently published a letter expressing his deep sadness at Caceres' death, and denouncing the lack of a thorough investigation of her murder. He goes on to explain in the letter that he has been detained in Honduras as a 'protected witness'. He was stopped by the Honduran authorities on Sunday morning in the Tegucigalpa International Airport, and prevented from returning to Mexico. On 8 March, the migration alert was extended for another thirty days, meaning he will not be permitted to leave for at least another month.

Given the dangers that human rights defenders face in Honduras, Castro Soto has expressed continued fear for his safety while he remains unable to leave the country.

States bear particular responsibility for providing protection to human rights defenders at risk. State authorities must take steps to safeguard the lives, liberty, and personal integrity of human rights defenders. This includes effective emergency protection measures in situations of imminent threat or danger, in all cases of violations against human rights defenders. States must also ensure thorough and impartial investigations, and that those responsible for attacks against human rights defenders are held accountable.

The work of the human rights defenders is essential for the functioning of democracy and for the protection of fundamental rights. ARTICLE 19 calls on the Honduran government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of human rights defenders, and remove administrative barriers to their seeking justice and accountability.

ARTICLE 19 also calls on Honduras to allow Gustavo Castro Soto to return to Mexico without delay, and reiterates the call for a thorough and transparent investigation of the murder of Berta Caceres.

Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
THURSDAY

Free tax assistance

The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Space is limited, and help will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Saint Patrick's Day

Keep Abilene Beautiful will present its '#GoGreenAbilene' Saint Patrick's Day celebration from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Mill Winery, 239 Locust St. Admission is free, with drink tickets provided to the first 100 participants.

Documentary showing

A free showing of a part of the PBS documentary series 'Latino Americans' will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane.

'The Foreigner'

A production of the comedy 'The Foreigner' will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Abilene Community Theatre, 809 Barrow St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors and military. For tickets, call 325-673-6271.

Other ...

Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300.

Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092.

Blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Taylor County Courthouse, 300 Oak St.

Retired Military Wives Club social meeting, 1 p.m., Rose Park Senior Activity Center, 2625 South Seventh St. 325-677-9656 or 325-793-1490.

Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300.

Sagerton Hobby Club, 2 p.m., Sagerton Community Center.

Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center.

Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St.

Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:30 p.m. Brook Hollow Christian Church. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m. 325-665-5052.

Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.

Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575.

Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517.

South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave.

Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St.

FRIDAY

Free tax assistance

The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Space is limited, and help will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Barn dance

TYE  A barn dance featuring Muddy Creek will be 7-10 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Admission is $5. Information: 325-829-1517.

'The Foreigner'

A production of the comedy 'The Foreigner' will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Abilene Community Theatre, 809 Barrow St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors and military. For tickets, call 325-673-6271.

Other ...

Blood drive, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Goodwill West Texas, 2200 N. First St.

Overeaters Anonymous, noon, Hinds Square Building, 100 Chestnut St., Room 112.

Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu.

Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304.

SATURDAY

Car show

MERKEL  The Merkel Classics Car Show will begin with registration from 8-10:30 a.m. in downtown Merkel. Awards will be presented at 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 325-338-7208.

Texas Gun & Knife Show

The Texas Gun & Knife show will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $5. For more information, go to www.texasgunandknifeshows.com.

Steam-n-Wheels

The 24th annual Steam-n-Wheels bike race and fun ride will begin at 10 a.m. at Nelson Park, 2070 Zoo Lane. Routes of 12, 32 and 48 miles are available. Advance registration is $25 for individuals and $50 for tandem teams; race day registration is $30 for individuals and $55 for tandem teams. To register, go to www.abilenetx.com or www.bikereg.com. For more information, call 325-676-6217.

Wildlife tracking workshop

COLORADO CITY  A workshop on wildlife tracks and signs will be presented from 10 to noon at Lake Colorado City State Park. Regular park admission will apply. For more information, call 325-728-3931.

Free tax assistance

The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Space is limited, and help will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Movie at the library

A free showing of a G-rated animated movie will begin at 3 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. Popcorn and lemonade will be provided while supplies last.

Fish fry

DESDEMONA  A fish fry will be served from 5-7 p.m. at the Desdemona Activity Center. The cost will be by donation.

Country musical

ANSON  A country musical show will begin at 6 p.m. at the Anson Opera House. Brisket will be served at 5 p.m. for $7. Information: 325-338-2184.

Art reception

A reception for the art exhibit 'Edge' will be 6-8 p.m. at Studio 13, 909 N. 13th St. The exhibition will run through March 31.

'Steppin' Out for Memories'

The Alzheimer's Association  North Central Texas Chapter will conduct its 10th annual 'Steppin' Out for Memories' dinner and auction at 6:30 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. The theme is 'Route 66,' and Jody Nix will perform. Tickets are $75. For tickets, or for more information, call 325-672-2907.

'The Foreigner'

A production of the comedy 'The Foreigner' will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Abilene Community Theatre, 809 Barrow St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors and military. For tickets, call 325-673-6271.

Square dance

TYE  The Wagon Wheel Squares will sponsor a square dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel in.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673.

Big Country Chapter American Association of Medical Transcriptionists meeting, 10 a.m., Arbec Room, first floor, Texas State Technical College, East Highway 80, Abilene. For medical transcriptionists or anyone interested in becoming one. 325-698-8898.

Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 10 a.m. to noon, 2043 N. Second St.

SUNDAY

Texas Gun & Knife Show

The Texas Gun & Knife show will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $5. For more information, go to www.texasgunandknifeshows.com.

Military tribute

A ceremony honoring veterans who served during the campaign in Kosovo will begin at 1:30 p.m. at VFW Post 6873, 1049 Veterans Drive.
FRIDAY

Free tax assistance

The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Space is limited, and help will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Breck Trade Days

BRECKENRIDGE  Breck Trade Days will begin at noon at Breckenridge City Park, 301 Dunnigan Street. A variety of craft, food and other vendors will be present. Admission is free. For more information, call 254-559-2012.

Barn dance

TYE  A barn dance featuring Muddy Creek will be 7-10 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Admission is $5. Information: 325-829-1517.

'The Foreigner'

A production of the comedy "The Foreigner" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Abilene Community Theatre, 809 Barrow St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors and military. For tickets, call 325-673-6271.

Other ...

Blood drive, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Goodwill West Texas, 2200 N. First St.

Overeaters Anonymous, noon, Hinds Square Building, 100 Chestnut St., Room 112.

Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu.

Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304.

SATURDAY

Breck Trade Days

BRECKENRIDGE  Breck Trade Days will continue at 7 a.m. at Breckenridge City Park, 301 Dunnigan Street. A variety of craft, food and other vendors will be present. Admission is free. For more information, call 254-559-2012.

Car show

MERKEL  The Merkel Classics Car Show will begin with registration from 8-10:30 a.m. in downtown Merkel. Awards will be presented at 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 325-338-7208.

Texas Gun & Knife Show

The Texas Gun & Knife show will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $5. For more information, go to www.texasgunandknifeshows.com.

Steam-n-Wheels

The 24th annual Steam-n-Wheels bike race and fun ride will begin at 10 a.m. at Nelson Park, 2070 Zoo Lane. Routes of 12, 32 and 48 miles are available. Advance registration is $25 for individuals and $50 for tandem teams; race day registration is $30 for individuals and $55 for tandem teams. To register, go to www.abilenetx.com or www.bikereg.com. For more information, call 325-676-6217.

Wildlife tracking workshop

COLORADO CITY  A workshop on wildlife tracks and signs will be presented from 10 to noon at Lake Colorado City State Park. Regular park admission will apply. For more information, call 325-728-3931.

Free tax assistance

The AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1214 N. Mockingbird Lane. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Space is limited, and help will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Movie at the library

A free showing of a G-rated animated movie will begin at 3 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. Popcorn and lemonade will be provided while supplies last.

Fish fry

DESDEMONA  A fish fry will be served from 5-7 p.m. at the Desdemona Activity Center. The cost will be by donation.

Country musical

ANSON  A country musical show will begin at 6 p.m. at the Anson Opera House. Brisket will be served at 5 p.m. for $7. Information: 325-338-2184.

Art reception

A reception for the art exhibit "Edge" will be 6-8 p.m. at Studio 13, 909 N. 13th St. The exhibition will run through March 31.

'Steppin' Out for Memories'

The Alzheimer's Association  North Central Texas Chapter will conduct its 10th annual "Steppin' Out for Memories" dinner and auction at 6:30 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. The theme is "Route 66," and Jody Nix will perform. Tickets are $75. For tickets, or for more information, call 325-672-2907.

'The Foreigner'

A production of the comedy "The Foreigner" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at Abilene Community Theatre, 809 Barrow St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors and military. For tickets, call 325-673-6271.

Square dance

TYE  The Wagon Wheel Squares will sponsor a square dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel in.

Other ...

Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673.

Big Country Chapter American Association of Medical Transcriptionists meeting, 10 a.m., Arbec Room, first floor, Texas State Technical College, East Highway 80, Abilene. For medical transcriptionists or anyone interested in becoming one. 325-698-8898.

Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 10 a.m. to noon, 2043 N. Second St.

SUNDAY

Texas Gun & Knife Show

The Texas Gun & Knife show will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Admission is $5. For more information, go to www.texasgunandknifeshows.com.

Breck Trade Days

BRECKENRIDGE  Breck Trade Days will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Breckenridge City Park, 301 Dunnigan Street. A variety of craft, food and other vendors will be present. Admission is free. For more information, call 254-559-2012.

Military tribute

A ceremony honoring veterans who served during the campaign in Kosovo will begin at 1:30 p.m. at VFW Post 6873, 1049 Veterans Drive.
First Central Presbyterian roots go back to Abilene's first church

First Central Presbyterian Church has undergone a few name changes in its 135-year history, but one fact hasn't changed.

On Feb. 27, 1881, the Presbyterians began meeting in a tent near North First and Pine streets, getting a two-week head start on the new city of Abilene, which wouldn't become official until March 15. For the Presbyterians, the word "first" in the name has an entirely different meaning from other churches in town that begin with "first."

Bill Minter, a member of First Central Presbyterian, has been hearing about the church's history his entire life. His great-grandfather, W.A. Minter Sr., was the elder whose name is on a marker on North First Street denoting the spot where the Presbyterians first met. Minutes of the organizational meeting show a heavy Minter influence.

"There were 14 people present," Minter said, "and eight of them were Minters."

Those eight were W.A., his wife, and their six children. With that kind of history, it's no wonder Bill Minter, who also is an elder in the church, describes himself as "thoroughly Presbyterian."

According to the church's history, which Bill Minter compiled, the church originally was named First Presbyterian Church and met in a tent until moving into a frame schoolhouse at North Third and Cedar streets and, in 1884, into its own frame church building.

In 1885, a second group of Presbyterians, affiliated with the Cumberland branch of the denomination, began meeting in the only Baptist church in town. That church first was named Elm Street Presbyterian Church before building a new church at North Second and Beech streets and changing its name to Central Presbyterian Church.

In 1906, the Central Presbyterian congregation changed its affiliation to the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. The two congregations - First Presbyterian and Central Presbyterian - worshipped together from 1916 to 1920. That union ended in a friendly separation in 1920. The two groups of Presbyterians joined again in 1970 to form today's First Central Presbyterian Church.

The present-day church, located at North Fourth and Orange Streets, opened on April 6, 1924, with major renovations coming in 1976 and in 2000. Minter noted that the Presbyterians piggybacked off West Texas Utilities when WTU brought a contractor to Abilene in 1924 to construct its building. The Presbyterians got the contractor to agree to build them a new church while he already was in town.

Cliff Stewart, pastor of First Central Presbyterian Church since 1993, noted another interesting historical tidbit. The minister on the day the congregation first met in a tent in 1881 was W.W. Brimm, who came to Abilene from First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth.

Today, one of the ministers of the Fort Worth congregations is Josh Stewart - son of the pastor of Abilene's First Central Presbyterian Church.

"Our roots in the past are deep, and our hope for the future is strong," Cliff Stewart wrote in an email. "We give thanks for those on whose shoulders we stand."
Beto before football: Democrat speaks at rally Friday in Abilene

Beto O'Rourke promised win but told Abilene supporters they had to vote and get others to vote, too.
Incident reports released Wednesday by the Abilene Police Department:

Burglary, 3600 block of Duke Lane, Tuesday

Police said someone smashed the window of a vehicle and ransacked it, causing $300 in damage.

Theft auto, 3100 block of South Clack Street, Monday

Man told police he woke up and looked out of his window when he saw his 1999 Ford Expedition was missing.

Criminal mischief, 800 block of South Leggett Drive, Monday

A woman told police someone smashed her rear windshield with an unknown object, causing about $500 in damage.

Burglary, 1900 block of Pine Street, Monday

A man told police someone stole more than $1,300 in fishing gear from his pickup parked at a hospital.

Theft, 7000 block of Randy Avenue, Monday

Police said someone stole about $5,800 in property from his pickup, after punching the lock out, causing about $200 in damage.

Burglary, 1200 block of Clarks Drive, Monday

Police said someone stole five pairs of drywall stilts worth about $375 each. According to police, the suspect left beer cans and they were able to collect two latent prints.

Theft, 2600 block of Nonesuch Road, Monday

Police said someone stole more than $1,500 in property from an apartment.

Burglary, 2700 block of North Judge Ely Boulevard, Monday

Police said someone stole more than $2,000 in property from an apartment.

Criminal mischief, 1600 block of Highway 351, Monday

Police said someone caused more than $400 in damage to a vehicle.
Perry Kay Haley Brown is the new dean of the Irvin School of Education at Hardin-Simmons University, according to a news release.

Her appointment to the position comes after she spent eight months as interim dean, the school said.

"Dr. Brown is known throughout the state of Texas and beyond for her deep commitment to and knowledge of preparing teachers," said Thomas Brisco, HSU provost and chief academic officer. "She has served as a professional consultant for numerous educational entities and served two terms as president of the Education Deans of Independent Colleges and Universities."

Before joining Hardin-Simmons University, Brown spent 15 years as dean of the education school at McMurry University, Brisco said.

Brown said she's looking forward to what the opportunity will bring her.

"Over the past eight months, I have been engaged with the outstanding faculty members in the Irvin School of Education," she said. "As we move toward the celebration of 125 years that HSU has been in existence, I look forward to the potential opportunities for new programming at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.
Investigators for the Abilene Fire Department believe something an electrical problem caused a house fire Wednesday night in the 1700 block of Westmoreland Street, causing $30,000 in damage and displacing a family.

The American Red Cross is helping the family of five that was in the home, according to a news release from the fire department. No injuries were reported.

Fire crews responded about 6:30 p.m. and found smoke and flames coming from the attic vents on both ends of the house but they were able to contain the fire to the attic space and one room.

However, the house sustained water and fire debris damage.
A temporary restraining order has been issued by an Austin judge, keeping the city of Abilene from releasing what State Rep. Susan King says is confidential health and personal information.

The lawsuit, which will have a hearing on March 30, was filed by King to prevent opposing Texas Senate candidate Dawn Buckingham from, in Kings words, dragging those records through the mud.

A spokesman for the Buckingham campaign called King a liar and a liberal.

King finished in first place in a six-person primary March 1 for State Senate District 24. Late last year, she briefly suspended her Senate campaign citing issues with depression.

To protect the privacy of my personal health records, I have filed lawsuit this week in Travis County to seek clarification and protection under our states privacy protection laws, King said in a statement released Thursday. As part of this suit, a district court judge issued a restraining order to prevent access to my health records pending a thorough review of state privacy laws.

The lawsuit states King and her husband, Abilene physician Austin King, are seeking a declaratory injunction to prevent application of the Texas Public Information Act in conjunction with certain requests made to the city of Abilene for confidential health and personal information.

The suit alleges the city did not provide either King or her husband with copies of the open records requests and did not advise them of their right to submit arguments to the Attorney General to protect their private health and other personal information.

A person, whether its a public government entity like the city or a third party (that) disagrees with the AGs office open records ruling, the procedural way to deal with that is you sue the Attorney General, said attorney Ross Fischer with the Gober Group in Austin, one of two attorneys representing King and her husband.

Matt Langston, campaign spokesman for Buckinghams campaign, said flatly that King was lying in an attempt to right what he termed a losing campaign.

Under HIPPAA privacy rules, her medical records arent public  and never will be, he said. We didnt ask for them, and we dont want them released. Susan knows we didnt ask for them but chooses to lie anyway. Susan is trying to distract the media and voters from whats really happening here  shes running a losing campaign because voters are seeing her for what she really is: a liar and a liberal.

Between Dec. 14 and Dec. 22, the city received four requests for information, the lawsuit states. Those listed in the suit as requesting the information are Mark Bogetich, Kevin Burns, Jamie Burch and John Gober (who is not related to anyone with Gober Group). Since then, others have filed open records requests.

The lawsuit alleges the documents requested implicate the constitutional, statutory and common-law privacy rights of each plaintiff, adding that the requests either mentioned a Plaintiff by name or referenced a home address.

In submitting the matter to the Attorney General, the city neglected to raise applicable constitutional, statutory and common-law provisions affecting the privacy rights of either plaintiff, the suit says.

City of Abilene spokeswoman Cheryl Sawyers said that the city is aware of the lawsuit, but that anyone associated with the city is prohibited from commenting on it due to the pending lawsuit and restraining order.

The citys request did not specify whether those rights to privacy were applicable to King, her husband, both, or to other members of the King family.

Further, the suit says the city only raised two reasons for nondisclosure, both from Texas Governmental Code.

The first states that while public information is normally available to the public at a minimum during a governmental bodys normal business hours, information held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of a crime is excepted if it relates to an investigation that did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication.

The second states that information is excepted from the requirements if it is information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision.

The city did not raise any legal arguments relating to the release of private health information, according to the lawsuit.

On March 7, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, relying on the incomplete legal arguments put forth by the city, ordered release of the requested information, according to the suit. The city had 10 days in which to release it.

Thursday, 53rd Judicial District Judge Scott Jenkins issued a temporary restraining order forbidding the city from releasing information in compliance with Paxtons ruling.

A hearing for a temporary injunction is set for March 30 at 2 p.m. in Austin.

Langston, speaking on behalf of Buckinghams campaign, said King is fighting the city of Abilene from releasing the multiple  and potentially campaign damaging  911 incidents that occurred at her home where police officers were involved.

When you have a medical issue you dont call the cops, you call an ambulance, he said in an email.  ... The fact is that Susans temporary restraining order is with the Abilene Police Department  as she attempts to keep them from doing their job and complying with a legal, open-records request.

Langston said the Attorney General ruled publicly that the city of Abilene has to release parts of these records even though Susan King fought to keep them under wraps.

Clearly she is hiding something potentially embarrassing and damaging to her campaign, he said, claiming some goofy victory over Dawn Buckingham over something we never requested.

King said in her statement that her health condition was serious, and in October last year I reached an extremely low point in my life, one that required community responders and medical personnel to assist me.

My health records were deemed confidential at that time by the city of Abilene, she said. However, my runoff opponent is now trying to breach this confidentiality to embarrass my family and me.

The definition of the medical records privacy exception includes communications made in the course of seeking a medical evaluation, Kings attorney Fischer said.

So any communications made to community responders that relate to a persons mental health or physical health would be considered medical records, those (sorts of) communications to a provider.



Fischer said the specific exceptions raised by the city of Abilene regarding law enforcement records do not apply because this was not a criminal-related episode, this was a health-related episode.

But the second portion, dealing with privacy, is valid, he said, and something that we will continue to argue to the court.

Also, I dont think that their opinion or the AGs analysis fully considered the argument that these are protected health records, he said. By initiating this lawsuit, it gives Mrs. King the opportunity to make that argument to a court and to protect her personal health records.

King said in a statement Thursday that said she filed the lawsuit because everyone should be able to receive needed medical help without the fear of being bullied or humiliated by a malicious invasion of their private health records.

Buckingham, as a physician, should know that protecting the privacy of individuals confidential health records is sacrosanct, King said. I will not allow this desperate act of political cowardice to be perpetrated against my family and me, just as I would condemn it if used against anyone else.

King said that last year, a private family issue caused her to face the fact that I was suffering from chronic depression.

King said that Buckingham and her supporters have engaged in circulating vicious rumors insinuating that her private records involve issues of legal violations, something King said was unequivocally untrue.

I suffer from depression, and during my low point this past October I was fortunate to receive prompt community response and medical care, she said.

Afterward, I attempted to continue my State Senate campaign but immediately realized I needed additional medical care so I voluntarily sought inpatient treatment for my depression.

During that time away, she issued a public statement explaining her situation, she said.

After approximately a months absence from the campaign, I was cleared by my doctors and supported by my family to resume the campaign, she said.

King said that Buckingham and her campaign have even spread untruths that Im dropping out of this race even though I finished first in the primary.

Well, Im not dropping out, King said. Our next scheduled joint appearance is this Friday in Kerrville. I will be at there and I challenge my opponent to show up as well.

READ THE DOCUMENTS (click below)



ORIGINAL PETITION



RESTRAINING ORDER GRANTED



KING STATEMENT

BUCKINGHAM STATEMENT
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This just in...
China charged more than 1,000 people with crimes involving state security and terrorism last year, twice as many as in the previous year, prompting warnings of widespread abuses from a U.S.-based rights group.



Chinese courts convicted 1,419 people on crimes linked to "endangering state security" and "terrorism," in 2015, nearly double the 712 convictions produced in the previous year, Supreme People's Court chief Zhou Qiang said in an annual report to the country's parliament this month.



While Zhou made no attempt to explain the sudden rise in convictions, he said the courts are targeting "criminals who instigate secessionist or terrorist activities."



According to the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), Zhou's figures include large numbers of people targeted solely for their peaceful criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



"Chinas doubling of prosecutions for state security and terrorism last year says more about the governments crackdown on peaceful dissent than it does about threats to national security," HRW China director Sophie Richardson said in a report on the group's website.



"The authorities have increasingly used these charges to prosecute peaceful critics and legally protected activities, often employing vague interpretations of threats to the state," she said.



"The deeply politicized judicial system makes it virtually impossible to challenge such charges," Richardson added.



HRW warned that state security and terrorism charges are especially hard to defend against in Chinese courts

Further abuses



Such charges also give ample opportunity for further abuses of detainees' human rights, it said.



Anyone detained on state security charges can be held incommunicado in an unknown location under "residential surveillance" for up to six months and denied access to a lawyer.



Such "suspects" are forced to use government-appointed lawyers in their trials and rarely allowed to call witnesses in their defense, HRW said.



It also pointed to a growing tendency by the government to parade detainees on state television, apparently "confessing" their guilt, even before their cases come to trial.



Among those caught up in the "state security" dragnet are at least 19 human rights lawyers detained in a nationwide police operation which began with the detention of Wang Yu, her husband and colleagues at Beijing's Fengrui law firm on the night of July 9, 2015.



Chinese rights lawyer Liu Zhihui said the crackdown had had a chilling effect on the rest of the country's embattled legal profession.



"Yes, it has definitely had an effect," Liu said. "There is now much less leeway for lawyers to speak out in court and for them to conduct a defense."



"Of course this was going to be the case; it was predictable."



Two months earlier, outspoken political journalist Gao Yu was jailed for "leaking state secrets overseas," while a court in Guangzhou tried three activists  lawyer Tang Jingling, writer Yuan Xinting, and teacher Wang Qingying  on charges of "incitement to subvert state power."

Ninety-nine percent conviction rate



According to Zhou's report, Chinese courts convict in more than 99 percent of cases, acquitting just 1,039 of the 1.2 million people who stood trial in 2015.



And there is no sign of any let-up in the crackdown, HRW said, citing Chinas top prosecutor Cao Jianming's vow to "firmly crack down on attempts by hostile forces to infiltrate and damage the country."



Official ideology under President Xi Jinping increasingly takes the line that any opposition to the government or Communist Party originates and is fomented outside China, HRW said.



"Caos remarks raise concerns that domestic civil society groups receiving foreign funding or with connections to groups abroad may face renewed harassment and threats from the authorities," the group warned, citing the case of Beijing-based Swedish rights worker Peter Dahlin, who "confessed" on television to helping fund legal challenges to government decisions after his detention.



Dahlin was expelled from China after his non-government organization (NGO) was accused by officials of receiving foreign funding to training "agents" to "endanger state security," but his Chinese colleague Wang Quanzheng remains in police detention.



Sichuan-based rights activist Huang Qi, who founded the Tianwang rights website, said groups like his are now under huge pressure from the Chinese authorities on the hunt for "hostile forces."



"Local officials hate NGOs with a passion, because they help local people defend their rights, and so they are now cracking down on them with a vengeance," Huang told RFA.



"That's why we call on the central government to pay attention to the views of ordinary people, if we are to get any objectivity or justice in ... court judgments," he said.



As the HRW report was published, Wuhan-based activist Liu Xinglian of the China Human Rights Observer group was removed from a detention center where he had been held since last June on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power."



Liu's 'disappearance' was discovered on March 11 after two supporters tried to take money to him in the Wuhan No. 2 Detention Center, only to be told he was no longer there.



China Human Rights Observer activist Xu Qin said Liu's move may mean that he has been tried and sentenced in secret, before being moved to a "registration center" before starting his prison term.



"The employee said he had gone to the registration center, which I think means that he has been sentenced, because they only send people there who have already been sentenced," Xu told RFA.

No information for outside world



An employee who answered the phone at the detention center on Wednesday declined to comment on Liu's destination.



"We don't give out information to the outside world here," the employee said.



Liu founded the Rose China rights website in 2014, which is closely affiliated with the China Human Rights Observer, and which has published a series of open letters to President Xi Jinping calling for democratic change.



Meanwhile, veteran democracy activist Qin Yongmin, his wife and two of her family members have been incommunicado since Jan. 19, 2015, Rose China activist Pan Lu told RFA.



"On March 19, it will be 14 months since they disappeared," Pan said. "That includes Qin's wife Zhao Suli, Zhao's 87-year-old father and her daughter, all of whom have disappeared."



"But there has been no information on them whatsoever from the authorities here in Wuhan."



Qin, a founding member of the China Human Rights Observer group, is also a director of Rose China, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).



According to HRW, a draconian new National Security Law passed last July employs sweeping definitions that are against the principles of international law.



"The broad, catch-all terms are contrary to international law, which requires specific threats to state security to be narrowly defined," the group said.



"Human Rights Watch urged the Chinese government to immediately review all 2015 prosecutions on state security and related charges," it said.



Reported by Hai Nan for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
Chinese journalist Gao Yu (C) catches up with author Xu Hui (L) and Beijing rights activist Wang Lihong (R) in Dali, southwestern China's Yunnan province, March 2016.

Outspoken veteran journalist Gao Yu is currently under round-the-clock surveillance by China's state security police, who recently took her on a forced "vacation" in the southwestern province of Yunnan, a friend of hers told RFA on Thursday.

Gao Yu, 71, who has been permitted to serve a five-year jail term "outside jail," holds a valid German visa but has been denied permission by the Chinese authorities to seek medical treatment overseas.

Gao's seven-year jail term for "leaking state secrets overseas" was cut on appeal to five years by the Beijing High People's Court last November after she reportedly suffered multiple heart attacks in detention.

She also suffers from high blood pressure and has signs of a growth on a lymph node that could be malignant, her lawyers said in her applications for medical parole before her release.

Gao's friend, author Xu Hui, said he and Beijing rights activist Wang Lihong had met with Gao recently in the mountain resort town of Dali.

"After I arrived with Wang, we saw that there were a couple of state security police eating alongside Gao," Xu said. "We went to a teahouse afterwards, and talked until pretty late."

"I heard that her security detail was criticized for that later...They weren't supposed to allow her to meet with local dissidents."

"The next day we had planned to meet up for a meal, but we didn't get to see Gao that time," Xu said, adding that Gao appeared to have been moved on to "vacation" in another Yunnan resort town.

"The next day, they [Gao and the police] went to Lijiang, and that was basically the extent of our contact with Gao," Xu said.

Xu said Gao had received no reply to her application to leave the country on medical parole, which she took to mean it had been refused.

"They just keep dragging it out," Xu said. "I got the impression that she isn't doing so badly [physically], but psychologically she's not doing too well."

"She's still pretty angry about the devastating one year and seven months that she spent behind bars."

Gao Yu visits a tourist site during her forced 'vacation' in southwestern China's Yunnan province, March 2016. Photo courtesy of Wang Lihong Trip to Lijiang

Yunnan-based rights activist Zhu Chengzhi said he had also tried to meet with Gao during her trip.

"We knew that Gao was in Dali, and I and some friends got on a train from Kunming [to visit her]," Zhu said. "But when we arrived in Dali, she had already gone to Lijiang, so the next day we also got a train to Lijiang."

"But she told us that the authorities had banned her from meeting with us," Zhu said. "After she went to Lijiang, she went to Shangri-la, and then back to Kunming."

Zhu called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to allow Gao to seek medical treatment in Germany.

"I hope she will be able to...get her health back to a better state as soon as possible," he said.

Gao's friends say she has been turned away from every hospital in China where she has sought treatment since her release from detention.

Her "vacation" appears to have been timed to coincide with the annual meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC) from March 5-15, and Gao is likely to have returned to Beijing soon after it ended, sources said.

Gao was initially sentenced to a seven-year jail term by the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People's Court in April 2015 for "leaking state secrets overseas, but denied breaking Chinese law, saying that a televised "confession" on which the prosecution based its case was obtained under duress.

Gao had been held in the jail since her initial detention in April 2014, as she planned to mark the 26th anniversary of 1989 student-led pro-democracy movement on Tiananmen Square, that culminated in a military crackdown by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on the night of June 3-4, 1989.

During her November 2014 trial, Gao Yu was accused of leaking party policy Document No. 9 to a Hong Kong-based media outlet.

Document No. 9 lists "seven taboos" to be avoided in public debate, online and in China's schools and universities that include democracy, freedom of the press, judicial independence and criticism of the party's historical record.

Her defense team argued that the document was already widely available online.

Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
Myanmar's president-elect Htin Kyaw (L) sends off Aung San Suu Kyi (R), chairwoman of the National League for Democracy, from the parliament building in Naypyidaw, March 15, 2016.

Myanmars president-elect Htin Kyaw on Thursday submitted a proposal to parliament to reduce the number of government ministries to 21 from 36 and create a new ethnic affairs ministry in keeping with Aung San Suu Kyis pledge to make government leaner and more inclusive.

Under the plan, which lawmakers will begin debating on Friday, the six ministries under the Presidents Office would be combined into one, while other ministries would be eliminated or merged.

The Information Ministry, the mouthpiece of the current government under President Thein Seins military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, would remain in place.

We had 36 ministries, but not every ministry had work to do, said Khin San Hlaing, a lawmaker from the National League for Democracy (NLD). Some had a lot of work, but others just had a few projects. Im happy because now we can use less money from the budget to fund fewer ministries.

The new ministries will be established after Htin Kyaw, NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyis proxy president, is sworn in on March 30.

The NLD has said that no workers will be laid off in the ministry reshuffle, although last week it indicated that some civil servants would have to undergo training.

As Daw [honorific] Aung San Suu Kyi already said, government workers dont need to worry, said NLD lawmaker Tun Tun Hein. Although some ministries are merging, the staff will be reshuffled at suitable ministries.

Ethnic affairs ministry

The only new ministry will be responsible for ethnic affairs and was created to realize Aung San Suu Kyis plan for peace and national reconciliation by bringing together diverse ethnic minority groups and ending the fighting between some of the armed ethnic groups and the government army.

Leaders of ethnic political groups hailed the move.

It is very good to have the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs because we need to work on national reconciliation and ethnic unity, said Tu Ja, chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party.

Naing Han Thar, chairman of the Mon New State Party, said the ministry would forge better relations among ethnic groups.

Its good to have this Ethnic Affairs Ministry that can build trust among all ethnics, he said.

Each of Myanmars 14 states and regions already has an ethnic affairs minister. But the ethnic groups themselves want the most suitable one among them, and who is not a member of the dominant ethnic Bamar group, to be the national ethnic affairs minister, said Saw Than Myint, chairman of the Federal Union Party, which includes former members of 16 ethnic political parties and is influential in northern Myanmars Shan state.

The government army has clashed with armed ethnic groups in Shan, northern Kachin, and western Rakhine states in recent months, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Hostilities also have ensued between different ethnic militias in certain parts of the country.

The most important problem in our country is fighting between military and armed ethnic groups, said Naing Soe Myint, secretary of the Mon National Party. The Ministry of Ethnic Affairs should solve this problem first.

The current government signed a nationwide cease-fire agreement with eight armed ethnic groups last October, but several other groups either refused to join the pact or were excluded from it because of their clashes with the national army.

We dont have peace in our country because of the conflicts between Burmese [army] and ethnic groups, said lawmaker Ba Shein of the Arakan National Party. People will have hope if the new Ministry of Ethnic Affairs can do something for building peace. That ministry could do something for peace if the new government gives it the authority to do so.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, delivers a speech at a government peace conference in Naypyidaw, Jan. 12, 2016. AFP Military-controlled ministries

The NLD, which will take over the government on April 1, will nominate 18 ministers, while military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, will nominate the remaining three for the ministries of defense, home affairs and border affairs in accordance with Myanmars constitution, which was written in 2008 when a military junta governed the country.

The names of the ministers will be announced after March 20, said NLD spokesman Zaw Myint Maung.

Aung San Suu Kyi has long been at odds with the military, which opposed changes she wanted to make to the constitution that would have reduced its power in parliament and allowed her to become president.

She is barred from the top office by a constitutional provision inserted by the military when the junta ruled the country, which prohibits anyone with foreign-born relatives from becoming president.

She has met with Min Aung Hlaing three times since the NLD won national elections last November to discuss the transfer of power to the new government led by her party, although pundits speculated that the meetings were ineffectual.

Nevertheless, some observers believe that Htin Kyaw and other NLD lawmakers will not oppose Min Aung Hlaings ministerial nominations.

I think there is less possibility for the president and Union parliament to reject the names of these ministers which military chief will nominate, because Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has made building trust with the military a priority now, said political commentator Yan Myo Thein.

Reported by Win Naung Toe, Win Ko Ko Latt, Thinn Thiri and Wai Mar Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Indonesian police display an image of one of two Uyghur men they say were killed in Central Sulawesi this week, March 16, 2016.

Security forces in Indonesia shot dead two ethnic Uyghurs during their hunt for the country's most wanted militant in a remote area of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago's main islands, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

The men were among six Uyghurs from China's Xinjiang region who are believed to have joined wanted militant Santoso's Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) group, Central Sulawesi Police Chief Rudy Sufahriadi told a press conference.

Santoso had declared allegiance to the Islamic State terror group in an audio recording released by the MIT in July 2014.

The two Uyghurs were killed in a shootout Tuesday in Posos Lore Peore district between suspected militants and security forces, Rudy said.

Four more Uyghur men are still with the group, according to police, who said they obtained the information from a captured MIT militant.

The men are from the Uyghur Muslim minority group in China's Xinjiang region, where Beijing is pursuing a "strike hard" campaign to quell unrest and launched crackdowns on civil society.

Persistent violence in the region has led to hundreds of deaths which Chinese authorities blamed on Islamic extremism and foreign influence. Rights groups say the violence was a response to draconian restrictions on the region's religious and cultural life.

The World Uyghur Congress linked the Uyghur killings in Indonesia to alleged Chinese persecution of the minority group.

"Uyghurs cannot bear Chinese persecution, and are therefore forced to flee their homes to go all over the world," Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Uyghur exile group, told RFA.

"If there are individuals who have been involved in extreme behavior, Beijing should bear direct political responsibility," he said.

"This is because Chinas brutal crackdown has resulted in a large number of Uyghur fugitives, who were influenced differently in different countries."

He expressed concern that the Chinese government might use the Indonesian incident "to carry out even harsher crackdowns on Uyghurs in the name of fighting terrorism."

From China

Indonesian police identified the two dead Uyghurs as Farok, alias Magalasi Bahtusan, and Nuretin, alias Abdul, Rudy told reporters.

The identification process moved quickly because we involved an MIT member who was captured alive, Zaelani. He said the two bodies were those of Farok and Nuretin from Xinjiang, China, Rudi said.

The bodies were being held at the Bhayangkara hospital in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, pending further investigation, he said.

According to Zaelani, the two joined the MIT group in the middle of 2015, police claimed.

Indonesian officials are not sure how the Uyghur men managed to enter Indonesia and travel to Poso.

A series of military-police operations has brought hundreds of personnel to the remote and mountainous region since January 2015 in an effort to crush the MIT group and capture Santoso.

Questions

MIT is thought to number around 30 people, including three women from West Nusa Tenggara province, hundreds of miles away, who reportedly joined the group in 2012 after their husbands were killed in Poso.

With the death of Farok and Nuretin, we believe there are still four other Uyghurs with Santoso and his gang in the Poso hinterlands, because Zaelani has told us there were six of them in all, Central Sulawesi police spokesman Hari Suprapto told RFA.

We are investigating how they were able to get into Poso, who was their escort, and what role they had in MIT, Hari said.

A number of Uyghurs have been picked up by Indonesian police in recent years and accused of militant activity. In December 2015, police arrested a Uyghur man in Bekasi, West Java who was allegedly involved in planning a suicide bomb attack.

In July, four Uyghur men were sentenced to six years in jail each on terrorism charges after being arrested in Poso in September 2014, allegedly on their way to join the MIT.

The two Uyghur men who were killed apparently joined Santoso in Poso when security forces were carrying out a massive operation to track him down, a local activist pointed out.

They managed to get through, and there were six of them. Now there are four, since two are dead. Even with just four, its a risk for police, said Moh Affandi, director of the Central Sulawesi Institute for Legal Studies and Human Rights Advocacy (LPS-HAM).

The six Uyghurs undoubtedly brought weapons and explosives with them when they joined MIT, he said.

Their presence in MIT raises many questions. Its up to the police to answer them, he said.

Reported by RFA.
Hundreds of Afghans have taken to the streets in Kabul to commemorate the death anniversary of a woman killed by a mob.

In March last year, a Kabul mob brutally attacked 27-year-old Farkhunda Malikzada outside a shrine in the Afghan capital, after one of the men in the group shouted that she had burned a Koran, the Muslim holy book -- an accusation that was later found to be false.

The brutal slaying stunned the country and led to calls for reform of the judicial system, long plagued by corruption, partisanship and incompetence -- and stronger protection for women from violence.

Hundreds of people, some wearing masks bearing an impression of her bloodied face, rallied to demand justice for Farkhunda on March 17.

Protesters, some with fake blood on their faces, chanted "Justice for Farkhunda!" on the banks of Kabul River where the frenzied mob turned on her.

Some demonstrators reenacted her grisly death, illustrating public anger over a Supreme Court ruling last week that upheld reduced sentences for the men convicted of her murder.

The court vacated the death penalty in four cases, reduced prison terms to 20 years in three others and 10 years in the fourth. It also cut the sentences of nine other defendants.

WATCH: The mother of a 27-year old Afghan woman who was beaten to death by a Kabul mob in March, says the brutality her daughter faced was "beyond imagination."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan and AFP
An Islamist militant group, Hezb-e Islami, has started peace talks with the Afghan government.

Representatives of the group, which is led by notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, appeared at a press conference in Kabul with members of the High Peace Council, which oversees the Afghan peace process.

The head of the Hezb-e Islami delegation, Karim Amin, expressed hope that other movements fighting government forces would be inspired by the "selflessness" of his group and join the peace process.

However, there was no mention of the group of several hundred fighters surrendering arms.

Loosely allied with the Afghan Taliban, Hezb-e Islami fighters are believed to be active in eastern Afghanistan.

The Taliban, the main militant group in the country, earlier this month rejected an invitation to join direct talks with the Afghan government.

With reporting by Reuters
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has pardoned 148 people serving jail terms.

Several human rights defenders and opposition activists and politicians were among those pardoned in the amnesty decree signed by Aliyev on March 17.

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini welcomed the move as a positive development which we have long awaited.

The European Union hopes that further steps will follow leading to the full release and rehabilitation of all those currently imprisoned or under restriction of movement in Azerbaijan on political grounds, she added.

Prominent investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who is serving 7 1/2 years in jail on embezzlement and tax evasion charges, was not among those pardoned.

Ismayilova, a contributor to RFE/RL, was sentenced in September on charges widely believed to be retribution for her reports on corruption involving senior government officials.

Ilqar Mammadov, head of the Republican Alternative movement, was also not pardoned.

Mammadov was arrested in February 2013 and charged with helping organize riots in the town of Ismayilli, northwest of Baku. He was sentenced to 7 years in jail in March 2014.

Mammadov also insists that the case against him is politically motivated.
A Baku court has released a prominent Azerbaijani journalist who was jailed on charges of high treason in December.

The Baku Court of Appeals on March 17 reduced Rauf Mirqadirov's 6 1/2 year prison term to a suspended 5-year sentence.

He was immediately released from custody.

Mirqadirov was found guilty of spying for Armenia and sentenced on December 28.

Mirqadirov and his supporters have insisted that the case against him is politically motivated.

Mirqadirov, 54, worked as a correspondent for the Russian-language newspaper, Zerkalo, which is published in Azerbaijan.

He was detained in Baku after he was deported from Turkey in 2014.

His arrest sparked widespread condemnation from international rights groups.


The Kremlin has said the March 16 attack on well-known rights defender in Chechnya is unacceptable, but has nothing to do with the Moscow-backed leader of the North Caucasus region, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow on March 17 that the attack on the head of the Committee to Prevent Torture, Igor Kalyapin, is "rather linked with the crime situation" in the region.

Masked men, who attacked Kalyapin in the Chechen capital, Grozny, pelted him with eggs, paint, and a cake after he was evicted from the hotel he was staying in.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the attack, which it said showed that it was "open season on human rights defenders in Chechnya."

"The authorities utter failure to hold anyone to account for a series of vicious attacks in recent years is like a bright green light for further attacks," a HRW statement on March 17 said.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax
European Union leaders have agreed to offer Turkey financial and political concessions if it stops migrants from reaching Greece, with hopes of clinching a deal to end the migrant crisis on March 18.

After daylong talks that ended early on March 18 in Brussels, leaders gave chief negotiator EU President Donald Tusk a mandate to conclude an accord with Turkey to take back all migrants who cross the Aegean Sea to Greece.

In return, the EU would take in Syrian refugees directly from Turkey, provide up to 6 billion euros ($6.6 billion) in aid to support housing refugees there, and speed up Ankara's EU membership negotiations and visa-free travel plans.

Under the deal, officials said the EU would pay to send new migrants arriving in Greece who don't qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every migrant returned, the EU would accept one Syrian refugee, up to a total of 72,000 people to be distributed among European states.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who first devised the plan with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at a summit 10 days ago, said finalizing the deal would not be easy but all European leaders want an agreement to slow or stop the arrival of thousands of migrants a day on Greek islands.

Since January 2015, a million migrants and refugees have entered the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece, and more than 132,000 have arrived this year alone.

Much of the debate within the EU, Merkel said, has focused on addressing criticisms by human rights groups about returning migrants to Turkey, a country with a patchy and worsening rights record.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said before the late-night agreement that the plan was "very much on the edge of international law" because of a lack of guarantees for the rights of migrants and asylum-seekers left in Turkey.

Drafts of the plan show that the EU is demanding that Turkey adopt legislation to protect asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, though Ankara has limited its formal commitments to that treaty in the past.

With the offer in hand, Tusk planned to lead a negotiating team meeting with Davutoglu on the morning of March 18.

Securing Turkey's agreement is far from certain. Davutoglu warned on his way to Brussels that that he would not accept a deal to "turn Turkey into an open prison for migrants."

The whole deal also risks being derailed by disputes over Turkey's negotiations to join the EU, particularly a long-running conflict between Cyprus and Turkey, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot government.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said it could use its veto to block an accord if Ankara did not give Cyprus the same rights as other EU states to access Turkish ports and airports.

Because of these lingering, complicated disputes, the EU is offering only to "prepare for a decision" on opening new accession chapters for Turkey "as soon as possible," a vague offer that may offend Turkey, officials said.

EU officials argue that the alternative to holding people back in Turkey is to see a further build-up of migrants stranded in increasingly dire conditions in Greece. Already an estimated 40,000 people are marooned on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia after Balkan nations slammed their borders shut to migrants last week.

While the plan seeks to preserve the rights of asylum-seekers to legal protections, EU officials stress that the overall goal is to quickly deter most people from even trying to cross the Aegean Sea to Greece, putting an end to the steady stream of migrants seen in the last year.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
KYIV -- Ukrainian officials said vile Russian missile strikes on civilian energy sites have caused power outages nationwide, leaving more than a million households without electricity, while Russian authorities ordered residents to leave Kherson "immediately" ahead of an expected effort by Kyivs forces to retake the crucial southern city.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram on October 22 that Russia carried out a "massive attack" on Ukraine overnight and that "the aggressor continues to terrorize our country."



"At night, the enemy launched a massive attack: 36 rockets, most of which were shot down...These are vile strikes on critical objects. Typical tactics of terrorists," he wrote. "The world can and must stop this terror."



Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskiys office, said Ukrainian air defense forces had shot down 18 of the missiles.



Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a number of missiles had been shot down on the approach to the capital.



"Several rockets flying toward Kyiv were shot down in the region by air defense forces. Thanks to our defenders!" Klitschko said.



There was no immediate word on deaths related to the missile attacks, but officials said several people had been injured.



It was not possible to verify the reports on either side.



In the face of continued Russian strikes, Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba again urged Ukraine's Western allies to speed up the delivery of modern air defense systems.



"We intercepted some, others hit the targets. Air defense saves lives. In [Western] capitals, there should not be a single minute of delay in the decision regarding air defense systems for Ukraine," Kuleba said.



Local officials said power stations were hit in the regions of Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Lutsk, while other regions reported problems with electricity.



"Another rocket attack from terrorists who are fighting against civilian infrastructure and people," the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on the Telegram app.



Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told a government meeting that from October 10 to October 20, Russian strikes damaged more than 400 facilities in 16 regions of Ukraine, including dozens of energy facilities.



"The Russian Army has identified our energy sector as one of the key targets for its attacks," Shmyhal said on October 21.



"Russian propagandists and officials speak openly about the purpose of all these attacks: Ukraine, according to them, should be left without water, without light, without heat," he said.



Meanwhile, Russian-appointed authorities in the occupied and illegally seized southern Kherson region on October 22 ordered the estimated 60,000 residents of the region's eponymous main city to leave "immediately" in the face of Kyiv's advancing counteroffensive.



"Due to the tense situation on the front, the increased danger of mass shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the left bank of the Dnieper River," the region's Russia-backed authorities said on social media.

Russina-installed officials are moving people out of the strategic city in what they are calling an evacuation but which Ukrainian officials label as deportations.



The order came in spite of a claim by Russia's Defense Ministry on October 22 that its forces had prevented an attempt by Ukraine to break through its line of control in Kherson.



"All attacks were repulsed, the enemy was pushed back to their initial positions," the Defense Ministry said, adding that Ukraine's offensive was launched toward the settlements of Piatykhatky, Suhanove, Sablukivka and Bezvodne, on the west side of the Dnieper River.



The ministry's statement said Russian forces had also repelled attacks in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.



Kherson city, which had a prewar population of 280,000, is one of the first urban areas occupied by Russia at the start of the invasion.



Zelenskiys office said 88 settlements in the southern Kherson region and 551 settlements in the northeastern Kharkiv region have been de-occupied, while the Ukrainian forces' counteroffensive in the Kherson region moves ahead.



Ukraine is trying to drive Russian forces in Kherson back east across the Dnieper. Russian soldiers on the western bank, where the city of Kherson is located, are reportedly close to being cut off from supply lines and reinforcements.



Natalya Humenyuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraines southern operational command, said the Ukrainian military struck the Antonivskiy Bridge over the Dnieper in the city of Kherson during an overnight curfew Russia-installed officials put in place to avoid civilian casualties.



We do not attack civilians and settlements," Humenyuk told Ukrainian television.



Ukrainian strikes made the Antonivskiy Bridge inoperable, prompting Russian authorities to set up ferry crossings and pontoon bridges to relocate civilians and transport supplies.



Russia has sent in thousands of recently mobilized troops to reinforce the defense of Kherson, the General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces said on October 21.



Zelenskiy again on October 21 urged the West to warn Russia not to blow up a dam at the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River as this could flood settlements toward Kherson.



Zelenskiy said Russian forces had planted explosives inside the dam, which holds back an enormous reservoir, and were planning to blow it up.



"Now everyone in the world must act powerfully and quickly to prevent a new Russian terrorist attack. Destroying the dam would mean a large-scale disaster," he said in his nightly address.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and the BBC
An Iraqi army plane crashed on March 16 near the oil city of Kirkuk, with the military blaming a technical problem but the Islamic State (IS) said its fighters shot it down.

Military sources the plane was on a "reconnaissance and combat" mission, and that its three crew are considered missing.

The Cessna 208 Caravan, in its combat version, can be used to launch laser-guided Hellfire missiles.

An IS video on Twitter showed a plane falling to the ground and claimed that IS fighters had shot the plane down, killing five crew members.

IS claimed it used anti-aircraft artillery against the plane, which it said had been bombing the city of Hawijah, an IS stronghold in Kirkuk province.

The video shows the wreckage of a plane that could be a Cessna Caravan, with IS fighters celebrating around body parts.

IS shot down an Iraqi military helicopter on February 17, killing two crew members.

Two days earlier, an Iraqi Mi-17 helicopter crashed south of Baghdad due to what officials described as a "technical problems," killing nine people.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has formally declared that the Islamic State (IS) extremist group has committed genocide against Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic groups in Iraq and elsewhere.

The March 17 announcement marked the first time the United States has made such a determination since 2004, when crimes committed by the government in Sudan were labeled genocide.

Still, the declaration was not expected to have any immediate practical effect on U.S. policy in its fight against IS, whose seizure of vast territories across Syria and Iraq and targeting of certain groups has prompted a monthslong multinational air campaign.

Kerry said Islamic State, which some officials refer to as ISIS or Daesh, has itself admitted that its campaigns have been aimed at wiping out entire ethnic groups.

"For those communities, the stakes in this campaign are utterly existential, he said. This is the fight that Daesh has defined. Daesh has created this. Daesh has targeted their victims. Daesh has self-defined itself as genocidal."

Though IS fighters have targeted Christians and also Shiite Muslims, they have singled out Iraqs Yazidi population with particular vengeance. Numbering between 500,000 and 700,000 in Iraq, Yazidis practice a monotheistic religion that Islamic State regards as devil worshipping.

In August 2014, Islamic State fighters swept through the Yazidi town of Sinjar, in northern Iraq, sending tens of thousands fleeing to nearby mountains. Amid calls that a humanitarian catastrophe, or possibly genocide, was looming, President Barack Obama authorized air strikes against the fighters, and air drops of food and aid to the besieged Yazidis.

In November, Iraqi Kurdish militants, along with Yazidi fighters and U.S. military advisers, drove out the remaining Islamic State fighters from Sinjar.

In the meantime, UN and independent researchers have compiled evidence that thousands of Yazidi women -- and women from other religious and ethnic groups -- have been forced to become sex slaves for IS fighters.

Kerry said any potential criminal charges against the extremist group should come from an independent international investigation, and he said the United States would continue to support efforts to collect evidence of atrocities.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) "is typically the organization that would take a look at this, and given the judgment that Secretary Kerry has made, the United States would be supportive of that effort, both rhetorically, but also in a tangible way as well," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The United States is not party to the ICC, but Obama's administration has introduced a policy of working with the court.

Jens David Ohlin, an expert on international law at Cornell University Law School, said Kerrys announcement was unlikely to have any practical effect regarding the military campaign.

"I think it has some legal and rhetorical power to it. It has some political and diplomatic consequences. It makes it much easier to build an international coalition to fight ISIS," Ohlin said. "But I dont think it changes the essential calculation with regards to military force against ISIS" or involvement by the ICC.

If the determination of genocide were to have tangible legal consequence, the likeliest venue would be the ICC, The Hague-based tribunal set up in the early 2000s specifically to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and related atrocities.

But the court would only be able to undertake an investigation or prosecution if the UN Security Council were to pass a resolution giving it jurisdiction over Islamic State.

If that happened, the court could end up investigating not only Islamic State crimes, but also those of the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad, Ohlin said. And Russia, as a member of the Security Council and staunch ally of Assad, would likely not allow that to happen.

Ohlin said Kerrys announcement also reflects a shift in thinking among U.S. policymakers dating back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when President Bill Clintons administration feared that calling the killings of Tutsis by Hutus genocide would obligate the United States to intervene militarily in the African country.

I think that time has passed," Ohlin said. "That sort of era when people thought there was an actual legal responsibility to intervene to stop a genocide is an artifact of the 1990s and doesnt exist now.
MOSCOW -- The longtime director of the Russian State Archive has been removed from his post less than a year after he exposed a popular Soviet World War II legend to be fiction and railed against Soviet myths in front of top officials.



Sergei Mironenko, who had headed the State Archive since 1992, has been made head of research at the archive.

In an interview with RFE/RLs Russian Service on March 16, he said that the change was the result of a collective decision and that his conflict with authorities, including Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky in 2015, was not the deciding factor.



But the Russian daily Moskovsky Komsomolets cited sources at the archive as saying that Mironenko was very well regarded by all his colleagues and that the conflict may have led to his unexpected dismissal. His deputy, Larisa Rogovaya, has been made acting director.



Mironenko had headed the State Archive for nearly a quarter-century, since it was established amid the openness that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.



He irked President Vladimir Putins government in July 2015 when the archive published formerly classified correspondence between top Soviet officials in 1948 that deeply undermined the World War II legend of Panfilovs 28 Guardsmen, which is popular to this day.



The story concerns a unit of Soviet soldiers led by Major General Ivan Panfilov who were written into the pantheon of national heroism after they were said to have died battling German tanks on the outskirts of Moscow as the freezing winter of 1941-42 set in. They were decorated posthumously. To this day, streets are named after Panfilovs Heroes, and a film about them -- backed by the Culture Ministry -- is due to hit screens in May. The trailer has been released:

The document published by the state archive, however, showed that Soviet officials recognized the legend was "fiction" after some of the supposedly deceased men were found to be still alive.



On July 20, Mironenko made an appearance on air with the Russian Service of RFE/RL in which he said that the Panfilov legend was not even a myth but a deliberate falsification.



The myth-busting activity by an official structure, the State Archive, appeared out of step with the strident conservativism cultivated by Putin in his third Kremlin term, the central ideological importance of the Soviet victory in World War II, and the pervading mood of Soviet nostalgia.



The publication provoked an angry reaction from Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky, who scolded Mironenko for evaluating documents, rather than working as a dispassionate archivist. The director of the Russian archive is not a writer, not a journalist, not a fighter against historical falsifications, Medinsky said. If he wants to change profession, we will understand this.



Mironenko had irked the authorities before. In June 2015, he stood up at an otherwise routine World Congress of Russian Press attended by powerful State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin and Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov and railed against Soviet myths.



Mironenko debunked the Panfilov legend at that time and also criticized Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, saying the Molotov-Ribbentropp Pact that carved up Eastern Europe between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II should really be called the Hitler-Stalin Pact.



Medinsky is himself currently under political pressure after Grigory Pirumov, one of his deputies at the Culture Ministry, was arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 15 in connection with a corruption investigation.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service
News media are reporting that U.S. President Barack Obama and the world's leading economic powers have urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to release jailed Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko.

The U.S. leader in a phone conversation with Putin on March 16 stressed that Moscow must free Savchenko, who has refused to eat because of her detention on murder charges, in order to comply with the Minsk agreement, which requires all sides in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to release unlawfully detained persons, the AP and Interfax news agencies reported.

Kyiv ambassadors from the Group of Seven (G7) economic powers also expressed "serious concerns" about Savchenko's health because of her hunger strike and called on Russia to release her under the Minsk accord, according to a statement posted on the website of the U.S. embassy in Kyiv.

Russian authorities accuse Savchenko, 34, of acting as a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack that killed two Russian journalists during the conflict. Prosecutors have asked the court to to sentence her to 23 years in prison for the killings.

Based on reporting by AP and Interfax


Pakistani investigators are to travel to India later this month to help probe an attack on an Indian air base that killed seven soldiers.

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said the Pakistani team will arrive in India on March 27 to help probe the January assault on the base in the northern state of Punjab.

India has blamed militants from the Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammad for the attack, which led to the postponement of peace talks planned between the two neighbors.

Swaraj was speaking on March 17 after meeting with Pakistan's foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Nepal.

Aziz said the talks were held in a "very good atmosphere."

He also said the Pakistani and Indian prime ministers were expected to meet in Washington on March 31.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP
Former President Pervez Musharraf has left Pakistan for medical treatment in Dubai after the government lifted a travel ban imposed on him, his spokesman said.

Lawyers for the former military ruler, who is facing multiple charges including treason and murder over the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, have said he needs urgent spinal treatment not available in Pakistan.

His departure early on March 18 comes after the government gave him a green light to leave and the Supreme Court lifted a three-year ban on his travelling abroad.

"Lawyers of General Musharraf filed a proper application and in the light of the Supreme Court decision, the government has allowed him to go abroad for medical treatment," Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on March 17.

Khan said Musharraf's lawyers had given guarantees that he would return to Pakistan after six weeks and that he would appear in court for ongoing cases against him.

On March 17, the Supreme Court lifted the travel ban imposed on Musharraf in 2013, when he returned to Pakistan to take part in elections. But he was barred from running and instead became embroiled in several court cases, including one that involved treason charges.

The 70-year-old Musharraf took power in a 1999 coup by dismissing the government of then-and-now Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He stepped down in 2008 and left Pakistan.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
The Pakistani Army has said two members of the security forces and eight militants have been killed in two separate clashes.

In a statement on March 17, the army said soldiers carried out a raid in the Chilas district in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, killing three militants.

It said the exchange of fire also killed two security personnel.

The army said another five militants were killed when soldiers returned fire as they attacked a checkpoint in the Khyber tribal region, one of seven agencies along the border with Afghanistan.

The conflict zone is off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to verify the army's claims

The clashes came a day after a bomb blast killed 17 people on a bus carrying government employees in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

Lashkar-e-Islam, a militant group allied with the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP


Russian President Vladimir Putin told visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin he had agreed to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu soon to discuss the security situation in the Middle East.

At a meeting with Putin on March 16, Rivlin asked that Russia work to restore a United Nations peacekeeping force as part of any long-term resolution of the war in Syria, Israeli officials said.

UN peacekeepers currently monitor the Israeli-Syrian frontier on the Golan Heights. Rivlin also stressed to Putin that Israel will not allow Iran or Hezbollah guerrillas to get "entrenched" on the Golan.

Israel views Hezbollah, which has been fighting on the side of the Syrian regime in the war, as its most potent enemy. It also worries about Iranian-backed guerrillas who hold sway in southern Lebanon.

While Israel is officially neutral on the Syrian war, it has carried out occasional air strikes in Syria to foil suspected Hezbollah arms transfers. An Iranian general and two senior Hezbollah fighters have been killed in strikes attributed to Israel.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP


WASHINGTON -- Azerbaijan today pardoned several political prisoners, but RFE/RL reacted with dismay that a leading contributor to its Azerbaijani Service, investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova, was not among them.

"We are overjoyed for the journalists, human rights defenders, and activists who were released today after being imprisoned for exercising their basic rights of free speech and free assembly," said Nenad Pejic, RFE/RL editor in chief.

"But Khadija should have been among them," he said.

U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), who chairs the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, responded to today's announcement with "relief" for those pardoned, while requesting that the "many others" still behind bars, including Ismayilova, also be released. He called on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to "repeal the many undemocratic laws and regulations that prohibit the exercise of universally recognized human rights in Azerbaijan."

On September 1, 2015, a Baku court sentenced Ismayilova to 7 1/2 years in prison on charges that rights groups say were brought in retaliation for her reports exposing corruption among members of President Ilham Aliyev's family.

In recent correspondence with RFE/RL, international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, who will represent Ismayilova before the European Court of Human Rights, said that the case involved a politically motivated prosecution to restrict [Ismayilovas] freedom of speech This is about a government that is abusing its power to silence journalists like Khadija, as well as other critics of the ruling regime."

Ismayilova has won numerous international awards for her investigative reporting, including the PEN American Center's 2015 Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, the National Press Club's 2015 John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award, and the 2013 Golden Shining Light Award. Most recently, the Swedish organization FGJ bestowed its Golden Shovel award on the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and its partners Sveriges Television (SVT) and the TT news agency for completing Ismayilovas 2014 examination of telecoms giant TeliaSoneras business dealings in Azerbaijan.

Among the prisoners who were jailed for their political activity and pardoned today are human rights defenders Taleh Khasmammadov, Rasul Jafarov and Anar Mammadli; N!DA movement activists Rashadat Akhundov, Rashad Hasanov, Omar Mammadov, and Mammad Azizov; opposition political leaders Nemat Panahli, Tofig Yagublu, Yadigar Sadigov, and Siraj Karimov; and journalists Parviz Hashimli and Hilal Mammadov. Azerbaijans president often grants pardons on Novruz, the pre-Islamic New Year holiday.

Family members and rights organizations welcomed the pardons, but demanded that all political prisoners in Azerbaijan be released.
Igor Kalyapin knows the danger of investigating allegations of rights abuses in Russia's southern Chechnya region better than most people.

When a group of more than a dozen men beat him and pelted him with eggs outside a Grozny hotel late on March 16, it was not his first brush with thuggery.

Kalyapin's Committee to Prevent Torture has been frequently singled out for criticism by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. In 2014, shortly after Kadyrov publicly pledged to raze the homes of "terrorists" in his North Caucasus republic, Kalyapin's office in Grozny was ransacked and gutted by fire.

On March 6, a group of activists from Kalyapin's organization was stopped near Chechnya's border with Ingushetia. They were pulled from the bus they were traveling in and beaten, after which the vehicle was torched.

"Any human rights activity in Chechnya involves significantly greater risk than in any region of central Russia," Kalyapin told RFE/RL's Russian Service during an interview in January. "That is clear."

Kalyapin noted that, although it is hard to prosecute cases of police torture anywhere in Russia, the situation in Chechnya is unique. "I can't think of any regions where investigations were opposed and rights activists helping victims were pressured by the head of the region," Kalyapin said. "In Chechnya, this happens all the time."

Although his organization has brought 109 police officers to trial across Russia since it was created in 2009, not one of dozens of cases investigated in Chechnya has gone to court.

'Born Rights Activist'

The 49-year-old activist from the Volga River city of Nizhny Novgorod is an interesting figure in Russia's beleaguered civil-society landscape. On one hand, he is a member of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Presidential Council on Civil Society and Human Rights with special responsibility for defending human rights in the North Caucasus and reforming the Russian penal system.

On the other hand, Russia's Justice Ministry in January included Kalyapin's Committee to Prevent Torture on its list of Russian nongovernmental organizations acting as "foreign agents," under a recent law requiring all NGOs receiving foreign funding to declare it.

Kalyapin is contesting that designation, noting that the Justice Ministry did not find any foreign contributions to his organization. Instead, Russian officials listed it because some individuals who supported the organization had "connections" with organizations that receive foreign funding.

"There are many such organizations in Russia, of course," Kalyapin told RFE/RL. "Gazprom, for example." He says the Committee to Prevent Torture is funded entirely by individual donations made in rubles.

'Not About Kadyrov'

Kalyapin rejects accusations that his work is aimed at Kadyrov.

"Ramzan Kadyrov is not mentioned in our materials," he said. "Our materials are about specific police officers. But in connection with this, Ramzan Kadyrov accuses us of helping terrorists, of helping jihadis, of working for the CIA. This is plainly false and slanderous and it is aimed constantly from the head of the Chechen Republic at our organization, at me, and at my co-workers, and so on.

It is clear that Kadyrov takes Kalyapin's work personally. In a 2014 interview published by the opposition, pro-democracy website Open Russia, Kalyapin describes a three-hour one-on-one meeting he had with Kadyrov in 2010.

"And the first question he asked me was: 'Tell me now right away, is it true that your group was sent by [then-Russian President Dmitry] Medvedev to collect compromising material on me?'" Kalyapin recalled.

In the same interview, Kalyapin describes himself as a "born rights activist," although his focus was refined in 1993 when he spent three months in pretrial detention in a case he says was aimed at taking over his successful business.

"It wasn't the kind of pretrial detention that we have now," he recalls. There were 11 of us in a cell designed for four. I remember lying down in a bunk and noticing a crunching sound in the blanket. It was covered with tiny fleas."

In comments after the March 16 attack, in which Kalyapin was not seriously injured, the activist insisted the perpetrators did not represent "the Chechen people" or the republic's Muslim majority.

Commenting on the attack on March 17, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said: "I would not link this situation with Kadyrov's authorities. Rather, it is linked with the crime situation."

The head of the Presidential Council on Civil Society and Human Rights, Mikhail Fedotov, said he was "outraged" by the attack on a council member and called it "extremism."

Kadyrov has ruled Chechnya since shortly after his father, former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, was assassinated in 2004. He has been widely accused of human rights abuses, including kidnappings, disappearances, torture, and the murder of political opponents.

RFE/RL's Russian Service correspondent Vladimir Kara-Murza, Sr., contributed to this report
Russia has said it has detained three militants with ties to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in the volatile North Caucasus region of Daghestan.

Russia's National Antiterrorist Committee said on March 17 that the suspects had been detained in Daghestan's western region of Khasavyurt, which borders the North Caucasus region of Chechnya.

The committee said the suspects confessed to having links with IS and revealed the location of a hideout where police recovered a large amount of explosives.

Daghestan is beset by deadly violence linked to an Islamist insurgency that is rooted in two post-Soviet separatist wars in Chechnya.

Organized crime, business turf wars, political disputes, and clan rivalry also contribute to the bloodshed.

Moderate Muslims, journalists, police, and government officials are regularly targeted in attacks.

Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS


Russia has sent hundreds of security forces to a town south of Moscow to disperse a rally by local Roma residents angry over a gas supply cutoff.

Some 500 security personnel were deployed in the town of Plekhanovo, in the western region of Tula, on March 17.

The move came a day after hundreds staged a protest over the cutoff of gas to Roma homes. Some protesters pelted rocks at police and burned tires in front of town's main government building.

Authorities have said the cutoff was due to damage to the town's main gas pipeline, which they blame on members of the Roma community.

Roma community leaders have rejected the claims.

With reporting by Tulskiye Novosti, Interfax, and TASS
As Ankara and the European Union hammer out possible measures to stem the flow of war refugees and other migrants to Europe, Kurds in Turkey's turbulent southeast are condemning the negotiations as a "farce" that threatens to draw an unwitting EU into the persecution of a beleaguered minority.

Some of the estimated 300,000 people displaced by recent Turkish military operations to strike at Kurdish separatist strongholds warn that any migrant plan boosting EU funds to Turkey should include strict criteria to ensure that European money doesn't end up funding a hidden war against Turkish Kurds.

"They won't stop killing Kurds until we are all dead," 28-year-old Ahmet Tunc says as he waits for friends at a cafe in the Sur district of the mostly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, one of the epicenters of a recent security push. "Europe is going to give Turkey millions, [and] they will use this money for new tanks and bombs. Europe doesn't care about Kurds."

Residents of Sur call the monthslong military operation that is finally easing one of the bloodiest chapters they can recall since the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) launched its armed campaign for greater autonomy in southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking violence that has killed more than 45,000 people.

Kurds have long sought to play a greater role in decision making in the region over objections from Turkey and other states with sizable Kurdish minorities, a desire that was highlighted this week when Kurds fighting against the government in Damascus and the radical Islamist group Islamic State (IS) vowed to declare a federal region in northern Syria.

'Everything Was Destroyed'

Late last year, after a flare-up of violence that included the deaths of two police officers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered a stepped-up military effort against the PKK.

The campaign in Diyarbakir has included a strict curfew in much of Sur that was only recently eased, allowing some people to return to their homes or shops for the first time in months.

"They bombed it at night. Everything was destroyed. What was left, they stole," Faruk Taylan says as he surveys the damage to his shoe shop. Other stores on this cobbled street mostly survived the government's three-month military operation, but the facade of his store lies in ruins on the sidewalk. Locals gather around as the father of three scoops up shoes scattered in the rubble, the remains of his once-profitable business.

"They had tanks and bombs that fell from the planes and created big fires," Taulan says of fighting during the curfew. "They left the bodies on the street for days. The smell was so bad. Before they lifted the curfew, they picked up all the bodies and put them in trucks."

Ankara's operation is thought to have left hundreds of Kurds and dozens of Turkish soldiers dead, although reliable figures are hard to come by.

"We've never seen war like this," Taylan says, then adds as if to underline that he and other Erdogan critics see another threat on the horizon. "If Europe gives Turkey money, they won't use it to help poor people, they'll keep killing people. They will keep this money -- it will be a joke, a farce."

Collective Punishment?

Many Turkish Kurds say they're afraid the government's strong bargaining position in talks with Brussels to ease the migrant crisis -- Turkey is, after all, the major conduit for hundreds of thousands of war refugees and other migrants flooding into Europe -- will leave them and fellow Erdogan detractors out in the cold.

Ankara has demanded at least 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) from Brussels in connection with any agreement, in addition to major concessions like visa-free travel to the West and accelerated talks on EU membership.

Human rights groups urged EU leaders to insist on greater accountability and transparency from Turkey before handing over additional funding.

Andrew Gardner, a researcher for rights watchdog Amnesty International, which has previously described Turkish operations against Kurdish targets as "collective punishment," says it is "vital [that] the money given to Turkey goes to humanitarian support and not human rights abuses such as detention or increased border restrictions. We need to ensure this aid is not used solely for the protection of European borders."

Following snap elections in November that gave the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) a majority in parliament, the PKK issued a statement calling the administration in Ankara a "war government."

The PKK remains popular among Turkey's Kurds despite being regarded as a terrorist organization by NATO and the European Union, among others.

Erdogan last week hinted at a continued focus on combating PKK and its supporters, saying, "It is not only the person who pulls the trigger, but those who made that possible who should also be defined as terrorists, regardless of their title."

Turkish troops previously deployed to Sur are now being moved to Baglar, a much larger district of Diyarbakir with more than 300,000 people, as well as to the eastern city of Yuksekova and Nusaybin on the Syrian border.

Ankara has also expanded attacks on Kurdish armed groups outside the country. Turkish warplanes are currently carrying out air strikes in Iraq near the Qandil Mountains, a historic PKK stronghold, and in Syria, where Turkish forces are targeting the People's Protection Units (YPG), who are themselves fighting IS near the Turkish border but whom Ankara accuses of trying to divide up Syria for its own ends.

Back in Sur, six districts are still under tight curfew but the winding down of military operations in other areas has brought a semblance of normalcy.

Tunc, who gave up a job in a coastal town to return to Diyarbakir to look after his mom and sister after his brother was killed fighting with the PKK, gestures toward other young men smoking cigarettes and drinking tea in the cafe. "Look around you. Here there is no work, there is no nothing. We are just left here to think about the war."

He adds: "We just want peace. We say in Kurdistan, 'Same food, same people.' Why is there all this fighting?"
BRUSSELS -- Ukraine has identified nearly 50 people it considers responsible for the "illegal detention and falsified trial" of Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko and has urged the European Union to impose sanctions against them.



The list of 46 names, which Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko handed over to the heads of the European Council and the European Commission in Brussels on March 17, includes 44 Russians and two Ukrainians.



All are "directly involved in the illegal process against the Ukrainian officer and pilot Nadia Savchenko, who is illegally kept in a Russian prison," Poroshenko told RFE/RL.



Savchenko is currently awaiting her verdict in a Russian military court trial in which she is accused of complicity in the murder in 2014 of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been engaged in a conflict against separatist forces. The pilot's case has been widely condemned as a show trial and has led to calls by U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders for Russia to release Savchenko.

Savchenko, who has defiantly denied the charges and said she will not recognize the court or its ruling, is a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in absentia.

WATCH: Poroshenko Calls EU Sanctions For Russia An 'Effective Reaction' To Savchenko Case

Poroshenko was adamant that the European Union should act quickly to punish individuals who have played a role in Savchenko's case.



"If you are talking about values, neither Ukraine nor the European Union can keep silent and do nothing," Poroshenko said, arguing that sanctions would be an "effective reaction against the brutal violation of international law and human rights."



He said that more names could be added to the list, noting that officials Kyiv believes are involved in the detention of up to 10 other Ukrainian prisoners in Russia should also be punished.



European Council President Donald Tusk, speaking together with Poroshenko and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, addressed what he described as Savchenko's illegal detention in Russia.



"Let me in this context reiterate the call by the EU for her immediate release," he said, along with "all other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens."



The list handed over by Poroshenko includes Russian Investigative Committee chief Aleksandr Bastrykin, Federal Security Service Director Aleksandr Bortnikov, and Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktor Grin.



The two Ukrainian citizens listed are Valeriy Bolotov, who at the time of Savchenko's capture was a separatist leader in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, and Igor Plotnitsky, the region's current separatist leader and commander of the armed group that Kyiv believes captured Savchenko.



Many on the list are also included in a similar list of 29 people that members of the European Parliament handed over to EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini last week. The Ukrainian list, unlike the European Parliament's, does not include Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Several EU foreign ministers brought up the issue of Savchenko during a meeting in Brussels on March 14, but EU sources told RFE/RL that the desire to adopt new restrictive measures in the European Union is low at the moment. The EU recently prolonged by six months asset freezes and visa bans imposed against 146 people and 37 entities from Ukraine and Russia the EU deems responsible for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine.



The EU might, however, face a struggle to extend economic sanctions against Russia's banking and energy sector that are up for renewal on July 31. With that in mind, an EU source told RFE/RL, imposing new sanctions would be a hard sell, although the source said it was possible that foreign ministers could discuss the possibility of new sanctions when they meet in Luxembourg on April 18.

WATCH: Ukraine's President Calls EU Visa Liberalization A 'Win-Win'

During his interview with RFE/RL, Poroshenko also discussed Ukraine's desire to obtain visa-free status within Europe's Schengen zone. Following his meeting with Tusk and Juncker, in which the European Commission's intention to propose a visa-free regime with Ukraine in April was confirmed, Ukraine was poised to reach the level of Georgia in its efforts to gain access to the passport-free zone, according to Poroshenko.



We are now together with Georgia in one boat," he said. "We fulfill everything. This is very positive news; this is a great achievement for Ukraine and I am absolutely sure that this is a great achievement for the European Union because this is a win-win situation for both sides.



Georgia and Ukraine were long coupled in the visa-free process, but in February the European Commission decided to separate them due to the lack of progress on key reforms in Ukraine. Earlier this week, however, the Ukrainian parliament passed several laws related to strengthening the rule of law and fighting corruption.



According to RFE/RL sources, the European Commission proposal is expected to come after the Dutch referendum on April 6 on the Ukrainian Association Agreement. Any proposal to allow Ukraine to enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen zone will need to be approved by the European Parliament and the 28 EU member states.
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A Maryland pimp who traveled with prostitutes between North Carolina and his home state, making frequent stops in Henrico County, was sentenced to spend 13 years in prison Tuesday.

Tyrone Hicks, 27, of Bowie, Md., originally faced 23 charges when his case went to trial in December. After a full day of testimony and evidence, Deputy Henrico County Commonwealths Attorney Michael Feinmel worried about establishing which crimes occurred where since Hicks traveled up and down the Mid-Atlantic region with women who were paid to have sex, the prosecutor said. So Feinmel offered Hicks a deal.

Hicks entered a plea of no contest to strangulation resulting in injury, racketeering, and pandering or receiving profits from someone involved in the sex trade. The remaining charges were dropped.

Four of the women who worked for Hicks testified against him. They ranged in age from 20 to 34, Feinmel said.

Last spring, one woman reported Hicks to Henrico police, saying he was her pimp. Another woman came forward after Hicks beat and strangled her for trying to get out of prostitution.

After that, Henrico detectives tracked Hicks through a Craigslist-like website, Backpage.com, where women post advertisements looking for men who will pay for sex.

More than 175 pages of Hicks phone browser history and text messages were used as evidence in the case against him, according to court documents. In one text exchange, Hicks, who was identified as King, messaged back and forth with a woman who asked him outright if he was a pimp.

Are u a P? she asked.

Wts a P angel?... replied King.

A pimp, the women said.

Im a business owner thats looking to simple be liked & loved and treated like a King and treat my Significant other like the Queen she is and share the (wealth) of our labor and inriched inheritance simple ... 

On the next page of evidence, Hicks had sent a screenshot of the conversation to another person. The person indicated laughter and replied: ...wat businesz?

In another exchange, Hicks tried to persuade a woman who was working for another pimp at the time to come work for him.

U got a good one right here tho, Hicks told her. My girls a testify to it for u.
Tuesday marked a second Super Tuesday. Hillary Clintons momentum toward the Democratic nomination accelerated, although the results did not eliminate Bernie Sanders. Donald Trump routed one of the establishments preferred alternatives to him. He also hit a bump in Ohio with the potential to deny him the GOP nod.

Clinton remains the prohibitive favorite not only for the Democratic nomination but also for the presidency itself, if Republicans commit electoral suicide. The Sanders challenge has moved her to the left. Although free trade ranks among Bill Clintons accomplishments  and among Barack Obamas  she has appealed to protectionists. She does not depict herself as a so-called new Democrat, either. Sanders strength could affect the partys platform and Clintons choice of a running mate. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine would be her best pick but his mainstream sentiments might not appease the Democratic base. It would put battleground Virginia in the Democratic column for the third straight election and would tempt crossover votes from Republicans displeased by their partys descent into irrelevance. Wait, and see.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio looked great on paper. He seemed the most Reaganesque among the GOP contenders  which could have proved his undoing. Rubio lacked anger and projected good cheer. The Times-Dispatch broke precedent and made a rare endorsement in a primary when we backed him. He appeared the strongest alternative to Donald Trump. Although Rubio did not win the Virginia primary, his showing in the Old Dominion may have been the high point of his campaign. He ran well in central Virginia. His poor showing in his home state of Florida doomed him.
Transparency in government is essential to upholding American democracy. When citizens have access to behind-the-scenes information about local and federal administrations, politicians are held accountable. The public is educated and engaged. And our nation is strengthened.

It is popular to pledge honest and open leadership while on the campaign trail, but America does not have the best track record in keeping these promises. In fact, Pew research finds that just 5 percent of Americans believe the government is doing a good job of sharing key information.

Public access to information is vital in preserving the values upon which our nation was founded. It is also critical in enabling journalists to fulfill their role as the watchdogs of society. While citizens and journalists can personally obtain public records through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) system, the process is both outdated and inefficient.

This week, the United States Senate unanimously approved the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016  just in time for its 50th anniversary later this year. This FOIA legislation takes a number of important steps to reduce the expense and time required to access key information. It writes into law the existing presumption of openness rule (agencies can only withhold information if the disclosure would cause specific harm), aims to make requests more efficient by modernizing technology tools and limits the ability of agencies to keep internal deliberations that are more than 25 years old confidential, among other improvements.

This legislation matters because access to government records often results in real change. The Flint water crisis was first uncovered when researchers at Virginia Tech University requested and researched public information. Our national conversation around veterans timely receipt of benefits was likewise sparked by a close study of government documents obtained through the FOIA process.

The next step is for the two houses to settle differences between their respective versions of the bill before it is sent to President Obama. It is the medias job to shine a light  but we will continue to remain in darkness for too long unless these improvements are enacted.

There remains much to be done to instill confidence in citizens and ensure those in power are being held responsible for their actions. Amending this act and streamlining the processes by which the public can access government information is an important start.

The stakes are especially high in the midst of an election year, when candidates hold a variety of positions about political openness. But whoever the next leader of the free world is, they must understand their responsibility to remain transparent. They have a duty to the American people that cannot be taken lightly.

It is free, nationwide access to information that keeps Americans educated and ensures that our political leaders are transparent. Since this week has been designated as Sunshine Week, an annual national initiative that encourages openness in government and the free flow of information to the public, it is worth reflecting on the role information plays in strengthening our democracy. America can only be a strong nation when its citizens are engaged and informed. In light of Sunshine Week and for the benefit of all citizens, I applaud the House and the Senate for their efforts and encourage our nations leader to sign the FOIA Improvement Act into law in advance of its 50th anniversary on July 4.
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A student-led initiative to promote peace relations between Israel and Palestine begins this month at Roanoke College and continues through April 13.

For the next few weeks, as part of the colleges second Israel-Palestine Peace Month, Roanoke will host speakers, music, a narrative exhibition and more to elicit conversation and raise awareness about the conflict between the countries, with a focus on refugees.

Last year, three Roanoke students  a Palestinian and two Jewish students - created Peace Month as a way to openly discuss the war between these two countries and ultimately, to achieve peace. Read about last years events here.

I want people to know that this is still an issue, said Leah Weinstein 18, one of the Jewish student organizers of Peace Month activities this year and last year. You can help this go away.

Roanokes 2016 Peace Month comprises the following events:

Refugee Narratives - Monday, March 21, 7 - 8 p.m., Olin Gallery

The exhibition will feature stories from members of Roanoke's campus as well as others. It will include the story of Ahmad Ibrahim, a Roanoke College sophomore and Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon, along with Roanoke senior Zahava Urecki, a Jewish student whose family fled Poland during World War II to Argentina, and then immigrated to the United States. B'shara Nassar, a Palestinian who started the Nakba Museum Project in Washington, D.C., also will share his experiences and stories of other Palestinians.

Teach-In - Tuesday, March 29, Noon to 1 p.m., Colket Center

The Teach-In will feature three Roanoke professors who will give an overview of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, explain how and why refugees are important and field questions from students.

Heartbeat concert - Monday, April 4, 7 p.m., Antrim Chapel

Heartbeat is a small band of young Israeli and Palestinian musicians. The groups purpose is to unite these countries and build understanding and nonviolent tools for social change.

The Importance of Interfaith Dialogue: Avi Smolen - Wednesday, April 13, 7:15 p.m., Olin Theater

Avi Smolen, communications manager for Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, will speak at Roanoke. Smolen manages website, email and social media communications for Bend the Arc, a domestic social justice organization in New York. He spent a year as a Faiths Act Fellow at the Malaria Policy Center in Washington, D.C., where he focused on engaging college students in multi-faith global health activism.

Submitted by Roanoke College Public Relations
After 29 years at the Roanoke Valley Governors School for Science and Technology, Director John Kowalski plans to retire this summer.

Kowalski has been at the school for all but one year since it opened to students and has served as its director for the past seven. He said hes debated retiring for about a year now and decided this year it was time to move on from the school.

Im going to miss the interaction with the students and the teachers, Kowalski said. Everyone here is really just nice to work with.

Kowalski came to the school as a biology teacher and the science department chairman. Before moving to Roanoke, he taught at George Mason University.

Over the years, Kowalski said hes enjoyed watching the program grow. Having the continued support of the seven school districts whose students attend Governors School has been invaluable, he said.

Theyve recognized theres a need to serve gifted students and that by pooling resources, as they have done, we can create a really strong, dynamic program for the kids who come here, he said. Being part of that regional effort has been very nice.

Kowalskis last day at the Governors School will be June 30. He plans to take about six months off  he has trips to Bermuda and Italy planned  and then hopes to continue working in the education field in some way, either locally or statewide.

Alongside Kowalski, the Roanoke School Board also has approved another Roanoke principals retirement: Wasena Elementary Schools Babette Cribbs.

This is Cribbs seventh year leading Wasena. She served for five years as principal of Raleigh Court Elementary until the school was closed in 2009.

Last year, Wasena was named one of 24 schools nationwide singled out by the National Center for Urban School Transformation as a top school for urban education.

Cribbs last day also is June 30.
Darryl Ernest Saunders, 55, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, March 15, 2016, after a courageous battle with cancer. Darryl was a devoted public servant for over 30 years in the Bedford community which he lovingly called home as both a paramedic and a deputy sheriff. Most recently as Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Unit. He spent all his years in this world serving and protecting others and placing them before him. Darryl was a devoted servant of the Lord, his family, and friends.Darryl was also a devout and loyal Freemason and previously served as his district's Deputy Grand Master. As a Freemason, Darryl was very involved and dedicated to many districts' chapters of the Eastern Star. Darryl's other loves included everything involving his children and all things Virginia Tech. It was always noted by those that knew him best, that his smile and personality were infectious.Darryl is preceded in death by his father, Richard Ernest Saunders. Darryl is survived by his two children, Christopher Ernest Saunders and Kayla Saunders Trevillian and her husband, Michael. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Terri Faw. Other survivors include sister, Trista Farrell her husband, William, and their children Bruce and Elyse; sister, Freda Saunders; brother, Kevin Saunders; mother, Gertrude Saunders; and numerous other family members and friends.A Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Thaxton Baptist Church with burial to follow. The family will receive visitors between 4 and 8 p.m. Friday, March 18, 2016, also at Thaxton Baptist Church, 1067 Penicks Mill Road, Thaxton, VA 24174. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to the Masonic Home of Virginia, 4101 Nine Mile Rd, Richmond, VA 23223.Arrangements are being handled by Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford.
A ROTHERHAM scientist was picked to quiz MPs about science policy.



Waqar Ahmed (27), an early-stage researcher at The University of Manchester, visited the House of Commons to speak to ministers at Voice of the Future, an event organised by the Royal Society of Biology.



Waqar (pictured) was chosen to represent the Royal Society of Biology on the strength of his question: How would the government ensure young researchers with scientific collaborations and cross-culture projects are not affected by the potential EU referendum?



Dr Stephen Benn, the Royal Society of Biology's director of parliamentary affairs, describes the importance of Voice of the Future: This is a unique event - in no other part of Parliament is the normal select committee format completely reversed so that MPs, the Minister and the Shadow Minister have to answer questions rather than ask them.



It is important that policy makers use reliable evidence in their decisions, and todays young scientists and engineers will be a vital part of this in the future.



In the first event of its kind since the General Election, young scientists and engineers questioned the Science and Universities Minister, the Shadow Science Minister, the Governments Chief Scientific Advisor and Members of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee about scientific issues that matter to them.



Waqar said: I want Britain to once again stand at the forefront of scientific inquiry.



This meeting is a great opportunity for the government to learn from young scientists and discuss matters encompassing scientific education, accessibility and awareness.



I hope that my questions will highlight the importance of developing partnerships between academia, industry and governments, nationally and internationally, in support of progressive science and engineering.


Petra Diamonds, which is currently evaluating its KX36 discovery in Botswana, said it is not sure that the finding will be economic enough to be developed into a mine.

Company K36 project manager Maureen Mokgaotsane told a diamonds conference in Botswana that tests were still ongoing.

We are still trying to see whether we will have a mine or not, she said.

We still have [a lot of] work to do.

Petra commenced a second phase of large diameter drilling (LDD) bulk sampling on KX36 in the second quarter of its fiscal year 2015 with the aim of obtaining about 720 carats for a diamond parcel of 1,000 carats.

About 285 carats were obtained earlier through the first phase of the LDD bulk sampling programme.

The drilling programme was expected to be completed towards the end of the first quarter of the fiscal year 2016.

A Maiden Inferred Resource of 24.9 Mt at a grade of 35.2 cpht containing 8.8 Mcts had also been identified for KX36.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau from Gaborone, Botswana, Rough&Polished




Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has not officially endorsed a candidate in the race for the Republican presidential nomination but offered praise for Senator Ted Cruz, R-Tex., in a conference call with a group of Minnesota supporters on Wednesday.

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Rubio described Cruz as "the only conservative left in the race" following his decision to suspend his campaign earlier this week.

Rubio noted that he is hoping either Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich is able to prevent real estate tycoon Donald Trump from winning the GOP nomination.

The Florida Senator decided to drop out of the race after he failed to win his home state's primary on Tuesday.

Minnesota was the only state that Rubio won in his disappointing campaign, although he did also score victories in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

"We're always joking the last 24 hours at home that we need to move to Minnesota with a winter home in Puerto Rico and work in D.C.," Rubio said, according to the Pioneer Press.

Rubio reportedly told supporters his campaign message did not match the national mood and suggested the media was partly to blame.

"I really believe we're on the verge of an incredible era in our history," Rubio said, but added, "This is not the greatest year for that kind of message."

The Florida Senator previously decided not to run for re-election this year but indicated that he may run for office again in the future.

(Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore)

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Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- In recent past, additional potential gain has been evaluated in the global automotive market, this is due to increased surge in demand for high performance, fuel efficient and technologically advanced modern vehicles. The automotive component market growth goes proportional with the global automotive production trends. Camshaft is an important engine component in an automobile, from a technical standpoint, a camshaft fulfills the function of converting rotatory motion of crankshaft to oscillating motion of follower, through a cam profile.



The global camshaft market is a high growth potential market due to the ongoing advancements in the technology to reduce weight of camshafts and stringent emission norms by international bodies making manufacturers to focus on fuel and engine efficiency. Further, the market is under transition from conventional to modern technology camshafts in the commercial vehicle segment to optimize performance and reduce associated costs. This provides a competitive edge and makes the global automotive camshaft market promising.



The automotive camshaft market is driven by production of new vehicles and the replacement demands in the market. However, the replacement demands are low as when compared with requirement in new vehicles. Thus OEM is larger and more revenue generating sales channel, as when compared with the aftermarket sales.



Automotive Camshaft Market: Drivers & Restraints



The increasing global automobile production and requirements for modern engines tends to increase demand for camshafts. Further, stringent emission standards implemented across the globe rise demands for fuel efficient engines and camshaft replacement demands for old engines are factors that tends to drive the global automotive camshaft market. However, high replacement cost may act as the restraint to market growth.



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Automotive Camshaft Market: Segmentation



On the basis of manufacturing technology, the Automotive Camshaft Market is segmented as:



Cast Camshaft



Forged Steel Camshaft



Assembled Camshaft



On the basis of type of vehicle, the Automotive Camshaft Market is segmented as:



Passenger Vehicles



Light Commercial Vehicles



Heavy Commercial Vehicles



On the basis of sales channel, the Automotive Camshaft Market is segmented as:



OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers)



Aftermarket



Automotive Camshaft Market: Region-wise Outlook



The automotive component industry nearly doubled in past five years. Europe is the largest market by value in the automotive component manufacturing. This is due to the presence of major automotive and component manufacturer in the region. North America is the next big market for the automotive camshaft. Prominent countries in the region such as U.S. has automotive industry as the largest part of manufacturing sector. Asia-Pacific is another growing and major market for automotive camshafts, with big players in the market transitioning their manufacturing units in emerging market such as China, India, and Korea etc. Latin America has also witnessed increase in demands for vehicles in countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Chile making it significant in the global automotive camshaft market.



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Automotive Camshaft Market: Key Players



The key players identified in the Automotive Camshaft Market are:



MAHLE GmbH



Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG



ThyssenKrupp



Estas Camshaft



J- Cam Engineering Corporation



Melling Engine Parts



LACO camshafts



JBM Industries



Nilax Overseas



Camshaft Machine Company



Newman Cams



Meritor, Inc.



Piper RS Ltd



Schrick Camshaft
Trondheim, Norway -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- Golden Way Media, multilingual search engine optimization and marketing company offers brand reputation management services in Europe and North America.



Reputation Management is aimed to boost online visibility and drive visitors to a website by assisting the reputation of a business within search engines. It helps foster a debate by enhancing conversation and "influencing the influencer". Online Reputation Management can be used either for increasing positive brand and keyword content driven search results or dissipating negative content that appears within search engines through brand searches, keyword searches, or both.



"We offer a complete managing of your online reputation and provide a wide range of services such as social monitoring, online PR, negative content filtering and removal, engagement, as well as social media content promotion. Our large network of media contacts allows us to know the time and place for everything that you create as a brand in the online world. This way, every opportunity is utilized and all content is created with a discernible target audience in mind. Our large network of media contacts allows us to know the time and place for everything that you create as a brand in the online world. This way, every opportunity is utilized and all content is created with a discernible target audience in mind." says Maria Johnsen, founder and CEO of Golden Way Media.



Golden Way Media Company provides a Reputation Management report that captures the feedbacks related to a company, product or service that occurs on the Internet, these SEO experts also segment the report in positive and negative press. It is important for tracking negative comments or reviews that appear on search engine result pages (SERPs) creating a negative reputation to a brand and could have a significant impact on a business's online sales and enquiries. Golden Way Media 's team can run and manage the entire Reputation Management as they have all of the in-house developed software and technologies necessary to collect the feeds are store them in their database.



Golden Way Media's progressive Multilingual SEO strategies in Europe and North America are an internal process that their international seo experts apply in order to boost keyword rank for their customers. This formula consists of stages which are unique for each website as well as the on-page SEO. These stages include on page SEO and design in such a way that search engines understand and rank a website better than the others, quality content writing in English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish and Icelandic languages, social media optimization, video creation and promotion, wiki, directory submissions in local search engines and RSS distribution. These stages are varied from niche to niche and have a great impact in website's visibility online and brand awareness.



Golden Way Media Company's experts focus on the quality of the content used to build the website or blog. The most important aspect is to perform an SEO audit for clients in order to spot the weaknesses and powerful areas of their online marketing and SEO campaigns. By spotting the weaknesses, the company can easily amplify the powerful areas which can help a website to boost their ranking.



Golden way media applies a unique strategy to spread the word for Scandinavian businesses online and inform prospects and targeted audience about the existence of client's company. This will help a business to generate more sales for their products and services.



Another interesting aspect of Golden Way Media's services is that the SEO and search engine marketing companies can outsource their projects to this multilingual Norwegian company.



About Golden Way Media

Golden Way Media's team of specialists consistently delivers outstanding results combining creative ideas with our vast experience. They can help you build a sustainable, meaningful relationship with your clients by engaging them with your brand using social media.



They work in areas as diverse as search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing and digital marketing.



Golden Way Media's vision is to change the way businesses speak, listen and share online. Agency started by search engine and hyperpolyglot web enthusiast Maria Johnsen in Trondheim, Norway. The company's multilingual search engine optimization quickly rose to the Top in the world! Golden Way Media created multilingual seo as a new search engine optimization trend and received many projects worldwide. In October 2011, the company established multilingual social media marketing in Europe, North America and Asia.



In February 2012 Golden Way Media's social media optimization services used by some of the top companies in the UK, USA, Eastern Europe, South Korea, China, Germany, France and Canada. The company served in favor of various political campaigns in Germany, USA, Canada, France, Italy and Greece.



In 2014 Golden way Media launched their mobile marketing campaigns in South Africa, Europe and North America.



In 2016, Golden Way Media experts promote multilingual campaigns in various niches in Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Malaysia.



For more information contact

URL: http://www.golden-way-media.com/contact-us/

sales@golden-way-media.com

Address: Urdsvei 5 7033 Trondheim Norway

Phone +47 (0) 90612731
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- GBI Research, the leading business intelligence provider, has released its latest research: "Colorectal Cancer Therapeutics in Major Developed Markets to 2020 - Increased Uptake of High Priced Drugs to Offset the Impact of Generics", which provides in-depth analysis of the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) therapeutics market in the eight major geographies of the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Japan. The report provides an estimation of the market size for 2013, along with market forecast until 2020. It also covers disease epidemiology, treatment algorithms, treatment patterns, in-depth pipeline analysis, and deal analysis.



View Full Report at: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/242389



The CRC therapeutics market in the eight major markets is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.8% to $9.4 billion by 2020. The US had the largest market share in 2013, equivalent to a global share of 44.1%, followed by Japan and Germany with 14.7% and 11.9% respectively. Spain had the lowest market share of the leading eight at 4.1%. All markets covered in the report are expected to witness a slower growth rate than Japan, which will grow at a CAGR of 5%. However, this moderate growth will be stymied by the expected uptake of lower-priced biosimilar versions of bevacizumab and cetuximab due to the expiration of the patents of Avastin and Erbitux in the latter half of the forecast period. Also expected is the launch of generic versions of capecitabine, which will also affect the market. However, this will be offset by the launch of premium-priced emerging therapies. Stivarga is expected to be one of the biggest drivers of growth in the CRC market, primarily due to its expected line extension in the first-line metastatic setting as a maintenance treatment for patients with resected liver metastases. The launch of Lonsurf (TAS-102), approved in Japan in 2014, in the third- and fourth-line settings will further increase the pharmacological treatment rates in these lines, which will give patients a more tolerable alternative to Stivarga. The moderate uptake of other late-stage pipeline products, panitumumab and Xilonix, following their expected approval, is expected to drive additional growth within this market.



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The CRC pipeline is highly robust, with potential drug candidates across various Phases of clinical development. With nearly 400 active pipeline molecules, the majority of the investigational drug candidates are being evaluated for the treatment of CRC in advanced stages, either as first-line or second-line therapies. The current investigational pipeline candidates include new combination therapies and targeted therapies, as well as promising immunotherapies and chemotherapy drug candidates. As well as these active progressing pipeline molecules, the pipeline also includes nearly 180 molecules that are either inactive or discontinued.



Scope



The report analyzes treatment usage patterns, market characterization, the pipeline, and key licensing and co-development deals in the eight major markets: the US, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan and Canada. It includes:



A brief introduction to CRC, including the disease's pathogenesis, etiology, diagnosis and treatment algorithms



In-depth analysis of currently marketed drugs for CRC, examining their safety, efficacy, treatment patterns and strengths/weaknesses and including a heat map that compares the drugs in terms of safety and efficacy



A comprehensive review of the pipeline for CRC, including individual analysis of a number of late-stage pipeline drugs that are likely to enter the market during the forecast period; the pipeline is analyzed on the basis of Phase distribution, molecule type, program type, mechanism of action and molecular target



Additional in-depth analysis of pipeline drug clinical trials by Phase, trial size, trial duration and program failure rate for each molecule type



Multi-scenario forecast data of the market to 2020, taking into account how the market may be affected by the introduction of new drugs, the expiry of key patents on current drugs and the changes in disease epidemiology across the key developed markets



Discussion of the drivers of and barriers to market growth



In-depth analysis of all licensing and co-development deals that have occurred in the CRC market since 2006



Reasons To Buy



The report will enhance your decision-making capability by allowing you to:



Understand the CRC pipeline and the factors that indicate that it is becoming more innovative



Examine detailed profiles of promising pipeline products and gain an insight into how they are likely to compete in the market and who their main competitors will be



Follow the trends in CRC clinical trial size and duration in relation to industry averages and assess the potential risk of future developmental programs according to mechanism of action by considering the recorded clinical trial failure rates



Observe the potential growth patterns expected for the CRC market over the forecast period, identify which countries are expected to make the biggest contribution to this growth, and devise a more effective country strategy through an understanding of key drivers and barriers in the CRC market



Accelerate and strengthen your market position by identifying key companies for strategic partnerships



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Ivyland, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- This past February, the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation helped to make history. The organization, which advocates for the funding of research towards a cure for CRB1 degenerative retinal diseases, was present on Capitol Hill on February 25 for the introduction of a bill designating February 28 as National Rare Eye Disease Awareness Day. Presented by Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8), the bill was presented in print as well as in Braillethe first bill in US history to appear in both written forms.



The Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation takes this opportunity to celebrate such a momentous occasion in the fight for finding a cure for rare eye diseases that cause blindness. The Foundation was begun by Kristin and Mike Smedley, the parents of two children diagnosed with Leber's congenital amaurosis together with other affected families. Far from feeling defeated by the challenges presented by the disease, the Smedleys went on to assemble the nation's largest network of researchers, patients and donors to fund research for CRB1 retinal disease, as well as champion equality and accessibility for those living with rare eye diseases. By successfully designating February 28 as National Rare Eye Disease Awareness Day, the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation hopes to connect with even more donors willing to assist in the search for a cure, as well as with families seeking a supportive community.



The Foundation's history-making trip to Washington, DC is only one of many events that the organization has in store for 2016. On April 1st, the Foundation will host its annual Cocktails for the Cure event in Bucks County, where guests can receive their own copy of the bill in Braille. There is an additional Cocktails for the Cure event happening in Lebanon County on April 30th and the popular Quarter Auction in Salem, OH in May. Also in May the foundation will take part in the Million Dollar Bike Ride through PENN's Center for Orphan Diseases.



Learn more about the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation's upcoming events and news about developments in research and technology at http://www.crb1.org.



About the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation

Was founded by families with CRB1 patients including Kristin and Mike Smedley, parents of two children diagnosed with Leber's congenital amaurosis, a rare eye disease that causes blindness in childhood. Undeterred by this challenge, the Smedley family recruited help from other affected families and founded the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation. The organization raises funds to support research for a cure, and also provides supportive resources for families living with retinal blindness.



Learn more about the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation at http://www.crb1.org and about their largest annual fundraising event, Bike the Basin, at http://www.bikethebasin.org.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- 'The Insurance Industry in Ghana, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2019' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Ghanaian insurance industry. It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20102014) and forecast period (20142019). The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Ghanaian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



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The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Summary



Timetric's 'The Insurance Industry in Ghana, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2019' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Ghanaian insurance industry, including:



- The Ghanaian insurance industry's growth prospects by segment and category

- A comprehensive overview of Ghanaian economy and demographics

- The detailed competitive landscape in the Ghanaian insurance industry

- The various distribution channels in the Ghanaian insurance industry

- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Ghanaian insurance industry

- Analysis of natural hazards in Ghanaian insurance industry



Scope:-



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the insurance industry in Ghana:



- It provides historical values for the Ghanaian insurance industry for the report's 20102014 review period, and projected figures for the 20142019 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key segments in the Ghanaian insurance industry, along with market forecasts until 2019.



- It covers an exhaustive list of parameters, including written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions.



- It analyzes the various distribution channels in Ghana.



- It profiles the top insurance companies in Ghana, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



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Key Highlights:-



- The industry grew at a review period (20102014) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%.



- Expansion in the middle-class population, strong regulation, rising public awareness of the benefits of insurance, and acceptance of mobile insurance products supported the overall industry growth.



- Microinsurers collaborate with mobile networks to reduce transaction costs and make products affordable to low-income buyers.



- Over the forecast period, the process of recapitalization will improve the underwriting capacity, and result in more capable and reputable insurers in the Ghanaian insurance industry.



- Economic growth prospects, a stable government, strong regulation and exploration of oil and gas encouraged European and other African insurers into Ghana's insurance industry through mergers and acquisitions (M&As) during the review period



- Developing mobile insurance products for the low-income populations in rural areas will drive the industry over the forecast period.



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/17/2016 -- Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are on the rise and have led to the development of a massive market offering treatments and therapies for the same. A new report, titled 'EpiCast Report: Head and Neck Cancers - Epidemiology Forecast To 2024,' now available on MarketResearchReports.biz studies the state of the market in detail.



The report primarily offers a comprehensive overview of the comorbidities and risk factors associated with head and neck cancers. Moreover, the historical trends associated with these cancer types are also studied in detail. By focusing on the seven major markets of the world-France, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom-the report provides a 10-year epidemiological projection of diagnosed incident cases. These cases have been classified into three sub-groups  lip, pharynx, and oral cavity cancers; sinuses, nose, and related cancers; and larynx cancers.



View Press Release at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/1021



Furthermore, the report also includes a five-year diagnosis of prevalent thyroid cancer cases in the seven major markets. For a detailed study of the diagnosed incident thyroid cancer and HNCs, the report segments the cases based on clinical stage at diagnosis, age, sex, and histology. The report has been prepared by a team of expert epidemiologists at the PhD and Masters level.



According to the report, the number of people suffering from head and neck cancers is expected to rise over the forecast period of the report. HNCs are becoming increasingly common across the world, with about 600,000 new cases reported worldwide every year. Authors of the report expect that in the seven major markets alone, the number of diagnosed incident cases of head and neck cancers will rise to 174,056 by 2024 from an estimated 151,393 in 2014. The report forecasts this to happen at an AGR of 1.50% over the forecast period of the report.



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The report also states that by 2024, the United States will have the highest HNC cases among all the 7MMs. The number of diagnosed incident cases of head and neck cancers in the United States, by 2024, will be 65,663. At the far end of the spectrum will be the United Kingdom, with about the number of diagnosed incident cases of HNCs projected to stand at 12,702 by 2024.



Likewise, the number of diagnosed incident cases of thyroid cancer will also rise substantially over the report's forecast period. In 2014, 7MMs were expected to collectively see 93,225 diagnosed incident cases; the number will soar to 123,504 by 2024, translating into an annual growth rate of 3.25% through the report's forecast period. While the United States will lead in thyroid cancer cases, Spain is expected to have the lowest number of people diagnosed with thyroid cancer, says the report.



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[LONDON] The eradication of malaria mosquitoes will become part of global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as researchers and governments step up efforts on vector control.



A conference on neglected tropical diseases in London, United Kingdom, today heard that efforts to combat malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases are slowly shifting from focusing on bite prevention in humans to killing the mosquitoes that transmit the parasites. This is because populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes  especially the Aedes and Anopheles type that carry malaria, yellow fever, dengue and Zika  are growing worldwide, attendees warned.



Climate change favours Aedes mosquitoes, said Raman Velayudhan, the coordinator for neglected tropical diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO). He said this is because the mosquito can breed in almost any kind of water source, even puddles, and its eggs can survive for up to 400 days in dry soil.



Floods mean they have more breeding grounds, but droughts also cause Aedes populations to grow because you have more stored water in pots, Velayudhan said.

The WHO plans to integrate mosquito eradication efforts into its contributions to six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including goal 6 on water to ensure people have access to larvae-free water sources and goal 11 on making urban environments safe, the conference heard.In addition, the organisation will focus more on other Aedes-borne diseases, particularly dengue fever. Velayudhan told the audience that dengue causes 390 million infections in 128 countries annually, while only 128 million people in 97 countries catch malaria every year.The WHO wants to wipe out Aedes mosquitoes in areas where they are not endemic and reduce their numbers elsewhere.But efforts to eradicate Aedes mosquitoes need to be combined with more comprehensive data gathering, the event heard.Giuseppina Ortu, a researcher at non-profit organisation the Malaria Consortium , said that the effectiveness of disease control efforts and their effects on other diseases are often little studied, and this can make governments reluctant to subscribe to such methods.For example, she said, there is plenty of evidence that the use of mosquito nets in Sudan to combat malaria also reduced the incidence of leishmaniasis, which is transmitted by sandflies. But these benefits were never fully studied, she told the audience.When vector control research is done, the impact is not measured coherently, which makes it hard to get more money for further applications of the tested methods, Ortu said. There are a lot of gaps in our data, and no clear idea about how to put together different vector control strategies to make a coherent approach.Lisa Reimer, a researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom, said the WHO must go even further than the SDGs, and make mosquito eradication an essential part of all its health strategies.We need to address the next hurdle: how vector control can become part of integrated disease management, she said.
Police State: How Americas Cops Get Away with Murder, by Gerry Spence (St. Martins, 352 pp., $27.99)

I learned early in my police career that when an arrest has been made and a case gets presented in court, it becomes as much a matter of theater as it is of the facts and the law. When putting a case before a jury, presentation and persuasion are every bit as important as testimony and evidenceperhaps more so. And just as a part in a play might be performed by different actors, with each offering his own interpretation and arousing different reactions in the audience, so, too, can a court case be presented differently by attorneys. An attorney may have all the evidence weighing in his favor, but if he cant present it coherently to the juryif he cant play to the back row, as it werehe will probably lose. Over the last quarter-century, few lawyers have played to juries as well as Gerry Spence, the Laurence Olivier of the American courtroom.

As a police officer, I concede this point grudgingly. Many of Spences courtroom victories have come in civil cases against law enforcement. Yet he is a master of his craft, as his 18th book, Police State: How Americas Cops Get Away with Murder, makes clear.

I was prepared to hate a book with such a title, of course, and I found several passages objectionable for their gratuitous swipes at police officers and federal agents, who, in Spences eyes, act on behalf of the capitalized Power he refers to throughout the book. Daily, he writes, across the land were deluged with shocking stories of the murder and maiming of our citizens by the police. Many of us no longer feel safe in our own homes, much less the public streets. Spence here sounds like one of the more coherent members (if there are any such) of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Continuing with the anti-police agitprop, Spence invokes the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York City, and Tamir Rice in Cleveland. But he omits the fact that in all three of these cases, the officers were found to have acted within the law. Spence surely knows that the Brown incident was one of the most thoroughly scrutinized police shootings ever, with the involved officer cleared of wrongdoing in state and federal investigations. Citing Brown in this context taints the book with dishonesty and calls into question some of Spences other sweeping anti-police assertions.

Spence accuses police and prosecutors of demonizing criminal defendants through their selective release of damning information to the media. But he pretends that he and his fellow defense attorneys dont engage in the same practices when it suits them. Indeed, Police State is just such an effort to shape public opinionwhich might pay dividends in the jury box.

Similarly, Spence decries the delaying tactics employed in civil cases by lawyers representing insurance companies. Delay wears down even the hardiest people with the best resources, he writes. For the poor, delay is often impossible to weather. Left unsaid here is that defense attorneys also throw sand in the gears of justice when delay serves their interests. Witnesses memories fade over time, and in some cases, like those involving street gangs, witnesses grow reluctant to testify if things dont move swiftly to trial. Criminal cases often unravel when defense attorneys work the system and drag out proceedings. Yet Spence would have his readers believe that only lawyers representing Power resort to such tactics.

Further diminishing Spences argument is his reliance on an absurd comparison between America today and Nazi Germany. In discussing the Department of Homeland Securitys distribution of $35 billion to police departments for the purchase of weapons of war, Spence writes, The militarization of Americas police, granting them indomitable power over the people, brings on visions of a police state. We remember the German people who actively or passively supported the rise of the Third Reich. If we listen, do we hear the Fuhrers ghost laughing?

Police State is leavened throughout with many such over-the-top characterizations, undermining Spences otherwise legitimate complaints about the justice system. Spence served as a prosecutor in his home state of Wyoming for eight years before switching to defense work, so he must know that cops are not as evil and scheming as he presents them here. Still, in the eight cases he details here, he presents some examples of outrageous law-enforcement conduct, beginning with the federal agents involved in the Randy Weaver incident at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992. Spence successfully defended Weaver after his arrest.

The siege at Weavers mountain cabin followed a gun battle in which an FBI agent and Weavers wife and son were killed. There can be no disputing that the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI badly mishandled the incident. But there can also be no denying that Randy Weaver himself could haveand should havesurrendered when he was asked to. Had he done so, his wife and son wouldnt have died, nor would an FBI agent. And Weaver still might have engaged Spence to defend him against the charges, which were flimsy at best.

I found Spences description of some judges spot-on. Anyone involved in the justice system knows that judges are essentially lawyers in black robes, and that they are not necessarily blessed with more wisdom than their unrobed peers. [M]ore than a few judges, Spence writes, think that when they are anointed and ascend to that seat on high, some unidentified power causes their humanness to disappear and replaces it with a brand of lofty judicial insight that one can experience only if ones posterior is affixed to the judges chair. Once in an empty courtroom I slipped up to the judges chair and sat down, firmly, and waited and waited. I never felt a bit smarter.

Courthouse habitues refer to some lawyers as true believers. These are the defense attorneys who have been steeped in social justice teaching and who believe that all defendants, regardless of their misdeeds, are innocent victims of The System. For all his talk about Power and Nazis, and for all his anti-police hyperbole, Gerry Spence isnt as much of a true believer as he would have you believe. His writing usually carries a sly wink, as though he wants readers to believe things he doesnt quite embrace himself. He would deny it, of course, and probably with the same wink. In the end, it doesnt matter. Whether in court or in the theater, its not important that the actor believe his linesonly that the audience does.
Racist City Employees Are on Notice, and 9 Other Greater Cincinnati News Stories You May Have Missed This Week

Catch up on local government, politics, sports, celeb sightings and Halloween fun.
Sources cited by Reuters said the Baltic Exchange was approach by the groups subsidiary China Merchants Securities. The rationale behind the Chinese conglomerates bid is to give China ownership of the industry benchmark indices and potentially wider access to the multi-billion dollar freight derivatives market.

China Merchants Group now joins Singapore Exchange (SGX), CME Group, ICE, Platts and London Metal Exchange (LME) in being linked to the acquisition of the Baltic Exchange.

A spokesman for China Merchants Group quoted by Reuters said if there was indeed a bid, it would be processed by one of the groups units which are listed in various locations such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore.

On 26 February, the Baltic Exchange confirmed it has received a number of exploratory approaches about a possible buyout, but no firm offer has been made.

China Merchants Group, meanwhile, is working on a strategic merger with compatriot Sinotrans & CSC Group, as part of Beijings effort to consolidate state-owned enterprises and make them more efficient.
Press Release

March 17, 2016 CHIZ URGES PINOYS TO JOIN EARTH HOUR 2016 Vice-presidential race frontrunner Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero is urging Filipinos to switch off their non-essential lights between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. on March 19 as the Philippines joins the rest of the world in observing Earth Hour. Earth Hour is an international campaign encouraging people and businesses to turn off lights and other electric appliances in support of the global call for action on climate change to reduce carbon footprint. The country has been an active participant of Earth Hour since 2009, and is consistently one of the biggest advocates of what has been dubbed as the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said the Philippines saved some 611 megawatts per hour of electricity when it first joined the campaign seven years ago, which is equivalent to shutting down one dozen coal-fired power plants. "Our participation in Earth Hour symbolizes our commitment to change beyond the hour, especially since the Philippines is considered as one of the nations most vulnerable to climate change impacts," said Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. "It is important for us to join in international activities like Earth Hour because it concerns issues that are critical to our survival and development," he pointed out. Escudero was among the officials who applauded the historic global climate change agreement reached in Paris, France last December. As head of the Senate environment committee, Escudero then expressed his willingness to work with policymakers for the crafting and passage of new legislation that would help the Philippines fulfill its climate change commitments. The Paris deal laid down the foundation for countries to work together in trying to limit the global temperature below 1.5 degrees Celcius, well below the level of 2 degrees Celcius that is likely to signal the worst effects of climate change. The agreement also requires developed nations to continue to provide funding to help less developed countries cut their carbon emissions and adapt to the challenges posed by the changing climate. Escudero called the Paris accord "an important milestone" for countries that are most vulnerable to climate change impacts like the Philippines. "It means we are not alone in dealing with climate change because all nations, developed and less developed alike, bear the responsibility of helping poorer countries alleviate suffering caused by the single biggest environmental and humanitarian crisis of our time," Escudero said. The Philippines has committed to reduce carbon emissions by 70 percent from 2020 to 2030, but conditional on financial aid and associated technical support being provided by developed countries. The carbon emission reductions will be taken from the energy, transport, waste, forestry and industry sectors--the country's major sources of greenhouse gases. The country considers as priority measures for adaptation the strengthening of climate monitoring and observation; the conduct of climate and disaster risk vulnerability assessments; improving the resilience of ecosystems; and the climate-proofing of sectors like agriculture, water and health.
Press Release

March 17, 2016 Legarda on New Climate Leaders: We Will Overcome This Climate Crisis Senator Loren Legarda today said she is confident that the Philippines can lead the fight to address the climate crisis as new climate leaders emerged from the three-day training organized by The Climate Reality Project, led by its founder former US Vice President Al Gore, from March 14-16, 2016 in Manila. "Ten years ago, climate change was considered an issue that was best left for scientists to discuss. Today, I am happy and very optimistic because we have at least 700 new climate warriors, mostly Filipinos, who will help organize action to address the climate crisis," said Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience and Chair of the Senate Committees on Climate Change and Finance. "I am thankful to former Vice President Gore and his team for bringing the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training to Philippines. He has inspired Filipinos to join the global fight on the climate crisis," she added. In one of the training sessions, Mr. Gore lauded the Philippines for its leadership of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), which led the call to limit warming to 1.5C during the climate negotiations in Paris last December. He said that the rest of the world listens when the Philippines speaks. "We must use our influence to effect positive change. As I have always said, we may be vulnerable but we are not incapable. We showed that when the Philippine delegation ably led the CVF in the Paris climate negotiations. We must continue with this kind of leadership," said Legarda. Earth Hour "I enjoin all Climate Reality leaders to spread the advocacy to their communities and engage everyone to take meaningful action. A good start will be during the Earth Hour. Oftentimes, people are overwhelmed with the gargantuan task of protecting the environment, without realizing that the small acts ignite greater action and result in significant achievements," she explained. Earth Hour will be observed on Saturday, March 19, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. In previous years, the Philippines was regarded as an Earth Hour Hero Country for registering a high number of participating towns and cities and for its staunch support to the campaign. Legarda said, "Even the smallest acts--ecological waste segregation, tree-growing, saving on electricity, using low carbon technologies--are important. Small acts, when put together, create big change." Towards Green Growth The Senator also renewed her commitment to ensuring that the country will move towards green development. "In our Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), the Philippines committed to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 70% by 2030. It would certainly be difficult to reduce GHG emissions if we will continue to approve the construction of coal-fired power plants. Government should instead encourage the business sector to invest in renewable energy," said Legarda, stressing that she will push for the immediate ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change when Senate resumes its session in May. She added that the Senate will also look into establishing carbon pricing mechanisms in the country. "To encourage and promote investments in renewable energy and bring down GHG emissions, there is a growing clamor worldwide for the implementation of carbon pricing legislation, such as emissions trading systems of carbon taxes, with producers of carbon emissions forced to pay for their activities. But we have to study these mechanisms well." In her proposed Senate Resolution 1732, Legarda said that in light of the developing country status of the Philippines and the pursuit of energy security, there is a need to ensure that the introduction of carbon pricing legislation is part of a wholistic approach that takes into account the impact and cost-effectiveness of other policy instruments that discourage the emission of GHG as well as policies which may inadvertently encourage emissions. DRR as a Tool for Climate Adaptation Legarda also reminded the government of its commitments under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction as it turns one year on March 18. In March 2015, nations agreed to the Sendai Framework for DRR, which gives primary importance to understanding disaster risk. "Understanding the risk will help us know how we can effectively address it--for governments to develop the necessary programs, for legislators to create the appropriate enabling policies, for local governments to develop multi-hazard early warning systems based on the specific risk present in their communities, for the private sector to invest in risk-reduction measures, and for citizens to be proactive in helping reduce the risks," she said. "As a nation greatly affected by natural hazards, many of which are climate-related, we must make disaster risk reduction part of our climate change adaptation efforts. We have a lot of work to do to build resilience, to adapt to and mitigate climate change, to promote green growth, but as more people are inspired to be climate leaders, I know we will win this fight. We will overcome this climate crisis," Legarda concluded.
Bongbong Marcos calls for integration of climate change mitigation in all aspects of governance

Vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today called for integration of climate change mitigation in all aspects of governance in the country.

Marcos aired the call in the wake of the visit to the country of environment advocate, former US Vice President Al Gore who has been calling for united global action to mitigate the effects of climate change.

"It is imperative for us to consider the effects of climate change in the planning and implementation of practically all government programs," said Marcos, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works.

In particular, Marcos said government infrastructure projects should be designed and implemented to mitigate the effects of natural calamities brought about by climate change.

He cited the 2015 report of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction saying the Philippines was the fourth in the world among countries hit by the highest number of disasters.

Marcos said we should use the lessons learned from super-typhoon Yolanda to enable us to build structures that are designed to withstand natural disasters such as typhoons and floods.

He noted that many of the casualties of Yolanda perished in evacuation centers that collapsed due to strong winds or were submerged in the storm surge.

"We should make a careful study to determine what needs to be done for disaster mitigation so that our infrastructures would be able to withstand natural calamities that could strike our country," said Marcos.

Likewise, Marcos said all concerned government agencies must improve their preparedness to launch relief and rescue operations during times of natural calamities.
Press Release

March 17, 2016 CEBU CITY BARANGAY CAPTAINS GIVE "UNPRECEDENTED" WELCOME TO BONGBONG MARCOS Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. today received an "unprecedented" welcome by barangay captains in Cebu City as more than eighty percent of them were in attendance to personally meet him on the first day of the Cebu leg of his "Unity Caravan." Joel Capili Garganera, Barangay Captain of Tinago said it is the first that 69 out of the 80 barangay captains in Cebu City had gathered to welcome a vice presidential candidate. "This is our very first time to meet him. He's the only vice president who took his time out and meet the barangay captains. This is the first time, to my knowledge, we gained an audience with a vice presidentiable, and this big," Garganera stressed. He said most of those who attended the lunch gathering at the Cebu Country Club were inclined to support Marcos because he is the only vice presidential candidate who had come from the local government. "First and foremost, among the vice presidentiables, he's the only candidate who hails from the local government unit, being a vice governor and governor. And more than that, yung affiliation namin, among the vice presidentiable, he's the only one coming from Visayas. Half of his blood hails from Tacloban, and there's no other candidate," Garganera said. Garganera also said they appreciate the passage in the Senate of the Barangay Retirement bill that was authored by the senator. The bill's House version is awaiting final approval. "We are so lucky also to know that the Senate has passed its version of the bill, which was authored by the chairman of the local government unit, (and) we hear it firsthand (from him). And somehow it will add to our admiration to him," he said. Under the proposed measure, a barangay chairman who has reached the retirement age of 60 and had served at least three terms will be entitled to P100,000 in retirement benefits. Other barangay workers will be entitled to at least P50,000 in retirement benefits. Marcos said the proposed law is a recognition of the hard work and dedication of all barangay workers to public service. "We all know the time and effort and sacrifice our barangay workers put into serving their constituents but they are not entitled to any pension from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). This proposed law is our way of saying thank you to them for their years of service," Marcos said. Marcos started the first day of his 4-day Unity Caravan in Cebu today, the first time he is campaigning in the Visayas region. When asked about his standing in Cebu based on the surveys, Marcos reiterated that he is not very keen on the survey results and instead focus on the campaign. "We don't rely on the surveys because if we do, then we won't be able to campaign effectively because survey results tend to change. We just stay focused and continue with our campaign message of unity which the people have accepted," he said .
Press Release

March 17, 2016 POE WANTS CASINOS COVERED BY ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAW On the heels of the controversy surrounding the $81-million stolen funds from Bangladesh, leading presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe wants casinos within the purview of the anti-money laundering law. The stolen funds were coursed through different bank accounts in the Philippines and found their way to at least three local casinos, which the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), despite being the country's main financial intelligence unit, cannot dig into due to limitations in the Anti-Money Laundering law. "They're still part of the economy. I think that we should really consider that because, otherwise, everyone will just channel in a particular industry that is not covered by the bank disclosures," Poe said in an interview with the media after meeting with businessmen Wednesday. Bangladesh Bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York was believed to have been stolen by hackers, slipped through alleged fake bank accounts with the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), remitted into pesos, and then delivered to casino junket operators. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee conducted an investigation on the multi-million dollar bank heist but hit a snag when some resource persons invoked the country's Bank Secrecy Law, which Poe said must be lifted. "It's not a question of whether we should lift the Bank Secrecy Law. It's a matter of when we're going to do it," Poe said. Poe said the Philippines should be one with the international community in aiming for transparency through bank disclosures. The country's Bank Secrecy Law is viewed as among the strictest in the world. "The trend now in the world is having bank disclosures, not bank secrecy. This is to prevent also the funneling of money down to terroristic activities, drug cartels, etc. We should be one with the international community in preventing such activities," she added. However, Poe said safeguards must also be set to prevent politicians from taking advantage of bank disclosures to go after their rivals. "We should not allow whoever is in the administration to use it to probably find ammunition against their opponents. So we should have very strict guidelines as to what the parameters are in enforcing bank disclosures," Poe said.
Press Release

March 17, 2016 MIRIAM SKIPS COMELEC DEBATE, JOINS CLINICAL TRIAL Presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago said that she will not be attending the next Commission on Elections debate scheduled on Sunday, March 20, after being accepted as fit to undergo a clinical trial for a new, unnamed anti-cancer pill. Santiago said she joined the international clinical trial to gain free access to the medication, which would otherwise cost reportedly half a million pesos every three weeks. The trial requires Santiago to report for outpatient radiation treatment at the hospital daily for a short period. The senator said she will try and participate in the third and last presidential debate if the ongoing treatments do not inhibit her. "I am very sorry to miss out on the debates, but it would be a disservice to the country if I forego the opportunity to get rid of my cancer completely and strengthen myself further to serve the Filipino people," Santiago said. Prior to her announcement, the senator, who was diagnosed with lung cancer, stage four, in June 2014, has delivered speeches in several universities around the country, banking on her popularity among the youth to buoy her presidential bid. In all her campus speeches, Santiago urged millennial voters to vote for candidates with academic, professional, and moral excellence. She also asks the youth to campaign for her recalling the massive impact of youth volunteers in her 1992 run. Santiago has been dubbed the "president of campuses," having topped the following university surveys conducted since the filing of certificates of candidacy in October: De La Salle University Manila, 75 percent;

Polytechnic University of the Philippines, 64 percent;

Universilty of the Philippines (U.P.) Los Banos, 86 percent;

University of Santo Tomas, 66 percent;

Ateneo De Manila University, 36.6 percent;

U.P. Manila, 59.5 percent;

University of Northern Philippines, 35.85 percent;

Malayan Colleges Laguna, 54.7 percent;

Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 58.5 percent;

U.P. Diliman, 41.6 percent;

Holy Angel University, 40 percent;

University of Asia and the Pacific, 43.2 percent;

Adamson University, 64 percent;

Ateneo de Naga University, 37.4 percent;

U.P. Baguio, 78.2 percent;

Philippine Normal University, 76 percent;

Arellano University, 36 percent; and

De La Salle University - Lipa, 32 percent. Santiago has also previously said that her campaign will bank heavily on her strong social media base. With some 3.4 million followers on Facebook and some 2.4 million on Twitter, Santiago has the biggest social media clout among the presidential candidates.
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For the second time in a month, a mysterious power surge knocked out numerous BART cars Wednesday  puzzling agency officials who thought they had the problem under control the first time around, and making life miserable for commuters packed into shortened trains.

BART was able to repair some of the 25 or so cars that lost their propulsion systems on the Pittsburg-Bay Point line, but not all of them  raising the likelihood that many trains will be short of cars for the Thursday morning commute.

BART engineers worked into the night trying to find an answer for what is becoming a major problem for the aging rail system.

When the first round of problems began in late February, BART focused on a new electrical substation that had been installed a few months earlier near the Oakland end of the Transbay Tube. Wednesdays problems, however, happened far from there  between the North Concord and Bay Point stations.

Its the same symptoms, said BART spokeswoman Alicia Trost. But we dont know if its the same cause.

About 80 cars had their propulsion systems damaged by power surges near the West Oakland Station from Feb. 20 through early March, including 40 in a single day. For days, the transit agency ran nine or eight cars on what are normally 10-car trains. BART eventually turned off the new substation, and the situation seemed to get better.

But Trost said that, in fact, the problem continued for a brief time after the substation was disengaged  leading officials to suspect there may have been another trigger.

Trost said it was too early to tell what caused Wednesdays train-car knockouts or to say whether they were related to the earlier problem.

Daylong troubles

Wednesdays power-surge problems forced BART to shut down train service between North Concord and Bay Point and to transport riders via a bus bridge. BART said the service between the stations is expected to stay down during Thursday mornings commute. Delays plagued the system throughout the day.

It was actually more crowded than usual, said Nicole Anthony, 19, who was riding at the normally off-peak time of 11 a.m. By the time she got to the West Oakland Station, she said, in the other trains there, it was standing-room only.

BART maintenance crews were able to get some of the damaged cars back online Wednesday, and test trains were running on the problem section of track.

However, other knocked-out cars were still in the shop, and Trost said BART was having to strip parts from its fleet to make the fixes.

Compounding BARTs problems: Its running out of spare parts.

The supply is definitely an issue and a concern, and we will have to deal with that, Trost said.

Even before Wednesdays problems began, BART was running 16 trains during the commute hour that were short one car each, Trost said. That likely will be worse (Thursday), since we have more damaged cars, she said.

With a single car able to carry about 150 passengers, its certain to be a tight squeeze for many riders.

This is not an insignificant problem, said Joel Keller, a BART board member from the East Bay whose constituents include many riders of the Pittsburg-Bay Point line.

No details on problem

Keller said BART directors had received a brief report on the first round of power surges, but had yet to get any details on the cause.

Enough time has gone by, by now, he said. If they dont know, then we should tell the public that as well.

BARTs latest bad news came even as officials this week welcomed the arrival of its first new train cars in years. The cars will be put into service for testing before full production begins next year.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Jenna Lyons contributed to this report.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matierandross
San Francisco has a message for vacation-rental hosts: You owe more taxes.

Next week the city will notify hosts using services like Airbnb and HomeAway/VRBO that they must submit an itemized list of all the furniture, appliances, supplies, equipment and fixtures used in their rentals, specifying the cost and acquisition date. After the assessors office calculates depreciation, this business personal property will be subject to a tax of slightly over 1 percent of its value.

We have heard loud and clear from (hosts) that they want to be treated like everybody else and are willing to pay taxes like everybody else, said Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu. They are operating their homes as a business and so we are treating them as we would any other business.

Offices pay taxes on equipment such as computers, desks and chairs. Restaurants pay on cash registers, tables, chairs, stoves and refrigerators, for instance. Hotels pay on washers and dryers, beds, mattresses, other furniture, sheets, rugs, and so on. (Real estate is separately taxed for both businesses and individuals, and isnt affected by this new levy.)

For rental hosts, the items to report could range from the furniture and linens in a single bedroom to the entire contents of their house, depending on whether they rent just a room or the whole house. A Chronicle analysis last year showed that two-thirds of about 5,500 Airbnb listings in San Francisco are for entire homes. All 1,400 listings on HomeAway/VRBO and FlipKey are for entire homes.

Even folks who rent out their home only a couple of weeks a year when they are out of town must report the cost of every single stick of furniture, appliance, sheet and towel, including items whose purchase predated the homes use as a vacation rental. Theres no break for renting infrequently. Personal property taxes are not prorated, Chu said.

The notices will go to roughly 2,000 hosts who applied to the city for a business license, the precursor to registering with the citys new Office of Short-Term Rentals. Under a law that took effect in February 2015, all short-term rental hosts are supposed to register with the city.

Only a third of the estimated 6,000 or more residents who rent their homes and rooms to travelers have done so. The latest initiative seems likely to deter more of those hosts from complying with the year-old law.

We hope the letter from the assessor-recorder will not further discourage hosts from registering with the city, said the Home Sharers Democratic Club, an organization representing a few dozen vacation hosts. Most hosts want to do the right thing and obey the law.

Kepa Askenasy, an Airbnb super host who rents out four suites in her Potrero Hill home, thinks the request is reasonable as long as there are resources to answer questions. (The assessors office said it will do so by phone or in person.)

I dont think it will be that hard to do; you just stand in your room and write everything down, Askenasy said. She purchased most of her furniture over the past 20 years, largely from places like eBay and Craigslist.

Airbnb wasnt as sanguine.

Middle-class families shouldn't have to pay extra taxes on their sheets, the company said. This invasion of privacy mandates that San Franciscans inventory and pay taxes on every picture frame, towel and spoon in their home.

Airbnb initially resisted collecting San Franciscos 14 percent hotel tax. But in October 2014 it began charging it to guests, and later paid back taxes, estimated to be some $25 million. The company now remits hotel taxes in more and more cities as part of its efforts to avoid confrontations with regulators. Those efforts backfired in San Francisco last October when it ran bus-shelter ads snarkily congratulating itself for remitting the tax, which comes from guests, not the company itself.

The good news for hosts: If they bought their furniture and fixtures several years ago, the assessors office will calculate depreciation, which will considerably reduce the taxable amount.

We believe when all is said and done, for many rentals, the assessed values will be quite low, Chu said.

Form 571-R is due on April 1 but can be submitted up to May 7 without penalty. After that date, the penalty is 10 percent of the total assessed value of the business personal property. For people who ignore the notice, the assessors office will estimate their business personal property value and then levy the 10 percent fine on that amount.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
Lindsay Perry / Lindsay Perry

A proposed new regulation requiring licensure for tax preparers would not impact AARP volunteers who fan out statewide each winter and spring to provide free assistance, according to the State Board of Accountancy.

The Connecticut secretary of the state last week proposed legislation that would require tax preparers lacking a certified public accountant license or other designations to get a state license to file returns for a fee, with Connecticut currently among 46 states nationally with no such rule on the books.
A man suspected of shooting a homeowner and a tenant multiple times outside a La Honda apartment over the weekend was arrested early Wednesday morning  and tried to shoot a police officer as he was taken into custody, authorities said.

Officers arrested James Bernard Hofler, 36, of Grandy, North Carolina, on suspicion of attempted murder. He was facing two counts for the Saturday shooting, and a third was added after he fired at an officer Wednesday, officials said.

Detectives with the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office had already identified Hofler as a suspect in a Saturday night shooting that left a 76-year-old homeowner and his 53-year-old tenant seriously injured when a man who turned out to be Hofler was spotted walking on Highway 1 around 1 a.m. Tuesday.

Pacifica Police and the California Highway Patrol responded to the area just south of Manor Drive in Pacifica after reports came in of a pedestrian on the freeway. When a Pacifica Police officer tried to contact Hofler, the two struggled and fell down an embankment.

As the officer, a three-year veteran, tried to take him into custody, Hofler fired one shot but missed. Afterward the officer managed to grab the gun from Hofler. He arrested him with help from backup, who found Hofler had another gun on his person, police said.

Both men were taken to the hospital for minor injuries from their fight. It wasnt known how Hofler ended up in Pacifica.

He allegedly fled from a shooting at an apartment near Mindego Hill and Alpine roads Saturday morning using the car of one of his victims.

The vehicle, a green 2006 Jaguar station wagon, was found parked at the Daly City BART Station Monday.

Saturdays incident started around 7:15 a.m. One of the men noticed a stranger leaving his home and confronted him, police said. The stranger, now believed to be Hofler, responded by shooting him multiple times in the head and torso. When the tenant went outside, the attacker shot him in the head and torso, as well.

The homeowner ran to a neighbor for help, and the attacker left the scene in his car. Medical personnel took the victims to hospitals.

Sgt. Rebecca Rosenblatt, a sheriffs office spokeswoman, said Wednesday one of the victims remained in critical condition while the other is serious but stable.

It appears the intruder didnt take anything from the apartment, Rosenblatt said. Police did not know why the North Carolina man was in the Bay Area, labeling the shooting as a random act.

Hofler was being held at Maguire Correctional Facility.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
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The rampant looting of cars parked on San Francisco streets soared last year, with break-ins jumping 31 percent from 2014 and nearly tripling since 2010, according to final figures from the Police Department that are certain to inflame a growing debate over who is to blame.

The city took 25,899 reports of car break-ins in 2015, or more than 70 per day on average, in an epidemic centered in the downtown area that has frustrated residents, workers and tourists, and left the pavement littered with broken glass.

The rise in car burglary as well as car theft  which was up 13 percent year-to-year and 77 percent since 2010  has driven a 64 percent overall increase in property crime in the past five years that is at odds with statewide statistics.

If you leave it on the street, thats the risk you take, said Joe Hartog, a city resident whose wifes Toyota sedan was broken into in 2015 and again two weeks ago, with both crimes occurring near City Hall as the couple attended San Francisco Symphony performances.

Less gun violence

The property crime figures overshadowed some gains in fighting gun violence in San Francisco. Although the total number of homicides, assaults, robberies and rapes was almost unchanged from 2014, police officials said the 183 people who were shot in the city  34 fatally  represented the lowest count in at least six years.

Gun seizures were up as well. The department took in 1,085 guns in 2015, with Bayview station officers alone confiscating 304.

Our main focus is on the reduction of violent crimes because those are crimes against people, said Officer Albie Esparza, a police spokesman. In 2016, hopefully we will be able to see more of a reduction in violent crime. The department is still committed to ensuring the safety of the people in San Francisco.

Esparza said the department was working hard to bring down the property crime numbers, with officers in each police district going undercover to target the prolific bandits.

The thing is, they happen so quick and in places where people cant witness whats going on, he said. They can break into cars in less than 30 seconds and take the property they want.

Statewide property crime figures for 2015 have not been released, but 2014 saw the lowest number of reports of burglaries and thefts in at least 45 years, according to the California Department of Justice.

Why San Francisco is suffering a unique spike in property crime hasnt been fully explained, but the problem is at the center of a war between District Attorney George Gascon and the citys police officers union over their respective crime-fighting competence as well as the impact of reforms favored by Gascon and other progressives designed to thin jails and prisons and promote rehabilitation.

Opponents of Proposition 47, a ballot initiative passed into law in November 2014 that reduced six nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors, say it has freed some criminals and emboldened others. But proponents say theres no evidence the changes are driving burglaries and thefts.

Prop. 47 a free pass?

Though car break-ins are still considered felonies, city police officials say their hands are often tied. They said if an officer catches somebody with property taken from a car burglary, for example, and the offense doesnt meet the $950 threshold set by Prop. 47 to count as a felony, all the officer can do is issue a citation because it is now a misdemeanor.

Its basically a get-out-of-jail-free card, said Nathan Ballard, an adviser to the San Francisco Police Officers Association. Prop. 47 looks like a noble experiment that is failing, and its failing the ordinary people in San Francisco who are experiencing more crime.

Prop. 47 advocates, though, note that officers still can make misdemeanor arrests, especially for repeat offenders. Property crime has been rising in San Francisco for five years, they said, which means the uptick cant all be attributed to the recent initiative.

Last year, Oakland saw a 1.5 decrease in property crime compared to 2014, while San Jose saw a 1.9 percent increase, according to figures released by both cities.

Bill Lansdowne, a former police chief in San Diego and San Jose and a supporter of Prop. 47, said focusing on the initiative doesnt make sense for cities hit with crime increases.

Every single police department, without exception now, has seen a shortage in staffing, he said. The courts have cut back, social services have cut back, mental health calls have gone up, homelessness is increasing at almost startling rates  all of these have an effect and (police) admit they have an effect, but for some reason they are focusing on Prop. 47 as if its solely responsible.

Robert Weisberg, a criminal justice expert at Stanford Law School, said its too early to tell.

There is a lot of argument out there that its a Prop. 47 effect, but its one those statistical conundrums right now, he said. You dont have enough proof that it is, but thats not the same thing as saying you have proof that it isnt.

Little comfort

What is clear is that the debate provides little comfort to San Franciscos growing cast of victims.

Michael Connolly, the manager of Glass Plus on South Van Ness Avenue, said that in recent weeks he has seen as many as 30 cars brought in each day for theft-related repairs.

Its hard enough for people to be here, he said, referring to rising housing prices. If its costing you your heart and soul to live here in San Francisco and then your car gets broken into, just think about it.

Ricky Villareal, manager of In & Out Auto Glass on Bayshore Boulevard, noted that car burglaries hes seen tend to target vehicles with out-of-state license plates, and about 30 percent of his clientele are visiting from out of town.

Its an epidemic, Villareal said. You have the bad neighborhoods and the good neighborhoods. Sometimes they just break in to look and if theres nothing there, they go.

At Villareals shop, Matt Bacnis, 24, was waiting for a van to be fixed Wednesday morning. Hes the tour manager of a Seattle band that had its van broken into Tuesday night as it played a gig near 18th and Texas streets.

The glass replacement was $280, and Bacnis girlfriends backpack was stolen with an estimated $700 worth of goods inside.

Smash and grab

They just smashed the window and grabbed the first thing they could grab, he said, noting that an expensive violin was left behind.

He said he filed a police report online, but doesnt have high hopes.

Its pretty obvious this happens a lot, so they probably dont care, Bacnis said.

According to data provided at a Board of Supervisors committee meeting in January, police made 3,477 property-crime arrests last year, just 7 percent of all reported property crimes  and a drop from the 3,513 arrests made in 2014.

San Franciscos rates for solving property crimes have typically been low. The department reported a rate of 9.57 percent in 2014, 7.78 percent in 2013 and 7.21 percent in 2012.

Statewide clearance rates ranged between 13 and 14 percent during that same period, according to state Department of Justice data.

But Esparza, the police spokesman, said victims of car break-ins should always report them to the police, who can use the data to target operations.

According to police statistics, the number of monthly car break-ins declined by 33 percent after a task force was formed in August specializing in saturating hot spots with plainclothes officers.

People might have the feeling of, Whats the use to report these petty crimes? Esparza said. But without that information, without that data, the Police Department cannot reallocate resources to the areas where we see an increase.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com, kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo, @kveklerov
Jacom Stephens / Getty Images

A San Francisco street performer attacked by a woman trying to steal money from his tip jar fought back with a metal rod pried from his drum set, police said Thursday.

The performer, a 57-year-old man from Sacramento, was on Pier 43 when a woman rode up on a skateboard about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and crashed into his drums. As he went to pick up her skateboard and turned his back, the woman took money from his tip container, said Officer Albie Esparza, a police spokesman.
The long-simmering dispute between San Francisco and the real estate-gobbling Academy of Art University is headed for a showdown at the city Planning Commission on Thursday, a hearing that could provide a framework for an agreement that would bring dozens of properties into compliance with city laws.

Sometimes criticized as a real estate investment firm masquerading as an educational institution, the university operates 33 buildings that violate zoning and housing laws, according to a new planning report. This is despite repeated warnings from city officials, including City Attorney Dennis Herrera, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

The university owns 40 properties, mostly clustered in Nob Hill and South of Market. All but seven violate some city regulations, according to planners. These include residential and tourist hotels that have been improperly converted into student housing, as well as retail and industrial spaces that have been turned into academic buildings.

At 460-466 Townsend St., which is zoned for industrial use but is being used for classrooms, AAU has been accruing $250 a day in fines for years, which has added up to more than $500,000. The school also owes a few thousand dollars stemming from a parking garage that was being used illegally as classrooms at 2296 Taylor Street.

So far, payments from the university have not been forthcoming. They have not paid any penalties  said Zoning Administrator Scott Sanchez.

The hearing Thursday will give the university a chance to update the city on progress made on its environmental impact report and institutional master plan, something hospitals and schools are required to do every five years.

School stalling?

City planners say the academy has stalled on completing the EIR, and has complicated the study by continuing to buy properties around the city. The Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors cant start legalizing any of the universitys properties until that document is completed and certified, Sanchez added. Without the environmental review, the only thing the (Planning Commission) could do is deny the application, said Sanchez.

The university employs 2,382 people and has 8,649 students attending class in San Francisco for its undergraduate and graduate programs. The school offers degrees in 37 disciplines, including fashion, animation, architecture, fine art, graphic design, photography, game development, advertising and photography. James Brosnahan, the universitys attorney, said the arts school contributes to a bohemian city that prides itself on its vibrant arts community."

The academy has worked very hard over the years to supply any information that the Planning Commission has requested, said Brosnahan. We are hopeful that any remaining issues will be resolved shortly.

City officials agree that the university has made strides in several areas. It has removed illegal signage and brought some buildings up to code on life and safety violations. It has also made its shuttle system  which totals 42 vans and buses  more methodical and thoughtful.

Settlement possible

Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who has been one of the academys biggest critics, suggested the decade-long fight could be headed toward a settlement.

I am cautiously optimistic that cooler heads will prevail and we will be able to come to an agreement that rights some wrongs, returns some housing units to our affordable housing stock, and allows everybody to move forward, said Peskin.

Meanwhile, the city is pushing all institutions of higher learning to create student housing rather than cannibalize existing residential units. UC Hastings College of the Law and UCSF are collaborating on a tower in the Tenderloin, and UCSF has bought several parcels of land in Dogpatch. San Francisco Conservatory of Music is planning to build housing on Van Ness Avenue, and California College of the Arts purchased land for housing next to its Dogpatch campus.

In contrast, Academy of Art University has consistently said it is not in the real estate development business, even though its one of the largest property owners in the city. Supervisor Scott Wiener, who passed legislation that makes it easier for schools to build housing, said he would like to see the university contribute to the citys housing supply. I'd like to see AAU comply with the planning code and would love for AAU to build its own student housing, rather than taking over rent-controlled housing stock, he said. Like everyone else, AAU needs to comply with the law, including for any illegally converted dorms.

Brosnahan said the school struggles with the same housing issues as everyone else and is doing its best to address them, noting, Housing is a very serious concern on the part of a lot of people in the Bay Area  everybody is trying to balance the problem in a way that is appropriate."

He added: We come in peace. We come with a desire to solve these problems, to put them behind the academy and behind the city.

Doug Engmann, a former planning commissioner who helped write the 1976 legislation requiring institutional master plans, said that it will be hard to fix the academys long-standing zoning problems. Once you have changed how a building is used its hard to undo it, he said. Then the question becomes what penalties they pay and where the most egregious cases are.

Activities unclear

Meanwhile, city planners say its unclear whether the university, which uses different limited partnerships for its various property acquisitions, continues to snap up buildings. In 2012 it bought the Cannery, one block west of Fishermans Wharf, and 150 Hayes St., a 130,000-square-foot building that is part of the former California State Automobile Associations campus.

Chris Martin, whose family owned the historic Cannery for years, said he has been distressed to watch the university transform the property into a mostly private academic building instead of the open public retail complex that residents and visitors can enjoy.

To have a use like AAU deadens the block and doesnt help Fishermans Wharf, said Martin. Most of the building has been turned into classrooms, and there are about four retail tenants left in the building.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @sfjkdineen
Cold and flu season is not over yet. Some of the nastiest upper respiratory infections and knock-out influenza viruses strike in March. There's not a whole lot you can do to help your body battle these viral infections. Cough syrups and cold meds may help you feel better temporarily, but they don't help you recover any faster and they often cause brain fog and fatigue. Ibuprofen and other OTC painkillers may even prolong influenza. Even zinc and vitamin C are looking more like urban legend, as studies suggest neither supplement does much of anything to help you recover from a cold or flu.

But there is one remedy that really does seem to help ease cold and flu symptoms, based on both our experience and what science says  astragalus root. Yes, an herb with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine.

"Astragalus has been found to have both antiviral and immune-enhancing properties," says Dr. Randy Horwitz, medical director at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. "Research shows that the 50 or so different compounds in astragalus work by stimulating immune cells, such as T cells, phagocytes, and macrophages, to fight off disease. In Asia, it's even given to cancer patients."

RELATED: 10 Ways to Protect Yourself from Cold & Flu



According to Horwitz, there's a good amount of research to demonstrate astragalus's benefits for colds and flus  just not large placebo-controlled trials. "The problem botanicals have is they don't get the backing of big drug companies, which usually fund the multimillion-dollar human studies," he explains. "You can't test every botanical, and so unless a company wants to isolate a botanical compound for use in a drug, they rarely get tested in large human trials."

But that doesn't mean astragalus isn't effective. Because it's been used successfully in Asia for centuries and plenty of animal and in vitro studies have proven it has immunomodulating effects, Horwitz often recommends the herb to his patients suffering from colds and flus.

In most cases, he suggests trying astragalus when symptoms first start coming on. However, taking it daily during cold and flu season may also give you better odds of staying healthy. "If there's a lot of flu going around in your area, then sure, take it daily for a while," Horwitz says. "But with many compounds, it's common to build up a tolerance if they're taken regularly, so it's best to reserve astragalus for when your body may really need it." In other words, don't take it year-round. Besides, it isn't good to keep your immune system revved up all the time, Horwitz adds.

With astragalus, as with any herb, it's tough for doctors to recommend a specific dosage. Herbs can vary wildly in potency depending on where and how they were grown, what part of the plant you're using, and how it's prepared. If you buy whole astragalus root from an Asian market, Horwitz suggests slicing some into chicken soup or using it to make tea. You might have to tinker with how much you use. And if you purchase prepared astragalus capsules or a tincture from health food stores, Horwitz says to follow the dosage instructions printed on the label.

Finally, while you might find astragalus helpful, don't mistake it for a magic cure-all. "People often come to integrative medicine thinking we're hiding the magic bullet, but that's just not the case," says Horowitz. "Certainly, some herbs can help, but you can do more for your health by exercising regularly, eating well, and getting a good night's sleep. Use botanicals only to supplement healthy lifestyle habits."

This article originally appeared on mensjournal.com: The Cold Remedy That Actually Works
BOSTON  For some people, its easy to get carried away at a casino. So, imagine sitting at a slot machine and being able to track and limit your betting using an onscreen display.

Its currently not possible at any U.S. casino, but thats set to change as Massachusetts gambling regulators trying to curb gambling addiction say theyre ready to introduce a first-in-the-nation system allowing slot players to limit their bets over time.

Players using their casino reward card at a slot machine will be given an onscreen prompt to set a budget for the day, week or month. Play My Way, Massachusetts name for the new feature, was developed with nearly $200,000 in funding from the states annual assessment on casino operators.

Plainridge Park, a slot parlor and harness racing track in Plainville thats Massachusetts first casino, will test the new feature starting at the end of May, regulators announced Thursday.

This has never been done in the United States before and its never been done in any jurisdiction of the world where its been successful, Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said as the commission received an update on the systems development, which has been promised since Plainridge Park opened its doors last summer. So weve had to do this from top to bottom. That means everything from software design to marketing materials.

If successful, future casinos built in the state, like ones in development by Wynn and MGM, would be obligated to adopt the feature.

The American Gaming Association, a casino industry trade group, has voiced concerns about the technology, suggesting it hasnt proved effective at casinos in Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden and other countries where its been tried over the years.

Mark Vander Linden, state director of research and Responsible Gaming, said his office will be closely monitoring the Plainridge Park effort to measure effectiveness
HOUSTON  New military documents released Wednesday shed light on the character of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who walked away from his remote Army post in Afghanistan, but they deepened the mystery surrounding the most serious charge he will face at court-martial this summer on a charge of desertion.

Bergdahl, 29, of Hailey, Idaho, has been accused of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy after disappearing from his post in June 2009. If convicted of the more serious misbehavior charge associated with putting those who searched for him at risk, he faces a potential life sentence.
NEW YORK  The countrys largest celebration of Irish heritage had the streets of midtown Manhattan awash in green Thursday as thousands marched up Fifth Avenue for the annual St. Patricks Day Parade. And for the first time in decades, gay activists didnt protest it as an exercise in exclusion.

Roughly 200,000 marchers joined the procession of throbbing pipes and drums, smiling dignitaries and waving flags.

But this years parade celebration also stands to close a long chapter of controversy. A year after a limited easing of the parades prohibition on gay groups, organizers now have opened the lineup more broadly to include activists who protested the ban for years.

I never thought Id see the day when I could march up Fifth Avenue in the St. Patricks Day Parade with my husband, said Brendan Fay, chairman of the Lavender and Green Alliance, as the parade began. When we started in 1991, after getting arrested so many times for protesting the parade, wow, what a moment this is.

Besides marking firsts, this years parade also looked back, honoring the centennial of Irelands Easter Rising against British rule. It was also broadcast live in Ireland and the United Kingdom for the first time.

The grand marshal of the parade was former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell of Maine, who negotiated the Northern Ireland peace accord.

Organizers aimed to invoke the lessons of sacrifice and heroism, of love and tolerance, embodied in the Irish spirit, parade board Chairman John Lahey said when the plans were announced.

New Yorks parade traces its history to 1762.

For years, organizers said gay people could participate but couldnt carry signs or buttons celebrating their sexual identities. Organizers said they didnt want to divert focus from honoring Irish heritage.

Irish gay advocates sued in the early 1990s, but judges said the parade organizers had a First Amendment right to choose participants in their event.

Over the years, activists protested along the route, and some politicians boycotted. The pressure grew in 2014, when Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to march, and Guinness and Heineken withdrew their sponsorships. De Blasio joined Thursdays parade because of its new inclusiveness.

Gay activists who have been protesting the parade for 25 years said they were thrilled to be included in Thursdays celebration.

This is a massive victory, said Irish American Emmaia Gelman, 41, who was repeatedly arrested at parade protests.

In Ireland, record crowds celebrated with a parade led by prominent disabled rights activist, Joanne ORiordan, who was born without arms or legs. She beamed joyously as she steered her scooter past the estimated 550,000 lining the parade route in Dublin.
ROCHESTER, N.Y.  A New York pizza shop owner who admitted he tried to recruit people for the Islamic State group was sentenced Thursday to 22 years in prison.

Mufid Elfgeeh, 32, had pleaded guilty in December in federal court in Rochester to attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization in 2013 and 2014.
WASHINGTON  It was Day One for the traditional courtesy calls to senators, but theres not much about Merrick Garlands Supreme Court nomination that has adhered to tradition  or courtesy.

A day after his selection set the battle lines in a major fight over the court, President Obamas choice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia met only with Democratic leaders on Thursday  steering clear of the Republican leader who has vowed the Senate will ignore Garlands nomination and wait for the next president to fill the seat.

For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Capitol visit was a stunt orchestrated by the White House, his spokesman said. But for Democrats, it was just the opening salvo in a public campaign to make Garland, a mild-mannered jurist with sterling credentials, the best-known victim of Republican obstruction and a household name in every election battleground state.

Garland met with Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Said Leahy: I talked to him about where the hurdles are, and I talked to him about what I thought would happen if we actually follow the oath that weve all taken to uphold the Constitution.

Outside, Garland braved a throng of reporters and cameras but said nothing.

Before the Capitol Hill visit, more than a dozen Senate Democrats stood in front of the Supreme Court, using the telegenic backdrop to underscore their calls for Republicans to give Garland a hearing. Democrats cited polling showing public support for Senate consideration of the nomination, and eagerly linked the court fight to Donald Trump  the volatile front-runner for the GOP nomination and a source of embarrassment for the Republican establishment.

If Republicans stand in the way and refuse to do their job, it will only be because they want Donald Trump to pick the next nominee, said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The success of the Democrats plans hinge in part on rallying their grass roots to the cause  a task complicated by Obamas nomination of a moderate with little public record on many issues valued by the progressive wing of the party. Obama on Thursday tried to win over key interest groups and activists, holding a conference call to explain that this would be a priority that people all across the country would share, spokesman Josh Earnest said.
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Convicted pedophile and former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle was attacked on the yard at the Colorado prison where he's serving a 15-year sentence.

Now, the attacker's nephew is saying the sex offender is "lucky he's still alive."

Englewood prison inmate Steven Nigg, 60, pushed Fogle to the ground and threw multiple punches into his face, leaving him bloodied and bruised.

Nigg's nephew, Jimmy Nigg, Jr., told the New York Daily News that his uncle beat up Fogle because he's disgusted by his behavior in prison.

"He walks the yard and he's rubbing shoulders with people he shouldn't be," Nigg Jr., told the Daily News. "My uncle feels like he should never be allowed to do this."

What's more, Nigg disapproves of Fogle allegedly using cash to pay fellow inmates to protect him.

TMZ reports that the brawl occurred on Jan. 29 and Nigg's brutal pummeling was spurred by his disgust for child sex predators.

"We spoke to Nigg's family and they're not surprised. We're told Steven's p---ed because so many child sex predators are housed in the low security facility, and Fogle was just the last straw," TMZ reported.

Nigg, who is serving time for a fire gun conviction tied to a series of robberies, walked away unharmed, while Fogle was left with a bloody nose, swollen face and scratches on his neck.

"Jared's lucky he's still alive. My uncle was in a position to kill him. No one was there," Nigg, Jr., told the Daily News. "He got him down, then walked away. He's not a violent guy, he doesn't have a violent history. He's sending a message is what he's doing. A guy walks in with all this money and celebrity and instead of flying under the radar, he's going into the yard, walking around with big guys, saying no one can mess with me, flashing his money around and that's what (my uncle) is pissed off about."
A Marin County man was charged Wednesday in federal court with lying about having received the Purple Heart while falsely claiming to be a U.S. Marine.

Gregory Bruce Allen, 68, of San Rafael was charged in U.S. District Court in San Francisco with one count of making fraudulent representations about receipt of military decorations or medals, a misdemeanor.

Allen was named in a document known as an information, which in federal court typically signals that a defendant intends to plead guilty. He is due in court March 25.

Allen ran fitness gyms and held fund-raisers for his business during which he wore a U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant's uniform and told attendees -- many of whom wrote him donation checks -- that he had been awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, FBI Special Agent Melissa Vanek wrote in an affidavit.

The Purple Heart is awarded to those wounded or killed while serving in the military. The Bronze Star is a decoration awarded for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.

From 2013 to 2015, about $23,000 in donated checks was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Allen, authorities said.

Allen was at various times president of the Marin County chapter of the Military Officers Association of America based on his assertion that he had been a first lieutenant with the Marines, authorities said.

But military records show that Allen enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1968 and was honorably discharged eight months later, the affidavit says. "Allen was discharged due to a previously unreported knee injury for which Allen refused medical treatment," the document reads.

There are no records indicating Allen ever served with the Marines or received the Purple Heart, Vanek wrote.

This report originally appeared on KTVU.com.
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Pyongyang, North Korea

North Korea's highest court sentenced an American tourist to 15 years in prison with hard labor for subversion on Wednesday, weeks after authorities presented him to media and he tearfully confessed that he had tried to steal a propaganda banner.

Otto Warmbier, 21, a University of Virginia undergraduate, was convicted and sentenced in a one-hour trial in North Korea's Supreme Court.

He was charged with subversion under Article 60 of North Korea's criminal code. The court held that he had committed a crime "pursuant to the U.S. government's hostile policy toward (the North), in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist."

North Korea regularly accuses Washington and Seoul of sending spies to overthrow its government to enable the U.S.-backed South Korean government to take control of the Korean Peninsula.

Tensions are particularly high following North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch, and massive joint military exercises now underway between the U.S. and South Korea that the North sees as a dress rehearsal for invasion.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the sentence was "unduly harsh" and urged North Korea to pardon Warmbier and release him on humanitarian grounds.

"Despite official claims that U.S. citizens arrested in the DPRK are not used for political purposes, it's increasingly clear from its very public treatment of these cases that the DPRK does exactly that," Toner told reporters, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The University of Virginia said it was aware of news reports about Warmbier's conviction and remained in touch with his family, but would have no additional comment at this time.
The founder of a Bay Area nonprofit animal shelter is staying positive, even as the organization is faced with adopting out 240 cats by the end of May  one month before the group is being told to move out of its current Redwood City location.

"This is not the first time we've had to move," Dr. Monica Rudiger, founder of Nine Lives Foundation, said in an interview with SFGATE. "Quite honestly, every time we move, we improve. I do not take this as something negative.

"It's inconvenient, but it's not negative," Rudiger added.

The Nine Lives Foundation has been in operation since 2004, and the shelter  most recently known for rescuing and caring for an abused, purple kitten named Smurf  was asked by its current landlords to vacate the property by June 30.

Citing a positive eight-year relationship with the building owners, Rudiger said that rather than fight the end of their lease, they're looking for a new shelter location that would fit what they need as an organization.

"We want to take our time and find the right space that would be our permanent space," Rudiger said. The organization has moved five times in its 12 year history, and this time, Rudiger wants to ensure that the next place will stick.

"This time, we're going to be very diligent in planning it out, and if it takes a little longer to find the right space, I think it's worth taking the time so we don't have to move again in a couple of years," Rudiger said.

In the meantime, however, there is the major task of making sure the 240 cats currently sheltered at its Redwood City location are adopted out in the next two months.

"The public has been really great coming down and adopting cats that have been here a year or two, not just wanting kittens," Rudiger said, but other cats are still in need of homes while the shelter looks for a home of its own.

Smurf and his companion, Wanda (a blind cat that Smurf befriended during his time with Nine Lives), were happily adopted on Wednesday by their foster family, but there are still more cats, and Rudiger said they are unable to take on other cats ahead of its closure.

Not all is lost, however, as Rudiger confirmed that the foundation is in talks for a building to house its spay-and-neuter clinic, as well as its retail shop. Going forward, Nine Lives decided to split the foundation into a location for the shelter and another for its clinic. The hunt is now on for a shelter location, but Rudiger said they hope to stay in Redwood City, and that the community has come together to save Nine Lives.

"The reason I want to stay in Redwood City is that this is a city that actually takes care of its people and its businesses, and I've been overwhelmed by the amount of support that we're getting," Rudiger said. As the story of the shelter needing to relocate has gotten out, Rudiger said a number of local residents have offered to help. The hope is to find a landlord that would be willing to donate or rent a suitable building at an affordable rate.

For now, the focus, Rudiger said, is to make sure the 240 cats are adopted and there are enough donations to keep the organization running and moving into its yet-to-be-found new location.

"I have faith," Rudiger said. "I've been doing this a long time, and I do believe the cats are all going to find a place to go and nothing bad will happen to any of them. We're going to take care of all of them and hopefully they'll be in a home."
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What a wild world.

On Wednesday, fast food purveyors Taco Bell revealed their latest monstrous marvel: the Cheesy Core Burrito.

The potential new menu addition consists of a burrito full of melted cheese, and either red tortilla strips or jalapeno (depending on the epicurean adventure you choose), wrapped inside another burrito full of rice, hot sauce, and your choice of meat. Taco Bell is dubbing them the "Spicy Cheesy Core Burrito" and the "Crunchy Cheesy Core Burrito," and they are priced starting at $1.99.

The inception of burritos, if you will, is what some skeptics are calling a "reverse Quesarito," which was essentially a burrito inside a quesadilla, an item on the menu now for $2.49.

RELATED: Taco Bell's breakfast is about to get cheaper

But as is often the case with good news, the unveiling of this remarkable food (in every sense of the term) is served up with a caveat: currently, you can't get it in the Bay Area. You can't even get it in California. Taco Bell is only "testing" the food in two cities you won't easily find yourself visiting: Toledo, Ohio and Omaha, Nebraska.

"As with all menu items we test, we will listen to our customers' feedback and use that to help us determine if it makes sense for us to bring this to our restaurants nationally," a spokesperson for the chain told SFGATE.

Essentially, we're relying on customers in Ohio and Nebraska to help us get these creations. Hopefully it works out, but until then, we'll just keep dreaming about it.

See? This guy gets it.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. House passed a Republican-led resolution Thursday backing the state of Texas' challenge to President Barack Obama's unilateral action deferring the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants.

The resolution, volubly opposed by Democrats, passed along party lines, with 234 GOP lawmakers backing the measure. Five Republicans were opposed. Democrats, who have filed a separate brief to the Supreme Court, voted uniformly against the GOP measure.

The resolution, strongly backed by Republicans in the Texas delegation, fuels an election-year legal battle, with the House of Representatives formally weighing in against Obama's 2014 executive orders on immigration, which critics say exceed his constitutional authority.

The move authorizes House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.,to file a "friend of the court" brief opposing Obama in the case of U.S. v. Texas, which the Supreme Court could decide by June.

"This is about the integrity of our constitution," Ryan said. "[The] separation of powers could not be clearer."

Texas has taken the lead among 26 states challenging Obama's actions. The Supreme Court  minus the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia  is scheduled to hear arguments in the case next month.

The Obama initiative would extend deportation deferrals and work permits for undocumented workers with deep roots in the U.S. The program was temporarily blocked last year by a federal judge in Brownsville, Texas. After being upheld on appeal, the decision is now under high court review.

Immigration activists denounced the House action as a political stunt inspired by GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who has taken a hard line against illegal immigration.

"Today's vote has nothing to do with the Constitution and everything to do with the Republican Party's Trump-like strategy to build political power by fomenting anger, division, and xenophobia," said Jessica Karp Bansal, litigation director at the National Day Laborers Organizing Network.

Texas Republicans, who rallied around Ryan, said it is about enforcing the law.

"I see this as an issue of constitutional importance," said Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a former Harris County judge. "The issue is not immigration. The issue is whether or not the executive may issue a memo overriding Congressional law. I do not believe he has the authority to do so."
Lincoln, Neb. (March 17, 2016)  Improvements to the website of the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center and changes in the fee structure for parents making child support payments by credit and debit card were announced today by Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg. Both will take place March 31.

Parents making child support payments by credit card to the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center will no longer be charged a $15 convenience fee for each payment, but instead will pay a percent surcharge based on the payment amount, resulting in lower charges for many users, Treasurer Stenberg said.

The new surcharge will be 2.49 percent of the payment amount, Stenberg said. Parents paying child support by debit card will no longer pay the $15 convenience fee, nor will their payments include a surcharge.

An estimated 1,150 non-custodial parents currently pay child support by credit card or debit card out of the total 97,703 non-custodial parents obligated to make monthly child support payments in Nebraska. Eighty-five percent of child support payments in the state are remitted by employers on behalf of their employees through income withholding practices.

While this change affects a small percent of the non-custodial parents paying child support, it is significant because it furthers our goal to make paying child support as convenient as possible and as fair as possible for all. It also allows us to highlight the many convenient options we offer for parents to make their child support payments on time. Furthermore, it is part of our ongoing effort to improve our program so that children receive the financial support they need and deserve, Treasurer Stenberg said.

Stenberg said the new surcharge is similar to the method used by other state governmental agencies to offset costs incurred when accepting credit card payments. The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center (NCSPC) is a division of the State Treasurers Office.

Stenberg also announced improvements to two sections of the payment centers website at childsupport.nebraska.gov. The sections for non-custodial parents making payments and for custodial parents receiving payments have been rebuilt and redesigned to be more user-friendly and more secure with the use of encrypted passwords. Color and style changes are designed to be appealing to users and to help users find information quickly and easily.

For more than 65 percent of the non-custodial parents who currently pay by credit or debit card, the new fee structure will result in a lower user fee, given the average monthly payment of $475. Those whose fees will go up under this fee structure are being encouraged to switch to another form of payment offered by the Child Support Payment Center. In addition, the payment center is encouraging all non-custodial parents to sign up for electronic billing statements for more efficient service.

The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center offers more payment options than any other child support office in the country as well as more payment locations than any other payment center, said Troy Reiners, director of the payment center. Through partnerships created by the Treasurers Office with PayNearMe, MoneyGram, Western Union, and U.S. Payments PaySite Kiosks, the payment center now has more than 100,000 payment locations throughout the country.

Reiners said the Nebraska payment center is the only child support office that is considered a bill generator in the Master Card RPPS network, which allows parents to make electronic online bill payments through Automated Clearing House (ACH) rather than send paper checks by mail. This also allows non-custodial parents to use their banks mobile applications to remit payments quickly.

In addition, Reiners said the payment center soon will introduce two U.S. Bank E-Payment Service Kiosks in the Lincoln payment center, 233 S. 10th St., and at the office of the Douglas County Clerk of the District Court on the third floor of the Hall of Justice, 1701 Farnam St., Omaha. These new kiosks will accept cash, credit card, debit card, and personal checks with no fees attached except for the 2.49 percent surcharge on credit card payments.

The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center has been recognized nationally for its innovative and cost-effective systems and its use of electronic money transfer. Currently, 78 percent of all child support payments are received electronically, with that figure expected to reach 80 percent this year, and 98 percent of all child support payments are distributed electronically, saving money in postage, paper, and processing.

For more information, users may contact the Nebraska Child Support Payment Centers Customer Service team at 1-877-631-9973, Option 3, or visit childsupport.nebraska.gov.
This past week was declared National Agriculture Week. You may have noticed a flyer in your local newspaper promoting agriculture and, as I scanned several of the papers I receive in my office, I noticed several articles with agriculture as the main theme in the storyline. I want to give you a brief re-cap of my week and how it centered on agriculture.

Monday of this past week I was asked to accompany the Governor on a fly around of the state to promote agriculture. This tells you how important the Governor regards Nebraska's main industry. We were either accompanied on the airplane or met at various locations by Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Barb Cooksley, President of the Nebraska Cattlemen, Steve Nelson, President of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, and Courtney Dentlinger, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). I was included as the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the Legislature.

At each of our stops beginning in Hastings, continuing to McCook, on to Falls City and finishing a long day in Omaha, we congratulated people and communities for their accomplishments in the development and expansion of agriculture and agricultural-related industry. Mr. Ibach spoke about Nebraska's efforts to promote international trade. Ms. Dentlinger touted economic development and I followed her with my thoughts on the Department of Ag, DED and the Legislature making a new effort to work together to grow Nebraska and, in particular, grow rural Nebraska.

As we took questions, it was also apparent that the number one thing on the minds of the farmers and ranchers we met was the issue of property taxation and what is the Legislature and the Governor doing about this problem. In the last 10 years it is well known that agland property taxes have increased approximately 186%. This is totally unacceptable. As we wound up our day in Omaha we were met by the Omaha Agri-Business Club. These business leaders work or have worked in the agricultural field. They too questioned many things but property taxes were high on the list.

Tuesday I met with several agriculture leaders. This group was organized by, among others, the Nebraska Farm Bureau. They told me and other senators that the "clock is ticking" and they want action of some kind this year on property tax relief. I had introduced LB 940 this year that basically would call for a pause on statewide valuation growth until the Legislature comes up with a more permanent, sustainable fix. Other measures were also introduced, including LB 958, which was the Governor's offering. This bill was going to restrain spending by local government entities and also would cap statewide agricultural land valuation growth to 3% per year. At this time I am hearing of an agreement by the Revenue Committee that will direct $29 million or more to be added to the Property Tax Credit Fund. Currently, this fund benefits all property owners; however, this new infusion of dollars would be directed solely toward property tax relief for farmers and ranchers. I think the Committee has accepted this proposal and taken the rare step of ordering a public hearing to be held on this measure on Thursday, March 24 upon adjournment. I know this is past the normal time for public hearings however, this amended version of LB 958 introduces new subject matter that must be voted on by the committee. I would like to see this proposal not only pass quickly to General File but also offer more dollars to be directed to the Fund for this use.

I ended my week after adjournment of the Legislature in Beatrice at the E Energy Annual Meeting. This ethanol centered group promotes agriculture and uses corn for the most part, as it's central input. I am a member of the board of directors of this group and know the value provided to the state by agriculture in this industry.
Andrew Harnik/AP

Washington, D.C., should host an Olympics for finger-pointing. There would be no shortage of accomplished practitioners. Start with President Obama, who in introducing Judge Merrick Garland as his choice to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the big bench, asked the Senate to give him a fair hearing and then an up-or-down vote. If you dont, then it will not only be an abdication of the Senates constitutional duty, it will indicate a process for nominating and confirming judges that is beyond repair. It will mean everything is subject to the most partisan of politics  everything.

Youd never guess Obama not only voted against Chief Justice John Roberts, but also supported a filibuster  that is, he opposed an up-or-down vote  to thwart the confirmation of Samuel Alito in 2005. Hillary Clinton also opposed Roberts and supported an Alito filibuster. Both Roberts and Alito won confirmation with Democratic support  which tells you they were qualified, but not immune to the sort of partisan opposition that Obama now finds distasteful.
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BRUSSELS  European Union leaders agreed upon a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of refugees back to Turkey something they will propose to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday.

At late night talks in Brussels on Thursday, leaders backed a mandate for negotiations with Turkey that they said would not result in mass deportations and some differences were bridged over sweeteners to give Turkey in exchange for its help.

The 28 have agreed on a proposal, French President Francois Hollande said. It was late in the evening, but it has been done.

But Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that reaching an agreement had not been easy.

There too, it is a complicated process, he said. I think we can get a deal out of this, we have to get a deal out of this. But the race is not really finished yet.

Desperate to ease the pressure placed on Europes borders by the arrival of more than 1 million refugees in a year, the EU has turned to Turkey hoping to stem the flow of refugees into overburdened Greece.

The plan would essentially outsource Europes biggest refugee emergency in decades to Turkey, despite concerns about its subpar asylum system and human rights abuses.

Under it, the EU would pay to send new refugees arriving in Greece who dont qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every refugee returned, the EU would accept one Syrian refugee, for a total of 72,000 people to be distributed among European states.

In exchange for the help of Turkey  home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees  the EU will offer up to $6.6 billion in aid, an easing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens and faster EU membership talks.

The summit chairman, EU Council President Donald Tusk, and Rutte are scheduled to present Europes terms for an agreement to Davutoglu on Friday for his endorsement.

If Davutoglu objects, the heads of state and government of the 28 EU nations will meet again to reconsider their position.

But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel warned that Turkey must not expect a free ride.

An agreement can be no blank check, he said after the first day of the summit. A deal is possible but not a certainty. Wed rather have no agreement than a bad agreement.

Human rights groups and leading EU legislators have decried the plan as a cynical cave-in, sacrificing universal rights to pander to a restless electorate fed up with hosting people who are fleeing war and poverty.
JERUSALEM  Meir Dagan, who was widely credited with setting back Irans nuclear program through covert and daring operations as the director of the Mossad intelligence agency from 2002 to 2011, died Thursday. He was 71.

The Mossad announced his death, and a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said Mr. Dagan had died there of liver cancer. Mr. Dagan underwent a liver transplant in Belarus in 2012, but he faced complications after returning to Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in praising Mr. Dagan, referred to a well-known and chilling photograph in which Mr. Dagans grandfather was pictured, kneeling and humiliated before Nazi soldiers shortly before he was killed in the Holocaust.

Meir was determined to ensure that the Jewish people would never be helpless and defenseless again, Netanyahu said, and to this end he dedicated his life to building up the strength of the state of Israel.

Soon after he retired as Mossad chief, Mr. Dagan publicly criticized Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, and their policy of preparing for a military option against Irans nuclear program, telling an audience at a conference in Jerusalem that a strike on Irans nuclear installations would be a stupid idea.

Mr. Dagan argued that military action might not achieve all its goals and that it could lead to a regional war. His criticism became more personal in a statement to journalists after the military chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, and the director of the Shin Bet internal security agency, Yuval Diskin, also left their offices.

I decided to speak out because when I was in office, Diskin, Ashkenazi and I could block any dangerous adventure, Mr. Dagan was quoted as saying. Now I am afraid that there is no one to stop Bibi and Barak, he added, using Netanyahus nickname.

While in office, Mr. Dagan oversaw a number of reported operations that were hailed as great successes in Israel. Among them was the assassination of Iranian scientists and computer sabotage that weakened Irans nuclear program, amid concerns that Tehran was trying to build a nuclear weapon.

Ultimately, Israel did not use its military option. And last summer, the world powers reached a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program, which Israeli leaders consider a potentially existential threat to their country.

Mr. Dagan also criticized Israels political leaders for failing to seriously pursue a peace initiative with the Palestinians.

Last year, shortly before the general elections that returned Netanyahu to a third consecutive term in office, Mr. Dagan again lashed out against him.

How did it happen that the country, stronger by far than all the countries in the region, is incapable of carrying out a strategic move that will improve our situation, he said at a rally calling for political change. The answer is simple: We have a leader who is fighting one campaign only, the campaign for his political survival.

Born Meir Hubermann in 1945 in Kherson in what is now Ukraine, Mr. Dagan was the son of Holocaust survivors. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1950, two years after the state was founded, and enlisted in the Israeli military in 1963, where he served in the paratrooper brigade and fought as a company commander in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967.

Rising through the ranks, he was assigned by Ariel Sharon, the general who became prime minister of Israel, to establish a special unit to combat militancy in the Gaza Strip in the 1970s, and he was later appointed commander of the South Lebanon region. He retired from the military in 1995 with the rank of major general.

It was Sharon who appointed Mr. Dagan to lead the Mossad, where he served as director under three prime ministers: Sharon, Ehud Olmert and Netanyahu.
New Mexico State Police promised theyd be busting folks for harboring those two prison escapees. Now,

The New Mexico secretary of state, according to Matt Reichbach, has disqualified Sandra Jeff from the primary ballot in Senate District 22

Now that the president has nominated Merrick Garland to the US Supreme Court, Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, both New Mexico Democrats, say they want their colleagues to do their job and

in Santa Fe. The new facility, according to reports, could be open in less than two years.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specic articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.
COLUMBUS  Pay and benefit package raises for Columbus Public Schools staffers will be a mirror image of each other in 2016-17, with teachers, administrators and support staff all receiving 3.25 percent pay bumps for the coming year.

The board voted 5-0 Monday evening, with board member Candace Becher absent, to OK the pay and benefit package increases that become effective this fall.

The package for about 280 teachers increases district spending on salaries and benefits by nearly $687,000. The districts base pay for a new teacher will rise from $34,440 this year to $35,880 for 2016-17.

The package for 17 administrators, including district department directors, principals and assistant principals, increases spending by just more than $60,000.

The districts total spending on pay and benefits is more than $21.8 million.

The board will continue talks on Superintendent Troy Loeffelholzs two-year revolving contract later this spring.

In other business, the board got a snapshot of progress on the new high school north of 38th Street and voted to add a third guidance counselor position this fall to help with the upcoming transition of the middle school from three grades to four for the 2017-18 school year.

High school construction underway now for about 18 months has a completion target date of Jan. 15, 2017.

A spokesman for Hausmann Construction of Lincoln, the projects construction manager, told board members Monday workers will need some good weather to make up for some time lost to soggy conditions earlier in the schedule.

The construction spokesman said the project lost 48 days to bad weather, but there will be a lot of stuff getting done in October and November.

The board voted 5-0 to approve the third guidance counselor. There are currently two counselors at the middle school, which has an enrollment of more than 850 students.

The added staff member has an estimated cost of $70,340 in salary and benefits.

CPS will have a transition plan for current fourth- and fifth-graders. When the middle school is shifted to the current high school building, enrollment in the four-grade school is expected to rise to about 1,200 students.
Twenty shareholders in VistaGroup International will sell about a quarter of the company's stock to institutions and retail brokers at a 6.3 percent discount to yesterday's closing price.

Shares of the film software and analytics firm have been halted to allow an underwritten bookbuild run by Macquarie Capital and Macquarie Securities (NZ), which will see about 20.4 million shares sold to investors in an offmarket sale, the company said in a statement. Macquarie paid $5.25 a share in a block trade for the 25.5 percent stake, below yesterday's closing price of $5.60.

Chief executive Murray Holdaway is among those reducing his stake, selling 5.4 million of his 9.4 million shares and director of commercial and legal Brian Cadzow also sold 3.2 million of his 6.5 million shares.

Vista listed in August 2014, raising $92 million, of which $40 million was new capital earmarked to fund acquisitions, development plans, and reduce debt. The shares sold at $2.35 in the initial public offering.

Earlier this month Vista announced a joint venture with China's Beijing Weying Technology Co (WePiao), whose backers include the Wechat/Tencent Group, to help grow its presence in the Chinese film-going market, the fastest-growing in the world.

Vista today said that deal is proceeding, subject to conditions being met, and it will "continue its strategy of investing in high-quality film industry software solutions."

The trading halt will be lifted once the bookbuild is completed or when the market opens on Monday.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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COLUMBUS  Jason Rosenkranz knows his numbers  and they add up to setting a place at the table to feed hungry children on weekends.

The 45-year-old accounting department employee at Nebraska Public Power District deals with figures on the job and in his role in establishing the Food for Thought Weekend Backpack Program at Columbus Public Schools.

Im a numbers guy, said Rosenkranz, who has presided over the programs explosive growth during the last four years. Weve tripled the number of families were serving. Its been quite a journey.

Rosenkranz was presented with the Columbus Morning Rotary Clubs Service Above Self Award during a breakfast meeting on Thursday.

The program currently serves 293 families at the elementary, middle school and high school levels at CPS.

Service Above Self honors individuals from the Columbus area who exemplify the spirit of community service, both locally and around the world. The honoree cannot be a Rotarian.

The weekend backpack program paints a bulls-eye on the problem of food insecurity among low-income households in the public schools. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches in some local schools.

We estimate that about 200 students in Columbus are chronically hungry (because of persistent poverty), Rosenkranz told Rotarians. At least another 600 could benefit from the weekend food program, he said.

Heres the nuts and bolts of the program:

 Each Friday during the school year, a bag of nutritious food is sent home with participating students.

 A focus in each bag is to send home foods that are easy to prepare.

 Participating families remain anonymous.

 Students return to school Monday right to learn.

Rosenkranz was quick to deflect any credit for the success of the backpack program.

The real recognition for the program goes to all of the volunteers who have stepped up to give their support, he said. It takes a lot of people in the community to make a program self-sustaining.

Rosenkranz did leave Rotarians with a challenge  shine a spotlight on another stubborn social ill. Poverty.

The accountant asked the community to form a chapter of Circles USA, an approach to ending poverty that matches poor families with a circle of allies in a local town.

The allies, such as educators, employers, financial supporters and other resources, would link for 18 to 24 months with a goal of coming up with long-term solutions for escaping poverty.

It would take a coalition of organizations ... it will take a get down in the weeds effort, Rosenkranz said. I want to plant a seed here today.
LINCOLN  A revamp of Gov. Pete Ricketts' property tax plan will receive a rare late-session public hearing next week as lawmakers race the calendar to address the issue before adjourning for the year.

"Clock's ticking," said Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island, chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee. "We're trying to move as rapidly as we can with an important bill."

Ricketts signed off on the new proposal Wednesday. The Revenue Committee has scheduled the hearing for March 24 at 2 p.m.

Then, just 11 days will remain in the session, during which the bill (LB958) would need to be amended to reflect the changes, advanced from committee, placed on the Legislature's agenda for debate and passed through three rounds of voting.

Voting rounds must be held on separate days, with an additional day between the second and third rounds.

But Speaker Galen Hadley, who sets the agenda, said LB958 and any related property tax measures would be "very high" on his priority list. That could mean skipping debate on other senators' priority bills.

"I think the people of Nebraska have said these are important issues," Hadley said of the property tax measures.

The Revenue Committee's proposed replacement language for Ricketts' plan, which Gloor sponsored on the governor's behalf, essentially rewrites the entire bill.

I appreciate the continued work of Chairman Gloor and the Revenue Committee as they have collaborated with my team on designing a property tax relief plan, Ricketts said in a news release Wednesday. Continued collaboration will be important as we work together to deliver much-needed property tax relief for hard-working Nebraskans.

The new plan essentially comes in three parts:

 Changing how the state's property tax credit fund is distributed so more money goes to agricultural landowners, the group hit hardest by increasing tax bills that result from rising land values.

That shift wouldn't take effect until 2017, giving the governor and lawmakers time to find about $25 million to $30 million in the state budget, enough to boost the overall amount of credits so residential and commercial landowners won't lose out.

Other measures  such as Gloor's bill to raise the state's cigarette tax  could be used to generate revenue and provide those additional credits sooner, he said.

 Limiting the amount of allowable budget growth community colleges can stock up to use in later years at 3 percent of a college's overall spending.

 Allowing local governments to pool funds to insure themselves against future liabilities.

Ricketts' original bill and its companion measure in the Education Committee, LB959, were the products of months of meetings and discussions between lawmakers and the governor's office beginning last summer.

Yet the measure drew fierce opposition from cities, counties and other local governments during a public hearing Feb. 4.

Revenue Committee members and researchers with the governor's office have pored over the bill since then.

Their proposed changes are substantial enough and include enough new ideas that the committee decided an additional public hearing is necessary.

"If this were easy, it would have already been done," Gloor said.
LONDON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi willjoin the ranks of prominent global leaders at Madame Tussaudsin London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok next month, theworld famous wax museum announced today.



Describing him as a "hugely important figure in worldpolitics", the museum said the Indian Prime Minister had giventhe museum's team of artists and experts a sitting at hisresidence in New Delhi earlier this year.



"Madame Tussauds has crafted figures of verydistinguished dignitaries from around the world - how could Iregard myself worthy of being alongside them? But when I wasinformed that your decision had emanated from public opinionand public sentiment, I was comforted," Modi said in astatement to the museum.



"During my sitting, I observed the team carefully and wasdeeply impressed by its dedication, professionalism and skill.



I have visited Madame Tussauds three or four times and had thepleasure of getting myself photographed standing next to thefigures of various dignitaries," he said.



The wax figures at each of the museum's locations aroundEurope and Asia will be dressed in Modi's "signature kurta" incream with a jacket and he will be featured in a traditionalpose "making a namaste gesture".



"Prime Minister Modi is a hugely important figure inworld politics, a position supported by his place in the top10 of Time Magazine's Person of the Year List 2015," saidmuseum spokesperson Kieran Lancini.



"His massive social media presence - he is currently thesecond most followed politician on twitter after PresidentObama A also confirms the intense interest the public have inhim, a fact supported by the requests our guests have made forus to create his figure.



We are delighted to be including the Prime Minister'sfigure in our attractions in London, Singapore, Hong Kong andBangkok," he said.



Each figure took a team of Madame Tussauds' artists fourmonths and cost around 150,000 pounds to create.



"Guests will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder andmeasure up to one of the most powerful men in the world A andeven grab a selfie when the figures arrive in theirlocations," the museum said.



The launch in London and all other centres is expectedaround late April and it is yet to be confirmed if Modi wouldbe personally unveiling himself in wax at any of the fourlocations.



A new branch of Madame Tussauds is also set to open inNew Delhi as part of the India-UK Year of Culture in 2017,announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK lastNovember.



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MIAMI: Marco Rubio, the poster boy of the Republican establishment, quit the White House race today after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of front- runner and bitter rival Donald Trump in his home state of Florida.



Trump scored a massive win Florida, which he termed as his second home, by gaining the support of 45.5 per cent of the votes counted, while Rubio was a distant second with 27.1 percent of the votes.



Florida Senator Rubio, who had so far won primaries in Minnesota, Puerto Rico and Washington DC and had 163 delegates, was banking heavily on a win in his home state. But Trump's victory margin of more than 400,000 put curtains down on his presidential ambition.



The 44-year-old was endorsed by maximum number of party leaders, governors, senators and Congressmen. Indian-American leaders -- former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley -- were among the prominent Republican leaders backing Rubio.



In his speech in Miami, Rubio acknowledged that the country is in the middle of a political storm -- tsunami.



"America's in the middle of a real political storm," Rubio said.



"This is the right way forward for our party, for our country. But after tonight, it's clear that while we are on the right side this year, we will not be on the winning side," Rubio said.



"While this may not have been the year for a hopeful or optimistic message about our future, I still remain hopeful and optimistic about America," said the Florida Senator.



Noting that it was "not God's plan that I be the President in 2016", Rubio urged his countrymen not to give up on the sense of optimism he tried to push.



"I ask the American people do not give into the fear, do not give into the frustration," he said.



Notably, Rubio is not running for re-election of his Senate seat. His term ends in January 2016. Before dropping out of the race, Rubio did not indicate who he would be supporting for in the Republican presidential race but definitely not Trump.



While he was announcing to drop out of the race, his supporters were saying "No, No, No" and some other asking him to "Go to the Convention."



Rubio said this was not his time, but would continue to be fighting for the rights of the people of his country.



"We live in a republic and our voters make these decisions," Rubio said.



His speech was a thinly veiled rebuke of Trump's campaign tactics, as he warned that it would have been easier for him to exploit the anger and anxiety driving the race. He warned that the politics of division were going to leave America a "fractured nation."



In his impressive speech, Rubio also accused the "political establishment" for failing to pay heed to real frustrations from conservative voters.

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LONDON: The prospect of Donald Trump winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilising the world economy, according to British research group Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

In the latest version of its Global Risk assessment, theEIU ranked victory for the Republican front-runner at 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic "hard landing" rated 20.

Justifying the threat level, the EIU highlighted the tycoon's alienation towards China as well as his comments on Islamist extremism, saying a proposal to stop Muslims from entering the United States would be a "potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups".

It also raised the spectre of a trade war under a Trump presidency and pointed out that his policies "tend to be prone to constant revision".

"He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), and has repeatedly labelled China as a 'currency manipulator'." it said.

"He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jiadhi terrorism, including, among other things, advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS (and acquire its oil)."

By comparison it gave a possible armed clash in the South China Sea an eight  the same as the threat posed by Britain leaving the European Union  and ranked an emerging market debt crisis at 16.

A Trump victory, it said, would at least scupper the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February, while "his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war."

"There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn," it added.

However, the organisation said it did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in an election and pointed out that Congress would likely block some of his more radical proposals if he won November's election.

Rated at 12 alongside the prospect of a Trump presidency was the threat of Islamic State, which the EIU said risked ending a five-year bull run on US and European stock markets if terrorist attacks escalated.

The break-up of the eurozone following a Greek exit from the bloc was rated 15, while the prospect of a new "cold war" fuelled by Russian interventions in Ukraine and Syria was put at 16.

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NEW YORK: Breaking a three-year dry spell for Indian-Americans, two 17-year-old high school students have won the top prize of $150,000 with their medical-related projects in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search contest, the society for Science and Public (SSP) announced on Tuesday.

Although Indian-Americans have formed one of the largest ethnic contingents year after year at the contest and won several prizes, none had won the top prize since 2012 when Nithin Reddy Tumma received it for cancer research.

Two of the $75,000 second prizes, and two of the $35,000 third place prizes this year were also bagged by Indian diaspora teenagers.

Amol Punjabi won the First Place Medal of Distinction for basic research for developing a software that could help drug makers develop new therapies for cancer and heart disease. He is from Marlborough in Massachusetts.

Maya Varma's smartphone-based lung function analyzer won her the First Place Medal of Distinction for innovation.

Maya Verma used $35 worth of hobbyist electronics and free computer-aided design tools to create the low-cost device that diagnoses lung disease as accurately as expensive devices currently used in medical laboratories, the SSP said. She is from Cupertino in California.

SSP president Maya Ajmera said: "They and the rest of the top winners of Intel STS (Science Talent Search) 2016 are using science and technology to help address the problems they see in the world and will be at the forefront of creating the solutions we need for the future."

The prizes were given in three categories: Basic research, innovation and global good. All the Indian winners were in the research and innovation categories.

Meena Jagadeesan of Naperville, Illinois, won the Second Place Medal of Distinction for basic research for her work in mathematics.

Meena investigated an object in algebraic combinatorics, or the mathematics of counting, to reveal a novel relationship between classes of graphs.

For his study of random nanowire networks as a less costly alternative to the transparent conductors now used in touchscreen devices, Milind Jagota won the Second Place Medal of Distinction for Innovation. He is from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The two third place winners were Kunal Shroff and Kavya Ravichandran.

Shroff of Great Falls, Virginia, discovered new relationships between the key protein associated with Huntington's disease and the biological processes of cellular death that cause Huntington's symptoms. His work may lead to new treatments, SSP said.

Ravichandran studied the use of nanomedicine to destroy potentially fatal blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes. She is from Westlake, Ohio.

Fourteen Indian diaspora students were among the 40 students chosen to be finalists from among 1,750 students who entered the contest. The finals were held in Washington.

Among the Indian students' projects, eight related to the field of medicine, and three to mathematics, with one combining mathematics and cancer research.

This is the 75th year of the Science Talent Search competition, whose alumni have gone on to win 12 Nobel prizes, two Fields Medals, 11 National Medals of Science, 18 MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Fellowships.

One of the MacArthur fellows is computer scientist Maneesh Agrawala, a 1990 Science Talent Search finalist.

Read Also: Indian-American Students Dominate Intel Science Talent Search

U.S. Will Make Best Trade Deals Under Him, Says Trump

Source: IANS
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- So, what is St. Patrick's Day really?

For anyone who didn't know and was too embarrassed to ask (raises hand), our sister site over in Cleveland compiled this entertaining 60-second explainer on St. Patrick himself, and the meaning of this festive green holiday (see video above).

Meanwhile, here in New York, we have our own interpretation of the holiday, as civic groups and organizations march up Manhattan's Fifth Avenue today starting at 11 a.m.

The annual parade begins at 44th Street and makes its way north up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick's Cathedral to 79th Street. This year's Grand Marshal is Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.

For those attending, a few warnings: Alcohol is prohibited in the parade-watching areas, and large bags and backpacks are subject to search by the NYPD.

Police and school safety officers also plan to crackdown on students playing hooky from school so they can attend the parade.

It may have more attendees, but it will never match the spirit of Staten Island's St. Patrick's Parade. Here's a look at the fun had at our parade this year:
carfree.jpg

Some car-free areas are being designated in Manhattan on Earth Day to bring attention to becoming less dependent on the auto and the need to increase transportation options in places like Staten Island. (Car-free NYC Facebook page)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Inspired by an initiative in Paris, the chairman of the City Council's transportation committee is urging the observation of a car-free day on Earth Day, April 22.

Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) has announced a sort of pilot program with room for expansion on subsequent Earth Days.

Some car-free areas are being designated in Manhattan to bring attention to the benefit of being less dependent on the auto and the need to increase transportation options in places like Staten Island.

The Observer reports that the city will close down three areas of New York: Broadway, four blocks of Wadsworth Avenue in Rodriguez's Washington Heights district, and the streets around Washington Square Park.

To "drive home the cost of our over-reliance on cars in New York City," Politico reports that Rodriguez said the day can also be used to underscore the paltry transit options available to residents of so-called transit deserts like southeastern Queens and Staten Island.

Carpooling, walking and biking is an option for some New Yorkers.

In conjunction with Rodriguez's plan, Citi Bike and Water Taxi NYC have announced they will offer free 24-hour passes on April 22.

More information about promotions and events can be found on the Car Free NYC Facebook page.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - An edgy standup comic and former Miss Hibernia was arrested two more times for harassing and threatening her ex-boyfriend, police said.

Pauline Murphy, 25, of Dongan Hills, violated the order of protection instructing her to stay away from the man when she repeatedly called him, went to his work and made a social media post that said, "I would bludgeon him to death," according to allegations in court documents.

"It was an exaggeration," Murphy said of the death threat, in an interview with the Advance Wednesday. "I say a lot of crazy s--- on social media. It was an expression."

The alleged actions occurred from March 3-10, and violated the order issued by Judge Raymond L. Rodriguez, says the criminal complaint.

In a separate incident on March 11, court documents say, the boyfriend was at Hashtag Bar and Grill in Stapleton when Murphy came into the bar and allegedly confronted him, saying "Why can't we talk" and "Why don't you love me anymore?"

While officers were arresting her, Murphy knocked over glasses, kicked the bar stools toward her ex-boyfriend and kicked her legs while trying to avoid arrest, the complaint says.

She told the Advance she was going to the bar, where she used to work, for some drinks with a friend, and said she never saw her ex that night.

"I didn't say 'Why don't you love me anymore,'" Murphy said. "When I was in the bar I saw a mutual friend of ours and had a feeling he was there. He must have called 911.

"I was pissed. I didn't want to leave. That's my bar."

In the first incident, she was charged with three counts of criminal contempt in the second degree and two counts of stalking, prosecutors said.

In the second incident, Murphy, who lives on the 100 block of Burgher Avenue, was hit with another second-degree criminal contempt charge as well as harassment and resisting arrest, court records show.

Murphy's attorney, Philip Ohene, declined comment Wednesday.

Murphy allegedly snatched a dog from her ex-boyfriend's house the first time she was arrested and was busted again for violating an order of protection when she showed up at his Mariners Harbor home and repeatedly banged against the front door at 3:30 a.m. earlier this month, police said.

Murphy, who earned a master of arts degree with distinction from Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y., in 2013, was chosen Miss Hibernia 2015 and led the borough's St. Patrick's Parade last year.

A standup comedienne with an edgy sense of humor about the modern dating world, Murphy goes by the stage name Pauline Herveaux.

In addition to hosting several comedy nights around the borough, she performed last year at the legendary comedy club Caroline's and has appeared on television.
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As his campaign staff members tweeted pictures of cleaning out their offices, Rubio said he had no thoughts about how to organize his 169 delegates gained in the early primaries and whether he would try to back one of the remaining candidates to put Texas Sen. Ted Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich over the top to knock off Trump at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July.
Even after being denied victory in five contests Tuesday, Cruz insists he still has a path to the 1,237 delegates necessary to claim the Republican presidential nomination. But in a strategy memo obtained by The Associated Press, his campaign essentially cedes Arizona's March 22 primary to Trump and acknowledges Cruz must win 79 percent of the remaining delegates before the GOP's July national convention.
But the self-proclaimed new region includes some areas that are neither Kurdish nor under Kurdish control, such as a stretch of territory between the city of Aleppo and the border town of Azaz that is almost entirely Arab. It is fiercely contested by Syrian rebels, the government, the Kurds and the Islamic State, and both Russia and the United States have conducted airstrikes in the area on behalf of their respective allies.
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About Kate

Why this blog?

Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked.

This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me."

(goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated!



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Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick

"The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle

"Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group

I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs

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Via Rigzone;

Petroliam Nasional Bhd.'s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on Canada's Pacific Coast faces further delay as the minister responsible prepares to declare it will likely have a significant environmental impact, according to people familiar with the matter.

Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna will refer a verdict to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet rather than approving the C$36 billion ($27 billion) project with conditions, said to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision isn't yet public. The government's review period ends March 22 but the cabinet has no deadline for its deliberations.

The Pacific NorthWest LNG decision is among the first tests of the Trudeau government's handling of energy and climate issues. Earlier this year, it overhauled the environmental-review process to consider greenhouse-gas emissions from proposals and boost the role of cabinet in approvals. Liquefied natural gas proponents in Canada were already playing catch-up with global competitors before the oil-market collapse brought down LNG prices and caused companies to crimp spending on megaprojects.

"This is going to be widely watched as a barometer on the government's interest in supporting what is the driver of the Canadian economy, which is energy," said John Stephenson, chief executive officer and founder of investment firm Stephenson & Co. in Toronto. Petronas could abandon the project if the government imposes costly conditions on development, he said. "Any hiccup from the government's side, I could see these guys walking."
San Mateo, CA (94402)

Today

Wind increasing. A mix of clouds and sun. High around 65F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low 51F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01ada20)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0217a80)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01ada20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0217a80)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0217cc0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0217a80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0217a80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880d8a8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0287ed8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0287ed8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0252398)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0223858)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0252398)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0223858)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f024c708)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0223858)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0223858)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880cf38)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0137758)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0137758)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0396028)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f056c038)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0396028)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f056c038)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0368ac0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f056c038)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f056c038)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dc98)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f056c710)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f056c710)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02381e0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f012ea50)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02381e0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f012ea50)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f025d2d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f012ea50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f012ea50)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dc68)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f00d98d8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f00d98d8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f00fe5c0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0373f60)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f00fe5c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0373f60)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0212190)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0373f60)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0373f60)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dbc0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02a7090)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02a7090)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
A central target is Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, who has said any Obama nominee would not get a hearing before his Judiciary Committee. Democratic Senators, from left, Harry Reid of Nevada, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Charles Schumer of New York and Dianne Feinstein of California at the White House as US President Barack Obama announces his nomination for the Supreme Court. Credit:Bloomberg Facing a tough Democratic challenger and pressure from liberal activists, Senator Grassley talked with Judge Garland by phone on Wednesday and held out the possibility of a meeting. Democratic aides say they aim to pressure Senator Grassley into holding a hearing. Whether he does or not, they see Senator Grassley in the meantime struggling to justify his current hard-line position, which they think could help his Democratic opponent in November, former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks to the chamber after President Barack Obama urged Senate Republicans to grant hearings and a confirmation vote to Merrick Garland. Credit:AP Republican senators facing re-election in New Hampshire, Illinois, and Ohio have said they are willing to meet with Judge Garland. Democrats say the fight could make Senate races in Missouri and North Carolina competitive as well, though independent analysts say they still face an uphill climb. Some conservative groups say Judge Garland's past rulings indicate that he would push the court to the left on gun rights, government regulations and other key issues. He looks like a left-leaning version of Chief Justice John Roberts: a mid-westerner with double degrees at Harvard who clerked for the same circuit judge, moved on to work for Supreme Court justices, served on the DC Circuit and made friends on both sides of the aisle. Merrick Garland, associate deputy attorney general, speaks to the media following the hearing of Oklahoma bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh in April, 1995. Credit:AP Conservatives will tread carefully in their push to block Judge Garland's candidacy. "If you start eviscerating him in the public sphere, you're going to create sympathy and the White House will use that," said Jason Pye, a spokesman for libertarian group FreedomWorks. Members of the network have already sent more than 500,000 emails urging Republican senators to stick to their position, he said.

Some on the left say they may have a hard time rallying their members behind a centrist, 63-year-old white male candidate. Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley in Washington on Wednesday. Credit:AP Considered a moderate who follows Supreme Court precedent, Judge Garland sits on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which hears a large proportion of the legal challenges to major federal regulations in areas such as the environment and labour. Often brought by business groups like the US Chamber of Commerce, the cases are assigned randomly to three-judge panels. Judge Garland has avoided some of the most contentious cases of recent years, including challenges to government efforts under President Barack Obama to curb carbon emissions and ensure equal access to Internet data via its so called "net neutrality" rule. Some of his opinions and votes in his 19 years on the bench have already attracted criticism from conservative and pro-business groups following his nomination to the high court by Mr Obama on Thursday. They say he too easily defers to government action.

"We have great concerns about this nominee's record," said Juanita Duggan, president of the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small business owners. The group cites several cases, including one from 2003 in which the appeals court ruled against a developer challenging a finding the federal government had authority to force it to take measures to protect an endangered toad on the property under the federal Endangered Species Act. The ruling, written by Judge Garland, was a win for the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, which was defending the actions of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Judge Garland wrote a narrow decision, saying he was merely staying in line with court precedent. In another case mentioned by the business group, Judge Garland was on a three-judge panel that in 1998 upheld Environmental Protection Agency emissions limits for nitrogen oxides from electric utility boilers. More recently, Judge Garland was on a panel in 2014 that upheld an Obama administration air pollution rule that limits emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. The court held that the government was not required to consider the cost of compliance before issuing the regulation. The Supreme Court in June 2015 threw out that decision, although the regulation remains in place.
"Towards the end [of the service] the pastor gives a sermon. I learned about the Preacher Chord  the chord progression goes through a cycle as the pastor builds to a climax. You have to listen to the rhythm and anticipate when he will peak  which is all built up by the pastor. I try to sync up the rhythms with the drummer, finding the rhythm of the timing in the pastor's words."

This award-winning jazz pianist and composer is now touring Australia to celebrate the release of his new trio album, The Knife. Reuniting for the tour are some of Winkelman's favourite jazz co-conspirators, Ben Vanderwal (drums) and Sam Anning (bass).

Winkelman has released three critically acclaimed albums. His second album won the AIR Award for best independent jazz release, while his first and third were nominated for an Australian Jazz Bell Award and an AIR Award respectively.

Winkelman's new album The Knife is quite simply joyous to listen to. Throughout the album he creates jazz melodies that shift in and out of familiar Cuban songs and rhythms, or cleverly reference his time working in the gospel scene. I mentioned that the album really held my attention and I could have listened to it all day. This was something that Winkelman told me he thought about while composing.

"When I created each song I clearly had in mind the audience and what they would want to hear. In doing this I shifted away from basing tunes around different sections or motifs towards that of longer melodies."
THURSDAY, March 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Young Americans increasingly favor adoption rights for gays and lesbians, with three-quarters of females and two-thirds of males now voicing support, according to a new government report.

These statistics from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics reflect a steady rise from 2002, and a significant shift in attitudes across the nation among people 15 to 44 years old.

The report doesn't explore the reasons for this change. But one gay dad who studies sexuality believes familiarity with gays and lesbians has fostered growing acceptance of gay families.

"We have more visibility, and more people see us as individuals who live nearby, which contributes to more favorable attitudes," said Sean Massey, an associate professor of women, gender & sexuality studies at Binghamton University in New York. Massey and his husband adopted a son, now 13, in 2002.

The report, released March 17, is based on ongoing surveys about U.S. attitudes regarding marriage, childbearing and sex. About 45,000 people aged 15 to 44 were questioned in 2002, 2006-2010 and 2011-2013.

Based on this study, it's impossible to say whether pop culture mainstays like TV's "Modern Family" are molding -- or reflecting -- changing views.

But in the big picture, the findings "fit into broader societal trends of greater acceptance of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) lives," said Rachel Farr, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky.

"Visibility of lesbian and gay parents is increasing, and it is likely that more people's lives have somehow been touched by this issue of lesbian and gay adoption in positive ways," said Farr, who wasn't involved in the study.

Indeed, research has shown that people are more positive about same-sex marriage and adoptions by gay people when they know gay people personally, are friends with them, or have talked with them about what life is like in society as a gay person, said Robert-Jay Green. He founded the Rockway Institute for Research in LGBT Psychology and is professor emeritus of clinical psychology at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University.

While the new numbers reflect growing support for gay and lesbian adoption rights, there's a twist. People in their late 30s and early 40s are significantly less tolerant than those in their teens, 20s and early 30s.

Overall, 68 percent of men and 75 percent of women in 2011-2013 agreed that gay or lesbian adults should have the right to adopt children, the researchers said.

But only about two-thirds of women aged 35 to 44 voiced support versus 83 percent of 15- to 24-year-olds. Similarly, three-quarters of younger males were in favor compared to six out of 10 in the older age group, the findings showed.

In another complication, Massey said it's possible that those who support gay adoption are not entirely tolerant of gays and lesbians.

For example, slightly less than half the men surveyed and about 60 percent of women said they approve of sexual relationships between same-sex adults. These percentages are higher than they were a decade ago, the survey found. Yet these numbers are still far lower than the numbers who support adoption by gays and lesbians.

Attitudes about other people can be "complex and sometimes contradictory," Massey said. For example, he said, someone may say they support gay adoption but be especially judgmental when they see a family with gay parents "when we aren't at our best."

Research suggests that kids of gay parents fare as well as other children, however. "After decades of study, researchers have found no evidence that parents' sexual orientation affects their child's well-being, academic achievement or relationship skills," said Rachel Riskind. She is an assistant professor of psychology at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C.

Some kids may face challenges outside of the home, however. "Many kids with lesbian or gay parents experience bias or discrimination against their families, just like other kids who are members of marginalized groups, but it doesn't generally have a lasting impact on their well-being," Riskind said.

The report, by Jill Daugherty and Casey Copen of the vital statistics division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, is published in the National Health Statistics Reports.

More information

For more about gay adoption, see the Independent Adoption Center.
Mental health nurses say an accused murderer said he wanted to kill an older patient in his ward in the weeks following his alleged killing of Miodrag Gajic.

The Crown's case against Danny Klobucar, 27, was all but completed on Thursday, as prosecutors called their final two witnesses in the ACT Supreme Court trial.

Miodrag Gajic.

Mr Klobucar is accused of beating Mr Gajic, 71, to death near the front door of his Phillip unit on New Year's Day 2014.

It is alleged that Mr Klobucar, who was said to be struggling with delusions, formed the belief that Mr Gajic was a paedophile two days earlier, when he went with his uncle went to buy cannabis from the deceased.
A Philippine bank manager who approved funds transfers at the centre of an attempted $US1 billion ($AU1.3 billion) international cyber heist was only following orders from high-level officials, her lawyer says.

Branch manager Maia Santos Deguito allowed $81 million to be withdrawn last month despite requests from the Bangladesh central bank - the owner of the funds - to stop the transfers, after a printer error inadvertently tipped off authorities.

Bank manager Maia S. Deguito testifies before the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into how $81 million of Bangladesh's stolen funds were transmitted online to four private accounts. Credit:Bullit Marquez

Investigators managed to halt $850 million in scheduled transactions, and cancel a $20 million payment to Pan Asia Banking.

But the $81 million that entered the Philippine banking system was credited to beneficiary accounts with Rizal Bank and eventually withdrawn.
London: The Guardian is to cut 250 jobs as it seeks to stem heavy losses, raising the threat of its first-ever compulsory redundancies.

The UK publisher told staff there was "urgent need for radical action" as it announced 100 journalists and 150 other staff will lose their jobs.

In total the Guardian will seek to reduce its staff by 310, as 60 vacant roles will not be filled. The redundancies in editorial account for about a seventh of its UK newsroom.

Kath Viner, editor of the Guardian, and David Pemsel, chief executive of Guardian Media Group, said they would aim to rely on volunteers to make the savings required, but warned they could not rule out compulsory redundancies.
Rio Tinto's head of copper and coal, Jean-Sebastien Jacques, has been anointed as the next chief executive of Rio Tinto, and will take the reins from incumbent Sam Walsh, who has been CEO since 2013.

Mr Jacques's success in striking a deal after a three-year, and at times tortuous, negotiation with the Mongolian government for a $US5 billion ($6.7 billion) expansion of the Oyu Tolgoi mine helped position him for the top job. He also secured a $US4 billion financing package for the expansion, which is expected to be approved by the Rio board in the next few months.

He will become a board member and deputy chief executive with immediate effect, and take over from Mr Walsh in July.

Australian investors may not be very familiar with Mr Jacques, who has more of a profile with London investors, where he is based. The new chief is known as "J-S" in Rio circles. He is 44-years-old.
The tax office, like the big banks, is 'too big to fail', submissions to a federal inquiry say, and thereby should not be subject to less scrutiny.

A federal inquiry is examining whether the Australian Taxation Office suffers from too much scrutiny.

Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan says there is too much duplication when it comes to scrutiny of his office. Credit:Louie Douvis

Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop has said it is not up to the ATO how much scrutiny it faces from Parliament.

Government agencies that have the task of looking into the ATO's affairs and several tax and business lobby groups have also cautioned against watering down oversight.



The ATO, which handles tax revenue of about $340 billion each year, in its submission to the inquiry says "duplication and overlap is evident across and within scrutineer work programs" and suggests the ATO may in future be treated with an "earned autonomy/differential approach".
From Hogarth's satire to Duchamp's piss-take in a urinal called Fountain, art has often been funny  and turned in on itself.

Jordan Marani runs with the theme, embedding profanities in colourful patterns at Brunswick's Counihan Gallery. Look hard and you'll make out the words "bullshit artist".

Installation view of Alice Lang's large woollen work Epic Fail at the Counihan Gallery as part of Is This Thing On? Credit:Janelle Low

The exhibition Is This Thing On? is timed to share the Melbourne International Comedy Festival stage and pulls together some of the city's wittier artworks. It'll appeal to comedy fans averse to late nights. In a gallery, comedy can be consumed by day instead of close to midnight in the company of pumped-up crowds reeking of late-night souvlakis.

Yet the two spheres, performance and art, still have much in common, says co-curator Victor Griss. "Making art is an act of bravery which is what it shares with stand-ups  you're putting yourself out there to be judged."
Between a Wolf and a Dog, by Georgia Blain As if these obstacles were not enough, she also faced a surreal irony in her work. As the novel opens, a central character, Hilary  vibrant 70-year-old filmmaker, mother of therapist Esther and failed songwriter April  reveals to the reader but not her children that she has cancer, and it has spread to her brain. Hilary is contemplating whether to end her own life before the disease does. "When I went back to the copy edits I thought, 'Oh God, am I going to feel differently about this book, now that I'm in Hilary's shoes?'," Blain tells me as we drink herbal tea in her Marrickville living room, looking out over the serene green lawn where she had her seizure that dreadful day. "The good thing was I didn't feel differently about the novel, but nor did I feel the same way the character does about her situation. I don't need to consider the choice that Hilary faces. For one thing, I'm in a different phase of life, I'm younger than she is. I have a partner and a daughter. I want to hang on to every chance I have to get myself a little bit more time." Time, and its healing capacity  or not  is a central concern of Between a Wolf and a Dog. A betrayal between sisters, the ache of professional and personal failure, the commonplace yet genuine pain of the walking wounded who limp through Esther's therapist's office, are sensitively explored in Blain's spare, resolute prose.

Grief at sibling conflict and loss is a recurring theme of her work; it emerges again in both new novels. One of her two brothers, Jonathan, had schizophrenia as a teenager and his terrifying psychotic episodes and subsequent suicide are detailed in their mother's powerful 1998 memoir, Tell Me I'm Here. Blain used to feel ashamed that her writing kept revealing a preoccupation with this wound. "I was embarrassed about it  there was that male sort of notion that you had to write completely outside yourself, and you should be demonstrating a breadth of skill. But I'm not that kind of writer. And I'm not embarrassed any more because many writers I love  like Alice Munro and Richard Ford, for example  write into the same material over and over. And what you write in your 20s is very different from how you interpret things when you're 50. You have quite a different angle on the same concerns." Another recurring theme is the gap between one's political values and personal behaviour. The ethical ground of Between a Wolf and a Dog shifts when Lawrence, Hilary's pollster son-in-law, begins tweaking party polling results before releasing to the media. Just a little massaging of figures, in a subversive protest against the privileging of mob opinion over expert knowledge. Lawrence sees his work as "the horrifying conclusion of democracy  everyone had the chance to speak. Worse still, the dross of it was being listened to; extracts of sludge were being drawn out, held up as truth." Blain's interest in this grew over 20 years of part-time work alongside a Fairfax-Nielsen pollster colleague. Does she think this fakery of figures really happens?

"No, not necessarily. But certainly pollsters push angles in their questions, and can shape the questions to focus on particular issues at the expense of others. You can keep pushing questions about the instability of a government, for example, so you create the story. And when you give the poll results to the media, you frame them in certain ways: you say, 'Look, the startling result here is this'. And of course journalists can unpack this but they don't, always." Blain's artistic gaze is unerring, her characters never idealised. "I get slammed for having unlikeable characters. My women are often ambivalent about parenthood, they're seen as stern and too reserved  but I never, ever think they're unlikeable at all. I'm always completely flummoxed! I think, 'Oh, I thought she was quite nice!' But there are two consistent criticisms: I talk too much about the privileged middle class, and my women aren't likeable. It used to worry me," she says, laughing, "but now I couldn't give a rat's arse." Her ability to laugh during our conversation  she makes many black and very funny jokes  astounds me, as does her claim that in some ways she feels lucky. "I don't want to sound Pollyannaish and say it's a good thing to have cancer. It's a f---ing awful thing to have cancer. But as my surgeon told me when he delivered the bad news, I have a chance to reassess my life, and how I spend my time now. And I feel lucky to have found love in my life, when many people don't."

Too ill now from chemotherapy side effects to start a new book, Blain has begun a short monthly column for The Saturday Paper about her cancer, called The Unwanted Guest. It's piercing reading, customarily unflinching, beautiful in its honesty and clarity. "I can write, which is good, but I'm grasping the possibility now that I might be this sick until the day I die," she says. "When I plummet, I try to keep hold of the hope that this part is temporary." Near the novel's end Hilary observes: "All around her it is quiet and still. It is that hour, she thinks. Where day turns to night." That hour, that ambiguous space between light and dark, between embracing what's possible and falling into despair, is Blain's uneasy new home. "There's a sort of stillness now, after the first flurry. Which is tricky. I have to ask how do I live, in the time I have left? I guess I've ended up writing about just this question. What are the things that genuinely make us happy? How do we measure those things? How do we work out what really matters, before the end?"
The Shortlist's top 5 Melbourne gigs: March 18-23

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Australian television has love affairs with its actresses. The chosen ones find themselves hotly in-demand. They star in successive productions, enjoying steady work in a profession that's notoriously fickle. They become the go-to gals for producers and network executives; they smile from magazine covers; they win awards. Lisa McCune had substantial run as the object of this adoring gaze, as did Sigrid Thornton, and Rebecca Gibney has proven an enduring passion. Now it's Marta Dusseldorp's turn as TV's leading lady.

If not unprecedented, it's certainly exceptionally rare for an actress to be starring in two drama series screening in the same year on different networks, while also appearing in a key supporting role in a third. Yet that's the happy place that the statuesque, 43-year-old mother of two finds herself in.

Janet King, the ABC's legal drama series spun-off from 2011's Crownies, in which she plays the title character, a senior Crown prosecutor in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), is set to screen its second, eight-part season.
Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier

The board earmarked $1.54 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the dredge, designed to keep channels open and supply sand to nourish eroding beaches up and down the York County coast and beyond.
A large Australian spider discovered in a small town at the top of New Zealand's South Island probably blew across the Tasman but is unlikely to live through the harsh Kiwi winter.

The Bibby family were surprised to discover a large golden orb web spider feasting on bees and wasps under the pergola at their home in Mapua, near Nelson.

The sheen of the golden orb's web is clear in the sunlight. Credit:Vicky Smith

Neville Bibby said he had no idea how the Australian native got there but "it's rather nice to have her".

"She has a magnificent web," Bibby said. "I can see why they call it a golden orb web spider  the web in sunlight is quite a golden colour."
"Parliament is a robust place and nobody in this house is a shrinking violet. "However, it is clear that the Opposition intend to continue to attempt to gain advantage through political smear on the basis of tabled documents that contain nothing but hearsay and anonymous allegations and innuendos against me. "That is why today I can advise the House that I have written to the Speaker requesting that he refer this matter to the Ethics Committee to be investigated." The referral also prevents the LNP from talking about the issue, as members are prevented from speaking on issues before the Ethics Committee, under parliamentary rules. Speaker Peter Wellington also referred a matter to the Ethics Committee, following Ms Trad's statement, in regards to Mr Ward's complaint.

"I sought Mr Ward's consent to me raising the matters referred to in his correspondence with the Member for Cairns," he said. "Mr Ward refused and to date the Member for Cairns has not raised any of these matters with me. "I note that there is no procedure for the Speaker to accept and consider complaints about matters of privilege directly from members of the public. "That being said after reviewing Mr Ward's material I note that most of the serious maters alleged were based on hearsay. "That is Mr Ward was not a party to the relevant conversations but was restating matters he had allegedly been told and some of the matters alleged were based on supposition based on his observations."

Mr Wellington said he had advised Mr Ward "that in all circumstances I intended to take no further action in relation to the matter", adding he "would normally not refer a matter raised in such an unorthodox manner, that is the tabling of hearsay allegations", but given Ms Trad's referral, he would. Following are full statements from Jackie Trad and Peter Wellington: Full statement from Ms Trad: "Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in question time asked the premier about claims that I had behaved inappropriately in my dealings with the Member for Cairns," she said. "I note that no complaint has been made by the Member in question. Even as recently as today, the Member for Cairns has stated that he has no intention of making such a complaint.

"The only complaint has been made by a member of the public, Mr Jason Ward, who was not present or party to the conversation in question. "This is confirmed in Mr Ward's own statutory declaration which has been tabled in the House. "Mr Ward has previously raised this issue in the media and his complaint was referred to the Speaker for consideration. "Mr Speaker, on the 29 January 2016, you advised Mr Ward that you would not pursue the complaint unless it was raised by a Member of Parliament. "Again, I note that no complaint has been made by the Member in question and the Member has stated he has no intention of making any such complaint.

"I reject the suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition that I bullied the Member for Cairns. "Of course Mr Speaker, I have had robust conversations with the Member for Cairns and as a passionate advocate for his community he has been robust in return," she said, to guffaws from the Opposition. "Parliament is a robust place and nobody in this house is a shrinking violet. "However, it is clear that the Opposition intend to continue to attempt to gain advantage through political smear on the basis of tabled documents that contain nothing but hearsay and anonymous allegations and innuendos against me. "That is why today I can advise the House that I have written to the Speaker requesting that he refer this matter to the Ethics Committee to be investigated."

Full statement from Mr Wellington: "This morning I received correspondence from the Deputy Premier in relation to a statutory declaration by Mr Jason Ward tabled by the Member for Cairns. "The Deputy Premier requested that I refer the allegations of intimidation and improper conduct by her towards the Member to the Ethics Committee. "The material tabled by the Member for Cairns had been forwarded to me by Mr Ward some time ago. "I sought Mr Ward's consent to me raising the matters referred to in his correspondence with the Member for Cairns.

"Mr Ward refused and to date the Member for Cairns has not raised any of these matters with me. "I note that there is no procedure for the Speaker to accept and consider complaints about matters of privilege directly from members of the public. "That being said after reviewing Mr Ward's material I note that most of the serious maters alleged were based on hearsay. "That is Mr Ward was not a party to the relevant conversations but was restating matters he had allegedly been told and some of the matters alleged were based on supposition based on his observations. "I informed Mr Ward that in all the circumstances I intended to take no further action in relation to the matter.
Cairns MP Rob Pyne said he was "surprised and hurt" by the attacks launched against him by one of the state's most powerful unions, after he quit the Labor Party and moved to the cross bench.

Mr Pyne has dominated the Queensland Parliament sitting this month, after his shock move to the cross bench left the Palaszczuk Government wounded and without a buffer from any further member losses.

The now-Independent MP for Cairns Rob Pyne Credit:Chris Hyde

But it was his signing of a crossbench agreement with the Katter Party MPs to support the LNP if Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk followed through on her repeated threat to go to an early election which saw the attacks against Mr Pyne escalate.

The Opposition has been using the public comments in attacks against the Labor government, leading to uncomfortable questions for the premier over whether she condones "bullying" or if the comments stand up to the standards she has set her government.
Purana taskforce detectives have joined the investigation into the murder of Joseph "Pino" Acquaro, as police confirmed the exact time the business owner and lawyer with Calabrian Mafia links was gunned down.

The Purana detectives, specialists in Melbourne gangland criminals, will join the homicide squad in the investigation into the shooting on Tuesday morning in Brunswick East.

Mr Acquaro was shot dead while walking from his Lygon Street business, Gelobar, to his black Mercedes sedan, which was parked near a side entrance to the cafe and gelataria in St Phillip Street.
Burglaries and theft have soared in Victoria, sparked by a rise in youth crime led by what police have dubbed the "Grand Theft Auto generation".

The crime rate spiked 8.1 per cent in Victoria last year, according to the latest crime statistics, driven by double digit percentage increases in theft, drug and weapons offences.

A scene from the video game Grand Theft Auto. Credit:Rockstar

Theft was a major contributor to the increase, with an 11 per cent rise in offences in the year to December 2015. Drug dealing and trafficking was also up 17.7 per cent, while drug use and possession rose 16.5 per cent.

Stealing from a motor vehicle was highlighted as a key factor in the soaring number of thefts, with a 22.6 per cent increase in the past five years. As a result of this, theft of number plates rose 18.2 per cent last year.
Motorists endured a second consecutive morning of chaos after a car rollover and two truck breakdowns brought traffic to a standstill on the West Gate Freeway.

It took motorists 70 minutes to travel 13 kilometres from the Western Ring Road at Laverton North to the West Gate Freeway at Montague Street in Port Melbourne on Thursday morning.

The chaos coincided with the second day of the Tulla Widening Project on the Bolte Bridge, hardly reassuring for motorists who will have to endure the major road works for the next year-and-a-half.

However, the state government has ruled out providing any compensation for motorists through toll reductions.
An urban planner and head of a prominent city lobby group says Elizabeth Quay will struggle to realise its full potential until all infrastructure is complete, with a reliance on pop-up events to fill the void over the next two years.

Dr Linley Lutton's comments come as political rivals continue to exchange barbs over the project and revelations emerge of dangerous bacteria in the quay's still-closed water water playground.

While Dr Lutton believes that WA Labor accusations of a 'rush job' are unfair, he is concerned more Elizabeth Quay public infrastructure was not ready for the opening.

"I understand that it was impossible to wait for private infrastructure, I can't imagine there will be a lot of building for a long time there," he said.
Police are looking for four men who they believe could help with the ongoing investigation into Patrick 'Paddy' Slater's death outside the Esplanade Train Station during a post-Australia Day brawl.

Three men, Christopher James Birdsall, 29, Dylan Terrance Wayne Anthony, 19 and Clinton Frederick Mead, 19, and an 11-year old boy have been charged with the murder of the 26-year-old man.

On Thursday, Major Crime Squad detectives released CCTV stills of four more males they believed could assist with their inquiries.

During a bail application hearing for the 11-year-old boy on February 17, Perth Children's Court heard Mr Slater was allegedly attacked by eight people during the early hours of January 27.
Troy Buswell got off lightly after he smashed into parked cars, a pole and a gate as he drove home from a wedding, the WA premier concedes.

The former WA transport minister smashed his ministerial vehicle into several cars on his way home from a wedding in the early hours of February 23, 2014 - possibly while drunk.

Former treasurer Troy Buswell

The Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission found that Mr Buswell's chief of staff Rachael Turnseck engaged in misconduct when she gave misleading information to a West Australian government inquiry into his 2014 car crashes.

A report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, found that Ms Turnseck put her loyalty to Mr Buswell above her duty to the state because she knowingly and intentionally provided misleading information to an internal inquiry and took steps to protect him from the consequences of his actions.
A half-kilometre seawall might protect the West Australian coastal town of Seabird from the ocean's inward march, but costs won't stop at $2 million, says a prominent oceanographer.

A seawall is the most invasive and least desirable of solutions the local shire investigated to slow coastal erosion in the small town just south of Lancelin, which has already claimed an entire road and is now at the boundary lines of private homes and associated utility lines.

Council chief executive Jeremy Edwards said in February a seawall would mean losing the beach in front of it as well as associated "social and recreational impacts for a coastal town".

On Tuesday, council was forced to endorse awarding a contract for the seawall as the $2 million in emergency funding the state government granted would not cover the optimal solution of offshore breakwaters.
A senior police officer discussed with colleagues their belief an Aboriginal woman in custody was exaggerating her pain due to drug use, contradicting prior evidence heard at an inquest.

Ms Dhu, whose first name is not used for cultural reasons, died two days after being locked up at Western Australia's South Hedland Police Station in August 2014 for unpaid fines totalling $3622, stemming from offences including assaulting an officer.

Ms Dhu died after she was held at South Hedland police station in WA. Credit:ABC News

Senior Constable Russell Tindall was a supervisor during Ms Dhu's second day in custody and testified on Wednesday that he spoke with colleagues about her after she died.

He could not remember details but said several officers might have been present when Ms Dhu, 22, was discussed.
Rolf Harris has denied seven new charges of indecent assault against women and girls, some of them young teenagers and one with a serious disability.

He also faces a charge of 'sexual touching', as an alternative to one of the assault charges.

Rolf Harris, photographed at his earlier court appearance in London, is facing further charges. Credit:AP

One of the women, who had a vision impairment, told police that Harris' hands "felt like an octopus" as he assaulted her at a hospital radio station.

When she resisted his groping hands he allegedly said "you don't have anything to be frightened about, I won't hurt you", before removing her protective glasses and groping her breasts.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament plenary public session which was adjourned on Thursday, March 10 will be reconvened on March 17.

The plenary public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.
Semi-annual report Board of financial supervision Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

Willemstad  The quality of the financial management of the public entities varies considerably and leads to very different evaluations, according to the second semi-annual report on 2015 of the Board of financial supervision Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.

Saba has consistently achieved a balanced budget in recent years. This went hand in hand with impressive improvements made in the area of financial management, based on which the annual accounts 2014 was given an unqualified opinion. Cft advised to take more extensive explanations in the execution reports and to take measures to improve the liquidity and resilience. The 2016 budget is balanced and has been cautiously drafted in the opinion of Cft.

Sint Eustatius was placed under stricter administrative supervision by the Minister of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations and it received an instruction on financial matters. During 2015 the reporting duties and the obligation to submit the annual accounts and the budget were not timely and completely complied with. The 2014 annual accounts were only adopted by the Island Council on November 19th, 2015; the year ended with a deficit of over USD 300,000. The first budget amendment in May, which showed a large deficit, received a negative opinion from Cft and a revised budget amendment was only submitted to Cft in December.

In the absence of the necessary reports, Cft has had insufficient insight into the financial situation of the public entity. The Cft has repeatedly requested attention for this matter. An expert group has drawn up a plan with the purpose to improve the financial management. The Cft has not received any progress report. After adoption of the budget in 2016, in which the 2014 deficit is compensated, the Minister of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations has decided to waive the commitment stop and institute preceding supervision.

Bonaire has each time achieved a balanced budget in recent years. The 2014 annual accounts were timely adopted by the Island Council and they show a small surplus. In the execution reports an improvement in the quality is clearly visible. Bonaire should nevertheless remain fully focused on further improving its financial management, the quality of its reports and the strengthening of its liquidity position. The Cft has requested particular attention for the timely adoption of financial statements of government companies.

Finally, the Cft observes that it takes a lot of effort for the public entities to fully incorporate structural maintenance charges in the 2016 budget. Cft has previously pointed this out to the public entities and has indicated that it will give this matter special attention.
Momentum Telecom to Demo Innovative UC Solutions and Tools at Channel Partners

BIRMINGHAM, AL  (Marketwired)  03/16/16  , a premier provider of Business Voice, Broadband Management and Unified Communications solutions, will be giving attendees of the Channel Partners Conference and Expo an exclusive opportunity to become reacquainted with Momentums Unified Communications Solution, and also be introduced to two of Momentums new ventures, and . The conference will take place from March 16th  18th at The Venetian and Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. Throughout the show, Momentum will be providing demonstrations for each of these applications at Booth #537 and in meeting room M13.

Fresh ideas have been at the forefront of Momentums thinking since the last conference, and they are eager to share developments by giving Channel Partners attendees a chance to interact in-person with these new and enhanced applications. Momentum University is a recently launched blended learning initiative that will be demonstrated at the show. Visitors will also be able to see RPM, Momentums revolutionary management tool for service providers that provides a single, intuitive, user-friendly interface for activating, provisioning and managing subscribers.

Over the last year, Momentum has consistently released a set of new products and services along that are game-changers for the industry, said Bill Birnie, Momentums Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer. We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to share Momentums innovative and forward-thinking applications, and give attendees a chance to experience each of these tools superior capabilities in-person.

More than 5,000 technology resellers, developers, service providers and telecom agents are expected to converge at the Channel Partners Conference and Expo with the goal of networking, exploring and learning.

For more information about Momentum Telecom or to discuss partnership opportunities email or call 877-258-3821.

Momentum Telecom is a premier provider of , and . Momentums solutions offer smart, customizable cloud-based applications including voice, video and collaboration tools that enhance business productivity and efficiency for direct customers and more than 500 nationwide white label and channel partners. Momentum Telecom is committed to delivering best-in-class products backed by a geo-redundant network paired with industry-leading uptime and customer service. Headquartered in Birmingham, AL, Momentum Telecom has regional offices actively serving customers across the United States. To learn more visit or connect with us on , , , or check our . At Momentum Telecom, our mission is to enable others to thrive by combining smarter technology with seasoned experts while delivering unmatched customer experience.

Beth Hildreth

315-579-7112
Komutel Was Selected as PME en lumiere for March

ST-GEORGES, QUEBEC  (Marketwired)  03/16/16  Komutel has been chosen to be the PME en lumiere (Small Business of the month) for March by the Association quebecoise des technologies (AQT) (Association of technologies of Quebec). Following this nomination, the CEO, Richard Poulin, will be giving a live interview on the French channel Argent this Friday, March 18th at 9:45 a.m.

Komutel won this honor thanks to its newest innovation, the NG9-1-1 platform. This solution provides increased efficiency and savings related to the management of calls to 911 emergency services. Since 2013, the company more than doubled its revenues and 911 solutions are partly responsible for this growth. The public security market represents a high potential market in Canada and in North America for the company.

The innovative aspect of Komutels NG9-1-1 platform gives to the client the control of its operations by facilitating the management of its emergency procedures while allowing a continuous evolution. Since each customer, territory, region or district has different policies and uses a wide variety of tools, the platform addresses a number of operational interoperability issues.

About de Komutel inc.

Komutel is an Enterprise Communication Software Developer, specializing in the development and marketing of open-ended and innovative solutions in the telecommunications sector. Komutel solutions portfolio for call centers, notification, mobility, interactive voice response can be all run in the cloud or in the customer environment. The various products of the organisation offer user-friendliness and flexibility, which have positioned Komutel as a recognized provider of value added solutions in the industry. Our customers span across many industry sectors such as Public Safety, Health Care, Finance, Insurance, Education and more. Komutel solutions have respectively maximized communications performance for their organizations.

About the contest PME en lumiere

The contest PME en lumiere is the initiative of the Association quebecoise des technologies (AQT) in collaboration with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Videotron Business Services, with the support of BCF Business Law. It aims to recognize the success of SMEs in the technology sector.

The SME of the month is a company that stands out because of its success in the markets, with its products, services, approaches and innovative marketing methods. The selection of the SME of the month is done by a panel of senior representatives of business and technology. At the end of the year, the 12 SMEs of the month will be finalists for the final prize that will be presented in October as part of the Big Bang (flagship event of the AQT) during Small Business Week.

Contacts:

Patricia Therrien

Marketing Manager

Komutel Inc.

(877) 225-9988
ClariPhy Shatters Fiber and System Capacity Barriers With Industrys First 16nm Coherent Optical Networking Platform

IRVINE, CA  (Marketwired)  03/17/16 

News Highlights

Game changing performance and power reduction  More than 70 Tbps per fiber and 6.4 Tbps per line card

Industry leading innovation velocity  worlds first 16nm coherent analog front end platform

Strategic alliance with leading optics ecosystem partners  complete 64QAM reference design

Ground-breaking performance  400G and beyond per wavelength

Slashes power by more than 50%  2X increase in system capacity per line card

, a leading developer of ultra-high-speed systems-on-chip (SoCs) for multi-terabit data and telecom networking, has established a significant leadership position in advancing next generation coherent optical networking with the worlds first complete 16nm ADC and DAC platform enabling 64QAM modulation to achieve greater than 70 Tbps per fiber and more than 50% power reduction to double system capacity.

The migration of analog front end design to 16nm CMOS technology is acknowledged by the industry to be the Holy Grail for the next generation of coherent DSPs required to drive fiber capacities, power reduction and lowest cost per bit which are all critical to address rapidly expanding Web 2.0 and telecom networks.

Coherent metro and datacenter inter-connect (DCI) network deployment is ramping now. This is a more cost sensitive market; CFP2-ACO and merchant DSPs are key technologies that will enable deployment in these new metro and DCI applications, said Andrew Schmitt, lead analyst at Cignal AI. ClariPhys LightSpeed-II 200G Coherent DSP along with its CFP2-ACO module partners are demonstrating solutions today that designers can use now.

ClariPhys new coherent test platform establishes a critical foundation for ClariPhys forthcoming LightSpeed-III family of SoC devices  that will enable greater than 70 Tbps per fiber over a combination of L and C transmission bands with more than 400G per wavelength, drive more than 50 percent power reduction, and offer ground-breaking performance for next-generation data center interconnect (DCI), long haul and metro networks. The 16nm Coherent platform highlights ClariPhys strength in vertical integration of all critical IP necessary to develop and manufacture a Coherent SoC rapidly and cost effectively. The platform is the first of its kind to enable 64 QAM modulation. Its full speed 4-channel ADC and DAC supports variable baud rates to enable a true Flex Coherent solution programmable up to 400G per wavelength while delivering stellar performance that meets or exceeds critical analog specifications like bandwidth, effective number of bits (ENOB) and jitter.

This unmatched pace of innovation backed by astounding engineering execution is critical to enable the exponential capacity growth demanded by next generation optical networks, said Nariman Yousefi, CEO at ClariPhy. We believe we have accomplished an industry leading milestone that enables a significant time to market, performance and power consumption advantage over similar competing products.

ClariPhy will conduct live demonstration of its 16nm coherent platform as part of a complete reference design comprising of best in class optical components to meet the exacting bandwidth, linearity and phase noise specifications required to support 64 QAM modulation. The reference design is the result of a close collaboration between ClariPhy and leading ecosystem partners and includes components from Fujitsu Optical Components (FOC), Inphi, Macom and NeoPhotonics.

FOC is pleased to support ClariPhys challenge, their new 16nm coherent platform is breaking all barriers to enable next generation of higher order modulation, said Takashi Yamane, director for optical devices development with FOC. Our modulators support the capacity, performance and low-power requirements of digital coherent modulation on the transmission side, while our highly integrated, ultra-compact receiver will enable dramatic product size reduction for developers using ClariPhys reference design.

As a leading supplier of high bandwidth linear modulator drivers for Flex Coherent, Inphi is pleased to support ClariPhys 64QAM reference design with our production-release 45Gbaud dual-carrier modulator driver, said Loi Nguyen, founder, senior vice president, Optical Interconnect at Inphi. This reference design marks the beginning of a new era for 400G optical interconnects for Long Haul, Metro, and Data Center applications.

MACOMs extensive portfolio of drivers for CFP2-ACO, Metro and Long haul are already a part of the ecosystem with Clariphys DSPs. MACOM is pleased to be part of an industry leading proactive collaboration to drive availability of mature optical components in Coherent Applications, said Vikas Manan, VP Product Development, at MACOM. We believe that MACOMs new Surface Mount Drivers for 45Gbaud modulation in conjunction with Clariphys DSP provide the performance and cost structure to enable larger deployment of 400G Solutions in the Datacenter Interconnect (DCI), Metro and Long Haul Solutions.

As a leading supplier of ultra-narrow linewidth tunable laser modules and high bandwidth coherent receivers for emerging 400G telecommunications networks, we are working with ClariPhy to drive the commercialization of products that dramatically increase bandwidth in a high density form factor with low power consumption, said G. Ferris Lipscomb, Ph.D, Vice President of Marketing at NeoPhotonics. Together, we are helping to reduce space requirements, power use and operating expenses for next-generation coherent optical networking solutions.

ClariPhy will demonstrate its 16nm ADC/DAC platform as part of a complete 64QAM reference design at the Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) to partners, March 20-24, 2016 in Anaheim, California.

is a leading provider of ultra-high-speed systems-on-chip (SoCs) for multi-terabit data and telecom networking that establish benchmarks for performance, bandwidth, power and reach while slashing deployment costs. ClariPhy provides the worlds fastest off the shelf, Coherent and Ethernet solutions for scaling Internet bandwidth for data centers, transport infrastructure and cloud-based networks. ClariPhy is headquartered in Irvine, California, with offices in Los Altos, California, and Cordoba, Argentina. For more information, visit

ClariPhy, the ClariPhy logo and LightSpeed III are registered trademarks of ClariPhy. Inphi, the Inphi logo and Think fast are registered trademarks of Inphi Corporation. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

Jeremy Hyatt

Green Flash Media for ClariPhy

949-357-0141
Exablox OneBlox Achieves VMware Ready(TM) Status

SUNNYVALE, CA  (Marketwired)  03/17/16  , the award-winning company reimagining storage, today announced that its OneBlox scale-out object-based storage solution has achieved VMware Ready status. This designation indicates that after a detailed validation process, OneBlox has achieved VMwares highest level of endorsement and can be found on the VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at .

By using OneBlox with VMware vSphere, enterprises can take advantage of OneBloxs scale-out storage architecture for both primary and secondary storage, said Shridar Subramanian, vice president, marketing, Exablox. With OneBloxs inline deduplication, compression and remote replication, IT organizations can protect their critical VMware infrastructure.

We are pleased that Exablox OneBlox qualifies for the VMware Ready logo, signifying to customers that it has met specific VMware interoperability standards and works effectively with VMware infrastructure, which can speed time to value within customer environments, said Howard Hall, senior director, Global Technology Partnering Organization, VMware.

The VMware Ready program is a co-branding benefit of the hat makes it easy for customers to identify partner products certified to work with VMware infrastructure. Customers can use these products and solutions to help lower project risks and realize cost savings over custom-built solutions. With thousands of members worldwide, the VMware TAP program includes best-of-breed technology partners with the shared commitment to bring the best expertise and business solution for each unique customer need.

Exablox OneBlox can be found within the online VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) at .

Exablox is the company reimagining storage. Exablox solves businesses runaway storage costs and information management nightmares by providing a cloud-managed, scale-out, object-based solution that is affordable and easy to use. OneBlox is an inclusive storage offering that combines an elegant hardware architecture and integrated, enterprise-grade software, including inline deduplication, continuous data protection, and disaster recovery. Exabloxs innovative approach to storage has led to widespread customer traction across verticals including higher education, healthcare, insurance, and the legal industry as well as Fortune 500 companies. The companys growing list of customers includes Lockheed Martin, Equity Bank, and MIT. Founded in 2010, Exablox is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., and backed by leading Silicon Valley venture firms. Visit Exablox online at and join the conversation at .

VMware and VMware Ready are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. The use of the word partner or partnership does not imply a legal partnership relationship between VMware and any other company.

Justin Gillespie

10Fold Communications

(925) 271-8228
AlienVault Among Europes Top Fifty High-Growth Technology Companies for Second Year in a Row

SAN MATEO, CA  (Marketwired)  03/17/16  , the leading provider of (USM) and crowd-sourced today announced that it has been named to the Tech Tour Growth 50 in Europe. The Tech Tour recognizes private technology companies that have the potential to become part of Europes next generation of multi-billion dollar companies, sourcing its list in conjunction with a selection committee of international venture capital firms and Silverpeak Investment Bank.

It is an honor to be recognized again by the Tech Tour as one of Europes high-growth technology companies, said Barmak Meftah, president and CEO of AlienVault. As more organizations struggle with the challenges of hiring and retaining qualified security staff, as well as the complexity of deploying and managing multiple security products, we have seen a surge in both end user customers and MSSP partners deploying our award-winning product, USM, to improve and simplify their ability to detect and respond to todays cyber threats.

To identify the Growth 50, the Tech Tour selection committee researched and evaluated over 175 European private tech companies using both quantitative (valuation, sales growth, and financing) and qualitative (innovation, pedigree, and management strength) analysis. AlienVaults management team, record sales growth, EMEA-based customer wins and channel partnerships contributed to its strong evaluation. The company ended the year with unprecedented momentum, closing out the year with more than 55% percent year-over-year sales growth. It also closed a $52 million Series E funding round in August 2015, bringing the companys total funding to nearly $116 million. Today, more than 3,000 customers and government organizations rely on AlienVaults USM platform and threat intelligence to detect, defend against and respond to todays cybersecurity threats.

Learn more about

Learn more about and the

to AlienVaults blogs

Follow AlienVault on Twitter

AlienVault has simplified the way organizations detect and respond to todays ever evolving threat landscape. Our unique and approach, trusted by, combines the essential security controls of our all-in-one platform, AlienVault, with the power of AlienVaults, the worlds largest crowd-sourced threat intelligence community, making effective and affordable threat detection attainable for resource-constrained IT teams. AlienVault is a privately held company headquartered in Silicon Valley and backed by Trident Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Institutional Venture Partners, GGV Capital, Intel Capital, Jackson Square Ventures, Adara Venture Partners, Top Tier Capital and Correlation Ventures.

The Tech Tour was founded in Geneva in 1998 in response to the growing interest in emerging technology companies in various European regions. The Tech Tour brings together investors, corporate strategic partners and high-tech entrepreneurs through its highly successful events and community platform. The Tech Tour focuses on selecting the highest quality companies for its events and as a result selected companies have been very successful in obtaining funding. The Tech Tour over the years has built a very strong and inter-connected community of Entrepreneurs, Investors, Government influencers, Industry experts and Advisers. This community comes together regularly to network, collaborate and to invest their time and money in furthering the high-tech innovation ecosystem in Europe.

AlienVault, Open Threat Exchange and Unified Security Management are trademarks of AlienVault. All other company and product names mentioned are used only for identification purposes and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Susan Torrey

AlienVault

650-492-1921
SpecPage unveils redesigned website

SpecPage today unveiled its redesigned website, www.specpage.com. In addition to a sleek, modern and user-friendly design, key enhancements include improved search and navigation functionality as well as optimization for mobile devices allowing users to better engage with SpecPage online.

SpecPage is the leading provider of integrated software solutions for the food and beverage industry (F&B), including Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Product Data Management (PDM), Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS), and Environmental Health and Safety Administration (EHSA).

The company specializes in the electronic publication of product information through the standardized Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN). Along with its data capturing service, SpecPage provides manufacturers and distributors with online catalogs for the user-friendly and efficient publication, distribution and marketing of product information through GDSN.

As a global technology company, our focus is to connect with our customers and deliver bespoke solutions to meet their ever changing needs, said Sabrina Weiss, Communications Manager at SpecPage. The sleek, user-friendly design of our new company website offers customers and prospects an improved user experience with information about our products and services.

SpecPage is a rapidly growing Swiss company with subsidiaries in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Slovakia and the US. The company is set to expand its activities in Europe and the US, meeting the growing demand in the range of product development and information in the F&B industry.

About SpecPage

SpecPagep with headquarters in Switzerland and branch offices in Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Slovakia and United States is leading vendor of integrated software solutions and online catalogs for the food and beverage industry. Kelloggs, Dr. Oetker, Mondelez, Develey, Nestle Wagner, Campbell Soup, R&R Ice Cream, OSI, Zeelandia and Glanbia (to name a few) are well-known customers who use the innovative and user-friendly software solutions from SpecPage to successfully manage the special and complex aspects of product development in the global competition for attractive products. With expertise in food law, the company offers turnkey product data management tools for master data and recipe as well product lifecycle management with integrated GDSN interface, simplifying compliance with global labeling requirements. In addition to its standardized software solutions, SpecPage offers master data capturing services and audits. www.specpage.com
Oveedia Receives Invitation to Meet With SITCA and CANATUR

LAS VEGAS, NV  (Marketwired)  03/17/16  (OTC PINK: PNOW), parent Company of the Central American-Caribbean online travel Agency (OTA) (), announced today, that the Company has received an exclusive invitation to work with a small focus group, designated by The Secretary of Central American Tourism Integration (SITCA) and Costa Ricas Tourism Chamber, .

It is days like these that make me feel so proud to be a native Costa Rican, stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. CANATUR and SITCA, who do a lot of wonderful things for the tourism industry in Latin America, have asked me to come and brainstorm with a small focus group, entitled Central America, Small Countries Great Experiences. The plan is for all of us to meet today (Thursday, March 17th) and brainstorm ways of expanding the groups brand throughout the region. The best part is Oveedia. I plan to make Oveedia a pivotal part of this discussion, establishing the dual-database as the preferred booking method when traveling; not only to Costa Rica, but all of the Central American-Caribbean region.

SITCA has taken the initiative in building the framework and strategy to expand Central Americas tourism capabilities. With the Latin American [LATAM] travel market surpassing $80 Billion this year, management believes that this is the prime time to position Oveedia as the travel hub for all of Central America and the Latin speaking countries of the Caribbean.

Pereira concluded, Its small, intimate meetings such as these, that produce the most progress for our country and region. For years, I have envisioned putting together a think tank with the most prominent minds in our area, discussing ways to better our country. I am honored and humbled to have been selected by CANATUR, to give valuable input and assist with tourism ventures in our region. I am most excited for the potential this brings to Oveedia, and I look forward to future meetings of the minds, as we continue to grow our database and online travel sales, on a daily basis.

PURE provides proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners. The Companys vision is to build competitive operations in the areas of (i) online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services, (ii) hotel branding and, (iii) own, operate and in some instances develop, boutique hotels under the new, by PURE brand. PURE is the creator of Oveedia (), the online travel hub.

Related Links:

Pure Hospitality Solutions Pinterest:

Pure Hospitality Solutions Facebook:

Pure Hospitality Solutions Twitter:

Pure Hospitality Solutions Google:

Pure Hospitality Solutions LinkedIn:

Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Companys actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Companys customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Team PURE

IR Div.
WOW! Business Teams With Telecom Services Distributor MicroCorp

ENGLEWOOD, CO  (Marketwired)  03/17/16  , a communications service provider serving businesses in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, is joining forces with , a national distributor of telecom and cloud services, to offer companies affordable, tailored IT and network solutions backed by local technical support and customer service.

WOW! Business has earned a reputation for being a trustworthy communications service provider that will enable MicroCorp to deliver a comprehensive and reliable suite of solutions to business customers, commented MicroCorp President Phil Keenan. We provide unrivaled support for our value-added resellers and managed service providers, and with our Nautilus back office system, offer WOW! Business a complete and secure portal that streamlines every step in the sales and support process.

WOW! Business provides IP-based network, data, voice and cloud services for small and medium-sized business (SMB), enterprise, government and wholesale customers. The company owns and operates more than 40,000 miles of local fiber-optic and coaxial networks in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast which, along with its data centers, provide customers with scalable, low-latency access to national carrier backbones.

With 30 years of experience, MicroCorp has a thorough knowledge of the telecommunications industry and an exceptional grasp of the constantly evolving needs of businesses in the markets we serve, said WOW! Business Channel Chief Ken Worcester. WOW! Business is a strategic and highly focused customer-driven broadband communications company that MicroCorp will find easy to do business with. Unlike many other telecom service providers, we deliver high-quality sales opportunities that not only will expand our market opportunities, but those for MicroCorp as well.

The has a fast-growing lineup of indirect sales partners that are accelerating the companys growth while meeting increasing customer demand by enabling master agents and other channel partners to offer value-added benefits to customers. To learn more about the WOW! Business Partner Alliance Program please contact Ken Worcester at (303) 600-1895 or . For more information about WOW! Business SMB, enterprise and wholesale services visit .

MicroCorp is the premier value-added distributor of telecom and cloud solutions. Since 1986, we have simplified the purchase and management of telecommunications services for business customers. Today, the MicroCorp People Powered Network is nothing short of the most powerful combination of back office systems, people and support offerings in the industry. MicroCorp can be your whole back office or an extension of your current team, so you can focus on growing your business profitably. With a portfolio of solutions from more than 50 premier telecom and cloud providers combined with our collaborative back office portal, Nautilus, we are the trusted, skilled partner for a national network of agents, MSPs and VARs. For more information about MicroCorp or to become a MicroCorp partner, please visit .

WOW! Business provides data, Internet, voice and cloud services to business and wholesale customers in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland and the Southeast. The company is dedicated to delighting customers with friendly, quality service at affordable prices. WOW! is privately held and controlled by Avista Capital Partners and Crestview Partners. For more information, please visit .
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March 16, 2016

Call to artists! Wild West Days Art Contest 2016

Wild West Days Art Contest 2016 is open to all Arizona residents (proof of residency may be required for award winners). One entry per artist. CCMEA Board members, chairman, employees, Town of Cave Creek Council members, sponsors, or their immediate family members may not be recipients of cash prizes from this competition.



Age Categories and Entry Fees per Entry: Ages 12  18 $10.00 Ages 19 and over $25.00 Awards: Entrants are eligible to receive one of three cash awards for 1st, 2nd, or Peoples Choice place in their respective age-group category.

Place Adult Youth 1st $250 $75 2nd $200 $50 People's Choice $100 $50

Submission Requirements Theme: Artwork should depict the Arizonan western lifestyle and Cave Creek culture. Deadline: No Exceptions. Entries must be delivered by June 1, 2016. Entries must be delivered to the Cave Creek Museum, 6140 Skyline Dr., Cave Creek, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.



Entries: Submissions are limited to one per entrant. Submissions cannot have been exhibited or published. Entries must be an original image created by the applicant. All images must be matted and the mat must be 16 x 20 single dimension. Any other mat size will be disqualified. Framed images will not be accepted. All mediums accepted, all submissions are to be matted.



Judging/Jurors: The jury panel will include at least one professional artist, one member of the community, and one member of board of the CCMEA. Judging is based upon technical quality, aesthetic quality and presentation.



Size/Type: Submissions in any other form will not be accepted (e.g. no transparencies, CDs, etc.). All artwork submitted should be no larger than 11 x 17 inches in size. Any image submitted larger than these size limitations will be disqualified.



Labels: Clearly label the back of your image with its title and your initials. (approximately 1 x 4 label size).



Mailing/Delivery: All artwork must be delivered to the Cave Creek Museum, 6140 Skyline Dr., Cave Creek AZ. If entries are received bent or damaged they will not be accepted.



Notification of Award Winners: Notification will be sent no later than the week of July 1st 2016.



Questions? E-mail (no phone calls) the chairman at: evelyn@cavecreekmuseum.com or visit www.wildwestdayscavecreek.com.
Guest Editorial





By Capt. Joseph R. Joh N | March 16, 2016

Congressman Duncan Hunter, Maj-USMCR: Obama Gitmo policy may be forcing U.S. Military to release newly captured terrorists on the battlefield



An endorsed Combat Veteran For Congress, Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, Maj-USMCR (R-CA-52) is opposing the transfer of the most dangerous Al Qieda Terrorists incarcerated at the U.S. Naval Detention Facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GITMO) to foreign countries and to U.S. prisons on United States soil. There is a much more sinister reason why the occupant in the Oval Office has been transferring hundreds of Radical Islamic Terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility, for the last 7 years; Obama has been ignoring the fact 30 percent of released terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility have resumed terrorist activities and/or have returned to the battlefield to kill U.S. Military personnel. Even though the Al Qieda and Taliban Terrorists that Obama has been releasing from GITMO are killing and maiming more American military personnel on the battlefield, Obama has been ignoring those facts, because his ultimate goal is to transfer the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay to Castros Communist Cuba, regardless of what is required.



Obama promised to shut down US Naval Detention Facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba when he took office, and for 7 years he has blocked captured terrorist suspects from being sent to the U.S. Naval Detention Facility in Cuba. This, coupled with the U.S. Armed Forces closure of the U.S. Military Detention Facility near the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, raises questions about the U.S. Armed Forces ability to detain suspected Taliban Terrorists captured on the battlefield, under the Authorization for Use of Military Force. Congressman Hunter inquired of Secretary of Defense Carter how captured Taliban Terrorist are being ultimately dealt with. Under Obama administration policies, those Taliban Terrorist captured on the battle field (in Afghanistan) are now being transferred to foreign custody.(Washington Free Beacon, 2/22/16).



Congressman Hunter wrote to Secretary of Defense Carter on January 28, and stated in his correspondence: Given the clear position of Congress on the proposed closure of Guantanamo Bay and the prohibition on detainee transfers to domestic facilities, I am concerned that the Department of Defense is being forced to relinquish control of dangerous individuals captured by U.S. Forces (in Afghanistan) due to the presidents refusal to utilize Guantanamo Bay for new detention cases. Congressman Hunter went on to state in his correspondence, Once in foreign custody, an individuals release can occur despite the best efforts of the U.S. to keep that individual in custody,



Congressman Hunter continued. An already high-rate of recidivism adds to the probability that some individuals will subsequently reengage U.S. forces on the battlefield or resume terrorist activity. This puts American lives at risk. Joe Kasper, Congressman Hunters Chief of Staff, told the Free Beacon that Obamas detainee policy can only lead the American public to assume that many of the people our operators pick up (in Afghanistan) are turned over and released, in some cases immediately.



Two years after Irans terrorist front group, Hezbollah, established a terrorist training camp in Castros Communist Cuba, and had been regularly exporting Radical Islamic Terrorism to South America and to the United States, Obama told another of his many lies. He certified to Congress, as required by U.S. Federal Law, that he could remove Cuba from the U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism, when he knew full well that Communist Cuba was allowing Hezbollah to train terrorists on Cuban soil, and had been exporting terrorism throughout the Western Hemisphere. Obama then followed the first big lie, with another bigger lie, when he told the American people he could safely establish diplomatic relations with Communist Cuba, something 10 US Presidents refused to do for 55 years, because Castros Communist Cuba never ceased exporting terrorism and Communism throughout North and South America.



Communist Cuba continues to work very closely with Hezbollah, Iran, and Radical Islamic Terrorists to destabilize the United States. Yet, Obama just established round trip airline traffic between the U.S. and Cuba, making it very easy for Muslim Refugees sympathetic to ISIS to fly to Cuba, complete their terrorist training in Hezbollah Terrorist Training Camps, then return to the United States to attack Americans. The FBI informed Congress that 250+ newly admitted Muslim Refugees who were admitted as U.S. citizens through Obamas fast track refugee citizenship program, have flown to the Middle East and Africa to train with ISIS and participate in the genocide of Syrian and Assyrian Christians.



Obama has been trying to get Congress to approve the transfer of the highest risk Al Qieda Terrorists killers, that no country in world will accept, to U.S. prisons, so he can close the US Naval Detention Facility in Guantanamo, Cuba. Recently, the Joint Chiefs of Staff informed Congress that U.S. Federal Law prevents the U.S. Armed Forces from transferring Al Qieda and Taliban Terrorists detainees in Gitmo to the United States. If the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay is transferred to Castros Communist Cuba, most probably the Hezbollah terrorist training camp would be moved to the U.S. Naval Base, in order to improve and expand their training capacity for Radical Islamic Terrorists.



In the last 7 years, despite the fact thousands of Radical Islamic Terrorist have been captured in combat by US Military personnel in Afghanistan, often at the loss of life of US military personnel, none of those prisoners have ever been transferred to GITMO for interrogation, preventing the US military from having the required extended time required to extract valuable military intelligence from the Taliban Terrorists, most of those captured terrorists have been released from the Detention Facilities in Afghanistan to go right back to the battlefield to engage and kill American military personnel. In every military conflict over the 240 year history of the Republic, US military personnel have employed night time patrols, in order to capture high value enemy leaders, so they could extract high value current intelligence during interrogations. Instead of capturing high value Al Qieda and Taliban Terrorists leaders for interrogation, Obama, has been having those terrorist leaders killed with drone strikes for 7 years---removing the ability of US Combat Forces from obtaining current and future battlefield intelligence, that policy for the last 7 years has ensured that high value terrorists will never be incarcerated in the Detention Facility in Guantanamo Bay Cuba.



Releasing prisoners on the battlefield to return to combat, when taken together with Obamas public pronouncement that a certain number of combat personnel will be removed on specific dates certain, and by forcing dangerous Rules of Engagement (ROE) upon combat personnel for the last 7 years, U.S. military personnel going into Harms Way in Afghanistan have been operating with their hands tied behind their backs. The new and dangerous ROE have increased the number of US military personnel Killed In Action (KIA) by 458 percent/year and those Wounded In Action (WIA) increased by 378 percent/year. Obama policies in Afghanistan have effectively ensured that there will be no victory against the Taliban, Al Qieda, and Iranian Quids Force who have been providing IUDs to the Taliban, in order to kill and maim U.S. military personnel.



The following link will provide details of how the percentage of KIA and WIA were calculated from raw data. http://combatveteransforcongress.org/story/new-dangerous-obama-roe-increased-kias-458year-and-wounded-378year



Please the article on Congressman Duncan D Hunter,'s Maj-USMCR (R-CA-52) concern about the closure of GITMO and the release of newly captured Taliban Terrorists enemy combatants on the battlefield, allowing them to return combat to kill US military personnel. http://freebeacon.com/national-security/obama-gitmo-policy-may-force-pentagon-to-release-newly-captured-terrorists/



Joseph R. John, USNA 62

Capt. USN(Ret)

Chairman, Combat Veterans For Congress PAC

2307 Fenton Parkway, Suite 107-184

San Diego, CA 92108

http://www.CombatVeteransForCongress.org


Guest Editorial





By Frosty Wooldridge | March 16, 2016

America becoming less American every year

According to census reports, out of 8.4 million people living in New York City, nearly 40 percent of them arrived from foreign countries. The city features 800 different spoken languages other than English.



Educational standards degrade into chaos with endless language conflicts. Ethnic groups situate themselves in various enclaves like Flushing, Sunset Park, Bronx, Corona and Manhattan. These new citizens maintain their home language, customs and cultures. Among them: Dominican Republic, China, Jamaica, Guyana, Mexico, Ecuador, Haiti, Trinidad, Tobago, Columbia, Russia, Honduras and El Salvador. Not far behind, India, Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, Kurdistan and Puerto Rico add their citizens to the Big Apple.



In other words, New York City no longer enjoys being called an All-American City, but in fact morphed into an international city with little resemblance to America as to culture or language.



At current immigration rates, America morphs into being less American every year with 1.2 to 1.5 million refugee immigrants allowed into our country annually.



On Facebook, you may read: Paying for other cultures to mass immigrate into your country to outbreed and replace you doesnt make you a more tolerant or better person. It makes you a fool.



At this point, latest records show that 91 percent of legal immigrants become cyclical welfare recipients because they lack language, educational and needed skills. They escaped their poverty in their own countries to re-manifest their poverty in America.



Yet, no one on the national scene mentions a single sentence about the demographic fact we remain on course to add 100,000,000 (million) third world immigrants within 30 years. For the life of me, I cannot understand why all American citizens arent screaming at the top of their lungs to enforce a total shutdown of all immigration. It cant end well for anyone. It wont end well for all Americans.



If you look at California, it grows by 1,655 people, net gain, every single day of the year. CapsWeb.org reported that 98 percent of Californias growth stems from legal and illegal immigration. (Source: www.CapsWeb.org) But as California becomes unsustainable as to water, food and arable landthose immigrants expect to stampede across the USA. Note: California expects to add 20 million people within 30 years. Talk about a demographic train speeding over a cliff!



One look at American-Californians shows you Americans cannot keep up with the birth rate of immigrants. The U.S. Census Bureau projects Hispanic-Latino-Mexicans will become the new majority in America by 2042 or sooner. At some point, there will be no one left to repair or replace basic services of overwhelmed cities. Yet, you wont hear a word about it from any leaders.



Our civilization screams into the future without a plan, without a clue and without any understanding of what its doing to itself. But be assured that whats coming, if Americans dont call for a total shutdown on all immigration, WILL manifest in this country, i.e. massive poverty, joblessness, illiteracy, disease, ethnic conflict and religious conflict like never before, and a total breakdown as to water, energy and resources. Its called exponential growth and it cannot be sustained.





"Unlimited population growth cannot be sustained; you cannot sustain growth in the rates of consumption of resources. No species can overrun the carrying capacity of a finite land mass. This Law cannot be repealed and is not negotiable.

- Dr. Albert Bartlett, www.albartlett.org , University of Colorado, USA.

Most Western elites continue urging the wealthy West not to stem the migrant tide [that adds 80 million net gain annually to the planet], but to absorb our global brothers and sisters until their horrid ordeal has been endured and shared by allten billion humans packed onto an ecologically devastated planet.

- Dr. Otis Graham, Unguarded Gates

Ask yourself what you want for your children. A viable future or miserable future? Enjoying a cohesive society or a fractured and fragmented country? One with a single language or one with 800 languages?At this point, the majority of we Americans choose another 100,000,000 (million) more legal immigrants by 2040-45. And, were going to get that number, too. Or, at least our kids will discover our folly. And, no matter what, the third world keeps adding 80,000,000 (million) people, net gain, annually, so they dont care. And, what were doing to ourselves defies comprehension.Thats whats coming dear reader. Its coming at 1.2 to 1.5 million added immigrants annually or, excess of 100,000 every 30 daysenough to fill the Rose Bowl every month and dump them into your lap. Note: thats just the legal ones!Thus, America will no longer be American much longer.If you dont want a Paris, France or San Bernardino event in your community, its time to call for a total Immigration Shutdown Now.Call your senators and House rep: 1 202 224 3121. Demand a stop to all immigration and stop to any Syrian immigration.Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents from the Arctic to Antarctica to see the effects of immigration, environment and overpopulation up close and personal. He authored: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans.
Guest Editorial



By Robert Romano | March 16, 2016

Poll: 59 percent of Republicans say 'free trade' benefits other countries more than U.S.

"Surprisingly, the voters of the party traditionally strongest for free trade, the Republican Party, have become the most consistent and strongest opponents to trade policy."



That was independent pollster Pat Caddell at the National Press Club on March 10 commenting on a poll of 1,950 likely voters he conducted on behalf of Americans for Limited Government on voter attitudes toward the international trade issue including the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership now under consideration.



Particularly, GOP voters more than any other segment are opposed to vast trade deals that shift production and jobs overseas, with 59 percent of Republicans agreeing that "Over last two decades, free trade agreements signed by the U.S. were more of a benefit to other countries."



But that's only in hindsight. When it comes to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, voters are barely aware of what's happening in Washington, D.C. Before providing any information about the trade agreement, 51 percent in the poll said they didn't know enough about it to form an opinion.



Once given arguments for and against it, Republican voters overwhelmingly oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership, 66 percent to 15 percent. That opposition does cut across party lines. Democrats oppose it 44 percent to 30 percent, too, and Independents oppose it 52 percent to 19 percent.



This represents the shattering of the global trade agenda consensus that has shaped U.S. trade policy since NAFTA in the 1990s and permanent normal trade relations with China in 2000. The only that has kept it going has been political, bipartisan acquiescence and surrender to foreign powers to facilitate that agenda, all the while broad swaths of the American electorate have been left behind and who plainly lack real representation on this vital issue.



"This poll shows what I've intuitively felt and that is that the American people are getting more and more engaged," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) who participated in the press conference.



"The trade issue is becoming a voting issue," Sessions added.



Indeed, and the Caddell poll may forever alter how Washington, D.C. views the international trade issue, which is now ripe for the picking for candidates such as Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders, who have made it front and center in their presidential campaigns. Both just won the Michigan primaries.



But far and away, Republican voters hate these bad trade deals the most that outsource production and jobs overseas. The Caddell poll may go a long way to explaining why Trump in particular is doing so well.



"That is a stunning change," Caddell remarked, blown away by the results.



So much for being the party of so-called "free trade." The GOP, whose elected representatives in Congress traditionally vote overwhelmingly in favor of these trade agreements, may be a political party without any real representation on this issue. And that cannot continue, Caddell warned.



"You cannot ignore American opinion this way," he said, warning later in the press briefing, "1992 is like an oasis compared to the storm that is building now," referring to Ross Perot's presidential candidacy of 1992.



Then, Perot garnered 19.7 million votes in the general election around the trade issue and against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).



Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning, who hosted the press briefing, agreed, saying, "If you're a Republican candidate in this country you have to be against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, at the very least, against it in the lame duck session [of Congress after the election]."



Manning mentioned the lame duck session of Congress because, more than likely, President Barack Obama will only sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership  with its mandatory 60 days to be voted on by Congress thanks to fast track trade authority  at a time so that it can only come up after the elections have already happened, when lawmakers will no longer be held accountable by voters.



Caddell said if that happened, it could be over for Republican leaders such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), citing how the Republican-controlled Congress had already alienated base voters by cutting deals with the Obama administration after the 2014 elections on the budget and immigration, and again in 2015 on granting trade promotion authority and authorizing the Iran nuclear deal.



If it comes to a lame duck trade deal only voted on in relative secrecy after the election, against the American people's express wishes, that could the straw that breaks the camel's back. That could be what destroys the GOP. Not Donald Trump. Not Ted Cruz.



As Caddell ominously concluded, "What these results are saying to the leadership is, you are going to be leading no one, if you keep this up."



Robert Romano is the senior editor of Americans for Limited Government.
Guest Editorial





By Dr. Earl Tilford | March 16, 2016

Who Lost Iraq?

My parents originally named me Victory Japan because my slightly premature birth resulted from mom and dad dancing in the streets of Saint Petersburg, Florida on the night of August 16, 1945the day after the United States won its last war. Seventy years is a lifetime by the Biblical standard of our allotted three score and 10 years. Go back to 1945 and subtract 70 and you are two years away from the end of Reconstruction.



In my lifetime Republicans blamed Democrats for losing China to communists and not winning in Korea while Democrats blamed Republicans for losing Vietnam and want to blame the GOP for losing Iraq. In this heated and increasingly bizarre presidential campaign season, with the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Who lost Iraq? has become a key issue. Predictably, Democrats blame former President George W. Bush while Republicans blame current President Barack H. Obama.



It was President Bush who on December 14, 2008, as he was about to leave office, signed a Status of Forces Agreement that stated, All the United States Forces shall be withdrawn from all Iraqi territory no later than December 31, 2011. While former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in her book No Higher Honor, claims there was an understanding with then Iraqi President Nouri Maliki that a residual force might remain, it seems Maliki later reneged. Bush left it to Obama to negotiate a new understanding.



Leon Panetta, one of Obamas secretaries of defense, claims in his book Worthy Fights that Maliki insisted a new agreement providing immunity from Iraqi prosecution of U.S. forces would never be accepted by the Iraqi parliament. Perhaps Maliki preferred chaos and Iranian domination to a tough political fight in his own parliament. Panetta wrote, To my frustration the White House coordinated the negotiations but never really led them. President Obama satisfied the documentation, blamed Bush, and withdrew the troops.



Its a moot point since the Obama administration is losing the entire Middle East and Afghanistan to an Iranian-Russian axis. Meanwhile, the United States, a nation of 330,000,000 people, has politically devolved into a democratic mob choosing between a bombastic business mogul, a former secretary of state who may be indicted or inaugurated, and a self-declared socialist who honeymooned in the USSR. The question shouldnt be Who lost Iraq? It should be Who is losing the Middle East and Afghanistan? Beyond that, the larger questions are Who are we and what have we become as a people and a nation? After all, we elected Barack Obamatwice.



The unmitigated evil ISIS does is meant to intimidate its co-religionists, terrify Christians and Jews, and enslave entire nations. It also issues from the mainstream of Saudi Wahhabism, a form of Islam that originated in 18th century Arabia. Millions adhere to it and mean to foist it on the Judeo-Christian West from Eastern and Western Europe and on to North and South America.



It is partially our fault that a ridiculous confluence of political progressivism and Eastern religious fundamentalism threatens the existence of Western society. During the last quarter century, many Christians and Jews in Europe and North America abandoned their religious faith for a postmodern philosophy spawned by leftist academic, religious, and political elites who reject notions of definitive truth and absolutes like good and evil. Believing in little to nothing invites those who fervently embrace a cause, no matter how ill-informed or intellectually bankrupt, to attack and destroy us.



When President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders refuse to recognize the evil inherent in Salafist Islam they empower Al-Qaeda and ISIS.



We, as a people, have weakened our own academic and religious institutions and by extension our body politic by not acknowledging evil for what it is. Consequently, we are confused to the point that we cannot or will not act to destroy the very real threats we face.



The recent political debatesregardless of partiesare illustrative. Republicans insult and snipe at each other over ridiculous issues like who can or cannot speak Spanish, while Democrats spew bilge about America being a society of racists and homophobic bigots unwelcoming to immigrants and refugees. When political debate devolves to candidates campaigning for the American presidency by performing skits on Saturday Night Live, its clear we are a confused people who lost not only Iraq but also are about to lose ourselves to a postmodern world of our own making.



Forget who lost Iraq? Its gone. From Libya to Afghanistan, the Russians and Iranians are filling a vacuum created by the feckless foreign policies of the past eight years.



Dr. Earl Tilford is a military historian and fellow for the Middle East & terrorism with The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. A retired Air Force intelligence officer, Dr. Tilford earned his PhD in American and European military history at George Washington University.


Ides of March

After Michigan and Mississippi Donald Trump leads the Republican field by unprecedented numbers looking forward to the winner take all primaries on March 15, especially Ohio and Florida. The polls favor Mr. Trump, but the Republican establishment does not. But, why not? Because he does not fit the mold, he does not toe the line and he does not insure them their comfortable hold on their seats of power. The McCains, Romneys and their ilk are accustomed to only compromising with the opposition and they hate being defied - it scares them witless. (Expletive deleted).



Should Trump sweep the field on the 15th he would be well advised to wear a Kevlar vest under his toga before entering the forum. The Anti-trump crowd of political assassins will bare their teeth and their knives, accusing daggers, distortion stilettos and bombastic butcher knives to stab at the candidate from all quarters. The Dems couldnt be more pleased, a division in the party is welcome news for the desperate Mrs. Clinton now ratcheting up her rhetoric and dodging the FBI. She really doesnt want to face Mr. Trump who would be unafraid to pull back the curtain exposing all her crimes. The Clinton war machine is ruthless and vicious but more so when they have just a single target.



The Donald will face two fronts, the Democrats and the Republicans of the good ole boy club. As with Caesar, Mr. T, beware the Ides of March.



Randy Edwards

Cave Creek

Back

When we need help we call them, now they need us and they should not have to call us

Dear honorable legislators; Today, we have an all-out assault on our law enforcement by activist organizations, weak kneed politicians, our current president, presidential candidate (Hillary Clinton), judges, ACLU, SPLC and others.



We are experiencing a war on law enforcement at unprecedented levels.



The courts continue to take swipes at law enforcements Constitutional Rights. They take the side of the far left in stripping our Hometown Heroes of Constitutional protections under the 5th and 4th Amendments; our God given rights intended to be protected under the Constitution for ALL citizens.



The very people we depend on to protect and to serve are being attacked. We must step up to the plate and stand with them.



We just had two more cases of activist judges who ruled against law enforcements right to protection under the 5th and 4th Amendments. NO ONE has the right to remove, ignore or suspend our God given rights under the Constitution.



These men and women, our Home Town Heroes are on the front line every day protecting our families and neighborhoods and protecting our liberties. They are being personally attacked, assaulted and in many cases murdered or maimed by bad guys as they vigilantly serve.

I have two boys in law enforcement. Both highly decorated, Officer of the year, Medal of Valor for heroism and more. My son Sean was critically wounded in a gun battle by an illegal alien while serving warrants on homicide suspects. He almost died.



As most of you know, I too spent most of my life in law enforcement, 23 years with Maricopa County Sheriffs Office. And as a young deputy was also critically wounded, shot in the hand and the chest with a 357 magnum, while attempting to arrest several gang members in Guadalupe.



I understand the risks, and I accept those risks as part of the job. What I do not accept or understand is the assault by politicians, liberal media and the courts. Furthermore, I do not understand why we stand by and allow it to happen and why we do not come to their aid.

Sean was taken to a hospital in very critical condition. He and my son Colten still continue to put their lives on the line as do thousands of other wonderful and honorable protectors. These are our Warriors, our Heroes .



Today you have a chance to stand with law enforcement and protect them from frivolous attacks as they are placed in positions where we expect them to make split second decisions. And then of course critiqued as they should be, but protection should be awarded them from abuse and the taking of their Constitutional rights.



I implore you to stand with me and law enforcement in protecting them from unfair attacks, as we experience these outrageous attacks by the Left and the anti-law enforcement crowds and in some cases administrators that implement Political Correctness over common sense and fairness.



I am asking you to support a common sense law enforcement bill of rights to protect their Constitutional God given rights that are inherent and were intended to be protected at all cost.



Russell Pearce

Former President of the Senate and Chief Deputy Maricopa County Sheriffs Office

Back

Dr. Stephen Carol

Needless to say, I was awed and shocked when I read the article concerning the Desert Foothills Library (DFL) and Dr. Carol. To think, and especially in these trying and confusing times, that a man of Dr. Carols background in Middle East History, could be treated like he was by one David Court and the DFL.



I have heard Dr Carol speak on numerous occasions, and he is extremely truthful and factual! I have most of his books on the Middle East, and believe me when I tell you, I now have a better understanding of whats actually going on in the middle East, and the fact that Dr Carol does not use Political Correctness (PC), is to his defense.



I simply do not agree with Mr Court and the DFL on not allowing Dr Carol to speak, for FREE.

The fact that two people walked out, and 10 people complained, means those people probably did not wish to educate themselves as to whats REALLY going on in the Middle East!!!



Jean Anderson

Rio Verde Resident, formerly of Cave Creek

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Guns for hire

Ive been thinking about the guns for hire that showed up in Chicago (or anywhere else) where Donald Trump (or anyone else they disagree with) is scheduled to appear. They permit themselves to be manipulated and used into violating the constitutional right of free speech of others while attempting to justify their actions by their right to free speech! Think about it.



Wow, talk about the left hand not knowing what the other left hand is doing! It as if these demonstrators really dont know their ass from a hole in the ground. In most instances once they open their mouths you can remove the word seems from the equation.



In the free and open society that these demonstrators/rioters claim to want they have the

right to offer up their counter arguments to any and all statements and positions they find disagreeable at a venue of their choosing. Having elected to not take the option to present their position and arguments can only lead a person to wonder why they didnt take this opportunity to showcase their plan for a greater, fairer, friendlier United States.



I believe the reason they choose confrontation and civil disobedience over reason and debate is they are incapable of presenting coherent counter policies or they may be aware the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow they want to sell us is nothing more than light reflecting off the rising nauseous gases from a smelly unkempt, unclean socialist outhouse.



What we do know is that its all a farce using selective free speech as cover. Most probably led by a few, followed by the naive and the gullible who have sold their souls to George Soros and Barack Obama for few pieces of silver.



Tom Carbone

Arizona

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Why is AZ complying with a costly plan already halted by the Supreme Court?

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court took the unprecedented step of issuing a stay against President Obamas massive Clean Power Plan (CPP.) The Court determined that states should not be compelled to pay the exorbitant costs of the plan until a federal court determines its legality.



The ruling produced a huge sigh of relief from the 27 states currently suing to halt a large-scale transformation of their energy grid through one of the most far-reaching regulations ever imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Essentially, states no longer need to scramble to achieve a 32% reduction in power sector carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. However, the power plan had required interim targets in 2022, and many states were already bracing for the costs of building new power sector infrastructure.



Thankfully, states have been granted a reprieve. But Arizona has chosen to move forward with the task of rebuilding its entire power generation sector. This means the state will still undertake the construction of new grid infrastructure, including the many new transmission lines and towers needed to carry electricity from planned wind and solar assemblies.



Ironically, wind and solar power have yet to prove reliable in terms of scalability for power generation. Such renewable sources of energy are intermittentthe sun doesnt always shine, the wind doesnt always blowand require backup power generation from coal or gas plants. And so, even as Arizonaa state that currently derives 40% of its power from coalbegins to shutter its coal-fired power plants, it will need to build new coal or gas systems to backstop these projected wind and solar plants.



The question is why Arizona would bear this cost when it is currently under no legal obligation to do so. Higher utility bills will fall hardest on low-income families and Americas seniors, 70% of whom live on a fixed income. The stay by the Supreme Court means that all compliance deadlines are now suspended, and the stay will remain in effect until the Court has a chance to review the case following action by the D.C. Circuit. In fact, the earliest decision from the Court on the merits of the case would likely come in mid to late 2017.



But the stay is only part of the reasoning here. More importantly, the rule could be struck down on judicial review. Many legal observers view this as likely since the point of granting the stay was to alleviate the obligation of states to develop plans (and thus incur further economic harm.) The Supreme Courts issuance of the stay can only be read as reflecting a high level of dissatisfaction with the EPAs legal basis for the rule.



Even in the very unlikely event that the EPA ultimately prevails in court and the stay is lifted, the new compliance dates will most likely be delayed by the period of time that the stay was in effect. Or, a new, less sympathetic administration may set aside the entire rule.



Apart from the costs, Arizona should consider that the goals of the Clean Power Plan are of questionable practicality. While the plan, as envisioned by the Obama Administration, would shut down roughly 40 percent of Americas coal-fired power generation, it would yield only a trivial reduction in carbon dioxide that could soon be overwhelmed by emissions from China, India and other developing nations. That may be viewed as cost-effective for Washington, but not for Arizona.



The clean coal that currently powers much of Arizonaand much of America has proven to be durable, affordable, and reliable. Renewable energy, in contrast, has proven to be expensive and low-yield. Arizona would be wise to follow the example of those states that are rejecting the CPP as a costly overreach of federal authorityand one with little practical or environmental benefit.



Terry Jarrett

Energy attorney and consultant, former commissioner of the

Missouri Public Service Commission

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School voucher system

Regarding the article on Voucher Tuition System Logic: Less money in the public schools means less students in the public schools who need that money. More students go to the schools they and their parents choose.



Choice vouchers allow the parents of autistic, emotionally, physically and developmentally challenged children to choose the services that are best for their child!!



Home schools are given the help they need which takes pressure off the educational system to educate those children.



Charter schools are in demand because parents see the value of excellence in them for their child!



We need to provide all the kinds of education and let the parents CHOOSE!



Kathie Trojanowski

Scottsdale

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What Reagan called the only strategy

If not now, when? If not us, who? ~President Reagan



Today is indeed a time for choosing. The choice is clear. Renewed prosperity, or continued government servitude? Liberty or Tyranny?



If Ronald Reagan were still alive today, I know he would be with us in our fight to restore America and the Constitution. Did you know that when Congress would not impose fiscal restraints on itself, President Reagan asked the states to call an Article Five Convention of States?



We cant depend on Congress to discipline itself . . .



Fortunately, our Nations Founders gave us the means to amend the Constitution through action of state legislatures . . . That is the only strategy that will work. ~President Reagan

Reagan went on to say, Unless we act and act quickly, the people in the White House and those running Congress will bankrupt America.



The root problem is Washington politicians who are more concerned with their own political futures than the future of our nation. It pains me to think my generation has burdened my children with these enormous government expenditures.



The good news is we have a plan, thanks to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers who gave us a safety valveConvention of States! President Reagan embraced this, because he realized it was the only solution as big as the problem.



Time is short. I know that you would do anything for your children and grandchildren, which is why we cannot afford to wait on this.



As President Reagan said regarding Convention of States, Our opportunity has never been greater. With your help, Convention of States will return fiscal responsibility to Washington and send the career politicians packing.



Our citizen activists have won dozens of legislative victories this year, but there are several states where we are running out of time. This is where YOU come in!

Please support our efforts so we can pack hearings with our citizen activists and deliver thousands of petitions to state legislators. Our goal is to implement these winning strategies in every state.



Can I ask you to do one other thing that is of utmost importance? Please ask 10 friends to sign the Convention of States petition at www.cosaction.com. We can reach thousands more of Americans looking to be a part of the only solution as big as the problemConvention of States!



Contributions will go directly toward ensuring victories in states all across America!

The words of Reagan ring in my ears--If not now, when? If not us, who?



Will you help us keep the momentum going?



Mark Meckler, President

Convention of States Action

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Strong Crypto: An Offer in Compromise for Obama

For months, US president Barack Obama played coy on the developing controversy over law enforcement bureaucrats demands that American tech innovators be required to build back doors into their products. That changed on March 11. In a talk at the Austin, Texas SXSW Interactive festival, Obama warned against an absolutist view of individual privacy and strong encryption.



[I]f your argument is strong encryption, no matter what, and we can and should, in fact, create black boxes, said Obama, then that I think does not strike the kind of balance that we have lived with for 200, 300 years. And its fetishizing our phones above every other value.



Weirdly citing the unconstitutional institution of local DUI checkpoints on our roads and the US governments barbaric post-9/11 practice of subjecting air travelers to sexual assault by Transportation Security Administration employees in the nations airports, Obama appealed to the American tradition of compromise to support his argument. All, of course, while averring that he is way on the civil liberties side of this thing. With civil liberties friends like Barack Obama, who needs civil liberties enemies?



With apologies to the late Barry Goldwater, absolutism in defense of individual privacy and strong encryption is no vice, nor is moderation in their defense a virtue.



But if President Obama really is interested in a compromise, I guess Im willing to offer one. It begins with four words:



You first, Mr. President.



In 2008, you promised Americans the most transparent administration in history. Youve since not just failed to deliver on that promise, but taken things in exactly the opposite direction.



Your administration has denied or redacted parts of more Freedom of Information Act requests than any since the Act became law in 1966.



Chelsea Manning languishes in a military prison, Edward Snowden lives in exile, Julian Assange remains trapped in Ecuadors embassy in London, and numerous other whistleblowers have been imprisoned or otherwise persecuted, all for the crime of telling us things about the US government that you didnt want us to know.



Youve even assumed the power to order American citizens assassinated -- while refusing to let the rest of us know who they are or why you had them killed.



In theory, YOU work for THE REST OF US. Since when does the employee get to read the bosss email on demand, but not visa versa?



So show us youre serious. Start with pardons for Manning and Snowden and an end to the pursuit of Assange. Then start fulfilling instead of denying FOIA requests. And the thing with murdering people? That needs to end, completely, permanently.



Get on those things, then well talk. But Im going to go ahead and predict that this isnt the kind of compromise you meant.



Thomas L. Knapp

William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism

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My View



BY DON SORCHYCH | March 16, 2016

Presidential Election and the Oligarchy



The Republican primary is maddening! Donald Trump is the man of the hour without doubt and it scares the snot out of the establishment.



The establishments identity is becoming more clear. Mitt Romney, loser of the last presidential election in 2012, has gone public trashing Donald Trump on the Internet, in newspapers, social media and who knows where else. Oh, he has also sent robo-calls to an unknown group of people. Trump has called him a loser and he was and still is. Why would anyone listen to this has been? I held my nose and voted for him as I would for anyone who was running against Obama.



The other entries for the establishment are scary. Washington lobbyist activists have siphoned off Silicon Valley billionaires; they held a private meeting at Sea Island, a private resort off Georgia. The event was sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute World Forum.



The meeting was about how to stop front-runner Donald Trump. The meeting included Silicon Valley executives such as Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google co-founder Larry Page, Napster creator, Facebook investor Sean Parker and Tesla Motors and Space X executive Elon Musk.

Top GOP officials attended too. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan as well as five GOP senators.



Other House members were represented too. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rogers of Washington and Budget Committee Chairman Fred Rice of Georgia.



Then there were business leaders. On hand was billionaire Republican Phillip Anschutz, The Weekly Standard Editor neo-con Bill Kristol and Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, publisher of the left wing New York Times.



Karl Rove, who calls himself a Republican Political Analyst was there allegedly with focus group findings. He stated focus group findings showed Trump as erratic and not appearing presidential.



Kristol wrote in his magazine, A specter was haunting the World Forum-the specter on Donald Trump. There was much unhappiness about his emergence, a good deal of talk, some of it insightful and thoughtful, about why he has done so well and many expressions of hope that he would be defeated. The key task now, to paraphrase Karl Marx, is less to understand Trump than to stop him. In general, theres a little too much hand-wringing, brow furrowing, and fatalism out there and not quite enough resolving to save the party from nominating or the country electing someone who simply shouldnt be president.



How dare these oligarchs choose our President?



Read this summary of studies by Princeton and Northwestern:



The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the countrys citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern Universities has concluded.



The report, entitled Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens, used extensive policy data collected from between the years of 1981 and 2002 to empirically determine the state of the US political system.



After sifting through nearly 1,800 US policies enacted in that period and comparing them to the expressed preferences of average Americans (50th percentile of income), affluent Americans (90th percentile) and large special interests groups, researchers concluded that the United States is dominated by its economic elite.



The peer-reviewed study, which will be taught at these universities in September, says: The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.

Researchers concluded that US government policies rarely align with the preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favor special interests and lobbying organizations: When a majority of citizens disagrees with economic elites and/or with organized interests, they generally lose. Moreover, because of the strong status quo bias built into the US political system, even when fairly large majorities of Americans favor policy change, they generally do not get their way.



The positions of powerful interest groups are not substantially correlated with the preferences of average citizens, but the politics of average Americans and affluent Americans sometimes does overlap. This is merely a coincidence, the report says, with the interests of the average American being served almost exclusively when it also serves those of the richest 10 per cent.

The theory of biased pluralism that the Princeton and Northwestern researchers believe the US system fits holds that policy outcomes tend to tilt towards the wishes of corporations and business and professional associations.



The study comes in the wake of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial Supreme Court decision which allows wealthy donors to contribute to an unlimited number of political campaigns.



I wrote about the first meeting of Oligarchs and I am sure it wont be the last. You now know some of them, but there are more. They think the American public is stupid and Donald Trump is exposing them. Keep that in mind and vote for Trump!


March 16, 2016

Bike lane project now more than 60 percent complete

The construction of the bike lanes in Carefree along Tom Darlington Drive, Cave Creek Road and Pima Road is well along the road to completion. The construction of this project is now more than 60 percent completed, and the contractor has communicated that they are on schedule to complete this project in June as called for in their contract with the Arizona Department of Transportation. For a description of this project and the construction schedule, please click on the following link: go to www.Carefree.org and click the About tab, and then click the heading Bike lane Project Info.



The final component of this project includes re-surfacing the roads affected and striping all of the travel lanes, including the new bike lanes.



The addition of bike lanes to these major traffic arteries in Carefree helps to achieve greater safety for bicyclists. According to a major academic study of protected bike lanes by three major universities, designated bicycle lanes greatly improve bike safety with 28 percent fewer injuries per mile compared to comparable streets with no bike infrastructure.



Constructing designated bicycle lanes is a growing trend among many cities and towns in the country, and competition for available federal funds is intense. According to the Regional Council Activity Report just published by the Maricopa County Association of Governments, many cities and towns from throughout Maricopa County are seeking grants similar to the one received by Carefree and Cave Creek to complete a bicycle lane project in their town. As quoted in the Report recapping this past years activities:



Thirty-seven applications were received for the funded bicycle-pedestrian program. An evaluation process was conducted. Nineteen projects were recommended for federal funding, for a combined total of $36.5 million.



In addition to increased safety and available funding, this project also enabled Carefree to incorporate the construction of right-turn lanes at the major routes into downtown Carefree and the roadways around the Gateways to be constructed at substantially reduced costs.



Carefree and Cave Creek applied for the federal grant to pay for the bike lane project currently underway three years ago. Out of the total project cost of approximately $4,221,087 for both towns, the federal government is funding approximately $3,997,370, 94.7 percent of the total cost.



For more information visit http://www.carefree.org/169/Streets-Right-of-Way.
March 16, 2016

Suspect with active warrant for murder  rescued

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents rescued and arrested a man March 9 wanted for murder by the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office.



After a man activated a rescue beacon near Ajo, Arizona, agents, including a Border Patrol agent certified as an Emergency Medical Technician, responded to the location and provided aid while awaiting transport to a local hospital.



The man was treated for his injuries and released from the hospital into Border Patrol custody. While processing the man for entering the United States illegally, records checks revealed an active warrant for murder out of Maricopa County. Agents processed the man for extradition, according to Tucson Sector guidelines.



A Border Patrol rescue beacon is a tower located in secluded areas of the desert that people can activate when in distress. Once activated, a signal is sent to the Border Patrol who then dispatches agents to provide assistance.



There are currently 32 beacons deployed throughout Tucson Sector. Rescue beacons are comprised of solar charging systems, highly reflective rotating devices, and high intensity blue strobe lights on top of 25 tall masts. The rescue beacons can be spotted from over 8 miles away.



Border Patrol agents often put their own safety on the line in harsh terrain and during extreme weather conditions in order to rescue people in distress. Tucson Sector has more than 4,000 agents trained as first responders, including 250 EMTs and 15 paramedics.



Customs and Border Protection also welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. All calls will be answered and remain anonymous.



Nogales CBP Officers seize $273K in hard drugs

Customs and Border Protection officers prevented three separate attempts to smuggle almost 91 pounds of methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales earlier this week.



Officers arrested a 30-year-old woman from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, on March 10 after finding almost 35 pounds of meth, worth more than $104,000, hidden in her Volkswagen sedan. A CBP narcotics detection canine alerted to the drugs when she attempted to enter the U.S. at the Dennis DeConcini crossing.



On March 9, officers at the DeConcini crossing arrested a legal permanent resident alien, age 32, after a canine alerted officers to the rocker panels of her Ford sedan where they found more than 30 pounds of meth, worth almost $91,000.



Later at the same crossing, officers arrested an 18-year-old legal permanent resident alien after a canine led to the discovery of 26 pounds of meth, valued at $78,000, in the rocker panels of her Ford sedan.



CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicles, and turned the subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.



Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.



CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nations ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.



Mother arrested for smuggling heroin, meth and cocaine

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Nogales Station, working at the I-19 checkpoint March 9, arrested a female United States citizen for smuggling heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine while traveling with her young child.



Agents referred the vehicle for a secondary inspection based on a canine team alert. During the inspection, a canine tracked the source of the alert to the rear of the vehicle where agents found eight saran-wrapped packages.



Agents searched the woman and found two additional packages. Combined, agents seized more than 12 pounds of heroin, approximately 2.5 pounds of cocaine, and a little more than four pounds of methamphetamine. The drugs have a combined value exceeding $207,000.



The woman will be presented for prosecution on narcotic smuggling charges, in accordance with Tucson Sector guidelines. Agents turned the child over to Child Protection Services.



Douglas CBP Officers seize $106K in marijuana

Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry arrested a Tucson resident Sunday for an alleged attempt to smuggle more than 200 pounds of marijuana worth $106,000.



Officers arrested a 32-year-old Tucson woman, after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs concealed within her Lexus sedan. Officers removed nearly 200 packages of marijuana, hidden throughout the vehicle.



Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.



Lukeville CBP Officers seize $56K in marijuana

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations officers at Arizonas Port of Lukeville seized more than 111 pounds of marijuana, March 6, worth an estimated $56,000, in a vehicle attempting to enter the United States.



Officers referred a 26-year-old Mexican woman from Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico, for further inspection of her Chrysler van. With the aid of a narcotics detection canine, officers searched the vehicle and discovered more than 111 pounds of marijuana scattered about the inside of the vehicle.



Officers seized the vehicle and drugs, and turned the subject over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.



Douglas CBP Officers seize $106K in marijuana

Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry arrested a Tucson resident Sunday for an alleged attempt to smuggle more than 200 pounds of marijuana worth $106,000. Officers arrested a 32-year-old Tucson woman, after a CBP narcotics-detection canine alerted to drugs concealed within her Lexus sedan.



Officers removed nearly 200 packages of marijuana, hidden throughout the vehicle.



Officers seized the drugs and vehicle, and turned the subject over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.



Nogales CBP Officers seize $287K in meth, marijuana

Customs and Border Protection officers arrested two U.S. women and a Mexican man for separate alleged attempts to smuggle a combined 216 pounds of marijuana and methamphetamine through the Port of Nogales over the weekend.



Officers at the Mariposa crossing referred a 52-year-old man from Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, for further inspection of his Honda sedan on March 5. After an alert by a CBP narcotics-detection canine, officers found more than 61 pounds of meth worth almost $184,000 within the vehicles rear floor boards.



Earlier that day, officers at the Denis DeConcini crossing referred a Ford sedan driven by a 23-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection. After a CBP drug canine alert, officers located several packages of marijuana which weighed nearly 145 pounds and worth more than $72,000.



Friday, officers at the Dennis DeConcini crossing referred a 22-year-old Tucson woman for further inspection of the Chrysler sedan she was driving. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a concealed compartment which contained more than 10 pounds of meth worth almost $31,000.



CBP officers seized all drugs and vehicles and turned all three subjects over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations.



Federal law allows officers to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.



Lukeville CBP Officers seize firearm components

A male Mexican national was arrested Friday (March 4) for attempting to smuggle nine separate parts of firearms into Mexico through the Port of Lukeville.



U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers conducting outbound inspections selected a Ford truck driven by a 28-year-old Mexican national from Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico, for further inspection. During the search, officers found an assortment of nine firearm components.



The illegal contraband was seized. The case have been referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation.
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Roland Miller is the dean of Communication Arts, Humanities, and Fine Arts at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois. Miller has been photographing the United States space program for more than 25 years. He contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Ray Bradbury wrote three "Abandon in Place" elegies after visiting the deactivated launch pads on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first begins:

"Abandon in Place.

No Further Maintenance Authorized.

Abandon. Turn away your face.

No more the mad high wanderings of thought

You once surmised. Let be!

Wipe out the stars. Put out the skies."

(Copyright 1981 by Ray Bradbury)

The phrase "Abandoned in Place" is stenciled on many of the remaining structures located on Cape Canaveral's historic launch pads. This poignant phrase is meant to indicate that the facility it describes is no longer being maintained. This is the military's way of excusing the deteriorating conditions of facilities that are no longer in use. No commander wants to get docked on an inspection for failing to maintain unused and dated structures. [Stunning, Tragic Images of Abandoned Space History (Photos )]

The irony in that label is it precisely describes the United States' abandonment of extraorbital space exploration by humans after the Apollo program. "Abandoned in Place" also points to the public's loss of interest in such exploration after the first few moon-landing missions, the ultimate "been there, done that" story.

So what made the nation's attention drift from what was arguably one of the greatest, most momentous technological feats in history? The achievement appears even more impressive when viewed from nearly a half-century later, when the United States would have difficulty duplicating the accomplishment of landing humans on the moon and returning safely to Earth within the nine-year window President John F. Kennedy proposed in 1961. It was this question, and others, that intrigued me when I began photographically documenting and interpreting the deactivated, abandoned and repurposed launch and test facilities that allowed the United States to reach the moon. [40 Years After Moon Landing: Why Is It So Hard to Go Back?]

Launch Complex 34; Apollo Saturn; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida; 1992 (Image credit: "Abandoned in Place" Copyright 2016 by Roland Miller, University of New Mexico Press )

Finding what was lost

In 1988, I was teaching photography at nearby Brevard Community College, now Eastern Florida State College, when I first visited Launch Complex 19. I was assisting an environmental engineer in properly disposing of some old photographic chemicals on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. When I expressed to him how exciting it was to be on Cape Canaveral, he offered to show me the Complex 19 site.

All of the manned Gemini-Titan missions were launched from Complex 19. This abandoned and deteriorating launch pad immediately struck me, and I knew I wanted to photograph the structures there. My engineer escort told me there were other abandoned pads on Cape Canaveral; little did I know at the time how many launch sites, rocket-engine test stands, wind tunnels and other facilities related to early space exploration I would visit in my quest to preserve these sites through photography.

The images produced during the nearly 25 years of this project culminated in a book, "Abandoned in Place: Preserving America's Space History (opens in new tab)" (UNM Press, 2016). Along with my photographs, there are essays by space and art experts: Pamela Melroy, former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander; Betsy Fahlman, professor of art history at Arizona State University; Craig Covault, aerospace journalist; and Beth O'Leary, professor emeritus of archeology at New Mexico State University. These authors provide four different perspectives on the history and documentation of space exploration.

These experts all have a direct connection to space art or history in one form or another  unlike myself at the time I started this project. It would be two years from the time I first visited Complex 19 until I acquired the level of access I needed to begin this photography.

V2 Launch Complex 33; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; 2006 (Image credit: "Abandoned in Place" Copyright 2016 by Roland Miller, University of New Mexico Press)

Not quite alone, with a camera

Running around military bases and NASA facilities with a camera to document things is not something the Air Force and NASA are accustomed to allowing. For this type of photography, I knew I would need to work slowly and with a tripod, usually early in the morning, right at sunrise. (If the Atlantic Ocean is calm enough at sunrise, the lighting effect is like having two suns.) These parameters necessitated numerous trips at odd hours of the day.

Once the Air Force permitted me to make several photography excursions on the station, I was then able to show the work from these efforts to Air Force and NASA officials. They then understood the purpose of my work and were supportive in allowing me access and supplying public affairs or security escorts.

Some might imagine that "Abandoned in Place" is an indictment of the Air Force and NASA for failing to preserve these celebrated launch sites. The opposite is true. Without the cooperation of the Air Force, Army, NASA and other commercial space contractors, none of this photographic work preserving these launch and test facilities would have been possible. It is important to remember that NASA's charge is not to preserve history; NASA's mission is to make history.

Titan II ICBM Silo 395-C; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; 1995 (Image credit: "Abandoned in Place" Copyright 2016 by Roland Miller, University of New Mexico Press)

To preserve, or not

It was clear from my first visit that the abandoned steel and concrete structures could not stand up to harsh coastal conditions for very long. Preventing the launch umbilical towers, mobile service structures and other steel structures on active pads from corroding is a challenge. On several occasions, I photographed on Launch Complex 39A's Fixed Service Structure while other levels of the tower were being painted. At the time, this was an active pad for launching space shuttles. I realized it is difficult to maintain the working launch facilities, let alone the deactivated complexes.

There is no simple, affordable method of keeping these historic launch pads and their steel structures from disintegrating. Along with the decay, a number of the older launch towers were covered with paint that contained lead and other toxic chemicals. The coastal climate, coupled with the harsh Florida sunlight, caused these paints to oxidize and thereby contaminate the soil surrounding the pads. This issue necessitated the demolition of towers and other steel structures that were covered in contaminated paint.

Also prompting demolition is the rare real estate on which the sites lie, which is the reason Cape Canaveral was selected for launching rockets in the first place. Cape Canaveral's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean allows for a large, over-water downrange area, which can accommodate misguided and exploding rockets without threatening populated areas.

Preserving the historic sites reduces the opportunity to reuse these valuable launch sites. A number of the deactivated launch complexes have already been modified for new rocket programs. Complex 37, which was originally used to test unmanned Saturn I and IB rockets, was repurposed as a launch pad for the Delta IV rocket. Former Titan Complex 40 is now the launch site for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Former Atlas Launch Complex 13 is now "Landing Zone 1." It is used for landing the Falcon 9's first stage.

Generally speaking, if I had to choose between preserving historic launch facilities and replacing them with new rocket programs, I'd pick the latter. The exception I would make is Launch Complex 34, site of the first successful Apollo mission launch, Apollo 7. Complex 34 is also the site of the Apollo 1 fire in 1967. The significance of this site in space exploration history, coupled with the notable remains of the rocket launch stand, make this a site worth protecting.

The importance of documenting, interpreting and photographically preserving these historic locations comes from their obvious role in history and the unique engineering that went into their creation. Part of my interest also stemmed from the beauty and unique construction of these space-race/Cold War relics. Photographically speaking, these launch sites were "target-rich environments."

Maybe more important is the effect these sites have on the individual. Much like viewing a Civil War battlefield, the experience of viewing the aftermath of sites where history was made is inspiring, even poignant. The United States needs that inspiration at a time in the country when its leadership in math, science and engineering education is slipping. According to a 2015 Pew Research Center report, which is based on the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, the average math scores of 15-year-old students in the United States were "significantly lower" than 28 out of 64 countries examined. The U.S. students also scored "significantly lower" in science than did students in 21 other countries. These rankings put the United States soundly in the middle of the pack, not a position for which the country should strive.

It should then be no surprise that interest in science and engineering has diminished in U.S. schools and colleges, as the country de-emphasizes and defunds the very institutions and programs that would inspire, attract and employ graduates in those fields. Yet, at the same time, a record number of people (18,300) have applied to be selected for the next class of astronauts. That's more than twice the next largest applicant pool. There is an obvious disconnect between what the United States is doing to support space exploration and what the country wants from the endeavor.

Inspiring space

Re-igniting interest in human space exploration through the physical remains of past glory could be an important catalyst for renewing support for extraorbital exploration. Most of the aerospace engineers, scientists and technicians I meet tell me they were inspired to enter engineering and science fields by the Apollo and space shuttle programs. This tells me that it is logical to assume that near- and deep-space exploration by humans would again inspire people to study and work in the technical fields that involve those areas of discovery.

If you're a topical expert  researcher, business leader, author or innovator  and would like to contribute an op-ed piece, email us here (Image credit: SPACE.com)

The United States has reached a point where the costs, both economic and political, have begun to erode the country's determination and effort in human space exploration. It is difficult to put a dollar amount on the return on investment from manned space exploration, simply because the effects are so widespread and far-reaching.

Commercial space transportation seems viable in the near future, but space transportation is different from space exploration. This leaves a choice between proceeding on the same erratic course of space exploration as in the recent past, based on political winds and economic returns, or of seeing the purpose of exploration in the knowledge gained and the dreams sown in young minds and hearts. The spin-off from the latter could help the United States regain its position leading the world in science.

The work I have done documenting and interpreting these abandoned facilities, which were once the focus of the world's attention, has led me to hope that this current lapse in extraorbital space exploration is only a temporary phase. In documenting the ruins and repurposed space launch and research facilities in the book, I find hope for a return to exploration for knowledge's sake, of discovery designed merely to seek what is out there, to take humankind back to the moon, on to Mars and beyond. I see evidence of the process and rewards of great achievement. Ray Bradbury put it best with the final lines of his third "Abandon in Place" elegy:

"Old ghosts of rocketmen, arise.

Fling up your ships, your souls, your flesh, your blood,

Your blinding dreams

To fill, refill, and fill again

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow's

Promised and re-promised

Skies."

(Copyright 1981 by Ray Bradbury)

Excerpts from Ray Bradburys "Abandon in Place" are copyright 1981 by Ray Bradbury and used with the permission of Don Congdon Associates, Inc. as agents for Ray Bradbury Literary Works LLC.

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
On the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea sits Japan's premier instrument for viewing the universe in optical and infrared light: The Subaru Telescope.

Subaru is a 26.9-foot (8.2 meters) instrument that bears the Japanese name for the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades.

In December 2015, I joined several astronomers in taking a tour of the enormous telescope, which sits high above the island state. [See more photos from our Subaru Telescope tour]

The road to Mauna Kea

Once an active volcano, Mauna Kea hasn't erupted in about 4,5000 years. The peak of the mountain is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. Although Mauna Kea hosts 13 advanced telescopes that probe the outer edges of space for astronomers and astrophysicists, the dirt road to reach the observatories felt like a throwback to another generation, when paved roads were few and far between. Being dragged over a washboard seemed like a more pleasant alternative.

Looking up the mountain from halfway up, at the Mauna Kea Visitor Center. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

Saddle Road, which crosses from the east to the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii, doesn't rise far above sea level. It isn't until you reach the turnoff for the mountain that you start to climb. The Maunakea Visitor Center, operated by the University of Hawaii, sits at 9,300 feet (2,800 meters), and is reachable by many types of vehicles. Once you leave Saddle Road, the path to the peak becomes perilous. Only four-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted to ascend. The primary reason for the precaution has more to do with the amount of dust kicked up, our tour driver told us; a two-wheel drive vehicle can stir up enough dirt to obscure the instruments' ability to probe the heavens above. Still, I wasn't altogether convinced that that was the only reason; the ungraded dirt road was extremely rough and windy, and not one that I would have cared to attempt on my own.

As we ascended, plants became sparse and the landscape resembled Mars. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

When we left the Visitor Center, scattered plants were visible. But once we began the trek up the mountain, the terrain outside seemed more Martian than terrestrial. The ground was red and rocky, and no vegetation was in sight. As we crawled slowly over the road on a half-hour-long journey, we seemed to be the only life for miles  not necessarily a bad thought, since I was hoping we wouldn't have to pass another car on the narrow trail. Winding around the top of the mountain, the domes of the observatories slowly rose to greet us.

The Subaru Telescope, operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), sits at an elevation of 13,579 feet (4,139 m), on the highest peak in Hawaii. Before we began our trip, we had to sign a waiver acknowledging the potential danger of the ascent (no scuba diving 24 hours before or after climbing!). We spent an hour at the Visitor Center to become acclimated to the slight change in elevation before continuing up. We were warned about altitude sickness in a lecture before we ascended, and at the peak we were reminded to let our guide know if we felt dizzy, nauseous or had headaches.

The Smithsonian Submillimeter Array is located next to Subaru. The round metal bases are places that each antennae can be moved to. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

This wasn't just due to our visitor status. Our guide, Nemanja "Nem" Jovanovic of the NAOJ, told us that when he made his first trip up, he noticed that it took him three or four attempts to perform simple tasks correctly.

Oxygen packs were clearly present throughout the building. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

"The best way to be up here is to not trust yourself. Always second-guess everything," Nem said. "The more cocky you are, the more likely you are to screw up."

When he works with Subaru's instruments, Nem wears an oxygen tank to help him stay sharp and focused. And he's not the only one. During the tour, I noticed oxygen canisters placed throughout the observatory, each as clearly marked as fire extinguishers. Partway through the tour, I also noticed that my fingers had started to go numb, making note taking more challenging. It was only then that I realized that Nem was wearing thin gloves to keep his hands warm.

Nem has been working at Subaru for more than three years. He lives in the town of Hilo, and makes the hour drive up to the observatory every few months. While on site, he stays at the visitors' quarters, located near the Visitor Center. He'll come up about a week before the observing run "because our instrument needs some pampering," then stick around through it.

His longest run was 23 days. He explained that there's no limit to the number of days you are allowed to work, but Subaru management limits you to 14 consecutive hours a day on the peak.

'The prettiest telescope'

The eyepiece (bottom) of the massive Subaru telescope. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

Construction on the Subaru Telescope wrapped up in 1998, and its first scientific images were released in early 1999.

The enormous telescope stands in the center room of the observatory, which opens outward. We stood beneath the behemoth instrument, peering upward at the mirrors that rose above us. The telescope is bright blue, leading Nem to dub it "the prettiest telescope."

Unlike most other observatories, Subaru's instruments are located in other rooms (separate from the telescope itself). Since the telescope's room opens up to the outside, this keeps the expensive instruments protected from dust, wind (which can reach speeds of 100 mph) and extreme temperatures. A series of vent rooms surround the outer walls of the observatory and run through the building, keeping the temperature of the instruments the same as the telescope. At nighttime, these vent rooms open automatically. Sometimes, at night, Nem said he comes down from observing and stands in one of these vent rooms to look outside.

A look through one of the vents. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

Subaru contains 13 instruments that enable the telescope to observe cool interstellar dust, observe faint objects and search for things like the presence of the solar system's proposed "Planet Nine."

"It means we have more instruments than we know what to do with," Nem joked.

Three of the instruments are known as Cassegrain instruments, which change the location of the telescope's focal point, and are kept in a storage room connected to the telescope room. A vehicle that runs along one of the many tracks in the floor is used to change them out. The instruments themselves are mounted on a revolving carousel, which Nem likened to one found in a six-shooter gun.

The six-shooter carousel of instruments for Subaru. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

When a new Cassegrain instrument is placed on the telescope, the custom-built cart picks it up and carries it beneath the telescope. The instrument is then jacked up to the telescope, where it can be secured.

"It's a really simple system for swapping out instruments," Nem said. "There's no craning needed."

But some of the instruments go on the top end of the telescope, and those do require heavy lifting. A crane comes in and hoists the instrument currently on top of the telescope, while operators disconnect it. Two drivers work the crane; one drives it and the other adjusts its alignment with the telescope.

"It's a pretty scary thing when you've got a 7-ton instrument over the mirror," Nem said.

Nemanja "Nem" Jovanovic demonstrates how the crane changes out the instruments. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

The crane then moves the instrument into the storage room for top-end units, where it is swapped out for another one. The new instrument is hoisted onto the telescope and connected. This happens about twice a month, Nem said. If everything goes smoothly, the swap can take a full day. With minor technical problems, Nem said it can extend the changeover to three or four days.

Things don't always go smoothly. Not long ago, one of the sensors on the crane was off by a very little bit, and the instruments bumped into each other, precipitating an immediate shutdown. After that, the top-end instrument couldn't be changed for two months.

During the instrument exchange, Nem said the crane driver wears an oxygen mask. Whether or not other members of the team carry a tank is up to them; some do and others don't.

"But they work up here a lot more than I do," he said. Members of the technical staff are present on the mountain seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Every two or three years, the primary and secondary mirrors of the telescope are removed to update their aluminum coating. An 80-ton crane lifts the primary mirror from its place and sets it in a cradle below. The cradle descends through a round hole in the floor to the mirror recoating room, which you see when you walk in the entrance. The cradle is pushed on rails running around the floor. A sprinkler system from above rains acid down on the mirror, which dissolves the aluminum coating, and a new coating is applied. The entire recoating process takes two to three weeks, and technicians use the time to overhaul the rest of the telescope as needed.

The enormous cradle that carries the primary mirror through the floor to be recoated. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

Space.com contributor Nola Taylor Redd couldn't resist taking this epic selfie in the mirror of one of Subaru's instruments. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

The instrument storage room was amazing to see. Not only was our group able to examine the outside of the various instruments, Nem also invited us to lie on the floor and look at the mirrors from below. Despite the chilly concrete floor, I wasn't about to miss the chance. While trying to find the best perspective to capture the mirror, I realized that I was in position to take the world's best selfie.

"Does it make you look fat or skinny?" Nem asked from above.

"Well, I like it, so, skinny," I responded.

When I attempted to scoot out from beneath the telescope, Nem reached out nervously to make sure I didn't smack my head into the $10 million lens, making me question the wisdom of my decision after the fact. [10 Biggest Telescopes on Earth: How They Measure Up]

On top of the world

After our tour of Subaru, Nem led us out on the catwalk to see the view. Observatories abounded at the top of the peak. I spied the twin domes of the Keck telescope when I stepped through the door. I caught a glimpse of Gemini North Telescope. On the other side, I could see the movable dishes of the Smithsonian Submillimeter Array.

From left to right: the twin domes of Keck, NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (mostly hidden behind the right Keck dome), Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Gemini North Telescope (silver dome), United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, UH Hilo Educational Telescope. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

Off in the distance, marked only by a lone construction truck, was the intended site of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), the latest source of contention on Mauna Kea.

"Come back in 10 years' time, and you can take a before and after picture," Nem said.

Then, considering the recent delays (I made my visit the same day that Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled against the legality of TMT's building permits, though the announcement wasn't made until later in the day), he added, "Although, at the rate they're going, come back in 10 years and it will still be the same."

The proposed site of the Thirty Meter Telescope. (Image credit: Nola Taylor Redd)

But the observatories weren't the only sight to see. From the peak, we could see one of the peaks rising above the island of Maui. Clouds around the base of Mauna Kea blocked the view of most of the Big Island, making it feel like we were isolated from the rest of the world.

By the time we returned to our vehicle to descend, I was feeling chilly, even through my jacket. We passed back through the clouds to the roads below. But glancing back, I thought I saw the light winking off one of the many telescopes on the peak  instruments that will continue to study the stars above for decades to come.

Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
An artist's rendering of an exploding star. Billions of years ago, dust from a stellar explosion like this may have made its way to Earth.

Microscopic dust grains extracted from meteorites that landed on Earth had ancient and explosive origins, scientists have discovered.

The dust grains  also known as presolar grains, since they're older than Earth's sun  were likely spewed out by stars that blew up hundreds of millions of years before Earth's solar system formed. And in a new analysis of data collected from these tiny particles, researchers have come closer to pinpointing the type of stellar blast that produced the dust, 5 billion years ago.

To trace the origins of the stardust's subatomic "fingerprints," scientists built computer models simulating the explosive conditions that could have produced them, to test whether the dust grains' point of origin might have been an exploding white dwarf star in a double-star system. [Images: Dust Grains from Interstellar Space]

Ancient grains

This study adds to decades of analysis devoted to puzzling out the age and origins of these presolar grains, according to study co-author Christopher Wrede.

Wrede, an assistant professor of physics at Michigan State University, told Live Science in an email that researchers look at the grains' isotopes  variations of an element that have different numbers of neutrons. About a dozen grains held a great deal of the isotope silicon-30, which has been linked to a certain type of stellar explosion called a classical nova.

Classical novas  stellar eruptions that happen in a binary, or paired, star system  are different from supernovas, Wrede said, in that they are a type of explosion that can happen over and over again. The smaller star in a pair, a white dwarf, steals fuel from its larger neighbor, heating up its own surface and eventually blasting dust and gas into space.

"After a classical nova, the white dwarf can continue to siphon fuel from the companion and ignite again," Wrede said. "In a supernova, the entire star explodes, so it can only happen once."

Going nuclear

When Earth's solar system was forming, collisions heated and mixed the building blocks of dust and gas, cooking them uniformly so that they shared many of the same isotopes. Grains with unusual isotopes  like silicon-30, which is rare on Earth  stand out, Wrede explained. "This tells us that they must have been produced prior to the formation of the solar system," dating back around 5 billion years, Wrede said.

According to Wrede, the high quantities of silicon-30 compared to other silicon isotopes in the grains suggested that they originated in a classical nova, but he and his colleagues were unsure just how much silicon-30 they could expect to see, relative to the other isotopes, if a classical nova were responsible. Their experiments revealed a new pathway for a nuclear reaction that would affect the amount of silicon-30 produced, and will help determine if the amount of silicon-30 in the dust grains is a match.

"The pathway seems to be a strong one, but we'll need to do more experiments to find out how strong," Wrede told Live Science.

The findings were published online March 8 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
A robot has built a prototype launch-and-landing pad in Hawaii, potentially helping pave the way for automated construction projects on the moon and Mars.

The robotic rover, named Helelani, assembled the pad on Hawaii's Big Island late last year, putting together 100 pavers made of locally available material in an effort to prove out technology that could do similar work in space.

"The construction project is really unique. Instead of concrete for the landing pad, we're using lunar and Mars material, which is exactly like the material we have here on the Big Island  basalt," Rob Kelso, executive director of the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration (PISCES) in Hawaii, told Hawaiian news outlet Big Island Now. PISCES partnered with NASA on the project, which is part of a larger program called Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement, or ACME for short. [The Boldest Mars Missions in History]

"And secondly, instead of a human workforce building construction for the landing pad, we're using robotics," Kelso added.

The overall goal of the ACME program is to enable the design and construction of infrastructure on the moon and Mars using local materials. Doing so would be much cheaper and more efficient than hauling everything from Earth, advocates say, since it currently costs about $10,000 to launch every kilogram (2.2 lbs.) of payload from our planet's surface to orbit.

Humanity has taken some steps toward making off-Earth manufacturing a reality. In 2014, NASA launched a 3D printer, which was built by the California company Made In Space, to the International Space Station. The machine soon built a number of items, showing that the technology can work in microgravity conditions. Made In Space aims to launch a larger, commercially oriented 3D printer to the station soon.

The ACME program fits into NASA's long-term vision, which sees robots and 3D printers smoothing humanity's way to Mars and other distant destinations  and helping prepare the off-Earth ground for astronauts' arrival.

One way robots could do this is by building dual-purpose vertical takeoff, vertical landing pads. Such VTVL pads will be important for future missions, advocates say; they will eliminate or mitigate the dust storms that would otherwise result (and possibly damage space equipment and/or neighboring structures) during launch and landing operations.

Furthermore, moon dust is incredibly fine, and it sticks to everything. So keeping it out of astronauts' way, and off their equipment, will be a priority for the planners of future lunar efforts.

Hence Helelani, and its Hawaiian VTVL pad. The rover first worked to clear and grade a 100-square-foot (9.3 square meters) area. Using its robotic arm, the rover then laid out 100 interlocking basalt pavers, which were joined like puzzle pieces to help reinforce the pad.

Helelani was controlled remotely from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Time delays were added to the communications to help simulate a lunar or Mars mission, project team members said. The next step will be to test the pad's durability by blasting it with a simulated rocket engine plume, they added.

NASA engineer and project team member Rob Mueller will provide an update about ACME, Helelani and the VTVL pad next week, at the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
According to General John Hyten, the head of Air Force Space Command, the weather satellite launched by the Pentagon in April 2014 is "about dead."

WASHINGTON  The head of Air Force Space Command told lawmakers March 15 that a two-year-old weather satellite is "about dead" and that the Air Force does not expect the satellite to return to operations.

"It doesn't look like we're going to get it back," Gen. John Hyten, commander of Air Force Space Command, told reporters.

NOAA satellite operators unexpectedly lost the ability to command the Air Force's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Flight 19 on Feb. 11. The satellite, built by Lockheed Martin, is used to help weather forecasters predict fog, thunderstorms and hurricanes that could impact military operations. Launched in April 2014, the spacecraft is the Air Force's newest weather satellite on orbit and had a five-year design life. [See launch photos for the DMSP-19 weather satellite]

Hyten told reporters he expects to make a final determination on the satellite as soon this week.

The loss of the satellite further complicates the Air Force's weather satellite outlook. For more than year, Air Force officials have been struggling to determine where they would receive comparable data.

Hyten told lawmakers March 5 during a hearing of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, that "in a perfect world, I would prefer to launch DMSP-20," referring to DMSP-19's twin.

In December, Congress terminated the DMSP program and stripped funding for the Air Force to launch the Flight 20 satellite. That satellite, built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems, has been in storage in Sunnyvale, California, at a cost of about $40 million per year.

Hyten said the Air Force's schedule for disposing of DMSP-20 and closing the books on the program by a December deadline calls for removing the satellite from storage by June 20, a date he described as a "point of no return."

Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, the commander of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center, said in a March 14 email to SpaceNews that while the Defense Department expects to complete the termination of the DMSP program by Dec. 20, he directed the program office "to take no irreversible action for the moment in order to allow the Air Force, DoD, and Congress an opportunity, if desired, to potentially evaluate the situation."

Removing the satellite from its environmentally controlled storage facility is considered an irreversible action because of the payload contamination that would occur.

Hyten also said Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, directed the Air Force in the last week to look into potential weather gaps related to the data DMSP provides and to report back by May 1 on whether the satellite program is meeting its current Defense Department requirements.

The DMSP constellation requires at least two primary satellites and two backup satellites to gather cloud imagery. As a result of the problem, the Air Force has reassigned an older satellite, DMSP Flight 17, which launched in 2006 and had been serving as a backup, into a primary role.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
An elementary school in West Orange, New Jersey, will be named after the identical astronaut twins Mark and Scott Kelly. Here, Scott (left) and Mark pose for a photo at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on March 26, 2015, one day before Scott launched on a yearlong mission to the International Space Station.

The identical veteran astronaut twins Mark and Scott Kelly have received many honors over their years with NASA, but here's a new one: The West Orange, New Jersey, elementary school they attended will be re-named after them.

Scott Kelly returned from 340 days in space earlier this month, marking the longest stretch an American astronaut has continuously lived in space (and the largest cumulative total for time spent in space among Americans, after counting his other spaceflight experience). His twin brother, Mark, flew on four space shuttle missions and commanded two, including the final flight of the space shuttle Endeavor.

The duo grew up in West Orange and attended elementary, junior high and high school in the town, and the West Orange Board of Education unanimously approved the idea to re-name Pleasantdale Elementary School to celebrate the astronauts' legacy. [Astronaut Scott Kelly's 12 Best Photos from His Year in Space]

"It is not often that a community is able to recognize and honor native sons who both fit the definitions of 'hero and pioneer' in perpetuity so that generations to come will know where such accomplished individuals had their beginnings," Laura Lab, president of the city's board of education, said in a statement. "Those beginnings helped mold them into the adults they have grown to be and at the same time offer our current students role models who can literally guide our children that they, too, can reach for the stars."

The West Orange Board of Education will choose the new name from among five proposed by Pleasantdale students and teachers, and it will be officially announced during a ceremony May 19.

"Being both a journalist who closely covered Mark's and Scott's spaceflights and a fellow graduate of the West Orange school system, I think it is great that our elementary school is being re-named for them," said Robert Pearlman, editor of collectSPACE.com, a space-history news website, and a Space.com contributing writer. "I was in kindergarten at Pleasantdale when Mark and Scott graduated from the high school across the street, so I literally grew up following in their footsteps. Now that they are both veteran NASA astronauts, I can only imagine the inspiration they will provide as students attend the school bearing their names."

Scott will officially retire from NASA April 1, but he and his (also retired) twin will continue to provide data for their year-in-space twins study. The analysis compared changes to Scott's genome after his stay on the space station to changes in Mark's, who stayed home. They are the only set of twins to both fly in space.

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
View of Pluto's atmosphere captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its July 2015 flyby of the dwarf planet.

Pluto, known for more than eight decades as just a faint, fuzzy and faraway point of light, is shaping up to be one of the most complex and diverse worlds in the solar system.

Pluto's frigid surface varies tremendously from place to place, featuring provinces dominated by different types of ices  methane in one place, nitrogen in another and water in yet another, newly analyzed photos and measurements from NASA's New Horizons mission reveal.

"That is unprecedented," said New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, who's based at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. [Photos of Pluto and Its Moons]

"I don't know any other place in the entirety of the outer solar system where you see anything like this," Stern told Space.com. "The closest analogy is the Earth, where we see water-rich surfaces and rock-rich surfaces that are completely different."

That's just one of the new Pluto results, which are presented in a set of five New Horizons papers published online today (March 17) in the journal Science. Taken together, the five studies paint the Pluto system in sharp detail, shedding new light on the dwarf planet's composition, geology and evolution over the past 4.6 billion years.

A distant world coming into focus

Pluto was discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. The dwarf planet remained largely mysterious for many years thereafter, because it lies so far from Earth.

Pluto orbits in the Kuiper Belt, the icy realm beyond Neptune, at an average distance from the sun of about 40 astronomical units (AU). (One AU is the distance from the Earth to the sun  about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers.) That's so remote that even the best photo by NASA's famous Hubble Space Telescope portrays the dwarf planet as a mere blur of pixels.

But things began changing in a big way on July 14, 2015. On that day, New Horizons performed the first-ever flyby of Pluto, coming within just 7,800 miles (12,550 km) of its surface. The spacecraft saw towering water-ice mountains; flowing nitrogen-ice glaciers; pebbly "snakeskin" terrain; a vast, crater-free plain known as Sputnik Planum; and many other features that scientists are still trying to figure out.

One of the new papers dives deeply into the geology of these features, revealing new insights about their possible origin and evolution. The 620-mile-wide (1,000 km), nitrogen-ice-dominated Sputnik Planum, for example, apparently sits atop a huge and ancient impact basin, mission scientists say. [Sharpest Pluto Surface View Released by New Horizons Team (Video)]

Sputnik Planum is smooth and pristine, bearing no impact scars. This shows that the region was resurfaced extremely recently  10 million years ago at most, and possibly much more recently than that, researchers said.

But other parts of Pluto harbor lots of visible craters, and some regions have a middling number, suggesting that the dwarf planet has been geologically active on a large scale over its entire history.

This finding came as a big surprise when it was first announced last year. Earth remains geologically active because it has a hot, molten core. Some icy satellites, such as Saturn's moon Enceladus and the Jovian moon Europa, also harbor substantial internal heat, which is generated by the powerful gravitational tug of their giant parent planets. But something else is likely happening at Pluto.

"I think we have to rethink our whole understanding of geophysics  how you keep small planets active over time," Stern said.

Stern isn't sure what exactly is going on, but he has a favorite hypothesis: that a subsurface Pluto ocean has been slowly freezing over the eons.

"As it freezes, it releases latent heat," he said. "It may be the freezing of this ocean that's powering all this geology."

These maps of water ice on Pluto's surface were created using measurements made by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft during its July 2015 flyby of the dwarf planet. The map at left is an early effort; the one at right used modeling techniques to achieve greater sensitivity. (Image credit: NASA/JHUIAPL/SwRI)

More geology insights

The new geology paper also discusses and interprets a number of other Pluto features, such as the huge, dark-red Cthulhu Regio  which appears to owe its color to hefty concentrations of tholins, complex organic molecules that drifted down out of the dwarf planet's atmosphere  and the towering peaks Wright Mons and Piccard Mons.

Wright Mons is perhaps 2.5 miles (4 km) high and 90 miles (150 km) wide. Piccard Mons is even bigger, rising about 3.7 miles into the Pluto sky and measuring 140 miles (225 km) across. Both of these peaks may have formed from cryovolcanic activity, the researchers said. [Ice Volcanoes on Pluto? New Imagery Points to It (Video)]

New Horizons also spotted long tectonic faults with very steep associated scarps  characteristics that suggest Pluto has a thick crust composed of water ice, mission team members said.

One of the other new Science papers maps out the distribution of various ices across Pluto's surface. This material  primarily frozen methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide and water  is deposited in a curiously distinct way, researchers found; some Pluto provinces are dominated by nitrogen ice, others by methane and so on (though there are places, such as Sputnik Planum, where several different ices are found in abundance).

This pattern suggests that volatile material (nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide) is being moved around by sublimation, condensation and glacial flows on both seasonal and geological time scales, the researchers said.

Surprising atmosphere

One of the other new Science papers focuses on Pluto's wispy atmosphere. This study also delivered some surprising results.

For example, New Horizons found that Pluto's upper atmosphere  the part that's more than 120 miles (200 km) above the surface  is a lot colder than pre-flyby modeling work had predicted, researchers said. In addition, the dwarf planet is losing its atmosphere at a much lower rate than scientists had thought.

Modeling studies had predicted that Pluto would be outgassing at cometary rates, losing lots of gas molecules to space every second. But New Horizons' measurements showed a mere leak rather than a gush  in fact, the model estimates were off by a factor of about 5,000.

"That shows the power of having a spacecraft there  actually going to see," Stern said.

These twin atmospheric surprises  the cold high-altitude temperatures and the low escape rate  are closely related, Stern added. Cold molecules are less energetic, and are therefore less likely to break free of Pluto's gravitational bonds.

Pluto's moons, too

Dwarf planet Pluto has one giant moon, Charon, but now is known to have four more tiny satellites. See how Pluto's moons measure up in this SPACE.com infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor)

Pluto does not cruise through space by itself. The dwarf planet has five moons  Charon, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx. The latter four are tiny, measuring just a few dozen miles wide at most, but Charon is 750 miles (1,200 km) across  more than half as wide as Pluto itself. Indeed, scientists regard Pluto and Charon as a binary system.

New Horizons studied these five satellites during its July 2015 flyby, and the new papers provide some insight into their origin and evolution as well.

For example, Charon and Pluto are very different worlds. The big moon shows no evidence of recent geological activity (though it boasts deep canyons, and was probably active until about 4 billion years ago), and its surface is dominated by water ice, with no sign of large-scale movement of volatile ices such as methane and nitrogen.

"Whether this is because Charon's near-surface volatile ices have sublimated and have been totally lost to space, owing to that body's lower gravity, or whether something more fundamental related to the origin of the binary and subsequent internal evolution is responsible, remains to be determined," study lead author Jeffrey Moore, of NASA's Ames Research Center in California, and his colleagues wrote in the Science paper.

In one of the other new studies, Pluto's four smaller moons are examined. These bodies are all quite reflective, suggesting that their surfaces are dominated by water ice, like Charon (but unlike Pluto). In addition, Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx are all spinning quite fast, and their rotational axes are off-kilter compared to those of Pluto and Charon, the authors wrote.

In general, these characteristics bolster the hypothesis that a giant, long-ago impact created the Pluto-Charon binary system, the researchers said. The four small moons are basically shrapnel thrown off by that ancient impact, the thinking goes. (The small satellites are much brighter than typical Kuiper Belt objects, suggesting that they're not pre-existing bodies that were captured by the Pluto-Charon pair.)

More data coming

The five papers, which you can read for free on Science's website, don't represent New Horizons' last word on Pluto  far from it. For example, mission team members plan to present more new results next week at the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas.

And there's still a lot of flyby data left to analyze. New Horizons has beamed only half of the close-encounter images and measurements back to mission control, Stern said; the entire treasure trove likely won't be on the ground until October.

New Horizons may also perform another flyby that could help scientists better understand Pluto's neighborhood. The spacecraft is currently cruising toward a small Kuiper Belt object called 2014 MU69, which lies about 1 billion miles (1.6 billion km) beyond Pluto. If NASA approves and funds a proposed extended mission, New Horizons will study 2014 MU69 up close on Jan. 1, 2019.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
The newsletter, our expedition's logbook, will provide information about new articles at regular intervals and will collect additional material about sustainability. A new issue will be examined each month until the end of 2016: The next stage of our expedition will be global health.

Where Does the Project Fit in with the Grand Vision?

The sustainability goals are connected by a multitude of indicators designed to measure where humanity stands on the path to a better world. But this data too should be approached critically. How much sense does it make, for example, to define the poverty line at an income of $1.25 per day when there are people earning three or four dollars per day who live without sufficient water and in catastrophic hygienic conditions, as a critical documentary reviewing progress on the UN Millennium Development goals recently aired by German public broadcaster ZDF recently showed? How much sense does it make to agree on new goals when those passed in 2009 are still far from being fulfilled?
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GREENWICH - Sir Duke is stepping up to the main stage at Greenwich High School.

The high school will host the Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday featuring performances of Duke Ellington pieces by ensembles from Greenwich High and a dozen other Connecticut and New York high schools.

Jazz at Lincoln Center is co-sponsoring the festival.

Greenwich High has hosted the festival for about a decade, with past editions held in the student center. Saturdays show will mark the first time the showcase will be held in the schools new 1,325-seat auditorium which opened last October.

Its a huge upgrade being in the new auditorium, said Greenwich High band director John Yoon. Performing venues really matter. In reality, when youre performing great music, you want to have an opportunity to play in a great venue like our new auditorium.

A different ensemble will perform every half-hour, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Greenwich Highs Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble will respectively perform at 11 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

More Information The Essentially Ellington Regional Jazz Festival is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in the Greenwich High School auditorium, 10 Hillside Road. Admission is $10 at the door and $5 for students and seniors. Patrons can come and go all day. SCHEDULE In Competition: 11 a.m.: Greenwich High School Jazz Lab Band 11:30 a.m.: Hamden High School 12 p.m.: Staples High School 12:30 p.m.: Enfield High School 1 p.m.: Rye High School 1:30 p.m.: Clarkstown High School North 2 p.m.: Break 2:30 p.m. Harrison High School 3 p.m.: Fairfield Warde High School 3:30 p.m.: Joel Barlow High School 4 p.m.: East Catholic High School 4:30 p.m.: Darien High School 5 p.m.: Lynbrook High School In Exhibition 5:30 p.m.: Greenwich High Jazz Ensemble 6 p.m.: Judges' exhibition: Chris Crenshaw, Justin DiCioccio, Alex Norris, Steve Sveum 6:30 p.m..: Awards for outstanding soloists, outstanding sections and outstanding band See More Collapse

Ellington compositions dominate the festivals, but students have also played a number of pieces by other jazz greats, including Benny Carter, Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie.

The young musicians will receive feedback from a panel of professional musicians including Chris Crenshaw, a Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist; Justin DiCioccio, a drummer and chairman of the jazz department at the Manhattan School of Music; trumpeter Alex Norris, a jazz studies faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory of Music; and Steve Sveum, a high school band director from Eau Claire, Wis.

At 6 p.m., the judges and the festivals MC, bassist and Greenwich resident Rick Petrone, will perform before they present awards to the students at 6:30 p.m.

I hope  and am confident  that the GHS Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band will put on a great show at the jazz festival, said senior Nick Szabo, a saxophonist in the Jazz Ensemble. I'm looking forward to my soloist role in one of our Duke Ellington songs. However, more importantly, because this is my last year at GHS, I hope that I can both help the Jazz Ensemble do the very best it can and get an opportunity to hear musicians from other schools perform.

The festival will mark Yoons first public performances since his January return to the classroom. He was suspended for eight months last year and faced losing his job after administrators accused him of bullying two students. The Board of Education reinstated him in December, after deciding that the allegations against the longtime band director did not warrant his dismissal.

With Mr. Yoon's return to GHS, the performance of the jazz ensemble has advanced at a much faster pace, said junior Mia Costanzo, a trombonist in the Jazz Ensemble. We have been able to see and hear significant developments in our skills as a band with every new rehearsal. I am personally very excited to perform because I feel Mr. Yoon has chosen music that really displays our strengths as a band and as individuals.

Yoon said that he sees the festival as another opportunity to build local awareness about the high schools band program.

We always want more people to find out about us and support the program, Yoon said. Theyll hear some really outstanding young musicians performing jazz.

pschott@scni.com; 203-625-4439; twitter: @paulschott
S ir Arnold Hall  a leading industrialist from a generation ago  had a way of dealing with young men whose bright ideas he thought were half-baked. He would ask the question: What problem do we have which is so serious that this could possibly provide the answer?

It is relevant today to the debate on leaving the European Union.

The challenges most often cited are Europes slow growth compared with emerging markets; the burden of regulation; immigration and the loss of sovereignty. But if these are the problems of membership, is taking the risk of leaving the only way to solve them?

Brexit campaigners say that EU membership means we are missing out on the much faster growth in the rest of the world. But EU membership has not hampered Germany. Its biggest trading partner is China.

Indeed, Germany is far more successful than we are in most emerging markets because its export effort is far better organised and it produces things these countries want. If Germany can do it from inside the European Union then clearly so could we.

EU referendum: Should the UK vote to stay or leave?

We do not need to leave the EU to boost our exports to China, India or Brazil, and we do not need to wait for a dedicated set of trade deals to do so either. We would achieve far more simply by organising our export drive efficiently, and providing proper financial and advisory support rather than trying to do it on the cheap.

Free movement next. A central plank of the Brexit case is that we need to regain control of our borders but that once in the departure lounge we would strike a favourable trade deal with Europe that would give continuing access to the single market.

But they gloss over the fact that there are two sets of negotiations.

The mandatory two-year negotiation is solely concerned with organising our departure. A trade deal to cover the future terms of engagement is a quite separate issue, and one which might not be put in place for years during which time no one will know where they are. We may well be in quite a desperate state by the time it does come along and that will most probably mean we have to continue to pay and accept free movement. This is what Wolfgang Schauble, the German Finance Minister made quite clear in London earlier this month. At the British Chambers of Commerce conference he said that a condition of any trade deal would be the maintenance of free movement and the continuation of some form of payment into Brussels.

"The problem with the British is that they so enjoy complaining that they dont realise when they are actually quite well off."

Trade deals also have an impact on sovereignty. Brexit campaigners should take note of what happened in Singapore: chewing gum used to be banned in that country because it was deemed by the Government to be a public nuisance. US chewing gum manufacturers lobbied the US government and it became a condition of the US/Singapore trade deal that the chewing gum ban was rescinded. So much for Singaporean sovereignty. The lesson is that having got sovereignty back by leaving the EU, we would then have to surrender it again with each new trade deal.

But for us it would not be chewing gum. In any trade deal we might do with the Americans for example it would be hard to resist the power of their agricultural and drugs lobbies. Both have already said as much. They would love the opportunity to sweep aside quaint British traditions such as the NHS and family farms.

Returning to immigration, we should also be honest enough to recognise that in spite of the social tensions which it creates, free movement is in fact one of the great benefits to come to the UK from the EU. It has allowed our elderly and retired criminals to go off to Spain and become a burden on their health service and it has created a massive brain drain in our favour as we suck in thousands of Europes brightest young people.

Much of the business dynamism of London comes from it being such a cultural melting pot for the highly talented and motivated. The major cities of the world compete by attracting talent. The loss of free movement would destroy the most dynamic part of the London economy  the tech sector  and would probably mark the beginning of the end of London as a leading global city.

Finally regulation: George Osborne made a telling point the other day when he said that regulation begins at home and that we, rather than the EU, are to blame for most of the problems. Certainly, as the New York Times pointed out, other EU countries with the same regulatory burden  Ireland, France, Holland and Germany  have much better industrial productivity than we have. EU regulation does not seem to have choked them.

If you sell into a market you have to abide by its rules, so all those trade deals the Brexit camp want to forge will most likely bring with them an additional slice of regulation. Meanwhile, the EU rules will have to stay in place for those who wish to serve that market. None of this sounds like it is going to lighten the burden.

TODO: define component type apester

And is it really such a problem? International studies say the UK is already one of the least regulated labour and product markets in the developed world.

The problem with the British is that they so enjoy complaining that they dont realise when they are actually quite well off. This could be a metaphor for the whole EU debate.
U nder-fire boss Sir Andrew Witty has declared he is quitting GlaxoSmithKline, paving the way for a break-up of the drugs giant.

The City grandee will retire in March next year amid criticism of the companys performance from high-profile investors who believe the group would be more successful if split up.

The UKs biggest pharmaceutical company recently appointed headhunters Egon Zehnder and Korn Ferry to begin the search for a successor to Sir Andrew who has been chief executive since 2008.

There has been speculation over Sir Andrews position for the last three years as a downturn in GSKs sales and profits, concern over its drug pipeline and a corruption scandal in China have hit the group.

When Sir Philip Hampton, a former Royal Bank of Scotland chairman, took over the chairmanship of GSK last year, it was expected that replacing the companys leadership would be one of his priorities.

"By next year, I will have been CEO for nearly 10 years, and I believe this will be the right time for a new leader to take over."

Veteran fund manager Neil Woodford has criticised Sir Andrew for not spinning off parts of the group.

A year ago, GSK considered selling off its HIV business, but the strategy was ultimately rejected. Woodford argues that the sum of GSKs parts is greater than its whole.

The long-term Glaxo shareholder said last year: In essence, Witty is running four FTSE 100 companies, and hes not doing a very good job in my view.

Och-Ziff Capital Management, the New York hedge fund, has built a 0.5% stake in GSK, and has been pressing for change at the top, preferring an outside candidate.

Och-Ziff is understood to believe the company is in a strategic cul-de-sac and that the group needs wholesale change.

Witty, who was knighted for services to the economy in 2012 and is a government adviser, said that GSK was a very special company.

By next year, I will have been CEO for nearly 10 years, and I believe this will be the right time for a new leader to take over.

Critic: Fund manager Neil Woodfor is in favour of a GSK split

Last month, Sir Andrew, who joined the company as a graduate trainee in 1985, was defiant in presenting the companys strategy.

He said that sales of its new products had reached 2 billion last year, and argued that the annuity-style income from the vaccine and consumer healthcare businesses helped to make up for the volatile product cycle of developing new drugs.

Internal candidates tipped as possible successors include Abbas Hussain, president of global pharmaceuticals, and Emma Walmsley, chief executive of the consumer healthcare division.

David Epstein, head of Novartiss pharmaceuticals division, is seen as a possible external candidate.
R aising insurance tax to build more flood defences could set a dangerous new precedent and pave the way for future taxpayer rebellions after the move sparked anger from insurers.

Chancellor George Osborne said the 900 million raised from a hike in insurance premium tax would be used to build 1500 new flood defences.

But charging insurance customers to fund infrastructure spending was slammed by the industry.

Linking tax rises to specific spending is rare because taxpayers never normally know how money is spent.

The ring-fencing tactic has been frowned upon by previous governments but George Osborne has made this a mark of his tenure, including yesterdays sugar tax, which will fund schools sports.

Cormac Marum, from Harwood Hutton, warned the move paves the way for conscientious objectors, who rebel against certain taxes.

More people will justify not paying a certain tax on moral grounds. You cant have people having a menu of taxes to pick and choose from, he said.

The 0.5% increase set off alarm bells in the industry.

The AA criticised it for unfairly burdening motorists. Using it for flood defences is helpful but it simply replaces past spending cuts.
E mployees who get in on the ground floor to make huge gains from rapidly growing companies will be limited in the gains they can make tax-free under a new Tech City Tax, it has emerged.

Using Employee Shareholder Status, staff members who were awarded shares in a company up to a value of 50,000  often as an incentive to aid the firms growth  would previously enjoy a tax-free gain with no limit when those shares were sold.

Now, any employee receiving shares from March 17 will be allowed to make a tax-free gain of just 100,000 in their lifetime, it emerged in yesterdays Budget.

Any gain above that level will be taxed at normal capital gains tax rates, which were yesterday slashed from 28% to 20%.

Chancellor George Osborne introduced the Employee Shareholder Status in September 2013 in an effort to encourage employees to hold shares in the companies they work for and help them grow.

Budget in 90 seconds

Given it was only been in place for less than three years, most of those currently taking advantage of the status are likely to be fast-growing tech firms and the move may send shudders through Silicon Roundabout.

Tax expert Cormac Marum of accountant Harwood Hutton warned this could stymie growth of UK start-ups. He said: The Chancellor seems to want people to be successful, but not too successful.

Large gains are normally found in successful tech start-ups where the value of the company can shoot up rapidly, so this could be seen as a Tech City Tax. This could deter companies from motivating their staff and, in turn, hit their rate of growth.

George Osborne presented his eighth budget on Wednesday (Picture: Getty Images) / Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Simon Morris, senior manager at accountants PwC, said: London is competing hard for the worlds best tech talent. Osborne appears concerned that this measure he introduced just three years ago has become too popular but curtailing it could limit the attractiveness of a career working for a start-up in Britain.

The move comes just weeks after scrutiny of Facebooks remuneration of its staff, largely using shares, emerged. The system requires at least 2,000-worth of shares to be given to employees who then face an upfront income tax charge on the value above 2,000.
B uilding firm Kier is hoping to cash in on the Governments major infrastructure deals as boss Haydn Mursell welcomed George Osbornes commitment to Crossrail 2.

Kier has been a big player in the first Crossrail scheme and hopes to be involved when the spades go in the ground for Crossrail 2.

The Chancellor announced 80 million in funding for the development of the north-south London link and although the completion of the project is more than a decade off, Kier could be involved at an earlier stage via its recently-acquired consulting business Mouchel.

Before then Kier has pre-qualified for enabling works packages on the HS2 rail project, worth 200 million each, and will potentially be in the running for the three main construction contracts, which could be worth 1 billion each.

What is Crossrail 2?

Mursell said: Im always pleased when the Government states its commitment to the sector.

Revenues leapt 32% to 2.1 billion in the six months to December, thanks to the Mouchel deal, while pre-tax profits rose 27% to 57.1 million. The interim dividend is up 12% to 21.5p.
C hallenger banks have welcomed moves to allow them to operate with lower capital than their larger too big to fail banking rivals.

Small banks need to get bigger and take business away from the bigger banks, said Paul Lynam, chief executive of Secure Trust.

That is the only way in which the taxpayer will be off the hook for bailing out too big too fail banks in the future. So it was good to hear George Osborne saying he would push Europe for a more proportionate treatment for the capital required for smaller banks.

Lynam is also optimistic that the delay to the Competition and Markets Authoritys long-awaited report into retail banking signals that the regulator is preparing to make much stronger recommendations on helping challenger banks.

Andy Golding, chief executive of buy-to-let lender OneSavings Bank, is more sceptical about help for challengers.

He said: The CMA has been talking about boosting competition to the big banks for five years. There are some encouraging noises from Andrew Bailey and the Prudential Regulation Authority but as we see with Williams & Glyn and TSB, separating the big banks is very difficult.

Secure Trusts profits rose 40% to 36.5 million last year, with lending up 73% to 1.1 billion. The ordinary dividend goes up from 52p to 55p, and shareholders will get a 165p special dividend when the sale of Everyday Loans completes in April.

OneSavings profits rose 52% to 106 million on lending up 31% to 5.1 billion. It is paying a dividend of 8.7p a share.
M att Davies, boss of Tesco UK, made a rare public appearance yesterday to speak at Retail Weeks annual shindig.

Tescos big cheese, group chief executive Dave Lewis, was originally slated to appear. That would have made more sense as Spy hears Lewis told Davies when he started that he is the only person who should be seen as a spokesman for the supermarket.

Davies, he added, should stay in the shadows  an odd decision since Davies is well-known (and well-liked) in retail circles as ex-boss of Halfords while Lewis was previously a virtual unknown outside Unilever.

Then again, one former colleague tells Spy: Dave Lewis has the biggest ego Ive ever encountered by a country f**king mile.

Osborne puts one over Lib-Dems on tax rules

George Osborne may not literally have been able to get rid of the LibDems, as he joked in yesterdays Budget, but he did manage to do away with one of his former coalition partners tax-raising measures.

Budget in 90 seconds

The Lib-Dems brought in a rule that denied entrepreneurs tax relief on goodwill when partners incorporated their growing business. The Chancellor corrected a measure he clearly saw as disgraceful. And he backdated the new rule to December 3, 2014  the day the measure was introduced by his old bedfellows.

Take that, Danny Alexander!

Traffic jam on infrastructure spending

Boom boom! Londons outer boroughs should be delighted to receive 5 million with a shiny Outer London Infrastructure Fund doled out by Osborne.

Spy was on its way to the offie for some celebratory plonk when it glanced at the point below and realised 500,000 was splashed out just on a study into a Gloucestershire M4 road link.

Expect a handful more pelican crossings, then. Humph.

Rolet's here for the long haul

It will be au revoir but not farewell to Xavier Rolet when he steps down from the merged London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Borse in a years time.

The Frenchman is helping the deal bed to down and then, he says, he will take a holiday  no doubt at his vineyard in Provence.

Retreat: Rolet at his vineyard (Picture: AFP/Getty Images) / Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

But Rolet says he very much hopes to stay in the UK, adding: I have been here for 27 years and my children are probably more British than anything else.

Hell also want to keep an eye on the apiary he has created on top of the Stock Exchange building in Paternoster Square.
P icture the scene. Its 2019 and George Osborne has just beaten Boris Johnson to the Conservative leadership. In his new office at No 10, hes assembling his top team.

One conversation starts like this: Listen, Sajid  theres good news and theres bad news. First, congratulations on being Chancellor. But about this deficit

If youre an aspiring MP or ally of the Chancellor at the moment, like Business Secretary Sajid Javid, Energy Secretary Amber Rudd or chief secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands, the one job you dont want is being chancellor after Osborne.

Youre basically doomed to failure before you begin and your major job  if the latest forecasts of the Office for Budget Responsibility are to be believed  is simply going to be lopping off limbs of the state.

The Chancellors watchdog  the Office for Budget Responsibility  handed him a 27 billion windfall to spend in the autumn statement. But just four months on, the OBR served up the fiscal equivalent of a Rottweillers mauling.

Budget in 90 seconds

Chief executive Robert Chote warned in January that what the sofa gives, the sofa can take away, and certainly lived up to his words in the OBRs pessimistic assessment of the UKs economic performance in the years ahead. Instead of yielding helpful cash, Osbornes sofa has bitten his hand off.

Osborne is clinging like a drowning man to his 2019/20 deficit target but hell need a fairy godmother, or some other miracle to hit it. Of course, forecasts stretching five years into the future cant be taken as gospel because events intervene and render them redundant.

But the Chancellor is surely stretching credulity to the limit in suggesting that he will achieve a 10.4 billion surplus in 2019/20, requiring a swing of more than 31 billion in the public finances from a 20 billion-plus deficit in 2018/19.

"If the Government hits its stated ambition of reducing immigration to the tens of thousands, the OBR says the surplus disappears completely."

The assumptions are beyond heroic  and even then hes got a 55% chance, according to the OBR. Thats slightly better than even money; a very good shot but by no means a dead cert, as a few punters might find at Cheltenham this week.

The Osborne tricks in the locker to hit the magic number include 3.5 billion in as yet unidentified spending cuts, a raid on departments by raising public sector contributions  in effect 2 billion in extra cuts  and bringing forward planned capital spending to earlier years.

Corporation tax reforms have been deferred to 2019/20 to give firms more time to prepare, giving him the desired surplus. It adds up to a shameless manipulation of spending cuts and deferred receipts to preserve an arbitrary political target.

Were also being asked to believe that these savage cuts will be under way in the year before a general election, which Osborne hopes to lead the Conservatives into. Tell me another.

Potential successor: Sajid Javid (Picture: Getty Images) / Carl Court/Getty Images

After another false dawn, the OBR is acknowledging the reality of a world where were having to put in more effort and labour to produce stuff  and that feeds through to everything that matters; corporate profits are lower and so we cant afford higher wages. No amount of shilly-shallying with the numbers can evade that.

The even more worrying thing in the depths of the watchdogs big blue book is that there could be more productivity pain to come: the OBR is pencilling in productivity growth of 1.8% a year between now and 2020, but points out that this is more than twice as high as the 0.8% a year seen on average over the past three years.

And if the Government hits its stated ambition of reducing immigration to the tens of thousands, the OBR says the surplus disappears completely as migrants boost the working population and hence growth.

The question for the Chancellor now is when, rather than if, he admits failure on this surplus target  or hands a hospital pass to his successor.
T he march of our robot overlords has been given a boost by FTSE 250 hospitals group Spire Healthcare.

Not content with putting people out of work and clamouring to give us investment advice, androids now want to slice us open and plunge their metallic mitts inside.

Spire revealed plans for a surgical robot named after Italian jack-of-all-trades Leonardo da Vinci. They cost three million quid, and are actually operated by boring old humans.

Shame that Spire boss Rob Roger wont be around to see it  hes off to run a student digs company for Goldman Sachs and the Wellcome Trust in June.

The high-end investment is designed to attract more people to Spire hospitals. Longer waiting lists in the NHS will also help, it said.

Investors tended to agree, sending shares 9.4p or 2.8% higher at 346.40p.

Traders were still digesting yesterdays sugar-free Budget and the Feds decision to temper rapid US rate hikes during trading today. The FTSE 100 was down 0.5%, losing 41 points to 6134.40 points after rising on the open.

Shares in Apple iPhone supplier Imagination Technology stormed off the start line like a racehorse in tomorrows Gold Cup after it unveiled a long-awaited rejig leading to 200 job cuts. They rose 2.9%, adding 5p to 176.75p.

The group is trying to sell its Pure digital radio division, responsible for those block-like DAB radios you buy at Christmas when youve run out of present ideas, and said it had received considerable interest in the stereophonic favourite.

Trouble spot: Analysts pointed at problems for the Next Directory (Picture: Next) / Next

Everyones second-favourite fashion chain, Next, fell 2%, down 135p at 6,585p, after a 26-page research note from Haitong Research concluded that the good times were over for its credit-driven Next Directory business.

And like a Dickensian aphorism it was the best of times and worst of times in the UK commodities sector as the fortunes of Yorkshire potash group Sirius Minerals and London-based oil company Enquest diverged.

Sirius shares crashed 19%, down 4.42p at 18.33p, after it said the cost of a fertiliser mine in North Yorkshire could rise to 3.7bn.

Top of the FTSE leaderboard was oil firm Enquest, which rose 18.9%, adding 2.75p to 17.25p, after it revealed production jumped by more than a third last year, above the upper end of guidance.
R ebecca Wales, a commerical litigation partner at Hogan Lovells, shares the secrets to her success including taking setbacks on the chin, focusing on one thing at a time and keeping a calm, can-do attitude.

What do you do?

Ive just been made a partner at my firm, and I genuinely think Ive got one of the best legal jobs in London.

I do complex commercial litigation, specialising in very high value and complicated cases.

Ive recently been working on some of the highest-profile cases in the High Court, including the multi-billion-dollar fraud cases of billionaire businessmen Sergei Pugachev and Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Some of the stories we get involved with are stranger than fiction, as you may have read in the newspapers about those two cases.

"Getting a decision that creates new law is really satisfying."

Most of my work is fascinating, often involving getting freezing injunctions and search orders  the courts nuclear weapons - which many lawyers will only get involved with once or twice in their whole career.

I often feel its like being a journalist, investigating and drawing pieces of evidence together to build your case, then working out how you can best tell the story to the court.

I work long hours, but its pretty flexible. Most of the litigation I do is London-based, and Im in and out of the High Court very regularly, though I do have to travel from time to time too.

Its a pressurised job, but I dont generally feel too stressed. In high-stakes cases, things can move very quickly and its important to keep a clear head. Thats not to say I always find it easy to forget about work and sit down in front of the TV.

Whats the best thing about it?

Im really working at the cutting edge of the law. When you are dealing with disputes over huge amounts of money, defendants will hide assets, ignore court orders and lie.

But the English courts are prepared to develop the law to ensure it remains effective.

Getting a decision that creates new law is really satisfying.

You also get some great moments in these kinds of cases, like when we got an order for the tipstaff [court police officers] to come with us and serve a court order on Pugachev when he was at his house in Chelsea.

The bodyguard pretended Pugachev was out but, after a couple of hours, the police hopped the fence and barged the door. When they got in, they found him upstairs, and we were able to serve the order.

What are the difficulties?

You lose in court sometimes, but the important thing is not to be put off when that happens. Ive had a pretty good run and have not lost very often but the key is that when you do, you take it on the chin, learn what you can and move on.

You cannot take it too personally. If a judgment doesnt go the way you hoped, you just have to think of another way of doing things.

The work can be very complicated, dealing with foreign laws, different legal systems abroad and cross-border disputes.

But we have offices all over the world, so its not too bad. In fact, if it were straightforward, it probably wouldnt be the sort of work we would get asked to do.

Your opponents are trying to set you back every step of the way but thats the nature of litigation.

What was your biggest break?

I was really lucky that when I joined Hogan Lovells from law school, I almost immediately got involved with a fascinating dispute over a $300 million stake in a mobile phone company. There were political aspects to it, and it was being very hotly contested in 25 or 26 jurisdictions.

I was focused on the litigation in the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda. It was a fantastic, and surreal, start to my career. To go to court, I would have to jump on a flight with a barrister  often to Antigua. Wed then have to change on to a tiny little plane to get to BVI. I remember flying over the Caribbean sea and thinking: This isnt how I expected to get to work.

It gave me valuable experience of getting out there and standing on my own two feet.

How do you manage your work-life balance?

Its a juggle. We have two young children, and my husband and I try to work flexibly. Both of us have made arrangements that allow us to work nine days every fortnight, which is great.

Were both committed to spending plenty of good quality time with the children, to maintain a good home life and a great career.

Ive learned that, at any one time, you have to focus either on the family or on work. Dont attempt to do both at the same time. Trying to make a conference call while youre with the kids is just too stressful.

Any tips?

Get as much experience as you can, seize opportunities with both hands, and approach life with a calm, can-do attitude.
T he day after any Budget is usually the time when the small print in the Chancellors statement comes to light and we start to realise the full implications of policies that were lost among the eye-catching elements. Not so with George Osbornes Budget, because commentators identified the problem with his analysis even before he sat down. It is the assumption that the economy can move abruptly from red to black, from deficit to surplus by 2020, the end of this parliament. As Anthony Hilton points out, few individuals, let alone governments, can be so confident about where their finances will be in five years time. If Mr Osborne is to do this there will have to be increases in tax or real reductions in spending just beforehand.

Given that the most eye-catching element of the Budget was the increase in personal tax allowances and the raising of the threshold for higher rate taxation  which were very good news for individual taxpayers  then it would seem more likely that there will be even more cuts in public spending besides the 3.5 billion that the Chancellor confirmed yesterday. Since easy cuts have already been made, this means trouble ahead, especially for local authorities which can expect to bear the brunt of cuts and which have to meet a rising care bill.

Already Tory MPs have identified one cut too far  a number have written to protest at the proposed reduction in Personal Independence Payments for the disabled. And they are right. The notion that the disabled may be paying a price for tax breaks for the reasonably well off, or to achieve a surplus by the end of the parliament, sits uneasily with the Governments bid to be seen as compassionate. With so much backbench unease, this is a cut that will be hard to get through parliament.

Mr Osbornes Budget was a feelgood affair but if it starts to seem unfair in small ways and lacking credibility in its big assumptions, that impression may fade.

Corbyns Jewish issue

If the head of the Board of Deputies of British Jews says Jews cant trust Labour, there is a real problem for Jeremy Corbyn. Traditionally many of Londons Jewish community have voted Labour; that relationship is now in jeopardy, according to Jonathan Arkush as a result of the partys failure to deal with anti-Semitism among activists. The most immediate problem is to do with Vicki Kirby, an activist suspended in 2014 over offensive tweets, only to be later reinstated and become her local partys vice-chairman. She was later resuspended because of the controversy. There are also claims of anti-Semitism in the partys youth wing.

This is something Jeremy Corbyn must deal with fast. He is himself free of any taint of prejudice but his failure to get to grips with a toxic problem among his associates and those with whom he shares a platform is becoming worrying. The Labour mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan, has said tough action must be taken on anti-Semitism in the party. He is right. If Jews cant trust Labour, neither can anyone who takes pluralism seriously.

Up close with big cats

A new enclosure at London Zoo aims to show off the natural habitat of Asiatic lions by replicating a village in Indias Gir Forest National Park. In the wild, these great cats live in remarkably close proximity to human neighbours. The Land of Lions enclosure will give visitors a flavour of that intimacy  with a reassuring wire fence between man and beast. Crucially, it will also help to raise awareness of the Asiatic lions still-endangered existence. Seeing big cats in captivity close up should make us all the keener to preserve those in the wild.
Review at a glance









T his gathering of famous portraits of Russian cultural figures is a test of portraitures powers. Among the works lent by Moscows State Tretyakov Gallery are depictions of writers and composers of international renown. But unless you have a deep knowledge of Russian culture, there will be plenty you havent heard of.

Its a test, because, like the works in the National Portrait Gallerys own collection, there are three ways in which these portraits can appeal: in the spark of recognition of significant public person; as a compelling representation of humanity; or as a powerful painterly object. Too few works here make a big impact. Take two depictions of literary figures about whom I know little: Nikolai Ges portrait of Alexander Herzen and Ilya Repins depiction of Ivan Turgenev, both perfectly adequate technically but essentially plodding portraits of bearded men. Likewise the portrait of Tretyakov, the collector who gave his name to the Moscow gallery.

There are moments of brilliance, however: Vasily Perovs moving portrait of Dostoevsky captures the troubled writer deep in thought, a figure of light emerging from gloom. The composer Modest Mussorgsky, another man of whom I know little, is captured by Repin close to death from alcoholism, a picture of pain and sadness yet imbued with a vibrant spirit and a painterly immediacy.

The later 19th century saw an artistic revolution in France with the emergence of Impressionism. In Russia, a debate raged about engaging with French art versus continuing Russian realist traditions. But in the painting of Tchaikovsky by Nikolai Kuznetsov, the fusion of French influence and Russian tradition is powerful. It ticks all those portraiture boxes: an intriguing depiction of a reluctant, conflicted popular figure, emotionally rich, captured in vivid, lively paint.

Until June 26, National Portrait Gallery (020 7306 0055, npg.org.uk)

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T om Bowers book is not a comprehensive biography. Glancing blows at the talentless likes of Margaret Beckett, Ann Taylor and Geoff Hoon are no substitute for vivid characterisation of people or of that Cool Britannia knows-how-to-spend-it epoch.

This might have enlivened dreary discussions of education and health policies  where promises were rarely met and, in the case of immigration, were deliberately broken. Surely Tony Blairs professional background as a barrister also has some connection with his much-vaunted rhetorical skills, not to mention the delight in episodic accumulation?

Bower should know, since he began his professional life as a lawyer before moving on to the likes of Richard Branson, Bernie Ecclestone and Conrad Black, distinguished subjects of his earlier vivid portraits, though one on Richard Desmond has not appeared.

Nor is Bowers book a comprehensive history of the Blair era, which would have to have encompassed the neo-conservative claque in the press who lauded his every action and in some cases still do. Why did any opposition that Blair encountered emanate from his own backbenchers, now moved to the front by Jeremy Corbyn, rather than from his fellow right-or-wrong Atlanticists opposite? The derelictions of William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard are also part of this dismal story.

Other omissions are more serious. The entire Northern Ireland peace process is reduced to a 70-word paragraph. This is unfortunate since Blair and his unappetising henchmen, Jonathan Powell and Alastair Campbell chief among them, were surely influenced by their triumph amid the steeples of Fermanagh and Tyrone to scale up to the mosques of Basra, Baghdad and Ramadi? Bower claims Blair read the Koran but little on the contemporary Middle East and was not much interested in the views of a trio of invited Arabist experts, to whom his opening line was Please dont tell us not to invade [Iraq] because we must and will.

Hubris was not Downing Streets alone. Why else would British commanders allow their troops to wander around in soft caps in Basra after the 2003 invasion, leaving aside the striking fact that they lacked adequate enhanced protective equipment, as Lord Jock Stirrup testified to the Chilcot inquiry back in 2010, because the timetable to war was shortened by two months.

At the core of Bowers book is the case he feels Sir John Chilcot should make, were his interminable inquiry not front-loaded with a harmless quangocrat, a (now deceased) historian who shared Blairs Israel First enthusiasm, and Lawrence Freedman, the academic whose input into Blairs 1999 Chicago speech legitimising armed humanitarian intervention was to question historic notions of absolute state sovereignty that have guided the world pretty well since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.

It is salutary to be reminded of how hard-fought-for institutional checks on imaginative intelligence materials delivered from domestic and foreign agencies were artfully circumvented to make the false claim (dutifully reported within hours by this newspaper) that Saddam Husseins battlefield artillery shells were really ballistic missile warheads that could hit Cyprus within 45 minutes. After his Crawford Ranch pact with George W Bush, Blair determinedly pushed for war, with armed forces which Bower alleges could not be adequately equipped because this would have undermined the parallel quest for a clarifying second UN resolution which some of his colleagues and European partners insisted on. Formal decision-making with verifiable minutes collapsed in favour of bunches of like-minded guys perched on sofas and propped against walls.

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Although his formal status was unclear to outsiders, the ubiquitous Campbell played a major role in shaping the case for war. One of the few to query what was going on was the cool and correct former submariner Admiral Michael Boyce, who had assumed the awesome responsibilities of Chief of the Defence Staff at war. According to Bower, on one occasion when Campbell showed up with Blair at a meeting, Boyce said to Admiral Alan West (now a Labour peer) How dare he come to a meeting in the Ministry of Defence, an unelected spin man whos had a mental breakdown?

These days Jonathan Powell dispenses his expertise as a consultant in conflict resolution, a role he has taken on, without evident success, in Libya for the UN. A nephew (son of Mrs Thatchers foreign affairs guru Lord Charles) is deputy national security adviser, in what seems to be a hereditary lien on our foreign policy.

After an unsuccessful stint as Quartet representative in the Middle East, Blair travels the world, like the Flying Dutchman, in a black Bombardier jet dubbed Blair Force One, in the service of his multifarious business, charitable, diplomatic and faith initiatives. He offers delivery unit solution packages, with commercial work on the side for his other banker clients such as J P Morgan.

As Blairs power fades, the loss of power being a theme Bower also does not explore, he has become just another UK plc salesman, whom African, East or Central Asian leaders can take or leave, with even the platitudinous speeches resulting in Chinese audiences wanting their money back.

8.49, Amazon, Buy it now
J apanese style is sleek, simple  and irresistible. Striking the perfect balance between function and form, a host of brands is bringing Eastern style to London. Take fashion designer Issey Miyake, who has collaborated with Finnish brand Iittala to produce a line of ceramics, glass and home textiles that fuses both Asian and Scandinavian craftsmanship.

Minimal hardwood pieces with Japanese influence are also a favourite: Tebori (traditional Japanese hand-tattooing) has been applied to the legs of this bleached-maple tripod table by Wren & Cooper, while Carlos Jimenez champions classic Eastern design through a series of ash-wood modular storage units.

Want to inject some Japanese style into your interiors? The good news is, it's much easier than you think. Click through our gallery to see our edit of Japanese-inspired interiors, from side tables to kitchen utensils.

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I mean, Rada sounds posh. Raaa-daaa. But I really dont think thats the case, says Stefanie Martini. The latest British starlet to pull on a bonnet and corset for a Sunday night period drama  this time Julian Fellowess adaptation of Anthony Trollopes novel Doctor Thorne  is telling me that her time spent at drama school was not exactly overrun by Cumberbatches and Hiddlestons.

I think there was, maybe, one quite posh boy in my year and that was it. Everyone else was a real mix because you get picked because youre different.

Martini, 25, is being tipped for 2016 success following her turn as Mary Thorne, the sweet-natured and steely but unfortunately un-moneyed niece of Tom Hollanders Doctor Thorne.

She looks the part in the show, with a neat centre parting and plenty of doe-eyed glances that say more than words ever could, but in person she is unreserved and animated, gurning at me as she explains she was concerned about doing too much stuff with my face on camera.

You know, after three years of theatre training you come in and youre like: HELLOOOO, IM HERE! but its not about that. In theatre you can come out with a wig and a limp and its fine...but in TV you can just think something and it comes across.

Making the transition from stage to screen, she had quite a set of co-star examples to follow, rattling off that Ian McShane is an absolute gentleman, Rebecca Front just genius and Tom Hollander mischievous.

One of my teachers at Rada used to say: Never go on stage unless youre thinking Im beautiful and Ive got a secret, and Tom Hollander looks like hes beautiful and hes got a secret.

Another of the cast garnering attention is Cressida Bonas, ex-girlfriend of Prince Harry, making her screen debut. When I ask about her, Martini throws her hands up in the air: Oh god, poor Cressida! She is literally the most normal lovely person. She works so hard as an actress and shes just a person trying to do a job.

Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series

Martini is now happily settled in north London (Tottenham Hale, Camden for two years and now Finsbury Park) but is originally from north Somerset, where she moved around a lot, growing up in lots of different villages.

She firmly shakes her head when I point out that her family are not the convenient industry luvvies that often spawn our acting dynasties: My dad is the manager of a construction company and my mum and stepdad both work at an outdoor pursuits centre down the road. My little brother is studying graphic design and my sister works with people with autism: theyre both awesome.

Martini loved drama at school and was part of a youth theatre company but after A-levels began an art foundation course.

I really loved creative subjects but I didnt know where to go with that and acting just seemed like such an unreachable thing for me to achieve because of where Im from. But I got halfway through my arts course and realised that I needed to just go for it.

In her first year of auditioning for drama school she didnt get past the first round anywhere, but got a place at Rada on her second try.

The auditions are all spread out across the year. You dont when theyll need you to to come back or if youll get in  its like pausing your life. Im really glad I didnt just give up and go to university.

She is effusive about the financial support offered to drama students to fund their degrees, pointing out that she received a bursary along with more than half the people in her year group.

Ive had a pub job since I was 14. Im used to working to support myself and for the first time I couldnt when I got to Rada because youve got such long hours and then college work to do on top of that. Im sure its easier if you have mummy and daddy there to pay rent. That didnt happen to me so I cant understand that side of it.

It is possible to work lots of slightly rubbish jobs and audition as well. Its difficult but there are ways.

(Image: ITV Pictures) / ITV

At the moment she has the pub job on hold and has just got back from Budapest where she has been filming for Emerald City, a 10-part drama for NBC which re-imagines the tale of Oz with a contemporary Dorothy. Rumoured to be a twisted and darker version of the classic, with a definite nod to the success of Game of Thrones, it will star Joely Richardson as Glinda.

Martini cant reveal who her character is but she is having a ball on set. Whats nice about this is that theres a whole bunch of strong female characters, not just one. There is a whole bunch of kick-ass women. I remember we were sat around and noticed how few guys there were. Its normally the complete opposite so we were like Hey! Super super female!

Beyond finishing Oz, Martini is hoping something more contemporary is on the agenda: Id like to do something thats not RP, not posh, that would be fun. Falling into a West Country accent, she says: I havent gone up for something in a Somerset accent yet and its all I want in my life to do it at some point. Its comfortable and it makes me feel at home.

She cites her inspirations as Carey Mulligan, Zawe Ashton (who she fangirled at a recent swanky party) and Ruth Wilson. When I mention that she looks quite a lot like the star of The Affair  who has, incidentally, donned her fair share of bonnets over time  Martini squeals. Dude, that makes me so happy I cant tell you. Im overjoyed. I do have that quite a lot. That and Macaulay Culkin in his Home Alone days.

Follow Rachael Sigee on Twitter: @littlewondering

The final episode of Doctor Thorne is on Sunday at 9pm on ITV. It will also be available on DVD and digital download from Monday
W HILE fighting to rid India of polio, volunteers visited an area where the people were fervently opposed to immunisation. There, they found a mother with her baby. The team, led by Deepak Kapur, asked if they could immunise the child. The woman nodded but bristled. Kapur feared something was wrong. What are you planning to do after we administer the drops? he asked. She replied: Its simple. Im going to take this infant, dash his head against the ground and kill him.

Kapur recalls his hair standing up as he heard this. Why would she do that? If I dont, my husband will come home and kill me, came the response. The team didnt administer the drops.

That was a few years ago. Kapur, a businessman who has chaired Rotarys National PolioPlus Committee in India since 2001, tells me this story to illustrate how much attitudes had to shift to eradicate polio. In another area, Kundarki in Uttar Pradesh, health workers were pushed off roofs when they came to immunise children. Some broke bones.

Travelling around Delhi with Rotary Internationals volunteers, you dont see any opposition now. Members of the organisation  Rotarians from the UK, Japan, the US, Belgium and Canada  have flown out to take part in the latest national immunisation programme. The aim is to deliver the drops to 173 million under-fives. As soon as children see the yellow bibs of Rotary, many open their mouths in anticipation.

I witness this first-hand in a ramshackle New Delhi slum. The smell there is overpowering. This is a favoured hang-out for flies and mosquitoes. A stream of slate-coloured water  spiked with an acid yellow liquid and packed with flotsam and jetsam flows between the houses.

As I, a Rotary volunteer and a local health worker navigate our way through  the latter carrying ice packs to keep the vaccine vials cool  babies and toddlers are brought out. A teenager laughs as he drags his wailing brother, whose tears flow faster after the bitterness of the drops. But most of the others loosen their jaw, knowing what is coming, then proffer their little finger so their nail can be painted as a mark of immunisation. Elsewhere, the children happily follow the Rotarians to booths, as though theyre philanthropic Pied Pipers. The Rotarians give out pens and toys to children whove been immunised, and I hear a teenager joke: Colour your finger to get free stuff!

Until recently, polio was a terrible blight on India. It can kill but its much more likely to maim, leaving victims without muscular control of some limbs. It was common to see children and young people dragging themselves about on their hands. Youd never find an old person though because they died, says Kapur. They would be neglected, ostracised.

He recalls a visit in 2003 to a toddler recently stricken with polio. I asked the childs name. The parents said, Why would we name him? Hes going to be a burden on us, on the community, on society and be dead soon.

The last registered case of the virus in India was on January 13 2011. It has now been declared polio-free. Yet when Rotarians first approached politicians and bureaucrats in the early Nineties about replicating the eradication efforts being made in Brazil, Kapur says they were met with laughter: They thought it could not be done, that it was like Don Quixote tilting at imaginary windmills.

With a new health minister, that changed. The first National Immunisation Day was held in 1995. Case numbers began to fall.

"They spread two rumours. That the vaccine had parts of animals in it, so it would be haram [forbidden] under Islam, and that it was a plot by the US and Indian governments to limit the number of Muslims"

Kapur says it was among the Muslim population where there was greatest opposition to immunisation. This was due to misinformation spread by local political leaders. They spread two rumours. That the vaccine had parts of animals in it, so it would be haram [forbidden] under Islam, and that it was a plot by the US and Indian governments to limit the number of Muslims. Both were nonsense.

Rotary put great efforts into getting Muslim leaders on board. Now, some imams even allow polio booths to be set up outside their mosques.

There is no cure for polio but there is corrective surgery and rehab available. The only hospital in India with a dedicated polio ward is St Stephens in New Delhi, which Rotary helped fund. When I visit the womens ward, the patients are all sitting on their beds, giggling. They want to pose for photos. Around many of the beds are heavy metal frames, with what look like pulley systems with ropes and weights holding the patients legs in the air.

"We tell them they need to do this for 23 hours a day so theyll do 15 hours," says Dr Mandeep Singh Bajaj, who works on the ward. "If we said 15, theyd do eight. They can spend from three to five months like this, depending on the level of deformity.

All the patients are in their twenties. Dr Bajaj explains that when the ward first opened it treated children but the age has shifted upwards as word has spread to those whove been living with the side-effects for many years.

Many of the women used to have to crawl. Rabiya has had her right leg amputated. One is a teacher, another is studying medicine but Dr Bajaj says that polio is socially restricting: They have difficulties getting a job and find it hard to find someone to marry.

Bajajs colleague, Dr Mathew Vorghese, has already shown photos of some cases: a girl who had to propel herself with her hands, like a monkey, who can now walk with a frame, and a boy with feet facing backwards who couldnt wear shoes  post-surgery, hes pictured in boots. The aim is to make them as independent as possible, Dr Vorghese says.

"Hopefully, they can support themselves, go to school, get a job."

Alongside funding the ward, the Rotarians help raise awareness. On the Saturday they hold a rally at the Maharaja Agrasen public school with around 800 students at which a boy performs a rap song about polio. Then they walk around New Delhi, the children waving banners with slogans like Say nolio to polio; one hadnt got the memo and carries a road safety flag.

On the Sunday the Rotarians help at immunisation booths, before going door-to-door on the Monday  including to a tented camp where a nomadic population live. There, people have to wash out in the open, and many children have no shoes.

I suspect there will be those who decry this as "aid tourism" but there are advantages of non-Indians assisting. In a place like this, they dont often see foreigners so word gets around on the street much faster that somethings happening," says Rotary's Mike Yates, who's been organising these trips for 21 years. "Fatigue also sets in among local Rotarians. Us coming out here encourages them. And we get a higher turnout at the booths when we have foreigners there." It is likely to be the volunteers' last chance to help, as India is moving from using drops to jabs which need a trained medical professional.

It is likely to be the volunteers last chance to help, as India is moving from using drops to jabs, which require a trained medical professional.

Global eradication of polio is now in sight, although more money is needed to finish the job. When I interviewed Melinda Gates last year, she stressed the importance of such victories for making the case for aid: If you can eradicate a disease off the face of this earth... people can say Wow, thats possible.

Pakistan remains a problem, though. There, the mission to eradicate polio has been beset by violence. In January, a suicide bomber killed 14 policeman protecting an immunisation centre in Quetta. Polio eradication became politicised due to a belief that the US used it to help flush out Osama bin Laden, taking DNA from children to try to trace him. However, this had nothing to do with polio: the doctor who assisted the CIA, Dr Shakeel Afridi, was actually running a fake vaccination programme for hepatitis B.

The Osama bin Laden hype lasted some time in the Northern provinces, says Aziz Memon, Kapurs counterpart in Pakistan. It disrupted our campaign for some six months, but we are back on track... The attack on centres and security personnel is mainly to instil fear in the people.

Back in India, Kapur is desperate to be out of a job. You bet! It was a three-year assignment. The first year being 2001. Id rather do something else  but only after polio is eradicated everywhere.

Follow Rosamund on Twitter: @RosamundUrwin

To learn more and donate visit endpolio.org
F or decades Deptford has attracted people from a wealth of different backgrounds, but large-scale development and investment in the area means theres an exciting period of change ahead.

As Deptford has grown in popularity, increasing numbers of businesses, cultural projects and creative innovators have flocked to the neighbourhood  while some of the local stalwarts have gone from strength to strength. Deptford has an amazing history, explains Patrick Henry (above), director of the annual Deptford X contemporary arts festival. The people have always been cosmopolitan, with strong international links through the area's seafaring history. There's no other place like it.

The festival fits really well with the community of artists around Deptford and its proximity to Goldsmiths. Deptford X is all about the place and the place is all about the people.

Joe Ringwood, head brewer at Brockley Brewery, saw potential in the area and has taken his chance to be a key part of the community. Brockley Brewery is about local beer for local people, says the Londoner. It's very important for us to be a pillar in the community; a lovely place for people to come by and have a drink and a chat.

It's about the community and what we can bring to it. It's all tightly knit and gives a lovely local feel to the area. That's what this place is all about. he says.

Photography by Sky Moore-Clube, Freelance photographer and artist based in London

Its not just newer ventures that make Deptford such an exciting place to be. Performing arts centre The Albany has history stretching back to the 1890s, but has experienced something of a reinvention of late, re-establishing itself as a significant London arts venue, with family-focused events to boot.

The identity of the Albany is inextricably linked with Deptford, and were very much the centre of a vibrant, thriving community, chief executive and artistic director Gavin Barlow explains. It's a social and community space for the area as well as a busy performing arts centre.

Deptford has a really strong character. It sometimes feels like a slightly forgotten corner of London, a real hidden gem. Most significant is the mix of people, lots of students and artists, alongside established families and new people moving in.

Deptford is fast changing, but I really think it will retain its unique, vibrant character as it adapts to change.

Anthology Deptford Foundry  Image for illustrative purposes only.

Deptford Foundry is a new project from Anthology, a property developer that prides itself on creating homes that are built from London. Transforming a disused trading estate into a new neighbourhood, the development aims to enhance the existing community and provide homes, employment, creative studios and public open space.

Anthology Deptford Foundry will soon be selling one, two and three-bedroom apartments, prices starting from 345,000. Dont miss your chance to invest in this flourishing community, register now at anthology.london to receive more information about the properties available.
T his is the shocking moment a thug punched a man to the ground before robbing him of his cash in south London.

The suspect attacked his 35-year-old victim from behind at Blackfen Parade in Blackfen Road, Sidcup at around 4pm on Monday, January 11.

He had followed his victim along the street after watching him withdraw 220 from a cash point, police said.

The suspect, who is described as a white man, of large build and 5ft 10ins tall, ran off towards Bexley Village after the robbery.

Police released this CCTV image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a robbery in Sidcup

He wore a long black coat, beige trousers, white trainers and a dark coloured beanie hat.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to the robbery and are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the man shown on CCTV.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 201991 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
M urder detectives have launched an investigation following the death of a 25-year-old man four days after he was stabbed in west London.

Police said the young man was pronounced dead on Wednesday following the attack at an address in Hotspur Road, Northolt, at about 1am on Saturday.

Paramedics rushed him to hospital with stab injuries.

A man, 21, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, Scotland Yard said. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Contact police on 020 8785 8244 or through Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with any information.
A child aged 10 was among thousands of young people held overnight in police cells in London last year, new figures have revealed.

The 10-year-old was the youngest of 7,695 cases of children under 18 being kept behind bars for at least four hours between midnight and 8am.

The figures  for April to December 2015  represent a 10 per cent rise on the same period the previous year.

In 2013 and 2014, the total number of children held overnight fell.

The detentions occurred even though the law says children should be transferred to local authority accommodation wherever possible.

Today Labour described holding children as young as 10 in cells as inhuman saying council housing shortages meant there was nowhere else for tham to go. Twelve children detained overnight in the capital last year were aged 11 and 65 were 12. The one 10-year-old compares with four children of the same age being detained the previous year.

Labour London Assembly Member Andrew Dismore said: Whatever theyve been accused of, it is totally inappropriate, indeed unlawful, for 10-year-olds to be held on their own overnight in a police cell.

The experience of being locked in a cell overnight is designed to be unpleasant and should never be inflicted on such a young child. It is bad enough that there are teenagers held in cells but when you get small children aged 10, these are primary school children.

I do not blame the police but the Government has squeezed local authorities so badly that there is nowhere for them to go. Its inhuman that government penny-pinching appears to have resulted in children as young as 10 being locked up in police cells overnight. The number of 14-year-olds detained overnight in London last year rose by 32 per cent to 896 and the number for 15-year-olds was up by seven per cent to 1,541.

The Howard League for Penal Reform said there had been a 49 per cent fall in the number of child arrests in London in the past four years but added: Todays figures show that there is clearly more work to do because valuable police resources are being wasted on needlessly detaining children.

Holding children as young as 10 in police cells overnight is unjustifiable. It is a frightening and intimidating experience that does more harm than good.

The Met police said that there were circumstances where the overnight detention of a child was inevitable, either because of a police investigation or because there was no alternative accommodation.
S cientists working on the Prime Ministers 100,000 Genomes project have devised a new way of preserving DNA in a bid to get the project back on track.

Tumour samples taken from cancer patients are being vacuum-packed and rushed by motorbike to pathology labs before the genetic information they contain starts to break down.

It is the first time that vacuum-packing has been used in the UK and comes after the 500 million project hit bumps in the road and fell about a year behind schedule, due to the difficulty of preserving samples without destroying their DNA signature.

Normally, samples taken during surgery or biopsy on the NHS are preserved in formalin and embedded in wax blocks.

But tests by Genomics England showed this reduced the quality of DNA and prevented scientists mapping an entire genome  the complete genetic code of a human being. Problems were also found with an alternative of flash-freezing.

Professor Louise Jones, clinical lead for molecular pathology at Genomics England, told the Standard: We are right at the cutting edge of technology with the 100,000 Genomes project. That has meant our routine handling of tissue is not ideal for that.

Vacuum-packing provides a potential solution, in that it will keep the specimen as though it were in preservative, but without the side-effects of the preservative.

The 100,000 Genomes masterplan aims to make the UK the world leader in genomic research, leading to new treatments on the NHS, by mapping 100,000 genomes from cancer patients, children with rare diseases and family members by the end of next year.

Despite good progress on rare diseases, where Great Ormond Street hospital patient Georgia Walburn-Green, four, was one of the first to have her genome sequenced, the first of 25,000 cancer patients were only signed up in January.

Vivienne Parry, head of engagement at Genomics England, admitted it was groping in the dark about how best to collect and store the samples. Its all a living, breathing experiment, she said.

Ms Parry said the cancer programme had been extraordinarily challenging, adding: If we do get our cancer programme off the ground, we will be extremely thrilled. There have been many bumps and forks in the road to get the samples.

Georgia, from Newbury, Berkshire, was born with physical and developmental delay, a rare eye condition and verbal dyspraxia, meaning she may never be able to talk. Her parents Amanda and Matt were told she had an undiagnosed genetic condition.

It was only after her whole genome was sequenced that doctors were able to trace the problem to a mutation in a single gene. This creates hope for future cures and allows her parents to have other children, in the knowledge that she did not have an inherited condition.
A woman pensioner was today in hospital after colliding with a double decker bus outside Parliament.

Witnesses said it was "amazing" the woman came away without life-threatening injuries after the Routemaster collided with her on the corner of Bridge Street and Parliament Square in front of the Winston Churchill statue.

Police closed and cordoned off Bridge Street from outside Big Ben and Westminster Bridge round to Parliament Square while investigators probed the scene after the collision at 9.30am.

It is understood the woman, in her 70s, was crossing the road by foot and collided with the bus as it turned from Bridge Street into Parliament Square.

Emergency services: The collision happened shortly after 9.50am on Thursday / @Lee_B74

Paramedics were seen applying bandages to her leg and head while she sat up conscious before being taken to hospital. London's air ambulance landed on Parliament Square green to assist.

Danny Richards, 37, a street worker, said: "We just heard this loud thud and then we looked over and there was a woman on the ground next to the bus with the public all rushing over to help her and crowding round.

Collision: London's Air Ambulance was called to Parliament Square @edfordham / @edfordham

"It looks as though she went to cross the road and the bus has gone into her somehow.

"Paramedics were treating her leg, so it looks as if her foot got run over and then they were putting bandages on her head so maybe she banged it when she went down. She was sitting up and looked conscious after."

Another witness said: "She was sitting up after so it looks as if she was okay, but it's amazing if she's alright because a double decker bus has gone straight into her. A few seconds later and it probably would have been worse."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police were called at 9.32am to reports of a collision between a bus and a pedestrian.

"A woman in her 70s was taken to a south London hospital. Her injuries were not life-threatening. Road closures are in place."

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: We were called at 9.42am to reports of a collision outside Parliament Square.

We sent multiple resources including an incident response officer, ambulance crew and Londons air ambulance.

Our crew were on scene in under three minutes.

A female patient with multiple injuries was taken to a nearby hospital as priority.
B attersea Power Station bosses today said clone chains would not be welcome at the riverside neighbourhood as they revealed the first wave of independent shops and cafes to open at the 9 billion development.

The nine businesses are all London-based and the sites Malaysian owners hope they will help create a village feel for the 25,000 people who will eventually live and work there.

Rob Tincknell, chief executive of the Battersea Power Station Development Company, said he had been approached by a number of big chains about taking space but had turned them all down.

The businesses signed up will all be occupying ground-floor units in the first phase of the scheme  Circus West  by early next year, shortly after the first residents move into apartments sold in 2013 at prices starting from 343,000 for a studio.

Mr Tincknell said: We have put together a mix of local shops, restaurants and social amenities that will give Circus West a distinctive neighbourhood feel.

They include a new shop for one of Londons oldest butchers Allens, which was previously located in Mayfair; a first neighbourhood branch of Lewisham-based Flour Power City Bakery; a second outlet for the Market Place Store grocers and deli; a cocktail bar and restaurant offshoot of Peckham venue Pedler; a fourth branch of wine bar and shop Vagabond; a fourth outlet for The CoffeeWorks Project; a new salon for Knightsbridge-based hair stylist Paul Edmonds; a first standalone outlet for Selfridges-based florist Philippa Craddock; and a fifth pub in the Darwin & Wallace group.

The later stages of the development include a retail high street where more familar fashion brands such as Zara will be represented. There will also be luxury labels such as Prada and Burberry inside the power station itself.

Mel Marriott, managing director of Darwin & Wallace, said: There was fierce competition for the site but they explained they are trying to create something real, not a large shopping mall. There was a real meeting of minds.

Battersea Power Station is also believed to be in advanced talks with a fine dining name about opening a restaurant. Another commercial space, The Village Hall, will be devoted to arts and social events in partnership with the Battersea Arts Centre.
F ive people have been arrested after an immigration raid at a Chinese restaurant in south London.

Immigration enforcement officers questioned staff at China Boulevard in Smugglers Way, Battersea, on Wednesday, to establish if they could work and live in the UK.

Three men and two women were arrested as they were allegedly found to be in the UK without visas.

A Home Office spokesman said two of the men have been detained pending removal from the UK.

The other three people arrested have been ordered to report to immigration enforcement while steps are taken to remove them from the country, the spokesman added.

Graham Blackwood, head of the south London immigration enforcement team, said: Businesses in south London which employ illegal workers should be under no illusions; our officers carry our regular operations and those which attempt to cheat the rules will face stiff financial consequences.

Illegal working is not victimless and can involve the exploitation of some of societys most vulnerable people.

It also defrauds the treasury of vital funds, undercuts businesses that provide an honest trade and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

The restaurant was handed a notice warning that it could be fined up to 20,000 per illegal worker arrested unless it proves thorough document checks were conducted.

The Standard has approached the restaurant for comment.
R esidents in Marylebone today told how they have been suffering from tube noise as loud as a jet engine for almost two years despite repeated complaints to Transport for London.

Homeowners in the area between Baker Street and Marylebone say until August 2014 there were no issues with noise from trains beneath their flats.

But since then, the noise has increased to unbearable levels depriving them of sleep and disrupting their lives.

Up to 100 residents on streets above the Jubilee and Bakerloo lines say they are affected by the loud rattling and several have complained to TfL.

Kevin Fallon, 62, who lives on Glentworth Street, moved into his third floor flat 15 years ago and said he only heard a slight rumble until 18 months ago.

Unbearable: Kevin Fallon and Trina Stevens. Mr Fallon says pictures on the walls move and glasses shake when trains pass beneath his flat / Nigel Howard

Either the tracks have deteriorated or something is broken because the noise is now unbearable, he said. Its got to the point where pictures on the walls are moving and glasses are shaking. This is every 45 to 60 seconds.

He added: We have been fighting TfL on this for almost two years. They have come round, done surveys and left saying they are investigating. There has been no solution. Im getting four hours sleep a night, it affects your health.

Molly Johnston, 70, lives in the same building with her husband, Bill. She said: In the last two years, it has become louder and louder and it is mentally and physically draining.

We have had TfL do noise surveys four times. They told us they had been grinding the tracks, some procedure to make the tracks smoother and quieter, but it hasnt worked. At points it feels like a jet engine is taking off.

The residents fear the arrival of Night Tube, which is set to open on the Jubilee line in August.

Kevin Lee, 39, said: Ive been complaining to TfL since last January. The real fear is the 24-hour tube.

"Its disrupting my sleep and the back and forth with TfL doing nothing is very frustrating.

Kevin Dunning, London Undergrounds director of network services, said: I want to apologise to those who are being disturbed and assure them we are doing all we can to reduce noise and vibration.

"We recently undertook maintenance in the Baker Street area and last month grinded a section of rail to reduce the noise.
A bright meteor lit up the skies over London last night as it shot across Britain.

Witnesses reported seeing a green flash light up the sky as it moved from the south west over the capital.

DJ Paul Gilbert appeared to capture the moment the meteor hurtled over Battersea in south-west London on his dashcam.

Richard Kacerek, 36, from the UK Meteor Observation Network, said at least 20 reports of meteors have been made after the sightings took place at about 3.16am.

Mr Kacerek, based in Ash Vale, Surrey, said he was woken up by fellow amateur astronomers excited after the meteor was caught on CCTV operated by the group.

Footage from the meteor at Church Crookham in Surrey has been posted on the network's website.

Mr Kacerek told the Standard: I received a call from another member saying you better see this and you can see it is spectacular.

This is the biggest meteor we have ever recorded in terms of brightness and it is incredible how many people witnessed it when you consider what time it was.

We will be calculating where the meteor has come from and where it landed.

Some Twitter users noted the meteors green flash coincided fittingly with St Patricks Day.

Mr Kacerek added: There are reasons fireballs are different colours so although I cant confirm it was green Im happy it could be.
T he family of a young father who was killed by a collapsing crane today said no amount of money could bring them justice as the hire firm was hit with a 750,000 fine almost 10 years after the tragedy.

Michael Alexa, 23, and Jonathan Cloke, 37, died when an overloaded 165ft-crane crashed to the ground in Battersea in September 2006.

Falcon Crane Hire Ltd was ordered to pay a 750,000 fine in respect to both victims, and 100,000 costs at Southwark crown court.

At an earlier hearing the company admitted two health and safety breaches. Charges were dropped against managing director Douglas Genge, 71.

Mr Alexa, a bus driver who had an 18-month-old son, was changing a wheel on his car when he was crushed. Crane operator Mr Cloke died at the controls.

Mr Alexas mother, Liliana, 56, told the Standard: No amount of money is justice. It cannot bring my son back in any way, shape or form.

"For normal people it is a lot of money, but for them  they have a turnover of 20 million a year. We have been given a life sentence.

"I dont want to see any other family destroyed like my family. He was my first-born and the love of my life.

The families of both men had to wait nearly six years for an inquest, which heard the operators had used the wrong instruction manual when erecting the crane.

It was being used on a Barratt Homes development and had been loaded with 12 tonnes of counterweights instead of eight.

The Crown Prosecution Service initially said no one would be prosecuted over the deaths but reversed its position when the inquest jury blamed the crane company.

Deanna Heer, prosecuting, said four bolts were broken and a further eight were loose or not as tight as they ought to be.

She told the court the company would have been aware there was an underlying fault with the crane, they knew it was dangerous but it was not removed from service.

Mrs Alexa added: They should have been closed straight away and they should have been banned from doing business. There are two children who will grow up without a father. My son was so full of life and had so many prospects.

The family believes they are unable to make a civil claim as it has passed the limitation period of six years.

Oliver Campbell, defending, told the court: The companys directors will always have to live with the knowledge that they should and could have done better with this accident. The company has since scrapped all the cranes in that model, and changed all its inspection procedures.
A judge has ruled four children must be immunised after their Muslim mother previously refused consent in the belief the vaccines contained pork gelatine.

Judge Carol Atkinson, who sits in the family court, said the youngsters, two boys aged six and eight months and girls aged four and two, had a variety of outstanding immunisations.

The diseases the immunisations related to were not disclosed.

The judge concluded the woman had a paranoid view of the world following a family court hearing in London.

She ruled the children should live with their Somalian-born father, who is based in London, after social workers from Newham Council asked her to make decisions on a number of welfare issues.

The childrens parents, both in their 20s, had separated, the judge heard.

In a ruling, Judge Atkinson said: These children have a variety of outstanding immunisations.

The mother has refused her consent on a number of different bases; that the vaccines contain pork gelatine is the most recent objection.

It transpires that the ones proposed do not.

"Having been shown that her fears are unwarranted, she has agreed that the children can have the necessary vaccines.

"I am nevertheless asked to make an order on the basis that she is likely to change her position and withdraw her consent, as has been the pattern in these proceedings and indeed in relation to this very issue.

"I bear in mind that I should make no order unless an order is necessary. I note the mother's willingness to consent but I have seen her agree to a whole host of things in these proceedings only to change her position later.

Accordingly I intend to make an order."

The family were not identified by the judge.

The judge said council social workers became involved after neighbours complained of a woman shouting abuse at her children.

She said the children would be exposed to more suffering if they remained with their mother.
A pride of lions snoozing on railway tracks and rickshaws leaning against village huts is not your typical London street scene.

London Zoo has recreated a village that is located in a forest in eastern India so visitors can get a first-hand look at endangered Asiatic lions in their natural habitat.

In a live-action adventure, budding ecologists can react to a simulated lion emergency in the forest, helping park rangers and vets who come to the rescue.

The new 5.2 million Land of the Lions enclosure was due to be unveiled today by The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh today after two years of painstaking planning.

Inside the replicated village in London Zoo / Glenn Copus

Conservation teams from the zoo have replicated a village from Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat state.

Land of the Lions - Teaser Trailer

Gitanjali Bhattacharya, head of the zoos conservation programmes for South and Central Asia, said: Its about being in the heart of London but being immersed in the Indian forest.

I have been to Gir and its absolutely stunning, but to stand in the centre of the Land of Lions you feel like youve been transported to India. Every time you turn a corner you see something from Gir.

'Stunning': the park is based on Gir / Glenn Copus

More than a thousand props have been shipped to London from the national park, including rickshaws, bicycles, posters and even a mocked-up tourist information centre.

The exhibit will be home to the zoos four Asiatic lions  females Heidi, Rubi and Indi along with male Bhanu. It aims to show how close big cats and humans live to each other in the national park  though in this case visitors will have the reassurance of being separated from them by safety wire.

Ms Bhattacharya said: In Gir you have this species living in harmony with humans.

The exhibit will be home to the zoo's four Asiatic lions / Glenn Copus

I dont think your or I would be comfortable with lions living in your back yard, but they actually do live in such close proximity. People have adapted to live near these huge carnivores. They can read lion behaviour and know when to avoid them.

The Asiatic lion tends to be slightly smaller than its African cousin, and males have a shorter mane. It is listed as endangered and last year there was a population of just 523, all in the Gir national park.

However numbers have increased since they were almost wiped out by hunters at the turn of the last century, when only 20 had remained, Lion hunts are now outlawed.

The zoo has worked on the project with the Wildlife Institute of India and Indian Forestry Department.

Ms Bhattacharya said: For children to be able to stand in the middle of this exhibit and be so close to the lions, it almost seems like there will be no barriers between the people and the species. Its hugely exciting.
P olice were alerted after a knife was found at the London primary school attended by David Camerons son.

Staff at St Mary Abbots in Kensington raised the alarm after the craft knife was found in a classroom used by year six children  the Church of England schools oldest age group.

The school in Kensington, which the Prime Ministers daughter also attended, said they had no idea who brought the knife to school.

Letters were sent out to parents informing them of the incident and appealing to them for information.

A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea Council, which oversees the school, said: "All year six parents were alerted after a Stanley knife was found at the school.

The knife was handed to a teacher by a pupil and while there is no suggestion it was used to cause harm it has nevertheless caused a great deal of concern.

"St Mary Abbots is an excellent school that provides a safe and happy environment for children to learn and will do everything in its power to ensure this remains the case."

The letters also warned that police are informed if knives are brought onto school premises.

Pupils were grilled by staff about the knife, which was handed in to teachers on Tuesday, but no-one has owned up to bringing it in.

While police were informed of the incident, it was not recorded as a crime as no child was caught carrying the knife.
P olice today apologised after posting a offensive tweet about St Patricks Day.

Officers from Lewisham posted a photograph of two sets of handcuffs laid out to be shaped like a shamrock against a green background next to the message: Happy #StPatricksDay #Lewisham.

But the tweet was later deleted and officers issued an apology after it received criticism and negative feedback.

MPS Lewisham posted: Apologies for any offence caused by our earlier tweet, that was not our intention at all  hope everyone has a great #StPatricksDay.

The original message was posted to the forces 23,800 followers, with some responding to air their views about the tweet.

Patch Thompson (@PatchThompson92) said: Hey Lewisham Police, maybe get some tact and dont do this.

Another Twitter user @captain_afab posted: Wow. Lewisham Police threatening their Irish residents.

David Allen Green (@DavidAllenGreen) simply said: Good grief, while Emmanuele Bassi (@ebassi) added: Really?
L ondon Zoos new lion has been branded a roaring success after gaining the royal seal of approval from the Queen.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the Land Of The Lions exhibit at the Regents Park zoo, which will be home to four endangered Asiatic lions, on Thursday morning.

The Queen and Prince Philip listened to speeches from ZSL president Sir John Beddington and director Ralph Armond, while lions prowled behind them in search of meat.

A stand-off between two of the lionesses over some lunch prompted the Queen to repeatedly glance behind her, as a loud roar interrupted the speeches.

Her Majesty then unveiled a large plaque to commemorate the opening, while the Duke joked to staff: "Where are you putting that?"

Queen opens London Zoo lion enclosure

The Duke was later presented with a reproduction of a painting by Edward Lear circa 1835 of an Asian lion to accompany the publication The Maneless Lion Of Gujarat.

The Queen also received a gift of a photograph of her visit to the zoo 40 years ago, in 1976, when she opened the New Lion Terraces at almost the same spot.

Dame Vivien Duffield and her daughter Arabella, who were in that photograph, also attended Thursday's launch event.

The Queen at the Zoo in 1976 / Rex

"You look a bit different", the Queen joked to Arabella, who was just four years old when the photo was taken, prompting laughter from the crowd.

Dame Vivien said the Queen looked "fantastic" as they were reunited 40 years on.

Additional reporting by Press Association.
S enior Labour MP Chris Bryant today joked that George Osborne has finally realised the dangers of coke in an apparent nod to allegations about the Chancellors past.

Discussing Mr Osbornes new sugar tax, which will add 24p to a litre of Coca Cola, Mr Bryants gag was met by roars of laughter from other MPs in the House of Commons.

Mr Bryant appeared to be referencing allegations made by former dominatrix Natalie Rowe who claims she used to snort cocaine with him on a regular basis in the 1990s when he was a Tory aide.

The Chancellor has always strongly denied the claims since they made headlines in 2005.

Mr Bryant told MPs: I'm delighted that finally the Chancellor has realised the dangers of coke.

"It's just a shame he couldn't bring himself to use the word himself, and used the word cola instead.

"Maybe you can explain to us why."

Veteran Labour politician Dennis Skinner was barred from the Commons for a day in 2005 for repeating the allegations about the Chancellor.
G eorge Osborne has blamed a long camera lens for a photograph that appeared to show him staring at Theresa Mays bust.

Twitter went into overdrive during his Budget speech yesterday with users commenting on the Home Secretarys revealing red outfit on the bench next to him.

Mrs Mays attire, which she also wore to last years announcement, prompted a flurry of tweets and even led to one Twitter user setting up an account dedicated to her cleavage.

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari cheekily asked the Chancellor during an interview this morning if he had provided the boom and Mrs May had provided the bust at the Budget.

Mr Osborne said: Yeah, I did see that photo. All I can say is, I think it is something to do with the camera lens and the angle.

Many Twitter users complained they were distracted from the announcement by Mrs May's chest.

One wrote: "Cut backs on fabric too? #Budget2016 #TheresaMay."

Another said: "I'm all for female liberation but Theresa May... put 'em away. #BudgetDay."

Last year, the Commons installed extra eye-level video cameras to film debates - after MPs complained that overhead cameras showed up bald patches and cleavages.
G eorge Osborne will have to impose proper tax rises or even more painful spending cuts if the UK economy takes another turn for the worse, experts warned today.

Economists at the highly respected Institute for Fiscal Studies also said that the Chancellor was only on course to meet his flagship target of a Budget surplus by 2019/20 after games playing and fiddling around.

Tax revenues had been shifted into that year while capital spending had been moved out. Even so, the Office for Budget Responsibility said the likelihood of Mr Osborne achieving his aim was roughly 50/50 after GDP forecasts were dramatically downgraded yesterday.

IFS director Paul Johnson warned that the Chancellor was unlikely to be able to repeat his shuffling around of the figures again to meet the surplus target  one of three self-imposed fiscal rules.

Mr Johnson said that if the economic outlook gets darker: I think he will be forced to put some proper tax increases in or possibly even to find some yet further proper spending cuts.

The Government faces having to fill a 56 billion black hole over five years  a stark contrast to forecasts made only months ago. Mr Johnson said that the 2019/20 picture could deteriorate on an even larger scale within the next year.

It must be something, that if I were the Chancellor, would be keeping me awake at night now, he added.

Mr Osborne has already broken two of his three fiscal rules, on the welfare cap and reducing debt as a share of national income.

The IFS explained that the Chancellor was changing his behaviour to make sure he meets the target for a surplus in 2019/20  currently estimated to be just over 10 billion  but this might not produce the most economically optimal actions. It also said Mr Osborne had added another year of austerity.

There is clearly some games playing, added Mr Johnson. But he said there will still have been a pretty remarkable turn-around in cutting the deficit.

Mr Osborne defended his plan but appeared to prepare the ground for having to shelve the target temporarily if the economy deteriorates. If the economy grows as expected, then we will have a surplus towards the end of the Parliament, he told the BBC. We wouldnt need anything extra like more spending cuts or more tax increases.

But he also said that the commitment was to reach a Budget surplus in normal times. Now obviously, if you are in a much worse situation, if you are in a recession for example, and we are not in that at all today, our economy is growing and unemployment is falling, but if you are in a recession, then you have to alter your plans, he added.

The surplus rule gets suspended if economic growth drops below one per cent, the IFS said, with the OBR now saying there was a 35 per cent likelihood of this happening.

Robert Chote, OBR chairman, said Mr Osborne remains on track for his target thanks to further measures that shuffle spending out of the fiscal mandate year and shuffle receipts into it.

The IFS also questioned the curious structure of the new sugar tax as it does not penalise more heavily sugared drinks beyond eight grams of sugar per 100ml. But it said the levy could be a first step to deal with the obesity problem, with other taxes to follow.

According to a distributional analysis of the Budget by think tank the Resolution Foundation, the poorest fifth will lose an average of 550 in 2020, while the richest fifth will gain 250.
J eremy Corbyn suffered a major blow today as one of Britains most senior Jewish figures warned that the countrys Jews cant trust Labour.

President of the Board of Deputies Jonathan Arkush said the partys growing anti-Semitism scandal is poisoning relations and now damaging Sadiq Khans hopes of winning support from Londons 180,000 Jews in his fight to be Mayor.

Mr Arkush went on to demand Labour expel a local official who tweeted that Jews had big noses and slaughter the oppressed and pointed a finger squarely at Mr Corbyn, saying he is greatly concerned by the leaders own links to extremist groups Hizbollah and Hamas.

In an exclusive interview with the Standard, Mr Arkush lamented how one-time parliamentary candidate Vicki Kirby was suspended in 2014 over offensive tweets, only to later to be reinstated and become her local partys vice chair.

The party is still reeling from claims of anti-Semitism among its youth wing, which has led to a broadening internal inquiry.

Mr Arkush said: It confirms the belief we have had for a long time that there is a real problem of anti-semitism on the far left, which now eclipses the anti-semitism that we have always seen coming from the far-right.

He pointed out that the relationship between the Jewish community and Labour was once very strong, and that Jews overwhelmingly voted Labour for many, many years.

But he said since Mr Corbyns leadership it had been under deep strain, in part because of the excess of the leadership.

He told the Standard: Frankly most people in the Jewish community cant trust Labour.

I think it is inevitable that that will have an impact on the mayoral election despite the fact that Saidq Khan, I say straight away, is a good candidate, who has done everything he could to distance himself from the far Left, which includes distancing himself from the Leader of the Labour Party.

Even if you really like a candidate and you believe that he rejects some of the excess of the leadership, in the end, no candidate can entirely free himself or herself from what the party is saying at the top level.

That must hamper Sadiq Khans votes among sections of the Jewish community. Even though I repeat, he is clearly a decent candidate, but hes stuck with his leader [and] stuck with the stories of anti-Semitism in Labour circles.

However much he tries to disavow them and criticise them, he is stuck with them.

After the leadership was accused of hesitating in its response to the scandal Mr Khan moved quickly to limit damage to his campaign today, calling directly on Mr Corbyn to take action.

Mr Khan told the Standard he is truly disgusted with the growing problems of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

He said an approach that involved tough action needed to be taken to ensure offensive vierws were pushed out of the party..

He went on: Allegations of anti-Semitism, racism, bullying, intimidation, candidate misconduct - there should be no place for any of that in the Labour Party.

The leadership of the party, and that goes right to the top, to Jeremy Corbyn, must be clear that anti-Semitism has no place in the party that he leads.

Ex Business Secretary Lord Mandelson felt the need to intervene this week and say anti-Semitism must be stamped out.

Former Labour minster Tom Harris said the party has a problem with Jews, while another former minister Angela Smith urged Mr Corbyn to do more.

Mr Arkush said it was positive that Mr Corbyn had said after their last meeting, that he condemned anti-Semitism from wherever it came in the political spectrum.

But the Board had been disappointed by the Labour leaders response to concern over meetings with representatives of Hizbollah and Hamas, whom Mr Corbyn called friends.

Mr Arkush said: All he would say is that he would reflect on [the meetings] and we made it very clear that we did not feel he had gone far enough.

So if youve got the leader of the Labour Party saying...all he can do is reflect on them, then frankly that greatly concerns me.

A spokesman for the Labour leader said: Jeremy Corbyn has consistently opposed all forms of racism including anti-semitism.

Labour peer Baroness Royall was already looking into allegations concerning Oxford University Labour club, but will now also consider a complaint relating to a Labour student at LSE.

Mr Corbyns office initially rejected calls for Woking Labour vice-chair Ms Kirbys suspension, saying her tweets had been investigated and she had been reprimanded, adding they would only act on new evidence.

But following an uproar the party stepped in and suspended her again pending a further investigation.

Mr Arkush said: If the anti-Semitic social media posts indeed came from her, then no-one who believes or publishes that sort of racism should be entitled to membership of any mainstream political party.

I would expect and indeed I would call for Labour to expel her.
S adiq Khan today criticised the Government for failing to come up with a plan to deal with Londons housing crisis in the Budget.

Labours mayoral hopeful claimed that Chancellor George Osborne had missed a major opportunity to build the homes needed.

He said the capital faced a housing emergency and that Mr Osborne should have announced more support for councils, housing associations and developers.

Its clearer than ever that the Tories are not going to help Londoners with the biggest challenge we face: fixing the housing crisis, he said.

It makes a total mockery out of Zac Goldsmiths claims that a Tory Mayor can get a good deal from government.

Mr Osborne announced plans to help more Londoners on to the housing ladder in his autumn statement last year, with the extension of the right-to-buy scheme to housing association properties. There is also a new London help to buy scheme.

Mayor Boris Johnson defended the Government, saying that a helluva lot was already going on, including 2.5 billion funding for a massive programme of house building.

London Mayor Election 2016: Sadiq Khan

He also welcomed news that London would retain 100 per cent of business rates, which he said would give City Hall and councils an incentive to adopt growth-promoting policies.

You have a solid stream of income, we dont have to go begging for government grant the whole time, we have our own resources coming in from London taxation. Its a massive step in the right direction, he said.

Tory mayoral candidate Mr Goldsmith said the business rates deal was a huge opportunity for London.
T he Tampon Tax is set to be abolished, George Osborne declared today.

He said the European Commission was on the verge of granting permission for the Treasury to reduce VAT on sanitary ware to zero.

The Chancellor predicted an announcement in the next few days - conveniently in time to prevent a Tory rebellion against the tax spilling over into the EU referendum.

The Government faced a cross-party Commons bid to demand that Britain defy European rules by acting unilaterally to withdraw the charge.

Several Conservative MPs, including campaigners for a Brexit, are threatening to vote for an amendment to the Finance Bill in the Commons on Tuesday to allow the zero-rating of womens sanitary products.

However Mr Osborne indicated that it may be unnecessary, telling BBC radio: I perfectly understand peoples anger at paying the tampon tax.

I said we would get agreement that we could reduce this rate to zero. I think we are on the verge of getting that agreement. I think we are going to get that agreement in the next few days, we hope.

Tory MP Bernard Jenkin said the Commission appeared to be changing its rules to avoid a backlash in the June 23 referendum. So, do we need an EU referendum every year to have a chance to cut an EU tax Parliament votes against? he tweeted.

Under European rules, VAT cannot unilaterally be abolished on a product after it is applied for the first time.
T his is the awkward moment children playing netball refuse to pass the ball to George Osborne.

The Chancellor was on a visit to St Benedicts Catholic Primary School in Garforth, Leeds, when he had the cringeworthy encounter.

Mr Osborne asked some of the pupils to gather round but two of them seemed far more interested in playing their game.

The Chancellor then tries to join in, awkwardly holding out his hands for a pass, saying: Here we go, come on.

But he is ignored for several passes until a teacher intervenes and tells them to let him have the ball.
M uslim care workers have been criticised for refusing to let people have a bacon sandwich.

Staff from the Wagtail Close care facility refused to buy pork products after being asked for ham, sausages, pork pies or bacon.

A Care Quality Commission report criticised workers at the facility, which is council-run and cares for people with physical or learning disabilities.

The CQC report said: [One person] told us they liked to have a bacon sandwich for their breakfast each day and liked to buy ham, sausages and pork pies when they went shopping.

They told us a number of staff would not support them to buy or cook these products due to their own cultural requirements or lifestyle preferences.

This meant that staff were not providing support that was responsive to the person's preferences and were restricting the person's right to choice.

The person said they had raised their concern with senior staff members but nothing had been done about it.

A council spokesman told The Sun: Staff have been reminded their own lifestyles and cultural preferences should never influence the person-centred support they provide.
A round one in six workers are over-educated for their jobs, an official report has revealed.

A similar number are under-educated, having a lower than average education level for their occupation, the Office for National Statistics found.

The research suggests that the UK has the fifth highest level of skills mismatch out of 24 countries studied, including the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Estonia.

A total of 28.9 per cent of the UK workforce were in jobs not suited to their skill level, with 15 per cent over-educated and 13.9 per cent under-educated, the report said.

Younger workers are more likely to be over-educated for their jobs, while 50 to 64-year-olds have the highest level of under-education.

Dr John Philpott, director of The Jobs Economist, said: "It's clear from these estimates that the UK is under using a lot of talent, with women and people in part-time jobs in particular employed in occupations for which they are over-educated.

"While such a waste of available skill was understandable during the recession, the generally upward trend toward increased over-education since 2012 is worrying.

"The response to evidence of growing competition for higher skilled jobs and a surplus of qualified candidates should be intensified policy efforts to increase demand for skills and promote better quality jobs."
P rince Harry has spoken out about his devastation after he was withdrawn from the front line in Afghanstan during this first tour of duty.

The 31-year-old, who served for ten years in the British Army, was removed after just ten weeks in Helmand Province in early 2008 due to safety concerns after news of his secret deployment was leaked in the media.

The Prince said the move left him "broken" as he was forced to leave his soldiers behind.

He told ABC's Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts: "I had done everything I could to get out there.

"All I wanted to do was prove that I had a certain set of skills, let's say, flying an Apache helicopter, for instance, rather than just being Prince Harry.

"Literally being plucked out of my team, there was an element of me thinking 'I'm an officer, I'm leaving my soldiers and it's not my own decision."

However, he said that being evacuated from Afghanistan was life-changing for him, as it was seeing wounded soldiers on the plane that spurred him on to launch the Invictus Games for wounded veterans.

Prince Harry's military career 1 /14 Prince Harry's military career Harry quits A TV crew films the prince as he makes early morning checks on his Apache helicopter (Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images) Harry quits Scrambling to his Apache helicopter at Camp Bastion in November 2012 (Picture: AFP/Getty Images) Harry quits Laying a poppy wreath with British troops and service personnel in Afghanistan on Remembrance Sunday last year (Picture: Getty Images) Harry quits Placing a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier in a cemetery in Virginia Harry quits Kitted out in service dress during an event at Lydiard Park (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn) Harry quits Walking through the British controlled flight-line at Camp Bastion during his four months from September 2012 as an Apache Helicopter Pilot/Gunner with 662 Sqd Army Air Corps (Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images) Harry quits Giving a thumbs-up to press after checking over his Apache helicopter during his stint at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan (Picture: Getty Images) Harry quits Harry salutes during a rendition of the Last Post at a Remembrance Sunday service in Kandahar last year (Picture: Getty Images) Harry quits As a 23-year-old in 2008 during an early tour in Helmand (Picture: AFP/Getty Images) Harry quits Sat in the front seat of the cockpit of an Apache Helicopter Pilot/Gunner at Camp Bastion in 2012 (Picture: Getty Images) Harry quits Concentrating during a mission briefing (Picture: Getty Images)

Describing the plane journey, alongside soldiers who had lost limbs and suffered head injuries, he said: "I never in those ten weeks, I never saw the injury part. I only heard about it. That's how it all started for me."

Prince Harry did later return to the war zone where he had served as an Apache co-pilot in a 20-week stint in Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013.

Later in 2013 he watched wounded veterans compete in the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, and was inspired to launch the inaugural Invictus Games in London in 2014.
E uropean leaders were today trying to thrash out a deal with Turkey to stop hundreds of thousands more migrants flooding in.

Under the plan all migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back. For each Syrian returned, a Syrian in Turkey would be resettled in the European Union.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel last night urged fellow EU leaders to do more to end Europes biggest migration crisis since the Second World War.

What Turkey has done for... some 2.7 million refugees cant be praised highly enough, she told Germanys parliament. Europe has not covered itself with glory in how, as a union of 28 members states with 500 million citizens, it has struggled with fairly sharing the burden.

Last year, more than a million people entered the EU illegally by boat, mainly going from Turkey to Greece, and more than 132,000 migrants have arrived so far this year. European Council leader Donald Tusk admitted a catalogue of issues remained unsolved with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu due to join talks tomorrow.

The one out, one in plan was initially proposed last week when Turkey was offered visa-free travel to Europe, the speeding up of financial aid and a fresh push on talks over eventual EU membership in return for its co-operation.

However in the latest draft several of the incentives appear to be less secure than Turkey would like, the BBC reported. In particular there was no guarantee that Turkeys EU membership bid would be speeded up, only a promise to seek further talks as soon as possible. There are also concerns over the legal basis for the blanket return of all migrants from Greece to Turkey. The head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said he was cautiously optimistic a deal could be reached.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron was expected to warn the summit of the possibility of a fresh wave of migrants coming to Europe from Libya this summer.

German diplomats and citizens in Turkey were today warned to be on red alert for an imminent attack as an embassy and a school were shut.

The German foreign ministry closed its embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara and its general consulate and a German school in Istanbul.

The foreign ministry said it had received an unconfirmed warning.

It came as the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) militant group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Ankara on Sunday that killed 37 people. The rebel organisation vowed to continue its strikes against security forces.
D aisy Ridley has responded to an invite to a fan's school prom, saying she is unable to attend because she is locked in a staring competition with Luke Skywalker.

Ridley, 23, was invited to Kevin Carlock's formal at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina after the student created a rap to convince the actress to accompany him.

The creative invite gave reasons why Ridley would enjoy the event including Kylo Ren not being in attendance.

But the actress - who plays Rey in Star Wars - declined the offer and let Carlock down gently via an Instagram post.

Alongside a picture of her face she held a note which read: Thank you so much for that brilliant invite to your formal. Unfortunately Im locked in an intense staring competition with Luke Skywalker, somewhere in the middle of the galaxy, so wont be able to make it. Let me know how it goes!

She captioned the shot: @kevincarlock your video made my day! Can't believe I only just saw it! Thank you!!!

Carlock took the rejection well and responded with a pun, posting: Thanks so much for your response! Father-daughter staring contests are epic, so I understand why you cant make it. Good luck with episode VIII, and may the formal be with you. Kevin/Kevin.

The London-born actress is currently filming the eighth film in the sci-fi franchise.

It is slated for release in 2017.

Star Wars theme park teaser - in pictures 1 /14 Star Wars theme park teaser - in pictures Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film Disney/Lucas Film

Follow @StandardShowbiz for more entertainment news.
F rank Sinatra Jnr, who carried on his fathers legacy with his own music career, has died at the age of 72.

He suffered a cardiac arrest on tour in Daytona Beach, Florida, his family said in a statement. He had been due to perform his show Sinatra Sings Sinatra at Peabody Auditorium yesterday.

Francis Wayne Sinatra was born to Frank Snr and wife Nancy in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1944. He followed his father into the music business as a teenager, eventually working for the senior Sinatra as musical director and conductor.

In 1963 he was kidnapped at gunpoint from a hotel in Lake Tahoe. He was released after two days when his family paid a $240,000 ransom. Barry Keenan, a schoolfriend of Nancy Sinatra, was convicted of the kidnapping along with two others.

Musical family: Frank Sinatra Jnr with his father and mother Nancy / Globe Photos Inc/Rex

After Sinatra Snr died of a heart attack in 1998, at 82, his son performed his songs and arrangements on tours.

Frank Jnr, who married Cynthia McMurrey in 1998 but divorced in 2000, is survived by son Michael. Franks sister Nancy, also a singer, said on her Facebook page: The Sinatra family mourn the untimely passing of their son, brother, father, uncle, Frank Sinatra, Jr. Sleep warm, Frankie...

Follow @StandardShowbiz.
The Philos Project Praises the State Department for Determining that the Islamic State is Committing Genocide in Iraq and Syria

Contact: Juliana Taimoorazy, The Philos Project, 847-401-8846, Juliana@philosproject.org



NEW YORK, March 17, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- This morning, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the United States has found the Islamic State guilty of carrying out genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. "In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims," Kerry said, using the Arabic term for the extremist group. "Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions. In what it says, what it believes, and what it does."



On March 9, The Philos Project  in a coordinated effort with the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, Assyrian Aid Society of America and the American Mesopotamian Organization  sent an open letter to Secretary Kerry and the State Department, calling on them to fully and unequivocally recognize the Islamic State's campaign of genocide.



The Philos Project salutes the United States government for making the historic decision to find the Islamic State responsible for genocide. "We welcome Secretary Kerry's recognition that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities," said The Philos Project Executive Director Robert Nicholson. "The Obama Administration definitely got this one right.



"The Philos Project was grateful to play a part in this battle and we thank our partners the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, Assyrian Aid Society, and American Mesopotamian Organization, as well as our attorneys at Andrews Kurth LLP, for joining the fight with us."



Today's historic finding of genocide does not bring an end to the effort to help persecuted Christians, but a new beginning. Secretary Kerry called for the liberation of Iraq and Syria and security for the minority communities who want to return to their homes. That is precisely the path that The Philos Project supports. "What is needed are safe havens for Assyrian Christians and other minorities in the Nineveh Plain of Iraq and in eastern Syria," Nicholson said.



Philos Project Fellow and Iraqi Christian Relief Council President Juliana Taimoorazy called on the Obama Administration to create a refuge for the persecuted in their ancestral homeland. "Having this genocide officially recognized highlights the immediate funding needed to ease the real suffering felt by millions on the ground," Taimoorazy said. "With renewed hope we continue to work on creating the right conditions for establishment of a safe haven for Assyrian Christians and other minorities in Iraq."



"Only when these communities can protect themselves and determine their own fate will they be truly free," Nicholson said. "The Philos Project is working tirelessly to ensure that Christians and all minorities of the Middle East are able to live in liberty and justice in their own lands."



Nicholson and Taimoorazy are available for interviews.



About The Philos Project:

Proclaiming friendship with those in the region who support liberty and justice

for all peoples,



for all peoples, Reviving an intellectually rigorous Christian approach to foreign policy, especially as it relates to the Middle East;



Educating Christians on the theological, historical, and political issues surrounding Israel and the Jewish people; and



Empowering the church to advocate for real peace in tangible ways.

For more information, please visit www.philosproject.org.



For more information about the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, please visit www.iraqichristianrelief.org.



Contact:

Juliana Taimoorazy

Juliana@philosproject.org

847.401.8846
My grandmother used to tell me, what you put in your head, no one can take away. But what if the knowledge you wish to learn is locked away behind a wall so expensive that you can no longer learn?

This is a dilemma I face. Im not alone. Academic research has become commercialized and publishing giants like Elsevier want every dollar it can get. There are academics who are doing vital research in many fields that cant access data they need for their research. Universities around the world complain about the high price of access to academic journals. While I am a layman who loves continuing to learn and one could argue I dont need access, there are real consequences to people who are trying to make the world a better place, but cannot afford to do so.

Publishers claim they charge a high fee for access because it costs $5,000-50,000 to publish a journal. Paul Peters, president of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association and chief strategy officer at the open-access publisher Hindawi in Cairo, told Nature his group published 22,000 articles at a cost of $290 per article. Brian Hole, founder and director of the researcher-led Ubiquity Press in London, says that average costs are $300. PeerJs costs are in the low hundreds of dollars per article.

Paul Aarden, an Independent researcher on Earth and Planetary Sciences wrote on The Cost of Knowledge website, This pay for whats been funded by publicly provided money, by state or commercial interests, remains a serious impediment to work for those sans access to the money or funds some well-heeled publishers of journals and papers think we have waiting to hand over to corporate greed, no matter how efficient it may be in the business sense. One can see how smart the Elsevier model is yet I believe it creates silos and firewalls that are anything but inclusive and amount to economic censorship. Sharing is caring...

The Cost of Knowledge boasts 15,000 scientists who have vowed to boycott Elsevier partly because of excessive paywall fees.

Kazakhstani neuroscientist Alexandra Elbakyan started Sci-Hub to counteract these paywalls. Sci-Hub hosts more than 47 million articles from places like JSTOR, Springer, Sage and Elsevier, according to Digital Trends. Hundreds of thousands are downloaded each day. Sci-Hub is being sued by Elsevier. Good luck finding her. No one knows where she is and many scientists have come to her defense.

Countries, such as Iran, India, Indonesia and other places where access to research is not readily available often rely on websites like Sci-Hub to help them continue their work. I have used her website. Most recently, I read a paper, Novel Evidence for Roman Slavery. It was 24 pages long, published in 1993. It cost $42 to read at JSTOR. If it had been $5, Id have happily paid that price. What justification, other than profit, is there for a price that high?

Research4Life attempts to fill this gap by providing free access to up to 15,000 journals, 33,000 books and 120 other information resources, from over 550 publishers including Elsevier for a library subscription payment of $1,500 per year to countries in the developing world. This is a great start, but its not affordable for many institutions in developing countries. It certainly would hurt the budgets of many libraries, even those in the U.S., and I cant afford it.

The big publishers are angry. Last year, a New York court delivered an injunction against Sci-Hub, making its domain unavailable (something Elbakyan dodged by switching to a new location), and the site is also being sued by Elsevier for irreparable harm  a case that experts are predicting will win Elsevier around $750 to $150,000 for each pirated article. Even at the lowest estimations, that would quickly add up to millions in damages, Science Alert said.

While authors are free to not sign over their copyright to places like Elsevier or ScienceDirect, it hamstrings them. If they arent published in well-known, peer-reviewed and respected journals, their work could languish in obscurity. While open source journals are an option, authors find themselves in the same situation. When researchers apply for new grants, the application always wants to know where you were published last and what your best published work was. Saying you self-published online isnt going to get you that grant.

Digital Trends said Elsevier hasnt answered key concerns from the scientific community.

Elbakyan and others argue that Elsevier and others make it difficult for researchers without sufficient financial resources, whether through socio-economic means or other ways, to complete scientific research because of the companys paywalls and exorbitant per article fees.

In an open letter, Elbakyan told the presiding judge it was not only her opinion, but those in the research community.

The general opinion in [sic] research community is that research papers should be distributed for free (open access), not sold. And practices of such companies like Elsevier are unacceptable, because they limit distribution of knowledge.

According to the New York Times, Carol Greider of Johns Hopkins University is the third Nobel Prize laureate biologist to post her work to a publicly accessible website before submitting it for publication. Her work can be found on bioRxiv and under the Twitter hashtag #ASAPbio, which many biologists are using. Steve Shea posted on Twitter on Feb. 29, stating his paper has languished for a year and a half in review, so hes made it available online at bioRxiv.

Arxiv, from Cornell University, and bioRxiv are great pre-print servers. We need to move away from the traditional mindset that research can only be published to specific, paywalled, peer-reviewed publications. Open access journals, like PLoS and PeerJ help, but there is still more work to do.

Elbakyan told Big Think, Before Sci-Hub, this problem was solved manually for years! For example, students would go to an online forum where other researchers communicate, and request papers there; other people would respond to the request.

This practice is widespread even today, with researchers at rich Western institutions routinely forced to email the authors of papers directly, asking for a copy by email, wasting the time of everyone involved and holding back the progress of research in the process, Big Think said.

Computer programmer Aaron Swartz was caught downloading 4 million journal articles to his laptop in protest in 2011. The federal case could have sent him to prison for 35 years. Swartz committed suicide in 2013 at age 26. While Swartz was accused of taking millions of dollars in liability, Sci-Hub is accused of taking billions.

Another argument for providing free access is that many scientific articles were funded directly or indirectly by taxpayer dollars. Those are supposed to be free by law. A lot of published research was conducted and written at publicly funded universities and institutions, paid for by tax dollars. We have paid for this research. So why is it acceptable to put it behind a paywall where you have to pay again for access?

Stanford professor John Willinsky, author of The Access Principle, wrote an op-ed in The Times Higher Education on Tuesday, This right to know is also behind this new, emerging academic publishing economy. It is aligned with the broader social and intellectual movement of open science. It is behind the White Houses insistence on open access for all government-funded research, with similar policies at UNESCO, the Gates Foundation, the European Commission, and the list goes on.

It has given rise to more than 11,000 open access journals, including hundreds from Elsevier. These journals, although still in the minority, make their content freely available through the support of authors, libraries and granting agencies. In another approach, particle physicists have brought 3,000 libraries together to fund open access to the best journals in their field.

Michael Eisen tweeted on Feb. 22, its pretty amazing that it took 20 years for scientists should post their work on the Internet to not be viewed as radical. I think my grandma would have agreed.

The next hearing in the case between Elsevier and Sci-Hub is scheduled for March 17.
This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page

Published: 17 March 2016

Discontinuation of education decreased

In all, 5.4 per cent of students attending education leading to a qualification or degree discontinued their studies and did not resume them in any education leading to a qualification or degree during the 2013/2014 academic year. Compared to the year before, discontinuation decreased in vocational education and university education and remained unchanged in upper secondary general education and polytechnic education. These data derive from Statistics Finlands Education Statistics.

Discontinuation of education in upper secondary general, vocational, polytechnic and university education in academic years from 2005/2006 to 2013/2014, %

The percentages of discontinuation were 3.4 per cent in upper secondary general education aimed at young people, 7.6 per cent in vocational education aimed at young people, 8.3 per cent in polytechnic education (polytechnic degrees), and 6.7 per cent in university education (lower and upper university degrees) in the academic year 2013/2014.

If students who have changed their sectors of education, e.g. students who have switched from upper secondary general school to vocational education, are not calculated as discontinued students, the percentages of discontinuation are lower. Students in polytechnic education and in upper secondary general education changed their sector of education most frequently. Women changed their sector of education slightly more eagerly than men.

Men discontinued their education leading to a qualification or degree completely more often than women in all sectors of education. Men discontinued most often their polytechnic education and women their vocational education. Men discontinued their studies in their own sectors of education more often than women except for vocational education.

Education was discontinued most often in the field of natural sciences, in the field of natural resources and the environment, and in the field of tourism, catering and domestic services. The relative share of discontinuation was lowest in the fields of other education, which includes e.g. military, border guard, and fire and rescue training, and in the field of social services, health and sports.

Discontinuation of education leading to a qualification or degree by sex and sector of education in academic year 2013/2014 1)

Sex / sector of education Number of students used in the statistics on discontinuation of education 20 Sept. 2013 Discontinued in own sector of education Changed sector of education Discontinued completely education leading to a qualification or degree % % % Total 491 057 6,7 1,3 5,4 Men and women Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people) 96 270 3,4 1,8 1,6 Vocational education (aimed at young people) 125 541 7,6 0,8 6,9 Polytechnic education (Bachelors degrees) 128 539 8,3 1,9 6,4 University education (Bachelors and Masters degrees) 140 707 6,7 0,9 5,8 Men Total 234 229 7,5 1,2 6,3 Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people) 41 388 3,6 1,7 1,9 Vocational education (aimed at young people) 67 096 7,5 0,5 7,0 Polytechnic education (Bachelors degrees) 60 100 10,2 1,9 8,2 University education (Bachelors and Masters degrees) 65 645 7,5 1,0 6,5 Women Total 256 828 6,0 1,4 4,6 Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people) 54 882 3,2 1,8 1,4 Vocational education (aimed at young people) 58 445 7,8 1,1 6,7 Polytechnic education (Bachelors degrees) 68 439 6,7 1,9 4,8 University education (Bachelors and Masters degrees) 75 062 6,0 0,9 5,1

1) The number of students used to calculate discontinuation of education differs from the total number of students because some of the students had to be excluded from the data. The data do not include the Jyvaskyla Institute of Adult Education, Pohjois-Savo Institute and Police University College, because discontinuation of studies could not be calculated due to insufficient monitoring data.

Of students aged 18 or over who discontinued upper secondary general school education, 42 per cent continued studies leading to a qualification or degree in some other sector of education, and 16 per cent started working. The corresponding figures were 9 and 23 per cent in vocational education, 23 and 52 per cent in polytechnic education, and 14 and 58 per cent in university education. The employment data are based on Statistics Finland's employment statistics.

More information related to the progress of studies is available from statistics describing Progress of studies and Employment of students.

In 2014, 844 students discontinued apprenticeship training during the four-month probationary period, which is 1.7 per cent of all students in apprenticeship training. In all, 3,385 students discontinued apprenticeship training after the probationary period, which is 6.8 per cent of all students in apprenticeship training. The total number of students in apprenticeship training was 49,856 in 2014.

A total of 372 students had discontinued studies in one way or another in comprehensive school during the 2014/2015 academic year. The number of those who had completely dropped out from compulsory education in the spring term was 71 and those over the age of compulsory education having left school without a leaving certificate from comprehensive school was 301. More than one-half of school drop-outs were boys. The number of boys among those who had completely dropped out from compulsory education was 42, and 179 among those having left comprehensive school without a leaving certificate.

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Heli Hiltunen 029 551 3314, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (223.2 kB)

Updated 17.3.2016

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Discontinuation of education [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-9302. 2014. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 22.10.2022].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/kkesk/2014/kkesk_2014_2016-03-17_tie_001_en.html
This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page

Published: 17 March 2016

Number of employed students decreased

According to Statistics Finland's Education Statistics, employment among students decreased by close on two percentage points in 2014 from the previous year. Slightly more than one-half of students were employed during their studies. Since 2004, the share has been highest in 2008 when nearly six out of ten students were employed during their studies.

Shares of employed students aged at least 18 of all students in 20082014

Working was most common in connection with university and polytechnic studies. Fifty-six per cent of university students had an employment contract while studying and 54 per cent of polytechnic students. Close on one-half of students attending upper secondary vocational education were employed during their studies. In 2014, the share of employed students in polytechnic education decreased most, by good two percentage points from the year before.

Women worked while studying more frequently than men: 54 per cent of women and 46 per cent of men had an employment contract while studying. The proportion of employed women in upper secondary general education and in polytechnic education was ten percentage points higher than that of men. Thirty per cent of women in upper secondary general education were working alongside studies and 59 per cent of women in polytechnic education. Nearly fifty-two per cent of women in upper secondary level vocational education worked, which was seven percentage points more than for men.

Employment during studies grew clearly the older the students were. While 22 per cent of students aged 18 were working, the share of employed students aged at least 25 was nearly triple. Of 21-year-old students, 40 per cent and of 24-year-old students, 50 per cent had an employment contract. Among students aged 25 or over, 63 per cent were employed during their studies.

Employment of students during studies varied by field of education. Sixty per cent of students in the fields of social sciences, and business and administration, 59 per cent of students in the fields of health, welfare and sports, and 53 per cent of students in the fields of humanities and education had a valid employment contract at the end of 2014.

Employment during studies was more common than the average for the whole country in the regions of Uusimaa, Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Kanta-Hame and Varsinais-Suomi, and in Aland.

More information related to the progress of studies is available from statistics describing Progress of studies and Discontinuation of education .

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Vesa Hamalainen 029 551 2594, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (223.2 kB)

Updated 17.3.2016

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Employment of students [e-publication].

ISSN=1799-0017. 2014. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 22.10.2022].

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Countries & Areas

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Thursday, 17 March 2016 16:12:26 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

Demand in the local Turkish market is currently slack, while merchant bar prices depending on size, thickness and region are at the following levels:

Equal Angle Prices:

Region Prices (TRY/mt) Price change (TRY/mt) 10.03.2016 Denizli Region (30-100 mm) 1,310-1,330 ($458-465/mt)  40 Karabuk Region (30-100mm) 1,220-1,240 ($427-434/mt)  0 Iskenderun Region (30-100 mm) 1,200-1,220 ($420-427/mt)  30 Izmir Region (30-100 mm) 1,280-1,300 ($448-455/mt)  40

Flat Bar Prices:

Region Prices (TRY/mt) Price change (TRY/mt) 10.03.2016 Denizli Region (30-100 mm) 1,340-1,360 ($469-478/mt)  40 Karabuk Region (30-100mm) 1,250-1,270 ($437-444/mt)  0 Iskenderun Region (30-100 mm) 1,230-1,250 ($430-437/mt)  30 Izmir Region (30-100 mm) 1,310-1,330 ($458-465/mt)  40

NPI-NPU Prices:

Region Prices (TRY/mt) Price change (TRY/mt) 10.03.2016 Denizli Region (30-100 mm) 1,310-1,330 ($458-465/mt)  40 Karabuk Region (30-100 mm) 1,220-1,240 ($427-434/mt)  0 Iskenderun Region (30-100 mm) 1,200-1,220 ($420-427/mt)  30 Izmir Region (30-50 mm) 1,280-1,300 ($448-455/mt)  40

All prices are ex-works, on actual weight basis, for March shipment and excluding VAT.



It should be considered that offers below the prices ranges in question may be available, depending on the buyer and on the method of payment.



$1 = TRY 2.86


Two Romanian citizens injured in the road accident occurred in Turkey on March 14 were transferred on Wednesday from the public hospital in Manavgat to a private hospital in Antalya for additional medical investigations.

According to a Foreign Ministry release sent on Thursday, the transfer was made at the request of the Romanian consular team. The Romanian Foreign Ministry also announced that a mobile consular team has made fact-finding visits to inquire about the health of the four Romanians who are still hospitalized in Turkey. "The patients will remain in the respective hospitals until the medical team determines that they can be safely transported by plane. At the request of the Foreign Ministry's central office, Romania's honorary consul in Antalya will stay in permanent contact with the hospitals to monitor the developments in the condition of the Romanian citizens," reads the release.

According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry, of the 10 Romanians who were discharged from hospital, two left Turkey on Wednesday by plane, accompanied by family members who joined them after the accident, and the other eight Romanian citizens were to leave Antalya heading for Romania on Thursday. "The two deceased Romanian citizens will be promptly repatriated, as the consular team has fulfilled all the necessary formalities in this regard. The mobile consular team keeps permanent contact with both the local authorities and the medical team to ensure all the necessary steps for the repatriation of all the Romanian citizens. The crisis cell continues its activity and keeps in contact with the Romanian Embassy in Ankara, the mobile consular team, the home affairs attache in Ankara and the representative of the Honorary Consulate of Romania in Antalya," the release informs.

Agerpres
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Department of Agriculture reports that 8,550 beef producers registered to vote in the Missouri beef checkoff referendum that will take place in April.

Registration closed on March 4.

Missouri had an estimated 59,000 beef producers in 2014.

The referendum will determine whether beef producers will pay an additional $1 per head checkoff tax for cattle sold in the state.

The agriculture department is conducting the referendum and will mail ballots to registered producers on April 4. Ballots must be returned by April 15. Results will be announced on April 25.

The Missouri Beef Industry Council petitioned Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce for the referendum, which is supported by the Missouri Farm Bureau and Missouri and National Beef Cattlemens associations.

Cattle producers currently pay a $1 per head checkoff fee to the U.S. Beef Checkoff program, which returns 50 percent to Missouri for education, promotion, research and consumer information.

Davin Althoff, MCIB business director and chief financial officer, says the additional checkoff funds are are needed due to devaluation of the dollar, increased advertising and promotion costs and the decrease in cattle numbers in the state due to drought and loss of farmland to development and conversion of pastureland to row crops.

The checkoff is opposed by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, which has filed a petition in Cole County Circuit Court to stop the April election.

Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce set a hearing for March 21 on whether to halt the election, but the state filed a request for an extension on March 9.

The MRCC claims the referendum has been a closed door process with little input from cattle producers and without a public rule-making process. It also claims the requirement for farmers to disclose confidential business information about their cattle sales numbers served to discourage farmers from registering to vote in the referendum and caused confusion about who could register.

The MRCC, a statewide organization that represents thousands of Missouri livestock farmers, said the checkoff dollars promote foreign beef in U.S. markets and the NCBA supports policies favoring corporate meat packers.

Supporters say the checkoff is voluntary and beef producers who do not want to participate can receive a refund.
LOS ANGELES  Charter Communications proposed $67 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks is nearing the home stretch with federal officials poised to approve the deal in the coming weeks.

The Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Justice Department must each OK the consolidation that would make Charter the nations second-largest cable TV and Internet service provider.

FCC commissioners, including Chairman Tom Wheeler, are leaning toward approving the transaction but they intend to add a long list of conditions, according to an individual close to the merger review who asked not to be identified because the FCC has not taken action.

The cable deal is not expected to be approved this week, according to a second person with knowledge of the matter.

One of the deal conditions would be for Charter to agree to increase the number of families who receive high-speed Internet service as a way to take steps to close the so-called digital divide  the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that dont.

The FCC also has been planning to demand that Charter make assurances that it will not use its newfound clout in the market to thwart online streaming services, such as Hulu or Netflix, that compete with Charters core business of selling bundles of traditional cable TV channels.

The Justice Department is reviewing the deal to make sure that it is not anti-competitive. Charter, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, which serves Bakersfield, offer their products in separate geographic areas that largely do not overlap.

The Wall Street Journal reported late Tuesday that Wheeler was planning to circulate among his fellow FCC commissioners an order that would approve Charters deal.

The merger comes amid a wave of industry consolidation. Last summer, phone giant AT&T took over DirecTV in a $49 billion merger. Frontier Communications is poised to take over Verizons wireline business in California and Florida.

An FCC spokeswoman declined to comment on the latest reports.
SANTA ANA, Calif.  The federal government filed an antitrust lawsuit Thursday in an attempt to block Tribune Publishing from buying the bankrupt Orange County Register and Press-Enterprise newspapers in Southern California.

The suit was filed in federal court hours after Tribune, which publishes the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune, announced it had placed a winning $56 million bid for the two newspapers owned by Freedom Communications.

The sale would give Tribune a monopoly over newspaper sales in Orange and Riverside counties and allow it to increase subscription prices and advertising rates, U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

A federal bankruptcy court judge still must approve the sale and has set a hearing for Monday.

A message seeking comment was left for Tribune.

The sale would string together the biggest newspapers in each of four Southern California counties with a combined population of 18 million, consolidating control over news and advertising in the region.

"Communities benefit by having different groups of editors looking out for them," said Ken Doctor, a media analyst. "When you essentially only have one newsroom leadership deciding what is news for Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego County, that is unprecedented."

Freedom Communications sought bankruptcy protection last year. The move came three years after the Register embarked on an aggressive expansion of print journalism that included starting daily papers in Los Angeles and Long Beach and buying the Press-Enterprise for $27 million.

Tribune was competing to buy the two newspapers against an investor group led by Freedom's current managers and Digital First Media, which owns nine Southern California papers and websites, including the Los Angeles Daily News.

Digital First, which submitted a $45.5 million "stalking horse bid" for the papers, and Tribune saw buying the papers as a way to expand their territory and save on costs.

The Associated Press is among the creditors in Freedom's bankruptcy proceedings.
The budget stalemate in Springfield has left the state of Illinois behind in its bills to the tune of $7.4 billion. Among its creditors are area hospitals and physicians who provide care for state workers.

Until a budget is passed, the state cant pay many of its bills. So health care providers continue to provide services and wait for payment, sometimes more than a year and a half.

A few providers are even demanding that state workers pay deductibles and copayments upfront.

Illinois owes some hospitals payments that are 20 months overdue, Illinois hospital officials said.

Before the budget war, the state was always behind, said Danny Chun, spokesman for the Illinois Hospital Association. Now, its gotten worse.

St. Elizabeths in Belleville is owed $15 million. That represents about 9 percent of the hospitals operating revenue, according to an IRS filings for fiscal year 2014.

The state also owes Memorial Hospital in Belleville nearly $9 million.

And BJC HealthCare, which operates a hospital in Alton, is owed millions, spokeswoman Kim Kitson said. Its hospitals in Missouri are also owed money.

Were still counting on getting paid, said Brian Reardon, spokesman for Hospital Sisters Health, St. Elizabeths parent company.

Its just a matter of when, he said.

On average, the state generates $100 million in revenue each day, said Rich Carter, spokesman for the Illinois Comptroller. But each month the state runs a $500 million deficit, spending way more than it earns. The comptroller doesnt break down overdue bills by industry or type of business.

Meanwhile, physicians continue to provide services to state employees, enrolled in the states health plans, and the more than 3 million Medicaid enrollees.

The pinch has caused some providers to try and collect from patients upfront.

The state says its working diligently with health care providers to try to avoid having providers charge members upfront for services and to ensure there is no interruption of service, according to a statement sent to the Post-Dispatch by the Department of Central Management Services, the state agency tasked with overseeing employee benefits.

But as payment delays worsen, the state does acknowledge that providers may request upfront payment.

Providers can request copays or deductibles up front, Meredith Krantz, spokeswoman for CMS, said in a statement.

At the onset of the budget impasse last year, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville wrote a public letter asking providers to continue to provide care to university employees without requiring upfront payment.

We ask for your patience and that you continue to provide our employees with excellent care, not requiring full upfront payment for medical costs that will subsequently be paid by the state, said the letter from Sherrie Senkfor, director of human resources.

However, the state warns employees that they are not required to pay more than the cost-sharing amount outlined in their benefit plans.

If a provider asks a plan participant to pay more than the member portion of the cost upfront for a service, the plan participant should contact their plan administrator, the statement said.

Indiana-based Anthem Inc., plan administrator for one of the seven employee health plans throughout Illinois, said in-network doctors in its HealthLink plan should not refuse service or turn members over to collections for an unpaid claim.

A members doctor should not request full payment from the member before service, and he or she should not pay the full cost of service upfront with the intention of getting reimbursed later, Deb Wiethop, spokeswoman for the insurer, said in a statement.

In-network physicians who do turn away patients or ask for full payment upfront would be in violation of their insurance contract.
Updated at 1:18 p.m.

NEW YORK  The chief executive of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency resigned on Thursday, one week after being accused by a female subordinate in a lawsuit of a stream of racist and sexist behavior.

WPP Plc, the British parent of JWT, said Gustavo Martinez resigned "by mutual agreement" following "recent events," and that his resignation was "in the best interest" of the agency.

Tamara Ingram, who was WPP's chief client team officer, is replacing Martinez, effective immediately. Her former job will be taken by George Rogers, who will remain WPP's global business development director.

Martinez, an Argentina native and the first Hispanic chief executive of a global advertising agency, had been JWT's chairman and chief executive since January 2015.

His departure came after chief communications officer Erin Johnson accused him in a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court of making "constant racist and sexist slurs" that demeaned women, blacks and Jews, and subjecting her to unwanted touching.

Johnson was put on paid leave last month, after JWT had curbed her pay and duties in retaliation for her complaints about Martinez, according to the lawsuit.

Martinez could not immediately be reached for comment. After the complaint was filed, he said in a statement that he believed he led JWT "with a collaborative and collegial style" and did not create the working conditions that Johnson described.

WPP, through a spokesman, had no immediate additional comment. Johnson's lawyer Anne Vladeck did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

JWT clients include such companies as Coca-Cola, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Shell and Wal-Mart. Martinez's biographical profile has been taken down from the JWT website.

According to Johnson's lawsuit, Martinez made "numerous" comments about rape, including the raping of JWT employees.

The lawsuit also accused Martinez of referring to airport customs agents as "black monkeys" and "apes," and telling a reporter that he disliked living in New York's suburban Westchester County because there were "too many Jews."

Vladeck on March 14 asked for court permission to file a video she said showed Martinez making some of the alleged slurs.
WASHINGTON  The administration of President Barack Obama released $65.8 million on Thursday to help communities that are struggling from the decline of the coal industry and bankruptcies of major producers of the fuel.

The funds announced by the federal Appalachian Regional Commission and the Economic Development Administration will support projects that help coal-dependent communities in places such as West Virginia and Kentucky diversify their economies, retrain workers and attract new investment.

The funds are coming through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative, which helps coal-reliant regions cope with market forces, air pollution regulations and other factors.

Many communities across Appalachia  from coal mines to Main Streets  are being impacted as the world changes the way it produces and consumes electricity, ARC Chairman Earl Gohl said.

The grant comes the day after St. Louis-based Peabody Energy Corp., the largest U.S. coal producer, said it might have to seek bankruptcy protection.

Peabody would become the latest in a line of major coal miners, including Creve Coeur-based Arch Coal Inc., to file for bankruptcy as demand for coal plummets both domestically and in global markets such as China and amid competition from natural gas.

The plight of coal communities, particularly in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States, has gained importance in the 2016 presidential campaign, where economic frustration of white working-class voters has become a major theme.

Last week, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton triggered critical comments from Republican lawmakers in Kentucky when she told a CNN town hall meeting: Were going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business when explaining her $30 billion economic transition plan for coal-dependent regions. Her plan expands on Obamas broader POWER+ Plan, a set of investments in coal-dependent communities outlined in his 2017 budget.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a Republican, called Clintons comments callous and said it underlines the need to stand up for hard-working, middle-class coal families.

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said McConnell and other critics twisted Clintons words to suggest she showed a disregard for coal workers and their livelihoods.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner, said at a recent campaign stop in Ohio: We have to protect your coal industry which is being decimated by the environmental regulations.
MASTIC BEACH, N.Y.  They call it The Matrix, a well-thumbed pile of maps locked in a cabinet at Village Hall that pinpoints all the empty zombie houses in this 4.2-square-mile seaside community. Theres one on nearly every block.

Its like a cancer, Mayor Maura Spery said of the scourge. Its not getting any better. Each one of these is hurting property values for six or seven houses around it. Who wants to live in a place with so many vacant houses?

The vacant properties are called zombie houses because their ownership is in limbo: mortgage holders have already left, but banks havent yet taken possession through foreclosure, leaving the properties abandoned and often decaying.

A relic of the Great Recession, zombie houses have receded in many states  but not all. They remain, and are growing in number in several states, including here in New York and in nearby New Jersey and Massachusetts, which together account for 40 percent of the nations vacant foreclosures. Over the last year, the number of zombie houses also has risen in Oklahoma, Michigan and Washington.

State and local officials like Spery are tired of them and demanding or taking action, saying the public cost of trying to maintain the vacant houses is unacceptable and they are driving down the value of neighboring property.

In New York, a group of mayors are pushing a proposal introduced by Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman that would require banks to take responsibility for maintenance as soon as a house is vacant, so they cant avoid responsibility by postponing foreclosure.

In February, Schneiderman announced a $3.2 billion settlement with Morgan Stanley, part of which will go to local governments to help offset the costs of dealing with the properties.

In Memphis, Tenn., neighbors can now collect a $25 credit toward eventually buying a home each time they cut the grass at an abandoned property under a mow to own program. Its an approach thats also been used in St. Louis; Columbus, Ohio; and Rockford, Ill.

In New Jersey, which has more than 4,000 zombies, the most of any state, lenders by law must notify local governments if a property becomes vacant before foreclosure is finished, and be available to help with repairs and maintenance. The law allows towns to fine lenders up to $2,500 a day if they dont comply.

If states or communities fail to act, New Yorks Schneiderman makes it clear what can happen: Abandoned homes become magnets for crime, drag down property values and drain municipal coffers.

_________

As the nations housing market has improved, the number of zombie houses declined from 46,715 in 2013 to 19,793 by the start of this year, the real estate information company RealtyTrac estimates. Thats a 58 percent drop.

Entering the year, Suffolk County, N.Y., where Mastic Beach is located, has the highest number of zombies in the country at 625, followed by Camden, N.J., at 596, according to RealtyTrac, which bases its estimates on matching houses in foreclosure with vacancies reported by the U.S. Postal Service.

Its improving nationally but becoming more concentrated in some areas, said Julia Gordon, executive vice president at The National Community Stabilization Trust, a nonprofit that works with local government to free up zombies and other troubled properties for use as affordable housing.

Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac, cautions that his firms estimates may understate the problem, especially in some states  New Jersey and New York among them  where laws demand lengthy court-supervised foreclosure procedures designed to help protect property owners.

A Seton Hall Law School study in 2014 found that New Jerseys system of court-supervised foreclosure has not worked efficiently since the housing bust in 2008, contributing to backlogs and abandoned housing.

Massachusetts has a shorter foreclosure process in theory. But in practice, it became much more difficult after a 2011 court ruling that required extra paperwork. A state law signed in January is designed to streamline the process again.

Many advocates for property owners say foreclosure delays often are caused by banks or contracted loan servicers that deliberately back out of proceedings before taking possession to avoid legal responsibility for maintaining the property.

In most cases the delays in going forward with a foreclosure on a vacant property are caused by the banks themselves, concluded the Empire Justice Center, a nonprofit New York law firm, in a report last year analyzing five years of foreclosures in Rochester.

The rate of foreclosure rose more quickly during the crisis, and stayed higher afterward, in states with lengthy court-supervised foreclosure procedures, Mortgage Bankers Association surveys of loan performance show.

As of late last year, according to association economist Joel Kan, nearly 3 percent of loans were in the foreclosure process in states with court-supervised foreclosure laws, compared to 1 percent for other states.

Richard Simon, of Bank of America, said foreclosure delays are common in a state like New York because of the lengthy process. But, he said, its never in the banks financial interest to step back from foreclosure to avoid responsibility for a property.

Extended foreclosure and property preservation are quite expensive and only add to the large financial losses already being absorbed in most foreclosures, Simon said.

But Peter Skillern, director of Reinvestment Partners, a North Carolina nonprofit that advocates for fairer lending in poor communities, pointed to another possibility. Sometimes the reality is that these banks have thousands of these houses and they really dont know what to do.

________

The New York proposal has not progressed in the House or the Senate since being introduced in 2013. But the New York Conference of Mayors continues to press for the legislation, calling vacant and abandoned properties an epidemic in New Yorks cities and villages in a February memo on the bill.

At its winter legislative meeting, the mayors group offered training on dealing with abandoned properties, and its 2016 Legislative Program calls for even more reforms, such as allowing local governments to force foreclosure for zombies.

The mayors concerns were underscored in a January report by Mount Vernon, N.Y., Mayor Richard Thomas, which said that vacant houses in Westchester County had cost neighboring homes $9.2 million in property value, and generated hundreds of complaints and code violations.

In addition to forcing banks to take responsibility for maintaining vacant houses, the New York proposal would establish a hotline for residents to report vacancies. It would require banks to notify homeowners that New York law permits them to stay in their homes until ordered to leave by a judge.

The argument is the presence of the original owner would help prevent decay of the property, while making it easier to establish ownership so a loan could be restructured or the property sold in a short sale. It would be so much easier to negotiate if the owners were still there, said Gordon of the Stabilization Trust.

Homeowners are often shocked to find out that they still own houses that they thought were foreclosed, and that they may even be responsible for cleanup bills, said Judith Fox, a facilitator for state foreclosure court in Indiana who is conducting a study of abandoned housing in South Bend, Ind.

________

In Mastic Beach, the mayor knows many of the vacant properties by heart after working on The Matrix for eight months in an effort to get a handle on the problem. The Matrix color-coded maps use blue to mark verified vacancies, red for suspected vacancies, and yellow for squatters. Some blocks have five or six vacant properties.

She can point out a two-story house on Baker Road where squatters moved in and dealt heroin, brazenly renovating the house with new radiators. Across the village, squatters in more than 30 houses have been identified and evicted since last summer.

As Spery headed back to Village Hall on a recent afternoon, a resident stopped her to say somebody was vandalizing a boarded-up home, so she paused to call the police.

Because abandoned houses may not be obvious at a glance, neighborhood activists are an important part of any plan to keep track of them. In Mastic Beach, a committee of residents helps identify homes that need to be investigated. Some neighbors mow lawns and even park cars in the driveways of abandoned homes to keep up appearances.

They do it because they dont want the eyesore and they dont want the squatters, Spery said.

Once zombies have been identified, the next step is finding somebody to take responsibility for cleanup charges. But one of the top challenges for local and state governments is gathering data about titles and foreclosures, according to a 2010 study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Mastic Beach relies on county records and handwritten notes by its small staff of five part-time code enforcement officers to find out who owns mortgages at each vacant house, the name of the lender, and whether property taxes are being paid.

Reinvestment Partners, the North Carolina nonprofit, published a guide last year for neighbors and others looking to verify zombie houses and take action, including going to court to force lenders to finish foreclosing. The group has also held protests in zombie makeup and put out a music video to raise awareness and explain the issue.

________

Some of the most ambitious programs to combat zombie houses may be in Ohio, where Youngstown and Canton require banks to put up a $10,000 bond before foreclosing on a vacant house, to be used for upkeep should the property turn zombie.

Experimental land banks that can accept donated housing from banks and repurpose them for affordable housing have sprung up in Syracuse, N.Y., and Long Islands Suffolk County.

Oklahoma, where the number of zombies has almost doubled in the last year to 225, passed a state law in 2014 allowing local towns to recover costs for maintaining vacant houses through tax liens.

The state law superseded an Oklahoma City ordinance that required owners of vacant properties to pay an annual fee, which was opposed by realtors who considered it unfair to investors who had vacant but well-maintained houses, said Jane Abraham, government affairs manager for the city.

The state law also allows the city to charge owners for police and fire calls to abandoned homes, services that cost the city $6.4 million a year, according to a 2013 study. Property values were $2.7 billion lower because of the zombies, the study found.

Many localities, including Mastic Beach, have also started requiring banks to register vacant properties. Failing to register carries a $2,500 fine, but the village cant always track down a responsible party to pay the fine.

Though the village has never tallied the cost of using its employees to investigate houses, board them up, and clean up when squatters trash them, the mayor knows its costly and postpones other important work.

One part of the New York law would create a statewide registry, run by the attorney generals office, and fines for failing to register would go to local governments to help pay for responding to complaints about zombies. That would be a welcome development, Spery said.

Were a poor village. We dont have the resources to handle all this. Were the poster child for this and were getting no help. None.
 



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Alongside a generation of American children, William Anderson grew up reading the Little House on the Prairie books. Laura Ingalls Wilders stories of her familys homesteads, Pas cabin building and fiddle playing, and Mas cooking and caretaking, captivated the young Anderson.

When he was in the third grade, a set of classroom activities based on the popular childrens novels sealed Andersons fate.

We built a teepee, we churned butter and made cornbread, we did murals on the classroom wall, we did map studies of the tracks that the Ingalls and Wilder families made across the heartland of America, says Anderson, 62. I would say that experience in third grade made an imprint on my whole life as a teacher/author/historian.

Throughout his childhood, Anderson wrote letters to Wilder museums, voraciously read from the World Book Encyclopedia and even convinced his parents to take him to the home in Mansfield, Mo. Wilder lived in the Mansfield area from 1894 until her death in 1957. (Anderson, who lives in Michigan, now serves on the board for the Mansfield historic site.)

As a young adult, he took a summer job at the Wilder historic site in South Dakota. Since then, he has penned several books and biographies about the family.

His latest, The Selected Letters of Laura Ingalls Wilder, offers yet another perspective into Wilders motivation for writing the Little House series. Anderson will discuss and sign copies of the book Thursday at Left Bank Books.

She saw in her own life just a huge transition from rural early America to modern-day America, and she felt that children should know exactly what it was that made America what it became, he says. I think she was very much the same person that people admire and love from her books, from her early life right up to the end there at the time of her death.

Appreciative of Wilders effect on his own life, Anderson says the collection of letters also reveals the extent to which Wilder cared about her young fans.

She told her editor that (she couldnt) bear to disappoint a child and not answer their letters. And some of them wrote back, and then they developed correspondences with her, too. So she to me represents the best of the pioneer era and a real stalwart American values person.

In 1935, in response to a letter from a teacher and her students in Iowa, Wilder answered some questions and told them what stories they would see next:

After you read Little House on the Prairie, I hope to have another book ready for you. I think I shall call it On the Banks of Plum Creek. Would you like that? I am sure you will like Little House on the Prairie, which will be published early next fall. I am sorry it will not be so large as Farmer Boy.

Aside from delving into Wilders life, Anderson takes time to address the controversy regarding Rose Wilder Lanes contributions to the writing of her mothers Little House novels. He acknowledges the rumors of such ghost writing by Lane, Wilders only surviving child, but maintains that the reality is far from nefarious.

I always call the Laura/Rose connection in the making of the Little House books a collaboration because the stories were all Lauras, Anderson says. She would write in her line-school tablets in pencil her first draft of whatever book she was working on, and her daughter Rose would take time out of her high-paced career to discuss these drafts with her mother, or if they werent living in close proximity, they corresponded. That correspondence that still exists has given biographers and scholars a good idea of the Laura/Rose collaboration.

Anderson credits Lane  and her connections with editors and agents  with getting the books published. Rose was significant in the making of these books, but she certainly didnt ghost write them, he says.
The difficulty in reducing the epidemic addiction to painkillers while still trying to relieve patients pain is felt most by doctors such as Michael Spearman. Hes an internist at Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers, federally subsidized health clinics in north St. Louis that care for those with public health insurance or no insurance.

The three clinics see 30,000 patients a year, and nearly 40 percent  11,700  are taking prescription painkillers.

Trauma and barriers to health care that are more common among the poor leave many patients suffering from painful, complex and chronic conditions, Spearman said. Other than writing a prescription for a narcotic or sending them to surgery, he has little at his disposal to help.

His patients cant travel to or pay for nondrug treatments such as physical therapy, acupuncture, electrical stimulation or chiropractic care, which is not covered by Medicaid. They cant get more imaging tests to better diagnose problems.

Yet hes faced with the fact that every day in the U.S., 44 people die from overdosing on prescription painkillers, and many more are becoming addicted, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is frustrating, Spearman said. We have patients who have pain you cant make go away.

Desperate for options, administrators at Myrtle Hilliard contacted Logan University chiropractic college, and a unique partnership formed to provide chiropractic care at little or no cost to patients.

After one year, the care has been so successful it inspired another system of subsidized health clinics  Family Care Health Centers in south St. Louis  to start a similar collaboration with Logan.

Ever single one of us who works here sees a patient touched by the opioid or heroin addiction every week, said Dr. Mattie White, a family medicine doctor at the Family Care Health Center in the Carondelet neighborhood. We are trying to figure out what we can do that is best for our patients, and our best hope for the future.

On Tuesday, the CDC issued the first national guidelines for prescribing painkillers, warning doctors to try other options before prescribing opioids for chronic pain (pain that continues for more than three months or past time of normal healing).

At Myrtle Hilliard, patients are lining up in droves for the chiropractic services and reporting promising results, said chief executive officer Angela Clabon. Initial data after the first year shows that 80 percent of patients receiving the care decreased their reliance on pain medications.

Many patients are struggling with back problems and all kinds of issues and are highly medicated, Clabon said.

We thought we could help them get off their medications and improve their quality of life, and thats exactly whats happened.

FERTILE GROUND

Since 1999, federal data shows the amount of painkillers prescribed and sold in the U.S. has nearly quadrupled.

In 2012, the CDC reports, health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for opioid pain relievers  enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills. The state of Missouri ranked 14th in the number of painkiller prescriptions that year, with 95 prescriptions per 100 people.

The greater availability has been accompanied by alarming increases, not only in deaths due to painkiller abuse, but also inpatient and emergency room visits  a 137 percent increase in Missouri alone  over the past 10 years.

Addiction to painkillers is fueling the sale of a much cheaper street opioid: heroin. More than 10,000 people died from heroin-related overdoses in 2012, a rate that had more than quadrupled since 2002. Nearly half of heroin users were addicted to prescription pain relievers, according to the CDC.

Governors, mayors, county executives and physicians groups are working together to raise awareness, prioritize substance abuse treatment, and explore prevention programs and treatment options.

The latest federal data show prescribing rates have leveled off, and painkiller deaths have declined for the first time in decades. The biggest drops have come in states that have instituted monitoring programs that prevent patients from getting prescriptions from multiple doctors; and measures such as regulating pain clinics and requiring physician training.

Missouri is the only state without a prescription drug monitoring program, making it more challenging for doctors trying to write prescriptions when appropriate. Its always possible they are getting them from somewhere else, and I dont know that, White said.

The collaboration between Logan University and the federally funded clinics, with their closely watched outcomes, creates fertile ground for research in treatment options. Family Care Health Centers is staffed with family medicine residents from St. Louis University, which plans to study their referrals to the chiropractors.

My entire life in medicine, I have fought with opioid use and pain, White said. It will be nice to take part in research to find out what else is available and what else could work.

Logans director of integrated health centers, Barry Wiese, said he knows of no other collaborations in the country to provide chiropractic services in community health clinics. He expects more will follow.

At each of the clinic sites, a doctor of chiropractic oversees Logan students in caring for patients. For Logan, its an opportunity for students to receive their clinical training by treating patients with complex problems in a comprehensive health clinic; and make a big impact on the health of residents.

Its not profitable, but it is a win-win, Wiese said. It gives us some of the best clinical teaching opportunities, and at the same time we get to give back to the community in a way we couldnt otherwise do.

100 PATIENTS A WEEK

About two years ago, severe arthritis sidelined Alicia Rockel, 53, of St. Louis, after owning a cleaning company for 25 years. The pain worsened, and she could not stand or sit in one position for more than five minutes.

Family Care Health Center providers feared prescribing her narcotics, she said, because shes suffered addiction in the past. They referred her to chiropractic care, and shes gotten better without drugs.

Before I was not able to drive even to the corner grocery store without screaming in pain, and now I can drive to my brothers house in Ballwin. I can vacuum my whole house without stopping and do the dishes without stopping, Rockel said. Its given me my life back.

Family Care began referring patients three months ago to Logans private clinic about eight miles away in south St. Louis County, where the staff treats the referrals three days a week based on the patients ability to pay.

White said shes already seen patients get relief from tension headaches, put away their walkers and avoid surgeries. I know we are seeing decreased pain and increased function in patients, she said.

Using two exam rooms inside the clinic on Martin Luther King Drive, chiropractic providers at Myrtle Hilliard started out seeing patients three days a week. Because of demand, treatment expanded to five days a week, and they went from caring for 20 patients a week to 100.

My favorite thing to hear is, I dont have to take my medication any more, said Ross Mattox, the doctor of chiropractic who oversees the clinics program.

Chiropractic care is new and different for most patients, Mattox said. They are not used to being touched or assured they will get better. Many become able to exercise and prevent further problems.

Nelson Jackson, 60, of the Glasgow Village area, couldnt stand up straight or turn his head after falling asleep one night in his recliner. After receiving adjustments from Mattox, the former Marine is now able to play with his grandkids.

Not only does he treat the physical ailments, he also administers some type of mental confidence in me, Jackson said. That also makes a difference, I no longer feel like Im a broken-down old man.
BENTON. Ill.  A federal prison guard smuggled cellphones and other contraband to an inmate serving a 25-year sentence, court documents filed Thursday claim.

Renee D. Strauss, a correctional officer and case manager at the federal prison in Marion, Ill., at the time, smuggled three cellphones and other items of contraband on numerous occasions between June 2015 and Sept. 27, 2015, a criminal information filed Thursday says. At least one of the phones was an AT&T smartphone, documents say.

Strauss also lied to an investigator with the Justice Department Office of Inspector General on Sept. 27, 2015, when she said that she did not smuggle cellphones to an inmate and wasn't planning on handing over two packs of Newport cigarettes and two cans of Skoal, the information says. Strauss, it says, claimed that those items were gifts for co-workers.

Strauss waived her right to indictment by a grand jury and agreed to proceed with the criminal information, which charges her with providing contraband to a federal inmate, attempting to provide contraband to a federal inmate and two counts of lying to a federal law enforcement officer.

Strauss' public defender and prosecutors were not available for comment Thursday afternoon. Strauss could not be reached for comment.

A Bureau of Prisons spokesman said that he could not immediately provide any information on the case.

It's not clear how long Strauss has been a prison guard. In 2011, when she filed for bankruptcy, she wrote that she was working as a secretary for the Bureau of Prisons, and had worked for the government for 11 years. Strauss had amassed more than $88,000 in student loan debt, the filing says.
ST. LOUIS  A man from Arizona who cost his Maryland Heights-based company $476,413 in fraudulent expenses pleaded guilty to federal charges here Wednesday.

At the time of John David Berretts indictment last summer, prosecutors said Berrett spent the money on a sex toy and college tuition, flowers, shoes and chocolates for online strippers.

Wednesdays hearing revealed few such details, but Berrett, 41, of Gilbert, Ariz., did admit submitting expense claims totaling more than $10,000 at a time. He also acknowledged that the expenses were for personal items, and that he was not allowed personal use of his company credit card.

Under federal guidelines, Berrett faces at least 21 months in prison for five felony counts of wire fraud, although officials believe he should get 33 to 41 months because he abused a position of trust and used special skills to perpetrate the fraud. He is expected to be sentenced at the end of June.

Berrett will also be ordered to repay the money.

He was an Internet technology architect for World Wide Technology Inc. who traveled the world to meet with clients and provide training and support.

Between September 2013 and October 2014, Berrett submitted bogus expenses of $476,413, according to his plea hearing. In the proceeding, he admitted that a series of expenditures were actually for his personal use, including $10,799.82 in expenses he submitted in July 2014 for consulting.

U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry asked Berrett, What was that for? What did you actually get for that amount of money?

Berretts attorney, John Dosdall, told Perry that some facts had been left out of the plea agreement. Dosdall said the money went to an online subscription.

The indictment says that Berrett bought online tokens to tip strippers on a website. In all, the indictment says, Berrett spent more than $100,000 on the tokens.

The website says that tokens can be used to chat with models, tip them or pay for private shows, which cost at least one token per second.

He also used his company credit card to buy chocolates, flowers, electronics, wine, a handbag and shoes, the indictment says. One woman received $26,800 for college tuition, new tires and her familys utility bills.

In December, Berretts lawyer subpoenaed years worth of expenses of 18 of his former colleagues, as well as audits and internal investigations.

In court filings aimed at quashing that subpoena, company lawyer Hal Goldsmith said Berrett was trying to suggest that the company accepted and encouraged such conduct.

Goldsmith wrote that WWTs general counsel told Berretts attorney that misusing WWTs funds is neither accepted or tolerated at WWT and would result in termination.

Goldsmith called it a flawed theory that was an attempt to muddy the waters with wholly irrelevant documents. Perry granted Goldsmiths motion to free the company from having to comply.

World Wide Technology was founded in 1990. The company says it employs more than 3,000 people around the world, with annual revenue of more than $7 billion.
ST. LOUIS  Ted Cruzs tissue-thin loss to Donald Trump in Tuesdays Missouri Republican presidential primary demonstrated some surprising electoral strength for the Texas senator in urban and collegiate areas, as he won the Kansas City and Mizzou regions and fought almost to a draw in and around St. Louis.

But the sprawling sources of billionaire Trumps victories here and in neighboring Illinois should give Cruz supporters pause as the primaries move on to other states.

Data show Trump won Missouri on the strength of almost unbroken popularity among voters along the Iowa border to the north, across the Ozarks to the south, and down into the Bootheel area  the very kinds of rural-conservative bastions on which Cruz has staked his candidacy  even as he also took most of rural Illinois, the Metro East and the Chicago region.

It was one more example of the blustery billionaire smashing the usual boundaries of electoral demographics. Right now, he is like a runaway freight train, said Paul Green, a political scientist at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

On the Democratic side, the question after Tuesdays five-state sweep by Hillary Clinton is no longer whether Bernie Sanders can beat her to the nomination  a realistic path is no longer there  but whether she can count on his supporters to rally around her for the general election this fall.

Results in Missouri and Illinois show the Vermont senator got his expected boost from college towns, but also from many of the same kinds of rural enclaves where Trumps insurgent campaign found so many votes. It could mean that Sanders support is coming in part from those who arent voting for something, but rather against something  the establishment. That opens the question of whether those voters will ever back such a quintessentially establishment candidate as Clinton.

Of the five states that voted Tuesday, Missouri ended up with the nail-biters of the night, in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Front-runners Clinton and Trump both won their respective primaries, but second-runners Sanders and Cruz were close enough that there is talk in both parties of recounts. In both primaries, the two top candidates were separated by fewer than 2,000 votes.

Cruz takes evangelical vote

On the Republican side, the good news for Cruz is that he dominated in southwestern Missouri, the states most heavily evangelical area, besting Trump by about 20 points in some counties there. Evangelicals are a bloc Cruz has wooed and yet has lost to Trump in some other contests.

The fact that Cruz also won in Kansas City, in effect tied Trump in St. Louis County and was close to him in St. Louis city was a somewhat unexpected bonus.

But Trumps complete dominance across the rural areas of both Missouri and Illinois stands out dramatically in the voting data. In Illinois, Cruzs wins were mostly confined to one group of counties around Springfield and another on the north-central border, around Rockford.

Worse, for Cruz, is that Trump won in both the rural areas of the state and the urban areas around Chicago and the Metro East. In the Chicago area, Cruz actually fell to third, behind Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

What it showed is Trumps enormous strength across the board, said Ken Warren, political science professor at St. Louis University. He is still baffling pundits by winning in virtually all the demographics. In Illinois, (Trump) did pretty much the same thing. He lost among evangelicals to Cruz, but not by much.

Chicago in particular is noteworthy because Trumps comfortable win there  40 percent of the vote in Cook County, about 15 points up from Kasich, his closest competitor  came days after violence between Trumps supporters and protesters caused him to cancel a rally there, sparking a renewed national debate about the anger in and around his events. That has led to some speculation that public backlash against anti-Trump protesters might have helped Trump in Chicago.

Sanders wins college towns

In the Democratic primaries, Sanders, buoyed nationally by college students enthusiasm, did best in counties with big universities in them. Boone County, home to the University of Missouri-Columbia, provided one of his biggest win margins in the state, with more than 60 percent of the vote against Clintons 39 percent. In Illinois, he won Champaign County, home to the University of Illinois, 66 percent to 34 percent.

The Metro East is a bastion of establishment Democratic politics that would be expected to help Clinton, and in St. Clair County it did, putting her over Sanders 57 percent to 42 percent. Yet Sanders beat her 55 percent to 45 percent in neighboring Madison County, which is just as traditionally Democratic as St. Clair  but is also home to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Sanders whipped some 4,000 students into a frenzy with a campus rally there two weeks ago.

The rift between Trump and many Republicans appears to be an unprecedented one, with some GOP officials declaring publicly that they will never support Trump and would even break into a third party to oppose him. But the Sanders-Clinton conflict appears to be more of a standard primary-season dustup  the kind that usually ends in party unity.

My students say, Dr. Warren, all the Sanders people I know say that they wont vote for Clinton,  said Warren, of SLU. But I think once he loses, hes going to say, Please back Hillary Clinton. That will mean a lot. I think when push comes to shove, they will come to Hillary.

One of the big stories out of Tuesday  one that perhaps should unnerve Democrats  is the surge in primary voter turnout among Republicans in both Missouri and Illinois, with no corresponding surge among Democrats.

In 2008, the last time both parties had open presidential primaries, more than 827,000 Missourians voted in the Democratic presidential primary, and about 588,000 voted in the Republican primary. Tuesday, more than 913,000 voted in the GOP primary and roughly 620,000 cast votes in the Democratic primary.

In Illinois, Democratic primary turnout fell from just over 2 million in 2008, when Barack Obama soundly defeated Clinton, to just under 2 million between Clinton and Sanders this year. Meanwhile, about 1.4 million people cast votes in Illinois Republican primary Tuesday, compared with about 900,000 in 2008.

Chuck Raasch of the Post-Dispatch Washington Bureau contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  For the first time in more than 20 years, the Senate has voted to hold in contempt a private party, the online advertising site Backpage, for not cooperating in an investigation of online sex trafficking of children and coerced adults.

The resolution, which passed Thursday by a 96-0 vote, was sponsored by Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio. It authorizes Senate lawyers to file a civil contempt action against Backpage in a District of Columbia federal court, asking that the court force the company to comply with its subpoenas for documents and testimony.

A lawyer for Backpage said the contempt citation sets up a legal fight on its First Amendment defense it has been asking for since last summer.

It was the first time the Senate has employed its contempt citation powers since 1995. At that time, it did so during a probe of the Whitewater land deals of then-President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the current front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Portman said the Senate has a legitimate role in investigating how the biggest online advertisers of escort services screen against illegal sex trafficking.

The destructive crime of sex slavery has moved from the street corner to the smartphone, he said.

On the Senate floor, McCaskill told of a 15-year-old girl who last year came to an emergency room in St. Louis and told authorities she had been sold to truckers at truck stops throughout the Midwest. The girl had been advertised on Backpage, McCaskill said.

If we ignore Backpages refusal (to comply), what does that say to companies in the future when we need information to do our job? McCaskill asked. I dont think our founding fathers would want us to go down that slippery slope. That is why we say today, enough is enough.

But Backpages senior counsel Steve Ross, a partner in the Washington law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, said: Backpage.com has been urging since last summer that the Senate vote to submit the constitutional questions presented by the actions of the Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for resolution by the judicial branch.

Ross said the company believes it has recent legal precedent on its side.

As federal courts have recognized, efforts by the government to investigate or attack publishers, including those who publish on the Internet, must comply with the limits placed on the government by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, he said in a statement.

As part of a yearlong probe, Portman and McCaskill asked Backpage to provide proof of claims that it screens against illegal and underage sex trafficking ads. Citing First Amendment protections, Backpage refused to provide documents. Its president, Carl Ferrer last fall also refused to appear before a Portman-McCaskill hearing. The company has described itself as an ally with groups fighting human trafficking and illegal underage sex.

But senators were not buying it, and they took umbrage at the companys refusal to cooperate.

Ive been in the Senate a long time and I have never seen anything quite like it, said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

We will send a message  they can run but they cant hide, said McCain. His wife, Cindy, runs a foundation to combat human trafficking.

Congress last year passed legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, and Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., to criminalize the online advertising of illegal sex.

Kirk, who said Backpage makes $30 million a year on the questionable ads, complained that the Justice Department has not enforced that law. He said Thursdays contempt vote is one more step towards stopping Backpage from facilitating modern-day slavery across the U.S.

Backpage has sued the Justice Department to try to stop it from enforcing the law. In that suit, the company accused Congress of assailing Backpage despite the websites extensive efforts to prevent, screen and block improper ads from users.

But Portman said his and McCaskills investigators uncovered company emails detailing how Backpage screeners sanitize questionable ads for escort services by editing out language that might appear to involve minors or coerced adults.

Portman said his investigators came across one Backpage ad that included a missing-child poster of the girl being advertised.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence has warned against the growing populist tide in the Republican Party as he admonished Putin apologists unwilling to stand up to the Russian leader over his assault on Ukraine. Pence addressed the growing gulf between traditional conservatives and a new generation of populist candidates as he spoke before the Heritage Foundation in Washington less than a month before Novembers midterm elections. He said, Our movement cannot forsake the foundational commitment that we have to security, to limited government, to liberty and to life, nor can we allow our movement to be led astray by the siren song of unprincipled populism thats unmoored from our oldest traditions and most cherished values.
If the execution is carried out, it too will leave a grieving family, in addition to having lost a little boy who might have survived if he could have gotten to the hospital in time.
LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 ends higher; Mordaunt makes UK PM tilt

Friday, October 21, 2022 - 17:22

The pound regained some poise on Friday afternoon but remained in precarious territory, after falling below the $1.11 mark in afternoon trade.

The pound was quoted at $1.1203 at the close on Friday, down versus $1.1294 at the London equities close on Thursday. It hit an intraday low of $1.1063 not long after midday.

Sterling was hurt by continued political uncertainty. Speculation about who will join Penny Mordaunt in throwing their hats in the ring in the race for Number 10 continues. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, one-time neighbours at Number 10 and 11 Downing Street - but now bitter rivals - have pockets of support from Tory MPs.

Adding to the pressure on sterling, disappointing UK retail sales data showed a bigger-than-expected decline in September, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Retail sales fell 6.9% annually in September, with the decline accelerating from a 5.6% fall in August. It also was worse than FXStreet-cited market consensus, which had expected a fall of just 5%.

The pound had initially found some support on Thursday after Liz Truss called an end to her disastrous tenure as prime minister - poking above $1.13 - but has since been dragged lower.

The FTSE 100 index closed up 25.82 points, or 0.4%, at 6,969.73 - closing out the week up 1.6%.

The FTSE 250 lost 182.38 points, or 1.1%, at 17,206.55, but still managed to gain 1.0% this week, and the AIM All-Share ended down 1.04 points, or 0.1% at 785.40 - but advanced 0.8% over the past five days.

The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.4% at 696.31, the Cboe UK 250 ended down 1.0% at 14,694.15, and the Cboe Small Companies lost 0.3% at 12,240.46.

In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt gave back 0.3%.

The Tories have begun to declare their allegiances in the party's second leadership contest of the year as speculation mounts over who will seek to replace Truss at the helm of the party.

Supporters of Johnson are backing the former prime minister to make an extraordinary political comeback, while ex-chancellor Sunak and Commons Leader Mordaunt also have the public support of several MPs.

Mordaunt become the first to declare her candidacy, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided party.

The leader of the House  who finished third in the last leadership election  said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs.

There has also been no declaration yet from Sunak, who did not answer questions from reporters as he left his home on Friday morning.

Whoever does win will face an immediate test, choosing whether to go ahead with the planned Halloween statement setting out how the government intends to get the public finances back on track, Downing Street has said.

Work is continuing in Whitehall, led by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in preparation for the medium-term fiscal plan to be announced on October 31 along with an updated set of economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility.

However, a Number 10 spokeswoman said it would be up to Liz Truss's successor to decide whether to proceed with that approach and with the same timetable.

In London, blue chip miners helped push FTSE 100 higher. Glencore gained 3.6%, Anglo American 3.1%, Antofagasta 2.7%, and Rio Tinto added 1.6%.

Retailers, however, were showing weakness after the disappointing UK retail sales data. A profit warning from Adidas did nothing to help the mood either.

JD Sports closed down 6.1%, Frasers 4.0%, Burberry 2.2%, and Next shed 2.9%.

On Thursday, Adidas lowered annual guidance as it struggles with "deteriorating traffic" in China and high inventory levels.

The sports apparel maker said it has needed to turn to "higher clearance activity" to try and shift stock.

It lost 9.0% in Frankfurt.

Deliveroo gained 3.6%.

The London-based online food delivery service said gross transaction values rose 8.3% annually in the third quarter to 1.70 billion from 1.57 billion, though orders fell by 1.1% to 72.8 million from 73.6 million.

Deliveroo said the decline in orders was due to a difficult consumer environment. With economic data on Friday showing that UK consumer confidence remains near record lows, this seems unlikely to change anytime soon.

InterContinental Hotels gave back 2.2% but reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter to September 30, saying that high global employment levels are boosting occupancy levels.

Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, rose 28% year-on-year and now exceeds its pre-pandemic level, being up 2.7% on the third quarter of 2019.

In the third quarter of 2022, the average daily rate increased by 13% compared to a year ago and was up 11% on 2019.

Chief Financial Officer & Head of Strategy Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson will leave the company in six months time to become CFO of Flutter Entertainment in the first half of 2023.

IHG has started the process of finding a new CFO.

The euro stood at $0.9802 Friday evening, down against $0.9822 at the close on Thursday.

Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP148.03, compared to JP149.77 late Thursday. The yen was staging a fightback after the open on Wall Street, after nearly hitting JP152 during the Asia session.

Stocks in New York opened higher on Friday, with the DJIA up 1.1%, the S&P 500 index up 0.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.6% higher.

Brent oil was quoted at $92.84 a barrel late Friday, down from $93.29 late Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1,643.70 an ounce Friday, up against $1,641.90 from Thursday.

In the international economics events calendar next week, Monday will be dominated by a slew of composite PMIs, with Japan overnight followed by Germany, eurozone and the UK in the morning then the US in the afternoon. A quiet Tuesday will be headlined by a US house price index.

On Wednesday, there is Chinese GDP, retail sales and industrial production overnight, then on Thursday attention will be on the European Central Bank interest rate decision at 1315 BST. Friday will be headlined by a Bank of Japan rate decision.

In the local corporate calendar on Monday, there are half-year results from Dr Martens, while education publishing firm Pearson will issue a third quarter update.

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At the end of 2015 Iraq declared Ramadi, the largest city in of Anbar province (which is most of western Iraq) back under government control. While the human cost from all the fighting with ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) was not that great property damage from the six month air and ground campaign left 5,700 buildings damaged and about a third of those were completely destroyed. Worse 64 bridges were destroyed. This is particularly troublesome because the city is built along the Euphrates River. Most of the electrical distribution system was destroyed along with many major government buildings and the main railroad station.

Ramadi is the capital of Anbar Province and normally has a population of 500,000. Most of the population fled between the time ISIL took the city in April 2015 (when a now dismissed general ordered his forces out as a much smaller ISIL force approached) and the final battle in December 2015. Much of the damage was done by the thousands of bombs planted by ISIL both to simply destroy stuff and to cause losses to the attackers. Iraqi, American and other allied aircraft caused a lot of damage, especially in areas where ISIL took a stand and the advancing troops called in air strikes.

Despite that victory declaration Iraqi troops are still slowly moving through some areas of the city where ISIL planted lots of booby-traps and landmines. These explosive devices were meant to punish the disloyal (to ISIL) population of the city and cause maximum losses to advancing troops and Shia militia. The militias are letting the soldiers use their training and special equipment to find and clear the explosives. Meanwhile Iraqi troops have moved past Ramadi and are advancing deeper into territory controlled by ISIL for a year or more. So far ISIL counterattacks have slowed but not stopped this advance. It is estimated that it will take several billion dollars to repair the damage in Ramadi.

The continued operations in Ramadi have not delayed the efforts to drive ISIL out of Mosul even though it appears there will be even greater economic losses involved. ISIL has controlled Mosul since June 2014 and most (all but about 800,000) of the original three million inhabitants have fled. Nearly all those still in Mosul are openly hostile to ISIL, which is suffering from increasingly frequent and accurate air attacks. This is apparently the result of a more effective informant network in the city. Government forces south of the city and Kurdish troops (and non-Moslem militias) north of the city are preparing for the final attack, which is now supposed to take place in mid-2016. ISIL is most concerned with the Kurdish advance from the north because the Kurds have long had American air support. As more U.S. aircraft have arrived in the region, along with more American Special Forces to work with the Kurds, the Kurdish forces have become ever more deadly. In February 2016 ISIL made an attempt to slow the Kurdish advance and failed, suffering nearly a thousand casualties (most of them dead) in the process. The Kurds are more vulnerable when they advance but because so many of the Kurds have years of combat experience and lots of U.S. training it is difficult to kill or wound enough Kurds to stop these movements. The Kurds are concerned about keeping their casualties low and are less concerned about the physical damage to Mosul. This is good for morale, preserves the experienced fighters and recognizes the fact the Kurds have limited (compared to the Iraqi Army and Shia militias) manpower and want to conserve it. But the Iraqi Arabs, who control the government, see catastrophic physical and fiscal losses while liberating Mosul.
NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS

March 16, 2016: In mid-February there was alarm in Iraq and throughout the Western world, over the theft of some industrial radioactive material (used in oil exploration). While not highly lethal, this stuff was still dangerous and could be used by Islamic terrorists for a dirty bomb (high explosives coated with radioactive material). By March 21st it was revealed that the thieves had abandoned their briefcase full of radioactive material in southern Iraq, apparently after failing to find a buyer. This is a common outcome in cases like this, yet you rarely see this angle mentioned much in the mass media.

For decades politicians and mass media have relied on the threat of dirty bombs to scare people. This was mostly about money as the politicians wanted more cash for their favorite counter-terror programs and the media needs attention to sell advertising. But now more people are asking why this ideal weapon for terrorists, made from widely available materials, has not yet been used at all, anywhere. That is an embarrassing question. Also embarrassing is that the fact that a dirty bomb terrifies not because it would kill more people than chemical or biological weapons, but because anything associated with the word, "radioactive" is simply more terrifying to people. Terrorists are more interested in scaring you than killing you so it makes sense that some terrorists somewhere would have made and used one by now.

This failure was not for want of trying. Every year there are incidents where gangsters are caught trying to sell stolen radioactive material to terrorists. Some of those sales probably have taken place but so far that has not led to someone actually setting off a dirty bomb somewhere it would be noticed. This is largely due to the Islamic terrorists recruiting from a low (or no) skilled population. That accounts for the general lack of attacks in the West despite large Moslem populations and many young Moslem men who openly talk of backing Islamic terrorists and wanting to get involved. Getting from wanting to doing is more than most Islamic terrorist wannabes can handle. The easiest to steal radioactive material is the low level stuff found in hospitals, labs, oil exploration sites, universities and factories. All these operations use nuclear material as a tool for getting done whatever they do. The heavy duty stuff (plutonium and uranium) is very heavily guarded.

A dirty bomb would likely use low level material that would be used. This stuff would be vaporized by an explosion and spread over a wide area if there was enough wind blowing. The material would also disperse as it spread from the spot where the bomb went off. Thus hundreds, or over a thousand hectares (each 2.5 acres) might be contaminated. The trouble is, and perhaps many terrorists eventually figure this out, that the actual impact of low level radiation would, physically at least, be minimal. Perhaps terrorists have concluded that the threat of a dirty bomb is more useful than using one. An actual explosion would demonstrate the ineffectiveness of a dirty bomb and destroy the terror effect. Then again Islamic terrorists are not noted for such deep thought.

What makes dirty bombs particularly troublesome is that radioactivity, like fire, is something we deal with on a daily basis. The trouble is that striking a single match to light a cigarette is not considered a threat while a massive forest or building fire is. Thats where dirty bombs get into trouble. For example, there is a U.S. government standard of 5,000 mrem (a measurement of radiation) a year for those working with nuclear material. People cleaning up after a dirty bomb would be monitored (usually via a measuring device carried by each person), and once they hit 5,000 mrem (for the last year), they could not work in a highly radioactive area until the next year began. Actually, the workers would also have to limit how many mrem they were exposed to in an hour or day, for it is now known that radiation is much less harmful if exposure is spread out, rather than absorbed in a short period.

The whole concept of how much radiation people acquire naturally is still not fully understood even after over a century of knowing that the stuff is a problem. As more people are monitored over a longer time, the picture is becoming clearer. Two trends are apparent; people get more natural and lifestyle radiation than was previously thought, and the amount of radiation needed to cause cancer or other health problems appears to depend more on how much radiation is received in a short period of time.

For a long time, it was thought that the average annual radiation exposure in the U.S. was about 160 mrem per person. Then we came to know more about radon (a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present everywhere, but in very dense concentrations in some areas.) This, and greater amounts of lifestyle radiation, has increased the average to about 360 mrem a year. This is considered way below the level at which damage is done.

A lot of mrem in a short time will kill you. When the Russian Chernobyl nuclear power plant had a fire and explosion in 1986, 134 firefighters and plant workers got from 70,000 to 1,340,000 mrem over a week or so. Of these, 28 soon died from radiation sickness and the rest were expected to have shorter life spans as a result (and most did). In addition hundreds of thousands of people got doses of several thousand mrem over a longer period, causing the cancer rate to increase ten times, especially among those who were young children in 1986. Chernobyl was the first time since 1945 (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) that there large numbers of people exposed to a wide range of radiation doses. Unlike 1945, there was more, and better, radiation measuring equipment in 1986. Much more was known about radiation by the 1980s and the Chernobyl radiation victims are being carefully monitored (if not adequately treated) over the years. This is important, as some of the studies of Japanese radiation victims were perplexing. For example, overall, radiation victims seem to be living longer than those not exposed to radiation. This may be because radiation victims got better medical care right after the war, or for other, as yet not understood, reasons.

Lifestyle radiation has become a major source of exposure. This is the radiation that we can avoid. Much we cannot, like the 30 mrem a year we get from the sun, or the 40 mrem a year we get from what we eat and drink. Another 25 mrem or so come from building materials, particularly stone. But if you choose to live inside a stone building, add another 50 mrem a year. Want, or have to, fly 160,000 kilometers a year? That's another 67 mrem. A chest x-ray is about 5 mrem. Other types of x-rays or medical tests using radioactive material can give you hundreds of mrem (or more) a year. When these levels get that high, the doctors are supposed to take the higher radiation levels into account. If the tests are a matter of life and death, then the decision is clear. But at other times, it's more of a life style decision. Some parts of the country have a lot more radon, and if you dont ventilate your basement continuously, the radon gas will build up and you will pick up hundreds (or even thousands) of additional mrem each year.

The media won't zero in on the degree of contamination, because headlines screaming "Downtown is a Radioactive Wasteland" are too tempting (and lucrative). There won't be much of a wasteland, as the "hottest" area might be generating 50 mrem an hour, while at the fringes of the hot zone, it is one mrem an hour or less. Now you don't want to live in an area that is giving you an extra one mrem an hour. Even if you just work there, that's an extra 2,000 or so mrem a year. You have to clean the place up. But a lot of that can be done with high pressure water (which flushes the radioactive material into the sewer system, or catch basins, depending on what the stuff is). Where the terrorists win big time is when the public health people have a hard time convincing a terrified public that an additional .001 mrem an hour is "acceptable" (it is, but not if you got a real bad case of radiation phobia.)

After the Cold War ended the U.S. and Russian cooperated in building and actually testing dirty bombs (apparently in some remote part of Russia). The idea was to get a better idea about just what kind of radiation could be spread using various types of radioactive material and what clean up methods work best. The results have been classified (lest the terrorists obtain useful information), but the rumors are that there were no surprising discoveries. However, to deal with public fears over dirty bombs, there is a case to be made about being more forthright in explaining exactly what they are, what they can do and how the cleanup will proceed. Waiting until a dirty bomb goes off to share this information just gives the terrorists another advantage. Terrorist love ignorant and uninformed victims. Makes it much easier to terrorize them. And that's what terrorists do.
Nigeria finally got the attention of MTN one of the, largest cell phone companies in Africa, by convincing a judge to enforce a large fine ($250 million so far) because MTN did not disconnect five million unregistered cell phone SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards as ordered in 2015. Other companies did disconnect over ten million illegal SIMs but MTN thought they could beat this in court. Because the SIM card shutdown order was mainly directed at a murderous Islamic terror group (Boko Haram) and not just a lot of lesser criminals the courts agreed with the government and MTN was forced to comply and pay the fine. This is not a problem unique to Africa and is one of the unpleasant side effects of cell phones.

For example, in 2013 Pakistan announced that there were four million unidentified (many presumed illegal) SIM cards in use throughout the country. Since the owner of these SIM cards is not known, such unidentified SIM cards can be used by outlaws avoiding detection. The government could order all these SIMs disabled but that would cause an uproar because most of them are being used by ordinary citizens rather than gangsters or terrorists.

In response to this situation Pakistan ordered SIM card vendors to only deliver new SIM cards via mail rather than by hand. This proved unworkable because people often need a new SIM card right away because the existing one is now useless and they want their cell phone operational right away. People are supposed to carry ID with them, but fake ID is easily available, at least to criminals and terrorists.

Since 2008, Pakistan has tried, without success, to block the anonymous use of cell phones. This usually involves unidentified SIM cards but now there are phones modified to operate without the mandatory IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) numbers. Such phones tell the phone companies nothing about the phone.

In 2012 the government had to back off on threats to block calls made by someone who bought a SIM for their cell phone using unidentified SIM cards. The government has not been able to come up with a foolproof system that would prevent criminals and terrorists from buying SIM cards that could not be traced back to the purchaser. Pakistan has tried several other solutions but while some help a little there has been nothing that solves the problem.

Back in 2010 Pakistan shut down cell phones owned by anonymous users. This turned out to be a huge number, 11 percent of 88 million SIM cards in use at the time were unidentified. The shutdown threat caused such a public uproar that the government had to back off. In 2009 there was a problem in the tribal territories with dealers who were not obeying new rules that required them to get positive ID from cell phones buyers. In that year the government blocked the use of 10.5 million unregistered SIM cards for cell phones. That caused another public uproar and the bad guys figured out how to get around that.

These SIM cards are the type long favored by gangsters and terrorists. In most parts of the world you can move your cell phone service from one phone to another by simply removing the small (25x14mm) SIM "card" from one phone and inserting it in another. SIM cards can also be bought just for the minutes stored on them. Police have long noted that terrorist bombs are often set off using a cell phone with an anonymous SIM card. It's not uncommon to raid a terrorist hideout and find hundreds of anonymous SIM cards.

By 2009 there was already a thriving Pakistani black market in SIM cards that were registered with phony information. The Taliban and drug gangs knew of their vulnerability and could not run their operations without these communications tools. Criminals in other parts of the world have developed ways to lessen SIM card vulnerability and the terrorists are learning as fast as they can. In the meantime it's getting them killed or captured when they use easily identifiable SIM cards.

It was believed that, with anonymous cards more difficult to get, it would be easier to track down bombs that use cell phones for detonation. But Pakistan and Nigeria are both very corrupt places and merchants are able to circumvent new regulations by simply bribing any police who came by to check SIM card registration. The cell phone companies also resist these government crackdowns, as it is bad for business.
Despite the recent Russian announcement that it is withdrawing its troops Russian warplanes are still supporting government forces advancing in the northwest around Homs, Palmyra and Aleppo. Down south near the Israeli border the Syrian Air Force owns the air. Government forces have also cleared out most rebels who had been advancing into Latakia province, which is where the Syrian ports are. Most of the Russian aid comes in through these ports and if Russia does indeed withdraw most of them will leave via these ports.

Since the end of 2015 Russian air support has made it possible for Syrian forces to recapture hundreds of towns and villages. The rebel, especially ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), fighters tend to be inexperienced and not capable of camouflaging their positions to make them difficult to see from the air. Equally important Russia has sent spare parts and technical experts to help the Syrians to get a lot of their self-propelled and towed artillery operational again. Large quantities of artillery ammo has also been sent and the Syrian Army can again use their artillery intensively and that is something else the rebels are not used to and often flee from. All this has made it much harder for the rebels to defeat the Assad government.

In addition to Russian air support the recent government advances were also aided by the continuing battles between extremist rebel groups (like ISIL and Al Nusra) against more moderate rebels. The Kurds are the most formidable of these and that unofficial alliance between Kurds and pro-government forces against the more radical rebels has led to heavy ISIL and al Nusra losses around places like Aleppo.

Heavy fighting also continues in Deir Ezzor province, especially the provincial capital (Deir Ezzor city). ISIL had, at the end of 2015, controlled most of the province, including Palmyra, which is astride the main road from Deir Ezzor province to Damascus (the national capital and Assad stronghold). Supporting government forces in Deir Ezzor became more difficult with the loss of Palmyra in mid-2015 but now the rebels are about to lose all those 2015 gains in this area.

In the southeast, at Tanf on the Iraqi border, FSA (Free Syrian Army) rebels continue to battle ISIL for control of the border crossing that connects western Iraq (Anbar province) with largely ISIL-held eastern Syria. The FSA forces here are based in Jordan, where they have the support of Jordan and the United States.

The Syrian Kurds have a more difficult position because they are fighting ISIL as well as Turkey in northeast Syria. The Syrian Kurds are angry about Turkish demands that Kurdish forces not advance west of the Euphrates River in Syria. The Syrian Kurds did that anyway and now have to deal with air attacks by the Turks as well as continued resistance from ISIL forces in the area. The largest component of the Syrian Kurd rebels is the PYD (a Syrian Kurd separatist group allied with Turkish Kurdish PKK separatists) and their military forces (the YPG). Western nations back the Kurds because in Iraq and Syria the Kurds are the most effective local fighters. Moreover in Syria the Kurds there have incorporated some Arab militias (some Moslems, others Christian) into an effective combined force. This joint force is also advancing south towards the ISIL capital and are now within 30 kilometers of the city. This is done with support from American and other coalition warplanes and some special operations troops. The Turks dont seem to care much about all that and prefer to regard armed Kurds (especially the PKK and PYD) as a threat to Turkey.

The UN and most of the West are eager for peace in Syria but for most Moslem nations Syria is a main battleground in the current Shia (led by Iran) and Sunni (led by Saudi Arabia) civil war as well as a joint effort to destroy ISIL, which threatens everyone. The West is not willing to use enough force to make a difference and the pro-government forces, now including even more Russian support, are more unified and coordinated as well as better armed and more determined than the rebels. The UN is caught in the middle and goes along with whatever seems least offensive.

The UN sponsored Syrian peace talks in Switzerland are still underway propelled largely by widespread frustration at the war, which has been going on since 2011. About 300,000 have died and some 60 percent of Syrians have been forced from their homes. Over 20 percent of Syrians have fled the country. There is general agreement that a stalemate benefits no one and that Islamic terrorist groups like ISIL and al Nusra (the Syrian branch of al Qaeda) are willing to destroy Syria rather than agree to any negotiated peace. Russia and Iran appear unwilling to abandon the Assads but most of the rebels will settle for nothing less. Partitioning Syria is not popular either but is generally more acceptable than letting the Assads remain.

Medical aid groups believe there were at least 69 chemical weapon attacks in Iraq and Syria during 2015 and some are still occurring in 2016. Most of these attacks used toxic industrial chemicals rather than stuff designed to be a weapon (like mustard or nerve gas). It is believed that the Syrian Army used mustard gas in July 2015. Most of the other attacks were apparently the work of ISIL, which appears to have used mustard gas during August. The story going around was that this chemical weapon was part of some secret supply of mustard gas that the Assad government did not surrender and that ISIL captured. It is possible that someone stole some Syrian chemical weapons in 2013 and later sold it ISIL. Back then the UN was having a hard time getting some rebel factions to allow UN chemical weapons destruction teams to reach bases where some of these weapons were stored. Syria appeared to have had 700 tons of nerve gas (sarin) and 300 tons of mustard gas and had agreed to have them destroyed by the UN. Nerve gas was first used in combat during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88). The Assads knew that once they defeated the rebels they could rebuild the plants that manufacture the nerve and mustard gas and rebuild their pre-rebellion stocks in a few years. It was believed that the Assads would not hold onto a secret stash of mustard and sarin as using it would get them in even more trouble. It is doubtful that the Assads would sell any secret stash because it would likely be used against them. But in late 2013 there were suspicions that some of the Assad chemical weapons were not accounted for. The Americans doubt that ISIL is having any success in manufacturing chemical weapons. It was already known that ISIL was creating primitive chemical weapons by filling 120mm mortar shells with potentially lethal industrial chemicals (like chlorine or grain fumigant). Chemicals like this can be lethal to humans in large quantities, but when used in a mortar shell or as part of a vehicle bomb the amounts victims might be exposed to only have temporary effects ranging from nausea to poor vision, problems breathing and so on. These are the symptoms reported by Kurdish fighters hit with these ISIL chemical shells although in some cases the symptoms were consistent with mustard. Mustard is different as it does more damage (especially to the lungs) and has no other use but as a weapon.

Turkey has increased border security in response to threats from ISIL and PKK to carry out attacks inside Turkey. The border guards are catching more Islamic terrorists trying to get into Turkey, often with bomb making components like explosives and detonators. Since mid-2015 Islamic terrorist bombings and shootings inside Turkey have left about 150 dead. The government is under a lot of popular and political pressure to eliminate or greatly reduce this threat. At the same time there is not a lot of popular support for sending ground troops into Syria.

March 14, 2016: Russia announced that it was pulling most of its military forces (over fifty warplanes and several thousand troops) out of Syria. Or something like that as no details have been provided. This withdrawal is supposed to start this week but many believe it is a negotiating tactic. Russia pointed out that their troops made it possible for Syrian government forces to retake over 400 towns and villages more than 10,000 square kilometers of territory and that Russian forces can leave now. While the Russian presence reversed rebel advances that threatened to defeat the Syrian government by late 2015 the Russian assistance has not defeated the rebels. Despite still being divided (and often fighting each other) the rebels remain more powerful than the government forces. Russia cites the long-delayed peace talks as made possible because of the Russian intervention. Yet the peace talks are more about posturing than performance. One tangible result of the Russian intervention was an opportunity to give many new Russian weapons some combat experience. That is a good thing for Russia but because of continued low oil prices and sanctions Russia cannot afford to keep their Syrian operations going at their current intensity. It is no secret that Russia is running out of smart bombs and replacement parts for many of these new weapons. The elite combat and support troops Russia sent to Syria are exhausted and need some rest. Then there is the additional expense of the entire operation, something that is easier to justify back home if it is not open-ended. Russia will continue to maintain its improvised naval base and airbase operations in Syria. This is much less expensive and could be done with only a thousand or so troops. This presence also implies Russian willingness to bring back the muscle if the Assad government gets in big trouble again.

Meanwhile more Hezbollah fighters (perhaps ten percent of those in Syria) are reported crossing back into Lebanon. Hezbollah has never been happy about Iran forcing the Lebanese Shia militia to send thousands of fighters into Syria. When Russian troops arrived in September 2015 Hezbollah morale went up because now Hezbollah had air support. But with that air support apparently being withdrawn Hezbollah willingness to stay in Syria goes with it. Hezbollah officially denies it is pulling out of Syria and describes the reports as misleading because Hezbollah regularly rotates its fighters in and out of Syria for morale purposes.

In the Turkish capital (Ankara) a PKK suicide car bomb attack left 37 dead. It took a few days to identify the bomber as a 24 year old Kurdish woman who joined the PKK in 2013 and then left her home in Turkey and moved to Syria to receive training from the YPG (Syrian Kurdish separatists). Turkey retaliated with more air strikes on PKK and YPG bases in Syria and Iraq. The PKK Ankara bomber was known to Turkish intelligence and after she was identified more than fifty Kurds were arrested because they belonged to similar Kurdish organizations in southeast Turkey. All this is the result of a ceasefire ending in mid-2015 because the Turks believed the PKK were responsible for an increase in Kurdish terrorism in Turkey.

March 13, 2016: In central Syria (Hama province) a Syrian Air Force MiG-21 was hit by ground fire (apparently a portable surface to air missile) while supporting Syrian troops who were battling men from ISIL and al Nusra. The pilot ejected safely but was killed by more ground fire as he descended over enemy territory.

March 9, 2016: In the north ISIL fired eight rockets at a Turkish town (Kilis) just across the border. Most of the rockets missed by but at least two landed in residential areas killing two civilians and wounding two others. Turkish artillery returned fire, aiming for suspected Islamic terrorist positions about five kilometers inside Syria.

March 5, 2016: During the first week of the ceasefire 135 people died in areas where forces agreed to abide by the peace deal. But over 500 died in the areas controlled by ISIL and al Nusra, two major Islamic terrorist groups that did not agree to the ceasefire. The U.S. revealed that more than 500 ISIL men had been killed in the same period. There was no estimate on the number of al Nusra or civilian dead there were in the period. The second week of the ceasefire was also violent.

March 4, 2016: In the northeast (Al Hasakah province) an American air strike wounded the ISIL Minister of War (Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili), who was a known terrorist that had a $5 million price on his head. Batirashvili soon died from his wounds but the U.S. was not able to confirm that for another ten days. Batirashvili was attending a meeting with ISIL military leaders and several (as many as ten) of those died in the bombing as well. Losing Batirashvili was very bad news for ISIL as he had an impressive record of recruiting, training and organizing ISIL fighting forces. At the time of his death he was making visits to areas where ISIL had suffered recent defeats and attempts to improve morale. His getting killed had quite the opposite effect.

March 3, 2016: In the southeast, across the border in the Jordanian city of Irbid local police discovered a group of ISIL men hiding near a Palestinian refugee camps. The Islamic terrorists were preparing to carry out bombings and shootings. The police and commandos moved first and in a battle that lasted overnight the seven ISIL men were killed. Police seized seven assault rifles, lots of ammo and several suicide bomb belts.

The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf) declared the Lebanese Hezbollah Shia militia to be a terrorist group. The rest of the world has long identified Hezbollah as an Islamic terrorist organization but the GCC did not because it was (and still is) popular in the Middle East to try and support any group that is fighting Israel. Hezbollah and Palestinian groups like Hamas are the only ones doing that. In 2013 the GCC criticized Hezbollah for supporting the Assad dictatorship in Syria. Iranian leaders reacted to all this by accusing the GCC acting under Israeli influence and pressure.

March 2, 2016: In the south (Quneitra province) an ISIL suicide car bomb killed 18 FSA (Free Syrian Army) rebels.

February 29, 2016: The Kurdish YPG reported it lost 43 of its members defending the town of Gir Spi (on the Turkish border) from ISIL attack.

February 27, 2016: In Syria a ceasefire began and so far it has worked, sort of. While Syrian government, Russian and some rebel forces observed the truce there is still a lot of fighting because most of the rebels are not part of the ceasefire. This is mainly because ISIL and al Nusra (nearly as large as ISIL but affiliated with al Qaeda) have not agreed to stop fighting. This was the second attempt at a ceasefire in February. That first effort failed for the same reasons the new effort is only partially successful. The new ceasefire was still working in many areas as of mid-March. This is useful because it allows food and other aid to reach several hundred thousand civilians trapped by the fighting.

February 26, 2016: The first Saudi Arabian warplanes on arrived in Turkey at the Incirlik air force base. This is part of an increased Saudi effort against ISIL in Syria. Incirlik is where NATO warplanes have operated from for decades and has been a major base to attacks against Islamic terrorist targets in Syria as well as Turkish attacks on Kurds in Syria and Iraq.
For the last two weeks police throughout northern India have been on the alert for ten Islamic terrorists who are reported to have recently entered the country via boat from Pakistan. The ten were recently spotted Gujarat and three have been cornered and killed (after they would not surrender). Fir India most of the Islamic terrorist related violence continues to occur in the northwest (Kashmir) where Pakistan supported Islamic terrorists keep trying (and increasingly failing) to cross the heavily guarded border and maintain Islamic terrorist activity in Kashmir. India continues pressuring Pakistan to shut down the Pakistan based Islamic terror groups that specialize in attacking India. Pakistan has unofficially agreed to crack down on groups that seek to operate outside of Indian Kashmir, thus the latest unofficial help. But there are still over a dozen Islamic terrorist training camps In Pakistani Kashmir to support operations in Kashmir. These Islamic terror groups have a lot of fans inside Pakistan, especially with senior military and intelligence officers.

That is why Pakistan based Islamic terrorists continue fighting along the Kashmir border and on the Indian side of the border as well. In effect there is a new agreement in which India shares intelligence with Pakistan about Islamic terrorism that actually works. India has a lot of terror related intel that Pakistan does not have. Thus the major factor here is ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) recently showing up in Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as continued attacks inside Pakistan by Pakistani Islamic terrorists who are not suitably grateful for the decades of support the Pakistani military and intelligence (ISI) have provided.

This change in attitude is another side effect of the Pakistani military operations in North Waziristan. This has been going on since mid-2014 and has allowed the army to examine a lot of mosques and religious schools (madrasas) that had long been off-limits to the security forces. What was found was ample evidence that many mosques and most madrasas were basically part of an extensive Islamic terrorist infrastructure. The madrasas not only indoctrinated Moslem boys to be Islamic terrorists but took those who agreed to be killers and trained them. Mosques and madrasas were also found to have hidden (at least from public view) rooms for storing weapons, building bombs, training Islamic terrorists and housing veteran (but wanted) Islamic terrorists. In other words, what was found in North Waziristan changed minds among Pakistani officers who were either neutral on Islamic terrorism (at least when it was outside Pakistan) or enthusiastic supporters. There were also a lot of documents captured in these Islamic terrorist hideouts and hundreds of Islamic terrorists were captured and talked. So did many local civilians who had long been silent because the Islamic terrorists executed (or worse) informers. All this evidence said the same thing; the Islamic terrorists were far more powerful and numerous than thought and many of them were willing to destroy Pakistan in an effort to turn the country into a religious dictatorship.

This attitude adjustment also led to Pakistani officials admitting that they had provided sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban since 2002. This has long been common knowledge but until recently no one in the Pakistani government would admit it. This new openness was also facilitated by revelations that most of the civilians in North Waziristan, when allowed to give an honest opinion, said they backed the American use of UAVs to find and kill Islamic terrorist leaders. While this sometimes caused civilian casualties it mainly hurt the Islamic terrorists and civilians quietly approved of this. Some even risked their lives to provide targeting information for these UAV attacks. The same thing happened in Afghanistan, where U.S. officers were often approached by tribal leaders asking for more aerial efforts to find and attack Islamic terrorists. In Afghanistan it was widely known that over 80 percent of civilian casualties were from Taliban violence, which was often used to force civilians to support the Islamic terrorists or to punish real or imagined government informants. Since the Taliban worked closely with the drug gangs (which were very unpopular in Afghanistan) there was a lot of popular hostility towards Islamic terrorists in general. But in both countries the Islamic terrorists could bribe or intimidate the mass media to play down this lack of popular support and make more noise about American missiles killing innocent civilians.

India continues having success against the three internal threats (Islamic terrorism, tribal separatists and communist rebels). Together these three conflicts killed 772 people in India in 2015. This is a major decline since over the last decade these three conflicts have killed nearly 20,000 people (34 percent Islamic terrorists, 31 percent tribal separatists and 35 percent communist rebels). Actually that only accounts for about 99 percent of the deaths, most of the rest were caused by Hindu nationalists. So far this year the cause of deaths was 18 percent Islamic terrorists, 15 percent tribal separatists and 56 percent communist rebels. Overall violence is way down in all three areas. The Maoists are reorganizing and desperately trying to avoid eradication and they have been more successful at adapting than Islamic terrorists and tribal separatists. Like the other two groups the Maoists continue to decline in number and the amount of violence they cause. While much of the Islamic terrorism can be blamed on Pakistan all three of these conflicts are sustained by the corruption and poor government that has long proved difficult to deal with. Most Indians are unhappy about that, despite progress being made. That seems to account for the declining number of Indians willing to kill and die in an effort to solve these problems.

Pakistan has also greatly reduced it Islamic terrorism problem, which has always accounted for nearly all the terrorism related violence in Pakistan. In the last decade Pakistan has suffered more than twice as many of these deaths than India, which has six times more people. Thus on a per-capital basis Pakistan has about fifteen times as many such deaths as India. But attitudes are changing in Pakistan and the supporters of Islamic terrorism are on the defensive and Islamic terrorism related deaths are down more than fifty percent since the government decided to shut down the major Islamic terrorist sanctuary in North Waziristan with a major mid-2014 invasion. But there is still a lot of support for Islamic terrorism in Pakistan and it will take over a decade of additional effort to reduce such violence to Indian levels.

And then there is China. Pakistan imported $735 million in weapons in 2015. Most (76 percent) were from China while nine percent were from the United States. Pakistan is the largest export customer for Chinese weapons. Indian military leaders openly admit that India could not handle a war with China and Pakistan at the same time. That is one reason China is so helpful to Pakistan economically and militarily.

March 16, 2016: In northwest Pakistan (Peshawar) a bomb planted in a bus killed 15 government employees. This happened in a neighborhood containing many government and military installations. The Taliban was suspected but no one has taken credit for this yet.

March 13, 2016: India reports that its border forces have spotted Chinese troops on the Pakistani side of the LOC (Line of Control) in Kashmir. Chinese troops often cross the border in the nearby Indian state of Ladakh (northwest India). The Chinese are apparently in Pakistani Kashmir to work on the Karakoram Highway which connects Pakistan and China via Pakistani Kashmir and some of the roughest terrain in the world. Trade between Pakistan and China is increasing and the 1,800 kilometer long Karakoram Highway has been undergoing upgrades since 2010 to increase capacity. These improvements also make it possible for China to move military forces into northern Pakistan more quickly, something the Pakistanis like because it scares India. The highway was built largely by China and opened in 1979 after over a decade of effort.

March 11, 2016: In northwest Pakistan (Peshawar) a Taliban death squad killed another senior army officer as he left a mosque after prayers.

March 7, 2016: In northwest Pakistan (a town outside Peshawar) a Taliban suicide bomber got inside a courts compound and killed 17 people and wounded twenty. The military responded by increasing ground and air attacks in the Shawal valley (about 100 kilometers southwest of Miramshah, the largest city in North Waziristan) and killing at least 20 Islamic terrorists over the next 48 hours. Shawal has long been one of the most popular areas for Islamic terrorists in North Waziristan. The valley is rugged, remote and hard for troops to operate in. Pakistani bombers and American UAVs are still hitting the valley hard because it is one of the few places in North Waziristan where Islamic terrorists are still active, in part because the Afghanistan border is so close.

March 4, 2016: In south Yemen (the port of Aden) a group of ISIL gunmen attacked an old age home run by an Indian charity. The Islamic terrorists killed 16 people (including four elderly Indian nuns) and kidnapped an Indian priest. AQAP promptly denied any involvement but ISIL said nothing and there were soon rumors that ISIL had the Indian priest.

March 2, 2016: In eastern Afghanistan (Nangarhar province) Islamic terrorists tried to attack the Indian consulate but failed. Four of the attackers died and eight people in the vicinity were wounded. ISIL was believed responsible, as they were for a January Indian consulate attack.

March 1, 2016: In northwest Pakistan (Peshawar) two Pakistanis working for the local American consulate were killed by a roadside bomb, along with several soldiers. The consulate employees were working on an anti-drug operation.

February 24, 2016: In the eastern Afghanistan (Nangarhar Province) ten ISIL members surrendered and accused Pakistan of supplying ISIL forces in Afghanistan with weapons. Pakistan denies such charges but then Pakistan has long denied any connections with the Afghan Taliban despite the ample evidence that ISI (the Pakistani CIA) created the Taliban in the early 1990s and Pakistan has been supporting Islamic terrorism since the late 1970s. Since 2001 more and more evidence of this Pakistani perfidy has come to light. For example, officially Pakistan still denies that they sheltered Osama bin Laden, but its no secret that Pakistan still tolerates sanctuaries for all manner of Islamic terrorists who operate inside Afghanistan. So even if Pakistan is not supporting ISIL, a lot of people on both sides of the border have no problem believing otherwise.

February 23, 2016: In eastern Pakistan (Karachi) security forces carried out a series of raids that found two Islamic terrorist hideouts. The men found there would not surrender and twelve were killed in gun battles. Two police officers were wounded and many weapons and bomb making materials were seized. Other evidence indicated that the dead men were responsible for several recent attacks against civilians and security forces.
This week's front and back pages.

BRUMMIE comic Jasper Carrott has spoken to the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald this week to back efforts by villagers to block the departure of the landlord of their pub - see this week's front page to find out why.

Also this week, we exclusively reveal the winner of the coveted 2016 Pragnell Prize, which will be presented at this year's Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations in April.

Also in this week's Herald:

Bards Walk redevelopment gets the go ahead.

Air accident investigators publish report into crash that killed Alcester couple a year ago.

Groups share 10,000 to host Queen's street parties.

Herald poll reveals thumbs down for big wheel.

Clean up after last week's floods.

Man jailed for robbing pensioner, 81.

Pictures from Ragley Hall mud run.

Stratford Town need a point to stay up - Adams.

Axe-wielding man arrested in Chipping Campden.

Interview with EastEnders star Shane Richie.

Hotel groups cools on Falcon name change.

Wellesbourne Airfield campaign continues.

We review shows by Stratford School and KES.

WIN an annual pass to Hatton Adventure world AND a Pure Tone Kahana Soprano Ukulele worth 59 courtesy of Musicroom.

All this and much more, all for just 65p.
Claverdon Primary School pupils learning all about Shakespeare this week.

HUNDREDS of primary school children in the Stratford-upon-Avon area have enthusiastically embraced the worlds greatest playwright as part of Shakespeare Week.

Nationally 1.5million 5-11 year-old children have celebrated 400 years of Shakespeares legacy in more than 9,800 schools around the UK.

Shakespeare Week is an award-winning annual celebration of Shakespeare for primary school children and is organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Nationally, 10,825 primary schools registered to take part in Shakespeare Week, the biggest year yet since launching in 2013.

On Monday 120 children from four local primary schools enjoyed the live digital tour of Shakespeare's Birthplace, hosted by actress and presenter Floella Benjamin. Its estimated over 90,000 children across the country tuned in to the live broadcast on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust hosted 140 children from Warwickshire primary schools as part of the first ever joint open day with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

On Friday, children at Claverdon Primary School will be designing short presentations on Shakespeare against a green screen (much like a television weather report). Children will write scripts based on what they've learnt during Shakespeare Week and get to read it on an autocue.

Shakespeare Week continues at the Shakespeare houses including the family activity marquee at Anne Hathaways Cottage throughout the weekend.
LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE: LITB) today announced that Zall Cross-border E-commerce Investment Company Limited, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Zall Development Group Ltd., a developer and operator of large-scale consumer-focused product wholesale shopping malls in China, has agreed to acquire a strategic equity interest in the Company. Both companies will explore opportunities in cross-border ecommerce and leverage each other's respective competitive advantages to jointly develop a global market for Chinese high-quality wholesale consumer-focused products.

Under the terms of the subscription agreement, the Company has agreed to issue and Zall E-Commerce has agreed to subscribe to a total of 42,500,000 ordinary shares, equivalent to 21,250,000 ADSs, accounting for a 30% equity interest in LightInTheBox on a fully diluted basis, at $1.80 per ordinary share, equivalent to $3.60 per ADS. In addition, the Company has agreed to issue a warrant to Zall E-Commerce pursuant to which Zall Development may subscribe for up to 7,455,000 ordinary shares of the Company, equivalent to 3,727,500 ADSs, accounting for an additional 5% equity interest in LightInTheBox on a fully diluted basis, at an exercise price of $2.75 per ordinary share, equivalent to $5.50 per ADS, pursuant to the terms and conditions of such warrant. The warrant is exercisable starting six months after the closing and terminates 24 months after the closing. Under the terms of the agreement, Zall E-Commerce will have the right to appoint two directors to LightInTheBox's board of directors, among other things, and the Company will grant Zall Development certain registration and anti-dilution rights.

Mr. Zhi Yan, Co-chairman and CEO of Zall Development, commented, "I am excited to team up with LightInTheBox to jointly explore future cooperation opportunities and develop a global market for wholesale consumer-focused products made in China. Combining LightInTheBox's deep understanding of global ecommerce, extensive technological expertise and mobile internet capabilities with our vast portfolio of wholesale products and supply chain management systems will create new business opportunities for both parties. As Chinese manufacturing continues to move up the value chain, we believe that internet-driven innovation and cross-border ecommerce will provide traditional businesses like us with increased efficiency and new markets for growth. LightInTheBox is the ideal company for us to partner with as we jointly work to bring high-quality Chinese products to new markets across the globe."

Mr. Alan Guo, Chairman and CEO of LightInTheBox, commented, "I'd like to warmly welcome Zall Development as a strategic business partner and major shareholder. Zall Development has extensive experience and a deep understanding of supply chain management, high-quality product development and the Chinese consumer market, which I am confident will yield numerous business opportunities when combined with our technological expertise, big data analytics and global Internet DNA. By working together, we will be able to drive further innovation in cross-border ecommerce and open up new markets for growth."
The logo of Toshiba Corp is seen behind trees at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, November 6, 2015. REUTERS/Yuya Shino

By Makiko Yamazaki and Ritsuko Ando

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp <6502.T> announced a $5.9 billion asset sale and a big investment in its chip business on Thursday, but saw its shares slide on a report that U.S. authorities were investigating accounting related to its Westinghouse nuclear power unit.

The electronics conglomerate has been eager to put last year's $1.3 billion accounting scandal behind it and move on with streamlining its bloated businesses, whose poor performances have been masked by years of false bookkeeping.

Toshiba Chief Executive Masashi Muromachi, who has already announced more than 10,000 jobs cuts, is due to unveil a new business strategy on Friday. But he is now likely to spend much of his time fielding questions about the fallout from its accounting woes.

U.S. authorities are opening a case on Toshiba even though the company had already been investigated in Japan, and could exert jurisdiction because the case involved U.S.-based Westinghouse, Bloomberg news agency reported.

The U.S. Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission were looking into the possibility of fraud, it added.

Toshiba said it was checking the report.

The report, which sent Toshiba's shares tumbling 8 percent, comes on the heels of the company's statement this week that it had made seven additional accounting errors that were previously unknown.

Even the sale of its medical equipment unit to imaging firm Canon Inc <7751.T>, which Toshiba hopes will provide it with the necessary funds for restructuring, has not come without controversy.

To complete the sale, Toshiba has transferred the unit, which makes diagnostic equipment and is the world's second-biggest manufacturer of CT scan machines, to a special purpose company.

The move is unusual but could allow it to book the proceeds of the sale in the current business year even if scrutiny from anti-competition watchdogs drags on, said Yukihiko Shimada, an analyst at SMBC Nikko Securities.

Rival bidder Fujifilm Holdings Corp <4901.T> issued a statement complaining that the way in which Toshiba handled the sale had made a mockery of anti-monopoly laws, although it declined to comment on whether it would be taking legal action.

Toshiba had no comment on Fujifilm's statement.

Funds from the deal will help enable Toshiba to drop plans to seek about $1.8 billion in additional loans from its banks, sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

Toshiba wants fresh funds to focus its resources on its pillar businesses - semiconductors and nuclear power.

In an effort to stay competitive in the flash memory market, it unveiled plans on Thursday to invest 360 billion yen ($3.2 billion) over three years to build a new semiconductor facility in Japan.

It also said that it had agreed to sell its white goods business, which had revenue of 225 billion yen in the past financial year, to China's Midea Group Co Ltd <000333.SZ>. Terms of the deal are still being finalised.

($1=112.14 yen)

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Ritsuko Ando; Additional reporting by Chang-Ran Kim and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
TransCanada Corporation (NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) today announced it has entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which it will acquire Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. (NYSE: CPGX), a Houston, Texas-based company that operates an approximate 24,000-kilometre (km) (15,000-mile) network of interstate natural gas pipelines extending from New York to the Gulf of Mexico, with a significant presence in the Appalachia production basin.

Under the terms of the all-cash deal, unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Columbia shareholders will receive US$25.50 per common share, an 11 per cent premium based on Columbia's closing stock price on the NYSE of US$23.00 as of March 16, 2016 and a 32 per cent premium to the volume weighted average price over the last 30 days. This represents an aggregate transaction value of approximately US$13 billion including the assumption of approximately US$2.8 billion of debt. The deal is subject to Columbia shareholder approval and certain regulatory approvals.

"The acquisition represents a rare opportunity to invest in an extensive, competitively-positioned, growing network of regulated natural gas pipeline and storage assets in the Marcellus and Utica shale gas regions," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "The assets complement our existing North American footprint which together will create a 91,000-kilometre (57,000-mile) natural gas pipeline system connecting the most prolific supply basins to premium markets across the continent. At the same time, we will be well positioned to transport North America's abundant natural gas supply to liquefied natural gas terminals for export to international markets."

Columbia owns one of the largest interstate natural gas pipeline systems in the United States, providing transportation, storage and related services to a variety of customers in the U.S. Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions. Its assets include Columbia Gas Transmission, which operates approximately 18,000 km (11,300 miles) of pipelines and 286 billion cubic feet of storage capacity in the Marcellus and Utica shale production areas, and Columbia Gulf Transmission, an approximate 5,400-km (3,300-mile) pipeline system that extends from Appalachia to the Gulf Coast.

Columbia is currently advancing US$5.6 billion of commercially secured projects that are subject to normal course regulatory and permitting processes. They are underpinned by long-term contracts and expected to generate growth in earnings as they enter service. Under agreements with customers, additional growth is also anticipated from approximately US$1.7 billion of modernization initiatives to be implemented through 2021.

"This transaction delivers tremendous value to our shareholders and places Columbia Pipeline Group within a leading energy platform that can maximize the value of our strategic positioning and deep inventory of transformational growth projects," said Robert C. Skaggs, Jr., CPG's chairman and chief executive officer.

TransCanada expects the acquisition, net of associated financing and portfolio management, to be accretive to earnings per share in the first full year of ownership. Looking forward, TransCanada's $13.5 billion portfolio of near-term investment opportunities together with Columbia's $9.6 billion (US$7.3 billion) of commercially secured projects, and approximately US$250 million of targeted annual cost, revenue and financing benefits, are expected to deliver significant shareholder value over the coming years.

"With a combined portfolio of $23 billion in near-term projects secured by cost of service regulation or long-term contracts, we are well positioned to generate significant growth in earnings into the next decade," said Girling. "These initiatives, underpinned by predictable and growing revenue streams, are expected to support and may augment our eight to 10 per cent expected annual dividend growth through 2020."

TransCanada expects portfolio management to play an important role in the permanent financing of the acquisition through the planned monetization of U.S. Northeast merchant power assets and a minority interest in its Mexican natural gas pipeline business. The proceeds from asset sales, along with new common equity proportionate to the size of this transformative transaction, are expected to comprise the required funding while maintaining the company's financial strength and flexibility. As an interim measure, TransCanada has bridge term loan credit facilities in place for up to US$10.3 billion with a syndicate of lenders. Future growth is expected to be funded in a manner consistent with the company's current financial profile.

"TransCanada intends to fund the acquisition and our significant future growth program in a manner that maintains our strong financial position," said Girling. "This will provide us with the financial capacity and flexibility required to prudently execute an industry-leading portfolio of attractive growth opportunities through all parts of the economic cycle and pay a strong and growing dividend to our shareholders."

The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2016 subject to receipt of Columbia shareholder approval, along with certain regulatory and government approvals, including compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Upon closing, Columbia will become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of TransCanada and will cease to be a publicly held corporation.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to TransCanada. Mayer Brown LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP were legal advisors to TransCanada.

Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as lead financial advisor and Lazard Freres & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to Columbia. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP acted as legal counsel to Columbia.

Teleconference and Webcast:

We will hold a brief teleconference and webcast today - Thursday, March 17, 2016 - to discuss this acquisition. Russ Girling, TransCanada's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Don Marchand, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Development and Chief Financial Officer will take part in the call at 2:45 p.m. (MST) / 4:45 p.m. (EST).

Analysts, members of the media and other interested parties are invited to listen in by calling 866.696.5910 or 416.695.7806 (Toronto area). Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. The pass code is 7894855. Russ and Don will both deliver short remarks but there will not be a question and answer session.

A live webcast of the teleconference will be available at www.transcanada.com. A copy of the slides presented during the call will be posted to TransCanada's website.

A replay of the teleconference will be available two hours after the conclusion of the call until midnight (EST) on March 24, 2016. Please call 800.408.3053 or 905.694.9451 (Toronto area) and enter pass code 5742144.


Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") confirmed the senior unsecured ratings of Yamana Gold Inc (NYSE: AUY) at Baa3. The rating outlook is negative. This concludes the review for possible downgrade initiated on January 21, 2016.

"The confirmation of Yamana's Baa3 rating is based on our expectation management will reduce leverage below 3x" said Jamie Koutsoukis, Moody's Vice President, Senior Analyst. "They have a stable production profile and good cost position but leverage is high and they need to execute on plans to reduce it" she added.

This rating action resolves a rating placed under review pursuant to Moody's review of the global mining sector, parts of which have undergone a fundamental downward shift. While gold has not experienced the same magnitude of recent price reductions seen in base metals, it is nevertheless a volatile commodity, the price of which is very hard to predict as it is not driven by normal industrial supply and demand factors. Moody's expects this price risk to be tempered with a focus on cost efficiency, prudent project development and low financial risk, in terms of leverage, coverage and robust liquidity.

RATINGS RATIONALE

Yamana's Baa3 rating is driven by its good mine diversity, overall low geopolitical risks, favorable cost position, multi-metal exposure, and good liquidity. However, at 3.3x debt/EBITDA, Yamana is more levered than its peers, and the rating presumes that management will continue to reduce debt and bring leverage below 3x in the next year. The company reduced debt by $286 million during 2015, and the company has targeted an additional $300 million over the next two years. The rating also considers Yamana's significant exposure to gold price volatility, moderate scale, and execution risks associated with its development initiatives, including an increasing exposure to Argentina. Yamana is expected to maintain a stable production profile through 2018 and its capital budget includes meaningful development and expansion capital which we expect should protect the company from production declines expected from peers who have deferred or canceled projects.

Yamana has good liquidity. As of December 31, 2015, cash of $120 million and $815 million available under its $1 billion revolving credit facility (matures 2020) provide ample liquidity to absorb an estimated $100 million of free cash flow consumption (assuming a $1100/oz gold price) and repay debt maturities of $97 million in 2016. Debt maturities beyond 2016 include $16 million in 2017 and $112 million in 2018. We expect Yamana will maintain good headroom to its bank financial covenants.

The negative outlook reflects the risk in Yamana's ability to execute on debt and leverage reduction.

A higher rating would require 1) increased annual production above 2.5 million gold-equivalent ounces (GEO's) (1.6 million GEO's in 2015) without adversely impacting Yamana's cost/oz. position, 2) sustained adjusted Debt/EBITDA below 2.5x (3.3x at Dec15) and 3) cash from operations-dividends/debt in excess of 30% (20% at Dec15).

Yamana's rating could be downgraded to Ba1 if Debt/EBITDA appeared likely to be sustained above 3.0x and (CFO-Dividends)/Debt of less than 20%.

Confirmations:

..Issuer: Yamana Gold, Inc.

....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture, Confirmed at Baa3

Outlook Actions:

.. Issuer: Yamana Gold, Inc.

....Outlook, Changed To Negative From Rating Under Review
By David Henry

(Reuters) - Shareholders of JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM) and Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) will get to vote on whether their banks should consider breaking into smaller pieces.

Citigroup included the question in a proxy statement it filed on Wednesday for its annual meeting next month, and the shareholder sponsoring that proposal said he has a similar one slated for the upcoming ballot for JPMorgan's annual meeting.

The shareholder, Bart Naylor, said he hopes the proposals get more votes than the 4 percent he got for a measure last year that called for Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC) to break up.

The Citigroup and JPMorgan proposals "are more deferential to the boards in asking them to study the vicissitudes of a breakup," Naylor said in an interview. He hopes proxy advisory firms, which often sway one-third of votes with their recommendations to institutional investors, will back studies by directors even if they won't tell directors to break up the banks.

"These banks are too big to manage," Naylor said.

Citigroup directors opposed Naylor's resolution in Wednesday's filing, noting that the company has undertaken a transformation on its own to become smaller and more efficient. Citigroup has shed more than $500 billion of assets since 2008.

A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment on Naylor's proposal. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon has said that JPMorgan is stronger because of its large and diverse businesses.

Naylor said he failed to get a similar measure on the slate for the next Bank of America shareholders meeting because he made a mistake and did not properly certify that he owned shares.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Wednesday that Naylor's proposals would be on the ballots.

The breakup of large banks into smaller ones has been an issue on the U.S. campaign trail.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has drawn the support of the Democratic Party's populist wing in his run for the party's presidential nomination, has said he would create a "too-big-to-fail list of commercial banks, shadow banks, and insurance companies" and break them up in the first year of his administration.

(Reporting by Vishaka George in Bengaluru and David Henry; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Jonathan Oatis)
As it continues to strengthen its global banking capabilities, Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) announced today that Thomas (Tom) DuCharme has been named the new head of its Global Banking division. In his role, DuCharme will manage the sales and product development for Wells Fargos Global Banking operations. He is based in New York and reports to Richard Yorke, head of Wells Fargos International Group.

We continue to invest in the best resources and talent to serve our customers as they do business internationally, said Yorke. With Toms extensive experience, Im confident our global banking operations will become even stronger as we continue to serve the evolving international needs of our customers.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo, DuCharme was the banking co-head of JPMorgans Asia Pacific Corporate & Investment Bank in Singapore where he managed client coverage teams, investment banking and corporate banking, treasury services, global trade & loans, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, and mergers & acquisitions. He was also previously the former head of Deutsche Banks Asia Pacific Global Transaction Banking platform and managing director for Citigroups Global Transaction Services and Corporate Banking in New York and Hong Kong.

As more companies look to international markets for growth, Ive been impressed with how Wells Fargo has been gradually expanding its global banking capabilities and presence in the U.S. and internationally, said DuCharme. Im excited about the opportunity to lead a business that plays a critical role in the companys international strategy.

Part of Wells Fargos International Group, Global Banking provides credit, international trade, treasury management and investment banking services to middle market and large U.S. companies doing business internationally and also serves investment grade multinational companies doing business in the U.S.

With more than 300 team members across 13 countries, Wells Fargos Global Banking division has dedicated teams to support its operations in the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe. In his role, DuCharme will manage a team of senior leaders responsible for those geographies, including Lynn Durning; Western U.S. and Canada division manager; Colm McCarthy, Asia Pacific division manager; Andrew Moy, Eastern U.S. division manager; and Mike Schmittlein EMEA division manager.

DuCharme has a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a masters in international management from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird). He succeeds Sanjiv Sanghvi who the bank previously announced was named head of its Western Region for Commercial Banking.

Wells Fargos International Group operates from 35 countries outside the U.S., including branches in Beijing, the Cayman Islands, Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), Hong Kong, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Toronto.
NEW YORK, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the American Medical Association (AMA) joins more than 641 patient advocacy groups, professional societies, medical organizations and thousands of patients worldwide in supporting the global campaign for clinical trial registration and reporting led by AllTrials.

"The AMA strongly supports improving the timeliness and accessibility of clinical trial data to reduce the duplication of research and help inform future researchultimately improving health outcomes for patients," said AMA President Steven J. Stack. "The AMA is pleased to join the AllTrials initiative to continue efforts aimed at ensuring open access to clinical trial data for physicians, researchers and patients."

Enhanced clinical trial transparency and the efforts of the AllTrials initiative were part of a policy proposal submitted by the AMA's Medical Student Section for consideration at the AMA's 2015 Interim House of Delegates meeting. The House of Delegates adopted policy during the meeting to support the timely dissemination of clinical trial data, improved enforcement deadlines for sharing these results, and expanded registration for clinical trials to improve clinical practice and policy. In alignment with this policy and upon recent approval by the AMA Board of Trustees, the AMA has now joined the AllTrials initiative.

"With the support of the AMA, we see the cultural change in clinical trial transparency come significantly closer to one that will advance evidence-based medicine and improve the quality of care for all Americans," says Lauren Quattrochi, Ph.D. Director of AllTrials USA.

AMA joins other top-tier American physician-based groups that have endorsed AllTrials, such as the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Student Association. AllTrials USA aims to unite patient groups, professional societies, researchers, academic centers, publishers, investor groups, and pharmaceutical companies to curate and promote a national conversation about the value of clinical trial transparency and the ethics of conducting trials. The US initiative was launched in July 2015 and is a project of Sense About Science USA, a non-profit (501c3) based in Brooklyn, New York.

For more information on the AllTrials initiative, please visit: www.alltrials.net Sign the petition

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/344891LOGO

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-medical-association-joins-alltrials-campaign-for-clinical-trial-transparency-300237136.html

SOURCE AllTrials
TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- The Board of Trustees of Brookfield Canada Office Properties (TSX: BOX.UN) (NYSE: BOXC) announced a distribution of $0.1092 per trust unit payable on April 15, 2016 to holders of Trust units of record at the close of business on March 31, 2016.

The distributions are declared in Canadian dollars. Registered unitholders resident in Canada will receive payment in Canadian dollars and registered unitholders resident in the United States will receive the U.S. dollar equivalent unless they request otherwise. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the distribution will be based on the Bank of Canada noon exchange rate on the record date or, if the record date falls on a weekend or holiday, on the Bank of Canada noon exchange rate of the preceding business day. Beneficial unitholders will receive payment in Canadian dollars unless they request to receive the U.S. dollar equivalent.

About Brookfield Canada Office Properties

Brookfield Canada Office Properties is Canada's preeminent Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). Our portfolio is comprised of 26 premier office properties totaling 20 million square feet in the downtown cores of Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa, in addition to a development site in Calgary. Our landmark assets include Brookfield Place and First Canadian Place in Toronto, and Bankers Hall in Calgary. Further information is available at www.brookfieldcanadareit.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information.

Brookfield Canada Office Properties is the flagship Canadian REIT of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $225 billion in assets under management. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com.

Contact: Sherif El-Azzazi Manager, Investor Relations & Communications Tel: (416) 359-8593 Email: Email Contact

Source: Brookfield Canada Office Properties
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United Way Worldwide is presenting The 2015 United Way Tocqueville Society Award, its highest international honor for an individual volunteer, to Dominic Ng on March 17 at the Tocqueville Leaders' Summit in Laguna Beach, CA. Mr. Ng is the chairman and CEO of East West Bancorp, Inc. He has been a member of the Corporate Board of United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA) since 1995.

"Dominic Ng's passion for building stronger communities is clear in his work as a visionary strategic planner and generous donor," said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO, United Way Worldwide. "Dominic's vision and influence were instrumental in developing the 10-year plan to address income stability in Los Angeles. His work has been critical to amplifying the impact of United Way of Greater Los Angeles."

While serving on the board of UWGLA, where he is currently an Honorary Advisory Director, Mr. Ng helped create a quality of life index in 2008 that provided civic and community leaders with a tool for evaluating Los Angeles County's strength in four key areas: education, economic status, health and public safety. This tool showed that while safety in Los Angeles had improved, its workforce remained under-educated, under-skilled, poor and unhealthy. To address these issues, Mr. Ng has dedicated much of his time to improve education outcomes by eliminating skills gaps in local schools.

Mr. Ng became the first Asian-American chair of the United Way campaign in 2000-2001, encouraging the organization to diversify the distribution of its funds to smaller agencies that serve minority populations. This new approach  particularly his outreach to Chinese-American donors  helped the organization raise a record $66 million.

This year, East West Bank is celebrating its 20-year partnership with United Way. Under Mr. Ng's leadership, the bank and its employees raised millions of dollars for the "Creating Pathways Out of Poverty" initiative which helps individuals and families gain financial stability. The bank has also mobilized its employees across the U.S. to participate in United Way's annual fundraising campaign. East West Bank has been recognized with multiple awards by United Way for being a role model in corporate social responsibility, including Model Campaign of the Year in 2013, Outstanding HomeWalk Champion in 2014, Spirit of Los Angeles Award and Outstanding Workplace Ambassador of the Year Award in 2015.

"Dominic represents the best of leadership in terms of his role as a corporate leader and philanthropist," said Elise Buik, CEO and President of United Way of Greater Los Angeles. "He understands that he has a responsibility to teach others to give back and has set a strong example. He has brought his innovative thinking to the nonprofit sector, encouraging community impact-focused philanthropy."

About The United Way Tocqueville Award

The United Way Tocqueville Award, which has been presented annually since 1973, recognizes exceptional and sustained volunteer and philanthropic leadership. The award is named after Alexis de Tocqueville, a French scholar who visited North America in 1830 and documented in his treatise, Democracy in America, 1835 and 1840, the spirit of voluntary association and effort for the common good that he observed in these communities. The Tocqueville Award has been accepted by former U.S. Presidents Ronald Regan and Jimmy Carter and other perhaps less well-known leaders whose philanthropic actions have improved the lives of thousands of people. The criteria include exceptional and sustained giving, advocating and volunteering with United Way locally, nationally and/or globally; a deep commitment to human services; as well as creative leadership and volunteer service that inspire others to serve. The United Way Tocqueville Society was formed in 1984 to deepen individual understanding of, commitment to, and support for United Way's work in advancing the common good by creating opportunities for a better life for all.

About United Way Worldwide

With 2.9 million volunteers and 10.3 million donors worldwide, and more than $5 billion raised every year, United Way is the world's largest privately-funded nonprofit. We're engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create community solutions that improve education, financial stability & health. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org. Follow us on Twitter: @UnitedWay and #LiveUnited.

About United Way of Greater Los Angeles

United Way of Greater Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization that creates pathways out of poverty by helping homeless people move into housing, providing students with the support they need to graduate high school prepared for college and the workforce, and helping hard-working families become financially stable. United Way identifies the root causes of poverty and works strategically to solve them by building alliances across all sectors, funding targeted programs and advocating for change. For more information, visit www.unitedwayla.org.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dominic-ng-to-receive-2015-united-way-tocqueville-society-award-300237497.html

SOURCE United Way of Greater Los Angeles
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As part of its ongoing surveillance, Fitch Ratings affirms three outstanding classes of the Nissan Auto Receivables 2015-A Owner Trust at their current ratings. A full list of rating action follows at the end of this press release.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The rating affirmations are based on available credit enhancement and loss performance. The collateral pool continues to perform within Fitch's expectations. Based on the current structure and credit enhancement, the securities are able to withstand stress scenarios consistent with the original ratings and make full payments to investors in accordance with the terms of the documents.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Unanticipated increases in the frequency of defaults and loss severity could produce loss levels higher than the current projected base case loss proxy, and impact available loss coverage and multiples levels for the transaction. Lower loss coverage could impact ratings and Rating Outlooks, depending on the extent of the decline in coverage.

In Fitch's initial review of the transaction, the notes were found to have limited sensitivity to a 1.5x and 2.5x increase of Fitch's base case loss expectation. To date, the transaction has exhibited strong performance with losses well within Fitch's initial expectations with rising loss coverage and multiple levels. As such, a material deterioration in performance would have to occur within the asset pool to have potential negative impact on the outstanding ratings.

DUE DILIGENCE USAGE

No third party due diligence was provided or reviewed in relation to this rating action.

Fitch has affirmed the following ratings:

Nissan Auto Receivables Owner Trust 2015-A

--Class A-2 at 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--Class A-3 at 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--Class A-4 at 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable.

Additional information is available at www.fitchratings.com

Applicable Criteria

Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds (pub. 14 May 2014)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=744158

Criteria for Rating U.S. Auto Lease ABS (pub. 19 Oct 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=872539

Criteria for Servicing Continuity Risk in Structured Finance (pub. 17 Dec 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=875586

Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria (pub. 06 Jul 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=867952

Rating Criteria for Structured Finance Servicers (pub. 23 Apr 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=864375

Related Research

Nissan Auto Lease Trust 2015-A -- Appendix

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=867065

Additional Disclosures

Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1001122

Solicitation Status

https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1001122

Endorsement Policy

https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317006302/en/

Fitch Ratings

Primary Analyst

Yun Tian, +1-212-908-0307

Associate Director

Fitch Ratings. Inc

33 Whitehall Street,

New York, NY, 10004

or

Committee Chairperson

Du Trieu, +1-312-368-2091

Senior Director

or

Media Relations, New York

Sandro Scenga, +1-212-908-0278

[email protected]

Source: Fitch Ratings
Epoch-making Outcome of Studies on Cellnest, an Extracellular Matrix Required for Cell Cultures Used in Regenerative Medicine

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FUJIFILM Corporation has succeeded in significantly improving bone regeneration capability through the transplantation, to areas of defect in the calvarial bone of rats, of cellnest *1recombinant peptide based on human collagen type I (hereinafter: cellnest, an extracellular matrix*2 required for the cell cultures used in regenerative medicine. In future, this product has great potential for use in bone regeneration, particularly the regeneration of the alveolar bone*3, an area with significant medical needs.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160316006520/en/

Figure 1

[Research Background]

When treating patients with bone defects, it is necessary to create space for the newly-forming bone in the area of the defect and to ensure that the space is not invaded by other tissues. It is also necessary to promote the regeneration of new bones through the cumulative deposition of osteoblasts*4. Prosthetic bone materials have up until now been used in this treatment, but the existing materials have been unable to address both securing space and promoting bone regeneration. In particular, in the field of dental treatment, the areas where tooth have been extracted are easily invaded by the surrounding gum tissue and the alveolar bone in such areas is easily dissolved and absorbed. The two issues of securing space and promoting bone regeneration must both be resolved at the same time when providing dental implant treatment.

Fujifilm has applied its expertise in collagen developed through long years of research in photographic film in order to develop the extracellular matrix cellnest, and this matrix is now being applied to bone regeneration. Cellnest is a genetically engineered artificial protein modeled on human collagen type I, and it shows a strong adhesion with integrin*5, which is found on the surface of cells. In order to optimize the breakdown rate of cellnest within living organisms, Fujifilm performed cross-link*6 of a frozen, dried sample of cellnest using advanced engineering technologies. This cellnest was then converted into the form of granules and transplanted into the area of bone defect, achieving the research results below.

[Research Outcome]

(1) Experiment description

Cellnest, produced through cross-linking and made into granular form, was transplanted into areas of bone defect in the calvarial bone of rats (Fig.1). The same operation was also performed with existing prosthetic bone material A and B. After four weeks, the status of bone regeneration in the transplanted areas was compared.

(2) Results

Where cross-linked cellnest has been transplanted, strong bone formation is observed across the whole area of bone defect, and the regenerated bone has the same or greater thickness than the surrounding bone (Fig.2).

With prosthetic bone material A, some bone regeneration is observed, but this is thinner than the surrounding areas (Fig.3).

With prosthetic bone material B, although a space with equivalent thickness to surrounding areas has been secured, hardly any bone regeneration is observed (Fig.4).

As can be seen in the results, Fujifilm confirmed that cross-linking cellnest and transplanting it into the areas of bone defect secures space for bone regeneration, promotes bone regeneration, and significantly improves bone regeneration capability. The results of this research are scheduled for announcement at the 15th Congress of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine, to be held at the Osaka International Convention Center on March 18, 2016 in Japan.

Fujifilm will work to make further progress in research and development in the field of regenerative medicine and contribute to the elevation of regenerative medicine business to the industrial stage. Fujifilm will continue to fuse its expertise in highly functional materials and engineering nurtured through long-years of research in photographic film with the technologies held by Fujifilm group companies, such as the technology for producing cells for treatment of Japan Tissue Engineering Co., Ltd., and the world-leading iPS cell-related technology and know-how developed by Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.

*1 An artificial protein produced by enzyme cells under the influence of genetic engineering. The product was launched in December 2014 as a reagent for use in research. Collagen is a major protein making up connective tissues in animals, and human collagen type I is found in the bones and the skin, accounting for 95% of all collagen in human beings.

*2 Proteins such as collagens which are found on the outside of cells. They fill the space between cells, supporting the organism's tissues, while also playing an important role in regulating cell replication and division.

*3 This bone is the part of the jawbone that supports the teeth.

*4 Cells responsible for the formation of bone within the bone tissue.

*5 Receptors for extracellular collagen and other matrix molecules. They exist on the surface of cells, respond to stimulation from both inside and outside the body, adhere to the cell substrate, and mediate chemotaxis.

*6 Cross-linking is a process that changes the physical or chemical characteristics of proteins and other substances by combining these proteins using heat and light.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160316006520/en/

FUJIFILM Corporation

Diane Rainey, 914-789-8657

[email protected]

or

Corporate Communications Division

Ph: +81 3-6271-2000

or

Regenerative Medicine Business Development Office

Ph: +81 3-6271-3030

Source: FUJIFILM Corporation
Beachwood, Ohio, March 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gold Lakes Corp. (OTCQB: GLLK) would like to update the market and shareholders that Gold Lakes Corp has been recently looking for acquisitions in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt region, in Ontario, Canada

Company management commented, "We believe there is a significant opportunity to acquire complementary properties or assets in the metals market"

For slightly over a century, the legendary Abitibi-Greenstone belt has produced hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of mostly gold, silver, copper and zinc.

The Company plans to provide further updates as developments occur regarding its acquisition efforts.

About Gold Lakes Corp.:

Gold Lakes Corp. is an exploration stage company that specializes in acquiring and developing mining assets. The Company has entered into an Earn-In Agreement with Flex Mining Ltd. to acquire 100% of 6 Mining Claims, known as the "Big Monty" property, located in the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt region, in Ontario, Canada. The Big Monty property is bordered by producing gold mines and is situated within the Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone "PDFZ" and Larder Lake Cadillac Fault Zone. www.goldlakes.com

Sincerely,

Chris Vallos

CEO & President

Investor Relations:

216-916-9303

[email protected]

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release includes "forward looking statements", as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Unites States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements.

Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE: Gold Lakes Corp.

Source: Gold Lakes Corp.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Lake Shore Gold Corp. (TSX: LSG)(NYSE MKT: LSG) ("Lake Shore Gold" or the "Company") today announced that ISS Proxy Advisory Services ("ISS") and Glass, Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis"), two leading independent proxy advisory firms, have recommended that the Company's shareholders vote FOR the Plan of Arrangement (the "Arrangement") through which Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe Resources" or "Tahoe") will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Transaction). In their assessment of the Transaction, both ISS and Glass Lewis identified the reasonable strategic rationale for the business combination, implied premium and expected enhancement to trading liquidity and overall capital markets profile of the combined company as factors supporting a FOR recommendation.

Under the terms of the Arrangement, all of the Lake Shore Gold issued and outstanding common shares will be exchanged on the basis of 0.1467 of a Tahoe common share per Lake Shore Gold common share. Upon completion of the Transaction, existing shareholders of Tahoe and Lake Shore Gold will own approximately 74% and 26% of the pro forma company, respectively, on a fully-diluted in-the-money basis.

Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Lake Shore Gold, commented: "The positive recommendation from both ISS and Glass Lewis is a strong endorsement of our proposed combination with Tahoe and supports our view that this transaction is the right move for our company and our shareholders. Going forward, shareholders of the combined company will be owners of a low-cost, free cash flow generating precious metals producer with considerable financial strength, an attractive dividend and a more diversified asset base. It is a company that will offer considerable value today, as well as leverage to further value creation going forward from both organic growth and new business opportunities."

Special Meeting of Shareholders

The transaction is subject to shareholder approval and will be voted on at a Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on March 31, 2016 at 10:00 am EST at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, City Hall Room, 2nd Floor, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2M9. Subject to receiving shareholder approval, as well as other required approvals, the transaction is expected to close on or about April 1, 2016. In advance of the Special Meeting of Shareholders, a Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular was mailed to shareholders on March 9, 2016.

Shareholder Inquiries

Shareholders having questions about the information contained in the Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular, or that may require assistance in voting their shares, should contact Lake Shore Gold's proxy solicitation agent, D.F. King, at the contact information set forth below.

D.F. King

Toll free in North America: 1-800-398-2142

Collect outside of North America: 1-201-806-7301

Email: [email protected]

About Lake Shore Gold

Lake Shore Gold is a Canadian-based gold producer with operations based in the Timmins Gold Camp of Northern Ontario. The Company produces gold from two mines, Timmins West and Bell Creek, with material being delivered for processing to the Bell Creek Mill. In addition to current mining and milling operations, the Company also has a number of highly prospective projects and exploration targets, all located in and around the Timmins Camp. The Company's common shares trade on the TSX and NYSE MKT under the symbol LSG.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release relating to the Company's Agreement with Tahoe resources and expected business and financial performance levels are "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of certain securities laws, including under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws and under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are referred to herein as "forward-looking statements." The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on current facts and assumptions that management considers reasonable, including that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as mechanical failure, unavailability of parts, labour disturbances, interruption in transportation or utilities, or adverse weather conditions, that there are no material unanticipated variations in budgeted costs, that contractors will complete projects according to schedule, and that actual mineralization on properties will be consistent with models and will not be less than identified mineral reserves. The Company makes no representation that reasonable business people in possession of the same information would reach the same conclusions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In particular, delays in development or mining and fluctuations in the price of gold or in currency markets could prevent the Company from achieving its targets. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. More information about risks and uncertainties affecting the Company and its business is available in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form and other regulatory filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators, which are posted on sedar at www.sedar.com, or the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 40-F and other regulatory filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts: Lake Shore Gold Corp. Tony Makuch President & CEO (416) 703-6298 Lake Shore Gold Corp. Mark Utting Vice-President, Investor Relations (416) 703-6298 www.lsgold.com

Source: Lake Shore Gold Corp.
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan speaks during the White House summit on cybersecurity and consumer protection in Palo Alto, California February 13, 2015. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

(Reuters) - Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC) Chief Executive and Chairman Brian Moynihan received a higher year-end compensation award for 2015 than any other executive at the bank, the first time this has happened since he took the top job in 2010.

In each of the previous years Thomas Montag, the bank's chief operating officer, received a larger pay package than Moynihan. New York-based Montag oversees Bank of America's investment bank, including its securities businesses.

Moynihan received cash and stock valued at $16 million in 2015, compared with $15.5 million for Montag, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Moynihan's compensation increased 23 percent from 2014.

Still, his package paled in comparison with that of JPMorgan Chase & Co's (NYSE: JPM) Jamie Dimon. The CEO and chairman of the biggest U.S. bank by assets was awarded $27 million, a jump of 35 percent.

Moynihan's payout also fell short of those of Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) Chief Executive Michael Corbat, who received about $16.5 million, and Wells Fargo & Co's (NYSE: WFC) John Stumpf, who was awarded $19.3 million.

Bank of America, the No. 2 U.S. bank by assets, earned $15.89 billion in 2015, up from $4.83 billion in 2014 when the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank incurred $10 billion in legal expenses.

Moynihan fought off a shareholder campaign last year to strip him of the chairmanship. Some shareholders were upset that the bank had unilaterally changed its bylaws in 2014 to allow Moynihan to hold both the CEO and chairman roles after investors had voted in 2009 to separate them.

Bank of America shares, which were up marginally at $13.40 in afternoon trading, fell about 6 percent in 2015.

(Reporting By Sudarshan Varadhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)
By Ben Blanchard and J.R. Wu

BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) - China resumed ties with former Taiwan ally Gambia on Thursday, ending an unofficial diplomatic truce between China and Taiwan following January's landslide election of the leader of a pro-independence party as the self-ruled island's president.

The small West African state was one of a few African countries, along with Burkina Faso, Swaziland and Sao Tome and Principe, to recognize Taiwan, which China regards as a wayward province to be recovered by force if necessary.

China and Taiwan had for years tried to poach each other's allies, often dangling generous aid packages in front of leaders of developing nations.

But they began an unofficial diplomatic truce after signing a series of landmark trade and economic agreements in 2008 after the election of the China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan's president, as Beijing tried to convince Taiwan of its friendly intentions after decades of hostility and suspicion.

While Gambia severed relations with Taiwan in November 2013, causing anger in Taipei, China had held off establishing formal ties with it until now.

"From here on, China and Gambia's relations have turned over a new leaf," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Gambian counterpart, Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The early resumption of ties accords with the basic interests of both countries and conforms to the trend of the times and general trend of the development of China-Africa friendship and cooperation," Wang added.

Macdouall-Gaye, in comments carried on Chinese state television, said the Gambian nation supported "the national reunification, peaceful reunification" of China and Taiwan.

Beijing has repeatedly warned against any moves toward independence since Tsai Ing-wen and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential and parliamentary elections. Tsai assumes office in May.

Tsai has said she would maintain peace with China, and Chinese state-run media have noted her pledges to maintain the "status quo" with China.

"HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE" ACTION

Taiwan must not let this kind of incident happen again, the DPP said in a statement, referring to China's rapprochement with Gambia, and was committed to consolidating diplomatic relations once it took power.

It also said it hoped China and Taiwan would not engage in "target competition," while the Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the Gambia move.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said its counterpart in Beijing, the Taiwan Affairs Office, had warned it earlier in the day the announcement was coming.

"We call on the mainland to face the reality that the Republic of China is a sovereign state and not carry out negative actions. Otherwise, it must take full responsibility for the possible consequences," the council said in a statement, referring to Taiwan's official name.

It added that the move would have a negative impact on cross-strait relations.

The news came while President Ma was on a visit to allies Guatemala and Belize. He told reporters in Belize on Thursday China's action was "highly inappropriate."

In a separate statement, China's Foreign Ministry did not directly address whether the decision on relations with Gambia was a warning to Tsai or marked the end of the truce.

"We uphold the one-China principle. The direction of promoting the peaceful development of cross-Taiwan Strait has not changed," it said.

Gambia had recognized mainland China from 1974 to 1995, before switching over to Taiwan.

China says Taiwan has no right to diplomatic recognition as it is part of China. Defeated Nationalist forces fled to the island in 1949 after the Chinese civil war.

Other countries with diplomatic ties with Taiwan include the tiny Pacific island states of Nauru and Palau, as well as Vatican City, Paraguay, Panama, Haiti, and Nicaragua.

China has also been quietly courting Sao Tome and Principe, whose president made a low key visit to China in 2014.

(Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Robert Birsel and Mike Collett-White)
Greek Migration Minister Yannis Mouzalas talks to the media at central Athens's Victoria Square, where many refugees and migrants had set up following their arrival in Athens, Greece, October 1, 2015. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

By George Georgiopoulos and Renee Maltezou

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece played down on Wednesday a gaffe by its migration minister who failed to use the full name of northern neighbor the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and said his focus must remain on tackling an escalating migration crisis.

Athens has long refused to accept its neighbor as just 'Macedonia' and the name dispute has frozen Skopje's efforts to join NATO and the European Union. Some Greeks fear accepting 'Macedonia' could provide a basis for territorial claims by that country on a northern Greek province of the same name.

Yannis Mouzalas inadvertently referred to the country as Macedonia during a late-night interview on Tuesday. He quickly apologized, but faced calls for his resignation from Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who said it was a serious matter for his right-wing Independent Greeks party, junior coalition partner of the ruling left-wing Syriza party.

The government defended Mouzalas, saying the row was a dangerous distraction from his efforts to deal with Europe's worst migration crisis since World War Two.

"We're not talking about a government crisis," government spokeswoman Olga Gerovassili told a regular news briefing. "We're talking about a verbal faux pas."

She said Mouzalas had "put all of his efforts, beyond human limits" to tackle the migration crisis, adding that any decision on his fate would be taken after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras returns from an EU leaders' summit in Brussels on Friday.

EMOTIONAL ISSUE

Many Greeks feel a strong emotional tie to the name Macedonia, used historically to describe the birthplace of Alexander the Great and part of ancient Greece.

Kammenos said he had conveyed his concerns to Tsipras.

"I continue to support this government and Tsipras until the end but I have red lines. Since the minister recognizes that he made a huge gaffe, he should go home," Kammenos said.

The ruling coalition has just a three-seat majority in the 300-member parliament and needs the Independent Greeks party on side to pass reforms under a third financial bailout clinched last year.

The spat is unlikely to wreck the coalition but reflects underlying differences between two parties from opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Macedonia lies on the now closed Balkan migration route that refugees have used on their way from Greece to wealthier western Europe. The closure has led to logjams along the border, with more than 12,000 refugees and migrants camped there.

Macedonia has accused Greece of doing too little to manage the migration crisis despite receiving EU funds.

On Tuesday Macedonia said it had trucked about 1,500 migrants back to Greece after they forced their way across the border. Greek authorities said there had been no official contact with Macedonia, so they could not confirm the return.

"If we do not start to cooperate (with Greece) as two neighboring countries, it is certain that these incidents will be repeated and get more complicated," Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov said of the incident on Tuesday.

(Additional reporting Karolina Tagaris and Angeliki Koutantou in Athens and Kole Casule in Skopje; Writing by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Tourists head past a local store towards the beach in Saly, a coastal resort town in Senegal popular with Western tourists, March 15, 2016. REUTERS/Edward McAllister

By Edward McAllister

SALY, Senegal (Reuters) - Two days after al Qaeda gunman shot dead 18 people on an Ivory Coast beach, tourists strolled nonchalantly down a similar stretch of sand in the Senegalese resort of Saly on Tuesday, browsing trinkets on sale and paddling in the Atlantic.

Even though the jihadist group's Saharan wing, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), has made clear Senegal is in its sights because of its close ties to France, security was noticeable largely by its absence.

No police patrolled the beaches, a favorite weekend retreat 60 km (40 miles) south of the capital, Dakar, and the only guards wandering around as hotel guests sat eating breakfast in the shade of palm trees were unarmed.

And yet a cloud now hangs over Saly and resorts across West Africa after the Ivory Coast attack, which marked a change in tactics by AQIM, whose militants have in the last four months hit large hotels and restaurants in Bamako and Ouagadougou, the capitals of Mali and Burkina Faso respectively.

Ivory Coast, the largest economy in Francophone West Africa and the world's top exporter of cocoa, was already on high alert, knowing it was a target for Islamist militants keen to expand their reach beyond the Sahara and Sahel.

Elite Ivorian troops had run a simulation of just such an incident only ten days ago, according to Control Risks, a global security consultancy.

But when four gunmen hit the quiet town of Grand Bassam, it took elite troops 45 minutes to arrive and local security guards were powerless to stop the killing.

Those in Saly are only just realizing how serious the threat is.

"We are not ready for an attack," said Papisse Thiam, who mans the gated entrance to a beachside compound frequented by Westerners. One unarmed person sits at the gate in the day, and five at night, he said.

"The people talk about it but they aren't afraid."

Locals said security has increased over the past year, and there were a few security guards on Saly's busy main strip, one block back from the beach. But they were unarmed and some appeared to be on traffic duty.

The Lamantin Beach Hotel, a sprawling upmarket complex favored by Europeans, added armed guards and introduced vehicle searches in November after attacks in Paris by Islamic State gunmen killed 130 people.

But the security only covers the hotel grounds and does not impact the rest of town.

"Everyone pays attention but it is difficult to be prepared for an attack," said Fatou Fall, a manager at Lamantin. "The menace is real. We cross our fingers and hope," she said.

Many holiday-makers were confident of their safety.

"It's a bit worrying, but there is no problem," said Ramera, a middle-aged French tourist.

"WE DON'T WANT SOLDIERS"

Despite political upheaval and civil wars across the region, West Africa has experienced few of the targeted attacks now being launched routinely by AQIM, which experts say is flexing its muscles to ward off encroachment from Islamic State militants.

Experts worry that despite international assistance, particularly from France and the United States, regional cooperation and intelligence gathering are too weak to catch the spread of militancy or halt attack plans.

Moreover, the isolation of smaller beach towns makes reacting to an attack harder.

"While these states may be on alert, their counter-terrorism capability is below par," said Andre Colling, Chief Lead Analyst at crisis management assistance company red24.

"A committed assault against what is supposed to be a well-secured high-value target can be achieved fairly simply. States in the region simply don't have the resources to deal with this threat and we should expect more."

Yet many in Saly remain unfazed. Yaunick Le Moal, who owns Hotel Les Flamboyants on its main strip, laughed off the threat, saying the French cities of Paris or Marseilles were far more dangerous.

Damien Trilles, who runs a beach bar frequented by French and Belgians, was equally unconcerned, hoping mainly that the perception of danger would not keep people away. Tourism has only just recovered from the Ebola virus outbreak, he said.

"People are coming back, but it is fragile," he said. "We don't want soldiers patrolling the beach with guns and helmets."

(Additional reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Ed Cropley and Philippa Fletcher)
By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors turned on U.S.-based stock funds in the latest week, pulling $2.1 billion from the funds just one week after the funds posted their first inflows of the year, Lipper data showed on Thursday.

"Retail investors have been leery about equity for some time," said Jeff Tjornehoj, head of Americas research for Lipper. "They want to see a sustained rally."

While mutual fund investors pulled nearly $4 billion from stock funds during the last week, exchange-traded fund investors added money to those funds for a third straight week. ETF flows are seen as representing institutional trading behavior more so than mutual funds.

Overall, the outflows in the week to March 16 hit U.S.-based international stock funds hardest. Those funds posted $2.9 billion in outflows during the week, Lipper said.

European stock funds posted nearly $1 billion in outflows, while Japanese stock funds posted $597 million in outflows, Lipper said, a seventh straight week of outflows for both categories as easy monetary policy in both regions has failed to lift U.S. investors' spirits.

Emerging-market stock funds posted $408 million in outflows after taking in $1.6 billion the week before. Precious metals commodity funds attracted $173 million during the week, for a 10th straight week of new cash, according to Lipper.

Funds focused on healthcare and biotechnology shares posted $850 million in outflows during a week that saw the value of shares of troubled drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc halved in one day alone. Financial sector funds posted $709 million in outflows, Lipper said.

Overall, though, on a net basis domestic-focused stock funds in the United States took in $755 million, Lipper data showed.

U.S.-based taxable bond funds attracted $4.1 billion during the same period measured by Lipper, for an eighth straight week of inflows.

High-yield bond funds added a fifth week to their streak of inflows, adding $1.7 billion in new cash. Higher-grade bond funds took in $2 billion. Treasury funds posted $135 million in outflows, a third straight week of outflows, the data showed.

Emerging-market debt funds took in $190 million, Lipper said, as the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would hold interest rates steady.

Relatively low-risk money-market funds posted $36 billion in outflows during the week, the category's largest outflows since February 2014, the fund research service said.

Tjornehoj said the outflows were driven by institutional investors, but it was unclear whether those investors are deploying the cash to buy riskier assets.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by James Dalgleish and Leslie Adler)
Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, poses for a portrait at his office in London June 25, 2014. REUTERS/Neil Hall

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, defended on Wednesday its strategy of chasing returns greater than market benchmarks, arguing the benefits outweighed the associated risk and cost.

The $834 billion fund, worth more than twice the country's annual gross domestic product, is invested in foreign stocks, bonds and real estate to share the wealth from oil and gas production with future generations.

Managed by a unit of the central bank, the fund aims to beat global equity and fixed income indexes by a quarter percentage point a year by taking on added risk. That includes picking stocks it expects to deliver long-term returns.

Following criticism by some academics of the fund's strategy, the central bank had promised more transparency, including an annual report analyzing its risk-adjusted returns.

"The question is whether it cost too much or whether we had to take too much risk to obtain that quarter percentage point. This report shows it didn't cost much and we didn't have to take much risk to achieve it," Chief Executive Yngve Slyngstad said.

Under a mandate from parliament, the fund places about 60 percent of its assets in stocks, 35 percent in fixed income and has a target of five percent in real estate.

Economics professor Egil Matsen, who was recently appointed to supervise the fund and its managers, last month told Reuters it should continue its bid to outperform global markets despite the added risks involved.

(Reporting by Joachim Dagenborg, writing by Terje Solsvik, editing by Larry King)
By Warren Strobel and Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday restricted U.S. service members' travel to five West African countries, citing recent militant attacks in the region, U.S. defense officials said.

The order limits unofficial travel by U.S. military personnel to Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Ghana, the officials said.

"It's just increased vigilance given the recent events that have happened in that area of the world," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command.

Gunmen on Sunday killed 19 people at a beachside resort in Ivory Coast. The attack was claimed by al Qaeda's North African branch, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

The same group said it was behind a January attack on a hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, that killed 29 people as well as a November hotel siege in Mali.

U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said the order remains in effect until June 30, and does not restrict official travel to the countries involved.

"Given the recent attacks in western Africa, we felt it prudent to make this decision at this time in an effort to ensure the safety of our personnel," Baldanza said.

U.S. Africa Command has between 1,000 and 1,200 forces on the continent at any one time, mostly in training and support roles to help local security forces combat militants.

(Editing by G Crosse)
By Pavel Polityuk and Matthias Williams

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk has scraped through the biggest challenge to his leadership so far, lawmakers said on Wednesday, but still faces an uphill battle to achieve reforms that Western backers demand.

The comments by several MPs to Reuters pointed showed how the political winds were blowing after weeks of turmoil that saw Yatseniuk survive a no-confidence vote and face down repeated calls for him to resign.

The United States and other Western powers have urged Kiev's leaders to stay united in order to pass reforms needed to secure a further $1.7 billion in aid from the International Monetary Fund and keep its war-torn economy afloat.

But Washington and the IMF have become increasingly impatient with the Ukrainian government's patchy performance, especially in tackling endemic corruption. The IMF has warned it could stop aid altogether it matters don't improve.

If Yatseniuk manages to hold on, Ukraine will continue to be run by a prime minister whose personal popularity ratings are at 1 percent and whose leadership is opposed by the majority of lawmakers, likely prolonging the current instability.

"Yatseniuk will remain in place for the next three-four months. It's simple - there are not yet enough votes to remove him or to put someone in his place," Oleksiy Honcharenko, a lawmaker in President Petro Poroshenko's faction, told Reuters.

Although it jointly governs Ukraine in coalition with Yatseniuk's Patriotic Front, Poroshenko's party tried to topple the government in a no-confidence vote in February.

When that failed, it kept searching for possible replacements to Yatseniuk. Attempts to promote technocrat Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko, championed by Washington as a reformer, fizzled out this week.

"Ukraine's leaders have been locked for months in a cycle of political infighting and indecision about how to restore unity, trust and effectiveness in the reform coalition, and reboot the government and its program," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said on Tuesday.

"Every week that Ukraine drifts, reform is stalled, IMF and international support goes undisbursed, and those inside and outside the country who preferred the old Ukraine grow more confident."

Yatseniuk's popularity has plummeted since coming to power in 2014 after the Maidan street protests ousted a pro-Kremlin president. This reflects voters' growing disillusion with the pace of change and what Nuland called "the unholy alliance of dirty money and dirty politics" still controlling the country.

But he leads the country's second-biggest party and has challenged lawmakers to either back him or find a viable alternative.

With Yaresko out of the running for now, Poroshenko might launch another attempt to topple Yatseniuk and replace him with Poroshenko's close ally, parliament speaker Volodymyr Groysman.

"Poroshenko has the nerve and the resolve to go through with the dismissal of Yatseniuk, but he's holding off for now because there aren't enough votes to appoint a new prime minister," said a source in Poroshenko's bloc.

(Editing by Tom Heneghan)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a small reporting company. See definition of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and small reporting company Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X . No .

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) Yes . No X .

APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY

PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PROCEEDING FIVE YEARS

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 after the distribution of securities subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes . No . N/A X .

APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuers classes of common stock, as of February 26, 2016: 66,937,187











Page Number PART 1. FINANCIAL INFORMATION ITEM 1. Financial Statements 3 ITEM 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 8 ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. 9 ITEM 4. Controls and Procedures. 9 PART 2. OTHER INFORMATION ITEM 1. Legal Proceedings 10 ITEM 1A. Risk Factors 10 ITEM 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds 10 ITEM 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities 10 ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 10 ITEM 5. Other Information 10 ITEM 6. Exhibits 11







2









PART 1  FINANCIAL INFORMATION





ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS





I-WELLNESS MARKETING GROUP INC.

(Formerly Monarchy Ventures Inc.)





CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS





December 31, 2015 June 30, 2015 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current Assets Cash or cash equivalents $ 18,063 $ 20,043 Inventory 4,536 5,033 Total current assets 22,599 25,076 Non-current Assets Deposits 2,988 3,315 Property and equipment 148,216 176,184 Total non-current assets 151,204 179,499 TOTAL ASSETS $ 173,803 $ 204,575 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS DEFICIENCY Current Liabilities Bank indebtedness $ 13,242 $ 16,629 Accounts payable 167,135 160,745 Accrued liabilities 1,788 1,985 Convertible notes payable 388,660 388,892 Due to related parties 449,358 493,283 Current portion of deferred lease incentive 1,361 1,510 Total current liabilities 1,021,544 1,063,044

Long Term Liabilities Deferred lease incentive 7,487 9,062 TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,029,031 1,072,106 STOCKHOLDERS DEFICIENCY Common stock 300,000,000 shares authorized, at $0.001 par value; 66,937,845 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 (56,937,845 at June 30, 2015) 66,938 56,937 Additional paid-in capital 76,728 67,018 Accumulated other comprehensive income 85,148 54,982 Accumulated deficit (1,084,042) (1,046,468) Total stockholders deficiency (855,228) (867,531) TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS DEFICIENCY $ 173,803 $ 204,575









The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim consolidated financial statements.







3









I-WELLNESS MARKETING GROUP INC.

(Formerly Monarchy Ventures Inc.)





CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited)









For the three months ended For the six months ended December 31 December 31 2015 2014 2015 2014 REVENUE $ 105,608 $ 99,186 $ 204,337 $ 182,695 COST OF GOODS SOLD (74,696) (69,565) (140,695) (128,253) GROSS MARGIN 30,912 29,621 63,642 54,442 EXPENSES Depreciation 746 7,521 11,064 15,366 General and administrative 26,671 17,506 49,013 32,136 Management wages 7,867 9,248 14,757 17,545 Professional fees 6,543 4,692 9,768 7,020 Rent 7,623 9,794 16,615 25,862 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 49,450 48,761 101,217 97,929 NET LOSS (18,538) (19,141) (37,575) (43,487) OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Foreign exchange translation gain 9,208 351 30,167 1,713 COMPREHENSIVE LOSS $ (9,330) $ (18,790) $ (7,408) $ (41,774) NET LOSS PER COMMON SHARE $ - $ - $ - $ - WEIGHTED AVERAGE OUTSTANDING SHARES  basic and diluted 66,937,845 30,437,843 65,035,671 30,437,843









































The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.











4









I-WELLNESS MARKETING GROUP INC.

(Formerly Monarchy Ventures Inc.)





CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)





Six months ended December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net loss $ (37,575) $ (43,487) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Depreciation 11,064 15,366 Professional fees 9,768 - Amortization of deferred lease incentive (713) (565) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Prepaid expenses - 938 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 9,514 8,055 Net cash used in operating activities (7,941) (19,693) CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Property and equipment - (2,751) Net cash used in investing activities - (2,751) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Bank borrowings (1,827) (195) Advances for convertible debt 9,768 - Advances from related parties - 19,970 Net cash provided by financing activities 7,941 19,775

Effect of foreign exchange (1,980) 801

Net decrease in cash (1,980) (2,669) CASH, BEGINNING OF PERIOD 20,043 23,418 CASH, END OF PERIOD $ 18,063 $ 21,550





















The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.











5









I-WELLNESS MARKETING GROUP INC.

(Formerly Monarchy Ventures Inc.)





NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2015

(Unaudited)





1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

On October 20, 2014 the Company completed the acquisition of The Spud Shack Fry Company Ltd. (Spud Shack), a restaurant located in British Columbia, Canada.





On December 21, 2015, the Company entered into an exclusive marketing agreement and was granted the exclusive worldwide marketing rights to a health and fitness application called 60K which is currently under development for iPhone, Android, tablets and desktop computers. Pursuant to the exclusive marketing agreement the Company will provide $100,000 in initial financing to complete the application as well as for marketing the release of a prototype. The Company will retain 30% of all revenue generated by the application.





In January 2016, the Company merged with its wholly owned subsidiary, I-Wellness Marketing Group Inc. which is a Nevada corporation incorporated during the six months ended December 31, 2015.





In February 9, 2016, the Company changed its name from Monarchy Ventures Inc. to I-Wellness Marketing Group Inc.





While the Company is attempting to generate sufficient revenues, the Companys cash position may not be enough to support the Companys daily operations. Management intends to raise additional funds by way of increasing revenue, and a public or private offering. Management believes that the actions presently being taken to further implement its business plan and generate sufficient revenues provide the opportunity for the Company to continue as a going concern. While the Company believes in the viability of its strategy to increase revenues and in its ability to raise additional funds, there can be no assurances to that effect. The ability of the Company to continue as a going concern is dependent upon the Companys ability to further implement its business plan and generate sufficient revenues.





The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. They do not include all information and notes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. Except as disclosed herein, there has been no material change in the information disclosed in the notes to the financial statements included in the Form 10-K of the Company for the period ended June 30, 2015. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the six months ended December 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending June 30, 2016. For further information, these unaudited financial statements and the related notes should be read in conjunction with the Companys audited financial statements for period ended June 30, 2015 included in the Companys transition report on Form 10-K.

2. RELATED PARTIES

As of December 31, 2015, amounts of $449,358 were owing to related parties (June 30, 2015: $493,283). These amounts are unsecured, and have no fixed interest or repayment terms.

During the six months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, $14,757 and $17,545, respectively, was incurred as remuneration to a shareholder of the Company who serves as the manager of the restaurant operation.











6









3. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT





December 31, 2015 Cost Accumulated

Depreciation Net Book Value

December 31, 2015 Computer equipment $ 5,092 $ 4,436 $ 656 Furniture and fixtures 86,436 42,876 43,560 Leasehold improvements 143,392 39,392 104,000 $ 234,920 $ 86,704 $ 148,216 June 30, 2015 Cost Accumulated Depreciation Net Book Value

June 30, 2015 Computer equipment $ 5,650 $ 4,646 $ 1,004 Furniture and fixtures 95,912 42,206 53,706 Leasehold improvements 159,110 37,636 121,474 $ 260,672 $ 84,488 $ 176,184





4. LEASE INCENTIVE





In February 2013, the Company received CAD $18,840 from the landlord for tenant improvement reimbursements which has been recorded as a lease incentive. It has been amortized on a straight line basis over the lease term of 10 years. Each years portion of the lease incentive has been offset against the rent expense.





5. COMMITMENT





The minimum lease payments over the next five years are as follows:





2016 CAD$ 23,550 2017 47,100 2018 47,100 2019 50,868 2020 50,868 CAD$ 219,486





6. CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTES

As at December 31, 2015, the Company has $388,660 (June 30, 2015 - $388,892) in convertible promissory notes that are due on demand, bear interest at 5% and are unsecured. $75,000 of these promissory notes are convertible at $0.01, while the remaining are convertible at $0.001.





During the six months ended December 31, 2015, $9,768 of convertible notes issued were issued with beneficial conversion features with intrinsic values in excess of the principal balance. As a result, the Company recorded a debt discount of $9,768. In addition, as these promissory notes are payable on demand, the debt discounts were fully amortized to interest expense during the period.





During the six months ended December 31, 2015, $10,000 was converted into $10,000,000 common shares.

7. SUBSEQUENT EVENT





On February 26, 2016, the Company received CAD $1,846 in convertible debt financing.















7









ITEM 2. MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the information contained in the consolidated financial statements of I-Wellness Marketing Group Inc. (I-Wellness or the Company) and the notes which form an integral part of the consolidated financial statements which are attached hereto.

The financial statements mentioned above have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and are stated in United States dollars.

We have a limited operating history and have not yet generated or realized any profits from our activities. We have commenced mining operation in Mexico through our investment in New World Metals SAPI but we have yet to undertake any exploration activity on our Philippine property, La Carlota. Our restaurant operation is likewise relatively new and has yet to generate any profits.

As of December 31, 2015, we had a working capital deficit of $998,945, an improvement over the working capital deficit of $1,037,967 at June 30, 2015. This improvement resulted primarily from fluctuations in the USD/CAD exchange rate. We also settled a portion of convertible debt by converting the debt to shares.

For the 6 months ending December 31, 2015 we had a net loss from operations of $37,574 compared to a net loss of $43,486 from operations for the 6 months ending December 31, 2014. This improvement resulted from increased sales and a reduction of some operating expenses. Our comprehensive income for the 6 months ending December 31, 2015 was a net profit of $30,167 as a result of foreign exchange translation gains.





Foreign Currency and Exchange Rates





Our Company has assets in Mexico and Canada and, when applicable, will pay expenses in the local currency. Any currency fluctuation in an adverse way will increase our costs and affect our ability to generate profits from our activities.





Requirements for Cash over the next twelve months

Despite the commitment of our director to advance us funds over the next twelve months, our future financial success will be dependent on our ability to obtain third party debt or equity financing and ultimately on the ability of the restaurant in Canada to generate profits. As of the date of this Form 10-Q, we have not generated sufficient revenues, and have experienced negative cash flow from operations. We may not be able to secure other sources of financing or any available sources may not be on favourable terms.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

In presenting our financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepting accounting principals, or GAAP, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, costs and expenses and related disclosures.

Some of the estimates and assumptions we are required to make relate to matters that are inherently uncertain as they pertain to future events. We base these estimates and assumptions on historical experience or on various other factors that we believe to be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, we reconsider and evaluate our estimates and assumptions. Actual results may differ significantly from these estimates.

We believe that the critical accounting policies listed below involve our more significant judgments, assumptions and estimates and, therefore, could have the greatest potential impact on our financial statements. In addition, we believe that a discussion of these policies is necessary to understand and evaluate the consolidated financial statements contained in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q.





Estimates and Assumptions

Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of the assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. Actual results could vary from the estimates that were assumed in preparing these financial statements.







8





Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the liability method deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and the tax bases of the assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect, when the differences are expected to be reversed. An allowance against deferred tax assets is recorded, when it is more likely than not, that such tax benefits will not be realized.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

The Company does not expect the adoption of any recent accounting pronouncements to have a material impact on its financial statements.

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

Not Applicable.

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.





Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures

Our principal executive officer, who is also our principal financial officer, has evaluated the Companys disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2015. Based on this evaluation, we have concluded that because of the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting discussed below, the disclosure controls and procedures were not effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms and to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are accumulated and communicated to Companys management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Notwithstanding the material weakness discussed below, our management has concluded that the consolidated financial statements included in this Form 10-Q present fairly, in all material respects, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Managements annual report on internal control over financial reporting

Management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f). The Companys internal control over financial reporting is a process affected by the Companys management to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of the Companys financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

In designing and evaluating our internal controls and procedures, our management recognized that internal controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only a reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the internal controls and procedures are met.

The Companys management assessed the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015. In making this assessment, it used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commissions 2013 Internal ControlIntegrated Framework. Based on its assessment, management identified deficiencies in both the design and operating effectiveness of the Companys internal control over financial reporting, which when aggregated, represent a material weakness in internal control. The most significant of these are: (1) lack of segregation of duties; (2) lack of accounting expertise; and (3) lack of timely closing of books; (4) inability to get accounting information and schedules to our auditors in a timely manner.







9









A material weakness is a deficiency or a combination of deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weaknesses identified above result from insufficient qualified personnel in our finance department. This results in an inability to provide effective oversight and review of financial transactions with regard to accumulating and compiling financial data in the preparation of financial statements. The lack of sufficient personnel also results in a lack of segregation of duties and the accounting technical expertise necessary for an effective system of internal control. As soon as our finances allow, we plan on hiring additional finance staff and, where necessary, utilizing competent outside consultants to provide a layer of review and technical expertise that is currently lacking in our internal controls over financial reporting.





As a result of these material weaknesses, management concluded that the Company did not maintain effective control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015.

PART 2  OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On October 7, 2015, we received a letter from an attorney demanding repayment of $171,803 of principal and accrued interest on funds allegedly advanced to the company by his client. Although this historical debt was recorded on our consolidated financial statements and confirmed by our auditors, there are some discrepancies in the documents provided by the attorney in support of the demand for repayment. We have requested further evidence of the advances so that we can make a determination as to the validity of the debt and what terms and conditions may apply. As of the date of this report, we have not received a response.





ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Not required for a smaller reporting companies.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

In December 2015, the Company issued 10,000,000 shares in satisfaction of $10,000 in debt.





ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved amendments to its rules on December 21, 2011 to implement the mine safety disclosure requirements contained in Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Act. Section 1503 requires SEC registrants that are operators of coal or other mines to include in their periodic and current reports disclosures regarding certain safety violations, orders and regulatory actions. Based on Item 104 of Regulation S-K the Company is able to report the following for the time period covered by the report:







no violations of mandatory health or safety standards that could significantly and substantially contribute to the cause and effect of a coal or other mine safety or health hazard under Section 104 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Safety Act) for which the operator received a citation from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA);



no orders issued under Section 104(b) of the Mine Safety Act;



no citations and orders for unwarrantable failure of the mine operator to comply with mandatory health or safety standards under Section 104(d) of the Mine Safety Act;



no flagrant violations under Section 110(b)(2) of the Mine Safety Act;



no imminent danger orders issued under Section 107(a) of the Mine Safety Act; and



no proposed assessments (regardless of whether the assessment is being challenged or appealed) from the MSHA under the Mine Safety Act.

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION

Not Applicable







10









ITEM 6. EXHIBITS
GlaxoSmithKline plc

Publication of 2015 Annual Report

GlaxoSmithKline plc (the 'Company') will today publish on the Company's website, www.gsk.com/corporatereporting , its Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2015 (the '2015 Annual Report').

A hard copy version of the 2015 Annual Report, together with the 2015 Annual Summary (the '2015 Summary') and 2016 Notice of Annual General Meeting (the '2016 AGM Notice'), will be sent to those shareholders who have elected to receive paper communications on or about 30 March 2016. Shareholders who have not elected to receive paper communications will be sent the 2015 Summary notifying them of the availability of these documents on the Company's website.

In compliance with Listing Rule 9.6.1 of the UK Financial Conduct Authority ('FCA') , the 2015 Annual Report, 2015 Summary and 2016 AGM Notice will be submitted to the UK Listing Authority and will in due course be available for inspection at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM .

The information included in the unaudited preliminary results announcement released on 3 February 2016, together with the information in the Appendix to this announcement which is extracted from the 2015 Annual Report, constitute the materials required by the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rule 6.3.5 to be communicated to the media in full unedited text through a Regulatory Information Service. This announcement is not a substitute for reading the 2015 Annual Report in full. Page and note references in the Appendix below refer to page and note references in the 2015 Annual Report.

The Company further announces the following dividend dates for 2016 and 2017.

ADS ex-dividend date Ex-dividend date Record date Payment date Q4 2015 and special dividend 17 February 2016 18 February 2016 19 February 2016 14 April 2016 Q1 2016 11 May 2016 12 May 2016 13 May 2016 14 July 2016 Q2 2016 10 August 2016 11 August 2016 12 August 2016 13 October 2015 Q3 2016 2 November 2016 3 November 2016 4 November 2016 12 January 2017

V A Whyte

Company Secretary

17 March 2016

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those set out in Appendix A of this announcement.

Brand names

Brand names appearing in italics throughout this announcement are trademarks either owned by and/or licensed to GlaxoSmithKline or associated companies.









APPENDIX A

(i) Principal risks and uncertainties

Risk factors

The principal risks discussed below are the risks and uncertainties relevant to our business, financial condition and results of operations that may affect our performance and ability to achieve our objectives. The factors below are those that we believe could cause our actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results.

We must adapt to and comply with a broad range of laws and regulations. These requirements apply to research and development, manufacturing, testing, approval, distribution, sales and marketing of Pharmaceutical, Vaccine and Consumer Healthcare products, and affect not only the cost of product development but also the time required to reach the market and the likelihood of doing so successfully.

Moreover, as rules and regulations change, and governmental interpretation of those rules and regulations evolves, the nature of a particular risk may change. Changes to certain regulatory regimes may be substantial. Any change in, and any failure to comply with, applicable law and regulation could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Similarly, our business exposes us to litigation and government investigations, including but not limited to product liability litigation, patent and antitrust litigation and sales and marketing litigation. Litigation and government investigations, including related provisions we may make for unfavourable outcomes and increases in related costs such as insurance premiums, could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

More detail on the status and various uncertainties involved in our significant unresolved disputes and potential litigation is set out in Note 45, 'Legal proceedings,' on pages 206 to 210.

UK regulations require a discussion of the mitigating activities a company takes to address principal risks and uncertainties. A summary of the activities that the Group takes to manage each of our principal risks accompanies the description of each principal risk below. The principal risk factors and uncertainties are not listed in order of significance.

Patient safety

Risk definition

Failure to appropriately collect, review, follow up, or report adverse events from all potential sources, and to act on any relevant findings in a timely manner.

Risk impact

The impact of this risk is potentially to compromise our ability to conduct robust safety signal detection and interpretation and to ensure that appropriate decisions are taken with respect to the risk/benefit profile of our products, including the completeness and accuracy of product labels and the pursuit of additional studies/analyses, as appropriate. This could lead to potential harm to patients, reputational damage, product liability claims or other litigation, governmental investigation, regulatory action such as fines, penalties or loss of product authorisation.

Context

Pre-clinical and clinical trials are conducted during the development of investigational Pharmaceutical, Vaccine and Consumer Healthcare Products to determine the safety and efficacy of the products for use by humans. Notwithstanding the efforts we make to determine the safety of our products through appropriate pre-clinical and clinical trials, unanticipated side effects may become evident only when products are widely introduced into the marketplace. Questions may be raised not only by our ongoing safety surveillance and post-marketing studies but also by governmental agencies and third-parties that may analyse publicly available clinical trial results.

The Group is currently a defendant in a number of product liability lawsuits, including class actions, that involve significant claims for damages related to our products. Litigation, particularly in the US, is inherently unpredictable. Class actions that seek to sweep together all persons who were prescribed our products increase the potential liability. Claims for pain and suffering and punitive damages are frequently asserted in product liability actions and, if allowed, can represent potentially open-ended exposure and thus, could materially and adversely affect the Group's financial results.

Mitigating activities

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) is responsible for medical governance for the Group under a global policy. Under that policy, safeguarding human subjects in our clinical trials and patients who take our products is of paramount importance, and the CMO has the authoritative role for evaluating and addressing matters of human safety. Individual Medical Officers and the Group's substantial Global Safety and Pharmacovigilance organisation keep track of any adverse issues reported for our products during the course of clinical studies.

Once a Group product is approved for marketing, the Group has an extensive post-marketing surveillance and signal detection system. Information on possible side effects of medicines is received from several sources including unsolicited reports from health professionals and patients, regulatory authorities, medical and scientific literature and the media. It is our policy that employees are required to report immediately any issues relating to the safety or quality of our products. Each of our country managers is responsible for monitoring, exception tracking and training that helps assure the collection of safety information and reporting the information to the relevant central safety department, in accordance with Group policy and legal requirements.

Information that changes the benefit/risk profile of one of the Group's medicines will result in certain actions to characterise, communicate and minimise the risk. Proposed actions are discussed with regulatory authorities and can include modifying the prescribing information, communications to physicians and other healthcare providers, restrictions on product prescribing/availability to help assure safe use, and sometimes carrying out further clinical trials. In certain cases, it may be appropriate to stop clinical trials or to withdraw the medicine from the market. The Group's Global Safety Board (GSB), comprising senior physicians and representatives of supporting functions, is an integral component of the system. The GSB (including subsidiary boards dedicated to Consumer Healthcare Products and Vaccines) reviews the safety of investigational and marketed products across the Group and has the authority to stop a clinical trial if continued conduct of such trial is not ethically or scientifically justified in light of information that has emerged since the start of the trial.

In addition to the medical governance framework within the Group as described above, the Group uses several mechanisms to foster the early evaluation, mitigation, and resolution of disputes as they arise and of potential claims even before they arise. The goal of the programmes is to create a culture of early identification and evaluation of risks and claims (actual or potential), in order to minimise liability and litigation.

Intellectual property

Risk definition

Failure to appropriately secure and protect intellectual property rights.

Risk impact

Any failure to obtain or subsequent loss of patent protection, including reducing the availability or scope of patent rights or compulsory licensing (in which a government forces a manufacturer to license its patents for specific products to a competitor), could materially and adversely affect our financial results in those markets. Absence of adequate patent or data exclusivity protection could limit the opportunity to rely on such markets for future sales growth for our products, which could also materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Context

As an innovative Pharmaceutical, Vaccine and Consumer Healthcare Products company, we seek to obtain appropriate intellectual property protection for our products. Our ability to obtain and enforce patents and other proprietary rights with regard to our products is critical to our business strategy and success. Pharmaceutical and Vaccine products are usually only protected from being copied by generic manufacturers during the period of exclusivity provided by an issued patent or related intellectual property rights such as Regulatory Data Protection or Orphan Drug status. Following expiration of certain intellectual property rights, a generic manufacturer may lawfully produce a generic version of the product.

We operate in markets where intellectual property laws and patent offices are still developing and where governments may be unwilling to grant or enforce intellectual property rights in a fashion similar to more developed regions such as the EU, Japan and the US. Some developing countries have limited, or threatened to limit, effective patent protection for pharmaceutical products in order to facilitate early competition within their markets from generic manufacturers.

We face competition from manufacturers of proprietary and generic pharmaceutical products in all of our major markets. Introduction of generic products, particularly in the US where we have our highest turnover and margins, typically leads to a rapid and dramatic loss of sales and reduces our revenues and margins for our proprietary products.

We depend on certain key products for a significant portion of our sales. One such product is our respiratory pharmaceutical product Seretide/Advair which accounts for significant Group sales worldwide. The timing and impact of entry in the US for a generic product containing the same combination of active substances as Seretide/Advair is uncertain. The US patent for compositions containing the combination of active substances in Seretide/Advair expired during 2010 although the US patent on a component of the Advair Diskus device continues until August 2016. Generic products containing the same combination of active substances as Seretide/Advair (in both metered dose inhalers and dry powder inhalers) have been launched by several manufacturers in a number of European markets. The timing and impact of entry in the US and major markets in Europe for a 'follow-on' product to Seretide/Advair is uncertain.

Generic drug manufacturers have also exhibited a readiness to market generic versions of many of our most important products prior to the expiration of our patents. Their efforts may involve challenges to the validity or enforceability of a patent or assertions that their generic product does not infringe our patents. As a result, we are and may continue to be involved in legal proceedings involving patent challenges, which may materially and adversely affect our financial results. Moreover, in the US, it has become increasingly common for patent infringement actions to prompt claims that anti-trust laws have been violated during the prosecution of the patent or during litigation involving the defence of that patent. Such claims by direct and indirect purchasers and other payers are typically filed as class actions. The relief sought may include treble damages and restitution claims. Similarly, anti-trust claims may be brought by government entities or private parties following settlement of patent litigation, alleging that such settlements are anti-competitive and in violation of anti-trust laws. A successful anti-trust claim by a private party or government entity could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

The expiration dates for patents for our major products which may affect the dates on which generic versions of our products may be introduced are set out on pages 228 to 229. Legal proceedings involving patent challenges are set out in Note 45 to the financial statements, 'Legal proceedings'.

Mitigating activities

Our Global Patents group focuses on securing and protecting our patent rights. This global group maintains internal processes designed to seek to ensure successful procurement, enforcement and defence of our patents with the goal of maintaining exclusive rights in markets for our products.

The Global Patents group monitors new developments in international patent law to seek to ensure appropriate protection of our assets. Sometimes acting through trade associations, we work with local governments to seek to secure effective and balanced intellectual property protection designed to meet the needs of patients and payers while supporting long-term investment in innovation.

Product quality

Risk definition

Failure to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) or inadequate controls and governance of quality in the supply chain covering supplier standards, manufacturing and distribution of products.

Risk impact

A failure to ensure product quality could have far reaching implications in terms of patient and consumer safety resulting in product launch delays, supply interruptions and product recalls which would have the potential to do damage to our reputation. Associated regulatory, legal, and financial consequences could materially and adversely affect our reputation and financial results.

Context

Patients, consumers and healthcare professionals trust the quality of our products. A failure to ensure product quality is an enterprise risk which is applicable across all of our business activities. Product quality may be influenced by many factors including product and process understanding, consistency of manufacturing components, compliance with GMP, accuracy of labelling, reliability of the external supply chain, and the embodiment of an overarching quality culture. The internal and external environment continues to evolve as new products, new markets and new legislation are introduced, with increasing scrutiny of supply continuity, a focus on improved distribution practice and the introduction of novel cell and gene based therapies. Review of inspections conducted across the industry by national regulatory authorities during 2015 highlighted an ongoing focus on data integrity, contamination prevention and the rigour of quality investigations including the robustness of decision making and the timely escalation of pertinent issues to regulatory authorities.

Mitigating activities

We have developed and implemented a single Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS) that defines the quality standards and systems for our businesses associated with Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare products and clinical trial materials. This system has a broad scope and is applicable throughout the lifecycle of products from R&D to mature commercial supply.

There is no single external global quality standard or system which governs the lifecycle of medicinal products and requirements are often complex and fragmented across national and regional boundaries. The ICH guideline Q10: Pharmaceutical Quality Systems provides a model for a comprehensive quality framework which takes into account international quality concepts and is designed to be implemented through the product lifecycle. This framework has been adopted by GSK and is augmented with a consolidation of multiple regulatory requirements from across the world in order to seek to ensure that the GSK PQS meets external expectations for Product Quality in the markets supplied. The PQS is regularly updated to seek to ensure it keeps pace with external regulatory changes, and reflects both operational improvements and new scientific understanding to support the delivery of consistent and reliable products.

An extensive global network of quality and compliance professionals is aligned with each business unit to provide oversight and assist with the delivery of quality performance and operational compliance, from site level to senior management level. Management oversight of those activities is accomplished through a hierarchy of Quality Councils and through an independent Chief Product Quality Officer and Global Product Quality Office.

GSK has implemented a risk-based approach to assessing and managing our third-party suppliers that provide materials used in finished products. Contract manufacturers making our products are expected to comply with standards identified by GSK and are audited to help provide assurance that expected standards are met.

All staff members are regularly trained to seek to ensure that cGMP standards and behaviours based on our GSK values are followed. Additionally, advocacy and communication programmes are routinely deployed to seek to ensure consistent messages are conveyed across GSK, whether they originate from changes in regulation or learnings from inspections or regulatory submissions. There is a continued emphasis on the value of quality performance metrics to facilitate improvement and foster a culture of 'right first time'.

Financial control and reporting

Risk definition

Failure to comply with current tax law or incurring significant losses due to treasury activities; failure to report accurate financial information in compliance with accounting standards and applicable legislation; failure to maintain adequate governance and oversight over third-party relationships.

Risk impact

Non-compliance with existing or new financial reporting and disclosure requirements, or changes to the recognition of income and expenses, could expose us to litigation and regulatory action and could materially and adversely affect our financial results. Changes in tax laws or in their application with respect to matters such as transfer pricing, foreign dividends, controlled companies, R&D tax credits, taxation of intellectual property or a restriction in tax relief allowed on the interest on intra-group debt, could impact our effective tax rate. Significant losses may arise from inconsistent application of treasury policies, transactional or settlement errors, or counterparty defaults. Any changes in the substance or application of the governing tax laws, failure to comply with such tax laws or significant losses due to treasury activities could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Failure to adequately manage third-party relationships could result in business interruption and exposure to risk ranging from sub-optimal contractual terms and conditions, to severe business sanctions and/or significant reputational damage. Any of these consequences could materially and adversely affect our business operations and financial results.

Context

The Group is required by the laws of various jurisdictions to disclose publicly its financial results and events that could materially affect the financial results of the Group. Regulators routinely review the financial statements of listed companies for compliance with new, revised or existing accounting and regulatory requirements. The Group believes that it complies with the appropriate regulatory requirements concerning our financial statements and disclosure of material information including any transactions relating to business restructuring such as acquisitions and divestitures. However, should we be subject to an investigation into potential non-compliance with accounting and disclosure requirements, this may lead to restatements of previously reported results and significant penalties.

Our Treasury group deals in high value transactions, mostly foreign exchange and cash management transactions, on a daily basis.

The Group's effective tax rate reflects rates of tax in the jurisdictions in which the Group operates that are both higher and lower than the UK rate and take into account regimes that encourage innovation and investment in science by providing tax incentives which, if changed, could affect the Group's tax rate.

The tax charge included in our financial statements is our best estimate of tax liability pending audits by tax authorities. The worldwide nature of our operations and cross-border supply routes can be complex and can lead to questions on tax audit.

There continues to be a significant international focus on tax reform, including the OECD's 'BEPS' project and European Commission initiatives such as the proposed 'anti-BEPS' Directive and the increased use of fiscal state aid investigations. Together with domestic initiatives around the world, these may result in significant changes to established tax principals and an increase in tax authority disputes. These, regardless of their merit or outcomes, can be costly, divert management attention and may adversely impact our reputation.

Third parties are critical to our business delivery and are an integral part of the solution to improve our productivity, quality, service and innovation. We rely on third-parties, including suppliers, distributors, individual contractors, licensees, and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology collaboration partners for discovery, manufacture, and marketing of our products and important business processes.

Third party business relationships present a material risk. For example, we share critical and sensitive information such as marketing plans, clinical data, and employee data with specific third parties who are conducting the relevant outsourced business operations. Inadequate protection or misuse of this information by third parties could have significant business impact. Similarly, we use distributors and agents in a range of activities such as promotion and tendering which have inherent risks such as inappropriate promotion or corruption. Insufficient internal compliance and controls by the distributors could affect our reputation. These risks are further increased by the complexities of working with large numbers of third parties.

Mitigating activities

The Group maintains a control environment designed to identify material errors in financial reporting and disclosure. The design and operating effectiveness of key financial reporting controls are regularly tested by management and via independent business monitoring. This provides us with the assurance that controls over key financial reporting and disclosure processes have operated effectively.

We keep up-to-date with the latest developments in financial reporting requirements by working with our external auditors and legal advisors.

There is shared accountability for financial results across our businesses. Financial results are reviewed and approved by regional management and then reviewed with the Financial Controller and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This allows our Financial Controller and our CFO to assess the evolution of the business over time, and to evaluate performance to plan. Significant judgments are reviewed and confirmed by senior management. Business reorganisations and newly acquired activities such as Novartis acquired businesses and Oncology divestitures are integrated into risk assessments and appropriate controls and reviews have been applied.

We introduced additional resources and monitoring to ensure that robust financial controls were maintained during 2015, effectively managing risks while the initial phase of integrating the former Novartis' businesses into our control and reporting framework were implemented, and the ongoing transformation and upgrade to our financial systems and processes continued. Additional risk mitigation was introduced by amending the programme timelines of the ongoing system upgrades.

The Group maintains a Disclosure Committee reporting to the Board, which reviews the Group's quarterly results and Annual Report and determines throughout the year, in consultation with its legal advisors, whether it is necessary to disclose publicly information about the Group through Stock Exchange announcements.

The Treasury Management Group (TMG) meets on a regular basis to seek to ensure that liquidity, interest rate, foreign currency transaction and foreign currency translation risks are all managed in line with the conservative approach as detailed in the associated risk strategies and policies which have been adopted by the Board.

Oversight of Treasury's role in managing counterparty risk in line with agreed policy is performed by a Corporate Compliance Officer (CCO), who operates independently of Treasury.

Further details on mitigation of Treasury Risks can be found on page 192, Note 41, 'Financial instruments and related disclosures'.

Tax risk is managed by a set of policies and procedures to seek to ensure consistency and compliance with tax legislation.

We seek to maintain open, positive relationships with governments and tax authorities worldwide. We monitor government debate on tax policy in our key jurisdictions to deal proactively with any potential future changes in tax law. We engage advisors and legal counsel to review tax legislation and the implications for our business. Where relevant we are active in providing relevant business input to tax policy makers.

A centralised team of dedicated specialists are responsible for managing transactional tax reporting and compliance.

We submit tax returns according to statutory time limits and engage with tax authorities to seek to ensure our tax affairs are current, entering into arrangements such as Continuous Audit Programmes and Advance Pricing Agreements to provide long-term certainty over tax treatment where appropriate. In exceptional cases where matters cannot be settled by agreement with tax authorities, we may have to resolve disputes through formal appeals or other proceedings.

Each business unit leadership team retains ultimate accountability for managing third party interactions and risks. When working with third parties, all GSK employees are expected to manage external interactions and commitments responsibly. This expectation is embedded in our values and code of conduct. It is our responsibility that all activities are performed safely and in compliance with applicable laws and GSK's values, standards and code of conduct.

To seek to guide and enforce our global principles for interactions with third parties we have in place a policy framework applicable to buying goods and services, managing our external spend, paying and working with our third parties. This policy framework applies to all employees and complementary workers worldwide. The framework is complemented by technical and local standards designed to seek to ensure alignment with the nature of third party interactions, such as good manufacturing practice and adherence to local laws and regulations. Independent business monitoring of key financial and operational controls is in place and is supplemented by periodic checks from the company's independent Audit & Assurance function.

Continuous monitoring and performance of third parties is enhanced through a Third Party Oversight team in the Global Ethics and Compliance organisation. This team commenced implementation of a global programme that takes an enterprise view of third party related risks, the programme is strengthening risk assessment and due diligence efforts on third parties and improving the overall management of our third party risks through the lifecycle of the third party engagement. Oversight for the programme is provided by the newly created global risk office within GSK's Global Ethics and Compliance group.

Anti-Bribery and Corruption

Risk definition

Failure to prevent GSK employees and third parties not complying with our ABAC principles and standards, as well as with all applicable legislation.

Risk impact

Failure to mitigate this risk could expose the Group and associated persons to governmental investigation, regulatory action and civil and criminal liability, as well as damage the Group's reputation, shareholder value, and our licence to operate in particular jurisdictions, all of which could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Context

We are exposed to bribery and corruption risk through our global business operations. In some markets, the government structure and the rule of law are less developed, and this has a bearing on our bribery and corruption risk exposure. In addition to the global nature of our business, the healthcare sector is highly competitive and subject to regulation. This increases the instances where we are exposed to activities and interactions with bribery and corruption risk.

The US and UK authorities are leading extra-territorial ABAC enquiries into certain of the Group's operations. These investigations are discussed further in Note 45 'Legal proceedings'.

Mitigating activities

Our Code of Conduct, values and behaviours and commitment to zero tolerance are integral to how we mitigate this risk. In light of the complexity and geographic breadth of this risk, we constantly enhance our oversight of activities and data, reinforce to our employees and contractors clear expectations regarding acceptable behaviours, and maintain on-going communications between the Group centre headquarters and local markets.

The Group has an enterprise-wide ABAC programme designed to respond to the threat and risk of bribery and corruption. It builds on the Group's values and existing standards to form a comprehensive and practical approach to compliance, and is flexible to the evolving nature of our business. For example, we scaled our acquisition ABAC due diligence specific to the 2015 Novartis transaction.

Our ABAC programme is supported by: top-level commitment from the Group Board of Directors and leadership throughout the business; ongoing risk assessment; a global ABAC policy; and written standards that address commercial and other practices that give rise to ABAC risk; due diligence of high risk third parties; ongoing training and communications; a confidential reporting line; monitoring of compliance and an investigations team. In addition, the programme mandates enhanced controls over interactions with government officials and when undertaking business development transactions. Programme governance is provided by the Group's ABAC Governance Board which includes representation from key functional areas and business units.

Additionally, we have a dedicated ABAC team responsible for the implementation and evolution of the programme in response to developments in the internal and external environment. This is complemented with ABAC investigations, ABAC Audit and Independent Business Monitoring teams which have separate reporting lines.

We continually benchmark our ABAC programme against other large multi-national companies and use external expertise to review and help improve elements of our ABAC programme. As a result of the China and other country investigations, the Group has increased resources in both its centrally located ABAC team as well as regional ABAC teams. During 2015, we also completed an ABAC review and reduced our presence in a number of high-risk markets.

Commercialisation

Risk definition

Failure to execute business strategies, or manage competitive opportunities or threats effectively and in accordance with the letter and spirit of legal, industry or company requirements.

Risk impact

Failure to manage risks related to commercialisation could materially and adversely affect our ability to grow a diversified global business and deliver more products of value.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations may result in governmental investigation, regulatory action and legal proceedings brought against the Group by governmental and private plaintiffs. Failure to provide accurate and complete information related to our products may result in incomplete awareness of the benefit:risk profile of our products and possibly suboptimal treatment of patients and consumers. Any of these consequences could materially and adversely affect the Group. Any practices that are found to be misaligned with our values could also result in reputational damage and dilute trust established with key stakeholders.

Context

We operate on a global basis in an industry that is both highly competitive and highly regulated. Our competitors may make significant product innovations and technical advances and may intensify price competition. In light of this competitive environment, continued development of commercially viable new products and the development of additional uses for existing products are critical to achieve our strategic objectives.

Developing new pharmaceutical, vaccine and consumer healthcare products is a costly, lengthy and uncertain process, however, and a product candidate may fail at any stage, including after significant Group economic and human resources have been invested. Our competitors' products or pricing strategies or any failure on our part to develop commercially successful products, or to develop additional uses for existing products, could materially and adversely affect our ability to achieve our strategic objectives.

We are committed to the ethical and responsible commercialisation of our products to support our mission to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer. To accomplish this mission, we engage the healthcare community in various ways to provide important information about our medicines.

Promotion of approved products seeks to ensure that HCPs globally have access to information they need, that patients and consumers have access to the products they need and that products are prescribed, recommended or used in a manner that provides the maximum healthcare benefit to patients and consumers. We are committed to communicating information related to our approved products in a responsible, legal, and ethical manner.

At times, researchers, HCPs, healthcare organisations (HCOs) and other external experts that we engage may be compensated for services and expertise provided. However, payments must not be excessive and must never be or be perceived to be an inducement or reward for prescribing or recommending our products. Consistent with our ABAC policies, they also must comply with a market's ABAC laws if the recipient of any payment is a government official.

In 2012, we paid $3 billion (1.9 billion) to resolve government investigations in the US focused in large part on promotional practices and in 2014 we paid RMB 3 billion (301 million), to resolve a government investigation in China focused on offering money or property to non-government personnel in order to obtain improper commercial gains.

Mitigating activities

Our strategic objectives are designed to ensure the Group achieves its mission of helping people do more, feel better and live longer. The Group continues to transform by strengthening our presence in key emerging markets, restructuring R&D, simplifying core business operations and reducing our manufacturing footprint. Our recent transaction with Novartis has helped further accelerate this pace of change, while strengthening our three core businesses: Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare.

These changes are allowing us to be more global and more relevant to the needs of the world. Our aim is to reach as many patients and consumers as we can, improving their health and wellbeing through the use of our products. How we deliver this goal is just as important as what we achieve. Our values provide a guide for how we lead and make decisions. We constantly strive to do the right thing and deliver quality products, seeking to ensure our behaviours reflect our values and the mission of our company.

The Corporate Executive Team has set out their shared objectives which describe the most important priorities we need to deliver across the Group and a set of enterprise-wide projects which are critical to achieving these objectives. The strategic objectives are cascaded throughout the Group to ensure enterprise-wide alignment. Processes are in place to regularly review achievement towards these objectives.

We have taken action at all levels of the Group to enhance and improve standards and procedures for promotional interactions, based on our values of transparency, respect, integrity and patient focus. We have policies and standards governing promotional activities undertaken by the Group or on its behalf. All of these activities we conduct worldwide must conform to high ethical, regulatory, and industry standards. Where local standards differ from global standards, the more stringent of the two applies.

The Group has harmonised policies and procedures to guide above country Commercial Practices processes as well as clarified applicable standards when engaging in the markets. Commercial Practices activities have oversight from both business unit Risk Management and Compliance Boards (RMCBs) and Country Executive Boards (CEBs) that manage risks across in-country business activities.

All promotional materials and activities must be reviewed and approved according to the Group's policies and standards, and conducted in accordance with local laws and regulations, to seek to ensure that these materials and activities fairly represent the products or services of the Group. When necessary, we have disciplined (up to and including termination) employees who have engaged in misconduct and have broadened our ability to claw back remuneration from senior management in the event of misconduct.

In 2015, GSK also implemented globally changes already made in the US to the compensation model for sales professionals and their managers who interact with HCPs. The changes eliminate rewards based on sales or market shares in individuals' territories in favour of rewards based on the quality of the individuals' interactions with healthcare professionals. Starting in 2016, GSK will implement its prior commitment to stop paying HCPs to deliver promotional presentations for GSK or directly to sponsor their travel to medical educational conferences.

Research practices

Risk definition

Failure adequately to conduct ethical and sound preclinical and clinical research. In addition, failure to engage in scientific activities that are consistent with the letter and spirit of the law, industry, or the Group's requirements.

Risk impact

The impacts of the risk include harm to patients, reputational damage, failure to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals for our products, governmental investigation, legal proceedings brought against the Group by governmental and private plaintiffs (product liability suits and claims for damages), and regulatory action such as fines, penalties or loss of product authorisation. Any of these consequences could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Context

Research relating to animals can raise ethical concerns. While we attempt to proactively address this, animal studies remain a vital part of our research. In many cases, they are the only method that can be used to investigate the effects of a potential new medicine in a living body before it is tested in humans, and they are generally mandated by regulators and ethically imperative. Animal research can provide critical information about the causes of diseases and how they develop. Some countries require additional animal testing even when medicines have been approved for use elsewhere.

Clinical trials in healthy volunteers and patients are used to assess and demonstrate an investigational product's efficacy and safety or further evaluate the product once it has been approved for marketing. We also work with human biological samples. These samples are fundamental to the discovery, development and safety monitoring of our products.

The integrity of our data is essential to success in all stages of the research data lifecycle: design, generation, recording and management, analysis, reporting and storage and retrieval. Our research data is governed by legislation and regulatory requirements.

Research data and supporting documents are core components at various stages of pipeline progression decision-making and also form the content of regulatory submissions. Poor data integrity can compromise our research efforts.

There are innate complexities and interdependencies required for regulatory filings, particularly given our global research and development footprint. Rapid changes in submission requirements in developing countries continue to increase the complexity of worldwide product registration.

Scientific Engagement (SE) is an essential part of scientific discourse defined as the interaction and exchange of information between GSK and external communities in order to advance scientific and medical understanding, including the appropriate development and use of our products. Such non-promotional engagement with external stakeholder groups is vital to GSK's mission and necessary for scientific and medical advance.

The scope of SE activities includes: advisory boards; scientific consultancies; pre-planned informal discussions with Healthcare Professionals (HCP); sharing medical information; publications (including abstracts to congresses); scientific interactions with payers, patients, governments and the media; and support for Independent Medical Education. Non-independent educational activities are covered by Commercial Practices (CP).

SE activities are essential but present legal, regulatory, and reputational risk if the sharing of data, invited media coverage or payments for service providers has, or is perceived to have, inappropriate promotional intent. The risks are particularly high where HCP engagement and associated Financial and/or Transfer of Value disclosures are required by GSK.

Mitigating activities

We established an Office of Animal Welfare, Ethics and Strategy (OAWES), led by the Chief of Animal Welfare, Ethics and Strategy, to seek to ensure the humane and responsible care of animals and increase the knowledge and application of non-animal alternatives for the Group. OAWES embeds a framework of animal welfare governance, promotes application of 3Rs (replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research), explores opportunities for cross-industry data sharing, and conducts quality assessments.

We report the results of our human subject research for our medicines and vaccines on our publicly accessible clinical study register website, on government-required repositories, and we submit human research results as manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals. During 2015, we disclosed over 450 Clinical Study Reports of marketed and terminated medicines (once the research results were published in the scientific literature) on our register, bringing the total reports available to over 550. By the end of 2015, we listed over 1,700 clinical trials on the GSK online system, www.clinicalstudydatarequest.com, and have completed our commitment to list completed global studies conducted since the formation of GSK in 2000. The online system allows researchers to request access to anonymised patient-level data from the Group's clinical trials after the medicine has been approved or terminated and the trial has been published.

We have a Global Human Biological Samples Management (HBSM) governance framework in place to oversee the ethical and lawful acquisition and management of human biological samples. Our global HBSM network champions HBSM activities and provides an experienced group to support internal Sample Custodians on best practice.

It remains an important priority to enhance our data integrity controls. During 2015 we began work on a new written standard to seek to ensure the integrity of our data across Research and Development (R&D). A Data Integrity Committee was in place throughout the year to provide oversight and a Data Integrity Quality Assurance team began conducting assessments intended to provide independent business monitoring of our internal controls for R&D activities.

The Chief Regulatory Officer oversees the activities of the Regulatory Governance Board which includes promoting compliance with regulatory requirements and Group-wide standards, making regulatory services more efficient and agile, and further aligning regulatory capabilities with our international business needs at the enterprise and local levels.

The Group strictly prohibits promotional practices prior to marketing authorisation, and care is taken to seek to ensure that Scientific Engagement activity is not perceived to be promotional.

Specific accountability and authorisation for Scientific Engagement resides within the Medical Governance framework that is overseen by the Medical Governance Executive Committee (MGEC), accountable to the Chief Medical Officer. MGEC is responsible for oversight of applicable Policies and seeking to ensure the highest level of integrity and continuous development of Scientific Engagement at GSK. This framework seeks to ensure the right level of accountability and clear programme guidance above country across R&D business units and in Local Operating Companies (LOC).

The Group takes an integrated approach to managing both Scientific Engagement and Commercial Practices related risks, including a combined guidance document for Promotional Code and Scientific Engagement standards. In this way, those considerations and risks that are common to both Scientific Engagement and Commercial Practices such as ABAC and Healthcare Professionals (HCP) engagements are managed in the right context and in one place to seek to ensure clarity and clear lines of accountability.

Environment, health and safety and sustainability

Risk definition

Failure to manage EHSS risks in line with our objectives and policies and with relevant laws and regulations.

Risk impact

Failure to manage EHSS risks could lead to significant harm to people, the environment and communities in which we operate, fines, failure to meet stakeholder expectations and regulatory requirements, litigation or regulatory action, and damage to the Group's reputation and could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Context

The Group is subject to health, safety and environmental laws of various jurisdictions. These laws impose duties to protect people, the environment and the communities in which we operate as well as potential obligations to remediate contaminated sites. We have also been identified as a potentially responsible party under the US Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act at a number of sites for remediation costs relating to our use or ownership of such sites. Failure to manage these environmental risks properly could result in litigation, regulatory action and additional remedial costs that may materially and adversely affect our financial results. See Note 45 to the financial statements, 'Legal proceedings', for a discussion of the environmental related proceedings in which we are involved. We routinely accrue amounts related to our liabilities for such matters.

Mitigating activities

The Corporate Executive Team is responsible for EHSS governance for the Group under a global policy. Under that policy, the CET seeks to ensure there is a control framework in place to manage the risks, impacts and legal compliance issues that relate to EHSS and for assigning responsibility to senior managers for providing and maintaining those controls. Individual managers seek to ensure that the EHSS control framework is effective and well implemented in their respective business area and that it is fully compliant with all applicable laws and regulations, adequately resourced, maintained, communicated, and monitored. Additionally, each employee is personally responsible for ensuring that all applicable local standard operating procedures are followed and expected to take responsibility for EHSS matters.

Our risk-based, proactive approach is articulated in our refreshed Global EHS Standards which support our EHSS policy and objective to discover, develop, manufacture, supply and sell our products without harming people or the environment. In addition to the design and provision of safe facilities, plant and equipment, we operate rigorous procedures that help us eliminate hazards where practicable and protect employees' health and well-being.

Through our continuing efforts to improve environmental sustainability we have reduced our value chain carbon intensity per pack, water consumption and waste generation. We actively manage our environmental remediation obligations and seek to ensure practices are environmentally sustainable and compliant.

Our EHSS performance results are shared with the public each year in our Responsible Business Supplement.

Information protection

Risk definition

Failure to protect and maintain access to critical or sensitive computer systems or information.

Risk impact

Failure to adequately protect critical and sensitive systems and information may result in loss of commercial or strategic advantage, damage to our reputation, litigation, or other business disruption including regulatory sanction, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results.

Context

We rely on critical and sensitive systems and data, such as corporate strategic plans, sensitive personally identifiable information, intellectual property, manufacturing systems and trade secrets. There is the potential that malicious or careless actions expose our computer systems or information to misuse or unauthorised disclosure.

Several GSK employees were indicted for theft of GSK research information. While the charges against the individuals are concerning, based on what we know, we do not believe this breach has had any material impact on the company's R&D activity or ongoing business. GSK is conducting a full internal review into what occurred, and planning to continue to enhance the multiple layers of data protection that we already have in place.

Mitigating activities

The Group has a global information protection policy that is supported through a dedicated programme of activity. To increase our focus on information security, the Group established the Information Protection & Privacy function to provide strategy, direction, and oversight while enhancing our global information security capabilities.

We assess changes in our information protection risk environment through briefings by government agencies, subscription to commercial threat intelligence services and knowledge sharing with other Pharmaceutical and cross-industry companies.

We aim to use industry best practices as part of our information security policies, processes and technologies and invest in strategies that are commensurate with the changing nature of the security threat landscape.

We are also subject to various laws that govern the processing of Personally Identifiable Information (Pll). the Group's Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) have been approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office for human resource and research activities data. BCRs have been signed by 23 European states allowing us transfer PII internationally between the Group's entities without individual privacy agreements in each European Union country.

Crisis and continuity management

Risk definition

Failure to deliver a continuous supply of compliant finished product; inability to recover and sustain critical operations, including key supply chains, following a disruption, or to respond to a crisis incident, in a timely manner.

Risk impact

We recognise that failure to supply of our products can adversely impact consumers and patients who rely on them. A material interruption of supply or exclusion from healthcare programmes could expose us to litigation or regulatory action, incurring of fines or disgorgement and materially and adversely affect the Group's financial results. The Group's international operations, and those of its partners, maintain a vast global footprint also expose our workforce, facilities, operations and information technology to potential disruption resulting from a natural event (e.g. storm or earthquake), a man-made event (e.g. civil unrest, terrorism), or a global emergency (e.g. Ebola outbreak, Flu pandemic). It is important for GSK to have robust crisis management and recovery plans in place to manage such events.

Context

Our supply chain operations are subject to review and approval by various regulatory agencies that effectively provide our licence to operate. Failure by our manufacturing and distribution facilities or by suppliers of key services and materials could lead to litigation or regulatory action such as product recalls and seizures, interruption of supply, delays in the approval of new products, and suspension of manufacturing operations pending resolution of manufacturing or logistics issues.

Materials and services provided by third-party suppliers are necessary for the commercial production of our products, including active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), antigens, intermediates, commodities and components necessary for the manufacture and packaging of many of our Pharmaceutical, Vaccine and Consumer Healthcare products. Some of the third-party services procured, such as services provided by contract manufacturing organisations and clinical research organisations to support development of key products, are important to ensure continuous operation of our businesses. Although we undertake business continuity planning, single sourcing of certain components, bulk API, finished products, and services creates a risk of failure of supply in the event of regulatory non-compliance or physical disruption at the manufacturing sites or logistics system.

The failure of a small number of single-source, third-party suppliers or service providers to fulfil their contractual obligations in a timely manner or as a result of regulatory non-compliance or physical disruption of logistics and manufacturing sites may result in delays or service interruptions.

Through effective crisis management and business continuity planning we are committed to providing for the health and safety of our people, minimising damage and impact to the Group, and maintaining functional operations following a natural or man-made disaster, or a public health emergency.

Mitigating activities

Our supply chain model is designed to seek to ensure the supply, quality and security of our products globally. We closely monitor, through the Supply Chain Governance Committees, the inventory status and delivery of our products to seek to ensure that our customers have the medicines, vaccines and products they need.

The improved linkage between commercial forecasting and manufacturing made possible by our Core Commercial Cycle methodology should over time, decrease the risk associated with demand fluctuations impacting our ability to supply or write-offs associated with product exceeding expiry dating. During 2015, each node of the supply chain was optimised to seek to ensure adequate safety stock while balancing working capital associated with the end-to-end supply chain.

Safety stocks and backup supply arrangements for medically-critical and high-revenue products are in place to help mitigate this risk. In addition, the compliance of manufacturing external suppliers is routinely monitored in order to identify and manage supply base risks. Where practical, dependencies on single sources of critical items are removed. Our reliance on single source components has been further reduced for certain key products through qualification of alternative materials that will help improve supply chain robustness. In cases, where dual sourcing is not possible, an inventory strategy has been developed to protect the supply chain from unanticipated disruption.

We continued to implement anti-counterfeit systems such as product serialisation in accordance with emerging supply chain requirements around the world.

CCM governance for the Group is set forth in a global policy. Under that policy, each business unit and functional area head ('BU') ensures effective crisis management and business continuity plans are in place that include authorised response and recovery strategies, key areas of responsibility and clear communication routes before a business disruption occurs. Additionally, each BU is represented on a CCM governance board which performs risk oversight and provides vital information to the CCM programme team regarding new threats, acquisitions or significant business or organisational changes.

A dedicated team of CCM experts supports the business. Their responsibilities include: chairing the governance board; coordinating crisis management and business continuity training; facilitating exercises and monitoring to provide for global consistency and alignment; and centrally storing and monitoring updates for plans supporting our critical business processes. These activities help ensure an appropriate level of readiness and response capability is maintained. We also develop and maintain partnerships with external bodies like the Business Continuity Institute and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction which helps improve our business continuity initiatives in disaster prone areas and supports the development of community resilience to disasters.

We continue to evaluate the implications for our business of a possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. While the UK leaving the EU would create uncertainty and potentially add complexity to a wide range of our business activities, we do not currently believe that there would be a material adverse impact on the Group's results in the longer term.

We continually improve our CCM risk management programme and tools based on learning from plan activations. For example, the Group has implemented a global system that provides GSK leaders with access to the vital information they need to effectively respond to disruptions and for monitoring the status of their preparedness and response capability. We regularly solicit and take recommendations for improvements from many different sources/suppliers charged with the responsibility for assisting in managing GSK's risks and introduce new tools to improve our CCM practices.

ii) Directors' responsibility statement

Each of the current Directors, whose names and functions are listed below, confirms that, to the best of his or her knowledge:

1) the Group financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU and IFRS as issued by the IASB, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Group; and

2) the Strategic Report and risk sections of the Annual Report include a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that it faces.

Name Function Sir Philip Hampton Non-Executive Chairman Sir Andrew Witty Chief Executive Officer Simon Dingemans Chief Financial Officer Dr Moncef Slaoui Chairman, Global Vaccines Professor Sir Roy Anderson Non-Executive Director Vindi Banga Non-Executive Director Dr Stephanie Burns Non-Executive Director Stacey Cartwright Non-Executive Director Lynn Elsenhans Non-Executive Director Dr Jesse Goodman Non-Executive Director Judy Lewent Non-Executive Director Sir Deryck Maughan Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Dr Daniel Podolsky Non-Executive Director Urs Rohner Non-Executive Director Hans Wijers Non-Executive Director




FORM 6-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Report of Foreign Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of March 2016

Commission File Number: 001-15002

ICICI Bank Limited

(Translation of registrants name into English)

ICICI Bank Towers,

Bandra-Kurla Complex

Mumbai, India 400 051

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file

annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F X Form 40-F

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K

in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):

Yes No X

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K

in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):

Yes No X

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information

contained in this Form, the Registrant is also thereby furnishing the

information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b)

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

Yes No X

If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in

connection with Rule 12g 3-2(b): Not Applicable

Table of Contents

Item 1. Postal Ballot Notice sent to equity shareholders 2. Postal Ballot Form sent to equity shareholders 3. Legend attached to the Notice sent to ADS holders

OTHER NEWS

Subject- Approval of Members through Postal Ballot

IBN

ICICI Bank Limited (the Company) Report on Form 6-K

In terms of the requirements of the Indian listing regulations, we have sent to the Indian stock exchanges the Postal Ballot notice and Postal Ballot Form being sent to the equity shareholders of the Bank to seek their approval for passing the following Resolutions by way of Postal Ballot:

1. Ordinary Resolution for appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as an Independent Director.

2. Ordinary Resolution for appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as a Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman for a period of three years effective July 1, 2015.

3. Ordinary Resolution for appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Director.

4. Ordinary Resolution for appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Wholetime Director (designated as Executive Director) for a period of five years effective January 19, 2016.

5. Special Resolution for amendment to Employees Stock Option Scheme.

We are enclosing for your information and records a copy of the postal ballot notice and postal ballot form being sent to equity shareholders of the Bank and as sent to the Indian stock exchanges. We would like to add that the postal ballot notice is being sent to the American Depository Shares (ADS) holders as well for informational purpose alongwith an additional legend to the effect that the notice is being provided to the ADS holders for informational purposes only. A copy of the legend is enclosed.

The Postal Ballot Form and Postal Ballot Notice is uploaded on the website of the Bank www.icicibank.com .

ICICI Bank Limited ICICI Bank Towers Bandra-Kurla Complex Mumbai 400 051, India. Tel.: (91-22) 2653 1414 Fax: (91-22) 2653 1122 Website www.icicibank.com CIN.: L65190GJ1994PLC021012 Regd. Office: Landmark Race Course Circle, Vadodara 390007. India

Item 1

ICICI Bank Limited

CIN: L65190GJ1994PLC021012

Registered Office: Landmark, Race Course Circle, Vadodara 390 007, Phone: 0265-3263701

Corporate Office: ICICI Bank Towers, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai 400 051, Phone: 022-26538900, Fax: 022-26531230

Website: www.icicibank.com , E-mail: [email protected]

POSTAL BALLOT NOTICE

Dear Member(s),

Notice is hereby given pursuant to the provisions of Section 110 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act) read with Companies (Management & Administration) Rules, 2014, as amended, that the resolutions appended below are proposed to be passed by the Members through postal ballot/electronic voting (e-voting). Members desiring to opt for e-voting as per facilities arranged by ICICI Bank Limited (the Bank) are requested to read the instructions in the Notes under the section Voting through electronic means.

The Board of Directors of the Bank have appointed Mr. Alwyn Dsouza of Alwyn Dsouza & Co., Company Secretaries as the Scrutinizer for conducting the Postal Ballot process in a fair and transparent manner. Members desiring to exercise their vote by Postal Ballot are requested to carefully read the instructions printed on the Postal Ballot Form and return the same duly completed in the enclosed self-addressed Business Reply Envelope. Postage will be borne and paid by the Bank. Postal Ballot Form(s), if sent by courier or by registered post/speed post at the expense of the Member(s) will also be accepted. The Postal Ballot Form(s) may also be deposited personally at the address given thereon. The duly completed Postal Ballot Form(s) should reach the Scrutinizer not later than 5:00 p.m. IST on Friday, April 22, 2016 to be eligible for being considered, failing which, it will be strictly treated as if no reply has been received from the Member.

The Scrutinizer will submit his report to the Chairman or any other Director of the Bank after the completion of the scrutiny of the Postal Ballots (including e-voting). The result of Postal Ballot shall be declared on Monday, April 25, 2016 on or before 5:00 p.m. IST and be displayed at the Registered Office as well as the Corporate Office of the Bank, communicated to the Stock Exchanges and would also be uploaded on the Banks website at www.icicibank.com and on the website of National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) at www.nsdl.co.in.

Item No. 1  Appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as an Independent Director

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, the following Resolution as an Ordinary Resolution:

RESOLVED THAT Mr. M. K. Sharma, (DIN: 00327684) in respect of whom the Bank has received a notice in writing under Section 160 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act) along with deposit of Rs. 100,000 from a Member proposing his candidature for the office of Director and whose appointment as a Director has been previously approved by Reserve Bank of India, be and is hereby appointed as a Director of the Bank not liable to retire by rotation.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT pursuant to the provisions of Section 149, 152 and other applicable provisions, if any of the Act and rules made thereunder, the appointment of Mr. Sharma as an Independent Director of the Bank, not liable to retire by rotation, be and is hereby approved for a term of three consecutive years from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018.

Item No. 2  Appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, the following Resolution as an Ordinary Resolution:

RESOLVED THAT pursuant to the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act) and the rules made thereunder, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (including any modification(s) or re-enactment(s) thereof), and pursuant to the approval already granted by Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as an Independent Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman of the Bank effective July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018 on the following terms and conditions be and is hereby approved:

(i) a remuneration in the range of Rs. 3,000,000 - Rs. 5,000,000 per annum during his tenure with the remuneration for each year to be determined by the Board within the limit of the overall annual remuneration, with the annual remuneration being Rs. 3,000,000 per annum for the first year of his term, which amount has been approved by RBI.

(ii) Mr. Sharma also be entitled to payment of sitting fees, maintenance of a Chairmans office at the Banks expense, free use of Banks car for official purposes, bearing of expenses by the Bank for travel on official visits and participation in various forums (both in India and abroad) as Chairman of the Bank and bearing of travel/halting/other expenses & allowances by the Bank for attending to his duties as Chairman of the Bank.

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RESOLVED FURTHER THAT the Board (also deemed to include any Committee of the Board) be and is hereby authorised to do all such acts, deeds, matters and things including the power to settle all questions or difficulties that may arise with regard to the said appointment as it may deem fit and to execute any agreements, documents, instructions, etc. as may be necessary or desirable in connection with or incidental to give effect to the aforesaid resolution.

Item No. 3  Appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Director

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, the following Resolution as an Ordinary Resolution:

RESOLVED THAT Ms. Vishakha Mulye, (DIN: 00203578) in respect of whom the Bank has received notice in writing under Section 160 of the Companies Act, 2013 along with deposit of Rs. 100,000 from a Member proposing her candidature for the office of Director be and is hereby appointed as a Director of the Bank, liable to retire by rotation.

Item No. 4 - Appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Wholetime Director (designated as Executive Director)

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, the following Resolution as an Ordinary Resolution:

RESOLVED THAT pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act) and the rules made thereunder, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (including any statutory modification(s) or re-enactment(s) thereof), the appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye (DIN: 00203578) as a Wholetime Director (designated as Executive Director) of the Bank for a period of five years effective January 19, 2016 to January 18, 2021 on the following terms and conditions be and is hereby approved:

Salary:

In the range of Rs. 950,000 to Rs. 1,700,000 per month.

Perquisites:

Perquisites (evaluated as per Income-tax Rules, wherever applicable, and at actual cost to the Bank) such as the benefit of the Banks furnished accommodation, gas, electricity, water and furnishings, club fees, personal insurance, use of car and telephone at residence or reimbursement of expenses in lieu thereof, payment of income-tax on perquisites by the Bank to the extent permissible under the Income-tax Act, 1961 and rules framed thereunder, medical reimbursement, leave and leave travel concession, education benefits, provident fund, superannuation fund, gratuity and other retirement benefits, in accordance with the scheme(s) and rule(s) applicable from time to time. In line with the staff loan policy applicable to specified grades of employees who fulfill prescribed eligibility criteria to avail loans for purchase of residential property, the whole time directors are also eligible for housing loans subject to approval of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Supplementary Allowance:

In the range of Rs. 675,000 to Rs. 1,225,000 per month.

Bonus:

An amount up to the maximum limit permitted under RBI guidelines or any modifications thereof, as may be determined by the Board or any Committee thereof, based on achievement of such performance parameters as may be laid down by the Board or any Committee thereof, and subject to such other approvals as may be necessary.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT the Board or a Committee thereof be and is hereby authorised to decide the remuneration (salary, perquisites and bonus) payable to Ms. Mulye and her designation during her tenure as a Wholetime Director of the Bank within the terms mentioned above, subject to the approval of RBI from time to time.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT in the event of absence or inadequacy of net profits in any financial year, the remuneration payable to Ms. Mulye shall be governed by Section II of Part II of Schedule V of the Act and rules made thereunder, as amended from time to time.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT the Board (also deemed to include any Committee of the Board) be and is hereby authorised to do all such acts, deeds, matters and things including the power to settle all questions or difficulties that may arise with regard to the said appointment as it may deem fit and to execute any agreements, documents, instructions, etc. as may be necessary or desirable in connection with or incidental to give effect to the aforesaid resolution.

Item No. 5  Amendment to the Employees Stock Option Scheme

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass, the following Resolution as a Special Resolution:

RESOLVED THAT in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Share Based Employee Benefits) Regulations, 2014 and ICICI Bank Employees Stock Option Scheme 2000 (Scheme) as amended from time to time and subject to such other approvals as may be required, approval of the Members be and is hereby accorded to amend the definition of Exercise

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Period in the Scheme from Exercise Period means the period commencing from the date of vesting of Options and ending on the later of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of grant of Options or (ii) the fifth anniversary of the date of vesting of Options to Exercise Period means the period commencing from the date of vesting of Options and ending on the tenth anniversary of the date of vesting of Options.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT the above definition of Exercise Period be made applicable to all unexpired grants as on date of approval of the said resolution and the same would also cover individuals not in the services of the Bank but who have retired and continue to be covered by the Scheme including employees of subsidiaries and any other grantees who continue to be covered by the Scheme.

RESOLVED FURTHER THAT for the purpose of giving effect to the above resolution the Board or Board Governance, Remuneration & Nomination Committee of the Board be and is hereby authorised on behalf of the Bank to do all such acts, deeds, matters and things as it may, in its absolute discretion, deem necessary or desirable for such purpose and with power on behalf of the Bank to settle all questions, difficulties or doubts that may arise in regard to implementation of the resolution including but not limited to determination of eligibility or otherwise of employees of the Bank or subsidiaries or any other grantees who continue to be covered by the Scheme to the benefits extended under the Scheme.

NOTES:

1. The relevant Explanatory Statement pursuant to the provisions of Section 102(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 in respect of the aforesaid items set out in the Notice is annexed hereto.

2. The Postal Ballot Notice is being sent to the Members whose names appear on the Register of Members/List of Beneficial Owners as received from NSDL and Central Depository Services (India) Limited (CDSL) as on March 11, 2016. The Postal Ballot Notice is being sent to Members in electronic form to the e-mail IDs registered with their Depository Participant (in case of electronic shareholding)/the Banks Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTA) (in case of physical shareholding). In case of Members whose e-mail ID is not registered, physical copy of Postal Ballot Notice and Form is being sent by permitted mode alongwith a postage pre-paid self-addressed Business Reply Envelope (BRE).

3. The Members whose name appears on the Register of Members/List of Beneficial Owners as on March 11, 2016 will be considered for the purpose of voting.

4. Resolutions passed by the Members through Postal Ballot are deemed to have been passed as if the same have been passed at a General Meeting of the Members.

5. The Members can opt for only one mode of voting, i.e., either by physical ballot form or e-voting. In case Members cast their votes through both the modes, voting done by e-voting shall prevail and votes cast through physical postal ballot form will be treated as invalid.

6. In case a Member is desirous of obtaining a duplicate copy of a Postal Ballot Form, he/she may send an e-mail to [email protected] The RTA/Bank shall forward the same along with postage pre-paid self-addressed BRE to the Member.

7. Voting through electronic means:

In compliance with Regulation 44 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 and Section 108, 110 and other applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the related rules, the Bank is pleased to provide e-voting facility to all its Members, to enable them to cast their votes electronically instead of dispatching the physical Postal Ballot Form by post. The Bank has engaged the services of NSDL for the purpose of providing e-voting facility to all its Members.

a. The instructions for e-voting are as under:

i. Members whose e-mail IDs are registered with the RTA/Depository Participant(s) will receive an e-mail from NSDL informing the User-ID and Password/PIN.

1. Open e-mail and open PDF file viz; ICICI Bank e-voting.pdf with your Client ID or Folio No. as password. The said PDF file contains your user ID and password for e-voting. Please note that the password is an initial password.

2. Launch internet browser by typing the following URL: https://www.evoting.nsdl.com .

3. Click on Shareholder  Login.

4. Enter the user ID and password/PIN as initial password noted in step (1) above. Click Login.

5. Password change menu appears. Change the password/PIN with new password of your choice with minimum 8 digits/characters or combination thereof. Note new password. It is strongly recommended not to share your password with any other person and take utmost care to keep your password confidential.

6. Home page of e-voting opens. Click on e-voting: Active Voting Cycles.

7. Select EVEN (E-Voting Event Number) of ICICI Bank Limited.

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8. Now you are ready for e-voting as Cast Vote page opens.

9. Cast your vote by selecting appropriate option and click on Submit and also Confirm when prompted.

10. Upon confirmation, the message Vote cast successfully will be displayed.

11. Once you have voted on the resolution, you will not be allowed to modify your vote.

12. Institutional Members (i.e. other than individuals, HUF, NRI etc.) are required to send scanned copy (PDF/JPG Format) of the relevant Board Resolution/Authority letter etc. together with attested specimen signature of the duly authorised signatory(ies) who are authorised to vote, to the Scrutinizer through e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected] with a copy marked to [email protected]

ii. For Members whose e-mail IDs are not registered with the RTA/Depository Participant(s) and who receive the physical Postal Ballot Forms, the following instructions may be noted:

a. Initial password is provided as below/at the bottom of the Postal Ballot Form:

EVEN (E-Voting Event Number) USER ID PASSWORD/PIN

b. Please follow all steps from Sr. No. 1 to Sr. No. 12 of (i) above, to cast vote.

b. In case of any queries/grievances, you may refer the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Members and e-voting user manual for Members available at the downloads section of www.evoting.nsdl.com or may contact on the NSDL toll free no. 1800 222 990.

c. Login to the e-voting website will be disabled upon five unsuccessful attempts to key in the correct password. In such an event, you will need to go through the 'Forgot Password' option available on the site to reset the password.

d. If you are already registered with NSDL for e-voting then you can use your existing user ID and password/PIN for casting your vote.

e. You can also update your mobile number and e-mail id in the user profile details of the folio which may be used for sending future communication(s).

f. The e-voting period commences on Thursday, March 24, 2016 (9:00 a.m. IST) and ends on Friday, April 22, 2016 (5:00 p.m. IST). During this period Members of the Bank, holding shares either in physical form or in dematerialised form, as on the relevant date (record date) of March 11, 2016 may cast their vote electronically. The e-voting module shall be disabled by NSDL for voting thereafter. Once the vote on a resolution is cast by the Member, the Member shall not be allowed to change it subsequently.

g. The voting rights of Members shall be in proportion to their share of the paid-up equity share capital of the Bank as on the relevant date (record date) of March 11, 2016 subject to the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

8. All the material documents referred to in the Notice will be made available for inspection by the Members at the registered office of the Bank during working hours on any working day upto April 22, 2016.

For and behalf of the Board of Directors

P. Sanker

Senior General Manager (Legal) &

Company Secretary

Mumbai, March 10, 2016

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 102(1) OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2013

Item Nos. 1 and 2

The Board at its Meeting held on June 9, 2015 and subject to the approval of Members and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and based on the declaration of independence submitted by Mr. M. K. Sharma, appointed Mr. Sharma as an Additional Director, Independent Director and Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman of the Board effective from July 1, 2015 or the date of receipt of approval from RBI, whichever is later on the following terms and conditions:

(i) a remuneration in the range of Rs. 3,000,000 - Rs. 5,000,000 per annum during his tenure with the remuneration for each year to be determined by the Board within the limit of the overall annual remuneration, with the annual remuneration being Rs. 3,000,000 per annum for the first year of his term.

(ii) Payment of sitting fees, maintenance of a Chairmans office at the Banks expense, free use of Banks car for official purposes, bearing of expenses by the Bank for travel on official visits and participation in various forums (both in India and abroad) as Chairman of the Bank and bearing of travel/halting/other expenses & allowances by the Bank for attending to his duties as Chairman of the Bank.

Pursuant to an application made by the Bank, RBI vide its letter dated June 30, 2015 approved the appointment of Mr. Sharma as Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman for three years effective July 1, 2015 upto June 30, 2018 at a remuneration of Rs. 3,000,000 per annum as well as other terms as mentioned in (ii) above.

In terms of Section 160 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act), the Bank has received a notice from a Member along with requisite deposit of Rs. 100,000 signifying intention to propose Mr. Sharma as a candidate for the office of Director of the Bank.

In the opinion of the Board, Mr. Sharma fulfills the conditions specified in the Act and Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (Listing Regulations) for appointment as an Independent Director of the Bank. In the opinion of the Board, Mr. Sharma is a person of integrity and has the necessary knowledge, experience and expertise for being appointed as an Independent Director. The required details in terms of Regulation 36(3) of the Listing Regulations is provided herein after.

Your Directors recommend the resolutions at Item Nos. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Notice for approval of the Members of the Bank.

None of the Directors, Key Managerial Personnel of the Bank and their relatives, other than Mr. Sharma, are concerned/interested, financially or otherwise, in the passing of these resolutions.

The copy of the approval granted by RBI and the terms and conditions relating to the appointment and remuneration of Mr. Sharma as an Independent Director and NonExecutive (part-time) Chairman of the Bank, would be available for inspection at the Registered Office of the Bank on all working days from 11:00 a.m. IST to 1:00 p.m. IST upto April 22, 2016.

Item Nos. 3 and 4

The Board at its Meeting held on November 16, 2015 subject to approval of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Ms. Vishakha Mulye as an Additional Director, designated as Executive Director of the Bank for a period of five years effective from the date of approval by RBI. RBI vide its letter dated January 15, 2016 approved her appointment as Executive Director for a period of three years effective from the date of her taking charge as Executive Director. The Board recorded the date of Ms. Mulye taking charge as Executive Director as January 19, 2016.

In terms of Section 160 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the Act), the Bank has received a notice from a Member along with requisite deposit of Rs. 100,000 signifying intention to propose Ms. Mulye as a candidate for the office of Director of the Bank. Pursuant to the approval granted by the Board at its Meeting held on November 16, 2015 Ms. Mulyes appointment is proposed for a period of five years effective January 19, 2016 to January 18, 2021 on the terms as mentioned in the resolution. RBI has initially approved the appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye for a period of three years effective January 19, 2016 on expiry of which the Bank would seek approval of RBI for the remaining period of two years. The required details in terms of Regulation 36(3) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 is provided herein after.

Your Directors recommend the resolutions at Item Nos. 3 and 4 of the accompanying Notice for approval of the Members of the Bank.

None of the Directors, Key Managerial Personnel of the Bank and their relatives, other than Ms. Mulye, are concerned/interested, financially or otherwise, in the passing of these resolutions.

The copy of the approval granted by RBI and the terms and conditions relating to the appointment and remuneration of Ms. Mulye as a Wholetime Director (designated as Executive Director), would be available for inspection at the Registered Office of the Bank on all working days from 11:00 a.m. IST to 1:00 p.m. IST upto April 22, 2016.

5

Item No. 5

With a view to attract talent, enhance employee motivation and retention and in order to enable the employees to participate in the long term growth and financial success of the Bank, the Employees Stock Option Scheme  2000 (Scheme) was framed by the Board to grant stock options to employees in accordance with the then applicable guidelines namely, SEBI (Employee Stock Option Scheme and Employees Stock Purchase Scheme) Guidelines, 1999. The said scheme was duly approved by the Members at their Meetings held on February 21, 2000 and September 20, 2004.

The present governing guidelines for the Scheme are the SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits) Regulations, 2014 (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations). The 1999 guidelines as well as the Regulations define Exercise Period as the time period after vesting within which an employee should exercise his right to apply for shares against the vested options in terms of the Scheme covered under the Regulations. The Banks Scheme defines Exercise Period as the period commencing from the date of vesting of Options and ending on the later of (i) the tenth anniversary of the date of grant of Options or (ii) the fifth anniversary of the date of vesting of Options. The Board at its Meeting held on March 9, 2016 amended the definition of Exercise Period in the Scheme as Exercise Period means the period commencing from the date of vesting of Options and ending on the tenth anniversary of the date of vesting of Options.

The change in definition of Exercise Period by linking it to the vesting date alone rather than the grant date and providing a ten year tenure for exercise from the vesting date is recommended to be made applicable to all unexpired grants as on date of the approval of the resolution by the Members. The total options available for exercise as on date stand at around 91.06 million representing less than 2% of the paid-up equity capital of the Bank. The said change is not prejudicial to the interest of the employees and would lead to employee contributing to the long-term value creation of the Bank and also align employee interest with the long-term objectives of the Bank. This beneficial change would provide greater flexibility to employees with unexpired vested options to exercise the same at an appropriate time of their choice and avoid a situation arising out of market volatility which would result in reduced attractiveness of the Scheme.

As per the SEBI Regulations, any variation to the terms of the Scheme requires the approval of shareholders by way of a special resolution. There are no other changes to the existing terms of the Scheme.

None of the Directors or Key Managerial Personnel of the Bank including their relatives are, in any way, concerned or interested, financially or otherwise, in the proposed resolution except to the extent of grant of stock options to them, if any, under the said Scheme.

A copy of the draft amended Scheme would be available for inspection at the Registered Office of the Bank on all working days from 11:00 a.m. IST to 1:00 p.m. IST upto April 22, 2016.

For and on behalf of the Board of Directors

P. Sanker

Senior General Manager (Legal) &

Company Secretary

Mumbai, March 10, 2016

6

Information required to be furnished pursuant to Regulation 36(3) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015

1. Mr. M. K. Sharma

(a) A brief resume of the Director:

Mr. M. K. Sharma holds Bachelors Degree in Arts and Bachelor of Law Degree from Canning College University of Lucknow. Mr. Sharma has also completed Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management from Department of Business Management, University of Delhi and Diploma in Labour Laws from Indian Law Institute. Mr. Sharma has great expertise in legal & corporate governance matters and diverse experience across several companies. He was a Director of ICICI Bank between 2003 to 2011.

Mr. Sharma is highly regarded in the Indian corporate sector and has been a member of the boards of a number of leading companies. He served as Vice Chairman of Hindustan Unilever from April 2000 to May 2007. As Vice Chairman of Hindustan Unilever, he had responsibility for human resources, legal, secretarial, corporate affairs, corporate communications and new ventures among other areas. He had been a member of Government committees relating to corporate law and corporate governance. He was on the Board of several companies, both listed and unlisted, including Thomas Cook (India) Limited, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited and ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited and is currently on the Board of Asian Paints Limited, Wipro Limited, Blue Star Limited and United Spirits Limited.

(b) Nature of his expertise in specific functional areas:

Mr. Sharma has necessary expertise in general management, legal & corporate governance matters and diverse experience being on the board of several companies.

(c) Disclosure of relationships between directors inter-se:

Mr. Sharma is not related to any of the Directors of the Bank.

(d) Details of directorships and the memberships of committees of the Board:

Directorships Memberships of Committees Listed Companies United Spirits Limited  Non-Executive Chairman Blue Star Limited Asian Paints Limited Wipro Limited Unlisted Companies Atria Convergence Technologies Private Limited Gwalior Webbing Company Private Limited East India Investment Company Private Limited Section 8 Companies Indian School of Business-Member  Executive Board The Anglo Scottish Education Society Limited- Director Governor ICICI Bank Limited Risk Committee  Chairman Board Governance, Remuneration & Nomination Committee United Spirits Limited Audit Committee - Chairman Blue Star Limited Audit Committee Wipro Limited Audit Committee Administrative and Shareholders Grievance Committee - Chairman Asian Paints Limited Audit Committee Nomination & Remuneration Committee Risk Management Committee - Chairman

(e) Shareholding:

Mr. Sharma holds 50,000 equity shares aggregating to 0.001% of the total equity share capital of the Bank as on March 4, 2016.

2. Ms. Vishakha Mulye

(a) A brief resume of the Director:

Ms. Vishakha Mulye, is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She is presently the Head of Wholesale Banking Group. She joined the ICICI Group in 1993 and has vast experience in the areas of strategy, treasury & markets, proprietary equity investing and management of long-term equity investments, structured finance, management of special assets and corporate & project finance. Ms. Mulye was the Group Chief Financial Officer of ICICI Bank. She was elevated to the Board of ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company in 2007. In 2009, she assumed leadership of ICICI Venture Funds Management Company as its Managing Director & CEO.

7

(b) Nature of her expertise in specific functional areas:

Ms. Mulye has vast experience in structured finance, corporate & project finance, management of special assets, strategy, treasury & markets and proprietary equity investing and management of long-term equity investments.

(c) Disclosure of relationships between directors inter-se:

Ms. Mulye is not related to any of the Directors of the Bank.

(d) Names of the entities in which Ms. Mulye also holds the directorships and the memberships of committees of the Board:

Ms. Mulye holds the position of a Director on the Board of two companies, namely, ICICI Securities Limited and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Limited.

For and on behalf of the Board of Directors

P. Sanker

Senior General Manager (Legal) &

Company Secretary

Mumbai, March 10, 2016

8

Item 2

ICICI Bank Limited

Registered Office: Landmark, Race Course Circle, Vadodara 390 007, Phone: 0265-3263701

Corporate Office: ICICI Bank Towers, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai 400 051

Phone: 022-26538900, Fax: 022-26531230

CIN: L65190GJ1994PLC021012, Website: www.icicibank.com , Email: [email protected]

Sr. No.

POSTAL BALLOT FORM

1. Name(s) of the Member(s) : [including joint-holder(s), if any] 2. Registered Address of the : sole/first named Member 3. Folio No./DP ID*/Client ID* : (*applicable only to Members holding

Shares in dematerialised form) 4. Number of Equity Share(s) held : 5. I/We hereby exercise my/our vote(s) in respect of the following Resolution(s) to be passed through Postal Ballot for the special business stated in the Postal Ballot Notice dated March 10, 2016 of ICICI Bank Limited (the Bank), by conveying my/our assent or dissent to the said Resolution(s) by placing the tick ( O ) mark at the appropriate box below:

Sr.No. Details of Resolution No. of Equity Shares I/We assent to the Resolution (FOR) I/We dissent to the Resolution (AGAINST) Ordinary Resolutions: 1. Appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as an Independent Director 2. Appointment of Mr. M. K. Sharma as a Non-Executive (part-time) Chairman 3. Appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Director 4. Appointment of Ms. Vishakha Mulye as a Wholetime Director (designated as Executive Director) Special Resolution: 5. Amendment to Employees Stock Option Scheme

Place:

Date:

# E-mail address:

Tel. No.: Signature of the Member

# To be provided by the Members holding Equity Shares in physical form. Members holding shares in electronic form who have not registered their email ID with the depository participant (DP) may please update their email IDs/contact number with their DP.

...........................................................................

ELECTRONIC VOTING PARTICULARS

EVEN (E-Voting Event Number) USER ID PASSWORD/PIN

Note : Please read the instructions given overleaf carefully before exercising your vote.

Instructions for filling Postal Ballot Form:

i. A Member desirous of exercising his/her vote by Postal Ballot should complete and sign this Postal Ballot Form and send it to the Scrutinizer, Mr. Alwyn DSouza of Alwyn DSouza & Co., Company Secretaries at 3i Infotech Limited, Tower No. 5, 3rd floor, International Infotech Park, Vashi Railway Station Complex, Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400 703, India in the attached postage pre-paid self-addressed Business Reply Envelope (BRE). Postage charges will be borne and paid by the Bank. Postal Ballot Form(s), if deposited in person or sent by courier or registered/speed post at the expense of the Member will also be accepted.

ii. The consent must be accorded by recording the assent in the column FOR or dissent in the column AGAINST by placing a tick mark () in the appropriate box in the Postal Ballot Form. The assent or dissent received in any other physical form shall be considered invalid.

iii. This Form should be completed and signed by the Member (as per the specimen signature registered with the Bank/Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTA)/Depository Participant). In case of joint-holding, this Form should be completed and signed by the first named Member and in his/her absence, by the next named Member.

iv. In case of Equity Shares held by companies, trusts, societies etc., the duly completed Postal Ballot Form should be accompanied by a certified copy of the relevant board resolution/appropriate authorisation with the specimen signature(s) of the authorised signatory(ies) duly certified/attested.

v. Duly completed Postal Ballot Form should reach the Scrutinizer not later than Friday, April 22, 2016, 5.00 p.m. (IST). All Postal Ballot Forms received after this date will be considered invalid. The Scrutinizer will submit the report to the Chairman of the Bank after completion of the scrutiny and the results of the Postal Ballot will be announced on Monday, April 25, 2016.

vi. Incomplete, unsigned, incorrect, defaced or mutilated Postal Ballot Forms will be rejected. The Scrutinizers decision on the validity of a Postal Ballot Form will be final and binding.

vii. Members are requested not to send any other paper along with the Postal Ballot Form in the enclosed postage pre-paid self-addressed BRE, as all such envelopes will be sent to the Scrutinizer and any extraneous paper found in such envelope would not be considered and would be destroyed by the Scrutinizer.

viii. The Bank is also offering e-voting facility as an alternate, for all its Members to enable them to cast their votes electronically instead of using the Postal Ballot Form. The detailed procedure for e-voting has been enumerated in the Notes to the Postal Ballot Notice dated March 10, 2016.

ix. For every Folio No./DP ID/Client ID, there will be only one Postal Ballot Form/e-voting irrespective of the number of joint-holder(s). Voting rights in the Postal Ballot/e-voting cannot be exercised by a proxy.

x. The voting rights of the Members shall be in proportion to their Equity Shares in the total paid-up Equity Share capital of the Bank as on March 11, 2016 subject to the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

xi. Members can opt for only one mode of voting i.e. either by Postal Ballot or through e-voting. In case you are opting for voting by Postal Ballot, then please do not cast your vote by e-voting and vice versa. In case Members cast their votes both by Postal Ballot and e-voting, the votes cast through e-voting shall prevail and the votes cast through Postal Ballot Form shall be considered invalid.

xii. In case of non-receipt of the Postal Ballot Form or for any query relating thereto, the Members may contact the Banks RTA, 3i Infotech Limited, Tower No. 5, 3rd floor, International Infotech Park, Vashi Railway Station Complex, Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400 703, India or send an e-mail at [email protected]

Item 3

ICICI Bank Limited

CIN: L65190GJ1994PLC021012

Registered Office: Landmark, Race Course Circle, Vadodara 390 007, Phone: 0265-3263701

Corporate Office: ICICI Bank Towers, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai 400 051, Phone: 022-26538900, Fax: 022-26531230

Website: www.icicibank.com , E-mail: [email protected]

Notice to American Depositary Shares (ADS) Holders Notice to ADS Holders The attached is being provided by ICICI Bank Limited (the Bank) FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and is not to be construed, and does not purport to be, an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, the Depositary (the Depositary), has not reviewed the enclosed, and expressly disclaims any responsibility for, and does not make any recommendation with respect to, the Bank or the matters and/or transactions described or referred to in the enclosed documentation. Furthermore, neither the Depositary nor any of its officers, employees, directors, agents or affiliates controls, is responsible for, endorses, adopts, or guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information provided at the Banks request or otherwise made available by the Bank and none of them are liable or responsible for any information contained therein. Registered Holders have no voting rights with respect to the Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by their American Depositary Shares. The instructions of Registered Holders shall not be obtained with respect to the voting rights attached to the Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by their respective ADSs. In accordance with the Governmental Approval, the Depositary is required, at the direction of the Board of Directors of the Bank (the Board), to vote as directed by the Board. The matters referred to in the attached are being made with respect to the securities of an Indian company. The proposed action is subject to the disclosure requirements of India, which are different from those of the United States. It may be difficult for you to enforce your rights and any claim you may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, since the issuer is located in India, and some or all of its officers and directors may be residents of India. You may not be able to sue an Indian company or its officers or directors in an Indian court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. It may be difficult to compel an Indian company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. courts judgment. Capitalized terms used in this notice but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Deposit Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2000 (as amended) between the Bank, the Depositary and all Registered Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of Receipts issued thereunder.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K





CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934





Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) May 11, 2012

ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)









Nevada 333-144944 98-0514250 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.) 2360 Corporate Circle, Suite 4000 Henderson, Nevada 89074-7722 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)





Registrants telephone number, including area code (702) 866-2500

N/A

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)





o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)





o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))





o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





Item 8.01 Other Events





Exhibits of the Quarterly Report of March 31, 2012





On May 11, 2012, we filed our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ending on March 31, 2012 (the  Report ). In error, we filed the incorrect exhibits for Exhibit 10.5 and 10.6 of the Report (the  Exhibits ). The Exhibits were two loan agreements that mis-identified the creditor as Pop Holdings Ltd. The correct creditor of the Exhibits was HE Capital S.A. The loan agreements with HE Capital S.A. have been filed herewith as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2. Other than the identity of HE Capital S.A., there are no other changes or differences between the Exhibits and Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2.





Re-execution of Promissory Notes





On June 10, 2015, we re-executed and issued the following notes:





1. Promissory Note issued to Vlasta Heinzova effective October 29, 2008 in the aggregate amount of $20,000;

2. Promissory Note issued to Collin Sinclair effective September 30, 2009 in the aggregate amount of $15,131.14;

3. Promissory Note issued to Tucker Investment Corp. effective March 12, 2010 in the aggregate amount of $14,928.25; and

4. Promissory Note issued to Tucker Investment Corp. effective May 4, 2010 in the aggregate amount of $29,918.





(collectively, the  Notes )





Although the Notes had been previously disclosed in our periodic reports, the Notes were never filed as exhibits to such reports and had subsequently been mis-placed or lost. We are filing the re-executed Notes herewith to this Current Report.





Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits





10.1 Promissory Note with HE Capital S.A. executed on April 25, 2012.

10.2 Promissory Note with HE Capital S.A. executed on April 25, 2012.

10.3 Promissory Note with Vlasta Heinzova effective October 29, 2008 and restated on June 10, 2015.

10.4 Promissory Note with Collin Sinclair effective September 30, 2009 and restated on June 10, 2015.

10.5 Promissory Note with Tucker Investment Corp. effective March 12, 2010 and restated on June 10, 2015.

10.6 Promissory Note with Tucker Investment Corp. effective May 4, 2010 and restated on June 10, 2015.









2





SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP. /s/Gregory Rotelli Gregory Rotelli President and Chief Executive Officer Date: March 17, 2016









3





Exhibit 10.1



UNSECURED PROMISSORY NOTE









PRINC I P A L A M OUNT : $12,020.00

L OAN D A TE : March 13, 2012

E X E CU T I ON D A TE : April 25, 2012

I N T E R E S T RA T E : 10.00% SIMPLE INTEREST

B ORR O W E R : ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP.

LE N D E R : HE CAPITAL S.A.

PAY M E N T : $12,020.00 DUE ON DEMAND

1. P ri n ci p al R e p a ym e n t . For value received, Rostock Ventures Corp., a Nevada corporation (the Borrower) hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the order of Pop Holdings Ltd. (the Lender), the principal amount of Twelve Thousand Twenty Dollars ($12,020.00), with simple interest accruing at an annual rate of ten percent (10.00%) thereon. The principal amount is due and payable on demand upon ten (10) days written notice by Lender (the Due Date).

2. P a y m e n t T e r m s . Borrower shall pay the principal and any accrued interest in full on or before Due Date.

3. De f a u l t . Borrower will be in default if any of the following occur:

(a) Borrower fails to make the Principal Repayment when due;

(b) Borrower breaks any promise Borrower has made to Lender in this Note or Borrower fails to perform promptly at the time and strictly in the manner provided in this Note;

(c) Any representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf in connection with this Note is false or misleading in any material respect; or,





(d) A receiver is appointed for any part of Borrower's property, Borrower makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or any proceeding is commenced either by Borrower or against Borrower under any Bankruptcy or insolvency laws seeking the liquidation or reorganization of Borrower and such proceeding is not dismissed within sixty (60) days after such filing.





4. Borrowers Right to Prepay . Borrower may pay without penalty, all or a portion of the amount owed earlier that it is due. Any prepayment shall be first applied against any accrued and unpaid interest and then to reduce the amount of principal due under this Note.

5. W ai v er o f D e m a n d , P rese n t m e n t, et c . The Borrower hereby expressly waives demand and presentment for payment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest, notice of dishonor, notice of acceleration or intent to accelerate, bringing of suit and diligence in taking any action to collect amounts called for hereunder and shall be directly and primarily liable for the payment of all sums owing and to be owing hereunder, regardless of and without any notice, diligence, act or omission as or with respect to the collection of any amount called for hereunder.

6. P a y m e n t . Except as otherwise provided for herein, all payments with respect to this Note shall be made in lawful currency of the United States of America by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds, at the option of the Lender, at the principal office of the Lender or such other place or places or designated accounts as may be reasonably specified by the Lender of this Note in a written notice to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to payment.

7. As s i gn m e n t . The rights and obligations of the Borrower and the Lender of this Note shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the permitted successors, assigns, heirs, administrators and transferees of the parties hereto.

8. W ai v er a n d A m e n d m e n t . Any provision of this Note, including, without limitation, the due date hereof, and the observance of any term hereof, may be amended, waived or modified (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of the Borrower and the Lender

9. N o tice s . Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or delivered by facsimile transmission, to the Borrower at the address or facsimile number set forth herein or to the Lender at its address or facsimile number set forth in the records of the Borrower. Any party hereto may by notice so given change its address for future notice hereunder. Notice shall conclusively be deemed to have been given when personally delivered or when deposited in the mail in the manner set forth above and shall be deemed to have been received when delivered or, if notice is given by facsimile transmission, when delivered with confirmation of receipt.

10. Se v e r a b ili t y . If one or more provisions of this Note are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, such provisions shall be excluded from this Note, and the balance of this Note shall be interpreted as if such provisions were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.

11. Hea d i n g s . Section headings in this Note are for convenience only, and shall not be used in the construction of this Note.

I N W IT N E S S W H E R E O F , the Borrower has caused this Note to be issued as of the date first above written.





ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP.









By: /s/ Greg Rotelli

Name: Greg Rotelli

Title: CEO and President

Exhibit 10.2



UNSECURED PROMISSORY NOTE

PRINC I P A L A M OUNT : $5,000.00

L OAN D A TE : April 10, 2012

E X E CU T I ON D A TE : April 25, 2012

I N T E R E S T RA T E : 10.00% SIMPLE INTEREST

B ORR O W E R : ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP.

LE N D E R : HE CAPITAL S.A.

PAY M E N T : $5,000.00 DUE ON DEMAND

1. P ri n ci p al R e p a ym e n t . For value received, Rostock Ventures Corp., a Nevada corporation (the Borrower) hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the order of Pop Holdings Ltd. (the Lender), the principal amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), with simple interest accruing at an annual rate of ten percent (10.00%) thereon. The principal amount is due and payable on demand upon ten (10) days written notice by Lender (the Due Date).

2. P a y m e n t T e r m s . Borrower shall pay the principal and any accrued interest in full on or before Due Date.

3. De f a u l t . Borrower will be in default if any of the following occur:

(a) Borrower fails to make the Principal Repayment when due;

(b) Borrower breaks any promise Borrower has made to Lender in this Note or Borrower fails to perform promptly at the time and strictly in the manner provided in this Note;

(c) Any representation or statement made or furnished to Lender by Borrower or on Borrower's behalf in connection with this Note is false or misleading in any material respect; or,





(d) A receiver is appointed for any part of Borrower's property, Borrower makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or any proceeding is commenced either by Borrower or against Borrower under any Bankruptcy or insolvency laws seeking the liquidation or reorganization of Borrower and such proceeding is not dismissed within sixty (60) days after such filing.





4. Borrowers Right to Prepay . Borrower may pay without penalty, all or a portion of the amount owed earlier that it is due. Any prepayment shall be first applied against any accrued and unpaid interest and then to reduce the amount of principal due under this Note.

5. W ai v er o f D e m a n d , P rese n t m e n t, et c . The Borrower hereby expressly waives demand and presentment for payment, notice of nonpayment, protest, notice of protest, notice of dishonor, notice of acceleration or intent to accelerate, bringing of suit and diligence in taking any action to collect amounts called for hereunder and shall be directly and primarily liable for the payment of all sums owing and to be owing hereunder, regardless of and without any notice, diligence, act or omission as or with respect to the collection of any amount called for hereunder.

6. P a y m e n t . Except as otherwise provided for herein, all payments with respect to this Note shall be made in lawful currency of the United States of America by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds, at the option of the Lender, at the principal office of the Lender or such other place or places or designated accounts as may be reasonably specified by the Lender of this Note in a written notice to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to payment.





7. As s i gn m e n t . The rights and obligations of the Borrower and the Lender of this Note shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the permitted successors, assigns, heirs, administrators and transferees of the parties hereto.

8. W ai v er a n d A m e n d m e n t . Any provision of this Note, including, without limitation, the due date hereof, and the observance of any term hereof, may be amended, waived or modified (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively) only with the written consent of the Borrower and the Lender

9. N o tice s . Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, or delivered by facsimile transmission, to the Borrower at the address or facsimile number set forth herein or to the Lender at its address or facsimile number set forth in the records of the Borrower. Any party hereto may by notice so given change its address for future notice hereunder. Notice shall conclusively be deemed to have been given when personally delivered or when deposited in the mail in the manner set forth above and shall be deemed to have been received when delivered or, if notice is given by facsimile transmission, when delivered with confirmation of receipt.

10. Se v e r a b ili t y . If one or more provisions of this Note are held to be unenforceable under applicable law, such provisions shall be excluded from this Note, and the balance of this Note shall be interpreted as if such provisions were so excluded and shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.

11. Hea d i n g s . Section headings in this Note are for convenience only, and shall not be used in the construction of this Note.

I N W IT N E S S W H E R E O F , the Borrower has caused this Note to be issued as of the date first above written.

ROSTOCK VENTURES CORP.













By: /s/ Greg Rotelli

Name: Greg Rotelli

Title: CEO and President

Exhibit 10.3

Exhibit 10.4

Exhibit 10.5
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* Guinness, dancing, and good times all day in Christchurch

* Mrs Brown paints the town green for St Patrick's Day

* Fletcher Construction boss Graham Darlow sorry for comment about Irish workers

Contrary to what some believe, the Irish are not here to drink away their sorrows after the global financial crisis: they also set up businesses and provide much-needed skills to New Zealand.

FACEBOOK James McBride, who moved to Christchurch in 2013, enjoys the Kiwi lifestyle, including hunting - something he could not easily do at home.

They don't move in packs or try to start fights - the majority actually go out of their way to avoid fellow Irish people and make Kiwi friends.

According to Statistics New Zealand, 1134 long-term migrants from Ireland, and more than 10,000 Irish visitors, made their way to New Zealand in the past year.

Ireland has been the fastest-growing economy in the European Union for the past three years, but despite the economy looking up, the Irish were in no hurry to head back, with many now calling New Zealand home.

Supplied Clare Creely and husband Martin Quinn celebrate one year living in Wellington in 2014.

The country was also finding it difficult to form a coalition after the recent general election.

Honorary Consul General of Ireland, Niamh McMahon, said there was a history of Irish coming to New Zealand in waves, which was a reflection on the opportunities here, with the Christchurch rebuild responsible for the latest spike.



Many Irish moved to New Zealand because of the poor economy in Ireland, but the lifestyle was a bonus, she said.

Those who came on working holiday visas usually worked in the hospitality sector, but highly skilled workers were either in IT or in Christchurch.

The Irish and Kiwis got on well and it was unusual to hear of people leaving New Zealand because they did not like it, McMahon said.

She could not think of any barriers to Irish people living in New Zealand.

"Irish people are hard-working, highly skilled and sought after."

Fletcher Construction chief executive Graham Darlow last year made derogatory comments about Irish workers, after sub-standard repair work was discovered in Christchurch.

"There may be a few that we can't find the contractor, maybe they've gone out of business, maybe they've gone back to Ireland," Darlow said, drawing criticism in both countries.

He swiftly backtracked, and McMahon had been in touch with him.

"A lot of people were upset and hurt. He apologised. We said that it was wrong and he should not have said them and moved on."

Countries around the world, including New Zealand, would be making landmarks green to mark St Patrick's Day, and McMahon said that showed a tremendous support for the Irish abroad.

Structural Engineer, Fearghal McGuinness and his fiancee Sarah Flanagan, got engaged in New Zealand and recently bought a house in Queenstown.

The Dublin couple had returned to New Zealand in 2012, after a visit in 2008.

"We both felt like it was a place we could live and decided we would go back after we qualified. It just coincided with the economic downturn at home," McGuinness said.

The pair missed their family but did not get homesick.

McGuinness said he did not feel like they were missing out at home and believed they would live in New Zealand indefinitely.

"We have the whole package here - the work-life balance suits our outdoor lifestyle and the people are super friendly and honest."

Irish people had a reputation for having a good time and he believed any derogatory comments were usually tongue-in-cheek or aimed at individuals, rather than the Irish as a group.

He had worked in Christchurch and understood many Irish workers did not intend to stay for the long-haul, and would go home now the Irish economy was picking up.

James McBride, from Draperstown in Northern Ireland, moved to Christchurch in 2013.

"I came for the work but I'm staying for the people," he said.

New Zealanders were laid back but still got things done. McBride enjoyed the Kiwi lifestyle and recently took up hunting - something he could not easily do at home.

He planned to stay in New Zealand, but wanted to move on from the rebuild, which was busy but tedious and poorly organised, he said.

Marcus O'Neill, from Kildare, works in IT in Wellington. He came to New Zealand in 2012 and plans to build a future here.

"I left Ireland because it was an extremely depressing place to be. All day, every day, the news related to more tax hikes, less jobs, higher mortgages, more bills, redundancies and emigration. The economy was still extremely poor at the time and businesses folded regularly."

He made the decision to pursue a better life elsewhere and said moving to New Zealand was the best thing he ever did.

"I love New Zealand because of the lifestyle, the people and the atmosphere. Everything is so positive compared to back home."

Clare Creely, who works at Circa Theatre in Wellington, moved to the capital in 2013 with her husband Martin Quinn, who works as a nurse.

She liked that New Zealand was laidback and offered opportunities for progression in various careers.

Terri Pinnell is returning to Dublin next month when her working holiday visa comes to an end.

"I've enjoyed my time here. I wasn't able to find full-time work at home and everything seemed to be a struggle. Finding work here has never been a issue and life seems quite easy. The large Irish community here is a great support when you are so far away from home."
John Hanning, Clyde Museum curator, recounts the story of New Zealand's biggest ever gold bullion heist.

A high country Central Otago sheep farm linked to New Zealand's biggest gold bullion heist is for sale.

The 1142 hectare property, high in the hills above the township of Clyde, is believed to be the hiding spot for 30 ounces of gold  part of what newspapers at the time called a "well planned, secretly executed, cleverly deposited" robbery.

Scottish migrants George Rennie, a shoe-maker in Arrowtown, and Malcolm McLennan, a Clyde constable, robbed the Clyde police station storage vault of 2099 ounces of gold bullion and 6100 in cash in the early hours of August 1, 1870.

Supplied Home to a hidden stash of stolen gold? The high country hideout where a pioneer-era robber fled with bags of bullion has been placed on the market for sale.

Property owner Neil North, who has farmed the property for the past decade, said the Clyde bullion robbery was a local legend.

"For decades after the robbery, locals from Clyde would spend time in the hills trying to locate the hidden cache.

"Over the years as I've tendered the sheep up in the hills I've pulled aside the odd boulder and looked down the occasional hole in the rocky hillside  always optimistic that I'd catch a glimpse of a canvas bag full of gold  but I never saw any sign of where it could be hidden...

Supplied Gold escorts leaving Clyde for Dunedin in the 1860s.

"It's one of the region's biggest mysteries. but very few people know about it outside of long-time Clyde locals."

The expansive high country farm  now operating as a grazing block  runs five kilometres along the edge of Lake Dunstan.

Farm salesperson David Gubb from BayleysLocations said the legend of the great Clyde gold robbery added to the property's mystique.

The property which Rennie fled to after the heist is part of what was once Earnscleugh Station.

"While the property has operated as a merino grazing station, and with cattle and goats before that, it could easily be converted into a private lifestyle block or possibly the likes of a luxury lodge or private hunting reserve stocking deer and thar.

"And the history of the gold bullion would provide a perfect themed backdrop to the whole experience."

The The Mount Ida Chronicle described the "robbery of treasure" and how the gold and bank notes had been deposited by government escort officials who stopped in Clyde overnight while en route from Arrowtown to Dunedin.

Rennie rode into Clyde on July 31, and with McLennan's help gained access to the lock-up. Two out of five boxes had been stolen, passed over the camp wall, and discovered minus their contents in a water race near the camp.

Rennie made off on horseback, with loot in his saddlebags - heading for the hills above Clyde. However, the weight of gold was too much for Rennie's horse, so he hid the gold in various places in the Cromwell and Kawarau gorges.

Rennie had stopped and lit a fire near Arrowtown where he attempted to burn items, including his horse's bridle and a pair of pants. He was spotted by a farmer, rounding up cattle.

Police discovered the spot Rennie had been seen, and arrested him in Arrowtown.

Police searched for the hidden gold between Clyde and the Roaring Meg and recovered all but the 30 ounces which remains missing, as well as a "parcel of bank notes which Rennie stated to have fallen over the Gentle Annie by accident".

According to records, Rennie gave up McLennan as his accomplice.

McLennan was acquitted, while Rennie was sentenced to six years penal servitude, which was reduced.
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Raw potato eating competition won by Dan Learmonth for his third year running, as part of St Patrick's Day celebrations at Rosie O'Grady's in Palmerston North.

The keenest St Patrick's Day revellers were in early to celebrate.

In Palmerston North's Rosie O'Grady's Irish Pub, green was unsurprisingly the colour of the day with beards, hair and hats all sporting the look.

Guinness, the St Patrick's Day staple, was as popular as ever, with the distinctive stout not far from the hands of most punters.

Murray Wilson/ Fairfax NZ. St Patrick's Day at Rosie O'Grady's Irish Pub with Darrell Cunningham, left, Julia Friend, Robin Dunn, and BJ Phillips.

Darrell Cunningham and Julia Friend had been going to Rosie O'Grady's every St Patrick's Day for the past five years. Even moving to Titahi Bay, Wellington, could not stop their annual pilgrimage.

"It's a good place to drink, good food, cheap meals, good staff," Cunningham said.

But the day was not all about alcohol.

"It takes you back to your ties," said Cunningham, who has half Irish and half Scottish heritage.

"It's about respecting your history."

They were in the door by 8.30am to mark the occasion and would be heading back to Wellington the following day.

Cunningham, a member of the 100 Pint Club, was a firm favourite of Guinness over rival Irish beer Kilkenny.

"There is no sides, each to their own."

Friend preferred a Magners Irish Cider.

June Dempster moved to New Zealand from Ireland 43 years ago and she too had been going to Rosie O'Grady's for the past five years.

"We've been here since 9am. I'll hang out till I fall down," she joked.

"That's the Irish coming out, you stay till you can't stand."

However, she preferred the Kilkenny, over the "chewy" Guinness.

"They add raspberry to it, to make it sweeter, but I still can't drink it."

Lee Hautapu and Mark Royal were in early.

"We were the second ones here," Royal said.

"You get here early to pick the best table with access to the bar," Hautapu said.

Bar owner Damon Burt said they'd see about a month's worth of Guinness drunk on the day.

"Most people give an Irish drink a crack their first one in.

"Guinness is not for everyone. We at least try to give Ireland a try for their first one."

The crowd were typically well behaved, he said.
A person in the car was trapped in the crash, and had to be removed by firefighters.

One person has been flown to hospital with multiple fractures after a collision involving a truck and a car .

The crash happened on the Coromandel Peninsula's Kopu-Hikuai Road about 4.30pm on Thursday.

A woman had been driving the small car, which reportedly connected with a truck's trailer, a release from the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter said.

That was understood to have made the woman's car crash.

She was the only person in the car, the release said.

A person in the car was trapped and the fire service removed them, acting Senior Sergeant Andrew Mortimore of the Waikato District Command Centre said.

The patient was in serious condition and had been flown to Waikato Hospital by rescue helicopter, he said.

There were two other people involved but they were understood not to be seriously injured, Mortimore said.

The Kopu-Hikuai Road was closed at the summit while emergency services dealt with the crash and Mortimore understood it still hadn't been reopened at 6.45pm.

The weather was bad in the area which was making communications difficult, he said.

After emergency services cleared the crash scene, they moved on to another vehicle accident on the same road, further towards Thames.

The second crash was understood to be less serious.
Motorcycles were amongst the vehicles seized across the Wellington region on Thursday.

Police swooped on nine properties across the Wellington region on Thursday in a hunt for meth production and supply, and money laundering involving the Head Hunters gang.

Raids took place in Upper Hutt, Paekakariki, Titahi Bay and a rural address in Wairarapa. Police seized cannabis, meth, cash, and vehicles including cars, motorbikes and jet skis.

Operation Flyer involved more than 60 officers  including members of the armed offenders squad, and followed several months of investigation.

Detective Sergeant Shane Rongonui said the raids aimed to disrupt a meth supply network involving the Head Hunters in the Wellington region.

"The Head Hunters are a fast growing gang, with a formidable reputation for physical violence and intimidation, and for orchestrating methamphetamine production and supply in New Zealand."

He said the past three years police took about $14 million in assets from the gang, and laid about 1700 charges against its patched members.

Rongonui said about a third of Head Hunters members were either on bail, remanded in custody or in prison.

Four men and one woman would face charges in the Wellington District Court on Thursday and Friday relating to dealing meth.

One of the men would also face charges relating to cannabis supply and cultivation, and theft.

Another would face cannabis supply charges, and two of the alleged offenders faced charges related to aggravated robbery.

Police were expecting to lay more charges on Thursday.
At the abandoned construction site of the new recreation facility in Takaka, a large soft spot approximately four metres deep and seven metres wide has stalled the build.

The sudden appearance of a large hole, possibly a sinkhole or a tomo, has halted construction on Golden Bay's new multi-million recreation centre.

An eerie silence pervades the now abandoned construction site in Takaka and the hole is taped off.



Tasman District Council communications advisor Chris Choat said a large "soft spot" was discovered about two weeks ago when contractors were working on foundation work.



The excavation work required to reveal the extent of problem meant the hole was at least 4 metres deep and 7 metres wide.

READ MORE:

*Golden Bay recreation facility blessed

*Last stand over 109-year-old Golden Bay grandstand

*Recreation facility will cost

*Council urged to back centre



Choat said the problem area was located between the western edge of the main playing field and the former site of what was the "produce booth."

Nina Hindmarsh Behind the fence, a large yellow safety tape wraps around the large "soft spot" on site at what will be the new Recreation Facility in Takaka.

Two construction companies, Gibbons Construction and Cluster Construction Group, are contracted to complete the work by November, but were pulled off site one week ago while a full geotechnical report was done to determine the extent of the sink hole.

The report is complete, and Choat said structural engineers were working through it.

A meeting would be held next week between all parties involved to work out a way forward.

There is speculation in Takaka the hole could be a "tomo", or large limestone sinkhole.

Golden Bay is riddled with these limestone sinkholes. Some landowners have filled them in.

Choat said it was possible that when the grounds were landscaped in 1910 a huge hole filled may have been filled in and this was what had been uncovered.

However what exactly the soft spot was remained unknown, with experts questioning whether it was a sink hole, a swamp, a tomo or something else.

"At this stage the exact scale of the soft spot is being investigated," said Choat. "We are not sure until the size and cause of the soft spot is fully investigated and the ramifications and solutions are identified."

Choat said initial geotech testing failed to find the soft spot, and when it was revealed it took everyone by surprise.

Work to build the new multi-function centre commenced in February at the Golden Bay Recreation Ground, commonly known as the Golden Bay A&P showgrounds. It started after six years of planning by the Tasman District Council and the community.

The multi-million dollar centre has a budget of $3.6 million, $3.2 million of which is being provided by council.

TDC councillor Martine Bouillir said it was always a "bit of a blow" when something unexpected like this happened on a big project.

"Perhaps there is some local out there with the historical knowledge of what was there initially to create this issue but council is not aware of it," she said.

"In the end we just have to deal with it and hope that it doesn't hold the project up in any substantial way as we are all keen to see this centre built."

Choat said the council remained committed to the project and a solution would be found to meet the outcome by all involved.

He expected to see work commencing again after Easter.




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Gun owners are being warned to make sure their firearms are locked away following a burglary in the Bay recently.

Two firearms were taken from a Riverside Drive address in Whakatane earlier this week.
An allegation of complaints about quad bike riders behaviour in Papamoa east being covered up have been levelled at Tauranga City councillors this week.

Acting on behalf of Karewa Parade residents, lawyer Vanessa Hamm says her clients have seen the complaints log but their complaints about the quad bikes have not appeared.
A convoy of more than 20 container lifter trucks passed through Maungatapu this morning as a mark of respect for a colleague killed at work this week.

The man was crushed in a Totara Street yard on Monday while operating a trailer container lifter.

His body was being moved today from where he was living opposite the Maungatapu School to Auckland.

Were just paying our respects because his funeral is up in Auckland on Friday, says one of the drivers.

The trucks come from his former employer Priority Logistics and other companies involved in work at the Port of Tauranga.

The former Aucklander has been working in Tauranga for a while. He is described as a "happy chappie who got along with everyone", hence the massive turnout this morning.

For me it was a fantastic gesture of respect and comradeship by his work colleagues at Priority Logistics and by the other haulier companies, says CEO of Priority Logistics parent company Coda Operations LP, Scott Brownlee.

I think that speaks volumes. Its a tough time for everyone.




A Tauranga principal says school funding should be about learning - not about the size of your house.

This is the belief of Otumoetai College principal Dave Randell in response to recent media speculation about the demise of the school decile system.


District council staff are denying theres an issue at the TECT All Terrain Park with freedom campers.

Since park ranger Jarron McInnes was fired after being attacked by freedom campers Sunlive has received photos of untidy camp sites and rubbish said to be left at the park by freedom campers.
Internal Affairs Minister Hon Peter Dunne today announced a new line-up for the Board of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission to lead significant reform of the fire services sector.

Dr Nicola Crauford, Peter Drummond, Te Arohanui Cook and current member Angela Hauk-Willis will join the newly appointed chair, Hon Paul Swain, on the Board from 1 April 2016.

This new Board will lead a new organisation that is flexible, modern and efficient and that values and supports its volunteer and paid workforce. New Zealands fire services are facing the biggest changes to their structure in 70 years, said Mr Dunne, who announced last year that a new fire services organisation would be set up to amalgamate rural and urban fire services.

The new Board members bring experience in either rural or urban fire services, governance and change management, and have strong links with their communities.

The Board will be responsible for ensuring that the new national organisation listens and responds to the needs of its regional and local communities.

I expect to have funding arrangements for the new organisation confirmed in the next couple of months, and legislation introduced into the House, with the new organisation being set up in mid-2017, Mr Dunne said.

Dr Crauford, of Wellington, has been appointed as Deputy Chair for a three-year term. She will resign from her role as Chair of the Wellington Rural Fire Authority when she takes up her new role on 1 April 2016. As well as having knowledge of the volunteer and rural fire sector and fire engineering experience, she also has strong governance skills.

Peter Drummond, of Auckland, has extensive experience in the fire services sector and was a member of the Fire Review Panel that in 2012 recommended the fire services be modernised. The panel was a precursor to the review done last year. Mr Drummond is a former chair of the United Fire Brigades Association.

Te Arohanui Cook, of Hawkes Bay, has held roles as a Principal Rural Fire Officer, an Assessor with the Fire and Rescue Services Industry Training Organisation (ITO), and has served on the ITO Board. Ms Cook also has senior firefighting experience.

Current Board member Angela Hauk-Willis, of Kapiti Coast, has been re-appointed for two years. Ms Hauk-Willis has held senior governance and change management roles, including at the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the 2020 Communications Trust. She was a Deputy Secretary of the Treasury for 11 years.

Mr Dunne paid tribute to the retiring Board Chair, Rt Hon Wyatt Creech, Deputy Chair David McFarlane, and members Rangi Wills and Vicki Caisley.

The Fire Service has been well served by these Board members who, under the leadership of Rt Hon Wyatt Creech, have done an excellent job in leading the fire services sector to this point, and in particular for their support of New Zealands many fire services volunteers.

The current Commission has done a vast amount of work over the past few years to get the sector ready for these substantial changes. This was done against the backdrop of the aftermath of the biggest emergency New Zealand has seen in recent history  the Canterbury earthquakes.

The retiring Board should be proud of the fact that New Zealands firefighters set the benchmark for public trust and confidence. The Boards positive response to an earlier review of the fire services has meant that the fire services sector is now ready for the changes ahead, Mr Dunne said.

The New Zealand Fire Service Commission is a Crown entity that is responsible for the New Zealand Fire Service and also acts as the National Rural Fire Authority.

SOURCE: Office of Peter Dunne


Foreign Minister Murray McCully has described the most recent Israeli appropriation of land in the occupied Palestinian territories as deeply unhelpful.

Israels settlement activity continues to threaten the viability of a two-state solution, Mr McCully says.

New Zealand would like to see both sides return to the negotiating table and this latest announcement will only serve to push the two parties further apart.

We will be talking with fellow UN Security Council members about an appropriate response, Mr McCully says.

SOURCE: Office of Murray McCully
A Tauranga dog breeder fears a death warrant has been signed for her pedigree Italian Maraemma sheep dog called Polar.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council has handed a written order to Carol Gunn of Omanawa saying she has fourteen days to downsize her Balagan kennels because of an alleged noise nuisance.

The council has investigated a significant number of substantiated complaints of barking dogs at your (Omanawa Road) address, the order reads.

And consequently the council has instructed Carol to remove three of the eight dogs from the property.

The order says the dogs to be removed are required to include Polar who has been identified as the primary barking source.

But Polar wasnt properly socialised as a pup says Carol. He is untrustworthy and so in all conscience I cant part with him. He could never be a family dog. She fears for his future.

Polar and the other dogs are Maremmas, Italian sheep dogs, big dogs with a big bark, an alert bark. Too big for neighbours it seems because in five and a half months the council claims its had 37 complaints of excessive barking.

And the council has further warned if the barking nuisance does not improve with five dogs it may require Carol to reduce the size of her kennel even further.

One of my dogs has a litter of four pups, another is due to give birth, one is old and sick and yet another has never lived anywhere else. Then there is Polar. What am I to do with them?

She says she may have to surrender them to the council. They may have to come and take my children away.

But the council says its not looking to seize the dogs at this time and is looking to Carol as owner to take responsibility for ensuring its requirements are met.

And it says if the reduced number of Maremmas mitigates the noise nuisance then an increase in the number of kept dogs will be considered on an individual dog basis.
Rocky Baldino, has a unique situation in his spacious garage. He owns three collector cars, all in beautiful condition that have been in the family since they were new.

The oldest car, a 1953 DeSoto four-door sedan was purchased by his father, the late Anthony Baldino. The other two, a 1971 Corvette and a 1988 Lincoln Mark VII, were taken out of the showroom by Rocky. The trio represents an eclectic mix but for Baldino it's not about the kinds of cars he owns, it's more about honoring his father and preserving history. He's done it well.

The DeSoto, at 213.4 inches long, is a huge car by today's standards. By 1953 standards, it was among the class of full-size cars. It's powered by a 276-cubic-inch Fire Dome Eight, a V-8 producing 160 horsepower. More common that year was DeSoto's straight six motor, but Baldino said his father would have none of that. "He liked the smooth power of the V-8."

What makes the car unique is its Fluid Drive transmission, a set-up used by the Chrysler Corp., from 1939 through 1954. The transmission was semi automatic meaning the driver stepped on a clutch to put the gear selector into drive, reverse, low, or neutral. Once the car was in drive, or reverse, the driver treated it as an automatic transmission and had only to step on the brake at stoplights or stop signs and then go back to the accelerator, all without engaging the clutch.

If the driver preferred, he or she could pull away from a stop with the gear selector in low (L), then left off the gas to let the transmission shift into second gear, and then depress the clutch to move the selector into drive (D), which is also third gear.

At a time when manufacturers were eagerly tempting motorists with two- and three-speed, and even some four-speed automatic transmissions, Chrysler cars were using Fluid Drive. Baldino said his father would occasionally drive the car fast on the State Thruway, before the road was officially opened.

"It's possible to chirp the tires with that car. It's big, but for its time it had good power," he said.

Nevertheless, Baldino's DeSoto is a time capsule in pristine condition. His father, a mechanic and service station operator, babied the DeSoto and so does Rocky. With its French Blue exterior and muted gray Mohair interior, the DeSoto looks as if it's never been driven, although the odometer reads 36,000 miles.

Baldino's Corvette is another time capsule looking as if it never left the showroom.

"I bought this car at (the former) Dave Ball Chevy, because they had Corvettes in stock," Baldino said.

He chose a Monza Red coupe with T-Tops, a big block V-8 and a four-speed transmission.

Baldino drove the car winter and summer for two years and then drove it sparingly because he realized it had potential to become valuable. Today it resides in his garage as the quintessential example of a numbers-matching Corvette.

"I've never done anything to it," Baldino said. "It runs perfectly, it's never had a mark on the body." This car's condition puts it into a class of old cars that have become rare. There are cars the same age that have been restored or are original and called survivors, meaning they may have faded paint, scratches and dents. But not this car, it has not a single blemish, the body panels are strikingly straight and the black interior shows no wear.

Baldino isn't a speed guy, but the Corvette does sport the big block V-8.

Chevy offered three V-8 engines that year for the Corvette, a small block 350-cubic-inch engine with 270 horsepower, a small block 350 with 330 horsepower, and the 454 big block, with either 365 or 425 horsepower. The version in Baldino's car was the most popular big block by a long shot, while only 12 Corvettes were built with the 425 horsepower ZR2 option.

Baldino got in under the wire with that purchase because the 1971 car was the last before federal emissions standards reined in big horsepower numbers. In 1972, the strongest motor offered in the Corvette was the big block 454, but with only 270 horsepower.

Another car Baldino bought new and drove for several years is his Lincoln Mark VII. It has a cloth top that was installed by the dealer.

Baldino recalled that he wouldn't have had the aftermarket top installed but the dealer already had it done, so the deal was the top would be thrown in. The top is a darker blue than the body's Regatta Blue.

He drove the car for several years and ran up nearly 20,000 miles before deciding to park it, perhaps permanently.

"This is another car that I never did a thing to," he said. And again this is another car that is flawless. Well, almost. He pointed out a minute flaw in the factory-installed pinstriping. "They (manufacturer) sent me a pinstriping kit to have it repaired," he said, "but I decided it was better left alone."

1953 DeSoto



Bought:

New



Cost new:

Around $2,700



Motor:

276 C.I., V-8, 160 horsepower



Transmission:

Chrysler Corp.'s Fluid Drive



Wheelbase:

125.5 inches



Length:

213.4 inches



Color:

French Blue



Odometer:

36,000

1971 Chevrolet Corvette



Bought:

New



Cost new:

$5,533 base price



Motor:

454 C.I., big block V-8



Transmission:

4-speed standard



Color:

Monza Red



Odometer:

21,000

1988 Lincoln Mark VII



Bought:

New



Cost new:

$26,689



Equipment:

Power everything



Color:

Regatta Blue



Odometer:

19,700 miles

Know about a car you'd like to see featured? Contact Kenn Peters: kpeters@twcny.rr.com. Previously from Kenn:

You've got to see this collection of Chevrolet Corvettes owned by Dr. Charles Mango.

More great cars and news about cars.
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Urban Jobs Task Force.JPG

Aggie Lane, president of the Urban Jobs Task Force, speaks to reporters on March 17, 2016, during the group's protest against tax breaks for Destiny USA's proposed 209-room hotel in Syracuse.

(Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y.  A community group that wants developers who receive tax exemptions and other government benefits to commit to hiring underprivileged Syracuse residents came out today against tax breaks for Destiny USA's proposed 209-room hotel.

The Urban Jobs Task Force called on the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency to reject Destiny's request for $6.84 million in tax exemptions for the $48 million, seven-story hotel it wants to build directly across Hiawatha Boulevard from the Destiny USA shopping mall.

The task force, a collection of community groups, faith-based organizations and individuals, said any tax deal between the county agency and Destiny would infringe on the authority of the city's own industrial development agency.

"We call for OCIDA to return to its historical practice of not considering tax inducement packages for development projects within the city of Syracuse," the group said in a statement.

About 20 members of the group staged a protest on Solar Street two blocks from the proposed hotel site. Emmanuel Flowers, a member of the group and co-chairman of the Community, Violence and Youth Task Force of the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse, said giving jobs to city residence will help fight Syracuse's high concentrations of poverty.

Rendering shows what the proposed 209-room Destiny USA hotel at 311 Hiawatha Blvd. W. in Syracuse would look like. (Destiny USA)

"We can make opportunities available," he said.

The task force has been calling on developers to sign "community benefit" agreements that commit them to hiring and training underprivileged city residents for projects that receive government assistance, such as property tax exemptions.

It has been highly critical of the county development agency for giving COR Development tax exemptions worth $44.6 million over 15 years for its $342 million redevelopment of the Syracuse Inner Harbor. The deal included no requirement that COR hire and train city residents.

Destiny, an offshoot of the Syracuse-based mall builder Pyramid Cos., has pledged that at least 50 percent of the 74 people hired to work at its hotel will be residents of Syracuse and says it is willing to pay a $200,000 penalty if it fails to meet that threshold.

In addition, the company has promised that at least 15 percent of the contractors hired to build the hotel will be minority- and women-owned businesses and that it is willing to pay a $75,000 penalty if it fails to meet the goal.

Aggie Lane, the group's president, said Destiny's hiring pledges represent "significant progress." However, she said the company should raise its hiring goal for minority- and women-owned contractors to at least 20 percent and pledge that at least 20 percent of the construction workers hired to build the hotel be city residents.

"We believe that both of these goals are reasonable and attainable through collaborating with community-based organizations engaged in workforce development and placement," the group said in a statement.

The county development agency has scheduled a public hearing on Destiny's request for March 25.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
Auburn, NY-- Police have charged a 15-year-old boy with starting a fire that destroyed the old Lehigh Valley Railroad roundhouse on Saturday.

Two other boys, ages 15 and 14, were also charged with trespassing in the old curved brick building at 140 Clark St. Police have often chased kids and homeless people out of the building owned by Bowtak Inc., which used it as a warehouse, said Det. Christopher Coopper.

Police did not release the names of the boys involved because they are juveniles. Their cases have been referred to Cayuga County Family Court.

Firefighters were called to the roundhouse, which can be seen from Routes 5 and 20, at 4:07 p.m. on Saturday. The building was fully engulfed with flames when they arrived. Smoke blanketed the neighborhood and it took almost two hours to put out the blaze.

There are no utilities connected to the building built in 1880 to service trains and turn them around for travel. Trains no longer go into the building. Although the building was boarded up, over the years police had been called there several times on reports of kids and homeless people trespassing inside, Coopper said.

The fire department had also been called several times after passing trains reported smoke coming from the building, he said.

Police received information that three kids were seen in the immediate vicinity of the fire. They found the three boys and during an interview one of the 15-year-olds told police he had started a small fire in a makeshift fire pit before leaving the building. He also told police that he "flicked" a lit cigarette into a room and walked away from it.

Auburn Fire Department Investigators determined that the fire started in that room and quickly spread due to the age of the building and the wood and boxes stored there, Coopper said.

The teen that sparked the fire told police that he did not intend to burn the building down, but said he acted recklessly by starting the fire in the fire pit and throwing a lit cigarette into a storage room, police said in a release.

The building was deemed as a total loss by the owner's insurance company with the damage to the structure and contents estimated to be more than $50,000, police said.

The 15-year-old boy who admitted starting the fire will be charged in Family Court with fourth-degree arson, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespass, both misdemeanors.

Two other boys, ages 14 and 15, who were also inside the building face charges of third-degree criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.
Glenn Collins Verdict

Irene Aurora Flores, defense attorney for Glenn Collins, walks out of court after a guilty verdict in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, N.Y.

(Kevin Rivoli | krivoli@syracuse.com)

Manlius, NY -- Manlius lawyer Irene Aurora Flores knows she waited too long -- only six months before election day -- to seriously challenge William Fitzpatrick in last year's district attorney's race.

So Flores, 52, a Democrat, announced her candidacy this week to fill one of two open seats on Onondaga County Court, which handles felony criminal cases countywide.

Last year, she made a push in June -- too late to try to win party support -- and ended up getting 82 votes in a write-in campaign. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, won with 53,196 votes. But Flores called her efforts "very encouraging" and said she learned a lot about the election system, attending a local seminar for aspiring politicians.

She's among a handful of Democrats considering a run for their party's nomination. City Court Judge Stephen Dougherty is the only other Democrat to publicly announce a campaign so far. Democrats will pick their candidates for the ballot in the coming months.

Unlike her fledgling DA campaign, Flores said she's found a treasurer and is close to getting a campaign manager for this year's race.

It's a rare moment: two openings will be created by the retirements of judges Joseph Fahey (who left a year early on Dec. 31, 2015) and Anthony Aloi (presumably at the end of this year).

Republicans Matthew Doran, chief of the DA's homicide unit, and Robert Coville, a Skaneateles lawyer and town councilor, have already been endorsed by their party to be on the ballot for the two 10-year terms.

Flores has been a lawyer since 1993, after graduating Temple University's law school in Philadelphia. She then clerked for a Philadelphia judge, shaping her interest in being a judge.

"I like being able to consider all issues," Flores said. "It's more of an academic, intellectual exercise. The law leads you to the answer."

As a defense lawyer, Flores said her job is to advocate for her client, which can mean some "very creative" arguments. She also said being judge is her dream, even more than being DA.

Flores started her career handling divorce and family law cases, but has done primarily criminal work since opening her own Manlius firm in 2004.

She's been outspoken about allegations of police brutality and perceived inequalities in the justice system. And she represented Glenn Collins in his manslaughter case involving the carbon monoxide death of his 6-year-old daughter.

But she's also known as a favorite among some defendants at the jail, which she visits regularly.

"I do my job, so it gets around," Flores said. "I work hard, that's the main thing. Regardless of what I do, I work hard at it."

She said she's learned little things from every judge she's appeared in front of, but singled out state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti as setting an example for her.

Brunetti, a Republican, is known for his immense interest in the finer points of law.

"I pay very careful attention in his court, even if it's not my case," Flores said of Brunetti. "He's almost like a professor." If elected, Flores would serve alongside Brunetti on the courthouse's third floor.

Flores also noted that she is the only woman and minority candidate among the field so far. Her parents immigrated from the Philippines, though Flores was born in Cleveland. She came to Syracuse when her ex-husband got a job here.

"I would enhance the County Court bench," she said. "I would send a message to the community that people who look like them -- as a minority and a woman -- are in County Court."

But Flores added that she saw herself as a lawyer first and foremost. "The rule of law and the Constitution are supposed to be upheld and observed," she said.



"Raise the Age" cannot be a bright line

Flores knew little about the current campaign to "Raise the Age" of criminal responsibility in New York. The proposal would treat most, or all, 16- and 17-year-old defendants as children. Right now, New York is one of only two states that treats these teenagers as adults, with punishments including state prison.



But Flores said there shouldn't be a "bright line" that criminalizes all behavior by 16- or 17-year-olds. On the other hand, certain young people who commit heinous crimes should be treated as adults, she said.

She expressed support for City Court's adolescent diversion court, which provides a carrot-and-stick approach to certain young people charged with misdemeanors, getting their parents, school and others involved. Releasing young people for minor crimes without supervision doesn't help anyone, she said.

Yet she expressed skepticism at decriminalizing a murder just because someone had a difficult upbringing. "But is that an excuse? Should he escape being charged as adult?"

Cameras in the courtroom

Flores echoed support from other candidates in allowing cameras into the courtroom more often.

"It is a public courtroom," she said. "I don't why (some judges) wouldn't allow cameras. It's public."

She noted that judges vary widely on their policies. "I don't know why some judges allow it and some don't," she said.

Her only exceptions would be in cases in which a victim is testifying or if there was a chance the defendant's record could be sealed, such as for youthful offender status.

"Criminal court is supposed to be an open court," she said. "That's supposed to expose any shenanigans to public."
Clinton, N.Y. -- Mark Bowling watched as his friends "promposed" to their prom dates last week at Clinton High School. There were impressive productions with flowers, balloons and chocolates.

He felt the pressure. He needed to impress Emily Landry, a close friend he planned to ask to prom. He needed a goat.

Landry loves goats. They make her smile and laugh. Like some people love monkeys, the 16-year-old adores jumping, hay-munching, trouble-making goats.

Bowling had a week to line up a goat. He started where most of us might start: "I put 'goat farm' into Google," he said. Then he called and explained his plan. But the farmer had bad news: her goats were busy all day long. She needed them for milking. She suggested Craig's List.

Bowling was hesitant. Craig's List can be a unfiltered land of scams and, well, weird people. But it was also his only option. He needed a goat.

He searched and found Mary Mosher's listing for baby goats. Mosher's farm was just 15 minutes away in Oriskany Falls.

Bowling, 16, called Mosher and asked if he could rent a goat. The goats were $75 to buy. But as cute as the goats were, he didn't think giving his friend a live animal was a good idea. "I didn't want to give her a responsibility," Bowling said.

They settled on $25 for the goat. Bowling mapped out possible disasters in his head. The goat would need to wear a diaper and be on a leash. He didn't want the animal interrupting the big question by doing its business or by running away.

Mosher wasn't quite clear on what she and her baby goat, Lennox, were helping out with. She'd never heard of a "promposal." Mosher's husband drove her and the goat, which wore a diaper as it sat on her lap, to the school.

When she realized what it was -- asking a girl who loved goats on a fancy date -- she felt badly for charging anything, at all. And she and her husband crossed their fingers that Landry would say yes.

When they pulled up at lunchtime Friday afternoon, they joined a gathering crowd of kids. There was also a live band, called "Goats on Wheels." One of Bowling's friends plays in the band. Bowling made a hand-lettered sign: "Will you goat to prom with me?"

Because Bowling was bringing a live animal and live music onto school property, he had to get the principal, Matthew Lee, to sign off. Bowling went through the list of precautions he was taking to keep the goat out of trouble. Lee's concern, though, was that the band was going to have an electric guitar. That would require power outside, which was tricky.

"He had no problem with the goat," Bowling said.

Then Bowling had to loop in Landry's mother, who works in the nearby elementary school. She'd run the distraction by texting a fake errand to Landry, requiring her to walk over to the elementary school and stay there while he got the goat ready, the band in place and put on his tie.

Everything was going smoothly. The goat was ready. The band was ready. But Bowling couldn't get his tie right. He tried six times. Finally, Lee, the principal, took the tie, tied it for him, and slipped it back over his head.

"He said, 'Calm down. Don't worry,'" Bowling said. It will all work out, the principal assured him as they waited with the band, Bowling's hand-lettered sign, and the baby goat.

Landry and her two friends headed up the path to the school. Then her friends dropped away, walking toward the crowd. She thought that was curious, but kept walking.

"And all of a sudden he appeared out of nowhere with the sign and the goat and the band," Landry said.

She had no idea.

She knew Bowling was going to ask her to the prom. But she didn't expect anything as elaborate or thoughtful.

Stunned, Landry went first to the baby goat and petted it. Then she walked over to Bowling, hugged him and said "yes."

He quickly apologized, explaining that she couldn't keep the goat. But he had thought of something to take care of that, too. Bowling pulled out a stuffed goat and handed it to her.

She teased him for not buying her the goat. "But what would I do with a real goat?"

The prom is May 14. Landry is going dress shopping Friday.

The plans for the prom are not finalized just yet. But the bar for Bowling is pretty high.

"It's pretty hard to top the goat," Bowling said.

He doesn't have anything in mind yet, but he's confident a good idea will come to him to impress the girl who likes goats and makes him laugh.

Have a promposal story you'd like to share? Fill out of the form below:

Marnie Eisenstadt writes about life and culture in Central New York. Contact her anytime: email | twitter | 315-470-2246.
2015-07-21-dl-deer1.JPG

Deer in the Fayetteville Cemetery (on the Fayetteville - Manlius Road in July 2015. David Lassman | dlassman@syracuse.com

FAYETTEVILLE - USDA sharpshooters have been out hunting deer for the village's culling program four nights so far this month, according to USDA officials.

"Things have been going very well,'' said Justin Gansowski, a USDA wildlife biologist. "We have removed deer. And everything has been safe and effective."

Five sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are working in Fayetteville to cull the village's deer herd. They can operate a maximum of another four nights this month before the program ends, Gansowski said.

The program ends March 31.

Gansowski said the agency will provide a report to the village when the program ends on the number of deer killed. He would not say how many deer have been culled so far.

He did say all the venison is being processed and given to the local food bank.

The USDA team is operating on about a dozen sites, some on private property and some on public land in the village.

Gansowski said the mild weather in March and lack of snow hasn't affected the sharpshooters' operations.



The village decided in January to hire sharpshooters for its deer management program, rather than using volunteer archers to bait and kill deer as initially planned. Village officials say the sharpshooters are trained to be more accurate, efficient and safe.

Fayetteville Mayor Mark Olson said the village will conduct a flyover to count deer once the program ends.

The cost of the flyover and the sharpshooters is $20,500.
Colgate University will host a public symposium Monday about the connection between Syracuse's Air National Guard base at Hancock Field and the global war on terror.

The event will bring together a panel of four experts who will focus on the ethics and strategy of drone warfare as it's related to the 174th Attack Wing at Hancock Field.

Pilots at the Air National Guard base remotely operate MQ-9 Reaper drones over Afghanistan, providing surveillance and intelligence gathering for the U.S. military.

Military officials say fewer than 10 percent of the missions involve combat, where the pilots based in Central New York fire the Reaper's Hellfire missiles or other weapons.

Professor Jacob Mundy , of Colgate's Peace and Conflict Studies Program, and Valerie Morkevicius, a Colgate political scientist, said they will lead a discussion into issues that include the disconnect between a combat environment at work and the peace of home life.

Members of the panel include Maj. Gen. Charles J. Dunlap, a former deputy judge advocate general for the Air Force, and Daniel Brunstetter of the University of California at Irvine.

The other panelists are Nicholas Rostow, a visiting professor at Colgate who advocated for drone use and served as a national security adviser to former president George H.W. Bush administration; and Harry Murray of Nazareth College, who was arrested at Hancock Field during an anti-drone protest.

The free event will be 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Palace Theater, 19 Utica St., in Hamilton.

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Trump rally

Protesters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, chant after a rally on the campus of the University of Illinois-Chicago was canceled due to security concerns last week.

(The Associated Press)

Hillary Clinton's campaign is pushing back against Republicans who say she made a disparaging statement about those killed during the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, according to CNN. During a town hall on Monday, Clinton said no Americans were killed in the 2011 NATO intervention in the country. Some Republicans jumped on the comment and pointed out the deaths during the embassy attack a year later. Clinton's campaign argued that the candidate was referring only to the 2011 U.S.-backed mission to oust Muammar Qaddafi, CNN said. No Americans died during that operation.

Since Donald Trump's big wins on Tuesday, chatter about a brokered convention has been getting louder. Trump is not amused. "I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots," Trump said in an interview with CNN. "I'm representing a tremendous many, many millions of people." Ted Cruz doesn't want to see a brokered convention either. He told CNN it would be a disaster.

With Marco Rubio out of the way, Cruz is focusing on John Kasich, according to the New York Times. The two men have barely said a word about each other during the campaign. Kasich has played for moderates while Cruz has pursued Tea Partiers and evangelicals. They're both now arguing the other has no chance of becoming president, the Times said. "It's like my dream of making the senior tour on the P.G.A. or my dream of being a NASCAR driver," said Jason Johnson, Cruz's chief strategist, according to the Times. "It ain't going to happen." Kasich fired back that neither Trump nor Cruz can win the general election in November.

Though Clinton clearly established herself as the front-runner on Tuesday, Bernie Sanders' campaign will continue, NBC said. His message is still resonating with primary voters and money is still coming in. He could even still win the nomination. He'd need about 60 percent of the remaining delegates, a tall order, according to NBC. And both Trump and Clinton are beginning to turn their attention more toward each other and not their primary rivals. Still, several states with upcoming primaries and caucuses could give Sanders supporters enough morale to keep the donations flowing, NBC said.

More buzz:

>>Hillary the shaky favorite (WSJ)

>>Pro-Clinton group returns fire to Trump (CNN)

>>Deputies punished after assault at Trump rally (NYT)

>>Trump has new moniker for Megyn Kelly (NYT)

>>Conservative leaders plot against Trump (CNN)

>>Sanders may not prevail, but revolution just starting (Bloomberg)

2016 Presidential Buzz is a regular feature on syracuse.com where we'll post the latest stories from the campaign trail.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
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Will the tropics remain quiet for the rest of the season?
"The camera's follow you everywhere," said "Survivor" contestant Joe Del Campo (left), of Vero Beach, as he gives a brief commentary during the screening of week five's episode on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce. The only place cameras wouldn't follow the contestants was to the bathroom, he added, as long as they didn't go with other cast members. Rudy Boesch, a finalist in the first season of the reality series and who also appeared in "Survivor: All-Stars," was also at the viewing party. (XAVIER MASCARENAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

By Ginny Beagan of TCPalm

Defying the odds, Joe Del Campo, of Vero Beach, is moving on to the sixth week of "Survivor Koah Rong: Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty II."

At a viewing party held Wednesday night at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, a crowd about 200 "Survivor" fans cheered loudly when Del Campo, who stood watching with them, appeared on screen.

The 72-year-old answered questions about the show to the enthusiastic crowd during commercial breaks. Without breaking his confidentiality agreement with CBS, Del Campo spoke about living on sugar cane and snails and sleeping with bugs. Regarding the rigorous weekly physical challenges, Del Campo, who said he lost 20 pounds during the show, explained that a team of crew members test out the challenges first.

"But they're all very young," said Del Campo. "Not an old guy like me."

The fitness buff also was joined by fellow Navy veteran Rudy Boesch, a two-time "Survivor" contestant. The pair, who are tied as the oldest competitors in the show's 16-year history, met with fans at a cocktail hour prior to the showing of the episode.

The free event, which was announced earlier this month, reached its capacity of 200 RSVPs in 48 hours.

"Survivor" fits right in with the Navy SEALs 'never quit' mantra," said Ken Corona, the museum's assistant executive director.

Following the episode, Del Campo showed the crowd his blue buff, his survivor bag, Tree Mail, and the well-worn, soleless sneakers he wore during the show.

Connie Hay, who came with a group of eight women from Fort Pierce, said the event was "awesome." After asking Del Campo questions and getting his autograph, the group of avid "Survivor" fans were some of the last to leave the well-attended event.

After 32 seasons, the reality adventure show remains a ratings magnet for CBS. Each season, 18 strangers are marooned on a remote inland with minimal supplies. The castaways must provide shelter, water, fire and food for themselves and then compete against each other in physical challenges. The sole survivor after 39 days of episodic eliminations wins $1 million.

This season has proven to be one of the most grueling in the show's history. With temperatures on the Cambodian island nearing 120 degrees, there were three medical emergencies in last week's episode.

When a fan asked if he would do it again, Del Campo said, "In a heartbeat."
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By Staff Report

FORT PIERCE  The sentencing date for the man convicted of gunning down St. Lucie County sheriff's Sgt. Gary Morales in 2013 has been moved from April 22 to April 29, court officials said Thursday.

Circuit Judge Dan Vaughn didn't give a reason for rescheduling the sentencing of Eriese Tisdale, 28, who in October was found guilty of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer stemming from a Feb. 28, 2013 traffic stop in Fort Pierce.

A jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of recommending execution for Tisdale. The only other punishment option is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Tisdale's sentencing has been pending for months after the U.S. Supreme Court in January ruled Florida's death penalty was unconstitutional. That 8-1 ruling came three days before Tisdale was to be sentenced.

The law was found unconstitutional because jurors served an advisory role while judges had the final say in death penalty cases. A new Florida law, which doesn't affect Tisdale's sentencing, was signed last month by Gov. Rick Scott. It requires at least 10 out of 12 jurors recommend execution for it to be carried out.
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Markee Felton, 24, 4800 block of Isabelita Avenue, Stuart; warrant for attempted murder, possession of a firearm/concealed weapon by a convicted felon.

Derek May, 22, Clearwater; out-of-state warrant, Kansas, felony charge.

Migerle Mindor, 21, 2900 block of Fairmont Street, Stuart; abuse without great harm.

Kenneth Musselwhite, 29, 2400 block of Hinchman Street, Port St. Lucie; burglary; grand theft; petty theft.

Douglas Vitta, 47, 700 block of River Bend Drive, Stuart; warrant for violation of probation, sale of drugs.

Kevin Power, 20, 3600 block of Thistlewood Lane, Palm City; possession of a controlled substance (steroids) without a prescription. Arrested in St. Lucie County.

Adam Digiacomo, 20, 2700 block of Mill Creek Way, Palm City; possession of a controlled substance (steroids) without a prescription. Arrested in St. Lucie County.
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David Anefils, 31, 10000 block of Brookgreen Drive, Port St. Lucie; destroying, tampering with or fabricating evidence.

Socorro Diaz, 22, no address; cruelty towards child  abuse without great bodily harm.

Bettin Greene, 29, 700 block of Treemont Avenue, Port St. Lucie; out-of-county warrant, Martin County, grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Adam Digiacomo, 20, 2700 block of Mill Creek Way, Palm City; possession of a controlled substance (steroids) without a prescription.

Kevin Power, 20, 3600 block of Thistlewood Lane, Palm City; possession of a controlled substance (steroids) without a prescription.

Damon White, 18, 3700 block of Avenue K, Fort Pierce; burglary of an unoccupied conveyance while unarmed; possession of burglary tools with intent to use.

Jonathan Bull, 28, Merritt Island; warrant for battery on an elderly person.

Randell Fogel, 67, 800 block of Peacock Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; grand theft of a motor vehicle.

Waymon Hampton, 18, 300 block of Belmont Circle, Port St. Lucie; warrants for burglary of a dwelling, petty theft.

Shandrea Merritt, 35, 900 block of 25th Street, Fort Pierce; warrant for sale, manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver marijuana within 1,000 feet of a public housing/college/park.

Malika Mohammed, 31, 900 block of Boston Avenue, Fort Pierce; amended warrant for retail theft in concert with others.

Lynn Watson, 36, 700 block of Bayard Avenue, Port St. Lucie; driving while license suspended, third or subsequent offense.

Hazel Lee, 47, Miami; re-admit, driving while license suspended, prior conviction.

Christopher McGriff, 43, St. Cloud; warrant for violation of probation, driving while license suspended, prior conviction for suspension.

Brandy Byrum, 42, 300 block of Weatherbee Road, Fort Pierce; re-admit, DUI impairment.

Anthony Davis, 48, 700 block of Hamberland Avenue, Port St. Lucie; destroying, tampering with or fabricating evidence, possession of cocaine.

Kenneth Musselwhite, 29, 2400 block of Hinchman Street, Port St. Lucie; burglary; grand theft; petty theft. Arrested in Martin County.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a rally, Tuesday, March 15, 2016, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Clinton won the state of Florida in the primary election. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Bartholomew Sullivan, bartholomew.sullivan@tcpalm.com

WASHINGTON  The Treasure Coast's Democratic voter turnout on Tuesday was down sharply from 2008, the last time the party had a competitive primary in the Sunshine State.

While some Republicans attributed the decline to "voter malaise" and the sense that Hillary Clinton's nomination is inevitable, Democrats cited a variety of factors, including laziness and the "drama" on the GOP side, that led to crossover voting.

"They're lazy about the primary," said Elsie Visel of the Democratic Women's Club of Indian River County and a delegate to the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver. "People didn't take it seriously."

The Indian River County Democratic Party organized phone banks staffed with volunteers in the days leading up to the primary but the results were "disappointing," the retired New York City school teacher said Wednesday. She said some voters weren't sure who to support and some older Democrats, such as retired International Brotherhood of Teamsters union members, crossed over to vote for Donald Trump.

She predicted Democrats will come out in November for Election Day.

"We're confident she (Clinton) has a very good chance," she said. "They're not going to be so amused with Donald Trump."

NOVEMBER RALLY

St. Lucie County Democratic Party Chairwoman Celeste C. Bush analyzed the decline in the best light available, attributing it to the more competitive Republican race.

"Republicans had a more competitive primary with more candidates, which meant more campaigns, more supporters, more voters and thus a higher turnout," she said in an email Wednesday. "Historically, primary turnout does not impact general election turnout. We're thrilled with our performance last night and we look forward to continuing to build on the grass-roots momentum."

Bush noted more than 1.7 million Democrats voted in Florida. And she noted Democrats have won Florida in four of the past five presidential elections.

"We are fired up and ready to win in November," she said. "Democrats will come together after the primaries and do what it takes to defeat a dangerous, xenophobic bully like Donald Trump.

"We know what it takes," Bush added. "We will not be outworked or out-organized."

Barbara Cook, a St. Lucie County Hillary Clinton supporter, said she has done phone banks and made "countless" telephone calls, but can't explain why Democrats don't turn out. The West Virginia transplant said Clinton's perceived inevitability could have been a factor, but Republicans also seemed more motivated while Democrats "sat on the couch."

Republican Indian River County Tax Collector Carole Jean Jordan suggested "voter malaise" was a factor: "I don't need to turn out because she's (Clinton's) going to win." She said a lot of Democrats changed their registration because of the Republican lineup. And she said Clinton is "certainly not the best candidate I've seen on stage," engendering a lack of enthusiasm.

Martin County Democratic Club President David V. Cross said he thought two factors might have suppressed the Democratic turnout.

"One observation I would make is that the Democratic contest was seen as pretty much predetermined from all the early polls," Cross noted. "And (Bernie) Sanders didn't put resources into Florida; he kind of wrote it off.

"I'm not happy the turnout was low," Cross said. But he said the enthusiasm both for and against Trump, who was the subject of a withering negative advertising campaign, created a kind of "anguish" driving turnout on the Republican side.

Cross said Martin County has initiated a Get Out The Vote effort for November.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Treasure Coast counties have a particular demographic that's more Republican and elderly than other parts of the state, noted Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political science and mass communications professor.

"I think that part of it is, in some of those counties, you don't have the Sanders frenzy over there," she said. "Sanders never worked that area and there was really no mobilizing of younger voters."

Sanders won two Treasure Coast precincts: one near Vero Beach High School in Indian River County and St. Lucie Village in St. Lucie County.

Unlike 2008, when Obama received enthusiastic support from young voters even in losing Florida to Clinton, there isn't that kind of excitement this year, she said.

Steve Schale, a Tallahassee-based Democratic consultant who worked in Obama's 2008 campaign in Florida, said he is worried about the low turnout and the Republican Party's success in increasing voter registration. But he said Tuesday night's lower Democratic turnout is explained by the fact that "the eventual outcome of our primaries is not in doubt" and that Sanders' acknowledges he doesn't have a path to the nomination.

"That in itself is going to be a depressing agent on turnout," Schale said.

It's also true the party out of power typically has more enthusiasm and the party in power tends to be complacent, he said.

Sanders, after an "0-for-5 night" Tuesday, Schales said, "needs to bring this in for a landing," and work together with Clinton like Clinton and Obama did after the Denver convention eight years ago.

Bartholomew Sullivan, a veteran Washington reporter, heads Treasure Coast Newspapers' D.C. news bureau.


Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a Republican primary night celebration rally at Florida International University in Miami onMarch 15, 2016. Rubio ended his campaign for the Republican nomination for president after a humiliating loss in his home state of Florida. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By Isadora Rangel of TCPalm

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump got overwhelming support across the Treasure Coast, but not from some of the region's wealthiest voters.

Two of the region's richest enclaves in Martin and Indian River counties were among the seven precincts in which the billionaire lost or tied with another candidate.

A precinct made up mainly by Jupiter Island, considered for years the wealthiest town in the nation, favored Ohio Gov. John Kasich, with Trump in third place and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in second. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was fourth.

At the southern-most end of Martin County, the island is home to many influential people and multi-acre estates where the Bush family used to vacation. Those residents have been in touch with politicians for a long time, are less open to Trump's incendiary rhetoric and are looking for a candidate who focuses on issues, said Martin County Republican Executive Committee Chair Don Pickard. On the other hand, most average-income voters whom Pickard said he's talked to were enthusiastic about Trump.

"I think when you get a very high-end group of folks that are used to people making logical not emotional arguments, they would be more susceptible to (voting for) Rubio or Kasich," Pickard said.

Trump won other well-off communities in Martin County: Sewall's Point and a precinct that covers Sailfish Point.

RUBIO

Two Indian River County precincts that cover John's Island and the town of Orchid favored Rubio, who has paid several visits to the area to fundraise. He spoke in a private John's Island Club forum last year after taking a helicopter tour of Lake Okeechobee and nearby areas. Trump came in second in one of those precincts and tied with Kasich for second place in the other.

Indian River County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Tom Lockwood said he's not surprised by the results because many John's Island donors supported Rubio's election to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He also received support from the tea party, which is very active in Indian River.

"Rubio is a favorite child in Indian River County," Lockwood said. "That core group obviously stayed together and supported Rubio."

Trump won the Treasure Coast with 52.6 percent. That's more than the 45.7 percent he won across Florida. Rubio was second on the Treasure Coast and across the state. Kasich and Cruz followed.

Trump tied with Rubio or Cruz in three precincts in Indian River and St. Lucie counties. Cruz won a St. Lucie precinct where one person voted.

Democrat Hillary Clinton carried the Treasure Coast with 64.4 percent, which reflects the 64.5 percent she got statewide. She lost to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in precincts in the Vero Beach High School area and St. Lucie Village. Clinton tied with Sanders in a northern Indian River County precinct and with former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who dropped out of the race, in another St. Lucie precinct where two people voted.
A steady flow of traffic moves past Ocean Drive businesses in Vero Beach, where finding a parking spot midday can be challenging. (ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

By Colleen Wixon of TCPalm

VERO BEACH  Beachgoers and shoppers are losing an hour of parking.

At the request of the city's two beachside business associations, officials this week agreed to reduce parking time limits to two hours from three. Just about 1  years ago, parking was increased from two hours to three.

The change goes into effect Monday, although city workers began replacing signs Thursday.

"We rely on people who actually run the businesses to give us input as to addressing issues," City Manager Jim O'Connor said.

Beachside parking long has been an issue along Ocean Drive and the surrounding business district. When retailers asked for three-hour parking, they said it would give customers more time to shop and to frequent beachside hair salons and restaurants. But hotel and restaurant employees have continued to park in customer-designated spaces, and the Oceanside Business Association and Vero's Beachside Retailers Co. want to return to two-hour parking.

That change back to two-hour parking should make it less convenient for employees to continuously move their cars, and should allow for more effective parking enforcement, said O'Connor.

At least one business, however, is unhappy with the change.

"Why don't they just put up a 'For sale' sign in front of my business?" asked Lee Olsen, general manager of Waldo's Restaurant & Bar on Ocean Drive. "It is going to affect our business immediately. How is this tourist-friendly?"

On busy days, Olsen said, Waldo's often has a one-hour wait just for a table on the outside deck. Diners would spend half their allotted parking time just waiting to sit down.

"This is an unfair business action," he said.

But Oceanside Business Association President Georgia Irish said the change will benefit retailers, who need customers in their stores to succeed.

"It's much better for everybody," she said.

Business owners hope to encourage employees and beachgoers to use the free Go-Line shuttle bus that runs from Riverside Park to hotels and businesses along Ocean and Cardinal drives. Riders park free at Riverside Park.

"I think we've given them plenty of options and opportunities (for parking)," O'Connor said.

New parking signs cost the city about $250, he said.
Iconographers Dmitry Shkolnik (bottom) of San Carlos, California, and Fedor Streltsov (top) of Bar, Montenegro, climb down the scaffolding Wednesday after spending the morning painting the Old Testament prophets in the traditional fresco style, on the interior sides of the cupola at St. James the Apostle Orthodox Church in Port St. Lucie. The cupola is the third of a seven-phase project to cover the interior of the church in iconography. (MOLLY BARTELS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

By Sarah Prohaska, Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers

The gold leaf, placed piece-by-piece by hand, glistens at the top of the dome at St. James the Apostle Orthodox Church, a brilliant background as expert painters carry out an ancient tradition inside this small Port St. Lucie church.

Outside, the busy traffic passes by on Airoso Boulevard and modern life goes on. But inside the church, these painters, who have traveled thousands of miles to do this work, have been working with methods perfected over centuries to transform the cupola, or dome.

They are iconographers, and for several weeks they've painted holy icons, fresco style, from high on a scaffolding. The painters carefully brushed every stroke onto the ceiling and walls of the dome, arms raised above their heads and cups of colorful paint balancing nearby. They've created a large icon of Jesus Christ looking down from the top curve of the dome and eight Old Testament prophets along the sides.

"This is not a huge church. It's a pretty simple building," said Steven Mamangakis, a member of the church leading the iconography project. "But when people walk in here, we want to give them the feeling of leaving the world and going someplace else."

Many leaders in the Orthodox church describe holy icons as a window or a doorway to heaven. In Greek, the word icon means "image," but holy icons have a deeper significance for Orthodox believers and are an important part of their faith.

Iconography "uses images and forms drawn from the material world to transmit the revelation of the divine world, making the divine accessible to human understanding and contemplation," according to one Orthodox text.

"Icons make the invisible, visible," said the Rev. Fr. Maximus Urbanowicz, rector of St. James. "Icons are another means of communicating about the lives of the men and women who went before us and stood in the faith."

The painting of the dome is the third phase in a seven-stage plan to cover the inside of St. James with iconography. It began several years ago with the iconostasis, the wall between the nave and altar. About two years ago, iconographer Dmitry Shkolnik created dozens of icons on canvas at his California studio. He traveled to Florida and installed them on the church's front walls and behind the altar.

That's how icons are typically created for churches in North America. But for the dome at St. James, Mamangakis said he wanted it to be done in traditional fresco techniques. Because the dome is an eight-sided drum, applying canvas to it could have thrown off the proportions of the icons, he said.

"This project and this parish is my love," he said. "I really wanted this done right."

Mamangakis said this is the only church he is aware of on the Treasure Coast with icons created in this traditional, fresco method.

He wanted to use the same artist for the entire project, so Shkolnik came back to Port St. Lucie at the end of February and has been working with two other painters on the dome. Aleco Mchetlishvili, flew from his home in the Republic of Georgia. He is not an iconographer but an expert technician and created much of the backgrounds, gilding and applied the gold leaf. Iconographer Feodor Streltsov, of Montenegro, helped Shkolnik create the icons.

Shkolnik, who has created thousands of icons in churches in almost every state, said he creates contemporary, modern iconography based on 2,000 years of ancient Byzantine church traditions. He said there are "a few thousand" iconographers in America, but only a handful who do it as a full-time profession.

"I'm the happiest man on Earth because this is my hobby, my interest, but at the same time, it's my income, my job," said Shkolnik, who was born in Russia and has studied architecture and theology.

Urbanowicz said the dome is an important part of the project because Orthodox Christians are taught to bring their gaze upward in prayer. The dome is a focal point when they pray, he added.

"An empty dome is not fulfilling its purpose," he said. "Christ the creator is always at the highest point in the church."

The painters are scheduled to complete the dome March 22. Mamangakis estimated this phase cost about $45,000. The remaining phases of the project will focus on rear and side walls, the ceiling and entryway.

"When it's done, the church will be a story," he said. "Every inch will be covered in icons telling the story of Christ's life. You will go in and be engulfed."

What is Orthodox iconography?

Holy icons are images of Christ, Mary, saints and angels that can be painted or cast in metal, carved on wood, embroidered in cloth, done in mosaic or fresco. Just as the gospels tell about Christ's life through words, Orthodox experts say icons do the same thing through images.

"What the word transmits through the ear, the painting silently shows through the image," according to "These Truths We Hold  The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings."

Rev. Fr. Maximus Urbanowicz, rector of St. James, said iconography has been controversial over the years because of the perception that believers worship the images. That is not the case.

"Worshipping of images is forbidden. Worship is reserved for God alone," Urbanowicz said. "With icons, it's a matter of reverence and honor. The honor given to the icon is passed through to the one depicted on the icon." Icons have been used for prayer since the first centuries of Christianity.

How to see the icons at St. James

the Apostle Orthodox Church

Church member Dean Sfikas, a professional photographer and videographer, is keeping other members updated on the progress of the dome by posting regular photos on the church's facebook page. Sunday services are being conducted in the parish hall while the work is going on.

Sfikas has set up a GoPro camera inside the dome, which is programmed to take a photo every minute. He hopes to produce a time-lapse video of the work when the project is complete.

"The work they are doing is incredible," Sfikas said. "I got up there and watched them painting free hand and freestyle, but they have a vision. It's a gift of talent to be able to do that."

He said the public can search for St. James the Apostle Orthodox Church on facebook to watch the progress of the dome.
By Editorial Board

Over the past 12 months, we have repeatedly exhorted the Florida Legislature to address providing health care coverage for 1.3 million working poor residents.

Typically, this group earns too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid and too little to afford the premiums of the Affordable Care Act.

During a special session in June, the Florida House rejected a Senate plan that would have offered a Medicaid alternative to cover 800,000 people with no insurance.

State Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, explained in an op-ed column in this newspaper why she voted no.

Harrell said she shared Republican concerns that expanding Medicaid could impose a heavy financial burden on the state. Harrell does not believe the federal government's financial commitment to the expansion of Medicaid would be reliable.

Since then, clinics that serve the working poor also have lost another source of federal funding. The Low Income Pool that allowed hospitals and free clinics to offer indigent care has been phased out. In the case of the HANDS Clinic in St. Lucie County, that meant a loss of $800,000 in annual funding.

HANDS has been trying to help itself through aggressive local fundraising and in the past 15 months has raised more than $200,000.

Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, recognized HANDS' importance and allocated $700,000 in state funds to keep the doors open. Yet, when the final state budget emerged last week, the HANDS' portion had been cut to only $109,200.

HANDS Executive Director Andrew Passeri said even with the state contribution, his clinic only has about three months worth of funds left.

Similar clinics in other Treasure Coast counties are more fortunate. In Martin County, the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic receives $200,000 a year from the county commission in addition to generous private donations.

In Indian River County, the We Care Clinic in Gifford is supported in part by the Indian River County Hospital taxing district.

Last year the St. Lucie County Commission did give HANDS $300,000; this year, a continuation of that funding is unclear, Passeri said.

Yet, local Band-Aid solutions aside, helping the working poor is a state responsibility, too. Harrell argued the real cure for the working poor is not handouts, but more decent-paying jobs. Before that Holy Grail arrives, however, 65,000 people in St. Lucie County  one-third of the adult population  lack any form of health insurance.

Socially, that's alarming enough, but it also has economic implications.

Expanding health care access is good for the business community, economic development advocates Charles Gerardi and Peter Tesch argued in an op-ed in June.

"Florida businesses and heath care systems are forced to cover $3 billion annually to provide medical care to uninsured residents. These costs are generally shifted to higher fees for insured consumers and higher insurance premiums for employers. This creates a 'hidden tax' on businesses," concluded Gerardi, of the Economic Council of Martin County, and Tesch, of the St. Lucie County Economic Development Council.

For the Legislature to allow such a large number of Floridians to fall through the cracks is both morally inexcusable and economically shortsighted. Lawmakers need to return to the issue next year, even if clinics like HANDS may have closed their doors by that time.
A taxi pedals his bicycle, decorated with Cuban and U.S. flags, as he transports a woman holding a sleeping girl, near the Capitolio in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, March 15, 2016. President Barack Obama will travel to Cuba on March 20. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

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By Carl P. Leubsdorf

Sometimes, a confluence of events provides a significant insight into the future. That's happening this week in Florida and in Cuba, the communist-run island nation just 90 miles off its southeast coast.

Starting Sunday, President Barack Obama will be the first American president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge. Obama will press the diplomatic initiative he launched in 2014 with an eye to keeping Republicans from reversing it if they win the presidential election.

Even before Obama's arrival, Tuesday's Florida Republican primary gave his Cuba opening a significant boost. It did so by rejecting home-state presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, the 44-year-old Cuban-American senator who took a hard line against renewed relations. This included blocking Senate confirmation of the experienced diplomat Obama chose as U.S. ambassador to Cuba.

The Florida winner was Donald Trump, the only remaining GOP candidate to back Obama's decision last September to reverse a dead-end, 50-year policy and re-establish ties with Cuba. Trump waffled somewhat in last week's debate, saying he didn't really agree with Obama. But he also said something "should take place" after 50 years, adding, "I want a much better deal to be made."

MORE | Heres how the Treasure Coast voted in Florida's primary

Trump's GOP rivals opposed Obama's initiative. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Rubio's fellow Cuban-American, said flatly he would reverse Obama's course and again break relations with Cuba. Rubio said he wouldn't extend diplomatic ties until Cuba has free elections, freedom of the press and stops jailing dissidents. Ohio Gov. John Kasich said he won't encourage more American businesses to set up shop in Cuba, a principal aspect of Obama's initiative.

The results showed that, once again, non-politician Trump had a better sense of the electorate than his elected rivals. Though exit polls showed Rubio won strong support from his fellow Cuban-Americans, he ran only even with Trump among other Hispanics and poorly with other voters.

For years, Miami's Cuban-American population was the center of resistance to a U.S.-Cuban rapprochement, but that attitude has changed in recent years. Younger Cuban-Americans don't share the hard-line attitudes of the refugees who came to the United States after Fidel Castro and his brother, Raul, ousted Cuba's right-wing dictator, Fulgencio Batista.

Polls in 2014 by Miami's Florida International University and in 2015 by Bendixen & Amandi International showed a solid majority of Cuban-Americans supported restoring diplomatic relations and a slight majority even favored ending the embargo, margins that were even higher among younger Cuban-Americans. Obama carried the Cuban-American vote in 2012.

Indeed, the surprising thing may not be that Obama acted to open up Cuba to American businesses and tourists but that it took so long.

Many expected former President Bill Clinton to take that step after his 1996 re-election, in which he carried Florida. But any chance ended when the Cuban Air Force shot down two planes from a Miami-based humanitarian group.

After 2000, some Texas business figures thought President George W. Bush favored opening Cuba to American businesses. But crucial support in his disputed victory in Florida from anti-Castro Cuban-Americans and the influence of his brother, then Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, precluded it.

After the 2014 midterm elections, Obama took advantage of his increased freedom as a second-term president to re-establish diplomatic relations, expand tourist access and encourage American companies that have long eyed the potential of the Cuban market.

Earlier this week, the administration took further steps to ease barriers to business investment and tourist travel to Cuba. News reports indicate the administration will allow Starwood to operate hotels there and AT&T to complete a roaming agreement with Cuba's state-run telecommunications company.

In addition, three major American publishers and trade groups have petitioned the White House to end the embargo on books and other educational materials.

Besides continuing Republican resistance, among its candidates and in Congress, the principal sour note accompanying Obama's action is the Cuban government's failure to ease restrictions on dissidents, improve the dire human rights climate and allow free elections.

But the administration believes an increasing influx of American businesses and tourists  visits by Americans rose 77 percent last year  will inevitably force the regime's liberalization, just as it happened a generation ago in once communist-dominated Eastern Europe.

Ironically, the premise of Rubio's presidential campaign was that he represented the future, that "yesterday is over and we're never going back."

But this week in Cuba, Obama is the future and Rubio the past.

Carl P. Leubsdorf is the former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News. Readers may write to him via email at: carl.p.leubsdorf@gmail.com.
In January, discharges from Lake Okeechobee began polluting the St. Lucie River, where it is mixing in with water from the Indian River Lagoon near the St. Lucie Inlet. The lake water dumps nitrogen into the river which eventually creates toxic algae blooms. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS)

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By Mark Perry

Since January, more than 85 billion gallons of water from Lake Okeechobee have been discharged into the St. Lucie Estuary, Indian River Lagoon and the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Destruction of the oyster reefs, sea grass beds and nearshore coral reefs is the result of these discharges, and the economic impacts to area businesses, tourism and real estate are significant and growing.

No water from the lake has gone south to the Everglades since mid-November. The "River of Grass" stopped flowing from the lake to the Everglades when the Herbert Hoover Dike was built in the 1930s and the 700,000 acres south of the lake became agricultural land known as the Everglades Agricultural Area, which is mostly sugar cane.

Follow our Lake Okeechobee discharge meter for daily updates.

Now, the EAA receives water from the lake only when agricultural interests need it for irrigation. The EAA also drains its land to a water table of less than 10 feet while the lake is full at 15 1/2 feet. The Everglades water conservation areas are full, flooding the tree islands, and there is no room to take water from the lake.

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency and requested the Army Corps of Engineers release more water through Tamiami Trail, 70 miles south of the lake, to relieve flooding in the Everglades water conservation areas. The governor said this relieves the releases from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries, but it will not. It will take at least three months before there will be any capacity to take Lake Okeechobee water into the Everglades.

The estuaries get 67 percent of the water coming out of the lake, agriculture gets 20 percent for irrigation and the Everglades only gets 13 percent (when the Everglades used to get 100 percent).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to continue discharges to the estuaries through the spring and into summer.

Why can't we restore the "River of Grass"? Why can't we reconnect the water flows from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades and stop the massive destruction of our rivers and coastal estuaries?

The money is available. Florida has an $82 billion budget, and 75 percent of Florida voters passed Amendment 1 which provides $800 million each year for the next 20 years to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund.

The state must buy the land south of the lake in the EAA and share the cost of the Everglades restoration projects 50-50 with the federal government. The Florida Legislature and the governor refuse to step up and appropriate the money for purchasing the right land and building the right project that would stop the discharges.

We need a "River of Grass" project to be part of the plan. We must build enough storage, treatment and conveyance capacity to stop the discharges from the lake to the estuaries and send the water south to the Everglades where it used to go and where it is needed. We need about 50,000 acres south of the lake in the EAA to build enough storage to handle about 488 billion gallons per year. We need the capacity to move 11.6 billion gallons a day south from the lake and then slowly move the water through stormwater treatment area marshes  which we already have  so that clean, fresh water goes into the Everglades.

This is what we need to stop the discharges to the coastal estuaries. Is there any state or federal political representative or candidate out there who will fight for this project?

Let's demand the "River of Grass" project begin now.

Mark Perry is executive director of Florida Oceanographic Society.
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By Maureen Nicolace

It's a new year and with it comes a new location for the breast cancer support group meetings of Friends After Diagnosis.

The group's new meeting location at First Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Blvd., Vero Beach, is centrally located with easy access from both the barrier island and the mainland alike.

"We are really excited about the new location, which offers convenient parking and a welcoming environment," said Lin Reading, one of the group's founders.

The monthly meetings at First Presbyterian are held the second and fourth Mondays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and the third Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m.

Friends After Diagnosis also meets the first Saturday of the month from 10 to 11 a.m. at Sebastian River Medical Center.

Anyone who is a patient, survivor, caretaker, friend, or family member touched by breast cancer is welcome to attend.

Aside from providing a safe and supportive environment, the meetings feature monthly speakers, with a strong lineup for 2016.

Upcoming speakers include:

Feb. 8: Tina Bowen from VNA Hospice will speak on The Conversation Project, designed to help people think through their desires for end-of-life care, put those thoughts in writing, and make their wishes known to family, friends, and health care providers.

March 14: Raul Storey, M.D., of Florida Cancer Specialists will speak on Updates in Breast Cancer Treatments.

April 11: Pami Gales of Vero Beach Medical Massage will speak on Medical Massage for Cancer Patients.

Up-to-date information on meetings, speakers, and other programming can be found on the events calendar at www.FriendsAfterDiagnosis.com.

For more information about the nonprofit organization, contact Lin Reading at 772-978-9392 or linreading@bellsouth.net.
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Re: Expat CEOs: Why are car manufacturers in India obsessed with them? Yes, it's true that the domestic operations of Japanese, South Korean and German automobile companies are generally headed by one of their own people. There may be a few exceptions (like Mr. Subbu heading Hyundai India or Mr. Khattar heading Maruti Suzuki for some years in the past), but they're very rare indeed.



I'd say these companies are only better off for it! For such companies, it's not just a trust or communication issue, but mainly one of culture . I don't mean "culture" as is commonly used in everyday parlance, but more like an automobile manufacturing culture.



The primary business of these companies is manufacturing cars . Associated activities are usually taken care of by departments filled with (and headed by) local people.



One can't expect someone who isn't immersed in the automobile manufacturing culture of these companies to head the domestic operations. It doesn't usually work, and is just too big a risk to take!



Take Toyota, for instance. If I were a shareholder of Toyota, I would be utterly aghast if someone who was the king of making soaps & shampoos (or the empress of selling colas & crisps, or the emperor of manufacturing mobiles & tablets etc.) starts heading the domestic operations of Toyota. Nine out of ten times, it just wouldn't work. It's a massive risk to take.



Forget unrelated fields. For a company like Toyota, even a person who was completely immersed in and grew up in the automobile manufacturing culture of a company like, say Tata (no offence meant to Tata Motors), would be a misfit to head Toyota's Indian operations. It's a risk that's just too big to take!



So yes, call me whatever names you want, but I'm quite glad that these companies are headed by folks whom the respective global HQs feel are the best fit for post of CEO of domestic operations. Since these companies are relatively new entrants in India, it may take a long time for locals who grew up in the automobile manufacturing culture of such companies to reach the position of CEO. Till then, if the respective global HQs feel that expats are the best fit, then so be it! Last edited by RSR : 16th March 2016 at 20:32 .
Researchers last week discovered the first ransomware in the wild aimed at Apples hardware platform. While the threat was subdued quickly, it exposed the weakness of digital certificates in authenticating software to devices.

The ransomware appeared as a legitimate application because it contained a digital certificate stolen from a bona fide Mac developer in Turkey.

The certificate was used to sign an application of another developer and post a malicious update at the developers website.

Apple doesnt control what Mac software can be signed with what certificate, noted Ryan Olson, threat intelligence director ofUnit 42 at Palo Alto Networks, which discovered the ransomware.

Apple just wants to confirm that the software has been signed with a certificate, he told TechNewsWorld. That limitation is in place in the iOS App Store.

Kind of Useless

Certificates are kind of useless, said Chet Wisniewski, a security adviser atSophos.

Its a nice idea, but the problem with managing the back-end certificate database and making sure the bad guys dont get them is pretty much impossible, he told TechNewsWorld.

Were seeing people stealing legitimate certificates from legitimate developers who are insecure, Wisniewski added.

Theft, though, may be the hard way to obtain a certificate for malicious purposes.

If I want to start selling and developing Mac software tomorrow, it takes all of five minutes to ask Apple for a certificate, Wisniewski said. How does Apple know if Im a good guy or a bad guy?

Big Deal

Stolen certificates have played a role in some high-profile cyberattacks.

Some of the most important cases in malware history have dealt with stolen certificates, said Liviu Arsene, a senior threat analyst atBitdefender.

Stuxnet and most advanced persistent threats rely on some form of valid certificate to get installed on machines, he told TechNewsWorld.

Certificates tell the machine that an application that wants to run on it is legitimate and need not be scrutinized by any defenses running on the machine.

Thats a big deal, Arsene noted. Thats why developers are encouraged to make sure they dont lose them and make sure they keep them safe in containers.

Nevertheless, certificates remain a choice target for criminals and spies.

The certificate thing is a very low barrier, and weve seen it defeated at every level, Wisniewski said.

Its super easy for criminals to bypass, he added.

Multifactor Authentication

One of the largest contributors to data breaches is compromised credentials. Theres no easier way for a hacker to crack a network than masquerading as a legitimate user of that network.

However, even if a persons credentials have been compromised, multifactor authentication can foil a bandit attempting to use those credentials to compromise a network.

That form of authentication combines something you know (a username and password, for example) with something you have (a token, magnetic card or phone) or something you are (a fingerprint, iris or voice).

As effective as multifactor authentication is, though, it can create friction for users, which has proved to be a challenge for enterprises.

Cloud Solution

Implementing multifactor authentication in the enterprise has been an uphill battle, said Chris Webber, a senior product marketing manager atCentrify.Multifactor authentication can create a burden for IT. An organization needs back-end structure to support it. IT needs to issue tokens to users and create a system to replace tokens that have been lost or are unavailable for immediate use.

In addition, theres been user resistance. Users are sometimes not ready for it, Webber told TechNewsWorld.

They find it too cumbersome. The CISOs Ive talked to say their users just staged a revolt when they tried to implement multifactor authentication for security, he said.

Theres always a trade-off between convenience and security, and it can be too inconvenient for rank-and-file users, Webber added.

One way to make multifactor authentication more palatable to both IT and users is to move it to the cloud. With a cloud setup, theres no back-end hassle for IT to deal with, and people can use their cellphones as a token.

Cloud availability means you dont need any dedicated infrastructure or servers on your premises, but it also means it works for things that are in the cloud, behind the firewall, on servers and in Infrastructure as a Service, Webber noted. Its an everywhere solution.

Breach Diary

March 6. Krebs on Security reports Seagate Technology sent W-2 forms for all present and former employees to an unauthorized third party as the result of a phishing scam.

March 7. U.S. Justice Department appeals a decision by a federal magistrate judge rejecting its request that Apple unlock an iPhone linked to a drug dealer in New York.

March 7. Premier Healthcare of Indiana announces its notifying more than 200,000 patients that their personal information is at risk after a laptop was stolen from its Bloomington office.

March 7. Ezaki Glico, a Japanese confectionary maker, announces its investigating a report from a credit card company that as many as 83,194 data sets of personal information may have been stolen from its online shopping site.

March 8. Home Depot agrees to pay US$13 million to compensate consumers affected by a 2014 data breach in which more than 50 million payment card numbers were stolen. The company also agreed to pay $6.5 million for 1.5 years of identity theft services for victims of the breach.

March 8. 21st Century Oncology Holdings in Florida warns some 2.2 million patients that their personal information was stolen as a result of a data breach of its computer systems in October.

March 8. Rosen Hotels & Resorts posts a warning to its website for customers who visited its facilities between Sept. 2, 2014, and Feb. 18, 2016, to be on the alert for fraudulent charges on their payment cards because of a compromise of its payment card network.

March 8. Ozaukee County in Wisconsin announces as many as 200 employees may have had personal information used to file federal tax returns stolen from the countys online portal.

March 8. SevOne, a technology company in Delaware, notifies an undisclosed number of employees that their W-2 forms were sent to an unauthorized recipient outside the company. It did not release details about the breach.

March 8. Sony begins sending out codes for free games to users of its PlayStation Network as part of settlement of a class-action lawsuit resulting from a 2011 data breach in which personal information on 77 million people was stolen.

March 10. UK media regulator Ofcom alerts dozens of TV companies that information they filed is at risk after a former employee downloaded as much as six years of data from the agency and offered it to his new employer, a major broadcaster.

March 10. Sky News reports it has obtained tens of thousands of documents containing personal information of Islamic State jihadis leaked to the news outlet by a disgruntled insider.

March 10. The Federal Trade Commission requests nine companies performing PCI audits to respond within 45 days to a set of detailed questions about how they measure compliance with PCI Security Standards.

March 10. Staminus, a company specializing in DDoS protection systems, is attacked by hackers who broke its network backbone and posted a database for the company to the Internet.

March 11. The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit alerts 2,808 patients and family members that their personal information is at risk by the loss of an unencrypted flash drive.

Upcoming Security Events
Prosecutors for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California on Tuesday announced they had reached a plea agreement with Ryan Collins, a Pennsylvania resident, over charges that he hacked Apple and Google email accounts of more than 100 people back in 2014.

The allegations stemmed from the official investigation into the hacking case dubbed Celebgate, because most of the victims were celebrities whose nude photos were leaked to the Internet. However, the investigators were unable to secure evidence linking Collins to the actual leaks, and found no proof that he uploaded the information to the Web or otherwise shared it.

Collins agreed to plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The prosecutors agreed to recommend an 18-month prison term, but the sentencing judge has leeway to impose a statutory maximum of five years.

Collins was charged in Los Angeles, but the parties agreed to transfer the case to Harrisburg, hear Collins home, for the entry of his plea and sentencing.

A Case of Celebrity Fever?

Is it me, or is the legal system worried about the wrong thing? asked Mark Sangster, VP of marketing at eSentire. Why protect the economy when some compromising pictures of celebs have been stolen?

There should be convictions on major cases attacking companies and stealing valuable data, Sangster told TechNewsWorld. Has anyone been convicted on Sony or Target? Or biopharma, tech, or business email compromise fraud? These attacks cost us trillions.

Target will pay out US$10 million to compensate the 40 million people whose credit and debit card records were exposed when it was hacked in 2013.

No Deterrent at All

I doubt the plea will have any significant effect on discouraging phishing attacks, commented Chenxi Wang, chief strategy officer at Twistlock.

Cybercriminals are behind many phishing campaigns, she noted, but this particular case is an individual acting on his own.

It therefore will have very little, if any, impact on the extent of those campaigns or attacks, Wang told TechNewsWorld.

We see murderers being put to death for their crimes, but that hasnt stopped people, observed Dodi Glenn, VP of cybersecurity at PC Pitstop. Hackers want the notoriety and their 15 minutes of fame.

Collins actually might come out ahead after his conviction, judging from previous cases, he said.

More than likely, once his term is served, hell get a job in the security industry, Glenn told TechNewsWorld.

Still, the plea bargain is a good move, Wang contended, because the victims private information would be disclosed and discussed in court proceedings if the case had gone to jury trial.

More Teeth Needed

I think they should make an example out of [Collins], remarked Daniel Castro, vice president at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

Weve seen a number of celebrities making public statements about how this was more of a sex crime than anything else, and the law should reflect that, he told TechNewsWorld. Look at what they were trying to get Aaron Swartz on for downloading documents from MIT. They were going after him a lot harder.

Swartz, a computer programmer and Internet activist, was hit with two counts of wire fraud and 11 violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for downloading academic journals from MITs JSTOR digital repository. Facing potential penalties including $1 million in fines, 35 years in prison and asset forfeiture, as well as other pressures, he committed suicide.

Federal judges are required to consult the U.S. sentencing guidelines prior to sentencing a defendant, pointed out Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys office.

The guidelines in this, as we view them, call for a sentence of six to 12 months. Mr. Collins has agreed to an 18-month sentence, Mrozek told TechNewsWorld.

The ITIF has called for a stronger law on data breaches, Castro said.

You need a law that makes this type of activity criminal and makes it easier to prosecute based on those images being shared without permission, Castro suggested.

Prosecution is possible under the CFAA, but they have to prove how you access the data, Castro said. If you take an image, the act of sharing it without permission and with the intent to cause harm would be better.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations efforts to compel Apple to unlock an iPhone used by one of the slain San Bernardino terrorists could threaten national security, charged Craig Federighi, Apples SVP of engineering, in an op-ed piece published Monday in The Washington Post.

Terrorists and criminals could launch attacks on vital infrastructure through access to just one persons smartphone and cryptographic protections on smartphones are a critical line of defense, he maintained.

Law enforcement officials have suggested that Apple return to the safeguards of iOS 7, which have since been breached by hackers, Federighi wrote. Further, hacker kits to attack iOS 7 weaknesses are available to less-skilled attackers.

The FBIs desire for Apple to create a backdoor also poses a threat, he argued, noting that security is an endless race and that yesterdays best defenses cannot fend off the attacks of today or tomorrow.

A Focus for Discord

More than 800 responses ro the Post article showed support for both sides of the controversy.

Arguing that only bad actors need worry about government intrusions is specious since the data analytics that sifts through metadata and associated content to establish networks of associations  is hardly foolproof, wrote Code Ferret.

The FBI could abuse the power obtained under a favorable court ruling, suggested Joan Ashley.

Rbobbin disagreed, noting that encryption is too sweeping.

Craig Lawson responded by posting a link to a letter from Salihin Kondoker, husband of one of the slain victims, who expressed support for encryption despite his personal tragedy.

A Community Split

Members of the security committee also are divided in their views on the issue.

Compelling Apple to build a backdoor for its own product actually undermines the security and personal safety of millions of Americans and others around the world, especially those living under authoritarian regimes, said Sophia Cope, a staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

It does so by creating the legal precedent, by weakening the trust users have in software updates supposedly authorized by companies, and by building the technology itself, she told TechNewsWorld.

Walking backwards into the future is never a clever way, remarked Ebba Blitz, CEO of Alertsec.

Its not only weakening encryption for individuals and companies  its also weakening encryption for the American government, she told TechNewsWorld. By creating the possibility of brute force [attacks], we are paving the way for anyone, including terrorists, to hack into our data easily.

If Apple should lose this court battle, we may need to take a look at, and revise the purpose of, the law, Blitz continued, warning that in the long run, it would drive the U.S. tech industry overseas.

Everything from health data to financial data to conversations with and about our kids is protected because of encryption, contended Jake Ward, president and CEO of the Application Developers Alliance. Why would we want to go back to iOS 7?

Deliberately weakening encryption just for the good guys is not possible, he told TechNewsWorld. You cant secure your home while leaving a window open for the police, hoping bad guys dont find it and use it.

With a court order, law enforcement agents should be able to unlock any cellphone or device, countered Philip Lieberman, president of Lieberman Software.

This doesnt put security or privacy at risk, because theres a one-to-one capability that would allow for limited access to single devices only via cryptographic techniques, he argued.

There is no win or loss in the court battle  only clarity in the governments overall position toward law enforcements immediate right to access systems, Lieberman told TechNewsWorld.

Apple is trying hard to answer some important questions about the role technology plays in our lives and its relationship with the law and our rights guaranteed under it, suggested ADAs Ward.

These are existential questions in the digital age that arent new to law enforcement, lawmakers or technology companies, he pointed out. That they are being talked about in a broader form may ultimately bring about a solution.
TheEuropean Commission on Monday released a draft of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield agreement, which would replace the controversial Safe Harbor provisions that regulated U.S. access to the data of European residents.

The legal texts aim to finalize the reform of EU data protection rules, which apply to all companies doing business in the region, EC officials said. An umbrella agreement between the U.S. and the EU would establish high data protection standards on data transfers across the Atlantic.

Protecting personal data is my priority both inside the EU and internationally, said Commissioner Vera Jourova. The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield is a strong new framework, based on robust enforcement and monitoring, easier redress for individuals, and, for the first time, written assurance from our U.S. partners on the limitations and safeguards regarding access to data by public authorities on national security grounds.

The plan also calls for an ombudsman within the U.S. State Department as a possible redress against any allegations of privacy violations.

Complaints against companies must be resolved within 45 days, a free alternative dispute resolution process will be available, and EU members will be able to file complaints with their own national data protection authorities, the EC said.

President Obama signed the Judicial Redress Act on Feb. 24, and the commission is expected to propose the signature of the umbrella agreement.

Lack of Privacy Protections

They tried to put 10 layers of lipstick on a pig, but I doubt the court and the DPAs now suddenly want to cuddle with it, said Max Schrems, who filed a lawsuit challenging the transfer of private data to Facebooks European subsidiary in Ireland.

The agreement fails to protect against access to private data, among other shortfalls, he told the E-Commerce Times.

It allows companies to self-certify and fails to provide adequate protection for the private data of individual users, according toAccess Now.

The flow of data might go on for now, but there remains insufficient protection for users private data, insufficient legal certainty for companies. said Estelle Masse, EU policy analyst at Access Now.

The bigger news embedded in this deal is the failure to address the issue of how non-EU countries should deal with EU data, said Kapil Raina, a vice president atHyTrust.

The entire reason the EU invalidated the previous Safe Harbor laws was the revelation that government entities may be able to in fact look at noncitizen data via international U.S. companies, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Transatlantic Commerce

The deal is a strong agreement that enables transatlantic commerce while safeguarding privacy for individuals, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said.

The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield is a tremendous victory for privacy, individuals and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, she said. We have spent more than two years constructing a modernized and comprehensive framework that addresses the concerns of the European Court of Justice and protects privacy.

It underpins more than US$260 billion in digital services trade across the country and will allow U.S. and EU businesses and individuals to continue to access online services, Pritzker said.

The agreement would grant the U.S. access to data, while providing enough safeguards to the EU and offer a self-regulating mechanism at the State Department, according to theInformation Technology Industry Council.

After our initial review, said Josh Kallmer, senior vice president for global policy at ITIC, it appears the two sides have achieved the objective of securing an agreement that both enhances privacy protections and provides the certainty needed to promote innovation and economic growth.
The legal battle between Apple and the Department of Justice over access to encrypted iPhone data got a little more personal last week after lawyers for Apple blasted a government filing that accused the company of collaborating with the Chinese government.

The DoJs filing was nothing more than a smear campaign designed to paint a false picture of Apples lack of cooperation in the investigation, as well as its relationship with the Chinese government, and it was based on flimsy sources, Apple attorney Bruce Sewell argued in a conference call with reporters.

In 30 years of practice, I dont think Ive ever seen a legal brief that was more intended to smear the other side with false accusations and innuendo, and less intended to focus on the real merits of the case, he told reporters, according to a transcript provided by Apple.

The government for the first time alleged that Apple deliberately made changes to block law enforcement requests for access, Sewell said.

Chinese Democracy

Based on Apples data, the Chinese government demanded information from the company on more than 4,000 iPhones in the first half of 2015, according to the court filing, and Apple produced data in 74 percent of the cases.

Apple made special accommodations to the Chinese government by moving Chinese user data to government servers and installing a different WiFi protocol, called WAPI, for Chinese iPhones, the document states.

The U.S. governments request involves a single iPhone that was used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attack. It does not involve a broadly ordered compromise of other iPhones in other cases, according to the filing.

The request for access to the encrypted data does not place an undue burden on Apple, the document states, adding that the company would need to provide six to 10 employees for two to four weeks to develop a software solution to help government investigators bypass the built-in encryption.

Apple has more than 100,000 employees and annual income exceeding US$200 billion, the court filing notes.

A hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym is scheduled for March 22.

Can of Worms

Privacy and civil liberties analysts blasted the government filing as a mischaracterization of Apples position and its history of balancing national security interests with its own corporate responsibilities.

Apple has responded to information requests from countries around the world, not just in China, said Eli Dourado, director of the Technology Policy Program at George Mason UniversitysMercatus Center.

Its recent transparency report documented iCloud data requests from 36 different countries, including both the United States and China. If Apple is forced to create a backdoor because of a U.S. court order, it will be forced to do the same for other governments around the world. Other countries have courts too, you know, Dourado told the E-Commerce Times.

Its a desperate ploy  a bit shameful, actually, Jennifer Stisa Granick, director of civil liberties at the StanfordCenter for Internet and Society, told the E-Commerce Times.

The government continues to ignore the implications of the order on other technology companies, charged theAmerican Civil Liberties Union, which filed a brief on behalf of Apple in the case.

The government tries to characterize this case as about one phone, rather than acknowledging that the precedent could be used over and over to force technology companies to undermine their security measures for law enforcement purposes in a broad range of contexts, said ACLU attorney Esha Bhandari.

The government also suggests that its somehow improper for a technology company to create secure devices, she added, when in fact that should be encouraged as a critical component of cybersecurity and privacy rights.
Google last week announced it would contribute US$1 million to theUN Childrens Fund to support the global fight against the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

A team of Google engineers has volunteered to work with UNICEF to analyze data in an effort to figure out the viral infections path. It also will match employee donations with the goal of giving an extra $500,000 to UNICEF and thePan American Health Organization.

The company took the actions following recent Zika virus outbreaks that caused a 3,000 percent increase in global search interest since November.

Last month, theWorld Health Organization declared a public health emergency.

Coordinated Effort

The possible correlation with Zika, microcephaly and other birth defects is alarming, Google said. Four out of five people with the virus dont show any symptoms, and the primary transmitter, the Aedes mosquito, is widespread and challenging to eliminate.

UNICEF is working with Google engineers and data scientists to create an open source information platform to help UNICEF and partners on the ground target Zika response efforts, according to Chris Fabian, colead of UNICEFs innovation unit.

This open source platform will be able to process information like mobility patterns and weather data to build risk maps. We plan to prototype this tool in the Zika response but expand it for use globally, he told TechNewsWorld.

Open Source Platform

The plan calls for Google software engineers John Li and Zora Tung, along with UNICEF research scientist Manuel Garcia Herranz and UX designer Tanya Bhandari, to work on the open source data platform. It will process data from different sources, such as weather and travel patterns, to visualize potential outbreaks.

Ultimately, the goal of the platform is to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help UNICEF, governments and nongovernmental organizations decide how and where to focus their time and resources. If successful, it can be applied to other outbreaks.

Financial contributions and donations are always beneficial, but it is hard to say whether or not tracking the virus itself will have significant contributions, said Sarah Lisovich, content strategist atCIA Medical.

Putting Analytics to Work

The symptoms are similar to those of other common healthcare conditions, she told TechNewsWorld.

Google is a leader in terms of research tools and putting forth tools to help understand the outbreak and bring more awareness and comprehension, Lisovich added.

Analytics has been used to track mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria, dengue fever and West Nile virus for years, according to Jamie Powers, health industry consultant atSAS Institute. In addition to understanding and learning from past events, analytics can quickly create new knowledge from billions of data points and multiple disparate data sets to provide the best input for predictive analytics.

Text mining and social media analysis to track specific disease symptoms  syndromic surveillance  can also help detect the earliest stages of infectious-disease outbreaks, whether it is measles, H1N1, Ebola  or Zika, he told TechNewsWorld.

Respected Efforts

Googles contribution to the epidemiology of the Zika virus is a critical initial step for public health. It is significant not only for tracking the spread of the virus but for providing the public with information on it, said David Eling, director of business development atProSci.

Empowering people with knowledge of where Zika is prevalent, how it is transmitted, and methods of minimizing risk is a critical job, he told TechNewsWorld.

The more we know about the Zika virus, the more ways we will have to combat it, Eling said. I have confidence that with this support and our growing knowledge that we will develop both a vaccine as well as a therapeutic against Zika.
ESS Distribution, the leading provider of IT security solutions in Indian market, announced that ESET company today warned users against an increased number of infected emails containing a malicious attachment, which downloads and installs ransomware onto an infected device. When opened, it encrypts victims files on thier PCs and requires a ransom for decryption.

ESET telemetry detects this malicious downloader as JS/TrojanDownloader.Nemucod and records its unusually high incidence in Europe, North America, Australia and Japan.

Nemucod is wide-spread via emails, which contain attached zipped files. Emails are written in a very trustworthy way, claiming to be invoices, notices of appearance in court or other official documents. Attackers are just trying to get users to open the malicious attachment that contains a JavaScript file, which after it is opened, donwloads and installs Nemucod to the victims PC. Nemucod is known for downloading a diverstiy of other malware available in-the-wild.

Nemucod currently downloads mainly ransomware, for example TeslaCrypt or Locky. These encrypt the data on the victims computer and demand ransom says Peter Stancik, Security Evangelist at ESET.

Both TeslaCrypt and Locky ransomware use encryption standards similar to those used by financial institutions when securing online payments.

How to protect against this threat:

Do not open attachments sent to you in emails from unknown senders.

Warn colleagues who most frequently receive emails from external sources  for instance financial departments or human resources.

Regularly backup your data. In case of infection, this will help you recover all your data. An external disc or other storage should not remain connected to computer in order to avoid infection by filecoder.

Regularly install updates of your OS and other software you use. If you still use Windows XP, seriously consider moving to other, supported operating system of Windows.

Security software must also be used with all updates installed, ideally with the latest version. IT security vendors are packing new versions of their software with additional scurity features.

Users of ESET solutions are protected when ESET LiveGrid Reputation System is turned on. This technology protects users devices against ransomware by actively blocking their processes.

Prevalence level of the Nemucod malware. The scale spans from 0% (deep green) to 75% (Japan).

Technuter.com News Service
Reliance Communications has become the first mobile operator in India to join the Ozone Networks and Ericsson Small Cell as a Service carrier-grade Wi-Fi network. Ericssons Small Cell as a Service network will enable RCOM to utilize the existing Ericsson/Ozone Wi-Fi infrastructure, and launch Wi-Fi services for a seamless end-user experience using the carrier-grade small cell network.

This will enable Reliance Communications to offer Wi-Fi services with a faster go-to-market approach by leveraging Ericssons established market presence and reach. Ozone Networks and Ericsson will benefit from additional utilization of their already-deployed Wi-Fi infrastructure.

Suresh Rangachar, President & Chief Commercial Officer, Reliance Communications, said, The surge in mobile connectivity and smartphone uptake has led to immense growth in data usage. This partnership will enable us to meet the ever-growing customer expectations in ultra-dense environments through data offload to a country-wide carrier-grade Wi-Fi network.

Sanjeev Sarin, Chief Executive Officer at Ozone, said, This partnership will increase Reliance Communications capacity and footprint, primarily when it comes to ultra-dense environments. With Ericssons Small Cell as a Service platform we have the unique ability to seamlessly combine 3G/4G with carrier-grade Wi-Fi for mobile data offload, thereby ensuring that RCOMs network capacity always exceeds demand, which in turn helps the Company meet customer expectations.

Jean-Claude Geha, Head of Managed Services at Ericsson, says: We are pleased to expand our partnership with Reliance Communications with this new managed services agreement. Together with Ozone India, we are realizing our vision of providing a neutral, shared Wi-Fi infrastructure. Ericsson supports our customers targets of new revenues and subscribers throughout indoor venues and hot spots with the Small Cell as a Service model. Ericssons Small Cell as a Service supports all technologies, from MuLTEfire with the Ericsson Dot solution to Ciscos Wi-Fi solution.

Through its Small Cell as a Service offering, Ericsson provides small cell technology, designs, plans, builds and optimizes networks, and then manages them on behalf of its customers, based on long-term as-a-Service contracts.

Technuter.com News Service
When Microsoft first announced their strategy of running one version of Windows across all devices, the biggest selling point was how "Universal Apps" would run on every platform without needing multiple versions. Developers would only need to create one app using the Universal framework and it would then work on desktops, tablets, smartphones, and even the Xbox One.

We've already seen Universal apps work across traditional platforms like desktops and phones, but it's taken some time for Microsoft to bring these apps to the Xbox One. Windows 10, along with full support for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), was released in late July last year, and the OS hit the Xbox One last November.

At GDC 2016, Microsoft's Jason Ronald revealed that Windows 10 apps will be coming to the Xbox One beginning this summer. The first step is essentially a merger of the Xbox Store and Windows Store, although it's not clear how closely Microsoft will monitor apps that are available on their console.

Some apps will need minor updates to better target the capabilities of the Xbox One, but in general, UWP apps should work just fine on the console thanks to the flexibility of the platform. Allowing these apps to run on the Xbox will also give developers better reach, as their apps will be available not just on PC, but on phones and the Xbox One as well.

Apps on Xbox One is one of the more exciting developments to happen to the Universal app platform this year, and it's good to see Microsoft take another step towards the goal they outlined many years ago.
Federal officials nabbed a 36-year-old man from Pennsylvania, one of the cyberfriends involved in the "Celebgate" hack, which resulted in the leakage of intimate photos of numerous celebrities.

Ryan Collins from Lancaster, has plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and unauthorized access to a protected computer. The hacking of Apple and Google accounts of at least 100 people, including celebrities, involved using an email that claimed to be from the two tech companies.

The email allegedly asked for the log-in details of the users. The victims unknowingly shared their usernames and passwords that opened the access to their private files from November 2012 to September 2014.

Collins used false email addresses such as noreply_helpdesk0118@outlook.com, secure.helpdesk0119@gmail.com and email.protection318@icloud.com. These email addresses looked like legit security accounts from internet providers.

Collins is facing 18 months in jail, but the judge could extend it to five years. He admitted to accessing at least 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, most of them belonging to female celebrities. After gaining access to these accounts, the accused scanned through the victims' online data including private photos of celebrities.

In some cases, he used a software program that enabled him to download the entire contents of the victims' accounts and backups.

According to authorities, there is still an ongoing investigation of the case and there might still be more arrests in the future. There has not been any evidence that Collins himself posted the photos or he was directly part of the leakage. The case will be transferred to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This is the first arrest linked to a security breach.

"By illegally accessing intimate details of his victims' personal lives, Mr. Collins violated their privacy and left many to contend with lasting emotional distress, embarrassment and feelings of insecurity," the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, David Bowdich, said.

The victims of hacking suffered the consequences of the crime. The authorities are encouraging users to be cautious when responding to suspicious-looking emails asking for login details or personal information and to strengthen passwords to prevent this from happening again.

Some of the celebrities involved were Brie Larson, Olivia Munn, Kate Upton and Jennifer Lawrence.

Photo: Omar Jordan Fawahl | Flickr

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In an effort to curb the growing public health crisis in the United States, the federal government released new recommendations for prescribing opioid medications for chronic pain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges doctors to avoid prescribing highly addictive drugs for chronic pain as part of the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, the first national standards for prescribing painkillers.

In the United States, 46 people died from an overdose of prescription painkillers each day. The CDC also reports that physicians wrote a total of 259 million painkiller prescriptions in 2012, which is enough for each adult to have a bottle of pills.

"Overprescribing opioids-largely for chronic pain - is a key driver of America's drug - overdose epidemic. The guideline will give physicians and patients the information they need to make more informed decisions about treatment," said Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC director.

The new national standards end months of arguments between pain doctors and drug industry groups opposed the recommendations. Those who are against say that the guideline would pose unfair difficulties for patients who are really suffering from severe and chronic pain.

CDC, however, excluded some cases wherein painkillers are legitimately needed, including cancer, palliative care and end-of-life care.

The guideline outlines 12 recommendations doctors can take note of when prescribing painkillers. Physicians should consider prescribing non-opioid therapy for chronic pain not related to cancer, end-of-life care and palliative care. This means prescribing less addictive painkillers first.

If opioid is needed or used, doctors should prescribe the lowest effective dose to lessen the risk of overdose. Doctors should also monitor patients and exercise caution in prescribing opioids.

The guideline is intended to improve communication about the risks as well as benefits using opioids for chronic pain. This will help improve safety and effectiveness of pain treatment and reduce the risk of addiction and overdose.

Many supported CDC's new guideline, adding that the federal government implemented one of the most noteworthy interventions to stem the deadly prescription drug epidemic.

"This is the first time the federal government is communicating clearly to the medical community that long-term use for common conditions is inappropriate," said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, head of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.

Photo: Michael Chen | Flickr

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One in four elderly individuals carries an unwanted feature of hospitals on his hands: superbugs, or drug-resistant bacteria that pose a great threat to healthcare worldwide.

Furthermore, seniors who visit nursing homes or other post-acute care (PAC) facilities will keep getting new superbugs during their stay, warned University of Michigan researchers in a research letter.

The team has analyzed 357 elderly subjects admitted in southeast Michigan hospitals for a medical or surgical concern, or certain health care facilities that provide added medical care before they return home. These older individuals often stay longer in a care facility to be rehabilitated post-surgery.

They found that one-quarter or 24.1 percent of the subjects had a minimum of one superbug or multidrug-resistant organism on their hands after checking in.

Upon testing the same subjects' hands biweekly and monthly for up to six months or at the time of discharge from the facility, the researchers saw that the superbugs persisted. The number of those with superbugs on their hands also increased to 34.2 percent, or more than one out of three seniors.

Lead author Dr. Lona Mody warned that it is not only hospital workers who should be taught about optimal hand hygiene.

"[T]hese numbers show it's time to include patients in their own hand hygiene performance and education," she says, adding that .handwashing among patients is not routine procedure in health care centers.

A great deal of these superbugs on patients' hands raises the risk of transmission to weak patients and health care personnel, and in fact flourishes even more from the frequent use of antibiotics in the area.

Antibiotic overuse is pinpointed in the evolution of certain bacterial strains, making them stronger and more resistant to common drug treatments. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report this month urged for greater efforts to prevent and fight the spread of superbugs and hospital-acquired infections.

Dr. Mody's team developed a PAC toolkit to help train employees in infection control, providing posters, modules, and questionnaires about hand hygiene. They also promote the consistent availability of hand products on-site, such as alcohol gels.

Mody added that new policies to stop the spread of superbugs should take into account that seniors are now getting more active, moving and socializing more, and therefore touching more areas in the PAC environment.

The results were published March 14 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

In light of the superbug problem and other illnesses, experts continue to promote the importance of basic handwashing.

"[W]ash your hands frequently with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds," reminds Dr. Karen Smith, director of the California public health department.

Photo: John Starnes | Flickr

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Apple, Google, Ikea and McDonald's are all facing a probe by European regulators on whether they are getting an unfair special tax dealing advantage from the EU countries where they operate.

Both Apple's and Google's European operations are run from Ireland which EU regulators want to probe on whether they have collaborated with the nation on getting favorable tax deals in the region.

The tax hearing follows a similar case in November when Google, HSBC, Anheuser-Busch InBev and eight more companies were probed on the same topic.

While it is true that the European tax committee, which organized the hearing, has no power to order these companies on making the necessary changes, the tax hearing serves as an official reminder on how multinationals are causing political concerns on the way they avoid their local tax responsibilities.

Other companies that are being probed by European regulators on their tax affairs include Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).

Both Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler reportedly declined to attend the tax hearing which is scheduled by the committee. Both are also in the middle of pending tax-related court cases in Europe.

Starbucks challenged the European Commission's order on recovering back taxes of up to 30 million euros from Dutch authorities.

Fiat Chrysler turned down the committee's invitation to attend the hearing following the company's appeal against a finding by EU on how it received a favorable tax deal with Luxembourg.

Recently, Facebook made an announcement that it intends to begin paying more tax in the United Kingdom. This means that instead of routing its UK earnings to a different country in order to pay lower taxes, the company decided to pay corporation tax on most of its earnings in the region.

Soren Hansen, head of Inter Ikea Group, plans to challenge the accusation made last month by the Parliament's Green Party on how the Swedish furniture retailing company avoided paying taxes worth around 1 billion euros between 2009 and 2014. The company had reportedly channeled its royalty income using a Dutch company as well as through Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.

Majority of these companies seemed true to their claim that their operations in Europe are compliant with the region's existing tax laws. They also have the responsibility of providing the best return to their shareholders which is inclusive of paying taxes.

The European countries in question are being sought to change their local tax laws in order to prevent companies from getting lower rates on their tax responsibilities by simply moving their earnings into a different country.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On Tuesday night, Cuban officials announced their first case of domestic Zika virus infection in the country. The announcement marked the end of Cuba's longstanding state as one of the remaining nations in the hemisphere without a domestic Zika case transmission.

According to the state media, the blood test of a 21-year-old Havana woman showed positive for the Zika virus on Monday. The woman remains hospitalized after experiencing common Zika symptoms such as fatigue and headaches. According to reports, the woman has not traveled outside of the country.

Previous reports showed that Cuba had a few cases of Zika infection linked to travels outside of the country, particularly those who traveled to Venezuela, where the Zika patients seemed to have contacted the virus from.

In its effort to curb the increasing threats and potential consequences of Zika outbreak, Cuba utilized over 9,000 soldiers as well as police and university students in its fumigation initiatives. The activities included the removal of stagnant water in assumed breeding sites to prevent a potential Zika outbreak.

Soldiers conducted fumigation activities in the streets of Havana in the past few days. According to the residents, the soldiers don't accept excuses anymore when it comes to fumigating the homes in Havana. Some residents raised allergy concerns before or requested to move the fumigation schedule some other day.

The 21-year-old Zika patient lives in Central Havana. The area is littered with pools of stagnant water, moldering buildings as well as uncollected piles of trash.

Apart from being linked to the neurological disease microcephaly, Zika is also being investigated in its alleged link to Guillain-Barre cases, a rare illness that can cause temporary paralysis.

Cuba's Zika announcement came at a time when the eyes of the international community is set on the country. U.S. President Barack Obama will arrive on Sunday to discuss broad trade embargo exceptions between the two countries.

"The travel ban is on life support here, because for all intents and purposes, anybody can go. All these barriers are coming down," said Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake who supports Obama's approach.

Experts theorized that the lifting of individual travel limits would result in many U.S. visitors traveling to the country.

Photo: John Tann | Flickr

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Frequent visitors of websites belonging to some of the world's largest publishing properties such as the BBC, New York Times, and MSN should be wary of an attack on those sites that could put them at risk from ransomware.

It happened over the weekend apparently. Dark forces from the web ran what is known as a "malvertising" campaign, through which they were able to upload harmful ads that spread to websites belonging to reputable publishers.

According to one expert, last weekend's malicious campaign was the largest they'd ever seen in the past two years. By no means, however, were publishers like Newsweek or the New York Times at fault. The hackers were able to use methods beyond the publisher's control to get bad ads up on the websites.

The hackers used a tool called the Angler Exploit Kit which ran on servers around the world. The kit works by attempting to find software loopholes on a computer. When it finds a vulnerability, the Angler Exploit Kit then delivers its payload of malware. In this recent case, it delivered both malware and file-encrypting ransomware.

Even worse, security experts report that the Angler Exploit Kit has been updated to find and exploit further vulnerabilities. Whoever created the kit certainly wants to keep ahead of its competitors  those competitors being other hackers and security firms such as TrendMicro and Malwarebytes.

"Based on my analysis, once a user visits a page that loads the malicious ad, the said ad automatically redirects to two malvertising servers, the second of which delivers the Angler Exploit kit," writes Joseph Chen, fraud researcher at TrendMicro in a blog post.

"These are the top ad networks in the world," says Malwarebytes senior security researcher Jerome Segura, who went public about the situation after contacting major advertising networks such as Google's DoubleClick, Rubicon and AOL.

"For some reason, they were all affected. It was shocking to be honest."

It turns out that one of the best times to release a malicious campaign that has a better chance of spreading around the world is during the weekend. It's during the weekend that most companies are caught off guard simply because they aren't working.

Segura points out that he had to follow up with the advertising companies on Monday and others much later after initially trying to get in touch with them on Sunday.

Despite the public awareness surrounding the exploit, not all offending ads carrying the malicious software have been removed. Some websites like that of the BCC were still displaying the bad ads as of early Monday this week.

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Ceres is a dwarf planet with a bizarre surface, marked by mysterious bright spots that have left astronomers perplexed. Now, these odd features appear to be changing over time, and scientists are left with no way to adequately explain the phenomenon.

The Dawn spacecraft was the first to reveal the presence of the bright spots, as the orbiting observatory arrived at the largest body in the asteroid belt in 2015.

One hypothesis to explain the changes is that sunlight falling on ice patches is converting the frozen areas into vapor. However, the changes seen by astronomers using ground-based telescopes do not appear to be timed with the day-night cycle of the dwarf planet.

The Occator crater on Ceres is home to the enigmatic markings. Dawn observations suggest that the white markings are likely composed of hydrated magnesium sulfates, commonly known as Epsom salt.

The rotational rate of Ceres may be measured from Earth by observing the Doppler shift of light reflected from its surface. Light coming from the edge turning toward Earth is shifted to the blue end of the spectrum, while the other side becomes red-shifted. However, surface features on the rocky body can also affect the light being reflected to Earth. By measuring this effect, astronomers believe they will be able to record changes on the surface of Ceres even after the end of the Dawn mission.

No earth-based telescope, including those in space, are able to discern details on the body orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Even the mighty Hubble Telescope is unable to reveal distinctive markings on the object.

The High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) spectrograph at the La Silla Observatory in Chile was used to make the new measurements. Astronomers recorded data for two nights in July and August 2015.

"The result was a surprise. We did find the expected changes to the spectrum from the rotation of Ceres, but with considerable other variations from night to night," said Antonino Lanza from the INAF-Catania Astrophysical Observatory.

Astronomers theorize the process of freezing and vaporizing could take more than a day to complete. Such a mechanism could explain why the observed changes do not match the nine-hour rotational period of the dwarf planet.

Ceres is unlike other bodies in the asteroid belt, and the object is known to posses significant amounts of water. However, astronomers are uncertain whether this is related to the appearance of the strange markings.

Study of the newly-discovered changes in the bright spots of Ceres is detailed [pdf] in an article made available by the European Southern Observatory.

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Trees may not contribute to global warming as much as once believed, according to a new study. The lifeforms were found to adapt to global warming significantly faster than predictions had assumed.

Plants and microbes in soil release carbon dioxide as part of their life processes, totaling 120 billion tons each year. This is around six times the amount injected by human beings through the burning of fossil fuels. Environmentalists were concerned that these emissions of greenhouse gases could significantly impact global climate change.

Photosynthesis absorbs slightly more carbon dioxide worldwide than is released through respiration. Normally, this difference allows plants to take in approximately 30 percent of the greenhouse gases produced by industries, power plants and vehicles. However, as temperatures start to rise, the amount of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere climbs, while intake remains the same.

Researchers assembled 1,200 trees in a heated outdoor area, in order to determine how the ratio of intake and respiration in trees is affected by rising temperatures.

During climate talks held in Paris, France at the end of 2015, nations around the world agreed to limit global temperature rise to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st Century.

Climate models used in studies assume changes in the release of carbon dioxide by plants, trees and soil microbes "increases over the long-term the same way it does over the course of a few hours," said Peter Reich of the University of Minnesota.

A shift in the ratio of respiration to intake measuring just 3 percent, driven by rising temperatures, was predicted be enough to turn carbon sinks into carbon sources, fueling further climate change. However, the experiment showed that all 10 species of trees examined adapted to warmer conditions. Instead of releasing 23 percent more carbon, respiration increased just 5 percent.

However, carbon can still be released to the air when trees are cut down or burned. The area of woodlands lost to deforestation in the last 25 years is twice the size of France, according to researchers. This is due, largely, to urbanization and agricultural purposes.

Analysis of the contribution of plants to greenhouse gas emissions was profiled in the journal Nature.

Image: Miguel Vieera | Flickr

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The fossils of a dog-sized dinosaur with lethal claws have been unearthed in Northwestern Alberta in Canada. The new species, which is a cousin of the Velociraptor, was named Boreonykus.

The fossils were discovered by an Australian paleontologist at the Pipestone Creek bonebed, which is a massive grave site of the herbivore Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai dinosaur that lived about 73 million years ago.

The fossilized bones of the Boreonykus were unearthed from the piles of another dinosaur's bones. According to Phil Bell, a lecturer at the University of New England's School of Environmental and Rural Science, the Boreonykus is a cousin of the famous Velociraptor that was made popular by the "Jurassic Park" movies.

"The bones we have shown, it would have had big hand and foot claws, a real killing claw," Bell said. The Boreonykus is smaller, about the size of a dog at 2 meters long. But this dog-sized dinosaur had large lethal claws on both hands and feet.

"The claws would have been used to hunt down prey. We have a handful of teeth that are like serrated steak knives. These would have been pretty savage predators," said Bell.

According to Bell, the discovery of the Boreonykus is a significant one because it provides new information on how raptors roamed the lands and adapted to the changing environment. With its closest cousins coming from Mongolia, Bell theorized that the Boreonykus species must have crossed a land bridge that once connected Northern Asia with North America.

The first Boreonykus fossil bones were found in 1988, but left unstudied in an Alberta-based museum for approximately 25 years. When more bones were found in the same area in 2012, the interest in the Boreonykus bones reached new heights.

The researchers don't have an entire skeleton yet, but based on the uncovered bones, they found that the Boreonykus is a cousin of the Velociraptor. They hypothesized that the skin of the new raptor is probably feathered to help them withstand fierce winters in Northern Canada.

The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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NASA said its engineers have developed a space flight experiment to test the effects of a large fire in space. For the experiment, the space agency will be setting off a blaze inside an unmanned spacecraft.

There is still little knowledge on how fire will behave in space, so scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center will conduct three space experiments. One of the three experiments is expected to launch on March 22.

"NASA's objective is to reduce the risk of long-duration exploration missions, and a spacecraft fire is one of the biggest concerns for NASA and the international space exploration community," said Jason Crusan, the director of NASA's Advanced Exploration System.

Understanding how fire spreads and behaves in a microgravity environment provides important insights on the safety of astronauts who live and work in space.

NASA has conducted a series of experiments at the International Space Station (ISS) but the space was limited. They need a bigger experimental setting outside the ISS and in vast space. Enter Saffire.

"Saffire will allow us to safely burn larger samples of material without added risk to the station or its crew," said Gary Ruff, NASA's Spacecraft Fire Safety Demonstration project manager.

Saffire, or the Spacecraft Fire Experiment, consists of a series of experiments to be launched at three different flights.

The team performing the experiments comprises scientists from 11 international and U.S. government agencies, universities and research bodies. The experiment will be conducted after the Cygnus cargo vehicle has offloaded supplies onto the ISS. It will be initiated during the return trip to Earth.

The result of the first experiment, dubbed Saffire-1, will determine how much fire resistance is needed in the ultra-light material used in the spacecraft and also in the gear of astronauts.

NASA aims to acquire a better understanding on what is needed to build better fire detection and suppression systems for its spacecraft. This information is needed before they conduct manned missions in deep space and safeguard the welfare of astronauts on the ISS.

The two other experiments will also be done this year. Saffire-II will study oxygen flammability limits and Saffire-III aims to study another microgravity fire.

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It is no secret that Samsung has two processors powering its Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones  the Snapdragon 820 or the Exynos 8890.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset powers Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones available in the U.S.,Japan and China, whereas Samsung's own Exynos 8890 chipset fuels the two smartphones being retailed in other countries around the world.

But which of the two chipsets is faster? Speculations have been rife as to which of the two processors is speedier and now new videos have surfaced on YouTube that show a comparison of both the Exynos 8890-powered and the Snapdragon 820-powered Galaxy S7 smartphones. The videos bring a new aspect to light - the Exynos 8890 is faster than the Snapdragon 820.

According to previous reports, a preliminary benchmark pointed to the Snapdragon 820 processor on the Galaxy S7 being more powerful when compared to the Exynos 8890 on several counts. The Qualcomm SoC had clocked 136,695 points vis-a-vis 130,116 points notched up by the Samsung chipset in the AnTuTu benchmark test.

A Geekbench test, as we reported, also gave the Qualcomm processor a thumbs up as it scored 5,423 compared to the Exynos 8890's lower 5,946 rating.

However, the latest YouTube side-by-side comparison video that surfaced online on March 14 has turned the stakes in Samsung's Exynos 8890 chipset's favor.

The Exynos 8890-powered Galaxy 7 is significantly powerful than its Snapdragon 820 counterpart. The Exynos run model of the Galaxy S7 boots faster. The applications also open more quickly when compared to the Snapdragon 820 version. Moreover, the videos also render at a much faster rate on the Exynos 8890 variant of the Samsung smartphone.

A possibility exists that the performance difference between the two Galaxy S7 smartphones could be specific to the units being used. Unless more videos which show a similar comparison result are available, the notion of the Exynos 8890 being better than the Snapdragon 820 variant of the Galaxy S7 will remain circumspect.

Moreover, experts suggest that the fact that the Exynos 8890 powered Galaxy S7 fared better than the Snapdragon 820 version could be due to the fact that there is an optimization issue with the latter variant of the handset. This is plausible as the Qualcomm chipset has steadily scored higher benchmark results in tests.

Check out the YouTube video which compares the performances of the Exynos 8890 and Snapdragon 820-powered Galaxy S7 smartphones.

Photo: Andri Koolme | Flickr

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Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge users have found that the new smartphones on T-Mobile comes with a locked bootloader.

The Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge pack in a slew of impressive features such as the return of the microSD card slot, waterproof and more. However, the locked bootloader on the T-Mobile version of the devices may disappoint many customers. If a handset's bootloader is locked, it can prevent the owner from rooting or flashing custom ROMS.

Reports suggest that the latest Samsung offering from AT&T have unlocked bootloaders, but it is not the same for T-Mobile customers. Many customers have also reached out to John Legere, the CEO of T-Mobile, on Twitter regarding the issue.

Legere says that he is aware of the problem and the carrier's engineers are working on a solution.

@MarkHibbard1 I'm aware some are upset. It's under Samsungs control, but my engineers are asking them for a solution that they can support.  John Legere (@JohnLegere) March 13, 2016

@AhrionMGallegos I hear you. Samsung controls this, but my engineers are asking them for a solution that they can support  John Legere (@JohnLegere) March 13, 2016

T-Mobile may not be blamed for the locked bootloader on the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge as the carrier just brings the mobile devices to the customers. However, it will be interesting to see if Legere's engineers are able to come up with a solution.

The Korean company has announced the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge in two variants: one running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and the other on Samsung's own Exynos 8890 chipset.

In the past, developers have found it difficult to flash mobile phones running on Exynos processors. However, U.S.-based customers should not worry about the issue as the U.S variant of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge will run on the Qualcomm chip.

A group of developers has also started a petition demanding the company to unlock Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge's bootloader.

"Locking our paid devices down is not the way to go. You are telling us that Android OS no longer open to develop and change. This is not how Google wants it. Android is an OS which is meant to Modified," says the petition.

As of writing, about 800 people have signed the petition, and the target is 1,000.

The locked bootloader of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 edge may not be a concern to many owners. However, it will upset developers who want to customize their devices.

Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr

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Ryan Collins, the 36-year-old from Pennsylvania who was arrested for his involvement in the "Celebgate" hack in 2014, already agreed to plead guilty to felony for violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act on March 15.

While his guilty plea is not so shocking, his revelation on how he managed to pull the whole thing off with a simple phishing scam is appalling mostly because it should be easy to protect oneself from scams.

The most important thing to remember when dealing with online accounts is that one should never - and it cannot be stressed enough - ever provide your username and password to anyone, even if they say they are the CEO of the company the account is created in.

According to court documents, Collins used email addresses like "e-mail.protection318@icloud.com," "noreply_helpdesk011@outlook.com" and "secure.helpdesk0019@gmail.com" to fool his victims into thinking that he is officially an employee of the company and that providing log-in information is necessary.

Collins did not even have to be a member of Hydra and mimic Sunil Bakshi's iconic line "compliance will be rewarded" to get the valuable information he wanted, because he simply used seemingly legitimate and "secure" email addresses to contact his victims and he already had them hook, line and sinker.

So what does one have to do to lessen the chances of falling for phishing scams? Read the simple reminders below and remember to be vigilant with No. 1.

1. NEVER provide your username and password when asked.

It does not matter if you are talking to a friend or someone you know, do not ever give away your log-in information to your account, especially through electronic means. Sure, the people you give the information to may be trustworthy, but there is always the possibility that they can become a victim and your valuable information and account will easily be accessible to the offender.

There are also those who, like Collins, would send an email pretending to be an official representative of a company, but do not fall for it. Companies will never ask for your log-in information for whatever reason, so if you receive an email asking you for it, you should already doubt its legitimacy.

2. Be aware of the telltale signs of a scam.

Take a look at the email addresses Collins used to fool his victims. These all had "helpdesk," "secure" or "protection" on it but also note that the domains used are publicly available - both Gmail and Outlook are available to anyone. Employees who need to officially communicate with clients will use the company-provided email address.

3. Do not panic.

No matter how dire the situation seems to be from the email you receive, it is good to be skeptical. If there is truly an urgent situation that a company needs to address, its public relations arm would make an official statement or announcement about it and, even if you do not stay tuned to its press releases, social media and news outlets would pick it up and you will surely hear about it one way or another.

4. When in doubt, contact the company.

One of the email addresses Collins used does seem legitimate because of the @icloud domain; however, that still does not make it any less fishy. As explained above, companies have no reason to ask for log-in information that can give them access to your account. That is why, before you do anything that you will regret, make sure to validate the information by contacting the company through its hotline or help desk chat. If you do this, you are not only lessening the chances of getting victimized, you are also stopping others from falling victim to the scam.

5. Take extra precautions to secure your account.

If your account gives you an option to enable two-factor authentication, don't hesitate to enable it even if it requires an additional step before you can log in to your account. You know the value of what is in your own account so you should know the value of protecting it.

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Google's AlphaGo artificial intelligence program took a huge step Tuesday when it punctuated its convincing 4-1 victory over world champion Lee Sedol in Go, a game that dates back to ancient China and could be likened to a more intricate version of chess.

A day after the landmark victory, Demis Hassabis, the CEO and co-founder of Google's DeepMind, took to the company's blog to explain what its AI learned from defeating a world Go champion with 18 international titles.

"We've learned two important things from this experience," Hassabis wrote. "First, this test bodes well for AI's potential in solving other problems. AlphaGo has the ability to look 'globally' across a board  and find solutions that humans either have been trained not to play or would not consider. This has huge potential for using AlphaGo-like technology to find solutions that humans don't necessarily see in other areas.

"Second, while the match has been widely billed as 'man vs. machine,' AlphaGo is really a human achievement," he continued. "Lee Sedol and the AlphaGo team both pushed each other toward new ideas, opportunities and solutions  and in the long run that's something we all stand to benefit from."

Entering the best-of-five series for the Go match, many AI experts didn't think Google's AlphaGo had reached the point where it would be able to take out Sedol. But storming out of the gate and winning the first three games, before wrapping up the tournament win, 4-1, definitely helped change that feeling.

Google itself was surprised by the rout win.

"To everyone's surprise, including ours, AlphaGo won four of the five games," Hassabis said. "Commentators noted that AlphaGo played many unprecedented, creative, and even 'beautiful' moves. Based on our data, AlphaGo's bold move 37 in Game 2 had a 1 in 10,000 chance of being played by a human."

That being said, Hassabis says that Google's AI still has long way to go, although this win was definitely encouraging and a giant step in the right direction.

Hassabis revealed that Google will be giving its $1 million in prize money to "organizations that support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and Go, as well as UNICEF."

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Amazon Prime isn't exactly an anime fan's first go-to for new series, but it seems that the subscription streaming service wants to change that: Amazon recently signed a deal with Fuji TV that will bring series from its Noitamina programming block to Prime members.

Amazon will begin airing Noitamina shows this spring, starting with Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, which will become available on Prime just hours after the show airs on Fuji TV.

Eventually, though, Amazon plans on simultaneously streaming Noitamina shows as they air in Japan, but it isn't yet clear if that means worldwide or only in Japan. Amazon was also not clear on what countries will have access to the Fuji TV programming, although the Anime News Network reports that the website for Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress states that Amazon Prime has the exclusive right to stream the series in the U.S. and Japan.

In the very steampunk-inspired Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, a world in the middle of an industrial revolution must face a monster with iron protecting its only weakness, its heart. This monster goes around biting humans, infecting them with a virus that turns them into zombie-like creatures called the Kabane. However, many people live on stations on the island of Hinomoto that protect themselves from the undead, including Ikoma, a boy who helps create a weapon that could defeat the monster.

Attack on Titan's Tetsuro Arai directs the series with Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass) writing.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress premieres on Fuji TV and Amazon Prime on April 7. Japanese movie theaters will also air a prologue special to promote the series a week before that.

There's no word on what other series Amazon will bring to its service from Fuji TV, but the current show airing Noitamina is ERASED, a series about an out-of-work manga artist who has the ability to turn back time and protect people from untimely deaths. However, after the murder of his mother, he time travels back to when he was in elementary school, just before a series of mysterious disappearances of children begins in his town.

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The main focus of digital transformation is the digitalisation of the companys value proposal, redesigning processes and, above all, their business models. It also implies thinking about the product or service in terms of the user, the digital perimeter we build, while seeking user loyalty in every interaction. This is a transformation that involves new models of power and a change that requires, above all, the evolution of the culture of organizations and people.

The digital technologies we work on may either be driving new business directly related to the new skills they bring, or they may generate transformations in poorly digital value proposals, but that have the potential to scale or diversify. In other cases, efficiency in value creation processes (transformations, integrations, etc.) is improved while generating efficacy through the analysis of data. Value extraction from the data is another of the goals behind this transformation, generating proprietary value proposals power models (defensive) and external ones (disintermediation). Lastly, the challenge of resilience and trust in digital infrastructures must be highlighted, reducing the risk in transformation processes that generate long-term dependencies on digital technologies.
A 40 anos de Malvinas

"Revisar el pasado es pensar el futuro". La frase de la presidenta de Telam, Bernarda Llorente, resume el espiritu del documental coproducido entre la agencia de noticias y el canal publico de TV sobre la cobertura que los medios de comunicacion hicieron del conflicto, plagada de censura y mentiras. Una autocritica necesaria para mirar hacia adelante en un (ya viejo) contexto de fake news y negocio informativo.
Travel has always been a very important part of my life. I was brought up in Kenya, thanks to my fathers work as a hydrogeologist, and his career took us all over the world. When I was three months old we went to Ecuador; later we travelled through Ethiopia and Botswana. We stayed all over Africa and that experience has remained with me. It instilled in me a love of nature and wildlife  Im passionate about conservation  and that underpins a lot of my excursions.

With Africa, theres just so much to take in. The space, the people, the striking contrast between places. When youre five years old and seeing amazing animals in the wild on the plains of Kenya it stays with you.

David Attenborough is one of my heroes; he was in my mind when I created my first collection for Louis Vuitton in 2011, which was influenced by Africa. Hes educated generations of people about our planet. I also love the work of conservationist Gerald Durrell and read all his books growing up. I actually wrote to him several times  he always wrote back.
'The proposed changes are broadly aimed at addressing difficulties in implementation owing to stringency of compliance requirements'

New Delhi: The government on March 16 introduced in the Lok Sabha a bill to further amend the Companies Act as part of efforts to address difficulties faced by stakeholders and improve the ease of doing business in the country.

Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley introduced the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016 -- which has taken into consideration the suggestions made by a high level panel last month on further possible changes to the law.

"The proposed changes are broadly aimed at addressing difficulties in implementation owing to stringency of compliance requirements," according to the 'Statement of Objects and Reasons' of the bill.

This is the second time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government would be amending the Companies Act, 2013 which was passed during the previous UPA regime. Proposing a slew of changes, the bill seeks to simplify private placement process, remove restrictions on layers of subsidiaries and investment companies, amend CSR provisions to bring greater clarity and exempt certain class of foreign entities from the compliance regime under the Act.

Under the law, certain class of companies are required to shell out at least two per cent of their three-year annual average net profit towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

While the norm came into effect from April 1, 2014, stakeholders have been seeking clarity on certain aspects of it. The bill also proposes to allow unrestricted object clause in the Memorandum of Association dispensing with "detailed listing of objects, self-declarations to replace affidavits from subscribers to memorandum and first directors".

Besides, the government is looking to omit provisions relating to forward dealing and insider trading from the Act. Instead of the requirement of central government approval for managerial remuneration above a prescribed limit, the bill proposes clearance through special resolution by shareholders.

Other recommendations include introduction of test of materiality for pecuniary interest for testing independence of independent directors, removal of requirement for annual ratification of appointment or continuance of auditor, align prescription for companies to have audit committee and nomination and remuneration committee with that of independent directors.

Out of 470 sections of the Companies Act, 284 have come into force. Most provisions came into effect from April 1, 2014. "The process for establishment of the National Company Law Tribunal and National Company Law Tribunal Appellate Tribunal is at its final stage. After the constitution of these Tribunals, most of the remaining 186 sections of the Act shall also be brought into force," the government said.

The Act has brought in significant changes with respect to disclosures to stakeholders, accountability of directors, auditors and key managerial personnel, investor protection and corporate governance. Corporate Affairs Ministry is implementing the Companies Act.
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MoS Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan at the MoUs signing ceremony between Rosneft and Indian consortium of OIL, IOL, BPRL in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi/Moscow: Indian state companies signed energy deals worth billions of dollars with Russia's Rosneft on Wednesday to buy into its most promising assets in Siberia, stepping up a drive to cut New Delhi's dependence on imports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wants to cut India's oil imports by 10 per cent in six years, is steering efforts to buy foreign energy assets, taking advantage of low global oil prices and a slowdown in China's overseas acquisitions.

Under the deals signed with Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, the Indian companies will raise their stake in the Vankor oil field to almost 50 per cent and buy about 30 per cent of the Taas-Yuriakh field.

The deals will help Rosneft, the world's biggested listed oil producer by output, to pay off debts incurred in its $55 billion acquisition of TNK-BP in 2013.Russia is keen to develop and deepen its Soviet-era economic ties with India and sell oil to one of the world's fastest-growing economies at a time when its own economy is stagnant, hit by Western sanctions and a plunge in global oil prices.

Modi had pitched to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the granting of stakes to Indian oil firms during his visit to Moscow in December. The deals will help India to secure Russian oil output, while Rosneft will gain access to the Indian market, Sechin told reporters in New Delhi.

Sechin met Essar Oil officials during his visit and said that Rosneft hopes to conclude a deal to buy a 49 per cent stake in the 400,000 barrel-per-day Vadinar refinery in western India by the end of June.

The proposed deal would give Rosneft an additional outlet for its oil as it grapples with a global crude supply glut.

Energy Bridge

"We are establishing a reliable energy bridge between our countries, which will be developing the interests of both Russia and India," Sechin said. A consortium of Oil India, Indian Oil Corp and Bharat PetroResources (BPRL), a unit of Bharat Petroleum Corp, has bought 29.9 percent stake in Rosneft's Taas-Yuriakh field.

The companies will together pay $1.121 billion for their share in the operation and $180 million each for future capital expenditure, a source with knowledge of the deal said.

Meanwhile, India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp signed an initial deal to raise its stake in the Vankor project to 26 per cent from 15 per cent, while the other three companies could together pick up 23.9 per cent.

A final deal for Vankor will be signed in June, sources told Reuters last week. If the deals go through, Rosneft will retain 50.1 per cent of Vankor, which produced 22 million tonnes of oil in 2014, representing about a tenth of the company's total output.

Vankor's oil is shipped to Asia, mostly to China. Indian companies could pay close to $3 billion for boosting their Vankor stake, based on the price ONGC paid for its 15 percent stake in the project, an ONGC source told Reuters.

IOC-Oil India-BPRL also signed a preliminary deal to buy a stake in Rosneft's Vankor cluster - a separate group of small oil fields.
According to Castelmur, Swiss government had given information to India with regard to the HSBC case.

New Delhi: India and Switzerland are working "very closely" on sharing of information related to tax matters on suspected illicit money cases, a top Swiss official said on March 17. Swiss Ambassador to India Linus von Castelmur also said automatic exchange of tax information between India and Switzerland is expected to happen "rather soon".

"Switzerland and India are working very closely (on information exchange on tax matters)... We have received requests for exchange for information from Indian authorities," he told reporters here.

In recent months, Switzerland has disclosed names of more than a dozen Indians about whom information has been sought by the Indian government amid suspicion that their accounts in Swiss banks were being used for stashing illicit money.

Swiss banks, known for their banking secrecy practices, have come under global pressure as countries, including India, are ramping up efforts to crack down on the black money menace. According to Castelmur, Swiss government had given information to India with regard to the HSBC case.

A leaked list of hundreds of Indian clients of HSBC's Geneva branch had found its way to the Indian tax authorities, which are probing the matter. Describing automatic information exchange "future music", Castelmur said both sides are working towards it. There should be a bilateral arrangement where both sides can commit to proceed with automatic information exchange, he added.

"There was a past and we are overcoming it through cooperation," he said and stressed with increased cooperation, cases would become "more and more seldom".

In January, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had met his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos. Maurer had said the bilateral cooperation on tax matters in terms of sharing information on suspected black money cases would continue at "a good level".
New Delhi: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code will make it easy for a budding entrepreneur to start or exit from the startup business, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 17 said. The minister said the effort of the government is to "encourage startups" as they are the ones creating jobs.

"Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which is being planned, is going to make it easy to start-up as much as to get out of startups because if you are not doing well there shouldn't be a taboo, there should not be a hitch. They should be able to get out faster," she said here at the India Today Conclave.

She said the government has announced a comprehensive action plan for startups that includes tax holidays. "India is the third largest startup country, only after the US and the UK... thanks to the entrepreneurial skills of Indian youngsters," Sitharaman added.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which seeks to provide an easy exit option for insolvent and sick companies, has been referred to a 30-member joint committee of Parliament.

She also said Niti Aayog will be setting up 70 incubation centres all over the country and those centres would be ranked in innovations and top 10 incubators would get Rs 10 crore incentive award. Further talking about 'jugaad' and innovation, she said people think that India is known for jugaad and the country cannot do anything in terms of innovation.

"But no. It is jugaad, which in other parts of the world is recognised as disruptive technology using skills which really became innovation and today India's jugaad is the innovation that we are talking about," she added.

Sitharaman said Indian youngsters are now proving that where technology or skill could not reach, they have achieved it themselves and "as a result, today jugaad is the innovation that the government is also recognising".

Talking about ease of doing business, the minister said with the government taking several steps in this direction, it is now far easy to begin a startup in India. "Today India is far better in ease of doing business," she said.
The Venezuelan government celebrated on Friday the arrival in the country of the last five crew members of the Emtrasur aircraft that had been held in Argentina since June 6. | Read More
In a gazette notification on March 10, the government had, among others, banned manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed does combination of chlopheniramine maleate plus codiene syrup, which is used in cough syrups

New Delhi: As the government banned about 350 fixed dose combination drugs, Congress member Rajeev Shukla on March 16 expressed surprise that such medicines were being manufactured and sold for so many years and sought that the list of these drugs be made public.

"This is a serious matter. I believe that when government took action against 115 pharmaceutical companies, the full list (of the companies) should be made public as well as the names of the drugs," he said while raising the issue during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha.

He said several companies were manufacturing these medicines in violation of norms. Citing reports that household names like Corex and Vicks Action 500 have been banned, Shukla said people should know the names of all such drugs which have been banned.

"While giving licences, the government should also look into what the drug companies make and what is their performance as it is a question of people's health," he added. In a gazette notification on March 10, the government had, among others, banned manufacture, sale and distribution of fixed does combination of chlopheniramine maleate plus codiene syrup, which is used in cough syrups.

In another Zero Hour mention, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) said the Centre had promised to release 25 files related to Subhash Chandra Bose every month, but "unfortunately in February no file was published". He demanded that the files should be released without any further delay.

Raising the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen, AIADMK member S Muthukaruppan said they were being repeatedly arrested by Sri Lankan navy and argued that Indian Navy should "attack Sri Lankan Navy to protect fishermen". Tiruchi Siva (DMK) too raised the issue of fishermen.

He said in March alone, four incidents of arrest of fishermen by Sril Lanka has taken place. In his Zero Hour mention, Manhendra Singh Mahra (Cong) raised the problems being faced Uttrakhand farmers due to draught. He demanded Rs 2,000 crore relief package from the Central government.
Hyderabad: Given the 21st century pace of internet speeds, the question for the business jet is straightforward  do we really need a jet? According to a report by Akamai, the worldwide average stands at 5mbps. So given the provisions of technology, the need for austerity and the scientific worries around climate change, should we as a species encourage a mode of transport beneficial for a select few? Consider the numbers. Reports say of the 15,000 business jets registered in the USA, only three per cent are in use by Fortune 500 firms. This reveals a possibility of world business and sustainability co-existing.

In India, business jet builders account for not over 30 active customers. We now come to fossil fuels. Planes dont burn fuel in a linear method. Fuel is burnt depending on operating height, range, weather and weight. According to the Air Transport Action Group, the global aviation industry is responsible for two per cent of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. Given how exclusive the market for business jets are, they account for just 0.20 per cent of annual worldwide CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels. But remember this. Aviation is the fastest rising contributor of greenhouse gas emissions.

Planes are also delivering a concoction in emissions directly into the upper reaches of our precious atmosphere. Which is why the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said aviation emissions have about two times the impact as ground-based emissions. Manufacturers maintain they are being careful. The Web turned the world into a global village and sometimes its important to meet people in the village, rather than a conference call, said Vadim Feldzer of Dassault. The company currently has 22 clients in India.

Another operator handling Indian operations for a manufacturer said, Makers are increasingly focusing on how to make planes cheaper and cleaner. The latest technologies going into engines address concerns voiced by environmentalists. We have our ears out.
Belgium's Consul General visits Sri City

Sri City, March 17 (INN): Dr. Bart De Groof, Consul General of Consulate General of Belgium in Chennai visited Sri City on Thursday.



On his arrival at Business Centre, Dr. Bart De Groof was given a warm reception by Sri City Managing Director Ravindra Sannareddy.



Briefing the guest on Sri City and its brisk pace of development Ravindra Sannareddy said, 'We pride ourselves in providing world-class infrastructure and ensuring hassle-free operations to all our customers. Presence of several international brands here in Sri City, including the Belgium's Vermeiren Group stands as a testimony to our commitment."



Speaking after the tour of Sri City, Dr. Bart De Groof said, 'The integrated concept seems to be very effective. The Belgian company present here is very pleased with all the services provided."



Commenting on the visit Ravindra Sannareddy said, "Belgium is now the second largest trade partner of India in the European Union after Germany, and this visit assumes significance at the backdrop of Belgium's investment in manufacturing sector, in line with 'Make in India'."



The purpose of Dr. Bart De Groof's visit was to gain first-hand knowledge of the infrastructure and activity at the industrial cluster. During the interaction, he evinced keen interest and quizzed on different aspects of Sri City. He went around the campus and visited the plant of Vermeiren India Rehab Pvt.Ltd., which will produce rehabilitation equipment, such as wheelchairs, walker aids, patient beds, etc.,









News Posted: 17 March, 2016








Mumbai: Auction of Kingfisher House, once the headquarters of Vijay Mallyas defunct airline, proved to be a flop show on Thursday with no bids coming in, presumably due to litigation fears and a high reserve price of Rs 150 crore  dealing a blow to lenders efforts to recover their loans. The auction of the property, with a built-up area of over 17,000 sq ft in Vile Parle area near domestic airport here ended in about an hour with no success.

After the auction did not find any takers, State Bank of India has decided to re-auction the property after consulting real estate experts. An official from SBI involved in the auction process said, We have decided to re-auction the property after consulting real estate experts, and the date for re-auction will be officially announced by the bank. The reason for not finding any takers could be because the pricing was decided by SBI representatives associated with the Bengaluru branch and they had no idea about Mumbais real estate market.

Kingfisher House was taken into custody by SBI in February 2015, for non-payment of Rs 6,963 crore, of which, liquor baron Vijay Mallya is a guarantor. The SBI had last month announced that it will auction the said property under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act (SARFAESI), 2002, at a base auction price of Rs 150 crore, to which, real estate experts were sceptical, citing the quoted price of the property as overvalued. On top of all this, Kingfisher House also comes with an outstanding property tax of Rs 67 lakh.

Vikram Mehta, a real estate broker who deals with properties in Bandra-Kurla Complex, said, In the current slowdown of market, I have a seller who is ready to sell his 9,500 square foot office space at BKC, quoting the rate of Rs 26,000 per square foot as there are no takers. In this case, we cannot expect Kingfisher House to be sold at Rs 90,000 per square foot. According to real estate experts, one of the major reasons for there being no takers is the height restriction, as Kingfisher House is in the vicinity of the airport.

Meanwhile, Mallya sought time till April for making personal appearance before the ED, saying he will not be able to keep Fridays date pursuant to the summons issued against him by the agency in the IDBI bank loan default case. ED sources said the agency may accept his plea and give him time to present himself, probably in the first half of April. The FM Arun Jaitley said that government will recover every penny which Mallya owes to state- run banks. He said that investigative agencies will take strong action against Mr Mallya.
Wakf Board will be given judicial powers: Dy CM

Hyderabad, March 17 (INN): Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali on Thursday assured the Telangana Legislative Council that the State Government would soon grant judicial powers to Wakf Board.



Replying to a question raised by Congress MLC Farooq Hussain during Question Hour, the Deputy CM admitted that over 77,000 acres of Wakf land in the State was under encroachment. He said that the State Government was taking steps to restore the encroached land. He claimed that there were no cases of encroachments since TRS Government took over.



The Deputy CM also assured that the compensation worth nearly Rs. 400 crore would be paid to the Wakf Board for the lands acquired for road expansion and other government projects. He said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has given nod to fill nearly 100 vacancies in State Wakf Board and the recruitment process would be initiated soon. Further, he assured that the Wakf Board would be given judicial powers as promised by the TRS in its election manifesto. He said Pattas issued for Masjid-e-Chunti Shah have been cancelled. He informed that the House Committee on Wakf Properties, constituted in late 1990s, had made 84 recommendations. Of them, 39 have been implemented, 10 partially implemented and 35 recommendations are yet to be implemented or under examination.



Not satisfied with the Deputy Chief Minister's reply, Farooq Hussain alleged that the government was not serious on protecting Wakf properties. He demanded restoration of nearly 23,000 acres of Wakf land in Medak which has been encroached. He also asked the government to table complete report on Lanco Hills case.



TRS MLC Ramulu Naik demanded stern action against encroachers of Wakf land and said they should be booked under PD Act and rowdy sheets should be opened against them.



Leader of Opposition Mohammed Ali Shabbir accused the TRS Government of shielding encroachers. He asked the government to submit a detailed report on the actions taken by senior IPS officer Shaik Mohammed Iqbal against the erring Mutawallis during his tenure as Wakf Board Special Officer. He also alleged that former Minorities Welfare Director MJ Akbar was transferred from post for taking action against Mutawallis who were involved in irregularities. He said that the State Government was not allowing honest officers to do their duty.



Shabbir Ali demanded that 725 Acres out of open land belonging to Dargah Hussain Shah Wali be returned to Wakf Board immediately. He also slammed the Deputy CM for issuing pattas on land belonging to Chunti Shah Mosque in Malakpet. He said that mosque was almost adjacent to Deputy CM's house.



The Congress members later staged a walkout from the House while accusing the government of not giving a satisfactory reply.



Later, Finance Minister Eatala Rajender informed that House that the State Government was ready to order probe into Wakf irregularities. He said that the previous Congress regime caused heavy damage to Wakf properties. He said Congress ruled the country for almost 45 years and it was in power in the State for over 40 years. He said several Wakf properties were lost due to the negligent attitude of previous Congress regimes.









News Posted: 17 March, 2016








Dy CM gives assurance on PM's 15-Point Programme

Hyderabad, March 17 (INN): Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali said that the Telangana Government was taking measures to implement the Prime Minister's 15-Point Proogramme for Minorities in the State.



Replying to a question raised by MIM MLCs Syed Altaf Hyder Razvi and Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri during Question Hour in Legislative Council on Thursday, the Deputy CM said that the government had constituted a State Level Monitoring Committee on November 27, 2014, to monitor the implementation of programme in the State. He said that the process for constitution of District Level Monitoring Committees has already been initiated. He said that the MPs and MLAs would be nominated to each district.



The Deputy CM informed that as against the allocation of Rs. 52.71 Crore under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme, Rs. 19,88 Crore were released during 2014-15. Similarly, Rs. 58.32 Crore in 2014-15 and Rs. 95 Crore in 2015-16 were released towards Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit scholarships.



Mahmood Ali said that the government was planning to appoint a senior IAS officer as Nodal Officer to supervise the implementation of Central schemes.









News Posted: 17 March, 2016








Emirates' A380 makes its second appearance

yderabad, March 17 (INN): More than a thousand aviation enthusiasts experienced the wonder of Emirates' flagship aircraft - the A380 ' at India Aviation, a five-day international air show held in Hyderabad. This marks the second time in the show's five-year history that the iconic aircraft has been on display.



The popular double decker, standing over 24 metres high and with a wing span of nearly 80 metres- is on display between March 16th to the 17th at Begumpet Airport, giving special guests the opportunity to tour its interior and experience its award-winning products in all classes of travel.



The A380 also received a special visit from India's Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, who toured the impressive aircraft guided by Emirates Cabin Crew.



'The India Aviation Air show is a significant event in the region and we are excited to be back in Hyderabad with our iconic A380. Since Emirates launched its A380 service to Mumbai in 2014, more than 349,000 passengers have flown on the aircraft, and feedback from their experience is overwhelmingly positive.' said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean



'Our customers in India can also experience the double decker by connecting through our Dubai hub to more than 30 A380 destinations. With its quiet cabins, on-board lounge and shower spas in premium cabins, the A380 products and services are unparalleled in the industry, giving all our passengers on board an unsurpassed travel experience,' he added.



Emirates' A380 static tour takes the guests across the aircraft's two decks, giving them a real-life glimpse of the spacious seats in Economy Class, lie-flat seats in Business Class and the 14- luxury First Class Private Suites. Guests will also get to see the A380 Shower Spas and on-board Business Class lounge that are both fully set-up and equipped to portray an authentic inflight experience.









News Posted: 17 March, 2016








Thailand suffered a military coup in May 2014  overthrowing the democratically-elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra after months of street protests, just as the second-largest economy in ASEAN was about to sign a Free Trade Agreement with the EU.

Since then, the countrys key fishing and fruit industries have also come under the spotlight from Brussels, whilst human rights activists and lawyers allege a crackdown on any dissent to the junta.

As the Royal Thai Army plotted its coup against the democratically-elected government in May 2014, Thailand was the second largest economy in ASEAN, and stood on the brink of signing a landmark Free Trade Agreement with the EU.

Now, less than two years later, that FTA has been shelved indefinitely whilst the junta is in power.

The European Commission stands poised to make a decision any day now on banning all Thai fish imports to the EU, an industry worth some $3bln in 2014.

Widespread allegations of labour abuses in Thailands fruit processing and fishing industries  two key sectors  have soiled the countrys international reputation.

Even military exercises with the US  whilst not cancelled entirely  were downgraded.

Critical as the fishing industry is to Thailand, the decision to freeze negotiations on an FTA whilst the junta is in power is the most damaging.

As EurActiv.com revealed in November, after hopes a swift comprehensive EU-ASEAN FTA faded, the Commission looked around for individual ASEAN nations to sign the first bilateral deals with.

Source: EU-Thailand relations after the coup  EurActiv.com
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has welcomed the announcement by Qatar Airways, one of the worlds fastest growing airlines, that it will inaugurate flights to Chiang Mai and Krabi as of December 2016.

The Doha-based airlines Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker made the announcement at the ITB Berlin, the worlds largest international travel fair, which was held during 9-13 March, 2016.

He said four flights per week will be launched from Doha to Krabi on 6 December and three flights per week from Doha to Chiang Mai also in December, with the exact date to be announced later.

The two Thailand destinations were the only new ones in Southeast Asia amongst 14 cities worldwide that will be added to the Qatar Airways network over the rest of 2016. The airline, which is now flying to Bangkok and Phuket, will become the first Middle East airline to begin flights to these two rapidly-growing Thai destinations.

Mr. Al Baker remarked, Qatar Airways prides itself on being a global connector, and most importantly, providing seamless and convenient connections for our customers, so that we remain their airline of choice. These new destinations are where our customers want to go, and where we see the most opportunity to provide a best-in-class experience at great value. We look forward to growing our network and welcoming new passengers to Qatar Airways.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), commented, These flights will open up significant new sources of traffic by allowing visitors from Europe, the Middle East and Africa to connect to Krabi and Chiang Mai via the Qatar Airways hub in Doha. They will advance the Thai government policy to promote the dispersal of visitors in order to better balance income distribution and job creation.

He added, The fact that Qatar Airways chose to include one destination in North Thailand and one in South Thailand is perfectly in line with that policy.

Both Krabi and Chiang Mai are rapidly growing destinations thanks to increased connections by low-cost airlines from within Thailand, the ASEAN countries and the Asian region.

In 2015, Krabi International Airport, under the administrative purview of the Department of Civil Aviation, was served by 46 scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, which operated a total of 28,346 flights, up 28.52% over 2014. The Airport served 3,689,831passengers in 2015, up 36.61% over 2014.

Chiang Mai International Airport, which is under the administrative purview of the Airports of Thailand PLC, is being served by 27 scheduled airlines which operated 62,626 domestic and international flights in 2015, up 26.06% over 2014. The Airport served 8,069,918 passengers in the fiscal year 2015, up 29.88% over fiscal 2014.

Chiang Mai International Airport is working on a development project that will increase its capacity from 8 million to 15 million passengers per annum by 2022.

This year, TAT has moved the annual Thai travel industry trade show, the Thailand Travel Mart 2016 Plus to Chiang Mai, the first time it is to be held out of Bangkok. In turn, Krabi is being positioned as an extension of Phuket for the beach resort market.

The new Qatar Airways flights will advance both strategies.

Source: TAT welcomes upcoming Qatar Airways flights to Chiang Mai and Krabi
Hyderabad: Even as the civil aviation ministry is rejoicing over the turnaround of the national carrier, industry body Ficci feels the government should sell Air India and use the Rs 30,000 crore that was earmarked for the Maharaja to subsidise air travel of Aam Aadmis (and also aurats) by lowering jet fuel price. The Rs 30,000-crore bailout package for Air India is heavily criticised. This money can instead be used to reduce VAT on ATF and reimburse the states for their losses for 3-5 years, a report jointly prepared by Ficci and KPMG, said, adding that air travel cannot be the exclusive preserve of the rich and the affluent.

The airline business requires split second operational, commercial and financial decisions which is not possible in the government environment. The industry also requires significant empowerment of junior officers which again is difficult in the government environment where employees are often worried about a backlash in case a bonafide decision taken with good intent goes wrong. Air India needs to be privatised for its own benefit, it said.

The report, which was released by civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, however, criticises the comments made by his own government on subsidies to ATF in the 2016 Economic Survey. Aviation fuel is taxed at about an average 20 per cent, while diesel and petrol are taxed at about 55 per cent and 61 per cent. The real consumers of ATF are those who travel by air, who essentially are the well-off. Hence there is an implicit subsidy for air passengers amounting to about 30 percentage points, the Economic Survey said.

The industry body, however, feels the Economic Surveys comments are misleading and unfair. A 20 per cent reduction in bus and train fares may not create a revolution, but in aviation it can. If India has to grow, we need to gradually shift people from trains to aircraft. Imagine the loss of productivity if executives spend 18 hours to go from Delhi to Mumbai by Rajdhani Express  something they can do in two hours, the report argued. ATF in India is costlier than global average... At times an all-expense paid trip to Thailand or Malaysia turns out cheaper than flying within India. Indias skewed pricing policy on ATF has done more damage to Indian trade and tourism than good.

Gopinath to re-enter airline biz:

With the government planning to boost regional connectivity, Captain Gopinath, the founder of Indias first no-frills airline Air Deccan, may re-enter the general aviation space nearly nine years after he sold out his venture to Vijay Mallyas Kingfisher Airlines.

Capt. Gopis mission is to start another low-cost airline one... With this new policy, there is a scope for doing it, said a source on the condition of anonymity. However, the nitty-gritties have not been finalised. Under the new policy, expected to be out soon, airlines will get viability gap fund for bringing air travel cost to less than Rs 2,500 per person.
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Hrithik had a closed-door meeting with some of the top officials from the Mumbai Police regarding the matter.

Mumbai: The Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut's legal battle is getting murkier day by day as several shocking facts are coming to light.

According to a report in DNA, Hrithik had been anticipating this for a while and he was prepared for the scandal before it blew out of proportion.

Read: Hrithik popped the question to Kangana in Paris way back in 2014

Apparently, he met few top officials from the Mumbai Police and shared all the emails and correspondence with Kangana. He had been advised to keep it official in case of an eventuality like this.

According to reports, Hrithik-Kangana's friendship blossomed into something serious when Hrithik began pursuing her for 'Krrish 3'. However, Kangana could never talk about the relationship openly as Hrithik had said that he would never divorce Sussanne.

Read: 5 shocking allegations made by Hrithik and Kangana in their legal notices

After few months Hrithik announced his separation and made his divorce public. Apparently, Hrithik called Kangana and asked her to marry him within a month of the separation.

Their relationship went through rough patches all through 2014 as Hrithik had started avoiding Kangana once he started shooting for 'Bang Bang'. Later, Hrithik called her up and said that she had misunderstood his intentions. Reportedly, their relationship was officially over by December 2014 and it was only in March 2016 that the affair became public.
Thousands of Australian jobs are under threat with the largest privately owned coal miner in the world, Peabody Energy, warning overnight its financial survival was under a cloud.

The company operates a string of coal mines in Queensland and NSW, having outlaid $6.5 billion to acquire Australian miners such as Excel and Macarthur Coal during the past decade, buying Macarthur at what has in retrospect proved to be near the top of the market.

Jobs at Peabody's Metropolitan mine may be at risk from its deepening financial problems. Credit:Michele Mossop

Peabody's deepening financial woes come as other local coal miners have been retrenching staff and dumping mines amid the worst downturn in the coal market in decades. Just last week, BHP axed 300 jobs from one of its mines in the Hunter Valley, citing continued low prices, and Rio Tinto is seeking to offload the bulk of its local mines.

The troubled miner has declared a 30-day grace to make interest payments of $US71 million on two sets of borrowings and if the payments cannot be made, it could declare bankruptcy as it seeks to reorganise its finances in a bid to stay afloat.
Police are still searching for an armed man whose presence outside a primary school north west of Melbourne led to students being locked in classrooms.

Students have been released from Beveridge primary school, where pupils earlier reported seeing a gunman who was dressed in black and wearing a ski mask.

Victoria Police confirmed students had been collected by their parents following the scare.

Staff are also believed to be heading home but police remain at the school, near Whittlesea, which has around 250 students enrolled.
The museum houses the remains of thousands of fish from the Devonian period, that finished about 360 million years ago. For the artist this site speaks of the contradictory yet concurrent states of permanence and impermanence that find expression in the existence of fossils. Their role as evidence is clear and essential for knowledge of our geological past. Conversely they speak to us of the ephemeral nature of existence, of the passage of time (no matter how vast) and of how short-lived man's footprint is on earth. In their lithic guise, fossils stand as permanent pointers to the impermanence of all life. This powerful tool for the artistic imagination was immediately grasped by Kirk and given expression through her refined technical and aesthetic language. Kirk is primarily a textile artist and her understanding of her materials allows for deft conceptual and visual combinations, contrasts and elisions. The device of layering is overtly present. The veils of fabric and paper (literally) interwoven with threads of various colours speak of the marine world of the Devonian fish. They also impart a layered atmosphere of floating space that subtly alludes to the massive passages of time that have elapsed between the world of the fossils and the world of the artist.

Kirk uses graphic elements (drawing) with suave dexterity, cutting into surfaces and implying a sense of movement and depth. This surface etching is a real symbol of how the experience of confronting the Canowindra fossils has etched itself into the artist's memory. Kirk's pictorial devices are essentially simplistic but used with a sophisticated understanding of the expressive strengths of, for example, transparency and ambiguity, delineation and suggestion, qualities that carry possibilities of immanence. This exhibition is a celebration of the artistic imagination and its necessity in opening us to a world that in reality is beyond our grasp. In the EASS Exhibition the four selected artists each demonstrates a skilled understanding and control of their selected medium. Chris Burton is for me the stand-out artist in this group. He presents six pencil drawings titled Control One, Two  Six, each measuring 56 x 38 centimetres.

Although the drawings are separately titled in their totality they constitute a single work that highlights the artist's dexterous control of the graphic line and consummate ability to concentrate the concatenation of marks into a powerful graphic entity. Burton also understands the aesthetic presence that is the paper onto which he places his graphic marks. His clever use of white vertical "spaces" as seen in the first two of his drawings sees them simultaneously controlling and creating spatial flow and intimations of depth that propel the viewer through this seductively reductive and aesthetically resolved work. Octavio Garcia's four experimental photographs pay homage to the Aztec heritage of Mexico. Garcia uses images of Aztec gods in almost direct quotation from original sources. The complicated iconography and concomitant formal language provides a forceful central image in the four works. The technical processes are named as "experimental photography" and "chemigram". I am not sure what the latter is and the former probably requires further explication for those interested.

What is presented is a surface whose technical pentimenti provide a marked contrast to the sharp delineation of the central motifs. Each work is "framed" with a decorative edging that perhaps references traditional Mexican visual language. There is in these works a tentative, unresolved character that may be the result of the experimental nature of the processes used by the artist. Glass is Clare Peter's chosen medium. She uses very simple yet highly effective forms sometimes enlivened with text or repetition of marks. The text is inscribed with a delicately beautiful script and is sometimes layered through the body of the glass forms. Unfortunately the text is often illegible (or at least it was for me) and sometimes legible only from one viewpoint, thus negating the three-dimensionality of the objects. I should also say that when I could read the text it was somewhat sentimental rather in the manner of a greeting card and at odds with the attractive sculptural severity of most of the work.

The four glass blades (cat's 11, 17, 18 & 19) were the most dynamic. Their graceful thrusts into the surrounding space combined with their gradated yet singular palettes imbue them with an energetic elegance and impressive presence. Peters is aware of the qualities of light in all her work and a sense of its redemptive power permeates the nine works displayed. Kirrily Humphries' three paintings of unpeopled interiors are immediate and captivating in their visual eclat. They are small (the largest is 33 x 24 centimetres) yet the layering that is essential to their making creates an extraordinarily dense spatial depth. The theme of the empty room is of course not new. Humphries imbues her interiors with an almost iconic presence. Just as the artist physically layers her heavily built-up surface, so she imbues the implied presence of the humans and their activities that happened within the space. The artist is concerned with space(s) and our interaction with it. The dark palette may carry sinister overtones but it is an effective device to convey not only painterly chiaroscuro but also the shaded nuances of what has passed in the places/spaces depicted. Past in the Present and the Future by Valerie Kirk. Emerging Artist Support Scheme Award Recipients' Exhibition by various artists.
Alas, one looks in vain for very much human, Good Samaritanesque warmth in any of this correspondence. For the most part burghers seem to feel affronted by the approaches of these unhappy souls and want the authorities to somehow erase them from this Happy Valley. Those of you (woe unto you, ye hypocrites) who rage against beggars but who kid yourselves you are Christians are referred to Our Redeemer's many New Testament kindnesses to them.

Colleague David Ellery, curator of this column in recent weeks, generated considerable correspondence to Gang-gang with an item on the city's beggars and "panhandlers". He found out lots about the sometimes creative fiction they use when trying to wrench donations from burghers with attempts at heart-wrenching stories.

My own view is that beggars are part of the rich human tapestry of grunge of every real, cosmopolitan metropolis. Some of us who have no beggars at our local shopping centres rather envy those of you who do. Salubrious Manuka seems to have vastly more than its fair share, just as that privileged neighbourhood's burghers have more than their fair share of everything.

What's more, whether the stories of hardship the beggars tell us are true or not these storytellers are almost certainly folk of disadvantage. They have somehow somehow not been able to get into and/or stay in the safe, plush, salaried, superannuated grooves lucky people spend their lives in. Liars may be honestly, truly desperate. There, methinks, but for the grace of God, go those of us who have achieved burgherdom. This columnist, though a pillar of society today, owns up to having occasionally teetered on the brinks of life's gutters.

One correspondent on this subject who did show some rare warmth reports to Gang-gang an eventful confrontation on his doorstep.

"My tale is not so much about aggressive begging as it is about how desperate some people become and the lengths they will go to to get some money. Lying in bed one night a few months ago at around 11.30pm I heard a knock on the door. Not used to having visitors at these hours as my wife is a shift worker and I normally go to bed pretty early as well, I got up and opened the door to find a man who would have been in his mid 20s. He regaled me with a tale of woe..."

Our correspondents' response to the tale seems to have been patient and kindly but without him being gullible enough to cough up any money. The tale spun to him and related to us reads rather like a fine work of fiction and is certainly more plausible than the plots of Home And Away. It involves, mysteriously, as so many of these reported tales seem to do, an urgent need to get to fabled Yass.
Managing land at Jervis Bay some years ago biologist Dr Mike Braysher decided to help Bowen Island's little penguin colony by wiping out the island's rabbits.

It was only then he discovered the rabbits had been keeping down kikuyu grass which grew over penguin's burrows, and tangled up the little birds with long runners, preventing them from reaching their burrows to feed their chicks.

Biologist Dr Mike Braysher checks outs a photo of a fox by Roger Williams at the Jerrabomberra wetlands. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

"Ever since we have had to do kikuyu control," says Dr Braysher, a retired natural resources manager and adjunct professor at the University of Canberra.

The rabbits, feral pigs eating discarded bananas under planation trees and Australia's export of feral goats, which has created the biggest market of its kind in the world, remind him of the value of ferals and the futility of trying to eradicate them.
Her ex-partner Marcus Rappel, 41, pleaded guilty to her murder in the ACT Supreme Court last month.

The Canberra mum was killed while she was feeding her seven-day-old daughter at a Calwell home last year.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during the National Family Violence Summit hosted by Tara Costigan Foundation at the QT Hotel in Canberra on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mr Turnbull paid tribute to Ms Costigan at the inaugural National Family Violence Summit in Canberra on Thursday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Tara Costigan's death is a reminder of the human cost of Australia's domestic violence scourge.

Tara Costigan.

"Tara died at the hands of her former partner. Her last breath and energy spent trying to protect her little baby as her two young boys watched helplessly," Mr Turnbull said.

"Tara's story reminds us that behind the headlines and the statistics, the victims of this crime are real."

Mr Turnbull used his address at the summit to announce a $2.5 million funding boost to the Women's Services Network to distribute 20,000 Telstra smart phones to victims of domestic violence over three years.

He said a national campaign funded by the states and territories to tackle young people's attitudes towards gender violence would also be launched soon.
Hrithik Roshan called Kangana Ranaut and asked her to marry him within a month of his separation with Sussanne.

The Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut's legal battle is getting murkier day by day as several shocking facts are coming to light. Hrithik had sent Kangana a legal notice after she referred to him as her 'silly ex' in public. Kangana retaliated by filing a 21-page reply, charging Hrithik with intimidation and threat.

According to reports, the two found solace in each other's company when they were going through a rough patch. Hrithik was then reportedly dating his 'Kites' co-star, Mexican model actress Barbara Mori and things were not working out between them. On the other hand, Kangana was going through her own set of troubles.

Read: 5 shocking allegations made by Hrithik and Kangana in their legal notices

The friendship blossomed into something serious when Hrithik began pursuing her for 'Krrish 3'. Though Kangana was struggling in her initial stages of her career, she refused to be a part of the film. However, Hrithik persuaded her till she said 'yes'.

Kangana and Hrithik Roshan's off-screen chemistry during the promotions of 'Krrish 3' grabbed everyone's attention and acted like fuel to affair allegations.

Kangana could never talk about the relationship openly as Hrithik had said that he would never divorce Sussanne. Realising that her affair with Hrithik would always remain a secretive one, Kangana decided to end things and took off to Milan for a vacation.

Also see: Tracing down Kangana-Hrithik's alleged romance over the years

However, Hrithik soon announced his separation from wife Sussanne and made his divorce public. Apparently, Hrithik called Kangana and asked her to marry him within a month of the separation. Kangana had her doubts about Hrithik's proposal but he put it to rest when he popped the question in Paris.

Kangana and Hrithik spotted at Karan Johar's bash.

Their relationship went through rough patches all through 2014 as Hrithik had started avoiding Kangana once he started shooting for Bang Bang. Later, Hrithik called her up and said that she had misunderstood his intentions.

But it all changed when Kangana won the National Award for Queen in March 2014. Hrithik begged for her forgiveness and asked her to take him back.

The final blow to their on-again relationship came at Karan Johar's party when Hrithik asked her how could she set up a date with another actor. Kangana, who was dumbfound couldn't understand how he came to know about it. That's when she realised that he had hacked into her email account. She then called up Rakesh Roshan and asked him to look into the matter. Kangana later deleted the account and decided to wash her hands of the affair.

After some time, they were back again. They were so much into each other that Hrithik's close friends started addressing her as 'bhabhi'. But given Hrithik's possessive nature, he had a man posted outside Kangana's apartment to report on her movements.

Reportedly, their relationship was officially over by December 2014 and it was only in March 2016 that their affair became public.
There was a significant body of public opinion against the voyage when it was announced in 2009. A mishap that involved a collision with a freighter during a September test run only added to many people's doubts. Jessica Watson, now 22, embarked on her journey at 16 years old. Yachting experts spoke out against the trip, as did the Australian Childhood Foundation. Watson's greatest fear didn't come to pass, however, and she sailed out of Sydney Harbour in October 2009.

The might of the oceans proved every bit as challenging as everyone predicted. Watson faced waves of up to 12 metres and her Pink Lady was knocked down with its mast in the water multiple times during the voyage. During one particularly violent storm, doubts eventually began to creep in, Watson admits. You have to know what the risk is before you can ask, 'am I actually comfortable with that?' "[There was] a point when I was out there in the middle of a storm and I kept telling myself that the boat is set up for this  I am set up for this  it's going to be fine. "But there were hours there when I was thinking I don't know how this boat is going to survive the force of this wave and I did start going ... I don't know."

Watson says she understands much of the community backlash she, her family and her supporters wore before she set sail. But she shuns any description of the voyage as risky. Watson says she was aware of the enormous obstacles she would face on the journey. But she argues there were ways to mitigate the danger through preparation, organisation and a thorough examination of all contingencies. "The thing that fascinated me was how I do it in a way that's safe enough," she says. "It sounds crazy to someone that doesn't know sailing and maybe hasn't done all the research, but you have to know what the risk is before you can ask, 'Am I actually comfortable with that?'

"All the preparation came back to 'what are we doing about every single risk?' "Spares for everything, double ups for everything ... the little things about the mounts on the engine which wouldn't normally be looked at," she says. Watson says she knew her 10-metre boat would be subjected to nightmare scenarios out in the open ocean and planned accordingly. "I knew the boat was going to be turning upside down, and if we hadn't checked that, the engine could have completely come loose and it would have been the end." Watson says she was always sure should could pull off the adventure, even if the outcome was never guaranteed.
The West regularly lauds and supports people power movements that assert democracy over autocracy in less developed nations. Now the epicentre of Western democracy, the United States, is experiencing two opposing people power movements at once - and it is difficult to see the positives.

"I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots. I'm representing a tremendous, many, many millions of people," Donald Trump said this week following his victories in four more state primaries.

The brashness and widely recognised bigotry of the billionaire's likely but not inevitable Republican party nomination for the presidential election on November 8 has emboldened at least one opposing people power movement.

"It's become clear that his political juggernaut is not going away and poses a threat to the country," said Ben Wikler, Washington director of the civil society group MoveOn.org which has been funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros. "It needs to be confronted in a fundamental way that goes beyond the election."

Mr Wikler's comments came as Mr Trump was accused of running a neofacist-style campaign akin to Germany in the 1930s, given his attacks on Mexicans, Muslims and China, along with his advocation of the use of torture.
I have known five girls who became anorexic. One was a high-achieving perfectionist from a happy family, where the mother was as slender as a wand and neurotic about food. The second had an obese mother and a plump sister. A third girl was an only child whose parents had gone through an ugly divorce and whose beloved daddy had left the family home for a younger model. To my untutored eye, it looked as if the 15-year-old had chosen subconsciously to return to a time before puberty, to a childhood when things had been safe and her family whole.

The fourth girl was a gentle, bespectacled, bookish type who started secondary school and developed obsessive habits to deal with anxiety over her new workload. Her devoted parents looked on in horror as, each evening, their once carefree child took the scales and measured out the tiny amount of rice that had become her evening meal.

British broadcaster says girls "are preoccupied with being beautiful and healthy and thin"  just like the traditional Barbie doll.

Finally, there is my friend's gorgeous, funny, big-boned daughter who got tired of being The Fat One in her friendship group of selfie-taking hotties. She lost weight. Felt giddy with delight at her achievement. Lost more weight. Started obsessively taking pictures of her new slender form and posting them on Facebook. By then, she was unable to see how frighteningly emaciated she was. You could cut yourself on her shoulder blade.

All of this is to say that anorexia is a dreadful mental illness. No family is safe from it, though those where the mother has issues with food seem more vulnerable, and there appears to be a genetic component.
Graham Quirk has a big problem, and it's all about the D word.

Not D for donor. Nor is it D for a disastrous and defensive campaign, where the local Liberals tried to play small target.

Development is a key word in this year's Brisbane election campaigns. Credit:Harrison Saragossi

It's D for the development the Brisbane City Council has smothered our suburbs in, and which is now causing angst within the Liberal camp.

The problem has been obvious to the BCC for more than a year, but has batted off at every opportunity.
The West regularly lauds and supports people power movements that assert democracy over autocracy in less developed nations. Now the epicentre of Western democracy, the United States, is experiencing two opposing people power movements at once - and it is difficult to see the positives. "I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots. I'm representing a tremendous, many, many millions of people," Donald Trump said this week following his victories in four more state primaries.

The brashness and widely recognised bigotry of the billionaire's likely but not inevitable Republican party nomination for the presidential election on November 8 has emboldened at least one opposing people power movement.

Donald Trump Credit:Andrew Harrer

"It's become clear that his political juggernaut is not going away and poses a threat to the country," said Ben Wikler, Washington director of the civil society group MoveOn.org which has been funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros. "It needs to be confronted in a fundamental way that goes beyond the election."

Mr Wikler's comments came as Mr Trump was accused of running a neo-fascist style campaign akin to Germany in the 1930s, given his attacks on Mexicans, Muslims and China, along with his advocation of the use of torture.
The sails of Sydney Opera House will be lit with works by Indigenous artists for the first time for the Vivid Sydney festival from May 27 to June 18.



"Without a doubt this is the most important thing we are doing, Vivid is not always political but there is a time to do so," said Ignatius Jones, the festival's creative director. "This will absolutely go off."



The musical headliners for Vivid Sydney include English electronic pioneers New Order, who will play four nights including two with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in the Sydney Opera House; Bjork, who has one night at Carriageworks; Bon Iver, who opens the festival with a four night run in the iconic venue; and Anohni, the name taken by the peerless transgender musician who began her career as Anthony Hegarty.



A first for the festival will be an eight-hour overnight performance in the Joan Sutherland Theatre by German-born British contemporary composer Max Richter, called Sleep.



Taronga Zoo will be in on the Vivid action too, with a light walk that features 10 enormous light sculptures, each representing a critically endangered animal. Each will be the size of a two-storey house.
Once upon a time there was a dress so alluring, every girl in the kingdom coveted it. No wonder: made in China and spun from the finest polyester and gauze, in hues of vivid pink and purple, this was a gown befitting the fairest Disney princesses in the land: Snow White and Cinderella, Belle and Rapunzel.

But now there's a new Disney heroine in town - and this one wouldn't be seen dead in a silly old princess dress. Just opened in Australia, the wildly wonderful Zootopia tells the tale of Judy Hopps, a young bunny who dreams of becoming the first rabbit to serve on the police force of her animal city.

Unlike her predecessor, the pneumatic Jessica Rabbit, Judy's bottom is bigger than her bust and she wears not a princess dress but a smart cop uniform. She has no love interest - her only passion is for her job - and she dreams of career fulfilment rather than a wedding ring. When she first casts eyes on the grotty apartment she has rented, her sigh of delight is Virginia Woolf-esque in its satisfaction at finally having a room of her own.

Widely hailed as a clever commentary on diversity, Zootopia is also the latest attempt by Disney to deflect criticism that its Princess oeuvre is insidiously sexist. Starting with the Little Mermaid's Ariel in 1989, Disney's "Renaissance Era" saw a decade of princesses less passive and drippy than their pre-feminist sisters Snow White and Cinderella.
Grasping that this one incident is not enough to support a feature-length narrative, Riggen puts the focus squarely on Christy herself, played here by Jennifer Garner, and the crisis of faith she experiences after Annabel (Kylie Rogers) is diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening digestive disorder.

In the realm of "faith-based" culture, supposedly authentic accounts of trips to the afterlife, often attributed to children, are a well-established genre. The latest example is Patricia Riggen's Miracles From Heaven, based on the book of the same name by first-time Texan author Christy Beam, whose 10-year-old daughter Annabel reportedly suffered a near-death experience after falling into a hollow cottonwood tree.

Refusing to lose hope entirely, Christy decides to travel with Anna to Boston and seek help from a jolly specialist paediatrician (Mexican sitcom star Eugenio Derbez, chuckling and bugging his eyes). Other similarly benign characters turn up along the way, including a waitress played by Queen Latifah who inexplicably abandons her job to lead her new friends on a tour around town.

The best that can be be said for Miracles for Heaven is that it's not as crass as it might have been. Medical science is not derided, little Annabel's close encounter with Jesus is not dramatised in detail, and when Christy asks how the suffering of the innocent can be justified, her priest (John Carroll Lynch) does not try to pretend that the ways of God are other than mysterious.

What Garner lacks in range she makes up for in sincerity, and there are moments when she almost succeeds in turning Christy into a credible character, combining middle-American perkiness with an almost manic anxiety that becomes more visible the longer Annabel is ill.

But by and large, the film is drippy kitsch, alternating between sub-Terrence Malick images of everyday "miracles"  sun peeping through trees, Christy in an aquarium gazing reverently at a stingray  and forced, feeble attempts at comic relief. The screenplay is credited by Randy Brown, previously known for writing the excellent Clint Eastwood vehicle Trouble with the Curve, but the laid-back wit of that film is utterly absent here.
That wouldn't surprise anyone who caught his 2014 John Peel lecture on Free Music in a Capitalist Society, or more recent musings on a career of corporate "humiliation" and life as an unassailable Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame legend doing fashion shoots to make ends meet. The rest of the kiss-off is on the record, between the acerbic recrimination of Vulture, the earnest yearning for American Valhalla and the bilious rejection of the whole phoney and spiritless techno-world in Paraguay. "My very particular quirk in my vocational history," he says, "is that although I started out in a field that's supposed to provide an occasion for self-expression, I ended up for many years having to suppress all sorts of aspects of self-expression, for all sorts of reasons, to survive and prosper. "After a while, you just wanna say what's on your mind and you don't give a f---." After a while, you just wanna say what's on your mind and you don't give a f---. Iggy Pop

Given decades of collegial tension and company rejections, ownership was key to this project. No managers, no labels. Pop had met Homme on only a couple of fleeting backstage passes, but he knew him well enough to fire off a text that read, in full: "I thought maybe we could write something and record it. Iggy Pop." The only song he had was written "on a sort of lonesome day in 2014," he says. "I didn't wanna tour that year. I needed a break from being in front of peeps. And I wrote the three verses and choruses to the song that appears last on the album, Paraguay." That's the one that begins, "I'm goin' where sore losers go/ To hide my face and spend my dough/ Though it's a dream it's not a lie/ And I won't stop to say goodbye." "I was in a little house that I have here where I tell the truth," he says. "I just wanted to walk away. From everything. And basically I knew I wasn't gonna. Hah! Out came that song and I recognised truth in it, and also quality."

At the same time, he recognised he'd need a collaborator "who could help me modernise [the sound] and expound on some of these themes, and do so with me singing in my natural baritone voice, without having to scream." It was only after he was ensconced in Homme's Mojave Desert studio that he realised the potency of the partnership. "Honestly, if Stevie Wonder had a band defection on Friday, Josh could come in Saturday and fill. He is that flexible. And that good. He could do the same thing with Led Zeppelin." Just as importantly, Homme proved a worthy foil to Pop's intellectual curiosity. It was another text conversation that conjured the notion of American Valhalla, a concept that resonates deeply in the lungs of one of that battle-scarred nation's senior rock warriors. "One of the underlying currents of life here for many years now  is this constant low-grade war going on," he says. "You see these guys on the streets. They come back and some of them don't do so well.

"At the same time, I was kinda feeling like a [war veteran] myself, and then the whole experience of becoming recognised by the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame begs that question. Is there an American Valhalla?" If only some of his closest war buddies could speak. Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton have both died in the last seven years. David Bowie is off-limits for this interview, though the spirit of those two Berlin albums of the late '70s, The Idiot and Lust For Life, was something Homme specifically sought to reference, Pop says. Asked how such clear and present reminders of mortality affect his work, he's perhaps understandably reticent. "It creeps up little by little. I wouldn't say it casts a shadow, but it casts a kind of ... gauze, is the best way I can put it. A curtain. How 'bout that?" The spotlight is about to blaze cruelly on this side of the curtain, as the rock vet steels himself to forsake the domestic beachside routine he shares with his third wife, Nina Alu, for what he calls a bout of "grunt touring" with Homme. He hopes they'll make it to Australia in January, when the weather won't mess with his health. That's another subject he skirts around with a hint of anxiety. For a man who turns 69 next month, it can't be easy for James Osterberg to be the incandescent explosion of raw power that we've known for 45 years as Iggy Pop. But he will say this.
Kangana essays the role of an action star of the 1940s in the film which is set during the World War II era. (Photo: Twitter)

Mumbai: Unaffected by her legal battle with Hrithik Roshan, Kangana Ranaut continues shooting for her upcoming film 'Rangoon' in Arunachal Pradesh with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.

Read: 5 shocking allegations made by Hrithik and Kangana in their legal notices

Kangana essays the role of an action star of the 1940s in the film which is along the lines of the Hollywood classic Casablanca and is set during the World War II era.

Read: Hrithik popped the question to Kangana in Paris way back in 2014

The actress, who is famous for her curly hair right since her debut 'Gangster', is currently sporting a short hair-do. Once she wraps up 'Rangoon', Kangana will begin working on Hansal Mehta film.

Saif Ali Khan strikes a pose with a rifle.

Also spotted on the sets was Saif Ali Khan, who is striking a pose with a rifle. Saif, who is an avid reader, is always seen carrying a book and it seems to be no different here as he has his book right beside him.

Shahid Kapoor shoots for a crucial scene in 'Rangoon'.

Meanwhile, after shooting some crucial scenes at Komli Ghat, Shahid Kapoor interacted with his fans gathered outside his hotel. The actor sported a grunge look and he carried it off effortlessly. Watch the video here.
 The lyrics spit in familiar fashion from Gareth Liddiard's lips like shrapnel, but don't go looking for a guitar-soaked track like Shark Fin Blues from 2005's Australian Music Prize-winning album. The return of drummer Christian Strybosch brings the menace of that earlier album, but the Drones in 2016 have swerved in a radical direction on their seventh album. Keyboardist Steve Hesketh's true value has been realised on his first recording, which takes aim at everything from tribal tatts to Andrew Bolt on first single Taman Shud while aching with agony on To Think That I Once Loved You. "The best songs are like bad dreams," sings Liddiard on opener Private Execution, as Fiona Kitchin's skulking bass comes for you. It's intimidating, sometimes scary stuff. Thankfully. MARTIN BOULTON Underworld BARBARA BARBARA, WE FACE A SHINING FUTURE

(Caroline)  Karl Hyde said recently that he and Rick Smith made their new album without any concern of sounding like Underworld. Indeed, nor should both men  now in their late-50s  be perpetually tethered to outmoded memories of their '90s dance music heyday. That said, this possesses their trademark elegant grooves and electronic pulse, but is less frenetic, and Hyde isn't the bug-eyed dance dervish of yore. The sweeping If Rah has a soundtrack-laced, John Carpenter-ish guitar and keyboard interplay, while the slowed-down, spacey Motorhome soothes with twinkling keyboards and wiry static. The album's seven tracks can feel threadbare, but only because this fine form warrants further expansion. ANDREW DREVER Milwaukee Banks

DEEP INTO THE NIGHT (Dot Dash/Remote Control)  On their debut LP, Melbourne electro-hip-hop duo Milwaukee Banks head Deep Into The Night, their dark night of the soul set to sparkling synths, melancholy beats, and hooks sweetly sung by Stax Osset and Summer Disbray. At first, Dylan Thomas delivers the nightlife's usual lyrical trappings: lines and pills and "Miss Tequila", hours spent glassy-eyed and way too high, romantic entanglements etched with desire and doubt. But as they venture deeper, thoughts turn to space, in both sci-fi nerdery (shout-outs to Anakin Skywalker and Zecharia Sitchin) and celestial phenomena. In such, it's a familiar night on the tiles: starting out fun, ending up existential. ANTHONY CAREW
The producers of I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! reportedly declined warnings from animal welfare groups that they were using cubs from the hunting trade while filming.

Network Ten was forced to defend itself this week after charity Campaign Against Caged Hunting (CACH) claimed the five-week-old white lion cub used in episode 10 was a victim of the wildlife trafficking trade.

CACH is the same organisation for which contestant Dean Geyer was competing and would have been the benefactor of the show's $100,000 prizemoney if the Glee star had won.
But Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce is among those agitating for the program to be pared back, having previously described it as "social entrepreneurship" that goes against the wishes of parents.

Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, formerly the education minister, said the government-funded initiative should not be scrapped and that he was "absolutely" against a parliamentary inquiry into the program.

A renewed revolt against the Safe Schools anti-bullying program has fractured the government's frontbench, with pressure mounting on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to intervene.

And a petition being circulated by another Nationals MP, George Christensen, demands Mr Turnbull suspend all funding for Safe Schools until a "full blown" parliamentary inquiry is held. Upwards of 30 MPs have reportedly signed the letter, including former prime minister Tony Abbott - however it appears the document has since disappeared.

Coalition MP George Christensen is driving the campaign against Safe Schools. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Asked on Thursday if there should be a parliamentary inquiry into Safe Schools, Mr Pyne said: "Absolutely not." The program should not be scrapped, he said, because he would want it to be available if his own children were bullied.

"I was minister for education so I am familiar with the Safe Schools Coalition. I took the view that the materials in it weren't directed at me, they were directed at a younger audience and that bullying in schools was unacceptable," Mr Pyne said.

"I took the view I shouldn't bring my 48-year-old attitude to these materials because I have children of my own and if they were being bullied I would want them to have the support they need."
One of the Turnbull government's most senior ministers, Christopher Pyne, has waded into the US presidential contest, saying the popularity of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is "terrifying" and is making American democracy look "kind of weird".

It is unusual for Australian politicians to criticise US presidential candidates during a campaign.

Mr Trump - a businessman who has made vitriolic attacks on immigrants, threatening mass deportations and proposing to build a wall on the Mexican border - is far ahead of his nearest rival, Ted Cruz, in the race for the Republican nomination. This week the businessman added Florida, Illinois and North Carolina to his primary tally.

Protests outside Mr Trump's rallies have sparked violence in recent days.
On September 13, 2007, my wife and I started a Term Allocated Pension for $200,000 through our own super fund as advised by Centrelink, and has been self administered. My wife and I are both the trustees and the sole members. This pension is for 20 years, but due to high charges of $3500 a year associated with the accountancy and auditing we wish to stop the allocated pension and close the super fund, which has only $130,000 left as any other money we had was lost in the stock market due to the stock market tumble years ago. Can we cancel the allocated pension and close the super fund? B.R.

You cannot close your term allocated pension without losing its assets test exemption and exposing yourself to a clawback of excess age pension by Centrelink, going back five years.

It is preferable to go into retirement with a fully paid off home.

However, you can roll the money over into a term allocated pension or TAP that is open to rollovers and thus retain the 50 per cent assets test exemption which you are receiving, as your fund began between 2004 and September 20, 2007. The only open TAPs of which I am aware are the Colonial First State wrap account, known as Firstwrap, and the IOOF Select TAP.

Beware of a few traps when rolling over. The entire amount, including reserves, that support your TAP must be rolled over, otherwise Centrelink will not accept your new fund as being assets test exempt. This can be a problem where an investment has been frozen since the GFC and cannot be cashed in. However, if the frozen fund's ownership can be changed, you may be able to buy it from your SMSF.
The worst private health insurers have been revealed by a new analysis that shows some of the leading insurers, including Medibank and NIB, are not the most generous of all.

A new league table created by the Australian Medical Association has exposed what health insurers pay for 22 common procedures, including cataract surgery, tonsil removals, colonoscopies and births.

Medibank is not the most generous insurer in the AMA's report card. Credit:Glenn Hunt

It shows a large variation in payments for the same procedures, suggesting some policy holders are more likely to face out-of-pocket fees than others. For example, HBF pays $2150 for an uncomplicated delivery of a baby while GMHBA pays $832  a difference of 158 per cent.

The Private Health Insurance Report Card  the first in a series the AMA plans to release  found HBF paid the most for nine of the 22 procedures, and MDHF and GMHBA paid the lowest amount for 19 of the 22 procedures that were compared.
Australia should consider following the UK in introducing a sugar levy on soft drinks as part of an obesity-prevention package, health experts say.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver went further, telling the Australian government to "pull its finger out" and follow suit, describing the UK move as "bold and brave".

But Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo says he's not a fan of the tax, while the Australian Beverages Council says it's another step in the wrong direction to end the global obesity epidemic.
The Department of Defence has launched an investigation to determine whether staff contact details were leaked to a union before a telephone campaign urging employees to reject a proposed pay deal.

The claims, which have been categorically denied by the Community and Public Service Union, were raised after complaints from non-union and former union members.

CPSU says no-one has provided the union with employee contact details obtained through inappropriate access of personnel records.

The investigation comes after an unprecedented marketing campaign by the department with management providing 51 bulletins and 98 staff meetings before the vote.

The two per cent a year wage increase was rejected by the department's 18,000 civilian employees on May 2 with a margin of 2 per cent, or about 279 votes.
Children as young as seven in a Queensland home for boys were terrorised and sexually abused by a trainee police officer for years but a jury never got to hear the full story, a national inquiry has been told.

The child sex abuse royal commission is examining how child sex abuse cases are handled in the criminal justice system as it is applied in different jurisdictions.

Children as young as seven were abused at the boys' home in Brisbane's north-west in the 1960s. Credit:iStock

Dennis Dodt was a ward of state at the Enoggera Boys Home in Brisbane in the 1960s from the age of five and Graham Noyes, a volunteer at the home and a trainee policeman, would indecently assault him.

He recalled how Noyes would pin him to the bed when he was seven and force his penis into his mouth until he blacked out.
While the gap has started to close between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, "we can't stand here and simply pat ourselves on the back for a job well done", according to Queensland's Health Minister.

On Close the Gap Day, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Minister Curtis Pitt said the government "will not accept the idea that one group of Queenslanders should live shorter, unhealthier or poorer lives" than other Queenslanders, and said the Closing the Gap report showed how much work was left to do.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 23: Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, Cameron Dick MP speaking in question time at Queensland Parliament on February 23, 2016 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Glenn Hunt/Fairfax Media) Credit:Glenn Hunt

While mortality rates across the nation dropped by 34 per cent between 1998 and 2014 and the number of indigenous students going through to Year 12 increased from 45.4 per cent to 58.5 per cent between 2008 and 2013, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15-64 years old employed fell from 53.8 per cent to 47.5 per cent over the same time.

Mr Pitt said all governments needed to do more.
Mumbai: Actor Sanjay Dutt, released from the Yerawada jail on February after serving his sentence in an arms case related to 1993 Mumbai blasts. It was a day for celebration for Dutt family, friends and fans.

Its been a month since the actor returned back home and to offer her thanks, Manyata has left for Tirupati temple.

We spotted Manyata taking the devotional route as she left for Tirupati. Manyata will be taking the trip alone.

Earlier, while addressing the media, Sanjay spoke in depth about the support Manyata showed and how she stood by him throughout their struggle. "I think she was suffering more as she had to be at home...bring up kids..look after them, take decisions. I was in jail," he had said.

Manyata Dutt snapped leaving for Tirupati temple.

Manyata is taking the trip alone.

Manyata Dutt

Manyata had earlier visited Tiruptai in 2013 (When the actor was serving his sentence in Yerawada prison) to hold a special prayers for Sanjay Dutts health.
A complaint has been made over an alleged violent arrest on the Gold Coast in February.

Video footage emerged of a violent Surfers Paradise arrest that occurred on February 14 which appears to show an officer throw two punches at the man, which he evades before being tackled by two officers.

Gold Coast police arrest a man at Surfers Paradise. Credit:Seven News

It would appear he was then punched at least four times around the head and face.

Later in the vision the man is seen to spit blood.
Young Melbourne dark-web paedophile Matthew Graham, 23, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for crimes a judge described as "pure evil".

Graham was known online as 'Lux'. He ran an empire of hidden websites for two years from his bedroom at his parents' home in South Morang between the ages of 19 and 21.

Matthew Graham has admiited 13 horrific child pornography, child abuse and "hurtcore" charges.

The websites - obscured from general online browsing by the Tor network - specialised in the torture, rape and sexual abuse of children.

On Thursday County Court judge Michael Tinney said on Thursday that the extraordinary, shocking case was unprecedented and Graham had fulfilled his aim of being the biggest child pornography and "hurtcore" distributor in the world.
St Patrick's Day celebrations kicked-off early on Thursday morning as commuters were treated to an impromptu Irish jig on the train en route to Perth.

The Gaelic Girls Irish Dancing Troupe showed they were up for the craic by blasting out some traditional Irish tunes before dancing around the carriage - as passengers clapped along.

It appears the early morning workout was just the start of a very long day for the seven professional dancers, as they headed around Perth to bring a touch of Irish flair across the city.

After getting off at Leederville to rapturous applause they made appearance at Fenians Pub and Carnegie's, both in Perth, before trips to Paddy Malone's, Carine Bailey Bar and J.B. O'Reilly's in West Leederville.
In another place and another time, Pavitra Aran might have found herself in Australia as a refugee - which has proved part of the motivation for her award-winning efforts in working to connect newcomers to the country via social media.

Inspired by the phenomenon of Humans of New York, 26-year-old Ms Aran - a Perth youth worker and daughter of Tamil migrants - has been using Facebook to share positive stories from refugees and as an avenue for the community to open up to her.

Pavitra Aran says in another place and another time, she might have been a refugee as well.

Since launching in January, her Facebook page Young Refugees of Western Australia has grown to more than 1300 likes and on Tuesday was recognised at the WA Multicultural Recognition Awards.

"Stories of refugees really resonate with me because people are one in the same, they just literally came at a different time and it's so much harder now," Ms Aran says.
Geneva: The World Health Organisation has put a number on the people estimated to have died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment and it's big -12.6 million.

That number represents one in four of all deaths globally and underscores the devastating impact of the chemicals and waste we've been putting into the air, water and earth since the end of World War II.

Smoke rises from a stack at a thermal power plant shrouded in smog in Beijing, China, earlier this month. Credit:Bloomberg

The WHO said deaths due to non-communicable diseases - which include heart disease and cancer and are related to exposure to pollution -- now make up 8.2 million or nearly two-thirds of the total deaths. Deaths from infectious diseases - such as malaria and diarrhoea - due to unsafe water and lack of sanitation represent one-third and are on the decline.

"If countries do not take actions to make environments where people live and work healthy, millions will continue to become ill and die too young," WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said.
"The frontier has gone, and with its going has closed the first period of American history," wrote historian Frederick Jackson Turner in his 1893 essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." For Turner, Americans of that period were marked by "coarseness and strength combined with acuteness and inquisitiveness; that practical, inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients." We see scant evidence of that ingenuity in Mona Mansour's The Way West (Labyrinth Theater Company at the Bank Street Theater), suggesting that Turner's declaration of a closed frontier may have been a harbinger of the weakening of the American character. With this challenging, important new play, Mansour holds a mirror up to America: where we've been and where we might be going.

Mom (Deirdre O'Connell) is declaring bankruptcy. A toxic combination of generosity and financial illiteracy has landed her in more debt than she can ever hope to pay down. Her daughter Manda (Nadia Bowers) has flown in from Chicago to help sort things out. Little sister Meesh (Anna O'Donoghue) has recently racked up $3,500 in additional credit card debt on mom's name, figuring that it won't really matter after the bankruptcy. On top of that, Mom has invested $11,000 in a shady essential water startup helmed by her friend Tress (Portia). Mom assumes that bankruptcy means she'll get a fresh start, but Manda's ex-boyfriend, Luis (Alfredo Narciso), explains that it is not that simple. She may lose the house, and if a judge finds out that Meesh resold her purchases on eBay, someone could go to jail.

Throughout, Mom tells stories about pioneer days, when brave men and women risked life and limb on the prairie to start a new life out west. Accounting for her financial distress, failing health, and downwardly mobile children, however, the space between reality and mom's rugged western mythology feels as wide as the Grand Canyon. We're not sure her wagon train will make it across.

Manda (Nadia Bowers) and Meesh (Anna O'Donoghue) listen as Mom (Deirdre O'Connell) tells a pioneer story in The Way West.

( Monique Carboni)

One of the most watchable actors in New York, O'Connell gives a typically memorable performance as Mom, drawing us in with her stories and furtive grin. She seems utterly disinterested in money, handing a big book of financial information over to Manda as soon as she receives it, like it was a hot potato. As the oldest daughter, Bowers appears constantly on edge, making her a slightly oppressive presence. Is it that she is worried about her hapless family, or is it because she is also desperately overleveraged? Bowers delivers a multilayered, relatable performance that resonates in uncomfortable ways.

Scenic designer David Meyer has used the entire expanse of the Bank Street Theater in creating Mom's home, the house at the center of the drama. This bold choice (made more impressive by the fabrication of a realistic house fire) is slightly undermined by the poor sightlines in the space. Wisely, director Mimi O'Donnell stages almost everything in front of a large picture window framed by the theater's massive columns. Through that window, Meyer has created a stunning vista on which lighting designer Bradley King creates the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. "Look at the light and the hills," Mom exclaims while pointing to purple mountains majesties. "That is what kept them going."

The program describes the setting as "a living room somewhere in California a few months after the last financial crisis" (one would assume around 2008 or 2009); but honestly, it could be right now: For many Americans, the last several decades have been one long financial crisis that only gets worse. We understand that from the chronically unemployed Meesh, and though we would like to sympathize with her, O'Donoghue's exasperating performance gets in the way. She whines and rolls her eyes as if by habit, thirsting for schadenfreude from Manda. "In case you didn't realize, Manda, those aren't money," she taunts her older sister when her credit card is declined. It is far easier than it should be to dismiss Meesh's misfortune as the result of an attitude problem.

Luis (Alfredo Narciso) explains bankruptcy to Mom (Deirdre O'Connell) and Manda (Nadia Bowers) in The Way West.

( Monique Carboni)

Then again, the problem may be ours. One gets the sense that Meesh does not desire our pity. More than any other character, she's a fighter, willing to do all sorts of unsavory things to survive. We can see her pioneer spirit alive and kicking when applied to criminal activity, but is that really our final frontier?

You are likely to leave The Way West feeling deeply ambivalent. Mansour does not create particularly likable characters. They are marked by delusion, jealousy, irresponsibility, sloth, and blind faith. Still, few among us can claim to be completely free of those foibles (and if you do, I suggest reexamining the first trait on that list). One should not have to be perfect to have a decent life, and everyone deserves a second chance, even if we can no longer run away to the frontier to find it.
Mumbai: Ranbir Kapoor, who was recently spotted shooting for his upcoming film Jagga Jasoos with ex beau Katrina Kaif in Mumbai, will be flying to Lucknow next week to shoot for Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

After wrapping up Ae Dil Hai Mushkil which also stars Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the actor will fly off to Morocco to shoot for his Jagga Jasoos.

After many delays, Jagga Jasoos, which is being directed by Anurag Basu, is now aiming for an August release.

While the speculations about Ranbir and Katrinas alleged break-up being the root cause of their films delay are rife, the actor has something entirely different to say.

At the special screening of Kapoor and Sons, the actor cleared the air by saying that there are no problems and the films progress is going well. The film is almost over and everyone is working their best for it.

The film's first look and teaser will release next month.
Flames engulf Huddersfield mill

A TRADING estate in Huddersfield has gone up in flames.

Firefighters were called to the Britannia Mills Trading Estate, and appliances brought in from Halifax, Holmfirth and Meltham, among others.

The fire involved 30% of the first floor of the two storey mill building

Around 40 firefighters battled the blaze on Britannia Road, Milnsbridge using water from the canal.

A call came in at 12.25pm to West Yorkshire Fire Service, and several hours later fire crews still remained. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown.

Last month a packaging centre in Wetherby was damaged in a fire, forcing the relocation of a 45m-turnover business.
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Frank Sinatra Jr, who carried on his famous fathers legacy with his own music career, has died at the age of 72. His family said in a statement that Sinatra died unexpectedly Wednesday of a heart attack while on tour in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The statement said the family mourns the untimely passing of their son, brother, father and uncle. No other details were provided. His world-famous father also died from a heart attack in 1998. He was 82.

Sinatra Jr was kidnapped and held for ransom in Lake Tahoe in 1963, when he was just 19, and had already followed his dad into the music business by then.

He worked for his father as his musical director.
HONG KONG  China feels hurt. China feels offended. China feels sad.

Keep your eyes on any screen in China, and thats one of the repeating messages youll see.

There will be practically no mention about a real estate bubble, stock market crashes, yuan rumbles, or capital outflow. Nor will there be much talk about the dreadful quality of air, cancer villages, or how smoking might be killing an unreasonable share of young men. Rather, youll see protagonists dressed in drab colors, confessing to crimes they committed.

Almost all of them say theyre sorry for hurting the feelings of the Chinese nation.

Who knew a nation of 1.4 billion was so fragile?

In an in-depth profile with The Atlantic, President Obama said, We have more to fear from a weakened, threatened China than a successful, rising China. In a mind-boggling way, Beijing attempts to portray itself as botha victim of international meddling and foreign influence eating at the integrity of Communist Party rule, but also an economic powerhouse with rapidly developing military capabilities. To make the first point, certain individuals have been forced to wear the badge of enemies of the state.

There may be people pushing back even from within. As The Washington Post reported this week, an open, if anonymous, letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping popped up on the government-linked Wujie News site in the pre-dawn hours of March 4 only to be quickly taken down. But a copy discovered as a cached version blasted Xi for abandoning the principle of collective leadership, for concentrating power in his own hands and indulging flatterers. Xis declaration that the press should serve the party, not the people dismayed the whole nation, it charges, the Post reported.

Among those who have paid the price for alleged subversion in one form or another, five booksellers based in Hong Kong were whisked away to secret detention at different times and locations starting from last October. One resurfaced in January with an unlikely story of how he ended up in Mainland China after disappearing from his holiday loft in Thailand. His confession video has since been picked apart as a montage of clips spliced together to weave a narrative pushed by the state.

Las July police detained over 130 Chinese lawyers and their staffs. Although many were released quickly, at least 14 have been formally charged with state subversion after six months of secret detention.

A French journalist, Ursula Gauthier, was expelled for doing her job in Xinjiang, where the local Uighur population faces severe abuses. Gauthier received death threats after her report was published, and the Chinese Foreign Ministry wanted her to apologize for her wrongdoings. Then a ministry spokesman said her work openly supports terrorist activity, the killing of innocents, and has outraged the Chinese public.

A Swedish human-rights activist named Peter Dahlin was detained in January as he was about to board a plane in Beijing. The charge was inciting opposition to the government. Xinhua news agency claimed Dahlins organization, which provides aid to human-rights lawyers in China, was encouraging the masses to oppose the government, although the Chinese Communist Party has not indicated which part of Dahlins work had broken Chinese law, merely stating that he collected negative information about China and distorted it  to provide so-called China human rights reports. Dahlin too has appeared in public broadcasts, his words peppered with phrases so loved by the Party.

Some of Dahlins former colleagues in China also appeared in the video, describing their recent revelations that Dahlins group is an anti-China organization with the goal of setting up an outpost or bridgehead so that scouts can gather information for foreign powers, which will then be used in criticisms of China on the world stage, or economic and political attacks on the Peoples Republic.

It is convenient that every individual in a televised confession had somehow come to realize his transgressions after mysterious disappearances.

It is notable that they all use the same languagethat they are working for anti-China forces, that they are sorry for their actions which hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, that their original goals threatened national security.

It is incredible that all of these statements are recorded and aired before a trial.

The CCPs fetish for stifling critics isnt something new, but it is being executed with renewed vigor. Chinese President Xi, or whoever polishes his speeches, calls it a public opinion struggle, and state media has made it their mission to churn out positive propaganda. These are unsettling phrases that evoke the dark days of Mao Zedongs Cultural Revolution.

In Xis struggle, anyone who deviates from the Party-sanctioned narrative is quickly gagged, perhaps sucked into a black hole, where those unfortunate enough to be caught in the crosshairs of Xi and his faction face imprisonment, and even torture.

On the other end, Beijings flood of positive propaganda is surreal. Xi Dada, or Uncle Xi, as fans of the Chinese president call him, is handsome, bold, decisive, and cute. His cartoon self is a man of the people, armed with a spiked club in his hunt for tigershigh-level officials who are snagged in his anti-corruption campaign. To push the CCPs latest five-year plan, an animated David Bowie lookalike was employed. One wonders: Are Chinese leaders truly so out of touch that they believe outsiders buy into these weak attempts of masturbatory self-regard?

Despite centralized governance, the Chinese Communist Party is not monolithic. Officials who are not part of Xis faction have found themselves under the scrutiny of Wang Qishan, the Chinese presidents anti-graft tsar. In 2014, a CCP official snagged in Xis anti-corruption campaign told AP that during his 184 days of detention, he was beaten, force-fed excrement, and had his thigh bone snapped by interrogators. Before he was released, he had to sign a false confession document.

Xi Jinping said he will make China a place where nobody dares to be corrupt. He and his faction have made other promises, like resolving the countrys incredibly nasty environmental problems and ensuring continued economic growth.

But citizens in China arent so confident that their leaders will follow through. It seems like no one was held responsible after the deadly explosions that occurred in Tianjin last August. The output of steel mills rust away as factories across the country shut down. State-imposed stock market circuit-breakers couldnt stop investors from selling off their shares, and the measure was such a failure that it had to be suspended four days after its introduction. Forty billion dollars in stimulus, slashed rates, and forcing large shareholders to hold on to their investments couldnt stop the stock market from crashing. Labor protests plague industrial hubs in numbers higher than ever before, with no official response other than police crackdowns.

It takes a special brand of cynicism to govern a nation of 1.4 billion but completely write off the collective intelligence of that population, their needs and wants, and their hopes. Given what the CCP is doing under Xis leadership, there is now a new measure of success in China: How quickly can you move your money out of the country and settle elsewhere, like California, Switzerland, or Australia?

Xi and his advisers face many challenges in their governance. China is evolving economically, and pain is part of the process. The draconian, heavy-handed treatment of perceived foes of the state, and the subsequent assumption that the world will believe fantastical tales of criminal confession, only alienates the Party from reality. Not even their captive audience at home believes those stories.

Paranoia and secret detentions continue, now codified and commonplace. Threats, isolation, and torture might convince some to take the blame, but that doesnt dissipate Chinas litany of problems. The latest round of repression may not involve rifles, soldiers, and tanks creeping down capital boulevards, but make no mistakeXi has created a system that is much more aggressive, much more damaging to his own nation. The bullying, disappearances, and torture are unlikely to stop anytime soon.
When 113 new documents recovered in 2011 during the fatal raid on Osama bin Ladens compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, became publicly available this month, perhaps the most noteworthy insight they offered was the extent of the strategic patience, to borrow a phrase from the Obama administration, possessed by al Qaeda.

Along with other captured documents, what the U.S. Director of National Intelligence calls Bin Ladens Bookshelf reveals the cunning long-term planning that characterized the groups approach at the time of bin Ladens death, and that continues to guide it today, affecting not least the actions of its affiliate, the al Nusra Front in Syria.

The record shows that the United States often has overlooked the extent of al Qaedas patient approach, sometimes mistaking its relative quiet for inactivity or collapse, and our failure to understand the group has helped it to gain critical operating space, and even worse, has sometimes caused us to blunder into its traps.

The broad outlines of al Qaedas strategy of attrition against the West are, at this point, generally well understood. Al Qaedas strategy, as initially formulated by bin Laden, was to wear down the United States militarily, politically, and economically.

This long-term approach contrasts with that of al Qaedas louder jihadist spin-off and competitor, the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), which already claims to have re-established the caliphate. Al Qaeda, on the other hand, sees the United States as the trunk of the tree, as bin Laden put it in a letter addressed to the late al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) emir Nasir al-Wuhayshi. Al Qaeda wanted to wait to sever that tree trunk before moving on to the next stages in its campaign, including building an Islamic state, according to that captured document, which was declassified in 2012.

The newly released Abbottabad documents show how strategic patience has shaped al Qaedas military operations and political activities. The jihadist group has proven willing to make compromises, sacrifice short-term victories, and even develop tactical alliances with adversaries in order to outlast its various foes. At the same time, the group looked for rear bases of support and safe havens where members could train, plan attacks, and prepare for future battles in the region.

Al Qaedas approach to the Mauritanian government illustrates this restraint and flexibility. In several newly declassified documents dating from about 2010, al Qaeda officials discussed the possibility of making a truce with Mauritania, in which al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb would refrain from military operations in the country.

What was in it for al Qaeda? The group discussed some demands that it had for Mauritania: The government would allow militants to operate freely in the country, release incarcerated al Qaeda members, and provide al Qaeda 10 to 20 million euros a year, protection money to ensure that al Qaeda didnt kidnap tourists.

From al Qaedas perspective, the rationale for the deal was that it would allow militants to focus on Algeria, while placing its cadres in safe rear bases available in Mauritania, as now-deceased Ahmed Abdi Godane, emir of the Qaeda-affiliated Somali al Shabaab, noted in a letter written in March 2010. It is not clear from the documents whether this offer was actually extended to Mauritania, nor what response al Qaeda received if the offer was made, but al Qaedas consideration of this approach attests to the groups patience, and willingness to grant foes a temporary reprieve if there was an advantage to doing so.

The logic that influenced al Qaedas thinking on Mauritania could also be seen in Yemen. An al Qaeda strategy paper noted that the jihadist movement was thriving under the countrys then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, whose corruption had created fertile ground for jihadism. The author of the paper concluded that the best immediate option for al Qaeda was to allow Saleh to remain in power, rather than working to topple him.

Why was the author so suspicious of ousting the apostate government and keeping the country in a state of chaos? After all, chaos typically plays to the advantage of jihadists. The author reasoned that Salehs replacement likely would be more aggressive in targeting jihadists. Moreover, even if chaos prevailed, he noted that we cannot spread our Dawah while there is chaos. Dawah refers to proselytism: In other words, the author was concerned that the preparatory work for an eventual jihadist takeover in Yemen was not complete at that point.

The author even proposed a truce with Saleh, noting that even a unilateral agreement would allow al Qaeda to focus on the United States. This sentiment was echoed in a letter from bin Laden to Wuhayshi, declassified in 2012, in which al Qaedas emir explained that the jihadist movement was in a preparatory stage in Yemen, meaning that it is not in our interest to rush in bringing down the regime. (Bin Laden eventually changed his mind on this point, as events on the ground seemed to dictate a more aggressive posture.)

Al Qaedas thinking about Mauritania and Yemen is characteristic of the newly released documents. Throughout, the groups leadership urges caution and occasional tactical cooperation with enemies. In a letter to Abu Ayyub al-Masri, al Qaeda in Iraqs emir, a senior al Qaeda official warned against carrying out operations in Iran. Iran, he explained, had become al Qaedas main artery for funds, personnel, and communication. The official similarly advised al-Masri to refrain from striking Turkey and Lebanon, urging him to instead devote your total resource to the fortification of the nation, and the fight against the crusaders and the apostates.

These directives show that al Qaeda was preparing for the long haul. The group anticipated and prepared for setbacks, even catastrophic ones. In a letter to Ansar al-Islam, an Iraq-based militant group, a senior al Qaeda official (possibly bin Laden himself) explained that Iraq is not the end of the road. He stated that if al Qaeda were defeated in that theater, it would be a catastrophe, but nonetheless we must always prepare ourselves for anything that might happen.

The official noted that jihad will continue with us or without us, revealing an organizational belief that the struggle to re-establish the caliphate would persist long after al Qaedas founders had died.

This prediction has proven all too true. Al Qaeda has continued to adapt and thrive since bin Ladens death, while adhering to its late emirs methodical approach. The groups strategy has survived several seismic developments that were widely viewed as the organizations death knell.

The so-called Arab Spring was widely perceived as a mortal blow to al Qaeda, a repudiation of the groups claim that only violent jihad could sweep away the Middle Easts authoritarian regimes. Instead, al Qaeda celebrated the revolutions. In a newly released letter to one of bin Ladens assistants, an al Qaeda official expressed his hope that the uprisings would spread all over the Muslim homelands, which will accelerate the triumph and unity of all Muslims.

Al Qaeda prepared itself to succeed in the post-revolution turmoil, using bin Ladens model of preparation and strategic restraint. Al Qaeda covertly expanded its presence in countries like Libya and Tunisia, using front groups such as Ansar al-Sharia to conduct Dawah and recruitment activities. Indeed, a previous batch of Abbottabad documents released for a criminal trial show that al Qaeda had established itself in Derna, Benghazi, and elsewhere in Libya even before bin Ladens death.

In multiple theaters today, including Syria/Iraq and Yemen, al Qaeda has embedded itself in local communities, developing relationships.

After seizing control of the Yemeni port city of al-Mukalla, AQAP set up a group known as the Sons of Hadramawt, intended to appear as an indigenous force, and appointed a local council, the Hadhrami Domestic Council, to govern the city.

It has likewise sought to build coalitions in Syria, as evidenced by a secret directive issued in early 2015 by the groups current emir, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Zawahiris missive instructed Jabhat al Nusra, al Qaedas Syrian affiliate, to work more closely with other rebel groups, strengthen ties with local communities, build sustainable safe havens, and cease planning for attacks against the West.

Al Qaedas strategic flexibility has also been on display in its response to the challenge posed by ISIS, whose emergence was another challenge that many analysts thought would cripple al Qaeda. While ISIS has challenged al Qaedas position within the jihadist community, it has also given al Qaeda a long-awaited opportunity to remake its image, which had been tarnished by failed governance experiments in Iraq and Mali, among other places. ISIS has become a convenient foil for al Qaeda in its efforts to gain greater operating space.

Time and again, al Qaeda has been able to mitigate setbacks, or even turn them to its advantage. The groups vision of a multi-generational jihadist struggle has enabled it to think and act strategically, pursuing long-term objectives while passing up ephemeral or unsustainable victories.

Al Qaedas ability to think and plan for the long term stands in contrast with both ISIS and also the U.S. government. Election cycles, budgetary uncertainty, and inter-agency squabbles impede strategic thinking in the fight against al Qaeda. As we continue to overlook al Qaedas forward-looking approach, we underestimate the group and fall into its traps. At a time when al Qaeda is quietly gaining ground across the Middle East, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa, and benefiting from the international communitys myopic focus on the Islamic State, it is more important than ever that we fully appreciate al Qaedas long-term planning.
The image to contemplate now is of Hillary Clinton sitting in the front pew at Donald Trumps third wedding in 2005.

I didnt know him that well, she later said. I mean, I knew him.

Pure Hillary.

She went on, I happened to be in Florida, and I thought it was going to be fun to go to this wedding, because its always entertaining.

Trump later told the press, Hillary Clinton, I said, Be at my wedding, and she came to my wedding. She had no choice because I gave to [the Clinton] foundation."

Pure Donald.

While Bill Clinton skipped the church ceremony, he attended the reception afterward at Trumps Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago. Trump later told Politico, As a contributor, I demanded that they be therethey had no choice and thats whats wrong with our country. Our country is run by and for donors, special interests and lobbyists, and that is not a good formula for our countrys success. With me, there are no lobbyists and special interests. My only special interest is the United States of America.

In truth, Trumps special interest was and always will be Trump. He is not likely a racistas many chargeso much as he is a Trump supremacist.

And, as a lifelong Trump supremacist, he contributed to whichever politicians he thought might be of use to him, regardless of their ideology.

There is total control of the candidates, I know it better than anybody that probably ever lived, he has said.

He has also continued to hire foreign workers and sell clothing made in China even as he gives impassioned speeches about losing American jobs and treasure to China and other foreign countries.

Im a businessman. These are laws. These are regulations. These are rules. Were allowed to do it, he said at the most recent Republican debate. But Im the one that knows how to change it.

He excuses his selling out American workers and buying politicians as just part of being a winner in business. He tries to tell us that it in fact makes him a better candidate.

Frankly, I know the system better than anybody else and Im the only one up here thats going to be able to fix that system because that system is wrong, he said during the debate.

But knowing that the system is wrong has not kept Trump from taking full advantage of it.

He did so because his one and only special interest is Donald Trump.

How can any sentient being believe that Trump is continuing to act as anything but a Trump supremacist now that he is running for president? How can anyone think that his special interest really will become the United States of America and not himself?

In his particular brand of supremacism, Trump makes right, even if he is playing on bigotry and fear and anger. The truth is what he says it is and anybody who seeks to contradict him with facts is dishonest.

One actual truth is that Hillary Clinton did not likely attend Trumps wedding because he had donated to the Clinton Foundation.

Hillary was almost certainly there because she is mesmerized by wealth. She and Bill look as happy as happy can be in the photos taken with Trump and his third bride, Melania Knauss, at the reception. Hillary looks less like someone on the make than someone who wants to have made it.

A hunger for cash that seems to have made her blind to future political consequences compelled Hillary to take several six-figure speaking fees from Goldman Sachs. She pocketed $225,000 for what has been described as a rah-rah speech in 2013, even as the bank was seeking a multibillion-dollar settlement with the government for allegedly fraudulent practices that helped nearly wreck the global economy.

After she and her husband had made more than $150 million from peddling their presence in one place for or another, Hillary described herself as unlike a lot of people who are truly well off.

In contrast, Trump began his presidential campaign by declaring Im REALLY rich. That helped him present himself as somebody who tells it like it is even though he so often tells it like it is not, never was and never should be.

At first, Hillary failed to take Trumps campaign seriously, using the same word to describe it that she had used to describe his wedding.

Its all entertainment, she told a reporter. I think hes having the time of his life, saying what he wants to say, getting people excited both for and against him.

Hillary seemed to have remained untroubled by Trumps championing of the birther movement in 2008 even after Obama released his birth certificate. Never mind that the birther stuff was really dog-whistle racism, that it really had to do with Obama being an OTHER, which is to say black. Hillary appears to have considered it great fun as Trump set about again playing on such fears.

Hillary found her outrage only when Trump became a serious contender and therefore a threat to her by further tapping into angers that extend beyond race into class. Trump was one person who intuitively understood the vehemence of the opposition to Obama had little to do with his actual performance.

At the same time, Hillary was encountering outrage within her own party over those Wall Street speaking fees. She might have been a political goner had she faced somebody less utopian than Bernie Sanders. She certainly was helped by Trumps intransigent misogyny.

Even as his triumphs were rolling in on Tuesday night, Trump took to tweeting about Megyn Kelly of Fox News, who had drawn his ire at the start of the first Republican debate by asking about denigrating ways in which he had spoken about women. He had afterward said she had been bleeding from her wherever.

Kelly had been almost solicitous with Trump during a more recent debate. No matter.

Cant watch Crazy Megyn anymore, Trump tweeted on Tuesday evening.

Trump then stepped supreme onto the podium in the Donald J. Trump ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, the very place where he had partied with the Clintons at his wedding. Even a megalomaniac such as Trump could not have imagined back then that Melania Knauss could conceivably become the First Tootsie.

A line of American flags were arrayed behind Trump as he stood before the crowd as the overwhelming favorite to become the Republican nominee to lead the country. A man who seeks to capitalize on the divisive passions that are contrary to everything American pledged to make America great again. A man who continues to hire foreign workers and sell items made in other countries pledged to stop the loss of American jobs and decline in American manufacturing. A man who had sought to chase away disabled veterans who dared to peddle goods on the same golden stretch of Fifth Avenue where Trump Tower stands now pledged to take care of our veterans.

Our veterans are treated so badly, Trump said.

To Trumps right stood Corey Lewandowski, his 42-year-old campaign manager. Lewandowksi is the subject of a criminal complaint filed by former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields, who charges that he manhandled her after a Trump press conference. Lewandowski and Trump both denied it ever happened, but Fieldss allegation is supported by a witness from The Washington Post, video, and a photo of bruises on her arm.

Lewandowski should have been under arrest rather than smiling onstage as his boss praised his work in the latest primaries.

Corey, good job, Corey, good job, Trump said.

Trump once again denounced all those who dare to speak truth to glower.

Lies, deceit, viciousness, disgusting reporters, horrible people, he said.

Pure Donald, who will now almost certainly face Pure Hillary 11 years after the wedding where she sat in the front row.
ROME  Sometimes Pope Francis must surely wish he had a magic wand instead of a shepherds staff.

That way he could just wave it and make the embarrassing Vatileaks II case go away. Instead, the trial against a monsignor, a public relations specialist, an administrative aide, and two journalists for leaking and publishing secret documents is raining sleaze on the popes Easter parade.

The trial, which has been on a hiatus for three months while experts determined what technical and computer evidence could be used against the defendants, kicked off this week with a bang. The hearing started Monday with Spanish monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda, the only one of the five suspects in Vatican custody, on the witness stand.

Balda had been enjoying house arrest in Vatican City under the condition that he didnt communicate with the outside world. Then, a few days before the trial reconvened, a sleuthing Vatican techie noticed that there was a spike in Wi-Fi usage from the wing where the monsignor was staying. Curious, the techie traced the Internet usage to a cellphone someone had smuggled in to the prelate, apparently inside a cutout in a religious book about the Franciscan order, according to the website Infovaticana, which is a sort of Drudge Report for Vatican watchers. Now Balda is back in a Vatican cell while the trial goes on.

When asked in court if he had leaked documents pertaining to his time on the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Organization of the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See (COSEA) to journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, Balda admitted that he had, though he said he wasnt fully lucid at the time. Yes, I passed documents, he told the court, explaining that he gave Nuzzi five emails and 87 passwords for documents related to the COSEAs work. I was convinced I was in a situation without exit.

By that, he said he meant that his co-defendant Francesca Chaouqui, who was also on the COSEA committee, threatened his life if he didnt give the documents to the journalists. Balda told the court that Chaouqui had implied to him she was the No. 2 in the Italian secret service and that if they needed it, she would call the mafia for help.

Then he offered up a WhatsApp message thread between the two in which Chaouqui apparently wrote, I will destroy you in all the newspapers and you know that I can do it.

If that isnt a concrete threat, what is? Balda asked the court.

Chaouqui, who is from Calabria, home of the Ndrangheta mob, angrily denied the rumors and came to court the following day with the university thesis she wrote about how the mafia had ruined her homeland. The thesis was dedicated to two anti-mafia judges who were assassinated in Palermo. Accusing me of being connected to the mafia, as someone from Calabria, it is the worst attack that could be made on me, she told reporters outside the Vatican tribunal gates.

Balda didnt back down. He used his time on the stand to describe a night of passion he says he and Chaouqui shared at a Florentine hotel that was compromising for me as a priest. Chaouqui, who is pregnant with her first child, denies the allegations and says that, on the contrary, she was never sexually attracted to the aging prelate, who she says is gay.

Balda and Chaouqui, along with Baldas administrative assistant, Nicola Maio, are accused of committing several illegal acts of divulging news and documents concerning fundamental interests of the Holy See and State.

Nuzzi and Fittipaldi were accused of exercising pressurein order to obtain confidential documents and newswhich, in most other contexts, amounts to doing the job of journalism well.

They all face up to eight years in a Vatican jail, although Balda is the only one who falls under Vatican City jurisdiction, so the others would only have to serve time if extradited from Italy to the Vatican City state.

On Tuesday afternoon, Fittipaldi took the stand but invoked his right to protect his sources for a number of the questions posed to him. He did admit to receiving documents from Balda, which, he said, werent of much journalistic value save one budget sheet and another letter signed by Cardinal George Pell, head of the Secretariat for the Economy, who has had his own legal troubles over pedophile priest cover-ups in his native Australia.

In America, the journalists of The Boston Globe asked questions and were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for uncovering important information on pedophilia in the Spotlight case, and their story becomes an Oscar-winning movie, he said. In Italy, journalists who ask questions, who investigate very important questions on an economic structure riddled with corruption, end up being tried and risk four to eight years in prison. For the simple fact of asking questions.

The trial resumes on Friday and is expected to wrap up sometime after Easter. In the first Vatileaks trial, Pope Benedict XVIs butler was convicted of leaking documents to Nuzzi. He was ultimately convicted and pardoned by the pope.

But even if Francis ultimately forgives anyone eventually convicted of the crimes of leaking and publishing documents, it remains to be seen whether any lessons were learned and whether the embarrassment of this show trial was worth it.
The government has banned the manufacture and sale of more than 300 combination medicines, including two widely used cough syrups, as they are being sold without the governments approval.

Bengaluru: Physicians in the city criticised the central government for banning some 300 fixed-dose combination drugs, including cough syrup with Dr Shobha Rani R. Hiremath, Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy saying Before banning these medicines, the health ministry should have conducted some survey or study.

Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Philomenas Hospital, said, The ban should not affect the people too adversely, as alternatives are available. But Dr Hiremath said, The issue is debatable. The health ministry should make these drugs prescription-based and stop over the counter sales.

Dont ban blindly, say doctors from Bengaluru

My go-to drug is Vicks 500 and I can buy it over the counter. I haven't had any problem until now, says 34-year-old Keshav working at an MNC in the city.

The Health Ministry, through a gazette notification, has banned over 300 fixed-dose combination drugs, including cough syrup compositions, saying they involve "risk" to humans and safer alternatives are available. The ban covers most of the popular cough and cold medicines Vicks 500, Reckitt's D'Cold and Piramal's Saridon. The government has taken a decision to put the ban on hold till March 21.

People rely on Vicks 500 and buy it as and when needed, says a pharmacist at Sai Sidhdhanta Pharmacy on Wind Tunnel Road. In Bengaluru, people keep falling sick with cough and cold. Banning these drugs will make them miserable, he said.

Dr Shobha Rani R. Hiremath, Professor and Head of Department of Pharmacy Practice at Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, which has been carrying out a study on spontaneous adverse drug reaction since 2001, said, Before banning these drugs, the ministry should have conducted some survey or study. Such bans should always be evidence based.

Her department has not received any communication from the Health Ministry. I have been monitoring patients at both St Philomenas and St Martha's Hospitals and none of the patients, who take these drugs, have reported any adverse reaction as well. Most of these medicines do not even induce drowsiness or any other ill-effects. But some cough and cold drugs are abused by some addicts. But banning Vicks is irrational, she said.

The government has banned the manufacture and sale of more than 300 combination medicines, including two widely used cough syrups, as they are being sold without the governments approval. The ban is aimed at stopping the misuse of such drugs.

Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Phelomena's Hospital, said, The ban should not affect the people too adversely, as alternatives are available for these medicines. The Health Ministry has banned only fixed combination drugs, but single drugs are available.

On Monday, drug majors Pfizer and Abbott stopped sale of their popular cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl respectively, after the government passed the order.

The issue is debatable. The health ministry can at least make these drugs prescription-based and stop their sale over the counter, said Dr Shobha.

Top 10 banned drugs:

Corex - stay order from the court

Vicks Action 500

Phensedyl - stay order from the court

Sinarest

Tripride

Zimnic AZ brand

Cheston Cold

Euglim

Glizonem

Gliterais

Banned drugs to go to Africa, SAARC?

The 344 drugs that have been banned in India are likely to be diverted to African countries, or even SAARC countries expect Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the central government has not banned their exports.

Drug controllers say that they don't have a say in what the manufacturers do with the recalled drugs. While the makers of cough syrups Corex and Phensedyl have approached the court and got a stay order, the others are still contemplating legal action. The problem is that this time the government has listed each combination and banned them instead of issuing a bulk order. This means that each pharma company will have to separately go to court for each combination.
Childrens self-control  essentially the ability to keep still  evolves as children mature. (Photo: Pixabay)

Parents of children with birthdays right before the cutoff date for school enrollment often worry these kids will struggle academically and socially with being the youngest and smallest in class.

Now, parents can add another concern to the list  higher odds that their child will be diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and put on medication.

Researchers in Taiwan, where August 31 is the cutoff date for school enrollment, found children born in that month were much more likely to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD than their peers with September birthdays.

Its possible this happens at least in part because parents and teachers forget the August babies are almost one year younger than the September babies in class, and perceive behavior problems when kids are actually acting appropriately for their age, lead study author Dr. Mu-Hong Chen of Taipei Veterans Hospital in Taiwan said by email.

Childrens self-control  essentially the ability to keep still  evolves as children mature, said Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health Behavior and Development at Seattle Childrens Research Institute.

Thus, younger children may be at greater risk for being perceived as hyperactive, Christakis, who wasnt involved in the study, added by email.

The findings also mirror whats been seen in the U.S. and other countries, Christakis noted. For parents, the implications are to think twice before starting very young children on medication, Christakis said.

To see how students age relative to their classmates might influence their odds of an ADHD diagnosis, Chen and colleagues analyzed data on about 370,000 Taiwanese children aged 4 to 17 years between 1997 and 2011.

Overall, there were 32,394 August babies in the study; 2.9 percent of them were diagnosed with ADHD and 2.1 percent were put on medication for the condition.

Among the 33,607 September babies in the study, 1.8 percent were diagnosed with ADHD and 1.2 percent were put on medication, researchers report in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Boys born in August were 63 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than boys with September birthdays. The August boys were 76 percent more likely to be put on medication for the condition.

Girls with August birthdays were 71 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, and 65 percent more likely to be put on medication.

Stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall are the most commonly prescribed drugs for ADHD. These pills are thought to work by increasing levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain associated with pleasure, attention and movement.

Common side effects such as loss of appetite, insomnia, mood swings, depression and dizziness make some doctors and parents reluctant to put kids on these drugs, which can also cause personality changes and lead to obsessive-compulsive symptoms in certain children.

The study findings reinforce that medication should only be prescribed after careful consideration of how the childs behavior seems relative to whats age-appropriate, and not compared with what other students do in class, the authors conclude.

Limitations of the study include the possibility that researchers underestimated ADHD diagnosis and treatment because they used data from Taiwans National Health Insurance that would exclude kids who didnt seek medical help for the condition, the authors note. They also lacked data on the severity of ADHD symptoms.

Parents should make sure they consider their childs age and the severity of any impairments associated with ADHD when weighing whether to use medication, said Dr. Luis Augusto Rohde, director of the ADHD program at Clinicas Hospital of Porto Alegre in Brazil.

They should not, however, see the study findings as a blanket recommendation to delay school enrollment for kids that would be the youngest ones in class, Rohde, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email.

A recent study assessing this strategy did not find any benefit in school achievements several years later, Rohde added. So we need more evidence-based data to propose interventions.
Teeling releases single barrel series in US

Irish whiskey producer Teeling Whiskey has released an exclusive single barrel bottling programme in time for St. Patricks Day (March 17). This series involves 12 individual casks of Irish single malt whiskey hand bottled for some of the top American on- and off- premise accounts on both the east and west coasts of the US.

The 2016 US single barrel release consists of 13 year old single malt Irish whiskey distilled in 2002, and initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels for the first 12 years before being finished exclusively in ex-white port barrels from the Carcavelos region of Portugal.

The Teeling Whiskey Company claims to be the first whiskey producer to use this type of white port barrels to age whiskey and deliver a truly unique taste that works perfectly with the underlying taste characteristics of Irish whiskey. Each bottle is numbered, hand filled and bottled in its most natural form at cask/barrel strength.

Jack Teeling, founder of Teeling Whiskey, comments: We are delighted to be able to release such unique and innovative expressions of Teeling whiskey in the US for St. Patricks Day. In conjunction with some of the leading US retailers we continue to drive the choice and breadth of offerings for Irish whiskey drinkers.

Teeling Whiskey is imported into the US through Infinium Spirits. The exclusive Teeling Whiskey Single Barrel Series will retail for approximately US$85.00 and will be available on shelf in selected spirits retailers in time for St. Patricks Day, March 17th 2016.



Single Barrel partner accounts:

Nevada; Total Wine (10 locations), Bellagio Casino, MGM Casinos

Colorado; Downtown Fine Wine & Spirits, Payless Liquors, Bubbles Liquor World, Argonaut Wine & Liquor, Hazels Beverage World

Texas; Total Wine (9 locations)

Illinois; Binnys

Kentucky; Liquor Barn

Minnesota; Total Wine (5 locations)

Wisconsin; Festival Foods



17 March 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor
An Anderson man who was charged last summer with engaging in organized criminal activity and selling vehicles without a license has filed a federal lawsuit against enforcement officials in Grimes and Montgomery counties, saying they interfered with his business dealings and violated his constitutional rights.

Lawyers for Les Shipman -- who runs an auto-maintenance shop along Texas 90 in Anderson -- described their case as involving small-town politics with local officials using the criminal justice system to drive a "politically unpopular" resident out of town.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston by Bryan lawyer John Quinn and Ty Clevenger, an attorney who used to live and practice in the Brazos Valley and now lives in New York.

The suit names six law-enforcement officials: Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell, Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Gage and Grimes County District Attorney Tuck McLain. Three deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, including Lt. Joseph Sclider, David Cook and Alton Neely -- all of whom are assigned to the Montgomery County Auto Theft Task Force.

The two sheriffs, district attorney and Sclider declined comment because the case is pending. The other two deputies could not be reached for comment.

Quinn said Sheriff Sowell was mentioned in the suit because he's responsible for what his deputies do. There were no Grimes county deputies named in the suit, but Grimes county partners with Montgomery County for the auto theft task force.

The suit details incidents in which Montgomery County sheriff's deputies would stop by Shipman's auto-repair shop, where he kept vehicles in various states of disrepair, and run identification numbers to check if any were stolen.

Lawyers say these inspections happened at least three times in 2013 and deputies never found any stolen cars. When Shipman complained about what he described as harassment, lawyers said the Montgomery County Auto Theft Task Force "doubled down on their harassment" of Shipman, according to the lawsuit.

Once he was cited for selling vehicles without a license and a deputy confiscated five trailers Shipman said he had bought at a Harris County Sheriff's Office auction. The criminal charge was later dropped and three of the five trailers were returned to Shipman. It wasn't immediately clear what happened to the other two.

He was cited again for selling vehicles without a license, this time by mail, according to the suit, but he said he was never notified of a trial date and received a failure to appear, both of which are pending, the suit stated.

By 2015, Shipman had "grown tired of the harassment" and made arrangements to sell his business and move to Tennessee. Shipman organized an auction last summer, but it was interrupted when deputies from the Montgomery County Auto Task Force and the Grimes County Sheriff's Office raided the business and confiscated 56 cars.

Shipman was charged with engaging in organized crime and selling vehicles without a license.

The raid was led by Sclider, who was the commander of the auto theft task force and is named in the suit.

Shipman has several other criminal cases pending in Grimes county, DA McLain said, including two counts of felony criminal mischief, three counts of misdemeanor criminal trespass and two counts of felony theft.

Quinn, who said Sclider "had it in" for Shipman, said he's trying to get the vehicles back to Shipman and stop the charges stemming from the raid from going forward.

Quinn said he's been negotiating with the Grimes County DA's office since it happened, but felt the lawsuit was necessary to move the process along.

"I don't have a clue why Lt. Sclider has it in for Les Shipman, but he obviously does," Quinn said.
The worst hit are residents of colonies located at a higher altitude in Mahendra Hills where a builder has to obtain NOC from AAI to construct even a single floor house. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: Restrictions on the height of buildings coming up near the Begumpet airports runway will continue. The Union civil aviation ministry is in no mood to withdraw the height restrictions even though commercial flight operations have been moved to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Shamshabad eight years ago. Begumpet airport is operational and the ministry has no plans to withdraw the height restrictions in its funnel zone, R.N. Choubey, secretary, civil aviation ministry told this newspaper.

Though many buildings have been constructed in violation of height restrictions near the airport, those planning to construct legally have to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Airports Authority of India.

The ministry of civil aviation will use the Begumpet airport for movement of VIP aircrafts helicopter sorties and defence aircraft and, therefore, the sanctity of the funnel zone will be maintained. As of now, both GHMC and Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) can give permissions to build up to (G+2) buildings in the funnel areas. Though there is a proposal that the ministry would amend the existing constructions norms near the Begumpet airport, it has not happened so far.

The worst hit are residents of colonies located at a higher altitude in Mahendra Hills where a builder has to obtain NOC from AAI to construct even a single floor house.

SCB ward member J. Ramakrishna said the layouts of Shantiniketan, Santoshi Colony, Dhana Lakshmi Colony and Balamrai Society need to take NOC for construction of even ground floor building. We have been repeatedly representing it to the Centre to at least allow ground plus two floors buildings but no action has been taken on this, he said.

There was also a proposal to prepare colour-coded zoning maps of airports indicating heights of buildings permissible in different areas by different colours This would have reduced delays in issuance of NOC, he added.
These studies were begun in 1952 and assembled groups of people in the bombed cities to compare cancer rates and also birth outcomes in those exposed at different levels according to their distance from the position of the bomb detonation, the hypocentre. The entire citadel of radiation risk is built upon this ABCC rock.

But the rock was constructed with smoke and mirrors and everything about the epidemiology is false. There have been a number of criticisms of the A-Bomb Lifespan Studies of cancer: it was a survivor population, doses were external, residual contamination was ignored, it began seven years after the event, the original zero dose control group was abandoned as being "too healthy", and many others.

But we are concerned here with the heritable effects, the birth defects, the congenital malformations, the miscarriages and stillbirths. The problem here is that for heritable damage effects to show up, there have to be births. As you increase the exposures to radiation, you quickly obtain sterility and there are no pregnancies. We found this in the nuclear test veterans.

Then at lower doses, damaged sperm results in damaged foetuses and miscarriages. When both mother and father are exposed, there are miscarriages and stillbirths before you see any birth defects. So the dose response relation is not linear. At the higher doses there are no effects. The effects all appear at the lowest doses.

Bad epidemiology is easily manipulated

As far as the ABCC studies are concerned, there is another serious (and I would say dishonest) error in the epidemiology. Those people discarded their control population in favour of using the low dose group as a control.

This is such bad epidemiology that it should leave any honest reviewer breathless. But there were no reviewers. Or at least no-one seemed to care. Perhaps they didn't dig deeply enough. In passing, the same method is now being used to assess risk in the huge INWORKS nuclear worker studies and no-one has raised this point there either.

Anyway, the ABCC scientists in charge of the genetic studies found the same levels of adverse birth outcomes in their exposed and their control groups, and concluded that there was no effect from the radiation.

Based on this nonsense, ICRP writes in their latest 2007 risk model, ICRP103, Appendix B.2.01, that "Radiation induced heritable disease has not been demonstrated in human populations."

But it has. If we move away from this USA controlled, nuclear military complex controlled A-Bomb study and look in the real world we find that Muller was right to be worried. The radioactive contamination of the planet has killed tens of millions of babies, caused a huge increase in infertility, and increased the genetic burden of the human race and life on earth.

And now the truth is out!

In January of this year Prof. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, of the University of Bremen, Dr Sebastian Pflugbeil of the German Society for Radioprotection and I published a Special Topic paper in the prestigious peer-review journal Environmental Health and Toxicology. The title is: 'Genetic Radiation Risks - a neglected topic in the Low Dose debate'.

In this paper we collected together all the evidence which has been published outside the single Japanese ABCC study in order to calculate the true genetic effects of radiation exposure. The outcome was sobering, but not unexpected.

Using evidence ranging from Chernobyl to the nuclear Test Veterans to the offspring of radiographers we showed clearly that a dose of 1mSv from internal contamination was able to cause a 50% increase in congenital malformations. This identifies an error in the ICRP model and in the current legislation of a factor of 1,000. And we write this down. The conclusion of the paper states:

"Genetically induced malformations, cancers, and numerous other health effects in the children of populations who were exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation have been unequivocally demonstrated in scientific investigations.

"Using data from Chernobyl effects we find a new Excess Relative Risk (ERR) for Congenital malformations of 0.5 per mSv at 1mSv falling to 0.1 per mSv at 10mSv exposure and thereafter remaining roughly constant. This is for mixed fission products as defined though external exposure to Cs-137.

"Results show that current radiation risk models fail to predict or explain the many observations and should be abandoned. Further research and analysis of previous data is suggested, but prior assumptions of linear dose response, assumptions that internal exposures can be modelled using external risk factors, that chronic and acute exposures give comparable risks and finally dependence on interpretations of the high dose ABCC studies are all seen to be unsafe procedures."

Radiation causes genomic instability

Our paper is available on the web as a free download, so you can see what we wrote and follow up the 80 or so references we used to construct the case.

Most of the evidence is from effects reported in countries contaminated by the Chernobyl accident, not only in Belarus and Ukraine but in wider Europe where doses were less than 1mSv. Other evidence we referred to was from the offspring of the nuclear test veterans.

In a study I published in 2014 of the offspring of members of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) we saw a 9-fold excess of congenital disease in the children but also, and unexpectedly, an eight-fold excess in the grandchildren. This raises a new and frightening spectre not anticipated by Herman Muller.

In the last 15 years it has become clear that radiation causes genomic instability: experiments in the laboratory and animal studies show that radiation exposure throws some kind of genetic switch which causes a non-specific increase in general mutation rates.

Up until these genomic instability discoveries it was thought that genetic processes followed the laws of Gregor Mendel: there were specific dominant and recessive gene mutations that were passed down the generation and became diluted through a binomial process as offspring married away.

But radiation scientists and cancer researchers could not square the background mutation rate with the increased risks of cancer with age: the numbers didn't fit. The discovery of the genomic instability process was the answer to the puzzle: it introduces enough random mutations to explain the observations.

It is this that supplies the horrifying explanation for the continuing high risk of birth defects in Fallujah and other areas where the exposures occurred ten to twenty years ago. Similar several generation effects have been seen in animals from Chernobyl.

Neonatal mortality in the nuclear bomb era

So where does that leave us? What can we do with this? What can we conclude? How can this change anything? Let's start by looking at the effects of the biggest single injection of these radioactive contaminants, the atmospheric weapons tests of the period 1952 to 1963.

If these caused increases in birth defects and genetic damage we should see something in the data. We do. The results are chilling. If babies are damaged they die at or shortly before birth. This will show up in the vital statistics data of any country which collects and publishes it.

In Fig 1 (above right) I show a graph of the first day (neonatal) mortality rates in the USA from 1936 to 1985. You can see that as social conditions improved there was a fall in the rates between the beginning and end of the period, and we can obtain this by calculating what the background should have been using a statistical process called regression.

The expected backgound is shown as a thin blue line. Also superimposed is the concentration of Strontium-90 in milk (in red) and its concentration in the bones of dead infants (in blue). The graph shows first day neonatal mortality in the USA; it is taken from a paper by Canadian paediatrician Robin Whyte (woman) in the British Medical Journal in 1992. This paper shows the same effect in neonatal (1 month) mortality and stillbirths in the USA and also the United Kingdom. The doses from the Strontium-90 were less than 0.5mSv.

This is in line with what we found in our paper from Chernobyl and the other examples of human exposures. The issue was first raised by the late Prof Ernest Sternglass, one of the first of the radiation warrior-scientists and a friend of mine. The cover-ups and denials of these effects are part of the biggest public health scandal in human history.

It continues and has come to a venue near you: our study of Hinkley Point showed significant increased infant mortality downwind of the plant at Burnham on Sea as I wrote in The Ecologist.

It's official - genetic damage in children is an indicator of harmful exposures to the father

As to what we can do with this new peer-reviewed evidence we can (and we shall) put it before the Nuclear Test Veterans case in the Pensions Appeals hearings in the Royal Courts of Justice which is tabled for three weeks from June 14th 2016 before a tribunal headed by high court judge Sir Nicholas Blake.

I represent two of the appellants in this hearing and will bring in the genetic damage in the children and grandchildren as evidence of genetic damage in the father.

We are calling Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, the author of the genetic paper, as one expert witness; the judge has conceded that genetic damage in the children is an indicator of harmful exposures to the father. He has made a disclosure order to the University of Dundee to release the veteran questionnaires. They have.

Finally, I must share with you a window into the mind-set of the false scientists who work for the military and nuclear operation. As the fallout Strontium-90 built up in milk and in childrens' bones and was being measured, they renamed the units of contamination, (picoCuries Sr-90 per gram of Calcium) 'Sunshine Units'.

Can you imagine? I would ship them all to Nuremberg for that alone.

The paper: 'Genetic Radiation Risks - a neglected topic in the Low Dose debate' is published in Environmental Health and Toxicology.
A new analysis of carbon emissions allowances shows how some of Europe's most polluting industries have earned a 24 billion windfall from 2008 to 2014, under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

This is the main policy used across the EU to 'cost-effectively' reduce CO 2 emissions across industry.

The findings in a report Calculation of additional profits of sectors and firms from the EU ETS, from independent environmental analysts CE Delft, adds momentum to calls from MEPs and campaigners for an overhaul of the policy ahead of the negotiations to revisit the ETS rules this year at EU level.

The sectors profiting most from pollution payouts have been iron and steel, cement, refineries and petrochemicals. The sum netted by industry over the period is more than 10 times the amount the EU has spent on 'innovation' under the EU ETS.

With highly profitable companies such as ArcelorMittal and Lafarge benefiting from the windfall, the report adds to existing criticism of the scheme.

The report identifies three ways industry has secured windfall profits through the scheme:

Companies were awarded too many free emissions allowances that they could sell for a profit in the market;

Companies bought cheaper international offsets to comply with their targets, and were able to sell remaining free allowances for a profit on the market.

Companies made their consumers pay for non-existent carbon costs (by passing through the 'costs' of freely obtained emission allowances).

However, given that the analysis - commissioned by Carbon Market Watch - was limited to 19 of the EU's 28 Member States, the actual figure of subsidy awarded is likely to be significantly higher across the region as a whole.

The research also underscores the importance of ongoing negotiations to change the current rules, highlighting how outcomes must prevent further exploitation of the EU ETS at the expense of European taxpayers.

Femke de Jong, EU Policy Director at Carbon Market Watch explains: "Instead of making the polluter pay, energy-intensive companies are allowed to pollute for free under the EU ETS. Even worse, they are able to profit from their pollution to the tune of billions. It's European taxpayers that are picking up this bill as governments forego scarce public money."

'Carbon leakage' costs are being passed on as profit

Findings also highlight that 'carbon leakage' claims by polluters, often used as means to justify special treatment for various industrial sectors - and allocation of the free permits - are unsubstantiated.
JASON CLARK / THE GLEANER Former Henderson County Board of Education member Greg Hunsaker (left) stands alongside Rev. Robert Esters from First Missionary Baptist Church as Esters leads a prayer during the board meeting at the Professional Development Center in Henderson Monday. Former board members Hunsaker and Ben Johnston started a "Walk & Pray" event where local residents walked from the center to the church Monday. JASON CLARK / THE GLEANER Local residents walk along Elm Street after leaving the Professional Development Center in Henderson Monday. Former board members Hunsaker and Ben Johnston started a "Walk & Pray" event where local residents walked from the center to First Missionary Baptist Church in support of local schools Monday. JASON CLARK / THE GLEANER Local residents reach their destination while participating in the "Walk & Pray" event in Henderson Monday. Former board members Hunsaker and Ben Johnston started a "Walk & Pray" event where local residents walked from the Professional Development Center to First Missionary Baptist Church in support of local schools Monday.

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By Erin Schmitt of The Gleaner

North Middle School students will begin wearing school uniforms at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

The school's site-based decision-making council approved the change by a 10-1 vote during its meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The purpose and vision behind North's uniform policy is to: dress for success and be prepared to learn; create a level playing field/reduce socioeconomic disparities; focus on studies rather than clothes; and promote school pride.

Clothes tend to be a source of comment for students, said interim Principal Becky Johnson. Students can face bullying for wearing the same sweatshirt or pants throughout the week.

"It just takes away some of those things that kids pick at them about," Johnson said about school uniforms.

Students will wear a solid maroon, gray or black collared polo-style shirt, with at least two buttons and no emblems or embroidery, solid khaki or black pants or shorts, skorts or knee-length skirts.

Pants will be worn at the waist with a belt. Shoes will be closed-toed and closed-heeled. Students may wear a T-shirt under their uniform, but it must be plain gray, white, black or maroon.

Acceptable cool-weather items include hoodless sweaters or hoodless crew neck sweatshirts, vest, zip-up fleece, soft-shell, or cardigan with a polo underneath. All sweaters must be solid gray, black or maroon. North-sponsored sweatshirts are also accepted.

The decision comes almost a year to the day after South Middle School's site-based decision-making council approved school uniforms on March 18, 2015. The change took effect at the beginning of the current school year. No other schools in the district have uniforms.

South's uniform policy was used as a blueprint for North's, though the latter school's policy has some tweaks and changes. North students cannot wear scarves, which is a fashion accessory that South allows.

North's council began considering a uniform policy at the beginning of the school year. They pushed forward even after Principal Curtis Shelton resigned at the end of the first semester to take the assistant principal position at Central Academy.

North's council surveyed both parents and staff before enacting the change. Surveys were sent out in the fall, and 88 percent of the 74 staff members surveyed supported the school uniforms.

Of the 608 parents who responded to the statement "I would support school uniforms at North Middle," 409, or 67 percent, said "yes."

There were 606 responses to the question "Would a school uniform be a financial hardship for your family?" Just more than a quarter of parents, 157, responded "yes."

Johnson, who was an assistant principal at South Middle for six years, visited the school in the fall. She was surprised how smoothly transition times between classes passed.

"That was always the few minutes that it was going to be the most chaotic of the day," she said. "I was very shocked to walk back in the fall after the uniforms were implemented. Even the feel of the building was different."

She had been on the fence about the uniform policy, but what she saw made her a believer. Johnson likes seeing pictures of South students in their uniforms.

"When you see their pictures in the paper or their pictures on their website, everyone looks like one cohesive group," she said, adding there is no way to tell which socioeconomic class students come from. "It doesn't really matter because they all look the same in their pictures and when they walk down the hall."
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The following information is based on public records from local and area law enforcement agencies and/or court systems:

HENDERSON CIRCUIT COURT

Roger T. Brasher, 37, Madisonville, was sentenced to a total of three years Monday for first-degree criminal mischief, leaving the scene of an accident and a monitored conditional release violation.

Kelli D. Beck, 55, 800 block of North Adams Street, was sentenced Monday to a total of three years for tampering with physical evidence and theft of a controlled substance. Beck was granted pre-trial diversion, supervised, for five years. Among the conditions of the diversion, Beck must serve 15 days in jail and be assessed by a social services clinician and follow any recommendations.

Christopher J. Sharp, 26, Sturgis, was sentenced Monday to five years for receiving stolen property under $10,000 and being a second-degree persistent felony offender.

Maegan L. Fulkerson, 30, 500 block of Center Street, was sentenced to two years Monday for fraudulent use of a credit card under $10,000.

Rodney L. Deno, 46, 200 block of South Alves Street, was sentenced Monday to 15 years total for first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and being a first-degree persistent felony offender and first-degree bail jumping and being a first-degree persistent felony offender.

Christopher R. Russelburg, 26, Newburgh, Ind., was sentenced Monday to three years for theft under $10,000.

Brandon Messamore, 29, Robards, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and receiving stolen property under $10,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 11.

Jamie L. Haines, 27, Robards, pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by deception under $500. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 11.

Bonniekay S. Wangler, 38, Evansville, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of an I.D., first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to maintain insurance and possession of a legend drug. Charges of being a first-degree persistent felony offender and no or expired license and registration were dismissed. Wangler was sentenced to a total of five years.

Angelena Vasquez, 46, 700 block of South Ingram Street, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. She was sentenced to two years.

Virgil Schermerhorn, 48, Morganfield, pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to a total of three years.

Kacie L. LaForrest, 31, 100 block of South Julia Street, pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence. LaForrest was granted probation for five years, but must complete Henderson Adult Drug Court.

Rhonda S. Manion, 47, 1800 block of North Elm Street, pleaded guilty Monday to theft under $10,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for March 21.

Tamara J. Mills, 33, 2300 block of Adams Lane, pleaded guilty Tuesday, March 8, to theft under $10,000. She was granted pretrial diversion, supervised, for five years. She must serve 30 days in jail and pay $160 in restitution.

Dustin W. McLean, 27, address unavailable, pleaded guilty Tuesday, March 8, to two counts of theft over $10,000 and being a second-degree persistent felony offender, three counts of third-degree burglary and being a second-degree persistent felony offender, one count of receiving stolen property under $10,000 and being a second-degree persistent felony offender, theft by deception under $500, first-degree burglary and being a second-degree persistent felony offender and being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Sentencing is scheduled for April 25.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Those charged with crimes are considered innocent until they are found guilty in a court of law. Every effort is made by this newspaper to report the final disposition of each case. In the event we fail to do so, a call to our newsroom, 827-2000, will prompt a background check on those cases and, if necessary, a published report on the final disposition.
Denmark was in third place last year, behind Switzerland and Iceland.

Rome: Denmark overtook Switzerland as the world's happiest place, according to a report today that urged nations regardless of wealth to tackle inequality and protect the environment.

The report, prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, showed Syria, Afghanistan and eight sub-Saharan countries as the 10 least happy places on earth to live.

The top 10 this year were Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden.

Denmark was in third place last year, behind Switzerland and Iceland.

The bottom 10 were Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi.

The United States came in at 13, the United Kingdom at 23, France at 32, and Italy at 50.

"There is a very strong message for my country, the United States, which is very rich, has gotten a lot richer over the last 50 years, but has gotten no happier," said Professor Jeffrey Sachs, head of the SDSN and special advisor to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

While the differences between countries where people are happy and those where they are not could be scientifically measured, "we can understand why and do something about it," Sachs, one of the report's authors, told Reuters in an interview in Rome.

"The message for the United States is clear. For a society that just chases money, we are chasing the wrong things. Our social fabric is deteriorating, social trust is deteriorating, faith in government is deteriorating," he said.

Aiming to "survey the scientific underpinnings of measuring and understanding subjective well-being," the report, now in its fourth edition, ranks 157 countries by happiness levels using factors such as per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and healthy years of life expectancy.

It also rates "having someone to count on in times of trouble" and freedom from corruption in government and business.

"When countries single-mindedly pursue individual objectives, such as economic development to the neglect of social and environmental objectives, the results can be highly adverse for human wellbeing, even dangerous for survival," it said.

"Many countries in recent years have achieved economic growth at the cost of sharply rising inequality, entrenched social exclusion, and grave damage to the natural environment."

YARDSTICK FOR HAPPINESS

The first report was issued in 2012 to support a UN meeting on happiness and well-being. Five countries - Bhutan, Ecuador, Scotland, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela - now have appointed Ministers of Happiness charged with promoting it as a goal of public policy.

The 2016 survey showed that three countries in particular, Ireland, Iceland and Japan, were able to maintain their happiness levels despite external shocks such as the post-2007 economic crisis and the 2011 earthquake because of social support and solidarity.

Sachs pointed to Costa Rica, which came in 14th and ahead of many wealthier countries, as an example of a healthy, happy society although it is not an economic powerhouse.
What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot

Here's everything you need to know about Powerball from how to play for the lottery jackpot to when the next drawing will be.
West Burlington pool shooting suspect found not guilty

After two days of testimony, the suspect in the shooting at the West Burlington Swimming Pool was found not guilty of all charges.
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NORWALK -- "If George Washington was the father of the country, Benjamin Franklin was our grandfather," said local historian Eric Chandler. Still, the radical Franklin's family was torn apart by the war: his son, William, was a steadfast Loyalist and was repatriated to England at the end of the Revolutionary War. "Franklin chose to be with the rebels, while his son chose to be a Loyalist."

Chandler--a Revolutionary War enthusiast and member of Sheldon's Horse, a revived revolution-era cavalry--will speak on the war's effect on the Franklins and other families of the time at the library this weekend in a talk titled "The Revolutionary War's Effect on the Colonial Family".

The event is inspired by the annual essay contest of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), in which fifth graders are challenged to write about colonial families' reactions to the Stamp Act. Although the young contestants will not be at th event, Chandler said he will tailor his talk to this theme.

"I decided to talk about what the kids' essays are about," rather than his usual talk about Sheldon's Horse, Chandler said.

Instead, "I'm going to present the gambit of reactions" from families that were affected by the Stamp Act, Chandler told The Hour. Many chose "to take action against not just the Stamp Act, but all the intolerable acts that were passed"; others were on the other side of the issue, or, like the Franklins, were split, Chandler said.

Many of the families in Chandler's talk have roots in Connecticut, which in the late eighteenth century was a hotbed of revolutionary activity. The Trumbull family, for example, was deeply involved in the war effort.

"Jonathan Trumbull was the governor of Connecticut before, during and after the revolution, and his entire family was revolutionary," Chandler said; all of his sons fought in the war, and his daughters all married revolutionary figures, he added. More complicated is the story of Stephen Jarvis, of Danbury; Jarvis joined a revolutionary militia, then defected and switched sides at the behest of his Loyalist father, but was in love with the daughter of a revolutionary family.

In the end, Jarvis "chose to come back to Connecticut to get his bride who ... was of a Patriot family," Chandler said.

Chandler will also stretch the definition of family in talking about Elijah Janes and James Dole, two members of the original eighteenth century incarnation of Sheldon's Horse, the Second Continental Light Dragoons (which was raised largely from Connecticut, Chandler said).

After the war, Janes and Dole relocated to Lansingburgh, N.Y., Chandler told The Hour. "When one of the fellows died, in his will he asked his friend to take in his daughter, and he and his wife ... raised this other fellow's daughter as their own."

"So there's a bond of family created that is outside the bloodline," Chandler added. "It's a family forged of men that served together."

In all, his talk will "cover a broad perspective of what family means in the Revolutionary War context," Chandler said.

Event organizer Kathi O'Hara, a DAR member, said Chandler's talk will be engaging.

"He is just such a wonderful speaker about families in the revolution," O'Hara told The Hour, capable of channeling the "Sturm und Drang" and "fervor" of the revolutionary period.

Chandler will speak at the Main Auditorium in Norwalk Public Library on Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m.
At 92, Shah Alam Khan, one of Hyderabads royals who is still referred to as Nawab, is gracious enough to stand up to welcome you into his study at the Hyderabad Deccan Cigarette Factory in Musheerabad. Whats more, he eloquently reminisces on the good old days when Hyderabad was still ruled by the Nizams.

Life was not expensive at all. I once saw a goat being sold for four rupees four rupees! he says incredulously. With seven sons, Alams family has, over the years, expanded their businesses in various fields but one thing that they all take pride in is ensuring that the Nawabi and Hyderabadi culture isnt forgotten.

Alams son Mehboob Alam Khan is a well-known food historian and connoisseur who has helped preserve the Hyderabadi Mughlai cuisine that the city is famous for. Working with various restaurants, Mehboob helps them maintain authenticity in their recipes.

Hyderabad was known for two things  biryani and sherwani! says Alam, and says that training todays chefs is all that is required to bring back the lost culture. The cooks in our city know only a little bit of this and that. But our womenfolk know a lot of recipes, he says.

Sipping a typically Hyderabadi cup of chai, he talks about growing up in the Cantonment area in Secunderabad and moving on to study at the Jagirdar College  whats now known as Hyderabad Public School. We had the best of Continental as well as Mughlai food. Even the schools served amazing food, that we didnt even get at home! he remembers.

Alam then pursued a Bachelors degree in Economics and Political Science from Osmania University, where he says his professors helped mould his life: I cant forget the way my English teacher, Prof Doraiswamy, taught us. When the results came out and I passed, I went to his house and fell at his feet.

The lessons came in handy when he took over the reins of a cigarette factory from his wife Begum Abida Khaders father in 1945. When I used to hoist the flag during ceremonies, Id tell them that this is the place where you as well as me fill our tummy. If theres a quarrel in the house between the husband and the wife, then your house is not good. If theres a quarrel in the factory, its not good for the industry, Alam explains.

Alam still goes to office every day but has one regret: Not doing enough to preserve Hyderabads culture  I once had the opportunity to address the old boys association of Osmania University in Karachi. And I told them with tears rolling down my cheeks that I cant believe that the association is here it should have been in Hyderabad. And with it, you have also taken away our culture.
'How Hoax mom' Bonnie Sweeten violated probation before new charges

Court records associated with Bucks County 'Hoax mom' Bonnie Sweeten Rakoczy say she continued stealing money after her release from prison.
Two Gerard Butler movies in two weeks? How lucky are we?!

Thats obviously a loaded question based on how poorly I reviewed Gods of Egypt last week and how poorly it was received by the general population of moviegoers. London Has Fallen, a sequel to his action hit film of a few years ago Olympus Has Fallen, sets the bar only slightly higher with its surprising set pieces and brutality. I was largely disappointed, I guess, but expectations werent terribly high in the first place.

As Presidential Secret Service agent Mike Banning, Butler proved with Olympus that he could do action films cut of the same cloth as Die Hard. He ably rescued the President when terrorists took control of the White House (remember, this was also the same timeframe that White House Down premiered, making this go-to plot a real draw). This time, the action switches to Europe with President Asher (Aaron Eckhart) coming under fire while attending the funeral of the British Prime Minister. With so many world leaders on hand for the memorial service, and with little time to prepare, Mike and his boss, Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs (Angela Bassett), scramble to make the tour a safe one. One step ahead of their best intentions, however, is Aamir Barkawi (Alon Aboutboul), a Pakistani arms trader who has an ax to grind from years earlier when the Asher administration bombed his daughters wedding party to take out the enemy of the state. He survived; his loved ones did not.

So where does London Has Fallen rate? Well, the ambition level is very high. Director Babak Najafi uses special effects liberally to destroy all of the top landmarks in the world capital. Buckingham Palace, the Tower Bridge, and the Millennium Wheel all go up in spectacular fireworks which include a great motorcycle chase down the wrong sides of roads and a three helicopter ballet as Banning and pilots attempt to hide the President through a series of covert cat-and-mouse tactics. Mostly, the CGI work is obvious and heavy handed, but so too is the storytelling. Banning and Asher are ultimately left to fend for themselves on foot while seeking safety arranged at Home by Vice President Morgan Freeman, or his character, Trumbull. A MI6 safe house doesnt stay upright for long, but it does introduce the lone female character with any real substance to her part, Elsa Mollien, as Agent Viviana Gusto. Shes Mikes trusted friend and she seeks out the mole in her organization while he goes after the bad guys with a big gun and a few hand grenades. Its all very one man against the army and it wears thin despite a tiny 99-minute running time.

Theres a few other elements in this sequel that seem customized to make it feel important, but they fall flat: Mikes wife (Radha Mitchell) is due to delivery their first baby any minute and hes conflicted about resigning his spot on the detail to stay home with them. Also, Ashers son is growing up and needing his Dad a lot more, especially after his mother was killed in the first film. Desperate and heroic deeds aside, there will be no third term for the Commander in Chief. The most dangerous and unbelievable line in the entire picture was when Asher orders Mike to kill him if they are captured. No propaganda for the enemy. Also, no trust by the audience that this would even happen. I was jazzed for this follow-up, but I think they could have done better.

London Has Fallen runs 99 minutes and is rated R for strong violence and language throughout. I give this film one and a half stars out of four.
If youre a north Indian new to the city, chances are that you are missing the celebrations back in your hometown  this being the Holi season, while localites may be wondering how fun it would be to celebrate the festival of colours like Ranbir and Deepika do in Balam Pichkari! In any case, you need not worry, because Chennai has started celebrating Holi big time over the past few years  and this time around, a jacked-up, ultra-glam version is in store, that promises to be wet, wild and as fabulous as they come.

A first-of-its-kind Holi-Foam festival is being organised by the Connecting People Forum (CPF) this weekend. Felix Callis, the organiser says, In Europe, there are a few colour-oriented festivals. Combining those with our very own culture, the fest will be a day-long party, and fun both for the localites and expats. 12 DJs from all over the country will be present. The host of the event, Priyanka Naidu feels that the trend of celebrating Holi through such gatherings not only ensures fun, but also a sense of togetherness among people  If youve noticed, for the past two-three years, Holi has become a festival like Diwali. Chennai has a big crowd which celebrates this fest, and Im excited to be a part of it.

DJ Nez, who will be taking part in another event in the city, feels that Holi can get a wider reach among the localites by hosting novel parties. Celebrating the fest is now a new trend in Chennai. It was surprising to see cosmopolitan groups gathering for this fest last year, and many have been saying that youngsters are pumped up and are already looking forward to it this year.
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Indian Rim Ocean Association (IORA) ad-hoc committee is currently drafting a preliminary version of the IORA Concord, aiming for concrete economic cooperation in the region.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said the meeting, which took place in Bali on March 16 and 17, was the first chance the IORA ad-hoc committee had to discuss the challenges and potential cooperation among countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

During the meeting, officials of the initiating states began to formulate a concept on how they could contribute to strengthening the regional architecture according to their tasks and authority to include in the document, Arrmanatha said.

The IORA initiating states are countries bordering the Indian Ocean, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, South Africa, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

"It's also to prepare the [Indian Ocean] region as a growth center to balance the Pacific [region]," Arrmanatha said during a press briefing on Thursday.

The meeting is a follow up of the September 2015 IORA senior officials meeting in Padang, West Sumatra, which mandated the establishment of an ad-hoc committee to lead the drafting of the IORA Concord.

The ad-hoc committee plans to convene at least four times to discuss the concord before the IORA Summit in Indonesia in March 2017.

In addition to maximizing the potential of the region, the IORA Concord also aims to address non-traditional issues, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, human trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal migrants and piracy.

Of the 21 IORA member states, Thailand was unable to attend the meeting to pledge its support for the IORA Concord drafting but promised to attend future meetings.

The final IORA Concord will be signed by the 21 states at the first IORA Summit next year. (bbn)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is under pressure to probe deeper into a dubious contract involving state-owned Hotel Indonesia Natour (HIN), Djarum Group and Grand Indonesia, after a former president director claimed two buildings currently standing tall on the Hotel Indonesia complex are illegal.



Former HIN president director Aloysius Moerba Suseto, in response to AGO investigators' questions on Monday, said that Cipta Karya Bumi Indah (CKBI) built BCA Tower and the Kempinski apartments without confirmation from HIN as the land owner.



"He said the two buildings ' the office tower and the apartments ' were built without permission from HIN. Ever since, HIN has sent letters asking for confirmation but [they have been] left unanswered," AGO junior attorney for special crimes Arminsyah told thejakartapost.com in Jakarta on Wednesday.



Suseto, who served at HIN from 1999 to 2009, was summoned as a witness in the build-operate-transfer (BOT) case between HIN and CKBI ' controlled by Djarum Group's Hartono family ' which allegedly caused Rp 1.3 trillion (US$96 million) of potential losses to the government.



He was in charge as HIN CEO during the contract signing, before leaving the company in 2009 to join Menara Sarana Nusantara Tbk as an unaffiliated director. Menara Sarana is a telecommunications tower provider controlled by Djarum Group.



Arminsyah said the AGO would follow up on Suseto's information by summoning four more witnesses, namely Jakarta's regional archive division head Warsidi, Nusa Konstruksi Injinering director Sutiono Teguh, Wastumatra Agung director Brahmono and legal consultant Arie Hutagalung from Arie Hutagalung and Partners.



Nusa Konstruksi Injinering and Wastumatra Agung were the contractors of the two problematic projects. (ags)(+)
Mumbai: In a huge setback to ATS, the Bombay high court on Thursday acquitted Himayat Baig, the lone convict in Punes German Bakery bomb blast case, of all the terror charges and also quashed and set aside his death sentence.

The court also acquitted him from charges which connected him with the blast case but held him guilty for possessing explosives and awarded him life sentence under Explosive Substances Act.

The division bench of Justice N.H. Patil and Justice S.B. Shukre acquitted Baig from 14 of the 16 charges. The court acquitted him from sections 16 (1) (A), 18, 20 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) imposed for criminal conspiracy for blast, murder and attempt to murder for which the trial court had awarded him death and life sentence.

The high court however, upheld his conviction as well as life sentence under section 5 (B) of UAPA because more than 1 kilogram of RDX was recovered from his house in district Beed. The bench also confirmed his conviction under section 474 of the IPC because certain forged documents including someone elses ATM card, Caste Certificate and Domicile certificates were also recovered from his possession.

At the end of pronouncement of judgment the judges also said that they do not need to pass any order on the applications filed by former journalist Ashish Khetan along with two witnesses who wanted to intervene in the matter in favour of Baig. Khetan had filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Baigs conviction claiming that the ATS deliberately created bogus evidence, extracted false confessions by the most inhuman torture, planted explosives in the houses of the accused and thus implicated an innocent Muslim youth.

The witnesses in their application had requested the court to record their evidence again because their statements were taken under duress. The judges had said that they would decide these applications while deciding the appeal.

On Thursday the judges said since Baig is acquitted in most of the charges there is no need to pass any order on these applications and dismissed them.

Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was produced before the court amidst tight security. During pronouncement of judgment Baig did not react much and seemed relaxed while returning from court.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Baigs lawyer Mehmood Pracha said, We are happy that the court has acquitted an innocent person from charges of terrorism. Though he (Baig) is convicted for possessing RDX we are hopeful that he would be acquitted from these charges also from Supreme Court. He also said that the prosecutions case is that the RDX, which was recovered from Baigs house was the remaining part from the Bakerys blast. When main charge of blast is not proved against him than how he could possess the remaining RDX from the blast? said Pracha.

Hafiz Nadeem, the president of Jamiat-e-Ulema Maharashtra said, We would speak to our lawyers after getting judgment copy of this case and then decide on approaching Supreme Court against Baigs conviction in two charges.
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Thu, March 17, 2016

Christians in Aceh Singkil regency, Aceh, are worried that they will lose their houses of worship because the local public order office has threatened to destroy 13 churches in the region if the Christian community is unable to secure the necessary building licenses by March 23.



Boas Tumangger, chairman of Aceh Singkil Peace Lovers Forum, said that the churches had fulfilled all the requirements to secure a worship permit according to a joint ministerial decree and the Aceh governor's decree.



'It turns out that there are other requirements demanded by the Aceh Singkil regency administration that we have not been able to fulfill as yet,' Boas said on Wednesday, adding that some of the churches had been there since 1935.



He said among the requirements that the churches found difficult to fulfill were requirements related to the legality of the land, the building design, recommendations from the district religious affairs office (KUA), recommendations from the district head, recommendations from the Religious Affairs Ministry, recommendations from the Interfaith Harmony Communication Forum and recommendations from the Aceh Land Agency.



Boas said the Christian community had tried to fulfill the requirements but some parties refused to cooperate by arguing that the disputed area was beyond their authority.



'The KUA, for example, said that they could not issue a recommendation for the establishment of a house of worship because their area of authority was related to marriage certificates,' Boas said.



He said it would be impossible for the community to fulfill all the requirements within the next week, before the deadline of March 23.



He added that the requirements were put in place following the burning down of a church in Aceh Singkil on Oct. 13 last year. After the fire, the regency administration and the Muslim community decided that churches with no license would be demolished.



Boas said that nine churches were then demolished from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23, leaving just 14 behind. Of those 14, just one has a building license. He added that Aceh Singkil Regent Safriadi had promised to issue licenses for churches that were already built and fulfilled the requirements.



Thousands of Christians in Aceh Singkil fled to Pakpak Bharat and Central Tapanuli regencies in North Sumatra following the Oct. 13 incident.



Besides the burning down of the church, a Muslim assailant was shot dead and many were injured in the incident, including a police officer in Suka Makmur, Gunung Meriah.



Veryanto Sitohang, the lawyer for the Aceh Singkil Christians, said it was deplorable that the Aceh Singkil administration had complicated the issuance of church licenses.



Suwan, head of the Aceh Singkil National Unity, Politics and Community Protection Agency, denied the accusations on Wednesday, saying that all the requirements were in line with a gubernatorial decree.



Suwan also claimed that many false identities had been found in the documents submitted for the establishment of the churches. Among them were the identity cards of non-Aceh Singkil residents.



He said that the verification process would be conducted until April 12.



'If by that date the requirements have not been fulfilled, the Aceh Singkil regency administration will coordinate with the central government to determine the next step,' Suwan said.
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Thu, March 17, 2016

The increase in sea temperature over the last two weeks has bleached the coral reef in waters around Bulukumba regency in South Sulawesi, threatening a massive reef decline.

'Currently, more than 50 percent of the coral located in Bulukumba waters have turned white,' said Nirwan Dessibali, team coordinator of the Marine Science Diving Club at the University of Hasanuddin (MSDC Unhas) Makassar in South Sulawesi.

Nirwan said a team of five students from the Unhas School of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries discovered the bleached coral during a surveillance operation in waters around Tanjung Bira and Liukang Loe Island, Bulukumba, last week. They monitored the temperature of the water for four days, a process which had involved team members diving to depths of between three to 10 meters.

Nirwan said that during the monitoring, the sea surface temperature had reached 30'C, higher than the average temperature of 27'C.

He said MSDC Unhas carried out the monitoring activities as a response to information released by the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which announced that the sea temperature across half of the archipelago would continue to increase, surpassing the average temperature levels starting from the middle of this year. The Makassar Strait was said to be among areas that would be affected by the increase to sea temperature, in which the highest rise is predicted to be in the waters around Raja Ampat in Papua.

Apart from Bulukumba, MSDC Unhas had also monitored waters around the Spermonde group of islands near Makassar, such as the Samalona and Baranglompo islands. Coral in several areas around the islands had turned white.

Nirwan said the coral reef had turned white because their coral polyps had lost its zooxanthellae algae symbiotic due to the increase in the sea temperature.

He said the increases of sea temperature would continue to occur through the middle of this year and emphasized that those coral reefs which had turned white might die.

'The massive die off will threaten the sustainability of the ecosystem in the coral reefs, especially the sea biota. They will lose homes they need to cultivate,' said Nirwan.

A coral reef expert from the Unhas School of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Chair Rani, said that a massive die off would occur if the high sea temperatures continued over the next two weeks.

'We hope that the increase in sea temperature, influenced by trans-Pacific currents, will not continue for much longer,' said Chair.

Studies show that 40 percent of coral reefs in Bulukumba have suffered serious damage, while in South Sulawesi, the damage level has reached 40-70 percent. Illegal fishing practices using home-made bombs, anesthetic agents and trawls as well as sea pollution are among the major causes behind the damage to the coral reefs in the area. (ebf)
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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji, Markus Makur and Djemi Amnifu (The Jakarta Post) Poso/West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara  Thu, March 17, 2016

Two alleged terrorists killed in a shoot-out on Tuesday amid the hunt for the country's most wanted terror suspect, Santoso, were claimed to be Chinese Uighur militants.



Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said the dead militants had been identified as Magalasi Bahtusan, alias Farok, and Nuretin, alias Abdul, who joined Santoso's East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) in 2015.



'Based on testimony from another suspect that we arrested, Zaenal Effendi, on Feb. 12 in Lore Utara district, those two were identified as Uighurs,' he said.



Despite the identification, Rudy added that they would still conduct autopsies and DNA tests to thoroughly confirm the men's identities.



With the death of the two Uighurs, Rudy said, four more foreign citizens were reported to have joined Santoso.



'We will immediately report it to the National Police so they can immediately coordinate with the Chinese Embassy,' he said.



However, a Chinese Embassy official told Reuters that no information had yet been received on the deaths.



Tuesday's crossfire followed demands by security forces to a group of unknown men to identify themselves, during an operation to comb a forested area of Poso.



The military and the police saw four MIT members descending the mountain, heading toward a residential area. The suspected terrorists fought back when the police attempted to arrest them.



During the crossfire, two of the suspected militants were shot and two others escaped.



Four other Uighur men were jailed last year for attempting to join the militant network after a hunt that lasted more than a year and involved hundreds of troops.



Since 2009, groups of ethnic minority Uighurs have traveled across Southeast Asia from China hoping to reach Turkey to claim asylum from what they say is persecution by Chinese authorities.



Indonesian authorities believe a small number entered Indonesia to join forces with local militants at the urging of Santoso.



Rudy said many Uighurs had joined Santoso in Poso following calls from their leader to wage jihad with the MIT before joining the Islamic State (IS) movement in Syria.



'Poso has become a training ground for terrorists before they go to Syria,' Rudy said.



Apart from the dead terrorist suspects, it has also been reported that three women from Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, were still traveling with Santoso as guerrilla combatants.



At present, some 3,000 police and military personnel are involved in the hunt for Santoso, alias Abu Wardah, and his men. The operation involves elite troops from both the military and the police, including the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), Raiders, Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion and the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob).



All the troops have been moved from Poso Pesisir to Napu Valley, which covers North Lore, South Lore, Central Lore and Lore Piore.



Meanwhile, authorities in West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, have intensified security measures following information that supporters of the Santoso network had entered the region.



The 161/Wirasakti Regional Military Command (Korem) chief, Brig. Gen. Heri Wiranto, said that because of the regency's strategic location, it could also become a gateway for radicals.



'Labuan Bajo is very strategic. And based on reports that we have received, those who support the radical movement in Poso are heading here. We should anticipate this,' he said.



Heri said he had also called for the establishment of various programs to counter radical teachings that might grow in the region.



'Last year, we arrested a suspected terrorist in West Manggarai. Before he was captured, he had been organizing trainings. We will always keep our eyes open,' he said.
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The city administration is implementing increasingly tougher measures against Jakarta's urban poor, with eviction plans more swift and forceful than ever before.



The recent eviction in Kalijodo was executed much more swiftly and forcefully than last year's Kampung Pulo eviction in East Jakarta, for example.



Furthermore, Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama said recently that the administration would not send warning letters to residents occupying areas under elevated roads in Jakarta.



The city's latest eviction order is for residents living under the elevated roads of Penjaringan in North Jakarta. On Wednesday, residents started to pack their belongings in anticipation of the worst possible outcome.



Misdianto, living in an open room under a toll road filled with waste from nearby hotels near Rawa Bebek, East Jakarta, confessed to feeling anxious about the eviction plan as he had yet to hear any solutions or recommendations from the government pertaining to his future.



The 45-year-old man, who moved to Jakarta from Madiun in East Java in 1982, said that he would bring his family and find any empty place to live in once the eviction occurred, adding that according to a letter he received on Friday, he had three days to clear out of the area.



Sri, who has been living under bridges for more than 20 years, said that she and the other residents had never been involved in the decision-making process before a letter ordering her to leave home no later than Wednesday was suddenly issued.



She added that she had faced five evictions, the first one in Muara Karang, North Jakarta.



As a scavenger, she struggles to make a living as she only earns between Rp 10,000 (74 US cents) and Rp 15,000 daily.



Before the eviction in Penjaringan, the administration evicted 380 makeshift houses under an elevated road in Pluit in North Jakarta. The administration wants to transform the area into a parking lot or a public space.



Ahok said that last month the administration cleared the area but residents from outside of Jakarta came in and illegally occupied the area. Because of this fact, he said, the administration was not required to send three warning letters or conduct discussions to evict them.



'There's no need for a warning letter. They have occupied state land and so they should have known about the eviction,' said Ahok.



Ahok further added that the administration would not provide the residents with apartments because most of them did not own Jakarta ID cards.



'If they have Jakarta ID cards, we will give them apartments because we have 650 available apartments,' Ahok said, adding that the apartments were smaller than those usually given to previous evictees.



Under the elevated road in Pluit, people usually live in rented rooms that they rent for between Rp 200,000 and Rp 350,000 a month.



In addition to the evictees of Pluit and Kalijodo, the city administration is set to evict thousands more in the capital following the administration's plan to clear slum areas.



In response to the plan, the Jakarta Housing and Government Building Agency is preparing to build 3,000 low-cost apartments.



'The mayor has offered around 3,000 apartments to us,' said Ika Lestari Aji, the head of the agency.



She added, however, that the number of residents to be evicted might be higher than the available apartments, which are set aside for those with Jakarta ID cards.



'In fact, many people who are evicted usually do not have Jakarta ID cards or land certificates. Therefore, we cannot provide them with apartments,' Ika added.



Ika said that the city administration would build some 20,000 apartments in 39 locations across the capital in response to the administration's plans to relocate its residents from slum areas.



Separately, lawyer Alldo Fellix Januardy from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) said that providing apartments would not improve the lives of residents.



Instead, he argued that it would likely make the evictees poorer as most of the apartments were located far from their source of income.



'They previously had jobs and houses but because of the eviction, they lost all of that. They might become poorer.'
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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Only three days after calling fellow Communications and Information Ministry to ban ride-hailing applications Uber and Grab, the Transportation Ministry have backtracked on its decision to pave the way for awarding legal status to the online transport service.



Acting director general for land transportation, Sugihardjo, said that the ministry would allow the internet companies to operate as long as they are willing to abide by the transportation law.



'We will allow the app-based companies to work with existing public transportation operators with a legal permit, such as taxi operators or even rented vehicles,' Sugihardjo said in a statement on Wednesday.



It was not a first for the ministry to flip-flop on a decision as they had banned app-based motorcycle taxi services, such as Go-Jek and GrabBike in December last year, only to retract the ruling hours later after President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo himself tweeted his displeasure over the ban.



The ministry's statement came after both leading ride-hailing applications have reportedly agreed to establish cooperatives to become legal entities and ensure compliance with transportation laws.



According to Law No. 22/2009 on traffic and land transportation, any public transportation operator must be a legal entity with a permit to operate its service using a vehicle and driver. The legal entity can be in the form of state enterprises or cooperatives, among others.



Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Puspayoga confirmed that his ministry had awarded a deed of establishment to the Indonesia Car Rental Asssociation (PRRI) whose members are those working with Grab, as a cooperative and therefore they are legitimately able to work with the app company.



'With this legal entity, we expect the business players [of rented vehicle services], including Grab, to follow the government's regulations,' Puspayoga said.



Uber drivers have also reportedly formed a cooperative with Jasa Trans Usaha Bersama Cooperatives, since mid last year.



Thousands of drivers of conventional taxis, public transport minivans and buses had staged a rally on Monday, accusing the apps of cutting into their income of recent months. The protesters deemed the online transport service as a serious threat to their livelihood through unfair competition as the internet operators do not pay taxes and levies to the government, which allows the services to offer lower prices to passengers.



Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara previously had also said that he would issue a ministerial regulation that would specify how foreign internet giants would become legal entities and pay taxes.



Grab has been listed as a legal entity with the name PT Solusi Transportasi Indonesia, while Uber claims to be in the progress of acquiring one.



Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan had previously cited concerns over safety and security and permit issues, but stated he did not intend to 'hamper the business'.



Uber has been operating in Indonesia for more than a year. It has continued to face serious challenges, particularly from the Jakarta administration, for its legal status.



Meanwhile, Grab, originally established in Malaysia, only entered the Indonesian market in June 2014.



The House of Representative's Commission V overseeing infrastructure and transportation chairman, Fahri Djemi Francis, said the commission would conduct a thorough review on several key provisions, which are seen as the root of the transportation services' conflict.



'The commission has concluded that an amendment is the only way to solve the conflict,' Fahri said.



Another commission V member, Nizar Zahro, said the land transportation bill had been included in the 2015-2019 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). 'Seeing the conflict's recent development, House Commission V would make the bill a priority for this year,' he said, adding that the revision's objective is to 'create justice between conventional and online-based transportation services'. (mos)

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Linkedin Raras Cahyafitri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Indonesian government will establish guidelines on the importing of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to ensure that the country's anticipated inflow of the natural resource does not hamper domestic players in the industry.



The guidelines regarding imported LNG will be included in a presidential regulation on national gas governance that is currently under preparation, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's program director Agus Cahyono Adi said.



'The regulation will stipulate not only the permitted allocation and utilization of the gas but also other issues, such as timelines and criteria for its import,' Agus said on Wednesday.



Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy, has long been a significant LNG supplier to the global market. The gas is sold overseas because domestic demand is still relatively low. However, the country's rising energy demands amid declining crude oil production has prompted the government to call for greater utilization of gas in the domestic market to reduce dependency on petroleum products.



The ministry has estimated that the country is likely to need to start importing LNG as early as 2019.



'Based on our gas balance, imports will start in 2019. However, the amount will be low,' Agus said.



He added that the government would be open to imports for as long as the country lacked supply.



'However, we have to be careful with this imports regulation. We cannot leave our own gas undeveloped and unabsorbed because the domestic market gets filled by imported LNG,' he said.



Bontang LNG plant in East Kalimantan and Tangguh plant in Papua are currently the country's main production centers. Late last year, Donggi Senoro LNG plant also came on stream. Most of Indonesia's LNG is sold overseas under long-term contracts with international buyers.



While domestic consumers, such as state electricity firm PLN, already get an allocation of the gas, demand for gas will soon increase significantly as the government completes its ambitious electricity projects, totaling 35,000 megawatts. Moreover, the country has yet to see additional production as several big gas projects have been hampered and delayed by various issues, including disagreements within the Cabinet over the development of the gas-rich Masela block in the Arafura Sea, south of Papua.



Earlier, state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina sealed a deal for sourcing LNG from Cheniere Energy's Corpus Christi project in the US starting from 2020. The company said that the volume agreed on would be able to balance the gas deficit predicted to hit Indonesia in 2019.



Pertamina projected that Indonesia's gas demands would increase by around 4.8 percent per year from 2015 to 2025, particularly due to the completion of infrastructure facilities, such as transmission and distribution pipelines as well as re-gasification terminals.



Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) vice president for gas commercialization Sampe Purba said that the regulator would continue prioritizing domestic LNG for delivery to local buyers.



'Currently we have long-term contracts that must be fulfilled. Our priority is the domestic [market], which depends on the absorption capacity of domestic buyers, infrastructure and operational and commercial issues,' Sampe said.



He noted that as much as 80 percent of LNG delivered to domestic markets was absorbed by PLN.



PLN head of oil and gas Chairani Rachmatullah said her company had secured 10-year contracts for 34 LNG deliveries per year to feed its power plants.



PLN utilized 38 LNG shipments last year and estimates that it will absorb up to 40 this year, according to Chairani. She added that PLN was yet to plan for importing LNG.
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post)  Thu, March 17, 2016

City is set to hold the Jakarta Great Sale Festival 2016, with organizers upbeat about the festival's chances of booking a significant increase in sales.



This year's festival, running from June 3 to July 17, themed 'Shop More, Less Plastic', hoped to clock Rp 15.74 trillion (US$1.18 billion) in sales ' an 8 percent increase on last year.



Ellen Hidayat, the festival's head organiser and chairwoman the Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Jakarta chapter, said that organizers were optimistic about booking the 8 percent increase because the festival would take place prior to the Idul Fitri holiday this year, when people are likely to buy more than usual.



'The festival will be held during peak season, when the fasting month and Idul Fitri take place. Hence, we stand a good chance of booking an increase amid the country's ailing economy,' Ellen said on Tuesday evening during a gala dinner with the Jakarta administration at City Hall.



At the dinner, Ellen said that at this year's festival, the organizer would team up with 78 shopping malls, as well as 15 traditional markets operated by city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya, to provide residents in the capital with shopping festivities and discounts of up to 70 percent.



The Jakarta Great Sale Festival is held annually to commemorate the capital's anniversary on June 22. This year will be Jakarta's 489th anniversary.



It was first held in 1982, when it was called Festival Pertokoan (Shops Festival).



After 34 years, the organizer and shopping center managers will this year for the first time make and provide re-usable shopping bags for customers in a bid to support the government's new plastic bag policy. Moreover, retailers joining in the event will also charge customers for plastic bags.



'We hope the event can educate the public about the importance of conserving a healthy and clean environment so that they will contribute to reducing plastic bag use for our kids and grandchildren,' Ellen said, adding that the organizer had also chosen the 'Shop More, Less Plastic' theme to show its support for the policy.



She added that this year, the organizer had again teamed up with the Jakarta Council for Handicrafts (Dekranasda), inviting small and medium enterprises to enliven the event as well as expand their businesses.



Also present at the dinner, Jakarta Tourism and Culture Agency head Catur Laswanto said that the Jakarta Great Sale Festival was one way to make Jakarta one of the best shopping destinations in the world. He went on to say that he hoped the event would make a significant economic contribution to the city.



'We hope that Jakarta residents will feel the benefits of the event, during which they can buy high-quality goods at affordable price,' Catur said, adding that he hoped the event would go well.

_______________________________



We hope the event can educate the public about the importance of conserving a healthy and clean environment.
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The police are still facing difficulty in uncovering the cause of the death of Akseyna Ahad Dori, a 19-year-old male student whose body was found dead on March 26, 2015, at the bottom of Lake Kenanga in the University of Indonesia compound in Depok, West Java.



'We are still working to find at least two pieces of evidence that could lead to a conclusion,' Jakarta Police general crimes chief Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti said on Wednesday.



He said that everything around the location where the body was discovered had already been damaged when investigators arrived, so they were trying to find more evidence.



According to previous reports, the body was tied to a bag full of bricks. As the police initially concluded that the biology student had committed suicide, his body was lifted from the lake and buried and the location was not sterilized to allow for proper investigation.
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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The government and PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC) have finally signed an agreement on the development of the China-funded high-speed railway connecting Jakarta and Bandung, West Java.



The signing, which was scheduled for midday on Wednesday, was delayed until around 8 p.m. to give KCIC the opportunity to consult with China Railway Corporation.



Under the agreement, the government gives the KCIC ' a consortium comprising the of China Railway Corporation and four Indonesian state-owned companies ' a fixed concession period of 50 years starting on May 31, 2019.



The construction is expected to take three years and to kick off as soon as the construction permit is issued.



Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan, who attended the signing ceremony, said his office would issue the permit this week.



'We hope KCIC will proactively submit the necessary documents,' Jonan added.



He said the agreement process had taken a long time following the groundbreaking in January, partly because the ministry had meticulously studied the details of the proposed railway, considering that it was the first such project in the country.



The ministry's railway director general Hermanto Dwiatmoko signed the agreement on behalf of the government, while KCIC was represented by president director Hanggoro Budi Wiryawan.



Hermanto said the operational permit could even be issued on Thursday, with the construction permit to be issued on Friday.



Hanggoro, meanwhile, said both the transportation ministry and his company had settled differences concerning key items in the agreement.



'On behalf of the company, I thank the transportation minister,' he added.



The agreement covers the development of the railway, its operation and maintenance and the development of supporting facilities.



The agreement stipulates that the investment for the project, previously recorded at US$5.5 billion, now stands at $5.1 billion due to a revision of the track length. Initially planned to span 152 kilometers starting from Gambir railway station in Central Jakarta, the proposed track was later cut by around 10 kilometers, with the Jakarta terminal to be located in Halim, East Jakarta.



Another notable point is the three-year deadline for constructing the railway infrastructure, counting from the date the building permit is issued.



The government reiterated its commitment not to use any taxpayer money on the project and to provide no guarantees.



Previously, the ministry required KCIC to revise several documents for the concession, including investment cash flow, passenger estimation and audited financial reports.



For the building permit, KCIC has to provide technical documents such as technical illustrations, hydrology and earthquake data and operational facility data.



The Indonesian state-owned enterprises in the consortium include railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) and toll road operator Jasa Marga.



The high-speed trains will stop at four stations between Jakarta and Bandung, namely Halim, Karawang, Walini and Tegalluar.



China Development Bank will cover 75 percent of the project's funding.



KCIC has secured the railway transportation firm permit and track route, as well as the Environmental Impact Analysis (Amdal) permit from the Environment and Forestry Ministry.



Hermanto said the rest of the building permit might not be as easy to get as the first five kilometers, as the project involved elevated tracks and tunnels, which would make it harder.



KCIC president director Hanggoro expressed optimism about submitting the documents for the remaining permits, which would include the building permit for the rest of the track, by April this year.



'We have been preparing the rest of the detailed engineering design. We can speed up the process, because we work intensively,' he said on the sidelines of the event.



He said the company would add personnel and tools on the construction to catch up with the delay and meet the 2019 target for launching operations.



KCIC also agreed that it would give out all of the land procured by the firm, still worthy of operation and free of third party guarantees.



'We will have to procure 600 hectares of land. It initially stood at 530 hectares, but then we added land to replace the production forest area in Karawang, West Java, and Cikunir land for the light rail transit project,' Hanggoro said.

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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

State-owned construction company PT Hutama Karya is expecting to bring in additional income following the enforcement of a 2001 Supreme Court ruling that will see it manage a section of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road (JORR), a toll road that has been the subject of a legal dispute for years.



The 14.25 kilometer section, connecting Pondok Pinang in South Jakarta and the Jagorawi toll road in East Jakarta, is currently managed by state-owned toll-road operator Jasa Marga.



'Hutama Karya is a state enterprise whose shares are wholly owned by the state. All of the income [from that toll road] will apparently support its infrastructure projects that the public needs in other places,' Attorney General HM Prasetyo said, explaining the court's enforcement ruling on Wednesday.



Hutama Karya corporate secretary Sigit Rusanto said he could not estimate the amount of income the company would get from the Pondok Pinang-Jagorawi toll road.



'We'll still have to negotiate with the operator,' Sigit said, adding that PT Jalantol Lingkarluar Jakarta (JLJ), a subsidiary of Jasa Marga, would remain the operator of the section of toll road in question.



'The operator will be the same, so customers will not be affected,' he said by phone on Wednesday.



Not only will the court enforcement ruling make Hutama Karya the toll roads new management, it will also require Jasa Marga to transfer the income received from the toll road's operation, amounting to Rp 1.13 trillion (US$86.92 million), to the state.



The legal dispute concerning the Pondok Pinang-Jagorawi toll road, also known as the S Section, dates back to 1998 when highway developer PT Marga Nurindo Bhakti (MNB), part owned by former president Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardijanti 'Tutut' Rukmana, was unable to settle its Rp 2.5 trillion debt to state-run lender BNI.



In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled that management of the toll road was to be handed to the state, specifically to PT Hutama Karya, on the condition that the debt owed to the state was fully paid. This is stipulated in Supreme Court ruling No. 720K/Pid/2001.



The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry then used the court ruling as a basis for requiring MNB to co-manage toll road with Jasa Marga to help settle the debt. According to Toll Road Agency head Herry Trisaputra Zuna the debt was settled in 2011 but the hand-over to Hutama Karya has only just taken place due to a lengthy discussion process.



The S Section is among the busiest toll roads in Jakarta as it links economics and business centers as well as tourist attractions in South Jakarta and East Jakarta. The section provides access to office towers around Jl. TB Simatupang, Cilandak Town Square shopping center, Ragunan Zoo and Taman Mini Indonesia Indah miniature park.



The Pondok Pinang-Jagorawi toll roads joins other toll roads under the temporary ownership of Hutama Karya, such as the Depok-Antasari road in Greater Jakarta, which is under construction, and the Bali Mandara road in Bali.



Hutama Karya itself is currently constructing the trans-Sumatra toll road and is in need of huge funding for this. Sigit said that for that project alone, the firm had put in a proposal for Rp 12.7 trillion in funding from the state budget this year.
Chennai: A conductor of Metro Transport Corporation bus (route number M-52) was stabbed by a youth in moving bus on Wednesday when the crew member asked the commuter to move inside from the footboard of the bus, which was not crowded.

The bus plying between Pozhichallur and Hasthinapuram was moving on Kundrathur road when the incident happened. Conductor D. Thiruvengadam, 50, asked the man repeatedly to get inside and not stand on the footboard when the latter pulled out a foldable knife and started stabbing him. The incident happened around 10.45 am.

Thiruvengadam suffered multiple injuries and started bleeding even as the passengers started shouting in panic. By the time driver Anbazhgan stopped the bus the attacker had jumped off and ran away from the scene leaving the knife behind in the bus.

Seeing the conductor bleeding all over, other passengers too got down from the bus. The driver, with his bleeding colleague inside the bus, drove the vehicle straight into the Chromepet GH, where Thiruvengadam was admitted initially. He was later shifted to a private hospital, where he is nursing his 32 stitches.

Following the incident, MTC workers at Tambaram and Chromepet depots, who came to attend the afternoon shift, refused take buses out on their scheduled trips saying there was no safety for their lives in the city. They resorted to a flash strike for nearly an hour from 1 pm.

Only after the police promised to track the suspect and to take strong action against him, MTC employees called off their flash strike and started taking buses out. Police later said they had rounded up a suspect wearing jeans and T shirt who matched the description of the witnesses. Police identified him as Venky alias Venkitesan, 28. Police have arrested Vicky alias Venkitesan, 28, of Anagaputhur for attacking conductor. He worked as spare call taxi driver.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post)  Mon, March 21, 2016

Indonesia has congratulated newly elected Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, hoping for better relations between the two countries.

"On behalf of the Indonesian government I would like to express congratulations on the election of President Htin Kyaw," President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said at a press conference in Jakarta.

Jokowi hoped that with Htin Kyaw, the first civilian president in Myanmar's history, cooperation between Indonesia and Myanmar would improve. "Especially in the fields of economy, trade and democratization," he added.

Myanmar's parliament elected Htin Kyaw as the country's new president on Tuesday in a watershed moment that ushered the longtime opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi into government after 54 years of direct or indirect military rule.

He secured 360 votes from 652 ballots cast in the bicameral parliament, where the vote count was read aloud and announced by a parliamentary official.

The military's nominee, Myint Swe, won 213 votes and will become the first vice president. Htin Kyaw's running mate from the National League for Democracy party, Henry Van Tio, won 79 votes and will take the post of second vice president.

The 70-year-old Htin Kyaw, a longtime confidant of Suu Kyi, will take office on April 1. (bbn)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) and state-owned PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) are joining forces to create a music-streaming platform for which development kicks off on Thursday. The platform is targeted to be finished by October.



Bekraf's deputy of infrastructure Hari Sungkari said the streaming platform was expected to reduce music piracy in Indonesia, as it would offer low prices. Users will pay per month, making it less expensive than iTunes' pay per song or album scheme.



"We hope that with the more affordable prices, piracy will recede, though it won't reach zero percent. Most importantly, this platform will allow musicians to monitor how successful their songs are in real time," he told thejakartapost.com on Wednesday.



Bekraf intends to ask producers and musicians to put their songs on the platform, but will not compel them to do so. The subscription price is yet to be decided, but Hari promised it would be affordable.



"In my opinion, an affordable subscription price is around Rp 50,000 to Rp 100,000 per month. But it will be decided later," Hari said. (ags)(+)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 21, 2016

The uncertainty surrounding the development of the Masela gas-block project has led Japanese oil and gas giant Inpex to resort to downsizing their personnel in Indonesia.

Head of the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) Amien Sunaryadi said on Wednesday evening that he received news from Inpex that its plan to downsize its workforce was because as of March 10, an agreement on the revised Masela plan of development (POD) had not yet been reached.

He said Inpex told SKK Migas that it would reduce around 60 percent of its personnel in Indonesia.

SKKMigas is worried that it [the downsizing] will lead to layoffs [] There are around 350 to 400 Inpex personnel in Indonesia, so there will be only around 90 to 100 personnel, said Amien.

He further said SKK Migas also received news from Shell that its CEO had asked its engineers in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and the Netherlands attached to the Masela project to pursue other jobs at Shell Global.



Inpex and Shell are waiting for a decision on the POD. Inpex submitted the revised POD in September last year.

Due to its massive estimated reserves of 10.73 trillion cubic feet (tcf), Masela is expected to be a major new source of energy in Indonesia. However, its development has been slow as the government has yet to decide whether the block will be developed as a floating offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant or onshore scheme.

The Masela block, located in the Arafura Sea, is currently operated by Inpex, which holds a 65 percent stake. The remaining 35 percent is held by Shell. The Masela POD was initially submitted in 2010, however, the discovery of larger resources led contractors to revise the plan, adjusting the capacity of the floating LNG plant to 7.5 million tons per year from 2.5 million tons. The revised POD is scheduled to be approved by the end of the year. Conflicting opinions within the government have hampered its progress, however.

Amien said that Inpex hoped the revised POD was approved soon. However, it has been alleged that Inpex stated that even if a decision was made right now to move forward with the floating LNG, the final investment decision (FID) can only be made at the end of 2020.

Those international investors have also included parameters and country risks, among other risks, within their calculations. [Having the FID] at the end of 2018 is still acceptable. However, if you enter the election season in 2019, it will be a difficult time for any large investment decisions to be made, he said.

Amien said the SKKMigas was worried that further delays would result in another layoff in the future. The Maluku people would also need to wait longer to receive benefits from the Masela project. (ebf)
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jayapura  Thu, March 17, 2016

An armed group shot dead four workers of PT Modern who were constructing a highway connecting Sinak district, Puncak regency, and Mulia district in Puncak Jaya regency, Papua, on Tuesday.



Police recovered the bodies and transferred them on Wednesday using a Trigana Air plane to the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Jayapura, the capital of the province, for post mortem examination.



Police said that they were still investigating the fatal shooting and hunting the perpetrators.



The bodies were handed over to their families. Anis, one of the victims, would be buried in his hometown in Toraja, South Sulawesi, while the remaining victims, Daud, David and Andi, would be buried in Tablasupa, Depare, Jayapura.



Papuan councilor Yan Mandenas urged the local administrations to support the security authorities in solving cases of armed attack against civilians and bring the perpetrators to justice. 'Developers who are conducting the projects should also communicate with locals to avoid misunderstandings and other problems,' said Yan, who is a member of the People's Conscience Party.



After the attack, the construction of the highway was reportedly temporarily halted.
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Bandar Lampung  Thu, March 17, 2016

Prosecutors detained on Wednesday two civil servants, identified as Edward Hakim and Ari Sukma Syamsu Rizal, for their alleged involvement in a graft case involving the purchase of educational equipment worth Rp 17.7 billion (US$1.34 billion) that was intended for underprivileged students.



'After checking their health, we detained them,' the chief of the Bandarlampung Prosecutor's Office Intelligence Division, Andrie W. Setiawan, was quoted by Antara as saying.



Edward, formerly an official at the Lampung Education Agency, and Ari of the Bandarlampung People's Empowerment Agency purchased the equipment, which was financed by the 2012 provincial budget, without going through tenders.



Andrie said his office had not yet received the dossiers of another two suspects in the case, identified as TH and MH, since they were still being processed at the Attorney General's Office.
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Linkedin Arif Gunawan Sulistiyono (The Jakarta Post)  Mon, March 21, 2016

Ayomi Amindoni

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called for concrete action to curb rampant smuggling over borders that is sometimes backed by dishonest state personnel and interferes with national competitiveness in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

As an archipelagic nation with 17,000 islands stretching from Sabang in Aceh to Merauke in Papua, Indonesia is a big market for various smuggled goods, such as industrial goods, electronics, fishery products, agricultural products and drugs.

"Police and military personnel have to stay vigilant to prevent smuggling," Jokowi said at a limited Cabinet meeting at the State Palace on Wednesday.

He said smuggling was a huge problem for Indonesia as it disrupted the local market and weakened the nations competitiveness, especially with similar products manufactured locally.

He underlined the strategic role of the newly established Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) in the fight against smugglers as it would intensify integrated monitoring at small ports, border patrols and cooperation with neighboring countries if necessary.

However, Jokowi urged zero tolerance for smuggling and said that any state personnel found to back smuggling should face the full force of the law. "I want total, thorough reform," he added. (ags)
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post  Thu, March 17, 2016

The governments of Laos and Vietnam marked the completion of the border demarcation and maintenance of border markers project at a ceremony held in Hanoi, Vietnam.



Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong led a high-level Lao delegation at the event on Wednesday, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.



The Lao prime ninister and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung congratulated each other on the completion of the project, which has been ongoing for several years.



During the ceremony, the two governments signed two documents comprising a Sub-agreement on Borderline and Border Markers, and an Agreement on Border and Border Checkpoint Management.



Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham BAnh Minh signed the documents, witnessed by the two prime ministers.



From 2008-2014, the Lao and Vietnamese governments oversaw a project to install border markers between their 20 adjoining provinces over a distance of 2,337 km. A total of 1,002 markers were installed along the shared border.



Since then, the two countries have drawn up the Sub-agreement on Borderline and Border Markers and the Agreement on Border and Border Checkpoint Management, and produced maps of the border area. These projects were completed this year. The governments of the two countries say the border demarcation and maintenance of the border markers project will contribute significantly to the management of their shared border and will pave the way for more rapid social and economic development in the border area.



The Lao and Vietnamese prime ministers praised the joint committees in charge of the project for their dedicated work, which had resulted in the completion of the project.



The two premiers called for the relevant departments of Laos and Vietnam and local citizens to protect and maintain the border markers and ensure the shared border was an area of peace, friendship, stability and sustainable development.



The two governments described the completion of the project as of 'historical significance', saying it had been accomplished through the spirit of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam.



During the ceremony, PM Thongsing and PM Dung awarded Labor and Friendship medals as well as Certificates of Praise from the two foreign ministers to departments and officials in recognition of their contribution to the project.



Thongsing and his delegation also paid a courtesy call on Vietnam's President Truong Tan Sang.(+)
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

A civil society organization has said Indonesia's indigenous people have no legal certainty and accused the government of recognizing their existence only on two occasions, namely during elections and at time of conflict.

The Indigenous People's Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) said indigenous people in the country often suffered discrimination and human rights violations by the government, especially regarding land disputes.

'The existence of indigenous people in Indonesia is stipulated in several laws, including the 2003 Forestry Law, the 1960 Agrarian Law and the 2014 Village Law,' AMAN secretary-general Abdon Nababan said in a discussion in Jakarta on Thursday.

However, this acknowledgment is apparently not sufficient to earn state recognition, the activitist said.

Community and Ecological-based Society for Legal Reform (HuMA) data record 232 natural resource and agrarian conflicts in areas across Indonesia during the 2006-2012 period, affecting 91,968 people from 315 indigenous communities.

In an investigation to find the root cause of the situation, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) found that poor recognition of the existence of indigenous people in the country rendered their legal status uncertain. The government's tendency to issue policies beneficial only to large-scale companies has aggravated the situation, according to Komnas HAM.

'Women have often been discriminated against. It often happens that women are not involved in solution-finding processes,' Komnas HAM commissioner Sandra Moniaga said during the discussion.

'There is no body with the special authority to solve agrarian conflicts,' she added.

To end discrimination and violence against indigenous people, AMAN is once more calling on the government to immediately pass the recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous people bill into law.

The bill contains a number of key elements, such as the definition of indigenous communities, their rights, the procedures used to settle customary land disputes and the establishment of a task force to handle indigenous matters at the central and regional levels.

The House of Representatives has not listed the bill on the priority list for the 2016 National Legislation Program, despite the bill having been proposed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction in 2012. (vps/ebf)
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Linkedin Max Delany and Layal Abou Rahal (The Jakarta Post) Moscow/Geneva  Thu, March 17, 2016

A second group of Russian warplanes flew out of Syria on Wednesday in line with Moscow's decision to withdraw most of its forces, as US Secretary of State John Kerry prepared a rare trip to Moscow to discuss the conflict.



Su-25 combat aircraft and Il-76 transport planes pulled out of Russia's Hmeimim base in Syria, the defense ministry said in a statement.



The departure follows that of a first group of aircraft that arrived back in Russia on Tuesday to a hero's welcome.



Washington said Tuesday that 'the earliest indications are that the Russians are following through' on the surprise withdrawal.



The pullout has spurred hopes for peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending Syria's brutal five-year conflict, which has killed more than 270,000 people and displaced millions.



UN envoy Staffan de Mistura described the withdrawal as a 'significant development' for the talks, after the regime and rebel delegations submitted road maps for a political solution.



'We hope [this] will have a positive impact on the progress of the negotiations,' he said.



Kerry said Tuesday he would hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to 'try to take advantage of this moment', which he described as the best opportunity in years to end the bloodshed.



He is expected to go to Moscow some time next week after a trip to Cuba.



'As we mark the fifth anniversary of the start of this horrific war, we may face the best opportunity that we've had in years to end it,' he said.



In a shock move, Putin ordered the 'main part' of Russia's forces out of Syria on Monday, but pledged to keep some air and naval bases in the war-torn nation.



A senior official said strikes would also continue against 'terrorist targets', and a monitoring group said Russian aircraft had struck the Islamic State (IS) group around the ancient city of Palmyra.



The first of Russia's warplanes to leave Syria received a hero's welcome at an airbase outside the city of Voronezh, where they were greeted by a ceremonial flyby and dozens of cheering supporters.



Pilots were tossed in the air as they disembarked, before being given a traditional present of a loaf of bread and salt, while a robed Orthodox priest offered them an icon to kiss.



Some governments expressed hope the Russian move could pressure its long-time ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to negotiate ' although the Kremlin has denied that was its intention.



Germany's foreign minister said a Russian withdrawal 'increases the pressure' on Assad to negotiate, while France added: 'Anything that helps towards a de-escalation in Syria should be encouraged.'



The Syrian president's fate remains a key sticking point in the Geneva talks, which are also looking at how to form a new government, a fresh constitution and hold elections within 18 months.



De Mistura said both sides had submitted their views on how to move forward, and he would try to 'analyze' their positions to find any possible common ground.



'We [...] exchanged some papers but also ideas on how to get deeper at the next meeting on the issue of transitional processes,' the envoy said after the second day of negotiations.



If there was progress, Syria's main opposition group told AFP on Tuesday it would be ready to negotiate in the same room with the regime instead of via a mediator.



Delegates at the talks held a moment of silence on Tuesday to mark the fifth anniversary of the beginning of Syria's civil war, which has seen more than 4 million people flee the country.



The UN's refugee commissioner Filippo Grandi said he would ask the international community to take in another 400,000 Syrian refugees as the country's neighbors struggled to cope with the exodus.



Fighting has eased since a temporary cease-fire began on Feb. 27, despite accusations of some violations, though clashes have continued with jihadist groups not covered by the truce.
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The National Police announced Wednesday that they arrested on Sunday a drug ring that had been operating out of Denpasar, Bali. The group involved an inmate housed at Kerobokan Prison, identified as DN, who is alleged to have acted as a supplier.



Bali Police narcotics division director Sr. Comr. Raden Purwadi said the police had arrested three of DN's accomplices, namely businessman I Made Putu, alias Putu Leon, 44, alleged to be the group's leader; I Gede Putu Astawa, alias Putu Krecek, 39, an alleged courier; and Cahyadi, alias Bocah, 38, alleged to have distributed the contraband to Bali night clubs.



'Based on demand from Putu Leon, DN, using his cellphone, ordered crystal methamphetamine, smuggled from Guangzhou in China, and ecstasy from Malaysia. The drugs were then strapped around a courier's waist and taken past the screening system at the Ngurah Rai International Airport,' Purwadi told reporters at the National Police narcotics division office in Cawang, East Jakarta.



The police confiscated 154 packages containing crystal meth, 63 ecstasy pills, a bong, cash amounting to Rp 823 million (US$61,700), five fake Rp 100,000 notes, an SUV and a motorbike, 18 mobile phones, a sales notebook, a samurai sword, a knife and an air gun. The confiscated goods are estimated to be worth Rp 2.3 billion.



For possessing and distributing more than 5 kilograms of narcotics, the three were charged with articles 112 and 114 under the Narcotics Law which carries the death penalty as a maximum sentence.
Hyderabad: Shaik Aijaz, 19, was wearing a T-shirt when he entered the hall to write a supplementary exam at the Royal Junior College in SR Nagar. It looked like a normal black T-shirt, but for Aijaz that was the only way to pass the economics exam.

Before Aijaz, took his seat, invigilator Kappa Shankar Reddy stopped him for frisking. What Reddy found was something that he had never seen in his life before. Aijazs T-shirt had a tiny bluetooth device and an almost invisible microphone. When Shankar Reddy carefully checked Aijazs ear he saw a tiny earphone.

Aijaz had come to the examination hall like a Hollywood spy and his friend, 19-year-old Mohd Samiullah was waiting outside. As per their plan Samiulla would call Aijaz on the phone which was kept in a bag outside once the question papers were distributed. The bluetooth device would answer the call automatically.

Once both are connected, Samiulla, who had a set of previous question papers, would read out the questions. If any of those questions were there in the question paper Aijaz got, he would cough once and then Samiulla would give the answers. But, their plans fell flat when Shankar Reddy discovered the devices. Aijaz could not use them and he ended up in police custody.

Aijaz spent a lot of money to buy the T-Shirt. He searched and found the dress at Shopclues.com, said West Zone DCP A. Venkateswara Rao. He spent Rs 13,000 to get the shirt delivered to his house. After Shankar Reddy found the device, he informed the police, who reached the spot and took Aijaz into custody. During interrogation Aijaz revealed about his friend.

Following a complaint from the invigilator we booked a case against the duo under Section 8 of the Andhra Pradesh Public Examinations (Prevention of malpractices and unfair means) Act, 1997, said the DCP.

Aijaz had failed earlier and had started working at the Vista Dental Hospital in Madhapur. He wanted to clear backlogs. His friend Samiulla is a BE student at the Mukarram Jha College.
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Linkedin Ina Parlina and Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

In line with the government's commitment to promote a soft approach in dealing with terrorists and their radical ideas, the newly inaugurated chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian, is vowing to develop better deradicalization measures, including better rehabilitation programs behind bars.



He made the commitment because Indonesia has long been fighting terrorism, yet a number of attacks have still occurred in recent years, the latest one being the Thamrin attack, which is believed to have been planned from within a prison.



'We need better coordination of rehabilitation and prevention between authorities, as well as to include NGOs and civil society groups in their efforts. The key is how to involve all stakeholders to draft more contextual and systematic programs,' said Tito, a former chief of the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad who obtained a PhD in terrorism studies from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.



On Wednesday, President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo inaugurated the former Jakarta Police chief as the new BNPT head, replacing Saud Usman, who is entering retirement.



According to Tito, the BNPT must first understand terrorist motives and their roles in the networks before introducing different treatments to different layers according to their organizational structure and nature.



Tito, the best graduate from the Police Academy's class of 1987, is widely known as a counterterrorism specialist, with credentials that include the killing of Azahari Husin and Noordin Mohammad Top, both Malaysian nationals who were behind the 2002 Bali bombings. His stint as the Densus 88 head led him to be promoted to operations deputy for the BNPT in 2011 and 2012.



Jokowi has been pushing for adopting a soft approach and for not solely using a hard approach in preventing terrorism from expanding its influence in the country, including by calling on clerics and Muslim leaders to help the government crack down on firebrand sermons by promoting preaching about peaceful Islam and calling on social media to engage in counternarratives.



Tito acknowledged that the existing rehabilitation program was not good enough because some terrorism convicts had planned their attacks from within prisons. He reiterated his support for introducing better preventive measures in the Terrorism Law, a law that was deliberated in 2003 following the Bali bombing, which he said he deemed to be outdated.



Tito's appointment as the new BNPT chief has won praise from National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti.



'Tito has knowledge about terrorist networks in Indonesia and abroad. So, I believe appointing him as BNPT head is the right move as there will be more challenges in rooting out terrorism and radicalism in the future,' Badrodin said.



Wahyudi Djafar, a researcher at the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), asked Tito to improve coordination between all relevant institutions playing roles in rooting out terrorism, while suggesting he introduce clear concepts and definitions about deradicalization.



'Deradicalization is not merely about sermons to counter radicalism, but how to disengage them from their networks or radical leaders,' Wahyudi said.



Speaking about his short-term target as the BNPT chief, Tito said he would focus on Poso, a region in Central Sulawesi that has been a hotbed of terrorism and is also believed to be the hideout of Indonesia's most-wanted terrorist, Santoso, and his group. The police are currently conducting Operation Tinombala, aimed at hunting down Santoso.



On Operation Tinombala, Tito said authorities must 'cut the supply lines and information' to corner Santoso, the leader of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) who is known for his propagation of violence against Christians and the police. Operation Tinombala, which is also backed by the military, has been extended until May, as the team has as yet failed to apprehend the main target, Santoso, who has been a fugitive for more than five years.



The efforts have decreased the number of his followers in Poso, every year. Police estimated that now they are down from 45 last year to about 25. On Tuesday, Operation Tinombala officers shot dead two more of Santoso's followers in the jungle a kilometer from Talabosa village.

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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Police have put a stop to a same-sex wedding ceremony between two local men from Kepil, Wonosobo regency, Central Java.



Andi Budi Sutrisno was set to marry Didik Suseno on Saturday when police officers stopped the wedding, arguing that such a ceremony violated the law and caused discomfort among local residents.



Locals had previously urged the police to cancel the planned wedding.



The police said the ceremony was stopped peacefully following a persuasive and friendly approach toward the couple.



Kepil Police chief Adj. Comr. Surakhman confirmed on Monday that they had received tip-offs regarding the marriage.



Andi, who is 27 years old, was already in his wedding attire when the police arrived on the scene, he said. Andi's parents had also announced the wedding to the Muslim assembly three days beforehand, the police added.



According to Surakhman, following a discussion with several influential figures and religious leaders, the couple and their respective parents came to a realization and subsequently felt discouraged to continue with the ceremony.



"To avoid a repeat of this incident, we ask the public to always care for each other and remind each other when there are activities that are contrary to the law," Surakhman said as quoted by tempo.co.



Same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Indonesia. The government stipulates that a marriage is between a man and a woman as stated in the 1974 Marriage Law.



The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has been dominating public debate recently with arguments in support of and against the minority group.



A number of prominent government officials and religious figures have condemned the community while urging for the limitation of LGBT-related activities. The MUI announced in February that it considered individuals identifying as LGBT to be haram.



Meanwhile, human rights groups have called for the protection of the minority group's basic rights, including equal access to education and job opportunities. (liz/bbn)(+)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Fearing tougher competition, lawmakers have rallied to increase the minimum support requirements for independent candidates to run in local elections.



Factions at the House of Representatives have proposed increasing the requirements for independent candidates to 15 to 20 percent of the final voter list (DPT), from the current 7.5 to 10 percent, in the revision of the 2015 Regional Elections Law.



The move was contrary to a recent Constitutional Court ruling that relaxed requirements for non-partisan candidates by basing the minimum percentage on a region's DPT, instead of its population.



Gerindra Party lawmaker Ahmad Riza Patria, a deputy chairman of House Commission II overseeing home affairs, said the minimum requirements for independent candidates had become much easier since the court ruling, posing a greater threat for candidates nominated by political parties.



He argued that currently a political party or a group of political parties had to gather 20 to 25 percent of seats in a region's legislative council to be able to endorse a pair of candidates.



Ahmad said there should be a 'win-win' solution for both candidates supported by political parties and independent candidates to run in the elections.



'It will make it harder for political parties to join the competition,' Riza said.



He added, however, that he would ensure independent candidates would not have any difficulties running in the 2017 simultaneous regional elections.



In a ruling issued last September, the Constitutional Court ordered that the benchmark minimum amount of support for independent candidates be based on the DPT in each region, instead of its population, lowering the number of required supporters.



In the single-ticket ruling, the court also ordered that elections involving single tickets must be held by adopting a kind of plebiscite or referendum. The ruling on single tickets has been lauded by many as it was deemed it would fill any potential power vacuums because interim leaders appointed by the Home Ministry would not have budgetary authority.



One potential independent hopeful is Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama, who might run for a second term in the 2017 gubernatorial elections.



In the draft bill of the law revision, the government accommodated the court rulings, while also proposing making it obligatory for political parties to name candidates.



The government has added a point stating that a political party, on its own or in a coalition, has to name a candidate in a local election. If it failed to do so, the party would be barred from naming candidates in the next concurrent elections.



Golkar Party lawmaker Rambe Kamarul Zaman, who chairs the commission, confirmed that several members in his commission had demanded the change, but said they had yet to discuss it further.



He claimed the demand was an attempt to reach an 'equal standard' between political parties and independent candidates.



'The options are whether to raise the bar for independent candidates or lower the bar for candidates from political parties,' he said.



National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Sukiman said that such demands from fellow lawmakers were common, particularly amid the bustle of the upcoming regional elections.



'If it's urgently needed, why not? But if it isn't possible to make [the requirements for independent candidates] higher, why should we force it? We won't deliberate [the revision] based on temporary emotions,' Sukiman said.



He added that the commission had to hear opinions from all factions and experts before making a decision.



Tagore Abu Bakar from the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), meanwhile, said it would be better to increase the requirement to 20 to 25 percent, so it would be equal with the requirements for candidates from political parties.

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Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak, West Kalimantan  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Pontianak office of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in West Kalimantan is set to boost blood collection through the mobilization of mobile units.

PMI Pontianak director Darmanelly said the institution would maximize the use of mobile units to take the service closer to blood donors.

Darmanelly told thejakartapost.com that donors could give blood in the mobile units, which would travel around, or in a room set up at a blood donation event. She further said that blood donation events using mobile units were conducted on the initiative of societal groups while PMI Pontianak was responsible only for supplying medical workers, blood bags and equipment.

PMI Pontianak data reveals that throughout 2015, the number of blood donations via mobile units accounted for 35.38 percent of its blood collection, while the remaining 64.62 percent was collected on the premises.The mobile figure was slightly higher than in 2014, when it was 29.77 percent.

Darmanelly said that in the beginning of 2016, blood donations in Pontianak numbered 1,200-1,600 per month, or an average of 50 per day.

She said demand for blood in Pontianak was 150 bags per day. With only 50 donors giving blood a day, more blood donors were needed to meet demand.

'With blood donations via mobile units, we dispatch a full medical team with adequate equipment to reach stakeholders, which organize blood drives. By using this method, people previously afraid of donating blood are encouraged to participate in blood drives. They find more courage,' said Darmanelly.

PMI Pontianak meets blood demand not only from residents in the city but also from people in other areas across West Kalimantan province.

PMI Pontianak partners with a number of stakeholders, such as media companies, private businesses, government institutions and individuals, to boost the use of mobile units for blood donations. These activities are often held with fun walks on Sundays.

'Every three months, a dentist routinely organizes several communities, with 70 regular donors, to participate in blood donations at the dentist's clinic with our support. We hope for similar initiatives in the future,' said Darmanelly.

Last week in Tanjung Hulu, Pontianak, the Santo Hieronimus Catholic Church's Easter celebrations organizing committee held a blood drive. The committee's social affairs coordinator, Shelly Febriana, said the event was held after Sunday Mass at the church.

'From around 50 congregation members who registered to give blood, 26 people were declared eligible to donate. Thank God we could help other people through this social event as a drop of blood can save a person's life,' said Shelly, adding that four PMI Pontianak workers collected the blood at the event.

A PMI Pontianak staff member, Tedy, said he and colleagues often worked at blood donation events in mobile units.

Tedy said that for each blood drive, PMI Pontianak prepared three beds, blood bags, medical equipment and three or four medial workers. (ebf)
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Linkedin Haeril Halim and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The Democratic Party, suffering from a leadership crisis and diminishing popularity due to graft cases that plagued its members during the second term of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), is seeking a comeback with the unexpected nomination of former first lady Ani Yudhoyono as the party's 2019 presidential candidate. The move has been met with derision from some segments of the public.



The ad campaign for Ani emerged on Tuesday in the middle of SBY's 13-day tour of Java, which started on March 7. Some party officials claim the ad is just an expression of aspiration, rather than a formal decision of the party. Some Yudhoyono loyalists, however, say it represents the internal consensus of the party.



Aware that Ani has yet to be considered a potential leader in the political marketplace, staunch SBY supporter and party spokesman Ruhut Sitompul said Ani could surpass incumbent President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo in popularity in the upcoming 2019 presidential election.



'Politics is all about the last-minute phenomenon. In previous years, no one knew about Jokowi. During the tour in Yogyakarta, people said they missed Pak SBY and asked him to run. But if he can't run, they asked Bu Ani to run. It's the will of people,' Ruhut said.



Nurhayati Assegaf, another SBY loyalist and deputy chairwoman of the Democratic Party, said Ani deserved to get the party's nomination, saying that 'she is more than [US presidential Democratic Party frontrunner] Hillary Clinton, so don't compare her with Hillary.'



'We had similar ambitions for the 2014 presidential election. If SBY is barred from running [for a third time], then why not propose Ibu Ani for the nomination?' Nurhayati asked.



Democratic Party legislator Benny Kabur Harman said it was too early to discuss the matter of Ani's candidacy in detail because the 2019 election was still three years away.



Dede Yusef, another Democratic Party spokesman, said the party was focused on garnering support to prepare for the elections in 2017 and 2018 and that the party's central board had not yet discussed the presidential ticket.



The early nomination of Ani suggests a crisis of leadership at the heart of the Democratic Party following the prosecution of many of its high-profile figures in graft cases during the second term of SBY, said Arya Fernandez, a political analyst with the Jakarta-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).



He said it was wrong to compare Ani with Clinton because Ani had only occupied the position of first lady without ever having served in governmental posts such as those occupied by former first lady Clinton. Clinton served as a senator for the state of New York and secretary of state during the presidency of Barack Obama.



Meanwhile, political analyst Gun Gun Heryanto from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University said Ani had nothing to sell to win political support in the 2019 elections.



'The nomination is just testing the waters to see how the public reacts. The most realistic target is to consolidate support at the grassroots level to face the 2017 elections and improve the party's performance following its failures in the 2015 elections,' Gun said.



He said the recent moves by SBY to criticize the government also aimed to increase the party's popularity.



After winning the 2009 legislative elections with 20.8 percent of the vote, the Democratic Party only managed to come in fourth place in the 2014 elections with 10.1 percent of the vote. The decline in the party's popularity was propelled by the prosecution of its former sitting chairman Anas Urbaningrum alongside other party executives in various graft cases.



SBY also saw his popularity decline after three of his ministers were convicted in graft cases investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission.



Furthermore, the party also failed to secure strong local support during the 2015 elections, winning just 87 out of 269 elections held across the country, placing it in sixth place out of the 10 political parties contesting the election.

____________________________________

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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Indonesia, the world's largest producer of palm oil, will report France to the World Trade Organization (WTO) should the European country approve a plan to progressively raise import taxes on palm oil products by up to nine times.



The government expressed great concern after the French senate adopted on Jan. 21 a proposed amendment to a biodiversity bill that will allow the imposition of progressive taxes on palm oil, palm kernel and food containing such oils.



According to France's senate, the amendment has been proposed to address several environmental concerns: to help tackle deforestation caused by oil palm plantations, to stop the use of the unhealthy pesticide paraquat and to diminish health risks, such as heart attack and Alzheimer's, that stem from palm oil consumption.



If the bill is passed into law, France will raise the import tax on palm oil from A100 (US$110) per ton to A300 in 2017, to A500 in 2018, A700 in 2019 and A900 in 2020, while leaving taxes on other vegetable oils such as olive, corn and peanut oil practically untouched, ranging between A113.24 and A170.13 per ton.



In comparison, the selling price of palm oil is only 550 euro per ton.



The Indonesian government said the implementation of such a policy would violate the WTO principles of national treatment and non-discrimination.



'[We will] take this to the court and see how it goes. Otherwise, someone will become the judge and set the agenda and standards for themselves,' assistant coordinating maritime affairs minister Arif Havas Oegroseno said Wednesday during the International Conference on Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE) in Bali.



'We need to go to a real judge. We've done that on the dumping by taking that to the European Court of Justice and the WTO.'



Likewise, the deputy for food and agriculture at the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister, Musdhalifah Machmud, said that there was a plan for the government to report France to the WTO should the latter proceeded with its plan.



'That's the plan but it's not me [who will decide on that]. There are people who analyze whether we need to go to the WTO or not,' she said.



Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution, however, said that the Indonesian government was still waiting for the negotiation process before deciding whether to report France to the WTO.



'Just wait and see. There's still time. The law deliberation process there is still ongoing,' he told reporters on the sidelines of the ICOPE conference.



Furthermore, Darmin said that President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo might also negotiate with France directly on the matter during the President's visit to Europe next month.



According to a study conducted by Pierre Garello from the UniversitA Aix-Marseille, the current tax levels for vegetable oils in France are: olive oil (4.9 percent), rapeseed oil (11.69 percent), sunflower oil (15.79 percent), palm oil (21.67 percent) and soybean oil (23.64 percent).



Indonesia exported 4.6 million tons of crude and processed palm oil last year to Europe, including what it sent to France.



While the annual palm oil exports from Indonesia to France usually only amounted to between 50,000 tons and 150,000 tons, Musdhalifah said that the implications of the planned palm oil tax might be too costly.



'It can have a ripple effect as other countries might follow suit,' she said.
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

The government is expecting the imminent payment of compensation for Indonesian citizens killed in the collapse of a huge construction crane at Mecca's Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia on Sept. 11, 2015, as the Saudi government has entered the final phase of the compensation settlement process, a minister has said.



Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said on Wednesday that the Saudi government had conveyed its progress on the compensation for Indonesian victims during his recent working visit to the country to discuss haj issues. It was a follow-up to the Saudi government's announcement on compensation for crane victims conveyed just a few days after the incident occurred.



It stated that the Saudi Arabian Kingdom would provide 1 million riyal (US$267,000) in compensation for every dead or permanently disabled victim and 500,000 riyal ($134,000) for less severely injured victims.



Lukman said the disbursement of compensation was in the hands of the Saudi Finance Ministry and Home Affairs Ministry and so far no confirmation regarding disbursement had been conveyed.



"It takes time. We just hope the disbursement will be carried out sometime soon," Lukman told journalists on Wednesday.



The minister added that the kingdom would also give the opportunity to undertake the haj in 2016 to two people from each victims' family, as the country's honorary guests. The Saudi government will also grant special visitor visas to family members of victims who are still undergoing medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.



Lukman said the Saudi government had yet to disclose to Indonesian authorities the exact amount of compensation and haj offers it would provide.



'Let's wait for official statements from the Saudi government on these matters,' said Lukman.



The crane incident at the Masjidil Haram complex affected around 107 people, of which 11 Indonesian haj pilgrims died and 42 others were injured. (ebf)(+)
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Linkedin Corry Elyda and Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Despite threats and a venue change, the screening of the documentary film entitled Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta continued on and received an abundance of support from the audience.



Equipped only with a humble screen and sound system, the screening eventually went on as scheduled but moved from the Goethe Institute to the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) headquarters in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday afternoon.



The persistence of organizers paid off as hundreds of people flocked to the Komnas HAM office. Organizers were even forced to make another screening session as the space was not enough to accommodate the crowd.



Whisnu Yonar, a member of the film's production team, said that Goethe's management canceled the event at 12 p.m., five hours before the screening was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.



'Their reason was they couldn't guarantee the security of the event,' he said.



Whisnu said that according to Goethe, the police met with the management last night and in the morning, saying that the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI) would stage a demonstration at the venue if the screening continued.



This is the sixth event in the past three months in Jakarta that was canceled because the police failed to maintain their impartiality and have taken the side of hardliners or protesters.



The last event was the Belok Kiri (Turn Left) Festival initially held in Ismail Marzuki Cultural Center in Cikini, Central Jakarta, last month. The event was eventually relocated to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) headquarters.



Whisnu said that the organizers did not want to give up. They eventually tried to find another venue so the screening would go on.



'We want to show to them [the police and FPI] there is nothing wrong with the film's screening,' he said.



Pulau Buru Tanah Air Beta (Buru Island My Home Land), by renowned chef Rahung Nasution, is about the journey of two ex-political prisoners accused of being affiliated with Indonesian Communist Party, who come back to Buru Island and meet with other former political prisoners who still live there. 'They walked down memory lane on the island,' Whisnu said.



He said the film also tried to show the contribution of political prisoners who underwent forced labor there. 'Buru Island, which is now the main source of rice for East Indonesia, would not be fertile without the toil of these political prisoners,' he said.



Whisnu said the organizers were really disappointed with the police for the cancellation. 'It signifies that repression still exists in this country. It turns out that we do not have freedom of expression,' he said.



Astri Apriyani, an audience member, said, 'I want to support this event. I am really upset with the police and the government.'



'I thought when [President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo] becomes president, we will be free, it turns out that we are more restricted,' she said.



Komnas HAM commissioner Muhammad Nurkhoiron said he objected to the police's action. 'The police are tasked to guard civil liberties. However, what they have done is the opposite,' he said.



Goethe's program director Katrin Sohns said through a text message that the event was not organized by the institute. 'We provided the space for the screening. Please get in touch with the organizers for the details,' she said.
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Linkedin Dewanti A. Wardhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama's recent announcement of his independent candidacy has many asking questions about those behind Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok), the group of supporters voluntarily collecting copies of identity cards to enable the governor to run for a second term independently.



Teman Ahok was founded by five youths: 25-year-old Aditya Yogi Prabowo, 24-year-olds Amalia Ayuningtyas, Muhammad Fathony and Richard Handris, as well as 23-year-old Singgih Widyastono.



Amalia, the community's spokeswoman, said Teman Ahok had been formed during an infamous spat between Ahok and city councilors over the 2015 budget draft. She said her four colleagues were previously volunteers for now-president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Ahok during the 2012 Jakarta gubernatorial campaign and sought to defend the man they had supported, while Amalia herself is a former intern at political campaign consultancy the Cyrus Network.



'Initially, it was a movement to defend Pak Ahok in his dispute with city councilors. It later turned serious after we consulted with the Cyrus Network,' Amalia told The Jakarta Post recently.



She explained that Cyrus Network seniors had expressed doubts about Ahok's ability to participate in the 2017 elections, as he was no longer affiliated with any political party. Not long after the discussion, the five, with help from college friends, began a movement to support Ahok's independent candidacy.



Amalia, a communications graduate from the University of Indonesia (UI), said she had spread the word to her friends, who had offered to help make a video as well as design a logo and website for free. Many of the movement's videos went viral, such as one titled Apa sih prestasi Ahok? (What are Ahok's achievements?), gaining more than 200,000 views on YouTube.



Making videos is one thing, but photocopying ID cards of citizens as a way to register popular support is another.



Getting the ID cards for an independent candidate takes time and a lot of money. Amalia said Teman Ahok had received initial funding of Rp 500 million from Hasan Nasbi, a director at the Cyrus Network. That money, she said, had been collected from several donors. Teman Ahok's headquarters, located in the upper-class neighborhood of Graha Pejaten in South Jakarta, was also rented under Hasan's name, she said.



Cyrus Network openly supported Jokowi and Ahok for the 2012 gubernatorial elections.



'The Rp 500 million was the first and only time we received a cash donation. We have a strict no-cash donation policy. Thus, supporters usually donate goods and services,' Amalia said.



For example, she said, many donors would send pages of printed forms that supporters can fill in, while others would lend their scanners and printers, as well as produce Ahok merchandise to sell. According to its website, temanahok.com, the group has thus far collected 784,977 of the old forms and spent a total of Rp 762.9 million.



In the five days since they asked supporters to fill in new forms, they have collected 60,676.



To register supporters, Amalia said Teman Ahok provided booths in shopping centers, such as the Mall of Indonesia, Pluit Village and Emporium Pluit in North Jakarta, Central Park in West Jakarta, as well as Pondok Indah Mall, Epicentrum Walk, Cilandak Town Square, Senayan City and Pejaten Village in South Jakarta. She said that some were provided for free by booth owners, while others were rented at a discounted price for social movements instead of the commercial rate. Rents could run into tens of millions of rupiah per month, Amalia said.



Most malls in Jakarta are owned and operated by big developers like Lippo Group, Agung Podomoro and Agung Sedayu.



FX Supiarso, a 2012 gubernatorial elections deputy campaign team coordinator for independent candidate pair UI economist Faisal Basri and politician Biem Benjamin, said collecting ID cards for an independent candidate was expensive. On average, the cost could be Rp 5,000 to Rp 7,000 per ID card. The unit cost includes making two copies of an ID card and form, as well as taking the documents to a rented place.



Supiarso told the Post that the Faisal-Biem pair reported spending a little over Rp 5 billion and collecting more than a million ID cards. However, after internal verification, only some 800,000 ID cards could be submitted to the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD).



Similarly, the campaign team also rented booths in shopping centers, some costing up to Rp 30 million a month. Other costs included transportation, printers and scanners and renting homes and warehouses to store documents.



At one point, he said, Faisal even sold one of his homes to cover the costs.



'Independent candidacy is a lot of work. It's not just about collecting ID cards, but also about encouraging residents to lend us their ID cards in the first place,' he said.



Hasan confirmed he had supported Teman Ahok with the initial funding to set up the community. Hasan said the money had been collected from about 10 former supporters of Jokowi and Ahok during the 2012 gubernatorial race.



He said, however, that the support came with several conditions. First, that Teman Ahok may not receive cash donations from other individuals or communities, and second, that the supporters must learn to generate money from the initial funding.



'Although they struggled during the first three months, Teman Ahok is now doing well on its own,' Hasan said.
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post  Thu, March 17, 2016

Your comments on the Islamic world's call for Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries and the international community to ban products from Israeli settlements to put pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian land:

More Muslims kill other Muslims and there is nothing precise about a suicide bomber.



Lovinthemacet



Another American tourist murdered overnight in Jaffa by an Arab-terrorist.



Goblues



A very good Israeli product is the Uzi machine gun, which is used worldwide.



Jorith



What Israeli products should we avoid? Oranges? Juniper berries? What do they export here actually?



Deedee S



The White House and Pentagon boast that its targeted killing program is precise and that civilian deaths are minimal.



However, documents detailing a special operations campaign in northeastern Afghanistan, Operation Haymaker, show that between January 2012 and February 2013, US special operations airstrikes killed more than 200 people. Of those, only 35 were the intended targets.



During one five-month period of the operation, according to the documents, nearly 90 percent of the people killed in airstrikes were not the intended targets.



In Yemen and Somalia, where the US has far more limited intelligence capabilities to confirm the people killed are the intended targets, the equivalent ratios may well be much worse.



AR

________________________________

Topic of the day



Transportation conflict



Tensions have risen on Jakarta's streets following the conflict between application-based and conventional modes of public transportation, while the government is still searching for solutions to address the 'unfair business competition' that has arisen from the new technology. What do you think?



Send your thoughts by email, SMS, Twitter or Facebook. Include your name and city.
The teenager was kidnapped and murdered later on as his parents failed to pay the ransom money. (Photo: Deccan Chronicle)

Hyderabad: A 15-year-old boy was allegedly murdered by kidnappers in Hyderabad after his parents failed to pay a ransom of Rs 10 crores. His body was later found in a carton box near Secunderabad railway station.

The deceased, who was identified as Abhay, was the son of Rajkumar, a resident of Shah Inayat Gunj in the old city of Hyderabad and a plastic scrap trader by profession. The Class 10 student was kidnapped while he was on his way to a tiffin centre near his house at 3 pm on Wednesday after school.

Abhay's father lodged a complaint with Shahinayath Gunj police station after he received a ransom call from kidnappers on Wednesday evening, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Venkateshwara Rao said.

"A missing case was registered and a probe was launched. At around 10 pm, one of the relative of Abhay received a phone call that threatened and demanded a ransom of Rs 10 crore for the boy's safe release," the DCP said.

When the police started to trace the call, they received information that the body of a boy was found in a carton box near Secunderabad railway station, Rao said, adding, "The hands were tied and he seems to have been smothered to death."

"The victim's father was informed. However, he has not raised suspicion on anyone with regard to enmity with his family nor business rivalry. We are collecting details and further investigation is underway," said Rao.
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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu  Thu, March 17, 2016

Three suspected female terrorists linked to a terrorist group lead by most-wanted terrorist Santoso are said to be planning to surrender to police on Thursday.



Based on information from an intelligence source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to journalists, the three suspected female terrorists are the wives of East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist group members, including its leader Santoso aka Abu Wardah.



Newly installed Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said he was aware of the information but could not provide confirmation.



"Let us see what develops," he said on Thursday.



According to the anonymous source, the females are Jumiatun Muslim aka Bunga aka Umi Delima, Santoso's wife, Nurmi Usman, the wife of Basri, and Tini Susanti Kaduku aka Umi Fadel, the wife of Ali Kalora. They have allegedly been hiding in the forest. The source also said that Santoso was ill.



"Yes he is ill. How do you know about that?" Rudy told journalists.



At joint team comprising 2,000 personnel from the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) are assigned to Operation Tinombala, which is set on capturing Santoso and his followers hiding in the forests of Poso. The group, believed to be down to 30 members from 45, included three women and two Uighurs.



Dead terrorist



Rudy also said that he had given permission to the Central Sulawesi Muslim Lawyers (TPM) to take the remains of Dodo aka Fonda Amar Solokhin to be buried in his hometown of Surakarta, Central Java.



"They can take his body. That is his family's right," he said on Thursday, denying allegations that Central Sulawesi Police had prevented Dodo's family from taking their son's body from the morgue in Anutapura Hospital in Surakarta.



Dodo, a member of the MIT, died in a shoot-out with the joint authorities in Torire village, Central Lore subdistrict, Poso, on Feb. 28.



"I never got in their way. Police were waiting for the DNA results," he said.



Lawyer Andi Akbar from the Central Sulawesi TPM said on Thursday that his team and Dodo's family had attempted to pick up his body several times but were denied by the police.



"Our family has decided to bury him in Surakarta, so we are going to take him," said Dodo's stepmother, Umi Musaibah, on Thursday.



Dodo was on the police's wanted list for suspected involvement in terrorism-related activities in Poso. Police believe he joined Santoso's group in 2012.



Police also said that Dodo was to be Santoso's future son-in law, as he was arranged to be married to Santoso's daughter, Wardah, who is currently studying at Ngruki Islamic Boarding School in Surakarta. Dodo was known as Santoso's confidant and allegedly helped spread information about MIT activities on the internet. (rin)(+)
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Linkedin Dewanti A. Wardhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) located in Cikini, Central Jakarta, has long been a safe haven for artists and activists to express themselves.



Officially opened on Nov. 10, 1968, the arts and cultural center saw its heyday in the 1970s when Ali Sadikin governed the capital. Artists and activists alike saw TIM as an oasis to freely express themselves without worry of government intervention, control or restrictions.



However, growing conservatism among residents has set off alarm bells that there would be no such luxury.



In the last few months, the police have shut down five events representing freedom and diversity. Three of those events were held at TIM. Last November, the police decided not to give the go-ahead for a discussion on terrorism scheduled to be held by the Association of Journalists for Diversity (Sejuk) after the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) expressed its objection to the event's poster, which depicted the Islamic State movement's flag next to the FPI's official logo.



A month later, the police canceled a discussion and the reading of a drama script about the 1965 communist purge after the FPI blocked the events, which they said 'harmed nationalism'.



More recently, Jakarta Police dispersed the Belok Kiri (Turn Left) Festival, an event to accommodate history enthusiasts, who wanted to share thoughts about leftist political history in Indonesia. The police prevented the festival from commencing after a group of people had showed objection to the event.



Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ) chairman Irawan Karseno said that the recent incidents at TIM had left artists disappointed. Irawan said that TIM had, for a long time, facilitated artists to freely express themselves and that the recent incidents posed a threat not only to artists, but also to the cultural center itself.



'If the police and the government are limiting freedom of expression and freedom of assembly then we're back to the New Order era. Currently, there is not much we can do, but we will try to discuss this matter with the relevant officials,' Irawan told The Jakarta Post recently.



He said that the DKJ were aiming to meet with Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama, as well as Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan and lawmakers to discuss the recent incidents at TIM, where they seek to plead with the government and the police not to limit artists' freedom of expression and assembly.



Irawan, as TIM's program curator and who has also previously served as an arts advisor to Jakarta's governor, argued that DKJ is professional enough to determine the programs appropriate for TIM and that intervention by the government or the police, especially to cancel an event was unnecessary.



He went on to say that the police should secure TIM from protesters instead of closing down its events.



Separately, TIM's management unit head Imam Hadipurnomo said that the management was responsible for administrative and financial matters within the cultural center. The management is under the Jakarta administration's Tourism and Culture Agency, and consists of civil servants.



Previously, such matters were handled by artists.



Imam said that TIM's management unit this year allocated Rp 23 billion (US$1.72 million) for operations, maintenance and salaries. The management unit this year is also set to conduct their own events in TIM, such as the first Jakarta Anniversary Festival and the annual celebrations to commemorate TIM's establishment. The allocation was an increase from last year's Rp 18 billion, he said.



Although TIM is administratively managed by civil servants, Imam assured that the city administration gave its full support to the artists.



'The DKJ is still responsible for curating programs in TIM. Our job is only to issue permits and manage TIM's operations. In no way do we intend to limit programs at TIM,' Imam told the Post over the phone.
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Linkedin Rosalia Sciortino (The Jakarta Post) Bangkok  Thu, March 17, 2016

Now that the ASEAN Economic Community is underway, we may want to ask whether the process of regional integration bodes well for the realization of 'A healthy, caring and sustainable ASEAN Community', as declared at the last ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in 2014.



In public debates, not much mention is made of health care being one of the 11 prioritized sectors for accelerated liberalization. Yet business consultants and bank advisors are busy highlighting its market potential to investors by arguing, somewhat cynically, that health needs can only increase with changing demographic and epidemiological conditions.



An aging population will battle more chronic diseases, foremost among them cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases ' all requiring long-term, expensive care. These growing needs, coupled with the rising demand of an expanding and more exigent middle class and from the governments' inclination to privatize health care while providing the poor access through a mix social health insurance schemes, ensure commercial enterprises of abundant profit opportunities.



An additional source of projected gain is the increasingly mobile patient population that travels from country to country in search of suitable care. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia rank among the top medical-tourism destinations in the world, treating 4 million foreign patients and generating US$8 billion in revenues in 2011 to 2012, according to Ipsos Business Consulting.



To foster the growth of this attractive health market, ASEAN is set to remove trade barriers in health products and healthcare services.



Still-to-be-implemented harmonization measures for health products' registration, performance, safety and compliance, among others, are meant to free up the cross-border flows of pharmaceutical products, medical devices and equipment, traditional medicines, health supplements and, interestingly, cosmetics as well.



For health services, member states are committed to lifting all restrictions on the cross-border supply of health care, such as telemedicine, and on healthcare consumption abroad through medical tourism.



They have also agreed to up to 70 percent share ownership in healthcare businesses for ASEAN investors and to the movement of mutually recognized health professionals, particularly doctors, nurses and dentists.



The resulting integration of the healthcare sector is presented as a win-win situation that boosts economic growth, strengthens domestic regulations and enhances the supply-demand match. Suppliers benefit from a larger market and greater knowledge transfer, while consumers would have more choices and better care.



Market dynamics may prove different though, as it has been shown that health care does not behave as a typical commodity, with information asymmetry, poor transparency in costs and patients' dependent position contributing to market distortions and uneven gains.



As regional integration unfolds, two questions become more pressing. First, does ASEAN value public health? The post-2015 health development agenda set at the Health Ministers Meeting does stress promotion of healthy lifestyles, prevention of diseases and provision of affordable health services as crucial to the realization of a 'people-centered and socially responsible' ASEAN.



However, this public health approach is placed separately under the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, the newest and most underfunded pillar of regional integration when compared to the ASEAN Economic Community and the Political-Security Community as ASEAN's two other pillars. Commitment has yet to translate into adequate resources and collective action has been limited to the control of infectious epidemics.



Most significantly, the liberalization of health care under the ASEAN Economic Community is clearly biased toward curative services as being more profitable than health promotion.



Commercial ventures see growth opportunities in the hospital industry, as reflected in the long-term plan of one of Indonesia's largest health care groups to open 20 hospitals for the growing urban middle class in Myanmar.



The public sector too is biased toward medical care, allocating to it the largest part of already meager government health budgets (averaging 6.7 percent in ASEAN, compared with the OECD's 17.2 percent).



Member states' investments in hospital growth and the promotion of medical tourism, as well as the launch of social health insurance schemes, can be expected to exacerbate this bias.



Second, to whom will the benefits of this curative-biased healthcare market accrue? Experiences in other regions show a widening of already substantial health disparities, with the concentration of financial and human resources going to privileged locations and to the better off.



Health workers become drawn to higher-paying national and foreign private hospitals, worsening the shortage in public basic services, especially in resource-poor settings.



As Meghann Ormond, Wong Kee Mun and Chan Chee Khoon noted in a recent article in Global Health Action, commercialization of Malaysia's health care 'may further entrench a two-tier health care system, with deluxe priority care for the better off (including 'medical tourists') and a rump, underfunded public sector for the rest'.



More generally, the overall health system may become more expensive as higher private charges drive increases in the public sector ' as is already occurring in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore ' and trade agreements restrict the use of cheaper generic drugs.



And yet, while richer patients may have more choices, they may still face issues of lack of quality in a regional pro-business environment that has limited rules and enforcement mechanisms to protect patients and ensure better safety. In cases of malpractice across borders, healthcare providers are even less accountable.



In view of these serious public health, equity and safety implications, ASEAN agreements in health deserve greater public scrutiny. The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community framework needs to be integrated with the Economic Community's blueprint to ensure a holistic approach to health. Public health experts, activists and patients' groups ought to be part of the trade negotiations that have so far been restricted to governments and corporate actors.



After all, they are the ones who have a greater stake in a 'healthy, caring and sustainable' ASEAN Community, one that balances treatment and health promotion and appreciates health as a social and not only as a commercial good.

________________________________________



The writer is an associate professor at Mahidol University, a visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, and emeritus regional director for Southeast Asia with the Rockefeller Foundation and IDRC. This commentary will be part of the 'Reporting ASEAN: 2015 and Beyond' series of IPS Asia-Pacific in partnership with the ASEAN Foundation.
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, March 17, 2016

Women's groups requested on Wednesday that the House of Representatives refrain from implementing a total ban on alcoholic drinks, arguing that such a ban would go against the pluralistic nature of Indonesia.



Despite strong resistance from industry, legislators are moving forward with the deliberation of a bill that would control the production, distribution and consumption of alcohol.



During a hearing with the House's special committee for deliberation on the bill, several women's organizations recommended that the aim of the bill should be 'to control' alcohol, instead of 'prohibiting' it.



'The word 'prohibition' seems to disregard the country's pluralism. We're not a Muslim country and have to consider human rights,' said Margaret Aliyatul Maimunah, the secretary general for Fatayat NU, the female wing of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).



She said, however, that the bill should be passed immediately to impede the negative impact of alcohol on health and society.



The bill, sponsored by the United Development Party (PPP) and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), political organizations that are Islamist in their orientation, has become one of priority bills under this year's National Legislation Programs (Prolegnas).



Nationalist parties like the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party and the Democratic Party, have not shown resistance to the bill.



The political deliberation process on the bill has horrified the alcohol industry as it may essentially cripple their industry and livelihood.



The Indonesian Alcoholic Beverage Entrepreneurs Association (APBMI) previously said that it supported a comprehensive law to control the production, importation, distribution and consumption of alcohol drinks, but demanded protection for the right of consumers, including tourists, to enjoy alcohol in a responsible manner.



Chamsiar from the Indonesian Women's Congress (Kowani) demanded that the bill's academic transcript stipulate a clear, specific, and medical explanation about the impact of alcohol, because many consumers believed that the bill was designed solely in the interests of Muslims.



'We want to control the consumption of alcohol due to its dangerous impact on our health, but the academic transcript says nothing about the impact of alcohol from a medical or scientific basis,' Chamsiar said.



If there was a medical explanation, she said, all parties, no matter for what their religion, might consider supporting the bill.



Susanto, a commissioner from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), wanted the bill to stipulate how to create a society for children free from alcohol.



He also wanted that the bill to prohibit any advertisement promoting alcohol as it could set a bad example for children.



Committee chairman Arwani Thomafi of the PPP said that the committee would consider these recommendations and finish the deliberation by the middle of the year.



'We will discuss these things more deeply and may invite medical experts to answer our questions,' Arwani said.
The mayor defends the awarding of a contract to a California-based firm for the new citywide ferry service. At a news conference yesterday, he said, I am always entertained by critics who want to look at a good thing and turn it into a bad thing, [Politico New York]

Carmar Development is in the process of converting the old Lucky Chengs location on 1st Avenue. One of two spaces being created will likely become the newest location of what is already an established restaurant group in New York. [Real Estate Weekly]

 Developers of 150 Rivington, site of the Lower East Sides famed Streits Matzo Factory, held a blessing ceremony on Wednesday with architect and feng shui master R.D. Chin and Rabbi Mayer Kirshner, the factorys longtime rabbi who oversaw its kosher operations. [New York Post]

Since 2003, photographer Thomas Holton has been documenting the lives of the Lam family on Ludlow Street. The project is being called the Boyhood of Chinatown. [New York Times]

Neighborhood Joint  paying tribute to Moishes Bakery on 2nd Avenue, where the customer profile has changed a lot in the past 25 years. What hasnt changed at all is the bakery itself, with its stopped-in-time storefront that is almost entirely free of adornment. [New York Times]

Happening Today: At 10 a.m., the City Councils Subcommittee on Zoning & Franchises meets to consider the mayors controversial zoning proposals. The Council will approve the measures, in spite of widespread opposition from local community boards. Advocacy organizations, including the Historic Districts Council, continue to fight the mayors scheme.
Television anchor K. Nirosha, 23, hanged herself to death in her room at the Devi PG ladies hostel in Sindhi Colony on Tuesday midnight while on a video call with her boyfriend in Canada.

Hyderabad: Relatives and friends of TV anchor Nirosha are shell shocked after coming to know about her suicide. None of them expected that a happy-go-lucky person like Nirosha would kill herself. Her family said they were going to meet her boyfriend Ritvik in April to discuss their wedding.

She was a bold girl. We never saw her brooding. When I met her 10 days ago she was happy, said Niroshas brother K. Mahesh, who is a bank employee in Bengaluru.

The budding star committed suicide while her boyfriend was on the other side of a Skype call. (Photo: Video grab)

Niroshas parents Radhakrishna and Vasanthamma came to Hyderabad 10 days ago to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Mahesh had also accompanied them. "We stayed in a hotel at Begumpet. My parents stayed with her for four days. I returned to Bengaluru after two days. She did not tell us if anything was wrong," said Mahesh.

Read: Telugu TV anchor Nirosha commits suicide on Skype call with boyfriend

An aspiring actor and video jockey, Nirosha was close to her parents. "She used to call my parents everyday. She usually discusses all issues with our father. If she was depressed she would have told him," Mahesh added.

The anchor's family had decided to meet Ritvik who had been dating Nirosha. "He told us that he would come to India in April. We were ready to meet and discuss their wedding," her brother said.

The 23-year-old actress had always borne an amiable disposition. (Photo: Facebook)

Nirosha, who had started a Facebook page to promote herself as an actor and VJ, had several friends in media circles. "She wanted to be an actress and was trying to become a famous anchor. She was smart. I do not know what made her end her life," said a friend of hers.

Nirosha, 23, hanged herself to death in her room at the Devi PG ladies hostel in Sindhi Colony on Tuesday midnight while on a video call with her boyfriend in Canada. Her boyfriend Ritvik alerted her friends and they informed the police. But, she was dead when they broke into her room.

The police suspects her boyfriend's alleged involvement in the suicide case. (Photo: Facebook)

Police suspects that she must have fought with her boyfriend and killed herself due to depression. But her family said they were not aware if she was depressed. Her parents told the police that she was suffering from health problems.

Police said Nirosha who had been working with Gemini Music TV, hanged herself with a shawl while on a video call. On the other end of the call was her boyfriend who is working in Canada. As she tightened the noose the phone fell on the floor. When we reached the phone was off, said SI D. Krishna Mohan.

Hours before the suicide Nirosha had called her parents living in Bengaluru.

Niroshas friend said a panicky Ritvik called at midnight and said that Nirosha was going to commit suicide. He asked them to stop her. They alerted the police and rushed to her room. But the room was locked. They could not help as Nirosha was dead. Nirosha's boyfriend called her friends immediately to stop her from committing suicide (Photo: Video grab)

Police said they did not find any suicide note. Police seized Niroshas phone and belongings. Police and Niroshas relatives spoke to Ritvik. However, he denied quarrelling with her. Nirosha's body was taken to her native place in Chittoor after autopsy at Gandhi Hospital.

Nirosha, who hails from Somala Mandal in Chittoor district, came to Hyderabad three years ago. She studied in Bengaluru, where her parents K. Radha Krishna and Vasantham live. Nirosha worked in another TV channel as a reporter before joining Gemini TV. Nirosha's body was taken to her native place in Chittoor for funeral after autopsy at Gandhi Hospital.
BENGALURU: A 28-year-old mans partially decomposed body was recovered from the Mugalur lake near Sarjapur in HSR Layout police station limits on Wednesday.

The deceased, Harsha, a resident of Kasavanahalli and an employee at a garment factory, is said to have been murdered by a person known to him with the help of two accomplices on March 13, the police said.

The cops have nabbed the three accused, identified as Karthik, Sanju Kumar, and Santhosh, based on an information provided by an eyewitness on March 14. Although Santhosh did not commit the murder, he helped the other two to dispose Harshas body in a gunny bag, the police said.

According to the police, based on the information received by the HSR Layout cops a team was dispatched to nab Karthik, an auto-rickshaw driver and two of his accomplices. They were brought to the police station and during interrogation they confessed to the murder, the police said.

Karthik and Harsha were friends and the former had picked up Harsha in his auto-rickshaw to go out with him and his two friends - Sanju Kumar and Santhosh.

When they reached a eucalyptus grove in Sri Krishnappa Layout nearly three kilometres from Kasavanahalli, Karthik and his accomplices asked Harsha to get down and picked up a fight.

They assaulted him with iron rods and stabbed him, the police said. Later his body was put in a gunny bag and was disposed at a drainage lake in Mugalur, the police added.

Though Karthik was married, he was in a relationship with a woman whom Harsha tried to befriend. This did not go down well with Karthik, who decided to eliminate Harsha, an investigating officer said. He subsequently hatched a plot and committed the crime, the officer added.

The assault apparently was witnessed by a passerby nearby, who informed the police the next day of the incident, said Dr Boralingaiah Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South East Division.
Abhay Modani, 15, was kidnapped when he had gone to buy idlis on Wednesday afternoon.

Hyderabad: A Class X student from the Hyderabad's Old City area was kidnapped and murdered on Wednesday. His body was found outside the Secunderabad railway station.

Abhay Modani, 15, was kidnapped when he had gone to buy idlis on Wednesday afternoon. At night, the abductors demanded a ransom of Rs 10 crore. And despite the family agreeing to pay Rs 5 crore, he was killed, said the police. Abhays body was found stuffed in a carton outside the railway station.

West Zone DCP A. Venkateshwar Rao said on Thursday that the incident might not be one of kidnap for ransom. It could be a diversion technique to derail the investigation. Business rivalry or family involvement cannot be ruled out, said the DCP, adding that the kidnappers had called the parents demanding the ransom after they had already killed him.

Read: Police recovers CCTV image from Mangalhat

According to sources, three of five suspects have been picked up by Task Force officials at Vijayawada, and a hunt is on to trace the other two. All five are former employees of Abhays father.

Abhay and Abhishek were twin sons of Mr Rajkumar Modani and Ms Anuradha, residents of Srinagar in Shahinayathgunj area. Both were studying in Class X at Slate  The School, Abids.

Rs 1 lakh for info on killer

The police has declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh for those who can identify the person who kidnapped and murdered Abhay Modani. Those who can identify the rider can inform DCP (West) on 9490616552 or the police Whatsapp number-9490616555, said a police release.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the opening ceremony of World Sufi Forum at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised the rich diversity of Islam and called the World Sufi Forum a gathering of peace, tolerance and harmony.

World Sufi Forum was organised by All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), the apex body of Sufi Dargahs in India. The 4-day conference will see participation of over 200 spiritual leaders.

This is an extraordinary event of great importance to the world, at a critical time for humanity. At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor or the light of hope, said Modi at the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi.

This is an extraordinary event of great importance to the world, PM said, adding that none of Allahs 99 names stands for violence.

Asserting that there are terror groups that are instruments of state's policy and design, Modi said terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes that cannot be justified.

Modi in an oblique reference to Pakistan said while some are trained in organised camps, there are others who "find their inspiration" in cyber space.

"There are forces and groups that are instruments of state policy and design. There are others recruited to the cause in misguided belief.

"There are some who are trained in organised camps. There are those who find their inspiration in the borderless world of cyber space. Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified," he said.

Asserting that terrorists "distort" a religion, he said they kill and destroy more in their own land and people than they do elsewhere while making the entire world "insecure and violent".

"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. And, they are putting entire regions to peril and making the world more insecure and violent," he said.

Noting that terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion, the Prime Minister said it is a battle that must be won through the strength of values and real message of religions.

"The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. It is a struggle between the values of humanism and the forces of inhumanity.

"It is not a conflict to be fought only through military, intelligence or diplomatic means. It is also a battle that must be won through the strength of our values and the real message of religions," he said.
Phuket police probe into water tower death continues

PHUKET: Police are still looking for clues in their investigation into the death of a 29-year-old man whose body found under a water tower in Phuket Town last Friday (Mar 11).

policedeathcrime

By The Phuket News

Thursday 17 March 2016, 09:10AM

The body of Sompong Wijit, 29, was found under the watertower by a council waterworks staffer. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

A council waterworks staffer found the body of local resident Sompong Wijit under one of the water towers near his home on Damrong Rd. The body had three distinct wounds to the head and a long scrape on the left side of the torso. While police believe Mr Sompong fell to his death, the victims father believed his son was attacked and his body dumped from the top of the water tower. (See story here.) Right now, there is a lot of speculation about the death of Mr Sompong, but we still think he fell from the tower on his own, with no foul play, Lt Somchai Nooboon of the Phuket City Police told The Phuket News yesterday (Mar16), But we are still waiting for doctors to confirm the cause of death. Also, officers have questioned residents and local teenagers in the area, but so far we have got nothing, he added. Police are continuing their investigation, Lt Somchai added.
The kind of example (Mallya case) has brought a huge bad name to both to India's banking as also to India's private sector, says Arun Jaitley. (Photo: Screengrab)

New Delhi: Amid a raging row over Vijay Mallya fleeing the country, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the banks will recover every penny of loan given to him and investigative agencies will take strong action against the liquor baron wherever he is found to have violated the law.

Mallya, promoter of long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, had left India on March 2, presumably for London, days before Supreme Court heard a plea of clutch of state-owned banks seeking recovery of over Rs 9,000 crore from his group firms.

"His (Mallya's) facts are very clear. Every government agency, whether its taxation department or investigative agency, wherever he has violated law, is going to take strong action. As far as banks are concerned, they are going to recover every penny of the rupee that they can from him," Jaitley said.

The minister was answering questions at India Today Conclave on what the government was doing to recover money from Mallya, who is currently in the UK.

He also said the government has been trying to address the problem of NPAs in sectors like steel, textile, highways and infrastructure, which are on account of economic slowdown.

"NPAs due to sectoral slowdown would cease to be NPAs once there is an upturn," he added. However, Jaitley said, the real source of worry was the cases involving "misconduct" on the part of individuals.

"There is a second category where large amounts of loans have been given in individual cases and some of the people misconducted themselves, there may not be adequate sureties and that's a source of worry, this is the one, which is real cause of worry because there are moral and ethical issues without legal liability

"The kind of example (Mallya case) has brought a huge bad name to both to India's banking as also to India's private sector. It's dangerous for the future if (we) are not able to remedy this," he said.

He further said the immediate job of the government was to make sure public sector banks remained strong. "So I am trying to recapitalise banks."
New Delhi: Amidst simmering tension over threat of Jats resuming their agitation for quota, the Centre has sent 3,000 paramilitary forces to Haryana to ensure peace and deployed another 300 personnel to guard Munak canal which supplies water to Delhi.



"All arrangements have been made for Haryana and forces have been sent," a senior Home Ministry official said today.

Read: Quota row: Haryana on edge as deadline set by Jats coming to an end



Additional paramilitary forces were deployed in all sensitive places, some spots on highways and for Munak canal, the official said.



Large-scale violence and destruction of public and private properties had taken place during the week-long Jat agitation in Haryana in which about 30 people were killed last month.



Protesters also damaged the Munak canal, located about 100 kms from Delhi, disrupting water supply to the national capital for several days.
How to watch and what to know about South Dakota State at North Dakota
Bhujbal, arrested on March 14, will be lodged in high- security Arthur Road jail here now. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: A court on Thursday rejected Enforcement Directorate's plea for further custody of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister of Chhagan Bhujbal, arrested in a money laundering case, saying sufficient grounds were not made out for this.

ED had sought seven more days custody of Bhujbal but judge P R Bhavke of the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases sent the senior NCP leader in judicial custody till March 31, saying "sufficient ground was not made out for further remand".

Bhujbal, arrested on March 14, will be lodged in high- security Arthur Road jail here now. Bhujbal told the court today that statements of some of the witnesses were lies and concocted stories.

Referring to the statement of one of the witnesses who is employee of the Mumbai Education Trust controlled by the Bhujbal family that he had seen bags of cash being brought to the office, Bhujbal questioned what was he doing there.

"I had gone gone to MET office's guest house late in the night (that day) as I had to catch a flight early in the morning. What was this witness doing there late at night when the people at MET leave for home at 5.30 pm?" he said.

The NCP leader also complained that yesterday ED officers recorded his statement till 4.30 pm and again turned up to question him further at 11.30 at night.

"I told them they can take my statement early in the morning today. I woke up early today. I told the ED officials that we have to go to the court today, so why were they delaying. They said they were busy with other work and kept me waiting," he told the court.

Bhujbal is accused of receiving kickbacks in awarding of contract for the state guest-house Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and laundering this money through various ways.

AAP leader Preeti Sharma-Menon, who had moved the HC accusing Bhujbal of corruption and seeking a probe, today filed an application saying one of the witnesses was being pressurised by the Bhujbal family to withdraw his statement to the investigators.

Bhujbal told the court he had not pressurised anyone nor had he instructed anyone to do anything. Vinod Gangwal, a lawyer, filed another application before the court demanding that it should invoke stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against Bhujbal.

These applications will be heard on March 31. ED in its remand application said that statements of certain individuals closely connected with MET and business activities of the Bhujbals were recorded yesterday and they confirmed that huge cash was paid to market operators at MET office by Sameer Bhujbal, Chhagan Bhujbal's nephew.

The firms controlled by Sameer (who is already arrested) conducted no genuine businesses so as to generate such a huge revenue and only he and Bhujbal can explain the source of these funds, ED said.

The witnesses also told the agency that Bhujbal visited MET office here once or twice a month and he was aware of all the business activities which Sameer looked after.

"As chairman of MET, Bhujbal was aware that its employees were directors of various companies of the group controlled by Sameer," ED said.

Whenever cash was brought to the MET office, Sameer told Bhujbal about it if he was present there. Bhujbal was also aware of all the real estate purchases by the firms controlled by him, it said.

"When a witness expressed his inability to continue as director in one of the entities of the group, Bhujbal shouted at him angrily in the presence of Sameer," the remand application said.
The first lady has made her first foray into pop music.

Michelle Obama commissioned a star-studded roster for her sprightly new charity single This is For My Girls, including the powerhouse likes of Missy Elliott, Kelly Clarkson and Janelle Monae.

The girl-power anthem was written by Diane Warren, the songwriting guru behind Because You Loved Me and I Dont Want To Miss a Thing. Driven by bright horns and funky percussion, the tune  inspired by Obamas Let Girls Learn initiative, which seeks to provide education opportunities to an estimated 62 million girls globally who dont attend school  also features Lea Michele, Zendaya, Chloe & Halle, Kelly Rowland and Jadagrace. Its for sale for $1.29 on iTunes.

Unfortunately for those hoping to judge her presidential pipes, Obama herself doesnt sing on the track, but she did briefly break into song at the South by Southwest Music Festival on Wednesday.

Seated with Grammy winners Queen Latifah and Elliott to talk about girls education and empowerment, Obama detoured into tune when reflecting on seven years in the White House.

Time is almost up, she said, before softly singing some of the Boyz II Men hit Its So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.

Otherwise, Obama drew a chorus of disappointed sighs from the packed convention centre crowd when she ruled out a presidential run of her own.

No, no. Not going to do it, she said, citing teenage daughters Malia and Sasha as two of the primary reasons. The daughters of a president. Just think about it. Come on, young people. Not so easy, Obama said. Theyve handled it with grace and with poise, but enough. Enough.

Still, Obama confirmed she wouldnt slide entirely from public view upon leaving the White House next year.

Sometimes theres much more you can do outside the White House without the constraints, the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship, she said. I want to be able to impact as many people as possible in an unbiased way to try to keep reaching people. I think I can do that just as well by not being president of the United States.

U.S. President Barack Obama opened the festival last week with a talk about civic engagement, becoming the first sitting president to attend SXSW in the festivals 30-year history.

With files from Star wire services

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In The Limey, Stephen Soderberghs brilliantly understated 1999 film, Terence Stamp is cast as an aging knockaround British gangster on a pilgrimage to Los Angeles in pursuit of his daughters killer. Near the end of the film, Peter Fonda, her record-producing boyfriend and the likely murderer, has a line that crystallizes much of the self-satisfied hype of his generation.

It must have been a time, huh, a golden moment? his new, much-younger girlfriend asks him about the 60s. Fonda smirks. Did you ever dream about a place you dont recall being to before, a place that only exists in your imagination? When you were there, though, you knew the language  you knew your way around. That was the 60s. Then, he turns to her and deflates the myth. It was just 66 and early 67, he says. Thats all there was.

It neatly encapsulated a lionized era in contemporary culture: the font, apparently, from which every element of individualism and liberated thought has ever sprung. Or so the legend goes. Shopworn as that rose-coloured rearview is, its part of what makes the Art Gallery of Ontarios Outsiders so compelling.

In the context of the necessary fraying of tightly woven American mythos, this is a hugely important show. Here, photographers including Garry Winogrand and Gordon Parks lay bare a social upheaval less heroic than violent and divisive; Diane Arbus and Nan Goldin do the same, chronicling life on the margins and the people the new freedom leaves behind. Danny Lyon, meanwhile, walks a razors edge between liberation, innocence and the darkness awaiting just beyond the horizon.

All around, rough-edged verite filmmaking  the radically kinetic montage of Marie Menkens Go! Go! Go!, Kenneth Angers Scorpio Rising, Shirley Clarkes frankly confessional Portrait of Jason  helps set a tone: that the rosy shroud of hindsight might not be entirely accurate.

Outsiders casts that golden moment in a complex haze of social upheaval, where traditional boundaries were being redrawn on every front. From Parks celebrated 1968 photo essay for Life magazine on the Fontenelles, a black family living in poverty in Harlem, to Winogrands tireless image-making of protest, marginalized people and the wilful obliviousness of elite society to the tremors just under their feet, Outsiders makes a point, loud and clear: that the celebrated 60s idealism was the luxury of those who could afford it. For everyone else, liberty meant little more than carving out a space on the fringes where the best one could hope for was to be left alone.

This is what drives the work of Goldin, who photographed her own ultra-urban community of junkies and wastrels, of which she was very much a part. Goldins images are at first glance stark but powerfully intimate; her group seethes in addiction but also clusters as an oddball family of sorts  they have picnics, see movies  and Outsiders, as much as anything, is very much about that.

In the fallout of the peace-and-love generation, the postwar optimism of the 1950s  nuclear families, tidy suburbs, a chicken in every pot  had cracked and its prescriptive notions that left all but the most conventional lifestyles out of an idealized view of America had become irrelevant. Photography and film, as new media, became the tools through which a generation articulated the litany of social rifts.

You can trace the line back to Robert Frank, whose towering work The Americans, published in 1958, set the tone for an unvarnished photographic depiction of America at odds with its apparently sunny apex.

The Americans, by a Swiss, seemed to give American artists permission to do much the same. Lyon, for whom freedom was motorcycle gangs, documented his circle much as Goldin did: not idealized or romanticized, but as a gathering of intimates no less nuclear than the 50s family (his was the moment before gangs became associated with organized crime, which in retrospect can tint his very sincere efforts with an unfairly idealistic filter).

For Arbus, the outside was her world: amid the sunny rhetoric of a generation bent on changing the world, Arbus stepped outside for a view from the edge. That she found an endless array of those who didnt fit that Aquarius-age optimism tells you much about a certain brand of liberty being little more than exchanging one narrowly exclusive world view for another.

Perhaps most compelling, though, is Casa Susanna. An upstate New York retreat for cross dressers in the 60s, it was a haven for men from all over, who found community and acceptance away from their daily lives  many were professionals, family men living as normally as they could  where such activities would bring only humiliation and disaster.

Hundreds of photos were saved over the years, most of them anonymous, all of them marked by a particular relaxed joy; an extraordinary gift now makes the Casa Susanna photos part of the AGOs collection and while they dont bear the same brand-name recognition as, say, Arbus, Goldin or Frank, they epitomize the cynically exclusive liberty of its day with a critical sincerity. Casa Susanna made no grand claims about liberty, the redrawing of social structures or changing the world.

For a small group of people for whom that grandiose vision offered no space, they made their own: an emotional realm where they could simply be themselves. Sad but true; could there be any more radical gesture?

Outsiders runs at the Art Gallery of Ontario to May 29. A concurrent film series will be shown. See ago.net/outsiders-on-screen for more information.

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My 8-year-old son has frequently been called an old soul; one of those kids who uses big words such as epitome and antithesis with ease and who enjoys chatting up adults about topics ranging from the fate of the automotive industry to the inner workings of the human body. Part of this stems from the fact that hes the oldest of four children (two little brothers and a baby sister hang on his every word). And part of it stems from just how hes wired.

But wise-beyond-his-years though my son is, there is one situation my husband and I are still figuring out how to help him get a proper handle on: my fathers recent marriage to another man.

My son understands a little bit about same-sex couples. Some of his classmates have two daddies. And we have friends who are gay, whom he adores. But my father, my son knows, was married to my mother, a woman. And so his new marriage to another man makes things, well, complicated.

My father announced his engagement in a typewritten note. He was flying from his adopted home in Florida to New York to wed at City Hall. Would my husband and I be the witnesses, he wondered.

My father has shared details of his love life with me for years. He left my mother for another man when I was 8 and went on to bring a series of special (boy)friends into my life.

My father discussed the notion of marriage and commitment ceremonies with those men once in a while  but, for the most part, my father seemed uninterested in formalizing any of the relationships, in large part because the relationships dissolved, on their own, in relatively short order.

It made no sense to explain my fathers sexuality to our oldest son during any of Opas visits  since he was so young and Opa was so noncommittal. We never had to explain Opas sexuality because we didnt think there was need to explain.

His marriage to Javier changes things.

My husband and I served as witnesses at my fathers wedding on a beautiful fall afternoon.

My father and Javier have been together for less than a decade. They met a year into my own marriage, at one of my fathers favourite haunts, a gay bar in West Palm Beach. It wasnt love at first sight, my father would later tell me. Instead, theirs was a companionship that grew ever-closer. My father, nearing 70 at the time, was weary of the dating scene. Javier, 30 years my fathers junior, offered my father a pair of helping hands for his increasingly-unsteady legs, someone to remind him to take his medicine and a mutual love for their dog, Leo. For Javier, my father provided stability, friendship, and a guiding hand. A native of Honduras, he gratefully accepted my fathers offer to help him secure a teller job at a local bank.

At first, my father kept his life with Javier relatively separate from mine. He visited his grandchildren without Javier. He called me frequently and seldom mentioned Javiers name. But then they decided it was time to legalize their commitment, to make their union official.

When the time came to say their I Dos, before a smiling female judge who asked them to face one another and join hands, my father and Javier joined a small, but growing, number of legally married grandpas who have grandchildren not unlike my own children, energetic young puppy dogs armed with ready smiles  and armed with something more: endless questions.

Its those questions from my 8-year-old in particular  about marriage, about how Opas marriage to Javier differs from Opas marriage to my mother or how Opas new marriage differs from mine and Daddys  Im working through how best to answer.

Im not sure how to explain to our oldest how Javier fits into the family when my father is still clarifying that for the grown ups  and when Javier and I are still figuring out what we mean to each other. I know the answers will come in time as we come together for family gatherings.

One such gathering took place following the wedding.

How come Opas in town? my son asked, as my husband and I dressed him up to take him to meet my father and Javier for dinner at an Italian restaurant, our unofficial wedding reception for the happy couple.

He wanted to see us and he wanted to show Javier New York, I said, helping my son with his sweater.

Javier? my son asked.

You remember  Javier, my husband answered evenly.

Oh, yeah, he answered. Opas friend.

Thats right, I said. Youre probably going to be seeing a lot more of him from now on since Javier and Opa mean a lot to each other. I paused. OK?

OK, my son shrugged. Thats cool.

That night, the four of us  my father, Javier, my husband and me  opted as a unit not to explain to our oldest son, or his brothers and sisters, that Opa and Javier are officially married now. That discussion, we all agreed, will come in time. For now, Ive come to realize, my fathers relationship with Javier is like so many marriages and families: its complicated.

Moments after sitting down at our table, the waiter presented us with flutes of champagne. And as we grown-ups lifted our glasses in a toast, the children raised their milk glasses to join in the fun.

What are we drinking to? asked my 8-year-old, raising his glass high over his head as he reached to clink Javiers glass.

What we always drink to, I said, looking him squarely in the eye. To family.

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The problem with Indian food, says Hemant Bhagwani, owner of Indian Street Food Co. at Bayview and Eglinton, and I was number one guilty of doing it, is the cream and butter we add, watering down the spices.

The restaurateur, who grew up in India, attended cooking school in Switzerland, and then earned a masters in marketing in Australia, says hes come full circle with the food he serves. After launching the successful Amaya in north Toronto in 2007, the restaurant grew into a mini-chain  there are now 14 Amaya Express locations  with Bhagwani gradually dumbing down the cuisine to pursue the largest possible audience.

But when he opened in the Eaton Centre food court, he decided to ditch pandering items such as cheeseburger samosas and Indian tacos.

Taking that risk, with a McDonalds and Thai Express there, I was very nervous, says Bhagwani, as we sit in the dining room for a pre-service staff meal. I thought I was going to go bankrupt there. My rent is $36,000 a month. But then the first night I ran out of food at 7 oclock. Thats where I started knowing that the authentic food sells best.

After selling off a large portion of Amaya (though hes still the majority shareholder), Bhagwani has turned the original location on Bayview into Indian Street Food Co., shifting the focus to street food dishes. And while ISFCs no-tipping policy is getting all the press  a move made to balance out the disparity in pay between cooks and servers  theres also a big shift in the cooking, getting away from the gastronomic crutches of butter and cream, eliminating them in all but two dishes.

Chefs Sudhan Natarajan, Kamleshwar Prasad and Devender Singh, in Canada on one or two-year visas, were hired away from restaurants in Dubai, New Delhi and Seoul, respectively.

Because I wanted to do very authentic food, says Bhagwani, I could not find talent here.

The chefs whiz around the kitchen in their red chef jackets, cooking naan to order by dipping their arms into the tandoori oven without hesitation. When Singh has me make naan, the 950F tandoori oven singes off half of my arm hair in the two seconds it takes to lower the dough and press it against the interior wall of the oven.

Natarajan giggles and says Ive just gotten a free waxing.

He walks me through making staff meal, aloo loki, a basic potato curry with bottle gourd, also known as calabash. While sauteing onions, he pinches off green curry leaves, adding base notes of mustard and cumin from the 11 square metal boxes sitting next to the stove containing red, yellow, green and brown ground spices. Once its simmering he folds in ginger and coriander, wanting those flavours to carry a non-mellowed bite.

Bhagwani says that in his years as a restaurateur, diners have grown to recognize and appreciate the subtleties of Indian cooking, estimating that 70 per cent of his current clientele has been to India.

People are more travelled. They want more authenticity, he says. You can present it in a nicer way, but the more authentic you keep it, the better you do.

The no tipping rule

When Bhagwani decided to do away with tipping for the launch of Indian Street Food Co. last November, he wasnt expecting news vans to descend on opening day. Or for private, vitriolic comments from other restaurateurs, upset that hes challenging the status quo.

He was looking for a way to change the traditional structure of a restaurant, specifically the income disparity between cooks and servers.

Typical earning for Toronto cooks is about $14 an hour (more if the restaurant tips out the back of house, though thats not standard) and, with tips, $25 to $30 for servers, according to Bruce McAdams, who teaches hospitality and economics at the University of Guelph.

At Indian Street Food Co., theres a 12 per cent administration fee added to each bill, which is combined with 10 per cent of the restaurants gross sales for a total of 22 per cent that is divided evenly among staff.

Its just one model. Another, being adopted by the Union Square Hospitality Group in New York, and by Bill Sweete (owner of Sidecar and Toronto Temperance Society) in Toronto, is to raise menu prices roughly the same rate of the average tip, with a percentage of total revenue paid to each employee. Ive spoken to other restaurateurs  Arshad Merali of Kanpai Snackbar in Cabbagetown, Geoff Kirkland of the Lantern Restaurant & Grill in Lakefield  who are planning variations of the same thing.

Consumers have gotten used to having a measure of control over restaurant servers, in a way we dont with, say, car mechanics or supermarket cashiers. Imagine if the government set a sub-minim um wage rate (as they do for servers  their wage is $9.80 compared to the provincial minimum of $11.25) for those jobs and we got to decide if their labour was worth our subsidizing their pay.

Servers have not been applying to Bhagwanis new restaurant, he says, likely because they expect theyll be earning less. Everyone on the floor the night that Im in the kitchen is fresh. None of them have served before.

Thats fine, says Bhagwani. Id rather train somebody new.

Another reason for the change in pay structure is to incentivize everyone through profit sharing.

In most restaurants, when diners come in near closing time, the kitchen grumbles. Theres no bonus for them staying late. Here, another table means all the employees earn more money.

Chicken Tikka

Lined up on a skewer, each piece of chicken exposed to the 950F heat of the tandoori oven, this dish cooks in 10-15 minutes. At home, I baked it in clay bowls (like for French onion soup). Piling the meat together lengthens the cooking time.

Chicken Tikka Marinade

4 boness skinless chicken breasts, sliced into large pieces

2 tbsp (30 mL) ginger, minced

2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, minced

2 tsp (10 mL) salt

2 tsp (10 mL) chili powder

1 tbsp (15 mL) garam masala

2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin

2 tsp (10 mL) fenugreek

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 mL) cilantro, chopped

3 green chilies, chopped

In a large bowl, mix chicken with ginger, garlic, salt, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, fenugreek, vegetable oil, lemon juice, cilantro and green chilies. Marinate and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Chicken Tikka Yogurt Sauce

2 tbsp (30 mL) ground cumin

2 cups (500 mL) yogurt

2 tbsp (30 mL) ginger

2 tbsp (30 mL) garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder

1 tbsp (15 mL) garam masala

2 tsp (10 mL) fenugreek

2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil

2 tbsp (30 mL) cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 475F/245C.

In a small pan roast cumin in oven until it darkens, about 2 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk yogurt, ginger, garlic, salt, chili powder, garam masala, fenugreek, vegetable oil, cilantro and roasted cumin.

In the mixing bowl, coat marinated chicken in yogurt sauce. Transfer to casserole dish. Bake until cooked through, about 35 to 50 minutes, depending on size of chicken chunks and how densely theyre layered (piled high, its going to take longer than if spread out). Slice into a couple pieces to make sure theyre cooked.

Makes 4 servings.

by Corey Mintz

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Before he became a cold-blooded executioner beheading captives for terrorist porn videos, Jihadi John was just one more mildly disaffected Muslim teenager living in the U.K.

Not particularly observant religiously, hanging with a loose network of West London punks, drinking and clubbing, yet also graduating with an IT degree from Westminster University.

How he got from there to here  from Mohammed Emwazi to Jihadi John to most wanted man on the planet to martyr killed in a 2015 U.S. drone strike  is the narrative framework of a biography by British journalist Robert Verkaik: Jihadi John, the Making of a Terrorist which will be published in Canada next week.

Emwazis death was confirmed in an extravagant obituary posted by ISIS  Daesh  in its online propaganda magazine, Dabiq. The 27-year-old was eulogized thusly:

Abu Muharib al-Muhajir, the mujahid who made headlines around the world as Jihadi John, was originally from the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula, while his mother originated from Yemen. At a young age, the honorable brother traveled with his family to London. This would become a place he grew to hate along with its kafir people, whose customs were far-removed from the praiseworthy values he was much accustomed to. It was through the mercy and blessings of Allah that Abu Muharib attained the gift of a sound aqidah (creed) and correct manjah (understanding of the Quran) despite residing in one of the centers of kufr (disbelievers) and despite the increased presence of deviants calling to the gates of Jahannam (hell).

Etcetera. Etcetera. Etcetera.

Verkaik has a unique perspective on the evolution of Jihadi John. To his own astonishment, the writer discovered that he knew Emwazi from interviews conducted in 2010, before the radicalized Brit gained global notoriety for sawing off the head of journalist James Foley  and at least half a dozen others. Hes the only journalist known to have spoken face-to-face with Emwazi. Yet so unmemorable were the encounters around London, so unprepossessing a subject, Verkaik had forgotten all about Emwazi, even when his balaclava was stripped away and his real name revealed by the BBC.

It was an extraordinary moment, Verkaik told the Star in a phone interview a few days ago. Id spent most of that year desperately trying to find out who Jihadi John was.

Only after plowing through old emails did the picture of Emwazi begin to emerge from fragmented recollections.

Verkaik had written several articles about young Muslim men complaining about harassment by national security agencies that had doubled down on efforts to recruit informants from within the community, following the 7/7 atrocity of the London transit bombings. For lots of these men, it really is a huge insult to ask them to spy, very offensive, says Verkaik. It also reinforced the prejudice of what they believed the British security services thought about them. It forces people into corners.

Emwazi had a familiar story. Authorities had ruined his engagement to a London girl whose parents had been questioned about his alleged terrorist sympathies, prevented him from going to Kuwait and essentially destroyed my life.

In analyzing events through a rear-view mirror, it can be seen that Emwazi was already being sucked into extremist views, enthralled by senior jihadist devotees in London  more than role models, they carried real cachet, says Verkaik  and increasingly bitter towards the West, most especially the intelligence security grid that had originally (in 2009) accused him of trying to join al-Shabaab in Somalia. Emwazi was obsessed with al-Shabaab, long before popping up in Syria where he would eventually be exposed as one of the terrorist Beatles  an ISIS cell of fighters with British accents.

Emwazi, sent to Kuwait by parents hoping hed make a more useful life for himself in a country where his tech skills would be a passport to a good job, became engaged to another young woman there. But after going home for a visit (and to see a dentist for his maddening toothache), Emwazi was blocked from returning to Kuwait. This was a key trigger point of his radicalizing journey. As Emwazis younger brother Omar told Verkaik: He was always trying to get married. All his friends had got settled apart from him. That was the thing that hurt him the most.

Denied a transit visa for Kuwait, Emwazi would eventually make his way to Syria, likely overland. MI5, to their immense frustration, lost track of him.

Verkaik believes, and theres evidence to suggest, that Emwazi came under the calcifying influence of Omar al-Shishani, a red-bearded Chechen of ruthless brutality who eventually pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State. It was al-Shishani, Verkaik speculates, who groomed Emwazi in his transition to Jihadi John, specializing in the kidnapping and torture of foreigners, journalists and aid workers who ventured into Syria. While Shishani would make his name as a ruthless commander of jihadi fighters, writes Verkaik, Emwazi was given the job of guarding and torturing prisoners.

Shishami, elevated to ISIS Minister of War, may have died from injuries he suffered in an airstrike last week. There were conflicting reports on Tuesday about his purported demise.

There are many gaps still to be filled  might never be  in Emwazis descent into profound depravity, a man utterly devoid of human empathy. He will forever be remembered for the grotesque execution of Foley, standing in front of a camera and cutting off the reporters head, further burnishing the Islamic States terrorist credentials. Jihadi John was their poster-boy of barbarity.

Clearly they were looking for a Westerner to star in their new video terrorism, says Verkaik. Someone capable of doing these terrible things, committing cold-blooded murder to order. He must have shown some kind of interest in the role, he must have been very loyal to follow orders so blindly.

Jihadi John left behind a wife and child. Nobody knows where they are.

Correction- March 18, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said that Mohammed Emwazi made his way to Turkey after being denied a transit visa. In fact, he made his way to Syria.

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JNU students rubbish the probe panel report, laying off the chargers put forth against them. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University students, who have been served show-cause notice to explain their alleged role in the controversial February 9 event, have decided to 'not accept' the report of a university probe panel and said they will send their reply accordingly.

A decision in this regard was taken at a JNU Students' Council meeting which went on till late Wednesday night.

"The inquiry report is based on an unfair probe process and hence, we refused to accept its findings... Our replies to the show-cause notice will be sent accordingly," a member of the council said.

Read: JNU panel finds Kanhaiya, 20 others guilty of holding Afzal Guru event

Show-cause notices were issued to 21 students on March 14 asking them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them after the high-level committee of the university found them guilty of "violating university norms and discipline rules".

The report has, according to sources, recommended rustication of five students including JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charges.

Read: Not given any details of probe panel report: JNU school Deans to VC

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme. Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.

"Two of the students are in jail while the inquiry was completed. Another student, Aishwarya Adhikari who was earlier suspended and had also been served a show-cause notice, finds no mention of her name in the committee report. It is a highly-biased and undemocratic inquiry," the council member said.

Earlier on Wednesday, JNU authorities extended the deadline for replying to the show-cause notice served to March 18 after the students had sought more time to seek legal opinion on the matter.

Read: 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans raised by outsiders: JNU report

"The Vice Chancellor has granted an extension till March 18 for students to reply to the show cause notice," a senior university official said.

The final "quantum of punishment" for the students will be decided on the basis of response to the notices, the deadline for which was till Wednesday 5 PM.

The report of the five-member panel, which was submitted on March 11, has pointed out lapses on part of the students as well as the administration.

Taking into account the role of outsiders in the controversial event, the university panel has found Umar and Anirban 'guilty' of arousing communal, caste or regional feeling or creating disharmony among students. While no specific charges have been pointed out against students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges in connection with the event, the university has found ABVP member Saurabh Sharma "guilty" of blocking traffic on February 9, the day of the controversial event.
The situation did not look good: Inside the Los Angeles Zoo, a koala enclosure was missing one member - an elderly female named Killarney. Outside, mutilated marsupial parts lay in a bloody heap.

And, on surveillance footage from the zoos trap cameras, there were black and white images showing the likely killer right near the scene of the crime: the seven-year-old, sandy-haired mountain lion P-22.

Sure, the evidence was circumstantial - no one saw P-22 attack the koala. But it would have been enough to convict Los Angeless most famous feline resident, and the sentence for koalacide can be severe.

Luckily for P-22 and his fans, the zoo has declared it will not seek the death penalty - or even a restraining order - despite weeks of debate over whether the mountain lion known for prowling majestically past the Hollywood sign should be allowed to roam free.

It is the zoos hope that P-22 remains in Griffith Park, spokeswoman April Spurlock told the Los Angeles Times. This is a natural park and home to many species of wildlife. We will continue to adapt to P-22 as he has adapted to us.

The zoo is right at the edge of P-22s home range, in the rugged, 4,000-acre expanse of L.A.s Griffith Park (sometimes referred to as the Central Park of Los Angeles). And while koalas arent exactly natural mountain lion prey - 8,000 miles of the Pacific Ocean pretty much take care of that - an older, feeble marsupial makes for pretty appealing cat food. Even more so now that the best the city dumpsters have to offer is gluten free cupcakes and half-drunk kale smoothies.

The attack on the koala, although sad, is normal predatory behaviour - essentially a lion being a lion and eating, Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for California Fish and Wildlife, told the L.A. Times.

The state agency has jurisdiction over Californias 5,000 or so mountain lions, many of whom live in the Santa Monica Mountains around Los Angeles. P-22 himself came from there. When he came of age and needed territory of his own, he crossed Interstates 405 and 101 - two of the biggest freeways in the country - until he got to the (relatively) lion-friendly landscape of Griffith Park in 2012.

And there hes remained ever since - excepting occasional excursions into the city to chill under a porch and rile up the neighbours (he is a cat, after all).

Since mountain lions are a protected species, no one, not even the government, can kill one without a depredation permit, and those are only issued in extraordinary cases.

But the March 3 attack on Killarney - a 14-year-old Australia native - was such a case. All the evidence seemed to line up against P-22. There were the surveillance photos. There was the fact that only a powerful predator could have jumped the 8-foot wall around the koala enclosure. There were the pings from P-22s GPS tracker, which put him in the vicinity of the zoo on the night in question.

It was possible that it could be a mountain lion, a bobcat, potentially a coyote, National Park Service spokesperson Kate Kuykendall told KPCC. But that was probably a little less likely.

Even if the zoo didnt call for depredation, there were other, less-severe sentences it could seek. Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch OFarrell, who chairs the committee that oversees the zoo, suggested that maybe it was time to kick P-22 out of the city.

Regardless of what predator killed the koala, this tragedy just emphasizes the need to contemplate relocating P-22 to a safer, more remote wild area where he has adequate space to roam without the possibility of human interaction, he told KNBC.

Others, like councilmember David Ryu and Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, the California director for the National Wildlife Federation, jumped to P-22s defence: That we have a mountain lion living in the second largest city in the country is something to celebrate, Pratt-Bergstrom said in a statement. When the number-one threat to wildlife worldwide is loss of habitat, we can no longer think of our cities or towns or neighbourhoods, or even our backyards, as exempt from the natural world-or as off limits to wildlife. For wildlife to have a future in this world where they are running out of room, coexistence is essential.

In the end, zoo officials decided they couldnt blame P-22 for being what it is. Though that doesnt mean theyre going to give him easy access to their animals again: the koalas have been taken off public display and the zoos small, vulnerable creatures will now be locked in indoor enclosures at night.

As for P-22 - well, researchers will be keeping an eye on him.

The mountain lion is a wild animal, Hughan acknowledged to the L.A. Times, so there may come a point in the near or far future where we have to revisit that determination.

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Afrofest, North Americas largest free celebration of African music, dance, art and culture is once again in peril because of harsh treatment from Toronto city hall. Officials say last years celebration was too loud, and carried on well beyond its permitted time on one of two festival dates. The first claim is unproven, while the second is being overblown. The city plans to cut one of Afrofests two scheduled dates, presumably to teach festival organizers a lesson. In doing so, the city is needlessly jeopardizing a perennial economic and cultural base for Africans.

Afrofest outgrew Queens Park four years ago and moved to the well-to-do locale of Woodbine Park, near the beaches. Although the park regularly hosts events, residents have taken particular exception to the sounds of African revelry. Lets be honest: no mass gathering of black people in this city or country can escape white anxiety and exaggeration. But the city can fix any issues regarding Afrofest without threatening its decades of successful celebration.

The city permit issued to Afrofest last year said the noise must remain below 85 decibels. According to Peter Toh, the president of Afrofest organizers Music Africa, residents and city staff repeatedly complained about the noise last year, but bylaw officers and police never provided officials with a decibel measurement or citation of alleged noise violations.

Notably, Afrofest employs the same company that runs nearly every other festival at Woodbine Park. The other fetes dont seem to receive anywhere near the volume of complaints that Afrofest does. Toh calls this discrimination. If you have five festivals doing the same thing, and out of the five festivals, only one gets into trouble, what do you think that is? he said during a phone interview this week. It is from that point that I consider it to be discriminatory.

Toh and city staff agree that the festival exceeded its time limitation last year. The city originally said organizers could extend music to 9 p.m.  its usually 8 p.m.  to host a procession of the torch for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Months later, less than three weeks before the festival, the city told Afrofest it would only have until 8 p.m. Toh says the last-minute change caused confusion, but takes responsibility for the infraction.

The time violation  one hour and 20 minutes under the final agreement  is now being used to justify the halving of a festival that attracted an estimated 120,000 people last year. Toh is convinced of the devastating impact of losing an entire day of the program.

Afrofest plays a very significant role in the micro-economy of the African community in Toronto, Toh said. If you have products to sell, where else would you rather be than Afrofest? He added that many local artistic talents have gotten their start at the gathering. Removing a whole day amounts to tactically destroying the festival, warned Toh.

Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon, whose ward includes Woodbine Park, has been vocally defending the citys decision. McMahon says Afrofests debut at Woodbine in 2012 passed without incident, but that organizers have a history of problems in subsequent years. When I asked her for evidence that Afrofest breached decibel levels, McMahon said she didnt have any and referred me to Parks staff. There are tons of festivals every summer  Im not in the habit of policing them, McMahon said without irony.

Matthew Cutler, a spokesperson for Parks Forestry and Recreation, told me the city is more concerned with the breaking of a clear time limit than with the volume, which his staff do not measure when investigating complaints. While Cutler said trimming the festival is a natural next step in working with Music Africa, he also acknowledged that bias and peoples perceptions of these things, particularly around noise and how we complain, can have an impact on particular communities, and is something we need to be mindful of.

McMahon has publicly chastised organizers, saying this week that if they behave this year, they can have both festival dates back next year. This kind of patronizing attitude is threatening to ruin a festival that, even according to its critics, is a shining success. Cutler said all major festivities have the problems Afrofest has. If that is so, the citys method for dealing with those problems should not involve the harsh tactics being used here.

When the city tried to deny Afrofest a permit to Queens Park in 2011, a city official said, the number of people and success of the festival is partly working against itself. Even the events success seems to have contributed to a negative impression in the minds of city staff and many residents. Afrofest doesnt need to be lectured or sanctioned into compliance. Officials should restore the full program and keep working with Music Africa out of respect for the bounty the festival brings to Toronto every summer.

Desmond Cole is a Toronto-based journalist. His column appears every Thursday.

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The JNU students union has resolved to oppose any disciplinary action based upon the findings of the allegedly partial and biased enquiry. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: JNU students who have been served show-cause notices by the varsity in connection with the controversial February 9 event have decided not to reply to the notice, terming the findings of the probe committee report as "spurious".

Refusing to accept the findings of the five-member probe panel, the students maintained that there can't be a 'show-cause' without 'show-crime'. The students had passed a resolution in this regard at a council meeting held late on Wednesday night.

Read: Rusticate Kanhaiya Kumar, recommends top JNU panel

"We have communicated to the administration, how the committee has violated the principles of natural justice in the enquiry process. They have neither addressed our concerns nor has taken any step regarding this. Without addressing these concerns, no free and fair enquiry is possible," JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.

"The students have been issued show-cause notices which hold them guilty. They have not even been given the entire report, despite repetitive demands. The accused students have not even been told the specific charges against them. When they don't know the crime what explanation will they give," she added.

The JNU students union has resolved to oppose any disciplinary action based upon the findings of the allegedly 'partial' and 'biased' enquiry.

Also read: JNU panel finds Kanhaiya, 20 others guilty of holding Afzal Guru event

The students have also alleged that the High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) is operating on the same pattern of the Hyderabad University's enquiry which 'led to institutional murder of Rohith Vemula'.

After a high-level committee of the university, found them 'guilty' of 'violating university norms and discipline rules' show-cause notices were issued to 21 students on March 14 asking them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them.

They have been given time till tomorrow to reply to the notices following which a final decision regarding the 'quantum of punishment' will be taken by the administration.

Also read: Kanhaiya-Kejriwal meeting cancelled as JNUSU president fails to reach on time

The students have called for a protest demo at the administration block tomorrow against the findings of the report and the functioning of the committee.

The students had earlier refused to depose before the probe committee demanding that the enquiry be started afresh. The varsity, however, turned down the demand and maintained that the students will be given three chances to appear before the disciplinary committee and, if they fail to do so, the committee will finalise its recommendations on the basis of evidence available, eyewitness accounts, students' deposition, if any, and other material available on hand.

The administration has also communicated to the students that if they do not reply to the show-cause notice, it will be assumed that they did not have anything to say in the matter and the office will proceed further in the matter.

The report of the five-member panel, which was submitted on March 11, has pointed out lapses on part of the students as well as the administration.

Taking into account the role of outsiders in the controversial event, the university panel has found Umar and Anirban guilty of arousing communal, caste or regional feeling or creating disharmony among students.

While no specific charges have been pointed out against students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges in connection with the event, the university has found ABVP member Saurabh Sharma guilty of blocking traffic on February 9, the day of the controversial event.

The university had on March 11 revoked the academic suspension of eight students including Kanhaiya after the probe panel submitted its report.

The probe panel is believed to have recommended rustication of students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar, Anirban and two other students for their alleged role in the event.

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on sedition charge in connection with the programme. Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.
Jaipur: The ghost of the Dadri lynching returned to haunt in Rajasthan as four Kashmiri students at a private university in Rajasthan were beaten up by a mob following rumours that they had cooked beef in their hostel room.

According to police, few students were cooking meat in their room of the newly-constructed hostel. This news spread among the other students of the hostel. The Kashmiri students were dragged out and thrashed when they were forced to open the door. Soon after this, other Kashmiri students residing in the same hostel rushed to their peers room and clashed with the assaulting group of students.The varsity has a large Kashmiri student population, numbering close to 700-800.

Meanwhile, the agitated mob set the meat shop near the university on fire. They also took to blocking the national highway.
Mumbai: In a fresh development in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks case, the defence lawyer of Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal on Wednesday moved an application before the sessions court seeking to make Shazia Gilani and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the wife and friend of Pakistani-American terrorist David Headley, accused in the case.

Confirming the news, advocate Khan Abdul Wahab said that he had moved an application before the court seeking to make Headleys wife and friend to be made accused in the 26/11 attacks case.

Based on the revelations made by Headley during his deposition as an approver in the court, Shazia had congratulated Headley in code language on the success of Mumbai terror attacks case. She did not inform the police about the attacks and Rana allowed Headley to use his immigration office to hide, said advocate Mr Khan, adding that both of them had knowledge about the attacks before November 26, 2008 and hence they should also be made accused in this case.

He also said that during his deposition as an approver, Headley had also accepted that he had received money from Rana, which shows Ranas involvement in this case.

Though Shazia had congratulated Headley in code language through e-mail, Headley himself had explained before the court what was the meaning of message sent through the e-mail.

Special judge G.A. Sanap is likely to likely to hear this application on Thursday.

Headley, who is serving a 35-year jail term in the US in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks case, was produced before the court via video conferencing after the court had issued summons on his name on request of the prosecution. On the first day of his production, he had expressed his desire to become an approver in this case and accepting his request Mr Sanap had made him an approver.

His testimony began on February 8, 2016, as an approver and he had revealed plans and roles of Pakistani army, intelligence agency and other Pakistan-based terrorist organisations in conducting terrorist activities in India and how the 26/11 attacks were planned and executed.
When you reflect on the grim news that 73% of financial advisers who get caught breaking the rules are still doing business with the public a year later, you might just cross your fingers and hope that yours is one of the good guys.

But here's a big-time reality check: The distressing results of research by University of Minnesota's Mark Egan and University of Chicago's Gregor Matvos and Amit Seru. The professors pulled together ten years of disciplinary information on 644,000 current and 638,000 former brokers and registered investment advisers and presented them in a March 1 working paper, "The Market For Financial Adviser Misconduct."

The chilling fact that nearly three-quarters of misbehaving brokers still have a job a year after they're cited for misconduct is just one of the trio's worrisome findings.

Here's another: While 7.3% of brokers nationwide have black marks, if you live in certain parts of California, New York or Florida, that rate can spike to 18% and higher. I'm talking about you, upstate New York. And you, Palm Beach and Monterey counties.

If that hasn't made you depressed enough, consider that the study likely understates the problem.

The professors relied on public records kept by Finra, Wall Street's self-regulatory operation. The Finra database, known as BrokerCheck, includes people who are unlikely to generate complaints because they rarely if ever deal with the public -- securities analysts and proprietary traders, for example. It wouldn't be surprising to see a higher percentage of wrongdoers in a study that looked only at retail stockbrokers.

In addition, brokers have had great success over the years persuading Finra arbitrators to approve expungements of complaints from their records, leaving researchers with incomplete data about alleged wrongdoing.

Ray Pellecchia, a Finra spokesman, said in an e-mail that Finra is reviewing the paper and that it had "reached out to the authors to discuss their methodology and conclusions." Finra already has increased its focus on identifying high risk brokers "for targeted, expedited investigations," he said.

Pellecchia said Finra itself has done research on brokers with disciplinary issues, citing a working paper published by its Office of the Chief Economist last August. That study paints an unflattering, but far less damning picture of brokers.

Where Egan, Matvos and Seru found that more than 7% of brokers had at least one problem on their records, Finra's Hammad Qureshi and Jonathan Sokobin concluded that fewer than 1.5% of brokers were associated with what they call "investor harm."

The discrepancy arises from the universe of brokers each team examined.

The finance professors included all 1.2 million current and former brokers in Finra's database. But the Finra team focused only on 181,133 brokers whose customer complaints had led either to awards or to settlement above certain thresholds -- $10,000 for complaints that settled before May 18, 2009 and $25,000 for settlements after that.

Finra further narrowed its focus by eliminating people who became brokers before 2000. Until 1999, broker records were filed on paper, and the Finra economists sought to avoid possible inconsistencies between the legacy data and the new online database.

It was reasonable for Finra to try to get a clean set of data. But the exclusion of brokers who got licenses before 2000 got me wondering whether some of the problem brokers I've written about would have been included. In many cases, the answer is no.

Larry Werbel, a penny-stock peddler who was indicted in January for securities fraud, wire fraud and other charges, wouldn't have made the cut because he became a broker in 1976. Christopher Cervino, another broker indicted in that scheme, got his license in 1996. You can read about them here.

Four out of the five former J.P. Turner & Co. brokers and supervisors that I wrote about in November 2014 would have been excluded. (The troubled firm withdrew its Finra registration last month).

And Mark C. Hotton, a former Oppenheimer & Co. broker who gets his mail these days at the federal penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pa., also would have been left out. He was sentenced last year to 11 years in prison for defrauding investors and companies of more than $9 million.

Last month, Finra sent requests to more than a dozen firms seeking information about how they establish, communicate and implement cultural values. "Firm culture has a profound influence on how a broker-dealer conducts its business, including how it manages conflicts of interest," the request said.

Investors might fare better if Finra did some probing of its own culture and conflicts. Salaries of its highly paid executives -- indeed, all of Finra's expenses -- are funded by the Wall Street firms it regulates. And Finra has arrived late to some big disasters where investors lost money to brokers whose records, kept by Finra, clearly showed that they were hurting customers.

Take Hotton. If his name doesn't ring a bell, you might remember him as the guy who wound up getting arrested on two counts of fraud in 2012 for fabricating a story about having access to millions of dollars in financing for a Broadway play, "Rebecca: The Musical."

Showtime! The Feds swept in on the Rebecca fraud and got great publicity after The New York Times outed Hotton for duping a big-shot Broadway producer.

But the "Rebecca" scam was puny, putting a measly $60,000 in Hotton's pocket. Where were the authorities over the 22 years before that, when Hotton racked up a lien, a bankruptcy, a stolen property charge and 16 customer complaints? Oppenheimer has paid $5.7 million in settlements and arbitration awards related to complaints against him as of this writing.

So where was Finra?

In November 2012, Finra filed a 47-page complaint against Hotton and barred him, citing 14 causes of action including forgery and securities fraud. But by then, Hotton was no threat to the investing public anyway, already having been locked up related to his "Rebecca" fraud.

If Hotton's case isn't damning enough of Finra, consider its handling of his former employer. In the study released this month, Oppenheimer was the worst firm in the business for percentage of advisers -- 19.6% -- who had been disciplined for misconduct. Finra and other regulators have brought 82 cases against Oppenheimer, according to regulatory records. But why does a firm with such a bad record get to stay in business?

That Oppenheimer has been a repository of problem brokers is no surprise. This time last year, Securities and Exchange commissioners Luis A. Aguilar and Kara M. Stein wrote that the firm "has a failed compliance culture, from top to bottom."

And a failed truth-o-meter, too. A spokesman told me in 2012 that any claims about Hotton's activities came to the firm's attention after he left in 2009.

Not quite. A lawyer who'd sued the firm on behalf of an investor told me in an interview in 2012 that he'd contacted Oppenheimer's in-house counsel in 2006 to register serious reservations about Hotton, and suggested the firm investigate him.

In December 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission wrote to the firm's chief compliance officer to say Hotton had traded improperly in 11 clients' accounts. The letter was produced during the discovery phase of litigation against Oppenheimer and Hotton three years ago.

To save you doing the math, Finra didn't bar the guy until five years after the SEC missive.

Jacqui Emerson, an Oppenheimer spokeswoman, said in a statement that the firm has made changes in its senior leadership, branch managers and adviser ranks, as well as adding more than 30 people to its compliance and audit teams. Oppenheimer also has enhanced its surveillance capabilities, she said. The firm saw the need to address its "legacy issues" and is confident its new safeguards will ensure "the highest ethical standards," according to the statement.

We'll check back on Oppenheimer from time to time. Toxic cultures are hard to change.

Of course you can't have an embarrassing study about brokers without the lobbyists at the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association weighing in. Sifma, as the group is known, issued a press release last week slamming the professors' report and suggesting it was unfair to assume the worst when brokers settled with customers. Many settlements have "nothing to do" with misconduct, Sifma said, but the study included them anyway.

Matvos, one of the academic authors, said in an e-mail that the average settlement between broker and customer is over $100,000, which sure doesn't sound like the payoff for a nuisance suit against a principled broker to me.

Sifma also complained that many of the arbitration awards used in the professors' analysis were related to "product failures" that don't necessarily implicate brokers. Indeed, Wall Street would have us believe that no one is responsible when financial products blow up.

You can believe the spin of the lobbyists or you can protect yourself and shun brokers who have black marks. If the paper released this month isn't enough to convince you that it's worth checking a broker's record before you do business with him, I don't know what is.
The water level at SRSP went down to 1048 feet on Wednesday and supply to 116 villages was stopped. (Representational Image)

NIZAMABAD: Drinking water supply to 116 villages in Armoor and Balkonda Assembly constituencies and to Ar-moor and Kamareddy municipal towns has be-en stopped as the water level has gone down to dead storage in the Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP).

The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation department and the water works wings of mun-icipalities expressed their inability to supply drinking water.

The district administration has made alternative arrangements by hiring agriculture submersible pump sets and private pumps for the drinking water needs in villages.

Pipelines have been ex-tended to provide water for the needy and water tankers have been pressed into service. The water level at SRSP went down to 1048 feet on Wednesday and supply to 116 villages was stopped.

RWS officials set up the Jalalpur protected water scheme to cater to the drinking water needs of the villages but in vain. Meanwhile, supply to Armoor and Kamareddy municipal towns was also stopped.

Sustained water level for these drinking water schemes is 1050 ft. People of the two to-wns and 116 villages are now worried about their drinking water needs for the next three months of summer.

They say that they have never experienced such a water crisis. Speaking to this newspaper, SRSP executive engineer Mr P. Rama Rao said that drinking water supply in Nizamabad district from SRSP had automatically stopped due to lack of water.

The Dead storage level is 1047.60 ft and evaporation losses are .04 tmc per month, Mr Rama Rao explained. To restore water supply to the 116 villages, repair works are being taken up at an approach canal of SRSP, he added. As per the project water plan, there is no supply in Nizamabad district as of now, he said.

Meanwhile, SRSP officials continued supply to Nirmal town and 36 surrounding villages in Adilabad district through Saraswathi canal. Due to spill level water supplied through Kakatiya canal, supply continued for Metpally, Korutla and Jagtial towns in Karimnagar districts and a few villages along Kakatiya canal.

It is hoped that the present levels will be enough to cater to the drinking water needs till June, 2016. Kamareddy municipal chairperson Ms P. Sushma said that they have made alternative arrangements for drinking water. Private and municipal tankers have been engaged and pipelines have been extended from the outskirts of town to problematic areas, she said.

"District collector Yogita Rana, leader of opposition in legislative council Shabbir Ali and minister K.T. Rama Rao have taken the initiative to resume water supply in Kamareddy town" she said.

RWS officials, meanwhile, hired agriculture submersible pumps for drinking water supply in villages. They also engaged private bores for community needs. Water tankers have been pressed into service where acute water shortage prevails.

RWS superintending engineer Mr Venkateshwarlu said that they had set up a feeder channel in SRSP to get the water from dead storage level. "We are taking every step to supply drinking water till summer ends," he said.

SRSP water level
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- U.S. futures are declining Thursday morning after all of the indices rallied Wednesday from an earlier downturn to close higher.

European markets are also falling following Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's press conference yesterday.

Yellen took a dovish tone in her remarks Wednesday. Members of the central bank's Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-1 to keep its benchmark interest rate between 0.25% and 0.50%.

"Proceeding cautiously ... at this time will allow us to verify that the labor market is continuing to strengthen, despite the risks from abroad," Yellen said. "The U.S. economy has been very resilient in the face of shocks."

On a positive note, oil prices continued to rally from their two-day swoon at the start of the week, with Brent crude prices climbing $0.66 to $41 per barrel while West Texas crude rose $0.73 to $39.19 per barel. Real Money contributor Mike Norman declared that the drop in oil was over two months ago.

Software company Adobe Systems (ADBE) will be under scrutiny today, headlining Thursday's earnings releases after the closing bell.

Shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) had a volatile day yesterday as the company continues to suffer the fallout of its decision to cut its guidance for this year.

Pharmaceutical delivery company McKesson (MCK) announced that it will cut 4% of its work force, eliminating 1,600 jobs, after the company lost one of its key distributors.

On the flip side, FedEx (FDX) climbed premarket Thursday after the shipping company beat analysts' top- and bottom-line expectations and raised the low end of its full-year earnings guidance.

Williams-Sonoma (WSM) could be under pressure after missing analysts' earnings expectations by $0.03 per share while also falling short on revenues. The company also raised its quarterly dividend 6% to $0.37 per share and authorized a $50 million share buyback program.

Finally, Office Depot (ODP) could get a bid from Amazon.com (AMZN) as its anti-trust trial with the FTC gets under way, according to the New York Post. Office Depot and Staples(SPLS) are going to trial to prove that their $6 billion merger does not violate U.S. antitrust laws.
This story was originally published on The Deal on Tuesday, March 15.

Activist investor Bill Ackman (pictured) of Pershing Square LP on Tuesday said he planned to take a "proactive role" at Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) after the drug company's stock price plunged following announcement that it might default on some of its debt.

Valeant's stock price dropped by more than 50% to around $35.09 a share -- significantly lower than its high of about $262 a share in August. Even before Tuesday's major stock drop the activist fund and its friendly investment in Valeant have helped drive Pershing Square to an abysmal -20.5% return net of fees for 2015 and a -19.7% in early 2016, according to a Feb. 29 report.

The initial stock price drop came after short-seller insurgent, Andrew Left of Citron Research, issued an eight-page note on the firm's website in October alleging that there was a secret relationship between Valeant, a mail-order pharmacy called Philidor Rx Services, and a Philidor customer, R&O Pharmacy LLC.

Ackman essentially has been doubling down on his investment in the drug company as the stock has dropped. Last month, Pershing reported hiking its Valeant stake by 5 million shares to 9% from 8.5%, accumulating shares between Feb. 1 and Feb. 5 at prices ranging from $93.25 a share to $97.70 a share. In October, Pershing hiked its Valeant stake to 6.3% from 5.7%. Last week, Valeant increased its board size and added three new directors, including Stephen Fraidin, who joined Pershing Square last year to become vice chairman under Ackman. As of Dec. 31, Pershing Square owned nearly 17 million shares of Valeant.

One activist investor noted Tuesday that Ackman has been making public statements about Valeant and increasing his investment in the hopes that others will rally to follow him into the drug company's shares. However, the investor noted, exactly the opposite has happened. He added that, at the very least, the investment will limit Ackman's ability to launch new insurgency campaigns in the coming months.

Pershing Square has already had to deal with some loss of talent. Partner Paul Hilal, Ackman's former college roommate, left the fund after a ten-year stint. Hilal was a key contributor to the fund and generated the thesis that eventually drove Pershing Square to a successful 2012 campaign against Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP)

It is unclear what will happen to Ackman's fund and his activist investments in the wake of the stock price drop. In 2014, Ackman, in an attempt to create permanent capital, conducted an IPO for an Amsterdam-listed, publicly-traded closed-end fund whose holdings mirror Pershing Square's portfolio. The investment vehicle, according to a person familiar with the situation, could help Pershing Square limit the damage from Valeant and any potential investor redemptions. A Pershing Square official declined to comment.

Nevertheless, the stock price will likely have a negative impact on the fund's existing insurgency campaigns. According to a February securities filing, as of Dec. 31, Pershing Square held large minority positions in eight companies, including Valeant.

It is possible Pershing Square may need to cut back on its investments and campaigns at some of the other shareholdings, including an insurgency at Zoetis (ZTS) and investment in Mondelez (MDLZ) . Mondelez has come under pressure to be sold by Nelson Peltz's Trian Management. Ackman is also a director and significant shareholder at Canadian Pacific (CP) , which filed a proxy statement recently with a proposal seeking to have Norfolk Southern (NSC) engage in talks over CP's unsolicited $28 billion takeover attempt.

For some Pershing Square investors, the possibility of a default at Valeant carries a sense of deja vu. Ackman in 2010 sought to fund a Borders buyout of Barnes & Noble Inc. that fell apart after Borders filed for bankruptcy in 2011.

Other funds are struggling with their Valeant investment as well, including at least two other activist-type funds, ValueAct's Jeff Ubben and John Paulson's Paulson & Co., who own large stakes. The investment firm Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb recently were accused of negligence for letting Sequoia Fund Inc. accumulate a large Valeant position.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) stock is down 7.57% to $31 in late-morning trading on Thursday, as creditors seek to renegotiate parts of their agreements with the company following disappointing first quarter guidance and a potential default on debt, sources told Reuters.

Valeant is at risk of defaulting on its $30 billion debt load after missing a March 15 date for filing its annual statements.

Lenders are consequently demanding new terms to their agreements, which could burden Valeant with higher costs of debt and additional restrictions on how it uses capital, Reuters adds.

The creditors' demands include higher interest payments and a promise to pay a greater portion of the bank loans from the proceeds of any Valeant asset sales.

"This very quickly dematerializes from a growth story into a company that's really standing still, just looking to right its capital structure," Jim Sanford, portfolio manager for Sag Harbor Advisors, told Reuters. "There's not a lot of equity and market cap to go to, to issue equities and convertible bonds against."

Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates the stock as a "hold" with a ratings score of C.

Valeant's strengths such as its robust revenue growth, good cash flow from operations and expanding profit margins are countered by weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, unimpressive growth in net income and generally higher debt management risk.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: VRX

TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this article's author.
Pokhara (Nepal): A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced on Thursday after discussions with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz.

Pathankot terror attack figured very high in the over 20-minute meeting between Swaraj and Aziz, the first political-level engagement between the two sides after the January 2 Pathankot terror strike. India has been pressing Pakistan for action over the brazen assault on the key Indian Air Force base.

Swaraj also accepted Pakistan's invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Islamabad for the SAARC Summit to be held on November 9-10 this year.

"We talked on Pathankot also and I am happy to say that the dates of the visit of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) have been fixed. They will reach India on (March) 27th night and will begin their work on 28th," Swaraj said in her joint address to the media with Aziz after the two leaders held discussions on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting in this resort town of Nepal.

Read: India to allow Pak team to visit for Pathankot probe wherever necessary: govt

She also said it was not possible to not discuss Pathankot during her meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Aziz.

Asked if the JIT would visit the Pathankot air base, government sources said the modalities of the visit will be worked out in the coming days.

#WATCH: Sartaj Aziz (adviser to Pak PM on foreign affairs) in conversation with EAM Swaraj in Pokhara(Nepal) #SAARChttps://t.co/m3V9SxaMQL  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

Sources said during the meeting between Swaraj and Aziz, Pakistan asked whether March 27 works out for India. "Calls were made to both capitals and the dates were fixed," a source said.

On his part, Aziz complimented the way the Pathankot issue was handled and the cooperation extended on both sides. He hoped that this cooperation will pave the way for "good results".

Aziz also hoped that Modi and Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. "Not sure whether there will be structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.

Complementing the conducive environment in which the SAARC meeting was held, Swaraj said, "Some issues which were unresolved between our two countries (India and Pakistan), we have taken a decision on them in a very positive manner."

However, it was not clear what issues she was referring to.

During his meeting with Swaraj, Aziz recalled the November 30 meeting between Modi and Sharif and said that this was followed up by a meeting between the National Security Advisors of the two countries in Bangkok after six days.

"Three days later, Sushmaji arrived in Islamabad and it was decided that comprehensive bilateral dialogue will restart. Prime Minister Modi had also arrived in Lahore after that to wish Prime Minister Sharif. But the Pathankot attack became a hurdle," he said, complimenting the cooperation on both sides after that.

Swaraj said the main reason for Aziz's meeting with her was to extend the invitation for Prime Minister Modi to visit Islamabad for the SAARC Summit.

Aziz said that the SAARC meeting had happened in a very cooperative atmosphere and decisions have been taken on all pending issues.

"It is hopeful that from now till then (SAARC Summit in November), some issues in which work has to be done, will be done," he said.

Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The Emerald Isle was on fire in 2015, growing GDP by 7.8% and winning 213 foreign direct investment projects. Martin Shanahan, head of Ireland's economic development agency, said attracting international business has been a cornerstone in Ireland's recovery strategy following the 2008 global financial crisis.

"It's a combination of those who have already invested reinvesting into Ireland and 93 of those were companies who were investing into Ireland for the first time," said Shanahan. "Foreign direct investment is a big part of the Irish growth story."

Of course, some of those foreign deals were tax inversion plays by U.S. companies seeking to lower their tax burden. And the flow of those deals has not let up in 2016, despite the strategy being widely denounced on the presidential campaign trail. For example, auto-parts maker Johnson Controls (JCI) and Tyco (TYC) announced a merger in January that will relocate the combined company's headquarters to Tyco's current home in Cork, Ireland.

"I'm not concerned about any backlash. Companies make commercial decisions for a good reason," said Shanahan. "Companies internationalize for good reasons. They are seeking market. They want to be in Europe."

Shanahan said the sectors where the country is seeing the most growth are technology and life sciences, particularly biopharma with investments from companies like Alexion (ALXN) and Regeneron (REGN) .

He added that financial services has also been a strong performer, especially compared to the period immediately following the financial crisis, when Ireland's banking system was in dire straits. At the time, the economically strapped country was infamously named one of Europe's troubled "PIIGS," along with Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain.

Now, however, Ireland has one of the fastest growth rates in the world, even as those other nations continue to struggle economically.

"We recognized the issue early and we implemented a very clear plan," said Shanahan. "We are also very pro-enterprise. We've made it extremely easy for businesses to do business."
A potentially hot new market is about to open up for profit-seeking publicly traded cruise lines.

The interesting thing about this new market? It's actually a body of well-known land close to Florida. On Thursday, the U.S. said it would remove Cuba from its list of countries deemed to have insufficient security in their ports, removing a major obstacle standing in the way of the flow of ships in the Florida Straits.

The shift in policy clears the path for U.S. cruise ships, cargo vessels and even ferries to travel back and forth with far less hassle. All ships will not have to wait to be boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard for inspections.

Suffice it to say, the major cruise lines are waiting in the wings to cash in on Cuba at long last.

Provided it could receive the required permits from the Cuban government, Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) is scheduled to set sail to Cuba on May 1-7. Carnival's new "fathom" brand will be the one headed to Cuba, focusing on what it calls "social-impact travel." For $2,990, over the course of seven days cruise-goers will be immersed in purpose-oriented experiences, such as teaching kids in a local village how to read and write English.

It would be the first time a cruise ship has sailed directly between the U.S. and Cuba since the two countries broke off relations in 1961.

Said Carnival CEO Arnold Donald to TheStreet about the potential of Cuba, "There's so much pent-up demand in the U.S. -- over time, Cuba is going to be a tremendous asset, not only to us, but to the industry overall."

Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) said in August that it applied for licenses from the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Department of Commerce to offer direct sailings to Cuba. The company signaled the first vessel that it may send to Cuba would be under its Oceania line, but it has not disclosed specific plans. To say Norwegian Cruise Line's CEO Frank del Rio is bullish on Cuba is an understatement.

"God put that body of land [Cuba] in the right place for the cruise industry given its proximity to Florida," Del Rio told TheStreetlast year, adding, "Cuba is exciting for other reasons, too -- it's the pent-up demand, it has history, it has culture, it has multiple ports, too."

So far, Royal Caribbean (RCL) has not disclosed its intentions for the Cuban market.
Trade-Ideas LLC identified

Yamana Gold

(

AUY

) as a "perilous reversal" (up big yesterday but down big today) candidate. In addition to specific proprietary factors, Trade-Ideas identified Yamana Gold as such a stock due to the following factors:

AUY has an average dollar-volume (as measured by average daily share volume multiplied by share price) of $53.7 million.

AUY has traded 17.7 million shares today.

AUY is down 3.1% today.

AUY was up 7% yesterday.

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More details on AUY:

Yamana Gold Inc. engages in the exploration and development of precious metal properties in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. It explores for gold, silver, and copper. The stock currently has a dividend yield of 0.7%. Currently there are 5 analysts that rate Yamana Gold a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 5 rate it a hold.

The average volume for Yamana Gold has been 14.5 million shares per day over the past 30 days. Yamana has a market cap of $2.8 billion and is part of the basic materials sector and metals & mining industry. Shares are up 71.5% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.

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TheStreetRatings.com

Analysis:

TheStreet Quant Ratings

rates Yamana Gold as a

sell

. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its feeble growth in its earnings per share, deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself.

Highlights from the ratings report include:

YAMANA GOLD INC has experienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. The company has reported a trend of declining earnings per share over the past two years. During the past fiscal year, YAMANA GOLD INC reported poor results of -$2.23 versus -$1.36 in the prior year.

The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Metals & Mining industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 449.5% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from -$335.27 million to -$1,842.20 million.

Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Metals & Mining industry and the overall market, YAMANA GOLD INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.

The share price of YAMANA GOLD INC is down 6.75% when compared to where it was trading one year earlier. This reflects both (a) the trend in the overall market as well as (b) the sharp decline in the company's earnings per share. The fact that the stock is now selling for less than others in its industry in relation to its current earnings is not reason enough to justify a buy rating at this time.

Despite the weak revenue results, AUY has outperformed against the industry average of 39.4%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues fell by 14.7%. Weakness in the company's revenue seems to have hurt the bottom line, decreasing earnings per share.

You can view the full Yamana Gold Ratings Report.

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In this Tuesday, March 15, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his primary election night event at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is railing about whats wrong in corporate America as he woos voters fed up with the status quo. He is blasting drugmaker Pfizers tax-saving plan to move its headquarters overseas, refusing to eat Oreo cookies made in Mexico and vowing to get Apple to make iPhones in the U.S. His tirades about unfair competition, tax evasion and lost jobs trumpet a familiar tune, but going further than many others running for president have dared. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
New Delhi: Posters branding Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi a traitor and charging him with insulting Bharat Mata appeared at the entrance of his official Ashoka Road residence in New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

Read: Cyberabad cops told to book Asaduddin Owaisi

The posters, put up allegedly by Hindu Sena activists around 7 pm, were removed by the police. The posters were stuck by our activists as they were angered by Owaisi openly saying that he would not say Vande Mataram. There should be no place for traitors in this country, said Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta.

In response to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwats exhortation that patriotism be infused in the younger generation, Owaisi had said that he would not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai even if a knife was held to his thoat. I dont chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab? the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad had said at a rally in Udgir tehsil of Maharashtras Latur district on February 13.

Read: Wont chant hail Mother India, not in Constitution: Owaisi tells RSS

Police said they were trying to identify the people who stuck the posters outside Owaisis home.

Meanwhile, Dushyant Tomar, an ABVP leader in a Meerut college, has announced a reward of Rs 21,000 to anyone who cuts off Asaduddin Owaisi's tongue. The student leader said he was furious that the AIMIM leader should refuse to say Bharat mata ki jai.

Also read: UP govt denies permission for Owaisi's programme in Lucknow

Mr Tomar was president of the student union in 2014-15 and was made a member of the state executive of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. He also burnt effigies of Mr Owaisi and demanded he be stripped of his Lok Sabha membership.

His statement is that of an anti-national and he has no right to stay in the country, he told local reporters.
Chandigarh: Haryana government on Thursday invited Jat leaders for talks on their quota demand tomorrow afternoon, till when they will not resume their agitation.

"We have been invited by the government for talks tomorrow at Chandigarh," All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti President Yashpal Malik said.

"Our leaders will be meeting Haryana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) tomorrow afternoon as per the government invitation," he said.

"Till then we will not resume our agitation," he said, adding, after meeting the top officials of Haryana next course of action will be taken.

Various Jat organisations had on Monday threatened to resume their quota agitation, which rocked the state last month and claimed 30 lives, if the Manohar Lal Khattar government does not meet their demand by today. Malik demanded that state government must bring a Bill in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session to ensure reservation for Jats.

Malik said that the Samiti will organize meetings on March 19 and 20 throughout the state and after that, meeting of units of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will be held at Nangloi in Delhi on March 21 to discuss about their demands. Earlier, a state level meeting of representatives of the Samiti was held in Hissar Jat Dharamshala under the chairmanship of Malik.

Meanwhile, paramilitary forces and police were out in the sensitive districts and carrying out Flag Marches in various places as the 72-hour deadline given by the Jat organizations was coming to an end today.

The Centre has sent 80 companies (about 800 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state which are being deployed in sensitive areas like Rohtak and Jhajjar districts, which were the worst-affected during the first phase of the agitation last month.

The security forces personnel are also conducting Flag Marches to instill confidence among the public in view of large-scale arson and violence witnessed last month.

"We have already got the paramilitary force. The police is on the alert and we are making all arrangements (to maintain law and order)," IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said today. He said additional police forces had also been arranged from within the state for deployment in the sensitive areas in and around Rohtak.

"We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly," he said.

Asked about the situation in Rohtak, Jhajjar and some other areas worst hit by recent unrest, the IG said, "at present the situation is normal."

Reports said that authorities have stepped up security with deployment of additional security personnel in many towns, including Jind and Sonipat as the deadline issued by the Jat community to accept their demand for quotas ends today.
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The cost of housing along with the quality of the neighborhood is hard to believe. You can purchase a 3 bedroom home for around $150,000 and a 4-5 bedroom home for between $200,000 and $225,000. Here is an example of a home purchased by a frum couple in the summer of 2014. A 5 bedroom home for $205,000!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROCHESTER, NY

Our neighborhood is very clean, quiet and full of wonderful people. Career opportunities are available in a variety of fields, and we are happy to aid in job searches using our local connections and relationships with staffing agencies. Rochester has strong education and medical fields and is full of many opportunities for professionals. Rochesters Yeshiva Elementary school Derech HaTorah is anticipating openings for a half-time kindergarten Morah position and a half-time second grade Morah or Rebbe position for the 2016-2017 school year. There may be limudei chol positions available as well. If you are interested and qualified, please email your resume to [email protected] or call the school office at 585-266-2920.

Whatever your stage in life, Rochester has something to offer. There are schools and Yeshivos to guide a person from preschool through Kollel, as well as many learning programs for adult men and women. Children receive personalized education from dedicated Morahs and Rabbeim who strive to help each student reach his or her potential through a variety of learning styles. Several Shuls and various Davening options for both weekdays and Shabbos, along with daily Shiurim round out the deal. Despite our size, Rochester is definitely a true Makom Torah.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROCHESTER, NY

If all that isnt enough to pique your interest, here is one more incentive for considering Rochester. Derech HaTorah of Rochester, our Yeshiva elementary school, is currently offering a fantastic tuition break for new students. New families pay a flat rate of $1,000 per year for ALL of their childrens tuition for their first two years in Rochester. Whether you will be sending one child or eight to DHR, your expense will still be $1,000 total.

So, if you are looking to relocate your family to a community where you can make a difference, where your children will have wonderful, wholesome friends, and where Torah hashkafos guide your way of life, dont waste another day. We are waiting to welcome you.

See our website www.TorahRochester.com for more details or contact t Ben at [email protected] or 631-336-1278 t to learn more or to schedule a visit.

Click HERE or on the image below to visit Torah Rochesters Android app.
Dehradun: The Dehradun Police on Thursday said that the condition of police horse Shaktiman, who was allegedly injured by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ganesh Joshi during a protest march, has deteriorated.

Meanwhile, a man was arrested from Haldwani in Nainital district on Thursday for pulling up the reins of Shaktiman and precipitating his fall during a protest march by BJP in the city recently.

Identified as Pramod Bora, the man was arrested from Mukhani area of Haldwani on a requisition by Dehradun police, Nainital SSP Sweety Agarwal said.

He has been handed over to a police team from Dehradun and is being taken to the state capital, she said.

The man has been arrested for forcefully pulling the bridle of the horse and causing its fall at the protest venue which left it injured, Dehradun SSP Sadanand Daate told PTI.

The horse in fact fe BJP workers charged towards Shaktiman during their protest, following which he had collapsed. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)ll with its entire weight on its hind quarters under the combined impact of BJPs Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshis alleged frontal attack with a lathi and Bora pulling up its reins from one side, he explained.

When asked about the horses condition who was operated upon by a team of vets a day after the incident, the SSP said it is still in pain and cannot stand.

"Army doctors are attending on the horse. We are doing everything we can to help it recover fully from the injuries," Daate said.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern at the condition of the horse.

"We are worried about the horse as it is still in pain and cannot stand on its feet. However, it is being looked after properly. Let people decide who is wrong," he said.

An FIR had been lodged at Nehru Colony police station against the BJP MLA and his associates in connection with the incident.

Shaktiman was allegedly attacked by Joshi during a protest march held in Dehradun on March 14. The animal suffered fractures in one of his hind legs during the protest.
The fight to stop city-sponsored airing of movies in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood of Jerusalem continues. Chareidi councilmen were led to believe the movies shown in the Kiryat Yovel community council on Friday nights for non-religious residents would stop, and they did for a period of time. It has now been learned the community council has decided to renew the program. The vote passed because City Hall representatives and Mayor Barkat abstained.

Mr. Yechiel Levy, who heads the community council confirms the vote passed and the Friday night movies will resume. Efforts to reach an understanding with chareidim failed, partly because elections are scheduled in the citys minhalot community councils. The mayor reached an agreement, that the movies would stop for two months to permit talks in the hope of reaching agreement but this did not pan out.

As a result, movies are set for this coming Shabbos. This has led to anger among the chareidi city councilmen, having learned the city representatives could have prevented it but they abstained in the vote. They are now blaming the mayor for giving a green light to renewed public chilul Shabbos, which is sponsored by the citys arm, the local community council.

City officials explain elections will be held soon and this will determine the character of the members of the local councils, which will then set policy in each community.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
On Monday 4 Adar-II, the Jerusalem Magistrate Court convicted Sheikh Khaled Al-Mughrabi of incitement to racism for sermons he gave on Har Habayis calling on Muslims to injure Jews. The court sentenced Al-Mughrabi to an eleven-month active prison term.

Honenu: We are pleased by the verdict, which indicates that a Muslim sheikh who incited over and over again to injure Jews will be behind bars. Unfortunately, only our intervention, repeatedly filing complaints based on the material that the Palestinian Media Watch organization publicized [such as this sermon], and petitioning the Attorney General Jerusalem and the District Attorney, convinced the authorities to prosecute Al-Mughrabi, and unfortunately there are many more like him who on a daily basis, incite to injure Jews, with no interference.

Honenu reports that despite numerous requests, YouTube is refusing to remove Al-Mughrabis sermons from El-Aqsa Mosques YouTube channel which is posting the videos.

Honenu filed the first of two complaints against Al-Mughrabi for incitement in June 2015 with the Merchav David (Old City) District Police in Jerusalem. In August 2015 the Israeli Police informed Honenu that the Attorney Generals office would consider filing an indictment against Al-Mughrabi.

However, Al-Mughrabi continued his sermons inciting to harm Jews and therefore Honenu filed an additional complaint in October 2015 with the Merchav David Police and also sent a petition to the Jerusalem District Attorney and the Attorney General, demanding that an indictment be filed as soon as possible. On November 4 the Israeli Police detained Sheikh Khaled Al-Mughrabi and on November 12, the Justice Ministry announced that an indictment had been filed against Sheikh Khaled Al-Mughrabi for sermons he gave on Har Habayis inciting to injure Jews.

Honenu stated in response to the indictment that, We, of course, welcome the filing of the indictment, but are of the opinion that it is very late in coming. We are certain that if Al-Mughrabi had been detained after the first complaint we filed, then his inciteful sermons, some of which may have directly led to the terror attacks which occurred recently, would have been stopped.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
During an interview with the Knesset Channel, Minister of Agriculture (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel sent a veiled threat to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu pertaining to reports of secret talks aimed at giving away land to the PA (Palestinian Authority).

The reports were carried in the daily Haaretz, explaining talks were held with the PA during which Israel offered the PA (Palestinian Authority) to refrain from entering Ramallah and Yericho unless there is a ticking time bomb. The PA refused the offer, stating Israel must refrain from entering any and all PA cities immediately, not just Ramallah and Yericho.

Ariel said that giving away control over areas in Yehuda and Shomron was a red line that must not be crossed, adding he will not remain in any coalition that does so. He added My colleagues and I were not a member of the coalition that approved the Gaza and Yericho First plan and are not supporters of this for this is not how a government is built. The plan calls for giving away lands to determine if the PA can rule over them as they should and if the PA is successful, continuing to give away additional areas.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Mrs. Yael Weissman, whose husband IDF Sgt. Yanai Tuvia Weissman HYD was murdered by an Arab terrorist during a terror attack in the Rami Levi supermarket in Shar Binyamin has won her battle pertaining to the inscription on her husbands matzeivah.

The Defense Ministry planned to write killed in a terror attack on the matzeivah, but she insisted it should say fell in battle as he was killed after intervening, trying to stop the knife-wielding terrorist from attacking others.

Mrs. Weissman used social media to explain her position and in the hope of receiving public support for her battle. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott was consulted on the matter, and he agreed with Mrs. Weissman, clearing the way for the Defense Ministry to change its position.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
As elections for the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalems new community council (minhelet), rabbonim in the community have decided to call for eliminating the two councils, one for chareidim and the other for the non-religious community residents. The rabbonim want to see one minhelet running the area as is the case in all other areas of the city.

A bit of background:

As Ramot became chareidi over the years, the non-religious who were in control of the council fought to maintain their hold on the community. The growing religious community protested, demanding their fair share of the budgeting but clearly, the chareidim and non-chareidim had different plans for the communitys budget. Mayor Nir Barkat intervened, backing the non-religious veteran residents, deciding to have two councils and splitting the budget, thereby permitting them to continue ruling over a portion of the area, albeit a minority area of the neighborhood. The rabbonim reluctantly agreed.

The overwhelming chareidi majority in the neighborhood is no longer willing to split the budget with a second council simply to appease the veterans, who do not wish to recognize the reality that today, they no longer represent the majority of Ramot residents. The rabbonim point out that this minority council still receives a large portion of the budget in addition to maintaining control of community council buildings. The neighborhood is overwhelming chareidi and they are unwilling to tolerate wasting a significant portion of the community budget to appease the veteran non-frum residents.

With elections ahead, the rabbonim have announced they are unwilling to cooperate any longer and are demanding the elimination of the non-religious council and have the budget placed in the hands of the single council, as is the accepted norm throughout the city.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
A Jaffa area ninth grader attending a Bat Yam School told his friend that he looks forward to becoming a shahid and take part in murdering Jews. After learning about the incident the school reported it to police.

Officials report there are Arab students in many Bat Yam public schools, primarily residents of nearby Jaffa. They feel that to date the difficult security situation and frequent Arab terror attacks have not impacted the education system but this incident, involving a 14-year-old, has resulted in stir. City education officials explain that this is an isolated incident, an argument between students. They add that by and large the Arab and Jewish students are fine attending classes with one another and they coexist harmoniously.

Students explain the Arab student in question was often the target of jokes from Jewish classmates and perhaps his statement was a response to these jokes.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The first family will travel with President Barack Obama on Sunday to Cuba, where he will deliver a speech to the Cuban people that the administration expects will be broadcast nationwide, meet with political dissidents, entrepreneurs and President Raul Castro, and attend a U.S.-Cuba baseball game.

Outlining the trip to reporters, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security adviser, said that the Tuesday morning speech would be as important as anything else hes doing on the island.

Held at the recently renovated Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso in central Havana, it will address the very complicated history between our two countries . . . [and] make clear what his vision is for the future of relations between the United States and Cuba, and the future that we would wish for the Cuban people.

While Obama will not shy away from discussing human rights, the difference here is that in the past, because of certain U.S. policies, the message that was delivered in that regard either overtly or implicitly suggested that the United States was seeking to pursue regime change . . . or the United States thought we could dictate the direction of Cuba, Rhodes said.

Obama will make clear, he said, that the United States is not a hostile nation seeking regime change, that in fact we cant be blamed for challenges in Cuba, and that . . . we are there as a source of support for the Cuban people.

One of Obamas goals on the trip is to press the Cuban government to move more quickly to take advantage of trade and other openings that he has brought about through regulatory changes in U.S. law, even as he has been unable to persuade the Republican-controlled Congress to lift the 56-year-old embargo against Cuba.

Despite the U.S. changes  and a steady stream of U.S. business and government delegations to Cuba over the past 15 months since the normalization of ties began  few actual deals have been signed. Cuba objects to the continuing embargo, and is short of money to purchase U.S. technology and products, even within the small range that is newly permitted.

Rhodes said the administration wants very much to make the process of normalization irreversible beyond Obamas term in office, and will propose steps that the Cuban government can take going forward to further open up space for the Cuban people.

Obama will be accompanied by three Cabinet secretaries, at least three dozen members of Congress and a large business delegation. After leaving Cuba late Tuesday, he will spend two days in Argentina, where the administration is trying to build a relationship with newly elected President Mauricio Macri after years of estrangement under previous governments.

But most attention has been focused on Cuba, where Obama will be the first U.S. president to set foot in more than 80 years. Critics charge that the president has broken his own pledge not to visit the island until human rights are improved.

The president has negotiated a deal with the Castros, and I understand his desire to make this his legacy issue, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said on the Senate floor Wednesday. But there is still a fundamental issue of freedom and democracy at stake that goes to the underlying atmosphere in Cuba and whether or not the Cuban people  still repressed and still imprisoned  will benefit from the presidents legacy, or will it be the Castro regime that reaps the benefits.

Menendez cited rising rates of detention and harassment of political dissidents, including the reported arrest this week of Carlos Oliva, head of the youth front of the opposition Patriotic Union of Cuba, three days after he returned to the island after meeting with Rhodes in Miami.

(c) 2016, The Washington Post  Karen DeYoung
11:16AM IL: [VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] A stabbing attack is reported at Ariel Junction in the Shomron. One person has been wounded according to preliminary reports and two terrorists have been neutralized.

More to follow.

11:21: Zaka and other sources report the female wounded in the attack is in serious condition. Two terrorists were shot dead.

11:30: Summation: A female soldier was attacked as she got off a bus at the intersection by two terrorists, who were both eliminated. Magen David Adom is transporting the soldier to an emergency room, listing her condition as moderate-to-serious.

The MDA Spokesmans video shows the victim of the attack arriving at Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Media Resource Group)
Meir Dagan, who headed the Mossad Intelligence Agency from 2002-2011 died at the age of 71 of a difficult illness. Funeral arrangements to be announced.

Dagan arrived in Israel from the Ukraine at the age of five and settled in a transit camp near Lod. He entered the paratroops corps in 1963 and was a company commander in the Six Day War. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War he fought at and crossed the Suez Canal. During the First Lebanon War he commanded a division of tanks. He retired from the IDF in 1995 at the rank of major-general after serving as Head of Operations Directorate. He was appointed to head the Mossad by Ariel Sharon in 2002.

In response to his death President Reuven Rivlin stated, Meir was one of the bravest fighters the Jewish people has known. He was imaginative and had profound faith. His dedication to the State of Israel was absolute  he saw his own well-being linked to that of the state and did everything possible to ensure the State of Israels survival for generations to come. His heritage and hardships his grandfather endured in the Holocaust were etched in his mind. During the last Holocaust Memorial Day, Meir asked me as the President of Israel, to recite the names of his family, his grandfather, at the every person has a name ceremony. Meir Dagan, the giant of all giants  as he was known, symbolized for many the rebirth of the State of Israel from the ashes of the Holocaust. I knew Meir as an adviser, a wise man, a loving and beloved man in all his rawness, a leader and man of the people. I bow my head in his memory, and send my condolences to his family.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu added, I would like to express deep sadness on the passing of Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Meir Dagan. Meir was a daring fighter and commander who greatly contributed to the security of the state in Israels wars, at the [National Security Council] Counter-Terrorism Bureau and as Director of the Mossad. The photograph in which his grandfather is being humiliated by Nazi soldiers shortly before he was murdered in the Holocaust was always before his eyes. Meir was determined to ensure that the Jewish People would never be helpless and defenseless again and to this end he dedicated his life to building up the strength of the State of Israel. In the eight years in which he served as Director of the Mossad, he led the organization to daring and pioneering operations. A great soldier has passed away; may his memory be blessed.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Donald Trump will be the GOPs presidential nominee. Within the party, talk of a brokered Republican National Convention or even a supporting a third-party candidate has circulated among those hoping to stop him from becoming the next president, leaving Trump antagonists across the spectrum to ponder whether theres any fail-safe left, after November, to stop a Trump administration from becoming a reality.

There is. The Electoral College.

If they choose, state legislators can appoint presidential electors themselves this November, rather than leaving the matter of apportioning Electoral College votes by popular vote. Then, via their chosen electors, legislatures could elect any presidential candidate they prefer, no matter who wins the majority vote in their respective states.

Remember that Americans dont directly elect the president. The Electoral College does: Slates of electors pledged to support presidential and vice presidential candidates are voted upon in each state every four years. Each state, and the District of Columbia, is apportioned at least three of the 538 electors, allocated by the total number of U.S. Senators and Representatives each state has.

In December, these electors will gather in their respective states and cast votes for president and vice president. And in January, Congress counts these votes, determines if a candidate has achieved a majority  at least 270 votes  and then certifies a winner.

We take it for granted that the individual votes we cast will be the ones that select the slate of presidential electors in our state. But the Constitution makes no such guarantee. In fact, it says the states appoint electors in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct.

Some founders worried that rash decision-making by the collective body politic would be radically vicious or liable to deceptions if they directly elected the president, for the people would lack the capacity to judge candidates. While members of the House of Representatives would be accountable directly to the people, presidential elections would occur indirectly. Electors, not the people, would elect the president. And state legislatures could decide how. (Most states now have laws binding electors to vote for the candidate who wins their states popular vote  but many states dont.)

In the earliest presidential elections, many states did not have popular elections for electors. Their legislatures simply chose electors. Over time, states gradually moved toward the popular elections we now take for granted.

But state legislatures have occasionally retained the power for themselves. In 1876, for instance, the new state of Colorado opted not to hold a popular election for electors, with the legislature claiming publicly that it lacked sufficient time to organize an election. Its more likely that Republican legislators worried that the people would vote for three Democratic electors and move to end Reconstruction in a closely contested election. The state legislature chose to retain the power to choose electors for itself  just that one time.

And state legislatures have modified the rules for the selection of presidential electors when they worry that the people of the state will vote for a disfavored candidate. In 1892, for instance, Democrats gained control of the Michigan legislature. They decided that presidential electors should be appointed according to popular vote totals in each congressional district, as opposed to the statewide winner-take-all system that had previously existed. Michiganders had consistently voted for a slate of Republican electors in the recent past, and the move to elections by district guaranteed that Democrats would win at least a few of electoral votes.

State legislatures should consider whether to retake this authority in the 2016 election in an effort to stop Trump. Republicans control 31 state legislatures. Many could consider this proposal, but the Texas state legislature is a natural place to start. It could easily pass a law returning power to the legislature. After Election Day, the legislature could decide whether to vote for Trump or Mitt Romney, the prior Republican nominee; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the 2016 race early on; a popular GOP figure like Condoleezza Rice, whose name has recently been floated as an alternative; or their own junior Sen. Ted Cruz, presently trailing Trump in the Republican Party delegate count.

Texas 38 red-state electoral votes are almost assuredly required for any Republican to get the 270 electoral votes needed to win. Casting them for someone other than Trump doesnt help likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, because she also needs 270. So while one states electoral votes may not seem like much, it might be enough to deprive either candidate a majority.

And in the event no candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes, the House of Representatives selects the winner. Each states delegation of representatives gets one vote and selects among the top three electoral vote-getters-which would include the candidate who receives Texass 38 votes. Republicans control these House delegations, and they could select from Trump, Clinton and Texass preferred non-Trump candidate.

The decision need not rest with a single state, of course. Many state legislatures may worry about voters choosing between Trump and Clinton. Itd be a long shot, to be sure, but if enough state legislatures voted for their own electors this year, they could collectively secure the 270 electoral votes for their preferred candidate, which may not be either of these two candidates.

To take this extraordinary step, state legislators would have to decide that this election calls for an extraordinary change. And, of course, acknowledge that it could be deployed against any candidate in any presidential election  this year, four years from now and onward. It has seldom been used. But perhaps  just this once  legislators will conclude that the times call for a change to how we vote for the president.

Clearly, Trump supporters and, potentially, anyone who sees this sort of procedural move as a dirty trick, would object to this as antidemocratic. But voters preferences would still be reflected  albeit indirectly  in the decisions made by the state legislatures, whose members are elected by the people. And the existence of the Electoral College, no matter how electors are chosen, means that the people, technically, have already been indirectly selecting their presidents.

Trump hasnt won yet. But it is increasingly likely that we will reach precisely the kind of scenario that the founders worried about  divisive political discourse threatens to thrust a dangerous candidate into office who appears inclined to govern more like a monarch than a president. Opportunities remain for cooler heads to prevail in our presidential election. And state legislatures should consider doing so this year.

Special To The Washington Post  Derek T. Muller
INLD MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala raised slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

Chandigarh: Legislators of Opposition INLD in Haryana on Thursday protested outside the Punjab Assembly against the bill passed by the neighbouring state that provides for returning 3,928 acres acquired for the construction of the SYL canal to the original landowners.

Midway the assembly proceedings, INLD MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora went out of the House and started protesting at the gate leading to the Punjab Assembly. The Punjab and Haryana assemblies are located in the same complex.

The INLD MLAs raised slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the Bill be withdrawn.

Later speaking to reporters, Chautala said, "We met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."

"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab. They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said. He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

The legislators also engaged in a scuffle with the security personnel outside the Punjab Assembly during sloganeering.
President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday 6 Adar-II, on the first day of his official visit to Russia, met with President Putin at the Kremlin, lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visited the Russian National Library.

Before their meeting, Presidents Rivlin and Putin delivered brief media statements. President Putin welcomed President Rivlin and said, Mr. President, I welcome you with all of my heart on your arrival to Russia, and I am pleased to receive the President of the State of Israel here. The relationship between Israel and Russia has a long history. In Israel live around a million and a half people from the former Soviet Union, who speak Russian, know Russian culture, and have a Russian mentality. They maintain ties with friends and family who remained in Russia, and this adds something very special to our relations. In addition, the number of Russian pilgrims who visit Israel is increasing each year. We thank Israel for returning to us, holy sites which were once under our control. There are a range of other issues which we will speak about in our meeting, such as trade and economic cooperation, as well as security in the region. We have also spoken by phone with the Prime Minister of Israel, and we have agreed to speak further on these issues.

In response, President Rivlin said, Mr. President, thank you for your warm welcome. It is an honor for me to be here with you in your beautiful country. Israel and Russia have a long history. We enjoy cooperation in a range of fields, and we also both know what it means to have to deal with terror and fundamentalism. As a Jew, I want to say that we will never forget the Russian people and the Red Army for their victory over the Nazis. Around the world, many survivors of the Holocaust remember that the first soldiers they met on their liberation were the soldiers of the Red Army. I thank you again for the invitation and I look forward to our meeting, we have many important issues to discuss.

Earlier in the day, President Rivlin was welcomed with a guard of honor at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, where President Rivlin laid a wreath and the military band played Hatikvah.

From there, the President went on together with his wife, Mrs. Nechama Rivlin, to visit the Russian National Library where he was shown some of their extensive collection of Jewish texts and documents from the 15th and 16th Centuries, which included many siddurim and holy texts. The President was also shown around the librarys archives where he was shown how the texts are preserved. The President commented that Israel was ready to assist in any way with the preservation of the collection.

On Thursday, President Rivlin visited the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, dedicated to the memory of the Russian Jewish community throughout history up until the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also met with members of the Jewish community.

Later in the day, Mr. Rivlin met with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo: Mark Neiman, GPO)
A meeting with Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and heads of Israels student unions has resulted in a significant discount in arnona property tax for students living in dorm apartments, a 67% discount, similar to educational institutions.

Deri explained the governments commitment to students of higher education and the need to lower the cost of living for the student population.

Deri has been committed to lowering the cost of living, as he explained during the elections, telling the tzibur his Shas party is committed to helping the working and lower income families survive by lowering the cost of living.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Two 17-year-old Iranian-Jewish teenagers were arrested in Tehran this week after they were caught spray painting the words Death to Haman on a building.

Based on the details that came from Iran, the Tehran police promised to release the two boys, both 17, after it was made clear to them that this is not a political act, but a simple Purim prank, but as of now, the boys have not been released, said an official familiar with the case, according to Maariv.

Jewish groups in the U.S. have become involved in advocating for the boys release. The Iranian Jewish community, which numbers about 13,000 people, has also expressed concern about the safety of the boys due to previous cases in which Jews were imprisoned in Iran and later disappeared. The status of the boys has not yet been determined.

Although the authorities in Iran and the Muslim population are not connected to the story that took place in the historical Persian capital of Shushan, conservative factions in the country refer to the Book of Esther as the story of a massacre committed by the Jews against their enemies, an American Jewish official handling the case said.

Tradition states that the city of Shushan, which is mentioned in Purims Book of Esther, is today the modern city of Hamadan in the northwest of the country. Although the boys have indicated that the graffiti was intended as a prank, the wording Death to Haman could still be interpreted as a provocation against the current regime.

(Source: JNS.org)
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey has sent to Raj Bhawan the unedited CD and transcript of senior minister Azam Khan's speech in the state Legislature in which he had allegedly accused Governor Ram Naik of working under the "influence of a party".

The CD along with the edited and unedited transcript was received by Raj Bhawan yesterday and the Governor will go through it before taking any action, if required, a Raj Bhawan official said.

Earlier this month, the Governor had taken a serious note of Khan's hard-hitting remarks against him in the House and written to the Speaker asking him to provide its unedited printed copies and audio and video CD .

The Governor in his letter had said Khan and other members have referred to UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015 in the House, which he wanted to "read and see".

Khan has been engaged in a war of words with Naik for some time, with the Samajwadi Party leader accusing him of being a "kar sevak" and "communally vitiating" the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh at the behest of the Modi government at the Centre.

On March 8, the SP leader had said in the House, "A Bill (UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015) is pending with the Governor for over one year through which Mayors could be removed for financial irregularities. The Governor has stalled the Bill giving an impression that he is working under influence of a party."

The Bill was not given assent so that mayors could not be punished for their "dishonesty", Khan had alleged.
Of all the moments in the year to unveil the 21billion-plus merger of Europes two biggest stock exchanges  London and Frankfurt  what better time than the day of the March Budget.

This is a lesson straight out of the WPP and Barclays guidebook for burying unpleasant realities. At least WPP had the good grace to unveil Sir Martin Sorrells 63million package the night before the Budget.

Which bring us to the merger of the century.

It is not a takeover, we are told, even though the Deutsche Boerse would hold 54.4 per cent of the shares, the chief executive will be former UBS casino banker Carsten Kengeter, the investor conference outlining the deal was half in German and the new exchange will report in the worlds most discredited currency  barring possibly the Venezuelan bolivar  the euro.

Sold: After more than two centuries of independence, the London Stock Exchange - considered one of the 'three pillars' of the City of London - has been bought by the Germans

The only major concession being made is that the so called top company will be in London not Germany. That looks to be a sop to sensibilities of defenders of the old order.

We are meant to cheer the creation of a European exchange powerhouse capable to taking on the United States.

The idea that the UK has much in common with Frankfurt is simply wrong. German politics is known to be allergic to the very financial services which have made the City the trading capital of the world  and the Square Mile the nations biggest exporter.

What investors are being promised is up to 354million of cost savings, largely achieved by bringing IT systems together and dismissing duplicate staff. The EUs restrictive labour regulation might make execution difficult.

This deal is going to deliver very little. If the real value was in bringing together clearing operations, it is not going to happen. LCH Clearnet will remain in London and be regulated in the UK, while DBs Eurex will be regulated on the Continent.

The most frustrating aspect of all this is the inactivity of our politicians, including the Brexit campaign. The LSE is a huge British success story that has survived as an independent institution since the early 18th century, and in the last two decades has seen off every foreign incursion.

In the interests of disclosure, advisers Robey Warshaw, Barclays et al for the LSE and Perella Weinberg, Deutsche et al for DB might have provided some clues to investors as to how much they stand to gain if the deal goes through.

This is cash pickpocketed from the shareholders and incentivises bankers to get the deal done irrespective of merits.

LSE chairman Donald Brydon, who will get the top post at the merged exchange, is in danger as going down as selling the LSEs birthright for a mess of sauerkraut.

Chief executive Xavier Rolet will risk being remembered as just another greedy financier rather than an innovative business builder.

Not quite the glorious end to a glittering City career he may have hoped for.

Payback time

If you wait long enough, financial firms that get into difficulty usually repair themselves. In spite of a series of frauds, depositors in the failed Bank of Credit & Commerce International eventually received most of their money back.

Equitable Life policyholders are now finding that the life, pensions and unit trust-linked policies that they held on to are worth far more than expected as a result of the careful husbandry of chief executive Chris Wiscarson.

Unfortunately, HM Treasury looks as if it will do less well than it hoped from its sell-off of its bank holdings. At present, taxpayers are sitting on a loss of 17.5billion and unless the Government can come up with some claw-back mechanism, the taxpayer might never get their money back.

George Osbornes hope was that the remaining shares in Lloyds would be sold before the summer and he could then get on with testing the market for Royal Bank of Scotland. Market conditions have made that tricky.

Lloyds is fundamentally a strong bank and the delay should be temporary. RBS is more complicated.
The long goodbye for Sir Andrew Witty  he intends to step down from GlaxoSmithKline this time next year  does not come as an enormous surprise.

The writing has been on the wall since the quietly effective Sir Philip Hampton, lately of RBS, was chosen as chairman in 2014.

The principal job of a chairman is to remove under-performing chief executives, and in Hamptons case he has also decided to defenestrate a cadre of non-executives too.

That may well prove important in the post-Witty era as questions about whether GSK has grown willy-nilly in too many directions are bound to arise.

Long goodbye: Sir Andrew Witty intends to step down from GlaxoSmithKline this time next year

Investment guru Neil Woodford advocates splitting GSK into four separate companies.

The verdict on the Witty era is distinctly mixed. One hoped he might end the culture of fat cat pay in the boardroom which derailed the previous regime of JP Garnier.

But as Witty took home 6.6million last year and will have accumulated vast options over his long period as a GSK insider, that is one reform that hasnt really happened.

Similarly, Witty was committed to cleaning up GSKs reputation after it was caught up in a series of scandals in the US over the aggressive way it marketed its key drugs through doctors. It eventually paid a whopping fine of $3billion (2.1billion) in July 2012.

The ethical clean-up was short lived and GSK became bogged down in a similar dispute with the Chinese authorities. It suffered the added burden of the arrest of a key official Mark Reilly and the emergence of a salacious video.

In the UK it was involved in a prolonged tax dispute with HMRC and is still under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office over a series of alleged bribery offences.

Very little of this can be directly laid at Wittys door, but much of it did occur on his watch. More telling for investors (who include this writer) has been the disappointing share price performance, which on some measures has lagged the rest of the pharma industry by 64 per cent over the Witty era.

That does not mean he has been a write-off. After a relatively fallow period the company does have one of the best pipelines of newly approved drugs, is the leading vaccination company in the world and has skilfully moved its consumer division into a better place.

The radical solution to release shareholder value would be break-up of some kind, hiving off the consumer products division, with old favourites such as Horlicks, the HIV drugs and vaccines. That would be a mistake.

Witty decluttered the company when it did an assets swap with Novartis, exchanging some of its cancer drugs for the Swiss firms vaccines operations.

Being a life sciences conglomerate, which can insulate itself from the long drug discovery cycle with other lines of activity, is a good place to be.

Hopefully the new chief executive, preferably from inside, will take that on board.

As for 51-year-old Witty, expect a second career, possibly in the public sector or NGO world where he has been making some waves.

Iron resolve

The second post-Budget boardroom shake-up is rather different.

Veteran mining executive Sam Walsh was parachuted into Rio Tinto as chief executive at the moment that the commodity super cycle was unravelling.

He was better than that and began deleveraging the company and cutting costs long before competitors such as Anglo-American, Glencore et al realised there was an existential problem.

The result has been that Rio, while punished by the market, has done a great deal better than some competitors despite heavy reliance on the subsiding Chinese marketplace.

At the age of 66, the Aussie is stepping aside and making room for 44-year-old French successor Jean-Sebastien Jacques having done much of the heavy lifting.

After taking an axe to costs, Walsh embarked on an iron ore price war thinking he could force some competitors out the market. It had the opposite effect of forcing rivals into making tough decisions and forging new marketing alliances.

That is one bit of the inheritance which Jacques may feel like scrapping when he takes the driving seat in July.

Tuning out

Could there be a lesson for Ofcom and the BBC here?

CBS, the $24billion granddaddy of American broadcasters, is exploring the splits by selling its 117 radio stations across the US.

It is being hit by a decline in advertising (not a problem for the Beeb) and the Balkanisation of music listening as a result of streaming services such as Spotify and Apple.

Think of the savings for licence payers if wireless stations, with the exception of Radio 4, the home of Today and the Archers, were hived off.
The under pressure oil industry has received a much needed set of tax breaks from Chancellor George Osborne, having been hit hard over the past six months by a severe dip in 'black gold' prices.

Osborne unveiled in his budget a major overhaul of the North Sea tax regime, including abolishing the Petroleum Revenue Tax and cutting the existing supplementary charge for oil companies from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.

Both measures will be backdated - effective from the first of January this year - and will provide a major boost for Scottish workers and industry.

Popular move: Scottish politicians and businessmen welcomed the tax breaks, although some said support for the oil and gas industry did not go far enough

Low oil prices have caused heavy job losses in Scotland's oil-rich northeast and sapped Scottish public revenues.

Osborne said: 'The oil and gas sector employs hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland and around our country.

'In my Budget a year ago I made major reductions in taxes, but the oil price has continued to fall so we need to act now for the long term.'

He added: 'I am today cutting in half the Supplementary Charge on oil and gas from 20 percent to 10 percent. And I'm effectively abolishing Petroleum Revenue Tax too.

'We are only able to provide this kind of support to the oil and gas industry because of the broad shoulders of the United Kingdom. None of this support would have been remotely affordable if ... Scotland had broken away.'

The tax changes will save the industry around 1billion in the five financial years to 2020-2021, the budget document showed.

Shares in oil companies with fields in the North Sea - including BP, Shell and Cairn Energy - have risen this afternoon on the new.

The tax breaks will come as a welcome relief for oil majors.

A recent report by industry body Oil and Gas UK said that less than 1billion was expected to be spent on new projects this year, compared to a typical 8billion per year in the past five years.

BP, Shell and Statoil, have all slashed their budgets by billions of dollars as they grapple with a 70 per cent fall in prices.

Brent crude currently stands at just under $40 a barrel, about 27 per cent lower than it was a year ago and a fraction of its mid-2014 high of $115 a barrel.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a 20million funding package to help the North Sea oil and gas sector.

Scottish politicians and businessmen welcomed the news, although some said support for the oil and gas industry did not go far enough.

Derek Leith, head of Oil & Gas Tax, at EY said: 'Today's announcement of a 10 per cent cut in corporate taxes, and the effective abolition of Petroleum Revenue Tax for the UK oil and gas sector will fall short of industry expectations.

'Since 2011 there has been a compelling case to lower the tax burden to recognise the maturity of the basin, the high cost base, and the falling production efficiency of older assets which support vital offshore infrastructure.'

He added: 'The case for a significant change to the oil and gas regime has been exacerbated by the collapse in the oil price. Decisive action by the government was required to send a strong signal to investors.
The London Stock Exchange will report its profits in euros instead of pounds if its 21billion merger of equals with its German counterpart goes ahead.

The highly symbolic decision will be seen as a further sign that Frankfurt will have the upper hand in the proposed marriage.

It was confirmed yesterday as the LSE Group and Germanys Deutsche Boerse announced they had agreed to join forces.

Sold: After more than two centuries of independence, the London Stock Exchange - considered one of the 'three pillars' of the City of London - has been bought by the Germans

Frankfurt has insisted that the combined group reports in the single currency.

Sources suggested that this was to present the deal as a merger of equals, particularly as the holding company for the new group will be based in London.

Insiders added that the bulk of the two companies combined revenues of 3.7billion last year came from Europe  with 30 per cent from the UK.

LSE Group will remain head-quartered and listed in London, with Deutsche Boerse staying in Frankfurt.

Justin Urquhart-Stewart, from Seven Investment Management, said: This is very symbolic. For the London Stock Exchange to give up the London currency really is a major move.

Xavier Rolet, the defiant boss of the London Stock Exchange, hit out at rumours and speculation in the City that jobs and business will move from London to Frankfurt.

On the way out: The agreed all-share deal will see highly-rated LSE boss Xavier Rolet step down

He said: Im pleased that were finally able to give you the facts on which to judge the merger  rather than relying on rumours and speculation that has dominated the headlines over the last few weeks.

There were reports that Deutsche intended to move LSEs coveted derivatives clearing business from London to Frankfurt.

However, this was ruled out yesterday, with the two parties insisting that there would be no transfer of businesses from London to Frankfurt  or vice versa.

Despite this, they hope to generate savings of 354million a year within three years.

The bulk of the savings will come from merging their IT platforms.

Overlapping jobs will be cut in both London and Frankfurt in human resources and their legal and finance departments.

The deal is expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year.

But first, it needs to be approved by shareholders and competition authorities, which have blocked a previous attempt by Deutsche to merge with the owner of the New York Stock Exchange.

Shareholders may have to wait until after the EU referendum on June 23 to vote on whether the deal should go ahead.

The two parties have set up a referendum committee to assess the impact of a possible vote for Britain to leave the European Union. But they have made it clear that the deal does not hinge on the outcome of the referendum.

Deutsche will own a 54.4 per cent controlling stake if the merger does get the green light. The groups have stressed that the combined board will have equal representatives from both sides.

But concerns that Frankfurt will be the dominant force were reinforced by the announcement that Deutsche chief executive Carsten Kengeter will take charge of the combined company, while Rolet will retire.

All eyes will now be on Intercontinental Exchange  the owner of the New York Stock Exchange  which has said it is considering making a counter bid.

Kengeter insisted the deal between London and Frankfurt would deliver better returns for shareholders.
Households are facing a huge loss from rescuing the banks, the independent Treasury watchdog has warned.

The Office for Budget Responsibility said taxpayers were sitting on a 17.5billion loss and would never get their money back.

The bleak analysis from the OBR contradicts claims made by the Chancellor, who said last summer that taxpayers would eventually make a profit from the bailouts.

Grim reading: The Office for Budget Responsibility said taxpayers were sitting on a 17.5billion loss and would never get their money back

The turmoil on financial markets has hammered shares in banks, including state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.

This has forced George Osborne to delay plans to sell 2billion of Lloyds shares to the public in the spring, and caused him to put the disposal of further tranches of RBS on hold.

Osborne yesterday announced that the Government was committed to pressing ahead with the Lloyds sale by spring next year.

The OBR also revealed the damage that the rout in the banking sector has inflicted on the public finances.

Its analysis shows taxpayers would incur a loss of 17.5billion if all the remaining shares in RBS, Lloyds and assets from Bradford & Bingley were sold off.

This is 7.2billion worse than the estimated loss calculated by the OBR at the time of the Autumn Statement last November.

The interest paid so far by the Treasury on the 133billion it had to borrow to prop up the financial system has reached 24.4billion, according to the OBR.

Taxpayers are 17.2billion in the red on RBS - 6.7billion worse than previous estimates as shares have plunged.

Stung: Households are facing a huge loss from rescuing the banks, the OBR has warned

Shares are now valued at just 234.3p, less than half the break-even price of 503p at which taxpayers would make a profit.

They were trading hands at 325.2p last October.

The Government has announced that it plans to sell off shares in RBS during the course of this Parliament.

It attracted criticism last summer after selling an initial stake at a 1.1billion loss. It said it hoped the sale would whet investors appetite and push up the share price.

But the OBR yesterday predicted that taxpayers will incur a 16.4billion loss on the sale of its remaining 73 per cent stake in RBS raising 3.5billion less than the 25billion forecast by the Treasury.

Its calculations also undermine claims made by George Osborne last summer that taxpayers would make a 14billion overall profit from bailing out Britains banks.

Osborne used the figure  which was based mainly on profits from selling off parts of Lloyds, Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley  to justify selling off an initial stake in RBS.

But the Chancellor was immediately challenged by Treasury Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie, who said it failed to include huge interest payments incurred by the Treasury on the bailouts.

Responding to the OBRs latest figures, Tyrie said: RBS belongs in the private sector.

The Treasury needs to ensure that it gets the best value for money from its sale.

Nobody should imagine its easy  but the Treasury will want to get on with it.
The FTSE 100 has lost two of its most senior bosses in quick succession, as Sir Andrew Witty at GlaxoSmithKline and Sam Walsh at Rio Tinto both announced plans to step down this morning.

Both chief executives have seen their firm's struggling amid tough global market conditions, which has in turn led to flagging sales and profits.

There was a mixed response from investors to the moves, with shares in Rio pushing 107.0p higher at 2,036.5 as mining stocks led a blue chip rally, while shares in Glaxo fell 4.0p to 1,407.0p.

Gone: FTSE 100 heads Andrew Witty(left) and Sam Walsh (right) announced plans to step aside this morning

The departure of Witty, 51 and a company lifer of 32 years, disappointed investors as at the company's full year results in February he had reassured them that the drugmaker was on course for recovery this year.

However, he has faced consistent calls from shareholders, including fund manager Neil Woodford, for a break-up of the group, with critics arguing that its pharmaceuticals and consumer health units would do better as standalone businesses.

The company confirmed Witty will retire on March 31 2017 - having led the group since 2008 - with a number of other company directors also deciding against standing for re-election to the board at the AGM in May.

Hot seat: Sam Walsh at Rio will be replaced by the firm's coal and copper head Jean-Sebastien Jacques (pictued), who used to be a strategy director at Tata Steel Group

He said: 'By next year, I will have been CEO for nearly 10 years and I believe this will be the right time for a new leader to take over.

'In making this decision it has been important to me that the board have the time to conduct a full and proper process and that we sustain the momentum of our current business performance, capitalising on the very significant progress we made last year to strengthen the group.'

Witty's tenure as boss has not been without controversy.

In 2013, Glaxo was caught up in a fraud scandal in China, while in February this year he received another blot on his copy book when it was announced that Glaxo and a number of generic pharmaceuticals firms were fined 45million for anti-competitive practices in the UK.

In the company's annual report, it was revealed that Sir Andrew was awarded a hefty total pay package worth 6.7million last year - a significant rise on the 3.9million paid out in 2014.

Rio Tinto boss Sam Walsh, who is 66, will leave sooner than Witty, having spent just three years in the top job.

He will depart this July and will be replaced by the firm's coal and copper head Jean-Sebastien Jacques, who used to be a strategy director at Tata Steel Group.

The world's second-largest miner has been struggling to maintain profits amid a slump in commodity prices.

Under Walsh, Rio undertook a major cost-cutting programme and dropped its progressive dividend policy.

Shareholders were told they will no longer see payouts maintained or raised each year after the mining giant reported a 50 per cent drop in underlying annual earnings last month.

In a statement, Rio Tinto said today's announcement was 'the culmination of comprehensive and deliberate executive succession process'.

It added: 'Jean-Sebastien is the right person to lead Rio Tinto in an increasingly complex world filled with both challenges and opportunities for our industry.'

Walsh, an Australian, spent two decades in the car industry before joining Rio Tinto in 1991.

He replaced Tom Albanese as chief executive in 2013 after his predecessor was ousted following expensive and unsuccessful acquisitions in aluminium and coal.

Rio's chairman Jan du Plessis said: 'The board appointed Sam as chief executive at a challenging time for our company and I am very grateful for his tremendous leadership.
Ted Baker has emerged as a winner in the competitive fashion sector, seeing a near-20 per cent jump in profits last year as it continues to expand worldwide, although shares fell on slight caution.

The fashion brand - which started out as a single shirt specialist store in Glasgow in 1987 and now has 448 stores and concessions worldwide - saw its pretax profits rise 19 per cent to 58.7million in the year to the end of January, driven by an 18 per cent increase in sales to 456million.

Ted Baker said its spring/summer collections had so far encountered positive reaction from customers.

The FTSE 250-listed group added that it saw strong trading, especially at its US and UK stores, although Asia was an exception with the trading environment there continuing to be challenging.

Eyeing expansion: Ted Baker said it was planning to open more stores worldwide in the coming year

The region, however, currently represents a small market for the brand, making up just 3.4 per cent of revenues.

In late morning trading, shares in Ted Baker were 1.5 per cent, or 44.5p, lower at 2,905p reflecting the slight caution on Asian trading.

The firm, which is known for its floral prints and is perceived as a brand offering luxury items at affordable prices, seems to have emerged untouched by the unusually warm winter weather which has been blamed for poor sales by many other retailers.

It also looks to be weathering the strong competition on the High Street, with fast-fashion stores like Zara engaged in a fierce battle with more upmarket brands such as Reiss and French Connection, which this week revealed annual losses of 4.7million.

Ted Baker's success has seen it expand worldwide and it opened its first stores in Amsterdam, Azerbaijan, Hawaii, Mexico and Qatar over the past year.

It also said it is to open a new UK distribution centre to service its European business and more stores worldwide in the year ahead.

Sales in the UK and Europe grew by 9 per cent, while in the US and Canada they jumped 27 per cent, with online up by 46 per cent.

Founder and chief executive Ray Kelvin said: I am pleased to report another year of strong progress in Ted Baker's continued development as a global lifestyle brand.

'We have again traded very well - despite an uncertain backdrop in some of our markets - which is testament to the strength of the Ted Baker brand as well as our unwavering focus on quality, design and attention to detail.

Steve Clayton, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Ted Baker has grown from a shirt shop in Glasgow to a quirky global lifestyle brand; the ethos is to try and present something that is a little different to the mainstream, an affordable luxury for consumers seeking individuality and indulgence.

There are over 400 stores and concessions around the world currently, but still many, many places on the map where the Group is currently unrepresented.

He added: Almost uniquely, for a global fashion brand, Ted does not advertise. They aim for a product that will sell itself and that people will talk about, and some of the savings on advertising can be reinvested back into the design of the garments, to try and make the quality shine out. And this is clearly working.

Looking up: Ted Baker has grown from a shirt shop in Glasgow to a global lifestyle brand

Analysts at Liberum Capital said Ted Baker had closed another year of excellent progress.

UK, Europe and the US all showed good progress, as did e-commerce, and the company has announced plans to build a new UK DC to service the European business. While Asia is small part of group sales Ted sees a good long term opportunity there. The company's strength is that it consistently delivers growth well head of the sector.

And analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald said Ted Baker's results were ahead of their expectations and that the strength of the brand was in its uniqueness.

The stock is now looking better value following a period of consolidation over the last year and upgrades to the earnings projections. We continue to believe forecasts will not disappoint over the medium term, they said.

It remains clearly differentiated from peers and is beginning to gain momentum from a global perspective. It is, in our view, very much in the early stages of an international roll-out strategy, particularly in Europe.

It is growing in confidence with its US development. In the meantime, it will continue to push all channels, wholesaling, concessions and on-line, Cantor Fitzgerald added.
Hyderabad: The long-delayed Charminar Pedestrian Project (CPP) will be completed in five months, municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao told the TS Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

He said in five months, Charminar will get a footpath for pedestrians besides battery-run vehicles and buses being introduced for better transportation to control pollution near the historic monument.

Though the project was launched 17 years ago to make Charminar a vehicle-free zone, successive governments failed to complete it so far. Mr Rama Rao told the House that the actual works started only in 2007.

MIM members Akbaruddin Owaisi, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan and Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri took up the issue of inordinate delay in completing the CPP.

Mr Rama Rao told the members that the state government had accorded administrative sanction for Rs 35.10 crore for taking up CPP, of which the Centre and states share was Rs 17.55 crore and GHMCs share Rs 17.55 crore.

He said the government had already spent Rs 30.50 crore on the project and the remaining funds would be sufficient to complete the left over work.

The project consists of a 5.4 km (60 feet) outer ring road and a 2.3 km (40 feet) inner ring road, and cobble pavement on all the four roads leading to Charminar. The inner and outer ring roads are almost complete.

Cobble stone work on Lad Bazar road is pending as the shopkeepers are not permitting to take up the balance works. The GHMC is pursuing the issue with the shopkeepers to complete the balance works, Mr Rama Rao said. He said the TRS government was committed to providing better amenities in the coming months in the Old City and ensure its all-round development.
Target: Sainsburys and South Africas Steinhoff both appear keen to buy Argos-owner Home Retail

The bid battle for Argos-owner Home Retail Group could rumble on for weeks more after the Takeover Panel issued an update creating a Mexican stand-off situation for suitors.

Rivals Sainsburys and South Africas Steinhoff were set the same deadline of 5pm today to make a firm intention of an offer or walk away.

However yesterday an announcement revealed that if one of the potential bidders confirms its offer, the other will be automatically granted a 53-day extension.

The bidder that moves first could, therefore, be at a disadvantage.
Samsonite, the worlds largest luggage maker, credited strong sales in China for boosting full-year profits.

The firm, which recently bought luxury rival Tumi and is led by former Treasury economist Tim Parker, posted a 6.1 per cent increase in net profit to 136million on sales of 1.6billion.

Net sales in China increased by 13 per cent but Parker warned that stores were losing out to online businesses.
The embattled boss of GlaxoSmithKline is to step down next year after nearly a decade in charge  sparking speculation the drugs giant could be broken up.

Sir Andrew Witty, who joined the company as a management trainee in 1985 and rose up the ranks to become chief executive in 2008, will leave at the end of March 2017.

The 51-year-old was paid a total of 6.7million last year, up from 3.9million in 2014, and is in line for a pension of up to 735,000 a year. He owns Glaxo shares worth 14.7million.

Wittys future has been in doubt for some time amid flagging sales and profits and questions over his focus on consumer health products such as headache pills and toothpaste.

Sir Andrew Witty, who joined the company as a management trainee in 1985 and rose up the ranks to become chief executive in 2008, will leave at the end of March 2017

Investors, including star fund manager Neil Woodford, have argued the company should focus on developing and selling drugs.

The London arm of Och-Ziff Capital Management, the activist hedge fund headquartered in New York, had also called for a management shake-up as the company struggles to deal with the decline of its blockbuster asthma drug Advair.

Wittys reputation was tarnished by a damaging bribery scandal in China that landed Glaxo with a record 320million fine in 2014.

The arrival of Sir Philip Hampton as chairman in May last year was seen as a sign that Wittys reign could be coming to an end and the board soon kicked off the search for a successor.

Announcing his impending departure yesterday, Witty hailed a very special company and added: By next year, I will have been chief executive for nearly ten years and I believe this will be the right time for a new leader to take over.

Hampton praised Witty for his tremendous dedication over more than three decades of service and leadership to GSK and the industry.

Glaxo shares, which have risen just 23 per cent in the eight years Witty has been chief executive, slipped 12.5p to 1399.5p yesterday.

Woodford said that he has a strong preference for an outsider to take over from Witty rather than an internal candidate.

He has argued that Glaxo should be split into four separate companies. In essence, Witty is running four FTSE 100 companies, and hes not doing a very good job in my view, Woodford recently said.

Witty oversaw the 14billion deal with Novartis last year to raise Glaxos exposure to consumer healthcare where it has brands including Sensodyne, Day & Night Nurse, Horlicks and Panadol.

He has conceded in the past that spinning off the division could be an option but has argued that this should not happen in the near term.

We are only one year in, he said last month, and as we have laid out very clearly, we think it is a three year journey.

Those comments came as Glaxo reported a 4 per cent rise in annual turnover to 23.9billion last year. Profits jumped from 3billion in 2014 to 10.5billion in 2015 despite a loss of 416million in the final quarter.

At the time, Witty pinned the companys hopes on a number of new products. Glaxo now expects 11 key new products to deliver sales of 6billion by 2018  two years earlier than previously forecast.

Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, said: Given the length of time before his departure, the company should be in no rush to find a replacement.
Clampdown: Banks will be forced to cough up more corporation tax under new plans

Banks face an extra 2billion bill because of restrictions on using losses made since the financial crisis to cut their future tax bills.

Until recently, lenders were able to use past losses to offset all their profits, meaning they did not have to pay any corporation tax.

In his 2014 Autumn Statement, George Osborne restricted this so only 50 per cent of losses could be offset, saying it was totally unacceptable that some banks would not pay any tax for 15 to 20 years.

The move was designed to raise an extra 3.5billion over five years.

But tax relief is now being cut in half to 25 per cent, and the Office for Budget Responsibility expects it to raise an extra 2billion.

Banks including Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland, which have racked up billions of pounds of losses since the crisis, are likely to see their tax bill go up.

The banking industry expressed dismay at the latest restrictions.

Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers Association, said the Chancellors tax changes on losses have cost banks more than 5billion.

He added: Like every other business, banks want certainty over their tax regime to ensure they can invest for the long-term.

Analyst Ian Gordon, from Investec, believes the crackdown could have a bigger impact on foreign banks such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Its losses since the crisis were so big that under the previous regime it could have avoided paying tax in the UK for 17 years.

The tougher restrictions will more than compensate the Government for a 900million shortfall from the 8 per cent surcharge on banks United Kingdom profits that was introduced in January.

The Office for Budget Responsibility predicted in November that the Treasury would collect 6.9billion over five years, but the turmoil on financial markets and the slowdown in the global economy has hit banks profits and hammered their share prices.
Heathrow has pre-empted the Governments decision to build a third runway by awarding contracts to construction firms.

Britains largest airport was left on the back foot last month after arch-rival Gatwick, which wants the additional runway built there, took the lead by starting talks with contractors over future tenders for contracts.

Heathrow has now announced four winning contractors  Arup, CH2M, MACE and Turner & Townsend  claiming it wants to be ready to deliver the 16billion expansion as soon as the Government gives it the green light.

Feeling confident? Heathrow has now announced four winning contractors to Arup, CH2M, MACE and Turner & Townsend for the proposed 16bn third runway expansion

Ian Ballentine, Heathrows director of procurement, said: I look forward to working with them to give the UK a truly world-class, sustainable hub airport.

The debate over expanding the UKs airport capacity has been a long-running row.

Last year a long-awaited report by Sir Howard Davies recommended building at Heathrow to improve the UKs airport capacity rather than expanding Gatwick.

But at the end of 2015 a report by MPs said Heathrow should be barred from building a third runway until it can demonstrate its ability to meet pollution targets.
George Osborne yesterday bragged that the British economy was 'set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in the world' this year.

The UK, he said, would outpace the other Group of Seven nations of the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan.

'Our economy is strong,' he told the House of Commons, 'but the storm clouds are gathering again.'

Osborne warned of turbulence on the financial markets, low productivity growth across the West, and a weak outlook for the global economy. 'It makes for a dangerous cocktail of risks,' he added.

Bold claims: George Osborne yesterday bragged that the British economy was 'set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in the world' this year

Those risks were reflected in a bleak assessment of the outlook for the UK by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the watchdog set up by the Chancellor to present the unvarnished truth about the state of the economy and the public finances.

It did not pull its punches in yesterday's Budget, as these forecasts show.

A FALSE DAWN AS GROWTH STARTS

The OBR slashed its growth forecasts for the UK economy over the next five years in a major setback for the Chancellor.

As recently as November, in the Autumn Statement, the official Treasury watchdog was expecting the economy to grow by 2.4 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent next year.

But it yesterday reduced those forecasts to 2 per cent and 2.2 per cent and made similar cuts to its projections for the following three years.

The OBR said the most 'significant' change to the outlook since November was the prospect of weaker productivity growth.

It warned that a pick-up in productivity in mid-2015 turned out to be a 'false dawn'  adding that the weaker outlook would result in lower wages, profits, household spending and business investment.

It was not all doom and gloom from the OBR, which trimmed its forecasts for unemployment and raised its forecasts for employment, as it bet that Britain's 'jobs miracle' will continue.

But the big judgment was that weaker economic growth 'reduces tax receipts significantly'  blowing a hole in Osborne's Budget plans.

THE 56.3BILLION TAX HEADACHE

British governments are not very good at living within their means.

Spending has outstripped tax receipts for much of the past century and continues to do so now  resulting in a deficit rather than a surplus in the budget each year.

So the last thing the Chancellor needed was the OBR to declare that he would be 56.3billion worse off over the next five years than expected in November  mainly due to a 52.8billion shortfall in tax receipts as a result of the economy being smaller than thought.

Disappointing tax receipts have been a thorn in the side of the Chancellor since he took office in 2010.

In the Autumn Statement, the OBR said it expected tax receipts to rise to 872.2billion in 2020-21. It now expects them to total just 841.1billion that year.

By contrast, spending has broadly gone according to plan.

Spending has fallen as a proportion of national income from over 45 per cent under Labour to around 40 per cent this year.

Under Osborne's plan, spending is set to fall to 36.9 per cent of national income in 2020-21, its lowest level since 2001-02.

At the same time, tax receipts are rising, from 36.3 per cent of national income this year to a peak of 37.5 per cent in 2019-20, the highest level since 2007-08, before slipping back to 37.4 per cent in 2020-21.

HOW GEORGE MAKES HIS BORROWING TARGET

Osborne's own rule states that he must balance the books and return the country to surplus in 2019-20 after borrowing hit a record 155billion under Labour in 2009-10. He had planned a surplus of 10.1billion.

But the OBR yesterday declared that, without more spending cuts or tax rises, the Chancellor would in fact borrow 3.2billion in 2019-20 due to the deterioration in the economy and the finances.

This would mean he missed his target of running a surplus. So the Chancellor announced plans to make up the shortfall in 2019-20  resulting in a surplus of 10.4billion.

The plans include 7.6billion of spending cuts in 2019-20, including a squeeze on infrastructure investment, changes to public sector pensions, and a 3.5billion reduction in Whitehall budgets.

There are also tax rises on big business.

Despite the deteriorating outlook, borrowing this year will be 1.3billion lower than expected at 72.2billion.

But in the following three years the Chancellor will borrow 36.3billion more than the OBR pencilled in at the time of the Autumn Statement.

That will leave a deficit of 21.4billion in 2018-19 instead of 4.6billion  resulting in drastic action in 2019-20 to give Osborne his surplus.

However, the OBR warned that even with all these changes, the 'probability of meeting the surplus target in 2019-20 [is] only slightly above 50 per cent'.

Failed: The new debt forecasts mean that the Chancellor has missed his target of starting to cut the national debt, as a percentage of output, this financial year

... AND DEBT WILL HIT 1.7TRILLION BY 2020

Although the Chancellor is on course for a surplus at the end of the decade  if only just  the OBR revealed he will break his supplementary target on debt.

This stated that the national debt must fall as a percentage of national income every year from 2015-16 onwards.

But the OBR said the debt burden would in fact rise from 83.3 per cent of gross domestic product last year to 83.7 per cent this year, before falling to 82.6 per cent in 2016-17.

This was the second of three self-imposed rules the Chancellor has broken less than a year after the general election. He has also broken the welfare cap.

Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party leader, described it as 'the culmination of six years of failure'.

Although the national debt is due to start falling as a percentage of GDP, it is still rising in cash terms, having already tripled in less than a decade.

The latest forecasts suggested the towering debt pile will rise from 1.6trillion this year to over 1.7trillion by the end of the decade.

The Government is spending around 1billion a week servicing these debts, although debt interest spending is projected to be 24.2billion lower over the next five years than thought in November.
Controversial nuclear power plant Hinkley Point looks set to go ahead after the French Government agreed to give EDF the funding it needs for the 18billion project.

Frances economy minister Emmanuel Macron announced that a final decision on financing for the delayed plant in Somerset would be made in May.

It came as the companys UK boss, Vincent de Rivaz, has been called to appear before the Energy and Climate Change Committee on Wednesday over the future of Hinkley.
Frankie Lonies Regent Bridge Bar on Aberdeens harbour side is the only pub on the street. Just before Christmas the last remaining publican neighbour, The Crown & Anchor, shut its door for the final time. It had been on Regent Quay for more than 100 years.

Close by, The East Neuk Bar, which had been on King Street for 111 years, has called last orders for the final time.

The harbour side was once lined with pubs, bustling with dockers and oil workers with wads of cash. But while the collapse of the oil price has led to cheaper petrol for millions across the country, in the granite city it has only brought woe.

Frankie Lonie took over Regent Bridge Bar from his father. Both were originally dockers when Aberdeen had a booming ship industry.

He explains: I am the last man standing. If my bar isnt busy then no one is. The cuts have been brutal. He reels off a list of people who have been affected by the crisis in the North Sea oil industry.

Lonie cuts a smart figure in pristine white shirt, cufflinks and black waistcoat, his watch and jewellery look expensive  reminders of the wealth of Aberdeen past.

Now you are more likely to spot a Rolex in the window of a pawn broker than on the wrist of an oil worker.

Lonie says: I have friends that have left the oil industry and are now postmen or delivery drivers. Theyve gone from earning more than 200 a day in the oil industry to earning about 200 a week as a van driver.

The story Lonie tells, as he puffs on a cigar outside his pub, highlights the very human toll taken by plunging oil prices  and why the City has been crying out for tax breaks. And in the Budget on Wednesday, they got it  a 1billion shot in the arm to encourage investment.

Just four years ago the Government reaped tax revenues from the North Sea oil industry of 11.3billion but this has collapsed to 2.2billion last year and zero this year. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast this week the industry will cost the Government 1.1billion next year and 1billion by 2018.

The price of oil has fallen by around 70 per cent since the recent high of $115 a barrel in summer 2014. It has sent the industry close to collapse, according to Robin Allan, chairman of the independent explorers association Brindex.

More than 65,000 jobs  both direct and indirect  have already been lost from the North Sea oil sector. Some say the number could reach as much as 400,000. Wages are said to have shrunk by nearly a third. Those who have managed to keep their job on an oil rig have had shore leave drastically cut.

As the oil industry shrinks, all the services in the city that have grown on the back of the oil boom feel the pain too.

Ian Aitken, 70, has been a taxi driver for 25 years and says things have got bad in the past 18 months. It is very quiet. Business used to be very busy, driving between all the hotels. Now every day an oil company is cutting jobs.

I went into the taxi trade in 1990. There have been ups and downs but I never thought it would be as bad as this.

At the peak of the oil boom the city was heaving. People couldnt spend their money fast enough. The city centre still has the trappings of a middle-class boom.

Boom time: Aberdeen's docks pictured in 2008 when surging oil prices were bringing great wealth to the city and its harbour was the busiest in Britain

Well-known upmarket brands including Radley, Jojo Maman Bebe and Michael Kors are still open. Most are empty. One car dealership said that last year it was taking back as many as 400 leased cars during some months.

A ccording to the latest LJ Forecaster Scottish Intercity Report, hotel occupancy has collapsed below 50 per cent for the first time on record. Rooms in Aberdeen were only 46.5 per cent full in January and revenue per available room fell to a new low of 32.89.

Hotels are offering bigger deals to tempt people to stay and, although the tourist industry might not be as affected, the number of businesses taking rooms has collapsed.

It is now that much cheaper to hang-out at upmarket establishments such as The Dutch Mill, The Albyn, Malmaison, The Chester Hotel and The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa in the city.

However one Aberdeen resident said: It is about time the hotels started lowering their prices. It had got ridiculous. They were pricing out tourists as it was only big corporations that could afford it.

In one antiques centre a former oil worker has had to take a job after being unable to find work in her former profession.

She says: I worked in industry for 30 years. I have never seen it as bad as this. I was depressed for a long while. I went to the job centre and I have never been so humiliated in my life. I was looking for a job but I was just told to take benefits.

She says the industry is culling everyone over 50  wiping out all the people with experience.

The latest jobs figures reveal the claimant count in Aberdeen has soared by 69pc over the year and by more than 90 per cent across Aberdeenshire.

Collapsing property prices is another tell-tale sign that all is not well in the city. House prices have been falling for the past 18 months in contrast to the rest of Scotland. Hometrack says property prices have fallen more than 4 per cent over the past year.

Faisal Choudhry, director of Scottish residential research at property firm Savills, says that following seven years of phenomenal growth in the city, houses prices are reversing.

The average house price is around 186,000 in the city but there are plenty of 1million-plus pads in the area.

But news of a rise in food bank use in Aberdeen reveals it is not just belt tightening by the rich.

C harity Instant Neighbour has appealed for help for its food distribution centre and has 100 people on its waiting list for food parcels.

Aberdeen councillor Graham Dickson says: Poverty has always been an issue here but before it was masked by others prosperity. The difference between rich and poor has always been stark.

He says the city is pulling together to deal with the crisis. He explains: There is a real determination to ensure the areas future prosperity.

Crisis: Just four years ago the Government reaped tax revenues from the North Sea oil industry of 11.3bn but this has collapsed to 2.2bn last year and will be zero this year

Aberdeen needs to continue to diversify. We have renewable industry, the food and drink manufacturing industry and tourism. There is lots of opportunity. But we need to be smart at how we deal with the current situation.

But now with new investment promised, and a recent increase in oil prices, there is hope.

Aberdeens history proves it can adapt. It has been a trading port for hundreds of years and the shipbuilding and fishing industry secured its prosperity.

By the time the shipbuilding industry was waning, the discovery of black gold became its saviour. The first major discovery in the British North Sea was in 1970, and by 1975 oil was being piped.

Executives in the oil industry do not believe it will return to the way it was.

Chris Wheaton, oil and gas expert and fund manager at Allianz Global Investors, said: The North sea must become more streamlined, cheaper and more efficient. If it can change, the industry is not dead.

If it does not change, it will struggle to survive. Employment and wages are going down and they will have to stay down. We are not all the way through the process. The industry must make sure costs are kept down.

Sir Ian Wood, an oil industry veteran and former chief executive of the Wood Group, who has advised the UK Government on the industry, welcomed the support announced in the Budget, but warned: The oil and gas industry will recover. But not to anywhere near the strength of before.
Other petitions were started by students from Kolkata, Chennai and other cities including Thrissur.

New Delhi: Social media is abuzz with complaints against the tough maths paper for Class 12 and as many as 240 petitions have been posted on Change.org platform, getting support from 25,000 people.

Within 24 hours of the Mathematics exam, which reportedly left many students in tears, students and parents from across the country have started the online campaign for leniency in evaluation.

Hundreds of anxious Class 12 students and their parents have started petitions on Change.org appealing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to show leniency in evaluating the Mathematics paper that concluded on Tuesday said the petition platform.

The biggest petition, with 12,500 signatures, was started by a student from Guwahati. Other petitions were started by students from Kolkata, Chennai and other cities including Thrissur.

CBSE has broken the dreams of several students by setting a paper which was meant for IIT aspirants. This year CBSE Maths Paper was tough as well as long and has made several students cry. CBSE should come out with a statement immediately to take care of their mental agony which will help them to concentrate on their next exam, said the Guwahati petition starter.

Demand for grace marks in maths paper

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has written to HRD Minister Smriti Irani to order a probe into reported leak of mathematics paper of Class XII Boards.

There are media reports that mathematics paper of CBSE Class XII was leaked. Such reports are increasing doubts in students' minds. I request you to order a probe pertaining to reports of paper leak, he said in the letter.

Even Union minister Venkaiah Naidu had said the matter deserves inquiry and he will convey it to the HRD minister.

Mr Sisodia also req-uested to Irani to allow awarding of grace marks in this subject. You should also take an immediate decision to provide grace marks in mathematics paper so that students could recover from hopelessness, Sisodia said.
Counsel said that perception plays a big role at various levels of decision making

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday indicated that it will examine the manner in which it can prevent circulation of Sardarji jokes on the websites.

A Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Uday Lalit told counsel Satinder Singh Gulati that when you represent Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and say that a community is being bullied by such jokes, the court will certainly examine it.

The CJI told the counsel we have asked counsel in two other petitions to indicate the areas which we can address in our order. We will certainly stop commercial exploitation. The Bench directed that all the petitions be listed for further hearing on April 5.

Counsel said that perception plays a big role at various levels of decision making, be it at the level of executive, in the bureaucracy and even in the judiciary.

If this circulation of Sardar jokes be allowed to continue, depicting Sikhs as naive, inept, etc. then, since it creates a stereotype image of Sikhs, it is also leading to undermine the contributions made by Sikhs for the independence of India.

He said there are many instances when Sardars face ridicule even in foreign countries about their lack of knowledge in English.

In its petition the SGPC said in the past it has filed complaints against such jokes, which are demeaning the Sikhs and portraying them as funny and idiot characters. Sikhs have been complaining against such jokes, which humiliates the Sikh community at large.

SC questions Centre on surrogacy

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Centre on the logic in bringing a law to ban overseas citizens India (OCIs) from commissioning surrogate mothers in India to beget children for them.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and N.V. Ramana asked senior counsel K. Radhakrishnan under what authority of law you are banning surrogacy for OCIs when even the draft Bill does not contemplate it.

Though the Bench wanted to stay the Centres notification dated November 3, 2015, it did not do so when counsel requested the court not to pass such a drastic order.

Counsel said it was the policy of the government that only infertile Indian parents would be allowed to commission surrogacy.
Patiala Mayor Amarinder Singh Bajaj operates JCB machines pressed into service by youth activists of Shiromani Akali Dal for filling Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal near Banu Chandigarh road (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court cannot remain a spectator when the Punjab government passes a law to make a judgment of this court unexecutable.

Making this strong observation a five-judge Bench Constitution Bench ordered status quo on the law passed by Punjab on March 14 for return of lands acquired from farmers for the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Meanwhile, the standoff over the SYL canal escalated further as the dispute threatened to embroil Delhi whose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opposed construction of the canal.

Mr Kejriwal was the target of sharp attacks by two senior ministers of Haryana, O.P. Dhankar (Agriculture) and Capt Abhimanyu (Finance). Mr Dhankar, in a letter to Kejriwal, asked him to get his own canal constructed for carrying Delhis share of water with your efforts.

Haryana gets Delhis 0.2 MAF share through the Bhakra Main Line from Punjab which then reaches Delhi through Narwana Branch and Western Yamuna canal Dhankar said that besides Haryana also transfers 330 cusec of Yamuna water through the Western Yamuna canal to Delhi. Haryana is not able to lift its share of 498 cusec of water, he told Kejriwal.

Mr Dhankar said that, Seeing your stand, Haryana will not be able to deliver your share of water to Delhi since you have stood against the interests of farmers and people of Haryana.

For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala Headworks (Yamunanagar) so that Delhis share of water reaches the national capital due to your efforts, Dhankar said.
Hyderabad: The TS government is contemplating providing judicial powers to the Wakf Board and ban registration of Wakf properties by amending the Registration and Transfer of Properties Act, besides taking other steps to protect the properties and check encroachments.

Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali gave this assurance in the Legislative Council on Thursday when Congress and other members expressed anguish over misuse of Wakf properties in TS.

We will provide judicial powers to the Wakf Board. We are working out the modalities. We will protect every Wakf property. Rents from Wakf properties are quite low and there is also shortage of staff, he said.

Intervening, finance minister Etela Rajender said that not an inch of Wakf land has been encroached since the TRS came to power. He accused the previous Congress government of neglecting Wakf properties.

Mr Rajender also made some comments that prompted a walkout by Congress members. Mr Rajender later withdrew his comments. Mr Mahmood Ali said orders have been issued constituting District Wakf Protection and Coordination Committees. He placed copies of 1997-1999 House committee report on Wakf properties and the ATR.

Of the 84 recommendations made by the House committee, the government and Wakf Board implemented 39 recommendations in full, 10 recommendations in part and 35 are pending implementation and under examination, he said. There are 33,929 Wakf institutions having 77,538.07 acres in TS. All institutions in the 10 districts of the state are notified in the gazette.
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By Madina Toure

(clarifying the history of the roundtable structure)

The highly anticipated New York Community Aviation Roundtable meeting was marked by tension last week as people spent nearly three hours debating everything from the roundtables structure to individuals directly affected by airplane noise.

The March 10 meeting at Borough Hall at 120-55 Queens Blvd. had about 40 attendees.

In March 2014, Gov. Andrew Cuomo put out a press release calling on the Port Authority, the state agency that manages the John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, to start aviation community roundtables with Federal Aviation Administration officials and community representatives for the two airports.

The governor always intended one roundtable, two committees, one for each airport. One roundtable, said state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who snapped at Barbara Brown of the Eastern Queens Alliance when she contended the Cuomos intention was for two roundtable to be created.

As the discussion continued, there was strong disagreement over whether the governor had called for one or two roundtables to tackle the issue of plane noise over Queens.

In November 2013, Cuomo vetoed a state Senate bill that would have forced the PA to conduct a single study on airplane noise levels in New York and New Jersey. He instead asked that a study be completed for JFK and LaGuardia and that a community roundtable be established.

But state Assemblywoman Michele Titus (D-Far Rockaway) clashed with Avella over whether the governor intended to call for the creation of one or two roundtables.

Avella introduced legislation in 2012 calling for the Port Authority to do a noise compatibility study to map out high noise areas near the airport, but there was no mention of a roundtable. Titus picked up the bill for the state Assembly in May 2013.

As the sponsor of the legislation, that was not my legislative intent at all (one roundtable) and our conversations with the governor at all, Titus said.

Avella introduced a motion at the meeting requesting that everyone honor the one roundtable-two committee structure recommended by the Port Authority, but withdrew the motion once everyone decided to recognize it.

Another part of the draft bylaws discussed at the meeting was a provision that Queens members of the roundtable must live or work within an area affected by average airplane noise near JFK or LGA. One citizen member per airport committee will be selected.

The level of airport noise, called DNL, represents the average sound level over a 24-hour period.

State Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) said the noise requirements for the airport roundtable member excluded people in his district.

But Patrick Evans, a representative from the office of U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica), said the people at the lowest ends of the economic stratum, which he said includes blacks, Hispanics, Asians and some Caucasiansdo not have the luxury of attending the roundtable meetings because they are trying to make a living.

These people, who make up the communities that surround LGA and JFK, experience even greater DNL levels than the average, he continued.

I remember going to northern Queens, Bayside and I was trying to work with Bayside on these airport issues and some eloquent assemblyman from up in Bayside told me, This is a LaGuardia issue. This is not about JFK, Evans said.

Braunstein said he was sick to his stomach about the idea of a racial factor.

I want to see airplane noise alleviated in your neighborhood, in everybodys neighborhood, the assemblyman said.

The meeting was held as the House of Representatives passed a short-term FAA bill Monday night without provisions to combat airplane noise, according to U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing).
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By Bill Parry

The city has awarded the Citywide Ferry Service contract to San Francisco-based Hornblower Inc. as its operator when the system is scheduled to launch next year bringing ferries to Astoria, Rockaway and South Brooklyn.

The selection ends a year-long competitive procurement by the citys Economic Development Corporation and officials say Hornblower was selected over other New York and New Jersey based companies on the basis of its ability to provide the highest quality service at the best value to taxpayers.

New York Water Taxi, an affiliate of the Durst Organization, which has plied the waters of New York Harbor for the last 15 years, warned its workers last week that it would go out of business by the end of the year if its bid for the contract was denied. In a letter, the company said it could no longer compete for tourists against the Citywide Ferry Service and the free Staten Island Ferry.

The city is creating a government-subsidized monopoly that will force us out of business, stifle competition and have tremendous leverage against the city in future negotiations, New York Water Taxi Executive Vice President Peter Ebright said shortly after Hornblower was awarded the contract Wednesday. Unfortunately, there is a lack of understanding of how we operate and the ferry business in New York Harbor. Todays decision and comments demonstrate this.

New York Water Taxi has been running routes between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

City officials point outed that Hornblower has operated in New York Harbor for a decade conducting tours and carries 13 million passengers every year, more than any other private ferry service on the citys waterways. Hornblower currently employs more than 450 people in New York Harbor and the Citywide Ferry Service will generate at least 155 new jobs.

Hornblower is honored to take the helm of Mayor de Blasios vision for a more integrated transportation network that will make commuting and connecting easier, Hornblower CEO Terry MacCrae said. We have already begun work to deliver a ferry system by the summer of 2017 which will revolutionize the way New Yorkers work, live and play, and we are confident this new system will become a local favorite for decades to come.

As part of the service, Hornblower will be delivering at least 18 new boats, which will be equipped with WiFi and engines that meet the highest EPA standards. All docks and boats will be accessible to people in wheelchairs and fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) was a skeptic of the citys selection process, but he called the decision a critical point in the process to bring back a vital service that many Rockaway residents are counting on.

While I could criticize the decision to go with an out-of-state service provider who has minimal experience in navigating large numbers of individuals in our city waters, I must also work towards a reliable ferry service that is desperately needed by my constituents, Addabbo, Jr. said. I intend to keep a watchful eye over the company and the process to resurrect the ferry to ensure my constituents get what they rightfully deserve. As I have stated before, the Rockaway Ferry can only be as successful as its chosen operator allows it to be. The future of transportation in the Rockaways now lies in the hands of the mayors administration and its selected operator Hornblower, and we must make sure they run this service adequately.

The first citywide ferry system in more than a century will be priced at the cost of a single MetroCard swipe, $ 2.75, which is less than current riders of the East River Ferry have been paying. The nearly 4,000 daily riders of the East River Ferry, which will be integrated into the Citywide Ferry Service, pay a one-way fare for $4 during the week and $6 on weekends.

For the price of a single subway ride, tens of thousands of New Yorkers are going to have a new public transit option linking them to jobs, education and opportunities across the city, de Blasio said. Its going to be a commute like no other: fresh air, harbor views and a fast ride on the open water.
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By Patrick Donachie

The Stressful Adventures of Boxhead & Roundhead has already screened more than three dozen times in numerous countries, according to director Elliot Cowan. Past screenings of the animated film have taken place in spots ranging from Arkansas to Armenia. It will be shown Friday as a part of the Queens World Film Festival, and the night will have a special significance for Cowan.

This is the first time its playing in the borough in which it was made, he said.

Cowan, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, has lived in Queens since 2007. He created and animated The Stressful Adventures of Boxhead & Roundhead at his desk in his Bayside home over a period of five years while juggling several simultaneous appointments as a university professor. His film follows the two title characters as they face a series of harrowing and exhilarating experiences during a trip to a big city. Cowan said he conceived of the idea of the film as a response to overtly sentimental childrens picture books, and he made the film on the cheap. He hoped the movies manageable price tag might encourage more independent Queens filmmakers.

We made it for $80,000 and theres no reason why we couldnt make something else around here, he said. Not every movie needs to be a $350 million Pixar epic, nor should it be.

The Queens World Film Festival began six years ago; this years festival runs March 15-20 and includes 143 films from 23 nations. Katha Cato, the events executive director, recalled how quickly the festival grew from its modest beginnings in Jackson Heights to venues in Astoria, Sunnyside and Long Island City. Cato said that she would like to eventually grow the festival even further.

We would love to grow the footprint, she said. The dream is to do a week in western Queens and a week in eastern Queens.

Despite the ambition, she noted that the Queens World Film Festival would require a larger sponsor if they wanted to expand the festival throughout the borough. Instead, she encouraged Bayside organizations to consider partnering with the festival by requesting film screenings for pre-organized occasions.

If you have Womens Day, or something thematic, we can look for something that enhances the event thats already going on, she said. Lets do something great to make it beautiful.

Cato also encouraged residents in eastern Queens who were excited about the festival to support this years presentations. Cowan doesnt always get to attend screenings of his film because of his busy work schedule, but he will be in attendance on Friday night. He said that New York Citys impact on his creative work was difficult to pinpoint, but undeniable.

I would definitely say that the energy of living in Queens had some impact on it, he said. Theres certainly a buzz in the air.
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By Bill Parry

Two state senators, who have both criticized the homeless shelter for families at the former Pan American hotel in Elmhurst, had vastly different reactions to the program Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday to improve safety at the citys shelters.

The NYPD will immediately begin retraining all Department of Homeless Services security staff and send an NYPD management team to DHS to develop an action plan to upgrade security at all shelter facilities, restore a domestic violence program for family shelters, and create an extensive reporting system for incidents that occur in shelters.

The reforms are a response to data on violence in shelters developed as part of the 90-day review of homeless services ordered by the mayor, officials said. While state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing) applauded the new safety measures, state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) eviscerated the move.

I am very happy with Mayor de Blasios plan to improve safety in our citys homeless shelters, Stavisky said. Since the Pan American shelter opened, I have encouraged more communication between the NYPD, the Elmhurst community and shelter staff memberssomething I feel is vital in maintaining a stable and safe facility for families. I am especially happy the domestic violence program in DHS shelters is being brought back.

In the last year or so, the 110th Precinct reported sending officers to address domestic disputes at the Pan American seven times a month, on average. That is unacceptable and makes for a stressful environment for the hundreds of children residing there. If these families are to overcome the tremendous obstacle that is homelessness, we must provide a safe space for them to do so.

Avella, who led several rallies at the Pan American hotel opposing a permanent contract for the shelter, which was finally approved on a fourth attempt in last month, offered a scathing rebuke of the mayors plan.

Ask the experts and advocacy groups about their thoughts on de Blasios action combating homelessness and theyll tell you the same: Too little, too late, Avella said. Its the hallmark of reactionary politics. Not doing anything until conditions spiral out of control and public outcry forces your hand. The playbook is predictable: superficial actions, postured press releases and a policy more concerned with downplaying the state of affairs than uplifting them.

The mayors reforms were announced a day after a blistering report from NY1 based on documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Law that detailed violent and critical incidents that were reported in all city shelters in 2015. The statistics showed 416 reports of domestic abuse in addition to 153 assaults that resulted in arrest and 90 reported sexual assaults, rapes or attempted rapes.

As a result thousands of homeless chose life on the streets because of the violent reputations of the shelters, according to Avella.

Having the NYPD train DHS security doesnt help eliminate that perception, he said. It is a half measure when whats desperately needed is a doubling down on shelter security.

Avella offered a suggestion in light of the recent decision by the NYPD and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. that gives officers discretion on petty crimes arrests.

If the city is no longer policing petty crimes with arrests, forego DHS security and redirect NYPD to a new shelter beat, he said.

The de Blasio administration said the NYPD review will bring an expert perspective on how best to upgrade a security system and provide the safest conditions for shelter residents, staff and security officers.

This administration has increased spending for security by 35 percent since taking office, which has led to increased security staff and tools, including X-ray machines, magnetometers at our shelters, spokeswoman Ishanee Parikh said. No one is disputing that more needs to be done, and the NYPD is the best choice to assess our security at all shelters and make plans to enhance them.
Airport development adding to economy, jobs in the region

Pittsburgh may always be known as the Steel City, but a wave of new industries are popping up near its airport to redefine business in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with AIUMB Founder President, Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhowchhwi at the opening ceremony of World Sufi Forum at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: At a time when there is growing debate over intolerance in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an unequivocal message at the World Sufi Forum said that diversity should not be a cause for discord.

Richly quoting Islamic Sufi poets, Mr Modi said that terrorism challenges struggle for humanism and is anti-religion.

Read: Religion should be delinked from terror, says PM Narendra Modi

The Prime Minister, while quoting a Sufi poet, said We must love all His creations and only doing so one can love his God. Different strings of Sitar produce different notes, but together gives a melody; all those who live in the country are an integral part of India, Mr Modi said. He added diversity is a basic reality of nature and it should not be a cause of discord.

Read: Need for collective fight against terror: Narendra Modi

Stating that terrorists distort a religion, Mr Modi said that they kill and destroy more in their own land and people than they do elsewhere while making the entire world insecure and violent.

Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. And, they are putting entire regions to peril and making the world more insecure and violent, he said.

Noting that terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion, the Prime Minister said it is a battle that must be won through the strength of values and real message of religions. The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. It is a struggle between the values of humanism and the forces of inhumanity. It is not a conflict to be fought only through military, intelligence or diplomatic means. It is also a battle that must be won through the strength of our values and the real message of religions, said the Prime Minister.

Read: India, UAE resolve to expand cooperation to fight terror

Asserting that there are terror groups that are instruments of states policy and design, Mr Modi said terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes that can not be justified.

He was speaking at an inaugural session of the first World Sufi Forum at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital.

Read: Narendra Modi enjoys qawwali music after addressing World Sufi forum

The Prime Minister made a veiled attack on countries who support terrorism as their state policies. There are forces and groups that are instruments of state policy and design. There are others recruited to the cause in misguided belief. There are some who are trained in organised camps. There are those who find their inspiration in the borderless world of cyber space. Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified, he said.
JMG photo Lots of fried chicken

Nothing like a recliner-based layup to put you back in touch with the televised world.

Thank the Lord campaign ads haven't overrun everything. Yet.

Some of the super freak-out ads are for Scientology, the faith vs. science based organization that during the Super Bowl encouraged potential customers to ask themselves, "who am I?"

With, according to solid sources, only 50,000 members worldwide and more than $1 billion in the bank, Scientology executives are quite interested to know who you are. How much money you may have. How easily influenced you can be when it comes to someone "reading" your brain with a machine and telling you what you should be thinking.

Surely its something better than an online super shopping opportunity ad that blows brains out in a purple cloud.

Not that advertising at large is much different. As America fights childhood obesity, Pillsbury is pushing more frosting on its toaster strudels. Lots more. Video of a boy who reaches smeary ecstasy while biting the gooey, 9 grams fat, 9 grams sugar (without the extra frosting) and 25 gram carb plank looks a lot like food porn.

On the opposite side of the problem is the ad kid who won't eat a balanced meal and gives his mother a wicked I'm-in-charge-at-this-table-and-you-aren't-so-get-me-a-pizza grin. Ad mom turns to liquid supplements instead of the answer many of our mothers used in similar situations.

"You don't have to eat this if you don't want to, but there won't be anything else until the next meal or snack."

Surprising how hunger can change a kid's point of view. My brothers even learned to like eggplant.

Programming offers little to enjoy. People killing people but taking intermittent breaks for sex. Dead people eating live people. Live people re-killing dead people. The Trashy Wives of Wherever the Heck They Live. Bed-bound, 600-pound people who's moms keep bringing them fried chicken and huge bowls of pasta.

What ever happened to good, classic movies on regular cable? Would settle for Captain Kangaroo.

One program was interesting enough to spend 30 minutes watching "The Internet Ruined My Life."

Suey Park champions the cause of Asian-American minority rights and tweeted something sarcastic about Colbert Report sarcasm. The Twitter world triggered an Internet attack on Park.

Thousands of clicks, stalking, doxxing (Internet hacking and publication of personal, private information including Park's bank accounts) and death threats followed.

An Australian entertainer is identified as a terrorist when, about to vacation to the U.S., he tweeted about destroying (Aussie slang for partying) America. Three days in a California jail and deported.

The life of a young chef's child was threatened because he defended the work of another chef on Facebook. His online attempt to defend his family led to job loss.

The Internet has taken lots of gas out of broadcast TV, networks have to come up with some pretty weird stuff to get viewers to watch even weirder commercials. What online has offered in return, however really can be mind blowing.

Good thing I had a copy of Pat Conroy's "The Water is Wide" to reread.

Judith McGinnis, whose column appears here on Thursdays, may be reached at mcginnisj@timesrecordnews.com or 940-763-7534.
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I have a friend who defines the term strength and is a perfect illustration of someone committed to the vows of marriage. The part I am referring to is, "in sickness and health." She, like many other spouses and loved ones, has willingly and lovingly accepted the added responsibility in a committed relationship of serving as caregiver.

There are over 6 million stroke survivors in the United States. Her husband is one. The effects of a stroke on the individual can vary from the mild loss of function to all consuming loss of everything they once loved.

I don't know all of the disabling factors related to my friend's husband's stroke, but I know that the responsibility now falls on her to take care of him, the children, the home, the finances, and the animals. Sometimes, I think she would characterize her kids as animals (in a loving way), but I am referring to the four legged comforting kind.

She works a full-time job where she is responsible for a staff and population that demand a great deal of energy, both emotional and physical. She then goes home and gives whatever energy she has left to her family. She does so with love. She does so with grace. To me she is a superwoman. I think my Momma would be glad that I have found a friend in her.

It takes a special kind of person to do each of the things she does. It baffles my mind how she does them all and still manages to smile and lift people up in the process. For the caregiver of a stroke victim, there are many factors which could lend themselves to giving up or accepting defeat. That doesn't seem to faze my friend. Once I asked her how she does all that she does. She looked at me and smiled and said, "You just do it."

She has taught me a lot about what it means to love someone unconditionally, especially in the face of adversity. As many as 75% of caregivers cite loss of time and freedom. For most, personal plans either have to be changed drastically or canceled.

For 43 percent, there is a reported sense of confinement in the home. The stoke victim more often than not has limited mobility, and she, as caregiver, wants him to not feel alone or abandoned when she isn't at work. This can be challenging when the loved one is confined to a chair, couch, or bed. They genuinely miss you when you aren't there and want you by their side.

Becoming the sole bread winner in the home is another stressor stroke survivors' spouses often deal with. Money is already one of the leading causes of strife in marriages where both partners hare healthy. Imagine the added pressure when all responsibility, not just money, falls on you.

I am writing this article to bring attention to a need in this community for support for caregivers for stroke survivors specifically, and anyone else who is responsible for a loved one with limited physical capabilities. I am no longer working full time at Helen Farabee Centers, and one of my first new projects in the community is going to be forming a support group to meet this need.

If you are interested in participating, have other questions, or a topic you would like me to address in this weekly column, email me at kevinthompsonlpc@gmail.com Together we can make it through anything. Be well, my friends.
Family members of Tucker Hipps, a Clemson University student who died in 2014 after an early-morning run with members of his fraternity, celebrated the South Carolina House of Representatives passing the "Tucker Hipps Transparency Act. The bill would require colleges to post violations committed by fraternity and sorority members so potential pledges would know the history. From the left, Tucker's aunt, Julia Vasquez, of Wichita Falls; Gary Hipps, Tucker's father; Janice White, family friend; Jeanne Tucker, Tucker's grandmother; Cindy Hipps, Tucker's mother; and Rachael Vasquez, Julia's daughter and Tucker's cousin.

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By Deanna Watson of the Times Record News

A Wichita Falls attorney hopes a bill that passed the South Carolina House of Representatives Wednesday will find its way into law in every state in the county.

The legislation will not bring back her nephew, Tucker Hipps, who died in 2014 after an early-morning run with members of his fraternity, but could shed light on the violations fraternities and sororities often keep under wraps.

"This is an important step in getting the bill passed," said attorney Julia Vasquez, adding that "The Tucker Hipps Transparency Act" now goes to the South Carolina Senate. "It's too late for Tucker, but his family hopes that this bill, requiring state-funded institutions of higher education to make complaints against campus organizations publicly available, will help parents and students make more informed decisions."

Tucker, Vasquez's only nephew, her brother's only child, died Sept. 22, 2014, while on a run with other members of his Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Tucker, just starting his first year at Clemson University, fell over the bridge railing into Lake Hartwell.

How Tucker exactly ended up in Lake Hartwell isn't known, but his parents, Gary and Cindy Hipps, believe the university, the fraternity and three fraternity brothers should be held financially responsible. His parents filed a lawsuit, the Associated Press reported Wednesday, that names Clemson University, the national and local chapters of Sigma Phi Epsilon and three fraternity brothers who are believed to have organized a run on which Tucker died.

The Hipps are seeking at least $25 million in the personal injury lawsuit, set for trial in 2017.

Tucker, 19, wasn't reported missing for about seven hours after the rest of the fraternity members returned from the run.

The proposed legislation could spare other families the grief felt by the Hipps extended family.

"This is about giving parents the opportunity to make informed choices about the organizations that their students become involved in and making it clear that organizations are held responsible - publicly - for their, for the way they operate," Gary Hipps told the Greenville, S.C., NBC affiliate WYFF.

Despite naming a beloved university in the lawsuit, Vasquez, an attorney for the city of Wichita Falls, said the Hipps family still loves Clemson.

"We're a Clemson family," Vasquez told the Times Record News in 2015. "There's even a tiger paw, a Clemson tiger on his (Tucker's) grave stone.

"I do not hate Clemson, but I feel the administration didn't do what they're supposed to."

Gary and Cindy Hipps have taken the loss of their only child on as a mission for truth and transparency.

"When someone loses their only child, I can't fathom what that's like. I grieve for them," she said of Tucker's parents.

Vasquez wanted to give additional thanks to Rep. Joshua Putnam, R-Anderson, "for sponsoring and pushing and fighting for this."

RELATED: Read the Tucker Hipps Transparency Act Statement below.

Tucker Hipps Transparency Act Statement
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San Francisco

The Apple-FBI fight may just be the opening salvo in a broader war over encryption, as technology companies continue to lock up their users' messages, photos and other data to shield them from thieves and spies  and, incidentally, criminal investigators.

WhatsApp, the globally popular messaging system owned by Facebook, has already run into trouble on this front in Brazil. WhatsApp encrypts all user messages in "end to end" fashion, meaning that no one but the sender and recipient can read them. Brazilian authorities arrested a Facebook executive earlier this month after the company said it couldn't unscramble encrypted messages sought by police.

U.S. officials are debating how to enforce a similar wiretap order for WhatsApp communications in a U.S. criminal case, The New York Times reported WhatsApp started as a way to exchange written messages over the Internet, but it has added services like photo-sharing and voice calling, while gradually building encryption into all those formats.

Spokesmen for WhatsApp and the Justice Department declined comment on the Times report, which said the wiretap order had been sealed to keep details secret. The Brazilian case is still pending, although the Facebook executive was released from jail after a day.

For now, U.S. authorities and the tech industry are watching for the outcome of Apple's legal battle against the FBI, which wants to force the company to help unlock an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. But as more companies explore adding encryption, further confrontations are likely.

"I think we can say, without a doubt, there's going to be more pressure on app-makers now," said Nate Cardozo, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Cardozo said he's aware of other recent cases in which U.S. authorities have approached individual companies that use encryption and warned them that criminals or terrorists are using their services. Cardozo declined to name the companies, but said authorities have urged those companies to "try harder"  by redesigning their apps or providing other technical solutions that would let agents read the encrypted messages.

Tech companies say they don't want to interfere with legitimate criminal investigations or national security matters. Instead, they argue they're concerned about criminal hacking, privacy invasion and violations of civil rights.

"It's the government's job to protect public safety," said Denelle Dixon-Thayer, chief legal and business officer at Mozilla, which makes the Firefox Web browser. "Our job in the tech sector is to support that goal by providing the best data security."

While law enforcement authorities have chafed at tech companies' use of encryption, national security officials have warned against weakening encryption. "We're foursquare behind strong data security and encryption," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a tech audience this month. He drew applause when he added, "I'm not a believer in back doors or a single technical approach to what is a complex problem."

Tech-industry encryption efforts expanded following 2013 disclosures by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that showed extensive government collection of Internet users' data. The resulting controversy helped spur companies like Apple, Google, Facebook and Yahoo to step up their security efforts, although the companies say they already had those plans in the works.

"There was a fundamental shift in relationships after the Snowden revelations," said Ed McAndrew, a former federal prosecutor now practicing law in Philadelphia, who said he has worked extensively with those companies on cybercrime investigations over the last decade.

The companies felt "burned," he said, "so they decided to improve the privacy of their products."

WhatsApp, which boasts a billion users around the globe, first added encryption for its Android smartphone app in 2014. It's been gradually incorporating similar protections into other services, including messages sent on iPhones and even some voice calls.

Founder Jan Koum traces his concerns about data-security to his parents' fear of government agents listening to phone calls in their native Ukraine.

While Apple uses similar end-to-end encryption for its iMessage service, some other leading messaging and email services do not.

Google uses encryption extensively to foil outsiders who might try to read users' data, but in many cases the company can access the data itself  and will turn it over to authorities when presented with legal orders.

Some newer messaging services, including Signal and Wickr, use end-to-end encryption. So does Telegram, which recently announced it has 100 million users around the world.

The year-old messaging app Wire said this month that it's adding similar protection for video communications.

More companies may follow suit as a result of the high-profile iPhone dispute, said Mozilla's Dixon-Thayer. The controversy has raised public awareness of encryption, she said. "We might see even more demand from users."
Beirut

Syrian Kurds are preparing a plan to declare a federal region in the area they control across northern Syria, saying Wednesday it is a model for a more decentralized government in which all ethnic groups would be represented.

Although the idea might seem like a way forward after five years of civil war, it faces big obstacles: It was promptly dismissed by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the rebels who oppose him, both fearing it would lead to a partition of the country.

Turkey also opposes it, wary of the growing Kurdish influence in the border region of northern Syria and its effect on its own Kurdish minority.

But Ahmad Araj, a Kurdish official in northern Syria, insisted that a federal system containing such a region, which would effectively combine three Kurdish-led autonomous areas, is in fact meant to preserve national unity and prevent Syria from breaking up along sectarian lines.

"After all the blood that has been spilled, Syrians will not accept anything less than decentralization," Araj said.

By making the announcement as U.N.-sponsored peace negotiations take place in Geneva, Syria's main Kurdish faction was trying to become a major player in whatever central government emerges from the war. The faction has been excluded from the talks.

The idea of a federal region appears to have gained some traction lately as world and regional powers grapple with ways to end the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week said such a federal system is one possible option if the Syrian people agree to it. The U.S. also has been an ardent supporter of the Kurds in the region, helping them in navigating the delicate rivalries in Iraq after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that the U.S. opposes declarations of autonomous federal zones prior to a negotiated political resolution in Syria.

"We're focused on advancing a negotiated political transition toward an inclusive government that is capable of serving the interests of all the Syrian people," Toner said. "We've also been very clear that we're committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria."

However, if a resolution is reached by the Syrian people and their representative, and if it includes a federal system that allows for limited or semi-autonomy for different regions, Toner said Washington would not oppose it.

The Kurdish declaration is expected to be made at the end of a conference that began Wednesday in the town of Rmeilan, in Syria's northern Hassakeh province, and may last several days.

The plan could make sense in a country that has a multitude of sectarian and ethnic minorities for whom it would be difficult to share a unifying national sentiment.

The government, dominated by Assad's Alawite sect of Shiite Islam, controls Damascus, the Alawite heartland along the Mediterranean coast, and other cities and connecting corridors in between. The Kurds run their own affairs in the northeast.

The militants of the Islamic State group control much of the Sunni heartland in the east. Other Sunni rebels control pockets in the north and south. The Druze remain loyal but are starting to talk about autonomy in their southern areas as well.
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Washington

After yet another round of convincing victories for Donald Trump, Republican leaders spent Wednesday wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about the businessman's likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination. An emboldened Trump warned that if the party tried to block him, "You'd have riots."

With at least three more states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July. But he still must do better in upcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a sliver of hope he can still be stopped.

"I still think it's a very realistic chance that nobody's going to have a majority of the delegates," said Henry Barbour, a senior Republican National Committee member who worked on Marco Rubio's delegate strategy until the Florida senator exited the race Tuesday.

Barbour said Trump "doesn't deserve to be president," but also said he could ultimately support the billionaire if he "can convince me that he's presidential material."

Trump cautioned that his supporters would revolt if he falls just short in the delegate count and loses in a rules fight.

"If you just disenfranchise these people, I think you would have problems like you've never seen before," Trump said on CNN's "New Day."

Despite the deep concerns about Trump within the Republican Party, there was little tangible action Wednesday that indicated a way to stop the real estate mogul's march toward the general election.

There was no rush among party leaders or donors to coalesce around Ted Cruz, the only candidate in the race with even a long-shot chance of overtaking Trump in the delegate count. A small group of conservatives moved forward with plans to meet Thursday to discuss the prospect of rallying behind a third-party option, but no candidate had been identified to lead that effort.

The three best-financed efforts to stop Trump abruptly ceased advertising after Tuesday's elections. The outside groups American Future Fund, Our Principles and Club for Growth have no Trump attack ads planned for Arizona  a crucial winner-take-all contest in six days  or in any states beyond.

Former House Speaker John Boehner floated his successor, Paul Ryan, as the nominee in the event of a convention fight. But Ryan quickly took himself out of the mix, saying through a spokeswoman that he would "not accept a nomination and believes our nominee should be someone who ran this year."

Meanwhile, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton set her sights on a November showdown with Trump. Her sweep of Tuesday's five primary contests  including a slim lead in yet-to-be-called Missouri  was a harsh blow to rival Bernie Sanders, giving Clinton what her campaign manager described as an "insurmountable lead" in the delegate count.

"We are confident that for the first time in our nation's history, the Democratic Party will nominate a woman as their presidential nominee," Robby Mook wrote in a memo to supporters.

Clinton has at least 1,599 delegates to Sanders' 844. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.

Trump urged Republicans to view the party's nominating contest with the same sense of clarity.
Hyderabad: In a strong protest against the chair disallowing YSR Congress legislators to register their protest and stage a walkout from the assembly, they sat down in the podium of the house on Wednesday for some time.

Trouble started during question hour. YSRC members asked the Speaker on two occasions to allow them stage a walkout. The Speaker appeared to have ignored their plea and moved to the next questions. YSRC members then rushed to the podium and raised slogans.

At that time, the Speaker adjourned the house for 10 minutes. After the house reassembled, house panel speaker Prabhakar Chowdary conducted the proceedings for some time.

When Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad came back to the chair, YSRC members again rushed to the podium and sat down in a protest. The Speaker asked them what the protest was about.

Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said, If the Opposition is not satisfied with the answer given by a minister, it has the right to register a protest or stage a walkout. But, here, for that also, the Opposition is not being given permission. So, to bring a change in your attitude, our members sat down in the podium. Unless you (Speaker) give an assurance that you will allow us to register protests, if not today then from tomorrow, our members will not resume their seats.

Reacting to this, the Speaker said, Every time you (Jagan) are asking me permission only after I go to the next question. At the end of every answer, I looked up to you, but you did not raise your hand seeking any permission. So, I moved to the next question.

Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy said the Speaker was looking always to the treasury benches and not looking to the Opposition benches.

Then the Speaker said if the Opposition leader sought his permission before he moved to the next question, there should be no problem. He would respond. Jagan then advised his members to resume their seats.

Jagan to show CM Naidus poll videos

The Leader of Opposition and YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday asked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu whether he would resign from the CMs post if he proved him going back on his poll promise.

Mr Reddy was replying to charges made by government whip K. Ravikumar, who accused the YSRC chief of misleading people on crop waiver loans.

Participating in the Budget discussion in AP Assembly on Wednesday, Mr Ravikumar said the TD had promised to waive crop loans if it comes to power, but the Opposition leader was misleading people that the TD had promised to waive all agriculture loans.

Sharply reacting to this charge, Mr Jagan said that Mr Naidu had promised unconditional waiver of all farm loans including gold loans.

I have video cassettes of Naidus speeches. If you want I will play them. Naidu, in every meeting during the elections, promised that he will waive all agriculture loans once he comes to power. I had said that it would require `80,612 crore loan waiver, which is not possible.
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The jungle comes alive again on Tuesday night as "The Lion King" puts down roots for a monthlong run at Proctors. It's the touching story of an orphaned cub named Simba and his struggle to take on his father's mantle. The theatrical adaptation of the 1994 Disney animated film takes place in a magical world of puppets that was conceived and created by Julie Taymor. The show opened almost 20 years ago on Broadway, where it continues to run.

It requires 18 trucks to transport all of the puppets, costumes and sets that make up this jungle. According to puppet supervisor Michael Reilly, there are a total of 230 puppets, everything from a mouse to an elephant. It's a menagerie that requires constant tending.

"I have two assistants and we're the first people in the theater every morning," says Reilly. "We go over the principal puppets with a fine toothed comb, looking for anything that broke the night before and making repairs as soon as we can."

Reilly has been with the tour on a full-time basis for the past nine years. Most stops are for a four-week run, and in each theater he sets up a puppet shop that's stocked with spare parts, materials and tools.

More Information If you go "The Lion King" When: Opens 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and continues through April 17. Where: Proctors, 432 State St., Schenectady. $12-$20. Tickets: $20-$170. Call 346-6204. Or visit: http://www.proctors.org See More Collapse

Quality control is his constant concern, but the highest scrutiny of how the puppets are functioning still comes from Julie Taymor herself.

"I call her Eagle Eye," says Reilly. "Her attention to detail is unlike anyone I've ever met. She'll give notes from 30 rows back of things I couldn't see up close."

Luckily, Reilly usually gets some advance notice of when Taymor is going to pay a visit to the touring production. His colleagues on Broadway, on the other hand, live with the constant terror of knowing that Taylor likes to drop in unexpectedly and sit in the back of a house during a performance, just to be sure that things are up to snuff.

"She's put on a pedestal, but talking to her personally she's a very nice lady with very clear ideas about the show. There's nothing ever wishy-washy with her," he says. "She created this whole thing, and it really is beautiful and awesome, a gift."

Just as the African jungle is home to many different species, the puppet realm also has a diversity of types, including shadow puppets, body puppets and hand puppets. One of the trademarks of "The Lion King" is that there's little pretense about hiding the mechanics of what makes the wings fly or the limbs move. The audience's suspension of disbelief is not forced or contrived, but is instead allowed to grow subconsciously.

"One of the main tenets that Julie brought to the show is there should be this double event. You can see the actor or performer and you also see the puppet, and the two exist at the same time," explains Reilly. "At the start of the show, you'll be looking at the actor's face, but after about 5 minutes you'll start looking at the puppet."

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Reilly believes this builds a deeper appreciation of the animals' motivations.

"Take Mufasa. Yes, he's a lion, but he's also a father, and we can relate to that because we also see the man," he says. "It humanizes him. And maybe the next time we see a lion, we'll remember that he's also a creature that exists."

Reilly has had lots of opportunities to ponder why "The Lion King" remains such a roaring success. He or one of his assistants is on hand at every performance, just in case an emergency repair is needed for one of the puppets. For all his familiarity with the material, Reilly still feels the magic of "The Circle of Life," the colorful and elaborate opening song during which all of the creatures fly or crawl, lumber or strut down the aisles and onto the stage.

"During that last note, I'll still get goose bumps," he says.

Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy.
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Albany

The alliance between Carl Paladino and Donald Trump makes perfect sense.

Both men are developers who came to politics as a second calling. Both are outsiders eyed with suspicion by the Republican establishment. Both are nuttier than squirrel poo.

What doesn't make sense, at least for anyone with a more rational perspective, is the full-out assault Paladino has launched against U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, the North Country Republican, for her refusal to endorse Trump.

More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse

"She drinks the Kool-Aid," Paladino wrote in an email to his supporters Wednesday. "Clearly she's a fraud."

Ah, there's that refreshing Paladino-Trump style. They tell it like it is, right?

"She never told the people she was a RINO (Republican in Name Only) Washington elitist establishment sellout," Paladino continued, adding that "80 percent of her constituents want Trump and she gives me the bull that she is too focused on her district to consider endorsing in the presidential primary. She needs to learn what treachery means."

Well, OK. We now know how Paladino feels.

But here's the truth about Stefanik: She's a mildly conservative politician who, as the youngest woman elected to Congress, is the future of her party. She's exactly what the GOP needs to appeal to younger voters, who overwhelmingly choose Democrats.

Stefanik is also a winner. She beat her most recent opponent by 22 points in 2014 and she's likely to glide to re-election this year.

Winning elections is not Paladino's forte. You'll remember his disastrous race against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, when Paladino received just 33 percent of the vote, losing by 30 points.

What about Trump? Isn't he all about winning?

Yes and no. Obviously, he's the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, benefiting from a divided field, and polls show he'll win the New York primary next month.

But a recent Siena Research Institute poll also shows that Trump would lose badly to Hillary Clinton in New York. He would get 34 percent of the vote statewide and 33 percent upstate  meaning he'd mirror Paladino's failure against Cuomo.

That's a shellacking. And that's why Stefanik  or any New York politician with half a brain  would be wise to steer clear of Donald J. Trump, no matter how much Paladino throws a tantrum.

Paladino didn't return a phone call on Wednesday. When asked about Paladino's attack, Stefanik campaign spokesman Lenny Alcivar sent a written statement.

"Congresswoman Stefanik made a promise to her constituents to focus on her work on their behalf in Congress, and that is what she is 100 percent focused on," the statement said, adding that she will "always put fighting for jobs and a strong national defense on behalf of her district before politics."

Sadly, that's precisely the kind of bland Washington/Albany nothingness that leads voters to candidates like Trump and Paladino. I mean, at least they're interesting.

Stefanik, 31, was a bit more forthcoming in an interview last month with the Times Union.

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"I'm a big-tent Republican," the Albany Academies graduate said. "That's how I defined myself when running (in 2014) and that's how I continue to define myself."

Being "big tent" means not alienating women, Muslims, Hispanics, the disabled, Asians, veterans and Seventh-day Adventists. It means not encouraging violence. It means having a basic grasp of the issues facing the country.

It means not entertaining crackpot conspiracies. (Trump has said President Obama was born in Kenya, vaccines cause autism, thousands of New Jersey Muslims celebrated on Sept. 11, and that we really don't know who knocked down the World Trade Center.)

All of that explains why Trump, with a 67 percent disapproval rating in one recent national poll, would prove disastrous in the general election, just as Paladino did. He'd lose in a landslide.

Paladino isn't a force in New York politics, especially away from western New York. So his attempt to bully Stefanik is ultimately meaningless.

But the attack is another sign of the war within the GOP between the "outsiders" and those who have governed, between those who think experience is a dirty word and those who have succeeded at getting elected.

I get why people are searching for atypical candidates. But in a rational world, a 31-year-old woman from Feura Bush qualifies, even if she is  gasp!  an incumbent.

In a rational world, men like Paladino and Trump would not be candidates nominated by a major political party. They're men from the fringe who shouldn't be taken seriously.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchill
Albany

The competing desires for easy access to public records and local governments' need to make a buck collide with the Albany County scan ban: A policy that prohibits snapping photos of public court filings.

At a time when smartphone apps allow users to easily convert photographs to PDF files, the policy  and similar ones in other counties  forces the public to continue to pay the county's 65-cent-per-page copying fee for court records.

Albany County Clerk Bruce Hidley acknowledges the reason for the ban is largely financial. Copying fees make up tens-of-thousands of dollars of his office's annual revenue  money that helps subsidize other investments to improve public access to documents like improved electronic access to records and a system he hopes will result in more efficient handling of Freedom of Information Law requests.

With a projected surplus this year of about $685,000, the clerk's office also helps the county pay other bills, such as expenses in other offices that generate less revenue like the Hall of Records.

While the state sets the copying fees, New York's leading expert on open government questioned the legal basis for banning otherwise free and legal methods of copying the records.

The Times Union inquired about the policy as part of Sunshine Week, a national effort by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press this week to highlight the importance of open government and access to public records.

"It's clear that the intent is to enable them to raise revenue," said Robert Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government. "If a person can come in and look at a record and have a fabulous memory or take notes by hand, I don't see how that would be different than taking a picture by phone of whatever the record might be."

New York court records are not covered by the state Freedom of Information Law, but with rare exceptions they are open to the public. FOI law contains no provision for prohibiting photography or scans, Freeman said.

State FOI law sets copying fees at up to 25 cents per page, but county clerks can charge up to 65 cents for photocopies, with a minimum of a $1.30 per copy job.

Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration, said the court system offers no guidance to clerks on whether photographing records should be allowed because the locally elected clerks, not OCA, are the custodians of the documents.

"It's small dollars, but it's small dollars all day long," said Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola, whose office has a similar ban but does not actively enforce it.

"I would say it's probably a standard practice," Merola said of not allowing photos or scans of documents. "We wouldn't allow it. But, again, we're not in there monitoring it."

Saratoga County Clerk Craig Hayner said his office has a similar ban but that he couldn't recall the issue being raised during his two years in office.

"It's not one that we find that people seem to push us on," he said, noting that, unlike Albany County, Saratoga's court records are already available online for free. While convenient for the public, however, that online access takes a bite out of the county's bottom line, he said.

Saratoga County still takes in about $88,600 in copying fees annually, Hayner said  a sum that includes higher fees for certified copies of documents, which start at $5.20 a piece. Albany County took in about $79,000 last year, Hidley said.

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Schenectady County Clerk John Woodward said he understands his colleagues' concerns about the loss of revenue but also questioned the grounds for prohibiting photos.

"I'm not really sure what the basis would be that you could say, 'We're not allowing you,' " said Woodward, who has been clerk for 22 years. "People have different perspectives on that, and I do understand that."

But, he added, "It's a public document. Somebody paid to have it filed so it could be found."

Woodward said he would draw a line if a person were making voluminous requests that monopolized his staff's time to assist other customers.

Volume, Hidley said, is one of the challenges in Albany County. Being the seat of state government means his office sees an outsized number of legal filings for a county its size, which makes the job of digitizing it all bigger and more expensive, he said.

"The fees that we collect assist us to buy the necessary equipment for the office to run electronically," he said. "Right now, you can view everything but court records online. And we're going to get to court records eventually."

jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com  518-454-5445  @JCEvangelist_TU
Mumbai: Launching a scathing attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai, the Shiv Sena on Thursday sought revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan.

The Sena also sought to know from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis how Owaisi was allowed to leave the state after he refused to chant the pro-India slogan.

Against the backdrop of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's suggestion that the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India, Owaisi had, at a public rally in Udgir tehsil of Latur district, recently said, "I will not chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab?"

In a vitriolic editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said, "Hardik Patel had by mistake disrespected the national flag and he was tried for sedition and is still in jail. Has Asaduddin Owaisi not committed treason as well by insulting mother India? The citizenship and voting rights of all those who do not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' should be revoked."

"There is a BJP Chief Minister in the state. He has to answer how was Owaisi allowed to leave Latur after insulting the country," it said.

The Muslim community has remained backward due to the ideas propagated by people like Owaisi, the Sena said lashing out further at the MIM leader.

However, MPCC spokesman Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged that the Sena is only indulging in politics of hypocrisy.

"This is the height of hypocrisy. On one hand the Sena preaches patriotism lessons to others and on the other, indulges in massive corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ruled by it. There are irregularities worth hundreds of crore in awarding contracts for various purposes," he alleged.

"They (the Sena) should understand that they will be taken seriously, even by their own ally (BJP) after they come clean themselves. Merely chanting slogans won't make them nationalists," Zakaria said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said everybody may not agree with the views of the RSS and BJP.

"The RSS and the BJP are portraying 'Bharat Mata' as a 'devi' (goddess) and are expecting all to chant slogans.

Everybody may not want to subscribe to this. But, nobody would mind praising mother India," he said.

"They should first clear their stand on whom do they actually want all Indians to praise and then go around giving certificates of patriotism to others," he added.
A new business networking group is hoping to bring a boost to the local economy in Nenagh and surrounding towns. The group of diverse business people are part of Business Network International and hope to help each other through mutual business co-operation.

A new business networking group is hoping to bring a boost to the local economy in Nenagh and surrounding towns. The group of diverse business people are part of Business Network International and hope to help each other through mutual business co-operation.

What started as just four people meeting every Thursday in Business Innovation Centre Nenagh on Stafford Street in August, has now grown to 14 businesses meeting in the Abbey Court Hotel from 7am until 8.30am to thrash out ideas and develop contacts.

The businesses range from the financial sector and quality assurance to building, retail and IT and is not confined to Nenagh alone, with one member travelling from Roscrea for the 7am breakfast get-togethers.

BNI operates on the principle of word-of-mouth and sharing contacts. Among its mottos is: If I give you business, youll want to give me business.

We are all here to help each other, said Tim Shelly who operates Talk Financial in Nenagh. We bounce ideas off each other and hopefully will bring business to each other and the town.

He pointed out that in one area in the Midlands where BNI operates, the local group was now generating over E1m in turnover.

BNI operates in around 60 locations throughout Ireland and for a chapter to be fully formed, it needs 20 members. However, with just 14 in Nenagh, the local group is inviting business people throughout North Tipperary to come along and see what it has to offer. Anybody who would like to attend can contact Tim Shelly on 087-6764415 or Lorraine Keeshan at Nenagh Business Innovation Centre on 067-63000.
The Sue Ryder homes in Holycross are sited close to the village on the area between the Church of Ireland and the New School. They were officially opened on the 15th Oct. 1999. Lady Sue Ryder herself cut the tape with the then Minister for Local Government, Noel Dempsey.

The Sue Ryder homes in Holycross are sited close to the village on the area between the Church of Ireland and the New School. They were officially opened on the 15th Oct. 1999. Lady Sue Ryder herself cut the tape with the then Minister for Local Government, Noel Dempsey.

The foundation is non profit making and its motto is Share and Care. Thirty-nine houses are provided for retired people. The residents pay a monthly contribution based on their income. Each house has standard furnishings. There are other facilities like a day room, kitchen, dining room, TV room, laundry, prayer room and nurses accommodation.

Baroness Sue Ryder of Warsaw and Cheshire (1924-2000) was born in Leeds. When World War II broke out, she volunteered to the First Aid Nursing Yeomanryeven though she was only 15, and she was assigned to the Polish section of the Special Operations

Executive. Sues job was to drive Special Operations agents to the airfield where they would take off for their assignments in Europe. She seems to have lied about her age in order to enlist. Her official date of birth was 3rd July 1924 but even in her autobiography, Child of My Love, she wrote I was born on 3rd July 1923.

After the war Sue Ryder volunteered to do relief work. She spent some time in Poland. In 1953 she established the Sue Ryder Foundation which in 2011 changed to Sue Ryder.

She was married to Group Captain Cheshire, a much decorated war hero, in 1959. He had received the highest and most prestigious award, The Victoria Cross, for bravery. He was one of the observers when the Nagasaki atomic bomb was dropped. After the war he founded a hospice which grew into the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability. He received the title Baron Cheshire in 1991 for his charitable work. Both he and Sue were converts to the Roman Catholic Church. Today her charity operates more than 80 homes worldwide, has about 500 high-street charity shops and more than 8,000 volunteers.The Sue Ryder shop in Thurles is on Slievenamon Road.

Any group that would like to take A Village Walkthrough Holycross should contact 086 1665869 or email holycrossabbeytours@gmail.com. Tours of the Abbey continue every Wednesday and Sunday at 2pm.
New Picture Book Their Great Gift Pays Homage to the Sacrifices and Contributions of Immigrant Families

Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice, and Hope in a New Land, a new nonfiction picture book from Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, shows readers of all ages various immigrant experiences in the United States though vivid, compelling photos by renowned photographer Wing Young Huie and simple, powerful text by award-winning author John Coy.

With lyrical text and thought-provoking photography, Their Great Gift explores the experiences of immigrants in the twenty-first century, focusing on the lives of children. Images of families who came to the United States from many different parts of the world celebrate the diversity of our country and express a vision of hope for the future.

Visit www.lernerbooks.com for free downloads!

Meet the Author

John Coy is the author of numerous award-winning books including Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball and Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game. His ancestors came from Poland, Bavaria, Ireland, and Scotland, including his great-grandmother Josephine Yunick Kulas, who came to Minnesota when she was sixteen and lived to be over one hundred. John lives in Minneapolis and visits schools around the world.







Meet the Photographer

Wing Young Huie photographs the diversity of everyday life in neighborhoods. Wing was born in Duluth, Minnesota, the youngest of six and the only child not born in Guangdong Province in China (which was once called Canton). He is the author of five photography books and owns the Third Place Gallery in South Minneapolis.

Follow us online:

Blog: lernerbooks.blogspot.com

Twitter (News - Alert): @LernerBooks

Facebook (News - Alert): Carolrhoda Books

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About the Publisher

Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, has been publishing award-winning, high-quality picture books, fiction, and nonfiction titles since 1969. For more information, visit www.lernerbooks.com or call 800-328-4929.

PUBLICATION DATE:

March 2016

$19.99, Library Bound

eBook Also Available

Ages 5-9

LB: 978-1-4677-8054-4

32 Pages ? 9 3/4 x 9 3/4

To Purchase: Visit your local bookstore, order by phone at 800-328-4929, or visit us online at www.lernerbooks.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005125/en/
[March 17, 2016] Regions Bank Social Responsibility Report Celebrates Community Collaboration

Regions Bank announced the release of its Social Responsibility Report highlighting a diverse range of community service initiatives throughout 2015. The report, titled "Doing More," shares the stories of some of the many outstanding organizations Regions works with to strengthen communities and provide financial advice, guidance and education. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005079/en/ "We see corporate social responsibility as an opportunity to put our mission to make life better into action," said Grayson Hall, chairman, president and CEO of Regions Financial Corporation. "Our associates give their time and talent to support our ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, to respond in times of disaster and to encourage economic development and sustainability. We're proud of these accomplishments and hope they inspire others to continue to do more to spark positive growth in the communities where we work and live." A video library documenting Regions community activities throughout 2015 is available on the Regions Financial YouTube Channel. Examples of Regions "Doing More," highlighted in the report, include: Doing More to Provide Financial Education:



Manassas High School in Memphis, Tenn., is one of more than 200 West Tennessee schools where Regions offers financial education programs. For Regions At Work Coordinator Amy Cresswell, the Regions Senior Institute program at Manassas holds a personal interest.



"Manassas is in my neighborhood," she said. "The average income level here is less than half of the U.S. average, with 81 percent of the students classified as economically disadvantaged. If we can do a little bit to help the students move past the cycle of poverty and make better financial decisions, that's something of which I'm proud to be a part."



"We know the earlier you learn these skills, the sooner great habits are formed," said Manassas High School Principal James Griffin. "Regions' programs have helped us set some things right and get our young people on the track to become financially responsible."



See more of this story on the Regions Financial YouTube Channel Doing More to Increase Understanding of Disabilities:







Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, a small town in northwestern Alabama. When she was 19 months old, she contracted a fever that left her deaf and blind. With the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Keller learned to read and write, graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College and drew international acclaim for overcoming her disabilities. Today, Keller's great-great-niece, Keller Johnson-Thompson, serves as vice president of education for the Helen Keller Foundation. In that role, she shares the mission of the foundation throughout the world and reaches students through a successful outreach program.



"In today's schools, you find many children who are different - children who are put aside from their groups, maybe because they have a disability," Johnson-Thompson explains. "These are kids who view themselves as outcasts until they realize what Helen Keller overcame. And those who bully are able to understand the human side of what Helen Keller endured."





The foundation provides this educational program with the sponsorship of Regions.



"I believe supporting the Helen Keller Foundation gives students the opportunity to understand what it's like to walk in the shoes of individuals with disabilities and to provide them with respect," said Kathy Lovell, Regions' Americans with Disabilities Act Manager. "First of all, it's doing what is right, and it's taking it a step further and doing more for the community and the children."



See more of this story on the Regions Financial YouTube Channel Doing More to Enrich the Lives of Children:



Financial Education Days at Victory Field in Indianapolis, Ind., combined baseball and financial instruction for 850 elementary school students. Along with a tour of the home of the Indians baseball team, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, children participated in "Scholars and Dollars," a class in money basics led by Regions associates.



Randy Lewandowski, the General Manager of the Indians, says, "Anytime we can get players and kids together, you see a little sparkle in [the kids'] eyes." He adds that giving back to the children and the community in this way is something the players look forward to.



Thirty Regions associates taught the Scholars and Dollars classes, providing lessons in financial fundamentals to the students of two Indianapolis public schools, Rousseau McClellan IPS #91 and Frederick Douglass IPS #19.



"When we continue to hear how excited the students are, how they walk away feeling really fulfilled, we know we've made a difference in these children's lives," said Regions Area President Leslie Carter-Prall. "We are impacting them in a number of ways, not only to explore and experience the Indianapolis Indians' Victory Field, but also giving them an understanding of financial education so they can be productive citizens in our community."



Matthew Iszler, a teacher at Rousseau McClellan IPS #91, believes the day left an indelible impression on his students. "To have Regions come out here and help us out is the best," he says. "They bring all their experience in the financial sector into the classroom, and kids see how that impacts their day-to-day lives, which really changes the learning experience. Something is driven home that they can remember."



See more of this story on the Regions Financial YouTube Channel In 2015, Regions supported organizations across the South, Midwest and Texas through grants, donations, charitable contributions, and sponsorships. As part of Regions' support of community service, the company provides associates a paid day off each year to volunteer in their communities. Regions associates also participated in "Share the Good" initiatives, joining community service activities ranging from Habitat for Humanity building projects to food drives, financial education classes, random acts of kindness and hundreds of other events. The complete "Doing More" 2015 Social Responsibility Report is available on the Regions website at www.regions.com/socialresponsibility. About Regions Financial Corporation Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $126 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, mortgage, and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,630 banking offices and 2,000 ATMs. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005079/en/

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[March 17, 2016] Security On-Demand Partners with National University to Launch Cybersecurity Internship Program

SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Security On-Demand, a leading provider of next generation managed security services announces the launch of the Cybersecurity Internship Program in partnership with National University, the second-largest private nonprofit university in California. The program is designed to offer mentorship opportunities with senior security experts and to cultivate careers for students studying cybersecurity. Over the course of the internship program, students will gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside security analysts in Security On-Demand's San Diego Security Operations Center. National University is the first and only university in San Diego to be recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. "We are thrilled to be partnering with Security On-Demand to offer our students the real-world experience of working in a Security Operations Center," said Dr. John Cicero, Dean of National University's School of Engineering and Computing. Governments and private sector businesses aross the globe have struggled to identify, hire and retain talented cybersecurity workers. Many of these organizations are now launching internships at the university and even high school levels to ensure they can meet their future staffing needs.



"Partnering with National University helps establish a community of information security professionals while assisting students in advancing their cybersecurity careers. Partnerships like this will be key to our continued growth," said Peter Bybee, CEO of Security On-Demand. The Cybersecurity Internship Program is only open to students enrolled in National University's Cyber Security and Information Assurance degree program; however, Security On-Demand has other career opportunities, which you can learn more about at http://www.securityondemand.com.

About Security On-Demand

Security On-Demand is the leading provider of advanced managed security services. Our SaaS based solutions help organizations protect against security threats, adhere to compliance requirements, and manage risk. Our scalable and flexible architecture eliminates capital outlay, provides 24x7 support/monitoring coverage, and significantly lowers management, maintenance and staffing costs. More information about Security On-Demand is available at www.securityondemand.com About National University

Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California with 30,000 students and more than 150,000 alumni: http://www.nu.edu/ Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150119/170033LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/security-on-demand-partners-with-national-university-to-launch-cybersecurity-internship-program-300237755.html SOURCE Security On-Demand

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[March 16, 2016] DearMob Gives Away Video Software Gifts For Spring Break 2016

NEW YORK, March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DearMob's Spring Break 2016 giveaway commenced on March 15. This time a complete lineup of world's best-in-class DVD video software reunites with the free video player - 5KPlayer, to greet customers with a time-limited offer. Users planning on a city tour, water getaway or any activities can use it to download movies to iPhone and watch on the go, and also create photo slideshows after the Spring Break. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345075 Spring Break video software giveaway will be available from March 15 to 25, 2016 at: For Windows Users: http://www.5kplayer.com/software/video-converter-giveaway.htm For Mac Users: http://www.5kplayer.com/software/video-converter-giveaway-mac.htm Trips are best remembered with vivid motion pictures photographing on-site experiences, and this free video software empowers to polish them in a unique way with distinct favors. Saving dulcet melodies and movies for Spring Break is a good way to spend train-trip and flight hours. Hence this easy-to-use free video software jumps out as a gratis offer to download online movies to iPhone and Pad. It's also shipped with ample muscle to save MP3 from legal music sites. According to www.tripadviser.com, Wi-Fi access is a common complaint among user comments on hospitality facilities in Spring Break destinations, hence free downloading videos to iPhone or iPad in advance is a wiser option.



Returning home from a vacation with megabytes of photos in smart phones, users can string up the pictures into a narrative story by one-hit creating a photo slideshow with this free video converter. It also involves plenty of fun if you give some tint to the cam-recorded Spring Break trip by editing the videos, such as adding special effects, watermarks, or subtitles to it. Indoor pastime, alongside physical activities, is another alternative for Spring Break leisure. In this regard, users may rely on the video software to download movies from a list of selected movie streaming websites.

5KPlayer for Mac and Windows is a free video player savvy with all-round functionalities, yet DearMob also places the video converter software and other DVD video software up its sleeve in order to cover demand from all walks of multimedia experience. Basing its supply by thinking from the user's side, DearMob is heading towards as a comprehensive developer. Pricing and Availability:

The giveaway version of WinX HD Video Converter, free 5KPlayer as well as other video software under time-limited Spring Break discount are available at:

http://www.5kplayer.com/software/video-converter-giveaway.htm

http://www.5kplayer.com/software/video-converter-giveaway-mac.htm About DearMob, Inc.:

DearMob, Inc. is a promising mobile software developing company developing useful software for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android users. Its product lines currently involve in new-generation multimedia playing, music video streaming and downloading and multi-screen video playback, and will extend to mobile apps, mobile antivirus and file backup solutions. For more information about the company, please visit: http://www.5kplayer.com This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dearmob-gives-away-video-software-gifts-for-spring-break-2016-300237352.html SOURCE DearMob, Inc.

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The credibility of judicial commissions has got yet another body blow with the Vishnu Sahai Commission giving a clean chit to the Samajwadi Party government of Uttar Pradesh in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The commissions 700-page report, released partially on March 6, has lambasted the police and held that intelligence failure and the disinformation campaign launched on social media were responsible for the riots that left 62 people dead, several injured and approximately 60,000 homeless.

The commission was set up to ascertain reasons that led to the break out of riots and also suggest measures to stop the recurrence of such incidents in the future. But the commission seems to have abdicated the mandate in its anxiety to exculpate the state government.

The commission rightly observes that communal polarisation and the trigger for the riots came with three murders  first, the murder of Shahnawaz Qureshi, then the murders of two young men, Sachin Singh and Gaurav Singh  in Kawal town on August 27, 2013, but then gives the ridiculous finding that the riots took place as the then inspector of local intelligence unit, Prabal Pratap Singh, failed to give the exact figure of people going to attend the mahapanchayat at Mandaur on September 7, 2013.

The report also observes that the release of 14 people arrested in connection with the murder of two Hindu youths sent the message that the government was favouring a particular community. But, surprisingly, it is silent on how and why they were released. It has been reported in a section of media that the accused were released under pressure from Azam Khan, UPs minister of urban development and minority affairs.

The report also mentions that BJP MLA Sangeet Som uploaded an old Taliban clip from AfPak, claiming that it showed how the two Hindu youths were hacked to death, but recommends that no action be taken against Mr Som until the investigation is complete. It also comes down heavily on the local media for contributing to communal polarisation.

The commissions report, however, is totally silent on the role of the state government. It doesnt venture into what the state government was doing when lower level police functionaries were engineering total breakdown of law and order in Muzaffarnagar. The report is critical of the transfer, on August 27, 2013, of Muzaffarnagars district magistrate and senior superintendent of police at the height of tension and adds that the transfers further accentuated the resentment among Jats as the two officials belonged to that community. Any nincompoop knows that such transfers, and that too in a crisis situation like the one in Muzaffarnagar, cannot happen without direction from the top.

It reminds me of the Ranganath Misra Commission appointed to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Justice Misra, then a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, exonerated the Union government and Congress leaders against whom there was clinching evidence for leading the rioters. He also lambasted the police. The commission proved to be a big cover-up exercise.

In England, inquiries are held under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921. In India, the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, is broadly based on the English act though there are some differences. In England, an inquiry is set up after both the Houses of Parliament pass a resolution, whereas in India it is done by governments unilaterally  Union or state. Initially, this system worked. One of the earliest commission of inquiry was headed by M.C. Chagla for Mundhra Inquiry which led to the resignation of T.T. Krishnamachari, then Union finance minister. It was alleged that Life Insurance Corporation improperly invested some funds in a company owned by Haridas Mundhra under pressure from the finance ministry.

Though TTK passed the buck on to finance secretary H.M. Patel, Chagla concluded that as minister he was responsible for the decision taken by his department. Interestingly, the scandal was exposed by Feroze Gandhi when his father-in-law Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister.

However, gradually, commissions lost their credibility as governments started using them to target political rivals. The irony is that retired judges are available in hordes to oblige political masters for sinecure jobs. How different commissions appointed by different governments gave diametrically opposite reports on the train burning in Godhra is a pointer to the use of commissions to serve political ends.

On March 6, 2002, the Gujarat government set up a commission of inquiry to probe the Godhra train carnage on February 27 that year in which 59 Hindu pilgrims were burnt alive and many others seriously injured. The one-member commission was headed by K.G. Shah, a former judge of the Gujarat high court. The selection of Justice Shah faced searing criticism on the charge that he was close to then chief minister, Narendra Modi.

This led to its reconstitution into a two-member commission with former Supreme Court judge G.T. Nanavati appointed as its chairman. In September 2008, the commission submitted Part I of its report in which it upheld the conspiracy theory propounded by the Gujarat Police, that the train burning was a well-orchestrated plan. Cleric Maulvi Husain Haji Ibrahim Umarji of Godhra and dismissed CRPF officer Nanumiyan were named as the main conspirators.

The report concluded that the train was attacked by thousands of Muslims from the Signal Falia area and that 140 litres of petrol was was poured on the train. The Congress and other non-BJP parties cried hoarse over the absolution of the state government and the timing of the report as Lok Sabha elections were round the corner.

Before the Shah Commission presented its report, the UPA governments minister for railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav, appointed former Supreme Court judge Umesh Chandra Banerjee to investigate the incident. In January 2005, Banerjee submitted his interim report, which ruled out any conspiracy and called it an accidental fire.

The report was criticised as an attempt to influence Bihar elections. Later, the Gujarat high court quashed the conclusions of Banerjee Commission and ruled that the investigation was unconstitutional, illegal and null and void by declaring that the setting up of the commission was a colourable exercise of power with mala fide intentions. It rubbished the argument of accidental fire and noted that it was opposed to the prima facie accepted facts on record. The high court also restrained the Union government from laying the report in Parliament.

Sahai Commissions report reinforces the growing belief that commissions are set up with political motives, not to arrive at the truth.
[March 16, 2016] Aaron's Dallas Keystone Club Refresh Builds Excitement For 49th Annual National Keystone Conference

ATLANTA, March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a lease-to-own retailer specializing in the sales and lease ownership of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, revealed a freshly renovated Keystone Club to teen members of the Mesquite Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas on Wednesday afternoon, one day in advance of the 49th Annual National Keystone Conference, one of the largest youth leadership conferences in the U.S. The Mesquite Club remodel leads up to the Thursday start of the Keystone Conference with 2,500 teen leaders from 157 cities and five countries gathering in Dallas to tackle youth issues head-on. The 2016 Keystone Conference is hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and presented by Aaron's, Inc. With input from the teen members, Aaron's associates and Club officials went to work Monday morning at the Mesquite Club painting, decorating and furnishing a media/multipurpose, kitchen, computer lab and games room in the Club. On Wednesday, Aaron's associates and Club officials unveiled the new center to the teen members, equipped with new technology, kitchen appliances, sectionals, tables and chairs, sound systems and fresh coats of paint. Teens chose the special Sherwin-Williams paint colors for the rooms, Gleeful, Fountain and Carnival, and Shaw Industries donated the carpet. "Aaron's is proud to continue our national partnership with the kickoff of the annual Keystone Conference this week," said John Robinson, CEO of Aaron's, Inc. "The Keystone program inspires teens and fosters leadership skills in young people who are changing the world. Aaron's is so pleased to invest in this program, which prepares teens for leadership, social action and community service around the world." Damaris Lewis, a Boys & Girls Clubs alum, and profssional model, host and dancer, attended the surprise Club refresh unveiling. Lewis will speak at the Keystone Conference this week, engaging young women and their advisors in discussions around self-esteem, confidence, body image and media influence.



"The Mesquite teens are so excited to show off the remodel as they invite their peers to see the Club and encourage them to learn more about what Boys & Girls Clubs can offer them," said Edward Blackwell, Branch Director of the Mesquite Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas. "Our Club serves a large number of underserved youth in our community and Aaron's has shown a great deal of generosity by giving our space needed improvements. Our teens will look back on this experience for years to come as a pivotal point in their teen leadership development." In 2015, the Aaron's Foundation, Inc. announced a three-year, $5 million national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Keystone Program, which helps teens develop their character and leadership skills, and equips them to reach their potential by creating positive change in the community. Keystone Club teen centers provide members an environment to plan and participate in activities that focus on community service, academic success, career preparation and teen outreach. The Keystone Club makeover at the Mesquite Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas includes an additional in-kind retail donation valued at $25,000.

Aaron's partnership with BGCA's Keystone Program inspires teens to "Own It" by taking ownership of their choices to build the lives they deserve. The Aaron's and Keystone Club "Own Your Future" campaign supports three principles: Own Your Path: No matter where you come from, the future is yours to decide.

Own Your Decisions: Making good choices opens more doors for your future.

Own Your Community: Use your talents to make an impact in your community. To see photos of the Keystone Club remodel at Mesquite Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas, visit www.facebook.com/aaronsinc. About Aaron's, Inc.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN) is a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, and currently has more than 2,000 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada. Progressive Leasing, a leading virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 16,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard, is offered through over 1,400 locations and provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through a federally insured bank. Aaron's was founded in 1955, has been publicly traded since 1982 and owns the Aarons.com, ShopHomeSmart.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com brands. For more information, visit www.aarons.com. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at www.facebook.com/bgca.clubs and https://twitter.com/BGCA_Clubs. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345166

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130826/CL69318LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aarons-dallas-keystone-club-refresh-builds-excitement-for-49th-annual-national-keystone-conference-300237454.html SOURCE Aaron's, Inc.

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[March 16, 2016] Guestbook Launch Will Shake Up Your Vacation Experience

ORLANDO, Fla., March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bringing joined up services to vacationers, property managers and homeowners, the vacation experience of Guests, Property Managers, Hosts and Homeowners changes dramatically with the release of Guestbook, powered on the web at www.MyGuestbook.com, a free web based tool that enhances the capability of Property Managers and hosts for vacation properties and provides traveling guests with an all encompassing platform to help make memories without the stress of planning. Through connections with some of the Worlds biggest players in the tourist industry Guestbook offers a fun and unique way for guests to plan together and play together. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345082 Guestbook is rolling out in Orlando, Florida, the world's tourism capital, bringing local and international providers of attractions and services to the fingertips of guests from the minute they book their vacation, until they wave goodbye to their most memorable trip so far. The project is set to expand across the tourist market, nationally and internationally, bringing on new locations, services and features that enthrall guests wherever hey may be in the World.



Hosts and Property Managers receive a number of dynamic tools available to ensure the guests stay is an all around enhanced experience from the moment they check in, throughout their stay, having local knowledge and purchasing at their fingertips plus a 24/7 connection with their Property Manager or Host through a live chat portal. Managers and homeowners can easily automate those distracting chores that eat away at their time and energy by having Guestbook cut through those day to day and monotonous tasks, streamlining the productivity of the entire team, with simplicity and ease. Guestbook is compatible with most existing PMS systems and reservation portals and we are adding availability daily to enhance our service and maximize the experience for BOTH Managers and Guests!

Guestbook, changing the way vacations are planned, shared and experienced David Reilly Co-Founder Processor Founder and owner of a UK based Internet hosting and Technical IT Services company for 11 years. Process driven organizer who drives results from new ideas through his approach. He has worked in IT for over 30 years across the fields of training, database, programming and management. David and his wife moved to Florida from the U.K. after purchasing a Vacation Management company and now enjoy the sunshine and challenges on offer. About Guestbook Guestbook has grown from identification of the shortcomings of services to vacation guests and the issues faced by property managers. The founders have created a solution that addresses these issues, providing an innovative, supportive platform that enables property managers to complement their Property Management system, make money for managers and create memorable experiences for guests. With a wealth of services and features, the software is a free tool for managers and guests alike. Guestbook is constantly creating new additions to the system to further increase the benefit to everyone using it. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guestbook-launch-will-shake-up-your-vacation-experience-300237357.html SOURCE Guestbook

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[March 16, 2016] Ripple Media Group to Offer Staffing Agencies and RPOs Programmatic Candidate Lead Generation Opportunities

NEW YORK, March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ripple Media Group, a New York-based recruitment media buying team, announced today its intent to partner with staffing agencies and RPOs. Ripple works with the leading recruitment media providers, while leveraging big data and programmatic tools, to drive greater lead volume and company margins. Kyle Leigh, Co-Founder and President, says that "staffing companies are looking for greater and greater returns from their recruitment media investments. Costs are rising, and the labor supply is shrinking, all while budgets have not budged much in recent years. Those who can deliver employers more unique, qualified placements for less are going to win. This is incredibly difficult to achieve as aggregators like Indeed remove free organic postings and employers demand less candidate dilution. Staffing firms need a partner who understands - and knows have to navigate around - these difficulties to maximze candidate flow and ROI. Ripple offers the ideal media buying partnership so that staffing agencies can truly focus on what matters: placing candidates into great jobs!"



Ripple employs economically-minded experts to actively manage and trade recruitment pay-per-click and pay-per-lead media buys. It leverages the power of industry-leading platforms, including Clickcast, to programmatically buy clicks and leads in real time. Because of Ripple's immense buying power, it has created unique media source relationships that are currently unavailable to individual staffing agencies and employers. "No single technology nor media vendor is the end solution. It takes incredibly smart people to manage these tools and sources to produce optimal results," notes Leigh. Staffing firms looking to engage with can get up and running within hours. Interested parties can learn more by requesting a meeting with [email protected].

About Ripple: Ripple is a recruitment media buying group. Its team plans, buys, and manages programmatic media for staffing firms and RPOs of all shapes and sizes. Ripple is headquartered in the trading capital of New York City. For more information, visit http://www.ripplemedia.io/staffing. About Kyle: Kyle built Bayard Advertising's programmatic offering from a $1,000 trial to an 8-figure staple of business. He quickly saw the potential to take a similar model to the rest of the industry with Ripple. He currently lives in New York City with his Border Collie (and Ripple COO), Ziggy. Media Contact: Kyle Leigh, 720-427-3319, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160310/342896LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ripple-media-group-to-offer-staffing-agencies-and-rpos-programmatic-candidate-lead-generation-opportunities-300237480.html SOURCE Ripple Media Group

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[March 17, 2016] Kii To Enable Smart City Solutions In India

SAN MATEO, Calif., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kii, the leading Internet of Things (IoT) platform provider, has announced it is bringing its IoT platform, experience and smart city expertise to enable smart city solutions in India. Kii kicks off this effort at the 'IoT in Smart City' conference being held on March 18th, 2016 at Hotel Sheraton in Hyderabad, India. The event (being organized by Kii partner Ideabytes) brings government and industry together to discuss smart city strategies and execution to help realize India's '100 Smart Cities' vision. Kii is supporting this event as a platinum sponsor. "The mission of smart cities is to vastly improve the lives of people by addressing some of the challenges that cities face," says Masanari Arai, CEO, Kii. "We believe that smart city initiatives such as Smart Street Lighting, Smart Transportation, Smart Utilities etc. will significantly help to reduce costs, increase revenues and optimize consumption of smart city services. We intend to work with government officials at city and regional levels as well as the rest of the smart city industry ecosystem to help carry forward India's smart city initiatives." Kii's IoT platform supports all components of a typical Smart City solution  (1) smart city sensor/device/gateway components thru Kii "device agents" that provide cloud enablement ad bi-directional data flow between devices/sensors and cloud, (2) smart city middleware thru the cloud-based "core backend and analytics" layer of the platform that provides data, user and device management as well as big data analytics and optimization, (3) smart city apps and services thru the platform's APIs and SDKs.



India's Smart Cities vision is broad and complex and Kii will play an active role in implementing this vision. Kii enables customers across the globe to rapidly create compelling IoT solutions in a wide range of scenarios from smart homes to smart cities with its scalable, easy to use, feature-rich world-class IoT platform. "We are thrilled to be partnering alongside Kii for their commitment and strategy execution for the Smart Cities initiative," says George Kongalath, CEO, Ideabytes. "The IoT in Smart Cities conference is a good starting point for government and industry to come together to discuss smart city strategies and implementation approaches. We are excited to be working with Kii to make this possible."

About Kii

Kii enables customers across the world to rapidly create compelling IoT solutions with its scalable, easy to use and feature rich IoT platform. The global platform enables all three layers of a typical IoT solution (things, services, apps), thereby significantly reducing the time it takes to create solutions, freeing up the customer to focus on their solution differentiation. Kii provides a flexible deployment model (public cloud, dedicated cloud, private cloud) globally, thereby enabling seamless solution deployment for customers of all sizes. In addition to the platform, Kii's ecosystem initiatives (like Space) also enable customers to distribute their solutions in premier carrier and retailer channels. For more information, follow @KiiCorp or visit kii.com. About Ideabytes

Ideabytes is a Canadian corporation headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with a development center in Hyderabad, India. Its mission is to find methods, means and solutions to improve efficiencies in products and processes by 30% or more. Since inception in 2009, Ideabytes has successfully demonstrated the efficiency gains in test automation. Ideabytes made major breakthroughs in the handling of dangerous goods with its DG portfolio. Ideabytes plays an active role in ensuring the welfare of impoverished children in Kolkata by supporting Stars Welfare Society. For more information, follow www.ideabytes.com

Media Contact (US): Kirtee Mehta 650-575-2341, [email protected]

Media contact (Europe): Cobra PR, +44 1628 822741, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151201/292019LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kii-to-enable-smart-city-solutions-in-india-300237381.html SOURCE Kii

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[March 17, 2016] ASE Inc. Press Release

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (TWSE Code: 2311, NYSE Code: ASX) ("ASE") announced today that the tender offer by ASE for common shares (including common shares represented by American depositary shares) of Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd. ("SPIL"), launched on December 29, 2015, was unsuccessful due to failure to satisfy the tender offer conditions, as ASE did not receive approval from the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission ("FTC") for the proposed combination between ASE and SPIL before the expiration of the tender offer. Over 27.57% of SPIL shareholders participated in this tender offer. ASE sincerely thanks all members of various fields who supported this tender offer, particularly all SPIL shareholders who participated in this tender offer. ASE deeply regrets not being able to purchase shares from all participating SPIL shareholders due to the FTC not approving the proposed combination before the expiration date of this tender offer. ASE has instructed its tender agents to return all shares to participating SPIL shareholders as soon as possible. Currently, the Taiwanese semiconductor packaging and testing industry is facing an unprecedented and intense challenge. Semiconductor businesses of other countries and regions -- both integrated device manufacturers ("IDMs") and outsourced assembly and test ("OSAT") companies -- have dramatically improved their global competitiveness through large-scale mergers and acquisitions, and certain players have arisen in the global market with significant support from the government. ASE deeply believes that, only if Taiwanese packaging and testing peers form a national team to face numerous current challenges through the active integration of resources and response to government policies, can the Taiwanese packaging and testing industry maintain its competitive advantage. ASE's acquisition of an equity interest in SPIL was aimed at seeking cooperation with SPIL in order to consolidate both parties' resources and excellent teams. In so doing, both parties could grasp the opportunity of next-generation packaging and testing technologies, welcome the arrival of the "Internet of things" and miniaturization, and jointly create a new blue ocean for the Taiwanese packaging and testing industry against a backdrop of intensifying competition in the global semiconductor industry from IDMs and OSATs. During the tender offer period, ASE listened with an open mind to the opinions and recommendations expressed by individuals from all walks of society, and hereby makes the following four statements: ASE's determination to seek integration with SPIL has not changed; after obtaining the FTC's approval, ASE expects to continue seeking the support of SPIL shareholders in order to complete the acquisition of 100% equity interest in SPIL. ASE's promise to maintain SPIL's legal entity status, legal entity name, current employee benefits, work conditions and personnel regulations, and retain the current SPIL management team and all employees with the utmost good faith to protect their employment right, has not changed. In order to realize ASE's promise to maintain its roots in Taiwan , integrate the industry, innovate technology, and look after SPIL employees, supplers and industry partners, concurrent with the acquisition of SPIL, ASE will plan to establish an industrial holding company in Taiwan . In the future, the industrial holding company will separately hold 100% equity interests in both ASE and SPIL, both of which shall retain their legal entity status, allowing ASE and SPIL to become parallel sibling companies under the same holding company, and at the same time jointly creating a platform for mutual benefit that maintains the current operating model of the two companies. The newly established industrial holding company will be listed in Taiwan (and the American depositary shares of the new holding company will be listed in the U.S.) and all current operations of ASE and SPIL in Taiwan will be maintained. ASE will invite, in utmost good faith, Chairman Lin and President Tsai of SPIL to join the board of the industrial holding company and jointly manage the industrial holding company with ASE's management team. In addition, they will continue to serve as chairman and president of SPIL, respectively, and lead the current SPIL management team to look after all SPIL employees as well partners in the up-, mid- and downstream industry chain. Driven by the twin engines of ASE and SPIL's packaging and testing, the newly established industrial holding company can be expected to strengthen resource consolidation in Taiwan's current semiconductor packaging and testing and related industries and become a new innovation platform for the industry. By drawing on the strength of up-, mid- and downstream businesses in the semiconductor packaging and testing industry, it can face the challenges posed by intense changes in the global semiconductor landscape.



Based on our determination for sustained operation in Taiwan, as well as our promise to look after the families of tens of thousands of Taiwanese employees, ASE chose to take the first step in integration. We also hoped our tender offer could stimulate the industry's integration, generate complementary synergy, and help the future development of the Taiwanese semiconductor industry reach a new high point in terms of enhanced efficiency, economic scale, and depth of research and development and innovation. Even though the process of integration has its challenges and difficulties, building on past success is our joint responsibility and society's expectation. ASE sincerely hopes that SPIL and ASE can jointly create the glory of Taiwan, so that a brighter day may soon arrive for the next generation of the Taiwanese semiconductor packaging and testing industry.

SAFE HARBOR NOTICE This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding our future results of operations and business prospects. Although these forward-looking statements, which may include statements regarding our future results of operations, financial condition or business prospects, are based on our own information and information from other sources we believe to be reliable, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this press release. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify these forward-looking statements in this press release. Our actual results of operations, financial condition or business prospects may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including risks associated with cyclicality and market conditions in the semiconductor or electronic industry; changes in our regulatory environment, including our ability to comply with new or stricter environmental regulations and to resolve environmental liabilities; demand for the outsourced semiconductor packaging, testing and electronic manufacturing services we offer and for such outsourced services generally; the highly competitive semiconductor or manufacturing industry we are involved in; our ability to introduce new technologies in order to remain competitive; international business activities; our business strategy; our future expansion plans and capital expenditures; the strained relationship between the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China; general economic and political conditions; the recent global economic crisis; possible disruptions in commercial activities caused by natural or human-induced disasters; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; and other factors. For a discussion of these risks and other factors, please see the documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our 2014 Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on March 18, 2015. Investor Relations Contact: Iris Wu, Manager

[email protected]

Tel: +886.2.6636.5678

http://www.aseglobal.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ase-inc-press-release-300237635.html SOURCE Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.

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[March 17, 2016] True Influence Partners with Bombora to Make Intent Data Actionable

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- True Influence, the data-driven technology company, today announced a partnership with Bombora, a leading provider of intent data for B2B marketers. The addition of Bombora's intent data enhances the ability of True Influence's InsightBASE platform to monitor and curate online behaviors to power the most efficient and effective B2B marketing campaigns. "InsightBASE combines intent signals and contact data and processes it through our Relevance Engine, letting B2B marketers know exactly who to target and when," said Brian Giese, CEO, True Influence. "Inclusion of Bombora as a core partner in our network of over 30 data suppliers gives us the largest possible data pool to power InsightBASE and fuel our customer's success." "Through the InsightBASE platform, marketers will have access to the largest set of B2B behaviors," added Erik Matlick, Co-Founder and CEO, Bombora. "Clients of True Influence's InsightBASE are able to prioritize contacts usng account-level intent, a capability that reflects Bombora's overarching vision of aligning sales and marketing by empowering them with rich B2B intent data."



True Influence is proud to join Bombora's co-op of premium B2B publishers and contribute rich B2B research content consumption insights to its dataset, which currently monitors 9.3 billion monthly interactions across 1.2 million companies on 2,500 topics. About True Influence

Founded in 2008, True Influence is a data-driven technology company that connects you with your next customer. We expertly leverage data, technology and content to drive high-impact marketing campaigns and share detailed data insights to help you win new business. True Influence drives leads and generates revenue across multiple industries, promoting brands and products from some of the most successful US companies. Its customer base spans fast-growth SMBs to well-established blue chip brands like IBM, Microsoft and Cisco.

About Bombora

Bombora's data aligns marketing and sales teams, enabling them to base their actions on the knowledge of what companies are in market for which products.

The source of this data is the first cooperative of Premium B2B Media companies. Members contribute content consumption and behavioral data about their audiences. In turn, they can better understand their audiences, serve advertisers and monetize their inventory. Bombora is a privately funded, profitable, global company based in New York City. Media Contact:

N6A for True Influence

212.334.9753

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/true-influence-partners-with-bombora-to-make-intent-data-actionable-300237465.html SOURCE True Influence

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[March 17, 2016] Country Newcomer Denny Strickland Salutes Kris Kristofferson With Acoustic Video of "Loving Her Was Easier"

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Country newcomer and Arkansas native Denny Strickland salutes icon Kris Kristofferson with his acoustic video of "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)." The video, part of The Cellar Sessions (Strickland's latest efforts with Producer/Director Brian Harstine), was filmed at The Sutler in Nashville. Close-ups and low-level lighting set an intimate scene within the speakeasy lounge. Strickland's signature black hat and smooth vocals make a striking focal point, while rich fabrics and background details serve to hold the viewer's attention. Kristofferson released "Loving Her Was Easier" on his album, THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL AND I, in 1971. Roger Miller, Tompall & The Glaser Brothers, Waylon Jennings and Mark Chesnutt also recorded the song. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/344949 Denny met Kristofferson at the Johnny Cash Music Festival in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2011, and felt an immediate camaraderie. "My longtime manager Marshall Grant was in the hospital and I was on my own at the festival," Strickland recalls. "It was a pivotal day in my career. When it came time to choose the songs for The Cellar Sessions, this was an easy choice and a nice way to pay tribute to Kris. He has had a huge influence on my life." Denny and Harstine shot three classic Country covers for The Cellar Sessions. These video performances comprise a sequel to Strickland's popular Dive Sessions, which generated two hit European radio singles: "I'd Love To Lay You Down" (#1 for four weeks) and the Top 10 "Run." Harstine (Dolly Parton, Ke$ha) chose The Sutler for a classier edge. "I wanted to follow the same tyle and tone while building the new series, but definitely wanted to update the look," Brian explains. "From the beginning of filming, the new visuals brought a real vibrancy to the screen. Modern camera work set Denny apart and drew focus to the intensity of the songs and performances." It's a look Denny's fans are sure to appreciate; luxurious yet simple, a throw-back vibe that resonates and thrums with subdued energy.



Currently Denny is writing songs for his upcoming CD. Media features on Strickland can be found on: AXS.com, Digital Rodeo, Examiner.com, Country Music Matters and Roughstock. Denny's music is available for purchase at on Amazon and iTunes.

ABOUT DENNY STRICKLAND Denny's early career was guided by The Statler Brothers' longtime manager (and Bass player for Johnny Cash), Marshall Grant. Strickland soon found himself sharing the stage with legends Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash and George Jones. With Grant's passing in 2011, he took a brief hiatus; regrouping and refocusing his efforts. He launched his music career with two MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart hits: "Swerve On" and "How Far You Wanna Go." He has hosted the internationally-syndicated television show COUNTRY FIX and opened for The Kentucky Headhunters and 3 Doors Down. He is an accomplished guitarist, keyboardist and American Quarter Horse Association horseman. Stay social with Denny at: www.dennystrickland.com

http://www.mtv.com/artists/denny-strickland/

https://www.facebook.com/DennySNation

https://twitter.com/DennySCountry

https://instagram.com/dennystrickland/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc6GyHNEvb5D0oRzA5uNm3A Media Contact:

Martha Moore

so much MOORE media

615-746-3994

Email To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/country-newcomer-denny-strickland-salutes-kris-kristofferson-with-acoustic-video-of-loving-her-was-easier-300237572.html SOURCE Denny Strickland

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[March 17, 2016] Automotive Experts to Judge Altair's 2016 Enlighten Award

TROY, Mich., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A renowned group of automotive industry leaders will serve as judges for the 2016 Altair Enlighten Award, the automotive industry's only award program created specifically to acknowledge achievements in vehicle lightweighting. This year's award program adds new categories for innovative examples of lightweighting in both full vehicles and modules such as components, systems and enabling technologies. The winners will be announced during the CAR Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI on August 1st, 2016. The award is held in collaboration with the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and media partner, SAE International. The judging panel are joined this year by James Brancheau, a Member of Altair's Board of Directors and former Chief Technical Officer. The complete list of judges for 2016 award are: Dr. Jay Baron, President and CEO, Center for Automotive Research and Director of CAR's Coalition for Automotive Lightweighting Materials (CALM) James Brancheau, Member of the Board of Directors and former Chief Technical Officer at Altair A. Harvey Bell, Clinical Professor of Engineering Practice and Co-Director, Multidisciplinary Design Program at the University of Michigan Gary Latham, Director of Design Engineering at Pratt & Miller Engineering Dr. Imtiaz Haque, Founding Chair and Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research Dr. Clemens Schmitz-Justen, Founder and Head of Strategic Consulting, CSJ Schmitz-Justen & Company, former director of international programs at the Clemson University College of Business and Behavioral Science, and former president of BMW Manufacturing LLC in Spartanburg, S.C. Chris Theodore, President of Theodore & Associates automotive industry consulting; former CEO of ASC, Inc., vice president of Ford Motor Co. and senior vice president of DaimlerChrysler; and former executive director of North Americn advanced vehicle development at General Motors.



Ryan Gehm, Associate Editor, SAE International, writing for Automotive Engineering, Off-Highway Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering with over 15 years' experience of advanced-technology topics with a focus on materials, interiors, body and chassis. "We have an extremely talented judging panel ranging from Chief Engineers and Vice Chairman to Academia. The extensive backgrounds of these individuals guarantees that they will recognize innovation when it occurs," said Dr. Jay Baron, President and CEO for the Center for Automotive Research. "Lightweighting is one of a few strategic technologies that every auto manufacturer is striving for to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption. I expect to see the challenges of mixed materials to be demonstrated in this years' entries and look forward to the challenge of judging this years' nominations." "It is an honor to work with such a diverse group of individuals who bring so much automotive expertise to the judging process as well as being my pleasure to welcome Mr. James Brancheau, as our newest member of the judging panel," said Richard Yen, Vice President, Global Automotive for Altair. "It's always exciting to see how the industry is tackling the automotive weight challenge and, if the last three years are any guide, our panel are going to have an extremely tough task to separate this year's nominations."

Entry submissions may be made now through May 20, 2016 at www.altairenlighten.com/award. Finalists will be selected in June, with the winners announced in August at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI. Manufacturers and suppliers interested in submitting a nomination are able to access additional information about the nomination process on the Altair Enlighten website. To allow sharing of innovation to further this goal, while respecting the business and technical confidentiality of all applications, designs submitted must be implemented on a production vehicle produced between August 2013 and August 2016, with no geographical restrictions. About Altair Altair is focused on the development and broad application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance. Privately held with more than 2,000 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA and operates more than 45 offices throughout 22 countries. Today, Altair serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com. About CAR The Center for Automotive Research is a non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Mich. Its mission is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community, and foster industry relationships. For more information, visit the CAR website: www.cargroup.org. Media Contacts Altair Corporate

Biba A. Bedi

+1.757.224.0548 x 406

[email protected] Altair Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Evelyn Gebhardt

+49 6421 9684351

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/automotive-experts-to-judge-altairs-2016-enlighten-award-300237327.html SOURCE Altair

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[March 17, 2016] Modustri Honored As One Of 2016 "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch"

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Modustri, the developer of innovative field technologies for heavy equipment and the industrial Internet, has been recognized as one of the 2016 "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch," an awards program presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. During the past year, Modustri has experienced triple-digit growth, secured strategic investments including an alliance with Caterpillar, attracted new talent to Michigan, quadrupled its staff and expanded its office in downtown Grand Rapids. The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch Award, sponsored by Michigan Celebrates Small Business, honors growth-oriented businesses, like Modustri, based on market expansion, job creation, technological innovation, and community impact. Nearly 60 companies from across the state, representing a multitude of industries, will be honored at the twelfth annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business event on May 5, 2016, at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing. "Modustri is growing quickly, thanks to the productive and collaborative small business ecosystem we have in Michigan," said Brian Steketee, founder, and CEO of Modustri. "Our strategic alliance with Caterpillar created the need to expand quickly last year, and as our product line continues to expand past heavy equipment, we expect to double our numbers by the end of 2016." Through its alliance with Cat, Modustri is providing technology that helps heavy equipment fleet owners optimize performance. Modustri's HDE suite of tools has quickly become the leading and most comprehensive mobile inspection solution for measuring wear parts in the field, in many cases, reducing inspection time by u to 50 percent.



Awards presented during the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch program include, Main Street USA, Small Business Innovation, Government Contractor of the Year, Small Business Person of the Year, Small Business Exporter of the Year, and more. To be considered for Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, companies must be privately held and headquartered in Michigan, have between six and 99 employees and generate between $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue, or have working capital from investors or received grants in 2015.

Michigan 50 Companies to Watch is presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. Founding underwriters include the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, PNC Bank, Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and Dynamic Edge, Inc. Contributing Underwriters include Comcast Business Class, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy Foundation, Hungerford Nichols CPAs and Advisors, Edge Partners, Michigan Credit Union League & Affiliates, Rehmann, Michigan Business Network and Varnum Attorneys at Law. Michigan Celebrates Small Business was founded by Michigan Small Business Development Center, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, U.S. Small Business Administration - Michigan, Edward Lowe Foundation, Chris Holman - Small Business Advocate, and the Small Business Association of Michigan. Information about Michigan Celebrates Small Business can be found at www.MichiganCelebrates.biz. About Michigan Celebrates Small Business

Michigan Celebrates Small Business was launched in 2005 by the Michigan Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Edward Lowe Foundation, Small Business Association of Michigan, and Chris Holman  Small Business Advocate. MiQuest is the Managing Partner for Michigan Celebrates Small Business. The mission is to highlight the contributions small businesses make to the state's economy. Nearly 1,000 are expected to attend this year's event. For details and to purchase tickets, visit www.michigancelebrates.biz. About Modustri

Modustri is the inventor and developer of innovative, field technology products that are driven by an in-the-field user-experience approach to rapid prototype solutions. The Michigan-based company's first-to-market mobile hardware-software suite is an upgrade to previous methods of providing the heavy equipment industry with a streamlined system for measurement and data collection. Modustri's mobile and web applications bring sensor and other data inputs to an equipment management platform. For more information, visit modustri.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/modustri-honored-as-one-of-2016-michigan-50-companies-to-watch-300237680.html SOURCE Modustri

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[March 17, 2016] Phillip Brown Joins VUE Software as VP of Global Alliance

COCONUT CREEK, Fla., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VUE Software, the Distribution Modernization Company, announced today Phillip Brown has joined their team as the new Vice President of Global Alliance. Phillip Brown comes to VUE Software from CallidusCloud, where he served for more than 9 years as a Global Sales Performance Management Solution Specialist in New York, NY. Mr. Brown, a seasoned software sales veteran with over 15 years of insurance industry experience, has been working with large enterprises in the USA, Canada, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Having worked in multiple industries, he was introduced to the insurance industry by Legal and General in 2001, where he served as Corporate Strategist during their transformation from a career agent distribution channel to an external distribution agency model. "Phillip is a key addition to our leadership team and will develop our presence with global insurers and strategic partners. His experience and proven track record in the insurance industry is an asset to our company as we help our clients to modernize their distribution management. We welcome Phillip to the VUE Software team," stated Stephen Bruno, CEO of VUE Software. Mr. Brown has also held senior management roles with Oracle Corporation (Director, Application Sals in Australia & New Zealand) and PeopleSoft (Regional Director, APAC HCM Solutions). With extensive experience working as a strategy & implementation specialist, he has a thorough understanding of the challenges facing insurance organizations in today's heavily regulated and rapidly changing technical landscape.



Philip Brown, VP of Global Alliances stated, "I'm very excited to be a member of the VUE Software team and be surrounded by experts with such depth of experience in the insurance industry. Their client-acquisition rate is impressive. I look forward to building our Alliances network and focusing on partners as key customersa different approach to what I believe has been the typical industry-vendor approach." Mr. Brown is a graduate of Pace University's Lubin School of Business where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Sales & Marketing.

About VUE Software VUE Software, the Distribution Modernization Company for insurance carriers and distributors, is a provider of incentive compensation management, compliance management, onboarding and sales performance software solutions. Backed by over 24 years of insurance experience, VUE Software solutions are built exclusively for the insurance industry to meet the unique needs of life, health, and property & casualty. VUE Software is 100% insurance specific and does not re-purpose technology developed from other industries to fit the insurance vertical. A single platform, VUE Software was built from the ground up, using a rules-logic approach, offering clients a lower total cost of ownership and seamless integration with their systems. For more information about VUE Software, please call 1.877.488.3763 Media Contact:

Michael Palmisano

Vice President of Marketing

[email protected]

954-333-2313 VUE Software

4800 Lyons Technology Parkway, Suite 4

Coconut Creek, FL 33073

Web: http://www.vuesoftware.com

Blog: http://www.vuesoftware.com/blog

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vue-software

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Vuesoftware

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vuesoftware

Twitter: @VUESoftware @CSSI_Solutions All other registered trademarks, trademarks or service marks belong to their respective companies. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150922/269320LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phillip-brown-joins-vue-software-as-vp-of-global-alliance-300237940.html SOURCE VUE Software

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Myanmars new President is not Aung San Suu Kyi. She cannot be President because of a junta-inspired law that prohibits a Burmese who has married a foreigner, or has children from a foreigner, from becoming head of state. The Burmese people voted for Ms Suu Kyi, and she has done the next best thing in making her confidant Htin Kyaw the President, the first genuine civilian in the post in decades.

The fact that Myanmar has returned to democratic practices like holding parliamentary elections represents a massive breakthrough as 54 years have passed since the generals took power. The military brass has counterbalanced the return to democracy in getting in a hardliner, former intelligence chief Myint Swe, as one of two vice-presidents. Even so, the signs are hopeful as the world opens up to Myanmar after decades of isolation during which China was the sole window to world trade.

Suu Kyi will have to play her role shrewdly if she is to make institutions of democracy regenerate and flourish with a sustained push from all sections, most of all the people. The path is tricky: a proxy President could grow vulnerable if Ms Suu Kyi isnt able to keep the Army brass in check. In staying engaged with Myanmar, India may have helped the West achieve the breakthroughs, including in keeping open channels of communication with Suu Kyi.

The stakes are even higher for India now to develop closer ties with Myanmar since the countries share a 1,600-km border. Having encouraged the India-educated Suu Kyi, it is Indias bounden duty to enable her to rebuild Myanmar as a true democracy.
[March 17, 2016] Cansel celebrates 50th anniversary

VANCOUVER, March 17, 2016 /CNW/ - Cansel, a provider of integrated software, hardware, training and professional services, celebrates its 50th year anniversary this month. Since its founding on March 15, 1966, Cansel has strived to provide exceptional customer service with minimum downtime and high quality products. As the business has expanded over the years, the focus has been on achieving two primary objectives: doing more for its existing clients in terms of delivering value, products and services and focusing on growth in Canada. "As we celebrate 50 years in business, we are grateful to our employees and our loyal customers," said Lovett Lewis, Cansel's President. "The longevity and success of our company can be attributed to our customers who have allowed u to become their trusted partner and supplier and who continue to support us as we expand our products and services. Their challenges and feedback have pushed us to become a better company. Equally important, our employees' hard work, dedication and enthusiasm is one of the main reasons why we are recognized as a leader in the industry."



Since 2008 the company has been largely expanding its product portfolio, allowing customers to improve their field to finish productivity, which remains Cansel's primary motto and mission. Such expansions include becoming an Autodesk Platinum Partner, introducing a comprehensive variety of Wide Format products, and more recent acquisitions of Ernest Green and Dowco Technology Services. Cansel takes great pride in being a Canadian owned and operated company for 50 years. Currently, Cansel is defined by 5 business units operating from 23 locations across Canada with over 400 employees. Company's commitment and focus on the Canadian market remains strong and forward-looking.

About Cansel For 50 years Cansel has helped organizations in the engineering, surveying, construction, mining, architecture, manufacturing, utilities, forestry, and government sectors measure, analyze, design, and build more efficiently and profitably. Cansel's national team of professionals combine software, hardware and services to provide tailored solutions to improve your workflow, from field to finish. SOURCE Cansel

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What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot
Volunteer walks in honor of her husband Thousand Oaks resident Joan Hull will be among those participating in this years Conejo Valley Walk to End Alzheimers at 9 a.m. Sat., Oct. 22 at the Westlake Promenade. Hull...

Overpass could get protective fencing A substantial safety upgrade for the areas most notorious overpass is finally getting some Caltrans considerationbut dont expect changes any time soon. At the Sept. 21 Moorpark City Council meeting,...

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The unanimous suspension of Mumbais Byculla MLA Waris Pathan on Wednesday from membership of the Maharashtra Assembly for the remainder of the Budget Session for his refusal to raise the slogan of Bharat Mata ki Jai (Hail to Mother India) should be seen as a build-up to corner the minorities, particularly Indian Muslims, at the behest of the Sangh Parivar, which has evidently been overcome by a triumphalist vision since BJP came to power at the Centre with a Lok Sabha majority of his own under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is a great pity that the Congress and the NCP caved in, with a Muslim Congress legislator saying in the House that Muslims in Maharashtra might be in danger if Mr Pathan was not suitably punished for his refusal to kow-tow to the RSS brand of nationalism, which is but another name for Hindu supremacist thought and has little to do with the Indian nationalism that was forged in the course of the struggle against British colonial rule, from which the Hindu nationalists kept aloof.

As Mr Pathan told journalists afterward, he was a nationalist and a proud Indian, and was ready anytime to raise a toast to India by saying Jai Hind or Jai Bharat, but found the Hindutva diktat appalling. Only a few days earlier his partys leader Asaduddin Owaisi had thrown a challenge to the RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat, saying he would not utter Bharat Mata ki Jai even if threatened with death.

The Hindutva brigade realises all too well that people of the Islamic faith bow their head only before their God, and the idea of pushing the envelope of the symbolism of Bharat Mata (with which the Hindus have no problem) is a way to denigrate Indias Muslims as anti-national and unpatriotic. (In his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha recently, the eminent film lyricist Javed Akhtar indicated that he had no objection to the slogan Bharat Mata ki Jai, but Mr Akhtar is a self-confessed atheist.)

Were the Maharashtra Assembly mood to gain force, and the spirit that led to Mr Pathan being penalised for committing no offence whatever spreads to states where the BJP is strong (as in Maharashtra currently), we would be going astray as a people and be bringing upon ourselves every curse that comes in the wake of the wilful distortion of the historical record.

It is important to re-state that Indian nationalism  unlike the idea that prevailed in, say, Europe  is not bound to a language, religion, or race. Indeed, countless Muslims who found themselves geographically in territories that would become Pakistan were Indian nationalists who had fought for Indias freedom, and not for the creation of Pakistan. Lets not play political games and belittle our nationalism.
Melbourne: Scientists now believe that they have come a step closer to one of the greatest mysteries of the world, Bermuda Triangle, which gulps aircraft and ships.

This belief has been established with the discovery of a series of underwater craters at the bottom of the Barents Sea, off the coast of Norway, reports stated.

While the location is not close to the Bermuda Triangle, which stretches from Florida to Puerto Rico and the mid-Atlantic island of Bermuda, it is hoped that the craters are the key for explaining the bewildered phenomenon.

The craters, measured up to 800m wide and 45m deep, are believed to have been created by methane building up in sediments on the sea-floor of the gas-rich Norway coast, which then leak, "popping" through the sea bed and into the water above.

According to a scientist, the crater areas represent one of the largest hot spots for shallow marine methane release in the Arctic, which creates enormous blowouts of gas bubbles, leading to sinking of ships.

Last year, this possibility was explored by a scientist, who said that the Bermuda Triangle is a consequence of gas hydrates reactions.

He went on explaining that the reaction happens in an avalanche-like way, like a nuclear reaction, producing huge amounts of gas.

Details of the discovery will be released at the annual meeting of the European Geosciences Union next month, where experts will analyse whether these kind of bubbles could place ships in danger.

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A team of scientists is exploring an unusual source of electricity  damaged tomatoes that are unsuitable for sale at the grocery store.

But how can tomatoes give you electricity? A group of researchers from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology have found a unique method of treating the tomatoes problematic waste and turning it into something very useful. The outcome of this waste would be electricity.

A team of scientists is exploring an unusual source of electricity  damaged tomatoes that are unsuitable for sale at the grocery store. Their pilot project involves a biological-based fuel cell that uses tomato waste left over from harvests in Florida.

The researchers presented their work at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the worlds largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 12,500 presentations on a wide range of science topics.

We have found that spoiled and damaged tomatoes left over from harvest can be a particularly powerful source of energy when used in a biological or microbial electrochemical cell, says Namita Shrestha, who is working on the project. The process also helps purify the tomato-contaminated solid waste and associated waste water.

Shrestha is a graduate student in the lab of Venkataramana Gadhamshetty, Ph.D., P.E., at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. They are collaborating on this project with Alex Fogg, an undergraduate chemistry major at Princeton University. Other project collaborators include Daniel Franco, Joseph Wilder and Simeon Komisar, Ph.D., at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Tomatoes are a key crop in Florida, notes Gadhamshetty. He stresses that the project is important to the state because Florida generates 396,000 tons of tomato waste every year, but lacks a good treatment process.

Gadhamshetty began working on the topic as a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. The project began a few years ago when Alex visited my lab in Fort Myers, Florida, and said he was interested in researching a local problem, especially local tomatoes grown in our state and the large waste treatment issue, Gadhamshetty says. We wanted to find a way to treat this waste that, when dumped in landfills, can produce methane  a powerful greenhouse gas  and when dumped in water bodies, can create major water treatment problems.

So, the team developed a microbial electrochemical cell that can exploit tomato waste to generate electric current. Shrestha explains, Microbial electrochemical cells use bacteria to break down and oxidize organic material in defective tomatoes.

The oxidation process, triggered by the bacteria interacting with tomato waste, releases electrons that are captured in the fuel cell and become a source of electricity. The natural lycopene pigment in tomatoes, the researchers have found, is an excellent mediator to encourage the generation of electrical charges from the damaged fruits.

Some of their results proved to be counterintuitive. Typical biotechnological applications require, or at least perform better, when using pure chemicals, compared to wastes, Gadhamshetty notes. However, we found that electrical performance using defective tomatoes was equal or better than using pure substrates. These wastes can be a rich source of indigenous redox mediators and carbon, as well as electrons.

At the moment, the power output from their device is quite small: 10 milligrams of tomato waste can result in 0.3 watts of electricity. But the researchers note that with an expected scale up and more research, electrical output could be increased by several orders of magnitude.

According to calculations by Shrestha, there is theoretically enough tomato waste generated in Florida each year to meet Disney Worlds electricity demand for 90 days, using an optimized biological fuel cell.

Our research question at this time is to investigate the fundamental electron transfer mechanisms and the interaction between the solid tomato waste and microbes, Gadhamshetty notes. They plan to improve the cell by determining which of its parts  electrode, electricity-producing bacteria, biological film, wiring  are resisting the flow of electricity. Then they will tweak or replace that part.

The team acknowledges funding from the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Electric Power Research Institute and the Office of Research & Graduate Studies at the Florida Gulf Coast University.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 158,000 members, ACS is the worlds largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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The best advice for securing your iPhone was once simply "don't jailbreak it." But a new form of malware, dubbed AceDeceiver by its finders, exploits an iOS vulnerability that had only been hinted at in research papers.

(Image credit: Ymgerman/Shutterstock)

In a blog post yesterday (Mar. 17), Palo Alto Networks said the malware arrives as part of free Windows software meant to optimize iOS devices. After installation, the software secretly installs rogue apps on any connected iPhone or iPad. When opened outside China, those app are just wallpaper. But inside China, they open up a rogue app store than offers pirated versions of popular games and asks users to provide their Apple IDs and passwords.

"First it was XcodeGhost, then ZergHelper and now AceDeceiver," Ryan Olson of Palo Alto Networks told the Threatpost security-news site, referring to two other pieces of iOS malware found in the past six months. "What we are seeing is a slow chipping away at Apple's App Store security."



MORE: Mobile Security Guide: Everything You Need to Know

AceDeceiver's creators first created three apps and sprinkled them into the Apple App Store in various countries. These were also geolocated -- in China, they opened rogue app portals, but outside, they were merely wallpapers. The developers rightly assumed Apple's code reviewers would not be in China, and all three were approved and given AppStore authorization certificates.

Palo Alto Networks noticed the geolocation and alerted Apple, which yanked the apps from the App Store. But the developers had what they needed -- the App Store certificates. They bundled the apps into Windows software called Aisi ("Ace" in Chinese) Helper and distributed it as a free utility to optimize iOS devices attached by a USB cable to a PC.

Once users downloaded the utility onto their PCs, the attackers could use it to side-load their wallpaper/app store apps onto any connected iOS device. The iOS devices accepted the apps because the connected PC would already have been certified as trusted by Apple's FairPlay copy-protection mechanism, meant to limit the spread of purchased iTunes songs. The apps would also have Apple's own App Store authorization certificates.

"The infection of iOS devices is completed in the background without the user's awareness," wrote Palo Alto Networks researcher Claud Xiao in the company blog post. "The only indication is that the new malicious app does appear as an icon in the user's home screen."



A user might mistake the fake storefront for a pre-loaded, Apple-approved app that he or she can trust with a username and password. The masterminds behind AceDeceiver, who also run the website i4.cn, promise not to abuse the Apple login credentials, but add a terms-of-use clause that refuses liability for any wrongdoing that happens with those credentials.

Apple's FairPlay file-protection code is typically used to prove that an application was legally purchased, AceDeceiver shows it can be a powerful tool to fool the company's own safeguards. While we still advise security-conscious smartphone owners to not jailbreak their devices and only download apps from official app stores, AceDeceiver forces us to a new amendment: Do not trust apps you don't remember downloading.
Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge may be getting rave reviews, but one feature could deter power users from opting for the new flagships. Disappointed T-Mobile customers are reporting that their new Galaxy handsets come with locked bootloaders, and almost 900 of them have already signed a Change.org petition to unlock the devices.

What on earth is a locked bootloader, and why does it have some people upset? Here's a quick breakdown.

MORE: A Complete Guide to the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

What is a bootloader and what can I do with it?

A bootloader is the program that starts running once you turn your phone on, and it launches the operating system, such as iOS or Android. You'll recognize this as the screen with the Apple or Android logo that stays for a few seconds after you switch your device on. Being able to access this means you can, with the right kind of know-how, potentially change the operating platform.

This is important to power users or developers, who sometimes customize Android or other open-source software, and want to implement their own features into their devices. Locked bootloaders can also prevent rooting, which gives you access to internal properties such as CPU and scrolling speed. It's like buying a car and being locked out of the hood and not allowed to modify it or swap out components for optimal performance. The Change.org petition calling on Samsung and T-Mobile to unlock the S7 and S7 Edge loaders contends this "cripples the device."

Why would people lock a bootloader?

While it may frustrate some users, carriers and device makers have plenty of reasons to restrict access, with security as the biggest one. Installing unverified software on your phone could make it more susceptible to trojans or other exploits, since the phone maker has not had the chance to check for such vulnerabilities.

Carriers may opt to lock bootloaders to protect network performance, since open access to them can affect how the phone connects with the network. In 2012, Verizon told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the "addition of unapproved software could also negatively impact the wireless experience for other customers."

What does T-Mobile say?

After being tweeted at by vexed customers, T-Mobile CEO John Legere said the issue was "under Samsung's control, but my engineers are asking them for a solution that they can support." It appears that the Uncarrier, which has traditionally kept its devices open, had very little say in the matter.

However, Legere's statement should give its customers some hope that the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge might be freed in the future, depending on the solution the company's engineers work out with Samsung.

Traditionally, AT&T and Verizon have been known to be more restrictive than T-Mobile and Sprint, with the two larger carriers locking their devices more often than the latter two do. However, Tech Times reports that some AT&T variants of the new Galaxy devices have unlocked bootloaders. It's not yet clear whether the phones are similarly open on other carriers. We've reached out to Samsung on this issue and will update the story when the company responds.

After this story was published, Samsung's head of mobile product reviews Philip Berne tweeted in response to the post, saying that bootloaders have always been "locked by default, even on Nexus." This is contrary to the Tech Times report that suggests AT&T S7 devices have unlocked bootloaders, as well as TmoNews' observation that "some past Android flagships on T-Mobile have come with unlockable bootloaders."

Berne may simply be referring to the fact that no manufacturer makes a phone that has a mode to allow the user to unlock the bootloader. To do that, most owners would have to use third-party means that in many cases would void the manufacturer warranty.

Are you one of the people upset at the locked bootloaders? Or do you prefer leaving your device alone? Share your thoughts in our forums.
When Google inspected the security protocols of around 100 most-visited non-Google websites on the internet, a large number with less-than-ideal protection turned out to be X-rated stuff.

Surprising, but true, Google is actually worried about you and is making sure that you can surf your porn websites safely. Basically, Google is on the route to making surfing the internet for everybody safer than before.

When Google inspected the security protocols of around 100 most-visited non-Google websites on the internet, a large number with less-than-ideal protection turned out to be X-rated stuff. To its surprise, major news websites and a number of popular websites in the world lacked the industry-standard HTTPS encryption, which also included shopping portal eBay on its list.

Siliconbeat reported that the Transparency Report on Googles website clearly mentions they were committed to making the internet a safer place for everyone, and not only for Google users. Hence the implementation of HTTPS encryption.

HTTPS encryption makes it difficult for the government as well as the service providers to know what you are doing online and Google wants to work with all websites to move towards HTTPS by the end of this year. HTTPS protocol helps encrypt all data communication that happens between a computer and the website.

As for Googles list, websites that lack the encryption, or are incapable of the same, are Pornhub, Youporn, Xvideos and a few other porn websites. As for news websites, Ney York Times, CNN, MSN, BBC and Daily Mail are also listed. Commercial websites included eBay and Alibaba. On the other hand, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit, WhatsApp, Tumblr, Pinterest, Yahoo, Netflix, PayPal and a few others made it to the secure websites on Googles list. Amazon too was present on the list, but is not encrypted by default and users would have to add HTTPS:// before using it.

Google will shortly start ranking pages with HTTPS encryptions on a higher side, also stating that it will also override the same if the content of a non HTTPS website is better.

Here is a list of the website that are running the most recent HTTPS encryption protocol by default:

Below is a list of website that are running the HTTPS protocol, but not by default:

Other top websites, (as per Googles list) that are not using/not using HTTPS, partially or completely:

Please note: These websites listed above maybe insecure. Kindly research the nature of the website before navigating on them. Some of these websites include pornographic site names. Use at your own discretion.

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Imagination announced that it will restructure the company to cut costs, which will lead to another 200 layoffs in addition to the 150 announced last month. The 350 employees would reduce the companys workforce by about 20 percent of the current 1,700-strong workforce.

Out With The Bad

The companys operational costs will drop by 15 million ($22 million) for the financial year ending April 2016. Imagination will also cut non-core or cash-consuming units, which will bring an additional 12.5 million ($18 million) in savings delivered in full in the financial year ending April 2017.

Some of the business units being divested include the consumer radio business, the System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design business, as well as other overheads that werent focused on the core businesses of the company.

Refocus On PowerVR, MIPS, Ensigma

The company will not cut any jobs from the PowerVR, MIPS and Ensigma (connectivity) businesses. In fact, its looking to hire 50 more employees for the PowerVR unit. The PowerVR business is the most profitable unit, so it makes sense to strengthen it.

Ensigma has also been a growing business for Imagination, and a unit in which the company has kept investing to improve it. Imagination bought MIPS not too long ago, so for now, the company believes it wouldnt make much sense to get away from it. That could be a mistake, which well address later.

Apple Dependency

When a company starts cutting jobs, its usually not necessarily because the company has spread out too thin (although that can be one of the factors), but because the main business isnt as profitable as it once was. That means the same projects that the company started and could sustain in the past have become unsustainable.

Although Imagination has done very well for itself in the past decade by selling GPU designs to a fast-growing company such as Apple, it also made it highly dependent on Apples success. If Apples iPhone business goes down, then so does Imaginations GPU business.

This is made worse by the fact that Imagination has been steadily losing GPU market share in Asia, where chip makers have begun to adopt ARMs Mali GPU or GPU designs from other competitors. Qualcomm has also eaten into Imaginations GPU business simply by selling more SoCs (which include the Adreno GPU) to Asian smartphone manufacturers.

Although its not clear why Asian chip-makers would prefer Mali over PowerVR, as PowerVR is still one of the best mobile GPU architectures on the market, it likely has something to do with pricing.

Imagination may not be willing to cut its price for Asian customers, because that would probably mean having to cut prices for Apple as well. However, if that's the case, the company may have pushed chip makers into ARMs, er, arms.

MIPS Conundrum

Imagination bought MIPS Technologies for $60 million at the end of 2012 -- a sum thats not exactly small for an IP company such as Imagination. Also, at the time, MIPS was losing money on an annual revenue of $60 million.

Imagination wanted the MIPS CPU architecture possibly because it thought it could promote a third major instruction set architecture (ISA) that would be on a more equal footing to ARM and x86. It may have also worried that ARM would eventually close down its ISA to only work well with its own GPUs.

More than three years have passed, but so far we havent seen any major growth for the MIPS architecture. For the most part, this is probably because theres no room for another proprietary ISA, but it also feels like Imagination hasnt been aggressive enough in promoting it.

For starters, Imagination hasnt shown that it can compete in peak performance against ARM. It has tried instead to compete mostly at the low-end and mid-range and in performance/Watt metrics. Thats a worthy goal, but its not going to get the company the headlines it needs to make MIPS successful.

AMD, for instance, lost the battle with Intel mainly because it couldnt keep up with the peak performance of Intels high-end chips. Those chips didnt represent just another pricing level - they were a representation of Intels chip leadership and innovation.

Later, everyone started believing AMDs chips were generally worse than Intels chips, at all pricing levels. In the end, that actually became true, because AMD had fewer and fewer resources to put into its chip business.

Imagination has also failed to gain a chip-making customer that would create a high-end MIPS CPU for smartphones on cutting-edge process nodes. Getting such a customer likely wouldnt have been easy, as most smartphone OEMs are invested in ARM, and probably not too many were willing to take a chance on MIPS. However, this just shows what an enormous uphill battle Imagination has had with MIPS -- a battle that may not get any easier going forward.

RISC-V: A Better Bet Against ARM

If it wouldve waited two more years, Imagination couldve gotten its own ISA for free. RISC-V is an open source instruction set architecture, with version 2.0 being publicly released in 2010, after being introduced by UC Berkeley in 2010. Imagination couldve created its own CPUs on top of an ISA thats not controlled only by ARM.

The difference between MIPS and RISC-V is that due to its open source nature, it could actually gain much more adoption than MIPS in the future from chip makers, much like Android got high adoption from smartphone OEMs. Even though its very early, some big names such as Google, HP, and Oracle are already backing RISC-V, and its possible more will adopt it in the future.

Even Intel couldnt make big gains in the mobile or embedded market against ARM, because no matter how rich it is, ARMs business model is empowered by many companies adopting its architecture and making chips on top of it.

MIPS couldve worked the same way, but its been a few years since Imagination got it, and it doesnt seem to have worked. RISC-Vs chances against ARM arent guaranteed, either. However, if theres any other ISA that can take on ARM in the mobile and embedded markets over the next decade, thats probably RISC-V.

Near-Term Goals For Imagination

The thing Imagination needs to do right away is try to win back Asian chip makers and pull GPU business away from ARM, whether its by offering low-end competitive GPU IP that costs significantly less, or through other means.

Because Qualcomm still dominates the vast majority of high-end smartphones, that means Imagination will need to win companies such as MediaTek or Huawei and get them to use its GPUs.

Then, they can work together with smartphone OEMs to put those chips into popular devices and promote those devices as better at gaming, or more efficient with high-resolution displays, or what have you. Imagination clearly needs some strong brand promotion here as well. Customers also need to want PowerVR GPUs in their phones, over anything else.

If Apples iPhone business will indeed start to slow down, as some analysts are predicting, then these goals become all the more urgent for Imagination. The company would not be able depend on Apple to increase its growth anymore.

Lucian Armasu is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware. You can follow him at @lucian_armasu.

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Since their inception after the 2010 SLAM rallies Music Victoria have been doing the hard yards for the Victorian music community, helping artists, venue owners and punters to continue to enjoy one of the best parts of our city.

While they have access to some government funding and private sponsorship they rely largely their insanely cheap membership fees ($33 for you, $66 for your band) to help keep their not-for-profit train rolling.

Did we mention that musos and venues who are a part of Music Vics membership program are massively compensated with discounts and services galore? Hes just a few of the best reasons to become a Music Victoria member in 2016.

Education

Whether your band is just starting out and youre look for some tips or youve gigged around for ages and you want to start taking the band a bit more seriously Music Vic have got you covered.

Monthly Seminars run in conjunction with industry professionals are a source of limitless wisdom in almost every area of the industry. Fact Sheets and Checklists on their website are a great resource for those planning a tour or thinking of signing a management agreement.

Not to mention discount tickets to music industry conferences like BIGSOUND and Face the Music that are up for grabs with membership.

Advocacy!

This is the big ticket item. Music Victoria does a whole lot for our local industry, but advocacy is their bread and butter.

The money paid for your membership gives Music Vic a budget to lobby government for things like the re-institution of Mixed-Ages Gigs, The Live Music Best Practice Guide and allowing bands loading into venues access to loading zone parking.

Also you know those lockout laws that are ruining Sydneys nightlife? Its thanks to money and time donated to groups like Music Victoria and SLAM that Victoria doesnt have draconian anti-nightlife laws that keep musicians off stages.

Gig Guide/App

Melbourne is a massive cultural city, any given night there is an absolute mountain of events you could attend. Thankfully Music Victoria have teamed up with Street Press Australia with the Melbourne Music City App.

An all access app chocked full of gig guides, industry news, social media feeds and a record store directory, perfect for local musos, punters and international visitors alike.

Discounts

Dont just support your music community, support yourself! Membership to Music Vic gets you an absolute bucketload of discounts from a heap of participating venders.

Want to press a new album? Bakehouse and a bunch of other great studios and CD printers will take cash off for you. Planning a tour? Save money on baggage, car hire, accommodation and Virgin Lounge membership so you can get stuck into free juice and muffins while you wait for your boarding call. Even get a discount on advertising from yours truly Tone Deaf!

Insurance

Ok so this is really just another discount but insurance one deserves a special mention because of its importance.

Plenty of bands tour without public liability, travel and gear insurance and when something hits the fan or a dodgy punter decides to leave with your Marshal Stack they are stuck footing the bill.

Dont get left out in the cold after a fuck up you cant control, if music is your livelihood then its worth insuring, especially if its on the cheap.

There are Prizes Too

But wait theres more! If this all wasnt enough then youre in luck. Music Victoria is sweetening the deal ahead of this years membership drive with ever new member going into the draw to win over $5000 worth of prizes including stacks of free tickets, Instruments, Rehearsal space, and a whole lot more.

Supporting the Future

Melbournes music community means a whole lot to a huge amount of people, benefits aside supporting the future of our diverse and vibrant music culture is its own reward.

Music Victorias membership drive runs from 15th  24th March, for more info visit www.musicvictoria.com.au.
Austrian author Hermann Brochs 1945 novel The Death of Virgil recounts the Roman poet Virgils last hours. During this time, he pleads with the Emperor to allow him to destroy his own lifes work. The narrative centres largely on the binary of falsifying reality in the pursuit of beauty.

It is with this sentiment that Australian group Spookyland reveal plans for their debut album Beauty Already Beautiful. Recorded over three weeks in Omaha, Nebraska at Conor Obersts live-in Saddle Creek compound; brothers Liam and Marcus Gordon, along with percussionist Nathan Mansfield and bassist Nic Malouf are heading to Texas own musical circus that is SXSW in Austin for the first time.

Weve heard its pretty crazy, but in a good way says vocalist/ guitarist/ songsmith Marcus we have five showcases to play, and then we head over to support Jake Bugg for a few dates in Chicago and New York.

Their 2014 EP release Rock and Roll Weakling cemented Spookyland firmly on the radar of tastemakers (Pitchfork, Stereogum et al), a since then a wider form of collaboration has shaped the upcoming album sound and feel.

Being open to the channels of the talent around you will always get you a better result. Even if you thought you knew what you wanted in your own head, allowing others to take it up and move pieces around is really important. I think you have to either decide to be a soloist backed by players, or a group. In our group there is no authoritative leader, its a collaboration an all ideas come out that way. guitarist Liam reflects.

Marcus might bring the skeleton of a song, and everyone will add their parts from there. So its really important to be able to have that trust in the people youre playing with and know that the end result will be better than the sum of its parts.

Defining a groups sound is usually as difficult as it is limiting. With influences spanning rock to blues and gospel, folk-revivalist to country and contemporary, shoe gaze to nu gaze, Spookyland are hard to firmly pin on the wheel. There are the strong song writing sensibilities and poetry of Dylan and Young, the collaboration smarts of Bowie and Eno peeking through the cracks of retrospective modern indie polish a la Bright Eyes.

If you get labelled as shoegaze or punk rock or whatever, there will always be a prescriptive or purist view about what that should sound and look like, and I dont know what to do with that all the time quips Liam. What if you want to take something bluesy, but drench it in reverb through a Marshall amp. What do you have to call that?

[include_post id=452988]Transition from local stage to big stage seemed to be an easy slide for Spookyland, who fondly recount their 2015 Lollapalooza debut (a bill which also counted Aussie heavy hitters Peking Duk, Alison Wonderland, DMAs and Tame Impala among the roster.).

Well the first thing you notice is the stage is very very big, and your guitar leads are very short! smirks Marcus Also the quality of sound on stage is incredible so theres no guessing what you sound likebut theres something nice about sharing a small stage where everyone is a bit tighter, were more sued to that.

The all-too-familiar tale of a local indie band receiving airplay, tour demands and record sales overseas, whilst drifting just to the periphery of local recognition, has seen Spookyland already amass an impressive following in the UK and US.

Part of that comes by the very nature of fishing in a deeper pond, partly also the cultural difference often noted by local bands making their maiden voyage overseas. Spooklyand are a group well versed in playing the undercard to international bills, having supported the likes of Cold War Kids, Gary Clarke Jnr, The Lemonheads, and Band of Skulls.

The first time we arrived in Chicago (supporting Lord Huron) to play a sold out show at The Metro, we though wow this is great [for Huron]it wasnt until we stepped out on stage to a full room that we realised the differencepeople make a point to catch all the acts on a bill, not just the headline theyve paid to see.

Having more than a few tastes of overseas touring (joining local faves, such as The Rubens, Bad//Dreams, Dune Rates and Little May on the coveted CMJ bill in New York 2014) has steadied the group for a solid tilt at SXSW, and the possibility of a UK/European tour drawing ever closer.

A few tips from Spooks for young players heading overseas for the first time:

Just stay true to the energy and have faith in what youre doing. Try and bring that feeling you have in the rehearsal space, and not worry too much about whats going on around you. Theres a real comradery among the Australian bands when youre overseas together too, theres not a lot of ego & everyone is supportive.

Also  have fun, but remember to stay healthy enough to play that next show in three hours!

To keep updated on Spookylands movements at SXSW, stay locked to the bands Facebook page.
Violent Soho are about to unleash one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of the year with WACO, the bands follow-up to Hungry Ghost, which propelled the Brisbane outfit into the public consciousness back in 2013.

The lead-up to WACO has seen the announcement of whats sure to be one of the most memorable tours of the year, two absolutely killer singles, and even a DIY promotional campaign from one crazy-committed Soho fan.

The album is set to drop tomorrow via I OH YOU and you can check out Tone Deafs review of the LP right here. However, some fans might still be scratching their heads and wondering just what the hell the album title actually means.

Well, whilst Waco might not mean much to most Australians, to any American born before 1985, the word brings up memories of confusing television news reports, military vehicles, and images of a large compound on fire.

The Waco siege is one of the more controversial and disturbing parts of contemporary American history. It took place between February and April 1993 after an ATF search of a compound belonging to the Branch Davidian cult ended in a gun battle.

A siege was subsequently initiated by the FBI, resulting in a standoff that lasted 51 days. The FBI eventually set off a tear gas attack to try and coax the Branch Davidians out of the compound, during which a fire engulfed the building.

76 people died, including the groups controversial leader, David Koresh. The source of the fire was disputed, however a government investigation concluded in 2000 that members of the Branch Davidians had started the fire.

Still, the incident has gone down in history as a symbol of government malfeasance during which the federal government effectively assassinated its own citizens. The incident would eventually inspire the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

So what does all of that have to do with Violent Soho? Well, according to one I OH YOU staffer, the bands latest album is as similarly dismissive as federal agents were of restrained response and if youve heard Like Soda, you know what they mean..

According to frontman Luke Boerdam, WACO is like Hungry Ghosts older sister: Hungry Ghost dealt with the spiritual skeleton weve become from this spoon-fed reality. WACO is more about control and illusion: what the skeleton is being fed.

Violent Sohos fourth album, WACO, is out tomorrow (Friday, 18th March) via I OH YOU.
Fromthere's no reasonable person in this nation who can attest that Hillary doesn't have her problems no matter what their partisan leaning. Check the newspaper treating their readers like children or really just regurgitating talking points: Hillary Clinton on high road to nomination but Donald Trump taking the muddy route
I think it is unfortunate, but not surprising as well, Councilman Scott Wagner said.





Wagner has been seeing people fall into the grey area for years, but now he says he might have the solution. In July, a building at 12th and Prospect will be turned into the Kansas City Assessment Triage Center. Wagner says instead of booking people into jails, then releasing them or taking them to emergency rooms, people will end up at the assessment center.





This gets us on a better path to get people successful and get them away from episodes like what we had today, Wagner said.

In a testament to the post-apocalyptic conditions that exist in many Kansas City neighborhoods, the local news recently highlighted a local artist terrifying neighbors while walking around with a pickaxe.Check it:A couple of things to consider . . .This denizen of the creative class calls an abandoned property home . . . He probably didn't pay a dollar for it and it's one of the many structures thatAlso, remember thatunder the threat that people without money for care would pose a threat to locals . . . I guess the pickaxe man has opted for Obamacare instead.Anyhoo, council dude Scott Wagner has a solution . . .Luckily, Summer is only months away and residents near this ax wielding dude can take comfort in this fact . . .While there's no telling how much "assessment" a Kansas City dude walking around with a pickaxe needs . . . We can only hope hope this city hall program works just a bit better than previous promises.Developing . . .
From SecState Kander's FB: "Sometimes you'd rather not be in a meeting, but you do it anyway because it's your job . . ."

Kansas City's favorite political son has a short and not-so-sweet social media greeting for Sen. Blunt featuring a photo of Kander's Army salad days back in Afghanistan . . .Which are once again the centerpiece of his campaign.Also, he's launching an e-mail collection campaign petition . . .It's worth noting that Sen. Blunt hasn't had much to say as Kander keeps scoring points off him.You decide . . .
"The Mayor tells us Kansas City can't survive without the earnings tax . . . But he finds money for wasteful big business pet projects."

"Tell the Mayor NO more special deals for the wealthy."

Supporters of the earnings tax tout Mayor Sly's popularity while the critics of the measure put the embattled leader front and center and seemingly doubt his ability to elicit support.

E-TAX OPPONENTS TARGETING MAYOR SLY OPENLY QUESTION HIS POPULARITY WITH KANSAS CITY VOTERS!!!

The campaign against the Kansas City earnings tax is finally starting pick up steam and reach out to voters.While supporters of the controversial income deduction have taken to TV and ruined social media feeds . . . This low-key mailer is the first sign of a real campaign from the opposition.The text of the advert:On the flip side . . .The mailer is about 8 1/2 by 11 and looks expensive.But here is what's interesting . . .Accordingly . . .This isn't just blogger theory, it's hundreds of thousands of dollars betting that Mayor Sly isn't as beloved as some might claim.Quick campaign finance note . . . It looks like this advert is paid for by the "Vote No On The E-Tax" Committee out of STL that has received more than $300K from Rex Sinquefield.You decide . . .
Nineteen soldiers were heading to a parachuting course when the aircraft went down in the Pastaza province of the countrys Amazon region. (Photo: Google Maps)

Quito: A military plane crashed in Ecuadors jungle on Tuesday, killing all 22 people on board, the South American countrys president, Rafael Correa, said.

Nineteen soldiers were heading to a parachuting course when the aircraft went down in the Pastaza province of the countrys Amazon region. Two pilots and one mechanic, also members of the army, were killed too.

There are no survivors, Correa said on Twitter. Its a tragedy, he added, without providing further details.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
The biggest winner last month was Heraklion, the main airport on Crete, with a 56% surge in bookings compared to February 2015. It had already seen a 25% rise in January. In a further sign of rising demand for Greece, bookings for Rhodes were up by 37% af

German bookings for package holidays on the Turkish Riviera slumped by more than 40% in February while Crete was up more than 50%, according to new figures showing holiday sales to major destination airports, fvw reports.

Rhodes, Bulgaria, the Canary Islands and Majorca also all showed strong growth rates last month while demand for Egypt continued to collapse, monthly sales figures from leading German holiday reservations provider Traveltainment showed.

Antalya, the major airport serving the Turkish Riviera, had a 42% fall in package holiday bookings in February compared to 12 months earlier as holidaymakers switched to alternative destinations or delayed their bookings. This left it with a 19% share of all bookings for the ten largest destination airports on the German market, much lower than its usual market share at this time of the year. The airport had already seen heavy falls in the previous three months: January (-40%), December (-26%) and November (-24%).

Similarly, bookings for Hurghada, the largest holiday airport in Egypt, were down by 29% last month after a 57% collapse in January, 29% in December and 42% in November, as customers continued to avoid the Red Sea coast following the Russian charter plane crash last November.

Rising demand for Greece

The biggest winner last month was Heraklion, the main airport on Crete, with a 56% surge in bookings compared to February 2015. It had already seen a 25% rise in January. In a further sign of rising demand for Greece, bookings for Rhodes were up by 37% after double-digit rises in the two previous months.

The Bulgarian Black Sea coast is also proving popular for Germans as an alternative destination at present, as reflected by a 35% rise in bookings to Varna.

The surge in bookings for Spain was shown in the figures for Palma and the Canaries. There was a 23% rise in package bookings to Palma last month, leaving the Majorcan airport with a dominant 32% share of top ten airports. This was three percentage points higher than in January.

The Canary Islands also did well with high double-digit growth rates for the three largest airports for the second month in a row. Fuerteventura grew by 24% in February after a 27% rise in January. Las Palmas followed a 28% rise in January with a 24% increase last month, while Tenerife South grew by 14% after 18% in January. However, Arrecife only showed a 3% rise last month.

Traveltainment's Bistro system is used by some 11,000 travel agencies in Germany to make package holiday bookings from 130 tour operators, while its Internet Booking Engine is used by more than 350 online travel agents and portals.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWPC) has signed an agreement to build two temporary desalination plants in the Qurayat and Sharqiyah regions of the sultanate, said report.



The deal signed with Muscat Water and a consortium of Al Sulaimi Group involves the design and construction of the Qurayat and Aseelah reverse osmosis desalination plants and the ownership, operation and maintenance of these facilities, reported The Oman Observer.



The projects will be structured as independent water projects (IWPs) with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company purchasing the potable water produced by the project under a water purchase agreement, said the report.



The total potable water output of Qurayat plant is 8,000 cu m per day, while that of Aseelah plant is 10,000 cu m per day, it added.
More than 120 project-financed schemes worth over $110 billion are either being planned or under construction in the GCC as governments increasingly seek alternative methods of financing their project plans in light of falling oil revenues, said a report.



The largest market for public projects backed with private sector finance is Kuwait, with just under $49 billion worth of projects under its public-private-partnership (PPP) projects programme, stated regional projects tracking service, Meed Projects in its report released ahead of a key industry event.



The 'Meed Financing Projects in New Oil Era' conference will be held on March 23 at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Dubai.



The conference will help project sponsors to manage deficits and secure private finance, contractors deal with project slowdown, contractor finance and cash flow issues and help investors and financiers to capitalise on the new borrowing needs of the regions project owners.



Industry experts will discuss the alternative methods of financing public projects at the upcoming event.



According to Meed, Kuwait has been an innovator in advancing the PPP model in the region, with schemes ranging from power plants and water and wastewater facilities to schools and tourism projects falling under the programme, which is handled by the Kuwait Public Authority of Partnership Projects (KAPP).



The other big player in privately-financed schemes is the UAE, with about $35 billion of projects planned or under way, stated the project tracker citing data.



These include Dubai Electricity and Water Authority's (Dewa) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park, Road and Transport Authority's (RTA) Union Oasis real estate scheme in Dubai and Fewas Umm Al-Quwain independent water project (IWP) it stated.



The other GCC states have some $26 billion worth of privately-financed projects between them, including the Facility D independent water and power project (IWPP) in Qatar, Riyadhs King Khalid International Airport Expansion Terminal 5, and Omans Sohar IWP.



The project finance model has been applied to power and water projects regularly over the past 15 years in the region, but it is only now with lower oil revenues that there is a concerted push to apply the model to projects in other sectors, explained Ed James, the director of Content & Analysis at Meed Projects.



Governments are increasingly turning to innovative financing structures such as project bonds, sukuk issuances, and export credit agency financing to fund projects as revenues decline. By doing so, they can maintain spending on projects without impacting their balance sheets, a critical issue when state budgets are under strain from falling oil sales, he said.



As the oil price fell in 2015, the value of project-financed schemes increased substantially to $14.3 billion compared with just $2.6 billion the previous year, according to Meed.



With the oil price showing little sign of rising in the short term, this number is expected to continue growing in 2016, it added.-TradeArabia News Service




Shell and Saudi Aramco have announced plans to break up Motiva Enterprises LLC and divide up the assets, almost two decades after forming the US oil refining and marketing joint venture.



The split comes after early signs of the break-up emerged last summer when Motiva set up its own oil products trading business separate from Shell.



In the proposed division of assets, Saudi Aramco, through its wholly owned Saudi Refining Inc (SRI), will retain the Motiva name, assume sole ownership of the Port Arthur, Texas refinery, retain 26 distribution terminals, and have an exclusive license to use the Shell brand for gasoline and diesel sales in parts of Texas, the majority of the Mississippi Valley, the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.

Shell will assume sole ownership of the Norco, Louisiana refinery (where Shell operates a chemicals plant), the Convent, Louisiana refinery, nine distribution terminals, and Shell branded markets in Florida, Louisiana and the Northeastern region.



Motiva's performance has been transformed in the last two years. We propose to combine the assets we will retain from the joint venture with Shells other downstream assets in North America. This is consistent with both the group and downstream strategy to provide simpler and more highly integrated businesses which deliver increased cash and returns, said John Abbott, Shell downstream director.



Abdulrahman F Al-Wuhaib, senior vice president of downstream, Saudi Aramco, said: Saudi Aramco subsidiaries and affiliates have had a presence in the US for over 60 years, and the Motiva joint venture with Shell has served our downstream business objectives very well for many years. However, it is now time for the partners to pursue their independent downstream goals.



"The Port Arthur refinery will advance Saudi Aramcos global downstream integration strategy through supply and trading, refining and fuels marketing, chemicals and base oils. Motivas employees will continue to be critical to fulfilling our future growth potential in the Americas, reinforcing our reliable customer service and supporting the communities where we operate. We fully support Motivas continuing transformation journey to become an autonomous integrated downstream affiliate, he said.



Dan Romasko, Motiva president and CEO, said: Motiva has benefited greatly from the nearly two decades of support and resources provided by Shell and Saudi Aramco. While the parties work towards definitive agreements, Motiva will remain focused on our growth agenda, running operations in a safe, environmentally sound and efficient manner while continuing to reliably serve our customers.



Under the terms of the LOI, the partners will evaluate options and select an optimal deal structure with the objective of formalising a definitive agreement to divide and transfer Motiva Enterprises assets, liabilities and employees between the companies. The companies will make a further joint announcement in due course, the statement said.  TradeArabia News Service and Reuters
South Koreas Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas) is in talks with Iranian authorities over the laying down of an undersea gas pipeline that links Iran and Oman, a report said.



An agreement towards this deal may be signed in April or May, reported Iran Daily, citing South Koreas Pulse News.



The project is being led by Irans National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC).



The $1.5 billion pipeline project will be completed in three phases to cover the Iran-the Strait of Hormuz section, the strait section and the Oman-LNG terminal section, according to the report.



Natural gas from Irans South Pars energy hub will be sent to the Sohar industrial port complex in Oman via the pipeline and then to the rest of the world through vessels departing from LNG terminals, the report added.
Etihad Holidays has launched a new campaign promising guaranteed sunshine or your next holiday for free to attract more UK based visitors to holiday in Abu Dhabi.



The initiative aims to bring more business and leisure travellers to the UAE capital over the summer months. The Abu Dhabi: sunshine guaranteed or your next holiday for free campaign will apply to every booking that consists of a flight and hotel-inclusive package between May and September. Visitors who experience more than 5mm of rainfall during their stay in Abu Dhabi will receive another holiday free of charge.



Etihad Holidays is launching the campaign alongside the opening of its new UK office. In the UK, Etihad Holidays will operate under its own Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) and as a member of ABTA, the UKs leading travel association.



In 2015, more than 230,000 passengers travelled from the UK to Abu Dhabi, a 14 per cent rise on figures for 2014 - according to recent statistics released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.



Mohammed Al Bulooki, Vice President UAE Commercial at Etihad Airways, said: Our guests from the UK are repeatedly telling us that they want the acclaimed Etihad Airways experience to extend to every part of their journey to Abu Dhabi and we aim to deliver on their wishes. We are confident that this amazing destination, which we are proud to call home, will enthral and captivate all those who visit us via our three gateways in the UK.



Abu Dhabi is already a thriving and cosmopolitan tourism hub which has a considerable amount to offer every visitor, whether they are here for the year-round sunshine, the spectacular cultural sites and institutions, or for the ultimate adventure getaway. We are committed to being a key driver in helping to further grow the tourism industry in the Emirate.



Etihad Airways currently serves three UK airports, with three flights per day from London Heathrow, two flights per day from Manchester Airport and five flights per week from the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.



In addition to purchasing holidays in the UAE, UK guests will be able to choose from more than 300 packages for destinations in China, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.



Etihad Holidays, launched in 2004, offers dynamically packaged holidays at exceptional rates with many of the worlds leading hotel brands and provides an extensive range of additional services including its stopover programme, tours, excursions, family attractions, safaris, and car hire, all of which use the Etihad Airways and partner airline flight network. - TradeArabia News Service
The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) said it had thwarted an assault on a military camp at Afmadhow in the Lower Juba area in southern Somalia.

Nairobi: Thirty insurgents in Somalia's al-Qaeda-aligned Shebab terrorist group were killed on Wednesday in heavy clashes in the south and northeast of the country, Kenya's armed forces and local authorities said separately.

In the first incident, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) said it had thwarted an assault on a military camp at Afmadhow in the Lower Juba area in southern Somalia, killing 19 rebels and seizing a haul of weapons.

Kenyan troops operating under the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) mission "foiled a planned attack" near the camp, operated by the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM, the KDF said in a statement.

"The... terrorists had approached the camp at night with the intent to attack and cut off the SNA from the AMISOM KDF camp," it said.

"KDF soldiers on patrol identified the militants and engaged them in a fierce battle. The (Shebab) attempted to fight back, but were swiftly repulsed by the KDF soldiers on patrol and those at the camp," it said, quoting army spokesman David Obonyo.

"Following the incident, 19 (Shebab) militants were killed and one technical vehicle destroyed. Some of the arms and ammunition recovered include 10 AK 47 rifles and three rocket-propelled grenades."

Fighting in Puntland

In a separate incident on Wednesday, troops in Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region killed 11 Shebab in heavy fighting in villages on the northeastern coast, local authorities said.

The clashes came a day after around 100 insurgents sought to take control of the villages of Garmal and Suuj, near the port of Eyl, a pirate hotspot, local officials and residents said.

"Puntland forces have attacked elements of the Shebab group who have attacked coastal villages in the Puntland region in order to destabilise the area," Mohamud Hassan, the Puntland administration's information minister, said at a press conference.

"Eleven of the fighters were killed in the fighting and the rest are surrounded now," he said, adding that the clean-up operation was still ongoing.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the information.

Residents in the Eyl district said the Shebab arrived in the villages in fishing boats.

They seized Garmal late Tuesday and then took up positions in Suuj village where the fighting on Wednesday was "very heavy", said Ali Weli, a resident.

"The fighters are armed with heavy machine guns, mortars and RPGs, they don't have vehicles and heavy weaponry like the Puntland army but they are putting up fierce resistance," he added.

Several other residents confirmed the clashes but were unable to give details or casualty estimates.

The Shebab were ousted from the capital Mogadishu in August 2011 and today concentrate on carrying out attacks from the countryside.

The group has claimed responsiblity for a string of recent attacks in Somalia, including a twin bombing in the city of Baidoa on February 28 that killed at least 30 people.

On January 15, Shebab fighters overran a military outpost in El-Adde, southern Somalia, manned by up to 200 Kenyan soldiers deployed under AMISOM.

Shebab fighters are targeting AMISOM because in the absence of a functioning national army, the 22,000-strong force is the only protector of the internationally-backed government that the jihadists are committed to overthrowing.

Puntland set up its own government in 1998, but unlike neighbouring Somaliland, it has not declared full independence.
DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton Worldwides 13 market-leading brands, is strengthening its foothold in Turkey with the opening of its 10th hotel in the country - Doubletree by Hilton Van.



Turkeys Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, visited the hotel for a pre-opening event on Saturday in conjunction with a conference set up by Ministry of Health.



Turkey is an important, expanding market for our brand and we are excited to debut our 10th DoubleTree by Hilton in the country with the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Van, said Dianna Vaughan, senior vice president and global head, DoubleTree by Hilton. We believe in making all of our guests feel welcome, and we work hard to ensure their stay with us is memorable. We are thrilled to bring our care-focused culture to this beautiful hotel, and look forward to delivering exceptional experiences to guests visiting Van, whether they are traveling for business, pleasure or a little bit of both.



Located just a short distance from the Muraidye Waterfalls, Nemrut Crater Lake, and with quick access into the city, DoubleTree by Hilton Van is perfectly positioned for guests to explore all that the area has to offer. Many of the hotels 94 guest rooms, including 13 suites, offer stunning views overlooking Lake Van, and guests will enjoy a contemporary and comfortable environment throughout the hotel. For those looking to relax and rejuvinate, DoubleTree by Hilton Van features a traditional Turkish Spa, swimming pool and fitness centre.



The hotel boasts six restaurants and lounges, including the Esperanza Restaurant offering all- day dining. For guests looking to unwind and socialise whilst taking in the impressive views over the city, they can head to Bar De Cielo, for a wide selection of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks including snacks.



DoubleTree by Hilton Van features seven flexible meeting rooms for up to 1,000 guests, as well as a pillar-free, 713 sq m ballroom. The space can also be divided into two individual conference rooms, and includes a large foyer area, providing a great space for pre-dinner receptions.



DoubleTree by Hilton Van, participates in the Hilton HHonors loyalty programme, which is open to all guests and free to join. HHonors members who book directly with Hilton save time and money, and gain instant access to benefits such as guaranteed discount, free standard wi-fi, access to digital check-in and Digital Key and access to unforgettable, exclusive experiences such as Live Nation concerts and private dining events. - TradeArabia News Service
There are 21 pregnant women in the US territory with Zika. (Representational Image, Photo: AP)

San Juan, Puerto Rico: Officials in Puerto Rico say the first pregnant woman on the island infected with Zika has given birth to a healthy baby.

Health Department spokeswoman Jillian Oliveras said Thursday that both are in good health. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with unusually small heads.

There are 21 pregnant women in the US territory with Zika. Puerto Rico has a total of 201 confirmed cases of the virus, and authorities say the island could face an epidemic. Six people have been hospitalized, and one is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralyzing condition that also may be linked to Zika.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested at least $225 million in federal funds to fight Zika in Puerto Rico.
One of Noel's abuser also said that women should be at home, looking after their children. (Photo: Facebook)

Los Angeles: A US-based journalist was branded as 'whore' and 'Feminazi' after she posted a video online of a man who is seen removing her knickers while she was walking on a street in Los Angeles, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

She then posted the CCTV footage online to publicly shame the pervert. However, instead of sympathising with her, people started mocking her by posting abusive comments on her video. While some branded her as a 'whore', others trolled her by calling her various names such as a 'filthy bitch'.

In the video generated by the CCTV camera, the victim Andrea Noel can be seen walking on the street when a man comes from behind and pulls down her knickers and flees from the scene.

'Next time I'll rape you,' said one of the users on social media.

CCTV footage of the man who pulled down knickers of a woman walking on the street. (Photo: YouTube Video Grab)

Noel said that she received hate comments every 45 seconds. Another person wrote, 'Watch yourself, because were going to rape you for walking around with your arse out in beautiful Mexico.'

One of Noel's abusers also said that women should be at home, looking after their children.

According to the report, most of the comments on Noel's video suggested that wearing short clothes can provoke men and it's the woman's fault.

Some of the abusers even commented that 'hope next time they rape you, so that you know your place.'
Washington: The US has asked North Korea to immediately release its national, who was jailed for 15 years with hard labour for subversive activities after stealing a propaganda banner, and accused the reclusive nation of using imprisoned Americans as "pawns to pursue a political agenda".

Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was arrested in North Korea in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state, according to the country's official news agency KCNA. He was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour, KCNA said.

Read: White House says North Korea seeks to use US citizens as pawns

The White House asked the North Korean regime to pardon Warmbier. "Now that Mr Warmbier has gone through this criminal process, we strongly urge the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"Warmbier was reportedly sentenced to 15 years of hard labour, the allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or in just about any other country in the world," he said yesterday.

Warmbier was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion, KCNA said.

"In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating.

The White House accused North Korea of using US citizens for furthering its political agenda.

"Now, despite official claims that US citizens arrested in North Korea are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these US citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.

"This underscores the risks associated with travelling to North Korea. And the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by US citizens to North Korea," Earnest said.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that there was "no greater priority" for the administration than the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: The White House said on Wednesday that it has become "increasingly clear" that North Korea seeks to use US citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.

North Korea's supreme court on Wednesday sentenced American student Otto Warmbier, who was arrested while visiting the country, to 15 years of hard labour for crimes against the state.

When asked about Warmbier, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters that there was "no greater priority" for the administration than the welfare and safety of US citizens abroad.
Nikki Haley, currently the only Indian-American governor in the US, on Thursday backed Ted Cruz in the race for the White House, boosting his campaign against Republican front-runner Donald Trump after Marco Rubio bowed out of the contest.

Washington: Nikki Haley, currently the only Indian-American governor in the US, on Thursday backed Ted Cruz in the race for the White House, boosting his campaign against Republican front-runner Donald Trump after Marco Rubio bowed out of the contest.

Haley, the 44-year-old South Carolina governor, had earlier endorsed and campaigned for Senator Rubio, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Trump in his home state of Florida.

Haley, who has not yet made an official announcement to endorse 45-year-old Cruz, told reporters that she hoped that the Senator would emerge as the Republican presidential nominee.

Ask me when the time comes again, but as of now I strongly believe I will support the Republican nominee, Haley was quoted as saying by a local newspaper. The only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can come through this. That's who, privately, I am fighting for, Haley said.

Cruz is currently lagging far behind front runner Trump in the delegate count and unlikely to cross the half way path of 1237 delegates but Haley thinks otherwise.

I do see a path for (Cruz), because I think hes been solid and strong the entire way. I think that he has been disciplined in the way that he has done it, the popular Indian American Governor said.
Reichel's case had emerged during a furore over revelations of widespread US spying in documents released by former CIA intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, which had also plunged its partner service the BND into an unprecedented crisis. (Representational Image, Photo: PTI)

Berlin: A Munich court on Thursday sentenced a former German intelligence agent to eight years in jail for spying for both the CIA and the Russian secret service, German media reported.

Markus Reichel had admitted to handing over documents to the CIA, including names and addresses of agents for the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), in exchange for 95,000 euros ($107,000).

He had also delivered three classified documents to the Russian secret service.

Reichel's case had emerged during a furore over revelations of widespread US spying in documents released by former CIA intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, which had also plunged its partner service the BND into an unprecedented crisis.

Partially disabled after a botched childhood vaccination, Reichel, who speaks haltingly, had admitted that he had spied for foreign services out of dissatisfaction with his job at the BND.

"No one trusted me with anything at the BND. At the CIA it was different," he told the court at the opening of his trial in November.

Not only did the CIA offer "adventure", the Americans also gave him what he craved recognition.

"I would be lying if I said that I didn't like that," he told the court.

The former BND agent had joined the German service in late 2007, and drew a monthly net pay of 1,200 euros as a member of staff in the lowest salary band.

The CIA did not pay him significantly more he received between 10,000 and 20,000 euros a year in cash at a secret meeting point in Austria.

Reichel was still working for the BND until his arrest on July 2 last year.
A Turkish flag flies at the refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Islahiye, Gaziantep province. (Photo: AP)

Brussels: The deal that the EU is trying to seal with Turkey to limit the migrant crisis faces a number of problems including outright hostility from some states that could scupper an agreement.

Amid warnings that Ankara must not be allowed to blackmail Europe into a deal, here is a summary of the main sticking points at the summit on Thursday and Friday in Brussels.

1. Cyprus

Cyprus opposes a plan to open new chapters in Turkeys long-delayed EU membership process, which the draft plan foresees as soon as possible, and has threatened to block the deal.

The eastern Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded its north in response to an Athens-engineered coup attempt.

Turkey does not recognise the Cypriot government, and Nicosia has blocked six key chapters of Ankaras negotiations for EU membership since 2009, effectively halting the process.

EU President Donald Tusk has suggested somehow tying in progress on efforts for a settlement between Turkey and Nicosia into the migration deal. The EU could also fudge language over the opening of chapters.

Its not a question of imposing on Cyprus the opening of a particular chapter, an EU diplomat said.

A handout picture released by the Turkish prime minister's office shows Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) and EU Council president Donald Tusk holding a press conference following a meeting at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara. (Photo: AFP)

2. Barely legal?

The UN and rights groups have warned that any mass expulsion of migrants from Greece to Turkey would breach international and EU law, posing a major headache for the European Union.

Under the deal Turkey would agree to take back all asylum seekers who arrive in the Greek islands after it is signed -- up to 2,000 are still arriving a day. In exchange for every Syrian refugee that is returned to Turkish soil, the EU will resettle one Syrian from camps in Turkey.

The EUs insistence that the deal is legal rests on designating Turkey a safe country to which refugees can be returned -- something rights groups dispute.

It also rests on the EU saying that deportations are not collective because each migrant would have their asylum application, and any appeal, heard by special tribunals in the Greek islands.

EU lawyers have been batting different drafts of the agreement back and forth in recent days in a bid to iron out the issue.

The biggest threat is that the deal could be challenged in the European Court of Justice.

The first thing that any judge would do if this issue was raised with them would be to raise it with the European Court of Justice, a European legal expert said, adding that it could be suspended while the case was being heard.

3. Doubts on one-for-one

The so-called one-for-one swap of Syrian refugees also faces objections from countries that rejected an earlier plan to redistribute 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy around the EU. Fewer than 1,000 places have been taken up so far.

Brussels envisages relocating more than 72,000 refugees from Syria under the one-for-one deal. It would take 22,000 of those places from an earlier deal to resettle people from camps in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, while the other 54,000 would be taken from unused places in the 160,000-person relocation programme.

Participation would be voluntary for EU states under the plan.

A small placard stands among plants after being stuck there by a protester in at the end of a protest in Madrid against the European Union proposals to send refugees back to Turkey. (Photo: AP)

But the failure to date of the relocation programme raises doubts that the new scheme could work.

4. Visa-free travel

Plans to offer Turks visa-free travel from June to the EUs passport-free Schengen zone are controversial with many countries including France.

The European Commission insisted on Wednesday that all 72 criteria set by Brussels for Turkey to meet this condition must still be met -- a tall order as it includes the full introduction of biometric passports.

5. Rights

Many EU countries remain concerned about human rights in Turkey, especially after the government takeover of a leading opposition newspaper and President Recep Tayyip Erdogans escalating campaign against Kurdish separatists.

But with pressure from the migration crisis mounting, so far they have limited themselves to including expressions of concern in summit statements.
uspect Gyulchekhra Bobokulova from Muslim-majority Uzbekistan -- whom the press have dubbed "the bloody nanny" -- was detained on Monday as she was waving a child's severed head outside a Moscow metro station. (Photo: AFP)

Moscow: Days after the gruesome murder of a four-year-old girl by the babysitter, the culprit nanny told investigators that she was inspired to behead the child by Islamic State's videos posted online, according to a report in the Independent.

Currently detained in a psychiatric hospital, Bobokulova told the investigators that she felt bad for herself, rather than the minor victim whom she killed.

Read: Burqa-clad woman walks Moscow street with butchered childs head

She also said that she was inspired by ISIS videos and the way they behead their captors.

Earlier, she had said that she killed the minor to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlins campaign of air strikes in Syria.

Read: Moscow nanny shows cops the place where she beheaded child

Bobokulova had recently been brainwashed by her Tajik lover, who was apparently a radical Muslim himself. (Photo: AFP)

Bobokulova said that she heard a voice who asked her to behead the girl in the same manner in which Islamic State militants kill their captors.

Read: Schizophrenic nanny smiles, says, 'Allah ordered childs beheading

The nanny also asked the investigators to shift her to a normal jail claiming that she was alright and no more heard voices. She further added that she did not like the psychiatric jail and was in deep pain. "I walk badly because of the drugs. My hair is dirty and I cannot wash it over here," Bobokulova was quoted as saying.

Read: Moscow nanny who beheaded child didn't act alone

A national of Uzbekistan, Gyulchehra Bobokulova, was arrested by police on March 2, 2016, after she was found roaming on Moscow streets with the decapitated head of a child. She was also heard screaming 'Allahu Akhbar' by shocked on-lookers. She was detained by the police as she passed by Oktyabrskoye Pole station.


Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : CRISTAL GROUP IS ALL SET TO PARTICIPATE AT ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET 2016 Industry: Exhibitions

Cristal Group has confirmed its participation at the Arabian Travel Market 2016 (ATM),



(TRAVPR.COM) UAE - March 17th, 2016 - Cristal Group has confirmed its participation at the Arabian Travel Market 2016 (ATM), the Middle Easts premium travel and tourism show. The group will be present at the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority stand to promote its existing and upcoming projects.



Making the announcement, Kamal Fakhoury, COO of Cristal Group, stated, We will definitely be attending the Arabian Travel Market to update the regional and international travel trade professionals about the latest developments at Cristal Group. We have a number of strategic announcements lined up and ATM provides an excellent opportunity to present these. GCC and the Levant region remain the main focus of our expansion strategy where we have several amazing hotels in the development pipeline.



The Cristal Group recently announced the opening of Cristal Erbil Hotel that is conveniently located in the heart of the city in one of Erbil's landmark buildings alongside the 100m ring road, 15 minutes' drive from the airport. The deluxe property features 100 luxurious rooms and suites equipped with the finest amenities.



On site are outstanding dining and recreation facilities including 24-hour lobby lounge, an all-day-dining restaurant, specialized Oriental restaurant, exclusive Cristal Spa with massage/treatment rooms, sauna, steam rooms, Jacuzzis, Olympic indoor swimming pool, and multi-purpose gym.



The hotel is equally well-endowed with business and banquet facilities and boasts a business centre at the Club Lounge, a boardroom with a capacity to accommodate 20 delegates as well as a luxurious ballroom that can host up to 300 people. Complementing the signature Cristal hospitality is the latest in touch screen LCD technology and all state-of-the-art facilities.



About Cristal Group

The Cristal Group was established in 2007 to deliver world class hospitality consultancy, technical services, asset management and brand management. Its vision is to be the premier business and leisure hotel operator in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The company boasts a superb portfolio of hotels and a strong development pipeline.



For more information visit www.cristalhospitality.com



For media enquiries:

Hina Bakht

Vice President

MPJ (Marketing Pro-Junction)

Mob: 050 697 5146

h.bakht@mpj-pr.com

http://www.mpj-pr.com ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release :



CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Hina Bakht Company: Marketing Pro Junction Phone: +971 50 6975146 Email: pressrelease@mpj-pr.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS
New horizons for all the family with award-winning family travel specialist



(TRAVPR.COM) UK - March 17th, 2016 - Fancy swimming with dolphins in The Azores? Or hiking up Mount Etna in Sicily? How about rafting through the Verdon Gorge  the biggest canyon in Europe, or visiting Machu Picchu? These expertly-crafted experiences for all the family to engage in together are brand-new to Activities Abroads diverse portfolio of holidays, where youngsters minds are stimulated by natural surroundings instead of social media.

Providing unforgettable fun in the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, and with a high number of repeat customers, Activities Abroads family holidays are offered as uncomplicated packages, and provide the opportunity for children from the age of four to broaden their minds whilst having the time of their lives.

Here are four brand new trips for 2016:

Active Sicily: Etna to Isola Bella - minimum age 8

This is a flexible trip, offering the option to pack the itinerary with group activities or to factor in time for your own freestyle fun. Fly through the air on a zip wire, glide underwater with a snorkel in the Isola Bella Marine Park, paddle in a sea kayak, hike up Mount Etna or experience high-octane body rafting in the Alcantara Gorges. For the less energetic, there is walking in the hills to the town of Savoca, a set location for The Godfather, with a choice of fast walking or slower paced guides.

Price from 920 per adult (two sharing), and from 690 per child (two sharing) including return flights, transfers and seven nights half-board accommodation. Add up to five activities for a total cost of from 1,120 per adult, and 815 per child. Departures in July and August.

The Azores  active lava lands - minimum age 8

Spectacular wildlife, amazing scenery and extraordinary experiences form this seven-night wonder trip to Sao Miguel island in The Azores. From swimming with dolphins to venturing into lava caves, and snorkelling to whale-watching, this trip will blow the childrens minds. Explore calderas and waterfalls, learn about the native flora and fauna, have time to relax on a black sand beach, and try out local Azorean delicacies.

Price from 1,138 per adult, and from 830 per child (four sharing), including return flights, transfers, seven nights accommodation, most meals, and activities. Departures in May, July and August.

Provencal Active Family Adventure - minimum age 8

A seven-night holiday in the beautiful Alpes de Haute Provence. Get to know the Verdon Gorge, the biggest canyon in Europe, around 25 km long and up to 700 metres deep. Its a superb place to try via cordata, a mixture of rock climbing and abseiling, and to experience thrilling rafting through rapids. For the older kids, there is canyoning, and for 8-12 year olds there is aquatic hiking, which is an introduction to canyoning, where none of the obstacles are mandatory. Hike and bike through pine forests, lavender fields and rural villages, and enjoy a free day for further exploration or relaxation by yourselves.

Price from 885 per adult (two sharing), and from 865 per child (two sharing), including seven nights accommodation, B&B, two dinners, and activities. Departures in May, July and August.

Peru: Lima to Lake Titicaca  minimum age 8

For spectacular scenery, ancient culture, contact with local communities, the magnificent Machu Picchu, and high-standard, well-located and characterful accommodation, plan this visit to Peru. Go mountain biking, join a ceramics class, cover an epic 2,000 metres zip wiring, explore historical sites, from the salt well of Maras to Machu Picchu, and visit the Patabamba Community, well-known for weaving. Towards the end of the trip, head to Lake Titicaca, and go rafting on the Chuquicahuana River, plus much more.

Price from 2,385 per adult, and from 1,995 per child (four sharing), including return flights, all transfers, eight nights accommodation, eight breakfasts, four lunches, four dinners, all excursions and activities. Departures in July and August.

ENDS/ 17 March 2016

Note to editors: Part of The Artisan Travel Company, award-winning Activities Abroad specialises in family travel and experiences for all the family to enjoy together. It is a sister company to hand-crafted holiday experts Artisan Traveland Northern Lights specialists The Aurora Zone.

Press: For press enquiries, to discuss possible press trip commissions or for photography, please contact Mika Bishop or Paul Bondsfield at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email m.bishop@travelpr.co.uk or p.bondsfield@travelpr.co.uk.

###
Pope Francis, the leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics, can now be followed on Instagram from Saturday. (Photo: AFP)

Vatican City: Pope Francis will make his Instagram debut on Saturday, joining the likes of Justin Bieber and Cristiano Ronaldo on the image-sharing forum under the handle Franciscus, The Vatican confirmed on Wednesday.

The date for the pontiffs debut on the celebrity-dominated social medium was chosen by the 79-year-old himself as it marks the third anniversary of his inauguration as the leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics.

The move represents the latest plank of a Vatican social media strategy designed to ensure Francis message reaches a maximum number of believers and non-believers across the world with particular focus on the younger generation.

Francis is already a major player on Twitter. Under the @Pontifex handle he tweets in nine languages, including Latin, with the English account followed by nearly nine million people and the Spanish one by more than 11 million.

The move to join Instagram has been anticipated for some time as it is now bigger and faster-growing than Twitter with some 400 million users worldwide.

Kevin Systrom, Instagrams CEO and co-founder, met the pontiff at the Vatican last month, later revealing they had discussed the power of images to unite people across different cultures and languages.

In a post on his own Instagram account, Systrom also said: It was by far one of the most memorable experiences of my life!

Francis joined the Twittersphere four days after his March 2013 election with what has become his trademark appeal to believers to pray for me.

The central importance of prayer has been a recurring theme of the tweets that have followed, at a rate of a little under one a day.

Some have been barely comprehensible to non-Catholics such as: The Sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist, are privileged places of encountering Christ.

But it has not all been theology. He has also used the medium to react to global events like Typhoon Hiayan/Yolanda, or voice his views on the social issues of the day.

Francis has also demonstrated a nice line in homespun tips for living, such as: I cannot imagine a Christian who does not know how to smile.

To date however his Twitter feed has been short on images with only two photographs and one short video clip uploaded.

And given that he nearly always wears the same clothes and spends most of his time in one place, generating an interesting photo stream for Instagram will present some challenges for his media team.

On the upside, Francis does have a steady flow of interesting visitors, he gets to some remote places and he does have exclusive access to the artistic treasures of the Vatican museums.

Franciss interest in the Internet was underlined in January when he spoke out against online trolls. He has also hosted major figures in the new digital economy, including Google boss Eric Schmidt and Apple supremo Tim Cook.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

The PGI, Chandigarh, today bagged the top government award for hospital cleanliness and infection control, winning a prize money of Rs 5 crore while AIIMS, New Delhi, came second and got a reward of Rs 3 crore.

In the first edition of the Health Ministry's landmark Kayakalp Awards, meant to encourage a culture of hygiene and top-class waste disposal among hospitals, awards were presented to the cleanest central and district government hospitals in 26 states.

Under the Central Government hospital category, the first prize of Rs 5 crore went to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, the second prize of Rs 3 crore to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and the third prize of Rs 1 crore to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong.

Starting next year, primary health centres and community health centres will also be awarded.

The objective of the Kayakalp Award scheme is to promote cleanliness, hygiene and infection-control practices in public health care facilities and to incentivise and recognise hospitals that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness and infection control.

Last year, while launching the scheme, Health Minister JP Nadda had said, "This initiative will encourage every public health facility in the country to work towards standards of excellence in hygiene. This does not apply only to physical cleanliness but equally to the development of systems and procedures for bio-waste disposal. The initiative towards total cleanliness in public health facilities is aimed at building confidence of users."

The awarded district hospitals will get a prize money of Rs 50 lakh each. The facilities which bagged the first prize state-wise are -- Delhi (Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital), Punjab (JBMM Civil Hospital, Amritsar), Haryana (Civil Hospital, Panchkula), Himachal (Zonal Hospital, Dharamsala), JK (SNM Hospital, Leh), and Uttarakhand (Chain Rai Women's Hospital, Haridwar).

The runners-up, which will get a prize money of Rs 20 lakh each, are - Haryana (Civil Hospital, Rohtak) and Himachal (Netaji SC Bose Zonal Hospital, Mandi). There were no runners-up from JK, Delhi, Punjab and Uttarakhand as the awards followed a strict protocol for cleanliness and infection control.
Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17

Leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Kiran Chaudhary and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today protested in front of the Assembly over SYL canal issue.

Hooda asked Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to resign along with all his MLAs and accompany him to Punjab to remove sand from the SYL canal which was being filled by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders along with locals.

Congress leaders raised slogans such as Khattar tere raj mein, Paani gaya Punjab mein, Khattar so raha hai, Haryana ro raha hain and Ye sarkar nikami hai, Ye sarkar badlani hai.

I am along with MLAs ready to resign for our water. The CM along with all MLAs must immediately resign and go along with me to Punjab to remove sand from the canal. We do not want to go against law, but if our neighbours are openly denying us our legal right of water, we should not sit idle, said Hooda.

Hooda further alleged that the move of the Punjab government to fill the SYL canal with sand would lead to anarchy as other states might follow it if strict action was not taken immediately. He alleged that INLD leaders were playing the role of family members of the BJP and not raising the issue with required sincerity and only raising slogans for publicity.

Its the failure of the Khattar government that has allowed Punjab to damage SYL portion in their state. Had our government taken the issue seriously at the highest level, things would not have reached to such level, said CLP leader Kiran Chaudhary.

Meanwhile, Hooda confirmed that he had received summons from the Justice SN Dhingra Commission of Inquiry and would appear before it as he had done nothing wrong.

I have done nothing wrong and it is politically motivated. I would appear before the commission and submit my reply, said Hooda while protesting in front of the Assembly.

The Justice SN Dhingra Commission of Inquiry was set up in 2015 to probe the grant of commercial licence of land to hundreds of private companies.

Meanwhile on way to Delhi to meet President Pranab Mukherjee, both Hooda and Choudhary demanded the imposition of the Presidents rule in Haryana as well in Punjab in separate press conferences in Karnal. They said the state government remained a mute spectator on the SYL issue and urged all the parties to unite on the issue.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 17

The Army today agreed to hand over vast lands under its possession to the state government before March 31.

The decision in this regard was taken during a meeting between Governor NN Vohra Northern Command Chief Lt Gen D S Hooda here today.

During the meeting, the Governor reviewed implementation of decisions taken in earlier civil-military liaison conferences in respect of all land matters relating to the Army.

After discussions it was agreed that the Northern Command Headquarters would hand over 16.30 acre of state land held by it adjoining the Jammu University campus, 212 acre at the Tatoo Grounds, Srinagar, 456.60 kanal at High Grounds, Anantnag, land held by it at lower Khurba Thang in Kargil to the state government before March 31.

Restoration of land under Armys possession to the state was one of the major points in the Agenda of Alliance of the erstwhile PDP-BJP coalition government.

In case of land at the lower plateau of Khurba Thang, it was agreed that the matter would be taken up before March 31 when Chief Secretary BR Sharma visits Kargil.

The Chief Secretary has been named as the chairman of the committee set up to deal with all Army key location plan matters.

Regarding the Tatoo Ground, the Governor and the Army commander will jointly visit the site before March 31 and discuss certain proposals regarding its utilisation.
London: Britain is set to lift a 15-year-old ban on a pro-Khalistan militant group after a debate in the House of Commons concluded that "sufficient evidence" does not currently exist to link it to terrorism.

The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), established in the 1980s in militancy-wracked Punjab, was involved in "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings, mainly directed against Indian officials and interests", the British Parliament heard this week.

However, the debate entitled 'Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism' on Tuesday night concluded that "there is not sufficient evidence to support a reasonable belief" that the ISYF is currently concerned with terrorism.

It therefore approved the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2016, which was laid before the House of Commons on February 22 and will be formally passed tomorrow.

"The decision to de-proscribe the ISYF was taken after extensive consideration and in the light of a full assessment of all the available information," UK minister for security John Hayes told the Commons.

He was questioned by Labour's shadow home secretary Andy Burnham whether the ban had been maintained since 2001 "because of pressure from the Indian government", something Hayes denied "without equivocation, hesitation or obfuscation".

Labour's longest serving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz welcomed the government's decision, saying, "At every meeting that I have attended to do with the Sikh community, members of the community ask about the issue and feel that they have been discriminated against.

"There are 450,000 Sikhs living in the United Kingdom, and about 150 gurdwaras in the UK. Even though it is one organisation, because it has the word 'Sikh' in its name, it affects other parts of the diaspora," he said.

He also called for a review of the ban in place against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The ban on the ISYF in the UK came in force in March 2001, which led to the organisation being banned in India in December that year and in Canada in July 2003.

The Sikh Federation (UK) had applied for the ban to be lifted last year, followed by a legal challenge against UK home secretary Theresa May for refusing to lift the ban.

The Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) had sought further reasons for May's refusal to lift the ban but the UK government decided instead not to further contest the ban and moved the order for parliamentary approval on February 22 this year.

Sikh Federation chair Bhai Amrik Singh said "The Home Secretary has shown courage in making this decision despite the inevitable pressure from the Indian authorities and so close after the attacks in Paris (last November). However, this also shows there was no case against the ISYF that would stand up to legal scrutiny". Britain's decision to lift the ban will be formally notified to the UN and the European Council once agreed in Parliament at the end of the week.
New Delhi, March 17

An AIIMS doctor, said to be addicted to drugs, was on Thursday found dead in his hostel room under suspicious circumstances, the police said.

The doctor identified as Kumar Kunal (34), a junior resident in the Medicine Department, was found dead in room number 602, the Masjid Moth doctors hostel of the institute, a senior police official said.

The body was found on the bed and the room was bolted from inside. There were no injury marks on his body... So far investigations have revealed that he was not eating since the last three days and was also not seen during the same period, the official said.

The cause of death is yet to be ascertained so we have registered a case under section 174 of CrPC (related to drugs), the official said.

As Kunal did not come out of his room last evening, the hostel warden informed AIIMS security. The security informed the police. They broke open the door of his room and found his body, an AIIMS staff said.

The police suspect that the deceased was a drug addict.

He was a known addict and injections have been found on the spot, he said.

The family of Kunal, who was a resident of Vaishali district in Bihar, has been informed of his death. The body has been preserved till the familys arrival.  PTI
Mumbai, March 17

The Bombay High Court today quashed the death penalty awarded to lone convict Himayat Baig in the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune due to lack of evidence, but confirmed the life sentence imposed on him for possession of explosives.

A division bench of Justices NH Patil and SB Shukre said Baig is acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under Sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, and under some sections of the Explosive Substances Act.

The court, however, confirmed Baigs conviction and life sentence imposed on him under section 5(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, for possession of RDX.

The court also confirmed his conviction under Section 474 of IPC for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards.

The high court further said that it need not pass any order on the applications filed by two witnesses in the case, as it has acquitted Baig of the charges.

Notably, when Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case had also filed an application seeking their evidence to be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.

Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area. Seventeen persons were killed and injured 58, including some foreign nationals, in the February 13, 2010 blast.

In 2013, a sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded capital punishment.

Under UAPA, Baig has been acquitted under Sections 16(1)(a) (terrorist act which results in death of persons), 10(a) (member of unlawful association), 10 (b) (committing act to promote unlawful association), 20 (punishment for being member of terrorist gang), 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 13(1)(b) (abetting unlawful activity) and 13(2) (assisting unlawful activity).

Under IPC, Baig has been acquitted under Section 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 453 (punishment for trespassing) and Section 153 (a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race).

Under the Explosive Substances Act, Baig has been acquitted under Section 3(b) (unlawfully causing explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to a person) and Section 4 (a) (b) (attempt to cause explosion).

There are total eight accused in the case, of whom six are wanted.

Besides Baig, another accused Qateel Siddiqui was also arrested, but he died in Pune's Yerawada jail following a scuffle with other inmates.

The other wanted accused in the case are -- IM operatives Yasin Bhatkal, Mohsin Choudhary, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Ismail Bhatkal, Fayyaz Kagzi and Sayyad Zabiuddin Ansari.

According to prosecution, the bomb used in the blast was assembled at Baig's internet cafe. Thereafter, he travelled to Pune by bus with Mohsin Choudhary and planted the bomb.

However, Baig's lawyer Mehmood Pracha had earlier argued that Baig was not even present in Pune at the time of the blast, and that he was attending a wedding in Latur.

According to Pracha, it was Qateel Siddiqui who along with Yasin Bhatkal went to Pune.

When Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case filed an application in HC seeking that their evidence be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

Former journalist Ashish Khetan had also earlier filed a PIL, alleging that Baig was falsely implicated and the case should be probed afresh by NIA.  PTI
Chandigarh, March 17

The standoff over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal escalated today with MLAs of opposition INLD in Haryana and Congress in Punjab today attempting to storm each other's Assemblies as the dispute threatened to embroil Delhi whose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opposed construction of the canal.

INLD legislators, led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora, went to the Punjab Assembly, which is in session, and staged a protest at its gate against a Bill passed on Monday by Punjab Assembly that provides for returning 3,928 acres of land acquired for construction of SYL canal to original landowners.

In a counter action, Congress MLAs of Punjab tried to barge into Haryana Assembly but were stopped by the watch and ward staff.

While the protest by INLD legislators lasted for quite some time, the Punjab Congress MLAs' action was a brief event.

A scuffle broke out between the INLD MLAs and watch and ward staff outside the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab and Haryana, with common capital Chandigarh, have Assemblies in the same complex here.

After the Question Hour, INLD MLAs moved out of the Haryana Assembly and went to the Punjab legislature raising slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the "unconstitutional" Bill be withdrawn.

Chautala later told reporters that "we met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the Bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."

"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

Noting that Haryana government has shown strong resentment over Punjab's "unconstitutional" move on SYL canal issue, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said his government has returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore "in original" which Punjab had sent yesterday for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The Punjab Cabinet had on Tuesday decided to despatch a cheque for Rs 191.75 crore back to Haryana which had sent it towards construction of the SYL canal.

In a statement in Haryana Assembly, Khattar said he had requested Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki not to give assent to the Bill passed by that state's Assembly.

Haryana ministers hit out at Kejriwal

In the midst of Punjab-Haryana battle on SYL issue, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the target of sharp attacks by two senior ministers of Haryana, OP Dhankar (Agriculture) and Capt Abhimanyu (Finance) for his recent statement opposing construction of SYL canal in Punjab.

A couple of days ago, Kejriwal, during his tour of Punjab, where his party AAP plans a big foray in assembly polls due next year, had come out against SYL canal.

Dhankar, in a letter to Kejriwal, asked him to "get his own canal constructed for carrying Delhi's share of water with your efforts."

"Haryana gets Delhi's 0.2 MAF share through the Bhakra Main Line from Punjab which then reaches Delhi through Narwana Branch and Western Yamuna canal.

Dhankar said besides Haryana also transfers 330 cusec of Yamuna water through the Western Yamuna canal to Delhi. "Haryana is not able to lift its share of 498 cusec of water," he told Kejriwal.

"We have share of water in Ravi Beas at Nangal Dam meant for Haryana and Delhi, but there is no channel to get this water. And you have opposed the only proposed SYL canal, through which water for Haryana and Delhi would come, for your political benefits in Punjab," the minister said.

"For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala Headwork's (Yamunanagar) so that Delhi's share of water reaches the national capital due to your efforts," Dhankar told the Delhi Chief Minister.

Abhimanyu termed Kejriwal's statement on SYL canal issue as "irresponsible and factious."

Interacting with the media, he said the Delhi Chief Minister should keep in view the interests of the people of Delhi as Delhi was getting water through Haryana.

He said "Kejriwal was born in Siwani town of Haryana where the water level is the lowest. Kejriwal should think of his motherland as it had been thirsty far the last five decades."

Khattar also said he has spoken to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and expressed his displeasure over Punjab government's move on the SYL canal.

"We are constantly in touch with the Centre also on SYL issue. I have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All our MPs have also met the Prime Minister on this issue," he said.

On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media in Moga that he is ready to "make any sacrifice" rather than allow a "single drop of water" to flow out of the state.

He said Punjab is "fully prepared" for a sustained democratic and peaceful fight for justice over the critical issues "affecting the destiny of coming generations".  PTI
Ruchika M. Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17

The divide within the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) was out in the open today as Ferozepur MLA Parminder Singh Pinky and CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi locked horns in the CLP office in the Vidhan Sabha complex this morning, following the first adjournment in the House.

I dont even consider you a leader, let alone the CLP leader, Pinky was heard screaming at Channi, even as the latter and other MLAs tried to placate him. Pinky was apparently peeved at not being allotted time to speak in the zero hour. Channi, being the Leader of the Opposition, had submitted names of MLAs who would speak during the zero hour, but the Ferozepur MLAs name was not on the list.

Most of the senior Congress leaders who were in the CLP office at that moment chose to ignore the spat. It was only the presence of some mediapersons, spotted by Nawanshahr MLA Tarlochan Singh Soond, that led to order being restored. Though both Channi and Pinky tried to play down the incident, saying that differences were being sorted out, the open challenge to Channis leadership was visible even in the House, where a fragmented CLP could barely get its act together. Many Congress leaders, including Ludhiana MLA Bharat Bhushan Ashu, said Channi was being instigated by the Shiromani Akali Dal, which did not want him to function.

The Congress MLAs not just sided with the treasury benches while condemning the bid to storm the Punjab Assembly by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLAs from Haryana but also patted the governments back for initiating development, even as most of them forgot to take on the government over farmer suicides, states failing economic health and atrocities on Dalits. When the discussion on the state of education was initiated towards the end of the session today, only six Congress MLAs were present in the House. Most of the legislators left the House after the zero hour, when the House was adjourned. Even the first adjournment in the House, right after the zero hour, was made after Channi objected to Speaker Charanjit Atwal not allowing him (Channi) to speak.

The divide in the Congress camp prompted many in the Akali Dal to take potshots at the Oppositions lack of unity. While Channis caste and caste politics in the Congress was discussed by the treasury benches, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said his appointment by the Congress as the Leader of the Opposition was a mistake.

Your own party men request us that we should not allow you to speak, Sukhbir said after Channi objected to the Speaker not calling him (Channi) to speak during the zero hour. The Speaker said: I have allotted two minutes to all speakers whose names you sent me, and I have obliged you.

However, Channi went into the well of the House, shouting slogans against the Speaker. While some MLAs from his party joined him, others remained seated. Some even walked out before the Speaker announced adjournment for 20 minutes. Parliamentary Affairs Minister MM Mittal had sought this adjournment, requesting the Speaker to call Channi in his chambers and apprise him of House rules and advise him not to use foul language.

After the House proceedings resumed and all MLAs came in  except Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal, who had left for the day  the House had to be adjourned twice following a siege at the entrance by INLD MLAs.

When the proceedings resumed, the Congress, rather Channi, accused the SAD and INLD of staging a drama to get political mileage. They have tried to attack us. No wonder the CM and deputy CM left the House before the INLD MLAs stormed in. It is all a stage-managed show meant for the Prime Minister, he said.

Channi also raised the matter of Punjabis being the worst sufferers in the Jat reservation stir in Haryana. At this moment, Mittal moved a condemnation resolution against the INLD MLAs, which was passed by the House and will be given to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker. Pinky also demanded that the CM give a statement on the floor of House, assuring them of their safety.

Many ruling party MLAs from the reserved category also went after Channi in the House, asking him not to use unparliamentary language. Sohan Singh Thandal and Som Parkash were among those who advised Channi, who objected to the ruling party using members of his caste to confront him.
Brasilia, March 17

Outraged Brazilians protested in Brasilia and Sao Paulo following the release of a taped phone call between President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

During the call, recorded yesterday by police and released by a federal judge, Rousseff called Lula on his bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it if necessary.

That extract was largely seen as confirmation that an aim of Lulas nomination to the post was to spare him possible arrest for corruption.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court.

The recording was made public by federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading a probe into Brazils biggest ever corruption scandal.

Lula vigorously denies involvement in the scandal, in which investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of USD 2 billion, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

The release of the recording caused an uproar in Congress, where furious opposition lawmakers shouted Resign! Resign! Some 2,000 people spontaneously gathered in the capital Brasilia demanding that Lula step down and Rousseff leave office and to show their support Moro.

As night fell, another protest began in Sao Paulo, according to an AFP photographer.

Resign! Resign! shouted several thousand protesters at the foot of a highrise housing FIESP, a powerful federation of Sao Paulo industries that was illuminated in green and yellowBrazils national colorsin addition to a large inscription that read Impeach now.

The presidency responded by announcing in a statement that judicial and administrative measures would be taken to repair the flagrant violation of the law and the constitution committed by judge Moro, without going into specifics.

It said that Rousseff sent the decree to Lula only so that he could sign it and make it official since he had indicated he would not be in Brasilia for the official taking up of the role planned for Thursday.

Lulas appointment is a risky bet for Rousseff, who is battling crises on multiple fronts: an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, mass protests and the fallout of the Petrobras scandal.

The impeachment push against Rousseff is not directly related to the corruption scandal, but has advanced in tandem with it, deepening the crisis engulfing her administration.

On Sunday, an estimated three million Brazilians flooded the streets in nationwide protests calling for Rousseffs departure.  AFP
WASHINGTON, March 17

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday declared that violence by Islamic State against religious minorities was genocide, saying the United States would do everything it could to hold the militant group accountable. "In my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups ... under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia (Shi'ite) Muslims," Kerry said in a statement to reporters, using another term for Islamic State.

"Naming these crimes is important, but what is essential is to stop them," Kerry said. US lawmakers urged Kerry last year to make a determination on whether atrocities committed by the militant group against Christians and other religious groups amounted to genocide. The State Department earlier had predicted it would miss a deadline set for Thursday on this decision.

An executive branch determination of genocide by the Islamic State would mark only the second time a US administration has reached that conclusion while a conflict is ongoing.

The first was in 2004, when Secretary of State Colin Powell determined that atrocities being committed in Sudan's Darfur region constituted genocide. Powell reached that determination amid much lobbying from human rights groups but only after State Department lawyers advised him that it would not contrary to legal advice offered to previous administrations a" obligate the United States to take action to stop it.

In that case, the lawyers decided that the 1948 UN Convention against genocide did not require states to prevent genocide from taking place outside of their territory. Powell instead called for the UN Security Council to appoint a commission to investigate and take appropriate legal action if it agreed with the genocide determination.  Agencies
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A Jewish bride sits with family members in the women's section during her wedding to the grandson of the Rabbi of the Tzanz Hasidic dynasty community, in Netanya, Israel. (Photo: AP)

Netanya, Israel: The grandson of Tzanz Hasidic dynasty community's Rabbi got married in a lavish ultra-Orthodox Jewish ceremony in Israel's Netanya city.

Thousands of guests gathered for the auspicious week-long celebration to watch the couple getting married under a 'huppah'. A huppah is a canopy under which a Jewish couple stands during their wedding ceremony.

The bride arrives with family members. (Photo: AP)

Family members of the bride escort her to the venue of the wedding.(Photo: AP)

Wearing traditional hats, all the well-wishers of the couple were dressed in spectacular outfits.

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish bride enters the men's section of the wedding, to fulfil the Mitzvah tantz, in which family members and honoured rabbis are invited to dance in front of the bride, often holding a gartel, and then dancing with the groom. (Photo: AP)

As the wedding rituals proceed, the family members of the bride participate in a ritual called 'Mitzvah Tantz' in which they are invited to dance with the groom. This dance ceremony is to be performed in front of the bride.

Family members and honoured rabbis dance in front of the bride and dance with the groom. (Photo: AP)

On-lookers watch the entire wedding ceremony and even participate in the rituals.

The bride sits with family members in the women's section. (Photo: AP)

At the wedding of the grandson of Tzanz Hasidic dynasty community's rabbi, some of the guests arrived with binoculars to get a glimpse of the bride and groom from a distance.

A thin curtain behind the bride divides the men and women sections. (Photo: AP)

The bride and groom. (Photo: AP)

The ultra-Orthodox Jews amount to nearly 8 per cent of Israel's community and are typically limited to their own community. They observe strict guidelines and follow Judaism's orthodox practices.
In a statement posted on social media, the IS jihadists use three different methods to execute their victims, all wearing orange jumpsuits. (Representational Image, Photo: YouTube Video Grab)

Baghdad: The Islamic State jihadist group on Thursday released pictures of six men being executed on charges of "spying" for the Iraqi government in the city of Fallujah.

In a statement posted on social media, the IS jihadists use three different methods to execute their victims, all wearing orange jumpsuits.

"The judicial police carried out death sentences issued by an Islamic court in Fallujah against several apostates after they were convicted of spying," the statement said.

The statement was written like an official government release and described the circumstances that led to the capture of each of the six men.

The pictures showed masked ISIS fighters in full tactical gear, against the backdrop of a heavily damaged city.

Four of the victims were shot in the head, one was decapitated with a knife and another with an explosive rope.

Fallujah lies in Anbar province only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad and is the jihadist group's largest remaining stronghold in Iraq after the city of Mosul.

IS controlled most of Anbar a few months ago but sweeping military operations by the Iraqi security forces backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition are turning the tide.

Fallujah is almost completely isolated from other IS-controlled territory and IS is believed to be increasingly struggling to get supplies into the city.

The situation also appears to be causing increased internal tension in Fallujah, with IS paranoid that residents are assisting with an impending government offensive.

Jihadists detained dozens of residents of the city last month after clashes between IS and Iraqi tribesmen.

ISIS releases new video of beheading of three spies. (Video: YouTube)
BROKEN ARROW  The Broken Arrow City Council took no action after meeting in executive session late Tuesday to discuss possible litigation over a church sign on a city water tower.

City attorney Beth Anne Wilkening said earlier that she received a letter in December from a Broken Arrow resident and another letter in January from the Freedom from Religion Foundation in Madison, Wisconsin, asking that the city remove the name First Baptist Church from the city water tower near 61st Street and Elm Place, citing violations of the state and federal constitutions.

Several years ago, the city agreed to place the churchs name on the water tower in exchange for the dedication of property for location of the tower and various right of way and easements, Wilkening said in a statement.

When councilors returned to open meeting after the executive session Tuesday night, they reported that they were taking no action because of that agreement.

The Rev. Nick Garland, senior pastor of the church, said before the meeting that the church donated about 17 or 18 acres to the city of Broken Arrow and also gave easements so the city could build the water tower and finish 61st Street to get to the Bass Pro Shops.

Thats not a small gift, he said.

They wanted a high place for the gravitational advantages, and were on the highest hilltop on this end of town.

In exchange for the donation, Garland said, the city agreed to put the name of the church on the water tower, which was built in 2005.

He said such in-kind agreements are common between the city and local businesses and other entities.

I dont want it to appear that the church is aggravated with the city or vice versa. This is from outside, he said.

We dont have a beef with the city. The citys been great to us. Theyve been very gracious to keep us in the loop.

Wilkening said she is evaluating the requests and researching the matter.

The objection to the church sign on the water tower is based on the same section of the Oklahoma Constitution that led to the removal of a Ten Commandments monument from the state Capitol grounds in Oklahoma City last fall.

That section of the state constitution forbids the use of public money or property for the benefit or support of religion. State lawmakers are considering putting a state question on the November ballot that would allow voters to decide whether to drop that wording from the constitution, potentially paving the way for the return of the Ten Commandments monument to the state Capitol.
In 2014 thousands of Oklahoma teachers, parents, students and education advocates rallied at the state Capitol. I was one of those teachers who traveled to Oklahoma City, asking the governor and legislative leaders to make education the priority they claimed it was. We asked them to restore the funding cuts of the previous five years, during which time our per-pupil investment in common education fell more than 20 percent.

Certainly other states had been forced to reduce education funding as a result of the national recession, but Oklahomas reductions made us first in the nationno other state had cut education funding as much. With Oklahomas economy on the rebound, we felt it was time to ask lawmakers to make education whole again by returning our schools to pre-recession funding levels.

An additional $80 million was appropriated that year, but half of that was for increases in insurance, and the other half was dispersed through the formula. This was not enough to restore the funding levels to pre-recession levels, and not enough to give teachers a much-needed pay raise. But that same year, legislation was passed and signed into law to reduce the states income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent.

That tax cut kicked in this year, despite the fact that Oklahoma is facing a $1.3 billion shortfall for the 2017 fiscal year. Thats on top of the FY 2016 revenue shortfall that has forced the state to slash agency budgets across the board by nearly half a billion dollars. The cut to education alone was close to $110 million.

Last week, the governor and the leaders of the Senate and House announced an agreement to give education $51 million from the Rainy Day Fund. Thats $5 million less than Superintendent Hofmeister had requested. Im glad that our schools will get some relief, but it should have been more. Even with the Rainy Day Funds, theyre still facing significant reductions in the current school year.

Despite the agreement using the Rainy Day Fund to soften the impact of this years revenue failure on education, Oklahomas already underfunded schools will still have to make some very difficult choices in order to balance their budgets. One school district here in northeastern Oklahoma has already announced theyll shorten the school year by six days this year because of budget cuts. Im sure well be hearing about other school districts being forced to look at options like this.

Even before these cuts, Oklahoma was facing a teacher shortage that many have called a crisisa shortage tied to Oklahomas low teacher salaries. The Oklahoma Policy Institute cites a recent study by University of Tulsa economist Matthew Hendricks that says as teacher salaries have stagnated, more teachers are leaving the public school system in Oklahoma. The study found that between 2006 and 2014, about 35 percent of first-year teachers left their school and 17 percent left the public school system completely. With no ability to raise salaries any time soon, and some districts likely being forced to reduce positions as a result of the budget, this situation will only worsen.

There was a bill this year to delay the income tax reduction, and that would have helped close the budget gap. That measure passed the Senate Finance Committee with bipartisan support, but it was never brought to the floor for consideration by the full Senate.

I welcome your comments on state government and the issues before us. Please feel free to contact me by writing to Senator J.J. Dossett at the State Capitol, Room 521-A, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105; call me at (405) 521-5566.
The state Department of Corrections new search unit discovered a large amount of contraband, including cellphones, drugs and alcohol, at a prison in southeast Oklahoma this week, the DOC announced Thursday.

A special operations unit known as Strike Force conducted a surprise search at Mack Alford Correctional Center in Stringtown for four hours Wednesday and found 19 cellphones, 23 phone chargers, 15 lighters, 10 hands-free devices, about six grams of marijuana, two screwdrivers, three syringes, four mP3 players, about eight grams of tobacco and 100 ounces of alcohol inside five 20-ounce bottles, according to a DOC news release.

The Strike Force team included eight K-9 units in addition to correctional officers and emergency response members, the release says.

The team deployed new CellSense towers to detect the phones, and also used deep tissue scanners and two dogs in the search, it says.

The Tulsa World reported in December on the DOCs efforts to revamp its K-9 units, which included training dogs to find cellphones in prisons.

DOC Director Joe Allbaugh said in the news release that the agencys efforts to find contraband are only going to increase as inmates attempt to be more creative in hiding items. The DOC said some of the items were found inside a wall.

The attempts to conceal contraband seem to be getting more desperate and creative, Allbaugh said. Teams have found items in ceilings, locking mechanisms of doors, books and now in the wall.

One thing I will promise the inmates  we are going to continue our all-out assault on removing the contraband from our facilities and places we contract with. The inmates need to know there are no secrets in prison.

DOC staff conducted a similar search at Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy during January using a CellSense tower, which is a 7-foot-tall portable device that scans inmates and housing units. Deep tissue scanners, officials say, help search inmates for items not found during a pat-down search.

The DOC said in January that all Oklahoma prisons would have access to a CellSense tower by February.
In a room at the Nathan Hale Library on Wednesday, 14-year-old Makayla Ewen took the lead on her teams efforts to make its miniature robot operational.

Makaylas group, which also included her siblings Autumn and Michael, received a set of Cubelets robot blocks and was told to build a bot that would roll, spin or otherwise travel across the table.

Some of them light up. Some of them have some sort of sensor, Makayla said of the blocks. And then they have magnets. And then they have (conductors), which is how they communicate with the other (cubes).

The only rules the team had to follow were that one cube in its creation had to be dark gray  the color assigned to the Cubelet that provides power  and the robot had to have at least one sense block and one action block.

That ones rocking. Look at that! Cindy Lister, a childrens and teens library associate, said once the robot started moving. Thats cool.

Makayla and her siblings were among a little more than a dozen children at the library for its Amazing Cubelets: Mini Robots event, which is part of the librarys Teen Tech Month programming.

Lister said the activities planned for spring break are all related to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) lessons.

On Thursday, the library will show off its retro tech museum and hold an event in which children can make items, including jewelry, out of old computer parts.

(The activities) keep them engaged so that when they go back to school their minds are connected with school, Lister said. A library is a great place for the community to gather. You can always have fun, engaging activities.

Samantha Sanco, a member of the Oklahoma Serves AmeriCorps program, was also on hand Wednesday to help coordinate the activity. She said she was pleasantly surprised at the turnout during spring break week and glad the children are engaged and excited about STEM-related activities.

Tinkering is just so fun, she said. It doesnt matter what age you are. Science and math are a couple of those subjects that arent immediately enticing, and maybe it takes a little bit to be introduced to it and invited into it.

Makayla said she already has decided that a STEM career  engineering  is in her future and joked about math being an unforgiving field because there is usually a right or wrong answer.

I like being able to solve problems, she said. I like the satisfaction of knowing that I did something right.
Expressing serious concern over growing efforts to radicalise young minds, he also called for urgent measures such as introduction of counter-radicalisation curriculum in schools, colleges, universities, madrassas and institutions run by religious bodies to educate youths about terrorism and extremism. (Representational Image)

Islamabad: Time has come for India and Pakistan to engage in talks with an open heart leaving behind nearly 70 years of hostility to resolve all outstanding issues as well as to rid the region of terrorism, a prominent Pakistani Islamic cleric said on Thursday.

Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, who had led a massive protest against Nawaz Sharif regime in Islamabad one-and-half years back, said use of religion as a front to promote terrorism should not at all be tolerated and both countries should join hands to defeat the menace.

Expressing serious concern over growing efforts to radicalise young minds, he also called for urgent measures such as introduction of counter-radicalisation curriculum in schools, colleges, universities, madrassas and institutions run by religious bodies to educate youths about terrorism and extremism.

Strongly pitching for dialogue between India and Pakistan, Qadri said both the countries must decide whether they want to continue nearly seven decade hostility between each other which had devastating consequences or would prefer a path of peace, economic growth and development.

"If they decide this basic point, then only a new chapter of good relations can start. Proper dialogues should start between the governments at differnt levels and finally at top level. All issues which always remained the basis of tension should be discussed with an open heart and mind," Qadri told PTI.

The 65-year-old cleric said all issues including Kashmir, Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot attack should be discussed. "We are wasting lot of our energy, budgets, resources, time and mental faculty because of our hostile relationships. This should end."

On India affected by terror infrastructure operating from Pakistani soil, he called terrorism enemy of mankind and said both countries must agree that it is their common foe.

"Terrorism is an enemy of mankind in every aspect and I will feel it will be a great success if India and Pakistan sit together and accept that we have a common enemy.

"If you see 70 years have passed and the position is that India considers Pakistan its enemy Pakistan considers India its enemy. These things have been ingrained in the minds of people. First of all they have to say no to it. They have to agree that terrorism is the common enemy," said the cleric.
A tough stance on undocumented immigrants touted by Vic Regalado in media advertisements and at public forums has some in Tulsas Hispanic community concerned about the Republican candidates intentions if he is elected sheriff.

In his television advertisement, Regalado says he will fight illegal immigration, which is personal for me.

My parents came to America legally, the right way. This community Ive sworn to protect wont become a sanctuary for those who break the law.

A 25-second video on Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsas Facebook page posted Saturday night features four young members of the local Hispanic community saying, Vic Regalado does not represent me.

Christina Starzl Mendoza, a co-leader of Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsa, is one of the people in the video. Mendoza said Regalados campaign rhetoric is perpetuating fear in Hispanics, causing them to be wary of reporting crime to law enforcement.

Mendoza said a goal of the group is to try to ensure undocumented people trust law enforcement because many of them are targets for crime, especially robbery. Many undocumented individuals work labor jobs in which they are paid in cash, Mendoza said, so criminals know to specifically go after them.

If they dont feel safe to report that crime to police, thats an issue, Mendoza said. Not only does that allow for the bad people who actually commit crimes to go free, you have a group of people who cant participate in keeping their community safe.

Dream Act Oklahoma was established in 2009 by a group of students from Tulsa Community College, according to the groups website. Their purpose was to inform the community of the struggles faced by undocumented youth and their families.

Regalado told the Tulsa World on Wednesday that he doesnt support deputies asking for documentation during 911 calls for service or traffic stops. That could potentially lead to abuses of power and racial profiling, he said.

We will not go out and actively search out, root out anybody in any community simply because of their (immigration) status, Regalado said.

If elected, Regalado would be Tulsa Countys first Hispanic sheriff.

Regalado said his position is to provide law enforcement services to all communities. He said he doesnt want barriers to communication that discourage communities from calling or speaking with authorities, particularly with regard to violent crimes.

He also reiterated support for the 287(g) program, which through a federal partnership gives the Sheriffs Office immigration enforcement powers that include deportation.

If youre committing crimes, yeah, well come after you just like in any community and any person here in Tulsa, Regalado said. If youre here illegally (and) committing crimes, I dont want you in Tulsa, and I certainly dont want you in the United States.

The Dream Act group  also known as Dreamers  is meeting with Regalado on Friday evening to discuss concerns.

Regalados opponent in the special general election on April 5, Democrat Rex Berry, spoke against the 287(g) program at a recent public forum. He said it polarizes and primarily stigmatizes a large segment of our community.

I dont see a continuation of stigmatizing undocumented human beings as being to our benefit, Berry said.

Jordan Mazariegos, 22, is another member of Dream Act Oklahoma-Tulsa. Mazariegos said he knows airtime for ads is expensive, so he reasoned that Regalado has spent a large chunk of campaign funds to make it a point to target the immigrant community.

Regalados campaign finance reports state he spent $88,350 through mid-February on media advertising.

Mazariegos said Regalados rhetoric bothered him most of all.

It was very heartbreaking to hear that, especially from a Latino person who says he is very proud to be a Latino, Mazariegos said.

But not all in the Hispanic community hold concerns about a Regalado administration.

Francisco Trevino, president of the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said he reached out to Regalado after he first viewed the TV spot, asking Regalado, What the hell were you thinking?

Trevino said it became his understanding the Regalado campaign went the direction it did in ads to garner more votes. Trevino said the Republican Party feeds off staunch platforms on undocumented immigration, with perhaps a majority of voters holding some sort of anger toward that population.

I know the Dreamers and work well with them, but you cant go out there and burn a bridge, Trevino said.
The structural deterioration of the state Capitol is a fitting metaphor for the state of Oklahoma, and for the bankrupt ideology that chooses to ignore the decline of our public school system and other vital services.

The legislators and governor have been primarily concerned with providing tax breaks for their wealthy benefactors. They have busied themselves with frivolous lawsuits against the federal government, stupid open-carry gun laws, denying health care to Oklahomans in need and silly Ten Commandment monuments on public grounds.

In so doing, theyve left to crumble the great pillar of American democracy, public education. They fail to understand how a well-educated workforce is the foundation for economic growth and quality of life. They have failed to take care of the state, and it is deteriorating much faster than the old building they work in.

The problem is, when it all comes crashing down it will fall on you, me, our children and our childrens children.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
It's Divali time so at TV6 over the next few days, we bring you some of the interesting aspe
Progress schmogress.

The seaside hotel that inspired John Cleese to create Fawlty Towers is being demolished to make way for retirement homes.

After years of running Fawlty Towers-themed events the 41-bedroom Gleneagles hotel in Torquay, UK, closed last year and has been approved for 32 retirement flats on the site.

John Cleese stayed at the hotel in 1971 whilst filming Monty Pythons Flying Circus and was amazed at the chilly greeting from hosts, Donald Sinclair and his wife, Beatrice.

He once described Sinclair as the most wonderfully rude man I have ever met.

When the hotel was renovated in 2006, the new owners embraced the Fawlty Towers link, inviting Prunella Scales, who played Sybil Fawlty, as guest of honour.

There is something really rather exotic about Torquay, with the palm trees  the English Riviera as Basil referred to it once, Cleese once said. There is something comical about dumping this horrendous little English hotel in slightly swell surroundings.

Source: Guardian
Neighbours will air its first-ever one hour episode as part of its biggest ever week when the famed Lassiters complex explodes.

In true soap style, lives will hang in the balance, but not everyone will make it out alive.

Over the course of the week, each episode is set in a different room and focuses on the fate of a separate set of characters.

Executive producer Jason Herbison told Digital Spy: Hotel Death Trap week might well be the biggest week of Neighbours ever. Kicking off with an explosion at Lassiters Hotel, every episode sees brand new stories unfold, including shock returns, mysterious strangers, twists and turns aplenty and jeopardy for all our beloved characters.

In the UK the one hour episode is getting a primetime 10pm screening.

The action kicks off at 6:30pm on Monday April 4 on ELEVEN with the one hour episode to screen on Tuesday April 5.
The incident had occurred on March 8 when a platoon of at least 11 PLA men led by a Colonel-rank officer crossed over the imaginary Line of Actual Control (LAC) close to the Pangong lake, the reports had said. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday rejected as "baseless rumour-mongering" the reports about presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and asserted that Kashmir was a long-standing item on the agenda of the UN.

"I will not comment on media reports. However, we totally reject baseless rumour-mongering about the presence of PLA (People's Liberation Army) troops" in PoK, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said here at his weekly briefing.

Zakaria noted that China has also refuted these reports. He said Kashmir was a long-standing item on the agenda of the UN and several UNSC resolutions accept the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir.

Media reports recently said that Chinese troops entered almost 6 km inside the Indian territory near the scenic Pangong lake area in Ladakh sector.

The incident had occurred on March 8 when a platoon of at least 11 PLA men led by a Colonel-rank officer crossed over the imaginary Line of Actual Control (LAC) close to the Pangong lake, the reports had said.

On the issue of travel permission to Pakistani officials for World T20 match between the two countries, Zakaria said Pakistan was disappointed over India's decision to bar Pakistani diplomats from travelling to Kolkata.

"On this issue, we conveyed our disappointment to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner. I don't know the exact status at this moment whether permission has been granted as yet. However, I think the issue will be resolved soon," he said.
Sunday Night will profile the head of a finance firm who will detail their plan for gender transition, but the promos are playing up the who is it? angle which is a bit disappointing.

It also features a story on surf therapy for those suffering mental health disorders. Not to be confused with switch therapy

When a Man Becomes a Woman

To thousands of clients hes a high profile and highly successful businessman. His friends and family know him as a loyal mate, a great father and a loving husband. He heads a flourishing Australian financial advisory firm and his expertise and services are sought by thousands across the country and around the world. So a great deal is at stake as this highflyer reveals that he is becoming a she. Its been a secret hes carried for most of his life. Hes wrestled with his gender issues, fought them, tried to suppress them and eventually accepted and celebrated them. Revealing his secret to friends and family was daunting and painful but ultimately liberating. The reception ranged from shock and surprise to so what!, but everyone who mattered has come to support the transition. But will his long list of clients old and new be so accepting? Will it deal a damaging blow to his extensive business interests? Weve seen others reveal their secret and change their gender very publicly; Chers daughter, Chaz Bono, became a man. American Olympic legend Bruce Jenner became Caitlyn. Sunday Nights Rahni Sadler has been granted remarkable access to this very sensitive journey all the way through to his brave and very public revelation, and brings us a powerful and controversial story for our times.

A Soldier and the Sea

Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and a long list of mental and behavioural issues are generally targeted by drug therapy which can be hit or miss and, in turn, trigger a range of side effects. But is there an enduring, profound and natural alternative surrounding us? Science suspects there is. The sea. And more specifically, its waves. The latest research is aimed at understanding why spending time in the surf is bringing profound relief to those with mental health issues and helping to sooth conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. The US Army is using surf therapy to help mend broken soldiers returning from warzones with crippling PTSD and its having a significant impact. Here in Australia, digger James Milliss is haunted by the demons of PTSD, while his son Johnny is autistic. James discovered by accident what science is trying to formally discern  that he and Johnny get amazing relief from their conditions by spending time in the surf. Sunday Nights Denham Hitchcock takes us to the frontiers of brain research and to some of the worlds most stunning surf spots to reveal how it works. Along the way he becomes the first person ever to have brain activity measured in real time while riding a wave. The results are revealing. And at the forefront of this effort to understand the healing power of waves is the master of them himself. Eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater is an ambassador for surfing therapy and he reveals why he also believes the power the ocean can be harnessed to conquer many ills. He also makes James Milliss dream come true, surfing with him on some spectacular breaks near Kellys home in Hawaii.

Sunday at 7.00pm on Seven.
Next Tuesday The Feed on SBS 2 gets all Insight and hosts a special forum on Lockout Laws.

But not without a little help from Lee Lin Chin to promote it.

Are the lockout laws working?

Are we saving lives but sacrificing jobs?

Can Sydney be a vibrant international tourist destination if our streets arent safe?

Are we all being made to pay for a few peoples mistakes?

Last month thousands took to the streets to protest against the lockout laws, while a Facebook post on the subject by State Premier Mike Baird drew over 15,000 heated responses.

Now, with Queensland about to adopt similar legislation, the controversy is bound to spread even further.

For the first time, Marc Fennell leads a panel bringing the key players of this contentious issue. Doctors, protestors, politicans, and local residents will hammer out the issues face to face in front of an audience at a Kings Cross pub.

On the panel:

Michael Christie, the father of 18-year-old king hit casuality Daniel Christie

Tyson Koh, the rally organiser of Keep Sydney Open

Tony Grabs, a surgeon at King Cross closest hospital, St Vincents

Senator David Leyonhjelm, NSW Senator for the Liberal Democratic Party

Anthony Lynham, Queensland Minister for State Development and facial reconstructive surgeon

Helen Crossing, convener of the Kings Cross Residents Association



7:30pm Tuesday SBS 2.
Quite frankly you could just tune into the immaculate opening credits of The Night Manager and switch off right there feeling perfectly satisfied.

But then you would miss so much: a superb cast, exotic locales, a cinematic score and a thrill-ride from this knockout BBC series.

The Night Manager is money on the screen. Expect nothing less from a John le Carre novel, the first to hit the small screen in almost 30 years, for this 6 part series.

At the centre of the story is Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) a dashing former Brit soldier now working the late shift at Nefertiti Hotel in Cairo. In the middle of the Arab Spring revolts he endeavours to keep his hotel guests safe. Not much fazes him. But when Sophie Alekan (Aure Atika), the mistress of the hotels owner Freddie Hamid (David Avery), discloses a list of arms sales to arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie) he leaks the information to the British government -via an ambassador played by Russell Tovey.

The information makes its way to Angela Burr (Olivia Colman), a member of the British Secret Intelligence Service. She has been after Roper for years and warns Pine that Sophie is in danger. More lover than fighter, or hotel receptionist for that matter, Pine is drawn to the alluring Sophie -a scenario that wont end well given the power plays that are going on.

Suffice to say Angela will convince Pine to infiltrate the world of Roper in order to bring him down. To do this he must set up a fake identity and leave a trail of criminal activities that look convincing enough for A-grade baddies to believe him.

The backdrop to this espionage is vast. Over the course of just two episodes we already traverse 5 years and scenes in Cairo, London, Mallorca, the Swiss Alps and Devon. There are speed boats, aerial shots, heists, and getting the girl in just 25 minutes in. Pure spy stuff, geddit?

While the first episode is clearly putting its house of cards in place, the second episode really propels the plot, including with a terrifying opening sequence. The timeline is somewhat confusing in episode two as it flashes back without any identification.

Tom Hiddleston is smouldering in the central role, ticking both the macho and intelligence boxes -no wonder his name has been touted as a potential James Bond as a result of this role. Olivia Colman, who dazzled in Broadchurch, brings a dimensional performance to this action tale. Hugh Laurie is suitably detestable as the high-flying businessman and family man dealing in blood money. Australian Elizabeth Debicki is alluring as his mistress. The cast will also feature Tom Hollander and David Harewood.

The script by David Farr (Spooks, Outcasts) has updated John le Carres 1993 novel to modern day, but it steps up as a smart, contemporary thriller that promises twists, action and romance.

With a BBC budget to boot, what more could you want?

The Night Manager airs 8:30pm Sundays on BBC First.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz hace breakfast together at the SAARC Ministerial meeting in Pokhara, Nepal. (Photo: AP)

Kathmandu: Ahead of their bilateral talks which are slated for today on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial meeting here, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz joined for breakfast and were seen exchanging pleasantries.

Both the leaders were seen sitting next to each other on the breakfast table and talking as other dignitaries and officials joined them.

Swaraj and Aziz will hold official dialogues with each other where the January 2016 Pathankot Air Base terror attack is likely to be raised.

Sartaj Aziz in conversation with Sushma Swaraj in Pokhara, Nepal. (Photo: Twitter)

The Foreign Secretaries of all SAARC countries on Wednesday discussed ways to implement plans to improve connectivity, counter terrorism, and other issues.

Swaraj along with her counterparts from SAARC countries will discuss the progress made on the programmes approved at the last summit of the regional association at Kathmandu in 2014.

Aziz earlier told the media earlier that he is ready to discuss anything his Indian counterpart wanted to.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz during a dinner at the SAARC Ministerial meeting in Pokhara, Nepal. (Photo: AP)

"The meeting is of course to hand over the invitation for the SAARC Summit, but anything that she ( Sushma Swaraj) wants to discuss, we will discuss," said Aziz.

Read: Ready to discuss all issues, including Pathankot attack, with Swaraj: Pak

On being asked about other discussions like the recent Pathankot terror in India's airbase, Aziz evaded the question.

Aziz, however, said that the Pakistan 's special investigation team will soon be visiting India to probe the attack.

Swaraj is expected to raise the Pathankot terror attack with Aziz during the meeting on the sidelines of SAARC.

#WATCH Pokhara(Nepal): EAM Swaraj & Sartaj Aziz (adviser to Pakistan PM on foreign affairs) at breakfast meet #SAARChttps://t.co/Xcdz5ciTV3  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

This development comes amid the stalled Foreign Secretary-level talks between both nations following the impasse over the probe of the January 2016 Pathankot Air Base terror attack.

Read: Sushma Swaraj, Sartaj Aziz engage in 'social chitchat' at SAARC dinner

Both the Foreign Ministers met last night during a dinner hosted by Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli ahead of a meeting of SAARC foreign ministers.

The two exchanged pleasantries and sat next to each other during the dinner in the resort town located 200 km northwest of the capital Kathmandu.
Pictured are (from left, front row) Angela Cuadros, Bryan Debbrecht and Hoda Aghaei Khouzani and (back row) Byron Lambrou, Austin Good and Chengmo Yang.

David Munson (left) receives his award from Ken Barner and Chengmo Yang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

1:18 p.m., March 17, 2016--The University of Delaware Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering held its annual Research Day on Wednesday, March 9, at the Trabant University Center. The event showcased department research and alumni achievements.

The breadth of student, faculty, and alumni work and accomplishments shows the incredible vitality and impact of their creativity and work, says Kenneth Barner, professor and department chair.

Distinguished Lecture

David Munson, Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan, delivered a lecture on Engineering Education: Preparing Students to Change the World as part of the departments distinguished lecture series.

Munson discussed the growing need for engineering schools nationwide to ramp up their experiential offerings in multidisciplinary design, entrepreneurship, international programs, and student groups  a change driven by students desire to make a difference.

He offered a brief history of engineering education and described recent progress that universities are making in the experiential direction. He also discussed how increased diversity and digital learning will become much stronger parts of the fabric of engineering education.

Engineering students today are developing impressive skills in creation, communication, teamwork, leadership and global competency, he said.

Student research and awards

More than 70 posters addressing a wide range of topics from solar cells and biomedical devices to imaging technologies and security strategies were displayed in the Trabant Center during the event.

Awards went to the following students:

 Computer Systems and Networks: Hamzah Ahmed, Modular and Scalable Firmware for Infrared Scene Projectors, adviser Fouad Kiamilev.

 Nanoelectronics, Electromagnetics and Photonics: Austin Good, In-Plane Characterization of Graded Dielectrics Fabricated Through Additive Manufacturing, adviser Mark Mirotznik.

 Signal Processing and Communications: Angela Cuadros, Experimental Validation of Compressive X-ray Tomosynthesis, adviser Gonzalo Arce.

 Women in Engineering: Hoda Aghaei Khouzani, Towards a Scalable and Write-free Multi-version Checkpointing Scheme in Solid State Drives, adviser Chengmo Yang.

 Senior Capstone Project: Benjamin Cahill, Bryan Debbrecht, Byron Lambrou and Arjun Patel, SNOOPBOXX - Wireless Network Traffic Analyzer.

Alumni Awards

The Distinguished Achievement Award was presented to the guest lecturer, Munson.

This award is the most prestigious honor bestowed upon alumni of the ECE department. Individuals receiving this award have distinguished themselves through significant contributions in engineering research, practice, education or business.

Munson received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from UD in 1975 and master of science, master of arts and doctoral degrees in the same field from Princeton University. Prior to Michigan, he was on the electrical and computer engineering faculty at the University of Illinois.

Munsons research is focused on signal processing issues in imaging systems, especially synthetic aperture radar. He is co-founder of InstaRecon Inc., which is commercializing fast algorithms for image formation in computer tomography.

He is co-author of the Infinity Project textbook on the digital world, which has been used in about 400 high schools nationwide.

Munson is a fellow of IEEE, past president of the IEEE Signal Processing Society, founding editor-in-chief of the IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, and co-founder of the IEEE International Conference on Image Processing.

In addition to multiple teaching awards and other honors, he was presented the Society Award of the IEEE Signal Processing Society, he served as a distinguished lecturer of the IEEE Signal Processing Society, received an IEEE Third Millennium Medal, and was the Texas Instruments Distinguished Visiting Professor at Rice University.

The Outstanding Service Award was presented to Edward J. Coyle, a 1978 graduate.

This award acknowledges alumni who, through dedication and exemplary volunteer service, illustrate broad leadership in support of the aims and objectives of the department. Honorees recognized by this award have set a strong example to their fellow alumni through their exceptional contributions to scholarship, teaching or other improvements for ECE faculty and students.

Coyle is the John B. Peatman Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar. He is the founder and director of the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program, which integrates research and education by embedding large-scale, long-term teams of undergraduates in the research efforts of faculty and their graduate students.

Coyle was a co-recipient of the U.S. National Academy of Engineerings 2005 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education. In 1998, he was elected a fellow of IEEE for his contributions to the theory of nonlinear signal processing.

Coyle is a member of the ECE Department Advisory Council, served on the departments recent curriculum review committee, and is helping UD become a VIP Program site.

The Entrepreneurial Innovation Award was presented to Wayne Westerman, who received a doctorate in 1999.

This award is conferred upon alumni who have created an innovative business, developed a new product, brought to market a new venture or expanded an existing business. Honorees recognized by this award exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit central to the ECE discipline.

Westerman is a distinguished engineer and multi-touch architect at Apple Inc., where he has designed algorithms for dozens of products.

His dissertations exploration of typing and gesture on capacitive, multiple- touch-sensitive surfaces helped to anticipate the iPad gesture experience.

In 1999 he co-founded FingerWorks Inc., the first company to successfully commercialize multi-touch with a line of 10-finger touch pads and ergonomic keyboards that seamlessly combine pointing, scrolling, typing and editing gestures in the same space.

Westermans 107 U.S. patents on multi-touch cover aspects such as swipe gestures, chording gestures, surface typing recognition, typing drift tracking, finger identification, resting palm rejection, noise reduction and ellipse fitting for capacitive images.

The Young Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Janine Barbacane, a 2001 graduate.

This award recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 15 years and have excelled in their chosen professions. Awardees exhibit outstanding technical achievement, entrepreneurship or leadership, with achievements that distinguish them among their recent fellow graduates.

Barbacane is a senior federal account executive with Oracle Corporation, where she manages key accounts including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She is responsible for meeting expectations for profitability and growth and developing forward thinking, data-driven recommendations for technology solutions based on DHS mission and objectives.

Barbacane has received the Oracle North America Sales Top Engineered Systems Award (2014), Motorola Business Leadership Development Program Outstanding Achievement Award (2005) and the Milton G. Young Award (2001). Barbacane was recently accepted to the executive MBA program in the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School.

Photos by Doug Baker
He was involved in grenade attacks, kidnappings, target killings and bank robberies and was a top commander of the IS in Karachi, the official added. (Representational Image)

Karachi: A top commander of the dreaded Islamic State terror group who was involved in grenade attacks and target killings was killed on Thursday during an encounter with security forces.

The slain commander identified as Kamran Aslam Gujjar was killed in Karachi's Manghopir area after police acted on a tip off and launched a search operation, police said.

"He was badly wounded during an encounter in Manghopir area last night and taken to hospital. Before he died he confessed to his crimes and his association with Daesh," a senior police official said.

He was involved in grenade attacks, kidnappings, target killings and bank robberies and was a top commander of the IS in Karachi, the official added.

The Sindh police also issued a statement later in the day confirming that CIA personnel and police had acted jointly on a tip-off and launched a search operation in Ittehad Town area where the raiding party came under fire.

"One of the attackers and two policemen were severely injured during the encounter," the statement said.

The attacker was a "trained Daesh commander" who had also worked for al-Qaeda in the subcontinent and had a head money of 2.5 million rupees on him. Kamran confessed in his statement of being involved in the target killings of Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Fatah Sangri and his driver and a constable in Malir in May last year, the statement said.

He confessed to having joined IS recently but said he could not carry out any terrorist activity for the terror outfit, it added.
11:28 a.m., March 17, 2016--The fourth annual Now Hear This UD! student public speaking contest at the University of Delaware will be held Thursday evening, April 14.

The contest is open to all students on campus, who can enter using this form. Auditions will be held Monday, March 21.

The contest will again have a theme of diversity and inclusion but this year with a focus on community building.

The theme of this years contest -- SpeakUpUDforF*R*I*E*N*D*S* -- was chosen by trainees for the student peer tutoring organization, the Oral Communication Fellows.

The purpose of this competition is not just to find the best public speaker but rather to showcase the value of communication and committed effort from all to foster inclusion in a diverse community.

The contest is scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m., Thursday, April 14, in 140 Smith Hall.

Organizers anticipate having 7-10 excellent speakers in the contest, which will last approximately one hour and will be followed by an awards presentation.

Last year more than 350 students attended the contest and organizers said that is a key component in the success of the event.

Now Hear This UD! is sponsored by the Department of Communication and the Center for Political Communication, and thanks to the sponsors free UD Creamery ice cream will be available to all attendees. The contest will also coincide with this semesters Communication and Lambda Chi Alpha food drive, supporting the Food Bank of Delaware.

This is a particularly good year for the contest and theme, as the vice provost for diversity has scheduled April 12 for additional events bringing the issues of hate speech, free speech and responsible communication on campus to the fore.

For additional information about the public speaking contest, contact Tracey Holden, assistant professor of communication, at tqholden@udel.edu.
8:59 a.m., March 17, 2016--A few seats are still available for those interested in learning more about some of the most pressing concerns for businesses, nonprofits, academics and governmental agencies at the Delaware Resiliency Summits planned April 6 in Wilmington and April 7 in Rehoboth Beach.

The purpose of the summits is to prepare businesses, nonprofits and residents with business continuity and resiliency information to protect against cyber-crimes, weather events and insurance risks.

The summits will be held as follows:

Wednesday, April 6, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington from 8:35 to 9:35 p.m. The New Castle County summit opens with check-in and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and closes following lunch at 1:15 p.m.

at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington from 8:35 to 9:35 p.m. The New Castle County summit opens with check-in and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and closes following lunch at 1:15 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at Kings Creek Country Club in Rehoboth Beach from 10-11 a.m. The Sussex County summit opens with check-in and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and closes following lunch at 1:15 p.m.

To register for either summit, call 302-856-1555 or go online at the Delaware SBDC website.

Speakers and their topics include:



 Flooding and Flood Mitigation: Michael Powell, a program manager in the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Watershed Stewardship. Powell has been with DNREC for 25 years and is responsible for managing DNRECs flood mapping, community floodplain management assistance, dam safety and beach preservation regulatory programs. He has a master's degree in marine policy from the University of Delaware and is active in the Association of State Floodplain Managers. He will speak at both the New Castle and Sussex summits.



 Emergency Preparedness -- Steven Kegelman has more than 20 years of experience in the field of emergency management from Emergency Responder to Incident Commander over large and complex catastrophic events, and is the deputy emergency management coordinator for the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, and the 2009-10 borough fire chief. Kegelman will address lessons from Hurricane Sandy. New Castle summit only.



 Cyber Security in Delaware -- Elayne Starkey is the chief security officer for the state of Delaware and responsible for the enterprise-wide protection of information assets from high consequence events. She is chair of the Delaware Information Security Officer Team and member of the Governors Homeland Security Council. In 2012, she was honored as one of the 10 most influential people in government information security, and in 2011 was a Computer Week Federal 100 winner. New Castle and Sussex summits.

 Delaware State Police High Tech Crimes Unit -- Dan Meadows is a captain with the Delaware State Police assigned to the Criminal Intelligence Section in Dover. He is responsible for the daily operation of the Delaware Information and Analysis Center which is the state-designated fusion center for Delaware. Meadows also has oversight for other operational units within the Delaware State Police including the Maritime Unit, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit, the High Technology Crimes Unit, the Electronic Surveillance Unit, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. He has been in law enforcement in Delaware since 1994 and has been with the Delaware State Police since September, 1997. New Castle and Sussex summits.

 Social Medias Impact on Cyber Security -- Chris Cullison, co-founder and vice president of ZeroFOX, has 16-plus years of experience in the software industry. He has worked with and managed large scale applications for Fortune 50 corporations, specializing in advanced enterprise architecture solutions. His expertise includes reverse engineering, code inspection, dynamic integrations and cyber-security. New Castle summit only.

 Cyber Insurance -- Austin Morris Jr. is president of Morris Risk Management LLC, which provides a full portfolio of insurance products and services in addition to advanced risk management solutions. The firm specializes in cyber liability insurance, technology errors and omissions insurance and provides advice on related cybersecurity matters. Sussex summit only.

 Surviving After Downsizing -- Will Minster holds dual roles at Wilmingtons Downtown Business Improvement District, also known as Downtown Visions, as director of business development and program manager for Main Street Wilmington. Minster is the fourth generation of his familys 120-year-old-jewelry business, Minsters Jewelers. He owned and operated the Wilmington location for 25 years until he decided to devote his time to Main Street Wilmington. This conversational presentation is for anyone who may be wondering where to turn to find new clients and customers due to a changing market. New Castle summit only.

Summit sponsors include the U.S. Small Business Administration, University of Delaware, Small Business Development Center, Discover Bank, Henlopen City Oyster House of Rehoboth Beach and Coastal and Estuarine Research Inc. of Lewes.



In addition to the speakers, the summits will also include break-out sessions, electronic question and answer sessions, tabletop exercises, exhibitor booths, continental breakfast, lunch and door prizes of $100 gift certificates from Discover Bank and Henlopen City Oyster House. While the event is free of charge, pre-registration is required by calling the University of Delaware Small Business Development Center at 302-856-1555 or visiting the website.

About the Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative

The Delaware Business Resiliency Initiative is a part of the University of Delawares Small Business Development Center, funded by the Small Business Administration. The program provides business continuity assistance so businesses and nonprofits so they are prepared and ready for anything.

The SBDC, a unit of the University of Delawares Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships, provides business advisory services for free in all three counties in Delaware through funding from the SBA, Delaware Economic Development Office, the University of Delaware and private sector organizations.
8:57 a.m., March 17, 2016--The University of Delaware Womens Caucus series of Brown Bag Lunch discussions will continue on Monday, March 21, from noon-1 p.m., in the Class of 1941 Lecture Room of the Morris Library.

The discussion is open to all staff and faculty who identify as women, but those who work in or near the library are especially encouraged to attend.

The goal of the gathering is to provide women employees with the opportunity to learn about the work of the Womens Caucus and to speak to members of the caucus executive board of directors about issues that affect their employment conditions at UD.

Future meetings will be held at various locations on campus. Constituents who are interested in hosting a future Womens Caucus Brown Bag discussion for employees in their unit should email womenscaucus@udel.edu. Attendees should bring their own lunch.

About the Womens Caucus

The mission of the Womens Caucus is to advocate for positive change on issues of concern to women at the University of Delaware. The caucus is governed by the membership at-large and has a volunteer executive board.
In northeastern Kharkiv city, it took four robbers only two minutes to rob an electronics store located in the downtown - stealing merchandise worth UAH 120,000.

Deputy chief of police communications department in the Kharkiv region Oksana Kalmykova told Ukrinform.

"Police arrived on the scene at 03.00. They determined that the robbers had entered the shop through a window. They stole expensive Intel and AMD processors, graphics cards, monitors, smart watches," said Kalmykova.

"Police opened investigation under the article "theft in connection with a break in, which caused significant losses," with a prison sentence from 3 to 6 years," added the police spokeswoman.

One of the store employees told Ukrinform by phone that eight cameras installed in the store showed that there were four suspects, and their robbery lasted merely two minutes.
The militants shelled the ATO troops in eastern Ukraine 52 times over the past day. In particular, 39 attacks were launched in Donetsk direction, 11 attacks  in Mariupol direction and two attacks  in Luhansk direction.

This is reported by the ATO press center.

"The tensest situation was observed in Zaitseve [67km north-north-east of Donetsk] and Avdiyivka [18km north of Donetsk], where the Ukrainian positions came under fire from all types of weapons, including 120mm and 82mm mortars banned by the Minsk Agreements," reads the report.

In addition, the militants used grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to shell Ukrainian troops in Novhorodske (34km north of Donetsk) and Mayorske (45km north of Donetsk).

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Canadian Defence Minister hopes that Russia will withdraw its troops from Donbas and Crimea.

Harjit Sajjan said this following his visit to Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We have not changed our decision and we will continue to strongly support Ukraine. I hope that Putin will make a statement on the withdrawal of troops not only from Syria but from Donbas and Crimea as well," Sajjan said.

"It is too early to speak of the outcome of Russia's intention to withdraw some of its forces from Syria," the Canadian Defence Minister said.

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Russia's strategic course on Ukraine at this stage is not mounting a large-scale military attack, but destabilization of the Ukrainian state.

The impetus for disintegration of the society on political, social, national, regional, religious basis could become Ukraine's implementation of the Minsk agreements in the "Russian redaction."

Chairman of the Supreme council of the National Assembly of Ukraine, Army General of Ukraine, former chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine in 2005-2010 Mykola Malomuzh told a press conference at Ukrinform on Thursday.
Ukraine will be forced to introduce embargo on food imports from Moldova, if Moldova closes its market for the imports of Ukrainian dairy products.

Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Oleksiy Pavlenko said this during his speech at the European Business-Association of Ukraine.

If Moldova closes its market for Ukrainian dairy products, Ukraine will introduce embargo on a range of Moldavian products, Pavlenko said.

At the same time, the agrarian policy minister has said the ministry plans to settle the issue of Ukrainian dairy products access to the market of Moldova.

Foreign Minister [Pavlo] Klimkin has already made a relevant inquiry to settle the situation. For my part, Im conducting talks with my Moldavian colleague. He is a nice person, professional, thats why I hope to find a common language with him, Pavlenko said.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will not cease cooperation with Ukraine, but expects from Kyiv political clarity and further carrying out of reforms.

Official IMF representative William Murray told a press briefing on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

We never cease cooperation with countries, Murray said, when asked whether the IMF ceases cooperation with Ukraine if it fails to fulfil requirements needed for obtaining the next IMF tranche in April, 2016.

He also stressed that the IMF needs clarity to the situation with a status of government, as well as further carrying out of reforms.

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Deputy Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Alexander Hug has warned the conflicting sides in Donbas that its unacceptable to change deployment of troops, because it violates the Minsk agreements.

He told a briefing today, Ukrinform reports.

"There is no gray zone, Minsk II is not providing. There is only contact line set out in the Minsk accords and agreed to by the sides. Under the agreement its prohibited for the sides to move their position closer to the contact line. The closer position to the contact line, the more likelihood of escalation in violence and misunderstanding," said Hug.

He noted that any crossing of the contact line is considered as a provocation. "Even if it is 100 meters beyond," he added.

According to him, intense shelling has been reported for two weeks, causing deep concern. Hug also noted that 595 OSCE mission observers are working in eastern Ukraine now.
Pete Moss said: Exactly. That's the point. So what do you think about that? Click to expand...

The neocon meltdown over Donald Trumps astonishing success in the Republican presidential primaries has been one of the more delightful aspects of the 2016 presidential contest.



Writing in The Weekly Standard, [neocon] William Kristol denounced Trump as a proud defender of greed, an unabashed indulger in adultery, a wanton mocker of the meek (the losers) of this world. Brookings Institution scholar Robert Kagan took to the pages of The Washington Post on Sunday and likened Trumps imminent takeover of the GOP to when the plague descended on Thebes. Noted neoconservative scholar Max Boot also got his shots in, telling Vox that he is literally losing sleep over Donald Trump, and that he believes Hillary Clinton would be vastly preferable to Trump. And Boot is far from alone. On Wednesday he, along with dozens of neocon scholars, lobbyists, and former government officials, signed an open letter denouncing Trumps foreign policy as wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. Trump, they charged, would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world.

Hillary is a member of the Establishment Neoconservative Republocrat Party, like Romney, or Kasich, or Fiorina, but don't take my word for it.Fascinating read: Donald Trump Is Alienating Neoconservatives?and Antiwar Democrats Should Worry | The Nation
The European Commission will make legislative proposals for visa liberalization with Ukraine in April.

This was announced by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker following the meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Council Donald Tusk in Brussels on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Ukraine conducted huge reforms in the past days and hours, particularly, on the adoption of the e-declarations law and the appointment of the members of the Anti-Corruption Agency. These steps taken by Ukraine will allow the European Commission to make proposals for visa liberalization in April," said Juncker said.

He noted that EU and Ukraine had a common interest in the issue of visa of liberalization to simplify travels for citizens to other countries.

Juncker stressed he was very pleased to hold the meeting with "good friend President Poroshenko."

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A delegation of MPs of the Dutch lower chamber of parliament will visit Ukraine on March 20-22.

The press service of the Dutch lower chamber of parliament told Ukrinform correspondent.

In Kyiv MPs will meet with representatives of the parliament and the government. In particular, they will discuss the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, reads a report.

Among MPs, who will pay a visit to Ukraine, are members of the Dutch coalition PvdA, VVD parties and opposition SP, PVV, D66, GroenLinks parties.

In addition, apart from the Association Agreement, the MPs are intending to discuss the political and economic situation, as well as the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Also, Dutch MPs are planning to meet with representatives of international organizations in Ukraine.

As earlier reported, on April 6, a consultative referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will be held.

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UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt concluded her mission to Greece today meeting volunteers, NGOs and local authorities engaged in emergency response efforts on the island of Lesvos, and speaking with refugee families.

The meetings followed the Special Envoy's visit to Athens yesterday, during which she met volunteers assisting refugees and asylum seekers at Piraeus Port, visited a temporary accommodation site at Eleonas, and also met with refugees and asylum seekers.

In Athens the Special Envoy also held talks with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. She reiterated UNHCR's offer of support to increase protection and assistance to refugees, to support reception, and to support access to asylum and the EU relocation programme.

They also discussed the high-level meeting hosted by UNHCR in Geneva on 30th March focused on the expansion of legal pathways for Syrian refugees, in the light of the urgent need to enable the most vulnerable refugees to reach safety, to reduce the need for these people to put themselves in the hands of smugglers.

On Lesvos, Ms Jolie Pitt also visited Moria registration centre where 2,800 refugees and asylum seekers are temporarily housed, to hear directly from families about their situation and their experiences. 95% of the refugees in Moria are from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. She urged refugees to ensure they register with the Greek authorities and work through the formal asylum system.

Speaking at the end of her visit, Ms Jolie Pitt said: "I look forward to UNHCR being able to enhance its support to the Greek authorities in coordinating the humanitarian response, and together with partners, support efforts of the authorities to ensure effective registration as well as access to asylum and relocation, with particular attention to those who are the most vulnerable."

"I want to thank the Greek people for their understanding and generosity in the face of difficult circumstances, and the efforts of the volunteers and local organizations I met during my visit. They and many others are working around the clock to receive and care for refugees arriving in Greece. This needs to be matched by an international response equal to the scale of the global refugee crisis, which includes ending the conflict in Syria but must go far beyond that."
Residents of the remote equatorial islands of Melanesia share fragments of genetic code with two extinct human species. Thats the key finding of a new study published March 17 in the journal Science.

An international team contributed to the research, which compared the DNA sequences of 35 modern people living on islands off the coast of New Guinea with DNA drawn from two early human species: Denisovans, whose remains were found in Siberia, and Neandertals, first discovered in Germany.

Substantial amounts of Neandertal and Denisovan DNA can now be robustly identified in the genomes of present-day Melanesians, allowing new insights into human evolutionary history, they write. As genome-scale data from worldwide populations continues to accumulate, a nearly complete catalog of surviving archaic lineages may soon be within reach.

Andrew Merriwether, a molecular anthropologist at Binghamton University, collected the modern-day blood samples used in the study about 15 years ago in Melanesia. This is the first time full genomes from those samples have been sequenced.

Im surprised that these Neandertal and Denisovan genomes made it out to this remote place, he says. We know people have been there for at least 48,000 years because we find human remains that go back that far, but no one has ever been able to connect them to any other place. When you compare most of their genome sequences, they dont cluster with any other group. Theyve been there and been isolated for a very, very long time.

Earlier studies have revealed some genetic overlap (about 2 percent) between Neandertals and non-African populations and little or no Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry among Africans. This new research suggests Neandertals and modern human ancestors intersected at least three times. It also found an overlap of between 1.9 and 3.4 percent in the genetic codes of Denisovans and modern-day Melanesians.

Skepticism about the new findings is entirely appropriate, says Merriwether, who specializes in reconstructing the past using samples from contemporary populations and ancient DNA from the archaeological record.

Ancient DNA is always damaged and broken into small pieces, he explains. You only need one molecule of modern DNA to outperform all the ancient DNA.

An independent laboratory did the sequencing of Merriwethers samples. That, combined with a powerful new statistical technique that was used in the analysis, finally convinced him that the genetic similarities were real.

The cost and time involved in sequencing a full human genome has dropped dramatically. The first, completed in 2003, took 13 years and cost about $2.7 million. Today, its possible to sequence a sample in days for thousands of dollars. Still, this type of research still poses significant challenges.

The human genome contains about 3 billion letters, and ancient samples are difficult to work with. When people die, their DNA starts breaking down immediately, Merriwether notes, and it isnt repaired anymore. Normally, a persons DNA is fixed thousands of times a minute. Bacteria and fungi contaminate most DNA samples taken from human remains, he says, making up as much as 97 percent of the DNA thats recovered.

Even collecting the modern samples wasnt a simple task.

Merriwether and longtime collaborator Jonathan Friedlaender of Temple University obtained blood samples throughout the Bismarck Archipelago in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They traveled with George Koki of the Institute for Medical Research in Papua New Guinea and Heather Norton, then a student at Penn State and now a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati.

Its challenging to reach these places, Merriwether says. Theyre volcanic islands with mountains. Its also the most linguistically diverse place on Earth.

How diverse? People in this region speak some 800 languages. A common trading language (Tok Pisin) thats a mix of Polynesian and English helped make it possible for the anthropologists to communicate with residents.

Because malaria is so prevalent in the region, there are many clinics set up to test and treat people. That also meant Merriwether and his colleagues usually werent the first people asking residents of these islands for blood samples.

Studies like this one may enable scientists to answer big questions about human migrations and evolution thousands of years ago.

Merriwether is particularly fascinated by the Denisovan DNA fragments found in the Melanesian genomes. How did ancient humans travel  and cross the ocean  to get to Melanesia and when and where did the Denisovan DNA enter our gene pool? Sequencing of additional DNA samples found in Asia may one day help to answer those questions.

Most people know back a few generations, maybe five generations, Merriwether says, but where did we come from before that? Thats what we want to find out.

The studys authors are based at Binghamton University, the University of Washington, the University of Ferrara in Italy, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, the University of Cincinnati, the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, the Institute for Medical Research in Papua New Guinea and Temple University.
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UW Spring Faculty Meeting Tuesday

University of Wyoming President Dick McGinity invites all faculty members to the annual spring faculty meeting Tuesday, March 22, from 4:10-5 p.m. in the Wyoming Union ballroom.

McGinity and Vice President for Academic Affairs David Jones will review the 2016 legislative session and discuss other issues and topics of interest. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Immediately following the meeting, the president will host a reception in the hallway outside the ballroom.

For questions and additional information, call the Office of the President, 766-4121.
From street vendors to souvenir stores and restaurants, stories abound of tourists been charged far more than they should have been.

Traveling in Vietnam, it sometimes feels like taking part in a constant battle where you need to know how to protect yourself from being overcharged by street vendors, restaurants, taxi drivers, hotel and stores. This is particularly true in areas that are commonly frequented by tourists.

However, overcharging is not something that happens exclusively to tourists, as many locals will tell you this happens to both foreigners and Vietnamese alike.

In a scene that occurs every day in Vietnam, a women selling fruit approached a tourist in Hanoi's Old Quarter, asking if he would like to buy some bananas. She offered him three bananas with a price of VND30,000 (US$1.30)

The man, from Spain, did not say anything and was about to leave when the woman lowered her price toVND20,000. He eventually said he would only pay VND15,000.

This time it was the woman who left, complaining that the foreign tourist was stingy, saying she would never sell her fruit at such a low price.

"My fruit has been selling really slowly these days," said the woman, who declined to give her name. "Why did that man offered me such cheap price? What kind of foreigner is he?"

This episode is illustrative of a common problem. Like many street vendors and other merchants, the woman believed that foreign tourists are usually rich and have an endless supply of money to spend.

Sometimes, I invite foreigners to take a photograph with my fruit baskets. I do not ask them for a tip, I just hope they will buy some fruit. Many street vendors follow tourists and insist they buy things, but I dont want to do that," she said.

Photo: VnExpress/Thuy Bui

It is a persistent complaint of visitors to Vietnam that they are often hassled and overcharged by street vendors.

Pau (right) and his wife

Tips to avoid being overcharged in Vietnam

1. Buy things at supermarkets where the prices are fixed.

2. Do not hesitate to bargain. You should offer half or two-thirds of the price the sellers quote you. If they do not agree and you still want the items, you should increase your offer little by little.

3. At restaurants, ask the prices before ordering. Be careful when restaurants or hotels provide more items than you ordered, as they might cost an exorbitant amount. Always check the bill to see if what you were charged is the same price quoted on the menu.

4. When booking a hotel, always prebook a room by phone or email and ask for details on all fees and charges. This also helps to avoid copycat hotels.

5. Take taxis from trustworthy operators, and check the distance and the prices charged so you can estimate the cost. Always make sure the meter is turned on when you start your journey. If you are overcharged, note the number of the cab and report it to the taxi company. Or better yet, ask a receptionist at your hotel for help.

6. Street vendors might offer you the chance to take a photo, but they may insist you buy something from them afterwards. Be firm and polite or just walk away if you dont want to buy anything. If you do, always remember to bargain.

7. Bring essential items you need for your travels, such as water. Goods sold at tourist locations are usually much more expensive than normal.
March 16, 2016 | 06:24 pm PT

South Korean firms that operated factories in a now-shuttered joint economic zone in North Korea held a rally on Wednesday near the border, demanding proper compensation from Seoul.

Around 600 people - including business owners and workers at the Seoul-funded Kaesong Industrial Complex - turned up for the march at Imjingak, a park located in the border city of Paju.

"Since the government said there are no legal grounds to compensate us, we will request the enactment of a special law," said Jeong Gi-Seob, the head of an association representing the factory owners.

South Korea on February 10 announced the suspension of operations in Kaesong in protest to North Korea's latest nuclear and long-range rocket tests.

The shock announcement prompted the North to expel all South Koreans from the estate and freeze all assets there, shutting down the last symbol of cross-border economic cooperation.

Pyongyang later said it would liquidate all assets left behind, with a total value, according to the business owners, of more than 820 billion won ($663 million).

"The government has to compensate our invested assets and raw materials. We are unable to keep our contract with buyers," said one of the protest organisers, Kim Seo-Jin.

Since Kaesong opened in 2004, the 120 South Korean firms operating there have paid wages worth $560 million to the state authorities on behalf of the 53,000 North Korean workers.

Kaesong, born out of the "sunshine" reconciliation policy in the late 1990s, had previously remained largely immune to turbulence in inter-Korean ties.

The only exception was in 2013 during heightened cross-border tensions when Pyongyang effectively closed the zone for five months by withdrawing its workers - AFP
The European Commission and the International Energy Agency will address the impact of the energy crisis on SMEs in an online event on 21 October.
Following its successful test on medication to fight cancer, shares of Celator Pharmaceuticals jumped at the staggering 432% on Tuesday. While Steve Cohen revealed ownership of the company's shares.

On Monday, Celator Pharmaceutical released an official announcement of success in Phase 3 trial of its leukimia drug. The drug CPX-351 is targeted for patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and in its latest test showed a positive result compared to standard chemotherapy medication known as 7+3. The New Jersey-based company register its CPX-351 with trade mark name VYXEOS.

Acute myeloid leukemia is a type of blood cancer where abnormal white blood cells accumulate in the bone marrow and hinder the production of normal blood cells. This type of cancer also known as acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. Although AML is a relatively rare disease, but in an accute condition it is the most common acute leukemia affecting adults, and its incidence increases with age.

Celator Pharmaceuticals will submit the data for presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2016 Annual Meeting in Chicago next June. Chief of Leukemia/Myelodysplasia Program at Moffitt Cancer Center and the principal investigator for the clinical study Jeffrey E. Lancet, M.D. said, "The overall survival advantage seen with CPX-351 compared to 7+3, along with a superior response rate and no increase in serious toxicity indicates that we'll likely have a new standard of care for treating older patients with secondary AML."

Subsequently, the company's shares soared to more than 400%. Market Watch reported that shares of Celator Pharmaceuticals shot into stratosphere after hours Monday. Investors showed much interest on Tuesday in a new leukimia treatment as they did in the next iPhone.

In Tuesday's trading, shares of Celator was closing at $8.94, set a new all-time high after a massive 432% jump. Following the share increase, Celator became a $313 million company.

Analysts at H.C. Wainwright, Andrew Fein who cover Celator said the company's achievement is remarkable, "Rare enough as Phase 3 wins in oncology are, yesterday Celator scored an even rarer event: a survival win in AML, and with a front-line treatment no less."Fein now raised his price target of Celator to $20 from $7.

"While the company's market cap had until yesterday hovered around the $60M range, the most relevant question this morning is: What would be an appropriate valuation for this former microcap, were Vyxeos really able to replace a front-line standard of care regimen?" Fein wrote in his note to client.

Meanwhile Business Insider reported that in a filing out Tuesday after the market close, hedge fund manager Steve Cohen revealed his 8.3% ownership stake Celator Pharmaceuticals. In the past 10 days, Cohen through Point72 Asset Management acquired over 2.8 million of Celator shares.

Celator Pharmaceuticals shares jumped surprisingly to 432% in Tuesday trading after announcing its rare success of test on drug for leukimia. Meanwhile, in Tuesday's filing, hedge fund manager Steve Cohen revealed his 8.3% ownership of the company's shares.
Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) regarding its allegedly brand valuation that reached over Rs 4,000 crore. Grant Thornton India also came under SFIO's scanner as it associates the crore valuations to the said airline brand in 2011 making the name brand the sole giant collateral for its loans.

Kingfisher Airlines stopped its operation in 2012 due to liabilities to the lenders and big losses. While the lenders made efforts to regain dues with a total of over Rs 9,000 crore, Mallya, who is the founder and major promoter, has left the country earlier of March. SFIO is already investigating Kingfisher for "financial irregularities and fund diversion" and examines the participation of Grant Thornton which valued the brand who is willing to provide all the necessary information needed in connection with the matter, according to the MSN report.

"Grant Thornton assigned a value of Rs. 4,100 crore to Kingfisher Airlines, although lenders arrived at Rs.160 crore valuation when they carried out their own internal exercise. There cannot be such a huge difference. Kingfisher Airlines was not profitable and the airline industry was not in good shape when Grant Thornton assigned this excessive valuation," said one of the two persons mentioned above, an official familiar with the investigations as quoted from a livemint report.

SFIO also raised concern about the huge valuation on a beer brand used for an airline. An SFIO senior official states that Kingfisher is a good beer brand, however, not in airlines.

Grant Thornton valuation report emerged at the time the airline company does not have enough resources successfully operate and that a previous loan was about to become a non-performing asset (NPA), the Daily News and Analysis reports.

As of the moment, SFIO is carefully examining loads of documents from United Breweries. They also want to query Vijay Mallya once again to complete the case against Kingfisher.
Apple is believed to be considering tightening its cloud service iCloud's security. The tech giant aims to have the security system that even they can't access the information stored on the servers.

As for now, data stored in iCloud is already encrypted. Tightening the security could mean strengthening the encryption system, or even eliminating the possibility of access that anyone, even Apple itself, can decode the user data using any key.

However, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, strengthening iCloud encryption to that point could interfere with users' convenience. For example, if a user forgets a password, the user might lose access to the important data stored in iCloud, and even Apple can't retrieve it because it doesn't have the decoding keys. However, if Apple keeps a copy of the key, it can be compromised or the service can be compelled to turn it over, as with what is happening now with Apple's case against the FBI.

The company's determination to tighten its cloud security system emerged amid its dispute with FBI. The government agency has been demanding Apple to provide assistance in efforts to bypass an encryption in an iPhone owned by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Arguing that doing so will compromise other users' safety and security, Apple denied the court order.

CNET noted that Apple already has a feature in which it doesn't have a key for. iCloud Keychain, used to store information such as passwords and credit card numbers, can't be accessed even by Apple. On the other hand, other kinds of data stored in the cloud service are accessible by Apple using a key which is also used to restore account information when the user needs it.

Apple declined to comment on the matter of enhancing security for its cloud service. However, CRN reported that Apple has moved some of its iCloud services to the Google Cloud. It proves that Apple is trying to shift and improve its cloud strategy, and that could include security measures. Previously, Apple relied on Amazon Web Services to run parts of its iCloud and other services. The company is also reportedly planning to open three data centers soon.

To ensure users security and making the encryption key inaccessible even to Apple itself, the company has to balance the enhanced security with users convenience. Making a un-decryptable system could cost users their important data if for any reason they can't access the account, for example, lose or forget a password.
Citigroup and JP Morgan shareholders will vote to decide whether to breakup the banks into smaller ones later this year. The question will be included in the proxy filling in shareholders meeting. As the banks have performed well, it is likely shareholders will not support the plan.

The votes were requested by small shareholder activist Bartlett Naylor, a financial policy advocate at the liberal lobbying group Public Citizen. He has raised the issue several times without success. Last year, he filed breakup proposals for Bank of America which was rejected by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Two years ago, when Naylor filed similar proposal to breakup JP Morgan, the bank submitted request to Securities and Exchange Commission to leave his proposal off the ballot. SEC granted JP Morgan's request and took Naylor proposal off the ballot. This year JP Morgan does not submit similar request.

Bartlett Naylor, the self-proclaimed corporate governance expert believes the banks should split into smaller pieces. He argue the smaller bank will boost shareholder value as they will become easier to manage.

In an interview with Reuters, Naylor hoped the proxy advisory firms will back studies by directors even if they won't tell directors to break up the banks.

JP Morgan Chief Executive Officer James Dimon as quoted by Wall Street Journal said, "The synergies (of being big) are huge, both expense and revenue." As for the breakup he said, "the unscrambling would be extraordinarily complexin debt, in systems, and technology and people."

Previously CEO Dimon has mentioned that JPMorgan is stronger because of its large and diverse businesses.

Meanwhile, Citigroup directors opposed Naylor's resolution filed on Wednesday. The board noted that Citigroup has undertaken a transformation on its own to become smaller and more efficient. Since 2008 Citigroup has shed more than $500 billion of assets and has returned to profitability.

Recently, Citigroup followed JP Morgan to expand its swap business, offering declining liquidity in the debt markets as derivatives. Citigroup expanded its total-return swaps (TRS) to cover investment-grade debt, after last December the lender began to sell its TRS to Markit Group Ltd.'s high-yield bond index.

Spokeswoman of Citigroup Danielle Romero-Apsilos told Bloomberg, "TRS is a natural extension of the derivatives products suite we offer to our clients."

Investors are interested in derivatives because it is easier to bet on debt, rather than credit market trading. Recently credit markets have become more time consuming and expensive as liquidity is drying up. While regulations also hinder bank to take risk by holding large positions, therefore derivatives is appealing.

As proxy filling will be included in the shareholders meeting, Citigroup and JP Morgan shareholders will vote on the option to breakup the banks. However, as the banks performed well shareholders is unlikely to support the plan.
Google, Lyft, Delphi, General Motors- all the pioneers in driverless cars have urged Congress to push for uniform national rules on autonomous vehicles. A patchwork of state laws, governing the operation of self driving cars, is threatening to stall their development. US senators have reportedly initiated consideration of a national standard for robotic vehicles.

Executives of the three pioneering companies have urged lawmakers to impose rules on issues such as dashboard controls and lane markings. The rules will facilitate driverless cars moving easily across the state borders. The executive calls have been made through the testimony submitted ahead of a Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday, according to a report published in the Financial Times.

53 pieces of legislation have reportedly been introduced in 23 states across the US affecting driverless cars during the past two years. In December, California has released draft rules specifically prohibiting fully autonomous vehicles. Chris Urmson, Google's director of self-driving cars predicts, operating self driving cars across state boundaries will face limbo in absence of unified approach.
McKesson, a US-based pharmaceuticals distributor, is terminating nearly 1,600 staffs from its US division in an effort to trim expenses after some important customers left the company. The drug vendor began alerting its workers regarding the dismissals in the middle of March.

McKesson began examining options for an efficient cost reduction strategy in January and decided that trimming workforce will best suit its business requirements, the company said in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg. The finishing of a deal with UnitedHealth Group's unit Optum and adjustments in deals with Target Corp and Omnicare impacted the company's business structure in the recent period.

McKesson's operating profit in the final six-month period was hurt by the slowdown in price hike on generic drugs. The drug vendor acquired Rexall Health, a drugstore chain based in Canada, for $2.23 billion in March starting and also purchased two oncology firms for $1.2 billion in February. Through these acquisitions, the company aims to improve its balance sheet in the coming period. Shares of the company dropped less than 1% to $156 in New York stock exchange on Wednesday. Over the previous 12 months, the company's shares have missed 32%.

The company said it will providing compensation benefits as well as other related outplacement benefits for those workers, who are affected by McKesson's layoff move. Reuters quoted a regulatory filing which stated that McKesson laboured nearly 70,400 people as full-time staffs as at March 2015.

Recently, the company announced its intention to broaden its corporate operations in Dallas and to open a new office in Irving. With regard to this expansion strategy, McKesson aimed to create 975 additional jobs and invest a capital amount of $157 million into the business. The City of Irving along with the Governor's office and Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce supported the company in its expansion effort.

The company will acquire a 525,000 square-foot commercial building to execute key operations like information technology, purchasing, administrative support, accounting and project management. While the office at Irving will serve as a back office for McKesson's headquarter office at The Woodlands, TX.

McKesson sold 6000 shares on March 15 at a median price of $157.59 for a total value of $945,540.00. Deutsche Bank reissued McKesson's shares a "buy" rating in a research report released on Wednesday. Raymond James lowered the company's shares to an "outperform" rating from a "strong-buy" rating and also fixed an objective price of $225.00 for McKesson, as reported by Microcap Magazine.

Mizuho lowered McKesson's shares to a "neutral" rating from a "buy" rating and also reduced its objective price to $164.00 from $193.00 for the company. In addition, Barclays set an objective price of $211.00 on McKesson's shares and reaffirmed an "overweight" rating. Currently, the company has an average rating of "buy" and an objective price of $202.57.

McKesson is performing various business adjustments in order to reduce expenses and improve its balance sheet. Meanwhile, the company is also taking various steps to gain back its lost customers.
Japan seems to be happy over surge in exports to the US amid slowing demand from China during 2015. But, latest Yen strengthening is diluting value of foreign trade. Though, Japan's exports eased in February, value was almost flat owing to surging Yen against the US dollar. Overall exports volume was flat, while value declined over four percent owing to rising Yen.

The outlook for Japan's exports looks gloomy as exports to the US fell for the 10th consecutive month. Exports to the US from Japan dropped 3.2 percent in February, however value rose 0.2 percent. Japan's value of exports to China on the other hand, which is largest trading partner of the world's third largest economy, rose 5.1 percent and volume declined 15.6 percent.

Bloomberg reports that Japan's Finance Ministry is pricing exports in Yen. Lunar New Year began from 8th of February causing the slowing down of exports to China and other Asian nations in late January. This resulted in gains in February when compared with previous corresponding period. Japan's overall volumes were flat and value fell four percent because of Yen rising.



Atsushi Takeda, an economist at Itochu Corp. in Tokyo, said "The tailwind from the weak Yen has gone. We can't help, but hold a pessimistic view on the outlook for exports before the figures were released. Domestic demand won't be dependable at all, and the same goes for exports. I can't deny the possibility of another economic contraction this quarter."

Yahoo Finance further adds that Japan recorded the biggest trade surplus in February over four years. The strengthening of Yen and weaker oil prices were the main reasons. Japan registered Yen242.8 billion ($2.2 billion) surplus in February 2016 from a deficit of Yen426 billion in the previous corresponding period and a deficit of Yen 648.8 billion in January. This was biggest surplus since September 2011.



Nobuyasu Atago, the chief economist at Okasan Securities Co. and a former Bank of Japan official, said "The lack of a boost from exports raises a risk of Japan's contraction this quarter. It's becoming clearer that the weakness of the global economy is taking a toll on Japan's economy."

With Yen strengthening against the US dollar, exports value may be under pressure, but it's for a short period only, opine some economists. At the same time, the country can't depend upon domestic demand totally, they cautioned. Economists forecast there would be further fall in GDP during first quarter of 2016, as reported by ForexLive.



Last quarter of 2015 was gloomy for Japan's economy as it shrunk for five quarters in a row. Ever since Shinzo Abe became the Prime Minister of Japan in December 2012, Japan's economy has been witnessing turbulent conditions, while Abe is implementing several economic reforms. The gross domestic product (GDP) declined 1.1 percent on annualized basis as private consumption dropped significantly.
Peabody Energy Corp., St Louis, Missouri based coal mining company, has warned on early Wednesday of going bankrupt. The warning from the world's largest private coal producing company signals the end of an era for listed U.S. corporate coal companies. The industry has been witnessing the brink of extinction though their miners continue to fuel a big chunk of the country's power stations.

Chapter 11 filing by the coal miner has appeared as the latest in a wave of bankruptcies to hit top American coal producers. The bankrupt list includes Arch Coal Inc., Alpha Natural Resources Inc., Patriot Coal Corp., and Walter Energy Inc., reports The Wall Street Journal.

US coal miners have reportedly been battling with new environment regulations and high debt levels due to low energy prices. Abundance of natural gas from shale drilling, conversion of coal fired power plants and decline in steels production have also appeared as causes behind the industry debacle.
Chipotle, a US-based restaurant chain, is considering to improve certain food safety measures, which the company recently introduced after outbreaks of E.Coli pushed Chipotle's balance sheet into a gloomy condition. The restaurant chain, which has been battling to lure its lost customers, is anticipating to provide additional burritos as part of its marketing campaign.

Jack Hartung, chief financial officer, told shareholders that free-burrito offers have attracted many customers who are returning back to the restaurant chain. He said that the bridge between paid and free entrees has lessened over the recent period. The safety measures at the food chain have lured more customers, improving customer traffic to a fall of less than 20% in the previous week from a decline of more than 30% in January.

The Mexican-based restaurant chain recently changed its cooking methodology by precooking the beef outside its own restaurants. Moreover, the restaurant firm is also planning to eliminate DNA-based pathogen testing program on few food ingredients, sources with knowledge about the matter told THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

Steve Ells, co-chief executive officer at Chipotle, said that the beef is cooked using the sous vide technique in order to lower contamination risk factor. He continued that Chipotle has examined many safety options to make its restaurant-stores the safest in the industry. However, Chipotle marinates the beef and heats it up within its restaurants before it reaches the customers' dish plate.

The company on Tuesday said that it expects to report a loss of $1 per share during the first quarter of 2016. Sales at Chipotle began to recover with a sequential rise in weekly same store sales from 8 February 2016 until March first week. However, weekly same-store sales started to fall during the second week of March as a store in Boston area was temporarily closed after a worker confirmed positive for norovirus.

According to Reuters, the restaurant chain is considering to give away nearly 9 million burrito offers to gain back its customers to offset the recent food safety incidents that have created a dip in its sales. Nearly 20% of Chipotle's sales come from loyal customers, who are the top gainers of this free food scheme. Chipotle's shares closed at $500.35, down 0.5% on Wednesday trading session.

February same store sales at Chipotle declined 26.1%, but still less than a 36.4% decrease in January. The restaurant chain expects operating margin to be in the mid-single digits during the first quarter. In addition, Chipotle hired James Marsden as the executive director of food safety measures. In his new position, Marsden will promote more safety measures to prevent illness breakouts in the future.

The company's sales were hurt by recent illness outbreaks, which forced Chipotle to introduce various offers to invite its customers.
Deutsche Boerse AG and London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSEG) has agreed to combine their trading operation. The merger between Frankfurt and London Stock Exchange is expected to cut 354 million ($499 million) annual cost for both companies.

After a very long discussion for 16 years and two merger attempts, London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse has reached an agreement on Wednesday to merge the company. Current Chairman of LSEG Donald Brydon will become Chairman of the new company, while Deutsche Boerse CEO Carsten Kengeter will be CEO of the new company.

"The combination will offer significant value creation potential," said a statement from Deutsche Boerse as quoted by Huffington Post. The newly formed company will be domiciled in Britain with FTSE 100 as its primary listing. It will also have a home in Frankfurt Stock Exchange with corporate headquarter in both London and Frankfurt.

The Guardian reported with the merger, Deutsche Borse shareholders will own 54.4% of the new company, while shareholders of LSE will own the remaining share of 45.6%. Both LSE and Deutsche Boerse have agreed in a $30 billion merger deal.

Deutsche Boerse CEO Carsten Kengeter said Bundesbank the German's central bank and European Central Bank will support the merger, as it will boost Frankfurt to be financial center. CEO Kengeter told Reuters, "With this transaction Deutsche Boerse is halting its decline in market share that has been on the cards for a number of years."

The successful merger between LSE and Deutsche Boerse will create the third world-largest exchange operator in terms of stock market value, and bring Europe to a competitive stance with United States and Asia.

One issue which put the deal in question is the referendum in UK regarding possibility to exit the European Union bloc in June. Another issue significant issue is the regulatory approval as a lawyer at Cavendish Corporate Finance Peter Gray said "The major test lies in the regulatory hurdle which, combined with added scrutiny in the context of Brexit, places the onus on the two companies to make a compelling case for the deal over the coming months."

Previously, European Union regulators has blocked the merger between NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Boerse in 2012. European financial regulator was fear the merger will create a monopoly in European exchange-traded derivatives.

London Stock Exchange Group was established in 2007 as a merger between London Stock Exchange and Milan stock exchange Borsa Italiana. While Deutsche Boerse was founded in 1992 and operates Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Since 2007, Deutsche Boerse also provides a joint European derivative trading platform with Zurich-based SIX Swiss Exchange.

The merger between London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Deutsche Boerse will create a new European trading powerhouse. On Wednesday, both parties has reached agreement to merge their trading operations in a $30 billion deal.
Moody's Investors Service has cut Houston's $3 billion of general obligation debt by one level to Aa4. Moody's cited reason for the downgrading is to lower oil prices. The rating cut comes close on the heels of Houston's bonds issue.

Houston is the fourth largest city in the US. Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Houston to Aa3, which is also the fourth highest level of global rating agency. Houston's economy is currently under pressure owing to lower oil prices, pensions obligations and curbs on increasing taxes.

Planned sale of $600-million bonds has been prepared by Houston. The bonds issue is scheduled for this month and Houston is planning to use the proceeds to refinance debt. The latest lower rating could also lead to higher costs as Houston borrows from Municipal bonds, as reported by Bloomberg.



Moody's said in a release "The negative outlook reflects the recent weakness in economic and sales tax performance, fueled by energy companies' reduced investments in personnel and capital as oil prices have remained low."

Prevailing lower prices of oil and natural gas for over a year are taking a toll on energy companies in Houston. Two Houston energy producers seem to be heading towards bankruptcy protection. Linn Energy and Energy XXI are finding it difficult to repay debt and interest in time. Both the companies already cautioned investors about the possible default, according to Houston Chronicle.



Sylvester Turner, who assumed charge as Mayor of Houston, is taking some measures to control costs and generate new revenues over next two years.

Turner said in a statement "I am continuing discussions with various stakeholders on a plan to solve the city's outstanding pension obligations. The refinancing will still yield considerable savings. I remain confident that the steps we are taking today will create fiscal stability for the city tomorrow."

Wolf Street further adds that commercial real estate market in Houston is highly leveraged. Without rentals and realty revenues, debt can't be serviced. Oil prices are already hurting Houston and highly paid engineers are facing retrenchment. The sublease space availability rose by 69 percent to 7.6 million square feet as on December 2015.



At a time, when 7.9 million square feet of sublease space is available in Houston, new building are poised to hit the market making it further worse in real estate segment. Houston witnessed building boom in 2013 and 2014 while about 7.9 million square feet is scheduled for completion in 2016. In total, about 17million square feet of space is expected to be available in next few years.
SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Anthony Ramirez, 23, of Simi Valley.

By Staff Reports

A Simi Valley man was arrested last week in connection with the 2014 robbery of a Moorpark jewelry store, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators arrested Anthony Ramirez, 23, last Friday at county jail in connection with the robbery, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. He already was in jail on unrelated charges, authorities said.

Someone broke into Anderson Jewelers in the 400 block of East Los Angeles Avenue about 1 a.m. Dec. 23, 2014, authorities said. The store owner was working late when he heard glass breaking and went to see what caused the noise, authorities said.

The owner confronted the robber, who then attacked, authorities said. The owner ran from the store and called 911 but the robber had left with an undisclosed amount of jewelry before deputies arrived, authorities said.
The Gulf Cooperation Council recently designated Lebanon-based, Iran-supported Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

The GCC is a regional coalition composed of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Formally designating Hezbollah follows similar moves to designate Hezbollah and/or its military wing by a variety of countries and organizations in the past, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union.

GCC Secretary General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said the new designation was due to hostile acts carried out by Hezbollah militia fighters in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq that included recruiting youths of the GCC countries to carry out terrorist acts, smuggling of arms and explosives, inciting sedition and provoking chaos and violence in a blatant violation of [the GCC states] sovereignty, security and independence.

At a press briefing, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said the United States welcomes the designation by the GCC.

And were going to continue to discuss with the GCC  all countries, frankly  on how law enforcement, sanctions and other tools can be used to crack down on Hezbollahs ongoing terrorist operations and activities in the region.

The United States designated Hezbollah a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997, and has condemned its numerous acts of and plans for terror around the world, including in places as far flung as Bulgaria, Thailand, and Cyprus, as well as in the Middle East against, among others, Israelis, Iraqis, and Syrians opposed to the brutal regime of Bashar al Assad. The U.S. has sanctioned Hezbollah military leaders, procurement facilitators, and businesses with close ties to the organization.

The GCCs formal designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist group is further evidence that, as Secretary of State John Kerry has noted, a growing number of governments are recognizing Hezbollah as the dangerous and destabilizing terrorist organization that it is.

The United States will continue to take steps to reign in Hezbollahs terrorist and criminal activities and encourages all countries to do the same.
California Highway Patrol

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By Staff Reports

The California Highway Patrol and Ventura County Medical Center are pairing up this month to offer a traffic safety program for teenage drivers and their parents.

The Start Smart Program is focused on helping new and future drivers become aware of the responsibilities of being a licensed driver in California. The free classes are designed to reduce the number of teenage injuries and deaths from traffic collisions. The courses cover defensive driving, DUI awareness, tips on avoiding collisions and other topics.

The next class will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 30 at the Academic Family Medicine Residency and Specialty Care Center at Ventura County Medical Center, 3291 Loma Vista Road in Ventura.

For more information or a reservation, call Officer Rolando Tejeda at 477-4130 or Elena Gutierrez at 652-5904.
Close-up of emergency lights

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By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com

As this year's St. Patrick's Day festivities kick off, authorities are encouraging people to think twice before driving under the influence.

The Simi Valley Police Department is hoping to lower deaths and injuries with several DUI patrols Thursday in areas of significant amounts of DUI collisions and DUI arrests. These DUI patrols will be on the lookout for telltale signs of drinking and driving, such as weaving in and out of lanes and crossing the centerline. Authorities also urge drivers to keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink, as walking while intoxicated puts people at a greater risk of being hit by a vehicle.

Additionally, Simi Valley Police advise residents to designate a sober, reliable driver for tonight's festivities.

The California Highway Patrol is hoping to continue a steady decline in the amount of DUI arrests made this year with a number of safe St. Patrick's Day tips, including taking keys from a friend who is too drunk to drive or calling 911 if they see someone who appears to be driving under the influence.

During last year's St. Patrick's Day, the CHP made more than 120 DUI arrests throughout the state. While that number is down from the previous two years, which saw more than 400 DUI arrests statewide, the CHP still reminds residents that more than 1,000 people in California have died in alcohol-related collisions since 2000.
SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Santa Paula Mayor Martin Hernandez

By Kathleen Wilson of the Ventura County Star

As critics fight to keep a proposed power plant out of coastal Oxnard, an alternative is being planned at a site near Santa Paula.

On a 10-acre site at 1025 Mission Rock Road, about two miles west of the small city, Calpine Corp. is proposing to build a so-called peaker plant that would provide power during times of peak demand. The facility is under review by the California Energy Commission, which is also reviewing NRG Energy's proposal to build a plant along Mandalay State Beach.

Electric utility Southern California Edison has chosen NRG's proposal, but a majority of Oxnard City Council members as well as environmental groups oppose NRG's plan. They have cited concerns over the impact of rising sea levels, risks to the environment and the concentration of power plants in Oxnard.

Edison's call for a new Ventura County facility was prompted by state rules that will drastically reduce the amount of seawater allowed for cooling of coastal plants. Regulators assume many facilities will be retired rather than undergo expensive upgrades.

Calpine is still in the mix. The company applied to the commission late last year for environmental certification of its project .

"In light of uncertainty and concerns raised about the existing (NRG) proposal, we felt it made sense to continue with planning and vetting the Mission Rock project," said Mitch Weinberg, director of strategic origination and development for Texas-based Calpine.

Weinberg said the site near Santa Paula is ideal. It is zoned for heavy industrial use, has reasonable access to the regional electrical grid and is consistent with the county's land-use policies, he said.

The project, named the Mission Rock Energy Center, would cost more than $200 million to build, he said.

Calpine officials discussed a conceptual proposal a couple of years ago with Santa Paula city officials, but the recent filing with the Energy Commission provides detail they had not seen, Mayor Martin Hernandez said.

Hernandez said he didn't know enough about the project to express an opinion yet. Constituents have contacted him expressing concerns that Santa Paula was being left out of the process, he said.

The Energy Commission asked a variety of county, state and federal agencies to report by April 1 whether any additional information should be sought from Calpine. Commission spokesman Michael Ward said the city was not on the list because it has no jurisdiction over the site. But the commission is interested in the opinions of city officials and has extended the time period for their comments until May 1, he said.

The public will be able to comment on the commission's website and at various hearings.

"There's ample time for public participation," Hernandez said.

The City Council plans to discuss the project at its March 21 meeting, he said.

Weinberg plans to appear before the council April 4.

Oxnard Councilwoman Carmen Ramirez and legal counsel planned to appear Thursday before the Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco to object to the NRG proposal. The discussion of the plant was postponed abruptly Wednesday to provide for further review.

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SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MICHELLE ONTIVEROS Christopher Paul Bishop Jr., 18, of Santa Paula, was killed in a gang-related shooting last month in Los Angeles County. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MICHELLE ONTIVEROS Christoper Bishop Jr. and his daughter, Alayna Rose Bishop. The 18-year-old Santa Paula man was killed last month in a gang-related shooting in Los Angeles County.

By Megan Diskin of the Ventura County Star

The mother of a Santa Paula man who was killed last month in a gang-related shooting in Los Angeles County says her son was trying to turn his life around.

In the months before Christopher Bishop Jr.'s death he was starting to get serious about figuring out a career path and had earned his GED, said Michelle Ontiveros, Bishop's mother.

"He had a daughter and I'm sure that was one of the things that made him change his direction in life," Ontiveros said.

Bishop had also held a steady job in Camarillo detailing cars, she said. She even bought him his own car because of the progress he was making.

"All the years that I would worry and finally he's changed his life," Ontiveros said.

Bishop was targeted in the Feb. 23 shooting because he had tattoos identifying him as a Norwalk gang member, said Sgt. Troy Ewing, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

On the day of his death, the Santa Paulan was with his father about 4:30 p.m. at a Norwalk 7-Eleven in the 10900 block of Alondra Boulevard when both men were approached by a group of rival gang members, Ewing said.

Bishop and his father got into a verbal argument with the group and ran out of the store to safety. One of the rival gang members followed them and shot Bishop multiple times, Ewing said. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, Ewing said.

Bishop's father, who also had gang-related tattoos, was not injured, Ewing said.

"They still see you as part of your past," Ontiveros said of her son's former gang ties. "They believe you're the same person from your past."

Bishop's mother and father have been separated for years but he would go visit his father in Norwalk every now and then, Ontiveros said.

A month later, Ontiveros said she finds comfort in knowing her son was trying to redeem himself and work toward something positive in his life.

"I didn't believe he was going to hell," Ontiveros said. "It wasn't like he was committing a crime."

A memorial service for Bishop will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Church of Angels, 600 E. Pleasant St., Santa Paula.
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By Cindy Von Quednow of the Ventura County Star

A Santa Paula man was sentenced to less than a year in jail for grand theft embezzlement, officials said Thursday.

Michael Suniga pleaded guilty in connection with a 2014 incident where he embezzled about $15,000 to $22,000 from the Santa Paula High School Band Booster Club. The theft mobilized the community to raise the money for the band's performance in San Francisco.

Suniga was sentenced to 330 days in Ventura County Jail and five years probation. He also agreed to pay back at least $17,000. Officials said he brought $4,600 to the sentencing hearing to begin the restitution process.
SHARE STAR FILE PHOTO Former Simi Valley City Council candidate Randy Nemecek was found dead at home this week.

By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star

Randy Nemecek, a wealthy retired financial industry executive who twice ran unsuccessfully for the Simi Valley City Council, was found dead in his home this week of natural causes, officials said Thursday.

Nemecek, 58, died of cardiovascular disease, the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Simi Valley police went to Nemecek's house Monday night at the behest of a neighbor "who was concerned because they hadn't seen or heard from him in a series of days and so we went to check on his welfare," Cmdr. Stephanie Shannon said. Nemecek was found dead.

Nemecek, a former executive for J.P. Morgan and other financial firms, ran unsuccessfully for Simi Valley City Council in 2012 and 2014. More recently, he submitted papers indicating he was considering another run in November.

An Ohio native who had lived in Simi Valley since 2007, Nemecek was serving on the city's Youth Employment Service Advisory Board at the time of his death. A successor will be appointed by the City Council to fill out his term, which expires June 30, 2017.

Nemecek previously sat on the board of directors of the nonprofit Samaritan Center, the city's daytime homeless services shelter, and also served on Neighborhood Council No. 2  which advises the City Council  from 2009-2011.

Councilman Steve Sojka, who was one of the neighborhood council's liaisons when Nemecek served on it, said he was saddened to learn of his death.

"He really did care about our community and got involved and worked hard to improve it," Sojka said. "He was always such a gentleman and very respectful and I just appreciated his demeanor and his love for our community."

Betty Eskey, the Samaritan Center's executive director, said that while sitting on the nonprofit's board, Nemecek played a critical role in the center upgrading its residential kitchen in 2013 to a commercial operation that could feed more people better meals.

"The board of directors and the Samaritan Center are saddened to hear about his death," she said.

It was not immediately known who Nemecek is survived by or when funeral services will be held.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR People on the Cochran Street overpass watch last week as the hearse containing the body of former first lady Nancy Reagan makes its way to the Ronald Reagan Library & Museum in Simi Valley.

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By Cindy Von Quednow of the Ventura County Star

A Los Angeles Times photographer may face charges after being cited by police following a procession for former first lady Nancy Reagan near the Ronald Reagan Library & Museum in Simi Valley last week.

Ricardo DeAratanha, 65, was cited on suspicion of misdemeanor obstructing, resisting or delaying an officer. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 6, but officials hope to know before then whether or not the Ventura County District Attorney's Office will file charges, said Simi Valley police Cmdr. Joseph May.

Police responded to a suspicious vehicle and person in the 600 block of Roosevelt Drive just before noon on March 9. A resident called police to describe a running vehicle with a tarp over it in the residential area near the library, May said. Officers found DeAratanha in the vehicle and asked him to get out. May said the officers told DeAratanha not to get back in his vehicle but he did and he was placed under arrest.

Officers later determined that DeAratanha is a photographer and he was filing photos for his assignment on deadline following the arrival of Nancy Reagan's body at the library. Before officially citing him, the commander in charge of the area allowed DeAratanha to finish filing his photos, May said.

May further explained that Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan was at the library at the time DeAratanha was in his vehicle and officers were working security to make sure there was no viable threat.

"This was a call for service, we did not initiate the contact," the commander said.

"When officers respond to a call, they have no idea what the situation is."
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MURRAY CLOSE/LIONSGATE VIA AP Theo James and Shailene Woodley appear in a scene from "Allegiant," which premiered Wednesday in Thousand Oaks. Woodley, who is from Simi Valley, answered questions from the audience after the screening.

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By Robyn Flans, Special to The Star

Actress Shailene Woodley continued her allegiance  yes, pun intended  to the charity All it Takes by thrilling a Thousand Oaks audience Wednesday night with her appearance and a Q&A session at the premiere of her film, "Allegiant."

The event at Muvico in The Oaks was a fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that the Simi Valley actress began with her mother Lori in 2010. Lori Woodley now runs All It Takes after leaving the Conejo Valley Unified School District last June after a 15-year career.

The audience saw the movie  the third installment of the youth science-fiction "Divergent" series  two days before its official release. Afterward, talent agent Mark Smith led the question-and-answer session with Woodley and her co-star Nadia Hilker, who is new to the franchise.

Woodley said her favorite part about shooting the movie was spending time with the cast and crew on their days off.

"We shot in Atlanta," she said. "And we spent a lot of our days off outdoors, and there was a lot of community between the cast and crew."

Woodley said the actors were told not to read Veronica Roth's "Allegiant" because it is being split in half for two movie installments. So there is one more to come: "Ascendant" is expected to be released next year.

Woodley was cast as Beatrice "Tris" Prior in "Divergent" in 2014, then reprised the role in last year's second installment, "Insurgent."

Hilker was asked what it was like to join the cast.

Scary, she replied.

"You're like the new kid at school," Hilker said. "You want everyone to like you. But then on the first day Shailene gave me a big hug."

Woodley, who began modeling when she was 4, got her big break in 2011 when she played George Clooney's troubled daughter in "The Descendants." She also starred in the blockbuster "The Fault in Our Stars," for which she received a Hollywood Film Award and an MTV Movie Award.

The 24-year-old actress also can be seen in HBO's "Big Little Lies" which she describes as a "dramatic comedic mystery." She plays a mother of a 7-year-old.

"It follows the lives of certain families who meet via their children in elementary school, and it explores the familial dynamic between these people as well as the interpersonal relationships between the friends," Woodley explained.

Smith asked Woodley about the T-shirt she was wearing with the saying "You do You," a philosophy touted by All it Takes.

"It's a slogan that resonates with me," she explained, "allowing you to be you and fully live in your truth as long as you are living lovingly and compassionately."

It's a philosophy discussed at the three-day camps her mother runs.

"They're teaching children to take responsibility for themselves and others and for their actions," Woodley said. "And to establish empathy at a young age, which is something I grew up with because both of my parents are psychologists. I never really knew that other people didn't grow up with a sense of how their actions provided consequences to those around them."

Woodley said the camps start conversations among middle school students and create solidarity instead of exclusion.

"They go back to school and they realize that the one kid they made fun of or they always laughed at because 'they looked weird' or 'they had a different kind of body' or 'they spoke with a certain kind of cadence,' has an alcoholic father and a mom who hasn't been home in two weeks because she disappears for chunks of time."

Among those attending Wednesday's premiere was Newbury Park's Megan Mathies, 13, who said she's a big fan of the "Divergent" franchise, Woodley and "the whole thing." Megan won a raffled-off "Allegiant" gift bag with character collector dolls.

"I'm really excited," Megan said. "You usually don't get to go to something like this, so you have to take advantage of it when you have the opportunity."
Jobertising.com is partnering up with the community by bringing outstanding diversity job seekers together with equally outstanding and proactive diversity-minded companies.

Meet face-to-face with some of Las Vegas best companies at the Diversity Career Fair on Thursday, May 30, 2013 from 12-3 pm at the Palms Casino Resort inside the Addison Exhibit Hall. Make sure to bring plenty of resumes and Dress for Success! Attendance is free.

Featured Companies include: The Venetian, Palazzo, Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Crescent Schools of Gaming and Bartending, Las Vegas Radio Co., Nevada Job Connect, National University, Roseman University of Health Sciences, 99.3 FM La Kalle, Ed Bozarth Chevrolet, Latin Chamber of Commerce, College of Southern Nevada, Cox, The Eastridge Group, Univision Radio, Credit One Bank, Centura Institute, International Academy of Design & Technology (IADT), American Family Insurance, Nevada Department of Corrections, Gaylord Security Systems, Elite Resource Premier Staffing, State Farm, Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and many others.
On June 25, 1996, members of the Saudi Hezbollah terrorist group attacked the Khobar Towers apartment complex used to house U.S. and foreign military personnel near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.The attackers drove a tanker truck filled with plastic explosives into the parking lot and detonated it, all but destroying the nearest building. The attack killed 19 U.S. servicemen and one Saudi citizen, and wounded 372 others of many different nationalities.Ali Saed bin Ali el-Hoorie, a Saudi citizen, helped plan and carry out the attack. A U.S. federal court has indicted him for conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against U.S. nationals, conspiracy to destroy U.S. property and related charges.El-Hoorie stands approximately 5 feet 2 inches, or 157 centimeters, tall and has black hair and black eyes. He has a mole on his face and has used the alias Ali Saed bin Ali al-Houri.The Rewards for Justice Program is offering a reward of up to five million dollars for information leading to el-Hoories arrest or conviction.The U.S. guarantees that all credible reports will be investigated and the identity of all informants will be kept confidential. If appropriate, the U.S. is prepared to protect informants by relocating them.If you have information on this man, contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate and the tip line at www.rewardsforjustice.net or e-mail information to RFJ@state.gov.
On May 24th, the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of perhaps the single most important event in the modern history of wine. I celebrated it just a wee bit early while attending the Naples Winter Wine Festival in January, an event that afforded about forty of us the opportunity to taste a bunch of older vintages of Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stags Leap Vineyard SLV Cabernet Sauvignon while listening to Steven Spurrier and George Taber recount their memories of the day that changed wine forever.

For those unfamiliar with the event that has become known as the Judgment of Paris, heres a brief summary. A young English Steven Spurrier who had recently purchased a wine shop in Paris to sell French wines, also opened the first private wine school in France, and in the process hired a young American woman named Patricia Gallagher to help him out. Patricia seemed to attract every visiting American winemaker in Paris (a rare thing in the 1970s) and both Gallagher and Spurrier were impressed with the quality of wines they brought with them. In an attempt to bring some attention to that quality, they arranged a blind tasting on a sunny afternoon in May, and invited the cream of the crop of the wine cognoscenti at the time to serve as judges. They invited a few friends as spectators, and a number of journalists. American wines beat out the French wines to everyones amazement and consternation. The only journalist that showed up, George Taber of Time Magazine, wrote an article about the tasting that took the world by storm. In 2005, Taber wrote an entire book about the event entitled Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that Revolutionized Wine

Heres how Steven Spurrier recounted the decision that he and Gallagher made to hold the tasting.

Patricia went to California in the summer of 1975 and thanks to Robert Finigan [a wine critic and writer based in San Francisco], was introduced to many small producers and returned highly impressed. We decided to hold a tasting, and needed a peg to hang it on. Patricia suggested the bicentennial of the American War of Independence. This is not an anniversary that we Brits like to celebrate, but I accepted anyway. We booked courtyard rooms at the Hotel Intercontinental, and a few weeks before the event, I went to California to make the final selection of wines. People have asked me why I didnt end up choosing Mondavi or Beaulieu Vineyards, but the plan was to select only newish, boutique producers to show off the cutting edge of California.

Not all the wineries I visited thought the idea of showing their wines to top French palates in Paris of much interest since they couldnt even sell the wines in Chicago. Joe Heitz was very grumpy until I compared his Chardonnay positively to a Meursault; David Bannion at Ridge refused to see me, but I turned up anyway and we got on fine.

We had intended originally to show these 12 wines quite openly, just to get their quality recognized and then talked about, but a week before the tasting, we realized that only one of the tasters, Aubert de Villaine, who had married a girl from San Francisco, would have ever tasted California wine before. The others, knowing that California was on the west coast somewhere north of Mexico would possibly be influenced by this southern aspect, which is why we decided to put in matching top white Burgundies and Clarets to show them comparatively in a blind tasting.

Journalist George Taber picked up the story of the fateful day.

So you might wonder why I was there. I was there basically because I had gotten the invitation, and like all the press in Paris, I had turned it down. Forget it, I said, this will be a non-event. Why waste an afternoon going to a non-event? The French wines were obviously going to win, and no one is going to write a story about the French beating California. Its a non-story. But Patricia and Steven had remembered that I took their course at the wine school and they called me and asked me to come. They said, It will be interesting.'

I said, OK, if I have nothing more important to do, Ill get there. It was a slow day at the office, and shortly after lunch, I arrived at the Intercontinental where they had rented a courtyard room between lunch and when a wedding party was supposed to be held later that afternoon. When I checked in with Patricia and Steven, they gave me the most crucial thing of the day  the list of the wines and the order they were going to be tasted in. I was the only one with the scorecard. I knew what everything was. It gave me an advantage.

I had been working in France at this point for seven years. My French was quite good, and I could understand what they were saying. Halfway through the whites, Raymond Oliver  a big name guy with a three star restaurant and a show in France  tasted a wine, held it up, and said ah, back to France. He had just tasted the Freemark Abbey Chardonnay. It was at that moment I thought, Hey, maybe I have a story here.'

Originally, the plan had been to announce the results at the end, but things were moving slowly, in part due to some slow waitstaff, suggested Taber, and so Spurrier and Gallagher made a spur of the moment decision, and announced the results of the white tasting before beginning the red.

The 1973 Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena, made by Croatian immigrant winemaker Mike Grgich, had taken the first place slot.

The results shocked the room, recalled Taber. Chateau Montelena had run away with the prize. When they moved on to the reds, the mood of the room was totally different. People were seriously concentrating. They knew what had happened in the first part of the tasting, and they probably felt they did not want to make the same mistakes again. But they got through all the wines, and the Stags Leap Cabernet had won.

The story that appeared in Time Magazine was only 4 paragraphs long. It was buried in the back of the magazine in the Modern Living section. The lead story in that section was about a new theme park in Atlanta, Georgia.

The story ends with a quote from Jim Barrett. Jim told me later that he was terrified when he got a phone call at lunchtime. He wasnt sure why anyone would call him at this lunch he was attending in Paris and assumed it had to be some horrible news. Those days in France phones were sometimes put in funny places. He told me later he was in a little closet, sitting on the floor. I told him, You just won this paris tasting, can I get a quote? He told me later that the first thing that he was concerned with was not wanting to look like a braggart. We talked for five or ten minutes and I kept asking him for something good. He eventually just said, Not bad for some kids from the States, and I knew I had my quote.

So what was the impact of all this? asked Taber to the crowd. I talked to winemakers all over the world about this story, and what happened when it came out. They said that this was a turning point for them, whether they were in California or Chile or Argentina or South Africa. If California can do it, they said, maybe we can do it as well. The result of that tasting is that everyone upped their game, and now were in a golden age of wine. Never in history has so much great wine been made as there is today, and it all started that day in Paris.

Bo Barrett, Jim Barretts son, offered a few thoughts before we tasted the Chateau Montelena wines.

Absent prohibition, theres no question in my mind which region would be the greatest wine growing region in the world. Prohibition killed California wine. It forced Americans to drink everything except good wine. This tasting was one of the nails in the coffin of the effects of Prohibition.

Back at then we had the dream. We dreamed that we could make something good. Our Chardonnay was the antithesis of white Burgundy. It was a cash flow product for us. We had bought 100 acres and it needed to be replanted. We didnt have a single vine of Cabernet. We had a lot of Alicante Bouschet and Riesling. What you might not know is that we didnt even have any Chardonnay. There was three times more Riesling in Napa at that time than Chardonnay.

So the winning wine was all purchased fruit. The fact of the matter was that it was 60% Russian River Valley and 40% Alexander Valley fruit. You dont understand how open it was at that time. If there was anything we could to do that would make the wine better, we were allowed to do it. The government never told us we couldnt.

While we werent able to taste that 1973 Chardonnay, a bottle of which sits in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., we did get a chance to taste some older vintages.

1992 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

Light to medium gold in the glass this wine smells of crushed hazelnuts, dried lemon peel and baked apples. In the mouth, the wine is bright and juicy with flavors of lemon curd, a hint of dried pineapple, wet stone, and dried citrus peel. Theres a hint of bitterness in the long finish. Spent 11 months in French oak. Score: around 9.

1998 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

Medium gold in the glass, this wine smells of marzipan, dried lemon peel, and wet stones. In the mouth, lemon curd, citrus peel, and crushed nut. A lightly chalky texture emerges on the finish along with a nice salty character. Still bright lemony, juicy and long. Spent 6 to 8 months in oak. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2001 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

Light to medium greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of marijuana resin, a hint of oak, and lemon oil. In the mouth, flavors of lemon curd, oak, and pink grapefruit have a very bright quality thanks to excellent acidity. Theres a nice finish, with a hint of bitterness and saltiness. The oak sticks out a little at this point in its evolution. Spent 6 to 8 months in oak. Score: around 9.

2004 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

Light to medium greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of fresh cream, lemon zest, and grapefruit with a hint of pineyness. The wine has an exceedingly creamy quality, with a nice balance between lemon curd, wet stones, and white flowers. Very fresh and bright. Spent 8 to 10 months in oak. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

2008 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California

Light to medium gold in the glass, this wine smells of oak, citrus zest, lemon curd and apples. In the mouth, bright lemon curd and pink grapefruit flavors have a nice snap to them, with juicy bright pomelo pith and a hint of greengage plum. Theres a long SweetTart finish. Spent 10 months in French oak, of which 11% was new. Score: around 9. Cost: $64 click to buy.

After tasting the whites, Ted Baseler, said a few words. Baseler is the President and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the company that, along with the Antinori family, purchased Stags Leap Wine Cellars from its founder and proprietor Warren Winiarski in 2007.

I would say that the Judgment of Paris was the single biggest wine event in history, suggested Baseler. We owe Stephen and George a great debt of thanks.

1983 Stags Leap Wine Cellars SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Medium ruby in the glass, fading to brick at the rim, this wine smells of cedar, pencil shavings, dried flowers, and dried cherries. In the mouth, slightly gamey cedar, dried cherries, leather, and a hint of cinnamon have a nice smoothness to them, with powdery, velvety tannins. Excellent acidity remains in the wine, and it is quite lithe on the palate. Delicious. The wine spent 11 months in a mix of new and old French oak. Score: between 9 and 9.5.

1993 Stags Leap Wine Cellars SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Medium to dark ruby in the glass, with a hint of orange at the rim, this wine smells of cedar and red miso, dried cherry, and brown sugar. In the mouth, juicy dried cherry, leather, cola, and brown sugar flavors have a nice lift thanks to still-excellent acidity. Very fine grained tannins offer a skein of musculature that dries out a bit on the palate. Spent 18 months in French oak, and contains 5% Petite Verdot. Score: around 9.

1998 Stags Leap Wine Cellars SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Medium to dark ruby in the glass, with just the barest hint of brick at the rim, this wine smells of graphite and mint with a hint of oak and cocoa powder layered over red fruit. In the mouth, powdery tannins dust the mouth while flavors of cherry, green herbs, tobacco, and oak turn faintly bitter in the finish. Theres a nice freshness to this wine that speaks of the cooler year. Spent 21 months in French oak, and contains 2.6% Merlot. Score: around 9. Cost: $100. click to buy.

2008 Stags Leap Wine Cellars SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of sweet cherry and kirsch. In the mouth, sweet cherry, tobacco, and cola mix with a hint of cocoa powder. Grippy, muscular tannins wrap around the core of the fruit, and grip the tongue firmly as the wine finishes with a hint of bitter dried herbs. Excellent acidity. Spent 24 months in French oak. Score: around 9. Cost: $110. click to buy.

2012 Stags Leap Wine Cellars SLV Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of sweet black cherry, cola, and chocolate covered raisins. In the mouth, sweet cherry, vanilla, and cocoa powder mix with powdery tannins and very nice acidity. Polished and smooth, very supple and bright, with excellent brightness and very well integrated wood. Spent 21 months in French oak. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $100. click to buy.

After we had tasted all the wines Spurrier offered some final thoughts.

Forty years ago, blind tasting was very rare. These tasters were all at the top of their game and were competent in the wines of their regions. They were there, principally to taste a selection that Patricia and I had made from California just to see what the quality was. I thought they might miss what we wanted. It was an altruistic idea. We wanted recognition for California. I think if they just tasted the California wines, they would have said Jolly nice wines, very interesting, good luck to them and left it at that. Thats why I made it a blind tasting.

The effect of the 1976 tasting was immediate for Montelena and Stags Leap and no less for Californias other wineries. What became plain was that this was the first crack in the global dominance of French wine.

Or as I like to say, he smiled referencing Grgich and Winiarski, the two winemakers of the winning wines, How a Croat and a Pole made American history thanks to an Englishman.
British Finance Minister George Osborne poses for pictures with the Budget Box as he leaves 11 Downing Street in London, on Mar 16, 2016, before presenting the government's annual budget to parliament. (AFP/Justin Tallis)

LONDON: British finance minister George Osborne on Wednesday (Mar 16) announced fresh tax cuts to support the North Sea oil and gas industry, which has been reeling from the plunge in oil prices since mid-2014.

In his annual budget, Osborne revealed the government will cut a supplementary tax on oil industry profits from 20 per cent to 10 per cent in an attempt to protect jobs, mostly based in eastern Scotland.

"The oil and gas sector employs hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland and across our country," Osborne told parliament. "In my budget a year ago, I made major reductions to their taxes. But the oil price has continued to fall. So we need to act now for the long term," he added.

"I am today cutting in half the supplementary charge on oil and gas from 20 per cent to 10 per cent and I'm effectively abolishing petroleum revenue tax."

The supplementary charge only applies to companies involved in the exploration for, and production of, oil and gas in Britain. It is calculated in the same way as conventional business tax but with the addition of a "ring fence", which prevents such companies from using losses from other activities to reduce the payable levy.

Osborne had already reduced the rate from 30 per cent to 20 per cent at the last budget.

The Petroleum Revenue Tax is a tax on the profits from oil and gas production from fields that were approved before March 1993. It is currently set at 50 per cent, but was already due to fall to 35 per cent before Wednesday's announcement.

Osborne said the two measures would support "this key Scottish industry and "jobs right across Britain."

Oil and Gas UK, Britain's offshore oil and gas industry association, warned in its annual report last month that production of oil and gas in the North Sea could be halved in 10 years without new investment.

The lobby group linked the strong decline in investment to oil prices, which it said had plummeted by 70 per cent since 2014, and gas prices, which fell 20 per cent last year.

The government announced in January a 250 million (US$352 million) stimulus for the Scottish city of Aberdeen, at the heart of the North Sea energy industry.

The funding is expected to be used to help the oil and gas industry export its expertise globally as well as encouraging economic diversification in northeast Scotland.
From March 15 to April 10, China will release water from Jinghong Hydropower Station to downstream areas for emergency use, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang told a regular press conference on Tuesday.

The move is expected to alleviate the current drought in Vietnam, as well as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, according to the minutes of the meeting released on the ministrys website.

Since the end of 2015, due to the El Nino phenomenon, countries along the Mekong River have suffered drought of different degrees, and people's lives and work have been impacted, Lu said, adding that the Chinese government has decided to help those countries cope with the drought.



A drought-hit paddy field is seen in Kien Giang Province, located in Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Photo: Tuoi Tre

The response came one day after Vietnam said it had filed a request via diplomatic channels to the Chinese side with respect to the release of much needed water.

Vietnam had asked China to increase water release from Jinghong Hydropower Station to mitigate drought conditions in several provinces of the Mekong Delta, Deputy Spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said on Monday.

The Mekong River flows through six countries, including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The low-lying and heavily cultivated Mekong region is home to more than 20 million Vietnamese people and is Vietnams rice basket.

Vietnam is suffering its worst drought in nearly a century as salinization is impacting farmers in the Mekong Delta, with scientists blaming it on the ongoing 2015-2016 El Nino weather phenomenon, one of the most powerful on record, according toAFP.



A drought-hit paddy field is seen in Kien Giang Province, located in Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Photo: Tuoi Tre

"The water level of the Mekong River has gone down to its lowest level since 1926, leading to the worst drought and salinization there ever," AFP quoted Nguyen Van Tinh, deputy head of the hydraulics department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as saying.

As much as 40-50 percent of the 2.2 million hectares of arable land in the Mekong Delta had been hit by salinization, according to Le Anh Tuan, a professor of climate change at Can Tho University in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.
Representatives from the municipal Department of Tourism and the administration and police unit of Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, came to see Alaa Aldoh at her hotel to offer their apology, which the 22-year-old vacationer accepted.

After hearing that Aldoh was robbed of US$230 in cash and an ATM card by two bag snatchers in the area on March 11, the administration arranged a hotel for her.

We are sorry for all the bad things that have happened to you recently, Nguyen Van Cuong, deputy head of the tourist information support division at the tourism department, said to the tourist.

Le Tan Dat, chairman of Pham Ngu Lao Ward, who also offered Aldoh an apology, on behalf of local citizens gave her $230 to make up for the lost money.

The Egytian and a traveling companion arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on March 9 for a planned trip across Vietnam, she recalled at the meeting.

The pair was walking on Luong Huu Khanh Street when the robbers grabbed her bag containing cash and an ATM card. However, she did not have her passport and other important papers with her, she said.

After a failed attempt at chasing the bag snatchers, Aldoh eventually fell to the ground in tears.

Passers-by began to console her and some photos of the crying tourist were quickly uploaded and shared online.

The woman said those viral photos have somehow made her famous in Vietnam.

The tourist added many people in Ho Chi Minh City who heard of her experience offered to provide free lodging and support.

When she visited the resort town of Da Lat in the Central Highlands earlier this week, some locals also recognized Aldoh and showed her what they had read about her in the media, she added.

Police in Pham Ngu Lao Ward said they received her complaint immediately after the incident and the chief officer of the unit apologized to her at that time.

Officers admitted that the lack of a surveillance camera system on Luong Huu Khanh Street makes it difficult to detect the bag snatchers.

Even after the experience, Aldoh says the robbery did not create ill-will towards Vietnam and she believes these two bag snatchers do not represent millions of other people in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Egyptian said Vietnam is a vast and beautiful country and she plans to return.

Her trip to Vietnam is the first journey she has decided to embark on since graduating and in her excitement for the trip she had carefully studied the countrys landscapes, and planned to visit numerous places from north to south.

Vu Dinh Quan, general director of Ben Thanh Tourist Company, said at the meeting the tour organizer will sponsor the entire trip for Aldoh and her friend as a way to share their mishap.
Two Facebook pages with the names Stolen Property Report and HCMC Thief Hunter have been increasingly popular with local people, gathering over 90,000 followers.

The social media pages are the places where the group members post information on the theft cases they have solved as well as photos of the detained offenders.

They are also a hub for local citizens looking to stay updated on the security situation in Ho Chi Minh City, share their experience of places vulnerable to thieves, and express their appreciation for the street heroes.

Many thanks to the vigilantes for helping me retrieve my stolen cellphone. I am beyond happy and admire your courage in facing the criminals to return civilians property, Ha Nhu Quynh, 22, said on one of the pages.

Meanwhile, M.S. considered the self-appointed law enforcers her saviors after they helped S. and her family to take back what she was scammed out of by a con artist.

S. recounted that her older sister was tricked and had her motorbike, smartphone, jewelry and other belongings stolen by the suspect via Zalo, a Vietnamese mobile-based free texting and calling app, in 2015.

She decided to contact the group of vigilantes as no progress had been made after reporting the case to local police.

Within 10 days, the 'heroes,' in coordination with S., succeeded in solving the case and handing the suspect over to police officers, according to the woman.

Lam Hieu Long, 26, has confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he is the representative of the vigilantes and administrator of the Facebook pages.

We only arrest the criminals when they are caught red-handed. In each case, the whole team usually discusses the safest and most effective as well as legal approach to catch the thieves, Long said.

As the thefts have been affecting the lives and safety of local citizens, Long and his friends decided to establish the social media pages to update information regarding the suspects, Long explained.

The pages are solely aimed at providing the members with information that facilitates the fight against crime, Long said, adding that they did not create the pages for attention or popularity.

The group currently has seven members, with ages ranging from 23 to 26, who come from all walks of life, including one cab driver, a businessman, deliveryman, college student, and others, according to Long.

Since the group was formed in 2010, the vigilantes have solved over 200 cases of theft and robbery.

He added that they receive about 20 reports of security issues from civilians daily, of which 60 percent are about theft.



Lam Hieu Long (R) is pictured subduing a thief on Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Ho Chi Minh City.

Photo: Facebook

Encountering legal issues

The activity of the vigilantes is a double-edged sword, according to Truong Van Vy, a criminology lecturer at the Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City.

On the positive side, they offer support in the fight against crime to competent authorities, Vy said.

However, these 'heroes' could potentially act beyond their rights and commit violations due to insufficient knowledge of the law, the academic added.

Nguyen Van Hau, vice president of the Ho Chi Minh City Lawyers Association, suggested that the team members strictly comply with the law to avoid any complication or abuse of power.

Publicizing their activities as well as criminals information on Facebook without a final conclusion by police could cause several issues related to ones private life, Hau added.

The team could also encounter other legal problems if they receive false reports from their followers, according to the lawyer.

Colonel Nguyen Nhat Thanh, deputy chief of police in District 1, recommended that the vigilantes organize their team thoroughly with the proper skill of arrest and ways to gather evidence and statements from victims and witnesses.

Police cannot investigate or bring charges against suspects if there is no proof of any violation, Col. Thanh elaborated.
The factory will be built on an area of 10 hectares. It will help bring Nestle products closer to consumers in the north of Vietnam and enable the company to further strengthen its supply chain to ensure the freshness of its products. The factory is expected to create 300 new job opportunities for local people by May 2017.

This factory will be the sixth factory of the Nestle Vietnam Group of Companies and the second one in Hung Yen. The investment reflects our strong confidence in the rapid development of Vietnams economy. As a local  multinational company, we aim at creating shared value for the local community by opening up new employment opportunities, having more Nestle products made by Vietnamese and helping to meet growing Vietnamese consumer demand especially in the northern part of Vietnam, said Ganesan Ampalavanar, managing director of Nestle Vietnam.

Hung Yen has many advantages such as a convenient transportation system, good human resources, and favorable investment conditions. It is an attractive destination for many businesses. The Nestle factory in Hung Yen will contribute to the development of industry in the province, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa.

For the last 20 years, Nestle Vietnams investment has increased significantly from $24 million in 1995 to $520 million in 2016. Nestle has received a certificate of merit from Vietnams General Department of Taxation for its financial contribution.

Nutrition, health and wellness company Nestle employs over 339,000 employees worldwide. In Vietnam, Nestle operates five factories with more than 2,000 employees.

In Vietnam Swiss investments are increasingly important. All the great Swiss companies have been investing here for many years, contributing to a total of $2 billion and making Switzerland the fourth biggest European investor in this country, figuring even before Germany, said Beatrice Maser, Ambassador of Switzerland to Vietnam. Nestle Vietnam is a good example of the Swiss excellence as in its production it applies the strictest requirements in the area of food safety, an area where Vietnam is facing many challenges.
The official told the press following the Presidents State visits to the countries from March 9-15 that bilateral trade between Vietnam and the African and Middle Eastern nations has remained modest, with US$204 million recorded with Tanzania in 2015, US$66 million with Mozambique and US$107 million with Iran.

But these relationships hold substantial potential for increased cooperation, he said, stressing the need for a new leverage to awaken their potential and advance economic and trade links.



During the Presidents trip, businesses from the host countries extended their hopes to set up investment ties with Vietnam, according to Deputy FM Nam.



President Truong Tan Sang and foreign leaders reached consensus on priority areas of cooperation and fundamental measures to boost bilateral trade ties.

Accordingly, trade between Vietnam and Tanzania is expected to hit US$1 billion in 2020; Mozambique, US$500 million; and Iran, US$2 billion.



Vietnam will mainly ship rice, farm produce, seafood, clothing and footwear to Tanzania, Mozambique and Iran, while importing cashews, animal feed, cotton, waste iron, steel, timber products, fertilisers, plastic materials and machinery from them.



The Vietnam-Mozambique Inter-governmental Committee is expected to have its fourth meeting in Maputo in 2016. The ninth Vietnam-Iran Inter-governmental Committee will meet in Tehran and the second Vietnam-Tanzania Inter-governmental Committee will meet in Dar Es Salaam.



The leaders also agreed to continue their mutual support at international forums.



The foreign countries said they backed Vietnams bid to secure a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and join the International Law Commission for 2017-2021.



The leaders took a look at regional and global issues, and affirmed their resolve to cooperate with each other in handling global matters regarding peace, stability and development such as terrorism, non-traditional security issues and climate change.



Mentioning the East Sea situation, the foreign countries showed their strong support for Vietnams views to address the disputes and conflicts by peaceful measures on the basis of international law and regulations stipulated in the UN Charter, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.



Deputy FM Nam noted that the tour resulted in the signing of a range of important cooperation agreements in education, banking, oil and gas.



Three business forums were held as part of President Truong Tan Sangs trip, attracting the participation of local businesses. The forums created opportunities for the two sides enterprises to exchange information and seek out partners, Nam said.



The visits have affirmed the Vietnamese Partys and States guidelines of continuing to consolidate and deepen ties while expanding foreign relations of multilateralisation and diversification.



The trips success will serve as a firm foundation to elevate relations between Vietnam and Tanzania, Mozambique and Iran to a new height, he said.
Oil prices slumped on Tuesday after OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia's oil minister reaffirmed opposition to a production cut to address global oversupply, expressing hope only for an output freeze next month. (AFP/Haidar Mohammed Ali)

NEW YORK: Oil prices rebounded on Wednesday (Mar 16) as news of an April meeting of producers to limit petroleum output overshadowed a build in US oil inventories.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for April delivery gained US$2.12 (5.8 per cent) at US$38.46 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent North Sea oil for May delivery rose US$1.59 (4.1 per cent) to US$40.33 a barrel in London.

Qatar's energy minister, Mohammed al-Sada, said key producers from within and outside the OPEC cartel will meet on Apr 17 in Doha in an effort to stabilise the oil market.

The initiative is backed by 15 countries accounting for some 73 per cent of global oil output, said the oil minister, who also serves as president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, who supports the initiative, said producers could draft a common declaration ahead of the gathering of "countries' intention to freeze their oil production at a level not higher than that of January."

Novak said on Wednesday that Iran had indicated that it is "ready to participate" in the meeting.

US commercial petroleum stocks rose 1.3 million barrels to 523.2 million barrels in the week ending Mar 11, a record high, according to US Department of Energy data.

Andy Lipow, head of Houston energy consultancy Lipow Oil Associates, said the market gave more weight to the Qatar announcement than to news that US oil inventories remain lofty.

"The market is actually reacting to the fact that OPEC and non-OPEC producers are going to have a meeting to discuss a production freeze in April," Lipow said.

The meeting "is probably the first step in many for producers to decide whether they're going to cut production later on in the year and how to accommodate Iran's return on the oil market," he said.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Korea Cho Tae-yul announced, on March 3rd, the launch of the High-Level Bilateral Commission or HLBC. In their roles as Co-Chairs, Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall and Vice Minister Cho also announced that the first meeting of the HLBC will take place in Seoul on April 14. Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall will travel to Seoul to Co-Chair the HLBC as part of a trip focused on nuclear security, safety, nonproliferation, and clean energy.

Established pursuant to the terms of the Agreement for Cooperation Between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy often referred to as the U.S.-ROK 123 Agreementthe HLBC will serve as a senior-level forum to facilitate strategic dialogue and technical exchanges on peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries.

In particular, the HLBC will examine the management of spent nuclear fuel, the promotion of nuclear exports and export control cooperation, assurances of nuclear fuel supply, and nuclear security.

Upon announcement of the HLBC, Deputy Secretary of Energy Sherwood Randall said: The United States and the Republic of Korea share over thirty years of close cooperation on civil nuclear energy. The creation of the HLBC reaffirms our nations deep commitment to our joint efforts on nuclear safety and builds on our history of mutually beneficial collaboration in this area.

Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randalls and Vice Minister Chos meeting established the structure and functions of the four Working Groups established in the 123 Agreement and confirmed the groups membership. The first official task for the Working Groups is to develop Terms of Reference and Work Plans that will be presented to the HLBC Co-Chairs for approval at their April meeting.

The United States is proud to work with its partner the Republic of Korea to ensure the peaceful and safe use of nuclear energy for the benefit of the people of the ROK, the Korean peninsula, and the East Asia and Pacific region.
EB5 Investors Magazine is a companion to EB5Investors.com and strives to deliver compelling and comprehensive articles and information on everything EB-5 related.

The publication hopes to make the EB-5 programme accessible to people looking to achieve their dreams of coming to the US and provide a forum for EB-5 professionals to share their expertise. Join EB5 Investors Magazine for this intimate networking and educational opportunity, helping cultivate the emerging investment immigration market in Vietnam.

What is an EB-5 investor Visa?

The EB-5 investor visa programme enables foreigners who make an investment in a US business to obtain a Green Card and become lawful permanent residents, and eventual citizens, of the US. The investment can earn a green card for the investor, allowing them to permanently live and work in the US with their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21.

There was a drastic increase in the number of EB-5 programme participants in 2011, with more than 3,000 investors applying. Roughly 3,500 EB-5 visas were issued in the 2011 fiscal year, which marked an 80 per cent increase from 2010. This growth can be attributed to the increase in confidence in the programme due to USCIS transparency, efficiency in the application process, and growth in the number of regional centres established across the US.

Benefits of the EB-5

The EB-5 programme does not have minimum requirements for age, English proficiency, employment experience or education. Once you have been approved for the EB-5 programme as an eligible investor, you will receive a conditional Green Card for yourself, your spouse, and unmarried children below 21 years of age. Your family will also enjoy the same privileges you get, such as eligibility for a work permit, going to school, and live legally in the US. Children under 21 are, however, required to comply with federal regulations and age restrictions for employment.
Speaking at the seminar titled TPP Dialogue  Envisioned Growth Opportunities for Businesses in Vietnam held today by KPMG Vietnam, together with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ho Chi Minh City Branch and Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), Tran Dac Sinh, chairman of the board of directors of HOSE, said that HOSE expected that as the economy grows, the quality of stocks listed on the stock market will be significantly improved.

Not only the stocks of the beneficiary sectors such as textiles, footwear and fisheries, but also stocks of supporting industries will improve in quality. Indirect foreign investments to Vietnam will increase strongly and motivate the market to grow, he said.

The seminar saw the participation of representatives from more than 30 local and international business associations, 200 foreign-invested and local businesses, and government agencies.

With Tran Quoc Khanh, Deputy Minister of Industry & Trade cum head of Vietnams TPP negotiation delegation as the keynote speaker, the seminar provided participants with a comprehensive overview of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the potential impacts of this long-sought agreement on the business environment and the opportunities and challenges for businesses in Vietnam.

Warrick Cleine, chairman and CEO of KPMG in Vietnam and Cambodia, said that 2016 would be a milestone for the Vietnamese economic landscape.

TPP and the other international agreements such as the EVFTA and the integration into the AEC will create numerous benefits for businesses in Vietnam as they will have the opportunity to expand into other markets, including important markets like the US, Japan and Australia, he said.

Vietnam officially joined the TPP on February 4, 2016 after five years of negotiations. With 12 signing countries, the TPP has set the stage for what will become the worlds largest trading bloc with over 800 million people (11.2 per cent of the worlds population), contributing 40 per cent of the worlds GDP and 30 per cent of the worlds total revenue from international trading activities. Expected to come into effect from 2018, the TPP will open up additional opportunities for trading, manufacturing, import and export businesses in Vietnam.
A ranger holds his weapon as he kneels by cartridges left at a hospital building from where suspected separatist militants launched an ambush in Thailand's restive southern province of Narathiwat on March 14, 2016 AFP/Madaree Tohlala

BANGKOK: The United Nations condemned insurgents in Thailand's deep south on Wednesday (Mar 16) for seizing a hospital during a recent attack on security forces in the violence-plagued Muslim majority region.

The assault was one of several small-scale but coordinated attacks on Thai forces in the region on Sunday night, following a recent surge in violence by insurgents.

More than 6,500 people - mostly civilians - have been killed in a 12-year revolt by rebels seeking greater autonomy from majority-Buddhist Thailand, which annexed the culturally distinct region more than a century ago.

Both the insurgents and the military have been accused of widespread rights abuses.

In one of Sunday's attacks, a group of rebel fighters took over the Cho Ai Rong Hospital in Narathiwat province and used the building to fire on a nearby Thai army post.

The gunfight lasted around 30 minutes and, while nobody was killed, patients and medical staff were inside the building during the fighting. Security footage aired by local media showed black-clad militants swarm the hospital grounds toting assault rifles.

"Hospitals, medical units and medical personnel are protected under international humanitarian law, and they should not be targeted or used for military purposes at any time," the UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia (OHCHR) said in a statement.

The UN added that while attacks on medical staff in Thailand's south have taken place, some of them fatal, Sunday's assault was believed to be the first time insurgents had seized a hospital.

"This new tactic is deeply concerning," said Laurent Meillan, OHCHR's acting regional head.

Violence dipped to a record low last year, something the Thai military says is the result of better intelligence-led operations since it took power in 2014.

But there has been an increase in attacks in the past few weeks.

On Tuesday a female army ranger was fatally shot by suspected insurgents while she was shopping at a local market in neighbouring Pattani province.

Over the years Islamist militants have employed brutal tactics including shootings, beheadings and bombings, often targeting perceived civilian collaborators such as teachers and even Buddhist monks.

But the Thai military also stands accused of routinely violating human rights, including torture and extra-judicial killings, something rights groups say has worsened under junta rule.

The military's promise to hold peace talks with the insurgents has also borne little fruit so far.

Rights groups say peace is unlikely while a tight security net remains over the region. Critics also cast doubt on the army's sincerity and the ability of their rebel interlocutors to control the revolt's foot soldiers.
President Truong Tan Sang (C) at the signing ceremony

The signatories are Prosecutor General of the Vietnam Supreme Peoples Procuracy Nguyen Hoa Binh and Hungarian Minister of Justice Laszlo Trochani.

The agreement is significant to improve the legal cooperation framework between the two countries.



It also creates a foundation for law agencies to enhance mutual assistance in investigating, prosecuting, and handling criminal cases, especially cross-border crime, as well as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of the two nations citizens.
In a major move in efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan, representatives of fugitive Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have held preliminary peace talks with Afghan negotiators in Kabul.

Hekmatyar, 68, leads the Hezb-e-Islami faction that has staged deadly attacks against the U.S.-led international forces and their Afghan counterparts during the 15-year-old conflict. Hezb-e-Islami is Afghanistans second-largest insurgent group after the Taliban.

Its participation in the reconciliation process comes as a four-nation group comprising Afghan, Pakistan, U.S. and Chinese diplomats has been making efforts to arrange peace talks between Kabul and insurgent groups.

Afghan officials allege Hekmatyar - who has been blacklisted by the United Nations - is hiding in Pakistan along with other commanders, just like Taliban leaders are sheltering in the neighboring country and using it for directing insurgent attacks in Afghanistan.

The U.S. State Department designated Hekmatyar a global terrorist in 2003 and last week imposed sanctions on two of Hezb-e-Islami's senior explosives experts for their roles in separate attacks in Kabul that also killed six Americans. Hekmatyar briefly served as prime minister of Afghanistan in the 1990's when the country was in the grip of a deadly civil war.



On Thursday, a three-member delegation of the insurgent group headed by Mohammad Amin Karim met with leaders of the government-appointed High Peace Council, officials said.

Later, addressing a news conference in the Afghan capital, Karim said that Hezb-e-Islami wants to solve its problems with the Afghan government through political means to show the people of Afghanistan that it believes in peace. He also invited other groups to join the peace process.

The Afghan insurgent group also has joined forces with the Taliban in carrying out raids around the country.

The head of the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan ((UNAMA)), Nicholas Haysom, informed the Security Council on Tuesday that he met with members of the Taliban Political Commission last week to again urge them to join peace talks with the Afghan government.

They however, reiterated that they were not yet ready to engage directly with the government, Haysom said.

Taliban condition

The Taliban has been saying that unless the U.S.-led occupation of Afghanistan is endedsuch futile, misleading negotiations will not produce any results.

The Taliban has made unprecedented territorial gains over the past year and seized more Afghan territory than at any point since it was ousted from power in 2001.

Fugitive Taliban chief Mullah Mansoor on Thursday urged his fighters to continue their jihadist activities and prepare for dealing a decisive blow to the enemy. He was apparently referring to the Afghan spring fighting season that lies ahead during the warmer months.

In his Pashto language message posted on the Talibans official website, Mansoor asserted that after years of fighting, battlefield successes have enabled the insurgents to conduct attacks more effectively.
European Union leaders have agreed on a plan to send thousands of migrants from Syria and elsewhere to Turkey, in exchange for financial aid and political concessions to Ankara.

But some of the EU leaders and human rights groups have deep misgivings about the plan expected to be presented to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday.

It would have the EU pay to send migrants who do not qualify for asylum in Greece to Turkey, while settling tens of thousands of others equally across the EU.

In exchange, Turkey, which already houses nearly 3 million Syrian refugees, would get financial aid, quicker EU membership talks and visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

Turkey has a shaky human rights record, and some human rights groups criticize a plan they say would use people looking for refuge from war, poverty and terrorism as political pawns and merchandise.

Even some EU leaders who signed off on the plan said they were not entirely happy with it.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the proposal "is on the edge of international law" and may be hard to implement if Turkey accepts it.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel accused Turkey of blackmail.

But Europe has been struggling for months with the continent's worst refugee crusts since World War II, and no one has come up with a solution on which everyone can agree.

Thousands have drowned in the dangerous Mediterranean Sea after paying human smugglers to get them to Greece or Italy. Children have been among the victims.

While EU leaders were working on a plan, Macedonia joined other European nations, shutting down its border with Greece and leaving about 14,000 people in a cold, muddy field.
As Saudi Arabia-led recriminations against Lebanon continue, the country's overseas workers and business leaders are holding their collective breath.

Beirut airport is set to receive the latest in a series of unwelcome arrivals, as another group of Lebanese workers was expelled from the Gulf because of alleged links to Hezbollah. It's the latest of a flurry of hostile moves by Saudi-affiliated countries as relations with Lebanon turn bitter.

In Lebanon, concerns are rising that political sanctions are bleeding into business ones  a dangerous prospect in a country where Gulf ties provide a crucial shot in the arm for an economy beset by challenges.

"This could create a catastrophe," warned Elie Rizk, the head of the Saudi Lebanese Business Development Commission.

"Saudi-Lebanese relations go back a long way," he said, "but business ties could be badly impacted."

The punishment being doled out to Lebanon began last month when Saudi Arabia canceled a multi-billion-dollar arms package in reaction to Lebanon's failure to condemn an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

However, many regional analysts see it as part of a bigger conflict between Riyadh and Tehran, and evidence of growing Saudi anger at the power of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In the weeks that followed, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League have labeled Hezbollah a "terrorist group." Gulf governments have imposed travel bans on some Lebanese, in addition to expelling Lebanese workers, and have placed sanctions on a number of companies and individuals accused of being Hezbollah affiliated.

Rizk says the government hasn't done enough to condemn Hezbollah and placate the GCC countries.

"As the private sector, we are taking the initiative and holding meetings in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC to ensure Lebanon is represented properly, and playing the role of a shadow government," he said.

"But we're not the government."

Strong ties

There are strong economic motivations to repair ties.

Political deadlock and instability, accentuated by the Syrian war, have led to barely perceptible growth in Lebanon.

"The GCC has always been a lifeline for the Lebanese economy," explained Nassib Ghobril, an analyst with Lebanese Byblos Bank. He says the current situation is unprecedented.

Because of declines in other markets and industries, Ghobril says trade with the GCC nations has become even more important.

At a time when other investors are steering clear, the Gulf has provided some economic stability.

Ghobril estimates that three-quarters of foreign investment in Lebanon over the past three years came from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, while the region also plays an important role in the country's tourism sector.

The Gulf also is the main market for many Lebanese exporters.

In Beirut, Mark Acar owns Black Box, an energy industry company with offices in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. "We try not to worry too much unless something certain does happen, but clearly there's a possibility that we could see a bleed through," he told VOA.

"People are watching, it's just that they can't really do anything."

Worker fears

This sense of helplessness extends to the thousands of Lebanese working in the Gulf and their families at home.

For decades, remittances from Lebanese workers overseas have played a vital role in keeping the deeply indebted country afloat.

"There's a lot of nervousness at the moment [among Lebanese migrant workers], there's no doubt about it," said Akhram Khater, director of the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies.

He estimated that there are around 180,000 Lebanese nationals in the Gulf, but some experts place the figure at closer to 500,000.

Khater says that in the largely Sunni GCC countries, the fear would be particularly acute among Lebanon's Shia workers, who may fall under suspicion due to Hezbollah's mainly Shia support base.

He downplayed the likelihood of widespread expulsions.

Repairing the damage

With reports indicating that Thursday's regular League of Arab States meeting in Cairo may bring fresh developments, unpredictability is one thing many commentators agree on.

For now, the markets have proved resilient to the recriminations, Byblos Bank's Ghobril said. But he warned that "there are concerns [about the need] to restore this relationship, to repair what has been damaged."

How the Lebanese government and business community can placate Saudi wrath, however, remains to be seen.

Aurelie Daher, Middle East specialist and author of an upcoming book on Hezbollah, expects to see more expulsions "as just another way to put pressure on the Lebanese government for them to take firm moves against Hezbollah."

But Daher warns that government efforts to minimize the power of Hezbollah  which has a major role and support base in Lebanon  carry risks far greater than a damaged economy.

"Change is not achievable," she said, "unless the Beirut government is ready to put the Lebanese politician scene as well as society on fire."
A federal judge in Brazil has suspended President Dilma Rousseff's appointment of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff as thousands protest the appointment for a second straight day.

"I hereby interrupt the nomination of Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to the position of chief of staff or any other that grants him immunity," Judge Itagiba Catta Preta said in the preliminary ruling, which must still be reviewed by a higher court and can be appealed.

Prosecutors have charged Lula with money laundering and fraud as part of its investigation into the state-owned Petrobras oil company.

As a member of Rousseff's cabinet, Lula can only be tried before the Brazilian Supreme Court.

Lula has denied involvement in the Petrobras scandal.

Some 2,000 demonstrators gathered Wednesday in the streets of Brazilia and Sao Paulo after Rousseff named Lula, who left office with very high popularity ratings, saying it would strengthen her government.

For her part, Rousseff is battling an impeachment attempt and a deep recession as well as the Petrobras scandal. Rousseff succeeded Lula in office, and some critics say they expect him to make another run for office when Rousseff's term is up.

In a twist late Wednesday, a judge investigating the Petrobras scandal released audio recordings of Lula's phone conversations indicating that he was seeking help in avoiding prosecution.

Rousseff has condemned the release as "illegal and anti-democratic."

Prosecutors say more than $2 billion was paid in bribes and other funds by the nation's biggest construction and engineering firms in exchange for inflated Petrobras contracts.

On Sunday, Brazilian police said some 3 million people across the country took to the streets to demand Rousseff's ouster.

Sergio Praca, a political analyst at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro said the demonstrations "were very powerful" and were "the worst scenario possible for the government."

Dozens of former Petrobras executives and political figures are under investigation. Some of the alleged wrongdoing took place while Rousseff was chairman of the Petrobras board.

Rousseff and her party are also facing a new threat. On Saturday, the Workers' Party main coalition partner, the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, said it will decide in 30 days whether it will maintain its alliance with the Workers' Party.
Meet the youngest and brightest critics in politics today: fourth-graders. Unafraid and underage, some precocious children at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, Maryland, had plenty to say about the presidential candidates when they were visited recently by author Cynthia Levinson.

Levinson shared one of her books with the students, Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can. I wanted to create sort of a hologram of Hillary right in front of kids, so kids could feel they have a dialogue about issues in American politics, she said.

And the dialogue was enlightening.

Some students said it would be cool to have a girl president and that Clinton was pretty nice.

But others were skeptical.

Im more on Bernie Sanders side," said Tianlai Yang, 10. "Hillary Clinton is less direct than Bernie Sanders.

Opinion polls indicate some voters are worried that if the former first lady wins, the result will be like a third term for the Obama administration. Kyle Baer, 9, agreed.

I like Hillary Clintons ideas," he said, "but the only thing I have against her is that shes already been a resident of the White House before, and I dont think she should be a resident again.

The young students also expressed opinions about the Republican presidential candidates, especially Donald Trump.

Katherine Pease, 9, wrote a letter pleading with him to drop out of the race "because he lies, hes a hypocrite, hes a megalomaniac and hes delusional, which really  those four qualities arent good for a president.

These students are well on their way to becoming informed, engaged voters, even though they won't be able to cast a ballot until 2024.
A leading member of the East Africa Law Society has welcomed calls for the Kenyan government to declare corruption in public institutions a national disaster.

James Mwamu says such a declaration could help the government and its citizens fight the "vice" with a united front.

Mwamu's remarks came after officials of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Kenya called on the administration in Nairobi to declare corruption a national disaster. This also expressed concern that the country was poorly handling the fight against corruption.

Mwamu called on the administration to commit to weeding out corruption in all public institutions in order to win the confidence of the people.

"I agree with the accountants that it now appears that corruption in Kenya has been officially sanctioned, Mwamu said. If you look at all the scandals that have been there for the last few days, it is evident that the government is losing control on the issue of corruption."

Mwamu says government and lawmakers must strengthen the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) by ensuring its independence and making it impervious to political influence.

"All institutions of governance in Kenya  have been given powers to fight corruption," he said. "One of the things that was weakened by parliamentarians was the EACC. More legislative powers need to strengthen and cushion that body. It is a tool of the executive, and it is not as independent as we thought."

Citizens blamed, too

Political analysts say the government alone is not to blame for corruption.

They cite instances where Kenyans bribe public officials, then blame the administration for not doing enough to fight graft. Analysts also say that, for the fight against graft to be won, all citizens must work toward that goal by demanding accountability from the public officials they vote into office.

To that end, Mwamu says President Uhuru Kenyatta must keep his promise of zero tolerance of corruption. Failure to do so simply emboldens those who engage in graft, Mwamu says.

"A lot of money gets involved when people are campaigning, he said. I think sometimes it's like buying votes. This has resulted in cheapening the national psyche so that the person with a lot of money  and people don't ask where it's coming from  is the one that is voted into office."

Lawmakers say provisions in the new constitution put power in the hands of the president to fight such corruption.

However, Mwamu says, the constitution also emboldens the other arms of government  including parliamentarians, senators and the judiciary  to fight corruption and promote good governance.
European Union leaders begin talks Thursday to work out a migrant deal with Turkey that is littered with political, legal and logistical stumbling blocks, leaving the path ahead far from certain.

With thousands of migrants stuck in the mud and rain in Greece, and tens of thousands more expected to arrive in the coming months, the 28-member bloc is facing mounting pressure to close its bickering ranks and come up with a coherent plan for dealing with them during the two-day meeting in Brussels.

But prospects of finalizing an agreement appear to be fading. Analyst Camino Mortera-Martinez is betting against it.

"I think the opposition among member states is growing, and it's going to be very difficult to justify and craft a deal in such a short time frame," says Mortera-Martinez, a research fellow at the London-based Centre for European Reform.

Even if a deal is reached, she added, "there are many practical problems in implementing it."

Draft agreement

Under a draft agreement reached with Turkey earlier this month, Ankara would take back all undocumented migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece. For its part, the EU would accept one Syrian refugee from Turkey for every Syrian it sends back.

In return, the EU would accelerate long-stalled membership talks with Turkey, speed up and potentially increase migrant aid to Ankara, and offer visa-free travel for Turkish citizens as early as June, providing Turkey meets a series of conditions.

"What is at stake ... is whether we can get a deal that, for the first time, gives us a chance to get a sustainable, pan-European solution to the refugee issue," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was central in cobbling the draft deal and whose country has taken in the lion's share of asylum-seekers.

Also adding pressure is the situation in Greece, where roughly 43,000 migrants are holed up in increasingly squalid conditions after Macedonia and other Balkan nations erected barriers to cut off the main migration route to Germany.

Roughly 1 million migrants arrived in Europe last year, and more than 150,000 have arrived this year by sea, according to the International Organization for Migration  a number expected to escalate as the weather warms up. The numbers amount to Europe's biggest migrant crisis since World War II.

Unacceptable

Spain has called the deal with Turkey, as originally drafted, "unacceptable" and in violation of EU and international law. Meanwhile, EU member Cyprus says Turkey must fulfill obligations that include recognizing the Cypriot government.

In Geneva, the U.N.'s human rights chief Tuesday suggested that expelling asylum-seekers en masse to Turkey is illegal, and called on Ankara to fully embrace the Geneva Conventions rules on refugee rights. Right now, Turkey grants temporary protection to refugees from Syria, but not other nationalities.

"We would rather see that full protections are provided," the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, told Reuters, adding that Turkey should also care for those who do not qualify as refugees but still need protection.

On the eve of the summit, the EU's executive arm set out six principles for any deal with Turkey that would respect international law, including legal safeguards for the return of all migrants whose protection needs would be treated on a case-by-case basis.

But rights group Amnesty International remained skeptical of the announcement, calling for a deal that is "genuinely meaningful rather than a cosmetic change."

"In reality, the essence of the deal has not changed," Amnesty's Europe Director John Dalhuisen said. "These fig leaf procedures won't hide Europe's guilty conscience if large scale returns of refugees start happening now."

Overwhelmed

Analyst Mortera-Martinez also points to practical hurdles, including the difficulty of individually treating the cases of thousands of migrants stranded in Greece.

"They are trying to do is to speed up the process of reviewing each individual application in a speedy manner," she says, "but in practice that is going to be very complicated, because Greece is not efficient in processing people, because it is overwhelmed."

With the Balkans route from Greece closed, migrants are looking for other ways of entering Europe. Italy's coast guard announced Wednesday it had picked up nearly 2,000 migrants off the coast of Libya since the day before. In a letter to European foreign ministers, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned the chaos in Libya could mean nearly a half-million asylum-seekers who "could be candidates for migration to Europe," Politico reported.

"If people see the Turkish route is no longer efficient they may turn to other routes," Mortera-Martines said, including dangerous crossings from Libya. "And it basically means moving the problem from Greece to Italy and Malta."

In the absence of an agreement with Turkey, she believes the EU's migrant policy will continue as it has been: piecemeal.
Newly released emails show that the National Security Agency denied a 2009 request to issue a secure government smartphone to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The messages made public Wednesday were obtained by Judicial Watch, a conservative legal advocacy group that has filed numerous lawsuits seeking the release of federal documents related to Clinton's tenure as the nation's top diplomat.

The Democratic presidential front-runner has come under intense scrutiny for her decision to use a private email server located in the basement of her New York home to route messages, including some containing sensitive information. Security experts have raised concern that the arrangement could have left the messages vulnerable to attack by hackers, including those working for foreign intelligence agencies.

BlackBerry preference

Clinton's desire for a secure "BlackBerry-like'' device, like that provided to President Barack Obama, is recounted in a series of February 2009 exchanges between high-level officials at the State Department and NSA. Clinton was sworn in as secretary the prior month and had become "hooked'' on reading and answering emails on a BlackBerry she used during the 2008 presidential race.

"We began examining options for [Clinton] with respect to secure 'BlackBerry-like' communications,'' wrote Donald R. Reid, the department's assistant director for security infrastructure. "The current state of the art is not too user friendly, has no infrastructure at State, and is very expensive.''

Reid wrote that each time the State Department asked NSA what solution it had worked up to provide a mobile device to Obama, "we were politely told to shut up and color.''

Resolving the issue was given such priority as to result in a face-to-face meeting involving Clinton chief of staff Cheryl Mills, seven senior State Department staffers and five NSA security experts. According to a summary of the meeting, the request was driven by Clinton's reliance on her BlackBerry for email and keeping track of her calendar. Clinton chose not to use a laptop or desktop computer that could have provided her access to email in her office, according to the summary.

Phones barred

Standard smartphones are not allowed into areas designated as approved for the handling of classified information, such as the block of offices used by senior State Department officials, known by the nickname "Mahogany Row'' for the quality of their paneling. Mills said that was inconvenient, because they had to leave their offices and retrieve their phones to check messages.

Mills also asked about waivers provided during the Bush administration to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her staff to use BlackBerrys in their secure offices. But the NSA had phased out such waivers because of security concerns.

The department's designated NSA liaison, whose name was redacted from the documents, expressed concerns about security vulnerabilities inherent with using BlackBerry devices for secure communications or in secure areas. However, the specific reasons Clinton's requests were rebuffed are being kept secret by the State Department.

The following month, in March 2009, Clinton began using private email accounts accessed through her BlackBerry to exchange messages with her top aides. The State Department has thus far released more than 52,000 pages of Clinton's work-related emails, a small percentage of which have been withheld because they contain information considered sensitive to national security.

In recent months, Clinton has said her home-based email setup was a mistake, but that she never sent or received anything that was marked classified at the time she used it.

Clinton campaign spokesman Jesse Ferguson did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.

FBI probe

The FBI is investigating whether sensitive information that flowed through Clinton's email server was mishandled. The State Department has acknowledged that some emails included classified information, including at the top-secret level. The inspectors general at the State Department and for U.S. intelligence agencies are separately investigating whether rules or laws were broken.

There are currently at least 38 lawsuits, including one filed by The Associated Press, seeking records related to Clinton's service as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. On Tuesday, Judicial Watch filed a discovery motion in one of those cases seeking to question eight former State Department staffers under oath, including Mills and Reid. The judge overseeing the case indicated last month he was strongly considering allowing lawyers from the group to question Clinton's former aides.

"These documents show that Hillary Clinton knew her BlackBerry wasn't secure,'' Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, said Wednesday. "The FBI and prosecutors ought to be very interested in these new materials.''
As European Union leaders gather for a two-day summit in Brussels on Thursday, doubts are mounting they will be able to reach agreement on a deal with Turkey to curb the tide of migrants arriving on their shores.

Even before the talks started in Brussels, European Council President Donald Tusk struck a negative tone, saying he was more cautious than optimistic they would succeed. He said any migrant deal with Turkey must be based on three fundamental principles.

First the agreement must be acceptable to all 28 member states, no matter big or small," said Tusk. "Second, the agreement must fully comply with EU and international law. And third, the agreement must effectively help to solve the migration crisis and contribute to our comprehensive strategy, which includes getting back to Schengen, ending the way through policy, humanitarian assistance to Greece, support to the western Balkans and of course, the reinforced cooperation with Turkey.

EU leaders are discussing a draft proposal that sees Turkey taking back tens of thousands of asylum seekers now in Europe, in exchange for more aid, visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and accelerated EU membership talks.

The draft deal faces plenty of resistance, from legal and rights concerns, to threats by EU member Cyprus to block it.

As the nations confront Europes largest refugee crisis since World War II, the pressure is on for European leaders to stop bickering and solve the problem. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country has taken in the majority of asylum seekers, calls the draft deal the first real chance to stem the migration flow.

EU migration minister Dimitris Avramopoulos described visiting Greece's rain-soaked border camp of Idomeni. Thousands are unable to move onward to Germany since Macedonia closed its frontier, and they distrust Greek reception centers.

The conditions are awful," he said. "I cannot imagine they could live such a situation on European soil.

He said Europe was bound by international conventions to help the migrants. It must show what he called its human and civilized face.
The eyes  even when closed  are haunting in these photographs.

Young Syrian refugee children are shown sleeping on top of broken-down cardboard boxes on a city street, or in a field wrapped in dirty blankets on the ground. The lucky ones have a bed and a roof over their heads.

Those who can't sleep look back with vacant stares, with fear or sadness, or with tears streaming down their cheeks  all expressions of the pain of being a Syrian refugee with no home and an uncertain future in the Middle East or Europe.

One two-year-old girl, a refugee in Jordan, pulled a blanket up to her nose but is afraid to close her eyes  perhaps remembering the sound of the bombings back home. More than two million children have been forced from their homes by the brutal five-year-old Syrian war.

WATCH: Haunting images of Syrian children trying to rest

Award-winning Swedish newspaper photographer Magnus Wennman captured the poignant images of sleeping Syrian children, ranging in age from 1 to 17 years old. He said he went to "countless refugee camps" and journeyed with the refugees as they sought safe haven in countries like Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Serbia and Greece.

"I believe it can be difficult for outsiders to care about a conflict that has been going on for years," said Wennman, but there is nothing hard to understand about how children need a safe place to sleep.

Benefits to nearby camps

Wennman said the children in refugee camps close to the Syrian border are better off than those who have fled to Europe.

"The children and families in refugee camps near Syria's borders have a roof over their head and do not go hungry," he said, but they wonder if they will ever be able to return home again.

Those who go to Europe are probably not planning to return to Syria, he said.

"The journey is often very risky, and people die every day," he said. They are "doing it for the children, so they can have a better life."

The photographer said it was particularly heartbreaking when Hungary closed its border to thousands of Syrian families.

"Families and children were forced to sleep outside a four-meter-high gate," just millimeters from the border, he explained. "Some children had to pick apples from the trees just to get something to eat."

To raise awareness of the Syrian war, the U.N.-refugee agency UNHCR exhibited Wennman's photos in Washington, D.C.

Proceeds from sales of his prints are being donated to the agency, which is holding a conference on March 30 in Geneva to encourage governments to boost their support for the refugees and offer them more places to stay.

Wennman hopes his images of the innocent victims of war will remind the world that millions of Syrian refugees need their help. "Don't turn your back on them," he said.
German diplomatic missions and schools were closed in Turkey Thursday for security reasons.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that security services received credible information about an imminent attack that forced the closing of the embassy in Ankara, the general consulate in Istanbul and German schools in both cities.

"Yesterday evening, our security authorities received several concrete and very serious leads that terror attacks against our German representations in Turkey were being prepared," he said. "Therefore I decided that the German embassy in Ankara, the general consulate in Istanbul and the German schools in both cities should remain closed."

The measure was necessary as a precaution to protect German citizens, Steinmeier said, adding that Germany is trying to collect more information about the development of the security situation in Turkey."

Steinmeier expressed appreciation for Turkish police cooperation under current circumstances.

Warning



The Foreign Ministry is urging German citizens to avoid the diplomatic buildings in Turkey and observe travel advice in the coming days.

"[It was] a precautionary measure while we try to collect more information about the development of the security situation in Turkey," said Steinmeier. The foreign ministry is currently holding a crisis meeting. We ask German citizens to carefully observe travel advice in the coming days. Thank you."

The announcement was made as a Kurdish militant group with links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, claimed responsibility Thursday for Sunday's suicide car bombing in Ankara that killed 37 people.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, said in a statement on its website that the attack in the Turkish capital was aimed at those responsible for security operations in southeastern Turkey, and warned the group would strike again.

Since July, Turkish forces have been carrying out military operations against the PKK in both southeastern Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq.
Ghanas government has put the nation on high alert in the wake of Sunday's deadly terror attack in neighboring Ivory Coast.

Ghanas national security chiefs say they have intelligence of a credible terrorist threat in the country.

They made the announcement Wednesday following a meeting with Ghanas President John Mahama to review their readiness. In a statement, the government called on Ghanaians to pay attention and report anything unusual to security agencies.

The terror alert is a first for the West African country.



West African capitals targeted



Since November, al-Qaida militants have attacked hotels in two other regional capitals, Bamako and Ouagadougou, and a beach resort outside Abidjan.



Despite the government assurances, many here wonder: Is Ghana next and how prepared are we?

We have very porous borders and they are not properly policed, there are a lot of unapproved routes. I think that we should have been proactive. But this is the disconnect I worry about, said one woman.

A man says he has not heard about the alert. "Its serious but it doesnt worry me until it happens, he added.

We should look at our movements," says a woman. "If you have nothing to do in certain areas, dont go there. If youre a terrorist and you hear that Ghanaians are really aware, they are preparing to combat anybody who comes into their land, then obviously you also want to hold back a bit.

The United Kingdom has advised its citizens in Ghana to be cautious. And on Wednesday, the U.S. military restricted travel by its service members to Ghana and four other West African countries.
Unidentified gunmen killed a colleague of environmentalist leader Berta Caceres, who was slain almost two weeks ago in similar circumstances, Honduran authorities said Wednesday.

Two men shot Nelson Garcia to death Tuesday after he returned home from helping evicted Indians move their belongings. Police had removed the Indians from land they were squatting on not far from Garcia's home in the hamlet of Rio Chiquito, 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Tegucigalpa.

A police statement called the killing an "isolated'' act of violence unrelated to the slaying of Caceres.

But the organization that both Caceres and Garcia belonged to described Garcia's death as part of "the government's constant harassment'' of Indian groups. Both activists were Lenca Indians and belonged to the Indian Council of People's Organizations of Honduras.

The council said in a statement that "repression, intimidation and threats against colleagues who are fighting to recover lands to plant and preserve nature have worsened in recent days.''

There are about 400,000 Lencas in Honduras and neighboring El Salvador.

Caceres won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project on a river that the Lencas consider sacred.

The Dutch development bank known as FMO announced Wednesday that it was suspending its operations in Honduras because of the killings. The bank finances about $86 million worth of projects in Honduras.

"Given the current situation, with ongoing violence, FMO decided to suspend all activities in Honduras, effective immediately,'' the bank wrote in a statement. "This means that we will not engage in new projects or commitments and that no disbursements will be made, including the Agua Zarca project,'' which Caceres opposed.

"We have called upon the Honduran government to do anything in their power to stop the ongoing violence and killings in their country,'' the bank's statement said.

The U.S. Embassy in Honduras said in a statement that "on behalf of the people and government of the United States, we condemn the murder of civil society activist Nelson Garcia yesterday. Coming so close to the murder of his colleague Berta Caceres, his death is cause for particular concern.''

"We expect the government of Honduras will fulfill its commitment to lead a thorough and fair investigation and bring anyone connected to his murder to justice,'' the statement added.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's designation Thursday that the Islamic State (IS) is responsible for genocide against some minorities in Iraq and Syria represents a highly symbolic and rare move.

"It is the first time this administration has declared a genocide," Cameron Hudson, director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, told VOA.

"The Bush administration is the last time  in Darfur more than a decade ago  that we declared a genocide. And before that it was the Clinton administration in Rwanda," he said.

He said such declarations are "historic events" that become legacies of those presidencies.

Deterrent

While the designation does not legally require the U.S. to take any particular action, it carries a certain moral force, says Gregory Stanton, a Research Professor in Genocide Studies and Prevention at George Mason University.

He says that in past instances such as Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo and Darfur  where terms such as "crimes against humanity" or "ethnic cleansing" were used  no forceful action was taken to stop the crimes.

"In the case of Bosnia, it was quite dramatic," Stanton said. "As soon as we called it genocide after the Srebrenica massacre in July of 1995, we began bombing the Serb forces, the Bosnian Serb forces, and it brought the war to an end."

However, seven years after the International Criminal Court indicted the president of Sudan for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the Darfur region of that country, atrocities continue.

Accountability

Kerry said the U.S. and international community must recognize what IS is doing to its victims, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.

"Naming these crimes is important, but what is essential is to stop them," Kerry said.

"I think it is significant because, up until today, we have treated ISIS solely as a terrorist group and have been conducting a war against them with little regard to the crimes that were being committed on the ground," said Hudson of the Holocaust Museum, using an acronym for Islamic State.

"This opens up a new policy approach for the administration to really try to gather evidence and pursue a potential prosecution for the crimes committed," he added.
Irans foreign minister has criticized Australias policy towards asylum seekers. Mohammad Javad Zarif also rejected continued scrutiny of Tehrans human rights record and its ballistic missile program during a visit to the country.

Zarif is known for his forthright views. At the end of an official two-day visit to Australia, Irans foreign minister again took aim at Israel and the United States for threatening to bomb what he called Irans peaceful nuclear facilities.

Zarif also tackled the contentious issue of human rights, just days after the United Nations reported on an "extremely high" rate of executions in Iran, especially for juvenile offenders.

In an interview with Australian television, the foreign minister said while other countries were concerned about human rights in Iran, he too was worried about the treatment of asylum seekers detained in Australia.

We don't like some aspects of the way Australia treats Iranians who have been basically lied to by human smugglers who come to Australia. Well, the fact [is] that they live in unconscionable situations, said Zarif.

Asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are sent to migrant camps in the South Pacific, where conditions have been described by rights groups as inhumane. The government in Canberra insists that offshore processing of refugee claims has helped to stem a steady flow of asylum seekers risking their lives at sea.

Zarif said the 9,000 Iranians who had sought asylum in Australia were preyed upon by traffickers and propaganda from "government sources.

This week, Canberra has been trying to strike a deal with Iran to forcibly repatriate asylum seekers whose refugee claims are rejected in Australia. But opposition politicians have insisted that safeguards must be in place to ensure the safety of anyone who returns.
Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani has indicated that Kurdish forces would be ready to participate in a looming battle to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants. The comments came during a meeting with visiting British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond.

As Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters continue to push back Islamic State militants in the north of the country, Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani thanked visiting British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond for his country's help in training 3,000 more Peshmerga fighters.

During a joint press conference with Hammond, Barzani said that the Peshmerga were preparing for a battle to retake Iraq's second largest city of Mosul from IS.

He said that the Peshmerga were coordinating operations with Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition in preparation for the battle for Mosul and that there must be an agreement with guarantees, so as to prevent minority groups from being forced from their homes.

Hammond praised Kurdish fighters for their tenacity, noting that they were responsible for many of the victories against the Islamic State group and insisted that the group would ultimately be defeated.



In the wake of Wednesday's declaration of autonomy by Syrian Kurdish leaders, Barzani told Arab media that he believed the historic map of the region inherited from the 1915 Sykes-Picot agreement between France and Britain has finally disintegrated.

He said that the reality on the ground was that borders have changed and that world powers needed to take that into consideration and redraw those borders to coincide with reality.

James Denselow of the London-based Foreign Policy Center noted that calls for Iraqi Kurdish independence were not new, and that he did not think they would change the current situation.



"A lot of international powers that support the Kurds in Iraq support them on the proviso that they play the bigger Iraqi unity game, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the Kurds don't keep asking the question and pushing for the alternative. [Iraqi Kurdistan] is a state in everything but name, with its own language, borders, flag, culture, history, political leadership, etc., he said.

Neighboring Turkey, which is locked in a bitter struggle with its own Kurdish minority, has said repeatedly that it opposes an independent Iraqi Kurdish state. Turkish warplanes have repeatedly bombed Kurdish PKK guerrillas based inside Iraqi Kurdish territory in recent weeks.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has determined that atrocities committed by the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria constitute genocide.



My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that in my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shi'ite Muslims," Kerry said Thursday, referring to IS by the Arabic term Daesh.

"Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, in what it believes and what it does, Kerry said. "Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups, and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds and other minorities.



Kerry's declaration met a March 17 congressional deadline for the Obama administration to make a decision about atrocities the Islamic State group has committed against religious and ethnic minorities. Just a day earlier, Kerry had indicated that decision might take longer.

The genocide declaration means the United States would prosecute any Islamic State member in the U.S., but it does not obligate any specific American action against the terror group in Syria or Iraq, where U.S. warplanes have been striking IS targets for months.



Experts on international law and genocide told VOA the U.S. could bring the issue before the United Nations Security Council and human-rights bodies, which could, in turn, ask the International Criminal Court to charge members of the extremist group.



Ultimately the full facts must be brought to light by an independent investigation and through formal legal determination made by a competent court or tribunal, but the United States would strongly support efforts to collect document, preserve and analyze the evidence of atrocities,  Kerry said.



The top U.S. diplomat said he hopes the U.S. stand will assure the victims of Daeshs atrocities that the United States recognizes and confirms the despicable nature of the crimes that have been committed against them.

WATCH: Genocide Designation Could Have Several Results

Congressional reaction



The genocide declaration was welcomed by the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations. "Secretary Kerry is finally making the right call," Congressman Ed Royce said in a statement.



Gregory Stanton, a research professor of genocide studies at George Mason University, outside Washington, is president of a group called Genocide Watch. He told VOA the U.S. is only required to prosecute Islamic State members who are found to be in the United States following the official genocide designation that Kerry made Thursday.

The State Department says acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any legal obligation for the United States. However, a U.S. designation of genocide would have certain policy implications.



"The genocide resolution does have particular meaning when it comes to migration for emergency purposes," Representative Jeff Fortenberry told VOA. "For instance, if this is declared by the State Department, you may see more prioritization given to those who are in severe threat of having their life eliminated."

What is Genocide?



Genocide is defined as the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

Fortenberry represents a district in Nebraska that has a substantial population of Yazidis, a Kurdish religious group whose members in northern Iraq have been attacked and victimized by Islamic State's terror tactics.

"When there is a systematic attempt to exterminate another group of people, Fortenberry told VOA, "it's not only an injustice, it's an assault on human dignity and therefore a threat to the civilization itself."



The last State Department designation of genocide was in 2004, by Secretary of State Colin Powell, in response to murders and mass rapes in Sudan's Darfur region.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told the Congress he needs more time to determine whether atrocities committed by the Islamic State group constitute genocide, but a decision will be made very soon, according to the State Department.

Given the scope and the breadth of the analysis he's contemplating, he will not have a final decision completed by the congressionally mandated deadline tomorrow, State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday.

On Monday, Congress approved a measure to set a March 17 deadline for the administration to make a decision regarding atrocities committed by IS against religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria.

Toner said the process of genocide designation is a very rigorous one, adding the secretary has urged his team here at the department, as well as the broader intelligence community and even the NGO community, to provide as much information and evidence as possible so that he can make the best decision possible. And if this has delayed the process, we believe it's worth it.

The State Department said acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any particular legal obligation for the United States.

But a lawmaker said a U.S. designation of genocide would have certain policy implications.



The genocide resolution does have particular meaning when it comes to migration for emergency purposes," Representative Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican, told VOA. "For instance, if this is declared by the State Department, you may see more prioritization given to those who are in severe threat of having their life eliminated."

He added, When there is a systematic attempt to exterminate another group of people, its not only an injustice, its an assault on human dignity and therefore a threat to the civilization itself.

The State Department said a final decision would not change the U.S. mission to degrade and destroy the IS terrorist group.

The last State Department designation of genocide was in 2004, by Secretary of State Colin Powell, in response to killings and mass rapes in Sudan's Darfur region.
A Kurdish militant group with links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, claimed responsibility Thursday for Sunday's suicide car bombing in Turkey's capital that killed 37 people.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, said in a statement on its website that the attack in Ankara was aimed at those responsible for security operations in southeastern Turkey, and warned the group would strike again.

The group previously claimed another bombing last month in Ankara that killed 29 people. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu dismissed that as a false claim, saying TAK was trying to protect Syrian Kurdish fighters from being linked to the bombing.

Turkey says the armed wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party, known as the People's Protection Units militia or YPG, are terrorists who are no different than the PKK that has waged a three-decade insurgency seeking greater autonomy in southeastern Turkey.

Turkish forces have been pressing an offensive against the PKK in both southeastern Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq since July.
Syrian Kurds declared a federal region Thursday in areas they control in the northern part of the country, a move that was immediately rejected by both the Syrian government and an opposition group.

The declaration also complicates Syrian peace talks underway in Geneva.

The declaration, approved at a Kurdish conference in Rmeilan, would unite three Kurdish-controlled provinces to create a self-run region within Syria, not unlike an area Kurds have controlled in neighboring Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

But Syria's foreign ministry rejected the Syrian Kurds' action, calling it "unconstitutional and worthless."

The Syrian state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying, "Any such announcement has no legal value and will not have any legal, political, social or economic impact as long as it does not reflect the will of the entire Syrian people."

One of the main groups opposed to the Damascus regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Coalition, also said it rejected the unilateral declaration, saying it was against attempts to "confiscate the will of the Syrian people."

The United States has supported the Syrian Kurds in their fight against Islamic State jihadists in northern Syria, but the U.S. State Department said it would not recognize "self-ruled, semi-autonomous zones in Syria," a notion also rejected by Turkey, where the government has fought a three-decade battle against Kurdish claims for more autonomy in the southeastern part of the country.



One official in Turkey said, "Syria must remain as one without being weakened, and the Syrian people must decide on its future in agreement and with a constitution. Every unilateral initiative will harm Syria's unity."

The main Syrian Kurdish party, known as the PYD, has been excluded from the Geneva peace talks that resumed this week. Some involved with the talks say that creation of federal areas like a Kurdish enclave could lead to a partitioning of the country.

The Syrian Kurds control an uninterrupted 400-kilometer stretch of land along the Syrian-Turkish border from the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border, as well as a separate region in the Afrin area, with the two Kurdish enclaves split by lands controlled by Islamic State jihadists.
Following this weeks primary results in the U.S. presidential race, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump appear to be on a path to winning their respective partys presidential nominations. That puts Clinton and Trump on a collision course to meet as opponents in the general election campaign leading up to the November election.

Even as Trump celebrated his latest primary victories on Tuesday with supporters in Florida, he shifted his focus to winning over members of the Republican Party establishment who remain hesitant to throw their support behind Trump.

We have to bring our party together. We have to bring it together. We have something happening that actually makes the Republican Party probably the biggest political story anywhere in the world, Trump said.

Not long after, Trump took a swipe at Clintons foreign policy experience with a snarky ad posted on his Instagram page, the latest example of sparring between the Trump and Clinton campaigns.



Trump has only two Republican rivals left, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich. A victory in his home state primary Tuesday gave Kasich's campaign new life and he hit the campaign trail in Pennsylvania with the aim of contrasting the Trump campaign with a more positive vision he is offering voters.

The strength of our country rests in us and it rests in our ability to believe that we, we, you and me, can change the world for the better, Kasich told supporters at Villanova University.

Cruz is hoping to win over supporters of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who left the race after losing badly to Trump in his home state. Cruz made a direct appeal on Tuesday. To those who supported Marco, who worked so hard, we welcome you with open arms, he said.

Anti-Trump strategy

Some conservatives remain adamantly opposed to Trump winning the Republican nomination. They are split between those who doubt whether Trump is a true conservative and others who fear his nomination would lead the party to a crushing defeat in November, assuming Clinton is the Democratic nominee.

The best chance for the anti-Trump forces to stop the New York billionaire is to deny him the 1,237 delegates necessary to claim the party nomination before the national convention in July in Cleveland.

That could lead to a contested convention where many delegates would be free to vote for the candidate of their choice after the first ballot, when most of the delegates are bound to support the winner of their state primary or caucus. But Trump has already warned that any effort to deny him the nomination at the convention could lead to riots and that his supporters would revolt.

The Associated Press estimates that Trump will have to win about 54 percent of the remaining delegates at stake to claim the nomination in advance of the Cleveland convention, just enough wiggle room to encourage the stop-Trump forces to continue their efforts.

Analysts say Trumps challenge to heal the party behind him will won't be easy in comparison with Republican primary battles in past years.

If it is the case that Republican elites start to recognize that he is the likely nominee, some of them will want to accommodate themselves to him more than others, said John Fortier with the Bipartisan Policy Center. But it will be a much more difficult process of healing the party than in a traditional primary fight.

Republican unifier

In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton took a giant step toward winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday with her primary victories, especially in Florida and Ohio. Rival Bernie Sanders has vowed to continue his campaign, but his supporters acknowledged that the Tuesday results were a setback.

In her victory speech in Florida, Clinton quickly shifted her focus to Trump.

When we hear a candidate for president call for rounding up 12 million immigrants, banning all Muslims from entering the United States. When he embraces torture, that doesnt make him strong. It makes him wrong, Clinton said to cheers from supporters.

But in an ironic twist, some experts believe Clintons status as the likely Democratic nominee could help Trump unite the Republican Party.

A lot of (Republican) establishment figures are going to at least nominally, if not enthusiastically, support Trump, not because they love Trump more, but they loathe Hillary Clinton more, said American University presidential historian Allan Lichtman. So she is the only figure who could unite, at least temporarily and nominally, the Republican Party.

The party nominations wont be confirmed until the national conventions in July. But Clinton and Trump already seem to sense they have a rendezvous with destiny and are likely opponents for the general campaign in advance of the November election.



WATCH: US Voters Weigh In on Trump
Donald Trump is the current front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination; but, with more than half of the nominating contests already completed, he may not have enough time left to secure that all-important number of delegates needed to win the partys nomination outright: 1,237.

Why is 1,237 such an important number?

Candidates dont secure the nomination by winning state by state votes  they win by securing enough delegates who will vote for them at their partys convention.

Larry Sabato, the director of the Center of Politics at the University of Virginia, said Trump's chances "are good but not certain." There are about 1,061 delegates still to be awarded. Trump would have to win almost 60 percent of those delegates to secure the nomination.

The two remaining candidates in the field  Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich  have even fewer numbers of delegates so their chances of winning the nomination are even smaller.

Mathematically at this point, only two of the candidates have the chance to amass the 1,237 that are necessary to win on a first ballot at the convention - and thats Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, said Craig Sautter, a DePaul University professor who has written several books about presidential conventions.

What happens if Donald Trump is close to having 1,237 delegates?

Its very hard to predict what will happen. In previous presidential elections, candidates have always won the nomination outright; but, in this years divided field, said Sautter, it could be very messy.

If Trump is very close to having 1,237 delegates, Sabato said its technically possible to deny him the nomination but it would have very serious consequences for the survival of the Republican Party.

Trump has threatened to run as a third-party candidate if he feels he is not treated fairly by Republicans and said there would be riots if the people who voted for him are not represented at the convention.

What happens if Trump doesnt end up close to 1,237 delegates?

This is what candidates Cruz and Kasich are hoping will happen. Its a big reason they are both still in the race even though they have smaller numbers of delegates.

The Republican leadership  both elected and appointed  and the candidates and their delegates, will swing into action and at that point, it will be difficult for Trump to succeed, said Sabato.

That battle could lead all the way to Cleveland in July when the Republican Party and all of the delegates for each candidate meet to select their nominee for the general election.

Sabato said Cruz and Kasich are thinking, If its not Trump, then why not me?

Who are the delegates? Do they have to stick with their candidate at the convention  or could they move over to Cruz or Kasich?

Delegates are a mix of party activists, state and local politicians and sometimes even representatives of the candidates themselves.

They have to vote for the candidate they have pledged to support during the first round of voting, called the first ballot at the convention.

If no candidate has 1,237 delegates pledged to vote for him, the delegates will have to hold another round of voting and thats when theyre allowed to vote for any candidate. This is called a contested convention.

What happens next in a contested convention?

A contested convention is very unusual - the last time it happened to the Republicans was in 1948.

After the first ballot, the delegates are unbound, meaning they can vote for whomever they want in the next rounds of voting. The voting goes as many times as needed until a candidate has 1,237 delegates.

Sautter thinks there may be several rounds of voting because delegates are loyal to the candidates themselves. Some delegates may wait for a candidate to quit and support another candidate before changing their vote.

Or, candidates will have to find a way to make deals with each other to combine delegates and get to that all-important number of 1,237.

I think its going to be Cruz or Trump who makes a deal with Kasich to pile up their delegates together, said Sautter.

Are there other possible deals?

Yes  dont forget the delegates who were pledged to Florida Senator Marco Rubio  the candidate who dropped out after voting on March 15.

Sautter thinks Trump could look to pick off a few of those. So if hes very close, Im sure he could convince a few of those people with enticements.

He also said Kasich has a longer-term strategy that after several ballots, people will begin to ask themselves who is the best candidate today to put up against Hillary Clinton.

In short, a contested convention would be very unpredictable.

What happens between now and the convention in July?

There are still many primary contests that could bring Trump close to the numbers he needs. California has the last vote of the primary contest season on June 7. Its 172 delegates could be very important in tipping the balance.

Then, said Sabato, there is another important number: 40.

Thats the number of days between the last vote in California and the beginning of the convention. The candidates may look to make deals with each other to avoid a messy, unpredictable fight at the convention.

Said Sabato, Theyll have 40 days to iron this out before disaster befalls them.
The governor of the U.S. state of Michigan and the country's top environmental official took the blame Thursday for the toxic water crisis in Flint, Michigan, that has left many children with lead poisoning in their bloodstreams.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder told a contentious congressional hearing in Washington, "This was a failure of government at all levels, local, state and federal officials. We all failed the families of Flint."

He added that "not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind, the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded, how I could have prevented this."

Gina McCarthy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, laid the blame on Snyder's officials who in 2014 switched the city's water system to save millions of dollars, moving it from the safe supply it was receiving from the nearby city of Detroit to water from the Flint River that courses through the city. That allowed lead to leach into the Flint water supply from the city's corroded pipes, which could have been chemically treated but weren't.

Michigan officials declared the city's water safe to drink, but McCarthy acknowledged that her agency had oversight over the state's monitoring of the Flint water and "should not have been so trusting of the state."

Partisan finger-pointing

In the midst of U.S. political campaigns, the hearing was consumed with partisan attacks.

Congressman Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, noted that one federal environmental official in McCarthy's agency, part of the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama, at one point suggested the national government should not "go out on a limb" to deal with the Flint crisis.

But Democratic Congressman Matt Cartwright told Snyder, a Republican, "You're doing your level-best to spread accountability. You need to resign, Governor Snyder."

Snyder, the board chairman of the Gateway computer company and a venture capitalist before he was elected as Michigan governor, for months has rebuffed calls to quit.

Flint has now switched back to the Detroit water system, which draws its supply from Lake Huron. Government agencies and charitable groups have sent thousands of bottles of water to Flint and doctors are monitoring the health of its 100,000 residents, more than half of them black and many of them impoverished.

Lead poisoning is particularly harmful to children, affecting their neurological systems and leading to permanent learning delays and behavioral problems.

The USA Today newspaper said its investigation showed that 2,000 water systems throughout the U.S., affecting six million people, have elevated lead levels above that considered safe by federal environmental standards.
Myanmar's incoming government has released its plan for a new government, including a new ethnic-affairs ministry for the nation scarred by sectarian tensions and repression of some ethnic groups.

New president Htin Kyaw submitted his proposal Thursday, with a parliamentary debate on it scheduled for Friday.

The plan includes the ethnic ministry in a wider civil service reform plan aimed at streamlining the bureaucracy left behind by the military government that ruled Myanmar for decades. A Cabinet of 36 ministries is expected to be slimmed down to 21.

The military government had been accused of cracking down on ethnic Rohingya in northern Rakhine State, in response to riots in 2012 between the primarily Muslim Rohingya and the primarily Buddhist Rakhine. In recent years, Rohingya have been fleeing Myanmar by boat to the neighboring nations of Thailand and Malaysia.



Myanmar is home to a number of other ethnic groups including Shan, Bamar, and Kachin.

First civilian president



On Tuesday 70-year-old Htin Kyaw was chosen to become Myanmar's first civilian president in more than five decades, receiving 360 of the 652 votes cast to defeat two other candidates.



His election was a foregone conclusion. He is a childhood friend and longtime confidant of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, which took both chambers of parliament in November's historic elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from becoming president, due to a provision in the constitution that prohibits anyone with a foreign-born spouse or children. Her late husband and two sons are British. But she has vowed to rule the country through a proxy candidate.

Htin Kyaw will assume office on April 1, formally ending more than 50 years of complete or partial military rule.
The Nevada rancher at the center of a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents was due to appear on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, seeking to be released from custody ahead of his trial on conspiracy and other felony charges.

Cliven Bundy, 69, has been jailed since his arrest on Feb. 10 at the Portland International Airport after arriving there on his way to show support for anti-government militants who had taken over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon.

Bundy and two of his sons, Ammon and Ryan, who were indicted in connection with leading the Oregon occupation and also face charges with their father in the Nevada standoff, have become popular figures for groups challenging federal control over vast stretches of public land in the West.

Prosecutors have said the elder Bundy trespassed on federal lands for over 20 years, refusing to secure the necessary permits or pay the required fees the government charges ranchers to let their cattle graze on U.S.-owned public property.

In an enforcement action nearly two years ago, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sent armed rangers to Bundy's ranch about 80 miles (129 km) northeast of Las Vegas to confiscate his cattle.

Anti-government groups and other supporters rallied to Bundy's defense. In an armed standoff on April 12, 2014, along Interstate 15, they confronted federal agents, who ultimately backed down and returned the cattle they had seized.

The case against Bundy stems from that clash. He was indicted on charges of conspiracy, assault on a law enforcement officer, carrying a firearm in a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, interference with commerce by extortion and aiding and abetting others in breaking the law.

Defense lawyers in court papers filed on Wednesday sought his pre-trial release, arguing Bundy is peaceable and not a flight risk.

"When he is released he is going to go back to the ranch and take care of his chores there," attorney Joel Hansen wrote.

A federal judge in Oregon last month ordered Bundy to remain in custody, finding that the rancher, who at times has traveled with armed guards, was a flight risk and posed a public threat.

Prosecutors have cited that ruling in opposing further consideration of his pre-trial release.

The federal judge in Las Vegas on Thursday morning was scheduled to hear arguments on whether to hold a new detention hearing for Bundy.
U.S. President Barack Obama has signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea, in response to the authoritarian regime's latest nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

The executive order follows North Korea's nuclear test on January 6 and ballistic missile launch on February 7, in violation of long-standing international efforts aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest announced the president's decision Wednesday.

Earnest said the new unilateral sanctions will allow the U.S. to implement sanctions unanimously agreed to by the U.N. Security Council.

"The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations," he said.

The sanctions are designed to freeze the assets of anyone who breaks the international blockade on North Korea, meaning even the few nations that do engage in trade with North Korea, such as China, will be discouraged from doing so.

The order also targets North Korea's human rights abuses, allowing the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets of any party found to have engaged in exportation of workers from North Korea. A U.N. report found last year that Pyongyang earns as much a $2.3 billion a year from workers exported to other countries, where they are often abused and exploited.

The report said about 50,000 North Koreans are believed to be working overseas, earning small amounts for themselves while the employers pay a much greater amount to the North Korean government. Workers are forced to labor as long as 20 hours a day, with very few days off, according to the report.

Also Wednesday, the White House appealed to North Korea to pardon an American college student sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for committing crimes against the state.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday that it is "increasingly clear" that Pyongyang is using U.S. citizens as "pawns to pursue a political agenda."

North Korean police arrested 21-year-old Otto Warmbier as he was trying to leave the country after visiting with a tour group in January.

Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, appeared at a news conference in Pyongyang and admitted stealing a banner with a political slogan from an area of his hotel that was off-limits to guests.

Warmbier said a friend's mother offered him a used car worth $10,000 in exchange for the banner. He said she wanted to hang it in her church as a trophy. She allegedly offered Warmbier's mother $200,000 if he was caught.

As in all cases involving Westerners jailed in North Korea, Warmbier's confession likely was coerced and the alleged crimes exaggerated.

Just hours before Warmbier was sentenced, former U.S. ambassador Bill Richardson said he met with two North Korean diplomats at the United Nations in New York and appealed for the student's release.

Richardson has gone to North Korea several times in recent years to secure freedom for jailed Americans.
A senior Islamic State (IS) militant commander was killed by security forces in Pakistan, police said on Thursday, further underscoring what analysts say is an emerging IS threat.

Mushtaq Meher, the deputy Inspector General of police in Pakistans southern coastal city of Karachi, told reporters that Kamran Aslam, also known as Kamran Gujjar, was killed in a police raid in Karachis Ettihad Town neighborhood.

Police also seized an automatic rifle, three grenades and explosives materials, Meher said.

A 2.5 million Pakistani rupees (around $24,000) reward was being offered for his capture. Aslam was an IS-trained militant, and he was formerly associated with al-Qaidas sub-continent branch, Meher said.

He had recently joined (IS), said Meher, adding that Aslam had a long association with al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Long rap sheet

The police chief said Aslam had been involved in a number of terror activities in Pakistan.

Aslam carried out deadly attacks against police and Rangers forces in Karachi and Hyderabad, a police statement said. Around 40 policemen have been killed in the attacks.

Aslam had also been involved in bank robberies and attacks on media outlets in Pakistan, the statement added.

He was planning to target several political and important federal government figures, Meher told reporters about Aslams would-be terror activities. He was involved in 30 to 40 (terror) cases,

Signs of IS recruiting in Pakistan

Islamabad has consistently denied that IS has a presence in the country.

But recent IS activities and statements by high-level Pakistani officials strengthen the fear that the terror group may have been successful in making recruiting inroads in a nation ripe for militant activities, analysts say.

IS has been active in some parts of Pakistan since 2014 when a group of 15 Pakistani Taliban members, including their spokesperson, Shahidullah Shahid pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to news reports.

Pakistans Intelligence Bureau Chief, Aftab Sultan, last month warned that IS is an emerging threat in the country and that hundreds of fighters linked to local banned religious groups left for Syria in recent months to join IS ranks there.

In addition to using several Pakistani banned outfits that have a soft corner for IS for recruitment and carrying out its activities in the country, the terror group has also been actively attempting to lure educated Pakistanis into its ranks, analysts and reporters say.

Luring critical mass

The group is particularly courting university students and business professionals, including doctors, journalists, lawyers, and businessmen, The Associated Press reported earlier this month.

A critical mass of educated people is joining them (IS), Pakistani security analyst Huma Baqai told VOA.

IS recruiters recently attempted to lure a Pakistani journalist, Hassan Abdullah, into IS ranks, AP reported.

The IS group has also recruited a large number of women who have been actively recruiting and fundraising for the group in several cities of Pakistan, including Karachi.

Their women wings (groups) are working, collecting money, Baqai told VOA.

Top counterterrorism police official in Karachi, Raja Umer Khitab, told AP that a women's network at an educational academy in Karachi recruited female students by playing IS videos in classrooms. The students then reached out to middle-class and wealthy Karachi women for financial support.

Some Pakistan-based analysts say IS has been able to establish a footprint in the country.

If we accept that IS does not have an organizational structure in Pakistan, we would be deceiving ourselves, political analyst Ayesha Siddiqa told VOA, referring to a statement by the countrys interior minister that IS did not have a hierarchy in Pakistan.
Farm laborer Gostha Das drank contaminated water for years.

That is not unusual for someone living in a village in the middle of eastern Indias arsenic belt, but it still carries real dangers where arsenic-rich groundwater has maimed and killed people since the 1970s.

About a decade ago, when he sought medical treatment for lesions on his palms and feet, Das was told he was suffering from arsenicosis, which can cause skin lesions, as well as cancers of the skin, lungs, kidneys and bladder and many other diseases. Doctors advised him to stop drinking the groundwater immediately. Yet he kept on drinking the contaminated water because he could not afford to buy regular bottled water.

Das is happy now because of a new initiative by Delhi-based NGO Sulabh International Social Service Organization (SISSO) to treat pond water and use it to provide safe and affordable drinking water in his village of Madusudankati, 70 kilometers east of Kolkata. Groundwater drawn from tube-wells filled my body with poison and I got the lesions. I had no money to buy safe bottled water, which was expensive. But from Sulabh, I am getting clean water at very cheap price now. This water has kept me fine, he said.

He added that some villagers have secretly had the water tested in labs, which found it to be free from all contaminants, including arsenic.

SISSO founder Bindeshwar Pathak said his organization had been encouraged by the success of the pilot project in Madhusudankati and would try to come up with more such surface water treatment plants across the countrys arsenic-zones. "We will certainly expand. Now there is demand of such projects from many states after they heard of the news of success of this project from West Bengal, Pathak said. We have to certainly go with such projects throughout the country.

Cheap solutions

While one liter of regular bottled water sells at 7 to 22 cents in the market. The treated pond water, which is supplied by Sulabh, costs less than a cent per liter. Sulabh water has now become a life line in a cluster of about a dozen villages of West Bengals arsenic belt.

In the 1960s, as the drilling of tube wells began in eastern India, people were advised to switch to the practice of drinking groundwater, to protect themselves from cholera and other water-borne epidemics.

But the switch from traditional dug wells to tube wells proved fatal in the 1990s, when a high level of arsenic contamination was detected in water from tube wells in Bangladesh and in eastern India.

After doctors warned that millions of people in West Bengal were drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater, the local government set up many arsenic removal plants. But, most of those plants in West Bengal having turned virtually dysfunctional for many reasons. For years, many experts have suggested using treated surface water as an easy solution to the drinking water problem in the area. But the advice was largely ignored, until recently.

The Sulabh water project, which SISSO set up with assistance from the French NGO 1001 Fontaines, began feeding its modern treatment plant with only pond water.

Push for more plants

Pond water is traditionally meant for washing and bathing in the region and local residents usually avoid drinking it because it is frequently contaminated.

In West Bengals arsenic belt, this is the first such project based on pond water and it has been quite successful in addressing the local drinking water crisis, said Kalipada Sarkar, secretary of the village cooperative that manages the Madhusudankati water treatment plant.

People in the surrounding villages have found Sulabh water beneficial for their health and they have widely accepted it. Villagers from far-off areas too are seeking access to this treated pond water now. But the capacity of our Madhusudankati project is limited, said Sarkar. We want others to set up many identical pond-based drinking water projects across the states arsenic belt.

Sulabh water has brought relief for the mostly poor people in arsenic-hit Madhusudankati and about a dozen surrounding villages, said local doctor Subal Sarkar.

Since people had been drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater for years, arsenicosis cases of skin, liver, kidney, ulcerations in elementary systems were rising among the villagers. However, after they switched to the practice of drinking arsenic free Sulabh water last year, many arsenicosis patients are recovering gradually, said Dr. Sarkar. [The] number of new cases of arsenicosis has also dropped significantly.

Contaminated groundwater still being consumed

In 2010, Jadavpur University's School of Environmental Studies (SoES) reported that in West Bengal at least five million people were drinking water with arsenic contamination at 50 ppb (parts per billion), five times higher than the World Health Organization's suggested limit of 10 ppb.

In a report last month, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) said most of the arsenic removal plants were becoming dysfunctional in West Bengal, with a huge population of people being forced to drink water contaminated with a dangerous level of arsenic.

Contaminated groundwater is also being used to irrigate food crops, and arsenic is entering the food chain in the region, the CGWB report added.

Dipankar Chakraborti, a professor and research director of SoES who has been working on arsenic contamination of groundwater since the 1980s, said groundwater should be avoided in West Bengals arsenic belt.

"All across West Bengal there are many ponds and other water bodies. In the arsenic belt the only solution, [where] the technology is known now, is use of the surface water. We should all adopt the simplest way, easy way, to clean the available surface water for [this] purpose, Chakraborti said.
A Donald Trump presidency is the sixth biggest threat facing the world, tied with the prospect of terrorism destabilizing the global economy, according to an assessment by British research group EIU.

Its latest ranking of global risks has a sharp economic slowdown in China at the top. That is followed by Russia's actions in Syria and Ukraine bringing a new cold war, a corporate debt crisis in emerging markets and the fracture of the European Union.

EIU says it does not expect Trump to win the November election, but that there is a moderate probability he will and a high impact if he does.

Controversial stands

The group cites his hostility toward free trade, advocacy of the killing of families of terrorists, support for ground troops in Syria and alienation of both China and Mexico that could result in trade wars and fueling terrorist groups.

Trump has promised to drive hard deals in international negotiations, particularly with China. One of his most repeated campaign pledges is to build along the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants, a project he says Mexico will fund itself.

China



EIU's says the probability of a sharp economic slowdown in China is high and would come with a "very high impact." Too much of a slowdown, the group says, and already slumping prices for commodities like oil and metals will drop further, while markets in the United States and European Union will have a tougher time expanding sales with Chinese customers.

China also features just behind Trump and terrorism on the list. It's disputed activities in the South China Sea pose a risk of armed clashes, EIU says, and while the prospects of that happening are low, any military buildup bring the chance of even an accidental incident escalating into a high impact event.



WATCH: US voters weigh in on Trump as race narrows
Russia sent arms this week to Iraqs Kurdish region to be used by Peshmerga forces fighting the Islamic State group, Russian and Kurdish sources said.

The arms were delivered Monday and included five anti-aircraft autocannons and 20,000 shells, Artem Grigoryan, the attache to the Russian consul general in Irbil, told RIA Novotsi.

The delivery came one day after Ilya Morgunov, Russia's ambassador to Iraq, met with Kurdish President Masoud Barzani to discuss closer relations between the two sides and provision of military assistance to the Peshmerga fighters.

The Russian ambassador reiterated his countys support to the Kurdistan region and showed Russias willingness to provide military assistance to Peshmerga in the fight against terrorism, a statement from the Kurdistan regions presidency read.

A pro-Western region and an effective U.S. ally in fighting IS, Iraqi Kurdistan has received military assistance from several countries, including the United States and Germany. The Kurdish attempts to receive heavy weapons have been fiercely opposed by Baghdad, which fears the Kurds may seek independence from Iraq.

Shipments blocked

Having control over Kurdistans airspace, Baghdad has blocked several direct arms shipments to the region, arguing that any military assistance should go through the central government. Kurds, in response, complain that shipping through Baghdad is very slow and inefficient.

Kurdistans representative to Russia told VOA that Baghdad approved the Russian arms shipments to the Peshmerga.

The shipment was carried by a Russian plane which landed in Irbil with the awareness from Baghdad, Aso Jangi Burhan, the Kurdistan regions representative to Russia, told VOA.

According to Kurdish officials, this was not the first time Kurds had received arms from Russia.

Just like anti-IS coalition members, the Russian Federation provides us with military assistance. It has provided us with military assistance about three times in the past, Jabar Yawar, the chief of staff for the Kurdistan regions Peshmerga ministry, told VOA.

The conflict in Syria and Iraq and the emergence of IS in the region have allowed for a greater involvement of Russia in the region, analysts say.

Russia has developed close ties with the Kurds since its intervention in Syria in September 2015, Brian Glyn Williams, a professor of Islamic history at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, told VOA. The Russian-supplied anti-aircraft guns will be deployed in an anti-armor/anti-personnel role by the outgunned Kurds.
Egypt's antiquities minister said Thursday that radar scans of famed King Tut's burial chamber showed the likely existence of two hidden rooms that could contain organic material and metal.

King Tut died in 1324 B.C. and archaeologists drew worldwide attention when they found his tomb filled with stunning artifacts in 1922.

A British archaeologist believes an extra room in the tomb contains the remains of Queen Nefertiti, the wife of King Tut's father.

Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said there is a 90 percent chance the scans located new chambers. As for Nefertiti, he believes the tomb could be holding a female from the family, but not her.

Additional scanning of the tomb area is planned for the end of this month.
Thailands military government and constitutional drafting commission are in a stand-off after the Cabinet called for a new charter to include a non-elected senate and an appointed prime minister over transitional five year period. The governments proposals have triggered sharp reactions from major political parties amid warnings of potential conflict if the proposals are included in the new constitution.

The commissions draft allows for the election of a 500 member House of Representatives. A 200 member senate would be elected by interest groups and organizations.

But the governments proposals call for a 250 member appointed Senate, including reserved seats for the permanent secretary of defense, supreme commander, and commanders of army, navy and air force and the chief of police.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the militarys proposal was aimed at preventing a coup, not to move against the elected House of Representatives. But analysts and politicians from Thailands major parties have been critical, saying such moves will weaken political parties and undermine democracy.

Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, speaking at a seminar on constitutional reform, said such proposals will undermine the elected government.

If there will be elections after this constitution passes the elected political institutions will be paralyzed and overshadowed by the non-elected organizations. What Thailand will have is elections without democracy. When we create institutions that violate basic constitutional principles, like allowing a non-elected prime minister, we lay the ground work for tyrannical decisions. That is a very sensitive point for me, she said.

The military has said the proposals are necessary to promote political stability after years of turbulence largely between supporters and opponents of populist former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence.

Norachit Sinhaseni, spokesperson for the drafting commission, would not be drawn into the cabinets charter proposals, but said the commissions draft is aimed at ending the bouts of political instability.

Principles I think is clear. How can we bring Thailand back to democracy away from conflict, the confrontation and the violence, the protest in the streets and as mentioned, how do we wither possible corruption and of course giving people the power to elect their own representatives, he said. The stakes, let me say, are very high. If we succeed then we have some time of normalcy. If we fail I think the projection [sic] of confrontation among groups is very high.

Ake Tangsupvattana, dean of political science at Chulalongkorn University, said the commissions draft charter may provide the means for moving Thailand beyond past political conflicts.

What is going to be the direction in the future? Are we going to move back to semi-democracy or is this a constitution suitable in the context of Thailand today and then move Thailand beyond political conflict and maybe look in a positive way -- move Thailand to be a more democratic society, he said.

Ake expects negotiations between the Cabinet and commission will seek a compromise before the March 29 deadline for the document to be forwarded to the Cabinet.

Thailands shifting political power comes amid a sensitive period with the 88-year-old Thai monarch, Bhumipol Adulyadej, ailing. His son and heir, 63-year-old Maha Vajiralongkorn, has yet to achieve the level of reverence given to his father, who has been on the throne for more than 60 years and is the worlds longest reigning monarch.

Thailands current draft constitution will be the 20th charter  if it passes a referendum later this year  to be adopted since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

The latest draft is the second since the military took power in a coup in May 2014. An earlier version was voted down by the national assembly last year.

A referendum on the new charter is planned for August 7. But analysts say if the draft charter is rejected, the military will put forward its own document without going through a drafting committee or a referendum.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump is planning what he calls a "big speech" Monday instead of debating his remaining two opponents for the party's presidential nomination.

Trump was due to take part in the Fox News debate in Salt Lake City, Utah with Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich, but said Wednesday Republicans have had "enough debates" and he would not attend.

Kasich said without Trump, he will not go either. Suddenly lacking candidates, Fox News canceled the debate.

Cruz, who trails Trump 673-410 in the Republican delegate count, hit out at the businessman, branding Trump as "Ducking Donald" and pointing his supporters to the website DuckingDonald.com.

"Donald is scared to debate because he knows Ted Cruz will expose him as unprepared to be president and commander in chief," the site says, urging people to sign a petition for Trump to debate.

The site was registered on January 27, the day after Trump announced he was skipping the Republican debate before the Iowa caucus. Cruz finished first in Iowa, 3 percent ahead of Trump.

Monday's debate was scheduled a day before primaries in Utah and Arizona with a combined 98 delegates at stake. After a flurry of state contests in the past few weeks, the primary calendar is hitting a slow period, particularly for Republicans, who have just Utah, Arizona and a primary in Wisconsin between now and April 19.

The Democratic race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will be a little busier. They compete in the same states as the Republicans, but also have a caucus Tuesday in Idaho, March 26 caucuses in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington, and another in Wyoming on April 9.
A U.S. federal judge sentenced a Rochester, New York man to more than 22 years in prison Thursday for trying to recruit terrorist fighters and raise funds for Islamic State.

Prosecutors say Mufid Elfgeeh is one of the first Islamic State recruiters ever captured and is confident his long prison term will keep the U.S. safer.

According to the government's case, Elfgeeh actively recruited and provided financial backing, documents, and other help to two men to go to Syria in 2014 and join up with Islamic State.

Elfgeeh did not know that the two were FBI informants.

He also used social media to spread information about Islamic State and other extremists and pledged his support for terrorism.

Also Thursday, a federal court convicted an Arizona man on a number of terrorist-related charges, including plans with two roommates to attack military bases, shopping centers, and the 2015 Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem faces at least 45 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year.

The two roommates were shot dead last year when they opened fire on police and security guards outside a Texas hall where cartoonists were holding a contest to draw the prophet Muhammad.

Many Muslims regard any depiction of Muhammad as blasphemous.

Kareem did not take part in the attack, but lied to police when he denied any knowledge of it.
The Ugandan parliament voted unanimously this month in favor of a new law that makes it harder for foreigners to adopt children and take them out of the country. Proponents say the new law closes loopholes exploited by child traffickers while critics say it may rob needy children of the chance at a better life overseas.



Ugandan lawmakers say the old adoption law allowed foreigners to quickly obtain legal guardianship of a child so they could then take the child out of the country and finalize the adoption abroad.



This new law, passed March 2, restricts guardianship of orphaned or needy children to Ugandan nationals.



Parliament member Bernard Atiku initiated the bill.

The current law was made way back. It has been many years, since it has been enacted. And as we talk there are many new forms of child exploitation that have emerged. There are many challenges as far as the rights of the children are concerned that have emerged and other forms of abuse. So the current situation needs an amendment," said Atiku.



Inter-country adoption from Uganda has boomed in recent years.



About 200 children are adopted annually, according to Uganda Child Rights NGO Network. Many of them are adopted by American families.



But Stella Ayo-Odongo of the child rights group says more children are disappearing.

In 2012, the other statistics from the African Child Policy Forum indicates that 680 children left the country. Now the only ones we could account for as having gone through the adoption processes were 227. So what happened to the other four hundred and so many? Its difficult to tell," said Ayo-Odongo.



She says even for children adopted by well-intended parents, there have been no follow-up mechanisms to see where children end up and whether they are properly cared for.



Child traffickers operating in the region are believed to be targeting target needy children for domestic work, labor in mines or even ritual sacrifice.



Ugandas new law does not ban foreign adoption, but it does enforce a longer waiting period, something experts say is important. The adoptive parents and child need time to get acquainted and create a bond.

'Not realistic'



The new law requires foreign adoptive parents to stay at least one year in Uganda.



Allie Hamel of Carolina Adoption Services in the U.S. says this might not be realistic.

I think its fair and very appropriate for families to spend a good period of time in-country, because its important that they get to know their childs culture and really embrace it and learn as much as they can about the history. But one year is unfortunately not realistic for the majority of families to have to stay here consistently. Perhaps they have other children at home. They have work, that way they can continue to provide for their families," said Hamel.

Some people say it is in the childs best interest to get him or her out of an orphanage as soon as possible by allowing a foreign adoptive parent to assume guardianship.

But Odongo of the child rights NGO disagrees.



What has been happening is that no effort was being made to identify the legal guardians. All the cases that would come up in the care institutions would be up for adoption, even without an attempt to trace parents and re-unite or foster them even within the country, so I dont agree with that assertion," said Odongo.

The new law also creates a government agency to take care of orphaned and needy children.



Child rights activists are calling for a temporary moratorium on inter-country adoptions until the new law is implemented and new monitoring authorities and procedures are put in place.

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to sign the law in the next two months.



Other African countries like Ethiopia have also recently tightened their foreign adoption rules. Kenya banned foreign adoption in 2014.
Ukraine's president tried to reassure the European Union on Thursday that his country would soon overcome a political crisis that has rattled Western lenders and he won support for Kyiv's cherished goal of visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens.

Ukraine's unpopular prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, survived a parliamentary vote of no-confidence last month but three parties have quit his coalition and Western creditors who are keeping Ukraine's economy afloat are frustrated with the slow pace of reforms.

"We have a political crisis in Ukraine and I hope that by the end of the month we will find a solution," President Petro Poroshenko told reporters, alongside European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

"There will be no early parliamentary elections and the political coalition will remain, will be responsible, orientated on reforms," Poroshenko said after his talks with the two top EU officials, adding an EU-Ukraine summit would be held on May 19.

Western donors, who include the European Union and the United States, are urging Kiev's leaders to remain unified to pass the reforms needed to secure a further $1.7 billion in aid from the International Monetary Fund and to do much more to tackle rampant corruption.

Diplomats said Tusk and Juncker had repeated this message to Poroshenko on Thursday and had also argued against new elections which would only further delay reforms.

But in happier news for Kyiv, Juncker said the European Commission, the EU's executive, would formally propose next month ending the requirement for Ukrainians to get visas to visit EU member states. The proposal would have to be approved by the EU's 28 national governments and the European Parliament.

While lifting the EU visa requirement will be sensitive, especially in Germany, as Europe struggles with its migration crisis, the step would be the most tangible sign for Ukrainians that their 2014 Western-backed uprising against a pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, was finally paying dividends.

After Yanukovych fled to Russia, Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea region and gave support to armed separatists in mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine in a conflict in which more than 9,000 people have been killed and is still simmering.

Moscow denies sending arms or troops into Ukraine but has demanded greater autonomy for the country's heavily industrialized eastern region.
The United Nations is appealing to the Syrian government to provide the permits needed to send humanitarian aid convoys into besieged and hard-to-reach areas and to allow a life-saving vaccination campaign for children to go ahead.

United Nations convoys have delivered desperately needed humanitarian assistance to nearly 260,000 people living in those areas of Syria since the beginning of the year. Aid agencies aim to reach more than 1 million people before the end of April.

The U.N., however, says it has not received permission to enter six areas - most government-controlled - where hundreds of thousands of people have received no relief supplies for more than one year. It is calling for the blockade of these places to be lifted.

Jan Egeland is the special adviser to the U.N. special envoy for Syria. Egeland says he is particularly concerned by the governments refusal to allow medical relief supplies, including surgical and trauma care equipment, to be delivered.

We are not able to get through medical personnel. We are not able to get medical assessment personnel. We are not able to do medical evacuations from besieged areas and even some hard-to-reach areas. So people are dying," said Egeland.

Egeland says the inability to get medical supplies and personnel into these areas could jeopardize an important national vaccination campaign planned for between April 18 and 24. He says the campaign aims to inoculate the millions of children who are not vaccinated against killer diseases in Syria.

That would be part of a three-phase vaccination campaign against a number of diseases that are now threatening to spread in Syria because the vaccination rate is now in many areas down to 50 or 60 percent, which is a prescription for epidemic disease," he said.

Egeland says children will be vaccinated against polio, measles and other communicable diseases. A cluster of 22 cases of polio was detected in Syria in October 2013. The country had been free of the crippling disease since 1999.

Egeland says the disease was eventually brought under control, but he warns polio could spread again in the country and across borders if the planned vaccination campaign does not go ahead.
Increased military pressure against Islamic State fighters in both Syria and Iraq led to the group losing 22 percent of its territory in the past 15 months, with about half of the loss coming since the beginning of this year.

That is the result of analysis by monitoring group IHS, which said the militants are "increasingly isolated and being perceived as in decline."

IHS pointed to the area of northern Syria between the Islamic State de facto capital of Raqqa and the Turkish border, where airstrikes from Russia and a U.S.-led coalition combined with Kurdish and Sunni fighters on the ground pushed out the militants and freed key border crossings.

Under IS control

Islamic State now controls only a small portion of Syrian territory where it can smuggle in supplies and fighters from Turkey.

The addition of Russia's bombing campaign was controversial, with Western accusations that its forces were focused too much on targeting rebel fighters in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad instead of on Islamic State.

But the start of Russia's airstrikes on September 30 last year marked a significant increase in the overall aerial campaign.

Between January 1, 2015, and the start of Russia's airstrikes, the warplanes in the U.S.-led coalition were carrying out a combined average of 20 airstrikes per day in Iraq and Syria. Since the Russian bombing began, that number has risen to 23 per day, according to a VOA analysis of Pentagon data.

Iraq cities

As the collection of forces beat back Islamic State in northern Syria, pro-government forces in Iraq made their own gains, highlighted by the army and Sunni and Shi'ite militias taking back the city of Ramadi.

Iraq plans to make a similar push in the northern city of Mosul, one of the major areas the militants have held for more than a year and a half, but that operation is not imminent.

The international community has pointed to the need for unity in the battle against Islamic State and for the Syrian government and rebels to reach a peace deal in order to allow military resources to focus on eradicating the militants instead.

That process, which saw little progress for several years as more and more people died and millions fled the country, has renewed life with this week's launch of U.N.-led negotiations in Geneva.
U.S. military leaders voiced concern Wednesday about their ability to fight a conventional war against the armed forces of countries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley told the House Armed Services Committee the militarys anti-terrorism and counterinsurgency focus on the Middle East has taken resources away from planning and preparation to fight a higher-end combat force if a conflict erupted in another part of the world.

If that were to happen, I would have grave concerns about the readiness of our force to deal with that in a timely manner, Milley said.

But while most of their readiness concerns were directed at potential conflicts with major powers Russia and China, they also come at a time of escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula over the Norths nuclear threat.

U.S. and South Korean forces have increased their readiness defense posture following Pyongyangs nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch in February.

Washington has moved more troops and assets into the region and the two allies are currently conducting their largest joint exercises ever, involving 17,000 American troops, 300,000 South Korean troops, and an array of U.S. aircraft and naval vessels.

North Korea

North Korea has called these annual drills rehearsals for invasion and the countrys supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, has threatened to conduct pre-emptive nuclear strikes against South Korean and the U.S. forces.

Early on in the conflict the North Koreans have an enormous incentive to use missiles and artillery to strike as many U.S. forces in the region, I think first as a war winning measure in order to slow down the rate of which the United States can flood forces into South Korea and up to Pyongyang, but I think also in the hope that the casualties will cause the United States to back off, said Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California.

The slogan for the U.S. forces in Korea is ready to fight tonight and part of this years exercises is preparing to counter the Norths nuclear threat.

In addition to combat drills, the allied forces are also simulating surgical pre-emptive strikes against the North Korean leadership and the taking out of key military installations.

North vs. South

North Koreas military is listed as the 36th most powerful in the world, according to the website Global Firepower which evaluates the military capability of countries.

The North has an advantage over the South in some categories, with 700,000 active forces (and over 4 million in the military reserves), 4,200 tanks and 70 submarines.

But much of its conventional weaponry was built or designed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s.

South Korea is seventh in the Global Firepower world ranking, even though it has significantly fewer armed forces, half the number of tanks, and only 13 submarines.

However, South Korea has some of the best modern American weapons and equipment, including more than 2,000 tanks and hundreds of F-5, F-15 and F-16 fighter jets and fighter-bombers.

Together, the U.S. and South Korean militaries are widely considered to have superior conventional forces in the region that are better equipped, better trained and better fed than those in the impoverished North.

The Norths answer to its conventional military disadvantage has been to develop nuclear weapons.

North Koreas concentration on the development of nuclear power and missiles shows that it recognizes that it is far behind South Koreas conventional military capability, said analyst Kim Dong-yub, with Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul.

There are currently close to 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea. Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, the U.S. has maintained a military presence in South Korea to enforce the armistice agreement that divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel between the communist North and the capitalist South.
A prominent Chinese journalist mysteriously disappeared from the Beijing airport Tuesday night while trying to board a flight to Hong Kong.

Friends of Jia Jia, 35, believe the politically engaged columnist's disappearance may have something to do with an open letter published earlier this month that called for the resignation of President Xi Jinping.

According to Mo Zhixu, a writer and personal contact of Jia, the columnist had confided to a number of friends that he feared he would soon be detained for questioning over the missive, and that some of his family members had already been questioned by Chinese security personnel.

According to family friends, the journalist's wife received a call from him around 8 p.m. on Tuesday to say he had passed through customs and was ready to board the flight. His phone was shut down some 15 minutes later, and Jia never arrived to give a lecture scheduled for Thursday at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Jia has written for numerous publications and has more than 80,000 Twitter followers. He had lived in Hong Kong for many years, but had quit his media job last month to take up a teaching position at China's Zhongshan University.

His wife refused to be interviewed by the media, for fear it would adversely impact her husband's situation.

Open letter link?

According to a report by Reuters, Jia's lawyer, Yan Xin, said the journalist  who writes a regular column for Tencent Online  had warned Ouyang Hongliao, a former colleague and an editor at Wujie News, after Wujie had re-posted the letter calling for President Xi to resign.

Yan also told Reuters that Jia, "had told him that he had no connection to the letter, which was signed by a 'loyal Communist party member.'"

Chinese security officials said they initially suspected the site that published the open letter had been hacked by foreign opponents of China's communist party, but a technical check of the server showed no signs of a hack, leading officials to speculate the letter had been posted by someone writing for the site as part of a "political conspiracy."

Mo told VOA's Mandarin Service on Thursday that Jia's friends believe that although the columnist has done nothing wrong, the current environment in China is such that nobody knows how long he may be detained for questioning.

"Many friends believe [Jia] has nothing to do with the open letter incident," Mo said. "All he did was to alert his friend, but if [the government] wants to carry out a big investigation, individuals are too small [to do anything to stop it]."

Beijing: No comment

Whether Jia has been taken into custody has yet to be confirmed, and Beijing law enforcement officials have not responded to requests for comment. Jia's apparent disappearance comes amid mystery over five Hong Kong booksellers who dealt in gossipy books about Chinese leaders, and went missing only to resurface in Chinese custody.

Xi has embarked on an unprecedented effort to clamp down on the Internet and censor opinions that do not fall in line with those of Communist Party leaders, including by imposing tougher penalties for "spreading rumors" via social media.

"So we are very concerned," Mo said. "His mental state and his life will be greatly affected."

The website, Wujie News, is jointly owned by SEEC Media Group, Alibaba, and the government of Xinjiang, a province in China's northwest.

Jia has worked for media outlets in Hong Kong and on the mainland, including China's official Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong's "Phoenix Weekly," China GQ magazine, Hong Kong's Sun TV, and other news organizations.
Zanzibar is preparing for an election rerun Sunday, after polls were nullified in the region last year. But the main opposition party is urging a boycott, and problems with ballot papers are causing many to wonder how a rerun will result in a better electoral process.

Three days after Tanzanians cast their ballots in national elections last October, Zanzibar Electoral Commission Chairman Jecha Salim Jecha announced he would be annulling the islands elections and holding new ones due to violations of electoral law. The opposition has dismissed these claims.



Justification



Zanzibar Law Society president Omar Said Shaaban says the constitution allows for the electoral commission chairman to nullify polls on or before election day.



But this time, nullification happened three days after the election day, which is not something constitutionally provided, he said.

That makes this election season unprecedented for Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. Shaaban says the region has experienced election nullifications in the past, but not days afterward.



Zanzibar presidential candidate and leader of main opposition party Civic United Front, Seif Sharif Hamad, declared himself winner of Zanzibars presidency last October before results were announced. Hamad has stated the October election was free, fair and valid, and without grounds for nullification.

He is urging a boycott of Sundays rerun elections, with support from several other opposition parties.



So far, what we have noticed on the ground is everybody is sort of supporting the position of their party leader that they will not participate in the 20th of March election, he said.

Lack of information



Shaaban argues another problem is the election commission is not properly disseminating information to citizens.



"For example, recently we have noticed that one of the candidates, his name has been wrongly written in the draft ballot paper, and that has created very public concerns on that, whether we will have elections on the 20th, if the ballot paper, the name of the candidate has not been written properly, that means that that candidate is not contesting in this election or this rerun. Now, ZEC has not come forward to explain to the public of what they are doing to fix that, he said.



Recently-elected Tanzanian president John Magufuli, of the CCM party, has endorsed these new elections, a move some believe gives Zanzibar president and fellow CCM party member Ali Mohamed Shein another chance at staying in office.



Zanzibar residents vote for Tanzanias president, Zanzibars president, members of the House of Representatives, and local officials. October ballots cast for Tanzanias president were still counted in the national election, as Tanzanias national electoral commission, not Zanzibar, handles that process.



The constitution says the country's first vice president should come from the party whose candidate is awarded second place. Without the Civic United Front participating, this individual could have problems gaining the support of many Zanzibaris, deepening the Zanzibar political crisis.
Citizens in Bhutan are anxious to ensure the survival of groves of trees that have been planted across the Himalayan nation to honor the beloved king and queen's new baby boy.

Many people in the Buddhist country stop during daily walks or drives to water some of the 108,000 saplings placed on hillsides and in valleys. In Buddhism, trees are considered divine for their role in providing and nourishing all life forms.



"We are now nurturing the plants as if we are nurturing the little prince,'' said Dasho Karma Raydi, who is among those helping to care for the new trees. "We are committed to take care of the plants because so much emotion is attached to this unique way of celebrating the new arrival.''



Raydi, who heads a government-run company, had driven his car to a small hill near a huge Buddha statue on the outskirts of the capital, Thimphu, to water a pine he had planted last week. He said he saw dozens of others doing the same.



Prime Minister Tschering Tobgay joined tens of thousands of volunteers last week in planting the trees to honor the newest member of the royal family, who was born a month ago. King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema are wildly popular in the nation of 800,000.



In Buddhism, trees are symbols of longevity, health, beauty and compassion. The number of saplings was also symbolic, as Buddhists believe each person is required to overcome 108 defilements in order to achieve enlightenment.



``The trees will serve as a constant reminder to all of us about the importance of the Wangchuck Dynasty,'' said Tenzin Lekphell, the head of a private company that organized the tree planting.



The species of trees planted range from teak to oak, and dogwood to pine, depending on the altitude at which they were planted, Lekphell said.



Bhutan prizes environmental initiatives highly, enshrining conservation in a constitution that also declares that 60 percent of the country must always be under forest cover.



"Tree planting is a part of Bhutanese culture. His Majesty the King also loves planting. He, too, may have planted saplings inside the palace complex,'' said palace secretariat official Kunzang Wangdi.
A Donald Trump presidency is the sixth biggest threat facing the world, tied with the prospect of terrorism destabilizing the global economy, according to an assessment by British research group EIU.

Its latest ranking of global risks has a sharp economic slowdown in China at the top. That is followed by Russia's actions in Syria and Ukraine bringing a new cold war, a corporate debt crisis in emerging markets and the fracture of the European Union.

EIU says it does not expect Trump to win the November election, but that there is a moderate probability he will and a high impact if he does.

Controversial stands

The group cites his hostility toward free trade, advocacy of the killing of families of terrorists, support for ground troops in Syria and alienation of both China and Mexico that could result in trade wars and fueling terrorist groups.

Trump has promised to drive hard deals in international negotiations, particularly with China. One of his most repeated campaign pledges is to build along the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants, a project he says Mexico will fund itself.

China



EIU's says the probability of a sharp economic slowdown in China is high and would come with a "very high impact." Too much of a slowdown, the group says, and already slumping prices for commodities like oil and metals will drop further, while markets in the United States and European Union will have a tougher time expanding sales with Chinese customers.

China also features just behind Trump and terrorism on the list. It's disputed activities in the South China Sea pose a risk of armed clashes, EIU says, and while the prospects of that happening are low, any military buildup bring the chance of even an accidental incident escalating into a high impact event.
As Zimbabwe prepares to compensate white commercial farmers, who were evicted from their land under President Robert Mugabes controversial agrarian reforms, some beneficiaries maintain that the program was designed to economically empower indigenous blacks.

Critics, on the other hand, believe that the land reforms were a political game played by Mr. Mugabes government, which needed to shore up support before an election featuring the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

President Mugabes government, which is looking for funding from international finance institutions, is now admitting that the land reforms that started in 2000 targeting almost 4,000 white commercial farmers, were wrong.

Lands, Rural and Resettlement Minister Douglas Mombeshora is quoted by the Mail and Guardian newspaper as saying as a result, efforts are now being made by the state to compensate the white farmers.

Mombeshora did not give specific details on how much money the government needs to fully compensate the disempowered white farmers.

Zimbabwe is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and similar institutions to implement recently agreed measures before it accesses fresh loans. The country stopped receiving such loans about 20 years ago due to various reasons, including the controversial land reforms.

Despite the governments admission that the land reforms were not conducted properly, some beneficiaries commend President Mugabe for spearheading the land reforms.

One of the beneficiaries is Clifford Khupeko of Mashonaland West province.

Another land owner, Jeremiah Ngwerume, of Mhangura, says land defines one's freedom and doesn't regret the taking over a commercial farm, which was once owned by a white person.

Former Mashonaland West Zanu PF chairman Temba Mliswa, who was expelled from

the party for allegedly teaming with other senior officials to allegedly topple the president at an elective congress, praises Mr. Mugabe for embarking on the land reform.

He claims that some attempts were made by the ruling party to take back the land from him when he was dumped by Zanu PF.

At least 300 white commercial farmers out of an estimated 3,500 remain on productive land in Zimbabwe, which contributed a lot to the countrys Gross Domestic Product before the farm seizures.

Indications are that the invasions slashed export income from crops and fueled political conflicts local and with Western nations that criticized Mr. Mugabe from forcibly taking over land owned by white commercial farmers.

In terms of production on some of the farms, which are lying idle, Khupeko, says that has to be left for the next generation.

But Tinashe Karemba of Makonde, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Tsvangirai, says he refused to take over one of the farms on the basis of his political affiliation.

He says the land reforms were needed but done wrongly by the Zanu PF government.

The IMF and the World Bank are engaging Zimbabwe on releasing fresh loans for the southern African nation, which needs it for revamping its ailing economy. Conditions for releasing the funds include the compensation of white commercial farmers and payment of loan arrears of almost $2 billion.

Zimbabwe owes multilateral institutions more than $8 billion.
Mazowe North Member of Parliament, Edgar Chidavaenzi of the ruling Zanu PF party, was reportedly found dead in his Holiday Inn Hotel room in Harare Thursday afternoon.

National police spokesperson senior assistant commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident but said an active death investigation is going on.

Charamba said, I can confirm that the MP was found dead inside his hotel room, but I dont have much detail as our investigating officers are still at the scene. You can call me latter

Chidavaenzi at one time was linked to a Zanu-PF faction that supported expelled former vice president Joice Mujuru derisively called "Gamatox". In 2014 the Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central Provincial leadership led by chairperson Dick Mafios implicated Chidavaenzi and eight other MP's in the province of allegedly fanning factionalism and recommended that they be recalled from parliament.

The nine who were implicated were Chidavaenzi, Nicholas Goche,Walter Kanhanga, David Butau, Chriswell Mutematsaka, Kenneth Musanhu, Christopher Chitindi, Elizabeth Shongedza and Alice Chimbudzi.

Mujuru was expelled from Zanu-PF on the back of a slew of allegations, among them attempting to topple president Robert Mugabe from power, close ties with the West and corruption. Mujuru has denied the allegations.
The alleged looting of potential diamond revenue, estimated by President Robert Mugabe to be about $15 billion, has caused a stir in the country with opposition parties urging the 92 year old Zimbabwean leader to step down.

Opposition parties claim that Mr. Mugabes colleagues, some top state security officials and people linked to the ruling party should be held responsible for the suspected looting of the diamonds, which was once highlighted in 2012 by Partnership Africa Canada.

Partnership Canada alleged that at least $2 billion worth of diamonds were stolen from the countrys diamond fields and ended up in the pockets of President Mugabe's ruling elite. The same allegations were once made by former Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

Then Mines Minister Obert Mpofu dismissed these allegations as wishful thinking. Now, he is refusing to open up on the issue. But the latest revelations by the president and a state order for diamond mining companies to cease operations for accountability purposes, indicate that all is not well in the diamond-rich Manicaland province.

For perspective, Studio 7 reached Nick Mangwana, a Zanu PF activist living in London, and George Mkhwanazi, deputy spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mangwana said quantifying the amount of diamonds and funds looted is an uphill task.

In the presidentt interview he indicated that it wasnt very clear, the computations of the figure was not clear. He said something to the effect that $2 billion had been declared but he suspected that it could have been $15 billion or more realized from the diamond proceeds.

It basically means that by the nature of, let me call it a crime itself, in unquantified diamond carats it might be difficult for anybody to come out with a precise figure of what happened .

Reacting to these sentiments, Mkhwanazi urged President Robert Mugabe to resign saying that he failed to stop corruption in the mining of the gems.

As people of Zimbabwe we are disheartened and dismayed that such kind of kleptomania has happened under the nose of the president and its actually very funny that he is the one that comes out now so say such kind of money was stolen.

Where was he when all this was happening? Really, wasnt he part of the scam that caused such kind of syphoning of such a strategic national resource such as diamonds in a country that needed that kind of huge or massive financial injection at that juncture when the economy was crumbling and needed to be mended?

He said Zimbabwe was disappointed that a whole president will come out now and look around and say such a thing happened. He actually must consider resigning with his entire entourage of cabinet.

The government claims that it only received approximately $2 billion in diamond revenue from the Manicaland provinces Marange fields. Companies declared varying amounts in diamond sales to the state-controlled Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has approved a Declaration of the Regional Drought Disaster, in acknowledgement of the severe levels of hunger and food insecurity in the region.

If no action is taken to address the issue, brought on by drought as a result of El Nino, there is fear that the number of people affected in southern Africa will rise to 50 million, up from the current estimate of 28 to 30 million people.

International aid organizations Oxfam, Save the Children and Care International are jointly calling on donors to respond to the SADC call, with urgency.

Despite the many appeals for funding and food assistance, Oxfams Nellie Nyangwa told VOA Studio 7 that reaction is slow.

What concerned us is that there hasnt been much sense of urgency coming from donors, coming from government and so as Oxfam, we have been lobbying quite a bit for these agencies to take action.

She added that the declaration is a very strong statement from stakeholders in the region. Its rare and I dont think we remember when a whole region declared a disaster  Significance of this is that SADC is acknowledging that this is unprecedented. Its a big crisis that is affecting most of the countries in the region, and as a group of governments in this region, they acknowledge that its a big disaster.

Nyangwa said the declaration is also going to help relief aid agencies to highlight the plight of the people in the region. So we needed more voices and SADC is one of the stronger voices that we have been waiting for.

Essential life-saving crops have failed after at least two consecutive bad harvests, driven this year by a super El Nino, which has resulted in erratic, unpredictable weather, reduced or no rainfall in many areas, and flash flooding in others.

SADCs declaration of a regional emergency must be a clarion call for donors, national governments and the humanitarian community to act faster, said Save the Childrens East and Southern Africa Regional Director, David Wright.

The current El Nino is now the strongest on record, leaving millions in the path of severe droughts and destructive flooding which threaten the lives of families and children across the world. Without help, many children face hunger, disease, and futures deprived of the opportunities provided by education and protection.

Oxfams Daniel Sinnathamby added that although a lot of work is already underway to ensure that affected people, especially women and children, can access enough food over the coming weeks and months, much more must be done because the crisis threatens to overwhelm both governments ability to respond and peoples ability to cope.

Sinnathamby said this current phenomenon is a strong sign of what we can expect from a climate-changed world - we need to meet peoples immediate needs but we must address the longer-term issues which have made men, women and children in Southern Africa chronically vulnerable, he warned.

SADCs announcement included the approval of a regional logistics team to coordinate the immediate response as well as longer-term calls to action for its member states to scale up technological development for agriculture, energy and water to help mitigate the impact of climate change on the regions poorest people and help communities become more resilient to future weather events and shocks, including building up social services and scaling-up programmes to help minimise the impact of climate change on the regions poorest people.

It is increasingly difficult for people to access affordable staple foods across the region, therefore these measures are vital so that more people are able to cope, and ultimately survive, added Sinnathamby.

CAREs East, Central and Southern Africa Regional Director, Emma Naylor-Ngugi, noted that as a result of climate change, extreme weather events such as El Nino are having an even greater impact on poor and marginalized communities in Southern Africa, CARE is especially concerned about the impact of the crisis on women and girls. Increasingly families are skipping meals and eating wild fruits to get by.

Oxfam, Save the Children and Care called for urgent donor intervention to address the imminent crisis in the region, and for national governments to play a critical role to ensure that the most vulnerable are able to access humanitarian relief to save lives now.

According to Nyangwa, in Zimbabwe, the organization does a lot of developmental work and under normal circumstances where there is no crisis, we have been doing a lot of work with farmers, we have also done health work, around HIV/AIDS, specially reproductive health, we do a lot of work around womens rights, as well, and so when we have an emergency like this, our first observation and assessment come out of the fact that we are on the ground.

Zimbabwe says at least 4 million people need urgent food aid. UNICEF indicated this week that 33,000 children are facing acute malnutrition due to the El Nino fuelled drought that has gripped the region.

While the strength of El Nino is set to decrease over the first part of 2016, its full force of its impact of peoples lives will be felt over the coming months.
The announcement by the Russian President of the withdrawal of the main group of its contingent [1] has provoked a new campaign of disinformation. According to the Western and Gulf Press, Vladimir Putin had been irritated by the uncompromising attitude of President Bachar el-Assad, and decided to leave Syria in order to make him face up to his own responsibilities. The same commentators add that since he has no allies left, al-Assad will have to make concessions in Geneva, and abandon his country. Moscow would therefore have offered a wonderful gift to Washington for its five years of civil war.

However, all this is absurd.

1- The Russian military intervention was first negotiated in 2012 by General Hassan Tourekmani, but was only implemented three years later, since Moscow wanted to make the final adjustments to its new weaponry before deployment. Russian troops began to set up in July 2015, and we were the first to announce it. Our information was immediately picked up by the Israeli Press, then by the international media [2]. It was agreed that the bombing campaign would begin after the meeting of the Security Council, which was to take place alongside the UN General Assembly, and last until the Orthodox Christmas, on the 6th January 2016.

It was also planned that once peace had been re-established, a force from the CSTO would be deployed in order to maintain it  however, this has so far been impossible.

2- However, in view of the White Houses difficulty in controlling its allies, the bombing campaign was extended until the Geneva negotiations began again on the 15th March. It goes without saying that Russia never took this date as the anniversary of any pseudo-revolution. Everything began on the 12th December 2003, with the promulgation by George W. Bush of the declaration of war (Syria Accountability Act), then continued year after year (the Arab League summit in Tunis, 2004, concerning the forced democratisation of Lebanon and Syria, the assassination of Rafic Hariri in 2005 and the accusations that Presidents Lahoud and el-Assad had ordered it, the invasion of Lebanon in 2006, intended to provoke the Syrian intervention, the creation of the National Salvation Front by the Muslim Brotherhood in 2007, the destruction of Hezbollahs communication systems and supply networks in 2008, etc.) and the commencement of hostilities on Syrian territory in 2011, up until today.

3- Russia has begun the withdrawal of its contingent quite conspicuously. Flight plans have regularly been registered four days in advance for all cargo planes charged with transporting men and equipment back to Russia. As for the date itself, it was no surprise. The Jordanian Chief of Staff, General Mishal Al-Zaben, had been informed in January in Moscow, by the Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu and his Syrian counterpart General Fahd Jassem Al-Freij [3]. It is therefore ridiculous to link this decision to any supposed disagreement that may have occurred over the last few days.

The political differences have been resolved. The first disagreement concerned the Russian proposition for a federal system  rejected by both Damascus and Riyadh  which had its roots in the Soviet experience. However, the minorities of the Near East  contrary to those of the ex-USSR  are intermingled, and speak the same language. The second concerned the general elections of the 13th April, which the Russians wanted to postpone in order to include them in the Geneva negotiations, while Damascus refused to violate the Constitution.

4- From the military point of view, the Russian Army is withdrawing from the battlefield, but not from military headquarters. There is no longer much point in accumulating planes, because there are few targets left to hit  the fortifications built by the jihadists and their networks for the transport of stolen oil have been destroyed. On the other hand, the anti-aircraft systems - S-400 and Pantsir-S2 missiles  are staying where they are. The supply of weapons and munitions continues, as does the access to Russian satellite intelligence. Russia has renewed the equipment and trained soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army, which had been under embargo for the last 10 years [4]. From now on, the Army is not only capable of defending its population from the jihadists, but also of liberating the occupied territory, which it has begun to do. In this case, Russian aid consists not of simple bombing raids, but air support for the ground troops, as we saw yesterday in Palmyra.

After having invested hundreds of billions of roubles in Syria, Russia is not leaving the Near East at a time when Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon are on the brink of civil war. It is leaving the Syrians to the glory of their Victory.
Photo: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Because shes a decent person/Luke Skywalkers secret offspring, Daisy Ridley had a very sweet, extremely candid reason why she could not accept college student Kevin Carlocks musical invitation to his Davidson College formal, which went viral as these things do. As Ridley points out, she is currently locked in a years-old staring contest with her maybe-father in the outer reaches of space. God, their contacts must be so, so dry right now.

Perhaps more pertinently, Daisy Ridley is currently filming a movie. Sure, plenty of celebrities like Ronda Rousey have attended normal-people events after someones ask went viral, but stars have stuff to do. If you expect Disney to pay to shut down production on Star Wars: Episode VIII for a few days so you can slow dance with Rey, Kevin, just be prepared for everyone in the world to sort of hate you. You can watch Kevins invite below. Its clearly very heartfelt. Good luck next sequel, bud!
Finally, a song fit for Trumps campaign. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

As Donald Trump inches closer and closer to  shudder  the presidency, M.I.A. has arrived to skewer Americas No. 1 border-patrolman right on time. She previously blasted xenophobic international immigration policy amid last years global refugee crisis, with the excellent song and video for Borders; now shes fired off a twofer with MIA OLAForeign Friend. The first half, MIA OLA, begins with a (possibly illegal) sample of Circle of Life from The Lion King (Disneys tale of extreme territorialism), which introduces this fire: They call me a ruler, trend setter, makin life feel better / Breaking order like a leader, now follow. What does follow is an indictment against that wall a certain presumed Republican presidential nominee swears hell build. At the border I see the patroller cruising past in their car / Hiding in my Toyota Corolla, everybody say YALA!, she raps, referencing 2013s Y.A.L.A. (meaning: You Always Live Again).

The song switches gears (and tempo) around three minutes in, where she delightfully brags, When I jump that fence I gon get a Benz / Then I leave my tent and I can be your foreign friend. In other words, there isnt a wall high enough to stop M.I.A.
Photo: Getty Images

If you want to see the biggest new movies, you have to go to the theater. This is the premise the film industry rests on: It expects  no, it knows  that enough of us will want to see a new Star Wars movie, or Batman v Superman, or any other blockbuster release badly enough that you will pay the rising ticket price and maybe buy some popcorn and put yourself in that theater seat.

Of course, there have been innumerable threats to that once-ironclad truth over the last few decades, all treated like they might be the end of movies as we know it: VHS, DVD, streaming. Now we have the latest: a service called the Screening Room that would bring first-run movies, a la the superhero tentpoles and prestige pictures that still get people to go to theaters, into the sanctity and comfort of living rooms everywhere. That is, if Hollywood doesnt bury it first.

Led by Sean Parker, the Napster-Facebook-Spotify impresario portrayed by Justin Timberlake in The Social Network, the Screening Room has so far added a wide swath of industry bigwigs as stakeholders, including Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Peter Jackson, who explained his support by saying that it will expand the audience for a movie by catering to individuals who wouldnt otherwise go see it in theaters. And though a $150 set-top box and $50 per 48-hour rental might seem preposterous, if youre splitting that amount between a handful of people, its still cheaper than movie tickets  plus, no traffic or babysitter required, and you can make popcorn in the microwave, and you dont need to guess at the best time to hit the bathroom because you just drank 32 ounces of Mountain Dew. (Youve watched movies at home before. You understand.)

As you might expect, not everyone is keen on the idea of the last frontier  the exhibition viewing window that keeps a movie exclusive to theaters for a certain period of time  toppling in the face of Parkers lust for innovation. Deadline had some choice quotes from distributors and exhibitors:

 This news is so damaging, I cant tell you right now how unhappy I am.

 It would be the beginning of the end, and half of the theaters in this country would close.

 Hopefully, this will fail.

 Anyone who thinks this is going to work in this day and age needs their head examined.

Midas-touch filmmaker James Cameron and his longtime producer Jon Landau have also come out against the Screening Room, upholding the sanctity of the theater-going experience as well as making some salient points: Best intentions aside, the service would be incredibly susceptible to piracy, and theres nothing to prevent someone from paying $50 and then piling in as many people as they can fit inside the room.

Unsurprisingly, the National Association of Theater Owners  confusingly referred to as NATO  has also voiced its opposition to the Screening Room, saying it believes any new form of VOD and at-home viewing should come directly from exhibitors and distributors. The Art House Convergence, an alliance of smaller exhibiting interests, did the same, and the only support of any kind the Screening Room has received from inside the distributor/exhibitor nexus is from the Chinese-owned AMC chain.

Hollywood has never taken kindly to outsider innovation, and the Screening Room is a terrific example of Silicon Valley disruption that sounds great to a bunch of venture capitalists on Sand Hill Road but makes the subjects of that disruption want to rip their hair out. While the Screening Room could have a legitimate use to people who are interested in getting their friends together and watching movies, it does also have a high barrier of entry financially  $150 for such limited-use hardware is insane  making it a product whose appeal would mainly be to either serious film buffs or those for whom money isnt an issue.

Setting aside the viability of the product itself, the larger hurdle is that the only way for the Screening Room to even exist is if the companies that make, sell, and show films actually sign on. Its the same problem Netflix faced in trying to distribute Beasts of No Nation: It had to four-wall theaters because no exhibitors would play ball. Without those partnerships, the Screening Room wont have access to the movies it needs to justify that $50 price point, which are the biggest, newest, and most in-demand movies, the superhero movies and prestige pictures and animated films  also, as it stands, the movies that have become the hinge upon which the industrys financial model currently swings. Parker and co. can act like theyre doing Hollywood a favor, protecting them from pirates and saving their business, but theyre about to learn how precarious it can be to have to depend on the very people theyre trying to disrupt.
Steve-O. Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

Steve-O, the still-mischievous Jackass alum, has a comedy special out later this week  he promises youll get some of the new stand-up Steve-O, mixed with some of the old stunt-driven Steve-O. (Though, the latter is slightly more cautious these days.) While promoting the project in a recent interview with GQ, Steve-O discussed his electrifying act, revisited the early years of his fame and substance abuse, and revealed why hes still doing (at least somewhat) insane things. The reason I do everything I do now, straight up, is Im an attention whore, Steve-O, who has been eight years sober, told the mag. Its that simple. The chat also notably unearthed a handful of wild Mike Tyson anecdotes, a couple of which have been highlighted below.

When asked about his treasure trove of wild stories, this seemed like the top choice:

Ive done fucking cocaine with Mike Tyson, dude. We spent three hours locked in a bathroom together. There was this house party in the Hollywood Hills. And I remember I was distinctly not invited, but I showed up and rang the doorbell. Mike Tyson opened up the door. I said, Hey, is it cool if I come in? And he said, You got any coke? And I told him, Yeah, dude, I got a bunch. And I did. I had like a whole eight ball in one pocket, half an eight ball in the other pocket  At that time in my life, I would develop Tourettes syndrome if I was fucked up enough, just blurting out inappropriate shit. So I said to him, my exact words, You know, Mike, I dont have a racist bone in my body, but I like to consider myself a n-r. [laughs] Ill never forget, he said, You ask me, the definition of that word is anybody who uses it. And I was like, Damn! Iron Mike, deep as fuck! And so were talking about the finer points of racism in America or whatever, just sort of philosophizing about how to make the world a better place, and it was just fucking incredible, man. The last thing he said to me was, You know, Steve, everybodys got you wrong. Youre actually really smart.

This anecdote came as an example of how he was acting out as a youngster:

I walked into my Spanish class in fifth grade, and I chose deliberately to sit next to the prettiest girl in the class. Right before the class started, I told her, I dont have to be in class today. I can leave whenever I want. She looked at me like I was crazy. And then the class began, and I just super violently ripped out [my loose baby] tooth. Of course it started bleeding really heavily. I raised my arm and told the teacher that I needed to go to the nurse. She saw that blood and said, Go, go! And I stood up, turned to the girl, and said, I told you so.

That time Mike Tyson broke Steve-Os nose, but it was a good thing:

[It was] the Comedy Central Roast with Charlie Sheen, and we talked Mike into  holding his fist out, and I dove into Mike Tysons fist and landed on it with nothing but my nose. Super broke my nose. Like, really crazy broke it. And then this guy comes out of the crowd, running up toward the stage at the end of the show, and he says, Steve-O, your nose needs to be set right now. Im a kung fu instructor, and I know what Im doing. So I let this kung fu asshole set my nose on the spot, and it just turned out that he did a fucking magnificent job. He basically fixed my nose perfect. Everything I was hoping to get that [doctor] dude to do, I got done by Mike Tyson and a fucking kung fu weirdo.

For more from the interview, which also has info on Steve-Os latest stunts, flossing advice, and health fears, head here. And you can catch Steve-Os Showtime special, Guilty As Charged, on Friday at 10 p.m.
After establishing a fairly large cast of characters in its pilot, the second episode of Underground, War Chest, raises the shows stakes with a collection of tawdry scenes involving gross imbalances of power, a daring gun theft, and a fully undressed Aldis Hodge.

We open on a clandestine meeting between Noah and the men he intends to include in his escape: Zeke, Sam, Henry, and Moses. Moses tells the group that the only part of the song he can understand is about the Ohio River: You enter a slave and you come out on the other side a free man. At the sound of footsteps, the men blow out their lamp and hide. Its Cato, but Noah assures the skittish group that hell be running with them. Not so fast, Cato hedges. He doesnt think they have a good enough plan yet.

If there were any doubt left that Aldis Hodge is a great choice to play a slave-revolt leader, Hodge lays it to rest in War Chest. We get to see him in scenes with many sorts of characters, and hes equally charismatic and convincing with them all. His performance emphasizes how trust played a crucial role with these escape plans  and how that trust had to be sustained over time, even amid skepticism and low morale.

In the house, Rosalee is an outcast among the other slaves. As they giggle about a dance theyll attend later on the Shaw plantation, they give her the cold shoulder and mutter that she thinks shes too good for their dances. Its an interesting spin; Im used to seeing the divide between house slaves and field hands, but not this. Rosalee is an outsider among those already considered outsiders. The house slaves regard her as even more uppity than they are perceived to be by the field hands. We see that this isnt true when Rosalee finds a yellow ribbon on the floor and pockets it with girlish admiration. Though she appears saddened to hear her peers opinions, she doesnt counter them here. In fact, Rosalee remains silent through much of this episode, leaving Smollett-Bell to do a lot of face-acting in key scenes. Thankfully, she does that well.

While Tom Macon courts southern businessmen for his Senate run, his brother John Hawkes shows up at a brothel with wife Elizabeth, looking for William Still. The proprietor says Still has been delayed. While they wait, a crate arrives. Inside are a dead black woman and a living, terrified black man.

Over at Augusts farm, he discovers that a wolf got into his chicken coop and now the chickens and the eggs are gone. His black friend (Clarke Peters, playing a character who still hasnt been named) expresses concern that he plans to keep chasing slaves. That kind of work changes a man, he warns. Instead, the friend suggests, they should consider selling Charlottes ring, but August insists she will wear it again when she returns from the mental hospital. After the friend also says that August should be spending more time with Ben, August tells Ben to get his rifle. Were going hunting. Peters horrified concern speaks for us all: They wont be hunting runaway slaves, will they?

Back on the Macon plantation, Noah is moving at a lightning speed on his plan. Hes enlisted Sam to devise a way under a bridge that leads off the land. He asks Henry to attend the dance and steal a gun from the Shaw big house. He even suggests that Moses forge freedom papers. (That is, if you can write as well as you read.) Mosess wife, Pearly Mae, covers for Moses by pointing out that the freedom papers wouldnt be any good without the masters seal  and none of them are allowed anywhere near where he keeps it.

William Still finally arrives to greet Hawkes and Elizabeth, but immediately excuses himself to tend to the cargo. Ever since Henry Box Brown shipped himself to freedom, he says, others have attempted the same feat. Slave catchers storm the place looking for the surviving slave on the premises, but they dont find (or kill) him, despite stabbing the floorboards under which hes hiding.

At the big house, Suzanna and Mary get into a fight that ends with Mary huffing that her life is as bad as a slaves  because her mother wont let her meet men. Rosalee quietly asks Ernestine if she ever imagines a different life. Ernestine says that she does. She imagines a thousand fates worse than theirs, which is why she works so hard to make sure they have it as easy as possible. Rosalee again remains silent, if sobered.

Noah tries to barter with the local traveling vendor, a white man, for paper and pencils. Cato catches up to them, mid-transaction, and urges the overseer to make Noah strip. (Naked Aldis! If this werent so demeaning, Id insert the heart-eyes emoji here.) When theyre alone, Cato lays down the law: Because of his proximity to power, hes the master, and he wants to know the whole plan. Noah tells him the bit about the gun and alludes to the fact that hell sleep with the Shaw mistress to gain access to the big house. Cato clutches his pearls.

Turns out August and Ben are just hunting the wolf that invaded their chicken coop. Ben proves a worthy shot and August is very impressed, an emotion Chris Meloni conveys entirely with his eyes. Unfortunately, those eyes spot human footprints near the wolf, which August suspects belong to a runaway slave. He sends Ben back home and pursues the trail.

Ready for a cry? Moses is wooing Pearly Mae by recounting how they met. It was at a plantation dance: It was worth the paddlin I got, just to talk to you. As Pearly Mae finishes his forged freedom papers, he says he wont run without her and their young daughter, Boo. Pearly Mae protests that Boo wont be able to keep up, but Moses has already fashioned a sling hell use to carry her. Pearly Mae is teary-eyed and I am, too.

While Rosalee serves drinks to Tom Macons plantation-owner guests, two of them express interest in bedding her. The yellow ribbon she pocketed earlier is in her hair and one of the men trails it through his fingers. Macon notably tries to redirect the conversation, as Ernestine enters the room at just that moment, suggesting that she should fetch a vintage liquor from the cellar. Tom thinks thats a fine idea, and Rosalee takes that as a cue to also retreat. She hyperventilates in the hallway and yanks the ribbon from her hair.

Cut to the cellar, where Ernestine is stark naked, pouring liquor over her body. Tom cant undress fast enough. Ernestine engages in light BDSM and commands Tom to promise not to send James to the field, which Suzanna wants him to do. Say it, Ernestine demands. Tom obliges, and now its my turn to pearl-clutch. Its also time to explore something the show has yet to state explicitly: Rosalee and James are likely Toms children. Theyre both light-skinned enough to imply that theyre biracial, and this steamy sex scene makes clear that Tom and Ernestine have long warmed each others beds.

This knowledge colors the earlier scene in which Suzanna, Mary, Rosalee, and Ernestine are in the same room. These mothers and daughters share the same lover/patriarch, but have very different experiences based on the color of their skin. It also underscores an irony: Ernestine has more power  at least while naked  than Suzanna does. She gets away with hitting Tom and bossing him around, something I doubt Suzanna would even consider. Attempting to portray Ernestine as having sexual agency within the institution of slavery  which disallows any kind of real agency  is definitely rocky terrain, but the shows decided to go there, and itll be interesting to see the fallout. My guess is that Tom wont honor Ernestines demand that James be spared from the field.

The pearl-clutching continues in the next scene. As it turns out, the Shaw mistress doesnt host plantation dances just to give the slaves respite from their toils  she always picks one man to sleep with. Noah tells Cato its usually him, so hell do the deed while Cato steals the gun. (In a flashback, Noah appears detached and taciturn as the mistress has her way with him. Its a pointed juxtaposition from the previous scene between Tom and Ernestine.) This time, Shaw chooses a mortified Cato. Noah is amused. While Cato serves as a distraction, we see Noah lift the gun.

Back in the woods, August proves himself to be an even more horrible person than we thought. He tracks down a missing slave, they fight, then August stabs and kills him. Ben witnesses the whole thing.

Meanwhile, William Still and the Hawkeses pull off their first successful bait-and-switch. After realizing that the slave catchers never left the area, Elizabeth rushes to the police station. Still disguises himself and dashes from the back door of the building. When hes caught and beaten bloody, Elizabeth returns with the police and insists the slave catchers be arrested for assaulting a free man.

After having to sleep with the Shaw mistress, Catos pissed. He punches Noah to underscore his disgust. They fight until Noah pulls his newly acquired gun, telling Cato that he wont let his authority be challenged. Cato grudgingly defers. Its another of those moments that convinces you Noah is the only leader who can corral this crew of would-be free-folk. Hodges wild-eyed performance makes it obvious why nobody could cross him.

Back at the plantation dance, Noah and Rosalee draw toward each other. Rosalee tells Noah she saw the tattoos on his back, and how they were done atop lash scars. Its about not letting the white folks find your story. Right? Its about making it your own. Noah is so moved that he blurts out, Run with me. Its as hot as it sounds.

Two episodes in, Underground already feels like its off to the races. But how long can it keep that up? Noahs escape plan is progressing quickly, which seems a little implausible. All the moving parts will require a great deal of time and patience  and Noah hasnt even partnered with any abolitionists at this point. He doesnt even know theres a network of people out there willing to help. He also does an alarming amount of stage-whispering (in the fields, in the slave quarters, and in wooded clearings). Hopefully, bringing Rosalee into the fold will temper the folly attendant to his urgency.
Zack Snyder, Rand-adapter. Photo: Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

Ayn Rand wasnt exactly known for having a sunshine-and-lollipops view of the world, and she may have found a kindred spirit in noted grim-and-gritty superhero director Zack Snyder. He and his wife (and producing partner) Deborah Snyder have revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that hes toying around with a screen adaptation of Rands best-selling 1943 ode to architecture and rugged individualism, The Fountainhead. When asked if hes had time to work on projects other than DC Comics adaptations like next weekends Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, this was his reply:

I have been working on The Fountainhead. Ive always felt like The Fountainhead was such a thesis on the creative process and what it is to create something. Warner Bros. owns [Ayn Rands] script and Ive just been working on that a little bit.

This would not be the first time the massive novel was adapted for film: Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal starred in a Fountainhead flick in 1949, which was penned by Rand herself. For the legions of folks who have heard about the book but never dived into it, it follows the trials and tribulations of an iconoclastic architect named Howard Roark. He spends the tale striving to overcome critics and colleagues who doubt the integrity of his creative vision, eventually (spoiler alert) winning out and being recognized for his greatness. He was a walking embodiment of Rands philosophy, which held individual achievement as sacred and dismissed anyone who would ask for a handout.

Its also infamous for a scene in which Roark rapes the female lead, Dominique Francon. Rand was no fan of feminism, which makes another comment from Snyder especially interesting. Elsewhere in the interview, he talks about the differing tonal approaches to the DC shared-universe of superhero films, saying a Flash movie will likely be lighter than making a World War I epic with this feminist icon like Wonder Woman. Say what you will about Snyder, but you cant accuse him of political rigidity.
Sean McConnell plans to play a few new songs at his Common Grounds show Friday night, but not as a test drive to see what works with his new album set for summer release.

Its more on entertaining an audience with a mix of the familiar and the new.

(Testing new material) isnt part of the process for me. I use my internal compass for that, he explained in a recent phone interview. I tend to write a collection of songs that belong together, although its nice to see people reacting to them, for sure.

McConnell, his guitar and his lyric-rich songs cap a Friday show at

Common Grounds after returning from a West Coast tour where he opened for American Idol winner and fellow Nashville musician Kris Allen.

If he says Common Grounds, live music and an audience feel like home, it may not be far from the truth: The Massachusetts native grew up with coffeehouse-playing musicians as parents, and his dad wrote songs at home.

If anything, (having musicians as parents) informed me that this is a job. People can do this and make a living, McConnell recalled. My dad writing songs at the house was a huge reason I grew up writing songs.

It didnt hurt, either, that the McConnell house was filled with music, with songs by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Shawn Colvin and Harry Chapin often playing on the familys stereo.

It was a breeding ground for what I do now, he said.

McConnell started writing songs as a teenager, after the family moved from Massachusetts to Georgia while he was in middle school. He continued that through college and into a career, signing with Nashville music publishing house Warner/Chappell Publishing after graduation.

His songwriting caught the ear of Nashville producers, who have had his songs recorded by such stars as Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, the Randy Rogers Band, Martina McBride, the Eli Young Band, the Plain White Ts and the Brothers Osborne, with Rascal Flatts having the most success with Come Wake Me Up. McConnells song Shotgun also made the soundtrack to the ABC television series Nashville.

After 11 years in Nashville and the music business, McConnell recently signed with Rounder Records, a leading record label for independents and Americana musicians. Its his first label, and having staff support for such things as marketing, promotion and tour logistics  tasks hes done himself for years  should help him move a rung or two up the ladder.

Theres a team to do all those things Id do, but up to scale, he said.

In preparing for his next album with Rounder Records, McConnell gave a listen to some of his early music and recordings and found some of it still held up.

When I look back on my collection of work, I see a maturity there, he said. I listened to music I wrote when I was 15 and realized how much I appreciate instinctual simplicity, he said. Im getting back to that, in a weird way.

Friday at Common Grounds brings him back to another constant in his career, the joy of performing before an audience.

In the past 10 to 15 years, the music business has changed so much, but one thing hasnt changed, McConnell said. People want to see live music.
L-3 in Waco has won a high-profile contract to strengthen the wing of a Boeing 747-400 aircraft for Virgin Galactic, the company founded by Sir Richard Branson. The plane already has arrived at L-3s facility at Texas State Technical College airport.

L-3, the largest industrial employer in Waco, has been performing engineering work with Virgin Galactic since last year to carry out modifications to the plane, dubbed Cosmic Girl, once used to fly Virgin Airlines passengers between the United States and Europe.

Virgin Galactic is known for its work on a program to send paying customers into space, but this project will support satellite launches.

L-3s work will make the left wing stout enough to support a rocket that would launch in flight from beneath the wing. This rocket would propel satellites into space for commercial and government customers.

Company spokesman Lance Martin said that for confidentiality reasons he could not disclose the value of the contract or the length of the planes stay in Waco.

He said performing work for Virgin Galactic and Branson should enhance L-3s image, saying, the customer speaks for itself.

It is exciting to have the opportunity to apply L-3s engineering expertise and versatility in systems integration to Virgin Galactics pioneering work in creating the worlds first spaceline, said Jim Gibson, sector president of L-3 Aircraft Systems, which includes the Platform Integration unit in Waco. From our flight sciences and aerospace engineers to our aircraft technicians, L-3s team looks forward to collaborating with Virgin Galactic in helping them achieve their goals on this unique program.

Branson announced in December that the aircraft had been added to Virgin Galactics fleet of air and space vehicles. The company selected the 747-400 due to its robust carrying capacity, operational flexibility, ability to operate in may kinds of weather, global pool of talented maintenance support personnel, robust spare parts supply chain and its lengthy and impressive track record of reliable operations, L-3 said in a prepared statement.

Virgin Galactic CEO George T. Whitesides said launching satellites from a plane allows us to offer rapid, responsive service that meets the schedules and business needs of our customers. Leveraging the extensive technical expertise at L-3 for 747 modifications will enable rapid delivery of the aircraft to launch operations teams at Virgin Galactic.

Space-related projects

L-3 is no stranger to space-related projects or those involving 747 aircraft. The Waco plant played a substantial role in the so-called SOFIA project, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, which involved NASA, the Universities Space Research Association and the German maker of a reflecting telescope 2.5 meters in diameter.

The company modified a Boeing 747SP wide-body aircraft to accommodate placing the telescope behind a heavy door that could open and close during flight. SOFIAs flight capability allows it to rise above almost all the water vapor in the atmosphere, giving it a clear view of the sky.

The mounted telescope took its first flight on May 26, 2010, becoming the successor to the Kuiper Airborne Observatory.

Virgin Galactic, meanwhile, is the worlds first commercial space line. Owned by the Virgin Group and Aabar Investments PJS, it is trying to develop reliable, affordable and frequent services both for human spaceflight and satellite launches. LauncherOne is a flexible launch service for commercial and government-built satellites.

LauncherOne rockets are designed and manufactured in Long Beach, California, and will be air-launched from the 747-4000 carrier from various locations.

On the human spaceflight front, Virgin Galactic is testing VSS Unity, the newest spacecraft in its SpaceShipTwo launch system.

To date, 700 people from more than 50 countries have registered to fly with Virgin Galactic. SpaceShipTwo and its carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, are made and tested in Mojave, California, by Virgin Galactics manufacturing wing, The Spaceship Co.

Commercial operations will be based in New Mexico, at Spaceport America, the worlds first commercial spaceport built for human travel.

L-3s headquarters is in New York, and its Platform Integration unit has more than 30 years of experience in modifying military and commercial aircraft. The Waco facility employs about 1,600 people, and that number will not increase to handle the Virgin Galactic contract, Martin said.

L-3 last week announced it has received a $22 million contract from the Department of Defense to keep four Hornet fighter jets in peak condition. The Waco facility will provide administrative and support work for the depot-level maintenance of the aircraft. Most of the hands-on work will take place at an L-3 facility in Canada.

The Waco area continues to make waves in the commercialization of space flight. SpaceX has a facility in McGregor and is developing rockets to haul satellites into space and cargo to the International Space Station. It also is looking into the feasibility of taking humans skyward.
The Chilis building at North Valley Mills Drive and Bosque Boulevard has hit the market, with real estate agent Pat Farrar already contacting potential tenants about leasing the 5,111-square-foot structure after Chilis unveils its new location along Interstate 35 on April 4.

In a move that surprised some, Chilis has decided to close for business in Parkdale shopping center more than a year before its lease expires in July 2017. Some thought Chilis would continue to operate the 23-year-old restaurant as a test to see if both locations could thrive after the second eatery opens.

I think they just needed a new breath of air. Sometimes change energizes you, Waco real estate agent Jim Peevey said of Chilis decision to close its North Valley Mills Drive location as soon as the new property opens. He is not involved in the Chilis transaction.

Pat Farrar will get information in front of the right people. I know that, Peevey said.

Farrar said he is representing the Chilis site on behalf of Georgia-based RexCo Development. The balance of Parkdale, home to Hobby Lobby, Drug Emporium, Dickeys Barbecue Pit and 99 Cents Only, among other restaurants and retailers, was acquired last year by Atlanta-based Core Property Capital.

Were putting a brochure together and we will have information about the building all over the Internet, all over LoopNet, a real estate listing site, but mostly Ill be doing a lot of cold calling, Farrar said. I have a prospective tenant list, and restaurants will go at the top of it.

He said he knows of about 50 restaurants or chains he will call in pursuit of a lessee.

Id rather not name them because I dont want to create any expectations, Farrar said. It may be hard to believe, but we do have a void in the fast-food category, and one of those likely would make a lot of sense for that location. There also is room for sit-down restaurants, including Mexican and other concepts.

A ground lease on the building is available for $110,000 a year for someone who may want to raze the existing structure and build a new one, Farrar said.

A prospect wanting to use the existing structure would pay about $122,000 a year  $24 a square foot, plus taxes, maintenance and the cost of insurance, he said.

He already has talked at length with at least two prospects, Farrar said.

Farrar said he thinks that $24-per-square-foot lease rate is fair for a quality building on what he describes as a prime corner.

He said the booming growth in restaurant and retail development, including that along Valley Mills Drive, has driven up lease rates in some sectors of Greater Waco.

Im hearing that quite a few deals have been in the $30 range, with some close to $40, which would be a first for this market, Farrar said, adding that the reports he has heard involve new construction along Interstate 35 near South Fifth through South Ninth streets.

Those rates could not be confirmed Thursday, but other real estate agents, including Bland Cromwell, echoed what Farrar said he had heard.

As for the $24 a square foot being asked for the old Chilis building, real estate agent Brad Davis said, I think thats right where it should be.

Gordon Harriman, with Crawford Austin Properties, teamed with real estate agent Mike Meadows to develop and attract tenants to Lakewood Center at Wooded Acres and Valley Mills drives in recent years. He said space there leased for about $25 a square foot, not counting insurance, taxes and maintenance.

Lakewood Center

He joked he wished those signing deals to pay more than $30 a square foot would have come to see me. He added that Lakewood Center, anchored by such eateries as Mama Fus Asian House and Smashburger, has done well, with the entire complex pre-leased before construction was complete.

Rowdy Taco created a vacancy when it closed in May of last year, but a seafood restaurant called The Catch is renovating that space for an opening soon.

It is the same ownership as Rowdy Taco, just a different concept, Harriman said. We are now full again.

Harriman said he developed Lakewood Center to prove that North Valley Mills Drive still has plenty of life, though major developments such as construction of a new 121,000-square-foot H-E-B Plus! and the Gander Mountain-anchored development that will include a new Chilis have taken place on South Valley Mills Drive.

Neighbors of the new Chilis include Zoes Kitchen, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Bubbas 33 and Starbucks.

I think Bosque at Valley Mills Drive remains a fantastic corner, as strong as it has ever been, in my opinion, real estate agent Josh Carter said. I think its among the top five traffic generators in the area, and I see no reason why a quality restaurant cant be attracted there.

Carter said he would not be surprised to see a nationally branded convenience store take shape where Chilis is now.

Peevey, meanwhile, said he could see a multiuse tenant leveling the Chilis building and placing offices or a minor emergency clinic.

The city of Waco and Metropolitan Planning Organization have statistics showing that nearly 40,000 vehicles pass by the shopping center daily.

The Chilis in Parkdale will close on or about March 28, giving way to the new Chilis on the interstate that will open April 4.

Manager Aaron Lincoln said the 40 employees already employed by Chilis will relocate, and hiring has begun to fill another 15 to 20 positions.

Don Shows, who works in Chilis construction department, said Wacos new eatery will seat 247 people, including bar seating.
Themis arm finally has a price tag.

Almost two years have passed since a storm with 65-mph wind gusts ripped off her left arm and the scales of justice it held. The goddess still crowns the historic McLennan County Courthouse in downtown Waco, but a thin bar protrudes where her arm should be.

This week, McLennan County commissioners learned that bringing a new arm to the goddess of divine law could cost between almost $300,000 and almost $400,000.

County Judge Scott Felton said it has been quite an ordeal to address the arm of the tall lady on top because the courthouse has a state historical marker and changes have to be made carefully.

County Purchasing Director Ken Bass said an architect gave the county three options for repair.

The first option would cost $291,951 and take about eight weeks to complete. The process would include removing the statue and sending it to a qualified sheet metal restoration firm specializing in repair and conservation of sheet zinc statuary.

Themis paint would be stripped around her shoulder for soldering, and then the arm would be reproduced using the existing damaged pieces as a model.

Option 2, the most expensive option, would take about 16 weeks to complete and cost $385,911.

Themis would be removed and shipped to a qualified sheet metal restoration firm, where her arm would be made of zinc sheet metal or copper, matching the thickness of the original sheet metal.

Option 3 would take 20 weeks to complete and cost $366,228.

Themis would be removed from her perch and shipped to a qualified ornamental metal fabricator. Her arm then would be remade out of cast aluminum.

Commissioner Kelly Snell said he is interested in the first option because he doesnt want to pour more tax dollars into something that could just break again.

You get an arm sticking out there with scales on it, and any gust of wind, I just dont want to spend more than well get reimbursed with on the insurance side, Snell said.

He said it wasnt that long ago when Themis took a load off her feet for repairs.

2011 restoration

In 2011, Themis was lowered to the ground for a paint job and restoration. It took 50 men, more than 20 trucks, a 220-foot-tall crane and a 50-foot-long flatbed trailer to restore the 6,000-pound statue.

When you have an arm extended with scales on it, anything could happen, Snell said.

In July, County Administrator Dustin Chapman said the county learned its insurer, the Texas Association of Counties, will cover any costs over $10,000 to repair the goddess. Chapman could not be reached Wednesday.

Favoring 2nd option

Commissioner Ben Perry said at this point hes more inclined to go with the second option. All the options are costly, but you get what you pay for, Perry said. Themis needs a different kind of repair, unlike work they have done before, which is what the second option would offer, he said.

If were going to do the same thing, thats the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, Perry said. Im definitely not in favor of doing what weve always done. That hasnt gotten us anywhere.

Commissioners will vote at a later date on Themis repairs.
Jay Warren Arnold testified Wednesday he cant remember if he strangled his wife with wire in 2012 but said he would never do something like that.

Arnold told jurors that medical and psychological problems have caused memory lapses during his lifetime, adding that the stress of dealing with his failing marriage exacerbated his existing medical conditions.

Prosecutors Robert Moody and Gabrielle Massey and defense attorneys Russ Hunt and Michelle Tuegel will give jury summations when the trial resumes Thursday morning in 54th State District Court.

Arnold, 39, is charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault in a November 2012 incident at the couples remote home on Four Corners Road near West.

Arnolds estranged wife, Katie Arnold, 36, testified Tuesday that her husband had been drinking heavily and forced open a locked door to a bathroom, where she and the couples three children were hiding after an argument escalated.

Katie Arnold testified that Arnold pushed her against a wall, knocking her over into the bathtub. She said he dragged her throughout the house, hitting her head on a door and forcing her in a headlock down the stairs and into the garage.

She said he wound an insulated copper wire around an exposed wooden stud in the garage and then twisted it around her neck so tightly that she blacked out.

Jay Arnold, who was on the stand about 90 minutes Wednesday, denied most of the allegations or said he could not recall what happened. During cross-examination, Massey asked Arnold if his wife wrapped the cord around her own neck to cause the bruises and abrasions shown in a photograph she showed him.

Did it make you feel like a big, strong man when you almost killed your wife? Massey asked.

I would never have done that, he said. I dont recall doing that. I dont think I did that.

Called into chambers

Earlier Wednesday, prosecutors objected to several questions Tuegel asked Arnolds sister, arguing that the questions were not relevant for the guilt-innocence phase of the trial. After Judge Matt Johnson sustained several of the objections, he called the attorneys into his chambers to discuss Tuegels line of questioning.

While they were in the judges chambers, Arnold wrote Supression on a piece of paper. While he misspelled the word, he wrote it in large letters across a piece of yellow legal-size paper and propped it up in front of him facing the jury.

Arnold had been free on bail, so there were no courtroom deputies sitting as close to him as they would have been if he were in custody. But deputies and audience members in the courtroom reported Arnolds sign to the judge, who revoked his bail and admonished the jury not to consider Arnolds actions for any purpose.

The defense asked for a mistrial, which the judge denied.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound former minor league pitcher spent the rest of Wednesday afternoon wearing a high-voltage electronic security belt that a deputy controls remotely, and there were at least eight deputies in the courtroom most of the afternoon.

Arnold testified that he has been diagnosed with Crohns disease, which causes digestive tract inflammation, and Hashimotos disease, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid and causes cognitive impairment.

Arnold denied that he had been drinking heavily that day, contradicting testimony from his wife, his 13-year-old son and law enforcement officers.

He said the stress from fighting with his wife, coupled with his ongoing medical conditions, causes memory lapses. But, under cross-examination from Massey, he denied many of the most serious accusations or had a far different version from the testimonies of his wife and son.

Psychiatrist testifies

In other defense testimony, Robert Schulte, a psychiatrist from Scottsdale, Arizona, testified that he started treating Arnold in 2014 and he was a psychiatric mess when he arrived. He said Arnold was depressed, anxious, irritable, agitated, sad, overwhelmed and beside himself.

He has so many cross-currents of psychiatric and medical causes, Schulte said.

Schulte said Arnold suffers from a thyroid storm that affects his memory, cognitive functions and moods.

In state rebuttal testimony, Katie Arnold returned to the stand to rebut Arnolds denials of his actions during their rocky marriage.

She said he threw her out into the snow barefooted one winter when they lived in Montana but let her back in the home within a few minutes. She said he also restrained her on other occasions, preventing her from leaving a room while they were arguing.

She said a week before he strangled her with the wire, they were arguing about child custody when he told her, Im willing to die so that you dont win. Are you willing to say the same thing? If not, dont try it.
A September 2011 march on Madrids Gran Via. Claudio Alvarez (EL PAIS)

The news from Spain since the crash of 2008 has largely been gloomy: a succession of corruption scandals, political parties more interested in protecting their own interests than in addressing the problems of the people who elect them, stubbornly high levels of unemployment, low wages, and an exodus of young people in search of work.

Meanwhile, half the populations of the Basque Country and Catalonia seem to want their regions out of Spain.

Entire families have been living off grandpas pension and the subsidy that the state pays to dad

Economist Juan Jose Dolado

The other side of the coin is that Spaniards have responded well to the crisis, often through family networks, but also by joining local and national associations in search of solutions to their countrys problems.

In short, Spains civil society is more powerful and articulate than is often imagined, argue economists Rafael Myro, Jose Luis Garcia Delgado and Juan Jose Dolado, a view shared by political analysts Fernando Vallespin and Carol Galais, as well as anthropologist Carles Feixa, sociologist Pau Mari Klose, and social psychologist Enric Pol.

Their basic premise is that Spanish society has risen above the defects of its politicians and shown itself more capable, dynamic and creative than them, and better able to deal with change than anybody expected.

And what about the view expressed by Luis de Guindos, Spains economy minister, that the efforts made by Spain to recover its economy will be studied in history books in the future? Maybe, but this assertion omits the fact that there has been a sharp rise in inequality and poverty, and that new contracts do not give people enough money to live on.

Even senior citizens began their own protest movement known as Yayoflautas. Carles Ribas

In short, many lives have been ruined, and huge numbers of people condemned to years of grinding poverty.

Entire families have been living off grandpas pension and the subsidy that the state pays to dad. The so-called adjustment has been achieved through job cuts, lower wages, an increase in part-time work, and no job training. There is no trickle-down effect from capital gains to the working class, and the best-qualified generations have gone abroad in search of the opportunities that they cant find here, says Juan Jose Dolado.

In relative terms to GDP, Spain is the third-largest economy in Europe when it comes to overseas investment, and the second-largest recipient of foreign investment. Our productive capacity is more solid and competitive than is usually believed. Thanks to this, between 2006 and 2013, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Spain drove employment up by 5.25%, and real wages by 1.89%, besides facilitating 30% of exports. There are now 600 companies exporting goods worth more than 50 million a year, notes Rafael Myro, author of Claves del exito de las exportaciones espanolas (Keys to the success of Spanish exports).

But guaranteed growth can only come from a model based on increased productivity, improved living standards, competitive prices, and the continued internationalization of our companies, he adds.

These analysts agree that there is a direct relationship between the social changes that have taken place in recent years and the political change underway in the country.

The huge growth in volunteer work in recent years has helped enormously, and has proven the old adage that adversity brings out the best in people

Maria Navas, journalist

The economic and institutional crisis has not been met by a society that is passive or unable to react; instead it has responded sharply, stimulating readaptation and changes in behavior, says Jose Luis Garcia Delgado.

Fernando Vallespin says activism has helped Spaniards become more aware of the weaknesses in their system, prompting them to demand stricter morals on the part of their representatives: in short, they are no longer prepared to be so forgiving or apathetic about corruption.

There is a change in the way people look at public life. People get together; they share problems, and find solutions collectively. We see this in the world of theater, in digital communication, in many areas of society. This is a society that is on the move, he says.

Spain today may be a less trusting society, a less happy place than it was before the crisis, but it now seems ready to overhaul its systems and to become involved in politics, to keep an eye on how its institutions work.

A group of Spanish doctors working in Portugal. Miguel Ribeiro Fernandes

This is a process that began in 2011 with the 15-M protest movement, and which has since channeled anger into positive action to effect change. From left to right, Spanish society has organized itself from the grassroots level in search of ways to restore honesty and dignity to public life.

Thanks to this process, the system is beginning to renew itself, and bucking the trend in so many other European countries, it is doing so without resorting to xenophobia.

Importantly, politicians have not been tempted to blame immigrants for the countrys problems, and there has been no increase in negative attitudes to immigration, says Pau Mari Klose.

Neither has there been any increase in violence and criminality during these years of crisis, and even the prison population has dropped. How come a society hit hard by unemployment hasn't erupted into violence, especially when state financial aid to struggling families has been cut? It isnt just the famous family safety net, nor the countrys notorious underground economy that has held society together.

The huge growth in volunteer work in recent years has helped enormously, and has proven the old adage that adversity brings out the best in people. A lot of organizations set up to help those most in need have stood firm despite cuts in financial support: their members stepped in and paid phone bills, for example. In Vallecas [a working-class district in the south of Madrid] we have seen prisoners on furlough manning food kitchens for the homeless foreigners living among us, says Maria Navas, a journalist who works with Spains volunteer movement.

Precarious is the key word often used in Spain to describe the labor market

Aside from going abroad to look for work  there are no reliable statistics, but at least 10,000 medics are now working abroad  growing numbers of young Spaniards are finding ways to convert their personal interests into self-employment, usually under extremely precarious conditions.

Precarious is the key word often used in Spain to describe the labor market. Enric Pol talks about the capacity for recovery and reinvention, the resilience of humans and society itself to keep on trying to find new organizational and living models.

Crisis or no crisis, and whichever direction this country takes in adapting to the current process of change, it seems clear that Spanish society has shown itself to be resilient and flexible, and more able and honorable than the pessimists would admit.
Sexual assaults

The fiasco regarding sexual assaults (and reporting of such assaults) at Baylor University intrigues me. Why isnt common sense being used surrounding partying, drinking and drugs?

Lets face it, folks. If your senses are impaired, you are at a much greater risk of being a victim of a sexual assault than if you are alert. Also, why do you want to attend a party where illegal activities are taking place?

Regarding the girl who was a victim of an assault in her Baylor dorm room: Did the guy fall through the roof? Nope. He reportedly said they went through the back door of the dorm because a curfew time existed for opposite-sex members entering dorm rooms. This is a cat-and-mouse game thats being played.

Girls, wake up! Somebody will always be seeking to take advantage of you (in different ways). The question is: Are you willing to outsmart them?

If no sexual assaults occurred, there would be no sexual assault cases to bungle or that need to be reported.

Tonya Warren, Waco

EDITORS NOTE: State Rep. Myra Crownover raised this point at last weeks House Committee on Higher Education meeting on sexual assaults: I was listening for mention of drug or alcohol abuse and, you know, I think those two conversations are so intertwined. I would be curious to see how many times a pure, sober sexual assault happened. And I think thats something we need to talk about. The two are so intertwined, I dont see talking about one without talking about the other.

Immigration blame

I have the utmost respect for the Mexican workers who come to the United States. Some have worked for me. I have worked alongside many. They are hard workers and very reliable.

What irks me is where Pearl Hernandez [Letters, March 5] places all blame for our immigration problems: white Americans. Lets spread the blame around a little. Start with a non-white political power, the corrupt Mexican government, that placed its country in such bad shape that workers must leave the country to feed their families. Add a nonwhite group that takes their money and leaves them to die in the desert or in locked containers. And Mexican-Americans who house them like sardines in filthy conditions, get them jobs and manage their finances.

There are a lot of nonwhite legislators who express a desire to secure our borders. And hundreds of thousands of Mexican workers have been deported by your president. He is biracial. You ask, What would Jesus say? Hey! Hes the son of God. He can see into your heart and know who you are and what you think. We are humans and must be able to check you out before you enter our country. There are more than just Mexicans coming across our borders.

Im the son of a white immigrant from Yugoslavia. His name is on the wall at Ellis Island: Joseph Bregan.

William Bregan, Crawford
WAVERLY - A former Waverly city councilman filed a lawsuit in United States District Court earlier this week alleging the city had failed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

The issue stems from an incident last summer when Larry Nedrow discovered insufficient curb cuts in front of the District 145 Central Office Building while traversing the sidewalk along Heywood Street in his electric wheelchair.

"I just sat there," Nedrow said. "It was just an overwhelming feeling."

He filed complaints with the city, who maintained that the school district was responsible for the maintenance of the sidewalk, according to a letter from City Attorney Mark Fahleson from last fall.

Nedrow said he received no response from the city, but City Administrator Doug Rix disagreed.

"We responded to everything that I'm aware of," he said.

Nedrow has retained copies of all of his complaints regarding the sidewalk, none of which have received a formal response, he said.

Omaha firm Pesek Law accepted Nedrow's case, filing the complaint March 14 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. The complaint alleges the city discriminated against Nedrow and has arbitrarily and intentionally refused to complete the necessary and required changes to the subject facilities by federal deadlines.

The complaint, which argues that many sidewalks in addition to the one in question are not in compliance with current ADA requirements, asks the Court to declare that the city did violate the ADA and require the entity to alter all services and facilities to make them useable by individuals with disabilities.

Nedrows attorney Ross Pesek alleged the city unintentionally discriminated against the former councilman by not responding to complaints.

The firm is not seeking to demonize the city.

We understand able-bodied people sometimes overlook these issues, Pesek said. I think its important to listen to people with disabilities when they raise them.

When it came to listening to Nedrow, Pesek argued the city did not do its part.

I believe Larry was being ignored, he said. Pesek also stressed that Nedrow would be receiving no money in this case, which will likely be settled through pleadings and filings.

Beyond impacting Waverlys adherence to ADA requirements, the attorney said the suit could have a larger impact across the state.

We hope in our office to encourage a culture of compliance with the ADA that doesnt exist in Nebraska, Pesek said. He added he hopes the case will encourage cities and businesses throughout the state to think about what they need to do to be accessible without lawsuits ever being filed.

Pesek hopes the case will be able to help the city find ways to fund any changes that need to be made. Federal programs like Safe Routes to School provide assistance to communities looking to make walkways near schools safer for children and all community residents.

Rix said the city has been working to bring existing sidewalks up to code, costsharing with residents to make necessary improvements. New projects, like Lawson Park, are built to current ADA requirements.

"We'll just have to wait for the complaint and see what specifically he alleges," Rix said. "But weve tried to be proactive the last 20 years."

Fahleson said the city has been in compliance and will "vigorously defend the lawsuit."

School District 145 has plans to renovate the sidewalk on Heywood Street next year, according to a letter to Fahleson from the district's attorney.

(This is an ongoing story and will be updated in next week's print edition.)
More information Protestas en Brasil al divulgarse una conversacion entre Rousseff y Lula

Impeachment now. A giant green and yellow sign bearing these words returned to Sao Paulos central thoroughfare, Avenida Paulista, where thousands marched against the government on Wednesday.

That is just three days after Brazil witnessed the largest demonstrations in the countrys democratic history to demand an end to corruption, the resignation of President Dilma Rousseff, and prison for former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Lula da Silvas defense is accusing investigators of causing a social upheaval in Brazil

Late on Wednesday, thousands of Brazilians went back to the streets to protest Lula da Silvas appointment as minister of the Civil House, similar to a chief of staff.

This move, which grants the former leader of the Workers Party immunity from the lower courts, is widely believed to be motivated by criminal charges filed against Lula da Silva in connection with Lava Jato (Car Wash), a major probe into corruption at the state oil company Petrobras.

The phone call Raquel Seco The conversation between Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva took place at 1.30pm on Wednesday, local time, Afonso Benites reports. Just 20 minutes later, the executive officially announced that Lula would become the cabinets new chief of staff. The Brazilian program Globonews provided a transcript of the conversation: Dilma Rousseff. Hi Lula da Silva. Hi D. R. Lula, let me tell you something. L. S. Tell me, my dear. D. R. The following. I am sending Bessias along with the piece of paper so we'll have it. Use it only in case of need. It's the [ministerial] appointment, OK? L. S. Ah. Fine, fine. D. R. That's all. You just wait, it's on its way. L. S. Fine, I'm here, I'm waiting. D. R. All right? L. S. That's fine. D. R. Ciao. L. S. Ciao, my dear.

Demonstrators, who were already angry at the countrys prolonged political and economic crisis, were further incensed by revelations of a tapped telephone conversation between President Rousseff and Lula da Silva, in which the former tells her political mentor that he will soon be receiving a copy of his appointment for him to sign in case of need.

Investigators see this as evidence that the president was trying to help out her party colleague in the event that Judge Sergio Moro, who is overseeing the massive Petrobras investigation, should order prison for Lula da Silva. Under Brazilian laws, Cabinet members can only be tried by the Federal Supreme Court.

But the government says that the document was sent just in case Lula da Silva could not be present at the swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers, scheduled for Thursday morning in Brasilia.

The decision to air the conversation represents a major offensive against the government by investigators in the Lava Jato case, most particularly by Judge Sergio Moro, who has become a national symbol of the fight against corruption.

It is also a sign that the political war in Brazil has just gone up a notch.

Now, Lula da Silvas defense is accusing investigators of causing a social upheaval in Brazil by releasing the tapped conversations.

English version by Susana Urra.
Workers taking out the citrus fruit that was later destroyed due to illegal export papers. REUTERS

Spanish diplomatic authorities on Thursday confirmed that a 20-ton shipment of lemons and oranges destroyed two days earlier by Chinese authorities did not meet export requirements.

These same sources added that they green-lighted a decision not to allow the citrus fruit shipment into the Asian market.

On March 11, Chinas quality-control agency notified Spanish authorities about the arrival of a suspect shipment. After checking for official documentation and failing to find any, the cargo was deemed illegal, and authorities even questioned whether it really came from Spain as claimed.

Both countries are negotiating new protocols that would enable Spain to export grapes, prunes and peaches to China

The Spanish sector has an interest in going after fraudulent activity, said Samuel Juarez, the agricultural advisor at the Spanish embassy in China. It is important to conduct a proper investigation, but there should be no repercussions because weve seen that the controls work.

According to the phony papers that came with the shipment, the fruit was grown in the Spanish province of Alicante. But since the documents were irregular, there is the possibility that the fruit was not even Spanish to begin with, said Juarez.

Chinese authorities buried the produce in quicklime to prevent the risk of infestations.

Spain is authorized to export citrus fruits to China since the introduction of pest and disease protocols for these products in 2007. The first Spanish shipments to the Asian country did not begin until 2014, however.

The lemons and oranges were allegedly grown in Alicante, although there is no proof of it. Angel Sanchez

That year, Spain exported a million euros worth of citrus fruit to China, a figure that tripled in 2015. Exporters expect to see further growth this year.

The embassy advisor said that Spain will investigate the origin of the destroyed consignment once China sends more specific information, and doubted that this incident would affect bilateral relations or future trade agreements because correct action was taken.

Both countries are negotiating new protocols that would enable Spain to export grapes, prunes and peaches to China.

The suspect oranges and lemons were packed in around 2,000 crates and valued at around 14,000. They were destroyed on March 15 at the port of Tianjin, some 200 kilometers from Beijing and the biggest gateway for foreign imports into the Asian market. The geographical distance between Spain and China makes it a difficult destination for fruit, since the shipment and refrigeration costs are higher that those in other markets.

English version by Susana Urra.
The Chinese government has said it is seriously concerned  after Argentinean authorities fired upon and sank a Chinese trawler that had ventured into its waters earlier this week. Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Lu Kang published a statement saying his country was taking the matter very seriously. Both the ministry and the Chinese embassy in Buenos Aires have called on Argentina to open an exhaustive investigation into the incident.

Beijing has also demanded that Argentina inform China of the details of the investigation, guarantee the security, rights and legitimate interests of the Chinese crew and take effective measures to avoid a similar incident.

According to the Argentinean coast guard, the boat was ordered to shut down its engines but instead fled

The sinking took place on Tuesday when the trawler Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 entered the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone off Argentinas coast while fishing for squid. According to the Argentinean coast guard, the boat was ordered to shut down its engines but instead fled. After chasing the trawler for several hours, the Argentinean authorities opened fire and sank the ship. Three crew members and the captain jumped into a raft and were later arrested. Other Chinese fishing boats rescued 28 crewmen from the vessel.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it had no information on whether anyone was injured or killed as a result of the sinking; Beijing has made no statement regarding the four detained crew members.

This incident is the first clash between China and Argentina since newly elected Argentinean President Mauricio Macri took office in November. During his campaign, Macri criticized former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner for maintaining strong ties with Beijing but he has since changed his stance saying that the relationship with the Peoples Republic is too important. China is Argentinas second-largest trading partner, after Brazil.

Argentinas Congress approved a new bilateral investment deal with China in March 2015 and Chinese firms have invested in the financial sector, mining, oil exploration and agriculture.

China is Argentinas second-largest trading partner, after Brazil

In 2014, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $15 billion (13.5 billion) including $5 billion in Argentinean exports to China. The South American countrys most important exports include agricultural and fishing products and raw natural resources while most Chinese exports are industrial products.

During his 2014 visit to Argentina, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed around 20 bilateral agreements, including one to extend a $4.7 billion credit line for the construction of two hydroelectric dams and $2.5 billion in loans for the Belgrado Cargas railroad line. The Peoples Bank of China and the Central Bank of Argentina also agreed to a $11 billion currency swap. In December 2015, the Chinese bank agreed to exchange more than $3 billion in order to boost Argentinas flagging reserves.

English version by Dyane Jean Francois.
Lula embraces Rousseff at his swearing-in ceremony on Thursday. EVARISTO SA (AFP)

A Brazilian judge has placed a precautionary block on former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas appointment as the countrys new minister of the Civil House  a post similar to a chief of staff  in the government of his successor Dilma Rousseff.

Brasilia Federal Court Magistrate Itagiba Catta Preta Neto is concerned that the appointment of Lula da Silva, who has accusations of corruption hanging over him, could obstruct judicial investigations.

Brazilian ministers can only be judged by the Supreme Federal Court and have immunity from lower tribunals.

The judge is concerned that the appointment of Lula da Silva could obstruct judicial investigations

In his ruling, which responds to a popular petition, the judge argued that if Lula da Silva took up the role of Civil House minister  a post he accepted before President Rousseff on Thursday  he would have the power to carry out wrongful and hateful intervention in the police force, public prosecution service and judiciary.

The Democrats and the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), the latter a former ally of the government, have also said they will appeal the appointment in the courts.

The judge added that Rousseff may herself have committed a crime of liability in appointing Lula da Silva, given that the law prevents the president from carrying out acts against the honesty of the public administration. A liability crime is one of the offenses stated in the Constitution that provides grounds for a political trial with the aim of dismissing a head of state. The Chamber of Deputies is on Thursday due to renew its discussion of Rousseffs possible impeachment.

On Wednesday Brazilian police released revelations of a tapped telephone conversation between Workers Party (PT) leader Rousseff and Lula da Silva, in which the former tells her political mentor that he will soon be receiving a copy of his appointment for him to sign in case of need.

Investigators saw this as evidence that Rousseff was trying to help out her party colleague in the event that Judge Sergio Moro, who is overseeing the massive Petrobras corruption investigation, should order prison for Lula da Silva.

The judge said Rousseff may herself have committed a crime in appointing Lula da Silva

But the government said the document was sent just in case Lula da Silva could not be present at Thursdays swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers.

The decision to air the conversation represents a major offensive against the government by investigators in the Petrobras case, most particularly by Judge Moro, who has become a national symbol of the fight against corruption.

The polarization is growing in Brazil and the tensions even reached Lula da Silvas Thursday swearing-in ceremony when someone interrupted the start of proceedings with a shout of Shame!

On Wednesday night thousands had marched in Sao Paulo and Brasilia against the PT and in favor of the anti-corruption investigations.

Just three days before, Brazil witnessed the largest demonstrations in the countrys democratic history to demand an end to corruption, the resignation of Rousseff, and prison for Lula da Silva.

English version by Nick Funnell.
Armenia to pay EUR 50000 in connection with the case of Zalyan and Others v. Armenia

The European Court of Human Rights has issued the judgment on the case of Zalyan and Others v. Armenia( known as Madagis case). The Court held that Armenia was to pay Mr Zalyan 20,000 euros (EUR) and the other two applicants EUR 15,000 each in respect of non-pecuniary damage. The applicants, Arayik Zalyan, Razmik Sargsyan, and Musa Serobyan, are Armenian nationals who were born in 1985 and live in Vanadzor and Gyumri (Armenia). The case concerns their complaint of having been subjected to torture while performing their military service and Mr Zalyans complaint of having been unlawfully deprived of his liberty. According to the applicants, on 19 April 2004, while performing their military service on the territory of the unrecognised Nagorno Karabakh Republic, they were taken to the office of their military units commander for questioning in connection with the murder of two servicemen in December 2003. The applicants maintain that they were beaten, threatened and verbally abused by law-enforcement officers in order to force them to confess to the murder. Subsequently they were taken to the military prosecutors office, where the ill-treatment continued before they were transferred to the military police department. During the next two days they were again questioned several times  officially as witnesses, although they were already being suspected of the crime  and they were continually beaten and threatened with the aim of extorting a confession. They were not allowed to eat or sleep, and were transferred between several law enforcement agencies blindfolded and handcuffed. According to the submissions of the Armenian Government, the applicants questioning in the office of the military units commander, as witnesses in connection with the murder, took place only on 21 April 2004. During the questioning it was revealed that they had abandoned their military unit without authorisation in December 2003, which constituted a grave disciplinary offence; therefore, a disciplinary penalty of ten days in isolation was imposed on the applicants. They were subsequently taken to the military prosecutors office and later to the military police department, where they were placed in an isolation cell in order to serve their disciplinary penalty. At the request of the Military Prosecutor, however, the applicants were transferred on 23 April 2004 to Yerevan. On the following day, Mr Sargsyan confessed that he and the other two applicants had committed the murder. All three applicants were formally arrested as suspects. When questioned separately on the same day, the two other applicants denied their guilt. Subsequently the applicants were formally charged with murder and questioned as accused. Mr Sargsyan retracted his confession in May 2004 in a letter to the military prosecutor, maintaining that he had confessed because one of the investigators had threatened to harm his family members. On several occasions during the investigation and the trial against them, the applicants and their lawyers unsuccessfully complained to a number of authorities that they had been ill-treated by the investigators and that they had been unlawfully detained between 19 and 24 April 2004 without an arrest warrant. From early August to early November 2004 Mr Zalyan went on a hunger strike to protest against the allegedly unlawful actions of the authorities; following the deterioration of his health he was hospitalised for about two weeks. In May 2005 the applicants were convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. The conviction was based, in particular, on Mr Sargsyan's confession statement. The trial court found the applicants' allegations of ill-treatment unsubstantiated. In May 2006 the criminal and military court of appeal upheld the applicants' conviction and increased their sentence to life imprisonment. In December 2006 the court of cassation granted an appeal on points of law lodged by the father of one of the murdered servicemen in his capacity as a victim, who complained that the trial had been conducted with procedural violations, as a result of which three innocent servicemen had been convicted while the real perpetrators had never been brought to justice. The court of cassation quashed the judgments of May 2005 and May 2006 and remitted the case for further investigation; it also ordered the applicants' release from detention. 8 In October 2007 the Prosecutor General decided not to open criminal proceedings in connection with the applicants' alleged ill-treatment; he also found that the applicants' deprivation of liberty before 24 April 2004 had been a lawful disciplinary measure imposed by the commander of their military unit. In December 2012 the applicants were eventually acquitted. The applicants complain that they were subjected to torture while in custody from 19 to 23 April 2004 and that there was no effective investigation into their complaints. Mr Zalyan also complains that he was not provided with appropriate medical assistance and was not allowed to meet his family during his hunger strike. The applicants rely on Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment). Relying further on Article 5  1 (right to liberty and security), Mr Zalyan also complains that his deprivation of liberty between 19 and 24 April 2004 was unlawful and that his detention from 24 August to 4 November 2004 was not authorised by a court as required. Finally, he alleges a violation of, in substance, Article 5  2, 3, and 4 (right to be informed of the reasons for arrest / entitlement to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial / right to have lawfulness of detention decided speedily by a court), complaining that he was given no reasons for his arrest, that he was not brought promptly before a judge and that he was not able to contest the lawfulness of his arrest between 19 and 27 April 2004.
Brent crude +2.9% to $US41.50 at 1.19pm New York time US oil +4.6% to $US40.22 In LME trading, copper bid up 2.7%, zinc +4.2%, nickel +3.5%, lead +3.2% What's on today Overseas data: US Michigan consumer sentiment index (March prelim), Baker Hughes rig count.

Rate decisions in Russia, Mexico. New York Fed to hold conference, NY chief William Dudley to speak as well as Boston Fed boss Eric Rosengren. In Frankfurt, St Louis Fed's James Bullard speaks. Earnings: Tiffany, Aluminum Corp of China. Sovereign rating updates: Austria (S&P), Cyprus (Moody's & S&P), Denmark (S&P), Estonia (Moody's), Finland (S&P), Hungary (S&P), Italy (DBRS), Lithuania (S&P), Luxembourg (S&P), Nigeria (S&P), Portugal (S&P), Russia (S&P), Qatar (Moody's), Sweden (Fitch). Currencies

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the US currency against 10 major peers, sank 1.1 per cent at 1.16pm in New York, after losing 1.1 per cent in the last session. South Africa's rand and Brazil's real were among the biggest gainers in emerging-market currencies, jumping at least 3.6 per cent. Currencies from other commodity-producing nations also strengthened. New Zealand's currency strengthened 1.7 per cent after fourth-quarter economic growth beat projections. "In the very short term, risk currencies - Asia, commodity currencies - will do well as other risk assets including stocks and oil benefit from the Fed's dovish stance," said Mansoor Mohi-uddin, senior markets strategist in Singapore at Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The more interesting trend will be how other central banks respond in the next few weeks, he said. The Norwegian krone appreciated 1.4 per cent after a cut in borrowing costs. "The current outlook for the Norwegian economy suggests that the key policy rate may be reduced further in the course of the year," governor Oeystein Olsen said in a statement. The bank also warned that it can't rule out a negative rate should the economy be exposed to "new major shocks". Commodities Oil surged above $US40 a barrel in New York for the first time since December as central banks from the US to Norway signalled they will continue to provide economic stimulus to support demand. "Reaching $US40 gets a lot of attention because its a nice round number," said Rob Haworth, a senior investment strategist in Seattle at US Bank Wealth Management, which oversees $US128 billion of assets. "The $US30 and $US50 levels are more important in terms of investment decisions."

Copper jumped to its highest in more than four months. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was untraded at the close, but bid up 2.7 per cent at $US5069.5 a tonne after hitting $US5074 earlier in the session, its highest since November 5. Traders said copper's break above the 200-day moving average puts the next upside target at $US5140, a 38.2 per cent Fibonacci retracement of the May 2015 to January 2016 fall. "Funds have been more active, so there may be momentum to take copper higher," a copper trader said. Stocks of copper in LME approved warehouses stood at 160,925 tonnes, down about 30 per cent since late November. Of those stocks, cancelled warrants, or metal earmarked for delivery, was at nearly 46,000 tonnes, meaning only about 121,000 tonnes of copper was available for the market. However, much of the inventory in LME warehouses has moved to warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Copper stocks in ShFE warehouses have nearly doubled since the middle of December to reach 350,138 tonnes. "While LME stocks have dropped quickly, the build taking place in China has been at least as severe, and premiums are falling in Shanghai as metal has piled up," Macquarie analysts said in a note. "Price-led mine cutbacks slowed as aggressive cost cutting and input deflation have improved margins," they said. Premiums for copper in bonded warehouses in Shanghai fell $US5 to $US82.50 a tonne, the weakest since January 6. United States Wall Street moved higher on Thursday to push the Dow into positive territory for the year, commodity prices rose on the back of a weaker dollar, boosting shares in the energy and materials sectors. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 7000 to a seasonally adjusted 265,000 for the week ended March 12, the Labor Department said. Claims have now been below 300,000, a threshold associated with healthy labour market conditions, for 54 weeks, the longest stretch since 1973.

Caterpillar rallied with commodity shares, even after cutting its first-quarter outlook amid speculation the worst is behind the company. FedEx jumped nearly 11 per cent after raising the bottom of its full-year earnings forecast range. Health-care shares sank for a fourth session, the longest since January. Europe European stocks closed little changed, almost erasing intraday losses, as a surge in oil countered a decline in banks and exporters. Miners and energy shares tracked gains in crude, with Anglo American and Glencore up more than 9 per cent. BHP Billiton added 7.7 per cent, Rio Tinto 5.4 per cent. Banks were among the worst performers on the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, while BMW and Continental led car makers lower. Europe's benchmark lost less than 0.1 per cent at the close. It reversed an early advance of 0.4 per cent to tumble as much as 1.8 per cent, before paring losses.
So you can imagine my dismay when I was told I'd scraped through with a raw score of 25. Not so good at it, hey?

In years 7 to 10 I was encouraged to pursue the language, as I was constantly top of the class. Throughout year 12 I was also consistent. That is, consistently "satisfactory" or "good" in my SAC scores, and my teacher kept reassuring me that a mere "good" at my privileged school was probably "very good" at someone else's.

Maybe I kept at it because the promise was that if I carried on with Chinese to the end of year 12, I'd get to go on the China trip in year 11. However, I honestly believe I was so persistent because I was good at it. Or so I thought.

I liked learning Chinese at school. It was a challenge, one that I persevered with all the way through to the end of year 12.

It's all about that darned bell curve. Until the system figures out another way to rank students perhaps not even against but with each other, the number of students who are willing to compete against others who are miles ahead of them will continue to dwindle.

Australian students don't study Chinese in large numbers, but this is not due to laziness as Jane Orton suggested on these pages this week . Like anything in life, who wants to work hard at something if you already know the reward is less than satisfactory?

No matter how hard I practised those four tones, no matter how many pieces of paper I stuck on the shower recess to help memorise characters, no matter how many oral classes I had a week, there was no way I was going to do better than Xiao Ming who had been spoken to in Chinese since birth, but somehow the school system still considered Chinese to be her second language.

The problem is not with the teachers, the problem is not with the laziness of Australian students (a large generalisation), the problem lies, as Orton pointed out, in the lack of filtering between genuine second-language learners and those who have already had extended exposure to the language and culture.

I had to go to China and be engulfed by the food, sights and history to grasp the culture and understand Chinese people, whereas there were a dozen kids in our year level, even that of the year below, who we were ranked against, and who would go home and speak the language to their parents while they ate traditional jiaozi for dinner. That's not being racist, it's merely factual. My 20 hours of Chinese a week (four hours at school, 16 at home) couldn't compare to that.
Lynore Geia is a registered nurse, midwife and proud Bwgcolman woman from Palm Island in North Queensland. She is also a PhD and passionate educator, committed to developing the next generation of health professionals.

When a team from the Close the Gap campaign met Lynore last year, she shared with us her experiences in working to close the gap in health outcomes for her people. Working in health for the past four decades, Lynore has seen some improvements on Palm Island, but says people continue to die far too young.

"It's devastating when people die young in the community, the grief is palpable," Lynore says.

"There's intergenerational trauma that we're still dealing with here. Wider Australia can say, 'Oh people need to get over it', but when you have profound trauma it's not something you can just get over. You need to be able to work through that process."
Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020.

Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work.

Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri.
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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

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The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

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STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh

USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens

ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression
Third attempt of regime change begins (video)

New Armenia public salvation front will try to carry out regime change for the third time. For that purpose headed by Zhirayr Sefilyan the process of uniting the opposition forces will begin in the upcoming days. It is naive to expect any change for the sake of the people by participating in any election. The only solution is arousing the relevant struggle in a very short period of time through mobilization and mobilizing the people and getting rid of the regime, says Mr Sefilyan. Zhirayr Sefilyan, who rules out any changes in Armenia through elections, determines the circle of the forces, with whom they will pass their way. Individuals or forces must unite, they are not many- Stepan Demirchyan, the Armenian National Congress (HAK), Nikol Pashinyan with Civil Agreement, Ashot Manucharyan, Paruyr Hayrikyan, Aram Karapetyan and, why not, the civic forces. The reason for which Civil Agreement party didnt join the opposition forces at Liberty Square during the previous attempt of consolidation was the absence of clear sequence of actions. This time we will demand route map from Mr Pashinyan, that document is already ready, it will be soon, the route map will also be clear for the civilians. Zhirayr Sefilyan says that they rule out cooperation with the forces, which carried out March 1st events. He doesnt give details whether the party due to be established by Vartan Oskanian will join them, but that figure has a chance to be saved only in one case, If he apologizes to our people, that during those days he was standing by the perpetrator, if he makes revelations how the orders were given, who gave orders and when, in detail, I think, perhaps in that case, not we will cooperate, but the people will forgive that person. Mr Sefilyan thinks that in case of consolidation they will struggle through rallies, but in any case they wont leave Liberty Square.
Two more flats to homeless families in Gyumri

The issue of two flats out of four flats promised to the homeless families in Gyumri has been solved. SOS Gyumri initiative member Aren Mkrtchyan told A1+ about it. Two out of four flats are already reality, he said by adding that the person, who donated the flats, preferred to remain unknown. As for the rest two flats, the members of the initiative hope that in the near future they will also be bought and donated to the homeless. To remind, earlier in the interview with us Aren told that five flats have already been bought, money for buying three flats has been raised in Yerevan and fundraising in Gyumri, and promise has been made for four flats. By the way, SOS Gyumri team has addressed the leadership of Crowdfunder website, where the fundraising for 13 homeless families of Gyumri was organized, by asking to permit making an exception and taking the already collected 27 000 pounds. To remind, the condition of that website was that 120 000 pounds must have been collected, but in this case an exception was made and the money collected was directed to the purpose.
Z. Postanjyan: Gagik Jhangiryan must be interrogated (video)

Today the European Court of Human Rights has issued a judgment on the case of three former servicemen, who were charged with murder in Madagis and were later acquitted. The Court held that Armenia was to pay Arayik Zalyan 20,000 euros (EUR) and Razmik Sargsyan and Musa Serobyan EUR 15,000 each in respect of non-pecuniary damage. Holding liable the officials, because of whom we suffered so much, would be moral and full liability, Arayik Zalyan told A1+. Three servicemen applied to the European Court by claiming that they had been subjected to such torture and pressures by the military leadership that Razmik Sargsyan had to give false testimony that they had killed two fellow servicemen. We have Chief of Traffic Police, Armen Hakobyan, who was one of the torturers on Madagis case. We have also other officials, who are involved in this case. Such a course of this case and todays judgment are the result of their unlawful actions, said Arayik Zalyan. Because of lack of evidence the European Court didnt find violation of Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment), but it registered that there was violation of Article 3 of the Convention on account of the lack of an effective investigation into their complaints of having been subjected to torture. The Court also decided that there was a violation of Article 5  1, 2 and 3 (right to liberty and security) in respect of one of the applicants, Mr Zalyan. Formerly, lawmaker Zaruhi Postanjyan defended the applicants on Madagis case in interstate courts: It serves as a basis, so that the people, who took unlawful actions against them, relevant judicial process begins. It is our joint victory. The lawmaker thinks that the struggle isnt over yet and there will be final outcome only when all the people responsible will be held liable. Particularly in this case Gagik Jhangiryan has his large share of guilt in connection with concealing, and he must be interrogated and in case of interrogation we must know who had given him such instructions to blame innocent people and conceal the real criminals, she said. By the way, when in 2012 three servicemen on Madagis case were acquitted, the murder case was sent to the separate investigation, but until today the case hasnt been revealed.
By Mar. 17, 2016 | 10:11 AM

Market House Theatre, Paducah's nationally recognized award-winning community theater, has announced the lineup of shows for its upcoming 53rd season. These shows will be produced from September of this year through June of 2017.

MAINSTAGE SHOWS

Peter and the Starcatcher

September 1-18, 2016.

The Tony Award winner PETER AND THE STARCATCHER which upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be

The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). Featuring a dozen actors portraying morethan 100 unforgetable characters. A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearsons best-selling novel.

The Odd Couple

November 10-20th, 2016

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Simon's Tony Award winning classic comedy THE ODD COUPLE with the slob Oscar Madison and clean

freak Felix Unger who agree to share an apartment with hilarious results as THE ODD COUPLE is born.

Intimate Apparel

January 12th-22, 2017

This winner of the 2004 New York Drama Critics Circle is a deeply moving portrait of Esther Mills, an African American seamstress in Manhatten 1905. Plain in appearance and demeanor, Esther is highly skilled with a needle and thread and her ability to sew beautiful pieces of lingere allow Esther to move between New Yorks distinct social worlds. This was an era when the cut and color of one's dress-and of course, one's skin color-determined who could and could not marry, sleep with or even talk to in public.

Exit Laughing

April 20th-30, 2017

For 30 years the weekly bridge night with the girls," has been a tradition until it is halted when one of the foursome inconveniently dies. The

friends "borrow" the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game, and the wilde st, most exciting night of their lives involves a police raid, a stripper and a whole new way of looking life.

The Addams Family

June 1st-18th, 2017

The Broadway musical makes its way to MHT! Wednesday Addams has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable famil y - a man her parents have never met. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before -keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole "creepy and kooky"family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday's 'normal' boyfriend and his parents. Based on the cartoons of Charles Addams and the classic TV series and movies.

MHT FAMILY SERIES-for young performers and audiences

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

October 2016

Join Jack the narrator, and a slew of wacky characters as they tell ridiculous stories including The Princess and the Bowling Ball, Little Red Running Shorts, Cinderumpelstiltskin and, of course, The Stinky Cheese Man. But along the way, Jack will have to deal with a couple of chickens wh o never know when to enter, a few unex pected songs (yes - it s a musical comedy)and a giant who wa nts nothing more than to get his revenge .

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever-The Musical

December 2016

of the hilarious holiday tale, AGEANT EVER - THE MUSICAL! The annual Christmas pageant is in jeopardy when the Herdman kids - who lie, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER - THE MUSICAL! The annual Christmas pageant is in jeopardy when the Herdman kids - who lie, steal, scream, fight, smoke cigars and generally torment the entire neighborhood - take over all the principal roles! Soon the entire congregation is running for cover! What ensues are laughter , tears, a small fire and the best Christmas pageant ever!

MHT will be one of the first theatres in the nation to produce a brand new musical adaptationthe hilarious holiday tale,

Charlotte's Web

February 2017

Based on the beloved book by E.B. White, the tale centers around W i lbur ,the irresistible young pig who d esperately wants to avoid the butcher; the Zuckerman family; the A rables; and , most of all, the extraordinary spider, Charlotte, who proves to be a true friend and a good writer . A bea utiful play about friendship which will enchant audiences of all ages.

The Secret Life of Girls

May 2017

Presented in MHT's Studio Theater, the window into the tumultuous world of a group of teenage girls is opened in this dramatization of

the destructive effects of girls bull y i ng. The girls try to deal with gossiping, exclusion, rumors, and cliques at the same time as trying to find a friend, find a place in the group and understand themselves. These attempts range from humorous to heart breaking and are based on actual

interviews with girls on both the giving and receiving end of bullying, T HE SECRET LIFE OF GIRLS also shows how bullying is made easier by cell phones, e-mail, group chats and texting. This powerful play is must-see viewing by moms and their daughters over the age of 11.

MHT SECOND STAGE SERIES-Alternative and interactive shows for adults

Funeral For A Gangster-A MHT Mystery Theater Troupe Dinner Theater production

August 2016

The interactive play set in 1928 allows audience members to dress up and attend the funeral of Vito the gut Marzetti. Audience members will go on a clue hunt to solve who murdereed Vito and win prizes.

The Santa Land Diaries

December 2016

This adult holiday satirical comedy, written by David Sedaris and adapted by Joe Mantello, is described as  a brilliant evocation of what a slackers Christmas must feel like. Out of work a man decides to become a Macys elf during the holdiay crunch. This hilarious play is for adults only.

All My Murders-A MHT Mystery Theater Troupe Dinner Theater production

February 2017
By Bill Hughes Mar. 16, 2016 | 10:00 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The McCracken County Zoning Commission met Wednesday afternoon and approved a new zoning map, which would be the first one that's completely correct in almost ten years. The map will now be recommended for approval by the McCracken Fiscal Court.

County Attorney Sam Clymer presented testimony at the meeting that included Deputy County Judge-Executive Doug Moore as a witness. Moore had researched all lawful zoning changes from 2001 through 2006 - before former Judge-Executive Van Newberry took office and made 1,167 illegal zoning changes. Moore took the map from 2006 and added legal changes that were made from that point forward, so the map Clymer proposed that the county adopt was correct and up-to-date through February 26, 2016.

Clymer said the fact that unauthorized changes were made by Newberry without due process meant that zoning wasn't actually changed, but the county's problem is a map that incorrectly depicts zoning changes. Wednesday's meeting would start the process of replacing what's wrong with a new, correct version.

Clymer said, "The planning commission always retains the actual duty to pass a map that lawfully reflects all of the zoning classifications of the parcels in the county, and if they find out the map is inaccurate, they have a duty to simply amend the map. So, we're gonna make sure we get a map that does correctly depict (zones)."

Prior to Clymer's proposed map, the only other way to correct everything was to individually re-zone each parcel of land. Clymer said outside counsel was hired for 18 months and handled 154 corrections at a cost of almost $150,000. At that rate, correcting the map by would have taken more than eight years and cost over $1.1 million, but Clymer's recommendation to halt that process was adopted last May.

It's not known when the Fiscal Court will see or vote on the new map.
By Ro Morse, WestKyStar Staff Mar. 17, 2016 | 11:27 AM | PADUCAH, KY

Entries for this year's annual Dogwood Art and Photography Contest will be accepted March 21 - March 24 from 10 am -5 pm at the Paducah School of Art and Design, 905 Harrison St.

Entry forms and rules can be found under Civic Beautification Board / Dogwood Trail at http://www.paducahky.gov/sites/default/files/Dogwood-Art-Photography-Contest-2016-Entry-Form.pdf

The annual contest is sponsored by the Paducah Civic Beautification Board and the Paducah School of Art and Design. The art school accepts entries and judges the entries in both categories. Winners are then displayed at City Hall as part of the Mayor's Art Club. They will be on exhibit in the Mayor's office through June.

"It's Dogwood Time. Please Light Up Paducah!" That's the slogan for Paducah's 52nd annual Dogwood Trail. The Dogwood Art and Photography Contest is one of the events celebrating Spring in Paducah.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 16, 2016 | 10:36 AM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah child is dead after being struck by a vehicle on Berger Road.

According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, a 911 call was received on Tuesday around 6:40 pm, that a child had been struck by a vehicle on Berger Road near the intersection of Lions Den Lane.

Sheriff Jon Hayden said that within two minutes a deputy arrived at the scene. The child, 8-year-old Dallas Woodford of Paducah, was immediately transported to Lourdes Hospital, but died from his injuries soon after arriving.

Accident reconstruction units from the McCracken and Graves County Sheriffs Departments, as well as the Paducah Police Department also responded to the scene.

Hayden said the preliminary investigation indicates that the child and his mother were walking along Berger Road on their way to an area park, and were about to cross the roadway. They stopped to check and make sure that it was safe, when the child apparently pulled away from the mother in a hurry to get across the street. Hayden said a pickup on Berger Road driven by 48-year-old Robert McNeil of Boaz struck the child as the he was crossing the roadway.

Deputies say McNeil was the first caller to 911. Sheriff Hayden said McNeil and others began trying to render aid and were praying over the little boy.

Blood samples were obtained from McNeil as a routine part of the accident investigation. Once the investigation is completed, Sheriff Hayden says it will be turned over to the McCracken County Commonwealth Attorneys Office for review.

Additional details of the investigation are being withheld at this time, pending the completion of the investigation. The McCracken County Coroners Office is assisting in the investigation.
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$2.5 million in funding granted to support new dairy farm in Fulton County
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 16, 2016 | 04:27 PM | AURORA, KY

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials say they could open the new Eggners Ferry bridge to traffic as early as the last week of March or first of couple of weeks in April.

Before moving traffic on US 68 and KY to the new structure, crews must finish several items including pouring concrete barrier walls and inspecting the tensioning of the deck support cables. Once that work is completed, two-way traffic could then shift to the new bridge.

Construction of a multi-use path will also continue after the bridge is opened. Remaining work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Johnson Brothers Corporation of Ft. Worth, TX, is the prime contractor on the $133 million Eggners Ferry project.
Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
Donald Sinden always used to say that playing tragedy is easier than playing farce, and every funny playwright worth his or her salt knows that comedy is a very serious business. So, aside from any merits as a production, Kenneth Branagh's resurrection of a 1969 French farce (Le Contrat is re-titled The Painkiller in Sean Foley's translation) at the Garrick Theatre is of great dramaturgical interest: does farce have the capacity to address current, or even perennial, anxieties and obsessions, or must it be stuck in a historical rut of Feydeau and Ray Cooney?

The two most broadly funny and farcical plays of recent years have been Michael Frayn's Noises Off and Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors. The first is largely about things going wrong in the theatre, but not just about that; The Play That Goes Wrong is not all that funny after five minutes because it is just about that. And Bean's One Man, loosely based on Goldoni's A Servant of Two Masters, examines the intricacies of humiliation and crossed purposes in a clearly defined, but nostalgically idealised, social milieu.

Farce is generally, and wrongly, thought to be less of a bona fide genre than civilised, literate comedy or impassioned drama.

The same was true of the joyous rediscovery of Marc Camoletti's Boeing-Boeing a few years ago, in which Mark Rylance and Roger Allam gave impeccable and  here's the rub  gloriously unexpected performances in a sex farce with air stewardesses. This play was once the most performed French play in the world (maybe it still is). And Matthew Warchus's production depended for its success on the symbiotic comic relationship of Rylance and Allam, just as Donald Sinden and Michael Williams hilariously echoed their RSC King Lear and Fool double act in Cooney's Two Into One and, without pre-empting tomorrow's reviews, Branagh and Rob Brydon interact in The Painkiller.

Nowadays you might want to know why farce isn't usually the chosen territory of female playwrights, or why the discomfiture of women isn't as funny as that of men in what used to be quaintly called the battle of the sexes. It just isn't. But farce can deal with serious issues (excluding child abuse and genocide, probably) as Bill Morrison and Richard Bean have demonstrated in, respectively, Flying Blind and The Big Fellah, both about IRA terrorism. As Bean famously remarked, you can make jokes about anything.

The joy of farce, and its secret, lies in the mechanical deployment of a situation people would like to escape from. And herein lies its profundity, too: the identification we make with characters acting naturally in desperate circumstances; or, conversely, acting desperately in natural circumstances. And the great conspiracy between actors and audiences is that the people to whom these things are happening simply don't know how funny they are. As the plot boils over in Two Into One, the hotel manager declares censoriously, and riotously, that "There is far too much sex going on in this hotel, and I'm not having any of it."

Laughter is the great purgative in theatre, as potent a catharsis as the climactic horrors in Greek tragedy or the multiple resolutions in Shakespeare's comedies and romances. And yet farce is generally, and wrongly, thought to be less of a bona fide genre than civilised, literate comedy or impassioned, dogmatic drama. The same thing applies in musical theatre, where opera snobs will turn up their noses at Andrew Lloyd Webber and Les Miserables while booking tickets for Puccini and Philip Glass at the opera houses.

The fallacy of these distinctions was once wryly exposed by Alan Bennett at an awards ceremony when Alan Ayckbourn won the best play gong and Bennett the best comedy. He said that, while Ayckbourn may well have written the better play, he at least could console himself with having written the funnier one. And, given the choice, which would you prefer?

In Branagh's wonderful ongoing season at the Garrick, we have enjoyed a superlative production of a masterpiece, The Winter's Tale. But you'll probably laugh a whole lot more at The Painkiller and, when you sit down later and think about it, you may not want to trade one experience for the other, or even consider that Branagh has sullied his reputation as a Shakespearean by exiting the comfort zone he patrolled as a superb Leontes to inhabit the more unexpected and challenging one of a bovine assassin in The Painkiller.
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For her first full length play, Aamina Ahmad isn't pulling any punches. She's written a spy-war thriller set against the backdrop of a tense and troubled US-Pakistan relationship. Diving headlong into that notoriously murky world, The Dishonoured is dark, taut and very complicated. It also would probably have been better on screen than on stage.

Don't get me wrong: on stage it's perfectly watchable and, at times, it will have you on the edge of your seat. But Ahmad just crams too much into her plot and doesn't give the crux points enough breathing space. On film it could be distilled into something a la Bridge of Spies, on stage it feels a little clunky.

But this tale of decorated soldier Tariq, who managed to assassinate a rebel leader during a raid in which he lost a lot of his men, still has its moments. Back in Lahore, he is a hero and, much to the chagrin of his artist wife who desperately wants him to get a cushy desk job in Washington, steps away from the front line to take a role with the secret service.

When a young prostitute is killed in the city in mysterious circumstances by a CIA operative, Tariq must deal with the double and triple crossings of both sides. He is out of his depth and no match for the CIA, who manage to twist the arms of both him and his wife. Tariq's honour and career is at stake and to keep them intact, there's a price to pay. Several innocent human lives are ultimately deemed collateral damage in the negotiations between the two countries.

Ahmad makes a strong, clear case in The Dishonoured that amidst the political machinations, each country loses perspective on what really matters: the lives of its citizens. The dialogue is generally strong and there's a good cast performing it in Kali's production directed by Janet Steel. Robert Mountford as Tariq is great, offering a real sense of this soldier's war-torn mind and his increasing inability to control the situation. Goldy Notay is also strong as Tariq's wayward, frustrated artist wife. There's also a convincing turn from David Michaels as the Janus-headed CIA man Lowe.

Steel builds the tension well in this production and the climactic moment of the play, where Tariq sacrifices his humanity for the sake of his country, is a shocking, upsetting scene which leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

The Dishonoured (Still Life) runs at the Arcola Theatre until 2 April and then tours.
SHERIFF MCDONALD GRADUATES FROM LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

Sheriff Charles McDonald of Henderson County graduated on March 11, 2016 from the Sheriffs Leadership Institute. This training was sponsored by the North Carolina Sheriffs Association and partially funded through a grant from the Governors Crime Commission. Twenty-seven sheriffs from across the state received their diplomas at a ceremony held at the William and Ida Friday Center at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The Sheriffs Leadership Institute consisted of four one-week training programs conducted over a period of two years. This Institute is a national model and provides leadership and technical training, specifically designed for sheriffs, like no other training in the United States.

The NC Sheriffs Leadership Institute Class of 2016 honored Sheriff McDonald by selecting himto speak at their graduation ceremony. Sheriff McDonald spoke on the history of the Office of Sheriff and the noble cause sheriffs undertake. He encouraged sheriffs from across the state to pursue truth and challenge the status quo when necessary. In his charge Sheriff McDonald said, Our ability to continue to be a viable force to keep the peace, to defend our constitution, and to uphold our God given liberties rests on our ability to educate and lead our community and to have the trust of those whom we serve.

The North Carolina Sheriffs Association Headquarters is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Edmond W. Caldwell, Jr. serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/03/2016 (2411 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg police homicide detectives conducted a sweeping, wide-ranging search for a killer  which included collecting 39 voluntary DNA samples from various men who had links to the victim.

It was a shot in the dark that would ultimately break open the Gina Swanson investigation after she was brutally attacked inside her Fort Garry home in May 2011, jurors heard Wednesday.

The samples were taken ultimately as a means of advancing the investigation. We were trying to identify an individual and also eliminate people, Sgt. Wes Rommel testified. These included getting samples from Swansons father, co-workers, ex-boyfriend and neighbours.

FAMILY PHOTO Gina Swanson, 33, was found dead in her Edderton Avenue home in May 2011

The majority of these were going to eliminate male individuals but certainly with the mind these could identify someone involved, but not knowing if that was going to happen, said Rommel.

Schuyler Vanwissen was one of those approached by police, on the grounds he was often living with his parents at a home across the street from Swansons. He agreed to provide a blood sample  and declined to contact a lawyer.

It would prove to be a perfect match. Police arrested Vanwissen several weeks later when forensic results showed it was his semen that was found inside Swanson.

Vanwissen, 31, is now on trial for first-degree murder. The Crown closed its case late Wednesday following eight days of evidence. Jurors will return to court Thursday to hear if defence lawyer Martin Glazer plans to call any witnesses, including his client.

Jurors spent much of the past few days submerged in complex forensic evidence surrounding the DNA sample and analysis. Glazer repeatedly questioned two experts on the subject, suggesting theres a possibility of faulty testing, contamination and wrongful identification. He spent much of the day Wednesday bringing up other cases, in Canada and the United States, where DNA evidence proved to be problematic.

Jurors previously heard Swanson spent the evening of May 13 working a bartending shift for a social at the Dakota Community Centre. Witnesses say she left alone around 1:15 a.m. and went to her nearby Edderton Avenue residence. Her alarm system was activated at 1:27 a.m.  when the Crown believes she got home. It would then be disarmed at 6:03 a.m., which is when her killer may have arrived.

Swansons body would be found inside her home later that morning, around 11 a.m., by her father. She had been tied up, stabbed five times and had a plastic bag put over her face and inside her mouth.

A pathologist testified last week there were no signs of violent sexual trauma, and conceded under cross-examination that the presence of semen doesnt automatically mean a sexual assault occurred.

The Crowns theory is that Vanwissen first raped Swanson before killing her and then robbing her.

Vanwissens former girlfriend, Megan Taylor, told jurors last week how they had stayed at the Airport Hotel bar until about 2 a.m. on May 14. The couple then returned to her St. James-area home before she fell asleep around 3 a.m. Taylor said she awoke around 5:30 or 6 a.m. to the sound of Vanwissen getting up and leaving the home. She believes it was still dark and he took a Transit bus.

Taylor said she saw Vanwissen again that day, right around noon. He had $200 cash on him, which he didnt have earlier. Jurors previously heard that someone used Swansons VISA card just after 7 a.m. that day  shortly after police believe she was killed. A withdrawal of $300 was made.

Under cross-examination, Taylor said she believed the money Vanwissen was carrying was as a result of selling some sheet metal that morning, as he would often do.

www.mikeoncrime.com
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A provincial Liberal government would spend at least $1.5 million a year to provide free ambulance service for seniors making less than $20,000 a year.

That was the pledge from leader Rana Bokhari in a 15-minute foray into public view Thursday, her only public event in what so far has been a low-key start to the campaign for the party which had only one sitting MLA.

Bokhari appeared more in command Thursday than she did on Wednesday, the initial day of the formal campaign, even though again she was a few minutes late and again didnt answer all questions. More confident, Bokhari didnt preface responses with, Um, you know what as she did several times Wednesday.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS 'We shouldn't be choosing between rent or an ambulance,' says MB Liberal leader Rana Bokhari.

Her ambulance announcement came at an Osborne Village street corner in the Fort Rouge riding Bokhari is contesting. Backed by six candidates  again, not introduced to the media  Bokhari said seniors should not have to choose between paying for food and rent, or paying for an ambulance when theyre in crisis.

I cant tell you how many have said to me, Im taking a cab, Im having a heart attack,  she said.

Bokhari could not say how many Manitoba seniors make less than $20,000 a year. I dont have an exact number, she said, but indicated the free-ambulance policy would be a priority with her government.

It would definitely be something we should do immediately, she said.

Bokhari said under the Liberal plan, ambulance bills would go directly to the province, without the seniors paying a penny. The Liberals estimate it would cost $1.5 million a year, though that figure is based on current usage, when some seniors are being deterred from calling an ambulance because of cost.

As for seniors proving they qualify, Bokhari said, income taxes, theres different ways you can figure out what someone is making.

Seniors welcome anything that eases their financial burden and provides more equitable access, Jim Evanchuk, executive director of the Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba, said in an interview.

Im sure a lot of people would be reluctant to call an amublance because of the cost, Evanchuk said. Free service for low-income people would enable good health choices, he said: That would encourage people to make the right moves.

Seniors would need education to ensure they are eligible for the free service and use it only when necessary, he noted. There have to be clear parameters.

Bokhari said Thursdays announcement was not intended to address concerns over the high cost of an ambulance ride, but she is aware the charge for ambulance rides in Manitoba can be $500 or more: That is absolutely on the table. Were thinking about the entire province, she said.

And that was it for the day as far as public press conferences. Bokhari had lunch with Mayor Brian Bowman, visited the offices of the Downtown BIZ, and had individua media interviews lined up.

The Liberal website lists 35 candidates, but Bokhari said in an interview that 53 have been nominated, and the Liberals will run someone in all 57 ridings. The party website is not up-to-date in listing details of nomination meetings in every riding, she said.

Bokhari and Liberal campaign officials said there have been no invitations so far for all-candidates debates in her Fort Rouge riding, which includes high-profile NDP candidate Wab Kinew, Tory Audrey Gordon, Green Grant Sharp, and independent Matthew Ostrove.

The Liberals expect Bokhari to have another policy announcement Friday morning, and to unveil her financial plan Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/03/2016 (2411 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Greg Selingers bid to maintain the NDPs hold on the power began with confidence despite poor polling numbers and some unwelcome guests on Day 1 of the campaign.

After the pomp and ceremony of a visit to Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon to officially launch the election that has essentially been underway for weeks, the embattled premier issued a warning while flanked by his cabinet ministers, a statue of Louis Riel in the background.

The Tories, Selinger said, would mean a return to the era of cuts, while the Liberal policies do not add up.

As for how his party could reverse its downward trend in the polls, the embattled NDP premier noted experience counts and will make a difference over the 35-day campaign that ends when voters go to the polls April 19.

I met a longtime pollster and he said back in the day when he started out, elections used to make about a six-point difference up or down; he says now elections can change 25 points in three days, Selinger said. The reality is people sit back and they look at what the best alternatives are, and they evaluate those on a day-to-day basis.

But Selingers campaign launch also included reminders of problems his government has faced.

Ready and waiting for premier as he was surrounded by the media was Fibber the Accountability Mascot from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, carrying a sign that said Cut The PST.ca. The stunt was a reminder of the political baggage surrounding a premier who broke a campaign promise from the 2011 election when he raised the provincial sales tax.

Later, at a rally with supporters at Sturgeon Heights Community Centre, a mother interrupting Selingers opening remarks. The woman grabbed his microphone to tell a crowd of confused NDP supporters that her children had been taken from her by Child and Family Services. Selinger handled the situation calmly, letting the woman and her partner speak to the crowd before they were ushered away. This two protesters were the same couple who interrupted Mayor Brian Bowmans anti-racism news conference in January.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe NDP and their leader Greg Selinger held their first campaign rally at Sturgeon Creek Community Club Wednesday evening.

We live in a democracy, people have a right to put their two cents on the table, Selinger said when asked about the two interruptions.

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca
USDA announces $1 billion debt relief for 36,000 farmers

The USDA announced a program to provide $1.3B in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure.
Most powerful source of cosmic radiation

Super-massive black hole at center of Galaxy is likely to accelerate cosmic ray particles to energies 100 times larger than the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.

In yet another discovery emanating from detailed analysis of the latest data from the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) observatory in Namibia, an international team of scientists, including astrophysicists from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, announced they have found the most powerful source of cosmic radiation at the center of our Galaxy.

The findings, published Wednesday evening (16 March 2016) in the scientific journal, Nature, reveal for the first time a source of cosmic radiation at energies never observed before in the Milky Way:

The supermassive black hole at the center of our Galaxy is likely to accelerate cosmic ray particles to energies 100 times larger than those achieved at the largest terrestrial particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.

According to Professor Sergio Colafrancesco, DST/NRF SKA Research Chair in the School of Physics at Wits University, the discovery sheds light simultaneously on two fundamental aspects of nature: the understanding of the origin of cosmic rays, since the discovery of their extraterrestrial nature in 1912, and the ability of the super-massive black hole at the center of our Galaxy (as in almost every other galaxy in the universe) to accelerate the most energetic particles produced in the universe.

Says Colafrancesco: We are therefore able to use the center of our Galaxy as a laboratory for testing the nature and the interaction properties of the most extreme particles in the universe, beyond the capability of any viable terrestrial accelerator.

In future our understanding of how cosmic rays travel in the Galaxy on their path to the Earth and how they interact with the material of which our Galaxy is made of, will also be further boosted by combining the H.E.S.S. gamma-ray measurements in the inner 30 light years of our Galaxy with the radio measurements of the magnetic field in the same region that will be produced by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and its precursor MeerKAT radio telescope.

An enduring mystery

The Earth is constantly bombarded by high energy particles (protons, electrons and atomic nuclei) of cosmic origin, particles that comprise the so-called cosmic radiation. These cosmic rays are electrically charged, and are hence strongly deflected by the interstellar magnetic fields that pervade our galaxy. Their path through the cosmos is randomized by these deflections, making it impossible to directly identify the astrophysical sources responsible for their production. Thus, since more than a century, the origin of the cosmic rays remains one of the most enduring mysteries of science.

Fortunately, cosmic rays interact with light and gas in the neighbourhood of their sources and thus produce gamma-rays. These gamma-rays travel in straight lines, undeflected by magnetic fields, and can therefore be traced back to their origin. When a very-high-energy gamma-ray reaches the Earth, it interacts with a molecule in the upper atmosphere, producing a shower of secondary particles that emit a short pulse of Cherenkov light.

E.S.S. observations

By detecting these flashes of light using telescopes equipped with large mirrors, sensitive photo-detectors, and fast electronics, more than 100 sources of very-high-energy gamma-rays have been identified over the past three decades. The H.E.S.S. observatory represents the latest generation of such telescope arrays. It is operated by scientists from 42 institutions in 12 countries, including astrophysicists from the Wits School of Physics, with major contributions by MPIK Heidelberg, Germany, and CEA, CNRS, France.

Today we know that cosmic rays with energies up to approximately 100 tera-electronvolts (TeV) are produced in our Galaxy, by objects such as supernova remnants and pulsar wind nebulae.

About the latest discovery

Theoretical arguments and direct measurement of cosmic rays reaching the Earth however indicate that the cosmic ray factories in our Galaxy should be able to provide particles to at least one peta-electronvolt (PeV).

While many multi-TeV accelerators where discovered during the last 10 years, so far the search for the sources of the highest energy Galactic cosmic rays remained unsuccessful.

Now this latest analysis by the H.E.S.S. Collaboration as described in their research letter, titled: Acceleration of Petaelectronvolt protons in the Galactic Centre, finally provide strong indications.

During the first three years of observations, the H.E.S.S. uncovered a very powerful point source of gamma-rays in the galactic center region, as well as diffuse gamma-ray emission from the giant molecular clouds that surround it in a region approximately 500 light years across.

These molecular clouds are bombarded by cosmic rays moving at close to the speed of light, which produce gamma-rays through their interactions with the clouds material. A remarkably good spatial coincidence between the observed gamma-rays and the density of material in the clouds indicated the presence of one or more accelerators of cosmic rays in that region. However, the nature of the source remained a mystery.

Observing 1PeV

Deeper observations obtained by H.E.S.S. between 2004 and 2013 shed new light on the processes powering the cosmic rays in this region.

Says Aion Viana (MPIK, Heidelberg): The unprecedented amount of data and progress made in analysis methodologies enables them to measure simultaneously the spatial distribution and the energy of the cosmic rays.

With these unique measurements, the H.E.S.S. scientists are for the first time able to pinpoint the source of these particles. Somewhere within the central 33 light years of the Milky Way there is an astrophysical source capable of accelerating protons to energies of about one peta-electronvolt, continuously for at least 1,000 years, says Emmanuel Moulin (CEA, Saclay).

In analogy to the Tevatron, the first human-built accelerator that reached energies of 1 tera-electronvolt (TeV), this new class of cosmic accelerator has been dubbed a Pevatron.

With H.E.S.S. we are now able to trace the propagation of PeV protons in the central region of the galaxy, adds Stefano Gabici (CNRS, Paris).

Supermassive black hole at the center of our Galaxy

The center of our Galaxy is home to many objects capable of producing cosmic rays of high-energy, including, in particular, a supernova remnant, a pulsar wind nebula, and a compact cluster of massive stars.

However, the supermassive black hole located at the center of the Galaxy, called Sgr A*, is the most plausible source of the PeV protons. The scientists say several possible acceleration regions can be considered, either in the immediate vicinity of the black hole, or further away, where a fraction of the material falling into the black hole is ejected back into the environment and there initiates acceleration of particles.

Measurement of the energy spectrum of the gamma-ray emission by H.E.S.S. allows the spectrum of the protons that have been accelerated by the central black hole to be inferred. It turns out that Sgr A* is very likely accelerating protons to PeV energies.

However, it cannot account for the total flux of cosmic rays detected at the Earth. The scientists argue that if it were more active in the past then it could indeed be responsible for the entire flux of todays cosmic rays. And if true, this would put an end to the century-old debate about the origin of the Galactic cosmic rays.

Publication: Acceleration of Petaelectronvolt protons in the Galactic Centre; H.E.S.S. collaboration; corresponding authors: F. Aharonian, S. Gabici, E. Moulin et A. Viana; Nature (16 March 2016).

South African involvement: The H.E.S.S. telescope is operated by an international collaboration of scientists with a strong involvement by South African universities, in particular Wits University, North West University, and the Universities of the Free State and Johannesburg. Wits physicists are particularly involved in data analysis techniques, the development of theoretical interpretation tools of both extragalactic and galactic sources, and in the operational shifts at the telescope location in Namibia.




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Hualong One joint venture officially launched

17 March 2016

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Hualong International Nuclear Power Technology - the joint venture between China General Nuclear (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to promote the Hualong One reactor design in export markets - was officially inaugurated today.

A ceremony today marked the official launch of Hualong International (Image: CGN)

In 2012 central planners in Beijing directed CNNC and CGN to 'rationalise' their reactor programs. This meant CNNC's ACP1000 and CGN's ACPR1000 were 'merged' into one standardised design - the Hualong One.

In fact, each company has its own supply chain and their versions of Hualong One will differ slightly (units built by CGN will use some features from the ACPR1000), but the design is considered to be standardised. It is set for wide deployment in China as well as export to other countries.

In late December last year, CGN and CNNC announced that they had agreed to create a 50-50 joint venture to promote China's "third-generation" nuclear reactor design, Hualong One, in overseas markets. At that time, the two companies signed the shareholder contribution agreement and the articles of association for creating Hualong International. The agreement to form the Hualong company followed the two companies' signing of a "technology integration agreement" in August 2015.

In separate statements today, the two companies said the joint venture had now officially begun operating. They said that since December, Hualong International had completed industrial and commercial registration in Beijing. Also, CGN's Zou Yongping has been appointed chairman of the new company, while CNNC's Xu Pengfei will be its general manager. Meanwhile, CGN and CNNC have been working on integrating their technologies into the export model of the Hualong One.

Hualong International will "actively implement" China's nuclear power development strategy, which is "committed to the continued integration and development of Hualong One as an independent third-generation nuclear power technology, with the unified management of the Hualong brand, intellectual property and other related assets at home and abroad", CGN and CNNC said. The company will promote Hualong One as the Chinese nuclear power industry's "flagship brand".

Construction of two Hualong One units is already under way at CNNC's Fuqing plant in Fujian province, as well as the first of two such units at CGN's Fangchenggang plant in Guangxi province.

Although it is still officially listed as being ACP1000, Pakistan's Karachi Coastal Power station is likely to be the first export of Hualong One units.

Under the Strategic Investment Agreement signed last October, CGN agreed to take a 33.5% stake in the Hinkley Point C project in Somerset, England as well as jointly develop new nuclear power plants at Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex. The Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C plants will be based on France's EPR reactor technology, while the new plant at Bradwell will feature the Hualong One design. As part of that agreement, CGN agreed to form a joint venture company with EDF Energy to seek regulatory approval for a UK version of the Hualong One design.

The following month, China and Argentina signed an agreement to build a Hualong One reactor as the South American country's fifth nuclear power unit.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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EDF Energy chiefs invited to UK Parliamentary hearing

17 March 2016

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The UK's Energy and Climate Change Committee has called EDF Energy, and other energy companies planning to build reactors in the UK, to Parliament on 23 March to give evidence on the future of the nuclear industry.

Chair of the Committee, Angus MacNeil, said today that the government is "counting on" new nuclear to supply a significant proportion of the UK's demand for low-carbon baseload power in future. "The focus right now is on Hinkley Point C but there are other important projects in the pipeline. Serious questions are being raised about the cost and viability of the Hinkley project and the value for money for taxpayers," MacNeil said.

The Committee will hear from commentators that have "raised concerns" about financing nuclear projects, he said, adding, "We will also question the Chief Executive of EDF and other companies planning to build reactors about the challenges for new nuclear across the UK."

Participants, or 'witnesses', at the meeting will include Vincent de Rivaz, EDF Energy CEO and Humphrey Cadoux-Hudson, EDF Energy managing director for nuclear new build. Zhu Minhong, general manager of international nuclear business development, and general director of UK nuclear projects, at China General Nuclear, will also give evidence.

Other witnesses will be: Tom Samson, CEO of NuGeneration; Alan Raymant, chief operating officer of Horizon Nuclear Power; Peter Atherton, managing director and head of European utility sector research at Jefferies; Simon Taylor of the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge; and Douglas Parr, chief scientist and policy director at Greenpeace UK.

The planned Hinkley Point C plant - the first new nuclear power station built in the UK in almost 20 years - is scheduled to begin operating in 2025. Under a deal agreed last October, China General Nuclear will take a 33.5% stake in EDF Energy's 18 billion ($28 billion) project to construct the plant. In addition, the two companies will develop projects to build new plants at Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex, the latter using Chinese reactor technology.

In January, EDF Energy's French state-owned parent company, EDF, again delayed making a final investment decision for the construction of the Hinkley plant. A decision had been expected by the end of 2015. Earlier this month, the chief executive of EDF, Jean-Bernard Levy, said he wants to reach a final decision soon on investing in the plant after the resignation of the company's finance chief, Thomas Piquemal.

NuGeneration - a 60%/40% joint venture between Toshiba and GDF Suez - in 2014 confirmed plans to build three Westinghouse AP1000 pressurized water reactors at Moorside in West Cumbria by the end of 2026 with a total capacity of 3.4 GWe. The first unit is expected to begin operating by the end of 2024. A final investment decision is expected to be taken by the end of 2018.

In January, the UKs Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) announced there has been some program "slippage" in a number of topic areas for the generic design acceptance (GDA) of the Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor design. In its latest quarterly report on GDAs, the ONR said that Westinghouse is working to "re-baseline the overall program with the objective of enabling the ONR and the Environment Agency to make decisions about issuing a Design Acceptance Confirmation and Statement of Design Acceptance Confirmation in January 2017, as per the current schedule.

Horizon Nuclear Power, the wholly owned UK subsidiary of Japan's Hitachi, plans to deploy the UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor at two sites - Wylfa Newydd, which is on the Isle of Anglesey, and Oldbury-on-Severn, in South Gloucestershire. In January, Hitachi announced the incorporation of a new UK company - Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe - as part of its strategy to enhance its UK presence for the engineering, procurement and construction of Horizon's new nuclear power plant development at Wylfa Newydd. Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe will lead Tokyo-headquartered Hitachi's work in a proposed joint venture with potential partners Bechtel Management Company and JGC Corporation.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Researchers discovered an experimental vaccine for Dengue classified within the same virus family as Zika.

Researchers believe they have uncovered the missing link for a dengue vaccine that might halt the deadly mosquito-borne virus that has plagued billions of people since the early 19th century, The Washington Post reports.

The National Institutes of Health developed the vaccine in an intimate, randomized, double-blind trial on 41 healthy participants. Volunteers were injected with the experimental vaccine while others were given a placebo. Six months thereafter, all were given a mild dose of the virus. Those in the placebo group, all 20, experienced rashes, low white blood cell count, and other typical symptoms of the disease, as the 21 vaccinated participants became ill but did not show evidence of infection.

Because of the promising conclusions, a wide-scale Phase 3 test was initiated in Brazil in late February. The target group consists of 17,000 adults, adolescents, and children as the test is expected to be completed in 2018. Scientists were optimistic when they released the results to the press after a conference call. The results were originally published in Science Translational Medicine.

The studys findings lend hope to a Zika vaccine because both it and dengue are placed in the same classification of viruses, possibly limiting the timeline for a Zika vaccine. Groups of scientists from both the public and private sectors have been trying to develop a vaccine for nearly a century affecting over 400 million people worldwide, as most experience no symptoms.

A vaccine has been a challenge to develop because of the unique structure of the pathogen. Four strains currently circulate the globe with antibodies for each, however, the interaction between them precludes a universal cure exposing the patient to severe risks, a hemorrhagic shock being the worst case scenario.

Human trials are the most effective to test the efficacy of a vaccine but theyre rarely conducted because of ethical concerns to the patient. But scientists assert that this type of observation could be the most eye-opening because they still dont understand Zikas inherent traits, such as how long it remains in the blood.

Image credit: Wikipedia Muhammad Mahdi Karim creative commons license CC BY-SA 4.0.
James Maguire

By: Mahesh Sarin

A man was arrested on a charge of theft after stealing a pack of cigarettes from a store while he performed a sex act on himself, police in the United Kingdom said.

Peterborough police said that they have arrested 50-year-old James Maguire, after being naked and stealing cigarettes from the J.J. News & Convenience Store.

Maguire was brought before the Peterborough Magistratesa Court, where he pleaded guilty to one count of theft and one count of indecent exposure.

According to the police investigation, the incident unfolded around 4:00 p.m. on Monday. An employee of the store called the police to report that a man just walked into the store and was naked.

He took a pack of cigarettes and pleasured himself in the store before fleeing from the scene.
Supermarket (illustration)

By: Tanya Malhotra

A supermarket in Malaysia, is being praised after managers offered a job to a shoplifter who had no money to buy food for his family.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday, at the Tesco supermarket in Bukit Mertajam, after the father of three children was caught shoplifting.

Instead of calling the police to report the crime, the managers offered him a job and agreed to give him a cash advance to pay his mounting bills.

Following the offer, the 31-year-old man said that he was grateful to have a second chance and a job instead of being handed over to the police.

He told managers that he resorted to shoplifting because his children were hungry and he had no money to buy food. He went into the store, and grabbed pears and apples as well as a few bottles of water.

He was immediately caught. The man quit his job in construction after his wife fell into a coma during childbirth.

The man said that he is unable to work as his wife is in the hospital and he has to take care of his three children.
Kashawn Harris AKA DJ Boogy

By: Feng Qian

A DJ was slapped with a fine after being found guilty of disorderly conduct following an altercation with police at a club, according to court documents in Massachusetts.

25-year-old Kashawn Harris of Springfield, also known as DJ Boogy, played aF**k The Policea as officers entered the Shenanigans Pub around 11:30 p.m., and attempted to remove the large crowd from the premises.

Harris was found guilty of disorderly conduct and was ordered to pay a fine of $50 after placing the police officersa safety at risk.

According to the police investigation, officers were called to the club by the fire department after 350 people arrived to a party.

There is only room for 160 people at the club, and people heard glass bottles breaking on the ground as patrons began pushing and shoving one another.

Police officers who arrived at the scene, told people to leave, but due to the loud music, they were unable to hear the orders.

Police officers then ordered DJ Boogy to shut the music, but instead of complying, he played aF**k The Police.a DJ Boogy denied intentionally playing the song, saying that the song was programmed to play even before police arrived.
A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took
A crowd-drawing discussion on recreation funding held by the Forest Service Tuesday evening made the council chambers at City Hall feel unusually short for space.

About two dozen members of the public met with staff of the Wrangell Ranger District to share their concerns about facilities maintenance. Listing concerns from greatest to least, residents participating at the meeting identified cabins, ATV trails and the overall recreation program as their top priorities, followed by trails, berry access, subsistence and stoves.

Funding for facilities maintenance has declined by better than 40 percent since 2009. The drop in allocated funding went from just better than $700,000 that year to around $400,000 for 2016, with a potential decrease at current levels to around $300,000 by 2020.

A hiring pause was formally initiated last fall at the start of the new budget cycle but the freeze had been a long time coming. Attrition has since reduced dedicated recreation maintenance staff to zero and the district is looking for alternative solutions. In the meantime, Ranger Bob Dalrymple explained the district would have to reinvent itself a bit and rearrange some duties to cope.

He and facilitator Nicole McMurren from the Petersburg district office led the night's discussion, fielding questions over coffee and noting suggestions. Dalrymple also provided an overview of the Forest Service's recreation program.

The recreation program is funded through a combination of funding sources, from fees, congressional appropriations, competitive capital improvement monies (CIP) and special initiatives. Examples of the latter include Recreation Advisory Committee funds through Secure Rural Schools and Department of Transportation grant to extend the Mt. Dewey trail network.

Different facilities are financed with different proportions of these funding sources. For example, this year about two thirds of Stikine River management funding comes from appropriations and another 37 percent from user fees, for a total of $56,000 in all. By contrast, more than half of funding for the Anan Wildlife Observatory this year comes from CIP, a fifth from RAC grants, and the rest from fees and appropriations, for around $305,000 in all.

The Wrangell Ranger District maintains 22 cabins on surrounding islands and the mainland, in addition to shelters and other campgrounds. The majority of these are low-use, with around a third seeing fewer than 25 bookings each year.

It costs a lot to maintain those, especially the remote ones, Dalrymple explained. Unfortunately, usage is among the factors used to determine resource allocations, which eventually puts pressure on districts to decommission seldom- or seasonally-used facilities.

To help shoulder some of these costs, districts have been encouraged to find community partners to help care for recreational amenities. Some examples in Wrangell include the high school shop producing furniture for cabins, Wrangell Tribal Association's transportation office helping to maintain Nemo Loop and other roads, and Southeast Alaska Power Agency adopting a pair of cabins for light duty maintenance.

Friends of the Tongass was a 1990s-era nonprofit which facilitated such projects, but eventually folded. At the meeting, the Stikine Sportsmen Association was suggested as a potential partner. The group's members raise funds each year to support a variety of recreational uses, and have adopted some of the upkeep for popular Middle Ridge Cabin.

On the Sportsmen board, Dave Powell pointed out there are no easy avenues to provide funds for project maintenance, and that on the other hand there is no longer regular maintenance staff with the Forest Service able to approach the group with facility needs. However, he said the group was currently on track to be formally registered as a nonprofit corporation, which Dalrymple pointed out could make partnering up an easier process.

While usage figures are one way USFS valuates facility usage, Dalrymple pointed out another is through logged volunteer hours. To capture that non-Forest Service work is important. The Forest Service has venues to contribute time, such as signing up to accompany work crews on projects. Dalrymple said the process is ordinarily a fairly simple one, with volunteers needing to sign an agreement and undergo project-specific safety instruction.

People doing upkeep at Forest Service amenities on their own time are also encouraged to let the office know so it can log that volunteer time, provided the work being done is compliant with applicable regulations and standards. But there are still other ways to help, the simplest being letting the district office know how things are going with cabins, trails and other facilities.

The easiest thing people can do is let us know, Dalrymple said. Report some things, both cabins and trails.

McMurren pointed out another way to help the district is to file a project proposal with the local RAC, which has $440,000 to split between Wrangell, Petersburg and Kake.

Outfitter and guide Brenda Schwartz-Yeager noted recreation is not getting as much attention as timber sales and other aspects of the Forest Service mission, or the funding. She noted that the problem is not merely one for the district level to try and solve, but needs action from a higher level.

We need to be calling our senators and the heads of the Forest Service, and writing letters, she told fellow participants.

Forest Service staff met yesterday morning to go over points and questions that came up during the meeting, and will endeavor to follow up on each.

We will do the best that we can to create logical next steps for each question, Nicole McMurren told folk at the meeting's end. How to get that information back out to the public would be another problem to solve, but another meeting may be in the offing.
Assembly Candidates Grilled on EU Membership, NHS & North Wales

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 17th, 2016

Welsh Assembly election candidates declared their stance on the upcoming EU Referendum, NHS privatisation and north Wales at a hustings event held at Wrexham Glyndwr University.

With the election less than two months away some of the regions political party candidates were quizzed by an audience, made up of the regions business leaders, in a Question Time style event on last Friday.

The audience pitched questions to Welsh Conservative Mark Isherwood, Plaid Cymrus Rhun ap Iorwerth, Michelle Brown of Ukip, Labours Sion Jones, Aled Roberts of the Liberal Democrats and Duncan Rees of the Green Party.

North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Mr Roberts said he was voting to stay in the EU, as well as Mr Jones, Mr Iorwerth and Mr Rees.

He said: I want our young people to get plenty of opportunities and look outwards. In Wales we see a lot more coming in than we put back into the EU.

Mr Rees added: Europe isnt perfect but just like Westminster, it doesnt mean we pull out.

The event brought together leading North Wales business figures and was moderated by ITV Wales reporter Carole Green.

As well as the EU referendum, education and NHS spending came under the spotlight at the event, which was held at the universitys Catrin Finch Centre and organised by the UKs business organisation CBI in partnership with IOD Wales.

Huw Jones from Jones Bros, civil engineering firm based in Ruthin, asked the panel what the next Welsh Government could do to make a tangible difference to people in North Wales.

Mr ap Iorwerth said: We need to build our confidence up in North Wales, to have the skills and the businesses to help us grow. I want North Wales to become its own powerhouse.

In relation to helping businesses and the Welsh economy, Ms Brown said: I think we should focus on making it cheaper for businesses to set up and to employ other people.

A question asked over Twitter by Joanne Thomas, from Buckley, about improving the NHS caused a stir among the candidates regarding privatisation.

Mr Rees said: I believe we could bring in private sector expertise, but not as in privatisation, outside expertise could help make our money go further.

Private sector business acumen could help NHS spend the money much more efficiently  we need to look at a new way to deliver health.

The hustings was one of several to take place in Wrexham ahead of the Welsh Assembly Elections on May 5th, with the Party Leaders participating in a debate at the Catrin Finch Centre on Wednesday 30th March.
Councillors To Discuss Market Options: Investment, Outsource Management or Sell Off

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 17th, 2016

The future of Wrexhams two indoor markets which are due to remain under control of Wrexham Council will be debated next week  with traders asking for investment.

On Tuesday afternoon members of the Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee will discuss the potential options for the running of the Butchers Market and the General Market.

The discussion comes off the back of substantial changes to Wrexhams Markets  with the Executive Board passing proposals to convert the Peoples Market into a fit for purpose, 21st Century Market/Arts Hub.

As part of the the proposals the Peoples Market and Carpark will being gifted to the forthcoming Trust that will run the towns forthcoming Arts Hub / Market, leaving the Butchers and the General Markets to be considered along with the outdoor market and nine town centre shops on Henblas Street.

The report going before Councillors (which includes an appendix with financial information) considers the interim period before the Arts Hub opens, but then looks at the subsequent period when just the Butchers and General will be under Council control.

Three basic options are on the table, with the Scrutiny Committee then picking one (or creating their own options) to put forward to the Councils Executive Board:

Option 1  Investment and direct management;

Option 2  Outsource Management; and

Option 3  Transfer of ownership to the private sector

Traders views are recorded high up in the report: Out of the 17 market traders consulted, 13 expressed a preference for Option 1, with one trader opting for Option 2 and another declaring no interest in any of the proposed options. Two remain unreturned. Based on these figures, out of the returned responses (15) 87% of traders favour Option 1 going forward.

The report explains how independent external contractors have recently undertook detailed inspections of the two Victorian Markets (General and Butchers) to ascertain future maintenance liabilities, with a comprehensive Building Survey and a separate Mechanical Survey being undertaken in February  although it is noted further inspection could be required.

The assessment was the overall condition was deemed satisfactory or good, with 5,000 worth of immediate work being required. Looking forward over the next five years a comprehensive refurbishment is mooted, to bring the standard to excellent. The current estimated cost of these works are in the region of 128,000 for the General Market and 290,000 for the Butchers market.

Reflecting cuts across the Authority the report says the wage bill of 116k of staff funded by the three markets is not sustainable in the long term and changes to staff structures are in the process of being implemented with streamlining required.

Option 1 is explained as ownership, management and operation retained by the Council itself, however the other two options provide a different view on how the markets could be operated.

Option 2 would see a third party company, or self created Community Interest Company, run the markets with the Council just the landlords. A company called Geraud is referred to as an example of such an entity who run markets in Brixton, Glasgow, Stratford-on-Avon, Hulme.

Option 3 explains how the Butchers and General market could be sold off as a going concern. Retention of market activity could be protected, as the report notes: A restrictive covenant within any agreement that would require buildings to be retained as markets for a specified minimum number of years. Wrexham.com notes we have sat in a meeting recently where it was explained Wrexham Council themselves had previously attempted, unsuccessful, to overturn a covenant on the Groves site, so such protections are challengeable.

In the conclusion of the report it states: The Town centre indoor Markets represent a unique asset in terms of the retail offer for the Wrexham. However, they require significant investment and management issues can be time consuming to resolve.

Over the past few years the future of the Wrexham Markets has been uncertain, with a reinvigoration and overhaul previously being proposed, but never actually coming to fruition. In the past 18 months much of the uncertainty has surrounded the position of the Peoples Market / Arts Hub and where the new development leaves the two indoor markets.

Wrexham has a fine history of being a market town since 1327, and the meeting next week will likely lay the groundwork to discover if and where the appetite lies on the towns unique asset.

Of course all three indoor markets and the outdoor market remain open for business  so why not pop down and see whats on offer!
Conservative Chancellor George Osbornes annual budget proposal, announced Wednesday in the House of Commons, consists of give-aways for big business and the super-rich and austerity measures on working people.

As well as billions of pounds in additional spending cuts, education provision is to be opened up to the private sector on an unprecedented scalewith all schools forced to become Academies. All primary and secondary schools in England will be set free from local education bureaucracy and must become academies by 2020 or have plans to do so by 2022, said Osborne.

The budget was announced under conditions of marked economic decline, with the economy now 18 billion smaller than projected by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) just three months ago. GDP growth for this year has been revised down to 2 percent from 2.4 percent and will fall to 2.2 percent for 2017.

As a result of slower growth, lower tax receipts and declining real wages, it is estimated that the national debt will increase by 50 billion over the course of the parliament. The Financial Times editorialised Wednesday that Osborne was delivering his budget in an atmosphere of fiscal claustrophobia.

Osborne warned, Financial markets are turbulent, the outlook for the global economy is weak and it makes for a dangerous cocktail of risks. He was obliged to cite the warning of the International Monetary Fund this month that the global economy is at a delicate juncture and faces a growing risk of economic derailment.

While noting these dangers, Osborne proceeded to outline policies that will only lead to a further slump in the UK economy.

A massive decline in public spending and in the incomes of millions of working class people is to be imposed under conditions in which, as Osborne boasted, Last autumns Spending Review delivered a reduction in government consumption that is judged by the OBR to be the most sustained undertaken in the last hundred years of British historybarring the periods of demobilisation after the first and second world wars.

His budgets over the last five years had reduced the share of national income taken by the state from the unsustainable 45 percent we inherited, to 40 percent today, he gloated. My spending plans in this Parliament will see it fall to 36.9 percent by the end of this decade.

The budget was trailed with predictions that around 4 billion in cuts would be made to disability benefits, but Osborne announced larger cuts still. 1.2 billion is to be cut immediately from the 640,000 disabled recipients of Personal Independence Payments (PIP). This will rise to a total 4.4 billion cut from PIP by 2020. Many people receiving PIP, who need help with dressing themselves or using the toilet, face losing up to 150 per week. These cuts follow on from the 28.3 billion already taken from the disabled over the past five years.

The government will save a further 2 billion in public sector pension costs by raising planned public service pension contributions, in line with a lower discount rate, while not compensating departments for the additional costs they will face. This will hit all unfunded pension schemes in the public sector, including those for the National Health Service, teachers and civil servants.

In contrast, the richest are to be handed a 523-a-year tax cut, by raising the threshold for higher rate income tax by more than 2,500.

Even more wealth is to be funnelled to the rich with Osborne declaring, Our policy is to lower taxes on business.

Corporation Tax, currently set at 20 percent was set to fall to 18 percent for the financial year April 2020. Osborne announced, Today I am going further. By April 2020 it will fall to 17 percent. Corporation Tax will then have been reduced by 9 percent in the space of a decade, with Osborne stating, Let the rest of the world catch up.

Capital Gains Tax is being slashed from 28 percent to 20 percent, or from 18 percent to 10 for basic rate payers. This will only benefit those with substantial capital that has appreciated in value.

In response to demands from North Sea oil companies hit by a collapse in the price of crude, Petroleum Revenue Tax, which stood at 35 percent, is to be abolished. The Supplementary Chargean added tax on the profits of oil companieswill be halved from 20 percent to 10 percent. In response, the share values of the oil conglomerates surged, with BP up 3.5 percent, Shell 3 percent, and the oil services business Wood Group 4 percent higher.

In his one token gesture, Osborne, in response to concern over obesity and widespread ill-health issues, announced that soft drinks companies would pay a levy on drinks with added sugar. But this will only begin in April 2018 and will have a negligible impact on the soft drinks companies, with the price passed on to the consumer.

Osborne attempted to portray the economy as hit by a temporary blip and presented a series of wildly optimist projections leading to a public finance surplus of 10 billion by 2020. What is certain is that any deficit reduction is premised on a continuation of the attacks on the living standards of workers, pensioners and young people. The OBR noted, 3.5 billion of as-yet unidentified cuts are to be generated by an efficiency review that will report in 2018.

In his response, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described Osborne as a chancellor who has produced a budget for hedge fund managers more than for small businesses.

Osbornes was a budget of failure. Hes failed on the budget deficit, failed on debt, failed on investment, failed on productivity, failed on trade deficit, failed on the welfare cap, failed to tackle inequality in this country. [emphasis added]

What is the implication of Corbyn including the welfare cap in Osbornes list of failures? His criticism of the Tories for a failure to cut welfare spending was one echoed by Britains right-wing media, which insisted on no more retreats in reducing the living standards of millions.

His attack renders null and void the other pro-forma criticisms Corbyn made of the budget. In fact, Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell had foreshadowed Osbornes budget by making clear that Labour are ready to carry out an austerity programme in government.

McDonnell refused to commit to a penny in public spending under a future Labour government, stating his desire to ensure that the Governments debt is set on a sustainable path. Labour will commit to ensuring that, at the end of every Parliament, government debt as a proportion of trend GDP is lower than it was at the start, he pledged. Let me make it absolutely clear. I will be absolutely ruthless about how we manage our spending, he told the BBC last week.

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[15 March 2016]
Burmas (Myanmar) parliament, the Assembly of the Union, on Tuesday formally elected the countys new president and two vice-presidents, who will take up office and lead the new government from April 1.

The new president is Htin Kyaw, a close confidante of National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He will replace Thein Sein, a former general who led the military-backed United Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) government that was routed in last Novembers national elections.

Suu Kyi, who has said she will run the government through her presidential nominee, was excluded from the presidency by the countrys constitution because her two children have foreign citizenship. The NLD leader will choose the cabinet ministers, with the exception of the three important posts reserved for the militarydefence, border security and the interior.

Htin Kyaw has two key qualifications for the presidency. He is loyal to Suu Kyi and will not unduly upset the military. He has known Suu Kyi from childhood and has longstanding family connections with the NLD. He is not a well-known political figure. Until his selection as the NLDs presidential candidate, he had not made a public political speech.

A trained economist, Htin Kyaw worked in the juntas foreign economic relations department, where he served as deputy director before resigning in 1992 to assist Suu Kyi. He played no significant role in the mass protest and strike movement in 1988 that shook the foundations of military rule.

Right up until the last moment, Suu Kyi had been seeking to cut a deal with the military that would allow her to assume the presidency. Following last years election, she held three closed-door meetings with military chief Min Aung Hlaing and offered additional cabinet posts to the military, in return for a constitutional fix to remove or temporarily suspend the clause excluding her from the presidency.

Last December, Suu Kyi met with the former military dictator Than Shwe and assured him that she would not focus on the pastthat is, she would not pursue the military for its crimes including the brutal suppression of the 1988 uprising. In turn, Than Shwe endorsed her as Burmas future leader.

The militarys stance has since hardened. On March 9, a senior NLD upper house member told the media: [Suu Kyi] believed that she would be able to work with the military, but after the last meeting with the commander-in-chief [Hlaing], she realised that she cannot negotiate with them.

The differences between the NLD and the generals are routinely presented in the international media as a conflict between democracy and the autocratic military. In reality, the two sides represent competing factions of the countrys ruling elite, each intent on defending their class interests.

Suu Kyi and the NLD speak for layers of the Burmese bourgeoisie whose interests were marginalised by the militarys domination of the economy and advocated a turn to the US and the opening up of the country to Western investment.

As the Obama administration implemented its confrontational pivot to Asia against China, the junta tilted its foreign policy away from Beijing and toward Washington. It released Suu Kyi from house arrest in 2011, allowed carefully-managed elections and initiated a raft of pro-market reforms to encourage foreign investment.

Suu Kyi collaborated with the military, serving as its de facto ambassador to present Burma as a developing democracy that is open for business. Nevertheless, sharp differences remain. The military is prepared to allow the NLD to formally assume power but is determined to keep it on a tight leash.

The military not only has significant economic interests of its own. It is fearful that the NLD will not be able to contain the popular opposition that will inevitably emerge to the governments pro-market agenda. The militarys control over the defence and interior ministries ensures that it can intervene directly to suppress any social unrest.

Significantly, the interior ministry has sweeping powers over government at all levels. Its General Administration Department handles coordination and communication for all ministries and controls appointments to all regional and state-level government bodies, as well as for thousands of towns and villages.

The manner in which the president and vice-presidents were chosen also ensured that the army would have its nominee in a key political post. The militarys choice of hardliner Myint Swe, who was elected vice-president on Tuesday, is particularly ominous. He headed Than Shwes feared military intelligence and oversaw the violent suppression of the 2007 Saffron protests of Buddhist monks. He is still subject to US sanctions.

The NLDs choice of Henry Van Thio for the second vice-presidential post indicates that Suu Kyi and her party will continue to make concessions to the military. Van Thio is an ex-army major with close ties to one of the juntas business cronies. As an ethnic Chin, he was also installed to make a pitch for support from the parliamentary representatives of the countrys various ethnic minorities.

Tensions between the NLD and military will continue. The army has a long list of demands, including that its officers be appointed as chief ministers in Arakan, Shan and Kachin states, as well as the city of Rangoon, the centre of the nations economic activity.

The generals are also acutely sensitive to any exposure of their corrupt practices and many other crimes. Last month the entire military lower house delegation stood up in protest at allegations by NLD members that the Thein Sein administration had mismanaged contracts.

The gesture was an obvious threat to pull the plug on the limited democratic reforms if the NLD did not drop the issue. One NLD member told the media: We were scared when the military stood up  my heart just dropped  The situation was very tense.
At the second of a series of Congressional oversight committee hearings in Washington, DC on the Flint water crisis held Tuesday, former local, state and federal officials testified on the events leading to the lead poisoning of the population of Flint, Michigan.

The day before the hearing, the Washington Post published an opinion piece by Gina McCarthy, the national administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), entitled, Michigan evaded the EPA on Flint. We cant let that happen elsewhere. McCarthy set the tone for the hearing by placing exclusive blame for the disaster on the state of Michigan, claiming it did not act as a partner with the federal agency.

Testifying before the panel Tuesday were former EPA Region 5 (Northern Midwest) administrator Susan Hedman, former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley and former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling. Also testifying was Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards, who conducted independent sampling of residents water that brought the widespread lead contamination to light.

Just as in the previous hearing on February 3, two busloads of Flint residents filled the audience seats and overflow viewing rooms. Representatives of Congress, notably oversight committee chair Jason Chaffetz (Utah) and ranking member Elijah Cummings (Maryland), took the opportunity to grandstand and profess deep concern over the poisoning of Flint residents.

Chaffetz in his opening remarks played a July 8, 2015 video of the local Flint television news broadcast in which Walling infamously drank the water and declared it safe, claiming it would continue to get more safe and more secure. Chaffetz referred to an internal June memo written by EPA water expert Miguel Del Toral warning of high lead levels in the water due the lack of any corrosion control treatment. Without treatment the corrosives in the water caused the citys antiquated pipelines to leach lead, copper and other toxins.

Chaffetz cited an email by Hedman calling Del Torals report a preliminary draft, saying, it would be premature to draw any conclusions. The email told Walling the water was safe before the mayor appeared on television to tell residents to drink the water. Chaffetz said demagogically, Whats sickening about this is that it was totally avoidable.

More tellingly, Chaffetz displayed a September 28 internal memo between EPA water quality officials discussing Flint water, in which one official said,  perhaps she already knows this but Im not so sure Flint is the community we want to go out on a limb for.

Susan Hedmans preliminary testimony was remarkable in her intransigent defense of the EPA and herself, claiming the federal agency bore absolutely no responsibility for the poisoning of Flint. Her testimony was completely in line with the position in McCarthys Post op-ed piece.

Edwards, who testified last, gave a scathing reply to Hedmans testimony. He said her qualities were apparently what the EPA valued most in an administrator: Willful blindness, in this case to the pain and suffering of Flint residents, unremorseful for their role in causing this man-made disaster; and completely unrepentant and unable to learn from their mistakes. Edwards added angrily, Ms. Hedman said EPA had nothing to do with creating Flint. EPA had everything to do with creating Flint.

Edwards referred to the lead poisoning in Washington, DC from 2001 to 2004. That actually was 20 to 30 times worse in terms of the health harm to children. EPA covered it up for six years, he said. Citing falsified scientific reports written by EPA, he explained that the agency was responsible for the climate across the US of cheating in testing and covering up for health risks from lead-poisoned drinking water.

Describing his own professional struggle over this issue, Edwards said, Since 2006 when we realized that this cheating was occurring, I worked with a small group of people who tried to expose these practices to EPA and we failed. We failed to get EPA to take lead and water risks seriously. And because we failed, I was not surprised when Flint occurred. I was expecting a Flint to occur.

Returning to Hedman, he said, I purposely observed, witnessed and uncovered wrongdoing by Ms. Susan Hedman at the US EPA in covering up this problem. Ms. Hedman, at every step, aided, abetted and emboldened the unethical behavior of civil servants at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Stating that Hedman allowed Flints children to be harmed, Edwards asked, why should she not suffer the same or a worse fate than a common landlord who negligently exposes a single child to lead paint exposure.

He closed his testimony by referring to McCarthys editorial in the Post, saying he was dumbfounded at her insistence that the EPA bore no blame for Flint, and called on her to acknowledge EPAs failures over the last decade to enforce the provisions of the EPA Lead and Copper Rule.

The testimony of all three former officials amounted to self-serving finger-pointing. Former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earleya Democrat who was appointed by Republican Governor Rick Snyder in September 2013declared that he had been unjustly persecuted, vilified and smeared over the Flint water crisis. He claimed he had nothing to do with the decision to use the Flint River as a water source, blaming the Flint City Council instead. He said the move to the Flint River was inherent in the decision by the Flint City Council to approve a switch over to the new Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA). Cummings pointed out, however, that Genesee County had signed onto the KWA but had signed a contract to buy water from Detroits system until the KWA pipeline was completed.

Earley falsely claimed that Detroit cut the city off from water service, leaving no choice but to use the Flint River. In fact, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) had offered to deeply discount its water to Flint, its largest outside customer, if it stayed with DWSD.

Former Mayor Dayne Walling, another Democrat, presented himself as a victim of false information that he received from Michigan and federal water safety authorities. None of the representatives questioned him about his role in the public relations drive to break from the Detroit water system and join the KWA pipeline project. In September 2011 he ordered a 35 percent water rate increase for Flint residents. This was just one of a series of rate hikes implemented by Walling and various emergency managers between 2011 and 2014. Flint officials cited exorbitant water rates as the reason for severing the citys half-century tie to Detroits water system; however, they were adding charges to pay for Flints budget crisis and rising borrowing costs.

Cummings announced that a series of transcribed interviews with key witnesses were carried out with Dan Wyant, former director of Michigans Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), who stated that corrosion control was not necessary in Flint, and Jerry Ambrose, Flints last emergency manager, who overruled the March 2015 vote by the city council to reconnect to Detroit water. Still to be interviewed, he said, is Ed Kurtz, the emergency manager who signed the contract with the KWA and contracted an engineering firm to make the updates required to use the Flint River.

The next hearing will take place Thursday, where Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and EPA head Gina McCarthy are expected to testify.
Late Friday, the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) and the New Jersey Transit Rail Labor Coalition, which encompasses 4,200 workers in 11 different unions, announced a tentative contract settlement, averting a threatened strike on Sunday. The deadline marked the end of a federally imposed 60-day cooling off period. NJ Transit workers have been without a contract since 2011.

The last time workers struck against NJ Transit was in 1983. That walkout lasted more than a month. Evidently, in view of the five years since the expiration of the last contract, union leaders were desperate to avoid a repeat of that struggle. The agreement could be rejected if members of even one of the constituent unions votes it down.

As of this writing, the full details of the proposed contract had not yet been publicly released as union leaders want to control the presentation to members.

However, preliminary reports indicate that the tentative agreement includes a 21 percent wage increase over eight and a half years, roughly 2.3 percent per year. Although public officials and the news media have praised this as a win for the union, this barely compensates for the value of workers wages that has already been eaten away over the five years they worked without a contract.

Furthermore, the raises are counterbalanced by a substantial increase in health care costs. Currently, workers pay 1.8 percent of their salary for health benefits. The new rate is 2.48 percent. As a result, workers will now be forced to contribute between $130 and $160 per month, depending on their pay grade, up from the current fixed rate of $81.95 a month. The agreement also reportedly includes, for the first time, the requirement to pay deductibles of between $250 and $500 on medical care.

A substantial increase in health care payments by the workers was a principal goal of NJ Transit. The proposed contract represents a major concession by the unions.

The unions reportedly also made concessions on pay for new hires and in retirement benefits, following a pattern of attacks set in the auto industry. The agreement runs to 2019, a year longer than the unions had proposed.

As negotiations drew close to the strike deadline, NJ Transit attempted to intimidate the workers by sending a threatening letter warning that those who attempted to take sick leave during the strike would have their pay checks stopped and striking workers would lose their health benefits.

According to Republican Governor Chris Christie, there will be no fare increases or service reductions until at least the beginning of the 2017 fiscal year, which starts July 1, only three and a half months from now. This is a meaningless promise. Riders have already suffered fare hikes totaling 30 percent over the last six years as well as a number of service cuts. A nine percent fare increase was instituted last October.

NJ Transit is a publicly-owned transportation system, including busses, trains, and light rail, serving not only New Jersey, but portions of the adjacent states of Pennsylvania and New York as well. Its rail system is the third largest in the country. Roughly 900,000 commuters use NJ Transit each workday, including over 100,000 traveling into New York City. The use of New Jersey commuter trains alone has more than quadrupled since the last strike, in 1983, from about 70,000 riders to more than 308,000 on an average weekday.

Despite the critical importance of mass transit to the region, NJ Transit has suffered devastating reductions in funding. In 2011, when the previous contract expired, the system suffered an $80 million cut in state aid. Over the subsequent five years, the state has cut another $270 million. In all, over the last 10 years, NJ Transit has lost 90 percent of its state funding.

This has been a bipartisan assault, carried out by a Republican governor and a Democratic-controlled legislature. Last year, when the latest round of service cuts was announced, management blamed them on added services for the handicapped as well as the cost of workers health care and benefits. The reality is that there has been a systematic drive to dismantle public transportation in New Jersey.

This pattern is not restricted to one state. The New York/New Jersey regional public transportation system, including NJ Transit and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York, on which millions of workers depend every day, is gradually being starved to death; while at the same time, the Wall Street financial elite, located at the regions center, gorges itself on trillions of dollars in free money from the federal government.

Christie, the former aspirant to the Republican presidential nomination, known for his bullying personality, has made attacking workers a main part of his political program since he came into office in 2010. As negotiations were in progress, he berated the workers for making supposedly outrageous demands. According to Christie, Theres no magic money tree. But, for Wall Street, there is no limit.
A March 14 report published in Mexico's La Jornada reveals staggering corruption and payouts between the state-owned oil company Pemex, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), and the oil workers and electricians unions.

According to the report, titled 'Numerous perks for union leaders of Pemex-CFE,' leaders of the National Oil Workers Union of the Mexican Republic (STPRM) and the National Union of Electrical Workers of the Mexican Republic (Suterm) received massive payouts as part of a quid pro quo agreement with the government and the company. In 2015, the trade unions agreed to contract modifications which enforced unprecedented pension and job cuts on Mexican oil workers.

Signed documents cited by La Jornada show that the leaders of the two unions, Carlos Romero Dechamps and Victor Fuentes del Villar, received $21 million USD and $11 million USD in payouts, respectively. The payments, which will be distributed amongst the leaders cronies, were disguised as resources for 'travel allowance, spending, and celebration.'

The payments reveal the key role played by the trade unions in orchestrating a historic transfer of wealth from the working class to the pockets of the Mexican bourgeoisie and their allies on Wall Street and in the multinational oil corporations.

The terms of the deal worked out in November 2015 by the trade unions, the government, and Pemex illuminate the character of the conspiracy against the Mexican working class. The retirement age will be raised from 55 to 60 for those workers with less than 15 years with the company while new hires will be forced to take a defined-contribution plan as opposed to the defined benefit plans that current workers have. In January, Pemex announced 10,533 jobs would be cut in 2016.

The Wall Street Journal salivated over the deal, calling it 'the biggest change to the collective bargaining contract since Pemex was created in 1938.'

The cuts will open up billions of dollars to be spent on speculation and profiteering. One anonymous senior Pemex official told the Journal that 'the overhaul could cut pension liabilities by about 400 billion pesos ($24 billion), or around a quarter of the total liabilities.'

The Mexican trade unions are not workers organizations, and their leadership lives extravagantly off the payoffs for their betrayals.

For example, the daughter of STPRM leader Romero Deschamps posted a series of photographs of herself traveling via private jet to many corners of the world. The luxurious photos of Paulina Romero Deschamps, known as the 'Princess of the PRI' for her father's connections to the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), caused a scandal when they were released in 2013.

The opulent lifestyles of the trade union bureaucracies are funded not only by payoffs from the government and corporations, but also through stealing the wages of the workers themselves. According to political analyst Denise Dresser, Deschamps received $15.3 million in 2011 in oil worker dues money. Despite claiming to make just $1,900 per month in STPRM salary, Deschamps himself owns a $1.5 million mansion in Cancun (which he has described as a 'cottage') and reportedly gave his son a $2 million Ferrari automobile as a present.

The conspiracy by the unions, the government, and Pemex against the working class is the culmination of decades of attacks on oil workers who have long been regarded as representing the high-water mark of working class living standards in Mexico.

The expropriation of the Mexican oil industry by President Lazaro Cardenas in March 1938 remains perhaps the most widely celebrated political act in post-revolutionary Mexican history. The expropriation itself was the product of a careful balancing act by Cardenas and broad sections of the Mexican bourgeoisie, who both sought to limit foreign exploitation of oil to create a basis for enriching the national bourgeoisie and to stem widespread socialist sentiment among the working class.

Founded in August 1935, the STPRM was immediately brought under the control of the corporatist Mexican Confederation of Workers (CTM) through the dealings of the infamous Mexican Stalinist Lombardo Toledano. A series of wildcat strikes in 1937 that the STPRM and the Stalinists were unable to contain frightened the Cardenas administration to such a degree that Cardenas declared that the strikes were due on the part of the workers substantially to the lack of cohesion of the organizations which form the [STPRM]. Furthermore, Cardenas expressed the Mexican ruling classs fear of socialism when he said that the government felt anxiety [over] the deception which the workers may suffer at the hands of those who are within the ranks of the workers and who are serving antagonistic interests.

In response to these concerns, Cardenas announced the expropriation of the oil industry in March 1938 after the foreign companies refused to abide by a ruling from the Mexican Supreme Court granting the right to collective bargaining under the STPRM. In the aftermath of the expropriation, American, English, and Dutch oil interests attempted to orchestrate an international boycott of Mexican oil. The move was greeted with widespread enthusiasm by Mexican workers and peasants, many of whom offered to donate chickens and livestock to pay off the debt Cardenas insisted be paid to the companies. In the aftermath of the expropriation, oil workers were in fact not granted the wage increases for which they had initially struck.

The massive poverty, widespread corruption, and violence that pervade Mexican society today are the product of the decades-long collusion of the Mexican bourgeoisie with imperialism, aided by the corporatist trade unions and their wealthy charro leadership. The product of this corrupt alliance is the drive toward the privatization of the oil industry through intensified attacks on Mexican oil workers.
The Democratic and Republican Party primary elections held in five states on Tuesday have further cemented the position of the two front-runners, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

On the Republican side, it is increasingly likely that the party will have at the head of its ticket in November a candidate with a distinctly fascistic and authoritarian program, including open appeals to violence against political opponents and racist agitation against immigrants and ethnic and religious minorities. On Tuesday, Trump threatened that there would be riots should he be denied the nomination at a contested Republican Convention.

On the Democratic side, the likelihood of Bernie Sanders overcoming Clintons lead in delegates is increasingly remote after the former secretary of states victory in all five states holding contests on Tuesday. Barring a crisis that drastically impacts her political prospectssuch as a criminal indictment over her State Department emailsClinton is heading toward securing the Democratic nomination at the party convention in July.

A likely nomination of Clintonthe personification of the status quo and one of the more despised politicians in the United Statesplaces into sharper relief the political function of the Sanders campaign. The widespread support for Sanders has revealed the extent to which workers and youth are looking for an alternative to capitalism. They will not, however, find it in the self-described democratic socialist senator from Vermont.

From the beginning, Sanders role has been to serve as a lightning rod for social discontent, directing it into the dead end of the Democratic Party. In his more candid moments, he has stated that the actual content of his political revolution is to encourage millions of young people and workers not to lose faith in the political system and to increase the Democratic vote in November. He will now begin the process of pressuring his supporters to back the eventual nominee, Clinton.

Drawing something of a balance sheet of the Sanders campaign from the standpoint of the Democratic Party, New York Times columnist Timothy Egan wrote on Wednesday that while the math now makes it nearly impossible for him to get the bid, Sanders should continue to run because he has done a real service, for the party he only recently joined, and for the country.

Thanks to Sanders, Egan declared, millennial voters who flocked to Barack Obama but have a meh feeling about another Clinton are back in the arena His ideas will shape every part of the party platform, which will give Clinton what she lacks: a clear message. Eventually, [Sanders] will endorse the woman he influenced, and Democrats will be the better for it.

In fact, the Sanders campaign will have no impact on the program of the Democratic Party or the policies of any future Clinton administration. Already, Clinton is beginning to shift to the right in preparation for a contest with Trump, preparing to position herself as the alternative for the moderate wing of the Republican right and the reliable guardian of the interests of American capitalism. However, Egans comments point to an understanding within the political establishment that Sanders roleof which the candidate himself is highly consciousis to counter the deep anger and disillusionment that have been the principal products of seven years of the Obama administration.

The form and framework of the Sanders campaign is not an incidental question. The fact that he chose to run within the Democratic Party in and of itself, whatever his left rhetoric, determines the trajectory and political significance of his campaign. The claims of various pseudo-left organizations notwithstanding, the Democratic Party cannot be transformed into an instrument for social and political progress, let alone socialism. Even if Sanders were to accomplish the unlikely feat of winning the nomination, this would change only the particular form in which he repudiated his promises and upheld the interests of the corporations and banks.

As it has progressed, the content of the Sanders campaign has become more and more right-wing. He has combined his call for various social reforms, themselves unobtainable outside of a mass working class movement directed against the capitalist system, with pledges to maintain the strongest military in the world. In the past several weeks, he has focused his rhetoric (particularly in Ohio and Michigan) on denunciations of unfair trade deals, echoing Trump in promoting the reactionary notion that erecting national barriers is an answer to assaults on wages within the United States, rather than opposing the global capitalist system itself.

Sanders socialism is a fraud. It is devoid of any anti-capitalist content. He defends the system of private corporate ownership and profit. He defends the capitalist state. His campaign is not an expression of the growing militancy and political radicalization of the working class. Rather, it is a response by the ruling elite to that development and the danger it poses of the emergence of an independent political movement against capitalism.

The next step in this elaborate political maneuver to neutralize and demoralize social opposition is already being prepared in the form of a campaign that insists the only way to stop Trump is to unify everyone behind Clinton. In an open letter released on Tuesday, MoveOn.org, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and other Democratic Party-affiliated organizationsboth pro-Sanders and pro-Clintoncalled for a voting renaissance to stop Trump and show that our country is better than this. This anybody but Trump campaign will assume various forms and involve the entire pseudo-left fraternity.

Those who are developing the arguments for such an anti-Trump campaign are not only seeking to bolster the Democratic Party and prepare the groundwork for Sanders support for Clinton, they are also perpetuating a false understanding of the political dynamic of American politics. The very real danger represented by Trump cannot be countered by support for the Democratic Party. On the contrary, Trumps ability to exploit social anger and direct it into reactionary channels is due above all to the role of the Democratic Party and what passes for the left in the United States, including Sanders and the organizations that have backed hima left characterized by contempt for the working class and dedicated to smothering the growth of workers militancy and demobilizing opposition to social inequality and war.

While the US election campaign still has eight more months to go, it has already revealed both the deep crisis of American politics and the enormous dangers facing the working class. The central and critical task is the building of a genuine socialist, internationalist and revolutionary leadershipthe Socialist Equality Party.
Poland's conservative-nationalist PiS (Law and Justice Party) government has refused to recognize the decision of the Constitutional Court rejecting the recent judicial reform as unconstitutional.

The EUs Venice Commission has sided with the Constitutional Court, and US officials have also condemned the PiS government for its attack on the Constitutional Court. On Saturday, there were renewed opposition protests in Warsaw and other Polish cities, with tens of thousands of people taking part.

After its election victory in October, the PiS rapidly carried through a bloodless coup, bringing the intelligence agencies and public media under its control, and blocking the Constitutional Court. Jarosaw Kaczynski's party is trying to arm itself against rising social tensions by building an authoritarian state, resorting to rapid militarization and threatening war against Russia.

The rightward shift of the Polish government has exacerbated the crisis in the EU and has escalated tensions with Germany in particular. For the first time in its history, the European Commission has imposed the so-called rule of law mechanism on Poland. It will give the Polish government recommendations for a change in some laws; if Warsaw refuses to comply, Poland could lose its voting and veto rights in the EU.

Now the Court has declared unconstitutional the 22 December 2015 legislative amendments, with which the PiS sought to regulate the operation of the Constitutional Court in summary proceedings. These prescribe that all meetings of the Court must be attended by at least 13 of the 15 judges, deal with all cases in chronological order, and decisions are reached by a two-thirds majority. The Constitutional Court justified its rejection of these changes on the basis they make its regular functioning impossible.

The PiS government has refused to either recognize or publish this ruling. A judgment of the Constitutional Court only becomes legal in Poland when it is published. The PiS argues that the Courts decision was reached illegally, because it had not followed the 22 December guidelines it has declared illegal.

Shortly after the ruling of the Constitutional Court, the Venice Commission confirmed the EUs attitude towards it. The assessment of the Venice Commission had been requested by the Polish Foreign Ministry after protests by the EU and especially Germany in December.

The Venice Commission concluded that the changes in the law made effective action by the Constitutional Court difficult, if not impossible, threatening democracy and human rights.

The PiS has already announced it will not recognize the Venice Commission's assessment, and several prominent officials said they would not tolerate foreign interference in Polish affairs.

Meanwhile, some US senators have expressed relatively mild criticism of the Polish government. Republican and Democratic senators have sent a letter to Prime Minister Beata Szydo expressing concern about the state of democracy and the rule of law. Szydo rejected the criticism as being an interference in Polish affairs.

The US government has kept noticeably quiet in recent months and expressed no official criticism of the PiS government, which places even more importance than its predecessors on an alliance with the US in the confrontation with Russia. Among others things, a permanent NATO troop presence in Poland is to be agreed at the NATO summit in Warsaw in July. Washington will not put this alliance in jeopardy at any cost.

At the same time, a letter by US senators, including John McCain, who is known for his anti-Russian positions, expresses concern that the political crisis in Poland is spiralling out of control and could undermine US strategy in Eastern Europe.

Both the EU and the US are concerned about the economic orientation of the PiS, which aims to limit the influence of foreign capital in the Polish economy in the interests of Polish small business.

On the other hand, the opposition movement, led by the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD) and supported by the neo-liberal parties Civic Platform (PO) and Nowoczesna, speaks for sections of the bourgeoisie and the urban middle class, who profited from EU membership and the opening up of the country for international capital and who see their interests threatened by the policy of PiS.

Encouraged by the position taken by the EU in support of the Polish Constitutional Court and the intervention of some individual US representatives, the opposition in Poland held more protests in Warsaw and other cities on Saturday. The Warsaw protests, among the largest since the beginning of the so-called democracy movement, were attended by some 15,000 people according to the police. The opposition put the figure at 50,000.

As with previous demonstrations, the protest march consisted of a sea of Polish and EU flags. Some US flags were also to be seen. Members of KOD, which organized the protest, were seen selling Polish and EU flags on the fringes of the demonstration.

The demonstrators did not chant slogans, but made noise with vuvuzelas, daubed red and white, the colors of the Polish national flag. Posters mostly attacked President Andrzej Duda and PiS head Kaczynski. Many KOD badges repeated the slogan that had dominated the 1989 demonstrations: We are the nation. After protesters passed in front of the presidential palace, the demonstration gradually dissolved after a little over two hours.

It speaks volumes about the political and social orientation of the KOD movement that it holds up the EU and the US as guarantors of democracy and human rights, in a situation in which they are depriving millions of people of their homes through war and treating those fleeing worse than animals.
Billionaire demagogue Donald Trump warned that there would be violence at the Republican National Convention if he fell short of a majority of delegates and was denied the partys nomination. I think youd have riots, he said on CNNs New Day program Wednesday morning.

Im representing many, many millions of people, in many cases first-time voters, he said. If you disenfranchise those people, and you say, Im sorry, youre 100 votes short I think you'd have problems like youve never seen before. I think bad things would happen.

I wouldnt lead it, but I think bad things would happen, he reiterated, adding, After we win, I think a lot of feelings will be soothed.

Trumps statement marks a further development in the thuggish and fascistic character of his campaign. Last week the candidate was widely criticized for instigating violence against protesters at his campaign rallies.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell telephoned Trump on Tuesday, the day he swept four of five primariesin Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolinato discuss the presidential campaign. McConnell told reporters he had discussed the violence at Trump rallies and told the Republican frontrunner, It might be a good idea to condemn that no matter what the source.

Instead, Trump is making thinly disguised threats of violence against the leadership of his own party, in the event it seeks to block his path to the nomination.

What Trump denounces as a political outrage, deserving a violent response, is nothing more than an established democratic procedure of party conventions.

I think well win before getting to the convention, he said. But I can tell you, if we didnt and if were 20 votes short or if were 100 short and were at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, because were way ahead of everybody, I dont think you can say that we dont get it automatically.

Trump was responding to the possibility of a contested or open convention in which no candidate has the majority required for nomination. The Manhattan billionaire has a significant but not decisive lead, with 621 delegates, just over half the 1,237 needed.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz has 396 after winning eight states, and Ohio Governor John Kasich 138 after defeating Trump in the winner-take-all contest in his home state Tuesday. Nearly 200 more delegates were pledged to Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and other candidates who have suspended their campaigns. These are officially uncommitted.

The Trump campaign fears that Cruz will continue to accumulate delegates in contests in the western states and that Kasich will be competitive in the Midwest and Northeast, leaving the frontrunner well short of a majority when the Republican National Convention opens in Cleveland on July 18.

If all three candidates fail to reach the majority required for nomination on the first ballot, in subsequent ballots, according to party rules and previous political tradition, most of the delegates will be free to vote for any nominee, including an individual who did not run in the primaries.

For most of the history of the United States, contested conventions were the norm, and there were numerous occasions when a candidate entered the nominating convention with a sizeable lead but less than a majority, and the delegates ultimately selected someone else. The most famous such instance was in 1860, when the Republican convention passed over the frontrunner, New York Senator William Seward, who had a large lead in the first ballot, and gave a third-ballot victory to Abraham Lincoln.

It goes without saying that Lincoln, Seward and the other Republicans of that era, who led the struggle that destroyed chattel slavery in America, are as distant politically as they could be from Trump, Cruz and other defenders of the modern exploiters of wage slaves. But the example is nonetheless instructive.

There is widespread opposition in the Republican political establishment to nominating Trump, a mixture of concern that his racist diatribes will provoke mass opposition and hostility to his deviations from right-wing orthodoxy, such as his rejection of cuts in Social Security.

With a Cruz victory in the primaries unlikely, and a Kasich victory mathematically impossible, a contested convention is the only means of blocking Trumps nomination. In an editorial Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal hailed Kasichs defeat of Trump in Ohio for making a deadlocked convention possible and urged the formation of a Kasich-Rubio ticket as an alternative to Trump.

Former House Speaker John Boehner told a conference in Florida Wednesday that he favored a contested convention that would turn to the current Speaker, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, as the Republican nominee. Ryan dismissed the possibility, but did not rule out accepting a draft.

There are also Republican figures discussing a third-party campaign against Trump and the presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

At the same time, none of the other remaining Republican presidential candidates have stated that they will not support Trump, two of those who have dropped outChris Christie and Ben Carsonhave endorsed him, and the Republican National Committee has said that its policy is to back whomever is nominated.

On Monday, former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani indicated his support for Trump in an interview with a newspaper associated with billionaire Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Last month, when asked if he would back Trump as the nominee, Adelson said, Trump is a businessman. I am a businessman. He employs a lot of people. I employed 50,000 people. Why not?

For her part, the leading Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton has responded to the divisions in the Republican Party and the rise of Trump by shifting rhetorically to the right, seeking to position herself as the responsible representative of the ruling class and American imperialism.

At a rally held on Tuesday night, after she won the Democratic primaries in a number of states over Bernie Sanders, Clinton proclaimed in a thinly-veiled reference to Trump: Our commander in chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it, engage our allies, not alienate them, defeat our adversaries, not embolden them.

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The Trump campaign: A new stage in the crisis of American democracy

[14 March 2016]
Amid a deepening crisis of the government and the parliamentary system as a whole, the Greens have repeatedly voted with the ruling Liberal-National Coalition in the Senate over the past three days. Together, they are bulldozing through changes to the electoral laws that seek to shore up support for the major establishment parties, including the Greens, in the face of widespread public disaffection.

The Greens have voted with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls government to block every bid by various minor party and independent senatorsthe crossbenchto delay the passage of the Senate voting laws. Backed by the Greens and independent senator Nick Xenophon, the government is so intent on passing the laws this week that parliament could sit through the night and even into the weekend.

By ramming through the laws, the Greens are helping clear the way for Turnbull to call a double dissolution election on July 2. Such an electionfor the entire Senate as well as the House of Representativeswould be a bid to purge the Senate of crossbenchers who have become an obstacle to the austerity agenda demanded by the corporate elite, driven by a worsening economic situation.

The last federal election in 2013 saw more than a quarter of the votes for the Senate go to candidates other than the three main establishment partiesLiberal-National, Labor and the Greens. This result gave a very distorted expression to the popular hostility toward the major parties. A number of crossbenchersmostly right-wing populists posing as anti-elite candidatessecured seats by exchanging voting preferences with each other.

In efforts to secure their own political survival, the smaller parties and independents have opposed some of the governments moves to slash social spending and cut workers conditions, compounding the growing frustration of big business.

Cynically posturing as champions of electoral transparency and voters rights, the Greens and the Coalition are pushing through laws to make it more difficult for such parties and independents to win Senate seats. The changed electoral laws are designed to get voters to select only one party, or allocate preferences to no more than six parties or groups, in the hope of exhausting their preference votes or channelling them back into the hands of the main parties.

As part of their deal with the government, the Greens agreed to start the Senate changes on July 1, so the new system would be in place in time for a July 2 double dissolution election.

After this week, parliament is due to go into recess before reconvening for the governments annual budget on May 10. The Coalition and the Greens have blocked debate in the Senate on a series of bills, in order to ensure the passage of the electoral laws. This has included the main measure that the government intends to use as the constitutional trigger for a double dissolution electiona bill to reestablish the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), a specialised agency to persecute building workers.

This could instigate a constitutional crisis because, in order to call a double dissolution, the government has to show Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, the formal head of state, that the Senate has twice refused to pass the bill. The government is reportedly considering recalling parliament on May 3, a week ahead of schedule, to deliver the budget so the ABCC bill can be put to the Senate again. But the Senate majority could try to stymie the plan by refusing to reconvene until the scheduled date of May 10, just a day before the Senate would need to reject the bill again in time for a double dissolution.

These tortured manoeuvres reflect a deeper political crisis. Six months after ousting Tony Abbott as prime minister, Turnbull has proven no more successful than Abbott in imposing brutal cuts to the living standards and social conditions of the working class, despite the collapse of the mining boom intensifying the corporate austerity demands. Instead, having to call an election before the end of the year, the government has backed away from earlier vows to cut spending and corporate taxes.

Divisions on foreign policy have also beset the government. So far, Turnbull has failed to meet escalating demands by Washington to join its provocative freedom of navigation operations inside Chinese-claimed territorial waters in the South China Sea. These demands have been echoed by both Abbott and the Labor Party. Turnbull has made clear his commitment to Australias longstanding military ally, the United States, but fears a backlash by China, the countrys largest trading partner.

Under these conditions, the Greens, who once presented themselves as anti-war pacifists and defenders of social justice, are openly seeking to enter government, declaring their readiness to join a coalition with the Liberals. From 2010 to 2013, the Greens already formed a de facto coalition with the minority Labor government of Julia Gillard, supporting its unconditional alignment behind Washingtons pivot to Asia to confront China, and helping Labor inflict cuts to education and other social spending.

In the past, the Greens have also formed coalitions, formal and informal, with both Labor and Liberal administrations in the state of Tasmania. Increasingly, they have offered themselves as the force needed to stabilise the parliamentary order. In July 2014, Christine Milne, then the Greens leader, joined Labor in passing the main provisions in the Abbott governments first brutal budget, warning of instability and uncertainty if the budget were blocked.

Milnes replacement as party leader by Richard Di Natale last May represented a further shift to the right. In a recent interview with GQ, a mens magazine, Di Natale said his party rejected the view that we should never do anything with the Liberal Party. He told the magazine: Never say never is the quote Id use about everything in politics.

Prominent Liberal Party powerbroker and businessman Michael Kroger declared that the Liberals would be prepared to exchange preferences with the Greens for the next election, because the Greens were not the nutters they used to be. Speaking of Di Natale, Kroger said: Youve got a doctor who owns a farm who doesnt come from this mad environmental background.

Australias political elite is being increasingly riven by the combined pressures of the deepening impact of the post-2008 global economic breakdown, Washingtons insistence on Australia taking a front line position in war preparations against China, and widespread opposition to austerity and militarism. Turnbulls inner-party coup to depose Abbott last September was the sixth change of prime minister in Australia since the landslide defeat of the Howard Coalition government in 2007.

In the machinations over the Senate voting changes, the Greens have stepped forward, not just to assist the Coalition government, but to try to shore up the parliamentary system itself. Given the blatantly anti-democratic content of the plan to shut out other parties, however, the plan could well backfire, fuelling the public antagonism toward the major parties, including the Greens.
6 years, 7 months ago by Scott Hardy

"Essentially mimic the early voting process."

Adams County residents who weren't able to vote in Tuesday's primary will get the chance next week. Scott Hardy has more.
6 years, 7 months ago by Scott Hardy

"Final results will always be in question"

Even though the final votes have yet to be counted in Tuesday's GOP primary race for Adams County State's Attorney, one of the candidates has conceded.

Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Cifaldi announced late Wednesday that she has conceded the race to fellow ASA Gary Farha. In a statement, Cifaldi said quote "there is no way to ever know how this election would have turned out had it been run according to the election laws of our state. The final results in this race will always be in question.

She also said that she will work to help with the transition from current State's Attorney Jon Barnard to Farha, and will aid the State Attorney General in their investigation of Tuesday's ballot shortage. Here is the full text of her statement:

The Tuesday primary election in Adams County has left a lot of questions unanswered and I have had a near constant stream of concerns being shared with me today. I share the concern that the electoral process was flawed and the integrity of the ballots was compromised. It appears, however, that my opponent has earned enough of the votes recorded to be declared the winner in the primary election. With that in mind, I have called Gary to congratulate him and wish him the best.

I expect, however, that all the votes cast will be counted with some appropriate level of expediency and with respect to the voters who cast them. There is no way to account for voters who were disenfranchised at the polls by being denied a ballot, some multiple times, and there is no way to ever know how this election would have turned out had it been run according to the election laws of our state. The final results in this race will always be in question, and that is an unfortunate fact that all involved will have to come to terms with.

At this point, I believe that continuing to maintain my campaign footing and hoping for an intervention that will change the outcome is unwise, and I am ending my campaign accordingly. Again, I wish Gary the best and will do all that I can to make sure the transition from Jon Barnard's leadership to his assumption of office goes smoothly. The one thing he and I have agreed upon during this race is that the State's Attorney's role in the safety of our community is vitally important, and I will do my best to ensure that continues to be the case.

I thank all my supporters and the people who worked so hard for the past 15 months to help me make my case to the voters. I wish I could give them a better outcome or some level of satisfaction that our work got a fair consideration on Election Day. I cannot, which is beyond unfortunate.

I believe that the most important consideration at this point is restoring the voters' confidence in the integrity of the ballot and the belief that our elections are open, free, and fair. Anything less is a serious loss for our community. In the days and weeks ahead, I will work with the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois State Board of Elections to make sure their investigation is comprehensive and exhaustive. They have asked us to turn our data over to the office of State Representative Randy Frese, who is assisting in the collection of information for their review. To that end, I ask that those who have any information about election irregularities, including instances where you were refused the opportunity to vote, to submit their comments to Representative Frese by email to: repfrese@adams.net or by phone at (217) 223-0833.
6 years, 7 months ago QPD

Derrick Morrison 28, 600 1/2 Elm for driving while suspended. NTA

Taylor D. Altgilbers, 20, 1256 E. 1500th St. for Improper Backing at 9th & Broadway on 03-15-16. PTC

Randy D. Roberson (20), 703 Maine for FTA - Pedestrian Use of the Roadway and Possession of Alcohol by a Minor at 703 Maine on 3/16/16. Lodged

Christopher L. Middendorf, 608 S. 6th reported an unknown suspect entered his unlocked 2000 Chevy S-10 sometime between 03- 01-16 and 03-04-16 and stole a bottle of his prescription medication.

Brandon M. Weisenburger, Hamilton, IL reported an unknown suspect threw an egg at his vehicle while parked on 11th Street, Broadway to Vermont, on 03-11-16 between 0915 - 1100 hours.

Shirley A. Ryan, an employee of County Market Express, 537 Broadway reported a silver 2001 Honda Civic with California plates drove off without paying for $26.12 in gasoline on 03-12-16 @ 1200 hours.

Bonita M. Haubrich, 215 Kochs Lane reported she lost her diamond ring somewhere in Quincy on 03-06-16.

Jason A Quincy (36) 921 Kentucky St. for vandalism at 2801 College Ave on 2-25-16. NTA

Boni E Huston (20) 2213 Ohio St.for driving under the influence-drugs, possession of cannabis, and obstructing traffic at 18th and Broadway on 3-7-16. NTA

John J Maxwell (86) 400 Parkview Dr. for improper driving at 4400 block of Broadway on 3-15-16. PTC

Steven L Thompson (51) 827 Cherry FTA-possession of drug paraphernalia and parking in a handicapped space at 827 Cherry on 3-15-16. Cash Bond

Sheldon R Tasco (29) 918 State St. for a warrant on FTA - speeding at 918 State St. on 3-15-16. Cash bond

Rachel L Poe (28) Homeless for a warrant for FTA- Larceny at 1801 Broadway on 3-15-16. Lodged

Lisa M Freeman (39) 201 Columbus St. Coatsburg, IL for possession of methamphetamine less than 5 grams, driving while license suspended and operating an uninsured vehicle at 8th and Vermont on 3-15-16. Lodged
DELAND, Fla. (AP) - A 9-year-old golden retriever has been found after her owner's SUV was carjacked.

Volusia County deputies say the suspect crashed into a utility pole in DeLand a short time after taking the vehicle Wednesday, causing a fire and power outages in the area.

Deputies say they're not sure how the dog named Kenzie escaped the vehicle, but she was reunited with her family.

The teen suspect faces a carjacking charge. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Deputies say the woman was stopped at a red light when the suspect opened the passenger door and got inside the SUV.

The woman screamed and jumped out of the driver's seat with the golden retriever still inside.
Politburo member, Permanent member of the Party Central Committees Secretariat Dinh The Huynh

and Vice Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party Yasuo Ogata. (Source: VNA)





The host said the two Parties should further enhance their ties through sharing experience and bolster coordination at regional and international forums as well as in multilateral activities of political parties.



He expressed his hope that the JCP will continue making contributions to deepening Vietnam-Japan relations.



Yasuo Ogata highlighted the significance of the 12th National Party Congress, saying that this is a crucial milestone helping promote Vietnams development in the future and increasing the countrys position in the international arena.



He hailed the outcomes of the talks between JCP Chairman Kazuo Shii and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during the Vietnamese Party leaders visit to Japan in September last year.



The two leaders agreed to strengthen relations through three main pillars, including tightening bilateral ties, stepping up theoretical and experience exchanges and enhancing cooperation for peace in the region and the world.



The JCP will do its best to help further bolster the friendship between the two countries, Yasuo Ogata said.



Earlier the same day, Head of the Party Central Committee Commission for External Affairs Hoang Binh Quan held talks with the JCP Vice Chairman, during which they agreed to promote multifaceted cooperation between the two Parties.



The two sides compared their notes of common concern in the region and the world, focusing on recent complicated developments in the region. They stressed that disputes in the sea should be addressed by peaceful measures in line with international law./.
Vietnam attends the 21st World Building and Construction Exposition (WorldBex) in the Philippines.

The event, is organized by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry. Members of the local and international building industry gathered at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay city for the event.

Over 500 companies with more than a thousand booths from many countries will take part in the event. As scheduled, the event will feature exhibits covering building materials, equipment services, and construction design and development, among others, with an exhibit area of 30,000sqm.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Mr Truong Trieu Duong and Commercial Counsellor Ms Vu Viet Nga attended the opening ceremony.

At the event, Vietnamese products are highly appreciated for quality as well as design.

In the framework of the exposition, a seminar on trade held by the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCII) with the participation of Ambassador Truong Trieu Duong; representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Vietnamese businesses will take place

The event is hoped to create a chance for the two countries businesses to gather information on markets, as well as find partners in the future./.
You thought that our diplomatic situation was on the ropes? Not exactly, according to Professor Shlomo Ben-Ami, Barak's foreign finister and senior alumnus of the Labor party who published an article last week on the respected Project Syndicate website, in which he reaches a surprising conclusion.

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"It is often said that the ongoing occupation is harmful to Israel's international standing," he writes. "The truth is that Israel enjoys global influence that is unprecedented in its history."

True, writes Ben-Ami, Israel's popularity in the West was dropping, but the State found new partners. From 2004 to 2014, exports to Asia tripled. Trade with China, Japan and India is greater than that with the United States. None of the Asian powers present their relations with Israel as being conditional on the peace process with the Palestinians. The new nationalist Indian government is particularly favorable: it strengthens the security cooperation between the two countries, including the purchases of military technologies.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on a visit to Cyprus (Photo: AP)

The former minister continues to list Israels new friends: Putins Russia, which takes the pains to coordinate its moves in Syria with Israel; Erdogan's Turkey, who desperately needs allies in the region and is interested in Israeli gas; Saudi Arabia, which maintains clandestine security contacts with Israel for the same reasons; the same with Sisi's Egypt and the Gulf states; Greece and Cyprus cultivate ties for their own reasons, as well as right-wing governments in Central and Eastern Europe.

This is good news. However, the less positive news in Ben-Ami's eyes are that Israels new partners do not share its view of the world; beyond that, the decline in the importance of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lowers the chances that the Israeli government's position will be flexible and that a solution will be reached. Without an agreement, he writes, the oppression of the Palestinians will continue to seriously erode Israeli society in a deadly manner. "Israel has no reason to rejoice," he concludes.

What he does not write, at least not in this article, is that the change in Israels status coincided with a profound change in its scale of values. Israel is not longer the Western, liberal country fighting for its life that it was in 1948 and 1967 . Its strength is in its military and technological power and its economic and political stability. Its values are aggressive, nationalistic, and as illustrated by recent surveys, also loathing democracy and riddled with racism. The Chinese, who are roaming the world in search of knowledge, buying and stealing whatever they can get their hands on, are not bothered by this consideration. Nor are the Russian and Indian goverments. Their value system is the same.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo: EPA)

The strengthening of Israel's position in the region is thanks to the American government and Iran. The Americans created a vacuum in their withdrawal. The Sunni regimes' turning to Israel are part of their efforts to fill their ranks. As long as the Iranians are fantasizing about the destruction of Israel, they can count on the Zionist heretics, the children of death: They will not betray.

But nothing lasts forever. The white regime in South Africa enjoyed its status as a stronghold of the West in Africa for a long time, against the Soviets' attempts at subversion. When the Soviet Union fell, the regime lost its world. Once the Sunni-Shiite war is over, our friends the Saudis will disappear. For them, Israel is an umbrella for a rainy day.

At the same time, we're losing the wall-to-wall support from American public opinion and its political system. The evangelicals will stay with us, as will the small minority of non-Haredi Orthodox Jews, and a few Jewish billionaires. The liberal camp in the US, including masses of young Jews, are not enchanted by what they see and hear about Israel. They move away. The same is true in Western Europe. This space is filled by BDS propaganda.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo : Reuters)

No wonder that the American administration does not enthusiastically welcome Israel's demand to increase the aid package. "If you're so close to the Chinese, Indians, Russians and Saudis, why do we need to add billions more in helping you with security?" the Americans are asking. "We have given enough already. Now contribute."

Perhaps the day will come when we ask ourselves if we did not sell our birthright for a bowl of lentils. Until then, we'll continue to have affairs with the most dubious and corrupt regimes in the world. This is what's called an Israeli success.
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely revealed on Wednesday that Israel and Indonesea are conducting secret negotiations, and that a representative of the Foreign Ministry recently visited the capital, Jakarta.

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The statements were made in reply to a question in the Knesset from MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint List) regarding the Israeli decision to prevent Indonesias Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi from entering Ramallah on Sunday.

"There were secret communications with Indonesia, with which we have no diplomatic relations, and there were understandings that they crudely violated, and we therefore prevented her from entering," said Hotovely in the Knesset. "It was a violation of diplomatic code, and so the most honorable thing is to honor the code, and when you commit a violation, don't be surprised that you are preventing yourself from visiting the Palestinian Authority."

MK Hotovely who revealed the secret meetings (Photo: Gil Yochanan)

Hotoveli clarified that the understandings were reached during the Foreign Ministry representative visit to Indonesia, according to which Indonesians could visit the Palestinian Authority only if they also visit Israel. She said that a dialogue exists through various channels, and Israel attaches great importance to relations with Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world.

Marsudi was supposed to inaugurate an honorary Indonesian consulate in Ramallah. She visited Jordan on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive on Sunday in Ramallah, to demonstrate Indonesia's commitment to improving relations with the Palestinians and to support Palestinian independence.



Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who chose the Palestinian issue as the central theme of his foreign policy in the presidential election campaign in 2014, promised to open a diplomatic mission in Ramallah. Widodo also announced in his speech at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jakarta last week the appointment of a Palestinian to the position of honorary consul of Indonesia in Palestine. He announced that this role would be to strengthen economic, social and cultural exchanges and to encourage the travel of tourists and businesseople between the two countries, as well as to provide assistance to Indonesian citizens. In the same speech, the president said there should be a boycott of settlement products.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: AFP)

In 2012, Israel refused to allow the former foreign minister of Indonesia Marty Natalegawa to enter the the territories. Natalegawas request to enter along with a delegation of 12 ministers from Malaysia, Cuba and Bangladesh was denied.

Although Indonesia has clearly pro-Palestinian views in public, it is confidentially conducting close talks with Israel in a variety of areas, the center of which is tourism. Data from the Population and Immigration Authority show that in 2013 some 30,000 tourists came from Indonesia, compared with just 9,442 in 2009an increase of more than threefold. Some travel agencies organize trips from Indonesia to Israel and sell packages.

In 2013, then-Israeli economy minister Naftali Bennett visited Indonesia to participate in the World Trade Organization conference in Bali. Former president Shimon Peres visited Indonesia in 2000. Amos Nadai, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry, also visited Indonesia, as well as Yael Rubinstein, then Israel's ambassador to Thailand. At the same time, several delegations from Indonesia arrived in Israel. In 2013, a group of Indonesian officials secretly visited the country and even visited the Knesset. Last year, a delegation from Indonesia participated in a homeland security conference in Tel Aviv.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry operates a website in Indonesia and brings delegations of journalists and opinion makers from Indonesia to Israel every year. Indonesian businessmen are invited to receptions celebrating Israels Independence Day, conducted by the Israeli Embassy in Singapore, which is responsible for the relationship with Indonesia. However, whenever reports were published in Indonesia that relations are warming up, they immediately led to demonstrations against Israel and threats from Muslim organizations.
Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh has come under fire from all directions after declaring that the police will no longer review anonymous complaintsincluding ones of sexual harassmentmade against police officers.

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Alsheikh announced at a policewomens conference, "Anonymous letters have turned into a culture of settling scores in the police force, and as such, from now on the police will not deal with anonymous letters that raise suspicions of violations by policemen."

Galia Wolloch, chairwoman of the Naamat organization and of the Council of Women's Organizations in Israel, said in a letter sent to Alsheikh, "This is a particularly grave statement that again brings up the lack of trust in the police's willingness to deal with the unacceptable phenomenon and eradicate sexual harassment in the organization."

Interior Security Minister Erdan and Police Chief Alsheikh (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Wolloch called on the police chief to recant his statement, saying it is against the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law.

Orit Sulitzeanu, the director of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers, dubbed the decision "a serious mistake" and said, "Hopefully, this decision derives from ignorance about sexual abuse and its consequences, and not as a deliberate measure."

Women's organizations stressed that anonymous complaints are a vital tool to expose sexual assaults, warning that disallowing anonymous complaints "may only increase the phenomenon."

"The attempt to link anonymous complaints of sexual harassment with settling accounts provides a troubling tailwind for sexual harassers, said Gila Oshrat, the chairwoman of WIZO Israel.

In the Knesset, MK Merav Michaeli (Zionist Union) said, "It is regretful that, while the IDF sets a clear standard of zero tolerance of sexual offenses, the police send the opposite message."

The police, meanwhile, defended the new policy, claiming it is intended to improve the way complaints are handled.

Police also said that new channels have been created for reporting sexual harassment while protecting the privacy of the complainant by, for example, contacting the police commissioners adviser on women's issues, Brig. Gen. Yael Eidelman.

The police commissioner and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan also want to introduce polygraph tests for officers, but this measure requires legislative action. The police stressed that the commissioner consulted with the polices legal advisor before making the decision.

Justice Minister Shaked (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Alsheikh received support from Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who said, "The police commissioner is trying to handle the desire to encourage as many complainants as possible to come forward on the one hand, while on the other hand, he is working to eradicate the deleterious culture within the police of 'settling accounts.' The solution of providing maximum confidentiality to complainants during the investigation and inquiry process is an optional solution in my view."

Public Security Minister Erdan also backed Alsheikh: "I have spoken with the commissioner in the past, and I know he is determined to eradicate sexual harassment from the police. His intention is to back the complainants so they will not be afraid to complain using their name."

The polices Internal Affairs Unit was quick to clarify: "The department is authorized to investigate complaints leading to suspicion of the commission of a crime by a police officer. Any complaint received by the department will be examined and reviewed according to procedure."

This means that since Internal Affairs operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice and is not under the police chiefs command, anonymous complaints submitted to them will be addressed. State Attorney Eran Shander, who served as the first head of Internal Affairs, also found it difficult to defend the decision. "I very much hope that the police will continue to investigate complaints or conduct a pre-investigation of anonymous complaints; otherwise it cuts off a lot of intelligence to the police," he told Army Radio.
MOSCOW - During his three-hour-long meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, President Reuven Rivlin outlined Israel's new red lines on Syria in the wake of Moscow's decision to withdraw its troops from the war-torn country and the ongoing efforts to launch talks to end its civil war.

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"I felt like I was sent to the frontline as the envoy of the prime minister, the defense minister and the chief of staff, with whom I spoke in order to formulate the messages to convey to the Russian president," Rivlin said after the meeting.

The first red line deals with the imperative to prevent Iranian military presence on Israel's northern border at any cost. To that end, the IDF has been - according to foreign reports - preventing the transfer of advanced weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, by reportedly bombing any such shipment.

This is the course of action Israel would also take if, later on, the Iranians move military or Revolutionary Guards units close to the Golan Heights border.

Another red line that came up in the meeting between the two presidents, even if only indirectly, was that Israel is not willing to withdraw from the Golan Heights and that it would have to be recognized as a part of Israel in any kind of future agreement.

Rivlin sought to stress to his host that the borders of Syria were determined 100 years ago in the Sykes-Picot Agreements, which artificially divided the Middle East, so there is no reason to stick to those borders. In fact, Rivlin stressed to Putin, there is a need to redraw the borders for countries like Syria and Iraq to reflect the changes to the region.

The heads of the defense establishment also want to ensure that Russia supports a UN resolution to return UNDOF peacekeepers to the Golan Heights, after the UN troops evacuated their bases over the course of the civil war.

Rivlin and Putin meeting at the Kremlin (Photo: AFP)

Rivlin also expressed Israel's desire to continue military coordination between the IDF and the Russian forces that will stay in Syria.

In the meeting, Putin tried to convey Russia's deep commitment to ensuring the security of the people of Israel and to safeguarding Israel's interests. The Russian president reiterated that hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens immigrated to Israel, while many other Russians travel to Israel as tourists. "I have a personal commitment towards all of the Russians who immigrated to Israel," Putin said.

The Russian president also asked Rivlin what Israel's plans were to advance the peace process with the Palestinians. Rivlin responded that in light of the past 20 years of failed attempts to reach a final-status agreement, it is best for the sides to focus on a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will be done in stages, as each move is cautiously examined.

The Israeli president was referring to proposals made in the defense establishment to pull IDF soldiers out of the large cities in the West Bank in return for the Palestinian Authority's commitment to keep the peace in the territories.

Rivlin reported the contents of the meeting with Putin to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ya'alon and IDF Chief Eisenkot. He was joined by Israeli Ambassador to Russia Zvi Heifetz, the President's Military Secretary Brig.-Gen. Hasson Hasson and the President's Residence director-general.

Putin was joined in the meeting by his close advisor on foreign affairs Yuri Ushakov, the deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich, and a translator.
UN - The United Nations has retracted a statement saying Canada will resume contributing funds to the UN relief agency that aids and protects Palestinian refugees.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Wednesday that the UN statement on the meeting of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau welcoming the restart of funding for UNRWA was an early draft sent by mistake "that did not properly reflect" their discussion.

Ban met Trudeau for the first time since he took office in November, vowing more engagement in world affairs.
Former Mossad Director Meir Dagan passed away on Thursday at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer.

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The Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations (Mossad) announces that former Mossad Director Meir Dagan passed away this morning, said an official Mossad statement. Mossad Director Yossi Cohen, department chiefs, and Mossad staff express deep sorrow and send condolences to the Dagan family.

Dagan was born in January, 1945 in what is now Ukraine. He and his family moved to Israel when he was five. The family lived in the Mahane Israel transit camp near Lod. In 1963, Dagan began his army service as a paratrooper. During the Six Day War, he commanded a company in battles in the Sinai. In 1970, under GOC Southern Command Ariel Sharon, Dagan formed Sayeret Rimon. This was a unit comprised of soldiers disguised as Arab locals that worked in the Gaza Strip to locate terrorists. The unit was credited with significantly helping t dampen terrorist activities in Gaza in the early 1970s.

Dagan was at the School of Staff and Command at the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. Afterwards, he obtained the command of a patrol unit and fought in the Sinai, even crossing the Suez Canal.

In the First Lebanon War, he commanded the Barak tank division, and was one of the first division commanders to enter Beirut. Afterwards, he became head of the liaison unit in Lebanon.

He is thought of as one of the founders of the South Lebanese Army (SLA), which he used on different fronts, and which was used as the local Lebanese partner for the Shin Bet.

In 1991, Dagan became the IDF Chief of Staff advisor on the first intifada, and afterwards served as Head of the Operations Division in the General Directorate of the IDF at the rank of Lieutenant General. While there, he was under the direct command of Ehud Barak.

Later, he became a general and acted as the advisor of the Head of the Operations Directorate.

He left the IDF in 1995 after 32 years of service, throughout which he was injured twice, and even received the Medal of Courage after running at a Palestinian who was holding a grenade with the pin already pulled.

After leaving the IDF, Dagan became the counter terror advisor under Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Benjamin Netanyahu. In 2000 he joined the public campaign against the withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

In 2001, after Ariel Sharon won Israeli elections, Dagan became the chief security negotiator with the Palestinians.

A year later, Dagan was appointed to head of the Mossad by Sharon. His term was extended twice, once by Ehud Olmert, and once by Benjamin Netanyahu. He finally ended his term in 2011.

In Egypt he was referred to as "Superman," and other Arab countries have alleged that he was behind the assassinations of various Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Dagan came out against the prospect of a military strike on Iran several times after ending his tenure in 2011. Bombing could speed up attainment of the bomb, he said last May. A bombing has no power to stop the project. If we bomb, well encounter a reality in which we solve all Irans political problems and some of its economic ones by making the entire Iranian population rally behind the regime as one. 

The fact that I ended my role is still doesnt mean that my level of responsibility or desire to see Israel blossom has ended, he said a month later. Remember that my loyalty is first and foremost to the state and not the prime minister.

In 2015, just a few days before elections for the 20th Knesset, Dagan gave a speech at a Rabin Square rally. With tears in his eyes, Dagan said: I worry about our leadership and urged a change to a leadership that would serve the public and not itself.

Dagan discovered he had advanced stages of liver cancer in 2012. He began an aggressive chemotherapy campaign, but the cancer continued to spread, and he began to suffer from liver failure.

He didn't fulfill the criteria for a liver transplant in Israel, as he was already by that time over the age Israeli cutoff age of of 65. He went around the world looking for a country to do the transplant, eventually settling on Belarus.

He secretly flew to Belarus in 2012, where the liver transplant was a success, but he was admitted to the isolation unit for fear of infection. His condition stabilized, and he returned to Israel.

"Through the efforts of many people, I was able to get this liver transplant which ended up saving my life," Dagan said.

Yet, despite the transplant, the cancer was still in his body.
Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) decided on Thursday to name and shame TIME magazine, which published an article about a "Palestinian graphic designer" who was "killed by Israel" without mentioning that Palestinian was a terrorist who murdered three Israelis

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The article, published on October 15, 2015, by TIME correspondent Rebecca Collard, stated: "On Tuesday, Allyan (sic), a graphic designer from the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood Jabel Mukaber, was killed by Israeli security forces after allegedly trying to carry out an attack in Jerusalem."

There is no mention of the fact that the Palestinian, Baha Aliyan, had murdered three people with the help of Bilal Ranem - Alon Gobeberg, Haim Haviv and Richard Lakin - and wounded 17 others in an attack on a bus at Armon HaNetziv (East Talpiot) neighborhood in Jerusalem.

TIME magazine's article.

The two boarded the bus on Olei HaGardom Street on October 13, one armed with a knife and the other with a gun. They started shooting and stabbing passengers while the bus kept moving, killing a man in his 60s and wounding 10 others. One of the wounded, a man in his 40s, was evacuated in critical condition and was declared dead at the hospital.

Two others were seriously wounded - women aged around 60 and 40, who suffered stab wounds to their upper body. Two others were in moderate condition: a woman of about 60 years old with gunshot wounds to her upper body and a man in his 30s. Three were lightly wounded, and two were suffering from shock.

A security guard at the scene was able to overpower one of the terrorists and shoot him. The attacker then tried to get up and resume his attack, but the security guard shot him again. The second terrorist locked the bus' doors in an attempt to stop security forces from boarding, as well as stopping passengers from fleeing. Policemen opened fire at him from outside the bus.

Aliyan was killed, while Ranem was wounded.

The scene of the attack (Photo: Reuters)

At the time of the TIME's article publication, two days after the attack, Alon Gobeberg and Haim Haviv had already been buried, while Richard Lakin was still fighting for his life, and succumbed to his wounds on October 27.

But despite repeated requests from to TIME magazine, initially by an Israeli NGO and later by the GPO, the magazine did not correct the factual error in the article.

"An Israeli NGO first approached TIME Magazine correspondent Rebecca Collard on October 18 and received no response. The Government Press Office contacted Collard on February 25, presented the facts and demanded a correction. Neither recognition nor correction of the erroneous article resulted," the GPO said.

After being contacted again, Collard responded to the GPO on March 4, 2016, saying: "I've forwarded your concerns to my editors."

But despite repeated reminders from the GPO, the article had not been corrected - five months after the attack.

"When the headlines are lies, journalistic reports are completely biased, and journalistic ethics cry out to the heavens - we decided we will no longer let it pass, and use all of the tools at our disposal in such extreme cases," GPO director Nitzan Chen said. "I expect the respectable magazine to take responsibility and issue an apology for the sake of human integrity. This is the least that can be demanded for the families who lost their loved ones in this murderous attack."







Israel's Foreign Ministry and the GPO have been waging a campaign against biased coverage of Israel in the world media. A CBS News article from February , for example, was titled "Three Palestinians killed as daily violence grinds on," making no mention of the fact the three attacked a Border Police force, killing officer Hadar Cohen, 19 and wounding her fellow officer.
BRUSSELS - A seizure of land by Israel in the West Bank raises questions about its commitment to a two-state solution to end the conflict with the Palestinians, the European Union said in a statement on Thursday.

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Echoing remarks this week by Germany, France and the United States , the EU's foreign policy service issued a statement criticizing Israel for its appropriation of 579 acres (234 hectares) near Jericho.

"Israel's decision ... is a further step that risks undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state and therefore calls into question Israel's commitment to a two-state solution," the EU said in a statement.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, right, meets with the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO)

"Any decision that could enable further settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace, will only drive the parties to the conflict even further apart," the EU said.

"The European Union remains firmly opposed to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, including demolitions and confiscations, evictions, forced transfers or restrictions on movement and access."

Peace Now, which tracks and opposes Israeli settlement in territory captured in the 1967 Six-Day War, said the latest seizure represented the largest land confiscation in the West Bank in recent years.

Israel says it intends to keep large settlement blocs in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. Palestinians, who seek to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, fear settlement expansion will deny them a viable country.

Tensions between Israel and the EU arose in November over the bloc's decision to label West Bank exports, leading Jerusalem to suspended contacts with EU officials on the political process with the Palestinians to protest the move, which Israel said is discriminatory.

But in February, Israel's Foreign Ministry announced that relations between Israel and the European Union are "close and friendly" after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini.

The two "agreed that relations between the two sides should be conducted in an atmosphere of confidence and mutual respect," the Foreign Ministry said.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said in February that the sides had "overcome the crisis" and that Israel would no longer insist on the exclusion of EU bodies from peace talks with the Palestinians over a two-state solution to the Middle East peace process.

Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in April 2014 and there have been no signs of them resuming.

While the United States has traditionally played the lead role in peace efforts in the region, the EU is Israel's largest trading partner and is the biggest donor to the Palestinians, and is looking to play a larger role in peace negotiations

Nachshon also said Israel received assurances the move to label settlement products "is not a political step to determine future borders or to boycott Israel."
The police's emergency call center's shift supervisor, who was on duty during the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers in June 2014, will not be dismissed from the force, the police's disciplinary board has decided.

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The disciplinary board determined this was a one-time failure, while the nature of his service has been defined as "excellent," leading to the decision to only give him a warning in his personal file. He also received a recommendation to promote him to the rank of sergeant major, which will be applied retroactively from July 2015.

Eyal Yifrah, Gil-Ad Shaer, Naftali Frenkel (Photo: Shaul Golan)

The call center manager, meanwhile, was dismissed.

The shift supervisor and deputy commander of the control center was at the Judea and Samaria Police Department's emergency call center on June 12 at 10:25pm, when a distress call was made by one of the three teenagers who were kidnapped by Hamas - Gil-Ad Shaer. Shaer, who was taken along with Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach, whispered "I've been kidnapped" into the phone, before yelling and gunfire, followed by a sigh of pain, could be heard.

Listen to the call made by Gil-Ad Shaer to the police call center ( )

X

The call center operator transferred the call to the center's manager, while the shift supervisor was standing next to her, briefing her on the call.

The manager put the call on speaker, and said "hello, hello," but received no answer. Later she tried to call Shaer back, but was unsuccessful and gave up, deciding it was a prank call.

The shift supervisor aided the manager in her attempts to call Shaer back by giving her the number and standing next to her.

After the bodies of the three teenagers were found, then-Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino ordered the establishment of an inquiry commission to investigate the way the center handled the call.

In his testimony, the shift supervisor said he was not present at the command center while the center manager was repeatedly trying to talk to the caller, which contradicts the recording of the call and the events that followed at the call center.

The inquiry commission found failings in the shift supervisor's professional conduct, and determined he was directly involved in the discussion on whether to take the call seriously or treat it as a prank, and that he left the decision to commanders at a lower rank than him. The commission also found the shift supervisor did not listen to the call again, or "took any action to locate the caller, even though this is a simple action."

In light of the commission's findings, the shift supervisor was removed from his position and was scheduled a dismissal hearing, in which he was able to plead his case.

At the end of the hearing, it was decided to only give him a warning. The head of the Police Human Resources Department, Gila Gaziel, wrote: "Despite knowing that this was a distress call, or at the very least a problematic call, you did not act in a professional manner and did not take the necessary actions in order to provide the optimal assistance in the existing circumstances (repeat listening to the call, locating the owner of the phone, ect.). In addition, you were inaccurate in your testimony to the commission about your conduct during the incident."

Gaziel went on to say, however, that "nonetheless, after having examined all claims made by you during the hearing, including the fact it was a one-time failure I've decided, beyond the letter of the law, to allow the continuation of your service under warning, and in addition limit your appointment to a commanding position for three years. I am, therefore, informing you that from now on your are expected to act impeccably, professionally and responsibly, while using discretion, otherwise the continuation of your service will be reconsidered."

The shift supervisor, who after the kidnapping was removed from his role and made a desk sergeant, will remain in the force. After completing his service as a desk sergeant, he received a recommendation for promotion to the rank of sergeant major and is currently servicing at the police's national call center for drivers.
Security forces and explosive ordnance disposal personnel from the 419th Fighter Wing recently teamed up for an exercise to learn how to respond when local citizens at deployed locations turn in weapons from the streets to security checkpoints.

Its common for local nationals in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan to interact with security forces and EOD personnel. They often provide critical information on the location of enemy forces, weapons caches, and improvised explosive devices, said Senior Master Sgt. Eric Eberhard, 419th EOD.

The way the training scenario played out was extremely realistic, Eberhard said. Watching security forces interact with the foreign nationals, I felt like I was back in Iraq.

Those who played the part of the local nationals and interpreter spoke Portuguese to simulate the significant language barrier. Participants were given a short briefing on the exercise, but the rest was improvised to keep the scenario realistic.

This training gave Reserve and active duty Airmen a chance to work together and understand how various career fields interact to accomplish the same mission, Eberhard said.
This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

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It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
ASICs appointment of liquidators comes after it launched proceedings in the Federal Court against McIntyre in Ausgus 2015 in relation to land banking schemes in Victoria.

In launching the court proceedings, ASIC claimed the land banking schemes were unregistered managed investment schemes and McIntyre and companies associated with him had been unlawfully carrying on an unlicensed financial services business.

ASIC believes around 100 people have invested in the land banking schemes.

ASIC named eight companies as corporate respondents in its court proceedings; Archery Road Pty Ltd, Bendigo Vineyard Estate Pty Ltd, Secret Valley Estate Pty Ltd, Kingsway South Holdings Pty Ltd, Melbourne Tarniet Estate Pty Ltd, Property Tuition Pty Ltd, Education Holdings Pty Ltd, and Sourcing Property Pty Ltd and today appointed Simon Alexander Wallace-Smith and Robert Scott Woods of Deloitte as joint liquidators of those companies.

Wallace-Smith and Woods had been appointed provisional liquidators of the eight companies in October and delivered a report in December recommending the eight companies should be wound up to enable a liquidator to conduct further investigations into their respective affairs and to identify any recoveries which might be made for the benefit of creditors.

The Federal Court also granted ASIC leave to seek orders at the final hearing of the matter that McIntyre be declared a shadow director of each of the corporate respondents and Jamie and Dennis McIntyre be disqualified from managing corporations.

The matter has been adjourned for a further directions hearing on Friday 8 April 2016. A date for the final hearing of the matter has not been set by the court.
The Global and United States Hydrobike Market Report has been published by QY Research recently. Hydrobike Market Analysis and Insights This report focuses on...
What the EU has done to tackle the migration crisis

The European Union hopes this week to strike a contentious deal with Turkey aimed at curbing the flow of migrants into Europe. The country has been the last stop for migrants before attempting the treacherous crossing of the Aegean Sea to reach EU member state Greece.

GALLERY

Italian rescue workers recover a dead body from a boat at the port of Lampedusa, Italy, 03 October 2013.

Brussels (dpa) - The plan is the blocs latest attempt to control its migration crisis, after more than 1 million migrants and asylum seekers reached European shores last year.Here is what the EU has done so far.The EU and Turkey agreed in October already to cooperate on stemming migration flows. The EU offered Turkey 3 billion euros (3.3 billion dollars) in refugee aid and promised to boost relations with the country, in return for efforts by Ankara to curb the migration flows. But the deal has had no obvious impact on arrivals.Under the new plan being considered this week, all future migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Greece from Turkey would be sent back. For every Syrian returned in this way, the EU would directly accept another Syrian asylum seeker out of Turkey. Under the deal, Ankara has also sought concessions on visa-free EU travel and its bid to join the bloc.The EU has struggled to adequately guard its external borders, with Greece particularly overwhelmed by the migrant arrivals from Turkey. The EU border agency Frontex has received more resources and deployed to Greece. Frontex is supposed to be expanded and upgraded into a European border and coastguard agency, under a proposal that EU officials hope will be finalized by the end of June. The bloc hopes that better protection of external borders will convince countries within its normally free-travel Schengen area to lift emergency border controls put in place to stem migration flows.The commission has created a new legal channel to provide the member states worst hit by the migration crisis with 700 million euros in humanitarian aid over three years. The needs are particularly acute in Greece, where an estimated 46,000 migrants and asylum seekers are stranded after borders were closed to them last week along the migration route leading from Greece to Europes wealthy northern states. EU governments gave their blessing Wednesday for a first disbursement of 100 million euros for Greece and other countries.The EU has launched a naval mission to crack down on the criminal networks smuggling migrants across the southern Mediterranean Sea. It can intercept boats and arrest suspected criminals in international waters. The NATO military alliance has also launched an operation to monitor the smuggling networks that help people cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece. It will only intervene if a vessel is in distress.The EU has been trying to implement a contentious emergency scheme for the redistribution of 160,000 asylum seekers from countries on the front lines of the migration crisis - such as Greece and Italy - to other member states. But by March 15, only 937 people had been relocated. Some member states are not keen to take in asylum seekers, who in turn have been reluctant to participate since they cannot choose where to go. This has started to change after the onward route from Greece was closed off last week, EU officials say. The European Commission now wants member states to relocate 6,000 people by mid-April and 20,000 by mid-May. It has also proposed the creation of a permanent relocation system.EU member states agreed last year to take in 20,000 displaced people who are outside the EU but in need of international protection, such as Syrians living in UN refugee camps. The commission is expected to propose this year the establishment of a "structured" resettlement system. The new deal being hashed out with Ankara could also see some member states voluntarily take in additional numbers of Syrian asylum seekers out of Turkey.: The EU wants to do a better job at sending back economic migrants who do not qualify for international protection. In the past, only about 40 per cent of such migrants have been returned to their countries of origin. The creation of beefed-up reception centres - known as hotspots - in Greece and Italy is supposed to help in quickly identifying economic migrants and initiating return procedures. The hotspots, which were slow to come online, are also meant to administer relocations.The EU has been working to enlist the help of migrants origin and transit countries to stem the flow heading its way, notably in Africa. It launched a 1.9-billion-euro fund in November to help tackle migration from that continent, but struggled to impress recipient countries, which accused Europe of focusing too much on sending Africans back home.The commission is expected in April to launch an attempt to reform the Dublin system, under which asylum claims are supposed to be registered in the first EU country where an asylum seeker sets foot. The system broke down during the migration crisis. The EUs executive is also working on proposals to make it easier for skilled migrants to legally enter the bloc.
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This World Health Day that fell on April 7, Indians had all the reasons to feel fabulously healthy. For this year, they have been bestowed with the best ever magical medicine poured out in profusion to fill their heart cups to the brim. <br><br> Its not the green tea with a sea of antioxidants. Neither is it a miraculous potion prepared by one of those saffron wrapped babas, by mixing a handful of mysterious herbs. <br><br> And nor is it one of those finest varieties of Scotch imported fresh from the breweries of Scotland. For, Indians this time have been intoxicated with nothing less than the whole world in a cup. <br><br> Courtesy, Team India with a galaxy of cricketing stalwarts! <br><br> All thanks to the 15-member squad spearheaded by once a ticket collector to the present crickets Collector - MS Dhoni, along with the God himself standing tall over the entire team in the form of little master blaster, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. <br><br> You might be tempted to quip in between with 'how come the World Cup trophy is going to be a cup full of health for them? <br><br> Well, the answer lies in your very own thrills and hoots that floated and filled the whole firmament of the Saturday night, April 2nd, 2011, resonating with the vociferous victory of millions when MSD lifted up his bat for the final winning stroke, tossing the ball away for the sweetest six ever. <br><br> Its now scientifically proven that more you feel good and happy, the stronger your immune system gets T cells increase in number, fighting the common pathogens like cold and cough causing corona virus. <br><br> And this all - due to the so dubbed happiness hormone Dopamine and Serotonin. These are known to increase blood circulation, which in turn results in sufficient dollops of oxygen enriching each and every cell of the body. <br><br> Oxygen, as we all must know, is the elixir of existence. It energizes our body cells, flushing out the pent-up metabolic waste, mainly CO2. This explains how getting good doses of happiness boosts your health. Happiness and feel good, which has now come to be synonymous with WORLD CUP. <br><br> There is yet another aspect to the recent Cricket triumph that is going to ensure that a major chunk of Indians, especially those fond of bat and ball, remain in good shape. <br><br> Because statistics show that the sale of wooden cricket bats triples as the cricketing season draws near. That obviously translates into more and more people playing cricket. <br><br> Cricket, being a strenuous sport makes sure that your stamina builds up <br><br> Thus, cricket takes care of your mental, emotional and physical well being, and that is what the general definition of health is. <br><br> I would also like to add one more aspect to this multifaceted game. <br><br> And that would be religion. Besides, of the seven official religions being followed in India, cricket is fast turning out to be the eighth wonderful religion, with its god, unlike that of others', walking in flesh and blood, among us. <br><br> Now, you dont deserve a prize for guessing that. Yes, it is Sachin of course! <br><br> Baptized as god for the first time by Matthew Hayden, Sachin proves to be an instant inspirer. Irrespective of whether one is interested in the bat and ball game, Sachin manages to move and motivate one and all. Such is the magic of little master's persona, that he cant help transmitting positive energy into your subconscious. <br><br> You are fortunately compelled to believe in him. And Faith, having a strong faith is another prerequisite to leading a successfully healthy life. <br><br> Here's what some stalwarts have to say about Sachin <br><br> <b>Andrew Symonds:</b> Wrote on an Aussie T-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin. <br><br> "To Sachin, the man we all want to be." <br><br> <b>A.R. Rahman:</b> <br><br> Well, Im no Sachin Tendulkar you know, whenever he takes the field, people expect him to score a century before he loses his wicket. <br><br> <b>Yuvraj Singh:</b> <br><br> Sachin in Himself is a Bharat Ratna. <br><br> <b>Mathew Hayden:</b> <br><br> I have seen GOD, he bats at No.4 for India in Tests. <br><br> So, if people of such huge statures find him so divine, who are you and me, not to get inspired? And follow suit in our own personal and professional lives. Honesty, integrity, relentless hard work, and to letting work speak for itself, this is the least we can imbibe in our life. <br><br> So here is my prescription for great health - eat cricket, breathe cricket, and feel cricket <br><br> WORLD CUP IS OVER? <br><br> So What? <br><br> We did not have to wait for another downpour of sixes and fours. <br><br> Because since 8th April, it is again, raining bats and balls. <br><br> Welcome Indian Premier League <br><br> Bat for your health. <br><br> Break into a jig, Jai Ho! And happy health to one and all!
Guwahati: Assam Agriculture Minister Rockybul Hussain on Wednesday filed a police complaint against an 'Election Commission Election Expenditure' team for allegedly defaming him by searching his vehicles.

Hussain said that he along with his wife had come to his house in Panjabari area here at around 6.30 PM when the EC team, who was waiting there, asked them along with Hussain's security forces in another car to get out of their vehicles to conduct search operations there.

The team did not state the exact reason for conducting the search, the Minister said.

"A person of the team told me 'there is a reason' for doing so. The team came in a car with a sticker of 'Expenditure Observer On Election Duty Kamrup Metropolitan District'".

"After the search was over, the officer who claimed to be from Gujarat cadre, said 'I am satisfied' but refused to give me a report that the search was conducted," Hussain said.

"The search is a political conspiracy as the BJP is afraid that Congress will win the Assembly elections again," he told reporters.

"As soon as the Election Expenditure' team left, my house was raided by an Income Tax team. We have never seen I-T raids being conducted in the night but only in the day time", the minister said.

"There is a political conspiracy and an attempt has been made to defame me and the good work of Congress. I and Congress are not scared by such back door threats using the machinery. We will win the elections again", he said outside Dispur police station after filing his complaint there.

Without naming anyone, the minister blamed a one-time colleague who recently joined the BJP for the raids.
Patna: Two cases were on Thursday filed in Bihar seeking sedition charges against AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

ABVP leader Ramji Singh in Buxar filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Hari Shankar Prasad seeking booking of the Hyderabad MP under Section 124 A which relates to sedition.

Petitioner's lawyer Uma Shankar Singh said along with the writ-application, two CDs of the AIMIM leader's provocative speech in Maharashtra have been attached.

Another case was registered against Owaisi in Gopalganj by Mohammad Kurwan Ansari, a native of Ektarwah village, urging Chief Judicial Magistrate to prosecute him under the sedition charge.

Meanwhile, in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, BJP members trooped into the well of the House over absence of the Health minister in the House to answer their questions of the members and also chanted "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans.

Later, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar while talking to reporters outside the House said they were patriotic citizens of the country who feel proud in chanting nationalistic slogans.

Without naming Owaisi, he said people displaying "pro- Pakistan inclination" by triggering such controversy and hurting nationalistic feeling of citizens should be dealt with severely in accordance with the law of the land.
Rohtak: Professor Virender Singh, a close aide of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was booked for sedition and criminal conspiracy on charges of inciting violence during the Jat agitation, on Thursday surrendered before a district court here.

An audio tape of a telephone conversation, allegedly between Virender Singh and Khap leader Man Singh Dalal, surfaced recently in which Virender Singh is purportedly telling Dalal to activate youths in Sirsa district to take part in the Jat reservation agitation.

Virender Singh was the political advisor to Hooda for nearly 10 years (2005-14) when the latter was Haryana's chief minister. He is considered very close to Hooda.

Meanwhile, the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana has stepped up security in many towns as the deadline issued by the Jat community to accept their demand for quotas ends today.

On Monday, Jat community leaders had threatened to resume their agitation for quotas which saw widespread violence across the state last month.

Last month, the Haryana police was severely criticised for its "failure" to prevent and control the violence that swept the state, in which 30 people were killed and over 200 were injured.
Chandigarh: The Haryana government on Thursday invited leaders belonging to Jat community for talks on quota demand on Friday afternoon. Till then, Jats will not resume their agitation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to ensure law and order in the state and warned that there should be no repeat of incidents which took place during the previous round of violence.

"We have been invited by the government for talks tomorrow at Chandigarh," All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti President Yashpal Malik said.

"Our leaders will be meeting Haryana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) tomorrow afternoon as per the government invitation," he said.

"Till then we will not resume our agitation," he said, adding that "after meeting the top officials of Haryana next course of action will be taken."

Various Jat organisations had on Monday threatened to resume their quota agitation, which rocked the state last month and claimed 30 lives, from Friday, if the Manohar Lal Khattar government does not meet their demand by today.

Malik demanded that state government must bring a Bill in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session to ensure reservation for Jats.

He added that the Samiti will organise meetings on March 19 and 20 throughout the state and after that, meeting of units of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will be held at Nangloi in Delhi on March 21 to discuss about their demands.

Earlier, a state-level meeting of representatives of the Samiti was held in Hissar Jat Dharamshala under the chairmanship of Malik.

Meanwhile, paramilitary forces and police were out in the sensitive districts and carrying out Flag Marches in various places as the 72-hour deadline given by various Jat organisations to the BJP-led Haryana government was coming to an end tonight.

The Centre has sent 80 companies (about 800 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state which are being deployed in sensitive areas like Rohtak and Jhajjar districts, which were the worst-affected during the first phase of the agitation last month.

The security forces personnel are also conducting Flag Marches to instill confidence among the public in view of large-scale arson and violence witnessed last month.

"We have already got the paramilitary force. The police is on the alert and we are making all arrangements (to maintain law and order)," IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said today.

He said additional police forces had also been arranged from within the state for deployment in the sensitive areas in and around Rohtak.

"We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly," he said.

Asked about the situation in Rohtak, Jhajjar and some other areas worst hit by recent unrest, the IG said, "at present the situation is normal."

Jats are demanding 10 percent quota in jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of FIRs registered against the protesters, compensation to those killed during the stir and action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini for his anti-Jat reservation stand.

After pro-quota Jat stir led to large scale property damage, besides killing of 30 people, the BJP government last month buckled under the pressure and had announced that it would bring a Bill in the upcoming Budget Session to provide reservation to Jat community along with other four castes - Jat Sikhs, Tyagis, Bishnois and Rors.

With state machinery including police administration completely paralysed during the violent Jat agitation last month, arsonists and mob had gone berserk and looted shops, commercial establishments, schools etc and later burnt them down.

Rohtak was the epicenter of violence that also engulfed several other districts like Jhajjar, Jind, Sonipat, and Kaithal.

(With PTI inputs)
Chandigarh: A bill promised by the Haryana government for providing reservation to the Jat community in government jobs and educational institutions has been delayed, claimed reports on Thursday.

The bill was delayed as the state authorities failed to reach a consensus on the modalities of the Jat Reservation Bill, promised by the ML Khattar-led BJP government earlier.

The government has already stated that the Jat Reservation Bill will be brought in this session, PK Das, Haryana Additional Chief Secretary (Home) assured the members of the community with an appeal not to go on strike again.

Anil Vij, Minister in the Haryana government, also said that a bill promising reservation to the Jat community will be brought very soon while cautioning them to stop threatening the state machinery over the issue.

The delay in tabling the bill may trigger a backlash from the Jat community, which had threatened to go on hunger strike if their demands are not met.

Meanwhile, security had been tightened across several sensitive towns in Haryana as the 72-hour deadline issued by the Jat leaders to the state government for accepting their demand for quotas ends today.

The Jat leaders had threatened to resume agitation in case the BJP-led Haryana government does not meet their demands by March 17.

Consequently, the ML Khattar government in Haryana had sought paramilitary forces from the Centre to be deployed in sensitive areas.

On Wednesday, IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said, ''Additional police forces have also been arranged from within the state.''

"We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly," he said.

However, he refused to shed light on how many police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in case Jat leaders resume their agitation.

Haryana police were criticised for its "failure" to prevent and control violence during the Jat agitation last month, in which 30 people lost their life.

The then IGP Rohtak Shrikant Jadhav was suspended by Haryana government.

Several districts including Rohtak, the epicentre of Jat agitation, Jhajjar, Kaithal, Jind, Sonipat, Bhiwani had witnessed violence by arsonists and unruly mob.

The influential Jat community led by All India Jat Sangharsh Samiti had threatened to relaunch their agitation if the state's BJP government did not meet their demands by March 17.

Jats are demanding 10 percent quota in jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of FIRs registered against the protesters, compensation to those killed during the stir and action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini for his "anti-Jat" reservation stand.

Malik had said the state government must bring a Bill in the ongoing budget session of the Assembly to ensure reservation for Jats.
New Delhi: Signalling a tough line on the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' despite controversies, BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday said 99 percent people were agreeable to hailing 'Mother India' with the slogan and the party would "convince" the rest.

Speaking at a conclave here, Shah justified the government's action on the JNU row, insisting that some people deciding to hold a programme to commemorate Afzal Guru's death anniversary in itself is "anti-national".

In his over an hour interaction, the BJP president expressed confidence of that BJP will form a government in Assam but reacted cautiously about its prospects in other states, saying the party will work to increase its influence and play a role in government formation in these states.

Responding to a number of questions on the controversy surrounding the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Shah said that the particular slogan was in vogue even before RSS and the BJP came into picture.

"99 percent of people agree with the slogan. This debate is irrelevant. Those who do not want to chant this should be asked what is their problem with this slogan. We will convince the one percent people, who do not want to chant it," Shah said but declined to answer how will the BJP go about it. "You leave it to us, how will we do it," he said.

When asked whether MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who said he would not raise the chant hailing 'Mother India' "even if a knife is put to my throat", is a traitor, he said," No one becomes a traitor due to just one thing" and added "we will have to consider all other things and then come to a conclusion".

The BJP chief also said there is no need to say Bharat Maata Ki Jai under pressure from RSS or BJP.

"This slogan is being chanted much before RSS and BJP came to power," Shah said.

Asked about controversial comments made by party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya that those who do not chant the slogan should be sent to Pakistan, the BJP chief said one should rather listen to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and he himself said.

To queries on the JNU row, he said the very fact that an event was organized on February 9 to commemorate Afzal Guru's hanging is anti-national.

"There is no confusion in BJP about this. If some people decide to hold a programme to commemorate his death anniversry, this itself is anti-national," he said.

Shah said he does not consider Rahul Gandhi's visit to JNU during the students' protests as wrong but voiced reservations against the Congress vice president delivering a speech there accusing the Modi government of trying to suppress their freedom of expression.

"I am against this statement of Rahul Gandhi that some people want to suppress your freedom of expression," he said.

Referring to alleged anti-India slogans raised at the JNU during the Afzal Guru event, he said, "If there are voices like these, then they must be suppressed."

When asked about raising of anti-national slogans in places like Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP had allied with PDP, he referred to the arrest of separatist leader Masarat Alam and said he would have never been arrested had BJP not been in power.

Alam was sent to jail even when PDP was in power in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said when asked about PDP's alleged soft corner for Afzal Guru.

When asked about a Supreme Court observation that merely raising anti-India slogan is not treason, he shot back, saying that the same court had once said that calling Congress activists goondas was also treason.

Congress was in alliance in Kerala with Muslim League, which was responsible for India's partition, Shah said.

At this Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who was seated among the audience rose and defended the alliance, saying the Muslim League in Kerala was different and was founded after the partition. Tharoor said its policies were not communal.

When told about the allegations that his government was crushing freedom of expression, Shah shot back asking "give me one example."

Rejecting the charge, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was called "Hitler, Ravan, a mass murderer" but BJP did nothing against those who called him names. "We will tolerate criticism against people and government but not the country," he said.

Taking a dig at Congress for its criticism of BJP over alleged intolerance, he said the UPA government had acted against internet giant Google for allegedly showing a cartoon against Congress president Sonia Gandhi "while I keep all cartoons against me on by website".

Asked whether his relationship with the Gandhi family is not good, Shah said, "It is true that the relationship is not good. As far as I am concerned, the relationship is not good. I do not know about them."

Shah said BJP was on course to achieve its target of a "Congress-free India" and cited the election results in some states as example.

Asked about BJP's prospects in five states, Shah reacted cautiously. "Party will work to increase its influence and to play a role in government formation in these states."

About Assam, he, however, expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government.

On Aligarh Muslim University's minority status issue, he said that AMU is "not a minority" institution.

He said the BJP demands that it should implement reservation for SC/ST and OBCs in admission there.

About black money, he said the government was moving in the right direction but there was some delay.
New Delhi: Responding to a twitterati whether she would eat pork if given a chance, celebrated Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen replied in an affirmative Yes.

The pork question popped up after she expressed her disgust at the news of four students being beaten in Rajasthan for eating beef.

In a tweet she had said: 4 students were beaten up for eating beef in Rajasthan! I am so scared! I feel like I will be killed someday for eating beef!

Reacting to her remark, a twitterati asked her, If you are so interested in non-vegetarian, then try pork once!

Her reply was Yes, I eat pork.

In Muslim cultures, eating pork is prohibited.
New Delhi: Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor today said India cannot have "uninterruptable" talks with Pakistan ignoring terror attacks emanating from that country as it amounts to surrendering "self-respect" at times.

"We cannot have uninterruptable talks with Pakistan because if the military and ISI do unleash Lashkar-e-Taiba on Mumbai again or on another Indian city, we should interrupt talks. We can't talk to people when their own nationals uncontrolled by them are blowing up bombs in our country and killing Indians," he said.

Tharoor, who held the Minister of State for External Affairs portfolio in the erstwhile UPA government, said uninterruptable talks do not make sense because "then you actually surrender your self-respect by saying we will talk to you even if your people are coming and humiliating us and killing us and harming us."

The Congress MP was speaking at a panel discussion at the 'Penguin Spring Fever' here.

Former Indian foreign service officer TCA Raghavan, former Pakistani diplomat Husain Haqqani, who joined via video-conferencing, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen and former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar were also in the panel.

Tharoor went on to say that India was stuck in dialogue with a country that was either "unable or unwilling" to give it peace.

Referring to the disputed region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok), he said that India has never "realistically claimed" the region.

"Yes, we do maintain a claim to what is called the 'Azad Kashmir' and 'Pakistan-occupied Kashmir' as we call it, but my own view is that we maintain that claim essentially in order to have something to give up in case of settlements. We are not realistically trying and claiming that back indeed," he said.

Proposing a solution to the vexed equation between the two countries, Tharoor stressed on people-to-people contact and liberalisation of the visa regime.

"What we can do is to try and change the stakes in Pakistan and the way to do that is by dramatically opening up people-to-people contact. Let us be unilaterally generous with visas, starting off with specified categories of people -- writers, diplomats, business people, even business people working for military run companies.

"Let us give them a chance to come here because I have never heard of a Pakistani who has come to India and not fallen in love with the place. They have the shock of recognition and dismay of seeing how much more open and interesting and creative the society is," he said.

He also emphasised on the need for free trade between the two neighbours which, he said, will eventually help contain terror attacks by the like of LeT on India. Pakistanis are the victims of their own negative trade policies with India, he said.

"Let us massively open up trade for them. I will even encourage military owned companies to trade with India. The more Pakistani companies have a stake in good relations with India, the less happy they will be if their military fails to rein in the LeT attacks in the future," he said.
Pokhara (Nepal): India and Pakistan are competing to host the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Center, a new body to look into the environment and disaster related issues in the region.

During the ongoing meeting of 37th SAARC Council of Ministers in this Nepalese resort city, some 200 km west from Kathmandu, the two nations laid claims to host the headquarters of the newly proposed body.

India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh had expressed their desire to host the headquarters. During the several rounds of negotiations, Bhutan and Bangladesh withdrew their claims, leaving India and Pakistan in the race.

"What can be confirm is that other interested member states have dropped their claims over hosting the regional body," said two diplomats familiar to the development, adding that there can be breakthrough only when one of the countries backs off.

Climate change, degradation of environment and recurring various types of natural disasters have taken a toll in the region and member states are less prepared to combat these menace. With this realisation, the member states have agreed to set up such centre to meet the challenges in a professional manner, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Member states had agreed to merge SAARC Disaster Management Centre, SAARC Forest Management Centre, Coastal Area Management Centre and Environment Centre into environment and disaster management centre.

After programming committee meeting of joint secretary level, foreign secretary level meeting of standing committee level could not make headway, the issue has now landed at the ministerial level meeting.

Sources told the newspaper that the issue figured in a brief meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Relations Adviser to Pakistani Premier, Sartaj Aziz, today during a breakfast meet hosted by Nepal's Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa.
New Delhi: In what can spell more trouble for Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, Delhi Police on Wednesday told the court that the two JNU students led led the crowd which shouted anti-Indian slogans.

While opposing the arguments of both the accused , the investigators said the students' intention was to create hatred against the established government which attracts the sedition charge.

The police told Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh that Khalid and Bhattacharya organised the February 9 event on the campus while JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was not its organiser.

The police has also recovered two cellphones which established that anti-Indian slogans were raised by Umar and Anirban during the event," the prosecution said, adding that posters used for the event were recovered from the emails of two accused which shows that they were the main organisers of the event which took place even after permission was withdrawn by the JNU administration.

Police said their case was different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar.

After hearing the arguments the court reserved for March 18 its order on JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya's bail pleas in a sedition case.
Mumbai: A Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Thursday sent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal to judicial custody till March 31.

He was arrested on March 14 in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam and was sent to Enforcement Directorate custody till March 17.

A former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Bhujbal is accused of siphoning and laundering money to the tune of Rs 900 crore.

The Enforcement Directorate had on February 1 arrested former lawmaker Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of Chhagan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case in Mumbai after the agency conducted multiple searches in connection with the probe against Bhujbals and others.

Series of raids have been conducted at the properties owned by Bhujbal and his family across Maharashtra in the last one and a half years.

Investigating agencies are also looking into alleged corruption in the award of contracts during his tenure as Maharashtra's PWD minister.

Last month, the ED questioned Chhagan's son Pankaj Bhujbal in the case and also seized Pankaj's passport to ensure he does not leave the country.
Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday said that relationship with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul was not good.

"It is true that the relationship is not good. As far as I am concerned, the relationship is not good. I do not know about them," he said at an event organized by India Today group.

Shah maintained that BJP was on course to achieve its target of a "Congress-free India" and cited the election results in some states as example.

On the other hand, talking about the controversy surrounding Jawaharlal Nehru University, Shah maintained that it did not matter who raised pro-Afzal Guru slogans but the fact that an event of that nature was held was anti-national.

"We can tolerate any statement against the BJP leaders or the government, but not against the country," he said.

Shah added that he does not consider Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit to JNU during the students' protests as wrong but voiced reservations against the Congress vice president delivering a speech there accusing the Modi government of trying to suppress their freedom of expression.

"I am against this statement of Rahul Gandhi that some people want to suppress your freedom of expression," he said.

Referring to alleged anti-India slogans raised at the JNU during the Afzal Guru event, he said, "If there are voices like these, then they must be suppressed."

When asked about raising of anti-national slogans in places like Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP had allied with PDP, he referred to the arrest of separatist leader Masarat Alam and said he would have never been arrested had BJP not been in power.

Alam was sent to jail even when PDP was in power in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said when asked about PDP's alleged soft corner for Afzal Guru.

Responding to a number of questions on the controversy surrounding the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Shah said that the particular slogan was in vogue even before RSS and the BJP came into picture.

"99 percent of people agree with the slogan. This debate is irrelevant. Those who do not want to chant this should be asked what is their problem with this slogan. We will convince the one per cent people, who do not want to chant it," Shah said but declined to answer how will the BJP go about it. "You leave it to us, how will we do it," he said.

When asked whether MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who said he would not raise the chant hailing 'Mother India' "even if a knife is put to my throat", is a traitor, he said," No one becomes a traitor due to just one thing" and added "we will have to consider all other things and then come to a conclusion".

The BJP chief also said there is no need to say 'Bharat Maata Ki Jai' under pressure from RSS or BJP.

"This slogan is being chanted much before RSS and BJP came to power," Shah said.

(With Agency inputs)


New Delhi: Nepal will continue to improve ties with China in a bid to "counterbalance" the influence of India, BMI Research said in its report.

The research firm said India-Nepal ties will remain "cool" despite Nepali Prime Minister's visit to India on February 19 following the partial resolution of the constitutional crisis.

"While Nepal will remain heavily dependent on India, Kathmandu will increasingly seek to improve ties with Beijing in a bid to counterbalance New Delhi and wean the country off its dependence on India," the Fitch Group company said.

It said that while India-Nepal ties have historically been extremely cordial, the constitutional crisis and the resulting economic blockade of goods into Nepal led to a significant "cooling" of bilateral ties.

"Despite the partial resolution of the constitutional crisis and Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli's visit to India on February 19, we expect bilateral ties to remain cool in the near future as both sides seek to gradually re-establish trust," it added.

Nepal has traditionally been under New Delhi's sphere of influence, with India providing the country with the bulk of its energy and military needs, it said, adding that India has also exerted considerable influence over Nepal's domestic politics.

India's influence was evident in the crisis which began on September 23 2015, where Nepal's Madhesi minorities protested that they had not been given sufficient representation in the country's new Constitution, it added.

"Given the close relationship between Nepal's Madhesi minorities and the Madhesis in neighbouring Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi has been inclined to support Nepali Madhesis in a bid to court Madhesi votes in both states," the report said.

Accordingly, Indian support for the Madhesi had led to speculation that New Delhi imposed an unofficial blockade at the Nepal-Indian border to cut off fuel supply so as to force Kathmandu to consider the demand of the ethnic minority group, it stated.

According to the research body, with Nepal importing almost all of its oil from India, the shortage of fuel led to the development of a black market and the gradual restoration of road links with China.

"Although Nepal does not fall within China's traditional sphere of influence, mounting tensions with India provide Beijing with an opportunity to strengthen relations along the shared border. Accordingly, China reopened its border with Nepal in Tibet amid mounting tension with India," it reasoned.

Further, the report said, considering India has remained one of Nepal's largest donors despite changes in the government, it is likely that New Delhi was using the reduction in aid to signal its displeasure with Kathmandu.

The firm sees China proceeding cautiously to avoid unnecessary tension with India as a result of moving into New Delhi's traditional sphere of influence.
Kolkata: A 19-year-old engineering student hailing from West Bengal was arrested by the NIA in Delhi for acting as a facilitator for the Islamic State (IS) terror group, an official said on Thursday.

"Ashik Ahammed alias Raja, a resident of Dhaniakhali, in Hooghly district was arrested in Delhi in a case relating to terrorist conspiracy. He was engaged as a facilitator to some of the key members of the IS-affiliated terror module, who wanted to recruit and radicalise youths in West Bengal," said an officer of the National Investigation Agency.

Ahammed, who is pursuing a diploma course in mechanical engineering from a private college in Durgapur of Burdwan district, was in February detained by the NIA and interrogated at length.

The NIA in January busted a terror module, arresting several people from cities across the country "who were in the process of organising themselves to commit terrorist acts". During the interrogation of the accused Ahammed`s name cropped up.

Ahammed was presented before the NIA Special Court in Delhi on the day which sent him to police custody for five days.


Delhi: Putting to rest the controversy over the number of perpetrators, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament on Wednesday that a forensic report had confirmed that six attackers had struck Pathankot airbase in January.

I want to inform the House that some charred remains were found (in the barracks at the airbase). A forensic report has come about them, which makes it clear that those who were hiding in the building were terrorists, said Singh while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the deadly strike that killed seven soldiers, as per Hindustan Times.

Singh's statement came even as the government on Wednesday came in for a scathing attack in Lok Sabha over the handling of the terror strike on the Pathankot airbase, with the Opposition dubbing as a "critical mistake" the decision to handover the operation to NSG.

They also questioned as to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lahore stopover had achieved, noting that the terror strike had happened just a few days after that.

Participating in a discussion on the issue, Kalikesh Singhdeo (BJD) singled out the National Security Advisor for attack, saying he had "usurped" the decision-making powers to tackle the incident.

Singhdeo wondered as to why the Army was not asked to deal with the terror strike as 50,000 troops were available in Pathankot itself and they were the best to tackle such situations.

On Tuesday, a forensic examination has concluded that remains of two more terrorists were found from the debris, thus confirming that six terrorists were involved in the assault.

Top government sources had said that a detailed forensic examination was concluded on the remains collected by the National Investigation Agency from two different locations of the strategic airbase, as per PTI.

The forensic test has come to the conclusion that traces of two human beings were found in the remains collected from Pathankot airbase, the sources had said.

Bodies of four terrorists were recovered immediately after the anti-terror operation was over in the airbase.

There have been varying reports over the number of terrorists, suspected to be belong to Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammad, attacking the Pathankot airbase on January 2.

While NSG, which had carried out the operation against the terrorists, has said there were six terrorists, NIA, which is probing the case, maintained that they found the bodies of four terrorists and no conclusive evidence was found about any more terrorist's involvement in the attack.

Earlier, Singh had said that charred remains, apart from four bodies of terrorists, were found at the debris after security forces searched the spot when the operation ended.

"Charred remains were found and sent for forensic examination. We are awaiting for reports," he had said on March 4.

(With Agency inputs)
Pokhara: In a major development in terms of Pathankot terror attack, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Thursday told media that Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will reach India on March 27 to visit the attack site.

The development came after Sushma Swaraj's meeting with Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz in Nepal's Pokhara.

"It's not possible that I and Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor meet (Sartaj Aziz) and Pathankot issue is not taken up. Yes, it was discussed," Sushma Swaraj said

Talking about the meet, Sartaj Aziz said, "SAARC Foreign Ministerial meet was conducted in a very positive atmosphere."

"We're hopeful that both PMs (India and Pak) will meet there (In Washington)," the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor said.

"Looking at the way Pathankot issue has been handled and cooperation on this subject, we're hopeful of good results," Sartaj Aziz added.

"The atmosphere of this year's SAARC meeting was quite different from the previous ones," Sushma Swaraj said.

Aziz also handed over an invitation to Swaraj for Prime Minister Modi to attend the SAARC Summit hosted by Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Swaraj said she has accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister and thanked Sharif and Aziz for it.

Earlier in the day, both Aziz and Swaraj met over breakfast at the Fishtail hotel on Fewa river here ahead of the 37th SAARC Council of Ministers Meeting.

Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the January 2 Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.
Washington: Expressing his views on the freedom of speech, President of Princeton University has said that the varsity will not take any disciplinary action if Osama bin Laden is commemorated on campus.

Speaking to Indian Express, Princeton University President Christopher L Eisgruber said, We would and should tolerate that. It would be very disruptive. People would be very angry about the statement. But we would not discipline somebody for making statements of that nature.

He further added, We at Princeton believe that it is a fundamental advantage for a university to be able to tolerate even offensive kinds of speech and to respond to bad arguments when they are made with more speech rather than with disciplinary actions.

Eigruber's statement has come days after Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu had, in a veiled attack, asked if the US will tolerate Osama bin Laden martyrdom anniversary in any of its university.

We would permit that (event) and there would be no disciplinary action of any kind against those students. Thats unambiguous. It could be very offensive. I might be called upon depending on what the students said or did. Under some circumstances, I might have to speak out and indicate my disagreement as the President (of Princeton) and say that what the students were expressing was not consistent with the views of the university. I expect in the circumstances you are describing, there would be a number of people who would call on me to take action. I get people writing to me saying you must discipline a speaker. We dont do it even when the views are very offensive, Eigruber was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

Addressing the Lok Sabha over debate on JNU row, Naidu had asked "Can they hold Osama bin Laden martyrdom anniversary in any university in America?"

He had made the statement while lashing out several foreign countries giving lessons to India over freedom of speech.
Jammu: BJP on Thursday strongly condemned Hurriyat (G) deputy general secretary's recent remark that 'inspiration for the freedom struggle of Kashmir is only Islam and establishing a model Islamic state is our first and last objective'.

"Hurriyat is 'His Master's Voice' and speaks the language Pakistan wants it to speak. It has no ideology of its own and is a puppet of Pakistan's ISI.

"It is for this reason that its leaders rush to the Pakistan High commission at the first given opportunity," BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta said.

It is a non-negotiable fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power on earth can separate Kashmir from the country, said Gupta.

"The statement by the Hurriyat leader is aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the state and instil a sense of fear and uncertainty in the minds of the minorities but the nationalist cadre of BJP is always ready to meet such challenges and ensure unity and integrity in the state", he said.

Gupta further said that the creation of an 'Islamic State' is the declared aim of terrorist outfits like ISIS, al Qaeda, LET, JEM and Taliban.

Hurriyat through such statement has acknowledged the fact that it is working to further the agenda of these terrorist organisations in the state, he said.

"Such open and defiant support of these dreaded terrorist outfits by the Hurriyat demands an immediate ban on the party as all these terrorist outfits are already facing an international ban," he added.

Pakistan which has launched a proxy war against India and is openly sponsoring terror will never succeed in its nefarious design of disintegrating India particularly Jammu & Kashmir, Gupta said.

He also criticised the Pakistan High Commissioner for inviting the Hurriyat leaders for Pakistan Day function in New Delhi.
Jammu: In view of recent terror attacks along the border districts, Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued advisory to schools in Kathua to strengthen security through measures like installing CCTVs, gates and constructing boundary walls.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Neeva Jain asked schools to take extensive measures to strengthen security of the institutions in border districts particularly along the national highway, a police spokesman said today.

There have been several terror attacks on vital defence and police installations along the national highway in Samba, Kathua and Pathankot during the past two years.

Jain issued these instructions yesterday during a security review meeting with principals of private schools of Kathua town and its adjoining areas, especially institutions on the national highway.

The SSP's recommendations to school managements included construction of a boundary wall with adequate height around the parameter of school premises and walls with concertina wire, he said.

The official also recommended deployment of private security guards on entry points and gates and installation of CCTVs at strategic locations.

She said intercom phone should be installed on both gates/office for effective communication. Other measures included display of important phone numbers like police/ ambulance/fire service at conspicuous places and mock exercises at their institutions.

She also directed school authorities to give special briefing to staff and students on security issues.

Jain agreed to a request by school authorities regarding self defence training for the girls which has been organised in colleges and other institutions.
Bengaluru: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has raised objection to Dakshina Kannada District Deputy Commissioner AB Ibrahims name being mentioned on the invitation card for Mahalingeshwara temple function.

Ibrahim will be hosting the Mahalingeshwara temple festival, which would commence from April 10.

The controversy erupted after VHP members on Tuesday raised objection to Ibrahim's name being printed on the invite of the temple's annual festival, as he was a Muslim.

According to 'The Hindu', Congress Puttur MLA Shakuntala Shetty said, she would consider removing the name of the officer after VHP protest.

However, a day later she retracted her statement saying, she had no problems with Ibrahim being invited as the host. Shetty was earlier associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Meanwhile, speaking to 'CNN-IBN', Ibrahim said nobody had objected when he worked for the temple.

Mentioning his works, the officials said he had sanctioned CCTVs and a vehicle for the temple.

The Karnataka government has thrown its weight behind Ibrahim saying, the invite to the Deputy Commissioner is a normal procedure.

Karnataka Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Higher Education Minister TB Jayachandra said, The state government is fully behind Ibrahim and there is no question of removing his name just because some fanatic elements demand that."
New Delhi: In the wake of spurt in incidents of political violence in Kerala, the Election Commission on Thursday asked the state's Chief Secretary to take "strict action" against criminals even as it rushed a senior official from here to take stock of the law and order situation.

Official sources said the Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and Election Commissioners AK Joti and OP Rawat met Kerala Chief Secretary PK Mohanty at the poll body's headquarter here and directed him to keep a strict vigil on the law and order situation in the state and ensure a "conducive" environment required for polls in 140 seats on May 16.

They said the top state bureaucrat was also instructed to keep a close watch on issues like execution of non-bailable warrants, surrender of licenced firearms and confiscation of illegal weapons and ammunition.

The Commission, they said, also instructed Mohanty to direct district election officers and Superintendents of Police to undertake "intensive scrutiny" of history sheeters, anti-social elements who have been found involved in violence.

The BJP had recently asked the Commission to take strong measures for a violence-free poll in the state.

Former Kerala BJP chief V Muraleedharan was among 16 persons injured in an alleged attack by CPI-M workers at Kattayikonam on March 14.

The BJP had alleged that on March 8, RSS worker EK Biju was hacked, adding that hundreds of party workers over the years have been killed in Kannur.

Mohanty was further advised to instruct the officials to undertake preventive measures to avoid any untoward incident and take necessary action in cases of violation of model code conduct "immediately."

The EC, officials said, also asked Sudeep Jain, the poll panel's Director General based here, to visit Kerala tomorrow to review poll preparedness and take stock of the situation "more particularly the law and order" scenario.
Bhopal: In a sheer display of bravery, Burhanpur SDM jumped into a river while stopping sand mafia from illegal mining in Madhya Pradesh. His act of bravery was caught on cameras.

Burhanpur SDM KR Badole was acting on a tip-off on illegal sand mining taking place along Tapti river in the town.

On Wednesday evening, police team led by Badole reached the place where they were reportedly attacked by the sand mafia. Two press photographers were also roughed up and their cameras were broken by the mafia.

Speaking to Zee News, Badole said that the mafia also attempted to drown him by trying to seize his boat.

"I had received complaints about illegal sand mining taking place along the Jainabad bank of Tapti river. After reaching there, we tried to stop the mafia workers. Instead, they launched an attack on us by pelting stones at us and attempted to drown my boat," Badole said.

KR Badole also said they have filed a complaint against 25 people in the connection.
Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal will be produced before a Special PMLA court in a case of money laundering filed against him in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam.

Former Maharashtra PWD Minister Bhujbal is in the custody of Enforcement Directorate until today (March 17) in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam case.

Bhujbal, who broke down in the court at one point while presenting his side, claimed that he was innocent.

"I have cooperated (with ED). I have been in social service for the past fifty years. When some questions were put to me (by ED), I honestly said I did not know but still I was arrested," he had said.

He said he did not grant the contract in question (Maharashtra Sadan guest-house in Delhi) and only followed the directions of the then Chief Minister (the late) Vilasrao Deshmukh to attend meetings (related to the project), he added.

Some disgruntled employees of the Mumbai Education Trust (MET), a trust run by him, cooked up the allegations, he claimed.

ED said in the remand application that contractor of Maharashtra Sadan project, K S Chamankar Enterprises, paid Rs 6.03 crore to Origin Infrastructure, a firm controlled by Bhujbals.

Prime Builders and Developers to whom Chamankar sub-contracted the Maharashtra Sadan project, also "paid Rs 18.5 crore through their associates against dubious real estate deals", it said.

"In view of evidence and money trail available so far.. there are reasons to believe that Bhujbal is guilty of the offence of money laundering," the ED said.

The fund transfer from Prime Builders to the firms controlled by the Bhujbal family was nothing but quid pro quo for awarding Chamankars the Maharashtra Sadan project, it said, adding that Bhujbal, a cabinet minister in the then (Congress-NCP) government, was apparently the prime mover in awarding of the work.

A former employee of MET, Amit Balraj, said that he had seen huge leather bags containing cash being brought to the ninth floor of MET office here and the notes being counted by counting machines and kept at the cash-room at MET office.

The notes used to be of Rs 1,000 denomination with each bag containing approximately Rs one crore, ED said.

Balraj also heard Sameer Bhujbal (Bhujbal's nephew, already arrested) instructing his associates about some persons bringing cash to MET building but Chhagan Bhujbal, when asked about such cash transactions, denied any knowledge, ED said.

These proceeds of crime, generated through "criminal activities of Chhagan Bhujbal" were further laundered through companies of Sameer and Pankaj Bhujbal as well as other Bhujbal-controlled companies in which the employees of MET were 'dummy directors', the remand plea said. Some of these companies existed only on paper, it said.

The former minister didn't cooperate with ED and maintained "deliberate silence" about the modus operandi to favour Chamankar Enterprises and especially the origin of cash which was circuitously routed through hawala operators back to companies controlled by Pankaj, his son, ED said.

The Directors of Origin Infrastructure and Niche Infrastructure told ED that they were only dummy directors installed by Bhujbals, it said.

Bhujbal's present residence, `Solitaire' building in suburban Mumbai, "itself is prima facie proceeds of crime and has been attached", and this made his role in money-laundering obvious," ED said.

The documents obtained from individuals/firms, statements of bank accounts, etc., show the generation of huge "illicit funds" and laundering by Bhujbal family, ED's remand plea said.

Bhujbals were also paid through "phony" real estate transactions from 2006 onwards, the ED said.
London: Sending a message to millions of Android users that their devices are vulnerable to virus attack, a team of researchers has successfully exploited the Android-based "Stagefright" bug and remotely hacked a smartphone.

Israeli software research company NorthBit claimed it had "properly" exploited the Android bug that was originally described as the "worst ever discovered", Wired.co.uk reported.

The exploitation, called "Metaphor", also has a video that shows the exploit being run on a Nexus 5 smartphone. NorthBit said it had also successfully tested the exploit on a LG G3, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S5 devices.

The exploit could be altered by those wanting to cause more damage. "Approximately 36 percent of the 1.4 billion active Android phones and tablets run Android 5 or 5.1 and devices lacking the latest updates would be vulnerable," NorthBit co-founder Gil Dabah was quoted as saying.

"Our research managed to get it [the attack] to the level of production grade, meaning that everyone - both the bad guys and good guys, or governments - could use our research in order to facilitate it in the wild," Dabah added.

Reportedly, the hack is able to execute remote code on Android devices and could possibly affect up to 95 percent of Android devices.

The researchers said they have been able to create an exploit that can be used against Stagefright on Android 2.2, 4.0, 5.0 and 5.1. Other versions are not affected. The company's research paper says it is built on work from Google itself.

Google released a patch for the bug and promised regular security updates for Android phones following the publication of Stagefright's details.

Stagefright is a software library, written in C++ (computer language), that is built inside the Android operating system.

Google released a patch for the bug and promised regular security updates for Android phones following the publication of Stagefright's details.

According to a report by Cheetah Mobile, a China-based mobile tools provider, India ranks two on the list of countries having malware-affected Android smartphones due to an extensive use of third-party apps.

"The number of Android viruses, especially Root Trojans, rose sharply with a growth rate of 22 percent infecting a total of 11,170,960 devices in India in 2015," the report said.

The report, which focused on virus infections in Android devices all over the world, said the number of Android viruses exceeded 9.5 million in 2015, which is larger than twice the total number in the past three years. The number stood at 2.8 million in 2014.

"Stagefright" is the collective name for a group of software bugs that affect Android operating system, allowing an attacker to perform arbitrary operations on the victim device through remote code execution.

A Trojan Horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cyber-thieves and hackers trying to gain access to users' systems.
Batala: Six teenage girls were injured in an acid attack in Dera Baba Nanak area here on Wednesday evening after one of them spurned the advances of the assailant, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Diljinder Singh Dhillon said while a 14-year-old girl suffered around 18 percent burn injuries on her face and arm, five of her friends were also injured as some drops of the corrosive liquid fell on them when two motorcycle-borne youths allegedly threw acid at a group of girls returning home from school.

The girl, who suffered most injuries, was said to be the target of the attack.

The main accused has been identified as Saajan (19), a resident of Phurewal in Amritsar.

The victim had told her family that the accused was stalking her for the past two-three days. Her family members had then raised the matter with Saajan's parents, who possibly reprimanded him. Upset over this, the accused allegedly threw acid at her, police said.

Saajan was reportedly studying in the same school as the victim but was rusticated for bad conduct, the SSP said.

A case has been registered against the accused and his unidentified accomplice and hunt is on for them, police said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema directed the District Education Officer to immediately release Rs 50,000 for the girl's treatment, personally visit her at the hospital, and report her condition to him.

Cheema directed SSP Batala to take immediate action against the culprit and told the the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, to ensure special care and treatment of the victim.

The Education Minister also spoke to the doctors of Guru Nanak Medical Hospital and the victim's father, and assured him of full support in securing justice.
Jaipur: Rajasthan Minister R Rathore on Thursday said the four Kashmiri students of Mewar University, who were arrested following rumours that they had cooked beef in their collge hostel room, have been released after questioning.

Rathore termed the arrest of the students as a precautionary measure.

It was just a precautionary measure, the students were released respectfully, the Rajasthan Minister said.

Four Kashmiri students were arrested following rumours that they had cooked beef in their hostel room in a private university in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district.

Police said the students were allegedly manhandled by some others students and locals after the rumours spread but prima facie the meat was not found to be beef.

The incident occurred on Monday night when the rumour spread that the Kashmiri students were cooking beef in the hostel room.

Soon after some students as well as locals assembled in front of the Mewar University and demanded action against them.

Police rushed to the site and arrested four students under section 151 of CrPC (Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences).

Chittorgarh SP Prasanna Khamesara said that the 'beef cooking' rumour by Kashmiri students was spread by the some michief mongers adding that they have sent the meat for forensic test just to be sure.

Last year, a man was lynched by a mob while his son received severe injuries in Dadri district of Uttar Pradesh over rumour that a cow was slaughtered and beef was stored in his house.
New Delhi: British mathematician Sir Andrew Wiles, a research professor at the University of Oxford has won the prestigious Abel prize for his contributions to mathematical sciences.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, the British mathematician was awarded the top prize in mathematics for solving the 300-year-old mystery surrounding Fermets Last Theorem which was formulated by French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in 1637.

Sir Andrew Wiles will receive the prize worth 500,000 (Rs 4.7 crore) from Crown Prince Haakon of Norway at a ceremony in Oslo in May, as reported.

Andrew Wiles said that it is a tremendous honour to receive the Abel Prize and to join the previous Laureates who have made such outstanding contributions to the field. Fermats equation was his passion from an early age, and solving it gave him an overwhelming sense of fulfillment, reportedly.

''It has always been my hope that my solution of this age-old problem would inspire many young people to take up mathematics and to work on the many challenges of this beautiful and fascinating subject'', he added.
Lucknow: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's proposed public rally in the state capital was cancelled after the city administration denied permission required for it.

Owaisi had been denied permission by the state government to hold public meetings as many as six times since February 2014.

The AIMIM has already made its intention clear on contesting next years assembly elections in UP.

The party hopes to ride piggyback on its perceived base among Muslims and Dalit voters.

Its foray in Bihars electoral politics, last year, however, had backfired spectacularly with the Muslim party failing to win a single assembly seat.

Owaisi is currently under fire for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' come what may, claiming that it is matter of personal choice and no one can be forced to do so.

A local court had yesterday directed the Neredmet police to register a case against the Hyderabad MP.

The case is to be registered for allegedly hurting sentiments of Indians by saying "he will not chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' even if a knife is put to his throat".

A private complaint was filed in the Hyderabad court on Wednesday seeking direction to police to register a case against Owaisi over his speech.
Lucknow: A CBI special court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against senior Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Rajeev Kumar over a plot allotment scam, an official said on Thursday.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation Judge G. Sridevi issued the warrant against Kumar for his role in the scam in Noida.

He was sentenced to three years on November 20, 2012.

Kumar, who was appointed secretary in the state, was indicted by special CBI judge S. Lal in 2012, along with former chief secretary Neera Yadav.

He had approached the Allahabad High Court against the order.

The court, however, dismissed his petition for relief after which the state government was forced to remove him from his post.

Yadav surrendered in the Ghaziabad court on March 14.

She is being held in the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad district.
Haldwani: Uttarakhand Police on Thursday arrested BJP worker Pramod Bora from Haldwani in connection with attack on police horse during a protest march in the state, according to ANI report.

Bora was a part of the protest march led by BJP Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, which was agitating against alleged cases of corruption, when the horse was injured.

Earlier, reports surfaced that police horse 'Shaktiman' was allegedly attacked by BJP's Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi during a protest march held in Dehradun on March 14. The animal reportedly suffered several fractures in the incident during the protest called by BJP against the state government.

However, a video released by the Joshi showed that the BJP lawmaker, though armed with a stick, is seen hitting the ground and not the horse.

Pramod Bora, who was also present at the place of the incident, is seen dragging down the policeman riding Shaktiman and pulling at its saddle and reins. The horse Shaktiman fell down after Bora allegedly tried to pull it down forcibly. He was arrested from Haldwani today.

14-year-old Shaktiman, who has been part of police ceremonial parades since it was a three-year-old colt, has been visited by a number of politicians in the last three days.
Dehradun: Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ganesh Joshi, who is accused of allegedly attacking horse 'Shaktimaan', on Thursday visited the stable to see the injured police horse.

Mussoorie MLA Joshi has been booked for beating the police horse with a stick during the party's protest on March 14.

The legislator, however insisted that he had not inflicted injury on the horse, and that it had gone out of control during the protests and one of its hind legs got stuck in a hole dug up to put up the barricades, injuring it.

The beast underwent a surgical procedure yesterday to fix one of its hind legs.

Meanwhile, People for Animals (PFA) Uttarakhand member Gauri Maulekhi said the BJP MP should be arrested and expelled from the party.

Watch video:
Dehradun: Army doctors on Thursday amputated the hind leg of Uttarakhand police horse Shaktiman to save its life.

The horse's amputation surgery is taking place two days after its fractures were fixed by external fixation by a group of 10 doctors - six from Pantnagar and four district veterinary officers.

The surgery was conducted after the doctors said that "the horse wouldn't be able to survive due to gangrene (decomposition of body tissue)," said Uttarakhand DGP BS Sandhu.

"The doctors diagnosed that the blood supply to injured portion had stopped because of which the injured leg needed to be amputated," he added.

A team of doctors from Pune had examined Shaktiman earlier today and opined that its fractured hind leg would have to be amputated to save its life.

A BJP worker was, meanwhile, arrested in connection with the attack on the equine during a protest by the party here.

Three days after the attack that sparked outrage, the worker identified as Pramod Bora was arrested from Haldwani in Nainital district for forcefully pulling the bridle of the horse and causing its fall at the protest venue on March 14 and leaving it injured, Dehradun SSP Sadanand Daate told PTI.

Bora was arrested from Mukhani area of Haldwani on a requisition by Dehradun police, Nainital SSP Sweety Agarwal said, adding he has been handed over to a police team from Dehradun and is being taken to the state capital.

On reports that summons were issued to BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi by him in connection with the attack, Uttarakhand DGP BS Sidhu said only the Investigating Officer is competent to issue summons. When queried, Investigating Officer Arun Pandey neither denied nor confirmed issuing summons to the legislator, saying investigations are still on.

The horse in fact fell with its entire weight on its hind quarters under the combined impact of Joshi`s frontal attack with a lathi and Bora pulling up its reins from one side, Daate said.

'Shaktiman', a well-trained horse which was part of Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years, was allegedly attacked by Joshi, an MLA from Mussoorie, during the march. The animal suffered fractures in one of his hind legs during the protest.

An FIR had been lodged at Nehru Colony police station against Joshi and his associates.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse's condition.

"We are worried about the horse as it is still in pain and cannot stand on its feet. However, it is being looked after properly. Let people decide who is wrong," he said.

The BJP has been demanding withdrawal of the cases lodged against its workers including Joshi with the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt asserting that they were being framed at the behest of the state government to cow down the opposition.

However, the Chief Minister has refused to withdraw the cases, saying he does not believe in interfering in police investigations which should be carried out independently.

(With Agency inputs)
Grand Bassam: President Alassane Ouattara vowed on Wednesday that an al Qaeda-claimed attack on an Ivory Coast beach resort that killed 19 people would not derail the nation`s post-war revival.

Militants burst onto the beach on Sunday in the town of Grand Bassam, 40 km (25 miles) from the commercial capital Abidjan, gunning down swimmers and sunbathers before storming into several hotels.

The attack was a heavy blow for the West African state that has recovered from more than a decade of political turmoil and a 2011 civil war to become one of the world`s best performing economies with annual growth averaging around 9 percent.

Ouattara won re-election by a landslide in October, pledging to attract foreign investment to the largest economy in French-speaking West Africa, also the world`s top cocoa producer.

"Our march towards (economic) emergence is irreversible. The progress we`ve made in the past four years must be further reinforced," he said before a cabinet meeting in Grand Bassam.

The government said following the meeting that the death toll from the attack had increased by one to 19.

Eleven Ivorians, including three special forces soldiers, died. Four French citizens were killed and other foreign victims included citizens of Germany, Lebanon, Macedonia and Nigeria.

The government had earlier stated there were victims from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mali; however, that was later found to be untrue after the identities of the dead were verified.

Another 24 injured people were still in hospital on Wednesday, a government spokesman said.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the group`s North African branch, claimed the attack and said it was revenge for a French offensive against Islamist militants in the Sahel region.

AQIM published photos on its social media sites of three men it said were the suicide attackers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors militant activity online. AQIM said they were from al Mourabitoun, an allied group led by veteran militant leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar.

Grand Bassam is a popular weekend retreat only a short drive from Abidjan, a cosmopolitan regional economic hub with a population of around five million. The attack came as the government seeks to revitalise a once lucrative tourism industry that was shattered by the crisis years.

After visiting the beach in Grand Bassam and laying a wreath, Ouattara sought to reassure the local tourism.

"We must not be intimidated, discouraged by the terrorists," he said. "I am sure that this weekend the hotel business will return to normal."
Washington: President Barack Obama imposed sweeping new sanctions on North Korea on Wednesday intended to further isolate the country`s leadership after recent actions by Pyongyang that have been seen by Washington and its allies as provocative.

The executive order freezes any property of the North Korean government in the United States and prohibits exportation of goods from the United States to North Korea.

It also allows the US government to blacklist any individuals, whether or not they are US citizens, who deal with major sectors of North Korea`s economy. Experts said the measures vastly expanded the US blockade against Pyongyang.

North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Jan 6, and a Feb 7 rocket launch that the United States and its allies said employed banned ballistic missile technology. Pyongyang said it was a peaceful satellite launch.

"The US and the global community will not tolerate North Korea`s illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Despite decades of tensions, the United States has not had a comprehensive trade ban against North Korea of the kind enacted against Myanmar and Iran. Americans were allowed to make limited sales to North Korea, although in practice such trade was tiny.

US officials had believed a blanket trade ban would be ineffective without a stronger commitment from China, North Korea`s largest trading partner. But with China signing on to new U.N. sanctions earlier this month, that obstacle has been removed, experts said.

"North Korean sanctions are finally getting serious," said Peter Harrell, a former senior State Department official who worked on sanctions.

The new sanctions threaten to ban from the global financial system anyone, even Europeans and Asians, who does business with broad swaths of Pyongyang`s economy, including its financial, mining and transportation sectors.

The so-called secondary sanctions will compel banks to freeze the assets of anyone who breaks the blockade, potentially squeezing out North Korea`s business ties in China and Myanmar.

"It`s going to be very hard for North Korea to move money anywhere in the world," said Harrell, now with the Center for a New American Security.
Washington: President Barack Obama plans to lay out his vision for US-Cuba relations in a major speech during next week`s historic visit to Havana aimed at making his opening to Americas former Cold War foe irreversible, the White House said on Wednesday.

Previewing Obamas three-day trip, US deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes expressed hope that Tuesdays scheduled speech to the Cuban people would be broadcast throughout the island and said Cubas Communist government had not raised any objections to doing so.

But Rhodes could not confirm whether the event, which will take place at Havanas legendary Gran Teatro, would actually be carried by Cubas state-run media, saying, Well see how that transpires.

Obama, who will be the first US president to visit Cuba in 88 years, arrives on Sunday and holds talks on Monday with Cuban President Raul Castro, followed by what Rhodes described as a joint press event and a state dinner.

Obamas meeting with Cuban dissidents on Tuesday will include prominent activists of his own choosing, Rhodes said. Despite Cuban leaders view of such meetings as interference in the islands internal affairs, Rhodes said there was no reason to believe the government would block any invitees from participating.

If there are any impediments to that meeting we would be very clear about this, Rhodes said. He declined to name any of those who would attend.

Obama will arrive just days after unveiling sweeping new measures to make it far easier for Americans to visit Cuba and for the islands government to conduct international trade.

Obamas critics have accused him of giving up too much in return for too little from Cuban leaders and of now taking a premature "victory lap.

The Obama administration insists that engagement will benefit the Cuban people and open up the island to US business  though Cuban leaders have been slow to make economic reforms. At the same time, the decades-old US trade embargo against Cuba remains, with little chance Congress will lift it anytime soon.

Rhodes said Obamas speech will be a very important moment in the presidents trip, an opportunity for him to describe the course that were on, to review the complicated history between our two countries  but also to look forward to the future.

We very much want to make the process of normalization irreversible, he told reporters on a conference call.

Obamas aides hope that getting more US companies invested in Cuba and loosening up travel to the island will make it almost impossible for traditionally pro-business Republicans to roll back the thaw if they win the White House in November.

Traveling with first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Malia, the president plans to start his visit late on Sunday with a tour of the cultural sites of Old Havana. He will also meet Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who played a key role in the US-Cuba diplomatic breakthrough in December 2014, at Havana`s cathedral, Rhodes said.
Beijing: China expressed its opposition on Thursday to unilateral sanctions against North Korea saying they could raise tension, after the United States imposed new curbs on the isolated country in retaliation for its nuclear and rocket tests.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday imposed sweeping new sanctions on North Korea intended to further isolate its leadership after recent actions seen by the United States and its allies as provocative.

The new sanctions threaten to ban from the global financial system anyone who does business with broad swaths of North Korea`s economy, including its financial, mining and transport sectors.

The so-called secondary sanctions will compel banks to freeze the assets of anyone who breaks the blockade, potentially squeezing out North Korea`s business ties, including those with China.

Asked whether China was worried the sanctions could affect "normal" business links between Chinese banks and North Korea, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said this was something China was "paying attention to".

"First, as I`ve said many times before, China always opposes any country imposing unilateral sanctions," Lu told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

"Second, under the present situation where the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex and sensitive, we oppose any moves that may further worsen tensions there."

"Third, we have clearly stressed many times in meetings with the relevant county, any so-called unilateral sanctions imposed by any country should neither affect nor harm China`s reasonable interests."

China is North Korea`s sole major ally but it disapproves of its nuclear programme and calls for the Korean peninsula to be free of nuclear weapons.

While China has signed up for tough new U.N. sanctions against North Korea, it has said repeatedly sanctions are not the answer and that only a resumption of talks can resolve the dispute over North Korea`s weapons programme.

The U.S. measures, which vastly expand a U.S. blockade of North Korea, prohibit the export of goods from the United States to North Korea.

U.S. officials had previously believed a blanket trade ban would be ineffective without a stronger commitment from China, North Korea`s largest trading partner.

North Korea conducted a nuclear test on Jan. 6, and on Feb. 7 it launched a rocket that the United States and its allies said employed banned ballistic missile technology. China signed on to the new U.N. sanctions against North Korea this month.

But U.S. officials and experts have often questioned China`s commitment to enforcing sanctions on North Korea. China fears that too-harsh measures will destabilise the North.
Brussels: European Union leaders warned hard work was needed at a summit on Thursday to seal a deal with Turkey to curb the migration crisis, despite signs that key hold-out Cyprus is ready to compromise.

Several voiced concerns about the legality of the accord under which all migrants landing in Greece would be shipped back to Turkey, which has been haggling unsuccessfully for EU membership for decades.

Turkey is demanding a high price from a divided EU to stem the continent`s biggest migration crisis since World War II, which has seen 1.2 million people seek shelter in Europe from conflict in Syria and elsewhere.

It wants the acceleration of its membership bid, visa free travel for Turks to the EU, and a doubling of EU aid for refugees in Turkey to six billion euros ($6.8 billion).

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his country`s proposals, originally delivered to EU leaders last week, were "clear and honest".

"They remain on the table -- but Turkey will never become an open prison for migrants," he said as he boarded a plane in Ankara.

European Council President Donald Tusk told reporters he was "cautiously optimistic but frankly, more cautious than optimistic" while German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned there were "many things to resolve".

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the plan was "very complicated, will be very difficult to implement and is on the edge of international law."Critics say the plan for Turkey to take back all migrants from the Greek islands -- and a "one-for-one" deal under which the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee for every Syrian refugee taken back by Turkey -- amount to mass expulsions and are illegal.

The aim of the "one-for-one" deal is to encourage Syrians to apply for asylum in the EU while they are still on Turkish soil, instead of taking dangerous smugglers` boats across the Aegean Sea.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel voiced the concerns of many that a desperate EU was being duped into ignoring concerns over Turkey`s human rights record and its conflict with Kurdish separatists.

"I can`t accept negotiations which sometimes look like they are a form of blackmail," Michel said.

Meanwhile, the White House urged Turkey to respect democratic values.

The 28 EU leaders will thrash out their negotiating position in Brussels on Thursday before meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at breakfast on Friday.

A senior EU official said there was "progress" on the key issues of legality and Cyprus, adding that Tusk and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker would likely meet Davutoglu overnight for further negotiations.

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades indicated he could be ready to compromise on his objections to the EU opening new "chapters" in Turkey`s accession process, after earlier threatening to block the entire deal as Turkey refuses to recognise the Cypriot government on the divided island.

Tusk visited Nicosia this week in a bid to win over Anastasiades.

"There are obstacles, but I do hope that during the deliberations that will follow at the European Council, there is going to be a compromise," Anastasiades told reporters, adding that an "alternative" was possible.The deal envisages major aid for Greece, where tens of thousands of refugees are trapped in dire conditions after Balkan countries shut their borders to stop them heading north to richer Germany and Scandinavia.

It says the EU will also help it deal with the huge logistical burden of ensuring asylum seekers on the Greek islands are registered and processed before being returned to Turkey.

Hollywood star and UNHCR goodwill ambassdor Angelina Jolie on Thursday visited the island of Lesbos, the principal port of entry for migrants to Europe.

Meanwhile in the bleak camp of Idomeni on the Macedonian border, Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei on Thursday sat for a haircut from a migrant barber to draw attention to their plight.

"I needed a haircut... and of course, it is obviously symbolic," Ai said.

The pressure at the summit to reach a solution is huge, with the EU`s Schengen passport-free travel area cracking as countries reintroduce border checks to curb migrants, and anti-immigration parties on the rise.

"There is no alternative, we have to come to a deal," said Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the EU presidency.

The EU first agreed a migration deal with Turkey in November -- despite threats by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to "flood" Europe with migrants -- then Davutoglu last week delivered a surprise proposal at an extraordinary summit in Brussels that forms the basis for the deal now under discussion.
Brussels: Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankara`s commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands.

A year into a crisis in which more than a million people have arrived in chaotic misery, many of them Syrian war refugees and most of whom come from Turkey via Greece to Germany via dangerous sea crossings and long treks, hopes have risen around the summit table that they may have found a way to at least slow the movement.

But leaders acknowledge there is no silver bullet and face many obstacles over the next two days, from howls of outrage that they plan mass expulsions of vulnerable people to a country with a patchy and worsening human rights record, to a lingering feud between Ankara and small but vocal EU member Cyprus.

"Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do," European Council President Donald Tusk wrote to leaders inviting them to the summit he will chair. After discussing the economy, the 28 EU national leaders will discuss the migration issue over dinner, starting around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

A breakfast is set for Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, where Tusk hopes to finalise a deal which the Turkish premier first sprang on the EU, with backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a special summit 10 days ago.

Under the deal, which was set out in fuller fashion by Tusk in a draft for EU leaders on Wednesday, Turkey will, in addition to a previous agreement to try and prevent the smuggling of migrants via rafts, take back all those, including Syrian refugees, who do make it to Greek islands off Turkey`s coast.

The draft, which was seen by Reuters, says the plan is "to break the business model of the smugglers and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk". It stresses the plan is "a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order".

Cyprus Question

Potentially the most explosive topic, which diplomats say risks derailing the whole deal, will be how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new "chapters" of Turkey`s snail-like negotiations to join the EU at some distant future date.

Several of these have been blocked by Cyprus over Turkey`s refusal to give it the same rights as other EU states in access to Turkish ports and airports - a result of the 42-year dispute since the violent partition of the island into a Greek-speaking state and a Turkish-speaking north recognised only by Turkey.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has made clear he will lift his veto on Turkish accession chapters only if Ankara ends its refusal to recognise Cyprus.

Turkey wants concessions for its northern Cypriot allies in return. The EU and world powers are keen not to derail U.N. talks that could reunite the island.

Tusk`s draft says the EU would work with Turkey to "prepare for a decision" on opening new accession chapters "as soon as possible" - a hazy prospect Davutoglu may not appreciate.

But in his invitation letter, Tusk stressed that only if the migrant deal could help advance the broader talks on ending the long confrontation with Cyprus, could it hope to succeed.

To satisfy EU and international law, Greece and Turkey will have to modify domestic legislation so that Turkey is regarded as protecting asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, even though Ankara limits its formal commitments to that treaty.

EU officials argue that the alternative to holding people back in Turkey is to see a further build-up of migrants stranded in deteriorating conditions in Greece, whose European neighbours have closed their borders. Already over 40,000 are marooned.

Legal gymnastics, and the scorn of U.N. and other rights bodies, aside, the deal foresees all those arriving having a right to state their case for asylum and to appeal.

However, EU officials stress that the intention is quickly to deter most people from even trying to make the crossing, so the arrival of thousands a day as occurred last year is unlikely. If such numbers keep coming, the plan will have failed, they say.

For each Syrian refugee who eludes efforts to stop illegal migration whom Turkey agrees to take back, Turkey will see a Syrian refugee resettled directly to Europe. The draft makes clear the total number is likely to be limited to about 72,000 out of nearly 3 million Syrians in Turkey.

That figure represents what the deeply divided EU states agreed last year to take in under two different schemes for sharing responsibilities. Leaders may talk more about who takes how many.

Tusk`s draft spoke of the process being "voluntary" in a nod to eastern EU states which oppose a series of refugees quotas Brussels imposed last year.

Longer-term, the EU leadership and the likes of Merkel are pushing hard for a system of resettling much larger numbers of refugees from the Middle East in Europe. That is opposed by others who say it would fuel xenophobic nationalism which has already surged, as seen in elections on Sunday in Germany.

Diplomats said there was also likely to be discussion of how quickly a second 3-billion-euro tranche of aid for Syrians in Turkey should be on the table for Davutoglu and of the precise details of an offer to provide visa-free travel to Europe for Turks by late June, if Ankara meets numerous conditions in time.
Brasilia: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff named her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff on Wednesady, sparing him possible arrest for corruption as she seeks to fend off a damaging crisis.

The two leftists who have led Brazil for the past 13 years are both fighting for their political survival, and news they were teaming up again in the government deeply divided Brazil even before it was officially announced.

Allies call Lula the only man capable of saving the embattled government, but opponents condemn the fact that ministerial immunity will now protect him from prosecution in ordinary court.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil.

The appointment is a risky bet for Rousseff, who is battling crises on multiple fronts: an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, mass protests and the fallout of an explosive corruption scandal at state oil giant Petrobras.

Lula was hugely popular when he stepped down five years ago at the height of an economic boom, but he returns to Brasilia with heavy baggage - he has himself been charged with money laundering in a case linked to the Petrobras scandal.

The opposition was quick to slam the appointment.

"Instead of explaining himself and assuming his responsibilities, former president Lula preferred to flee out the back door," said lawmaker Antonio Imbassahy, lower house leader for opposition party PMDB.

"It's a confession of guilt and a slap to society. President Dilma, by appointing him, has become his accomplice," Imbassahy added. "The final chapter in this story will be her impeachment."

Lula, 70, left office with 80 per cent popularity ratings and the status of a hero to the left.

During his two terms, he presided over a watershed period of prosperity and social programs that helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians from poverty.

But his legacy is now threatened by charges that he accepted a luxury apartment as a bribe from a company implicated in the Petrobras scandal.

At a deeper level, he faces suspicions among many Brazilians that his entire administration was underpinned by graft.

Lula vigorously denies the accusations.

His problems may not stop there, however: prosecutors have indicated they are investigating whether he played a more central role in the multibillion-dollar corruption scheme at the state oil giant.
Washington: The Islamic State militant group has committed genocide against minority Christians and Yazidis as well as Shi`ite Muslims, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday, a finding that is unlikely to greatly change U.S. policy toward the group.

"The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians. Yazidis because they are Yazidis. Shi`ites because they are Shi`ites," Kerry said, referring to the group by an Arabic acronym, and accusing it of crimes against humanity and of ethnic cleansing.

While the genocide finding may make it easier for the United States to argue for greater action against the group, it does not create a legal obligation on the United States to do more.

On Wednesday, a State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: "Acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any particular legal obligation for the United States."

Islamic State militants have swept through Iraq and Syria in recent years, seizing control of large swathes of territory with an eye toward establishing jihadism in the heart of the Arab world.

The group`s videos depict the violent deaths of people who stand in its way. Opponents have been beheaded, shot dead, blown up with fuses attached to their necks and drowned in cages lowered into swimming pools, with underwater cameras capturing their agony.

U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered air strikes against the group but has not made any large commitment of U.S. troops on the ground.

"It may strengthen our hand getting other countries to help. It may free us against some (legal) constraints, but the reality is that when you are fighting somebody, you don`t need another reason to fight them," said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.

PREVENTIVE ACTION?

Kerry argued that the United States has done much to fight the group since the start of air strikes in 2014, but did not directly answer a question on why the Obama administration had not done more to prevent genocide.

Historians have asked the same question about Darfur and Rwanda, both places where the United States also concluded that genocide had taken place.

Islamic State militants have exploited the five-year civil war in Syria to seize areas in that country and in neighboring Iraq, though U.S. officials say their air strikes have markedly reduced the amount of territory the group controls in both.

On-again, off-again peace talks got under way this week in Geneva in an effort to end the civil war, in which at least 250,000 people have died and millions have fled their homes. A fragile "cessation of hostilities" has reduced, but not ended, the violence over the last two weeks.

U.S. lawmakers urged Kerry last year to make a determination on whether atrocities committed by the militant group against Christians and other religious groups amounted to genocide.

The State Department earlier had predicted it would miss a deadline set for Thursday on this decision.

Republicans, who control the U.S. Congress, have been pressuring the Democratic Obama administration to call the militants` atrocities in Iraq and Syria acts of genocide. This week, one chamber, House of Representatives, passed a resolution labeling the group`s violence against religious and ethnic minorities as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A U.S. administration has not made a genocide finding since 2004, when it determined genocide had occurred in Darfur and that the government of Sudan was responsible.

Asked if the genocide finding was likely to accentuate a view held by some that the West is engaged in a battle with Islam, a senior U.S. official noted that Kerry`s determination included Shi-ite Muslims as well as Christians and Yazidis.

"A very large Muslim group is included in this," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The secretary isn`t just singling out one group that has political support in the United States," he added, referring to Christians.
Ankara: A radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers` Party on Thursday claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb attack that killed 35 people in Ankara last weekend.

The claim by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) came as Germany closed diplomatic missions and a school in Turkey Thursday over security concerns.

In a statement on its website, TAK named the woman bomber as Seher Cagla Demir, who had been involved since 2013 in a "radical fight against a policy of massacre and denial against the Kurdish people."

"On the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out... in Ankara, the heart of the fascist Turkish republic. We claim this attack targeting centres... where decisions to massacre Kurdish people are made," the statement said.

The group said it was a response to security operations by Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of the country.

"This action was carried out to avenge the 300 Kurds killed in Cizre as well as our civilians who were wounded," the statement said.

"We would like to apologise for the civilian losses which had nothing to do with the dirty war being waged by the fascist Turkish republic," the group added.

In February, Turkish forces ended an almost two-month military offensive backed by a curfew against Kurdish rebels in the southeastern town of Cizre.

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.

Foreign missions in the capital have heightened security measures.

The German embassy in Ankara as well as the consulate and German school in Istanbul were closed Thursday for security reasons, the consulate said on its website.

Last January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack blamed on the Islamic State group in the heart of Istanbul`s tourist district.

Turkey, which faces multiple security threats, is battling both IS and Kurdish militants.

Sunday`s attack came three weeks after a similar car bombing in Ankara killed 29 people, also claimed by TAK.

In the immediate aftermath of the latest bombing, the Turkish authorities pointed the finger at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), against which Ankara has waged a relentless assault since late last year after a shaky two-year truce collapsed.

The government said one of the bombers was a woman in her mid-20s affiliated with the PKK and trained in Syria by the People`s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia group the Turkish military shelled for several days in February.

The TAK statement on Thursday included a photo of the woman bomber.

The TAK is a little-known group which has nonetheless risen to prominence in recent months after the February bombing and after it claimed a mortar attack on Istanbul`s Sabiha Gokcen airport on December 23.

The shelling left one airport cleaner dead and also damaged several planes.

The PKK launched a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 for greater autonomy for Kurds, a conflict that has claimed some 40,000 lives and is listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

Authorities detained 11 people over Sunday`s attack, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, while Turkish jets bombed PKK targets in northern Iraq just hours after the blast.
London: The prospect of Donald Trump winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilising the world economy, according to British research group EIU.

In the latest version of its Global Risk assessment, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked victory for the Republican front-runner at 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic "hard landing" rated 20.

Justifying the threat level, the EIU highlighted the tycoon`s alienation towards China as well as his comments on Islamist extremism, saying a proposal to stop Muslims from entering the United States would be a "potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups".

It also raised the spectre of a trade war under a Trump presidency and pointed out that his policies "tend to be prone to constant revision".

"He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), and has repeatedly labelled China as a `currency manipulator`." it said.

"He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jiadhi terrorism, including, among other things, advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS (and acquire its oil)."

By comparison it gave a possible armed clash in the South China Sea an eight -- the same as the threat posed by Britain leaving the European Union -- and ranked an emerging market debt crisis at 16.

A Trump victory, it said, would at least scupper the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February, while "his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war."

"There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn," it added.

However, the organisation said it did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in an election and pointed out that Congress would likely block some of his more radical proposals if he won November`s election.

Rated at 12 alongside the prospect of a Trump presidency was the threat of Islamic State, which the EIU said risked ending a five-year bull run on US and European stock markets if terrorist attacks escalated.

The break-up of the eurozone following a Greek exit from the bloc was rated 15, while the prospect of a new "cold war" fuelled by Russian interventions in Ukraine and Syria was put at 16.
Tel Aviv: Two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli woman near a group of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on Thursday before being shot dead, the army said, the latest in a months-long wave of violence.

The incident occurred at the Ariel junction in the West Bank. The wounded woman was being taken to hospital, while the two assailants were shot by forces at the scene, the Israeli army said.

Since October 1, a wave of violence has killed 196 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to the Israeli authorities.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest.

Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence. Most of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.
District of Columbia: The White House Thursday welcomed a pledge from a Saudi-led coalition to wind down the air war in Yemen, an announcement that could dial back tensions between Riyadh and Washington before President Barack Obama visits.

Amid controversy over an airstrike that killed 119 people -- including 22 children -- White House spokesman Josh Earnest welcomed a coalition statement that the year-old campaign against Iran-backed Huthi rebels was nearing the "end of the major combat phase."

"We have expressed our concerns about the loss of innocent life in Yemen, the violence there that is plaguing that country has caught too many innocent civilians in the crossfire," Earnest said.

"We would welcome and do welcome the statement from coalition spokesperson Saudi General Ahmed al-Assiri who indicated today that major operations in Yemen are coming to an end and that the coalition will work on `long-term plans` to bring stability to the country."

Al-Assiri told AFP earlier that "in any military campaign you have phases." "Today," he said, "we are in the end of the major combat phase."

While the United States has provided logistical and intelligence support to the operation, the White House has privately expressed anger about the loss of civilian lives.

The support includes targeting assistance, which officials say make strikes less indiscriminate.

"The support we provide we think is helping to prevent civilian casualties," a US defense official said.

"Absent the intel and precision guided munitions we provide, the civilian casualties would be worse."

That view holds little sway with rights organizations who argue a US pullback could cause Saudi Arabia to end or scale back the operation.

The issue was likely to feature prominently during Obama`s April 21 visit to Saudi Arabia.

Earnest said the United States would "continue to monitor the situation" but pointed to "initial reports of de-escalation along the Saudi-Yemen border."

The White House also urged a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

"We have long made the case that Yemen is in dire need of a political solution, and that that political solution needs to come as soon as possible," Earnest said.

"That`s why we have continued to urge all parties return to UN facilitated peace talks."
The government of Iran claims to have obtained "thousands of pages of information" from devices used by the U.S. Navy sailors briefly detained in January.

On Tuesday, Iranian state TV quoted Gen. Ali Razmjou, a naval commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard, as saying that "information filling about 13,000 pages" was retrieved from laptops, GPS devices, and other gadgets.

"If only the Navy issued phones that were encrypted so even governments couldn't get in," quipped my Freedom of the Press Foundation colleague Trevor Timm.

This is also why we can't have good-guys-only backdoors.

And yes, it does appear that the government of Iran measures all of the extremely sensitive U.S. military data it steals as the spoils of war in total number of pages it takes to print the data out. Never change, Tehran. Never change.

From the Navy Times report:

He said the move falls within Iran's rights under international regulations, and that the information recovered could be used in "various fields." Iranian authorities returned all the devices taken from the Americans even though it had the right to confiscate them, he said. The Guard plans to publish a book on the incident based on international reactions and coverage of the event, Razmjou added.

Yep. A book.
By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - The amount of light, recyclable aluminum in European cars will rise to 180 kg on average by 2020 as automakers look to cut harmful carbon emissions, a senior metals industry official said. Global targets to curb greenhouse gases are prompting a shift to aluminum away from other, heavier metals such as steel. Aluminum use is expected to rise to 180 kg per car on average from 140 kg in 2012, with long-term growth coming from rolling sheet and extrusion components, said Gerd Gotz, director general of industry body European Aluminium, citing a new study confirming forecasts it made in 2012. "This will be the growth engine of the aluminum downstream industry, Gotz told Reuters at an aluminum conference in Cape Town. Under 2015 European Commission mandatory targets, manufacturers were to ensure the cars they produce emit no more than 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer on average. By 2021, that fleet average is to fall to 95 grams per km, with emission limits based on the mass of a car. Carmakers, including Mercedes Benz , Audi, Volkswagen and Peugeot , are expected to use more aluminum in parts ranging from doors to engines. Heavier, luxury car models are driving the trend in Europe at the moment, Gotz said, although this is expected to filter down to smaller models. "The cars will not land in a landfill anymore and you will be able to re-use the aluminum again and again," he said. The United States uses a footprint model that considers a car's size and engine efficiency while in Europe emission profiles are based only on a vehicle's mass. "Mass-based regulations in Europe is not giving the same incentive for light weighting as in the U.S.," Gotz noted. "When you come to a footprint-based regulation you really bring down the CO2 curve in both weight and engine efficiency, he said, adding that the industry body wants the footprint model adopted in Europe. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; editing by Pratima Desai and Jason Neely)
Australia has hailed its controversial policy of turning back asylum-seeker boats after no vessels reached the country in 600 days.

Almost 700 people have been denied admission to the country since Operation Sovereign Borders was launched in September 2013.

Under it, asylum seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are turned back to their country of departure or sent to remote Pacific island camps.

They are not allowed to resettle in Australia even if they are found to be genuine refugees.

The conservative government claims the measures help prevent deaths at sea.

:: EU Meets Over 'One In, One Out' Deal

Under the previous Labour administration, at least 1,200 people died trying to reach Australia by boat between 2008 and 2013.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said: "Tomorrow (Friday) marks 600 days since the last successful people-smuggling venture to our country and the government's absolutely determined to make sure that it stays that way."

He added that 25 boats carrying 698 people had been turned back and "safely returned to their country of departure" since the policy was introduced.

Civil rights groups have criticised conditions at the camps, while doctors have said the detention of children in particular has left some struggling with mental health problems.

Amnesty International has also called for an independent review into claims that Australian authorities paid people smugglers US$30,000 to return 65 asylum-seekers to Indonesia.

Mr Dutton said he was "very proud" the number of children in detention had fallen from almost 2,000 in June 2013 to just 29, and he was working to bring it down further.

Allegations of rape and other forms of abuse at one camp in Nauru were raised at a parliamentary inquiry last year.

A doctor who assessed inmates there said living conditions were unsafe and put vulnerable women and children at "considerable" risk.
The dollar amount lost in the construction of the Winnipeg police headquarters is believed to be "substantially higher" than previously thought, according to an RCMP affidavit filed in court last June.

RCMP Const. Marc Allard also said that some subtrades involved in the work have been complicit with Caspian as it relates to specific business records.

"Many other companies, trades and contractors have been discovered as the result of reviewing the business records of Caspian and email correspondence," wrote Allard in an application to a judge. "We continue on making new discoveries of criminal activity involving the falsifying of documents."

The June court documents say RCMP confirm "the falsifying of records are being found in change orders, quotes, progress claims and other supporting documents" in Caspian's business records. Allard alleged investigators in the commercial crime section are "seeing several consistent themes of fraudulent activity by Caspian involving the various sub trades and businesses."

The RCMP investigation into allegations of fraud at the new Winnipeg police headquarters is looking into "the largest data set" ever examined in provincial history, according to court documents.

In a raid of Caspian Construction offices in December 2014, officers seized approximately 46 banker boxes and "four filing cabinets representing thousands of financial documents." Court documents reveal Mounties also copied six terabytes of digital material, including 200,000 email messages from Caspian's hard drives and servers, including external servers in Ontario.

Two months after the police raid, an RCMP officer looking into the allegations said he expected charges would be laid in the case, according to court documents.

"I believe the items seized under the authority of the search warrant  will afford evidence to support charges of fraud and similar charges which I anticipate will be laid at the conclusion of this investigation," Allard wrote in court documents obtained by CBC.

Story continues

In the court documents, Allard also commented on what police had seen in the two months since searching Caspian's office. "From the initial review, some documents have been identified as false or misrepresented as it pertains to work being coded to the new Winnipeg police headquarters."  But more than a year after that statement, the investigation is still not complete.

Safe opened, cash seized

During the search, RCMP busted open the safe in Caspian owner Armik Babakhanians' office, which contained cash which was "bagged and sealed," according to court documents.

Officers were forced to transport the money to RCMP headquarters on Portage Avenue for safekeeping until it could be returned to the Babakhanians. He was out of the country on holidays at the time of the search and officers did not know when he was to return. Babakhanians personally picked up the money at "D" division last April.

Mounties call in help

The Mounties are not looking into Caspian's records on their own. A forensic accountant was hired at the beginning of 2015 to analyze the financial records, and it was anticipated the work would take several months. As of June, the accountant's term was to be extended to the end of August 2015. Police have not said whether it was extended again.

RCMP investigators were also looking for construction professionals with experience in multimillion dollar construction projects to review change orders, documents and records for their "technical validity." That project was also expected to take several months.

By February 2015, police had conducted more than 30 interviews in the investigation. That number jumped to more than 80 as of two weeks ago, an RCMP spokesperson said.

"At times, the RCMP had 14 investigators assigned to this case in addition to a number of specialized support staff. This is a large and extremely complex case," Sgt. Bert Paquet said in an email.

Charges have not been laid in the case and none of the allegations have been proven in court.

Calls to Armik Babakhanians have not yet been returned.
Rancher Cliven Bundy stands near a metal gate on his 160 acre ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada, in this May 3, 2014, file photo. REUTERS/Mike Blake/Files

By Alex Dobuzinskis

(Reuters) - The Nevada rancher at the center of a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents was due to appear on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, seeking to be released from custody ahead of his trial on conspiracy and other felony charges.

Cliven Bundy, 69, has been jailed since his arrest on Feb. 10 at the Portland International Airport after arriving there on his way to show support for anti-government militants who had taken over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon.

Bundy and two of his sons, Ammon and Ryan, who were indicted in connection with leading the Oregon occupation and also face charges with their father in the Nevada standoff, have become popular figures for groups challenging federal control over vast stretches of public land in the West.

Prosecutors have said the elder Bundy trespassed on federal lands for over 20 years, refusing to secure the necessary permits or pay the required fees the government charges ranchers to let their cattle graze on U.S.-owned public property.

In an enforcement action nearly two years ago, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sent armed rangers to Bundy's ranch about 80 miles (129 km) northeast of Las Vegas to confiscate his cattle.

Anti-government groups and other supporters rallied to Bundy's defense. In an armed standoff on April 12, 2014, along Interstate 15, they confronted federal agents, who ultimately backed down and returned the cattle they had seized.

The case against Bundy stems from that clash. He was indicted on charges of conspiracy, assault on a law enforcement officer, carrying a firearm in a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, interference with commerce by extortion and aiding and abetting others in breaking the law.

Defense lawyers in court papers filed on Wednesday sought his pre-trial release, arguing Bundy is peaceable and not a flight risk.

"When he is released he is going to go back to the ranch and take care of his chores there," attorney Joel Hansen wrote.

Story continues

A federal judge in Oregon last month ordered Bundy to remain in custody, finding that the rancher, who at times has traveled with armed guards, was a flight risk and posed a public threat. Prosecutors have cited that ruling in opposing further consideration of his pre-trial release.

The federal judge in Las Vegas on Thursday morning was scheduled to hear arguments on whether to hold a new detention hearing for Bundy.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Steve Gorman, Bernard Orr)
Recruitment

New, Free Service Connects Low-Income, First-Gen Students to Top Colleges

A new, free initiative is looking to draw first-generation and lower-income students with high potential into looking at colleges and universities they might otherwise never consider. TalentED is a Web site for use by the students themselves, as well as high school advisors and college admissions people. Described as a "relationship-based technology portal," TalentED, takes profiles entered by the high schoolers and their advisors and helps match them to institutions that appear to be a good fit.

The project follows four tactics to reach its goal:

Helping colleges identify and recruit first-generation and low-income 11th and 12th graders with high potential;

Helping high school counselors highlight talented students and match them up with the colleges where they're likely to succeed;

Helping students maximize their online presence for recruitment opportunities; and

Connecting admissions professionals at institutions of higher education.

To participate in the project, high school advisors need to demonstrate their knowledge of the college search and admissions processes by passing a brief assessment. And colleges and universities must be invited to participate. Currently, 66 institutions in 24 states have joined the program. Four in five of those are private colleges.

As one higher ed participant explained, she finds the possibilities of TalentED "exciting." Through the TalentED project we will work closely with advisors and college admission officers to make the best connections for the students and their college choice," said Lisa Burns, associate dean of admissions at Sewanee: University of the South. "The many aspects of the program have been well thought out and constructed in a way that we are certain to find some great matches for Sewanee."

The program grew out of a pilot run in the fall that included Vanderbilt University, Swarthmore College and Butler U, among others.

The work has been funded by financial services company UBS, which runs the NextGen Leaders, a $10 million initiative to increase college graduation among the segments of students targeted in this latest effort. The Tennessee College Access & Success Network serves as the project's lead content and implementation partner. Discovery Education has served as lead in the technical development of the platform and is involved in raising awareness of TalentED through its extensive community of teachers and students.

"High school counselors, teachers and nonprofit staff play a critical role in supporting students in the admissions process," said Bob Broth, executive director of the Tennessee network in a press release. "This site strengthens relationships between access organizations and admissions recruiters nationwide to make the recruitment process more effective and efficient for everyone  both professionals and students."
Shareholders of ICA Gruppen AB (publ) are hereby invited to the Annual General Meeting to be held at 14.00 CET on Wednesday, 20 April 2016, at Friends Arena, Entrance A, Rasta Strandvag 1, Solna. Registration will open at 13.00 CET. Light refreshments will be served in conjunction with the meeting. Notice of attendance Shareholders who wish to participate in the Annual General Meeting must (i) be registered in the shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB as per 14 April 2016, (ii) notify their intention to participate in the Annual General Meeting no later than Thursday, 14 April 2016, via the Companys website, www.icagruppen.se, or by writing to ICA Gruppen AB, Arsstamma 2016, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephoning +46 -8-402 90 40 on weekdays between 09.00 and 17.00 CET. Registration must include the shareholders name, personal or corporate identity number, address and telephone number. Shareholders who wish to be accompanied by an assistant (maximum two) must indicate this in their notification. Where applicable, for example for a legal entity, notification should also include complete authorisation documents such as a certificate of registration or equivalent. Shareholders with nominee-registered shares held via a bank or other nominee must well in advance of 14 April 2016 request the nominee to register them in the shareholders own name in the register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in order to be able to participate in the Annual General Meeting. Shareholders who are represented by proxy must provide their representative with written authorisation. If the authorisation was issued by a legal entity, an attested copy of the current certificate of registration for the legal entity must be appended. The authorisation must be dated. The authorisation may be valid for up to five years from the date of issue, unless otherwise specified in the authorisation. If no period of validity is stated, the authorisation will be effective for no more than one year from the date of issue. Copies of the authorisation and the certificate of registration, where applicable, should be sent in good time prior to the Annual General Meeting to ICA Gruppen AB, Arsstamma 2016, c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden. Proxy forms are available from the Company and on the Companys website: www.icagruppen.se. Notification received in time will be confirmed by the sending of an admission pass that is to be presented at the entrance to the meeting venue along with any proxy form and other authorisation documents. Business and proposed agenda 1. Opening of the meeting 2. Election of a chairman for the meeting 3. Preparation and approval of the voting list 4. Approval of the agenda 5. Election of a secretary and two minutes-checkers to attest the minutes jointly with the chairman 6. Determination of whether the meeting has been duly convened 7. Report on the operations of the Company 8. Report on the work and function of the Board and its committees 9. Presentation of the annual accounts and auditors report, and of the consolidated accounts and auditors report on the consolidated accounts 10. Resolution on adoption of the income statement and balance sheet and of the consolidated income statement and balance sheet 11. Resolution on disposition of the Companys profits in accordance with the adopted balance sheet 12. Resolution on discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability 13. Report on the work of the Nomination Committee 14. Resolution on the number of board members and auditors 15. Resolution on directors and auditors fees 16. Election of board members and the Chairman of the Board 17. Election of auditor 18. Resolution on the Nomination Committee 19. Resolution on the adoption of principles for remuneration and other terms of employment for the members of the Executive Management 20. Conclusion of the meeting Proposals by the Board and the Nomination Committee P 2 The Nomination Committee proposes Claes-Goran Sylven as chairman of the meeting. P 11 The Board proposes profit distribution of SEK 10 per ordinary share for the 2015 financial year. The Board proposes Friday, 22 April 2016 as the record date to receive a dividend. Provided that the Annual General Meeting votes in favour of the resolution, dividends are expected to be paid out by via Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, 27 April 2016. P 14 The Nomination Committee proposes ten (10) AGM-elected regular board members and one (1) chartered accounting firm as auditor. P 15 The Nomination Committee proposes total directors fees in the combined amount of SEK 4,850,000, of which SEK 1,025,000 for the Chairman of the Board and SEK 425,000 for each of the other AGM-elected board members. The Nomination Committee proposes that SEK 1,125,000 be allocated for committee work, to be apportioned as follows: - For work on the Audit Committee, payment of a total fee of SEK 425,000, of which SEK 170,000 for the committee chair and SEK 85,000 for each of the other members. - For work on the Remuneration Committee, payment of a total fee of SEK 175,000, of which SEK 75,000 for the committee chair and SEK 50,000 for each of the other members. - For work on the Investment Committee, payment of a total fee of SEK 225,000, of which SEK 75,000 for the committee chair and SEK 50,000 for each of the other members. - A total of SEK 300,000 to be held in reserve to give the Board the capacity to appoint up to six additional committee members or to create additional board committees. The Nomination Committee proposes that the auditors fee be paid in accordance with approved invoice. P 16 The Nomination Committee proposes that the following persons be re-elected as board members for a term up to the end of the next Annual General Meeting: Peter Berlin, Goran Blomberg, Cecilia Daun Wennborg, Andrea Gisle Joosen, Fredrik Hagglund, Bengt Kjell, Magnus Moberg, Jan Olofsson, Jeanette Jager and Claes-Goran Sylven. The Nomination Committee proposes that Claes-Goran Sylven be re-elected as Chairman of the Board. The rationale underlying the Nomination Committees proposals to the 2016 Annual General Meeting for the election of board members is presented in its report at www.icagruppen.se. More detailed information about the current and proposed board members for re-election is also available on the website. P 17 The Nomination Committee proposes that the chartered accounting firm Ernst & Young AB be re-elected as auditor for the period until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting. Ernst & Young AB has announced that, upon its re -election, it will appoint Authorised Public Accountant Erik Astrom as chief auditor. Further information about the Authorised Public Accountant can be found at www.icagruppen.se. P 18 The Nomination Committee proposes that the meeting resolve to appoint a Nomination Committee for the 2017 Annual General Meeting as follows. The Company shall have a nomination committee composed of four (4) members who represent the Companys shareholders. The Chairman of the Board of ICA Gruppen shall be a co-opted member of the Nomination Committee. Two of the members shall be nominated by the largest shareholder and two members shall be nominated by the two next largest shareholders. The largest shareholders based on voting rights shall be determined based on a list of registered shareholders provided by Euroclear Sweden AB as of the last trading day in August, and they will be contacted soon thereafter by the Company. In the event that any of the three largest shareholders decides to waive its right to appoint a representative to the Nomination Committee, this right shall transfer to the shareholder that has the next largest shareholding on said date. The names of the shareholder representatives and the names of the shareholders they represent shall be announced not later than six months prior to the Annual General Meeting. The mandate period of the Nomination Committee shall extend until a new Nomination Committee is appointed. Unless the members agree otherwise, the chair of the Nomination Committee shall be one of the members who represents the largest shareholder in terms of votes. The chair shall have the deciding vote. If, during the Nomination Committees mandate period, one or more of the shareholders that appointed members of the Nomination Committee is no longer among the three largest shareholders, the member appointed by such shareholder shall resign, and the shareholder that is now among the three largest shareholders shall be entitled to appoint members. However, unless there is specific reason, no changes shall be made in the composition of the Nomination Committee if only minor changes in ownership have taken place or if changes take place later than two months prior to the Annual General Meeting. Shareholders that have appointed a member of the Nomination Committee are entitled to remove such member and appoint a new member of the Nomination Committee. Any change in the composition of the Nomination Committee shall be announced on the Companys website as soon as it has been made. The Nomination Committee shall present proposals regarding the following matters prior to the Annual General Meeting: i. Proposal for chairman of the meeting ii. Proposal for members of the Board of Directors iii. Proposal for Chairman of the Board. iv Proposal for directors fees, broken down into amounts for the Chairman of the Board and the other board members, and for fees for committee work. v. Proposal for auditor or auditors, and proposal for fees to be paid to the Companys auditor In other respects, the Nomination Committee shall perform the duties incumbent upon a nomination committee in accordance with the Swedish Corporate Governance Code. At the request of the Nomination Committee, the Company shall provide personnel resources  such as a secretarial function in the Nomination Committee  to facilitate its work. As required, the Company shall also bear reasonable costs for external consultants that the Nomination Committee deems necessary to perform its work. It is proposed that the resolution on the Nomination Committee shall apply until further notice. P 19 The Board proposes that the following principles for remuneration and other terms of employment for members of the Executive Management be approved by the 2016 Annual General Meeting for the period until the conclusion of the 2017 Annual General Meeting. The guidelines shall be applied in subsequently concluded agreements. For the Company to be able to recruit, develop and retain senior executives with relevant experience and expert leadership qualities it is important to have a competitive remuneration package that is in line with the going rate in the market for senior executives in similar sectors. In addition, the remuneration principles shall motivate senior executives to strengthen the Groups market position and earnings, and shall be coupled to long-term growth in shareholder value. Further, variable remuneration shall be coupled to measurable criteria set in advance. The levels of remuneration paid to senior executives in related industries and markets are continuously monitored and assessed. The total remuneration shall comprise the following components: base salary, pension benefits, share investment programme, bonuses, other remuneration and benefits, and severance pay. Base salary The base salary shall be in line with the going rate in the market and be based on the individuals expertise, responsibilities and performance. Pensions For the CEO and other senior executives, a defined-contribution pension plan shall be applied, with pension premiums amounting to a maximum of 35% of pensionable salary. Premiums are to be paid as long as the individual remains employed by the Company. Senior executives employed in a country other than Sweden have pension agreements in line with national practice and that follow the principles described above. Bonuses The CEO and other senior executives in the Group are to be covered by two variable remuneration programmes taking the form of a cash bonus, one of which runs for one year (Short-Term Incentive programme) and the other for three years (Long-Term Incentive programme). The amount of the combined bonuses has a cap per person and year corresponding to 59% of annual salary (118% for the CEO). Bonus payments are not pensionable. The Board shall decide annually whether new programmes are to be started and set financial targets, and decide on eligible participants and the maximum cost. Terms for notices of termination and severance pay A mutual notice period of six (6) months shall apply for senior executives. Severance pay for senior executives shall be paid at up to 12 months cash base salary upon notice served by the Company. Such severance pay shall be deductible from earnings from future employment. In the event the executive gives notice and the Company chooses to apply a non -compete clause that is included in the executives contract in certain cases, the Company shall provide compensation during the time covered by the non -compete clause at a maximum amount of 60% of the executives base salary. Severance pay and compensation paid during the non-compete period shall not be pensionable. Other remuneration and benefits Other remuneration and benefits shall be of limited value in relation to the total remuneration and shall be in line with standard market practice. Share investment, etc. For the purpose of increasing the senior executives identification with and interests in the Company and its value growth, the Board shall make a decision annually that senior executives be expected to invest a certain portion of their gross salary in shares in the Company. During a period to be specified by the Remuneration Committee that starts on or after the day following the Annual General Meeting and ends on or before 31 December 2016, the CEO and senior executives are expected to buy shares in the Company for a sum amounting to between 5% and 10% of their fixed gross salary for the current financial year. Shares already held may not be included in the calculation. Purchased shares shall be held throughout the period the executive is employed by the Group. Twelve months after the shares in the Company have been purchased as described in the previous paragraph, the Companys executives will receive a net sum equivalent to 50% of their investment, on condition that all of the following criteria are met: i. the executive is still employed by the Group, ii. the executive still holds all of the acquired shares, and iii. a threshold of at least 50% of the outcome of the Short-Term Incentive programme for the investment year in question has been achieved. Special circumstances The Board has the right to depart from the proposed guidelines if special circumstances exist. Documentation and further information The Board of Directors complete proposed resolutions as set out in items 11 (including the statement pursuant to Ch. 18 section 4 of the Swedish Companies Act) and 19, information about the proposed auditor, proposed board members, the annual report, the Nomination Committees report, the audit report, the Boards statement on the Remuneration Committees evaluation in accordance with Chapter 9.1 of the Swedish Corporate Governance Code, the auditors statement on remuneration of senior executives, and proxy forms are all available from the Company and on the Companys website: www.icagruppen.se. Copies of documents will be sent free of charge to shareholders who so request and provide their postal address. At the Annual General Meeting, shareholders have the right to information  should the Board consider that this can occur without material harm to the Company  on circumstances that could impact on the evaluation of an item on the agenda and circumstances that could impact on the evaluation of the Companys or a subsidiarys financial situation. As of the date of this notice there are 201,146,795 shares and voting rights in ICA Gruppen AB (publ). Solna, March 2016 ICA Gruppen AB (publ) The Board of Directors For more information ICA Gruppen press service, Telephone number: +46 10 422 52 52 ICA Gruppen discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Securities Market Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication at 07:45 CET on Thursday, March, 2016. ICA Gruppen AB (publ) is a leading retail company with a focus on food and health. The Group includes ICA Sweden and Rimi Baltic which mainly conduct grocery retail, ICA Real Estate which owns and manages properties, ICA Bank which offers financial services and Apotek Hjartat which conducts pharmacy operations. The Group also includes the companies Hemtex and inkClub. For more information see icagruppen.se
Finnish English

TULIKIVI CORPORATION STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE March 17, 2016 at 10.00 a.m.

NOTICE TO THE GENERAL MEETING OF TULIKIVI CORPORATION 2016

Notice is given to the shareholders of Tulikivi Corporation to the Annual General Meeting to be held on 20 April 2016 starting at 12:00 noon at Ekberg Extra, Bulevardi 9 A, II floor, Helsinki. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting will commence at 11:30 a.m.

A. Matters on the agenda of the general meeting

The following matters will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:

1. Opening of the meeting

2. Calling the meeting to order

3. Election of persons to scrutinise the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes

4. Recording the legality of the meeting

5. Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes

6. Presentation of the annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditors report for the year 2015

- Review by the CEO.

7. Adoption of the annual accounts

8. Resolution on the use of the result shown on the balance sheet

 The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that dividends shall not be paid.

9. Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability

10. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors

 The Nomination Committee of the Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the annual remuneration of each member of the Board of Directors is EUR 18,000. 60% of the annual remuneration shall be paid in cash and 40% in the form of Series A shares in Tulikivi Corporation so that the shares are purchased on the stock exchange by 31 December 2016 for EUR 7,200. The purchase of shares shall take place on the basis of the General Meetings resolution and instructions. If the company is unable to effect the purchase of the shares by the above date, the remuneration shall be paid in cash. Unless the Board of Directors grants express permission in advance on a case-by-case basis, the members of the Board of Directors are not allowed to transfer any shares received in this manner until their membership on the Board of Directors has ended. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall, in addition to this, be paid a monthly remuneration of EUR 4,500 for this work. The member of the Board of Directors serving as secretary to the Board of Directors shall, in addition to this, be paid a monthly remuneration of EUR 1,400 for this work. Those members of the Board of Directors who perform non-Board of Directors assignments for the company shall be paid a fee on the basis of time rates and invoices approved by the Board of Directors. Travel costs shall be reimbursed in accordance with the companys travelling compensation regulations.

The members of the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee of the Board of Directors shall receive a fee of EUR 330 per meeting.

11. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

 The Nomination Committee of the Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that five members shall be elected to the Board of Directors.

12. Election of members of the Board of Directors

 The Nomination Committee of the Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the following persons shall be elected as the members of the Board of Directors: Jaakko Aspara, Markku Ronkko, Reijo Svanborg, Jyrki Tahtinen and Heikki Vauhkonen.

13. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor

 The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the fees of the auditor shall be paid according to approved invoices.

14. Election of auditor

 The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the firm of authorised public accountants KPMG Oy Ab will be elected as the auditor, with Ms Kirsi Jantunen, Authorised Public Accountant, acting as the auditor in charge.

15. Authorising the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares and issuance of rights of option and other special rights entitling to shares

 The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting that the General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to decide on the issue of new shares or the companys own shares in the possession of the company. The new shares and the companys own shares in possession of the company could be issued either against payment or without payment to the company's shareholders in accordance with their proportional ownership of the companys shares or through a directed issue by deviating from the shareholders pre-emptive subscription right provided that there is a weighty financial reason for the deviation from the companys point of view. A directed share issue could only be made without payment if there is an especially weighty financial reason for it from the point of view of the company and all its shareholders.

In addition, the authorisation would include a right to issue shares without payment to the company itself, provided that the number of shares issued to the company would not exceed one tenth (1/10) of all shares in the company. When calculating this number, the number of shares held by the company as well as those held by its subsidiaries must be taken into account as set out in Chapter 15, section 11(1) of the Companies Act.

The authorisation would also include the right to issue special rights, as defined in Chapter 10, section 1 of the Companies Act, which entitle to subscribe for new shares in the company or the company's own shares in the possession of the company against payment. The payment may be made either in cash or by setting off the subscribers receivable against the company as payment for the share subscription.

The Board of Directors may use the authorisation for the purpose of making fee / salary payments in the form of shares.

The Board of Directors is entitled to decide on other issues related to the share issues.

No more than 20% of the number of Series A shares on the date of this notice, i.e. 10,437,748 Series A shares in the aggregate, and no more than 20% of the number of Series K shares on the date of this notice, i.e. 1,536,500 Series K shares in the aggregate (i.e. no more than 20% of the number of shares on the date of this notice, i.e. 11,974,248 shares in the aggregate) may be issued on the basis of this authorisation, regardless of whether such shares are new shares or the companys own shares in the companys possession.

The authorisation to issue shares is in force until the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2017 but until 30 June 2017 at the latest.

16. Closing of the Meeting

B. Documents of the general meeting

The above-mentioned proposals of the Board of Directors as well as this notice are available on Tulikivi Corporations website at http://www.tulikivi.com/en/tulikivi/General_meetings. The annual report of Tulikivi Corporation, including the companys annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors, and the auditors report as well as the Corporate Governance Statement will be available on the above-mentioned website as from 29 March 2016. The proposals and other documents referred to above are available also at the meeting, and copies of them and this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the General Meeting will be available on the above-mentioned website as from 4 May 2016.

C. Instructions for the participants to the General Meeting

1. Shareholders registered in the shareholders' register

Each shareholder who is registered on 8 April 2016 in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. has the right to participate in the General Meeting. Shareholders whose shares are registered on their personal Finnish book-entry account are registered in the shareholders register of the company.

Shareholders wishing to participate in the General Meeting shall register for the meeting no later than 10 April 2016 by notifying the company of their participation. The registration shall be received by the company no later than on the above-mentioned date.

Shareholders can register for the General Meeting:

a) by email / kaisa.toivanen@tulikivi.fi;

b) by telephone at +358 207 636 251 or +358 207 636 322 (Mon to Fri from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding Good Friday on 25 March and Easter Monday on 28 March);

c) by telefax at +358 20 605 0701; or

d) by regular mail to Tulikivi Corporation / General Meeting, Kuhnustantie 65, FI-83900 Juuka, Finland; or

e) at the companys offices at Joensuuntie 1226 B, 83900 Juuka (Mon to Fri from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding Good Friday on 25 March and Easter Monday on 28 March).

In connection with the registration, shareholders shall notify their name, personal identity code, address, telephone number, and the name of any assistant or proxy and his / her personal identity code.

Personal data given to Tulikivi Corporation is used only in connection with the General Meeting and with the processing of related registrations.

Shareholders and their representatives or proxies shall be able to prove their identity and / or right to represent the shareholder upon request.

2. Holders of a nominee registered shares

Holders of nominee registered shares have the right to participate in the General Meeting by virtue of such shares based on which he / she on the record date of the General Meeting, i.e. on 8 April 2016, would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. In addition, the right to participate in the General Meeting requires that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders register held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. at the latest by 15 April 2016 10:00 a.m.. As regards nominee registered shares, this constitutes due registration for the General Meeting.

Holders of nominee registered shares are advised to request in good time necessary instructions regarding the temporary registration in the shareholders' register of the company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the General Meeting from their custodian bank. The account management organisation of the custodian bank shall register the holder of nominee registered shares who wishes to participate in the General Meeting to be temporarily entered into the shareholders register of the company at the latest by the time stated above.

3. Proxy representative and powers of attorney

Shareholders may participate in the General Meeting and exercise their rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. Proxy representatives shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise prove in a reliable manner their right to represent the shareholder at the General Meeting. When a shareholder participates in the General Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares at different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the General Meeting.

Any proxy documents should be delivered in originals to Tulikivi Corporation / General Meeting, Kuhnustantie 65, FI-83900 Juuka, Finland on or before the last date for registration.

4. Other instructions and information

Pursuant to Chapter 5, section 25 of the Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting.

On the date of this notice to the Annual General Meeting, the total number of shares in Tulikivi Corporation is 59,871,243 of which the number of Series A shares is 52,188,743 and the number of Series K shares is 7,682,500. Of these shares, a total of 124,200 Series A shares are held by the company. Series A shares have 52,188,743 votes altogether and Series K shares have 76,825,000 votes. On the basis of the above, a maximum of 128,889,543 votes can be cast at the General Meeting.

In Juuka, on 17 March 2016

TULIKIVI CORPORATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Boston, March 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Like many schools throughout the country, California Elementary School, in Orange Unified School District (USD), faces a significant challenge helping students reach grade-level proficiency in reading. With a student population comprised of 90 percent English Language Learners and 94 percent receiving free or reduced price lunch, many students begin the year two or more years below grade level. To address this challenge, California Elementary School implemented Lexia Reading Core5 blended learning program as part of a rigorous pilot program in the spring of 2015, which yielded dramatic and statistically significant results.



We chose to pilot Lexia Reading Core5 because Lexia has an incredible reputation locally, based on several nearby districts using the program with great success, said Dr. John Albert, principal of California Elementary School. The published efficacy data correlating gains in Lexia with outside measures was critically important to me and gave me great confidence that if we used Lexia Reading Core5 with fidelity, we would see excellent results and increase learning for our students.

Under Dr. Alberts leadership, California Elementary School sought to determine the benefits of a blended learning approach to reading instruction, and to examine the relationship between use of Lexia Reading Core5 and gains on DIBELS Next, a commonly used reading assessment.

The pilot program entailed the use of Lexia Reading Core5 in conjunction with the schools existing curriculum for English Language Arts, Houghton Mifflin Reading (Medallion Edition). Second-grade classrooms were randomly assigned as intervention (Core5) and control (non-Core5) groups. There were 49 Core5 students and 25 non-Core5 students. All students received the same amount of overall reading instruction and intervention time (120 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively). Using Lexia Reading Core5, students completed activities focusing on the five main areas of reading instruction, developing skills such as initial/final consonants discrimination, silent-e word construction, categorizing, idioms, and reading comprehension. Students worked independently in the online program, and teachers used real-time reports and instructional materials to provide face-to-face intervention and address skill gaps as they emerged.

It was important to us that the solution we chose integrate great teacher-led instruction along with the activities occurring in the online program, Dr. Albert continued. Ive found that other online instructional programs can tell the teacher which students may be struggling, however, many teachers need help with knowing what to do about that gap. Thats where Lexia really steps in. When a student begins to struggle, the program immediately provides diagnostic data and a lesson plan the teacher can use to support instruction the next day. For our master teachers, these lessons are a fantastic launching point for instruction; and for our less experienced teachers, these lessons provide a rigorous, structured approach ensuring that we have a minimum baseline of quality instructionwhich is key for me as a principal.

Some of the key factors for the implementation included scheduling time specifically for focusing on Lexia data reports during team planning sessions, which ensures that children do not fall through the cracks. Additionally, Dr. Albert and his Mind the Gap progress monitoring team met on a weekly basis to review the Lexia data reports and see which students had been identified as needing instruction, and double checked with the teacher to ensure that he/she had reviewed the report and accessed specific instructional materials for that student. Following that interaction, Dr. Albert and his team continued to monitor the data for that student to determine the impact of instruction. In addition, classroom teachers helped students to self-monitor their progress towards year-end-benchmarks.

We have classroom charts where students can track their progress towards goals, said Miranda Bauman, Resource Teacher at California Elementary School. The students are so happy when they level-up and get to explore another new part of the world within the program theme. This helps keep the students engaged and motivates them to achieve the small goals, as well as the big goals.

Results from the teachers and students efforts in the Lexia Reading Core5 pilot were dramatic. At the start of the pilot program, only 16% of the second grade students were working on grade-level skills in Lexia Reading Core5. By Mayafter only 16 weeks of using Lexia Reading Core569% were working on grade-level skills or had reached benchmark. In addition, students using Lexia Reading Core5 had significantly higher average percent growth on DIBELS Next with 25% growth compared to 6% growth for the non-Core5 students.

The study also examined the correlation between reaching end-of-year benchmark within Lexia Reading Core5 and DIBELS Next. The correlation was statistically significant and in the medium range (r=0.6), indicating that reaching benchmark in Lexia Reading Core5 is closely associated with performance on DIBELS Next. Furthermore, 100 percent of the students who reached end-of-year benchmark in Lexia Reading Core5 were also classified in the highest instructional category level on DIBELS Next, indicating that reaching benchmark in Lexia Reading Core5 is a valid indicator of reading ability.

Dr. Albert concluded, Lexia Reading Core5 is the perfect blended learning tool to maximize the effectiveness of our teachers as well as meeting the needs of students who need intervention or enrichment. Our teachers and students love it because it is easy to implement and gets results.

A research presentation regarding the California Elementary School pilot program will be shared at the upcoming Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) EdMedia conference in Vancouver, B.C., being held June 27-30, 2016.

For more information about Lexia Reading Core5, visit www.lexialearning.com or call 1-800-435-3942.

# # #

About Lexia Learning

Lexia Learning, a division of Rosetta Stone, empowers educators through adaptive assessment and personalized instruction. For more than 30 years, the company has been on the leading edge of research and product development as it relates to student reading skills. With a robust offering that includes solutions for differentiated instruction, personalized learning and assessment, Lexia Learning provides educators with the tools to intensify and accelerate literacy skills development for students of all abilities. For more information, visit lexialearning.com.

About Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE: RST) is dedicated to changing peoples lives through the power of language and literacy education. The companys innovative, personalized language and reading programs drive positive learning outcomes in thousands of schools, businesses, government organizations and for millions of individual learners around the world.

Founded in 1992, Rosetta Stone pioneered the use of interactive software to accelerate language learning and is widely recognized today as the industry leader in providing effective language programs. The companys cloud-based programs allow users to learn online or on-the-go via tablet or smartphone, whether in a classroom, in a corporate setting, or in a personal learning environment. Rosetta Stone is also a leader in the literacy education space, helping millions of students build fundamental reading skills through its Lexia Learning division. Additionally, the company's Fit Brains business offers personalized brain training programs developed by neuroscientists and award-winning game designers to be fun and help keep your brain sharp.

Rosetta Stone is based in Arlington, VA, and has offices and operations around the world. For more information, visit www.rosettastone.com. Rosetta Stone is a registered trademark or trademark of Rosetta Stone Ltd. in the United States and other countries.
4.1. The Board of Directors proposes that the shareholders in general meeting authorise the Board of Directors to let the Company acquire treasury shares for ownership or as security during the period until 1 April 2021 within a total nominal value of 20% of the Companys share capital. The consideration for such shares may not deviate by more than 10% from the price quoted on Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S at the time of acquisition. The proposal is a renewal of the current authorisation, which expires on 1 April 2017.

4.2. The Board of Directors proposes that the current authorisations for increasing the share capital by acquiring new shares pursuant to Article 2 (7a) and Article 2 (7b) of the Articles of Association be extended in order for the authorisations to be applicable until 1 April 2021. The current authorisations will expire on 1 April 2017, and the proposal will entail an amendment to Article 2 (7a), first sentence, and Article 2 (7b), first sentence of the Articles of Association.

4.3. In consequence of a change in legislation, the Board of Directors proposes that the Companys shares are converted from being bearer shares into being registered shares. In 2015, the option of issuing new bearer shares was repealed, which i.a. means that the boards authorisation to increase the share capital, cf. Article 2 (7a) and Article 2 (7b) of the Articles of Association, no longer applies, unless the shares are converted into being registered shares. The proposal will entail an amendment to Article 2 (3), first sentence, and Article 2 (7d), first sentence of the Articles of Association.

4.4. In consequence of the conversion into registered shares, cf. item 4.3 of the agenda, the Board of Directors proposes that the requirement in the Articles of Association stating that notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given through the it system of the Danish Business Authority and at least one national daily newspaper be deleted. The proposal will entail an amendment to Article 4 (1) of the Articles of Association.

4.5. The Board of Directors proposes two amendments of orderly nature to the Articles of Association. Such amendments consist of a name correction from NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen A/S to Nasdaq Copenhagen A/S, which will entail an amendment to Article 2 (2) and Article 2 (7d) of the Articles of Association, and an amendment to a reference in Article 2 (8) from Article 2 (7) third sentence to Article2 (7).
Todays Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nordea Bank AB (publ) approved the income statement and balance sheet for 2015 and decided on a dividend of 0.64 euro per share and that the record date for dividend would be 21 March 2016. The Board of Directors and the President and Group CEO were discharged from liability for the year 2015. All members of the Board of Directors were re -elected and Bjorn Wahlroos was re-elected chairman of the Board of Directors. The AGM authorised the Board of Directors to decide on issue of convertible instruments and approved merger plans between Nordea and its subsidiary banks Nordea Bank Danmark, Nordea Bank Finland and Nordea Bank Norge, respectively. Election of board members Bjorn Wahlroos, Marie Ehrling, Tom Knutzen, Robin Lawther, Lars G Nordstrom, Sarah Russell, Silvija Seres, Kari Stadigh and Birger Steen were re-elected board members for the period until the next AGM. Bjorn Wahlroos was re-elected chairman of the Board of Directors. At the subsequent statutory board meeting Marie Ehrling was elected deputy chairman of the Board of Directors, and it was announced that the following persons are employee representatives: Kari Ahola, Toni H. Madsen, Lars Oddestad (deputy) and Hans Christian Riise. Election of auditor Ohrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers AB was re-elected auditor for the period until the next AGM. Remuneration The AGM resolved a remuneration to the board members amounting to 287,400 euro for the chairman, 136,500 euro for the deputy chairman and 88,850 euro for the other members. In addition, remuneration will be paid for committee work in the three board committees amounting to 36,050 euro for the committee chairmen and 25,750 euro for the other members. Remuneration is not paid to members who are employees of the Nordea Group. Fees to the auditor will be payable according to approved invoice. Establishment of nomination committee The AGM decided to establish a nomination committee that will present proposals to the next AGM concerning board members, chairman of the Board of Directors and auditor, as well as remuneration to these. The nomination committee will consist of the chairman of the Board of Directors and four other members who are appointed by the four largest shareholders in Nordea in terms of voting rights at 31 August 2016. Issue of convertible instruments The Board of Directors was authorised, for the period until the next AGM, to decide on issue of convertible instruments in Nordea. The authorisation means that the share capital may be increased by a maximum of 10 per cent of the share capital. The issue of convertible instruments by virtue of the authorisation may take place with or without preferential rights for existing shareholders and will be done on market conditions. The purpose of the authorisation is to facilitate a flexible and efficient adjustment of Nordeas capital structure to the capital requirements. Acquisition of own shares in securities operations The AGM decided that Nordea may purchase own shares in order to facilitate its securities operations. The holding of such shares must not at any time exceed 1 per cent of the total number of shares in Nordea. Guidelines for remuneration to executive officers The AGM decided on guidelines for remuneration to executive officers (the CEO, the Deputy CEO and other members of Group Executive Management). Nordea will maintain remuneration levels and other employment conditions needed to recruit and retain executive officers with competence and capacity to carry out the strategy and reach the targets set so that Nordea can become a great European bank. Annual remuneration consists of fixed salary and variable salary. Variable salary to the executive officers will be offered as an Executive Incentive Programme 2016 (GEM EIP 2016) to reward performance meeting predetermined targets on group, business area/group function and individual level. The effect on the long-term result is to be considered when determining the targets. GEM EIP 2016 has a one-year performance period and the outcome will not exceed the fixed salary. The outcome from GEM EIP 2016 will be paid over a five-year period in cash and be subject to forfeiture clauses, total shareholder return (TSR) indexation and retention in compliance with the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authoritys regulations on remuneration systems, taking account of domestic rules and practices where relevant. The executive officers were offered similar programmes for 2013, 2014 and 2015. Approval of merger plans As announced in the interim report for Q2 2015, Nordea seeks to simplify its legal structure by changing its subsidiary banks Nordea Bank Danmark A/S, Nordea Bank Finland Abp and Nordea Bank Norge ASA to branches of Nordea. Today the AGM approved the merger plans in respect of the cross-border mergers which the Board of Directors of Nordea and each of the boards of directors of the subsidiaries have decided on. The mergers are expected to take place in early 2017. The executions of the mergers are subject to, among other things, the approvals, authorisations, consents and other decisions by relevant authorities in each country, such as any assessments and advance decisions by relevant tax authorities, having been obtained on terms and conditions which are acceptable to Nordea and the subsidiary banks; and, furthermore, that the respective merger is not prohibited or, in the opinion of Nordeas Board of Directors, impeded, in whole or in part, by any applicable laws and regulations, any change in the practices of relevant authorities or courts (including, but not limited to, changes in the interpretation of and amendments of relevant laws and regulations) or any other reason deemed significant by Nordeas Board of Directors. The mergers will only have minor effects on capitalisation levels. There will be no effect on the consolidation of own funds or the level of capital requirements. Nordea does not expect the change to significantly affect the amount of corporate tax paid by the Nordea Group, and Nordea will continue to pay tax in the countries in which it operates. However, the overall financial effects of completing the mergers could entail additional net costs that are not insignificant depending on the final outcome of regulations. The proposed build -up of the Swedish Resolution Fund over the next 4-5 years could entail an additional cost of up to EUR 200 million per year, but there is a high degree of uncertainty related to the final outcome. Further the total net regulatory cost is currently associated with very high degree of uncertainty. It is however Nordeas firm belief that the long-term benefits of the branchification will outweigh the costs, and Nordea will going forward have a special focus on ensuring a level playing field in the Nordics. For further information: Emma Rheborg, Head of Communications Sweden, +46 733 802 263 Rodney Alfven, Head of Investor Relations, +46 101 562 960 The information provided in this press release is such that Nordea is required to disclose pursuant to the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act (1991:980) and/or the Swedish Securities Markets Act (2007:528).
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Cape Town (AFP) - South African President Jacob Zuma on Thursday brushed off allegations about a wealthy family's influence over ministerial appointments as he defended himself in parliament in a worsening corruption scandal.

The latest graft claims to hit the president erupted after deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas said he was offered the top job in the treasury by the Guptas, an Indian family said to hold huge sway over Zuma.

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party, brought up Jonas's allegations in parliament and asked Zuma "whether the Gupta family has ever offered anybody a cabinet position".

After delivering his trademark chuckle, Zuma replied: "Don't ask me. Where do I come in? I had no business with that."

Zuma said only he had the power to appoint and fire ministers and "there is no minister here who has ever been appointed by the Guptas or anyone else."

When Maimane accused Zuma of failing to answer follow-up questions, he was ordered to leave the house, and the rest of the DA lawmakers walked out in solidarity.

The radical Economic Freedom Fighters, who have regularly disrupted previous parliamentary appearances by Zuma, boycotted the session, saying they no longer recognised him as president.

The Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh have built up a string of companies with interests in computers, mining, media and engineering since moving to South Africa in the 1990s.

They have long been accused of wielding undue influence over Zuma, whose son Duduzane is a partner in some of their businesses. Zuma's third wife also used to work for them.

In his statement on Wednesday, Jonas said: "Members of the Gupta family offered me the position of Minister of Finance to replace then-minister Nene. I rejected this out of hand."

The Guptas, who attracted controversy a few years ago by flying in wedding guests at the Waterkloof air base which is reserved for visiting heads of state and diplomats, issued a statement denying Jonas's claims.

Story continues

- 'A mafia state'? -

But even the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has expressed concern about the graft allegations, amid speculation that the president's position at the head of the party could be fatally weakened.

"We need to deal with this; it will degenerate into a mafia state if this goes on," ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told Bloomberg News.

"The fact we are talking about this so boldly now shows that things are going to change."

The ANC, which led the struggle to end apartheid, holds a three-day meeting of its national executive committee starting on Friday, where the Gupta issue is likely to dominate.

The DA said that the latest developments made Zuma's position "increasingly untenable".

"He, and the ANC, need to consider whether he should resign from office, or be recalled," it said.

The alleged job offer to Jonas occurred before Zuma sacked respected finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December -- a move that triggered a collapse in the rand and massive withdrawal of foreign investment.

Nene was replaced by little-known lawmaker David van Rooyen, who was widely seen as a weak placeman for Zuma loyalists such as the Guptas.

The appointment of Van Rooyen caused such a negative reaction that Zuma sacked him after just four days and reappointed Pravin Gordhan, who served as finance minister from 2009 to 2014.

Gordhan is leading efforts to try to restore confidence in the economy and avoid a downgrade of the country's debt to junk status by the ratings agencies -- a task made more difficult by the Gupta scandal.

Zuma, a veteran political survivor whose term in office ends in 2019, has previously defended his friendship with the Guptas.
Washington (AFP) - The United States declared Thursday that the Islamic State group's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

Secretary of State John Kerry's "moral statement" does not place the United States under any new legal obligations, but the White House said it could back an international investigation.

"The United States will cooperate with independent efforts to investigate genocide," President Barack Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest said.

Washington does not recognize the International Criminal Court, but officials said US agencies will collect evidence and work with international partners as states seek a way to bring justice to bear.

"Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, what it believes and what it does," Kerry said, using a term for the IS group based on its Arabic acronym.

"Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups," he added.

The Islamic State group recruits Sunni extremists and has regularly carried out mass killings of Shiite Muslim, Christian and Yazidi prisoners.

In June 2014, it seized the formerly cosmopolitan city of Mosul in northern Iraq, placing whole communities under threat of murder, rape or enslavement.

- 'Existential threat' -

Already in March last year, UN investigators warned the self-proclaimed caliphate was trying to wipe out Yazidis, members of a pre-Islamic religious minority.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which memorializes past genocides and campaigns against bigotry, welcomed the decision to name Christians and Yazidis as victims.

"We reiterate our call that the US put these two groups at the front of the line for consideration for immigration to our country," it said.

A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the genocide ruling would not itself change the rules for granting refugee status.

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But he insisted Syrian asylum seekers are already being considering sympathetically because the IS group's atrocities are long-known.

And, Kerry argued, the United States is already doing its utmost to halt the slaughter by leading a coalition to "degrade and destroy" the group.

Through air strikes and support for local forces, the coalition has pushed IS from 40 percent of the ground it once held in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria, he said.

"And currently we are engaged in a diplomatic initiative aimed at trying to end the war in Syria," he added.

Kerry argues Bashar al-Assad's brutal campaign to cling to power in Syria fuels the chaos that allowed the IS group to seize the east of his country.

He vowed to continue pressing for a negotiated settlement to the broader civil war to allow world militaries to focus their fire on the extremists.

"In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims," he said.

"For those communities, the stakes in this campaign are utterly existential," he said.

- 'Face of evil' -

Kerry issued his ruling after the US Congress voted to declare the killings a genocide and demanded the administration take a position.

Representative Vern Buchanan, of Florida, welcomed a decision he said was long overdue.

"ISIS is the face of evil and there is no room for equivocation. Their actions clearly constitute genocide," he said, citing reports of Iraqi and Syrian Christians being tortured and crucified.

But, after the announcement, Representative Chris Smith, chairman of the House committee that oversees global human rights, asked: "Now what?"

Washington, Smith argued, should now lobby for an international court -- like those set up to prosecute war crimes in Rwanda or Yugoslavia -- to be created.

"A Syria tribunal would hold not only the genociders of ISIS but all parties -- especially the war criminal Bashar al-Assad, who has barrel-bombed Syrian civilians and killed tens of thousands -- accountable for their horrific deeds," he said.

The State Department official would not be drawn on calls for a new court, but said the United States would work closely with fellow members of the UN Security Council.

- Murder and slavery -

The IS group's history of murdering journalists, aid workers and suspected "spies" has made it difficult to document its crimes in great detail.

But the group has itself issued propaganda videos showing the mass killing of prisoners.

And it has issued its own legal rulings pronouncing that captured non-Muslim women slaves may be raped by its fighters.

"We've not been able to compile a complete record, I think that's obvious on its face," Kerry admitted.

"But over the past months we have conducted a review of the vast amount of information gathered by the State Department, by the intelligence community, by outside groups."
OSHA: Wisconsin Contractor Continues to Risk Workers' Safety

The agency says Diaz Roofing has violated fall safety rules in 13 inspections over 10 years.

Since 2005, 13 OSHA inspections have found that Diaz Roofing LLC has failed to protect its workers from fall hazards. The latest inspection on March 7, 2016, has resulted in two willful, two serious, and one other-than-serious safety citations against the Wisconsin company, which OSHA labels a "serial OSHA offender."

The citations are the result of OSHA investigators observing eight employees working on a residential roof without fall protection. The employees were also using nail guns without eye protection.

"Diaz Roofing continues to ignore OSHA standards and is failing to protect its employees on the job," said Ann Grevenkamp, OSHA's area director in Madison. "OSHA will continue to monitor this employer for compliance and do everything in its power to keep workers safely out of life-threatening working conditions."




Medellin is the second largest city in Colombia.

Medellin, Colombias second largest city, has been named a 2016 recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Wednesday, 16 March.

It beat out four other finalists  Auckland, Sydney, Vienna and Toronto, which will be honoured with a special mention.

Medellins transformation has been extraordinary. It has gone from being one of the worlds most dangerous cities into a liveable and innovative city, said Kishore Mahbubani, Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

Its success gives hope to many cities in developing countries, where the next wave of massive urbanisation will take place. Medellin can become a Mecca of learning for them. We are therefore proud to award the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize to Medellin.

The city is no stranger to this prestigious award. In 2014, it received a special mention for its creative and non-conventional urban solutions, such as the worlds first cable car system for daily commuting, library parks that also serve as social nodes in the citys poorest districts, and escalators that have greatly improved mobility in one of its most troubled neighbourhoods.

Medellin is the fourth recipient of the accolade, after previous winners Suzhou in China, Spains Bilbao and New York City.

A total of 38 cities were nominated for this years prize. They were screened through a two-tier selection process by the Nominating Committee and a Prize Council. The finalists were chosen based on levels of leadership, innovation, as well as the impact and durability of initiatives.

The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize comprises a gold medallion, an award certificate, and a $300,000 sponsorship courtesy of Keppel Corporation.

It will be awarded at the upcoming World Cities Summit, to be held from 10 to 14 July at Marina Bay Sands.

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg

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What would you be willing to do to obtain the investment secrets of the worlds most successful investor? Over 40,000 people travelled to the 50th annual conference of Warren Buffet in Omaha, Nebraska in 2015 to harvest his wisdom. Fans of Buffetology drive millions of dollars in book sales each year. If you thought all of Buffets secrets had been disclosed, read on for a few more.

Warren Buffet : Not Just Luck

The conservative value investor is more successful than even the investment experts had imagined, according to finance professors at New York hedge fund AQR Capital Management. While it seemed as if everything that could be written about this investor has been, they have discovered new information about the investment habits behind his success. Here is what you need to know to invest like Warren Buffet.

Buffets Alphabet Soup

In Buffets Alpha, the authors show that Warren Buffet is not only one of, but the worlds most successful investor. Through financial analysis, they provide new evidence that Warren Buffets famous investment rules (listed below Conservative = Low Risk Strategy) are indeed a low risk strategy. This low risk value investment strategy has outperformed all stocks and mutual funds.

They use a measurement of risk-adjusted returns called the Sharpe ratio to prove that Buffet outperformed stocks and active investors for 30 years, to 2011. Buffets Sharpe ratio of 0.76 is double that of the overall market over the same period.

What is the Sharpe Ratio?

Risk reflects the volatility of an investment. The more a stock price fluctuates, the higher the risk. An investor is paid a higher return for this higher risk. The Sharpe ratio strips out risk and returns to compare investments on an apples-to-apples basis. Government treasury bills have very low risk, ands also low yields, and thus the US T-Bill is used as the risk-free rate of return.

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Sharpe Ratio of 1 = Good

Sharpe Ratio of 2 = Very Good

Sharpe Ratio of 3 = Excellent

So at 0.76, Buffets Sharpe ratio is fairly good. Avon Products, in contrast, the popular seller of womens personal products, is considered a volatile stock. The companys stock performance has fallen sharply and is at a 2-year low as investors punish it for weak financial performance. Avons Sharpe Ratio is -6.2%.

We have assembled AQRs list of how to invest like Buffet  their picks of his famous investment rules (3-8), and three new metrics (1,2 and 9).

Test your knowledge! Try our Investing 101: Whats Your Investment IQ?

Low Beta = Boring and Safe

Betting-Against-Beta is the arbitrage strategy of taking a short position in stocks with a high beta and a long position in stocks with a low beta. Beta is a measure of the risk of a stock versus that of the whole market. Warren Buffet does not actually short stocks. Heres how the conservative investor plays the strategy. Buffet buys low beta stocks that rise and fall with the market but to a smaller degree. Over time, these less volatile stocks provide more consistent and higher returns.

Quality-Minus-Junk

Another key factor in Buffets investment success is his emphasis on high quality, safe and cheap stocks. In another popular study, the folks at AQR have determined that quality stocks outperform higher yielding junk stocks longer term. Buffet places his money on the quality stocks, consistently betting that they will outperform the market.

In summary, Warren Buffets conservative, boring, safe, dull investment strategy is a low risk strategy that has outperformed the market for 30 years.

Conservative = Low Risk Strategy

The findings of Buffets low risk strategy should not be surprising. The well-known Buffet investment rules listed below are also part of AQRs list of the secrets of Buffets success. The main attributes Buffet famously looks for in stocks are all associated with low risk.

High quality stocks  Buffet looks for companies with low debt-to-equity ratio (total liabilities/shareholders equity) and high interest coverage. A high ratio means the company is financing its assets with debt instead of equity. The company should have a fairly consistent earnings and dividends payment history, although a few bad years could be overlooked. He likes large companies with over $100 million in sales (Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Wells Fargo are some of the stalwarts of his portfolio). Stable  The company should have steady earnings per share (EPS) growth and good profit margins (net income divided by sales), generally above 20%. Increasing profit margins shows the management is holding down expenses while growing sales.

Profitable  Buffet compares the return on equity (ROE) (net income/shareholders equity) to that of peers to see if the company has consistently performed well over the past five to 10 years. He also looks for a high earnings yield  annual earnings divided by share price  compared to a companys peers. The lower the share price compared to its earnings, the more undervalued the stock is. Growing  Price earnings growth is used as a predictor of future earnings growth. Calculate the average earnings per share (EPS) growth over the past five or 10 years. Using todays EPS as a starting point, project EPS growth out over the next five or 10 years at a compounded average rate of, for example, 2.29% (in the Coca-Cola example below). Multiplying the 5-year average EPS growth rate by the estimated EPS in any given year will provide the estimated future share price.

Coca-Cola has grown at an average 5-year EPS of 2.29%. The EPS today is $2.05. In 2020, the EPS of Coca-Cola is forecasted to be $5.73.

Year 0  2.05

Year 1  2.51

Year 2  3.08

Year 3  3.79

Year 4  4.66

Year 5  5.73

Low book-to-price ratios  This metric determines Buffets famous Margin of Safety. The P/B ratio is the stock market price divided by the book value (equity divided by the number of shares outstanding). He likes to see P/B ratios of 15 or higher. High payout ratios  The value investor chooses stocks with high dividend yields. The secret to his success is reinvesting those dividend yields. High dividends, though, should not come at the expense of intrinsic growth. Buffet is also a fan of companies that reinvest earnings back into the company to drive future growth.

Supporting Buffets stock picking prowess, the authors also found that his public stock picks outperformed his private companies.

Low Cost of Capital and Leverage

The New York financial managers cite two other reasons for Buffets investment success that have been generally overlooked. Buffet has access to low cost capital and leverage. He borrows money to take a larger position in a stock. The astute investor borrows money from his insurance company Berkshire Hathaway at below market rates. If his investments only make average market returns, he will profit.

Learn more from 3 Great Investors of Our Time  and their Strategies!





This article is by The New Savvy.


President Barack Obama's administration has not yet made a decision on whether to ramp up troop levels to counter a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter wants to give General John Nicholson, who leads international forces in Afghanistan, time to evaluate the situation on the ground and make proposals first. "Let's give General Nicholson a chance to get on the ground, find out... whether or not there needs to be an adjustment," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. Nicholson vowed to make a proposal within 90 days of taking up the post on March 2. The number of US troops is due to drop to 5,500 starting in January 2017 -- down from 9,800 currently. But losses by the Afghan military against Taliban fighters last year, including when the insurgents took and briefly held the northern city of Kunduz, has concerned US military officials. The American and NATO combat mission in Afghanistan officially ended in December 2014. But since then the Taliban have managed to make significant gains against the 350,000 Afghan soldiers and police, with the 13,000 foreign troops now officially limited to training and advising them.
TOKYO  Japans ruling party urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government yesterday to consider seeking international arbitration over Beijings drilling activities in the disputed East China Sea, mirroring similar action by the Philippines.

Sino-Japanese ties have long been plagued by conflicting claims over a group of uninhabited East China Sea islets. Last year, Japan called on China to halt construction of oil-and-gas exploration platforms in the East China Sea.

At the time, Tokyo accused Beijing of unilateral development despite a 2008 agreement to maintain cooperation on resources development in the area, where no official border between them has been drawn.

China said then it had every right to drill in the East China Sea close to waters it disputes with Japan.

The Philippines has lodged a case with an arbitration court in The Hague about its dispute with China in the South China Sea. China reacted angrily and has pledged not to participate.

Yesterdays resolution by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) called on Abes government to firmly ask China for the prompt resumption of talks on the drilling issue, as well as to consider taking the case to an international arbitration court.

If China shrugs off the request, some action must be taken, Yoshiaki Harada, head of an LDP panel on resources development in the East China Sea, told reporters.

Everyone has agreed that we should not shy away from taking the matter to an international arbitration court and starting preparation for that step should be considered, Harada said after an LDP meeting on the resolution.

There has been no bilateral dialogue on resources development in the East China Sea in recent years despite repeated calls from Japan for resuming such talks, he said.

Japan sub to visit Phl, Vietnam

A Japanese submarine will make a port call in the Philippines for the first time in 15 years and visit Vietnams Cam Ranh Bay for the first time ever, Japans navy said.

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The announcement came days after China accused its Asian rival of interfering in the South China Sea.

Japan, which occupied the Philippines and Vietnam during World War II, is now strengthening relations. All three countries share growing concerns about Chinas increasing military muscle amid a series of maritime disputes.

China claims almost all the South China Sea. It is also embroiled in a separate row with Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea that has seen relations sour badly in recent years.

Tensions in the South China Sea  through which one-third of the worlds oil passes  have mounted in recent months since China transformed contested reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities.

Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also claim all or part of the Spratlys chain in the sea, while Vietnam and Taiwan have rival claims with China in the Paracels chain there.

The Japanese submarine Oyashio and two escort vessels will visit Subic Bay for annual open sea drills, a spokesman for Japans Maritime Staff Office confirmed to AFP. The ships will also subsequently visit Cam Ranh Bay in Vietnam.

The exercise, joined by some 500 personnel including officer candidates, is scheduled from Saturday through April 27.

It will be the first call at a Philippine port by a Japanese submarine since 2001, while the visit to Cam Ranh Bay will mark a first, the naval spokesman said.

Beijing accused Tokyo of interfering in the South China Sea after Manila said it would lease five Japanese military planes.

President Aquino said last week that Manila would lease five TC-90 training aircraft from Japan to help our navy patrol our territory, pointing to the disputed South China Sea in particular.

China immediately reacted, saying it was firmly opposed to challenges to its sovereignty and security and would remain on high alert.  With Reuters, AFP
North Korea on Wednesday sentenced an American student who admitted stealing a propaganda banner from a hotel to 15 years' hard labour for subversive activities, state media said. The judgement was handed down on Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old student from the University of Virginia, by North Korea's Supreme Court, the North's official KCNA news agency said. Observers said the harsh sentence was likely a reflection of soaring military tensions on the divided Korean peninsula following the North's nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch a month later. The United States took a leading role in securing the resulting sanctions that the UN Security Council imposed on the North earlier this month. In recent weeks Pyongyang has maintained a daily barrage of nuclear strike threats against both Seoul and Washington, ostensibly over ongoing large-scale South Korea-US military drills that the North sees as provocative rehearsals for invasion. In announcing the jail sentence, KCNA said Warmbier had committed his offence "pursuant to the US government's hostile policy" towards North Korea. - 'Hostile acts' - Warmbier had initially been arrested in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state. KCNA said he was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion. "In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating. Warmbier was arrested as he was leaving the country with a tour group. He later said he had removed a political banner from the staff-only area of the Pyongyang hotel where the group had stayed. The sentence was handed down just hours after veteran US diplomat Bill Richardson reportedly met two diplomats from North Korea's UN office in New York to press for Warmbier's release. "I urged the humanitarian release of Otto, and they agreed to convey our request," Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico, told the New York Times. In the past, North Korea has used the detention of US citizens to obtain high-profile visits from the likes of former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in order to secure their release. Richardson has travelled to North Korea several times over the years on diplomatic missions that have included negotiating the freedom of arrested Americans. The United States has no diplomatic or consular relations with the North. The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang provides limited consular services to US citizens detained there. Warmbier is one of three North Americans currently detained in North Korea, which recently sentenced a 60-year-old Canadian pastor to life imprisonment with hard labour on sedition charges. The US State Department "strongly recommends against all travel" to North Korea and specifically warns of the risk of arrest. - 'College prank' - Human Rights Watch said the severe sentence was shocking given that Warmbier's alleged offence amounted to little more than a "college-style prank". "Pyongyang should recognise this student's self-admitted mistake as a misdemeanour ... release him on humanitarian grounds, and send him home," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the rights watchdog's Asia Division. Detained foreigners are often required to make a public, officially-scripted acknowledgement of wrongdoing, and Warmbier was paraded in front of reporters and diplomats in Pyongyang last month. Footage of the carefully orchestrated event showed a sobbing Warmbier pleading to be released and saying he had made "the worst mistake of my life". Warmbier said he had been tasked with stealing the banner by a member of the Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, who wanted it "as a trophy" and offered him a used car worth $10,000 if he succeeded. Political slogans extolling the achievements of the country and its leaders and encouraging citizens to work harder and demonstrate their loyalty are pervasive in North Korea. They can be seen on the streets and in nearly every public building, as well as every work unit.
Former US vice president and environment activist Al Gore yesterday urged Filipinos to use people power to convince leaders to act on climate change and to counter the influence of industries opposed to the phasing out of coal.

Gore said groups advocating climate action should organize themselves and use technology like social media to spread their message and express their concerns.

People in social media can serve as counterbalance (to the coal lobbyists). I believe its a revolutionary that can dramatically increase people power, he said during the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in Pasay City.

There have been calls to phase out coal and promote the use of the environment-friendly renewable energy, but these are being opposed by industries.

Coal-fired power plants emit carbon, which has been linked to rising global temperatures, climate change, rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions.

While the Philippines is considered one of the most vulnerable to disasters, it remains largely dependent on coal for its energy needs.

Coal cornered about 29 percent of the Philippines energy mix in 2014. Oil accounted for 23 percent while hydroelectric and natural gas constituted 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Geothermal cornered 10 percent of the mix while waste heat accounted for four percent. Solar, wind and biomass only comprised two percent.

The Aquino government defended the construction of new coal-fired plants in the country, saying high costs and limited technology impede the harnessing of clean energy.

Gore stressed that people who care about the environment should go beyond posting online comments, and encouraged participants of the training to arm themselves with knowledge about climate.

He said someone with political will should be in the streets knocking on doors, organizing others to create a powerful political counterweight.

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Antonio La Vina, dean of the Ateneo School of Government and a member of the Philippine delegation to the Paris climate talks, agreed that the climate issue is something that should be brought to the streets.

We cannot underestimate the power of the coal lobby but getting a lot of people to advocate this in the national and local level will make a difference that change will happen, he said.

Its not a fight that can be won in the inner circles or inner rooms of Malacanang or Congress. It has to be won in the streets. It has to be won in the plant sites and spill over to Congress, the executive branch and even to the judiciary, he added.

ADB to give Climate Change fund

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ready to provide funds to support the Philippines efforts to address the impact of climate change as well as its transition towards greater use of renewable energy.

Preety Bhandari, director of ADBs Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, said the bank can provide not just loans but also grants through financial mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund.

The ADB and the Philippines can partner on future projects. The Philippines should specifically ask us at ADB for funding for climate investments in order for us to prioritize these, Bhandari said yesterday during a panel discussion at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training.

The ADB previously announced that it would double its annual climate financing to $6 billion by 2020 from the current $3 billion to enable countries to cope with the effects of climate change.  With Rhodina Villanueva
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje appealed to Filipinos to join sustained efforts to fight climate change by participating in the observance of Earth Hour on Saturday night.

Climate change is our planets biggest environmental challenge, and to fight it requires mass participation across all continents, even in countries like the Philippines which has a very small carbon footprint, Paje said yesterday.

Earth Hour is but one response by our country and the rest of humanity, he added, referring to the annual global event where millions of people switch off their lights for one hour to show their concern for the planet.

The country has been participating in Earth Hour since 2009 and Filipinos are among the biggest advocates of the climate movement organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Although it has a smaller carbon footprint compared to industrialized nations, the Philippines is considered an important player in the fight against climate change, being one of the countries most vulnerable to the global phenomenon.

Since joining the movement in 2009, the country consistently had the biggest Earth Hour participation.

We have actually been walking the talk beyond merely pledging to limit our carbon emissions, Paje said.

He said the biggest action the government has taken was to implement the National Greening Program (NGP), the Aquino administrations flagship reforestation project that is set to surpass its target of reforesting 1.5 million hectares of denuded lands by June this year.

Our new forests will greatly increase the capacity of our carbon sink to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby mitigating climate change, Paje said.

Paje noted that satellite data from 2002 to 2014 showed sea levels near the Philippines rising by more than 14 millimeters per year, or five times more than the global average.
By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A suspended deputy United Nations ambassador from the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe a former U.N. General Assembly president. Francis Lorenzo, 48, admitted in federal court in Manhattan that he engaged in conspiracies to commit bribery and money laundering, as part of an agreement to cooperate in the U.S. investigation. Lorenzo admitted he facilitated bribe payments from Ng Lap Seng, a billionaire real estate developer in Macau, to John Ashe, a former U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda and who served as General Assembly president from 2013 to 2014. Those bribes, Lorenzo admitted, were paid to Ashe to seek U.N. support of a U.N.-sponsored conference center in Macau. Lorenzo, who prosecutors said received bribes himself from Ng, said payments were also made to other unnamed foreign officials. "I understand what I was doing, as I described it, was wrong," he said in court. Lorenzo is the third defendant to plead guilty to charges arising out of a case U.S. prosecutors announced in October involving a scheme starting in 2011 to pay more than $1.3 million in bribes to Ashe. Prosecutors said the bribes included more than $500,000 in payments that Ng made through intermediaries including Lorenzo and Jeff Yin, Ng's assistant. Ashe also received more than $800,000 from Chinese businessmen to support their interests within the United Nations and Antigua, prosecutors said. Those bribes were arranged through Sheri Yan, who was the Global Sustainability Foundation's chief executive, and Heidi Hong Piao, the foundation's finance director, prosecutors said. Both women pleaded guilty in January. Ashe, Ng and Yin have pleaded not guilty. Benjamin Brafman, Ng's lawyer, said outside of court that Lorenzo's plea would not affect the billionaire's determination to go to trial, saying he "maintains he is personally innocent." Stephane Dujarric, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday that audits the United Nations launched as a result of the bribery case were expected to be completed by the end of the month. Dujarric also said the case revealed "some structural flaws" in how the office of the General Assembly president had been organized. A task force established by Ban looking at the issue will within 10 days publish recommendations on how to "strengthen" and improve transparency of the office to avoid a repeat of the scandal, Dujarric said. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; additional reporting by Louis Charbonneau at the United Nations; Editing by Alan Crosby and Tom Brown)
About 68 million years ago, a pregnant Tyrannosaurus rex died in ancient Montana. Her remains might provide clues about how to identify male and female theropods, or bipedal meat-eating dinosaurs, a new study finds.

The finding is an exciting one  researchers verified that the T. rex was pregnant by looking at the organic components in the dinosaur's bone structure, elements that had survived for tens of millions of years since the predator's death, said study lead researcher Mary Schweitzer, an evolutionary biologist at North Carolina State University.

"We need to quit selling fossils short," Schweitzer told Live Science. "They have a lot more information in them than we would think of [finding in] 65-million-year-old bone." [Image Gallery: The Life of T. Rex]

A paleontologist discovered the T. rex in Hell Creek Formation in 2000. Bob Harmon, of the Museum of the Rockies in Montana, sat down in dinosaur territory one day, and unexpectedly felt a fossil behind his back, Schweitzer said. Harmon shared the good news with his colleagues, and they spent the next three years excavating the enormous specimen.

Afterward, the paleontologists gave the femur, a leg bone, to Schweitzer, who, along with her colleagues, examined the microscopic features of the fossil. In 2005, the team published a study in the journal Science announcing that the fossil contained medullary bone, which is a type of bone with extra calcium deposits that help female egg-laying creatures, such as birds, lay eggs. Medullary bone is present only just before or during the egg-laying process, so its occurrence suggested the T. rex was pregnant, Schweitzer said.

But recently, Schweitzer found herself wondering whether the finding was accurate. New technologies and information had come to light in the intervening years. Schweitzer wondered if she did the experiment again, whether she would still get the same results and find that the dinosaur was pregnant, she said.

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"I think good scientists should always be second-guessing themselves," Schweitzer said.

So, she decided to check the chemistry of the T. rex's femur. Such a test would show whether the fossil had medullary bone, or whether it actually had osteopetrosis, a condition that makes bones unusually dense. Under the microscope, medullary bone and bone with osteopetrosis look remarkably similar, Schweitzer said.

However, the two are chemically different. Medullary bone contains the organic compound keratan sulfate, and bone with osteopetrosis does not. Schweitzer and her colleagues tested for the compound using different chemicals, including monoclonal antibodies (immune cells that bind only to a specific agent  in this case, keratan sulfate). The researchers found that the ancient bone still contained some keratan sulfate.

The researchers also used the antibodies to analyze medullary bone from an ostrich and chicken. The results confirmed those from the 2005 study, that the T. rex had medullary bone and was likely pregnant when she died, Schweitzer said.

"This analysis allows us to determine the gender of this fossil, and gives us a window into the evolution of egg laying in modern birds," Schweitzer said in a statement.

Because medullary bone is present only in females during egg-laying periods, it's relatively rare in fossils. Even when present, it can be difficult to identify without cutting off a sample of dinosaur bone and examining it under a microscope or with a chemical test. But the researchers found that doing an initial computed tomography (CT) scan of dinosaur bone can help determine whether a fossil is worth investigating, Schweitzer said. [Gallery: Photos of Tiny Dinosaur Embryos]

This technique could help researchers find more medullary bone, said study co-author Lindsay Zanno, a paleontologist at North Carolina State University. Moreover, once the presence of medullary bone confirms that a dinosaur is a female, researchers can look for other clues that might help determine whether it's a boy or a girl dinosaur.

"It's a dirty secret, but we know next to nothing about sex-linked traits in extinct dinosaurs. Dinosaurs weren't shy about sexual signaling, all those bells and whistles, horns, crests, and frills, and yet we just haven't had a reliable way to tell males from females," Zanno said in the statement. "Just being able to identify a dinosaur definitively as a female opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Now that we can show pregnant dinosaurs have a chemical fingerprint, we need a concerted effort to find more [medullary bone]."

This T. rex isn't the first known example of a pregnant dinosaur. Fossils of both Allosaurus (a Jurassic-period, meat-eating relative of T. rex) and Tenontosaurus (a herbivorous relative of the duck-billed dinosaur) have been found with medullary bone, suggesting that the individuals may have died just before, during or after laying eggs.

The new study was published online today (March 15) in the journal Scientific Reports.

Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A suspected jihadi who was shot dead by anti-terror police in Brussels was a member of Islamic State, according to documents obtained by Sky News.

Sky News has uncovered evidence that Mohamed Belkaid, who was killed during a joint French-Belgian operation on Tuesday, had travelled to Syria to join the extremist group.

The 35-year-old's details are among thousands of files revealing IS membership handed to Sky News by a disaffected member of the extremist group.

Belkaid, an Algerian national who was living in Belgium illegally, was found dead alongside an IS flag, an assault rifle and a book of Salafi literature after Tuesday's raid.

:: Islamic State Files: 'Goldmine Of Information'

He was killed by a police sniper after a shootout erupted when officers searched a property in southern Brussels in connection with the 13 November attacks in Paris.

Four police officers were injured during the operation.

According to the documents, Belkaid had volunteered to be a suicide bomber.

His personal file notes that his understanding of religious law was only "basic".

Other details show that he was given the nom-de-guerre of Abu Abdulaziz al Jazairi.

He travelled through Spain, Germany and France before crossing into Syria from Turkey in April 2014.

It is not yet known when Belkaid returned to Europe, but he was known to Belgian police before this week's raid.

Dr Thomas Renard, a global security expert, said: "Obviously there's always a number of individuals that are managing to go through the gridlocks that are established by the authorities.

"Therefore you have some cases, some individuals, who manage to go back and forth through Syria.

"These individuals present a serious threat to the country."

Two suspects arrested in connection with Tuesday's raid, including one found in hospital with a broken leg, have since been released without charge.

A police operation continues to track down two other people who are believed to have fled the scene.
The Independent

Elon Musk plans to lay off most of Twitters workforce if and when he becomes owner of the social media company, according to a report by The Washington Post.Musk has told prospective investors in his Twitter purchase that he plans to cut nearly 75% of Twitters employee base of 7,500 workers, according to Thursday's report.If confirmed, the cuts would leave the company with a skeleton crew, according to the Post.The newspaper cited documents and unnamed sources familiar with the deliberations.San Francisco-based Twitter and a representative for Musk attorney Alex Spiro did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.SEE MORE: What Happens If Elon Musk Buys Twitter?While job cuts have been expected regardless of the sale, the magnitude of Musk's planned cuts are far more extreme than anything Twitter had planned.Musk himself has alluded to the need to cull some of the company's staff in the past, but he hadn't given a specific number - at least not publicly.Already, experts, nonprofits and even Twitter's own staff have warned that pulling back investments on content moderation and data security could hurt Twitter and its users.With as drastic a reduction as Musk may be planning, the platform could quickly become overrun with harmful content and spam.After his initial $44 billion bid in April to buy Twitter, Musk backed out of the deal, contending Twitter misrepresented the number of fake spam bot accounts on its platform.Twitter sued, and a Delaware judge has given both sides until 28 October to work out details.Otherwise, there will be a trial in November.Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
Thirteen people in Italy and Moldova have been arrested for the theft of 17 paintings worth 11.6m, including works by Tintoretto, Rubens and Mantegna.

Footage shows the masked and armed thieves tying up a guard, whom they drag along the floor.

They are seen removing paintings from easels and walls as they work their way through Veronas main art museum before making their escape.

One of the suspects that has been detained is the guard that was on duty at the Castelvecchio Museum during last Novembers heist.

The newly released video surveillance, as well as wiretapped phone calls during which the thieves congratulated themselves on what they described as a big hit, were key to the arrests.

In one of the taped conversations they agreed to stay quiet and wait until the situation calmed down before attempting to offload the artworks.

Eight of the suspects including the guards twin brother and Moldovan wife were arrested in Italy. The others were detained in Moldova.

The paintings remain missing, but are believed to be hidden in Moldova.

Renato Cortese, one of the investigating officers, said: The offence to the city of Verona has been partially repaired. It will be totally repaired when we can bring home our treasures.
AMSTERDAM/BOGOTA (Reuters) - The International Court of Justice on Thursday said it would consider a claim by Nicaragua to expand its maritime boundaries in a mineral-rich part of the Caribbean Sea toward Colombia, a ruling set to further strain relations between the two countries. The judgment, separate from a decision earlier on Thursday in which the United Nations court said it would rule on alleged violations of Nicaragua's sovereignty, means a maritime delineation case between the two countries can proceed. In a televised address soon after the decision, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would not accept a ruling by a "third party" and would not participate in the case. "Bilateral issues between Nicaragua and Colombia will not be subject to decisions made by third parties and should be handled via direct negotiations in conformity with international law," he said. Diplomatic relations between the two nations have suffered over the dispute, which intensified after a 2012 ruling by the court that drew a demarcation line in favor of Nicaragua in Caribbean waters, reducing the expanse of sea belonging to Colombia. The decision increased the size of Nicaragua's continental shelf and economic exclusion zone in the Caribbean, potentially giving it access to underwater oil and gas deposits as well as fishing rights. Colombia has not accepted that ruling, prompting Nicaragua to seek a judgment from the court to force it to abide by the decision. In the new case, judges are being asked to settle boundaries beyond the 200 nautical miles that were fixed by the 2012 judgment. Nicaragua said it was satisfied by the ruling. "This is a total victory for Nicaragua," said Carlos Arguello, Nicaragua's representative at the Hague. "This sends a clear message that the court's rulings need to be respected." (Reporting by Helen Murphy in Bogota, Thomas Escritt in Amsterdam and Ivan Castro in Managua; Editing by Tom Brown)
KKR has agreed to buy into seeds provider Advanta Enterprises in a deal which values the business at about $2.25bn.
Spain has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but how does it work? Here we examine how the Spanish health system works for British expats and holiday home owners in Spain.

Along with pensions and tax, healthcare is the most common subject that property-hunters ask about at every one of our Spanish buying-advice seminars at our exhibitions. But it's clearly one of the many reasons that so many people nearing retirement decide to head to Spain, rather than countries where the medical facilities are less highly evolved.

What's more it's proven that the average Spaniard lives longer than a Brit, while Spain's state health service has been ranked above the UK's by the World Health Organization - both reassuring facts for expats in the Costas.

That said, anyone moving to Spain in 2016 is right to research how they will access healthcare there, whether they'll need to pay for it, and what the standard of treatment will be like, including if the doctors and nurses will speak English. So here's a brief guide to Spanish healthcare for expats, according to your situation.

UK State Pensioner

British people in receipt of a UK State Pension are entitled to the same level of state healthcare as a Spaniard under the national insurance scheme. This is thanks to Spain and the UK being members of the European Economic Area (EEA), meaning certain benefits are transferrable between the two countries.

Pensioners should start the process before leaving the UK, by applying for an S1 form from the International Pension Centre. Once in Spain, register your S1 at your local Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) office to receive an accreditation letter, which will enable you to register with a doctor at your local medical centre.

To do this, you'll need your passport, NIE and certificates of local and national residency. In due course you will receive a health card (tarjeta sanitaria), which you present when you use the health service. It's a similar process for recipients of long-term benefits in the UK - just be sure to check with the relevant UK office whether your healthcare entitlements are transferrable to Spain with an S1.

Two things to note: a UK pensioner in Spain (who has registered an S1 form) can return to the UK and receive NHS treatment for free, just like a UK resident; pensioners in Spain can register a dependent to receive state healthcare.

Employed in Spain

Spain's benefits system is contributions based. This means if you are working in Spain and making social security contributions, you will qualify for state healthcare. This is done by registering for a health card at your local medical centre - you'll need your social security number to do this.

"Working full-time entitles me to state healthcare here," said Joanne Kilcourse who has lived in the Costa del Sol for 12 years and works in the Cala de Mijas office of a company that helps Britons to buy and move to Spain.

"I live in Calahonda and my nearest GP's surgery is in Cala de Mijas. My nearest state hospital is the Hospital Costa del Sol in Los Monteros, and I've only had good experiences there. When my husband needed treatment after an accident fixing his car, we waited just 30 minutes to be seen and the staff spoke English. I visited a friend staying there for treatment once and she was in a room with just one other patient, and the place was spotless."

As in the UK, expats registered for state healthcare, whether through working in Spain or through their S1 form, can dip in and out of private healthcare, with many choosing the private route for certain types of treatment.

Neither working nor a UK pensioner

Brits moving to Spain before they reach UK State Pension age and who do not work, typically early retirees, will not be entitled to state healthcare (unless they receive benefits that qualify for an S1 form). Many expats in this position opt for private health insurance.

Private cover offered by large international insurers, such as BUPA Global and AXA PPP, usually includes treatment in other countries outside of Spain, including the UK, which is useful for people who split their time between two countries.

Typically, a private insurer will have a list of selected hospitals and medical centres in different regions, usually concentrated in expat areas, to which clients are referred. This enables them to monitor and maintain a high level of care and ensure clients are sent to medics who speak English.

It's also worth looking at Spanish insurers, including local ones that offer flexible packages geared towards international residents.

"When we arrived in Spain we weren't employed so took out private insurance with a local firm to cover us temporarily," continued Jo Kilcourse. "We used Helicopteros Sanitarias who were great. We had a package that covered the whole family and included a 24-hour home doctor service and ambulance transfer to hospital if needed - any charges for treatment in the hospital were separate."

Helicopteros Sanitarias operates between Torremolinos and Sotogrande on the Costa del Sol. According to its website, annual fees for basic cover start at 288, for a single person, rising to 530 for a family of three or more children.

An alternative - and generally cheaper - option to private healthcare is the Spanish Government's recently launched pay-in scheme, currently available in most but not all regions of Spain. Called Convenio Especial, this provides access to the state healthcare system for a monthly payment of 60 per person under the age of 65 and 157 for those aged 65-plus.

Applicants must have been registered as a Spanish resident for a year, not be in receipt of healthcare cover from the UK and do not qualify for an EHIC.

How to use EHICs

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles citizens of one EU country to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another EU country. You apply for an EHIC in the country where you are resident.

EHICs are used primarily by holidaymakers and second-home owners. However, relocating Brits can use an EHIC, which will be issued in the UK before their departure, to cover their immediate medical needs during their first three months in Spain - after that, they should either be registered for Spanish state healthcare or have private insurance in place.

A British expat resident in Spain should apply for an EHIC in Spain, which will give them the same entitlement during a visit back to the UK. If seeking hospital treatment in Spain with an EHIC, ensure you are taken to a public hospital and not one of the many private ones - treatment received in the latter will not be covered by your EHIC.

On paper, residing in Spain below the UK State Pension age means you are not entitled to free NHS treatment without an EHIC or proof of valid health insurance.

Pharmacies in Spain

In most villages in Spain, you'll see the neon green cross of a local pharmacy, or 'farmacia', while towns or coastal resorts are likely to have half a dozen, or more.

In Spain, practically all types of medication, including paracetamol, must be bought from a pharmacy - not a supermarket, which means that in towns of a certain size, there will always be a pharmacy open 24 hours a day.A pharmacy that is closed after hours should indicate on their door where to find an open one.

Many medications that would require a prescription in the UK can be bought freely - and work out cheaper - at a Spanish pharmacy, including antibiotics and stronger than average painkillers. Because of this, pharmacists will often deal with minor ailments or health issues that in the UK would be treated by a GP.

How much you pay for medication prescribed by a doctor will depend on your personal income - pensioners typically pay 10 per cent of the cost of their Spanish prescription, more if they have high incomes.

On the whole, medication is not just more accessible but also cheaper - the same pills acquired with an 8.20 prescription in the UK might be 2-3 in Spain.

get more advice about living in spain
Published On Mar 16, 2016 By Arun for Renault Duster 2016-2019

Watch First Drive Review of Renault Duster AMT

When you scour through pages of Indian automotive history, you'll find that it is always the 'brand' that made the 'car' popular. For example, 'Maruti' made the 800 iconic, 'Mahindra' made the Bolero what it is and 'Toyota' made the Innova moniker click. What we have on our hands today is something that is the diametric opposite. A 'car' that made the 'brand' what it is. At least in the Indian context.

Say 'Renault' and the layman will take a moment to soak in that piece of information. Say 'Duster' however and he'll know exactly what you're talking about. Renault's poster boy, sales hero and claim to fame in the Indian market - the Duster gets some fancy clothes with an update. To keep up with the times, there's an AMT on offer too. Does the update make the Duster a better package than before? Let's find out.

Exterior

When the Renault Duster was first launched, the butch proportions made it click with the masses almost instantly. The imposing face, flared wheel arches, 16" wheels and the SUV esque stance made it one of a kind. For once, we're glad that the facelift is subtle and doesn't change the core Duster specifications.

The Duster's proportions are near identical to the outgoing version. There's no mistaking the Duster for anything else, that's for sure. The front is where most of the updates are clearly visible. The grille gets a larger Renault insignia and is surrounded by a generous garnish of chrome. The bumper gets a very prominent matte silver skidplate that accentuates the Duster's compact 'SUV' positioning. Our favorite element however, have to be the new headlamps. The redesigned cluster looks really nice and the smoked finish adds to the aggression. That said, Renault could have (and should have) taken a leaf out of the Creta's books and given the Duster projector headlamps with daytime running lamps.

The side and the rear remain rather unchanged. The changes are minimal and you'd miss them easily if you aren't paying attention. The 16 inch wheels get a different design and are finished in this black/gunmetal shade with a machined surface that looks rather swanky. The roof rails are new too and get 'Duster' embossing. Changes to the rear include an LED tail-lamp and the customary skidplate.

We have to say that Renault has been wise with the update and corrected only what was needed. While we don't think the Duster has a design that will age gracefully, the update has injected some much needed botox to keep it soldiering on till we see an all new generation.

Interior

An opportunity missed. That is how we have to sum up the interiors of the Duster. The interiors get a new color palette and a few new goodies, but that just doesn't do justice to the package (and the price) in our books.

We believe the Duster could've done with an all-new dashboard. The facelift retains the same dash we've been seeing for the past half decade. Yes, the piano black centre console does look good, but that too is a fingerprint magnet. The large MediaNav touchscreen system hoards most of the real estate. The system is slightly better to use (read: inputs arent as laggy and slow) and audio quality is fairly decent too. That said, the interface for the navigation isnt the best. It is pretty hard to better the experience one is used to with Google Maps on their phones.

The addition of automatic climate control to the package is a welcome move. The unit is easy to operate and chills the cabin down very well. The air-conditioning managed to keep us cool on a sultry afternoon in Pune - with temperatures hovering above the 30C mark. However, it is slightly difficult to access the controls on the move. They are placed far too low for our liking.

With the facelift, Renault could have inverted the positions of the wiper and headlamp stalks. Ford did the same with the Ecosport facelift (Wiper controls to the left of the steering and headlamp controls to the right). That said, it doesnt take too long for one to get used to the setting. Renault could have also used the facelift to add audio and call controls on the steering wheel, instead of having them on a separate stalk behind the wheel. Reason being, you will be using controls for audio and phone more frequently compared to cruise control.

Other than these changes, the cabin remains unchanged. The front footwell is still slightly cramped, the drivers right knee still hits the power window controls and the overall fit and finish still remain a hit or a miss. Also, while we are talking about ergonomics - the armrest is a bit too thin and placed a bit too low down. It is rather odd that it is only the driver that gets the armrest. We think, a large centrally mounted armrest wouldve been a perfect solution. Before we forget, with the armrest down - it is nearly impossible to buckle up. You have to take the seatbelt around the armrest to buckle it in.

Overall, the package remains more or less identical to the outgoing version. Parameters such as space, cushioning and the 410 litre bootspace remain exactly identical to the outgoing version. Like we said, Renault could have used the facelift as a platform to up the ante in terms of design and quality. Instead, they have chosen to stick to the tried and tested formula of rugged appeal and durability.

Engine and Performance

The Duster retains both the petrol and diesel engines in the same configuration as before. The only mechanical change is the new AMT gearbox which is available with the 110PS, 4x2 version only. It is interesting to note that the gearbox is the only 6-speed AMT in India as of now. It is also the only AMT to be paired with features like Hill Assist, ESP and Cruise Control.

What we really like about the AMT, is how well it fits into the Dusters existing (and potent) package. The gearbox takes nothing away from the driving dynamics and possibly - only makes it better. The gearbox behaves like a typical AMT unit should. Theres nothing drastically different to report there. By typical AMT we mean that the upshifts are clearly noticeable. For example, when the gearbox shifts from 1st to 2nd & 2nd to 3rd - it is quite jerky. This can get slightly annoying, especially inside the city. You will know when the gearbox downshifts as well. Thankfully, the gearbox knows when to downshift and does not unnecessarily lug the car.

Speaking of downshifts, the gearbox isnt too comfortable when the throttle is pinned down to the floor. The gearbox takes a good second to drop gears, and when it does, the engine screams itself hoarse thanks to the revs rising too high. For spirited driving, wed recommend sliding the lever into Manual mode and taking charge of the gears yourself. When in manual, you pull the lever behind to upshift and push it forward to downshift. Shifts in manual mode too, take a small while to register and reflect. The gearbox ponders if the gear you want suits the revs and the speed and then executes. Try to shift to too high a gear at too low a speed or vice versa and the gearbox will override your command.

Out on the highway, the AMT feels rather relaxed. In fact, you wouldnt even know when it has upshifted to 6th. The engine is ticking over at ~2100rpm when the speedo denotes 100km/h; and is relatively relaxed while doing so. Go heavier on the right foot and the Duster pulls comfortably in 6th, all the way to its top speed. It is key to note that the power delivery here is linear and non-urgent. However, if you stomp on the gas at 100, the gearbox will downshift to 4th to give you that burst of acceleration. In that sense, the gearbox does pick up inputs really well.

Ride and Handling

Ride and Handling was always the Duster's forte and it is no different with the refresh. The ride is forgiving and absorbs everything our roads will ever throw at it. The suspension is a nice balance between stiff and soft, ever so slightly biased towards comfort. We think this works really well for the compact SUV, since it is going to spend most of its time within the confines of the city.

While the steering is slightly heavy at low speeds, we loved the weight the steering has at high speeds. Feedback and feel is decent too. Do not expect it to dive into corners like a squirrel, remember to ease off the gas well in advance and it will hold its line really nicely. Braking power is adequate too. The brakes bite in nicely and it doesnt nose-dive a lot under heavy deceleration. Pedal response is rather vague, that keeps you guessing if you need to go harder on the pedal to make it stop. Other than that, it does just fine.

Verdict

The AMT is a valuable addition to the portfolio. If you were considering buying a manual 110PS version, wed recommend spending extra and getting the AMT. The gearbox is an absolute boon inside city traffic and you will excuse the jerky shifts in exchange for a relaxed left leg. If convenience is amongst your top priorities for your next compact SUV - the Duster AMT must be on your checklist!
Your credit union has lots of great stories to tell. Getting those stories in the hands of journalists and influencers can be challenging.

You may think journalists have email overload, just like everyone else. You are right, but consider this: according to a recent survey by PWR New Media, 88% of journalists say they want to hear from you via email.

But heres the caveat: they want more.

Journalists and bloggers need easy to read, concise information, accompanied by shareable visuals, with access to background information and other graphics.

What does this mean?

It means in addition to your written press release, you should include one or more of the following:

high resolution photos or downloadable images

shareable infographic

tweetable pull quotes/appropriate Facebook post

in-depth data or statistics that support your information

links to background or supporting information

b-roll or other appropriate video

relevant audio sound bites

Not convinced? Of the journalists surveyed, 77% said they would be more likely to cover a story if it included access to appropriate images.

Heres more:

85% want relevant backgrounders, bios and supporting information

78% want verbiage from news release

46% want a link to relevant blog on topic

41% want information about brands social media platforms so they can follow or view

While newsrooms are shrinking, reporters are expected to do more. Newspaper journalists write articles and produce short videos to post online. Reporters at radio stations must also include a print version of their story, complete with graphics. Television journalists are expected to write online content to post on websites, in addition to their traditional broadcast segment. Hunting down a headshot, video or background information isnt something journalists have time to do.

Your job as a communications professional is to make the medias job as easy as possible. By providing a variety of elements with your press release, you are more likely to receive coverage and tell your credit unions story.
For the first time in a century, the U.S. Postal Service will cut the cost of stamps in April. First-class stamps will fall to 47 cents, making me wonder about the $10,000 in forever stamps we invested in during May 2009 at $.44 each. Oh, well. What comes down must go  uh  up?

Even with the ongoing hostility between the USPS and Congress, the decision to drop the price of postage seems at odds with common sense; we all know the post office is bleeding $2 billion a year in red ink. Still, lower postage costs is good news for companies that send out a lot of mail.

Or is it?

Going the way of the 

Financial institutions that continue to rely on snail mail to promote their products and services, provide statements or process loan documents may be headed for Dinosaur National Monument  especially if they want to engage Millennials. This tech-savvy generation has never experienced a day without the Internet and nearly half think it takes too much time to go to the post office. But then, this is the generation that only has one doesnt have landlines, gets their news online and hardly know what fax machines are.

But it isnt just Millennials who are losing interest in items carried through snow, rain, heat and gloom of night. Overall, the total volume of USPS mail has fallen off by more than 28% in the last 10 years.

So, if your credit unions mail-house dollars dont go for promotions and statements, where should they be spent? Social media? Not so much. Robo-calls? Absolutely not! Text? Perhaps, but the better answer is plain old email  that medium many think of as so last week.

Lets stay in touch

Last summer, Adobe surveyed 400 white-collar workers 18 and older about their email usage, finding that Americans are practically addicted to email, checking it around the clock no matter where they are or what theyre doing. People use email an average of 30+ hours a week, with nine of 10 respondents checking their personal email at work and work email from home. Further, more than a third report having multiple personal accounts.

And among Millennials, email usage is much greater than expected  especially for checking out brands. Adobe says Millennials are more mobile and more frequent users of email than any other age group. Here are a few of the findings:

Millennials tend to check work email outside of normal work hours more than other generations.

Theyre okay with using emojis to communicate with a direct manager or senior executive.

Nearly 90% of Millennials check email via smartphone.

Millennials are the most likely age group to check email from bed, the bathroom or while driving (not recommended!).

A Prudential Financial Group study also found that Millennials prefer to downstream one-to-one contact with companies, whether for transactions, updates, customer service or other dialogues. Reporting on this study, Steve Dille of MarketingLand said, Given the choice between email, in person, postal mail, social media, phone call, online chat or text message, [Millennial] respondents overwhelmingly chose email straight across the board. In fact, email placed second behind web searches (at 45%) as the preferred method for doing product research (18%). Many Millennials dont see social media as having the brand authenticity, transparency and personalization they want. Email does.

What people want

Whether shopping for a new house, buying a car or looking where to invest their savings, your members are happy to receive permission-based emails from your credit union  especially if its personalized to their felt needs, is uncomplicated and makes it easy to find more information.

Here are some thoughts on communicating with members via email:

Provide useful, engaging information  What do your members see on the other side of the email click? Make sure details about your offer are clear and concise but include enough facts to help them make knowledgeable decisions.

Speak human  The digital world is great, but it limits your chances for personal touches. Write to your members like youre having a face-to-face talk with a friend. With compliance rules and legal terms, its easy to get caught up in jargon and acronyms  not to mention the stuffy language our grandparents bankers used.

Make it interactive  When members click through to your promotion, make it simple for them to choose your product or service. Your technology partner should be able to build logic into your system that allows a personalized greeting when she clicks through. And use auto-complete online documents, like DigitalMailers Secure Forms, which are intuitive and auto-complete most of the needed information. Finally, write back to your member with an auto-response thank you email.

Learn more about your member  After they click on your offer, as three simple questions related to it. For instance, if a click-through leads to a mortgage preapproval, ask whether your member has found a house yet, what his timeframe is and where hes hoping to buy. Now you have useful information you can add to your CRM and send personalized follow-up emails that relate directly to his needs.

 After they click on your offer, as three simple questions related to it. For instance, if a click-through leads to a mortgage preapproval, ask whether your member has found a house yet, what his timeframe is and where hes hoping to buy. Now you have useful information you can add to your CRM and send personalized follow-up emails that relate directly to his needs. Make a connection. Members may read your email offer on a desktop one time and a smartphone the next. Be sure his experience is consistent across all channels, with a similar look and feel and mobile devices optimized for easy navigation.

Postage stamps are going away in favor of email and other digital channels. Communicating with your members in the channels they prefer will prevent your credit union from going away, too!
Talking Points:

- The past ~20 hours have seen continued volatility after the Feds dovish-hold yesterday, in which the FOMC decreased their expectation for hikes this year from four to two.

- USD weakness has been a prominent theme as traders have sold out of bullish-USD bets on the back of rate-hike hopes. This has created reverberations throughout currencies and commodities. Key of which have been safe haven like classes, such as the Yen and Gold.

- Markets are likely going to remain extremely volatile. Please make sure risk management has been addressed if youre looking to traverse these conditions. And if youre looking for trade ideas, check out our Free Trading Guides or our Speculative Sentiment Index indicator.

Yesterdays FOMC decision saw the Fed take a dovish tilt towards markets, and while no decisions were made at yesterdays meeting on rates, the reduction in expected hikes for the rest of the year through the dot plot matrix was enough to promulgate risk trends. As we had written yesterday, it would likely be the dot plot matrix that would set the tone with risk trends moving forward, and given the recent movement in the US Dollar it would appear that to be the case.

The predominant theme post-FOMC has been USD-weakness against pretty much everything, commodities included. On the chart below were looking at the FXCM Dollar Index, and as you can see we broke below the support level mentioned yesterday to fall one level further on the denoted Fibonacci retracement.

Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley

Gold put in a considerable move on the back of this dovishness, and as we had written last month, Gold Prices Shine When Central Bankers Scurry into Action. For those looking to play a continuation of the dovish-Central Bank theme, look to Gold: Some will say metals, or commodities for similar plays, but evaluating recent performance, specifically the ratio of gold prices to silver prices would indicate that this isnt a broad-based commodities or metals play.

Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley

One of the more prominent areas for that USD-weakness to show up has been against the Yen. Yesterdays FOMC decision likely brought a two-pronged effect to the Yen: Were likely seeing capital flows from USD to JPY on this more dovish FOMC read, but were also likely see a deflection of safe-haven flows from the US Dollar into the Japanese Yen. So say, for instance, investors in China. With the Fed taking a more dovish tone, there are fewer reasons for that Chinese investor to move capital into USD rather than JPY.

This theme is likely one of the reasons that the Bank of Japan made the move to negative rates in February. As global risk factors were continuing to increase, the Bank of Japan had the very realistic fear of seeing 3+ years of Yen-losses wiped away by risk aversion. And for an export-heavy nation like Japan thats already facing deflationary-like pressures, the prospect of their currency strengthening by 20% or more all but assured the economy of going back into a recessionary environment.

This is why we called the Yen the Safe Haven Vehicle of Choice in September of last year. Strategically the Bank of Japan is simply the most stretched with the least flexibility (among the major Central Banks), and their close proximity to China make the Yen an ideal destination for capital flows.

This morning has been of particular interest to Yen traders. That Yen strength that started after yesterdays FOMC announcement became a pervasive theme overnight. USD/JPY was in a veritable swan-dive until 8:04 ET this morning. Thats when support caught and USD/JPY began to rip higher; but this wasnt just a regular counter-trend, short-squeeze type of move this was a veritable rip. Within 12 minutes of that low being set and USD/JPY was higher by 100 pips; and this was on the back of no other available news or innuendo. This is very similar to what happened on February 11th, the morning of day two of Janet Yellens Congressional testimony. At the time, rumors emanated that the Bank of Japan had intervened, and the same thing is happening this morning. These rumors cant be substantiated, but as a trader you often dont have time to wait for confirmation. By the time its confirmed, were too late; stops have been eaten (or perhaps even gapped through).

Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley

Stocks Are Tepid

Perhaps one of the more unexpected developments on the back of this dovish FOMC read has been the lack of a follow-thru rally in stocks. Most global equities popped on the initial announcement (with included dot plot matrix), but in the overnight session weve seen resistance come in. Some equity indices, such as the Nikkei and the DAX are already lower than they were before the announcement, so FOMC at this point has been a net-negative.

And while the S&P is still holding on to a gain from its pre-announcement levels, weve run into a longer-term trend-line resistance level (shown in purple on the chart below).

Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley

As you can see from the above chart, we have both support and resistance in the current vicinity to work with, and this can very much determine the traders strategy.

As you can see from the red trend-channel, current price action is still bullish. And were currently catching support at the 2,021 vicinity, which is a major level on the S&P as the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement of the previous major move (the 2,137.10 top to the 1,833.50 August 2015 low).

Traders looking to get long can use this support level as a basis for stop placement, looking to take prices higher within the channel. If we do get an eventual break of this longer-term trend-line, targets could be set higher on the Fibonacci chain to 2,065, or to the 12/29/2015 high of 2,082.10. This could allow for some pretty attractive risk-reward ratios.

However, for those looking to fade this recent bout of strength, that 2,021 support level can be the activator to look for potential short positions. Let that level first break to prove that bears might be able to take control, and if that happens, then look for resistance in the vicinity of old support (2,021). This could allow for a relatively tight stop above that level of resistance so that if the short-side turn doesnt continue, the loss can be mitigated. But if it does turn, then the trader can look for some pretty attractive risk reward ratios.

Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley

--- Written by James Stanley, Analyst for DailyFX.com

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Contact and follow James on Twitter: @JStanleyFX
OAKLAND, Calif., March 16, 2016  The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking much-needed protection for the imperiled California spotted owl under the Endangered Species Act. These owls are jeopardized on national forest and private lands in the Sierra Nevada Mountains by clear-cutting and post-fire logging, as well as climate change, urban development and competition from barred owls. A decision on whether to protect the owls under the Endangered Species Act was due in January of this year, but the Service has yet to act.

The Endangered Species Act has proven to be the critical difference in saving our wildlife species in decline, and its protections are urgently needed for California spotted owls and the old-growth forests they depend on, said the Centers Jeff Miller. If we want to have spotted owls in our Sierra Nevada and Southern California forests in the future, the Service needs to protect this majestic species immediately.California spotted owls live in mature conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada and Southern California. As with their northern spotted owl relatives, these owls old-growth forest habitat continues to be decimated by logging. Recent surveys show spotted owls are in serious decline everywhere in the Sierras except on national park lands, where logging is prohibited. The majority of conifer forests in the Sierras managed by the U.S. Forest Service and private timber companies are subjected to intensive logging, threatening the owls future survival.The California spotted owl is one of 10 species the Center is prioritizing this year for Endangered Species Act protection decisions. Under a 2011 settlement agreement with the Service, the Center can seek expedited decisions on protection for 10 species per year. The other nine priority species for 2016 include the monarch butterfly, Northern Rockies fisher, alligator snapping turtle, wood turtle, Virgin River spinedace, foothill yellow-legged frog, Canoe Creek pigtoe, Barrens topminnow and beaverpond marstonia. Under the settlement 144 species have gained protection to date, and 36 species have been proposed for protection.The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.Center for Biological Diversity
March 16th, 2016 - Today the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act failed to garner enough votes for cloture by a vote of 49-48, effectively defeating the bill. The bill introduced by Senator Roberts (R-KS) faced bi-partisan rejection. The bill would have preempted the genetically engineered food labeling laws in Vermont, Connecticut, Maine and Alaska. In its place it would have put a voluntary labeling scheme that relies primarily on QR codes, websites and call in numbers to inform consumers about the presence of GMOs.

The defeat of the DARK Act is a major victory for the food movement and Americas right to know, said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. It also is an important victory for Democracy over the attempt of corporate interests to keep Americans in the Dark about the foods they buy and feed their families. Kimbrell concluded.Only 64 percent of Americans own a smartphone. That means that more than a third of all Americans will not be able to use this ersatz form of labeling. Moreover, as one would expect, those left out are disproportionately the poor and those living in non-urban areas. According to Pew Research Center, only 50% of low income people in the U.S. own a smartphone and only 52% of people living in rural areas own a smartphone. And even those who own smartphones are not guaranteed consistent access to the internet, and far fewer than that have ever used a QR code - less than 20 percent. Smartphones and data plans are expensive, and nearly half those who have smartphones have had to shut off their service at some point due to financial hardship.Center for Food Safety sent a letter to all members of the Senate pointing out that the Roberts bill was discriminatory against low income and rural Americans, minorities and the elderly, in that large percentages of these groups do not even own smartphones. Accordingly a legal analysis provided by CFS to the Senate indicated that the bill was potentially unconstitutional and a violation of equal protection under the law. The CFS letter also noted that no consumer would ever have the time to check all their products through call in numbers or QR codes and that the bill was in fact a non-labeling bill under the guise of a labeling bill. The bill also raised serious question about consumer privacy."QR code labeling discriminates against the poor, minorities, rural populations and the elderly. They are a completely unacceptable substitute for clear, concisely worded on package labeling," said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director at Center for Food Safety. "The right to know is a right for all, not just those who can afford it."With Vermonts GE labeling law set to go into effect July 1 2016, big food and biotechnology interests have attempted to block its implementation, both through the courts and in Congress. The industry has for months sought action by Congress that would preempt states from passing GE labeling laws. Such a bill, called the DARK Act by labeling advocates, passed in the House of Representatives this summer.Opponents of mandatory GE labeling frequently cite significantly higher food costs as part of their rationale, however, the higher numbers they reference are based on the assumption that manufacturers will incur costs by switching to non-GE ingredients. This is a false assumption and should not be equated with labeling costs. Such a move would be the result of market pressures, not labeling mandates. 64 countries around the world require GE food labeling and have not reported higher food costs as a result.In January, Campbells broke with the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which has long opposed mandatory GE food labeling and is currently under legal scrutiny for its multimillion dollar campaign to fight Washington States GE food labeling ballot initiative. The iconic soup company instead announced that in the interest of its consumers, it would label all of its products containing GE ingredients. In an interview with The New York Times, a Campbells spokesperson noted that adoption of the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, which required companies to add nutritional information to their labels, did not significantly raise costs.By an overwhelming margin, American voters say consumers should have the right to know if their food is genetically modified, with 89 percent in support of mandatory GE labeling, according to a new national poll. Nearly the same number of consumers would like to see the labels in an easy to read format, not via a barcode or other technology.More than 30 states introduced legislation to require GE labeling in 2013 and 2014, with laws recently passed in Vermont, Connecticut and Maine.Center for Food Safety
I Escaped Isis Rapists, But Was Forced To Leave My Baby Behind by Iraq Solidarity News (Al-Thawra)

An estimated 5,000 women and girls have been kidnapped by Isis fighters, with many bought and sold into sexual slavery in markets.

SPEAKING at a London press conference last week, 16-year-old Nihad Alawsi bravely told the story of her life as a former Isis sex slave. The violence inflicted on her by her kidnappers included regular rapes and beatings, and she was forced to bear  and then abandon  a child conceived with one of her rapists.



In August 2014, Nihads Yazidi village of Herdan, in northern Iraq, was overrun by Isis fighters who killed the men in the village and took her and 27 of her family members prisoner. At first, the villagers were taken to Syria before being returned to the Iraqi city of Mosul, where the girls were tortured and raped and taken away from their families.



We were beaten and raped constantly for two weeks before I was chosen by an Isis emir and taken out to another area, Nihad said, speaking through an interpreter. She then stayed with her kidnapper for six weeks, before he was killed, and she was taken by another Isis fighter.



After enduring continuing rape, she became pregnant and was taken to live with her captors family, including his wife and another kidnapped Yazidi girl. At first, she felt her unborn child was a criminal of Daesh [Isis] and she tried unsuccessfully to miscarry.



However, her attitude towards the child changed when he was born and she named him Issa. I wanted to give him a Yazidi name because he was part of me, after all, she said. When the baby was born, [my kidnapper] took me to his cousins home and asked me to marry him, she continued. When I refused, he threatened to give me to his brother.



Eventually, I managed to make a phone call to my family and to escape, but I had to leave Issa behind, she said, before breaking down in tears. An Amar spokesperson said that Nihads family were contacted by her captors neighbours and they paid for her to be released. She was only allowed to leave though on the condition that her son was left behind.



It was one final and unimaginably devastating act of control exerted by Nihads captor. Later, she continued: Im now living in a house with my family. At least, the ones that arent still kidnapped. It is not really living though. I am not really living until the rest of my people are free from Daesh.



An estimated 5,000 women and girls have been kidnapped by Isis fighters, with many bought and sold into sexual slavery in markets. Nihads comments were made at an event to raise awareness of the Amar Foundations Escaping Darkness campaign to help girls who have escaped from Isis.


City of Santa Cruz debates criminalization of sleeping by IndyRadio

A closer look at 3 hour debate triggered by Don Lane's modest proposal will reveal the underlying issues of housing and the lack of it in Santa Cruz and elsewhere. Unfortunately, the audio and video records of the March 8 city council session pose difficulties: so we here we present the audio and video records of the event in a way that can easily be accessed and shared.





Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page: <video style="width: 740px;" data-aspect-ratio="1.7804154302671" preload="none" poster="https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2016/03/17/512-3mar16sc_council-1.mp4_600_.png" controls><source src="https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2016/03/17/512-3mar16sc_council-1.mp4" type="video/mp4" /><a class="video" href="https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2016/03/17/512-3mar16sc_council-1.mp4" title="download video: 512-3mar16sc_council-1.mp4"><br /><span class="video-thumbnail"><img src="https://www.indybay.org/uploads/2016/03/17/512-3mar16sc_council-1.mp4_600_.png" border="0" /></span><br /></a></video>
Louis was a teacher who was fiercely dedicated to justice. He was always supportive and involved in our community work and campaigns. -Jenn Laskin

[ Louis LaFortune, a volunteer with Guitars not Guns and many other causes, plays guitar at a peace rally on August 2, 2015 in front of the Collateral Damage statue in Santa Cruz to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Photo by Alex Darocy. ]

In Memory of Louis LaFortune, Compassionate Peace Activist

Louis LaFortune, known to many as Louie LaFortune, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of March 13, 2016 at his family home in Live Oak, a small community nestled between Santa Cruz and Capitola. Register-Pajaronian reports that he died in his home after suffering heart trouble. His family states that he passed quickly without pain or discomfort. Louiss untimely passing, at the young age of 64, was a sad shock for his family and wide circle of friends.

Louie was a popular teacher at New School, a small high school for at-risk students in Watsonville. Before launching his second career as a teacher  the first was as an auto mechanic  he was a long-standing and dedicated member of the Free Radio Santa Cruz collective, also known as Freak Radio and FRSC.

In 2003, Louie created the Resistance and Renewal program on FRSC, a listener supported and unlicensed pirate radio station broadcasting from Santa Cruz since 1995. To the greater community, he was a major advocate of the station, however more importantly Louie often served as a mediator within the dynamic collective when disagreements arose or personalities conflicted.

Louies dedication to Free Radio Santa Cruz can not be overstated. There was very little glamour in the selfless act of providing an on-air platform for people to discuss social and political issues. As a programmer for FRSC, Louie was a volunteer responsible for paying monthly dues of roughly $25 as well as sharing in the work and responsibilities of running the station.

On September 29, 2004, a year after Louie joined the collective, FRSC was raided, for its first and only time, by Federal Communications Commission agents and armed US Marshals. In response to this jarring event, Louie did not choose to walk away from the collective, rather he helped to promote a huge FRSC benefit event at the Rio Theatre featuring legendary folk musician Utah Phillips in concert with Keith Greeninger and Faith Petric, along with the bootstomping sounds of The Devil Makes Three. Louie gave his time to the community by hosting Resistance and Renewal every Friday night from 6:30-8pm.

He leveraged his radio skills and became a host of Voices from the Village on Community Television of Santa Cruz County. During Californias draught in November 2015, Louies guests included the manager of Soquel Water District to discuss the complex topic of local groundwater storage and use.

I caught myself just before writing that Louie was a passionate fighter for social justice. But those words are not accurate. Words, and how they are conveyed, meant a lot to Louie. At a 2007 Peace and Unity March in Watsonville, Louie wore a shirt declaring, Dont Fight for Peace, Stand for Peace. Louis LaFortune stood for peace.

The Resistance and Renewal program on FRSC had a theme song, I Aint Marching Anymore, an anti-war ballad by Phil Ochs which Louie played each show. The song, a scathing critic of the US military from a soldiers perspective, became an anthem of the peace movement during the Vietnam War.

Lyrics of I Aint Marching Anymore by Phil Ochs include:

For Ive killed my share of Indians

In a thousand different fights

I was there at the Little Big Horn

I heard many men lying, I saw many more dying

But I aint marching anymore Its always the old to lead us to the war

Its always the young to fall

Now look at all weve won with the saber and the gun

Tell me is it worth it all For I stole California from the Mexican land

Fought in the bloody Civil War

Yes, I even killed my brothers

And so many others

But I aint marching anymore Now the labor leaders screamin

When they close the missile plants

United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore

Call it, Peace, or call it, Treason

Call it, Love, or call it, Reason

But I aint marching anymore

No, I aint marching anymore

Memories of Louis LaFortune

There are numerous postings in the archives of Santa Cruz Indymedia covering demonstrations that Louie participated in and helped to organize, an interview he conducted on the airwaves of FRSC with Ralph Schoenman on the origins of the crisis in Iran, as well as an episode of Voices from the Village where Louie moderated a debate with the Mayor of Santa Cruz about the Citys notorious sleeping ban. The YouTube account for Ken Knobler includes a trove of Voices from the Village recordings, including an interview with UC Santa Cruz students arrested for participating in a blockade of Highway 1 to protest University tuition hikes and police violence.

As news spread that Louie had passed away, his family and many friends shared lots of memories, as well as some photos, on social media. The following represents a small sample of those memories.

Louies daughter Chloe: He was the smartest most compassionate man I have ever known. He was my biggest supporter, cheerleader and confidant. He thought the world of my brother and I, and I will forever strive to continue to make him proud. My life will forever be different without his light and life in it. It breaks my heart my daughter will never know his brilliance and patience.

Christine LaFortune: My brother, Louis, died suddenly yesterday, March 13. He was the best brother ever, and I and my sisters told him so nearly every time we spoke. So many people will miss him.

Bob Downing: Susan and I are heart-broken. Louis was a great friend: big-hearted, principled, and endlessly fun company. He was the instigator of many of my fondest memories of California, and his voice and his advice on many subjects ring clearly and permanently in my head. Not many people go from being an auto mechanic to a teacher in their 50s, but Louis was an organic intellectual who, like the scholar in Chaucers Canterbury Tales, would gladly learn and gladly teach. Weve lost a comrade, a confidant, and an inspiration. Too soon, Louis. Too goddamn soon.

Paul Ortiz: Louis, I am going to miss you so much! Sheila and I are distraught, having heard the news this evening. A great and compassionate man, who will never be forgotten. We just made a donation to Free Radio Santa Cruz in his honor. Some of my fondest California memories involve being interviewed by Louis about the struggles of oppressed people.

Tomas Alejo: It is sad to hear about the passing of our friend Louis LaFortune. You were always a strong, humble and courageous ally of the Watsonville community. From teaching our youth at the New School to supporting the many rallies of the Watsonville Brown Berets. You will be missed brother.

Robert Duran: I had the pleasure of working with him at Free Radio Santa Cruz years ago. He was an honest and very REAL human being and a good friend. He supported just about every social justice event in town. What a life he lived. Rest in peace Louie.

Jenn Laskin: Louis was a teacher who was fiercely dedicated to justice. He was always supportive and involved in our community work and campaigns. He inspired me to believe in the Green Party and the power of third parties in general. RIP Louis!!! You will be so missed.

Itzaa Govea: May you fly with the angels. Thank you for being the great, hard working, happiest teacher you always were at our New School.

You are welcome and encouraged to contribute to this article by sharing your memories of our friend, Louis LaFortune, in the comment section below.

Celebrate the Life of Louis LaFortune

Please join us as we celebrate and remember the life of Louis LaFortune.

 Saturday March 26th

 2pm-4pm

 The Santa Cruz Grange Hall Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange

1900 17th Ave

All are welcome to come join us for an afternoon of family, friends, stories and songs.

We hope you can join us as we remember his spirit and light he brought to our community and our lives.

With love,

Nancy, Lex & Chloe

Bradley Allen is a reporter and photographer in the Monterey Bay Area, and part of the Indybay collective. Follow him on Twitter: @BradleySA.
Puerto Rico's Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla says Congress should put a hold on litigation against the indebted US territory until a proposed Congressional solution to its debt crisis is in place.

As Puerto Rico fails to meet debt payments, the island faces lawsuits from debt holders. Puerto Rico's Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla says Congress should put a hold on litigation against the indebted US territory until a proposed Congressional solution is in place. The Governor made his comments at a press conference as the island wrestles with its growing debt crisis."Puerto Rico needs to be able to get back on its feet as soon as possible," noted Eric LeCompte, executive director of the religious development coalition Jubilee USA. LeCompte testified at a Congressional Hearing in February offering solutions to the crisis. "Lawsuits will be an obstacle to recovery and it makes sense for Congress to halt litigation."House Speaker Paul Ryan set a March 31 deadline for legislative action on the crisis. Representatives of both major parties introduced legislation to allow Puerto Rico access to Chapter 9 of the US bankruptcy code to restructure its debt. A bill by Republican Sean Duffy of Wisconsin also includes a fiscal oversight board. Probable solutions include a fiscal oversight board that has authority to restructure Puerto Rico's debt.Puerto Rico is cutting services to pay its debt, including funding for health care, law enforcement, special education, electoral services and pensions."Lawsuits will only increase the pressure on Puerto Rico and its most vulnerable citizens," stated LeCompte, whose organization placed radio spots on Puerto Rico's crisis ahead of presidential primaries in Florida and Texas. "Congress needs to act quickly and ensure Puerto Rico has the tools it needs so it won't return to Congress for more help a few months down the line."Jubilee USA Network is an alliance of more than 75 US organizations and 550 faith communities working with 50 Jubilee global partners. Jubilee USA builds an economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable. Jubilee USA has won critical global financial reforms and more than 0 billion in debt relief to benefit the world's poorest people. http://www.jubileeusa.org
The biggest question on the minds of almost everyone following the US Presidential election race is: can Donald Trump be stopped? I will cover that question last as it is the most consequential but there are a number of other questions that Kiwi followers of the race might have. Lets cover off the Democrats side first as things are more clear cut there.

Can Sanders beat Clinton?

No. Even if he was coming close to Clinton in the recent Democrat primaries (thus garnering only slightly less delegates proportionally as all Democrat primaries/caucuses award delegates proportionally), the presence of the so-called super delegates (who are pretty much all pledged to support Hillary-the current super delegate split is 467 to 26) would ensure hed lose the nomination. However, last night on Super Tuesday 3, despite Clintons shock lost last week in Michigan, Clinton bested Sanders by substantial margins and in a series of delegate rich states such as Florida and Illinois. The delegate count stands at 1,599 vs 844 or almost 2:1.

Will Sanders drop out soon?

Unlikely. He has plenty of money; actually more than any other candidate running for either party and he has captured the activist base of the Democrat party and enjoys an almost iconic status among the young and idealist more left leaning voters. Sanders will continue to pick off the odd state with favourable demographics (such as his narrow win in Missouri last night) but it will be impossible for him to overhaul Clintons lead. Sanders will be secretly hoping that Clinton will be forced to drop out of the race if indicted for breaches of intelligence secrecy laws with her use of an external private email server to transmit top secret material during her tenure as Secretary of State.

Will Clinton be indicted?

A $64,000 question. In terms of the sheer volume of secret material that was transmitted via her unsecured home brew email server (over 2,000 emails marked secret and 22 marked with the very highest designation: Top Secret/Special Access Programs), the answer should be yes. The 22 SAP emails had material so sensitive to national security that they could not be released by the State Department (under the court ordered release) even in redacted form. General Petraeus was indicted for passing a smaller amount of less secret material to his girlfriend who was writing his memoirs. If Clinton was an employee at an intelligence agency, shed be in jail already but Clinton is no ordinary person. The FBI seems to be playing a straight bat with their investigation but the granting of immunity from prosecution to the man tasked by Clinton to set the whole separate email system up is an ominous sign for her. The FBI Director James Comey is known to be independent and unswayed by political machinations but the decisions to prosecute will not be his  that will be made by the Department of Justice and by three layers of Obama political appointees including the Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Will Obama throw Clinton under the bus? Given the detrimental effect of an indictment then leading to a Republican win, not likely. But any decision not to indict runs the risk of mass leaking of the facts by the FBI investigators of Clintons reckless disregard for national security that even the Democrat leaning media would find hard to ignore.

If shes indicted, what might happen?

Democrat insiders are reportedly very nervous about Clinton and not just because of the vulnerability over the email server issue. Plan B however is to not let Sanders prevail at the Convention as he is deemed to be too left wing to be electable even against a flawed candidate like Trump. Most likely they will parachute Vice President Joe Biden into the Convention as a salvation candidate whom the delegates will rally around to win in the November General Election. There is no other option as the Democrats front bench is so devoid of talent.

Switching now to the Republican side which is where all the drama is!

Can Trump still win a majority of delegates?

Yes, but he would have to win the remaining primary races by a margin of 53% or more which is doable but above the average of the mid 40s he has been achieving in recent primaries. Trump is still going to face Cruz and Kasich whose combined vote will likely deny Trump the majority he seeks. If all remaining contests were winner-take-all this wouldnt matter but they arent and there are still states where Cruz will likely win (e.g. Utah). Most intelligent analysts of the race are picking the race will go to what is called an open or contested Convention.

What is an open (or contested) Convention?

The US political parties formally nominate their Presidential flag bearer at their quadrennial conventions held in the mid/late summer of the Presidential election year. Most conventions are a carefully staged managed coronation as the partys preferred nominee has emerged from the primary election season with a majority of delegates. In the case of the Republican Party, it has 2,472 delegates from each of the states with delegates proportionate to each states population. The GOP nominee has to win a majority of the delegates or 1,273 [edit 1,237]. Delegates arrive at the 2016 Republican Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 18th nominally bound to their candidate (and some are more bound than others as each states electoral laws and thus internal party primary/caucus/nominating procedures differ). If no candidate comes with a majority of the delegates, then no candidate can win the first round of voting. Depending on governing state election laws and internal state GOP procedures, most of the delegates become unbound in the second round leaving them free to support a different candidate than the one they came to represent. The outcome will depend on a myriad of factors but most heavily on the respective strengths of the 2nd and 3rd ranked candidates and the on the horse trading and enticements that can be made. Abraham Lincoln for instance arrived at the 1860 Republican Convention in 4th place and after 4 rounds of voting, emerged as the victor due to the shifting allegiances to his three higher polling rivals as each failed to win an outright majority with each voting round.

Could Ted Cruz ever manage to win a majority of delegates before the Convention?

Cruz currently holds 397 delegates to Trumps 646 (the remaining delegates are distributed: Rubio 169 Kasich 142 Carson 8 Bush 4 Fiorina, Paul and Huckabee 1 each). For Cruz to win outright, hed need to win the remaining races by a margin of around 70%. Based on current trends, thats a near impossibility. Cruzs only pathway to the nomination is to deny Trump his majority and secure nomination on a second or subsequent ballot at the Convention.

But wont it be easier for Cruz if Rubio and Kasich both drop out leaving it as a one on one race?

First off whilst Rubio has suspended his campaign yesterday after his heavy loss to Trump in his home state of Florida, Kasichs clear win in Ohio (his home state where he has had some success as Governor) will buoy him to continue. Some of the establishment donors that initially funded Bush, then switched to Rubio for a time, will donate to Kasich enabling him to keep running. He will fancy his chances in Wisconsin (a winner take all primary where Kasich enjoys the support of Governor Walker who remains popular amongst WI GOP voters). Kasich cannot win (indeed his pathway to a majority is hed have to win 90% of votes in the remaining primaries) but he will stay in to bolster his bargaining power at the Convention.

Primary voters dont move in simple binary ways so to assume that everyone not voting for Trump is vehemently anti Trump is a mistake. Lets assume Kasich did drop out, it is wrong for Cruzs campaign to assume that all of the Rubio and Kasich voters would come to him. A majority would but not all of them. Cruz is banking on that happening and that Trump is stuck at 45%. The other thing is that not all the remaining primaries are winner take all and so even if Cruz was to consolidate the anti-Trump vote behind him, Trump would still win enough delegates to deny Cruz a majority. California is the biggest prize awarding a whopping 341 delegates (172 from the primary then 169 alternates) but it awards delegates incrementally to the candidate who wins a plurality in each of the 51 Congressional districts making it very costly and complicated for one candidate to prevail. Its primary isnt until June 2nd making it the first time in living memory that a California primary has any influence on a nomination race. For those who want to stop Trump reaching 1,271 [edit 1,237] then the longer it is a three-man race, the greater the likelihood of a contested Convention. Thus the Cruz v Trump head to head race that Cruz so desires, will not be happening until Kasich runs out of money and starts to poll so low that he cant cross minimum vote thresholds in proportional states to be awarded delegates.

CAN TRUMP BE STOPPED?

If he wins 1,271 [edit 1,237]delegates before the Convention, no  he will be the nominee. But if he doesnt, then look to the party establishment to use a variety of tactics to deny him the nomination. The playbook to do this is detailed by Sasha Issenberg of Bloomberg. Reader Digest version: the selection of GOP delegates to the Convention is a shadow hidden primary campaign of back room deals, arm twisting, granting of favours and controlled by state and local level Republicans who are much more likely to support a mainstream candidate. Whilst a few states force their delegates to stay bound to their candidate throughout, almost all states allow their delegates to be unbound after the first ballot. The race is on to fill these delegate slots across the country with anti-Trump people who can be counted on to desert Trump after the first ballot. Arcane rules will be used to challenge any questionable primary or caucus results (e.g. the known chaos at the Nevada caucus and the public role of Trump supporters in dominating enrollment procedures at key caucus sites). Some states control the delegate appointment process in the hands of very few. For example, in South Carolina you can only be a delegate if you attended the 2015 State GOP Convention and that was held before Trump even announced his candidacy. The delegate appointments are controlled by Governor Nicki Hayley known to be anti-Trump and will be supported by both SC Senators Graham and Scott who both supported candidates other than Trump. Because Trump won every SC congressional district, he was awarded all of its 50 delegates but he could find come July that none of the 50 will support him in the second round.

Stage 2 of secret campaign to deny Trump the nomination would occur at the Convention. Senior party officials will control the all-important Rules Committee and we know that this has been used to control convention floor activities before. Fearing a Ron Paul revolution in 2012, Romney ensured that the Rules Committee imposed Rule 40 requiring that a candidate can only receive votes at the convention if they had won a majority in 8 states effectively shutting down Pauls potentially rowdy and disruptive delegates. Control of convention floor procedures down to who is the Sargent at Arms and can legally eject querulous delegates, will be how the establishment will handle the likely uproar from delegates who are loyal to Trump if he cannot win in subsequent voting rounds.

If Trump does not get to 1,271 [edit 1,237] and the Convention is contested, were going to see rambunctious political theatre not seen since the infamous Democrat Convention in 1968. Buckle up people  were going to be in for a rough ride. There are lots of other questions such as: if Trump is denied the nomination wont he and his supporters get ugly and wont he run as a third party candidate? If it is Hillary v Trump, is the conventional wisdom that Hillary will easily beat him true? Could the GOP establishment parachute in someone like Mitt Romney into the Convention (IMO a silly idea despite my support for Romney in 08 and 12) and could Trump continue to defy all political conventions (as he has to date) and still win the nomination and the Presidency? These questions will need to wait  there is still some water to go under the exciting and chaotic bridge that is the 2016 GOP Primary!

[Disclaimer: I supported Rubio from the earliest beginnings of the campaign but will vote for Cruz in the upcoming Arizona primary next week and then for whoever is the Republican nominee in the November election even if it is Trump or some mainstream candidate like Jeb Bush foisted on the party at the convention. Either is preferable to Clinton.]

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Houston, TX Many Many long-term disability insurance policyholders can tell you much of the paperwork that must be filled out in a claim is complicated. According to Marc Whitehead, founder of Marc Whitehead & Associates, LLP, one of the most frequent complaints he hears about long-term disability insurance denials is that the paperwork is unclear.

They shouldnt do an appeal on their own. They need someone who knows ERISA.

Frequently, youll see theres a carrier out there that gives you a multiple choice question, but it leaves out none of the above as a possible answer, Whitehead says. So it will ask, Are you capable of heavy, medium, light, or sedentary work? but the client might not be capable of any work. It creates a misleading answer because they cant choose none of the above, so they choose sedentary, because its closest to the truth.Of course, if paperwork is not filled out correctly or if the insurance company believes policyholders have misrepresented their condition in their application, the application can be denied. When the insurance claim is denied, policyholders often then get a letter that is also confusing, leaving them wondering why their application or appeal was not approved. Its usually at this point that policyholders contact an attorney.Insurance companies may deny claims for bad faith reasons or they may deny claims based on a misunderstanding of the policyholders disability or job duties. While in some cases, claims have allegedly been denied to protect profits, many claims are denied simply because the insurance company has not put adequate effort into understanding the policyholders situation.Under ERISA law, if the insurance policy is purchased through an employer benefits plan, the policyholder must exhaust all possible avenues of appeal before filing a lawsuit. Even though a lawsuit isnt initially filed, however, doesnt mean the policyholder should hold off calling an attorney. In fact, this is an important time to contact a lawyer because any evidence or documentation filed in support of an administrative appeal will also be the only evidence a federal judge sees if the company does not reverse its decision and the case goes before a judge.An insurance company is usually happy to let an insured think the appeal is a one-page letter saying please reconsider, Whitehead says. The reality is you may need to talk to vocational and medical experts for supporting evidence. You probably have to do background checks on the insurance companys own experts to discredit their opinions. A lot of work goes into these appeals. Most administrative appeals are around 100 pages long, not counting medical records.Whitehead says the administrative appeal of the denial is a trial on paper, and its the only chance policyholders have to get evidence into their file. His firm usually takes around four months to prepare for an appeal, and they hire their own experts for supporting information. Because of the volume of preparation required, the sooner policyholders contact an attorney, the better.Administrative appeals of long-term disability insurance can be complex and overwhelming, with policyholders required to meet strict deadlines and provide substantial supportive documentation of a disability.[Policyholders] need assistance in handling their appeal by someone who understands federal ERISA law, Whitehead says.For policyholders currently applying for disability benefits on their own, Whiteheads advice is to add as many pages as necessary to the application to give a full and complete picture of their disability. Just because only a few lines are given to describe a disability, doesnt mean the policyholder should be limited by the space available.
- Dr Sampson Parker, the former commissioner for health in Rivers state, reacted to allegations that Rotimi Amaechi is having mental illness

- Parker denied having treated the former governor of any mental disorder

- He alleged that false reports were aimed at denigrating him and soil his relationship with Amaechi

Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was not my patient at the Psychiatric Hospital when I worked there.

Dr Sampson Parker, the former commissioner for health in Rivers state, has reacted to allegations that Rotimi Amaechi is having mental illness, Daily Post reports.

Governor Nyesom Wike and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state have spread rumours that Amaechi was a psychiatric patient.

In a recent statement, Wike described Amaechi as a failed governor who needs urgent psychiatric evaluation and treatment.

He is a psychiatric patient who was at the radio station abusing people who are old enough to be his fathers/mothers simply because his party lost at the Supreme Court."

Amaechi lacks sound parental upbringing. He has vindicated us when he said that he has been given the army to rig the rerun elections. I know the chief of army staff very well. He should not allow a psychiatric patient to use the army to rig," he said.

However, Parker said that the claim was false and denied having treated the ex-governor of any mental illness.

According to the former commissioner for health, the reports were aimed at denigrating him and soil his relationship with his ex-boss.

READ ALSO: Amaechi lashes out at Wike for hiding wanted ex-militant leader

I have decided to speak now because my name is being used in the social and electronic media for inordinate political purposes.

Rumours, half-truths, innuendos, silly allegations and outright lies are being elevated to the level of facts. I dont know how we arrived at this juncture in the politics of Rivers state, where nothing is sacred; everything and everyone can be sacrificed just to score cheap political points. My fear is that Rivers people and indeed Nigerians may confuse or accept these wicked rumours and lies as truth," he said.

Parker stressed that no medical doctor would discuss his patient with anyone not involved in the treatment of that patient.

People have assigned patients to me, diagnosed them and passed off their diagnosis as mine. This is akin to shaving ones head in that persons absence.

I have heard things purportedly done and said by me from people who are not even close friends or relatives. In the past I dismissed these as the handiwork of jobless people who want to amuse themselves at my expense. I saw it as part of the sacrifices one makes for public service.

READ ALSO: Amaechi begs people of Rivers to shame Jonathan, Patience and Wike

These unfounded rumours are now being touted at campaign grounds and even radio stations in Rivers state. It is time to speak!

Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was not my patient at the Psychiatric Hospital when I worked there. I have never diagnosed or treated him as a psychiatric patient. I am not aware he has any psychiatric or mental health issues.

The first time I heard this silly rumour was from Gov. Amaechi just before we left office. I saw the allegation as a joke. I was amused and did not take it seriously since we both know the truth. He knows I have never made any diagnosis of mental illness concerning him and I thought my energies were better applied to looking for daily bread for me and my family.

Now that rumours are being repeated as facts even by people I held in high esteem, I have chosen to address it for the first and last time. Again, I state that I am not aware of any episode of mental ill-health over the 15 years of working closely with him as a friend and later as his commissioner for health, he said.

READ ALSO: Shocking! Amaechis Psychiatric Case posters flood Rivers

Meanwhile, tension is growing in the state ahead of the rerun election scheduled for Saturday, March 19.

Governor Wike has recently directed the caretaker committee chairman of Ikwerre local government to physically assault Amaechi, if moves outside of his polling unit.

He also accused his predecessor and Amina Zakari, the national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, of planning to swap authentic results from polling units with fake results.

Source: Legit.ng
- Gunmen stormed the home town of the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress

- The gunmen killed and severed the head of a 28-year-old man in Mgbuitanwo community

- The assailants also abducted another resident of the area

News just coming in from River state indicate that gunmen on March 17 stormed Mgbuitanwo, in Emohua Clan, Emohua local government area of the state.

INEC ad-hoc staff during election

READ ALSO: Rivers killings: What APC wants FG to do to IGP Arase

Vanguard in its report says the gunmen in the early hours of this morning stormed the home town of chief Andrew Uchendu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate in the March 19 rerun election in the state.

The gunmen reportedly killed a 28-year-old man identified as Mr. Ukeoma and beheaded him. The assailants also abducted another resident who is yet to be identified.

The residents of the community are currently in apprehension as news of the incident filtered in.

There has been apprehension following series of killings that have accompanied the announcement of rerun state and national legislative elections in the state.

Recently the acting national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Segun Oni at a media parley in the party's national secretariat in Abuja, alleged that these killings were politically motivated because most of the casualties are members of his party.

The state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refuted the allegation and hinted that the said killings were as a result of the ongoing cult war between rival groups.

The deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, Sotonye Wakama, in a bitter reaction to the situation, warned that the force would not spare anybody or who would want to disrupt Saturday March 19 election in the state.

We are going to stretch the law to fullest elasticity. Let me explain it, if it would require us to use a mortal pestle to kill a mosquito whatever challenge that might truncate the Saturday, March 19, 2016, national and state assemblies re-run elections in Rivers state, he said.

READ ALSO: Peterside raises alarm over killings in Rivers

In a bid to make real the threat of the DIG, the force headquarters has declared wanted the chairman, caretaker committee of Asari-Toru local government area of the state, Ambassador Soboma Jackrich, for his alleged involvement in the recent killings.

Despite the happenings in the state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recruited the services of 24,930 ad-hoc staff, 379 collation officers and 37 returning officers for the exercise. The ad-hoc staff are to lend a helping hand in the rerun election scheduled to hold in three senatorial districts, 12 federal constituencies and 22 state constituencies.

Source: Legit.ng
- Asari Dokubo has called on President Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu and restore Biafra

- He said Kanu did nothing wrong in calling for self-determination for Biafra

The former Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo has called on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to free the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Dokubo in the article published by The Trent has said that time will come and everyone should come together to make sure Kanu is freed and Biafra is restored.

The former militant said: ''Kanu did not commit any crime by calling for self-determination and he should be freed. It is never a crime to call for self-determination, thus, he should be freed. Biafrans have to put away their differences and make sure he comes out. When I was in detention, Igbo came together to bring me out. Nnamdi has done tremendously well and has shown resoluteness in the Biafra struggle. Our goal is our independence and the good of our people.

READ ALSO: Asari Dokubo speaks about Biafra name

''IPOB should extend their campaign to every region in Biafraland and not just Igboland. The Biafra gospel should be preached everywhere and people should be told why they should fearlessly join in this movement.

It is our collective responsibilities that will make Biafra restoration a success.

The Biafra struggle is for everyone and no one can do it all alone, thus, everyone should do away with differences and come together to make sure Kanu is freed and Biafra is restored. Leadership should not be our interest now; everyone should focus on our goal, which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.

Any Biafran who wants to deny the fact that Kanu catalysed this quest for Biafra independence is lying to himself; it is an obvious truth.

This is not time to nurse grudges against one another so that our enemies will not take advantage of it and then use it against us.

READ ALSO: Unbelievable! Read what soldiers did to vendors of Biafra newspapers

I urge every Biafran to be strong and also call for the release of our brother, Kanu.

However, Legit.ng cannot independently verify this message.

The former Niger Delta warlord recently explained the origin of Biafra saying that the name of the movement is Ijaw and not Ibo. This is contrary to the general belief.

Asari Dokubo expressed his support for the movement earlier saying that his group shares the same vision with the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

Source: Legit.ng
Death of 15 pigs was recorded on March 15 in a private household located near three kilometers far from Voinivka, Kirovohrad region.

The State Veterinary and Biosecurity Service of Ukraine reported on Wednesday that African Swine Fever (ASF) virus was found in the pigs.

The farm household bred 29 pigs. The owner of pigs did not apply to the veterinary service at once when he found dead pigs on March 10.

Specialists left for Kirovohrad region to coordinate measures to prevent ASF spreading.
Greenman Investments and RiverCrossing, focused on Islamic-compliant investments, are announcing a first closing of the Greenman IncomePRO fund in the amount of 31 million. The commitments are from RiverCrossings network of family offices and UHNWIs from the Middle East. The money will be used to acquire three German retail properties

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MSCI Inc. announced that Pan-European real estate funds returned 2.8% over the three months to December 2015 (measured in Euros) according to the latest results of the IPD Pan-Europe Quarterly Property Fund Index. The performance for the year 2015 as a whole stood at 13.5%, a slight deceleration compared with

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While automakers may not have done well in terms of domestic sales, there was an 11.02% growth in exports

Total car exports in February 2020 stood at 55,298 units, which are up by 11.02% as against 49,810 units, exported in February 2019. It may be seen from the list of 50 cars, that it was the Ford EcoSport that saw most exports last month despite a de-growth of 2.40%.

Total exports stood at 8,472 units down from 8,608 units exported in February 2019 but are still ahead of newcomers such as Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, etc. Fords exports in past month also saw Aspire at 11th position with 1,246 units in exports and Figo at 29th position with 181 units.

In the second spot for most exported cars from last month was Nissan Sunny at 6,371 units; up by 60.36% from 3,973 units exported in same month of previous year. Nissan also had Micra at 22nd position on list of top 50 exports with 402 units exported. Nissan Kicks (36th) recorded 60 units of exports past month.

Indian auto industry has received a severe blow following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While domestic sales will be substantially reduced, exports will also suffer. China accounts for 27% of Indias automotive parts imports and the country has suspended all shipments from China in view of coronavirus outbreak.

Top 50 Cars Exported  Feb 2020

No Car Exports Feb-20 Feb-19 Diff % 1 Ford EcoSport 8,472 8,680 -208 -2.40 2 Nissan Sunny 6,371 3,973 2,398 60.36 3 VW Vento 5,818 4,521 1,297 28.69 4 Chevrolet Beat 4,991 6,674 -1,683 -25.22 5 Hyundai Creta 4,538 3,136 1,402 44.71 6 Kia Seltos 3,569 0 3,569  7 Maruti Baleno 3,256 4,202 -946 -22.51 8 Hyundai Verna 2,510 2,754 -244 -8.86 9 Maruti S-Presso 1,659 0 1,659  10 Renault Kwid 1,254 419 835 199.28 11 Ford Aspire 1,246 965 281 29.12 12 VW Polo 1,127 470 657 139.79 13 Maruti Swift 1,121 579 542 93.61 14 Hyundai Venue 1,072 0 1,072  15 Maruti DZIRE 989 1,058 -69 -6.52 16 Maruti IGNIS 836 639 197 30.83 17 Maruti Alto 798 1,005 -207 -20.60 18 Jeep Compass 746 226 520 230.09 19 Toyota Liva 617 477 140 29.35 20 Maruti Ertiga 479 398 81 20.35 21 Maruti Celerio 458 656 -198 -30.18 22 Nissan Micra 402 299 103 34.45 23 Toyota Etios 387 260 127 48.85 24 Mahindra KUV100 322 333 -11 -3.30 25 Hyundai Santro 296 90 206 228.89 26 Maruti CIAZ 275 527 -252 -47.82 27 Hyundai Xcent 270 1,396 -1,126 -80.66 28 Maruti Eeco 199 68 131 192.65 29 Ford Figo 189 1,312 -1,123 -85.59 30 Hyundai Grand i10 181 2,792 -2,611 -93.52 31 Renault Triber 150 0 150  32 Mahindra Scorpio 117 141 -24 -17.02 33 Tata Nexon 94 75 19 25.33 34 Maruti WagonR 72 2 70 3500.00 35 Mahindra XUV500 68 54 14 25.93 36 Nissan KICKS 60 50 10 20.00 37 Honda BR-V 60 0 60  38 Mahindra XUV300 43 2 41 2050.00 39 Hyudnai Elite i20 33 1,240 -1,207 -97.34 40 Renault Duster 29 0 29  41 Mahindra Bolero 27 33 -6 -18.18 42 Maruti Brezza 24 138 -114 -82.61 43 Mahindra Thar 17 10 7 70.00 44 Tata TIGOR 12 15 -3 -20.00 45 Maruti XL6 11 0 11  46 Mahindra E2O 8 0 8  47 Maruti S-Cross 8 83 -75 -90.36 48 Tata Tiago 6 27 -21 -77.78 49 Tata HARRIER 6 0 6  50 Isuzu V-CROSS 5 31 -26 -83.87  Total 55,298 49,810 5,488 11.02

Volkswagen Vento exports stood at 5,818 units and closely followed that of Nissan Sunny in third spot. This is up by 28.69% as against 4,521 units back in February 2019. Volkswagen Polo came in 12th position with 1,127 units exported. At fourth position, Chevrolet Beat exports dipped by 25.22% in February 2020 to 4,991 units as against 6,674 units exported in same month of the previous year.

Hyundai Creta came at 5th position with a 44.71% increase in exports to 4,538 units when compared to 3,136 units in February 2019. Hyundai Verna, at 8th, had 2,510 units exported while Venue exports stood at 1,072 units. Hyundai also had Santro, Xcent, Grand i10 and Elite i20 lower down the order with only Santro showing off improved figures.

Kia Motors India had Seltos at 6th position with 3,569 units as exports. Seltos is exported to over 40 global markets. New Carnival has been well received and is expected to see good exports in the coming months. There is also Sonet compact SUV coming up, expected to carry a sticker price of Rs 7-11.5 lakh.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited saw highest exports from Baleno in the past month. Baleno exports stood at 3,256 units; down from 4,202 units exported in February 2019. S-Presso was at 9th with 1,659 units exported while Swift, DZire, Ignis, Alto, Ertiga and Celerio followed. Maruti Swift exports were exceptionally higher at 1,121 units (up by 93.61% as against 579 units exported in February 2019).

At 10th position, Renault Kwid exports jumped 199.28% to 1,254 units while Renault Triber at 31st, had 150 cars exported. Ford Aspire exports were up by 29.12% to 1,127 units. Jeep Compass also experienced increased exports as did Toyota Liva and Ford Figo. Toyota Etios (23rd) had 387 units exported in the past month. This is up by 48.85% compared to 260 units exported in same month of previous year. Mahindra KUV100 exports dipped by 3.30% to 322 units. Mahindra also had XUV500 at 35th (68 units) and XUV300 at 38th position (43 units).

Tata Nexon exports surged by 25.33% to 94 units in February 2020 as against 75 units sold in February 2019. Tata Tigor, at 44th position, had 12 units exported last month compared to 15 units exported in Feb 2019. Exports of Tiago, however, dipped massively by 77.78% to just six units. Only six units of Tata Harrier were also exported last month.
As the COVID-19 pandemic encompasses the world, factories, offices, shops and malls all shut shop  Citizens have been advised to stay indoors and life itself has come to a standstill

In India, the confirmed cases of COVID-19 have surged to 324 on Sunday after a steep rise in cases over the past two days. The state of Maharashtra seems to be the most hit where this pandemic is concerned. To date there have been over 64 cases reported in the state while Pune and the twin cities of Pimpri and Chinchwad have been badly affected. There are several auto companies that have their plants centered around these areas and many have announced closure of operations and suspended production till 31st March 2020.

Fiat Chrysler India has their production unit in Ranjangaon in Maharashtra, where Jeep Compass is manufactured for India as well as exports. They have announced a temporary closure of operations and suspension of production to protect the health of their workers and their families. The company had been particularly careful of employee safety over the past few days with thermal screening, use of added buses so as to allow for social distancing and following the closure, the plant will be thoroughly cleaned and fumigated so as to ensure safety once production commences.

Along with Fiat, Mahindra has also decided to suspend operations at their Chakan, Kandivali and Nagpur plants. Production has been stopped from Sunday 22nd February 2020 till Tuesday 31st February 2020 to protect the well being of their employees. Offices across the country will be implementing work from home policy.

Luxury automaker Mercedes Benz India has also followed suit with production unit in Chakan being shut. The companys administrative departments have also been shut and while this is for a period from 21st to 31st March, 2020, the period could be extended depending on the situation.

Volkswagen India has also been shut since the past few weeks, as the company was upgrading the plant for India 2.0 Project. Force Motors have shut production at their plant in Akurdi, Pune till 31st March. Construction equipment manufacturer, JCB has also shut down their Chakan plant. Tata Motors has also announced a temporary shutdown at their Pune plant. The company has scaled down activities at their Pune site with skeletal operations by end of Monday March 23, 2020 while they could go in for a complete plant closure on Tuesday 24th March depending on the situation.

Among the two wheeler makers in India, Bajaj Auto Limited has suspended production operations at their Chakan plant and had curbed all travel and has implemented the work from home policy since early March. Hero MotoCorp, does not have any production operations in Maharashtra, but has also announced on Sunday that it has suspended production at all its sites across the globe upto 31st March 2020 in order to safeguard its employees against COVID-19. None of the automotive companies have announced any retrenchment or cut back in salaries of their employees during this period.
Researchers from the Spanish National Research Council have uncovered a family of proteins that play a vital role in coordinating the cellular response of plants to various environmental stresses, in particular drought and temperature fluctuations.

A collaboration between the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Plant Biology (IBMCP), of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Polytechnic University of Valencia, UPV) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and the Rocasolano-CSIC Institute of Physical Chemistry (IQFR-CSIC), the findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and could help improve the defensive processes of plants in the driest regions of the Mediterranean Basin.

Cellular membranes are the point of contact between the cell and its external environment. A large number of receptor systems are concentrated here that process the ever-changing signals received from the outside world. Be it heat, cold, drought, etc., the cells must respond adequately to each of these environmental stresses in order to maintain the plant's vital functions. In plants these processes are constantly 'on'; being rooted in the ground, they have no other response to stresses deriving from changing weather conditions, or the simple passage of night to day.

This study has identified a family of proteins, the CAR proteins, which cluster together to create a series of points throughout the membrane that can be used by key signalling proteins to carry out their respective adaptive functions. CSIC researcher Pedro Luis Rodriguez from the IBMCP explain: "These [CAR] proteins form a kind of landing strip, acting as molecular antennas that call out to other proteins as and when necessary to orchestrate the required cellular response."

"In a medium-sized cell, the distance a molecule must travel from the point at which it synthesises to the membrane itself is comparable, relatively, to the distance between Madrid and Cadiz. For this journey there are mediators, both during and at the point of arrival, where they carry out a fundamental role in docking the signalling proteins in the appropriate cellular context," adds fellow CSIC researcher, Armando Albert, from the IQFR.

CAR proteins are one such mediator, playing a central role in the regulation of the plant's adaptive response to environmental stresses.

This research sheds light on an as yet not fully resolved question in plant biology, and could lead to interventions to improve resistance to drought, for instance.
In the microscopic life that thrives around coral reefs, San Diego State University researchers have discovered an interplay between viruses and microbes that defies conventional wisdom. As the density of microbes rises in an ecosystem, the number of viruses infecting those microbes rises with it. It has generally been assumed that this growing population of viruses, in turn, kills more and more microbes, keeping the microbial population in check. It's a model known as "kill-the-winner" -- the winners being the blooming microbial cells and the killers being the viruses (mostly bacteria-killing viruses known as bacteriophages) that infect them.

However, a recent study of virus-host dynamics near coral reefs led by SDSU virologists suggests that, under certain conditions, viruses can change their infection strategy. As potential host microbes become more numerous, some viruses forego rapid replication and opt instead to reside peaceably inside their host, thereby reducing their the viruses' numbers. In a study published today in the journal Nature, the researchers refer to this alternative model as "piggyback-the-winner," and it could have implications for phage-based medicine and ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental disturbances that promote microbial blooms.

Microbial population explosions can take many forms--algal blooms in the ocean and in lakes, fungal blights in soil and bacterial infection in humans are just a few examples--and how viruses respond to this rapid microbial growth has long interested ecologists. Many viruses can make the switch between rapid replication and dormant coexistence. For decades, most researchers have assumed that during microbial population booms, their viruses take advantage of the opportunity to multiply by killing the abundant microbial winners.

"Kill-the-winner seems to make sense," said Ben Knowles, a viral ecologist at SDSU and the study's lead author. "The logic behind it has been around for a while. The reasoning is very seductive."

Knowles, along with the study's other lead author, SDSU postdoctoral researcher Cynthia Silveira, and an international team of collaborators with expertise ranging from mathematics, physics and statistics to ecology and molecular biology, decided to put this model to the test. They collected samples of microbe-rich seawater near coral reefs in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Then, using a combination of microscopic and genomic techniques, they analyzed those samples for the abundance and nature of both microbes and the viruses that infect them.

Under the kill-the-winner model, researchers would expect to find more viruses per microbe in samples with a high microbial density and growth rates. What Knowles and his team found, however, was just the opposite: As microbial abundance increased, the virus-to-microbe ratio decreased significantly.

Next, Knowles and his team ran an experiment in which they incubated seawater from a pristine coral reef location and from Mission Bay in San Diego for several days, during which they monitored the viral and microbial abundance. The results matched their field sampling, with virus numbers staying relatively low even as microbial populations bloomed.

Why weren't the viruses exploiting the increasing population of hosts by infecting them and multiplying rapidly? Why weren't they killing the winner? Exploring this phenomenon further, the researchers used metagenomic analysis to determine whether the viruses in the sample showed virulent, predatory traits or the hallmarks of non-predatory lifestyles. Intriguingly, they found that in samples with a higher microbe count, viral communities became less virulent.

Instead of multiplying and killing off their booming host population, more of the viruses instead integrate themselves into their host. The viruses replicate more slowly, but they also avoid competing with other viruses and having to navigate with the host's own immunity defenses. This piggyback-the-winner model better explains virus -host dynamics during periods of fast microbial growth than the established kill-the-winner model, the researchers said.

"When you have a fast-growing host, if you're a virus, you profit more from integration," Knowles said. "It's just intelligent parasitism."

A better understanding of these dynamics holds promise for improving human health. For example, specially targeted phages have been suggested as a possible therapy for conditions like cystic fibrosis, which is caused by frequent bacterial lung infections. This discovery also could help improve marine ecologists' understanding of the microbiological forces that influence coral reef health.
We know that human-induced environmental changes are responsible for coral bleaching, disease, and infertility. Loss of the world's stony coral reefs -- up to 30% in the next 30 years, according to some estimates -- will mean loss of their services, including sequestering some 70-90 million tons of carbon each year and supporting enormous marine biodiversity. Yet despite many advances, we are still far from understanding the causes and processes contributing to the corals' demise. Weizmann Institute of Science researchers have developed a new experimental platform for studying coral biology at microscale resolutions, which is already providing new insights into this complex problem. The work was published in Nature Communications.

The tiny -- often less than a millimeter in diameter -- animals that build coral reefs create a thin layer of living tissue surrounding the calcium-based skeleton. These animals live in symbiosis with single-celled, photosynthetic algae that provide nutrients and oxygen in return for carbon dioxide and shelter. "In order to understand what happens during bleaching, when this symbiosis is broken," says Dr. Assaf Vardi, "we need to understand what happens to these organisms at the cellular and molecular levels under various conditions."

Dr. Vardi and his team -- Orr Shapiro, Esti Kramarsky-Winter, and Assaf R. Gavish, all of the Institute's Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences -- together with Roman Stocker of MIT (currently at ETH, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) created a system they call "coral on a chip." For the first time, the scientists were able to examine living coral polyps in the lab, under highly controlled conditions. This system is based on microfluidics technology, which had been developed to track cellular processes under lifelike conditions. Taking a small piece of coral, Dr. Vardi and his team induced stressful conditions -- in this case by increasing salt content -- that caused the corals to release polyps, a process sometimes referred to as "polyp bailout." Settling the bailed-out polyps into prefabricated microfluidic wells, the scientists were able to observe, via continuous observation under a microscope, how miniature coral colonies called "micropropagates" grow and behave in different conditions.

Using their system, the team recorded, for the first time, the growth of individual aragonite crystals -- the basic building blocks of the coral skeleton. The group was also able to directly visualize the initiation of coral disease, pointing to a little-known path of infection. Subjecting coral micropropagates to high light intensities, known to induce coral bleaching, enabled the team to follow the elimination of the symbiotic algae, one cell at a time.

Dr. Vardi's lab group is already in the process of adapting the coral-on-a-chip system to track the nutrient and carbon cycles of reef-building corals, as well as delving further into disease and bleaching processes. "Many corals are running out of time; it is crucial to know how our actions are affecting their survival, and how they affect ours," he says. "Our method can help researchers investigate everything from the coral genes that affect survival, to the strategies coral use to build reefs, to their effects on the marine carbon cycle."

Indeed, as corals represent an early stage in the evolution of multicellular organisms, Dr. Vardi envisions the coral-on-a-chip platform establishing coral micropropagates as a new model system for research.
The legend of St. Patrick banishing snakes from the emerald isle some 1,500 years ago is indelibly etched in folklore -- even if science suggests snakes were unlikely to have colonized the country following the last ice age.

But what would happen if St. Patrick's scaly foes were introduced now? Would Ireland's native wildlife sink or swim?

Experts from Trinity College Dublin believe snakes could certainly slither into Ireland's ecosystems if introduced but would likely cause trouble for native ecosystems. There are enough troublesome pests in Ireland today, such as the introduced New Zealand flatworm, which people would like to send on its merry way with some modern-day St. Patrick-style sorcery.

Associate researcher in Trinity's School of Natural Sciences, Collie Ennis, is a snake expert. He said: "If you look across the water, the UK has very similar environmental conditions to ours and snakes fit right in. Native animals that would not have evolved around snakes as predators would be lost if snakes were introduced here but snakes could probably persist."

Interestingly, a number of attempts have been made to introduce grass snakes, one of three species that are native to Britain, over the past 100 years. Until recently, grass snakes could even be bought in pet shops throughout the land.

Collie Ennis added: "There are anecdotal records of individuals releasing several grass snakes along the Royal Canal in Dublin but luckily the snakes failed to establish populations. This could simply be due to the small numbers of snakes introduced, the unappealing climate, or to a combination of these factors."

Worryingly, Professor of Zoology at Trinity, Yvonne Buckley, says there are lots of other invasive species that have established, and whose ecological influence is growing quickly. Some of these species present a real threat to Ireland's environment and economy.

Near the top of that list is the New Zealand flatworm, a relative newcomer to Ireland's shores, which feeds on native earthworms that provide important ecosystem services as well as currying favor with farmers for enhancing the fertility and drainage of agricultural soils.

Professor Buckley said: "New Zealand flatworms are not snakes but they are long and legless, and our ecosystems and farms would benefit from their removal. It certainly would be legendary if I could magically banish these legless interlopers! Unfortunately it costs a lot more to banish unwanted pests now than it did in St Patrick's day, so introduction of snakes would be a very expensive mistake."

Other invasive species that threaten Irish biodiversity and harm the economy include zebra mussels, muntjac deer, harlequin ladybirds, mink, mitten crabs, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed.
Up to three years is required to separate underground gas storage facilities from gas transportation facilities and to establish two separate companies, Ukrtransgaz President Ihor Prokopiv has said.

"The division of our underground gas storage facilities from our transport facilities is a complicated task. It is not easy to reorganize the holding because we have a united team of employees. When we talked with World Bank representatives, we concluded that the transition would take up to three years," he said.

Prokopiv said that the underground gas storage facilities are to be separated into a branch and will test operating procedures in this mode.

He said that his company will be separated from national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy in 2016.
When Earth's first organisms were formed, it may have been in an ice cold ocean. New research, published in Science Advances, indicates that both land and ocean were much colder than previously believed.

Many researchers believe that Earth's early oceans were very hot, reaching 80 Celsius, and that life originated in these conditions. New findings may prove the opposite to be true. Harald Furnes, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Earth Science, has analysed volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. The volcanic rocks were deposited at depths of 2 to 4 kilometres.

"We have found evidence that the climate 3.5 billion years ago was a cold environment," says Furnes.

Along with Professor Maarten de Wit from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa, Furnes has published the results in the journal Science Advances.

A cold globe

The rocks analysed by Furnes and de Wit were formed at latitudes comparable with that of the Canary Islands. Some of the sedimentary rocks associated with the volcanic rocks, show a remarkable resemblance to those known from more recent ice ages.

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"This may indicate that Earth, 3.5 billion years ago, experienced an extensive, perhaps global, ice age," Furnes says.

Past ocean temperatures are measured by analysing the relations between oxygen isotopes in rocks known as "chert," a rock composed of pure silicium-oxide. These South African rocks have been exposed to high temperatures. Even so, this is related to hydrothermal activity, or springs of extremely hot water, pumped from the ocean bed.

Similar to present climate

Additionally, the researchers found more proof indicating that these rocks had been exposed to cold water. By examining finely grained sedimentary rocks (originally a claylike mud), that exists along with the deep-submarine volcanic rocks, the researchers found gypsum. Gypsum is produced under high pressure and at very cold temperatures, as in the present deep ocean.

"In other words, we have found independant lines of evidence that the climate conditions at this time may have been quite similar to the conditions we have today," says Furnes.

Furnes thinks some researchers may have difficulties accepting the new knowledge of an early, cold Earth. A paradigm shift in Earth Science is not to be expected, but he thinks the climate of the early earth will be seen in a new light.

"I think that this will force research to go further," he says.
Uber will offer rides from the United States to Mexico, the most-traveled international land crossing, starting Friday. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Automobiles

Automatic braking to be standard by 2022

Automatic braking will be standard in most cars and light trucks within six years and on heavier sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks within eight years under an agreement that transportation officials and automakers announced Thursday.

The voluntary agreement with 20 car manufacturers means that the technology will be available more quickly than if the government had gone through the lengthy process of issuing mandatory rules, said Mark Rosekind, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

However, some safety advocates have filed a petition asking the government to issue mandatory regulations. They say that voluntary agreements are not enforceable and that since automatic braking is already available in some cars, issuing rules requiring the technology could be done faster.

Automatic braking systems use cameras, radar and sensors to detect objects that are in the way and slow or stop a vehicle if the driver does not react.

About 1.7 million rear-end crashes occur each year in the United States, killing more than 200 people, injuring 400,000 and costing about $47 billion. More than half of those crashes could be avoided or mitigated by automatic braking or systems that warn drivers of an impending collision, NHTSA has estimated.

Of the 194 most popular vehicle models now on the market, 17 come with automatic braking as standard equipment.

 Associated Press

PHARMACEUTICALS

Shkreli was warned on against price increase

The former top attorney for Turing Pharmaceuticals said Thursday that he and other executives warned Martin Shkreli against the huge price hike that triggered a national backlash against the company and the chief executive.

The Senate Special Committee on Aging subpoenaed current and former Turing executives to appear Thursday and explain the price increase for Daraprim, a drug used to treat a life-threatening parasitic infection. The company raised the price of a single pill of Daraprim by more than $700.

Turings former general counsel, Howard Dorfman, told committee members that the increase was certainly unjustified.

According to his testimony, when Dorfman and other executives objected to the increase, Shkreli responded that no one cares about pricing increases.

Mr. Shkreli told me that he was the most knowledgeable person with regard to this business model, Dorfman said. That I was seriously misinformed  despite my 30 years in the industry. Dorfman said he was fired from Turing in August, shortly after he expressed his concerns.

Thursdays hearing marked the second time in two months that lawmakers have summoned Turing executives to account for their pricing tactics. Last month, House lawmakers subpoenaed Shkreli to appear at a similar hearing, though he declined to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right.

Shkreli, who resigned as Turings CEO in December, is facing charges of securities fraud unrelated the company. He did not appear at Thursdays hearing.

 Associated Press

Also in Business

 From news services
Mark Cuban: The SEC lack of action has resulted in lawmakers having to try to cover every possible instance of what bad actors might do rather than trusting the SEC to identify fraud. (Steve Jennings/Getty Images )

When hes not hounding referees at Dallas Mavericks games or doling out money to would-be entrepreneurs on Shark Tank, Mark Cuban has made a hobby of offering often biting criticism of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In 2013, the billionaire was cleared of charges levied by the agency that he had traded on non-public information to avoid a $750,000 loss on a Canadian Internet company, Mamma.com. Cuban walked out of a Dallas courtroom victorious after a jury took just three hours to clear him of insider trading. But the battle, which had dragged on for years and cost him millions of dollars in legal fees, left Cuban fuming and critical of the agency.

Most recently, Cuban has taken his grudge against the agency to the Supreme Court. Cuban is supporting a growing challenge to the way the SEC handles some cases. Instead of sending the cases to federal court, the SEC puts them before an administrative judge whom defense attorneys have complained could be biased in favor of the agency.

[Mark Cuban takes his grudge against the SEC to the Supreme Court]

In friend-of-the-court briefs filed in three federal cases, Cuban describes himself as qualified to weigh in on the issue because he was a victim of SEC overreach. Mark Cuban is a successful businessman and investor who defeated an attempt by the [SEC] to sanction him as an insider trader based on an incorrect legal theory and defective facts, Cubans attorneys argued in a brief filed with the high court last week.

Here is a recent email exchange with Cuban on his criticism of the SEC. It has been lightly edited.

Its been three years since your SEC case. Why not just move on?

Because when it comes to insider trading, they are incompetent.

Do you or anyone think the market is safer today than it was 15 years ago? Feel free to invest in a survey to find out. When I give speeches, I always ask who thinks the market is safer. One percent at most raise their hands. Same when I ask who trusts the markets today.

Why has the number of public companies been cut in half?

Why cant investors who want to do the right thing call the SEC and ask a question and get a definitive answer? Instead, they are sent to a Web page that has an image of a fax from 1980.

Why wont they clarify insider-trading laws so that investors who want to follow the law have a clear understanding of what is or isnt against the law?

They intentionally keep things vague because it means more jobs when they leave the public sector.

In one interview, you blamed the SEC for the lack of IPOs, citing over-regulation. Can you give examples of this excessive regulation?

There is no clarity for CEOs on what insider trading is or isnt. The SEC can bring a case against anyone by creating their own interpretation of insider-trading precedent. Why would a CEO or anyone in a public company want to subject themselves to a risk they cant understand or isnt clear to anyone ?

If you look at [financial-reform legislation Sarbanes-Oxley or Dodd-Frank] they are both a response to the SEC not doing their job.

Enron, Worldcom, [Bernie] Madoff, [R. Allen] Stanford, the subprime meltdown, etc. In each of these cases and others, there were articles written and short-sellers who profited because the frauds or lack of risk identification were readily identifiable. Except the SEC refused to take action. Or they werent smart enough to see what was happening.

Its the same now with the many flash crashes. Does anyone believe that the 2010 flash crash was caused by a guy in London acting by himself ? What about the recent October and August flash crashes? Who caused them, and why has the SEC said nothing, months and a year-plus later?

The SECs lack of action has resulted in lawmakers having to try to cover every possible instance of what bad actors might do rather than trusting the SEC to identify fraud.

That impacts the cost of going and staying public.

Do you feel that the problems you have identified at the SEC are the fault of current management (SEC Chair Mary Jo White), or is it something more systemic?

Its both. She is a lawyer who is trying to deal with business and technology issues that are clearly over her head. She clearly is trying but unable to understand either.

Which has led to dramatic over-lawyering.

There is zero evidence that I can find that any action she has taken with respect to insider trading or market structure has led to an increase in capital formation, trust in markets or an increase in investor participation. Its been the exact opposite. Fewer IPOs, less trust and less participation.

She refuses to do any research that shows that anything she is doing is having any impact at all. Instead, she releases annually the worthless stats of the number of cases and amount of money in fines or money returned to the SEC.

What she is doing is not working.

[The SEC has repeatedly declined to comment on Cubans criticisms of the agency but has defended its record on handling cases.]

On the issue of administrative law judges, the SEC Office of Inspector General says that it found no evidence that the process is biased in favor of the SEC. Do you take any solace in this?

Thats laughable. Why not look to impartial analysis ?

When will you be satisfied? What needs to change at the SEC for you to walk away from this battle?

When people have confidence in the markets.

When small companies are excited to go public again.

When there are bright-line insider-trading rules that are easy to understand.

When anyone can call the SEC and get clarification about any rule before they make a trade.

When we have confidence there wont be any more flash crashes or worse.

When everyone accused by the SEC can get a trial by jury.

When the SEC adheres to the Brady Rule, where they are required to produce exculpatory evidence.

That will be a good starting point.
Philip Johnson was a promising musical prodigy. Then he stole a teachers prized Stradivarius. (The Washington Post)

He is dying, Q-tip elbows poking through a baggy shirt. Friends visit, spooning him ice cream and playing music. His daughters are around as well, stopping in after school, too young to process the grim scene. And there, carefully placed in the closet, out of view in the room his ex-wife has set up, is the Stradivarius.

Philip Johnsons fingers are no longer strong enough to play any violin, never mind one so unforgiving. So he keeps the Strad in a plastic crate. The instrument is the only thing he has of value. It is also his biggest secret.

When hes gone, the news will shock them all, from the FBI to his family to the daughters of Roman Totenberg, who stand to inherit the instrument. They will ask how this once-promising, later penniless eccentric stole an 18th-century violin worth millions  and got away with it. After all, he was the only suspect when it was taken in 1980. As death approaches, Johnson, usually the loudest voice in the room, keeps his mouth shut. It is the fall of 2011. This has been his secret for 31 years.

Johnson, who was never able to hold a job, a mortgage or a relationship, somehow accomplished something most everyone thought impossible: He played Totenbergs Stradivarius in plain view until the end.

He did this through chaos and control, by building an impenetrable wall between his past and present. Those who suspected Johnson of the crime lost track of him. Those who knew him during the last two decades of his life had never heard of the Totenberg theft. They just thought Johnson had an old violin.

Why, asked Gregory Maldonado, a friend and fellow violinist, would Phil have a Strad?

The trail remained ice-cold even after Johnson died of pancreatic cancer two weeks before Thanksgiving 2011. Then, last summer, Thanh Tran, Johnsons ex-wife, decided to look into selling the violin. She had no idea it was a Strad.

A friend suggested she contact Phillip Injeian, a dealer in Pittsburgh. It was Injeian who, working off e-mailed photos, saw that it matched a Stradivarius built in 1734 and stolen from the late Totenberg.

Injeian arranged to meet Tran in New York in late June. He also called the FBI. Within hours of her showing him the violin, two agents with the agencys art theft team swooped in to claim the Strad. They contacted the Totenbergs, including daughter Nina, the longtime National Public Radio legal affairs correspondent.

In August, during a packed news conference in Manhattan, the authorities returned the violin to the family.

Across town, in the locker room of the Metropolitan Opera, two musicians got ready for a rehearsal.

Did you hear about Totenbergs Strad? asked cellist Jerry Grossman.

Abe Appleman paused. A name the violinist hadnt thought of in years popped into his head.

Was it Phil Johnson? he asked.

Thats exactly the guy, said Grossman.



Johnson was sitting in the first violin chair at left for a photo of the Ridley High School Orchestra in the spring of 1969. (Photo courtesy of Tia Zink)

The secret

The crime defies logic. The young violinist, with so much ahead of him, brazenly acts while the master mingles in the next room. He leaves town under a cloud of suspicion. And even as he squanders his career, he refuses to reveal his secret. This delicate, hand-crafted masterpiece of wood and gut strings is his to possess, to play, to imprison.

There were hints all along. Only now, in the months after the discovery, can those who came into contact with Johnson piece together how this cocky amateur became a professional thief.

His siblings think of his childhood just outside Philadelphia. The parents coddling the baby of the family, sparking a lifetime sense of entitlement. The ex-wife points to his anxieties, the ones that seemed to haunt his mother, and the manic behavior. The symptoms led her to consider the possibility of undiagnosed attention-deficit disorder. Others note Johnsons relationship with God. He grew up deeply religious but later lost faith, railing at anyone who believed in a higher being.

In the end, Johnsons sister admits that she will never fully unpack the mystery.

Can we ever figure out what makes someone else tick? Carol Anderson asks. Do we really know ourselves that well? The Bible says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

One thing Johnson did know. The beauty of a Stradivarius.

The stringed instrument, named for the Italian craftsman Antonio Stradivari, is considered the finest one can play. It is also very rare. Experts estimate that of the 1,000 or so violins crafted before Stradivaris death in 1737, about 500 survive today.

The magic of a Strad is very hard to put in words, says violin star Joshua Bell. Its sort of the difference between listening to Pavarotti sing and listening to a very good tenor. When you play a Strad, a great Strad, theres something about it. Like, Oh, my God, thats what a violin should sound like. 

In 2001, Bell paid nearly $4 million for a Stradivarius with its own fascinating history: In 1936, a journeyman player named Julian Altman snuck into Carnegie Hall and stole the violin from Bronisaw Huberman, disguised it with thick layers of shoe polish and performed on the Strad in B-rate gigs for decades. The Altman theft was uncovered only when he died in the mid-1980s.

The story, in some ways, mirrors that of Totenberg, who knew Huberman and was also a supremely gifted Jewish violinist from Poland. There is an important exception.

Johnson was never meant to be a journeyman. At one time, he was thought by many, including his college teacher Joseph Silverstein  one of the great orchestral violinists of the 20th century  to be a dynamic player with considerable promise.

The secret. I think the secret killed him, says Maldonado, who knew Johnson for decades.





Totenberg conducts a student orchestra. He led the string department at Boston University when Johnson studied there. (Courtesy the Totenberg family via NPR/Courtesy the Totenberg family via NPR)

Concert, then a crime

It is May 13, 1980, and Totenberg is playing an all-Mozart recital at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass. He is not just the star attraction that night. He is also the schools director.

Johnson, here to attend the concert, isnt famous, but after four years as a student in the tightly knit Boston music community, hes a familiar face.

He is 27, a handsome man with Beatlesque brown hair. That night, Johnson brings a violin case to Pickman Hall and takes his seat. This case will be remembered later as authorities try to piece together how somebody could have smuggled a 246-year-old violin out of a crowded building.

Today, if you walk into Longys main building on the edge of Harvard Square, youll be captured on camera. That wasnt the case in 1980. You could easily disappear within the buildings winding hallways.

That night, about 200 people packed Pickman to hear Totenberg perform with pianist Lily Dumont.

After performing, Totenberg scoots across the lobby and leaves the Stradivarius alone, in a dressing room connected to the directors office. He steps out to mix with the crowd. When he returns, his violin case is gone. The FBI says that it was found nearby, but empty.

Who took it? Immediately, talk centers on one suspect. Phil Johnson.

He had been seen in the building that day, and it was odd because he wasnt a fan of Mr. Totenberg, recalls Irene Quirmbach, a violinist who had studied with Totenberg. We didnt really understand why he was there.

Kenneth Sarch, one of Totenbergs former assistants, says Johnson was overheard grumbling that night that the aging master didnt deserve such a fine instrument.

Karen Marie Marmer, then a young violinist visiting from New York, remembers running into Johnson in the lobby of Longy. She thinks it may have even been the night after the concert. He was agitated.

I cant believe theyre accusing me of something like this, he told her.



Johnson as a boy. (Photo courtesy of Thanh Tran)

His older brother, Bobby, said: He just kept at it and kept at it, and by the end of the summer, when it was time to go to school, he could play every hymn in the hymn book. We were absolutely dumbfounded. (Family photos) (Photo courtesy of Thanh Tran)

Folsom, Pa.

The Johnson familys neighborhood, just a half-hour southwest of Philadelphia, is made up of the neat, modest brick houses that sprang up all across postwar America.

It was not a happy home. Robert, his father, had studied to become an artist before giving it up to become a machinist. Marion, his mother, is paralyzed by anxiety and depression. By the time the children come along  Robert Jr., Carol and finally Philip  Marion wont so much as leave the house for the supermarket.

She would say, Its like the day you were born, my life ended,  Carol recalls being told.

Life for the baby is different. He arrives early in 1953. Carol isnt allowed to get up from the table unless she finishes all of her carrots. Phil eats gobs of butter, sometimes dipped in ketchup. Bobby, 11 years older, finally speaks up. Why is he getting away with everything?

You keep your mouth shut, his father shoots back.

Bobby plays the violin first. But he lacks discipline. When Phil is 7, he notices the instrument. He asks whether he can try it.

I could barely think of what to show him, Robert Johnson Jr. says today. He said, Okay, I guess Ill see what I can do with it. He just kept at it and kept at it, and by the end of the summer, when it was time to go to school, he could play every hymn in the hymn book. We were absolutely dumbfounded.

He takes lessons in elementary school, immediately standing out.

Phil was hands down the best violinist, says Stephen Nazigian, a classmate. He used the entire bow when others were scratching back and forth. He really knew what he was doing. He would practice an hour a day when other kids would be hard-pressed to do 15 minutes.

With the boy outgrowing the school program, the family tracked down Jerome Wigler, Juilliard-trained and a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Today, at 95, Wigler still remembers Johnson. But not so much for his playing.

Wigler remembers his proselytizing. It bothered him, how Phil stood outside Wiglers house, eager to pitch any emerging student.

He would try to get them to join the church, says Wigler. He had all sorts of propaganda. He would just talk religion.

After graduating from Ridley High School, Class of 1970, Johnson headed south to Florida Bible College. And thats where something shifted.

He dropped out of school, began freelancing for orchestras in Florida and by the time he headed north to Massachusetts in the mid-70s  why, its not clear  he was no longer a believer.

In 1976, Johnson, now 23, entered Boston University to study music. The departments faculty featured some of the most storied players in the field, including Totenberg.

Other teachers were members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Joseph Silverstein, the violinist who would become Johnsons teacher, remembers one of the many things that set him apart.

Most entering students were known quantities, referred by former teachers.

Not Phil, said Silverstein. He just came out of nowhere. I still dont know where hes from.

A natural nobody forgets

In Boston, Johnson immediately made his mark, though not for the right reasons.

His first teacher, Roger Shermont, a longtime BSO violinist, found him too difficult to teach. Silverstein agreed to take Johnson on.

It was a lucky stroke. As the BSOs concertmaster, Silverstein was one of the most important orchestral players of his era. For a young student, it would be like working in the batting cage with Mickey Mantle while he still roamed center field for the Yankees.

Silverstein died in late 2015 at age 83. But two weeks before his fatal heart attack, he was asked by The Washington Post whether he remembered Johnson.

The kid was a fast sight reader and had a talent for jazz. He scored a prestigious fellowship to the Tanglewood Music Center, the BSOs summer home.

He also had a certain native charm about him, Silverstein said. There was something about this wild kid. He was a natural. His playing was undisciplined, but it was attractive.

Then there was his other side. Johnson did not treat others with respect. Not his peers, not his superiors.

You would assign him a particular piece of music and hed come up with something else, said Silverstein. He was a rebel, and we were really trying to harness the kid and get him to focus.

Silverstein remembered Johnson being dismissive of Totenberg, who taught at BU until he left for Longy in 1978.

But listen, Phil was dismissive of almost everybody, he said. He was quite an arrogant kid. A vestigial remnant of the 60s.

Other students snickered as Johnson, in the BU hallways, wore gloves, ostensibly to protect his hands, even during warmer months. Backstage before a performance, Johnson would not softly run through his scales. Instead, hed blast out excerpts of major works, performing with an intensity meant for the stage.

He would be bragging and mentioning his solo performances, Quirmbach recalls. It was always about him.



Roman Totenberg performs with the Stradivarius in the 1950s. (Courtesy the Totenberg family via NPR)

Johnson, playing the Strad in 1994. (Photos from the Totenberg family, via NPR, and Thanh Tran) (Photo by Thanh Tran)

The master and the wild child

They are both gone. That makes it impossible to know how closely Totenberg and Johnson interacted. They certainly knew each other. Twice a year, every music student had to play for a jury made up of department faculty. But did Totenberg and Johnson ever really talk?

One things for sure. Totenberg didnt need to brag. Born in Poland, Totenberg played in front of Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House at 25, moved to the United States at 27 and, just before his 33rd birthday, purchased his Stradivarius. The instrument cost $15,000 in 1943.

It took years to break in. The hand-crafted instruments are notoriously persnickety and demand nearly perfect technique. But this Strad, with its distinctive wood-grain finish, would become Totenbergs primary performance tool as well as one of the instruments he used for lessons. And it was at Boston University, where Totenberg led the string department from 1961 to 1978, that some noticed how careless the aging master could be when it came to his Strad. He sometimes treated it like an old winter coat.

He would kind of shove it behind the sofa and leave it with the door unlocked, says violinist David Dyer, a student during the 1970s.

Totenberg and Johnson left BU at about the same time, though under vastly different circumstances. In 1978, Longy hired Totenberg as its new director. The following spring, Johnsons academic performance dropped. He withdrew from three courses and received two Fs and an incomplete. BU expelled him.

He would never tell family or friends about this, his academic dismissal not revealed until 2015, when The Post acquired his transcript.

And Silverstein didnt remember Johnsons exit. He did remember that, for years, there had been debates over whether to keep him there.

Everyone was down on him, saying This kid is so wild, hes never going to amount to anything,  Silverstein says. The one person who was sort of his champion? Roman Totenberg.

Did he play the Strad?

On a chilly Manhattan morning, Bruno Price opens a desk drawer to reveal the reddish chestnut body of a Stradivarius.

This is not a photo op. In fact, Price wont allow any cameras in the room. The instrument could be worth millions. Now, its in pieces, part of a delicate restoration underway at Rare Violins of New York, a shop a block from Carnegie Hall. Totenbergs daughters, Nina, Amy and Jill, hired Price late last summer to ready the Strad for a sale later this year.

Standing here, Price admits he worried when the sisters called last August with news of the violins recovery.

A Stradivarius needs more than TLC. It needs to be maintained. But a thief cant bring a hot fiddle into the shop for a checkup. He would immediately be busted.

So Price felt great relief that morning last summer when, surrounded by FBI investigators and the sisters, he first saw the Stradivarius. The instrument hadnt suffered any irreversible damage.

Price thought he knew why. He contended that Johnson had played it only four or five years after stealing it in 1980.

I cant see how somebody even using it sparingly over that amount of time would have not caused more damage, Price says.

It is an interesting theory. It also is dead wrong. Johnson didnt just play the Stradivarius in recent years. He used it for free performances in churches and in recording sessions. He played it as recently as 2011 during a crowded session only months before his death.

The fact that Johnson could play the instrument publicly is less a show of daring than a symbol of how far he had fallen. The hotshot violinist, once a standout, was so anonymous that he could play a stolen Stradivarius  and no one noticed.

Wrong is wrong

At first, Johnson kept his prize hidden.

On June 6, 1980, three weeks after the theft, Johnson performed Sibeliuss Violin Concerto at Bostons Jordan Hall. Steven Mercurio, a close friend from BU, conducted. So soon after the crime, Johnson knew better than to use the Strad.

Nina Totenberg, Roman Totenbergs oldest daughter, remembers her parents pleading with the FBI to search Johnsons apartment. They were told that suspicion alone was not enough for a search warrant.

My mom kept asking people if they would break into his apartment and look for the violin, Totenberg says. She would ask Harvard professors this.

The Strad would be gone soon enough. Johnson, no longer at BU, headed to New York later in 1980 and roomed with Mercurio for a few months. A childhood friend, Keith Van Brunt, visited him.

He was penniless, so he would go to the grocery store and steal everything he could for food, says Van Brunt.

Sometime in 1980, Johnson rambled back to his home state of Pennsylvania. He moved in with his sister.

I wondered why I never heard him practicing, Carol says.

The Stradivarius? Her brother did tell her, at some point, he had a good violin worth something like $30,000. But not a Strad.

I can guarantee you one thing, Anderson says, if either my husband or I knew, we would have reported it immediately. Wrong is wrong, family or no family.

After three months, Johnson told her of a new opportunity, to play for an orchestra in Venezuela. He threw his bags into the car and Steve drove him to the airport. In the front seat, Johnson held only one thing. His violin case.

He held it like a baby, Steve recalls.



Photo documentation of Roman Totenbergs Stradivarius. Experts estimate that of the 1,000 or so violins crafted before Antonio Stradivaris death in 1737, about 500 survive today. (Totenberg family photo) (Courtesy Totenberg Family)

My God, that fiddle sounds incredible

The Stradivarius began to emerge.

Van Brunt believes it was in the late 1980s. Johnson, back from Venezuela, moved in with him.

He played that violin every day, and he did all the maintenance himself because I would watch him take it apart and do things to it, he says. His explanation to me is that he bought an old violin. His dad helped him buy it. What do I know?

Elmers glue kept the seams from splitting and also secured a fingernail-size corner of the body, which he had chipped off. Johnson had at least two violins, so he could play concerts without the stolen Strad. But today, friends who have seen pictures of the violin remember him using it in many of the small gigs he played across the country, barely earning enough to get by.

At a recital in California, a friend, Rebecca Rutkowski, approached Johnson after noticing his sound was particularly rich.

I said, My God, that fiddle sounds incredible,  she says. He started acting weird. He said, I just borrowed it. Then I asked if I could come back and try it. No, dont come into the dressing room. I keep it closed. That was unusual.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Johnson continued to freelance in New York, California and Pennsylvania. That work led to an unexpected  and final  crack at musical success. He met cellist Michael Fitzpatrick and pianist Xak Bjerken.

Fitzpatrick was drawn to the violinists blazing version of Jimi Hendrixs Purple Haze.

Bjerken found Johnsons approach inspiring.

He felt most people were sort of run of the mill, mainstream, conservative. And he had a point, says Bjerken, now a professor at Cornell University. It was very exciting to play with him. He could get a volume of sound that was enormous.

The three formed Mobius, a trio that performed the works of the great composers but also embraced improvisation. Later, his bandmates would realize the old violin Johnson often played was the Strad.

Approaching 40, Johnson also entered his most stable relationship. In California, he met Thanh Tran, a native of Vietnam. She and a friend had come to a Sunday afternoon concert in Santa Monica.

This violinist started waving at us from the stage, remembers Tran. He was smiling and winking.

Tran, eight years younger, had come to the States in her teens, earned a degree in electrical engineering and started working at Hughes Aircraft Co. Johnson, she learned quickly, had no money but was full of energy. Tran, financially secure, felt drawn to him.

I wanted him to be able to explore his music without having to worry about money. And I wanted to help. I wanted to feed his talent.



Mobius, 1992, in Venice Beach. Michael Fitzpatrick, left, Phil Johnson, center, Xak Bjerken, right. (Photo by Thanh Tran/Photo by Thanh Tran)

A high-profile gig, a flop

Mobius started with promise. In 1993, Johnson played the Strad on Beyond Beethoven, an album that earned the group praise from the New York Times and a prime slot as trio-in-residence at the prestigious Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C.

That honor came from Mercurio, Johnsons old BU friend, now the festivals music director. The problem came on the June night when Mobius was set to perform. Johnson decided, just before they took the stage, to add echo and other effects to their instruments.

Fitzpatrick plucked his cello and it sounded like a cannon shot.

He had completely overamplified my cello, he says. And then my A-string snapped two minutes from the end of the piece. We couldnt stop, so I just remember playing the whole rest of the cello solo way up on the D-string. It was a catastrophe.

Robert Jones, reviewing for the Post & Courier, called Mobius inept and compared the performance to painting mustaches on the Mona Lisa.

Still, Mercurio didnt abandon his old friend. Only weeks later, he brought Johnson and Mobius to Italy for the European version of Spoleto. He appointed Johnson the concertmaster of the festival orchestra. Then he watched as Johnson argued with other players and showed up late. Finally, Mercurio pulled him. Mobius would soon dissolve. Johnson, now 40, had squandered his last, best opportunity.

Its painful to think of somebody with that potential who ends up doing all the wrong things, but you can say that about anybody who had talent and becomes a stripper or junkie, says Mercurio. This person was brilliant, charming, smart and talented. How did this happen?

Day trading, divorce

In the 1990s, Johnson, now settled in California with Tran, started taking trips to Las Vegas to play blackjack. That led him to day trading. Tran kept urging her husband to build a career giving music lessons. Their living room in Venice was perfect for that.

But he always wanted to take a short cut, she says.

Erica and Laura were born, in 1997 and 1998. Johnson, at home, didnt sleep much, usually two or three hours at a time. He would talk about being depressed, even to his little girls.

They noticed his quirky behavior. Johnson refused to wait out traffic, terrifying his passengers by turning his car onto the sidewalk on occasion. He wouldnt drink from a coffee pot for fear chemicals night leach into his cup from the urn.

He could also never be far from the computer.

Sometimes, when I woke up in the middle of the night, Id see him up at 3 a.m., trading, Erica recalls.

All the money I made was going out the door, says Tran. I said, I cant really do this anymore. 

They would separate in 2005 and officially divorce in 2008. He moved into a second home she had purchased, refinanced it and eventually had to sell. He filed for bankruptcy. The new owner would rent him back a room, a space so small he was embarrassed to invite friends over.

In early 2011, Johnson learned he had pancreatic cancer. As his condition worsened, he began to get back in touch with his siblings. Late at night, on the phone, he talked to his older brother and asked Robert to read him the Bible. He also reminded Carol about one of his old violins. The one worth, oh, $30,000. And Johnson told his friends about one last wish.



(Photo courtesy of Thanh Tran)

Phil Johnson with the Stradivarius toward the end of his life, when he tried to make a recording of the Sibelius violin concerto, a work he loved, at a church in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo courtesy of Thanh Tran)

The last roundup

The Sibelius. Thats the concerto he loved so much, the work he played back in Boston so long ago. Johnson didnt just want to play it. He wanted to create a new recording.

One more thing. This time, Johnson would play the Stradivarius.

On a Wednesday night in July 2011, a group of local musicians packed First United Methodist Church in Santa Monica. They were joined by an outsider from Johnsons past. Mercurio flew out from the East Coast.

Ben Maas, a local engineer, cut his usual daily session fee from $1,000 to $650.

He was not in particularly good shape, says Maas. His fingers werent working the way they had in the past. He was getting frustrated. The goodwill from the orchestra, it didnt disappear, but people were getting kind of annoyed they had to do take after take for somebody who was obviously not going to have the perfect product.

Recording wrapped and the musicians went home. Johnson, exhausted, eventually returned to talk with Maas about how to mix the session. He and the engineer bickered about the recording fee. Eventually, the violinist lost his temper.

He said, Look, Im dying, come after me,  Maas says.

Four years later, Maas is asked about the last recording. He doesnt have it. When Johnson berated him and refused to pay, Maas got frustrated. He decided the files were taking up too much space on his hard drives. He deleted them.

Had I known the story behind the violin, he says today, I absolutely would have kept it. The guy was cranky and not a nice person to deal with, but never, in a million years, would I have thought he had a Stradivarius.

To sing again

On that August afternoon in 2015, cameras flashed as the Totenberg daughters smiled and posed with their fathers Stradivarius. They were in their 30s when they last saw it. Now Nina, the oldest, was 71.

This was no regular news conference. Jason Masimore, an assistant district attorney and amateur musician, opened by playing Bach on his own violin. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declared the moment a joyful ending to an amazing story. Nina, sitting on the side, offered a different take. She remained angry.

Totenberg talked of how her father eventually cashed out a $101,850 insurance policy and used it toward the $300,000 purchase of a Guarneri built in 1736. Totenberg wished Johnson would have spoken up. While the thief was dying, her father was still very much alive. He died in May of 2012 at 101.

He would have loved to have known it was not lost to humanity and that it would sing again, she said.

In the workshop, Bruno Price politely disagreed with Ninas wish. Price remembered visiting Totenberg in his 90s. The sisters had called him with concern. The violinist had been tinkering with the Guarneri and that had left scratches.

His skin was almost like tissue paper on bone, says Price. He was more and more sensitive to how the instrument felt, and he had been moving the bridge around so the strings would be a bit lower.

Delicately, Price and the Totenberg sisters suggested that the Guarneri be brought back to New York to the companys vault for safekeeping. Totenberg would use a newer instrument that was easier to play.

As the Stradivarius rested in his workshop, Price shared a thought he said he hoped would not sound impolitic. He is glad the dying man didnt return the Stradivarius.

Roman would have wanted to hear its old voice, one of the most haunting things for musicians, said Price. But that would have been so cruel. Physically, he wouldnt have been able to play it.

The Strad never made it to Totenbergs bedside in Newton, Mass. It almost slipped away forever. After Johnson died, Tran considered donating it to her youngest daughters school. Anderson, though, remembered the old violin that her brother had reminded her of as the end neared.

You might want to check it out, she told Tran. The way Philip talked about it, it might be worth quite a bit.

Now, both men are gone. The Stradivarius is being restored with a purpose. The Totenberg sisters are not searching for the highest bidder, a collector eager to place a mystical trophy on his mantel. The violin is being restored for a very specific buyer. A player. So that one day, the Stradivarius, a secret for decades, can be free, to sing again.
Interchem double liability company (Odesa) took part in the largest pharmaceutical exhibition in Eastern Africa in Kenya, Interchem Head Anatoliy Reder has said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"I've managed to have a fruitful talk with top managers of Kenya's registration service. These are skilled specialists interested in Ukraine manufacturers' entrance to the local pharmaceutical market. Considering Ukraine as a part of Europe they hope that the product that we will be able to supply will be of high quality. It will meet European requirements, but it would be cheaper than European alternative products," Reder said.

He said that the African pharmaceutical market is complicated due to types of distribution, and the Kenyan market is rather weak.

"Tentatively it is annually estimated at some $250 million. The number of the population is comparable with Ukraine. Some $450 million of donor funds is spent on fighting malaria and HIV. The products sold in Kenya have small margins. This means that business is intricate. Some 95% of importers on the Kenyan market are from India. They always are heading to super low prices and unsophisticated products. The market is developing, and shares similar trends with our market," he said.

He said that after the exhibition Interchem decided to study the issue of entering the African pharmaceutical market.

Interchem double liability company is one of the leading Ukrainian manufacturers of medicine and pharmaceutical substances. It has a full production cycle from the design and synthesis of new biologically active molecules, and the industrial production of pharmaceutical substances, to the production of medicines and sales of products to end consumers.
Since the publication of Ghost Story in 1979, Peter Straub has been one of the dominant figures in contemporary horror fiction. Like his friend and occasional collaborator Stephen King, he has taken on a marginalized subgenre and elevated it, demonstrating, in the process, its largest, darkest possibilities.

There may be no better introduction to Straubs accomplishments than this new, aptly titled career retrospective, Interior Darkness. The collection contains 16 stories, three of them previously uncollected. They range in length from single-page vignettes to densely detailed short novels, in settings from the 20th-century Midwest to the Amazon basin, and in subject matter from the traumatic to the transcendent. Likewise, the narrative voices that animate these stories veer from the straightforward prose of the opening novella, Blue Rose, to the more surrealistic content of the later entries.

In The Juniper Tree, a raw and moving account of sexual abuse and buried memories, the Straub-like narrator describes himself as a writer of unfashionably long novels. But these shorter forms have provided Straub with assorted opportunities to experiment freely, to articulate, from a variety of perspectives, a highly personal vision of the world.

Straubs world is one where trauma  in the form of war, random violence, calculated cruelty and familial dysfunction  dominates the landscape. In the view of a nameless war veteran, the visible world is no more than a picture over the face of a terrible fire. It is a world in which angels can appear on the streets of New York, in which love, art, books and music are the only consistent sources of solace. It is, most centrally, a realm filled with enigmatic encounters and terrible, unyielding mysteries.

Several of the stories gathered here connect directly to Straubs larger works. Blue Rose describes certain defining events in the adolescent life of Harry Beevers in Koko (1988). Straubs account of the making of a sociopathic personality is both credible and chilling. In The Juniper Tree, the sexual crimes that take place in the Orpheum-Oriental movie theater resurface, to traumatic effect, in The Throat (1993). Mallon the Guru offers a glimpse into the colorful history of the charismatic wanderer in Straubs most recent novel, A Dark Matter (2010).

[Read Maureen Corrigans review of A Dark Matter]

The range and variety of Straubs work never fail to surprise. A Short Guide to the City, inspired by an essay on Leningrad/St. Petersburg by poet Joseph Brodsky, is itself an essaylike piece that provides a sociological portrait of a Midwestern city stalked by a serial murderer known as the Viaduct Killer. Ashputtle, the tale of a very different killer, takes its source material from the Brothers Grimm story, a dark precursor to the better-known Cinderella. In The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine, a pair of longtime lovers find themselves on a boat on the Amazon River, heading toward a shocking, unforeseeable destiny. The Halloween-themed Pork Pie Hat offers a story within a story that moves from the jazz clubs of New York City to the Depression-era South. Straubs affectionate, fictionalized portrait of jazz saxophonist Lester Young gives the story much of its emotional strength.

You have never read a story quite like The Buffalo Hunter. It introduces us to Bob Bunting, an infantile loner who escapes, in very literal fashion, into the fictional worlds of Luke Short, Raymond Chandler and Leo Tolstoy. In Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff, a cuckolded husband hires mysterious figures to punish his wife and her lover, ushering in his own destruction in the process. Loosely inspired by Bartleby, the Scrivener and written in a flawless approximation of 19th-century American prose, this tightly compressed novella manages to be both frightening and funny.

Finally  and on a very different note  there is Little Reds Tango, a plotless, impressionistic portrait of a Manhattan-based music collector. Straubs Little Red is an enigmatic figure whose life is bound up in music and the occasional miracle. For Red, jazz is the one true gateway to the sacred. It is also the source of the knowledge and wisdom that Straub has condensed into a series of secular Beatitudes. Here are just a few:

Pay attention to musicians.

Accept your imperfections, for they can bring you to Paradise.

You can never go wrong by thinking of God as Louis Armstrong.

Interior Darkness is a book for those who think they dislike horror, as well as for those who love and respect the genre. Filled with terror, wit and unexpected grace notes, its a remarkable achievement that reflects the arc of a lengthy and celebrated career. Louis Armstrong, wherever he may be, would probably agree.

Bill Sheehan is the author of At the Foot of the Story Tree: An Inquiry Into the Fiction of Peter Straub.
Season 2 of Marvels Daredevil  starring Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll  starts streaming Friday on Netflix.ns streaming on Netflix Friday. (Patrick Harbron/Netflix)

(All times Eastern).

RETURNING SHOW: Marvels Daredevil (Netflix, streaming) launches its 13-episode second season, which finds Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) navigating his superhero alter-egos newfound fame while trying to stay under the radar of the police and general public. Season 2 also finds Daredevil at odds with a new adversary  Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher (Jon Bernthal)  who complicates Daredevils Hells Kitchen crime-fighting with his own brand of vigilante justice. Elodie Yung (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) joins the cast as Elektra Natchios.

[How Charlie Cox works faster, harder, tougher for the new season of Netflixs Daredevil]

In Jimmy Carr Funny Business (Netflix, streaming), the comedian and host of British comedy panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats delivers irreverent one-liners and no-holds-barred stand-up to an audience at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.

The two-hour documentary Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans (Showtime at 8) goes in-depth on the iconic film actors self-destructive quest to make the 1971 racing film.

Ken is tapped to be an expert medical witness in a court case on Dr. Ken (ABC at 8:30), but his confidence takes a hit when the plaintiffs lawyer questions his qualifications on the stand.

A supernatural event forces Abbie to forge an uneasy alliance with Pandora on Sleepy Hollow (Fox at 8).

On Shark Tank (ABC at 9), the Sharks field pitches from a pair of beer enthusiasts with a prototype for keeping cold ones chilled a long time, a former aerospace engineer with new thoughts about vending machines, and an Austin woman who created a line of vegetable smoothies.

On Grimm (NBC at 9), Nick, Hank, Monroe and Rosalee try to stop a killer targeting Wesen to create powerful masks for lucha libre wrestlers. Meanwhile, Capt. Renard considers Black Claws offer, and Eves motives are questioned.

Jackass star Steve-O does stand-up and his trademark outrageous stunts in the comedy special Steve-O: Guilty as Charged (Showtime at 10).

Musician Esperanza Spalding and former Democratic congressman Barney Frank are among the guests on Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO at 10).

Two New York City flies get introspective on Animals (HBO at 11:30).

Actors John Krasinski and Melissa Benoist are on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC at 11:35), along with musical guest Mike Posner.
The golden sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun is seen in Luxor, Egypt, in November 2015. Egypt has found further evidence that a secret chamber, believed by some to be the lost burial site of Queen Nefertiti, may lie behind King Tut's tomb. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters)

Scans of the burial chamber of ancient Egyptian pharaoh King Tut have revealed two hidden rooms, Egypts antiquities minister said Thursday.

Mamdouh el-Damaty told reporters that the secret chambers may contain metal or organic material, but he declined to comment on whether they could hold royal treasure or mummies, such as that of famed Queen Nefertiti. Analysis of the scans made by a Japanese team showed chambers that would be scanned again at the end of the month to get a better idea of what may lay inside, he said.

It means a rediscovery of Tutankhamun . . . for Egypt it is a very big discovery. It could be the discovery of the century, el-Damaty said. It is very important for Egyptian history and for all of the world.

The discovery could shine new light on one of ancient Egypts most turbulent times, and one well-known researcher has theorized that the Nefertitis remains could be inside. British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves speculates that Tutankhamun (pronounced tu-tan-KAH-mun), who died at age 19, may have been rushed into an outer chamber of what was originally Nefertitis tomb, which archaeologists have yet to find.

Known for her beauty, Nefertiti was the subject of a famous 3,300-year-old bust. Nefertiti was one of the wives of Tutankhamuns father, the Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Japanese radar specialist Hirokatsu Watanabe stands with his equipment outside King Tut's burial chamber in November. The tomb will be scanned again at the end of the month to get a better idea of whats inside. (Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters)

El-Damaty said it was too early to tell what the metal and organic material could be, saying only that he thinks the new chambers could contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamuns family.

Tourists look at the tomb of King Tut as it is displayed in a glass case at the Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The tombs discovery in 1922 was an amazing find as it was untouched for more than 3,000 years. (Amr Nabil/Associated Press)

The tomb lies in Luxor, in southern Egypt, and is home to sprawling temples and several highly decorated ancient tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The discovery of King Tuts nearly intact tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 revealed unprecedented Pharaonic treasures, including the boy kings sarcophagus, or stone coffin, and golden burial mask.
1 of 16 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Vienna, in pictures View Photos The worlds most livable city is known for culture, wine and beautiful public spaces. Caption The worlds most livable city is known for culture, wine and beautiful public spaces. A U-bahn transit station in Vienna. The city was named The Most Livable City in the World by the Mercer Quality of Living Survey, which compared 221 cities based on 39 criteria, including political stability, crime, schools, public services, recreation, housing, natural environment and personal freedom. Eugenia Maximova/Eugenia Maximova / Anzenberger Wait 1 second to continue.

Leon Trotsky found Vienna to be a most livable city. For the Marxist revolutionary and sworn enemy of the bourgeois, the stylish, imperial Habsburgcapital was way more livable than, say, czarist St. Petersburg or some godforsaken city on the Black Sea. From 1907 until Austria-Hungary disastrously declared war on Serbia in 1914, Trotsky thrived in Vienna  a city lavish with civilities  living like a lordly flaneur, sipping mochas, nibbling cakes and smoking cigars in the ornate coffeehouses, where repartee flashed from spoonful to spoonful of whipped cream, and where he scribbled notes about his conversations on Freudian psychoanalysis and scandalous avant-garde artists such as Egon Schiele.



At the Naschmarkt, an open market in Vienna. Vienna has been listed as The Most Livable City in the World by the Mercer Quality of Living Survey for six years. (Eugenia Maximova/Anzenberger)

Trotskys life in Vienna was one of beautiful uselessness, to borrow the phrase that Joseph Stalin used to slander his rival. Stalin, in fact, spent a month here in 1913, holed up a few doors down from the emperors summer palace at Schonbrunn. Stalin hated Vienna, as did another unhinged young man named Adolf Hitler, who in 1913 was painting and ranting in the citys Mannerheim, the shabby home for men, about nine tram stops past Sigmund Freuds apartment.

All this context is according to Thunder at Twilight, Frederic Mortons excellent book on Vienna at the precipice of World War I, in which he tells us that Trotsky penned despairing essays about his homeland. How miserable was our gentry! Trotsky wrote, worrying that his people back home were trapped by a dead-end fanaticism of ideas, ruthless self-limitation and self-demarcation, distrust and suspicion and vigilant watching over their own purity.

One hundred and two springs later, I sat in Viennas grand, stately Cafe Sperl (founded 1880) eating poppy-seed strudel and sipping a kleiner brauner on a rainy afternoon, reading Morton on my iPad. Around me buzzed stern waiters in uniform as people flipped through newspapers in several languages and played billiards, as if the Austro-Hungarian Empire still ruled Central Europe. If I were in a different kind of exile, I might have noted that Trotskys worries about his people mirrored my own worries about the intellectual and political direction of my American homeland. But since this was not 1913, and I am not a revolutionary, I just finished my strudel and reflected on how much the city has changed since its fin de siecle heyday.

The scandalous avant-garde art is not so scandalous anymore: Posters for an Egon Schiele exhibition at the Leopold Museum hung at tram stops, and blase workers and schoolchildren started and ended their days amid images of a skinny, pale, nude woman. For 10 euro, you can visit the Sigmund Freud Museumand Instagram a cheeky photo of the original cover of Dr. Freuds infamous treatise on cocaine, Uber Coca. Even the traditional Viennese coffeehouse culture, after a period of kaffeehaussterben or coffeehouse death in the late 20th century, needed a little help from UNESCO to ensure these historic cafes survive into the 21st century, so tourists like me can eat strudel and mispronounce fin de siecle.

Not that I saw myself as a tourist. Not really. This time, just like Trotsky, I was thinking about staying in Vienna for a while. Id rented an apartment outside the city center. Id purchased a pass for the U-Bahn subway system. I considered getting a Club Card for discounts at the ubiquitous Billa grocery store. And I had a relatively positive encounter with the health-care system: stomach distress. Diagnosis: too much schnitzel.

The reason for this deep level of pseudo-assimilation was both simple and complicated. In 2015, I read a report that ranked Vienna as The Most Livable City in the World, based on the Mercer Quality of Living Survey. In fact, Vienna had been ranked as having the highest quality of life by Mercer for five years. Sure, its the kind of syndicated pap that often runs on the inside pages of the local paper or used as filler on the evening TV news. Mercer compared 221 cities based on 39 criteria, such as political stability, crime, schools, public services, recreation, housing, natural environment and personal freedom. Monocle, the international lifestyle magazine with a theoretical audience of well-dressed creative professionals who wear eyeglasses and footwear and who fuss about first-class lounges and have the perfect carry-on bag, also ranks Vienna high: No. 2in its 2015 Quality of Life Survey.

As a ridiculous Europhile who likes to pretend I am the target audience for publications like Monocle, Ive kept vague tabs on these sorts of most livable surveys for years. But reading these latest reports on Vienna hit me at a weak moment. Thats because I felt finally fed up with my current metropolitan area, Philadelphia, which ranked a very mediocre 55th in the 2015 Mercer survey. (Washington wasnt much better at 50th, by the way.) At long last, I yearned to move to a new and more livable city.

That is the more complicated reason I was there. Id visited Vienna a couple of times before and liked the blend of northern European efficiency and southern European joie de vivre. I liked the mix of the grand imperial buildings and the quiet beauty of the Jugendstil architecture. I liked the clean streets, the amazing, punctual public transportation and the lovely public spaces. I liked that it was so easy to eat well at low-key restaurants and drink great, relatively undiscovered wines at bars. I liked the people, who were politely aloof at first, but who were lovely once they warmed up to you. And because I am hopelessly nostalgic, I liked the melancholy history, which is inescapable. Imperial Austria, writes Morton, has become a byword for melodious decay.

Its a universal impulse. What traveler, after a few days in a fantastic city, hasnt daydreamed a romantic expat life? Who hasnt spent a few days somewhere and said, Oh yeah, I could definitely live here.



Cafe Sperl is a traditional Viennese cafe in the Mariahilf sixth district of Vienna. Jacob Ronacher founded the cafe as Cafe Ronacher in 1880. (Eugenia Maximova/Anzenberger)

Even though there was a lot of rain, Vienna in May still buzzed. All around the city, people prepared for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, the continent-wide pop spectacle being hosted in town last spring. The winner of the prior years contest was an Austrian drag queen named Conchita Wurst. Images of Conchita, with her flowing locks and signature dark beard, were everywhere. I even saw an elaborate cake bust of Conchita as I passed the shop window of an old-fashioned Viennese konditorei, or pastry shop. The omnipresence of bearded Conchita suggested a more evolved, tolerant society.

On my first morning, I stopped for a pastry at the little kiosk next to the Pilgramgasse U-Bahn station and then took the train two stops, exiting the station designed by the famed architect Otto Wagner at Stadtpark. I wandered through the cozy green park, past the monuments for composers Johann Strauss and Franz Schubert, and past people practicing tai chi and feeding ducks. After a short walk in the city center, I decided to get a haircut at Herrenfriseur Salon Hans und Andreas.

Within a day or two, I fell into even more of a homebody routine. At breakfast, while watching the latest Eurovision update, I ate the beautiful fruit Id bought from the bustling Naschmarkt. Springtime in Vienna means that the popular market brims with fresh apricots, cherries and especially amazing strawberries. When I bought the strawberries  which inside were literally all red with no white part  I asked one vendor, Are these Austrian?

He looked at me as if I were joking. Pffffft, he said. Of course. Theyre from Burgenland. Theyre the best strawberries in the world.

My apartment  between the fashionable Mariahilf neighborhood and the more bohemian Margareten  was only one stop down from the Naschmarkt, so I spent hours there, gawking and tasting. I was particularly drawn to a cramped little shop called Urbanek, which is stuffed from floor to ceiling with wine, meats and cheeses.

One midmorning, I squeezed in among construction workers taking a glass of wine on their break. Another afternoon, I was sardined next to a guy in a sharp blue suit and tan raincoat who works PR for a new museum of Austrian history. All kinds of people come here, he told me. Politicians, celebrities, but also  at 10 a.m.  you can come here and see a table of guys already with three empty bottles of wine. When I settled up, one of the Urbanek brothers insisted on writing down several ideas for dinner and then walked out with me toward the street to point out where the restaurants were so I didnt get lost.

I loved the casual food of Vienna: the Wurstel boxes, or sausage stands, where I ate currywurst and bratwurst; the open-faced sandwiches at rival shops Duran and Trzesniewski on the tony Mariahilferstrasse shopping street; the beisl (Viennese bistro), with such classic dishes as wiener schnitzel, goulash, spaetzle and tafelspitz.

And then theres the wine. Vienna, with 1,700 acres of vineyards inside its city limits, is the only major capital that produces wine. In fact, over half of the citys land is agricultural, concentrated in the outer districts north and west of the center, particularly Stammersdorf in the 21st district and Mauer in the 23rd district. These cozy neighborhoods were once villages before being subsumed into Vienna proper, and they still keep a village feel.



Hilary Merzbacher-Zahel and Alex Zahels family owns a heuriger, or wine tavern, in Vienna called Heuriger Zahel. A heuriger can be simple, but thats the goal of the heuriger, says Alex. (Eugenia Maximova/Anzenberger)

One evening I took a 20-minute tram ride out to Mauer. I knew I was at my stop when I saw an old grape press dating from 1800 next to a small produce market, and a big sign listing which heurigen are open that week. The heuriger, or traditional wine tavern, is central to the Viennese experience.

Heuriger, which means this years wine, dates to an emperors decree in the 18th century that allowed winemakers to open simple restaurants to sell their new wine. Many heurigen, even now, are only open several weeks per year you know theyre open when the owner hangs evergreen branches outside.

I met my friends Alex Zahel and Hilary Merzbacher-Zahel, toured their family vineyards  which were sandwiched between apartment buildings and suburban dwellings, and which offered amazing views of the city center. Sometimes when we talk about winemaking in Vienna, people dont believe how close to the city we are, Alex said. Ninety percent of the people visit think, Okay, so you bring the grapes in from elsewhere and press them in Vienna? But no. The vineyards are right here.

For our Mauer heuriger crawl, we began at the Zahelheuriger, seated at the Stammtisch, or regulars table, dining on Austrian classics and drinking Zahels excellent Gemischter Satz, a blend of local grapes like Riesling and gruner veltliner, as well as extremely obscure ones like rotgipfler, zierfandler and neuburger. A heuriger can be simple, but thats the goal of the heuriger, Alex said. The Viennese mayor comes and shares a few glasses of wine at the same table as everyone else.

Afterward, we walk over to his neighbor, Heuriger Lentz, where we met Reinhard Lentz. In the past, we were only allowed to sell six dishes! Lentz said.  Now, people dont even want to look at a menu. They know what they want.

Vienna is a small city. Mauer is a small village. You go to the heuriger to exchange stories, Alex said. Reinhard, he added, is the village gossip. Reinhard always knows everything. We had a small kitchen fire at our heuriger a little while back. It was minor. But before the fire department had even left, Reinhard was there, asking the firemen what was going on. Hes the original citizen journalist!

At our last stop, Weinbau Stadlmann, we met a woman in her late 50s named Frederika, who was a little tipsy on zweigelt rose and truly shocked that a stranger  someone not from Mauer, let alone from the United States  had stepped foot in her heuriger. She introduced herself to me and said, Its an honor.

No, no, I demurred. Its an honor for me.

Yes! Frederika shouted. Its not every day you meet a new person in a heuriger! When you dont live in a multicultural city, you cant wait to meet other humans!

Without my heuriger, I cannot live, Frederika said. Not because of the wine, but because of the human beings I meet here. This is my living room. We make no dates. We just know that our friends and neighbors come to this heuriger. The owner has a heart like a deep diamond mine. He listens to my problems and I listen to his. This is our life! This is our life stream!

Theres a word in German for this cozy friendliness, good cheer, smiling warmth and sense of belonging: gemutlichkeit. The ability to deliver this feeling, over a goulash, a schnitzel and a glass of Gemischter Satz is perhaps Viennas greatest virtue.

I even found this gemutlichkeit near my apartment one evening when I went to look for a recommended beisl. As I wandered a few blocks up busy Gumpendorfer Strasse looking for it, I came upon a lovely little park, at Loquaiplatz, where an art gallery was having an opening. Here was a crowd of my neighbors, spilling into the park. Some older ladies inside were pouring gruner veltliner and waved me inside to look at local art and to eat cake. When I finally found it, all specials on the chalkboard centered on asparagus. May in Vienna means serious asparagus season. Id seen rows and rows of white and green spargl in the Naschmarkt, and so I ordered a white and green asparagus soup along with my schnitzel. That night in the bustling beisl, dining alone and making small talk with the server, I was very happy.

But something nagged at me: Could I truly imagine myself living here? Its safe and clean and efficient and cozy and lovely. But truth be told, Ive also greatly enjoyed many edgy cities that are chaotic and crazy and politically unstable and potentially violent and insanely alive.

After dinner, I went off in search of Viennas edge. All week long, Id been noticing that there seems to be a sex club in every neighborhood, including one adjacent to my apartment building. Wandering late at night near Mariahilf, I passed another sex club and thought  since theyre so ubiquitous and since there really isnt much else to do  maybe I should pop my head into this one. When I rang the buzzer, I was greeted at the door by a stern, middle-aged blond woman who told me I was too late for the hot buffet but it would still be 60 euro to enter. Inside, it was quiet except for some old-time disco music. I passed.

Finally, at a mellow neighborhood pub, I drank wine with a guy named Wolfgang, a retired tour bus driver who clearly had been enjoying a few glasses before I arrived.

I asked for Wolfgangs take on Vienna as the most livable city, but instead he launched into a long, loud, tipsy saga of his own travels in the United States back in the 1980s. Wolfgang fondly recalled Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles, partying poolside and on penthouse decks and riding in convertibles. As he held forth, Wolfgang told me that the highlight had been Hawaii, lying on the beach at Waikiki and swimming in Tom Sellecks pool.

I love America! Wolfgang said. I love Americans. Theyre so nice! People in Austria say, Ah, Americans are so bad. But I say, Have you ever met an American? Have you been there? I have. And it was the best two months of my life.

I soon finished my drink, bid Wolfgang adieu and went home through the quiet streets.



The flea market at Vienna's Naschmarkt is an institution. About 400 sellers present their goods here every Saturday. Seen here are two portraits of famed psychoanalyst Sigmund Feud, who lived in Vienna for 78 years. (Eugenia Maximova/Anzenberger)

Okay, so maybe Vienna was not the most high-energy city ever. Maybe its nightlife is even a little ... teensy bit ... boring. This may not even be a criticism. After all, Vienna is supposed to be the most livable city, not the most exciting. Would I want to live in an edgy, lively but dysfunctional city? What exactly does livable mean, anyway?

To answer that question, I figured I ought to see what its like to have a job here. The thought crossed my mind the next day while I was eating lunch in the cafeteria of the Akademietheater, which is attached to Viennas famed Konzerthaus, completed in 1913. Id been spending the past few days eating lunch in the citys wonderful state-run cafeterias, built to inexpensively feed the citys hungry workers and students. The day before Id eaten in the cafeteria of the Academy of Fine Arts, alongside hipster art students and their bearded and tweeded professors. Now, at the Akademietheater, I enjoyed my asparagus soup next to stagehands, technicians and actors, who were intermittently called back to the stage via a lighted sign in the cafeteria. It was a great feeling to be rubbing shoulders with other creative workers. So after lunch, inspired, I walked down the street, behind the Vienna Museum and into the offices of Vice magazine to meet with an editor. I met Markus Lust, the 33-year-old editor of Vice Alps (the Austrian and Swiss edition). I generally equate Vice with edginess, griminess and swagger, so I was surprised by how stately and clean the building was. Lust  stylish in cool glasses and dark jeans, and with mustache and soul patch  led me to a conference room.

I asked Lust what its like to run an edgy magazine in a city like Vienna. Its challenging, he said. We have to look harder for things to cover because people are privileged and laid-back. The magazine tried doing a documentary on the squatting scene, but it was almost impossible to find squatters. There was, like, one place with squatters. But it turned out that they really were kind of like renters or tenants.

I called on Lust because the prior spring hed written a controversial article in response to Viennas annual ranking as the worlds most livable city. In fact, Lust declared Vienna the most miserable city in the world, in typical Vice edginess. Its a little cheeky to call it the worst city in the world, Lust said, with a grin. But theres a certain truth to it. The Mercer study doesnt take into account the people who actually live here.

Lusts article received a lot of blowback from the Viennese, many suggesting that he leave if he didnt like it.

Whats so miserable about Vienna? I asked.

Lusts list included the citys large aging population, its bureaucracy, rude bicyclists and shops that close too early. Were not open on Sundays, Lust said. Thats something we took from the 19th century. Also, he bemoaned a lack of decent sandwiches (by which I guess he meant sandwiches with two slices of bread, since the Viennese open-faced variety with one slice of bread seemed exceptional to me).

I suggested that these seemed like relatively small things. What about the larger issues? Like, say, crime and safety? Yeah, he said. As far as homicides go, its like not even a statistic. Like one or two a year.

More than anything else, it seemed as though Lust was reacting to something more intangible about the Viennese character. People here, they are grumpy, he said, explaining that this grumpiness, grantig, is a venerable Viennese state of being. People are always complaining. People are hating everything and mumbling to themselves.

Lust also hated the passive, indirect nature of Austrian German, compared to the German spoken in Germany or Switzerland. People in Vienna will say, Is this butter still in use? instead of just asking, May I have some butter, please? 

But perhaps Lusts greatest displeasure was with the surging right-wing, anti-immigrant Freedom Party, which has latched on to quality-of-life surveys such as Mercers as a reason for keeping out refugees like those coming from Syria. When people hear Turkish or Arabic on the subway, theres always some old woman saying, Why cant they speak German? 

Lust is not the first to express exasperation with his fellow Viennese. Freud himself declared, Vienna oppresses me. Yet the good doctor lived here for 78 years, leaving only at the last possible moment to flee the Nazis in 1938. During his exile in London, Freud admitted his freedom was mixed with mourning, for one had still very much loved the prison from which one has been released.

In the end, Lust admitted that he actually loved living in Vienna very much: The problems are all First World problems. We are fortunate to live here. But its a little boring. After we finished our chat, I realized that since I dont speak or write German, I would not be freelancing for Vice Alps. But maybe that was just as well.

At the Cafe Sperl over coffee and rhubarb strudel, I found myself thinking about the writer, pop philosopher and self-help guru Alain de Botton. In an essay about his beloved Zurich (second place in the Mercer survey), de Botton wrote that the citys distinctive lesson to the world lies in its ability to remind us of how truly imaginative and humane it can be to ask of a city that it be nothing other than boring and bourgeois.

I think even Trotsky, at least in 1913, over a coffee with whipped cream, might have agreed with that.



Vienna is often cited as the world's most livable city. (Eugenia Maximova/Anzenberger)

If You Go

The central, bustling Naschmarkt is Viennas foodie paradise, with more than 100 stalls offering beautiful fruits and vegetables, cheeses, spices, amazing pastries, and lots of tiny bars and cafes surrounding it. / Idle away an afternoon in one of Viennas grand old coffeehouses, such as Cafe Sperl, Cafe Central or Cafe Pruckel. Enjoy a strudel or a goulash, or just order a coffee and spend all day reading a newspaper, playing cards or daydreaming. / See Viennas wine country, with more than 1,700 acres of vineyards within the city limits, and visit a cozy heuriger, or classic Viennese wine tavern, full of locals enjoying wine poured by local winemakers.

Jason Wilson is the series editor of The Best American Travel Writing . His Kindle Single, Spaghetti on the Wall , was published in February by Amazon Digital Services. He is currently at work on a book about his travels in Austrias wine country. To comment on this story, email wpmagazine@washpost.com or visit washingtonpost.com/magazine.

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From left, National Gallery of Art officials Darrell Willson, Andrew Saul, Frederick Beinecke, and Earl "Rusty" Powell turn on the restored Andrew W. Mellon Fountain near the National Gallery of Art, which has not worked since 2008. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

When the Andrew W. Mellon Fountain was dedicated, in 1952, the ceremonial switch was connected to the pumps by wires. When top National Gallery of Art officials pushed a replica of that switch at 9:52 a.m. today, the connection was by radio control.

The fountain, which hadnt worked since 2008, came to life in less than a minute. The plume at the top emerged and quickly grew to full height. The small bronze basin overflowed into the larger bowl below, and, finally, the 38-foot-wide lower cascade began, creating a reflective sheen of water that caught the colors of the trees and the concrete and even the bright green T-shirts of a passing shoal of tourists.

The fountain is one of Washingtons treasures and a memorial to the National Gallerys founder. Along with the fountain at Dupont Circle and the cascade at Meridian Hill Park, it has a strong claim to being the most beautiful water feature in the city. But it is also surrounded by the perpetual traffic of Pennsylvania and Constitution avenues and, despite its size, marooned in one of this citys awkward pocket parks. As National Gallery Director Earl A. Rusty Powell III said at the opening ceremony, People driving by just forgot that there was a fountain there.

That an object of this beauty could hide in plain sight, that it could lie in disuse for so long  that it took internecine government negotiations and ultimately private funds (from the Richard King Mellon Foundation) to restore it  makes this fountain a case study in the dynamics of Washingtons public space.

When Andrew Mellon died, in 1937, the National Gallery was still under construction. The building didnt bear his name, by design, but his friends felt that the wealthy industrialist and financier deserved a memorial for his contributions. Congress agreed and in 1947 authorized use of the eastern apex of the Federal Triangle, a massive redevelopment project underway since the mid-1920s. The fountain fit well into the aesthetic program of architecture, murals and statues that made the triangle one of the great examples of a thorough integration of art and architecture funded by the government.

It ends up being the exclamation point on the Federal Triangle, says Thomas Luebke, secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the principal design-oversight group in the capital.

For decades, the fountain was controlled by the National Park Service. And for decades, the National Park Service has struggled to maintain not just it, but dozens of other city fountains under its jurisdiction.

[Disinvestment doesnt just bedevil Metro, but the Park Service, too]

We asked for it because the National Park Service didnt want it, says Powell, of the National Gallery. The Park Service doesnt put it so bluntly, but representatives admit that they didnt have the funds for its upkeep, part of a larger budget problem so acute that it will affect the future look of the District.

Every time we have a new memorial, there is that discussion, and every time we have that discussion, we will discourage water features, says Catherine Dewey, chief of resource management for the Mall and memorial parks.

Because the Park Service couldnt afford to restore it, the National Gallery asked to take over the site. Using donated funds, the gallery has started a two-stage restoration as part of the gallerys 75th anniversary year. The next phase includes renovation of the plaza and the addition of state-of-the-art water-quality equipment.

The Park Service isnt the only institution burdened by the cost of fountain maintenance. The Smithsonian and the Architect of the Capitol face similar challenges. In coming weeks, many of the citys fountains will emerge from their seasonal hibernation, but many wont. Columbus Fountain at Union Station is inoperative and will remain so until the Park Service can find a partner to assist with the cost. The water pool at Pershing Park will probably never come back to life. Smithsonian officials say that the fountain on the north side of the National Museum of American History will remain offline because we are still planning and designing the renovation of it. And when asked about other inoperative water features, they didnt even mention the empty reflecting pool at the Delta Solar sculpture at the Air and Space Museum.

[A modern park with a broken water feature was an easy target]

Maintenance isnt the only thing that plagues the citys fountains. Whereas they were once used as accents or focal points for major buildings or urban nodal points, they have become a reflexive design response to contemporary landscape. The dramatic fountains at the World War II Memorial are costly and complex, but without them, the pompous classical plaza is hopelessly barren. Without the star-shaped fountain and pool enhanced by a flame emerging from the water at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, the space would be moribund.

So at the same time that institutions and government bodies are failing to maintain older fountains, designers are still calling on new ones to do an unfair amount of symbolic and visual work. Rather than enhance and focus public space, they are meant to activate it. That may heighten a tendency to unorthodox design that makes maintenance even more complicated.

The problem with new fountains, says Don Kirk, chief of maintenance for the National Park Service division that oversees Meridian Hill Park, is that if something fails, it stops the whole fountain. With the older fountains, there are more workarounds. Among Kirks duties is maintaining the parks magnificent 13-basin cascade, which takes up about half of the budget.

[The Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is all about its fountain]

By the time the Mellon Fountain was shut down, in 2008, only its central plume was still working, and even that was anemic. Mineral deposits had formed on the bronze, and the pump that pushed water over the edges of the bowls wasnt working. The cascade effect  a shimmering curtain of water so thin you can clearly see the bronze sculptural figures representing the zodiac behind it  had been lost. Restoration included blasting the bronze with dry ice to remove the green mineral buildup. Now protected with a new wax coating, the bronze has a rich, brownish luster.

Major renovation by the National Gallery to a triangular wedge of public space across Constitution Avenue has also enhanced the visual effect of the fountain, which can now be seen more clearly as you approach from the east. This view not only lets you see the symmetrical relation of the fountain to the Apex Building (which houses the Federal Trade Commission); it also connects the larger National Gallery campus to Federal Triangle beyond.

It also hints at a curious oddity of the fountain, which was placed asymmetrically in relation to the gallerys monumental main entrance. This was, in part, because the designers wanted more space than was available in front of the gallery. But it has a happy civic consequence: One of the great views in the city  the National Gallery north portico seen from Sixth Street  isnt obscured by the fountain. So the building that doesnt bear Mellons name isnt obstructed by the fountain that honors him.

Nearby, at the base of the Apex Building, sculptor Michael Lantzs monumental figures of men wrestling horses, the 1942 Man Controlling Trade, looks over to the offset memorial to one of this countrys richest men. So a monument to a different age of philanthropy is paired with a memorial to a different relationship to capitalism. And the cascade flowing out of the great bronze bowl not only masks the crazy traffic on all sides, it also animates the fundamental democratic desire for transparency and clarity.


Filmmaker Lilly Wachowski in a self-portrait she released to the Windy City Times announcing that she is transgender. The co-director of The Matrix films spent most of her career known as Andy Wachowski. (Lilly Wachowski/Courtesy of Windy City Times)

When filmmaker Lilly Wachowski decided to come out as transgender, she did it in a particular way. The co-director of The Matrix, known for much of her career as Andy Wachowski, knew she would draw particular curiosity  in large part because her older sister and movie-making partner, Lana, made the same transition years ago.

SEX CHANGE SHOCKER  WACHOWSKI BROTHERS NOW SISTERS!!! Lilly Wachowski wrote in a wry statement released to Chicagos Windy City Times last week. She included a casual selfie taken with her morning coffee, her clean-scrubbed grin framed by chin-length waves and Revenge of the Nerds-style glasses.

Her announcement appeared to be made on the fly, in contrast to the stylish, sleekly orchestrated debut of Caitlyn Jenner on the July cover of Vanity Fair. Wachowski explained that shed penned her statement after a London tabloid threatened to expose her.

It was a momentous unveiling for the transgender cause. Although many advocates were outraged that Wachowski, 48, felt forced to go public, they were grateful to have another high-profile face to represent their community  one who arguably resembles the trans woman next door.

Americans are learning through the media, so our goal is to get as many transgender voices contributing to those media stories as possible, said Nick Adams, director of programs for transgender media for GLAAD. Most Americans dont think they know anyone who is transgender, he said, so awareness of these celebrities can make the culture more tolerant of everyday people who are transitioning.

And Wachowski  who in that snapshot presented a down-to-earth image a world away from Jenners groomed Hollywood glamour  adds a different presence and perspective to the mix.

After all, not every trans woman is going to wake up in her new life looking like Angelina Jolie. In an essay last year, Laverne Cox, the statuesque transgender actress from Orange Is the New Black, praised Jenners coming out (beautiful and amazing) but fretted that such media coverage promotes lofty beauty expectations for transgender people.

There are many trans folks because of genetics and/or lack of material access who will never be able to embody these standards. More importantly many trans folks dont want to embody them, Cox said. I have always been aware that I can never represent all trans people. No one or two or three trans people can.



Caitlyn Jenner arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., last month. (Adrian Sanchez-Gonzalez/AFP/Getty Images)

There should be many, many spokespersons  people of color, transgender men, gender-nonconforming people who can really raise up the day-to-day realities for the majority of the transgender community, said Kris Hayashi, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. The larger the picture of our community, the stronger it is.

Transgender Americans have never been more visible. Trailblazing activists such as Cox  who made the cover of Time magazine in 2014  and MSNBC host Janet Mock have used their star status to focus public attention on trans issues. Jenner has done the same with her reality show I Am Cait. And transgender models like Hari Nef and Geena Rocero have also broken barriers.

An Olympic gold medalist and veteran showbiz personality, Jenner has stirred debate about the responsibilities of transgender celebrities. Her Republican politics have drawn sharp criticism from many advocates  particularly when she voiced support for conservative presidential candidate Ted Cruz, who has said he favors restricting transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms. Jenners declaration that she could be his trans ambassador made many in the LGBTQ community wince.

[Transgender students access to school bathrooms is new front in war over LGBT rights]

But some activists believe the level of criticism focused on Jenner isnt exactly fair  and that her politics just prove that theres no one way to be transgender.

Its one thing to disagree publicly with her, but its another thing to, as I say, eat our own,  said Victoria Rodriguez-Roldan, director of the National LGBTQ Task Forces Trans and Gender Non-Nonforming Justice Project. A lot of what she has said is, in many ways, wrong, but she is still also a trans person, and no one is reflective of the community entirely  we are all individual people.

With I Am Cait, Jenner is reliably providing a place on television where you can tune in and watch six or seven transgender women having conversations with each other, Adams said. Caitlyn Jenner didnt have to choose to make a reality show that included all of these different people who have different experiences and different stories and different voices.

Wachowskis announcement, meanwhile, brought forward yet another facet of the transgender experience. She wasnt ready to publicly share her transition, noted Rodriguez-Roldan, but she was forced to. So that is a sign that even the well-known and well-regarded celebrity isnt immune to that kind of prejudice and transphobia and lack of respect of her life.
The author and her friend Cheryl McGinnis in Cuba. The pair went on a people-to-people trip, meeting the U.S. governments requirement that they meet and talk with residents of the country. (Courtesy of Cathy Alifrangis)

Our readers share tales of their rambles around the world.

Who: Cathy Alifrangis (author) of Herndon, Va., and Cheryl McGinnis of West Linn, Ore.

Where, when, why: I wanted to see Cuba before the inevitable changes. As President Obama opens the country up to diplomatic relations and more capitalistic ventures, we are bound to see more trade, American visitors and business agreements. And in my search for a legal trip, I came across a seven-day cruise that incorporated the people-to-people component required by the U.S. government at a reasonable cost. We caught the ship in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and sailed around the island of Cuba, stopping in several cities, including Santiago, Cienfuegos, Maria La Gorda and Havana.

Tourists wander about underneath the imposing and intricately designed Cathedral of Havana in Cuba. (Courtesy of Cathy Alifrangis)

[Americans can plan people-to-people trips to Cuba, but what does that mean?]

Highlights and high points: Although I had read that Cuba was a step back in time, the reality of the old cars, the smell of the leaded gasoline, and the lack of chrome, glass and other modern materials was striking. Ive seen 500-plus-year-old buildings in Europe and villages in Asia that were snapshots of the past, but they had a life to them that Cuba seemed to lack.

Cultural connection or disconnect: The curtain between Cuba and the United States is no longer opaque, but its still difficult to reach an understanding of Cubas people and how they have lived for 60 years. I had an outline but wanted more details. People talked openly up to a point, but the hesitancy to go on was notable. I saw people working hard because they saw a possibility to make something of their lives. But I also saw people doing just the minimum because that was all that was required. I saw an infrastructure desperately in need of money and work, but I also saw buildings that had been renovated and were viewed with pride. I saw Cubans eager to share their country with others, but others held their hands out or used interactions as a way to get money. I wish I had been more able to wander the streets and talk with people about their hopes and fears.

[Interested in sharing your own What a Trip story? Apply here.]

Biggest laugh or cry: Trust me, I took my share of pictures of the old cars, but not at the expense of what else was surrounding me. What saddened me was the number of people who skipped the people-to-people lectures or paid little attention to the guides during excursions and instead focused on the cars, mojitos, sunny weather and shopping, rather than learning about the past and possible future of this country.

How unexpected: Having grown up during the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban missile crisis, I had seen only negative depictions of Cuba, so I was surprised by the positives. Both of the young men who lectured on the ship were getting their PhDs for free, universal medical care was available, children were introduced to various educational or vocational opportunities through their schooling, the arts were supported, and the people seemed happy. But I was equally surprised that the government has recognized that neither total socialism nor total communism was working and has begun to relax its laws to allow residents to start businesses and buy homes. Balancing the two ideologies is a work in progress.

Fondest memento or memory: When I visit again in 15 years, I will have a basis for marking the changes and forming an opinion of whether the country was better off under Fulgencio Batista, during the revolution or after the reopening of relations with the United States

To tell us about your own trip, go to washingtonpost.com/travel and fill out the What a Trip form with your fondest memories, finest moments and favorite photos.
This weeks best travel bargains around the globe.

Land

Honua Kai Resort & Spa, on Mauis Kaanapali North Beach, has a package worth $320 in savings. The Suite Summer Escape package starts at $410 a night and includes a one-bedroom suite; daily breakfast at Dukes Beach House; a full-size rental car; a $20 activity voucher, which includes such activities as snorkeling and zip-lining; and a family photo session. Add about 13 percent in taxes. Book by June 1; travel June 27 through Aug.14. Info: 855-674-1522, honuakai.com.

Book a three-night stay at the Cliff in Negril, Jamaica, and receive a free fourth night. A junior suite starts at $780 (plus $198 tax) for four nights, down from $1,040 (plus $264 taxes). Travel April 16 through Nov. 12. The waterfront resort offers 33 villas and suites, a spa, two outdoor pools and a restaurant. Info: 800-213-0583, thecliffjamaica.com .

Sea

Costa Cruises is offering discounted fares on premium cabins plus free passage for children age 17 and younger on select Mediterranean cruises. For example, a family of four departing April 24 on the seven-night Mediterranean Heart itinerary from Savona, Italy, on the Costa Pacifica is now $1,290, including port charges, a savings of about $870. Similar discounts also apply to Mediterranean sailings aboard Costa Mediterranea, Costa Diadema, Costa Fascinosa and Costa Magica. Travel through May. Info: 800-462-6782, costacruise.com .

Save $2,000 per couple on four Overseas Adventure Travel small-ship cruises. The trips depart April through June or July, depending on the itinerary. For example, the 16-day Machu Picchu & the Galapagos cruise starts at $5,195 per person double, down from $6,195. The ship visits Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru and the Galapagos and Quito in Ecuador. Travel through July. Other cruises include the Amazon River Cruise & Rain Forest, Turkeys Magical Hideaways, and the Ultimate Galapagos Exploration & Ecuadors Amazon Wilds. Rate includes round-trip international air, airport transfers, land transportation, internal flights, most meals, small-group activities, gratuities and all taxes. Book by April 4. Use code TAAV 152. Info: 800-955-1925, oattravel.com.

CroisiEurope, a European river cruise line, is offering half-off companion fares on select Seine Valley cruises in France. For example, the eight-day Seine Valley and Normandy Beach cruise, which sails round trip from Paris starting May 8, costs $2,319 for the first passenger and $1,159 for the second passenger. Price includes all meals and unlimited beverages, including beer, champagne and wine; WiFi; shore excursions; and taxes. Book by April 1. Info: 800-768-7232, croisieuroperivercruises.com.

Air

Fiji Airways has a sale on nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Nadi, Fiji. The round-trip fare starts at $799, including taxes. Travel April 1 through June 13. Fare on other airlines starts at $1,397. Book by April 2. Purchased separately, nonstop fare from Washington to Los Angeles starts at $323. Info: fijiairways.com.

Package

Suffering from Downton Abbey withdrawal? British Airways is offering discounts on its Downton Abbey trip. For example, the five-night vacation departing in early May starts at $2,163 per person double, a savings of $262. Package includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to London, five nights at the historic Langham hotel, afternoon high tea for two, daily breakfast and taxes. A day tour to Blenheim Palace and the village of Bampton, where many scenes from the TV series were filmed, is available for an additional $79 per person. Book by March 21. Info: britishairways.com .

 Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs
A pedestrian walks near the site of the proposed homeless shelter in Ward 1 at 2105 10th St. NW in the District. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser has pitched her plan to create family homeless shelters in almost every ward of the city as an equitable way for the community to share the burden of caring for the neediest residents.

But records show that most of the private properties proposed as shelter sites are owned or at least partly controlled by major donors to the mayor. And experts have calculated that the city leases would increase the assessed value of those properties by as much as 10 times for that small group of landowners and developers.

How much taxpayer money would be paid to a handful of well-connected private landowners, developers and their agents is expected to be a focus of a hearing Thursday before the D.C. Council.

Bowser (D) wants to close the citys overcrowded mega-shelter at the former D.C. General Hospital and replace it with seven smaller facilities spread across the District.

Her plan calls for spending at least $266 million  and perhaps closer to $300 million  to lease land and buildings over the next three decades, records indicate. Those payments would go to five private corporations, including three tied to political supporters Douglas Jemal, Bryan Scottie Irving and Suman Sorg.

Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) addresses a community meeting at Friendship Baptist Church in Ward 6. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post)

[Mayors shelter plan draws scrutiny]

The trio, along with their companies and family members, have given a combined $67,000 to Bowsers mayoral and council campaigns and to a PAC working on her behalf.

That includes more than $22,000 given by Jemal and associates, with $10,000 donated to Bowsers inaugural party. Irvings family and company have given over $38,000, including over $15,000 to a political action committee that friends of Bowser created last year but later abandoned. The Sorg family gave the least, at $6,750.

Even in a city with an overheated housing market, the amount the city would pay  mostly for dormitory-style shelter rooms  is eye-popping for anyone familiar with a mortgage.

The District would pay at least $4,500 on average per apartment, per month, each year for at least the next 20 years under Bowsers plan.

According to one estimate circulating among D.C. Council members, the combined assessed value of all the land the city would lease under Bowsers plan is roughly $14.5 million. But the market value of those properties would multiply tenfold to about $147 million because of the leases. And when the terms expire,the city would not own most of the facilities it paid to construct.

Rashad Young, the city administrator who helped formulate the shelter plan, said the costs are not out of line with roughly 3 million square feet of space the city now leases, including for office use.

The cost of the leases for the shelters would range from $38 per square foot to $64 per square foot, Young said. Office space recently leased by the city ranges from $47 to $50 per square foot, he said.

The broad range stems from the fact that the administration chose sites suited for families. He also said the buildings would be unique and require costly amenities such as durable surfaces, since families could be moving multiple times per year, and would include cafeterias and play spaces for children.

There is no facility that is currently constructed that meets the needs of short-term family housing, he said.

Young pushed back against the notion that any of the sites had been selected to help political allies.

There is a narrative that is building around motivation, around our motivation, that is grossly unfair because people dont want these facilities, Young said. He blamed neighbors who are opposed to sheltersfor trying to upend the plan. We are not doing popular work here.

Bowsers office referred questions to Young. The Sorg family declined to comment, and a spokesman for Jemal said the company intended to respond, but did not before this article was published.

Shortly after the mayor announced her plans, websites and social-media accounts  many of them created anonymously  began popping up with sometimes detailed criticism of the plans.

A group called We are Responsible D.C. created dchomelessplan.com, which says the mayor fails to hold developers accountable for homeless shelter costs.

Another group created homewarddc.com and said the mayors plan put developers before residents.

Several single out Irving, a close ally of Bowsers mentor, former mayor Adrian Fenty. Irving, who recently traveled with Bowser on her official trip to Cuba, declined repeated requests for comment. He is listed as the registered agent for a limited liability corporation that signed a tentative agreement with the city to create a shelter in Ward 6. The site for 50 units has an assessed value of $2.3 million but could now be worth $43 million because of the agreement with the city, according to the briefing papers under review by the D.C. Council.

In Ward 3, Bowser is proposing to spend $56 million to lease 38 units that would be built on Wisconsin Ave. NW near Observatory Circle. The District would pay an estimated $6,187.26 in monthly rent per unit over 20 years. The average rent for high-end apartments in the ward is $2,973.

Massachusetts Heights resident Malia Brink, 40, volunteers at an existing shelter in her neighborhood but said she and some of her neighbors consider the proposal too large and egregiously expensive.

For that 20 years, this lease costs just over $56 million, for a property that was on sale for $4 million, Brink said. She suggested reopening the bidding for 90 days to see if there were better deals available. If by the way this is really the best the District can do, then that will prove it, and you will have answered all of us who are saying its too expensive, she said.

Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) said she is worried about the financial commitment the mayor is proposing.

The cost is a real concern, and Im just not sure what to do about it, Cheh said.

She and 11 other members publicly pledged support for Bowsers plan before they saw the details. Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5) was the only member who did not endorse it.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson this week said he would move rapidly and hold a vote on all the proposed leases as a package, as Bowser requested. He said in an interview the vote could come as early as mid-April, in the middle of budget season, when there will be little time for further scrutiny.

Even before the D.C. Council decides the fate of the proposal, Bowsers plan has benefited at least one player involved in the deals.

Rock Creek Property Group owned a former womens shelter at 808-810 Fifth Street NW in Ward 2. It purchased the property from Gospel Rescue Ministries for $5.95 million in 2013. It planned to redevelop the site and build more than 50 luxury residential units but did not acquire the needed approvals.

Then the District chose the site for a homeless shelter and signed a 25-year lease worth $43.5 million  the only site for which the District has finalized a lease  requiring some new upgrades but no major construction.

Rock Creek sold it last week for $28.5 million. The buyer, Brian Friedman, sounded almost envious of the deal.

For the developers that did that, they just scored. They failed with one business plan and pivoted into the next, Friedman said. Gary Schlager, principal of Rock Creek Property Group, declined to comment.
Bulgaria and Turkey are interested in buying natural gas from the European Union and its supply through Ukraine, President of Ukrtransgaz Ihor Prokopiv has said at a press conference in Kyiv.

"Bulgaria and Turkey are ready to buy gas from Europe through Ukraine. Serious negotiations are in process. Talks with Slovakia will be held in early April," he said.

Prokopiv expressed opinion that the year of 2016 would become the key in the issue of starting the use of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS) to supply European gas to southern Europe.

Vice President of Ukrtransgaz Myroslav Khymko said at present the company is in talks with Romania to start gas pumping towards Ukraine.

"We have already agreed with the Romanian side: there will be separate pipelines for deliveries to one and the opposite direction. Their contract with Gazprom expires in October 2016. From then on, they can work with us." he said.
At a community meeting at Friendship Baptist Church in February, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser discussed her plan for new shelters that would house homeless families. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post)

D.C. Council members voiced sharp concerns about Mayor Muriel E. Bowsers proposal to create shelters for homeless families at their first hearing on the plan Thursday.

Council members spoke in unison about the need to close the citys megashelter inside the former D.C. General Hospital. Bowser wants to replace that troubled facility with seven smaller shelters scattered across the District.

But several lawmakers said they were uneasy about the eye-popping costs connected to the plan, in which the city would pay above-market rents to landowners and developers for leases that in most cases would expire after 20 years. And some questioned the process used by the administration to select potential sites.

In one example, Bowser proposes spending $56 million to lease 38 units that would be built on Wisconsin Avenue NW, near Observatory Circle, in Ward 3. That amounts to an estimated $6,187.26 in monthly rent per unit over 20 years. The average rent for high-end apartments in that neighborhood is $2,973.

[Homeless-shelter plan could be profitable for Bowsers backers]

Often times, the District does not negotiate in its best interest, said D.C. Council President Phil Mendelson (D), who has agreed to bring the plan up for a vote as early as mid-April. The District brings its B team, while the developer brings its A team. Were [being asked to pay] a lot of money for sites that we will not own and will go away in 20 years.

About 90 people signed up to speak at the hearing, which began in the morning and stretched until early evening.

Advocates for the homeless and representatives of nonprofit organizations and faith groups urged the council to approve the plans, saying they want shelters that are safer and more dignified than D.C. General.

Bowsers plan calls for the city to spend up to $300 million to lease land and buildings over the next three decades. That means the city would pay an average of $4,500 per apartment per month for the next two decades. And that is just real estate: It does not include support services for the homeless that the city will provide at each site.

Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) said the leasing proposal makes little sense. Normally, when you build something, you own it, he said. You dont pay rent for it later. It would be like me building a house and then paying rent for living there.

At the proposed site in Ward 1, the city would pay almost $500,000 to develop each unit and then pay a monthly base rent of about $2,200, Grosso said.

Im not arguing about the purpose. Im not arguing about the location, Grosso said. This just doesnt make sense. . . . This is the peoples money, everyones money. We dont have the choice to just throw it away.

Bowser (D) made a rare appearance at the hearing to listen to members opening remarks, but she showed little reaction and left without speaking. Outside the hearing room, she defended the plans financing.

The city leases space for all manner of buildings, including our offices, Bowser said. Its a very common way for us to handle the public needs of a growing city. Its exorbitantly expensive to poorly house 250 families at D.C. General with poor results.

[Mayors secretly drawn plan draws scrutiny]

The mayors administration has revealed little about how the shelter sites were chosen. Officials said they first looked at city-owned properties but found acceptable sites only in Wards 7 and 8.

An examination by The Washington Post revealed that most of the private properties are owned or at least partly controlled by major donors to the mayor.

Bowser told reporters that she had nothing to say about the politically connected beneficiaries of her plan.

Brenda Donald, deputy mayor for health and human services, said that the deals were the best the administration could negotiate and that there was no favoritism in site selections.

I can say unequivocally the decisions made on the sites had nothing to do with the developers, Donald told The Post. We didnt even know who the developers were.

The mayors spokesman, Michael Czin, told The Post that acquiring facilities in a robust real estate market comes at a price. Ending homelessness isnt the cheapest thing to do, he said. We have a system thats very broken and thats very expensive.

The mayors aides also said that the rental prices of the proposed shelters are significant because they include the costs of such things as janitorial services, renovation work and commercial kitchen use.

Supporters of the plan said they feared that the effort to create new shelters could lose steam if the issue becomes bogged down in questions over costs.

Jennifer Speight, who lived in the family shelter at D.C. General for 11 months until she moved into permanent housing three weeks ago, spoke of moldy food, unresponsive management, and the sales and use of drugs outside the building. No family, homeless or not, should have to call this home, she said. If everyone nitpicks this proposal, I am concerned the plan will fall apart and D.C. General will still be standing.

Charles Parker, a pastor who is part of a religious coalition backing the plan, said that preventing government waste is important but that costs and amendments are often used to delay action.

Opponents stressed that they werent trying to keep shelters out of their neighborhoods.

We are neither heartless nor ignorant, said Andy Litsky, a waterfront Advisory Neighborhood Commission leader who wore a YIMBY button, referencing a Yes in my back yard slogan.

Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5), the only council member who didnt support the plan at its outset, said the costs and selection process should be scrutinized.

Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) cautioned his colleagues about the citys long history of failing to improve the fate of the homeless.

What I dont want to end up with is doing nothing, Evans said. And thats a real possibility.

Aaron Davis contributed to this report.
Classmates Jabesso Yadeto, left, and DaVi Cuffey, right, congratulate Mikias Gebremeskel on his scholarship award. GWU President Steven Knapp surprised Gebremeskel with the award Thursday at Roosevelt Senior High School. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Mikias Gebremeskel stood in a public spot in Ethiopias capital city handing out anti-government fliers to passersby. Two police officers approached the teenager, arrested him, and then, while he sat in prison for five days, beat him with their batons.

His uncle arranged to have Gebremeskel released, and in July 2014, he fled to the United States seeking political asylum. He moved to the nations capital, where his cousins lived, and enrolled as a junior at Roosevelt Senior High School in Petworth, one of the citys lowest-performing high schools.

Two years after his arrival here, Gebremeskel already has achieved one of the most challenging American dreams: Hell be going to college. For free.

On Thursday, George Washington University President Steven Knapp burst into Gebremeskels history class  with a number of school officials and the schools mascot, George Washington, in tow  and surprised him with a full-tuition scholarship to the D.C. university, which has a sticker price of more than $50,000 a year.

Im shaking, Gebremeskel, 20, said when he was presented with the scholarship in front of his cheering classmates. My heart was bouncing so fast. . . . I can see my future now.

Mikias Gebremeskel, center left, gets a hug from his cousin, Abel Demissie, after being awarded George Washington University's Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Scholarship from Dean of Admissions Karen Stroud Felton, left, and GWU President Steven Knapp, center rear. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

[On this prize patrol, a college acceptance]

GWU presented 10 D.C. high school students with full rides as part of the universitys Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Scholarship Program on Thursday. Knapp, who says this is his favorite event of the year, surprised each of them at their schools.

Its very inspiring to the whole school, Knapp said. Its not really just about the student getting the scholarship, but it sends a message to all the students in the District of Columbia that college is a possibility in their future.

And at least a few of the high school students were dabbing their eyes as Gebremeskel learned that he would be going to college.

Oh my God, I want to cry. Why do I want to cry? Rochelle Polanco, 18, repeatedly mumbled to a classmate as Knapp presented the scholarship award. He deserves it. He is so selfless. Im not surprised.

Since the establishment of the scholarship more than 25 years ago, GWU has awarded it to more than 160 students. Ninety percent of participants graduate with a college degree, according to the university.

[Inside the admissions process at George Washington University]

This year, the 10 recipients included immigrants from Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Guatemala, and they came from eight city schools, including Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Bell Multicultural High School and Capital City Public Charter School.

Gebremeskel says he applied to more than a dozen colleges and plans to enroll at GWU. In his college application essay, he said his fathers biggest dream was deferred when he was arrested before graduating from high school and that this changes everything.

He was devastated, because his long-term plan of seeing me graduate from college and lead a decent life was in jeopardy, wrote Gebremeskel, who strives to be a dentist. To this day, I remember the last two things he said to me before coming to America. He told me not to give up on my dreams no matter the obstacles I have to overcome and to start a new life without looking back.

[No test scores? No problem: Applications surge after GW goes test-optional]

Nkenge Cunningham  Gebremeskels English teacher said he was a standout student as soon as he arrived at Roosevelt High. During his junior year, Gebremeskel was the first student in the schools history to score a 2 out of 5 on the Advanced Placement calculus exam.

He has such an openness to learning. He asks questions. Hes not afraid to be criticized, Cunningham said. Whenever we have to connect texts to themes, he connects it so well to human experiences.

Gebremeskel said he is unsure whether he will live on campus next year. He lives in a basement apartment with his younger sister, who also attends Roosevelt and has three jobs to pay the bills. He doesnt want to leave his sister and says he probably will stay in his apartment.

His sister, Hannah, and two cousins  who are both attending college  were all there when Knapp surprised him with the scholarship. His parents still live in Ethiopia and didnt know about the event.

Gebremeskel said he planned to call his parents as soon as the frenzy quieted down at school.

I cant wait to tell them, he said.
Maryland Congressional District 8 Democratic primary candidate Kathleen Matthews with her husband, Chris Matthews, host of Hardball with Chris Matthews" on MSNBC. (Rebecca D'Angelo/for The Washington Post)

Opponents of Maryland congressional candidate Kathleen Matthews are questioning campaign donations shes received from guests on Hardball, the MSNBC talk show hosted by her husband, Chris Matthews.

Three candidates in the 8th District  two of them Democratic primary opponents of Matthewss and the other a Republican she could face in the general election  say the donations from Washington A-listers raise questions about whose interests Matthews will represent if she wins the April 26 primary and is elected in November.

This kind of you-scratch-my-back-Ill-scratch-your-back behavior is exactly what is wrong with Washington today, Republican Aryeh Shudofsky said. Chris Matthews has failed to be transparent about the relationship between Hardball and Kathleen Matthewss candidacy.

Democrat David Trone, the wealthy wine retailer who is self-financing his candidacy as a way of showing he is not beholden to special interests, said through a spokeswoman: The revolving door of political insiders trading favors with each other is just one reason why so many have lost faith in our political system.

Both candidates were responding to a report last week in the online news site the Intercept that nearly $80,000 in donations to Matthews came from 48 frequent Hardball guests, their spouses or political action committees.

The story, based on Federal Election Commission reports and program transcripts, questioned the timing of the donations and Chris Matthewss failure to disclose them on the show.

The campaign contributions amounted to $79,050, according to the Intercept, or about 5 percent of the $1.5 million that Matthews  a former WJLA news anchor and Marriott executive  raised through Dec. 31.

[In wealthy Montgomery, some high-earning congressional candidates]

None of the candidates who questioned the contributions  Shudofsky, Trone and Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Montgomery)  accuse the Matthewses of illegal activity. Shudofsky, however, has called on MSNBC to remove Chris Matthews from the air for the duration of Kathleen Matthewss candidacy.

MSNBC has pushed back hard on the story, picked up in recent days by conservative and mainstream media outlets including the New York Post, the Daily Caller and CNNMoney.

 Hardball has never booked a guest in exchange for a political contribution, MSNBC spokesman Mark Kornblau said in an email Wednesday night. That is an offensive accusation that would violate not only the standards of NBC News, but also Chris personal ethics.

Kornblau added that of the 35 contributors mentioned in the Intercept story, 24 have not appeared on Hardball in the past year.

Last spring, when Kathleen Matthews announced her candidacy, the network and her husband said they had worked out ground rules to keep him at arms length from the primary. Kathleen Matthews, in her own email Wednesday, said her husband has had no role in fundraising.

Ive worked very hard to raise campaign funds from more than 8,000 individual donations over the past nine months, she said. Voters know that women can have separate careers from their spouses, and its offensive to me as a working woman and to these women senators and members of Congress to suggest they cant get onto Hardball on their own merits.

[Md. congressional race: Incumbency vs. gender vs. entrepreneurial success]

The 8th District race is proving to be one of the most expensive primary contests in the nation, reflecting both the wealth of the district and the access of some candidates to deep pockets  his own, in Trones case, and nationally known politicians and celebrities in the case of Matthews.

The contributions cited by the Intercept include Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.) and Edward J. Markey (Mass.), former senator Tom Daschle (S.D.), and former congressman Martin Frost (Tex.), all of whom are Democrats. A small handful of the donations came shortly before or shortly after Hardball appearances. A $10,000 contribution from Off the Sidelines, Gillibrands PAC, came on June 2, two days before she was a guest.

The contributions illustrate Kathleen Matthewss place in a monied Washington ecosystem that includes figures from every White House administration from Jimmy Carter through President Obama. Many of the donors are friends or Chevy Chase neighbors of the Matthewses whose kids attended the same schools and who frequent one anothers charitable events.

An analysis this week by the Center for Responsive Politics called Kathleen Matthews the pick of the Democratic establishment and said she had more donors who were former members of the House or Senate than any of her rivals.

A study of her contributions through the end of last year found that nearly three-quarters of the money comes from outside Maryland.

[Maryland candidates debate whether Congress is entry level job]

Barve, a 25-year state lawmaker, said voters will have to decide whether they support candidates who have represented their communities for decades or wealthy outsiders running for public office for the first time.

Shudofsky, the Republican who called on MSNBC to suspend Chris Matthews, has his own Washington affiliations. Hes a consultant to CRTV, or Conservative Review TV, a political media company that produces a podcast hosted by radio commentator and constitutional conservative Mark Levin. Shudofsky said he does political analysis and research for the site but does not work with Levin.

Trone is a leading fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee and has hosted events for Obama, among others. He also employs lobbyists in state capitals across the country to pursue legislative and regulatory changes to help his national chain of big-box stores.

Another Democratic hopeful, state Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery), declined to comment on the Intercept report.

(Roll Call Editor in Chief Melinda Henneberger, the wife of this storys author, has been a Hardball guest but is not a Matthews donor.)
The Maryland Senate voted Thursday to remove references to the Confederacy from the official state song and replace the controversial portions of the historic anthem with a verse from a poem that describes the states natural beauty.

The 38-to-8 vote came after a protracted debate about how Maryland should address its painful past.

Supporters of the bill said the song titled Maryland, My Maryland, written by James Ryder Randall in 1861, is not unifying and does not represent Marylanders, then or now.

Randall wrote the song while he was upset over the death of a friend who was shot while protesting Union troops as they marched through Baltimore. It calls for Marylanders to take up arms and join the South in its battle against the Union, calls Northerners scum, and describes President Abraham Lincoln as a tyrant.

The bill passed by the Senate on Thursday calls for some of Randalls lyrics to be replaced with a verse from a poem written by John T. White in 1894. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.

I think its time to get rid of the verse that basically criticizes and makes us look bad, said Sen. Ronald N. Young (D-Frederick). The [song] is degrading to Maryland and should not represent us moving forward.

[Marylands state song is way off-key, panel says]

Opponents of the bill argued that if Maryland was on the wrong side of history, its residents should learn from that past rather than erase it.

Our history has some pretty bad blemishes on it, said Sen. Robert G. Cassilly (R-Harford). But the state should use it as a teaching point and move forward. . . . The idea of excising our history, thats not America.

Also Thursday, the Senate voted  as expected  to approve Gov. Larry Hogans $42.3 billion budget, with dozens of minor amendments. It is the second year in a row that the Senate has voted unanimously to pass the budget, which now heads to the House.

Recalling that Republicans voted in favor of the budget last year but ended up opposing the measure after Hogan expressed reservations, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) told them that this year, they need to hold fast.

Hogan thanked the Senate and Miller for the vote but raised concerns about a plan to reduce the states rainy-day fund and to reallocate certain spending. He also urged lawmakers to pass a bill he has proposed that would limit automatic spending increases.

In order to keep moving forward, and to build upon the progress of the past year, we must continue to focus on our long-term finances, live within our means, and strive for the much-needed mandate and tax relief our citizens expect and deserve, Hogan said in a statement.

With less than a month left in the 90-day session, the General Assembly is moving quickly to deal with a backlog of bills. The House held a morning session, broke for committee voting and then returned for an evening session. It also planned to meet Saturday morning.

The House on Thursday also approved a bill that would require the state to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 40 percent within the next 14 years, compared with 2006 levels.

The measure would build on a 2009 Maryland law that requires the state to cut emissions by 25 percent by 2020.

A similar bill was already approved in the Senate; now one version must be passed in the opposite chamber in order to go to Hogan for his signature.

In other action, the Senate voted in favor of a bill that would hold energy companies financially liable if their fracking operations cause injury, death or loss of property.

It also gave final approval to a bill that would change a requirement that people notify a local or state government of their intent to sue. The bill does away with the notification requirement when the claim is on behalf of a child or someone with a disability.

The measures now head to the House for consideration.
In a divided legislature, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), center, has come up short for the third year in a row on extending Medicaid health insurance coverage. (Bob Brown/AP)

In Illinois, a prolonged political stalemate over the state budget has shut homeless shelters, drug treatment centers and mental health clinics that serve the poor.

A similar impasse in Pennsylvania has forced school districts to slash budgets by cutting back on textbook purchases, test preparation and building repairs.

The partisan standoffs that regularly paralyze federal Washington are also hobbling a growing number of state capitals. They have frustrated governors and legislators alike, and aggravated the publics ire over ineffective government.

The tally of states with divided government  where governors face at least one legislative chamber controlled by the other party  has nearly doubled in the past two years.

Moreover, like their national counterparts, Republicans and Democrats in state offices have moved further apart in their thinking, analysts say. That makes it harder to reach compromises on key topics including taxes, unions, health care and abortion.

It has gotten more polarized, William T. Pound, executive director of the National Conference of State Legislatures, said. In most places, it is not as bad as at the national level, but it reflects the country.

As a GOP presidential candidate runs a populist campaign for president, tapping into the anger over the impasse in Washington, state governments are having the same trouble getting things done.

The impact has been most severe this year in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Political deadlocks have prevented both states from approving budgets eight months into the fiscal year.

The burden has fallen primarily on low-income communities and education. In Illinois, the loss of state grants has forced social service providers across the state to lay off workers and close facilities. A state college has warned it may have to suspend classes in the spring.

The big picture unfortunately is more people ending up in hospitals, emergency rooms and jails, Marvin Lindsey, chief executive of the states Community Behavioral Healthcare Association, said. More families will be disrupted, more kids severely traumatized.

The Pennsylvania impasse has plunged local school districts into chaos. Their state association has sued the governor and legislature seeking full funding for the current school year.

Closer to Washington, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) have both seen top goals blocked by legislatures dominated by the opposing party.

But while McAuliffe and the GOP have managed to cooperate on some issues, the discord in Annapolis has worsened.

In the Richmond session that ended Friday, McAuliffe came up short for the third year in a row on his principal legislative priority, extending Medicaid health insurance coverage to about 400,000 low-income Virginians under Obamacare.

The Republicans, who control both chambers of the General Assembly, said expansion would cost the state too much money in the long run, even after McAuliffe sweetened his offer from a year ago.

McAuliffe effectively conceded defeat early. He made little effort during the session to press the issue, and didnt repeat his failed effort of two years ago to block the budget altogether unless it expanded Medicaid.

Instead, McAuliffe tried to build a legacy by focusing on bipartisan goals such as luring investors to the state to create jobs. He also struck limited deals with the GOP on some issues, notably gun policy. That alienated some of his most reliable liberal supporters, but it gives him something to crow about.

[McAuliffe signs gun compromise into law.]

In general, divided government forces down the scope of things that get done, said Alan Ehrenhalt, senior editor of Governing magazine. It tends to take big issues off the table and shift to battles over smaller topics where they can sometimes reach agreement.

Across the Potomac, Hogan has also had to scale back his ambitions in the face of sizable Democratic majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.

One of his signature goals is cutting taxes and fees. But this year, he proposed only modest reductions of $37 million, or one-fifth of 1 percent of the operating budget of $17 billion.

Democrats showed their muscle at the start of the session by overturning all six of Hogans vetoes from the previous year.

The partisan struggle in Annapolis has also yielded some harshly worded exchanges.

In a recent low point, Hogan accused legislators of behaving like destructive teenagers on spring break. On the same day, African American legislators accused him of making racially motivated spending decisions that hurt black communities.

Todd Eberly, a political scientist at St. Marys College, said both sides were at fault. Hogans comments were insulting and unjustifiable, Eberly said. But, he added, for members of the Black Caucus to essentially call him a racist was just shocking and disappointing.

Widening division

The extent of divided government in state capitals ebbs and flows with political tides, and recently the tide has been rising.

The number of state capitals with divided government has jumped from 11 to 20 since the middle of 2014, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Analysts attribute the increase to a mix of causes, including a general widening of the partisan divide, turnout trends in off-year elections and gerrymandering of legislative districts.

The confrontations are sharpest in states with governors confronting legislatures where both chambers are controlled by the opposition. Thats the case in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, as well as Alaska, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey and West Virginia.

The states where the legislatures are divided are Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington.

Some states have divided government partly because governors and legislatures are elected in different years. That can be a factor because Democrats tend to do better in presidential election years, when turnout is higher.

Gerrymandering  which is the drawing of electoral districts to favor one side or the other  tends to encourage polarization by creating more safe districts for incumbents. They rarely face a serious challenge from the opposing party and thus cater to their activist bases.

[Md. lawmakers accuse Hogan of assaults ... on our black communities.]

The result is fewer moderates in each party, and thus fewer opportunities to bridge the partisan divide.

The middle tends to govern in legislatures, and I think the middle has gotten smaller, Pound said.

Fundamental issues

The challenges of divided government are most serious when fundamental principles are at stake. Thats the case in Illinois, where a key issue is labor unions power, and in Pennsylvania, where the main dispute is over raising taxes to fund education.

By contrast, state governments are able to move ahead on less-controversial issues, such as combating opioid addiction.

The Illinois deadlock arose after Republican businessman Bruce Rauner was elected governor in 2014 and confronted an entrenched Democratic legislature.

As a condition for signing a budget with increased revenue, Rauner is insisting on pro-business measures that he says are needed to help the states economy. They include changes in collective-bargaining rights and workers compensation.

The Democrats, led by longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, say the plan would reduce the standard of living for the states workers. It also would undermine labor unions, the bedrock of Democrats power there.

Both sides consider it to be a titanic political struggle for the future of Illinois, said David Ormsby, editor of the Illinois Observer, an online publication.

The impact on charitable groups that receive state grants has become severe as the gridlock has dragged on. For example, Lutheran Social Services recently announced the elimination of 750 positions, or 43 percent of its workforce. It said about 4,700 people will no longer receive its services, particularly seniors who receive home care.

It has been an agonizing process, said Mark A. Stutrud, president of the group. Many of our employees are direct-care personnel who have built relationships and strong trust with the people they serve.

For such groups caught in the middle, its long past time to cut a deal.

Theres enough blame to go around for everybody right now, said Lindsey of the behavioral- health association. Each branch has to take responsibility for how these people are being treated.

The political roles are reversed in Pennsylvania. There, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is wrestling with a Republican-controlled legislature.

Wolf was elected after a campaign in which he advocated raising taxes to restore education funds cut under his predecessor, Tom Corbett (R), whom he defeated.

But the legislature rejected Wolfs effort to deliver on that promise, so he took a seemingly contradictory step: He used his veto power to block spending about half the state school budget in an effort to pressure the legislature to increase funds for K-12 education.

The impact has been severe. School districts have had to borrow millions of dollars to keep classes open, while sharply reducing spending. Three in 10 school districts said they were skipping payments to charter schools, and nearly 1 in 5 were missing pension contributions.

Some are putting tutoring and remediation programs for students on hold, said Steven Robinson, spokesman for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. Test scores are going to be impacted by that.
The chief judge of the Districts federal court retired Wednesday, citing unspecified health issues that he said prevented him from continuing to serve on the bench.

Chief Judge Richard W. Robertss early retirement came on the same day that a Utah woman filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting her decades ago when she was a 16-year-old eyewitness in a high-profile murder case that Roberts was prosecuting.

Roberts, 63, declined to comment on his retirement or the lawsuit, but his attorneys called the allegations categorically false and said Roberts intends to vigorously challenge the allegations in court. His lawyers said the judge, who was unmarried at the time, had an intimate, consensual relationship with the woman that did not take place until after the end of the trial in which she testified.

Roberts acknowledges that the relationship was indeed a bad lapse in judgment. However, the relationship did not occur until after the trial and had no bearing on the outcome of that trial, according to the statement from his attorneys, led by Reid Weingarten.

A report from the Utah Attorney Generals office, which investigated the womans account, concluded that her allegations were not strong enough to support a criminal prosecution. Under Utah laws in 1981, according to the report, the then-teenager was old enough to consent to sexual relations.

Richard W. Roberts (Beverly Rezneck/U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

The womans lawsuit says that more recent email exchanges with the judge triggered her memories of the alleged abuse.

The 25-page Attorney Generals report from 2015 went on to say that Robertss relationship with her raised ethical questions about his work as a federal prosecutor 35 years ago. Investigators for the report did not interview Roberts.

Prosecutors have a constitutional duty to disclose any information that might help the defense. The Attorney Generals report said Roberts likely should have told the defense lawyers about his sexual relationship with a testifying witness in the murder case.

In her lawsuit, Terry Mitchell, now 51, says Roberts intimidated, coerced, and manipulated her into having sex for weeks and that the young prosecutor picked her up from home or the courthouse to take her to dinner and then to his hotel room before and during the trial.

The Washington Post does not usually identify victims of sexual assault. Mitchell is identified by name in the lawsuit and, through her attorney, agreed to be named in this story.

Mitchell and Roberts met in 1981, when Roberts was working in the Justice Departments civil rights division and assigned to prosecute Joseph Paul Franklin, who had been indicted for fatally shooting two black men who were jogging with white women through a Salt Lake City park. Mitchell, then 16, was one of the women and was called as a witness to testify for the prosecution about the deaths of her two friends.

Franklin was convicted on civil rights violations because the shootings were racially motivated, and was sentenced to life in prison. He was executed by the state of Missouri in 2013 after being convicted as a serial killer in several murders.

Mitchell and Roberts remained in occasional contact by phone over the years, both sides acknowledge. Each were married and had children.

In the statement, Robertss attorneys said he has always had nothing but respect and admiration for Ms. Mitchell and that their calls and emails through the years have always been warm, caring, and friendly, which makes these new, false allegations all the more puzzling and disappointing.

In 2013, Roberts emailed Mitchell a link to an article about Franklins execution. The next year, according to the Attorney Generals report, she reached out to Roberts after he had become chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

He called her immediately, the report states. During the conversation, Mitchell brought up their sexual relationship during the time of the Utah trial, according to the attorney generals report.

Roberts said on the phone recording that he did not remember it that way and said he was very careful about making sure that . . . your testimony happened and nothing, you know, physical went on until after you had finished your testimony, according to a summary of the phone conversation in the attorney generals report. Utah is a one party consent state that allows one person to record phone calls without the other partys knowledge.

Roberts, who is perhaps best known for prosecuting the late Marion Barry when he was D.C. mayor, was appointed to the bench by President Clinton in 1998. He became chief judge in July 2013.

During Robertss tenure as chief, the district court won an expanded role in handling foreign requests under mutual legal assistance treaties for evidence and information sharing with U.S. authorities.

This winter, Roberts, presided over a civil rights trial that resulted in a jury verdict and the largest ever settlement paid by the D.C. government, $16.65 million, to Donald Eugene Gates, who had been exonerated through DNA for a rape and murder he did not commit.

Roberts served with honor and distinction as a federal judge for the past 17 years, and he has been a leader in the community. He has always conducted himself with the utmost integrity, honesty, and decency, according to a statement from his attorneys, Weingarten, Jason M. Weinstein and Brian M. Heberlig. He intends to vigorously challenge these false allegations in court.

A spokesman for the Utah Attorney Generals office said the findings have been referred to the Justice Department and to the Senate and House Judiciary committees because of the possible ethical violations.

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said an initial review of the allegations has caused alarm and distress and said he would confer with colleagues on the next steps.

Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
At least three public D.C. elementary schools sent letters to parents this week warning about a man in a vehicle who reportedly tried to abduct children in Northwest Washington. But police said no such complaints have been filed.

A school system spokeswoman said information in the letters from Janney, Eaton and Ross elementary schools came from concerns raised by parents and Internet postings, and not from law enforcement or reports from witnesses.

The letters said there have been child abduction attempts in and around NW DC within the last week. They also noted that in one case, a man driving a blue or green car similar to one used in a reported abduction attempt on March 11 in Montgomery County, was seen near Eaton Elementary School on Tuesday.

But D.C. police said they have found no record that anyone  including parents or school officials  made a complaint to law enforcement. Michelle Lerner, the school system spokeswoman, said the letters were sent because we take safety very seriously and want to protect students while they are in our care.

Dustin Sternbeck, the chief spokesman for the D.C. police, said that if anyone has information about an attempted abduction, they should report that information to police immediately.

Police in Montgomery County said that they have no reports about any attempted abduction in the District being related to the case they are investigating in Chevy Chase.

The county department issued a statement on Wednesday noting they have not corroborated a March 11 report from children ages 4 and 7 that a man tried to lure them into a blue or green sedan on Colston Drive. Based on the investigation thus far, there is no credible information that indicates that this incident was an attempted abduction, the police said.

Authorities said detectives re-interviewed the children and could not confirm their account. But police said, Investigators continue to collect information and continue to follow possible leads.
The family of the man convicted of killing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham pleaded with him to work with police to help find her in the days after she went missing in the fall of 2014, according to a newly unsealed arrest warrant.

Jesse Matthew Jr.s aunt, Alice Fletcher, said she told him that her family was going to do everything it could to help Grahams family find the missing 18-year-old from Fairfax County.

Fletcher said she told Matthew, 33, of Charlottesville, that he needed to go home and clear his head and think about what happened to the victim because she is someones child, according to the court document.

The warrant also says that Matthews mother told him they were going to get together as a family and get Matthew to do what he needs to do to help with the case, but Matthew disappeared, touching off a national manhunt that led to his capture on a Texas beach.

The information is contained in an arrest warrant filed by an FBI agent in federal court in Virginia. It provides the first look at how Matthews family handled authorities growing suspicions that Matthew killed Graham. The warrant was first reported by WTOP.

Matthew pleaded guilty this month to killing Graham and Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, who disappeared in 2009, as part of a deal with prosecutors that spared him the possibility of the death penalty in Grahams case. He was serving a life sentence for a brutal sexual assault in Fairfax City in 2005 and received additional life sentences as part of the plea deal.

[Jesse Matthew pleads guilty in slayings of college students]

Graham disappeared Sept. 13, 2014. The arrest warrant covers the actions of Matthews family members a little more than a week later, after Charlottesville police had homed in on Matthew as a suspect in Grahams disappearance, interviewed him and gotten a search warrant to examine his car.

Graham had spent a night out in Charlottesville when she disappeared. Matthew, who did not know her, met her on the street and later abducted her. Her body was discovered outside of Charlottesville.

The arrest warrant also offers new details about the manhunt for Matthew. The documents reveal that license-plate readers in Louisiana scanned the plates of the car Matthew was driving, and cellphone records show that he placed a call from the state before he was captured.
A man was shot and wounded Thursday morning in the Washington Highlands neighborhood of Southeast Washington, the fifth person shot in that community in the past three weeks, according to D.C. police.

The shooting occurred abut 9:45 a.m. in the 4400 block of Third Street SE, a residential street lined with two-story apartment buildings. Police would only identify the victim as an adult and said that he was conscious and breathing when he was taken to a hospital.

Police have not said whether any of the recent shootings are related, but they have made an arrest in one case and said the motive was a dispute between two acquaintances. Several of the shooting have occurred in daylight  morning and mid- to late afternoon  and one happened near a school as children were outside playing.

The area is at the southeastern tip of the District, near the Maryland line and along Interstate 295 and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

On March 10, police said a man was shot about 1:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Atlantic Street SE. The victim survived and no arrests have been made.

On March 9, police said a man was shot and critically wounded about 5:30 p.m.in the 800 block of Chesapeake Street SE. The man survived. Police quickly arrested a suspect, Anthony Wade, 29, of no fixed address, and charged him with assault with intent to kill.

Police said the victim and suspect argued as they walked along Chesapeake Street and that the suspect pulled out a gun and shot.

On March 1, police said a man identified as Rudolph Garris, 25, of Suitland was fatally shot while sitting in a car at Sixth and Chesapeake streets, near Hendley Elementary School and the Sunshine Early Learning Center. A teacher at the center said children were on a playground close the gunfire, which erupted about 3 p.m., and were quickly brought inside.

[Man fatally shot near school in Washington Highlands]

A day earlier, on Feb. 29, police said a man was shot and wounded about 4 p.m. in the 4300 block of Fourth Street SE, about a half-mile south of where the March 1 fatal shooting took place.

The shootings in Washington Highlands follow a deadly year in that area. Police statistics show that there were eight homicides in Washington Highlands and in neighboring Bellevue in 2015, up from three in those communities in 2014.
OSCE deputy chief monitor to Ukraine warns against changing contact line in Donbas

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Deputy Chief Monitor to Ukraine Alexander Hug has rejected the possibility of changing the contact line between the sides in the Donbas conflict.

Moving the positions forward is a violation of the Minsk agreements, Hug told reporters on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) proposed redrawing the line of contact between the conflicting parties in Donbas.

"I have this proposal: the line of contact should be updated at Minsk meetings. They are no longer relevant," Ruslan Yakubov of the DPR defense ministry told OSCE Deputy Chief Monitor to Ukraine Alexander Hug on Thursday.
The Districts federal court named a new chief judge Thursday, one day after Richard W. Roberts retired, citing unspecified health issues that he said prevented him from continuing to serve.

The early retirement announcement coincided with the filing of a lawsuit by a Utah woman who accuses Roberts of sexually assaulting her decades ago when she was a 16-year-old witness in a murder trial Roberts was prosecuting. Robertss departure from the bench also followed the filing of a misconduct complaint March 7 by the Utah attorney generals office, which investigated the womans allegations.

Robertss attorneys this week called the womans assertions categorically false, but said the judge did have an intimate relationship with the woman that was entirely consensual and occurred after the trial had ended.

The allegations against Roberts, 63, marred the retirement of a long-serving judge that would usually mark an occasion for ceremony and commemoration at the federal courthouse a few blocks from the Capitol. Robertss announcement came the same day that another jurist in the same building, Merrick Garland  chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit  was nominated by President Obama to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Court officials announced Thursday that U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell will take over next week as chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Retiring chief judge Richard W. Roberts of the U.S. Distirct Court for the District of Columbia (Beverly Rezneck/U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

Howell, 59, was appointed to the court in December 2010 by Obama. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Columbia Law School, and served as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn before working as general counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee and on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

In the civil lawsuit filed in Utah federal court Wednesday, Terry Mitchell, now 51, says Roberts intimidated, coerced and manipulated her into having sex for weeks when she was an eyewitness in a murder case Roberts was prosecuting.

Roberts, then an unmarried 28-year-old, picked her up from home or the courthouse to take her to dinner and then to his hotel room before and during the trial, according to the lawsuit.

The Washington Post does not usually identify victims of sexual assault. Mitchell is identified by name in the lawsuit and, through her attorney, agreed to be named in this article.

Over the years, Mitchell and Roberts remained in occasional contact, both sides agree. According to the lawsuit, the woman says that more recent email exchanges with the judge triggered her memories of the alleged abuse and prompted her to contact the Utah attorney generals office.

The state attorney generals office concluded that her allegations were not strong enough to support a criminal prosecution. The then-teenager was old enough to consent to sexual relations under Utah laws from 1981, according to the attorney generals office.

The report completed in 2015 said, however, that Robertss relationship with Mitchell raised ethical questions about his work as a federal prosecutor 35 years ago. Prosecutors have a constitutional duty to disclose any information that might help the defense.

The report, written by retired Utah judge Paul G. Cassell, recommended referring the findings to Congress and the Justice Department.

The attorney generals office Thursday provided additional details about what happened next. Last fall, the office notified the Utah U.S. attorneys office, which referred the matter to the Justice Department. In January, the office alerted Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The office did not try to interview Roberts or inform him about the investigation until late February.

The evidence is so strong that initially the thought was, theres really not the need, said Utah Chief Criminal Deputy Spencer Austin in a reference to the possible ethical violations. A decision was later made, lets give him an opportunity to respond.

Within 24 hours of receiving the letter, Robertss attorneys said they contacted the attorney generals office to arrange to provide relevant information in response to the allegations. We were disappointed to learn that the Utah Attorney Generals office had already referred its report to various institutions and individuals, denying Roberts any opportunity to respond, according to a statement from lawyers Jason Weinstein and Brian Heberlig.

About a week later, on March 7, the office filed a misconduct complaint in a letter to Garland in his capacity as chief of the D.C. Circuit.

[Read the misconduct complaint filed March 7 in a letter to Judge Garland]

A Chaffetz committee aide said Thursday: We are currently awaiting any action by the D.C. Circuit and the Judicial Conference. Obviously, Judge Robertss retirement means that there is no longer an option available to remove him from office.

The most severe consequence of any disciplinary proceeding would be removal from the bench.

Judicial conduct rules state that consideration of a complaint is confidential, except for notification to complainants and the targeted judge when a case is closed or forwarded for further review. Austin said that the Utah attorney generals office has not received any such notification to date.

Elizabeth E. Betsy Paret, executive of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, declined to comment on the handling or status of the Roberts proceeding.

In his letter to Obama on Wednesday, Roberts invoked a provision of a U.S. law that entitles federal judges with more than 10 years of service to receive their full salary for life. District Court judges are paid $203,100, according to the courts administrative offices.

Judge Karen L. Henderson, who is acting chief judge in Garlands absence, also certified in a separate letter that Roberts was permanently disabled from performing his duties and said a review of his medical report shows that he suffers from a very serious health condition and is unable to perform his duties. Garland recused himself from writing the letter, Paret said.
Authorities are searching for two burglars who broke into a store and stole more than $57,000 worth of cellphones, Montgomery County police said Thursday.

The pair broke into a Sprint Store in the Aspen Hill area at 6:07 a.m. Wednesday.

Investigators said surveillance video shows that the burglars entered the store in the 13600 block of Connecticut Avenue through a rear door.

Once inside, one burglar pried open a safe, and they both stole cellphones from it, a police department news release said. The release said the pair, who also stole cash, left the business at 6:25 a.m.

Police were called to the store about 9:30 a.m. after an employee, who was opening up the business, realized that there had been a burglary.

The release said detectives think the duo may also be responsible for a similar burglary that happened Tuesday at a Sprint Store in Beltsville.

Authorities ask that anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information about this burglary contact the Montgomery County Police Departments 4th District Investigative Section at 240-773-550. Police said tipsters can also call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or enter a tip online. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment for this felony crime.
Beset by worries about overcrowded schools and aging infrastructure, the Alexandria City Council this week said it will consider raising tax rates by as much as three cents  triple what its city manager recommended.

Weve underinvested in capital [needs] for far too long. These bills arent getting any smaller, Vice Mayor Justin Wilson (D) said in proposing the possible rate increase. The enormity of the challenge does not mean we should not try.

[The boiler may fail, the rafters may crack; City Hall needs cash now]

The unanimous vote from the all-Democratic council does not actually raise taxes; that decision comes in May, when the budget is adopted and the tax rate is set. This weeks vote simply set a cap on how much the council would be able to raise tax rates for fiscal 2017, which begins in July.

City manager Mark Jinks last month proposed raising the current tax rate of $1.043 per $100 of assessed value by a penny to pay for what he called basic government services  addressing growing school enrollment, improving firefighter pay and adding parking enforcement officers.

Jinks also said the council could consider adding another cent to the tax rate to handle additional school needs, a new fire academy, affordable housing loans and other infrastructure needs.

Each one-cent increase in the tax rate raises about $3.8 million for the city and costs the owner of a $521,227 home  the average assessed value in Alexandria  an extra $52 per year. But even if tax rates dont increase, many property owners have to pay more because the value of their homes have increased.

[Would a one-cent tax increase be enough to cover this growing citys needs?]

Mayor Allison Silberberg (D) expressed concern about raising the advertised tax rate by three cents, rather than two, noting that so many folks are concerned about being taxed out of their homes . . . I continue to be very uncomfortable with the third penny, even though I know this is the maximum.

Alexandria is not alone in considering tax rate increases this spring. Fairfax County two weeks ago set its maximum tax rate increase at four cents per $100 of assessed value. In Maryland, Montgomery County is considering its biggest property tax rate hike in years.

But in Prince Georges, County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) has proposed no tax rate increase. Arlington Countys manager proposed a half-cent decrease, but the county board opted to advertise the current tax rate.

Alexandrias tax rate, which hit a peak of $1.10 from 1998 through 2001, dropped to a modern low of 81.5 cents in 2006. It has climbed at a generally steady rate since.

At the same time, school enrollment has boomed from about 11,000 in 2000 to 14,670 this year, resulting in what council member Redella Del Pepper (D) said is truly an embarrassment when we have students using basically closet space for classrooms.

Council members say they are also worried about the many city-owned buildings that desperately need repair, as well as street paving and sidewalk fixes.

We were elected to make hard decisions, said new council member Willie F. Bailey (D). Ten years from now, I dont want to get looked upon as if I didnt do the right thing.

Pepper, the longest-serving council member, said the three-cent cap will give the council flexibility as the council works through the details of the budget and decides what is needed.

We have to bite this bullet now, she said.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testified in front of the House Oversight Committee on March 17, and things got a little heated. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testified in front of the House Oversight Committee on March 17, and things got a little heated. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency conceded Thursday that her agency was too slow to intervene in the Flint, Mich., water-contamination crisis and less forceful than it should have been when federal officials told a recalcitrant state bureaucracy to act.

Despite learning last June that three homes had lead-tainted water and expressing her concern over the situation in a September email to top staffers, Administrator Gina McCarthy did not use her emergency powers until late January. Assuming the state would make good on promises to take decisive measures, the EPA did not push Michigans environmental quality agency hard enough to begin treating the water, McCarthy acknowledged.

But she stood up to often-furious questioning at a congressional hearing that included Republican calls for her resignation, asserting that under the law her agency had done all it could to protect Flints 95,000 residents. She refused several times to accept blame for the catastrophe, laying the responsibility on the witness seated next to her, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

State officials slow-walked everything they needed to do. That precluded us from doing what we had to do, she told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. We were strong-armed. We were misled. We were kept at arms length. We couldnt do our jobs effectively.

[Did Flint water cause deadly Legionnaires outbreaks?]

Snyder adopted a more conciliatory tone as several Democrats called on him to quit, admitting culpability and noting that he had dismissed several state officials. But he bluntly suggested that the EPA had failed in its oversight role and its obligation to warn the public.

Snyder had little success fending off questions about why his staff knew how dire the situation had become but he did not.

It looks like everyone knew about these problems except you, said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the committees ranking Democrat. You were missing in action.

The long-anticipated hearing provided the highest-level jousting yet over a public health disaster that has revealed another partisan divide on Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.

Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have called on Snyder to resign, which some committee Democrats also urged Thursday. But Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a longtime critic of the EPA, joined other Republicans in targeting the federal agency during officials testimony in the two hearings this week.

Flints water was poisoned when the city, under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager, switched to the Flint River for its supply in April 2014. The state Department of Environmental Quality failed to ensure that anti-corrosive chemicals were added to the water, which leached lead from aging pipes and sent it through the taps to consumers.

At Snyders order, the city switched back to Lake Huron water last October. But anyone who drank the lead-tainted water was exposed to the toxin, which can cause learning disabilities, behavior problems and illness. Children younger than 6 are especially vulnerable.

1 of 37 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The controversial case over dangerous lead in water in a Michigan city View Photos Anger over the levels of lead in the water in Flint has led the mayor to declare a state of emergency. Caption Anger over high levels of lead in the water in Flint has led the mayor to declare a state of emergency. Jan. 25, 2016 Flint resident Angela Hickmon, 56, chants during a protest outside City Hall in downtown Flint. Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com via AP Wait 1 second to continue.

People still cannot drink the water unfiltered. Nine have died from outbreaks of Legionnaires disease that may be linked to the water supply.

Hundreds of residents traveled to the Capitol to watch Thursdays proceedings, lining up for seats long before the hearing began at 9 a.m. In one overflow room, the crowd held more anger for Snyder than for McCarthy, hooting at many of his remarks and repeatedly demanding that he be jailed.

[Hope and clean water remain elusive for the people of Flint]

Little new ground was covered. Both witnesses staked out their positions from their opening statements and defended that turf for the better part of four hours.

For McCarthy, that meant explaining that the EPA was working hard on the issue last summer and fall even if it did not have the data and evidence of state foot-dragging that the agency needed to move in and take control. It offered Michigan its experts on anti-corrosion and water chemistry but was rebuffed, McCarthy said.

In October, the EPA established a task force to provide technical expertise to the state and city. In November, the agency launched an audit of how well Michigan carries out the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Susan Hedman, the EPAs former Midwest chief who resigned in January, took on state officials who called an agency whistleblower a rogue employee, McCarthy recounted.

That did her little good with Chaffetz.

If you want to do the courageous thing, like you said Susan Hedman did, you too should resign, Chaffetz thundered.

When McCarthy tried to explain the limits of the EPAs power under the law, Chaffetz repeatedly cut her off. Well, it failed, he yelled. You failed.

Several times, Snyder mentioned his guilt over what he might have done to forestall the crisis if he had received better advice from the experts in his own bureaucracy. Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesnt weigh on my mind, he said in his opening remarks. The questions I should have asked. The answers I should have demanded. How I could have prevented this.

Rep. Matthew Cartwright (D-Pa.) was having none of it.

Plausible deniability only works when its plausible, he said angrily. You were not in a medically induced coma for a year.

Weve had enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies, Cartwright continued. Youre doing your dead-level best to spread accountability. . . . You need to resign, too.

Noting the Legionnaires disease outbreak, Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) asked Snyder: As the governor of an administration that failed and poisoned its own people, dont you have a moral responsibility to resign?

Amber Phillips contributed to this report.
Donbas militants have recently shelled Ukrainian army strongholds, using all kinds of weapons, including those banned by the Minsk agreements.

The hostiles have conducted 52 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas over the past day, the army operation press center wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning.

The militants attacked strongholds in Zaitseve and Avdiyivka "by use of all kinds of weapons, including 82mm and 120mm mortars banned by the Minsk agreements; more than 130 mines were fired," the report said.

The enemy was firing anti-tank systems on strongholds near Popasna and Troyitske; the use of infantry combat vehicles was observed near Luhanske and three similar incidents happened near Avdiyivka, the staff said.

The militants fired grenade launchers and large-caliber machineguns on Ukrainian army positions in Novhorodske and Mayorsk, the report said.

Ukrainian army positions near Shyrokyne in the Mariupol sector came under 82mm mortar fire, MANPADS and small arms, the staff said.

Besides, hostile snipers fired on positions near Nevelske, Maryinka and Kranohorivka, the Ukrainian staff said.

About ten members of a hostile reconnaissance and sabotage team tried to infiltrate behind Ukrainian army positions near Popasna at 19:15 local time; they were seen by an observer, the Ukrainian soldiers fired for effect and forced the enemy to retreat, the report said.

The shelling stopped at midnight, it said.
A guide leads a group of tourists who have taken a helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier in New Zealand. (Nick Perry/AP)

 New Zealand is renowned for its wondrous scenery, and among the countrys top tourist attractions are two stunning glaciers that are unusual because they snake down from the mountains to a temperate rain forest, making them easy for people to walk up to and view.

But the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. With continuing warm weather this year, there are no signs of a turnaround, and scientists say the melting is another example of how global warming is affecting the environment.

Tourism in New Zealand is booming, and last year nearly a million people got a glimpse of the glaciers and the spectacular valleys theyve carved. But the only way to set foot on them now is to get flown onto them by helicopter.

Tour operators offer flights and guided glacier walks, although logistics limit this to 80,000 tourists per year, half the number that once hiked up from the valley floor. Up to another 150,000 people each year take scenic flights that land briefly at the top of the glaciers.

Flying in the UNESCO World Heritage area comes with its own risks, highlighted in November when a sightseeing helicopter crashed onto the Fox Glacier, killing all seven aboard.

Sitting near the base of the Franz Josef Glacier, Wayne Costello, a district operations manager for the Department of Conservation, said that when he arrived eight years ago, the rock he was perched on would have been buried under tons of ice. Instead, the glacier now comes to an end a half-mile farther up the valley.

Like a loaf of bread shrinking in its tin, its gone down a lot as well, Costello said. So its wasted away in terms of its thickness, and thats led to quite a rapid melt.

Because of that melt, the valley walls that were once braced by the glaciers have been left exposed and vulnerable to rock falls, which makes hiking up the valley too dangerous. Tour operators stopped taking guided hikes onto the Franz Josef in 2012 and the nearby Fox in 2014.

A 2014 paper published in the journal Global and Planetary Change concluded that the two glaciers had each melted by 1.9 miles in length since the 1800s, making them about 20 percent shorter. In recent years the glaciers were melting at a faster pace than ever recorded, the authors said.

Heather Purdie, a scientist at New Zealands University of Canterbury and lead author of the paper, said climate change is the driving factor.

We know that glaciers around the world, including the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, are responding to that warmer temperature, and theyre retreating, she said. Small changes in temperature and snowfall tend to be magnified in the two glaciers and their retreat has been interrupted by advances that can last for years, she said.

Costello and tour operators are hoping to see another advance soon. But theres no sign of that: February was the second-hottest month ever recorded in New Zealand.

The hot weather has even created a new type of tourist attraction on the other side of the mountains. Purdie said the glaciers there are also rapidly retreating, and tourists are taking boat rides on the lakes to see some of the massive icebergs that have begun to shear away.

A helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier reveals deep crevasses in the translucent blue ice and stunning ice caves through which guides take crampon-wearing tourists. A guide retells the indigenous Maori legend that the Franz Josef Glacier began as a stream of tears left by a young woman whose lover had been killed by an avalanche.

The glaciers are formed by prevailing westerly winds dumping snow in a high-altitude basin. It compacts into ice and is pushed down the valleys much like toothpaste being squeezed from a tube. The glaciers slide and roll down the mountain at a rate of 13 feet a day, picking up rocks and debris along the way.

Its the uniqueness, the rawness of the environment that draws tourists from Australia, North America, Europe and, increasingly, China, said Rob Jewell, chairman of the Glacier Country Tourism Group.

Its also a region that is subject to rapid changes in the weather. At the time of Novembers helicopter crash, some observers said the weather and visibility were marginal for safe flying. Jewell said said the crash hasnt affected tourist numbers, which have been stronger than ever this year.

At the base of the Franz Josef, Dutch tourist Dieuwke Derkse said she was overwhelmed by the beauty of the glacier and the purity of the environment.

She said she believed global warming was responsible for its retreat and felt a little guilty even visiting New Zealand because of the fossil fuels burned by the plane ride there. But she said the glacier also helped inspire her to live in a more environmentally conscious way.

It makes me a little bit sad because you see how fast everything is going, she said. The river is going very fast, but the snow and glacier is going backward.
NIGERIA

Suicide bombing kills at least 22 at mosque

Two female suicide bombers struck a Nigerian mosque on Wednesday, officials and witnesses said, killing at least 22 people in an attack similar to others carried out by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

The mosque is in the major northern city of Maiduguri, near the site of suicide bombings that killed 86 people in January.

There was no assertion of responsibility. But sending women and children wrapped with explosives to civilian targets has been a hallmark of some recent Boko Haram attacks. The Nigerian military has forced the group from much of its territory across the northeast, but Boko Harams ability to carry out devastating attacks appears undiminished.

So far 22 people have been confirmed dead and 35 others injured, a spokesman for the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Omar, told the Agence-France Presse news agency.

In late January, 86 people were killed in a village just outside Maiduguri in an attack that included three suicide bombers.

 Kevin Sieff

MEXICO

1 million cars banned from streets over smog

Authorities banned more than 1 million cars from the roads and offered free subway and bus rides to coax people from their vehicles as Mexico Citys first air pollution alert in 11 years stretched into a third day Wednesday.

Officials advised people to limit outdoor activity because of ozone levels that were nearly double acceptable limits in the sprawling capital, which lies in a high-altitude valley ringed by smog-trapping volcanic mountains.

Environment Secretary Alejandro Pacchiano said that if conditions do not improve, further measures may be considered, such as suspending industrial activity at factories.

Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera told Televisa news that about 1.1 million cars in the Valley of Mexico, including nearly 450,000 in the capital, were ordered off the streets under the restrictions.

According to the National Statistics Institute, about 4.7 million vehicles were registered in the capital in 2014, the most recent year for which figures are available.

Mexico City used to regularly hit high smog levels, but air quality has improved significantly since the 1990s. Among other measures, rules were put in place that aimed to limit the circulation of older, more-polluting vehicles and obliged car owners to get regular smog checks.

However, a court relaxed those restrictions last year.

 Associated Press

Bomb kills 15 government workers in Pakistan: A bomb on a bus carrying government employees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar killed 15 people, officials said. A militant group allied with the Pakistani Taliban, Lashkar-e-Islam, asserted responsibility, saying the attack was in retaliation for death sentences passed against Islamists. The blast occurred on a main road after the bus picked up government workers from districts surrounding Peshawar who were heading to work in the city.

Canada to seek U.N. Security Council seat: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada will seek a two-year term on the U.N. Security Council starting in 2021, citing the countrys resettling of Syrian refugees and a desire to take part in U.N. peacekeeping efforts as evidence of a renewed commitment to engagement in world affairs. Canada last held a seat on the Security Council in 2000. Its time for Canada to step up once again, said Trudeau, who took office in November.

19 extremists killed trying to mount ambush, Kenya says: Kenyas military said it killed 19 fighters from the Somali extremist group al-Shabab who were apparently trying to ambush Somali troops. A military spokesman said Kenyan troops on patrol in the southern Somali city of Afmadow found a group of militants suspected to have been preparing to attack a Somali army camp. Al-Shabab, allied to al-Qaeda, is waging an insurgency against Somalias internationally backed government. Kenya is among six nations contributing troops to an African Union mission bolstering Somalias government.

Pakistani court lifts travel ban on Musharraf: Pakistans Supreme Court ordered the government to lift a ban on travel by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, paving the way for him to leave the country while awaiting trial on treason and other charges. The departure of Musharraf, who has faced a battery of court cases since returning home from exile in 2013, would remove a source of friction between the army and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Musharraf, who ousted Sharif in a coup in 1999, ruled Pakistan until 2008, when he stepped down in the face of protests.

Germany bans neo-Nazi group: Germany has banned the neo-Nazi group White Wolves Terror Crew, or WWT, after raids on 15 properties across the country as worries grow about a rise in right-wing sentiment in the wake of the influx of more than a million migrants last year. Attacks on refugee shelters are increasing, with right-wing sympathizers responsible for almost all of them, police say. The Interior Ministry said WWT advocates the creation of a dictatorship based on Nazism.

 From news services
Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, has arrived in Yasynuvata to assist in the launch of the Donetsk filtering station.

He is meeting with station personnel at the moment, an Interfax correspondent has reported from the location.

Stabilization has enabled Donetsk filtering station workers to resume their activity, he said.

Hug has already visited the Yasynuvata checkpoint. He will tour the filtering station after his meeting with station personnel.
IN THE spring of 2013, the Chinese Communist Party began circulating a document to party officials that carried a stern tone. The document warned of seven perils facing the party and urged a steadfast campaign against them. They were largely based on ideas of democracy, freedom and human dignity. Party cadres were cautioned against such mistaken thinking as Western constitutional democracy, civil society, total marketization of the economy and more. The paper was given the title Document No. 9, and the ideas began to circulate in the party. This was followed by a crackdown on human rights lawyers, media, scholars and others.

The text of Document No. 9 was eventually published in full by the Mirror Media Group, a Chinese news outlet based in the United States. The revelatory document put the Communist Partys paranoia and illiberalism on display in its own words. Of the seven perils, for example, the fifth was propagating Western news views which, the document warned, could include the abstract and absolute freedom of news. Horrors, indeed.

Now, China has underscored that Document No. 9 and its warnings were serious. A veteran journalist, Gao Yu, 71, who repeatedly challenged the party over the years, has been sentenced by a Beijing court to seven years in prison on charges of leaking state secrets abroad by providing Document No. 9 to the Mirror Media Group. The media group and Ms. Gao have denied that she leaked the text, and her lawyers said she would appeal.

The verdict appears to be yet another example of Chinas determination under President Xi Jinping to suppress dissent and to warn journalists of the consequences of challenging the partys monopoly on power. Ms. Gao is known as a forthright and principled journalist. She was held in jail for more than a year after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 and then served six years in prison in the 1990s on charges of leaking state secrets. She has written tough and clear-eyed commentary about Chinas leaders, including Mr. Xi. In a column published in early 2013, she declared that he was not a real reformer but was determined to restore the kind of authority and legitimacy Mao Zedong commanded in the early years of Communist Party rule. She was right: That is precisely what he has done.

What Chinas rulers never seem to understand is the impossibility of bottling up the ideas that underlie freedom and democracy. Sure, it is possible to go house to house, to arrest and imprison thousands of people  China is the only nation in the world to have a Nobel laureate, Liu Xiaobo , in prison for his views. But ideals and words cannot be jailed. Chinas rulers should release Ms. Gao and Mr. Liu and other political prisoners now, but they also should come to the realization, at long last, that the strong nation they aspire to build must rest on a healthy and open society, not one that causes its people to cower in fear.
SENATORS VOTED Thursday to confirm Loretta Lynch as the next attorney general by an embarrassingly thin margin of 56 to 43. It was embarrassing not to Ms. Lynch, who clearly deserved confirmation, but to the Republicans who voted against a nominee who should have breezed through.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and nine other Republicans pushed Ms. Lynch over the top. But the list of GOP no votes was much longer. Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), the chambers point man on presidential nominees in the legal space, voted against confirmation. So did Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), who previously led the Senate away from gross partisanship on nominations. These are among the men who should be ensuring order and fairness in the Senate, as Mr. McConnell promised in November. Instead, they put anger at President Obama above the proper functioning of the government.

We dont need to be apologetic about it, insisted Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the former top Republican on the Judiciary Committee and a former U.S. attorney. The president has claimed powers above and beyond those King George III exercised, Mr. Sessions hyperbolized. So, apparently, any Obama nominee who fails to condemn Mr. Obamas actions should be voted down.

One would imagine that the Senates declared presidential candidates would resist that sort of thinking. Yet Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) both voted against Ms. Lynch. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) missed the final vote, but he made clear where he stood: No senator can vote for this confirmation consistent with his or her oath, Mr. Cruz thundered on the Senate floor, bringing his characteristic blend of overstatement and irresponsibility to the debate. A President Cruz might feel differently if Democrats were holding up one of his nominees over policy disagreements with the White House.

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush didnt get a vote, but he struck the right note when he joined other prominent Republicans outside the Senate in calling for Ms. Lynchs confirmation. I think presidents have the right to pick their team, he said in New Hampshire this month. If someone is supportive of the presidents policies, whether you agree with them or not, there should be some deference to the executive. Precisely: A vote for Ms. Lynch was not an endorsement of the presidents policies. Instead it reflected a senators conclusion that she is qualified to do the job.

We, too, had misgivings about Mr. Obamas executive action on immigration. But Mr. Obamas executive action was not based on a fraudulent legal analysis, nor was it so patently outrageous as to warrant shutting down the confirmation process and leaving the Justice Department in limbo.

Mr. Grassley noted before the vote on Ms. Lynch that most Senate Democrats opposed Michael Mukaseys nomination to be George W. Bushs attorney general in 2007. He and his fellow Republicans, then, should have known better than to descend to that level.
AFTER HOUSE Republican leaders announced last week that they would not act on President Obamas request for an authorization of military force against the Islamic State, critics asked a fair question: How come legislators who insisted on congressional review of the pending nuclear accord with Iran see no need to vote on the military campaign now underway in Iraq and Syria?

The obvious answer is that Republican leaders are eager to go on record opposing the deal with Tehran but have little incentive either to reject or explicitly support Mr. Obamas strategy for combating the Islamic State. But the problem is more complex than that. Mr. Obama has muddied the issue by simultaneously claiming broad powers to wage the war under existing law and submitting legislation that would limit not just his own authority but that of his successor. Congressional Democrats seek still tougher restrictions, so those who favor robust military action  perhaps after Mr. Obama leaves office  may be best served by congressional inaction.

Its nevertheless a political abdication for lawmakers not to vote on a war that could go on for many years and extend to countries other than Iraq and Syria. As Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution has observed, by failing to act Congress will essentially confirm Mr. Obamas aggressive interpretation of his authority under present law, and thereby weaken its already-eroded capacity to check presidential war powers.

The White House says that the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force against al-Qaeda covers the Islamic State, since it is an offshoot of the group that staged the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Defense Department General Counsel Stephen W. Preston recently asserted that the 2001 bill legalizes U.S. military action in six countries, including Yemen, Somalia and Libya. Many independent legal experts, as well as Democratic senators such as Timothy M. Kaine (Va.) and Benjamin L. Cardin (Md.), see that as a dangerous stretch of a law approved by a Congress that could not have foreseen the emergence of jihadist groups far from Afghanistan. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, says the administrations legal interpretation is on the fringes.

Since Mr. Obama is not proposing the repeal of the 2001 law, Republicans suspect his main purpose in a new authorization is to constrain the next president. The White House draft would ban enduring offensive ground combat operations during its three-year term. It would not allow military action to defend forces trained by the United States to fight the Islamic State in Syria in the likely event they were attacked by the Syrian government. Mr. Corker notes that Mr. Obamas draft has no support from Democrats, many of whom want a stricter ban on ground forces and a repeal of the 2001 law.

Mr. Corker told us he nevertheless intends to explore whether there is a constructive pathway forward on the military authorization. We believe there is room for a bipartisan compromise on a simple bill: Congress could, for example, amend the 2001 law to explicitly include the Islamic State, remedying the administrations legal overstretch. Mr. Kaine has other ideas but is right on the basic point: The worst thing we can do, he says, is not to do anything.
THE AUGUST 2013 death of John Geer, who was standing unarmed in the doorway of his house in Springfield when he was shot in the chest by a Fairfax County police officer, may finally be nearing the point where something resembling justice is done.

On Tuesday, the county announced an extraordinary agreement to pay $2.95 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Mr. Geers family  even though neither federal nor state prosecutors had yet decided whether to seek criminal charges against the officer who shot him. It appears to be the largest settlement in Virginia involving a police shooting.

The terms of the agreement make clear that it is neither an admission of criminal wrongdoing nor of liability by the county. Still, it marks the end of a disgraceful, months-long saga in which the county police and the county attorneys office did their utmost to obstruct the release of documents on the case, either to the public or to Mr. Geers family  a stance that finally collapsed when a judge ordered disclosure.

The settlement will provide a measure of financial comfort to Mr. Geers two daughters, who are the sole beneficiaries and will now have the means to attend the college of their choice. Thats a good thing, but it is only a partial step in the direction of accountability and justice.

A possible second step was taken Wednesday when the chief prosecutor in Fairfax, Commonwealths Attorney Raymond F. Morrogh, announced he would convene a special grand jury to hear evidence in the Geer case.

Mr. Morroghs decision is curious, given that he is fully empowered to decide on his own whether to bring charges against Officer Adam D. Torres, who fired the shot that killed Mr. Geer. Its highly unusual for prosecutors in Fairfax to empanel a special grand jury to hear a single case; given the enormous volume of material already collected and known about the Geer case, one wonders what more Mr. Morrogh hopes to learn from a grand jury.

Whats known is that Officer Torres says he fired his weapon intentionally, in the belief that Mr. Geer had suddenly lowered his hands, as if to grab a weapon. Three other police officers who were steps away from Mr. Geer and also watching him disputed that Mr. Geer lowered his hands , as did another officer and two civilians who were nearby.

If the grand jury imparts a sense of justice and finality in a case that has so far glaringly lacked both, then it will be worth the effort. Mr. Morrogh says he expects it to be convened this summer, two years after Mr. Geers death. Lets hope this is the case that disproves the axiom that justice delayed is justice denied.
EVERYDAY AMERICANS need a champion, and I want to be that champion. So said Hillary Rodham Clinton in announcing her 2016 presidential campaign. The former first lady, senator and secretary of state is preparing to run under the banner of progressive populism, not the more moderate third way politics for which both she and her husband, the former president, have been generally known. Its a message more in tune with both the leftward movement of the Democratic Party since Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992 and, according to Ms. Clinton, the reality that, in U.S. society, the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top.

But how exactly is that deck stacked? And how would Ms. Clinton reshuffle the cards, in her phrase? On neither point has she been specific; her incipient candidacy so far consists of atmospherics, not proposals.

If Ms. Clinton wants to get substantive, all she needs to do is look at the income tax code. Of the 10 largest tax expenditures, only two  the $70 billion-per-year earned-income tax credit and the $57 billion child tax credit  favor the poor. The others disproportionately benefit the top 20 percent of earners, according to a Congressional Budget Office report. For example, the top quintile captures 73 percent of the mortgage interest deduction; 80 percent of the state and local taxes deduction; 84 percent of the charitable deduction; and 93 percent of the preferential rate on capital gains and dividends. This last one confers 68 percent of its benefits on the top 1 percent of taxpayers.

In short, the tax code redistributes a good deal of income upward, not so much because of overt stacking in favor of the rich but because Congress got sold on tax breaks as a means of achieving various socially desirable goals without directly spending on them. The mortgage interest deduction promotes homeownership, the charitable deduction promotes charity, and so on. The appropriate response for a would-be champion of everyday Americans, whether its Ms. Clinton or one of her rivals, would be to explain that these goals are being achieved at an unduly high cost in inequality, if at all, and that they need to be limited or abolished accordingly.

Alas for Ms. Clinton, that implies political challenges: Taking on the favorable treatment of investment income might put her at odds with her erstwhile Wall Street and Silicon Valley supporters. The state and local taxes deduction is a back-door subsidy to high-tax, high-service jurisdictions such as New York and San Francisco, where Democrats dominate. The mortgage interest deduction, defended by a legion of real estate agents and mortgage bankers, enables regular-voting upper-middle-income folks in red states and blue to afford more house than they could otherwise. And lets not forget $23 billion in tuition breaks for higher education, which hardly benefit low-income households and hardly increase college attendance, according to a new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper.

Small wonder, then, that Ms. Clinton is not yet fleshing out her campaign theme, at least as it applies to taxes. Everywhere you look in the code, theres an opportunity for egalitarianism  and an opportunity to make enemies.
The March 13 front-page article A mission for Jesus in the public schools reminded me of my days in elementary school, after the Supreme Court had wisely restricted prayer in public schools. In my school in Massachusetts, we were told by the teachers that we could leave the room if we did not want to recite the Lords Prayer or sing Christmas carols. We who were Jewish were mocked, designated as anti-religion and called ugly names.

Now, its happening again. The Christian Educators Association International has found a back door to educating children and teachers about how to worship Jesus in the public schools. I have no problem with private worship outside the schools. Religious freedom is important to us all and is a tenet upon which our country was founded. To set up systems whereby Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and even atheists feel left out and unwanted is a mockery of our Constitution, which clearly provides religious freedom for every American.

The religious majority does not rule what our children learn. And to continue humiliating and marginalizing children of other faiths is immoral and wrong.

Barbara Lautman, Washington

A mission for Jesus in the public schools highlighted an incorrect assumption employed by all religious zealots, namely that their belief du jour equals good.

To paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke, the greatest tragedy in the history of humanity is the hijacking of morality by religion. There is absolutely nothing moral about religion; religion has caused more murder, torture, rape, fratricide, patricide, matricide, genocide and infanticide than any other human evil.

Under no circumstance should a government authority figure (such as a teacher) proselytize religion. Even the prayer sessions held before and after school are neither innocent nor harmless. They create a two-tiered social system within the student body: students who attend are self-declared good and therefore superior; students who dont attend are viewed as bad and therefore inferior, all with the blessing of teachers. If teachers want to teach good, they should first define it. How about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all citizens, not just some?

Blane Morse, Herndon
A TALENTED roster of candidates is on the Democratic primary ballot in Marylands 8th Congressional District, a safe Democratic seat that the highly able incumbent, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, is leaving to run for the Senate. The race, which seems likely to be the nations most expensive primary contest for a House seat, has it all: three state lawmakers, two former Obama administration officials and a rich businessman who is deluging the districts airwaves with ads.

In this formidable lineup, one candidate stands out as having the potential to make an impact in Congress: Kathleen Matthews, a longtime TV journalist and, more recently, corporate executive. Ms. Matthews is a first-time candidate for elective office, but as a local reporter and anchor for WJLA for 25 years, and then as head of public affairs for Marriott International, she has developed a broad and deep facility with policy and politics. In the neighboring 6th District, which shares Montgomery County with the 8th, Rep. John Delaney, a two-term incumbent, has shown that a savvy newcomer with broad experience, including in business, can make a mark even from the minority in the GOP-dominated House. Ms. Matthews, whose progressive views are in tune with the districts, would be in that mold of achiever.

Another strong candidate is Sen. Jamie Raskin, the Maryland Senates majority whip, who is recognized in Annapolis as an effective legislator. A constitutional law professor at American University, he played key roles in ending the death penalty, legalizing same-sex marriage and tightening gun control laws. He is respected in his legislative district, around Takoma Park, for granular attention to his constituents needs.

A third candidate has made a splash in the race due to his prodigious spending on campaign advertising: David Trone, co-owner of Total Wine & More, a large retailer. Mr. Trone, who, with his brother, built his business from scratch, has smarts and an inspiring personal story. But his scant experience in and knowledge of local, state and federal affairs, outside those directly affecting his business, is all too apparent.

Our preference for Ms. Matthews boils down to our belief that in Congress, she would be more pragmatic and less doctrinaire than the left-leaning Mr. Raskin, whose passionate liberalism is unsurpassed in Annapolis. Both candidates support gun control, clean energy, campaign finance reform and greater investment in education and health research. Ms. Matthews has greater potential, following the Van Hollen model, to move the ball forward in those areas. We endorse her in the April 26 primary.
CLIMATE CHANGE can no longer be denied, President Obama said in Everglades National Park on Wednesday. It cant be edited out. It cant be omitted from the conversation. No matter how much, Mr. Obama might have added, Republican presidential hopefuls would like to neglect the matter.

Since the GOP presidential season began, Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.), the first major Republican to declare his candidacy, sounded the most extreme note on global warming, insisting that his attacks on scientists make him akin to Galileo standing up to 16th-century theological authorities. Shortly after announcing his candidacy, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) offered some vague doubts about how much humans contribute to climate change. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who has not yet formally entered the race, said that he is concerned about climate change and that the United States should negotiate with other nations about it, but he also suggested that the private economy has already addressed the problem and that hes more worried about the hollowing out of our industrial core.

The common element among GOP leaders is resistance to the notion that the government needs a significant policy against greenhouse-gas emissions. What would the national conversation be like if Mr. Obama got his way and they accepted the need to act with ambition?

Ironically, it wouldnt be kind to some of Mr. Obamas policies, but thats not his fault. Because of the GOPs abdication, the Obama administration has cobbled together a climate plan from legal authorities it could exercise without Congresss say-so. The result is an awkwardly designed and inefficient approach. A more reasonable Congress could shape a more efficient plan, with an eye toward sparing the economy gratuitous pain.

Economists have known for decades how to do this. First, the government should eliminate energy subsidies of all kinds  for fossil fuels as well as renewable energy. Then Congress should put a significant tax on carbon-dioxide emissions and set it to rise over time. The resulting market forces would decide how the economy would move to a greener state. Consumers and businesses would have more reason to consider wasting less electricity, buying efficient appliances and investing in products that require less carbon dioxide to make. Generators of electricity would have an incentive to use cleaner fuels and renewable sources of energy  when it makes economic sense, not when the Environmental Protection Agency decides they must. Companies that exploit giveaway subsidy policies would have to compete fairly.

Republicans, meanwhile, could return any revenue raised to taxpayers, either directly or by reducing taxes on labor, on corporations or in any manner of their choosing.

The nations climate debate has been impoverished by the absence of responsible conservative voices. A revenue-neutral carbon tax is a reform Republicans should love. It could end irrational federal subsidies, lower the GOPs most-hated taxes and harness market efficiency to provide some insurance for the planet at a minimal cost. Instead, the partys would-be leaders appear to be looking for any way to avoid engaging seriously.
Sen. John Cornyn recalls visiting a Texas prison where some inmates taking shop classes could not read tape measures. Cornyn, who was previously a district court judge and Texas Supreme Court justice, knows that prisons are trying to teach literacy and vocations, trying to cope with the mental illnesses of many inmates and trying to take prophylactic measures to prevent drug-related recidivism by people imprisoned for drug offenses. The criminal-justice system, he says, has become by default a social services provider.

It is not, however, equipped to perform so many functions. Cornyn, a Republican, is part of a bipartisan congressional group negotiating sentencing reform, one of many needed repairs of the criminal-justice system. What justice requires, frugality encourages: Too many people are in prison for too long, and too often, at a financial cost disproportionate to the enhancement of public safety. Texas has used alternatives to imprisonment to save $3 billion while crime rates have declined.

Mark Kleiman of the University of California at Los Angeles says the deterrent impact of a punishment depends only weakly on its severity, but strongly on its swiftness and certainty. What Cornyn and others are negotiating are selective reductions in the severity of some mandatory minimum sentences  each reduction reviewed by a court  for nonviolent offenses. This would enable government to devote increased resources to coping with violent and repeat offenders.

Speaking of repeat offenders: Much crime is committed by individuals who have weak impulse control, and Congress manufactures criminal offenses for the same reason. It should stop promiscuously multiplying federal crimes. Unlimited government develops an unlimited appetite for intervening in societys dynamics. The regulatory state has a rage to regulate, sometimes by creating new crimes. The Heritage Foundations Paul Larkin notes that more than 40 percent of federal criminal laws enacted since the Civil War have come since 1970, and between 2000 and 2007, Congress legislated more than 450 new crimes  more than one a week. Has there really been a sudden multiplication of behaviors meriting societys severe disapproval? And Larkin notes that if criminal charges approximate parking tickets in their ubiquity, we have deprived the criminal law of the moral force necessary for it to persuade people to respect and obey its commands.

The federal prison population, which devours 25 percent of the Justice Departments budget, has increased more than 300 percent in less than 30 years. Only 7 percent are convicted of violent crimes. Granted, a person in prison poses no threat to the community. The problem is that almost everyone who goes to prison is going to return to the community from which he or she came, and most will not have been improved by the experience of incarceration.

It is axiomatic that social science cannot tell us what to do but can measure the results of what we are doing. What we are not doing well is supervising people released from incarceration. Hence what UCLAs Kleiman calls the crime-incarceration-crime cycle. He says more people are sent to prison each year for violating probation or parole conditions than as a result of conviction for new crimes.

Old theories about the causes of crime need to be rethought. During the Great Depression, unemployment soared to 25 percent, yet in many cities crime fell. Demographic factors? Crime rates often vary with the size of societys cohort of young males: Crime declined considerably during World War II not just, or even primarily, because unemployment was negligible but also because so many young males were in military discipline.

In 2010, one year after the Great Recessions jobs destruction doubled the unemployment rate, the property crime rate fell and violent crime reached a 40-year low. Current high incarceration rates had something to do with that. But how much? James Q. Wilson, the most accomplished social scientist since World War II, accepted the estimate that increased incarceration explains one-quarter or more of the crime decline. Wilson also suggested an environmental factor: For decades, doctors have known that children with lots of lead in their blood are much more likely to be aggressive, violent and delinquent. Since the 1970s, lead has been removed from gasoline and paint for new homes, and the amount of lead in Americans blood fell by four-fifths between 1975 and 1991. Wilson cited a study that ascribed more than half the 1990s decline in crime to the reduction of gasoline lead. Clearly, sentencing reform is just one piece of a complex policy puzzle.

Read more from George F. Wills archive or follow him on Facebook.
A sign at the Rosslyn Metro station notifies riders that the system is closed for emergency inspection on Wednesday. (Jessica Gresko/Associated Press)

Regarding the March 16 front-page article Safety concerns shutter Metrorail:

Metrorail. Crumbling bridges. (Memorial Bridge, anyone?) Municipal water systems. Any connection? Of course: years of not funding public institutions and services sufficiently to maintain their infrastructure.

Elected officials do not authorize adequate funds (lets shrink government to the size it can be drowned in a bathtub) and then point fingers at the highway department or the water district or the rail managers who didnt spend money they were never given. And the public elects politicians who promise magic  never having to pay for anything because that would require taxes. Then that same public cries out when Metro has to shut down because years of doing without maintenance has caught up with us.

We need just look in the mirror. Gotta pay for things, folks. And dont buy hooey from politicians who promise otherwise.

Al Larsen, Arlington

The inspections could have been done between midnight and 5 a.m. on five consecutive days, thereby avoiding millions of dollars of lost productivity in the D.C. economy.

Arnie Celnicker, Arlington

I support the shutdown of Metro for the electrical inspection. Underground fires in the system have been far too frequent. There is more than danger from smoke, as electrical arcing can damage safety systems in the tunnels.

A Metro that never closes is like a coal mine operator that keeps operating no matter how dangerous its mine is. Sure, the shutdown was extremely inconvenient to the riders, but Metro has gotten to this state because the previous management didnt take these fires seriously enough.

Scott Taylor, Washington

Why call Metro dysfunctional [Metros shutdown hurtles Washington to the third rail of failed leadership, news, March 16] when this new director is a great breath of fresh air who is putting human lives and safety first as never before?

Gerri Michalska, Washington

In 2010, I contacted the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority twice regarding the distinct smell of ozone accumulation in the LEnfant Plaza station, which I suspected was coming from electrical arcing. After the second contact, I never heard back and still smelled ozone coming from the same tunnel that had a smoldering fire in 2015.

This shutdown would have been entirely avoidable had Metro put into place the correct maintenance and safety oversight. It is a shame to see this happen in the very heart of the United States transportation and electrical safety community.

David Sullivan-Nightengale, St. Paul, Minn.

The writer is a former member of the Defense Departments Electrical Safety Working Group.

The shutdown of Metro is likely to be the new normal if safety standards are applied consistently, because many parts of Metro are a shambles. This deterioration has been decades in the making and is apparently irreversible except in the very long term. It is time for local jurisdictions to recognize that Metro is a failed experiment that is at best a crippled adjunct to regional transportation needs. Resources should be directed to other modes of transportation, and the Metro board should start the process of substantially downsizing Metro and making massive changes in the quality of Metro staff.

Local governments should abandon their hostility to cars and start trying to improve road systems by doing things such as synchronizing traffic lights, removing traffic-calming barriers and increasing parking spaces. The federal government should reassert its responsibility for an adequately functioning capital region by taking over the crumbling remnants of Metro and restructuring it as a bare-bones system. To do less is to refuse to recognize the reality of Metros collapse.

Edward Portner, Silver Spring
Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius has reported that during his visit to the village of Shyrokyne, near the Ukrainian-controlled port city of Mariupol in Donetsk region, on Wednesday he witnessed shelling by militants, who used banned weapons.

"#Minsk in 'action'  shelling continued even during my visit to #Shyrokyne yesterday (w forbidden 82 mm mortar)," he tweeted on Thursday.

He also posted a picture of his meeting with Ukrainian troops in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone in eastern Ukraine. "Proud to visit #Ukrainian soldiers at frontline (#Shyrokyne)  they defend #freedom & #European values," he tweeted.

Linkevicius was visiting Ukraine on March 15-17. On March 15, he met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to discuss the imprisonment of Nadia Savchenko in Russia, the Minsk peace agreements, reforms in Ukraine and EU support.

Linkevicius also met with students in Mariupol where he announced that Lithuania had allocated 40 scholarships for Ukrainian students to study in that country.
STAFFORD, VA - David John Marcussen, age 33, of Fredericksburg, has been charged with 1 Count of Felony Murder, 1 Count of Involuntary Manslaughter, 2 Counts of Cruelty to Children and 1 Count of Child Neglect in the death of his foster child. (N/A/Stafford County Sheriff's Office)

THE DEATH of any child is a tragedy. But there is an added horror when that death comes at the hands of someone who has been entrusted with the childs safekeeping. That is why it is so critical that Virginia social service authorities reassess their procedures after a baby was killed, allegedly by his foster father.

Stafford County authorities have charged 33-year-old David John Marcussen of Fredericksburg with felony murder and other charges in connection with the Feb. 1 death of 1-year-old Karon Mason. Mr. Marcussen is accused of fatally injuring the baby on Jan. 1 while giving him a bath. The boy, then 11 months old, suffered burns on his face, torso and neck and, according to a statement from the county sheriffs office, was airlifted to a burn center in Richmond, where he died. An indictment against Mr. Marcussen was returned last week.

Details about the circumstances of the boys placement are sketchy. A statement from the Fredericksburg Department of Social Services said the baby had been in the agencys custody since shortly after his birth, after a judge determined that because of family circumstances, it would be in his best interest to be placed in foster care. The foster parents, the statement said, passed stringent selection and training criteria. What exactly that entailed is unclear as officials have refused further comment and didnt return our phone calls.

Its obvious that something went wrong with protecting this child, and thats why its important that the fatality review that is standard in such cases leaves no stone unturned. Were all procedures followed and standards met? Were there any warning signs? And, most important, is there a need for additional protections? The public needs to know that children placed in the states care are in the hands of people who will work hard to ensure that they come to no harm.
SERVICE AT the highest levels of the United States government demands a certain instinctive sensitivity to right and wrong when it comes to ethics. So much can happen belowdecks that a Cabinet member or president must set high standards and expect that subordinates will follow the example. This is why the latest disclosures about the Clinton Foundations donors raise new concerns about Hillary Clintons presidential quest.

The questionable transactions involving the foundation and Bill Clintons big speaking paychecks offer fresh evidence of how the Clintons skate close to the edge of propriety. According to a lengthy account published Friday by the New York Times, Bill Clinton accompanied a Canadian mining executive, Frank Giustra, to Kazakhstan in 2005, after which Mr. Giustra acquired valuable Kazakh uranium assets. Mr. Giustra donated millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation. The mining company merged and expanded, and it became known as Uranium One. It bought uranium exploration properties in the United States, and ownership was partially sold to a subsidiary of the Russian state atomic energy agency.

When the Russians sought to expand their holdings to 51 percent of the company, it required approval of the U.S. government, including the State Department, when Ms. Clinton was secretary of state. The transaction was approved in 2010. More donations to the Clinton Foundation  millions of dollars  flowed from people connected to Uranium One. The same month the sale went through, the former president gave a talk in Moscow sponsored by an investment bank for $500,000. The investment bank was promoting stock in Uranium One. Though there is no evidence of a quid pro quo, on the merits the deal was bad for U.S. interests: Vladimir Putin can now boast of control of more than a fifth of U.S. uranium reserves.

The Clintons have sought to do good works with their foundation, but this is not about the works. It is about the fundraising, both for the charity and for the Clintons personal benefit. Besides the Uranium One money, millions more dollars have been contributed by foreign governments and interests with a stake in State Department decisions, or in a future president. Bill Clinton, The Post reported, has raked in close to $100 million in speaking fees between 2001 and 2013, a staggering sum that far exceeds the self-marketing of any other president.

The Clintons promised to be transparent about donations to the foundation while Ms. Clinton was in office. However, the Times said the contributions of some connected to the Uranium One deal were not disclosed. The newspaper unearthed them in Canadian tax records. This lapse is exactly the sleight-of-hand that creates suspicion. It was unnecessary and leads to the question: What were the Clintons hiding?

The murky Clinton milieu of donations here and speaking engagements there, a mixture of power, influence and money, of interests commingled and borders blurred is the heavy baggage that comes with Ms. Clintons presidential candidacy. There may not be illegality, but there are legitimate doubts about her judgment. The Clintons have long been haunted by criticism of their ethical behavior and appear to think these latest reports can be brushed off as just another storm of partisanship. Innuendo, they say. Utterly baseless. Such responses do not reflect a proper sensitivity to propriety  which is the problem.
Senate Republican efforts to stop mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods have stalled.

The Senate, on a 48-to-49 vote Wednesday, fell short of the necessary numbers to move ahead on legislation that would have barred states from requiring the labeling. Vermont is set to require such labels this summer, and other states are considering similar laws.

The procedural vote is a setback for many big players in the food industry who had lobbied to block Vermonts law.

The industry argues that genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are safe and the labels could be costly for agriculture, food companies and consumers. Congressional Republicans have opposed a patchwork of state laws and worked to find a solution on the issue before Vermonts law kicks in.

Genetically modified seeds are engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, such as resistance to herbicides. The majority of the countrys corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that going to animal feed. Corn and soybeans also are made into popular processed food ingredients, such as high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soybean oil. The food industry says about 75 percent to 80 percent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

The Food and Drug Administration said they are safe, and there is little scientific concern about the safety of those GMOs on the market. But advocates for labeling say not enough is known about their risks. Among supporters of labeling are many organic companies that are barred by law from using modified ingredients in their foods.

Those advocates have been fighting state by state to enact the labeling, with the eventual goal of a national standard.

Republican senators were hoping to find compromise with Democrats who have supported mandatory labeling. The chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), tweaked the bill that advanced from his committee this month to require the Agriculture Department to measure whether food companies were using voluntary labels. If not enough companies were doing so in three years, the department would require the labeling.

But that was not enough for most Democrats.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), the top Democrat on the committee, said she worked until late Tuesday night to try to find an agreement with Roberts. She said she agrees that GMOs are safe, but a growing number of American consumers want to know more about the food they eat. And they have the right to know.

She said she believes that it is still possible to find compromise on the issue and she is still talking to Roberts about the legislation.

The House passed a bill blocking the state laws last year.
Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio.

July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post

The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president.

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton visits key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Hillary Clinton has been declared the winner of the Missouri primary, locking Sen. Bernie Sanders out of any victories in the states that voted in primaries Tuesday.

The victory became official two days after polls closed in the state and does little to change the delegate count in the Democratic race.

But it represents a significant psychological boost for Clintons campaign as it marches ever closer toward the party nomination.

The campaign has believed for days that Clinton would ultimately be declared the winner in Missouri. In the end, Clintons margin in Missouri was just more than 1,500 votes, according to the most recent numbers released by the Missouri secretary of states office.

Sanders said in a statement Thursday that he would not request a recount of the states results because it would not be likely to affect the number of delegates awarded to the two candidates. I would prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money, he said.

Almost 800 pledged delegates were up for grabs in the March 15 primaries. Clinton won by large margins in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio and edged Sanders in Illinois and now Missouri. Clinton expanded her lead over Sanders to more than 300 delegates, not including the superdelegates who are not bound to a candidate based on primary results.

Sanders has pledged to remain in the race and has said that upcoming contests in Arizona, Idaho, Utah and elsewhere pose opportunities for him to close the gap with Clinton.

In a memo Wednesday, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said that as a result of Tuesdays primary results, a string of victories by Sen. Sanders over the next few weeks would have little impact on Sec. Clintons position in the race.

Clinton and Sanders face off next in Arizona, which holds its primary Tuesday. Sanders has campaigned in the state this week, and Clinton will campaign in Phoenix on Monday.

View Graphic Southern dominance does not mean Trump and Clinton will win everywhere

Both sides have set Arizona up as an opportunity  for Clinton to continue her winning streak and for Sanders to regain momentum.
As Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton begin to tighten their grips on their respective party nominations, President Obama is plunging into the campaign fray, not only to help Democrats retain the White House but also in defense of his own legacy in a political climate dominated by Trump.

The president has been clear that as we get closer to the general election, it will become even more important that the American people understand what is at stake, White House deputy press secretary Jennifer Friedman said in an email.

Obama and his top aides have been strategizing for weeks about how they can reprise his successful 2008 and 2012 approaches to help elect a Democrat to replace him. And out of concern that a Republican president in 2017  either Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.)  would weaken or reverse some of his landmark policies, Obama and his surrogates have started making the case that it is essential for the GOP to be defeated in November.

As a result, Obama is poised to be the most active sitting president on the campaign trail in decades.

Do we continue to build on the policies that reward hard-working American families . . . and address challenges for future generations, or do we stop in our tracks, reverse our progress and move in the wrong direction? Friedman wrote. This is a choice that the president does not take lightly, and is something he will lay out for the American people with increased frequency in the weeks and months ahead.

Central to the White House effort to stop Trump  or, under a less likely scenario, one of his rivals  is reassembling and energizing the coalition that propelled Obama into office; that means African Americans, Latinos, young voters and women.

Speaking at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Austin last Friday, Obama said consolidating the gains that Democrats have made over the course of his presidency will depend on ensuring that people are engaged and working just as hard and just as full of hope as they did in 2008.

One big worry for Democrats is the level of enthusiasm among the partys base when Obama is no longer on the ballot.

Theres a tendency, in the third election in a row for a party, for there to be some sense of complacency, said former White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer. What Democrats need to do in the coming months is clear, he said: The difference between Donald Trump winning or losing is whether Obamas 2008 coalition turns out in 2016.

Many Democrats think that if Trump is the GOP nominee, he will help the Democratic Party solve the mobilization problem. They think that Trumps strident anti-immigrant positions and his controversial comments about women and minorities will help Democrats in the fall.

Latino voters, especially, are receiving the attention of advocacy groups, including super PACs friendly to the Clinton campaign and to Democrats in general.

Liberal investor George Soros is among the backers helping to amass about $15 million for a super PAC devoted to increasing the participation of Latino voters as well as African Americans and women.

Vice President Biden, for his part, is preparing to campaign heavily in the Rust Belt to appeal to the white, working-class voters who may be drawn to Trump, according to aides.

[Pro-Clinton Super PAC mocks Trump in new video]

Democratic Party officials say they are taking the threat of a Trump nomination seriously and plan to begin attacking him immediately, on policy and on his temperament. They also vow not to make the mistakes that Trumps GOP opponents made early in the primary season. They are not assuming that the billionaire real estate magnate will self-destruct, they say.

Were ready for Donald Trump, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz told reporters Wednesday. Were not treating him like the laughingstock that Republican establishment folks treated him for far too long.

Obama in recent days has been in the forefront of those viewing Trump as a serious electoral threat. More than once, the president has gone on extended riffs about why he thinks Trump as a political leader is bad for the country.

The best leaders, the leaders who are worthy of our votes, remind us that even in a country as big and diverse and inclusive as ours, what weve got in common is far more important than what divides any of us, he said in Dallas last Saturday, just as reports about violence at Trump rallies were dominating the news.

Increasingly, Obama has been using Trumps candidacy to talk about what kind of country the United States is becoming. At a St. Patricks Day luncheon at the Capitol on Tuesday, Obama again alluded to Trumps harsh campaign rhetoric.

In America, there arent laws that say that we have to be nice to each other, or courteous, or treat each other with respect. But there are norms. There are customs, he said. The longer that we allow the political rhetoric of late to continue, and the longer that we tacitly accept it, we create a permission structure that allows the animosity in one corner of our politics to infect our broader society. And animosity breeds animosity.

Clearly, once there is a Democratic nominee  who Obama advisers say they expect will be Clinton  the president will hit the campaign trail on that nominees behalf.

Obama and Biden recently endorsed two Democrats involved in contested Senate primaries, former Ohio governor Ted Strickland and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (Fla.), and on Thursday they endorsed former senator Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) in his bid to retake his seat.

Republican national spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said in an email that Obama will be a huge liability in swing states because he has job approval numbers that continue to struggle.

An overwhelming majority of the people want a different approach than Obama, Walters wrote. Polls show Americans are tired of the status quo and want to take our country in a new direction.

Democrats, by contrast, think the key to winning this year is, in the words of one party strategist, more about mobilizing your own voters than persuading some rapidly shrinking middle.

In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, Obama had an overall approval rating of 51 percent, but his approval was 87 percent among Democrats, 67 percent among voters under 30 and 75 percent among Hispanics. He regularly polls at 90 percent among African Americans.

Scott Clement, Anne Gearan and Abby Phillip contributed to this report.
Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his primary election night event at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on March 15. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

A group of rabbis is planning to boycott Donald Trumps speech next week before a leading pro-Israel advocacy group, a sign of growing unease among many Jewish leaders about the populist campaign being waged by the Republican presidential front-runner.

About 40 rabbis have said that they plan to participate in the protest of Trumps appearance Monday at the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, according to an organizer. The planned demonstration comes as members of the Republican Jewish Coalition, a group of major GOP donors, is expected to debate how to deal with Trump during its annual meeting next month in Las Vegas.

The concerns being expressed by many Jewish leaders go beyond Trumps controversial pledge to be neutral during peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians  and extend to fears of Trumps style and approach to power.

Some say they hear echoes of a painful past under fascism in Trumps recent comments appearing to praise authoritarian figures such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and in the way that Trump stokes economic anger among his supporters. And they point to Trumps call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States and his harsh rhetoric on illegal Mexican migrants as reminiscent of the anti-immigrant sentiment that greeted European Jews in generations past.

These are the darkest days for Republican Jews like myself, former George W. Bush speechwriter Noam Neusner wrote in a column this month in the Forward, a Jewish newspaper. He wrote that Trump has built within our party the nearest thing America has ever seen to a European nativist working-class political movement. Such movements, to put it mildly, have never been good for the Jews or allies of free thought and the free market.

Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition candidate forum on Dec. 3, Donald Trump drew the ire of a few audience members when he wouldn't clarify whether he recognized Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. (Reuters)

Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement that Trump has a long history of being a strong supporter of Israel and has made significant contributions to a variety of Jewish related causes over the years.

Organizers of the push to boycott Trumps AIPAC speech said they are worried that Trump could gain legitimacy through the event and want to deny him a chance to present the invitation as a tacit sign of approval.

The organizers said they dont know how many rabbis will ultimately participate. Those who have signed on so far primarily represent the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism, whose followers tend to lean left politically.

Jeffrey Salkin, a Hollywood, Fla., rabbi helping to organize the boycott, said he and other rabbis were alarmed about Trumps behavior and rhetoric on the campaign trail. Jewish history teaches that when hatred is unleashed, it takes on a life of its own, Salkin said.

Salkin said the effort was an attempt to head off more radical protest suggestions, including walkouts and jeers, and provide an outlet for those both nauseated and terrified by Trump.

An AIPAC spokesman declined to comment on the reaction to Trumps appearance. Leaders of the organization have said they have a policy of inviting all active presidential candidates to speak to the group to ensure that our community develops a constructive relationship with whomever wins their respective party nomination and thus could be elected president.

Trumps GOP rivals, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has blasted Trumps statements on Israel, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, are also scheduled to appear at the AIPAC conference. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Vice President Biden will speak there as well.

[Why Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz think Israel is a winning issue against Donald Trump]

Trumps appearance presents an opportunity for the billionaire candidate as he seeks to be seen as the legitimate leader of the Republican Party.

Trump holds a wide lead in the nomination battle but faces hostility and opposition from many GOP leaders and the countrys foreign policy establishment, which has voiced concerns over Trumps views on Israel, his support for torture, and an apparent lack of a team of knowledgeable advisers.

In addressing the annual Washington policy conference hosted by AIPAC, which has strong ties to both parties, Trump has a rare chance to show that he can deliver a substantive speech away from the raucous rallies that have become a signature of his campaign and contributed to the anxieties of his critics.

Nathan Diament, executive director of public policy for the Orthodox Union, called the AIPAC speech a critical moment for Trump.

He wont just be improvising an answer to a question on a debate stage. This is a planned speech. People are going to be looking to this as his definitive statement on his attitude toward Israel, Diament said. The audience in the room and the audience tuning in will be a sophisticated audience. Theyre going to be looking for Trump to be specific. Trump just saying, believe me, is not going to be sufficient.

Trumps rise has caused particular consternation among Republican Jewish leaders, who had hoped that lingering discomfort with President Obamas policies on Israel and the Iran nuclear deal embraced by Clinton might lead to GOP gains in November among the traditionally pro-Democratic Jewish electorate. Even a slight shift could be pivotal in battleground states with heavy Jewish populations, such as Florida and Ohio.

Some said they have cringed as Trump has repeatedly likened the Israel-Palestinian negotiations to the real estate deals that he has brokered over his career.

In a December interview with the Associated Press, he questioned Israels commitment to peace and refused to back an undivided Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a red line for many GOP Israel supporters.

I have a real question as to whether or not both sides want to make it, Trump said. A lot will have to do with Israel and whether or not Israel wants to make the deal  whether or not Israels willing to sacrifice certain things.

Trump failed to allay concerns during an awkward December appearance before the Republican Jewish Coalition. As many in the audience sat stunned, Trump suggested that he might not win the support of many in the room because he did not want their money. He also said he was best positioned to get a Middle East peace deal because hes a negotiator, like you folks.

Id like to go with a clean slate and just say just, lets go, everybodys even, we love everybody and lets see if we can do something, he told the crowd, adding, Just relax, okay? Youll like me very much, believe me.

[Donald Trump struggles with Israel question at Republican Jewish summit]

He has reiterated his neutrality comments through speeches and debates, arguing that appearing to strongly favor one side over the other would hamper his ability to broker an agreement.

Im a negotiator, he said during a debate in Miami last week. If I go in, Ill say Im pro-Israel and Ive told that to everybody and anybody that would listen. But I would like to at least have the other side think Im somewhat neutral as to them, so that we can maybe get a deal done.

Still, Trump has sought to assure Jews and other Israel supporters, including evangelical Christians who make up a core segment of his GOP base. He describes himself as totally pro-Israel and has said that he has donated large amounts of money to support the Jewish state. He has cited his role as the grand marshal of a pro-Israel parade in New York City in 2004 and his receipt of the Tree of Life award from the Jewish National Fund, which supports building infrastructure and planting trees in Israel.

A spokesman for the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, which now organizes the parade, did not respond to requests for comment. A longtime JNF official, Howard Ingram, said the groups New York real estate committee gave Trump its Tree of Life award in the early 1980s in part to acknowledge his ability to raise money.

During the Miami debate, he mentioned his personal connections to the faith, referring to his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, who is a member of a prominent Orthodox family.

I happen to have a son-in-law and a daughter that are Jewish, okay? And two grandchildren that are Jewish, he said.

Hicks, his campaign spokeswoman, added that many of [Trumps] top executives and closest friends are Jewish and there will be no one stronger on Israeli American relations than him, and his consistent support and advocacy for Israel over many years is proof of this.

Ari Fleischer, a former Bush administration official who also sits on the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said Trumps seemingly confused messages have given normally reliably Republican Jewish voters reasons to doubt him and question him.

The term neutrality is a terrible buzzword, Fleischer said. Its fraught with the language of the left, that is anti-Israel. So its hard to accept this proposition that hes pro-Israel when he uses such a misguided word.

Fleischer said Trumps references to the New York parade and his JNF award are not sufficient to soothe concerns.

That has a lot more to do with his wallet than his heart, Fleischer said.

The Israel issue is a particularly important one to a group of deep-pocketed Republican donors, many of them affiliated with the Republican Jewish Coalition, who had rallied around Trumps opponents, particularly Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. With Rubio out of the presidential race, it remains unclear whether they will acclimate themselves to Trump.

Fleischer said there is an active conversation within the RJC about the proper response to Trump, one that will likely dominate the groups annual meeting in Las Vegas next month.

Much of the focus will be on GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, the casino mogul and RJC backer who is aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Adelson has not endorsed in the race, and his spokesman declined to comment. However, Adelson met with Trump in December and declared in an interview with Reuters that he found Trump to be very charming.

An Israeli blogger, Tal Schneider, reported this week that she had obtained video of Adelson at a fundraiser honoring former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani in Las Vegas on Feb. 27, in which Adelson said: Trump is a businessman. I am a businessman. He employs a lot of people. I employed 50,000 people. Why not?

An Israeli newspaper owned by Adelson also this week published an interview with Trump conducted after his Tuesday night primary victories, in which Trump declared that his success was tremendous news for Israel.

Your friend is leading in the primaries, Trump told the newspapers reporter, who covered his post-election celebration in Palm Beach. Ive always been your friend, even at the toughest moments. And thats not going to change. I love you.

For others, Trumps broader ideology and leadership style could be a non-starter.

What I hear from the Jewish community is that hes odious and hes a bully, and in so far as he expresses a point of view about anything, its usually something they disagree with, said Neusner, the former Bush speechwriter who also served as White House liaison to the Jewish community.

Neusner called Trumps proposed religious test for immigration a black line in a community only a generation or two removed from the immigrant experience.



It strikes people as amoral, he said. Its not something that matters only to Republican Jews or Democratic Jews or independent Jews. Its deeply ingrained.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was scheduled to address AIPAC. An earlier version also incorrectly referred to Israeli blogger Tal Schneider as he instead of she.
The United States is expecting Russia to fulfill the Minsk agreements and intends to maintain pressure for that purpose.

"Regarding the Minsk agreements, I believe that the United States has made itself completely clear: we want every provision of these agreements to be implemented. Russia has accepted these agreements, and we think that it should do much more in this area. Obviously, Russia has been providing the separatists with military hardware," Joshua Baker, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, told Interfax in an interview.

Washington supports the Ukraine settlement negotiations in the 'Normandy format' and "will exert various kinds of pressure on Russia so that it meets the obligations under these agreements," he said.

According to Baker, the U.S. sanctions against Russia work and have a very big impact on the Russian economy.

"As to the expansion of sanctions, I think the United States will interact with its European partners in this context. Still, the sanctions related to Crimea will stay in effect as long as this illegal occupation continues," the Department of State spokesman said.

"I do not have any fresh information regarding 'Geneva plus'. The Ukrainian statement is understandable, but I think that the United States supports the ongoing processes," he said, answering a question about the Ukrainian president's initiative to hold 'Geneva plus' negotiations for 'de-occupation' of Crimea.
With the increasingly loud talk of a contested Republican convention, the obscure process of picking who actually gets to be a delegate is about to get underway in states across the country  with an urgency that has not been felt in decades.

These are the 2,472 people who will be filling Clevelands Quicken Loans Arena in July, many wearing silly hats and waving placards. Normally little more than props in a week-long infomercial, delegates could instead be the power brokers who determine the nominee at the GOP convention this time around.

Nearly all will be required to vote for a specific candidate on the first ballot, based on the results of the primaries and caucuses in their states. But if no candidate wins enough delegates to clinch the nomination, there will be subsequent rounds of voting. In that scenario, the vast majority of delegates would be free to vote as they please.

The potential for intrigue is enormous. State delegations who vote for one candidate on the first ballot could actually turn out to be sleeper cells for another as the voting proceeds.

Nor are they bound at any point to support the candidate to whom they are pledged on fights over rules, credentials, the platform or the vice presidential nominee. Those kinds of battles can determine whether the convention is an orderly coronation or a street fight, possibly even putting new names in contention.

Donald Trump will almost certainly be the delegate leader heading into July's Republican National Convention  but that doesn't mean he'll win the nomination outright. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

If it comes to that, a nominating campaign that has already defied every expectation and every norm would go even deeper into uncharted territory. The Republican electorate would be further splintered, jeopardizing the partys chances to win in the fall and its ability to restore any semblance of functionality.

The identities and loyalties of individual convention delegates could become the subject of intense interest and scrutiny. The process of selecting them will be crucial and will be the subject of hand-to-hand combat in nearly every state over the next few months. In the Internet era, there is no such thing as a smoke-filled backroom; once-anonymous delegates could find themselves feeling the heat from all sides.

South Carolina GOP Chairman Matt Moore said he has already warned those who may represent the Palmetto State as delegates: Expect every person in America to have your cellphone numbers and email addresses.

Only a handful of delegates have been named so far across the country. Most will be selected at local and state party gatherings, which means that the picks will be heavily influenced by the GOP establishment in those states  governors, party chairmen, elected officials, donors and longtime activists.

Usually, the mechanics are of little consequence, given that the nomination is locked up well in advance of the convention.

This year, however, there is the very real possibility that Donald Trump could reach Cleveland with a plurality of pledged delegates but be short of the 1,237 majority it takes to claim the top of the ticket on the first round of balloting.

[A good night for Trump and a better night for Clinton]

Were Trump to arrive with the most delegates and leave without the nomination, I think youd have riots, he said Wednesday on CNN.

Noting that many, many millions of people have voted for him, Trump added, if you disenfranchise those people and you say, well Im sorry but youre 100 votes short, even though the next one is 500 votes short, I think you would have problems like youve never seen before. I think bad things would happen, I really do.

The system, however, says otherwise. You dont get the nomination if youre close. This isnt like horseshoes and hand grenades. There are no points in close. You have to get 1,237, said Stephen Duprey, a mainstay in New Hampshire politics and a member of the Republican National Committee.

Each state has its own peculiar system for naming delegates after the results of its primary or caucus are in.

Largely left out of the equation: The candidates themselves.

Fully 73 percent of delegates are selected without direct input from the presidential contenders, by state party executive committees or at state and local conventions, said veteran GOP campaign lawyer Ben Ginsberg. The campaigns have to be sure their people and people who are loyal to them are elected as delegates. That is a complicated process and requires on-the-ground organizing.

Virginia is a good example. As a result of its March 1 primary, Virginias convention delegation will be casting 17 votes for Trump; eight for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and five for Ohio Gov. John Kasich. It will also give 16 votes for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and three for retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, even though they have suspended their campaigns since the primary.

Of Virginias 49 convention delegates, 33 will be chosen at district conventions between now and June 1, and 13 will be picked at the state convention at the end of April. State chairman John Whitbeck and the national committeeman and committeewoman are the remaining three.

This year, its like the campaigns are actually taking notice of a normally sleepy and parochial process, Whitbeck said. We see the most activity with the Cruz campaign in Virginia, in terms of an organized effort.

Officials elsewhere also say that Cruzs forces seem most engaged in state and local delegate selection.

What we are focused on is after we won a state, to go back in and make sure we got delegates to hold their commitment to vote for our campaign. Thats a laborious process, and we are absolutely doing that, said Cruzs campaign manager, Jeff Roe.

Typically, once the elections over, [delegates] are nominated from state, county and congressional districts to be nominees to their state conventions. In that process, we make sure that we have slates of people that are supporting Ted Cruz, Roe explained. So thats a county-by-county, congressional-district-by-congressional-district, state-by-state process thats ongoing for the states that have already voted.

The Trump campaign is putting a team in place to track the delegates who have already been designated on state ballots, said senior adviser Ed Brookover, and it will coordinate with its state staffs to monitor delegate selection.

Brookover, who is managing the process for the Trump campaign, says that skepticism of its ability to compete in this sort of process is wishful thinking on the part of Mr. Trumps opponents.

He did not say how many staff members will ultimately be assigned to track delegates, but he expressed confidence that the campaign has the resources and the organizational muscle necessary to navigate the system.

Still, the process predates Trumps candidacy in some cases. All of South Carolinas 50 delegates, for instance, will be committed to supporting Trump on the first ballot. But to become a national delegate, someone has to have been a delegate to last springs state convention, which happened before Trump was even in the race.

We have a known delegate pool, South Carolina chairman Moore said. And their allegiances are likely to be closely tied to state officials such as Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, both of whom have tangled with Trump.

As for himself, Moore said, his decision on subsequent ballots, should they happen, will be based on which candidate has the best chance in the fall, which has the most fealty to the party platform, and possibly the selection of a running mate.

There are states where the candidates have more of a say in selecting delegates.

New Hampshire, for instance, is a rare one where delegates have already been named, and they were based on slates offered by the candidates themselves. Trumps own campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, will be a delegate from the Granite State.

[Trump campaign manager chosen as one of his convention delegates from N.H.]

New Hampshire is objectively one of the fairest delegate selection processes, state party executive director Ross Berry said. The control rests almost entirely with the campaigns and the candidates and the voter.

Looking ahead, the campaigns will not only be tasked with tracking and lobbying delegates, but will also need to keep an eye on the emerging composition of the Republican National Convention Rules Committee. That committee of more than 100 will carry wide authority over the nominating rules at the convention, including rules over who can be nominated at all on the floor of the convention.

As it stands, one controversial rule dictates that candidates have to have won the majority of delegates of at least eight states to be nominated on the floor. Trump is the only candidate to have passed that benchmark thus far  which, ironically, was initially intended to protect establishment-favorite Mitt Romney in 2012.

The composition of that committee will be decided in proxy fights between the establishment and grass-roots wings of the party at the state level. Party officials in each state will select two delegates to appoint to that committee  which is separate, and larger, from the RNCs rules committee  and will have to balance grass-roots pressure alongside the preferences of power brokers in their regions.

Katie Zezima in Houston contributed to this report.
Police broke up fights between opposing groups of demonstrators outside Brazils National Congress building and protests flared in other cities Thursday as the country descended into political chaos amid a standoff between the judiciary and the government.

The cause: a political corruption scandal threatening to engulf two of Brazils most powerful leaders. This is the worst crisis Brazil has had in recent decades, said David Fleischer, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Brasilia.

The anti-government protests were provoked by President Dilma Rousseffs decision to give her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a top cabinet post  a move that sent tens of thousands of Brazilians onto streets nationwide Wednesday night.

Lula, a former union leader and two-time president, is being investigated for his alleged role in a multibillion-dollar scheme in which kickbacks and bribes were paid on fat contracts at the state-run oil company, Petrobras. His appointment as Rousseffs chief of staff was widely seen here as an attempt to protect him legally, because cabinet ministers and lawmakers can be investigated only by Brazils Supreme Court.

[As ex-president Lula faces charges, a divided Brazil wonders whats next]

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff and former president Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, attend a Workers Party's campaign rally in Sao Paulo in 2014. (Andre Penner/AP)

As Lula was sworn in Thursday morning, there were protests in at least 15 states, the G1 news site reported. Then a federal judge, Itagiba Catta Preta, suspended his nomination. Many cheered that decision even though a higher court could soon overturn it. Intensifying the pressure, federal judges in Sao Paulo, Curitiba and other cities demonstrated in support of the probe threatening Rousseff and Lula.

The events marked the latest dramatic twists in a corruption investigation known as Operation Car Wash that has relentlessly extended its reach up Brazils political ladder.

On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians called for Rousseffs impeachment and an end to corruption in demonstrations across the country. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court accepted testimony from the former leader of Rousseffs Workers Party in the Senate in which he alleged that dozens of politicians were involved in this and other corruption schemes and that Rousseff and Lula had attempted to interfere in investigations. The allegations also cited Aecio Neves, a leading opposition senator who ran against Rousseff in the 2014 election. Neves has denied the claims.

Lula is a target of inquiry for Sergio Moro, a federal judge on a lower court whom anti-government protesters have embraced for his crusading role in the Petrobras investigation. On Wednesday evening, Moro escalated tensions when he authorized release of a recording of a telephone call that day between Rousseff and Lula.

In the short call, Rousseff told Lula that she was sending the papers confirming his ministerial role in case of need. Prosecutors said that this and other wiretapped conversations whose transcripts were also released represented attempts to interfere in investigations.

A statement from Rousseffs press secretariat said the terms of office were delivered to Lula to sign because it was not certain he would be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony planned for Thursday. At the ceremony, which Lula did attend, Rousseff brandished the document during an angry speech in which she attacked Moro and the wiretaps.

There is no justice for citizens when constitutional guarantees of the president of the republic herself are violated, she said. Coups start like this.

Rousseff said Lula was being appointed because of his political capabilities.

Legal experts questioned both Moros and Rousseffs moves.

Ivar Hartmann, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundations law school in Rio, said Moro had done a good job in Operation Car Wash but had acted unlawfully in releasing the wiretaps.

This time he overstepped his bounds, Hartmann said.

Hartmann also said that while Rousseff had many good reasons to appoint Lula, a skilled political negotiator, to her cabinet at a time when Brazil is sinking deeper into recession and her government is at odds with its main coalition allies, the calls timing suggested that the main reason to invite him now was to avoid the arrest.

[Hundreds of thousands protest throughout Brazil]

There were protests Wednesday night in at least 18 Brazilian states, according to the G1 news site. Various cities also saw episodes of protesters banging pots and blaring car horns.

How wonderful, tweeted Joao Woerdenbag Filho, a rock singer known as Lobao. We know that the Workers Party will leave as the biggest villains in the history of Brazil.

But as news of the wiretaps spread, others argued that media coverage was biased against the government and that Operation Car Wash was no longer a neutral inquiry.

Nana Queiroz, a journalist and feminist activist in Brasilia, wrote on Facebook that Moro had made it clear that he has a side and a bias in this story instead of being an impartial judge, as his job demands.

Others voiced disillusionment with both sides. In Sao Paulo, Alessandra Boin, 42, shared a comment on Facebook: Its difficult. On one side, a government you cant defend, on the other, an opposition you cant support.

[Brazils new hero is a nerdy judge who is tough on official corruption]

Many of the phone calls released revealed Lula railing against the investigation in a blur of four-letter words. But in one conversation from March 4, he appeared to ask Jacques Wagner, the outgoing chief of staff and a former defense minister, to suggest to Rousseff that she attempt to influence a Supreme Court judge.

Democracy is a free society that demands that those governed know what those who govern them do, even when they seek to act protected by the shadows, Moro wrote in his decision to release the wiretaps.

As the uncertainty mounted, further protests against what the Brazilian left argues is an attempted institutional coup were planned for Friday in a number of cities.

Read more:

An oil scandal is shaking Brazils democracy to its core

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Migrants inside Greece gather at a makeshift camp on March 17, 2016, at the Macedonian border near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands of asylum seekers are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. (Sakis Mitrolidis/AFP/Getty Images)

Will the real Angela Merkel please stand up?

The German chancellor has been hailed as a global humanitarian whose pledge of unlimited sanctuary became a beacon of hope for the desperate fleeing war in the Middle East. She also has been called Europes decider, the go-to person for managing momentous challenges such as the Greek debt crisis and newly belligerent Russia.

But as she races to strike a deal in Brussels by Friday aimed at containing Europes migrant crisis, Merkel now casts doubt on both assumptions about her.

She finds herself as a principal advocate of an accord that, in exchange for cash and concessions to Turkey, would send back virtually all migrants crossing the Aegean Sea to find shelter in Europe. If reached, critics say, any deal would amount to an imperfect, immoral and potentially illegal solution that would corral refugees in Turkey, a nation plunging deeper into instability and violence.

[7 things to know about the incredibly complicated migrant crisis]

Europes borders are slamming shut and leaders recently announced a preliminary deal under which everyone who crossed the sea to reach Greece would be sent back to Turkey. That hasnt stopped the flow of migrants streaming into Lesbos, yet. (Griff Witte,Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

That stinging salve would go on top of a crisis that some say is partly of Merkels making. Last year, she famously declared that Germany would set no limit on the number of refugees it takes in, a statement some say was an open invitation for even more migrants to reach Europe or die trying.

As a result, Merkels stature is taking a beating. She is making a last-ditch call for unity after a number of nations in Europe openly defied her call for a coordinated response to the migrant influx. Even close allies such as neighboring Austria have rebuffed her approach, taking unilateral steps to stop migrants and usurping her assumed leadership on the refugee crisis.

The outcome has been a chaotic handling of the crisis, as well as a mounting humanitarian emergency of stranded migrants that aid groups say could worsen under the deal Merkel is trying to broker. The situation amounts to a disturbing twist of fate for the former physicist who, over the course of a decade, has brought modern Germany to the zenith of its post-World War II power.

I do believe that Germanys leadership potential has suffered as a result of the refugee crisis, said Josef Janning, the head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations. The other players have the impression that Germany doesnt have a strategy and that Merkel is acting impulsively.

[When Britain votes on the E.U., Western security could be on the line]

A preliminary deal reached last week with Turkey  but with few details worked out  was hailed as a game-changer after a year in which more than 1 million asylum seekers landed on European shores. But late Thursday, Merkel and other European Union leaders were still trying to agree among themselves on what, exactly, to offer before crunchtime talks with Turkey on Friday.

The possible deal with Ankara was sowing discord on multiple fronts. On Thursday, European Council President Donald Tusk acknowledged the formidable odds, saying he was cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic.

View Graphic Journey alongside refugees through Lesbos, the gateway to a new life

An agreement would see Turkey willingly take back virtually all migrants trying to cross the Aegean into Greece  the entry point into Europe for migrants setting off from Turkey. Theoretically, migrants who make it could still obtain flash asylum hearings on the Greek islands. But the terms of the deal assume that Turkey, a nation used as a way station for migrants from the Middle East and beyond, would be declared a safe country. Therefore, anyone in need of international protection  including Syrians fleeing war  still could be sent back to Turkey.

The deal is also contingent on one big promise that Europeans may not be able to keep: that for every Syrian sent back to Turkey, Europe would fly in and resettle another Syrian directly from a refugee camp in Turkey. A draft deal circulating late Thursday in Brussels indicated that initially only 72,000 slots would be promised  equal to roughly one months worth of arrivals last year. In addition, the program would be voluntary, so E.U. nations would be free to say no thank you.

Human rights groups have blasted the deal, saying that it violates international law and that Turkey is by no means truly a  safe country for refugees. They cite alleged ill treatment of migrants, even the alleged forced repatriation of Syrians by Turkish officials.

This trade-off between the E.U. and Turkey is inhumane and illegal, said Selmin Calskan, general secretary of Amnesty International in Germany.

[Theyve escaped war and crossed the sea. Now Europe wants to send them back.]

In return for keeping migrants on its territory, Turkey would get as much as 6 billion euros, about $6.8 billion. But Ankara is seeking other concessions. They include visa-free travel in Europe for Turks  long opposed by France and others. Turkey also wants to jump-start talks to join the E.U., a notion that has sparked horror and vows to block the deal by Cyprus, an E.U. member and former target of a Turkish invasion.

Previous German-led attempts to create for migrants a legal route into Europe have failed, as other member states have refused to live up to their part of the bargain. Hungary, one of the nations refusing to take any migrants, again insisted Thursday that it would not change its policy.

In fairness, analysts say, Merkel is pushing for a bad deal in part because other nations in Europe have abandoned migrants, leaving Germany as the last nation willing to offer large-scale shelter. It cannot do so indefinitely, and Merkel knows it. As anti-migrant sentiment grows, she is searching for a way to live up to a promise to her people that migrant inflows will be dramatically reduced.

That Merkel is seeking such a deal fits with her image as a pragmatist  if not with her image as a humanitarian.

Ive always found that this Mother Teresa image of Merkel is wrong, said Thomas Jager, a political analyst at the University of Cologne. Her policy is about keeping Europe united and economically competitive.

Griff Witte in London and Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin contributed to this report.

Read more:

As the route to Europe closes, migrants journey through grief

Migrants seek landfall in Europe even as deal takes shape to send them back

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Economy ministry distributes some scarp exports quotas, Rada committee backs bill to increase scrap exports duty to EUR 35 per tonne

The Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine urgently held a meeting of the commission to discuss scrap ferrous exports applications, despite a suspension of the order by Kyiv's district administrative court. The order has approved the balance of scrap metal for 2016 in violation of national legislation.

The meeting took place on Wednesday.

A representative of one of scrap metal producers told Interfax-Ukraine that formally the ministry could hold a meeting of the commission and distribute the quotas, as the court suspended only the order, but not the scrap exports quota distribution.

The company representative said that the commission defines volumes of scrap exports and distributes them among companies, while the minister finally approves them.

A meeting of the parliamentary committee for industrial policy and entrepreneurship was held on March 16. The deputies discussed bill No. 3868 on the increase of the exports duty for scrap metal from EUR 10 per tonne to EUR 35 per tonne for the period of three years.

The committee decided to back the bill.
Russia could rebuild its military presence in Syria in a matter of hours and will maintain powerful air defenses in the country for the foreseeable future, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, as he boasted of a deployment that rescued Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from near defeat.

Putins robust backing for Assad at a Kremlin awards ceremony tamped down widespread expectations that he would now lean on the Syrian president to be more flexible at Geneva peace talks.

[Russias surprise withdrawal resonates from battlefield to peace talks]

Speaking briefly at a gathering of veterans of the six-month intervention, Putin portrayed the combat operation as a success that cost Russia little and demonstrated the countrys indisputable leadership, will and responsibility in fighting terrorism.

He also issued a warning, saying Russia would respond with force if its remaining military assets in Syria came to harm.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia will begin pulling most of its military from Syria. (The Washington Post)

Our systems will be used against any targets that we will see as a threat to Russian servicemen, Putin said, referring to the powerful S-400 antiaircraft missiles and other systems that Russia is maintaining at its air base in Syria.

Putin announced Monday that Russia was beginning a partial withdrawal from Syria, catching much of the world by surprise. The move was seen by many analysts as one that would put pressure on Assad to reach an accommodation in Geneva.

But as talks between Assad and the Syrian opposition continue this week, Putin said Thursday that Russian forces could return to an appropriate strength at the base in just hours if the need arises. He also said that the balance of power between Assad and his enemies will be ensured despite the Russian pullout, suggesting that the Kremlin remains committed to preventing the ouster of Assad by force, even if that means another Russian deployment.

Bearing in mind our support and the strengthening of the Syrian army, I am sure we will see new successes of patriotic forces in fighting terrorism in the near future, Putin said.

Putins zig-zagging moves this week  first seemingly to give Assad a push with the pullout, then backing him again on Thursday  will give Secretary of State John F. Kerry much to discuss in Moscow next week. He plans a visit to work out prospects for peace after the Russian intervention.



[Syrian government dims hope of new openings at peace talks]

Putin underlined Russias continuing support for Syrian troops, with funding and training.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem took an uncompromising line ahead of the talks last week, leading Russian analysts and U.S. officials to conclude that Assad was more interested in reconquering all the territory he has lost than in striking deals with the opposition.

Putins motives in Syria  always somewhat opaque  had appeared to put more emphasis on general stability in the war-torn country than on Assads political survival. But Putin on Thursday sought to bolster his strongest Arab ally.

Assad was informed of our plans in advance and supported them, Putin said, adding that we see his restraint, sincere aspiration for peace, and his preparedness for compromise and dialogue.

Syrian officials also have sought to put the best face on the Russian withdrawal, saying it was done in consultation with Assad. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that although Putin had informed Assad of his decision shortly before it was announced publicly, Assad had had no input or choice in the matter.

Assads envoys appeared as intransigent as ever this week in Geneva. During days of U.N.-brokered shuttle diplomacy, they gave no ground to opposition demands.

The lack of progress during the talks may endanger the tenuous three-week-old cease-fire, rebels already see it as cementing the governments recent battlefield gains.

Putin said Thursday that any rebel group that breaks the cease-fire, even those on a list of moderate groups the U.S. government has supplied to Russia, would face swift consequences. The United States has charged that Syrian government forces are responsible for virtually every breach of the ceasefire thus far, and have called on Putin to bring Assad to heel.

After large investments to reform Russias military and on the heels of a hybrid intervention in Ukraine, Russia flexed its new military muscle in Syria, scene of the countrys first intervention outside the borders of the former Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War. Besides employing punishing airstrikes that critics say targeted not terrorists but more-moderate opponents of Assad, Russia also showed off new high-tech weapons such as ship-based cruise missiles.

Putin also said the operation has been done on the cheap: He put the total cost at about $480 million over the 167-day intervention, or about $2.9 million a day. That number is broadly in keeping with estimates from independent military analysts. The low figure suggests that although Russia is in the middle of a painful economic crisis caused in part by the sagging price of oil, it has not lost its ability to project muscular force far from its borders.



Hugh Naylor in Geneva and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

Putin announces Russia will pull most of its military from Syria

As energy prices drop, ordinary Russians are protesting

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Amer al-Halloush, a member of the political branch of a Kurdish-Arab fighting force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, heads out following a meeting of delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties in the town of Rmeilan, Syria. (Delil Souleiman/AFP/Getty Images)

Syrian Kurds unilaterally declared the creation of a federal region in northeastern Syria on Thursday, raising fears of an accelerating disintegration of Syria along ethnic and sectarian lines and complicating efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis.

The declaration defied warnings from Turkey, the United States and the Syrian government that any such move risks further destabilizing the already war-ravaged country, could trigger new conflicts and would not win international support.

It came at the end of a two-day meeting in the northeastern Syrian town of Rmeilan organized by the main U.S. ally in Syria in the fight against the Islamic State, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the dominant political party in the Kurdish areas of Syria.

Supplies of U.S. weapons and extensive U.S. air support have helped the PYDs military wing, known as the YPG, inflict a string of battlefield defeats on the Islamic State over the past year, driving the militants back from large swaths of territory and also expanding the territories under Kurdish control.

[How the battle against the Islamic State is redrawing the map of the Mideast]

The United States has stressed, however, that it does not support the creation of any kind of new region in Syria by any group, Kurdish or otherwise. Weve been very clear that we wont recognize any kind of autonomous or self-rule, semiautonomous zones in Syria, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said this week.

In a strongly worded statement, Syrias government also warned that it would regard as terrorists any party that attempted to undermine the territorial integrity of Syria and the unity of its people, according to the official Syrian news agency SANA.

That includes those who gathered in Rmeilan, SANA added.

The federalism declaration is not intended to detach the northeastern Kurdish region from Syria, only to bring a measure of self-rule, said PYD leader Saleh Muslim, speaking on the sidelines of a conference on the regions future in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Sulaymaniyah.

However, he said, it is impossible for Syria to go back to the old Syria. It is something to be changed. Any kind of centralized Syria is unacceptable.

In some ways the declaration wont change much. The PYD had already unilaterally declared the creation of three self-governing cantons within a vaguely defined Kurdish area known as Rojava. The self-proclaimed federal region will be known as Rojava-Northern Syria and will link the three cantons  Jazeera, Kobane and Afrin.

[What the ruins of Kobane tell us about the destruction of Syria]

But the self-proclaimed new region includes some areas that are neither Kurdish nor under Kurdish control, such as a stretch of territory between the city of Aleppo and the border town of Azaz that is almost entirely Arab. It is fiercely contested by Syrian rebels, the government, the Kurds and the Islamic State, and both Russia and the United States have conducted airstrikes in the area on behalf of their respective allies.

Turkey has warned that a Kurdish takeover of the Azaz area would be a red line, and it has also repeatedly said that it will not tolerate any push for autonomy by the Kurds of northern Syria, whose territories border those of Turkeys own restive Kurds.

The Turkish government had no immediate response to the declaration. However, a Turkish official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue, said, We reject any moves that would compromise Syrias national unity and consider the territorial integrity of Syria as essential.

There is also a risk that the declaration will deepen Arab-Kurdish tensions within the areas already under Kurdish control, undermining U.S. efforts to encourage the recruitment of more Arabs into Kurdish ranks for the fight against the Islamic State.

A former Arab schoolteacher, Mansour Salloum, from the mostly Arab town of Tal Abyad in Syrias Raqqa province, was named the president  in an apparent attempt to endow the new entity with an air of inclusiveness.

But the Syrian opposition has rejected the Kurdish bid for autonomy, and Arab leaders from the area also said they would not back it.

This is a project to divide Syria, and we will not support it, said Nawaf al-Bashir, a tribal leader who lives in Turkey and has volunteered fighters to support the U.S.-led campaign against the Islamic State. We think this announcement is just blowing bubbles, he added, citing the widespread opposition to the declaration.

Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul contributed to this report.

Read more:

How the Syrian revolt went so horribly, tragically wrong

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world
Secretary of State John F. Kerry formally declared Thursday that the Islamic State extremist group has committed genocide against Yazidis, Christians, Shiite Muslims and other religious minorities in its rampages across the Middle East.

After months of pressure from Congress and religious groups, Kerry issued a finding that largely concurred with a House resolution declaring the Islamic State guilty of genocide. The resolution passed 393 to 0 on Monday night

Kerry said a review by the State Department and U.S. intelligence determined that Yazidis, Christians and Shiite groups have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing by the radical al-Qaeda offshoot, a Sunni Muslim group also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh, its Arabic acronym.

The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians; Yazidis because they are Yazidis; Shia because they are Shia, Kerry said in a statement he read to reporters at the State Department. Its entire worldview is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology.

[Some are pushing to call the Islamic States actions genocide. What would that mean?]

Kerrys declaration, while forceful as a statement of moral principles, has little practical impact on U.S. policy or military strategy. State Department officials said that the finding imposes no new obligations beyond what is already being done but that it could galvanize other countries to step up the battle against the Islamic State.

The United States already is leading a military campaign against the Islamic State and is one of the prime movers behind U.N.-backed peace talks to end the Syrian civil war that aided in the militant groups rise. The Obama administration accepted 10,000 Syrian refugees this year, largely because of concerns about the number of people being targeted and brutalized by the group.

We have proven our willingness to step in and prevent acts of genocide, State Department spokesman John Kirby said, citing the August 2014 U.S. military rescue of stranded Yazidis on Mount Sinjar in Iraq. Is it going to trigger something new? No. But it very much is part and parcel of the way we have been thinking about this conflict for nigh on over a year.

Kerry tweeted later Thursday, Naming #Daeshs crimes is important  but what is essential is unity to stop them. U.S. will continue to lead global effort to defeat Daesh.

In perhaps the most consequential part of Kerrys remarks, he vowed that the United States would support efforts to document atrocities committed by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. While saying he was neither judge nor prosecutor nor juror, Kerry said the United States would do all we can to hold the perpetrators of genocide accountable in a court of law.

State Department officials said the United States has talked at the U.N. Security Council about referring cases to a venue such as the International Criminal Court at The Hague. But groups that had urged Kerry to make the genocide designation said they hoped the effort would now transcend talk.

[House unanimously declares ISIS guilty of genocide]

As long as we pursue that, and its not an empty promise and theres not a circular debate in the Security Council, this designation from that alone could have real significance, said Cameron Hudson, director of the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide. This case has always been about, can a terrorist group also be a genocidal group?

The formal finding of Islamic State genocide is important to some Christian conservatives in the United States. Many political television ads and statements by members of Congress highlighted the importance of acknowledging the genocide of Christians.

In his statement, Kerry went to great lengths to mention atrocities committed against a broad swath of religious and ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Shiites and Turkmens as well as Christians. That was because he does not want to fuel perceptions that the United States is engaged in a modern-day Crusade, a so-called clash of civilizations between Muslims and Christians, aides said.

The State Department had indicated Wednesday that Kerry would miss Thursdays congressionally mandated deadline for the announcement because he needed more information, prompting sharp criticism from lawmakers.

But Kirby said the finding was not affected by last-minute calls from members of Congress. The pressure to keep working through and into the night was self-imposed, he said.

Kerrys declaration Thursday appeared to mollify some congressional critics.

[As Kerry condemns ISIS genocide, calls to recognize something else: femicide]

The United States has now spoken with clarity and moral authority, said Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), a sponsor of the congressional resolution that passed Monday. I sincerely hope that the genocide designation will raise international consciousness, end the scandal of silence, and create the preconditions for the protection and reintegration of these ancient faith communities into their ancestral homelands.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who introduced a similar resolution in the Senate this week, also praised Thursdays declaration.

Telling the truth and condemning genocide against those who seek to worship or not worship as they see fit is a small but important step to recovering a coherent American foreign policy, he said in a statement. This decision does not end the atrocities, but it does name them.

In his statement , Kerry said a U.S.-led coalition that has been conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria has helped push the militants out of 40 percent of the territory they controlled in Iraq and 20 percent of their territory in Syria.

Although it is impossible to develop a fully detailed and comprehensive picture of all that Daesh is doing, Kerry said, the U.S. review highlighted a number of cases of atrocities. For example, he said, Islamic State fighters killed hundreds of Yazidis in their village in northern Iraq,trapped others on nearby Mount Sinjar and enslaved thousands of Yazidi women and girls, raping many of them.

He said the Islamic State has summarily executed Christians in Mosul, the militants main stronghold in northern Iraq, and in Libya, where the group has been making inroads.

Kerry also cited the massacre of hundreds of Shiite Turkmens, an ethnic and religious minority, and the systematic destruction of antiquities, churches, monasteries and other elements of the cultural heritage of ancient communities.

Recounting the story of a 14-year-old boy who was recruited by the Islamic State and sent to carry out a suicide bombing against Shiites, Kerry quoted the group as having declared that it is a duty imposed upon us to kill them . . . and to cleanse the land of their filth.

Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report.


Ana Guardo Acevedo, 17, and her fiance, Damian Ferriera Angel, 22, are expecting their child soon. Ana is infected with the Zika virus, which has been linked to brain damage, blindness and paralysis in newborns. She is one of more than 8,000 pregnant women in Colombia with Zika. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Everywhere she goes, Ana Guardo Acevedo, 17 and seven months pregnant, has a worried look on her face and a folder full of medical tests in her hands.

Three months ago, when her baby bump was still barely noticeable, the rims of Anas eyes turned red and a rash crept across her stomach, down her arms, over her face. Doctors in the emergency room first suspected chickenpox but then told her she was infected with a virus she had never heard of before, Zika.

And, suddenly Zika was everywhere. On TV, Ana saw babies in Brazil with deformed heads born to mothers with Zika. She read about brain damage, blindness, paralysis  all linked to Zika. The Colombian government started sending fumigation trucks through neighborhoods to kill mosquitoes carrying Zika, and health officials warned women not to get pregnant.

[Poor Brazilian mothers join hands, turn to social media amid microcephaly crisis]

For tens of thousands of women in three dozen countries it was too late. Just in Colombia, there are more than 8,000 pregnant women infected with Zika. Ana is one of those waiting to see what damage Zika has done.

Is my baby okay? That question has taken over her mind.

Doctors keep telling her its too early to know, that chances are her baby will be fine, but those thin assurances dont chase away her fear. She saw what it did to her eyes and skin. What was it doing inside of her?

Unable to control Zika, she tries to organize it by stuffing every piece of paper related to the virus and her baby into the plastic folder.

Protein and blood in urine: Traces. Glucose: Negative. And the result she looks at again and again:

Sonogram: Repeat later in term.

Now on a Wednesday morning, she carries her folder on a crowded bus to JuanFe, a two-story oasis on the outskirts of town that provides health services and job skills to low-income teenage mothers. A high school graduate, she is taking cooking and computer lessons and hopes to get a job as a hotel chef.

How many of you have had Zika? a volunteer asks a classroom of 33 young women. Seven hands shoot up.

Ana notices one of them is carrying a baby.

How old is your baby? she asks her after class.

Just 15 days, the new mother says, rocking her sleeping son under a soft blanket with little red stars.

Can I look?

Ana gently pulls back the blanket. Its not the boys black hair or fat cheeks that grab her attention, but the size and shape of his head: perfectly normal.

Hes so healthy! she says. I cant wait for the moment I find out if my baby is okay, too.

In her Zika folder on her lap is a handwritten note with the time and date of her next sonogram. She would be nearly 30 weeks pregnant, and doctors would have a better look at any sign of microcephaly  a condition that results in an abnormally small head and, very often, brain damage. A scan could ease her mind, or devastate her.

Its scheduled for 12:30 Friday. Just two days away.



Damian places his hand on Anas belly during a visit to her home. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Later Wednesday, Ana walks into her parents home, where her worries all started when a mosquito with whitish legs bit her on her arm. That was the one, she thinks, that caused her to boil with fever and ache in her bones.

No! A mosquito, Ana shouts, smacking a bug on her mothers leg.

Their concrete-block house has no air conditioning, no screens on the windows, no way to keep out the insects spreading Zika.

I want my baby to be fine, she tells her mom. I am not the only one dealing with this. But sometimes at night when I cant sleep, it feels like that.

The baby can withstand this, her mother says.

I hope, Ana says, taking a liter of Pepsi out of the refrigerator and then, reconsidering, opting to drink water.

Zika zeroes in on young, poor women. Across Latin America, where the epidemic is centered, women often have babies in their teens. And, while insect repellant and air conditioning keep mosquitoes away from the wealthier, millions cannot afford those protections.

[Zika epidemic uncovers Brazils hidden birth-defect problem]

In an unusually pronounced class system, the Colombian government categorizes neighborhoods into six strata: 1 is the poorest, 6 is the richest. That ranking determines the price people pay for electricity and water. The vast majority of Colombians live in the three lowest classes.

Ana grew up in Strata 1, in a house painted bright green with a row of flowerpots outside. Her mother, Berleys Acevedo, sells detergent, diapers, aspirin and other basics from her front porch. She stocks no bug repellant, which costs about $4  a sum that buys many people their food for days.

But its much better now since the truck came through, said Anas mother, describing how it drove slowly down her rutted street two weeks ago showering pesticide.

Anas father fumigated inside the house, too, with a spray a government worker left at their door.

Its soooo hot. Im so hot, Ana says, picking up a few sweets for friends from her mothers little store, as she heads back to class at JuanFe.

She glistens with sweat and struggles with short breaths in the humidity, a short-sleeve top stretched over her growing belly. Oh, the baby just moved, she says, suddenly smiling.

The sonogram from months ago in her folder is fuzzy and tiny, and her baby has grown so much. Just two more days and she gets another look.



Alba Luisa Acevedo, Anas aunt, visits while Ana is being treated at a hospital after experiencing early contractions. Its too early to deliver, a nurse warned Ana. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Early Thursday, Ana wakes in so much abdominal pain, her aunt takes her by taxi to the hospital. She signs in at 6 a.m., the 13th woman to arrive since 3 a.m. at the Rafael Calvo Maternity Clinic.

Now, she sits in the busy emergency room, perched awkwardly on a plastic chair, her head against the wall. Her pain sharpens.

She listens to the nurses talking to other pregnant women about preeclampsia and bladder infections. She hears them asking another pregnant woman if she knows whether she has Zika. Down the hall, doctors have been huddling after delivering a baby with microcephaly.

It hurts! Ana keeps saying, tears streaming down her face.

A nurse tells her to breathe, calm down.

Early labor is not that uncommon, she tells Ana, as she wheels her into a windowless second-floor hospital room and moves her into the fourth, and last, bed shoved up against the wall.

She lies there in pain. All day. All night.

Friday morning, Ana curls left, then right, still seeking comfort on the blue, plastic mattress.

I cant take this anymore! I cant! I cant!

You need to hold on to the baby  its too early to deliver, a nurse warns her. She adjusts the IV line in Anas vein, telling her the medicine will strengthen her babys lungs. If the baby comes now, he will be put in an incubator.

Incubator?

Ana bursts into tears.

Why is all this happening?

Anas blood pressure is rising and the nurse returns with two pills that Ana swallows.

I want to give myself a Caesarean! she yells, exhausted and desperate. Her aunt, Alba Luisa Acevedo, who has been sitting beside her nonstop, has run out of ways to try to distract her.

A nurse carries in a lunch tray and Ana sees what time it is: Friday, almost 12:30. The time her sonogram is scheduled at the JuanFe clinic a few miles away. In this crowded public hospital, with more need than money, ultrasounds are not routine.

With a sinking feeling, she realizes she is going to miss it.

I want to get out of this hospital. But I am too scared to leave, she tells her aunt, who keeps stroking her forehead.

Ana closes her eyes, upset that she wont have a new black-and-white outline of her baby to add to her folder, to ease her worry. Or to help her prepare for a baby with a birth defect.

She rests her head on a rolled-up towel. In her rush to the emergency room, she forgot her pillow. Patients are supposed to bring their own.



Ana holds a collage that Damian made for her while she was being treated in the hospital. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Friday evening, Anas fiance, Damian Ferriera Angel, 22, arrives and leans over her hospital bed, wraps her in his arms and tells her how sorry he is that shes in pain. Everything will be okay, he whispers.

For a minute, Ana stops crying.

Its not visiting hours, but Damian persuaded a security guard to give him 10 minutes; he had to work all day. He tried to get in yesterday with no luck, but now he hands Ana the baby wipes she asked for on the phone.

She wants to be ready in case the baby comes early and puts the wipes with diapers and baby outfits on top of her Zika folder at the foot of her bed.

Only last year Ana and Damian, like so many couples, would spend romantic nights walking along Cartagenas old fortress walls. They were excited when they found out they would have their first baby, never thinking love and hope would feel so different a few months later.

A busy nurse walks in and shoots Damian a stern look. There are no men anywhere on the floor. He feels he should go.

Being in here makes me feel sick, Ana tells him. I dont know what is going to happen next.

You can do this, he says. Its all going to be fine.

As Damian walks out, he sees a Zika flier that warns staffers to seal all containers that hold water  even toilet tanks  to stop mosquitoes from laying eggs. He says aloud in the quiet hallway, One more worry to add to all the other worries.

Three days later, Anas still in the hospital, still no baby, still no sonogram, and Damian is back at the job that will pay for their wedding and baby.

Where are the crackers that are on sale?

Which ones are healthy?

Customers at this supermarket in a middle-class neighborhood  Strata 4  keep interrupting his thoughts of Ana as he works Aisle 14.

Six days a week, eight hours a day, he restocks salty crackers and sweet cookies. He scoops saltines off the floor after a customer messed up his handiwork and counts the minutes until he can go buy a surprise for Ana.

Acevedo was diagnosed with the Zika virus when she was four months pregnant. Now eight months pregnant, doctors have advised her to have minimal movement and mostly stay in-doors until her baby is born. Here she sings "Duena de Mi Corazon" (Owner of My Heart), which was written by her fiance, Damian Ferriera Angel. (Dania Maxwell for The Washington Post)

She loves it when he plays his guitar and sings Duena de Mi Corazon  Owner of My Heart  a song he wrote for her. But he has another idea of how to make her smile.

Can we go buy a new bed for Ana today? he asks his mother, Mery Angel, when his shift is over and he can use his phone. Before her trip to the hospital, Ana had begun staying close to it at her aunts home, bunking with a cousin or sleeping on the couch.

If Ana sleeps better, its good for their baby, too, he tells his mom as they board a bus that pulls up right near the almond tree in front of their home.

The windows of the old bus are covered with blue curtains to block the harsh sun. Its stuffy and slow. Folk music is blaring from the radio, and Damian taps his leg. No news this hour, just music. Sometimes on his rides, Damian catches the latest on Zika: the rising number of cases, the U.S. doctors arriving to help investigate what they are calling a global health emergency.

They get off in front of side-by-side mattress stores, and he walks through aisles of beds, looking for one he can afford on his $10-a-day salary.

He and his mom are asking for a better price for a mattress marked at $100 when her phone rings.

They let Ana out of the hospital! she tells him.

What? Shes out?

Yes! Shes waiting for you at her aunts house.

Hurrying now, he stops haggling, waves down a taxi, helps the driver tie the mattress to the car roof and speeds off to find Ana.



Damian stocks crackers at the supermarket in Cartagena where he works. He says his dream is to make a living with his singing. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Youre better?

Ana answers Damian by burying her head in his chest. Yes! Im okay!

She looks at the mattress wrapped in plastic, a hand across her mouth. I had no idea! She talks excitedly about later taking it to their own place, but Damian wants to know why she was suddenly allowed home.

Her pains stopped and she felt well enough to sit up and eat, she tells him. She was actually well enough to think about happy things like the big, big wedding dress she wants to wear at their December wedding.

She sits back in her rocker. The doctor said no walking around, she says. I cant go to class. I cant do anything for a while.

Taking her folder off the table next to her, she puts it on her lap and says, I have all the notes here. One tells her to see a doctor in 10 days. 29.5 weeks pregnant is typed on another.

Doctors hope she can hang on close to full term  two more months. In May and June, thousands of the babies whom doctors are watching for Zika effects are due.

Damian sits on a plastic chair inches from Ana. She kicks off her flip-flops and says she has more to tell him.

She was by herself this morning when a nurse appeared and wheeled her down the hallway into a new room. She thought it would be yet another exam by a doctor feeling her hardening belly with his hands, saying the very low position in which she was carrying the baby was causing her pain.

But instead, a doctor stared at a screen and a nurse smeared her stomach with a cold gel, preparing her for a scan of her baby.

I was so nervous, I could barely breathe.

What? Damian says. You had an ultrasound?

She nods, describing how she closed her eyes, afraid and praying, as the doctors wand glided over her belly.

What did it show? What happened?

The baby is really strong, she says. The doctor said, The babys heartbeat is really loud. He said he never heard a beat that loud, that it sounds like the heart of an older person!

What else did he say? Damian asks, leaning closer to Ana, wondering why she isnt saying anything about the babys head.

She tells him she wished she had gotten a glimpse of the computer screen the doctor was looking at, or a printout of the scan, but the doctor assured her: All looks good with the head, the brain. The baby looks normal.

Damian repeats the word.

Normal.

Thats all he wanted to hear.

Im calmer now, Ana says, rocking and smiling, holding Damians hands in hers. Even if something is wrong with our baby, we will take care of him forever.

Both of them understand: One sonogram cant detect all the problems Zika can cause. But in this moment, in this time of Zika, both of them feel less afraid.



Damian visits Ana at home in February after getting off work in Cartagena. (Dania Maxwell/For The Washington Post)

Read more:

Zika outbreak: The more we learn, the worse things seem to get

WHO warns pregnant women to avoid going to Zika-affected areas

Read our full coverage on the Zika virus

What you need to know about Zika
Faced with growing opposition among youth and workers to the reform of the Labor Code, Prime Minister Manuel Valls presented trade union and business confederations a redrafted version of Labor Minister Myriam El Khomris law, hoping to win their approval and support.

Valls insisted that he wanted to promote social dialogue between business and trade union groups. He said, Much has been done on the issue of personal accounts, on workers rights, the great principles. There were problems, I admit. He added, there was a moment when we did not find the time, the right moment, to present it as we have done in the last few days. We needed to take fifteen extra days to listen and to hear.

Valls presentation of a touched-up law is a cynical maneuver to lull to sleep workers and youth who are opposed to an entirely reactionary reform. The superficial modifications presented by Valls change nothing fundamental about the bill. The key elementit allows the trade union to negotiate contracts at the level of individual firms that violate the Labor Codewas never put in question at any step of the talks.

Fines for improper mass sackings, which the previous bill specified so as to allow companies to engage in improper sackings while calculating their costs in advance, are now to be fixed by an arbitrary government decree. They would be three to fifteen months salary, depending on workers seniority.

The government refused to change new criteria facilitating mass layoffs. The only modification is that judges will now be allowed to monitor the decisions of a transnational corporation in France, to ensure that it is not using accounting tricks to generate losses in its French operations. However, bitter experience teaches that workers cannot count on the courts to defend them. Judges have many times ruled in favor of mass sackings and, under the state of emergency, for prison terms against workers struggling to defend their jobs.

Finally, programs to assist youths not in employment or training are more cynical smoke and mirrors to try to obtain the student union bureaucracies support for the reform. Valls boasted that his bill was welcomed by the second-largest student organisation, the Federation of General Student Assocations (FAGE).

After visiting the prime minister at the Matignon palace, Laurent Berger, the national secretary of the French Democratic Labor Federation (CFDT), praised the reactionary reform as a potential vehicle for progress for youth and workers.

The Stalinist General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and Workers Force (FO) unions, and the National Union of French Students (UNEF), have called for continued protests.

These bureaucracies claims to oppose the reform are based on lies. Calls for protests by the CGT and UNEF are political maneuvers aiming to channel anger among workers and students behind the perspective of yet another renegotiation and slight modification of the reactionary bill with the Socialist Party (PS) government.

Since President Francois Hollande was elected in 2012, the CGT, the other union bureaucracies, and their political allies like the New Anti-capitalist Party have proven themselves to be the PS best allies. They stifled opposition in the working class to Frances most unpopular government since World War II, as it carried out mass sackings, austerity, and war measures.

Over the course of four years, the unions and their allies have not called a single significant national demonstration, as they had in past presidential terms, because they feared they would not be able to contain workers anger and might accidentally trigger an uncontrolled protest.

This same fear underlies the decision of Hollande and Valls to rework the labor reform, fearing that discredited unions and political parties could not control the broader movement of workers and students that could ensue.

During the March 9 demonstration in Lyon, students blockaded several high schools, and clashes broke out with police which, under the new state of emergency, blocked the demonstrations path. At least two protesters were hospitalized after police fired rubber bullets and smashed open a protesters skull with a police baton.

The central question facing workers and youth on these protests is the need to establish the political independence of the working class from the unions and pseudo-left organizations, and the urgency of building a political leadership for the working class.

As the WSWS indicated in its leaflet addressed to the March 9 demonstration, All genuine opposition to the reactionary measures of the PS is welcome. It would however be a fatal error for this movement, which is still in its early stages, to limit itself to a national framework, to demanding revisions or even the withdrawal of the El Khomri law by the unions. Talks between these illegitimate bureaucracies and the PS, under the jackboot of the state of emergency and with the permanent threat of NATO military escalation against Russia in Syria and in Europe, will only produce new attacks on the workers. Above all, they will do nothing against the dangers of war and dictatorship that threaten workers in France and around the world.

It added, The struggle against the El Khomri law must be developed into a political struggle against the NATO powers war drive, and against the anti-democratic state of emergency decreed after the November 13 attacks. This struggle must be for socialism, based on the working class. The natural allies of the workers and youth in France in this struggle are the workers across Europe and the world.

The leaflet appealed to workers and youth to circulate the WSWS materials, discuss them with their friends, and contact the WSWS to discuss the struggle to build a political alternative for the working class.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says he hopes that the political crisis in Ukraine will be settled by the end of March and no early parliamentary election will be needed.

"We've discussed the political crisis in Ukraine, and I hope that a political solution will be found by the end of the month. And I'd like to announce that there will be no early parliamentary elections," he said after a meeting with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday.
By Alex Bregman





On March 16, 2016, Dr. Ben Carson spoke to Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga on Yahoo News Live about his endorsement of GOP frontrunner Donald Trump and Trumps big wins in the March 15 primaries.



Golodryga pressed Carson on his support for Donald Trump even though Trump had compared him to a child molester. Carson said he accepted Trumps explanation for the remark, and that it was, in fact, effective. He said that it was political. He was concerned about the fact that he couldnt shake me. I understand politics and, in particular, the politics of personal destruction, and you have to admit, to some degree, that it did work. He continued, A lot of people believed him.

Carson said he is supporting Trump for the good of the country despite the previous personal attacks. He told Golodryga: Its not really about me. If it were about me, yes, I would be outraged. I would say in no way can I support this, but its not about me. Its about America. Carson continued, Unfortunately we live in a society where that kind of thing works, and people use things that work.
Secretary of State John Kerry today formally declared the Islamic State group to be perpetrators of genocide against ethnic minorities in the Middle East, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims, capping a months-long internal Obama administration debate about how to address the atrocities committed by the terror group.

We must recognize what Daesh [the Arabic name for ISIS] is doing to its victims, Kerry said, speaking from the State Department podium. We must hold the perpetrators accountable.

As first reported by Yahoo News last November, the State Department has been weighing the extremely rare move of invoking a 1948 international genocide treaty, drafted in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust, as a means of ramping up global pressure against ISIS. The treaty commits signatory nations to take steps to prevent and to punish the odious scourge of genocide.

At the time, the administration was primarily focused on invoking the treaty because of the Islamic States actions against the small Yazidi community in northern Iraq, including mass executions of males and sexual enslavement of women and children.

Members of the minority Yazidi sect hug each other in April 2015 after being freed by ISIS militants who had held them captive. (Photo: Ako Rasheed/Reuters)



SLIDESHOW  ISIS likely committing genocide against Yazidi minority in Iraq >>>

But members of Congress and Christian groups in the U.S. lobbied the administration to take a broader approach and designate the Islamic States actions against Christian minorities, Shia Muslims and other minority groups as genocide. The Knights of Columbus began running TV ads highlighting ISIS atrocities. Presidential candidates, including Hillary Clinton and John Kasich, endorsed the calls, and the House unanimously passed a resolution favoring a broader designation.

Today Kerry answered those calls, declaring Shia Muslims and Christians victims of genocide as well. State Department officials said the U.S. intelligence community had helped gather evidence of executions and mass graves in support of the designation.

Story continues

Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians, Kerry said. It kills Shia because they are Shia. It kills Yazidis because theyre Yazidis.

In reaching his decision, Kerry had asked the U.S. intelligence community to assist State Department officials to help collect comprehensive information on mass graves, executions and other Islamic State atrocities, according to Rabbi David Saperstein, the State Department ambassador at large for international religious freedom, who along with other department human rights officials had pushed for the designation.



The genocide treaty was created as a way for the world to say there are certain crimes that are so abhorrent to the conscience of humanity that they must be called for what they are, said Saperstein. This is a historical designation that hopefully will galvanize the conscience of the world.



The move won immediate praise from members of Congress who had been advocating for the designation. One leading member said it will bring a new cause for hope to threatened minority groups.

Displaced Christians at a church in Irbil, northern Iraq, in 2014, after militants overran a cluster of predominantly Christian villages alongside the countrys Kurdish region, sending tens of thousands of civilians and Kurdish fighters fleeing from the area. (Photo: Khalid Mohammed/AP)



SLIDESHOW  Christians flee the Islamic State group >>>



The genocide against Christians, Yazidis and others is not only a grave injustice to these ancient faith communities; it is an assault on human dignity and an attack on civilization itself, said Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, the lead sponsor of the House genocide resolution. The United States has now spoken with clarity and moral authority. I sincerely hope that the genocide designation will raise international consciousness, end the scandal of silence, and create the preconditions for the protection and reintegration of these ancient faith communities into their ancestral homelands.

The U.S. has rarely invoked the genocide treaty. The last instance came more than a decade ago when Secretary of State Colin Powell declared the killing of non-Arab people in Darfur genocide. That was the first time the U.S. government had made such a declaration during an ongoing conflict. But it remains unclear what practical impact todays move will have on U.S. military strategy. Administration officials have privately insisted the Pentagon is already committed to a strategy aimed at destroying the group, and said the genocide designation will not change its military plans.

But advocates say the move is an important step toward mobilizing a broader international effort to seek out and protect the threatened minority groups, including rescuing thousands of women still being held as sexual slaves by ISIS. Kerry said today that the move would also commit the U.S. to gathering evidence of Islamic State atrocities, presumably for international war crimes trials that could be held after the group is defeated and its leaders captured.
Photo: Molly Riley/AP

Republican senators least favorite Washington politician is not Hillary Clinton. Its not Chuck Schumer or President Obama. It is Sen. Ted Cruz.

Senate Republicans revile Cruz with special fervor because of their sense that he has used his short time in the Senate primarily to engage in political stunts and mock them as corrupt imbeciles in order to promote himself.

The insults sting all the more because they have worked. With Florida Sen. Marco Rubio now out of the presidential race and Ohio Gov. John Kasich unable to capture the GOP nomination outright, Senate Republicans face what South Carolinas Lindsey Graham has described as a choice between being shot or poisoned in a two-way fight between Cruz and Donald Trump.

Eager to consolidate support, Cruz is offering his version of an olive branch, asking select Senate colleagues to unite behind him through the rest of the GOP primary fight.

At the same time, Senate Republicans dislike of Cruz runs so deep that many plan to sit on their hands in the coming months and await a nominee. In more than 20 interviews and conversations over the past week, Republican senators and staffers described deep antipathy toward Cruz.

Now is the time for Republicans to unite for all of us who want a brighter future for our nation to come together and stand as one, Cruz said Tuesday night, urging Rubio supporters and others to join him against Trump.

Cruz recently began calling Senate Republican colleagues with a pitch for party unity against Donald Trump, said Josh Holmes, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

McConnell is not among those Cruz has called, said Holmes, who is president and a founder of Cavalry LLC, which provides political consulting to Senate campaigns and others.

Graham did receive a call from Cruz after musing publicly about backing him over Trump. The Texas senator emphasized areas of agreement, according to Graham, including the suggestion that he will be a more reliable supporter of Israel than Donald will.

Story continues

Cruzs fellow Texan, Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Senate Republican, said last week that his suggestion that Cruz engage with members of the Republican conference drew interest from Cruz.

The relationship could use some improvement, Cornyn added.

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, who endorsed Rubio, said that he doubts Cruz can convince senators who havent backed him yet to change course before the convention.

Im not sure what he could do that he couldnt have been doing all along, Inhofe said. There are a lot of negative feelings.

In a possible signal to establishment Republicans that he wants their help, Cruz said on Monday that he could absolutely see a place for Rubio and Kasich in his Cabinet if elected to the White House.

Cruzs campaign is currently working to line up support from pledged delegates in anticipation of a potential convention fight in which many delegates could switch to support him after the first ballot. The odds of pulling off such an upset are already low, and Cruz could surely use help from Republican senators who might influence delegates from their states.

But Cruzs outreach has so far borne little fruit. A Cruz endorsement last Thursday by Utah Republican Mike Lee, probably the Texans staunchest Senate ally, was notable primarily for how late it came.

Hes a uniquely flawed messenger for a unity pitch given his proclivity to throw Republicans under the bus every time hes had an opportunity to improve his own standing, Holmes said. Almost any other candidate in the field would be able to bring the party together behind their candidacy at this point. But everyone else might need to be eliminated before that happens [for Cruz].

Cruzs role in forcing the 2013 government shutdown is only the most prominent on a long list of grievances Senate Republicans have compiled against the Texas senator since his 2012 election. His support for the Senate Conservatives Fund, a political action committee that often endorses conservative challengers bidding to oust Senate Republican incumbents, has left lasting anger.

And so the idea that Cruz would be a preferable nominee to Trump is not a given for many Republicans. Alabamas Jeff Sessions, the only senator to have endorsed Trump, is hardly the only GOP senator unsold on Cruz.

Its a real open question whether people ultimately conclude Ted Cruz is any more palatable than Donald Trump, said Holmes. Conservatives certainly think Ted Cruz is ideologically more predictable than Donald Trump. But he has less experience than anyone in the field and is more personally disliked than any candidate in modern history.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, seen laughing with Cruz at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in July 2015, is among the GOP colleagues Cruz has reached out to. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)

Senators say Cruz should get to work if he hopes to improve his Senate relations.

Show some interest, said Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest serving Senate Republican, when asked how Cruz could win colleagues support. Quit running down the Congress as though were a bunch of imbeciles.

Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts cited Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline as instructive. Hows it go? Roberts said. Hands, touching hands. Reaching out

I am sure there will be people who will start moving in his direction, said South Dakotas John Thune, who heads the Senate Republican Conference. But in terms of the relationship up here, he certainly can improve his outreach.

But while Cruz can try to reduce animosity among colleagues, he is unlikely to seek or receive many endorsements as he takes on Trump, senators and aides said.

Cruz, who has worked in federal and state politics for most of the past 16 years, still hopes to cast himself as a more legitimate Washington outsider than Trump, who has never held any office. Donald Trump is the system, Cruz said Sunday. He is Washington.

Cruz often cites his lack of support from GOP senators as evidence of his refusal to trade conservative values for Beltway popularity, and he has suggested that lawmakers who dislike him are part of the Washington cartel he is fighting.

That rhetoric gives Cruz a pitch he can hardly swap now for the blessing of the alleged cartel bosses.

I am not sure that so-called establishment help is what he wants, Thune said.

That view was borne out Wednesday when Cruz seemed to reject a suggestion, first reported by CNN, that he apologize to McConnell for calling the senior Republican a liar in remarks on the Senate floor last year.

Cruz told Fox News he will not come on bended knee, with my hat in hand and suddenly say, Oh, all the Washington politicians were right.

Im gonna continue standing up to Washington, to the bipartisan corruption that got us in this mess, Cruz said.

Ultimately, lawmakers planning to help or simply not oppose Cruz suggested their approach results mostly from a dispassionate decision to try to stop Trump and the electoral catastrophe they fear will result from his nomination. Cruz, rarely seen in the Senate these days as he campaigns, just needs to stay out of the way.

Even so, Republican lawmakers and aides believe Cruz will experience no big wave of support from fellow senators unless he first captures the Republican nomination.

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, who in January denied an Associated Press report that he told campaign donors he would vote for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders before Cruz, said there is only one way for Cruz to win Senate GOP support.

Win the nomination, Burr said. At the end of the day, were going to be supportive of our nominee.

Many GOP senators said they welcome Cruzs seeking their support. But the likely result may be subtle.

It affects the enthusiasm with which youll back him, certainly, or statements youll make, said Arizona Republican Jeff Flake. It never hurts.

Hatch said he hopes to hear from Cruz soon.

We all make mistakes. We all have to change some things, Youve got to allow room for the younger people who are new to the process to make mistakes, Hatch said. Teds learning a lot from this. Its been good for him.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has again reassured that the Ukrainian side has been fulfilling the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the Donbas crisis.

"We've discussed the situation in the east of the country and the illegal annexation of Crimea. We've got full understanding of what must be done. I insist that Ukraine has been fulfilling the Minsk agreements  we're doing our utmost to restore peace, we're open to cooperation with the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. We're ready to take political steps, including an election law," Poroshenko said after a meeting with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday.

Poroshenko added that he regretted that the Russian side had not been doing anything for its part.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told U.S. President Barack Obama on the phone that the request to release Ukrainian national Nadia Savchenko from custody would interfere in the judicial proceeding and therefore is impossible, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.

"The president has explained the matter many times; explanations have been given both to foreign colleagues and at other levels that this is a judicial proceeding and any external interference in the jurisdiction of our courts is inadmissible. It is impossible," Peskov said, answering a question of the media.

"It is impossible to offer any opinions or to do anything else until the judicial proceeding is over and a sentence is handed down," the press secretary said.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk has again called on Russia to free Ukrainian captive pilot, Member of Parliament Nadia Savchenko and all other Ukrainian citizens who have been illegally imprisoned in Russia.

"We have also discussed the issue of Nadia Savchenko, who is still in illegal detention in Russia. Let me in this context reiterate the call by the EU for her immediate release, along with Oleh Sentsov and all other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens," Tusk said during a joint statement with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday.

Tusk said that the EU would continue support all the efforts aimed at the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

"We continue to support the diplomatic efforts aimed at implementing the Minsk agreements. Further determined efforts are needed. Our economic sanctions against Russia remain linked to the complete fulfillment of the Minsk Agreements," he said.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk has assured Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that the EU's policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia remains in place.

"Tomorrow marks two years since the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation. I assured President Poroshenko that our policy of non-recognition will remain in place," Tusk said during a joint statement with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday.

"When we last met in December, I pledged that Europe would stay the course on Ukraine, and I asked the same of Ukraine. Since then, we have delivered on that commitment," he said.

According to him, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area is now provisionally applied, which will contribute to improving Ukraine's economy and strengthen its economic reform agenda.

"I am also happy to note that further steps have been taken on visa liberalization. Following the positive report by the Commission in December, Ukraine has taken the key steps in meeting its outstanding commitments. I trust it will soon be possible to take the next steps towards finalizing this process," he said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has handed over the so-called Savchenko list to President of the European Council Donald Tusk with the names of the individuals who are engaged in the fabrication of a case of Ukrainian captive pilot, Member of Parliament Nadia Savchenko and are subject to sanctions.

"The president have given Tusk sanctions-related proposals against the individuals who have framed the case against Savchenko," Poroshenko's press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

Later on the president's press service said that Poroshenko gave European Parliament President Martin Shultz Ukraine's sanction-related proposals along with the names of Russian officials who forged the case against Savchenko.

The president asked the EP president to step up pressure on Russia to release Savchenko and other Ukrainian prisoners incarcerated in Russian prisons.

As was reported earlier, Poroshenko announced on March 15 that Ukraine is cooperating with the European Union and the United States in drawing up a list of sanctions against the individuals who were involved in the unlawful detention of Savchenko and the trial against her. Ukraine's international allies fully support Ukraine in this issue, Poroshenko said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Brussels on Thursday.

"The parties exchanged the opinions over a wide range of the bilateral issues. The parties discussed the preservation of sanctions against Russia as an efficient tool to ensure a full implementation of the Minsk Agreements and restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," reads a report on the president's official website.

Moreover, the parties agreed to stir up a bilateral political dialogue on the highest level. The interlocutors noted an importance of carrying this year next meetings of the Ukrainian-Hungarian inter-governmental commissions for economic cooperation, trans-boundary and border cooperation.

"Poroshenko thanked Hungary for support of Ukraine over the introduction of visa-free regime with European Union. The interlocutors agreed that a present migration crisis in EU shouldn't influence on visa liberalization process with Ukraine," reads the report posted on the website.

It was reported earlier that Poroshenko on Thursday went to Brussels on a two-day visit to meet with the EU leadership. He will also attend a meeting of the European People's Party.
Poroshenko says refugee crisis in Europe should not influence visa liberalization for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agree that the refugee crisis in European Union countries should not have any impact on the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukraine.

"Poroshenko and Orban have agreed that the current refugee crisis in the EU should not influence the visa-free regime for Ukraine," Ukrainian presidential press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko said on Twitter on March 17.

As was reported earlier, Poroshenko and Orban earlier discussed the extension of anti-Russian sanctions.

Poroshenko is on a two-day visit to Brussels, where he has been meeting with European officials. He is also scheduled to attend a summit of the European People's Party.
European Parliament head says EP for visa-free travels for Ukrainians this year

President of the European Parliament (EP) Martin Schulz has assured Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that the EP is ready to support the introduction of visa-free travels for Ukrainians as early as this year.

Poroshenko in turn said Ukraine's parliament has a majority of votes for the adoption of European integration bills, the Ukrainian President's press service said.

Poroshenko and Schulz also discussed their positions regarding the implementation of the Minsk peace agreements.

The two officials met on Thursday as part of the Ukrainian president's two-day visit to Brussels.
The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure, while introducing a restriction with regard to the occupied territories.

Therefore, Ukraine doesn't guarantee the fulfillment of its obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the territories uncontrolled by Kyiv.

Some 244 MPs voted in favor of the No. 0095 relevant bill at Rada's plenary session on Wednesday.

Ukraine signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure on November 20, 2014 in New York.

This protocol allows children and their representatives to bring individual complaints directly to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. These claims may concern violations of childs rights foreseen by the corresponding Convention and its optional protocols by the state-signatory of the Protocol.

The following statement was made during the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure: "Ukraine declares that for the period of the temporary occupation of Ukraine's territory, namely, the Crimean Autonomous Republic and Sevastopol, as a result of the Russian military aggression, and until the full restoration of the constitutional order and Ukraine's effective control over the occupied territory, including separate areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, application and/or fulfillment of Ukraine's obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure, with respect to the mentioned occupied and uncontrolled by Ukrainian authorities territories of Ukraine is limited and is not guaranteed."
The trial of Alexander Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, servicemen of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, is not directly linked to the trial of MP Nadia Savchenko in Russia.

However, an excessive delay of the case of the GRU officers won't help improve Savchenko's situation, her lawyer Ilya Novikov has said.

"I am convinced that Russian authorities are not very interested in the future of Alexandrov and Yerofeyev. In this sense, synchronization [of Russian and Ukrainian trials] would be important only if we had pre-agreed terms that such an exchange [of Alexandrov and Yerofeyev for Savchenko] will take place as soon as the sentences came into force. As far as I know, there are no official agreements, although there are prerequisites, there are negotiations," he said on the Shuster Live program on Tuesday night.

At the same time, the lawyer noted that the Russian state prosecution dragged out Savchenko's trial several times. "[One gets] the feeling that they are watching, [coordinating] so as not to go too much ahead"

Novikov also said he traveled to the United States recently and discussed Savchenko's plight with U.S. politicians and officials.

"I returned from the United States with a strong belief that Americans are aware of the situation with Savchenko. Earlier, this understanding was expressed in soft words, however, as her verdict approaches, language becomes stronger. Besides, there is an impression that it becomes a media story: four [presidential] candidates have already insisted on Savchenko's release in their election campaigns," Novikov said.

Summarizing the results of his trips to the U.S. and Ukraine, he said there were "signals of hope."
The last three weeks ahead of the referendum in the Netherlands on the Ukraine-EU Association agreement can be used to promote a Pro vote by the Dutch, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large Dmytro Kuleba has said.

"At the moment, opponents [of the agreement] are in the majority, but most of our activities and those of our friends in the Netherlands are planned for the last three weeks of the campaign, which we believe and hope will be a turning point," Kuleba said.

Kuebla's remarks are in a video clip of students from the National Aviation University addressing students and residents of the Netherlands.

Ukraine will hold a Business Forum, Days of Ukrainian Cinema, and a number of other events in the Netherlands. "Our opponents in the Netherlands, as well as our opponents in Russia, are watching our activities. The details of the work done will be provided after April 6," the diplomat said.

The Dutch parliament ratified the Association agreement between Ukraine and the EU on July 7, 2015.

The referendum in the Netherlands will be held on April 6. It is of a consultative nature.
President of the European Parliament (EP) Martin Schulz has discussed at meeting with Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday the need to promptly overcome the crisis in the government and to continue reforms in the country.

Schulz urged Ukrainian political forces to unite in support of a stable and reliable government and distance themselves from group interests.

The EP president made this call following consultations with Poroshenko in Brussels.

Ukrainian political elites should also seriously fight against corruption, focus on structural reforms and the implementation of the Ukraine-EU Association agreement, Schulz noted.

He also said that the adoption of the bill on e-declarations by Rada this week allowed Ukraine to enter a final stage of the implementation of criteria for successful completion of visa liberalization with the EU.

Schulz expressed concern about the detention, treatment, and state of Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko, who is on a hunger strike in a Russian prison awaiting sentencing next week. He recalled that in April last year the EP in its resolution condemned Savchenko's illegal abduction and detention, and demanded her immediate release.

Besides, Schulz noted that he agreed with Poroshenko a reboot of the Minsk process to ensure its full implementation.

He also said he was concerned over deterioration of the human rights situation on the occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea, as well as the humanitarian situation in the conflict zone.
US to do its best to make Russia to give Crimea back to Ukraine  Department of State

United States will never accept occupation of Crimea and will do everything possible so that the peninsula returns to Ukrainian sovereignty, the U.S. Department of State said.

"I want to remind that president Obama [U.S. President Barack Obama] in a telephone talk with president Putin [Russian President Vladimir Putin] has said that the United States will never recognize Crimea as a part of Russian Federation. We don't grasp reshaping of the borders, using force in XXI century, and sanctions related to occupation of Crimea will be in force by the time the occupation lasts," said Joshua Baker, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, told Interfax in an interview.

He noted that Russia crudely violated international law and supports the efforts of Ukrainian authorities.

"We believe that illegal capture of Crimea is the grossest violation of international law and will so our best so that Russia to bring back Crimea to Ukraine, Ukrainian people," the spokesman said.
From cuttlefish congregating in the shallow waters of southern Australia to a kingfisher catching its lunch in Croatia.

These are just two of the incredible winning images in the worldwide Sony World Photography Awards 2016.

One photographer, Manex Sungahid from the Philippines, was selected as the winner in his country due to his stunning shot of a young boy walking through a crowd painted in white spots at the Ati-Atihan Festival held in Kalibo, Aklan.

Another, Minh Thanh Ngo, took home the winning title for Vietnam with his photograph of a traditional ceremony that sees Vietnamese people release floating lanterns on to the river for peace. In Thanh Ngo's image, the two women placing the lights into the water are doing so as they pray for their families.

From the tens of thousands of submissions entered into the annual contest - of landscapes, sunsets and wildlife - 60 were selected as winners.

The winning photos, which were chosen by judges this week, will be shown at Somerset House in London between April 24 and May 10. The 2017 edition of the contest - the 10th anniversary of the competition - will open on June 1 2017.

Khairel Anuar Che Ani's image was taken in Bali during the Melasti Festival, which is conducted once a year in conjunction with Nyepi or Silent D
File photo: Li Yinan

Li Yinan, the founder of Niu Technologies Group Ltd. and former vice president of Chinas giant ICT company Huawei, has been reportedly arrested for insider trading, according to caixin.com.

The accusation traced back to the year 2014, when Lis brother-in-law and mother made a profit of 7.44 million yuan (1.14 million USD) from stocks of Wuhan Huazhong Numerical Control Co. Ltd. The company was in talks about merger at the time, and its president Li Xiaotao was a college friend and former colleague of Li Yinan. The case is still undergoing investigation.

Media mourns the fall of the young genius. Li rocketed from a graduate to vice president of Huawei in four years at age of 27, and this was only one of the stunting feats he has achieved in his field of profession.

Started Young, Climbed up Fast

Born in central Chinas Hunan Province in 1970, Li went to Huazhong University of Science and Technology at age of 15. He entered Huawei as project manager, and developed a father-son like relationship with Ren Zhengfei, the founder and president of Huawei. He became vice president and a crucial decision-maker of the company despite of his unusually young age.

File photo: Ren Zhengfei, founder and president of Huawei

Just when everyone thought he would be the first in line of the possible successors of Ren Zhengfei, Li took off and left Huawei  with a group of top researchers and salespersons, together with over 10 million yuan dividend from the company. He started his own enterprise named China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC), in an apparent open competition with his former employer. In six years, from agents of Huawei to making similar products by its own, the new company took up 7 to 8 percent of the market share in the broadband IP field, whereas the gigantic Huawei made it to mere 10 to 15 percent.

Rising and Fallen Star

The battle between Li Yinan and his former God Father Ren Zhengfei ended up in Huawei buying CHEC at 50 million USD in cash. Li continually did job-hopping among all the big name companies in the IT field of China  CTO in Baidu in 2008; CEO of 12580, a subsidiary of China Mobile, in 2010; and a partner of GSR Ventures in 2011.

However, an impressive resume is far from satisfying the ambitious young man. In 2015, Li left GSR Ventures and started up his own scooter company Niu Technologies Group Ltd.

Li publicly announced that this would be the last time he starts up a new company. Just three weeks after the (impressive) new product release, Li was detained by local police.

The scooter released by Li Yinan's Niu Technologies Group Ltd.

With a promising future ahead, it is hard to imagine Li would sell his insatiable ambition to a mistake as blatant as insider trading. While the results of the investigation are pending, one question worth asking would be: When this all ends, will Li Yinan be able to pull himself together and rise again?
Debris found on Reunion Island unlikely from the missing MH370: Australian official

A piece of debris recently found on an Indian Ocean island where a wing fragment from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had previously washed ashore is unlikely to be from the missing plane, Australian officials said Wednesday.

The piece in question was discovered earlier this month on French-governed Reunion Island. French authorities examining the piece told the Australian agency directing the search for the plane off Australia's west coast that it is unlikely to be from Flight 370, said Dan O'Malley, spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) is running the search in the southern Indian Ocean, where the jet is believed to have diverted to from a Kuala Lumpur-Beijing flight path.

The center said Malaysian officials were 'continuing discussions with French authorities about debris found on La Reunion.
After making dozens of people-oriented changes, national legislators gave a ringing endorsement on Wednesday to the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), the road map that sets the course for the world's second-largest economy in the coming half-decade.

The economic and social development blueprint won 2,778 "yes" votes, or 97 percent of the total National People's Congress, at the close of the annual legislative session.

Lawmakers, in cooperation with the country's political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made 57 revisions to the draft plan during nearly two weeks of deliberations. Changes ranged from ramped-up job creation to the training of more pediatricians in the wake of the universal second-child policy.

The NPC's ratification capped months of drafting efforts, during which opinions were collected from Party members, non-Communist parties, industry leaders, commerce federations and members of the public.

Projecting an annual growth rate of at least 6.5 percent, the plan calls for "more than 50 million" new urban jobs to be created, exceeding the ambition of the earlier draft, which had called for up to 50 million.

The adjustment, while small, shows that "the deputies and political advisors are keen to tackle the employment problem, given the country's aging population", said Chen Yu, vice-president of the China Association for Employment Promotion.

At the request of legislators and political advisers, the plan also rolled out measures to address questions arising from the December revision of the decades-old family planning policy. The revision allows all couples to have a second child.

A bullet point in the final version of the blueprint shows the thinking of lawmakers: "Enhance the caring and assistance to families that lost their only child." It adds that more care should be given to women in bearing and rearing children.

A study by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think tank, estimated that 1 million families had lost their only child to disease or accident as of 2012, and the number was expected to grow by 76,000 each year.

"They are now allowed to give birth a second time, but some of the mothers belong to the senior age group, which means more risks in childbirth," said Wang Jinying, deputy chief of the Economics Institute at Hebei University.

This calls for technical and other help to guarantee the safety and health of both mother and child, the 21st Century Business Herald quoted Wang as saying.

Another conspicuous change to the original blueprint was the deletion of a "strategic emerging board", a list of emerging new growth industriesin high-tech, for examplean idea suggested by the China Securities Regulatory Commission last June to complement Shenzhen's existing ChiNext board.

The move indicates the authorities' practical approach to stabilizing the capital market, Wang Hanfeng, chief analyst of China International Capital Corp, was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying on Wednesday.

The approved five-year plan also stipulates a "vigorous smoking ban in public areas" and promotes the development of the country's dairy industry.

Other changes include efforts to raise literacy in science above 10 percent nationwide by 2020.
Beijing calls on Washington to handle the issue 'with discretion' to avoid harming growth of ties

ZTE Corp is in talks with the United States government over the telecom equipment manufacturer's alleged violations of a US trade restriction.

Opinions are split on whether the negotiations could help resolve the dispute, which, if it remains unresolved, could have a negative impact throughout China's IT industry.

Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng on Tuesday said China is "greatly dissatisfied" with the US decision to ban the Shenzhen, Guangdong-based company from buying parts from US suppliers.

"I hope the US could handle the issue with discretion to avoid harming the stable, healthy development of Sino-US trade ties," said Gao. He added ZTE has sent a delegation to Washington to discuss the issue with the US authorities.

The US Commerce Department confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that negotiations are under way.

"These discussions have been constructive, and we will continue to seek a resolution," said the US newspaper, citing an unnamed senior official at the department. ZTE did not elaborate on the details of the talks, saying no final decision has been made.

The US Commerce Department last week banned ZTE's suppliers in the US from selling components to the Chinese company amid claims that ZTE exported prohibited products to Iran.

The US suppliers, including mobile chip giant Qualcomm Inc, will need to apply for permits from the US government before selling products to ZTE.

ZTE said in a statement its operations were in compliance with the laws and regulations in every local market. The company pledged to cooperate with the investigation.

Hu Lu, an analyst at Changjiang Securities Co Ltd, said the punishment was related to a multi-million-dollar hardware and software export deal ZTE signed with Telecommunication Company of Iran in 2012. The US forbids a long list of US-made IT products from being sold to Iran.

"It was not the first time for the US to investigate Chinese IT companies. Due to strong government interference, ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd are finding it difficult to penetrate the US market," Hu said. "But considering that talks are taking place, and the obvious negative influence on the trade relationship with China, the US government is likely to ease the punishment."

The export ban on the second-largest Chinese telecom equipment maker quickly unfolded into a diplomatic issue, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying the punishment "only hurts others and does not benefit oneself". US component makers rely heavily on Chinese enterprises such as ZTE, Huawei and Lenovo Group Ltd for sales.

But Nicole Peng, research director at research firm Canalys China, said the US may not back off on the case.

"The US Commerce Department will not easily lift the ban on ZTE in order to set an example for other companies," she said. "The uncertainty of the outcome is the factor that will do the most damage to ZTE's business."

Zhu Jinsong, an analyst at Shanghai-based Haitong Securities Co Ltd, said the export restrictions on ZTE will deeply affect the Chinese IT industry.

"The matter is out of ZTE's control. The restriction reflects a battle between the Chinese and US high-tech industries. Although US suppliers could ask for permission to sell products to ZTE, the US authorities will definitely deny such a request," according to Zhu.

Traded in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, ZTE stocks remained suspended as of Wednesday.
Premier Li Keqiang answers media questions at a news conference after the closing meeting of the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 16, 2016.. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Premier Li Keqiang voiced confidence on Wednesday over Beijing's ties with Washington, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election later this year.

He made the remarks when asked about Sino-US ties at his annual news conference at the end of the two sessions.

He said the US election campaign has been lively and has attracted widespread attention. "I believe that no matter who gets into the White House in the end, the underlying trend of China-US ties will not change," Li said.

"It has been several decades since the two countries established diplomatic relations, and the relationship has seen lots of ups and downs, but it has always been moving forward, which I believe is the underlying trend."

He said many people only saw differences between the two countries and "overlooked one very important thing that happened last year"China became the US' top trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $560 billion.

"This in itself shows that the common interests between the two countries are constantly expanding, and far outweigh their differences," he said.

To ensure the healthy development of these ties, Li said both countries need to follow the principles of equality and mutual benefit, such as in negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of US studies at Renmin University of China, said that as both the Chinese and US economies face increasing uncertainties, "it is more urgent than in the past for the two nations to work together and actively handle challenges".

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said the premier had made a "very important strategic judgment" that "the common interests between China and the US far overweigh their differences", given the complex situation in bilateral ties.

On China's relations with the Asia-Pacific region, Li said Beijing sees no contradiction between its insistence on safeguarding its territory and its desire for peace and stability in the region.

"China will remain committed to the path of peaceful development and ... will not waver in its resolve to uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity, and these two are not in conflict."

He said Beijing hopes all countries in the region and outside it, including the US, will work together to uphold regional stability, not the opposite. "That is in the interests of all," he said.
China energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions declined by 1.5 percent in 2015, marking the largest decrease in volumes compared to other countries, International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Fatih Birol told Xinhua on Wednesday.

"China's emissions decline is mainly driven by a reduction in coal use," Birol said in an interview.

He indicated China's economic restructuring towards less energy-intensive industries and the government's efforts to decarbonize electricity generation pushed down coal use.

In 2015, coal generated less than 70 percent of Chinese electricity, 10 percentage points less than in 2011. Over the same period, low-carbon sources jumped from 19 percent to 28 percent, with hydro and wind accounting for most of the increase, according to IEA.

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions -- the largest source of man-made greenhouse gas emissions -- stayed flat for a second year in a row, according to analysis of preliminary data for 2015 released by IEA.

"The new figures confirm last year's surprising but welcoming news. We now have seen two straight years of greenhouse gas emissions decoupling from economic growth," said Birol. "Coming just a few months after the landmark COP21 agreement in Paris, this is yet another boost to the global fight against climate change."

Global emissions of carbon dioxide stood at 32.1 billion tons in 2015, having remained essentially flat since 2013, according to IEA.

In the more than 40 years in which the IEA has been providing information on CO2 emissions, there have been only four periods in which emissions stood still or fell compared to the previous year. Three of those -- the early 1980s, 1992 and 2009 -- were associated with global economic weakness.

But the recent stall in emissions comes amid economic expansion. According to the International Monetary Fund, global GDP grew by 3.4 percent in 2014 and 3.1 percent in 2015.

"It is very good news that global emission is flat. We see a major contribution coming from China. It is mainly because of Chinese government's efforts to push renewable energies and other clean energies technologies," Birol noted.

"The policies have been designed and successfully implemented by China's government," he said.

"China's energy structure in the future will be much more diverse than it is now. The major energy in China is coal and oil in last few years. Now we are going to see less coal, but more renewable energies, more natural gas and more nuclear power," he indicated.

"I hope to see China's targets in the new five-year plan can be implemented successfully. I also hope to see China emissions will decrease sequentially," Birol said.
Premier Li Keqiang arrives for the news conference after the closing meeting of the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 16, 2016. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/chinadaily.com.cn]

A question on medical insurance came into the limelight at Premier Li Keqiang's news conference on Wednesday, as it was selected through an online poll jointly conducted by China Daily and online news portal Toutiao.com.

The poll  "I have a question for the premier"  involved more than 24 million netizens as of Wednesday, and it called on each respondent to choose three out of 10 questions connected with public livelihood.

"At the top of the list was how to achieve national portability of medical insurance plans', which received 10 million votes from netizens," China Daily reporter Wu Jiao told Li at the news conference.

Portability refers to allowing insurance plan subscribers to keep their plan if they relocate or to be covered if healthcare is needed while away from home.

Other topics on the poll list included narrowing the disparity in pensions, strengthening food quality and security, and speeding up construction of affordable public housing.

"Mr Premier, is there a timetable for us to achieve national portability of medical insurance?" Wu asked.

Li began his reply by saying: "I want to first thank you for conducting the survey, asking the people what the top concerns are in their daily lives. That will certainly help the government do its job better."

He went on to say that the government "is resolved" to achieve national portability of health insurance plans "at a faster pace" and that provincial-level portability will be achieved within the year.

Qi Shuyu, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said "it is a fresh idea" for influential Chinese media to solicit and deliver public opinions via the Internet and new media platforms.

As more than half of China's population surfs the Web, delivering the 10 topics of greatest concern contributes to briefing the top policymakers, Qi added.

In the past three years, the central government's presence has gathered momentum on social networks, boosting policy transparency and extending its reach to all mainstream information and networking outlets.

As of Wednesday, the State Council's micro blog had more than 12,500 postings and attracted about 13.4 million followers.
NASA to set fire on unmanned cargo ship in space for safety experiments

WASHINGTON, March 16 -- U.S. space agency NASA said Wednesday it will intentionally light a "large-scale fire" on an unmanned cargo spaceship scheduled for launch next week as part of an effort to increase understanding of how an accidental fire might behave in space.

NASA has planned three such space flight safety experiments, all conducted inside the Orbital ATK Cygnus resupply vehicle, not on its way to the International Space Station, but rather after it leaves the orbiting lab and before it re-enters Earth's atmosphere.

"NASA's objective is to reduce the risk of long-duration exploration missions, and a spacecraft fire is one of the biggest concerns for NASA and the international space exploration community," said Jason Crusan, NASA's Advanced Exploration System director, in a statement.

The Spacecraft Fire Experiments, or Saffire, will be performed during the next three consecutive flights of the Cygnus vehicle, with the first scheduled for launch on March 22 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The experiments, to be remotely conducted by researchers on Earth, will take place in a three-by-three-by-five foot(0.9-by-0.9-by-1.5 meter) tall module carried aboard Cygnus.

NASA said it purposefully set fire to materials in space for research previously, but those samples have been limited to 10cm in length and width.

The first Saffire experiment, however, will assess a large-scale microgravity fire using sample material about 0.4 meter wide and1.0 meter long, it said.

The second will assess oxygen flammability limits using samples about 5cm wide and 30cm long while the third will assess a second large-scale microgravity fire.

"Saffire will be the biggest man-made fire ever in space," said Gary Ruff, NASA's Spacecraft Fire Safety Demonstration project manager.

"Currently, we can only conduct small combustion experiments in the microgravity environment of the space station. Saffire will allow us to safely burn larger samples of material without added risk to the station or its crew."

Images and data captured from inside the Saffire module will be transmitted to Orbital ATK and relayed to NASA prior to Cygnus' destructive reentry to Earth.

Researchers from NASA and its partners will analyze the data and use it to further develop technologies to safeguard future astronauts from a spacecraft fire.
A rollout ceremony for a diesel locomotive that will be exported to South Africa was held on Tuesday in Lushun, Dalian, a port city in northeast China's Liaoning province.

The new locomotive is of a narrow gauge diesel variety, and it has the highest power of any such variety in the world. It is designed with a power of 3,300 kilowatts and a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

In March 2014, CRRC Dalian Co., Ltd. signed a contract worth about $900 million to export 232 diesel locomotives to South Africa. It is the largest single order for the export of Chinese locomotives to date.

CRRC Dalian has also invested roughly 10 billion yuan in building world-class track transportation equipment and a manufacturing base in its new plant in Lushun. An important part of this base is the circular test line, which has a total length of 4.58 kilometers. The test line, with its multi-system, multi-gauge and elevated form, is the first of its kind in China. The new locomotives are the first batch of products to be tested on this circular test line.
(File Photo)

The Sino-Indonesian joint venture for a high-speed railway project signed a franchise agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of transportation on March 16, guaranteeing legal protection of the construction of the JakartaBandung high-speed railway.

According to the agreement, the joint venture will have a 50-year franchise for the high-speed railway linking Jakarta and Bandung, starting from May 31, 2019.

China and Indonesia began talks for the venture in March of 2015, ultimately signing an agreement on Oct. 16. The high-speed railway will be Chinas first overseas project done entirely with Chinese technology.

The head of the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, Ignasius Jonan, said at the signing ceremony that the joint venture received franchising less than two months after breaking ground on the high-speed railwaya timeline much shorter than for other domestic railway projects.

It was also the first time the country gave franchising to a venture funded through foreign investment, added Jonan.

Delegates attend a photocall during the Joint Venture Agreement signing ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oct 16, 2015.

The 150-kilometer-long rail will link Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, with the city of Bandung, the fourth largest in the country. The high-speed railway has a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour, and is planned to be built within three years. After starting operation, it will shorten travel time between the two cities to less than 35 minutes, where currently it takes more than three hours.
China is urging South Africa to thoroughly investigate several recent kidnapping cases in which Chinese people were taken while in South Africa, according to a report on China News Service.

Police counselor Wang Zhigang in China's South African embassy, along with other embassy staff, has been negotiating with those in charge of police affairs in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, asking them to conduct an investigation into the recent kidnappings, the report said.

Wang urged police in the two provinces to spare no efforts to catch the kidnappers, and to protect the lives and possessions of other Chinese people living in the country.

According to statistics, there have been six kidnapping cases where the victim was Chinese since the end of 2015. The cases have aroused panic in the countrys Chinese community.

Local authorities thought it unlikely that the perpetrator of these kidnappings is himself or herself Chinese; it is more likely that a South African is the culprit.

Four Chinese people were kidnapped by five armed robbers in front of their houses in Limpopo on the evening of Feb. 15, 2016. The four victims were released unharmed after the robbers received a ransom. According to authorities, the kidnappers possessed dangerous weapons like machine guns. Furthermore, the kidnappers were wearing bags on their heads.

Local authorities are currently investigating the cases and urge anyone with information to come forward.
According to the photos released by U.S. Navy on March 10, USS Blue Rigde and USS Russell are still sailing in the South China Sea.

A Chinese expert on military strategy has criticized the U.S.'s attitude towards the South China Sea in his article.

Peng Guangqian said that the U.S. has no reason to blame China for militarizing the South China Sea. Peng questioned about the intention of the U.S. to deploy nuclear submarines, stealth fighters, large warships and nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle group in the area. Peng said that it is the U.S. that stirs up disorder in the region. The U.S. not only deploys weapons but also organizes joint military drill in that region.

Peng said in the article that the U.S. not only militarizes the South China Sea but also builds a network of military bases in the West Pacific so that it can militarize almost the entire West Pacific.

Furthermore, the U.S. intrudes into waters near islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and even into China's territorial waters without permission from China. However, the U.S. justifies its acts by saying that they sail in "international waters." Peng said that it is ridiculous for the U.S. to do and to say so.

According to Peng, the South China Sea is one of the busiest maritime routes in the world and over 7,000 ships sail in the region every day. Maritime routes in the region are important transportation hinges connecting China and other places in the world. China spares no efforts to protect freedom of navigation in the region.

Peng said the freedom of navigation advocated by the U.S. is the freedom to deprive normal navigation of other countries.

Peng said that the U.S. not only stirs up disputes in the region by sending military aircraft and ships to the area but also plotted arbitration of the South China Sea dispute.

According to Peng, the Philippines is playing an active role in the arbitration. The result of the arbitration has not been released yet, but the U.S., along with its allies including Japan, presses China to unconditionally accept the result of the arbitration by whipping up public opinion.

Peng said that China exercises the legitimate right of a sovereign state according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Not participating in nor accepting the result of the arbitration, China safeguards the authority of the convention.

The U.S. is not a country in the region, nor a claimant party for maritime rights in the region. Furthermore, it still refuses to join UNCLOS. In previous disputes with its neighboring countries, the U.S. also rejected arbitration by the International Court of Justice. Peng said that the U.S. has no right to talk about maritime arbitration with China, a member in the UNCLOS.
One Vietnamese motorist was killed and at least 18 Chinese were injured after a bus carrying 40 Chinese tourists crashed into a truck on a mountain pass in North Vietnams Lao Cai on Wednesday.

The bus collided head-on with the truck, and a 55-year-old Vietnamese man then crashed his motorbike into the bus from behind. He died at the scene.

The bus turned on its side following the collision. Injured passengers were rushed to a local hospital. One severely injured Chinese was sent back to China for treatment.
U.S. actress and special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Angelina Jolie (C), visits the temporary refugee facilities at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, March 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, March 16 -- Hollywood actress and special envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Angelina Jolie Pitt visited Greece on Wednesday to highlight the plight of thousands of refugees and migrants stranded in the country over the past month.

The UNHCR goodwill ambassador held a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at his office after visiting camps in Athens and Piraeus port, where about 4,000 people are temporarily sheltered.

Around 44,000 people have been trapped in Greece after Austria and Balkan states sealed off the borders along the Balkan route to central Europe, according to the latest estimates by the Greek government, testing the debt-laden country's limits.

At the Idomeni border crossing between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), a sprawling makeshift camp hosts some 14,000 people suffering from food and medicines shortages.

Refugees are staying near the border in the hopes it may open soon, which would allow them to continue their journey to central and northern Europe.

"The situation is very difficult, in particular in the northern borders. I know that you visited the reception centers at Piraeus, where conditions are better," Tsipras said when welcoming Jolie Pitt, according to the national news agency AMNA.

"I am here to reinforce efforts by UNHCR and the Greek government to step up the emergency response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation," she said, according to a UNHCR press release.

The actress reiterated UNHCR's support to Greece in the expansion and coordination of protection and assistance to refugees, strengthening registration and asylum procedures, as well as upholding international protection and refugee law standards and the implementation of the EU relocation program, the press statement read.

Jolie Pitt also expressed her appreciation for the support and solidarity Greece had shown the hundreds of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who had landed on its shores, according to the press release.

Although it was her first visit to Greece as a UNHCR envoy, she was not the first Hollywood celebrity to visit the country to highlight the refugee crisis.

Actress Susan Sarandon was nominated in February for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for aiding refugees and in recognition of her attempt to raise public awareness during her visit to Lesvos island in late 2015.

Jolie Pitt's visit came on the eve of a critical new EU-Turkey summit in Brussels on deeper cross-border cooperation on the handling of the refugee crisis.
S. Korea's top envoy for six-party talks to visit China for talks about DPRK issues

SEOUL, March 17 -- South Korea's top envoy for the long-stalled six-party talks will visit China on Friday to discuss issues on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuk told a regular press briefing that Kim Hong-Kyun, chief South Korean envoy for the six-way dialogue to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, will visit China on Friday to meet with Wu Dawei, China's special representative on Korean Peninsular affairs.

Kim and Wu will share an assessment on the Korean Peninsula situations and discuss strategic cooperation between South Korea and China in implementing the new UN Security Council resolution on the DPRK.

It will be the first meeting between them as Kim was nominated in late February as special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs who represent South Korea at the six-party talks.

The six-party talks, which involve South Korea, the DPRK, China, the United States, Russiaand Japan, have been halted since late 2008.

The spokesman said Kim's visit to China will contribute to close cooperation between South Korea, the United States and China in dealing with DPRK issues, including the implementation of UN sanctions on the DPRK.
Delivered at the Fourth Session of the 12th National Peoples Congress of

the Peoples Republic of China on March 5, 2016

Li Keqiang

Premier of the State Council

Esteemed Deputies,

On behalf of the State Council, I will now report to you on the work of the government for your deliberation and approval. I invite comments on my report from the members of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Let me start with a review of the work we did in 2015.

In the past year, China has encountered many difficulties and challenges in its development. However, under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and with confidence and courage, all the people of China have worked to overcome obstacles and have pressed ahead with a pioneering spirit. As a result, progress has been achieved and stability ensured in economic and social development, the main tasks and targets for the year have been fulfilled,and major achievements have been made in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.

The economy operated within an appropriate range.

GDP reached 67.7 trillion yuan, representing an increase of 6.9% over the previous yeara growth rate faster than that of most other major economies. Food crop production increased for the 12th year in a row. Consumer prices grew slowly. Of particular note, the employment situation overall remained stable, with 13.12 million new urban jobs created over the course of the year, surpassing the years target and becoming an economic highlight.

Encouraging progress was made in structural adjustment.

The service sector as a proportion of GDP rose to 50.5%,accounting for more than half for the first time. The contribution of consumption toward economic growth reached 66.4%. High-tech industries and equipment manufacturing grew faster than other industries. Energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 5.6%.

New driving forces for development grewrapidly.

Further progress was made in implementing the strategy of innovation-driven development,the penetration of the Internet into all industries picked up pace, and emerging industries grew rapidly. Business startups and innovations by the general public flourished, with the number of newly registered businesses rising by 21.6% in 2015, or an average of 12,000new businesses per day. New driving forces played a major role in keeping employment stable and pushing ahead industry upgrading, and are now driving
BEIJING, March 17 -- The Chinese mainland adheres to the one-China principle and its policy of boosting peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait has not changed, a mainland spokesperson said Thursday.

An Fengshan of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office made the remarks upon inquiry about the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Gambia.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye signed a joint communique here Thursday to resume diplomatic relations.
Women officials from the government of Guigang, Southwest Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, chats with local farmers amid a poverty alleviation campaign in March. (Photo: people.cn)

As China has set its goal to eradicate poverty by 2020, local governments at all levels are now taking measures to put the targeted poverty alleviation policy into practice.

In its 13th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint for the countrys development from 2016 to 2020, China pledges to lift impoverished rural residents out of poverty. All impoverished counties across the country will lose that label by 2020 through the governments resolve to eliminate regional poverty through a targeted poverty alleviation policy.

Of the 55 million residents of Southwest Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the local government identified 5.385 million as impoverished after conducting on-the-spot investigations in 2014.

To ensure the accuracy of the information they collected, local governments drafted detailed assessment forms. The 5-page-form listed a total of 98 indexes in 18 categories, covering housing, household appliances, agricultural machinery, health conditions and labor force. At the same time, independent work groups were also set up to conduct these household surveys, so that assessment will be impartial and transparent.

Any misjudgment on households financial situations was also corrected in a timely fashion. For example, Huang Yulan, a villager from Lixin village in the region was not included in the list of impoverished households at first, but after they received complaints, local governments included her name after verification.

Zhou Yijue, the mayor of Bose, said that the city has sent 13,000 officials to conduct door-to-door surveys since October 2015, and finished 503,500 cases of targeted poverty identification.

The city plans to remove the label of 12 poor counties by 2019, and use another year to check the results, so as to ensure the city can be built into a moderately well-off society in 2020, said Zhou, who is also a deputy of the National Peoples Congress.

Chinas devotion to poverty relief also receives praise from the international community, who believe China has set an example for other countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China has basically realized the Millennium Development Goals at the UN Sustainable Development Summit last September.

China has lifted 439 million people out of poverty and made remarkable progress in areas of education, health care and women's welfare, Xi stressed.

Chinese leaders maintain that only shared and sustainable development can bring real benefits to the people. To put the philosophy into practice, China pledged to set up a fund, with initial contribution of $2 billion, to support South-South Cooperation and assist developing countries in implementing their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China will also do its best to raise its investment in the worlds least developed countries to $12 billion by 2030, President Xi told the Sustainable Development Summit held in New York.

Meanwhile, China will set up a knowledge center for international development to conduct research and exchange ideas on development theories and practices.
Lei Min (center), a NPC deputy and PLA soldier, calls for more respect for the devotion of military personnel and better protection of their legal rights at a group discussion of the government work report on March 7. (Photo: Lei Sheng from Peoples Daily)

With the aim to further improve womens welfare and rights, China has amended laws and regulations to accelerate gender equality and the overall development of women in the country.

As Chinas first law against domestic violence came into effect earlier this March, deputies attending the National Peoples Congress (NPC) annual session said the law would further guarantee womens rights.

Sun Xiaomei, a NPC deputy who has long advocated for the law, applauds the legislation, saying that women are the highest-risk group facing domestic violence. The law will better protect their rights.

Riyangul Almire, a female deputy from the rural area of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, said that local womens federations have been promoting the marriage law and anti-domestic violence law through various channels in different languages.

With the protection of the law, women in rural areas feel safer than before, she added.

As early as 1954, Chinas constitution officially included womens rights among the fundamental rights of citizens. Later amendments further stipulated protection of womens rights. A specific law on womens rights protection was also introduced. The constitution and related laws have ensured the independent and inviolable status of women, granting them the same freedom and dignity that men enjoy.

China's practice has proved that the promotion of women's participation in social and economic activities could effectively improve their social status and economic vitality.

Womens participation in administration and discussion of state affairs is an important index to measure a countrys degree of humanity. Since the establishment of the peoples congress system, the percentage of female deputies has been increasing.

According to released statistics, 23.4 percent of the deputies are female in this years session. Their occupations include diplomats, Olympic champions, grass-roots school principals, as well as farmers.

During the two sessions, Fu Ying, the NPC session spokeswoman, captured public attention once again. As the first female spokesperson of the NPC session, Fu used to be China's ambassador to the Philippines, Australia and the UK.

She said that the NPC and its standing committee will play significant roles in addressing the root causes of corruption and efforts will be placed on the amendments of administration supervision law this year.

Female delegates of the two sessions believe that the nations current focus on family values and education has added meaning to the roles of women, which will further advance womens social progress.

CPPCC members applaud the approval of resolutions during the Fourth Session of the National Committee of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Monday at the Great Hall of the People. (Photo : Lei Sheng from People's Daily)
BEIJING, March 17 -- The first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) leaders' meeting will be held next week in China's southern city of Sanya, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will attend the meeting on March 23, according to spokesman Lu Kang.

The leaders of the six countries will exchange views on promoting the LMC mechanism, strengthening all-round cooperation at the subregional level and advancing regional integration, Lu said.
BEIJING, March 17-- Chinese Premier Li Keqiangwill attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference next week in the southern province of Hainan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Thursday.

Li will deliver a keynote speech at the conference on March 24, Lu said.

The leaders of Mekong River countries attending the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation leaders' meeting, Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Republic of Korea's Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs Yoo Il-ho, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich will attend the annual conference.

At Li's invitation, Oli and Michel will also pay official visits to China.

The annual conference, scheduled from March 22 to 25, will be themed "Asia's New Future: New Dynamics and New Vision."
Three bombers of the PLA Air Force flew over the Erdos city in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and dropped bombs to break the ice floating on the Pugebu reach of the Yellow River on March 15, 2016.

At the same time, Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarter of the Ordos City also dispatched hovercraft to take part in an ice-breaking exercise in the river.

To smoothly discharge the ice run from the upstream, the bombers of the PLA Air Force dropped 36 bombs, all hitting the targets.

According to the Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarter of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, as of March 15, 20 kilometers of the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia has been open for traffic.
Two disabled brothers in China have attracted attention and support for their 14-year effort to plant more than 10,000 trees in a 3-hectare stretch of riverbank in their village. However, many pledges to help the brothers have gone unrealized. Now their greatest wish is for somebody to help them drill a well.

In 2001, unable to secure work elsewhere, the brothers, from China's northern Hebei province, leased a large stretch of riverbank from the local government in a bid to plant trees, hoping to earn a modest income from government funding while at the same time contributing to environmental protection.

Jia Haixia, who is blind, and Jia Wenqi, a double amputee, overcame their disabilities by becoming each other's eyes and hands. Together, they have planted more than 10,000 trees.

Their moving story has attracted global attention in recent years, drowning out the ridicule and skepticism from their fellow villagers, as well as their own doubts.

Many warm-hearted people pledged help to the proud pair after they received media coverage. From free well-drilling to donated saplings to free eye treatment, the outpouring was impressive. But many of those pledges never came through.

After finishing the 3-hectare stretch of riverbank, the brothers were about to plant on a slope. However, they found there is no water source in the area. They have to walk two kilometers if they were to carry water from downhill. Since then, all they could think about is to dig a well on the slope someday.

The brothers have been longing for the well for several years now. In 2015, a man from a Shijiazhuang-based drilling company promised to help them, but since the cost was higher than he expected, the plan was delayed indefinitely.

Beyond causing the brother own disappointment, those empty promises also provoked rumors and gossip from villagers who said that they couldnt make it after all.

According to Jia Haixia, the gossip really gets to them. His hot-tempered wife has even blamed him for the situation.

Though no one has helped them to drill their well or develop new slopes for planting trees so far, the brothers say they will continue with their project.

>>>Related:

Blind man and his sidekick with no arms have planted 10,000 trees in rural China in 10 years

Blind Jia Haixa and double amputee Jia Wenqi have planted 10,000 trees together to improve the local environment and help with flood prevention.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are working on the issue of signing certain documents as a part of laying the Caspian segment of the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) project, Elmir Velizade, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies, told Trend March 17.

Earlier, the agreement on construction of TASIM project's underwater segment was achieved at the level of communication administrations of the two countries.

The laying of TASIM's Trans Caspian segment between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan is more advantageous, because it will reduce the route, increase traffic exchange and gain direct access to China.

Construction of TASIM envisages the creation of a major transit link from Frankfurt to Hong Kong.

Such countries as Russia (operator "Rostelecom"), Kazakhstan (operator KazTransCom), Turkey (operator TurkTelecom), China (operator China Telecom) are involved in TASIM project. Azerbaijan is represented in the project by AzInTelecom (formerly the International Relations and Accounting Center of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies).

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

An OSCE monitoring held March 17 along the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend.

The monitoring was held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the contact line near the village of Mezem of Azerbaijan's Gazakh district, the ministry said.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was carried out by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Peter Svedberg and Simon Tiller.

On the opposite side, the monitoring was conducted by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Yevgeny Sharov and Jiri Aberle.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

Edited by SI
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:



Azerbaijan will send a letter of protest to Belgium's executive and legislative bodies with regard to an illegal visit made by that country's MPs to Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told Trend March 17.

Members of a group of MPs from the local legislative body of Belgium's Flemish region, who illegally visited Azerbaijan's occupied territories, are known for their radical views both in Belgium and beyond, said Hajiyev.

He added that some of them stand out with their position which promotes hatred on ethnic and religious grounds.

"By visiting the Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia, these people support the unrecognized regime created on the occupied territories as a result of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan and the bloody ethnic cleansing," said the spokesperson.

Hajiyev noted that those Belgian MPs will be included in the list of 'persona non grata' of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

He said that this visit was organized by the 'European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy' and the federation's head Kaspar Karapetyan personally accompanied the Belgian MPs during their visit to the occupied lands.

With such provocative actions, Armenian diaspora circles try to impede the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the international law, as well as restoration of peace and stability in the region, according to Hajiyev.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

Edited by SI
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Anakhanum Hidayatova - Trend:

The main stage of negotiations on the strategic partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan will be completed in summer 2016, said Herbert Salber, the EU special representative for South Caucasus, in an exclusive interview with Trend in Baku March 17.

He said the new strategic partnership agreement between EU and Azerbaijan is bound to cover all the potential areas of cooperation.

Salber added that the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be raised in the agreement.

The EU representative also said that whenever the EU negotiates an agreement on behalf of member states, the negotiations have to get their mandate.

Salber added that once the mandate is there, concrete negotiations on the new strategic partnership agreement between EU and Azerbaijan will start.

Salber also positively assessed his visit to Azerbaijan.

"I had meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov," he said. "I covered a big spectrum of interest for me."

"During the meetings, we discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, few issues that followed up to the visit of Federica Mogherini, vice-president of the European Commission, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy," he said.

He also said the relations between the EU and Azerbaijan have good prospects, adding that Mogherini's recent visit to Azerbaijan confirmed the willingness of both sides to develop the bilateral cooperation.

Further speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Salber said the settlement must be achieved first and foremost by the both parties involved.

"International community can make proposals for settlement of the conflict," he said. "But the choice should be made by the actors involved."

"The negotiations on the conflict settlement have been lasting for more than 20 years," said Salber. "All the potential proposals have been on the table. This is the matter of making choice."

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

The panel meeting from Baku International Policy and Security Network think tank, hosted by Elkhan Alasgarov, Ph.D., head of the Baku Network expert council, focused on Azerbaijan's role in resolving global problems.

The participants at the panel were: Hikmet Hajiyev, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Aynur Gasimova, head of English desk at Trend Agency and Sevil Mikayilova, editor-in-chief of Azernews newspaper.

During the discussions, the participants emphasized the role of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in improving the country's status and great success achieved by the country under his leadership.

They noted that thanks to the president's role, Baku so successfully hosted the forum which became a traditional event of such level, adding that during this forum, high-ranking representatives of various states and reputable experts from all around the world stressed the necessity and importance of pursuing the policy of multiculturalism.

The panel agreed that the 4th Global Baku Forum once again improved Azerbaijan's political and economic status not only in the region, but in the whole world and showed its role in creating a dialogue between various international institutions and countries.

Spokesperson of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmet Hajiyev said it is very important that the 4th Global Baku Forum provided a unique opportunity to incumbent and former heads of states and governments not only to gather and discuss topical global problems, but also to find the ways of resolving them.

He added that the level of any forum first of all depends on its participants.

Hajiyev also touched upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He noted that during the Global Baku Forum, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan faces an unfair attitude in the settlement of this conflict.

Hajiyev said that Azerbaijan faced occupation and aggression of Armenia.

The spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry added that unfortunately Azerbaijan didn't see enough and effective international reaction towards Armenian occupation against the country.

Hajiyev said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also highlighted four UN Security Council resolutions.

"The UN Security Council is responsible for peace and security," he said. "Unfortunately, we don't see mechanisms of implementation of these resolutions that are still on papers."

Sevil Mikayilova in turn said that 2016 has been declared a Year of Multiculturalism in Azerbaijan.

"Baku is becoming a center of multicultural events," she said. "This is very important because Azerbaijan is located on the crossroads of East and West. You can come in Baku to speak about the global problems, share your experience."



Mikayilova said that the international community must see the real situation in Azerbaijan.

"We need to show Azerbaijan to the world, because the world should see that there is a country, there is an island of peace, where different ethnicities are living without any disagreement, without any conflict," she said.

"Every time President Aliyev states that a citizen of Azerbaijan is in core of the state policy," she added.

Mikayilova said that this approach greatly helped the Azerbaijani government to tackle the problems, tackle the crisis.

Aynur Gasimova said that such important issues for the world as migration crisis, problems of Syria and Afghanistan, energy security were discussed during the Fourth Global Baku Forum.

It is very important that heads of states and governments gathered in Baku and tried to find the resolutions for all these issues, said Gasimova.

She went on to add that Azerbaijan can share with the world its experience in dealing with such an important issue today as refugee crisis.

Azerbaijan itself accepted the largest number of refugees in early 90s of the last century as a result of Armenia's aggression, she said.

Given the country's eight million population at that time, the number of refugees exceeded one million, according to Gasimova, however, Azerbaijan recovered from this crisis, which could turn into a humanitarian catastrophe, she said.

She also noted that the world today faced a serious economic crisis. The falling prices on global oil markets had a serious impact on all countries, especially those that produce and export energy resources, she said.

However, thanks to economic reforms carried out by the president of Azerbaijan, economic diversification and Azerbaijan's reorientation for the export, the country managed to minimize severe consequences of the global economic crisis.

Full video version of the discussion can be found below.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17 pardoning 148 people.

Under the decree, 137 people, sentenced to imprisonment, have been freed from serving the remainder of the prison terms.

Moreover, six people were freed from the remainder of the correctional labor and five people were freed from the penalty in the form of a fine.

Sixteen foreign citizens are among the pardoned.

Representatives of political parties, NGOs, and journalists - Nemat Panahli, Tofig Yagublu, Yadigar Sadigov, Rashad Hasanov, Rashadat Akhundov, Mammad Azizov, Omar Mammadov, Rasul Jafarli, Parviz Hashimli, Taleh Khasmammadov, Anar Mammadli, Siraj Karimli, Hilal Mammadov, and Akif Muradverdiyev - are among those pardoned.

After reviewing appeals from a number of convicts, their family members, the Commissioner for Human Rights, organizations for human rights, addressed to the president of Azerbaijan, the decision on pardon was made proceeding from the principles of humanism, taking into account the personality, health condition, marital status of the convicts and their behavior while serving their sentences, according to the presidential decree.

Azerbaijan's Justice Ministry and State Migration Service have been tasked to ensure the deportation of foreign citizens freed from serving the remainder of their prison terms, in accordance with the rules set by the Migration Code.

The decree enters into force from the date of its signing.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 18

Trend:

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini welcomed the pardon decree signed by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

"Today, the President of Azerbaijan has pardoned 148 people, including representatives of political parties, NGOs and journalists, to mark the Novruz holiday", said in a statement of the EU High Representative, placed on the EU website.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17 pardoning 148 people.

Under the decree, 137 people, sentenced to imprisonment, have been freed from serving the remainder of the prison terms.

Moreover, six people were freed from the remainder of the correctional labor and five people were freed from the penalty in the form of a fine.

Sixteen foreign citizens are among the pardoned.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

The Baku Court of Appeals has reviewed the decision of the Baku Court of Grave Crimes, which earlier sentenced journalist Rauf Mirkadirov to six years in prison.

The Court of Appeals conditionally sentenced Mirkadirov to five years.

The journalist has been released in the courtroom.

Earlier, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes sentenced Mirkadirov to six years of imprisonment in a strict regime colony. Mirkadirov appealed the court's verdict.

Rauf Mirkadirov was detained on April 19, 2014 in Turkey and was deported to Azerbaijan.

He was detained on suspicion of cooperation with Armenian intelligence services since April 2008 and holding repeated meetings in Armenia, Georgia and Turkey, informing about the situation in socio-political and military spheres of the country, providing photos and schemes, as well as revealing state secrets under their instructions.

He was accused of high treason.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Azerbaijan Mrs. Heidrun Tempel made presentation on 'German Politics on Renewable Energy and the 'Energiewende' at BHOS. BHOS rector Elmar Gasimov heartily welcomed Ambassador Heidrun Tempel. Elmar Gasimov said that BHOS established collaboration with a number of international companies including German company E.ON as well as the University of RWTH Aachen, Germany, in the field of renewable energy. BHOS rector stressed that owing to the above said collaboration the Training and Research Center on Renewable Energy was founded at BHOS.

Rector particularly said that the laboratories of the center would be available at BHOS new campus. Pointing out achievements of Germany and initial steps taken by Azerbaijan in this very field BHOS rector talked about the works carried out at BHOS in this connection. Mentioning the termination of the tenure of Mrs. Tempel in Azerbaijan Elmar Gasimov said that he was convinced that the Ambassador would leave the country with good memories and wished Mrs. Tempel every success in future.

Ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan Mrs. Heidrun Tempel first of all said she was pleased to be at BHOS and that she attached great significance to cooperation between BHOS and German universities. Then she started her presentation on 'German Politics on Renewable Energy and the 'Energiewende'. She particularly brought to the attention of students Germany's experience in the field of renewable energy and the works carried out in this regard.

Stressing the importance of science and research in the field of renewable energy Mrs. Tempel shared information on how Germany was dealing with the case in question. She expressed her confidence that the scientific methods to be used by BHOS Training and Research Center on Renewable Energy in Azerbaijan would be of great contribution in future. The questions and answers session followed the presentation. In conclusion BHOS Elmar Gasimov granted honorary diploma of BHOS to Mrs. Tempel.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Azercell Telecom is launching 2 new campaigns with very favorable terms for SimSim (pre-paid) and post-paid subscribers on the occasion of Novruz holiday. For the first time, SimSim subscribers are offered Samsung J1 Ace mobile phone with interest free credit on the eve of the holiday. According to the campaign terms, subscribers can obtain Samsung J1 Ace mobile phone for favorable terms by joining Kombo 8 or Kombo 16 tariff pack. Thus, subscribers joining Kombo 8 pack will get a chance to get Samsung J1 Ace for the monthly payment of AZN 19 for 18 months while those using Kombo 16 will need to pay AZN 27 monthly for the same period. In order to benefit from the campaign, subscribers should apply to Azercell dealer network, as well as Azercell Express offices from March, 16.

In addition, Azercell has prepared another favorable campaign for all subscribers. Thus, subscribers purchasing Samsung S7 mobile phone in the period of March 18 - April 18 will get 5GB internet data for the next 6 months from Azercell. In order to activate the bonus, subscribers need to send 5 to 2525 or dial *100*5#YES. The campaign is valid in Azercell dealer network and Azercell Express offices.

Azercell once again invites you to share this festive mood with your dearest ones!

Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996 and since the first years sustains a leading position in the market. Azercell introduced number of technological innovations in Azerbaijan: GSM technology, advance payment mobile services, M2M,MobilBank, GPRS/EDGE (mobile internet), 24/7 Customer Care, full-time operating Azercell Express offices, mobile e-service "ASAN imza" (ASAN signature) and others. With 48,2% share of Azerbaijan's mobile market Azercell's network covers 99,8% of the country's population. In 2015, the number of Azercell's subscribers reached 4,5 million people. In 2011 Azercell deployed 3G and in 2012 the fourth generation network - LTE in Azerbaijan. The Company is the leader of Azerbaijan's mobile communication industry and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector. Azercell is a part of TeliaSonera Group of Companies serving 186 million subscribers in 17 countries worldwide with 27,000 employees.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Azerbaijani start-up joined Seedstars World held in Lozanna, Switzerland, as a winner of qualifying round of the competition which took place last year in Azerbaijan with the support of Azercell Telecom and organizational support of Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. 12 star-ups out of 60 were able to qualify for the final round to compete for USD 500 thousand in investment. Although start-ups from South South Africa, Australia and Morocco became the winners of the competition, the start-up project representing our country caught great interest.

Azerbaijan joined the competition with the project Dronee, which is a drone, customizable aircraft vehicle carrying a hardware platform. Developers can easily use the drone for own purposes by choosing relevant hardware (mobile multimode camera, air censor, thermal camera, 4G modem etc.) and applications and entering the codes.

Seedstars World is the global competition to identify talented youth in emerging and fast-growing start-up market. The competition aims to provide support for entrepreneurs in emerging countries. While Seedstars World covered 36 countries last year, now there are 60 countries participating in this competition. It drew the attention of entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley (center for hi-tech companies in California, US) and Western Europe.

Previous participants of the competition were able to create over 360 jobs and attract some USD 20 million as investment. Having MEST, Google for entrepreneurs and Microsoft as its partners, Seedstars World provides platform for innovative start-ups and supports regional business.

Azercell Teecom LLC, leading mobile operator in Azerbaijan, collaborates with Swiss company of Seedstars in the World Start-up Competition. Imran Baghirov, head of Strategic Partnership and Customer Channel Management Department, recently appointed a Seedstars World ambassador, underlined the importance of global integration in the process of digital ecosystem development in Azerbaijan.

While sharing his impression about the event, he stated that considering the innovative and great business potential of the young in Azerbaijan, it is a reasonable strategy to increase the role of start-ups in national economy by creating favorable conditions for them.

Currently, there is a severe struggle going on for innovative minds and business ideas in the world, and we, as a part of this struggle, need to work hard to apply innovation and encourage international investors to invest in our country. "Rivalry between the countries over the next period will be on science and innovation." Imran Bagirov added.

Barama Innovation Center was founded in 2009 by Azercell with the purpose of supporting entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan. The Center generally supports the projects in information technologies and start-ups operating in this industry. Barama Center has made a number of achievements during six years of its activity.

More than 30 projects were launched at the center and 20 of them completed successfully. 4 companies have been established and successfully run operations. Barama has upgraded its activities since 2014 to grow as professional business incubator and was introduced to the public with the name "Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center"

Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996 and since the first years sustains a leading position in the market. Azercell introduced number of technological innovations in Azerbaijan: GSM technology, advance payment mobile services, M2M,MobilBank, GPRS/EDGE (mobile internet), 24/7 Customer Care, full-time operating Azercell Express offices, mobile e-service "ASAN imza" (ASAN signature) and others. With 48,2% share of Azerbaijan's mobile market Azercell's network covers 99,8% of the country's population.

In 2015, the number of Azercell's subscribers reached 4,5 million people. In 2011 Azercell deployed 3G and in 2012 the fourth generation network - LTE in Azerbaijan. The Company is the leader of Azerbaijan's mobile communication industry and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector. Azercell is a part of TeliaSonera Group of Companies serving 186 million subscribers in 17 countries worldwide with 27,000 employees.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) delivered a loan worth 1.29 billion manats to SOCAR (the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan), a report on the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers' activity-2015 said.

The loan has been delivered for the modernization and reconstruction of the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery and Azerkimya production association.

According to the report, two new sulfur compound refining and hydrogen enrichment facilities were built and put into operation in Azerkimya production association in 2015 to increase the production of raw materials designed for the production of consumer products and improve the quality.

Azerkimya is a part of SOCAR. It includes the Ethylene-Polyethylene plant, the plant of surfactants, the Organic Synthesis plant, the mechanical repair plant; the Kimyaelmitedgigatlayihe Institute; the repair and construction department; the transport and special equipment department; warehousing.

The process of modernization of the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery will be completed by late 2020. After the completion of the reconstruction, the processing capacity of the refinery will increase to 7.5 million tons of oil per year.

SOCAR announced the liquidation of Azneftyag oil refinery and its merger with the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery in January 2015.

This decision was made as part of the work to improve and optimize SOCAR's structure.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, March 17

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend:

Turkmen gas will fully meet the needs of industrial sector of Pakistan's economy, said Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

He made the remarks after talks with Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, said the Turkmen government in a message March 17.

Berdimuhamedov is on an official visit in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.

Speaking about the importance of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline - a major project of regional significance - Nawaz Sharif reiterated his country's great interest in cooperating with Turkmenistan in energy sector.

In turn, Berdimuhamedov highlighted the importance of the TAPI gas pipeline. He said the gas pipeline will bring warmth to the homes of peoples of the close neighbor and brotherly countries, create great opportunities for further development of their economies, as well as help to increase the well-being of the people of Pakistan and create new jobs.

Berdimuhamedov also expressed confidence that the TAPI project will be successfully implemented and give an impetus to regional and global development in the near future.

The TAPI project's implementation began in December 2015. The pipeline is planned to have a total length of 1,735 kilometers.

The main document for the TAPI, called the Ashgabat Interstate Agreement, was signed in 2010.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:

Azerbaijan's State Maritime Administration and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea signed two memorandums of understanding, the administration's press service reported March 17.

"Memorandum of Cooperation between the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea" and "Memorandum of Understanding on mutual recognition of certificates (diplomas) issued on the basis of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978" were signed March 17.

The memorandums were signed by the chief of the State Maritime Administration Gudrat Gurbanov and the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of South Korea Kim Young-suk within the framework of the Azerbaijani delegation's visit to South Korea.

"It is expected that the signed documents will give impetus to development of relations between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Korea in the spheres of maritime transport, trade and cooperation," said the message.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Aygun Badalova - Trend:

Construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will not only contribute to energy security, but also will increase competitiveness, boost job creation and growth, Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission's vice-president for Energy Union, said in an interview with the Greek news website Capital.gr.

He said that the European Commission's approval of the TAP agreement in early March is an important step towards completing the Southern Gas Corridor project.

Today the Southern Gas Corridor is among the European Commission's priority energy projects, which aims at the diversification of the EU gas supply sources and routes.

The project envisages transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe through Georgia and Turkey.

"Two weeks ago, I was in Baku, where I attended the second Southern Gas Corridor ministerial meeting, which confirmed the determination of all participating parties to complete this key infrastructure project in time," Sefcovic said.

TAP's construction is expected to start in the third quarter of this year, said Sefcovic, adding that the pipeline is to be commissioned in 2020, which is when the first Caspian gas should be reaching the EU.

He added that TAP will invest 5.6 billion euros over five years in the project, of which 2.3 billion euros will go directly to Greece.

The TAP pipeline is meant to transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz 2 field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 870 km long TAP will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy.

Sefcovic also said the Energy Union aims to improve infrastructure and connections between member states and to ensure that all member states have access to liquid hubs and can benefit from LNG capacity that countries have been developing or have the potential to develop.

"This is precisely the objective of the High Level Group on Central and South Eastern Europe Gas Connectivity (CESEC group), established a year ago in order to better address regional priority infrastructure and to advance its implementation in order to improve security of gas supplies. Our objective is that each member state in the region, including Greece, would have access to at least three different sources of gas," he said.

The Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector (IGB), according to Sefcovic, is one of the seven priority projects that have been identified by the CESEC High Level Group, which is working hard to support its timely implementation.

To this end, the European Commission is in frequent contact with the projects promoter and shareholders, as well as the Greek and Bulgarian authorities, Sefcovic said.

He recalled that the final investment decision on the IGB project was signed in December 2015.

"This should be swiftly followed up by concrete actions so that advantage can be taken of the eventual availability of gas from Azerbaijan and other new sources. Timely implementation will also help this project align with the project schedules of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline in Greece," said Sefcovic.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Aygun Badalova - Trend:

The European Commission will examine the compliance of Russia's new plans regarding the gas supply to Europe through the Black Sea with the EU strategy, Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said in an interview with Greek news website Capital.gr.

Russia's Gazprom company, Italy's Edison SpA and Greek gas company DEPA SA

signed a memorandum of understanding in late February on deliveries of Russian natural gas through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy via an undersea pipeline in the Black Sea.

For this purpose, the sides are planning to use to full extent the results of work that has already been completed by Edison and DEPA under the ITGI Poseidon project (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy). They will carry out the project's feasibility study by late 2016.

"We have taken note of the intention of DEPA and Edison companies, in collaboration with Gazprom, to build a new pipeline from Bulgaria to Greece with the main objective of bringing Russian gas to Greece and Italy," he said.

The European Commission will examine the project carefully, both in terms of its compatibility with the EUs Energy Union strategy and in particular its energy security and diversity of supplies strategy, as well as compatibility with EU law, Sefcovic added.

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Iranian Ambassador to Beijing Ali Asghar Khaji underlined the need for the expansion of trade relations between the two countries, IRNA reported.

'We need to further broaden our trade relations,' Khaji said on Wednesday, addressing the annual meeting of Beijing-Based Iranian Expatriates' Chamber of Commerce.

Khaji voiced Iran's readiness to remove the obstacles preventing the implementation of the approvals of Iran-China Joint Commission, and said, 'Iran is willing to increase the volume of its trade transactions with Beijing.'

In October, Khaji said Tehran and Beijing share the common view that enhancing their ties would result in a much better outlook for both nations, and called on relevant officials and bodies to pave the ground for optimum utilization of the existing opportunities.

Addressing a gathering at the Iranian embassy in Beijing, Khaji said fortunately there are good potentials for cooperation between the two countries which enjoy historical background too.

He went on to say that presence of Iranians in different fields of science, culture, and economy in China is significant, and vowed to do his best to help the country's tradesmen expand business with their Chinese counterparts.

Iran is currently China's third largest supplier of crude, providing Beijing with roughly 12 percent of its total annual oil consumption.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 16

By Umid Niayesh - Trend:

Denmark's largest oil operator, Maersk Group says it continues talks with Iran to take part in possible oil projects, but no agreement has been reached so far.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported March 15 that the high-ranking Iranian oil ministry officials have been holding secret talks with Maersk Group prior to holding official tenders for the development of the South Pars oil layers.

Fars also claimed that the Danish company has accepted and welcomed Iran's business proposals.

Responding to a question regarding the issue, Charlotte Holst, the Maersk Group spokeswoman, told Trend March 16 that the company is negotiating with Iran, but the details cannot be shared.

Iran remains a potential market for new business activity of the Maersk Group, said Holst.

"We see the lifting of international sanctions against Iran as a positive step for international business development," she noted, adding Maersk will continue its dialogue with Iranian authorities on possible projects.

"At this point, no new business activity has been agreed, and we cannot share further details," she added.

The South Pars is the world's biggest gas field with 30 trillion cubic meters of gas reserves. Iran is currently seeking a foreign partner to develop the oil layer of this giant gas field.

The field is divided into four sections - A1, A2, B and C. Estimated oil production for all of them is 65,000 barrels per day. Drillings have been completed and production is waiting for a floating storage and offloading vessel (FPSO).

Maersk has experience in building FPSOs. It has in recent years invested in two new world-class FPSOs, of which the first unit was delivered in 2008 and is operating offshore Australia. The second unit was delivered in 2010 for its use offshore Brazil.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @UmidNiayesh
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 11

By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:

Iranian government has granted the agriculture ministry with a permit for cooperation with Azerbaijan in veterinary sector.

Under the permit, Iran's agriculture ministry is entitled to hold talks and sign temporary agreements with Azerbaijan, ILNA news agency reported March 17.

According to the report, within the next three years the ministry will be authorized to take measures regarding the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the veterinary sector.

Iran's First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri has informed the country's agriculture ministry and the ministry of foreign affairs about the decision.

The agriculture ministry is required to coordinate its measures regarding the issue with the ministry of foreign affairs.

Over the past couple of years bilateral ties between Tehran and Baku have improved significantly.

Recently, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev concluded his late-February visit to Iran, which took place on the invitation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. The high-level official visit resulted in conclusion of over 10 documents covering various areas of cooperation between Tehran and Baku.

President Rouhani is also expected to pay an official visit to Baku within the next six months to discuss expansion of ties.
Tehran, Iran, March 17

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

One suspect has been arrested in relation to a blast in Tehran's Grand Bazaar that injured scores of people, according to Iranian Chief of Police Hossein Ashtari.

An explosion rocked the Iranian capital city's traditional business center Wednesday afternoon when people were swarming the bazaar for New Year shopping.

The cause of the blast was identified as chemical reaction of explosives stored somewhere in the location, meant to be used in traditional end-of-the-year fireworks, Ashtari told the state TV IRIB March 16.

Called Charshanbeh-Souri, the fireworks is a Zoroastrian rite held on the last Wednesday of the Iranian year. The tradition has turned into a major health and security issue in recent years as, instead of setting up fires, people are increasingly using modern products ranging from small firecrackers to hand-thrown explosives in public areas.

The explosion sent 39 people to hospitals. Two of them are in critical conditions. The location of the explosion is Iran's oldest market for timepieces, dating back over a century.

This year's Charshanbeh-Souri casualties were 40 percent lower than last year's, he pointed out.
Tehran, Iran, March 17

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will visit Pakistan in late March to discuss a wide range of issues from political to economic and beyond, Head of Pakistan Strategic Studies Institute Masoud Khan said.

"Consisting of high-ranking officials and a big trade delegation, the makeup of the team that is going to accompany Rouhani tells me that the president will carry the key to a years-long lock on trade ties between the two countries," he told IRNA March 17.

He underlined that Rouhani has chosen Pakistan as the first south-Asian country for his post-sanctions visit.

A few weeks ago Pakistan lifted sanctions against Iran, shortly after international sanctions on Iran were lifted according to the country's nuclear deal with world powers.

"The IP Gas will be the most notable topic on agenda," he said, adding that while Pakistan needs Iran's energy, steel, and petrochemicals, Iran can be a good market for Pakistan's agricultural, sports, and medical products.

Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline project (also called Peace Pipeline) was aimed at constructing a 1,620-mile (2700 km) pipeline from Iran's South Pars fields in the Persian Gulf to Pakistan's major cities of Karachi and Multan and then further to Delhi, India.

The pipeline can carry 110 million cubic meters of gas a day. Iran will initially transfer 30 million cubic meters of gas per day to Pakistan, but will eventually increase the gas transfer to 60 million cubic meters per day.

Pakistan is also willing to offer its help to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia settle their disagreements, Masoud Khan said.


Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17



By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend:



On the eve of the New Iranian Year (starting March 21), Tehran's envoy to Baku, Mohsen Pak Ayeen has hailed the improvement of ties between the neighboring states.



Pak Ayeen said that the improvement of ties between Tehran and Baku indicates the strong political will of the presidents of Iran and Azerbaijan for the expansion of bilateral ties, the embassy's press office said.



Relations between Tehran and Baku have significantly improved and both countries have been benefited from the expansion of ties in the current Iranian year.



Speaking about benefits that Tehran and Baku have reaped over the current Iranian year, he said the friendly ties between Tehran and Baku is considered as a symbol of win-win diplomacy.



He said that great efforts made by the officials from both countries during numerous visits to Tehran and Baku have led to clinching about 20 documents on cooperation.



The envoy added that many experts suggest that President Ilham Aliyev's recent visit to Iran shows the strengthened will of the presidents of both countries to expand bilateral ties.



Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev concluded his visit to Iran in late February, which took place on the invitation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. The high-level official visit resulted in conclusion of documents covering various areas of cooperation between Tehran and Baku.



Pak Ayeen described a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and Azerbaijan for completing the North-South corridor and connecting the railways of Iran and Azerbaijan as the most important joint project between the two neighboring countries.



Synchronizing the electricity networks of Iran and Russia through Azerbaijan and a project for constructing a power plant were among the significant developments in the ties, the ambassador added.



Further speaking about close ties between Tehran and Baku he added that, Shahin Mustafayev, Azerbaijan's economy minister, led the second major economic delegation that arrived in Tehran following the removal of international sanctions against the Islamic Republic in January.



Mohsen Pak Ayeen touched upon cooperation between the border services of Iran and Azerbaijan hailing the high level of security along the borders of the two neighboring countries.



He also praised efforts made by Iran's Consul General in Nakhchivan Mansour Airom aimed at improving ties.




Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankara's commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands, Reuters reported.

A year into a crisis in which more than a million people have arrived in chaotic misery, many of them Syrian war refugees and most of whom come from Turkey via Greece to Germany via dangerous sea crossings and long treks, hopes have risen around the summit table that they may have found a way to at least slow the movement.

But leaders acknowledge there is no silver bullet and face many obstacles over the next two days, from howls of outrage that they plan mass expulsions of vulnerable people to a country with a patchy and worsening human rights record, to a lingering feud between Ankara and small but vocal EU member Cyprus.

"Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do," European Council President Donald Tusk wrote to leaders inviting them to the summit he will chair. After discussing the economy, the 28 EU national leaders will discuss the migration issue over dinner, starting around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

A breakfast is set for Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, where Tusk hopes to finalize a deal which the Turkish premier first sprang on the EU, with backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a special summit 10 days ago.

Under the deal, which was set out in fuller fashion by Tusk in a draft for EU leaders on Wednesday, Turkey will, in addition to a previous agreement to try and prevent the smuggling of migrants via rafts, take back all those, including Syrian refugees, who do make it to Greek islands off Turkey's coast.

The draft, which was seen by Reuters, says the plan is "to break the business model of the smugglers and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk". It stresses the plan is "a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order".
The Russian law enforcement agencies have detained a group of Daesh-linked militants who have been preparing terrorist attacks in Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said March 17, international news agency Sputnik reported.

"Three militants associated with the Daesh terrorist group outlawed in Russia have been detained by the law enforcement officers," a statement issued by the committee read. "They plead guilty and told about a hidden arms cache in an abandoned house in the outskirts of the village."

The committee added that it found four explosive devices as well as about one ton of explosives in the cache.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Russian pilots perfectly performed their tasks during Moscow's anti-terrorist operation in Syria, Sputnik news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying March 17.

"It was the strategic and tactical aviation that has carried out the most difficult and dangerous tasks, and military pilots have performed them perfectly," he said.

Putin announced on March 14 that the Russian armed forces had fulfilled their mission in Syria and their withdrawal would begin the following day.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed the lives of over 220,000 people.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops.

The "Islamic State" (IS, aka ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) and Jabhat al-Nusra are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

Trend:

Russia's military operation in Syria cost 33 billion rubles (roughly $464 million) from the Defense Ministry's budget for military drills and training, TASS news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as saying March 17.

Additional costs are required after the operation in Syria but they are justified in order not to pay a higher price in future, according to the president.

Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on March 14 to start the withdrawal of forces from Syria. Russia will however keep a military presence at the port of Tartus and at the Hmeimim airbase to observe ceasefire agreements.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed the lives of over 220,000 people.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops.

The "Islamic State" (IS, aka ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) and Jabhat al-Nusra are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17



Trend:



Russia proceeds from Iran's commitment to recall its suit against Russia for the non-delivery of S-300 air defense systems after the removal of anti-Iran sanctions, Sputnik news agency quoted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin as saying on March 17.



"The issue discussed that the talks led by the FSMTC [Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation] with Iran and fixed in the contract was that the Iranian side is undergoing every needed procedure to recall the claim at a certain stage of the delivery of the system. This is a technical issue, it is no longer a political issue, which has been resolved," Rogozin told reporters.



"We are proceeding from the fact that the Iranian side has committed itself to an early withdrawal of the claim, which should take place at a certain stage of the delivery system. It is going according to plan so far," he underscored.



The $900-million Russia-Iran contract to deliver five Russian S-300 systems to Iran was signed in 2007. It was suspended after the adoption of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran in mid-2010.



In April 2015, Russia resumed the talks on S-300 deliveries following a framework agreement on the landmark deal ensuring the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program.
Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio announced on Thursday he will not become a vice presidential running-mate and will leave his position as US Senator next January, Sputnik reported.

Earlier in the week, Rubio suspended his presidential campaign after losing the primary election in his home state of Florida to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

"I'm not going to be vice president, I'm not running for governor of Florida," Rubio told reporters. "I'm going to finish out my term in the Senate over the next ten months. We're going to work really hard here as we have some things we want to achieve, and then I'll be a private citizen."
North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Friday, the military said, in the latest show of force against the ongoing joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, according to Yonhap agency.



The ballistic missile flew about 800 kilometers across North Korea before falling into waters off the country's east coast.



The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile, which was fired around 5:55 a.m. from the western area of Sukchun, is believed to be a Rodong missile.



On March 10, Pyongyang also shot off two short-range missiles into the East Sea.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The anti-terrorist operation, which started after the March 13 attack in Ankara, continues in Istanbul, the Anadolu Agency reported March 17.

A car bomb exploded in Ankara on March 13, near a crowded bus stop. The explosion killed 37 people, while 125 more got injured.

Twenty-nine people, suspected of having ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist group, were detained during the operation on March 17 morning.

Thus, the number of those detained in the anti-terrorist operations in Turkey has reached 349.

Meanwhile, the Turkish police said the PKK intends to realize a series of terrorist attacks from March 20 to March 30 in major cities of Turkey.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The UN and the European Union have listed the PKK as a terrorist organization.

PKK's attacks on military units and police stations have recently become more frequent in the south-eastern Turkey.

More than 200 soldiers were killed in the clashes between the PKK and Turkey in 2015.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands that the country's parliament lift the immunity of five MPs from the oppositional Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), TRT Haber news channel reported March 17.

The news channel, however, didn't disclose the names of those MPs.

"There is no place in the Turkish parliament for those who support the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] terrorists," said Erdogan.



After the Feb. 17 terrorist attack in Ankara, some MPs from the HDP took part in the funerals of the suicide bomber, who carried out the attack.

On March 13, a car bomb exploded in Ankara, near a crowded bus stop. The explosion killed 37 people, while 125 more got injured.

It was earlier reported that five MPs from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey may be deprived of immunity.

The MPs, whose names were undisclosed, may be deprived of immunity for having ties with the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In December 2015, Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu criticized the policy of the Peoples' Democratic Party and accused its members of having ties with the PKK.

PKK's attacks on military units and police stations in the south-eastern Turkey have become more frequent in recent months. During 2015, more than 200 soldiers were killed in Turkey in the clashes with the PKK.

The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for over 25 years and claimed more than 40,000 lives. PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by the UN and the European Union.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The identity of the second suicide bomber, who committed the March 13 attack in Ankara, has become known, Hurriyet newspaper reports.

The report, which cited the country's law enforcement authorities, said 26-year-old Ozgur Unsal, a Turkish citizen, was one of the March 13 suicide bombers.

Six years ago Unsal moved to Ankara from Turkey's Zonguldak province, according to the newspaper.

A car bomb exploded in Ankara on March 13, near a crowded bus stop. The explosion killed as many as 37 people, 125 more got injured.

On March 14, the Turkish newspaper Sozcu revealed the name of a female suicide bomber, who may be involved in the Ankara blast.

The newspaper said the female suicide bomber probably was Seher Cagla Demir, a member of the PKK terrorist organization.

Preliminary reports said two suicide bombers, a man and a woman, triggered an explosive device while in the car.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey's oppositional Republican People's Party (CHP) has demanded that the country's interior minister, Efkan Ala, resign.

The minister doesn't cope with his responsibilities, CHP claimed in a message March 17.

Earlier, the CHP head Kemal Kilicdaroglu criticized Turkey's Interior Ministry for not being able to find a suitable candidate for the position of minister.

CHP also made suggestions in its message, which, as the party believes, can improve the situation in Turkey.

The suggestions include changing Turkey's foreign policy on the neighboring Arab countries.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The German embassy suspended its work in Ankara due to the threat of new terror attacks in Turkey, Turkish Kanal7 TV channel reported March 17.

Meanwhile, the work of the German consulate was also suspended in Istanbul. Germany urged its citizens to leave Turkey due to the threat of new terror attacks in this country.

Earlier, Germany's Federal Foreign Office urged the country's citizens not to travel to Turkey. Moreover, the Federal Foreign Office recommended the country's citizens, who are currently in Turkey, to avoid crowded places.

The Turkish Hurriyet newspaper said March 17 that 26-year-old Ozgur Unsal, a Turkish citizen, was one of the March 13 suicide bombers.

A car bomb exploded in Ankara on March 13, near a crowded bus stop. The explosion killed as many as 37 people, 125 more got injured.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Any deal on visa-free travel between Turkey and the European Union will not bind the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron has said, Anadolu agency reported.



Speaking to broadcasters as he arrived for a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, Cameron also said his country would not join any EU programme to redistribute Syrian migrants across the continent.



He told reporters on Thursday afternoon: "Because we have kept our own border controls, because we are out of Schengen, we won't be offering visa-free access to Turks as part of this agreement. We maintain our own immigration policy."



"We have already said what we are going to do in terms of taking Syrian refugees to Britain and that is under way. We won't be taking more because of what is discussed here today."



"If we can get an agreement that returns the migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey that would be good progress."



Britain's government decided not to join a European Union programme to resettle Syrian migrants entering the continent, instead pledging to accept 20,000 refugees directly from camps in countries bordering Syria, including Turkey.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz has said the EU will reach an agreement with Turkey on a deal aimed at stemming the flow of refugees coming into Europe via Greece, Anadolu reported.



Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday, Schulz said: ''Common sense will prevail; we will reach an agreement with Turkey about the return of migrants who have reached Europe.''



''If we can't have an agreement with Turkey about resettlement of refugees the number are just increasing. What will happen?'' Schulz said. ''This is why I hope we can reach an agreement with Turkey - at least they're doing something about this; they're talking to us. Some countries won't even talk to us.''



All 28 EU heads of government are gathering in Brussels on Thursday to discuss how refugees and migrants entering Europe via Greece could be sent back to Turkey.



Under Turkey's proposal to the EU, the country wants the 28-nation bloc to "share the burden'' based on a formula of "for every Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU member states".



Ankara also wants visa liberalization by June, speeding up Turkey's accession talks, and additional three billion euros [$3.4 billion] to meet the needs of Syrian refugees in the country.



Over the past year, hundreds of thousands of refugees have crossed the Aegean Sea to reach Greece. This has placed a huge strain on the austerity-hit EU member and threatened the EU's internal open border system, as countries to the north of Greece impose frontier restrictions.
(L) Imperial Airship by Hong Kong-born James Ng as part of his Imperial Steam and Light Chinese steampunk series. (R) 29-year-old Russian metal sculptor Igor Verniy with one of his creations. (Photo : www.jamesngart.com and Igor Verniy/Facebook)

Try watching the 2009 Robert Downey Jr.-starrer Sherlock Holmes (and its 2011 sequel both directed by Madonnas ex-husband Guy Ritchie) or read Cherie Priests award-winning sci-fi novel, Boneshaker (the zombies are referred to as rotters), or Alan Moores three-volume comic book series, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (or see the movie of the same title with former James Bond, Sean Connery leading the cast), and chances are, one can have an idea of what steampunk is all about.



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And if not, well, one can still check out artworks reflecting or showing machineries, or pieces of clothing reminding one of the Wild West or the Victorian era, for additional hints.



What really is steampunk?



That one, according to Steampunk.com, is a good question that is difficult to answer.



Generally speaking, steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction.



SteamPunk Magazine said on its website that it promotes steampunk as a culture.



Steampunk.com views steampunk primarily as a literary genre . . . that includes social or technological aspects of the 19th century (the steam).



An online contributor at Urban Dictionary by the name of Kankuro said that there is Medieval Steampunk (speculative fiction set during the Middle Ages), Victorian Steampunk (a modern science fiction work (post-1930s) that is set in the early parts of the Industrial Revolution), Western Steampunk (science fiction set in the American Old West) and Industrial/Modern Steampunk (science fiction taking place in the late industrial age, early modern age).



U.S.-based online store Medieval Collectibles, which sells steampunk clothing, said that steampunk portrays a world where steam is king: without higher technologies to replace it, steam is the dominant source of power.



The award-winning website The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences might agree on that one. It said, Steampunk is modern technology--iPads, computers, robotics, air travel--powered by steam and set in the 1800s.



Fingers point to American sci-fi and horror author K.W. Jeter (Kevin Wayne Jeter) to be the one responsible in coining the term.



Jeter, now 65 and with more than a dozen novels penned, wrote steam-punk in a letter sent to Locus, a California-based magazine publishing sci-fi news, in April 1987, according to Jesse Sheidlower, editor-at-large of the Oxford English Dictionary.



When it comes to steampunk art, Steampunk District said on its website that it comes in all shapes and sizes, from pocket watches, to redesigned laptops, to entire vehicles or houses.



The website of Englands Museum of the History of Science features a steampunk photo album.



China has its very own steampunk artist in the person of 44-year-old former businessman Zhu Benyu.



Zhu spent some four months in 2014 to make a steampunk lantern, which a Taiwanese bought at a vintage fair he participated in, reported the Global Times.



He said to the Global Times that he now frequents vintage fairs where he would sell his works, and he even accepts orders mostly made by foreigners.



The Penticton Art Gallery in British Columbia, Canada, will organize a steampunk art show on March 18 and a steampunk-themed dance party on March 19, according to Penticton Western News.



Some steampunkers in New Zealand attended the Splendid Teapot Racing in New Plymouths Huatoki Plaza on March 12, reported Taranaki Daily News.



The race featured individually decorated teapots fitted to radio-controlled cars and competitors dressed in the type of clothing worn during New Zealand's Empire days, but with a futuristic twist.



The annual Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention, now on its fifth year, took place from March 4-6 in Arizona, USA.



For those who are interested to have some steampunk items, they can purchase online, with prices ranging from $2-$4,000.



Any steampunker out there?


Chinese Trawler (Photo : YouTube)

China, criticized for bullying and driving away the fishing vessels from the Philippines and Vietnam when the boats stray into the disputed islands in South China Sea, just got a taste of its own medicine.



Modern Tribune reported that a Chinese trawler, the Li Yan Yuan, was sunken on Monday by the Argentinean Coast Guard for entering and illegally fishing on territorial waters. The coast guard shot the trawler after the Li Yan Yuan repeatedly attempted to force a collision with the Argentinean vessel while escaping to international waters.



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In a statement, the Coast Guard said, On several occasions, the offending ship performed maneuvers designed to force a collision with the coastguard, putting at risk not only its own crew but the coastguard personnel, who were then ordered to shoot parts of the vessel, quoted Sofmag.



The vessel sunk, but the coast guard rescued four Chinese sailors, while other nearby Chinese trawlers pulled out of the waters 28 other fishermen.



Following the incident, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and embassy in Argentina filed a complaint. Beijing sought a thorough probe of the shooting and asked Buenos Aires for an update on the condition of the Chinese fishermen and to safeguard them, said Lu Kang, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry.



Lu said, China urged the Argentine side to take effective measures to prevent such incident from happening again.



The coast guard usually chases drug syndicates and gun runners. It also rescues vessels with problems, but run-ins with foreign trawlers, like what happened, are rare occasions for the Argentine Naval Prefecture.






A new company dedicated to rocket development and commercial launches is set to be established in China. (Photo : REUTERS)

China plans to establish a company that will develop rockets and provide launches for commercial clients, a scientist working for a state-owned space technology enterprise said on Tuesday, March 15.



A report by the Xinhua News Agency quoted Hu Shengyun, chief model designer of China Sanjiang Space Group (CSSG), as saying that a commercial launch is scheduled to be conducted in 2017 by the company's latest carrier rocket, Kuaizhou-11.



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Hu, also a national legislator, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the annual legislature session that it has been the plan of the company to set up a dedicated company as part of the commercialization of the Kuaizhou series carrier rockets, adding that the project has gained the interest of certain Internet giants.



Kuaizhou-1 and Kuaizhou-2 solid-fuelled carrier rockets were launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively, by CSSG, which is located in Hubei Province, in central China. In Chinese, Kuaizhou means "speedy vessel."



According to the report, there is a huge market for commercial use of rockets in space industry such as in the United States, where more than half of the satellites in orbit are commercial satellites. But China needs to take a significant space for itself in the market, the report added.



"Commercialization can help us make our mark in the market, as it will reduce the cost in satellite development and launch services," Hu said.



In an article published on the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) website, Hu was quoted as saying that the establishment of the new company would break the monopoly by China Great Wall Industry Corp., the only authorized provider of commercial launch service in the country.



The development of Kuaizhou solid-fuel rockets was started by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp. in 2009, with the aim to develop a low-cost, quick-response rocket family for the commercial launch market.



At least 53 Long March rockets carrying 61 satellites into space for 24 foreign clients have been launched by China, according to the article.



"There are at least 50 domestic institutes and companies involved in the development of small and miniaturized satellites, but they have to wait a long time to have them launched," the scientist said. "This is because state-funded satellites always have priority in launch scheduling. Moreover, many small developers can't afford the high expenditure."



The article said that many space companies around the world which are looking for reliable, low-cost launch vehicles to send their small satellites could present a huge business opportunity for Kuaizhou rockets.



The Kuaizhou-11, which is scheduled to be launched in 2017, has a larger diameter and stronger capacity, compared with Kuaizhou-1 and Kuaizhou-2. It can place a 1-metric-ton payload into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers, the article said.



Hu added that prelaunch preparations for the Kuaizhou-11 will take very little time and the launch can be conducted on rough terrain.



"We estimate that by 2020, the market value of commercial space activities in China will reach 30 billion yuan ($4.6 billion) each year," the rocket designer said. "We plan to produce up to 30 Kuaizhou solid-fuel rockets annually if our business goes well."


Chinese Catholics Worship As Pope Sends Rare Greetings to Nation's Leader (Photo : Getty Images)

Because China has approved the Patriotic Catholic Church in the country, the religious groups members are growing, yet clergy supply is shrinking. The situation is the same in the Protestant churches in China.



Among the reasons cited by the vice president of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, Liu Yuanlong, is the underground Catholic Church and lack of attention by bishops to recruitment of seminarians, reported China Daily.



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China has 6 million members of the Patriotic Church  but estimates place members of the underground church still loyal to Vatican at 12 million  spread across 106 parishes. The number of members is still growing, but the number of seminarians is down to less than 800 training for the priesthood at 10 major seminaries.



As it is, the number of clergy is small, at 3,316 priests and 5,622 nuns, according to data from the Bishops Conference of the Catholic Church in China.



Like in other developing nations, the growth of the middle class has boosted living standards in China.Tasting the small luxuries that come with the higher standards  such as ownership of electronic gadgets, access to western movies and overseas travel opportunities  have discouraged the Chinese youth from opting for a life in the church service where living standards are simpler.



Add to that the long history of the persecution of Christian churches by the communist government, so being required to be patriotic to Beijing turns off some Christian Chinese youth from entering the seminary or being part of the Patriotic Church and instead prefer to be with the underground Church.



Among the forms of persecution that the Catholic Church in China experiences is the removal of the cross from a church in Zhejiang Province, reported by The Tablet in late February 2016. Since 2013, about 2,000 crosses have been removed.



While the Protestant Church in China is bigger with more than 30 million members, it also has difficulty recruiting clergy, according to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches.



The Vatican, despite the lack of official ties, has declared May 24 each year as global day of prayer for the Catholic Church in China.






Leaked HTC 10 pics and specs confirm flagship device is the best Google Nexus 2016 base-model. (Photo : Twitter/Evan Blass)

The thought of HTC becoming the sole manufacturer of the Nexus 2016 flagship phones and for the next two years seems to excite the Android. The Taiwanese device maker, after all, has assembled impressive devices like the One M series and the upcoming HTC 10. But will Google's release date plans for the next Nexus really involve just HTC?



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In a report for Venture Beat, Evan Blass conceded that three Nexus phones have been made by a lone maker. LG was responsible for the Nexus 4, 5 and the Nexus 5X of last year. But the South Korean company wasn't tapped by Google three years in row. In 2014, the Nexus 6 was supplied by Motorola.



And it has been the case with the Nexus - Google switches from one partner to another but at times sticking to one builder for an extended time. However, Blass, also known as gadget leaker @evleaks, views the reported Google-HTC deal as something that stands on shaky ground.



For one, the source of the report is hardly credible - a Weibo user that commands decent following and seems quite prolific in sharing information via China's most popular microblogging site. But the same source is not reputable enough, at least not in the league of The Wall Street Journal as pointed out by Blass. And the details provided so far are mostly second-hand information.



One thing to consider too is that the timing or circumstances of the deal is a big suspect. It's hard to imagine that coming from the well-received Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, Google would just decide to ease out both LG and Huawei from the picture and drop everything on HTC. Although it should be noted that Huawei remains part of the Nexus world basing on rumors that the Chinese firm will take charge of the Nexus 7 2016 tablet.



As for LG, the company has reportedly begged off from the project purportedly to focus on its own mobile business.



Still, HTC cornering the Nexus contract from 2016 through 2016 seems a hard sell when Google can always enjoy the luxury of working with the best out there instead of imposing limitations on itself. One alternative would be Xiaomi, which is an emerging name to reckon with in putting together solid and beautiful devices that do not break the bank.



Or Google can just simply task Huawei to do a follow up of the impressive Nexus 6P that should lead to the same result for the Nexus 2016 release date, or likely even better.


New Charity Law Aims to Foster Culture of Giving But Faces Opposition

Earlier in March, Chinese lawmakers passed the first-ever Charity Law in the country. (Photo : Getty Images)

China has approved the countrys first ever charity law promoting the culture of giving among the countrys citizens, but not without opposition.



On Wednesday, the National People's Congress voted 2,636 to 131 in favor of passing the law that aims to promote government-regulated charity works during their annual session where the country's 13th Five-Year Plan was also approved, China Daily reported.



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"This law is the fundamental and basic law in philanthropy, and lower-level legislation and regulations will be based on it," Chinese Academy of Social Sciences social policy researcher Yang Tuan explained.



Furthermore, the new legislation is the government's response to complaints from companies about not getting enough income tax concessions for their charity works.



The new law, however, only applies to donations with a maximum of 12 percent from the companies' profits.



The legislation covers regulation details on registration and fundraising as well as government oversight of charitable groups in the country.



It also includes details on inspection of internal management among charitable institutions as well as tax benefits for the events they would organize.



Xinhua News noted that the new charity law would make it easier for charity groups to raise funds for their philanthropic activities.



Despite its promising goals, the new regulation is expected to receive opposition from both government officials and members of charity organizations.



According to The Wall Street Journal, Harvard University scholar Edward Cunningham believes that the policy may be a tactic that some countries use to "keep civil society fragmented."



"There's this assumption, these days, that when there are intimate partnerships between private wealth and local government, there necessarily must be something nefarious going on," Cunningham said.



He further explained that opposition from government officials may be because of their tendency to be wary of cultivating ties with wealthy donors due to the intense crackdown on corruption practices under Chinese President Xi Jinping's administration.



China's new charity law is set to take effect in September and assigns the fifth of the month as the country's Charity Day, according to the South China Morning Post.






A Chinese firm invested $200 million for a five-star Auckland City hotel. (Photo : Getty Images)

New Zealand is happy with its Chinese business partner for developing a signature hotel in Aucklands Wynyard Quarter to be erected in 2018.



Beijing's Fu Wah International Group approved a $200 million investment on New Zealand's Park Hyatt Auckland that would allow it to build a signature hotel along the famed waterfront neighborhood.



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According to Travel Daily Media, the construction of the five-star hotel began on March 9, the same day as the ground-breaking ceremonies where New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and China's ambassador to New Zealand Hon Wang Lutong partook.



"For many years this site has been known as the home of our America's Cup sailing team, Emirates Team New Zealand, but being blessed with some of the best views of the Waitemata Harbour and Auckland City it was always destined for so much more," said John Dalzell, chief executive for Panuku Development Auckland during the event.



According to China Daily, Fuh Wah gained development rights to the 195-room waterfront hotel in 2013, which ended Panuku Development Auckland's quest in finding an international investor to make the erection of one of New Zealand's biggest tourism infrastructures possible.



Experts in the industry see this as a significant step toward China's expanding interest in properties, particularly hotels that cater to the global market, China Daily reported.



Lim Wong, Fuh Wah's overseas investment general manager and a board director, further revealed that the firm would spend $2.5 million more to create a walkway, art display and public promenade in the streets around the hotel.



"It is important that the building is able to be enjoyed by the public as well as creating a public space for everyone to enjoy," he said.



The new Park Hyatt Auckland hotel is set to provide "luxury and sophistication" to tourists visiting the country, complementing already erected Wynyard Quarter public spaces.


CEO Jack Ma has vowed to get rid of counterfeits in online shopping platform Alibaba. (Photo : REUTERS)

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder and CEO Jack Ma has pledged to rid the company of fakes, after receiving complaints from Western brands over counterfeits on its shopping platforms, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, March 15.



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"There's no ceiling for investing in fighting fake goods," Ma told employees in a speech last week at Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou. "We plan to add 300 more staff to fight fake goods and we'll add more if it's not enough."



Ma said that although it is a difficult task, eliminating counterfeits online is important both for Alibaba's reputation and for China.



Alibaba said it had invested more than 1 billion yuan ($154 million) over two years to fight the problem and it now has more than 2,000 full-time employees that help fight counterfeits.



Last year, after a public dispute with Alibaba over counterfeits and other issues on its platforms, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) launched a campaign to expel fake and substandard goods from the platform, the report said.



Alibaba and its associated companies have been sued by luxury brands such as Gucci, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent because the company is said to "knowingly encourage, assist and profit from the sale of counterfeits."



Alibaba countered by saying that the lawsuit has no basis and that it has a "strong track record" of helping brands deal with counterfeits online.



To tackle the problem, Ma, in his remarks, urged the use of sophisticated data analysis and technology.



"For so many years, we have been using traditional methods and measures to fight fakes, but the harder we fight, the more pop up," Ma said. "Now is the time to let Internet companies to have a try . . . and solve the issue with big data technology."



Ma added that fighting counterfeit is not the job of Alibaba alone.



"Just rooting out counterfeits from Alibaba's platforms is not being responsible to consumers," the CEO said. "To be really responsible, (the industry) needs to fight them to the extent that they can't survive on WeChat and JD. We need to fight them so they will have no distribution channels, no means to produce, and that they will be tracked down."



The report said that Tencent Holdings Ltd., which manages WeChat messaging app, could not be reached for comment.



A spokesman for JD.com said Tuesday that "every brand and counterfeiter knows which Chinese platform welcomes fakes--and it ain't JD.com. Lip service can't hide the facts."



In response, Alibaba said that "unlike other e-commerce platforms in China, we are not in denial about the counterfeit issue."



Alibaba said it assisted law enforcement in 330 cases of suspected counterfeiting between April and Sept. 2015. The company's news site Alizila said that information from Alibaba has led to 715 arrests and the disruption of more than 600 manufacturing sites or sales locales.


First person shooter game "Battlefield 5" will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. (Photo : YouTube/Aggelos Mw)

The producer at DICE LA, David Sirland, recently announced via Twitter that the company stopped supporting the Community Test Environment (CTE) of the current game, "Battlefield 4." However, the producer clarified that DICE does not intend to shut down the "Battlefield 4" servers now.



There are speculations on whether the move from DICE is based on the looming release of the next installment in the franchise. The sudden shift of focus from "Battlefield 4" to "Battlefield 5" could show that the developer company has finally commenced maxing out its effort in the development of the next installment, according to Gaming Bolt.



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While the company has not yet announced the official release date of "Battlefield 5," according to VG247, EA has the next shooter slated for the 2016 holiday season. Back in 2014, CFO Blake Jorgensen pointed out that the shooter game would be "a return to a Battlefield military-style game." February this year saw a Swiss retailer listing "Battlefield 5" as a multiplayer tactical shooter set during World War I, with an Oct. 26 placeholder.



"Battlefield 4" launched at GDC 2013, but fans have not heard any teases on a similar release for GDC 2016, which is scheduled for this week. Instead of hosting its usual press conference on the Monday before E3, EA is hosting two offsite events during E3 2016 in June.



With regard to contents, DICE has not yet unveiled any official updates for the upcoming game. There was a rumor last month, though, which said that the setting would be during World War I. Electronic Arts, the franchise publisher, announced earlier this month the possible release timeframe for "Battlefield 5."



Speaking during the Morgan Stanley Technology Media and Telecom Conference, EA's Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said that the next game might be available during the third quarter (Q3) of DICE's fiscal year 2017, which could land sometime later this year.



Watch the footage below for more information on "Battlefield 5."







@DrSquirrelBoy12 Yes, today I can let you guys know that at this point we don't have any plans to release new content for BF4 to the CTE

 David Sirland (@tiggr_) March 11, 2016






Egypt says it abstained from voting because the resolution was put forward in a 'suspicious manner' and amounts to 'collective punishment'

Egypt has said it is not opposed to the objective of a UN resolution on the repatriation of peacekeeping units over sexual abuse allegations, but abstained from voting partly because the resolution undermines the right of countries with peacekeeping units to take part in drafting regulations and amounts to "collective punishment."

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution last week to repatriate peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse.

The US-drafted resolution was passed by 14 votes in the 15-member body, with Egypt abstaining.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abou Zeid said Egypt "supports the objective of the resolution and has no objection" to it, but sought amendments to the criteria for the repatriation of entire contingents.

"Egypt has no interest in defending crime or violations," Abou Zeid said in television comments Wednesday.

Abu Zeid argued that the resolution "undermines the right of countries with peacekeeping forces to take part in drafting rules regulating their contingents," stressing that most such countries are not members of the UN Security Council and thus have no rights to vote.

"They have the right to take part in drafting regulations controlling the performance of their forces," he said.

Abou Zeid said the criteria of repatriating a whole peacekeeping unit because one member committed in sexual violation amounted to "a pattern of collective punishment."

"It is not rational that a unit of 1,000 or 1,500 personnel be pulled out because one solider committed a violation," he said.

The amendments Egypt proposed involve three measures, including opening a probe, ensuring countries punish their violating personnel, and notifying UN secretary general of the results of investigations.

Egypt's amendment won only five votes and was opposed by nine council members, including the United States.

Abu Zeid added that the resolution was put forward in a "suspicious manner after the US requested voting within two days," which he regards a hasty action when deciding on the "fates of countries."

He implied that the resolution serves the United States' interests, saying that Washington already has plans before the UN General Assembly to cut down its spending on peacekeeping forces.

"The US and major countries in the UN do not want to pay their contributions in this regard," Abou Zeid said, adding that there has been a shortage of peacekeeping units in many conflict zones.

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The new multipurpose FREMM frigate 'Tahya Misr, Arabic for 'Long live Egypt,' was purchased from France last summer

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended Thursday the launch of the navy manoeuvre "Zat El-Sawary" in Alexandria among top military officials including Minister of Defence Sedki Sobhi and Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy, the presidency said in a statement.

"The manoeuvre included many activities and training operations tasks, including securing the range of the navy, as well as developing means of communication, the movement of ships, securing offshore units, and the implementation of all forms of sea defences against enemy targets," the presidency said.

President El-Sisi raised Egypt's flag on new FREMM frigate "Tahya Misr", Arabic for "Long live Egypt," at the beginning of the manoeuvres.

Egypt purchased the multipurpose frigate from France last summer. The vessel weighs almost 2,000 tons and is 142 metres in length.

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Egypts independent investigations committee referred on Thursday an official Russian report to the prosecutor-general on the plane crash in Sinai in October 2015 that killed all 224 on board

An official Russian report suggesting that criminal activity was behind the deadly crash of a Metrojet in central Sinai in October 2015 was referred to the prosecutor-general by Egypts independent investigations committee on Thursday.

As part of the ongoing collaboration between the countries participating in the investigation  notably Russia and Egypt  the committee received on 14 March 2016 an official report from Russias official investigation, the statement from the investigations committee said.

After studying the report  which suggested that suspected criminal activity is possible  the committee has referred the matter to the attorney-general of Egypt, the head of the committee Ayman Elmokadem stated.

The Russian airliner crashed in Egypt's central Sinai on 31 October killing all 217 passengers and seven crew members. The Metrojet was on its way from Sharm El-Sheikh airport in South Sinai to St Petersburg, Russia.

Egypt formed an independent committee to investigate the causes of the crash and allowed Russia and other countries such as France and Ireland to take part in the probe, though no official and final report has yet to be issued by Cairo.

The Kremlin said on 17 November that a bomb ripped apart the Russian passenger jet and promised to hunt down those responsible.

Hours after the crash, the IS group released an online statement claiming it was responsible for downing the flight, saying that it had smuggled a bomb on board the plane after discovering a "way to compromise the security" of Sharm El-Sheikh airport.

The committee is continuing to investigate the technical history of the aircraft  including its service record and repairs that were carried out on its structure, as well as its system and engines  since the date of its production, the statement explained.

"The committee is still waiting on a number of documents from countries participating in the investigation. Given the aircraft was manufactured in May 1997, this detailed process is very time consuming," the statement added.

"The committee will continue with its technical investigation while at the same time it will be prepared to provide any assistance to the attorney-general," the statement said.

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Five Egyptian soldiers were killed and at least eight others injured in an explosion in the northern Sinai town of Rafah, eyewitnesses and medics said.

Eyewitnesses told an Al-Ahram Arabic news reporter that the attack took place early Thursday when suspected militants fired mortar shells at an army camp in Rafah.

Medics at the local Al-Arish Hospital said they received five bodies of army personnel following the incident. At least eight others were wounded, they added.

There was no immediate confirmation from Egypt's army spokesman of the deaths or how the attack took place.

Egyptian forces are grappling with an Islamist insurgency based in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, which spiked following the 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Hundreds of police and troops have since been killed in militant attacks.

The Egyptian army said in statement earlier Thursday it had killed three "terrorists" in an exchange of fire with forces in two separate incidents in northern Sinai.

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In Second part of interview with The Italian daily La Repubblica, President El-Sisi repeats calls for lifting the ban on weapons to Libya to support of the Tobruk government control the country

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said that military intervention in Libya is "too risky" and that foreign powers should support the internationally-recognised government in the east of the country, the Italian daily La Repubblica reported Thursday.

"From the very beginning, Egypt has played a role in the emergence of a unified national government and has pushed in this direction together with friendly countries like Italy. We are encouraging the parliament in Tobruk to approve the unity government and are working to encourage all parties involved to assume their responsibilities," he told the Italian newspaper in an interview, the first part of which was published Wednesday.

"If we give arms and support to the Libyan National Army, it can do the job much better than anyone else, better than any external intervention that would risk putting us in a situation that could get out of hand and provoke uncontrollable developments," he said.

El-Sisi has repeatedly underlined the importance of lifting a weapons ban imposed by the United Nations on Libya in order to allow the government to fight terrorism.

Egypt supports the internationally-recognised government based in Tobruk in eastern Libya, while another government, based in the capital Tripoli, was formed and dominated by the Libyan brand of the Muslim Brotherhood.

General Khalifa Haftar, military chief of Libya's internationally recognised government, has complained that he was promised last year help from the Arab League for a "proper attack" on Islamic State (IS) extremists in the city of Sirte, but that the weapons never materialised.

For the past three years, Rome has been searching for mechanisms to stop the flow of thousands of illegal migrants from Libyan shores to Italy.

Egypt has increased security operations along its 1,000 kilometre (600 mile) border with Libya.

El-Sisi and Italian PM Matteo Renzi have met on a number of occasions to coordinate efforts to curb illegal migration from the North African shores to Europe.

The Islamic State group has made modest inroads in parts of Libya by exploiting a security vacuum as the two rival governments continue to face off.

The Italian government has recently allowed the US to use airbases in Sicily as a launch pad for drone attacks against "terror targets" in Libya.

However, Italy has stressed on more than one occasion it would not intervene militarily in the ongoing civil war in Libya without a formal request from the Tobrouk government.

In his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York last September, El-Sisi blamed "the international community" for fomenting the Libyan crisis and the spread of terrorism there [in the first place through a short-lived NATO operation in 2011].

Today, El-Sisi complained to Italian reporters "the problem is that the Europeans look at Libya and act as if Daesh (Islamic State group) were the only threat."

"No, it is not the only manifestation of the danger, and it would be a serious mistake to focus all our attention on them. We must understand that the threat is the extremist ideology that demands that its followers kill those who are not part of the group, and be aware that we face different acronyms with the same ideology," the Egyptian president added.

"What would happen if Europe had to manage a wave of refugees two or three times bigger than it is now?" El-Sisi asked. "This is why I say we cannot focus only on the military problem in Libya."

"There are five questions that would need to be asked before taking military action: how to get in and out of Libya, who would re-establish the police and army, how to protect civilians during a mission, whether an intervention would meet the needs of all Libyans, and who would rebuild the country physically," El-Sisi said.

Libya had descended into civil war following a Nato military operation to oust the Gaddafi regime in 2011.

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Prominent rights activists Hossam Bahgat and Gamal Eid -- along with their families -- are among the recipients of the freeze

A judicial committee overseing a five-year-old investigation into several rights activists accused of receiving illegal funding for their NGOs from foreign sources ordered on Thursday the freezing of assets of four Egyptian human rights activists and their families.

State news agency MENA reported that Hossam Bahgat, who founded the Egyptian Initiative for Personnel Rights (EIPR) in 2004, and Gamal Eid, who founded the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) also in 2004, were among the four whose assets were frozen today.

MENA also reported that a Cairo criminal court has set Saturday 19 March to review the committee's freeze decision.

Both rights activists said that they only found out about the judge's decision from news reports.

Hossam Bahgat said that "I just learned from state news agency of a judicial decision to freeze "all my assets and property."

Last month, in two separate instances, the authorities stopped both well-known rights activists, Bahgat and Eid, from travelling out of Cairo airport, stating that their names were on a no-travel list without providing further details.

The case dates back to 2011, when the Egyptian Ministry of Justice accused several NGOs of illegally receiving funds from foreign governments and institutions based on reports issued at the time by the National Security Agency and the General Intelligence Service.

At the time, the authorities banned several human rights activists who founded NGOs, including Esraa Abdel-Fattah, Hossam Ali and Ahmed Ghoneim from travel.

However, during those interim years, the investigations were suspended and no individuals accused in a case have faced trial till know.

Eid said on his personal Facebook page that "he is ashamed of the kind of justice that bans them from travelling and punishes without any notification or investigation."

"My bank account includes the prize money I received after winning the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award; I [used the money] to start 6 public libraries in impoverished neighbourhoods to serve the residents of these areas including children and young people, Eid said.

Bahgat has been working as investigative reporter since he left the EIPR in 2014.

At the time of the opening of the inquiry in 2011, the authorities banned several human rights activists who founded NGOs, including Esraa Abdel-Fattah, Hossam Ali and Ahmed Ghoneim from travel.

However, during those interim years, the investigations seemed to be closed since none of the defendants were put on any trial.

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Monk Boules El-Riyani is one of a group of monks who have been obstructing authorities from building a road on land where the Saint Macarius Monastery is located

An Egyptian monk who was wanted by the government in a land dispute case turned himself in to the authorities on Thursday, a security source told Al-Ahram Arabic website.

Monk Boules El-Riyani, whose given name is Maher Aziz Hana, was recently sentenced in absentia to five years in prison after he was convicted of obstruction of government administration and illegal use of state land.

El-Riyani along other monks at the Saint Macarius Monastery in Fayoum have been obstructing for months now the building of a road on 13,000 feddans of land that authorities say is crucial for travel in Egypt's Western Desert.

The monks, however, insist that they have been living on the land for decades and refuse to surrender it.

On Wednesday, the Fayoum governor and officials from the Egyptian Orthodox Church met presidential adviser for national and strategic projects Ibrahim Mahlab to discuss possible ways of ending the dispute.

Earlier this week, a group of monks, allegedly led by Boules, attacked engineers from the state-owned Arab Contractors Company who were working on building the road earlier this week, according to Ahram reporter in Fayoum.

The Egyptian Orthodox Church, which does not officially recognise the monastery, has been for several months attempting to mediate between the two sides in order to reach a compromise.

According to the latest agreement between the state and the church, 3,000 feddans of the disputed land have been allocated for the monastery's use.

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The climate is being prepared for Yemeni-Saudi talks as a step towards ending the civil conflict in Yemen

Judging from developments on the ground in Yemen and reports from the back channels between the Houthi stronghold of Saada and the Saudi town of Abha across the border, it appears that Saudi Arabia has chosen to prepare the climate for Yemeni-Saudi talks as a first step in identifying confidence-building measures preparatory to moving on to bilateral negotiations.

This could mark the beginning of an alternative to the Geneva route after two rounds of talks in the Swiss city have failed to produce a roadmap to end the civil war in Yemen that is now in its second year.

According to information obtained by the Weekly from sources close to developments in Yemen, the forces of the rebel Houthi-Saleh alliance have been so weakened that they are now no longer able to sustain the conflict on the various fronts.

They have lost strategic positions to the Saudi-led multinational coalition, which has gained control over the strategic Midi Port on the Red Sea that had served as a crucial conduit for Iranian arms to the rebel forces.

The coalition has also succeeded in securing control over the Naham front at the strategic eastern gateway to the capital Sanaa 50 km away. Resistance forces in Taiz have succeeded in ending the months long blockade of their city.

These developments have led military strategists to turn their sights towards the decisive battle for Sanaa.

The road to the talks began with mediation efforts made by Oman last month. Riyadhs agreement has come on the condition that the Houthi delegation meets with relatively low-ranking Saudi officials and that the talks are unofficial and do not take place in Riyadh.

The aim of the talks is to explore the possibility of launching negotiations in the framework of the Gulf Initiative on the crisis, UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and the Yemeni national dialogue in order to produce a roadmap for a settlement.

Houthi official spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam earlier went to Abha in the company of a Saudi prisoner of war who was delivered to the Saudi side without a demand for Houthi prisoners to be given in exchange.

Riyadh did in fact return a number of Houthi prisoners, signaling in the diplomatic language of tribal customs that both sides were interested in concluding peace.

A source close to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh told the Weekly that Saleh was in good health and welcomed the opportunity for a settlement with Riyadh.

The source, a member of the preparatory negotiating committee, said that he believed the talks would be fruitful and will develop into negotiations at which Saleh and the Houthis will be at the negotiating table as a single delegation. UN special envoy for Yemen Ould Cheikh Ahmed could also visit the parties to help them formulate their demands.

A dialogue is in progress on the Saleh-Houthi front on how to remedy the effects of the war through measures such as compensation and reconstruction. The shape of the next government in Sanaa is also being discussed, the source said.

There is a desire to hold a procedural phase before the interim phase. This could entail the handover of the administration of Sanaa to the municipality and identify the agency that would handle salaries and other such issues. Since all these questions will have to be solved separately the talks will take a long time.

The source said that should the talks pave the way for negotiations, the preparations for these would probably take place in Oman as an alternative to Geneva, although other Arab capitals, such as Cairo and Abu Dhabi, might see activities in the wings.

The parties might agree to return to Geneva as a venue for the negotiations. According to the source, Cairo and Amman have been suggested as possible places to host the preliminary talks.

Egypt is up to date on developments. A Yemeni delegation headed by sheikh Youssef al-Awadi, secretary-general of the General Peoples Congress (GPC), visited Cairo at the beginning of this week to put it in the picture on recent developments, he said.

Saleh is currently undergoing medical treatment abroad, but the source said the former president hoped to return to Yemen in order to lay the basis for peace and in such a way as he is neither wanted by the courts nor branded as an enemy.

With this in place, Saleh will be able to travel freely and will be assured of Gods peace on the Affash, the source said, mentioning the tribe to which the former president belongs.

The source told the Weekly that he had heard Saleh expressing his desire for an honourable exit from the crisis. However, according to consultations in progress with the Houthis a new political front will need to be forged to make it possible for the GPC to play a major political role in the near future.

The Houthis also intend to create a new political party that will have a say in the future of the country because they do not intend to remain restricted to Saada.

Ali al-Dhubaibi, close to the Yemeni presidential affairs office in Riyadh, told the Weekly that Saudi Arabia was insisting on what he termed a disengagement with Tehran, by which is meant an end to the provocation against Saudi Arabia by Iran.

Saudi Arabia is aware of the relationship between the two parties, and it seeks guarantees that this relationship will not come at the expense of Saudi security, he said.

Riyadh knows that Saleh will not sacrifice the Houthi card until he has exhausted all the advantages it has to offer in order to accelerate a settlement, and Riyadhs approach will most likely be to keep the negotiations on a low flame.

Recent developments in Iran have a bearing on the Yemeni situation, and the success of the reformist camp in the Assembly of Experts elections last month could work to calm hostilities between Riyadh and Tehran.

This is consistent with observations made by Nouri Zada, director of the Arab-Iranian Studies Centre in London, in an interview with BBC Arabic last week. President Hassan Rouhani seeks calm relations with the Gulf countries, and he wants his first visit abroad to be to Saudi Arabia, but the Supreme Leader is opposed to that idea, Zada said.

Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei is keen to leave his mark on the last chapter of the conflict in Yemen, having declared that he was ready to take part in the war in Yemen in support of the rebel forces.

Khameneis remarks have been interpreted as a form of one-upmanship against Saudi Arabia which a month ago declared its intention to prepare for a ground invasion of Yemen. Khamenei may also be seeking to strengthen the Houthi hand in negotiations with Iran.

As the situation stands, the anticipated battle of Sanaa may not take place.

All the parties have wearied themselves on the many fronts outside Sanaa, and they are also aware that the battle of Sanaa could ultimately destroy them.

The most likely scenario is that the capital will be handed over and that the Houthi forces will withdraw from it without resistance, just as they met with no resistance when they originally took it over in September 2014.

However, this scenario will not mark the closing chapter on Sanaa, as the drama will likely continue to unfold for many years to come.

*This story was first published at Al-Ahram Weekly.

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The Islamic State jihadist group on Thursday released pictures of six men being executed on charges of "spying" for the Iraqi government in the city of Fallujah.

In a statement posted on social media, the IS jihadists use three different methods to execute their victims, all wearing orange jumpsuits.

"The judicial police carried out death sentences issued by an Islamic court in Fallujah against several apostates after they were convicted of spying," the statement said.

The statement was written like an official government release and described the circumstances that led to the capture of each of the six men.

The pictures showed masked IS fighters in full tactical gear, against the backdrop of a heavily damaged city.

Four of the victims were shot in the head, one was decapitated with a knife and another with an explosive rope.

Fallujah lies in Anbar province only 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad and is the jihadist group's largest remaining stronghold in Iraq after the city of Mosul.

IS controlled most of Anbar a few months ago but sweeping military operations by the Iraqi security forces backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition are turning the tide.

Fallujah is almost completely isolated from other IS-controlled territory and IS is believed to be increasingly struggling to get supplies into the city.

The situation also appears to be causing increased internal tension in Fallujah, with IS paranoid that residents are assisting with an impending government offensive.

Jihadists detained dozens of residents of the city last month after clashes between IS and Iraqi tribesmen.

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Aid convoys were on their way to four Syrian towns on Thursday but the government was still refusing aid to six besieged towns and blocking the provision of medical care to needy people, needed it, UN humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland said.

"We need the government of Syria really to help us in the medical area. Why not get in the nutritional stuff, vitamins and antibiotics, and doctors and nurses to these places? I hope there would be a real breakthrough on this in our contacts with the government," he told reporters.

"It is a violation of international law to prevent us from going," he said. "I cannot understand why we cannot go there. Even wounded fighters have a right to be treated under international law."

Egeland, speaking after hosting a regular meeting of countries involved in the Syrian peace process, said many innocent civilians were still in detention, including children. He called on the United States, Russia and other countries to help get them released.

Egeland said aid was being delievered to the towns of Zabadani, Foua, Kufreya and Madaya on Thursday after two delays in the last week because of fighting.

The Syrian government needed to give an answer within seven days on permission for convoys to go to six more areas, which its forces are still besieging almost three weeks into a truce, Egeland said, in hope of reaching 1.1 million people by the end of April and vaccinating all unvaccinated Syrian children.

The United Nations also wants to drop aid into the town of Deir al-Zor, which is under siege by Islamic State, after a failed previous attempt.

The plane has to fly fast and high to avoid the threat of surface-to-air missiles, Egeland said, and better parachutes would hopefully enable the aid palettes to withstand the shock.

Gareth Bayley, Britain's special representative for Syria, said the humanitarian taskforce and a similar ceasefire taskforce, both composed of major and regional powers, had made "slow progress but progress nonetheless".

"Today we have a glimmer of hope, a slightest hope," Bayley told the Swiss Press Club in Geneva.

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The White House on Thursday said it was ready to support an investigation by the International Criminal Court into alledged genocide carried out by the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq.

"The United States will cooperate with independent efforts to investigate genocide," said spokesman Josh Earnest, adding that the administration is willing to support the ICC in gathering evidence.

The United States declared Thursday that the Islamic State group's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

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EU leaders meet on Thursday to discuss a possible deal with Turkey to limit migration to Europe in return for concessions for Ankara.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is expected to join EU leaders on Friday.

The following are comments by EU heads of state and government and senior EU officials before the meeting.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras

"We are here today in order to try to reduce or to stop the illegal flows from Turkey to the Greek islands but at the same time to create a robust for the refugees from Turkey to the EU and that means to accelerate the relocation and create a credible mechanism for resettlement from Turkey to the EU and I hope that the decision that we will take will be in the framework of the the international legislation, the Geneva agreement and the European acquis. Last but not least, I'm waiting today (for) a decision to assist Greece in these difficult circumstances especially in our northern borders in Idomeni. But we have to face a humanitarian crisis is due to unilateral actions. I think that this is a shame for a common culture and we have to take a decision to de-escalate the situation there and we have to find a way, through first aid, hospitality ... but at the same time accelerated relocation."

British Prime Minister David Cameron

"What matters today is actually busting the business model of these people smugglers and so therefore breaking the link between getting in a boat and getting settlement in Europe. So we support the idea of turning back people from the Greek islands back to Turkey, that is a good idea. But we ought to be clear here about Britain's special status in this organisation. Because we have kept our own border controls, because we are out of Schengen, we won't be offering visa-free access to Turks as part of this agreement. We maintain our own immigration policy. Also, we have already said what we are going to do in terms of taking Syrian refugees to Britain and that is underway and we won't be taking more because of what is discussed here today. But if we could get an agreement that returned migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey that would be good progress."

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel

"Better no deal than a bad deal."

"Turkey is asking for a lot. I won't accept what at times seems like blackmail."

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades

"If Turkey fulfills its obligations according to the Ankara negotiating framework there is no problem, but without it we can do nothing."

"I'm sure our partners will find a way. I hope that by tomorrow there will be an agreement."

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

"Europe cannot afford not to have a deal with Turkey, but must be a deal that respects our fundamental values"

Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite

"Pre-conditions have been agreed already... we are negotiating around the same conditions. I understand and support part of the criticism because I think the proposed package is very complicated, will be very difficult to implement and it is on the edge of international law."

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte

(Netherlands holds six-month rotating presidency of EU)

"It's not a done deal. We have to do a lot today with the 28 (member states) and tomorrow with Turkey."

"What we want to achieve is for the crossings to stop. By being able to return people we expect them to stop within three to four weeks. After the Western Balkans were closed, which was important, the flow of people via Turkey to Greece will also stop and that is very important."

"We will have to make sure that everything is well-founded in legal terms. I notice from more and more colleagues that they have the impression that we have it all in order."

"Visa liberalisation can happen if all conditions are met. The EU has to make sure that we don't delay. That's an agreement we have made, even years ago in the Dutch parliament, we are prepared to give visa liberalisation to Turkey once they meet all the requirements. What they want is to speed things up, that's fine, but you will then have to also speed up. You have to show that you meet all 72 criteria."

"If we don't reach a deal the flow will continue, then people will continue to drown in the Aegean and Greece will fill up with migrants because the borders are closed. It's good those borders are closed and that the waving through of migrants has stopped in the Western Balkans. It is very important we get a deal."

"I tend to shy away from apocalyptic quotes. But I don't see how, if we don't get a deal today or tomorrow, we will get a deal at a later stage."

"There is no alternative. We have to come to a deal. Otherwise the situation in Greece will stay very difficult, the humanitarian crisis will increase as the Western Balkan route has been closed off and people cannot leave Greece. It is crucial we come to a deal today and tomorrow."

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US State Department officials expressed optimism on Thursday that new sanctions imposed on North Korea may be more effective than earlier attempts to curtain Pyongyang's nuclear program, pointing to China's apparent willingness to support them.

Two weeks before a Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, Thomas Countryman, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation, told a Senate hearing there were signs of a shift in China, North Korea's sole major ally, toward regarding its nuclear program as a threat.

"They have made clear they are ready to work with us on detailed implementation and consultation on a range of issues," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The UN Security Council unanimously agreed to harsh new sanctions on North Korea to starve it of money for its nuclear weapons programs this month. President Barack Obama imposed sweeping new US sanctions on Wednesday.

The hearing was contentious. Senators accused Countryman and Rose Gottemoeller, Undersecretary for Arms Control, of glossing over the global nuclear security threat, particularly in Asia, and underplaying the significance of the US rift with Russia.

Russia is not attending the March 31-April 1 summit.

Republican Senator Bob Corker, the committee's chairman, said their testimony lacked "urgency and openness."

"People are not honoring treaties. Asia is in going in a very different direction than we had hoped, and yet, y'all are here telling us how, 'Gosh, we've done a wonderful job,'" Corker said.

Gottemoeller was nominated this month to be NATO deputy secretary-general, the number two post at the defense alliance. Although she does not face Senate confirmation, Corker said many lawmakers see her as too soft on Moscow, particularly over the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) treaty.

Washington has accused Russia of violating the treaty, which Russia denies.

"People are very concerned that you really have not been the kind of person who has pushed back heavily against Russia and has been more of an apologist," Corker said.

Gottemoeller said the administration looked for progress this year.

"I see some progress in Russia's willingness at the highest level to recommit to the treaty now and we are looking forward to moving expeditiously in 2016 to try to make some progress on this difficult matter."

She also defended her record, saying she had been pragmatic during years dealing with Moscow. "I do feel that pragmatic problem solving in the diplomatic realm is important," she said.

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Egypt has imported 240,000 tonnes of wheat from France, Romania and Ukraine at an average price of $188.86 per tonne through an international bid held by the states General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), the supply ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The worlds largest wheat importer currently has reserves sufficient until 1 July, with the new shipments to be supplied to the local market by mid-April with inventory, the ministry added.

Half of the shipment is coming from France, while Romania and Ukraine are shipping 60,000 tonnes each.

Last month, GASC had to cancel an international wheat tender after being offered unsatisfactory prices by only four traders.

Confusion among international suppliers of wheat was ignited over Egypts policy on the presence of ergot fungus in its imported wheat after it rejected a 63,000-tonne French shipment that arrived in December.

During Egypt's wheat harvest season that begins in two weeks, the government said it would procure local supplies this year at the subsidised price of EFP 420 per ardeb (150 kg), after suspending its decision to replace the crop subsidy by a land subsidy of EGP 1,300 per feddan (roughly one acre) of wheat grown.

Egypt's wheat imports for the 2015/16 marketing year are estimated at 11 million tonnes, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation wrote in October 2015, "about the same as the previous year and the average for the last five years."

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Egypts stocks continued their rally on Thursday, after Egypts Central Bank let the Egyptian Pound strengthen slightly against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday.

The benchmark EGX30 index had climbed 2.4 percent by mid-session on Thursday to 7,401 points, as foreign investors were the main net buyers to a tune of some EGP 71 million.

Leading investment bank EFG Hermes saw its share price soar by over 15 percent to EGP 10.93 at the time of writing after its board announced it had approved the sale of a 40 percent stake in Credit Libanais, of which EFG Hermes owns a 64 percent stake according to its website, at $33 a share.

Largest listed stock Commercial International Bank (CIB) inched up 0.23 percent to trade at EGP 39.56 after a week of gains.

Egypts main index has already climbed 10 percent since the Central Bank of Egypt allowed an overvalued pound to depreciate by 14 percent on Monday, and announced a more flexible exchange rate policy.

The pound then edged up when the regulator sold $1.5 billion to banks on Wednesday in its third special foreign currency auction this week, at a cut-off price of EGP 8.78 per dollar.

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The Japanese radar survey that suggests the existence of additional chambers behind the north and west walls of Tutankhamun's tomb will be followed up with another survey late March

After four months of technical studies in Japan, radar specialist Hirokatsu Watanabi asserted with 90 percent certainty that there are two hidden chambers behind the north and west walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty announced in a press conference Thursday.

Eldamaty said that the recent studies carried out on the west and north walls of Tutankhamun's tomb reveal solid and empty spaces, as well as lintels, which indicates the existence of doorways.

Organic and metal materials were also detected inside these empty spaces.

Eldamaty explains that studies carried out on the northern wall reveal that it has dark and light spots.

The dark spots, he says, are the original bedrock of the Valley of the Kings, while light spots are empty spaces.

"A difference in thickness is also noted," he pointed out.

Regarding the possibility that the organic materials found could be a mummy, Eldamaty told Ahram Online: "So far I cannot ascertain what these organic materials might be. It could be a mummy, a sarcophagus or anything. I could not tell."

Eldamaty announced that at the end of March, more radar scanning will be carried out on the north and west walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber to confirm the results from the Watanabi radar survey.

"This is a very important step in an attempt to explore these two walls and find the correct and safe methods to uncover what lies behind them," Eldamaty asserted.

He said that the radar surveys represent a rediscovery of the boy-king's tomb and suggests that the void spaces behind the walls could be royal burial chamber of Tutankhamun's sister Merit-Atun, or his mother Kia, or his grandmother Tiye, but not Nefertiti as had been suggested by Egyptologist Nicolas Reeves.

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Egypt's membership in the union was suspended in late 2013 for not having a functioning parliament

Egypt's parliament is due to take part in the next assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organisation of parliaments, after an almost four-year lapse.

Egypt resumed its membership in the IPU in January, over two years after its membership was frozen in 2013 for not having a functioning parliament.

Egypt has been without a parliament since a court ruling dissolved the 2012 Islamist-dominated chamber.

An Egyptian parliamentary delegation has flown to Lusaka, Zambia for the IPU 134th Assembly, which will kick off Friday.

The five-day assembly brings together parliamentarians from around the world to look at international issues and make recommendations for action. Major issues that will be discussed this round include "global cooperation against the threat of terrorism" and "rejuvenating democracy."

Participating MPs from Egypt include parliament speaker Ali Abdel Al, secretary-general Ahmed Saadeddin, the head of the parliamentary bloc, Alaa Abed, and appointed MP Rania Elwani.

The assembly meets twice a year, with the 135th gathering to be held in Geneva from 23 to 27 October.

The assembly is held each time in a different country, with Cairo having hosted it twice before, in 1947 and 1997.

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Tarabichi is best known for his five-volume book entitled Critiquing the Critique of the Arab Reason

Renowned Syrian thinker Georges Tarabichi died late on Wednesday 16 March at the age of 77, leaving behind a huge legacy of contributions in more than 200 authored and translated books that were a critical part of Arab thought and debates on Islam, modernism and rethinking Arab reason.

He enriched the Arabic literary world with his translations of the gems and seminal works of Western philosophy.

Tarabichi was born in Aleppo to a religious Christian family in 1939 and graduated from Damascus University with a BA in Arabic and a Masters degree in education.

He worked for one year as a director for Damascus Radio in 1963, later moving to Lebanon. After the Lebanese civil war broke out in the 1970s, he settled in Paris until his death.

The author of The Problematics of Arab Reason is best known for his project presenting a critique of the 'Critique of Arab Reason,' a project that took over 20 years of work and was published in a five-volume book titled 'Critiquing the Critique of the Arab Reason.'

In the book, he engaged in a dialogue with attempts to rethink Arab thought, focusing on the works of Moroccan thinker Mohamed Abed Al-Jabiri's distinction between "irrational Sufi Eastern reason" and "rational Maghrebi (Western Arab) reason," personified by prominent Maghrebi thinker Ibn-Rushd (Averroes)  a thesis that Tarabichi worked hard to refute it in his book The Unity of the Arab Reason.

Though he critiqued Al-Jabiri's works, Tarabichi always spoke of his debt to Al-Jabiri, saying that he "transferred my thinking from the Western ideology to the Arab and Islamic legacy () He enchanted me with the problematic issues he raised () I wish if I had continued writing everything I wanted to write about his project during his life () it is disturbing to be in a dialogue with someone who departed this life () He moved me from ideology to epistemology ."

Syrian thinker Yassin Al-Haj Saleh mourned the death of Tarabichi, saying "Georges Tarabichi is dead, the Syrian thinker, the copious writer and translator in a wide range of fields and one of the masters of our generation."

The chief editor of Al-Qahera, a cultural newspaper issued from Cairo, Sayed Mahmoud, described the death of Tarabichi as "one of the great losses for my generation, who was fascinated with his books and his articles in Al-Hayatt newspaper."

For Mahmoud, Tarabichi intertwined literary critique with psychoanalysis.

He argues that Tarabichi's works on Egyptian literary giant Naguib Mahfouz are crucial to understanding Mahfouz's works.

"His relationship with Al-Jabiri and debates over Arab thought were an authentic contribution to Arab culture, and I adore his reading of the works of Egyptian feminist Nawal El-Saadawi, where he exposed the failings of her literary discourse," Mahmoud said.

In an amusing article published in 2012 upon the request of Ma'rifa Magazine, Tarabichi wrote a list of "15 failures" in his life. The first was being born to a "normal" family, the second was having a name that indicated his religious background.

The list also included his failure to fluently speak French in spite of all his translations from French to Arabic, as well as his failure to become "rich" despite his authoring and translating 200 books.

"I never liked being rich for the sake of being rich," he said. "I wanted to have a humble income that allowed me to give my full time to writing instead of having to write journalistic articles here and there and to be able to afford a life."

The last failing, he wrote, was to list a 15th failure of his.

Tarabichi translated many of the iconic books of European philosophy, including the works of Hegel, Sartre, Freud and Simone de Beauvoir.

He was influenced by Freud and Marx and applied their methods and analysis in his reading of Arab literature.

He was also the first to translate Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Last February, he wrote a lengthy article entitled 'Six Stations in My Life.'

He said in the article, which is more like a short biography, that "while I'm at the end of my life, and after six decades of accompanying the pen, whose company I preferred over any other  except for my wife and daughter  I find myself pausing and returning to six stations in my life that had a conclusive role in writing what I wrote and determining the direction I moved in, and even translating what I translated."

In the article, Tarabichi also reflects on his religious upbringing and exiting that very Christian phase of his life to know more about Islam, and to know about Freud, Marxism and leftist thought, his relation with Al-Jabiri and his recent writings.

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(Beijing)  China and Germany are working to reach an agreement this year to strengthen cybersecurity as both countries seek to upgrade their manufacturing industries with advanced digital technologies, says Michael Clauss, the German ambassador to China.

The countries' separate strategies  which China calls "Made in China 2025" and Germany refers to as "Industry 4.0"  will generate a tremendous amount of data that need to be safely stored and communicated, the ambassador said in a recent interview with Caixin.

"We will witness an exponential increase in industrial data flows," he said. "This is why cyber and data security have become such important issues."

Clauss said that in October Premier Li Keqiang agreed with visiting Chancellor Angel Merkel to prepare a Sino-German agreement on cyber matters that is expected to be finalized around June, when the cabinets of the two nations meet for joint governmental consultations.

Clauss also addressed the concerns about the data security of some German companies operating in China, and explained why the two nations are cooperating even though they are potential rivals in manufacturing.

The following are excerpts of Caixin's interview with the ambassador.

Caixin: What do you think will be the highlights of this agreement on cybersecurity?

Michael Clauss: There are two key elements. The first is refraining from economic cyberespionage. The second element consists in developing a mechanism for dealing with possible breaches, e.g., when we face a case of espionage.

Who proposed the agreement and why?

The issue was addressed by the German side during the visit of chancellor Merkel. Cyberattacks against our companies have been on the rise quite dramatically over the last couple of years, and recent developments with regard to cyberespionage are worrying us.

A further reason for addressing cyber and data security is the digitization of industrial processes, Industry 4.0 as we call it. Industry 4.0 will induce much greater data flows in future. We will witness an exponential increase in industrial data flows. To illustrate this point: An autonomous car, i.e., a car which is steered by itself, requires a massive increase in the flow of data for measuring the distance to other cars, analyzing the road conditions, circumventing traffic jams, calculating passing maneuvers, to name but a few. Now, against the backdrop of the data generated by only a car, picture the data volume which the digitization of the whole industry will generate. This is why cyber and data security have become such important issues.

What's the current status of negotiations on the agreement?

We have urged the Chinese side to quickly nominate a negotiator so that talks can start without delay.

How do you think the government can strike a balance between the needs for national security and the protection of personal information?

All governments in the world will have to find a balance between security and the protection of personal information. A government may want to set limits on the protection of personal information, e.g., for fighting terrorism. It is, however, also safe to assume that a government that solely focuses on security will hamper innovation. Every government has to strike a balance for itself. But it is clear that a too narrow focus on security will harm business and innovation. For instance, if German companies interested in investing in China are required to locate their servers in China and to hand over their encryption codes, they are likely to look for alternative investment locations.

Some German CEOs have told me that they are hesitant to engage in Industry 4.0-related activities in China since they are concerned about data security. When talking to members of the Chinese government and party officials we therefore stress that the cybersecurity law and other security-related measures could hamper innovation and should therefore also take account of the needs of business.

Has there ever been a dispute similar to the one involving Apple Inc.'s refusal to help the FBI unlock a dead terror suspect's iPhone?

In Germany, cybersecurity and data protection are extremely important issues. And we pay huge attention to it. Government access to information protected by law is subject to strict controls by independent bodies. In Germany, this function is, inter alia, fulfilled by a parliamentary committee which is not subject to instructions by government of any kind and by independent courts. Individuals in Germany have the right to know which personal information is stored by governmental bodies, the right to have it deleted or blocked, if illegally stored.

Germany's Industry 4.0 initiative seems to have attracted a lot of attention from Chinese companies. What's your comment?

There is definitely enormous interest in Industry 4.0 in China. A lot of Chinese investments are especially targeting companies engaging in Industry 4.0. This is obvious, and I think these investments are also triggered by the policy of the Chinese government to invest in advanced and innovative industries. In today's world, the most advanced concept on innovation in industry is probably Industry 4.0.

We know that the United States and Japan are also quite advanced, and I think the three of us are leading with regard to the digitization of industry. However, Industry 4.0 is the most advanced concept. Our cooperation also makes a lot of sense with regard to our economic structure. China and Germany are both export nations and we are both the ones with the highest share of industry in GDP.

Has there been any discussion between the Chinese and German governments regarding cooperating on the initiative?

Germany and China have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining our cooperation on Industry 4.0. The MOU was signed on the German side by the minister for economic affairs and the minister of science and technology. There is intensive government-to-government contact on Industry 4.0.

The Chinese concept Made in China 2025 and the German concept Industry 4.0 are highly compatible and partially even overlapping. I think the Chinese government and the party have understood that digitizing industrial production is key for future industrial competitiveness. Failing to gain the lead in this development might mean falling behind quite dramatically.

How is Germany's Industry 4.0 different from the industrial development in the United States and Japan?

Let me illustrate the different approaches again with the example of a car. The U.S. is very strong in the field of IT, and the Internet giant Google is reported to be building a car. This car will mainly be based on Google's IT knowledge. Traditional manufacturing such as the auto body will only supplement Google's IT.

Germany comes from a different angle. We are very strong in manufacturing. We will thus base the production of the future car on our knowledge in automotive manufacturing and integrate IT in it.

In the end, the country that wins the race in digital manufacturing will define its future standards. Given that China and Germany have similar economic structures and are both strong in manufacturing, it makes sense to join our forces and define the standards together.

Some people in Germany wonder why we should cooperate with China on Industry 4.0. In the end, we are all competitors and we may just be helping China to outcompete German companies. That may be true, but we will also be competing with the United States. And the advantage of our cooperation with China is, first, our similar approach to the digitzation of industry, and, second, the size of the Chinese market. Germany has 82 million inhabitants and consumers compared to China's market of 1.4 billion.
The draft guideline for the 13th Five-Year Plan shows that the government wants to expand the country's high-speed rail networks to 30,000 kilometers, covering more than four-fifths of all big cities. This article, however, argues that it should instead aim to deepen reform rather than continuing to expand the bullet train network.

There is indeed room for further railroad investment, but not in the high-speed category. Rather, the rail transit systems in metropolitan areas need more capital.

China already has 19,000 kilometers of high-speed track, more than twice the amount the rest of the world built over the past half century. The unit cost of building a bullet train link is two to three times that of a regular line, and it cannot be used to transport cargo. So high-speed railroads can only be profitable in heavily populated areas where average incomes are high. Those in areas that do not meet these conditions will always lose money.

China Railway Corp. (CRC) is already under a tremendous financial pressure, with 4 trillion yuan in debt. It has been relying on government subsidies and taking out new loans to repay old ones, partly because all its income from high-speed transport cannot cover the interest on the loans borrowed to build the network.

To stimulate economic growth, many local governments have proposed expanding their high-speed rail networks. The network in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, measured per hundred square kilometers, is already 1.7 and 2.36 times as dense as those in the Yangtze River and the Pearl River deltas, even though the northern region is much less populated than the two regions. Even so, a high-speed line linking Beijing to Tangshan, in Hebei Province, will soon be built, reducing the travel time between the two cities by half an hour, at a cost of 33.3 billion yuan. Another line linking Beijing and Shijiazhuang, another city in Hebei, is in the works, too. These projects are redundant and a waste of resources.

Many planned railroad projects in the central and western regions were proposed based on projected demand for steel and coal. A line in the northwestern province of Qinghai, for example, was designed to transport iron ore to a steel factory in Qinghai's Golmud. Leave aside the fact that taxes paid by steel and coal factories cannot possibly cover the cost of repairing the damage to the fragile ecosystem common in Qinghai, there is no need to develop mining and refinery businesses in the region given the central government's goal of trimming overcapacity in these industries. This means many local governments need to reconsider their railroad development plans.

In general, central and western regions should not rely on building railroads to drive growth because their population densities are low. Because rail projects usually require huge investments, their losses tend to be huge as well.

The focus of rail development over the next five years should be on the transit systems in metropolitan areas, which usually cover an area of about 15,000 square kilometers and includes a big city that needs to be connected with outlying towns and counties.

The history of urbanization in various countries around the world shows that people will gravitate toward these metropolitan areas, while the populations in small cities decline. China has entered a phase of rapid metropolitan development. Almost all provincial capitals have experienced worsening traffic, which reflects the inadequacy of transport infrastructure in the face of growing urban populations.

The metropolitan area of Tokyo has about 2,500 kilometers of mass transit rail lines. The figure for New York is 3,342 kilometers. Assuming China will have 20 cities with a population exceeding 10 million, every one of them needing about 2,000 kilometers of rail lines, we will need 40,000 kilometers of line. This will, of course, require a lot of investment.

A commuter rail route is often 30 to 50 kilometers long and can support dense property developments along the way. This not only helps relieve some of the pressure on downtown districts, but also attracts private investors because they will profit from increases in property values.

The rail industry cannot develop further without reforms to its management and transport systems. Over the years, the market share of cargo transported by rail has declined even as the government provided backing and investment. Transporting raw materials such as coal by highway continues, even though it is costly and lowers the efficiency of resource allocation. Little progress has been made on the switch, even though the State Council has repeatedly encouraged private investors to get involved in developing railroads.

All of these problems are the inevitable result of the rail sector failing to push forward with reforms and innovations to meet the demands of the market. The government needs to break up monopolies and restructure the industry by separating the CRC's assets into three regional corporations that compete with each other. Subsidiaries should also be encouraged to compete.

The industry's plans should also take into account the demand for commuter trains in metro areas. In any case, reforms cannot be delayed any longer.

Zhao Jian is a professor of Beijing Jiaotong University's School of Economics and Management
OPEC member states and other major oil producers are planning to meet next month to discuss a freeze in oil output levels, Qatar's top energy official said Wednesday.

The planned gathering, which builds on earlier talks that included major suppliers Russia and Saudi Arabia, reflects a growing sense of urgency among producers to try to shore up crude prices following a steep drop that is straining their domestic budgets.

Qatar hosts the rotating presidency of OPEC and will host the upcoming talks, which are scheduled to take place the capital Doha on April 17.

Some 15 oil-producing nations representing about 73 percent of world oil output have agreed to take part, according to a statement from Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada, Qatar's energy and industry minister.

"The continuous efforts of the Qatari government have been instrumental in promoting dialogue among all oil producers to support the Doha initiative, helping the stabilization of oil market to the interest of all," al-Sada said in the statement.

Energy ministers from Russia and OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela pledged to cap their output levels if others do the same in an effort to bolster oil prices during a meeting in Doha last month. Other major producers including OPEC members Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have since expressed support the initiative.

The countries are seeking coordinated action as they are reluctant to give up market share to other producers.

Oil prices plunged to below $30 a barrel -- their lowest point in more than a decade -- earlier this year, extending a slide from over $100 a barrel that began in 2014. Prices have edged higher in recent weeks, with U.S. benchmark crude trading above $36 a barrel in electronic trading early Wednesday.

The slump is causing growing alarm in countries heavily dependent on oil exports, leading them to slash public sector jobs and search for new sources of revenue. Kuwait, for example, this week proposed implementing a new corporate tax and the privatization of some publicly run services.
Korea is taking part as the guest of honor in the 36th Paris Book Fair, which opens in the French capital on Thursday, as the two nations celebrate the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.

Thirty Korean writers were invited to the event to show various aspects of Korean literary culture.

French President Francois Hollande attended the eve of the fair on Wednesday.
Unemployment among young Koreans between 15 and 29 reached a record 12.5 percent last month, Statistics Korea said Wednesday.

The previous record was 14.5 percent in 1999, just after the onset of the Asian financial crisis.

The overall jobless rate for February rose to 4.9 percent, which was the highest seen since January 2010. The number of newly hired workers totaled 223,000 last month, down 116,000 compared to January.

Youth unemployment tends to rise in February because massive numbers of students graduate from universities and high schools and start looking for jobs. But unemployment among young people has been increasing steadily since reaching a record 9.2 percent last year.

This has led to mounting concerns that Korea is following in the footsteps of Japan during its 20-year recession.
The popularity of KBS' new series "Descendants of the Sun" keeps growing in Korea and beyond, not least thanks to the male lead played by Song Joong-ki.

Viewer ratings have been nearly 30 percent here, and in China episodes have been watched 2.5 billion times on a streaming site.

Co-star Song Hye-kyo paid tribute to Song Joong-ki at a media event Wednesday. "I can't imagine who else could play this role so well," she said.

But Song Joong-ki said he does not feel too much heat. "I don't feel the effect of popularity because I'm watching the episodes as an ordinary viewer," he said. Breaking with usual practice, the whole series was shot before the first episode aired, so the actors never knew that they had a hit on their hands.

What makes his part so special? Most male leads in Korean soaps are either rich or, if they are poor, display a rather run-of-the-mill boyish charm. But Song plays a mature professional soldier.

"Soldiers are attractive to viewers in a world of natural disasters and terrorism," says psychologist Kim Byung-hoo. "A lot of middle-aged women have seen their men get older and lose their sparkle, so they like to fantasize about a strong capable man coming to the rescue."

Among women in their 40s, a whopping one-third are watching the series.
Google approached baduk or go champion Lee Se-dol late last year to play a match with prize money of US$1 million, but did not tell him who exactly his opponent would be. Google also rented the hotel venue through an event agency and did not mention the purpose.

Google's new motto is "Do the right thing," but the company does like to keep its business ventures under tight wraps. Secrecy was the hallmark of planning of the match with Google DeepMind's proto-artificial intelligence program AlphaGo as well. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis gave a lecture at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology advocating artificial intelligence, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin paid a surprise visit to Korea when Lee scored a win in the fourth match. But the aim was clearly to keep the element of surprise at every turn to maximize publicity.

Google's corporate value rose more than W58 trillion over the past week alone (US$1=W1,195). International media published thousands of articles on the historic match and photos of Google's logo decorated the front pages of newspapers around the world. Google has emerged as the No. 1 player in the artificial intelligence industry, beating rivals Apple and IBM. And industry watchers say it gained much more than appears on the surface. Google began to develop AlphaGo to bolster the ability of search engines to forecast the intentions of Internet users. When AlphaGo lost the fourth round of the best-of-five match, the company apparently welcomed the defeat, saying this would help fix the bugs in the program. Google's Internet search will probably evolve in unexpected ways.

Looking back at the match, it appears that Lee was the one who jumped through all the hoops, while Google was laughing all the way to the bank. The Internet was filled with comments following the match that Lee merely netted W187 million but generated trillions of won worth of work for Google. Lee was perceived as something of a pawn in Google's attempt to test its artificial intelligence.

But who can blame it? If Google had not chosen Lee, Koreans would not have become so mesmerized by artificial intelligence. And had it not been for the match, nobody would imagine such a nail-biting race between human and machine. The thing to worry about is the sweeping changes the technology could bring when it matures. By Chosun Ilbo columnist Kim Tae-geun

Read this article in Korean
German diplomatic missions and schools were closed in Turkey Thursday for security reasons.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that security services received credible information about an imminent attack that forced the closing of the embassy in Ankara, the general consulate in Istanbul and German schools in both cities.

"Yesterday evening, our security authorities received several concrete and very serious leads that terror attacks against our German representations in Turkey were being prepared," he said. "Therefore I decided that the German embassy in Ankara, the general consulate in Istanbul and the German schools in both cities should remain closed."

The measure was necessary as a precaution to protect German citizens, Steinmeier said, adding that Germany is trying "to collect more information about the development of the security situation in Turkey."

Steinmeier expressed appreciation for Turkish police cooperation under current circumstances.
Xinhua Insight: "Conformity," China's political consensus

2016-03-17 02:44

BEIJING, March 16, 2016 (Xinhua) -- The closing meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou)

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- As China's annual parliamentary session draws to an end, the "four consciousnesses" has emerged as a popular catchphrase frequently underpinned not only by top leaders, national lawmakers, but commentators and news anchors.

Observers say the essence of the concept boils down to the unwavering conformity with the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC)'s leadership, which is vital in China's final countdown in building a moderately prosperous society by 2020 as well as for the country's future destiny.

CONFORMING WITH CPC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Prior to the parliamentary session, Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee, published a commentary on March 1, underscoring the need to promote the "consciousnesses of the ideology, the whole, the core and the line."

Faithfulness to the Party's core leadership is characterized by staunch loyalty to "the CPC Central Committee, [its] General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as to Party theories, guidelines, principles and policies," it said.

On the day that the Qiushi article was published, Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that "conforming with 'the line' is a significant political principle," and it is where the Party's strength and advantages lie.

In his government work report delivered on March 5, Premier Li Keqiang also underscored the importance of maintaining political integrity, being aware of the bigger picture, following the CPC as the core of the Chinese leadership and acting in accordance with CPC Central Committee policies.

The consciousnesses of "the ideology" and "the whole" are not new in the Chinese political arena. They have been brought up since the CPC initiated the reform and opening up drive more than three decades ago.

The concepts require CPC officials to adhere to the correct political direction, always bearing in mind the ultimate interests of the party and the nation in making decisions and implementing Party policies, to ensure that China will always focus on economic development and stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It is thanks to this practice that the CPC and the Chinese people have been united for the same goal of development, growing the Chinese economy to the world's second largest and making it an important growth engine for the world economy.

The consciousnesses of "the core" and "the line," however, were raised during a recent CPC campaign to improve conducts of officials, focusing on the "three stricts and three honests." The slogan refers to "being strict in morals, power and self-discipline," along with "being honest in decisions, business and behavior."

Experts say "the core" stresses the adherence to the Party's core leadership, requiring the CPC's 87 million members to follow the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, especially its Political Bureau and Political Bureau Standing Committee, and to closely unite around the General Secretary, who is the core of the core.

The consciousness of "the line" demands officials to conform with the CPC Central Committee, its General Secretary as well as to Party theories, guidelines, principles and policies. The centralized and unified leadership should be followed and its authority be upheld.

The "four consciousnesses" has been perceived by many as the latest move in the CPC top leadership's series of new governance concepts and strategies since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012.

NO DEVIATION IN DIRECTION

The "four consciousnesses" has been brought up as China aims to attain its goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects in the next five years, said Shi Zhihong, a national political advisor.

"The CPC has to fulfill the pledge it made to all the Chinese citizens on time and ensure not a single person, region or ethnic group has been left out," said Shi, also former deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee.

"This task leaves unprecedented pressure and challenges to the CPC," he added.

China's population is expected to reach 14.2 billion by 2020. It would mean much to the world if such a big country could avoid the middle-income trap.

"It entails a high degree of unity in both volition and action within the Party to lead the entire nation to achieve this goal. The 'four consciousnesses' has been brought up to achieve such unity, with conforming with 'the line' as the highlight," Shi said.

Facing downward economic pressure amid fragile global recovery, China's economy has entered what policymakers refer to as the "new normal," a phase of moderating growth driven more by consumption instead of exports and investment.

To ensure the huge Chinese vessel sails to the expected destination, every Chinese should paddle forward under the instruction of the helmsman -- the CPC Central Committee, with Xi as general secretary, Shi noted.

VITAL FOR CHINA'S FATE

Experts say conforming with the CPC central leadership, safeguarding its authority and ensuring its orders well implemented are a matter of principle which is vital to the Party and the nation's destiny.

The CPC's innovative theories and thoughts have helped to navigate China to success both during the war against Japanese aggression and the era of reform and opening up, according to Shi.

"It's unimaginable to govern the world's biggest political party and a country with a 1.3-billion-strong population without a centralized and unified leadership," Shi said.

Shi noted, however, the call for conformity does not mean a suppression of public opinions. "'The line' is the collective wisdom of the entire Party and Chinese people."

Grassroots wisdom in the new plan for the country's economic and social development in the next five years, which was approved by the national legislature on Wednesday, has been pooled from various sectors through legislators and political advisors at all levels.

With China's diverse level of development and conditions in different regions and industries, the consciousnesses of "the core" and "the line" have been championed to pool strength from various sectors for a single end, said Zhang Zhao'an, economist with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

"A firm core leadership is crucial for laying down a top-level design under the current complex economic situation both at home and abroad," Zhang said.

Related:

China's top legislature pledges adherence to Party leadership

BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang said Wednesday that the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee sticks to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in its work.

"We have incorporated the leadership of the Party into every process and aspect of the NPC's work, and upheld the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee," said Zhang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, when delivering a work report to the annual legislative session.Full Story

China Headlines: China champions "four consciousnesses," conforming with Xi

BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Party officials, lawmakers and media have called for unwavering conformity with top leader Xi Jinping, ahead of the country's major political meetings, known collectively as the "two sessions."

Faithfulness to the core leadership of the Party is characterized by staunch loyalty to "the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, [its] General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as to Party theories, guidelines, principles and policies," according to a recent commentary published by Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.Full Story
Oil prices rally as supplies add less than expected

2016-03-17 06:17

NEW YORK, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices surged Wednesday as a government report showed U.S. crude stockpiles increased less than expected.

U.S. crude supplies of last week gained 1.3 million barrels to 523.2 million barrels, 64.7 million barrels more than one year before, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its weekly report released Wednesday.

The declining output from U.S. also buoyed the market. Crude production of the country lost 10,000 to 9.068 million barrels a day last week, according to EIA.

Qatari oil ministry said Wednesday that OPEC and non-OPEC producers will meet on April 17 in Doha to discuss the output freeze.

The West Texas Intermediate for April delivery moved up 2.12 U.S. dollars to settle at 38.46 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for May delivery increased 1.59 dollars to close at 40.33 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.
He edged out several senior leaders, including moderate number two leader Premier Li Keqiang in a major shake-up at the top.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- One of Apple's first coders, co-founder Steve Wozniak, is sharing his perspective on why creating a so-called backdoor to unlock iPhones is a bad idea.



"Twice in my life I wrote things that could have been viruses. I threw away every bit of source code. I just got a chill inside," Wozniak said in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" interview on Wednesday. "These are dangerous, dangerous things, and if some code gets written in an Apple product that lets people in, bad people are going to find their way to it, very likely."



On Conan earlier this month, Wozniak also shared his support for Apple in the ongoing encryption battle against federal law enforcement authorities.



"Once you create it, there's a good chance hackers will get into it," he said.



The FBI has called on Apple to help get into the locked iPhone of Syed Farook, who, along with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 and injured 22 at a holiday party in San Bernardino, California, in December. Last month, at the request of the Justice Department, a federal judge ordered Apple to assist law enforcement.



Apple responded last month with a motion to vacate the federal court order, writing that "rather than pursue new legislation, the government backed away from Congress and turned to the courts, a forum ill-suited to address the myriad competing interests, potential ramifications, and unintended consequences presented by the governments unprecedented demand."



Apple's motion goes on to say that by invoking "terrorism," the government "sought to cut off debate and circumvent thoughtful analysis."



Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly warned the government's request could undermine the privacy of millions of people.



"I think safety of the public is incredibly important -- safety of our kids, safety of our family is very important," Cook said in an interview with ABC News last month. "The protection of people's data is incredibly important, and so the trade-off here is we know that doing this could expose people to incredible vulnerabilities."

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
#coronavirus-additional cases New COVID-19 cases under 30,000 for 4th consecutive day South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 30,000 for a fourth straight day Saturday with the daily death toll down to its 14-week low for a Saturday. The country reporte...

#BLACKPINK BLACKPINK to headline BST Hyde Park festival next year K-pop sensation BLACKPINK will headline British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park in London next year, the group's agency and the festival announced Saturday. The four-member act will...
If there's one thing Irish people can take pride in, it's the natural beauty of our country's landscape. There are some parts of our country so beautiful that people travel thousands of miles just to see them with their own eyes.

It doesn't come as much of a surprise that Ireland is a popular destination for film production crews. Aside from the favourable tax breaks, there are backdrops in this country that they literally can't get anywhere else. In honour of St. Patrick's Day, we've compiled a list of our favourite cameos of the Emerald Isle on the big screen.

1. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS





The most high profile entry on the list given the endless coverage of the crew's activities while they were on our shores. Audiences had to wait until the final scene of The Force Awakens to see Skellig Michael on the big screen but it was well worth it. The historical island looked majestic and it's easy to see why Luke Skywalker would retire to there.

2. CALVARY

Writer/Director John Michael MacDonagh came under fire when the film was released after he commented that he didn't want Calvary to be labelled an 'Irish film' because Irish films weren't technically accomplished. While there wasn't anything particularly 'technically accomplished' in Calvary there can be no denying that they captured Sligo and in particular Benbulben in all its glory.

3. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

The Harry Potter films really stepped up a gear in terms of drama with the Half Blood Prince. A much anticipated scene for fans was when Harry and Dumbledore visit a cave by the sea to destroy one of Vodermort's horcruxes. What better location that the Cliffs of Moher? Harry and Dumbledore rest on a rock a bit further out to sea when they first survey the cave from afar. The rock in question isn't actually at the Cliffs of Moher. Through the magic (get it?) of technology, the special effects team were able to move Lemon Rock which is found off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula in Kerry to the South of the Cliffs of Moher.



4. THE QUIET MAN

When one of the greatest directors and biggest stars of that era wanted to film in Cong, Co. Mayo for their film, The Quiet Man, it was always going to leave a lasting impression. Sure enough, John Ford and John Wayne's legacy is forever tied to the West of Ireland setting of the film. Mayo and Galway look fantastic on the big screen in what was the biggest movie production ever to take place in Ireland up to that point.

5. RYAN'S DAUGHTER

Trust David Lean, one of the great directors, known for making films on an epic scale to truly capture the beauty of Ireland's south west on screen. Among others, the Cliffs of Moher, Inch Strand and the Dingle Peninsula all flourish under Lean's lens in this epic tale of love and betrayal.

6. PS I LOVE YOU

While the film adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's best selling novel didn't exactly set the world alight, Wicklow sure was looking well in the film. The scene where Hilary Swank's Holly first meets her would be husband Gerry was filmed at Wicklow National Park and it truly looked stunning on screen. There are some offences to the Irish people in the film, in particular the 'oirish' accents put on by Gerald Butler and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, but the representation of the Wicklow countryside in the film is something we can be satisfied with.



7. WAR OF THE BUTTONS

War of the Buttons was filled with great characters but the rural West Cork landscape played as big a role as any of the pint sized actors. From the battle field plains, to the mountain side on which Fergus tried to make his daring escape, the locations really added texture to the movie.
We think James Corden has a bit of a crush on Paul Rudd, just like the rest of us. We've never seen him laugh as loudly at anyone's quips before - particularly when Rudd describes the time he found himself in the presence of pretty much "everyone" while the set of Captain America: Civil War... Chris Evans needed the loo, so he handed the shield to a props guy, and that's when Paul spotted his golden opportunity.



Perhaps James was just over compensating for asking Paul who'd he'd choose to win in a fight - Batman or Superman - to which Ant-Man replied "It's tough for me to say, I'm part of a whole other family..."
Yesterday, Gerry Adams made his way to The White House for the annual St. Patrick's Day event, only to be refused entry. Despite being sent an invite, the event organisers decided not to grant him entry, due to a 'security issue.'



Adams reportedly stayed outside for 90 minutes, perhaps in the hopes that they'd change their minds, but it wasn't to be.

Since then, the Sinn Fein leader has posted evidence of his invite to the event...

My invite 2

The White House. Just saying. pic.twitter.com/0fGax1LMhB  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) March 16, 2016

When people responded that "that could be anyones", Adams has this follow up post.

Confirmation of my invite 2 White House Reception. From the White House. pic.twitter.com/lMTVXp05MP  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) March 16, 2016

Adams released a statement this evening regarding the situation, which reads...

I had received my usual invitation to attend the St. Patricks Day celebrations in the White House and was pleased to accept. When I arrived the staff at the White House informed me that there was an issue of security. After two decades of travelling back and forth to the USA and countless meetings in the White House with successive US Presidents, this is an unacceptable development. It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently. Some of our political representatives have been denied access to the USA while others, including myself, have to regularly go through additional searches and scrutiny when we travel to and from the USA. Last year the State Department initially refused to meet me as part of a transparent effort to pressurise Sinn Fein during negotiations at Stormont.That meeting did take place after protests from US political leaders. Efforts to pressurise us in the negotiations failed. This morning Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald and I met with the Congressional Friends of Ireland. They too shared our grave disappointment at the White House situation and expressed their determination to have this issue resolved. Sinn Fein will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone. We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this. I am hopeful that the controversy around my White House invitation will help lead to a resolution of all these matters.

His 'back of the bus' comment has garnered the following reactions...

Gerry Adams likens not being allowed into the White House under a black President as being made 'sit in the back of the bus'.  Adam Hurley (@ATMH1994) March 16, 2016

Did Gerry Adams really say he wouldn't sit at the back of the bus for anyone? Oof.  Bel & ze Bastian (@beloddie) March 16, 2016

Back of the bus? It is no exaggeration to say that Gerry Adams is the most persecuted person in history pic.twitter.com/6BImjas1xh  John Singleton (@johnsingle10) March 16, 2016





Is Gerry Adams comparing himself to civil rights hero Rosa Parks with his tasteless "back of the bus" remarks? https://t.co/bRkj9H5kGi  Tom Felle (@tomfelle) March 16, 2016

>
The European Union said that it would stand firm against Russia in defense of its core political interests and values, yet it would also try to find a common ground on the issues of mutual interest, such as the war in Syria. EUs foreign ministers gathered on Monday (14 March) for their regular monthly meeting, which for the first time in half a year touched upon the blocks relations with Russia. Despite the tensions over the conflict in Ukraine, there have been growing calls for both sides to work together to tackle shared problems including the destabilization of the Middle East and the migration crisis.

The head of EU diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, who had been largely supporting closer ties with Russia when serving as Italys Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that there is unanimity among the 28 on five broad principles. She said that first and foremost, Moscow has to fully adhere to the Minsk ceasefire accords and reiterated that the EU would not recognize the illegal 2014 annexation of Crimea.

The meeting of ministers further concluded that the EU needs to stay firm on key issues, such as energy policy and strengthen ties with East European and Central Asian countries. Mrs Mogherini also added that there is a need for selective engagement with Russia on foreign policy issues such as Iran, the Middle East, Syria but also in other areas where there is a clear EU interest. Brussels will also seek to boost ties with Russias civil society and especially with the youth.

However, British Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, reminded that the EU should be under no illusions about Russia, saying that the block needs to have ties with Russia but we cant lose sight of the challenge that Russia represents to our values and to our security, and we have to be robust in making our case and defending our principles, our values and our borders in Europe.
Auckland hails Fu Wah for building signature hotel Updated: 2016-03-17 07:56 By Wang Zhuoqiong(China Daily)

Picture taken on Nov 18, 2014, shows a view of the skyline in Auckland. [Photo/IC]

City believes the Chinese company is the right partner for high-end hotel development

The $200 million investment by Beijing-based property developer Fu Wah International Group in the five-star Park Hyatt Auckland serves as a strong signal that Chinese investors have growing interest in global hotel property market, industry experts said.

It is one of the largest foreign investments in New Zealand's tourism infrastructure.

Work on the project on Auckland's Wynyard Quarter waterfront neighbourhood began last week and the hotel is slated for opening in 2018.

Fu Wah won development rights for the hotel after a global investor search process in 2013 led by the land owner, Panuku Development Auckland.

The city council-controlled organization's CEO John Dalzell said Fu Wah stood out as a development partner with its commitment to a long term sustainable investment proposal, respect for the history of the site and its significance to Aucklanders.

"For many years this signature site has been known as the home of our America's Cup sailing team, Emirates Team New Zealand. Being blessed with some of the best views of the Waitemata Harbor and Auckland City, it was always destined for so much more.

"We look forward to the positive impact Park Hyatt Auckland will have on the waterfront and the region," Dalzell said.

Fu Wah Board Director and Overseas Investment General Manager Lim Wong said a further $2.5 million will be spent by Fu Wah to go toward a public promenade, walkway and art display in the area surrounding the hotel.

"It is important that the building is able to be enjoyed by the public as well as creating a public space for everyone to enjoy."

The 195-room hotel, to be managed by the Hyatt Group, will complement Wynyard Quarter's award-winning buildings and public spaces and deliver significant economic benefits to the central business district and nearby areas.

Hyatt Group Asia Pacific President David Udell said it was important to select the right brand to introduce to the new destination.

"Park Hyatt Auckland will be a landmark hotel, delivering a new level of luxury and sophistication to our guests. These elements are increasingly being sought by a growing number of discerning and affluent business and leisure travelers visiting this beautiful harbor city."

This will be the first Park Hyatt hotel in New Zealand, and one of only 37 globally. Fu Wah also recently acquired the Park Hyatt Melbourne.
Launch of strategic emerging industries board in doubt Updated: 2016-03-17 08:14 By Wu Yiyao(China Daily)

A man walks on the trading floor at the Shanghai Stock Exchange in the Lujiazui financial district in Shanghai in 2015. [Photo/Agencies] Speculation grows that plans might now be abandoned altogether

Plans to create a strategic emerging industries board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange have been left in considerable doubt, after a mention of its possible launch was removed from a draft outline of the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

A circular explaining revisions to the draft said the content concerning the board was canceled based on the view of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Regulators and other government bodies made no formal announcements regarding the change, but the revelation sparked speculation on Wednesday that the plans might now be abandoned altogether, with some analysts blaming the recent volatility in the stock market.

In recent months, officials from the Shanghai Stock Exchange, including its Chairman Gui Minjie, had insisted the launch had been making "sound progress".

Fang Xinghai, the vice-chairman of the CSRC said in December that Shanghai must launch it this year.

The board's creation has become widely regarded as an important new financing channel for the country's small and innovative enterprises, and a listing destination for more than 30 Chinese technology, media and telecom companies seeking to delist overseas, and re-list at home.

It was also expected to become a test ground for the planned new registration-based initial public offerings mechanism, according to previous circulars from the CSRC.

A research note from Minsheng Securities Co Ltd has claimed that as many as 380 enterprises have already met the requirements, and may be eying a listing.

If the plans to launch were to be shelved, those companies would now have to seek alternative routes to access capital markets, meaning shell entities could become popular targets as avenues for backdoor listings.

News of the omission immediately led to heated market speculation on the board's future.

Caixin.com said on Tuesday evening that it will not now be created, as it was not included in the draft, quoting "authorities".

But other analysts interpreted the exclusion as meaning the plans had not yet met regulatory requirements, and the launch had simply been delayed until a later date.

Sun Jianbo, a strategist with Galaxy Securities Ltd, said if the board was launched, its functions may even overlap with other existing funding platforms and even confuse companies and investors.

Fang Xinghai, the CSRC's vice-chairman, did say on Tuesday that it is still expected the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connection will be launched in the second half of 2016, and that the authorities were also conducting feasibility studies over a Shanghai-London stock connection.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged ahead 0.21 percent to 2,870.43 points on Wednesday, while Shenzhen Component Index lost 1.1 percent to 9,467.03.

Analysts said as more details on improving social well-being were introduced, stocks in sectors related to education, medical services and consumption are likely to benefit.
Policies aimed at luring success back home Updated: 2016-03-17 08:20 By Fan Feifei and Yang Jun(China Daily)

Last year Ouyang Yun followed the route of many other successful young professionals in China, and returned home to start his own business.

Originally from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, the 39-year-old in September became the general manager of Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co Ltd, a specialist big-data management and industry development outfit.

"Starting a business where I was born seems to be a Samsara," said Ouyang, referring to the repeating cycle of birth, life and death often referred to in many religions.

Ouyang first left Guiyang to study when he was just 19 years old.

After graduating from Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, and Beijing's Tsinghua University, he worked as a senior manager at different foreign companies.

"Although I have worked away for many years, I always remain interested in the development of my hometown and had ideas of going back to start a business there one day."

But turning his back, eventually, on a successful position most recently in Shanghai to return to his roots was decided on a lot more than just romantic hometown loyalty.

Like many others, doing the same across China today, Ouyang was tempted back by what was offered by the local authorities: Policy support for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Since 2010, Guiyang has introduced a series of measures based on offering financial support and introduced 2,683 high-level talent from diversified fields.

Since the start of this year, big-data industry entrepreneurs in the city have been able to apply for startup funding worth up to 5 million yuan ($766,870), for instance.

Universities and existing companies have also been encouraged to set up big-data training bases, again helped with local government funding of between 500,000 yuan and 2 million yuan.

Ouyang said he is confident that Guizhou's burgeoning big-data industry will continue to flourish and grow, helped especially by its low costs compared with more established tech centers in China.

"In the past, people often regarded Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as the great entrepreneurial destinationsbut I am positive the actions being taken by Guizhou and other similar cities will continue to lure people to start businesses in their own hometowns," he said.

China's three northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning have also launched plans to attract startup talent to spearhead their own industrial upgrading.
Description

The Jewish Women's circle of Oyster Bay will sponsor a talk on Love and relationships, by the internationally acclaimed speaker Sarah Karmely.



The talk will be held on Thursday, March 17 at 7:30 P.M. in Oyster Bay Cove. Refreshments will be served.



Mrs. Karmely's expertise in the field of relationships, love and marriage make her a sought out speaker who has been lecturing and counseling for over 20 years. Her lectures stress traditional Jewish marriage and family ideals. Bringing first-hand experience into her dynamic lectures and sensitive, successful counseling.



RSVP call Chana at 516-922-6489, or email chabadmn@gmail.com.



Sarah Karmely's expertise in the field of family purity, relationships, love and marriage make her a sought after speaker who has been lecturing and counseling for over 20 years. Her lectures stress traditional Jewish marriage and family ideals.



Bringing first-hand experience into her dynamic lectures and sensitive, successful counseling, Mrs. Karmely is tri-lingual, speaking a fluent English, Persian and Italian, and has attracted packed houses all across the U.S. as well as overseas.



The daughter of Iranian parents, Sarah Karmely was born in India, raised in London and lived in Italy. She now resides with her family in New York. Highly educated and extremely talented in many areas, Mrs. Karmely achieved diplomas on Oxford level, studied art and had her works exhibited in a North London museum.
Description

Ireland's Folk Band of the year, The High Kings, are Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden. Coming from accomplished Musical pedigrees, The High Kings grew up in households soaked in the Irish Musical tradition and each member of the band witnessed first hand the power of well crafted Irish music on an audience.



The High Kings showcase their incredible versatility and skills as multi-instrumentalists, playing 13 instruments between them bringing a rousing acoustic flavour to brand new songs as well as some old favourites. The High Kings are continuing to live up to their reputation as a phenomenal live band, serving up laughter, good times and even the odd sing along.
Testosterone

Oxytocin

Cortisol

Leptin

Thyroid Hormone

Every person in the world has one thing in common is the need for fat loss. Unfortunately, this is a common scenario for many people. Thats why its important to know what hormones or steroids are available that can help you reach your goal sooner and more efficiently. If you are interested in buying weight loss steroids, then a Great place to buy weight loss steroids at LAWeekly . Five essential hormones can help increase your metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate. They are all easy to use, just like any other hormone supplement would be.Testosterone is a natural hormone that is mainly produced in males. It is the best testosterone booster you can get when burning fat  even if you have a low testosterone level. You need some testosterone to make your muscles hard and your body feel healthier. The best thing about this hormone supplement is that its use does not require a prescription for any condition. More importantly, this drug has no side effects and should be used only by adults.This hormone regulates fertility. However, this is not the only reason why it is so popular. Oxytocin helps you increase your connection and trust with other people, which makes some people addicted. Sometimes, oxytocin is used instead of morphine because of its analgesic effect. Nowadays, oxytocin fat burners are very popular among women and men who want to get rid of extra calories. Oxytocin is beneficial to lose weight faster without any side effects.Cortisol reduces stress and increases blood pressure levels in the body. It also increases blood sugar levels, contributing to more energy during a workout session or sports activities. The best thing about cortisol is that it can increase your metabolism, making it the perfect hormone for people who dont have the time and energy to go to the gym to lose fat.This is a direct response to the leptin level in your body. If it becomes too low, your hunger will increase, and you will feel inclined to eat more food than needed. Leptin can help suppress that feeling and regulate your eating habits and diet plans for losing weight fast.T3 and T4 are the hormones that promote healthy metabolism, essential for burning more calories. The only drawback to these two hormones is that they require prescriptions like any other hormone supplement and from a specialist. So whenever you want to take thyroid hormone pills, you should always check with your doctor first if it is right for you or not. There is no point in risking your health just because you dont have enough money for prescription drugs.Eating less and working out more is not the only way to lose weight. You need to do it faster and easier if you want to see results in a short time. The five hormones listed above can help you burn calories faster than ever without any effort at all.
Mariano VivancoLittle Mix began their Get Weird tour in Wales on Sunday and they're already catching flack for their revealing costumes. But the ladies are not about to apologize. Group member Perrie Edwards defends their choice of skimpy outfits to U.K.s The Mirror.

We wear what we feel comfortable in, she says. Were not overly sexy in what we do anyway. We go for sexy/cute. Wed never want to be scandalous.

She adds, I think weve got the right kind of balance. Some of us are 24. We arent going to be able to wear stuff like this for the rest of our life, and parade around in little dresses and stuff, but at the same time, we are just girls.

Leigh-Anne Pinnock agrees and says theyd definitely refuse outfits if they felt they were too exposed.

But for now, those hot pants and bodysuits serve a practical purpose. We put on such a big show and theres a lot of dancing and it gets really hot out there, Perrie says. I like to feel free and have something I can move around in. Something pretty with lots of stretch in it.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham Thursday pledged to help Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz in every way I can, calling the Texas senator the best alternative to GOP front-runner Donald Trump.



I'm going to raise money for him in the pro-Israel community, Graham said in an interview with CNN, adding, If I were in one of the states coming up, in terms of voting and I didn't like Trump, I would vote for Cruz.



Graham, who mounted a failed presidential bid, said Trump is neither a Republican nor a conservative.



I think his campaign is built on xenophobia, race baiting and religious bigotry, he said, and I think Senator Cruz is a conservative who I can support.



Graham plans to host a fundraiser for Cruz Monday, according to the Texas senators presidential campaign.



We are thankful that Sen. Graham is hosting a fundraiser and supporting Ted, Alice Stewart, the Cruz campaigns communications director, said in a statement.



Graham acknowledged in the CNN interview that his support for Cruz might come as a surprise to some, given his past criticism of his Senate colleague.



In January, for instance, he said nominating Cruz, or Trump, would be the death of the Republican Party.



If you nominate Trump and Cruz, I think you get the same outcome, Graham said, according to The New York Times. Whether its death by being shot or poisoning doesnt really matter. I dont think the outcome will be substantially different.



He even went as far as to say in an interview with CNN in February that Cruz is "just as wrong as Obama, if not worse on foreign policy.



Graham, a war hawk in the fight against ISIS, also said in a December interview on RealClearRadio that Cruz has no credibility in my eyes when it comes to understanding how to defeat ISIL.



And at the annual Washington Press Club Foundation dinner in February, Graham joked that if you killed Cruz on the floor of the Senate, nobody would convict you.



But ever since Trumps victories in the Super Tuesday primaries earlier this month, Graham has been hinting at a change of mind, if not heart.



"Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means, he said in a recent interview with CBS News, but added, We may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump.



Graham told CNN Thursday that his decision tells you a lot about where we are as a party.



Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Thursday that the terror group ISIS is guilty of committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims.



Kerry's statement comes on the same day that a congressional deadline urging the Obama administration to make its own judgement was set to expire. Earlier this week, the House overwhelmingly approved a resolution, 393-0, that actions taken by ISIS against Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute genocide.



"One element of genocide is the intent to destroy an ethnic or religious group in whole or in part," Kerry said from the State Department briefing room.



"The fact is that Da'esh kills Christians because they are Christians, the Yazidis because they are Yazidis, [and] Shia because they are Shia," he said, using a local moniker to describe ISIS. "Its entire world view is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology."

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
By Jeffrey Dastin

March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines hoping to get a few of the limited number of flights to Cuba filed regulatory papers on Monday in response to rivals' applications laying out their best arguments for consumer travel to the Caribbean island.

The United States and Cuba signed an agreement a month ago restoring commercial air service between the former Cold War foes for the first time in decades. Under the agreement, 20 daily round-trip flights will be allowed to Havana but 13 U.S. carriers already have requested at least 52 flights per day, far exceeding the limit.

Airlines submitted responses to rivals' applications by the Monday deadline set by the U.S. Transportation Department for travel to the capital of Havana.

The filings come just before a trip to Cuba next week by President Barack Obama, the first by a U.S. president in nearly 90 years.

The arguments that emerged from the airline's filings contrasted low airfares and the convenience.

American Airlines Group Inc said nearly half of the entire Cuban-American population lives near its Miami hub, from which it applied for 10 daily flights to Havana. It said this gives it an advantage because a not-yet-lifted ban on tourism to Cuba means traffic must come from authorized travelers, such as people visiting family on the island.

"The frequencies proposed by JetBlue have no relation to demand," said American in its filing, claiming its rival to the Caribbean ran half-empty charters from nearby Fort Lauderdale to Havana.

American said 58 convenient connections via Miami would help it sell seats and serve more travelers globally, compared with JetBlue's alleged 15 connections via Fort Lauderdale.

JetBlue Airways Corp did not have additional comments beyond its own filing, which focused on the importance of competition and lower fares.

"There is no possible justification for one legacy carrier to have 50 percent of available frequencies for use on one route," JetBlue said. "American thrives, for example, in offering service in markets where it dominates with high fares and disappointing service."

Story continues

Southwest Airlines Co, in turn, argued for Florida-Cuba service, saying it was the true low-fare leader, reducing average one-way prices $41.46 when entering legacy markets, compared with fares falling $28.91 when JetBlue entered.

And United Continental Holdings Inc, whose application focused on daily Newark flights, questioned the need for extensive Florida schedules altogether.

"Why would you disproportionately allocate frequencies to Florida, when (unlimited charter flights there) can pick up the slack?" said Steve Morrissey, United's regulatory and policy vice president, in an interview.

(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Diane Craft)
All Aboard: Intermodal Railroad Traffic as of March 5

(Continued from Prior Part)

Australian carloads

Genesee and Wyomings (GWR) Australian carloads were down by 9.6% in February 2016. In the same period last year, the company hauled 17,136 carloads. But we should note that the companys metallic carloads fell by a whopping 77.2% in February 2016, settling at 784 units. However, carloads other than metallic ore were up by 7.4% in the same period at 14,707 units.

The leaders and the laggard commodity groups

The decrease in metallic ores carloads was primarily due to closures of iron ore and manganese mines in 2015. Except metallic ore volumes, the carloads for all other commodities were in the green zone in February 2016. Minerals and stone led carload growth, followed by agricultural products. However, YTD (year-to-date) data exhibits that GWR, carloads-wise, fared poorly in agricultural products, intermodal, and metallic ores, with the exception of minerals and stones.

Investors should note that, unlike other railroads, GWR also earns revenues from freight-related operations. These include railcar switching other rail-related services. Australian operations contributed 12.1% to the companys total revenue in 2015.

For GWR, the term carload represents physical railcars and estimated railcar equivalents of commodities for which the company gets paid. Genesee and Wyoming is often compared with Class I railroads since its operations span 75% of the US, parts of Canada, Australia, and some parts of Europe. Other US-based Class I rail carriers include Norfolk Southern (NSC), CSX Corporation (CSX), Kansas City Southern (KSU), and Union Pacific (UNP). Major US railroads make up 20.9% of the iShares Transportation Average ETF (IYT).

For more information on railroads, check out Market Realists Railroad page.

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millennials friends at bar

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), only about 3% of companies in the US offer to help employees chip away at student loans.

Most of the employees currently receiving this benefit work in the public sector, such as nurses, teachers, and lawyers.

But a new study from personal finance site NerdWallet finds companies in the private sector are contributing to student debt repayment for the first time.

It couldn't come at a better time. Based on numbers from the Institute for College Access & Success, student loan debt in the US has topped $1.3 trillion. That's an average of about $29,400 per student.

Last September, big four consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers announced it will launch a program to help employees with student loan debt in July 2016. The program, Student Loan Paydown (SLP), is administered by Boston-based startup Gradifi and is currently in its pilot stage.

Under SLP, the company will contribute $100 a month towards an associate's or senior associate's student loan for up to six years or when the employee is promoted to manager level, whichever comes first.

According to Michael Fenlon, global director for PwC, the benefit could be worth $10,000 thanks to the impact extra payments have on interest, and shave off two to three years off the total payment period.

"Eighty percent of our workforce is millennials," said Fenlon. "They are the ones who told us that this is a big deal to them."

Elaine Florentino, 23, an associate at PwC, is one of the 76 employees in the pilot program. She anticipates the $100 a month will cut one year off payments for her $57,000 of student loans.

"It's kind of like a light at the end of the tunnel," she told Business Insider. "It will get paid."

PwC isn't the only company choosing to offer this benefit. For instance, Natixis Global Asset Management offers $5,000 to an employee who has been with the company for five years, with the opportunity to earn an additional $1,000 for each of the next five years.

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Fidelity Investments offers its full-time employees the Step Ahead Student Loan Assistance program, which contributes $2,000 toward an employee's student loan debt annually, for up to five years.

However, many employers are hesitant to help employees pay student loans. Unlike 401(k) contributions and tuition reimbursement (for employees who pursue degrees sponsored by their employer), student loan debt assistance is not currently tax-deductible. In fact, the amount gets taxed as income for the employee. But the "Employer Participation in Student Loan Assistance Act," a bill proposed by Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Congresswoman Gwen Graham (D-Fl), could change that by making repayment assistance tax-deductible just like tuition reimbursement is, according to Dan Macklin, cofounder of student lender SoFi.

Millennials workshop

"PwC is offering the student loan paydown because our people have told us that it's an issue that matters to them," said Fenlon. "It ties to a bigger commitment at our firm, and it's our goal to help solve important problems for our clients and society. We think student debt is a major societal problem, and we want to be leaders in helping to solve it."

Alternative solutions to helping employees pay debt are beginning to take shape. Student Loan Genius, a student loan benefits provider, recently introduced the Student Loan 401(k) Contribution. With this feature, employers match a percentage of what an employee pays towards student loan debt, as a contribution to the individual's retirement plan. The contribution would be pre-tax for both the employer and the employee.

"By putting unused, already budgeted, pre-tax retirement plan dollars to work, this feature helps break down one of today's biggest investment road blocks for employees who are held back by student debt," Tony Aguilar, Student Loan Genius cofounder and CEO, told Business Insider. While the benefits benefits provider is working with dozens of companies to implement this feature, it hasn't yet been offered to any employees.

"Employers are really waking up to the fact that while adding other benefits are nice, they need to be more in tune with what employees really want in order for them to acquire top talent," said Andrew Josuweit, CEO of student loan repayment website Student Loan Hero, in an email. "Rather than simply go with the status quo and what they think employees want, it's encouraging to see some companies are doing more to address what employees actually need to improve their financial health."

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BRASILIA, March 17 (Reuters) - Brazil's lower house of Congress launched impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday by approving a committee of 65 members that will study whether there are grounds to remove her for manipulating government accounts.

Lawmakers voted 433-1 to install the committee that is tasked with reporting to the full lower house. Approval from two-thirds of the 513 members of the lower house would be needed to proceed to a formal trial in the Senate.

The opposition request to impeach Rousseff alleges that her government manipulated accounts in 2014 to allow her to boost public spending in the run-up to her re-election in 2014.

The call for impeachment has become a test for Rousseff's survival in a political storm created by a widening corruption scandal and Brazil's worst recession in decades.

Lawmakers approved a slate of names from all parties represented in Congress. Leonardo Picciani, leader in the lower house of the centrist PMDB party, which is divided over supporting or ousting Rousseff, said the list was impartial.

"The panel includes moderates, allies and opponents of the government," said Picciani, who is regarded as a member of a faction favorable to Rousseff within the PMDB.

House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, an archenemy of the president, said this week that he will speed up proceedings as much as possible. The committee will be formally installed on Thursday evening, when it should select its chairman.

Government aides had been confident earlier this year they could muster the 171 votes to block the attempt to unseat her, but a wave of recent protests and revelations in the corruption probe have put her survival in danger.

Rousseff on Thursday swore in charismatic former Workers' Party president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff with the job of cementing support for her in Congress and averting impeachment.

(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Tom Brown)
BOSTON, MA and BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Mar 17, 2016) - Today Cayan, The Payment Possibilities Company, celebrated the completion of a nearly $8M global renovation of its Boston headquarters and Northern Ireland, United Kingdom offices. Although many companies say employees are their greatest assets, Cayan put its money where its mouth is: embarking upon a radical redesign to reflect and amplify the company's pivoting culture, personality and values -- while also making their office "house" feel more like a "home" for employees, complete with living room-styled meeting spaces and vast employee cafe remodels. The resulting colorful and bright 42,000 square foot Boston and 22,500 square foot Belfast offices promote teamwork and collaboration while complementing individual working styles.

"After 18 years, Cayan's transformed from a sales focused-organization to a technology-first company -- we're building the future of payments in both Boston and Belfast -- and so we wanted every inch of these new offices to reflect our evolving journey," explained Henry Helgeson, CEO and Co-Founder of Cayan. "For example, at the heart of our Boston headquarters we have also designed a small, innovation-centric retail lab to not only practice what we preach but also constantly challenge our employees to improve the retail experience."

The build out of Cayan's Boston location includes "watercooler meeting points" designed to mimic living room enclaves as well as high top tables and bar stools to encourage more eye-to-eye conversation in place of traditional conference room scenarios which can drain creativity. Other renovations include converting the previous tenant's bank vaults into nap rooms and an online gaming area, where employees are encouraged to create across-the-pond comradery by playing one another in the occasional game or two. Included in the investment is also a commitment to improving infrastructure and office systems to not only enable collaboration, but enhance interoperability, reporting and performance.

Following its launch in Northern Ireland in 2013, Cayan has grown its initial headcount of 15 employees to what is now a full-time staff of over 135 employees. The company's new Sci-Fi themed Belfast office occupies two floors and about one-third of the City Quays 1 waterfront building's 84,000 square foot development.

About Cayan

Cayan is the leading provider of payment technologies that give businesses a competitive advantage. From simple and reliable payment processing, to fully integrated, multi-channel customer engagement platforms, Cayan is continuously developing new ways for businesses to unlock the power of payments. Headquartered in Boston, the company has multiple offices in the United States and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Cayan is one of the world's fastest growing payment companies. For more information, visit www.cayan.com.
HAVANA, March 17 (Reuters) - Cuba plans to remove a tax on dollars after Washington relaxed currency restrictions against the Communist-run island, but only when the government is sure the U.S. measures really make transactions easier, Cuba's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez announced the measures three days before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visit Cuba.

Earlier this week, the White House chipped away at a 54-year-old embargo by relaxing trade and tourism restrictions. It said it would allow U.S. banks to process dollar transactions for Cuba as long as neither buyer nor seller are U.S. entities.

(Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Leslie Adler)
amazon bezos

FedEx is not concerned about recent reports of Amazon possibly building up an in-house shipping network, and downplayed it as mere "headline grabbing" stories.

During its earnings call on Wednesday, FedEx Executive VP Mike Glenn told analysts that building a service that rivals FedEx would simply take too long and cost too much.

"While recent stories and reports of a new entity competing with the three major carriers in the United States grabs headlines, the reality is it would be a daunting task requiring tens of billions of dollars in capital and years to build sufficient scale and density to replicate existing networks like FedEx," Glenn said.

He reassured that his partnership with Amazon remains strong and that large retailers have always had their own delivery network to serve their own shipping needs, primarily to move items in and out of warehouses locally. Plus, FedEx's service portfolio far exceeds simple local delivery, spanning everything from express to ground to freight.

"There are hundreds and thousands of local delivery companies in every market in the country delivering parcels," Glenn continued. "That's not the market that FedEx competes in on a day-to-day basis."

"We have the capability to pick up, transport and deliver an item from 95% of the human beings on the planet, much less every business in the world, within one to two business days, door to door, customs cleared," he added.

There's been a lot of speculation around Amazon's plan to build its own in-house delivery network rivaling that of FedEx or UPS. It recently leased 20 cargo aircraft and bought thousands of its own trailer trucks, while calling itself a "transportation service provider" for the first time in its annual filings.

In fact, just yesterday, RBC Capital's Mark Mahaney released a note saying that Amazon is working on its own global supply-chain network to cut costs, although he pointed out it would take a few years before it fully rolls out.

Story continues

"All in, we believe it is likely Amazon will make a concerted effort to take over ever larger portions of its supply chain," the report said. "However, a full-blown Amazon parcel delivery operation would likely take years to complete, so we believe FDX [FedEx] and UPS would have time to react."

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An Apple logo is seen at the entrance of an Apple Store in downtown Brussels, Belgium March 10, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman

By Eric Auchard and Dan Levine

FRANKFURT/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A German district court has ruled that Apple Inc (AAPL.O) violated patents acquired by Swiss security company Kudelski's OpenTV business, which could force Apple to remove some video streaming features from popular products sold in Germany.

The ruling by a three-judge panel at the Duesseldorf district court on Tuesday said that Apple must not supply software that infringes an OpenTV patent covering the mixing of video, audio and online information in a single video stream.

The court's decision puts pressure on Apple to seek a licensing deal from Kudelski, though the U.S. technology leviathan could comply by removing or disabling the offending features from its video streaming products. In the worst case, it would have to pull the devices from the market.

Products that could be affected range from iPhones to iPad tablets, Mac computers, the iTunes music service, the Quicktime video software player and Apple TV, the Silicon Valley company's video streaming box, according to court documents.

"The claim is predominantly valid and well-founded," the Duesseldorf court said in its ruling.

POTENTIAL FINES

It is unclear whether Apple will appeal. The company faces fines of up to 250,000 euros per infringement if it fails to comply, but the ruling did not specify how this would be calculated or what the total amount of penalties might be.

Apple and Kudelski representatives declined to comment.

Since 2012 Kudelski has waged a high-profile campaign on intellectual property licensing, taking on some of the world's biggest technology groups in courts far and wide. It has reached settlement deals with Google (GOOGL.O), Cisco Systems (CSCO.O) and Netflix (NFLX.O). Financial terms were not disclosed.

Outstanding legal action includes cases against Apple and Verizon's (VZ.N) AOL.

The German injunction will come into effect once Apple has been notified in writing that OpenTV has posted security of 4 million euros ($4.5 million) demanded by the court as potential compensation for Apple's losses if the decision is reversed on appeal.

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Apple can apply to the regional appeal court for a stay of enforcement, which can usually be obtained in a matter of weeks, and appeal against the substantive ruling in that higher court.

OpenTV, which has filed a similar case against Apple in the United States, alleged in the German case that Apple products infringed three patents owned by it or other Kudelski operations. Kudelski acquired OpenTV in 2010 and initiated the German case in 2014.

PATENT CHALLENGE

Apple responded by filing to have the OpenTV patent invalidated in the Federal Patent Court in Munich.

The Duesseldorf court stated in Tuesday's ruling that it was sufficiently confident that Apple would not succeed in having the Munich court invalidate OpenTV patents.

Asked about the Apple challenges to the OpenTV patents, a spokeswoman for the Munich court said two nullity cases relating to patents for video delivery and integrated interactive video and Internet were pending.

"In respect of the course of the usual procedure in nullity proceedings an oral hearing might possibly take place in the first quarter of 2017. As the proceedings are not public at this stage, it is not possible to submit further information," she said in an email.

This week's ruling in the Duesseldorf court found that Apple products infringed a single dot-com era patent filed in 1997 by ACTV Inc, which was later acquired by OpenTV. European Patent number 0 885 525 B2 is entitled "An Integrated Interactive Video and Internet System".

Kudelski has developed and acquired a range of movie and digital TV technologies over several decades and became a player in the streaming-video market through its OpenTV acquisition.

The company, which is facing flat revenue growth in its overall business, has two main operating units: secure media distribution systems used in TV set-top boxes and access control systems for car parks, stadiums and ski lifts.

Shares in Kudelski, which has a modest market capitalisation of 793 million Swiss francs ($818.2 million), were down 1.9 percent at 15.85 francs at 1400 GMT on Thursday.

($1 = 0.9692 Swiss francs)

($1 = 0.8835 euros)

(Additional reporting Georgina Prodhan and Harro ten Wolde in Frankfurt; Editing by Chris Reese, David Goodman and David Evans)
A combination of two pictures show the logo of grocery chain Kaiser's (L) and Edeka in Berlin, Germany, January 12, 2016. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Economy Minister overturned a decision by the competition watchdog and approved a deal for Edeka, the country's biggest supermarket group, to buy grocery chain Kaiser's, on condition that jobs are not lost.

Germany's federal cartel office stopped the planned deal between the unlisted retailers last year, saying the takeover would limit competition in big cities such as Berlin and Munich would could lead to price increases in Europe's biggest economy.

Kaiser's owner Tengelmann had warned that if the deal failed it could mean the closure of the supermarket chain and the loss of 16,000 jobs.

Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who is leader of the Social Democrats, made it a condition of his approval that jobs at Kaiser's would be safeguarded over the next five years.

Rival supermarket chain Rewe, which had also sought to buy Kaiser's from Tengelmann, said it would fight the deal by filing a complaint with a German court.

Ralph Brinkhaus, deputy parliamentary floor leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc, said fostering competition in the long run should trump efforts to safeguard jobs for the short term.

"The approval of the Edeka/Tengelmann merger is very problematic in terms of regulatory policy," Brinkhaus said.

The cartel office had said that the acquisition of Kaiser's, which has 451 stores and annual sales of 1.8 billion euros (1.4 billion), would give Edeka a market share of more than 10 percent in some places.

Edeka and Tengelmann said they welcomed Gabriel's decision.

(Reporting by Gernot Heller; Additional reporting by Nikola Rotscheroth; Writing by Maria Sheahan and Paul Carrel; Editing by Arno Schuetze and Elaine Hardcastle)
The logo of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is seen on its office building in Shanghai July 12, 2013. REUTERS/Aly Song

By Ben Hirschler

LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) said on Thursday its Chief Executive Andrew Witty would retire in 12 months after leading the British drugmaker through a series of changes since 2008 that have failed to ignite the share price.

Witty, a 31-year company veteran, has been under pressure in the past three years as sales and profits have flagged, while some investors have questioned his focus on a consumer health business that ranges from headache pills to toothpaste.

His reputation was further tarnished by a damaging bribery scandal in China that landed GSK with a record 3 billion yuan (319.7 million) fine in 2014.

On the plus side, Witty has managed GSK through a wave of drug patent expiries without resorting to a major acquisition and the company is now on track to return to earnings growth this year.

His decision to retire at the end of March 2017 is not a huge surprise, since Chairman Philip Hampton had already discussed the need for succession planning in meetings with shareholders.

But the departure comes at a time of continued debate over the direction of GSK and investors may fear a period of limbo before a new CEO comes on board.

There have been calls from a minority of shareholders, including respected UK fund manager Neil Woodford, for a break-up of the group, with critics arguing its pharmaceuticals and consumer health units would do better as standalone businesses.

Woodford said an outsider with a fresh perspective should now be appointed as Witty's replacement.

Witty, 51, has conceded in the past that spinning off the consumer healthcare division could be an option but he has argued this should not happen in the short term.

He told Reuters on Thursday he remained convinced consumer products offered a valuable counterbalance to pharmaceuticals and insisted his retirement was unrelated to break-up demands.

"Absolutely you should not make that linkage. I can tell you the board is unanimously committed to the strategy and the structure of the group," he said.

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Deutsche Bank analyst Richard Parkes said that while a new CEO might turn to acquisitions to bolster GSK's prescription drugs - a move that could be funded by a sale or spin out of consumer operations - an evolution of the current strategy was more likely than major change.

A $20 billion (13.8 billion) asset swap with Novartis (NOVN.S), completed a year ago, which involved the exchange of cancer drugs for the Swiss groups consumer health products and vaccines, was a centre-piece of Witty's time in charge.

The deal crystallised his idea of reducing exposure to premium-priced pharmaceuticals and increasing sales of over-the-counter products, as well as selling more lower-priced medicines in emerging markets.

STOCK UNDERPERFORMANCE

Not all investors have been convinced by the diversification play, however, and GSK shares have underperformed, returning 87 percent since he took over in May 2008 against 164 percent on average for the European pharmaceuticals sector.

Recently, GSK stock has done better, largely on the back of its HIV drug business, which the company had considered spinning off in an initial public offering before deciding to retain it.

GSK said its board would consider both internal and external candidates for the role of new CEO. Executive search firms Egon Zehnder and Korn Ferry have been engaged to help with the appointment.

Internal candidates could include GSK's global pharmaceuticals head Abbas Hussain, leader of the consumer division Emma Walmsley and manufacturing head Roger Connor, as well as finance chief Simon Dingemans, a former Goldman Sachs banker.

Externally, GSK might try to snare a senior figure from a rival drugmaker, such as Novartis' respected pharma head David Epstein, or else look beyond the drugs sector to an executive with broader experience in consumer products.

Chairman Hampton also announced plans for "board refreshment" at the drugmaker, with Deryck Maughan, Stephanie Burns, Daniel Podolsky and Hans Wijers not standing for re-election at the annual meeting in May.

(Additional reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Mark Potter and Elaine Hardcastle)
A boy carries a basket of corn as he walks over corn kept for drying, outside a mosque, at Mathwar village, 36 km (22 miles) northwest of Jammu November 8, 2012. REUTERS/Mukesh Gupta/Files

By Mayank Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has cancelled a tender to import 240,000 tonnes of corn, trade and government sources said, hoping for a bigger-than-expected local summer harvest and following uncertainty over the availability of non-genetically modified corn as demanded.

Global traders such as Agrocorp, Concordia, Noble, Starcom and Daewoo International submitted bids on Feb. 12 to supply 240,000 tonnes of corn in a range of $194.62 and $221.50 per tonne.

By cancelling the latest import tender, India has put off plans to import any more for now, the sources said on Thursday. In a previous tender, New Delhi secured supplies of 250,000 tonnes of Ukrainian corn.

Late last year, the government asked state-run trader PEC Ltd to import half a million tonnes of duty-free corn after two droughts in a row clipped output, announcing the country's first such overseas purchase in 16 years.

In its first international tender competition launched in January, the government-backed trader awarded a contract to South Korea's Daewoo International to supply 250,000 tonnes of yellow non-genetically modified corn.

"Of the 250,000 tonnes, PEC has already received about 130,000 tonnes and ships carrying another 120,000 tonnes are plying international waters," said a trade source.

Since India doesn't allow genetically modified (GM) food crops, PEC sought in its import tender only non-GM corn, a condition that looked like a tall order to many trade and industry experts, as only a handful of countries grow grain which would qualify.

PEC will sell imported corn directly to poultry units and starch manufacturers.

India has traditionally been a major corn exporter to southeast Asia, but higher local prices because of the first back-to-back drought in nearly three decades and rising domestic demand hampered exports.

The dramatic switch in India's position in the market has brought cheers to rival suppliers such as Brazil, Argentina and the United States.

Indian farmers grow corn twice a year. The winter crop is planted in October, with harvests in March and April. The farm ministry last month forecast summer harvest at 5.41 million tonnes, down from 7.16 million tonnes.

(Editing by Mark Potter)
By Sumeet Chatterjee

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Heineken is likely to ask Vijay Mallya, who owes creditor banks more than $1 billion, to step down from the board of United Breweries, India's largest brewer, three people with direct knowledge of the plan told Reuters.

They said such a move would likely be a prelude to the Dutch drinks firm raising its stake in the maker of Kingfisher beer to above 50 percent, betting on a small but fast-growing beer market.

Heineken acquired a 37.5 percent stake in United Breweries in 2008 through its takeover of Scottish & Newcastle and has since increased its holding to 42.4 percent. With Mallya distracted by debts from a collapsed airline venture, this could be a timely grab by Heineken in a market that is growing much faster than the global average.

Two-thirds of Indians don't drink alcohol, often for religious or cultural reasons, but rapid urbanisation and a rising middle class are changing consumer habits. India accounts for 13 percent of world beer consumption, and annual volume growth is expected to outpace the global average, and major markets like China, through 2019, according to ratings agency Moody's.

The sources said Heineken was considering asking Mallya to step down from the United Breweries board he chairs. Alternatively, it could call a shareholder meeting to vote on his ouster from a company his father built into a family empire.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A Heineken spokesman declined to comment on any move to tighten control over the Indian joint venture, but said India remains an "exciting opportunity" for growth given its demographics and strong economic fundamentals.

Mallya and a spokesman for UB Group did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

KING OF GOOD TIMES

Banks, regulators and investigators in India have turned up the heat on Mallya, who inherited United Breweries at the age of 28 and led it on an ambitious expansion.

Creaking under mountains of bad debt banks themselves are under pressure from the government to chase up high profile cases like Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines collapsed in 2013 leaving unpaid wages and angry creditors.

Story continues

Mallya has already been forced to give up control over United Spirits, part of his UB Group, to Diageo, which now owns about 55 percent of the company. He stepped down from the board last month, receiving a $75 million pay off. On Thursday, creditors auctioning off Kingfisher Airlines' Mumbai headquarters did not receive a single bid, according to a banker with direct knowledge of the process.

Mallya left India early this month - as banks sought a court order to confiscate his passport - and has not disclosed his whereabouts, but he has used his Twitter account to say he is not an "absconder" and would comply with Indian law.

The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and the vast unpaid bank dues are a high-profile illustration of India's ineffective bankruptcy and debt recovery processes, and highlight the often close ties between politics and business.

A member of India's upper house of parliament, Mallya is known as the "King of Good Times" for his party lifestyle. He is often described as India's answer to British entrepreneur Richard Branson.

Mallya borrowed heavily to expand his airline's network, but a series of missteps, including the ill-conceived acquisition of a rival, saw the carrier grounded, some former senior staff said. They said Mallya micro-managed operations - from the selection of routes to the design of baggage tags - with no previous experience in the aviation industry.

"Unlike what he did in his liquor business, which is run by people who have the expertise, he got personally involved in the airline business .... a very, very wrong decision," said Sanjay Bahadur, who worked at the airline as a corporate affairs executive dealing with the government and regulators.

Mallya has blamed the airline's collapse on macro-economic factors and previous government policies.

(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; Additional reporting by Devidutta Tripathy; Editing by Clara Ferreira Marques and Ian Geoghegan)
Hugh Hendry

Global macro hedge fund manager Hugh Hendry, who was once a famous China bear, says the world would be "over" if China devalued its currency by 20%.

"Tomorrow, we wake up  I mean, I would jump out the hotel window if this was the scenario  but we wake up and China has devalued 20%. The world is over. The world is over," Hendry told Raoul Pal in an hour-long interview with Real Vision Television, a subscription financial video service.

Pal, a former GLG fund manager and author of the Global Macro Investor newsletter, disagrees with Hendry. So do numerous well-known hedge fund managers who are betting against China's currency, the yuan.

The yuan depreciation has become a consensus trade among hedge funds, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch's Global Fund Manager survey released at the beginning of the year. It has been a challenging trade so far, however, as the People's Bank of China has been fighting back against the hedge funds in an effort to slow the depreciation of the currency.

Hendry, who has been running the UK-based Eclectica Asset Management for 14 years and profited during the 2008 crisis, believes the way to enrich the Chinese economy is through a stronger currency. And if a devaluation happened, he thinks we would enter a "Mad Max" world, referring to the Oscar-winning film about a post-apocalyptic dystopia.

The world is over. The euro breaks up. There's no euro in that scenario. The US economy, I mean everything hits a wall! Everything hits a wall! The dollar strength that you imagined is devastation because you just eliminated dollars. They're a scarce commodity. You've wiped them out. And China is a pariah state. It's a 'Mad Max' movie, right. OK, China gets to be the king in 'Mad Max' world. How appealing is that? There is no world after the tomorrow where China devalues by 20%. There is no world. Yeah, it's looney tunes to believe that, people say, 'oh wow, they needed to catch a break.' Their share of world trade is, like, never been higher. They're facing no pressure, immense terms of trade improvement, and you would destroy world trade.

Story continues

Between 2010 and 2012, Hendry established himself as one of the most prominent critics on China. He even famously posted a YouTube video of himself in front of "ghost" cities there. At one point, Hendry said he believed the "final shoe" to drop from the 2008 financial crisis would manifest itself in China. In 2013, he came out as bullish. He's neither a bull nor a bear at the moment.

Hendry said earlier in the interview he would be long the RMB, but he cannot rule out that China goes "rogue" and agrees with the hedge funds' argument and devalues its currency.

That's the risk of geopolitics right there.

You can watch the clip here. To view the full interview, subscribe to Real Vision Television, now offering a 7-day free trial with along with 20 research publications through March 31.

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(Repeats Wednesday's story with no changes to text)

* India expects to develop own GM cotton variety next year

* Monsanto must cut prices to sell cotton seeds-minister

* Minister says can't allow one company to control market

* India's cotton output: http://link.reuters.com/zex75w

By Rupam Jain and Mayank Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI, March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. seed company Monsanto is welcome to leave India if it does not want to lower prices of genetically modified cotton seeds as directed by the government, a minister said on Wednesday, in a sign the rift between New Delhi and the firm is widening.

The comments come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government expects to develop its own genetically modified (GM) cotton varieties early next year to end Monsanto's dominance; it controls over 90 percent of cotton seed supply.

New technologies are critical to lifting India's poor farm productivity, although even if India did develop a home-grown GM cotton variety in 2017, it would struggle to sustain a programme that needs to refresh seeds every decade or so, experts warned.

The introduction of Monsanto's GM cotton seeds in 2002 helped turn India into the biggest producer of the fibre, while other crops like pulses continue to suffer as transgenic food is banned and local research has stalled.

Despite the gains GM cotton brought for more than 7 million cotton farmers in India, some of them and their associations, including one affiliated to Modi's ruling party that promotes self-reliance, have complained Monsanto overprices its products.

Under pressure to mollify farmers hit by three straight crop failures due to bad weather, Modi's government has imposed a cut of around 70 percent in royalties that local firms pay Monsanto for its cotton technology.

India's anti-trust regulator is also investigating whether the company misused its near-monopoly to jack up rates. A Monsanto joint venture with a local company says it is confident the allegations will be proved groundless.

Story continues

Monsanto has taken the government to court over the royalty.

It said in a statement this month it would have to reevaluate its India business, because it was difficult to bring in new technologies in an "environment where such arbitrary and innovation-stifling government interventions make it impossible to recoup research and development investments ..."

But Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, the junior agriculture minister, told Reuters the government was trying to rectify what he called past mistakes that allowed a foreign company to dictate seed prices and stifled local crop research.

"It's now upon Monsanto to decide whether they want to accept this rate or not," Balyan said. "If they don't find it feasible, then they are free to take a call. The greed (of charging) a premium has to end.

"We're not scared if Monsanto leaves the country, because our team of scientists are working to develop (an) indigenous variety of (GM) seeds," he said.

A Monsanto spokesman declined to comment beyond the statement, but analysts said it was unlikely to withdraw from India lightly given the huge size of the market and its strategic importance now that China has bid to snap up the company's biggest rival, Syngenta, for $43 billion.

"INVITE MONSANTO BACK?"

Monsanto India is the firm's only listed unit outside its home base, and it has been selling seeds and herbicide in the country for more than four decades.

Globally the company has cut its earnings forecast as seed prices fall amid lower farm spending, and any climb-down in India could lead to demands for price cuts in other markets.

Monsanto warned in January that its international GM traits businesses could face unpredictable regulatory environments that may be highly politicized.

"The decision of the government to override contracts signed by private entities sends a negative signal when the prime minister is going around the world seeking private investment," said Ashok Gulati, an agricultural economist who formerly advised the government.

He said that although India might be able to develop its own GM cotton seeds based on Monsanto's current Bollgard II technology, their efficacy will drop sharply in 4-5 years as pests they are meant to kill become resistant.

"What will we do then? Invite Monsanto again?" he asked, adding that developing new technology would require expensive and extensive research.

Monsanto has said that heightened regulation by India went against the government's own policies to promote innovation and improve ease of doing business, and that it was important for the country to ensure sanctity of contracts and recognise intellectual property rights.

The emphasis on home-grown technology could be good news for a GM mustard variety developed by Indian scientists and being considered by the government.

A committee of government and independent experts will have their fifth meeting this year in April to evaluate trial results on what could be India's first lab-altered food crop.

Monsanto is also developing GM corn varieties to be sold in India if allowed, which analysts cite as another reason pulling out would be difficult.

"India is too huge a seed market for anyone to leave (of) one's own choice," said Ajay Vir Jakhar, chairman of the Farmers' Forum India.

(Additional reporting and writing by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering delaying for a second time a planned increase in the nation's sales tax if the economy continues to stagnate, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Friday. Abe is considering a one- to two-year delay for the tax increase to 10 percent from 8 percent, now planned for April 2017, the newspaper said, without citing sources for the information. He will make his decision after seeing first-quarter growth figures in May and judging conditions within the Group of Seven industrial powers when he hosts a G7 summit late that month, the Yomiuri said. Abe had long insisted that he would delay the hike only in the event of a shock on the order of the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers bank that ushered in the global financial crisis. But he recently suggested the possibility of another delay, and his government has begun informally discussing another postponement, sources previously told Reuters. The premier raised the levy from 5 percent in April 2014, as agreed under the previous government, to curb Japan's massive public debt. But the move sent the world's third-biggest economy into deep recession. He postponed the planned second increase, which was to have occurred last October. (Writing by William Mallard; Editing by Sandra Maler)
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - The Lupus Foundation of America (Foundation) announces the appointment of Joan T. Merrill, M.D. as Chief Advisor, Clinical Development and Susan Manzi, M.D., M.P.H. as the new Medical Director.

In her new role, Dr. Merrill will focus on shifting the drug development paradigm in lupus, including development of a new instrument for use in clinical trials and clinical practice, as well as an online training program for physicians conducting clinical trials, among other innovative projects.

"On behalf of the Lupus Foundation of America, Dr. Merrill has made enormous contributions to advancing the science and medicine of lupus having been our founding medical director for 12 years," said Sandra C. Raymond, President and CEO of the Foundation. "We look forward to working with her in this new role."

As Lupus Foundation of America Medical Director, Dr. Susan Manzi will lead efforts to address gaps in education and the health care needs of people with lupus. The work will advance the science and medicine of lupus, improve education programs and expand educational materials, as well as representing the Foundation on policy matters affecting the health and quality of life for people with lupus.

"We are thrilled that Dr. Manzi will be serving as our next Medical Director as she is widely recognized as a leader in lupus patient care and research and a pioneer in the scientific investigation of cardiovascular disease in people with lupus."

Drs. Merrill and Manzi will collaborate on projects to bring down barriers to treatment development and access for lupus patients.

Dr. Manzi is Chair of Medicine, Allegheny Health Network and Co-Founder and Director of the Lupus Center of Excellence in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Manzi has served on the Foundation's Board of Directors for nine years and is a member of the Foundation's Medical Scientific Advisory Committee.

Dr. Merrill is a member of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation where she founded a clinical pharmacology research program to study new biologic treatments that act on the immune system. She is also an OMRF Professor of Medicine at the University of Oklahoma.

Story continues

For more information on lupus and the Lupus Foundation of America, please visit lupus.org.

About Lupus

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, strikes without warning, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to diseases of similar scope and devastation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America is the only national force devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, one of the world's cruelest, most unpredictable and devastating diseases, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
(Adds upcoming legislative break, comment from lawmaker, DPS debt burden, passage of financial oversight bill, credit rating agency warnings)

March 17 (Reuters) - The Michigan House on Thursday approved $48.7 million for the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) to prevent the district from shutting down next month.

The Republican-controlled chamber voted 104-5, sending the measure to the Senate, which is under the gun to pass the appropriation before the legislature takes off for its March 25-April 11 spring break.

Steven Rhodes, a former federal bankruptcy judge appointed by Governor Rick Snyder to run the district, warned last week that DPS will not have money after April 8 to pay teachers and staff, which would force him to close schools.

"We have a constitutional responsibility to provide education for all children, and this is House Republican leadership following through on that responsibility to make sure they can finish the school year," said a statement from Republican State Representative Al Pscholka, who chaired House Appropriations Committee hearings on the legislation.

Michigan's largest public school system, which operates 97 schools for about 47,000 students, is sinking under $3.4 billion of debt and other obligations. Those include $1.5 billion of general obligation bonds issued through the state's school bond loan fund and a $1.3 billion unfunded pension liability to the Michigan Public Employee Retirement System.

Despite being under state oversight since 2009, the school district has a $515 million operating deficit.

The Michigan House tied the appropriation to another bill it passed Thursday in a 66-43 vote that would subject DPS to a financial review commission similar to one in place for the city of Detroit, which exited the biggest-ever U.S. municipal bankruptcy in December 2014.

Snyder is backing legislation to create two entities - a Detroit Community District to run the schools and the current DPS to retire debt. He is also seeking $72 million annually over 10 years to fund the plan, using money from Michigan's share of a nationwide settlement with U.S. tobacco companies.

Story continues

Credit rating agencies last week issued warnings about the school district's cash crunch.

Standard & Poor's said it will likely cut the ratings on $469 million of DPS notes and bonds backed by an intercept of the district's state aid revenue if the cash-flow crisis leads to a shut down of operations before the school year ends. Moody's Investors Service said the district's underlying rating of Caa1 could fall deeper into "junk" if legislative reforms fail to pass leading to a recommendation to file for bankruptcy.

(Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Bernard Orr)
US student Otto Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years hard labour in North Korea for stealing a propaganda poster at a hotel in Pyongyang (AFP Photo/KCNA VIA KNS)

Seoul (AFP) - North Korea on Wednesday sentenced an American student who admitted stealing a propaganda banner from a hotel to 15 years' hard labour for subversive activities, state media said.

The judgement was handed down on Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old student from the University of Virginia, by North Korea's Supreme Court, the North's official KCNA news agency said.

Observers said the harsh sentence was likely a reflection of soaring military tensions on the divided Korean peninsula following the North's nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch a month later.

The United States took a leading role in securing the resulting sanctions that the UN Security Council imposed on the North earlier this month.

In recent weeks Pyongyang has maintained a daily barrage of nuclear strike threats against both Seoul and Washington, ostensibly over ongoing large-scale South Korea-US military drills that the North sees as provocative rehearsals for invasion.

In announcing the jail sentence, KCNA said Warmbier had committed his offence "pursuant to the US government's hostile policy" towards North Korea.

- 'Hostile acts' -

Warmbier had initially been arrested in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state. KCNA said he was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion.

"In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating.

Warmbier was arrested as he was leaving the country with a tour group. He later said he had removed a political banner from the staff-only area of the Pyongyang hotel where the group had stayed.

The sentence was handed down just hours after veteran US diplomat Bill Richardson reportedly met two diplomats from North Korea's UN office in New York to press for Warmbier's release.

"I urged the humanitarian release of Otto, and they agreed to convey our request," Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico, told the New York Times.

Story continues

In the past, North Korea has used the detention of US citizens to obtain high-profile visits from the likes of former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in order to secure their release.

Richardson has travelled to North Korea several times over the years on diplomatic missions that have included negotiating the freedom of arrested Americans.

The United States has no diplomatic or consular relations with the North. The Swedish embassy in Pyongyang provides limited consular services to US citizens detained there.

Warmbier is one of three North Americans currently detained in North Korea, which recently sentenced a 60-year-old Canadian pastor to life imprisonment with hard labour on sedition charges.

The US State Department "strongly recommends against all travel" to North Korea and specifically warns of the risk of arrest.

- 'College prank' -

Human Rights Watch said the severe sentence was shocking given that Warmbier's alleged offence amounted to little more than a "college-style prank".

"Pyongyang should recognise this student's self-admitted mistake as a misdemeanour ... release him on humanitarian grounds, and send him home," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the rights watchdog's Asia Division.

Detained foreigners are often required to make a public, officially-scripted acknowledgement of wrongdoing, and Warmbier was paraded in front of reporters and diplomats in Pyongyang last month.

Footage of the carefully orchestrated event showed a sobbing Warmbier pleading to be released and saying he had made "the worst mistake of my life".

Warmbier said he had been tasked with stealing the banner by a member of the Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, who wanted it "as a trophy" and offered him a used car worth $10,000 if he succeeded.

Political slogans extolling the achievements of the country and its leaders and encouraging citizens to work harder and demonstrate their loyalty are pervasive in North Korea.

They can be seen on the streets and in nearly every public building, as well as every work unit.
A fuel station attendant dispenses kerosene at a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega petrol station in Abuja.

The drama continues over the long period of alleged widespread corruption at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC).

Nigerias auditor general said Monday (March 14) that the state oil company failed to turn over $16 billion in revenue due to the government in 2014. The announcement comes on the heels of news earlier this month that NPCC is splitting itself into 30 different business units in order to weaken the hold of entrenched bureaucrats.

The missing funds are no minor thing, as two-thirds of the Nigerian governments revenue was derived from its oil sector in 2014, according to Central Bank of Nigeria figures. The March 15 disclosure is part of a cleanup campaign by president Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power last year vowing to rein in corruption that has hampered the growth of Africas largest economy, leaving much of the country without electricity, for example, despite it having among the worlds largest oil reserves.

This isnt the first time that oil funds have been reported missing in Nigeria. A bombshell allegation by the central bank in 2013 claimed that $50 billion in NNPC oil sales over an 18-month period were unaccounted for. The NNPC denied the allegations. The governments response to that disclosure (which included suspending the central bank governor) and the corruption it embodied became a rallying cry for Buhari as he swept former president Goodluck Jonathan out of office.

Buharis oil minister, Ibe Kachikwu, has been trying with uneven success to reform NNPC and increase its transparency. NNPC officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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(Repeats with no change to text)

* Poland smokes Norwegian salmon, re-exports within EU

* High EU duties on smoked salmon led to Polish connection

* Norway is outside EU fisheries policy; negotiates deals

By Alister Doyle

OSLO, March 16 (Reuters) - Thousands of workers in Poland have jobs marinating and smoking Norwegian salmon thanks to a difference in tariffs imposed by the European Union on the Nordic non-member which is the world's biggest exporter of the fish.

Norway, which farms salmon in pens in fjords, sells fresh and frozen salmon to the EU in 2016 with a minimal two percent tariff. But it has to pay a 13 percent rate on processed fish, making it unprofitable to process salmon at home.

To skirt the higher rate, Norway sends container-loads of fresh fish to EU member Poland, the top single destination for Norway's salmon.

Norwegian exporters pay smokehouses in Poland, where wage costs are much lower than in Norway, to process the fish that then gets re-exported tariff-free within the 28-member EU.

Some Norwegian companies including top salmon farmer Marine Harvest have bought smokehouses in Poland, so the profits go straight back to Norway. Other smokehouses are Polish-owned.

Salmon is one example of how the Nordic country has managed its relationship with the European Union, sometimes cited as a model if British voters decide to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum.

Norway's ties with the EU have not always been amicable. The EU imposed anti-dumping penalties on Norway's salmon exports in 2006. Norway took the case to the World Trade Organization, and a compromise paved the way to the current regime of duties.

Norway has free trade in many areas with the 28-nation EU but has stayed outside fisheries and farm policies, forcing it to negotiate deals, such as the one satisfying the EU appetite for smoked salmon through the back door of Poland.

"We're moving employees and activity out of Norway and into EU countries," said Trond Davidsen, deputy managing director of the Norwegian Seafood Federation which represents 500 fish farming firms.

Story continues

PACKAGING, HYGIENE AND SEA LICE

Norway's cabinet minister who deals with the European Union, Elisabeth Aspaker, estimates that Norway has created 12,000 jobs in the EU, mainly processing fish. "There's no such thing as a free lunch," she said of Norway's complex EU ties.

Norway exported 1.19 million tonnes of salmon worth a record 47.7 billion crowns ($5.56 billion) last year, from sushi to frozen fish, according to the government-owned Norwegian Seafood Council. Poland was the biggest market on 5.8 billion crowns, ahead of France and Britain.

Norwegian farmers raise fish in pens in their picturesque fjords along a long, rugged coastline, and compete with EU farmers in Scotland and Ireland. Farmed salmon was first reared in Norway in the 1960s.

Norway must abide by EU rules on packaging and hygiene - for example controlling the sea lice that stick to the fish, or the use of antibiotics. The Oslo government says those rules are not hard to implement.

"We generally have stricter standards," said Paul Aandahl, an analyst at the Seafood Council.

Overall, Davidsen says Norwegian fishermen oppose the idea of EU membership, even though it would mean easier access for salmon.

Fishermen reckon the Oslo government is better than Brussels at setting sustainable quotas for fish such as cod or herring to avoid over-fishing. Staying outside the EU has also let Norway keep harpooning whales, despite strong opposition by the EU.

Beijing has restricted salmon imports from Norway since the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2010 Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Davidsen said it was impossible to know if EU membership might have given Beijing pause, fearing EU sanctions in return. ($1 = 8.5799 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting By Alister Doyle, editing by Peter Millership)
Is It Time to Invest in Latin America?

(Continued from Prior Part)

Has Brazil bottomed out yet?

Stock prices in Brazil have plunged with the fall in commodity prices. The Brazilian equity-tracking iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (EWZ) has fallen over 35% in the past two years.

As of March 9, 2016, companies such as Petrobras (PBR), Vale (VALE), Gerdau (GGB), and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID), which serve as pillars to Brazils export revenue, have fallen 52%, 71%, 78%, and 50%, respectively, over the past two years.

However, markets now expect Brazil to bottom out soon. The recent trend reversal in emerging market economies is seen by many as a sign that a reversal in Brazils fortune may be close. This makes investing in Brazil very attractive. Prices are down and should only rise from here, if indeed the markets have bottomed out. Forward performance has already begun to show signs of a reversal in trend.

Brazil is cheap: Are you out buying?

Brazil remains the cheapest option when you compare valuations across Latin American economies such as Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Argentina. Pricing in future earnings, investing in Brazil could put you in a brighter spot with time. According to a Franklin Templeton release, Brazil is economically strong; its just the policy mix that needs to be corrected.

Brazilian debt has also begun to find its favor among investors. With a 14% yield on offer on the countrys local currency debt, bargain hunters are all out to shop.

Continue to Next Part

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obama hillary clinton cartwright

President Barack Obama privately told a group of big Democratic donors that they've got to unify soon around Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

Obama also reportedly signaled that Clinton's Democratic primary rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, was nearing the end of his campaign.

The Times cited anonymous sources to describe what Obama said, but a White House official also confirmed his comments to the paper.

Obama, who has stayed neutral in the primary, "chose his words carefully, and did not explicitly call on Mr. Sanders to depart the race," The Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael Shear wrote.

"Still, those in attendance said in interviews that they took his comments as a signal to Mr. Sanders that perpetuating his campaign, which is now an uphill climb, could only help the Republicans recapture the White House," they added.

A source told The Times that Obama's tone was urgent as it increasingly appears that the Republican nominee will be Donald Trump.

Clinton, who served under Obama as secretary of state, is facing a potentially extended series of primary contests against Sanders. The senator's campaign has touted its strength in the upcoming primary contests throughout April.

Obama also reportedly indicated that he was aware that some weren't "excited" about a Clinton presidency, but dismissed the perception of Clinton being inauthentic. He cited former President George W. Bush, who at one time was praised for his authenticity.

His comments came days before Clinton's big wins in Tuesday's primaries. She won in all five states, which many observers saw as a clear sign that she will ultimately secure the nomination.

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laia bee

At this week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, a panel of game developers and critics gathered for the fourth annual #1ReasonToBe panel  as in, "the No. 1 reason to be" a woman or person of color who works in games and technology.

The goal of #1ReasonToBe is to focus on the panelists' accomplishments and amazing experiences in an industry that can sometimes be hostile to people from different backgrounds.

In its first year, the panel reduced the audience to tears before concluding in a standing ovation, and it became the talk of the event. In the past, it's focused heavily on women, but this year, #1reasontobe expanded to include people from diverse backgrounds all over the world.

Across all seven panelists' stories, a theme emerged.

It doesn't matter where in the world you're trying to do business  if you don't fit in, it's always an uphill struggle. But if you remember why you're in this to begin with, you can do great things.

'That's just business as usual'

First off, it can be hard to make the connections you need to get off the ground.

For instance, Tasneem Salim found it really hard to express her love of games where she lives in Saudi Arabia, where gender segregation is the law, and all gaming conferences and conventions were men-only. Later

"If you're a girl living in Saudi Arabia, that's just business as usual," says Salim.

But after meeting a very few likeminded souls, she founded GCon, Saudi Arabia's first-ever video game conference for women, which just celebrated its fourth successful year. It was very much an "if you build it they will come" scenario, Salim says, if only because it didn't have the budget for marketing.

ilogos elena lobova

While other countries don't have the same restrictive laws around gender segregation, other panelists said that they had similar issues establishing themselves in the male-dominated tech industry.

"Unfortunately, it most Ukrainian companies, programming a computer is still seen as man's work," because it requires a lot of dedication and focus  while women are supposed to be homemakers, says Elena Lobova, the CEO of the Ukraine-based game studio iLogos.

Story continues

Sithe Ncube, founder of the Ubongo Game Lab in Zambia and a part-time computer science student, says that there are four career options if you're from Africa: "Doctor, lawyer, engineer, or disappointment to your family."

And Laia Bee, the cofounder of Uruguay-based Pincer Game Studios, says that lots of companies are hesitant about hiring women, simply because they've never done it before.

"There is fear due to what they haven't experienced yet," Bee says.

'Gaming is kind of an evil thing'

There are other barriers, too, including growing up away from the reach of technology: Tsitsi Chiumya, a game designer from South Africa, kicked off this year's event with the sheepish admission that "until about two weeks ago, I had never been on a plane. And now I'm here."

Coming from a rural area, he never saw a line of code until his father accidentally enrolled him in a game development class in 2012 (it was apparently one digit off on the registration form).

And Sun Park, founder of Seoul-based Turtle Cream (that's "cream for a turtle," not "cream made from a turtle," he clarified), says that he's decided to make a political stance against South Korea's anti-gaming public sentiment by not releasing his acclaimed game "6180 the moon" in his home country.

6180 the moon

"In South Korea society, [gaming] is kind of an evil thing," Park says.

The problem is that Park, who doesn't speak English as a first language, is struggling to sell his games to the Western market.

He can hold a conversation, but negotiating contracts and business deals is way beyond him. Those barriers mean that he can't bring games that reflect his own experiences to the American market.

"Diversity of language is diversity of games," Park says.

'It's not my work, it's who I am'

But something all of the panelists agreed on was that all of these barriers weren't going to stop them, because making games is something that's core to their identity.

In his talk, Chiumya emphasized how making games is vital to his sense of self-expression. He says he's trying to make games that express distinctly South African values, especially the notion of "ubuntu," or unity.

"I wanted to bring that unity and diversity to games, as well," Chiumya says.

For the Ukraine-based Lobova, she says she's not shy about shattering any stereotype in front of her.

girls games gdc 2016

"It is difficult and it is challenging, but it is interesting. And it's not my work, it's who I am," Lobova says.

Meanwhile, Zambia only appears in video games as a backdrop to open warfare waged by Americans with guns. Ncube says she makes games to show a different side to the country. Her visions, and the short games she's released online, have resonated enough that she was able to raise an IndieGoGo crowdfund to pay for her travel to GDC.

"I want to see a different story told about where I'm from, and I want it to be told by us," Ncube says.

And more than anything, the panelists agreed that they stay in games despite the problems because they want to keep working to make it better for everybody else.

"I just want to give my life to what I love, and I want to keep our scene amazing," Bee says.

NOW WATCH: These Afghan women are conquering taboos just by riding bikes





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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania man has agreed to plead guilty to a felony computer hacking charge after authorities said he illegally accessed private phone and email accounts of celebrities such as Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence to leak information including nude pictures.

The U.S. attorney for the Central District of California charged Ryan Collins, 36, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, according to court documents filed on Tuesday.

Collins signed a plea agreement to plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He faces up to five years in federal prison, with a recommended prison term of 18 months and a fine of $250,000.

The case has been transferred from California to the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where Collins is expected to surrender and plead guilty. He will be sentenced at a later date.

While no victims were named in the court documents, Lawrence and other celebrities such as actresses Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union and model Kate Upton addressed the leak and online dissemination of their nude photos in interviews.

Representatives for Lawrence, Dunst, Union and Upton did not return Reuters' requests for comment on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said in court documents that between November 2012 and September 2014, Collins "knowingly, intentionally, and in furtherance of criminal and tortious acts" accessed at least 50 Apple iCloud accounts and about 72 Google Gmail accounts belonging to more than 100 people.

Known as a 'phishing' scam, Collins used fraudulent email disguised to impersonate legitimate security services, such as "email.protection318@icloud.com," and requesting usernames and passwords from the victims, according to prosecutors.

By doing so, Collins accessed the iCloud accounts, used for online data storage, for 18 celebrities and downloaded the backed-up data that included nude pictures and videos, court documents said.

It is not the first time a suspected hacker has been charged with leaking celebrity nude photos.

A Florida man was sentenced in 2012 to 10 years in prison for hacking into email accounts of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and Christina Aguilera to leak private information and nude photographs.

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Peter Cooney)
(Recasts first sentence with humanitarian crisis, adds details on Zika virus, background on financial problems)

March 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress must protect Puerto Rico from investor lawsuits so that the island's government can face a debt crisis and address what the U.S. territory's governor describes as a building humanitarian crisis, he said on Thursday.

Leaders in Congress agree that Puerto Rico needs an independent board to help face $70 billion in debt and a 45 percent poverty rate, but Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla said the island needs more urgent help.

"Congress can legislate a stay on any legal action until that oversight board kicks in," Padilla told reporters on a conference call.

Financial woes mean Puerto Rico cannot confront the Zika virus as it should, Padilla said, citing estimates that more than 20 percent of island residents could be infected this year with the virus linked to birth defects.

School septic tanks, a mosquito breeding ground, are overflowing in Puerto Rico, which lacks money to pay contractors to empty them, Padilla said.

"The humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico is real and continues to grow with each passing day."

The government of Puerto Rico highlighted the territory owes vendors, including those who provide gasoline to police and fire departments and maintain schools, $1.9 billion. In addition, it has yet to pay out $50 million in 2014 tax refunds.

The White House and Congress agree that Puerto Rico cannot face its financial crisis alone but leaders have not agreed on whether the island should be able to seek relief in the courts.

Puerto Rico cannot use bankruptcy laws to address its debt problems, tools that were available 20 years ago.

Paul Ryan, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has promised to have a Puerto Rico rescue bill before the end of the month and Padilla has applauded that commitment.

That bill, though, will create an oversight board to negotiate with creditors rather than granting Puerto Rico immediate protection akin to bankruptcy, according to Congressional sources familiar with the draft legislation.

Story continues

Democratic leaders this week outlined a different plan: allow Puerto Rico time, perhaps as much as a year, for some breathing room to work out a deal with a stay on its debt payments.

Republican and Democratic leaders, along with the Treasury Department, will likely have to hash out details of a bill but Padilla said granting a stay on investor lawsuits was a needed interim step.

Congressional Republicans working on the Puerto Rico legislation have not decided whether they have the authority to freeze investor lawsuits or whether doing so would cause more confusion, said the sources.

Puerto Rico negotiated a restructuring of debt owed by the power utility, known by its initials as PREPA, but even then it was a partial solution.

Padilla said PREPA, which accounts for 14 percent of the territory's overall debt load, took 19 months to reach a deal with 62 percent of the power utility's creditors.

"That is maybe the showcase on why Congress need(s) to approve the framework, the legal framework and to help with the holdouts," Padilla said. Negotiations are ongoing, he said.

(Reporting by Patrick Rucker in Washington and Daniel Bases in New York; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Matthew Lewis)
By James Regan and Sonali Paul

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L) has named its copper and coal division head, Jean-Sebastien Jacques, as its chief executive, replacing veteran Sam Walsh and marking a shift for the Anglo-Australian mining major that has long focussed on iron ore.

Walsh, 66, was placed at the helm three years ago after the abrupt ousting of Rio's then boss Tom Albanese. A former auto industry executive, Walsh was elevated from the iron ore division he ran. He was considered a safe pair of hands to steer the company at a time when it was battling the fallout of a string of costly investments gone sour.

While Walsh did drive down production costs of Rio's main commodity iron ore, the company ran into troubled waters with the toughest mining downturn in decades and slumped to a net loss for 2015. Most recently, bowing to pressure from investors and rating agencies, he scrapped Rio's long-standing dividend policy, which it had promised never to cut.

He had been expected to move on this year from the world's second-largest miner, though investors and analysts had been divided on a likely replacement.

The 44-year old Jacques, praised by analysts for running tough assignments such as Rio's Oyu Tolgoi project in Mongolia, will be the first copper man in decades to run a group that depends on iron ore for almost 90 percent of its earnings.

Rio has in recent months faced calls from investors to rebalance as iron ore prices and the steel industry languish, by pushing more into later cycle commodities like copper.

"The board has decided that J-S is the right person to lead Rio Tinto in an increasingly complex world filled with both challenges and opportunities for our industry," Rio Tinto Chairman Jan du Plessis said on Thursday.

NEW BLOOD

Jacques's strategic and negotiating skills, analysts and investors said, would place the company well in considering any deals. With many mid-sized and even large rivals struggling, billions of dollars worth of mines have come up for sale.

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"Clearly the board wanted some new blood. Sam was very risk averse and very critical of the direction that Rio had taken in the past in terms of the investments it made," analyst Hunter Hillcoat at Investec in London said.

"Perhaps the change reflects the board's intention to reach middle ground."

Jacques, who worked on the strategy team at Tata Steel before joining Rio in 2011, led negotiations over a $4.4 billion financing agreement necessary for an expansion of the giant Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.

"Itll be interesting to see how he approaches things," said Brenton Saunders, a portfolio manager at BT Investment Management, which owns Rio Tinto shares.

"Every time you have a discussion with him, you certainly get the impression that he thinks out of the box and that he's not your conventional kind of CEO."

Analysts speculated on Thursday that the arrival of a copper boss could signal a harder intention to look at copper and other deals. Copper and coal currently account for just 6 percent of profit.

Walsh has made no secret Rio Tinto would consider copper acquisitions at the right price, but had moved with caution.

"Rio Tinto must now be about more than just cost-cutting," analysts at Sanford Bernstein said in a note.

"We think that this move to appoint Jacques speaks to greater strategic focus and an M&A agenda, and as such contextualises the recent dividend cut."

Jacques will join the board and become deputy chief executive with immediate effect, the company said in a statement. He takes the helm in July.

(Additional reporting by Clara Ferreira-Marques; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Bill Tarrant.)
Shipments to most major markets rose.

Singapores non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 2.1% year-on-year in February, compared to the 10.1% year-on-year contraction in January.

According to IE Singapore, the growth was on back of expansion in both electronic and non-electronic shipments.

On a year-on-year basis, electronic NODX increased by 0.7% in February, compared to a 0.6% decline in the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, non-electronic NODX expanded by 2.7% in February, in contrast to the 14.1% decline in the previous month.

In February, NODX to all of the top 10 NODX markets, except Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China, grew in February. The largest contributors to the NODX expansion were the EU 28, Hong Kong and Japan.

On a month-on-month seasonally adjusted basis, NODX decreased by 4.1% in February 2016, in contrast to the previous months 0.6% increase, due to the contraction in both electronic and non-electronic NODX.







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daniel ek spotify

Spotify has reached a deal with the National Music Publisher's Association (NMPA) that resolves a dispute over unpaid royalties.

The agreement will allow music publishers to get royalties for songs on Spotify (in the US) where the ownership information was previously "unknown."

The deal includes roughly $16 million in unpaid royalties, plus a $5 million "bonus" split between those who opt-in to the program, according to a person familiar with the matter. The total is about $21 million.

The agreement comes after Spotify has been hit with multiple class-action lawsuits regarding unpaid royalties. Those suits seek damages totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars, but this deal could undercut them. The NMPA is the major trade association for American music publishers and songwriters.

As we have said many times, we have always been committed to paying songwriters and publishers every penny," Spotify Global Head of Communications and Public Policy Jonathan Prince said. "We appreciate the hard work of everyone at the NMPA to secure this agreement and we look forward to further collaboration with them as we build a comprehensive publishing administration system.

The deal covers usage of songs on Spotify from its start in the US until June 30, 2017.

Publishers who opt-in to the agreement (during a period starting in early April and lasting 90 days) will be paid by Spotify in three ways:

They will get a piece of the $5 million "bonus" fund. They will be able to use an online claiming portal to get paid royalties for "pending" or "unmatched" songs. They will get a portion of royalties for songs that remain unclaimed, depending on how much their songs were played on Spotify.

According to the NMPA, the agreement will also ensure that Spotify will continue to work to make the process of identifying rightsholders work more "accurately" and "efficiently." The NMPA also says the deal will provide "a path to direct licensing between Spotify and publishers, with the goal of strengthening business relationships."

Story continues

NOW WATCH: How to use Apple's Spotify killer  now on everyone's iPhone





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HANOI (Reuters) - A private-equity arm of Standard Chartered Plc (STAN.L) and Goldman Sachs (GS.N) have invested a combined $28 million (19.7 million pounds) in Vietnamese startup M_Service, the operator of mobile e-wallet MoMo, the companies said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) invested $25 million, while Goldman Sachs, an existing shareholder and strategic investor, put in an additional $3 million on top of its initial $5.75 million investment in 2013, M_Service said.

Smartphone app MoMo provides e-wallet service and over-the-counter remittance and payment platform for a customer base of 2.5 million people, the statement said. It has more than 1 million mobile e-wallet customers.

More than half of Vietnam's 90 million population are Internet users as of last year, while the number of mobile phone subscribers in Vietnam grew 26 percent to 124 million during 2009-2013, data from the government showed.

Official data on smartphone users are not provided but Apple Inc (AAPL.O) last year opened a subsidiary in Vietnam, allowing the maker of iPhones to import and distribute cellphones directly in one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the Asia-Pacific.

"It is extremely exciting to support MoMo's broader mission of promoting financial inclusion across Vietnam," said Bert Kwan, Head of ASEAN at SCPE, who will join MoMo's board.

(Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
The Brazil's state-run Petrobras oil company headquarters is pictured in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss authorities will return $70 million more from funds frozen during investigations into allegations of corruption at Brazilian state oil group Petrobras (PETR4.SA), Attorney General Michael Lauber's office said on Thursday.

The money - on top of another $120 million released a year ago - will go back to people in Brazil who suffered losses during the scandal, the statement added, without going into further details.

Allegations of bribes and political kickbacks linked to Petrobas have triggered protests across Brazil and fueled anger against President Dilma Rousseff and members of her inner circle.

Swiss federal prosecutors say they have received reports of around 340 suspicious banking relations, opened around 60 enquiries and frozen around $800 million since 2014.

Lauber met Brazilian counterpart Rodrigo Janot in Bern on Thursday to help plan joint investigations, the Swiss prosecutor's office said.

Swiss authorities have requested documents relating to more than 1,000 banking accounts from more than 40 banking institutions, Lauber's office said.

The owners of the Swiss accounts are "senior executives of Petrobras and of its suppliers, financial intermediaries, Brazilian politicians and directly or indirectly Brazilian or other foreign companies", the office added.

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Writing by Michael Shields; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Joe Raedle | Getty Images. A Donald Trump presidency would be as big a global risk as the rising threat of jihadi terrorism, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

A Donald Trump presidency would be as big a global risk as the rising threat of jihadi terrorism, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

In a list released Thursday, the research team also suggested Trump's rhetoric toward the Middle East will in itself raise the jihadi menace.

"His militaristic tendencies towards the Middle East and ban on all Muslim travel to the US would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups," the EIU said in its global risk assessment.

The research firm says Trump's hostile attitude toward free trade could also prove a worldwide issue.

"In the event of a Trump victory, his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war," the report said.

The EIU ranking combines impact and probability on a scale rating of 1 to 25, with a Trump presidency scoring a rating of 12.

However, more dangerous events listed include China experiencing a hard landing and a breakdown of the European Union.

The top 10 risks with their scores, are:

China experiences a hard landing. Score = 20

Russia's interventions in Ukraine and Syria trigger start of new "cold war." Score = 16

Currency volatility culminates in an emerging markets corporate debt crisis. Score = 16

Beset by external and internal pressures, the EU begins to fracture. Score = 15

"Grexit" is followed by a euro zone break-up. Score = 15

Donald Trump wins the US presidential election. Score = 12

The rising threat of jihadi terrorism destabilises the global economy. Score = 12

The UK votes to leave the EU. Score = 8

Chinese expansionism prompts a clash of arms in the South China Sea. Score = 8

A collapse in investment in the oil sector prompts a future oil price shock. Score = 4

The research paper concludes that it doesn't expect Trump to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the next president.

But it suggests a turn of events that could put Trump in the White House.

"There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn," the report reads.

Story continues





Meanwhile the Kremlin hit out Thursday at a campaign video promoting Trump, suggesting the video demonized Russia's image.

The clip in question shows Clinton barking like a dog while Putin throws an opponent in a judo bout.

"I saw this clip. I do not know for sure if Vladimir Putin saw it. But our attitude is negative," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a teleconference, according to Reuters.

Peskov said negative comments from U.S. politicians were nothing new.

"It's an open secret for us that demonizing Russia and whatever is linked to Russia is unfortunately a mandatory hallmark of America's election campaign," he said

Correction: An earlier version misspelled Hillary Clinton's first name.





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The Obama administration on Thursday bowed to pressure from Congress and declared ISIS terrorist forces in Syria and Iraq guilty of genocide for their wonton killings and enslavement of Christians, Yezidis, Shia Turks and other ethnic groups caught up in the horrific Middle East conflict.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry made the declaration today in remarks at the State Department. The speech came on the heels of a 383-to-0 vote in the House on Monday in which Republicans and Democrats alike urged the administration and other governments to call ISIS atrocities by their right names: war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Related: Heres Who ISIS Would Vote for in the US Presidential Election

The House resolution outlined ISIS atrocities against Christians and other groups -- including mass murder, crucifixions, beheadings, rape and torture -- and set a deadline of today for the administration to respond. After indications that the State Department might drag its feet, Kerry made the announcement on time.

In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims, Kerry said, using a more derogatory name for ISIS. Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions  in what it says, what it believes, and what it does. Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities.

The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians; Yezidis because they are Yezidis; Shia because they are Shia, he added. This is the message it conveys to children under its control. Its entire worldview is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology.

This is only the second time the U.S. government has declared genocide during an ongoing conflict overseas. The administration of former President George W. Bush declared that genocide was taking place in Sudans Darfur region in 2004. And while it carries with it long-term legal and criminal justice implications under international law, Kerrys declaration could have a more immediate impact on the conduct of the war.

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Related: More Than 5,000 Airstrikes and ISIS Is as Strong as Ever

It has been a year and a half since President Obama announced that the U.S. would lead allied forces in air strikes and other tactics to degrade and ultimately destroy the ISIS forces that had swept across wide swaths of Iraq and Syria in a bid to impose a new Islamic caliphate. And while the U.S. and other allied forces, Kurdish fighters, the Iraqi army and others have succeeded in pushing ISIS out of roughly a quarter of that territory since then, military experts say it may be years before the enemy is defeated.

Many lawmakers and human rights groups enraged by the ISIS carnage believe the genocide declaration may stiffen Obamas resolve and possibly lead to stepped up drone and jet fighter airstrikes and more aggressive action on the ground to assist the Kurds, Iraqis, moderate Syrian rebels and others in their fighting against ISIS.

Secretary Kerry is finally making the right call, House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Ed Royce (R-CA) said in a statement released following Kerrys announcement. Royce said that Obama should step up and lay out the broad, overarching plan thats needed to actually defeat and destroy ISIS.

This administrations long pattern of paralysis and ineffectiveness in combating these radical Islamist terrorists is unacceptable, Royce added.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), a co-sponsor of the House resolution, said a genocide designation will raise international consciousness and compel the international community of responsible nations to act. Fortenberry represents the largest Yazidi community in the United States, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Related: US Price Tag for War on ISIS Now More than $3 Billion

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) told reporters this week that the U.S. must step up its airstrikes against ISIS  including strategic targets such as convoys  if it hopes to prevail over the enemy. Right now, those airstrikes are limited by rules of engagement, he said.

However, some U.S. officials have said that Kerrys genocide findings would not oblige the administration to undertake additional actions against ISIS militants, according to the Associated Press.

Gordon Adams, a defense analyst and professor emeritus at American University, said in an interview Thursday that I dont think it increases pressure on the military side.

The declaration doesnt say, okay, now we have to step in and do this, Adams said. Thats a policy choice. No declaration of genocide binds you to military action, to my knowledge. It continues to portray ISIS as the nasty, little, you-know-whats that they are, but I dont know that it puts more pressure on the administration.

Michael OHanlon, a foreign policy expert with the Brookings Institution, generally agrees with Adams.

Related: War Powers for Obama: How Far Should a President Go?

My take is that it doesnt matter much, he said in an email today. People are fairly inured to tragedy in Syria and tragedy by ISIS. And this is a technical determination more than anything.

What could matter more would be evidence of specific large-scale killings, on a much greater scale than we previously knew about, he added. But I dont think we have firsthand information to that effect.

Kerrys declaration comes amid reports that while ISIS remains a potent, destructive force, it has lost at least 22 percent of its territory in Iraq and Syria during the past 15 months. According to a new study by HIS Janes 360, the airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition, and more recently by Russian jet fighters, have begun to push back ISIS.

IHS estimated that ISIS lost roughly 14 percent of the territory under its control in 2015 and eight percent more in the first three months of this year. But Adams and other analysts say it is far too soon to say the tide is turning.

My sense of it on the military side is that the expansion of ISIS has stopped, but the roll back of ISIS has only just begun, Adams said. The real battle with ISIS has only just begun.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Congress has appropriated about $110 billion for U.S. reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. The majority of the funding -- about $69 billion, or 62 percent -- has been funneled through the Department of Defense, and the agency has spent about $55 billion as of September 2015. Many questions remain about just what the U.S. has received in exchange for those billions, and a new analysis of reconstruction spending in Afghanistan does little to quiet critics of the effort.

A new review of 36 inspection reports by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) covering 44 reconstruction projects with a combined value of $1.1 billion found serious problem in a majority cases. Sixty-three percent of the projects failed to meet the requirements of the contract or technical specifications, 36 percent were structurally unsound or hazardous to the occupants, and a roughly a quarter were delayed, including one more than two and half years behind schedule.

Related: Where Did $800 Million in Afghan Aid Go? The Pentagon Shrugs Its Shoulders

The fresh study comes the same day the special inspector, John Sopko, is appearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to talk about his offices efforts to date, which have exposed billions of dollars in waste and mismanagement.

While some of the projects were well built and met contract requirements and technical specifications, most of the projects did not meet those requirements and had serious construction deficiencies that, in some cases, had health and safety implications, the report states.

In many cases, poorly prepared or unqualified contractor personnel, inferior materials, poor workmanship, and inadequate contractor and U.S. government oversight contributed to those substandard results. Despite these problems, many contractors were paid the full contract amount, it adds.

For example, a school built near the capital of Kabul was intended to be a single-story, 10-classroom structure with a wooden roof to mitigate potential damage from likely seismic activity. Instead, the contractor built two five-classroom building with concrete roofs situated atop brick walls with large gaps in the mortar, according to SIGAR. The school remains unfinished and unused.

Story continues

Related: The $43 Million Afghan Gas Station Scandal Blows the Lid Off Pentagon Waste

The U.S. spent about $2.9 million to build cold and dry-storage facility in volatile Helmand province. However, 10 months after transferring ownership to the Afghan government, the Defense Department agency overseeing the project had failed to find an Afghan business to operate it.

In another instance, four months after the Qesmatullah Nasrat Construction Company, an Afghan company, finished building the Afghan Special Police Training Centers dry fire range in 2012 for nearly $500,000, the range began to disintegrate.

Together, the review raises yet more questions about the Pentagons ability to manage reconstruction efforts and the Afghani operational competence.

Related: Six Years and $17 Billion Wasted in Afghanistan with Nothing to Show for It

Even so, Sopkos office believes there is reason to be optimistic that Washington and Kabul can learn from past mistakes. He notes that the Defense Department has implemented almost 80 percent of the recommendations his agency has made, and the Afghan government has vowed to fight corruption.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
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Taipei, March 17 (CNA) The sun has finally shown its face after days of rain but only briefly as cloud will increase in northern Taiwan later Thursday, bringing some showers to northern and eastern regions, as well as mountainous areas in central and southern Taiwan, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said.
Canadian official causes stir with progressive speech at UN narcotics conferenceThe Liberal government used its first foray into the global anti-narcotics arena this week to signal a clear shift from the war on drugs philosophy, promising more safe-injection sites, promoting harm reduction and touting its plan to legalize marijuana.The speech by Hilary Geller, an assistant deputy minister of health, caused a stir at the generally staid Commission on Narcotic Drugs conference in Vienna, observers said.The audience of government and non-governmental organization officials from around the world erupted in applause mid-way through the address and gave a prolonged ovation at the end, said Jason Nickerson, an Ottawa-based researcher who is attending the meeting.The talk not only contrasted with the Harper governments international stance on drugs, but stood out from the cautious pronouncements most other nations made, said the Bruyere Research Institute scientist, who favours more liberal policies.There are some countries here that are coming out and saying important, progressive things, he said. But its certainly not as explicit as what Canada is saying.
Bar Sinister said: Wait a minute. Brad Wall is the leader of a conservative government. How come he is having the same problems as Alberta? Click to expand...

I haven't heard that, and I live in Saskatchewan. We just started a provincial election campaign too, and I'd expect Wall would be making much of that claim, taking credit for it and running on a "stick with what works" platform. Instead he seems to be arguing the NDP is stuck in the 1990s, hasn't had a good idea since, and didn't really have any then either, but it's early days yet. He may be right to some extent though, the NDP has raised again the old shibboleth about the right privatizing the major public utilities, even though after almost a decade in office there's been not even a hint from Wall or anybody else in his party that anyone's even thinking about it. I'm not impressed with anyone so far except the NDP candidate in my riding. All candidates have been at my door and she is by far the brightest, best informed, and most thoughtful of them. And I generally vote for the candidate, not the leader and not the party, so I think I've made up my mind.I presume you're being facetious. You're way too smart and subtle for most people. You're one of the people here I wish I knew in real life.
Risking death by stoning, they film what it is like inside the city run medieval style.Women's secret films from within closed city of Islamic StatePublicerad 13 mar 2016 kl 06.04AL-RAQQAH/DAMASCUS. Using hidden cameras two brave Syrian women show us what life is like inside al-Raqqah, capital city of terrorist sect ISIS in northern Syria.They know they will be stoned to death if they are exposed.They are willing to risk their lives to help the rest of the world understand.Here, women's faces are so prohibited that they are even scribbled out on supermarket packaging.Sharia policewomen patrol the streets in search of women who are not concealed behind double burqas.And in this place, contraceptive pills that have been smuggled in are the only way to save a pregnant woman from being stoned to death."I want to live the way I want. I want to buy what I want. I want to go out alone, free and without having a guardian with me", says one of the women, Om Mohammad.The winter rain falls onto the few people walking around on the streets of al-Raqqah.The hidden camera footage shows men with semi-concealed Kalashnikovs over their shoulders  ISIS fighters.They have made a pilgrimage to this place, convinced that they are going to establish God's State on earth  the Islamic Caliphate.The result has become a hell on earth, not least for the women of the city.The two Syrian women who we shall call Om Omran and Om Mohammad, which are not their real names, were willing to wear Expressen's hidden cameras, which have been smuggled in."We want the world to know," they say.Over the course of several weeks, they have documented life in the completely isolated city of al-Raqqah.Their videos are a unique glimpse into a bombed-out city."People are being forced to sell their blood; poor people are charging 1,000 Syrian pounds (approx. SEK 22) for a kilo of blood," Om Mohammad tells us.There is not a woman in al-Raqqah who would dare to go out on the streets of the city on her own. It is strictly prohibited.Anyone not following the rules is flogged or imprisoned. And if you are unlucky, the punishment is death. A woman must be accompanied by another woman or a male guardian.Raqqa is known for its dam Sadd al-Furat which lies 276 metres over the ocean. It is over 4,5 kilometers long and 60 metres high. The dam is one of the biggest in the Arab world. It is thought that the ISIS leadership uses the dam both as shelter and as a prison for the most important prisoners  mostly foreigners.She should avoid walking down the middle of the street. She should walk in such a way that does not draw attention  preferably by creeping along next to the side the buildings.A woman may not speak loudly or show her hands and is forced to cover her entire body with a double burqa."Cover your eyes properly. We don't want the Hisbah women to see us. I dont want us to get in trouble," Om Mohammed whispers to her friend Om Omran as they walk along al-Rashid Street in central al-Raqqah.Hisbah is ISIS's female religious police force.Armed, and with unlimited power, they patrol the city's streets to ensure that women are wearing the "right" clothing.Om Omran has trouble meeting the ISIS demand that womens faces should be completely covered up. Not just because she finds it uncomfortable."I can't see anything if I cover up my eyes. I have poor eyesight. How am I supposed to see if I cover my eyes?" she asks worriedly.Om Omran and Om Mohammad stop one of the city's taxis. They climb into the yellow car.The taxi driver explains that he cannot have a female passenger on her own in the car."If I do that, the car will be impounded, I'll have to pay a fine and I'll be punished. She'll be punished too  they'll flog her," says the driver.Normally people dare not criticise ISIS and its bloody Sharia rule.But Om Omran and Om Mohammad suggest that something has happened to make more and more people dare to talk about the everyday problems.The driver explains how his daughter was going to be punished for not wearing a niqab."The interrogator wanted to fetch her  she was going to get 30 lashes out on the street," he explains."'Am I not her father?' I asked him. He said, 'yes.' 'Then I'm the one who punishes her. You don't punish her. She's my daughter.'"the rest and the video:
This is so funny.____________________________Boom Hall dates back to 1779 - and has a long history of ghoulish activity that would keep the Ghostbusters busyWhen youre trapped in one of Northern Irelands most haunted houses who you gonna call?Well, in the case of two intrepid spook chasers it was the Fire Service.Boom Hall dates back to 1779 - and has a long history of ghoulish activity that would keep the Ghostbusters busy.According to Derry Now, two men decided to take a closer look - but came unstuck in the dilapidated building in the Maiden City.A fire crew had to be scrambled to help them to safety. The incident happened last month but details have just emerged.A Fire Service spokesman told the site: We received a call at 7:24pm to a report of an incident at premises at the Culmore Road area of the city on Saturday 13 February.One fire appliance from Northland Fire Station was deployed to the scene of two men requiring rescue assistance from a property in the area.Firefighters were able to rescue the two men using keys provided by the propertys keyholder. Both men were uninjured.The rescue operation lasted for around one hour.Spooky tales involving Boom Hall include the story of a young girl who legend has it was locked in a bedroom, away from a love interest.A few weeks later the room was said to have gone up in flames and despite frantic searches for the girl, she was never found.Her spirit is said to walk the corridors at night, or so the story goes.
Paul Daniels: TV magician dies after brain tumour diagnosis

BBC News17 March 2016Magician Paul Daniels has died aged 77, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.He was at his Berkshire home with wife Debbie McGee when he died in the early hours of Thursday."Debbie and the family would like to thank everyone for their support and asks that their privacy be respected at this sad time," his publicist said.He fronted BBC's Paul Daniels Magic Show for 15 years and became one of the biggest stars on British TV.His publicist added: "One of our most beloved entertainers, Paul Daniels, has passed away at the age of 77."The TV star, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year, passed away peacefully at home with Debbie at his side in the early hours of this morning."Daniels was born Newton Edward Daniels in Middlesbrough and developed his magic skills in working men's clubs, making his TV debut on talent series Opportunity Knocks.Daniels was known for a string of catchphrases, including the line: "You'll like this... not a lot, but you'll like it."He had recently returned from hospital to his Berkshire home, having been diagnosed in February. It was initially suspected he had suffered a stroke after he fell at home, but it was then discovered he had an inoperable tumour.His son, Martin Daniels, said at the time: "He has said before, 'When it's your time it's your time' and that's how he is trying to face up to things."McGee had thanked fans for support earlier this month, writing: "I wish I could answer all your wonderful messages individually but there are so many. They are all appreciated so much."Paul and I had no [idea] of how people felt. Truly amazing. Thank you."As well as McGee, who had been his on-stage assistant, Daniels leaves his three sons from a previous marriage.Daniels' son Gary has tweeted a picture of a rabbit in a magician's hat with a tear in its eye, and wrote: "It is with incredible sadness that I can confirm that Dad, Paul Daniels, passed away overnight."Mark Linsey, acting director of BBC Television, said: "Paul was an outstanding showman and one of the great entertainers of BBC television."His long-running magic show delighted viewers, as did his BBC One quiz shows Odd One Out, Wipeout and Every Second Counts and children's favourite Wizbit."He will be missed and our thoughts are with his family."Graham Howe, a friend of Daniels, told BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he would remember the magician "as a kind, gentle man and actually, what you saw was what you got."TV personality Keith Chegwin tweeted: "We have lost a lovely, kind and MAGIC man @thepauldaniels Love you & thinking of u @thedebbiemcgee. I shall miss him 'A LOT'."Louis Theroux, who filmed a documentary with Daniels and McGee, wrote: "RIP Paul Daniels, a thoughtful skeptic, enemy of hucksterism and paranormal flimflam, and gifted magician. My condolences to his family."Uri Geller told BBC Radio 5 live: "Our careers started off by him trying to debunk me and so we had a kind of a row in the early '70s, but then it turned into a very, very close friendship and I'm saddened for his family but that's life, and life must go on."
This action by the board completes the discipline and appeals process for Dr. Click. Dr. Click was treated fairly throughout this matter, including meeting with investigators multiple times to share information as well as her opinion; providing investigators with a list of favorable witnesses, with every attempt made by investigators to meet with those suggested by Dr. Click; ample opportunity, along with her legal counsel, to review and provide comments to the investigators report, which included all documents, videos and witness statements in the report, before the final report was even reviewed by the board; and finally, Dr. Clicks opportunity to appeal the decision of the board.



We consider this matter now closed and are moving forward as a university and as a community.



COLUMBIA, MO -- The University of Missouri Board of Curators has denied an appeal filed by Mizzou assistant professor Dr. Melissa Click.The appeal was dismissed after the board decided her appeal brought no new information. The board released the following statement:Dr. Click was terminated on February 24 after an investigation into her involvement with student protests on Mizzou's campus last year.The assistant professor made national headlines after calling for "muscle" to be brought against a student journalist. A video released in February showed Dr. Click cursing out a cop during a parade in October.MU board denies Melissa Click's appeal http://on.ksdk.com/1RLNjk4
The Lon D. Wright Power Plant is big  anybody who has taken a second to glance over at the structure driving down Luther Road can vouch for this.

They also know it creates electricity using coal, but what most likely they dont understand is how intricate of a process producing power really is.

On Wednesday afternoon, Power Plant Supervisor Jeff Shanahan and Brian Newton, general manager of the Department of Utilities, guided a pair of tours through the giant complex accompanied by more than a dozen guests.

They drive by the plant and see the coal pile, they see the building so obviously they know people work here, but they dont understand how complicated doing all of this is until they take a tour and see all of the parts that go into making it run, Newton said.

Recently, the power plant made renovations to comply with regulations handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency.

A $50 million scrubber/baghouse was installed in October 2015 to eliminate hazardous toxins from being released into the air.

The scrubber is designed to scrub out mercury, hydrogen chloride and sulfur dioxide, Newton said.

Mercury has contributed to all sorts of bad things, he said. Premature deaths, premature babies  mercury is just a bad substance, its why they have taken it out of paint and all sorts of other stuff.

All power plants across the county are required to make similar adjustments by April to be in compliance with the EPA Air Quality Control System.

While installing the Scrubber was a large project, an even bigger project  which will be completed sometime in 2018  is in the works.

In collaboration with the Omaha Public Power District, the power plant is in the second phase of installing a power line that will connect with the OPPD and Nebraska Public Power District Grid.

The primary power-giver to the Fremont community is Turbine Unit 8, which produces 91  megawatts of power in the Fremont community. Turbine Units 6 and 7 produce far less power, and if Unit 8 was to malfunction, the city could face several rolling blackouts.

The current two ties we have (in the OPPD and NPPD grid) are limited, Newton said. We cant use them like we have in the past, there are new grid rules across the nation that have to be followed with electrical lines. Our grid doesnt comply with those rules.

With the current two lines that are tied in with OPPD and NPPDs grid, if Unit 8 was to have problems there would be dire consequences.

In September 2015, Unit 8 malfunctioned during some of the summers hottest weather, resulting in a stressful time for Shanahan and Newton.

Utilizing power from an emergency-only turbine, the problem worked itself out, however, its not a situation either want to deal with again.

It was touch-and-go there for a while, Newton said. It made us pretty darn nervous.
Vietjet has announced the launch of its new international route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur.

The new route will commence operations on 1 June 2016 and will depart from Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City at 9.30am (local time) and arrive at Kuala Lumpur at 12.25pm (local time). The return flight will take off from Kuala Lumpur at 1.00pm (local time) and arrive at Ho Chi Minh City at 1.55pm (location). The flight duration for each sector is approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes.

By launching this new route, Vietjet hopes to expand business and travel trade between the two destinations by offering more travel opportunities at the best possible prices.

Tickets can be purchased by booking online at www.vietjetair.com
United offers nonstop trans-Atlantic service from more cities in the U.K. than any other airline. And from May 26, 2016, travelers can travel between New York and Newcastle with the new seasonal nonstop flights.

Uniteds seasonal nonstop flights from Newcastle to its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport will offer business and leisure travelers convenient access to New York City as well as connections across the Americas. Through its New York hub, travelers directly fly to over 100 great destinations including Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Flight UA75 will depart Newcastle daily except Wednesday at 9:10 a.m., arriving at New York/Newark at 11:55 a.m. the same day. The return flight, UA74, will depart New York/Newark daily except Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., arriving in Newcastle at 7:30 a.m. the following day (all times local). Flight times will be seven hours 45 minutes westbound and seven hours eastbound.

The flights will be operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a total of 169 seats  16 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst and 153 in United Economy, including 45 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and increased personal space.

From London/Heathrow, United operates up to 17 flights per day to six of its U.S. hubs: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C./Dulles.

In addition to the Newcastle service, the airline offers nonstop service from Edinburgh to New York/Newark and (on a seasonal basis) Chicago, from Manchester to New York/Newark and (on a seasonal basis) Washington/Dulles, and from Belfast, Birmingham and Glasgow to New York/Newark.
airberlin announced "City&Sun" Special for all travelers wanting to enjoy a short break. For a short period of time you can book your seat at very affordable prices across Europe and to the United States.

At the offer valid until 20 March 2016, tickets to Europe's most popular cities can be booked for travel between 1 April and 30 June 2016. airberlin's major promotion offers a variety of travel options. There are one-way tickets to Milan, Copenhagen or Helsinki from many German airports from 49 euros, for example.

Boston, the largest city in New England, is a new addition to airberlin's long-haul network. A return flight to the US East Coast can be booked for travel between 1 May and 7 July 2016 from 460 euros. During the summer, airberlin operates 55 weekly flights via Dusseldorf and Berlin to seven destinations in the US, namely San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Fort Myers, Miami and Los Angeles, as well as Boston. The airberlin hubs in Berlin and Dusseldorf are accessible from many airports and benefit from short transfer times. In the US, the oneworld partner, American Airlines, offers a number of connecting services within the US and to Canada.

On long-haul flights, airberlin passengers enjoy 20 percent extra leg room for improved comfort and faster boarding and disembarkation on 48 XL seats per aircraft. At around 91 cm (36 inches), airberlin has the largest seat pitch in the industry in Economy Class on transatlantic flights, according to the comparison site, Skytrax.

The "City&Sun" Special tickets can be booked at airberlin.com, by calling the Service Centre on +49 (0)180 6 334 334 (0.20 per call from a German landline: max. 0.60 per call from a German mobile) and via travel agents.
UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai has no doubt that Greece will maintain a powerful image worldwide as a major tourism destination and that the country will consolidate its growth in 2016, as shown by booking trends.

Mr Rifai met with Minister of Tourism of Greece Elena Kountoura at the side-lines of ITB to discuss the situation and prospects of tourism in Europe and Greece.

Ms. Kountoura said the Aegean islands are already showing a positive trend in bookings and are ready to welcome an increased number of tourists for the current season. The diversification of the touristic offer, the development of new destinations and the opening of high-end accommodation facilities and services are some of the measures taken by the Greek government to enhance tourism, as highlighted by the Minister of Tourism of Greece in the meeting.

Meeting with leading tour operators at ITB, we have received very positive feedback from the German travel market, which has confirmed the increased demand in bookings for Greece, added Ms. Kountoura.

This news is timely for Greece as the country is advancing implementation of its new tourism policy framework, launched in 2015 to enhance international tourism.
And with that, GDC is almost halfway complete! As the Expo floor opened up today, we too are opening up with more updates on the days social highlights, from attendees at the show and our own coverage on Gamasutra.

Be sure to follow us @Gamasutra on Twitter for live updates during GDC, and check out our Vine profile for developer tips from attendees at the show!

Unreal Engine 4's new Sequencer allows for film-style cinematic workflow https://t.co/AE1RJxIdSZ pic.twitter.com/AClpeZGGMh  Gamasutra (@gamasutra) March 16, 2016

Bwahahahhahaa you guys this is prettyyyyyyy fun



total perfcap with no stage/external optical cams pic.twitter.com/Cchu3NOIRz  Sarah Elmaleh (@selmaleh) March 16, 2016

Epic showed off an impressive new motion capture technology today called Sequencer, introducing film-style workflow solutions to character animationthe live performance on stage captured imaginations in the audience, and raised the possibility (for better or worse) of introducing live-action actors into a field traditionally populated by voiceoverr artists.

Ninja Theory's Hellblade (seen above) served as the demo game for the mo-cap performance demonstration of the announcement.

Outside the show proper, Disney announced a Disney version of Crossy Road, bringing Pixar and Disney Animation directors to the stage to discuss Disneys future in the gaming space.

This alt.ctrl #GDC16 interface is a telephone operator switchboard! pic.twitter.com/FkPl9ktOQF  Chris Martens @ GDC (@chrisamaphone) March 16, 2016

Pendleton Ward examines a sewing machine based game at alt.ctrl.GDC pic.twitter.com/PkfYAsznLd  Game Jolt (@gamejolt) March 17, 2016

Rotator at #altctrlgdc bringing together strangers to bond over tense moments inside a giant worm :) #GDC16 pic.twitter.com/amkrzk9ngW  Petri  GDC (@ArchBang85) March 16, 2016

As the Expo floor opened up, so too did the Alt Ctrl GDC exhibit, with attendees bewildered at the unique control schemes of everything from lollipops to telephone switchers. If youre curious about these unique types of games, be sure to check out our interviews with some of the developers.

We spent a little time today talking to VR developers and getting some design tipsmore to come as the show goes on!

Tasneem Salim talks about barriers to women in Saudi Arabia, founding @GCONRiyadh to overcome #GDC16 #1reasontobe pic.twitter.com/TMNXeyJIvO  Douglas Gregory GDC (@D_M_Gregory) March 16, 2016

.@tha_rami says that most people dont speak English, and using English automatically excludes people. #1reasontobe pic.twitter.com/5aRSQwkCXS  Eline Muijres @ GDC (@ElineMuijres) March 16, 2016

And lastly, the 1 Reason to Be panel returned this year with an an international focus, inviting developers from South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and beyond to tell their stories about developing games in other countries.

Thats it for Day 3, stay tuned to Gamasutra.com for further coverage and announcements straight from GDC 2016!
Japanese developer Valhalla Game Studios, founded by former Team Ninja employees, including Dead or Alive creator, Tomonobu Itagaki, has moved its headquarters to Vancouver, Canada.

According to a letter posted by Itagaki, who serves as Valhalla's president, CTO, and director, the studio has relocated to build out a multinational team that can compete at the top level of development.

"Our group has excellent staff who are able to compete in at the top level in the world. We believe this is one of our big advantages. To maximize this advantage, we have transferred our headquarters to Canada," wrote Itagaki.

"It is better to set a development base in Western countries than Japan in order to gather talented creators scattered from all over the world and I have made a judgment that Vancouver is the most appropriate place for this."

Valhalla is currently adding the finishing touches to Devil's Third Online; a free-to-play version of its hack and slash shooter due to release on PC in Japan and then North America this spring.
Earlier this week Microsoft opened up its online ecosystem by giving developers the ability to implement cross-network play.

Chris Charla, director of [email protected], revealed the new capabilities could see Xbox Live users competing with or fighting against players on different console and PC networks, including the PlayStation Network.

Understandably, the news was met with excitement, with many dreaming of linking up with their friends on other console networks to cruise through the latest triple-A releases.

However, is it really realistic to expect Sony and Microsoft to join forces for the sake of their online players?

According to Sony Worldwide Studios' Shuhei Yoshida, talking to Eurogamer, technically speaking, it's a possibility, although the situation is more complicated than it might first appear.

The real issue, says Yoshida, is whether or not letting console owners link up makes sense from a business standpoint - a delicate question that will take some time to answer.

"Because PC is an open platform it's much more straightforward," Yoshida explained. "Connecting two different closed networks is much more complicated so we have to work with developers and publishers to understand what it is they are trying to accomplish.

"We also have to look at the technical aspect - and the technical aspect could be the easiest. We also have to look at policy issues and business issues as well."

Rocket League will be the first game to feature cross-network play on Xbox Live, with developer Psyonix revealing players should "expect to see cross-network play working on Xbox One and PC later this spring."

The studio added that information regarding "other platforms" would be coming soon.
DES MOINES  House Republicans are moving forward on extending the school infrastructure sales tax for 20 years, but without Gov. Terry Branstads proposal to wed it to a long-term source of funding for water quality initiatives.

Based on discussions hes had with legislators and others, Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, said Thursday, There does not seem to be widespread support to take money from SAVE to address water quality at this point. Thats why theyve been separated.

SAVE is the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education, formerly known as the statewide school infrastructure sales and services tax.

In his January Condition of the State speech, Gov. Terry Branstad proposed extending SAVE until 2049. He would divert SAVE revenue in excess of $10 million a year to addressing statewide water-quality issues. Schools would get $20.7 billion for infrastructure otherwise funded by property taxes and $4.7 billion would be channeled into water quality improvements.

Windschitl, who chaired a House Ways and Means subcommittee meeting on a group of SAVE-water quality bills, said he doesnt see that happening.

Any bill that will move forward from this subcommittee will divorce the water quality issue from the SAVE fund, he said. I dont think there is support in the subcommittee from either side to incorporate the two ideas.

Windschitl did lay out the skeleton of a bill to increase the percentage of SAVE revenue going directly to property tax relief from 2.1 percent  $9.5 million a year  to 7 percent or $31.5 million annually.

Property owners now pay an average of $13.76 per $1,000 of assessed valuation to support schools. Windschitls goal is to provide more property tax relief and greater equity.

Reaction from subcommittee members and the public was muted. Rep. Patti Ruff, D-McGregor, appreciated spending all SAVE dollars on education, but said she needs to know more about the impact of the plan before making a judgment.

Representatives of school boards, administrators and teachers agreed there were some pluses, but werent convinced Windschitls approach would increase equity between property-rich districts and those that have a smaller property tax base to support schools.

Ted Stopulos of the Governors Office said it remains Branstads position that SAVE should be tapped for water quality funding, but indicated the governor is open to considering other long-term, sustainable and growing revenue sources.

Windschitl also is looking for a way to fund water quality improvements.

So its not as though nothing is going to happen, he said. However, the plan is in early stages and may not come together before the Legislature adjourns for the year, perhaps as soon as next month. He has discussed it with the governors office and senators at the 50,000-foot level.

It doesnt have to be done this year, but if we can build consensus, if we can work it out between the House, Senate and the governor, yeah, if its good public policy we should do it, he said.
CLEAR LAKE  Many support an effort to turn an overgrown stretch of Clear Lakes shoreline into a public access area, but some sailing enthusiasts are concerned.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has already begun work on the stretch of shoreline at South Shore Drive and 235th Street.

A little-used part of Lekwa Marsh Wildlife Management Area now, the shoreline will be transformed into a day-use area for picnics, grill-outs and a stop for bikers and walkers.

The Iowa DNR hopes to have the area ready by mid-summer.

Were hoping to get a lot of traffic from the kayakers and canoers (and) people riding bikes stopping by, said Clear Lake State Park Ranger Josh Rembe.

Formerly overseen by the Iowa DNRs Wildlife Bureau, the site will now be overseen by its parks department.

Crews have cleared brush and plan to place basketball-sized rocks along 160 feet of shoreline, raise and seed the newly cleared site and place picnic tables and grills.

The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce supports the project.

North Iowa Spin Vice President Steve Schurtz is excited about the amenities the project will offer for area cyclists.

It sounds like its gonna be a really nice facility with picnic tables, benches and porta-potties, said Schurtz, of Mason City. For cyclists riding around the lake, itll be a nice stopping point.

The concern comes from Hobie Cat enthusiasts, who will no longer be able to leave their small sailing catamarans on the shoreline all summer.

Boats can still be launched from the existing sand access. The change is that overnight mooring will be banned.

And, unlike past years, that ban will be enforced, Rembe said.

Hobie Fleet 10 Commodore Steve Brewer feared forcing people to trailer in their sailboats and set them up every time could hurt the Fleets membership.

Owners liked to leave the boats on shore all summer because Hobie Cats dont work well in boat lifts and some need two people to get the mast in place, he said.

Im not gonna say (our club will) die without this access, but theres potential, said Brewer, who lives in Cedar Rapids but has a home in Clear Lake. Its really hard for somebody that were trying to bring into the sport locally for them to find something that works for a beach (catamaran).

The shallow water and flat beach access is perfect for dragging Hobie Cats up onto the shoreline. For years, Hobie Cats have been left on shore all summer.

Last year, they were joined by a barge.

It was always illegal, but the practice had been going on so long that some locals dubbed the area Hobie Beach.

Rembe, the Clear Lake park ranger, forwarded a letter detailing Hobie Fleet 10s concerns to Iowa DNR state officials.

Brewer is hopeful the Iowa DNR and Hobie Cat owners can work out a plan to allow legal long-term mooring, or that officials can suggest another workable alternative.

Its great that theyre doing something, he said, of the project. Itd be nice if we could coexist, and wed pay our fair share.
What you may have missed in Tuesdays political primary election hubbub was U.S. Senate passage of legislation we strongly support  to make it easier for Americans to obtain government records.

What you didnt miss Tuesday or any other day was legislation requiring Iowa lawmakers to release their work emails or daily schedules to the public. Thats because there is no such law.

These two contrasting items come during Sunshine Week, described by The Associated Press as a national initiative to promote government transparency and freedom of information.

We are encouraged that the Senate passed the bill on a bipartisan voice vote. It would require federal agencies to consider the release of government information under a presumption of openness as opposed to the presumption that such information is secret.

Theres an idea  doing the peoples business so the people can see whats going on by reducing the amount of government uses to withhold information. It would create one portal through which Freedom of Information Act requests can be submitted as opposed to the current system in which each agency handles requests separately with its own rules.

One of the bills sponsors, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said the idea is to establish transparency standards, according to the AP.

Todays vote sends a clear message that the American people have a fundamental right to know what their government is doing, Republican co-sponsor John Cornyn of Texas said.

Republicans in Congress have correctly taken the Obama administration to task, saying it has not been fully transparent in sharing information with lawmakers and the public. Shortly after taking office, Obama promised the most transparent presidency in history and spoke publically in favor of FOIA reform. According to open records requests that were recently reported by the journalism website Vice, however, White House officials worked behind the scenes after the president took office to thwart the needed changes to federal open records laws.

Meanwhile, the White House has criticized Congress for exempting itself from the records. The Freedom of Information of Act does not apply to Congress.

The House, which passed a similar bill in January, needs to pass this legislation and send it to President Obama for his signature. Well be watching to see how Iowans vote on this issue.There would be no better way to celebrate Sunshine Week than to send FOIA reform legislation to the presidents desk, said Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

We couldnt agree more.

As for Iowa government, we would like to see the Legislature approve that same presumption of openness to its dealings such as emails or daily schedules. Currently, thats not the case because the Legislature determines its own rules on such matters, and the Iowa Supreme Court has upheld that authority, The Associated Press reported.

The AP sought a weeks worth of emails and calendar information from leaders in the House and Senate, part of a 50-state effort that received as many denials as approvals. In Iowa, legislative staffers cited the Iowa Constitution in their denials.

House and Senate administrators (non-elected) agreed that the current system ensures that constituents can reach out to elected officials with confidentiality  without fear its going to be plastered all over the newspaper or somewhere, as House Chief Clerk Carmine Boal told the AP. This is no more than regulating an unfounded fear that enables lawmakers to stand above their constituents. Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls and chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, argues that the public still is able to participate in subcommittee meetings and forums involving bills at the Capitol. Also, he said, reporters can sit in the chambers to track activity just as people can watch floor debates in person.

Those are all public processes, he said. Its done right here.

A state watchdog on open records disagrees, saying most other government bodies must abide by the states public records law. And frankly, most of the work is done outside the chambers.

The rest of government at all levels, from city councils to schools boards to state government, works perfectly fine with that mandated transparency, said Kathleen Richardson, dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Drake University. I dont think thats a good argument for carving out the Legislature from the standard of openness to which the rest of Iowa government must comply.

Richardson also pointed out the Iowa Legislature is exempt from the states open meetings law, which puts it at a lower level of transparency than other government agencies when it comes to when and how it can meet  an exemption that allows lawmakers to meet in private beyond the public gatherings that Danielson noted.

We have editorialized numerous times on the great benefits of transparency when it comes to doing the peoples business. Its certainly the way Iowans want to do business. As bureaucrats ponder where the publics trust in their work has gone, may we suggest simply letting a little sun shine down on how they operate. Were more than likely to support more openness in our government.

In the meantime, were happy with the progress made in the Senate this week, and we hope the House and President Obama see fit to make it the law of the land.

Its simple: Transparency should be routine.
English Danish

As announced by Foreningen Nykredit ("Nykredit Association") in a press release of 16 March 2016, its Committee of Representatives has decided to make a capital contribution of DKK 600m to Totalkredit.

At a meeting of its Board of Directors today, Totalkredit has decided on the specific use of this contribution. Upon receipt of the contribution, Totalkredit will launch the first phase of KundeKroner. KundeKroner is a customer benefits programme under which customers of Totalkredit and Nykredit will be given customer discounts.

Michael Rasmussen, Chairman of Totalkredit and Group Chief Executive of Nykredit, says:

 KundeKroner is a unique customer benefits programme. We are looking forward to showing our customers the advantages of KundeKroner over the next years.

 We will start by awarding DKK 1,000 for each million kroner borrowed to those customers of Totalkredit whose prices will be rising from 1 July 2016. We are aware that this does not match the announced administration margin increase, but I hope that this initial phase of KundeKroner will help illustrate what the model is about.

 After Nykredit's stock exchange listing, KundeKroner will of course be extended to include customers of Nykredit. The amounts awarded to customers of Nykredit and Totalkredit will depend on the performance of our business and how much the Nykredit Association will be redistributing to Nykredit and Totalkredit.

KundeKroner will be introduced in two phases. See below for a description of how customers will benefit under phase 1 of the programme and the fundamental ideas behind phase 2.

Phase 1:

Each personal customer of Totalkredit will receive DKK 1,000 for each million kroner borrowed.

Under the KundeKroner programme, the customers will receive four quarterly cash discounts of DKK 250 for each million kroner borrowed that will be deducted from their administration margin payments. The first discount will be deducted in connection with mortgage payments for Q3/2017, ie on 30 September 2017.

It is Totalkredit's and Nykredit's expectation that amounts awarded under the KundeKroner programme will not constitute taxable income. Thus, the only tax implication for our customers is that their tax deduction on administration margin payments will be reduced. This has not yet been finally confirmed by the Danish tax authorities.

Phase 2:

Phase 2 of the KundeKroner programme will be the final model and will be specified in detail in the period up to the Nykredit Group's stock exchange listing. The fundamental idea behind the final model is that the programme will be extended to include customers of both Nykredit and Totalkredit. Also, an essential element is that the better the Nykredit Group is doing, the greater the reward for our customers.

As a listed group, Nykredit will be able to pay dividends to its shareholders when it is doing well. The Nykredit Association, which will be Nykredit's majority shareholder, has indicated its intention of returning a significant part of the dividends to the Nykredit Group, for the benefit of the Company and our customers. Such contributions will make it possible for the Nykredit Group to award cash benefits to our customers. The contributions will be subject to decisions made on an annual basis.

For more information, please contact Nykredit Press Relations at +45 44 55 14 50.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 17, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lion World Travels Tented Safari in Style treats guests to a five-star South African vacation and luxury tented safari experience guaranteed to amaze with its unbelievable activities and notable value. Starting from $3,999* per person sharing, including roundtrip international economy airfare from 38 major US cities** and all taxes and surcharges, Travelzoo estimates that guests save an average of $3,000 per person versus packaging components separately.

This outstanding trip explores Cape Towns scenic beauty, named one of the New York Times top places to visit in 2014. Guests spend four nights at the magnificent five-star Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. This boutique hotel offers superb luxury, thoughtful touches, generous hospitality and a unique location. Boasting a plethora of accolades, the property was recently voted #4 in Conde Nast Travelers Top 25 Hotels in Africa category for the 2015 Readers Choice Awards and received the #6 nomination in TripAdvisors Top 25 Hotels in South Africa for the 2016 Travelers Choice Awards.

On safari, guests experience the ultimate tented safari luxury at Bayethe Lodge. Five-star luxurious accommodations are complemented by close wildlife encounters in the malaria-free tented paradise of the Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

This safari vacation includes:

Domestic flights from 38 major US cities**

Roundtrip international economy airfare on the award-winning South African Airways from New York or Washington, D.C. to Cape Town and back via Johannesburg

Domestic flights within South Africa

Four nights at the five-star Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, poised above the Atlantic Ocean and flanked by the majestic Table Mountain National Park, a World Heritage Site, and the Twelve Apostles mountain range.

Three nights in safari luxury at Bayethe Lodge, indulging in an unforgettable African safari experience with two daily game drives to view the Big Five. Tents have doors, thatched roofs, en-suite bathroom, shower, private plunge pool and viewing deck.

Magnificent views along South Africa's Atlantic Seaboard on a scenic helicopter flight.

Full day Hermanus Whales and Wine Tour for a chance to spot whales (July - November), tasting incredible South African wines at the Bouchard Finlayson Winery and a visit to a Cheetah Outreach Sanctuary.

7 Breakfasts / 4 Lunches / 4 Dinners including a three-course gourmet dinner at the award-winning Azure Restaurant.

*Tented Safari in Style starts from $3,999 per person sharing, from New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to Johannesburg as well as add-ons from 38 major US cities**. This price includes all taxes and fuel surcharges, domestic airfare and transfers. Tented Safari in Style  is valid for 2016 travel on select dates in August, September, October and November.

**This package is available from the following cities at the same price based on space availability: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Buffalo, Charleston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York (JFK), Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Rochester, St. Louis, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Syracuse, Tampa, Tucson or Washington, D.C. All flights connect in New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles).

For details and reservations, please contact Lion World Travel at 1-800-387-2706 to speak to one of their Africa specialists, or visit www.lionworldtravel.com.

About Lion World Travel

Lion World Travel is the leading tour operator from North America specializing in group and individual tours to Southern and East Africa, and is a member of the renowned Travel Corporation , which also includes: Trafalgar Tours, Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. In its 51st year, clients continue to benefit from Lion World Travels destination knowledge, expertise, and emphasis on customer service. With their safari specialists all having first-hand knowledge of Africa, Lion World Travel can confidently assist clients in creating an African adventure that fits their specific interests as well as their budget. Extraordinary service, affordable luxury and value for money are what keep clients coming back to Lion World Travel.

Winner of the South African Tourism Ubuntu Awards "Top Producing Tour Operator for North America" for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014



Winner of "Certificate of Excellence for TripAdvisor" for 2014 and 2015



Winner of the South African Airways "Award of Excellence in Travel and Tourism for North America" for 2012

About The TreadRight Foundation

Created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporations family of brands, The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit that works to help ensure the environment and communities we visit remain vibrant and preserved for generations to come. To date, TreadRight has supported more than 35 sustainable tourism projects worldwide. The foundations guiding principle is to encourage sustainable tourism development through conservation, leadership and support for communities.



TreadRights past project partners include WWF, Conservation International and The National Trust in the UK. Current initiatives include sponsoring the National Geographic Societys inaugural World Legacy Awards, helping to combat wildlife crime with WildAid, and empowering individuals with the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise.



To learn more about our past and current work at TreadRight, please visit us at TreadRight.org.



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I'll chime in here to try and balance out the convo, but the comments have certainly been intriguingBoth are excellent schools and your really can't make a bad decision here. I think the fact that you have this kind of opportunity available to you, you will do extremely well regardless of which school you attend.In my opinion, your choice should depend on the type of MBA experience you are looking for and which school's degree will leave you better off in the long run. Booth certainly offers some excellent academics, but I do believe that Cornell has excellent academic opportunities as well. I'm not sure which economics class you sat in (Core?) but I have to say outside of the core, I've certainly had some stimulating conversations with professors about the effects of certain corporate financial policies and the effects of certain laws on corporate governance. Now I'm not sure what area of interest you are looking to focus on during your MBA, but Cornell certainly has world class faculty in several areas and I think that is definitely one thing that has been consistently underplayed to the public. Ultimately, the amount that you learn during your MBA will depend on your willingness to challenge yourself and the amount of effort you put towards it. This is true regardless of which institution you attend.Regarding career opportunities, I think that the fact that you are obviously a very well-established and well regarded business school applicant makes it apparent that you will also be a very competitive applicant in the relatively small MBA internship world. Your resume and background have yielded you some impressive results thus far, I think that you won't really have to worry about having top career opportunities once you begin recruiting for whichever industry or field you choose. The same companies recruit from both schools and having a full scholarship (I'm assuming a Park) only helps you stand out even more. In general, Park's do very well during recruiting because employers know that only the top business school prospects are granted Park Fellowships.Regarding business school life, Cornell is obviously in a more rural location than Booth and so the differences in night life and bar selection are fairly obvious. However, I will say that I've found business school has left me little time to go to the bars. Between the classwork, the recruiting activities, the extra-curriculars, and leadership roles I've taken on, I've had only a few occasions that I could really go out and "enjoy myself"But because of the small class (where I really do know everyone), and the similar hectic schedules, it makes the occasions where we do go out, really fun and memorable. Usually, we end up taking over the entire bar and it definitely leaves for some very fun stories that I'll remember for years to come. For instance, for St. Patty's day we took over a bar downtown with the Law School and ILR school and had classmates work as the bartenders. Definitely a fun time that reinforces the overall camaraderie of the class and something that I know will make us a stronger alumni network. I think that the location helps build a stronger tie to the school and it's something that's definitely apparent when you talk to alumni.This leads me to my last point, which alumni network would you rather be a part of? I know that UChicago and Booth certainly have an impressive alumni network, but so does Johnson and Cornell. Personally, I've been able to get a hold of every alum that I've reached out to in the Johnson network and the Cornell network. Both groups love the school deeply and don't really care which school you're associated with, just that you're a Cornellian. It's something that has impressed me throughout my experience, but obviously I'm biased hereI'd suggest you talk to alums from both schools (or even ones that are alums of both), to see which community fits your character the most.Anyways, good luck with the decision!_________________
My weather app tells me that snow will be making a comeback this Sunday, which is supposedly the first day of spring, so it's only fitting that the MTA pile on the misery with changes on 13 trains this weekend. But look at it this way: soon it'll be too nice out to justify hibernating indoors, so see this as your opportunity to squeeze in those last few episodes of House of Cards while hiding from winter's brief reprise. And if you do decide to venture out, make sure to check out the changes slated for the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, A, C, D, F, L, Q, and S trains:

South Ferry-bound 1 trains run express from 14 St to Chambers St from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

Flatbush Av-Brooklyn College-bound 2 trains will run express from 14 St to Chambers St from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 6:30 a.m. on Sunday and from 11:45 p.m. on Sunday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

3 service will replace 4 service in Brooklyn, operating to and from New Lots Av from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

4 trains are not running in either direction between New Lots Av/Crown Hts-Utica Av and Bowling Green from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

5 trains are not running in either direction from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. Free shuttle buses will operate between Eastchester-Dyre Av and E 180 St, with stops at Baychester Av, Gun Hill Rd, Pelham Pkwy, and Morris Park.

7 trains are not running in either direction between Times Sq-42 St and Queensboro Plaza from 12:15 a.m. on Saturday to 4:30 a.m. on Monday. They'll go between Flushing-Main St and Queensboro Plaza, and between Times Sq-42 St and 34 St-Hudson Yards, every 15-20 minutes. Free shuttle buses will make all stops between Vernon Blvd-Jackson Av and Queensboro Plaza. Also, from 12:15 a.m. on Saturday to 4:30 a.m. on Monday, 7 trains will run express between 74 St-Broadway and Queensboro Plaza.

A trains will be rerouted via the F line in both directions between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday. They'll run local in both directions between W 4 St-Wash Sq and 59 St-Columbus Circle, and between 125 St and 168 St, from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

C trains are not running in either direction between 148 St and 168 St from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Also, from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, they'll be rerouted via the F line in both directions between W 4 St-Wash Sq and Jay St-MetroTech.

D trains will stop at 135 St in both directions from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

Coney Island-Stillwell Av-bound F trains will run express from Smith-9 Sts to Church Av from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

L trains are not running in either direction between 8 Av and 14 St-Union Sq from 11:45 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday.

Q trains will run to Astoria-Ditmars Blvd from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The 42 St S Shuttle will run overnight from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Monday.
Tabloids like the NY Post won't stop believing that de Blasio's sent the city spiraling back to the Bad Old Days, what with the slashings and the shootings and whatever else might happen in the country's most populous city. Still, according to recently-released NYPD data on major felonies committed citywide, even New York's most dangerous neighborhoods are safer than entire cities like Newark, St. Louis, Detroit, New Orleans, and Baltimore.

I Quant NY calculated the average homicide rate for cities in the U.S. with populations of more than 250,000 and measured them against individual homicide reports for neighborhoods like Ocean Hill, Brownsville and South Jamaica, which have the highest murder rates in New York. In Baltimore, the annual murder rate is under 40 per 100,000 residents; in Ocean Hill, there were under 30 murders per 100,000 residents.

This is all the more jarring when you consider the murder rate in Ocean Hill is five times that of New York City as a whole, but unsurprising when you consider that as of August, there were more murders total in Baltimore than in New York. Baltimore has a population of only 620,000 peoplethere are over 8.4 million people living in this city.

It's been said time and time againNew York, despite its size (and its tabloid fearmongering), is an exceptionally safe city, for what it is. That doesn't mean we don't have problems with crime, and it doesn't mean that there aren't neighborhoods that suffer from violence, particularly when it comes to homicides resulting from gun violence, which saw a dramatic spike last year.

I went to college in Baltimore, and on our first day of freshman orientation, we had to sit through a two-hour safety seminar. My fellow New Yorkers and I figured we didn't have to pay attention, since we were from a Big Bad City, but the problems that plague Baltimore are incredibly serious. And they're relevant now, both in light of the riot that broke out last year after Freddie Gray died in police custody and because of the mayoral election, which began garnering some national attention when prominent Black Lives Matter activist (and native Baltimorean) DeRay Mckesson jumped into the race.

This is Gothamist and not Charm Cityist or even DCist. But considering one of the biggest recent anti-crime achievements of late seems to have been the destruction of a homeless woman's property thanks to manufactured NY Post fauxtrage, it's worth taking some things into perspective.

Anyway, I Quant has a fascinating map comparing NYC neighborhoods to their homicide-rate equivalent citiesfeel free to play around with it on their site.


I was teethed on H&H Bagels, and it's no secret that the heartbreak I experienced when my beloved bagel shop shuttered in 2011 was worse than that from any failed romantic relationship. I don't care if the quality of H&H went down in its later years, for I dream, still, of those hot sesame bagels, and nothing will ever replace them for me. Still, this city has other good bagels, I suppose. Whatever. Here they are, broken down by categoryleave your favorites in the comments, and feel free to send me more bagels to ease my pain.

Best Bagel Bagels



Via Facebook

ABSOLUTE BAGELS: I was skeptical that anything could replace my cherished H&H. But thankfully, this uptown joint became the new neighborhood king, selling crispy-crust, light and chewy bagels to the hordes of Upper West Siders and hungover Columbia students that line up outside on weekend mornings. Individual bagels run about $1.25, and you can pair them with an assortment of standard cream cheeses, meats and spreads; do note that, much like H&H, while the bagels are delectable, they don't hold up to snuff after a few hours, so it's best to consume them ASAP. They are also suitable for making pizza bagels, if you are the sort of person who finds that kind of abomination acceptable.

Absolute Bagels is located at 2788 Broadway between 107th and 108th Street in Manhattan Valley (212-932-2052, absolutebagels.com).



Via Facebook

ESS-A-BAGEL: The original 1st Avenue location is dead and gone (though a new East Village/Gramercy spot will arrive...eventually), but Midtown East still serves up the same giant, fluffy bagels for which this Manhattan mainstay's long been known. Some unenlightened folk claim Ess-A-Bagel's offerings are too big, but we beg to differ, and will continue to indulge in a crispy, colossal everything bagel loaded with scallion cream cheese, lox and tomato. Our apologies if you get too close to us on the train later, but at least we help mitigate flu season.

Ess-A-Bagel is located at 831 3rd Ave between 50th and 51st Street in Midtown East (212-980-1010, ess-a-bagel.com).



Via Facebook

MURRAY'S BAGELS: Murray's broke my heart last year when they gave in to transplants' demands and began toasting fresh bagels, a move I consider a great bagel shop's greatest crime. Still, an everything bagel with lox spread is a work of art here. Go early to get the freshest bagel, skip the toaster and leave in the embrace of bagel-eating angelsnote that there's also a location in Chelsea, but the 20-plus year old Greenwich Village spot is above and beyond the best one.

Murray's Bagels is located at 500 6th Ave between 12th and 13th Streets in Greenwich Village (212-462-2830, murraysbagels.com).



Via Yelp

TERRACE BAGELS: This Windsor Terrace spot continues to produce some of the most solid bagels in all of Kings County...and therefore the WORLD. These ever-fresh fluffy offerings are best when doused with a healthy serving of house-made flavored cream cheese or sandwiching sliced turkey and mustard. Plus, there's no need to get them toasted; just slap on a spread and head out to nearby Prospect Park with your breakfast/lunch/midday snack, assuming the sky has stopped winter-crying.

Terrace Bagels is located at 224 Prospect Park West between 16th Street and Windsor Place in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn (718-768-3943).



Via Yelp

KOSSAR'S BIALYS: This LES institution may be famed for its namesake bialys, but the $1 bagels here are nothing to sneer at, either. The shop underwent a recent renovation and now sells a slew of spreads, but the magic here is still in the bagel itself.

Of course, if you're feeling "adventurous" you can't go wrong with a bialya pillowy round thing that looks a little bit like a bagel but will SURPRISE YOU when you bite into it and are overcome by the taste of onionor try the "pletzel," a savory, foccacia-esque flatbread.

Kossar's Bialys is located at 367 Grand Street between Essex and Norfolk Streets on the Lower East Side (212-473-4810, kossarsbialys.com).

BAGEL HOLE: There's been some controversy over this venerable Park Slope bagel spot. Naysayers say the bagels here are too small and too tough, but I disagreethough I'm a fan of a fluffier bagel, the little guys here are probably the size a bagel should be, and not what our double cheeseburger-eating stomachs have decided they must be. Haters be damned, Bagel Hole's goods are always fresh, dense and chewy, enveloped by the necessary salty, crispy crust. Eat with cream cheese, whitefish, lox or nothing, dream of flocks of angels crowned by bagel halos all night long.

Bagel Hole is located at 400 Seventh Avenue between 12th and 13th Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-788-4014, bagelhole.net).



Via Yelp

UTOPIA BAGELS: You likely need a car to get to this out-of-the-way bagel shop, but the wares here are well worth the price of a Zip Car rental, with fresh bagels baked onsite earning legions of fans and garnering long, looong lines on weekends. Really, anyone who calls themselves a fan of Real Bagels needs to make the pilgrimage to Utopiaget an onion bagel with lox, and don't breathe near anyone for a week or two. You'll be floating so hard on post-bagel love you won't even notice the isolation.

Utopia Bagels is located at 1909 Utopia Parkway in Whitestone, Queens (718-352-2596).

Best Neighborhood Bagels



Via Yelp

TOMPKINS SQUARE BAGELS: Tompkins Square Bagelswhich owner Christopher Pugliese calls a love letter to the East Villagehas plenty of local charm. Moderately priced, and objectively robust, bagels come shiny and packed with cream cheese, of which there is a wide array of options (including the Birthday Cake cream cheese, which is legendary). Seating tends to be limited, so it may be best to plan to grab-on-the-go. (Sarah Edwards)

Tompkins Square Bagels is located at 165 Avenue A in the East Village (646-351-6530, tompkinssquarebagels.com).



Via

DAVID'S BAGELS: Now that Ess-A-Bagel's out of its longstanding 1st Avenue spot, David's is the indisputable king of the neighborhood, boasting tasty, chewy bagels that somehow manage to stay hot all day. You can't go wrong with a basic bagel-and-cream cheese type deal, but we've been told their egg-and-cheese concoctions are superior to all other egg-and-cheeses in the city; with that information in hand, do what you will.

David's Bagels is located at 273 1st Ave between 16th and 17th Street in Gramercy (212-780-2308).

RIVERDALE BAGELS: The life cycle of a bagel at Riverdale Bagels starts promptly at 3:15 a.m. in the mixer, before moving to the boiler and the oven (cream cheese, of which there is plenty, is also made fresh every morning). Staff is infamously unfriendly, but if youre really trying to have an authentic experience ordering a bagel in New York, a fireside chat is probably not going to happen. Plus, the owners have been making bagels since 1992, so at least they know what theyre doing.

Riverdale Bagels is located at 5650 Riverdale Avenue in the Bronx (718-601-4502).



Via Yelp

ASTORIA BAGEL SHOP & DELI: Though service here could use a little work, the bagels at this no-frills deli are among the best in the borough, boasting the requisite chewy crusts and soft, ever-fresh insides. Prices here are a little cheaper than at fellow bagelries like Brooklyn Bagel, but you can still smother your bread ring with a variety of cream cheeses. No credit cards, so come in with cash, and be prepared to take your bagel to go, both because the shop gets crowded and because the ambiance isn't anything to brag about.

Astoria Bagel Shop is located at 28-12 Ditmars Blvd in Astoria, Queens (718-728-5169).



Via Foursquare

BAGEL SUPREME: This Bay Ridge staple is a short walk from the R train, making it an ideal commuter stop-in on your way to work. The assortment of cream cheeses and spreads is basic deli fare, but the traditional, water-boiled bagels have a reputation for being enormous. Parks and the waterfront are also a short walk away from Bagel Supreme, making it equally desirable as a weekend drop-by. (Sarah Edwards)

Bagel Supreme is located at 9401 5th Avenue between 4th Avenue and 95th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (718-745-1108).

Best Bagel Sandwiches



(Scott Heins/Gothamist)

RUSS & DAUGHTERS: Russ & Daughters used to get their bagels from Bagel Hole, but now they bake their own, which is exciting news indeed. But it's what they do with those bad boys that make them such bagel sandwich-making kings. The real treat here is the Super Heebster, a mammoth $10 masterpiece packed with whitefish and baked salmon salad. A feisty schmear of horseradish dill cream cheese gives this baby a real kick, amplified all the more by a dollop of wasabi flying fish roe. Of course, even standard smoked salmon and cream cheese is outstanding here, so don't worry if all that fancy stuff freaks you out too much to try it.

Russ & Daughters is located at 179 East Houston Street near Orchard Street on the Lower East Side (212-475-4880, russanddaughters.com). You can also score a Super Heebster at the Russ & Daughters Cafe, located at 127 Orchard Street.



(Scott Lynch/Gothamist)

SADELLE'S: It may only be six months old, but this trendy Jewish bakery does not lack for adult fashion cred: its earned accolades from nearly every major NYC press outlet (Vogue even featured it in one of those illogically-compiled morning after the MET round-ups, for all those who just cant decide where to go after the MET ball!!). A swarm of lab-coat-wearing counter staff sling bagels by day, while at night, the bakery transforms into a candlelit brassiere. Fish features prominently on the menu, and you can pick from a diverse sampling that includes Sable and Smoked Scottish. Hours are irregular, so make sure you check that Sadelles is open before dropping by. (Sarah Edwards)

Sadelle's is located at 463 West Broadway between LaGuardia Place and Prince Street in SoHo (212-776-4926, sadelles.com).

Best Grocery Bagels



Via Yelp

ZABAR'S: The trick to doing Zabar's bagels right is to stop your lazy self from grabbing the premade nova sandwich from Zabar's cafe, and commit to a full-fledged, DIY bagel brunch. Zabar's boils and bakes their mart barley flour bagels in-house, and they've got everything from plain to onion to asiago cheese (highly recommend the latter). Get them fresh in the store, and pick up some scallion cream cheese and just-sliced lox to go with them. Pair that with some capers and fresh-squeezed OJ, and you've got yourself the fixings for a five-star Upper West Side brunch party. (Miranda Katz)

Zabar's is located at 2245 Broadway between 80th and 81st Streets on the Upper West Side (212-787-2000, zabars.com).

Best Chain Bagels



Via Facebook

BROOKLYN BAGEL AND COFFEE COMPANY: Ironically, Brooklyn Bagel does not have a location in Brooklyn. It does, however, have three locations in Astoria and one in Chelsea, and every one of them sells spectacular hand-rolled doughy bagels, appropriately crispy-crusted and accompanied by what seems like thousands of spreads and proteins. They have a flavor-of-the-week cream cheese that has, at times, been cannoli cream, red velvet, spinach and white chocolate raspberry. Expect long lines in Astoria on weekday mornings, but your breakfast will be worth the wait.

Brooklyn Bagel has three locations in Queens and one in Manhattan; visit their website for details.

Best Non-NYC Style Bagels



(Jen Chung/Gothamist)

BLACK SEED BAGELS: The East Village was once a haven for day-drinkers, punk-rockers, and shit kickers, but now it's just one big flatscreen run by those frat bros from down the hall. At least there's Black Seed Bagels' new outpost on First Avenue, a no-bullshit basement bakery that's been churning out Montreal-style bagels (and delectable spreads) since they opened late last year. These slightly skinny, big-ringed bagels cover all the necessary bases and have absolutely nothing in common with $9 bespoke biscuits and kale dumplings, not that they should in the first place. Note that the bagelry's original Nolita location is still going strong.(Scott Heins)

Black Seed is located at 170 Elizabeth Street between Spring and Kenmare Streets in Nolita and at 176 First Avenue between East 10th and 11th Streets in the East Village (212-730-1950, blackseedbagels.com).
Mayor de Blasio's controversial rezoning plan for affordable housing seems ever closer to becoming a reality: earlier this week, some of the toughest critics of the plan endorsed it and the City Council added a fourth, more affordable option to the three already on the table. The council will vote on the plan on March 22nd, but not everyone accepts it as a done deal just yet. Though much of the conversation so far has focused on East New York, the first neighborhood slated for rezoning under the plan, residents of Inwood and Washington Heights gathered at a town hall meeting last night to demand that their representatives vote down the mayor's plan.

These neighborhoods are among the 15 that would eventually be rezoned to mandate that developers include a certain percentage of affordable units in new residential projects. The plan includes four options for developers: one calls for 25 percent of units to be set aside for New Yorkers who make 60 percent of the Area Median Income ($46,620 for a family of three); one requires that 30 percent of units be for people making 80 percent of the AMI ($62,150 for a family of three); one mandates that 20 percent of units be affordable for people making 115 percent of the AMI (about $89,000 for a family of three) while another 10 percent be reserved for those making 90 and 70 percent of the AMI; and the fourth, newest option would require that 20 percent of units be affordable for those making 40 percent of the AMI (about $31,000 per year). The option assigned to any new construction project will be decided by the councilmember for the district.

In Community Board 12, which comprises Inwood and Washington Heights, over 50 percent of residents make less than $50,000 per year, with 24 percent making under $20,000 and just 28 percent making over $75,000. As such, residents argue, the current plan doesn't accurately reflect the needs of the neighborhood. Addressing councilmembers Mark Levine and Ydanis Rodriguez, who represent the neighborhoods in question, residents urged them to only support a plan that would ensure that between 50 and 100 percent of new units are affordable for families making $25,000 a year.

"What the council has agreed to is not going to benefit our community," said Cheryl Pahaham. "We don't really have options that are affordable to people who live here. And the plan as it's proposed is really a plan that's going to lead to gentrification. It's a plan that's going to lead to displacement of people who live here."

Speaking at the town hall, Levine painted de Blasio's plan as the lesser of two evils, arguing that some mandated affordable housing is better than none at all and that if the council doesn't act on this plan now, developers will continue building market rate-only projects all over the city. But Northern Manhattan residents say that attitude isn't good enough, as most people they know won't be able to afford the housing that this plan would create.

"This community is a low-income community even for those people that are working, and on top of that, for those of us who are disabled our income is at 12 percent [AMI]," said Rita Perez, who has lived in Inwood for 36 years. "The lowest income I've seen in all these meetings is $35,000, and even our children won't get to that income."

Many residents also questioned why there is such focus on new development, arguing that the focus should be on preserving the neighborhood's rent-controlled apartments. Bennett Melzak, a lifelong Inwood resident, said that even with rent control his rent has crept up to $2,000 a montha price he can hardly afford. Inwood and Washington Heights have the highest concentration of rent-stabilized apartments in Manhattan, but more and more units have become deregulated in the past eight years.

"I don't fully understand or appreciate the focus on new construction," said resident Jennifer Fox. "What I see as the threat in Inwood specifically is the market pressures that we're seeing...the systemic abuses that we see in frivolous [Major Capital Improvement rent increase] abuses, in landlords who charge preferential rents, and then, whoopsy daisy, four years after you can't challenge your rent, now you're up to what they claim is legal rent. I am frustrated with the fact that all of these rezoning proposals are only talking about the new construction and not talking about the preservation."

For over an hour, dozens of Levine's and Rodriguez's constituents took turns beseeching them to vote no on the current rezoning deal on March 22nd, with multiple residents asking for an explicit commitment to vote it down. After much hedging from both councilmembers, it became clear that neither intends to do so, as they see the plan as the best option currently available. Rodriguez said outright that he "will be voting for this plan," while Levine said that he "cannot in good conscience allow developers to get the kind of giveaways they've gottenI want a mandate that if you build big in the city you must include affordability."

Opponents to the plan aren't giving up yet: there are actions planned across the city in the coming days, with rallies in the Bronx and Lower Manhattan demanding that the council vote down the current plan. To some, like Jeanie Dubnau of Washington Heights, any plan that relies on developers to provide affordable housing is doomed to fail.

"Honestly, this is what happens when you leave the development of new housing to real estate developers," she said. "They are interested in one thing, what is that? Money. Everybody knows it....In my humble opinion, the only way we're going to get really affordable housing is public housing to be built by the government."
Police were called to PS 40 in Queens yesterday afternoon after an 11-year-old fifth grader flashed a loaded .38 caliber handgun in front of classmates. The gun, which had one bullet in it, had gone undetected for hours until the boy started showing it off. Officials say it had one round in the clip. Fortunately, a school safety agent confiscated the firearm before it could be discharged.

The boy's grandfather, 54-year-old Kenneth Miley, was subsequently arrested after police determined that the gun was taken from his home, located a couple blocks from the Jamaica school. Sources tell the Daily News that the boy found the gun under Miley's bed, and the Post reports that he brought the gun to school one day after an unspecified "confrontation" with classmates. (ABC 7 reports that the boy found the gun between couch cushions.)

It scary, my hearts beating just hearing about it," one kindergarten mother told the News. "A fifth-grader? Wow. It's shocking. He just brought it to class? It was just somewhere out in the open where he could get it?

Miley was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless endangerment. But his attorney insists "the gun doesnt belong to my client. He found it in the backyard." Miley intended to bring the firearm to the local police precinct stationhouse, the lawyer claims.

"This is incredibly disturbing and nothing is more important than the safety of all students and staff," the NYC Education Department said in a statement. "School staff immediately notified NYPD and they swiftly responded. Families were notified yesterday and additional staff is available to the school community to provide ongoing support. We will continue to work closely with the police department as they investigate this alarming incident, and ensure that all students and staff feel safe."

A spokesman for Mayor de Blasio, who is considering a plan to remove hundreds of metal detectors from NYC public schools, issued a statement saying, "The mayor is committed to the safety of all our students and educators. He believes that we must look closely at school safety data and determine a clear protocol before examining the removal of scanners." There are no scanners at elementary schools like PS 40.
A group of daring masters of deception hacked into Bangladesh's central bank and used stolen credentials to transfer $81 million from the country's account at the New York Federal Reserve to the Philippines, then disappeared with the loot.

The heist occurred over a month ago but wasn't disclosed until last week. On Tuesday, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman resigned amid ever-expanding fallout from the theft. The federal reserve here has denied any responsibility, saying that the security breach happened on the South Asian nation's end.

The purse could have been much biggerthe thieves had initiated transfer requests for $950 millionhad someone not misspelled a word in one request, causing intermediary Deutsche Bank to call Bangladesh to make sure the money movement was legit.

The heist was set in motion over a weekend in early February, when Bangladesh Bank was closed. Hackers breached the bank's systems and stole payment transfer logins, then used the information to send nearly three dozen transfer requests to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, seeking to send the nearly $1 billion to various entities in the Philippines and Sri Lanka.



We're not clear on how one withdraws $81 million from a bank of this size, but it probably helps when the security cameras are disabled. (Google Maps)

Four of those requests went through, all to the Philippines, but a fifth, seeking $20 million for a Sri Lankan nonprofit called the Shalika Foundation, was flagged because whoever filled out the form misspelled "foundation" as "fandation." (Reuters reports that there is no Shalika Foundation registered in Sri Lanka.) The Federal Reserve, meanwhile, said that it flagged the transfers for Bangladesh due to the unusual number of transfers to private organizations, but apparently not in time to stop the haul from flowing out of a bank branch in the Philippines.

The money was consolidated into one account at the Philippines' RCBC bank, and on February 9th, four people went to a branch in Makati City, just outside of Manila, and withdrew the whole $81 million. Conveniently, as a bank official told the Philippine senate on Monday, the bank's camera's were "not functioning" at the time. Subsequent investigation revealed that the bank accounts had been opened using fake driver's licenses, and visits to the employers and addresses listed on the account documents showed those were also bogus.

From there, the money made its way to a money changer, who sent $30 million in dollars and Philippine pesos to a Chinese man who runs junkets for big-money casino patrons, $29 million to an account of a nearby casino resort called Solaire, and $21 million to the account of a Philippine gambling company called Eastern Hawaii Leisure co. A spokesperson for Solaire's parent company told Reuters that the $29 million was transferred at the request of the junket operator, Weikang Xu, and exchanged for chips.

Teofisto Guingona, head of the Philippines Senate anti-corruption committee said they have hit a wall at the casinos.

"The paper trail ends there. That is the problem," he told the newswire service. "Right now we are at a dead end."

Presumably Xu has been a hard guy to track down.

The head of the money-changing company that helped convert the ill-gotten lucre to cash apologized and said she would give the commission for the job, the equivalent of $226,356, to Bangladesh.

An anti-money-laundering agency in the Philippines told the Philippine Senate it has frozen 44 accounts in connection with the investigation. Silicon Valley tech companies are consulting on the probe.
If the walls of the Plaza Hotel could talk, they'd probably have a lot to say about former Governor Eliot Spitzer, The Beatles, and what it feels like to be ownedand compared to the Mona Lisaby Donald Trump. Unfortunately, the landmarked luxury hotel at the base of Central Park won't be able to speak for itself on the foreclosure auction block next month. According to Bloomberg Business, the hotel's current owner, the notorious, imprisoned Indian financier Subrata Roy, has defaulted on a loan worth hundreds of millions.

An anonymous source leaked the impending foreclosure auction to Bloomberg this week, suggesting that the hotel's rooms, restaurants and retail space will all go up for sale. According to the news source, Swiss brothers and private investors David and Simon Reuben hold the mortgage, and are lumping the sale with the decidedly less majestic, Connect Four-like Dream Downtown hotel in Chelsea.

Roy's company, Sahara India Pariwar, defaulted on its loans with Bank of China Ltd. earlier this monthloans secured not only by the Plaza, but the Dream Downtown and Grosvenor House hotel in London. The foreclosure sale comes despite Roy's best effortsaccording to the Wall Street Journal, the Indian investor has been working tirelessly at his plush prison quarters to sell the Plaza and offset his $1.6 billion bail:

According to people familiar with his dealings, Mr. Roy has spent extended periods holed up in the prisons guesthouse, where an air-conditioned conference room has been converted into a makeshift boardroom so that he can negotiate with potential buyers. The court has allowed him the use of videoconferencing facilities, Internet and phone access, a desktop, a laptop and printers, as well as a stenographer and two assistants to conduct his business, a Sahara lawyer said.

The auction is scheduled for April 26th, condos excluded, meaning this incredible deal is still on the table.
Culture

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As a member of the Montana Developmental Center Transition Advisory Council, I am compelled to respond to a letter recently authored by other members of the council. I regret some wish to continue debating the pros and cons of SB411, but the fact is that its now law. A majority of legislators and the governor supported SB411 to close MDC because it was the right thing to do.

While their letter suggested that we have been immersed in the issue, frankly, for various reasons we have received primarily opinions of various stakeholders and anecdotal information -- and still need more hard data regarding our service system now. Furthermore, weve had no expert presentations from other states that have completed this process of closing an institution and strengthening community capacity. To represent that the council has thoroughly delved into the system itself misstates what has occurred.

For too long, we have had a developmental disability system in Montana that has denied providers what they need to be successful in helping people live in the community. If an individual has needs, such as mental health issues or autism or other disorders, he or she has often failed in their community placement -- not because they cannot be served to live in the community, but because providers lack sufficient resources to provide those services. For many years, a community placement failure meant that the person had to go to MDC -- the most restrictive place in the state they could be -- usually after a heartbreaking crisis that has terrible emotional consequences.

MDC has a long history of failing to meet Medicaid requirements, usually because of the inability to address abuse and neglect, Montana let that system exist. This is true for a lot of reasons, but often due to a lack of political will to fund it responsibly.

So why should we care about this? Because it is wrong to keep a bad system that makes the most vulnerable people suffer for the failure of others. It is an established civil right that people deserve to live in the community. Specifically, the Americans with Disabilities Act, 25 years old, requires the state to build a system that makes this a reality.

For those who would discount the abuse and neglect at MDC, I say that I am still shocked by the high prevalence of these events, especially since MDC holds itself out as a Center for Excellence expected to provide a safe place for treatment and rehabilitation. That is impossible where clients and staff are injured at an unacceptable rate. (Please go to www.disabilityrightsmt.org for reports of both.)

Of course, it will take money to fix the system, but we needed to spend this money a long time ago in supporting quality community placements. Frankly, this need exists whether MDC is closed or not. The only reason we are talking about changing the mechanism we use to pay community providers right now is because SB411 passed into law.

To date, we have seen many solid, positive steps to effectuate SB411. This is because of the work of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, community providers and the role of the council. Twenty-one people deemed ready to enter community residence for many months will begin moving out of MDC in the near future. At our last meeting, the council was informed of another proposal for four more people to move into the community. In a process as critically important as this, we will face obstacles. Yet, I believe that with hard work, Montana can do right by people with developmental disabilities who have had to be too patient for far too long. I am hopeful we shall also do right concerning people yet to come into the system, including future generations of citizens who will need assistance.

Our charge on the council is to accomplish the statutory requirements in SB411. That is our responsibility as council appointees. We can settle for nothing less.

Charlie Briggs is a Disability Rights Montana board member.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 89F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 64F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
Los Angeles, California, March 15, 2016  At a major donor conference in Yerevan, the Armenian Redwood Project (ARP) announced that a broad coalition of diaspora philanthropists and organizations had pledged up to $350,000 to significantly augment the emergency housing-assistance program in Armenia for Syrian-Armenian refugees. These funds will be essential in continuing the programinitiated by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)in 2016.

Donors include philanthropists Gerald Turpanjian, Carolyn Mugar, and Zaven Akian, in addition to the Gulbenkian Foundation, the Jinishian Memorial Foundation, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, The Ani and Narod Memorial Foundation, Denmarks Mission East Armenia Branch, and The Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF), along with the projects in-country partner Oxfam Armenia.

According to the Government of Armenia (GoA), over 20,000 Syrian-Armenian refugees have sought refuge in Armenia, where many are still struggling to rebuild lives with limited support. Adequately addressing the housing crisis of refugees seems to be beyond the means of the GoA or any one organization alone. As such, ARP was established as a collaborative platform to help provide refugees with vital humanitarian assistance. Functioning in part as an alliance between diaspora benefactors and foundations and in part as international aid agency partner, ARPs consortiums new pledge aims to help Syrian-Armenian families in Armenia secure and maintain affordable housing in the form of rent subsidies.

Affordable housing has emerged through the process of identifying what we want to accomplish for our brothers and sisters who have taken refuge in Armenia, said Raffy Ardhaldjian, Chief Action Officer of ARP. The housing assistance which we provide complements what the Armenian government is doing and its where we can have the greatest impact. The cause of Syrian refugees is the humanitarian test of our times, and weve been humbled by the support weve received from around the world.

In 2015, close to 1,000 Syrian-Armenian families in Armenia benefited from the joint rental-subsidy program, which was managed by the UNHCR and Oxfam.

Syrian Refugees building new lives in Armenia, 2015 / Photo credit: Zaven Khatchikyan on assignment for the Armenian Redwood Project

As a host country, Armenia has been absolutely exemplary in terms of the ratio of welcomed Syrian-Armenian refugees to the number of native inhabitants, said Christoph Bierwirth, the UNHCR Representative in Armenia. According to a new study published by the European Friends of Armenia, Armenia hosts six Syrian refugees per 1,000 nationalsa ratio much higher than many European countries or the US, especially noteworthy given the countrys economic circumstance.

While UNHCR has committed to continuing its Syrian-Armenian relief efforts in 2016, it announced a budget reduction in the program, reflecting the exhausted resources of humanitarian agencies throughout the region. In response to the UNHCR budget reduction, ARP mobilized a cross section of diaspora philanthropists and organizations, and partnered with Oxfam Armenia, in order to supplement the UNHCR housing-assistance program in 2016, thereby fulfilling the budgetary shortfall.

Margarita Hakobyan, Country Director for Oxfam in Armenia, said that by addressing the immediate housing problems of displaced Syrian families, the rental-subsidy program contributes to securing sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of Syrian-Armenian families in 2015 who started new lives in Armeniathe land of their ancestors.

However, due to the escalation of war in Syria, the influx of displaced Armenians from Syria continues, and the need for housing is increasing. Therefore, there is high urgency to mobilize our joint efforts in supporting displaced Syrian-Armenians in 2016, and I am sure together we can do it," Hakobyan added.

Thanks to the support provided by both UNHCR and the Armenian Diaspora consortium with Oxfam, over 500 vulnerable Syrian-Armenian refugee families in Armenia will be eligible to continue to receive housing assistance in 2016. The rental subsidies aim at creating an interim safety net in their lives.

SARF, which recently raised more than $1.2 million during its inaugural Save a Life telethon in Los Angeles, has been a strategic partner in this project and announced its commitment to the 2016 program with a $50,000 grant.

The 2016 program will include a social services component intended to improve the socioeconomic conditions of not only newly arriving Syrian refugees but also of the hundreds of refugee families already enrolled in the program.

First photo: Raffy Ardhaldjian announcing the Diaspora donor consortiums pledge at the workshop From Humanitarian Responses to Durable Solutions in Yerevan Armenian / AGBU Yerevan
On March 15, 50 people filled the tiny space of Yerevans Mirzoyan Library to participate in an event put on jointly by HAYP Pop Up Gallery and the Yerevans Underbellys Lets Talk. This event, which is part of a series of talks by Lets Talk, was about Linda Nochlins landmark article, Why are there no great women artists.

This piece takes a critical look at how western art historians and the art world created an environment in which women were excluded from participating in art and being educated in art schools, and how this exclusion has been largely ignored by art historians. She states that the reason there have been so few great women artists is not because of a lack of talent, but because they were not given the opportunities to become great.

This event was a pre-educational one for HAYP Pop Ups new exhibit Lips of Pride, which will open on April 8, 2016, and will last for ten days. HAYP Pop Up Gallery is a gallery that creates exhibits in unexpected places throughout Yerevan. They usually use abandoned spaces and create a temporary exhibit, exploring different themes and artists. To date, they have done five exhibits, including a recent re-appropriation of a train to Gyumri. Their next exhibit, Lips of Pride, will focus on feminism in Armenia, and the sexual repression of Armenian women.

This exhibit will be sponsored by the Swiss Fund for Contemporary Art Projects.

The following is an interview with Anna Gargarian, a co-founder of HAYP Pop Up Gallery. She is currently the creative director, executive director, and the manager of HAYP Pop Up Gallery. We discussed why she wanted to work with Lets Talk, and why HAYP Pop Up Gallery wanted to do an exhibit focusing on feminism in Armenia.

I noticed on Facebook that this is a talk with Lets Talk by the Yerevan Underbelly.

Correct, yes

Could you briefly talk about why you approached Lets Talk and why you chose this space to have this conversation?

We wanted to do a pre-exhibition event. We wanted to discuss this essay because its a pinnacle essay in terms of feminist art history in general. And we were looking for the right setting to do that. This specific location, the Mirzoyan Library, is just a place that I love. I worked with Karine Mirzoyan [a member of Yerevans Underbelly] as an artist and a curator, and that kind of relationship before. So its just a place I love to be in.

So your new exhibition is coming up and its called the Lips of Pride. And its your first exhibit that specifically talking about feminism. What inspired you to do this specific topic about feminism in Armenia?

We have been around for a little over a year now, and we have done five projects to date. And in all of these projects the artists that we have worked with were mostly male artists. And this just sort of happened this way because we just happened to meet artists here, and they just happened to be male artists. And it was hard for me to find women artists. And then I just started noticing that a lot of male artists are married to talented women artists. But they dont present themselves often as artists. So when you ask them about their work. Oh, well, I just sort of dabble in this, or I sort of take photographs, and the work is really strong. So it has nothing to do with the quality of the work, and has more to do with self-esteem and self-confidence. And I just wanted to kind of focus on women artists for a while.

The idea for this exhibit basically happened because I was at a dinner party with some friends, one of whom is a close friend of mine who works at the women support center and also works with issues of linguistic discrimination. And she mentioned to me that the term for the labia, in Armenian is amotashurter, which means lips of shame. And I was so shocked by that word that we went on a tangent, like you do at dinner parties. It was actually her husband who came up with the phrase lips of pride. Oh, we should do an exhibit about this. We can call it lips of love, or whatever. And he said, lips of pride. That was going to be it. But this happened maybe six months ago, and it was ruminating for a while, and we just decided to seize the opportunity and go for it now.

So, if I am correct, there will be twenty local artists, and five artists from abroad in your next exhibit?

Its kind of a continually growing list. The cut off and the deadline was a while ago, but we had so much interest by women artists. This was exclusively for women artists. We are not accepting male participation. We were criticized for by some feminist men who said, well youre excluding a very interesting perspective from the discussion, and for a while I was considering it. And it didnt seem right to have men talking about how women feel about their sexuality. Specifically, around the concept of societies perception of shame. I think men can sympathize and understand, and I hope that they do, and I want them involved in the conversation but I dont think that its right for them to produce art saying that they know what that experience is like, because they cant know what that experience is like. So its specifically for women. We just got really interesting submissions. Even this week. And when they are interesting I cant say no. So its kind of a growing list. And four of them are American Armenians. But they are American Armenians who have lived in Armenia for a short while. We also have one German artist as well.

By local, I was wondering how you defined that. By locals do you mean people who are currently living in Armenia, or do you mean people who have lived in Armenia, who have Armenian citizenship, and who plan on living in Armenia for the perceivable future?

Yeah, thats a good question. When I say local, I mean born and raised in Armenia. One of the American artists that I mentioned lives here, so she is local in that respect, but I still consider her an American artist. So Im thinking more on terms of a perspective, a mentality.

How do you see the future of HAYP Pop Up Gallery? What are your plans after this exhibit? What will the next exhibit be?

Thats a pretty charged question. Because basically HAYP is a continually evolving animal. As a pop up gallery, our spaces are always different, our subjects are always different. And we try to work with different artists because one of our major goals is to support emerging artists and not to stick with always working with the same artists. Which is something you tend to see a lot here. You see similar names showing up, and theres a lot of creative talent that needs to be listened to. So we try to stay diverse in our topics, and the creators that we are working with. In terms of the future of the gallery itself. So far we focused mostly on the Yerevan community. This is where we exhibited the most. The exception was the Gyumri train project, which was actually a train connecting to Gyumri. We basically took over various wagons of this old soviet train that was still moving. And we put a performance and installation, and had co-partners in Gyumri itself.

We would like to venture out of Yerevan to reach villages or cities even. Besides Yerevan that may not have as much access to contemporary art cultures. Thats definitely a goal for the gallery as a whole. In terms of goals for this exhibition, one of the goals is to have a chance for women to voice their personal opinions a bit. To give a chance to women artists to step up to the plate. And hopefully, yeah, there will be a continuation of the project. And we would like to take this specific project out to a village or city. I think it will have a totally different feedback from the public. Um, theres definitely been some backlash against the project. Its definitely been very difficult for us to find a space. We were rejected by so many spaces. Because the theme is controversial. And most of the space owners are men. Finding a space is very challenging. And I think those challenges will be worse outside of Yerevan. Because people are a little more closed minded. But thats the audience we really want to reach. So yeah, thats a future goal.

Top photo: Hovig Tashjian

(Interview conducted by Katherine Berjikian, a Birthright Armenia volunteer now working at Hetq)


Inauguration of the Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airport extensions in Cambodia



On 16 March 2016, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia inaugurated the Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airport expansions at an official ceremony held at Phnom Penh International Airport.



These expansion projects, carried out within the framework of the concession held by Vinci Airports, the Vinci Group's airport subsidiary, in partnership with Muhibbah, double the capacity of the two airports from 5 to 10 million passengers per year. The investments, amounting to more than $100 million in the 2013-2016 period, are designed to enable the airports to accommodate substantial air traffic growth: over the past 20 years, the number of passengers has increased 10-fold, driven by the country's very dynamic economy and tourism sector.



To continue to expand traffic, Vinci Airports works to promote new destinations, notably in India and the Philippines. To better serve its growing business traveller clientele, Vinci Airports opened a 1,400 m2 business lounge at the Phnom Penh airport. It is run according to the standards of Asia's best airports.



Vinci Construction Grands Projets, the Group subsidiary dedicated to major structures, initiated the expansion works in 2013 and carried them out in the terminals, which remained open throughout the project, without disrupting their operation. The projects also used state-of-the-art BIM (Building Information Modeling) technology to improve safety performance and construction schedule compliance.



The architecture of the Phnom Penh airport is a fairly classical example of modern capital city design, but the Siem Reap airport, near the Angkor temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site, takes inspiration from Cambodian tradition.



Vinci is committed to corporate social responsibility in Cambodia.



Vinci Airports is a longstanding partner of Artisans d'Angkor, a company set up to perpetuate and foster the development of traditional Khmer crafts, which supplied the decorations for the new airport terminals. The airport operator also works to help preserve the local heritage by supporting the programme of archaeological excavations carried out at the site of the Siem Reap airport near the Angkor temples.



On the airport expansion projects, workers were recruited and trained locally.



The inauguration of the Cambodian airport extensions is an example of the Group's stepped-up focus on airport development: since the acquisition of the Portuguese ANA airports in 2013, Vinci Airports won the concession contract for the international airport in Santiago de Chile, in partnership with ADP. More recently, the company acquired 6 airports in the Dominican Republic. On 1 April 2016, Vinci Airports, in partnership with Japans' Orix Group, will become the official operator of two Kansai regional airports, including the Osaka airport (totalling 38 million passengers in 2015). On that date, the total traffic managed by Vinci Airports will amount to more than 100 million passengers per year.







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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-17 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras meets President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel in Brussels [02] The mayors of Barcelona, Lesvos and Lambedusa sign a cooperation agreement on refugees [01] PM Tsipras meets President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel in Brussels Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at 12.15 (Brussels time), according to the prime minister's office. The prime minister's programme is as follows: Thursday, March 17 12.15 Trilateral meeting with French President Hollande, German Chancellor Merkel 14.00-15.30 Participation in the preparatory meeting of PES leaders (as an observer) 15.40-15.45 Arrival to the European Council 16.00-16.30 Exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz 16.45-19:30 European Council Workshop 19.45-22:00 Working Lunch of Heads of State and EU Member State governments Friday, March 18, 2016 09:15-09:45 Arrival to the European Council 10:00 Working breakfast labor of the heads of state and EU Member State governments and Turkish Prime Minister [02] The mayors of Barcelona, Lesvos and Lambedusa sign a cooperation agreement on refugees The mayor of Lesvos Spyros Galinos visited Barcelona to sign on Tuesday a cooperation and friendship agreement of the highest importance and symbolism that links three municipalities - Mytilene, Barcelona and Lambedusa. "Our aim is to promote Lesvos through an international municipal campaign to strengthen and support tourism," Galinos stated to ANA-MPA. The agreement was signed by the mayors of the three cities - Galinos (Mytilene), Ada Colau (Barcelona) and Giuseppina Nicolini (Lambedusa). The agreement reflects the start of a new strategic cooperation, based on three sectors - political, environmental/tourist, and cultural - with the view to exchanging good practices and providing assistance to each other. According to the Spanish website El PAblico, who cited Colau's speech, this agreement marks the willingness of the three municipalities to build a common front "against the passivity of the EU and its member states." "We can no longer expect anything from the governments, thus the cities by ourselves we have to be motivated", said Colau, adding that "this coalition permits the cooperation among cities who jettison this inhumane Europe." The mayor of the Catalan metropolis also revealed that although the municipality of the city is ready to accept and help refugees from Syria, the central government of Madrid turns a blind eye to the respective calls and keeps not fulfilling the agreed quotas of refugees relocations. Colau also asked the leaders of Europe not to stipulate the "illegal and immoral" agreement between EU and Turkey. From her part, the mayor of Lambedusa Nicolini stressed that the Mediterranean should be transformed to a "place of contact between populations and not to a border against them" and underlined the willingness, expressed by the three mayors, to "construe a new vision, completely different in regard to the one EU promotes." Nicolini has also stretched out a helping hand to Lesvos, acknowledging that the Greek island has to assume the largest burden of the migrants flows: "The mayors of the Greek islands will not be alone to this endeavour, like Lambedusa was back in 2011", said Nicolini, stating also the efforts the municipality has undertaken to the restoration of tourism and normality on the island. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-17 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] Tsipras at EUCO: 'Looking forward to a credible deal to reduce migration flows' [02] Moscovici to ANA-MPA: 'Working hard in Athens' to reach deal with government [03] Mission 'impawsible': 22-year-old's journey from Syria...with her cat Tabbous [01] Tsipras at EUCO: 'Looking forward to a credible deal to reduce migration flows' BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/M.Aroni) a Greece wants a credible agreement which will reduce irregular migration flows from Turkey towards the Greek islands, while creating a legal route for refugees to be relocated to the EU, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday arriving at the EU-Turkey summit meeting in Brussels on Thursday. "I'm looking forward to a credible agreement today in order to try to reduce or to stop the illegal flows from Turkey to the Greek islands but on the same time to create a robust legal way for the refugees from Turkey to the EU," the prime minister told journalists, noting that this means to create a credible mechanism for resettlements from Turkey to the EU. Tsipras said he also hoped the decision that the EU will take will be in line with international legislation, the Geneva Agreement and the European acquis. "And last but not least I'm waiting today to take a decision to assist Greece in these difficult circumstances, especially in our northern borders in Idomeni where we have to face a humanitarian crisis because of the unilateral actions in the Balkan route and I think this is the shame for our common culture," he noted. Tsipras said there must be a decision to deescalate the "bad situation" in northern Greece and to try to find a way to provide first aid and hospitality to the refugees, while at the same time to accelerate the relocation of these people so they can reach their destination. Speaking earlier at the European Socialists meeting held in Brussels, Tsipras said an EU-Turkey deal must serve two purposes: Stopping trafficking rings hat endanger human lives and opening a legal humanitarian route for the refugees. He said Europe right now has two choices: either to reach a collective solution on how to manage the refugee crisis or to manage the crisis with unilateral actions which would burden entirely the countries of first reception. During his speech he also noted the need for manpower and technical assistance to deal with the problem and the importance of a credible relocation mechanism from Turkey to the EU. He also said that Cyprus' positions have to be supported in the European Council Summit. [02] Moscovici to ANA-MPA: 'Working hard in Athens' to reach deal with government BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/M.Spintourakis) - European Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said on Thursday the Commission is working hard to achieve an agreement between the quartet of institutions and the Greek government in the negotiations which are underway in Athens. "We're working hard in Athens. We believe we must and can find a solution," the Commissioner told ANA-MPA. [03] Mission 'impawsible': 22-year-old's journey from Syria...with her cat Tabbous In the tent city at Idomeni, there is a tale (or possibly tail?) that's stranger than most. Peeping out from his inside his tent, the fastidious four-footed traveller refuses to step outside into the mud to greet us. Tabbous has followed 22-year-old Esra al-Aboud all the way from Damascus in Syria, making the perilous crossing over the sea, but he's still not very fond of water. "We couldn't leave him behind. He's a part of our family. How could we leave him behind," Esra said, explaining her decision to bring Tabbous with her on the difficult journey. "It was very hard...especially from Syria to Turkey. Cats are afraid of everything and especially water. He slept all the time. I carry him in a sling and not a cage," she said. She says Tabbous had his first birthday in the camp at Idomeni on Wednesday but prefers to stay inside the tent and stays glued to her when they go outside. "He sees a lot of people and cars and he's afraid. He doesn't leave, even when the tent is left open," she said. Esra's dream is to get to Sweden to join her brother and to study architecture. In Syria, she worked as a school teacher. She says that Tabbous will always stay with her and it's hard to argue, when she managed to get him this far, all the way to Idomeni from Syria. He's not the only four-footed "refugee" to escape from the war-torn country with his owners, however, as there have been numerous stories of refugees travelling with their cats and dogs to the relative safety of Europe. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
I headed down to the main floor to stake out a spot in front of the podium. I was given a floor wristband and as soon as I entered, there were several new reporters who must have thought my hat was too cool, because I did three interviews and took several pictures for various news organizations next to the massive press island in the middle of the main floor.

We entered the stadium around 4 pm. Security checked tickets and searched bags. They were doing full TSA searches, with pat downs, which in retrospect, was probably a good thing. At least no one got shot. I had to give up my forgotten pocket knife, but, oh well.

I arrived at the rally [Friday afternoon March 11th] around 2:30pm. There were lines around the building on both sides. A small contingent of protestors had gathered on the corner kitty corner from the [Univerity of Illinois - Chicago] Pavillion. There were - what I thought at the time - way too many police. Was I wrong! I met a few friends, grabbed a spot in line, busted out my Uncle Sam hat and Trump flag and sat down on my handy backpack chair I use for line waiting.

It has taken me a few days to be ready to write this, but it's important folks know what happened.

There was a good group already in front of the podium. I found my friends from the line and wiggled close to the stage. Three young men were in front of me (Arab and likely Muslim, btw) and they hung my flag on the barricade in hopes of getting Trump to sign it. We met all types of people from all nationalities supporting Trump. We talked about VP picks, and complained that the music mix playing looped Tiny Dancer too many times. The stands were filling in, and we were getting excited.





As the stadium was filling, occasionally a protestor would make themselves known and Trump supporters would chant "Trump" or "USA" as they were being led out. But for the most part, it was peaceful inside in the beginning.

There is an announcement "This event is paid for by Donald J. Trump for his supporters. If you see a protestor, do not interact with or touch them. Just hold your rally sign above your head and shout "Trump, Trump" and a security guard will find and address the situation."

Just for those who claim "incitement", that's kinda the opposite....





It was 6 pm, 6:15, 6:20.... We were anticipating, wondering, a little antsy. Alex texted me a text asking if I was ok and is the rally safe, as friends on social media were worried about the news. I said it was fine, as at the moment it was. But shortly after that we started getting news ourselves about the protest that had started outside. Footage I have seen since Friday shows protestors shoving and trampling police, and several takedowns, police horses and pepper spray when the crowd shoved into the rear of the police horses (dumb). But I was inside....where it was still calm-ish.

A nervous man walked on the stage. We cheer, thinking he is introducing Trump. He instead said, "Donald Trump has arrived at the airport. After consideration for the safety of the rally attendees and the public, Donald Trump will not be appearing tonight. Go in peace."

Which was ironic, really. As right about then the room erupted into booing and protestors cheering, which outed all the protestors who began taunting Trump people and ripping at their signs. Several protestors went wildly thru the crowd, flipping everyone off, yelling "Fuck Trump" and occasionally smacking, punching or elbowing a Trump person, who would be compelled to react in defense.

A black pastor stormed the stage tried to take the mic. Two large, obviously off duty police officers in security detail had to forcibly remove him from the stage as he elbowed and kicked at them. For some reason, they released him back into the crowd that was now milling in confusion and relative chaos.

As the pastor passed by me briskly, I started yelling at him as he stormed around thru the crowd.

"Free Speech is Real" I yelled repeatedly. He kept repeating "Fuck you, white bitch" and flipping me off, at one point smacking his hand with middle finger into my rally sign I had in front of me and into my face. I was not hurt, but shortly after my altercation, that same man got into the scuffle you all have seen on the news. There were only some police present, and only some security, although more entered.

They did not really try to disperse the crowd, they stood kind of in groups.

At this point, there were several skirmishes kind of everywhere, instigated in almost every visible situation by wilding protestors with the "Fuck Trump" wilding MO. As the police started to get some people cleared out, those of us on the floor were uninterested and unwilling to leave, 1. out of principle, and 2. concerned about the violence we were now aware was happening outside.

The officers then became a little more active clearing the room, but still were involved in several arguments and skirmishes on the main floor. When the officers demanded we leave, I asked them if they were seriously going to kick us out into a riot, and that we did not feel safe. I was told "Well we have to clean the floor" (by cops? WTH?) We were all ushered out into the streets outside (I managed a bathroom stop, thank God.)

Outside was a mayhem that now I realize was a bit of an aftermath of the real first mob action against police. Protestors were milling in packs on the west side of the building where I was. On the south side of the building the brilliant Chicago Police Department had made a protest area that basically lined the street next to the garage exit, and created a protest gauntlet for rally goers leaving. The crowd started throwing bottles and rocks at the cars that were leaving, forcing all the cops holding order in the middle of the street on my side to run together over to the garage to contain the violence occurring to vehicles and persons on the other side.

Now, it wasn't calm on my side either, but the protestors were not barricaded in on my side so they roamed in packs, chanting, screaming "F*** you, F*** Trump, F*** the Pigs!"

I decided to stand my ground and show support with my flag until the protestors had all dispersed. Groups of protestors would come up and surround you in your face, yelling at you, demanding why you like Trump, calling you a racist, a bitch, a c***.

One black girl accused me of never having seen a black person before or knowing any black person or of having a brain enough for a job on site. Several different individuals informed me when they won they were "gonna shoot all you white folks." Some made gun fingers towards my head.

Some groups would actually try to ask questions why you support Trump and then if you answered (no matter what you said) they would immediately demand why you could "support such a racist" and when you claimed you believed his racism was media propaganda, the yelling, name calling, insults, and threats began again.

None of these roving intimidation "ganglets" were Hillary supporters. ALL of them touted Bernie, tried to debate socialism immediately. Some would demand after you explained why you like Trump that you explain why you don't like Bernie, and when you explained you disagree with socialism, they started attacking again. The ganglets always had 4-8 people and as soon as a ganglet would engage you, other roving protestors would crowd around.

Many times other Trump supporters standing nearby got nervous at the size of angry ganglet crowds that would attempt to surround me and would come and stand behind in solidarity, or even try to contain the debate assaults the Berner ganglets were engaging in.

This went on for nearly two hours. I was verbally accosted by no less than 90-100 people personally over this time. I was called every name I have ever heard. I was even threatened with violence, but just threats. In between these debate assaults, news people would come to interview you and the ganglets would force themselves in front of the camera screaming "F*** Trump" over and over to prevent the interview from being used. Fox Chicago's Dane Placko was a pro and just told the guy he wouldn't use that, we paused as he was ushered off by his friends and then continued the interview.

The crowd started getting thinner, and the protestor gangs started getting smaller and less confrontational. I started just holding my flag and encouraging Berners to go to the polls and beat Hillary. Around this time, I noticed some folks when you asked if they were for Bernie looked at you crazy, or said they don't care about that sh**, so there were, in fact, apolitical types there for some reason.

Once the cars were all out of the garage, the protestors started to leave, and the cops started to wind down. Packs of likely gang members (they walked, dressed and hung together like every other gang pack I have seen) were still roaming, and small groups of officers were following them, in a sort of cop nonconfrontational intimidation to get them to leave.

After the protestors had all basically left and the cops started pulling their cars away, I decided it was time to go. I prefer the safety of cop presence in and after riots.

So, what I can analyze is this. The cop situation inside was total BS, several assaults were instigated by protestors but cops were not making ANY apparent arrests. This led to chaos inside which was NOT safe for the people inside at all.

The inside cops shoved us out into a dangerous riot situation, where physical violence, intimidation and verbal assault via mass roving gang groups was unavoidable, and leaving the venue subjected you to attack and identification by thugs. While inside, there had been searches, outside there were obvious weapons including a report showing at least one gun was fired into the air.

There was extreme hatred and vitriol from the Berner ganglets. They had the air of militant Jehovah's WItnesses who instead of knocking politely on your door just knock it down and scream at you to accept their socialist Jesus. The name calling and shouting insults and the small group attack models was a tactic clearly taught to them by someone.

The area and the venue were NOT safe for Trump to appear. The cops did NOT really have control of the situation, and it was truly a miracle that no one was SERIOUSLY injured or killed. The Trump folks did not start the violence, they in fact were taken SEIGE by these Bernie supporting mobs for trying to attend a rally of their candidate.

U.S. Rep Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) riled up the crowd shortly before it got violent. No one called for his explanation as to inciting this crowd. Berners had a rally recently, and it looks as though the campaign may have encouraged the protest. No one demanded Bernie disavow the violence HE incites with his "revolution, 'political' revolution." Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not have the right amount of cops. Why did the city issue this permit here? It all smacks of a big fat set up.

And the WORST of it is after enduring all of that HATRED towards me personally and towards my "type" (whatever that means), after having real fear and concern for my SAFETY in a very large mob situation, after having watched civility DISSOLVE right before my eyes......I have to listen to how "proud I am of my city for stopping Trump".

There is NOTHING to be proud of in a riot. No protest that erupts into that kind of violence and hate has ANY dignity to express. And most sad is the loss of understanding of free speech which is protected specifically from this kind of physical suppression thru intimidation.

I am changed after this. This election is not a debate. It is a BATTLE. The other side, the statists who demand larger government control and handouts, have drawn first blood. They are serious as a heart attack and will use any violent or aggressive tactic to win for their "leaders". They have no respect or understanding of Constitutional liberty, and many of them openly claim to seek to bring down society into anarchic chaos

You may notice my tone has changed since Friday. I'm no longer willing to stand down while a mob of racists and statists try to commandeer our once great nation. America is a nation of individual liberty, and that fact will be changed only over my dead body. You will have to pry my freedom from my cold dead hands. And I vow to do whatever it takes to restore my nation to it's former plural glory of "one nation under God"......starting with voting.

God bless the USA. The ole girl needs it.
WASHINGTON DC - One year after his fall from grace, a grand jury is expected to decide soon whether to indict former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock.

The grand jury has been meeting in secret since last April. The protracted proceedings may be nearing completion, with an indictment coming as soon as this month, sources familiar with the case tell POLITICO. Its unclear what charges are being weighed, but Schock faced a barrage of media reports about alleged improper spending of office and campaign funds before he exited the House.

More HERE
Where else but Illinois would the state operate for nearly a year with no budget?

The madness of March unfortunately is not just limited to basketball. Here in Illinois, madness seems to be a way of life.

Sports fans everywhere love March Madness, which is appropriately named. Anyone who has ever filled out a tournament bracket knows anything can happen in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament.

Illinois has become a national punch line and people are leaving Illinois in droves. According to a report last January from United Van Lines, the Land of Lincoln is third on the list of states people are leaving. Only New York and New Jersey rank higher on this list.

Governor Bruce Rauner wants to change course and make Illinois a destination for jobs and opportunities. One of his priorities is lawsuit reform because without common sense lawsuit reform that will restore fairness and common sense to our courts, we are going to continue to see an exodus of jobs and opportunities from the Land of Lincoln to neighboring states with a more friendly business climate.

In fact, the unemployment rate in January was 6.3 percent, which was much higher than the national average of 4.9 percent. Only Mississippi, Alaska, New Mexico and Washington D.C. were higher than Illinois.

The inaction on lawsuit reform is costing us jobs and opportunities. According to the recently released 2015 Lawsuit Climate Survey, conducted by Harris Poll, Illinois ranks near the bottom of the nation in terms of its lawsuit environment  48th worst of the 50 states.

More than 75 percent of the business leaders surveyed by Harris Poll for this report say lawsuit climate is a significant factor in determining where to expand and grow. The reality is companies look to move to states where the legal climate is fair, which is why Illinois status as the third-worst state in the country for legal fairness is making it extremely difficult to attract new employers and why Illinois has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.

The solution is lawsuit reform. Governor Bruce Rauner has proposed common sense lawsuit reform legislation that includes a proposal that will stop personal injury lawyers from shopping around for the friendliest court jurisdiction, even if the lawsuit has nothing to do with that jurisdiction. This practice, often called venue shopping, is all too common in Illinois.

It is just common sense to require lawsuits filed in Illinois to have an actual connection to Illinois, and yet in one Illinois county, more than 90 percent of the asbestos lawsuits filed there are for plaintiffs who do not live in that county. We need to create jobs in Illinois, not more lawsuits. Governor Rauners reasonable, common sense lawsuit reforms will create jobs and unclog our courts, which will speed the legal process for those with legitimate claims.

The evidence is clear. Illinois lawmakers need to embrace the reforms Governor Rauner has proposed. As the governor said to legislators in his State of the State address, I understand that trial lawyers are putting pressure on you to keep the status quo, but if we dont offer a competitive environment for businesses, pretty soon the trial lawyers wont have any more businesses to sue.

Illinoisans should contact their legislators and ask them if they will stand with the personal injury lawyers, who are the only ones who profit from this unfair system, or the small businesses and individual citizens who are far too frequently targets of unfair frivolous lawsuits and are made to pay for personal injury lawyer greed.

It is time to end the Madness now.

Travis Akin is Executive Director fo Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch
SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Sam McCann (R-Jacksonville) won to be his party's nominee in the 50th Senate District Tuesday night, despite Governor Rauner spending an unprecedented $3.5 million to knock a party colleague out of office.

McCann's primary challenger Bryce Benton lost the 50th District race with 19,370 (47.3%) votes. Liberty Principles PAC, along with other pro-Rauner forces, spent nearly $3.5 million against McCann in the primary, almost $180 a vote.

"Here's the deal. I don't work for the governor, I don't work for the Speaker or the Senate President, I don't work for the party leadership. I work for the people of the 50th District," McCann told reporters at the Capitol Wednesday. "I want to work with the all those other people I just listed."
AIMIM party members continued to remain defiant and said that they did not need to prove their patriotism by chanting the slogan.

By India Today Web Desk: The row over the chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai snowballed into a major controversy today with the Shiv Sena seeking revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan.

Launching a scathing attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, in its mouthpiece Saamana, for his refusal to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai, sought to know from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis how Owaisi was allowed to leave the state after he refused to chant the pro-India slogan.

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The Sena also said, "Hardik Patel had by mistake disrespected the national flag and he was tried for sedition and is still in jail. Has Asaduddin Owaisi not committed treason as well by insulting mother India? The citizenship and voting rights of all those who do not chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai should be revoked."

"There is a BJP Chief Minister in the state. He has to answer how was Owaisi allowed to leave Latur after insulting the country," it added.

Shiv Sena's massive jibe at the AIMIM chief comes after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested that the new generation needed to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India. Reacting to this statement, Owaisi at a public rally in Udgir tehsil of Latur district, had said, "I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab."

The Muslim community has remained "backward" due to the ideas propagated by people like Owaisi, the Sena said lashing out further at the MIM leader.

Owaisi's visit to Lucknow was further cancelled after he was denied permission by the administration to hold a public meet in the city.

However, MPCC spokesman Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged that the Shiv Sena is only indulging in politics of hypocrisy.

"This is the height of hypocrisy. One one hand the Sena preaches patriotism lessons to others and on the other, indulges in massive corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ruled by it. There are irregularities worth hundreds of crore in awarding contracts for various purposes," he alleged.

"They (the Sena) should understand that they will be taken seriously, even by their own ally (BJP) after they come clean themselves. Merely chanting slogans won't make them nationalists," Zakaria said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said everybody may not agree with the views of the RSS and BJP.

"The RSS and the BJP are portraying Bharat Mata as a 'devi' (goddess) and are expecting all to chant slogans.

Everybody may not want to subscribe to this. But, nobody would mind praising mother India," he said.

"They should first clear their stand on whom do they actually want all Indians to praise and then go around giving certificates of patriotism to others," he added.

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Watch full video here:

Also read:

Maharashtra MLA of Owaisi's party suspended for not saying Bharat Mata Ki Jai



ABVP worker burns himself while setting fire to Owaisi's effigy



Bharat Mata Ki Jai: In his Parliament farewell speech, Javed Akhtar takes on Owaisi

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The Minister also exhorted state-run telecom operator BSNL to work harder to expand its customer base and asked its top officials to "come out of their office and work on the ground level".

By Press Trust of India: As the call drop menace refuses to subside, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said he will personally go around the National Capital along with the top officials to monitor the quality of mobile calls. The Minister also exhorted state-run telecom operator BSNL to work harder to expand its customer base and asked its top officials to "come out of their office and work on the ground level", saying he himself was ready to "sit and sell SIMs for BSNL".

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"I, (J S) Deepak and Anupam (Shrivastava) will go around in Delhi to monitor call drops," Prasad said at a BSNL event where he launched modern telephone service of the telecom PSU.

Prasad had earlier conducted drive tests in Indore with Shrivastava, the Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL.

As part of its steps to rein in call drop menace, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) too conducted drive tests in December-January and found that network quality of most of telecom operators, including state-run MTNL, was below standards.

None of the telecom operators showed improvement in call drops in Mumbai, Pune and Bhubaneswar, the Trai report said.

In Indore, Trai found 2G network of Airtel, Vodafone, RCom CDMA and Tata CDMA complying with call drop norms while other telcos failed. Also, Trai has directed telcos to provide Re 1 compensation for each call dropped, with a compensation cap of Rs 3 per day. Prasad said that he wants BSNL to increase its customer base to 1 crore in 2016-17 year and is even ready to "sell SIMs" for the PSU. "In around April, BSNL was selling 7-8 lakh SIM (cards) and in January-March, BSNL started selling 20 lakh SIMs. I am told BSNL has 70 lakh customers. I would like to see this customer base to grow 1 crore net in 2016-17. "I am even ready to sit and sell sims for BSNL," Prasad said.

He said that BSNL needs to communicate to masses about its services. "If BSNL can market its product with right strategy, I am sure we will see same kind of revolution in landline segment as we have seen in mobile telephony."



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Taking a cue from Sweden, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is designing a special program in which healthcare workers would assist in home-based care of disabled older people.

By Neetu Chandra Sharma: The elderly in India will soon have special facilities and services at their doorstep. Taking a cue from Sweden, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is designing a special program in which healthcare workers would assist in home-based care of disabled older people.

Under the program, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will design geriatric training courses for health workers. Not only this, affordable assistive technology will also be explored which is appropriate in terms of culture, gender and age. The ministry is exploring rehabilitation via Human Computer Interface using Electroencephalogram, Photoplethysmogram for cardiovascular regulation and arterial stiffness, Electroocculograms, Blowswitches and Impedance Plethysmogrames etc.

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"The elderly population is going to increase in India. Sweden, which has the second largest population of elderly, has made health and social care of the older group a significant part of the Swedish Welfare policy. The social and health care setup has undergone major reforms in Sweden. The elderly are provided service centres, nursing homes and home health services apart from old age homes and rehabilitation centres to cater to their needs," said a senior official. "The focus is more on home care using the services of efficient, multi-professional teams trained for this purpose. India has recently begun to face the challenges of a growing elderly population may learn from the Swedish experience. However, the models need to be tailored for the elderly of India," the official added.

Recently, the Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare and ICMR together had a workshop on the matter.

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"I was personally tortured by Jihadi John," Ottosen said as he narrated his ordeal in the 13-month ISIS captivity at the India Today Conclave 2016.

By India Today Web Desk: Danish photographer Daniel Rye Ottosen today said he was tortured by the notorious Islamic State member known to the world as Jihadi John.

Watch video :



"I was personally tortured by Jihadi John," Ottosen said as he narrated his ordeal in the 13-month ISIS captivity at the India Today Conclave 2016.

Jihadi John, the masked British militant, was killed in a US-led drone strike in November last year in the Syrian town of Raqqa.

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Ottosen described the moment his ordeal began on May 16, 2013, when he crossed into northern Syria from the Turkish border to take photos of everyday life in a war zone.

The Danish photographer said he was hanged by handcuffs from the ceiling and left dangling with the tips of his toes barely touching the floor.

Ottosen said he was tortured by Jihadi John along with British hostages David Haines and Alan Henning, and US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

"I stopped fearing the ISIS as I didn't want them to win," he told to a respectful applause by the audience at Hotel Taj in New Delhi.

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has reiterated his government's stand that "every penny will be recovered by banks from Vijay Mallya", who owes nearly Rs 9000 crore to a group of Indian banks. The former Kingfisher Airlines boss left India on March 2, days before a consortium of banks moved a petition in the Supreme Court asking it to prevent him from moving out of the country.

By India Today Web Desk: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said his government will recover "every penny" from the controversial business tycoon Vijay Mallya, who owes a group of 17 banks a whopping Rs 9000 crore.

Watch full session video :



Jaitley also said the Mallya controversy has hurt the image of India's banking system, a consortium of which had moved the Supreme Court last week seeking to restrain the liquor baron from leaving the country. It later emerged that Mallya had already left India for London on March 2.

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Responding to a question from India Today TV Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai during the Conclave 2016, Jaitley said the government has advised banks to recover every penny from Mallya.

"I have to answer for sins committed by my predecessors. Vijay Mallya issue has brought a huge bad name to India's name and banking sector. It is extremely dangerous for the future if we are not able to remedy this," Jaitley said without naming the Congress directly.

"Wherever Mallya has defaulted, strong action will be taken. All the banks have been advised to recover every penny taken from them," the Finance Minister added.

Even as Jaitley was speaking, a consortium led by the State Bank of India was preparing for the auction of Mallya's Kingfisher House at Jogeshwari in Mumbai, in a bid to recover a part of the the nearly Rs 7,000 crore debt due from the now grounded Kingfisher Airlines alone.

Last week, Mallya, who is also wanted by the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering, tweeted to rubbish reports about him fleeing from India asserting that he was not an absconder.

In a series of tweets, business tycoon Mallya defended his actions by saying that as a businessman he needs to travel frequently. "I am an international businessman. I travel to and from India frequently. I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder. Rubbish," Mallya tweeted.

Mallya's secret departure, possibly to London, had also led to a conflict between the government and the Congress-led Opposition in Parliament. While the Congress alleged criminal conspiracy saying Mallya was allowed to escape, the government hit back insisting that the loans were given to him during the UPA rule.

Also Read

India Today Conclave 2016: Jaitley says agriculture, focus on eastern India can deliver double-digit growth

India Today Conclave 2016: Arun Jaitley to answer if India can deliver double-digit growth

--- ENDS ---
The Karnataka police arrested 4 people from Jharkhand for their involvement in a fake currency racket in Gadag town.

By Aravind Gowda: The Karnataka police arrested 4 people from Jharkhand for their involvement in a fake currency racket in Gadag town.

According to the police, the 4 people, who hailed from Sahebganj district in Jharkhand, arrived in Gadag a week ago. They approached local traders with fake currencies in return for monetary favours. The traders brought the matter to the notice of the local police officials.

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The police team raided the hotel where the 4 were staying and found fake currencies in the denomination of Rs 1,000 (totaling 354,000) in their possession. The police impounded Rs 16,000 cash and 4 mobile phones from the accused. The case has been handed over to the Crime Investigation Department.

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BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in Pune, would be returning to Delhi on today and sources claimed that Mehbooba and Madhav are expected to discuss the issues of Jammu and Kashmir government formation.

By Naseer Ganai: With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expediting the process of government formation in restive Jammu and Kashmir by stating in Parliament that Centre was willing to walk an extra mile for the state, the BJP state president said talks about the government formation is on the final stage.

"We can say talks about the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir are on final stage. We will be going to Delhi on March 19 for deliberations and things will be clear by March 20," Sat Sharma, BJP's Jammu and Kashmir-unit president told Mail Today. He said the state BJP wanted the government formation to take place as soon as possible. "I think something positive is going on between the Centre and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)," Sharma said.

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After Jaitley's commitment on the floor of the Parliament on Monday, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti left for the national Capital on Tuesday. The party is tightlipped about Mehbooba's Delhi visit. A senior PDP leader said the party president was leading negotiations this time. "Some serious dialogue is taking place," said a former minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led government. Mehbooba didn't pick up phone despite repeated calls. Another senior leader of the party Muzaffer Hussan Baig, who is an MP from north Kashmir, is in New Delhi. However sources said Mehbooba has not met Baig till now.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in Pune, would be returning to the Capital on Thursday and sources claimed that Mehbooba and Madhav are expected to discuss the issues involving the Jammu and Kashmir government formation.

As developmental is taking Govt formation in Jammu and Kashmir on its last lap place in the state under the Governor's rule, the PDP sees it in a positive light. A senior PDP leader said that all this augurs well for the government formation. "We had worked a lot for relief and rehabilitation and the Centre releasing relief money silently under the Governor's rule speaks volume about the commitment of the Modi government towards the state," the leader said wishing anonymity.

He added that the PM was doing more than what he had promised to the state. "Relations between India and Pakistan are improving, the state is getting funds in relief and rehabilitation, flood protection funds are also coming and we hope something would be done on NHPC as well," he said indicating the PDP sees the release funds to the Governor as part of deal for the government formation.

ALSO READ:

--- ENDS ---
By Gaurav C Sawant: Soldiers will now light the fire of nationalism in schoolchildren and also toughen them physically and mentally, according to Ministry of Human Resource and Development (HRD) sources.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani had proposed hiring retiring junior commissioned officers and soldiers as physical training instructors at central government schools. That plan has now been set into motion. "Soldiers retiring from the army after completion of 17 years of 'colour service' and JCOs at the end of their military tenure who are willing to join central schools are to be posted as PT instructors," sources said. "Soldiers are physically fit and are trained to be mentally robust even in the most difficult situations. With their personality and bearing, they will also influence students positively," sources added.

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Apart from physical fitness and mental toughening, soldiers will also inculcate a spirit of nationalism and patriotism among school students. "Soldiers carry with them stories of unparalleled valour and sacrifice from Siachen to counter-terror ops and from aiding civil authorities during natural calamities to keeping the interests of India First. These examples will certainly inspire students," sources privy to the proposal told Mail Today.

The proposal has already been shared with the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Dalbir Singh and the army has responded enthusiastically. "This is a win-win situation. Soldiers retiring from the army will get a new career and they will play a positive role in nation building. This will provide them with an opportunity to give back even more to society by shaping India's future," sources in the Army Headquarters said.

In fact, the army is in the process of drawing out a list of soldiers who have won gallantry awards and are due to retire in near future. "This is an excellent proposal. We have soldiers who were instructors at different military academies - NDA, IMA & OTA. They have knowledge and experience in training students," sources added.

"Students at various central schools are also curious about the armed forces. The soldiers will share their experiences about what it takes to keep the country together and the flag flying high from the Bana post at 21,500 feet in the Siachen Glacier to coming in aid of civil authorities when required," said an official.

The pilot project will begin at select central schools and if the feedback is positive it will be extended to other central schools across the country, as well as private schools. "While PT classes are compulsory for students, interaction with soldiers and classroom talks on nationalism, patriotism, military deployment in counter-terror operations etc will be optional for students to attend," the official added.

The opposition has reacted with skepticism to the proposal. "It is very good idea that retiring soldiers will get re-employed at central schools and they certainly will have inspirational tales to tell. However, the motive of the government is not clear. Why is this being done and why now?" asked Tom Vadakkan, Congress party spokesperson.

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Ameeta Wattal, principal, Springdales said: "Not only retired army forces personnel, even retired writers and sportsmen should be encouraged for face-to-face engagement with students. This will help students in coping with stress."

ALSO READ:

President Mukherjee asks central universities to inculcate patriotism, tolerance, honesty in students

After national flag, Smriti Irani ropes in Army to teach nationalism on campus

Maharashtra Police reveals JNU, DU's dark Maoist secret

All Central Universities to hoist Tricolour atop 207 feet mast, rules HRD ministry



--- ENDS ---
With endless speculations in the Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut affair, Hrithik has finally broken his silence on the entire matter and issued an official statement.

By India Today Web Desk: The Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut saga has been following an increasingly ugly path, what with legal notices being slapped on the two and explosive details from the actors' relationship coming out in the open. While report after report has been making its way to the tabloids, Kangana and Hrithik have both been keeping mum on the entire affair. However, Hrithik seems to have finally broken his silence.

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: 10 shocking revelations from the Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut affair

ALSO READ: This is how Hrithik proposed marriage to Kangana in Paris in 2014

On March 17, Hrithik took to Facebook and Twitter to post a message for the people 'writing rubbish' about him:

Stop writing rubbish. Go workout. pic.twitter.com/2CBid086n4 Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) March 16, 2016

Now, Bollywood Life has published Hrithik's official statement on the same. The statement reads:

"Anything private that becomes public gives rise to speculation and unnecessary controversies simply because the general public are not privy to the whole truth. Out of respect for everyone involved, I followed the legal path to resolve the matter in question so as to keep it private. It was a breach of ethics to reveal the contents of a private legal notice. Dignified silence is dignified up to a point, but there comes a time when the silence needs to be broken to protect one's name, family and image.

The crux of the matter is that the mail id hroshan@email.com does not belong to me. I had filed a complaint in this regard with Mumbai cyber crime cell on 12th December 2014 when I learnt of this impersonator communicating with the said person. I have absolutely no connection with this ID.

On 5th March we reactivated our complaint and the crime unit has made headway in tracking this person down. Once that is done this matter can be laid to rest.

And finally, I believe that mental health is a grave and crucial issue, which merits serious discussion. I would never address it flippantly nor use it as a personal attack. I was requested to keep silent and I did so for 2 years.

This will be my final statement regarding this matter."

For the uninitiated, the Hrithik-Kangana affair got nasty when Kangana gave an interview to Pinkvilla earlier this year in which she hinted as Hrithik being her 'ex' who was doing 'silly things to get her attention'. Following that, Hrithik tweeted that there were more chances of him having had an affair with the Pope than any of the women he was being linked with.

After that, allegations and accusations followed from both sides, and finally reached this stage of a legal battle. Hrithik sent a legal notice to Kangana alleging her of 'defaming' him. Kangana's 22-page legal response to Hrithik accused him of 'threat' and 'intimidation'.

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Hrithik and Kangana first worked together in the 2010 film Kites, the movie which is said to have been the beginning of the friendship between the two. After that, Roshan and Ranaut were seen together on the big screen in the 2013 film Krrish 3.

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Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut are in the ring, all their ammunition in place. From once-in-a-relationship to at-loggerheads-with-each-other-now, these actors have now slapped each other with legal notices. Here's a lowdown on l'affaire Hrithik-Kangana.

By India Today Web Desk: Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut are in the ring, all their ammunition in place. From once-in-a-relationship to at-loggerheads-with-each-other-now, these actors have now slapped each other with legal notices. While words like 'stalking' and 'defamation' have been swirling around in Hrithik's territory, Kangana's side has countered them with 'threat' and 'intimidation'.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut sent 50 emails per day to Hrithik Roshan?

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ALSO READ: This is how Hrithik proposed to Kangana in Paris in 2014

ALSO READ: Kangana and Hrithik send legal notices to each other

With the backdrop as nasty as this, the logical conclusion but is that the fight is no longer in the pretty stage. It is an ugly battle that Hrithik and Kangana are now the two sides of, and column after column in tabloids are being filled with details from their personal relationship.

The latest from the Kangana and Hrithik files is Mumbai Mirror publishing Ranaut's friend's recounting of the entire saga.

Here's a lowdown on l'affaire Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut:

1. Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut's friendship began on the sets of the Anurag Basu film Kites, back in 2009-10. Rumour mills were abuzz with Hrithik's affair with Mexican actor Barbara Mori, and the trouble that it caused in Hrithik's marital life. Kangana is supposed to have worked as the receptacle of Hrithik's concerns. While on the one hand, Hrithik's relationship with Mori was not a very happy one, his marriage with Sussanne Khan was already on the rocks. It was then that Kangana turned into more than a friend for Hrithik.

2. After Hrithik and Kangana hit it off, Roshan began pursuing Ranaut for his 2013 film Krrish 3. Hrithik's repeated requests made Kangana give in to them and sign the film. Once Kangana's 'yes' for the film came through, the relationship metamorphosed into something serious from a just-friends one. Hrithik supposedly told Kangana back then that he and wife Sussanne were sleeping in separate bedrooms.

3. Even as Hrithik and Kangana's relationship progressed to a serious one, Roshan had told Ranaut in as many words that he was never going to divorce his wife. Once the shooting of Krrish 3 was done, Kangana flew off to Milan, Italy, hoping that Hrithik would leave her alone. But that wasn't to happen.

4. In December 2013, after Hrithik and Sussanne had filed for a divorce, the star called Kangana and said that he wanted to marry her. Soon, Hrithik landed in Paris, an engagement ring in tow. The actor is supposed to have proposed marriage to Kangana there. While the Queen star took her time to weigh the pros and cons, rumours of Hrithik's affair with Katrina Kaif during the shoot of Bang Bang had begun dominating tabloid headlines.

5. When Kangana decided to confront Hrithik about the rumours of he and Katrina being an item, the Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai actor said that she (Kangana) had misunderstood his intentions. He also asked her if she had informed anyone about Hrithik's Paris proposal and the ring. It was Kangana revealing that she had told her family about it that Roshan said she had misunderstood his intentions.

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6. After this, it was in March 2014, right after Kangana winning the National Award for Queen, that Hrithik called her up again and begged her to give their relationship another shot.

7. In May 2014, during filmmaker Karan Johar's birthday party, Kangana and Hrithik's relationship reached its final stage. While a young superstar had his eyes on Kangana at this point of time and had asked her out on a date, Hrithik was furious at this. Kangana realised that Hrithik had probably hacked into her email account and seen her conversation with the other actor. She then deleted the account and made a new one, the password to which she gave Hrithik so that he could stay posted.

8. At this juncture, right after Hrithik's divorce was official, Kangana realised that her man was not interested in letting people know about their relationship. He supposedly wanted to display to the world that he was a Casanova. Even as Ranaut was emotionally attached to Hrithik, she wanted to date a person who would have no problems in making their relationship public.

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9. When Kangana wanted to walk away from Hrithik, the latter did 'silly things' to get her attention - the interview to Pinkvilla which was the rallying point of the entire Hrithik-Kangana nastiness of the day.

10. The situation now: Hrithik and Kangana have both sent legal notices to each other, and all communication between the two are via lawyers or legal documents or newspaper columns. And from the way the entire affair is panning out, there doesn't seem to be an end to this any time soon.

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It's been two years since Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut, reportedly, broke up. But it is only recently that the ex-files have become public. The legal battle between the two actors is getting murkier by the day. After the reports of the ex-lovers sending legal notices to each other surfaced, a close friend of the Queen actor has now opened a can of worms.

By India Today Web Desk: It's been two years since Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut, reportedly, broke up. But it is only recently that the ex-files have become public. The legal battle between the two actors is getting murkier by the day. After the reports of the ex-lovers sending legal notices to each other surfaced, a close friend of the Queen actor has now opened a can of worms.

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ALSO READ: Kangana, Hrithik send legal notices to each other; Ranaut's lawyer 'can't confirm or deny'

ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranaut fight: Kangana sent 50 emails a day to Hrithik?

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the close friend has spilled the beans on the relationship between Hrithik and the Tanu Weds Manu Returns actor. It all began on the sets of the 2010 film Kites. From being just co-actors to good friends, the two soon became more serious about each other.

"It started out as a friendship between two people who were both going through a rough patch, during the shooting of Kites in 2009. His marriage was in trouble and his relationship with his Kites co-star, Mexican model-actress Barbara Mori, wasn't working out. Kangana was going through troubles of her own and they found solace in each other's company and became good friends," the friend said.

In fact, Hrithik pursued Kangana for six months to be a part of his 2013 home production Krrish 3. "That's when they got into a relationship after he confided in her that he and his wife (Sussanne) slept in separate bedrooms," added the friend.

But the relation remained a secret due to Hrithik's marital status. However, soon enough Kangana realised that the relationship would always remain a secretive one, and she took off to Milan alone. However, as soon as Hrithik and Sussanne Khan made their split public in December 2013, the Bang Bang actor chased Kangana to Paris to pop the question in January 2014.

The friend even quoted Hrithik's proposal, "You may think this is coming out of a rebound. But I have no doubts about our future happiness because you are the only person who has never judged me. And I have felt a strong connection with you from Day One."

The daily further reports that Kangana had her doubts if Hrithik was proposing her on a rebound. But after a lot of assurance, Kangana said a "yes". But things started to change after the Jodhaa Akbar actor started shooting for Bang Bang in Februray 2014. Hrithik started to ignore Kangana and the two finally broke up by the end of 2014.

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But it was only in 2016 that people got to know about the differences between Hrithik and Kangana when, in an interview to Pinkvilla earlier this year, Ranaut had referred to Roshan as her 'ex' who was doing 'silly things to get her attention'. Hrithik hit back with a tweet, which said, "Ther r more chances of me having had an affair with d Pope dan any of d (Im sure wonderful)women d media hs ben naming. Thanks but no thanks (sic).

Now, Hrithik has sent a legal notice to Kangana accusing her of 'defaming' him and of trying to create an image of him and her having been in a relationship. Following this, Kangana sent Hrithik a 22-page notice alleging threat and intimidation.

With things getting murkier with each passing day, it seems that this episode is not nearing its end any time soon.



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Srinivasan, 48, was among the few judges interviewed by Obama for the top judicial post, but in the end he opted to nominate judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

By Press Trust of India: Indian-Americans expressed their disappointment over Barack Obama's decision not to nominate "trailblazer" Sri Srinivasan to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court bench but appreciated the US President for "strongly considering" the Indian-origin judge.

Srinivasan, 48, was among the few judges interviewed by Obama for the top judicial post, but in the end he opted to nominate judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

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Encouraged by the fact that Obama during his presidency nominated a record number of Indian-Americans to senior judiciary positions, community leaders from across the country were hoping that Srinivasan would be the pick.

"The expectations were high and Sri was eminently qualified. The community was disappointed to say the least. This SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) process could take a while during this political season so lets wait and see what happens," M R Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, told PTI.

"This also indicates that Indian-Americans are not yet punching our weight. We have a long way to go where we are a significant force in the political arena," said Rangaswami, who had organised the first-ever Indian-American presidential inaugural ball after Obama was sworn-in for the second term in 2013.

"However, It is gratifying to see so many Indian- Americans run for office in this election cycle. We could actually have an Indian American caucus next year!" he said.

Rangaswami is currently planning for the next Indian- American presidential inaugural ball for the new president to be elected in the November 8 presidential elections.

Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Victory Fund, also expressed his disappointment over the decision of Obama, who has in the past called Srinivasan as a "trailblazer".

"For the first time in American history, the President interviewed an Asian American for the US Supreme Court. While we are disappointed that an AAPI was not selected, we are pleased that President Obama strongly considered Judge Sri Srinivasan.

"The AAPI community wants a seat at the table in every venue and truly believes the bench of qualified AAPI candidates deserve consideration for the very next vacancy," he said.

Also read: President Barack Obama nominates Merrick Garland over Srinivasan as Supreme Court judge



--- ENDS ---
Tell your grandparents that the phone they are still using is ISIS fighters' favourite mobile phone because whatever happened to the latest smartphones. Maybe Candy Crush requests did not amuse ISIS much.

By Mohak Gupta:

Based on the recent report released by CAR (Conflict Armament Research), this little Nokia 105 is ISIS fighters' favourite phone to play their favourite games and also trigger real bombs. Actually don't take that 'games' part seriously. We made that up.



CAR is a non-governmental organization which monitors supply and movement of weapons which are used unlawfully or illicitly in conflict zones or where the bad guys camp.

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In their research they found out that Nokia 105 is their favourite phone to create remote controlled IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device). IED is basically a connected bomb, having a detonator or a trigger. So IEDs have two parts - one is the bomb itself and one is a connected detonator, to trigger the bomb to explode with a press of a button.



And that, they do it with Nokia 105.

Look at this stunning Nokia 105. It is packed with some deadly features if you care.



What more do you want?



If you are wondering why out of all the devices, this little phone manufactured for the Stone Age target audience, is ISIS fighters' favourite phone, then the first reason would be that Nokia 3310 does not come anymore. IED or no IED, that phone was anyway a bomb.



Anyway, still why Nokia 105?



What looks like a real reason is that it's not only cheap or it vibrates heavily (which rather really helps when triggering the blast), but these phones are easy for ISIS to get because such cheap phones are manufactured for small markets and bypassing this very math of supply chain is easy for ISIS, where not even Microsoft can do anything about it.

When you have your ways, you just have your ways. How they are doing it is not a hard math to crack but for sure it's hard to stop them from doing so.

And if you're wondering what to do with your old Nokia if it does not have Snake on it, then check the GIF below.

Please pray for humanity that one day, we learn that violence is like Justin Bieber, and violence is useless.

PEACE OUT - with this:



LOL WHAT?

--- ENDS ---
Ali Asgar aka Dadi of Comedy Nights With Kapil, slipped into a sari again for Kapil Sharma's live show in Lucknow, but he did not exactly play Dadi.

Ali Asgar slips into a sari again for Kapil Sharma's live show in Lucknow on Wednesday Picture courtesy: Twitter/Ali Asgar

By India Today Web Desk: Ali Asgar was skeptical of dressing up as a woman on Comedy Nights With Kapil initially. But now the actor leaves no occasion to slip into woman's clothes. While performing live with Kapil Sharma and his team in Lucknow on Wednesday, the Woh Teri Bhabhi Hai Pagle actor played a woman again, though definitely not Dadi. Will he be seen in the same get-up in The Kapil Sharma Show? Only time will tell.

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Ali had also recently turned into a female character of a nurse in his comedy soap Woh Teri Bhabhi Hai Pagle.

Meanwhile, promotion for The Kapil Sharma Show is in full swing. Kapil's gang has already performed in Amritsar (March 5) and Bhopal (March 11), before performing live in Lucknow, yesterday. His next stop will be Delhi (April 1), where he will also shoot the first episode of The Kapil Sharma Show, with none other than Shah Rukh Khan and a live audience in Delhi.

Ali Asgar wth Kapil Sharma, Sunil Grover and Sumona Chakravarty Picture courtesy: Twitter/Ali Asgar

Ali Asgar performs live in Lucknow Picture courtesy: Twitter/Kapil Sharma FC

Also read: The Kapil Sharma Show: First episode will be shot in Delhi; know all the details here



The Lucknow fans went berserk watching Kapil Sharma and his team performing live, as apparent from the pictures posted by Neeti Simoes and Ali Asgar on Twitter.



Kapil Sharma performs live in Lucknow Picture courtesy: Twitter/Kapil Sharma FC

Sumona Chakravarti wore a beautiful pink salwar suit. Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover were more causal in their dressing. The day must have been very exhausting for the much-in-demand comedians, but they seemed to enjoy every bit of the fan frenzy.

Also read: Krushna Abhishek thinks Kapil Sharma's show will be 'healthy competition'



Produced by K9 and Frames Production, The Kapil Sharma Show promises to provide unlimited, unadulterated and spur-of-the-moment entertainment.

Starting from April 23, Kapil Sharma show will air on Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm on Sony TV.



Also read: A lot of faith attached with Kapil Sharma's new show: Sumona Chakravarti



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Mallya, who reportedly flew to London just days before a consortium of banks moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain him from leaving the country, has acknowledged that he has received ED's summon.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said his government will recover "every penny" from the controversial business tycoon.

By India Today Web Desk: Liquor Baron Vijay Mallya will not be appearing before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a case of money laundering tomorrow. The former Kingfisher boss, who was asked by the ED to appear before it on March 18, has sought time till April.

Mallya, who reportedly flew to London just days before a consortium of banks moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain him from leaving the country, has acknowledged that he has received ED's summon but said he will return to India "in early April."

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said his government will recover "every penny" from the controversial business tycoon, who owes a group of 17 banks a whopping Rs 9000 crore.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2016, Jaitley also said that the Mallya controversy has hurt the image of India's banking system

Last week, Mallya tweeted to rubbish reports about him fleeing from India asserting that he was not an absconder.

In a series of tweets, business tycoon Mallya defended his actions by saying that as a businessman he needs to travel frequently. "I am an international businessman. I travel to and from India frequently. I did not flee from India and neither am I an absconder. Rubbish," Mallya tweeted.

Also read:



Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher house to be auctioned online by banks

What if Mallya declines ED summons?

India Today Conclave 2016: Mallya brought bad name to India, says Jaitley



--- ENDS ---
"The fundamental values of Islam mean peace," Modi said. "All minorities are an integral part of India," he added as the crowd cheered.

By India Today Web Desk: Striking a conciliatory note with Muslims, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said Islam literally means peace and that among 99 names for Allah, none stand for violence.

"When we think of 99 names for Allah, none stands for force and violence. Allah is both Rahman and Rahim," Modi said as he inaugurated the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi today.

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"The fundamental values of Islam mean peace," Modi said. "All minorities are an integral part of India," he added as the crowd cheered.

Modi's government at the Centre has often been accused of being anti-Muslim, with controversies over beef bans or patriotism being cited as some of its examples by his critics.

Welcoming delegates from the Middle East and Central Asian countries to the event, Modi called India a "land of timeless peace", and said that the world is "one family" as imagined by the Sufi philosophy.

"Sufism is the celebration of diversity and pluralism," Modi said, adding that such values are threatened by terrorism, "the dark shadows of violence" as he put it.

"Terrorism divides and destroys. It has become the most destructable force of our times. It is a daily threat," he said as he reminded the audience that 90 countries experienced terror attacks in 2015 alone.

But Modi dismissed the idea that the fight against terror is a war with Islam. "The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be," he said.

Also read:

Modi greeted with Bharat Mata Ki Jai slogans at World Sufi Forum



99 names of Allah, none stands for violence: Modi's top quotes at World Sufi Forum



--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted by loud chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Hail to the Mother India) at the inaugural World Sufi Forum in New Delhi today.



The greeting to the prime minister by a predominantly Muslim audience comes in the backdrop of a bitter row over the slogan, triggered by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's comment that the young generation should be taught to praise Mother India.



In protest, All India Muslim Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he cannot be forced to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai to prove his patriotism.



"I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, (Mohan) Bhagwat sahab," the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad said, adding "I won't utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat".



On Wednesday, MIM legislator Waris Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly when he followed his boss and refused to raise the slogan in the House.



"We will say Jai Hind but not Bharat Mata Ki Jai as there was no compulsion on this nor did the Constitution say it," Pathan said in the Assembly after being asked by a Shiv Sena MLA to say it.



This outraged other members across all parties, including the Congress, who demanded Pathan's suspension for what they termed an "insult" to the motherland, violation of parliamentary tradition and misuse of freedom of speech. He was promptly suspended by the Speaker.



It was in this backdrop that Modi addressed the crowd at the World Sufi Forum today. "Welcome to a land that is a timeless fountain of peace and an ancient source of traditions and faiths," he said in his opening remarks.



"This is an assembly of those whose lives itself is a message of peace, tolerance and love," Modi said, adding that the people may have come from different lands and cultures, but are "united by a common faith".

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Also Read:

Maharashtra MLA of Owaisi's party suspended for not saying Bharat Mata ki jai

Won't say Bharat Mata ki jai: Asaduddin Owaisi to Mohan Bhagwat



--- ENDS ---
The External Affairs Minister, who made the announcement after meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, said the probe will start on March 28.

By India Today Web Desk: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan, which will probe the Pathankot terror attack, will come to India on March 27.

Swaraj, who made the announcement after meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, said the probe will start on March 28.

"It is not possible that Pathankot be not discussed in my meeting with Sartaj Aziz...the date for JIT visit has been decided. It will arrive on March 27th night and will begin their work on March 28," Swaraj said addressing the media with Aziz after the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.

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Aziz, on his part, expressed satisfaction over the way the Pathankot incident was handled on both sides, and hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31 on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"Not sure whether there will be a structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.

Aziz also handed over an invitation to Swaraj for Prime Minister Modi to attend the SAARC Summit hosted by Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Swaraj said she has accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister and thanked Sharif and Aziz for it.

Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the January 2 Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, considered a hard taskmaster, is often blamed by the opposition for running a one-man show. But some of the core ministers dismiss that notion and claim any meeting with Modi is an "open and democratic" process.

At the India Today Conclave 2016 in New Delhi today, Power Minister Piyush Goyal revealed that the person who speaks the most in Cabinet meetings is Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Speaking about how decisions of the NDA government are made through a democractic process, Union Minsiter for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that one of the tragedies with the government is "image vs reality".

"One of the tragedies with our party and the government is image versus reality and ground reality versus perception," Gadkari said when asked whether ministers get a chance to speak during Cabinet meetings.

Gadkari even said that sometimes Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal criticises his policies and vice versa.

"It is a very healthy atmosphere and we are working for the interest of the country. We are transparent, time-bound, result-oriented and the most important thing in our Cabinet is we are making policies and taking decisions. Not taking decision is not the policy of this government," he said.

In a lighter vein, Goyal said that Gadkari speaks the most during the Cabinet meetings. "I am always amazed by the range of information and insight Gadkariji brings to the table," Goyal said.

When asked about who gets the most flak, the New and Renewable Energy Minister said, "I get scolded the most."

Asked on his presenting an "exaggerated" picture on developments in the road sector, Gadkari said earlier (during the regime of UPA government) the roads constructed per day was 2 km and now it is 18 km per day.

"The data are in the public domain and anybody can check the facts... I never give promises," Gadkari said.

Asked if the government's "tall promise" of electricity to all by 2019 would be fulfilled, Goyal said the government's focus is on performance.

"We go into 2019 with performance, in his (Gadkari) as well as my department, in Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's department. We will go to people with our track record. Everybody in our country will have 24/7 energy access in 2019," Goyal promised.

On the topic of ease of doing, Sitharaman said things have got better in the last two years and that the government is also engaging the states to improve the ease of doing business.

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India Today Conclave 2016: Jaitley says agriculture, focus on eastern India can deliver double-digit growthIndia Today Conclave 2016: Arun Jaitley to answer if India can deliver double-digit growth







--- ENDS ---
To prevent any unlawful assembly, section 144 has been imposed in Rohtak, Hisar and other adjoining districts of Haryana besides deployment of magistrates to keep a strict vigil. The district administration has ordered closure of schools and colleges from Thursday.

The Jat agitation in February witnessed widespread violence and arson which claimed 30 lives and property worth over Rs 30,000 crore was damaged.

By Ajay Kumar: Alert has been sounded in Rohtak, Hisar and other adjoining districts of Haryana amid apprehension of repeat of the Jat quota stir. As leaders of the Jat community threaten another agitation, the district administration has ordered closure of schools and colleges from Thursday.

To prevent any unlawful assembly, section 144 has been imposed in these cities besides deployment of magistrates to keep a strict vigil. Districts like Hisar, Sonepat, Rohtak and Bhiwani are under strict vigilance.

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Sources say Jat bodies have appealed youths to assemble in Rohtak Jat Bhawan on March 18 to decide on future strategies if an appropriate Bill for jat reservation is not introduced in the Legislative Assembly.

Gurgaon district magistrate TL Satya Prakash has directed officials to video-record any kind of assembly taking place in the district and penalise violators as per the law. "The police have been instructed to fire in the air to disperse any unlawful assembly. First water canon, tear bursts, lathi charge should be used before using weapon or fire," he said issuing orders to the district police.

Hawa Singh Sangwan, president of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, said it is hard to understand why the Haryana government is not clarifying when they would table this Bill in the Assembly.

"The Haryana government should introduce the Jat reservation Bill at the earliest. To clear uncertainties, the government must announce the date. State minister Om Prakash Dhankhar had promised us last time that the Bill would be tabled as soon as the budget session starts on March 14. We have also given an ultimatum to resume agitation after 72 hours from March 14 which already ended now but there is no clarity over it," Sangwan said.

He added: "Though we have been patiently waiting, it seems that the entire state machinery is busy in a tussle with the Punjab government over the Satluj Yamuna Link canal dispute. The state government could be doing this deliberately to divert attention from the Jat reservation issue. We have been firm with our stand that there would not be a question of compromise at any stage."

The Jat bodies threatened that this uncertainty could result in violent protests. They said even last time the government had not clarified its stand which led to violence.

"If they would act on our peaceful agitation at an early stage, result could be different. They are doing the very same this time too," Sangwan said.

ALSO READ:

RSS disapproves of reservation demands by affluent sections of society



--- ENDS ---

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Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankara's commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands.

By Reuters: Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankara's commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands.

A year into a crisis in which more than a million people have arrived in chaotic misery, many of them Syrian war refugees and most of whom come from Turkey via Greece to Germany via dangerous sea crossings and long treks, hopes have risen around the summit table that they may have found a way to at least slow the movement.

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But leaders acknowledge there is no silver bullet and face many obstacles over the next two days, from howls of outrage that they plan mass expulsions of vulnerable people to a country with a patchy and worsening human rights record, to a lingering feud between Ankara and small but vocal EU member Cyprus.

"Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do," European Council President Donald Tusk wrote to leaders inviting them to the summit he will chair. After discussing the economy, the 28 EU national leaders will discuss the migration issue over dinner, starting around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

A breakfast is set for Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, where Tusk hopes to finalise a deal which the Turkish premier first sprang on the EU, with backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a special summit 10 days ago.

Under the deal, which was set out in fuller fashion by Tusk in a draft for EU leaders on Wednesday, Turkey will, in addition to a previous agreement to try and prevent the smuggling of migrants via rafts, take back all those, including Syrian refugees, who do make it to Greek islands off Turkey's coast.

The draft, which was seen by Reuters, says the plan is "to break the business model of the smugglers and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk". It stresses the plan is "a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order".

CYPRUS QUESTION

Potentially the most explosive topic, which diplomats say risks derailing the whole deal, will be how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new "chapters" of Turkey's snail-like negotiations to join the EU at some distant future date.

Several of these have been blocked by Cyprus over Turkey's refusal to give it the same rights as other EU states in access to Turkish ports and airports - a result of the 42-year dispute since the violent partition of the island into a Greek-speaking state and a Turkish-speaking north recognised only by Turkey.

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Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has made clear he will lift his veto on Turkish accession chapters only if Ankara ends its refusal to recognise Cyprus. Turkey wants concessions for its northern Cypriot allies in return. The EU and world powers are keen not to derail U.N. talks that could reunite the island.

Tusk's draft says the EU would work with Turkey to "prepare for a decision" on opening new accession chapters "as soon as possible" - a hazy prospect Davutoglu may not appreciate.

But in his invitation letter, Tusk stressed that only if the migrant deal could help advance the broader talks on ending the long confrontation with Cyprus, could it hope to succeed.

To satisfy EU and international law, Greece and Turkey will have to modify domestic legislation so that Turkey is regarded as protecting asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, even though Ankara limits its formal commitments to that treaty.

EU officials argue that the alternative to holding people back in Turkey is to see a further build-up of migrants stranded in deteriorating conditions in Greece, whose European neighbours have closed their borders. Already over 40,000 are marooned.

Legal gymnastics, and the scorn of U.N. and other rights bodies, aside, the deal foresees all those arriving having a right to state their case for asylum and to appeal.

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However, EU officials stress that the intention is quickly to deter most people from even trying to make the crossing, so the arrival of thousands a day as occurred last year is unlikely. If such numbers keep coming, the plan will have failed, they say.

For each Syrian refugee who eludes efforts to stop illegal migration whom Turkey agrees to take back, Turkey will see a Syrian refugee resettled directly to Europe. The draft makes clear the total number is likely to be limited to about 72,000 out of nearly 3 million Syrians in Turkey.

That figure represents what the deeply divided EU states agreed last year to take in under two different schemes for sharing responsibilities. Leaders may talk more about who takes how many. Tusk's draft spoke of the process being "voluntary" in a nod to eastern EU states which oppose a series of refugees quotas Brussels imposed last year.

Longer-term, the EU leadership and the likes of Merkel are pushing hard for a system of resettling much larger numbers of refugees from the Middle East in Europe. That is opposed by others who say it would fuel xenophobic nationalism which has already surged, as seen in elections on Sunday in Germany.

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Diplomats said there was also likely to be discussion of how quickly a second 3-billion-euro tranche of aid for Syrians in Turkey should be on the table for Davutoglu and of the precise details of an offer to provide visa-free travel to Europe for Turks by late June, if Ankara meets numerous conditions in time.



--- ENDS ---
According to the report, Mujeeb Gattoo and Mohammed Qadeer, hailing from Kashmir, were "seen in close proximity of the outsiders" who indulged in anti-India sloganeering.

By Astha Saxena: In a fresh twist to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) saga, two students, Mujeeb Gattoo and Mohammed Qadeer, alleged to have been part of anti-India sloganeering, and missing from campus, find mention in the report of a high-level committee formed to look into the February 9 incident.

On February 9, an event organised to protest hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was held despite the university withdrawing permission for it. According to the report, Gattoo and Qadeer, hailing from Kashmir, were "seen in close proximity of the outsiders" who indulged in anti-India sloganeering.

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The report prepared by a five-member panel, headed by Rakesh Bhatnagar, a professor at the varsity, said it was unfortunate that the students allowed outsiders to be present on campus and shout provocative slogans. The panel has also noted lapses on the part of the university's security unit, saying it did not make any effort to stop outsiders from shouting slogans and stop them from leaving the campus.

"This group of students had their faces covered by a cloth/scarf most of the time. They were shouting slogans like: Kashmir ki azadi tak, jang rahegi, jang rahegi; Bharat ko ragda, de ragda, zor se ragdo, de ragda and Go India, go back. Along with these outsiders, one JNU student Mujeeb Gattoo was also seen participating in the sloganeering in the video clip. Another student, Mohd Qadeer, was seen close to Gattoo. Both were found in close proximity of the outsiders," the report said.

"They (Gatto and Qadeer) are not in their rooms. We have not seen them since the incident took place," one of the students from Kaveri hostel, where Gattoo stayed, told Mail Today.

A social science student, Gattoo joined the university in 2012 and had no political agenda. On the other hand, Qadeer has been an active member of the All India Students' Association (AISA) and is a resident of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Both these Kashmiri students are missing from their respective hostels. Qadeer was in Lohit hostel and has not been seen for the last few days," a senior official from the university told Mail Today, requesting anonymity.

Sucheta De from AISA told Mail Today: "From what I know, Qadeer has not been served any show-cause notice by the university. He has gone to Kashmir to meet his mother."

Taking into account the role of outsiders in the controversial event, the university panel has found Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya guilty of arousing communal, caste or regional feeling and creating disharmony among students. No specific charges have been pointed against the JNUSU president Kannhaiya Kumar. Kumar along with Khalid and Bhattacharya were arrested on charges of sedition. While Kumar is out on bail, Khalid and Bhattacharya are still in custody.

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The Delhi Police has failed to identify the masked outsiders mentioned in the university report and also not been able to trace Qadeer and Gattoo.

The report pointed out that slogans like "Kashmir ke log sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hain", "Afzal Guru Zindabad, Cheen ke lenge Azaadi", "Manipur maange Azaadi", "Nagaland maange Azaadi", "Kashmir maange Azaadi" "Kashmir ki Azaadi tak jung rahegi jung rahegi", "Hindustan ki barbadi tak, jung rahegi jung rahegi", "Hum kya mange azaadi, bandook se lenge azaadi", "Cheen ke lenge azaadi", "Ek Afzal maroge, har ghar se Afzal niklega" etc were shouted.

The report mentions that other than Khalid and Bhattacharya, there were nine students who participated in such sloganeering.

ALSO READ:

Ex-armymen smell foreign hand behind JNU sedition controversy

JNU row: Outsiders raised controversial slogans, says university report



--- ENDS ---
According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, homosexuality is unnatural and carries a maximum punishment of ten years in jail.

By India Today Web Desk: In a significant deviation from its largely conservative leanings, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) today said the right-wing organisation does not believe that homosexuality is a crime and underlined the personal freedom of an individual in matters of sexuality.



Speaking on the first day of the two-day India Today Conclave 2016, RSS's Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, said, "Why should RSS have an opinion on homosexuality? It is not a crime as long as it does not affect the lives of others. Sexual preferences are personal issues."

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The RSS is the ideological mentor of the BJP.

According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, homosexuality is unnatural and carries a maximum punishment of ten years in jail. Recently, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also called for decriminalising homosexuality.

Jaitley's call, however, was denied by his party, the BJP, which used its "brute majority", as alleged by Shashi Tharoor, to defeat the Congress MP's private bill to that effect.

For the second time in three months, the Lok Sabha last week voted against the introduction of a private member's Bill, sought to be introduced by Tharoor for decriminalising homosexuality.

In 2009, the Delhi High Court had called the law discriminatory and ruled that same-sex relationship between two consenting adults should not be considered a crime.

The Supreme Court in December 2013, however, upheld that 158-year-old British era law, a verdict that created an outrage among LGBT activists.

Last month, the Supreme Court referred to a constitution bench the curative petition seeking a relook at its earlier verdict upholding the validity of Section 377.

India is among the 70 countries in the world where homosexuality is criminalised.

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Conclave 16: Islamic State's Jihadi John tortured me, says Danish photographer

Providing 24x7 power challenging, but govt committed to achieve target: Piyush Goyal

India Today Conclave 2016: Arun Jaitley to answer if India can deliver double-digit growth



India Today Conclave 2016: Jaitley says agriculture, focus on eastern India can deliver double-digit growth



--- ENDS ---
North Korea's sentencing of American student Otto Warmbier to 15 years in prison for taking an item with a propaganda slogan from his hotel was "unduly harsh," the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday as it called for his immediate release.

By Reuters: North Korea's sentencing of American student Otto Warmbier to 15 years in prison for taking an item with a propaganda slogan from his hotel was "unduly harsh," the US State Department said on Wednesday as it called for his immediate release.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner urged Pyongyang to pardon Warmbier, grant him amnesty and release him immediately on humanitarian grounds. He also discouraged all US citizens from traveling to North Korea.

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Warmbier, a University of Virginia student, was detained by the North in January for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his hotel in Pyongyang and had confessed to crimes against the state, North Korean media said previously.

He was charged with subversion under Article 60 of North Korea's criminal code. The court held that he had committed a crime "pursuant to the U.S. government's hostile policy toward (the North), in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist."

Trials for foreigners facing similar charges in North Korea are generally short and punishments severe. Warmbier was arrested as he tried to leave the country in early January. He was in North Korea with a New Year's tour group.

U.S. tourism to North Korea is legal. Arrests of tourists are rare but the U.S. State Department strongly advises against such travel.

Further complicating matters, Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations. The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang acts as a go-between in consular issues when U.S. citizens run afoul of North Korean authorities.

--- ENDS ---
Sartaj Aziz is also expected to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC summit, to be hosted by Pakistan later this year.

By India Today Web Desk: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz will be holding bilateral talks for the first time after the Pathankot terror attack. The terror strike on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2 is likely to feature during the talks.

Sartaj Aziz is also expected to extend an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the SAARC summit, to be hosted by Pakistan later this year.

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Sushma Swaraj is expected to prompt Pakistan to take strong action against those involved in the attack, in which four terrorists and six army jawans were killed.

Swaraj and Aziz were seen engaged in an intense discussion over dinner yesterday at the ongoing SAARC council of ministers meet in Pokhra.

Though details of the talks between the two are not yet known, sources close to the event say that the Pathankot attack was a topic of discussion between the two leaders.

Earlier, PM Modi visited his Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif in a surprise visit, in what appeared to be a first by an Indian premier in more than 10 years.

Watch full video here:

--- ENDS ---
Legislators of Opposition INLD in Haryana today protested outside the Punjab Assembly against the bill passed by the neighbouring state that provides for returning 3,928 acres acquired for the construction of the SYL canal to the original landowners.

By PTI: Legislators of Opposition INLD in Haryana today protested outside the Punjab Assembly against the bill passed by the neighbouring state that provides for returning 3,928 acres acquired for the construction of the SYL canal to the original landowners.

Midway the assembly proceedings, INLD MLA's led by Leader of the Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora went out of the House and started protesting at the gate leading to the Punjab Assembly.

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The Punjab and Haryana assemblies are located in the same complex.

The INLD MLA's raised slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the Bill be withdrawn.

Later speaking to reporters, Chautala said, "We met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."

"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab.They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said,

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

The legislators also engaged in a scuffle with the security personnel outside the Punjab Assembly during sloganeering.



--- ENDS ---
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office is looking into whether the valuation was deliberately inflated to get more funds from banks and siphon off money for purposes other than proposed investment in the airline.

Banks are reported to have valued Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines airline at a mere Rs 160 crore when they carried out their own internal exercise.

By Mail Today: Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) has hit further turbulence with the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) investigating alleged overvaluation of its brand at Rs 4,100, which was aimed at raising bigger loans from banks.

Financial advisory firm Grant Thornton has also come under scanner as it certified the value of KFA at Rs 4,100 crore in 2011, when commercial airlines were piling up losses, a senior official said. Banks are reported to have valued the airline at a mere Rs 160 crore when they carried out their own internal exercise. SFIO will investigate as to how Grant Thornton arrived at such a high valuation.

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SFIO is looking into whether the valuation was deliberately inflated to get more funds from banks and siphon off money for purposes other than proposed investment in the airline. While SFIO was already probing KFA for financial irregularities and fund diversion, the agency has widened its ambit to probe the high valuation.

Grant Thornton India told MAIL TODAY on Wednesday that it stands by KFA's brand valuation report and is ready to provide all required information to the authorities. "We fully stand by our brand valuation report, which we believe was appropriate in the context of when it was done and the purpose for which it was done," Grant Thornton said in a statement. "Grant Thornton will obviously be pleased to offer all the information we have in connection with the matter to the appropriate authorities, and support any investigations," the statement added.

Burdened under huge losses and liabilities to banks and vendors, the airline finally had to be grounded in 2012. The State Bank of India-led consortium of banks has stepped up pressure to recover loans totalling more than Rs9,000 crore granted to KFA while Mallya, who has been declared a 'wilful defaulter', has flown to England to escape the heat.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are also probing issues related to massive loan default by Mallya and others. Recently, the ED registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on a CBI first information report registered last year. The ED is also investigating the overall financial structure of KFA and will look into any payment of kickbacks.

CBI quizzes top KFA and UB Group officials again



The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned two top former officials of Kingfisher Airlines and UB Group for the second day on Wednesday in connection with the loan default case against the defunct airlines, promoted by Vijay Mallya.

A. Raghunathan, chief financial officer (CFO) of KFA, and Ravi Nedungadi, former CFO of the UB Group, were summoned to the CBI's Mumbai office again and questioned about alleged diversion of funds, official sources said.

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While Raghunathan is a named accused in the CBI's case, Nedungadi resigned recently. The CBI had registered a case against Mallya, KFA, Raghunathan, and unknown officials of IDBI Bank alleging that a `900-crore loan was sanctioned by the IDBI to the airliner in violation of norms regarding credit limits.

ALSO READ:

Hyderabad court issues five more non-bailable warrants against Vijay Mallya

Sebi crackdown may force Vijay Mallya to exit UB Group board



--- ENDS ---
BJP president Amit Shah today said it does not matter who raised pro-Afzal Guru slogans at a controversial event in Jawaharlal Nehru University last month, but the very fact that an event of that nature was held is anti-national.

By India Today Web Desk: BJP president Amit Shah today said it does not matter who raised pro-Afzal Guru slogans at a controversial event in Jawaharlal Nehru University last month, but the very fact that an event of that nature was held is anti-national.

"What happened on February 9? Was it India's Independence or Republic Day? What had happened on that day?" Shah asked India Today TV Managing Editor Rahul Kanwal at the India Today Conclave 2016 in New Delhi.

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When he was told it was the day Guru was hanged following his conviction in the Parliament attacks case, Shah said, "The very fact that an event of that nature was organised in JNU is anti-national."

"We can tolerate any statement against the BJP leaders or the government, but not against the country," he said as the conversation on JNU segued into the larger debate on patriotism exemplified by the controversy over the Bharat Mata Ki Jai slogan.

"I agree that the debate over that slogan is meaningless, but I must underline that the slogan is older than the BJP or even RSS. It is unfortunate that so many years after independence, we are still debating a nationalist slogan," the BJP boss said.

When asked whether MIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi was also anti-national, Shah said he is not, but added that he will try to make such people understand nationalism.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently remarked that the young generation should be taught to praise Mother India. In protest, Owaisi said he cannot be forced to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai to prove his patriotism.

On Wednesday, MIM legislator Waris Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly when he followed his boss and refused to raise the slogan in the House.

--- ENDS ---
A new app named Smartbro makes it easier to keep track of both the main and data balance along with some nifty features.

By Manish Sain: At a time when almost all smartphones come with dual-SIM support, it's rather troublesome to keep a tab on the balance on both the SIMs. Now a new app named Smartbro makes it easier to keep track of both the main and data balance along with some nifty features.



The Smartbro- Prepaid tracker is an app that shows your current balance on a small icon each time you open your phone's dialer. The app also tracks your data balance and keeps a log of all the details when balance is deducted.



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Based on a simple user interface, the Smartbro app isn't into hiding any details. You can check the current balance summary on the main screen. You can check the complete list for balance spent on individual calls in the Bill section. Interestingly, it shows the detail the way you'd find in a detailed postpaid bill.



The bill tab helps at times when there is a sudden deduction of balance, or when data is running from the main balance. The app also comes handy to remember when your data pack expires, and you don't even need to set a reminder. It will also show you a list of data consumption based on apps, i.e which app is consuming how much data.

If you are thinking how to check the balance if there is no data connection, well, worry not. The app doesn't require a data connection to work.



For the main balance, you can set a reminder for say, Rs 20, so the app will tell you when it's about time to recharge your prepaid balance. The Smartbro app supports all the major network providers as Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, BSNL, Reliance GSM, Aircel, and many other.



The Smartbro app for now works only for prepaid SIMs, but an update to add postpaid is also expected. The update will add support for special recharges, rate cutters, etc. The app is available for free on Google Play Store.

--- ENDS ---
Insurance Back Joachim WENNING will take on the MUNICH Re's CEO position starting April 2017

Starting April 27th, 2017, Nikolaus von BOMHARD (60) will leave the MUNICH Re's Board of Management and also step down as CEO. Joachim WENNING (51) was appointed as the new CEO with effect from 27 April 2017.



The Supervisory Board of MUNICH Reinsurance Company announced on March 15th it has accepted Mr. BOMHARD's request of leaving his position in the company's Management Board, as well as the CEO chair. Joachim WENNING (51) was appointed as the new CEO with effect from 27 April 2017, the date of the 2017 Annual General Meeting.



After obtaining a degree in economics at the University of MUNICH, Dr. oec. publ. Joachim WENNING joined MUNICH Re in 1991, where he worked as a treaty specialist with technical responsibility for life reinsurance clients in Germany until early 1997. Parallel to this, Joachim Wenning wrote his doctoral thesis, for which he was awarded the degree of Dr. oec. publ. in 1995. At the beginning of 1997, Joachim Wenning transferred to the Group company Hamburg-Mannheimer Versicherungs-AG in Hamburg for two-and-a-half years, during which he implemented a number of strategic projects aimed at realigning marketing and sales. Following his return from Hamburg, Joachim Wenning headed the department "Life Reinsurance Latin America, Southern Europe and the Middle East" from mid-2000 onwards, where he was responsible for life reinsurance business in these countries. Following his appointment in May 2005 to the position of CEO of New Re, Geneva, Joachim Wenning became responsible for the company's strategic development, with an expanded mandate for financial solutions in life and health reinsurance and for financial institutions business.



Dr. Wenning has been a member of the Board of Management of MUNICH Re since 1 January 2009. He is responsible for the Divisions Life and Human Resources. Additionally he is Labour Relations Director.





Author: Daniela GHETU on 17.03.2016





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The court must assess the validity of additional claims against Naftogaz Ukrainy, announced by Russia's Gazprom on March 15, Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn has said on Thursday after a government meeting in Kyiv.

"The court should estimate this. They have claims: they consider we had to buy certain volumes under the principle 'take or pay'," he said.

At the same time, Demchyshyn noted that the claims on this point are meaningless because Russia refused this norm in the protocols signed with Ukraine.

"This is my personal position," the minister added.
Poroshenko, Merkel, Hollande discuss prospects for elections in Donbas, confirm sanctions on Russia still in force

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande, have met in Brussels to discuss possible conditions for conducting elections in Donbas.

"The leaders stressed the importance of conducting elections in separate districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in accordance with the laws and the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] principles, on the condition of providing a security component," the Ukrainian president's press office said on Thursday.

"Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande reaffirmed the steadfastness of the European Union's policy of non-recognition of the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation," the press office said.

"The German and French leaders confirmed that the EU sanctions against Russia will remain in place, until Moscow fully implements the Minsk peace agreements," the press office said.

Poroshenko, Merkel and Hollande expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Donbas, the press office said. The parties stressed the importance of implementing the Minsk agreements, the ceasefire, removing of Russian military hardware, and providing full and unhindered access, by OSCE monitors to all places in the areas not controlled by Kyiv, according to the statement.

"Poroshenko, Merkel and Hollande jointly called for the immediate release and return to Ukraine of Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko," the statement says.
The resignation of Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Shokin will be put to a vote during the Verkhovna Rada sitting on March 29, Rada Chairman Volodymyr Groysman has said.

"I'm making an announcement to evade any misunderstandings: On [March] 29 during a plenary sitting we'll discuss consent for resignation of the prosecutor general of Ukraine," Groysman said when closing an evening sitting of the parliament on Thursday.

Groysman informed the MPs during a morning plenary sitting on Thursday that he has already sent a letter to Shokin asking for coming to the parliament for discussing his resignation, however, the speaker said he had received no reply from the PGO and personally Shokin about his readiness to consider this issue.
PJSC Ukrnafta Board Chairman Mark Rollins will ask the supervisory council of the company to start pre-trial reorganization for debt repayment.

"I feel strongly in the interest of the government and the people of Ukraine to keep Ukrnafta operating in a profitable way. Hence, I am recommending this course of action. So I am recommending to my supervisory board that the financial restructuring be initiated under the guidance of the existing executive board. I am looking for support for developing and implementing this reorganization plan from the shareholders, the government and the State Fiscal Service," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv.

According to Rollins, the company currently works with a positive cash flow but it cannot repay its tax liabilities in the short term.

"I've met with all the parties already and they have indicated support for this course of action. So I anticipate a meeting of the supervisory board next week already at which I expect them to approve the initiation of this process. And I also call for a general meeting of the shareholders in order to move the process forward," the official said.

After the parties' positions are agreed, the reorganization plan must be approved by the creditors, including the largest lender in the face of the State Fiscal Service, and by the court according to the statement submitted by Ukrnafta. In general, about three months are required from the beginning of the reorganization process to its approval.

As reported earlier, Ukrnafta's debt to the national budget in tax and fees payment exceeds UAH 10.2 billion.
KYIV. March 17 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Non-governmental organizations (NGO) have stated there are corruption schemes in the Ministry of Education and Science related to budget funds allocated for the needs of schools.

"The Cabinet of Ministers has allocated UAH 200 million to the Ministry of Education and Science for the purchase of school equipment... The funds have been transferred to the ministry and, as we focus on decentralization, this money will be sent to regional education departments, and then the education departments will allegedly decide what to buy," leader of NGO Maidan Information Pavlo Bilonozhko said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.

However, according to him, the Ministry of Education issued an order, according to which "actually only one executive, one manufacturer, one firm can supply this equipment."

"This company is Engler," Bilonozhko said.

He noted that most equipment in schools have not been updated since the Soviet times, therefore it is unclear what happens with the state funds.

"We do not believe that such a scheme is developed and the attempts to realize it are implemented behind the back of Yatseniuk [Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk] and Minister Kvit [Minister of Education Serhiy Kvit]. Therefore we clearly understand: if these people are responsible for these funds, so they are the names of this problem," he said, adding that the detected problem is "only the tip of the iceberg" of corruption in the education sector.
According to the Persian tradition, in the evening of the last Tuesday of the year people jump over bonfires and explode firecrackers and sonic booms to welcome the new Persian year. The Iranian regime has been against this tradition for the duration of its rule.

According to reports from Tehran and other cities, the Fire Festival was celebrated in Tehran, Tabriz, Esfahan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Karaj, Boroujerd, Ahvaz, Urmia, Yazd, Marand, Ardebil, Nayshabour and elsewhere.

The many districts in Tehran, including Narmak, Majidieh, Nezamabad, Vali Asr, Shariati, Falakeh Aval Tehranpars, and Falakeh Dovvom Tehranpars the youth set up extensive fire plays. In sections of Falakeh Aval Tehranpars pictures of Khamenei and Rouhani were set on fire. Also near Milad Tower (the tallest tower in Iran) pictures of Khomeini and Khamenei were set ablaze.

In southern Tehran in Naziabad district, a number of the youth exploded sonic grenades and chanted anti-regime slogans. In several districts in the city of Karaj, the youth exploded sonic grenades. In the city of Shiraz the youth put up a fire in the street closing it down and clashed with the security forces. In Tajrish, northern Tehran, people chanted death to Khamenei, death to the principle of velayat-e faqih and death to Rouhani as they jumped over the bonfires.

In Tabriz, fire festivities were held in various districts and some of the youth put up placards reading death to the principle of velayat-e faqih (or absolute clerical rule) and Year 95 [new Persian year 1395] is the year of the regimes overthrow in a number of streets.

In the past years, the Iranian regime has considered the Fire Festival a superstitious anti-Islamic ceremony and has been strongly against this tradition, but the state-run Javan Online News Agency reported on March 4 that this year there is a campaign to replace putting up fires and exploding firecrackers with offering sweets to each other when the youth come and knock on our doors.

This news agency added that it is incorrect to deny an ancient tradition if it is not carried out correctly, and this method has not been effective in the past years and has only aggravated the society. By undermining true Iranian traditions people  and initially the middle class  will go after foreign traditions and these traditions will replace Iranian and Islamic ones.
[March 16, 2016] CB Technologies, Inc. Appoints Tara Nygaard as Partner Relationship Manager

KIRKLAND, Wash., March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CB Technologies, Inc. (cbtechinc.com), a woman-owned solution provider and system integrator, bolsters their impressive team by welcoming Tara Nygaard as Partner Relationship Manager. Previously the Head of Channel Development at Hoplite Industries, Inc., Nygaard's niche is bringing revolutionary technology to market. As CBT's PRM, she will focus on channeling the expertise of CBT and their valued partners in the key solution areas of high-performance computing, software-defined storage and asset management. "CBT is highly regarded by the industry, partners and customers alike. It's an absolute honor to join the team," says Nygaard. "The SI's of today are nimble with more potential than ever before to lead customers to success. CBT is poised to take clients through a digital transformation and into the next phase of their IT needs." CBT's Chief Technologist, Steve Jordahl, is particularly pleased to add Tara's experiene to the team. "We are very excited to welcome Tara," says Steve. "She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help us differentiate, market and deliver exceptional solutions that solve some of the most complex problems in the industry. Her work will directly influence the quality and viability of our solutions portfolio and allow us to solidify our Go-To-Market strategies and performance."



Before joining CBT, Tara worked in cyber security software, data center colocation and product development. She has collaborated with the likes of Rich Karlgaard, publisher of Forbes magazine, Greg Rohde, former head of the NTIA, Admiral Bill Owens, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Bill Clinton, as well as top talent in the Department of Homeland Security and Microsoft. Nygaard has a Bachelors in Mass Communication, a Masters in Organizational and Consumer Psychology and is a PhD candidate for International Psychology in Systems and Organizations. About CB Technologies, Inc.

CBT is a diverse, award-winning solution provider and systems integrator with team members in Southern California, Seattle, St. Louis, Detroit, Washington D.C. and Albuquerque. Founded in 2001, CBT's impressive resume includes over 15 years supporting, planning and integrating technology in support of the Department of Defense, State/Local/Education, Fortune 500 and smaller enterprise businesses. CBT is an HPE Platinum Partner that is perennially named to the CRN Solution Provider 500, Inc. magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Companies and OCBJ's list of top companies. In addition, CBT was awarded the HP PartnerOne Award for Cloud Partner of the Year in 2015.

Media Contact:

Rhondi Lenaker

Marketing & Events Manager

CB Technologies, Inc.

714-573-7733 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140609/116107 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cb-technologies-inc-appoints-tara-nygaard-as-partner-relationship-manager-300237312.html SOURCE CB Technologies, Inc.

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[March 16, 2016] Keller Rohrback L.L.P. Investigates California, Washington and Arizona Residents Affected by the 21st Century Oncology Data Breach

Attorney Advertising. Keller Rohrback L.L.P. is investigating recent reports of a large data breach of California, Washington and Arizona patient information from the Florida-based healthcare provider 21st Century Oncology. Reports indicate that approximately 2.2 million current and former patients may have had their information exposed, including their names, Social Security numbers, physicians' names, medical diagnoses, treatment information as well as insurance information. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160316006505/en/ Keller Rohrback L.L.P. Investigates California and Washington Residents Affected by the 21st Century Oncology Data Breach (Photo: Business Wire) According to the company's press release, on November 13, 2015 the FBI notified 21st Century Oncology that a third party hacker illegally accessed the provider database on or around October 3, 2015, but asked 21st Century to delay notification until March 4, 2016 to avoid interfering with its federal investigation. Now that the request for delay is over, 21st Century is notifying those patients whose information may have been accessed. 21st Century Oncology operates 145 cancer treatment centers in the United States, including: Alabama; Arizona; California; Florida; Indiana; Ketucky; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Nevada; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Washington; and West Virginia.



"This breach adds insult to injury for oncology patients; this is the last thing that cancer survivors need to worry about," said Keller Rohrback attorney Gretchen Freeman Cappio. If you are a resident of California, Washington or Arizona and are concerned that your personal information was breached and would like to know more about your legal rights, please contact attorneys Gretchen Freeman Cappio or Amy Hanson at (800) 315-0177 or via email at [email protected].

Keller Rohrback is a leader in representing patient, consumer and employee victims of data breaches. Keller Rohrback has a long track-record of success with data breach litigation, including the Ninth Circuit case Krottner v. Starbucks, where the court held that the theft of a laptop containing employees' personally identifiable information sufficed to confer Article III standing on plaintiffs. The firm serves in leadership roles in the Sony Data Breach case, currently pending in the Central District of California, as well as in the VTech Electronics and Experian data breach cases. In addition, Keller Rohrback also represents plaintiffs in the Target consumer litigation, as well as the data breach cases pending against Anthem Inc., Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and Medical Informatics Engineering. Keller Rohrback, with offices in New York, Seattle, Phoenix, Oakland, Ronan and Santa Barbara, serves as lead and co-lead counsel in class actions throughout the country. Our Complex Litigation Group is proud to offer its expertise to clients nationwide, and our trial lawyers have obtained judgments and settlements on behalf of clients in excess of seven billion dollars. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160316006505/en/

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[March 17, 2016] Fulton History's 34 Million Page Online Newspaper Archive Adds Contegra's Server-Side PDF Hit Highlighter to dtSearch Instant Searching for Immediate Historical Access

BETHESDA, Md., March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fulton History offers an unparalleled historical newspaper collection extending back to the 18th Century. dtSearch is a leader in enterprise and developer text retrieval software and document filters. Contegra Systems has decades of data integration experience and is a major provider of custom development implementations for the dtSearch Engine market, including precision faceted search and other advanced data classification. With the new installation, Fulton History visitors can not only instantly search 34 million newspaper pages, but also automatically hone in on the exact place on the original newspaper image that contains the search term. "With about a million visitors a month to FultonHistory.com, it is critical that the site runs smoothly," says Tom Tryniski, Fulton History's Founder. "Adding Contegra's highlighter to dtSearch makes the whole user experience run that much more seamlessly." One key issue with newspaper scanning is the possibility of optical character recognition (OCR) errors. A smudge on an old newspaper might result in an OCR program resolving "Titamic"' as "Titanic." The dtSearch Engine includes its own fuzzy searching algorithm which lets web visitors adjust search fuzziness to sift through OCR and other typographical errors. For example, with a fuzziness level of 3, a search for "Titanic" would find not only "Titanic" but also "Titamic." With a fuzziness level of 4, a search for "Titanic" would find "Titanic," "Titamic" and "Titomic." On the Fulton History site, dtSearch's fuziness algorithm also extends to the Contegra application's highlighting of PDF hits. Adds Mr. Tryniski: "Because of the potential for OCR errors when scanning old newspapers, dtSearch's fuzzy searching is really important." The Fulton History site makes available other dtSearch search options as well, including stemming, phonic and concept / thesaurus searching.



About Fulton History, www.fultonhistory.com

Originally a resource for searching historical newspaper records from upstate New York, Fulton History brings together an ever expanding collection of American and now Canadian newspapers. The entire 34 million page collection is available for the general public to search at fultonhistory.com About Contegra Systems, www.contegrasystems.com

Established in 1987, Contegra Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of data integration services to Fortune 500 companies and others with extensive data access requirements. The company routinely transforms substantial collections of mixed data content into robust, user-friendly Web and other electronic products. The company also routinely undertakes custom development projects involving the dtSearch Engine SDKs, applying Contegra's server-side PDF hit-highlighting application as well as customized faceted and other advanced data classification implementations.

About dtSearch, www.dtSearch.com

The Smart Choice for Text Retrieval since 1991, the dtSearch product line has 25+ search options for instantly searching terabytes of text. Along with enterprise and developer text retrieval, the company has its own document filters, offering parsing, extraction, conversion and searching of a broad range of data formats. Supported data types encompass databases, website data, popular "Office" formats, compression formats, and emails with attachments. dtSearch products meet some of the largest-capacity text retrieval needs in the world, including developer APIs spanning multiple platforms. The products have received hundreds of excellent case studies and press reviews. (Please see dtSearch.com for these.) The company has distributors worldwide with coverage on six continents. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fulton-historys-34-million-page-online-newspaper-archive-adds-contegras-server-side-pdf-hit-highlighter-to-dtsearch-instant-searching-for-immediate-historical-access-300231780.html SOURCE dtSearch

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[March 17, 2016] Home Movies Reimagined: Bevy Can Now Save, Store and Share Every Video Your Family Shoots

BOSTON, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Most videos taken by families are enjoyed once, maybe twice, before being stored and forgotten, or deleted. Some find brief life on social channels, but most video memories are ultimately lost to time. Bevy, introduced late last year by Boston-based Lineage Labs, is changing this dynamic, by introducing a simple way to capture, safeguard and share every video that a family takes. Lineage Labs created Bevy in collaboration with Intel. Bevy is a small in-home connected device that wirelessly captures the photos taken by any family member on a mobile phone, tablet or digital camera. Families set their preferences  automatic upload or at-will  and Bevy does the rest. Since Bevy launched in late 2015, more than 10 million photos have been saved and shared by Bevy users  millions of family memories that may have otherwise disappeared. Beginning on March 22nd, the same option will be available for video. Video capability will be added to every Bevy, at no cost, via an automatic software update.

"I can remember as a child watching slide show projections with my family. These are charming memories, but the effort it took to make that happen  take the pictures, turn them into slides, insert them into the carousel tray and send it spinning  just would not happen today," said Firdaus Bhathena, chief executive officer, Lineage Labs. "Today, everyone can create images and videos in an instant, but most of them end up lost. Bevy saves them. We built Bevy to give those memories the long life they deserve." Bevy helps to connect families separated by distance. Bevy gives every family member, no matter their location, access to the full set of images nd videos housed within the unit. All family members connect to Bevy via the free Bevy mobile app.



A "Remote Invitations" feature, recently added for free to Bevy, now lets users send an invitation directly to a family member or friend anywhere in the world, giving that person secure remote access to Bevy. There are no limits to the number of people who can be added to your Bevy. Recipients are prompted to download the Bevy app and accept the invitation. Once they've done so, their work is over and they can add, explore and share photos and videos at their leisure. By design, Bevy is simple to use. In particular, grandparents are finding that Bevy is an ideal way to follow children and grandchildren from afar. One early customer, a California grandmother, described herself to the team at Lineage Labs as the "photo historian" of the family, and described the "delight" she felt over the Bevy experience.

The Bevy Basics

Bevy is fairly small and unobtrusive. It features a brushed aluminum exterior and a black, blue or purple top. All photos and videos are stored in a single place, either with an in-home USB backup (at no additional charge) or soon to be available secure cloud backup (for an additional fee). Bevy creates a safe barrier against large-scale internet security threats, while mitigating the privacy concerns associated with web or cloud-based storage services. The Bevy app gives each family member a personalized experience, with individual profiles and customized privacy settings. Teenagers  prolific content creators who value privacy  can set their profile to their comfort level. How Bevy Works

Setup takes a few minutes and includes these steps:

1. Plug in Bevy

2. Install the Bevy app on a smartphone or tablet

3. Follow the simple steps in the app to connect wirelessly to Bevy

4. Give Bevy permission to upload photos/videos

5. Enjoy Bevy automatically organizes photos and videos based on the metadata (date, location, source and more) attached to each file. Bevy also integrates an intuitive labeling system that makes it simple for users to create personalized, easily sortable photo/video collections. Bevy can also be connected to the home television via a standard HDMI cable. Photos can be viewed on the big screen by simply swiping up on the photo in the Bevy app. They appear instantly. Bevy is available with either 1 TB or 2 TB of storage capacity. The 1 TB can hold approximately 400,000 photos or 112 hours of HD video, and the 2 TB Bevy can hold up to approximately 1 Million photos or 230 hours of HD video (or some combination of the two). About Lineage Labs

Lineage Labs was formed to ease digital friction for families by creating simpler, better ways for people to tell stories through their photos and videos. The company's flagship product is Bevy, an in-home connected device that greatly simplifies and secures the photo and video management process, particularly for families looking to safeguard their memories. Lineage Labs is headquartered in Boston. Additional information on Lineage Labs and Bevy can be found at http://www.bevy.us/ and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345235 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/home-movies-reimagined-bevy-can-now-save-store-and-share-every-video-your-family-shoots-300237544.html SOURCE Lineage Labs

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Itongadol.- Urinary-tract infection is a common medical condition, affecting up to 10 million individuals every year in the United States alone. Infants and incontinent adult patients are especially prone to these infections.

Yet diagnosis is complicated in both these populations because they cannot provide sterile urine samples in cups. Instead, nurses use adhesive urine-collection bags in which the collected fluid becomes contaminated by contact with skin-borne bacteria or fecal matter. Urinary catheters can be used for collection, but this is time-consuming, uncomfortable for the patient and introduces risk of infection.

So when a team of graduate students in the BioDesign: Medical Innovation program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem asked nurses at the affiliated Hadassah Medical Center to describe problems begging for solutions, one emergency-room nurse asked for a device to get sterile urine samples from babies and the incontinent.

One of our group members wanted to solve this problem through engineering and we thought how to offer an alternative, says Eliezer Keinan, a doctoral student in the universitys MicroLiver Technologies Lab.

Keinan became lead engineer for the development of UCap, a non-invasive microfiber urine-collection pad.

The innovative absorption pad contains bundles of hollow glass microfibers that quickly draw urine samples from the pad, while the remainder of the liquid is absorbed by the pads polymer matrix.

The basic solution was not so difficult because my research is the physics of microfluidics, Keinan tells ISRAEL21c. When we wash our hands, the drops of water stick to them, and this is the same force we use in micro-tubes to catch the urine quickly as it leaves the body  before it touches skin and gets contaminated with bacteria.

Contamination is so common that physicians often needlessly prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics prophylactically, increasing the risk of developing antibiotic resistant bacteria, said Dr. Amir Orlev, a cardiologist and member of the multidisciplinary group that set out to solve the problem.

At this level of sterility we only need a few microliters for the culture. If a very sterile urine sample has bacteria in it, we know it is from the urine and not from contact with the outer body, Keinan explains.

Ucap microfiber pad uses micro-tubes to draw sterile samples painlessly in seconds. Photo courtesy of Multimedia-The Hebrew University of JerusalemUcap microfiber pad uses micro-tubes to draw sterile samples painlessly in seconds. Photo courtesy of Multimedia-The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

In addition to Orlev and Keinan, the BioDesign team for UCap included Nitzan Guberman, a masters student in computer science; and MBA students Itai Monnickendam and Simi Hinden.

More than 11 million urine tests are carried out each year in infants and elderly patients, said Monnickendam. This represents a market size of over $200 million annually in the United States alone. Our low-cost urine collection pad has the potential to reduce pain and complications for millions of people, and to save time and expenditure for the healthcare system.

Keinan says their patent-pending solution is unique and could also have other applications. There is nothing in the market that offers the sterility that we offer, and it is a rather simple product with a short development time, he says.

The team has had some meetings with manufacturers and hopes the UCap eventually will be commercialized.
CHAMPAIGN -- The Illinois National Guard Armory will host a kick-off celebration on March 24 designating Champaign County as the Birthplace of the Tuskegee Airmen March 1941.

The program will begin at 11 a.m. and last one hour. Following the event, the Champaign County Engineers will install the Birthplace of the Tuskegee Airmen March 1941 signs on all U.S. and Illinois highways entering Champaign County.

The event will celebrate the Tuskegee Airmens incredible heroism and courage in the face of racism and a widely held belief at the time that black soldiers were inferior to white, without the capacity or courage sufficient to fly warplanes on actual combat missions. The event will also feature a discussion on the history of the Chanute Army Air Field and the 99th Pursuit Squadron.

Following A. Phillip Randolphs push to President Roosevelt in 1941 to include black Americans in combat roles, St. Louis and Detroit were both originally designated to be the first training sites for black fighter pilots. However, both locations refused to allow these men to train in their airspace. Champaign County leaders supported the program and offered Chanute Army Air Field to host the training. During the week of March 1926, 1941, Chanute Air Field in Rantoul opened training for black fighter pilots.

Later that fall, the pilot training transferred to Moton Field in Tuskegee, Ala.; however integrated training for weatherman, armorers, fire fighters and mechanics was retained at the Rantoul Air Base before the armed services were actually integrated.

Four years later, on March 24, 1945, three Tuskegee Airman, protecting their B-17s during the assault on the Berlin Daimler-Benz Tank Factory, shot down three German jets, marking the first time an American pilot shot down an enemy jet fighter.

The window to celebrate Chanutes historic role while actual Black alumni are still alive is dwindling, explains Rob Gorham, who has helped facilitate the event and the designation. Of the 950 original Black fighter pilots trained in Illinois and Alabama, it is estimated only 14 Tuskegee Airmen pilots are still alive. There are scores of Black non-pilots who helped integrate the Army Air Corps. But their numbers are dwindling quickly as well.

Various Veteran organizations throughout Champaign and Douglas counties will be on hand to commemorate the designation. The public is also encouraged to attend to celebrate the role of Chanute Air Field in this monumental time in our countrys history. Special guests will include Congressmen Rodney Davis and John Shimkus.

For more information on the event, contact Rob Gorham at 217-352-9848 or rgorham@buzz-card.com.
The hypocrisy of the left in America is disgusting. In word, they profess love, care, tolerance and enlightenment. But their actions are hate-filled, disdaining, intolerant and cloaked in darkness. The violent actions of the left-wing thugs in Chicago on March 11, 2016 are the latest chapter of their fascism on display. Thousands of Americans were deprived of the opportunity to hear Presidential candidate Donald Trump speak. Denied by left-wing bullies able to out-muscle the Chicago Police with an iron fist and rule the streets of Obamas promised Transformed America. Naturally, these vehement street fanatics were accompanied by Bill Ayers, not only a convicted terrorist but also a close friend of President Obama and a man with a first-hand knowledge of how to maim and kill innocent people in order to bring about corrupt change. Ironically, Socialist Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders applauded the terrorists actions. The freedoms Americans once enjoyed are rapidly eroding under the eye of B. Hussein Obama. Once street thugs have control of law enforcement agencies of the cities of our nation, the notion of any community standards of law and order are dissipated and the bloody anarchy that soon follows takes no prisoners (both human and personal property). Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of history knows where the dictates of todays left-wing leaders are taking America. Indeed, a transformation is taking place here in the USA and the blood in our streets has just begun spill. NOTE: This is not written in support of Donald Trump. I have never offered my support, nor opposition to Trump. However, I support the individual liberties and freedoms of Americans and all citizens throughout our heavily oppressed world, while exposing the oppressors.
Congratulations are in order!

Four area artists have been named winners of the Racine Art Museums 2016 Artist Fellowships awards. They are Kirsten Bartel of Racine, and Tim Abel, Martin Antaramian and Lisa Bigalke, all of Kenosha.

What this means for the artists (and the community) is that each will be awarded $2,500 to use for any expenses that will assist in the development of new work and the advancement of their artistic careers (supplies, studio rental, travel etc.). It also means that their work will be exhibited in concurrent, solo shows at RAMs Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, 2519 Northwestern Ave., running Aug. 25 through Nov. 25, 2017.

The awards, which are sponsored by a grant from the Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, aim to foster the continued creative and professional development of area artists by increasing critical attention and exposure for them. And, in turn, the awards showcase the diversity and vitality of the visual arts community in Racine and Kenosha.

So far, the artwork of the 2016 recipients includes a range of styles and media, including sewn paper collages, wooden sculptures, photography and digital media, printmaking, book arts and more. We look forward to seeing the work their fellowship awards inspire.

RAMs 2016 fellowships mark the third round of the biennial selection program. Next entry deadline will be in January 2018. For more about the RAM Artist Fellowships, go to www.ramart.org.

Musical congratulations

The Belle City Brassworks  Racines own brass band  recently issued its annual John Hemkes Memorial Scholarship awards to high school musicians in the Racine/Kenosha area. This years winners are two Tremper High School brass players  Mike Krellwitz, tuba (first place) and Kevin Koesser, French horn (second place), and Waterford High School French horn player Adam Nelson (third place).

In addition to their monetary awards, these students get the chance to perform with the Brassworks in its John Hemkes Memorial Concert, which will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20, in the Bedford Concert Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 900 Wood Road, Somers. The 45-plus piece band and its guests will perform a variety of music, custom arranged for brass band, including With Clouds Descending by Philip Sparke, Into the Sky by Stephen Bulla and Russian Sailors Dance, arranged by Ken Norman. Tickets are just $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. For more about the Brassworks  which has been entertaining and educating here for 28 years  go to www.bellecitybrassworks.com.

National recognition

You may recall, back in January, when we introduced you to a relatively new area band called the Well-Known Strangers. Back then, the WKS were the featured act at the Voices Against Trafficking concert at Memorial Hall, benefiting the Racine Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Since then, the cello-infused, alternative pop/rock band has signed with a national management firm  FM Music Management, based in Chicago. This is huge news for the Strangers, who said Were hoping that this opens the doors we need to get our music across the nation.

As their name implies, the WKS feature six area musicians whose names are recognizable from their work with other area bands and combos  Joe Adamek (rhythm guitar), Betsy Ade (vocals, mandolin), Roger Gower (percussion, vocals), Sacia Jerome (cello, vocals), Ted Koth (lead guitar, banjo) and John Kulas (bass guitar). Adamek and Ade are the main songwriters, and the band describes its sound as being reminiscent of familiar pop/rock of the 90s, while being expressively groundbreaking and melodically rich.

As they work their way into the national circuit, audiences here will have the opportunity to experience what they do at local shows scheduled for March 26 at Kenoshas Civil War Museum; April 1 at the Route 20 Outhouse; and April 30 at McAuliffes Pub. For details and to listen, go to www.wellknownstrangers.com.
What America needs now is a president who desires to support and promote Israel's strengths, and who encourages the Jewish nation to spread freedom and peace throughout the Middle East.

I'm praying God will give us a president who understands the value of Israel and represents the Jewish state for being a refuge of freedom and democracy in a dark area of the world. I hope you are, too!
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] reached a settlement [agreement, PDF] with the city of Biloxi, Mississippi, on Tuesday in a lawsuit alleging that the detention of defendants unable to pay fines for misdemeanor charges exhibited deliberate indifference to their constitutional rights. The settlement requires Biloxi to provide a public defender for people with qualifying circumstances like being unable to comply with a court-ordered fine. The lawsuit was initially filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi [official website] in October on constitutional grounds claiming that the city violated the rights of indigent people to counsel, to be free from unreasonable seizures, and to an indigency hearing. The ACLU said [press release] the settlement also requires the city to provide a bench card explaining court procedures, and prohibits the charge of additional fees for people with payment plans for fees and fines.

The federal class action lawsuit [JURIST report] was brought against not only the city of Biloxi, but the Biloxi Police Chief, a Municipal Court Judge and Judicial Correction Services, Inc. for allegedly arresting and jailing poor people illegally in debtors prisons. The plaintiffs were arrested [press release] for failing to pay traffic fines, held in jail for up to seven days without a hearing, and were not informed of their right to counsel. Although the US Supreme Court [official website] outlawed the practice of incarcerating people for court-imposed debts over 30 years ago, many local and state governments are still accused of jailing poor people in debtors prisons. Earlier this week the US Department of Justice [official website] urged state court systems to stop using procedural routines and hefty fines to profit off poor defendants [JURIST report].
[JURIST] The Dutch parliament [official website] on Tuesday passed a bill that would ban weapon exports to Saudi Arabia. The Netherlands is now the first country to pass formal legislation banning exports to Riyadh, after a February decision by the European Parliament [official website] urged EU countries to impose a ban due to the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The bill cited humanitarian violations [Reuters report] in Yemen and recent mass executions in Saudi Arabia as justification for the ban. Experts suggest this bill could encourage other European nations to adopt similar measures [Independent report]. Notably, Great Britain, France and Germany are three of the largest exporters of arms to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabias justice system has drawn international criticism for alleged human rights abuses in recent months. In January a well-known female human rights activist was detained [JURIST report] by government authorities in Saudi Arabia, allegedly for her involvement in managing a Twitter account that campaigned for the release of her former husband, a Saudi lawyer who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for activism. Also in January Saudi Arabian officials announced that the government executed 47 prisoners convicted of terrorism charges [JURIST report], including al Qaeda detainees and a prominent Shiite cleric who rallied protesters against the government. In November a Saudi Arabia court sentenced Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh to death [JURIST report] for apostasy; or abandoning his Muslim faith. In November Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] reported that Saudi Arabia has executed a record 151 people in 2015 [JURIST report], the highest number since 1995. In 2014 the total number of executions carried out was 90. AI said that almost half of all the executions carried out in 2015 were for offenses that are not considered most serious crimes under the international human rights laws. Saudi Arabia also reportedly continues to impose the death sentence on individuals under the age of 18, violating child human rights laws. In September a group of UN human rights experts urged authorities [JURIST report] in Saudi Arabia to block the execution of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was convicted of involvement in the Arab Spring protests when he was 17.
Judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website] issued a decision [order, PDF, in Bosnian] Wednesday rescinding the summons for Serbian national Vojislav Seselj [case history] to appear in court on March 31 for a verdict. The judges cited Seseljs medical treatments, which could not be carried out in The Hague. Seselj had previously refused to come to The Hague for his sentencing, and the decision comes as a relief to those concerned that the EU would extradite Seselj [Reuters report] and issue sanctions on Serbia, which could have caused a confrontation.

Seselj is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity [ICTY press release] allegedly committed from August 1991 until September 1993 against the non-Serb population of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in the province of Vojvodina in the Republic of Serbia. The prosecution against Seselj has been fraught with difficulty and charges of contempt [JURIST report] for failure to appear. The ICTY has charged Seselj with three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes. When the trial began last year, the prosecution made an opening statement [JURIST report] accusing Seselj of inciting atrocities through speeches he made during the Balkan Wars.
[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Ohio [official website] on Wednesday ruled [opinion, PDF] that the state can execute a man whose execution was halted in 2009 after a failed attempt to administer lethal injection drugs. Romell Broom was to be put to death by lethal injection, but the execution was called off [JURIST report] after two hours when officials could not insert the IV line after sticking him 18 times. In a 4-3 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the state was not barred from re-carrying out the execution of Broom by lethal injection. Brooms defense attorneys had argued that he should not face execution based on double jeopardy and that another execution would be an unconstitutional second penalty. The state high court disagreed with this argument claiming that the execution did not even commence due to the lethal drugs not being injected into Brooms body prior to his reaction. The court also ruled against Bloom in holding that a second execution would not be considered a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Broom was convicted of the 1984 rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl. He maintains his innocence.

Capital punishment [JURIST op-ed] remains a controversial issue in the US and worldwide. In February the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit [official website] rejected [opinion, PDF] a Georgia death row inmates legal challenge [JURIST report] to the death penalty. In January Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood [official website] stated that he plans to ask lawmakers to approve the firing squad, electrocution or nitrogen gas as alternate methods of execution [press release] if the state prohibits lethal injection. The US Supreme Court in January ruled [JURIST report] in Kansas v. Carr [opinion, PDF] that a jury in a death penalty case does not need to be advised that mitigating factors, which can lessen the severity of a criminal act, do not need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt like aggravating factors.
[JURIST] The Pennsylvania House of Representatives [official website] on Wednesday approved a bill [text, PDF ] to legalize the use and distribution of medical marijuana. The bill, passed [roll call] by a vote of 149-43, authorizes the use of medical marijuana for patients suffering from serious medical conditions and establishes guidelines and duties for the facilitation of the program. It is expected that the Senate [official website] will approve the measure, having already given approval to a previous version [JURIST report] and that Governor Tom Wolf [official profile] will sign it into law, making Pennsylvania the twenty-third state to approve the use of medical marijuana.

In recent years there has been a movement to decriminalize marijuana both domestically and abroad, which has resulted in at least 22 US states allowing various forms of medical marijuana and four states decriminalizing [CNN report] marijuana altogether. In December Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a decree fully legalizing medical marijuana [JURIST report] in the country. Santos said the new regulations, which make it legal to grow, process, import and export marijuana for medical and scientific use, would put Colombia at the forefront in the fight against disease. Last November New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed two bills [JURIST report] in order to expedite the distribution of medical marijuana to citizens with critical health conditions. Earlier that month New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed [JURIST report] a bill into law that would allow for the administering of edible medical marijuana to sick and disabled children on school grounds without triggering the arrests of parents or educators. In June of last year the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a law restricting the use of medical marijuana was unconstitutional [JURIST report].
[JURIST] US President Barrack Obama [official website] on Wednesday issued an executive order [text] that will impose new sanctions on North Korea for their recent actions of nuclear and ballistic missile testing. The executive order imposes sanctions that include a ban on exports of goods, services and technology to North Korea and prohibits any new investment with the nation. The new order also outlines new criteria with which the Secretary of the Treasury may target workforce human rights and cybersecurity issues within North Korea. Obama believes that these sanctions will put pressure on North Korea and stated that [t]he U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Koreas illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations.

International concern has been expressed over North Koreas instability and poor human rights record. Earlier this month UN human rights investigator Marzuki Darusman urged [JURIST report] the UN Human Rights Council to push for the prosecution of top North Korean government officials for crimes against humanity. Also this month Kim Jong-un watched [JURIST report] a ballistic missile launch test and ordered more tests in order to improve the countrys nuclear attack capabilities. In February UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on [JURIST report] North Koreas government to stop violating international obligations after another missile launch was conducted. In January the US House of Representatives approved [JURIST report] legislation that would increase sanctions against North Korea for its continuation of nuclear testing. In November Japan and the EU circulated [JURIST report] a draft UN resolution condemning North Koreas human rights abuses and encouraging the UN Security Council to refer the country to the ICC, noting reports of torture, limits on freedom of mobility, restrictions on freedom of speech, restrictions on freedom of religion, privacy infringement, arbitrary imprisonment, prison camps and more. Darusman expressed deep concerns [JURIST report] regarding human rights violations in the country just a month earlier.
The US Senate [official website] unanimously passed an amendment to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Tuesday. The bill [text] was introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) [press release] early in 2015 and passed through the Senate legislative process with relative ease. Upon floor debate, Churck Grassley (R-IA) [floor statement] outlined that the improvements the amendment will have on the FOIA to increase governmental proactivity and transparency in releasing documents and ease the process through which citizens make requests by consolidating it into one online portal. Instead of FOIA requests being processed individually by agency, the newly-passed amendment would create one centralized system through which all FOIA requests would be submitted, reviewed, and either approved or denied, which would streamline requests for materials.

FOIA [text] was passed in 1966 under President Lyndon Johnson and has been repeatedly updated by Congress through amendments. The purpose of the act is to provide government documents and materials to the public upon a valid request, but it has come under criticism throughout the years for being overly burdened and sluggish in producing documents [JURIST report]. Upon his first full day in office, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum dictating that [t]he Freedom of Information Act should be administered with a clear presumption: In the face of doubt, openness prevails [official memorandum].
2 held for minors abduction

Two teenagers have been arrested on charge of abducting an eight-year-old girl from Lalitpur on Tuesday.
Banke district court fines NA lieutenant on torture charge

Bardiya District Court has fined Nepal Army 1st Lieutenant Kabindra Thapa on charge of torturing one 14-year-old Padma Bahadur Khadka. A single bench of justice led by Judge Ramesh Sharma Poudel slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 after conducting a hearing on the case following an Appellate court order. The hearing was slated for Wednesday, four years after the case was lodged.
Call for integrated energy financing

Representatives of government bodies, development partners, bilateral and multilateral donor agencies have called for an integrated financing model to promote private investments and reduce dependency on subsidy mechanism on energy sector.
China official says Hong Kong sovereignty 'impossible'

A senior Chinese official has said it is "impossible" for Hong Kong to become a sovereign state.
Donations pour in for boy with rare disease

Donations are pouring in for the treatment of a 11-year-old boy living with a rare fungal skin disease in Bhimgithe village of Baglung.
Fifth Nepal International Trade Fair opens today

The fifth edition of the Nepal International Trade Fair which aims to bring national and international traders on a single platform to market products and strengthen business ties is slated to begin on Thursday at Bhrikuti Mandap Exhibition Hall.
Govt agrees to cut rental fee in Bhairahawa Sez

The government has agreed to reduce rental charge in the Special Economic Zone (Sez) in Bhairahawa.
Graft complaint filed against Birat Petroleum

A complaint has been filed at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority against Birat Petroleum Company for selling petrol at an exorbitant price, claiming the fuel to be Euro 4 standard.
India, Pakistan competing to host Saarc Environment Centre

India and Pakistan are racing to host the Saarc Environment and Disaster Management Center, a new body to look into the environment and disaster related issues in the region.
India to donate male crocodile to Nepal

India has agreed to donate crocodile to Nepal to help boost the numbers of the reptile in the country.
Migrant crisis: 'Many issues' in way of EU-Turkey deal

EU leaders are to meet to finalise a deal with Turkey to help ease the migrant crisis.
Morcha leaders to submit memo to Chinese Ambassador on Friday

In a bid to seek Chinas support for ongoing struggle of Madhes, the leaders affiliated to agitating Madhesi Morcha and other Madhes-based parties alliances have decided to meet Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Wu Chintai at Hotel Sangrila on Friday.
Morcha to draw Beijings attention to its cause

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) has said it will submit a memorandum to the Embassy of China in Kathmandu on Thursday, requesting the northern neighbour to support the agendas of the agitating Madhesi and Janajati communities.
Nepal govt should honour its commitment to OHCHR: NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission has reiterated its position on rights situation and Nepal government's obligation to protect and promote human rights as committed to the UN Human Rights Council.
Nepal, India chalk out plans to save the tiger

Wildlife conservation authorities from Nepal and India have concluded that Bawaria and Banjara tribal communities in India pose key threat to tiger conservation, and decided to come up with measures to track down the poachers, monitor their activities and restrict their movement along the trans-boundary corridor.
Panchthar trader found murdered

A trader from Rabi Bazaar of Panchthar was found dead at Phuyatappa VDC-5 in Ilam on Wednesday.
Poverty is the key enemy of South Asia: PM Oli

Prime Minister K P Oli has said that poverty is the common enemy of the South Asia that is looming around.
Saarc mini summit: No headway in standing committee meet

The Saarc Standing Committee has failed to reach agreement on the pressing issues, including regional integration and connectivity, prompting fears that the Council of Ministers meeting on Thursday could fail.
PM Oli inaugurates 37th Saarc Ministerial meet

The 37th Ministerial Meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is taking place in Pokhara on Thursday.
1. Yes. Its important to cast my votes early and avoid the lines on Election Day.

2. Yes. With nearly two weeks of early voting, its a more convenient way to take part.

3. No. Its better to wait until Election Day, in case any last-minute information surfaces.

4. No. Im not planning to vote early or on Election Day. It isnt worth my time.

5. Unsure. It depends on how the campaigns are shaping up. Ill play it by ear.

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The Electoral Commission has defended itself on accusations that it did not have a credible voters register for the just concluded general elections.

In their submissions at the ongoing hearing of the presidential election petition at the Supreme Court, the lead counsel Enos Tumusiime has rubbished allegations by the petitioner that the commission failed to compile a Voters register.

Tumusiime says that according to the law, the commission compiled and updated the register and vehemently denied the allegations forwarded by the petitioner.

Tumusiime has also defended the Electoral Commission on allegations that it nominated Yoweri Museveni illegally before he was duly endorsed by his NRM party.

In his petition, former presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi is challenging president Musevenis victory and wants it annulled.

However, Musevenis lawyers are calling for dismissal of the petition for lack of concrete evidence.

Court has adjourned for a while and hearing is expected to be concluded tomorrow, while the final ruling is to be delivered by March 31st.

Story by Ruth Anderah
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) on Thursday announced four foreign conductors who will lead the orchestra for its six upcoming regular concerts, replacing former music director Chung Myung-whun, who stepped down late last year.

The four are Eliahu Inbal, Christoph Eschenbach, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Alexandre Bloch, it said.

Chung was originally scheduled to lead all of the orchestra's regular concerts this year, but he resigned in December over his wife's alleged slandering of the orchestra's former president.

So far this year, assistant conductor Choi Soo-yeoul has conducted two concerts and German guest conductor Eschenbach has conducted one, with six remaining.

The French conductor Totelier will lead the orchestra in the July 15 concert featuring Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4.

Totelier is a conductor emeritus of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and a principal guest conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He will start working as the chief conductor of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO) in September. This will be his first work with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

The concert has drawn much attention from local classical music fans as Cho Seong-jin, a rising South Korean pianist who won the prestigious 17th international Frederic Chopin piano competition in October, is scheduled to perform Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the orchestra.

The orchestra will also be led by Inbal, a renowned Israeli conductor who previously guest-conducted the Seoul Philharmonic on Aug. 24-25 last year, and the young French-born conductor Bloch, who will be in charge of the Dec. 9 concert.

On Dec. 28-29, it will perform Beethoven's monumental Symphony No. 9 under Eschenbach, a celebrated pianist and conductor who replaced Chung for the orchestra's first concert of the year in January.

Chung stepped down through a letter sent to the orchestra after his wife came under a police investigation over allegedly defaming Park Hyun-jung.

Park resigned as SPO's CEO in December 2014 after a dozen SPO members filed complaints with the police accusing her of sexually and verbally harassing them.

She was cleared of the charges in August, with the dozen employees booked on charges of defamation. Police also believe Chung's wife spread anonymous letters accusing Park of mistreating her employees.

Chung has also been under investigation for alleged embezzlement since March. (Yonhap)
By Doug Bandow



Iranians have voted for a new parliament (Majlis) as well as so-called Assembly of Experts. Moderate reformers did well in both bodies, vindicating the Obama administration's decision to try diplomacy after years of confrontation with the Islamic republic.



America's relations with Iran long have been troubled. In 1953 the U.S. helped engineer a coup that turned power over to the authoritarian and corrupt Shah. He was overthrown by a broad revolution which ultimately led to a radical Islamist government.



The seizure of the American embassy in November 1979 turned the new Islamic republic into one of Washington's bitterest enemies. Washington ultimately responded by imposing sanctions on and threatening war against the Iranian monster that it helped create.



In the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion Tehran offered to negotiate, but the triumphalist Bush administration refused. Iran responded by ramping up its nuclear program. President Barack Obama turned to negotiation, yielding perhaps his most important diplomatic achievement.



The most important objective with the nuclear agreement was to stop movement toward a nuclear weapon. There never was any reason to believe the GOP uber-hawks who argued that the U.S. need only maintain sanctions while huffing and puffing a little more to make Tehran surrender to American dictates.



When Washington rejected previous Iranian overtures Tehran added centrifuges. The deal was struck because it was a deal, which meant Iran's government received benefits too.



The accord ended any potential nuclear weapons program for now. And so far Tehran is living up to the accord.



Another line of attack against the settlement was that the did not cause the Islamic republic to turn itself into a liberal democracy, adopt unilateral conventional disarmament, abandon regional security interests, and accept Saudi dominance. But no nation, including America, would voluntarily surrender to its greatest potential military adversary.



Moreover, most of these demands have little to do with America's own security interests. For instance, Syria is a humanitarian tragedy, but the U.S. gains nothing from ousting President Bashar al-Assad, which likely would turn more of the country over to the Islamic State.



Iran's election confirms that the administration was right to negotiate. One of the chief criticisms of the agreement is that it is temporary and dependent on transformation of the Islamic regime. Actually, the accord depends on offering enough benefits to convince whoever rules Iran that they do better by not building nuclear weapons.



Still, President Obama expressed his hope that the agreement "would serve as the basis for us trying to improve relations over time." The possibility of such a transformation is why Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council called these "the most consequential non-presidential elections in Iran at least for the last two decades."



No surprise, resistance from Iranian hardliners has been strong. The Guardian Council disqualified many reformist candidates.



But, noted author Hooman Majd, "No matter how undemocratic and how compromised the system is, there's no question that the elections matter." Moderates have prospered despite their manifold handicaps. The regime will face greater challenges.



Of course, change remains uncertain and will take time. Indeed, many "moderates" seem reasonable only in comparison with hard-liners who have run the nation into the ground. However, the alternative favored by American hardliners, especially Neocons who think of nothing other than continued economic sanctions and military threats, would ensure no domestic change in Iran.



Washington has no magical ability to reach inside Iran and install a friendly regime. It isn't 1953 again, and that play ended badly. Moreover, intensifying threats against Iran would increase the likelihood of Tehran cracking down domestically while reactivating its weapons program.



Washington should play the long game. More than 60 percent of the population is under 30 and many younger Iranians already favor the West and its liberal values.



America needs to encourage a welcoming international environment that benefits Iran and draws Iranians outward. Particularly important is sustained economic growth reaching rural and working class people as well as more Western-oriented elites.



There is, of course, no guarantee for the future. However, the nuclear accord appears to have triggered or at least accelerated a process which offers the best chance for the future.



U.S. policy in the Middle East has been a catastrophic failure. Yet Washington appears largely oblivious. One positive step has been the nuclear accord.



The future remains uncertain. But administration critics offer only the likelihood of more antagonism and conflict. So far the agreement has pushed Tehran back from developing nuclear weapons and triggered a stronger fight for reform in Iran. That's a much better start than many observers expected.



Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan and he is the author of "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire."




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MILWAUKEE  Wisconsins state Supreme Court candidates went after each other in a debate Tuesday evening that took a far sharper tone than previous encounters, even as they battled over familiar territory of judicial philosophy, negative headlines and political independence.

With just three weeks to go before the election, Justice Rebecca Bradley and Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg started their sparring on the Constitution and whether it was the most important element of the campaign.

The key, Kloppenburg said, is keeping partisan politics off the court and making sure its not dominated by Scott Walker, who appointed Bradley in October.

Bradley said the race should be focused on their judicial philosophies, but later returned the shot, by saying the only person introducing partisan politics is my opponent and pointing out the support Kloppenburg received from liberal groups in her failed 2011 state Supreme Court bid.

The exchange came on the same day the campaigns launched their first ads of the general election. The candidates are seeking a 10-year term on the states highest court in a race thats officially nonpartisan, but has played out along similar lines as previous state Supreme Court races and been deeply divided.

Bradleys ad touts endorsements from judges and sheriffs in Waukesha and Walworth counties, though it doesnt identify them, calling her smart, tough and fair.

Kloppenburgs ad, meanwhile, questions Bradleys independence, noting shes been appointed to judgeships by Walker three times in recent years. It was a theme she returned to during the debate when she said Walkers fast-track appointments suggest its politics, not qualifications driving the decisions.

Bradley worked to keep the discussion during the debate at Marquette University focused on her judicial philosophy, which she says is to interpret the law as its written. She says her perspective tracks with that of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. She said Scalia was noted for seeking to interpret statutes and the Constitution under their original meaning. Bradley said her opponent believes the Constitution is a living document, which allows judges to inject personal preference into their opinions.

Kloppenburg, meanwhile, said she also upholds the Constitution to protect individual rights and promote a more equal society. She said her judicial philosophy involves applying the law to the facts, fairly and thoughtfully.

Bradleys campaign has faced several damaging revelations recently, and she addressed them Tuesday, reiterating her apology for college writings in which she bashed gays and feminists. She also said she was offended that Kloppenburg had the audacity to think she could look into my heart and mind and know what I think to determine whether she had changed over the past 24 years.

Kloppenburg said a 2006 opinion piece that equated contraception with murder along with support from conservatives, including Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, show Bradley continues to hold extreme positions.

Bradley said the point-counterpoint column merely reflected her defending a position as she had been asked and that her views dont align with all of her supporters, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Bradley also introduced an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which reported that she acknowledged an affair with a co-worker. Bradley has said the romantic relationship came after she and her ex-husband had already separated, and on Tuesday she called it a vile piece of garbage masquerading as journalism and a hit job.

She called on Kloppenburg to disavow it, but Kloppenburg refused and said the facts in the story were fair game for criticism.
If you want to make Korean food in an apartment, say the authors of a new cookbook, best make friends with your neighbors first. The smell gets funky, fast.

How To Cook Korean Food at Home without Pissing Off Your Neighbors is one of many helpful, tongue-in-cheek sidebars in Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbards new cookbook, Koreatown, published in February by Clarkson Potter.

Hong and Rodbard are set to visit Madison on March 23 for two dinners promoting the book, with two seatings at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Sujeo, 10 N. Livingston St. The $55 menu includes butter mandu (Korean dumplings), pork spare ribs and bokkeumbap (Korean fried rice).

Inspiration for the book came, in part, from chef Hongs background at Korean restaurant Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong in Manhattans Koreatown. Rodbard, a food writer for Bon Appetit, the Wall Street Journal and others, has done extensive research into dozens of Korean restaurants in New York City.

But the cookbook itself was designed for use at home. Recipes for kimchi salt, bulgogi and silken tofu stew (soondubu jjigae) were written to be straightforward and easy to follow, with pro tips from both the restaurant chef and the home cook.

Recently, the Capital Times talked with Rodbard, a Brooklyn-based University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate (02), about his fascination with Korean stews, essential Korean pantry ingredients and how Korean food continues to evolve in the U.S.

The Capital Times: How did you get into Korean food?

Matt Rodbard: It dates back to my time in Madison. I met my best friend (Jason Ough) in Madison. Hes Korean American; he grew up in Beloit. We moved to New York around the same time after graduation, and he would take me to Koreatown in New York.

I was just fascinated with the cuisine. I thought it was really delicious but also there were so many dishes I was unfamiliar with (that) he would order, and that was the coolest thing. I was familiar with international flavors and multicultural food, but Korean food was always one of my favorite cuisines and also one of the most mysterious.

Koreatown feels very contemporary in how its written and laid out. It has a conversational voice, and I cant think of the last time, if ever, Ive seen cookbook writers put their Twitter handles in a cookbook.

Im glad you picked that up! My background is in magazine writing and editing. I tried to bring some modernity to the cookbook world and publishing world.

My editor is Francis Lam, and we both agreed that we wanted to do some things maybe a little bit left of center, to bring it to everyone and make people feel welcome and make it an interesting read ... but while doing that, be very serious about the food and the culture behind it.

We needed to have a really big soups and stews section; it was our largest section and we could not forget some that werent for everyone. An example is miyeokguk, a seaweed soup that nursing mothers eat soon after giving birth. Its called happy birthday soup. In Korea and Korean culture in America, children and adults eat it on their birthday.

Is it the most delicious dish Ive ever had? Not really  its mild, with anchovy stock. But culturally its very important to cover, instead of kimchi tacos, the pop culture stuff that books really focus on.

If you were going to give newcomers to Korean cooking some key ingredients to start with, what would they be?

The great thing about the Korean pantry is its relatively pared down. Korea is a cold place, the growing season is short. Thats why kimchi and fermentation and pickling is so big.

Youre getting a lot of things youll find in Minnesota and Wisconsin too ... a lot of root vegetables, garlic, ginger, scallions, potatoes, carrots, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sesame oil.

Gochujang (spicy fermented red pepper paste) and doenjang (fermented soybean paste) are really important. Buying some good anchovies, frozen anchovies, is really important. Youre going to pay $10 to $15 a box but you want good ones with shiny skin on them.

Anchovy stock is really important in Korean cooking, we use it in a lot of recipes and you can freeze it and use it over and over again.

Kim (also known as gim or nori) is seaweed in Korean, and a theres a variety of types. The toasted seaweed sheets you can get at Trader Joes. The harder kind, kombu is the Japanese name for it, is a hard type of seaweed we use in our anchovy stock.

Good sesame oil is important. Sesame oil does go bad. Find a freshly pressed sesame oil.

Pancake mix is possibly controversial ... I suggest buying it if youre at the Asian market. Its how youre going to get it in the restaurants, and its all about using the right proteins and cooking the proteins and vegetables correctly.

Mirin is important too, its a sweet wine used in a lot of sautes called bokkeums. It adds sweetness and acidity to the sautes.

In the cookbook, you talk a lot about how Korean Americans negotiate their identity and take inspiration from Korean flavors. Like there are recipes for a Korean take on shrimp and grits by Sean Brock, toasted rice ice cream by Tai Kim from Scoops in Los Angeles, and kimchi white chocolate snickerdoodles from a noodle bar in Washington, D.C.

We dont necessarily say (Koreatown) is a place. Its more of a mentality. Its not like were writing about Koreatown in these four cities, because youre finding Koreatown all over.

Madison is a medium-sized town, but its a university town and youre seeing Koreans flock there and preserve their foodways in interesting ways. Were seeing Korean food being cooked in Florida and Washington, D.C., outside Denver and northern California.

Its a story of immigration and industrious individuals opening up restaurants to make money as immigrants, and cooking style of food they grew up with and having that American spin on it.

You see this riffing on American culture.

When most people think of Korean food, they think of kimchi and barbecue, right?

Barbecue is the great American mash-up. In Korea there are barbecue restaurants but its not as prevalent as here, because in Korea beef is expensive. Theres not a lot of land for raising cattle and hogs, unlike America where beef is cheap. Korean culture has been steeped in an American lens.

Korea is a peninsula with 1,500 miles of coastline. Seafood is so essential to the diet there. I stress that repeatedly in the book, but I still think its an under-represented fact that its a seafood-based diet. Its not all barbecue and kimchi and tacos.
Flocks of giant white birds are catching the eyes of outdoor enthusiasts across Minnesota, as once-rare American white pelicans migrate north to their nesting grounds across the state, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

American white pelicans are among the worlds largest birds and are easily recognized in flight. Wingspans up to 9 feet, bright white plumage with black-edged wings and large, orange bills distinguish them from any other species.

Pelicans often fly in evenly spaced lines or V formations, said Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, DNR nongame wildlife specialist. Unlike swans or geese which fly with necks outstretched, pelicans fly with their necks doubled back against their shoulders. They often set up a rhythmic pattern of wing beats that ripple from the lead bird back to the end.

American white pelicans were driven to near extinction in the early 20th century from human pressures. There were no reports of nesting pelicans in Minnesota for 90 years, from 1878 until 1968.

Conservation efforts and federal regulations have helped pelican populations make a slow and steady comeback. Still, they remain one of Minnesotas Species in Greatest Conservation Need.

The prairie pothole region of western Minnesota hosts 22 percent of the global population of this species, Gelvin-Innvaer said.

In Minnesota, the last survey estimated about 22,000 pairs of pelicans that nest at 16 sites on seven lakes across the state. This year, another statewide survey will provide an update.

American white pelicans leave Minnesota each fall as lakes and rivers freeze. They winter along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Mexico and typically return to Minnesota in early spring, as lakes and rivers thaw.

They are highly social and live in large, dense colonies. They feed exclusively on small fish and crustaceans and will work together for a meal.

A group of pelicans will swim in a semicircle to herd their prey into shallow water, Gelvin-Innvaer said. Then, theyll scoop up fish and water in their beak pouch, drain out the water and swallow their food.

Pelicans are popular among wildlife watchers. Gelvin-Innvaer advises that the birds are best enjoyed from a distance. Pelican nesting colonies are vulnerable to human disturbance. Minimizing contact helps to conserve them as part of Minnesotas natural heritage, she said.

For more information on American white pelicans, go to www.mndnr.gov/pelicans.
Supreme Court debate to be broadcast

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Rebecca Bradley and JoAnne Kloppenburg will discuss issues central for their run for a seat on the states highest court in a debate that be will be broadcast statewide starting at 7 p.m. Friday, March 18.

Live from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the debate will be broadcast on Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio, and streamed online at WisconsinVote.org and jsonline.com. The debate is presented by the partnership of Wisconsin Public Television, Wisconsin Public Radio and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The debate comes less than two weeks before the April 5 general election that will decide whether the incumbent Bradley, appointed to the court last fall, or challenger Kloppenburg will win a 10-year term on the Supreme Court.
Recently, weve recalled the anniversaries of many of the events of the Second World War. One such anniversary will commemorate the birth of the Wisconsin Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, which has been flying Wisconsins skies and providing vital services to those on the ground for nearly 75 years.

As war clouds gathered in the 1930s, civilian aviators advocated for a volunteer organization to aid in the national defense. As luck would have it, the Civil Air Patrol was created a week before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Assigned to the Army Air Corps, thousands of CAP volunteers conducted vital missions to support the war effort, including spotting enemy ships and submarines and rescuing crash victims.

Franklin Roosevelt declared the CAP a non-profit benevolent organization, and after the war it was designated by Congress as the official auxiliary of the Air Force. Since then, the CAP has focused on three key missions: providing search and rescue and other emergency services, training cadets, and providing education in the history and science of aeronautics and aviation.

The Wisconsin Wing has hundreds of volunteer members who operate through 36 squadron locations statewide. Its volunteer pilots and cadets logged more than 2,400 hours of flying time last year alone. That includes 9 search and rescue missions that resulted in 26 finds. The CAPs network of interoperable radio transmitters is a vital part of emergency response in Wisconsin. And when thousands of aircraft descend on the annual EAA Fly-in, wing members provide vital support services.

Even though they are volunteers, wing members play an integral role in our nations military preparedness. For example, last year wing members helped to train the Wisconsin Air National Guard by flying single-engine planes to simulate unauthorized aircraft in U.S. airspace. That gave National Guard pilots a chance to practice scrambling and intercepting their targets, and to test the early warning and intercept system.

The aerospace education mission of the CAP is to educate and inspire young people regarding the science, technology, engineering, and math of aerospace. These programs help to prepare young people for the sophisticated STEM demands of aerospace, especially as it pertains to national security. A big part of that mission is its cadet training program that prepares the nations future aerospace leaders. The wing has 360 cadet members, who are young people between 12 and 19 who get the chance to fly, develop leadership skills, hike and camp, and learn about all aspects of flying and aircraft. Civil Air Patrol cadets also participate in community service projects, like the annual Wreaths Across America that honors our fallen military heroes. Most importantly, cadets learn the CAPs core values of integrity, excellence, volunteerism, and respect.

To commemorate its 75-year history of meritorious service to the nation and to Wisconsin, I will introduce a resolution to declare December 2016 as Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol Month. It will be a fitting way to honor and learn more about the continuing critical role it and its members play in providing emergency services, aerospace education and leadership training throughout the state.

To learn how to join or support the Wisconsin Wing Civil Air Patrol, visit their website at wicap.us. You dont have to be a pilot to join  there are roles for doctors, nurses, paramedics, or other medical professionals. Others are educators, clergy, lawyers, paralegals, accountants, computer programmers, and other business professionals and executives. Its an exciting and educational way to play a role in Wisconsins emergency and military preparedness.

Democrat Julie Lassa, Stevens Point, represents the 24th state Senate District.


France has become the first country to ban supermarkets from throwing away unsold food.

Legislators passed the law in February. The law requires supermarkets to donate unsold food to charities and food banks.

If supermarkets do not obey the law, they face a $4,000 fine.

The new law is part of Frances efforts to rethink consumption practices.

Each year, France throws away about 7 million tons of food. That is one-fifth of the amount of food bought each year. Along with individual consumers, restaurants and stores add to the food waste.

Other European countries are also making efforts to reduce food waste. In Denmark, a new waste supermarket has opened, where customers can buy surplus - or leftover - food for cheaper prices.

Arash Derambarsh is a municipal councilor in a Paris suburb. He started a petition for parliament to adopt the supermarket food waste law.

The situation is very simple, he said. On the one hand, we have supermarkets that throw away kilos of unsold food every day. On the other, faced with this absurdity, we have millions of poor people in France.

Derambarsh published a book called Manifesto Against Waste. In the book, he wrote about time as a poor student barely able to pay for rent. I was hungry and ashamed of admitting it. I wanted to turn it into a positive experience so others would not end up in this situation.

Derambarsh is now campaigning for the European Union to adopt similar supermarket waste laws. He is also urging the United States and other countries to adopt such measures, too.

Reactions of charities

Yet the reaction among some charities and supermarkets in France shows how complex the issue of food waste really is.

Some people welcomed the new law. Louise Saint-Germain is president of a small non-governmental organization called, in English, A Hand Stretched Out For Tomorrow. She said the increase in donation in will allow her group to feed more people and provide a more diversified food basket.

But others are worried the law will lead to more donations than they can handle. Aline Chassagnot manages a Salvation Army store.

We simply dont have the technical and logistical ability to distribute more food to more people. And were not the only ones, she said.

Chassagnot said France needs to consider larger issues related to consumption and sharing.

Yes, theres waste and there are enough poor people around, she said. But really taking into account a persons needs and dignity might mean another way of thinking thats not so simple.

Supermarket practices

Many large supermarkets in France argue that the law doesnt really change much. The director of one Carrefour supermarket in western Paris says her store has been donating unsold food to charities for years.

Nothing is wasted, the director said. In the kitchen, chefs put day-old bread products into syrup, then pour almond paste on them, turning them into new desserts. Rotten raspberries are picked out of unsold tubs, and the good ones are reused in tarts.

And, food that is damaged or past its shelf life is turned into biofuel, the director added. The biofuel helps power supermarket trucks.

But other French stores reportedly put bleach onto unsold food. That chemical makes the food inedible.

Im Ashley Thompson.

Lisa Bryant reported this story for VOANews.com. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English.

What do you think of the new law? Please leave us a Comment and post on our Facebook page!

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

consumption - n. the use of something

absurdity - n. the state of being unreasonable or foolish

ashamed - adj. feeling shame or guilt

logistical - adj. relating to organization and planning

desserts - n. sweet food eaten after the main part of a meal

tub -n. a wide container used to hold something

tart - n. an open pie that usually has a sweet filling

shelf life - n. the length of time that food may be stored and still be good to eat

bleach - n. a strong chemical that is used to make something clean or white


A Kurdish militant group claimed responsibility for the suicide car bombing Sunday in Ankara that killed 37 people.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, or TAK, warned that more attacks are possible.

TAK is an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. The PKK has warred with the Turkish government since 1978.

TAK said the attack was in response to ongoing military operations in southeast Turkey.

Sundays car bomb exploded in a busy city square near foreign embassies and government buildings. It was the third bombing in the capital during the past six months.

TAK also said it was responsible for a bombing in February. That attack in Ankara killed 29 people.

The BBC reported Germany closed its embassy in Ankara due to possible terror attacks. The Germans also closed its consulate and a school in Istanbul on Thursday.

Im Jim Dresbach.

VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

offshoot  n. something (such as a business) that develops from something larger

consulate  n. the diplomatic office where a consul lives and works


More than one-third of U.S. innovators are born outside the U.S.

Only 13.5 percent of all U.S. residents are immigrants. But a new report says 35 percent of residents with a doctorate degree, or Ph.D, in science and mathematics are immigrants.

This shows that highly-educated immigrants could be one of the countrys most valuable resources.

The report came from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (or ITIF) in February. The ITIF is an organization that studies how technology affects the world.

Adam Nager is an economic policy analyst at the ITIF. He said, "U.S. innovation really depends on individuals born outside of the U.S."

"These are scientists, engineers, people with really, really high education, whove made the choice to immigrate to the United States," Nager added.

"[They] often [seek] the kind of research opportunities, the kind of entrepreneurial opportunities that are offered in the United States that might not have been available in their home countrythey bring new ideas and new ways of thinking about things that we need."

Immigration has been a major issue for the campaigns of the 2016 presidential candidates. But the candidates have rarely talked about how high-skilled and low-skilled or illegal immigrants are different.

The ITIF report does not examine the effects of low-skilled or illegal immigrants on the U.S. But Nager said the report does show "the value of bringing in the best and brightest engineers from around the world and the benefits that they bring to the U.S. economy."

"The more of them we can get, the better," he said.

The other two-thirds of American innovators are mostly white men, the reports shows. But that does not mean they are highly intelligent, young men who never finished college, like Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg.

The ITIF found the average age of these innovators is 47. Also, most of them have at least one advanced degree.

To collect information for the report, the ITIF spoke with almost 1,000 people. All of those people have won national awards for inventions or are working towards international patents on their ideas.

These inventions and ideas are all in the fields of information technology, life or material sciences and advanced technology.

The results of the report are a topic of interest for the White House. The White House has honored 11 immigrant innovators so far.

Additionally, President Barack Obama spoke about the importance of innovation in his final "State of the Union" speech in January.

President Obama also spoke at a conference at SXSW, or South by Southwest, in Austin, Texas earlier in March. The conference was part of an event that mixes live music and displays by several technology companies.

Researchers working on the report expected to find few female and U.S.-born minority innovators. But researchers were surprised at how low those numbers were.

Only 12 percent of U.S. innovators are women. Just 8 percent of innovators are Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and other minorities born in the U.S.

In the U.S., 32 percent of the whole population are minorities.

"We have this [large] untapped labor pool in African-Americans, in Hispanics and in women who really arent tapped at all for creating these types of innovative, marketable products," Nager said.

"There's nothing about white males that would make them [naturally] any better at innovating than any other group, so if were looking to grow the pool of innovators in the future, definitely, greater inclusion among women and minorities is the way to get there."

Im Pete Musto.

Dora Mekouar wrote this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise and Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

innovator(s)  n. someone who does something in a new way

resident(s)  n. someone who lives in a particular place

doctorate degree  n. the highest degree that is given by a university

analyst  n. a person who studies or analyzes something

opportunities  n. amounts of time or a situation in which something can be done

entrepreneurial  adj. part of starting a business and in a way that means you are willing to risk loss in order to make money

benefit(s)  n. a good or helpful result or effect

advanced degree  n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after one or two years of additional study following a bachelor's degree

invention(s)  n. a useful new device or process

patent(s)  n. an official document that gives a person or company the right to be the only one that makes or sells a product for a certain period of time

untapped  adj. available but not used

pool  n. a supply of things or people that are available for use


EDITOR'S NOTE: This year, the U.S. National Park Service turns 100. Americans 28th President, Woodrow Wilson, formed the National Park Service in 1916 to protect the wild and wonderful landscapes in the United States. President Ulysses Grant established Yellowstone National Park as the countrys first national park in 1872. Today, the National Park Service protects over 400 parks and historical sites from coast to coast. Every week, VOA Learning English will profile one of the sites within the National Park Service.

Our National Parks journey continues this week in one of the most popular and beautiful places in America: Grand Canyon National Park in the state of Arizona.

The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and one of the largest canyons on Earth. It stretches for 450 kilometers. Parts of the canyon are more than 30 kilometers wide and one kilometer deep.

Many writers have tried to describe the wonder of the Grand Canyon. They use words like mysterious, overpowering, and strange. But it is not possible to put human meaning to such a place. The Grand Canyon truly is beyond words.

"Is this your first time at the Grand Canyon?"

Yes...."

And what do you think (of the Grand Canyon)? Do you have a few words to describe it?

Beautiful. Amazing."

"What do you think of the Grand Canyon?"

"Very huge. Very colorful.

"Do you have some words to describe what you are seeing?"



Magic. Its so magic(al) when I see it at first look.

A look back in time

The canyons of Americas Southwest are deep, ancient openings in the Earth. They look as if they formed as the earth split apart.

In reality, rivers formed these canyons.

Forty million years ago, the Colorado River began cutting through the area around the present-day Grand Canyon. The river carried dirt and pieces of stone that slowly ate away at the surrounding rock. It left a pathway of enormous rock openings. At the same time, forces deep within the Earth pushed up the surrounding land.

Rain, snow, ice, wind and plant roots rubbed away at the top of this new canyon. Below, the river continued to uncover more and more levels of ancient rock.

Some of the exposed rocks along the Grand Canyons walls are nearly 2 billion years old. They are among the oldest rocks on earth, with many levels of granite, schist, limestone and sandstone.

Environment

The Grand Canyon measures 2,500 meters from the canyon floor to its highest point.

Because of its size, the weather at the top of the canyon is often much different from the bottom.

On some winter days, for example, you may find cold winds and snow at the top. But at the bottom of the canyon, you may find warm winds and flowers.

The Grand Canyon is home to some 2,000 plant species. Some of these species can only be found in the park.

The Grand Canyon was named a Globally Important Bird Area in 2014 because of the role it plays in protecting many species of birds.

Humans in the Grand Canyon

Native American occupied the Grand Canyon 3,000 years ago. Bones, hair, feathers and the remains of plants have been found in deep, dry caves high in the rock walls.

The Hopi, the Paiute, the Navajo and other Native American tribes have all been in the area for at least 700 years.

In 1869, American John Wesley Powell explored the Grand Canyon. He recorded much of what we know today about the area.

Powell and his group traveled in four boats along the Colorado River. He and his group of explorers knew very little about getting over the fast, rocky waters of the Colorado River. In many places, boast could be turned over by giant waves.

Soon after they started their journey, Powells group lost some of its food and equipment. Three members decided to leave the group. As they walked up and out of the Grand Canyon, they were killed by Native Americans.

The rest of Powell's group survived the journey. Starved and tired, Powell and his group reached the end of the canyon. They had traveled by boat down the Colorado for more than three months.

John Wesley Powells reports and maps from the trip greatly increased interest in the Grand Canyon. But visitors did not begin to go there in large numbers until 1901. That year, a railway was built that reached the area.

Visiting the Grand Canyon

Five million people visit the Grand Canyon National Park every year. The first sight of the canyon can leave visitors speechless.

Depending on the time of day, the sun lights up the rock walls in red, orange, and golden colors. The bright colors are the result of minerals in the rock. Their appearance changes endlessly -- with the light, the time of year, and the weather.

At sunset, the canyon walls display fiery red and gold hues. Then they take on softer colors of blue, purple, and green.

Most visitors walk along paths partway down the canyon. It takes several hours to walk to the bottom, and even longer to climb back up. Some visitors choose to ride mules to the bottom of the canyon. Mules are strong, sturdy animals that look similar to horses.

Visitors can also explore the Grand Canyon in other ways. Hundreds of thousands of people see the canyon by air each year. They pay a helicopter or an airplane pilot to fly them above and around the canyon.

Thousands of people every year choose to explore the Grand Canyon by boat from the Colorado River. These trips last one to three weeks.

Most people who come to the Grand Canyon National Park visit an area known as the South Rim. That area has shuttle buses that take visitors to overlooks.

Fewer people see the canyon from the North Rim. The North Rim is less than 20 kilometers across the canyon from the South Rim, but visitors must drive more than 350 kilometers by car from the South Rim to access the North Rim.

Visitors can also see the Grand Canyon from a huge glass walkway called the Skywalk. The Skywalk is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in the western part of the canyon. The Hualapai Indians built it to increase tourism at the reservation. It opened in 2007.

The Skywalk extends more than 20 meters from the canyons rim. It is suspended more than 1,200 meters above the bottom of the canyon, and is shaped like a giant horseshoe.

Many call the skywalk an engineering wonder. But others have criticized the skywalk and its development. They say it reduces the enjoyment of nature in the Grand Canyon.

For visitors hoping to get a view of the entire Grand Canyon, they will have to travel well beyond the state of Arizona.

The only place to see the entire canyon at once is from outer space.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

And I'm Jonathan Evans.

Ashley Thompson wrote this report, with materials from VOA Learning English archive and the National Parks Service. Hai Do was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

enormous - adj. very great in size or amount

speechless - adj. unable to speak because of anger, surprise, etc

minerals - n. a substance (such as quartz, coal, petroleum, salt, etc.) that is naturally formed under the ground

helicopter - n. an aircraft that can stay in the air without moving forward and that has metal blades that turn around on its top

access - v. to be able to use, enter, or get near (something)
A group of 25 Academy members of Asian descent, including Oscar-winning film director Ang Lee and Star Trek actor George Takei, have complained about racist jokes at this year's awards.

The 88th Academy Awards on February 28 featured a section in which host Chris Rock introduced children of Asian descent as Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences accountants and an ad-libbed insinuation by actor Sacha Baron Cohen that Asian men were not well-endowed.

"We'd like to know how such tasteless and offensive skits could have happened and what process you have in place to preclude such unconscious or outright bias and racism toward any group in future Oscars telecasts," the group said in a letter to the Academy.

Actor-turned-social media personality Takei and Taiwanese-born Lee co-signed the letter with former academy governors Don Hall, Freida Lee Mock and Arthur Dong, and 20 other Academy members.

The group expressed "complete surprise and disappointment with the targeting of Asians at the 88th Oscars telecast and its perpetuation of racist stereotypes."

The irony of the complaint will not be lost on the Academy, which has been contending with a social media backlash against the lack of racial diversity among the nominees, under the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

"In light of criticism over #OscarsSoWhite, we were hopeful that the telecast would provide the Academy a way forward and the chance to present a spectacular example of inclusion and diversity," said the letter, made public on Tuesday by Variety magazine.

Instead, it complained, the ceremony was marred by "a tone-deaf approach" to its representation of Asians.

"The Academy appreciates the concerns stated, and regrets that any aspect of the Oscar telecast was offensive," an Academy spokeswoman said in a statement.

"We are committed to doing our best to ensure that material in future shows be more culturally sensitive."
A day after news emerged that Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan had sent legal notices to each other  containing allegations of intimidation and threat, and stalking and defamation, respectively  the story got murkier.

In a report published in the Mumbai Mirror on Thursday, a close friend of Kanganas has been quoted as saying that the two actors were engaged to be married in 2014, although the relationship ultimately fizzled out.

From the report, the source provided a date line of sorts of the reported relationship between the two Bollywood stars.

2009: Just friends

It was in 2009 that Hrithik and Kangana worked together in Kites. The Mirror report quotes their source as having said: It started out as a friendship between two people who were both going through a rough patch. His marriage was in trouble and his relationship with his Kites co-star, Mexican model/actress Barbara Mori, wasn't working out. Kangana was going through troubles of her own and they found solace in each other's company and became good friends.

It was when work began on Krrish 3 that the Kangana-Hrithik relationship changed from that of friendship, the report states. Apparently, it was Hrithik who pursued Kangana  although she initially felt uncomfortable with the attention  and she gave in after six months.

2013: Relationship develops

Krrish 3 was released in November 2013. By mid-December Hrithik had released a statement that his 17-year-long marriage with Sussanne was over. Sussanne has decided to separate from me and end our 17-year-long relationship, he wrote to fans, in a statement. But news reports at the time pointed out that Sussanne had moved out of the family home at least four months before the announcement of their separation was even made.

In December 2013, Kangana received a call from Hrithik telling her his marriage was over. He reportedly told her that he wanted to marry her, although the Mirror source says that Kangana was afraid that he was doing this on the rebound.

2014: A "proposal in Paris", and a downward slide

In January 2014, Hrithik reportedly proposed to Kangana in Paris. But by February, things were going downhill. In the first week of February, soon after he resumed shooting for Bang Bang, Hrithik stopped communicating with her (Kangana), Mirrors source says.

In March  after she won the National Award for Queen  Kanganas friend claims that Hrithik once again made contact with Kangana, asking her to take him back. But by May 2014, the relationship had soured again, and was reportedly over.

2016: Rumours, and then the legal notices

While rumours of their relationship dogged both actors all through 2015, it was only in January 2016 that they came to a head with the speculation over Aashiqui 3, and whether or not Hrithik had a role to play in getting Kangana dropped from the project. Then came the now infamous interview where Kangana made an oblique reference to silly exes, Hrithik tweeted about being more likely to date the Pope than any of the women the press had linked him up with, and finally, the legal notices that brought the saga into the public eye.

The email trail from 2014-16

Even as the actors trade accusations through their lawyers, an email ID purportedly in Hrithiks name is at the centre of the controversy.

According to the legal notice Hrithik filed through his lawyer Deepesh Mehta, he first became aware of a fake email ID, being operated by someone impersonating the actor, when Kangana approached him at Karan Johars birthday party in May 2014, thanking him for some congratulatory emails she received. He then shared his correct email address with her, after which she began bombarding him with up to 50 emails a day.

During December 2014, Hrithik had a series of communications with the Mumbai police about the bogus email ID.

On March 5, 2016, days before the news of the legal notices emerged, Hrithik once again sent a request to the Mumbai police, urging them to trace the imposter who was communicating with people through a bogus ID.

Kanganas legal notice, however, contends that the email ID in question is real and that Hrithk himself had created it to communicate with her. It further states that he was not serious about his complaint and that he first approached the police only seven months after she mentioned it to him at Karan Johars birthday party in May 2014.

A report published in DNA on Thursday also states that Hrithik was aware that the issue with Kangana would take a legal turn, and had a closed door meeting with top officials of the Mumbai police, where he handed over all his correspondence with the actress to them.
New Delhi: She didn't have a script to memorise dialogues from when she had to shoot with Christian Bale in Terrence Malick's Knight of Cups. But that didn't faze her at all, says actress Freida Pinto.

Freida, who found acclaim in the West after Slumdog Millionaire, has no fear of working without scripts, as she says it can get "nerve-wracking" initially but is a very "relaxing, fun and liberating" experience.

It is true that we had no script for the film. The truth is that Terrence Malick has worked in a lot of his films with pretty much the same format. If you know Terrence Malick, you know what you are getting into and you sign up for it," she said.

"It was a different experience. I actually don't have a lot of inhibitions or fears when it comes to doing something which is not scripted," Freida told IANS over phone from Los Angeles.

Was it challenging?

She said: "It is definitely a bit nerve-racking on the first day because you don't know where you are going to go but once you figure that out then it doesn't really matter... It is actually very relaxing, it becomes fun and very liberating. It is an experience that I completely embrace."

The film, which released in the US last week, follows the life of a writer Rick (Bale) in Hollywood. It narrates his journey in search of love and self. He encounters six women, including one played by Freida, who help him see a way forward.

The film also stars biggies like Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, and Antonio Banderas.

Freida, who has also been a part of films like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Immortals and is also doing her bit for society by associating with social initiatives like the Girls Rising campaign, shares that working with a director like Malick was "an absolutely fantastic experience".

"One because it was Terrence Malick's film. It is a special experience... I don't have scenes with Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman... The film shows the journey that Christian's character Rick goes through and how these various women in his life have a key to something that he is trying to discover and find," she said.

As of now, there are a couple of other projects that Freida is working on, but she refrained from delving into details. The actress is voicing Mowgli's adoptive mother in the Warner Brothers' motion capture live-action adventure Jungle Book: Origins, which will hit theatre screens in 2017.

IANS
While the legal notices exchanged between Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan have contained their fair share of headline-grabbing allegations, one Mumbai-based mother is far more concerned about one specific detail of Hrithiks notice  that Kangana suffers from Aspergers Syndrome.

In an open letter, Kavita Savio Lobo  who described herself as the proud mother of a nine-year-old with Aspergers  said right at the outset that she was not commenting on the issue because she was interested in what the celebrities got up to. Rather, she wrote, she was concerned that there should be no misperceptions about what the Syndrome actually entails.

The Autism Society states that Aspergers Syndrome was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger, who observed autism-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal intelligence and language development.

The Society adds that Aspergers Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Aspergers Disorder a less severe form of autism. In 2013, the DSM-5 replaced Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders with the umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

Lobo was specifically pained by the statement in Hrithiks legal notice that claimed Kanganas Aspergers condition led her to imagine things. Lobo wrote: Kindly note, individuals with Asperger's Syndrome DO NOT imagine things. It is best to orient oneself by simply reading thoroughly through the DSM IV guidelines before making any judgmental statements.

She went on to describe the traits that were typically associated with Aspergers: Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome are cognitively remarkable, they are impaired socially. There is no study or research advocating any delusional or hallucinatory kind of behaviour being displayed by them.

Lobos letter highlighted that celebrities with a sizeable fan following have a moral responsibility to not use fancy words without investigating their true meaning. Unfortunately, in (the bargain) the layman is affected by wrong disposition of true facts, she added.

Lobo ended her note by urging Hrithik to apologise for hurting the sentiments of neurologically impaired individuals.

Lobos letter garnered a lot of support on social media, with several Twitter users sharing her missive and appreciating her stance.
Guwahati: AIUDF, RJD and JD(U) on Thursday announced a grand alliance of "secular parties" in Assam and invited Congress to join them to fight BJP in the forthcoming assembly polls.

"We wanted a grand alliance in Assam of all secular parties on the lines of the recent Bihar polls to fight

jointly against BJP and its communal politics," AIUDF chief and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal told reporters here.

"We had discussion with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad in this regard and asked Congress to join us in our effort to fight against BJP and prevent the party from finding a foothold in Assam," he said.

In Assam we wanted Congress and AGP to join us along with JD(U) and RJD, but "AGP went ahead with BJP and Congress did not act, maybe due to certain compulsions", he said.

"We, however, once again invite Congress to join us even now. We are ready to welcome them to the grand alliance so that we can fight against the communal forces which have already taken roots in the state, Ajmal said.

JD(U) general secretary and northeast in-charge Arun Kumar Srivastava said people of Assam were disturbed with BJP and its brand of politics and false promises.

"BJP had earlier given the impression that there is no alternative to the party and its leader Narendra Modi but was defeated badly in Delhi, Bihar and other recent elections," he said.

RJD state convenor Kanak Gogoi urged Congress to join the alliance as "Assam is a secular state and we will not allow BJP to gain a foothold in the state".

AIUDF will contest around 76 seats and announced a list of 19 candidates for the second phase today while a list of 23 candidates for the first phase has been already announced.

Both JD(U) and RJD will contest around 12 seats and they announced a list of five candidates each today.

Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav are scheduled to campaign for the alliance partners for the ensuing polls.

AIUDF is the principal opposition party in Assam bagging 18 seats in the last Assembly polls.

PTI
Lucknow: A CBI special court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against senior Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Rajeev Kumar over a plot allotment scam, an official said on Thursday.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation Judge G Sridevi issued the warrant against Kumar for his role in the scam in Noida.

He was sentenced to three years on 20 November, 2012.

Kumar, who was appointed secretary in the state, was indicted by special CBI judge S Lal in 2012, along with former chief secretary Neera Yadav.

He had approached the Allahabad High Court against the order.

The court, however, dismissed his petition for relief after which the state government was forced to remove him from his post.

Yadav surrendered in the Ghaziabad court on 14 March.

She is being held in the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad district.

IANS
New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday hit out at the government for "not allowing" party leaders to speak on the Ishrat Jahan case during the Budget Session of Parliament.

"The Ishrat Jahan case was allowed for discussion during the Parliament proceedings but it was arbitrary that only the BJP and their supporters were allowed. Congress leaders and Congress speakers were not allowed to speak on that," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told mediapersons in New Delhi.

"It is only to subvert the criminal case pending before the CBI court as against a number of officers and others in Gujarat and it is clear as to how discussion can take place when the chargesheet is pending," he added.

"The judicial magistrate also found that this was a fake encounter and couldn't say whether they were connected with the terrorists or not. The SIT clearly found, after taking evidence and taking confessional statement that it was a fake encounter. That is the position they wanted to disturb."

"The matter even went to the High Court and Supreme Court. Everybody upheld that it was a fake encounter. One-sided discussion has taken place. This was a black day for the Lok Sabha," he added.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday ordered an 'internal inquiry' to probe how files concerning the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan case have gone missing.

Former home secretary GK Pillai had also claimed that there was "political interference" in the case which led to the deletion of reference to Lashkar-e-Taiba from the revised affidavit filed in 2009.

On 10 March, the home minister had told the Lok Sabha that "two letters from the then home secretary to the attorney general in 2009 have gone missing. The then attorney general had vetted two affidavits regarding the case. Those are also not available".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and home ministry officials had alleged recently that the UPA government did a flip flop over the controversial 2004 shootout in which Ishrat, then a student of a Mumbai college and allegedly a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, was killed.

IANS
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court is likely to deliver its verdict on confirmation of death penalty awarded to Himayat Baig, the lone convict of 2010 Pune German Bakery blast case, on Thursday.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre is expected to pronounce the verdict on the confirmation petition of Maharashtra government and the appeal filed by Baig challenging his conviction and the death sentence.

Baig will be produced before the High Court when it pronounces the verdict.

Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58 including some foreign nationals.

In 2013, the sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded him the capital punishment.

PTI
The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted the death sentence awarded to Germany Bakery blast convict Himayat Baig to a life term.

Baig was convicted only under one section, while he was acquitted of the remaining charges, ANI reported.

Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58 including some foreign nationals.

In 2013, the sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded him capital punishment.

The sessions court had held Baig, a resident of Beed, guilty under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substances), 474 (forgery), 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.

He was also convicted under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosive Substances Act.

The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Baig on 7 September, 2010. Investigators say they found 1,200 kg of explosives from his home in Udgir in Latur district.

During the trial, the defence had claimed that Baig was falsely implicated by the ATS in the case. They claimed that Baig was attending a wedding in Aurangabad on the day of the blast. The prosecution has said in court that the blast was planned at a meeting in Colombo in 2008, where Baig was trained to make a bomb. He assembled the bomb at his cyber cafe in Udgir.

The chargesheet filed in court names five others as conspirators  Mohsin Choudhary, Yasin Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Faiyaz Kagzi. However, all of them are still at large.

The blast at German Bakery was the first major terror strike in Pune that dented its reputation of being a safe, peaceful city. The ATS had claimed it to be the handiwork of Indian Mujahideen and Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday met BJP president Amit Shah amid rising speculation about government formation in Jammu and Kashmir but there was no clear indication whether they have made any headway.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which toughened its stance after Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's demise by seeking concrete plans for the state's development the before the coalition could be resumed, may latch on to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement in the Lok Sabha in which he promised speedy implementation of all the projects.

The PDP president, who was in the national capital to attend the budget session of Parliament, drove in a car without security for a meeting that lasted nearly 30 minutes.

Both the parties maintained silence on the meeting but sources in the know said it was part of the intense efforts being undertaken by the two parties before resuming the coalition.

Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, who is considered one of the architects of the coalition worked during Sayeed's time, is also understood to have been doing the ground work for bringing together PDP which has 27 MLAs and BJP's 25 MLAs in the 87-member State Assembly.

The sources said consultations with some of the ministries have been undertaken and the state may soon witness the end of Governor's rule which came into force from January 8 this year after Mehbooba decided against taking over the reins after her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's death.

Jaitley had announced in Parliament earlier this week promised that the Centre will speedily implement all the projects announced as part of special package to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Prime Minister has announced special package for J&K. We want that the three regions of the J&K are developed very fast," Jaitley said in reply to debate on Budget in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Mehbooba had said last month that before taking a call on continuing the alliance, she wants to "reassess" whether the Narendra Modi government would take substantive steps within a 'set time-frame' to address the "core" political and economic issues of the state.

PTI
New Delhi: JNU students, who have been served show-cause notice to explain their alleged role in the controversial 9 February event, have decided to "not accept" the report of a university probe panel and said they will send their reply accordingly.

A decision in this regard was taken at a JNU Students' Council meeting which went on till late Wednesday night in New Delhi.

"The inquiry report is based on an unfair probe process and hence, we refused to accept its findings... Our replies to the show-cause notice will be sent accordingly," a member of the council said.

Show-cause notices were issued to 21 students on March 14 asking them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them after the high-level committee of the university found them guilty of "violating university norms and discipline rules".

The report has, according to sources, recommended rustication of five students including JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charges.

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme. Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.

"Two of the students are in jail while the inquiry was completed. Another student, Aishwarya Adhikari who was earlier suspended and had also been served a show-cause notice, finds no mention of her name in the committee report. It is a highly-biased and undemocratic inquiry," the council member said.

Earlier on Wednesday, JNU authorities extended the deadline for replying to the show-cause notice served to 18 March after the students had sought more time to seek legal opinion on the matter.

"The Vice Chancellor has granted an extension till March 18 for students to reply to the show cause notice," a senior university official said.

The final "quantum of punishment" for the students will be decided on the basis of response to the notices, the deadline for which was till Wednesday 5 pm.

The report of the five-member panel, which was submitted on 11 March, has pointed out lapses on part of the students as well as the administration.

Taking into account the role of outsiders in the controversial event, the university panel has found Umar and Anirban "guilty" of arousing communal, caste or regional feeling or creating disharmony among students.

While no specific charges have been pointed out against students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges in connection with the event, the university has found ABVP member Saurabh Sharma "guilty" of blocking traffic on 9 February, the day of the controversial event.

PTI
New Delhi: Delhi-based journalist Pushp Sharma was questioned by police for the second day on Wednesday in connection with his news report alleging discrimination against Muslims in appointment of yoga instructors by AYUSH Ministry and is likely to be arrested.

"He was called for questioning in the afternoon. Questioning is still going and arrest is likely," a senior police officer said.

A case was registered against Sharma, who works with Milli Gazette, at Kotla Mubarakpur police station last night on charges of promoting hatred among communities and forgery, on a complaint lodged by a senior AYUSH Ministry official.

The Ministry had earlier condemned the "misreporting" which it claimed was aimed at causing a "chasm" between different sections of society and "promoting disharmony and mistrust with ulterior motives."

The police officer said that Sharma had earlier been arrested in 2009 on the charge of extorting money from government officials by threatening sting operations on them.

PTI
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When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals: PM Modi at World Sufi Forum pic.twitter.com/WBMOrU3qvP

"When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals. You have come from different lands and cultures, but you are united by a common faith. At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor or the light of hope," said Narendra Modi.

"At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor or the light of hope. Sufis experience universal message of almighty that perfection in human life is reflected in qualities that are dear to god."

"You represent the rich diversity of Islamic civilisation that stands on the solid bedrock of a great religion. It is a civilisation that reached great heights in 15th century in science medicine literature art architecture and commerce. For the Sufis, service to God meant service to humanity."

Sufism's contribution to poetry in India is huge and its impact on Indian music is profound, like Amir Khusro, says Modi.

In wisdom of Bulleh Shah lord exists in every heart. His values are the need of our times. This is reality of nature: PM Narendra Modi

"Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said almighty holds dear to those who love for him for the sake of human beings and those who love human beings for the sake of almighty. This is the message of oneness and humanity of all creations. Sufism is the celebration of diversity and pluralism. Sufism blossomed in India's openness and pluralism. It engaged with her spiritual tradition and evolved its own Indian ethos. Sufism's contribution to poetry in India is huge. Its impact on the development of Indian music is profound."

"All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India. Just as it once came to India, today Sufism from India has spread across the world. The first two names of Allah are compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Allah is Rahim."

"We learn this wisdom in perfect balance and harmony that exists in vast diversity of our forests. Sufism is united by common faith. Let me paraphrase what I have said before: Terrorism divides and destroys us. The values of harmony, welfar, compassion and love for humanity are foundations of a just society," says PM Modi.

"The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. Diversity is a basic reality of Nature and source of richness of a society; and, it should not be a cause of discord," says PM Modi.

"Sufism becomes the face of Islam in India even as it remains deeply rooted in the holy Quran and holy Hadith. All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India. Just as it once came to India, today Sufism from India has spread across the world. Let me paraphrase what I have said before: Terrorism divides and destroys us. Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified. The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be,"

"Lord is mixed in every heart. These values are the needs of our times. This is the reality of nature. And it reminds us when we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stands for force and violence. And that the first two names are compassionate and merciful - Allah is Rahman and Rahim," said PM Modi.

Those aware of the history of Delhi would know that a sobre and assuring voice emanating from revered sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia had kept intolerance and hatred away from religion. To an imperial decree to leave Delhi in 12th century, the sagacious saint loved by many, elites and plebian, had calmly said Hunooz Delhi Door ast (Delhi is far away).

Delhi being one of the most revered places, Sufis will be carrying this tradition of Sufism by hosting a four-day World Sufi Forum from Thursday. This initiative by All India Ulama Masharikh Board (AIUMB), the apex body representing Dargah in India, is being seen as attempt to present an effective antidote to terrorism masked as religious ideology. Thousands of scholars from across the world will attend the conference and speak their mind. The conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to organisers, 'good Muslim/bad Muslim' has essentially became a binary through which Islamic world is often defined of late. Despite serious attempts by scholars to delink religion with terror, dreaded outfits like the Islamic State (IS) used the religion as convenient pretext to propagate its philosophy of hate and intolerance.

Sufism, a variant of Islam largely prevalent in Asia, belies all the notions which Salafi Islam or Wahabbism stand for. Traversing from Central Asia to Pakistan and India, Sufism incorporated various local religious practices and music which are out rightly rejected by radical Islam

Though the conference would make a determined attempt to project various strands of Sufism which spread love and affection across the world, it will make a determined attempt to disabuse people of the false propaganda of the IS and other radical variant of Islam. Most significantly, Prime Minister Modi who took keen interest in hosting the meet, is expected to articulate his views on Indian Islam and secularism in this conference.

This conference comes in the backdrop of a congregation of Bohra Muslims that was held in Delhi recently. Bohras who are recognised as Muslims in Pakistan form a sizeable population in Gujarat and are known for their commercial enterprise across the country. Apparently, the World Sufi Forum is seen as a move by international Islamic scholars to present a most benign and progressive of Islam to counter the narrative weaved by Jihadists.
By Gyanant Singh

Aadhaar is not mandatory but we hardly have a choice with government subsidies, benefits and services being made subject to possession of the biometric identity card.

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016  after it receives assent from the President  will empower the government to invade our privacy by virtually taking away from us the freedom to decide whether to share or not to share our personal biometric information.

Ironically, the proposed law makes Aadhaar voluntary but at the same time takes away the choice by making the unique identification number mandatory not just for availing subsidies but even for government facilities and services which no resident of the country can avoid.

Instead of stating in clear terms that every resident shall obtain an Aadhaar number, Section 3 gives a right to residents to obtain one. Section 3(1) states: "Every resident shall be entitled to obtain an Aadhaar number by submitting his demographic information and biometric information by undergoing the process of enrolment".

Section 7, however, shows that the right (referred to as entitlement in section 3) is basically a duty as residents are left with no choice but to opt for Aadhaar by allowing the government to collect, preserve and use biometric data. Section 7 reads: "The Central Government or, as the case may be, the State Government may, for the purpose of establishing identity of an individual as a condition for receipt of a subsidy, benefit or service for which the expenditure is incurred from, or the receipt therefrom forms part of, the Consolidated Fund of India, require that such individual undergo authentication, or furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or in the case of an individual to whom no Aadhaar number has been assigned, such individual makes an application for enrolment".

Thus, government subsidy, benefit or service is subject to a resident: (1) undergoing authentication (a process which as per section 2(c) presupposes existence of Aadhaar); or (2) furnishing proof of possession of Aadhaar; or (3) making an application for Aadhaar if the beneficiary does not have one.

Though there is a Proviso to section 7 which talks of an offer for "alternate and viable means of identification for delivery of the subsidy, benefit or service", it is only for residents to whom "an Aadhaar number is not assigned". The language makes clear that a resident, however, will not have a right not to opt for Aadhaar and seek the benefit of alternate means of identification. Doubt, if any, is removed with the marginal note of section 7 which reads: "Proof of Aadhaar number necessary for receipt of certain subsidies, benefits and services, etc.".

Can one opt out of the Aadhaar scheme under such circumstances? The answer, as per my understanding of the law, is emphatic NO.

Incidentally, the Supreme Court had earlier directed the government not to deny subsidies merely because someone did not possess or had not applied for Aadhaar. But that was when Aadhaar -- introduced through a resolution by the executive in 2009 -- did not have a statutory backing. The right to privacy is taken to be a fundamental right under Article 21 and the Constitution provides that the right to life guaranteed by Article 21 (in which privacy has been read into through judicial pronouncements) can only be curtailed by law and not by executive actions.

Now that Aadhaar has a statutory back, the matter will have to be looked into afresh. The Supreme Court in the Maneka Gandhi case (1978 SC 597) held that a law curtailing rights under Article 21 has to be fair, just and reasonable.

True, the right to privacy is not absolute but it needs to be debated if it is fair and reasonable to invade upon a sacrosanct right like privacy on grounds of financial exigency to curb pilferage of public funds. The government probably would have had a stronger case if it had harped on national security as the main basis for curbing the right rather than introducing the law as a Money Bill. The introduction to the Bill shows that the object is "to provide for, as a good governance, efficient, transparent, and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services" to individuals residing in India through assigning of unique identity numbers to such individuals and "for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto".



The other aspects which needs to be debated pertain to section 33 dealing with use of biometric data for purposes other than preventing pilferage of funds and the concern over foolproof mechanism to safeguard against theft, leak or misuse of biometric information. There needs to be a strict scrutiny on this count as the damage likely to be irreversible with leak of biometric information which cannot be changed like passwords.

The involvement of private players in collection and preservation of such information and the sentencing/punishment not commensurate with the price such information can fetch only expound the fears of pilferage of valuable biometric and demographic data. While collection of data had already been outsourced to private agencies who have done most of the work, sections 10 and 23 empower the Unique Identification Authority of India to use the services of agencies (could be private) for collecting, storing, securing or processing of information or delivery of Aadhaar numbers to individuals or performing authentication. To add to all this, section 47 bars courts from taking cognizance of any offence unless a complaint made by the Authority or any officer or person authorised by it.

On the benefits being listed by the votaries of the Aadhaar scheme, one cannot ignore that an all-purpose Identity Card covering all residents of India would be as useful and is in fact necessary given the fact that voter ID card, Driving licences etc do not cover those below 18 and a majority of Indians do not need passport. The government cannot cover up its failure to prevent duplication and fake identity cards by invading into the coveted right to privacy. The government ought to have considered seriously the issue of privacy rather than merely giving statutory backing to the 2009 Aadhaar scheme which had a flawed beginning.

To me, an Aadhaar minus biometric information should strike a balance between the need to streamline government subsidies and services on the one hand and the right to privacy on the other.
A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan, probing the Pathankot terror attack, will come to India on March 27, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday after a meeting with Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to the Pakistan prime minister.

Sushma Swaraj said the probe will start on 28 March. Sushma Swaraj met with Sartaj Aziz, on the sidelines of the Saarc ministerial meeting in Nepal's Pokhara on Thursday. She also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation, extended by Aziz, to attend the Saarc Summit in Islamabad on 9-10 November, later this year.

During the meeting, Aziz handed over to Sushma Swaraj an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to attend the South Association Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan later this year.

This was the first formal meeting between the two leaders after the 2 January cross-border terror attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot, Punjab, that claimed the lives of seven Indian security personnel.

EAM Swaraj meets Pak Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz in Pokhara, latter hands over #SAARC invitation for PM Modihttps://t.co/s5PzL8vVeU  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

Pakistan's Joint investigation team will reach India on 27th this month: EAM Sushma Swaraj #Pathankot pic.twitter.com/1JreYRaKOx  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

#SAARC Foreign Ministerial meet was conducted in a very positive atmosphere: Pak Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz pic.twitter.com/OYcvThu2DR  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

We're hopeful that both PMs (India-Pak) will meet there (In Washington): Pak Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz pic.twitter.com/M0iJAsLTrb  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

Looking at the way #Pathankot issue has been handled & cooperation on this subject, we're hopeful of good results: Sartaj Aziz in Pokhara  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

Aziz, meanwhile, expressed the hope that Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet in Washington on March 31, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"I hope both prime ministers will meet on March 31," he said, adding that he was not sure if there will be a structured dialogue between the two leaders at that time.

The attack derailed the foreign secretary-level talks between the two south Asian neighbours scheduled for the middle of January after Aziz and Sushma Swaraj had in December last year agreed to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

The two leaders arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday to attend the 37th meeting of the Saarc council of ministers which was held on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj and Aziz met for five minutes over breakfast here. Their first meeting was over dinner on Wednesday night.

Looking at the way #Pathankot issue has been handled & cooperation on this subject, we're hopeful of good results: Sartaj Aziz in Pokhara  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

Some issues of concern between India & Pak were decided upon in a very cooperative and positive manner: EAM Sushma Swaraj in Pokhara  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

WATCH: 'Pak JIT to reach India on 27th March, will begin its probe on 28th' says EAM Sushma Swaraj #Pathankothttps://t.co/DYqIWpUFgb  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

ANI also quoted sources in the ministry who said that the Pakistan Joint Investigation Team members, who are to arrive in India on 27 March for Pathankot probe, haven't applied for visa yet. India also sought details of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar during the meeting with Aziz, sources added.

With inputs from agencies
Panic ensued at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport after bomb threats were reported on two flights headed for Kathmandu and Bhubaneshwar, news reports said.

All passengers and crew were safely evacuated and security forces have begun operations to sanitise the area, The Indian Express reported.

According to the police, a call was received at the Gurgaon-based centre of Delhi International Airport Limited at around 10:30 am claiming that bombs had been placed on a Kathmandu-bound Nepal Airlines flight RA 206 and a Bhubaneshwar-bound Air India flight AI 075.

Immediately after the information was received, a decision was taken to ground the flights and the passengers were deplaned. The bomb squad is on the spot and search operations in both the flights are going on, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) DK Gupta, adding that both planes were taken to an isolated area for the security check.

Four MPs were also on board the Air India flight, ANI reported.

The threat call was received from the same person who made a threat call about a Delhi-Bangkok flight on Wednesday, according to ANI.

DNA reported that a similar bomb scare had led a Bhubaneshwar-Mumbai GoAir flight to make an emergency landing.

Bomb threat delays Delhi-Kathmandu and Delhi-Bhubaneswar flights at IGI airport https://t.co/kDRoet8IPx pic.twitter.com/I3zk4VPw39  CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) March 17, 2016

With inputs from IANS
Pokhara: India on Thursday pitched for unleashing the "collective strength" of Saarc as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj underlined the need for a South Asian Economic Union with greater connectivity and forward movement on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles.

Swaraj stated that while the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries are doing well individually, they have not been able to unleash their collective strength effectively.

"We have taken some important decisions to integrate our economies through SAFTA and South Asian Trade in Services Agreement. These need to be developed and consolidated further if we are to achieve a South Asian Economic Union," she said in her address at the 37th Saarc Council of Ministers meeting.

Underlining that the South Asian region is hailed today as having the potential to be the front-runner of growth and prosperity and is one of the fastest growing regions of the world, she pointed out that regional integration is lacking.

"The statistics are telling: our region accounts for merely 2 percent of world trade and 1.7 percent of world FDI. Our intra-regional trade is less than 6 per cent of our global trade and intra-regional FDI accounts for only 3 percent of total FDI inflows," she said.

Swaraj said that despite strong growth and huge advances in education, healthcare and rural development, the Saarc region still has the world's largest number of people living below the poverty line. "We continue to face significant challenges in delivering food security, health, nutrition and education to our peoples. All this goes to show that while we are doing well individually, we have not been able to unleash our collective strength effectively. We must think innovatively and find solutions so that we may harness our economic complementarities and ensure a conducive environment for rapid growth," she said.

Swaraj said connectivity is central to regional development and will determine how "we meet our goals of growth, employment and prosperity". "As we seek to overcome basic problems of physical connectivity, it is important for us to move forward quickly on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles.

Economic activities, cultural connections and people to people contacts will flow naturally from such connectivity," she said. The minister asserted that the Indian government has shown its commitment to a Neighbourhood First policy from its very first day in office.

PTI
The India-Pakistan moment in the picturesque lake town of Pokhara took place Thursday, with a bilateral between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her counterpart Sartaj Aziz.

Being the first meeting since the Pathankot terror attack, the conversation expectedly focused on the investigations.

Its not possible that I and Pakistan foreign affairs adviser meet and the Pathankot issue is not taken up. Yes, it was discussed, Swaraj told reporters after the talks. A Pakistan joint investigation team will visit India on 27 March and begin work the next day, Swaraj said.

The Pathankot terror attack had been a test case for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had taken the initiative to visit Lahore and greet Nawaz Sharif on his birthday.

Though the foreign secretary level talks which were to follow in January are on hold, the two sides continue to engage. The NSAs talk regularly on the phone. So far this is the new element that Modi brought into the relationship but whether it will work remains to be seen. Much will depend on whether Pakistan finally delivers on its promise of co-operating on terror and if finally there is justice not just for Pathankot victims but for families of the Mumbai attack of 2008. That remains a searing memory in the psyche of most Indians.

Prime Minister Sharif had ordered a joint investigation by Pakistans Intelligence Bureau, Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Federal Investigation Agency and police to probe the Pathankot attack links to Pakistan. This was announced shortly after the daring strike on Indias frontline airbase.

The fact that New Delhi has agreed to allow a Pakistan team to come here to assist in tracking the terror trail speaks volumes for the new found maturity between the two countries.

In the past, a team from Islamabad would never have been allowed in. Initial murmurs of disquiet from certain expected quarters were soon squashed as the green signal came from none other than the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval himself.

While Pathankot investigations was high on Indias priority list, Pakistan is keen to ensure that Modi travels to Islamabad late this year for the Saarc summit in Islamabad. Aziz handed over an invitation to Swaraj for the Prime Minister from Nawaz Sharif.

Though neither Swaraj or Aziz spoke about it, it is evident that the two also cleared the grounds for an eventual meeting in Washington between the two prime ministers. Both Modi and Sharif will be in the US for President Barack Obamas nuclear summit scheduled for the end of March. It was after all the Paris tete-a-tete between them that resulted in the NSAs meeting in Bangkok and Sushma Swaraj flying to Islamabad for the heart of Asia meeting on

Afghanistan and the Indian Prime Ministers eventual stopover in Lahore.

Another conversation between Modi and Sharif may help to get the comprehensive dialogue moving. The two foreign secretaries were to meet in Islamabad to formalise the arrangements but had been left hanging because of the terror attack in Pathankot on 2 January.

Build stakeholders for peace

However many are wondering whether these high level meetings between Modi and Sharif add up to anything, considering that terror attacks inevitably follow such peace moves. No one has an answer to this.

Certainly not Modi by the looks of it. But as all prime ministers know, it is better to talk and keep engaging with Pakistan rather than block it out and pretend it does not exist.

While it is imperative to keep the communication lines open, it is as important to build stakeholders for peace. It is important for Prime Minister Modi to push Pakistan for opening up the trade links between the two countries.

Despite repeated promises Pakistan has so far not acted on removing tariff barriers to make it worthwhile for people to engage in profitable trade between themselves. Much of the trade is done through third countries, which leads to higher prices and unnecessary waste. Sharif himself is keen on encouraging trade and spoken of it with much enthusiasm in the past. But the army has poured cold water on his plans.

It is perhaps time that within the ambit of the comprehensive talks, which includes trade and commerce, the focus should be much more on business. After all, Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and other issues have been talked about for years within the composite dialogue, but has achieved very little. While comprehensive talks can be taken up, the

focus should be trade and commerce, and people to people relations which can give the much needed impetus to peace building. Both countries should be generous in issuing visas and encouraging exchanges. The constituency for peace on both sides needs to expand and this can be done only when travel is made easier.
Pune: Two passengers were killed and at least seven others injured when a speeding private bus hit a road divider on Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Thursday morning.

The mishap occurred near Odoshi village. The bus was heading for Mumbai from Karnataka.

The bus was carrying about 30 passengers, some of whom were thrown out of the vehicle due to impact of the accident, police said.

The condition of three of the injured was stated to be serious, they said.

The injured passengers have been admitted to a nearby hospital.

PTI
Even as this copy is being written, Uttarakhand Police horse Shaktiman is undergoing urgent surgery on Thursday evening so that his leg can be amputated to save his life.

"Doctors diagnosed that blood supply to injured portion had stopped so leg needed to be amputated. Doctors were of view that horse might lose its life by tomm morn due to spread of gangrene,so decided to amputate leg urgently," Uttarakhand Police, DGP, BS Sidhu told ANI.

Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi had allegedly attacked the horse during a protest by the BJP in Dehradun on Monday. Joshi said he had only hit the ground with a bamboo stick in front of the horse in an effort to scare it away whereas one of its hind legs had been injured.

On Wednesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat refused to withdraw the case filed against the Mussoorie MLA.

Responding to a demand by BJP members during Zero Hour in the state Assembly to withdraw the case lodged against Joshi in connection with the incident, Rawat said police had lost a well trained bodyguard with injuries to the horse which had long been in police deployment in the state. The chief minister said he believed that the state government should not interfere in police's work and should allow the force to work independently.

On BJP's charge that atrocities were perpetrated on its workers by mounted police, Rawat said in his view police

discharged its duties well without losing restraint.

https://twitter.com/abpnewstv/status/710471064069877761

Police registered a case against Joshi and his supporters under Cruelty to Animals Act in connection with the incident, while several animal rights activists including Puja Bahukhandi have also lodged a police complaint against the Mussoorie MLA for his "inhuman" act.

When intercepted by police near Rispana bridge on way to the state assembly during a protest march on Monday, BJP workers tried to jump over the barricades prompting security personnel, including the mounted police, to swing into action to control the protesters.

https://twitter.com/sanjeevrsingh/status/710469169607610368

This enraged Joshi who allegedly began hitting a 13-year-old police horse Shaktiman with a stick, causing fracture in one of its hind legs. After news about the horse being injured during protests by BJP spread, Chief Minister Rawat visited the stable located at the police lines where it has been kept for treatment.

Rawat asked sub-inspector Shyam Singh Chauhan, who is looking after the injured animal, to take good care of the horse in consultation with veterinary doctors. Rawat also asked Dehradun SSP Sadanand Daate to take the help of doctors of the Veterinary Hospital, Chennai.

"A look at the horse shows the excruciating pain the animal is undergoing. A political party should not vent its frustration on a hapless animal in this manner. Political workers must learn the value of restraint and tolerance. It seems the word tolerance does not exist in BJP's dictionary," Rawat said.

With inputs from PTI
By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

In an article published in The Guardian dated, 23 October 2014, Jason Webster explained how Sufism runs as 'a natural antidote to fanaticism'. Sufism-inspired discourses on peacemaking and counter-extremism and deradicalisation have created interesting debates, enlarging the ambit of modern approaches to peace, pluralism and non-violence. Obviously, a Sufi is not much of a social scientist or a strategist, the pluralistic Sufi concepts and mystically-inclined Islamic narratives of peace and counter-extremism are worth deliberating.

In 2003, Stephen Schwartz wrote a groundbreaking book "Two Faces Of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism" in which he explained that Sufism is a "mystical branch" of Islam- the second largest religion of the world which has been conflated in sections of the media and academia, over a period of time, with violent extremism, exclusivism, puritanical fundamentalism, xenophobia and religo-facism. Given this, he hypothesised that an objective analysis of the mystical narrative of peace and counter-extremism and its ideological underpinnings in Islam will trigger an avid interest both in media and academia.

In the wake of the 9/11 bombings, a considerable corpus of literate was devoted to explain how peculiar and idiosyncratic elements of religion can motivate both violence and non-violence. Scholars well-versed in the sociology of world religions reproduced holistic analyses of the different, vibrant and myriad spiritual theories of peace and non-violence that emanate from the mystical interpretations of all religions. In the case of Islam, Sufism emerged as the spiritually-inclined version of faith helping in peacemaking and eradicating violence and extremism. Case studies of different religions and populations of faith adherents have been examined as practical applications of religions' spiritual resources for counter-extremism.

On the contrary, the radical Islamist ideologues of the sectarian hue worked out a complete theology of anti-pluralism seeking to justify extremist thoughts and actions, sectarian conflicts, faith-inspired violence, wanton killing of civilians and suicide-bombing.

In this backdrop, a rational and consistent narrative of peace and counter-extremism within an Islamic framework was called for. Therefore, noted Sufi scholars, not only in India but across the rest of the world brainstormed ways to tackle the onslaught of religious extremism catching the imagination of many young Muslim practitioners. In a bid to refute extremism on ideological grounds, they articulated a Sufism-inspired approach to peace and de-radicalization of the vulnerable sections of society. Thus, an Islam-based Sufi narrative of peace, counter-extremism and de-radicalization grounded in refutation of the extremist underpinnings was laid down.

The first research-based Sufi activism in this ideological field can be traced back to the post-9/11 outburst of views and debates on khilafah (caliphate), jihadism, hijrah (migration to lands of Islam), hakimiyah (divine rule on the earth) and other drives of religious extremism propounded by the radical Wahhabism. Since then, Sufi leaders and scholars have been seen in the global media as well as academia countering the violent extremism, intolerance, xenophobia, religio-fascism and other supremacist and exclusivist thoughts.

Remarkably, the first focus on this energetic facet of Sufism was carried out by Idries Shah around 50 year ago. Entitled "The Sufis", his book had the renowned western writer Robert Graves writing a foreword for it. It was praised as "a seminal book of the century" by The Washington Post. Since then, much of the work on the similar lines has been carried out.

Of late, rigorous Sufi activism aimed at finding concrete counterpoints to extremism has been geared up in the Middle East, Europe and America, South Asia and other parts of the world. A considerable number of seminal research works on this subject have been accomplished in many peer-reviewed academic journals. Equally important is the increasing number of books and monographs on these themes as produced in the academic arena.

A recently-published book "State and Nation-Building in Pakistan: Beyond Islam and Security" mentioned that the former Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf needed to reinforce Sufi liberal attitudes to mitigate the sectarian conflicts in the country. "He (Musharraf) launched the concept of Enlightened Moderation at the 2002 Organization of the Islamic Conference meeting in Malaysia and emphasized Sufi teachings as a counter to extremism. In November 2006, he launched a National Sufi Council amidst great fanfare". Government efforts ensured that the Sufi-oriented religious scholars of the Pakistani Education Board, Tanzimul Madaris discourage and rebut the twisted ideas leading to acts of terror and suicide bombing.

Until recently, Sufi Islam was not fashionable for many Pakistani Muslims. Rather, it was shunned not only by the upper class, government, military, and bureaucrats but also by academic and intellectual circles. But a reversing viewpoint is emerging now. Both academicians and bureaucrats are beginning to actively support Sufism as a much more tolerant version of Islam that can better equip them 'to counter the rise of Islamic extremism in Pakistan'.

A ground-breaking work entitled "Re-Appropriating Sufi Authorship in New Media" clearly asserts that "Different factions of upper- and upper-middle-class Pakistani society-including politicians, intellectuals, filmmakers, and celebrities-have joined together to raise their voices in opposition to the extremist threat by reaffirming Sufism" (Cynthia Chris, David A. Gerstner, 2013).

At a time when Muslims are faced with the present-day cancer of growing sectarianism looming large in the global Islamic societies, Sufism is looked up to as a panacea for these ills.

Taliban, Al Qaeda, ISIS and all other terrorist organizations and un-Islamic elements have destroyed the brotherhood of mankind that was once established by the Sufi hospices. They go to the extent of brutal and bloodthirsty massacre of common civilians and non-combatant innocent Muslims as in Iraq and Syria in particular. At this juncture, Sufism comes as a rescue to the oppressed, because it rejects all extremist ideas and actions outright. Sufis were vehemently opposed to the brazen violation of human rights enshrined in Islam and exhorted the Muslim youth to shun takfiri indoctrination and wrong interpretations of the Quran and Hadith that go against the consensus of the Ummah. Even today, they denounce- in the harshest words- the wanton killing of civilians, destruction of property and wealth, rebellion against the government, accusing Muslims of kufr (Takfirism), demolition of shrines on both local and global levels. In clear and categorical words, it rebutted all intellectual, social, religious, political and economic or ideological terrorism.

While affirming the importance and the need of reviving Sufism, there is greater need to inculcate universal and egalitarian values-brotherhood of humankind, compassion, acceptance and tolerance, social affinity and national harmony. This is impossible in the Muslim society without promoting the tolerant, spiritual and moderate version of Islam.



However, the Sufi divines would do a great help to Indian Muslims if they do not merely reiterate "reformist Sufism" in the name of revival of Sufism. They need to support the non-conformist form of Sufism which is in full accordance with the universal prophetic traditions and in complete synergy with the spiritual and saintly righteous Muslims. We never endorse ignorance or illiteracy in the name of Sufism. Anything in the name of Sufism that doesn't reflect itself in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah is null and void. Therefore, along with the revivalist Sufism, we strive to stress the need for the reformist Sufism.

Going by history, this is an eternal fact that Islam in India owes much of its existence to Sufi Mashaikh, Saints and Dervishes. In the 13th century, Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz came to India and his arrival in India is regarded a great milestone in the path of love, equality, spirituality and peaceful Dawah work.

Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz (r.a) pioneered the composite culture in India which still remains well-spirited, widely accepted and appreciated by the majority of Indian people. After Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bhaktiyar Kaki, Baba Farid, Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, Makhdum Sayed Ashraf Jahangir Simnani and Ameer Khusro took this cause of eternal salvation ahead. They devotedly taught and promoted unconditional love, peace and all-embracing spirituality. Mere the reality that the shrines of these saints are still captivating people from all faith traditions, even after 800 years is self-explanatory that Sufism is a vital help in the current situation of hatred and malice.

In the backdrop of this, modern Sufis have come all out of their conclaves and hospices. They are declaring that the evils of ideological terrorism and extremism, materialism and opportunism can only be wiped out from the society through the restoration of Sufism, propagation of its peaceful massages, humane nature helping in the cessation of extremist thoughts and hardcore philosophies.

On the other hand, many anti-Sufism movements reared their head in the Muslim societies in the 19th century. They began to disparage Sufis as pseudo-Islamic spiritual masters. Though pacifist by nature, some well-spirited and energetic Sufis retorted this accusation calling it a tide of ideological extremism deep-rooted in the Muslim history. They link it with the ideology of Kharjism which basically emerged in the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (r.a), and was propagated among the Muslim fringes on the pretext of Qur'an and hadith, Prophetic sayings. In this beginning, Sufi divines remained confined to their shrines. As a result, particular Islamsit factions started adopting extremism, hatred, takfirism and wanton killing. This is, they view, is something that has brought the wider Muslim world and Middle East in particular to a grim and gory situation.

World Sufi Forum is going to begin in New Delhi at 7 pm on Thursday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to begin his speech at around 7.30 pm. Click here to know more about the World Sufi Forum.
New York: Mindfulness meditation, an essential element of Buddhist practice, may provide an alternative to usual drug-based pain relieving pills, especially to those suffering from chronic pain, suggests new research.

Mindfulness meditation involves sitting comfortably, focusing on your breathing, and bringing your attention to the present moment.

It is especially useful for those who have built up a tolerance to opiate-based drugs and are looking for a non-addictive way to reduce their pain, the researchers said.

Mindfulness meditation does not employ the endogenous addictive opioid system to reduce pain, rather it uses the body's naturally made opioids as an alternative therapy.

"Our finding was surprising and could be important for the millions of chronic pain sufferers who are seeking a fast-acting, non-opiate-based therapy to alleviate their pain," said Fadel Zeidan, assistant professor at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in the US.

The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

The results of the study involving 78 volunteers showed that even when the body's opioid receptors were chemically blocked, meditation still was able to considerably reduce pain.

Pain ratings also were reduced by 21 per cent in the meditation group that those who received the placebo-saline injection.

IANS
Houstan, Texas: Mobile phone-based microscopy can be used to diagnose skin cancer accurately in settings where a traditional microscope is not available, according to a new study.

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston (UTHealth), said smartphone microscopes could improve the detection of skin cancer in developing countries.

"Doctors in some remote areas don't have access to the high-powered microscopes we use to evaluate skin samples," said Richard Jahan-Tigh, assistant professor of dermatology at UTHealth.

"Doctors there could use their smartphones to photograph growths and forward them for examination," said Jahan-Tigh.

"We did a head-to-head comparison with a traditional light microscope and while the smartphone microscope wasn't as accurate it resulted in the detection of about 90 per cent of the non-melanoma skin cancers," said Jahan-Tigh, who conducted the study with colleagues at McGovern Medical School and Harvard Medical School.

"With the smartphone microscope, the detection rate for melanomas was 60 per cent," he said.

"This is a good first step to show that smartphone microscopy has a future in dermatology and pathology," Jahan-Tigh said.

A smartphone microscope can be made with a 3 mm ball lens, a tiny piece of plastic to hold the ball lens over the smartphone lens and tape to grip everything in place.

A ball lens costs about USD 14 at an electronics store and is typically used for laser optics, researchers said.

A doctor or technician holds a smartphone microscope over a skin sample that has been placed on a slide and waits for the sample to come into focus.

The doctor then either reads the sample if he or she is a pathologist, or takes a photo and emails it to a pathologist for interpretation.

Researchers examined 1,021 slides of specimens, which had a total of 136 basal cell carcinomas, 94 squamous cell carcinomas and 15 melanomas.

The smartphone microscope was used to pick up 95.6 per cent of the basal cell carcinomas and 89 per cent of squamous cell carcinomas.

Researchers said that mobile phone-based microscopy has excellent performance characteristics for the inexpensive diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancers in a setting where a traditional microscope is not available.

The findings appear in the journal ARCHIVES of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

PTI
Chennai: Veteran south Indian actor Vijayakumar, who has essayed roles in over 800 films, on Wednesday joined the BJP, with the party expressing confidence that it would help in its presence across the region and enable more artistes come into its fold.

Vijaykumar said he would hit the campaign trail as and when advised by the BJP high command.

I am known in all the southern states by virtue of my acting in all the regional language movies. People in Tamil Nadu know me well, the actor, who joined the party in the presence of Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, told reporters.

He hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his governments many schemes and said they should reach all states.

He sought cooperation of the respective state governments for successful implementation of Central schemes.

To a question, he said he had not joined the party with an eye on fighting polls, but wanted to do his bit to propel the BJP to the ruling saddle in Tamil Nadu, where Assembly polls are scheduled on May 16.

Radhakrishnan said the party wholeheartedly welcomed the veteran actor.

Vijayakumar joining BJP would be helpful for the party all over south India, he said in an apparent reference to the actor being well-known among southern region movie-goers.

This will enable more artistes to join BJP, he said.

PTI
New Delhi: Often criticised for her absence from Rajya Sabha, Bollywood actor Rekha on Tuesday attended the proceedings of the Upper House for the first time in the ongoing Budget Session.

A day later she was in the news again, this time for her new official accommodation  15 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road, Delhi  better known as Congress' war room, according to Economic Times. This house has remained a venue for several crucial closed-door meetings of the party and is currently being occupied by, Congress' new adviser Prashant Kishor, among many others. It was in the name of Telangana Congress Rajya Sabha MP  Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu  till Wednesday. In 2009, 2014 Lok sabha elections too Congress used the address to make party strategies for the poll.

According to the ET report, a party leader was quoted saying, "The war room was a name given by others. For us, it was always a place where coordination meetings were planned. This is where five to ten people work every day. We can always shift to another place if needed."

Some Congress insiders said that Rekha being an MP nominated by the party, it may not be difficult for the party to continue operating from there. "Nothing has been decided till now," a party insider said. Some believe elections can be won from inside high-intensity war room where bright minds converge and change the course of history, if so then Prashant Kishor is very strategically placed, but we wonder what Rekha is doing there.

Tuesday was the first time Rekha had attended the ongoing budget session. She had attended the last Winter Session once also. She was nominated to the Upper House in 2012.

Some members had also alleged that celebrities were "insulting" the House by not attending it.

Article 101 (rpt) 101 of the Constitution has penal provisions for a member's absence from either House of Parliament.

with inputs from PTI
Canberra: A German executive vying for a lucrative Australian submarine contract has said that awarding the contract to Japan could damage Australia's relationship with China.

German's ThysennKrupp Marine Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi and French company DCNS are all in the running to build 12 conventional submarines that the Australian Navy expects will cost at least 56 billion Australian dollars. The government expects to award the contract this year, with Japan regarded as a favorite early in the bidding process due to its close military relationship with Australia and the Unites States.

Hans Atzpodien, the German company's chairman, described the Japanese bid as a choice for Australia between its relationship with China, its biggest trading partner, and Japan, its second biggest partner.

"Maybe it is an advantage dealing with us not to be in a position where you have to  let's say  decide between certain heavyweights of the Pacific area," Atzpodien told Australia's National Press Club.

Japanese defense officials argue that the military partnership between Japan and Australia will enhance peace and stability, especially maritime security, in the Asia-Pacific region amid China's military buildup in the East and South China seas.

Despite strong economic ties, Tokyo's relations with Beijing are strained, divided by antagonisms dating back to before World War II. The points of friction are numerous, ranging from what China says is a lack of a proper apology from Japan for its invasion and wartime acts, while Tokyo sees Beijing's growing power as a security threat and competition for influence in Asia.

Relations have been generally calm since violent anti-Japanese riots broke out in several Chinese cities in 2012 after Japan nationalized a chain of uninhabited islands claimed by China.

The submarine deal would be Japan's first fully fledged military technology transfer since World War II.Australian government ministers have expressed no preference for any bid.Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said during a speech in Tokyo last month that for Japan, the deal was strategic while for the others, it was of commercial value.

None of the contenders have ever built a conventional submarine large enough to meet Australia's long-distance requirements.

Germany is proposing a variation of its Type 214 submarine made for Australian specifications called a Type 216. France is offering a diesel-electric version of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine under construction for the French navy. Japan proposes a longer version of its Soryu-class diesel-powered propulsion system with advanced stealth capabilities.

Atspododien said on Thursday that the Germans could build all 12 subs in Australia for AU$20 billion  less than half the cost that Australia is budgeting for.

Hugh White, Australian National University professor of strategic studies, warned that Japan's long-term cooperation in the submarine contract might hinge on Australia forming an alliance that could bring Australia into conflict with China.

"Tokyo expects that in return for its help to build our submarines, it would receive not just many billions of dollars, but clear understandings that Australia will support Japan politically, strategically and even militarily against China," White wrote in a Fairfax Media column this week.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

AP
Two days ago in his farewell speech, noted lyricist and nominated MP of Rajya Sabha, Javed Akhtar, hit hard at Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi: Ek saheb hain who thinks that he is a national leader even though the fact remains that he is a mohallah leader of city of Hyderabad in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. He said he would not say Bharat Mata Ki Jai because the Constitution does not ask him to say so...

Akhtar was heard in rapt attention and was greatly applauded by leaders cutting across party lines. Some thumped the desk, some made cheerful, supportive noises. His impassioned speech and Bharat Mata Ki Jai chants hit the headlines and went viral on social media.

A day later, Waris Pathan, MLA of Owaisis party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), was suspended from the remainder of ongoing Budget session in Maharastra Assembly for his refusal to utter Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Pathans suspension was moved by the minister of state for home, Ranjit Patil, and was supported by the BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. It was thus adopted without any discordant voices from any corner of the House.

Another 24 hours later, the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh denied Owaisi the permission to land in Lucknow to address a public meeting and blocked the AIMIM leader from attending other programmes in different parts of the state on Thursday and Friday.

Even as the UP CM was busy obstructing Owaisi, senior Congress leaders spent the past two days accusing the BJP and AIMIM both inside and outside the Parliament of being hand in glove and complimenting each others interests.

The Congress leaders seem to have been struck by temporary amnesia because Owaisi had for long been a Congress ally (from outside) in UPA 1 and UPA 2.

It was only in the last stages of UPA 2 that AIMIM withdrew its support both at the Centre and in the then united Andhra Pradesh government. Till then, he would proudly sit on the dais with all due honours in UPA governments anniversary functions held at Manmohan Singh official residence, 7 Race Course Road.

Owaisi often asks: how could it be that I was secular when I was supporting the Congress and became communal after I withdrew my association?

The question to ask is this: If Owasi is only a mohallah leader in Hyderabad, why is the Congress or the SP so concerned about him? Why are the Congress leaders giving statements against him on a daily basis? Why has Akhilesh Yadav denied him the permission to land in UP? Have they suddenly woken up to his communal politics?

The fact remains Owaisi is what he was. He has not changed a bit. He is making the same arguments that he used to make earlier. What has changed now is that he now has bigger aspirations  Owaisi wants and is now working hard to spread beyond confines of Hyderabad. He wants to go national.

The AIMIM leader is now focusing on UP, politically the most important state in northern India. Lets have a look at what he was scheduled to do on his proposed two-day tour (which has now been cancelled):

Owaisi was scheduled to address a public rally in Lucknow, then have an interaction in influential Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulma (popularly called Nadwa); travel to Faizabad for a public thanksgiving; onwards to Azamgarh and the much talked about Sanjaypur village (some of those killed in Batla House encounter belonged to this place) and meet the families of the deceased; offer Friday namaaz in local mosque. From there, the AIMIM leader was scheduled to visit Tanda, Ambedkarnagar, the place which was recently in news for communal tension.

Azamgarh is the hotbed of Muslim politics in eastern UP. It is also SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadavs parliamentary constituency. Nadwa and Deoband are two most prominent Islamic institutions which command substantive influence in the community. Owaisi is trying to make his presence felt in Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Devipatan divisions. This time, he was trying to register his presence in heart of its capital, Lucknow.

The latest controversy around Owaisi has come in handy for the SP-led state administration to deny permission to him. SPs move makes perfect sense because the party is jittery over Owaisis ability to divide the Muslim votes. The AIMIM leader is trying to cut into the constituency of the two most prominent parties of the state  SP and BSP. He is seeking a Dalit-Muslim constituency.

In last months bypolls in Muslim-dominated Bikapur constituency of Faizabad, Owaisis AIMIM fielded a Dalit, Pradeep Kori, as its candidate.

Samajwadi Party won the elections but what is noteworthy is that Owaisis candidate got 11857 votes, four times more than Congresss tally: 2945. Peace Party, which was formed to claim that it would represent Muslim community interests, got 2800 and BJP tallied 11933 votes.

Mayawatis BSP didnt file a candidate.

Irrespective of its loss, AIMIMs performance became a critical talking point in the region and has startled all political parties. Recordings of Owaisis speeches are being played out in public meetings and in private audiences. Theoretically, he has the potential to damage the prospects of SP, BSP and Congress  the so-called secular parties  in 2017 UP Assembly polls.

Owaisi has already created new political waves for himself and his party which won two seats from the 24 candidates that he had fielded in 2014 Assembly elections. AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan continues to be in news.

Theres no denying that AIMIM failed to put up an impressive show in Bihar. But it is also true that when Owaisi had made up his mind to fight some of the Assembly seats in Bihar and talked about Muslim-Dalit unity, the JD(U)-RJD-Congress combination became very jittery.

JD(U) MP KC Tyagi, who was seen supporting Javed Akhtars impassioned targeting of Owaisi, had made a number of visits to convince the AIMIM leader not to enter the poll arena in Bihar. Owasi was also persuaded by several other leaders of his community. He took lot of time in deciding in whether to fight or not. He paid a stiff price for his dithering in Bihar. Those who were initially attracted to him deserted him to achieve their larger goal, that of defeating the BJP.

Each election though is a different election. Owaisi is now being attacked but the AIMIM leader has so far thrived on controversies. The shrillness around Bharat Mata Ki Jai has given him free publicity and is adding to his appeal in his core social constituency.
Ambala: A BJP MLA in Haryana demanded that President's Rule be imposed in Punjab, saying its Assembly passed a bill providing for returning the land acquired for the construction of SYL canal to the original landowners even as a presidential reference in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court.

Ambala city MLA Aseem Goel claimed that around 150 JCBs have been deployed for filling up the canal in Ropar and Patiala districts which shows that law and order situation has "collapsed" there.

He also demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal tender his resignation on moral grounds "as he has been working in an illegal and arrogant manner for political benefits and damaging the interests of other states".

Goel said Badal would be held responsible if the people of Haryana reacted "harshly" to the situation.

"If Haryana retaliated, the people of Punjab would not be able to reach Delhi. Badal should know that he has to cross through Haryana while going to Delhi," he said.

BJP is part of ruling coalition in Punjab and the ruling party in neighbouring Haryana. The two states are locking horns over the issue of the completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal which is meant to carry water from Punjab's rivers to Haryana.

On Monday, in an attempt to prevent its neighbouring states from getting a share in river waters flowing through Punjab, the state assembly had passed a bill against the construction of the canal.

The Bill also provides for returning free of cost 3,928 acres acquired for its construction to the original landowners.

Goel also criticized Arvind Kejriwal, saying that before supporting Punjab, he should take care of Delhi which could face a severe crisis if Haryana stopped water supply to it.

PTI
Many hope it will energize G20 summit after recent meetings failed to deliver

The world's system of "global governance" badly needs China to deliver - and it needs it to deliver this year.

Everyone has thought for a while that it would only be a matter of time before China began to take on more of a leadership role within the global economy. With a population of 1.3 billion people and an economy recently deemed by the World Bank to have become the world's second-largest, this has long seemed inevitable.

Yet China's political leadership has hitherto been decidedly cautious about asserting its country's true weight within global economic governance. Yes, China has increasingly defended its corner, especially in relation to its currency, but it has not sought to seize the reins.

But now it can no longer hide. China assumed the presidency of the G20 last December and it will therefore convene the next G20 summit of world leaders. This will take place in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, in September.

The G20 unquestionably matters within the framework of global governance. It was set up amid global financial crisis in November 2008 and responded creatively and effectively to the immediate challenges of that time. Since then, it has met at intervals of approximately a year. At one of its early meetings, the leaders were also bold enough to declare that the G20 should henceforth be understood as the "premier forum for our international economic cooperation". This means that the stakes attaching to any G20 summit are always high.

This is truer than ever with the forthcoming Hangzhou summit. Partly, this is because it is being held in China for the first time and the world wants to see how China will handle the responsibility; partly it is because the global economy is still struggling to emerge from recession into reliable new growth, with some commentators fearing the prospect of a further financial crisis; and partly it is because the G20 as a mode of global economic governance is itself increasingly being questioned. The conventional wisdom is that the organization has lost its way and is failing to show the leadership that it displayed at the beginning of the crisis. Here lies China's great opportunity, but also, of course, the risk.

For the truth is that the G20 does suffer from a fundamental flaw in its structural design. This is not actually the matter of its membership. This will always be a matter of debate and will thus generate a genuine issue of legitimacy around any given choice.

The deeper problem is that the G20 is, at heart, only a vessel, largely empty of political direction until and unless it is regularly refueled with new initiatives and priorities. It has no permanent secretariat and no real executive (although attempts have been made to institutionalize better cooperation between past, present and future hosts).

In this respect, the G20 has certainly experienced bad luck of late, although some would say that this was actually bad management. The last three presidencies fell in turn to Russia (2013), Australia (2014) and Turkey (2015), all of them, although for different reasons, countries with leaders who were not likely to be at the top of anyone's list of people best placed to revive a key agency of global economic cooperation. The summits also found themselves overtaken by events in the security sphere, most notably the Turkish summit which took place just after the awful Paris terrorist attacks. As a result, the supposed special focus of the G20 on global economic issues was lost.

This is the awkward background to the China summit. Many are desperate for China to ride to the rescue of the G20 and refocus its agenda firmly on the goal of rebuilding the macroeconomic cooperation needed to revive economic growth around the world.

China has published its key document setting out its main themes for Hangzhou and has followed the recent trend of phrasing these in an easy sound bite. It has thus talked of addressing four 'I' themes; namely, innovation, invigoration, interconnectivity and inclusion.

This certainly sounds good and is arguably a bit different, notably in the implication that globalization, as we have experienced it thus far, has not spread itself widely enough to satisfy a sufficient number of people. But, as always with words, the issue is what actions follow. China knows that the world is watching and that many are hoping.

The author is director of the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute.

(China Daily 03/17/2016 page6)
Mumbai: Congress, which had supported suspension of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Waris Pathan after he refused to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', on Thursday objected to the use of a derogatory words against the legislator by Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil.

The party has also sought an unconditional apology from the Shiv Sena leader who on Wednesday used a derogatory word denoting a canine, while asking Pathan to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said the word was insulting for minority community and should have been expunged from the proceedings.

He also demanded an apology by the Sena MLA.

Speaker Haribhau Bagde said the word should not have been allowed to be part of the proceedings and he would direct to expunge it.

"I was not in the Chair when the Sena MLA was speaking in the House. I was not even informed about the word later. The decision about the demand for apology will be taken at the appropriate time as the MLA is not in the House," Bagde said.

PTI
Srinagar: Expressing concern over the alleged attack on students from Jammu and Kashmir in Mewar University, Pradesh Congress Committee chief G A Mir on Thursday asked the Centre to ensure security of the people from the state in rest of the country.

"The attack on students from J&K in Mewar University in Rajasthan by some right wing activists is a worrying factor for the students and parents," Mir said in a statement here. The PCC president asked the Centre to ensure safety of the students and businessmen from the state.

"This is very unfortunate that students have been attacked ... it is aimed to create fear psychosis among the students by right wing activist. "The union government should take cognizance of the matter and ensure that the career of students is not compromised," he added.

Mir also expressed concern over the profiling of students and businessmen from the state in West Bengal and elsewhere by Union Ministry of Home Affairs "merely on the grounds of being the residents of Jammu and Kashmir". "It is unfortunate.

"The Centre should take cognizance as to why students from Jammu and Kashmir only are being harassed on various pretexts," he said.

Mir also sought clarity from the Centre about the Home Ministry advisory regarding students of Jammu and Kashmir.

PTI
On Thursday Haryana's irrigation minister OP Dhankar wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying "he should get his own canal" after the chief minister took Punjab's side in a water canal dispute between the two states.

"Seeing your stand (opposing the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal in Punjab) Haryana will not be able to deliver your share of water in Delhi since you have stood against the interests of the farmers and people of Haryana," minister OP Dhankar said in the letter to Kejriwal.

On Wednesday, Punjab had returned a cheque of Rs 190 crore to Haryana. Punjab's politicians pledged that they would not allow a single drop of water from the River Sutlej to Haryana, in violation of historic treaties and carefully-configured agreements, reported NDTV. Punjab started filling up canal land with lose soil, to which Haryana government created an uproar.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court stopped Punjab from returning nearly 4,000 acres of land to farmers meant to be used for this canal, which enables sharing of water with Haryana, reported NDTV.

The Supreme Court has fixed the next hearing for 30 March.

Delhi's water troubles start with Kejriwal's statement

Supporting Punjab in its fight was Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, who opposed the construction of SYL canal in Punjab and said that the state does not have enough water to share with Haryana. Dhankar attacked the Delhi CM on Thursday and suggested to "get his own canal constructed for carrying Delhi's share of water".

"Seeing your stand (opposing the construction of SYL canal in Punjab) Haryana will not be able to deliver your share of water in Delhi since you have stood against the interests of the farmers and people of Haryana," he said in a letter to Kejriwal.

Dhankar termed Kejriwal's stand as "wrong" and alleged that he has opposed the proposed canal for gaining "political

benefits" in Punjab at a time when elections are round the corner.

"For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and

Tajewala Headwork's (Yamunanagar) so that Delhi's share of water reaches the national capital with your efforts,"

Dhankar told the Delhi Chief Minister.

"You would be aware that from Ravi-Beas, Haryana was allocated 3.5 MAF (million acre-feet) and Delhi 0.2 MAF of water. Haryana gets Delhi's 0.2 MAF share through the Bhakra Main Line from Punjab which then, through Narwana Branch and Western Yamuna Canal systems, reaches Delhi," he wrote in the letter.

Besides, Haryana also transfers 330 cusec of Yamuna water through the Western Yamuna Canal to Delhi, he said.

He also said Haryana is not able to lift its share of 498 cusec of water.

"We have share of water in Ravi-Beas at Nangal Dam meant for Haryana and Delhi, but there is no channel to get this. And you have opposed the proposed SYL canal, through which water for Haryana and Delhi would have come," he said.

On Wednesday, Haryana Assembly had passed a resolution condemning the reported statement of Kejriwal, where the CM supported Punjab's decisions.

Many believe that if Punjab gets away with the filling up of canals with mud, to block the flow of water, it could set a dangerous precedent for other states of the country. This could threaten federal unity with inter-state battles for waters that ignore the law.

Political ties between Punjab and Haryana severed

With sharing of river waters becoming a bone of contention between these two states, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Thursday severed its ties with long-time ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

"Party's (INLD) alliance with Akalis has now ended as it has brought a Bill against the interests of Haryana," said

INLD Secretary General and Leader of Opposition in Haryana assembly Abhay Chautala, who is also younger son of jailed leader and former chief minister Om Parkash Chautala.

"We now do not have any relation with SAD in Punjab," he said announcing the breaking of the decades-old ties

between the two parties.

SAD has one MLA Balkaur Singh from Kalianwali assembly seat in Haryana.

"Because of the Bill (by which the owners whose land was acquired by government will be returned back to them),

there is a lot of anger against Punjab among Haryana people," he said.

"We have always considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us. Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

With inputs from PTI
Chandigarh: Haryana government on Thursday invited Jat leaders for talks on their quota demand tomorrow afternoon, till when they will not resume their agitation. "We have been invited by the government for talks tomorrow at Chandigarh," All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti President Yashpal Malik said.

"Our leaders will be meeting Haryana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) on Friday afternoon as per the government invitation," he said. "Till then we will not resume our agitation," he said, adding that "after meeting the top officials of Haryana next course of action will be taken."

Various Jat organisations had on Monday threatened to resume their quota agitation, which rocked the state last month and claimed 30 lives, if the Manohar Lal Khattar government does not meet their demand by Thursday.

Malik demanded that state government must bring a Bill in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session to ensure reservation for Jats.

Malik said that the Samiti will organize meetings on March 19 and 20 throughout the state and after that, meeting of units of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will be held at Nangloi in Delhi on March 21 to discuss about their demands.

Earlier, a state level meeting of representatives of the Samiti was held in Hissar Jat Dharamshala under the chairmanship of Malik.

Meanwhile, paramilitary forces and police were out in the sensitive districts and carrying out Flag Marches in various places as the 72-hour deadline given by the Jat organisations was coming to an end today.

The Centre has sent 80 companies (about 800 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the state which are being deployed in sensitive areas like Rohtak and Jhajjar districts, which were the worst-affected during the first phase of the agitation last month.

The security forces personnel are also conducting Flag Marches to instill confidence among the public in view of large-scale arson and violence witnessed last month.

"We have already got the paramilitary force. The police is on the alert and we are making all arrangements (to maintain law and order)," IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said today.

He said additional police forces had also been arranged from within the state for deployment in the sensitive areas in and around Rohtak.

"We have made adequate police security arrangements. We have adequate force and we are deploying it accordingly," he said.

Asked about the situation in Rohtak, Jhajjar and some other areas worst hit by recent unrest, the IG said, "at present the situation is normal."

Reports said that authorities have stepped up security with deployment of additional security personnel in many towns, including Jind and Sonipat as the deadline issued by the Jat community to accept their demand for quotas ends today.

PTI
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at CPM, accusing the party of taking the state back by decades and spreading negativity about her government now.

"Those who took the state back by decades are spreading hate, falsehoods and negativity now. Those who can't win by votes, indulge in slandering," she said at a meeting at Birpara of Alipurduar district.

"The new generation of youth in Bengal will take the state forward. Bengal is turning around," she said.

The Trinamool Congress supremo attacked the central government for slashing funds for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and plight of labourers.

"The centre stopped funds for ICDS scheme. We are now funding the scheme. We will keep running Anganwadi centres," Banerjee asserted.

Ahead of the crucial Assembly polls, Banerjee had earlier announced her government's decision to take over engineering firm Jessop and tyre maker Dunlop India. Recently, two bills were passed in the state Assembly for taking over the industrial units run by the Pawan Ruia Group.

"We took over Dunlop and Jessop factories because we care for the welfare for workers. We will not allow the innocent workers and labourers to suffer because of the central government," she said.

IANS
Its time the Congress recalibrated its House strategy, if at all it had one. The more it keeps stalling legislation moved by the government on silly pretexts, the more churlish it appears. The more it flaunts its number power in Rajya Sabha, the more bankrupt it looks in terms of ideas. Its position on the Aadhaar Bill, which was cleared with five amendments by the House on Wednesday, is a case in point.

The government presented it as a money bill, thus scuttling any chance of the Congress dominated Rajya Sabha torpedoing it. Five amendments were put up to the bill by the House and all of these were approved. But besides being a moral victory or ego booster of sorts for the opposition it hardly meant anything. Lok Sabha passed the original bill without considering the proposed amendments. Now that Nanadn Nilekani, UPAs man who headed the Unique Identification Authority of India, has approved of the new bill, telling The Indian Express that it is stronger than the original bill on privacy, the opposition to it looks frivolous.

The bigger point, however, is the Congress strategy in Parliament or lack of it. The party is fixated with playing an obstructionist role, a tit-for-tat treatment for what the BJP did in opposition while the UPA was in power. It wont even allow passage of the bills it introduced during its tenure, finding holes in them. Now, the question for the party to itself should be how can it challenge its own bills? It was either wrong then, or it is wrong now or it is simply confused. The GST Bill is another case in point.

The BJP sounds equally foolish when it goes on pointing to legacy issues and failure of the previous regime to deliver after almost two years in power. But the advantage with it is it has managed to portray the Congress anti-growth, anti-reform and anti-everything, generally the villain of the piece. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues have been articulating their helplessness in the Upper House effectively. The Congress does not realise that with no good argument to stall bills its only ending up ridiculous.

Claiming the moral high ground is critical when you are low in numbers and your ability to punch above your weight is limited. The Congress has inadvertently let the BJP claim the high ground. In the earlier sessions it punched hard, but the effectiveness of the punches is going down now. The party looks as discredited as the time it lost the general elections despite gaining some goodwill points in the intervening period.

Possibly, it has to do with the fact that the party is still unclear about what it wants. Its economic view is still muddled. Rahul Gandhi, the partys vice president, would like the Congress to be identified with the poor, the tribals and all disprivileged sections. But the BJP-led government is cleverly usurping that space with its bills. Its a case of damned if it does and damned if it is not.

The party has to re-think its game plan for the remainder of the session after the break. It cannot keep looking directionless and opposing for the sake of opposing.
Chandigarh: In the wake of Supreme Court direction for maintenance of status quo on land meant for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar hoped that "status quo ante as it existed on March 14, 2016 has been restored in respect of the Punjab portion of the SYL canal."

"I hope that you will put an end to the free run of the hoodlums who have felled thousands of trees, destroyed wildlife, flattened structures and filled up the SYL Canal," Khattar said in a letter to his Punjab counterpart Parkash Singh Badal, which was released to the media here tonight.

Khattar said, "I suggest that strict action be initiated against the officers and officials who were mute spectators and silent collaborators in this brazen display of utter lawlessness."

"I will be delighted to receive a communication that status quo ante has it existed on March 14, 2016 has been restored in respect of the Punjab portion of the lifeline of Haryana viz., the SYL canal," Khattar said in his two page letter sent to Badal today.

He told Badal, "Upon a reference by us, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has appointed your Chief Secretary and Director General of Police as Court Receivers of the all lands, works and property in the Punjab portion of the SYL. It has also directed them to maintain status quo with regard to these."

Khattar had earlier returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore "in original" which Punjab had sent yesterday for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal saying "hope that good sense will prevail and the people of Haryana will be given their due and legitimate share in the Ravi Beas waters through the SYL canal at the earliest."

The letter said, "further for over three decades now the SYL has been a Central Project for which the Government of India has already reimbursed to both the states money spent in Punjab portion of the SYL. On this score alone the drawing out of any money from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab for payment to us is a gross irregularity."

Khattar told Badal that he was writing in his response to his letter of on Wednesday with which the cheque was sent.

PTI
Sau mein se nabbe beimaan, phir bhi mera Bharat Mahan.

Ninety percent of India cheats, yet Bharat is great. In the 80s, when the Rajiv Gandhi government started a campaign to laud the greatness of India with the slogan 'Mera Bharat Mahan', his initiative became a subject of instant scorn and ridicule.

When the Congress government pushed the slogan through a media blitz, India was in the throes of a popular rebellion against the ruling dispensation, which was seen as increasingly corrupt and communal.

Rajiv's critics countered the slogan with their own variations, playing with rhyming words like be-imaan and makaan to coin taunting limericks.

Khaane ko nahin roti, Rehne ko nahin makaan,

Pehenne ko nahin kapda, Phir bhi mera Bharat Mahan.

(No bread to eat, no house to live in; No clothes to wear, yet My India is great)

Three decades later, we are again in the grip of a jingoistic frenzy, where empty slogans, chest-thumping and banal debates have started dominating the political discourse.

India, somehow, is worthy of being hailed again. Presumably, we are no longer as be-imaan as we were--though our ranking on the global index of corruption doesn't point at this--and maybe a lot more people now have roti, kapda and makaan, an achievement, unfortunately, not reflected in human index reports.

So, even those who had mocked Rajiv Gandhi's campaign then are now chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', indicating, perhaps, that India has become the proverbial 'sone ki chiriya' (golden bird) again and we are back to the age where rivers of ghee and doodh (butter and milk) used to sweep the country.

In this Mahan country, community after influential community is coming out in the streets to demand reservation, flag in hand, Bharat Mata ki Jai on lips, they are torching shops, destroying cities, killing men and raping women; the rate of suicides among farmers is the highest in a decade, female foeticide is rampant, rising rural poverty is forcing government to hike MNREGA budgets and unemployment among youth is growing, laying waste the huge demographic dividend we enjoy.

But, the debate that is dominating politics is this: Is desh main rehna hai, kutton, toh Vande Mataram bolna hoga.

AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi should be condemned for triggering needless debates, and making controversial remarks around sensitive subjects. Nobody had asked him if he is willing to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, nobody had put a knife to his throat to make him prove his love for India. So, it is vile of him to further raise the communal temperature of the country by creating controversies for cheap publicity and creating fake binaries between Jai Hind and Bharat Mata ki Jai.

Owaisi should understand he is harming the cause of the Muslims he seeks to represent by strengthening the prevailing prejudices against them through such avoidable debates. His deplorable politics of creating a fringe out of the Muslims as a backlash to the BJP's Hindutva agenda will add to hardening of positions on both sides of the communal divide. It is apparent that he wants to lead his community down the path of isolation and victimisation with his politics of antagonism and competitive communalism.

So, he needs to be called out as a rabble-rouser, wannabe demagogue, and a hate-monger, just as Javed Akhtar did when he called Owaisi an ill-informed leader of a mohalla (locality). The liberal voices among Muslims must realise, as they did recently in Bihar, that Owaisi's brand of politics will have its destined tryst with tragedy. And he needs to be asked to shut up before it is too late.

But, even more despicable is the insistence of the mainstream political parties to force flag-waving, slogan-shouting brand of pseudo-nationalism down everybody's throat. It is a shame when legislators start behaving like bullies and throw someone out when he refuses to oblige them by shouting their favourite slogans on the floor of the House, which is not meant to be a stage for elocution contests.

The entire premise of the pseudo nationalists where the country is imagined as a goddess that needs to be appeased with slogans is flawed. If Bharat is indeed the generous Mata that has given birth to each of its citizens--including the likes of Owaisi--you've got to be stupid to argue that this mother is a narcissist who needs to be hailed in public with slogans for proving our love and affection for her.

If any of us were to shout slogans praising our biological mothers in public, a flag in hand, many would be worried about our mental health. (On a different note, if Indian mothers were the recipients of the reverence being shown for Bharat Mata by our nationalists, most of the old age homes would have been shut down.)

In his autobiographical account, The Summing Up, W Somerset Maugham writes there is nothing so vulgar as to praise people to their faces. He argues that God could not be so ungentlemanly as to like such fawning.

So, unless she is fond of it, it must be indeed demeaning for our godlike Bharat Mata when we want its children to shout empty slogans hailing her greatness.

Real patriotism lies in performing good karma, following the dharma of humanity, upholding the legacy of our ancestors who made India great. But politicians would rather take refuge in patriotism, shaming their religion and country for their petty gains.

In an ode to feminist, scholar and writer Nivedita Menon, who is currently the target of pseudo-deshbhakts, in the magazine Outlook, the author refers to psychoanalyst Alice Miller's deconstruction of pseudo-nationalists. Miller argues nationalism is the favourite refuge of the cruel, insecure child. Miller argument is buttressed by detailed analysis of the life and times of Adolf Hitler.

The reference to Hitler should reminds us of a defining moment in the rise of Fascism, captured memorably in the documentary Hitler: The Rise of Evil.

Soon after the German Reichstag is burnt down, Hitler seeks suspension of several constitutional rights and freedoms through an enabling act. When some members of Parliament oppose the draconian step, Hitler's Nazis, resplendent in their uniform and insignia, rise from their seats and drown all opposition by chanting: Deutschland, Deutschland.

It is worth pointing out as we get swept away by the facile fervour of Bharat Mata ki Jai: Those who do not learn from the slogans of others are condemned to repeat them.
Kochi: Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday condemned killing of RSS cadres in

poll-bound Kerala.

He said such "unfortunate killings" of RSS workers have been happening only in Kerala for so many years.

Two days after his ministerial colleagues Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Smriti Irani urged the Election Commission to take

strong measures to ensure violence-free poll in Kerala, Vardhan said he has been an RSS swayamsevak for over 46 years and he felt "sorry" about the killings of RSS workers in the state.

"That is most unfortunate...whether it is in Kerala politics or anywhere. And in Kerala it is happening for so many years. I think I am myself an RSS swayamsevak for over 46 years now and I know what we have learnt in RSS.

"...What we teach in RSS is only to become good human beings...This is what is being taught in RSS. I don't know why so many unfortunate killings and all those things of such dedicated people happen in Kerala only. This is something which we feel sorry about," he said.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences said RSS teaches its cadres only to become "whole-hearted, 100 per cent, totally committed swayamsevaks for the sake of the society and the nation and only to help the people."

In recent cases of violence, former Kerala BJP chief V Muraleedharan was among 16 persons injured in an attack

allegedly by CPI(M) workers at Kattayikonam in Thiruvananthapuram early this week.

On 8 March, RSS worker E K Biju was hacked in front of school children in Kannur, Rudy had said after submitting a

memorandum to the Election Commission.

The BJP has also alleged that hundreds of party workers over the years have been killed in politically volatile Kannur district only.

On Wednesday, a delegation of BJP leaders in Delhi had asked the Election Commission to provide security to its workers in Kerala and take action to ensure free and fair elections as it cited "targeted attacks" on them allegedly by CPI(M) workers.

Talking about elections, Vardhan said the coming polls will see spectacular success of the BJP in Kerala and all

other states having assembly polls.

"Everywhere we see a lot of enthusiasm amongst people."

PTI
Lucknow: AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's programme in the city on was cancelled after he was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state.

An angry AIMIM slammed the SP government's decision to deny permission, saying it was "afraid" of Owaisi as the UP government had "done nothing" for the minorities.

Owaisi is currently facing fire for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', claiming that it is matter of personal choice and no one can be forced to do so.

Owaisi, who had to visit Lucknow today, was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state, Additional District Magistrate (est) JS Dubey said in his order.

"He is, however, free to visit Lucknow," the order stated.

During his proposed two-day visit to the state, Owaisi was to visit Azamgarh in connection with a programme also but that too has been cancelled.

"Owaisi's programme has been cancelled after the district administration denied permission. As he cannot hold roadshow, address public meeting and cannot attend gathering of more than 30 persons, he has cancelled his visit," AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali told PTI.

Alleging that the SP government was afraid of Owaisi, Ali said, "The present SP government did nothing for the minority community in its four-year regime. It is afraid of Owaisi, who is not only party president, but MP also."

"They have imposed Emergency in the state. A party president and MP is being repeatedly stopped in UP. They are strangulating democracy as Muslim-Dalit are coming with AIMIM and also most backward are also joining the party. This has given reasons to SP to get worried," he said.

Ali said AIMIM supporters would hold a demonstration here against the SP government's attitude towards their party president.

PTI
GENEVA A group of Syrian political activists invited to take part in the Geneva peace process presented a submission to the media on Wednesday after meeting U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura, who has said he wants to meet representatives of all sides in the conflict.

The delegation comprised seven activists belonging to the "Moscow-Astana platform", and eight belonging to the "Cairo platform", referring to the towns where they coalesced.

"We all have different backgrounds and different political positions, we don't fully agree on everything," said Jihad Makdissi, a representative of the Cairo platform.

The Geneva talks are part of a diplomatic push launched with U.S. and Russian support to end more than five years of war in Syria that has killed more than 250,000 people, created the world's worst refugee crisis, and allowed for the rise of Islamic State. [nL5N16O3A1]

Moscow-Astana member Qadri Jamil said the delegation was not against being merged into a single delegation with the main opposition, the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC), and it wanted to hold direct talks with the government.

"We are not competing with anyone," said Makdissi. "We want a political solution. Any idea that can be contributed and can ensure the success of Mr de Mistura's mission is more than welcome."

The Moscow-Astana platform distributed a position paper it had submitted to de Mistura, who has also had confidential submissions from the Syrian government and the opposition HNC.

The paper reiterated the points set out in several U.N. resolutions governing the talks and framework agreements struck in Vienna and in Geneva, and called for "democratic, radical, deep and comprehensive change".

De Mistura has said he wants the Geneva talks to focus on Syria's political transition, touching on the most divisive issue between the HNC and the Syrian government - the fate of President Bashar al-Assad.

A U.N. resolution governing the peace process says Syria should have free, fair, U.N.-supervised elections within 18 months, which Makdissi suggested should be the sole answer to the question.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Peter Cooney)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Mexico City: Attacks against journalists increased by nearly 22 percent in Mexico last year, with eight media workers killed and nearly 400 assaulted, a press rights group said Thursday.

The report by Article 19 said that the organization has observed a "deterioration of freedom of speech" since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office in December 2012.

The number of attacks has risen over the years, from 207 in 2012 to 326 in 2014 and 397 last year, the report said.

Of the eight killed in 2015, seven were reporters who were murdered "possibly in connection with their journalistic work" while the eighth victim was an administrative employee of a news organization.

Some 41.5 percent, or 165, of the 397 attacks last year were perpetrated by federal, state and municipal officials, the document said. Another 35 of the assaults were blamed on organized crime groups.

At least 55 media workers have been killed since 2009, Article 19 said.

Mexico has become one of the world's most dangerous places for journalists. Reporters Without Borders says 91 have been killed and 17 have gone missing since 2000.

AFP
New Delhi: Time has come for India and Pakistan to engage in talks with an open heart leaving behind nearly 70 years of hostility to resolve all outstanding issues as well as to rid the region of terrorism, a prominent Pakistani Islamic cleric said on Thursday.

Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, who had led a massive protest against Nawaz Sharif regime in Islamabad one-and-half years back, said use of religion as a front to promote terrorism should not at all be tolerated and both countries should join hands to defeat the menace.

Expressing serious concern over growing efforts to radicalise young minds, he also called for urgent measures such as introduction of counter-radicalisation curriculum in schools, colleges, universities, madrassas and institutions run by religious bodies to educate youths about terrorism and extremism.

Strongly pitching for dialogue between India and Pakistan, Qadri said both the countries must decide whether they want to continue nearly seven decade hostility between each other which had devastating consequences or would prefer a path of peace, economic growth and development.

"If they decide this basic point, then only a new chapter of good relations can start. Proper dialogues should start between the governments at different levels and finally at top level. All issues which always remained the basis of tension should be discussed with an open heart and mind," Qadri told PTI.

The 65-year-old cleric said all issues including Kashmir, Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot attack should be discussed. "We are wasting lot of our energy, budgets, resources, time and mental faculty because of our hostile relationships. This should end."

On India affected by terror infrastructure operating from Pakistani soil, he called terrorism enemy of mankind and said both countries must agree that it is their common foe.

"Terrorism is an enemy of mankind in every aspect and I will feel it will be a great success if India and Pakistan sit together and accept that we have a common enemy.

"If you see 70 years have passed and the position is that India considers Pakistan its enemy Pakistan considers India its enemy. These things have been ingrained in the minds of people. First of all they have to say no to it. They have to agree that terrorism is the common enemy," said the cleric.

PTI
Washington: UN's intervention has been sought to address the grievances of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), especially the lack of constitutional rights and educational facilities, particularly for women and children.

The issue was raised by Senge Sering, president of the Institute for Gilgit-Baltistan Studies during his address to the 31st Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland.

"The lack of constitutional rights, autonomy and viable and accountable governance structures challenges the educational efforts and sustainable growth of Gilgit-Baltistan," Sering said on Wednesday.

"We urge the special attention of UN Rapporteurs and Experts on Child Rights, Cultural rights, right to Education, Right of Indigenous Peoples support the people of Gilgit-Baltistan by addressing these grievances," he said.

Sering alleged that despite progress in basic education, including quality and access to primary school education in other regions of Pakistan; significant barriers persist in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, which require targeted and concerted action at the national as well as international level in order to achieve the stated millennial goal of education for all.

Participating in the general debate on Human Rights Situation Requiring UNHRC's Attention, he argued that Pakistan earns billions in revenue from Gilgit-Baltistan annually from trade and transit, water resource exploitation, trophy hunting, eco-tourism, mineral exploration and direct and indirect federal taxes.

"Yet the significant majority of these earnings end up in coffers in Islamabad and Beijing. To date, Gilgit-Baltistan, a region larger than the Republic of Panama, does not have a single technical, engineering or medical college," Sering said.

Observing that Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed area and remains outside the constitutional limits of the state, Sering said the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Ordinance of 2009 fails to so much as mention the rights of child to education, literacy and other basic services.

It provides no means for holding government institutions and officials accountable, he said.

PTI
New Delhi: Veteran Pakistani politician and former minister Syeda Abida Hussain, who has also served as her country's ambassador to the US, feels that India-Pakistan relations are unlikely to improve any time soon as Modi "would lose his hardcore supporters if he makes gestures of friendliness" towards Pakistan.

"Modi stands for Hindutva and he is a right wing hardliner. It is unlikely that India-Pakistan relations will improve in any meaningful way. Though Sharif is quite genuine in seeking better relations with India, it is not reciprocal," Hussain said in an interview to IANS here.

Abida Hussain, who served as a minister in the Nawaz Sharif government from 1996 to 1999, also dismissed proposals like joint governance in Kashmir, put forward by former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri in his recent book.

"It's a ridiculous proposal to try joint governance in Kashmir which has not been tried anywhere in the world and it's not feasible at all," said Hussain , who quit the Sharif government in 1999 after allegations involving power theft.

Hussain asserted that Pakistan's reaction to the Pathankot attack was kneejerk. "Our reaction to Pathankot was hasty and we almost said that we were behind it. Now, inquiries found that we had nothing to do with it. We should have maintained it from the beginning," she claimed adding that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Mazood Azhar, whom India accused as the mastermind was never a free man.

"Azhar is not a free man. Wherever he is, he is in custody of the authorities," she said.

India has maintained that the attack was carried out by militants who came across the border and that Pakistan has not done enough to rein in Azhar.

The former minister also scoffs at India's opposition to Washington selling eight F16 jets to Pakistan."Why is India worried about US selling F16 to us? India is a leading buyer of hardware in the world. Why should India protest, while we never opposed India buying weapons?" she asked.

She was here to release her book 'Power Failure: The political Odyssey of a Pakistani Woman,' which traces 45 years of her political journey. Hussain also has the distinction of being the first woman to chair the district council of Jhang.

Hussain also admits that though she had an aristocratic background and family support, she had to push boundaries to hold her place in Pakistan politics as a woman. "There were several hurdles but I have managed to take it in my stride. However, politics is all about opposition, it's a chunk of life and it was challenging." says Hussain, daughter of late Syed Abid Hussain, a prominent name in Pakistan politics.

While the book gives an insider view into the tumultuous political events in Pakistan from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's rule from early 1970s to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007, Hussain describes the book as a narrative of missed opportunities.

"Starting from Bhutto, Pakistan had several missed opportunities. If Bhutto had ordered repolls in 1977, we could have avoided a military intervention. It was a missed chance when Prime Minister Junejo took on Zia ul Haq prematurely which led to dissolution of the Assembly in 1985," she said adding that Benazir Bhutto failed to deliver good governance and the country suffered again when Nawaz Sharif failed to handle military succession.

Hussain, who is a member of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) since 2006 having rejoined after leaving it in the 1970s, says that she quit PPP when she wasn't given a seat in general elections.

"Bhutto said that he didn't want a seat to be wasted on women, I found it as a gender bias. Eventually, I came back to PPP when Benazir returned," she says.

She also foresees the resurgence of PPP in five to seven years. "If Bilawal (son of Benazir) works hard, PPP will return to power. He has to grow out from the shadow of his father and reach out to the masses," she says.

IANS
A few hours after winning the Florida primary  and in the process, ending the presidential campaign of the state's senator Marco Rubio, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took to broadcast media presumably to share his joy. And so, he did an interview over the phone for the MSNBC show Morning Joe.

Following the usual chest-thumping and proclamations of his own majesty, Trump was thrown a googly of sorts  a curve-ball, if you prefer.

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski asked the real estate mogul whom he consulted on foreign policy, and this is what followed:

Somehow everything else from his rambling endorsement of his own foreign policy nous just seems to pale in comparison to this gem: "Im speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and Ive said a lot of things".

Yes, Donald, you've said a lot of things. But that's not always a good thing. Remember this guy?

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He also said a lot of things, when he wasn't busy dancing, that is.

But back to Trump, who backs up his foreign policy credentials by telling his interviewers that he had mentioned Osama Bin Laden in his 2000 book (The America We Deserve) which was a whole year before the 11 September attack on the World Trade Centre. He adds that people regarded this act of name-dropping as 'amazing'. Osama, for the record, had in August 1996, issued a fatwa against the US and Americans and in June 1999, was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Exactly why it was 'amazing' that Trump had mentioned Osama before 9/11 is unclear.

Perhaps those people thought it was 'amazing' that he had heard of someone on an FBI list?

Brzezinski then asked him how he would define his foreign policy that had been described as "neoisolationist" by a commentator. To this, the former reality TV star replied, "I wouldnt say that at all". Whether he wouldn't say that at all because he doesn't know the meaning of the word or because he genuinely doesn't believe his policy can be categorised as such is open to debate.

Nevertheless, Trump goes on to say he "would love to get some of the other nations of this world involved and let them do something for a change" when speaking about the Islamic State, and winds up by saying that while he does talk to people, "My primary consultant is myself and I have a good instinct for this stuff".

In other words, "Advisors? Pah, who needs 'em?"

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And what has this neoisolationist (in personal outlook if not foreign policy) approach achieved for Trump?

For starters, it made him the subject of an open letter from his own party's national security community. The letter made public the community's work to prevent Trump from being elected because of, among other things, his dishonesty, plans to charge allies like Japan protection fees (Hafta Vasooli v2.016?), support for the use of torture, aggressive war-mongering and his sudden shifts "from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence".

Possibly the most scathing indictment of Trump in the letter came in the form of the following statement: "His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs."

Yes, but the 119 signatories of that letter are just jealous of him, you may well say. And you may well be correct, but let's look at a few notable foreign policy ideas expounded by the man himself.

The Mexican Wall

Let's start with one of his strangest policy ideas yet: The proposal to build a boundary wall separating the US and Mexico. But the most ingenious or disturbing (depending on your point-of-view) part of this plan was this part:

"Mexico must pay for the wall and, until they do, the United States will, among other things: impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages; increase fees on all temporary visas issued to Mexican CEOs and diplomats (and if necessary cancel them); increase fees on all border crossing cards  of which we issue about 1 million to Mexican nationals each year (a major source of visa overstays); increase fees on all NAFTA worker visas from Mexico (another major source of overstays); and increase fees at ports of entry to the United States from Mexico (Tariffs and foreign aid cuts are also options). We will not be taken advantage of anymore."

Bomb the hell out of (insert name here)

"When in doubt, bomb!" seems to be a popular instrument of foreign policy for Trump, who in November last year, separately articulated his twin desires to 'bomb the hell out of' and 'bomb the sh*t out of' Iraq's oil-fields to stop the Islamic State. Flashback to 2000 and his book, in which he wrote, "What would I do in North Korea? Fair question... Am I ready to bomb this reactor? You're damned right!"

For someone who wants other nations of the world to 'do something for a change', he certainly plans on making life as difficult as humanly possible for them with this policy. Will that come back to bite the US in the proverbial in the years to come? You're damned right!

Can't someone else do it?

That brings us to the Ukraine crisis, which it can, and has been successfully argued, was supported and to an extent, engineered by the US and its Nato allies. From Senator John McCain joining demonstrators in Kiev to assure them of US support, to US and EU leaders denouncing the democratically-elected Ukrainian government, past the infamous "F*ck the EU" phone conversation between Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and the US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, and all the way to the replacement of elected president Viktor Yanukovych's goverment with an administration handpicked by the US, Washington's fingerprints are all over the Ukraine crisis. By bringing Ukraine closer to Nato, the US and its allies stood to gain close proximity to Russia.

Which makes it quite strange and rather galling that Trump would tell an interviewer that he "would not care that much (if Ukraine joined Nato) to be honest with you. Whether it goes in or doesn't go in, I wouldn't care". Washing the US' hands off a traumatic chapter in the East European country's history, he added that what was happening in Ukraine was 'a problem that affects Europe a lot more' and insisted that countries like Germany should take the lead on fixing it.

Channeling Sarah Palin

Ahead of the 2008 US Presidential Election, McCain's running mate Sarah Palin gave Katie Couric an interview that has become famous for all the wrong reasons. When asked what newspapers she read, she replied that she read 'all of them', and conveyed 'great appreciation for the press, for the media'.

Trump went one step further (or one step backwards, depending on how you see it) in an interview in August last year when he was asked from whom he sought military advice. "Well, I watch the shows. I mean, I really see a lot of great  you know, when you watch your show, and all of the other shows...," he waffled without naming a single one. For the sake of American citizens and citizens of the world at large, we sincerely hope he wasn't getting his advice from Breaking Bad or worse yet, House of Cards .

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Perhaps, it might be worth actually appointing someone with experience and knowledge as a foreign policy advisor if Trump truly wants to 'Make America Great Again'.

Until then, Trump would do well to keep his feet fimply planted on the floor, not get carried away with the wave of support he is enjoying and pay heed to this little observation from an old friend:

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Islamabad: The Pakistan National Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution to take steps to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as holidays for minorities in the country.

"This house is of the opinion that government should take steps to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as closed holidays for minorities," read the resolution moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Ramesh Kumar Vankwani.

The interior ministry has already given permission to heads of federal organisations, departments, and institutions to grant leave to minorities on their religious festivals, State Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnat Shah told the house.

If the government adheres to the resolution - which it is expected to - the interior ministry will issue a notification declaring the holidays.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Laws and Justice Pervaiz Rashid said that although he was not opposing the resolution, the number of holidays in Pakistan are more than any other country and the resolution should be reconsidered.

IANS
Ankara: A radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party on Thursday claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb attack that killed 35 people in Ankara last weekend.

The claim by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) came as Germany closed diplomatic missions and schools in Turkey Thursday after Berlin received information that they could be targeted.

In a statement on its website, TAK named the woman bomber as Seher Cagla Demir, who had been involved since 2013 in a "radical fight against a policy of massacre and denial against the Kurdish people."

"On the evening of 13 March, a suicide attack was carried out... in Ankara, the heart of the fascist Turkish republic. We claim this attack targeting centres... where decisions to massacre Kurdish people are made," the statement said.

The bomb ripped through a busy transport hub of Ankara which is close to the interior and justice ministries, prime minister's office, parliament and foreign embassies.

The group said it was a response to security operations by Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of the country.

'Necessary measure'

"This action was carried out to avenge the 300 Kurds killed in Cizre as well as our civilians who were wounded," the statement said.

"We would like to apologise for the civilian losses which had nothing to do with the dirty war being waged by the fascist Turkish republic," the group added.

In February, Turkish forces ended an almost two-month military offensive backed by a curfew against Kurdish rebels in the southeastern town of Cizre.

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.

Foreign missions in the capital have heightened security measures.

The German embassy in Ankara as well as the Istanbul consulate and German schools were closed Thursday for security reasons.

"There were indications that we took very seriously that attacks against our diplomatic representations in Turkey were planned," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Berlin.

"That is why I decided last night (Wednesday) that the German embassy in Ankara, the consulate in Istanbul and the German schools in both cities should stay closed," he said.

The minister said it was a "necessary measure" to protect German citizens and also to use the time to bolster security at the institutions.

Last January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack blamed on the Islamic State group in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district.

Turkey, which faces multiple security threats, is battling both IS and Kurdish militants.

Security 'round the clock'

Sunday's attack came three weeks after a similar car bombing in Ankara killed 29 people, also claimed by TAK, putting the state of security under the spotlight.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who laid flowers at the blast site on Thursday, sought to reassure citizens.

"Our security forces are working round the clock so that public order is in place," he said.

In the immediate aftermath of the latest bombing, the Turkish authorities pointed the finger at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), against which Ankara has waged a relentless assault since late last year after a shaky two-year truce collapsed.

Just hours after the blast, Turkish jets dropped bombs on PKK targets in northern Iraq.

The government said the bomber was a woman in her mid-20s affiliated with the PKK and trained in Syria by the People's Protection Units (YPG).

The TAK is a little-known group which has nonetheless risen to prominence in recent months after the February bombing and after it claimed a mortar attack on Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport on 23 December.

The shelling left one airport cleaner dead and also damaged several planes.

Turkish officials say the TAK is a front for PKK attacks on civilian targets, but the PKK claims TAK is a splinter group over which it has no control.

The PKK launched a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 for greater autonomy for Kurds, a conflict that has claimed some 40,000 lives and is listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

In an interview with The Times, PKK chieftain Cemil Bayik had warned Turkey to expect payback "everywhere" for the deadly clashes in the southeast.

AFP
WASHINGTON The United States said on Wednesday it opposed Syrian Kurds forming an autonomous region in northern Syria but could accept such an arrangement if the Syrians themselves ultimately agreed on it.

Syrian Kurds are considering combining three autonomous areas of northern Syria into a federal arrangement, a step that could pave the way to Syria's breakup. Such a move, potentially could alarm Turkey, which fears separatist sentiment in its own Kurdish population.

The United States has long taken the stance that it favours the unity and territorial integrity of Syria, which has been riven by a five-year civil war in which more than 250,000 people have died and millions have fled their homes.

"We won't recognise any kind of ... self-ruled, semi-autonomous zones in Syria," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said at his daily briefing, referring to reports that the Syrian Kurds were considering a federal structure.

"We have been very clear about our belief in the territorial integrity and unity of Syria and we believe that the creation of these kinds of semi-autonomous zones now ... would frankly be a threat to that," he added.

Pressed on whether the United States could accept a federal structure for Syria if that were ultimately the choice of the Syrian people themselves, the spokesman replied: "Yes."

On-again, off-again U.N.-brokered peace talks on Syria resumed in Geneva this week.

Last week, diplomats said major powers close to the talks were discussing the possibility of a federal division of the war-torn country that would maintain its unity as a single state while granting broad autonomy to regional authorities.

Asked if the United States could accept an outcome where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remained in charge of a rump Syria, Toner replied: "Our position on Assad has not changed. We believe he should go."

But the spokesman noted the United States has been willing to engage in a diplomatic effort to resolve the war even while Assad's fate has not been decided.

"We don't believe that Assad can be part of any future for Syria," he said. "But ... we have not let that be a ... 20-foot brick wall that allows us to make no progress because there are others who believe differently. So ultimately, that's going to be a decision that we think will be resolved by the negotiating parties."

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Diane Craft)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
NEW YORK Ted Cruz, Donald Trump's closest rival in the Republican race for the White House, named his national security advisers on Thursday, including former staffers of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and members of a think tank that has been called an anti-Muslim "hate group" by a civil rights organization.

Announcing the team in a statement, Cruz said he would reverse what he described as the weakening of the United States in a dangerous world, singling out militant Islamist groups in the Middle East and North Africa as his focus.

Among the most recognizable names on Cruz's list of 23 advisers was Elliott Abrams, who served in both the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations and is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations for Middle Eastern Studies.

The list also included Frank Gaffney, a former official in the Reagan administration, and at least two other members of a think tank Gaffney founded, the Center for Security Policy.

The centre's reports, published on its website, argue that hundreds of thousands of American Muslims support Islamist violence in the United States and that there is a conspiracy to erode the U.S. legal system by elevating sharia, the Islamic legal code.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization based in Montgomery, Alabama, that monitors domestic hate groups and other extremists in the United States, has labelled the Center for Security Policy a "hate group" and Gaffney a "notorious Islamophobe."

Gaffney did not respond to a request for comment. The Center for Security Policy responded by pointing to online essays where Gaffney has rejected such criticism, saying his group is a defender of civil liberties against what he calls "Islamic supremacists."

"Do you mention any of the other 22 members of the advisory coalition?" Brian Phillips, a Cruz spokesman, said in an email, declining to respond to questions about the criticisms made against Gaffney and his think tank.

Some of the other advisers Cruz is naming have been critical of anti-Islamic rhetoric. They include Abrams and Mary Habeck, another former adviser to Bush; both have said Islam should not be demonized.

TRUMP-CRUZ SHOWDOWN

Trump, a 69-year-old billionaire businessman from New York, has surged to the lead of the once-crowded Republican field, drawing support from voters by proposing to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States for fear they might be members of violent Islamist groups. Trump cited research by Gaffney's group in announcing the plan last year.

Cruz, a 45-year-old U.S. senator from Texas, is seeking to keep Trump from winning an outright majority of delegates as states vote for party nominees in the coming months, and to wrest the nomination from him at the party's national convention in Cleveland in July.

Lindsey Graham, a U.S. senator from South Carolina who ended his own bid to become the Republican nominee last December, said on Thursday he is supporting Cruz, a softening of his earlier position where he compared choosing between the two candidates to a choice between being poisoned or strangled.

Cruz has said "everyone understands" Trump's proposed Muslim ban but he does not support it, saying there are millions of Muslims who are not murderous. Instead, he supports stopping refugees from some predominantly Muslim countries from coming to the United States.

Trump warned on Wednesday that there might be riots if he remains the most popular candidate going into the convention but does not emerge as the nominee. His rallies have been marked by angry skirmishes between supporters, protesters and security staff.

House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, the most senior elected U.S. Republican, chastised Trump on Thursday for his riot comments, telling reporters "to even address or hint to violence" is unacceptable.

Democratic politicians and others have condemned Republican candidates' remarks on Islam, saying they foster further division and discrimination.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday found that half of all women in the country have a "very unfavourable" view of Trump.

(Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball, Jonathan Landay Emily Stephenson and Phil Stewart in Washington and Chris Kahn in New York; Editing by Howard Goller and Jonathan Oatis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: US President Barack Obama has issued an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea, the media has reported.

The White House on Wednesday announced that the "robust new sanctions" are part of its response to the 6 January nuclear test and 7 February ballistic missile launch conducted by North Korea, Xinhua reported.

The executive order blocks certain transactions on properties belonging to the North Korean government and to the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

The US Department of the Treasury also announced new sanctions on Pyongyang following Obama's executive order. The sanctions are aimed at 17 government officials and organisations. It also identified "20 vessels as blocked property".

The new sanctions target North Korea's energy, mining, financial services and transportation sectors, prohibit exports of goods, services, technology and new investment in the country.

"These actions are consistent with our longstanding commitments to apply sustained pressure on the North Korean regime," the White House said, adding, "The US and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities."

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions on North Korea to curb the country's nuclear and missile programmes. The Security Council members also called for an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

The Six-Party Talks, a mechanism involving North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, US and Russia, is believed to be a practical way to realise denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.

It was launched in 2003 but stalled in December 2008. Pyongyang quit the talks in April 2009.

IANS
Washington: The US has asked North Korea to immediately release its national, who was jailed for 15 years with hard labour for subversive activities after stealing a propaganda banner, and accused the reclusive nation of using imprisoned Americans as "pawns to pursue a political agenda".

Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was arrested in North Korea in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state, according to the country's official news agency KCNA.

He was on Wednesday sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour, KCNA said. The White House asked the North Korean regime to pardon Warmbier.

"Now that Mr Warmbier has gone through this criminal process, we strongly urge the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"Warmbier was reportedly sentenced to 15 years of hard labour, the allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or in just about any other country in the world," he said on Wednesday.

Warmbier was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion, KCNA said. "In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating. The White House accused North Korea of using US citizens for furthering its political agenda.

"Now, despite official claims that US citizens arrested in North Korea are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these US citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda. "This underscores the risks associated with travelling to North Korea. And the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by US citizens to North Korea," Earnest said.

PTI
Washington: With her favoured candidate Marco Rubio dropping out of the presidential race, South Carolina's Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley is now hoping for "solid and strong" Ted Cruz to stop Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

"My hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can pull through this and that he can push through and really get to where he needs to go," she told reporters in Columbia, the state capital.

"Because we do want a strong leader, we do want somebody that's conservative, we do want somebody that's action-minded. So we'll see what happens."

Haley said her prayers fall short of formally endorsing Cruz but would like to see the Texas senator succeed.

She suggested Cruz's path to nomination lies with his disciplined and concerted campaign, but she doesn't think Ohio Governor John Kasich has much of a chance.

After wins in Republican primaries in four states on Tuesday, Trump's delegate-count has risen to 673 as against Cruz's 411 and Kasich's 143. Trump would need 1,237 delegates to capture the Republican prize.

The rising Republican star who is often mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick was chosen by Republican Congressional leaders to give the party's response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in January.

Haley had endorsed Rubio last month. The Florida senator pulled out of the race after Trump routed him in his own home state.

"I don't know that I need to formally endorse," she said. "If anybody asks me, that's what I want to see happen."

However, she said she will put her weight behind the Republican nominee even if it's Republican front-runner Trump.

Haley and Trump have been at loggerheads over the tactics employed by the latter on the campaign trail, sparring most publicly over Trump's stance on banning Muslim immigrants.

IANS
Mr Osborne made the announcement in Wednesday's budget, in which other so-called "sin taxes", including the excise on beer, whiskey and cider, were all frozen. Mr Osborne said the tax increase, which the government ruled out as recently as February, was being introduced to improve children's health. "I am not prepared to look back at my time here in this Parliament, doing this job and say to my children's generation... I'm sorry. We knew there was a problem with sugary drinks. We knew it caused disease. But we ducked the difficult decisions and we did nothing," he told the House of Commons. The sugar tax will be limited to soft-drinks and not other sugary foods like lollies. "I think milk could have been bundled in," Oliver said.

How will the sugar levy work? Britain's sugar-levy will begin in 2018 which the government hopes will give manufacturers time to reduce the amount of sugar in their drinks. Drinks with more than 8 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres will be taxed at a higher rate than drinks with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres. This will travel right around the world, to Canada, to Australia. Jamie Oliver "Pure fruit juices" and milkshakes will not be subject to the sugar-levy.

Isn't that unfair? Expect the soft-drink industry to argue this point given thickshakes, milkshakes, smoothies and juices can all contain a lot of sugar but won't be taxed under this measure. Who pays? Companies will pay the tax but the government expects some manufacturers will pass on the costs to customers making soft-drinks more expensive, and consumed less. How much money will it raise?

520 million or more than $1 billion. The UK government says it will spend the revenue on fitness programs and extended school hours for children so they can take part in more sports. Could Australia do this? Absolutely. Especially with the growth of the paleo and anti-sugar movement. Because sugar has no nutritional value and is linked to obesity, it is becoming an easier political target, but politicians are still cautious of going down this road because those on lower incomes tend to eat more sugary foods compared to those on higher incomes.

However, the fact that a conservative government (which decries the "nanny-state") is willing to go down this road shows they think the politics are possibly changing and are at the very least manageable. A study in 2015 suggested a whopping 85 per cent of Australians would support sugar tax revenue being spent on anti-obesity measures. The research was commissioned by the Obesity Coalition which is calling for a similar tax in Australia. So while its not currently on the radar in Australia it wouldn't take much for it to be placed back on the agenda. Who else has a sugar tax? Scandinavian countries, Hungary, Mexico, France, Chile, the Californian city of Berkeley and Dominica.
Police digging up a backyard south of Brisbane have seized a number of items in the search for a New South Wales toddler who has been missing for nearly a decade.

Police said the items would undergo forensic testing.

A crime scene had been established in Woodridge as officers from the NSW State Crime Command's Homicide Squad work with Queensland detectives in a search for any trace of the boy.

The 22-month-old has not been seen by his immediate relatives since 2007.
People in a number of African countries, including Burundi, Benin, Rwanda, Guinea, Liberia, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Togo, are the least happy people in the world, according to the World Happiness Report 2016.

Jon Clifton, managing partner with the U.S.-based global research company Gallup, said the report took into account countries' per capita gross domestic product, life expectancy, corruption, social support and freedom to make life choices as indicators of happiness.

The report actually identifies that there are six things that contribute. The single biggest is actually GDP per capita or income. The other five are trust, life expectancy, social support, freedom, and generosity, he said.

Ebola crisis



Clifton said the deadly Ebola in West Africa contributed to Liberias poor standing in the rankings because a lot of well-being within a country can be determined by recent events.

When we asked something about whether or not they experienced a lot sadness or anger, physical pain, Liberia is among the top 10 in the world. So, a lot of it can be event-driven by things like Ebola they experience because our interviews were actually conducted May of last year, Clifton said.

He said one of the big strengths of Africa is its social support, which was measured by asking respondents if they were in trouble, do they have relatives or friends you count on to help you whenever you need them or not.

What we found is that in 36 countries where we conducted this survey last year, in 33 of them, over a majority of people said yes to that. So theres a huge strength in Africa when it comes social support, Clifton said.

Corruption



But Clifton said corruption in government continues to be a hindrance for Africas progress.

"For example, we asked people all through Africa: 'is corruption widespread throughout the government in this country or not?' We were able to ask that in 34 different countries, and in 30 of those countries 50 percent or more people said they believe corruption was widespread through the government, he said.

Clifton described Rwanda as an outlier because despite the fact that Rwanda has been referred to as the Singapore of Africa, the country is not doing that well when it comes to how people see their lives.

When it comes to how people see their lives, they are not doing that well, particularly when compared to their GDP per capita. So Rwanda is a bit of an anomaly that I think is worth further explanation because people see their lives worse than they should quite frankly, Clifton said.

Denmark ranks happiest



The World Happiness Report 2016 said Denmark is the happiest country in the world, followed closely by Switzerland.

Other countries among the top 10 happiest countries are Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden.

The report comes ahead of this years U.N. World Happiness Day, March 20, and Clifton said theres a lot of lessons world leaders can draw from the report, including the new data on how people say their lives are going.

I think before we used to use indicators like GDP per capita, for example to understand or to tell us whether or not the society is doing well or not. The challenge with that is that you can increase GDP per capita by doing certain economic activities, but it necessarily means that somebodys life is getting better. These indicators by simply asking the experts themselves who are the people of these countries to tell us how their lives are going could be one of the best, if not the best indicator on whether a society is functioning or not, he said.
The U.S. government is calling on North Korea to pardon an American college student sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for committing crimes against the state.

"There is no greater priority of this administration than welfare of citizens abroad," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday.

He said it is "increasingly clear" that Pyongyang is using U.S. citizens as "pawns to pursue a political agenda," and he called for Otto Warmbier's release.

Warmbier was arrested in North Korea in January as he was trying to leave the country after visiting with a tour group.

During an appearance before a group of foreign and domestic journalists in Pyongyang last month, the 21-year-old student at the University of Virginia admitted to removing a banner with a political slogan from a staff-only area of the hotel where the group was staying.

Warmbier said the mother of a friend offered him a used car worth $10,000 in exchange for the banner, which she wanted to display as a "trophy" in her church. The woman said if he was caught, Warmbier's mother would get $200,000.

WATCH: Related video of American student detained in North Korea

North Korea has often detained Americans and other foreign citizens on trumped up charges.

The detainees are usually brought before foreign journalists to read statements confessing to crimes committed against the dictatorial regime.

The statements are widely considered to have been coerced, and detainees often recant their confessions after their release.

Just hours before Warmbier was sentenced, former U.S. ambassador Bill Richardson said he met with two North Korean diplomats at the United Nations in New York and appealed for the student's release.

Richardson has gone to North Korea several times in recent years to secure freedom for jailed Americans.
Top U.S. defense officials are launching renewed criticism at Russian President Vladimir Putin, charging that Moscow's military intervention in Syria failed to achieve its stated goals, and that it likely lessened Russia's standing in the region.

"Russia said it was coming into Syria to fight ISIL but that's not what it did," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, using an acronym for the Islamic State terror group. "Their military has only prolonged the civil war, propped up [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad] and, as of now, we haven't seen whether Russia retained the leverage to find a diplomatic way forward."

Putin announced a partial withdrawal of Russian forces Monday, saying all of Russia's objectives had been achieved. Since then, Russian media have shown videos of a steady departure of Russian warplanes from airbases in Syria.

The commander of the Russian air force said Thursday that the withdrawal of most of its troops in Syria would be completed within two or three days. The United States has estimated that Russia had 3,000 to 6,000 troops in Syria, with Russia saying about 1,000 would remain after the drawdown.

Minor impact for Russia

Still, U.S. military and intelligence officials have expressed caution, describing the pullout's impact on Russia's air combat capabilities as "relatively minor." They have also noted the continued presence of Russian artillery and other equipment on the battlefield.

Putin himself said Thursday that Russia could ramp up its military presence in Syria within "several hours" if deemed necessary.

At an event at the Kremlin honoring officers who served in Syria, Putin said Russia's actions demonstrated "leadership, will and responsibility" while fighting what he called "enemies of civilization."

The top U.S. military officer refuted such claims Thursday.

"When Putin went into Syria he said his express purpose was to go down and address ISIL," said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. "ISIL is not addressed."

Dunford also told lawmakers the Russian withdrawal could bolster U.S. standing in the region at Russia's expense.

"For those who question whether the United States is the most reliable partner in the region or not, I would just say for the record, we're still there," he added.

U.S. efforts against IS

Dunford also told the Senate Armed Services Committee that U.S. efforts to defeat the Islamic State terror group in Syria are gaining momentum.

He said U.S. and coalition forces are now working with a Syrian Democratic Force that now has 10,000 to 15,000 fighters, including 5,000 Arabs  twice the number of Arabs fighters that had signed on just a month ago.

Still, Dunford refused to put a timeline on when those forces might be ready to advance on Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate.

Other top U.S. military and intelligence officials have previously said a final push to retake the Islamic State's Iraqi capital of Mosul would not take place until after the end of this year.

Carter also said the U.S. is warning countries in the region they need to "get in the game" in the fight against IS.

"We need those in the region to play their part," Carter said. "We'll remember who played their role and who didn't."

The U.N. is conducting Syrian peace talks in Geneva in hopes of ending the five-year civil war that has left 300,000 or more people dead. Violence in Syria has been sharply reduced during a three-week-old "cessation of hostilities" calling for an end to fighting except for continued attacks on Islamic State, al-Nusra Front and other extremist groups.
War refugees from Syria and Iraq trapped in northern Greece for weeks never held out much hope that meetings between EU and Turkish leaders Thursday would prompt an opening of Balkan borders for them. But with nothing definitive about their future coming out of reportedly tense Brussels negotiations, refugees are now scrambling to enter an EU relocation program they were rejecting just days ago.

Their biggest fear is being returned to Turkey, if a deal is finalized between Turkish and European leaders, or languishing for years in Greek refugee camps, the more likely outcome say refugee rights campaigners. In theory the relocation plan should guarantee them placement in an EU country, but it has worked agonizingly slowly since it was introduced last year with less than a thousand refugees resettled.

Norway bound



Sitting in front of a small tent at a platform-end of the railway station at Idomeni, Ramia Sabbagh, a 19-year-old visual arts graduate from the University of Aleppo, said she, her mother and two siblings were thinking of heading back to Athens to apply for relocation, despite the drawback they wouldnt be able to pick which country they would eventually be re-settled in by authorities.

We have to get to Norway, she says.

Ramias 10-year-old brother and her father are now in Norway, after having set off before the rest of the family months ago.

We couldnt go with them because we didnt have enough money to pay for the journey and for the smugglers for all of us, she explains. Ramia, her 48-year-old mother, 16-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister have been at Idomeni for a month.

It is our our anniversary today, she grimaces. They left Aleppo two-and-half months ago because of Russian airstrikes and the al-Qaida affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra fighters who started to flood their neighborhood. We were very scared of them, she says. We decided it was time to leave, she adds.

Getting to Turkey



They traveled by car to Lebanon and then flew to Turkey, where they spent 40 days arranging with smugglers to cross the Aegean. They arrived at the border with Macedonia a couple of days before its closure, but were not admitted because Macedonia and other Balkan countries abruptly began refusing entry to Iraqis and Syrians who had spent more than 30 days in Turkey or Greece, or any other country considered safe.

Like many others who have decided the best course now is to apply for EU relocation, Ramia and her family have had push-back from U.N. refugee staff at Idomeni and have been unable to enter the process.

According to the U.N. refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch, Greek authorities cant cope with the demand. And staff other EU countries promised to dispatch to Greece to assist never materialized. Greek asylum authorities are staffed at a third of the capacity EU officials judge it needs, and according to U.N. sources there are only 20 staff working on the relocation process in Athens.

Refugees are coming to us to apply for the scheme and we are seeing a growing interest, says Baloch. And since the interest has grown and we are referring more and more people, the Greeks have been over-stretched.

Relocation quest



Instead of people applying through the United Nations, they are now being urged to contact Greek immigration authorities directly by Skype, not the easiest method for refugees who have little access to the Internet at Idomeni and are hard-pressed to recharge their cell phones.

Getting into a position to apply is just one of the drawbacks of the EU relocation plan, notes Lucy Carrigan, regional officer with the International Rescue Committee, who have deployed 40 staff at Idomeni to help French charity Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has been the lead NGO for weeks at the makeshift, informal camp.

We are calling on the EU to put some muscle behind the relocation scheme. For all of the refugees stuck in Greece now, and as it becomes clear that the borders will not be re-opened, relocation is going to be their only option for a safe and legal way to Europe. The scheme needs to be rigorous, robust and have the real support of the EU.

Only 937 war refugees from Syria and Iraq have been relocated under the EU plan introduced last year. It was to resettle 160,000 refugees in Europe, with beneficiaries being shared between EU countries.

Sabotage



Opposition from some member states, including Britain and central European and Balkan countries, sabotaged the plan from the start.

EU Commission efforts for a radical overhaul of the relocation process with asylum applications being handled by a new federal agency met resistance Thursday in Brussels, say EU officials.

Central European and Balkan officials told VOA weeks ago they would reject the commissions plan. And officials from other countries also expressed anxiety Thursday, fearing the plan risks expanding into an open-ended commitment, a commission official in Brussels says.

For many refugees the EU plan is unappealing because they fear they will not get to be reunited with family members already in Europe. They are also distrustful of Western promises, as a result of Europes shifting positions when it comes to accepting refugees. But the attitude now appears to be that they have no choice, even if it means months being caught in bureaucracy for it is better than giving up hope.
In an interview with Macau Daily Times, Steve Vickers, the high profile CEO of Steve Vickers and Associates, a political and corporate risk consultancy, addressed the Macau gaming sectors current market turbulence and strategic issues in the light of Beijings policies, and the shortfall in new gaming table allocations. He also noted that Beijing is inclined to favor local champion(s) over the foreign investors when concessions are renewed in 2022. Vickers also discussed the moderate likelihood of an Islamic terror attack in Macau.

On Macau gaming, Vickers, whose company specializes in risk mitigation, corporate intelligence and risk consulting, said the current potentially turbulent and uncertain phase is more systemicwhile the center of focus for most analysts are symptoms of the larger issues at play. He outlined as principal factors PRC political policies and machinations, PRC economic policies, Macau Government policy issues, as well as gaming table numbers and allocations, and the 2022 reissuing of gaming concessions and subconcessions.

The severe decline in VIP betting, an area which previously provided the overwhelming majority of gaming revenue, has been blamed on the massive ongoing anti-corruption campaign in the mainland, in conjunction with Chinas moves to stem illegal capital outflows. These two elements have contrived to scare off the vital high stakes players from China. Even so the mainland clampdown on underground banking, he believes, is the main reason revenues of junket operators who bring in VIP room gamblers, have crashed. Junket operators have been facing hard times as their unpaid debts mount, because as shadow banks have closed their lending windows, many gamblers who used these facilities to service their gambling debts have been left with no viable option the single biggest reason accounts receivables [unpaid debts] of junket operators have been steadily climbing.

In the past, Beijings tacit acquiescence to the violation of its currency regulations, [is] the primary reason Macau has prospered as a gaming hub catering to (mostly PRC) gamblers. Vickers notes that this had served Beijings fiscal requirements providing a much-needed channel to bleed off excess liquidity from a (then) red hot Chinese economy. However, the economic slowdown and reassessment of liquidity movements will have a severe impact on gaming in Macau, he added.

Vickers said that other Beijing policies affecting gaming growth are the requirements that Macau gaming not grow faster than the national growth rate of GDP and that the city diversify its economy.

A major issue the city government has to decide on is the number of new gaming tables for new casinos due to come on line by 2017. This decision has the capacity to greatly impact the profitability of new gaming projects, as the current policy will see a massive shortfall. Vickers said that the casinos expect the government to cave in. However, he cautioned that our assessment, based on our understanding of how this issue is driven by Beijing, is quite different.

Vickers warns too that Western concessionaires face much stronger local competition in the 2022 granting of gaming licenses. He noted another economic policy that has gained favor with the current PRC government is one involving elements of economic nationalism, favoring local champion(s) over the foreign investors in the same sector. The original newcomers advantage of badly needed Western gaming experience and management practices will not be so true in 2022.

The former head of the Royal Hong Kong Police Forces Criminal Intelligence Bureau downplayed the risk of an Islamic terror attack in Macau and Hong Kong, despite noting that Xinjiang terrorists struck again this month in Guangzhou, and there are significant fears of the impact fighters returning from Syria may have in future terror assaults. My view is that prudent precautions should be taken but that the overall risk is currently moderate. Hong Kong and Macau are two cities with open transport and communications no more or less vulnerable than other targets. The truth about terrorism today, is that, if you take the Paris attacks for example, that a group of returned Syrian fighters, and others, took part.

However, he admitted that an attack could not be ruled out. Xinjiang terror is a real factor in China and most recently we saw an attack on Guangdong Railway Station. So it would be wrong to state that there is no possibility of an attack in Hong Kong and Macau. But the threat is currently assessed to be moderate.

The ownership of major Macau casinos by Americans, and the Islamic disapproval of gaming, could be a factor in attracting the attention of Muslim terrorists, Vickers conceded. However, he underlined that the issue is hypothetical in the absence of intelligence indicators pointing to an attack.

Whilst the Macau casinos might be an appealing target to Islamic terror groups because of gambling activities and American ownership, there is no current intelligence to suggest that this is a likely scenario.

Vickers urged preparedness as well as getting on with life, so as to not send signals of fear to terror groups.

Being prudently prepared for such [an incident] is the right approach. However equally important is that we go about our business in a normal fashion and that we do not let such threats intimidate us. He added that the possibility of a terrorism attack on Macau has been overblown by certain media outlets. Robert Carroll, Hong Kong, MDT Correspondent

[UPDATED]
Scores of celebrities and Asian film stars paraded on the red carpet of the 10th Asian Film Awards (AFA), held last night at The Venetian Macao, with overwhelmingly Chinese filmmakers and actors

walking away with prestigious awards in recognition of their contributions to the Asian movie industry.

A host of presenters took to the stage last night, including Hong Kong director Johnnie To, and Chinese celebrities Sean Lau and Gao Yuanyuan, to introduce the nominees and winners of various categories.

Many of them congratulated the award ceremony on reaching its tenth edition, and some added that the AFA had accomplished much to both promote the city of Macau and Asian cinema.

Chinese Director Li Qian Kuan, who was awarded the AFA Academy Outstanding Contribution Award, told audiences that he personally looks forward to more films that feature Macau in the future.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to veteran Hong Kong action choreographer-director, Yuen Wo-ping, and venerable Japanese actress Kirin Kiki, honoring years of distinguished contribution to Asian cinema.

This year competition was fierce, organizers said, with 77 nominees of 36 films from nine countries competing for the final Asian Film Awards across a total of 15 categories. There were numerous top contenders in Asian cinema such as The Assassin, Mountains May Depart, Mr Six, Veteran, and Our Little Sister.

Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, who starred in Veteran and The Throne, received the Next Generation Award in recognition of his outstanding and breakthrough acting performances last year.

The Assassin, a joint Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China martial arts film directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien, was awarded Best Film during the ceremony. Hou, who is Taiwanese, was also presented with the award for Best Director for his work on the same film.

Best Actor went to South Koreas Lee Byung-hun for his leading role in Inside Men, a political thriller film that dissects the corruption within Korean society.

Meanwhile the counterpart award, Best Actress, went to Shu Qi for her leading part in The Assassin, in which she portrays a killer ordered to slay unethical government officials.

Other notable winners last night include, Asano Tadanobu (Best Supporting Actor), Zhou Yun (Best Supporting Actress), Jessie Li (Best Newcomer), and Jia Zhangke who was awarded Best Screenplay for Mountains May Depart.

Additionally, Mark Lee, Lim Giong, and Hwarng Wern-ying were all recognized at the AFA for their contributions to The Assassin; winning awards for Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, and Best Production Design, respectively. Chu Shih-Yi, Tu Duu-Chih and Wu Shu-Yao were jointly awarded Best Sound for their work on the same film.

In other areas, South Koreas Lee Ji-yeon and Shim Hyun-seob won Best Costume Design for The Throne, while Indias Prasad Sutar was awarded Best Visual Effects for the film, Bajirao Mastani.

Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China, took to the stage at one point last night to explain the origins of the AFA, now in its 10th year. Ten years ago a group of film enthusiasts got together and decided that with the growth of the Asian film industry, why are there no awards?

So we set up the awards, he continued, to promote a space for young filmmakers and enthusiasts to share ideas and learn from each other. We are doing our best to ensure that Asian films come to the forefront in terms of international recognition.

French actress, director and screenwriter, Sophie Marceau, was also invited on stage as a guest of honor.

In France we are very fond of Asian movies, said Marceau. Its amazing to be part of something like this.

Members of the Busan International Film Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and the Japan Film Festival  the three partner organizations behind the Asian Film Awards  were also in attendance, with some of their representatives announcing the winners of various categories. Daniel Beitler
A federal judge in Brazil issued an injunction to suspend the appointment of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as President Dilma Rousseffs chief of staff, further deepening a political crisis that has paralyzed Latin Americas largest nation.

Judge Itagiba Catta Preta Neto from Brasilia argued that Lulas appointment could lead to his interference in police and judicial activities, according to a copy of the decision.

He also said that Rousseff may have broken administrative laws. The attorney generals office said in a statement it will appeal the injunction. The presidential press office declined to comment on the suspension of the cabinet appointment.

The injunction underscores the volatile political situation in Brazil, where Rousseff is struggling to remain in power amid rising clamor for her ouster. Lawmakers are planning to form a multi-party committee that will recommend whether to impeach her, as thousands of protesters in major cities rallied asking for her removal.

The political crisis spilled from the presidential palace to Congress, to the streets and now to the courts, said Gabriel Petrus, a political analyst at business consulting firm Barral M Jorge. She made a risky bet by tapping Lula. It doesnt look like its paying off.

Earlier yesterday, Lula joined the cabinet in a ceremony at the presidential palace, where government supporters chanted There will be no coup. Outside the palace in Brasilia, as well as cities including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, protesters demanded Lulas arrest and Rousseffs ouster.

Coup supporters wont bring me to my knees, Rousseff said at the ceremony. Vice President Michel Temer skipped the event, increasing speculation that his PMDB party, the largest in Congress, would depart from the ruling coalition.

Tension escalated on Wednesday after Federal Judge Sergio Moro released phone recordings that, according to critics, suggest Rousseff appointed Lula as minister to shield him from a criminal probe. The conversation between Rousseff and Lula, obtained through a police wire tap, aired on television and sparked demonstrations around Brazil, with rallies carrying on into the night.

Financial markets rallied yesterday on bets that impeachment could pave the way for a new government with a stronger mandate to revive economic growth. The real appreciated 3.5 percent to 3.61 per U.S. dollar in early afternoon trading. Anna Edgerton, Arnaldo Galvao and Raymond Colitt, Bloomberg
A German executive vying for a lucrative Australian submarine contract yesterday said that awarding the contract to Japan could damage Australias relationship with China.

Germans ThysennKrupp Marine Systems, Japans Mitsubishi and French company DCNS are in the running to build 12 conventional submarines that the Australian navy expects will cost at least 56 billion Australian dollars (USD43 billion). The government expects to award the contract this year, with Japan regarded as a favorite early in the bidding process due to its close military relationship with Australia and the Unites States.

Hans Atzpodien, the German companys chairman, described the Japanese bid as a choice for Australia between its relationship with China, its biggest trading partner, and Japan, its second biggest partner.

Maybe it is an advantage dealing with us not to be in a position where you have to  lets say  decide between certain heavyweights of the Pacific area, Atzpodien told Australias National Press Club.

Japanese defense officials argue that the military partnership between Japan and Australia will enhance peace and stability, especially maritime security, in the Asia-Pacific region amid Chinas military buildup in the East and South China seas.

Despite strong economic ties, Tokyos relations with Beijing are strained, divided by antagonisms dating back to before World War II. The points of friction are numerous, ranging from what China says is a lack of a proper apology from Japan for its invasion and wartime acts, while Tokyo sees Beijings growing power as a security threat and competition for influence in Asia.

Relations have been generally calm since violent anti-Japanese riots broke out in several Chinese cities in 2012 after Japan nationalized a chain of uninhabited islands claimed by China.

The submarine deal would be Japans first fully fledged military technology transfer since World War II.

Australian government ministers have expressed no preference for any bid.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said during a speech in Tokyo last month that for Japan, the deal was strategic while for the others, it was of commercial value.

None of the contenders have ever built a conventional submarine large enough to meet Australias long-distance requirements.

Germany is proposing a variation of its Type 214 submarine made for Australian specifications called a Type 216. France is offering a diesel-electric version of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine under construction for the French navy. Japan proposes a longer version of its Soryu-class diesel-

powered propulsion system with advanced stealth capabilities.

Atspododien said that the Germans could build all 12 subs in Australia for AUD20 billion  less than half the cost that Australia is budgeting for.

Hugh White, Australian National University professor of strategic studies, warned that Japans long-term cooperation in the submarine contract might hinge on Australia forming an alliance that could bring Australia into conflict with China.

Tokyo expects that in return for its help to build our submarines, it would receive not just many billions of dollars, but clear understandings that Australia will support Japan politically, strategically and even militarily against China, White wrote in a Fairfax Media column this week.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP
Sands China Ltd is set to hold its first large-scale recruitment fair for The Parisian Macao at the Dunhuang Ballroom at Sands Cotai Central on March 21 and 22, open to Macau residents aged 21 and above.

According to a press release, vacancies are available for over 150 positions, ranging from rank and file, to manager level. Approximately 40 departments will be represented  from finance to front office, to housekeeping, and food and beverage  spanning both gaming and non-gaming areas of operations.

In addition to offering standard work transfers for permanent placement at The Parisian Macao, Sands China has launched My Way, a program that allows current gaming team members to work in non-gaming departments and positions at The Parisian Macao for a set period of time. My Way offers team members opportunities to discover new areas of professional interest  and the option to engineer diverse career paths at the new property.
The verdict of the Hotel Lisboa prostitution ring was announced yesterday morning at the Court of First Instance (TJB) by the president of the collective of judges, Rui Ribeiro.

After fourteen months behind bars, Alan Ho, the former executive director of the Hotel Lisboa and nephew of Macau gaming tycoon Stanley Ho, will walk out of jail. He has receiving a sentence of thirteen months of imprisonment (which has already been served) for one crime of prostitution exploitation due to being aware of the activities, and yet allowing them to continue to operate in the hotel he headed.

Kelly Wong, the former assistant deputy manager for the Special Market of Hotel Lisboa was the only defendant to be sentenced with a severe penalty. She was condemned to 2 years and 5 months behind bars, for having financially profited from the crime of prostitution.

The other four defendants, Peter Lun, Bruce Mak, Qiao Yan Yan and Pun Cham Un, were considered guilty of complicity in the activities and were handed down sentences ranging from 5 to 7 months of imprisonment, all of which have been considered served.

During the reading of the verdict, Ribeiro explained why the defendants were considered not guilty of the accusations of establishing and taking part in a criminal organization. He stated that there is not one single fact in the reports [of the Judiciary Police] that allows us to relate this activity to a criminal association. He added that a association is a concept well established in constitutional rights and criminal association needs strong evidence in order to prove it. In this case, this proof was not evident.

The court also noted that the verdict was based on the wiretappings, gathered documents, and witness testimonies. The reports from the Judiciary Police were useful as guides in the analysis and contextualization of the wiretappings.

The collective of judges decided to convict the defendants of only one crime of prostitution exploitation and not of the 90 counts, as the public prosecution wanted.

Regarding the second defendant Kelly Wong, the court decided that it was sufficiently proved that she took advantage of her position to charge fees to prostitutes; money to which she knew she was not entitled. In addition, she took advantage of her position to use the fifth and sixth defendants to help her to cover her activities, showing a direct intent.

Wong who has already served approximately 14 months of jail time, will now spend another 15 months in prison. This will be without the possibility of appealing for a suspension of her sentence as the legal framework which surrounds the crime doesnt allow that request.

Nevertheless, until the sentence becomes final, she can no longer be held in preventive custody. This led the court to implement the safeguards of a weekly presentation to the Public Security Police Force (PSP) station, and a prohibition on leaving the territory.

As for the first defendant, Alan Ho, although the crimes related to criminal association were unproven, the court acknowledged that he helped to organize and facilitate the prostitution activities in the hotel he headed, which, due to his level of education and studies in law, are inexcusable.

The court also referred to the fact that that although the current legal framework surrounding prostitution activities was only established in 1997, the prostitution activities were reported to have been ongoing from a much earlier period. As a result, the hotel [and its management] should have taken the initiative to address that fact after the law changed and such conduct became criminalized.

As for the other four defendants, their accountability was deemed to be lesser due to the fact that their guilt resulted mostly from imposed working duties resulting from their positions and functions.

None of the lawyers of the defendants or the accusation contested the final verdict.
Volunteers  Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteer handy men and women for light home modifications, light touch massage therapists, hair dressers, volunteers for meal assistance, and to visit with, play music and games with those on hospice services. Volunteers are needed with licensed certified therapy animals to love on our hospice patients in their own homes or assisted living centers. Hospice Visions would like volunteers interested in doing art projects with our patients; take someone to the store, run an errand or out for a drive; and as pet assistants to help patients receive regular visits from their beloved pets. Veterans can become a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer and visit with other veterans. Volunteers are also needed to assist with fundraising events and provide office assistance. Information: Nora, 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org.

Volunteers  The Senior Companion Program at the CSI Office on Aging needs volunteers, age 55 and older, to assist homebound seniors by providing friendly visits and transportation as needed. Information: Marisol, 208-736-2122 or toll free, 800-574-8656.

Drivers  The Senior Assisted Services (SAS) program at CSIs Office on Aging is looking for volunteer drivers for their transportation department. The volunteers will transport the programs senior clients to doctor appointments, shopping, and personal necessities. Information: Kathy, 208-736-2122.

Volunteers  The Foster Grandparent Program at the CSI Office on Aging has openings for volunteers, age 55 and older, to read to children ages 2 to 9 and assist with their academic and social skills. Placements are available throughout the Magic Valley in Head Start programs and public elementary schools. Information: Marisol, 208-736-2122 or toll free, 800-574-8656.

Volunteers  The CSI Office on Aging is looking for a volunteer with general office skills. The volunteer will sit at the front desk, greet customers, answer phone calls, file, input data on computer and perform other general office duties as requested by the director. The office is open from 8 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Info: Suzanne, 208-731-2122.

Drivers  The Twin Falls Senior Center is looking for volunteers to deliver meals to homebound seniors in the Twin Falls area. The center delivers meals Monday through Friday, and routes take one hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability. Volunteers can commit as little as one hour a week or up to five days a week. Several positions are available. Volunteers must be age 18 or older with their own car and have proof of liability insurance. Drivers are reimbursed for fuel. Information: Sandee Earl, 208-734-5084.

Volunteers  The CSI Refugee Center is in need of adult volunteers who are willing to assist refugees with English as a Second Language instruction and one-to-one ESL tutoring of adults. No previous teaching experience is required. Information: Kathy at 208-736-2166.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi greets his Gambian counterpart Neneh Macdouall-Gaye at a signing ceremony in Beijing on Thursday. ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY

Beijing has resumed diplomatic ties with Gambia, the West African country that cut "diplomatic" relations with Taiwan in 2013.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his visiting Gambian counterpart Neneh Macdouall-Gaye signed a joint statement on Thursday to resume diplomatic ties at ambassadorial level.

"Gambia recognizes the importance and reality of the one-China policy, national reunification and peaceful reunification," Gaye said at a joint news conference with Wang.

Wang said upholding the one-China principle is the prerequisite and political foundation for China's diplomatic relationship with any country.

"For more than two years, Gambia has demonstrated sincerity and determination and has made the right choice on this matter," he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular news briefing on Thursday that the resumption of ties is "not targeted at any other side".

He said there is no change in Beijing's policy on pushing forward relations across the Taiwan Straits.

China formed diplomatic ties with Gambia in 1974. But in 1995, Gambia cut these ties and shifted to Taipei.

However, in late 2013 it said it would cut "diplomatic" ties with Taiwan. A statement from the president's office said the decision was based on national strategic considerations.

Beijing said after learning of the decision that it had not contacted Gambia beforehand.

Wang said on Thursday that the resumption of ties is a natural outcome of previous efforts, follows the trend of the times and is in line with the interests of the two countries and their peoples.

He said both countries will explore cooperation in areas such as agriculture, investment, and trade and infrastructure.

Liu Youfa, former vice-president of the China Institute of International Relations, said the resumption of ties has been "pushed by the interests of both sides".

Liu saw no apparent link between the resumption of ties and Taiwan leader-elect Tsai Ing-wen, of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, taking office on May 20.

The past eight years, during which Ma Ying-jeou has served as the island's leader, have been marked by smooth exchanges between the mainland and Taiwan, with neither side engaged in a tug-of-war for diplomatic recognition.
Prime Minister Khalifa Ghwell of the Tripoli-based government warned the Tunisia-based Government of National Accord (GNA) formed under the U.N-backed Libya Political Agreement not to attempt entering Tripoli as a government because they would be arrested. He said they could freely enter the capital as Libyan citizens but not as a government.

Ghwell said the only government that they would hand over power to would be the one formed under the Libya-Libya dialogue.

At the beginning of the week, the Presidential Council based in Tunisia called on all Libyan institutions to hand over power to the GNA in a peaceful and orderly manner because majority of the members of the Tobruk-based parliament signed a document giving it the green light to start work and the Prime Minister-designate Faiez Serraj said there are plans to land in Tripoli during the weekend.

A statement from Tripoli, in reaction to the announcement, stressed that a government that has been imposed from abroad without the consensus of Libyans has no place amongst us. Ghwell also stressed that the GNA would be violating the law if they enter Libya as a government and they will be treated according to the law.

At the moment, Libya practically has three governments including the GNA although the latter, contrary to the two others, does not control any territory. The Islamic State on the other hand could be considered as a fourth authority controlling Sirte and other coastal areas.
President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin and Faure Gnassingbe of Togo on Tuesday called for a regional response to combat terrorism in West-Africa.

They made the statement after visiting the resort town of Grand Bassam in Cote dIvoire, where 18 people were killed on Sunday in attacks by Al-Qaida militants.

According to Togolese president Faure Gnassingbe, Terrorism cannot be fought alone national responses are important, but they must be augmented by regional and international response.

No country can defeat terrorism alone, said the Togolese president.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, in response to his African counterparts, said he will not be intimidated by the insurgency group which is slowly caving its way into West Africa.

Cote dIvoire is standing up, standing up to fight the cowards and protect its people, Ouattara said in a statement.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) which claimed Sundays attack on beach goers said it was revenge for French offensive against its members in the Sahel region. The terror group called for the withdrawal of French troops.

France already has 3,500 troops stationed in West Africa, trying to help restore stability after a rebellion in 2012 by ethnic Tuaregs in Mali that was later hijacked by jihadists linked to al Qaeda.

Frances foreign and interior ministers Jean-Marc Ayrault and Bernard Cazeneuve who visited Cote dIvoire on Tuesday said the militants modus operandi has changed.

We must strengthen our cooperation to ensure that terrorists have no chance, said Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Morocco also expressed strong solidarity with Cote dIvoire and offered intelligence assistance in the probe into the Sunday deadly terror attack.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco held talks over the phone with President Ouattara on Monday and offered to send a security team to support Ivorian authorities in the investigations.

Later in the day, a top Moroccan security delegation, including the Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad and Head of Moroccos internal intelligence service Abdellatif Hammouchi who is also Chief of General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), arrived in Abidjan and was immediately received by the Ivorian President.
Ghanas National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday disclosed that the West-African nation country faces a credible terrorist threat following Sundays deadly attacks in Cote dIvoire.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, the Council said on the basis of information it had from the intelligence agencies and allied partners, it had determined that there is a credible terrorist threat to all countries in the sub-region.

President John Dramani Mahama who heads the NSC urged nationals and foreigners alike to bear with the security measures in the interest of public safety.

The Council urges all Ghanaians and other nationals settled in Ghana to bear with security measures that may be enforced at various locations from time to time for the purpose of public safety, the council stated.

Attacks on neighbouring Cote DIvoire last Sunday in three hotels in the beach resort city of Grand-Bassam claimed 16 lives, while in January a similar attack at a hotel in Ouagadougou killed 28 people and injured a further 56.

Ghana has been on high security alert after the siege, with many analysts doubtful about the countrys ability to forestall a possible attack.

There has been also a massive public uproar over a decision by government to host two ex-Guantanamo detainees in the country.
Democratic Republic of Congos police has arrested 18 protesters on Tuesday during a demonstration calling for the release of jailed pro-democracy activists arrested a year ago.

UN human rights office in Congo said the activists were detained in the eastern city of Goma just after they began marching to demand the release of fellow members of the Struggle for Change (Lucha) group, Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala, who have been held in prison for a year awaiting trial.

The director of the United Nations human rights office in Congo, Jose Maria Aranaz, said the detainees had been allowed to speak to a lawyer but that UN officials were denied access.

The arrest of the two activists was part of a growing government crackdown on those speaking out against efforts to extend President Joseph Kabilas stay in power beyond the end of his constitutionally mandated two-term limit, which ends on December 19.

Six other Lucha members were sentenced on appeal this month to six months in prison for incitement to revolt for preparing banners that called on President Kabila to step down at the end of 2016.

Congo, Africas biggest copper producer and the worlds largest source of cobalt, is preparing to hold presidential elections in November.
Morocco and Russia have pledge to strengthen Africas positions in the international relations system and to join efforts to spur the continents development through a triangular cooperation.

The two countries made their pledge during the official visit King Mohammed VI is currently paying to Russia.

A statement issued Tuesday after the talks held by the King and President Vladimir Putin said that the two countries expressed their commitment to strengthening the positions of Africa in the international relations system.

They intend to cooperate closely on issues related to the economic development of African states, particularly in the partnership Morocco-Russia-Africa, the statement said, adding that Russia and Morocco attach great importance to the Sahara-Sahel region in the security system of the African continent.

The two countries which consider their strategic partnership a positive and constructive contribution to strengthening regional and international stability also called for the implementation of the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.

King Mohammed VIs visit to Russia was crowned by the adoption of the Statement on the Extended Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Morocco and the signing of several intergovernmental agreements.

The agreements signed Tuesday after the official talks held at the Kremlin deal with air traffic, environmental protection and the rational use of natural resources, fisheries, enhancement and mutual protection of investment and mutual protection of classified information in the military and military technology areas.

The two countries also signed a statement on combatting international terrorism, wherein they stressed the need to strengthen international cooperation to combat terrorism and violent extremism under all their forms.

They also called for strengthening the central role of the United Nations in the fight against international terrorism, transnational organized crime, corruption and other criminal challenges.

The Kingdom of Morocco welcomed on this occasion, the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to establish the broader front against terrorism on the basis of international legal standards and the United Nations Charter and that will operate with the consent and close coordination with the States who bear the burden of the fight against extremists and terrorists, says the Declaration.

Analysts say that Moroccan-Russian anti-terrorism cooperation will undoubtedly benefit African countries which are increasingly threatened by the scourge of terrorism.

Other joint documents signed on Tuesday deal with cooperation in energy, geological prospecting and development of mineral resources, tourism, cooperation in Islam and religious training, as well as cooperation between the Kremlin Museums and the State Hermitage Museum and Moroccos National Museums Foundation.

In this vein, King Mohammed VI inaugurated, Wednesday, at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the exhibition Morocco-Russia: a shared ancient history.

The exhibition, organized by the Moroccan foundation showcases the long and rich history of the kingdom of Morocco, displaying bronze objects from ancient Roman sites in Morocco as well as Roman sculptures, and other items. The exhibition to run until April, 16th will undoubtedly interest the Pushkin Museums 5,000 daily visitors.

Before the dedication of the exhibition, King Mohammed VI held a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The meeting was attended by several Moroccan and Russian ministers and senior officials.
Lawmakers in Chile's lower house of Congress on Thursday approved abortion in limited circumstances, the first step towards lifting a decades-old ban on the practice in the socially conservative South American country.

Under the measure approved by the Chamber of Deputies, abortion will be allowed in cases of rape, risk to the mother, or when the fetus is no longer considered viable. The Senate must now approve the draft.

Chile is one of the few countries in the world that does not allow abortion under any circumstances at all.

"Incrediblethe motion is passed," said the leader of the Chamber of Deputies, Marco Antonio Nunez, after a heated debate of the draft submitted by the government of President Michelle Bachelet.

"This is an historic day. We see the political will to let women make their own decisions," said lawmaker Karol Cariola of the Communist Party, which is part of the ruling coalition.

The deputies voted separately on each of the circumstances under which abortion will be allowed. Each time, the margin of approval was wide.

Conservative opposition lawmakers have vowed to take the case to the Constitutional Court.

Abortion had been legal in Chile before 1989 in cases of risk to the mother or an unviable fetus.

But ex-dictator General Augusto Pinochet outlawed the practice completely before leaving power in 1990, and the prohibition remained unchanged for more than two decades of democratic rule because of pressure from the Roman Catholic Church and conservative groups.

An estimated 160,000 clandestine abortions are carried out each year in Chile.

Bachelet, who is a pediatrician by training, has taken on conservative groups in Chile by seeking to ease the country's tough abortion law. Polls say 70 percent of Chileans support the new bill.

Conservative opposition lawmakers decried it as violating the rights of the unborn.

"We could say that the military government, or the dictatorship, whatever you want to call it, killed adults. You kill them before they are born," said lawmaker Manuel Garcia.

"This is a setback for protection of the unborn," said Claudia Nogueira of the ultraconservative Independent Democratic Union party.

Camila Vallejo, a lawmaker who backed the new law, said that if men gave birth, "abortion would have been allowed long ago."

Most of the countries of Latin America allow abortion at least when the life of the mother is in danger, although several have laws like Chile's, such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, according to the New York-based Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues.

Explore further Chilean Congress takes first step towards legal abortion

 2016 AFP
UBC Okanagan Professor Michael Woolworth finds manipulators less convincing online. Credit: UBC Okanagan

If you have to negotiate business with a narcissist or psychopath, you're better off doing it on Facebook, research from UBC's Okanagan campus shows.

In one of the first studies of its kind, UBC researchers found that traditionally successful manipulators who are classified as being part of the Dark Triad (DT)people with narcissistic, psychopathic or Machiavellian tendenciesdon't send very compelling online messages.

"The results of this study are pretty clearonce you remove non-verbal cues such as body language from the equation, the ability to smoke out narcissists and psychopaths becomes easier," says UBC's Michael Woodworth, a professor of psychology. "We can also conclude that it is very likely that the qualities that allow these people to successfully charm, manipulate, intimidate or exploit others appear to require a live, in-person audience."

The study, titled "The Dark Side of Negotiation", was conducted between October 2013 and February 2014 and included more than 200 Canadian university students, a proportion of who were identified as having various qualities on the DT spectrum.

After being randomly assigned to either a face-to-face or computer-mediated contact group, the students were asked to negotiate for concert tickets, either as a buyer or a seller, with the ultimate goal of achieving maximum financial benefit for themselves.

Consistent with other studies, Woodworth's research concluded that those who ranked higher on the DT spectrum were more successful in face-to-face negotiations than they were online. Surprisingly, the research also concluded that higher-ranking DT participants were 12.5 percent less successful in online negotiations than those ranking lower on the spectrum.

Students' placement on the spectrum varied depending on individual characteristics and attributes.

Each of the three parts of the DT has distinct traits. Psychopaths tend to lack empathy and be anti-social. Narcissists lean toward grandiosity and self-adoration. People with Machiavellian qualities are goal-oriented, calculated manipulators.

"While there has long been a fascination with DT personalities and how they can impact 'ordinary' people, little has been studied as to how these people behave online," says Woodworth.

"What this research tells us is that if you want to be confident in your ability not be taken in by these types of known manipulators, you're probably better off dealing with them online."

Working with Woodworth on the project were honours student Lisa Crossley, graduate student Pamela Black and UBC Professor Emeritus Bob Hare. The study was published this month in the journal of Personality and Individual Differences.

Woodworth and Crossley are now conducting similar DT research involving deception.
An international team of researchers has discovered a gene locus that could help the development of new drugs to fight cardiovascular disease (CVD). The locus is associated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which plays a causal role in the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Analysing genetic data from nearly 12,000 participants across five surveys in a genome-wide association study were scientists from the UK, Finland, the USA, Switzerland, Australia and Canada. They were able to pinpoint an association between LDL-cholesterol and a specific chromosome region, a locus that had not previously been liked to lipid metabolism. Two of the scientists received financial support as part of the EU DIABESITY project.

'The results potentially provide insight into the biological mechanisms that underlie the regulation of LDL cholesterol and might help in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular disease,' the scientists report in the current issue of the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet. Previous studies have shown that patients benefit from reducing LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood.

While the findings of the present study are corroborated by others, Dr Ronald Krauss of the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, USA, points out in a comment accompanying the paper that there is still more work to be done: 'In addition to the identification of new treatment targets, the discovery of genetic polymorphisms that affect LDL and other markers of cardiovascular disease risk could provide a means to categorise specific phenotypes that might merit different treatments and to identify at-risk individuals.'

'These polymorphisms probably include a high proportion of regulatory variants that would be of particular clinical interest because of the potential for modulation by preventive or therapeutic measures,' Dr Krauss adds. 'Overall, to discover further genetic effects on LDL cholesterol, additional candidate genes must be identified from studies of biological pathways or clinical cases, or genome-wide searches will be needed in even larger and more diverse populations, with more complete genotyping or resequencing and with acquisition of potentially relevant environmental information.'

Diseases of the heart and circulatory system are the main cause of death in the European Union, accounting for over 1.9 million deaths each year. According to the British Heart Foundation Statistics Website, 42% of all deaths in the EU (46% deaths in women and 39% deaths in men) are caused by CVD - slightly less than for Europe as a whole (49%). Between one-third and a half of deaths from CVD stem from coronary heart disease, and around a quarter from a stroke.

Explore further ESC statement on trans fatty acids
Skyler Jackman and colleagues studied the phenomenon known as synaptic facilitation by using light to turn neuronal connections on and off. The optogenetic protein used in this technique appears yellow. Credit: Regehr lab

Our brains are marvels of connectivity, packed with cells that continually communicate with one another. This communication occurs across synapses, the transit points where chemicals called neurotransmitters leap from one neuron to another, allowing us to think, to learn and to remember.

Researchers have known that these synapses often need a boost to send information across neuronal divides. But where that boost comes from has been a mystery.

Now Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered a gene that provides that boost by increasing neurotransmitter release in a phenomenon known as synaptic facilitation. And they did so by turning on a light or two.

The gene is synaptotagmin 7 (syt7 for short), a calcium sensor that dynamically increases neurotransmitter release; each release serves to strengthen communication between neurons for about a second. These swift releases are thought to be critical for the brain's ability to perform computations involved in short-term memory, spatial navigation and sensory perception.

A team of researchers who made this discovery was led by Skyler Jackman, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Wade Regehr, professor of neurobiology at HMS. They recently reported their findings in Nature.

"We really think one of the most important things the brain can do is change the strength of connections between neurons," Jackman said. "Now that we have a tool to selectively turn off facilitation, we can test some long-held beliefs about its importance for thinking and working memory."

Credit: Jasmine Vazquez

Although synaptic facilitation was first described 70 years ago by Te-Pei Feng, known as the father of Chinese physiology, Jackman and colleagues were able to identify the mechanism behind synaptic strengthening by taking advantage of advanced laboratory techniques unavailable to previous generations of scientists.

A dozen years ago, Regehr suspected that syt7 might drive this synaptic strengthening process: The gene turns on slowly and then ramps up in speed, which would fit gradual release of neurotransmitters.

About eight years ago scientists in another lab engineered "knockout" mice that lack the syt7 gene, setting the stage for experiments to test Regehr's speculations. But when grown in a lab dish, neurons from these knockout mice behaved no differently than other neurons; results that, at the time, dashed hopes that syt7 could explain the synaptic boost.

A year ago Jackman took another tack. He tested synaptic connections in brain tissue taken from the knockout mice but still having intact brain circuits, an experiment more reflective of how neurons and synapses might work in a living animal.

"It was striking. It was amazing," Jackman said. "As soon as we probed these connections we saw there was a huge deficit, a complete lack of synaptic facilitation in the knockout mice, completely different from their wild-type brothers and sisters."

To be certain that knocking out syt7 was responsible for this change, Jackman had to find a way to reinsert syt 7 and restore its function. He did that by using optogenetics, a genetic manipulation tool that allows neuronal connections to be turned on and off with light. He augmented this technique with bicistronic expression, a method that packages one optogenetic protein and one syt7 protein into a single virus that infects all neurons equally. Using these two techniques, Jackman could selectively study what happened when syt7 was reinserted into a neuron and measure its effects reliably.

Jackman is eager to use these techniques to study subsets of neurons in different parts of the brain to see whether the gene affects fear in the amygdala, for example, or spatial navigation in the hippocampus.

"We have theories about how the brain works, but without having a way to change the brain, we don't really know how to test those theories," Jackman said. "This gives us a new tool for changing the function of the brain and seeing how that affects the behavior of an animal."

Explore further Scientists find brain plasticity assorted into functional networks

More information: Skyler L. Jackman et al. The calcium sensor synaptotagmin 7 is required for synaptic facilitation, Nature (2016). Journal information: Nature Skyler L. Jackman et al. The calcium sensor synaptotagmin 7 is required for synaptic facilitation,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/nature16507
An updated Cochrane Review, published today in the Cochrane Library, says that the benefits of a variety of interventions intended to reduce sitting at work are very uncertain.

Millions of people worldwide sit at a desk all day, and over recent years this has led to increased levels of physical inactivity in the work place. Health experts have warned that long periods of sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. There are a number of different approaches to reduce the amount of time we spend sitting down while at work. One option that is increasing in popularity is the sit-stand desk. These are desks that are designed to allow you to work at your desk sitting down or standing up.

A team of Cochrane researchers updated a systematic review that looked at the effects of different strategies to encourage people to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting at work. They looked at twenty studies with a total of 2,174 participants from the US, the UK and Europe. They included evidence from both randomised and non-randomised studies.

Although sit-stand desks are popular, their potential health benefits are very uncertain. The researchers found very low quality evidence from three non-randomised studies and low quality evidence from three randomised studies, with 218 participants, that people who used them sat between 30 minutes and two hours less, compared to when they used conventional desks during the working day. Sit-stand desks also reduced total sitting time, both at work and outside work, and the durations of sitting episodes that last 30 minutes or longer. Standing more did not produce harmful effects in the studies, such as musculoskeletal pain, varicose veins or a decrease in productivity.

Other interventions aimed at reducing inactivity such as taking a walk during breaks at work didn't change the length of sitting time at work. The authors found low quality evidence that counselling may lead to a modest reduction in sitting time, (around 30 minutes on average). The researchers found a number of limitations in the included studies that reduced their confidence in the validity and applicability of the results from the trials. The quality of evidence was low for most of the interventions looked at, mainly because the studies were poorly designed and recruited small numbers of participants.

The study's lead author, Nipun Shrestha from the Health Research and Social Development Forum, Thapathali, Nepal, commented: "This Cochrane Review shows that, at the moment, there is uncertainty over how big an impact sit-stand desks can make on reducing the time spent sitting at work in the short term. There is also low quality evidence of modest benefits for other types of interventions. Given the popularity of sit-stand desks in particular, we think that people who are considering investing in sit-stand desks and the other interventions covered in this review should be aware of the limitations of the current evidence base in demonstrating health benefits. We need further research to assess the effectiveness of different types of interventions for reducing sitting time in workplaces in both the short and long term. The evidence base would be improved with larger studies, longer follow-up and research from low income countries."

Co-author Jos Verbeek, from the Cochrane Work Review Group, Kuopio, Finland, said, "It is important that workers who sit at a desk all day take an interest in maintaining and improving their well-being both at work and at home. However, at present, there is not enough high quality evidence available to determine whether spending more time standing at work can repair the harms of a sedentary lifestyle. Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure, so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight. It's important that workers and employers are aware of this, so that they can make more informed decisions."

Explore further Study explores the effect of sit-to-stand workstations on sedentary behaviour outside of office hours

More information: Shrestha N, Kukkonen-Harjula KT, Verbeek JH, Ijaz S, Hermans V, Bhaumik S. Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD010912. Journal information: Cochrane Library Shrestha N, Kukkonen-Harjula KT, Verbeek JH, Ijaz S, Hermans V, Bhaumik S. Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work.2016, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD010912. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub3
The results are based on a survey with nearly 3,000 participating students in south-western Uganda. The students responded to a number of questions, including aspects concerning sexuality, physical and mental health, sexual risk behaviour, and experiences with drugs. The questions about homosexuality pertained to the students' emotions as well as their actions. The results showed that one in three had been in love with a person of the same sex; almost one in five had been sexually attracted to a person of the same sex; and one in ten had been sexually active with someone of the same sex. In terms of percentages, 6-8 per cent of the men and 10-16 per cent of the women had engaged in homosexual relations.

"We were not surprised by the results, as the numbers are consistent with the situation in most other countries in the world. The real figures could actually be even higher. Although the survey was anonymous, the intense propaganda against homosexuality in Uganda may have intimidated some from providing honest answers", says Anette Agardh.

Anette Agardh is Associate Professor in Global Health at Lund University. The current surveys are part of her ongoing efforts to improve sexual health among young persons in south-western Uganda, a project she has been involved in since 2004. These efforts also include various health promoting activities with the aim of preventing risk behaviours, sexual violence, and HIV among young people.

The surveys showed that homosexual experiences appear to be associated with several health risks, including poor mental health, being the victim of sexual coercion and violence, and engaging in sexual risk behaviour and drug use. People with homosexual experiences also more frequently reported their need for, but lack of access to, sexual health counselling.

Considering the ongoing campaigns against HIV, Anette Agardh hopes that the results of this study will lead to increased prioritisation of health services for this vulnerable group as such campaigns are only effective if everyone - regardless of their sexual identity - is treated with equal respect by healthcare providers.

"This is hardly the case today, as strong prejudice against homosexuality exists in large parts of Ugandan society. In the absence of facts and knowledge about human sexuality, myths tend to proliferate, for example, that sex between two men not involve a risk for HIV, and that a homosexual woman can be 'cured' by so-called 'corrective rape', Anette Agardh says.

The study, published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, is the first study that shows the prevalence of homosexual and bisexual relations in Uganda and their association with increased health risks. Anette Agardh hopes that it will help generate a more nuanced debate.

According to Anette Agardh, "Evidence-based knowledge is essential for creating openness about sensitive issues such as these. Hopefully, the results of our study can at the very least help alleviate some of the controversy surrounding homosexuality in Uganda today.

Explore further Sexual coercion common among students in Uganda

More information: Anette Agardh et al. Health Risks in Same-Sex Attracted Ugandan University Students: Evidence from Two Cross-Sectional Studies, PLOS ONE (2016). Journal information: PLoS ONE Anette Agardh et al. Health Risks in Same-Sex Attracted Ugandan University Students: Evidence from Two Cross-Sectional Studies,(2016). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150627
Economy Minister visits aircraft production in Israel

A top Georgian official is in Israel to meet local authorities and to visit the countrys leading aircraft production factory  whose analogue is currently being built in Tbilisi, Georgia.Today, the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia and Minister of Economic Dimitry Kumsishvili visited factories belonging to Israels leading aircraft components and parts producer, Elbit Systems - Cyclone Ltd.The corporation started building a similar plant in Georgia in September 2015 on the territory of Tbilisi's Shota Rustaveli International Airport, which when complete will produce civil aircraft parts for Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier passenger planes.The total cost of the factory is expected to reach $85 million USD. The project is being jointly financed by Georgias Ministry of Economics, a state-owned shareholding company, the Partnership Fund (PF), and Elbit Systems  Cyclone Ltd.Kumsishvili said the factory will be completed next year and employ 300 locals, who will all gain specialist training as taught by Israeli experts.It is expected that the new facility will produce civil aviation composite parts that have a competitive advantage in the world market, and on-sold to the airline industry.More specifically, the plant will produce parts such as doors, aerodynamic surfaces and control panels.The plant will export 100 percent of the produced products.
Environment Ministry installs special devices to suspend illegal fishing

By Messenger Staff

The Ministry of Environment of Georgia will install special devices at lakes and rivers in Georgia to suspend illegal types of fishing with electric shock apparatus.The new devices provided by the Ministry could identify the electric shock apparatus in a 100 meter radius and send immediate messages online to the Supervisory Department of the Ministry of Environment.The device has already been tested in Rustavi's Central Park Lake.The testing process was attended by the Minister officials and Georgian inventers of the device.The inventors had been cooperating with the Ministry to create the special device for six months.The Ministry believed the device would decrease illegal fishing to minimum and help protect the environment.There are still many people in Georgia who send electric waves into the water and instantly kill hundreds and thousands of fish, then sell them and earn money.Such actions are damaging to the environment, especially to rare breeds of fish.Unfortunately, Georgian attitudes towards the environment still need to be changed.During the Soviet era, people believed that everything was owned by the government, and if they polluted the environment they believed they polluted the area of the Soviet government; if people stole, they believed they stole something from the government. There was little sense of a homeland.This attitude was only found amongst some sections of society  and still is  butthis part is enough for polluting, illegal fishing, hunting and so on.As some people in Georgia still lack a sense of social responsibility, the Government should carry out an effective information campaign to inform them of the possibility of fines and punishment and then use strong measures to address environmental issues.
The News in Brief

Countering Transnational Organized Crime Conference organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and US Embassy in Georgia



The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the US Embassy in Georgia and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies organized a two-day international conference in at the Holiday Inn entitled The Fight against Trans-border Organized Crime. The event was attended by Mr. Shalva Khutsishvili, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, who addressed the participants of the conference with a keynote speech.



The objective of the event was to review modern trends and threats of cross-border organized crime, in this regard the representatives of relevant agencies of different countries shall share experience and review the opportunities of national, regional and international cooperation.



At the conference, the representatives of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, USA, Hungary, Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Ministry of Justice of Georgia gave a series of presentations. The presentations covered issues such as the trends and challenges of cross-border organized crime, corruption, human trafficking, the fight against organized crime, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, inter-agency cooperation and importance of joint investigation groups.



Representatives of the relevant state agencies of the partner countries - namely Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania  all attended the conference. (Ministry of Internal Affairs)







Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project important for Europe  Turkish minister



The project for constructing the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway is of great importance in cargo transportation not only for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, but for the whole of Europe, the Turkish Minister of Transport, Maritime and Communication, Binali Yildirim, said.



He noted that after being commissioned in 2016, the BTK railway will initially transport cargo, with passenger transportation to begin later, TRT Haber TV channel reported March 9.



Currently, work is underway to complete the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, Yildirim added.



The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being constructed on the basis of a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement and is expected to be commissioned in the second half of 2016.



The railways peak capacity will be 17 million tons of cargo a year. At the initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo. (trend.az)







Georgian students design unique bulletproof vest



Testing is about to begin on a new military-grade bulletproof vest designed by Georgian students.



If successful, Georgia's State Military Scientific Centre Delta could begin producing the military protection equipment and roll out the products to Georgian soldiers serving at home and abroad.



Delta experts welcomed the young inventors from a public school in western Georgia to the scientific centre earlier this week.



After learning more about the uniquely designed bulletproof vest, Delta agreed to manufacture a test version of the vest for evaluation.



The manager of the Inventors Club of the Khoni Public School No.2, Mikheil Koshitadze, spoke to Maestro TV about the invention. He told the hosts of the Business Morning programme about how his team of students had developed an armoured vest that prevented structural deformation upon bullet impact.



The young inventors said their invention featured usual bulletproof vest protection from bullets but it further safeguarded its wearer from sustaining damage from the deformed vest after it was hit by a bullet.



The team's innovative layer of cubes for the vest held air under pressure and was expected to absorb kinetic energy received by the vest upon bullet impact.



Common armoured vests prevented bullet wounds but often the wearer was still injured after the vests typically deformed two to eight centimetres inwards.



Koshitadze told the morning programme the vest used the same material as normal body armour and only differed in its construction, making its manufacturing easier.



Delta will evaluate a test version of the vest before making a decision on whether to commission it for production.



The Scientific Centre manufactures advanced defence and civilian equipment including unmanned aerial vehicles and military hardware for the Georgian Armed Forces. (agenda.ge)




The News in Brief

Georgia is going to ban noise - the BBC



The BBC has published an article with the title 'Georgia is going to ban noise' . The article quotes Tedo Kobakhidze, the Chairman of Parliaments Legal Affairs Committee.



According to Kobakhidze, he agreed to a proposal according to which any violator of public noise regulations will receive an official warning for a first-time offence with heavy fines for repeat incidents.



Our population is living in unbearable conditions. There are not any sanctions for noise violations and nobody is punished for creating a public nuisance, he told the BBC.



According to him, the adoption of the law on prohibition of noise will be in the peoples interest and will prevent conflicts between the owners of cafe-bars and local population.



He added that the law will not restrict business.

(IPN)







Georgian Foreign Minister to Visit U.S.



Georgias Foreign Minister, Mikheil Janelidze, will be visiting the United States next week during which he will meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Georgian Foreign Ministry has announced.



Janelidze will also meet White House officials and co-chairs of Congressional Georgian Caucus Congressmen, Ted Poe and Gerald Connolly.



In an opinion piece published in The Hill ahead of his trip to Washington, Janelidze says that the relationship between Georgia and the U.S. at all levels of government  from the administration to Congress  has never been stronger.



A top priority is forging even closer economic and security ties between our two countries, he wrote.

(Civil.ge)







UN Security Council adopts resolution to curb alleged sex abuse by peacekeepers



The UN Security Souncil has adopted a resolution that calls for the repatriation of peacekeeping units whose soldiers face allegations of sexual abuse.



The US-drafted resolution  the first by the Security Council to confront the rise in sex abuse claims against peacekeepers  was adopted by a vote of 14 in favour, with Egypt abstaining.



The United Nations has been badly shaken by a wave of allegations that its peacekeepers in the Central African Republic raped young girls and exploited women.



A UN report released last week showed a significant rise in the number of allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers in 10 missions, from 52 in 2014 to 69 last year.



Minutes before the adoption, Egypt presented an amendment that would have added criteria for the repatriation of entire contingents, a move US ambassador Samantha Power said would have watered down the resolution.



That amendment was backed by Angola, Russia, China, Egypt and Venezuela but fell short of the nine votes needed for approval.

(IPN)







Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia ll plants tree in Didgomi forest



The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia ll, has planted a tree in the Didgomi forest.



The event was attended by Mayor of Tbilisi, Davit Narmania, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Giga Agulashvili and the City Assembly Chairman, Giorgi Alibegashvili.



The event was organized by Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. The Patriarchs 150 godchildren and their parents also took part in the event.



According to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, similar events will be held in all cities of Georgia.

(IPN)




@doug_hanks

Looking more like an official candidate for mayor, school board member Raquel Regalado issued a video statement Friday slamming Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez for helping broker a deal to bring the nation's largest mall to Northwestern Miami-Dade.

The video posted on Regalado's Facebook page followed what may be the first-ever video rebuttal to the mayor's State of the County address last week. Regalado has said she is considering a run for county mayor in 2016, but has not announced her candidacy.

In the latest video, Regalado criticized the proposed American Dream Miami mall and theme park for offering low-wage retail and hospitality jobs. "We should focus on diversifying our economy," she said in the English version of the video. (The La Poderosa radio host also posted a Spanish version.)

In his announcement this week, Gimenez touted American Dream as a boon to the economy and noted high-wage jobs are out of reach for many county residents.

Regalado criticized that remark Friday. "It's shameful that our mayor has such a low opinion of our residents and neighbors," she said.

Gimenez spokesman Michael Hernandez declined to comment on the video.

Regalado's position on the $4 billion project, which promises 25,000 permanent jobs, isn't just of political interest. Developer Triple Five wants vacant state land currently leased by the school system. The nine-member school board must endorse the deal, which involves Triple Five paying $7 million to compensate the system for giving up its lease.

"Thankfully, Miami-Dade County School Board will weigh in on this project, the viability of this plan, and the impact it will have on surrounding communities," said Regalado, now serving her second term on the board.
@PatriciaMazzei

Now that his friend Marco Rubio is out of the Republican presidential race, former U.S. Rep. David Rivera plans to formally get back into politics.

Rivera emailed supporters Wednesday, the day after Rubios candidacy ended, to say hes filed to run for the Florida House of Representatives, where Rivera began his political career.

Exciting News! read the subject line for the email, sent from Riveras personal Comcast account. Today I launched my candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives in District 118!

Floridas Division of Elections didnt show any Rivera paperwork Wednesday night, though there is sometimes a lag in when documents get posted.

The former congressman first revealed his plans to try to return to the Florida Legislature back in 2014. On Election Day that year, he showed up at at least one Southwest Miami-Dade County precinct to collect petition signatures to qualify for the 2016 ballot.

In his email Wednesday, Rivera bragged that the best part about his new candidacy is, I have already gathered nearly 2,000 petition signatures from voters within the district who want me to serve as their representative in Tallahassee.

More here.
TALLAHASSEE  They are too wounded to know what is next.

While Gov. Rick Scott has thrown his support behind Donald Trump and called on Florida Republicans to unite behind the brash real estate tycoon, Marco Rubio loyalists just aren't there yet.

"It is very difficult for me to see Rubio move on," state Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, a member of Rubio's Florida leadership team, said. "I feel Marco had the best qualities of any of the other 17 candidates that had put themselves out there. All of the rest of the candidates are seriously flawed."

He's hardly alone. More than a half-dozen members of Rubio's leadership team in Florida said over the last 48 hours that they are not ready to unite behind Trump, with many leaving open the possibility of never getting behind him and holding out a glimmer of hope that a contested Republican National Convention could revive Rubio's chances.

For those running for re-election and facing Republican primaries in the fall, supporting Trump or not has consequences that could affect their own races.

Rather than committing, many are just staying out of the discussion all together.

Instead of endorsing any of the three remaining candidates, U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, Rubio's co-chairman for Florida, said he's simply "taking a break" for a while and focusing on his own campaign for re-election in a newly re-drawn Congressional District that already has drawn a Republican primary opponent. Charlotte County Republican John Sawyer III, has filed to challenge Rooney in a district that includes central Florida citrus areas from Polk County south to Lake Okeechobee.

State Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, an early Rubio supporter, said as of Wednesday he has no plans to endorse another presidential candidate.

"For the moment, I'm staying on the sidelines I'm focused on my campaign and my race in 2016," said Diaz de la Portilla, who's seeking re-election in what's expected to be a very competitive general election campaign against State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami.

Full Story Here
@PatriciaMazzei

Marco Rubio put an end Thursday to speculation that he might run for Florida governor in 2018, now that he's out of the Republican presidential race.

"I'm not running for governor of Florida," Rubio told reporters in the U.S. Senate, a few hours after returning for work.

He also ruled out being vice-president for any candidate. And he reiterated he won't seek reelection to his Senate seat, though he's technically still got time to do so.

Rubio seemed in good spirits, cracking a few jokes despite ending his campaign less than 48 hours earlier. He said he's unprepared to endorse one of his former rivals yet, though he told Minnesota backers in a call that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is the remaining "conservative" in the race,

"I meant Ted's positions are conservative," Rubio said. "I like Gov. [John] Kasich. That was just my opinion."

Once his Senate term concludes, Rubio will be out of public life, at least for a while.

"I'm going to be a private citizen in January," he said.
@MichaelAuslen

Planned Parenthood supporters delivered 12,000 petitions to Gov. Rick Scotts office Thursday, urging him to veto legislation that would create new restrictions on abortion clinics.

The group, led by National Organization for Womens lobbyist Barbara DeVane and Regina Sheridan, a Tallahassee-based activist, asked to meet with the governor about the petitions, but an aide told them he was not in the office.

The petitions in part read, Instead of attacking womens rights and endangering their health, the legislature should focus on improving womens health.

HB 1411 would create tough new rules for clinics, requiring doctors to have admitting privileges or transfer agreements with nearby hospitals and treating them more similarly to surgical centers under the law. It defines in statute the length of each trimester of a pregnancy, aligning with arguments used by the state in a battle with Planned Parenthood.

The bill would also cut all Medicaid funding for non-abortion services  like cancer screenings or STD tests  at any clinic that performs elective abortions.

Abortion rights activists argue that the combined effect of all these provisions is fewer clinics.

Its death by a thousand cuts, DeVane said. They know abortion is legal in this country  so theyre shutting them down by no access from these doctors not being given admitting privileges.

That, they say, could lead to more unsafe or self-induced abortions.

But supporters of the legislation argue just the opposite. In part, they want to create higher standards. They also want to ensure that tax dollars from those people who oppose abortion dont indirectly fund the clinics that provide the procedure and other services.

"This bill says we're going to treat abortion clinics the same way that we treat other similarly situated clinics," said Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, the bill's sponsor, on the Senate floor last week.

The Legislature sent the bill to Scott for his signature or veto last Friday. He has until March 26 to act on it.

Times/Herald photo by Michael Auslen.
With Florida's presidential primary is alll of 38 hours in the rearview mirror, Florida U.S. Senate candidates are now ready to take center stage.

That was clear this morning when U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, tried to ignite a mini-Twitter feud with fellow Republican Todd Wilcox over who is the insider candidate in an election year that has so far been defined by who is the outsider candidate.

Just before 9 a.m. Jolly started the skirmish accusing Wilcox of lifting parts of GOP presidential candidate John Kasich's budget plan and adopting it as his own. In a series of tweets, Jolly says Wilcox cannot take and "insiders" budget plan and call it an outsider plan.

Just read @ToddWilcox2016 "new" budget plan. Nice copy and paste job from @JohnKasich https://t.co/cUnvUhTiuP  David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) March 17, 2016

Wilcox, a businessman, fired back, making sure to note that Jolly is a Congressman and a "Washington Politician" and even includes a little dig on being a K-Street insider.
The Australians have Ned Kelly. The Scots have Rob Roy MacGregor. How come Americans havent elevated Thomas Meagher to the status of national folk hero?

Tim Egan recalled feeling flat-footed when asked the identity of the man on horseback rampant before the Montana Capitol in Helena. At the time, he was unaware that Montanas first territorial governor had a backstory with more thrills than a Die Hard movie and better taste in sequels.

What Im trying to do is rescue Meagher from the mist of history, Egan said during a break from a cross-country book tour celebrating publication of The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero. At one point, he was easily the most prominent Irish-American in the United States. Not until John F. Kennedy came along was there a bigger one. But when he went to Montana, he kind of fell off the map.

Or was pushed, both figuratively and literally. Meagher spent his entire adult life cheating death from authority figures, before falling off a riverboat stateroom balcony into the Missouri River at Fort Benton on July 1, 1867. His body was never found. Egan cites extensive research indicating Meagher was probably assassinated by an agent of the Vigilantes, whose secret-society power he threatened by convening a publicly elected Legislature.

Most of Montanas early history was written by the people who may have killed him, Egan said of Meaghers first biographers. They described him as a drunk and a whoremonger, and did not give him his due at all. But the official history of Yellowstone gives Meagher credit as one of the first persons suggesting it might be a national park. The Legislature he convened got the road system going, got the ferry system going, and then enemies got his legislation removed by Congress in an unprecedented act. But everywhere Meagher went, he stood against injustice.

And it got him into constant fights.

***

Meagher was the son of a wealthy merchant family in County Waterford, but became radicalized during the Great Hunger of the 1840s when a million Roman Catholic Irish starved to death while their Protestant English landlords exported shiploads of food to foreign markets. While his speaking and writing skills roused a huge popular protest against English rule, Meagher realized an emaciated nation of paupers stood no chance in battle with the British Army. Nevertheless, he was captured and sentenced to death for fomenting rebellion.

The sentence was commuted to transportation, the English euphemism for exile to the island of Tasmania for the rest of a prisoners life. Meagher was allowed to live there like a parolee, in his own cabin but with regular appearances before a local magistrate and a ban on any contact with other exiles in neighboring districts. Egan wrote that Meagher flouted that rule by meeting a fellow revolutionary across a table the two men placed in a small stream that bounded their territories.

After about two years of enforced inactivity, Meagher put together a daring escape involving rowing across a swift ocean channel to a deserted island, where he waited for weeks for a rescue ship to pick him up for a trip to the United States. He arrived to a heros welcome in 1852, and soon became wealthy in New York City as a public speaker and writer touting the free Ireland cause.

At the time, the anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Party was waging a loud and violent campaign against Irish presence. Its members were suspected of starting riots in Philadelphia that left more than 30 people dead, along with churches, homes and even a fire station burned down.

Egan quoted one direct stab at the man known as the Tribune of Ireland:  As there is no word in the Irish language synonymous with Scoundrel, went one takedown, anonymously written and widely reprinted, henceforth let us use the name of Meagher. 

They were the second-biggest party in America, and they said the Irish were scum, Egan said. Take the exact same things that were said about the Irish, and substitute the word Mexican, and you can see this strain you think was gone is still alive today. You saw it with the Italians in the early 20th century. You saw it with the Asians and closing the door on China. And now you see it with the call to build a wall on the Mexican border. That nativist streak is not gone. It comes and goes.

***

Meagher opted to fight for Irish rights on someone elses battlefield.

As the titular United States lurched toward Civil War, Meagher reached out to President Abraham Lincoln with an offer to raise an Irish army for the Union. Lincoln made him a general, and Meaghers Irish Brigade went on to win bloody distinction in the battles of Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg.

The Irish Brigade also logged the third-highest casualty rate in the Union Army. In the middle of the war, a new military draft law triggered days of rioting in the Irish neighborhoods of New York. The success Meaghers fighters won in battle got recomposed into an example of how a bigoted wealthy class was using the poor Irish as cannon fodder to free African slaves who would steal their jobs.

Meagher argued back publicly, endorsing the Emancipation Proclamation and comparing the plight of Southern slaves to the Irish under British rule. But he had also lost his taste for war. The South surrendered on April 9, 1865, and three months later, Meagher was betting that a move to the West would reveal his new fortune.

The luck of the Irish might have been coined for Meaghers life. While in Minnesota preparing for the trek to the Rocky Mountains, he got a telegram confirming that he was appointed acting secretary of Montana Territory by Lincolns successor, President Andrew Johnson. Departing jobless and nearly broke, Meagher arrived in Virginia City a federal dignitary.

He immediately got crossways with Montana Post Editor Thomas Dimsdale, the Oxford-educated, short, sickly and humorless  (and) strong supporter of a secret society that ran Montana Territory without formal recognition or adherence to the Constitution. Dimsdale is also the namesake of the Montana Better Newspaper Contests award for best weekly newspaper.

While the Vigilantes hold a heros status in many Montana history books for opposing allegedly crooked Sheriff Henry Plummer and his Innocents robbery gang, Egan said his research paints a very different picture.

Those guys were murderers, Egan said. They didnt let people have trials, they just grabbed whoever they wanted and hanged them. This was a constitutional democracy protected by the U.S. Constitution, and those are the people youre celebrating? I think Meagher brought the old struggle of the Know-Nothings to Virginia City. There was a North-South, Reconstruction part of it, but the Vigilantes were Freemasons and Protestants, who clearly didnt like the Irish and Catholics.

***

Egan credits Bozeman attorney and historian Paul Wylie for diligent work correcting the record on Meaghers time in Montana, including a 2012 coroners inquest into the facts of Meaghers death that found for murder.

But Meaghers own supporters started the rewrite decades before. Butte miners, largely Irish and including Egans great-grandfather, raised money in 1905 that paid for the equestrian statue of Meagher in Helena.

They placed that statue the way they did deliberately, Egan said of the sword-waving general and horse facing away from the Capitols front door. It meant only one thing: You can kiss my Irish ass.
A Mexican man will be sentenced in June after pleading guilty to a federal charge of distributing heroin in western Montana.

Octavio Guadalope Garcia-Morales, a 29-year-old man authorities say has been living in the country illegally, entered the plea to a count of distribution of heroin in U.S. District Court in Missoula on Wednesday as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

After his arrest in December 2015, Garcia-Morales was also indicted on a second charge of distribution of heroin, and charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. All three charges were dismissed under the agreement.

In a criminal complaint filed Dec. 21, Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Troy Casper wrote that an informant told authorities in November that a man nicknamed Junior who lived in Missoula was supplying heroin to a drug dealer named Jonas Magstadt.

An undercover agent met with the informant and Magstadt at Southgate Mall in Missoula on Nov. 20, where the agent bought roughly 19 grams of heroin from Magstadt in exchange for $3,000, the complaint stated. Casper saw Magstadt get into a gold Honda Accord parked nearby that was registered to Garcia-Morales.

Authorities received search warrants to attach a GPS tracking device to Garcia-Morales car and track his cellphones location, calls and text messages. Over the course of early December 2015, agents found that his car frequently visited the Pak Rat Storage Facility in Missoula and believed he was storing the vehicle in one of the units there, the complaint stated.

In mid-December, Garcia-Morales phone was tracked to Mojave, California, and a call was made to a known methamphetamine smuggler under investigation in that area.

When Garcia-Morales returned to Missoula in a different car Dec. 18, he recovered the Honda from the storage facility. He was stopped and arrested as he was leaving the business.

In interviews with law enforcement, Garcia-Morales said he went to California to pick up 2 pounds of heroin, but the shipment hadnt arrived from Mexico yet. He told officers where they could find methamphetamine both in the storage unit and at his Missoula apartment.

In court Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch advised Garcia-Morales of the potential penalties for distribution of heroin before allowing him to enter his plea.

The crime carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, three years of supervised released and up to a $1 million fine, and Lynch said it was likely Garcia-Morales also would be deported.

Garcia-Morales will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen on June 30.

In addition to agreeing to dismiss three of his four charges, prosecutors also will recommend a reduction in his sentence due to his acceptance of responsibility.
Mary Poole of Soft Landing Missoula opened her Feb. 25th opinion (Facts show Missoula can safely welcome refugees) by asserting that her subject is surrounded by a lot of misinformation. She followed that with her own barrage of misleading information.

For example, on the subject of vetting prospective refugees for the dangers they may pose to us, Poole highlights the 18- to 24-month multi-step process thats involved. But as Kelly Gauger of the State Departments Refugee Admissions office explained last October, Were not spending 18 months doing security checks.  At any given time, weve got something like a quarter-million people churning through the system. In other words, its like everyones experience at the Motor Vehicle Departmentyou wait in line for an hour, yet your own business takes just a few minutes.

Poole also thinks that the vetting agencies have matters well under control, quoting FBI Director James Comey that we have gotten much better as an intelligence community at  checking our databases in a way that gives us high confidence. Thats a very incomplete picture, though, as Comey testified to the House Homeland Security Committee in October: We can only query against that which we have collected. And so if someone has not made a ripple in the pond  on a way that would get their identity or their interests reflected in our databases, we can query our databases until the cows come home, but nothing will show up because we have no record of that person.

Beyond the specific matter of refugee resettlement, todays U.S. government demonstrates seemingly universal incompetence, from Transportation Security Administration airport screeners 95 percent failure rate at intercepting test contraband to the slack immigration vetting of San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik to the Environmental Protection Agencys flooding Colorados Animas River with orange, toxic mine waste. So who believes that, with hard-to-investigate refugees, suddenly the feds will perform?

Then theres the matter of International Rescue Committees specific designs on Missoula; Poole reports that IRC considers the city a good candidate to absorb about 100 refugees per year. What the enthusiasts at Soft Landingand the Missoula County commissioners, who support the ideamight not realize is that, once its started, theyll have zero control over the process. Thatll be up to the State Department and IRC.

In the experience of many small cities around the country (e.g. Amarillo, Texas; Springfield, Massachusetts; Manchester, New Hampshire), the resulting local impacts can be daunting and onerous. After a spell, they find their schools and social-services agencies begging for relief from the influx.

Consider the ordeal of Lynn, Massachusetts, a city of 90,000 just north of Boston with a school district serving 15,000 students. Lynns schools took in about 500 students from Central America between 2011 and 2014. One might think such an increase in school population of only 3.5 percent wouldnt be a big deal, but thats not how its worked out for the city.

As Mayor Judith Kennedy told an audience at the National Press Club in August 2014, her health department had to curtail inspection services to afford the surge in immunizations needed by the schools new arrivals. She had to end an effective, gang-suppressing community-policing program to free up resources for the schools. With many of the arrivals illiterate in any language, the schools needed many more classroom aides along with interpreters. (The school districts website broadcasts the availability of translation services in Arabic, Creole, Khmer and Spanish.) Altogether, Kennedy had to shrink every other departments 2015 budget by 2 to 5 percent from its 2014 level to accommodate a 9.3 percent increase in school funding.

(Lynns influx includesbesides refugeesillegal aliens and ordinary immigrants, but all three categories of arrivals from third world countries impose comparable burdens on taxpayers.)

Such costs for translators and interpreters are an unfunded mandate the national government levies on states and localities, applicable to court proceedings, too. The requirement is open-ended. For example, in 2014 Manchester, New Hampshire, got in trouble with the feds in a school-expulsion case by failing to provide an interpreter for Dinka, the language of South Sudan.

For these and other reasons, Montanans might view Soft Landings proselytizing for refugee resettlement with great skepticism.
The Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal is our worst nightmare that nobody is talking about.

The TPP is a deal with 40 percent of the global economy for the 1 percent to get richer, and the rest of us to fall to the bottom of the barrel.

If you want proof that the TPP was written to benefit corporate interests, just look at the negotiation process. The trade agreement was deliberated for seven years behind closed doors between the U.S. and 11 other countries, with 600 corporations in on the talks too. If that doesnt convince you, just read the deal.

The TPP would flood the U.S. with unsafe imported products, increase medicine prices, offshore tens of thousands of American jobs, throw us into competition with low-wage countries like Vietnam, ban buy local policies, free banks from strict oversight, and empower corporations to attack American environmental and health safeguards. In other words, it is the Christmas list of Wall Street and major CEOs. This trade deal is less about trade and more about lining the pockets of corporations, banks and big-shot lawyers.

This deal is bad for 99 percent of Americans and bad for Montana. If you are in that 99 percent (make less than $350,000/year), please call Rep. Ryan Zinke and urge him to vote no on the TPP.

Stuart Shay,

Billings
KALISPELL  Ryan Pengelly, the Army veteran who was shot by two Kalispell Police officers in January, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of assault on a police officer.

His attorney said after the arraignment he hopes to convince the Flathead County Attorneys Office that a traumatic brain injury Pengelly suffered in a bomb blast in Iraq in 2008 be given serious consideration as the case moves forward.

Pengelly allegedly pointed a rifle at Sgt. Chad Zimmerman while Zimmerman and Officer Eric Brinton were attempting to take Pengellys mother into custody during a welfare check in Pengellys home on Looking Glass Avenue on Jan. 12.

Prosecutors say Pengelly ignored commands to drop his weapon. He was shot four times by Zimmerman and Brinton.

We appreciate the officers may have been in fear of their well-being, Pengellys attorney, Peter Leander of Bigfork, said, but that doesnt mean Ryan is guilty of a criminal offense.

An investigation by the Flathead County Sheriffs Office determined that Zimmerman and Brinton were justified in shooting Pengelly, who survived his wounds.

Zimmerman said he feared for his life, and the life of Brinton, when Pengelly failed to follow commands to drop his weapon and instead allegedly raised the rifle's muzzle toward Zimmerman.

***

Leander said he has represented several veterans over the past few years, and offered to represent Pengelly  who previously had a public defender  on a pro bono basis after reading more details about the case three weeks ago.

I have a good cache of research thats been done on brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, Leander said. I was aware Ryan had suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq, amongst all the other horrors one sees in combat, and I offered to take his case pro bono. I feel I owe vets for their service and sacrifice.

Pengelly was injured in Iraq in 2008 in a bomb blast that killed two other U.S. soldiers. He also served two tours in Afghanistan, one of them after being hurt in Iraq.

Court documents say Zimmerman and Brinton were responding to a report that Pengellys mother, Bonnie, had made suicidal and homicidal statements.

When they arrived at Ryan Pengellys home, Bonnie answered the door but refused to accompany the officers to the hospital and began to retreat inside the house.

When Brinton attempted to gain control of her arm, according to documents filed by Deputy Flathead County Attorney Stacy Boman, Bonnie called for her son.

***

Ryan Pengelly, who was working as a taxi driver, had gotten off work at 5 a.m. that day and was asleep in his bedroom when the two officers arrived at 1:20 p.m., Leander said court documents show.

He was awoken by the screams of his mother, and grabbed a rifle he kept by his bed, Leander said.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Montana has provided him with cognitive brain research that shows the adverse affects a traumatic brain injury has on a persons visual, audio and thought-processing abilities, Leander said.

Pengelly told Flathead County investigators he did not know Zimmerman and Brinton were police officers, and alleged they did not give him enough time to put down his rifle.

However, they said Pengelly also told them, Thats probably what I did wrong, I pointed the rifle at him, it was wrong. If I would have known it was a police officer, I would have put it down immediately.

***

The home where Pengelly was shot was built for him by Operation Finally Home after a 2011 fire destroyed the mobile home where he was living with his wife.

Pengelly appeared in Flathead County District Court on Wednesday using a walker to get around.

When I met him, I was shocked, Leander said. I knew he was 30, but he was walking with a walker and barely able to get across a room. He has three different drainage tubes hanging out of him. I thought I had met an 80-year-old man who had about three hours to live.

Leander said Pengelly, who was awarded several medals during his three combat tours, is in constant pain, has trouble sleeping, is now unable to work and is struggling financially.

The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
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An angry dispute between Morocco and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations spilled into the open on Wednesday over Mr. Bans recent description of the Western Sahara territory as an occupation. That term infuriated Moroccan leaders and led to demonstrations in Morocco last Sunday directed against Mr. Ban, who described them as disrespectful. Moroccos foreign minister, Salaheddine Mezouar, who conferred with Mr. Ban on Monday in what diplomats described as a tense meeting, said he had informed Mr. Ban that his country was cutting a large part of its civilian support for the United Nations Mission in Western Sahara and evaluating whether to withdraw Moroccan troops from all peacekeeping operations. Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Mr. Ban, described the Moroccan response as regrettable. Morocco seized Western Sahara, a former Spanish protectorate, in 1976, and fought a war against a pro-independence movement, the Polisario Front. The United Nations has been trying since 1991 to resolve the conflict. Morocco has insisted on its sovereignty.
Gunmen have killed Nelson Garcia, a colleague of the environmentalist leader Berta Caceres, who was slain almost two weeks ago in similar circumstances, the Honduran authorities said Wednesday. Two men shot Mr. Garcia on Tuesday in Rio Chiquito, 120 miles north of Tegucigalpa. A police statement called the killing an isolated act of violence unrelated to the murder of Ms. Caceres. But the organization that both Ms. Caceres and Mr. Garcia belonged to described his death as part of the governments constant harassment of Indian groups. Both activists were Lenca Indians and belonged to the Indian Council of Peoples Organizations of Honduras. The United States Embassy condemned the killing, saying that coming so close to the murder of his colleague Berta Caceres, his death is cause for particular concern.
WASHINGTON  Secretary of State John Kerry declared on Thursday that the Islamic State is committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shiite Muslims who have fallen under its control in Syria and Iraq.

The militants, who have also targeted Kurds and other Sunni Muslims, have tried to slaughter whole communities, enslaved captive women and girls for sex, and sought to erase thousands of years of cultural heritage by destroying churches, monasteries and ancient monuments, Mr. Kerry said.

The Islamic States entire worldview is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology, he said.

The statement by Mr. Kerry, made in response to a deadline set last year by Congress for the Obama administration to determine whether the targeting of minority religious and ethnic groups by the Islamic State could be defined as genocide, is unlikely to change American policy. The United States is already leading a coalition that is fighting the militants, and American aircraft have been bombing Islamic State leaders and fighters, its oil-smuggling operations and even warehouses where the group has stockpiled millions of dollars in cash.
CAIRO  Egypts top antiquities official said Thursday that a deeper analysis of radar scans taken last year in the tomb of King Tutankhamen indicated that organic material or metal could be hidden behind its walls  inching forward a theory that someone, perhaps Queen Nefertiti, was buried in the tomb, too.

The tiptoeing language used by the official, Mamdouh Eldamaty, suggested no breakthrough, but rather an attempt to satisfy the huge worldwide interest in ancient Egypt and especially anything related to Nefertiti or Tutankhamen, also known as King Tut.

It was potentially the discovery of the century, Mr. Eldamaty, the antiquities minister, said at a packed news conference in Cairo. But he added: I cannot say anything about the organic material. I can only say we have some organic material. Maybe. I dont know.
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"When we started our business, Extension connected us with resources to get the answers we needed. Thats whats so amazing about Extension: they find a way to help you get to the next step."

- Scott Hicks

Cutting Edge Meat Company

In Green County
What took you so long?

That's what Butte-Silver Bow Commissioner Dennis Henderson asked of the Department of Environmental Quality when the state gave a presentation and update to the commissioners on the Montana Pole Plant site Wednesday night.

Now that the state is almost ready to hand over the 60-acre Superfund site to Butte-Silver Bow, DEQ presented the commissioners with information about the site, which contains four contaminants of concern: pentachloraphenol  also known as PCPs - dioxins and furans and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. All of the contaminants are dangerous to human health.

Located off Greenwood Avenue, the site borders Silver Bow Creek south of interstates 15-90 just west of the South Montana Street exit ramp from the interstate. The former wood treating facility is a separate Superfund site from Silver Bow Creek and the Butte hill. The EPA named Montana Pole Plant a Superfund site in 1987 due to oily wood-treating fluid that leaked, spilled and dripped into the ground and the groundwater during the nearly 40 years the plant operated.

DEQ project manager Lisa DeWitt gave a presentation to the commissioners Wednesday evening to address the future of the site and to update the commissioners on what's been done and what is left to do. A water treatment plant pumps the contaminated groundwater. The groundwater is treated with carbon and sent to Silver Bow Creek. About 175 million gallons per year is pumped and treated. DEQ expects the groundwater will continue to need pumping and treatment for another 30 more years.

The soils, however, are nearly ready for DEQ to cover with a protective cap. The agency will then hand the site over to Butte-Silver Bow for a yet-to-be-determined future use.

"We have not had any problems," DeWitt told the commissioners. "Since 2009, we haven't seen any oil coming through the water treatment plant."

The size of the contaminated groundwater has decreased by more than 40 percent since treatment began, DeWitt said. About 60,000 gallons of contaminated soil have been removed.

Hundreds of thousands of cubic yards of soil have been treated on site to reduce toxicity levels.

Commissioner Dan Foley said he wanted guarantees that the site would be safe in the future and if something went wrong, the county would not be liable for it. Foleys district includes the pole plant and nearby neighborhoods.

Henderson echoed that sentiment and suggested that action on the pole plant and other Superfund sites was suddenly on a fast-track because it is an election year. He said the presentation was long overdue and it was difficult for commissioners to make decisions on such technical matters without better communication.

I would personally want an absolute guarantee from DEQ and EPA  a complete guarantee  there will be no after-affect from this, Henderson said of the pole site.

Remediation division administrator Jenny Chambers said DEQ and the county would work together to ensure the caps effectiveness.

Amy Reynolds, risk remediation manager for DEQ, said the state is designing the cleanup and the cap to prevent exposure.

Commissioner Cindi Shaw asked what DEQ would do with the site, likely to be ready by late 2016 or early 2017, if the county doesnt want it.

We would look for another productive use, DeWitt said.

She said it could be given to another state agency. Another option would be to turn the area into a public park. DeWitt said some of the nearby residents have expressed an interest in that idea.

Henderson said he found the timing of the presentation pretty confusing.

It surprises me DEQ would come here now when weve questioned it for years. Now all the sudden theres a rapid pace, Henderson said.

DeWitt apologized and pointed out DEQ has been working with BSB planning department, and the two agencies are in contact about the site. But she added, Please call us in the future.

Reporter Mike Smith contributed to this story.
Lets just start out by saying Butte is unique. Whether your ethnicity is Irish, Serbian, Native American, Croatian, Cornish, French, Italian, Mexican, Norwegian, Finnish, or any of the dozens more, Butte residents wear their heritage like a badge of honor.

Laurie Rossberg and Sheila Cutler are no different.

The two women have a lot in common. Career teachers, both women are tall and blonde. Their physical attributes are so similar that through the years, they have been mistaken for sisters. And, get this  their youngest siblings each bear the name, Colleen.

Thats not where the similarities end, however. Rossberg and Cutler, who call each other Sis, share the same maiden name, Sullivan, and both women are fiercely proud of the Sullivan name and their Irish ancestry. It is their badge of honor.

Ever since I can remember, the name Sullivan defined who I was, said Rossberg, whose nickname is Sull. She explained that throughout her childhood and even now, the same questions were always asked  Which Sullivan are you? Rossberg, whose father was a twin, would quickly reply, Im Pat and Daves daughter. That led to a half a dozen more questions about her familys history, until finally the person was satisfied with which Dave was her dad.

Cutler had similar problems. Her 42-year-old father, Francis, passed away unexpectedly while the family was living in California and one year later, in 1966, Cutlers mom, Caryl, brought Cutler and her siblings, Kate, Tom and Colleen back to Butte. The questions started as soon as the family settled. Cutler was asked, with alarming frequency, Which Sullivan are you? She quickly decided to make her answer short and sweet. Father Bud Sullivan is my uncle she would say. No more explanation was needed. Their response was always the same  Oh, youre that Sullivan.

To get in the festive mood, Cutler puts out her Irish decorations and wears green from early March all the way through to St. Patricks Day. The real festivities, however, start with her birthday, which is March 14. The parade and a trip to the Elks is also on her must do list. Its tradition, Cutler said.

Rossberg leads up to the festivities by decorating her home, inside and out. She is, by her own admission, a bit fanatical about it. She came by it honestly. The tradition was instilled by her parents and passed on to her and her four siblings, Mary Pat, Dave, Julie and Colleen. During the days prior to the parade, Rossberg and her mother, Pat (Shea) Sullivan, who is 89, hit the many Irish events being held around town. On March 17, a variety of family members can be found at the parade, rain, snow or shine. Its tradition, Rossberg said.

Cutler made a brief visit to Ireland just last year and hopes to return. While on the plane, she thought of her ancestors and the sacrifices they made to start a new life in Butte. I appreciate them so much more, she said.

Rossberg has never been to her ancestral home, but she and her husband Gerry, plan a visit next year. She wants to know more about her Irish heritage, partly because, through the years, various Sullivans from other parts of the country have contacted her mother while working on their family trees. Without fail, they met a new relative.

One other thing Rossberg and Cutler have in common  despite their Irish roots, neither woman is too fond of corned beef and cabbage. Rossberg will only eat corned beef if its in a Reuben sandwich, and cabbage  well, forget that. Cutler, on the other hand, would just as soon have a Johns pork chop sandwich.
MISSOULA  The Australians have Ned Kelly. The Scots have Rob Roy MacGregor. How come Americans havent elevated Thomas Meagher to the status of national folk hero?

Tim Egan recalled feeling flat-footed when asked the identity of the man on horseback rampant before the Montana Capitol in Helena. At the time, he was unaware that Montanas first territorial governor had a backstory with more thrills than a Die Hard movie and better taste in sequels.

What Im trying to do is rescue Meagher from the mist of history, Egan said during a break from a cross-country book tour celebrating publication of The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero. At one point, he was easily the most prominent Irish-American in the United States. Not until John F. Kennedy came along was there a bigger one. But when he went to Montana, he kind of fell off the map.

Or was pushed, both figuratively and literally. Meagher spent his entire adult life cheating death from authority figures, before falling off a riverboat stateroom balcony into the Missouri River at Fort Benton on July 1, 1867. His body was never found. Egan cites extensive research indicating Meagher was probably assassinated by an agent of the Vigilantes, whose secret-society power he threatened by convening a publicly elected Legislature.

Most of Montanas early history was written by the people who may have killed him, Egan said of Meaghers first biographers. They described him as a drunk and a whoremonger, and did not give him his due at all. But the official history of Yellowstone gives Meagher credit as one of the first persons suggesting it might be a national park. The Legislature he convened got the road system going, got the ferry system going, and then enemies got his legislation removed by Congress in an unprecedented act. But everywhere Meagher went, he stood against injustice.

And it got him into constant fights.

Meagher was the son of a wealthy merchant family in County Waterford, but became radicalized during the Great Hunger of the 1840s when a million Roman Catholic Irish starved to death while their Protestant English landlords exported shiploads of food to foreign markets. While his speaking and writing skills roused a huge popular protest against English rule, Meagher realized an emaciated nation of paupers stood no chance in battle with the British Army. Nevertheless, he was captured and sentenced to death for fomenting rebellion.

The sentence was commuted to transportation, the English euphemism for exile to the island of Tasmania for the rest of a prisoners life. Meagher was allowed to live there like a parolee, in his own cabin but with regular appearances before a local magistrate and a ban on any contact with other exiles in neighboring districts. Egan wrote that Meagher flouted that rule by meeting a fellow revolutionary across a table the two men placed in a small stream that bounded their territories.

After about two years of enforced inactivity, Meagher put together a daring escape involving rowing across a swift ocean channel to a deserted island, where he waited for weeks for a rescue ship to pick him up for a trip to the United States. He arrived to a heros welcome in 1852, and soon became wealthy in New York City as a public speaker and writer touting the free Ireland cause.

At the time, the anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Party was waging a loud and violent campaign against Irish presence. Its members were suspected of starting riots in Philadelphia that left more than 30 people dead, along with churches, homes and even a fire station burned down.

Egan quoted one direct stab at the man known as the Tribune of Ireland:  As there is no word in the Irish language synonymous with Scoundrel, went one takedown, anonymously written and widely reprinted, henceforth let us use the name of Meagher.

They were the second-biggest party in America, and they said the Irish were scum, Egan said. Take the exact same things that were said about the Irish, and substitute the word Mexican, and you can see this strain you think was gone is still alive today. You saw it with the Italians in the early 20th century. You saw it with the Asians and closing the door on China. And now you see it with the call to build a wall on the Mexican border. That nativist streak is not gone. It comes and goes.

Meagher opted to fight for Irish rights on someone elses battlefield.

As the titular United States lurched toward Civil War, Meagher reached out to President Abraham Lincoln with an offer to raise an Irish army for the Union. Lincoln made him a general, and Meaghers Irish Brigade went on to win bloody distinction in the battles of Bull Run, Antietam and Fredericksburg.

The Irish Brigade also logged the third-highest casualty rate in the Union Army. In the middle of the war, a new military draft law triggered days of rioting in the Irish neighborhoods of New York. The success Meaghers fighters won in battle got recomposed into an example of how a bigoted wealthy class was using the poor Irish as cannon fodder to free African slaves who would steal their jobs.

Meagher argued back publicly, endorsing the Emancipation Proclamation and comparing the plight of Southern slaves to the Irish under British rule. But he had also lost his taste for war. The South surrendered on April 9, 1865, and three months later, Meagher was betting that a move to the West would reveal his new fortune.

The luck of the Irish might have been coined for Meaghers life. While in Minnesota preparing for the trek to the Rocky Mountains, he got a telegram confirming that he was appointed acting secretary of Montana Territory by Lincolns successor, President Andrew Johnson. Departing jobless and nearly broke, Meagher arrived in Virginia City a federal dignitary.

He immediately got crossways with Montana Post Editor Thomas Dimsdale, the Oxford-educated, short, sickly and humorless  (and) strong supporter of a secret society that ran Montana Territory without formal recognition or adherence to the Constitution. Dimsdale is also the namesake of the Montana Better Newspaper Contests award for best weekly newspaper.

While the Vigilantes hold a heros status in many Montana history books for opposing allegedly crooked Sheriff Henry Plummer and his Innocents robbery gang, Egan said his research paints a very different picture.

Those guys were murderers, Egan said. They didnt let people have trials, they just grabbed whoever they wanted and hanged them. This was a constitutional democracy protected by the U.S. Constitution, and those are the people youre celebrating? I think Meagher brought the old struggle of the Know-Nothings to Virginia City. There was a North-South, Reconstruction part of it, but the Vigilantes were Freemasons and Protestants, who clearly didnt like the Irish and Catholics.

Egan credits Bozeman attorney and historian Paul Wylie for diligent work correcting the record on Meaghers time in Montana, including a 2012 coroners inquest into the facts of Meaghers death that found for murder.

But Meaghers own supporters started the rewrite decades before. Butte miners, largely Irish and including Egans great-grandfather, raised money in 1905 that paid for the equestrian statue of Meagher in Helena.

They placed that statue the way they did deliberately, Egan said of the sword-waving general and horse facing away from the Capitols front door. It meant only one thing: You can kiss my Irish ass.
As of Wednesday morning, Butte-Silver Bow has a few more citizens who can call the Mining City home.

During a ceremony held at The Springs at Butte assisted-living facility on Mount Highland Drive, Chief Executive Matt Vincent bestowed honorary citizenship on the members of the Pipes and Drums of the Edmonton Police Service.

Over the past 30 years, The Pipes and Drums have been an integral part of Buttes storied St. Patricks Day celebrations and our deep Irish heritage, said the chief executive in a news release.

The Pipes and Drums first performed in Butte in 1984, after FBI agent and Butte-resident Gary Lincoln formed a lasting friendship with Edmonton police officers after teaching a SWAT course to their agency. After the course, Lincolns new friends took a motorcycle trip to the Mining City, where they heard stories about Buttes legendary St. Patricks Day celebrations.

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, officers Jim Morrissey, Kevin Quail and Doc Jardine traveled to Butte on St. Patrick s Day in 1984 and played their pipes and drums at several bars throughout the city. The next year, six members of the Edmonton Police Service marched in the Patricks Day parade. Since then, the Pipes and Drums havent missed a St. Patricks celebration in Butte.

Now that the members of the Pipes and Drums are officially Butte citizens, some might say Butte has gone lax on its immigration policy.

But to Vincent, the decision to give honorary citizenship the Edmonton troop was a no-brainer.

He pointed out that the members of the Pipes and Drums have consistently made the 10-hour drive from Edmonton to Butte each year and have gone above and beyond to make St. Patricks Day special in the Mining City.

Its just awesome. I get goose bumps every time I hear them play, said Vincent. They really have become part of our community and so its the right thing to do.

As for Edmonton Detective and drummer Andre Francois, he says he looks forward to making the trip to Butte each year.

When the bus pulls into town I know that its going to be fun, said Francois. I know that from the reactions and responses that we get from various places that we go that what we do is appreciated.

He pointed out that, in addition to marching in the parade, the Pipes and Drums also play at various venues across town - including assisted-living facilities, whose residents often cannot enjoy the outdoor festivities.

For us to bring it to them  our gift of music  is very special for us, said Francois.

In all, Francois said, hes honored to be named as a Butte citizen.

This is my 17th year coming here, so Im quite excited.
As you may have noticed, we're in the middle of yet another American presidential election (our 57th). The news is full of musings about party primaries and delegate counts and possible brokered conventions, but if things proceed as usual, as many as 130 million Americans will cast votes in November. A winner will be declared based on popular votes in the states as transmuted into a total of 538 electoral votes (if no candidate receives at least 270 such votes, the US House of Representatives chooses the next president).

Seems orderly and natural after 56 such exercises, doesn't it? But "one person, one vote, the first candidate past the (plurality or majority) post wins" is a polarizing and not very representative way of doing things.

Many of us vote for our second choices  the "lesser evils"  because our first choices "can't win."

Many of us could live with either of two or more candidates, but vote for the one who "can win" rather than the one we may like best.

What if you could vote for ALL the candidates you like, instead of just one, secure in the knowledge that your vote(s) would not be "wasted" on a loser, or "spoil" the chances of one of your preferred candidates, resulting in election of the "greater evil?"

You could, if the United States adopted any of several far more rational voting methods. Of the three that come to mind  Instant Runoff, Single Transferable Vote and Approval Voting  I'm going to describe only the last one both to keep this column short and because it's my own favorite. Here's how Approval Voting works:

You vote for as few or as many candidates as you like. All the votes are counted. The candidate with the most votes wins. Yes, it's really that simple.

Assume that this November (as seems likely), your ballot offers you the choice of Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton, Libertarian John McAfee or Green Jill Stein.

If you're a progressive, you prefer Stein to Clinton, but reluctantly pull the lever instead for Clinton because you really, really, really don't like Trump and Stein "can't win."

If you're a libertarian, McAfee's the only even remotely acceptable choice. Maybe you'll just stay home and watch re-runs of "Modern Family" instead of bothering to vote for someone who "can't win."

Under approval voting, progressives could vote for Stein AND Clinton, libertarians could vote for McAfee alone  and both candidates would likely receive second or third votes from people who also vote for Trump or Clinton. Every vote  every VOTER!  would count.

I'm not sure what effect Approval Voting would have on this year's presidential race, but over time I suspect we'd start seeing successful independent and third party candidates for seats in the state legislatures and Congress  and eventually the White House.

Better election outcomes require better voting systems. Visit the Center for Election Science (electology.org) to learn more about Approval Voting and how to help put it into action in your city, county or state.

Thomas L. Knapp (Twitter: @thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org).
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
SEOUL -- The Republic of Korea's top envoy for the long-stalled six-party talks will visit China on Friday to discuss issues on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the ROK's foreign ministry said Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuk told a regular press briefing that Kim Hong-Kyun, chief South Korean envoy for the six-way dialogue to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, will visit China on Friday to meet with Wu Dawei, China's special representative on Korean Peninsular affairs.

Kim and Wu will share an assessment on the Korean Peninsula situations and discuss strategic cooperation between the ROK and China in implementing the new UN Security Council resolution on the DPRK.

It will be the first meeting between them as Kim was nominated in late February as special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs who represent the ROK at the six-party talks.

The six-party talks, which involve the ROK, the DPRK, China, the United States, Russia and Japan, have been halted since late 2008.
The latest CareerJunction Index (CJI) report reveals that software development is currently the most in-demand skill in the South African job market.

The CJI uses data gathered from the CareerJunction website to represent labour dynamics in South Africa.

According to the report, programmers and software developers are on the forefront of market demand.

This is especially true for programmers with dNet or C# skills, who are most sought after, stated the CJI report.

Other skills in high demand are middle and department management in the business market, and admin clerks.

There is also a high demand for operations managers, production managers, finance managers, sales managers, and HR managers.

More on IT jobs

Bad news for IT and telecoms jobseekers

IT professionals who earn the biggest salaries

Starting salaries for IT professionals in South Africa
Someone has taken the Luopean joke quite seriously.

Their love for big, expensive things has been demonstrated by Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma.

The governor has literally taken a whole wing of a building to be his personal office. It is so huge that the Oval Office pales in comparison. And you ask why every politician wants to be a governor these days.

Surely if this does not explain why Kenya continues to remain poor, I dont know what does.

Rangumas office is located on the 9th floor of Prosperity House  a building with no elevators.

I hope the flight of stairs he takes everyday is enough punishment for this blatant misuse of public funds.





The Oval Office is smaller than Rangumas office.
A robbery that took place back in 2013 has seen a man get slapped with a death penalty after being found guilty of making way with a quarter kilo of meat and body lotion from a shop in Nyeri County.

On Monday, a Nyeri court sentenced Mr. Robert Gathogo Ngunjiri to face a death penalty for breaking the law and undertaking in a robbery with violence. Samuel Baya (the accuser), explained that Ngunjiri and ten other youthful men approached him outside his shop then all of a sudden, started mercilessly beating him up before leaving him unconscious.

It is after being mobbed and overpowered by the gang when Gathogo got into Bayas shop, stole a 1/4 kg of meat plus a body lotion cream and other unidentified electronic gadgets.

Since the date of the incidence, the case has been ongoing for three years now before the court made the last ruling to have Robert face death for his inhumane actions.
A cargo train on Wednesday rammed into a passenger bus at Ruiru railway crossing in Kiambu County. The afternoon incident left 6 injured and several others trapped.

According to eyewitness reports, the accident occurred when the reckless bus driver attempted to dash across the rails as the train was approaching.

Kiambu fire brigade and the Red Cross emergency teams arrived at the scene to rescue the trapped passengers.

The driver of the cargo train escaped after the accident.

Here are some photos














Four students from a secondary school in Narok County were on Tuesday night nabbed with a dead body of a taxi driver who had been reported missing.

The Fanaka Secondary School teenagers were caught by police officers ferrying the decomposing body along the Nakuru-Nyahururu road using a stolen Toyota Premio car.

The suspects had placed the decomposing body of the driver in the cars boot when they were arrested by police officers who have been tracking the vehicle from Narok Town, Nakuru Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Musa Kongoli was quoted by the Nation.

Police also recovered school uniforms of the school from the vehicle.

According to the police, the car was hijacked on Saturday night in Narok Town when the driver also went missing.

OCPD Kongoli indicated that the four were being questioned in connection with the murder of the taxi driver and would face murder charges in court.

Source: Daily Nation
WASHINGTON  Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday blamed career bureaucrats in Washington and his own state for the Flint water-contamination crisis, while the head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency faulted him and other state officials.

At a contentious congressional hearing, the Republican governor repeatedly apologized for his role in the crisis, which occurred when state officials switched Flint's water supply to the Flint River two years ago to save money in the predominantly African-American city of 100,000 north of Detroit.

"Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind  the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded," Snyder said.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, for her part, faulted state officials, noting that the impoverished city was under state management when the city's water supply was switched in April 2014.

State officials did not require that the river water be treated for corrosion, and lead from aging pipes and fixtures leached into Flint homes and businesses. About 8,000 children under the age of 6 were potentially exposed to lead, and elevated lead levels have been found in some children's blood. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems.

"The crisis we're seeing was the result of a state-appointed emergency manager deciding that the city would stop purchasing treated drinking water and instead switch to an untreated source to save money," McCarthy said. "The state of Michigan approved that decision."

McCarthy acknowledged that the EPA should have been more aggressive in testing Flint's water and requiring changes, but she said the agency "couldn't get a straight answer" from state environmental officials about what was being done in Flint. McCarthy refused several requests by Republican lawmakers to apologize.

"It was not the EPA at the helm when this happened," she said.

The nearly four-hour hearing produced no major revelations, although Snyder for the first time acknowledged that a state law, which allows state-appointed officials to take control of troubled municipalities, failed in the case of Flint.

Several Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee called for Snyder to resign, while Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the oversight panel's chairman, and other Republicans said McCarthy should step down.

Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the panel's senior Democrat, said Snyder would likely face criminal charges if he were running a business  a dig at venture capitalist Snyder's oft-repeated claim to run state government like a business.

Besides facing charges, Cummings said of a corporate CEO in Snyder's shoes, "the board of directors would throw him out, and the shareholders would revolt."

Snyder told lawmakers that officials at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality repeatedly assured him that water being piped in from the Flint River was safe, when in reality it had dangerous levels of lead.

But Cummings said the governor should have pushed back against state experts. The committee has obtained documents "showing that people all around the governor were sounding the alarms, but he either ignored them or didn't hear them," Cummings said. He cited an October 2014 email from Snyder's top legal adviser warning that Flint should "get back on the Detroit (water) system" as soon as possible "before this thing gets too far out of control."

The warning came a year before Snyder says he became aware of the lead contamination on Oct. 1, 2015.

Dennis Muchmore, Snyder's former chief of staff, wrote emails in July 2015 warning that Flint residents who had complained about the smell, taste and appearance of the water were "getting blown off" by state officials.

Snyder said he took immediate action after learning that Flint's water was contaminated. He reconnected the city with Detroit's water supply, distributed water filters and began testing children and adults for elevated lead levels, he said.

The EPA deserves its share of blame, too, Chaffetz said.

He told McCarthy in one of several heated exchanges, "You had authority under the law (to fix problems in Flint) and you didn't do it."

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., scoffed at the outrage from Chaffetz and other Republicans, noting that the EPA under President Barack Obama is a favorite target of GOP politicians who routinely accuse the agency of overreach.

In Flint, Republicans "now say the Obama EPA should have stepped in and overruled the Republican governor of a state," Clay said, his voice rising. "The irony is almost overwhelming."
In short order, jazzahead! became a global showplace where members of the jazz ecosystem could gather to exercise their roles, interests and shared commitment to jazz. --Jeff Levenson

Trade Fair and Festival Since 2006

Set for April 21-24 2016



For the past 11 years, jazzahead! has emerged as the crucial meeting point of the international jazz industry. More than 3,000 professionals in the genre, festival directors, club programmers, publishers, label owners, musicians, agents, producers and journalists gather every April in the provincial town of Bremen, Germany. This city might be better known for its harbor Bremerhaven that for decades served as a gateway for hundreds of thousands of European emigrants, embarking for the US and after WW II as a naval base for the US Navy.



Originally more European-centered, jazzahead! developed into a worldwide market place for any participants in the international jazz scene. Whoever you only knew by mail or by phone, jazzahead! became the place to meet face to face. An important part of jazzahead! is its showcase festival that initially started out with a German and a European Jazz Meeting showcases, introducing great bands, new and old, known and unheard of. jazzahead! began showing what it could do, actuated by Euro gatekeepers possessing an egalitarian approach to jazz- that is, the all of jazz, with myriad sub-genres worth celebrating, without any of the parochialism or condescension often heard in American diatribes.", explained Jeff Levenson, one of the key players in the American record business and longtime observer and supporter of jazzahead!



When the fair and its concerts became more international a third showcase module was introduced in 2010: the Overseas Night, a term in need of explanation: seen from Europe as any place beyond as overseas, might it be Bali or the USA. This year's official showcase selection, five out of eight bands come from the US, including the trios of Kevin Hays and Aaron Diehl and Hadar Noiberg, Omer Avital as well as Amir El Saffar's Two Rivers Ensemble.



Starting in 2011, jazzahead! began inviting a partner country every year- which in 2016 is Switzerland- to expose itself, transcending jazz in a culturally broader sense, including theater, poetry, dance and art. Thus in a fourth showcase module, bands of the partner country are presented in a special opening night.



How are the bands chosen to participate in these four showcases? In each showcase, bands, or their representing record companies or agencies apply for one of the 40showcase slots. Four annually changing high ranking juries of seven international festival directors, decide upon the program using an elaborate scoring system. This year, 587 applications were submitted from 43 countries covering a broad range of styles, concepts and personnel. You can find the program online at jazzahead.de.



The attendance at jazzahead! has been growing steadily and has been tremendous. The trade fair started in 2006 with 90 exhibiting companies and it has more than 950 this year. From 800 professional participants in 2006, it now accommodates more than 3,000 representing 64 countries in 2015. Audience attendance for the musical performances has increased from 3,000 to 25,000 as well.



There are different ways to register online at jazzahead.de, either as an exhibitor with an own booth, as a co-exhibitor at the USA umbrella stand (registration fee is 275  +19% VAT) or as a professional participant without a booth (175  +19% VAT). A registration gives access to the fair and the showcases.



The umbrella stand of the USA is shared by festivals, labels, agents and promoters as well as media people from the USA. This year, DownBeat will be attending for the first time. Other registered co-exhibitors are for example BFM Jazz, 1630 Music Publishing Services or University of California, San Diego/AthenaeumJazz. There are companies with their own booths like Dot Time Records or SAIP together with the Monterey Jazz Festival. And of course there are registered professionals without a booth, 42 from the USA so far this year such as Motema Music LLC, CAM Jazz or Music Works International.



Important deadlines



March 11th, 2016: deadline guide entry & deadline for stand bookings.

April 5th, 2016 online registration will close. Registration is then still possible, but only on site.

Visit Website | Purchase Tickets

For more information contact Scott Thompson Public Relations.
Italy's new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, begins forming government

U.S. Treasury Department records budget deficit of over $429 billion in September

Why does Baku need aggravation on border with Armenia? Skakov assesses likelihood of new aggression

Iranian Foreign Minister: I had important meeting with Pashinyan in Armenia

Johnson spotted in economy class on flight from Dominican Republic to Britain

Armenian PM and European Parliament Resident Rapporteur for Armenia discuss Karabakh situation

Authorities in Kherson urge residents to immediately leave city

Russian expert: Baku's attempts to open corridor by force will cause negative response not only from IRI or Russian

Telegraph: Britain to send about 60 old tanks to NATO base in Germany for exercises

Artak Beglaryan: You will see me in new position

Netanyahu: Iran nuclear deal could bring Russia 'hundreds of billions'

Russia and Turkey begin to develop gas hub project

PM Pashinyan discusses agenda of bilateral relations with Iranian FM

Anna Hakobyan meets Armenians in Paris

Sargsyan: Recognition of Artsakh people's right for self-determination must be reflected in legal documents

Italy's first female prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, sworn in

Private jet goes missing off coast of Costa Rica

Times of India: India tests nuclear-capable Agni Prime missile

Spiegel: German Foreign Minister and Defense Minister ask to allocate 2.2 billion for military aid to Kiev

Deputy PM of Armenia and Head of Sharjah Heritage Institute discuss strengthening of Armenian-Emirati relations

Biden allows participation in U.S. presidential election in 2024

Secretary of Security Council of Armenia and representatives of AIISA discuss security issues

Kakhovka reservoir increases water discharges in case of possible destruction of HPP

Pashinian's spouse: Yesterday at Elysee Palace I was received by dear Brigitte Macron

At least 15 people killed in bus-truck collision in India

Explosion at Uzbek Defense Ministry depot injures 16 people

Armenian NA Speaker receives Iranian FM: Tehran opposes obstacles on border with friendly Armenia

President Harutyunyan receives group of members of Union of Artsakh Reserve Officers NGO

Newspaper: Armenia restores diplomatic ties with Hungary?

China hit by 5.5 magnitude earthquake

Armenian Defense Ministry denies Azerbaijani report on shelling, calling it disinformation

Blinken: Moscow is not interested in stopping aggression against Ukraine

Japan and U.S. will hold joint military exercises

France withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty

CNN: White House is in talks with Elon Musk to create satellite Internet service Starlink in Iran

Baku outraged by Iran's statements and frightened by IRGC military exercises

Who are main beneficiaries of 'Zangezur' corridor?: Another anonymous article by 'Haykakan Zhamanak' newspaper

Ankara decides to stand up for Riyadh amid deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and U.S.

French Foreign Minister considers it vital to keep lines of communication with Russia open

Pentagon refuses to give details of conversation between Austin and Shoigu

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin: Head of Caucasus Muslims Department again made slanderous and false statements

Erdogan denies using chemical weapons against Kurds and threatens those who dare to talk about it

Saudi Arabia and China will strengthen their ties in energy sector

Governor of Gegharkunik province receives representatives of OSCE fact-finding mission

Penny Mordaunt runs for Prime Minister of Great Britain

Sweden expects ratification of NATO membership application by Hungary and Turkey to be completed soon

European Union will allocate 1.5 billion euros per month to Kiev in 2023

An Israeli-built flight school opened in Greece

Russian Railways is negotiating with Azerbaijan and Iran to launch the Rasht-Astara route

Overchuk: Construction of road through Meghri, whose sovereignty is not in question, depends on Armenia's position

Armenian Defense Minister's working visit to India is over

Hungary will not agree to limit prices for imported gas

Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran considers Armenia one of most important transit countries

Naribekyan participates in meeting of secretaries general of PACE parliaments

Delegation from United Arab Emirates visits Armenia at invitation of head of MONKS: Two agreements signed

Dollar, euro drop in Armenia

Iran consul general in Armenias Kapan: We do not accept any change of borders

Baza: Mobile military registration and enlistment offices will be removed on Russian-Georgian border

Iranian Consul: Countries of region do not need presence of foreign armed forces

Armenia FM: Iran consulate general in Kapan will be important for regional security

Iranian Consul General advises Kapan residents not to worry anymore: Iran is here for Armenian people

FM reaffirms Armenia plan to open consulate general in Irans Tabriz

Turkey to open consulate in occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh

Turkish Ministry of Finance: Ankara can buy Russian oil without Western funding

Armenia Security Council chief briefs European Parliament rapporteur on recent Azerbaijan military aggression

British bookmakers name favorite for post of prime minister

Erdogan: Armenia-Azerbaijan relations progress will contribute to Armenia-Turkey relations normalization

Iranian Consulate General opens in Kapan

Erdogan: Turkey is looking for alternative to American F-16 fighters

Iran consul general: We are here for Armenian people

Turkey FM slams OSCE decision to send needs assessment mission to Armenia

Peskov reacts to Erdogan's words about Putin's softening on Ukraine negotiations

European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan

European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia to legislature speaker: Attack was from Azerbaijan, naturally

Armenia President to EEU PMs: We will manage to take another confident step by respecting mutual interests

EUSR Toivo Klaars exclusive interview with NEWS.am on EU Monitoring mission,Nagorno Karabakh future and violence videos

Explosions rock Ukraines Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia

President meets with newly formed Artsakh Public Council members

Armenia PM: We need understanding in price horizon, at least in medium term

Lawyer: 20 of fallen solders parents detained from Yerevan military pantheon are recognized as injured party

PM: Armenia trade with other EEU countries increased by 74%

France region to provide 300,000 to Armenias Syunik Province affected by Azerbaijan military aggression

Eurasian Intergovernmental Council extended meeting underway in Yerevan

MOD: Armenia did not fire at Azerbaijan positions, vehicle

MPs in Strasbourg, present threatening dangers: Armenia has powerful support in European Parliament

Years first snow falls in Armenias Shirak Province

World oil prices on the rise

Newspaper: Russia dismisses Armenia PM's news on Karabakh

Russia PM in Yerevan, to discuss with EEU colleagues single oil, natural gas markets formation

Newspaper: Why is Iran in hurry to open consulate in Armenias Syunik Province?

France, Spain, Portugal agree to build Barcelona-Marseille natural gas pipeline

Admiral: U.S. should now prepare for Chinese 'invasion' of Taiwan

Harutyunyan: I cannot imagine Artsakh's future without presence of Russia

Harutyunyan: Without questioning path of our independence, we must meet with Baku

Prime Minister of Finland does not think that Hungary and Turkey will block country's application for NATO membership

Iranian FM: U.S. made hasty statements in connection with protests

Former Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim involved in car accident in Karabakh

Arayik Harutyunyan: Artsakh people's right to self-determination is non-negotiable

Iranian MFA calls it important to form platform with Armenia and India on North-South corridor

Details of EU monitoring mission in Armenia are known
On the last day of his official visit to Cyprus, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on Wednesday met with Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus.

The President underscored the respect toward interreligious solidarity and one anothers faith. He stressed that the mutual understanding between the Armenian and Cypriot peoples is conditioned also on fidelity and respect toward the same universal values. Also, the Armenian President thanked the Cypriot authorities, church, and people for their constant caring attitude toward the Armenian people, especially the Cypriot Armenians.

The Archbishop of Cyprus, for his part, noted that warm fraternal relations have established between the Armenians and Cypriots. He assured that the Church of Cyprus has excellent relations with the Armenian Church, and that these relations contribute to the strengthening of interstate relations.

On the same day, President Serzh Sargsyan paid a visit to Nareg Armenian School in the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. Also, Sargsyan laid a wreath to the Armenian Genocide monument located in the yard of this school and Sourp Asdvadzadzin (Holy Mother of God) Armenian Cathedral, and he visited the church. Subsequently, the President met with representatives of the Armenian community of Cyprus.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) made a final decision on Mataghis case related to the murder of two servicemen and further investigation process of the three other servicemen suspected in this murder. One of the applicants also complained that he had been unlawfully deprived of his liberty.

The Court held that Armenia is to pay Mr Zalyan 20,000 euros (EUR) and the other two applicants EUR 15,000 each in respect of non-pecuniary damage.

The applicants, Arayik Zalyan, Razmik Sargsyan, and Musa Serobyan, are Armenian nationals who were born in 1985 and live in Vanadzor and Gyumri (Armenia).

According to the applicants, on 19 April 2004, while performing their military service in Mataghis military unit on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), they were taken to the office of their military unit's commander for questioning in connection with the murder of two servicemen in December 2003. The applicants maintain that they were beaten, threatened and verbally abused by law- enforcement officers in order to force them to confess to the murder. Subsequently they were taken to the military prosecutor's office, where the ill-treatment continued before they were transferred to the military police department. During the next two days they were again questioned several times. In May 2005 the applicants were convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. In May 2006 the criminal and military court of appeal upheld the applicants' conviction and increased their sentence to life imprisonment. The court of cassation quashed the judgments of May 2005 and May 2006 and remitted the case for further investigation; it also ordered the applicants' release from detention. In December 2012 the applicants were eventually acquitted.

It is noteworthy that the investigator on this case Armen Hakobyan has not been held liable for the violations during the proceeding of the case. Currently Armen Hakobyan is the Head of Road Traffic Police.
When a company faces a crisis, the ability to navigate through the incident, stabilize and thrive on the other side frequently comes down to one thing: leadership.

Attendees at Goizueta Business School's 17th Undergraduate Business School Leadership Conference last month got an in-depth look into what it means to rise to the call of leading through crisis.

The event is hosted annually by the Goizueta BBA Council and this year drew student leaders from 23 top-tier business schools from points across the United States and as far as Spain, Mexico, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

Goizueta Dean Erika James and Ken Keen, associate dean of Goizueta's leader development program and retired lieutenant general, led students through an interactive session coupling research and practice.

James, whose research examines crisis and organizational and leadership response, explained that crisis is tied to context. Events like a CFO leaving unexpectedly or a company not being able to make its payroll don't always equal crises.

"A real leader would have thought through these scenarios and have contingency plans in place to deal with them," she said.

But if the CFO left with the announcement that he or she was no longer willing to cook the books for the company or the organization announced that it wouldn't be making payroll because it lost its biggest client, the same scenarios would become crises that leaders must manage head on.

"A true crisis is something that impacts a company's financial well-being or business opportunities," she said.

According to James, crises are often ambiguous situations with low probability that take organizations by surprise and leave executives with little time to respond. Crises evoke initial psychological impacts such as disorientation, fear and despair, as well as behavioral reactions including paralysis, denial and defensiveness.

After leaders have time to process the event, psychological responses transform into anger, guilt and anxiety, and the resulting behaviors transform into responses such as damage control or finding ways to manage through impressions left by the situation.

"These mindsets diminish your ability to be a leader," James said. "Long-term, strategic planning goes out the window when dealing with stress. If we're not in a good emotional space around this, we're not going to be making good decisions."

Keen, popularly recognized for his deft leadership of the U.S. military-based response in the wake of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, provided insight into effective crisis response.

He happened to be in Haiti at the time to speak with the country's U.S. ambassador about the impending hurricane season. Instead, he found himself leading in the wake of one of the largest crises the country ever faced.

"We were at the ambassador's house and watched it shake like a palm tree in a storm," he said. Then they heard what sounded like explosions  it was multistory apartments and hotels crashing to the ground.

"We instantly knew it was one of the worst disasters in the country's history," he said. "We just didn't realize how significant it was."

Read the full story at Emory Business 
HANOI -- Vietnam is discussing very actively with China and other Mekong River countries in order to ensure sustainable use of the Mekong water resources, said a Vietnamese official on Thursday.

Le Hai Binh, spokesperson of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remark at a regular press briefing in Vietnam's capital Hanoi when responding to a reporter's enquiry over China's discharge of water to Mekong River downstream to help alleviate drought and saline intrusion in Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta region.

"Through diplomatic channel, Vietnam has requested China to increase the release of water from Jinghong dam in China's Yunnan province to help alleviate the drought and saline intrusion in a number of Vietnamese southern provinces in the Mekong Delta region," said Binh.

"According to information from Vietnamese Embassy in China, on March 14, 2016, representative from Chinese authorities of water resources met with Vietnamese Embassy representative and informed us that from March 15 to April 10 this year, China will increase discharge of water from Jinghong dam down the river from 1,100 cubic meters per second to 2,190 cubic meters per second, which double the long-run annual average," Binh told reporters.

"Prior to making request to the Chinese side, Vietnamese competent authorities have worked together very closely to come up with a detail plan to help relieve the drought in Vietnamese provinces around the Mekong Delta," Binh said.

"For the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are discussing very actively with China and other Mekong River countries in order to ensure sustainable use of the Mekong water resources and ensure harmony between the interests of all the riparian states and that of people living in the region," Binh told reporters.

The ongoing serious drought is damaging some 160,000 hectares of paddy rice in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, causing losses of some 5,000 billion Vietnamese dong (222.2 million U.S. dollars), and affecting about 290,000 hectares of fruit trees, Vietnamese media reported earlier on Tuesday.

Spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lu Kang said on Tuesday that China will release emergency water supply from Jinghong Hydropower Station from March 15 till April 10 to the lower reaches of the Mekong River to alleviate drought in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

China and the five countries along the Mekong are friendly neighbors and assistance like this is natural, Lu said.
NEW DELHI: Multi-disciplinary robotic surgery has proved its efficacy in India in just five years and it is now time for the government to step in to ensure that it benefits the masses, say top robotic surgeons.

The intervention is needed so that more people can opt for robot-assisted surgeries to treat various medical conditions -- including cancer. Such surgeries involve minimal blood loss, quick recovery, shorter hospital stay and a faster return to normal life.

"The Centre and state governments must provide robotic surgery units at premier institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), PGIs and 200 medical colleges across the country so that the benefits reach the needy," says Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Vattikuti Foundation, a US-based non-profit promoting robotic surgeries across the world, including India.

Currently, close to 30 health facilities are performing high-end robotic surgeries (here, we need to exclude laparoscopic or basic lithotripsy methods altogether) to treat various complicated health conditions.

Of these, 12 are in north India (including AIIMS, Apollo, Max Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Fortis, Medanta); eight in western India (Jaslok Hospital, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Tata Memorial Hospital); seven in southern India (Apollo Hospital, Chennai and Hyderabad, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, and Aster Medicity, Kochi); and one in Kolkata (Apollo Gleneagles Hospital).

Two more robotic machines are on their way and will be installed this month - one each in the west and south.

In 2015, nearly 190 robotic surgeons in India performed over 4,000 procedures in the areas of urology, gynaecology, thoracic, paediatric, general surgery, head and neck and bariatric (weight-loss) surgeries.

"The government has the responsibility to ensure treatment to people who can't afford private health care. I do believe that two-fifths of Indians below the poverty line can't be deprived of medical attention for long," Dr Bhandari, who spent nearly four decades practising cutting-edge medicine in some of the best-run government institutions in India, told IANS.

The Vattikuti Foundation is behind the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit where Dr Bhandari is working as director, robotic research and education.

Robotic surgery is preferred over traditional laparoscopic techniques because robots operate in 360-degree mode and can reach difficult-to-access parts -- such as stomach blood vessels -- with ease. Moreover, robotic suturing is far more accurate, causes less blood loss, sees faster recovery and leaves practically no scars.

"Compared to laparoscopic procedures where there are longer hospital stays and over a month-long rest period, those undergoing robotic surgeries are back home in two-three days and return to normal activities within three weeks," says Dr Arun Prasad, robotic surgeon (institute of robotic surgery) at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

"The surgical robot with four arms can reach organs and areas where human fingers can't. The three-dimensional (3D) view that can be magnified multi-fold helps the surgeons achieve precision that is hard to match," informs Dr Bhandari.

The greatest impact has been in cancer surgery; it is now possible to remove tumours from almost any organ in the abdomen or chest with great precision and accuracy while saving normal and healthy tissues.

"Patients recover much faster, have significantly less pain and have decreased chances of developing complications as compared to conventional surgery. Dearth of adequately trained and experienced robotic surgeons is a limitation which we have to strive to overcome," says Dr Gagan Gautam, head of urologic oncology and robotic surgery at Max Cancer Centre in Saket.

Dr Gautam has performed over 500 robotic procedures since 2011. From 2009 to 2011, he pursued a two-year clinical fellowship in robotic urological cancer surgery at the University of Chicago.

Dr Tarun Mittal, laparoscopic and obesity surgeon at Sir Gangaram Hospital, firmly believes robot-assisted surgeries will only increase in the next three to five years. But it will require government intervention.

"The government should make an effort to create awareness among the masses, laying emphasis on the success rates of such surgeries. They can make these robot-assisted surgeries as part of the 'Make in India' project, making it cost-effective by providing subsidies so that it reaches the common man," Dr Mittal told IANS.

Dr Sanjay Gogoi, director (urology and renal transplant), Fortis Memorial Research Institute, says that the government should take the initiative to convince insurance companies to cover robotic surgical procedures.

"Moreover, it should reduce the duties on imported robotic consumables. This will greatly reduce the cost of the procedures," Dr Gogoi told IANS.

For Dr Bhandari, robotic surgery in India is already significantly cheaper, when compared to the west. "I do hope that the cost of robotic surgeries will come down further. How soon and by how much the cost will come down is difficult to answer as of now," he adds.

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Redwood City campus will evoke the look and feel of Stanford

Building a campus from scratch has provided both opportunities and challenges for the Campus Planning and Design Office. University Architect David Lenox talks about the university's approach to the new campus' look and feel.

L.A. Cicero University Architect David Lenox says the Campus Planning and Design Office has worked hard to replicate for employees of the Redwood City campus the attributes that make Stanford a special place to work.

The Board of Trustees recently approved plans for the new Stanford in Redwood City campus, the university's first significant expansion beyond the main campus.

Initially, some 2,400 employees will work there on the site of the former Mid-Point Technology Park off Highway 101, about 5 miles from the main campus. It will feature modern offices, a fitness center and pool, a town square and a park, among other amenities. Groundbreaking is tentatively scheduled for early fall of 2016.

Building a campus from scratch has provided both opportunities and challenges for the Campus Planning and Design Office. In an interview, University Architect David Lenox talks about the university's approach to the new campus' look and feel.

What is next in the approval process for the Redwood City campus?

The design plans have been submitted to Redwood City, per the Precise Plan guidelines. The Architectural Review Committee first reviews the plans. Then they go to the Planning Commission.

What will it be like to have an office on the new campus in Redwood City?

Imagine it's a beautiful spring morning. You are on the new campus, strolling down the greenway path toward the arcades that, like the arcades on the main campus, link the buildings and the landscaped courtyards. The warm tones of the wood arcade ceilings, the accent light fixtures and benches, and the collaborative office spaces all evoke that same feeling many of us had when we first visited the main campus. We have worked hard to replicate the attributes that make Stanford such a special place to work for all of the employees who will be part of the campus in Redwood City.

How will the Redwood City campus evoke the main campus?

This campus will be infused with the Stanford ethos. The design focuses on creating a strong sense of place; evoking a sense of pride and higher purpose; crafting an environment that builds connections with the community, within the campus and to the central campus; and committing to the design quality and integrity of Stanford architecture.

For example, we are using the same high-quality, buff-colored limestone that has become our standard material in the Science and Engineering Quad, the School of Medicine and on the Law School campus with the Neukom Building. The four primary Redwood City office buildings have been designed to feel like they are part of the Stanford family. I think if we were to build the Redwood City campus buildings adjacent to the Science and Engineering Quad, they would fit in beautifully.

Are there ways in which the buildings will improve on, for instance, the sustainability achieved on the main campus?

We plan to leverage in Redwood City the best sustainability practices learned on the main campus. The central energy facility on the new campus, as well as photovoltaics, will build on the innovations we have made with the Stanford Energy System Innovations project. The use of recycled water for landscape, aggressive water management practices on the grounds, drought tolerant landscape and a transportation demand management program are a few of the attributes of our Redwood City sustainability program.

Are there particular buildings on the main campus that you used as starting points for the look of the Redwood City campus?

Absolutely. A good example will be the dining pavilion, which will be a projecting-trellis structure facing both the town square and the greenway. My Stanford colleague Zach Pozner, who is director of our architectural team, describes it as a glass jewel box. It's meant to be the magnet of the Redwood City campus. In that way, it echoes the scale and energy of Arbuckle Dining at the Graduate School of Business Knight Management Center. Like Arbuckle, the interior wood detailing will convey a sense of warmth, and the casual furniture on the patio and terrace will help make the space inviting and welcoming. Another example might be the Clark Center and Li Ka Shing Center, which have projecting-roof overhangs and inviting entries. You'll see those elements in Redwood City as well.

What will the landscaping be like?

Stanford has a rich tradition of creating a diversity of landscaped spaces that evoke the heritage of the university, and that'll be the case in Redwood City, too. There will be intimate courtyards between the building where people can gather, work in teams, celebrate occasions. There will also be an open landscaped space in the southeast block that will provide opportunities for recreation. We've put a lot of consideration into the trees, shrubs and groundcover for the campus.

What will the Redwood City campus town square be like?

I think everyone on the planning team is most excited about the town square because it has so much potential. We think about it as a throwback to an Italian piazza, where you might grab groceries at a farmers' market on your way home or just sit with friends. We can imagine Stanford banners, student groups performing, the Marguerite shuttle pulling up. We're looking forward to seeing how people use it. Because it's located centrally along Broadway, it will be our "front door" and most powerful connection to the Stanford Clinics across the street and the broader Redwood City community.
Stanford expert offers approach to thwarting radicalization of Muslim immigrants in the U.S.

Telling Muslims they are not welcome in the United States reinforces the narrative that the West is anti-Islam, a Stanford scholar says. Immigrants fare better when they receive opportunities to integrate their original cultural identities with their new ones.

txking/ Shutterstock A more inclusive approach toward Muslim immigrants and refugees could help reduce the growth of homegrown radicalism, new Stanford research shows.

A more inclusive approach toward Muslims could help reduce the growth of homegrown radicalism, new Stanford research shows.

A growing body of research suggests that election-year demands from politicians to stop admitting Syrian refugees and other Muslims would prove counterproductive and even dangerous, according to Sarah Lyons-Padilla, a Stanford social psychology expert.

She explains in a new article in the journal Behavioral Science and Policy that telling Muslims they are not welcome in the United States simply reinforces the narrative that the West is anti-Islam. In turn, this can actually fuel support for violent extremist groups like the Islamic State.

If U.S. policymakers truly seek to prevent radicalization in the Muslim community, Lyons-Padilla wrote, they should discourage such discrimination and promote policies that allow Muslim Americans to more effectively integrate their American and root culture identities.

Research findings

Lyons-Padilla is a research scientist for Stanford SPARQ: Social Psychological Answers to Real-World Questions. Her co-authors were Michele Gelfand, a psychology professor at the University of Maryland; Hedieh Mirahmadi and Mehreen Farooq, president and senior fellow, respectively, at the World Organization for Resource Development and Education; and Marieke van Egmond, a researcher with Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany.

Lyons-Padilla and her colleagues administered surveys to about 200 immigrant and American-born Muslims in the United States. They also conducted 20 in-depth interviews with the subjects.

Prior studies, the researchers wrote, show that violent extremist organizations like the Islamic State group prey on youth who lack clear purpose and direction by promising them they can belong to a group and receive recognition for doing so.

"This seems to work," said Lyons-Padilla. "Some Muslim Americans who feel a lack of meaning in their lives report being more attracted to fundamentalist groups and radical ideologies."

The new study found that:

The more Muslim Americans experience discrimination, the less purpose and meaning they feel. "This is especially the case for those who feel culturally homeless," Lyons-Padilla said. "That is, belonging neither to one's heritage culture nor to American culture."

The vast majority of Muslims do not support violent extremism, and say they want to combine American customs and values with those of their heritage culture. "This challenges the widespread belief that American values and Islamic principles are incompatible with one another," said Lyons-Padilla.

She noted that research suggests that immigrants and minorities do best when they can successfully integrate their American identities with their other cultural identities. "Wherever we come from, we can all embrace both our heritage cultures and American patriotism."

Policy implications

For the most effective policy approach to Syrian refugees and other Muslim immigrants, the researchers suggest that it is important to "be anti-ISIS, not anti-Islam."

Lyons-Padilla said, "When public figures speak out against Islam, Muslims can start to feel excluded and insecure about their place as a Muslim in American society."

The Islamic State group knows this and exploits it, she noted, and if the United States does not do a better job of including Muslims, the militant organization will.

The good news is that people in Lyons-Padilla's study who did feel well integrated were better protected against radicalization.

The authors caution against confusing integration with assimilation. Assimilation means pressuring immigrants to completely adopt their new culture at the expense of abandoning their own heritage culture. Integration, in contrast, means encouraging immigrants to call themselves American and to also take pride in their own cultural and religious heritage.

It is possible to encourage immigrants to learn the local language and adopt American cultural traditions while not forcing an immigrant to "give up their culture," Lyons-Padilla said.

This research points to a strategy for preventing homegrown radicalization: encouraging immigrants to participate in both of their cultures plus curbing discrimination against Muslims.

For young people who already feel culturally excluded, she suggests policymakers can provide outlets for fostering a sense of purpose in socially adaptive ways.

"We can make it harder for terrorists to recruit by making the culturally homeless feel more at home," Lyons-Padilla said.

Media Contact

Sarah Lyons-Padilla, Psychology: sarahlp@stanford.edu

Clifton B. Parker, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-0224, cbparker@stanford.edu
BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China said the new Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism will help development of the five countries in the sub-region and narrow the development gap in Southeast Asia.

Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin was speaking at a press conference on the upcoming first Lancang-Mekong leaders' meeting to be held in Sanya, Hainan Province on March 23.

Premier Li Keqiang and leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will attend the meeting on cooperative initiatives and measures.

The Lancang-Mekong cooperation began in 2014 and the first foreign ministers' meeting was held last November.

The Mekong River, known as Lancang in China, rises in China's Danggula Mountains and drains through five other countries.

"The five countries are lagging behind in ASEAN, especially Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Cooperation will help narrow the development gaps within the ASEAN, and promote prosperity in the sub-region," Liu said.

Lancang-Mekong cooperation will focus on security and development, as well as political, social and cultural fields. Communication, production capacity, trade, water resource, agriculture and poverty reduction are five priority directions for cooperation.

"These directions accommodate to the needs of the six countries along the river. China's experience, technology, equipment and funds will benefit those countries, which are backward in infrastructure and industrialization," said Chen Fengying, a senior researcher with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Lei Zhuning from Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, said there is tremendous potential for cooperation in agriculture and poverty reduction since China has rich experience in these fields.

Agreement has already been reached on 78 early-harvest projects, and some new projects will also be put forward during the leaders' meeting.

Liu also pledged that the mechanism will be "open and inclusive."

"It complements rather than competes with existing mechanisms such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC). It will also be complementary to China-ASEAN relations," Liu said.

Chen said the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation will also bring opportunities to the cooperation between multilateral development institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund, facing the huge financing demand for infrastructure construction in this area.
The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: College, The Short List: Grad School and The Short List: Online Programs to find data that matter to you in your college or grad school search.

There's a strong demand for doctors in the workforce, but most people who apply to medical school don't get in.

Among 115 ranked medical schools, the average acceptance rate for fall 2015 was 6.9 percent, according to data submitted to U.S. News in an annual survey.

Low MCAT scores or undergraduate grade-point averages often prevent prospective doctors from making it through the competitive admissions process.

[See the 2017 Best Medical Schools.]

But at some institutions, hardly anyone gets an acceptance letter. The Mayo Medical School in Minnesota accepted only 1.8 percent of applicants -- 81 out of the 4,616 who applied -- for fall 2015. It had the lowest acceptance rate among all ranked medical schools.

Mayo accepted an even smaller percentage of applicants than it did in fall 2014, when it admitted just 2 percent.

Among the other schools accepting a lower proportion of applicants were three institutions that didn't make the list of most competitive schools for fall 2014. Florida State University accepted 2.4 percent of applicants for fall 2015; the University of California--Davis had an acceptance rate of 2.8 percent; and the University of California--San Diego accepted 3.4 percent.

Among the top 10 schools, there was an average of 8,362 applicants and just 232 acceptances per school for fall 2015.

[Find out the top three reasons medical school applications are rejected.]

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences had the highest acceptance rate of all ranked schools: 21 percent.

Story continues

Below is a list of the 10 medical schools with the lowest acceptance rates for fall 2015. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report.

* RNP denotes an institution that is ranked in the bottom one-fourth of all medical and osteopathic schools. U.S. News calculates a rank for the school but has decided not to publish it.

Don't see your school in the top 10? Access the U.S. News Medical School Compass to find information on medical school acceptance rates, complete rankings and much more. School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.

U.S. News surveyed 170 medical schools for our 2015 survey of research and primary care programs. Schools self-reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News' data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of this survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Medical Schools rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. While the data come from the schools themselves, these lists are not related to, and have no influence over, U.S. News' rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools or Best Online Programs. The acceptance rate data above are correct as of March 17, 2016.

Delece Smith-Barrow is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering graduate schools. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dsmithbarrow@usnews.com.
Geneva (AFP) - Switzerland said Thursday it had frozen $800 million (706 million euros) during its investigation into corruption at Brazil's state oil firm Petrobras, but a portion of the funds had been returned.

The Swiss attorney general's office (OAG) previously put the amount of money blocked during the probe -- which opened in April 2014 -- at $400 million.

The OAG statement said a total of $190 million had so far been returned from Swiss banks to various individuals or entities.

The multi-billion-dollar Petrobras corruption scam has touched some of Brazil's most powerful figures, including President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Rousseff's tottering government has been plunged deep into crisis, with the president fighting off new impeachment proceedings, mass protests, a deep recession and the splintering of her coalition.

Switzerland is probing evidence that huge portions of the funds scammed from Petrobras were funnelled to the federation's banks.

To date, Swiss prosecutors have opened 60 separate investigations into possible "aggravated money laundering", linked to Petrobras, involving 340 suspicious bank transactions.

Documents related to more than 1,000 accounts have been requested from over 40 banks, the OAG further said.

The owners of these accounts are "senior executives of Petrobras and... its suppliers, financial intermediaries, Brazilian politicians," and various companies tied to Brazil, the statement said.
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Syrian activists and Western envoys said on Thursday Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and others should face justice for war crimes as part of any peace process. They also called for the release of tens of thousands of detainees languishing in government jails, including women and children, as part of confidence-building measures in the Geneva talks between the Syrian government and opposition. They were speaking at the Swiss Press Club in Geneva alongside an exhibition of some of the 55,000 photographs taken by a former military police photographer code-named "Caesar" which document the torture and deaths of detainees in Syrian state custody. "The Caesar photos are compelling evidence, brutally and forensically documented, of the Assad regime's calculated widespread attack on the Syrian people. It is a form of collective punishment," Gareth Bayley, U.K. Special Representative for Syria, said in a speech. "Justice focuses most specifically of course on Bashar al-Assad," he said. "Accountability must be central to a settlement in Syria." Bayley, referring to the opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said: "We support today the HNC's call, which is both profound and indeed noble, for the release of detainees." France's envoy Franck Gellet noted that China and Russia had vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution referring Syria to the International Criminal Court. But he said the Caesar photos should be used as evidence in national criminal prosecutions. "Our call is to all countries to try whatever procedures they have to exercise their national jurisdiction." U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Michael Ratney attended the exhibition but did not speak. United Nations war crimes investigators have documented atrocities committed by all sides in the war, now in its sixth year, and have compiled a confidential list of suspects. On Tuesday they said lower-level perpetrators should be prosecuted by foreign authorities until senior military and political figures could be brought before international justice. "Unfortunately all U.N. resolutions about Syria have no mention at all about accountability," said Mazen Darwish, a prominent Syrian activist released in August after serving 3-1/2 years in prison on charges of spreading propaganda. "Without any justice we don't have any peace in Syria. And justice is about accountability," said Darwish, founder of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression. Yahya al-Aridhi of the Syrian Organization for Victims of War, organisers of the exhibition, said the bodies depicted in the gruesome photographs were those of Syrians, Jordanians and Palestinians who had opposed the regime. "They are victims of a non-stop Holocaust in Syria," he said. "In the political process, this issue of victims of war, or transitional justice or the human dimension has been somehow sidelined. You cannot have a settlement, you cannot lessen tension, you cannot heal a very deep wound without having transitional justice." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Andrew Roche)
By Luke Mintz LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Humanitarian agencies demanded unconditional access to all communities in Syria as Russia continued on Wednesday to withdraw its military forces from the country. In a joint statement signed by 102 humanitarian organizations to mark the fifth anniversary of the conflict's beginning, aid agencies urged all warring parties that humanitarian access must "include access to all people in need by whatever routes necessary". The statement, signed by the U.N. children's agency UNICEF, Oxfam and others, noted "encouraging signs of progress" in Syria, with the cessation of hostilities, allowing humanitarian agencies to "rush more food and other relief to communities desperate for help". But access has to go beyond a temporary lifting of sieges and checkpoints, they said. "Humanitarian access and freedom of movement of civilians in Syria has to be sustained. It has to be unconditional. And it should include access to all people in need by whatever routes necessary," the signatories wrote. All humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, medical staff and aid workers should be given full access to all civilians in need. There was also an urgent need for a national immunization campaign for children, the agencies said. "These are practical actions that would mean the difference between life and death," the agencies said. "All parties to the conflict can agree on them, now. And in doing so, they can take another step to peace," they said. More than 11 million Syrians from a population of nearly 23 million have been forced from their homes during the five-year conflict, including 4.8 million who have fled the country. Kevin Jenkins, president of World Vision International, said there are 13.5 million people in Syria in need of assistance including six million children and many in hard to reach areas. Benedict Dempsey, director of policy and advocacy for Mercy Corps Europe, said the call for unfettered humanitarian access to Syria is "not new", adding that four U.N. Security Council resolutions called for this. "It is imperative that aid organizations, including Syrian organizations, have unfettered and sustained access to reach civilians in need throughout all of Syria swiftly, without restrictions and through the safest, most direct routes, be they across lines or across borders," he said. (Reporting by Luke Mintz; Editing by Belinda Goldsmith; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
A top Air Force official on Wednesday floated a potentially controversial scheme to pay for the services pricey next-generation bomber, one that could see the entire Defense Department fund the expensive effort.

The estimated $100 billion lifetime price tag for the nuclear-capable aircraft, recently designated the B-21, should be folded into a nuclear deterrence fund created to pay for the Navys next ballistic missile submarine fleet, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James suggested during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, according to Defense News.

Related: The Air Forces New Bomber Gets a Name: Meet the B-21

James went further, suggesting that the cost of the replacement for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) should also be included in the currently Navy-specific account, formally known as the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund.

That missile system, dubbed the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, is expected to cost more than $62 billion over its projected 30-year lifespan between fiscal years 2015 and 2044.

If [there] is a strategic deterrence fund that would help or benefit one leg of the triad, I would ask for consideration that all legs of the triad be included in such an approach, James told lawmakers.

The Navy wants to purchase 12 vessels to replace its existing force of 14 Trident Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. Service officials have pegged the price tag of the next-generation nuclear submarine program, also known as the SSBN(X), at around $139 billion, with a lifetime cost of roughly $347 billion.

Related: The Navy Hunts for Its Next-Generation Nuclear Submarine

The fiscal 2015 defense policy bill authorized the creation of the special deterrence account for the submarine program. Some lawmakers believe that because the sub effort is so large and so expensive that it should be considered a national program and therefore funded from accounts throughout the Pentagon rather than strictly from Navy coffers, thus avoiding painful budget cuts to other service programs.

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James comments suggest the Air Force may have come to the same conclusion about the B-21, especially after a think-tank report released last month warned of a coming bow wave in bills to the service budget in the 2020s, cresting at $232 billion in fiscal 2022, as the Air Force looks to modernize its portions of the nuclear triad as well as its fighters and tankers while still pursuing expensive weapons like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Related: How the Air Forces New Planes Could Bankrupt the Pentagon

If the Air Force can get the rest of the Pentagon to chip in for the B-21, it would give the service some real budgetary relief.

But just because James suggested adding the bomber and missile to the deterrence account  thus expanding the size of its pot to over $500 billion  doesnt automatically mean its going to happen. Congressional appropriators have shown discomfort over the deterrence fund, arguing that a special account sets a bad precedent and that the national tag could be slapped on other expensive weapon platforms, like the F-35.

Navy officials will want to weigh in on the suggestion, too, potentially sparking a turf battle between the two services as they look to modernize their arsenals.
By Imelda V. Abano MANILA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - World leaders must show their commitment to tackling global warming by signing the Paris climate agreement at a ceremony in April at the United Nations, climate change activist and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore said. Gore said there was a tremendous push for heads of government to formally ink the accord, to keep up momentum for the deal struck by around 195 countries in December and to avert the worst impacts of climate change on vulnerable nations. There is an overwhelming amount of hope that the Paris climate agreement could be a turning point towards a more resilient, low-carbon future, Gore told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. While the deal is not enough by itself, it is a major step forward. At the Paris climate talks, governments agreed to limit global temperature rise to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times and pursue efforts to keep it to 1.5 degrees. Segolene Royal, France's environment minister who recently took over as chair of the U.N.-led climate negotiations, has said that between 80 and 100 countries are expected to sign the agreement in New York on April 22. The agreement is due to take effect in 2020, but requires at least 55 countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions to ratify it first. Gore, who was in Manila to lead training for more than 700 local advocates for climate action under an international program he launched in 2006, praised the efforts of countries at high risk of climate impacts that had pressed for the lower 1.5 degree cap in Paris, led by the Philippines. I certainly hope that we can meet that 1.5 degrees goal, and I am very grateful to the Philippines for helping to include that goal in the Paris agreement, Gore said. Conventional economic analysis has convinced many people that its not a realistic goal, he added. But non-conventional analysis that takes into account the unconventional dramatic change in renewable energy competitiveness has convinced others that actually we may have a chance to meet that goal, he said. The key is for countries to switch to renewable energy, Gore said. "With the Paris agreement, we send a signal to the business community that the way to a low-carbon future is going solar or wind or geothermal, he said. As more and more people become aware of the challenges posed by the "climate crisis", more legal changes can be expected that support action, he noted, citing moves by China to adopt a national carbon emissions trading scheme next year. "If you and I had been told three or four years ago that China would have a nationwide cap-and-trade program, it would have been hard to believe - but they will, and many other countries are moving in the same direction. RICH "MUST DO MORE" Philippine Climate Change Commission Secretary Emmanuel de Guzman told the Thomson Reuters Foundation his country would sign the Paris agreement in April. The Philippines has pledged to cut its carbon emissions by 70 percent from business as usual by 2030, conditional on international financial support, as part of the Paris deal. "The agreement tells the world that human rights will be upheld, that the big and powerful have stood up for the small, poor and vulnerable, and that the world is determined to rise to this great challenge," de Guzman said. The Paris accord promises $100 billion per year from 2020 to fund projects enabling vulnerable countries to adopt clean energy and adjust to the impacts of climate change such as rising seas and fiercer droughts, floods and storms. Gore said rich nations must do more in helping poor nations to adapt to the changing climate. The Green Climate Fund (GCF), which was set up under the U.N. talks to support climate action in the developing world, "still needs to be completely funded and I will be among those working to make sure that it is, Gore added. The Nobel Peace Prize winner, who gave an hour-long presentation on climate disruption and its solutions in Manila this week, said there was basis for genuine hope that the world can curb climate change. "It matters a lot how long it takes to prevail, because we are programming into the Earth's system a lot of distractive changes every day, so the sooner we make the transition, the less damage we will do," he said. "But I am filled with hope that we actually will win this struggle." (Reporting by Imelda V. Abano; editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
By Loucoumane Coulibaly GRAND BASSAM, Ivory Coast (Reuters) - President Alassane Ouattara vowed on Wednesday that an al Qaeda-claimed attack on an Ivory Coast beach resort that killed 19 people would not derail the nation's post-war revival. Militants burst onto the beach on Sunday in the town of Grand Bassam, 40 km (25 miles) from the commercial capital Abidjan, gunning down swimmers and sunbathers before storming into several hotels. The attack was a heavy blow for the West African state that has recovered from more than a decade of political turmoil and a 2011 civil war to become one of the world's best performing economies with annual growth averaging around 9 percent. Ouattara won re-election by a landslide in October, pledging to attract foreign investment to the largest economy in French-speaking West Africa, also the world's top cocoa producer. "Our march towards (economic) emergence is irreversible. The progress we've made in the past four years must be further reinforced," he said before a cabinet meeting in Grand Bassam. The government said following the meeting that the death toll from the attack had increased by one to 19. Eleven Ivorians, including three special forces soldiers, died. Four French citizens were killed and other foreign victims included citizens of Germany, Lebanon, Macedonia and Nigeria. The government had earlier stated there were victims from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Mali; however, that was later found to be untrue after the identities of the dead were verified. Another 24 injured people were still in hospital on Wednesday, a government spokesman said. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the group's North African branch, claimed the attack and said it was revenge for a French offensive against Islamist militants in the Sahel region. AQIM published photos on its social media sites of three men it said were the suicide attackers, according to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors militant activity online. AQIM said they were from al Mourabitoun, an allied group led by veteran militant leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar. Grand Bassam is a popular weekend retreat only a short drive from Abidjan, a cosmopolitan regional economic hub with a population of around five million. The attack came as the government seeks to revitalise a once lucrative tourism industry that was shattered by the crisis years. After visiting the beach in Grand Bassam and laying a wreath, Ouattara sought to reassure the local tourism. "We must not be intimidated, discouraged by the terrorists," he said. "I am sure that this weekend the hotel business will return to normal." (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Tom Heneghan)
(This version of the March 11 story corrects the nationality to Moroccan-American, not native of Afghanistan, in the last paragraph) By Mana Rabiee WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 20 women in Islamic hijab worried by rising anti-Muslim rhetoric in the United States watched on a recent night as their self-defense instructor showed them how to punch a would-be attacker. "Kiai!" shouted Rana Abdelhamid, an Egyptian-American with a black belt in shotokan karate, as she demonstrated the blow. "I'm fighting - Kiai! That's how loud I want you to be," Abdelhamid, a Muslim human rights activist and native of Queens, New York, told the group. The women followed her lead, some shouting the martial arts cry louder than others. The workshops launched by Abdelhamid for women are among a number of similar classes around the United States that have sprung up as Muslims perceive themselves to be under increasing threat. The feeling has intensified with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's call in December to ban Muslims from entering the country. "You can be attacked at any point. You can be pushed off ... of a subway ledge," said Abdelhamid. She added that headscarves and the hijab can sometimes turn Muslim women into targets. One of the women in the class, Kristin Garrity Sekerci, an American convert to Islam, said she wanted to be able to defend herself if she were attacked. "You stand out. It's not fair, but it's the reality. And you have to equip yourself to be able to face that," said Garrity Sekerci, who works with the Islamophobia-tracking Bridge Initiative at Washington's Georgetown University. Muslim advocacy groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) say anti-Muslim bias crimes in the United States have tripled since attacks by Islamic militants in Paris in November and shootings by Muslim extremists in San Bernardino, California, in December. About 80 percent of the victims in such incidents are women, CAIR officials say. "There really is a need for Muslim women to protect themselves in this society," said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper. The Bridge Initiative says Muslims in the United States are five times more likely to be the victim of a hate crime than they were before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The women in Abdelhamid's class included a young Palestinian who works at the Pentagon and a middle-aged Yemeni who is learning English. "You just feel this rush of adrenaline in your body and you just want to conquer the world," Hind Essayegh, a Moroccan-American, said after the class. "It's really empowering." (Writing by Ian Simpson; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland has been sympathetic to government regulators in his almost two decades as an appeals court judge, frequently rejecting business-led challenges to federal action. His overall record, however, suggests he is a moderate who follows Supreme Court precedent and is not eager to spearhead efforts to adopt novel legal theories. Garland sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which hears a large proportion of the legal challenges to major federal regulations in areas such as environment and labor. They are often brought by business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Cases are assigned randomly to three-judge panels. Garland has avoided some of the most contentious cases of recent years, including challenges to government efforts under President Barack Obama to curb carbon emissions and ensure equal access to Internet data via its so called "net neutrality" rule. Of the cases in which he has participated, some of his opinions and votes in his 19 years on the bench have already attracted criticism from conservative and pro-business groups following his nomination to the high court by Obama on Wednesday. They say he too easily defers to government action. "We have great concerns about this nominee's record," said Juanita Duggan, president of the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small business owners. The group cites several cases, including one from 2003 in which the appeals court ruled against a developer challenging a finding the federal government had authority to force it to take measures to protect an endangered toad on the property under the federal Endangered Species Act. The ruling, written by Garland, was a win for the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, which was defending the actions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Garland wrote a narrow decision, saying he was merely staying in line with court precedent. One of the judges on the appeals court who disagreed with the outcome was John Roberts, who Bush appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. Roberts questioned whether the federal government had the authority to issue regulations protecting what he described as "a hapless toad." Roberts' opinion was questioned by liberals when he was nominated to the high court as a sign that he would limit federal power to issue broad nationwide regulations. In another case mentioned by the business group, Garland was part of a three-judge panel that in 1998 upheld Environmental Protection Agency emissions limits for nitrogen oxides from electric utility boilers. More recently, he was on a panel in 2014 that upheld an Obama administration air pollution rule that limits emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. The court held that the government was not required to consider the cost of compliance before issuing the regulation. The Supreme Court in June 2015 threw out that decision, although the regulation remains in place. In another 2014 case, he was part of a panel of 11 judges that ruled 8-3 to reject a food industry challenge to a federal rule concerning labeling requirements for meat. Despite those votes in favor of the government and against business interests, Garland is seen by legal experts as a moderate on the appeals court. "Hes a modest judge in that he really does try to stick to Supreme Court precedent," said Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Adler said Garland was somewhere in the middle of the 17-judge court when it comes to deference to agency action. Appeals court judges' hands are somewhat tied on regulatory cases because they are bound by Supreme Court precedent that favors deference to government agencies. In 1984, the high court ruled that judges should not second-guess agencies if the law is ambiguous. Neal Katyal, a former Obama administration lawyer now in private practice with the Hogan Lovells law firm, said it is a "really tough argument" to suggest Garland's rulings on regulations show an ideological leaning. He described Garland's record on such cases as "very, very centrist." The Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, another industry group that regularly fights government regulations, said they would not comment on the merits of Garland's nomination. (This version of the story corrects the day of nomination announcement to Wednesday in paragraph five.) (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; editing by Grant McCool)
By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man was found guilty on Thursday of plotting with others to attack a "Draw Mohammed" cartoon contest in Texas last year and providing material support to the Islamic State group, prosecutors said.

Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, 44, was convicted on all five charges against him by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in Phoenix stemming from the May 3 attack in the Dallas suburb of Garland that left his two alleged associates dead in a shoot-out with police.

The case against Kareem, also known as Decarus Thomas, was the first Islamic State-related prosecution to reach trial of the dozens brought by the federal government across the nation. It is the second jury verdict in such a case, as U.S. Air Force veteran Tairod Pugh was convicted earlier this month in New York.

"This verdict sends a strong message to those who support terrorists," acting special agent in charge of the FBI's Phoenix division, Justin Tolomeo, said in a statement.

Kareem's attorney could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday, but Kareem maintained his innocence and denied involvement in the attacks when he took the stand for two days in the federal trial.

Kareem's roommates, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, of Phoenix were killed by Garland police after they opened fire with assault rifles outside the May 3 cartoon drawing event.

The contest was intended to satirize Islam's Prophet Mohammed. It came months after gunmen killed 12 people in the Paris offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in what was said to be revenge for its cartoons depicting Mohammed.

Such portrayals are considered offensive by Muslims. None of the approximately 150 people attending the event in Garland in May were hurt.

The original indictment said Kareem supplied the two gunmen with arms and helped them prepare for the attack. He was later charged with showing support for the Islamic State militant group in social media posts, researching travel to the Middle East to train with terrorists and seeking to make explosives that could be used during last year's Super Bowl in Arizona, the most-watched U.S. sporting event annually.

Prosecutors said Kareem could face a potential sentence of at least 45 years in prison.

(Reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Curtis Skinner and Sandra Maler)
Macao (AFP) - A movie about a highly-trained female assassin swept the Asian Film Awards in Macau Thursday, bagging prizes for best film, best actress and best director at the glittering ceremony.

The movie took home more than half of the night's prizes -- eight out of 15 trophies -- at one of Asia's leading film awards held in the glamorous casino town in southern China.

Set in the Tang Dynasty era in China, "The Assassin" is a slow-burning minimalist movie with Taiwanese megastar Shu Qi playing a skilled female assassin sent back to her home province to kill its governor, who is also the man she loves.

"I'm so lucky this year," Shu, wearing a sparkling silver dress, told reporters after receiving the best actress award.

"I couldn't have made it through the two years of production for 'The Assassin' without (the help of) bandages and medicine," quipped 39-year-old Shu, referring to the gruelling physical demands required for the action sequences.

Chinese actress Zhou Yun grabbed best supporting actress for her performance in the film, which she said was a "surprise".

"I won the award because the movie is so good, I contributed just a small part of all the impressive aspects (of the movie)," Zhou said.

The film is directed by Taiwan's Hou Hsiao-hsien, who sticks to his trademark aesthetic that won him fame for previous titles "Millennium Mambo" and "The Puppetmaster".

The 68-year-old, who did not attend the ceremony, is one of the most recognisable names in Taiwan's New Wave cinema.

He has won a string of international awards, including best director at the Cannes Film Festival in May for "The Assassin".

Though "The Assassin" dominated the night, others didn't go home empty handed.

South Korean star Lee Byung-hun won best actor for his role in political thriller "The Inside Men".

"Today's result is very good... I am very emotional about everybody's support," Lee told reporters.

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Chinese romance film "Mountains May Depart" won the award for best screenplay, while India's "Bajirao Mastani", a love story about a general and a Muslim princess, won best visual effects.

Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, who worked on films such as "The Matrix", "Kill Bill" and "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" was given this year's lifetime achievement award. Veteran Japanese actress Kirin Kiki was also given the prize.

French actress Sophie Marceau attended the ceremony to hand out the best actress award, to Shu's delight.

"I'm very happy to be on the stage to hug Sophie," best actress Shu said.

The awards were organised by the Hong Kong International Film Festival and were hosted at Macau's glitzy Venetian resort this year, the show's 10th instalment.

LIST OF WINNERS

Best editing: Port of Call/Hong Kong

Best cinematography: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best supporting actress: Zhou Yun (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best visual effects: Bajirao Mastani/India

Best sound: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best original music: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best screenplay: Mountains May Depart/France, Japan, China

Best supporting actor: Asano Tadanobu (Journey to the Shore)/France, Japan

Best costume design: The Throne/South Korea

Best production design: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best newcomer: Jessie Li (Port of Call)/Hong Kong

Best actress: Shu Qi (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best actor: Lee Byung-hun (Inside Men)/South Korea

Best director: Hou Hsiao-hsien (The Assassin)/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Best film: The Assassin/Hong Kong, China, Taiwan

Lifetime achievement award: Kirin Kiki and Yuen Wo-ping
By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As President Barack Obama unveiled his Supreme Court nominee on Wednesday, a carefully crafted operation to sell his choice to Americans and to resistant Republicans rolled into action. Liberal groups announced a national campaign to target Republican Senate opponents with demonstrations and television ads in what is likely to be one of the most bitter fights ever over a Supreme Court nomination. The White House has enlisted legal scholars and corporate executives to make the case for centrist judge Merrick Garland despite resistance from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and other senior Republicans who have said Obama should let the next president fill the position. Garland himself, an appeals-court judge, immediately started making calls to Capitol Hill, signaling the start of a battle for public perceptions as Obama seeks to highlight what Democrats characterize as unprecedented obstructionism. The pressure may not be enough to convince Republicans to give Garland a hearing, let alone a confirmation vote. But the White House is betting that since many Republicans face tough re-election battles, they may be less willing to reject Garland out of hand. The White House has enlisted former White House officials Stephanie Cutter and Katie Beirne Fallon to mobilize liberal groups, which see the fight as a historic chance to push the Supreme Court to the left as well as mobilize their supporters ahead of the elections. "We're going to organize in record numbers," said Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, which plans rallies outside the offices of Republican senators in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and New Hampshire starting next week. MOVING THE NEEDLE Republicans likely won't be swayed by such messages, but voters may be, said Michael Gottlieb, a lawyer at Washington firm Boies, Schiller, & Flexner who was involved with the last four Supreme Court nominations. "What moves the needle is if your average person, an independent voter or a moderate Republican, sees inaction on a nominee as the Senate not doing its job," Gottlieb said. Some 57 percent of Americans believe Obama should name a replacement for the vacant seat while 33 percent say he should not, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. Events planned by a slew of Democrat-linked groups will feature "working Americans telling Senate Republicans to do their jobs," according to a former White House official who is involved in the efforts. Social media will play a big part. A petition under the Twitter tag #DoYouJob has already collected 1.5 million signatures. A central target is Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, who has said any Obama nominee would not get a hearing before his Judiciary Committee. Facing a tough Democratic challenger and pressure from liberal activists, Grassley talked with Garland by phone on Wednesday and held out the possibility of a meeting. Democratic aides say they aim to pressure Grassley into holding a hearing. Whether he does or not, they see Grassley in the meantime struggling to justify his current hard-line position, which they think could help his Democratic opponent in November, former Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge. RE-ELECTION WORRIES Republican senators facing re-election in New Hampshire, Illinois, and Ohio have said they are willing to meet with Garland. Democrats view those seats as among the most promising targets in their effort to win back control of the 100-seat body. Some 34 seats are up for grabs in the Senate, where Republicans have a 54-46 seat majority. Democrats say the fight could make Senate races in Missouri and North Carolina competitive as well, though independent analysts say they still face an uphill climb. With the election still seven months away, "it will be tough to keep the issue at the forefront of voters' minds," said Nathan Gonzales, who tracks elections for the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report. Despite the political overtones, Obama opted to pick a relatively uncontroversial candidate. Garland, the top judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, is viewed as a centrist who is not ideologically driven. Some conservative groups say Garland's past rulings indicate that he would push the court to the left on gun rights, government regulations and other key issues. But others plan to keep the focus on Obama, not his nominee. "If you start eviscerating him in the public sphere, you're going to create sympathy and the White House will use that," said Jason Pye, a spokesman for libertarian group FreedomWorks. Members of the network have sent more than 500,000 emails urging Republican senators to stick to their position, he said. The White House said it had enlisted 356 legal scholars, 217 corporate lawyers and 17 environmental executives in a letter-writing campaign urging Republican senators to act. Some on the left say they may have a hard time rallying their members behind a centrist, 63-year-old white male candidate. "We have to go where grassroots energy is. We can't just manufacture it out of thin air," said Neil Sroka, a spokesman for Democracy For Action, a network of 1 million progressive activists. (Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Julia Edwards, Timothy Gardner, Richard Cowan, Lawrence Hurley and Susan Cornwell; editing by Stuart Grudgings)
Fairy circles, mysterious barren patches once known only in Namibia, have been discovered in Australia. And the discovery might help resolve the controversy over why fairy circles exist.

Fairy circles are regular patches of barren dirt arranged in a repeating hexagonal pattern. They've long been a flashpoint of controversy in the African country of Namibia, where researchers have postulated that they're the work of termites, that they're definitely not the work of termites, that they're caused by toxic underground gases or uneven distribution of soil nutrients. Researchers have even found that the pattern of Namibian fairy circles shares an uncanny resemblance to the pattern of skin cell organization.

Now, the Australian discovery of fairy circles bolsters another theory, according to ecological modeler Stephan Getzin of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Germany. The fairy circles seem to be a self-perpetuating pattern caused by the competition for scarce water. [See Photos of the Fairy Circles Discovered in Australian Outback]

New circles

Getzin and his team had previously championed the water theory, arguing that fairy circles occur only in certain arid regions and that grasses often form strange striped or twisty growth patterns in areas where water is scarce.

The new discovery of fairy circles in Australia came courtesy of an Australian colleague of Getzin's, who sent Getzin an aerial photograph of the dry landscape around Newman, a small town in Western Australia's Pilbara region. This is flat, sunbaked terrain, where soil surface temperatures can reach a sizzling 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius), Getzin told Live Science.

The harsh conditions may be the reason fairy circles spread, Getzin and his colleagues reported Monday (March 14) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In Australia, there was no correlation between termite or ant activity with the number of fairy circles or their size. And the termite and ant nests that were visible tended to be spaced in irregular clusters, while the fairy circles were remarkable regular.

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Thirsty grass

The researchers methodically measured the fairy circles in three areas near Newman. They took soil samples, measured temperature and tracked how water infiltrated the soil. They analyzed aerial photographs and created computer simulations of the landscape.

The Australian fairy circles occur on sandy soil topped with a hard clay crust, they found. Water essentially can't penetrate this crust, and instead runs off toward spots where plants have managed to take root. It's a beneficial feedback circle for those plants that survive on the edges of the circles, because they catch all the rainwater that rolls off the barren soil. Meanwhile, the barren spots stay bare because no small seedling can hope to take root there  the center of the circles are simply too hot and too hard-packed. Getzin and his colleagues argue that a similar situation occurs in Namibia, though the soil there drains water more efficiently and the uneven flow takes place underground instead of on the surface.

Other fairy circles may lie, undiscovered, in remote drylands, Getzin said.

"They are strongly confined to a narrow climatic envelope," based on rainfall, he told Live Science. "Hence, they occur not easily everywhere over huge areas, but if conditions are right, they could be found somewhere else," he said.

The new study is unlikely to completely put the controversy over the cause of fairy circles to bed, Getzin said. But it's a check in the water-scarcity column and a blow to the termite theories.

"I think [we] have just made an important step forward by showing that identical fairy circles to the Namibian ones can be found around the globe, without correlation to termite activity," he said.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan pardoned 148 prisoners including journalists, rights activists and political opponents on Thursday, state media said, in an apparent move to deflect Western criticism of the ex-Soviet republic's human rights record. Analysts say President Ilham Aliyev has included some political prisoners in amnesties in recent years to deflect complaints over crackdowns on free speech in Azerbaijan, a major oil and natural gas exporter. Among those pardoned were rights advocates Taleh Khasmamadov, Hilal Mammadov and Rasul Jafarov, opposition National Statehood Party chief Nemat Panahli, six members of an opposition party and a civic youth movement, ex-election watchdog chief Anar Mammadli and journalist Parviz Hasimov. All were jailed after convictions on charges including tax evasion, illegal business activity and drug trafficking. Prominent journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov, convicted in 2014 of espionage and high treason which he denied, was also freed after the Baku court of appeals cut his six-year prison term to a five-year probation period. He was not in the amnesty list. Mirkadyrov and the other freed prisoners denied the charges against them, calling them politically motivated and fabricated. Mirkadyrov was a political correspondent at the independent Azeri Russian-language newspaper Zerkalo (Mirror) in Turkey, from where he was deported to Azerbaijan two years ago. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini welcomed the amnesty following talks she had in Baku two weeks ago, saying she hoped they would lead to releases of remaining imprisoned rights activists. About 10 are still jailed. The government says Azerbaijan, a Caspian Sea republic of about 9 million people sandwiched between Russia, Iran and Turkey, enjoys full freedom of speech and a free press. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova and Margarita Antidze; Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC, ^RUT) are mixed as investors weigh new data on the U.S. job market. Tim Anderson, managing director of TJM Investments joins us live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to discuss the markets.

Joining Yahoo Finance's Alexis Christoforous to discuss some of the other big stories of the day are Yahoo Finance Columnist Rick Newman and Peter Kenny, chief market strategist for Global Markets Advisory Group and owner of KennysCommentary.com.

Ackman takes a beating

It's another big loss for hedge fund mogul Bill Ackman and his Pershing Square funds. He took a billion-plus dollar bath this week when pharmaceutical company Valeant (VRX) lost over 50% of its share price in one day. He's been forced to liquidate some of his better investments, including Mondelez International (MDLZ), the maker of Oreos.



Baidu driverless car

Another player is joining the self-driving car sweepstakes. The Wall Street Journal says Chinese tech giant Baidu (BIDU) will soon begin testing in the U.S., and the company hopes to have a commercially viable vehicle in two years. Not only thata U.S. government agency just announced it will mandate automatic emergency braking systems in all vehicles by 2022.

Coke's designer milk hopes

We have designer jeans, designer sneakers, and now ... designer milk. Coca-Cola (KO) is looking to "milk" big profits from its investment in Fairlife, which makes filtered, high-protein, low-sugar, lactose-free milk. CEO Steve Jones, who used to work at Coke, tells Bloomberg it can be a billion dollar business.




MUMBAI (Reuters) - Blackstone Group LP is nearing a deal to acquire Hewlett Packard Enterprise's (HPE) controlling stake worth about $940 million in Indian IT outsourcing services provider MphasiS Ltd , according to three sources directly involved in the deal. HPE owns roughly 60.5 percent stake in MphasiS, and the U.S.-based parent had been looking to exit from the Indian venture to shore up its capital. Bids for buying the MphasiS stake were submitted earlier this month and the U.S. private equity firm has emerged as the front-runner for taking majority ownership of the mid-sized Indian IT services exporter, the sources said. Financial details of the possible deal were not immediately known. Based on MphasiS' stock price on Thursday, the HPE stake in the Bengaluru-headquartered company is valued at about $940 million. The company's total market value is about $1.6 billion. Blackstone and HPE declined to comment, while MphasiS did not respond to emails seeking comment. MphasiS, whose rivals include outsourcers Tata Consultancy Services Ltd and Infosys Ltd , is not likely to command a very high valuation as a major part of its business depends on subcontracting by HPE, one of the sources said. Until a few years ago, MphasiS generated roughly half of its revenue by providing services to HPE's clients. This has now come down to 24 percent of the firm's total revenue, it said in its latest annual report. The MphasiS deal, if closed, will be one of the biggest M&A transactions in India's $150 billion outsourcing sector, and underscores foreign investors' confidence in growth potential as western clients send more jobs to India to cut costs. Last month, Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte [GIC.UL] and PE investors Advent International and Bain Capital jointly bought a minority stake in India-focussed outsourcing firm QuEST Global Services for $350 million. MphasiS was formed in 2000 and six years later Electronics Data Systems Corp acquired a majority holding in the company. In 2008, EDS was acquired by Hewlett Packard, which resulted in the transfer of the shareholding to the computer maker. A pact on the deal could be signed by early next month, two of the sources said, cautioning the acquisition terms had not yet been finalised. (This version of the story corrects company name throughout to HP Enterprise not HP Inc.) (Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee and Prakash Chakravarti at IFR/BasisPoint; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
There's a saying that any publicity is good publicity. But scientists whose discoveries inspire misleading headlines would probably beg to differ  like the researchers whose recent description of deep-sea craters was hailed by many news outlets as an explanation for mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle.

The scientists suspected that the craters were caused by methane explosions on the ocean floor that occurred after the last ice age, about 11,700 years ago.

A number of media outlets took that to mean that similar explosive methane activity in the Bermuda Triangle region of the Atlantic Ocean could be blamed for unexplained disappearances. Since the inexplicable 1945 disappearance of "Flight 19"  five U.S. military aircraft  a number of ships and airplanes containing hundreds of people have been reported missing after passing through or over waters in the Triangle, which is bounded by points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. [Photos: Lost in the Bermuda Triangle]

In an abstract published online March 2016 following its submission to the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly, the scientists detailed a number of craters in the Barents Sea, an area in the Arctic Ocean with a basin shared by Norway and Russia.

The craters are distributed around an area measuring about 39 square miles (100 square kilometers), Karin Andreassen, one of the researchers, said in a statement. The scars on the seafloor were quite large  measuring as much as 0.6 miles (1 km) wide and up to 44 yards (40 meters) deep.

These craters likely were formed by gas "blowouts" from the seabed, when methane in the form of ice thawed as the last ice age waned and the Earth warmed, said Andreassen, a professor of marine geology and geophysics at The Arctic University of Norway.

Fortunately for geoscientists, those blasts would have sent seismic waves through Earth. High-resolution, 3D visualizations of seismic data from the craters obtained in 2015 allowed the researchers to investigate the "fingerprints" left behind by the explosions that shaped the craters, providing a clearer picture of how violent methane blasts could have left their mark in the rocky ocean floor.

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But "blowouts" of the type that shaped the craters were particular to that period in Earth's history; they were triggered by geologic processes that followed roughly 100,000 years when much of Earth was covered by ice sheets.

"Conditions during the last ice age cannot be compared with what we see today," Andreassen said. "We are not making any links to the Bermuda Triangle."

Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitterand Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A Brazilian judge made public on Wednesday phone conversations between President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and said the conversation showed they considered trying to influence anti-graft prosecutors. "I observe that, in some dialogues they talk about, apparently, trying to influence or obtain assistance from prosecutors or the courts in favor of the former president," Judge Sergio Moro wrote in a filing published on the court's website. Moro, who oversees a sprawling corruption investigation of non-politicians, said in a written court document that there was no information that any attempt to influence authorities was actually carried out. Lula has immunity from Moro starting on Wednesday after he was appointed by Rousseff as her chief of staff, though not from the Supreme Court. State prosecutors had charged him with money laundering and fraud, and asked for his arrest. (Reporting by Caroline Stauffer and Eduardo Simoes; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot has decided to formally request an investigation of President Dilma Rousseff for allegedly obstructing a sweeping corruption probe, Veja magazine's Radar column said on Wednesday. According to Radar, which did not say how it obtained the information, Janot is leaning toward requesting an investigation of Rousseff after the Supreme Court approved a plea bargain by a senator last week which said the president had attempted to block a sweeping anti-corruption investigation. The top court is the only one that has jurisdiction to open an investigation against Rousseff. Janot's office did not have an immediate comment on Veja's Radar report. (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot said on Thursday his office would not bow to threats or political interference amid a deepening crisis surrounding the appointment of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as President Dilma Rousseff's new chief of staff. Protests in Sao Paulo and Brasilia continued into a second day on Thursday, as opponents expressed anger at what they regard as an attempt to shield former president Lula from prosecution on charges of corruption. "The Public Prosecutor's Office is not afraid of anything," Janot told reporters during a visit to Switzerland in comments broadcast by Globo News. "We have to be calm to face this problem. The political agenda cannot contaminate the judicial realm and I will act in a way that is legal, technical and without any political interference from either side." (Reporting by Caio Saad; Writing by Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
Skien (Norway) (AFP) - Doctors said Thursday they saw no major change in mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik's health in prison, dealing a blow to his lawsuit against the Norwegian state over his jail conditions.

The rightwing extremist, who killed 77 people in a 2011 bombing and gun massacre, claims his almost five-year isolation constitutes "inhuman" treatment that violates his human rights.

The 37-year-old has complained of apathy, headaches, insomnia and concentration problems which have, he claims, prevented him from pursuing his political science studies since December.

"The reports (by nurses who see him regularly in prison) have always shown that his emotional state (and) his interaction with the medical staff have been perfectly adequate," Bjorn Draugedalen, the doctor of the Skien Prison in southern Norway where Breivik is incarcerated, told the court.

"He has had a good, calm and balanced attitude. His reasoning has been clear.... He doesn't seem to be bothered that much," Draugedalen said.

Breivik's lawyer, Oystein Storrvik, criticised the medical observations, noting that they were conducted behind a glass partition separating the killer from the medical staff.

Storrvik read extracts from a report written by Norway's pointman on human rights in November, which concluded that Breivik's prison regime "represents an elevated risk of inhumane treatment."

Several of the recommended improvements have since been implemented.

On the stand Wednesday, Norway's most notorious inmate described his isolation as "torture" and "hell".

As prison staff testified on Thursday about his mental health, he shook his head in disagreement several times.

Breivik is serving a maximum 21-year sentence -- which can be extended if he is still considered dangerous -- for killing eight people in a bombing outside a government building in Oslo and then murdering another 69, mostly teenagers, in a rampage at a Labour Youth camp.

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His shooting spree on the island of Utoya lasted over an hour, as he methodically stalked and killed up-and-coming leaders of Labour, Norway's dominant political party, which he blamed for the rise of multiculturalism.

The doctor at the Ila prison outside Oslo where Breivik was held until September 2013, Bjarne Haukeland, also undermined the killer's arguments, saying he seemed to have resigned himself to his isolation.

"He is probably surprised that it has gone so well," he said.

Before him, the head of the Ila prison, Knut Bjarkeid, and the psychiatrist tasked with monitoring Breivik in prison, Randi Rosenqvist, also testified that they had seen no indications that he was suffering from his isolation.

The final day of proceedings will be held on Friday.

For security reasons, the proceedings are being held in the prison gym.
By Sergio Goncalves LISBON (Reuters) - Caixabank and Angolan investor Isabel dos Santos are moving towards a deal for the Spanish bank to buy her stake in Portugal's Banco BPI after months of wrangling, a source with knowledge of the talks said. The sides have a draft agreement, not yet finalised, the source said. Under the outline deal, Caixabank would buy dos Santos' 18.6 percent stake in BPI while she would buy a stake in BPI's Angolan unit BFA through Unitel, the Angolan telecoms firm she controls. Dos Santos, Africa's richest woman according to Forbes, is the daughter of Angola's long-serving President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and has various investments in Portugal. BPI shares reversed early losses on the news and were flat at 1.2650 euros a share at 1130 GMT. Caixabank is the largest shareholder in BPI with a 44.1 percent stake and if it buys out dos Santos, it would have to launch a full takeover bid for the remainder of BPI. Sources have said Caixabank made an offer to dos Santos in January for her stake. Caixabank would not comment. The source with knowledge of the talks, who asked not to be named, said the positions of Caixabank and dos Santos were getting nearer. "It is in the final phase, but it is still just a draft agreement, and it is not yet concluded as the financial conditions, the guarantees and authorisations are not yet completely agreed," the source said. "As long as everything is not defined there is no agreement." According to the source, the draft agreement does not foresee that Unitel would buy all of BPI's 50.1 percent stake in BFA but only take control of the business. The Spanish bank launched a bid last year for the 56 percent of BPI it did not already own at a price of 1.329 euros per share. Dos Santos' holding company Santoro rejected the bid. The two investors have been in dispute for months over an existing 20 percent cap on Caixabank's voting rights. BPI has a controlling stake in Angolan bank BFA with a 50.1 percent stake, while Unitel owns the other 49.9 percent. Dos Santos has tried to buy 10 percent of BFA from BPI. On April 10 European authorities will require banks to fully provision for Angolan assets and a failure by BPI to offload its assets there by then could lead to heavy costs. BPI's bigger rival Millennium bcp last October gave up its controlling stake in Banco Millennium Angola in a merger operation, but kept a 20 percent stake of the resulting entity. (Reporting By Sergio Goncalves, writing by Axel Bugge, editing by Andrei Khalip and Keith Weir)
YAOUNDE (Reuters) - Cameroonian soldiers killed 20 Boko Haram fighters on Wednesday during a raid in northern Nigeria carried out by a multinational force tasked with stamping out the Islamist militants, military sources told Reuters on Thursday. Cameroon commander General Jacob Kodji said the Islamist fighters were killed in the Nigerian town of Djibrila, which is about 10 km (six miles) from the Cameroon border. A spokesman for Cameroon's Defence Ministry, Colonel Didier Badjeck, said 12 hostages were freed and munitions and armoured vehicles were seized during the operation. Boko Haram wants to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria and has waged a six-year campaign of violence to that end, killing thousands of people and displacing two million others. Boko Haram is thought to have killed around 15,000 people, according to U.S. military figures. Attacks have spilled over Nigeria's border into neighbouring countries including Cameroon, which has been the target of a stream of suicide bombings in recent months. Along with Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin, Cameroon has contributed troops to an 8,700-strong regional task force dedicated to fighting the group. (Reporting By Anne Mireille Nzouankeu, writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Jon Boyle)
They have plenty of space for the migrants they have pleaded for the world to house.



And Angelina Jolie, along with George Clooney and his humanitarian lawyer wife have been sneered at for not housing a single refugee in any of the eight palatial homes they own between them.

This week Angelina Jolie, special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, said the international community must address the root causes of the global refugee crisis.

Jolie visits refugees in Jordan in 2012.

In pouring rain and shrieking winds at a press conference in Lebanons Bekaa Valley, Jolie told the gathered media: We cannot manage the world through aid relief in the place of diplomacy and political solutions.

Meanwhile George Clooney and his wife Amal met with Syrian families in Berlin to listen to their experiences and speak about the refugee crisis.

The Hail, Caesar! star and his wife partnered with the International Rescue Committee to mark the fifth anniversary of the war in Syria with a video in which they reflect on the difficult situation faced by immigrants.

George Clooney and Amal meeting last month with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Clooney said: Its too much to talk about giant numbers, its actually easy to dismiss giant numbers.

But its very hard to dismiss a young child sitting on the ground crying when her mother is telling the story about how she left, how she grabbed her daughter and sat on the ground and said, If I die, I want to die by a bullet because it would be quicker.

We as what we like to think of as a civilised world and nation always look around at the end of these tragedies and say, If we knew, we would have done something. And the reality of it is of course - we know.

High times on a red carpet for Jolie and Pitt.

The Clooneys have two villas in Laglio, Italy, a 10million nine-bedroom mansion in the Berkshire village of Sonning Eye, a holiday home in the Mexican beach location of Cabo and a property in Los Angeles.

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Jolie and Pitt own a 35million chateau in Brignoles, Provence in the south of France, a 4.5million home in New Orleans and a house in Los Feliz, California.

Despite the appeals for the globe to do better by refugees, none of the properties have a single refugee living there.

And critics on Twitter have been stressing the three Hollywood multi-millionaires have EIGHT homes and NO refugees.

Clooney and Amal enjoy a fundraising dinner.

The violence in Syria has killed 250,000 people, displaced half of the countrys population and created Europes worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.

The Hollywood set arent the only stars open to criticism for not practicing what they preach on the world stage in between private jet and limo rides.

Bob Geldof, above, last September offered to take in four families to his Kent home and luxury flat in Battersea, London, as he expressed disgust at the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe.

More than six months on, they are only inhabited by his family.

Pictures: Getty Images
By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - Some of Canada's top pension funds, among the world's biggest investors in British real estate and infrastructure, are holding back on UK deals until after Britons vote on whether to leave the European Union, according to senior executives. These funds, which together manage more than C$700 billion ($524 billion) in assets, fear valuations could drop if Britain chooses to leave the bloc and have particular concerns about the impact on London's financial district, the executives said. There is no precedent for an economy as big as Britain's leaving a trade bloc, and the rival campaigns paint contrasting pictures of what quitting the EU might mean for its trade. Pro-Europe campaigners say banks and other financial institutions could pull operations out of the City of London if they cannot access critical EU markets. An executive at one of Canada's biggest public pension funds, who spoke off the record due to the sensitivity of the issue, said the risks posed by the June 23 vote were part of the reason it passed on a recent deal for an office property in London's financial district. "London is the financial center of Europe, but if that changes, the whole trajectory is different. That's become a factor in our thinking," he said. The retreat by Canadian investors could be harmful to the British economy and raises questions about whether other international investors will also lose their appetite for UK assets. Canadian institutions have been the second biggest international investors in UK real estate over the past three years, with direct investments peaking in 2015. They are also prominent infrastructure investors. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which manages money for the country's main government pension fund, had C$15.2 billion invested in Britain at the end of March 2015, almost 6 percent of its assets at that time. Fund executives say they will still pursue exceptional one-off opportunities, pointing to the recent purchase of London City Airport by a group including three Canadian funds. But they note a stringent criteria would be applied to take into account the so-called Brexit risk, which would affect pricing. "We'd want to go through what the different potential scenarios are - how the situations might evolve from a political, regulatory and economic perspective," an executive at one of Canada's top three pension funds said. London City Airport was bought by a consortium including the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) for more than 2 billion pounds ($2.82 billion). AIMCo Chief Executive Kevin Uebelein, speaking to Reuters after the deal was announced, said that Brexit concerns were taken into account when negotiating. "The prospect of Brexit was not unknown to us as we crunched those numbers. You factor those things into your investments," he said. Jonathan Simmons, chief financial officer at OMERS, which owns the high-speed rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel in partnership with (OTPP), said last month his fund was looking at how it can offset the risk to its UK holdings. "We're focused on what's going on right now around Brexit, and of course we are monitoring that and we're thinking about how we hedge our positions," Simmons told a media briefing. Brexit is not the only factor weighing on the market for London real estate. Real estate agents say Chinese, Russian and Middle Eastern investors are cooling on London's luxury property market as a result of factors including the low price of oil, the Russian ruble's collapse, slowing Chinese economic growth and higher taxes for foreign buyers. ($1 = 1.3347 Canadian dollars) ($1 = 0.7102 pounds) (Additional reporting by Euan Rocha in Toronto; Editing by Alan Crosby)
By Marcus E. Howard NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Royal Canadian Mounted policeman accused of smuggling $2 million worth of narwhal tusks into the United States is now in custody, pending his trial on money laundering charges, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday. Authorities accuse Gregory Logan, 58, of St. John, New Brunswick, of having illegally smuggled since 2000 at least 250 narwhal tusks from Canada through Maine. Prosecutors said the profits from U.S. collectors were then used to further the smuggling activity. Native to the Arctic, narwhals are a species of whale and have large, protruding tusks. They are protected marine mammals under U.S. and international law, though import permits are sometimes granted. On Friday, Logan was extradited from Canada to the United States and is currently awaiting a May 3 trial in U.S. District Court on related money laundering charges, the Justice Department said. Logan, who retired from the famed mounted police in 2003, was initially indicted in November 2012 on conspiracy, smuggling and money laundering charges. In December 2013, he was arrested in Canada at the request of the United States and pleaded guilty to related wildlife smuggling, according to authorities. It was unclear why Logan's extradition to the United States took so long. His attorney, Kaylee Folster, did not immediately return messages. "This case shows wildlife trafficking can involve millions in illegal transactions, compounding the damage it does to the wealth and diversity of life on our planet" Assistant Attorney General John Cruden said in a statement. Two other men were also indicted in the case. Andrew Zarauskas of Union, New Jersey, was convicted and sentenced to 33 months in prison. Jay Conrad of Lakeland, Tennessee, pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. (Reporting by Marcus E. Howard; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Justin Madden

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Three law enforcement veterans from Washington state, Georgia and Chicago were named on Thursday as finalists to head the Chicago police department, which is fighting a spike in murders and under federal investigation over the use of lethal force.

The nine-member Chicago Police Board that includes a former judge, a pastor, business leaders, lawyers and former police nominated the three after reviewing 39 applications.

The short list now goes to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who must pick a new top cop after he fired Superintendent Garry McCarthy in December following protests over police shootings of mostly black men.

The three finalists are Cedric Alexander, public safety director of DeKalb County, Georgia; Anne Kirkpatrick, retired police chief of Spokane, Washington; and Eugene Williams, Chicago police deputy superintendent.

The police board held public hearings on a new superintendent at which many Chicagoans said they wanted an African-American to be selected. At the packed meetings, they expressed concerns about racism on the force and slow and ineffective discipline after police misconduct.

Kirkpatrick is white and Alexander and Williams are black.

"We have heard you. And I hope you agree that we have selected people who have a proven track record of meaningful relationships with the community," Police Board President Lori Lightfoot said at a news conference.

She said the board focused on finding a chief who can rebuild trust, deal with violent crime and communicate effectively with rank-and-file officers. Chicago had 102 murders in the first nine weeks of 2016, double the number from the same period last year.

The mayor can ask the board to reopen the process if he does not like any of the recommendations.

Interim Superintendent John Escalante applied for the job but was not a finalist.

Chicago's police have shot, on average, 50 people a year over the past eight years, injuring or killing them. About 75 percent of those shot are black.

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The issue boiled over last year when the city was ordered by a judge to release a video of a white officer killing a black teenager. The video belied the police account that 17-year-old Laquan McDonald had lunged at them. The officer who shot the teenager 16 times now faces murder charges.

Outrage over that shooting and others led to a U.S. Justice Department investigation of Chicago policing.

Chicago is one of many U.S. cities roiled by protests in recent years over police killings of minorities, a number of them caught on video.

(Additional reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Writing by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by Nick Macfie and Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Jessica Macy Yu and Megha Rajagopalan BEIJING (Reuters) - A well-known Chinese columnist has gone missing after warning former colleagues of the danger of re-publishing an open letter calling for President Xi Jinping to resign, the journalist's lawyer said on Thursday. Jia Jia, who writes a regular column for Tencent Online, went missing late on Tuesday, around the time he was scheduled to board a flight from Beijing to Hong Kong, his lawyer, Yan Xin, told Reuters. Before his scheduled departure, Jia had told friends that he believed something could happen to him after he had warned former colleagues about re-publishing the letter, Yan said. Yan said Jia had told him that he had cautioned Ouyang Hongliao, a former colleague and an editor at the Watching news agency, after Watching had re-posted the letter. Yan said Jia, a frequent commentator on political and social affairs, had told him that he had no connection to the letter, which was signed by a "loyal Communist party member". The letter was seen by Reuters on a cached page on Watching's website. It could not be found on Watching when Reuters checked on Thursday. Reuters was also unable to reach Ouyang for comment. The letter also circulated on Chinese social media including the WeChat messaging app before authorities apparently took it down. Jia had planned to fly to Hong Kong, where he was sometimes based, to renew his work permit there, Yan said. Jia was due to give a lecture on the media at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Thursday. Family members and friends have not been able to reach him since, said Yan, who is based in Beijing. Tencent Online did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Jia's whereabouts. It was unclear whether or not Jia has been taken into custody. Beijing law enforcement authorities could not be reached for comment. His apparent disappearance comes amid mystery over five Hong Kong booksellers who dealt in gossipy books about Chinese leaders, and went missing only to resurface in Chinese custody. President Xi has embarked on an unprecedented effort to clamp down on the Internet and censor opinions that do not fall in line with those of Communist Party leaders, including by imposing tougher penalties for "spreading rumors" via social media. In a separate case, the Science and Technology Daily, the official newspaper of the Ministry of Science and Technology, on Wednesday published a rare rebuke of authorities' threats against freedom of the press. The writer of the piece, Zhang Gailun, said a government official had issued a threat for focusing on "negative issues". "I've written down your press card number. Be careful or the relevant departments will nab you," Zhang cited the unidentified official, a delegate to the Chinese parliament's largely ceremonial advisory body, as saying. China sees its state-owned press as an extension of government authority and public mention of such exchanges is exceedingly rare. (Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in BEIJING; Editing by Ryan Woo and Robert Birsel)
As he looks towards the almost certain presidential battle this fall between billionaire businessman Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, political analyst William Galston says hes reminded of an old political maxim: Never wrestle with a pig because youll just get muddied -- and the pig will love it.

Galston, a former policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, and other political experts agreed on Wednesday that the nation is likely to be treated to one of the dirtiest presidential campaigns on record. I think this will be an historically dirty campaign, and weve had some bad ones, said veteran pollster John Zogby. This will be historically and classically bad, because Trump has no filter whatsoever. He is constantly on the offense even when hes on the defense.

Related: Donald Trump Swaggers to Another Campaign Milestone

The blustery, outrageously insulting Trump destroyed GOP opponents throughout the 2016 campaign season with relentless attacks: Think low energy Jeb Bush or lying Ted Cruz or little Marco Rubio or physically unappealing Carly Fiorina with that face.

The general election campaign this fall may be like nothing Americans have seen since the 1964 clash between Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson and conservative Republican challenger Barry Goldwater. Thats when the Democrats aired a controversial TV ad implying that Goldwater would unleash nuclear war if he were president. You would have to go back to 1884 to find an even dirtier campaign. Voters were treated to a slugfest between Democratic nominee Grover Cleveland and Republican James Blaine  one that was rife with charges of graft and corruption and Clevelands illegitimate child.

Even before he came close to locking up the GOP nomination Tuesday night with victories in Florida, North Carolina and Illinois, Trump began blasting Clinton as likely jailbait because of her mishandling of sensitive government email during her tenure at the State Department. He also denounced her as a hypocrite for calling him a sexist in light of her husbands White House sex scandal involving a young intern, Monica Lewinsky. Trump also startled many last December by declaring it was disgusting that Hillary Clinton took a bathroom break during a Democratic presidential debate.

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He can brook no criticism, and all he knows how to do is counterpunch, Zogby explained Wednesday. And its no-holds barred. So this will be Monicas blue dress, this will be [Bill Clintons] bimbo eruptions, this will be the Clintons White Water [business deals in Arkansas] and we havent even gotten to Benghazi yet.

Related: Kasichs Strategy Paid Off in Ohio, But Can He Bag the Elephant?

Trump insists hes spoiling for a direct fight with Clinton who currently far exceeds Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the delegate count for the Democratic nomination. I havent even focused on Hillary Clinton, Trump has said repeatedly, including during an appearance on ABCs Good Morning America March 1. I can tell you the one person that Hillary Clinton doesnt want to run against is me.

Clinton, of course, is no shrinking violet and she has plenty of material about Trump to work withif she chooses. That could range from the extramarital affairs of the thrice-married Trump to allegations of high-pressure sales tactics at the now moribund Trump University to the seemingly endless stream of insults against Hispanics, Muslims, women and even disabled people. She boasted recently of having a thick skin after 25 years of weathering conservative attacks against her and her husband, and she said that she was eager to begin drawing sharp contrasts between herself and Trump on policy, government experience and temperament.

When we hear a candidate for president call for the rounding up of 12 million immigrants, banning all Muslims from entering the United Stateswhen he embraces torture, that doesnt make him strong--it makes him wrong, Clinton said Tuesday night during her victory speech in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Whats more, most recent polls suggest that Clinton would beat Trump in a head-to-head matchup this fall, if they become their parties nominees. A recent CNN/ORC poll, for instance, shows Clinton easily topping Trump in a matchup, 52 percent to 44 percent, while Sanders, the Vermont democratic socialist senator, would beat Trump as well, 55 percent to 43 percent.

Related: Hillary Clinton Breaks the Back of the Sanders Revolution

I think she is every bit as tough as Trump is, said former House member Martin O. Frost of Texas, a lawyer and one-time Democratic leader who has been involved in presidential campaigns dating back to the late 1960s. And anybody who doesnt understand that hasnt been paying attention. Its just a question of how mean and ugly he makes this race.

You are talking about two universally known figures here, David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist and former Obama campaign advisers, told The New York Times yesterday. The strong feeling that each generates is unusual.

Clinton has dismissed Trump as a bully and public policy ignoramus who is more comfortable riling his supporters and targeting protesters with threats of violence than engaging in thoughtful debate over the economy, immigration, health care and national security.

Tough talk by Clinton is one thing, but going head to head with the blustery billionaire is something quite different.

As he demonstrated in demolishing the short-lived campaign of Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO, Trump has no compunction about belittling or attacking a woman on the campaign trail or in a nationally televised debate. Whether that tactic would work against Clinton remains to be seen. She won her first term as senator in 2000 after her GOP rival, Rick Lazio, became too aggressive during a televised debate. Getting down in the gutter with Trump would be a major mistake for her, some experts warn, and Clinton would be well advised to leave most of the dirty work to her surrogates or vice presidential nominee.

Zogby recalled what happened to Rubio, the Florida senator who recently gambled by exchanging barbed, personal insults with Trump in a nationally televised GOP debate from Detroit and during subsequent campaign appearances. Trump gained the upper hand in those exchanges before driving Rubio out of the race with a solid victory in Florida Tuesday.

Related: Why the Democratic Presidential Race Will Drag On for Months

Whats more, Trump is practiced in delivering withering assessments of Clintons career as First Lady, a New York senator and finally Secretary of State. He insists that she failed miserably in pressing for national health care reforms during her husbands administration, and that she erred as a senator in supporting the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Just as Sanders is doing, Trump has criticized Clinton for having supported NAFTA and other international trade deals that cost millions of US jobs. And Trump contends that Clinton was wrong to help convince President Obama to support military action in Libya.

All of these moves were disasters, Trump insists, and Clinton will go down in history as the worst Secretary of State.

But Frost argues that Trump would enter the race with huge negatives, especially among minority groups and illegal immigrants he has targeted as criminals and rapists. While he has generated enormous Republican enthusiasm for his pledge to Make America Great Again, knock the crap out of terrorists, and negotiate great trade deals with our allies, polls suggest that Trump is even more unpopular with the American public overall than Clinton, who many distrust or dislike.

Whats more, Trump would probably get limited mileage out of attacking her on her email woes  especially if the FBI concludes in the coming months that she did nothing illegal -- or mocking the record of Bill Clinton. Trump has done best when he divides his enemies and taps into the anger of many of the forgotten Republicans, conservative Democrats and independents, who are fed up with the status quo and are energized by Trumps political outsider message.

Related: It Took Trump to Bring Obama and GOP Leaders Together

There are some interesting issues here, some of which dont work as well for Trump in the general election as they did in the primary, Frost said. But the anger issue  stoking the resentment of blue collar, non-educated whites who say they are somehow being screwed by the system  if thats the kind of campaign he runs; it will be mean and ugly.

And as Galston, a Brookings Institution political policy expert, noted, I think his key electability weakness is the very long list of voters hes insulted and attempted to marginalize.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Thursday called for the resignations of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy on the grounds that they failed to quickly intervene in the city of Flint's contaminated drinking water crisis. Snyder, a Republican, and McCarthy, a presidential appointee, sat side by side before the House Oversight Committee as lawmakers from both parties grilled them on their response to the crisis, which has turned into a full-blown health emergency. It also has led to several lawsuits in state and federal courts, and federal and state investigations. Republicans on the committee pinned much of the blame on the EPA, which many party members want to eliminate because they feel it is too powerful. Democrats pointed fingers at Snyder and Michigan officials, suggesting that cost cutting came at the expense of public health. Several Republicans called on McCarthy to resign, but the White House said it had full confidence in her. The committee's top Democrat, Maryland's Elijah Cummings, and other Democrats said Snyder's administration was to blame for its mishandling of the crisis and called on the governor to resign. Members of the committee chastised McCarthy and Snyder. "You dont get it, You still dont get it. You just dont get it," Committee chair Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, told McCarthy as he criticized her failure to accept blame for the crisis. Snyder did not escape unscathed. "There is no doubt in my mind that if a corporate CEO did what Governor Snyders administration has done, he would be hauled up on criminal charges," Cummings said in his opening remarks. "The board of directors would throw him out. And the shareholders would revolt." Snyder said the state has started the process of replacing the corroded pipes and has set aside tens of millions of dollars to help the recovery of Flint citizens injured or harmed by lead poisoning. Snyder has said he has no plans to resign, despite efforts in his state and nationally to recall him. U.S. President Barack Obama has said he supports McCarthy and the EPA despite calls for her resignation. Chaffetz said he would continue to investigate the cause of the Flint crisis and the response to it but that no other hearings are scheduled at present. FAILURE ADMITTED Under the direction of a state-appointed emergency manager, Flint, a mostly African-American city of 100,000 northwest of Detroit, switched water supplies to the Flint River from Detroit's water system in 2014, to save money. The corrosive river water leached lead from the city's water pipes. Lead is toxic and can damage the nervous system. Blood samples taken from children in Flint contained high levels of lead. The city switched back to the Detroit system last October. Over 200 residents from Flint traveled by bus to Washington to attend Thursday's hearing, including 10-year-old Jaylon Terry, who fidgeted in his chair in the committee room. "I've been getting constant calls every day from his teachers," said his mother, Lewenna Terry, who said the lead in his system has affected Jaylon's attention span and grades. "The teachers have noticed it's not just my son but other kids. The whole city has been poisoned." Virginia Williams, a Michigan resident who wore a T-shirt with an image of corroded pipes, said both the state and federal governments should be held accountable and that the blame game should stop now. "Replacing the pipes should be their main priority now," she told Reuters. Snyder again apologized for the states poor response to the crisis, but said the blame can be shared at all levels of government. "Let me be blunt," he said in his testimony. "We all failed the families of Flint." McCarthy also said the EPA was part of a wider system failure in response to the crisis, but said the agency could have caught the problem faster if the state had shared information and cooperated more. She accused the state's Department of Environmental Quality of "slow walking" its response, which prevented the agency from being able to "come to the rescue." "We were strong-armed. We were misled. We were kept at arm's length," she said, referring to state officials. However, Snyder said federal bureaucrats could have responded sooner if they had used common sense. Representative Matt Cartwright, a Pennsylvania Democrat, accused Snyder of apologizing too late and called on him to resign. Plausible deniability only works when it's plausible and I'm not buying that you didn't know about any of this until October 2015," he said. "You were not in a medically induced coma for a year and I've had about enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies. In the Senate, lawmakers have so far failed to reach an agreement on a $220 million funding bill to help Flint and other cities replace and repair lead pipes. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, said she was disappointed this was not resolved before a two-week congressional recess that starts on Friday. "The children of Flint are waiting," she said. "We need a vote. We have a bipartisan bill," she said on the Senate floor. On Thursday, ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered the outlook on Michigan's credit rating to stable from positive, citing burgeoning costs associated with Flint's water crisis and the cash-strapped Detroit Public Schools. (Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit, David Shepardson and Doina Chiacu in Washington and Karen Pierog in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Copenhagen (AFP) - The gunman behind a double shooting in Copenhagen last year had intended to kill controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks when he attacked a cultural centre, a man accused of helping him told a court Thursday.

Instead Omar El-Hussein, 22, killed a Danish film-maker in the attack on February 14, 2015.

Vilks, reviled by Islamists for his sketch of the Prophet Mohammed in 2007, was one of the speakers at an event focused on blasphemy and freedom of expression.

Danish police as well as Vilks himself have previously said they believe he was the target of the attack.

"It wasn't he who was meant to die," 26-year-old Bhostan Hossein told the court, referring to victim Finn Norgaard.

He and three others are on trial for helping and encouraging the perpetrator.

After the first attack, the four suspects had met with El-Hussein near the housing estate where he grew up, he said.

At that point he told them that the real target had been "he who was inside. Lars Vilks? The Mohammed cartoonist", Hossein said, on the fifth day of the trial.

Two of the suspects -- Hossein and 21-year-old Liban Elmi -- are also accused of helping El-Hussein get rid of an assault rifle used outside the free speech event.

Surveillance footage from a nearby train station showed the two meeting him after the first attack, and Hossein being handed a black bag believed to contain the weapon.

"I could feel that it was a gun. I tried to give it back. He would not take it.... Having seen the news I could figure out what had happened," he said.

Asked why he had not called the police, he said: "I'm a criminal. It's very normal."

The M95 rifle was later found in a ditch near the railway tracks.

Later that night, the Danish-Palestinian fired shots outside Copenhagen's main synagogue, killing Jewish security guard Dan Uzan. El-Hussein died hours later in a shootout with police.

The prosecution believes the suspects' "continuous and close contact" with the killer in the hours between the attacks, as well as support including clothing and ammunition used in the second attack, violate Denmark's terrorism law.

It has set aside 30 days for the trial, with a verdict expected in September.
Havana (AFP) - Cuba put four dissidents on a flight bound for the United States, an opposition member said Thursday, calling their release "a gift" to US President Barack Obama.

The development comes days before Obama makes a historic visit to Cuba, a milestone in the political rapprochement between the former Cold War foes.

The four dissidents -- Niorvis Rivera, Aracelio Riviaux, Vladimir Morera and Jorge Ramirez -- previously had been released in 2014, only to be subsequently rearrested.

"They were taken out of their jails Tuesday and taken to the Combinado del Este prison in Havana, where they filled out their immigration paperwork and traveled the same day to the United States," Jose Daniel Ferrer, a dissident, told AFP.

A fifth dissident, Yohannes Arce, who was released in January 2015, is set to fly to the United States on Thursday, he said.

Ferrer, who is among a group of dissidents slated to meet the US president Tuesday in Havana, said the release was "like a gift for Obama."

The Roman Catholic Church had acted as a mediator in the releases, he said.

"This is a gift, a morally very controversial present," said Ferrer, who leads the banned Patriotic Union of Cuba. "The Cuban regime feels that the best thing it has to negotiate with are the political prisoners."

He said Rivera had not wanted to leave Cuba without his family members, but agreed to go after the government promised that they would follow in 10 to 15 days.

The four dissidents were among a group of 53 who were released in December 2014 after Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced their intention to restore relations severed more than 50 years ago.

The four were jailed again a year later.

Morera, who was on a hunger strike for more than 80 days last year, "is well and happy, although he is still suffering from the after-effects" of the prolonged fast, his son Vladier said.

"He had no idea that he would be freed or about the trip until the last minute, but he's already there," he said. "He's happy, and he told us that the family would reunite over there."

Cuba denies holding political prisoners, saying dissident arrests have been for common crimes.
Havana (AFP) - Political and economic reforms in communist Cuba will be a no-go area during talks between Cuban leader Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama, the foreign minister said in Havana Thursday.

"In our relations with the United States, the carrying out of domestic changes in Cuba is absolutely off the negotiating table," Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in televised remarks three days before Obama arrives.

Obama will be the first sitting US president to visit Cuba since 1928, capping his historic policy of ending a bitter standoff that has endured since Fidel Castro's overthrow of the US-backed government of Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Although both sides are embracing Obama's visit as an opportunity to bury the hatchet, Rodriguez made clear that Cuba will not listen to Washington's often repeated demands for more democracy and a freer economy.

"No one can expect that Cuba should renounce a single principle in order to advance the normalization of relations between both countries," the minister said.

Rodriguez said there remain "major differences" between Cuba and the United States in areas of "political systems, democracy, human rights, the application and interpretation of international law."

However, no attempt will be made to bar Obama from speaking out to Cubans, with his major address planned for Tuesday to be carried live on national television.

"His appearance will be televised live for Cuban television. All will be able to see his speech and everyone will be able to form an opinion on what he says," Rodriguez said.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Cyprus said on Thursday it could use its veto to block an accord between Turkey and the EU to stem the migrant crisis if Ankara did not open its ports and airports to the island. In Brussels, European Union leaders are struggling to reach an accord with Turkey on how to stop a human tide of migrants and refugees fleeing conflict zones for Europe. Expediting Ankara's long-stalled EU entry talks was one of the conditions, touching a raw nerve with ethnically-split Cyprus. "Turkey has to open its harbors and airports (to Cypriot traffic) and normalize its relations with Cyprus, something that it doesn't do," Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told euronews in an interview. Anastasiades heads a Greek Cypriot government acknowledged to represent the whole island in the EU, though effective membership stops at a ceasefire line splitting the country in two. Northern Cyprus is a breakaway Turkish Cypriot state recognized only by Ankara, carved out of territory Turkey seized in a 1974 Turkish invasion triggered by a brief Greek inspired coup. Cyprus has blocked discussion on a number of EU policy areas, or "chapters" Turkey must conclude, partly because Ankara has not opened its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic. Asked if he would veto any deal which did not take Cypriot concerns into account, Anastasiades said: "Of course...As long as Turkey doesn't implement its obligations, we don't have any other choice." (Reporting By Renee Maltezou; Writing by Michele Kambas)
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank's <DBKGn.DE> second-largest shareholder will not back Chairman Paul Achleitner for a second term because of his lack of success in turning the bank around, a German magazine reported.

"Achleitner will not be part of the future of Deutsche Bank after 2017," Manager Magazin quoted a person close to Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani of Qatar as saying.

The investor owns 3 percent of Deutsche Bank's shares following a 2014 capital increase at Germany's flagship lender.

Achleitner took the helm of the supervisory board in 2012 and is serving a five-year term.

Deutsche Bank said it was up to shareholders to decide on the chairman in due course. Al-Thani was not immediately available for comment.

According to Manager Magazin, al-Thani is unhappy Deutsche Bank has not kept a promise to revamp the business quickly, but will still back Achleitner at this year's shareholder meeting in May.

Deutsche Bank shocked markets with a 2015 record loss, after Achleitner brought in John Cryan to replace Chief Executive Anshu Jain from July. It has asked investors for two years of patience to draw a line under mistakes of the past and let a new strategy bear fruit.

Other large shareholders have also criticized Achleitner after the bank has seen its share price fall 45 percent over the last year.

(Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Additional reporting by Andreas Kroner and David French; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's parliament began an acrimonious final sitting day before a May budget on Thursday, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull considering dissolving both houses of parliament and calling an early election to end a hostile Senate. Independent and minor party senators elected at the last election in 2013 have stalled key aspects of the government's agenda, including changes that would make higher education and health care more expensive and limit access to welfare. Senate voting reforms proposed by Turnbull, and being debated on Thursday, would make it harder for smaller parties to enter parliament through vote sharing deals, and are supported by the opposition Greens Party, which controls enough of the Senate to insure passage of the reforms. Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party Senator Ricky Muir was elected in 2013 with less than one percent of the popular vote as a result of complex vote sharing deals between small parties agreed to privately ahead of the vote. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton predicted passage of the voting changes, which are supported by business groups angered by three years of partisan gridlock amid an economic slowdown driven by a plunge in commodities prices. "We cant go to the ballot box, cast a vote and not know where that vote is going to end up," Dutton said in an interview with Sydney's 2GB Radio. Turnbull has consistently led opinion polls since he came to power last year and his ruling Liberal-National coalition is leading the opposition Labor party comfortably in recent polls. But there are signs Turnbull's honeymoon period as prime minister may be ending, prompting election speculation. An election is due by January 2017, but has been expected to be called for the second half of 2016. Turnbull is unlikely to opt for a rare double dissolution election, which sees both houses of parliament face voters, if the voting reforms fail to pass as it could return a similarly hostile group of smaller parties as he currently faces. Under Australia's constitution, Turnbull faces a May 11 deadline to call a double dissolution election and the earliest it could be held is June. In order to call such a poll he needs a piece of legislation twice defeated by the Senate as the trigger. He has a labor bill which has been defeated once, but would need to recall parliament early to May 3 to allow time to reintroduce the labor bill and have it voted on by the Senate before the May 11 deadline. But to recall parliament early Turnbull must bring forward the May 10 budget as an excuse. (Reporting by Matt Siegel; Editing by Michael Perry)
Rome (AFP) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has warned Western powers Libya could spiral out of control if they try to intervene militarily in the conflict-wracked North African state.

Speaking in a rare interview, the military-backed ruler of one of the region's biggest powers said the West and its allies should instead concentrate on strengthening the army of Libya's internationally recognised government and let it do the job of stabilising the country.

The army is commanded by Khalif Haftar, an officially retired general who spent 20 years in exile in the United States and has been described as a potential 'Libyan Sisi' because of his fierce opposition to Islamist groups.

"If we provide arms and support to the national Libyan army it can do the job better than anyone else, better than any outside intervention which would risk dragging us into a situation that risks getting out of hand and triggering uncontrollable developments," Sisi told Italy's La Repubblica in an interview published Thursday.

Sisi said history had "spoken clearly" about the difficulty of trying to impose peace from outside.

"Two lessons must be kept in mind: that of Afghanistan and that of Somalia," he said. "Those were long foreign interventions (that started) more than 30 years ago and what progress has been made since?

"The results are there for everyone to see."

Sisi also suggested that European governments were underestimating the scale of Islamist influence in Libya.

"Europeans look at Libya as if IS (the Islamic State group) was the only threat," he said.

"That is a serious mistake. We have to be aware that we are up against different acronyms with the same ideology: what do we say about al-Qaeda networks like Ansar al-Islam, like Somalia's Shebab or Boko Haram in Africa."

Italy has said it is prepared to lead a UN-backed international peace force into Libya if and when the country proves capable of establishing a national unity government with the authority to ask for outside security help.

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Sisi said such a mission would be fraught with difficulty and it would be better to concentrate on building up Haftar's forces.

The army commander was involved in the 1969 military coup which brought Moamer Kadhafi to power in Libya. He later fell out with the dictator and was forced into exile, returning in 2011 to take part in the uprising that toppled Kadhafi.

He has long had close relations with the Egyptian military having served alongside their forces in the Sinai desert as a young Libyan officer during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
For three seasons now, The Americans has dodged and weaved around the matter of its characters integrity. While the show remains as complex and nuanced as ever, the new season of the FX drama begins with a hint of serious escalation for both its central couple and viewers. In Wednesday nights premiere, an informant hands a biological weapon to the KGB sleeper agents Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell), and the horror on their faces may give answer to the question the show has asked all along: How far is too far to go in pursuit of a Cold War victory?

Related Story

A Long-Anticipated Revelation Reinvigorates The Americans

Already, Philip and Elizabeth have crammed the corpses of innocent bystanders into suitcases, engaged in coercive romantic relationships with teenagers, and created a sham marriage with a State Department employee thats lasted years. Through it all, The Americans has stayed compelling because it lets the impact of every horrible deed hit the audience as hard as it hits its protagonists. But now, its heroes are slowly transforming from old-fashioned spies into out-and-out terrorists, and in the first few episodes of season four, they seem ready to crack. The audacious gamble at hand centers around how long viewers can stick with the Jenningses before they crack, too.

Philip and Elizabeths union, arranged years ago by the KGB, has always offered a twist on the stereotypical 80s nuclear family, where a husband and wife married too young, got wedged into a dull suburban routine, and stayed together for the sake of their kids. Last season, their loyalties and their union were tested as the Soviet Union demanded they groom their daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor), as a next-generation sleeper agentan idea that appealed more to Elizabeth (who desires to share more with her daughter) than Philip (who wants for her to have a normal life). Paige now understands that her parents are spies, but has only been given a sanitized version of what they do. The tension over this deception ratchets up quickly this season as the familys internal battles continue.

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Meanwhile, the Cold War intensifies, with grave consequences for most characters. The biological weapon given to the spies by a disgruntled informant played by the great character actor Dylan Baker (whos long excelled at portraying grumpy grey functionaries nursing dark secrets) suggests that the KGBs tactics will grow increasingly desperate as the Iron Curtain begins to crumble. This isnt just plot context: It raises the stakes of the battles in Philip and Elizabeths marriage. Even if Paige isnt in the hands of Soviet monolith that brought them to the United States, she will doubtless face a very uncertain future.

That uncertainty is what drives the fourth season to be as consistently compelling as the previous three. Viewers presumably wont wonder about what will happen to the Berlin Wall or Mikhail Gorbachev so much as whether Philip and Elizabeth can throw off the weight of their evil acts, or at least help their children escape them. The fourth season premiere, Glanders (named after the deadly virus handed over by Bakers character), begins with a flashback to Philips youth and the first murder he committed, a memory hes trying to unburden himself of. He still attends the Est self-help seminar (one of the many 80s fads that litters the shows margins) to try and deal with his guilt, but is unable to discuss his sins in public. He also lets his sham wife Martha (Alison Wright) learn more about his deception than she ever has before, a decision that should have major repercussions.

Our heroes are slowly transforming from old-fashioned spies into out-and-out terrorists.

The virus Philip has to hold onto makes for a powerful, if obvious, metaphor for the greater evil hes burdened with. As the nations hes caught between escalate their tactics, he and his victims pay the human cost. Meanwhile, Paige is asking more and more questions about what her parents do at night; Elizabeth replies by insisting that her work revolves around getting people to trust her in order to help build a more cooperative future in a world racked with conflict. The tidy, idealistic picture is clearly meant to appeal to a teenager who campaigns for nuclear disarmament and follows a friendly youth pastor preaching for world peace. The audience knows the truth, but The Americanss showrunner, Joe Weisberg, mines exquisite drama from the intricacies of each lie being told, as all of the shows alliances continue to teeter on the brink of disaster.

It feels almost futile to advocate for new viewers to jump on board with The Americans, which has drawn consistently mediocre ratings on FX but equally consistent rapturous praise from critics. The show still feels like the closest heir to Mad Men and Breaking Bad, the last great consensus prestige dramas on television, but it may not be discovered widely until after its gone and exists only on some streaming website (its earlier seasons can be viewed right now on Amazon Prime). Weisberg has long since stopped caring about catching newcomers up, and instead seems ready to start barreling towards a conclusion. We know what will happen to the Soviet Union, but for the shows remaining fans, Philip and Elizabeths strained union is the reason to stay on board. This year it will be tested in unimaginable ways.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
What Were Following: The Confirmation Battle Begins

President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the late Antonin Scalias seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, setting up a historic election-year showdown over the high courts future. The decision bypasses more diverse and progressive choices in favor of a 63-year-old white man whom Republicans have supported in the past. But Senate leaders have vowed to block his nomination all the same. Garlands appointment would give the Courts liberal wing a five-justice majority for the first time in almost 50 years.

A Harsh Sentence: North Koreas highest court convicted an American student of subversion for stealing a propaganda sign from his Pyongyang hotel. Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old student at the University of Virginia, has been sentenced to 15 years of prison and hard labor. The conviction comes amid increased tensions between the U.S. and North Korea over Pyongyangs recent missile and nuclear tests. The U.S. has announced sanctions against the country in response to the launches.

Recommended: What Bernie Sanders Knows About Nordic Countries That Hillary Clinton Doesn't

Winnowing the Field: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton consolidated their leads in last nights primaries in five states. Marco Rubio, who once seemed ordained to save the Republican Party from Trump, dropped out after losing in his home state of Florida. John Kasich won his home state of Ohio, but Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders left empty-handed.

Snapshot

A boy draws drinking water from a well in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 4, 2016. See more photos of what it takes to get clean water around the world here. (Fayaz Aziz / Reuters)

Quoted

Several hundred million revisions or contributions dont fall together as a high-quality encyclopedia just by accident. Aleksi Aaltonen, who studies Wikipedia

It might have been a sort of  feeding apparatus, like the jawed tongue of the monster in Alien. Philippe Janvier, a paleontologist, on the anatomy of the prehistoric Tully monster

In some ways its more terrifying to confront a world in which your baby could be affected by something you have no control over [than] to live in a world in which people are pulling strings behind the scenes to cause these unpredictable threats.  Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist, on the conspiracy theories about the Zika virus

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Evening Read

Anu Partanen on what Americans dont get about Nordic countries:

A Nordic person myself, I left my native Finland seven years ago and moved to the U.S. Although Im now a U.S. citizen, I hear these kinds of comments from Americans all the timeat cocktail parties and at panel discussions, in town hall meetings and on the opinion pages. Nordic countries are the way they are, Im told, because they are small, homogeneous nanny states where everyone looks alike, thinks alike, and belongs to a big extended family. This, in turn, makes Nordic citizens willing to sacrifice their own interests to help their neighbors. Americans dont feel a similar kinship with other Americans, Im told, and thus will never sacrifice their own interests for the common good. What this is mostly taken to mean is that Americans will never, ever agree to pay higher taxes to provide universal social services, as the Nordics do. Thus Bernie Sanders, and anyone else in the U.S. who brings up Nordic countries as an example for America, is living in la-la land. But this vision of homogenous, altruistic Nordic lands is mostly a fantasy. The choices Nordic countries have made have little to do with altruism or kinship. Rather, Nordic people have made their decisions out of self-interest. Nordic nations offer their citizensall of their citizens, but especially the middle classhigh-quality services that save people a lot of money, time, and trouble. This is what Americans fail to understand: My taxes in Finland were used to pay for top-notch services for me.

News Quiz

1. __________ is the leading industry in paid parental-leave policies in the United States.

Recommended: Where Does America Go From Here?

(See answer or scroll to the bottom.)

2. In __________, graduates dont have to start paying off college loans until they reach a salary of about $40,000.

(See answer or scroll to the bottom.)

3. Research suggests that housing discrimination causes stress and shortens __________.

(See answer or scroll to the bottom.)

Reader Response

This reader has a suggestion for LGBT students at Christian colleges:

I say this as a gay man: Instead of paying for the privilege of attending a university that thinks you are an abominationand thereby supporting them in their efforts to keep their awful beliefs aliveperhaps it would be wiser to attend one of the many (excellent) secular colleges and universities of our nation?

But another reader has an answer to that:

I am a lesbian who attended Olivet Nazarene University, which is part of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and has a statement in its code of conduct prohibiting homosexual acts.  As someone who grew up in a Baptist church, who never missed youth group, who considered faith the most important part of her life, and wanted to attend a school that shared those values, it hurts to hear why did you even come here? As a bright student who wanted to be a music teacher and received a life changing scholarship to a school with a great music program, it hurts to hear why did you even come here? But even more, as a kid who didnt yet fully understand or reconcile my sexuality and just wanted to figure out what God wanted for me, who wanted to make my parents happy, it hurts that people cant understand why a gay kid would end up at a school like Olivet. Students dont choose where to go to college based on their sexual orientation.

Read more here.

Verbs

The Internets most influential people named, Hot Dog University student graduated, helicopter jailbreak filmed, the human brains music circuit discovered, long-distance sled dog racing explained, 400-page doctoral thesis handwritten.

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This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
(Reuters) - A sales consultant told Brazilian prosecutors he believes planemaker Embraer SA's top officials, including Chief Executive Frederico Curado, knew of illicit payments related to the sale of military aircraft to the Dominican Republic, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Embraer is under investigation by the U.S. and Brazilian authorities for allegedly bribing officials in the Dominican Republic to secure deals for commercial and defense aircraft.

According to official summaries of sales consultant Elio Moti Sonnenfeld's statements, he received a payment of $3.4 million from Embraer for work he did not perform, and which he passed along as a bribe to a public official in the Dominican Republic, the newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Journal, citing a person close to the case, reported on Thursday that a Brazilian judge had dismissed criminal charges against Sonnenfeld in February.

The alleged bribery helped Embraer secure a $92 million contract in 2008 to sell eight turboprop attack support aircraft to the Carribean country.

An Embraer official, declining to comment directly on Sonnenfeld's reported statements, said Wednesday's Journal story was based on allegations that were apparently leaked from confidential testimony in a legal case in Brazil, the details of which were not available to the company.

The official noted that Embraer had stated publicly that it was conducting an internal investigation and cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in relation to possible violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Prosecutors in Brazil filed a criminal complaint in 2014 against Sonnenfeld and eight former Embraer vice presidents, directors and managers, charging them with corruption and money laundering.

CEO Curado has not been named as a defendant and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Priscila Jordao in Sao Paulo and; Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi)
Brussels (AFP) - The European Union said Thursday it will give its 28 member states the option of completely removing a tax on tampons which feminists had denounced as unfair.

EU leaders welcomed plans by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, to "provide the option to member states of VAT zero rating for sanitary products," according to early conclusions of a Brussels summit.

It was not immediately clear how long it would take for the proposed change to come into force.

The move comes following pressure from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is seeking to ward off a damaging parliamentary rebellion on the issue ahead of a closely-fought referendum on British membership of the EU on June 23.

Eurosceptic and feminist MPs had teamed up to threaten to back a rebel amendment on the issue to the government's Finance Bill next week.

Feminists have long argued that the five percent tax on tampons in Britain -- the lowest allowed by the EU -- is unfair, while eurosceptics resented the bloc's role in setting the rate.

Cameron's government has faced pressure over the issue for months.

In November last year, finance minister George Osborne announced ministers would give millions of pounds raised from the tampon tax to women's charities, including those tackling domestic violence.

This came after over 300,000 people signed a petition saying that no tax should be charged on tampons and sanitary towels.

The issue has also caused anger in other countries. In France, lawmakers voted in December to reduce the tax rate on sanitary products from 20 percent to 5.5 percent.

EU rules on VAT are agreed unanimously among member states. Tampons already benefit from a special rate of reduced taxation in Britain under EU rules.
By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Following are key elements and negotiating difficulties in a draft EU plan to have Turkey stem the flow of migrants to Greek islands in return for financial and political concessions: 1. RETURNS Turkey to take back anyone who crosses to Greek islands from its coast without regular travel papers. Problems: - Greece needs to set up tribunals to hear asylum claims and appeals quickly. - Turkey needs to amend legislation so that the EU can say it is a "safe third country" for refugees who are sent back. The United Nations and rights bodies are skeptical about the plan. - Returns cannot start until Turkey agrees at least a basic level of protection to all nationalities returned to its soil. At present it only grants such protection to Syrians, but non-Syrians make up two-thirds of the migrants. - The draft does not say when the scheme starts. Diplomats say Germany is keen for it to begin as soon as possible, so that people arriving on Greek islands as early as Monday could be held for expulsion back to Turkey. Greece says its services are not ready. EU officials fear delay may fuel a rush to cross the Aegean before any deadline. 2. RESETTLEMENT For every Syrian refugee returned to Turkey, another Syrian refugee will be resettled from Turkey to the EU, with priority given to those who have not previously crossed to Greece. Problems: - EU states are divided on sharing out asylum seekers. They have outstanding voluntary offers to resettle only about 18,000. - A further 54,000 places could be offered by tweaking a scheme intended to relocate people from one EU state to another. But eastern states oppose those obligatory quotas. - If more than 72,000 places are needed, there would be more arguments about who would provide them. But officials say if that number of Syrians are still reaching Greece, the entire scheme, intended as a deterrent, may be considered a failure. 3. ALTERNATIVE ROUTES Turkey to work with EU to bar other routes. Problems: - Bulgaria is especially concerned about its Turkish border. - There are signs more people may try to sail to Italy. 4. LONGER TERM RESETTLEMENT In the longer run, once EU states are satisfied that Turkey has really stopped the flow of migrants across the Aegean, the EU is offering to admit more refugees directly from Turkey. EU member states would make voluntary offers of the number they are willing to resettle. Problem: Governments face voters hostile to immigration. 5. VISA LIBERALIZATION Turkey to fulfill remaining requirements - about half of 72 criteria - by the end of April so the EU executive can recommend EU states to waive visas for Turks on brief trips by the end of June. Problems: - Many governments, notably France, do not want Turks coming to Europe without visas, partly on security grounds, partly due to popular fears it would mean more immigration - though only the few with modern, biometric passports would be eligible. - Among the EU criteria are that Cypriots be treated like other EU citizens, something Turkey rejects since it does not recognize Cyprus as a state. Ankara has raised expectations at home of visa-free travel, making this a tough issue to crack. 6. AID FOR REFUGEES EU ready to double its aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey to 6 billion euros up to the end of 2018. Problem: EU governments are arguing about where the money comes from and whether it is premature to promise without seeing that Turkey is delivering on agreements first made in November. 7. FASTER EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS "The EU, together with Turkey, will prepare for the decision on the opening of new chapters in the accession negotiations as soon as possible." Problem: Many EU states see little or no prospect of Turkey joining in the foreseeable future. Cyprus has vetoed opening several "chapters" in a dispute relating to Ankara's refusal to recognize Cypriot statehood. The draft wording is conditional and vague enough for Nicosia, but will Turkey accept it? 8. SYRIA SAFE AREAS EU ready to help Turkey help Syrians be better off and safer within their own country. Problem: EU has no military clout and member states which do are wary of Turkey's proposal of "safe areas" in northern Syria. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Paul Taylor and Andrew Heavens; @macdonaldrtr)
Cairo (AFP) - Specialists believe two rooms might be hidden inside the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, which was built some 3,300 years ago in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

Here are key facts about the site.

- Untouched treasure -

In November 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb along with its treasure of more than 5,000 objects, many in solid gold. The tomb was nearly intact and it took Carter six years to excavate, with funding from Britain's Lord George Carnarvon.

The treasure was laid out in five rooms and included thrones, statues, furniture and arms.

The walls of the chamber in which Tutankhamun lay were covered in gold, and his coffin was a three-piece sarcophagus of which the outermost was in red quartzite and the innermost was 110 kilograms (240 pounds) of solid gold.

The pharaoh, who died in 1324 BC at the age of 19, had a funeral mask that was also made from gold, inlaid with lapis lazuli.

Its eyes were made of obsidian and quartz. The mask has become one of the world's most widely-recognized Egyptian artifacts.

It took Carter 10 years to complete his exploration of the tomb and catalogue the thousands of objects that he found.

Lord Carnarvon died In April 1923 in mysterious circumstances, fuelling speculation that the fabled "curse of the pharaohs" had struck one of those responsible for violating "King Tut's" tomb.

- A child pharaoh -

The discovery made Tutankhamun, who died after just nine years on the throne, one of Egypt's best-known pharaohs.

In 2010, a study of DNA tests and CT scans concluded that he suffered from an often-fatal form of malaria and a club foot that caused him to walk with a cane.

Tutankhamun's reign coincided with a troubled time in Egyptian history known as the Amarna period, during which the pharaoh Akhenaten tried to radically transform religion to focus on just one god, Aton.

The DNA tests showed that Tutankhamun was Akhenaten's son, but not that of Nefertiti, an influential wife of the pharaoh celebrated for her beauty.

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In fact, his mother is now believed to have been Akhenaten's sister.

Tutankhamun sired two children, both girls, but they died in the womb, the study found.

King Tut's mummy is now on display in Luxor.

- What's in the two rooms? -

Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamduh al-Damati told reporters Thursday that preliminary scans of Tutankhamun's tomb revealed "two hidden rooms behind the burial chamber" of the boy king that appeared to contain "some organic and metal material".

British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves believes that Nefertiti's tomb might be in a secret chamber adjoining that of King Tut.
Bogota (AFP) - The little green frog's natural camouflage reminded the professor who discovered it of the guerrilla fighters hiding out in the very same Colombian forest.

So American zoologist John Douglas Lynch controversially named the new species Atelopus farci, for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the Marxist rebel group that has been fighting the government since 1964.

Now, despite their olive-green camo, both the FARC and the frog have disappeared from the creature's sole habitat, a mountainside forest in central Colombia, near the town of Alban.

Conservationists fear the little frog is extinct -- collateral damage in the government's increasingly promising peace process with the guerrillas, whose insurgency had the beneficial side-effect of protecting rural areas from deforestation and agriculture, according to Lynch.

"Cloaked in camouflage and hiding out in the forest, (the frog) immediately reminded me of the FARC," said Lynch, a professor at the National University of Colombia.

"In the (species) description, I was careful not to mention any revolutionary political aspect, but I was impressed by the fact that this guerrilla group was protecting the Andean forests."

The name has not been without controversy.

"It was his decision. I never asked him why. But in my opinion, it was stupid. It could have made (the frog) a target for other armed groups or the government itself," said fellow scientist Gustavo Gonzalez, a master's student in biology at Lynch's university.

- Twice kidnapped -

Lynch is well aware of the downside of the violence that has gripped his adopted country for more than half a century.

FARC fighters kidnapped him for several days in 1999 as he conducted research in a rebel-held area.

Another guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), kidnapped him again the following year.

After his second kidnapping, he gave up doing research in rebel-held areas.

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But there was an unexpected upside to the violence, too, he says: It held big agriculture at bay, safeguarding the wild habitats of species such as Atelopus farci, better known as the forest stubfoot toad.

Lynch identified the species in 1985, when he collected some 200 specimens in a single night.

Today, researchers cannot find a single one.

"It's extinct," said Lynch, the leading authority on the species.

The forest stubfoot toad is not the only species affected.

In a master's thesis entitled "The Wildlife of War and Peace in Colombia," journalist Lina Tono recently explored how the waning of the conflict has led to an expansion of palm oil plantations, to the detriment of native forests and species such as the brown spider monkey, which is critically endangered.

- Danger of peace? -

After more than half a century of conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people, the Colombian government and the FARC say they are close to signing a peace deal.

The FARC have been observing a unilateral ceasefire since July, and the government has reciprocated by halting air strikes.

The guerrillas agreed to sit down to talks in 2012, after former president Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) scaled up the army's offensive and forced the FARC to retreat from some of their strongholds, including the forest around Alban.

That enabled Lynch and other scientists to return to formerly rebel-held areas for the first time in years.

When Lynch went back to Alban, he searched high and low but failed to find a single forest stubfoot toad.

The waters where the frogs used to live smelled bad and had no tadpoles, he said.

Lynch discovered several pig farms had been opened higher up the mountain, whose runoff was contaminating water sources.

He fears the end of Latin America's longest-running conflict will paradoxically have a negative impact on conservation.

Others are more positive about the end of the war.

For scientists, "the main impact of the conflict has been to limit access to field work sites, limit the possibility for quality, long-term research, in a large part of the country," said Brigitte Baptiste, the director of the Humboldt Institute, a leading research center on Colombia's rich biodiversity.
Politics and particularly money-in-politics is the meat and drink of the Center for Public Integrity. Its where we do much of our long-term coverage and also where journalists like federal politics lead Dave Levinthal keep the Center in the public and political eye with commentary on television and coverage in the news cycle.

Citizens dis-united

Few stories reverberate though the years in the Centers online traffic reports than a 2012 piece by John Dunbar on the meaning of the then-fresh Supreme Court Citizens United decision which ruled that corporations had the same free speech rights as individuals. Johns piece recurs almost daily in our most-read.

John returns to that subject with an hour-long radio documentary and podcast with RevealNews.org, our podcasting partner run by the Center for Investigative Reporting in California. Anyone who cares about who represents them at any level of government should tune in, Dunbar said. This decision affects everyone. The piece is on PRX stations nationwide from tonight and Reveal is available for download from iTunes and Stitcher.

The Center partners with many media organizations but the Reveal partnership is particularly strong and gives our stories national reach through their radio network and high quality podcasting and training for our team. Its part of a strategic dissemination strategy to get our stories into the right places and expose our work.

This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

Don't miss another Inside Publici investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Political reality

Dave Levinthal and his federal team have also had the difficult task of keeping current with money and politics in a race now dominated by someone who allegedly funds his own campaign. Dave, Michael Beckel and our Soles Fellow Cady Zuvich have done a strong job for months now on tracking campaign spending data and using proprietary Kantar-CMAG political advertising data to find political nuggets. Michael dug into Bernie Sanders data to show small-but-intriguing commitments from lobbyists. Cady used the Kantar-CMAG data to put hard data behind the assumption that Republican super-PACs would put their money into anti-Trump advertising.

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Politicians love defense spending, voters not so much

Also on the subject of fellows, Lauren Chadwick, a Scoville Foundation fellow, filed a valuable piece this week on the disconnect between politicians  as we know well-fed by defense companies  and voters on the priorities of defense spending. Its a good start. Lauren joins us from a stint at NBC and is a past intern at CERN and at the Monterey Institute for International Studies.

Patrick Malone showed the reach of Jeff Smiths national security team at the Center with a strong set of pieces  also published by partners in the Netherlands and Belgium  on the extraordinary tale of poor security at Belgian nuclear installations and attempts by ISIS to kidnap a leading scientist with the objective of creating a dirty bomb.

Recognition matters

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has been shortlisted a couple of weeks ago for the European Press Prize, investigative reporting category for the Swiss Leaks project.

Here, Center journalists were finalists in two categories in the Scripps Howard Awards for 2015. One was the community journalism category where the state political team worked with the Post & Courier in Charleston to unlock the secrets of expenses data to produce this story. The second was Dan Wagner, now at BuzzFeed,who exposed the mobile home empire of Warren Buffett and its treatment of poor customers.

Susan Ferriss has worked tirelessly on the subject of kids being treated as criminals in our schools. The Washington Post editorial board highlighted that work this week.

The environment teams Talia Buford will speak to Wesleyan University faculty and students next month about Environmental Justice, Denied, the project she co-reported with Kristen Lombardi that looked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys dismal record of enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

What were reading and thinking about

Jeff Smith, our national security managing editor, noted two pieces this week:

Foreign Policy has a very interesting and sad article explaining how the refugee crisis is remaking Europe, changing both its politics and some of its ideals. Its written from Sweden, which until recently had doors open wider than anyone else and the most generous aid programs. Not any more.

The New Yorker and ProPublica had an elegant co-production on philanthropist and private equity baron David Rubenstein.

I welcome feedback on this note.

This story is part of Inside Publici. Stories were working on, the impact of our investigations, news about our fundraising efforts, and other issues that shape our work. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Ferrari announced Thursday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with two Chinese companies to build a theme park in China.

The non-binding deal with Beijing Automotive and Biac Eternaland Property will, if implemented, see the two Chinese companies licensed to establish the park in a still-to-be-decided Chinese city.

The luxury sportscar maker and Formula One powerhouse already has a theme park on an island near Abu Dhabi and is in the process of constructing another one in Spain.

The parks are one of the ways in which the company is hoping to leverage its luxury brand to generate additional revenues.

The company's sales in China, which represent about five percent of its total worldwide, fell 22 percent in 2015.
"Game of Thrones" actor Finn Jones is to headline TV series "Iron Fist" when it arrives on Netflix.

Jones leads as wealthy Daniel Rand, a New York City returnee who, armed with his martial arts skills and access to the Iron Fist superpower, sets about righting wrongs in a way that "blends confidence with vulnerability," according to Marvel's announcement.

With "Jessica Jones" launching in November 2015, "Daredevil" entering season two on March 18, 2016, and a "Luke Cage" treatment due in September, Netflix is looking to keep fans on board with a steady drip-feed of Marvel-related information.

"Iron Fist" has not yet been dated but, as the fourth and final standalone Marvel series being produced for subscription service Netflix, it's expected to debut in 2017.

All four series are then to lend their title characters to ensemble piece "The Defenders."
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Rising federal and provincial personal income tax rates on highly skilled, educated workers (such as entrepreneurs, business professionals, engineers, and doctors) are hurting Canada's economic competitiveness, concludes a new study published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent non-partisan Canadian policy think-tank.

The study, Canada's Rising Personal Tax Rates and Falling Tax Competitiveness, finds that Canada's top combined federal and provincial tax rate, which is 53.5 per cent (using Ontario's provincial rate) now ranks as the sixth highest among 34 industrialized countries and second highest among G7 countries, behind only France (based on 2014 figures, the latest year of available international data).

"Next week's federal budget offers the Liberal government an opportunity to put in place policies that match their rhetoric about the importance of policies that attract and retain highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and investors," said Charles Lammam, director of fiscal studies at the Fraser Institute and study co-author.

"Competitive personal income tax rates are critical to fostering a positive economic climate but recent tax increases, federally and in many Canadian provinces, harm our ability to attract skilled workers and in fact discourage Canadians from realizing their full potential."

For example, this year Canada's Liberal government introduced a new income-tax bracket, increasing the top federal tax rate to 33 per cent from 29 per cent. This increase in the federal tax rate comes on top of numerous recent increases to top rates in Ontario, Alberta and other provinces.

Among the provinces, Nova Scotia has the highest combined top personal income tax rate at 54 per cent, followed by Ontario (53.5 per cent) and Quebec (53.3 per cent). Currently, six of 10 provinces have a top combined federal-provincial rate above 50 per cent.

"A highly skilled worker in Ontario can now lose more than 50 cents of every additional dollar they earn in labour income -- hardly an attractive environment for highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs," said Ben Eisen, co-author and associate director of provincial prosperity studies at the Fraser Institute.

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With the new top federal tax rate, some provinces, namely British Columbia and New Brunswick, have started to reduce their top rate to counteract the effect on their tax competitiveness.

The study also notes that Canada's top tax rates often apply to lower levels of income than is the case in other countries, which further erodes the country's tax competitiveness.

"In comparisons at multiple income levels, Canada's personal income tax rates are decidedly uncompetitive compared to those in the U.S., putting Canada at a real disadvantage in attracting and retaining skilled and mobile workers," Lammam said.

Follow the Fraser Institute on Twitter | Like us on Facebook

The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institute's independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org

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Theres been a sea change at SeaWorld.

After years of criticism from animal rights activists, the chain of marine parks announced Thursday that it is phasing out its theatrical orca whale shows and ending its orca whale-breeding program  meaning the current generation will be the theme parks last.

Its a long time coming but a fabulous announcement. Its a huge step in the right direction, Phil Kline, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace U.S.A., said in an interview with Yahoo News. Its a responsible step into the 21st century; hopefully its just the beginning of the pendulum swinging that way.

The public perception of SeaWorld changed dramatically with the release of the successful, critically praised documentary Blackfish in July 2013. In telling the story of Tilikum, an orca who had attacked and killed at least one trainer and may have been responsible for two other human deaths, the film made a powerful argument against keeping killer whales in captivity.

Publicity around the film led to a decline in park attendance and a plunge in the companys stock price. SeaWorld fought back with its own advertising and public relations campaign, but public opinion had shifted decisively against the practice of keeping orcas in tanks.

Young children get a close-up view of an orca killer whale during a visit to the marine theme park SeaWorld in San Diego, California, in this file photo taken March 19, 2014. Bowing to years of pressure from animal rights activists, SeaWorld said on Thursday it would stop breeding killer whales, and that those now at its parks would be the last. (Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake/Files)

Survive and adapt to what the public wants and demands in the 21st century, or this business model no longer works and you are out of business, Kline said. They did not do this because it was the altruistic thing to do. This was forced upon them by dedicated activists raising the issue to where it became a global concern [that] affected their bottom line, and they have to react.

Kline said the story behind SeaWorlds proposed changes is really about the effectiveness of environmental advocacy.

SeaWorld said that it has not taken an orca from the wild for nearly 40 years, and the majority of their orcas have never lived in the wild and would not be able to survive in the ocean. Therefore, its killer whales will live out their lives in the companys habitats.

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Patrick Ramage, the global whale program director for International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), applauded SeaWorlds announcement.

We welcome this move and congratulate SeaWorld on this important step as they end the captive breeding of orcas, Ramage told Yahoo News. Orcas are highly intelligent and social animals. Their incredibly complex needs simply cannot be met by a life in captivity. IFAW believes that wild animals belong in the wild.

In a March 7, 2011, file photo, Kelly Flaherty Clark, left, director of animal training at SeaWorld Orlando, and trainer Joe Sanchez work with killer whales Tilikum, right, and Trua during a training session at the theme parks Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Fla. SeaWorld announced on March 17, 2016, it will immediately stop breeding killer whales. (Photo: AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

The Humane Society of the United States worked with SeaWorld to establish its new policies, which will include an emphasis on rehabilitating distressed wild marine mammals in its facilities.

SeaWorld president and CEO Joel Manby said in a statement that the park is proud of the part it has played contributing to humankinds understanding of killer whales, but that it is changing with the times.

As societys understanding of orcas continues to change, SeaWorld is changing with it, he said. By making this the last generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will experience these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter.

In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Manby described what he called the paradox of SeaWorlds success. When the first SeaWorld park opened in 1964, he said, orcas were feared and hunted. By exhibiting them in shows, the park taught the public to love and admire the animals for their beauty and intelligence, Manby said, adding that SeaWorld needs to respond to the attitudinal change that the corporation credits itself with helping to create.

Kline, who worked as a commercial fisherman for nearly 30 years before joining Greenpeace, said he has sympathy for SeaWorlds perspective even if it amounts to corporate PR spin.

That original SeaWorld in Pacific Palisades  I visited it in 65 when I was a young boy. And getting splashed by a killer whale when he jumped out of the tank was one of the most exciting and long-lasting impressions of my youth, Kline said. I immediately had a fascination of what else was out there in the ocean. At that age, youre not sophisticated enough to know the true horrors of whats going on in front of you.

Kline said if his own impression is symptomatic of how people have reacted to the orca shows broadly it would be hypocritical to deny what the CEO said.

Although he said it for PR spin, he said, it doesnt make it any less valid.
Paris (AFP) - A French cardinal accused of covering up the sexual abuse of children by a priest faced new calls Thursday to step down after claims he promoted another cleric who had a previous conviction for sexually abusing adults.

Le Parisien newspaper reported Wednesday that Archbishop of Lyon Philippe Barbarin had allowed an unnamed priest to take up a job in his diocese despite the man having been given a suspended 18-month jail sentence for sexually abusing students in a residential home that he supervised.

The episcopate denied the accusations, saying the man had not been promoted although it admitted he was still employed by the Lyon diocese in central France.

The newspaper's allegations added to the pressure on Barbarin.

The government minister with responsibility for helping victims of abuse said Barbarin should "definitely" resign.

"On a purely individual level, he should draw the necessary conclusions from all of this and certainly not hide behind legal nit-picking," Juliette Meadel told French radio.

Her call followed that of Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who said Tuesday Barbarin should "take responsibility" in the case of another priest, Bernard Preynat.

Preynat was charged in January after victims came forward with claims he had sexually abused Scouts between 1986 and 1991. Prosecutors say Preynat has admitted sexually abusing minors.

Barbarin, one of the most senior figures in the Catholic Church in France, has denied he hushed up Preynat's acts, which were committed years before he became archbishop of Lyon, a post he took up in 2002.

"I have never, never, never covered up acts of paedophilia," Barbarin told a press conference on Tuesday.

- 'No contact with youngsters' -

The new accusations in Le Parisien relate to the period between 2007 and 2013.

The priest was sentenced by a court in the southwest town of Rodez in 2007. He was then moved to the Lyon diocese, where he worked his way back up the ladder before, according to Le Parisien, being promoted by Barbarin to dean in 2013, meaning he was in charge of several parishes.

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When the newspaper asked a source close to Barbarin if the cardinal had been aware of the man's conviction, the source said: "He does not want to reply to that question."

The spokesman for France's bishops, Olivier Ribadeau-Dumas, said the case had "nothing to do" with the sexual abuse of children and denied Barbarin had promoted the priest.

"He was not promoted. Today he has responsibilities for training in the Lyon diocese... but he has no contact with young people and the diocese has always been vigilant of this," the spokesman said.

"This is a case of a priest who was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for inappropriate touching of adults. It is in no way paedophilia."

He added: "This case has nothing to do with, and is in no way comparable to, that of Father Preynat."

The scandal has been extremely embarrassing for the Church in France, which has worked to toughen its stance against priests who sexually abuse children.

The Catholic Church worldwide continues to be dogged by cases of paedophile priests and past cover-ups, despite Pope Francis' promise of a crackdown.
By John Irish TUNIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said he would meet Libyan Prime Minister-designate Fayez Seraj on Friday to see how the U.N.-backed unity government can move swiftly into Tripoli and what support could be given to secure its return. Western governments are growing increasingly concerned about the expansion of Islamic State in Libya, where the militant group has taken advantage of a conflict between two rival factions operating two governments in a struggle for control. Western officials have backed the U.N.-brokered national unity government, but it is still based in Tunis and trying to establish itself in Libya, where it is facing opposition from hardliners on both sides of the country's conflict. "It is indispensable that this government is set up in Tripoli," Ayrault told reporters in Tunis. "I will see Mr Seraj tomorrow to see what his political and military needs are. For its (government) legitimacy to be recognized not only by the international community, but Libyans too, then it has to be in Tripoli. We need to help that." POLITICAL VOID Paris has been warning for more than a year that the political void in Libya was creating favorable conditions for Islamist groups and destabilizing in particular former French colony Tunisia. Seraj said in a television interview on Thursday it was a only "matter of days" before his government would move to Tripoli. When asked whether the government would be secured by foreign troops or Libyans with foreign advisers Ayrault said: "This still needs to be ironed out ... I think the guarantee (of security) could be given by several countries in association with Libyan authorities and security forces." A French push for EU sanctions against Libyan leaders blocking unity government was approved this week to pressure hardliners to accept the United Nations effort to unite factions and militias that have competed for power since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. French aircraft have been conducting reconnaissance flights over Libya, where Paris took a leading role in the NATO air campaign that helped rebels overthrow Gaddafi. French military advisers are operating on the ground in conjunction with Britain and the United States. Ayrault said for now air strikes and troops on the ground were not "the order of the day". Officials say any broader military involvement in Libya will need a request from the unity government. Ayrault also said another U.N. Security Council resolution could be possible to help solidify the position of the new Libyan government. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The most detailed look at Pluto's surface to date has revealed an unexpected range of mountains, glacial flows, smooth plains and other landscapes, according to studies released on Thursday. The unprecedented window into the so-called dwarf planet, which orbits the sun like other planets but is smaller, comes via high-resolution photographs from NASAs New Horizons spacecraft. The interplanetary space probe made the first-ever visit to Pluto and its five moons last July. Those images, chemical analyses and other data show a complex, geologically active world 3 billion miles from Earth, with an underground ocean and volcanoes that appear to spew ice, five research papers published in this weeks Science journal said. Its a pretty wild place geologically, said planetary scientist William McKinnon of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Another scientist described the diversity of landscapes as "astonishing." How the varied terrain came to be remains a mystery for the distant Pluto, which has an average surface temperature of minus 380 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 229 degrees Celsius). Scientists suspect several processes at work, including vaporization of volatile ices, such as nitrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, into Plutos cold and unexpectedly compact atmosphere. Though smaller than Earth's moon, Pluto likely still has enough internal heat from its formation some 4.5 billion years ago to help maintain its most prominent feature, a smooth, 620-mile (1,000-km) wide, heart-shaped basin known as Sputnik Planum. Relatively young mountains west of Sputnik Planum and mounds to the south are harder to explain. Scientists suspect both rest on blocks of water ice, though how that came to exist on Pluto is unknown. We are puzzled by almost everything, said Alan Stern, the New Horizons mission's lead scientist. The studies show that Plutos primary moon, Charon, had an active life but ran out of naturally occurring radioactive heat in its rocks and froze through about 2 billion years ago. Scientists now believe Charon and Plutos four other small moons owe their existence to a crash between Pluto and another Pluto-sized body early in the solar systems history. Similar to Earths moon, scientists suspect Plutos natural satellites were formed from the debris that was hurled into space after the crash. (Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Bernadette Baum)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Three ultra-rightists were jailed for up to eight years in Germany on Thursday for a petrol bomb attack on a refugee hostel in August that raised concern about violent xenophobia in response to an influx of migrants. There have been more than 1,200 attacks on migrant hostels in Germany over the past year in which over a million asylum-seekers have arrived and justice authorities aim to set up a special office to tackle far-right violence. A court in Hanover sentenced a 31-year-old man to eight years behind bars and his accomplice, a volunteer fireman who later helped extinguish the blaze, to seven years. A 24-year-old woman who drove the getaway car got four years and six months. The sentences were close to what prosecutors had demanded over the assault on the hostel in the northern town of Salzhemmendorf, in which no one was injured. "I fear that this was an attempt to send a signal because of the current problem that many attacks are taking place," said defense lawyer Roman von Alvensleben. The trio admitted carrying out the attack but denied they were politically motivated. However, the judge said mobile phone analysis clearly showed they shared far-right attitudes. "All three were members of a mobile messaging group called 'Garage Swastika'," a court spokesman said. One of the accused called himself "the new Adolf" and the woman bragged she had taught her two-year old son how to say "Heil Hitler", he said. More than 200 attacks on migrant hostels have occurred since the start of this year with right-wing extremists responsible for almost all of them, police say. Arrests have been relatively rare, however, and Justice minister Heiko Maas and ministers from Germany's 16 federal states have vowed to tackle rightist radicalism by creating a special investigative office and improving data compilation. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Thorsten Severin; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Ankara (AFP) - German diplomatic missions and a school in Turkey were closed on Thursday for security reasons, the German consulate in Istanbul said, less than a week after a suicide car bomb attack in the capital.

The measure concerns the German embassy in Ankara as well as the consulate and German school in Istanbul, it said on its website.

Sunday's suicide bombing, which killed 35 people, was claimed Thursday by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Last January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack blamed on the Islamic State group in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district.

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.
Berlin (AFP) - A Munich court Thursday handed down an eight-year prison sentence to a German former intelligence agent who spied for both the CIA and the Russian secret service because he wanted to "experience something exciting".

Markus Reichel had admitted to handing over "scores of documents and internal information" to the CIA, including names and addresses of agents for the Federal Intelligence Service or BND, in exchange for 95,000 euros ($107,000).

Some 200 of those documents sent to the US spy agency were deemed very sensitive, and even included papers detailing the BND's counter-espionage strategies.

The 32-year-old had also delivered three classified documents to the Russian secret service.

Convicting Reichel on two counts of treason and breach of official secrets, as well as five counts of corruption, the court said his actions risked "serious detriment to Germany's external security".

Although the prosecution had sought 10 years, the court said Reichel's lack of previous criminal records as well as his confession were mitigating factors.

Reichel's case had emerged during a furore over revelations of widespread US spying in documents leaked by former CIA intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, which had also plunged its partner service the BND into an unprecedented crisis.

Partially disabled after a botched childhood vaccination, Reichel, who speaks haltingly, admitted that he had spied for foreign services out of dissatisfaction with his job at the BND.

"No one trusted me with anything at the BND. At the CIA it was different," he told the court at the opening of his trial in November.

Not only did the CIA offer "adventure", the Americans also gave him what he craved -- recognition.

"I would be lying if I said that I didn't like that," he told the court.

"I wanted something new, to experience something exciting," he added.

- Agent 'Uwe' -

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After finishing his studies at a training centre for the disabled in 2004, Reichel had struggled to find a job until late 2007, when the BND offered him a position in its personnel division.

As a member of staff in the lowest salary band, he drew a monthly net pay of 1,200 euros.

The CIA did not pay him significantly more -- he received between 10,000 and 20,000 euros a year in cash at a secret meeting point in Austria, but it gave him a thrill, he said.

Using the undercover name "Uwe", Reichel first sent documents to a US agent codenamed "Alex" by post before transmitting them by email and later directly entering them into hidden software on a computer provided by the CIA.

Stealing documents turned out to be surprisingly easy. Reichel simply photocopied sensitive papers using a copier next to his desk, before driving out of the BND offices with the stack in his bag.

Random checks at the BND's gates were so seldom that there was hardly any risk he would be caught.

At home, he would scan the documents before sending them to "Alex".

In 2014, he itched to "experience something new" again and decided this time to offer his services to the Russian consulate in Munich.

But his email with three BND documents attached was uncovered by the German agency, and led to his arrest on July 2 that year.

Reichel's case emerged in the wake of revelations the United States has been carrying out widespread surveillance on global communications.

The information stemming from documents made public by Snowden strained ties between Washington and Germany and led to the expulsion of the US spy chief in Berlin.
BERLIN (Reuters) - German police have raided the home of two Syrian brothers with links to the militant group Islamic State (IS), suspecting that they were preparing an attack, prosecutors in Frankfurt said on Thursday. Police confiscated an air pistol, electronic storage devices, mobile phones and 14,000 euros ($16,000) in cash but did not arrest the brothers, 21 and 30 years old. Prosecutors did not give more information on the exact nature of the suspected crime, which they called a "serious act of violent subversion". The older brother had entered Germany in February 2015 with a forged passport obtained by IS, a crime for which he was sentenced and fined last year. Prosecutors said that in social media postings he had promoted the militant group, threatened German authorities and justified last November's attacks in Paris. The younger brother published a picture of himself on social media that showed him sitting in a "luxury car belonging to his brother" sporting a pistol, the prosecutor's office said. Germany has been on alert since militants with links to Islamic State killed 130 people in Paris in November. The anxieties have been fueled by the arrival of over 1 million migrants in Germany last year, many of them fleeing war and conflict in the Middle East and beyond. Last month, the government said that the whereabouts of more than 140,000 people registered in 2015 were unknown. ($1 = 0.8839 euros) (Reporting by Tina Bellon)
TORONTO (Reuters) - Katanga Mining, a majority-owned unit of global miner Glencore, said Thursday a collapsed wall at an open-pit mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo had killed all seven people who were there at the time of the incident last week. The Swiss company, which has so far recovered three bodies from the site, said it had ended the search for the other four following a 10-day effort. "It is with deep regret that the company must now assume that any individual who was in KOV open pit at the time of the incident will not have survived," Toronto-listed Katanga said in a brief statement. The company said it continued to work closely with relevant authorities and an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the geotechnical failure that led to the collapse of a 250-metre pit wall last week. The company had suspended all copper and cobalt processing from the site back in September 2015, but work on maintenance and an $880 million modernization project to cut costs at the site was ongoing. Katanga said it was now shifting from search and rescue to a recovery phase at the KOV mine, as weather and ground conditions permit. The KOV mine is one of the largest high-grade copper assets in the world, comprising of four ore bodies that are accessed via two pits, Kamoto East and KOV. The mine was previously operated by the DRCs state-owned mining company Gecamines. (Reporting by Euan Rocha; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
While its not a sure thing, billionaire Donald Trump appears to have a path to winning the Republican presidential nomination, and that is causing all sorts of stress for people who support the former reality television star, for people who think hes flat-out dangerous, and for people concerned about the effect a fight over his nomination could have on the Republican Party as a whole.

Currently leading in the delegate count, Trump needs to amass 1,237 in order to assure a first-ballot nomination at the convention. He is currently more than halfway there, but there is a distinct possibility that Trump could make it to the convention with a considerable lead over his closest competitor, but not a majority.

Related: Trump to GOP  Im Calling the Shots Now

Trump has warned of riots and unrest being unavoidable if he is denied the nomination despite being the clear leader in delegates. After the first ballot manyeven most delegateswill be free to switch their votes to anyone whose name has been placed in nomination. This mechanism is perfectly within the rules that have been in place since before Trump declared his candidacy.

Trumps surrogate, the GOP consultant and former Richard Nixon dirty tricks expert Roger Stone, warned in an article published on Thursday by the conspiracy website InfoWars.com that GOP bigwigs are plotting to steal the nomination from the frontrunner.

A report by The Washington Times, claims there is a movement taking shape within the Republican National Committee to change the rules under which the convention operates in order to increase transparency and avoid any allegations that Trump has been cheated.

The convention is traditionally guided by the rules of parliamentary procedure in the House of Representatives, which is confusing even to many people familiar with it and utterly impenetrable to those who arent. The suggestion is that the convention use Roberts Rules of Order as a substitute. Roberts rules are commonly used in organizations across the country, from town councils to state party conventions.

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Related: Donald Trump Swaggers to Another Campaign Milestone

The thinking is that the more of the delegates to the convention who feel that they understand the rules under which the party is choosing its nominee, the less unrest there will be among those whose preferred candidate doesnt get the nod. It is also plainly meant to create a sense of fairness in the process that might minimize any animosity that would make it difficult for the Party to come together in the general election.

While some are strategizing ways to prevent the crack-up of the Republican Party, others are looking at the remote but undeniably real possibility that Trump could somehow not just win the GOP nomination but the presidency as well. Theyre discussing ways to save the country.

In Thursdays edition of The Washington Post, Pepperdine University School of Law Prof. Derek T. Muller explained that even if a Trump victory in a general election appeared inevitable, the much-maligned Electoral College could be a final bulwark against President Trump.

The U.S. Presidential election is usually seen as the people picking a president. But in fact, people vote for electors, who in turn cast a vote in the 538-member Electoral College. A 270-vote majority is enough to win the presidency.

Related: How the Republican Plan to Trap Trump Has Backfired

However, the practice of holding an election to choose electors is not a requirement. The Constitution empowers state legislatures to have electors chosen in a way they see fit. Muller argues that state lawmakers who want to block a Trump presidency could legally change their states rules and pick the electors themselves.

State legislatures should consider whether to retake this authority in the 2016 election in an effort to stop Trump, Muller writes. Republicans control 31 state legislatures. Many could consider this proposal, but the Texas state legislature is a natural place to start. It could easily pass a law returning power to the legislature. On Election Day, the legislature could decide whether to vote for Trump or Mitt Romney, the prior Republican nominee; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the 2016 race early on; a popular GOP figure like Condoleezza Rice, whose name has recently been floated as an alternative; or their own junior Sen. Ted Cruz, presently trailing Trump in the Republican Party delegate count.

By throwing a significant number of delegates to a candidate other than Trump or the eventual Democratic nominee, states could theoretically prevent any candidate from amassing 270 delegates. In that event, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives would choose the next president from among the top three electoral vote recipients.

Its an unlikely scenario, Muller admits, and one that would shake up the system in unpredictable ways.

To take this extraordinary step, state legislators would have to decide that this election calls for an extraordinary change, he writes. And, of course, acknowledge that it could be deployed against any candidate in any presidential election  this year, four years from now and onward. It has seldom been used. But perhaps  just this once  legislators will conclude that the times call for a change to how we vote for the president.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Washington (AFP) - Michigan's governor faced blistering criticism from US lawmakers Thursday over his role in the Flint water scandal that saw sky-high levels of toxic lead enter the city's water supply, but insisted he was not the only one to blame.

At a congressional hearing, Governor Rick Snyder -- flanked by the head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy -- was grilled over the handling of the crisis. Both officials faced calls to step aside.

More than 8,000 children are believed to have ingested tainted water in economically devastated Flint, which saw lead levels soar for more than a year before citizen activists brought the tap water contamination into the public eye.

Snyder on Thursday accepted some responsibility for the debacle, but told the House Oversight Committee there was plenty of blame to go around, including at the federal and local level.

"Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind -- the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded, how I could have prevented this," Snyder told the House Oversight Committee.

He was adamant however that responsibility for the crisis was not his alone.

"Let me be blunt: This was a failure of government at all levels -- local, state, and federal officials. We all failed the families of Flint," he said at the hearing to uncover what went wrong in the city, and what steps are being taken to clean up the water supply.

The Michigan governor said his goal at this point was "delivering permanent, long-term solutions and the clean, safe drinking water that every Michigan citizen deserves."

- Tough questions -

McCarthy also faced a tough grilling -- mostly from Republican lawmakers -- over why it took a year for her agency to act, and why no one at the EPA has been fired so far, although one senior official has resigned.

Snyder's administration ordered various cost-cutting measures in financially struggling Flint -- including a shift in the water supply from the Detroit River to the Flint River.

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That, as it turns out, was a grave error, Snyder now admits.

Experts believe that the chemical-laced Flint River water corroded lead-bearing pipes, allowing large amounts of the chemical element to leach into the city's water.

But Democrats on the panel did not accept the governor's apparent remorse.

"I'm not buying that you didn't know about any of this until October 2015," said Representative Matt Cartwright.

"You were not in a medically induced coma for a year," the Pennsylvania lawmaker said.

"I've had about enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies."

Critics who have called for Snyder's resignation say he dragged his feet for months after first learning of the problem, making a dire health emergency even worse.

"There's no evidence, even after you were warned by the mayor of Flint they had problems, and they begged you to come to Flint. You ignored them," said Representative Gerry Connolly of Virginia.

"I'm glad you're sorry now. I'm glad you're taking action now, but it's a little bit late for the kids in Flint whose health has been compromised, for people whose health and immunity systems were already compromised, for a city in America that is on its knees because of your emergency manager's decision to save four million dollars."

- Flint's future -

The crisis was a huge blow to Flint, a once-thriving Rust Belt city already struggling from years of car industry shutdowns and layoffs.

Snyder told lawmakers however that he took action soon after being alerted to the city's water problems.

"First, we quickly reconnected to the Detroit water supply to begin sealing the damaged pipes," he testified.

"Second, I ordered the immediate distribution of water filters and extensive blood-level testing in schools and homes to identify those at the highest risk so they received health care, nutrition and additional support," he said.

He added that additional diagnostic testing, home nurse visits and home water testing have been put in place.

The hearing was held on the same day that a news report found the problem of lead in US water supplies may be far bigger than previously known.

Some six million Americans have drinking water tainted with higher levels of lead than allowed by federal guidelines, USA Today reported on Thursday.

The newspaper launched an investigation which found higher than acceptable lead levels in about 2,000 water systems across the United States.

Tainted water was supplied to hundreds of day care centers and schools, the report said.

Children are the population most vulnerable to the pernicious effects of lead, a toxin which affects the neurological system and can lead to permanent learning delays and behavioral problems.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Political drama, mining deals and even wedding party controversies -- an immigrant family that is one of South Africa's wealthiest has long been accused of undue influence behind the scenes.

Now the Gupta family is at the centre of attention after they were alleged to have offered key government jobs to those who might help their business interests.

Deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas revealed this week that the Guptas had offered him the post of finance minister, providing the first public testimony of their alleged involvement in cabinet appointments.

The corruption scandal has renewed scrutiny on President Jacob Zuma's ties with Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, three brothers from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Led by Atul, they arrived in South Africa in 1993 as white-minority apartheid rule crumbled and a year before Nelson Mandela won the country's first democratic elections.

As the country opened up to foreign investment, the Guptas -- previously small-scale businessmen in India -- built a sprawling empire with interests in computers, mining, media, technology and engineering.

They also developed close links with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, and particularly with Zuma, well before he became president in 2009.

Zuma's son Duduzane is a director of the Gupta's Sahara Computers, which is named after their hometown of Saharanpur.

Zuma's third wife Bongi Ngema and one of his daughters have also been Gupta employees.

"The Guptas are smart and shrewd business people and this can't be a normal relationship," political analyst Prince Mashele told AFP.

"There appears to be a Gupta hand in every business sector."

- Public anger -

Now in their 40s, the Guptas hold court at their residential and business headquarters in a huge high-security compound in Saxonwold, an upmarket district of Johannesburg.

It has a helicopter pad and they reportedly travel with their own chefs and bodyguards.

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Public anger towards the family soared in 2013, when a jet carrying 217 foreign guests to a Gupta wedding landed at Waterkloof Air Force base, outside Pretoria.

The airport is a military facility normally used to receive heads of state.

The wedding party did not go through immigration checks, and were given a police escort to the marriage at a casino resort.

The fact that some ministers attended the week-long ceremonies fuelled further antagonism towards the Guptas.

Exploring the tangled web of ties, Bloomberg News recently reported that a firm partly-owned by Duduzane Zuma obtained shares last year in Tegeta Exploration, a company founded by the Guptas.

Soon after, Mines Minister Mosebenzi Zwane joined a Tegeta delegation that visited Switzerland to negotiate the purchase of Glencore's Optimum coal complex.

As with several other ministers, Zwane's appointment was widely seen to have been due to the Guptas.

"There is a feeling that the Guptas are almost running the state," Adriaan Basson, author of the book "Zuma Exposed", told AFP.

"I can't see President Zuma turning his back on the Gupta family."

High-profile holdings in their portfolio include the New Age, a pro-government newspaper launched in 2010, and the 24-hour news channel ANN7, broadcasting since 2013.

After years of silence, the Guptas have started to fight back against their critics and this week they strongly denied the latest raft of allegations.

"We employ more than 4,500 people and reinvest all profits in our South African businesses," they said in a statement to AFP last month.

"We have been in South Africa since 1993 and are a proudly South African family."
By James Pearson and Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - The U.S. student sentenced to 15 years of hard labor by North Korea's supreme court was convicted for trying to steal a banner invoking former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, state media footage of the trial indicates. The court sentenced the student, Otto Warmbier, on Wednesday for "crimes against the state", North Korean media reported. The United States condemned the punishment as politically motivated and called on North Korea to pardon the University of Virginia student from Wyoming, Ohio, and release him on humanitarian grounds. The sentencing came as North Korea is increasingly isolated and facing tough new U.N. resolutions following a nuclear test in January and a rocket launch last month. A White House spokesman said it was "increasingly clear" North Korea sought to use U.S. citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda. North Korean state media said Warmbier had tried to steal an item bearing a political slogan. A state media picture showed a banner, presented as evidence during his one-hour trial, appearing to bear a slogan extolling the country's late leader. Although the name was censored in the photograph, it is likely the slogan read: "Let's arm ourselves strongly with Kim Jong Il patriotism!" The phrase "Kim Jong Il Patriotism" was used heavily to glorify the late leader after he died in 2011. The slogan has been described by his son and successor, Kim Jong Un, as the "crystallization of socialist patriotism". Images and references to North Korea's leaders, who are treated with almost god-like status in propaganda, are sacrosanct. Ordinary North Koreans are required to keep and carefully maintain portraits of former leaders Kim Jong Il and his father, Kim Il Sung. A special large, bold typeface is used when their names are printed. The court showed still CCTV images of Warmbier, 21, entering a staff-only part of the Yanggakdo International Hotel, which towers above the capital, Pyongyang, from an island in the middle of the Taedong River. Warmbier was at the end of a five-day group tour when he was stopped at the airport and taken away, according to the tour operator that arranged the trip. In a statement last month, Warmbier confessed to "severe crimes" against the state. FOOTAGE AND FINGERPRINTS Warmbier entered the restricted area of the hotel in the early hours of Jan. 1, according to a time stamp on a CCTV image used as part of witness testimony to identify Warmbier. That witness was Warmbier's North Korean tour guide, identified as Mr Byon, sources who recognized him confirmed to Reuters after studying the footage. The shirt and boots worn by Warmbier at the time along with his passport, mobile phone and an ID card were also given as evidence in the trial, the footage showed. "When I got off work, there was nothing amiss," a second witness, apparently a hotel staff member, told the court. "But when I returned, I thought someone had deliberately taken the slogan down, so I mobilized security to prevent damage to it and reported it to the authorities." The court showed images on a flat screen showing efforts to match fingerprints from the banner with Warmbier's fingerprints. Photos of the trial showed Warmbier marking copies of indictment and sentencing documents with red ink on his thumb. As he was led from the court in handcuffs, Warmbier appeared to turn to Swedish ambassador to North Korea Torkel Stiernlof, who was present at the trial, and ask him to "keep working" on his case, according to the footage. The United States does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea and is represented in consular matters there by the Swedish embassy. North Korea has a long history of detaining foreigners and has used jailed Americans in the past to extract high-profile visits from the United States to secure their release. (Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel)
Indonesian trailblazer Rio Haryanto said Thursday he is ready for a first tilt at Formula One in Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, on the back of just four days testing in his new Manor car.

The 23-year-old, who will become Indonesia's first F1 driver, will make his grand prix debut after signing a one-year deal last month with Manor Racing, previously known as Marussia.

"There's been a tremendous response back home. Obviously to be able to compete in Formula One is a great thing and I'm very proud and I'm sure the whole nation is proud to have me in F1," Haryanto said at his first official F1 media conference.

"I'm new to F1, so there are a lot of things to learn and my expectation is to try and learn as quick as possible and try to build a great relationship with the team... we'll see how it goes in the race."

It's been a whirlwind few weeks for Haryanto as he gets accustomed to what is required to compete against the superstars of F1, but he said he was happy living his dream.

"This has been my dream for such a long time and Im enjoying every minute," he said.

"Its an incredible time for me and my country. The support means so much to me so I want to include my fans every step of the way."

- Government funding -

Haryanto, who has been with Manor Racing since 2010, driving in GP3 in Europe, said he covered plenty of ground in his pre-season testing in Barcelona.

"It was only four days but we packed a lot into that space of time," he said.

"We covered pretty much everything; single lap, race simulation, qualifying simulation, practice starts, practice stops, plus a whole list of other race weekend procedures.

"Of course, you would always like more time to prepare, but Im ready."

Haryanto, who has his family with him to help him relax in Melbourne, said he was focusing on getting everything right for his first F1 grand prix.

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"I want to take it all in, as its a weekend Ill remember for the rest of my life," he said.

"On the track, Im looking forward to my first qualifying - and the race of course - but I think the qualifying format is going to be interesting. Its something new for everyone.

"Then lining up on the starting grid is going to be pretty special, but theres a lot to do before then!"

Manor said Haryanto impressed during his F1 trials and the 2015 GP2 series, where he finished fourth overall and topped the podium on three occasions.

"He's a great talent," said Dave Ryan, who was last year appointed Manor's new racing director as the team sought to turn around its fortunes.

Haryanto and his team had been locked in lengthy negotiations with Manor for months as they struggled to drum up the financial support needed to secure an F1 berth.

His campaign got across the line when funding was secured from the Indonesian government and the country's state-owned oil company, as well as his major sponsor, Pertamina.

Haryanto's manager Piers Hunnisett said he was confident the young driver would attract further sponsorship from Indonesian companies throughout his F1 debut season, where he will compete in every race.
Havana (AFP) - Hundreds of workers have been scrambling for days to touch up building facades, patch potholes and spiff up Havana's monuments ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit.

A number of the capital's main avenues have been given a fresh paving -- including the landmark Malecon seawall avenue which runs by the US Embassy -- to look its best for the guest.

Obama next week will become the first US president to visit Cuba while in office in almost a century.

On other roads, cleaning has been done and road signs updated, particularly in Spanish-colonial era Old Havana. The Obama family is expected to do a walkabout there -- typical fare when heads of state visit the Cuban capital.

"It's all just fine. Just wish they would do it all more often," joked a taxi driver, Pedro, 50 who declined to give his family name -- referring to the pothole fixes.

Cubans are famous for their love of humor -- and it serves as a coping mechanism in a country of almost endless frustration with waiting, delays and bureaucratic nonstarters.

So far, the top-down economy has been tweaked on the rules and regulations front, but without Cuba giving up on one-party rule or state-led economics.

Most Cubans earn around 20 dollars a month, and struggle to put food on the table. Many spend much of the day queuing for food and lining up to wait for buses or other transport.

Cuba's capital has recently undergone a huge renovation project. And in the Cerro neighborhood, the fabled Estadio Latinoamericano -- set to host a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cuba's national squad -- also has been remodeled.

Teacher Armando Manzano, 56, said he wished Obama could see more of Havana. Adding: "no society in the world is perfect."

Once Obama heads out, the Rolling Stones will roll in with a massive benefit show in Cerro, another first for them.
By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday it is increasingly likely that the Republican Party's presidential nominating convention will be a contested one this summer. If no candidate can assemble 1,237 Republican delegates by July, the party's presidential nominee for the November election will be chosen by convention delegates in Cleveland, Ohio, in what could be four days of political drama, carried live on national television. Republican front-runner Donald Trump warned on Wednesday of "riots" if he is denied the party's presidential nomination, after he scored big wins in primaries in Florida, Illinois and North Carolina on Tuesday. It is uncertain whether Trump can get the 1,237 convention delegates he needs before July. Ryan denounced Trump's "riots" comment, saying it was unacceptable to even hint at violence. He said he had to study up on the convention process, since he would be chairing the event and wanted to be sure the rule of law prevails. "Nothing has changed other than the perception that this is more likely to become an open convention than we thought before. So, we're getting our minds around the idea that this could very well become a reality," Ryan said. As chairman, Ryan will be charged with opening and closing the event, and overseeing the presidential nomination roll call - possibly more than one, if the first is not decisive. He would also be expected to deal with any floor fights on controversial motions that arise. "I will have to obviously bone up on all the rules and all of those things," Ryan told reporters. "My goal is ... to be neutral and dispassionate, and to make sure that the rule of law prevails, and to make sure that the delegates make their decision however the rules require them to do that," he said. The last time delegates arrived at a Republican convention without a clear nominee, in Kansas City in 1976, then-President Gerald Ford edged out challenger Ronald Reagan on the first ballot. The last time it took multiple ballots to get a Republican nominee was in 1948, when Thomas Dewey was nominated. Ryan has been touted as a possible dark-horse candidate for president this year, but the speaker repeated Thursday that he is not running. He said he told former House Speaker John Boehner, who had suggested Ryan be a candidate in case of a deadlocked convention, to "knock it off." (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Complex corruption scandals have plunged Brazil into political instability, with leftist President Dilma Rousseff facing impeachment proceedings and her iconic predecessor and mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva risking jail.

Here is a summary of the crisis and the possible next steps, after lawmakers on Thursday relaunched impeachment proceedings against Rousseff and a judge blocked Lula's nomination to her cabinet.

- What is Rousseff accused of? -

The opposition says she fiddled with government accounts in 2014 to mask budget holes during her reelection campaign. She is accused of breaking the law by taking unauthorized loans from state banks to cover government spending and also continuing this practice in 2015 at the start of her second term.

- What is Lula accused of? -

Lula, who led Brazil from 2003 to 2011, is charged with accepting a luxury apartment and a country home as bribes from executives implicated in a $2 billion dollar corruption scam at state oil company Petrobras. He denies involvement in the scandal.

- What is the state of play? -

Brazil's lower house of congress on Thursday launched a 65-member special committee to draw up a motion on whether impeachment proceedings should be launched against Rousseff.

Lula meanwhile is in limbo after prosecutors called for him to be arrested on corruption charges.

Rousseff moved to make him her chief of staff on Thursday, a position that would make him immune from trial by all but the Supreme Court. But a judge promptly issued a ruling blocking the appointment over allegations that she was trying to protect him from corruption charges.

- What happens next? -

The congressional commission has two weeks to vote on whether to continue impeachment proceedings against Rousseff.

Its recommendation would then go to the full house where two-thirds of deputies -- 342 out of 513 -- are required for impeachment to be upheld.

At this point Rousseff would be suspended and the matter would go to the Senate.

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The upper house, overseen by the president of the Supreme Court, then votes, with a two-thirds majority -- 54 of 81 -- needed to force Rousseff from office.

- Is impeachment likely? -

On paper, Rousseff's ruling coalition, with 314 deputies, would easily defeat impeachment.

But congress is split over her performance. On Saturday her major coalition partner, the centrist PMDB party, said it would decide within a month whether to leave the coalition.

Recent opinion polls indicate that 60 percent of Brazilians back her impeachment. Her approval rating is only 10 percent.

The legal issues are not clear, experts say.

"You need a precise crime that can be personally pinned on the president in order to force resignation," said Thomaz Pereira, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

He was not sure that standard would be met.

"It's possible the political conditions will be there," he said, "but in our presidential system, impeachment is not to be turned into a vote of no-confidence," a potentially dangerous precedent.
London (AFP) - With its leather chairs, glass tables and London prices, The Clink seems like any other restaurant. But the cutlery is plastic, the kitchen knives are kept locked up and the view from the window is of barbed wire.

Located inside Brixton Prison in south London, The Clink lies behind three security gates in a courtyard ringed by high fences, and is staffed by inmates serving lunch each day to up to 120 members of the public.

"Prison is the worst experience of my life. This has saved me, it's kept me sane," said Matt, a trainee in the kitchen for the past nine months.

Outside, the 45-year-old ran his own construction business. Inside, he prepares dishes such as sesame coated duck breast with bok choy, priced at 14.95 (19 euros, $21).

Today, Matt is one of half a dozen white-clad cooks taking part in a masterclass with Gilles Quillot, head chef at the French embassy in London.

"I was a bit nervous at the idea of coming into a prison, as you would imagine," said Quillot, as he showed one of the trainees how to prepare white asparagus.

"But I have to say that the guys have been absolutely fantastic... I've already offered a job to one or two!"

Quillot was visiting ahead of next week's "Gout de France" (Good France) event, when The Clink will join restaurants around the world in a celebration of French food promoted by the French government.

"To be a good cook, it's simple -- you have to enjoy giving to others," he told AFP. "So cooking is obviously a good idea for rehabilitation."

The Clink is one of four such restaurants run by a charity which aims to give inmates the skills and qualifications needed to start a new life when they are released.

They claim to have cut reoffending rates from about one in two prisoners nationally, to one in eight graduates.

But for many trainees, the scheme is as much about helping them survive their time inside.

- 'A second chance' -

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Built in 1819, Brixton is one of Britain's oldest prisons with former inmates including Mick Jagger -- in 1967 following a drugs bust -- and the notorious London gangsters, the Kray twins.

These days the jail is focused more on getting its 800-odd low-risk prisoners ready for release, sending some out into the community every day to work.

Prison governor Giles Mason says the restaurant, which opened in 2014, is "a really good part of what we do at Brixton" -- and insists that no risks are taken when it comes to public safety.

The tables are neatly laid with black plastic cutlery, and the knives in the kitchen have to be signed in and out. There is no alcohol, and customers have to leave their phones and laptops outside.

"You don't feel like you're in a prison when you're in here," said Mohammed, a 23-year-old waiter who is working towards a qualification in hospitality.

Another waiter, Jamie, is a roofer by trade who has been in and out of 17 prisons in the last decade.

- 'Away from the animosity' -

He said his experience serving the public has boosted his confidence. "I've given myself a second chance," he said.

Quillot praises the well-equipped kitchen, but rehabilitation efforts at Brixton are hampered by the prison's age, with inspectors reporting cramped and often grim conditions.

"It's horrible," said Lancelot, as he expertly rolls risotto balls to make arancini. "That's why I love it in here. I get away from all the animosity out there."

Before he was sent to jail, the 59-year-old ran his own takeaway business serving traditional West Indian food.

Goat curry was his speciality, and he grins at the memory of it. "This is really out of my comfort zone!" he laughs, holding out a ball of rice. "But I'm gettin' perfect."

He looks over to watch Quillot plate up a starter of pan-fried scallops over a bed of broad beans and chorizo.

The trainee cooks jostle each other to try the dish, but Lancelot makes a face. "Not my kinda thing," he said.
During this time of investment market turmoil, investors look to professionals for help in weathering the storm. Larry Swedroe, director of research for Buckingham and the BAM Alliance as well as author of 13 investing books, offers insights and information to help cope with market turbulence and investing.

In this excerpted interview, we asked Swedroe about his "Larry portfolio," his thoughts on Warren Buffett's investing arsenal and his advice for millennials.

Explain "two-stage thinking" from your book, "Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett." How might this practice help investors, especially in this rocky market?

Stage one thinking occurs when something bad happens, you catastrophize and assume things will continue to get worse. This might play out when you have a bad day, feel a bit depressed and begin to think your entire life stinks. In the investment markets, stage one thinking happens when the averages hit a rough patch, asset prices fall and you think you're going to lose all of your money.

Clearly, it's useful to go beyond stage one thinking.

Stage two thinking can help you move beyond catastrophizing. With stage two thinking, you can reassess your extreme reaction and take action -- take a walk, plan a fun activity or get some sunlight. These simple stage two thinking strategies will circumvent the possibility of falling into a more serious depressive downward spiral.

[Read: Reshape the Way You Measure Your Portfolio's Success.]

When applied to investing, stage two thinking is especially helpful during times like the present, when the markets start off the year with a tumble. Instead of fearing that you'll lose all your money, consider Warren Buffett's stage two thinking remedy for market corrections; consider why everything may not be as bad as it seems. Think about previous similar circumstances to disprove your catastrophic fears.

For example, during the economic recession during 2008 and 2009 the U.S. lost its AAA rating, there was the Greek debt crisis, Middle East turmoil, the mortgage meltdown and other bad news. In spite of the negatives, the stock markets advanced more than 200 percent since 2009.

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Use stage two thinking to talk back to catastrophic fears and respond with reason. Don't panic and lock in your losses by selling during a market drop.

There is a preponderance of evidence in favor of passive investing with index funds. Why are there still so many active managers and investors?

According to a recent study, the average actively managed fund underperformed its benchmark by 1.75 percent per year before taxes, and by 2.58 percent per year on an after-tax basis. To put the results another way, just 22 percent of funds beat their benchmark on a pre-tax basis. After taxes, only 14 percent of funds outperformed their index -- the risk-adjusted odds against outperformance are approximately 17:1.

With this type of compelling research supporting an index fund approach, why would investors choose an active manager or fund?

People are ignorant, not stupid. They may not be aware or educated in the current investment research. There's an inherent conflict of interest between Wall Street and Main Street. It's not straightforward to understand capital markets and the great number of media outlets and investment firms have a financial interest in making investing seem complicated. These industries want to keep investors coming back to buy more magazines and trade more stocks and bonds. Consequently, investors need to take action to educate themselves about investing and take media recommendations with a grain of salt.

[See: Investors Should Reconsider Target-Date Funds.]

What is the Larry portfolio?

The Larry portfolio was coined in 2011 when New York Times columnist Ron Lieber wrote about my personal investment strategy. In short, the Larry investment portfolio can be described as a low-beta/high-tilt (to small-capitalization and value stocks) portfolio. The idea behind this unique approach to portfolio allocation is the attempt to reduce black swans, an unpredictable event with extreme negative consequences.

Historical investment returns favor small-cap and value stocks. Since 1926, the Standard & Poor's 500 index returned approximately 10 percent annualized, with bonds in the range of 5 to 6 percent per year, whereas small-cap and value stocks returned an annualized average return in the area of 14 percent. But the drawback to the higher annual returns of small-cap and value stocks is greater risk or standard deviation. These specific classes had a standard deviation of 35 percent, when compared with the 20.23 percent standard deviation of the S&P 500 from 1926 through 2015.

The Larry portfolio isn't a fixed percentage asset allocation model, but one that for the stock portion of the portfolio overweights small-cap and value stocks and balances out the additional volatility with a large percentage of assets in low risk cash and/or fixed assets. There are several ways I might configure a 'Larry portfolio'. For example, you could go with 30 percent stocks and 70 percent bonds in an attempt to capitalize on the historical outperformance of small-cap and value stocks. The 30 percent would be invested in these risker equity asset classes, yet the 70 percent allocation to fixed holdings would substantially reduce the portfolio risk.

What investment practices do you practice in your personal portfolio that you would advise others to avoid?

It is infrequent that I might deviate from how I advise others to invest. For example, when valuations become way out of line with average levels, and as an investment professional I recognize this situation, I might take action. For example, in 1998 when the markets were extremely overvalued, I sold all of my growth stocks and reinvested in value stocks. Although I was correct in my assessment, I was also two years too early in this plan, as growth stocks continued to climb for the subsequent two years before falling.

[Read: Hidden Mutual Fund Fees That Are Robbing Your Portfolio.]

I advise the average investor to understand that no one knows where the market is going, develop an investment policy statement, create an asset allocation plan, to know after what percent of value change they will rebalance their portfolio, and that they stick with their plan.

What is your advice for millennials regarding investing for their future?

Do your homework before investing by educating yourself. There are many excellent investment education books including those by John Bogle, William Bernstein and my own books. Study the differences and research the underpinnings of an active versus passive investing approach.

Develop an investing plan before committing money into the markets. Build the right asset allocation for your own personal situation and risk tolerance. Decide whether you can do-it-yourself or prefer to hire an advisor or robo-advisor for assistance.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Meir Dagan, a former head of Israeli spy agency Mossad who worked to thwart Iran's nuclear programme while also opposing a military strike against it, died Thursday at 71, the government said.

Dagan, who battled liver cancer and had undergone a transplant, led the Mossad from 2002 through 2010.

He was reportedly tasked with sabotaging the nuclear programme of Israel's arch-foe Iran to prevent it from developing atomic weapons.

But while leading that secret war, he also strongly opposed a military strike against Iran, a position shared by the military's then-chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then defence minister Ehud Barak were reported to have given the order in 2010 for the military to prepare such a strike, which was never carried out.

In 2012, Dagan told US network CBS an Israeli attack would have "devastating" consequences for Israel and would be unlikely to put an end to the Iranian nuclear programme.

"An attack on Iran before you are exploring all other approaches is not the right way," Dagan said.

"And (President Barack Obama) said openly that the military option is on the table and he is not going to let Iran become a nuclear state, and from my experience, I usually trust the president of the US."

Under Dagan's leadership, the Mossad is believed to have assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists, caused explosions at nuclear facilities and used computer viruses to damage uranium centrifuges.

The Mossad has never confirmed such operations.

Several other controversial operations were attributed to the Mossad during Dagan's unusually long tenure, including a 2008 car bomb in Damascus that killed top Hezbollah operative Imad Mughniyeh.

Others included a 2008 air raid in Sudan against an alleged Iranian arms convoy said to be destined for Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and a 2007 bombing of a suspected desert nuclear site in Syria.

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The end of his tenure was marked by the 2010 murder of top Hamas militant Mahmud al-Mabhuh in a Dubai hotel.

The incident caused an international uproar, with the Dubai authorities quickly pointing the finger at Israel, and releasing surveillance footage showing a team of alleged Israeli agents they say killed Mabhuh.

There were reports that those involved used British, Irish, French, Australian and German passports.

In many cases, the travel documents appeared either to have been faked or obtained illegally. The countries whose passports were used all called in Israeli envoys for talks.

- 'A daring fighter' -

After leaving the Mossad, Dagan did not shy away from criticising Netanyahu.

He joined a protest in Tel Aviv in March 2015 against the prime minister in the run up to elections and delivered a fiery address.

"Israel has enemies but I do not fear them. What scares me is the current leadership of the country," he said.

Beyond Iran, his criticism of Netanyahu included his failure to advance peace efforts with the Palestinians.

The bespectacled and stocky Dagan was a descendant of Holocaust survivors who emigrated from Siberia to Israel in 1950.

He kept a photo hung in his office of his grandfather on his knees before being executed by Nazi soldiers.

Before taking the reins at the Mossad, he led a secret commando unit in the 1970s known as the Rimon squad, which reportedly carried out summary executions of Palestinians accused of attacks in the Gaza Strip.

He later served as an adviser both to Netanyahu and former prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Israeli politicians paid tribute to him on Thursday following his death, including Netanyahu, who called him "a daring fighter and commander who greatly contributed to the security of the state".

"Meir was determined to ensure that the Jewish people would never be helpless and defenceless again, and to this end he dedicated his life to building up the strength of the state of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement.
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The chief executive of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency resigned on Thursday, one week after a female subordinate accused him in a lawsuit of racist and sexist behavior.

WPP Plc, the British parent of JWT, said Gustavo Martinez resigned "by mutual agreement" following "recent events," and that his resignation was "in the best interest" of the agency.

Martinez's departure came after chief communications officer Erin Johnson accused him in a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court of making "constant racist and sexist slurs" that demeaned women, blacks and Jews, and subjecting her to unwanted touching.

Johnson was put on paid leave last month, after JWT had curbed her pay and duties in retaliation for her complaints about Martinez, according to the March 10 lawsuit.

WPP declined to elaborate further on the resignation. A WPP spokesman said Johnson's lawyers requested her paid leave, and JWT accommodated that request.

Anne Vladeck, a lawyer for Johnson, did not respond to requests for comment.

Tamara Ingram, who was WPP's chief client team officer, is replacing Martinez, effective immediately. Her former job will be taken by George Rogers, who will remain WPP's global business development director.

Martinez, an Argentina native and the first Hispanic chief executive of a global advertising agency, had been JWT's chairman and chief executive since January 2015.

"The tone at the top determines the culture of a company," said Cliff Palefsky, a San Francisco lawyer who represents plaintiffs in employment discrimination cases. "The most effective way to prevent discrimination and harassment is to show that no one is immune from scrutiny."

Martinez could not be reached for comment following his resignation.

After the complaint was filed, Martinez had said in a statement that he believed he led JWT "with a collaborative and collegial style" and did not create the working conditions that Johnson described.

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JWT clients include such companies as Coca-Cola, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Shell and Wal-Mart. Martinez's biographical profile has been taken down from the JWT website.

According to Johnson's lawsuit, Martinez made "numerous" comments about rape, including the raping of JWT employees.

The lawsuit also accused Martinez of referring to airport customs agents as "black monkeys" and "apes," and telling a reporter that he disliked living in New York's suburban Westchester County because there were "too many Jews."

Vladeck on Monday asked for court permission to file a video she said showed Martinez making some of the alleged slurs.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chris Reese, David Gregorio and Alistair Bell)
The Buckeye State bucked the trend.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich defeated frontrunner Donald Trump in Tuesday's pivotal primary, capturing all 66 of the state's delegates.

The Associated Press called the race for Kasich at 8:54 p.m.

The winner-take-all victory neither derailed Trump's chance to capture the nomination nor made Kasich a credible threat.

But it spared the governor a humiliating home state loss of the kind weathered in Florida by Marco Rubio, allowing Kasich to claim victory in a battleground state and attempt to build a storyline around proving he's a contender.

Kasich called his state's vote a repudiation of the overheated rhetoric that's frayed his party during a bitter primary cycle dominated by the bombastic Trump.

"You came to Ohio, you threw everything you had at me and guess what, it didn't work because we know that we need to unite this country and be Americans and not spend our time dividing people in this country," Kasich told CNN.

"I'm going to get in a covered wagon and hope for a big breeze ... This is the little engine that can," Kasich told CNN ahead of his victory speech in Berea, Ohio.

"I may go to the convention before this is over with more delegates than anyone else," said Kasich, who's also a former member of Congress, leaning into a message of unity over division.

Tight Contest: Coming into the Buckeye State contest, polls showed Kasich slightly ahead of Trump or tied with him, per tracking by RealClearPolitics.

"We're going to win Ohio," Kasich said on Good Morning America as Ohioans prepared to head to the polls.

"We have to win."

Trump, characteristically, kept up a barrage of Twitter attacks against Kasich as voters headed to the polls in Ohio, a state heavily populated by working class whites.

The frontrunner's intensity in going after Kasich  who has fielded relatively few Trump barbs compared to rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio  sharply highlighted the value of a state no Republican has ever won the White House without:

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Watching John Kasich being interviewed - acting so innocent and like such a nice guy. Remember him in second debate, until I put him down.

Ohio is losing jobs to Mexico, now losing Ford (and many others). Kasich is weak on illegal immigration. We need strong borders now!

In presidential voting so far, John Kasich is ZERO for 22. So why would he be a good candidate? Hillary would beat him, I will beat Hillary!

That last point matters: Although Kasich carried the day in Ohio, Trump came into the Tuesday with 463 of the 1,237 delegates required for the nomination.

Kasich  who, as Trump noted had not yet carried a single primary or caucus outright  had earned just 63 delegates.

In the run-up to the day's voting, Kasich sought to remind Ohioans of his work as their chief executive to improve the job market and education.

Via social media, he framed himself as a "Reagan conservative." He played up the above-the-fray, adult-in-the-room image he's cultivated throughout his longshot bid.

Calling all high-road Buckeyes! Now is the time to fight for civility & make Ohio proud. The world is watching. pic.twitter.com/dKoC1dfKzX https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cdl-7X8XEAAleGb.jpg:large

Speaking to reporters in Westerville earlier Tuesday, Kasich called himself proud of having run a positive campaign  but made clear voters could soon expect him to draw sharper contrasts with Trump's tone and record.

"I just saw a commercial... of these comments that were made about women. I have two daughters. They see this stuff," Kasich said, referring to a super PAC-funded ad that features women reeling off some of Trump's most sexist quotes. "What do you think they think? We'll have more to say about that."

You will want to see what John Kasich had to say after voting this morning in Ohio. https://amp.twimg.com/v/25b27b72-df45-4e2c-b175-eeec877503bf ...

Ohio and the nation: Census data culled from 2014 reports shows Ohio's voting age population is overwhelmingly white at 83.2%. For the country at large, that number is 66.3%.

Ohio is about on par with the rest of the country in terms of the number of African-Americans of voting age  between 12% and 13%  but is home to dramatically fewer voting-age Latinos. They account for less than three percent of the potential Ohio electorate, versus about 15% nationwide.

The state's poverty rate mirrors the nation's at slightly under 14%, and the median household income came in at about $4,000 less than the national median of $53,657.
By Megan Cassella WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley's staff has indicated the senator is willing to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland after a two-week Senate recess, the White House said on Thursday. "That obviously is something that we believe is entirely appropriate," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. "It certainly is the most basic expectation that people would have for a Senate Judiciary chairman when a consensus Supreme Court nominee has been put forward." President Barack Obama nominated the centrist judge on Wednesday to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on Feb. 13. Garland began meeting with senators on Thursday. Earnest said he hopes that, despite political differences, Grassley will work with the White House to schedule a meeting. (Reporting by Clarece Polke; Editing by Tim Ahmann)
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's Treasury has sent parliament supplementary spending plans for the fiscal year ending in June that introduce net cuts of about 50 billion shillings ($493 million), the finance minister told Reuters on Thursday. The government had forecast a budget deficit of 8.7 percent of gross domestic product for 2015/16, which unnerved investors. Draft figures released in February showed a revised 2015/16 deficit of 8.1 percent, falling to 6.9 percent in 2016/17. [nL8N15G1VC] Finance Minister Henry Rotich said in a short telephone interview that the supplementary figures sent to parliament had increased spending in some areas, such as security, but these were outweighed by cuts elsewhere. "We are increasing spending in some areas and cutting in others but, overall, cuts are more than increases, so we have a net cut of around 50 billion (shillings)," he said. President Uhuru Kenyatta's political coalition dominates parliament and is expected to back the revised numbers. When the 2015/16 budget was announced last year, expenditure including interest payments was forecast at a little over 2 trillion shillings. The International Monetary Fund has urged the government to narrow the deficit. [nL5N16N0KK] Rotich said last month that the government would cut net domestic borrowing for 2015/16 by a quarter to 168.2 billion shillings as a result of spending cuts prompted by sluggish revenue collection. ($1 = 101.3500 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
By Duncan Miriri NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's capital markets regulator has published new regulations requiring stock and fixed-income brokers to report suspicious trades and transactions above $10,000 to a government body set up to fight money-laundering. Kenya has the most active open capital market in East Africa and has gained broader appeal in Sub-Saharan Africa as other previously popular investment destinations, such as Nigeria and South Africa, have been battered by plunging commodity prices. Paul Muthaura, the acting chief of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), told Reuters the move to counter money-laundering is part of efforts to improve corporate governance and turn Nairobi into an international financial centre. Muthaura also said the CMA was working with the Nairobi Securities Exchange to introduce trading of Exchange Traded Funds and derivatives, which could start in the first half of 2016. Investors are cautious, complaining about widespread corruption in Kenya and saying regulation is not tight enough. Muthaura said the CMA would penalise brokerages and investment banks that fail to comply, potentially removing their licenses. He said tighter rules would encourage capital inflows to Kenya. "It was not that we have identified money laundering and we must combat it ... Kenya has an ambition towards becoming an international financial centre," which demanded "certain minimum best practices". "The stronger our anti-money laundering laws, the more our markets become accessible for global capital flows," Muthaura said. Kenya has already progressed, in 2014, out of the "dark gray list" of the global Financial Action Task-force, where its financial system had been monitored closely because lax laws made it susceptible to money laundering. The CMA also this month published a new code of corporate governance, demanding more regular and stringent reporting, Muthaura said. The code seeks to limit the time independent directors can serve on a company's board. "You cannot be an independent director for longer than nine years because after that period you are effectively an insider," he said, adding executives would be exempted. Analyst blame poor governance for losses at several Kenyan firms in recent years, including Mumias Sugar and Uchumi Supermarkets. Muthaura said the CMA would act against individuals and firms found to have acted against the best interest of shareholders. "We are in the process of putting together the necessary information to support those actions," he said. (Editing by Edmund Blair/Ruth Pitchford)
By Megan Cassella and David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican senators on Thursday raised the possibility they would confirm Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland before the U.S. president leaves office in January if Democrats retain the White House in the Nov. 8 election. Garland began the customary meetings with senators that kick off the confirmation process. He visited the offices of Democrats Harry Reid and Patrick Leahy a day after Obama nominated the appeals court judge and former prosecutor to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on Feb. 13. Republicans are concerned that if Hillary Clinton, Obama's former secretary of state and the Democratic front-runner, wins the presidential election, she could send the Senate a far more liberal nominee after taking office. Garland, 63, is widely viewed as a moderate acceptable to many Republicans, who also worry they could lose control of the Senate to the Democrats in the November vote. Nominations to the lifetime Supreme Court post require Senate confirmation. Republicans have said they want the next president to make the selection, hoping their party wins November's election. Billionaire businessman Donald Trump is the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. Utah's Orrin Hatch and Arizona's Jeff Flake, Republican members of the Judiciary Committee that would hold any confirmation hearings, said it was possible the Senate could act on Garland's nomination in a "lame-duck" session after the election and before a new president and Congress take office in January. "I would choose a less liberal nominee. And this nominee is a less liberal nominee than we would get, I'm quite certain, with Hillary Clinton," Flake told reporters. Senate Republican leaders have vowed not to hold confirmation hearings or an up-or-down vote on any Supreme Court nominee put forward by Obama. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky reiterated that stance on Thursday. Denis McDonough, Obama's chief of staff, said the White House will watch developments over the next several weeks and months but expected Republicans eventually would hold a vote on Garland's nomination. Any Democratic appointee to the high court, now with four liberals and four conservatives following Scalia's death, could tip it to the left for the first time in decades. That could shape rulings on such issues as abortion, gun rights, religious rights, affirmative action, union powers and political spending. Flake said while Republican leaders were "fully justified" in delaying action on confirmation, if the Republicans lose the White House race the Senate "ought to look at this nomination in a lame-duck session in November." Hatch in 1997 backed Garland's nomination to his current judgeship. "To this day, I think well of Merrick Garland, and I think he's a fine person," Hatch told National Public Radio. "I remain convinced that the best way for the Senate to do its job is to conduct the confirmation process after this toxic presidential election season is over." While McConnell is refusing even to meet with Garland, Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa indicated he was willing. "If I can meet with a dictator in Uganda, I can surely meet with a decent person in America," Grassley said, according to CNN. Garland met with Nevada's Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, and Vermont's Leahy, top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Garland did not address reporters, but Leahy expressed hope that Republican leaders would change course. If they followed a normal routine, senators could hold confirmation hearings and a vote by the Memorial Day holiday in late May, Leahy said. Reid pledged to keep up the pressure on Republicans to confirm Garland. "Do it now. Why wait?" Reid said when asked about a lame-duck confirmation scenario. "To hold up a nomination so that Donald Trump can give a nomination? That should scare everybody." (Reporting by Megan Cassella and David Morgan; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Will Dunham and Howard Goller)
What is Holman? The William C. Holman Correctional Facility is one of the South's most brutal prisons.

Located near Atmore, in southern Alabama, the rusty, hulking structure houses 157 of the 183 people serving time on death row in the state.

What happened: On March 11, around 9:15 p.m., a riot broke out among the men incarcerated there. It started as a fight between two men, then spread. One corrections officer was stabbed, as was the warden, Carter Davenport.

About 100 men then gained access to a hallway outside one of the housing units, where they started a fire and drew three correctional emergency response teams and multiple law enforcement agencies to the unit, according to AL.com.

The violence did not subside until 5 a.m. Both correctional employees are expected to make a full recovery. AL.com reports that no one else was hurt.

Is that all? No. On Monday, yet another riot broke out.

This time the spark was the 8:30 a.m. stabbing of an incarcerated man with a "makeshift weapon," according to WKRG. When corrections officers came to remove the man, about 70 other incarcerated men barricaded themselves in a dormitory, drawing yet another emergency response team to Holman.

Armed state troopers accompany Gov. Robert Bentley on a visit to Holman Correctional Facility.

The uprising was over by 2:45 p.m., AL.com reports. Between the two riots, five men were dubbed ringleaders by the authorities, and have since been removed to a separate prison.

Why are the men of Holman rioting so much? The place, frankly, is a hellhole.

A brief 2014 MSNBC documentary segment shows the sweltering conditions to which people housed there are subjected. Incarcerated men are shown on camera rattling of Holman's various nicknames: The "House of Pain." The "Slaughter Pen of the South." "Dead Man Land." "The Bottom."

Since construction on the facility was completed in 1969, Holman has frequently suffered from severe overcrowding, according to an earlier NBC News documentary from 2006. It's a problem Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley acknowledged during a visit to Holman on Tuesday, after the riots:

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We have a real crisis in the prison system & a real solution to solve the issues that have plagued the system. pic.twitter.com/3RiPKAfuex https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdmMG9FUAAIRWBW.jpg:large

Bentley's solution, by the way, is to build more prisons.

What do the men of Holman want? Prior to Gov. Bentley's visit, the men incarcerated at Holman sent a list of six demands to reporter Raven Rakia. She then published them on Medium. Here's what they said:

1. We inmates, at Holman Prison, ask for immediate federal assistance.

2. We ask that the Alabama government release all inmates who have spent excessive time in Holman Prison??due to the conditions of the prison and the overcrowding of these prisons in Alabama.

3. We ask that the 446 laws [Habitual Felony Offender laws] that Alabama holds as of 1975 be abolished.

4. We ask that parole board release all inmates who fit the criteria to be back in society with their families.

5. We ask that these prisons in Alabama implement proper classes that will prepare inmates to be released back into society with 21st century information that will prepare inmates to open and own their own businesses instead of making them having to beg for a job.

6. We also ask for monetary damages for mental pain and physical abuse that inmates have already suffered.

Rakia also provided a link to AL.com's brief explanation of Alabama's habitual felony offender laws, which basically tacks on staggering chunks of extra prison time for people who have past felony convictions.

But with minimal societal pressure  or knowledge  to ensure that rights and humane conditions for incarcerated people are maintained, the men of Holman face a stark challenge in getting their demands met.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK), a militant group believed to be linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), on Thursday warned it would stage more attacks against those it holds responsible for security operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast. The group said it staged a suicide car-bomb attack that killed 37 people in the capital Ankara on Sunday, according to a statement on its website. The target had been security forces but a large number of civilians were killed after police intervened, TAK said, and warned that further civilians losses in its attacks were inevitable. TAK previously claimed responsibility for a separate car bombing in Ankara in February that killed 29 people. It says it split from the PKK, but experts say they are closely linked. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; editing by David Dolan)
Rmeilan (Syria) (AFP) - Syria's Kurds on Thursday declared a federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, a move rejected by both the government and opposition.

The announcement is likely to anger neighbouring Turkey and has complicated peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending the five-year civil war.

Washington, a key backer of Kurdish fighters in the battle against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, has also warned it would not recognise any self-ruled Kurdish region within Syria.

More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties meeting in northeast Syria agreed to create a "federal system" unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces.

"We have given our blessing for the establishment of a federal system in Rojava (three Kurdish cantons) and northern Syria," said Aldar Khalil, a member of the conference's preparatory committee.

The announcement came on the second day of the meeting in Rmeilan, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province.

Kurdish parties already operate a system of three "autonomous administrations" in Syria's north, with independent police forces and schools.

The three cantons stretch along Syria's northern border with Turkey and are known from west to east as Afrin, Kobane, and Jazire.

The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the armed branch of the leading Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), has cleared IS from swathes of territory in those areas.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.

- Regime, opposition object -

The new "federal system" is expected to centralise governance in the three cantons under councils elected by the people.

A copy of the conference proposal obtained by AFP said Kurds had "accumulated administrative, social, and institutional experience" by running the cantons.

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Therefore, establishing a "democratic federation... is necessary", it said.

Officials stressed the federal region would be based on "territorial" lines, not ethnicity, and was not intended as a step towards full independence.

Delegates elected a 31-member "constituent assembly" responsible for implementing the decision on the ground over the next six months, council co-chair Hadiya Youssef told AFP.

A closing statement distributed to journalists left the territorial boundaries open-ended, saying any areas newly liberated by the YPG could join.

"Our goal is to liberate all areas still controlled by armed groups. We want to liberate Raqa, Deir Ezzor, and all of Syria," Mansour al-Sulum, Youssef's co-chair, told reporters at a closing press conference.

The northern province of Raqa and Deir Ezzor in Syria's east are both IS bastions.

Kurds represent about 15 percent of Syria's population and have tried to avoid confrontation with the regime or non-jihadist rebels since the war broke out in 2011.

Even so, their declaration of a federal region has angered Syria's government and opposition.

Citing a foreign ministry official, Syria's state news agency SANA said the Kurdish announcement "has no legal basis".

The High Negotiations Committee, the main opposition grouping involved in peace talks in Geneva, rejected the proposal as a "misadventure".

The PYD has not received an invitation to negotiations taking place in Switzerland to its dismay.

"The Geneva talks will not succeed without us. We are on the ground, fighting Daesh (IS), protecting our region, and running its affairs," Kurdish delegate Aldar Khalil told AFP.

"All these factors make it difficult for us to fit into the Syrian equation. We are committed to a federal system," Khalil said.

In northeastern Syria, Kurds said the move was a natural step.

"The whole region is heading towards federalism. Syria can never go back to the way it was before," said Jawan Bakhtiyar, 31.

Zana Ibrahim, 38, said the announcement would not change much for him since he already lives under the autonomous Kurdish administration.

"But externally, it will be valuable through the formal recognition that this federation will get," he said.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday that Washington "won't recognise any self-rule autonomous zones within Syria".

Washington-based analyst Mutlu Civiroglu said the Kurdish announcement was a political message "to the United Nations, the US, Russia, and especially to Geneva, that if you ignore us, we are going to determine our future by ourselves."
Geneva (AFP) - The UN's envoy for Syria said he held "substantive" talks with the country's opposition Thursday on forging a unity government, but the fragile peace negotiations faced fresh hurdles after Syria's Kurds declared a federal region under their control.

United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura said his talks in Geneva with the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) included clear proposals on a political transition to lead Syria out of more than five-years of brutal conflict.

"We were impressed by the depth of the preparation they had," de Mistura told reporters following his HNC meet.

A key question in the talks will be how representatives of the Damascus government respond, including to the HNC's unwavering demand that President Bashar al-Assad leave power before a transitional government is agreed.

Thursday's Kurdish declaration -- aimed at setting up a "federal system" unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces -- risked further complicating the negotiations, from which the Kurds have been excluded.

The federalism call made by more than 150 delegates meeting in the Syrian town of Rmeilan was immediately rejected by Damascus and the main opposition.

The regime charged the move would "encroach on Syria's territorial unity", while the HNC slammed it as "a misadventure (that) is detrimental to the Kurdish cause and the Syrian cause in general."

Speaking before Kurdish leaders made the announcement, de Mistura branded the federalism push as possibly "dangerous".

The Kurds control more than 10 percent of Syria's territory and three-quarters of its border with Turkey, and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) are considered one of the most effective forces fighting the Islamic State group (IS).

The US declared Thursday that IS's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

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- Willing partner? -

The Kurds have been blocked from joining the peace talks due to harsh opposition from Turkey, which considers the YPG a Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.

The latest round of UN-mediated talks aimed at ending Syria's tangled war, which has killed more than 270,000 people, have been taking place since Monday.

Observers agree the atmosphere this time around has been more constructive than during multiple previous failed peace efforts, largely thanks to a partial ceasefire introduced on February 27 that remains broadly in place.

HNC delegate Georges Sabra said his side had presented a "formal proposal" outlining the specific powers of a transitional government.

Asked if she felt the regime was a willing negotiating partner, HNC spokesman Bassma Kodmani told reporters "this is for the UN," to decide.

"The partner on our side is there. The international community recognises (that)," she said.

A US official agreed, telling AFP in an email that the HNC "are taking this seriously."

De Mistura is due to meet Assad's representatives again on Friday.

- Russian withdrawal? -

Russia's surprise decision this week to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, where they had been fighting in support of Assad, fuelled cautious hope that the talks could make progress.

Western governments suggested that the pullout, expected to be completed by the end of the week, could pressure Assad to negotiate an end to the fighting.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country could ramp up its presence again if needed "within several hours".

Moscow is set to maintain its air base and a naval facility in Syria and Putin indicated that Russia's drawdown would not significantly change the balance of forces in Syria.

"In terms of finding a political solution, the question is to what degree are the Russians prepared to move the regime towards something that would be minimally acceptable to the opposition," the US official said.

Meanwhile, with the ceasefire broadly holding, a UN-backed taskforce working to deliver aid to besieged Syrians submitted a plan to the regime that would allow life-saving supplies to reach over a million people by the end of April.

Crucial to the plan's success was whether Damascus would grant humanitarian workers access to all areas besieged by government troops, taskforce chief Jan Egeland said.
By Andrew R.C. Marshall THE MEKONG RIVER (Reuters) - The Lao People's Army patrol boat was custom-made in China with night-vision capability and two of the most powerful engines on this remote stretch of the Mekong River. Today, like most days, it sits idle for lack of gasoline, guarded by a single Laotian soldier in flip-flops. Even occasional patrols by boats like these, supplied by China to the Laotian army and Myanmar police, have successfully subdued the pirates who once robbed the Mekong's cargo ships with impunity since Chinese-led joint patrols began in 2011. But there has been little progress on another objective - stemming the flood of illicit drugs - exposing the limits of China's hard power in mainland Southeast Asia even as Beijing accelerates its militarization of disputed islands in the South China Sea. While attacks on Mekong shipping have tailed off, drug production and trafficking in the untamed region, known as the Golden Triangle, is booming - despite the presence of Chinese gunboats and units of Chinese armed police along the Mekong. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that Southeast Asia's trade in heroin and methamphetamine was worth $31 billion in 2013. "That's bigger than the economies of some Southeast Asian countries," says Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC's Asia-Pacific chief. "It's like having an undeclared sovereign state in your midst with no borders and lots of money." Enter another Mekong boat, looking at first glance like a pleasure cruiser filled with middle-aged tourists. In fact, they are senior police and drugs experts from four countries, among them one of China's top anti-narcotics officials, Wei Xiaojun. Arranged by the UNODC and lent further clout by Wei's involvement, their recent voyage down the Mekong was aimed at mustering the regional collaboration needed to tame the Golden Triangle. Reuters was invited to join the four-day trip from the Chinese port of Jinghong through the heart of the Golden Triangle. Wei, who is deputy secretary general of China's National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC), called drugs the "main threat" along the Mekong. "All other types of organized crime are rooted in the drug business, like human trafficking, money laundering and the illegal wildlife trade," he said. CRAZY MEDICINE China is a favorite destination for Myanmar's drugs, which are flowing through Asia in unprecedented quantities. More than 250 million methamphetamine pills, better known by their Thai name "ya ba" or "crazy medicine", were seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2013, an eight-fold increase from 2008. Seizures of "crystal meth" or "ice" - a potent, crystalline form of methamphetamine dubbed "the poor man's cocaine" - doubled during the same period. In 2015, China seized a record 36.5 tons of methamphetamine, said the UNODC, with most of the drug in pill form coming from Myanmar. Myanmar is the world's second largest producer of opium, the bulk of which ends up in China as heroin. A recent report from the NNCC raised concerns about the involvement of some Chinese military personnel in drug trafficking, and said the number of registered drug users in China rose to more than 2.3 million in 2015. Increasingly Myanmar too has a drug problem, with police last year making record-breaking busts of both ya ba and ice. This could severely test the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party has yet to formulate drug policies, say experts. "OFF THE GRID" Many factors combine to help the Golden Triangle's drug industry prosper. The Myanmar-Laos border, which the Mekong delineates, is mostly unguarded. The terrain is rugged and hostile, with rebel armies holding sway in some areas and drugs and money-laundering flourishing in lawless enclaves on both sides of the river. Regional law enforcement agencies are often underfunded and ill-trained, and the intelligence they gather is not effectively shared with neighboring countries. In October 2011, a gang led by a Mekong pirate called Naw Kham murdered 13 Chinese sailors. He was hunted down in Laos, then taken back to China to be tried and executed. Afterwards, Chinese gunboats began patrolling further downriver, extending China's security reach far beyond its borders. This includes a riverside facility in Muang Mom in Laos, which Reuters visited, run and guarded by a 25-strong unit of Chinese People's Armed Police. China conducts monthly joint patrols with its Laotian and Myanmar counterparts, who - gasoline permitting - do additional patrols by themselves. There have been successes. In 2013, a Chinese-Laotian patrol found 580 kg (1,280 lbs) of ya ba, worth more than 100 million yuan ($15 million), hidden in a cargo ship. But more patrols were needed, said the UNODC's Douglas, and Mekong countries also needed to coordinate and share intelligence to interdict more drugs. BLACK HOLES Some areas remain intelligence black holes. Hsop Lwe, for example, is Myanmar's busiest port on the Mekong, but its government has no control over it. The port belongs to Special Region 4, a semi-autonomous enclave famous for gambling, prostitution and narcotics. To the north is Special Region 2, also controlled by heavily armed rebels. The Special Regions were "off the political grid," said Douglas, although he hoped Suu Kyi's new government would engage with and secure better access to them. The UNODC boat could not get permission to stop at Hsop Lwe, where a Chinese cargo ship was unloading SUVs as it passed. Reuters reporters also spotted unofficial Mekong ports in Laos, which this year chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Landlocked and impoverished, Laos shares a border with all the Mekong countries, which also include Vietnam and Thailand, making it an important smuggling hub for both narcotics and the chemicals that make them. From Vietnam, for example, comes tons of caffeine, used in methamphetamine production and spirited through Laos and across the Mekong in rice bags. Other lawless areas were being created by the Mekong itself. The ever-shifting river created islands where drug shipments were hidden, said Colonel Patpong Ngasantheir of the Royal Thai Army. But according to a treaty negotiated while Laos was still a French colony, these islands were deemed neutral. "We're not allowed to search them," he said. (Reporting by Andrew R.C. Marshall; Additional reporting by Jessica Macy Yu in Beijing; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Taxi drivers and operators yesterday called for the resignation of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Winston Ginez.

Members of the Philippine National Taxi Operators Association (PNTOA) and other transport groups held a rally outside the LTFRB office along East Avenue in Quezon City to protest the P10 cut in the taxi flag-down rate earlier ordered by the agency.

PNTOA president Bong Suntay said they filed a petition asking the LTFRB to reconsider the fare reduction.

Ginez, however, said the new fares for taxicabs would take effect on March 19.

The board will not postpone the implementation of the P30 flag-down rate. Under LTFRB rules, fare adjustments are immediately executory upon effectivity of the order, Ginez told reporters.

Suntay said the LTFRB decision to reduce taxi fares was unjust.

He added taxi drivers would lose at least P1,300 in daily earnings with the new fares.

Jun Magno, president of the Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator ng Pilipinas Genuine Organization Transport Coalition, said they would hold another protest today.

Fare cuts sought for Uber, Grab

In a related development, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo urged the LTFRB to cut fares for transportation service providers Uber and Grab.

He made the appeal following the LTFRBs announcement that taxi flag-down rates would be reduced nationwide to P30 from P40 due to lower gasoline prices.

Castelo said the regulatory agency should reduce the fares for Uber and Grab for exactly the same reason: lower oil prices in the world and domestic markets.

The playing field should be level for all players and stakeholders. The LTFRB should implement the price reduction across the board without favoring any transport sector, he said.

Castelo said the agency has the authority to regulate fares for Uber and Grab.

There had been a series of gasoline price cuts since the start of the year until last week when prices went up.

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On Tuesday, oil firms implemented a hefty increase of more than P1 per liter in the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

The latest increase prompted transport groups to call for the scrapping of the fare reductions ordered by the LTFRB.

Uber and Grab cars have become popular with employees and professionals as these vehicles are cleaner and more properly maintained than taxicabs.

Passengers feel safer riding Uber and Grab cars than public utility vehicles.  With Jess Diaz
Frankfurt (AFP) - German airline Lufthansa said Thursday that low oil prices and booming passenger business sent profits soaring in 2015, a year marred by the Germanwings crash and drawn-out industrial action by pilots and crew.

Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr described last year as an "emotionally challenging year" due to the crash of a passenger jet in March belonging to its low-cost subsidiary Germanwings, killing all 150 people on board.

"2015 was a very, very sad year. It was a year of extremes," he told the group's annual earnings news conference.

"Emotionally, it was the most difficult in the company's history, but at the same time, it was one of the best in Lufthansa's financial history," Spohr said.

In addition to coping with the fallout from Germanwings disaster, the German carrier also battled two long and bitter separate industrial disputes with pilots and cabin crew over pay and pension provisions, during which there were repeated walkouts, including a record seven-day stoppage in November.

At the core of both disputes is Lufthansa's declared strategy to keep pace with budget rivals by trimming personnel and labour costs.

Nevertheless, "2015 was a good year in economic terms," Spohr said.

Net profit soared to 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in 2015, from just 55 million euros a year earlier.

Underlying or operating profit grew by 55.2 percent to 1.8 billion euros and revenues were up 6.8 percent at 32.1 billion euros.

"The doubling in the passenger airlines' result is not only due to lower fuel costs, but also to the favourable developments in our passenger volumes and to our capacity discipline," CEO Spohr said.

As well as the Lufthansa brand, the group also owns Swiss and Austrian Airlines, as well as low-cost carriers Eurowings and Germanwings.

And underlying profits in the passenger business doubled to 1.5 billion euros in 2015 from 701 million euros in 2014.

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Germanwings and Eurowings reached profitability for the first time.

An A320 Airbus jet belonging to Germanwings crashed in the French Alps on March 24, 2015, apparently a deliberate act on the part of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz who had a history of depression.

- Dividend resumed -

The strength of Lufthansa's profits "also confirms that our focus on quality in both the premium and the point-to-point segment is the right approach. And the very good results from Lufthansa Technik and LSG Sky Chefs further affirm that the Lufthansa group is on the right track," Spohr said.

The management board will propose a dividend payment of 0.50 euros per share for 2015 after no dividend was paid for 2014.

"Our dividend policy is clear and comprehensible," said chief financial officer Simone Menne.

"We are committed to making continuous dividend payments to our shareholders in the years ahead."

Looking to the current year, Spohr said "we are aiming to increase our result for the Lufthansa group again."

Underlying earnings are expected to "increase slightly," he said.

The forecast did not, however, include any earnings impact from possible strikes, Spohr added.

Once again, the group's passenger airlines "are expected to be prime drivers of such earnings growth."

Low oil prices will help reduce costs, providing "a welcome tailwind for our 2016 results," said CFO Menne.

"But cost discipline remains one of our paramount tasks. We must lower the unit costs at our hub airlines. This is and remains the key to maintain our competitiveness," she said.

Despite the group's confidence, Lufthansa shares were the biggest losers on the Frankfurt stock exchange on Thursday, plunging 7.2 percent at one point to an intraday low of 14.18 euros.

They ended the day down 4.5 percent at 14.56 euros.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said on Thursday he had received some guarantees concerning the legality of a potential EU-Turkey migration deal, but was still not convinced. "For me the justice argument is very important. We cannot do something and in the next weeks get told that it is illegal," Xavier Bettel told reporters before a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. "I've got some guarantees but I'm still not convinced." EU leaders start a two-day summit later on Thursday aimed at achieving a deal with Turkey to halt the influx of migrants into Europe. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek, writing by Philip Blenkinsop)
The former "Friends" star has landed the role of Ted Kennedy -- the youngest brother of the former President of the USA, John F. Kennedy -- in the follow-up to the miniseries based on the famous American family, US cable network ReelzChannel has announced.

A year and a half after confirming the return of Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy for "The Kennedys: After Camelot," Matthew Perry has now been added to the cast. The actor, who famously played Chandler Bing, is set to star as Ted Kennedy, the youngest brother of the Kennedy family. Ted Kennedy served as a Massachusetts senator from 1962 -- succeeding his brother John when he was named to the White House -- until his death in 2009.

Again based on the books of biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli, the miniseries will continue its exploration of the trials and tribulations of the Kennedy family from 1968 to the present day. The four new episodes will chart their joys and triumphs, their sorrows and tragedies, while also addressing the American public's fascination with the family.

The storyline will focus on the complicated public and private lives of Ted Kennedy, striving to live up to his family's political ambitions after the assassination of his brothers John in 1963 and Robert in 1968. His close and sometimes ambiguous relationship with his former sister-in-law, Jackie Kennedy, will also be touched upon in the four new episodes.

Katie Holmes will be stepping back into the shoes of the former US First Lady five years after the first instalment aired. This follow-up miniseries will also see the one-time "Dawson's Creek" star try her hand behind the camera, as she's lined up to direct one of the episodes. The other three will be left to Jon Cassar ("24"), who directed the first series.

"The Kennedys: After Camelot" will start filming in the spring in Toronto, Canada, and is scheduled to air early 2017 on ReelzChannel.
By Krista Mahr ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Aid shortfalls, ruined infrastructure and the lingering risk of attack are undermining efforts to return around one million Pakistanis to homes they fled after the military cracked down on Islamist militants along the Afghan border. Of some 5.3 million people displaced by fighting in northwestern Pakistan in recent years, a million or so remain to be resettled under a program the authorities see as key to keeping a lid on extremist violence. The frontier regions, which are deeply conservative and hard to access due to rough terrain, have long been the sanctuary of fighters from al Qaeda, the Taliban and other groups. Pakistan's powerful army says most militants have been removed, but to root out the problem permanently, locals need to return and form a functioning society, said Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister for States and Frontier Regions. "This is a great responsibility that is on our shoulders," Baloch told Reuters. "We should do it so as it rid ourselves, this country, of terrorism; not only ourself, but the entire world." People are generally anxious to get back, having lived in refugee camps or cramped conditions in towns and cities since being forced to leave the so-called Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). More than four million have already done so, and the government wants those left resettled by the end of 2016. "MINI-MARSHALL PLAN" With support from international donors including the United States and China, Pakistan plans to refurbish bombed-out roads, irrigation networks, markets, schools and hospitals in one of the poorest areas of the country. "We want to launch a mini-Marshall Plan so as to develop this area," Baloch said, referring to the financial aid package to Europe after World War Two. Aadil Mansoor, assistant country director at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), estimated around $800 million would be needed to resettle and rebuild the region over the next two years. Though long-term infrastructure projects have better financial backing, short-term aid has been harder to come by, as donor nations focus on humanitarian emergencies in Syria and Yemen, he said. Lola Castro, country director for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), said her agency was about $50 million short in donor support to provide food and early recovery aid to displaced and returning families this year. "This is a very critical year, and unfortunately, as I see it, it's the year where Pakistan is being left by itself." In addition, a government-led program is tens of millions of dollars short of what it needs to help restore basic services and kick start the economy in the badly disrupted area, according to the UNDP, which helps administer the plan. PEOPLE MAY LEAVE AGAIN If insufficient funds mean people struggle to support their families after they return, they might be more susceptible to militant recruitment or leave again, aid officials said. "People who don't have basic social services  health, water, sanitation, food, education  what do they do?" said WFP's Castro. "They move. They simply move." Syed Halim Dawar, head of a 14-member family forced to leave North Waziristan in 2014, said he heard some who had gone home did not have drinking water or electricity, and that the bazaar where he ran a successful business had been destroyed. But the 55-year-old would rather return than continue living in a small house in Peshawar, where he has been unable to open a new shop. Most people due to go back this year are from North and South Waziristan, two agencies where fighting was particularly intense and where militant groups have warned people not to come back. "We will fight the army until the government vacates the area and an Islamic system is imposed in the country," said Azam Tariq, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban's Sajna chapter, which operates in both areas. "If (internally displaced people) come here, they will face many problems." In February, the military was continuing operations against militants in parts of North Waziristan, and attacks on security personnel were reported in neighboring South Waziristan. Landmines are a threat. The military clears villages of explosives before declaring an area safe for return, and the U.N. works to ensure civilian safety, but hidden dangers remain. Muhammad Khalid, who left his South Waziristan village during an army operation in 2009, heard the Pakistani Taliban was warning residents not to come back. But he could not afford to stay in Dera Ismail Khan, the city he temporarily moved to, so in 2011 he brought his family back to the village, rebuilding his home and finding work as a labourer. On Feb. 15, Khalid was moving his sheep and goats into a field when one of his animals triggered a landmine. Rushing toward it, Khalid stepped on another mine, and had to have his leg amputated. "The government told us our area was clear, so I moved back with my family," Khalid said. "Now I'm thinking what I will do in the future." (Additional reporting by Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Jibran Ahmed in Peshawar; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
In 1958, amateur fossil collector Francis Tully found a prehistoric creature so strange that even scientists called it a monster. The beast has perplexed researchers ever since, with some calling the so-called "Tully monster" a worm and others classifying it as a shell-less snail.

But now, an analysis of more than 1,200 Tully monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium) fossils has uncovered the monster's true identity. It's a 307-million-year-old jawless fish, a creature in the lineage leading to modern-day lampreys, the researchers found.

"It's a very unusual animal," study co-author Scott Lidgard, curator of invertebrate paleontology at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, told Live Science. [See Images of the Bizarre Tully Monster]

The roughly foot-long (0.3 meters) monster had a narrow body with eyes like a hammerhead's on the top of its head and a long, slender snout ending in a toothy jaw.

Scientists formally described it in 1966, and in 1989, Illinois designated it as the official state fossil. But experts still couldn't make heads or tails of it. They couldn't even place it in a phylum, a big-picture category that includes about 30 broad subcategories, and explains the origins of almost every living thing on Earth.

Researchers have found thousands of Tully monster specimens in Illinois over the years. Many of them were digitally scanned into The Field Museum's electronic database, so scientists had plenty of samples to examine while undertaking the new study.

"Basically, nobody knew what it was, study co-author Derek Briggs, a professor of geology and geophysics at Yale University and a curator of invertebrate paleontology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, said in a statement. "The fossils are not easy to interpret, and they vary quite a bit. Some people thought it might be this bizarre, swimming mollusk. We decided to throw every possible analytical technique at it."

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The researchers combed through the database and also used synchrotron elemental mapping, a technique that uses a powerful light source to determine the chemistry within a fossil.

Although soft-bodied, the Tully monster is a vertebrate that likely used its tail to propel itself forward in the water. Moreover, analyses showed that "the monsters are related to the jawless fishes that are still around today by a unique combination of traits, including primitive gills [and] rows of teeth," Paul Mayer, The Field Museum's fossil invertebrates collections manager, said in the statement.

It also has "traces of a notochord, the flexible rodlike structure along the back that's present in chordate animals  including vertebrates like us," Mayer said.

The big-eyed and pointy-toothed fish was likely a predator, said study lead author Victoria McCoy, who conducted the research as a Yale graduate student and is now at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. However, it's unclear when the animal first developed and when it went extinct, she said.

The study was published online today (March 16) in the journal Nature.

Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By Julia Edwards

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Law enforcement officers in the United States are increasingly buying professional liability insurance policies amid worries they may be sued for their on-duty actions, the Fraternal Order of Police, the biggest U.S. police union, told Reuters.

Between July 2014 and July 2015, the number of members who bought the union's liability insurance jumped 15 percent, according to data from the FOP released this week and shared exclusively with Reuters.

In previous years, liability insurance purchases grew only between one to three percent, said Jim Pasco, executive director of the FOP, which represents more than 330,000 officers.

The insurance would help cover legal fees, but would not protect against criminal prosecution.

The sharp jump comes amid a national debate over whether law enforcement should be under more surveillance and scrutiny, especially in light of a wave of publicized cases where deadly force was used against unarmed civilians, many of them minorities.

"In an already litigious society, the likelihood of a police officer being sued or charged, often falsely, grows by the day. Officers are increasingly aware of the need to be protected and joining the FOP legal defense plan in growing numbers," said Pasco, whose union sells insurance for $265 a year.

Civil rights groups such as Black Lives Matter and the Obama administration have called for increased accountability for officers, including the use of body cameras and community oversight.

Still, some in law enforcement, including FBI Director James Comey, have said that the increased scrutiny has made officers feel antagonized and afraid to do their jobs.

"The environment has become increasingly volatile towards law enforcement in general," said Jonathan Adler, a member and past president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, where insurance purchases grew 10 percent last year.

Several high-profile police-involved shootings between July 2014 and July 2015, the period the union studied, led to civil and criminal suits being filed against police.

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Officers sued in wrongful death lawsuits include Ferguson, Missouri officer Darren Wilson, who shot unarmed teen Michael Brown in August 2014, and Cleveland officers Frank Garmback and Timothy Loehmann, the officers who encountered Tamir Rice, 12, who was shot while carrying a toy gun in November 2014.

The insurance also covers officers charged in criminal cases like Michael Slager, the officer charged in the murder of Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina in April 2015.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the rise in officer liability insurance.

(Editing by Richard Cowan and Bernadette Baum)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Morocco has "decided not to withdraw its troops" from United Nations peacekeeping missions, Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said on Thursday, despite Rabat's anger over comments by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon about the disputed Western Sahara region. Rabat accused Ban last week of no longer being neutral after he used the word "occupation" to describe Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara. The region has been at the center of a struggle since 1975, when Morocco took over from colonial power Spain. Morocco had threatened on Tuesday to pull its troops out of U.N. peacekeeping missions worldwide. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
MELBOURNE, March 17 (Reuters) - Formula One outfit Red Bull and British luxury carmaker Aston Martin have announced a technology partnership to build an Aston Martin-branded supercar. Red Bull's chief designer Adrian Newey will work with Aston Martin's design boss Marek Reichman on the car, dubbed Project AM-RB-001, Red Bull said on Thursday. "This is a very exciting project for everyone at Red Bull Racing," team principal Christian Horner said in a statement. "Through this innovation partnership the iconic Aston Martin logo will return to grand prix racing for the first time since 1960, and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, led by Adrian, will be using Formula One DNA to produce the ultimate of all road cars." As part of the tie-up, Red Bull's RB12 cars will carry the Aston Martin wings logo throughout the 2016 Formula One season starting at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
Havana (AFP) - A poster of US President Barack Obama popped up in central Havana Thursday in a revolutionary change to the portraits of Che Guevara and other communist leaders plastered around Cuba.

Cubans are used to living under the gaze of billboards, paintings and other depictions of Fidel Castro and his comrades in arms Che and Camilo Cienfuegos, as well as 19th-century independence leader Jose Marti.

But three days before Obama arrives in Havana for the first visit of a serving US president in nine decades, a restaurant entrepreneur has broken the bearded revolutionaries' monopoly.

The poster, put up in the street near a cathedral that Obama is expected to visit after his arrival Sunday, is a montage showing Obama alongside Raul Castro, the Cuban president and brother of Fidel.

"Welcome to Cuba," the poster says under the Stars and Stripes and the Cuban flag.

Miguel Angel Morales, owner of La Moneda Cubana restaurant, said putting up the poster was a big step in a country where the United States has been long been the enemy and where political imagery is tightly controlled.

"As far as I know there's never been a portrait of a North American president before," Morales, 41, told AFP.

"In our restaurant we've had the US flag up inside for five years, but this is also the first time we've shown it outside," he added.

Morales said he hoped the authorities would not tell him to remove the picture.

"We'll see what happens," he said. "The more publicity the better for me, because it will be harder for them to do anything against us."

Sergio Fundora, a worker on one of the many building restorations in Havana's rundown historic center, said the poster didn't shock him.

"It doesn't worry me," Fundora said. "These changes should have happened a long time ago."
confiscated drug money

Americans spent $109 billion on illegal drugs in 2010, according to a White House study, roughly the same as the $108 billion they spent on illegal narcotics in 2000.

And while most of those drugs are imported from elsewhere, the cash Americans spent on them largely stays in the US.

This is mostly because of the way value gets added to illegal drugs, as well as the stringent efforts governments make to intercept illicit drugs and the profits they produce.

"A fair bit goes back to Latin America," Tom Wainwright, author of "Narconomics," told Business Insider, "but the real millionaires, the real drugs millionaires, are right here in the United States."

"Most of the profits involved in the drugs business actually stay here in the United States or in Europe, where the consumption happens, said Wainwright, who was previously based in Mexico City for the Economist.

The reason for that is that big increase in the drugs' value actually happens here.

Wainwright continued:

When it arrives in the States, it's worth  if we talk about cocaine, for instance  it's worth about $20,000 per kilo, and finally when it retails it's worth more like $150,000 per kilo.

And the reason for that is because the guys who do that stage in the chain are the ones who face the highest risk. They're the ones who take this shipment of perhaps a ton of cocaine, break it down into smaller portions of just a kilo or a few hundred grams, and ship it out to hundreds of contacts throughout the country.

US drug spending

The cartel operatives described above are usually the ones liaising between a cartels base of operations and the groups it partners with to distribute narcotics in the US.

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They have to invest in a variety of things: Stash houses to store and cut up drug shipments; transportation to move it to distributors, and other day-to-day costs. (They have to eat, after all.)

The fact that these operators are trying to obscure their activities from authorities inflates their expenses.

A stash house in upper Manhattan raided in early 2014 was found to have an extensive countersurveillance system, for example.

This risk pervades their activities in the US and influences how much of the money from drug trafficking flows to them.

Wainwright again:

Now they're facing a big risk. They're very widely exposed. They have to deal with lots of different people, and they're working in a country where the police force actually works, more or less, and if they get caught they're going to prison for a very, very long time.

So because of the extra risk they face, they're able to charge a premium. So more than half the profits involved in the cocaine business, for instance, stay here in the United States.

'Voila, you go from US dollars to Mexican pesos'

Once drugs are distributed and cash collected, the process of filtering the money back to a drug cartels headquarters begins.

Since cash flows, particularly multimillion-dollar amounts, attract a lot of attention, criminal organizations rely both on bulk-cash smuggling and money laundering to move that money around, Mike Vigil, the former head of the US Drug Enforcement Administrations international operations, told Business Insider.

What they do is they formulate business enterprises, you know like fictitious businesses ... here in the United States, also in Mexico, and they use those to launder money, Vigil said, referring to the Sinaloa cartel, one of the worlds most powerful trafficking organizations.

Money smuggling laundering seizure bust

They used commodities-based money laundering, Vigil told Business Insider, where they buy, for example, gold and diamonds here, and then they smuggle them into Mexico. They're sold over there and all of a sudden, voila, you go from US dollars to Mexican pesos.

Money laundering isnt limited to precious metals. Trade-based money laundering, which involves larger purchases in the US, is also highly lucrative and hard to detect.

The epicenter for a lot of the money laundering for the Mexican cartels is Los Angeles, Vigil told Business Insider. And they use the fashion district to launder money.

US drug trafficking money laundering

The Sinaloa Cartel used US drug proceeds to purchase clothes imported from China that were stored in the targeted fashion businesses warehouses in Los Angeles, the DEA reported in its 2015 Drug Threat Assessment.

The clothes were then shipped across the border into Mexico for resale and the profits placed into the Mexican financial system as legitimate proceeds.

Large multinational banks have also been implicated in the cartels' massive money-moving operations. Both Wachovia and HSBC have faced federal investigations and punishments in the US in relation to illicit money dealings.

Drug trafficking is an incredibly profitable enterprise  thats how world-famous smugglers like Pablo Escobar and Joaquin El Chapo Guzman have been able to amass billion-dollar fortunes selling drugs to voracious American consumers.

But in the modern era, when enforcement is stronger, that cash usually doesn't travel very far.

NOW WATCH: This is how Mexican drug cartels make billions selling drugs





More From Business Insider


By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A small Native American community in coastal Louisiana is to be resettled after losing nearly all its land partly due to rising seas, a first in the United States. The band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, a Native American tribe living in the Louisiana coastal wetlands, has lost some 98 percent of its land since the 1950s. This is the first time an entire community has had to be relocated due in part to rising sea levels, said Marion McFadden, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The land loss is also due to factors such as erosion and sediment mismanagement, a Louisiana official said. The band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw have lived and fished on the Isle de Jean Charles in Louisiana's coastal south since the 1800s, a tribe's spokesman said. But land loss has caused the island to shrink from some 15,000 acres to a strip of about a quarter-mile wide by a half-mile long, a study by Northern Arizona University shows. From a peak of some 400 inhabitants, only around 100 remain. The loss of land to the sea and houses to hurricanes have caused families to leave, said Boyo Billiot, the tribe's deputy chief said in a telephone briefing to reporters. "No one likes to leave an area where they have history, a lot of memories," said Billiot. "We are people of the bayou. Water has played a central role in who we are." Climate advocacy group Climate Nexus said the relocation of the tribe was creating new "refugees" of climate change. But Louisiana and federal government officials offered a different interpretation. "We really don't think of the community as refugees. I think of refugees as being scattered and chaotic retreat. This is a resettlement and we are careful to use that word," said Patrick Forbes, a Louisiana state official. The relocation would be subsidized by around $48 million in government funds, said Forbes, and would take a few years to complete. Louisiana's coast has been sinking at a fast pace compared to most U.S. coastal areas, a phenomenon officials attribute to sea levels rise but also erosion, the official said. Sea levels have already risen by some 8 inches in coastal Louisiana over the last 50 years or so. According to a 2014 U.S. government report, as global sea levels continue to rise, relative sea leave rise will be greater along some coasts such as in Louisiana and Texas. The continuous decline of the band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw population has been threatening the tribe's ancestral traditions, including those related to fishing such as the weaving of catch nets. "As the people leave out, culture goes with it," said Billiot. Reflecting on the tribe's attachment to Isle de Jean Charles, he recalled his late grandfather's prophetic words. "He said...'The people will have to leave from the island'. But he said you all don't disturb the dead that are buried there because now a lot are in the water where the graves were at." (Reporting by Sebastien Malo, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Niamey (AFP) - Niger's opposition said Thursday it "will not recognise" the result of Sunday's presidential election run-off.

The opposition coalition called for "a political transition to allow the organisation of new democratic, free, legitimate, transparent and honest elections".

In a statement, it said it would also not recognise "institutions emanating from this Sunday's presidential and legislative elections."

Opposition challenger Hama Amadou, currently receiving medical treatment in Paris, came second in the first round last month, trailing well behind incumbent President Mahamadou Issoufou.

Amadou, a 66-year-old former premier and parliament speaker, was evacuated by helicopter on Wednesday from his prison, where he was being held on shadowy baby-trafficking charges.

He was taken to Niger's capital Niamey and then put on a plane to Paris.

A government spokesman said Amadou had suffered from "a chronic illness for three years" and needed specialist care that "does not exist in Niamey."

In the first round he polled 17.79 percent, compared to 48.41 percent for Issoufou.

Amadou had been forced to campaign from behind bars after being detained on November 14 on the baby-trafficking charges he says are bogus.

The Copa 2016 opposition group said it wished to "reiterate" its poll boycott of March 20 and called on supporters to do the same.

The group decried what it saw as the submissiveness of the electoral commission and the constitutional court towards the executive.

And Copa called on the national and international community to be "vigilant"and to help foster a "sincere political dialogue between all parties".

Amadou's entourage meanwhile told AFP his state of health had improved and urged Niamey allow him to campaign in "regular" fashion against Issoufou.

He was "feeling better" after receiving treatment at a Paris hospital just days before the run-off election, one of his aides told AFP.

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Amadou was being cared for at the American hospital of Paris, said Abdou Rafa, who was able to contact the opposition leader's entourage in the French capital.

Niamey's appeals court had on Monday considered a request for Amadou's release on bail but delayed a decision until March 28, a week after Sunday's poll.

Unions, religious groups and traditional chieftains have all urged dialogue and sought to defuse the political tension to prevent a crisis in one of the world's poorest countries.

Amadou heads the Nigerien Democratic Movement (NDM) whose members were tear-gassed by police in February after gathering in their thousands to support their man.
Seoul (AFP) - North Korea fired what appeared to be a medium-range ballistic missile into the sea Friday, just days after leader Kim Jong-Un ordered further nuclear warhead and missile tests, South Korea's defence ministry said.

A ministry spokesman said the missile was launched from Sukchon in the country's southwest at 5:55 am (2055 GMT Thursday) and flew 800 kilometres (500 miles) into the East Sea, also called the Sea of Japan.

He did not confirm the type of missile, but South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited military sources as saying it was a Rodong missile, a scaled-up Scud variant with a maximum range of around 1,300 kilometres.

Military tensions have been soaring on the divided Korean peninsula since the North carried out its fourth nuclear test on January 6, followed a month later by a long-range rocket launch that was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test.

The UN Security Council responded earlier this month by imposing its toughest sanctions on North Korea to date.

US President Barack Obama signed an order on Wednesday implementing the UN sanctions, as well as a series of unilateral US sanctions adopted by Congress.

- Daily threats -

Pyongyang, meanwhile, has maintained a daily barrage of nuclear strike threats against both Seoul and Washington, ostensibly over ongoing, large-scale South Korea-US military drills that the North sees as provocative rehearsals for invasion.

To register its anger at the joint exercises, the North fired two short-range missiles into the East Sea on March 10.

A few days later, North Korean President Kim Jong-Un announced that a nuclear warhead explosion test and firings of "several kinds" of ballistic rockets would be carried out "in a short time".

Existing UN sanctions ban North Korea from the use of any ballistic missile test, although short-range launches tend to go unpunished.

A Rodong test would be more provocative, given its greater range which makes it capable of hitting most of Japan.

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The last Rodong test was in March 2014, when two of the missiles were fired into the East Sea.

While North Korea is known to have a small stockpile of nuclear weapons, its ability to deliver them accurately to a chosen target on the tip of a ballistic missile has been a subject of heated debate.

There are numerous question marks over the North's weapons delivery systems, with many experts believing it is still years from developing a working inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could strike the continental United States.

- Re-entry test -

Kim's announcement of further tests on Tuesday cams as he monitored what was described as the successful simulated test of the warhead re-entry technology required for such a long-range nuclear attack.

The test was a complete success, state media said, and provided a "sure guarantee" of the warhead's ability to withstand the intense heat and vibration of re-entry -- a major step in the North's push towards a genuine ICBM nuclear strike capability.

South Korea said it doubted the North had mastered re-entry technology, although it was less sceptical a few days before when Kim said it had miniaturised a nuclear warhead that could fit on a missile.

Earlier this week, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said North Korea's endless threats and provocative behaviour reflected a "sense of crisis" in Pyongyang at its increasing diplomatic and economic isolation.

"If North Korea continues its provocations and confrontation with the international community and does not walk the path of change, it will walk the path of self-destruction," Park said.
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Friday that flew about 800 km (500 miles) off its east coast into the sea, South Korea's military said, days after fresh U.S. sanctions were imposed on the isolated state. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the missile was likely a medium-range Rodong-missile. The launch comes amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula with the North remaining defiant in the face of the U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed earlier in the month in response to a nuclear test conducted in January. The missile was launched from an area near the west coast north of the capital, Pyongyang, flying across the peninsular and into the sea off the east coast early Friday morning, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. It did not confirm the type of the missile. But 800 km was likely beyond the range of most short-range missiles in the North's arsenal. North Korea last test fired medium-range missiles in 2014. The North fired two short-range missiles last week into the sea off its east coast and its leader Kim Jong Un ordered more nuclear weapons test and missile tests to improve attack capability. North Korea often fires missiles at periods of tension on the Korean peninsula or when it comes under pressure to curb its defiance and abandon its weapons program. New U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang were issued on Wednesday aiming to expand U.S. blockade against the isolated state by blacklisting individuals and entities that deal with the North's economy. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in Jan. 6 and launched a long-range rocket on Feb. 7 in defiance of existing U.N. Security Council resolutions. On Wednesday, North Korea's supreme court sentenced a visiting American student to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state, a punishment Washington condemned as politically motivated. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
By Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - Thousands of workers in Poland have jobs marinating and smoking Norwegian salmon thanks to a difference in tariffs imposed by the European Union on the Nordic non-member which is the world's biggest exporter of the fish. Norway, which farms salmon in pens in fjords, sells fresh and frozen salmon to the EU in 2016 with a minimal two percent tariff. But it has to pay a 13 percent rate on processed fish, making it unprofitable to process salmon at home. To skirt the higher rate, Norway sends container-loads of fresh fish to EU member Poland, the top single destination for Norway's salmon. Norwegian exporters pay smokehouses in Poland, where wage costs are much lower than in Norway, to process the fish that then gets re-exported tariff-free within the 28-member EU. Some Norwegian companies including top salmon farmer Marine Harvest have bought smokehouses in Poland, so the profits go straight back to Norway. Other smokehouses are Polish-owned. Salmon is one example of how the Nordic country has managed its relationship with the European Union, sometimes cited as a model if British voters decide to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum. Norway's ties with the EU have not always been amicable. The EU imposed anti-dumping penalties on Norway's salmon exports in 2006. Norway took the case to the World Trade Organization, and a compromise paved the way to the current regime of duties. Norway has free trade in many areas with the 28-nation EU but has stayed outside fisheries and farm policies, forcing it to negotiate deals, such as the one satisfying the EU appetite for smoked salmon through the back door of Poland. "We're moving employees and activity out of Norway and into EU countries," said Trond Davidsen, deputy managing director of the Norwegian Seafood Federation which represents 500 fish farming firms. PACKAGING, HYGIENE AND SEA LICE Norway's cabinet minister who deals with the European Union, Elisabeth Aspaker, estimates that Norway has created 12,000 jobs in the EU, mainly processing fish. "There's no such thing as a free lunch," she said of Norway's complex EU ties. Norway exported 1.19 million tonnes of salmon worth a record 47.7 billion crowns ($5.56 billion) last year, from sushi to frozen fish, according to the government-owned Norwegian Seafood Council. Poland was the biggest market on 5.8 billion crowns, ahead of France and Britain. Norwegian farmers raise fish in pens in their picturesque fjords along a long, rugged coastline, and compete with EU farmers in Scotland and Ireland. Farmed salmon was first reared in Norway in the 1960s. Norway must abide by EU rules on packaging and hygiene - for example controlling the sea lice that stick to the fish, or the use of antibiotics. The Oslo government says those rules are not hard to implement. "We generally have stricter standards," said Paul Aandahl, an analyst at the Seafood Council. Overall, Davidsen says Norwegian fishermen oppose the idea of EU membership, even though it would mean easier access for salmon. Fishermen reckon the Oslo government is better than Brussels at setting sustainable quotas for fish such as cod or herring to avoid over-fishing. Staying outside the EU has also let Norway keep harpooning whales, despite strong opposition by the EU. Beijing has restricted salmon imports from Norway since the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2010 Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Davidsen said it was impossible to know if EU membership might have given Beijing pause, fearing EU sanctions in return. ($1 = 8.5799 Norwegian crowns) (Reporting By Alister Doyle, editing by Peter Millership)
By Alister Doyle OSLO (Reuters) - A Norwegian prison has defended carrying out hundreds of strip searches and twice-hourly night-time checks on mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik, saying it had to ensure he did not have weapons to take hostages or commit suicide. Nazi-inspired Breivik has taken Norwegian authorities to court, accusing them of inhuman and degrading treatment of him in prison in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights since he massacred 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage in 2011. Knut Bjarkeid, director of Ila prison where Breivik spent two years until 2013, said on Thursday the 400 strip searches by guards at the jail were mainly to ensure he had not picked up bits of metal or concrete from an outdoor exercise yard that could be used as weapons. He also defended the night-time checks every 30 minutes by guards. The checks on Breivik are now far less frequent. "We were worried about self-harm and that he would take his own life. He'd killed 77 people. If the bubble he was in burst, it (suicide) was obviously one of the actions he might take," Bjarkeid told the court. He said there were also fears Breivik could harm others or take hostages. Breivik says he has been forced to strip 880 times in total while a prisoner. He is serving Norway's maximum sentence of 21 years, with the possibility of extensions. In 2011 he killed eight people with a bomb in Oslo and then gunned down 69 people, many of them teenage members of the then ruling Labour Party, at a gathering on an island nearby. A 2013 letter by Breivik, read out in court in Thursday, said the searches had been unnecessary because he could easily have overpowered a guard without weapons while handcuffed "with a quick blow of the fist to the throat". Breivik, 37, also wrote that he could easily have made weapons from objects in his cell such as pens or a toothbrush. On Wednesday, Breivik told the court that Norway was trying to kill him with solitary confinement, complaining of degrading prison conditions including cold coffee and microwaved meals that were "worse than waterboarding". (Editing by Andrew Roche)
The Hill

A little more than two weeks stand between now and Election Day, and its likely going to come down to the wire as Republicans and Democrats duke it out for Senate supremacy. The two sides are fresh off of third-quarter fundraising releases and squarely in the middle of debate season, with Republicans starting to feel
One perk of paying down a student loan balance, other than reducing the size and lifespan of a loan, is qualifying for a student loan deduction, a benefit that slashes a borrower's tax bill. Under this deduction, eligible borrowers can save up to $625 in taxes.

Roughly 40 million Americans carry student debt, according the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And of those borrowers who paid interest on a qualified student loans during a tax year, those households that fall within a certain income bracket might be eligible for this tax perk, depending on a couple of conditions.

A borrower who paid interest on a qualified education loan, if eligible, can use the student loan deduction to reduce the amount of taxable income by up to $2,500. That doesn't mean the taxpayer receives $2,500 from the government. The student loan interest deduction reduces the amount of income a borrower pays taxes on -- which can lead to a savings of up to $625 on a tax bill.

Usually, interest paid on a loan isn't deductible unless it's a certain mortgage interest, except in this instance, according to the IRS.

Here's what taxpayers should know about eligibility for the student loan deduction and on how much they expect in return from this tax benefit.

[Learn about common tax filing rules for student loan credits and deductions.]

Eligibility

Around 91 percent of student debtor households are most likely eligible for this deduction if they made a payment in interest during the tax year, according to data collected by the Young Invincibles, an advocacy group for adults aged between 18 and 34 years of age.

To be eligible, you must have paid interest on a student loan that is in your name or in your spouse's. The loan must have been taken out while enrolled at least half-time in a program leading to a degree.

This deduction is based on adjusted income. To qualify, single taxpayers must earn less than $80,000 and married couples who file jointly must make less than $160,000. Married couples who file as "separate" on their returns don't qualify.

Story continues

"If you're filing separately, you will not be eligible for this deduction," says Stephen Dash, founder and CEO of Credible, a marketplace site for student loans."But, filing separately can impact one's eligibility for some income-based repayment programs."

In extreme cases, if the married couple has a lot of student debt, it might be more advantageous to file separately. Filing separately might help a spouse qualify for an individual income-based repayment program, but it means forgoing this tax perk, Dash says.

[Find out if your spouse's defaulted student loans will affect your tax return.]

This deduction can only be claimed once. It's $2,500 whether you're single or a married couple.

"Someone who just got married might be surprised that it's just one deduction on the return and that it's not doubled to $5,000," says Marguerite Weese, vice president and wealth planner at Wilmington Trust who is also a tax attorney.

No double-dipping on this deduction also applies to parents and students who borrow and pay interest on student loans.

Parents can claim the loan only if it's in their name and the student is listed as their dependent. But, if the student is independent of the parents, then the student can claim it.

It's important the parent and child be on the same page about whether the child is a dependent, tax experts say.

"Only one can claim the deduction," Dash says. "If a parent claims the deduction, the parent is getting the benefit of claiming the child as a dependent. There is no double deduction allowed."

Lastly, the loan must be a qualified student loan, meaning it was used for higher education to pay for tuition and fees, living expenses, books and other related educational expenses. If you refinance and bundle a student loan with a different kind of loan, then the interest on this refinanced loan is not eligible.

[Understand student loan defaults and tax refunds.]

How to File

To claim the student loan deduction, you'll need IRS Form 1098-E. This form is a student loan interest statement and includes a summary of all the paid interest for that tax year.

Borrowers who paid more than $600 in interest last year will automatically receive this form in the mail or by email. Those who paid less than that amount will have to contact their loan management company for the form.

How Much to Expect

For a single taxpayer , the program begins to phase out at $65,000 with the amount gradually decreasing as the income moves toward the maximum threshold of $80,000.

For a married couple , the maximum is $160,000 in adjusted income with phase-outs beginning at $135,000.

A grad who makes $60,000, taxed at the marginal rate of 25 percent, who paid $2,500 in interest, can expect $625 less in tax. An individual making $70,000 who is single and paid more than $2,500, will receive a $1,666.67 deduction from their tax bill with an actual tax benefit of $416.67, according to the Student Loan Hero interactive calculator.

A married couple taxed at the 15 percent marginal rate, who paid $2,500 in interest for their student loans, can expect $375 in tax savings.

Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.



Farran Powell is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering paying for college and graduate school. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at fpowell@usnews.com.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania man has agreed to plead guilty to a felony computer hacking charge after authorities said he illegally accessed private phone and email accounts of celebrities such as Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence to leak information including nude pictures. The U.S. attorney for the Central District of California charged Ryan Collins, 36, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, according to court documents filed on Tuesday. Collins signed a plea agreement to plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He faces up to five years in federal prison, with a recommended prison term of 18 months and a fine of $250,000. The case has been transferred from California to the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where Collins is expected to surrender and plead guilty. He will be sentenced at a later date. While no victims were named in the court documents, Lawrence and other celebrities such as actresses Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union and model Kate Upton addressed the leak and online dissemination of their nude photos in interviews. Representatives for Lawrence, Dunst, Union and Upton did not return Reuters' requests for comment on Wednesday. Prosecutors said in court documents that between November 2012 and September 2014, Collins "knowingly, intentionally, and in furtherance of criminal and tortious acts" accessed at least 50 Apple iCloud accounts and about 72 Google Gmail accounts belonging to more than 100 people. Known as a 'phishing' scam, Collins used fraudulent email disguised to impersonate legitimate security services, such as "email.protection318@icloud.com," and requesting usernames and passwords from the victims, according to prosecutors. By doing so, Collins accessed the iCloud accounts, used for online data storage, for 18 celebrities and downloaded the backed-up data that included nude pictures and videos, court documents said. It is not the first time a suspected hacker has been charged with leaking celebrity nude photos. A Florida man was sentenced in 2012 to 10 years in prison for hacking into email accounts of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and Christina Aguilera to leak private information and nude photographs. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Washington (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Thursday praised the fighting of Kurdish groups in Syria that have declared a federal region in areas of the country under their control.

The Kurds "have proven to be excellent partners of ours on the ground in fighting ISIL," Carter said, using a term for the Islamic State group in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We are grateful for that, and we intend to continue to do that, recognizing the complexities of their regional role."

He spoke the same day Syria's Kurds declared a de facto federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, a move the United States opposes.

Kurdish groups say declaring a federal region along Syria's northern border with Turkey is aimed only at formalizing a semiautonomous zone they have already established during five years of war and create a model for decentralized government across Syria.

But Washington believes any Syrian federalism should develop from United Nations-sponsored talks over a political settlement of the conflict currently underway in Geneva.

However, none of the groups representing the Kurdish minority are participating in the talks because of opposition from Turkey.

The Syrian government and the main Arab-led opposition group oppose federalism in Syria.

So does Turkey, which fears Kurds' ambitions in Syria are fuelling Kurdish separatism at home.

Kurds have played a crucial role in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, providing the backbone of the forces that have pushed back the jihadist group in the country's northeast.

The Kurds play a dominant role in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDS), an Arab-Syrian coalition the United States supports.

However, the Pentagon believes more Arab fighters will join the group.

"One month ago I would have said there are about 2,500 Arabs inside Syrian Democratic Forces," said Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Joe Dunford, who spoke alongside Carter. "Today, I can tell you we have 5,000."

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More coalition victories would have a "snowball effect," he added.

"More people now are willing to join us because they see the level of support that we are providing and more importantly the level of success that these forces are having."

SDS fighters aided by US special forces recently took control of Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria previously considered a strategic Islamic State group stronghold.

The SDS has a total of 10,000 to 15,000 fighters, Dunford said, adding that they have an estimated reserve of 20,000 to 30,000 men.
What is the state of elections and campaign finance, six years after the Supreme Courts landmark ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission? In that case, the Court held that corporate funding of independent political communications in campaigns for public office cannot be limited under the First Amendment.

Since then, the Court also struck down aggregate limits on individual political contributions in a single election cycle. There have also been proposals to overturn Citizen United with a constitutional amendment. And to this point in the 2016 presidential campaign, super PACs and other outside groups have raised nearly $400 million and spent nearly half that amount.

Joining We the People to explore the constitutional landscape after Citizens United and to assess the decisions impact on the 2016 election are two leading experts on the front lines of the debate.

David Keating is President of the Center for Competitive Politics.

Paul S. Ryan is Deputy Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center.



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Markowa (Pologne) (AFP) - Poland on Thursday opened its first museum in tribute to Poles who lost their lives helping Jews during World War II, on the exact spot where Nazis executed a young family for providing shelter.

President Andrzej Duda honoured descendants of the Polish rescuers who he said had made "dramatic choices", before cutting the ribbon at the museum in the southeastern village of Markowa.

Poland was the only Nazi-occupied country where saving Jews carried the death penalty.

The new museum is located inside the renovated home of the Ulma family who were killed by German soldiers on March 24, 1944 after they were found to be offering refuge to Jews.

Jozef Ulma, his seven-month pregnant wife Wiktoria and their six young children were all executed, as were the eight Jews they had been harbouring.

The building's walls have been painted a rust colour and a door still bears traces of the bullets fired during the execution. Photos stained with the victims' blood are among the items on display at the museum.

"Anyone spreading anti-Semitism defiles the Ulmas' graves, and defiles the reasons why they laid down their lives: dignity, honesty, justice," Duda said at the inauguration ceremony.

Among those present were the grandsons of Abraham Segal, one of 21 other Jews hidden in Markowa who survived.

At the age of 86, Segal was not able to make the trip from Israel, his grandson Yael told AFP.

"We came here to represent him... (Without him) none of us would have been born," the 31-year-old said.

Historian Mateusz Szpytma, who came up with the idea of creating the museum, is its director.

Duda, Israeli ambassador Anna Azari and the descendants of Jews from Markowa who survived the Holocaust planted a tree honouring the dead on the museum's grounds.

Roman Catholic Bishop Stanislaw Gadecki, president of the Polish Episcopal Conference, and Poland's Chief Raffi Michael Schudrich said prayers over the nearby graves.

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More than 6,600 Poles -- outnumbering any other nationality -- have been honoured as "Righteous Among the Nations" by Israel's Yad Vashem institute, a title given to non-Jews who stood up to the Nazis.

Alluding to crimes that Poles also committed against Jews during the Holocaust, Duda called for "the whole truth, sometimes distressing and appalling, because only the truth can bring a better future".

The country was shocked by revelations in 2000 that Poles rounded up and burned hundreds of their Jewish neighbours in 1941 in a barn in the northeastern village of Jedwabne.
Brasilia (AFP) - Outraged Brazilians protested in Brasilia and Sao Paulo following the release of a taped phone call between President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

During the call, recorded earlier Wednesday by police and released by a federal judge, Rousseff called Lula on his bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it "if necessary."

That extract was largely seen as confirmation that an aim of Lula's nomination to the post Wednesday was to spare him possible arrest for corruption.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court.

The recording was made public by federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading a probe into Brazil's biggest ever corruption scandal.

Lula vigorously denies involvement in the scandal, in which investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of $2 billion, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

The release of the recording caused an uproar in Congress, where furious opposition lawmakers shouted "Resign! Resign!"

Some 2,000 people spontaneously gathered in the capital Brasilia demanding that Lula step down and Rousseff leave office and to show their support Moro.

As night fell, another protest began in Sao Paulo, according to an AFP photographer.

"Resign! Resign!" shouted several thousand protesters at the foot of a highrise housing FIESP, a powerful federation of Sao Paulo industries that was illuminated in green and yellow -- Brazil's national colors -- in addition to a large inscription that read "Impeach now."

The presidency responded by announcing in a statement that "judicial and administrative measures" would be taken to "repair the flagrant violation of the law and the constitution committed by judge" Moro, without going into specifics.

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It said that Rousseff sent the decree to Lula only so that he could sign it and make it official since he had indicated he would not be in Brasilia for the official taking up of the role planned for Thursday.

Lula's appointment is a risky bet for Rousseff, who is battling crises on multiple fronts: an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, mass protests and the fallout of the Petrobras scandal.

The impeachment push against Rousseff is not directly related to the corruption scandal, but has advanced in tandem with it, deepening the crisis engulfing her administration.

On Sunday, an estimated three million Brazilians flooded the streets in nationwide protests calling for Rousseff's departure.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said she expects legislation to help tackle Puerto Rico's ongoing financial crisis to come soon and that lawmakers will hopefully act on it quickly. "We should have a bill pretty soon. And I think the Republicans are acting in good faith on this," Pelosi, the chamber's minority leader, told reporters. The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to leave for a recess on Wednesday. "It would be my hope that we would see something before we leave here, that would be marked up as soon as we come back and then taken to the floor and ... sent to the Senate," she added. (Reporting by David Morgan; Writing Susan Heavey)
By Andrew Osborn and Denis Dyomkin MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia could scale up its military presence in Syria again within hours and would still bomb terrorist groups there despite a partial draw-down of forces ordered after military successes. Speaking in one of the Kremlin's grandest halls three days after he ordered Russian forces to partially withdraw from Syria, the Russian leader said the smaller strike force he had left behind was big enough to help forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad keep advancing. "I'm sure that we will see new and serious successes in the near future," Putin told an audience of more than 700 members of the military at an awards ceremony. In particular, he said he hoped that the ancient city of Palmyra, which is held by Islamic State, would soon fall to Assad's forces. "I hope that this pearl of world civilization, or at least what's left of it after bandits have held sway there, will be returned to the Syrian people and the entire world," Putin said, referring to the World Heritage Site. In his first public remarks since ordering the withdrawal, Putin for the first time put an approximate price tag on the Russian operation, saying that the bulk of the expenses - 33 billion rubles ($481.89 million) - had been taken from the defense ministry's war games budget. There would be other costs, he said, in order to replace ammunition and weapons as well as to make repairs. Russian air strikes against Islamic State, Al Nusra and other terrorist groups would press on, he said, as would a wide range of measures to aid Syrian government forces including helping them plan their offensives. Putin said he did not want to have to escalate Russia's involvement in the conflict again after the draw-down and was hoping peace talks would be successful. But he made clear Russia could easily scale up its forces again. "If necessary, literally within a few hours, Russia can build up its contingent in the region to a size proportionate to the situation developing there and use the entire arsenal of capabilities at our disposal," he said. A senior Obama administration official said that the United States has monitored the return to Russia of a "substantial number" of fixed-wing aircraft and confirmed Putin's assertion that the they could fly back to Syria within hours. But Russian helicopters, armor, long-range rocket batteries and most of the estimated 5,000 Russian personnel appear to have remained in Syria, said the official, who requested anonymity in order to discuss the sensitive matter. A Russian military source has told the Interfax news agency that only around 1,000 troops would stay, of whom more than half would be military advisers. "THIS PATHWAY TO PEACE" In a thinly disguised warning to Turkey and others, he said Russia was leaving behind its most advanced S-400 air defense system and would not hesitate to shoot down "any target" which violated Syrian air space. Unexpectedly, he also paid tribute to a Russian soldier whose death in the five-month operation had previously been unacknowledged. By doing so, Putin tacitly raised the death toll for Russian servicemen to five and confirmed that special forces had been deployed. Dampening speculation of a rift between Moscow and Damascus over the draw-down, he said the pullout was agreed with Assad beforehand and that the Syrian leader had backed the decision. Still, the drawdown gives Putin considerable leverage over Assad. Russia could threaten not to send the aircraft back to protect government forces if the Syrian leader continues attacks on moderate opposition forces, said the Obama administration official. Praising Assad for "his restraint, sincere desire for peace and for his readiness for compromise and dialogue", Putin said the Russian demarche had sent a positive signal for all sides taking part in peace talks in Geneva. "You, soldiers of Russia, opened up this pathway to peace," he told the audience. Russia took the world by surprise by first launching air strikes on Sept. 30 last year. The sudden announcement of a partial withdrawal of forces was also unexpected. Moscow will finish pulling out most of its strike force "any day now" and no later than by the end of this week, Viktor Bondarev, the head of the Russian air force, told the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper in an interview published on Thursday. That tallies with an updated Reuters calculation based on state TV and other footage, which shows that as of Thursday 18 or half of Russia's estimated 36 fixed-wing warplanes had flown out of Syria in the past three days. Mikhail Barabanov, a senior research fellow at the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, said the swift withdrawal was meant to show the world how fleet-footed the Russian air force had become in recent years. ($1 = 68.4800 rubles) (Additional reporting by Dmitry Solovyov, Katya Golubkova, Jack Stubbs and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Peter Millership, Don Durfee and Bernard Orr)
Montreal (AFP) - The former deputy premier of Canada's Quebec province was arrested Thursday along with a half dozen former officials and businessmen in an anti-corruption sweep, police said.

Nathalie Normandeau, who was deputy to former Quebec premier Jean Charest from 2007 to 2011, is the highest-ranking official to be charged in a widespread investigation into corruption and other criminal activity in the province. The probe has also taken down several mayors and company executives over the past five years.

In raids early Thursday, police also arrested Normandeau's former chief of staff, two former executives of an engineering consulting firm, a former advisor to another ex-premier and a former Liberal fundraiser, said Quebec's Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC).

They face a litany of charges including fraud, bribery and breach of trust in relation to the awarding of government contracts over a 12-year period, starting in 2000.

"These serious charges are not only in violation of the law, but they undermine our principles of democracy," the anti-corruption squad's chief Robert Lafreniere told a nationally-televised press conference.

"It's unfair and unequal to use public contracts as a political tool and it's also unacceptable to use the power of influence to favor elections," he said.

The current Liberal government quickly distanced itself from Normandeau and the previous regime, saying the party has been revamped since she was in office.

"We've completely changed the way we do things," Premier Philippe Couillard told reporters in Quebec City.

Corruption in Quebec's construction industry has long been suspected, with hundreds of millions of dollars poured into seemingly shoddy work on roadways, hospitals and other infrastructure over decades.

A commission headed by former judge France Charbonneau was set up in 2011 to investigate alleged graft, bid-rigging and kickbacks in the awarding of government contracts dating back to 1996.

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The commission was launched after a leaked police report pointed to evidence that construction companies were banding together to keep prices high, and possibly had links to organized crime.

It held 261 days of hearings and heard from about 300 witnesses before wrapping up in 2014.

Prior to now, the mayor of Montreal had been the most high profile public official to come under scrutiny. He resigned in disgrace in 2012. Six months later, his replacement quit after being arrested and charged with fraud.
By Allison Lampert QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) - Quebec will balance its books for the second year in a row in 2016-2017, the Canadian province said on Thursday, while reaffirming prior debt-fighting commitments for the years ahead. Quebec, which confirmed its first balanced budget in fiscal 2015-16 after six consecutive deficits, has emerged with British Columbia as the only Canadian provinces expecting balanced books in 2016-2017, Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said. "This marks a major milestone for our government," Leitao said. "We've gotten our fiscal house in order." Quebec, Canada's second-largest province, said C$2 billion ($1.54 billion) in its C$100 billion budget would go towards a fund aimed at reducing the debt. Quebec introduced modest spending for social programs and infrastructure and said it would reduce its debt burden from 55 percent of gross domestic product this year, to 45 percent of GDP in 2026. Earlier, the province had expected to reduce the ratio to 54 percent of GDP this year, but had to change its forecast after Statistics Canada presented revised GDP figures. Elected in 2014, the Liberals have pledged balanced budgets from 2015 through 2020. Quebec has one of the highest public debt loads of any province. Quebec said it will need to borrow C$47 billion over three years to pay for maturing government bonds and capital investments. The government announced C$103 billion in revenues, up 3.2 percent in 2016-2017, and C$100 billion in spending, up 2.5 percent during the same period. The province expects to benefit from a 5.7 percent increase, or extra C$1 billion, in federal transfer payments in 2016-17. The Liberals, denounced by critics as an "austerity government", announced C$3.6 billion in new spending through 2020 to support infrastructure, education, company innovation and manufacturing. Leitao distanced his government from those in Europe who have made deep cuts. "It is a little insulting for those societies which have lived through real austerity." The government expects its debt-fighting Generations fund, which earns an average annual return of six percent, to grow by C$14 billion through 2021. The fund's growth sends a clear signal to the market about Quebec's debt-fighting priority, said Sebastien Lavoie, assistant chief economist at Laurentian Bank Securities. "Some people might think a balanced budget is boring but for this season it's very good news," Lavoie said. The spread between the yields on Quebec and Canada's 10-year bonds was little changed at 96.5 basis points. (With additional reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto)
A coral is an animal that demands imagination. Look closely through a dive mask (or a Google image search) and youll see that a coral reefs rocky undulations are coated in an astonishing skin of tiny creatures that look like upside-down jellyfish, bells rooted in place, mouths open and ringed with tentacles waving to the sea. These are coral polyps. And right now, around the planet, they are dying with breathtaking speed. Its uncertain how many will survive into the near future, and unclear what we can do to make sure they survive.

Often mistaken for plants, corals are cousins to jellyfish and sea anemones, with whom they share a phylum and a distinctive physique. Each coral polyp is shaped like a tube, with a mouth, a simple stomach, and a base where it secretes a cup-shaped exoskeleton of calcium carbonate that roots it in place and protects it from predators. Many corals reproduce asexually, when polyps clone themselves. As new polyps form, they build their cup-shaped skeletons on top of the empty shells of previous generations, creating limestone reefs as they go. A single coral is often an animal composed of hundreds or thousands of interconnected polyps, a colony of genetic clones that share a single set of DNA, clinging to the skeletal remains of its own past dead.

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Most corals are also hermaphroditic spawners, which means that in addition to cloning, they produce both eggs and sperm. One night a year, in a wildly improbable mass-spawning event, all the coral of a single species will release eggs and sperm bundled together into tiny translucent globes that cloud the water and rise to the oceans surface. Here, the globes break apart, sperm and eggs intermingle, and baby coral larvae are born. Researchers used to think a larva would float along helplessly, tossed by ocean currents, until it happened on a place to land. But in recent years researchers have discovered that a baby coral polyp can sense light, temperature, pH levels, and even sound in the ocean through which it navigates, waving its tiny cilia and swimming in search of a future home. Once a larva lands and attaches, it stays put for life.

Artificial reefs can provide shelter for a limited species of creatures short-term, but can they help us keep vibrant coral ecosystems alive long-term?

3D-printed reefs, a new addition to the growing assortment of artificial reefs being dropped into ailing oceans worldwide, are designed with these polyps in mind, their nubbly surfaces grooved and inviting, intended to offer safety and succor. The worlds first 3D printed reef was sunk in the Persian Gulf in 2012. Made of pale sandstone with nubbly branches designed to look like actual coral, it was just one artificial unit among 2,620 (the others made of molded concrete) dropped off the coast of Bahrain in a massive effort to replenish dwindling fish stocks. The areas coral reefs had been ravaged by pollution and overfishing, leaving once complex marine habitats now reduced to rubble. Artificial reefs can provide shelter for a limited species of fish and sea creatures in the short-term, but can they help us keep vibrant coral ecosystems alive long-term?

Bolstering fish stocks is a worthy project, but no artificial reef is a replacement for living coral, an animal that has evolved for millions of years to interact in equilibrium with its environment. Coral-reef ecosystems cover only a tiny sliver of planetary real estate, just 0.0025 percent of the worlds ocean floor, but they are home to fully 25 percent of all marine speciesby some estimates, reefs beat even rain forests for biodiversity.

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The value of this biodiversity to humans is staggering. By one estimate, coral reefs account for over $6.7 trillion of the annual global economy, more than four times the U.K.s share. According to a 2014 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization, coral reefs are responsible for 17 percent of the protein we eat globally, and this number shoots up to as high as 70 percent in coastal or island countries like Fiji or the Maldives. Coral reefs also filter and clean polluted ocean water, and serve as protective barriers against increasingly violent storms. Perhaps most critically, coral-reef ecosystems provide half of the earths oxygen and absorb 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels. Without reefs, this warming planet will get hotter, faster. We need coral, even if it needs us like the proverbial hole in the head. And yet, across the globe coral is dying at unprecedented rates.

Across the Caribbean and Florida Keys, two key coral speciesstaghorn and elkhornhave declined by an astonishing 98 percent since the 1970s. Worldwide, coral has already declined by roughly 40 percent.

When coral bleaches, reef creatures flee or die in droves.

Just last October, The National Oceanic and Aquatic Administration (NOAA), made the devastating announcement that with the return of El Nino, we are seeing the third worldwide coral bleaching event in recorded human history. Bleaching occurs when ocean temperatures stay too warm for too longsometimes just a degree or two warmer than usualand corals react to the stress by kicking out their symbiotic zooxanthellae, the tiny algae that live in their tissues, giving corals their vibrant colors and providing them with energy through photosynthesis. Without their colorful symbiotic partners, the coral turns an eerie, skeletal white. And without its main source of energy, it starts to starve. When coral bleaches, reef creatures flee or die in droves. In a matter of days, what was once a vibrant underwater ecosystem becomes a barren field of bone fingers reaching into an empty ocean.

Difference in average ocean temperature in January 2016 as compared to 1981-2010 (NOAA)

As I write this, a massive band of unusually warm water is spreading around the middle of the planet. Corals have already bleached across the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Florida Keys. Just two weeks ago, coral started bleaching in Fiji. Thousands of blue and turquoise and pink reef fish washed up dead along the beaches of the Coral Coast. Victor Bonito, marine biologist and director of Reef Explorer Fiji, told New Zealand Radio that nearly a third of inshore corals have bleached and he has already witnessed decades of damage.

The first time a global coral bleaching event happened, when El Nino hit in 1997-98, 16 percent of the worlds coral was severely damaged. In the Maldives, it was as high as ninety percent. This time around, the bleaching is predicted to be even worse and is expected to stretch well into 2017. As Mark Eakin of NOAA put it in a statement released just a few days ago, We are currently experiencing the longest global coral bleaching event ever observed. Right now, the band of warm water is heading west from Fiji toward Australias Great Barrier Reef. Cooler weather could mitigate the damage, but already there are reports of up to 80 percent bleaching in sites along the northern edge of the World Heritage site. The Guardian reports that authorities are praying for clouds and rain.

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There is no doubt that a profound shift is underway in todays ocean, and coral reefs are the canaries in the coal mine of our carbon-obsessed planet. As a result of human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, our ocean is not only warmer, on average, but also more acidic, because CO2 emitted from burning fossil fuels gets trapped in the ocean, and turns into acid. A landmark study published in Nature last month offers the first evidence that rising CO2 levels and acidification are severely stunting coral growth.

To say that the ocean we have known in our lifetimes is already gone is not doomsaying or pessimism. Its a realistic assessment of where we stand, now. On Feb. 19, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that for the first time in recorded history the world passed the threshold of 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures, halfway to the Paris treatys controversial 2 degree Celsius threshold, a point at which, once it becomes the average, a recent paper in Nature Geoscience reports all the worlds coral reefs will already be gone. Some estimates have us on track to speed past that 2 degree Celsius threshold in the next 20 years, but just a few days ago the planet briefly heated all the way up to the dreaded 2 degree Celsius, leaving climate scientists reeling.

Given the scope of devastation under way in our ocean, its hard to know whether new technologies like 3D printed reefs can make a difference. A bit like aquatic birdhouses, artificial reefs are often designed with a certain species in mind (red snapper in Bahrain), but they provide shelter for myriad species, including algae, anemones, octopus, and crab. If molded concrete units are the Soviet-era apartment blocks of the sea, the 3D printed unit off Bahrain is an aquatic Craftsman, the buff surface carefully grooved and pitted to attract free-floating baby coral polypsthe hope being that one day those artificial limbs might be carpeted in living coral. Similarly, a new system of 3D printed reef soon to be unveiled by Reef Design Labs, co-founded by Reef Arabia founder Dave Lennon, features interlocking units with a porcelain coating that boasts dimples and a chemical makeup similar to coral that may attract baby coral polyps.

They can bounce back from disruption. They can bounce back from mortality.

While promising as a substrate for baby coral polyps, the materials these reefs are built of are guaranteed to last just sixty years. Most are not large or heavy enough to withstand being tossed around by a major weather event, and there is very little scientific data on what happens when you actually put them in the ocean. In a maddening catch-22, 3D printed reefs lack the imprimatur of data from scientific testing, which means its hard to secure funding to put them in the ocean, where data could be collected. So far, the unit off Bahrain is the only 3D printed reef in any ocean in the world, though plans are underway to sink six 3D printed reefsdesigned to help corals recuperate from damageoff the coast of Monaco later this year. (Lennon is an advisor to the project.) Meanwhile, coral around the world is struggling to survive in warmer, more acidic waters.

For millions of years, corals have lived in changeable environments, pummeled by storms and the vicissitudes of climate, and they have evolved to be inherently dynamic and resilient systems. Resilience is a word overused to the point of nonsense in recent years, but the concept is meaningful in the context of coral-reef ecology. After the first bleaching event in 1998, 16 percent of the worlds coral in fifty countries bleached. Forty percent of that coral died, but that means 60 percent of it lived. They can bounce back from disruption. They can bounce back from mortality, says Gabriel Grimsditch, the senior project officer at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, currently helping to develop coral-reef management plans.

Battered corals can recover from catastrophic events like bleaching or cyclones, but they need time. Corals grow slowly, averaging between .02 to 8 inches per year (a rate stunted by rising acidity), so even a fast recovery takes years. You cant stop a bleaching event, says Grimsditch, but you can manage for recovery. We can reduce local stressors like pollution and overfishing. We can design measures that might help give aquatic life a fighting chance. Grimsditch is focused on managing reefs longterm. Less local pressure from overfishing, land-based pollution, and destructive coastal development means healthier coral before global events, which means greater resilience afterward and the possibility of healthier reefs in the future.

Of course, some species of coral will undoubtedly fare better than others, which will fundamentally alter the makeup of the worlds coral reef ecosystems. Recently, researchers have make the remarkable discovery that some genetically younger corals are able to live in hotter and more acidic waters than their forebears. There may already be corals that have adapted to live in our future ocean. Lets focus on the factors we can manage and help reefs be more resilient, said Grimsditch. If 3D printing helps, thats great.

This perspectiveshort-term pessimism, long-term optimism, a willingness to tryis increasingly prevalent among those concerned about the future of our ocean. In Florida, marine biologist David Vaughn is using new aquaculture techniques to speed the growth and resettlement of centuries-old coral. Ruth Gates, a researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, is breeding coral in an attempt to speed evolution of a new super-coral that can thrive in warmer and more acidic water. In Curacao, marine biologist Kristen Marhaver is using 3D printed discs to study coral larvae, and has found the species she studies prefer to settle on discs that are pink or whitethe color of a healthy coral reef. One could imagine a super-coral farmed to healthy adulthood on 3D printed reefs.

Artificial reefs may help some corals survive the global transition from fossil fuels, or they may be all thats left, underwater birdhouses of concrete and porcelain built for species that have adapted to survive without coralthe dark green algae and the glittering handfuls of homeless fish searching for a place to hide. This future ocean may not be ideal, but it too, is worth fighting for.

The oldest marine organism on the planet is a deep-water black coral, Leiopathes, living off the coast of Hawaii and carbon-dated to 4,265 years old. Down where Leiopathes live, temperatures are less dependent on fluctuating weather patterns at the surface, so this coral might have better odds at surviving the epic changes underway. The future remains uncertain, but we know that change is inevitable (the calcerous part of the Alps, known as the Northern Limestone Alps, used to be coral reefs) and we know we cant reverse the effects of climate change on our oceans. The real hope is that some corals survive long enough for human civilization to wean itself from a carbon-based economy. In the meantime, we can ventilate the coal mine until we no longer need coal, and we can breed heartier canaries. Letting go is not the same as giving up.

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Ankara (AFP) - A radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party on Thursday claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb attack that killed 35 people in Ankara last weekend.

The claim by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) came as Germany closed diplomatic missions and schools in Turkey after Berlin received information that they could be targeted.

In a statement on its website, TAK named the woman bomber as Seher Cagla Demir, who had been involved since 2013 in a "radical fight against a policy of massacre and denial against the Kurdish people."

"On the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out... in Ankara, the heart of the fascist Turkish republic," the statement said.

The group also posted a picture of the 24-year-old woman online.

According to the government, the female bomber was affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and trained in Syria by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).

Sunday's bomb ripped through a busy transport hub in Ankara close to the interior and justice ministries, prime minister's office, parliament and foreign embassies.

The TAK said its attack was not intended to kill civilians and was a response to security operations by Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of the country.

- 'Crush terrorism' -

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.

The TAK already claimed a car bombing in Ankara last month that killed 29 people.

In the face of mounting criticism over the authorities' apparent failure to prevent such attacks, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday again vowed to "crush" the attackers.

"Sooner or later, we will crush all the terrorists in this country," he said.

The escalating violence has seen foreign missions in the capital heighten security measures.

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The German embassy in Ankara, the Istanbul consulate and German schools in both cities were closed Thursday as a precaution.

"There were indications that we took very seriously that attacks against our diplomatic representations in Turkey were planned," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in Berlin.

The consulate and the two schools will remain closed on Friday.

Last January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack blamed on the Islamic State group in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district.

- Crackdown -

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who laid flowers at the latest blast site on Thursday, sought to reassure citizens.

"Our security forces are working round the clock so that public order is in place," he said.

The tense security situation has seen the government press parliament to strip some pro-Kurdish lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity.

"If there's anything worse than the terrorist attacks themselves, it's the political parties that support them," Davutoglu said.

Turkish police have also arrested a number of lawyers and academics in recent days as part of a clampdown on pro-Kurdish activists.

The crackdown has so far raised only muted criticism from Europe, which is relying on Turkey's help to resolve the continent's unprecedented migrant crisis.

In the immediate aftermath of Sunday's bombing, the Turkish authorities pointed the finger at the PKK, against which Ankara has waged a relentless assault since late last year after a shaky two-year truce collapsed.

Just hours after the blast, Turkish jets dropped bombs on PKK targets in northern Iraq.

Turkish officials say the little-known TAK is a front for PKK attacks on civilian targets, but the PKK claims TAK is a splinter group over which it has no control.

The PKK launched a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 for greater autonomy for Kurds, a conflict that has claimed some 40,000 lives and is listed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

Citing "security concerns", the Turkish authorities have banned Kurdish New Year festivities in several cities this year. The celebrations, scheduled for March 21, usually attract large crowds.
LONDON (Reuters) - British police arrested a record number of children for terrorism offences last year and the number of women detained also soared, official figures showed on Thursday. While the total number of terrorism-related arrests fell, 16 children aged under 18 were held in 2015, up from 10 the year before and the highest number ever recorded, according to figures from the Home Office (interior ministry). Meanwhile 45 women were detained on suspicion of terrorism crimes - a 15 percent increase on the previous year - and a continuation of a recent upward trend. In total, there were 280 terrorism-related arrests, a decrease of 3 percent from 2015 when there were 289. "The overall fall in terrorism-related arrests was driven by a fall in the number of arrests for domestic terrorism, which decreased to 15 in the year ending December 2015 compared with 28 in the previous year," the Home Office said. Arrests for international-related terrorism increased by three percent. Britain is on its second-highest threat level, meaning an attack is considered highly likely. Earlier this month, Britain's most senior anti-terrorism officer said Islamic State fighters wanted to carry out "enormous and spectacular" attacks against Britain and the Western lifestyle in general in repeats of last November's Paris attacks which left 130 people dead. (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
Baku (AFP) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday freed 14 jailed rights activists and opposition politicians in an amnesty, a move welcomed by the European Union and rights activists.

The move was part of a broader amnesty that saw a total of 148 inmates pardoned, a decree released by Aliev's office said.

Among those to be released from prison were prominent rights campaigners Rasul Jafarov and Anar Mammadli as well as deputy head of the opposition Musavat party Tofik Yagublu.

They were all on a 28-member list of "political prisoners" compiled by leading Azerbaijani rights groups.

In a separate move on Thursday, an Azerbaijani court handed a prominent opposition journalist, Rauf Mirkadyrov, a suspended sentence of five years after throwing out the initial six-year jail term, his lawyer Fuad Agayev told AFP.

Mirkadyrov was imprisoned for spying for arch-enemy Armenia in what his supporters say was a politically motivated case.

Western governments and rights activists have repeatedly criticised the leadership of the energy-rich nation of 9.4 million people for widespread rights abuses.

The European Union and international rights groups welcomed Aliyev's decision to free his critics but said the government needed to do more to improve its record.

"Good news from Azerbaijan on human rights," the European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter.

She described the development as "encouraging", adding that she had recently held talks in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.

- 'Major initiative' -

European Parliament vice-president Alexander Graf Lambsdorff called the release of opposition activists "a sign that the Azeri government is interested in restoring relations with the EU by respecting such fundamental rights as freedom of speech and assembly."

But other prisoners need to be released as well, he added.

President of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Pedro Agramunt, added: "I will continue to work with the Azeri authorities on the issue of detained persons, and I applaud this major initiative."

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Giorgi Gogia, South Caucasus director at Human Rights Watch, struck a similar note.

"It's a very good day for Azerbaijan," he told AFP.

"But there are others who still remain in jail and they all must be freed without delay."

Azerbaijan's top investigative journalist and regime critic Khadija Ismayilova, rights activists Ilgar Mammadov and Intigam Aliyev, and a number of other prominent campaigners are still behind bars, Gogia added.

Dissent in ex-Soviet Azerbaijan is often met with a tough government response.

Rights groups say the government has stepped up pressure on critical journalists and political opponents since strongman Aliyev's election for a third term in 2013.

Human Rights Watch has accused the authorities in Azerbaijan of using spurious charges of drugs or weapons possession, tax evasion, and even high treason to jail political activists and dissenting journalists.

Aliyev, 54, strongly denies rights abuses.

He took over in 2003 after the death of his father Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer and communist-era leader who had ruled newly independent Azerbaijan with an iron fist since 1993.

The Muslim-majority country wedged between Iran and Russia is considered key to Western efforts to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies.
(In March 16 item, corrects timing of legislative session in final paragraph) By Rich McKay ATLANTA (Reuters) - A religious freedom bill described by opponents as being discriminatory against same-sex couples passed the Georgia state legislature on Wednesday night in an 11th-hour vote ahead of the session's close. The legislation, dubbed the Religious Liberty Bill, still has to be signed by Georgia's Republican Governor Nathan Deal to become law. Deal has made clear that he will not sign a bill that allows discrimination, but his office did not immediately respond to request for comment on Wednesday night. Similar bills in states like Indiana and Arkansas sparked storms of criticism last year, forcing many lawmakers to retreat from the provisions. The Georgia bill, reworked several times by lawmakers amid criticism that earlier versions went too far, declares that no pastor can be forced to perform a same-sex wedding. The bill also grants faith-based organizations  churches, religious schools or associations - the right to reject holding events for people or groups of whom they object. Faith-based groups also could not be forced to hire or retain an employee whose beliefs run counter to the organization's. Opponents say the bill could be used to deny services and discriminate against same-sex couples. "The decision by the legislature today was to make an egregious and discriminatory bill even worse," the Human Rights Campaign, which represents the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, said in a statement. "It's appalling that anti-equality extremists in the legislature are trying to ignore the will of the people of Georgia," it said. Mike Griffin, a lobbyist and spokesman for the Georgia Baptist Convention, applauded the bill's passage. He said that while the bill did not give them everything they wanted, he added: "We feel weve advanced our protection of our First Amendment Right to religious freedom." "Our rights of religious liberty don't end inside the four walls of a church," he said. In a late added amendment, the proposed law says that it cannot allow discrimination already prohibited by federal law, which opponents said could nullify some of its provisions. More than 300 large corporations and small businesses, including Delta Airlines and Coca Cola, have signed a pledge decrying the Georgia legislation and urging the state lawmakers to drop it. The state legislature is set to wrap up its current legislative session next week. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Curtis Skinner and Michael Perry)
Washington (AFP) - A faceoff at the Republican Party's nominating convention between camps for and against Donald Trump appears to be a real possibility, the speaker of the House of Representatives suggested Thursday.

"Nothing has changed other than the perception that this is more likely to become an open convention than we thought before," said Paul Ryan, who as chairman of the convention is tasked with maintaining order during the July gathering.

"We're getting our minds around the idea that this could very well become a reality, and therefore those of us who are involved in the convention need to respect that," he said at his weekly press briefing in Washington.

A contested or brokered convention means none of the Republican presidential hopefuls has the 1,237 delegates required to win the nomination outright, and the party's nominee will have to be chosen through voting at the July 18 to 21 convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

Trump is leading the race for delegates, but challengers Ted Cruz and John Kasich are hoping to secure enough delegates in the state nominating contests still remaining to prevent him from winning the nomination outright.

The last contested convention was in 1976.

The lack of a clear nominee going into the convention this summer will put Ryan in the middle of what will likely be heated battles.

"My goal is to be dispassionate and to be Switzerland -- to be neutral and dispassionate, and to make sure that the rule of law prevails," he said, admitting he needs to study up on the convention rules.

The position of chairman of the Republican National Convention is typically a ceremonial role but it will be a key position at a contested convention.

Ryan on Thursday also dismissed questions on whether he would accept the nomination if there is a deadlock.

"It's not going to be me. It should be somebody running for president," he said.
By Alana Wise WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said on Thursday he would not be anybody's running-mate in the Nov. 8 presidential election, slamming down rumors that he was seeking the vice presidential nod from former rivals. "No, I'm not going to be anybody's vice president... I'm not interested in being vice president," Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill. Rubio also ruled out both seeking re-election to the U.S. Senate and a run for the Florida governorship, which was speculated as a potential next step for the first-term U.S. senator from Florida. "I'm going to finish out my term in the Senate over the next 10 months... and then I'll be a private citizen in January," he said. Throughout his 2016 bid for the White House, Rubio repeatedly stated he was uninterested in returning to the Senate, instead focusing his campaign efforts solely on the Republican Party's nomination. Asked whether he would rule out a run for a political office in the future, Rubio said: "I'm not running for governor, I'm not running for re-election to the Senate. Beyond that, who knows?" Rubio, once seen as the establishment favorite for the party's nomination, suspended his campaign efforts on Tuesday following a loss in his home-state of Florida to party front-runner and political upstart Donald Trump. (Reporting by Alana Wise; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell)
A second trailer for July's "The Legend of Tarzan" refamiliarizes us with the concept of Tarzan as wild jungle savant supreme.

This treatment of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan character sees the adult jungle boy, Lord Greystoke, returning to the Congo at his country's behest.

The whole thing is a set-up, as colonist Captain Rom has other schemes at work -- and plans to use Tarzan to achieve them.

Alexander Skarsgard stars as Tarzan, with Margot Robbie as Jane and Christoph Waltz as Captain Rom.

Samuel L. Jackson, Djimon Hounsou, John Hurt and Osy Ikhile also feature.

Release in several major territories, including the USA and Canada, has been set for the week of July 1, with international rollout continuing through the rest of the month.

The Legend of Tarzan - Official Trailer 2: youtu.be/dLmKio67pVQ
Bucharest (AFP) - Romania called on its citizens Thursday to dig deep into their pockets to keep a masterpiece by celebrated sculptor Constantin Brancusi in the country.

The government in one of the EU's poorest countries has agreed to pay 11 million euros ($12.5 million) for "Wisdom of the Earth", considered one of the finest works by the Romanian-French artist.

But the state is putting up just five million euros from its own coffers for the sculpture, a national treasure which was seized by the communist regime and has been at the heart of a decades-long legal battle over its ownership.

It is seeking to raise the rest from the public and has launched an appeal to Romanian citizens, private companies and the diaspora, Culture Minister Vlad Alexandrescu said at a press conference.

"We are poor but with such a work of art... it's now or never," added Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos.

He said Romania would be "poorer still" without the sculpture, a woman carved out of limestone sitting with her arms on her legs and staring enigmatically into the distance.

It is currently on display at the Cotroceni National Museum in Bucharest.

The Romanian state has first refusal on all works considered national treasures and had been engaged in long negotiations to buy the Brancusi from the owners, who were initially demanding 20 million euros.

The sculptor, who spend much of his life in Paris where he died in 1957, had sold "Wisdom of the Earth" to his Romanian friend and art lover Gheorghe Romascu in 1911.

But it was seized in 1957 by the communist authorities claiming they intended to exhibit it at an art exhibition overseas.

After a lengthy legal battle launched after the fall of the Ceausescu regime in 1989, it was finally returned in 2010 to Romascu's descendants who announced four years later they intended to sell it.
By Henning Gloystein and Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE/JINAN, China (Reuters) - The sales team at Sakhalin Energy on Russia's far east still finds Singapore hot, but they're flying in more often these days.

"We come out three times a year now to visit existing clients and make new connections," said Alexander Tsarev, its general manager of crude oil marketing on a recent visit. "Personal contact is important, especially in a competitive market like this one. You have to be flexible and close to your partners."

The oil and gas producer, based on Russia's Sakhalin island, is one of a handful of far east Russian oil companies that are rapidly expanding their market share in Asia, the world's fastest growing oil market.

Exploiting its proximity to northern Asia and the collapse of the rouble against the U.S. dollar, Russia has become the fastest growing oil supplier to Asia at a time when Middle East exporters are distracted by internal strife and competition from U.S. shale producers.

"Russian crude is really attractive to us due to its fast delivery time and also cheap prices," said a spokeswoman from SK Innovation , which owns South Korea's largest refiner.

China, Japan and South Korea together import more than 12 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, twice the amount bought by the United States, the world's top consumer.

Russia's exports to China have more than doubled since 2013, steadily catching up with top supplier Saudi Arabia, according to data from Thomson Reuters Oil Research & Forecasts. Both countries supplied over 4 million tonnes of crude a month, or about 1 million barrels per day (bpd), by the end of last year.

'TEAPOTS' RISE

Russia has made the most headway in China, where the 4,900 km Eastern SiberiaPacific Ocean (Espo) oil pipeline, helped it beat out the Saudis to be the biggest exporter for several months last year. China also overtook Germany as Russia's biggest oil customer.

Russian exports have been boosted by the emergence of China's independent refiners, known as "teapots", which have quotas to import the equivalent of about 20 percent of China's crude imports, which have hit a record of 8 million bpd.

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Russia's oil has taken market share "because of the good mix of quality and price of Russian oil," Li Xiangping, chairman of China's largest private refiner Dongming Petrochemical Group, told Reuters on the sidelines of a recent event in Shandong.

Almost all of the teapots are gathered in the coastal Shangdong province and are connected by pipelines to mid-size terminals that cannot accept the massive supertankers used by Middle Eastern exporters.

Russia, by contrast, ships its oil in smaller vessels.

NOT JUST CHINA

Russia is also targeting the trading hub of Singapore and is making gains in Japan and South Korea, although its share of shipments there still lags well behind Saudi Arabia.

Between 2013 and 2015, Russia's far eastern exports to South Korea doubled to more than 200,000 bpd, while shipments to Japan rose about 25 percent to 290,000 bpd, despite the country's falling oil demand.

While the smaller ships needed to serve east-Russia's smaller ports mean that its seaborne crude does not necessarily have a freight cost advantage over supplies from the Middle East's cost-efficient super-tankers, the shorter distance poses a huge time advantage to refiners, buyers say.

A super-tanker at average speeds of 15 knots will take over 20 days to reach South Korea from Saudi Arabia, while a journey from Russia's Pacific far east takes just two or three days.

"The short distance and faster delivery of Russian crude makes it possible to refine crude early, therefore shortening the period between time of purchase and actual delivery, when refiners are exposed to variable factors," said a trading source at a Japanese refinery.

Russia's aggressive move into Asia has led Middle East producers like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq to re-focus their sales effort on Europe.

Russia itself is now eying the next big prize in oil markets, India, where demand has just pipped supply and growth now outpaces China.

Russian oil giant Rosneft [ROSN.MM] is on a high profile visit to India this week to sign energy deals with several leading Indian refiners and firmly establish itself as a major supplier of the world's fastest growing fuel market.

(Additional reporting by Rebecca Jang in SEOUL, Vladimir Soldatkin in MOSCOW, and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by Richard Pullin)
KIGALI (Reuters) - Rwanda has rejected a claim by police in neighboring Burundi that they had detained a Rwandan soldier there who was on a mission to "destabilize" Burundi. Burundi police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said last Saturday they had arrested a Rwandan man close to the border with Tanzania, about 250 km from the Burundian capital of Bujumbura, whose aim was to destabilize the central African country. Rwandan government officials said on Thursday they had managed to track down the man's family, who confirmed he was not a soldier and described him instead as a "thug". Brig. Gen Joseph Nzabamwita, spokesman for the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), said earlier this week no soldiers were missing from the force and the man's name was not in its files. The accusations are very childish, ridiculous and lack credibility," Nzabamwita told Reuters. "This soldier does not exist. Burundi has been in turmoil since last April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to seek a third term, sparking weeks of street protests. Rights groups have warned the country could be slipping toward civil war. More than 400 people have been killed since then, including in the aftermath of a coup attempt in May. Opposition parties say Nkurunziza's election bid, which he went on to win, was unconstitutional. Burundi accused Rwanda in December of supporting a rebel group that was recruiting Burundian refugees on Rwandan soil, a charge dismissed by Rwandan President Paul Kagame. A confidential report to the U.N. Security Council accuses Rwanda of recruiting and training Burundian refugees with the aim of ousting Nkurunziza. Burundi and Rwanda have the same ethnic mix, about 85 percent Hutus and 15 percent Tutsis. A 12-year civil war in Burundi, which ended in 2005, pitted a Tutsi-led army against Hutu rebel groups. (Reporting by Clement Uwiringiyimana; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Washington (AFP) - Senator Bernie Sanders has conceded defeat to Hillary Clinton in the Missouri Democratic presidential primary, a Sanders spokesman said Thursday.

This means Clinton won in all five states where primary voting was held on Tuesday, including the key ones of Florida and Ohio.

The Missouri results had been too close to call, until Thursday. Sanders conceded defeat and will not request a recount.

"I prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money," the senator said, according to spokesman Michael Briggs.

Clinton is the frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination for the presidential election in November.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shell and Saudi Aramco [SDABO.UL] on Wednesday announced plans to break up Motiva Enterprises LLC and divide up the assets, almost two decades after forming the U.S. oil refining and marketing joint venture. The split comes after early signs of the break-up emerged last summer when Motiva set up its own oil products trading business separate from Shell. "The Motiva joint venture with Shell has served our downstream business objectives very well for many years," Abdulrahman Al-Wuhaib, Senior Vice President of downstream at Saudi Aramco, said in the statement. "However, it is now time for the partners to pursue their independent downstream goals." Under the terms of a non-binding letter of intent, the Saudi state oil giant will take over the Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, the biggest in the United States, retain 26 distribution terminals as well as the Motiva name, according to a statement. It will also have an exclusive licence to use the Shell brand for gasoline and diesel sales in Texas, the majority of the Mississippi Valley, the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets, it said. For its part, Shell will assume sole ownership of the Norco, Louisiana, refinery, where it also operates a chemicals plant, the Convent, Louisiana refinery, nine distribution terminals, as well as Shell branded markets in Florida, Louisiana and the Northeastern region. Shell said it will combine the assets with its other downstream operations in North America. (Reporting by Josephine Mason in New York and Erwin Seba in Houston; Editing by David Gregorio and Sandra Maler)
SeaWorld has announced the end of its controversial killer whale breeding program.

The theme park chain's current generation of orcas will be the last in its care, the company has revealed.

The group also plans to introduce new "natural orca encounters" to its guest experience, replacing the theatrical shows featuring its whales. The move will start in its San Diego park next year, followed by San Antonio and then Orlando in 2019.

A new partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to protect the oceans has also been announced, with SeaWorld pledging to educate its millions of annual visitors on animal welfare and conservation issues through interpretative programs.



The current population of orcas at SeaWorld -- including one pregnant orca, Takara -- will live out their lives at the company's 11 park habitats.

The company suffered intense backlash against its orca captivity policies following the release of the 2013 documentary "Blackfish".
From a very early age, we learn -- in a manner of speaking -- to nitpick ourselves. We take information from those we encounter and the world around us to fine-tune how we act and who we are, taking note of what doesn't work in an ongoing internal dialogue that stretches back to childhood. "The healthy form of self-criticism," says Divya Kannan, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, may involve a child evaluating his or her own behavior, like what not to do, based on cues from parents and teachers.

Constructive self-critiquing can help with proper development, plus everything from preserving relationships to toeing the line professionally. But for some, harsher self-criticism, often deeply rooted in his or her upbringing, can prove psychologically -- and in certain cases, even physically -- devastating. "Self-criticism is a tendency to set unrealistically high self-standards and to adopt a punitive, derogatory stance toward the self once these are not met, as invariably they are not because of their ever-raising nature," said psychologist and researcher Golan Shahar, a professor of clinical-health and developmental-health psychology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, in an email. Shahar, the author of a new book called "Erosion: The Psychopathology of Self-Criticism," explains this internal negative bent can have severe consequences.

[Read: Reducing Mental Health Risk for Kids in Military Families.]

"Self-criticism is a trait that has been shown to lead to numerous forms of psychopathology: depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder symptoms," Shahar says. It can lead to psychosomatic symptoms, he says, whereby the mental struggles manifest in physical problems, such a chronic fatigue and pain; and under the weight of the mounting mental health burden, some take their own lives.

The Kids Need to Know They're Alright

The seeds of self-criticism are planted early.

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It's caused by two possible factors, Shahar says: "Harsh, critical and punitive family relationships, or a very vulnerable genetics embedding the tendency to look inwardly and seek flaws." And of course, he adds, both factors can combine to play a role. "The primary origin ... [is] critical parents," says Beverly Engel, a marriage and family therapist based in Los Osos, California. "That usually is where it starts -- having overly critical parents or parents who have unreasonable expectations of their children." Engel is the author of "It Wasn't Your Fault," a book about utilizing self-compassion to overcome shame and self-criticism stemming from childhood abuse.

Childhood trauma, such as sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse, can cause a child to feel tremendous shame, Engel says, and that "shame is at the core of self-criticism." The same egocentric perspective healthy children naturally have that the world revolves around them makes them feel they're responsible for everything that happens to them -- especially when it involves their parents. "But even when it isn't a parent, the child will blame themselves -- especially with sexual abuse," Engel says, adding with physical and emotional abuse, young children also blame themselves. "They can't even conceptualize that somebody would do this to them, if they somehow didn't cause it," she says. "So every time a child is traumatized, that goes hand in hand with trauma is shame -- this horrible, debilitating shame. That's more than, 'I did something wrong.' It's: 'I'm wrong, I'm bad' -- and this shame is what causes people then to be horribly self-critical."

Parents routinely don't recognize they're overly critical, Engel says. She describes overly critical parents as those "who find fault in what their children do a lot more than they give encouragement; the parents' focus is a negative focus on the child -- kind of always looking for the child to do something wrong ... versus encouraging or giving the child any kind of accolades whatsoever." In so doing, parents are commonly inflicting an internal family legacy upon their children, passing on the same sort of derision they received as a child from their parents. "One of the primary forms of emotional abuse of parents to children is this horribly self-critical stance," Engel says. Being hyper-disciplined and pushing children toward high levels of achievement alone doesn't constitute mistreatment; still experts say demanding parents, like so-called Tiger Moms, should be cautious not to go too far. "Tiger Moms are generally more overly protective than overly critical but [the way] they can inflict damage on their children is by being perfectionists and by pushing their children beyond their limits," Engel says.

[Read: Dolphin Parenting: Raising Kids to Be Smart and Happy.]

Shahar says parents must be very cautious about being punitive and derogatory toward their children, since children can internalize this in the way they treat themselves. "Instructing children and ... pointing out and even sanctioning bad behavior is mandatory, of course," he says. "But this never, or almost never, should be translated toward attacking the child's core being, or the child will internalize it and will follow suit." Divya, who has studied the effects of self-criticism in adolescents and adults, says ultimately many who endure bullying or abuse incorporate that in how they relate to themselves: "You might start to kind of attack yourself in the same way you've been attacked."

Break the Cycle With Self-Compassion

"What is interesting, in my opinion, is that once self-criticism has developed, it spreads around like an infectious virus," Shahar says. "Self-critical children make their parents even more self-critical toward them, and they create criticism-based relationships with siblings, peers and teachers. The process unfolds over the life span, resulting in a strong, self-critical identity."

Engel points out this creates obstacles for the children, even while parents may think they're helping kids get ahead in life. Those hurdles can trip them up as adults, too. "Self-critics fear that others might criticize and reject them, and inadvertently evoke these very reactions. They isolate themselves from people and refrain from engaging in pleasurable activities. The end result is emotional disorders, primarily depression and anxiety," Shahar says, among other psychological issues. "In adolescence and young adulthood, such distress may feed back to self-criticism and bolster it: 'I feel so bad, something must be deficient in me.' I call this process 'the self-critical cascade.'"

Treatment of psychological issues can be complicated by the fact that many self-critical people blame themselves for their mental health struggles, and may punish themselves by not seeking treatment, Shahar says. But it's possible to tweak the internal dialogue and find a more positive way forward, particularly using an "antidote to shame:" self-compassion, Engel says. When a self-critical voice spirals out of control and leads to mental health issues or when a person finds, for example, that they're self-sabotaging -- not allowing successes and positive moments to stand, finding ways to create problems or undermine long-term goals -- it's important, experts say, to seek professional help. Therapy can also help parents break the cycle, so they don't continue to pass on the harsh legacy to children.

Shahar says he teaches adolescents and young adults about the detriments of self-criticism. "I then teach them to identify their inner critic and then to cultivate other voices inside them that are not critical," he says. He teaches patients to base their behavior on those benign/benevolent voices, rather than self-critical ones, using interpersonal, cognitive, behavioral and psychodynamic therapeutic techniques and relying on the healing power of therapeutic relationships.

[Read: Gender-Neutral Parenting: Letting Kids Choose.]

Kannan notes that psychoanalytic therapy that delves into negative internalized childhood experiences may help in understanding the origins of self-criticism and treating the issue, and Engel highlights compassion-focused therapy, mindful self-compassion and trauma-focused therapy as specific types of therapeutic approaches for those who are deeply shamed and self-critical. "Across approaches the idea is, you can recognize and sort of verbalize those internal attitudes -- talk through what the origins were -- then you may be able to separate the part of yourself that's more balanced or more positive from the self-critical part," Kannan says. "Then you can start to say, 'OK, that's maybe a part of me -- it's not all of me.' So it's like the difference between saying you've experienced failure, versus you are a failure."

Michael Schroeder is a health editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at mschroeder@usnews.com.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Ethnic Uighur militants from western China are increasing their presence in Indonesia, China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, after Indonesian security forces said they killed two Uighurs belonging to a militant network. Indonesia has launched an aggressive, military-backed, security campaign in the jungles of Sulawesi island as it battles the threat from growing domestic support for the Islamic State militant group. Indonesian police said the two men killed in a clash on Tuesday were from China's Uighur Muslim minority who had joined Indonesia's most high-profile backer of Islamic State, a militant called Santoso, in central Sulawesi. Santoso, Indonesia's most wanted man, has been on the run for more than three years. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said he had noted the reports about the shootout and was trying to find out more. "China and Indonesia are both victims of terrorism and are facing new threats from the changing international and regional counter-terrorism environment," he told a daily news briefing. "In recent years, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) terrorist forces have continued to increase their infiltration of Indonesia and have linked up with Indonesian terrorist extremist groups and have opened a transhipment route for people to participate in international terrorist activities," Lu added. "This is not only threatens China's national security but is also a real danger to Indonesia's and the region's social stability." China says the ETIM is a militant group with ties to al Qaeda and it wants to establish an independent state called East Turkestan. Lu said China and Indonesia supported and understood each other on counter-terrorism and had very good cooperation, and China was willing to increase that. Four Uighur men were jailed last year in Indonesia for attempting to join the Sulawesi-based militants. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Uighurs keen to escape unrest in their homeland of Xinjiang in western China have traveled clandestinely via Southeast Asia to Turkey. China says they often end up crossing into Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State militants. Hundreds of people have been killed over the past few years in resource-rich Xinjiang, on the borders of central Asia, in violence between Uighurs and ethnic majority Han Chinese. Beijing has blamed much of the violence on militants led by ETIM. Rights groups and exiles say anger at Chinese controls on the religion and culture of the Uighurs is at the root of unrest in Xinjiang, not a yearning for a separate state. China denies any repression in Xinjiang. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
New York (AFP) - A group of small Argentina "holdout" creditors has complained they are being ignored while the country settles with major bondholders and is seeking the removal of the court mediator in the case.

Mohammed Ladjevardian, of the Houston firm United Capital Investments, said his complaint to the New York district court dated Wednesday represents more than $27 million in debt defaulted on by Argentina in 2001.

Ladjevardian alleged that while the mediator, Daniel Pollack, has facilitated multibillion-dollar settlements between the country and its largest holdout bondholders since February, Pollack "has orchestrated this systematic isolation of the plaintiffs and other small bondholders."

He said that in all, the claims of small creditors being ignored and not being protected in the settlement deals amount to more than $832 million.

Despite the size of their interests, "they have been purposefully frozen out of the ongoing settlement discussions between Argentina and certain other plaintiffs," the complaint alleged.

The complaint says that Argentina has made the small creditors a "take it or leave it offer" that is worth some 29 percent less than that for the larger creditors.

At the same time, it notes many of the small creditors have held their bonds since before the country defaulted on nearly $100 billion in debt in 2001.

The hedge funds that have already reached deals, on the other hand, mostly scooped up the bonds at steep discounts around the time of the default and have reaped generous profits on the repayment deals.

In an email to AFP, Pollack rejected the complaints. "His accusations are baseless," he said.

After a long legal battle with creditors, Argentina is seeking to settle some $9 billion in claims against it, in hopes of clearing its record and regaining access to international markets.

Earlier this month Ladjevardian wrote to Pollack saying his effort to get the mediator involved in his claim "has fallen to deaf ears" and said he would ask the court to remove Pollack for a more sympathetic mediator.

Pollack replied the next day that he does "not respond well to rudeness or threats" and characterized Ladjevardian's case as complicated by "some kind of marital dispute between you and your wife or ex-wife," according to court filings.
By Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - A small but significant militant faction on Thursday joined Afghanistan's fledgling peace process, a rare positive for an initiative that has been fraught with false starts and publicly rejected by the main Taliban insurgency. The announcement marked the first success for the renewed effort, aided by the U.S., China and Pakistan, to end nearly 15 years of war in Afghanistan that kills and maims hundreds of people each month. Representatives of Hizb-i-Islami, an Islamist militant movement of several hundred fighters led by Soviet-era Afghan war hero Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, appeared at a press briefing with members of the High Peace Council, which oversees the peace process. "Today we held our first intra-Afghan dialogue in the presence of High Peace Council leadership," said Mohammad Ayoub Rafiq, the council's head of secretariat. "May God help us to progress on the path of peace." The head of the Hizb-i-Islami delegation, Karim Amin, said he hoped other anti-government fighters would be inspired by the "selflessness" of his movement and join the process, although there was no mention of the group surrendering arms yet. Loosely allied with the Afghan Taliban, Hizb-i-Islami fighters are believed to be active in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar, Nuristan, Ghazni and Logar provinces. The movement also has a political party with members in parliament and government, and wields influence because of the fearsome reputation of its founder and leader. Hekmatyar became a hero to many Afghans while leading mujahideen fighters against the Soviet occupation of the country in the 1980s. A former Afghan prime minister, he took up arms against the new government in Kabul after the 2001 U.S.-sponsored toppling of the Taliban's hardline Islamist regime. Hekmatyar left Afghanistan in the mid-1990s and is believed to be in Pakistan, although his exact location is unknown. Small groups of Hizb-i-Islami have defected to Afghanistan's government in the past, but the main leadership's decision to join formal peace talks marked a milestone for the process. The Taliban's leadership, however, earlier this month rejected an invitation to join direct talks with the Afghan government in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Though it is one of several armed anti-government factions and its own leadership is fractured, the Taliban are responsible for most of the attacks in Afghanistan. The movement intensified its offensive last year, the first in which Afghanistan's armed forces and police were fighting without NATO combat troops who withdrew at the end of 2014. In October, the Taliban captured the northern provincial capital of Kunduz, the first major city to fall to the insurgents since 2001. Afghan forces backed by U.S. air power took back the city after a week of intense fighting. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
By Serajul Quadir and John Chalmers DHAKA/MANILA (Reuters) - Bangladesh police launched a criminal investigation on Thursday into the cyber theft of $81 million from the central bank's U.S. account but said it was too early to pinpoint any suspects. The money was transferred to accounts in the Philippines, and a Senate hearing there was told that nearly half a million dollars was skimmed off and packed into a bank branch manager's car. The bulk went to two casinos and an individual who is believed to be a junket operator. The heist took place between Feb 4 and Feb 5, when unknown hackers breached the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and attempted to steal $951 million from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which it uses for international settlements. The other transfers were blocked, but $81 million went to accounts in a Manila branch of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) , and was quickly further transferred. Romualdo S. Agarrado, a reserve officer of RCBC who was at the branch at the time, told the hearing that a withdrawal slip for 20 million pesos ($432,000) from one of the accounts was made out by the manager Maia Santos Deguito herself and cashed. Agarrado cited her as saying at the time: "I would rather do this than me being killed or my family." In Dhaka, a central bank spokesman said a police team visited the bank on Thursday to understand the workings of the accounts and budget department and the computer system as they launched their probe. "We have just started our investigation. It is a bit early to name suspects," a police official said. The cyber thieves hid their tracks by installing malware that manipulated a central bank printer to hide evidence of the heist, according to a person familiar with an investigation by cyber security experts. However, the investigators have so far found no evidence of inside involvement in the hacking of the banks computers, the source said. Earlier, central bank officials filed a police report that said that a computer and printer the bank used to order SWIFT wire transfers were manipulated so that authorities could not see records of outgoing wire transfer requests or receipts confirming that they had been received. Details about the issues with the computer and printer were among the first clues to surface as to how the attack was carried out. A representative from Brussels-based SWIFT, a bank-owned cooperative that runs a secure private messaging system widely used for requesting money transfers, declined comment on Wednesday. MANAGER SAYS MADE SCAPEGOAT In the Philippines, officials have told the Senate committee that the $81 million was wired to four fictitious accounts at RCBC, most of it was subsequently consolidated into one account and was then sent on to a foreign exchange broker called Philrem Service Corp. From Philrem, more than $30 million was delivered in cash to an ethnic Chinese man who some witnesses said they believed is a casino junket operator in Manila, although regulatory officials told Reuters they had not previously heard of him. A further $50 million was split between a casino resort and a gaming firm in the Philippines, officials said. Thursday's hearing focused on the branch manager, who for the most part declined to answer questions from the senators except in camera. "The 20 million pesos was placed in the car of Ms. Deguito and she drove off with it," RCBC attorney Maria Celia Fernandez-Estavillo told the hearing, referring to details of an affidavit from Agarrado, the reserve officer. In an interview with a local TV channel before the hearing, Deguito denied any wrongdoing and said she was being used as a scapegoat. The Anti-Money Laundering Council of the Philippines said complaints have been made against the manager of the RCBC branch and the holders of fictitious accounts into which the money was originally deposited at the branch. (Additional reporting by Jeremy Wagstaff in Singapore; Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales in Manila; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African cabinet minister Ngoako Ramathlodi was invited to the home of the Gupta family, his advisor told Reuters on Thursday, a further sign of the influence of the Indian businessmen close to President Jacob Zuma. "We did receive an invite as soon as the minister was appointed but he told them he was not taking any invites because his focus was to resolve the platinum strike," Ramathlodi's aide Mahlodi Muofhe said. Ramathlodi also told Reuters that the influence of the Gupta family would be a very serious issue to be discussed at a meeting of the ruling African National Congress this weekend. (Reporting by Zamndi Shabalala; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing James Macharia)
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene said on Thursday he would not comment on allegations that powerful businessmen close to President Jacob Zuma were involved in his removal. "I cannot help you," he told Reuters. Deputy finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas rocked government when he said on Wednesday that a wealthy family with close ties to President Jacob Zuma may have been behind his decision to sack the country's respected finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December. (This story has been refiled to add dropped words in third paragraph) (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by James Macharia)
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's constitutional democracy, formed 22 years ago, is facing a serious crisis as President Jacob Zuma and his supporters look to advance their personal interests, former president FW de Klerk said on Thursday. De Klerk, the last white president who helped usher in the demise of white minority rule in 1994, said the dismissal Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister last year and an ongoing vendetta against Pravin Gordhan was pushing South Africa closer to a "catastrophic" ratings downgrade. Africa's most industrialized country has been rocked by allegations of corruption and undue influence of the Gupta family, seen as close to Zuma, in political appointments following allegations by deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas that he was offered the finance minister job. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Tiisetso Motsoeneng)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - No one in South Africa's ruling party is untouchable, including President Jacob Zuma, the party's secretary general said on Thursday in response to questions about allegations of interference in politics by Zuma's business friends. The government was rocked on Wednesday by suggestions that a wealthy family with close ties to Zuma may have been behind his decision to sack the country's respected finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in December. "He's not untouchable, he's the president," Mantashe told Reuters. "Why should we see this as a crisis instead of a positive? It will embolden people to come to the fore ... so we can find the business people who are tampering within the ANC." (Reporting by Joe Brock; Editing by James Macharia)
New York (AFP) - Spotify, the leader in the booming streaming industry, on Thursday reached a settlement to improve royalty payments to US music publishers as the company hopes to avoid potentially costly lawsuits.

The National Music Publishers' Association, which advocates on behalf of the US houses that hold songwriters' copyright, announced the deal which relates to songs whose authors have been difficult to identify.

Amid the rapid growth of streaming, which allows unlimited on-demand music, Spotify has faced charges that it paid little attention to ensuring proper payment of royalties, which go both to performers and the often more anonymous songwriters.

Although songwriter credit on modern commercial music is easily obtained, the details are often missing or incorrect on the digital files for obscure or older songs.

Under the agreement, the Swedish company said it would put forward to publishers a pool of money it has stored for previous unmatched royalties and add to it a "large bonus compensation fund."

A joint statement did not specify the amount. A person familiar with the deal said on condition of anonymity that Spotify's existing pool was $16 million and that it was adding another $5 million.

Spotify and the music publishers committed to building a database to match streamed songs to their writers more consistently.

"As we have said many times, we have always been committed to paying songwriters and publishers every penny," Spotify spokesman Jonathan Prince said in the statement.

David Israelite, the president of the publishers' association, pledged to keep pushing "digital services to properly pay for the musical works that fuel their businesses.

"After much work together, we have found a way for Spotify to quickly get royalties to the right people," he said.

- Major lawsuits loom -

David Lowery, best known for leading the alternative rock bands Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven, filed a $150 million lawsuit in December alleging that Spotify has systematically infringed on copyright in its rush to upload a vast music library.

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He wants a US judge to declare a class action lawsuit in which all aggrieved artists could claim royalties from Spotify.

Lowery's lawyer Mona Hanna criticized Thursday's agreement as an attempt by Spotify to limit its liability "in secret, without court oversight" and questioned the deal's enforceability.

"Thousands of songwriters have been harmed by Spotify, and a class action is the best way to protect their songs and their livelihood," said Hanna, a managing partner at firm Michelman & Robinson.

Songwriter Melissa Ferrick in January also filed a $200 million class action lawsuit against Spotify on slightly different legal grounds.

Individual publishers, which range from major players to small artist-run imprints, will have to choose whether to enter the deal or back one of the lawsuits.

Under the agreement, Spotify will send a royalty check for all songs it cannot match back to the group of publishers -- but only those that take part in the deal.

The joint statement did not specify how the money would be divided among the publishers.

Spotify will keep paying normal royalties to publishers regardless of whether they agree to the settlement.

The private company, which is estimated to be worth more than $8 billion, says it has paid back more than $3 billion in royalties since its launch in 2008.

Critics, notably pop superstar Taylor Swift, disapprove of Spotify's advertising-backed free tier through which three-quarters of its more than 75 million users listen without paying.

Spotify and the publishers' group voiced confidence that the deal would benefit the entire industry as identification problems are not unique to Spotify.
AUSTIN, TEXAS  Every year for the past 30, South By Southwest has rolled through Austin, Texas, like a #brand carnival. Companies like Samsung, Axe and McDonald's wave their wands over parks, bars and parking lots and turn them into multi-faceted, interactive brand experiences and artist showcases. Then, one week later, they disappear, leaving little but a trail of hashtags in their wake.

However, this year, the Spotify House  one of the largest and most in-demand daytime party houses  is determined to do things a little differently. The Swedish streaming giant will be leaving some of its massive setup and resources in the hands of some deserving Austinites who can put it to great use.

Together with DPR Construction and Acoustic Spaces, Spotify will be donating much of its massive audio setup, art and furniture to the Kealing Middle School in order to build a recording studio for its music production classes. Judging by the size and design of the Spotify House, it's going to be one hell of a space.

Kealing is part magnet program, part neighborhood public school, and brings together a diverse group of kids from a wide variety of backgrounds. Students in these two academic systems take mostly separate core classes, but connect over the school's shared music programs.

"Immediately, we fell in love with the school's vision to provide arts resources to all their kids," Kerry Steib, Spotify's director of social impact explained to Mic. "Kealing focuses on the programs that are bringing together kids from every type of background, like music production. But the class needs more resources to go beyond the basics and serve all the students that are interested."

We're ready for construction! Thanks again @Spotify @MINDPOPaustin @DPRConstruction #AISDProud pic.twitter.com/MQ5t3naSi5 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdSI3PKUIAAv1HC.jpg:large

A cadre of volunteers will use Spotify's resources to divide one of the school's existing classrooms into three separate recording studios.

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"We're not paying a dime, so this is huge," Kealing principal Kenisha Coburn told the Austin Chronicle. "There are always grant opportunities, but I've never experienced a company coming to campus and doing something of this scope. Usually you have to ask and beg and write."

Brand community engagement done right. Thanks @Spotify! #MakeMusicChange pic.twitter.com/TUOzYjiIUa https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdhhhoJUUAAbHzI.jpg:large

For Spotify, it's all about trying to create a more lasting connection with the local community, and for encouraging Austin's thriving music scene beyond SXSW.

"We know that music helps us connect with each other and build community, and it's amazing to watch that happen every day at Kealing," Steib told Mic. "I hope that this becomes a creative space where every kid has the opportunity to try something new, make some friends, and create music that gives them confidence in themselves."
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan on Thursday threatened to shut its border with South Sudan just weeks after reopening crossings, accusing Juba of backing insurgents battling Khartoum.

South Sudan split from Sudan in 2011 under a peace deal that ended a 22-year civil war, but Juba and Khartoum have traded allegations the other is supporting rebels on their territory, which both deny.

"If the government of South Sudan does not stop supporting the insurgents, we might take measures to protect the security of our country and we might even close the border with South Sudan again," Ibrahim Mahmoud, a senior aide to President Omar al-Bashir, told reporters after officials met African Union mediator Thabo Mbeki in Khartoum.

Bashir ordered the reopening of the frontier with South Sudan on January 27 after years of tense relations between the countries, including disputes over several border areas.

Sudan's cabinet also said it had decided to change the special status accorded to nearly 200,000 South Sudanese who have taken shelter from their country's civil war in Sudan since December 2013.

The South Sudanese had not been granted refugee status but were theoretically entitled to the same rights as Sudanese citizens and received the same access to healthcare, education and other basic services.

The cabinet said it "decided to verify the identity of citizens of South Sudan staying in the country by taking legal measures against anyone who does not have a passport and an entry visa for Sudan within a week".

It was unclear exactly what the change would mean, although the cabinet said in a statement online that South Sudanese in Sudan would be treated as "foreigners regarding receiving health, education and other services".

The Khartoum office of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said late Thursday it was seeking clarification from the Sudanese government about what the changes entail.

The comments came ahead of an AU-mediated meeting from Friday in Addis Ababa between Sudanese officials and rebels from South Kordofan, Blue Nile and the western Darfur regions to discuss the conflicts in Sudan's border regions.

There has been a surge in fighting between Sudanese troops and allied militia in South Kordofan state, which borders South Sudan, and Blue Nile state, in recent weeks.
In Cambodia, rice paddies account for more than 80 percent of cultivated land, and women tend many of them. Mom Thany, an undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, recently acknowledged womens important role in the sectorbut said they should try harder to learn new farming techniques, how to adapt to climate change, and so on, according to Voice of America.

Its not so easy, however, to escape the limitations of smallholder farmingwhich Rick Bates, a professor of horticulture at Penn State University, notes are often called very resilient poverty traps. Thats why he and a team of researchers launched a project early this year designed to improve nutrition and empower Cambodian women in the four provinces around Tonle Sap Lake in the northern part of the country, where the poverty rate tops 45 percent in some areas and there are high concentrations of stunting and malnutrition.

The $1 million project will work directly with 250 women farmers and will run until September 2019. Its funded by the Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab at Kansas State University, which currently funds similar projects in in Bangladesh, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Burkina Faso focused on using a farming practice called sustainable intensification, or SI, to address the food and nutritional security of smallholder farmers.

Basically, SI involves growing more food, on existing land, using less resources and in an ecologically friendly manner, Bates wrote in an email to TakePart.

RELATED: Closing the Gender Gap on the Farm Could End World Hunger

For rice, which Cambodia has been exporting more of in the last several years, SI involves planting seedlings at a younger age than usual, which encourages resilient roots that can withstand drought or intense rain. Plants are also spaced at wider intervals, which encourages more leaf growth. Conventional rice methods call for continuous flooding, but SI methods call for a minimum of water to keep soil moist.

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The results are significant: Paddy yields increase by an average of 50 to 100 percent, decreased seed usage results in costs declining by as much as 80 to 90 percent, and irrigation water use declines by 25 to 50 percent, according to a presentation given by Cornell University professor Norman Uphoff at the World Bank in 2012. Lotus Foods, the rice brand at your local Whole Foods, works with farmers who use these methods.

For the team from Penn State, deploying SI principles in Cambodia isnt just about ecological resilience. The project is aimed squarely at improving the socioeconomic and nutritional status of women and their familiesnot only through increased production, food, and economic security, but through overcoming the barriers that prevent womens access to various links in the agricultural value chain, including markets. The goal, coprincipal investigator Leif Jensen said, is for this approach to serve as a model for the entire country and region.

Cambodia represents a best-case scenario for promoting SI through the increased involvement of women, who already play a significant and often nearly autonomous role in agriculture in much of the country, Bates said.

When women farmers have the same access to resources as men do, they can increase yields on their farms by 20 to 30 percent, and in Cambodia, unlike many other developing nations where women are smallholder farmers, women often control the household finances. That puts them one step closer to improving the living conditions for their families: Studies show that when women have control over their familys income, they spend 90 percent of it on their families, compared with the 30 to 40 percent that men spend, and childrens health and nutrition improves.

The Cambodian government supports efforts like these. In late 2015, it set out policies to improve the circumstances of women in rural areas and encourage more women in agriculture.

[Women] are important partners in farming, a 29 year-old farmer said at Cambodias recent National Champion Woman Farmer forum. They help provide income for the stability of their familys livelihood. They can be a good model for the next generation, as well as for other women in the community.

Take the Pledge: Let's Put an End to Food Waste

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 Changing Lives for Women Farmers in Congo From Halfway Around the World

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 Tanzanias Newest Celebrities: Female Farmers

Original article from TakePart
After National Newspaper Publishers Association President Benjamin Chavis Jr. visited Reynolds Americans headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C., he left impressed  and with hopes of big money from the tobacco giant.

Ultimately, Reynolds American last year gave $250,000 to the organization, which from its Washington, D.C., headquarters represents the interests of more than 200 African-American-owned community newspapers across the nation.

The donation  listed in a new Reynolds American corporate governance document reviewed by the Center for Public Integrity  represented the largest contribution Reynolds American made in 2015 to nearly three-dozen nonprofit organizations, many of which are politically active and typically keep their funders secret.

Other small, but notable Reynolds Americans contributions in 2015 helped Americans for Prosperity, a social welfare nonprofit connected to billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch, and Americans for Tax Reform, led by anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist.

During the 2014 midterms, Americans for Prosperity spent more than $2.35 million advocating against mostly Democratic U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. During the 2012 election, it spent more than $33.5 million in a bid to deny President Barack Obama re-election.

More than a dozen Michigan-based nonprofits also received modest contributions from Reynolds American, whose operating companies manufacture such cigarette brands as Newport, Pall Mall and Camel, and of late, non-tobacco products including Vuse e-cigarettes.

This story is part of Politics. Campaign donations, lobbying and influence in government and reports on the special interests that are funding elections and buying power. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

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Reynolds Americans second-largest nonprofit contribution  $240,000  went to the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness, which describes itself as a regulatory watchdog that ensures regulators comply with the good government laws which regulate the regulators.

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Most recently, the organization has been supporting a bill, to be sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, that calls for a separate budget specifically for federal regulations.

A representative of the group could not be reached for comment.

The Log Cabin Republicans, a nonprofit that represents gay conservatives, received $25,000 from Reynolds American in 2015.

In declining to comment, the groups president, Gregory T. Angelo, said the Log Cabin Republicans policy is not to discuss finances nor donors.

Reynolds American spokeswoman Jane Seccombe declined to comment on the companys 2015 contributions to nonprofits, but previously told the Center for Public Integrity that it began disclosing contributions made to politically active nonprofits at the behest of an unnamed shareholder.

Seccombe this week pointed to a statement asserting the company and its subsidiaries participate in the political and public policy process in a manner consistent with the law and the interests of their businesses.

The statement also notes that Reynolds American may not necessarily agree with all of the positions taken by each candidate or organization to which they contribute. But before making a contribution, the company determines that a contribution aligns with its published Vision and Beliefs and Transforming Tobacco statements, or is otherwise in the interests of the company.

Reynolds American is rare in that most large companies, regardless of their industry, volunteer little information about their political activities beyond whats required by law.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, of which many such companies are members, has for years hectored them to keep their corporate mouths shut, warning that such disclosures give fuel to anti-business activists itching to silence the business communitys voice.

Bruce Freed, president of the Center for Political Accountability, which publishes an annual index on corporate political disclosure, hailed political transparency policies.

While not perfect, Reynolds American is a leader, and the company should be praised, he said.

Chavis of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, which last week conducted three-day gathering in Washington, D.C., that featured various elected and government officials, said he actively courted Reynolds Americans support given its long-standing advertising relationship with many member newspapers. He said he never considered rejecting Reynolds Americans $250,000 contribution when it arrived.

One major factor, he said: We saw a lot of diversity among their executives. Reynolds American, Chavis also noted, has diversified into non-tobacco products, invests in community development and has actively worked to curb smoking among youth.

The contribution helps us sustain our organization and fulfill our mission, and were very grateful for the support, Chavis said, noting that companies such as General Motors and Ford Motor Co. also make large contributions to his association.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Health Communications concluded that newspapers with primarily black readerships are more financially dependent on tobacco-related advertisements than newspapers with general readerships. Many black Americans, therefore, are exposed to significant amounts of advertising for products proven to cause cancer and a host of other health problems.

Given the current advertising environment, public health initiatives are needed to counter ... messages that target vulnerable populations, the study stated.

"The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting African-American media and audiences," Elisia Cohen, a study co-author and chairwoman of the University of Kentucky's Department of Communications, told the Center for Public Integrity on Wednesday.

Among Reynolds Americans other 2015 disclosures is a $7,750 contribution to Americans for Tax Reform, although that figure appears to only represent a fraction of what the company gave the nonprofit.

Thats because Reynolds American says it only discloses the portion of contributions top nonprofit recipients cant deduct from their taxes  generally, expenses nonprofits uses for direct political advocacy or government lobbying.

Such is the case for the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, which received $66,395 in non-deductible dollars from Reynolds American last year. The group counts 35,000 members among its ranks and considers job creation the core of its issue advocacy.

Related: "Tobacco industry has a long history of targeting African American audiences."

For its part, the Renew North Carolina Foundation, which says its mission is to educate and advocate about policy issues that are critical to the future of North Carolina and its citizens, received $25,000 in non-deductible Reynolds American cash last year.

The Renew North Carolina Foundation has previously run advertisements promoting the agenda of Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican. Renew North Carolina Foundation reported raising about $313,000 in 2014, according to its most recent tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

For nonprofits that use 75 percent or more of its Reynolds American money for political purposes, Reynolds American simply notes the size of its full contribution.

Among these kinds of contributions in 2015: $10,000 to the Washington Vape Association, which advocated against a bill in the Washington State Legislature aimed at taxing or further regulating e-cigarettes and certain tobacco products. Another is Americans for Prosperity, which received $4,000, according to Reynolds American's disclosure.

This story is part of Politics. Campaign donations, lobbying and influence in government and reports on the special interests that are funding elections and buying power. Click here to read more stories in this topic.

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Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
As the Donald Trump monster lays waste to Republican political careers, and even the Grand Old Party itself, survivors wonder: Who released the Kraken? Conservative purists place the blame squarely on Barack Obamas shoulders. The presidents autocratic style at home and his appeasement of dictators abroad triggered a pitchfork revolt. Democrats, in turn, hold Republicans responsible for years of vitriolic attacks designed to delegitimize the president, which only encouraged extremism. But theres also a deeper reason for the Trumparama. Decades of increasingly hostile media coverage toward the White House and years of rising partisanship, mean that presidents tend to give birth to political alter egos.

Trumps advance is striking because he represents the antithesis of Obama. Sure, on a handful of issues, their views overlapfor example, on the dangers of U.S. intervention in the Middle East. But more often, Trump looks like a photographic negative of the president. Obama was a community organizer and professor; Trump is a businessman and reality-television star. Obama is a cerebral Spockian; Trump is a bombastic braggadocio. Obama visited Cairo in 2009 to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; Trump wants to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. Obama built a potent alliance of minorities and highly educated whites; Trumps support is based on whites without college educations and almost no minorities. Obama struggled to sell his message in the Appalachian regions of Arkansas, Kentucky, and West Virginia; that is Trumps heartland. Obama is the first black president; Trumps supporters tend to view whites significantly more positively than blacks.

What explains Trumps rise? Many establishment Republicans have cast an accusing eye straight at the White House. According to Jeb Bush, Trump is a creature of Barack Obama. The New York Times Ross Douthat said the Trump phenomenon is first and foremost a Republican and conservative problem. Nevertheless, Douthat continued, Obamas celebrity brand of politics, imperial presidential style, and rejection of white working-class voters all aided Trumps emergence. Theres a pinch of truth here. Obama created a coalition based on demographic groups that are growing (minorities and the college educated) rather than declining (noncollege-educated whites). And Obama has sometimes displayed a condescending attitude toward those who cling to guns or religion.

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But Obama is hardly the political radical of Republican imagination. After all, his signature issueObamacarelooks a lot like Republican health-care proposals from the 1990s, before the GOP made a hard right. And some conservative criticisms of Obama seem wildly misplaced. For example, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal recently wrote: After seven years of the cool, weak and endlessly nuanced no drama Obama, voters are looking for a strong leader who speaks in short, declarative sentences. When did nuance become a point of contempt?

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Theres more accuracy in the rival theory that Trump is a Republican creation. After 2008, movement conservatives launched a two-pronged offensive against both Obama and the GOP leadership. Virtually from day one, conservatives obstructed every step of Obamas agendafighting a guerrilla war against Obamacare, threatening a debt-ceiling showdown, and even encouraging Iranian hard-liners to oppose the nuclear deal. At the same time, many influential voices on the far right assailed establishment Republicans as milquetoast moderates. With an illegitimate president and an illegitimate party, its no surprise that Republican voters were drawn toward a true outsidereven a hectoring harlequin like Trump.

But while the parties point fingers at each other, theres a larger story here that stretches back decades. Its no coincidence that Trump is Obamas dark mirror. Two powerful forcesthe increasingly negative media coverage of politics and intensified partisanshipmean that presidents spur the rise of opposite alter egos. After World War II, journalists became steadily more critical of the White House. Coverage of the president in The New York Times that was negative in tone, for example, more than doubled from 12 percent in the 1950s to 28 percent in the 1980s. Today, the media is sometimes seen as being in Obamas camp. But since 2008, Fox News and conservative talk radio has provided an axis of resistance. And in Obamas second term, mainstream news coverage has often been highly critical.

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What happened? Debacles like Vietnam and Watergate naturally led reporters to sharpen their knives. At the same time, the news media became increasingly competitive, with the rise of cable television and the Internet, which encouraged a focus on attention-grabbing (and profitable) negative news. The 19th-century English writer Walter Bagehot said the monarchy needed to be viewed at a distance to retain its mystery and reverence: We must not let in daylight upon magic. Today, journalists cover the presidency in minute detail and shine a bright torch on every indiscretion. They let in the daylight, the magic dissipates, and many people yearn for the political antithesis.

Meanwhile, politics has become hyper-partisan as Americans sort themselves into two rival camps: a conservative Republican Party and a liberal Democratic Party. For decades, these two tribes have grown politically and culturally further and further apart. Back during Republican Dwight Eisenhowers administration in the 1950s, on average, nearly half of Democrats (49 percent) approved of Ikes performance. By the 1980s, less than one-third of Democrats (31 percent) approved of Ronald Reagan. In the 1990s, just over one-quarter (27 percent) of Republicans were positive about Bill Clinton. Today, barely one in seven (14 percent) Republicans approves of Obama. In this environment, presidents face an entrenched opposition that is dead set on defeating their agendascreating fertile soil for a political antagonist to grow.

When a president takes the oath of office, somewhere else, new life is breathed into a political alter ego.

The result? Bill Clinton ran as George H.W. Bushs oppositethe emotional comeback kid who felt the nations pain versus the distant, patrician, president. George W. Bush ran as Clintons oppositethe born-again evangelical versus the philanderer. Then Obama ran as Bushs oppositethe smart and dovish professor versus the supposedly dumb hawk. And now Trump runs as Obamas opposite.

When a president takes the oath of office on the Mall in Washington, D.C., somewhere else, new life is breathed into a political alter ego. As the president governs, so the alter ego grows stronger. The day Obama entered the White House, the stock of every opposite-Obama candidate rose. The only solace is that the pendulum swings both ways. Trump will create an anti-Trump. Indeed, when the businessman became the GOP front-runner, Obamas approval ratings ticked upward. In politics, as in physics: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

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London (AFP) - The prospect of Donald Trump winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilising the world economy, according to British research group EIU.

In the latest version of its Global Risk assessment, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked victory for the Republican front-runner at 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic "hard landing" rated 20.

Justifying the threat level, the EIU highlighted the tycoon's alienation towards China as well as his comments on Islamist extremism, saying a proposal to stop Muslims from entering the United States would be a "potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups".

It also raised the spectre of a trade war under a Trump presidency and pointed out that his policies "tend to be prone to constant revision".

"He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), and has repeatedly labelled China as a 'currency manipulator'." it said.

"He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jiadhi terrorism, including, among other things, advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS (and acquire its oil)."

By comparison it gave a possible armed clash in the South China Sea an eight -- the same as the threat posed by Britain leaving the European Union -- and ranked an emerging market debt crisis at 16.

A Trump victory, it said, would at least scupper the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February, while "his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war."

"There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn," it added.

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However, the organisation said it did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in an election and pointed out that Congress would likely block some of his more radical proposals if he won November's election.

Rated at 12 alongside the prospect of a Trump presidency was the threat of Islamic State, which the EIU said risked ending a five-year bull run on US and European stock markets if terrorist attacks escalated.

The break-up of the eurozone following a Greek exit from the bloc was rated 15, while the prospect of a new "cold war" fuelled by Russian interventions in Ukraine and Syria was put at 16.
Tunis (AFP) - Tunisia announced Thursday it is launching a campaign to counter religious extremism among its youth after a string of deadly jihadist attacks in the North African country.

The one-year campaign to start on Sunday aims to promote "Islam's real, moderate values" to protect "youth and their thinking from terrorism", Religious Affairs Minister Mohamed Khalil said.

Extremism has "invaded the thoughts of our youth via the Internet", he said.

The ministry will launch a website featuring recorded sermons and religious seminars as part of a campaign dubbed "Ghodwa khir" -- "Tomorrow will be better" in Tunisian Arabic dialect.

It will also fund awareness raising programmes on public and private radio and television stations.

A helpline will be set up for "youths with questions about religion" and authorised imams and preachers will supervise classes in mosques.

Tunisia has failed to curb a rise in extremism since the 2011 revolution that ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Last year, the Islamic State jihadist group claimed attacks on the Bardo museum in Tunis and a popular resort hotel, killing 59 tourists in total, and the suicide bombing of a bus that killed 12 presidential guards.

Earlier this month, jihadists launched a wave of deadly attacks on army and police posts in a town near the Libyan border.

Thousands of Tunisians have signed up to fight abroad with extremist groups.

Justice Minister Omar Mansour on Wednesday said the authorities would launch a programme to "reform" the thinking of suspects detained in terrorism-related cases.

Around 2,000 people convicted or accused of "terrorism" are being held in Tunisia, according to prisons administration chief Saber Khelifi.
By Orhan Coskun ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey does not intend to make new demands at a meeting with EU leaders on the migrant crisis and sees the chances of finalizing a deal as difficult but not impossible, a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Thursday. Should there be new proposals from the European side, Turkey would discuss them, the official said, adding that countries including Cyprus should not be allowed to block progress. "It will be hard to get a result from this summit, but not impossible. The reason is there are too many actors on the EU side," the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the sensitive talks. "Some countries should not be allowed to exhibit a manner that would block progress," the official said, when asked whether a lingering feud between Ankara and small but vocal EU member Cyprus was hampering a deal. EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankara's commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands. A breakfast is set for Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, where European Council President Donald Tusk hopes to finalize the deal that the Turkish premier first sprang on the EU, with backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a special summit 10 days ago. A separate official in Davutoglu's office said there was "no hesitation" on the Turkish side about going to Brussels, in response to a question on whether the Turkish delegation would only attend if it was sure of securing a deal. The first official said a visit by Tusk to Ankara this week had not fully resolved issues over the agreement, but that it had been an "extremely important" visit and that it was vital to keep channels of communication open. (Additional reporting by Can Sezer and Akin Aytekin; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by David Dolan)
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Allegations reported in Turkish media accusing the founder of conglomerate Dogan Holding of involvement in a fuel-smuggling ring are "unfounded", the Dogan group said on Thursday in a statement issued on its Hurriyet news website. Several newspapers close to the government said a prosecutor was seeking a 23-year jail sentence for Aydin Dogan, whose holding owns Turkey's largest media group, including Hurriyet. The allegations date back to when Dogan Holding and Isbank, the country's biggest listed lender, were stakeholders in fuel distributor Petrol Ofisi, prior to its acquisition by Austrian company OMV in 2010. (Writing by Daren Butler; editing by David Dolan)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday proposed parliament lift the immunity from prosecution for all lawmakers and collectively review the 506 outstanding dossiers. Parliament must look at the dossiers in one session in order to prevent delays to legislation required by the European Union to win visa liberalization with the bloc, Davutoglu told a business group in comments broadcast live. Lawmakers are expected to debate stripping immunity for members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the third-biggest party which has Kurdish origins, over comments they have made on security operations in the largely Kurdish southeast. Davutoglu also said security measures have been taken in Ankara, as well as Istanbul and across the country, following this week's car-bomb attack that killed 37 people in the capital. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; Editing by Daren Butler)
By Dasha Afanasieva and Ayla Jean Yackley ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - An Istanbul prosecutor has submitted an indictment accusing two businessmen of involvement in a fuel-smuggling ring, newspapers close to the government said on Thursday. If confirmed, the indictments would be the latest move against the parent firm of Turkey's biggest media group. The Istanbul prosecutor could not be reached for comment. According to pro-government daily Aksam, the prosecutor is seeking a 23-year jail sentence for Aydin Dogan. His Dogan Holding owns titles including leading newspaper Hurriyet, and broadcaster CNN Turk and mainstream television channel Kanal D. Ersin Ozince, chairman of Isbank, Turkey's largest listed lender, is accused of involvement in financing the smuggling ring between 2001 and 2007, the newspaper said. Isbank is 28 percent owned by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Dogan Holding said the allegations were unfounded. Isbank also said the allegations were false, adding it had not received any official notification about the issue. "The allegations against our bank's chairman of the board ... mentioned in the news have no legal grounds and do not reflect the truth," Isbank said in a statement to the Istanbul stock exchange. President Tayyip Erdogan has previously criticized Aydin Dogan. Last year Erdogan called him a "coup lover" and described columnists at his media business as charlatans. DOGAN SHARES DROP The fuel-smuggling allegations refer back to 2001-2007, when Dogan Holding and Isbank were stakeholders in fuel distributor Petrol Ofisi, prior to its acquisition by Austrian company OMV in 2010. At 1434 GMT Dogan Holding's shares were down 3.6 percent, lagging behind Istanbul's main share index, which rose more than 2 percent. Isbank shares were up 1.05 percent. Turkey's opposition media have faced a difficult few months. Authorities seized control this month of the country's largest newspaper, Zaman. Erdogan has meanwhile warned the constitutional court over a ruling that led to the release of two detained journalists from opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet. Turkey ranked 149 out of 180 countries in a survey of global press freedom by Reporters Without Borders last year. (Additional reporting by Asli Kandemir, Daren Butler and Ceyda Caglayan, Editing by David Dolan and Janet McBride)
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Transocean Ltd <RIGN.S> on Thursday won the dismissal of an appeal by shareholders accusing the owner of the doomed Deepwater Horizon drilling rig of deceiving them about its safety practices prior to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the lead plaintiff waited two months too long to sue over alleged misstatements in an Oct. 2, 2007, proxy statement for the offshore drilling company's merger with GlobalSantaFe Corp.

Shares of Transocean rose 3 percent after the decision was issued.

Geoffrey Johnson, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, declined to comment. Transocean and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Former GlobalSantaFe shareholders, who received Transocean shares in the merger, said the proxy statement contained false and misleading statements about the company's compliance with environmental laws.

Led by the DeKalb County Pension Fund in Decatur, Georgia, the shareholders sought to hold the Swiss company liable for their losses after the April 20, 2010, explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and blowout of BP Plc's <BP.L> Macondo well.

The disaster caused Transocean shares to lose more than half their value within seven weeks.

Writing for the appeals court, however, Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes said the Georgia fund did not join the case until Dec. 3, 2010, missing the three-year deadline to sue over the proxy statement.

He said it did not matter that the lawsuit was originally filed before the deadline, but by another shareholder that was later dismissed from the case because it lacked standing.

The plaintiff "through minimal diligence" could have saved its case by getting involved sooner and offered no justification for its lateness, Cabranes wrote.

The Georgia fund had argued that the three-year clock began to tick when the Deepwater Horizon exploded, bring Transocean's prior misstatements to light.

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Thursday's decision upheld a March 2014 dismissal of the lawsuit by U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in Manhattan.

Transocean agreed in January 2013 to pay $1.4 billion in civil and criminal fines and penalties to settle U.S. government claims over the spill.

BP has incurred $55.5 billion of costs for the spill. It faces its own U.S. shareholder lawsuit in Houston federal court.

In early afternoon trading, Transocean's American depositary receipts <RIG.N> were up 3 percent at $11.56. Its shares in Switzerland were up 3 percent at 11.11 Swiss francs.

The case is DeKalb County Pension Fund v. Transocean Ltd et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 14-0894.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Lisa Von Ahn)
By Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Islamic State has committed genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shi'ite Muslims, the United States said on Thursday, a finding U.S. officials hope will bring more resources to help the groups even though it does not change U.S. military strategy or legal obligations. "In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shi'ite Muslims," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters, referring to the group by an Arabic acronym. "Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions." Republicans, who control the U.S. Congress, had pressured the Democratic White House to call the militants' atrocities in Iraq and Syria genocide and the House of Representatives on Monday passed a nonbinding resolution 393-0 labeling them as such. U.S. officials hope the determination will help them win political and budget support from Congress and other nations to help the targeted groups return home if and when Islamic State-controlled areas such as the Iraqi city of Mosul are liberated. While the genocide finding may make it easier for Washington to argue for greater action against the group, U.S. officials said it does not create a U.S. legal obligation to do more, and would not change U.S. military strategy toward the militants. On Wednesday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: "Acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any particular legal obligation for the United States." U.S. President Barack Obama ordered air strikes against the group starting in 2014 but has made clear he wishes to avoid any large commitment of U.S. ground troops. Unlike in Rwanda in 1994 and Darfur in 2004, where the United States found that genocide had taken place but did not use military force to stop it, U.S. officials noted they began air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq in August 2014 in part to save the Yazidi minority group from targeted attack. "We didnt act in Rwanda. We looked back and regretted it. We didnt act militarily in Darfur. In this case within ... days of the Yazidis being targeted by Daesh in Iraq, American planes were in the air trying to help them," said a senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'WE'VE DONE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT' Islamic State militants have swept through Iraq and Syria in recent years, seizing swathes of territory with an eye toward establishing jihadism in the heart of the Arab world. The group's videos depict the violent deaths of people who stand in its way. Opponents have been beheaded, shot dead, blown up with fuses attached to their necks and drowned in cages in swimming pools, with underwater cameras capturing their agony. Kerry argued the United States has done much to fight the group since 2014, but did not directly answer a question on why it had not done more to prevent genocide. "We're very confident we've done an enormous amount," he told reporters as he walked down a hall at the State Department. "The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians. Yazidis because they are Yazidis. Shi'ites because they are Shi'ites," Kerry said earlier, and accused Islamic State of crimes against humanity and of ethnic cleansing. Islamic State militants have exploited the five-year civil war in Syria to seize areas in that country and in neighboring Iraq, though U.S. officials say their air strikes have markedly reduced the territory the group controls. On-again, off-again peace talks got under way this week in Geneva in an effort to end the civil war, in which at least 250,000 people have died and millions have fled their homes. A fragile "cessation of hostilities" has reduced, but not ended, the violence over the last two weeks. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by James Dalgleish)
By Warren Strobel and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday restricted U.S. service members' travel to five West African countries, citing recent militant attacks in the region, U.S. defense officials said. The order limits unofficial travel by U.S. military personnel to Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Ghana, the officials said. "It's just increased vigilance given the recent events that have happened in that area of the world," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command. Gunmen on Sunday killed 19 people at a beachside resort in Ivory Coast. The attack was claimed by al Qaeda's North African branch, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. [nL5N16N595] The same group said it was behind a January attack on a hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, that killed 29 people as well as a November hotel siege in Mali. U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said the order remains in effect until June 30, and does not restrict official travel to the countries involved. "Given the recent attacks in western Africa, we felt it prudent to make this decision at this time in an effort to ensure the safety of our personnel," Baldanza said. U.S. Africa Command has between 1,000 and 1,200 forces on the continent at any one time, mostly in training and support roles to help local security forces combat militants. (Editing by G Crosse)
By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - Aid convoys arrived in four Syrian towns on Thursday but U.N. humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland said the government was still stopping aid getting to six others under siege. "It is a violation of international law to prevent us from going," he said. "I cannot understand why we cannot go there. Even wounded fighters have a right to be treated under international law." He said sieges were blocking provision of medical care for needy people. "We need the government of Syria really to help us in the medical area. Why not get in the nutritional stuff, vitamins and antibiotics, and doctors and nurses to these places? I hope there would be a real breakthrough on this in our contacts with the government," he told reporters. Egeland, speaking after hosting a regular meeting of countries involved in the Syrian peace process, said many innocent civilians were still in detention, including children. He called on the United States, Russia and other countries to help get them released. Egeland said aid was being delivered to the towns of Zabadani, Foua, Kefraya and Madaya on Thursday after two delays in the last week because of fighting. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and U.N. spokesman Jens Laerke later confirmed that the joint convoys had entered the four towns carrying vital supplies. The Syrian government needed to give an answer within seven days on permission for convoys to go to six more areas, which its forces are still besieging almost three weeks into a truce, Egeland said, to help them reach 1.1 million people by the end of April and vaccinate children. The United Nations wants to try again to drop aid into the town of Deir al-Zor, under siege by Islamic State, after a failed previous attempt. The plane has to fly fast and high to avoid the threat of surface-to-air missiles, and aid palettes were smashed or lost in last month's mission. Egeland said countries had donated better parachutes which might help the palettes survive the drop next time. (Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Andrew Roche)
London (AFP) - A British university professor who says he was deported from Turkey for "terrorist propaganda" told AFP on Thursday he would appeal the "ridiculous" ruling in order to be reunited with his family.

Chris Stephenson, a lecturer at Istanbul's Bilgi University, said he was put on a plane late Wednesday after turning up to court to support fellow academics charged with terror offences.

They were detained after signing a petition condemning military actions in operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"At the entry (to court) they searched my bag and found some invitations for Kurdish New Year from the People's Democratic Party, which is a legal party," the 66-year-old explained to AFP.

"I was accused by the public prosecutor of making propaganda for a terrorist organisation and taken into custody."

State news agency Anatolia reported that Stephenson was questioned by police after they found him in possession of leaflets promoting Kurdish New Year celebrations.

Britain's Foreign Office said it was providing assistance "to a British national who was arrested in Istanbul on 15 March", but did not confirm he had been deported.

The computer sciences teacher said he had become a target after signing the petition but insisted he had done nothing illegal.

"It's quite ridiculous," he said. "The invitation in my bag... it's like a postcard and was printed by the third largest party in the Turkish parliament.

"When I appeared before the prosecutor the next day, he didn't proceed with this charge and I was released but he made an administrative request to deport me, which they did. I haven't been found guilty of anything."

Stephenson has lived in Turkey for 25 years. He married a Turkish woman 19 years ago and the couple have a Turkish daughter, aged 13.

"My life is in Turkey," he explained. "We will apply to the courts to have this decision cancelled."

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The three lecturers were detained on Tuesday as the country's security services crack down on Kurdish rebels following a suicide car bomb blamed on the PKK that killed 35 people in the capital Ankara on Sunday.

"I've been worried for some time that something like this might happen because the situation is getting worse in terms of freedom of expression and human rights," said Stephenson.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday stepped up his efforts to have pro-Kurdish lawmakers prosecuted while police detained eight pro-Kurdish lawyers in a dawn raid.

More than 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK took up arms in 1984 demanding an independent state for Kurds. Since then the group has narrowed its demands to greater rights and autonomy.

A two-year ceasefire between the government and the PKK collapsed last year and since December, security forces have been waging a major campaign against the rebel group.
By Natalia Zinets KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament provisionally approved on Thursday a law allowing the government to seize what it says are offshore assets of Kremlin-backed former president Viktor Yanukovich without the need for a court order. Yanukovich was ousted by the 2013/2014 Maidan street protests and fled to Russia, lighting the fuse for Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and a separatist uprising in mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine. Since his ouster, Ukrainians have grown increasingly impatient with Ukraine's new leaders for not doing enough to tackle endemic corruption and with the cozy ties between politicians and business that also flourished under Yanukovich. Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk's party said the law would allow the government to seize as much as 50 billion hryvnia ($1.9 billion) worth of government bonds and use the money for social and defense spending. The law is "essential for our country, army and pensioners", lawmaker Serhiy Pashinsky told parliament. Yatseniuk's party says the bonds were bought with money the former president and his cronies had plundered from the state. Yatseniuk said Yanukovich holds the bonds through 42 offshore companies spread across Cyprus, the Seychelles, Britain, Panama and Belize. "Restoring justice was and is one of the key demands of Maidan and the Ukrainian people. This is $1.5 billion - equivalent to the volume of aid (to Ukraine) from the U.S. government," he told a government meeting on Wednesday. But the legislation drew criticism from other political parties, who argued it violated international law and could be challenged by Yanukovich in court, meaning Ukraine might be forced to pay back the money and a hefty fine. Lawmakers also warned the law could be abused to pursue political vendettas. "(It) is not transparent, it's very risky. This law gives Yanukovich and his comrades-in-arms the option to sue later," lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem told journalists. Yatseniuk's People's Front forced the legislation onto parliament's agenda after disrupting proceedings for two consecutive days, saying it would not allow parliament to function unless the law was discussed. It was approved on the first reading but needs to be voted on again and then be signed by President Petro Poroshenko in order to come into force. Confident of a positive outcome, Yatseniuk had included the expected windfall in the 2016 budget. A representative for Yanukovich's family did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs in MOSCOW; Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Geneva (AFP) - A UN-backed taskforce working to deliver aid to besieged Syrians submitted a plan to the regime on Thursday that would allow life-saving supplies to reach over a million people by the end of April.

The head of the taskforce, Jan Egeland, said implementing the plan mostly relied on Damascus, which has still not given clearance for UN convoys to reach six of the country's 18 besieged areas.

"I do not know why they will not give permission," Egeland said. "It is a violation of international law to prevent us from going."

Most of the areas concerned are besieged by the Syrian army, not the rebels, Egeland said, adding that the taskforce submitted an operations plan to the government at a meeting on Thursday.

"Altogether, the aim is to reach an impressive 1.1 million people before the end of April," he said.

The UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein had warned last month that thousands of Syrians risked starving to death in besieged areas, after shocking images spread of starving residents in Madaya.

President Bashar al-Assad's government has granted permission to reach several besieged areas in recent weeks.

A convoy including the UN, the International Red Cross (ICRC) and Syrian Red Crescent was distributing aid in four areas -- Madaya, Zabadani, Fua and Kefraya -- on Thursday in an operation that was expected to continue into the night.

Aside from food and basic medical supplies, Egeland said vaccinations were a key part of the UN's humanitarian push for the coming weeks.

"The vaccination rate is now in many areas down to 50 or 60 percent which is a proscription for epidemic disease," he told reporters in Geneva, where fragile peace talks to end five years of civil were continuing.

Egeland noted that a ceasefire that has largely held since being declared on February 27 had allowed UN staff to traverse the country with far more security, but that sporadic fighting had still hampered movement.

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Since restrictions on the movements of humanitarian workers were eased in January, aid has reached 150,000 of the nearly half million people living in besieged areas.

That number has meanwhile stagnated since the beginning of the month, as the UN waits for access.

The UN is also trying to improve its technical capacity to make humanitarian air drops over Deir Ezzor, where some 200,000 people are besieged by the Islamic State group, Egeland said.

Aid deliveries have meanwhile also reached nearly 109,000 people in what the UN calls hard-to-reach areas in recent weeks.
A 21-year-old University of Virginia student has been sentenced to 15 years hard labor for crimes he allegedly committed against the state of North Korea, according multiple reports.



North Korean officials detained Ohio native Otto Warmbier on Jan. 2 as he tried boarding a plane for the United States. During a press conference last month, Warmbier wept as he begged for the forgiveness of North Korea's people, admitting on camera he had stolen a banner from his hotel.



The banner boasted a political slogan, according to the Associated Press.



Reading from a prepared statement, Warmbier told reporters at last month's press event he should never "have allowed myself to be lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country."



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He added: "I wish that the United States administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries. I entirely beg you, the people and government of the DPRK, for your forgiveness. Please! I made the worst mistake of my life!"



Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told The New York Times he met with North Korean diplomats Tuesday in an effort to lobby for Warmbier's freedom.



Calls to Warmbier's relatives in Ohio were not returned Wednesday, and efforts to reach North Korean diplomats was also unsuccessful.
Miami, Houston and Orlando, Florida, are the cities within the continental U.S. that have some of the highest risk of having "local transmission" of the Zika virus, meaning the virus will spread to people from mosquitoes in the local area, new research suggests.

The new analysis combines a host of data on climate, mosquito breeding patterns, poverty and air travel to identify the cities at greatest risk. Overall, the southeast part of the country faces the highest risk, the Eastern Seaboard faces a moderate risk and the western U.S. has a lower risk.

However, evidence from similar viruses suggests that if Zika does begin spreading locally, the spread even in the highest-risk cities will be limited, affecting dozens of people at most, said study co-author Andrew Monaghan, a climate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. [Tiny & Nasty: Images of Things That Make Us Sick]

The overall risk to most people in the U.S. is very low, Monaghan said.

"I don't want this to be an alarmist message," Monaghan told Live Science.

Zika virus spread

The Zika virus is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes from the Aedes genus, including Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Only about 20 percent of people who become infected with Zika virus exhibit symptoms, and those who do typically have only mild symptoms, such as fever, red eyes, rash and joint pain. However, Zika infections in pregnant women have been tied to microcephaly in their infants  a condition that causes unusually small brains and heads, and brings lifelong cognitive impairments.

The virus also may be responsible for a rare form of temporary paralysis called Guillain-Barre syndrome that can strike people of any age.

Zika is spreading in more than a dozen countries in the Americas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it is possible that the virus will spread within the U.S. because the mosquitoes that transmit the virus live in the country.

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These mosquitoes also transmit other viruses, included the ones that cause dengue fever and chikungunya. "The mosquito has been in the U.S. for hundreds of years," Monaghan said. "In 1780, there was a dengue outbreak in Philadelphia."

However, though mosquito-borne diseases have caused outbreaks in the past all the way up the East Coast, large outbreaks are less likely today because of changes in mosquito breeding sites and human behavior, he said.

In the U.S., most people spend most of their time indoors, in air-conditioned rooms with screened-in windows, with few opportunities to be bitten by the nasty bugs. What's more, there are relatively few pockets of standing water where the mosquitoes can breed, and mosquito control efforts are generally very good in the continental U.S., Monaghan said.

Mosquito hotspots

To identify the locations with the highest transmission risk, Monaghan and his colleagues looked at 50 major cities in the U.S. They analyzed data on climate; month-to-month models of Aedes aegypti abundance; air travel from Zika-affected regions; poverty levels, which correlate with a lower probability of having air conditioning and screened-in windows; and history of dengue and chikungunya, which are also transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. (The team did not analyze data from Alaska or Hawaii. However, there is an active dengue outbreak on the Big Island of Hawaii, and the state is likely vulnerable to Zika transmission because of its combination of a tropical climate and a bevy of tourists, who are not as savvy about preventing mosquito bites, Monaghan noted.)

For most of the country, the risk of localized Zika transmission will remain very low until the summer, when Aedes aegypti populations rise, the study found.

The areas with the highest risk of Zika transmission are in south Texas and Florida  particularly, places like Miami, which has both the right climate for the mosquitoes to breed and an influx of travelers from Zika-affected areas, the researchers reported today (March 16) in the journal PLOS Currents Outbreaks.

However, even those areas are likely to experience at most a few dozen cases of local transmission, if history of chikungunya and dengue viruses is any indication, Monaghan said.

"We've seen local outbreaks that have been pretty small in Florida and south Texas," Monaghan said. These areas of the country already have active surveillance programs for dengue and chikungunya, and well-established mosquito-control efforts, he added.

However, public health officials in areas of moderate risk of Zika transmission  particularly in the U.S. Southeast  could consider implementing timed mosquito-control efforts, Monaghan said.

Still, the new model is just a first-pass estimate of Zika transmission, Monaghan said. It is limited, for instance, because the researchers looked only at the Zika-transmission risk associated with the mosquito species Aedes aegypti, even though the much more widespread species Aedes albopictus can also transmit the virus.

In addition, researchers still don't know whether the Zika virus is transmitted to people more easily than other similar mosquito-borne viruses, such as dengue virus, Monaghan said.

Follow Tia Ghose on Twitterand Google+. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Ohio counties that John Kasich lost are rugged land, different from the flat farmland that stretches across the rest of the state. In many counties where coal was once king, more than 20 percent of the residents live in poverty. Thousands struggle with drug addiction. And despite a brief natural gas boom, you cant always count on getting work.

Kasich won his state, but he lost here. On the Ohio electoral map, support for Donald Trump runs in a angry swoosh from Ohios northeast down to the gates of Cincinnati; in some counties, the New York billionaire defeated the sitting governor by 25 points.

Heres why: Kasich is an Ohioan. These counties are Appalachian. And Donald Trump, despite his money, is the perfect Appalachian candidate.

If youre thinking about parts of the country that are really down and outwhere people are discouraged, satisfied, angrythat part of Ohio would fit very well, said Paul Beck, a political science professor emeritus at Ohio State. And then Trump comes along, and he gives voice to many of the feelings they have. Anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-political-correctness... its all of these things together that make him a very appealing person to them.

Recommended: The Obama Doctrine

Kasich wont have to run in Ohio again, at least until the general election. But Appalachian votersand others who resemble them elsewhere in the countrywill continue to dog him and Ted Cruz.

These folks are white, and they probably havent gone to college. But more importantly, theyve centered their lives around communities that have been unhooked from the prosperity of the country at large for decades.

In Ohio, that came during the de-industrialization of the 1980s. But you can easily find the same story in Flint, Michigan, in struggling California communities like San Bernadino, or amid the poverty of West Virginia.

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Some years ago, I met Mike Halleck, a county commissioner in northeastern Ohio. He works out of the Columbiana County courthouse in Lisbon, Ohio, which until recently was crowded with landmen seeking deed records for drilling leases. (Things got quieter when the price of oil dropped and fracking became less popular.)

Helleck has a name for the folks supporting Trump: the Joe Sixpacks. He draws a sharp distinction between them and the more traditional Republicans in western Ohio, where large farms and moderate politics predominate.

Its different breed of cat, he said. Here, you have to fight for every vote.

Of course, fighting has taken on a new political meaning. Much has been written about Trumps ability to connect to angry voters, but it holds true here, as well. Exit polls in Ohio showed that Trump beat Kasich handily among voters who reported anger with the federal government. The Ohio governor did pretty well among dissatisfied residents, but the gulf between dissatisfied" and angry is big enough to drive a campaign bus through.

Recommended: What Bernie Sanders Knows About Nordic Countries That Hillary Clinton Doesn't

Anger might be the foremost emotion for Appalachian voters, but at its base is worryover jobs, family prospect, stability. Worry has become baked into the culture.

And although Kasich has labored to address thisHalleck, the county commissioner, said the governor always helped him get whatever his constituents neededit appears its not enough.

To many voters, Kasich is only supplying temporary solutions; Trump, with his talk of a border wall with Mexico and a ban on Muslims, appears to be addressing a root cause. The alchemy of Trumps presence transforms worry into potent (and poll-able) anger.

When you look at history, when people are down on their luck, they want to believe some things like that, Halleck said. Theyre fed up. Theyve lost their jobs. Theyve watched their kids move away. And Donald Trump spoke in a language they can relate to.

And that language, academics note, carries a racial tinge. Trump regularly makes nativist arguments, blaming immigrant labor and Chinese currency manipulation for the decline of American wages. But the next stepblaming minorities, racial or otherwiseplays into the longstanding Appalachian fear of displacement, and its a leap most can make for themselves.

Trump is very cleverly exploiting race and nativism in the context of fears that exist about whats going to happen to their families, said Susan Burgess, a professor of political science at Ohio University. It doesnt have to be solely about white supremacy overtlyit can be just about fears about what will happen when there is competition for jobs.

Kasich, an astute politician, surely understands this dynamic. But all over the country, Trump is bringing primary voters out of the woodwork, folks who would have normally sat out this contest and cast their vote in the general election. Before this year, Kasich was good enough. Now, they may have the nominee they want.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Bushra Shakhshir and Alkis Konstantinidis IDOMENI, Greece (Reuters) - Hassan Omar from Iraq and Radwan Sheikho from Syria have had to rely heavily on the kindness of strangers to make the treacherous journey to Europe this winter, fleeing the conflict wracking their home countries. The pair have formed a firm friendship along the way, negotiating perilous boat trips, train rides and finally making their way together along muddy paths to Greece's Macedonian border - no mean feat for two men in wheelchairs. "Sometimes tragedy and despair bring people together," said Omar, 48, who teamed up with 30-year-old Sheikho the day they met on the island of Lesbos, a short crossing from Turkey but one that has cost hundreds of migrants their lives in flimsy boats. The two then traveled by ferry to the Greek mainland and from there north by train, Omar with his daughter and Sheikho with his sister, hoping they might have a better chance of crossing through Macedonia's closed border due to their disability. Instead, they have become stranded in a squalid makeshift camp at Idomeni where they share a tiny tent, enduring long days of rain, wind and cold, with little food and poor sanitation, Omar's daughter and Sheikho's sister in another tent next to them. At least 10,000 people, mostly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans, are estimated to be in Idomeni, with over 45,000 more stuck at ports and camps across Greece as countries along the so-called Balkan route close their borders to the flow of migrants hoping to reach Western Europe. "There are disabled people here and (Europe should) help them," said Sheikho, who made ends meet in Syria by selling cigarettes as he did not receive state disability benefits. "We got here, and now we can't turn back. What will happen to us?" Some of the obstacles they face are mundane - Omar has spent the last two days stuck in his tent with a punctured tyre and is waiting for a replacement from local relief organizations. Others are more daunting. On Monday, the four along with hundreds of others tried to cross illegally into Macedonia, streaming out of the camp and attempting to cut their way through the razor-wire fence separating them from Macedonia. Omar and Sheikho relied on men to carry them on their shoulders for hours, sinking into the mud, wading through rain-swollen rivers and climbing hills to the border, they said. "The man who carried me didn't give up," Sheikho said. "He would put me down for a bit and then carry me again. He was so tired, but he kept going." But once across the border, the Macedonian army surrounded them at gunpoint and sent them back to Greece. Back in Idomeni they wait, hoping that the borders to the north will open up again. While Sheikho and his sister dream of reaching their parents and brothers in Holland, Omar and his daughter look forward to the day when his wife and eldest daughter can join them from Iraq. Omar, a former weightlifter, said he fled the sectarian violence gripping Iraq after his brother and nephew were killed. "If there was hope to stay in Iraq, we would have," he told Reuters on Thursday. "Minorities, women and the disabled are the ones who suffered the most in Iraq. I am one of the victims." Sharing a plate of food with Sheikho inside their tent, Omar says the two will stick together until their paths mean they must separate, wherever that may be. "Our friendship has its ups and downs, but we both have the same goal, so I choose to ignore all the negatives and focus on the positive," he said. (Writing by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Washington (AFP) - The White House on Thursday called on the Turkish government to respect democratic values, amid allegations of a fresh press crackdown.

"We urge Turkish authorities to ensure their actions uphold the universal democratic values enshrined in Turkey's constitution, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press," said spokesman Josh Earnest.

The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused of authoritarianism and muzzling critical media as well as lawmakers, academics, lawyers and non-government groups.

Turkish police early this month seized control of the top-selling Zaman, which opposes Erdogan, drawing international condemnation.

"The United States continues to be troubled by the Turkish government's use of appointed trustees to shut down or interfere with the editorial operations of media outlets that are sometimes critical of the government," Earnest said.

"We call on the Turkish government to ensure full respect for due process and equal treatment under the law, and in a democratic society, critical opinions should be encouraged, not silenced."

On Thursday, Turkey stood accused once more of violating press freedoms, this time by the German news weekly Der Spiegel, which said it has been forced to withdraw its Istanbul correspondent.

A diplomatic source told AFP the Turkish government was also refusing press cards to eight of some 20 German journalists based in the country, meaning they would likely also have to leave.
Washington (AFP) - The White House on Thursday said it was ready to support an investigation by the International Criminal Court into alleged genocide carried out by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

"The United States will cooperate with independent efforts to investigate genocide," said spokesman Josh Earnest, adding that the administration is willing to support the ICC in gathering evidence.

The United States declared earlier Thursday that the Islamic State group's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

"The ICC is typically the organization that would take a look at this, and given the judgment that Secretary (of State John) Kerry has made, the United States would be supportive of that effort, both rhetorically, but also in a tangible way as well," said Earnest.

"The United States will support efforts to collect documents, preserve and analyze evidence of atrocities and the United States will do all we can to ensure perpetrators of these atrocities are held to account and brought to justice."

The United States is not party to the ICC, but President Barack Obama's administration has introduced a policy of working with the court.
Washington (AFP) - The White House Thursday welcomed a pledge from a Saudi-led coalition to wind down the air war in Yemen, an announcement that could dial back tensions between Riyadh and Washington before President Barack Obama visits.

Amid controversy over an airstrike that killed 119 people -- including 22 children -- White House spokesman Josh Earnest welcomed a coalition statement that the year-old campaign against Iran-backed Huthi rebels was nearing the "end of the major combat phase."

"We have expressed our concerns about the loss of innocent life in Yemen, the violence there that is plaguing that country has caught too many innocent civilians in the crossfire," Earnest said.

"We would welcome and do welcome the statement from coalition spokesperson Saudi General Ahmed al-Assiri who indicated today that major operations in Yemen are coming to an end and that the coalition will work on 'long-term plans' to bring stability to the country."

Al-Assiri told AFP earlier that "in any military campaign you have phases." "Today," he said, "we are in the end of the major combat phase."

While the United States has provided logistical and intelligence support to the operation, the White House has privately expressed anger about the loss of civilian lives.

The support includes targeting assistance, which officials say make strikes less indiscriminate.

"The support we provide we think is helping to prevent civilian casualties," a US defense official said.

"Absent the intel and precision guided munitions we provide, the civilian casualties would be worse."

That view holds little sway with rights organizations who argue a US pullback could cause Saudi Arabia to end or scale back the operation.

The issue was likely to feature prominently during Obama's April 21 visit to Saudi Arabia.

Earnest said the United States would "continue to monitor the situation" but pointed to "initial reports of de-escalation along the Saudi-Yemen border."

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The White House also urged a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

"We have long made the case that Yemen is in dire need of a political solution, and that that political solution needs to come as soon as possible," Earnest said.

"That's why we have continued to urge all parties return to UN facilitated peace talks."
Congressional Republicans reluctance to even consider, much less vote on, President Obamas nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia is infuriating to the presidents supporters and even baffling pundits who generally find fault with both sides in most political disputes.

The GOP has manufactured a fake rule: They claim that no president in the final year of his second term should be given the chance to place a new justice on the high court. This is plainly nonsense, as senior GOP lawmakers have admitted, and is not supported by law or by precedent.

Related: Obama Makes the Senate a SCOTUS Offer It Cant Refuse (but Will Anyway)

Republican leaders might have handled it better. Justice Scalias death had hardly been announced before Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rushed out a statement saying that no successor should be named until 2017, when a new president is selected. McConnell and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, later made it clear that they would refuse a hearing and a vote to anybody nominated by President Obama, sight unseen.

They could have achieved the same objective without appearing so nakedly partisan, simply by holding a hearing and using the majority on the Judiciary Committee to vote down the nominee.

But if McConnell and Grassley jumped the gun, its because unexpected death of one of the courts most conservative jurists is, for Republicans and their constituents, a huge deal.

With Scalia on the Court, the nine justices were split between four liberals, four conservatives, and one swing vote, Anthony Kennedy, who tends to side with the conservatives on most issues. Conservatives didnt always get what they wanted from the Court  Obamacare is still the law of the land and anti-gay marriage laws were ruled unconstitutional, for example. However, the current conservative majority also handed the right huge victories.

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Related: A New Supreme Court Justice by Spring 2017? Dont Count on It

Citizens United opened the floodgates for unlimited campaign contributions from individuals to political candidates. Burwell v. Hobby Lobby took a chunk out of the Affordable Care Act by blocking the administration from requiring non-profits to provide health insurance that includes some forms of birth control. Shelby County v. Holder struck down a law meant to assure that the voting rights of minorities were respected in states with a history of racial discrimination.

All of those cases, and many like them, would have gone the other way in a court with a liberal majority.

The appointment of a liberal judge by President Obama would change the composition of the court dramatically. The liberal wing would have a permanent 5-4 advantage, with the added cushion of Kennedy, who sometimes sides with them.

There are multiple cases on the courts current docket alone that the addition of a more liberal justice might affect in ways conservatives would dislike.

Related: Heres Why the SCOTUS Battle Could Get So Much Worse

Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case challenging the legality of public sector unions to collect fees from non-members who benefit from the unions collective bargaining. A lower court ruled in favor of the union, ironically at the request of the plaintiff, in order to speed the case to the high court. Now, a 4-4 decision would let the lower court ruling stand, at least until the case could be heard again by a 9-member court.

In Evenwel v. Abbott, the court is considering a suit challenging the drawing of election districts in Texas, in a case that could have implications across the country, potentially giving more rural, conservative districts an advantage in terms of legislative power. The loss of Scalia here makes a conservative victory unlikely as well.

And then theres the issue of future cases. The conservative dream scenario, a court that would accept a challenge to the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, is currently a single vote away. That means that if the next president is a Republican, its possible that the court might overturn a despised precedent.

Its also possible that a liberal court will start tinkering with rulings  like Citizens United  that the GOP would generally prefer to protect. (The courts historic adherence to the principle of stare decisis, under which settled decisions were not revisited except under extraordinary circumstances, has largely gone by the boards in recent years.)

So, while the Senate Republicans no-holds-barred resistance is unprecedented and arguably anti-democratic, its roots are plainly sunk deep in conservatives well-justified worry that the change of a single vote on the Court could  and likely will  change everything.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A construction worker plunged to his death on Thursday from the 53rd floor of an unfinished downtown Los Angeles skyscraper that will rank as the tallest building on the U.S. West Coast when completed next year, according to the city fire department.

It marked the first fatality on the site of the 2-year-old, $1 billion Wilshire Grand project, being developed by Korean Airlines, said Chris McFadden, a spokesman for the building's New York-based general contractor Turner Construction Company.

Details of the fatal fall, which occurred just after noon, were not immediately available, but the man's body struck a vehicle on the street below, fire department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

A woman who was driving the vehicle was uninjured but was taken to an area hospital for evaluation as a precaution, Stewart said. She said circumstances of the incident were under investigation by police.

Los Angeles Times staff photographer Mel Melcon, who was at the site on assignment, told the newspaper he heard a loud thump, then glimpsed the man's body on the ground, lying off the driver's side of a car.

"It sounded like a bag of cement fell off the edge of the building," he was quoted as saying.

Rising 73 stories into the Los Angeles skyline, the hotel and office tower will measure 1,100 feet (335 meters) high, including a spire affixed to the stop of the building in a design that will make it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi.

That distinction currently belongs to the U.S. Bank Tower, located a few blocks away.

The Wilshire Grand is slated for completion early next year. Construction began in earnest in February 2014 with the laying of the foundation in what was then certified by the Guinness World Records as the largest continuous pour of concrete.

Thursday's death came days after the project's "topping out" ceremony to mark the placement of the tallest, final support beam of the tower.

(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Alistair Bell)
If you had asked me four years ago to concoct the most dispiriting and debilitating 2016 presidential campaign, I might have said, Start with a political family; find a scandal-scarred creature of Washington addicted to 20th-century identity politics.

Now find a vacuous outsider; somebody who reflects the worst of modern politics and culture. A celebrity would be perfect. Better yet, a reality star who is famous for being famous, a social media whore, a boor, a bully who traffics in old hates via new technologies.

I might have picked Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump. What could be worse for a creaky, cancerous political system than what the Democratic and Republican parties are brewing up? Nothing really. This is as bad as it gets.

Ill vote for one or the other then go outside and throw up.

In contests Tuesday that put Clinton and Trump on the verge of a general-election face-off, voters across the spectrum signaled displeasure with the duopolys work. Among GOP voters, 37 percent said they would consider a third-party candidate if faced with a Trump vs. Clinton matchup. Democratic voters found socialist Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont to be more trustworthy than their likely nominee.

More broadly, 53 percent of Americans disapprove of Clinton, according to Gallup, and 63 percent have a negative opinion of Trump. Most voters dont find either candidate to be particularly honest.

Recommended: The Obama Doctrine

As Michael Barbaro wrote for The New York Times, Should they clinch the nomination, it would represent the first time in at least a quarter-century that majorities of Americans held negative views of both the Democratic and Republican candidates at the same time.

Both major parties must now confront the depth of skepticism, resistance and distaste for their front-runners, a sentiment that would profoundly shape a potential general election showdown between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton. They are devising appeals that are as much arguments that their all-but-certain opponent would be disastrous for the nation as they are messages trumpeting their own virtues or character. Aides to both predict that a Clinton-Trump contest would be an ugly and unrelenting slugfest, as she pounces on his business practices and personal integrity, portraying him as unscrupulous robber baron, and he lacerates her over ethical lapses and sudden riches, painting her as a conniving abuser of power certain to be indicted in a federal investigation. There is, both sides concede, plenty of material to mine, stretching back to 1980s Arkansas (for her) and 1970s New York (for him).

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This is not to suggest equivalence: The candidates are not equally revolting. But for millions of voters, today begins a process driven by their aspersions toward one candidate rather than their aspirations for anotherthe acceleration of a grim trend that political scientists call negative partisanship.

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Come November, voter Ed OMalley tweeted me in response to Barbaros story, Ill vote for one or the other then go outside and throw up.

What about people like him who claim to hate their choices and yet consistently vote Democrat or Republican? Imagine a doctor telling you that because of some gnarly disease, he had to cut off one of your arms. You get to choose which one. While your decision would be easyIm right-handed, Doc. Cut off my left armyou wouldnt be happy with your choices.

My friend Matthew Dowd, a former political consultant who now works for ABC News, said Tuesdays results show just how corrupt and broken the political system has become. Even if the most experienced and, arguably, most qualified candidate wins in November, Dowd said via email: Hillary wont be able to govern, and the GOP is past its expiration date. Democrats are closing in on theirs.

A column like this will trigger torrents of manufactured outrage and exaggerations. From the left: How dare you compare Clinton to that bigoted, bullying empty suit of a man? And from the right: ARE YOU NUTS? Shes not qualified! Shed destroy America!

Together, blindly loyal and satisfied partisans represent a fraction of the electorate. Millions of other Americans will suffer through another ugly campaign before making two decisions.

First: Do I even bother to vote?

For those who do cast a ballot, there is the even sadder choice: Which candidate do I loathe the least?

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Julia Harte

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A New York state resident was sentenced on Thursday to 22-1/2 years in prison for trying to recruit fighters to join Islamic State in Syria - the longest prison term handed out yet to an American convicted of supporting the militant group.

Mufid Elfgeeh, 32, of Rochester, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford of the Western District of New York. The district's U.S. attorney, William Hochul, called Elfgeeh "one of the first ISIL recruiters ever captured," using another acronym for the militant group.

A North Carolina federal judge last May issued the second-longest sentence for Islamic State-related activity  20 years and three months in prison  to Donald Ray Morgan, 44, for trying to provide material support to Islamic State, and for unlawfully possessing a firearm.

A Reuters analysis, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Justice, found they were the two stiffest such sentences yet issued.

Convictions for Islamic State-related activity by Americans have become more frequent in recent months as more than 80 such cases brought by U.S. prosecutors since 2013 work their way through federal courts.

An Arizona man was convicted by a jury on Thursday of conspiring to support Islamic State and other terrorism-related charges, while two men in unrelated cases in Mississippi and Ohio pleaded guilty on Friday and Wednesday to trying to join or convince others to join Islamic State. They have not yet been sentenced.

Although Elfgeeh pleaded guilty in December only to trying to recruit two individuals to join Islamic State, he was also originally charged with trying to kill U.S. service members and unlawfully possessing firearms and silencers.

Beginning in 2013, the FBI paid two informants to help investigate Elfgeeh, according to court records. The informants recorded conversations in which Elfgeeh talked about wanting to kill members of the U.S. military and Shi'a Muslims in New York. One of the informants eventually sold Elfgeeh firearms and ammunition.

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Elfgeeh tried to send the two individuals to Syria to fight on behalf of Islamic State, buying them a laptop computer, a high-definition camera, an expedited passport and other travel documents, according to his plea agreement.

He used Facebook and WhatsApp to activate a network of Islamic State sympathizers in Turkey, Syria and Yemen who could facilitate their trip, the plea agreement said.

During the same months, Elfgeeh also helped the alleged commander of a Syrian rebel battalion contact Islamic State leadership so that the battalion could join the larger group, prosecutors said.

(Reporting by Julia Harte; Editing by Peter Cooney)
PRAIA (Reuters) - The Cape Verde archipelago off West Africa has identified its first case of the neurological disorder microcephaly, thought to be linked to the Zika virus, in what would be a first for the continent. The Ministry of Health said the baby was born at the main hospital in the capital Praia on March 14 to a woman who was not among more than 100 women being monitored for the mosquito-borne virus. "What we are doing right now is gathering samples from the child's mother and sending them today to the Pasteur Institute of Dakar (Senegal) for evaluation," said Minister of Health Cristina Fontes. "There is a case of microcephaly and we want to investigate to see if there is this link (to Zika)," Fontes said. The volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean around 570 km (350 miles) west of Senegal has historic ties to Brazil, where an outbreak of Zika is suspected of causing a spike in birth defects including babies born with abnormally small heads. The World Health Organization in February declared the virus an international public health emergency due to its link to the birth defects in Brazil. Authorities in West Africa aim to prepare the region's defences in case of a spread of Zika but say countries are ill-equipped for another public health emergency following the Ebola epidemic that was first announced in March 2014. The Cape Verde government says more than 7,000 cases of Zika have been recorded since the beginning of the epidemic in October 2015, with heavier than normal rains last summer leading to a rise in the number of mosquitoes. (Reporting by Julio Rodrigues; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
March 17, 2016  In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today. For other up-to-the-minute news, check out ITIs Twitter account: @ITINewsBreaks.



CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.
Autopsy shows, woman was bludgeoned

Relatives told Newsday that Bain was a loving and caring woman. You could ask anyone about her and no one would say anything bad, a relative said.

She had two children. This is really disturbing to know that such a good person, an innocent woman could die so violently.

They hit her all over the head with a hammer. Relatives also confirmed that Bain was in a relationship with Raj Sookhai, whose body was found washed ashore on Manzanilla Beach on Monday, hours before her body was found in a car along Blanchisseuse Road in Arima. Relatives said they were in a relationship for about two years. Newsday was told by Sookhais relatives that he was a owner of a straightening and painting garage at his home on Raphael Road, Freeport. Relatives described him as a caring and giving person.

Pathologists told Sookhais relatives that the man died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

The body of Sookhai, 43, was found on the beach at about 11.30 am on Monday by passers- by.

Bains body was discovered at about 5 pm the same day. Newsday understands the two were last seen together heading to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary.
After 19 years, man found guilty of rape

Baptiste was charged as well, with raping two other women, but during the hearing of the Preliminary Inquiry in those cases, he fled to the United States and remained on the run for the past eight years until he was brought back to Trinidad by two United States Marshals.

The jury of nine members in the San Fernando High Court, heard evidence from the victim, who in 1997 was just 15 and attending secondary school. Senior State Attorney Trevor Jones led evidence from her that at about 3.30 pm on June 10, 1997, she was walking along the Quinam Road on her way home when Baptiste pulled up alongside her in a vehicle.

Now 34, the victim testified that Baptiste asked her if she wanted a drop home and she said yes.

She was dressed in her school uniform, but she told the judge and the jury, that Baptiste took her to a dirt road where he raped her.

She testified that she walked out the road alone to her home.

Baptiste did not go in the witness box to defend himself against the allegation, but remained in the dock.

He, however, called his mother who testified on his behalf that she did not go the police with her son as alleged by the prosecution.

Jones led bad-character evidence against Baptiste, saying that in 1997 as well, the accused was charged with raping another woman, and yet another woman in 2000.

Prosecutor Jones went on to call the victim of the 2000 rape, to the trial, in order for her to testify against Baptiste, in support of the bad-character claim.

The woman told the judge and jury, that on December 31, 1999, she was 20 and was a friend of the accused.

They had gone out to an Old Years Night party. But after the line, she asked the accused to drop her home but he struck her a blow and drove to the cremation site in Caroni. There, he held her at knife-point and raped her.

The woman went on to tell the judge and jury that she was pushed to the ground by Baptiste, who then struck her with a stone.

He then threw dust on her face.

She testified that she hid in bushes, but was covered in blood. Yesterday, St Clair Douglas summedup the case and the jury and they retired at 12.50 pm. They deliberated until 1.30 pm and the foreman announced that Baptiste was guilty as charged.
Defence attorney says prosecutions case failed in law

What he did has no bearing on this matter, Merritt said as he continued his closing remarks to the jury who are to deliberate on the evidence against the remaining ten men on trial for Naipaul- Coolmans murder.

Little has been said at the trial of Martins prison escape and his subsequent death at the hands of the police shortly after he and two others escaped from the Port-of- Spain State Prison on Frederick Street, but Merritt yesterday addressed the issue in his remarks.

He opined that Martins action could have been as a result of his lengthy incarceration while awaiting trial.

Merritt also noted that another man, Raphael Williams, who had also been charged with Naipaul- Coolmans murder along with the 12 others, had died in prison from an illness.

In day two of his closing remarks, Merritt told the jury that while they can draw inferences based on the evidence presented in the case, they are not to speculate.

Dont jump to conclusions.

Use your common sense based on the evidence presented, he told the 14 empanelled jurors.

According to Merritt, the Prosecutions case against the remaining ten men on trial - including his three clients - failed in law.

He explained that the mere presence of a person at the scene of a crime was not against the law.

Merritt said the Prosecution failed to prove that his three clients had a part to play in Naipaul- Coolmans detention.

The State has admitted that there was no evidence that any of the 12 men participated in the Chaguanas businesswomans kidnapping on December 19, 2006.

That they were present is not enough. There must be proof.

They (the State) must prove that these men did something for you to infer they had something to do with her detention, he said.

Show me they detained her.

What is the arrestable offence in this case? The case fails on a legal basis because they cannot show where these men detained her, he told the jury, further urging them to look at the evidence calmly and dispassionately.

Merritt also remarked that although the State claimed that some of the men participated in the disposal of Naipaul-Coolmans body parts, he said his clients could not be guilty of murder even if they participated after the killing.

You can think they are monsters but that is your morality speaking... Law and morality are not the same, he said.

Merritt will continue his closing remarks when the trial resumes today.

Those on trial are twin brothers Shervon and Devon Peters, siblings Keida and Jamille Garcia and their older brother Anthony Dwayne Gloster, brothers Marlon and Earl Trimmingham, Ronald Armstrong, Antonio Charles and Lyndon James.

One man - Joel Fraser- was freed by presiding judge Malcolm Holdip in January.

Naipaul-Coolman was abducted from her home at Lange Park, Chaguanas, on December 19, 2006. A $122,000 ransom was paid by her family but she was not released and her body has never been found.

Since the trial began in March 2014, prosecutors have claimed she was held captive in a house at Upper La Puerta, Diego Martin, before she was killed and her body disposed of.

It has been advanced by the prosecution that the Xtra Food chief executive officer was sawed up like a piece of meat and her dismembered body disposed at sea by her kidnappers who grew frustrated that their demands for money were not being met.
11 arrested for illegal quarrying

According to reports, at about 2 pm on Tuesday, Inspector Lutchman received information about illegal mining along the Toco Road in an area also known as Five Acres.

Officers from the Arima CID Task Force including Cpls Randolph Castillo, Jason Osuna, PC Yohannes and Sookdeo, WPC Clarke as well as warrant officers journeyed to the area.

On arrival they saw 11 persons engaged in, what appeared to be, illegal quarrying. The suspects were arrested and all the equipment used in the quarrying were seized and taken to Camp Cumuto for safe keeping. The persons detained were taken to the Sangre Grande police station where they are expected to be charged with illegal quarrying. The entire anti-crime operation lasted for several hours and was part of an exercise aimed at dealing with illegal quarrying in the Eastern Division.

Cpl Castillo of the Sangre CID is continuing investigations.
Wade: Control MPs spending

Speaking with Newsday after presiding on the sitting of a Parliament oversight committee at the International Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, Mark said while he was Speaker during the period in question, Mc- Donalds practices did not come to his attention.

I was not fully aware of these things because, as you know, there is a special unit within the Parliament that is responsible for parliamentary and constituency matters and had that been drawn to my attention or evidence produced to that effect I am sure, for instance, that the person would have been spoken to, the former Speaker said. Because the rules are very clear. You ought not to do that. He called for better controls.

Arising out of this development the Parliament will now have to have more rigorous systems of monitoring, assessing and evaluating those data forms that come in.

Once you employ people at the level of the constituency, you are supposed to inform the Parliament, Mark said. So the Parliament will get a form saying, look John Harry is employed, and some background.

But then we dont have the investigative power to probe that. It calls for a more objective and rigorous approach to the evaluation assessment. The report in relation to Mc- Donald is not the first time practices at constituency offices have drawn criticism. Newsday reported in February last year that a Parliament-commissioned report into the operations of the 41 constituency offices and 31 constituency sub-offices had found that some Members of Parliament had breached rules against the use of premises for party business, had conducted operations at premises without lawful permits, and had undertaken wasteful renovations over the years. That report did not name specific MPs.
Many more Mittals to come

Speaking with reporters after the luncheon about how the Arcelor Mittal situation could be resolved, Browne stated, There is no prescription or remedy. These are business decisions.

Business decisions you have to walk through. How do we make the business successful? What are the costs that have to be cut?, Browne said, adding Arcelor Mittals owner Lakshmi Mittal, is a shrewd and hard negotiator. He talked about increases in cost and that is a reality. However, the former minister said Mittal has been in, a very privileged position in terms of some of the underlying costs on the (Point Lisas Industrial) Estate.

So I dont know what he (Mittal) can expect to get cut again. On his view that other companies could experience the same difficulties as Arcelor Mittal, Browne explained, All businesses have been on the back of a growing economy, in a situation where you have an economy which is not likely to grow.

In fact, it is likely to be on a declining mode for at least three years, then you will have some shake-out. Stating it was difficult to predict which sectors of the economy this shake-out will happen, Browne said, That is going to take place on the basis of the least efficient companies. There is nothing that one could do about that. He stressed that companies must be free to make the decisions they need to survive, explaining that ultimately the strength of an economy is the strength of the businesses that are in it. On Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus appeal to the private sector to hire workers affected by the closure of Mittals steel plant, Browne said, The private sector is always there, its always an option. On whether this practice should be repeated if similar situations arise, Browne said, Decisions are always made at the margins. So you will always be losing employees and hiring new ones. He explained that private sector companies hire workers based on the skills they need and then choose the best of those who are available. However, he added, there is very little the State can do for fallouts in the private sector. Browne also said the Government should not purchase the Mittal plant or nationalise the steel industry.

When we owned ISCOTT (Iron and Steel Company of TT), what did we run into? We ran into countervailing duties from the US. He added, We have come over that. You think that if we went back into steel and the Government were to own it we wouldnt run into that problem again? We had to shut it down and sell it. Browne said it was possible that in such a scenario Arcelor Mittal will come back and say, you bought it from me, now you must pay me to take it off your hands. That is not a situation that we want to go into.
What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames

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'India Aviation' 2016 resonates well with our policy initiatives of 'Make in India', 'Stand up India' and 'Start up India', says President

New Delhi, Thu, 17 Mar 2016 NI Wire

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 5thEdition of 'India Aviation' yesterday (March 16, 2016) at Hyderabad.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said India is at the threshold of taking a major leap in the aviation sector. India Aviation 2016 is well timed and resonates well with our latest policy initiatives of Make in India, Stand up India and Start Up India. It is for global giants to seize this opportunity and take the lead to forge long-term partnerships. He expressed hope that this platform will usher a new era in strategic partnerships and collaboration in the Indian civil aviation sector enabling India become a hub of world class aerospace technology and services.

The President said Indian civil aviation market is growing at a rapid pace and now ranks ninth in the world. It is estimated that by 2020, India would be the third largest civil aviation market. With a network of domestic and international airlines connecting 40 countries, Indian airports handled passenger traffic of 190 million persons in 2015. Yet India is one of the least penetrated air-markets in the world with 0.04 trips per capita per annum as compared to 0.3 of China and more than 2 in the USA. The development of tourism, trade and travel has contributed to increased passenger traffic in India. By 2020, total passenger traffic in India is likely to touch 421 million. It is time for the government and all stakeholders of the Civil Aviation Industry to leverage this tremendous business opportunity.

The President said the civil aviation sector of India is poised for a faster and sustainable growth with the development of 100 smart cities; new economic corridors; more than 50 new airports and expansion of existing airports. The government is planning to invest over 120 Billion US$ in the development of airport infrastructure and Aviation Navigation Services over the next decade. The deeper air penetration to smaller cities; better connectivity to North Eastern part of India and higher disposable incomes of the middle class of India is expected to further propel the growth of Indian Civil Aviation Industry.

Source: PIB
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Only two minutes after I had listed a dresser online for sale, someone was interested. I was ecstatic that the dresser would not only be off our hands, but wed get a little cash besides and in such short time. The buyer must have been searching for dressers for months, I thought, judging by
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Libyan authorities in Tripoli Wednesday renewed objection to the UN-backed unity government and vowed to halt the entry of the Government of National Accord in militia-controlled Libyan capital, while the European Union has agreed to sanction 3 Libyan Leaders.

Prime Minister of Tripoli-based government, Khalifa Ghwell argued that his administration and forces will only hand over capital Tripoli to a government hashed out by a Libyan-Libyan dialogue.

If they want to enter Libya as individuals they are welcome, because they are Libyans. We dont advise them to enter Libya as a government, as doing so would be a violation to the law, and they will be treated according to the law, Ghwell was quoted by the media as saying.

Ghwells administration and affiliate parliament, the General National Congress (GNC) have been opposed to the Prime Minister-designate Faiez Serrajs government that they deem controlled by western countries.

European diplomats said the EU has agreed to impose sanctions on three Libyan leaders who oppose the GNA. Khalifa Ghwell is one of the three to be banned from traveling and to have their assets frozen. The two others are Nouri Abusahmain, president of Libyas General National Congress in Tripoli, and Aguila Saleh, the president of Libyas internationally recognized parliament in Tobruk.

Over the weekend, Serrajs Presidency Council announced it received a written document stating the backing of the majority members of the House of Representatives (HoR); the internationally recognized parliament based in Tobruk, expected to formalize the unity government.

Libya Herald reports that the unity government already enjoys popularity in the Libyan capital. The media explains that opposition to serraj-led government will disappear when Serraj and his team enter Tripoli and that heads of many Tripoli-based state bodies are switching allegiance ahead of Serrajs arrival. According to Libya Herald, Serraj has agreed to reconfirm them in office.

Libya has been without a central government since 2014 after Tripoli authorities kicked out the internationally recognized government which retreated to the east of the country. The North African oil-rich country slid into chaos following ouster of former ruler Col. Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 in a NATO-backed revolution.
French Foreign Minister is expected in Tunis Thursday to enhance bilateral economic and security relations and underline Frances support to the North African country which is tormented by repeated terrorist attacks and struggling with a sluggish economy.

The French top diplomat is expected to re-iterate Pariss support to its former colony now unable to face the surge of terrorist attacks that have multiplied since last year.

Paris has shown its support to Tunisia following Bardo, Sousse and Tunis attacks last year. It also heavily condemned recent militants assaults on military and national guards positions in the town of Ben Guerdan, near the Libyan border.

Tunisia is an important symbol because there are few countries in the region to be reasonably optimistic about, a senior French diplomat reportedly said before the two-day visit by Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

The attacks in Ben Guerdan show more than ever why we need to support the Tunisians.

France is a major economic partner of Tunisia. During Prime Minister Habib Essids recent visit to France, Paris pledged to help Tunisia overcome the economic challenges that have engulfed the country and prompted thousands of young Tunisians to take to streets to claim for jobs.

Paris pledged 1 billion euro ($1.1 billion) aid package for the coming 5 years to help Tunisia develop poor regions, stimulate job creation  especially for the youth  and modernize Tunisias administration. The 1 billion euro plan will also help retain young Tunisians joining terrorist groups abroad.

More than 5,000 young Tunisian, according to a recent report by a UN working group, have joined terrorist groups in conflict zones, mainly in Libya, Iraq and Syria.

Authorities indicated this week most of the 40 terrorists killed in Ben Guerdan were Tunisians.
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Behold, Donald Trump and his minions in North Carolina. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images

A rally for Donald Trump in Fayetteville, North Carolina, earlier this month turned violent when a ponytailed Trump supporter, later identified as 78-year-old John McGraw, sucker-punched a protester in the face. A video of the incident quickly made the rounds; in it McGraw lunges forward at an unsuspecting Rakeem Jones and slugs him in the right eye. Instead of confronting McGraw, several police officers on the scene surround Jones and shuffle him out of the building along with other protesters. Five of those officers have now been disciplined for failure to act at the rally. According to the New York Times, three have been demoted and suspended without pay for five days, and two more will be suspended without pay for three days. All five were placed on probation for a year.

Cumberland County sheriffs department stands by as man is assaulted after protesting at Trump rally in Fayetteville, NC. SHARE. Posted by Chris Doyle on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

In a statement on his Facebook page, Sheriff Earl Butler of Cumberland County said the officers have been charged with unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies of the office of sheriff. He went on, The actions of the deputies and their failures to act in situations such as that which occurred during the Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum have never been and will not ever be tolerated under the policies of this office. We regret that any of the circumstances at the Trump rally occurred.

Just after he was slugged in the face, Jones told the Washington Post he couldnt believe police went after him instead of McGraw. The police jumped on me like I was the one swinging, he said. My eye still hurts. Its just shocking. The shock of it all is starting to set in. Its like this dude really hit me and they let him get away with it.

McGraw, who was also interviewed after the rally, took a different tack. He deserved it, he said of Jones. The next time we see him, we might have to kill him. We dont know who he is. He might be with a terrorist organization. (Jones is not, in fact, affiliated with a terrorist organization.) The sheriffs office arrested McGraw the next day and charged him with assault and battery and disorderly conduct, as well as communicating threats. Perhaps he was taking a cue from his fearless leader.
Tell the governor that I think hes handing Trump the presidency. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

After Tuesdays primaries, the Republican nomination fight became a three-man race, but after considering their options, both Ted Cruz and John Kasich have decided to pretend that theyre actually engaged in separate two-man races with Donald Trump.

With Kasich going after GOP moderates and Cruz aiming for tea partiers whove yet to be won over by Trump, the two had little reason to interact up to this point. On Wednesday, their campaigns did engage in some mild sniping, but it was entirely focused on who can actually take on the front-runner. According to the New York Times, Jason Johnson, Cruzs chief strategist, told reporters, There are only two people who actually have a viable path to the nomination, and compared Kasichs campaign to my dream of making the senior tour on the P.G.A. or my dream of being a Nascar driver  it aint going to happen.

Meanwhile, Kasich rejected allegations that all he can do now is play the role of spoiler. Neither of those guys can win a general election, he said of Trump and Cruz. So maybe theyre spoiling it for the Republican Party and for the conservative movement.

The Cruz camps argument is more accurate. Kasich can only become the nominee via a contested convention, and as New Yorks Ed Kilgore noted, a rule enacted during the 2012 election may block the Ohio governor from even having his name placed in nomination. Cruz has a more plausible path, but even his campaign admits its a tough one. Its very difficult for us to get to 1,237  we get that, Johnson said, but we can get there  and we plan on getting there.

Theres still a chance that Cruz can secure the nomination by winning a majority of delegates, but now theres no room for error. CNN reports that the Cruz campaign is pinning its hopes on winning Utah next week, fending off Trump in Wisconsin and his home state of New York next month, and then picking up a significant number of delegates on June 7 with strong showings in California, Montana, and New Mexico.

Kasichs presence in the race makes that job even harder for Cruz, both by dividing the vote and giving never Trump Republicans another option aside from the senator. Politico reports that Cruz has been courting Republicans whose preferred candidates have dropped out of the race, but after building a career on attacking the Washington establishment and alienating nearly all of his Senate colleagues, its not easy to secure endorsements. South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, a Marco Rubio supporter, said on Wednesday that shes privately praying for a Cruz win, but she stopped short of endorsing him. Another Rubio backer, Senator James Inhofe, switched to Kasich. Out of the three still in the race for president, John is my guy, he said.

There are issues Cruz could highlight to make Kasich less palatable even to Establishment Republicans, such as his support for the 1994 assault-weapons ban or Ohios Medicaid expansion, but the Texan seems to view going after Kasich as a distraction. He told CBS News that his focus is on drawing a contrast with Donald Trump for the nomination and with Hillary Clinton for the general election. Thats where I have been focused. Thats where I intend to continue focusing.

Johnson concurred, joking that the Cruz campaign wont delve into Kasichs record unless we get bored. In a race that involves Donald Trump, that seems extremely unlikely.
Frank Gaffney and Ted Cruz. Photo: Richard Ellis/Getty Images

On Wednesday, Donald Trump was asked whom he consults with on matters of foreign policy. Im speaking with myself, No. 1, because I have a very good brain and Ive said a lot of things, Trump replied.

So, Trumps top national-security adviser  his own reflection shouting back at him from a mirror  doesnt inspire much confidence. Ted Cruzs top national-security adviser inspires even less.

On Thursday, Cruz revealed his national-security advisory team. The first name on the list? Frank Obama is a Muslim Gaffney, Bloomberg reports. Gaffney is the Joe McCarthy of Islamophobia. His think tank, the Center for Security Policy, is dedicated to raising awareness about the jihadist infiltration of the American government. For Gaffney, Barack Hussein Obama is but the tip of the iceberg  in truth, the Muslim Brotherhood has placed operatives throughout the federal government. Among their top agents: Clinton adviser Huma Abedin and anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist. In conservative circles, its one thing to accuse liberals with foreign-sounding names of stealth jihad. Its quite another to say the same of a white male libertarian who has devoted his life to the noble cause of widening the income gap. After Gaffney wrote a full book on Norquists alleged sharia schemes, he was banned from the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference. (The strongest verifiable evidence of Norquists jihadist sympathies appears to be that his wife is a Muslim-American).

Here are some other things that Gaffney believes:

1. Saddam Hussein was behind the Oklahoma City bombing.

2. Obama incorporated the Islamic crescent into the logo of a new missile-defense group.

3. By appointing a Muslim-American to New Jerseys state judiciary, Chris Christie may be complicit in treason.

Gaffney isnt merely a disseminator of conspiracy theories; hes also a disseminator of methodologically flawed studies, including a poll that Donald Trump has used to justify his Muslim ban.

Cruzs other advisers are nearly as alarming. His list includes three other employees of Gaffneys think tank, along with former assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy, author of The Grand Jihad: How Islam and the Left Sabotage America; Iran-Contra schemer Elliott Abrams; and Michael Ledeen, a former Reagan official who once said, Every ten years or so, the United States needs to pick up some small crappy little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean business.

Its a little surprising that Cruz has assembled this rogues gallery of aggressive neoconservatives. Just a few months ago, the Texas senator told Bloomberg, If you look at President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and for that matter some of the more aggressive Washington neocons, they have consistently mis-perceived the threat of radical Islamic terrorism and have advocated military adventurism that has had the effect of benefiting radical Islamic terrorists.

By embracing neoconservative foreign policy, Cruz may be trying to win over the GOP pooh-bahs who could crown him the official anti-Trump. Or he may simply feel he has no better options  there arent a whole lot of neo-isolationist think tanks in D.C. But just about anyone would make for a more responsible national-security adviser than Frank Gaffney  perhaps even a fascist former reality star who constantly touts his very good brain and ability to say many things.
Richard Roberts is charged with sexually assaulting a teenager. Photo: Larry French/Getty Images

Richard Roberts, the chief U.S. district judge for Washington, D.C., announced his retirement from federal court on Wednesday  the same day a Utah woman filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit accusing Roberts of sexually assaulting her when she was 16. According to the Washington Post, in the lawsuit, Terry Mitchell alleges Roberts raped her repeatedly while she served as a witness in the 1981 federal trial of Joseph Paul Franklin, a white supremacist serial killer who shot magazine publisher Larry Flynt. (Mitchell agreed to be named in media reports.) Roberts, who was appointed to the federal bench in 1998, was part of the team prosecuting Franklin. The Post reports that Roberts resigned for unspecified health issues.

In a statement, Robertss attorneys called Mitchells claims categorically false, but acknowledge that he did have a relationship with Mitchell after the trial ended. Roberts acknowledges that the relationship was indeed a bad lapse in judgment, the statement read. However, the relationship did not occur until after the trial and had no bearing on the outcome of that trial.

But Mitchell says Roberts used the pretext of the trial to gain her and her parents trust, after which he drove her to a hotel, forced her up to a room, and raped her, writes NBC. After the first instance, the suit says Roberts intimidated, coerced, and manipulated Mitchell to have sexual intercourse nearly every day for several weeks. Mitchell had reportedly been sexually assaulted by several other men prior to the incident  as a prosecutor, Roberts wouldve known this via his access to her medical records. Mitchell says she repressed any memory of the assaults until Roberts emailed her about a new development in Franklins case in 2013.

Mitchells claims were investigated in 2014, but because Utahs legal age of consent in 1981 was 16, no charges were brought against Roberts at the time. The chairman of Utahs House Government Oversight Committee said an initial review of Mitchells allegations has caused alarm and distress over their serious nature. He went on, We will work with the House and Senate Judiciary committees to determine next best steps to ensure justice is served.

An earlier version of this post misstated that magazine publisher Larry Flynt is dead. He is paralyzed from the waist down.
Doctors Without Borders staff demonstrates in Geneva following the bombing in Kunduz. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI

A U.S. military attack on a Doctors Without Borders (also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, on October 3, 2015, was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the 15-year war. Forty-two people died in the attack, which Army General John Campbell, who was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan at the time, called a tragic but avoidable accident caused primarily by human error. The Associated Press later reported that American analysts knew the hospital was a protected medical site but chose to proceed because they believed it was under Taliban control. (Doctors Without Borders adamantly denies this.) Now, according to the AP, more than a dozen military personnel have been disciplined for mistakes leading up to the attack.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, officials told the AP that punishments, which have not been publicly announced, are largely administrative. But in some cases the actions, such as letters of reprimand, are tough enough to effectively end chances for further promotion. The disciplined include both officers and enlisted personnel, but officials said none are generals. Officials added that the disciplinary actions are the result of an investigation into the attack, which was completed on Nov. 15; a report on the investigation, which is some 5,000 pages long, has yet to be publicly released.

But according to an outline of the report provided to the AP, the crew of the AC-130 gunship (the military vehicle that attacked the hospital) had been dispatched to hit a Taliban command center in a different building 450 yards away from the hospital. However, hampered by problems with their targeting sensors, the crew relied on a physical description that led them to begin firing at the hospital even though they saw no hostile activity there. They fired 211 shells at the hospital in less than 30 minutes before realizing their mistake. Officials later admitted they let things get out of hand  one of Campbells spokespeople called the crews actions not appropriate to the threat they faced.

President Obama apologized for the attack, but even after his apology Doctors Without Borders called it an attack on the Geneva conventions and insisted it be labeled a war crime.
I coulda been a contender. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

When Marco Rubio finished third in Iowa, CNN, the Washington Post, and Vanity Fair all declared him the states real winner. When Donald Trump lapped the field in South Carolina, several pundits treated Rubios second-place showing as a comparable triumph. But when Rubio went 1 for 12 on Super Tuesday, some media outlets had the audacity to suggest that the Florida senator might actually be losing the Republican primary. On Wednesday, Rubio blamed this unfair negative coverage for the ultimate failure of his campaign.

The media kind of just said, Marco Rubio had a terrible night, and it looks like the strongest anti-Trump alternative is Ted Cruz, Rubio complained on a conference call with Minnesota supporters, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports. When the media is constantly telling you, So-and-so is winning and so-and-so is losing, it impacts voters.

Rubio has a point. If the media had simply refused to disclose the results of Super Tuesdays primary elections  or, fairer still, fabricated more balanced returns  he probably would have had a better chance of defeating Trump in his home state on Tuesday. In a media environment where cable networks feel free to irresponsibly report who actually wins and loses elections, of course Rubio had no chance. Kim Jong-un doesnt know how good he has it.
This will just be an unfortunate cultural relic pretty soon. Photo: K.C. Alfred/Corbis

In the future, there will be no Shamu. SeaWorld, known for its clapping seals, leaping whales, and inhumane captivity, has decided that its orca-breeding program can no longer be justified, and that the animals performing now will be the last generation to do so. SeaWorld owns 29 killer whales, which have a lifespan of about 30 years, so the change may take awhile. In November, the San Diego park announced it would phase out its high-flying acrobatics in favor of a toned-down conservation-themed show in a much larger tank.

SeaWorld has been criticized for mating orcas when they are too young and forcing them to inbreed. Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of the Humane Society, who brokered the decision to end the breeding program, said, Todays announcement signals that the era of captive display of orcas will end. The SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby signaled that the change is the next logical step in the SeaWorld brand overhaul. As one of the largest rescue organizations in the world, we will increase our focus on rescue operations, he said in a statement.

Much of the criticism of SeaWorlds practices stems from the intensely critical 2013 documentary Blackfish, which showed orcas held in pens barely larger than their bodies and trainers performing dangerously close to the animals. The movie focused on Tilikum, an orca who accidentally killed a SeaWorld trainer and who is reportedly very sick. Since Blackfish, the ocean parks stock price has fallen by more than half, and attendance has been way down as well.
So hot. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images

Florida officials made alligator owner Mary Thorn give up her beloved pet after he went through a growth spurt. The alligator in question, Rambo, is 15 years old and now too big to live with his owner because of Florida State regulations that require people who own alligators over six feet to have two and a half acres of land. Thorn, who considers herself a mother to Rambo, simply doesnt have the extra space.

A Florida woman is fighting to keep her pet alligator, Rambo, from being taken away  https://t.co/Is6ERJTg4J pic.twitter.com/haUrsuBWAB  UPROXX (@UPROXX) March 16, 2016

But the thing is  Rambo is no ordinary alligator: He knows sign language. He loves to watch TV. He can ride a motorcycle. He has light sensitivity, so he doesnt like to go outside. Hes potty-trained. He likes kids.

My exes dont even embody all of those traits.

Florida woman fighting to keep her "trained" pet gator: "He's human more than he is gator." https://t.co/bDtXgthbHr pic.twitter.com/MdzfKiC6PO  NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) March 16, 2016

Lakeland woman fights to keep her 15-year-old gator named "Rambo." https://t.co/yu9O3ZtV0e pic.twitter.com/ehiA5dls53  FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) March 15, 2016

And now its time for Rambo to move out of Moms house and enter the real world. Yes, hes a mere 15 years old, but alligators only live 30 to 50 years. Sometimes, when the perfect man is standing in front of you, you cant see it. But not in the case of Rambo.

Go get him, ladies!
Halewood Group acquires 50% stake in The Pogues Irish Whiskey

Halewood International has purchased a 50% stake in The Pogues Irish Whiskey, with the famous Irish band retaining ownership of the remaining 50%.

West Cork Distillers, one of only two independently owned and operated distilleries in Ireland, developed The Pogues Irish Whiskey in 2015. While West Cork Distillers continues to hold global distribution rights, it has awarded independent drinks manufacturer and distributor, Halewood, the distribution rights for Halewood core markets, including UK, RSA, Romania, China and Global Travel Retail.

The Pogues Irish Whiskey is a unique blend of 50% 10-year single malt Irish whiskey aged in sherry oak casks and seven year old single malt Irish whiskey aged in bourbon oak casks and 50% four year Irish grain whiskey aged in bourbon oak casks. The liquid has an aroma of malts and cracked nuts, with a sweet taste and a smooth, intense flavour.

Commenting on the acquisition of The Pogues Irish Whiskey, Halewood International Group Chief Executive Officer, Stewart Hainsworth said: This acquisition further strengthens our close partnership with West Cork Distillers. We already distribute the West Cork Irish Whiskey brand range in the UK and throughout our network and West Cork Distillers distribute Halewood brands in Eire. The Pogues Irish Whiskey is a premium whiskey that adds its own distinct, rebellious character to our spirits portfolio.

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Queen Jolie <3



I think it's great she's going over there <3

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lol i wonder how the opinions here will be vs. the clooney post

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I missed that post... do I want to know?

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basically a lot of "who does this bitch think he is" lol

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I love her so much. She does amazing work. Such an inspiring, beautiful human being. <3

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How's Greece doing, right now?



Are things better, or...?

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You mean financially? Not so good. :/ We have a crappy government that got elected on insane false promises (which a lot of people believed bc they're desperate) and then they went back on all of them. So we're back to where we were about a year ago, only worse bc we lost a lot of time haggling with the EU and the IMF, and now they're hurrying to gather funds through elevated taxes etc. And to top it all of there's the refugee crisis which we're scrambling to manage while the EU drags its feet on the resolutions, bc a lot of the countries don't really want to house refugees and are stalling as much as they can.



So yeah. Not better.

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ugh, I'm so sorry :/



The media stopped covering Greece for a while, so I didnt know the situation was the same or worse.



However, I have a feeling that this crisis is going to be over soon

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The government actively and shamelessly opposes any sense of meritocracy. They're basically a bunch of useless, inexperienced ideologues.

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good on her. I really admire how much good she does for the world.

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Sounds strange, but i like how for long time now shes been consistent with using her status to bring attention to refugees. I hope some actual changes can be made to make their lives better but it seems its been stagnant, or just worse :/

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No, I get what you're saying and was going to make a similar comment. She's been involved with this long enough and deeply enough it's clear this isn't some five minute, following a trend thing with her.

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Thanks, Angelina 

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apparently she's here on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Refugee, to express the UN's commitment to helping the refugees, as well as to report back to the Commissioner on the current status and what the UN could do to support the Greek government.

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I think Consultant is probably the best would for what she does. She visits a lot of places and brings back recommendations for funding (and often donates herself) talks to people finds out there needs etc. The UNHCR doesn't really have to act on any of her suggestions though and she doesn't have any real authority to enact programs. Although in Angie's case because she been doing this so long and has actually done a lot of work on her own (She got started by funding several programs in Cambodia and basically setting them up with help from the locals) her opinion holds a lot more sway than most "special ambassadors".

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oops, sorry! meant to reply that to the "dick too bomb" comment below



Edited at 2016-03-17 12:37 pm (UTC)

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All this is making me so sad and frustraded.

Being around Syrian refugees everyrday really changed my perspective

Dick too bomb also

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Wait

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lol ikr

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mte omg

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lol yeah

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Lol irl @ the last line.

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Dick too bomb also





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lmaoooo dying

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lmao

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Wtf?! Lol

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do she and brad still have that mansion in france they were using to evade the paparazzi or whatever? they should allow some refugees to stay there tbh.

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wait nvmd i'm thinking of johnny depp's flop ass

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they have a huge mansion in france as well, i believe

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Do people really pay more attention though? The only place I see posts like this are on gossip blogs.

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rather than people with the training and skills to better directly address these situations?



I mean, I'm sure those people go to meetings too.

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cool, I still don't like her though

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Lol I love this honesty mte

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it's not that people don't know about it, it's that a lot of them, sadly, don't care. if a celeb can bring attention to the issue and explain how horrible it is (as if it didn't speak for itself, but anyway), to make people interested, then so be it.

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i doubt people would still care

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I know people have criticisms of her work and many of them are valid, but I'm so glad that she does this.



Btw, does anyone know how to help/volunteer in the US?

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Depends a bit on what you want to do. Are you looking to do something for refugees in particular, or just to give back in general?

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Do u live near an international rescue comittee office?

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I really need to get caught up on this season because the first was mindbogglingly good. I watched Broadchurch, The Fall and this in the space of a month (idk it was a weird phase lol) but this was far and away the best of the three imo



"Its a cruel illness because you cant see it and you can hide it so well." This is one of the most frustrating things, because the longer you have it the easier it gets to hide and then the less likely it is someone will realize and reach out to help, so it just feeds into that cycle of isolation. it's cool that she's speaking out about it though, her characters depression in the first season was handled really well







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I watched Broadchurch, The Fall and this in the space of a month (idk it was a weird phase lol)



I did the same! But also throw in the first seasons of Fargo and True Detective. I decided to catch up on all the crime series at the same time.



I need to catch up too, I've only seen the first episode of this season. Bingeing just seems to work better for me.

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I loved S1 of Broadchurch but S2 was a big letdown so I was worried for Happy Valley but S2 is excellent. Catherine is boss.

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I watched Broadchurch, The Fall and this - me too!! :D





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that finale was something else, it had everything and nothing felt rushed to me.



Really one of the best.



the talk catherine had with frances was probably my favourite just because she said everything that i feel when women/girls fall in love with guys like tommy lee royce and believe they are the ones who can make a bad boy good.

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The part about him looking just like Savile, Ripper etc inside was an incredible moment.

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she is PHENOMENAL. so so good. I can't wait for season 3





I also loved the John storyline. It was so intense how you could see him slowly losing it, while the police kept raising questions about that murder. The actor did great because I wanted him to get caught, but I also felt some sort of relief everytime he got away with it. His "final" scene with Catherine was so heavy.



Edited at 2016-03-17 02:58 pm (UTC)

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I think John deserves an award for it tbh. He was wonderful all season.

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This show is superb. This season had less of those make you shit your pants moments but it was no less intense. What a great example of what television as a media can do. If it doesn't get a third series that would be a real shame.



Edited at 2016-03-17 03:03 pm (UTC)

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I might have to look this one up. I've finished the latest of The Fall, Vera, Shetland, Y Gwyll/Hinterland and I need more in the same vein. Just not Broadchurch, can't stand Tennant's weasel face.

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Try thirteen as well if you can find it, BBC 3's new drama. Episode 3 was out this week and it's so gripping! I don't know what the heck is going on.

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Looks interesting, I'll definitely try it out!

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OMG I DIDNT KNOW SEASON 2 WAS UP! Well, I know what my weekend will consist of.

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It just went up yesterday!

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I think I saw it on Canadian netflix as well, op. At least the first season.

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That's great, it seemed to be marketed abroad as a Netflix Original. Hope you get S2 soon if it's not already up.

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I honestly think this may be the best tv show I've ever seen. So intense but none of the drama seemed too far or jumping the shark. Every single character is fleshed out and multi faceted. No stereotypical tropes in sight.



Ugh I can't believe it's over. I need season 3 yesterday.

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I really think this should be core material for anyone learning to write scripts, direct, produce or act. It's so well-handled and you can tell there were police advisors bc all of that side felt real.

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Definitely, especially when it comes to character development. It's just so human.

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British actors are traditionally overtrained. Give me subtle and understated performances. Allowing an audience to think for themselves instead of actors flapping about like kippers and verbalising every thought and emotion. It's a breathe of fresh air. Same goes for writing to be honest - most of the time its an insult to the intelligence.

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Skimming the comments to avoid spoilers, but I had no idea a season 2 was out! I'm going to have to check Netflix, I thought the first season was great.

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this has been on my list for forever. think it might be finally time to watch.

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do it! you won't find another protagonist as awesome at getting shit done as Catherine Cawood. the setting is quite grim (it's a deprived area) but there's always humour in it, it's not like The Fall.

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oooh ty! i might start tonight!

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omg the first season was so fucking good

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Loved this. S1 was awesome and insane and I think S2 was excellent too. Can't wait for more and I would love to see more tv shows/films led by characters like Catherine.

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Fuck that scene was everything.

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hdu using those gifs. That scene was so heartbreaking.

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i looooooooooooooooved first season! i hope the second was as good!

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My parents are like that. They believe every single picture and thing on Facebook.

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Ugggghhh my 65-year-old mom decided to pay for one of those IQ tests that pop up in ads sometimes and now she has a recurring charge on a paypal account she created for it and now I'm just terrified of what else she's going to get duped into paying for.

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My mom is like that but it's also sweet that she still tells me what so-and-so said on facebook because my response is always "I know, we follow the same people."



Internet is hard :"(

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my mom is always clicking on banner ads and i told she has to stop because they. are. not. real. and eating a pound of garbanzo beans is not the magic cure doctors don't want you to hear about.

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my mom is like that too. she legit doesn't understand how the internet/facebook works. recently she got mad at me for talking shit about my aunt over facebook chat because she thought that if you messaged someone privately on facebook, every facebook user in the fucking world could see it

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*you in danger girl*

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lmao

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Omg haha

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lmao

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Lmao

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omfg

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My first thought tbh

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lmfao

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Omfg dead

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lmao yep and she looks like a Sim too

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lmfaoooooooo



i wonder if shia asked mortimer permission tbh

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l m a o

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This is the first thing I thought of as well.

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tru wuv.



Doesn't anybody care enough about this girl to save her ass?

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I've read somewhere that she was actually the one who started being violent but idk

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I don't think she was being violent. They were having a verbal argument and she apparently took his backpack and was wearing it because she didn't want him to leave.

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Bingo. She needs to rethink this...

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Is she Mortimer's daughter?

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No it's not! I swooped right in there, got the money, then said peace out to that old man.

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I mean, I would personally run away from his crazy ass but you do you, Mia. It's your funeral. Possibly literally since he actually said he might have killed her sooooo



Edited at 2016-03-17 02:48 pm (UTC)

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Is she the one he beat up and said he almost murdered?

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Yup

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He also asked for a place where he could buy a gun to shoot her with, the guys he was with videotaped him saying it.

Thankfully he was in Germany at this point and you can't just buy a gun there.

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Holy shit.

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Yep, and it's fascinating how many passes he gets for that.

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why don't you just google? he didn't beat anyone up nor almost murder

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You mean the girl he was threatening to kill not too long ago?



y i k e s

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Oh shit, I didn't realize they were still together :(



youindanjagirl.gif

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I can't imagine how exhausting it must be to be with him.

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Ah yes, Paris cannot even compare to the romantic ambiance that is the set of " Nymphomaniac: Vol. II"

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Ah Banjo, sit down and let me tell you. Your Grandpa and I were on the set of Nymphomaniac: Volume 2, Shia was just finished with his sit in a room and stare at me artpop and nana just loves a man who is on the verge of a mental breakdown.



We were chatting about our roles in Nymphomaniac and started dissecting what a nymphomaniac is? How many dicks does it take to be considered a nympho? was I a nympho? am I still one at the age of 85? That made me realize that your poppa was my soulmate. Someone who is so deep and understands me.





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yass

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she gives me the creeps

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weird thing to say in a post about shit fucking labeouf lol

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she?? what about him tho

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This isn't going to end well.

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Damn girl.

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wish the the best.



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hope not. she deserves better than the guy who verbalized his desire to do her physical harm.

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love hurts, boo.

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okay scratch that even though i read the article i am still confused



Edited at 2012-10-25 07:54 pm (UTC)

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of an 8.5 minute video of all the same.

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goddamnit this entire convo makes no sense to anyone

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this fucker made an 8 and a half minute video of homeless people wishing well and apologizing for missing the wedding, and gawker got a 20 second clip, so now they are trying to cease and desist (the fucker who made the video) against gawker for the "private" video.





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guaranteed, not one single guest found this piece of shit video un-funny. they all laughed their rich, privileged asses off.





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wouldn't shock me at all

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I hate the fact that this being true wouldn't shock me at all. Entitled, out of touch rich people make me want to scream.

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on the one hand it wouldn't surprise me in the least if this assertion were true. on the other, the fact that this video and story got leaked so quickly tells me that at least 1 person found it offensive and decided to put the person who made it and the people he made it for on blast.

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ah, good point! I hope you're right.

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it could also have been a video tech or staffer at the event.

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This is my hope also.



Between hearing about this, and how they had locals working as servers at the pre-wedding party dress in period outfits I am done with both of them.

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I'd like to think if there were any celebrities that started out poor that they didn't laugh.

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probably :(

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I wouldn't be surprised

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hopefully they had the decency to be shocked, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did find it funny.

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I thought the offensive homeless was Flavor Flav.



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mte

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mte i feel bad.

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They better have paid them. Why would they think that's funny?

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One of the men in the video said they paid him $40

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The thought that anyone found this idea funny enough to make to begin with, let alone the fact that a bunch of rich as fuck people sat around laughing at it just--

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How would this fit into a wedding, anyway?

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LOL! Is that Jim Carrey?? Where is this from??

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Yes it is! It's a scene from the first Ave Ventura movie :)

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which one?

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What blind item?

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oh what BI?

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hey now, maybe she just likes



air

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Well, she's not following him on Twitter so maybe she isn't a fan.

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Fucking disgusting.



WARNING! Rage-inducing...



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ugh this is awful

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so tacky + exploitative :|

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that is so fucking wrong :(

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I haven't even pressed play, and I'm already raging.



oh, it was taken down already. bah.

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This is what happens when you're friends with morons. At a certain point, it affects how people see you, too.

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yea, my friend was like "I'm sure he didn't know he would do this." But you know if you have a friend capable of this. If you invited the guys from jackass to your wedding and one said "I'm going to make a video to show the guests" you tell him.. "My family is going to be here. Let me see it first." There's no way he's totally in the dark on this.

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I do not get it....why was this necessary

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b/c hahaha, homeless people! Get it?

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classy

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"Hahahahahahahahah poor people." - Justin Timberlake and co.

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How do you even come up with that idea? For a wedding?! Tasteless.

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IKR?? Do you just wake up one morning like, "I know what I'm gonna do!! Make fun of some homeless people!"

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I think you do it if you think that homeless people are funny in general...

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one of my coworkers and i were just discussing this. in terms of wedding videos (or basically anything else), how does this even come up as a concept?! like, "these people can't even afford to put roofs over their heads, of course they'd never have the money or opportunity to attend a lavish $1,000 per night wedding! get it? because they're homeless! LOLZ."



WHAT?



Edited at 2012-10-25 08:16 pm (UTC)

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Mte. I can't even beging to understand how could anyone thinks this is remotely funny and not offensive?

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they probably just sit around making fun of poor people on the regular lbr

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ikr



Some people are so out of touch

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remember that hobo-themed wedding about a year or so back that horrified people?

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ikr? they obviously have a really twisted fucked up sense of humor but still what makes someone think "huh this is something we should do for a wedding"

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According to Gawker, Huchel intended for the clip to poke fun at the outrageous expense the Hollywood couple went to for their extravagant ceremony.



Well that seems totally legit and doesn't fail the 'the most obvious answer is the right one' test at all. It wasn't that they're rich and cruel and enjoy the misery of those they view as 'lesser' than them, it's to make fun of how rich they are! Of course. How could I have not seen that from the get go?



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Historic day in the coal sector yesterday. With one of the worlds largest producers saying that it may soon disappear completely.

Thats Peabody Energy. Americas top coal miner, and the most high-profile firm in the West when it comes to the beleaguered coal industry.

Peabody said in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that its ability to operate as a going concern is now in doubt. As the company noted, There can be no assurance that our plan to improve our operating performance and financial position will be successful. We may need to voluntarily seek protection under Chapter 11. Related: Putins Dilemma: To Sell Or To Nationalize Oil Assets

The news comes after Peabody missed payment Tuesday on $71 million in interest due on $1.65 billion worth of bonds. The company has now entered into a 30-day grace period to make the payments.

For investors, the carnage was severe  with Peabodys share price taking its biggest-ever intraday drop, falling as much as 49.9 percent. As the chart below shows, the stock is down more than 99.5 percent since 2011.

(Click to enlarge) Related: Oil Wont Stage A Serious Rebound Until This Happens

All of this comes as a result of the incredibly depressed state of global coal markets. And although Peabody was the poster child this week, there were plenty of other woes globally in this business.

Just a day before the Peabody announcement, fellow U.S. coal miner Foresight Energy told investors it may also have to declare bankruptcy. This after the firm missed $23.6 million in interest payments on its $1.5 billion debts.

And its not just in America that coal miners are hurting. In Poland yesterday, three state-run firms announced plans to bail out local producer Kompania Weglowa (KW)  the largest miner of hard coal in Europe. Related: Oil Up As Saudis Mull Production Freeze Without Iran

The government firms plan to contribute $387 million to keep KW alive, after the company had reportedly been pushed to verge of bankruptcy. An event that could still happen, if the European Union objects to Poland using state funds to intervene in the private sector here.

All of which shows just how deep the pain is today in the global coal business. Leading to the question  who will be left in global production? Right now, things look bleak outside of go-to producing nations like Australia, Indonesia, and South Africa.

Watch for more corporate troubles from the marginal suppliers, and perhaps beyond.

Heres to the end of an era (?).

Dave Forest
As reported around the world, Russias decision to greatly reduce its military presence in Syria, coming as it did with little warning, has left the world struggling for explanations.

After having rescued the Syrian Governments position in Syria from certain defeat and securing a partial truce along with the onset of an imminent peace conference, the partial withdrawal is seen by many as a message to the Assad government to not take Russias military aid for granted, and to be more flexible in the upcoming peace negotiations.

If we assume that all wars are essentially trade wars grown large, and in the Middle East, they almost always involve energy, then the Russian gambit in Syria can be viewed from a different perspective. Russias economy is currently in recession, partly as a result of western sanctions, but much more seriously hurt by the crashing of energy prices. Related: Is The Latest Rally Yet Another False Start?

Russias warming relations with Saudi Arabia has helped to bring about an OPEC-Russian sponsored freeze in oil production, with only Iran refusing to comply. With the Syrian withdrawal, Russia has tempered a major political feud with the Saudis over Russias support for Assad, a move that at once increases the prospects for a Russian-Saudi agreement on oil production cutbacks.

There are also many who think that Russia is also increasing pressure on its allies to be more flexible, not only in peace talks but also oil production cuts. With the withdrawal of the Russian protective air shield, Iran and Hezbollahs ground forces in Syria are suddenly exposed to the threat of Saudi and Turkish air attacks. Will the threat of a looming military catastrophe in Syria force Iran to comply with production cuts?

Many oil insiders believe that after decades of punishing western sanctions, Irans oil industry is in no condition to meet its avowed quota for production, so that an agreement on cuts might cause little sacrifice.

Russias actions may well have staved off other threats to its business. Recall that Robert Kennedy Jr., the nephew of the slain U.S. President, recently published an article in Sputnik, claiming that the major reason for the wests attempt to overthrow the Assad government was to build a natural gas pipeline from Qatar that traversed Syria, capturing its newly discovered offshore reserves, and continued on through Turkey to the EU, as a major competitor to Russias Gazprom. Related: OPEC Production Declines Despite Irans Efforts

By re-establishing the Assad government in Syria, and permanently placing its forces at Syrian bases, the Russians have placed an impenetrable obstacle to the development of the Qatar gas pipeline. Russia has also placed itself at the nexus point of other new offshore gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.

Its not hard to imagine a new Russian pipeline to Europe serving these new partners. Could easing of sanctions also lead to the implementation of the long-stalled plans of Gazprom for a second pipeline under the Baltic Sea to Germany for Russia and its partners, Royal Dutch Shell, Germany's E.ON, and Austria's OMV?

If so, we can be assured that the U.S. will be in fierce opposition to any such plans. As George Friedman, founder of Stratfor has stated, the Americans worst European nightmare is an alliance between Germany and Russia. Related: Oil Wont Stage A Serious Rebound Until This Happens

The timing of the Russian withdrawal could not be more fortuitous, as it occurs at the very pinnacle of the European refugee crisis, a crisis that was caused by Europes backing of the Saudi-Turkish attempt to overthrow Assad. For the first time in four years, the truce in Syria offers respite for Syrian refugees, fleeing from constant bombardment and attacks, and raises prospects for increasing security within their homeland.

Is this part of the Russian Syrian gambit? Is Russia gambling on receiving some modicum of European gratitude for helping to stem the flight of refugees to its borders, with the pay-off in terms of easing sanction and enabling its long stalled pipeline projects to be completed.

No, Putin could not possibly be so calculating, could he?

By Robert Berke for Oilprice.com

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"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is back for another round, brought to you by Great Northern Distilling: grain to glass spirits, handmade in Wisconsin. The whole month of March, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs  including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars readers poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!



Once again, OnMilwaukee readers have spoken and once again they've said that County Clare has Milwaukee's best hotel bar. The Irish-themed inn has won this category so many times we've lost count.

County Clare boasts of pouring the most stout in the state of Wisconsin, which isn't surprising in the comfortable pub, with the warming fireplace in the Snug. But some bar patrons may not even spare a thought for the other part of County Clare's business, a hotel with more than two dozen guest suites.

But OnMilwaukee readers knew all about it and made the cozy public house at 1234 N. Astor St. the easy winner as best hotel bar for still another year.

The bar and restaurant is definitely an oasis if you're staying at "The Guesthouse" upstairs. But whether or not you've got a room, the stout, along with a healthy selection of beers and imported whiskeys are a draw, as are the regular performances of traditional Irish music.

And, at this frigid time of the year, that fireplace in the Snug is particularly enticing.

OnMilwaukee editors' choice: The Pfister Lobby Lounge

Runners-up:

2. Blu

3. The Pfister Lobby Lounge

4. Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub

5. Metro Bar
"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is back for another round, brought to you by Great Northern Distilling: grain to glass spirits, handmade in Wisconsin. The whole month of March, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs  including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars readers poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!

Last May, Anthony and Lynn Nilles opened Ale House 42 in St. Francis, following the success of their Downtown "geek bar" 42 Lounge. Ale House is focused on games, drinks and, because of the size, is also able to offer food.

The couple travels the country, visiting other "geek bars" and were inspired by the beer program at one in San Antonio, Texas. After talking to the owner, they decided to return to Milwaukee and overhaul their beer list as well.

42 Ale House has an impressive 24 tap lines; however, until recently, many of the beer choices were what Anthony Nilles describes as, "beers you can get pretty much anywhere." Now, these beers  such as Miller products and Spotted Cow  are still available in cans and bottles, but the taps are reserved for more adventuresome brews.

Currently, some of the most popular, less common beers on tap include Delerium Tremens, Monk Cafe Flemish Sour Ale and a higher-end cider by Michigan-based JKs Scrumpy.

"It tastes just like fresh apples," says Nilles.

Tap beers range in price from $4.50 to about $10. Soon, the bar will have all new glassware as well, and drinkers will be able to choose between three sizes: a pint, 12 ounces or five-ounce vessels.

"The five-ounce glasses will allow people to explore new beers or even to build their own flight," says Nilles.

42 Ale House is also connected to two apps  available on Android and IOS  TapHunter and TabbedOut.

TapHunter allows people to obtain an up-to-the-minute beer list and TabbedOut allows customers to pay their tab from their phone, anywhere in the establishment or even after they leave.

"You dont have to transfer your tab from the bar to the restaurant and youll never forget your card at the bar this way," says Nilles.

42 Ale House will also launch a new food menu in the next month thats lighter, more spring oriented and complementary to the Ale Houses patio. According to Nilles, they have experimented with the menu throughout the first year, and plan to continue offering wings, burgers and pizzas, but add new twists on some of the items and increase the dessert and veggie options.

"If someone ate here six moths ago, and came back now, theyd have a much different experience in terms of food and beer," he says.

Both 42 Lounge  which just won "Best bars games and trivia" for 2016  and 42 Ale House focus on gaming, but 42 Lounge is more centered on video games and the Ale House, which also has video games, offers more table top gaming options and events, including Monday magic nights, taco & trivia Tuesdays, "Archer" trivia / viewing and more.

"Theres more space for people to spread out at the Ale House," says Nilles. "Were really excited to offer the new beer menu and about our upcoming second year. Weve felt very supported by our Downtown customers as well as our new customers in St. Francis and surrounding areas."

42 Ale House is open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight and Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight. Lunch might be served during the week when the weather is warmer and the patio is open.
The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff.

One month ago, on a sunny morning, the oddest of couples stood behind microphones to make a big announcement about the race for mayor in Milwaukee: Retiring Ald. Joe Davis, who had come in third in the primary, was endorsing Ald. Bob Donovan, the outspoken South Sider who finished second to incumbent Tom Barrett.

The endorsement will most likely not have much impact on the race, but it did raise the question of how Davis could endorse a man who could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be described as a strong advocate for the black community.

Davis said he wasnt interested in talking any more about city politics.

"Im turning a new page in my life," he said. "I just dont want to talk about that any more."

It is safe to say, however, that Davis believes that the conditions for black people in Milwaukee have gotten worse over the 12 years that Barrett has been mayor. In the past, he has cited statistics  ranging from homicide and other crime rates, unemployment and deteriorating housing stock  as evidence of the decline in black neighborhoods.

He has acknowledged during his campaign that the mayor is not the only reason for the problems, but he has complained that Barrett has done little to reverse the conditions. And its also fair to say that his campaign's cries for a change in city leadership spawned his endorsement of Donovan.

Barrett won the primary with 46 percent of the vote to 33 percent for Donovan and 19 percent for Davis, and some political observers, along with Donovan himself, have suggested the 19 percent combined with his 33 percent would be enough to give Donovan the victory.

Experience, however, points to the fallacy of that supposition.

"Generally speaking," said Mordecai Lee, a professor at UWM and an expert in election and public policy, "endorsements like this in America dont mean bupkis."

Todd Robert Murphy is a consultant who has worked on more than 80 campaigns and is an acknowledged expert is voting patterns and strategy.

"You can't transfer the personal popularity from one candidate to another," Murphy said.

"If Joe Davis did robocalls for Donovan in targeted areas, it could help. The problem is money, message and strategy  all of which Donovan appears to lack. Much too much emphasis is placed on endorsements creating vote. It's an amateur's trap."

There are a couple of other factors that argue against a significant African-American vote in favor of Donovan, one of which Barrett used during a recent televised debate between the two.

Midway through the debate, Barrett reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and smoothed it out in front of him. You just knew something was coming, and when the talk turned to the discussion of conditions in the black community, Barrett struck.

"In 2011, in a press release, you said, And lets face it, it (a disturbance at State Fair) has much to do with a deteriorating African-American culture in our city."

"To blame all those troubles on a culture, on a race is Trump-esque," Barrett said.

Another factor that argues against the black community supporting Donovan is the fact that he is almost slavishly devoted to a powerful police force in the city. There is no love lost between large pockets of the black community and the police department, and pledges to make the city safer via more police wont strike much of a positive chord.

In addition, Donovan has allied himself with Sheriff David Clarke, a black man who continually demonstrates how out of touch he is with the black community. Donovan pleaded with the sheriff to help stop a rash of auto thefts in his district, claiming the administration of the police department was preventing effective action to stop them.

For his part, Donovan thinks that its just his enemies who are causing his problems.

"There is a whispering campaign that Im a racist," he said. "I am not a racist."

Despite his difficulties with the black community  over 40 percent of the population in the city  there are a couple of things that may give Donovan some hope.

One is if there is a significant turnout of voters who dont like the streetcar that Barrett has championed building Downtown. Donovan's opposition to the streetcar is a centerpiece of his campaign.

A huge turnout of Republican voters excited by the GOP presidential primary race could give Donovan a potential advantage. However, the city is overwhelmingly Democratic, and if Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton remain in a close race, that may help even out any kind of Republican groundswell that would almost certainly favor Donovan over Barrett.

It would not be surprising to see Barrett get more than 60 percent of the vote over Donovan with the Davis endorsement having almost no impact on the results.
Reprinted from Smirking Chimp

Thanks to Donald Trump's increasingly hostile and race-baiting rhetoric, the topic of fascism -- what it is and what causes it -- is once again on the minds of many Americans. And while Trump's rise to the top of the Republican field should scare anyone who's read about how Hitler and Mussolini rose to power, what's even scarier is that one of the key components of US fascism is already in place, and has been ever since the Reagan Revolution.

That component is monopoly, something former Vice President Henry Wallace identified as the key to fascism in a 1944 piece for The New York Times.

American fascists, Wallace wrote,

"... claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective ... is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection."

At the time Wallace was writing, the threat of fascism was very, very real. The US was fighting a two-front war against Axis powers, and was just three years removed from a Japanese fascist attack on its home soil.

It was also just 11 years removed from the tense days of 1933, when Marine Corps General Smedley Butler exposed a plot by big business to overthrow President Franklin Roosevelt in a military coup. That plot, the so-called "Business Plot," was concocted by the very same rich men and corporations who Wallace said would support US fascism.

But luckily, thanks to the New Deal and Roosevelt's trust-busting efforts, those forces had been kept in check and would remain in check until the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan stopped enforcing the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.

That act, which was signed into law in 1890, is our government's most powerful tool against monopoly, and ever since Reagan threw it out the proverbial window, the monopolists -- Wallace's American fascists -- have been on the march. Almost every major industry in the United States is now controlled by a of handful giant multinational corporations.

When it comes to household products, for example, pretty much everything you can buy at your local grocery store is made by a subsidiary of Mondelez, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola or Nestle; either that, or a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Mars or Unilever.

The same is true of the media. Six corporations -- GE, News Corp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS -- now control 90 percent of the electronic media. That's a huge drop from 1983, when 50 companies controlled that much of the media.

Probably the worst example of monopolization, though, is in the airline industry. There are now just four major US air carriers, and almost half of the country's 100 largest airports are dominated by just one carrier. If you're looking for a reason why ticket prices are still high even though crude oil prices are way down, this is it.

It's all about monopoly. For these huge corporate conglomerates, it's "heads I win, tails you lose" with both smaller businesses and consumers.

When big business controls the marketplace, they can set the prices, and in this post-Citizens United era, they can also legally bribe politicians to block regulations they don't like or pass bills to help them consolidate themselves even further.

This kind of control of the few over the many is what scared Henry Wallace so much about monopolization, and it's why he saw it as one of the key ingredients of US fascism. When corporations can buy Congress and use their sheer size and influence to get what they want and box out competition, there is no free market at all.

And if you believe the old maxim that there is no freedom without economic freedom, there's no democracy either.
The dust has cleared from the March 15th primaries and it's clear Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic presidential nominee. It's less clear if the Republican nominee will be Donald Trump or a forced "marriage" orchestrated by GOP leaders. Nonetheless, three factors will determine who wins on November 8th.



Theme: Although presidential candidates talk about many specific issues, ranging from healthcare reform to immigration, typically there is one dominant theme that differentiates the Republican from the Democrat. Initially, in 2008, that theme was how to handle the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; Republican McCain wanted to "double down" and Democrat Obama wanted to withdraw troops. In the fall, because of the onset of "the great recession," the central theme shifted to the economy. Obama won because voters felt he was best able to handle the economic crisis.

In 2016, the emerging theme is national unity. Although Trump promises to "make America great again" and bemoans a broken society, his day-to-day message is savagely divisive -- he disparages Muslims, Mexicans, women, reporters, the disabled " everyone but White men. Trump presents himself as "a divider not a uniter." In addition to being a megalomaniac, Trump is a blamer.

In distinction, Hillary Clinton is running as a uniter. She has chosen to build upon the success of the Obama Administration (Barack's approval rating hovers around 50 percent) and promises evolutionary change: "America has never stopped being great, our task is to make America whole" It will take all of us working together to knock down these barriers to stand for the basic proposition that yes we are all created equal." It's a positive counter to Trump's omnipresent negativism.

If Trump and Clinton are the candidates there will be a clear thematic contrast: "Make America great again"my way" versus "Make America whole." Trump will hammer Clinton on trade and money in politics. Clinton will respond with evidence of his Trumps cancerous personality: his insults, mischaracterizations, and lies.

It's safe to assume this will be a very negative presidential contest. Trump will attack Clinton's credibility. And, Clinton will attack Trump's credibility (there's abundant material). In a mud storm, voters will have to decide which candidate can lead American forward.

Current national polls show Clinton leading Trump by 10 points.

Media: Even though Donald Trump is weak on national policy, he garners most of the media attention because of his bombastic style. Writing in "Rolling Stone," Matt Taibbi observed Trump "is pulling 33 times as much coverage on the major networks as his next-closest GOP competitor, and twice as much as Hillary." Writing in "Wired", Issie Lapowsky noted, "Nine of the top national networks have mentioned Trump a stunning 258,831 times since June. That's more than Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and John Kasich combined." In December, "The Nation" contributor John Nichols wrote that Trump had gotten 23 times as much coverage as Hillary Clinton.

Trump has conducted a media-savvy campaign combining astute use of social media -- particularly Twitter -- and an aggressive style that sets out each morning to dominate the day's news cycle.

After the July Democratic and Republican conventions, the amount of media coverage given to the candidates should move towards parity, but expect Trump to continue to get more attention. Writing in "Alternate," Mark Peysha observed that Trump has "highjacked" US politics: Trump is consciously creating controversy. He has targeted, "millions of people who resent the Obama administration." Trump will continue to be outrageous until the election.

During the primaries, Hillary Clinton's social media presence has not been as strong as that of Bernie Sanders and significantly inferior to that of Trump. This aspect of her campaign must improve before the election.

Infrastructure: No matter how much they have been inflamed by the political "issue de jour" or the latest media flash, on November 8th voters have to cast their ballots. While there were many reasons for Obama's wins in 2008 and 2012, one of them was his superior ground game: Obama had more boots on the ground than did his opponents and therefore he got more of his voters to the polls.

In 2016, there are likely to be 10-16 swing states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The campaign infrastructure will be crucial to getting voters out in these states.

So far, the candidate with the best get-out-the-vote structure is Hillary Clinton. The worst is Donald Trump.

Bottom Line: In a Clinton-Trump contest, there is a path that leads to Clinton's victory. Clinton can neutralize Trump's divisive message by campaigning as a uniter. (No doubt as Trump senses he is losing, he will become even more vitriolic.) Trump will likely continue to dominate the media, but Clinton has better grassroots support and, therefore, should turn out more voters on November 8th.
Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website

A decade or more ago Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld claimed, as part of the "scare Americans to death about terrorism" strategy, that the prisoners in Washington's Guantanamo prison are "the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth." Rumsfeld's erroneous claim was endlessly repeated by the presstitutes and swallowed whole by the gullible American and European public.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. At the time, I pointed out that in fact the prisoners were innocents captured by warlords in response to Washington's offer of a bounty for terrorists and sold to the US for money. The prisoners consisted of aide workers, traveling salesmen, and any unprotected people that warlords happened upon. Washington needed "terrorist prisoners" in order to cloak its massive war crime.



I was correct, not Rumsfeld. After many years of torture and brutal treatment, and despite attempted kangaroo court military trials, almost every single prisoner, about 700 males, turned out to be innocent and had to be released without charges after losing a decade or more of their lives to being tortured by the Americans.

The US government has a long record of shameful behavior, and the 14-year-long torture of fake "terrorists" in Guantanamo defines the inhumane character of the US government and its presstitutes, people devoid of integrity and insensitive to justice. It also shows that the US government has no difficulty in finding a sufficient number of psychopaths in the US military, CIA, and among academic psychologists to do its dirty work in its torture dungeons.
The Governor of California has joked about building a wall all the way around his state if Donald Trump becomes president of the other 49. Secession would not be a joke had it not been given an undeserved bad name. It would not have that bad name but for our universal acceptance of imperialism and of an overly simplistic history of the U.S. Civil War.

Slavery in the U.S. South was widespread through World War II, Jim Crow through the 1960s, mass incarceration through the current day, and bitterness over the Civil War for the foreseeable future. Had the U.S. avoided civil war through a compromise that restricted slavery to existing slave states, or even through a compromise that allowed its possible expansion, or through simply allowing states to secede without war, the net result might have been good or bad. A few things are certain. The bitterness over the war would not exist, the 700,000 killed and many more injured and the incredible destruction of burned cities and fields would not have happened, and war would not have been glorified during the childhoods of the generation that would launch global U.S. imperialism at the dawn of the 20th century.

Very likely, in addition, slavery would have ended more quickly and more thoroughly than it did. Of course, that cannot be stated with certainty. But a nation half-slave, half-free that sought to work through problems without war would have very likely ended slavery through some form of compensated emancipation fairly quickly, bringing up the rear in a global process of liberation. Two or more smaller nations that sought to avoid war would have very likely also put an end to slavery in the one or more nations maintaining it, in part because of international and economic forces and the absence of a fugitive slave law, but also because smaller nations, all else equal, have an easier time achieving democracy. If we had smaller nations on this continent now, or if we were to choose to in the future, we would see the ability of people to bring popular pressure to bear on the governments soar.

Of course, it's anything but an easy moral question whether 4 million people should be left enslaved another moment, or whether a nation should launch a war that might benefit them, though in the end it actually brought very limited and short-lived gains along with 700,000 killed and numerous disastrous results for decades to come. Not only are the results known only after the war, but the moral question has been invented after the war. Many in the North did not want a war to free slaves. A draft had to finally be created, as in the South as well, to compel people to kill and die. And those in power in Washington, including President-elect Lincoln, did not want war to free the slaves, only to prevent the expansion of slavery westward. When the South would not agree to restricting slavery to its current boundaries, Northern decision makers chose to launch a war over "union" -- preferring slaughter to permitting the South, or some part of it, to leave.

Mark Tooley has published a book called The Peace That Almost Was: The Forgotten Story of the 1861 Washington Peace Conference and the Final Attempt to Avert the Civil War. It may remain a forgotten story for at least four reasons that leap out at me. First, Tooley adds in so much gossip-column fluff on clothes and parties and families and churches that it's almost physically impossible to make it through his book if you're looking only for what happened at the conference; this is truly a shame in a culture that already considers peace boring and war exciting. Second, Tooley concludes that the war was "inevitable" anyway, so why should you care? (And why did he give his book the title he did?) Third, Tooley almost completely overlooks the possibility that was most open to the North, namely allowing the South to leave in peace. Fourth, if you look into the details and consider how easily peace might have been chosen instead of war, you may feel a bit of discomfort in your mind. You may come up against the fact that many nations did end slavery without a civil war, and then have to start questioning whether in fact lots of other wars have also been "inevitable."

A strong case could be made that the peace conference was begun too late. Seven states had already seceded. A conference on peaceful secession before secession, or a conference on a slavery compromise before secession, would have been easier. Oh and, by the way, the entire topic of the conference was slavery, not some other vague cause of "states rights" or anything of the sort. Nonetheless, the conference had numerous chances to reach an agreement, and in the end did reach an agreement -- which Congress tossed aside in favor of war, and which Congress was assisted in tossing aside by some members of the peace conference who quickly badmouthed what they had done and opted for war. Among the latter was former U.S. President John Tyler who had chaired the peace conference before returning to Virginia and denouncing it.

Under consideration at the conference was not primarily slavery in the slave states, and certainly not ending it through compensated emancipation, as would be done in Washington, D.C., and numerous foreign countries. At issue was principally the expansion of slavery into the expanding western empire. Both sides insisted on imperial expansion to such an extent that it was truly beyond debate. If they'd been somehow made content with the current size of the country, that too could have resolved the dispute and averted war. So, in that peculiar sense, the Civil War was a war of empire. Delegates from both Northern and Southern states (quite a crowd of former senators and justices and the like) tended also to assume that their choices were either union or war, not peaceful division. A greater willingness to accept peaceful separation could also have averted war.

Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin sent no delegates. William Lloyd Garrison urged the desirability of war. Peace conference delegate Roger Baldwin of Connecticut advocated no compromise with slavery. Some Southern delegates urged no compromise with freedom, even while whining about threats to their own rights and comforts without a thought for those of the people enslaved in their states. The peace conference dragged on unpeacefully for 19 days, with Congress and the states holding their breath and holding off on actions.

Delegate Reverdy Johnson of Maryland made a case for compromise to both sides, urging the North to accept the deal of the old Missouri Compromise as preferable to the Dred Scott decision's ruling that slavery could spread north of latitude 36 degrees30'. Southern delegates were intent on not just preserving slavery but expanding it westward. President-elect Lincoln met with the peace conference and made clear that he would never stand for that and would prefer war; he would leave slavery alone where it existed but never allow it to expand.

After all variety of proposals were heard and rejected, ultimately a compromise was reached by the peace conference that reinstated the Missouri Compromise, required a majority of slave-state senators to approve of new territory, prohibited Congressional interference with slavery, banned the importation of enslaved people from abroad, and affirmed fugitive slave laws but also allowed for compensation paid to an owner to make an escaped slave free. Arguably this final agreement and other proposals that were rejected all propped up slavery more than simply allowing secession would have. The Senate and House quickly took up the peace conference agreement and rejected it. This was a Congress now missing any representatives from eight states, another reason why acting sooner might have succeeded.

During the course of the conference, some hints at another possible course were heard. General Winfield Scott said that dividing the country into four countries would be a "lesser evil" than war. Senator Salmon Chase of Ohio said, "The thing to be done is to let the South go." Former Massachusetts Governor George Boutwell said that the union should be kept free of slavery or not kept. (But he warned ominously that the South could try to annex Mexico and other land, and block the North's expansion to the Pacific. Again, it was all about empire.) Former New York Congressman Francis Granger raised the example of letting the South go as an act too cruel to be considered (so beneficial, apparently, was union with the North). George Summers of Virginia proposed a new nation of the border states, letting the Deep South and New England do their own things.

Victory, and thereby top praise in the history books, went to those who wanted war, including those who opposed slavery, those who demanded "union," and those who insisted on expanding slavery far and wide.

But when secession is proposed in the future, we should not be rash in rejecting it. If the North had let the South go way back when, both countries might be much better off today. If, after the Civil War, someone had been able to turn the clock back four years, the North might have been very willing to let the South go. The South might also have been very willing to give up slavery, or at least its expansion westward, without the insanity and horror of a war. Secession may be an improvement on what we've got now. There are only so many immigrants Canada is going to take.
Reprinted from www.fairvote.org



Donald Trump

(Image by C-SPAN, Channel: CSPAN) Details DMCA



Super Tuesday has come and gone, but headlines about Donald Trump's dominance would have been very different if the elections had been conducted under instant runoff voting, the single winner form of ranked choice voting. In fact, in head-to-head matchups with his strongest competitor, it is quite possible that Trump would have lost nine of eleven Super Tuesday states, along with the critically important Feb. 20th South Carolina primary. Instead, Trump has taken a commanding lead in the race for the nomination by winning pluralities in seven Super Tuesday states and a clean sweep of South Carolina's 50 delegates with less than a third of the vote.

By only allowing voters to select their first choice candidate, typical American elections do not accurately capture the complexity of voter opinion in a multi-candidate race. This shortcoming is particularly salient in this year's Republican presidential contest, as support from the majority of GOP voters that oppose Trump is divided among several challengers led by Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and Governor John Kasich.

If Super Tuesday contests had been conducted with ranked choice voting -- a proven system that empowers voters to rank candidates by preference in order to elect the candidate with the strongest support and the one most likely to garner the support of a majority -- the results would look very different. Our models suggest that Trump would have won Alabama and Massachusetts, competed in toss-up races in Tennessee and Vermont, and lost the remaining seven states.

To model RCV elections based on the Super Tuesday results, we averaged two Public Policy Polling (PPP) poll datasets from North Carolina and South Carolina that ask respondents about hypothetical matchups between candidates. These questions specifically included candidate preference among the entire field, among the frontrunner three-way race (Cruz, Rubio, and Trump), and respective head to head matchups. By measuring the average change in voter preference for each candidate when other specific candidates are eliminated (and ignoring undecided voters, although evidence suggests that most would have broken against Trump), we were able to estimate the second and third preferences for each candidate's supporters. This distribution is then applied to the actual Super Tuesday results in each state, using the election results as the first round starting point for each simulation. Our data and model can be reviewed at this spreadsheet.

To provide a concrete example, the following interactive graphic illustrates our simulated RCV election in Georgia:



(Image by Fairvote) Details DMCA



Though Trump led the GOP field in Georgia with 38.8% of the vote on Super Tuesday, his support increases only incrementally in subsequent rounds of our simulated RCV election because large majorities of the supporters of other candidates likely would have prefered Cruz and Rubio. Ultimately, Rubio edges Trump 51% to 49% in the final instant runoff round of our simulation, despite Trump's fourteen point advantage in the initial round -- echoing our findings last week about Trump typically trailing in head-to-head polls and our YouGov/College of William and Mary poll.

Similar outcomes are modeled in the other Super Tuesday southern states, with each election becoming significantly closer when using RCV. Virginia, similar to Georgia, goes to a head to head matchup between Trump and Rubio, where the latter easily wins by more than 10 percentage points. Cruz decisively beats Trump in Arkansas by nearly 10 percentage points under RCV, despite trailing in the first round.

In the case of Alabama, Trump's vote share of 22% in the first round lead creates enough of a cushion to still win with RCV. In Tennessee, however, it would have been a toss-up, with Rubio and Cruz in a dead heat for second place once the field goes down to three, and then Rubio defeating Trump one-on-one and Cruz potentially doing so if undecided voters had broken his way. Outside the South, Trump would have easily carried Massachusetts, but Kasich would have seriously contended in Vermont where Trump led by merely 3 percentage points, 33% to 30%, in the actual vote.

Notably, there is no consistent beneficiary under RCV; rather, the Republican Party clearly has yet to settle on and coalesce around an alternative candidate. Our hypothetical for Super Tuesday shows Trump winning two states (Alabama and Massachusetts), Cruz winning four state (Alaska, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas), and Rubio winning three states (Georgia, Minnesota and Virginia) -- with Kasich having a real chance in Vermont and Tennessee too close to call.

These divided results provide further evidence that Republicans are facing a complicated and challenging nomination process no matter the voting system. Nonetheless, RCV would encourage candidates to find common ground with other candidates' supporters instead of waging scorched-earth, overly-negative campaigns that define politics today. As FairVote's primary focus series pointed out last week, RCV would almost certainly result in campaigns that are more civil and substantive based on findings from Rutgers-Eagleton Poll surveying seven cities using RCV in 2013-2014.

All of the Super Tuesday states utilize a form of proportional delegate allocation, where determining the singular winner is less important for delegate counts and more important for commanding media attention and providing campaign momentum. But all one has to do is watch Trump's Super Tuesday speech from to observe these phenomena in action, as his Super Tuesday victories were seen as a strong affirmation of his status as the frontrunner. For these proportional states, FairVote recommends eliminating candidates from the bottom up until all remaining candidates are above the threshold to win delegates, a change that would have put Rubio over the 20% threshold in Texas this past week.

Looking forward to winner-take-all states like the primaries in Ohio and Florida on March 15th, RCV would be fundamental to ensuring the winning candidate is actually the candidate with the most support. For example, looking back to South Carolina, we find that in an RCV election those fifty delegates would likely have gone to Rubio instead of Trump, with Rubio winning by nearly nine percentage points in the final round.

In our current primary system, attention and momentum is often misdirected. Ranked choice voting would accurately measure the second and third choice support of GOP voters to truly reveal the energy behind each candidate and ultimately nominate the candidate who best reflects majority opinion within the party.

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Reprinted from Reader Supported News

On June 27, 1993, just after 2 a.m. and two years after the end of the Gulf War, US Tomahawk missiles reduced the home of Layla al-Attar, the Director of the Iraqi National Museum and a leading advocate for women artists in the Middle East, to rubble and ash. "There was no warning," said her daughter, Rema. "We were sound asleep. We heard an explosion and felt the walls shake. We tried to get out but we couldn't do it. The whole house collapsed on top of us."

Rema, or "Little Deer," was blinded in one eye by the 1993 bombing. She left Baghdad soon after and underwent extensive face surgery in Los Angeles and Canada before moving to the Bay Area. She was 19 when "the bombs changed everything," she said. "I was very deep under and no one could hear me. I was dying by the time they got through. They didn't get to my parents for another two hours. It was two hours too late."

According to The New York Times, Layla al-Attar and her husband were "found dead under the debris" after one of the 23 US cruise missiles launched by former president Bill Clinton "blasted craters as deep as 30 feet in Al Manour, an exclusive residential area."

Clinton claimed he had ordered the bombing of Baghdad to foil an alleged Iraqi plot to assassinate former president George H.W. Bush, who was on his way to visit Kuwait for a gala postwar victory celebration. The death plot was a CIA ruse and was never confirmed by any named source.

Following the missile attack that killed al-Attar and her husband and housekeeper, and half-blinded Rema, a report prepared by the CIA's Counterterrorism Center suggested that Kuwait might have fabricated the alleged presidential assassination plot in order to play up the continuing Iraqi threat. All of the alleged assassins were later released in Kuwait without prosecution.

The Life of the Artist Lost

As director of the Iraqi National Art Museum, Layla al-Attar had been a powerful force in gaining recognition for women artists in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. She was also, her daughter said, "very beautiful, very well respected, and very kind."

"It was really something I will never forget," Iraqi artist Mohammed al-Sadoun told me at the time of the bombing. "I was watching CNN and suddenly I heard that a famous Iraqi artist was killed, and I tried to recognize the image as it was displayed on TV: it was Layla's house, and there was nothing left of it."

Layla al-Attar contributed to the Iraqi community in many ways, al-Sadoun said. "First as a very fine woman artist, but also as an art leader, where she was involved with art business, curating exhibitions, international exhibitions such as the 1988 exhibition," he said. "The exhibition brought thousands of artists to Iraq from many different countries, including the United States. To find a female leading an art establishment in a country like Iraq, with an Arab-Muslim culture, was really significant."

It was also quite significant in the Arab community that al-Attar's paintings contained naked women, mingling with trees and the natural environment. In al-Attar's paintings, as she wrote in introducing one of her exhibitions, Middle-Eastern women were "respected and exalted, not marginalized or excluded altogether. I am trying to bring into the society of ideal faith, the role of women, the dignity of their existence, and their humanity. My instrument to accomplish that is made of lines blended with waves."

The Leading Women's Right Campaigner Goes Silent

Enter Hillary Clinton. As First Lady, Clinton was globetrotting for women's rights, from Boston to Beijing. Indeed, she was perhaps the most high-profile campaigner for women's rights on the planet.

On September 5, 1995, a little more than two years after her husband murdered Layla al-Attar in her own home while she slept, Hillary Clinton told the U.N. 4th World Conference on Women Plenary Session in Beijing, China:

"There are some who question the reason for this conference. Let them listen to the voices of women in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. There are some who wonder whether the lives of women and girls matter to economic and political progress around the globe. Let them look at the women gathered here ... the homemakers and nurses, the teachers and lawyers, the policymakers and women who run their own businesses."

Layla al-Attar was many of the above: A mother, a teacher, a business woman, and a celebrated artist, yet Hillary Clinton could not seem to find the time or the conscience to visit with Rema to express her condolences along with the president's. To this day, there is no formal apology on record to the al-Attar family, and to the people of Iraq, who lost one of their cherished artists -- a woman -- a woman ascending against overwhelming odds in the highly male-dominated Middle East.
Obama Writes Nomination Insurance for Plutocrats

Obama has decided that, to fill Scalia's vacant radical seat on the Supreme Court, the country needs another former partner in a Wall Street law firm, turned prosecutor, and then appellate judge. Another judge obscures the highly political work of the contemporary Supreme Court beneath a veneer of technocratic competence. Just the opposite is required at this time.

We need a politician who will forthrightly make a political case against decisions like the Court's most destructive ruling of the past half century that "money is speech," which was pure politics when decided. After 40 years it has become part of the ordinary technology of plutocracy that a judge like Merrick B. Garland administers to the satisfaction of plutocrats. Chief Judge Garland represents a continuation of pettifogging business as usual. Since we already have one Chief Justice Roberts, there is no need for another.

Before making this appointment President Obama needed "advice" from Senator Sanders on a progressive Supreme Court nominee while candidate Sanders needed to give advice that would mobilize his most important constituency. Sanders missed the opportunity to advocate more diversity on the Court, or to hold out for a progressive appointment to this essential swing seat. Instead Sanders has inexplicably announced that "Judge Garland is a strong nominee." He has done so without applying any litmus test. Garland has a neutral pH on most issues, but not on the one issue for which Sanders needs to apply the test.

Fortunately it is still not too late for Sanders to think strategically about this, arguably, most consequential high court appointment of the past century. For starters, Sanders must prepare himself to competently and effectively interview Garland to determine whether he can pass the only litmus test, which is whether he believes political corruption is constitutional speech, or not.

Obama has been running a "pig in the poke" strategy for manipulating liberals to embrace any Supreme Court nominee that Republicans may accept to fill Scalia's vacant seat. Obama's chief propagandist - ahem, " strategic communications " advisor -- has been instructing liberal "grassroots groups" on waging "a pressure campaign" for Obama's nominee, sight unseen. No doubt, contributions are at stake for these professional activists and Democratic Party - affiliated NGO front groups which are waging the campaign. There will be unrelenting propaganda concerning this appointment in order to fill the swing seat with a plutocratic justice.

Signs of this campaign have already surfaced in many liberal venues with efforts to demonize Republicans for giving their fully constitutional, but also fully Kabuki, negative "advice" about any Obama appointment. Obama is treating the Republicans' constitutional "advice" to him, that they will not "consent" on any nominee in 2016, as being subject to the tacit Kabuki exception that Republicans will, under certain circumstances, in the third act, dramatically succumb to the plutocratic attractions of Obama's nominee. No one plays this role more effectively than Obama.

Obama's campaign to neutralize liberals is timed to culminate in the period between the primaries and the Democratic Convention. Obama thus colludes to give Republicans an option, insurance if you will, under the guise of making "Republicans ... look really bad for vilifying" his plutocrat nominee. But of course Republicans do not need to vilify the person, but only delay the process, on the principle that McConnell calls the "Biden rule." Obama thus allows Republicans, at their own discretion, to decide whether or not, and when. to act on his plutocratic nominee, before the July 25 Democratic Convention and July 18 Senate recess if Sanders takes the nomination by June.

Republicans can choose to put Obama's plutocratic centrist nominee on the Court, should it appear in July that Sanders will be the next president. Otherwise the nomination of a more committed plutocratic justice can be safely left to Clinton or a Republican, should Sanders fail to win nomination. Or if Sanders' election remains uncertain through the fall Republicans can wait to exercise their option as late as the lame duck session, after the election, if necessary to undercut President-elect Sanders' own choice.

Without such an option from Obama, Sanders could speak with the authority of a Democratic nominee enjoying a wide polling margin against the likely Republican presidential candidate. If Obama had offered the Republicans a progressive nominee, rather than a plutocrat, Sanders could use such authority to request that Obama immediately make a recess appointment of the stalled nomination, which is the constitutionally prescribed and most strategically effective reply to Republican obstruction. It is therefore the option rejected by Obama in favor of his standard Kabuki politics.

Obama would argue that the Easter recess should not be used for an appointment, but instead for Republicans to hear from their constituents about the many attractions of his nominee. So that recess is unavailable. But if Obama's consensus strategy fails, and the Senators return after Easter without a plan for action on Merrick Garland, Sanders can set a deadline of May 1 for Obama to make a decision on a recess appointment, a progressive recess appointment, a progressive black woman recess appointment. Sanders therefore needs to date stamp his comment that "President Obama has done his job. It's time for Republicans to do theirs." When the Republicans do not predictably "do theirs" by May 1, Sanders must call for Obama to apply the constitutional solution for this impasse, that of making a recess appointment under Article II, Section 2 .

If Sanders can mobilize his supporters in the primaries to force Obama to make a May recess appointment of a progressive, he can avoid such a "July surprise" confirmation of Garland by Republicans that would undermine his presidency.

Oligarchic and plutocratic strategies against democracy have always resorted to the Supreme Court. While Obama keeps Republican options open for pursuing this strategy, progressives should oppose Obama's plutocratic pick for the Court as much as they oppose his TPP treaty. But Elizabeth Warren herself, without imposing any known litmus test on Obama's nominee, led the diversionary charge for Obama's Kabuki "pig in the poke" theatrics, and immediately endorsed his pick. Progressives were in this way being softened up to declare victory, or at least not effectively object, when Obama anoints a nominee who Republicans agree upon for the replacement plutocrat on the Court, just in case of a possible Sanders victory.

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Negotiation with Afghanistan only hope for stability in entire region: Maleeha Lodhi

NEW YORK: A negotiated peace in Afghanistan was the best and only hope for stability and prosperity for the country and the entire region, said Pakistan Ambassador to United Nations Maleeha Lodhi while speaking in the Security Council debate on Afghanistan. Lodhi said it was gratifying that the international community had reached a firm consensus that a political settlement was the only way to achieve peace in Afghanistan. This, she emphasised, what Pakistan had consistently advocated and recommended to end the decade-old war and suffering endured by the Afghan people. Peace in Afghanistan, she reaffirmed, is in Pakistans vital interest.



The Pakistani envoy told the 15-member council that a promising beginning had been made to foster a negotiating process for peace talks in the last couple of months. Ambassador Lodhi described the positive momentum generated by the successful meeting at the Heart of Asia conference hosted by Islamabad jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Ashraf Ghani.



Lodhi explained the success of this new mechanism was predicated on the shared commitment and shared responsibility of each of its four members. Each member must play its part in moving the process forward towards our common objective, she asserted.



Pakistans ambassador depicted the task ahead as complex and arduous and urged that expectations be kept realistic and strategic patience should be exercised. What was vital now is to create an enabling environment to operationalise and sustain a peace process.



She identified a number of factors critical for establishing an Afghan-led peace process. such an environment. First, Lodhi said, there should be consistent and unified positions and declarations from the Afghan government affirming its commitment to work for a negotiated peace. She welcomed, in this regard, the recent statements by the Afghan leadership and the revamping of the High Peace Council.



Secondly, she said, there must be a demonstrated capacity by the Afghan security forces which would force the Taliban to return to the negotiating table. Third, she said, all four members of the QCG must use their respective influence and political capital to contribute to the success of the process.



Ambassador Lodhi assured the council that Pakistan would play its due part. As a first step it had offered to host direct talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban, she said, adding the cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be a vital component of the endeavour to realise peace and security within Afghanistan and the entire region. She said a greater cooperation on border management to stop the movement of terrorists has become crucial to sustain peace.



She pointed to incursions by TTP terrorists across the international border from Afghanistan and expressed concern that despite repeated calls for cooperation by Pakistan, Kabul had not been forthcoming so far.



She concluded by saying that Pakistan looked forward to a relationship with Afghanistan based on shared values and interests and respect for each others sensitivities. We stand committed to working with Afghanistan for the improvement of the relationship for the mutual benefit of our peoples, she added.
TAPI Gas Project would be a game changer: Mamnoon Hussain

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Wednesday that the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project would be a game changer with benefits for all the participating countries.



He said the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was a welcome development and Pakistan was looking forward to completion of the project by 2018.



Pakistan also looks forward to import of 1000 MW electricity from Turkmenistan on a fast-track basis, he added.



The president was talking to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during a meeting at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. He said that Pak-Turkmen fraternal ties were based upon centuries-old historical and cultural affinities and emphasised that Pakistan-Turkmenistan friendship should pass on to the younger generations.



Hussain stressed that visa regimes should be relaxed to promote bilateral economic relations, people-to-people contacts, cultural cooperation and tourism. He asserted that Pakistan was committed to enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation in trade, energy, regional connectivity, infrastructure development, security and defence. He observed that Pakistan-Turkmenistan bilateral trade was currently below the potential and called for efforts to enhance the bilateral trade volume. He said that a greater interaction was needed between chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries.



The president emphasized that establishment of direct air, road and rail links between the two countries was pivotal to regional economic connectivity. Pakistan is willing to help Turkmenistan improve its defence capabilities, he added.



The president hoped that Turkmenistan would fully avail various training courses offered in Pakistans prestigious civil and military institutions. Hussain conferred an Honourary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science on Berdimuhamedov. Federal Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister of State for Communications Abdul Hakeem Baloch and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi were also present.
Our company specializes in the production and wholesale of 100% pine pellets. Our main warehouse is located in Kiev. We export our product mainly to Europe. Our high quality product complies with EN plus - A1 / DIN+ and EN plus - A2. We supply our product in Big-Bags (1000 kg) and in 15 kg bags. On request we can supply the product with indicators that you require and pack the pellets in bags with your own logo. We work with FCA and DAP. We also have a representative in Europe (Slovakia) DIN+ (6mm) - Ash 0,4%, Moisture 7% Big Bag  112 EUR/T FCA (Kiev, Ukraine) 15kg bags  115 EUR/T FCA (Kiev, Ukraine) EN plus - A1 (6mm) - Ash 0,65%, Moisture 7,5% Big Bag  88 EUR/T FCA (Kiev, Ukraine) 15kg bags  92 EUR/T FCA (Kiev, Ukraine) Please note. We sell wood pellets from 22 tons (1 truck).
In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016, photo, technicians work on Acura's next-generation supercar, the NSX, at its new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late Aprilthe first time in the car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan.

Honda Motor Co. confirmed the start of production of its new specialty car on Thursday. It will make 800 per year in Ohio for global shipment.

Honda's decision to build its top Acura specialty car in North America is a conscious decision to tap the U.S. market and distinguish itself from European competitors, such as Lamborghini, Ferrari and others, said engineering project leader Clement D'Souza.

"The new level of craftsmanship that we are promoting through this car, the technology that we are putting into this car, cascading down to the rest of our vehicles, will also help the brand image," he said. "Overall, companywide, it's going to be a huge boost not only to the Acura brand, but also to the Honda brand global-wide."

The 2017 NSX starts at $156,000. It features a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with 573 horsepower that is hand-built in nearby Anna, Ohio. It's an all-wheel-drive hybrid, with three electric motors that assist in acceleration and handling.

It's been about four years in development. Acura announced plans to bring back the NSXwhich was last produced in 2005at the 2012 auto show in Detroit.

In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016, photo, technicians work on Acura's next-generation supercar, the NSX, at its new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor at Kelley Blue Book, said the U.S. is going to be one of the car's biggest markets and Acura is looking to American production of the automobile as both a convenience and a selling point to customers.

A gleaming, spacious production facilitywith windowed views onto painting, quality testing and other processes often hidden from viewis intended so potential buyers can see the process up close, he said. The centrally located Midwest state could be an attractive closer-to-home alternative than Honda's Takanezawa plant in Japan.

"It's a lot easier to get to Columbus than it is to Tochigi," DeLorenzo said.

In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016, photo, technician Carl Mason inspects under the Acura's next-generation supercar, the NSX, at its new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

The plant where the car is being built was constructed from the ground up to incorporate what the company says is an ideal synergy of human labor and machine technology.

Each component is hand assembled and each of 547 bolts is hand-started and manually tightened by a master technician. Meanwhile, significant portions of the welding, painting and assembly work are completed by highly specialized robots, one nicknamed the T-Rex.

"We have questioned everything," said Doug Duff, who handles vehicle quality testing at the center. "By questioning everything we have done, it's led to a lot of new ideas." That includes 21 U.S. patent applications associated with the manufacturing process.

In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016 photo, technician Dana Green works on Acura's next-generation supercar, the NSX, at its new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

The facility has been operating four, 10-hour shifts a week as ramps up to a full production schedule of 8 to 10 cars daily.

Its assembly line is also operated by around 100 humans, who manually push vehicles mounted on dollies from station to station every 62 minutes. By contrast, a traditional assembly station at the company's neighboring Honda plant is completed in 52 seconds.

Executive vice president Tom Shoupe said it's significant that, over Acura's now 30-year history, more than half of its cars sold in the U.S. were also manufactured in North America. He said it is part of a company vision laid out in 1987 to bring its products closer to its customers.

The 9,000 NSX's sold in the U.S. between 1991 and 2005 were made in Japan.

In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016, photo technicians Gene Bowshier, left, and Jon Osler work on Acura's next-generation supercar, the NSX, at its new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

In this Wednesday, March 9, 2016, photo, the NSX, Acura's next-generation supercar, sits in the final inspection room in Acura's new Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. The next generation of Acura's top-of-the-line NSX is ready to begin full production in Ohio in late April. It's the first time in the showcase car's 27-year history that it will be made outside of Japan. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Explore further Honda to install brake override systems on all models

 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
A depiction of the double helical structure of DNA. Its four coding units (A, T, C, G) are color-coded in pink, orange, purple and yellow. Credit: NHGRI

Residents of the remote equatorial islands of Melanesia share fragments of genetic code with two extinct human species. That's the key finding of a new study published March 17 in the journal Science.

An international team contributed to the research, which compared the DNA sequences of 35 modern people living on islands off the coast of New Guinea with DNA drawn from two early human species: Denisovans, whose remains were found in Siberia, and Neandertals, first discovered in Germany.

"Substantial amounts of Neandertal and Denisovan DNA can now be robustly identified in the genomes of present-day Melanesians, allowing new insights into human evolutionary history," they wrote. "As genome-scale data from worldwide populations continues to accumulate, a nearly complete catalog of surviving archaic lineages may soon be within reach."

D. Andrew Merriwether, a molecular anthropologist at Binghamton University, collected the modern-day blood samples used in the study about 15 years ago in Melanesia. This is the first time full genomes from those samples have been sequenced.

"I'm surprised that these Neandertal and Denisovan genomes made it out to this remote place," he said. "We know people have been there for at least 48,000 years because we find human remains that go back that far, but no one has ever been able to connect them to any other place. When you compare most of their genome sequences, they don't cluster with any other group. They've been there and been isolated for a very, very long time."

Earlier studies have revealed some genetic overlap (about 2 percent) between Neandertals and non-African populations, and little or no Neandertal and Denisovan ancestry among Africans. This new research suggests Neandertals and modern human ancestors intersected at least three times. It also found an overlap of between 1.9 and 3.4 percent in the genetic codes of Denisovans and modern-day Melanesians.

Skepticism about the new findings is entirely appropriate, said Merriwether, who specializes in reconstructing the past using samples from contemporary populations and ancient DNA from the archaeological record.

"Ancient DNA is always damaged and broken into small pieces," he explained. "You only need one molecule of modern DNA to outperform all the ancient DNA."

An independent laboratory did the sequencing of Merriwether's samples. That, combined with a powerful new statistical technique that was used in the analysis, finally convinced him that the genetic similarities were real.

The cost and time involved in sequencing a full human genome has dropped dramatically. The first, completed in 2003, took 13 years and cost about $2.7 million. Today, it's possible to sequence a sample in days for thousands of dollars. Still, this type of research still poses significant challenges.

The human genome contains about 3 billion "letters," and ancient samples are difficult to work with. When people die, their DNA starts breaking down immediately, Merriwether noted, and it isn't repaired anymore. Normally, a person's DNA is fixed thousands of times a minute. Bacteria and fungi contaminate most DNA samples taken from human remains, he said, making up as much as 97 percent of the DNA that's recovered.

Even collecting the modern samples wasn't a simple task.

Merriwether and longtime collaborator Jonathan Friedlaender of Temple University obtained blood samples throughout the Bismarck Archipelago in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They traveled with George Koki of the Institute for Medical Research in Papua New Guinea and Heather Norton, then a student at Penn State and now a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati.

"It's challenging to reach these places," Merriwether said. "They're volcanic islands with mountains. It's also the most linguistically diverse place on Earth."

How diverse? People in this region speak some 800 languages. A common trading language (Tok Pisin) that's a mix of Polynesian and English helped make it possible for the anthropologists to communicate with residents.

Because malaria is so prevalent in the region, there are many clinics set up to test and treat people. That also meant Merriwether and his colleagues usually weren't the first people asking residents of these islands for blood samples.

Studies like this one may enable scientists to answer big questions about human migrations and evolution thousands of years ago.

Merriwether is particularly fascinated by the Denisovan DNA fragments found in the Melanesian genomes. How did ancient humans traveland cross the oceanto get to Melanesia, and when and where did the Denisovan DNA enter our gene pool? Sequencing of additional DNA samples found in Asia may one day help to answer those questions.

"Most people know back a few generations, maybe five generations," Merriwether said, "but where did we come from before that? That's what we want to find out."

Explore further Neanderthals mated with modern humans much earlier than previously thought

More information: "Excavating Neandertal and Denisovan DNA from the genomes of Melanesian individuals," Journal information: Science "Excavating Neandertal and Denisovan DNA from the genomes of Melanesian individuals," DOI: 10.1126/science.aad9416
An Aibot X-6 drone built by German multicopters company Aibotix hovers during a demonstration at the Digital Business fair CEBIT in Hanover, central Germany

Virtual reality and 3D printing are among top technologies showcased by thousands of IT companies attending this year's technology show CeBIT in the northern German city of Hanover.

Here are some eye-catching gadgets from the annual fair:

Quidditch on a broomstick

Harry Potter fans dying to get a taste of what playing quidditch on a flying broomstick feels like can climb on a plastic lookalike and put on a pair of virtual reality glasses and earphones offered by LocomotionVR.

The German company offers encounters with "dragons, unicorns and magic owls" through its virtual reality technology.

Users can imagine scenarios that "do not exist, which are yet to exist or no longer exist," it said.

Belt-tightening, literally

A group of students from the University of Applied Sciences at Osnabrueck have created a belt called Bob that helps its user save money.

Linked to a smartphone, the belt tightens itself when the user spends money using his or her mobile phone.

To avoid leaving spendthrifts out of breath, Bob stretches back to its original breadth after delivering its message.

Red-light ping-pong

For pedestrians who get fidgety while waiting for the green light, German company Urban Invention has replaced crosswalk signal buttons with touchscreens that offer a modern version of the videogame hit "Pong".

German chancellor Angela Merkel looks at a stool printed by the BigRep One 3D printer during her visit to the Digital Business fair CEBIT in Hanover, central Germany

The opponent: the pedestrian on the other side of the road.

Print your own toys

Can't find new toys to keep your child entertained? How about letting little ones have fun creating one themselves?

TinkerToys offers software allowing a child to make his or her toy, before printing it out with a 3D printer.

Not satisfied with the final product? The bioplastic material is easily recyclable.

Air quality arbitrator

Too hot? Too humid? Too dusty? Airboxlab created Foobota gadget it described as a "good-air guru"to help the user determine the finer details of air qualityfrom CO2 levels to optimal temperatures.

The device sends the measurements directly to a smartphone.

Explore further Virtual reality is next as smartphone sales slow

 2016 AFP
The team could observe for the first time with RIXS how the formation of hydrogen bonds does change C=O bonds in aceton molecules. Credit: HZB

A team from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has been able for the first time to measure how new bonds influence molecules: they have reconstructed the 'energy landscape' of acetone molecules using measurement data from the Swiss Light Source of the Paul Scherrer Institut, and thereby empirically established the formation of hydrogen bonds between acetone and chloroform molecules. The results have been published in Scientific Reports and assist in understanding fundamental phenomena of chemistry.

Molecules are composed of atoms that maintain specific intervals and angles between one another. However, the shape of a molecule can change, for example, through proximity to other molecules, external forces and excitations, and also when a molecule makes a chemical connection with another molecule, for instance in a chemical reaction. A very useful concept in describing the changes that are possible in molecules is the use of what are called "potential surfaces" or energy landscapes. However, these are not actual surfaces in real space. They are more viewed as parameters defining the molecule, which can then be portrayed as a surface. An example would be the stretching of a carbon-oxygen bond, or the angle between various molecular groups. You can imagine such surfaces as being like hilly landscapes. If light excites part of the molecule into oscillation, the state of the molecule moves upward, energetically speaking, perhaps even up over a pass or a peak. It either returns finally to its previous energy minimum, or lands in a different energy dip that corresponds to altered angles or bond lengths. Some of these changes allow us to draw conclusions about hydrogen bonding with neighbouring molecules.

Response after excititation of the double bond C=O analysed

The team headed by Annette Pietzsch and Alexander Fohlisch has now for the first time succeeded in precisely measuring these extremely subtle surfaces surrounding a small molecule named acetone (C3H6O). They used the resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) method at the Swiss Light Source of the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) in Switzerland for this work. "We chose to selectively excite the double bond between the carbon and oxygen atom of acetone into oscillation and analysed the responses in detail", explains Annette Pietzsch. Thanks to the extremely high resolution of the measurement data, they were successful in mapping the potential surface along this C=O double bond.

Fingerprint of hydrogen bonds observed

In the second part of the experiment, they investigated a mixture of acetone and chloroform. A liquid mixture like this is denoted as azeotropic, meaning that the two ingredients can no longer be separated from one another through distillation. The scientists were now able for the first time to empirically observe how the acetone molecules linked tightly to the chloroform molecules via hydrogen bonding. They were able to identify in the measurement data the fingerprint of the hydrogen bonds that form between the C=O group of the acetone molecules and hydrogen groups of the chloroform molecules.

Finding a needle in the haystack

"In conclusion, we demonstrated how sub-natural line width vibrational resolved RIXS gives direct experimental access to the ground state potential energy surface around selected atomic sites and moieties, not accessible with other techniques. Our approach to the local ground state potential energy surface (...) resembles finding a needle in a haystack", writes the team in its contribution published in the renowned periodical Scientific Reports. The performance of this approach will benefit strongly from upcoming high-brilliance synchrotrons and free-electron lasers in combination with upcoming high resolution RIXS instruments. Therefore, they foresee wide applicability of this technique to all thermal, collective and impurity driven chemistry and materials issues in the near future.

Annette Pietzsch works at the BESSY II synchrotron source in Berlin, setting up METRIXS - an instrument for resonant inelastic X-ray scattering that will be able to achieve considerably higher resolution in the future. In addition, the meV-RIXS experiment will make high-resolution X-ray scattering in low-energy regions feasible. Alexander Fohlisch heads the HZB Institute for Methods and Instrumentation for Research with Synchrotron Radiation and is spokesperson of Helmholtz Virtual Institute for Dynamic Pathways in Multidimensional Landscapes (Helmholtz Virtual Institute 419).

More information: Simon Schreck et al. Ground state potential energy surfaces around selected atoms from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, Scientific Reports (2016). Journal information: Scientific Reports Simon Schreck et al. Ground state potential energy surfaces around selected atoms from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/srep20054
An instrument designed and built by CU-Boulder students and which is flying on the New Horizons spacecraft that passed by Pluto last July is helping scientists better understand the evolution of the solar system. Credit: NASA

A student-built University of Colorado Boulder instrument riding on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft found only a handful of dust grains, the building blocks of planets, when it whipped by Pluto at 31,000 miles per hour last July.

Data downloaded and analyzed by the New Horizons team indicated the space environment around Pluto and its moons contained only about six dust particles per cubic mile, said CU-Boulder Professor Fran Bagenal, who leads the New Horizons Particles and Plasma Team.

"The bottom line is that space is mostly empty," said Bagenal, a faculty member at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP). "Any debris created when Pluto's moons were captured or created during impacts has long since been removed by planetary processes."

Studying the microscopic dust grains can give researchers clues about how the solar system was formed billions of years ago and how it works today, providing information on planets, moons and comets, said Bagenal.

A paper on Pluto's interaction with the space environment is being published in Science March 17. The study was led by Bagenal and involved more than other 20 researchers, including LASP physics Professor Mihaly Horanyi; CU-Boulder doctoral student Marcus Piquette of the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences; and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) postdoctoral researcher Jamey Szalay, who received his doctorate in physics from CU-Boulder under Horanyi last year.

Launched in 2006, the New Horizons mission was designed to help planetary scientists better understand the icy world at the edge of our solar system, including Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. A vast region thought to span more than a billion miles beyond Neptune's orbit, the Kuiper Belt is believed to harbor at least 70,000 objects more than 60 miles in diameter and contain samples of ancient material created during the solar system's violent formation some 4.5 billion years ago.

Horanyi said the SDC logged thousands of dust grain hits over the spacecraft's nine year, 3 billion-mile journey to Pluto while most of other six instruments slept.

"Now we are now starting to see seeing a slow but steady increase in the impact rate of larger particles, possibly indicating that we already have entered the inner edge of the Kuiper Belt," said Horanyi, the principal investigator for the SDC.

The CU-Boulder dust counter is a thin film resting on a honeycombed aluminum structure the size of a cake pan mounted on the spacecraft's exterior. A small electronic box functions as the instrument's "brain" to assess each individual dust particle that strikes the detector, allowing the students to infer the mass of each particle.

A revolving cast of more than 20 CU-Boulder students, primarily undergraduates, worked on designing and building the SDC for New Horizons between 2002 and 2005. Several students and researchers are now assessing data from the flyby.

"Our instrument has been soaring through our solar system's dust disk and gathering data since launch," said Szalay, who works at SwRI headquarters in San Antonio. "It's going to be very exciting to get into the Kuiper Belt and see what we find there."

New Horizons is traveling at a mind-blowing 750,000 miles a day. Images from closest approach were taken from roughly 7,700 miles above Pluto's surface. The spacecraft, about the size of a baby grand piano, carries six other instruments. The principal investigator of the New Horizons mission is Alan Stern of the SwRI Planetary Science Directorate in Boulder, who received his doctorate from CU-Boulder in 1989.

"CU-Boulder is the only place in the world where students could have built an instrument that eventually flew off to another planet," said Bagenal.

The next and final target of New Horizons is a 30-mile-in diameter Kuiper Belt object named 2014 MU69, which the spacecraft is expected to pass in January 2019.

Bagenal also is a mission scientist for NASA's Juno Mission to Jupiter, launched in 2011 and which will begin orbiting the gas giant's poles in July.

More information: "Pluto's interaction with its space environment: Solar wind, energetic Particles, and Dust," Journal information: Science "Pluto's interaction with its space environment: Solar wind, energetic Particles, and Dust," DOI: 10.1126/science.aad9045
Dr. Michael Buszczak and graduate students Arnaldo Carreira-Rosario and Varsha Bhargava (l-r) contributed to a study that identified a new role for a protein linked to a variety of neurological disorders and cancers. Credit: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a second role for a class of RNA-binding proteins, revealing new insights about neurological diseases and conditions associated with this protein such as autism, epilepsy, and certain types of cancer.

"These data should promote a re-evaluation of those diseases to see if this new function that we've identified contributes to those defects," said senior study author Dr. Michael Buszczak, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and with the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern.

The study, published recently in Developmental Cell, indicates that RNA-binding fox (Rbfox) proteins oversee translation of messenger RNA, or mRNA, into proteins. Using the fruit fly Drosophila as a model, researchers showed that the Rbfox1 protein, in particular, has this regulatory role.

Rbfox1 proteins were known to play a key role in splicing together coding portions of genes called exons to form mRNA, which is subsequently translated to form proteins. Splicing largely takes place within the nucleus of cells, where many Rbfox1 proteins are found. But there are also variants of Rbfox1 proteins found in the cytoplasm - the portion of the cell outside the nucleus - and the function of those cytoplasmic proteins had not been understood.

"We found that cytoplasmic Rbfox1 represses the production of specific proteins," Dr. Buszczak said.

The lead author of the study, UT Southwestern Molecular Biology graduate student Arnaldo Carreira-Rosario, found that Rbfox1 binds to specific elements at the ends of mRNA molecules, preventing these mRNAs from being translated into proteins. If Rbfox1 proteins are lost and mRNA is no longer repressed, that could lead to aberrant growth of cells, or cancers.

The researchers found that cytoplasmic forms of Rbfox1 were required for germ cell development in Drosophila. "Without this protein, the germ cells are blocked in a very specific stage of differentiation and just linger there. They can't differentiate into mature eggs," said Dr. Buszczak, an E.E. and Greer Garson Fogelson Scholar in Medical Research.

This block leads to sterility in female Drosophila and, in other contexts, can result in an inappropriate proliferation of cells, which underlies cancer.

Work by co-author Dr. Mani Ramaswami of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland points to a link between the newly identified function of Rbfox1 proteins and neuronal development and function, which could have important implications for a number of the neuronal disorders linked to disruption of Rbfox1.

"The idea is that loss of Rbfox1 causes disease by disrupting protein expression, not RNA splicing," Dr. Buszczak said. "If this interpretation is correct, then it has implications for how one would develop therapeutics to treat the disease in question."

Explore further Untapped region in brain cell offers goldmine of drug targets for new autism treatments
SiriusXM Music for Business to Debut on BrightSigns LS322 Player at DSE 2016

LOS GATOS, CA  (March 16, 2016)  BrightSign, LLC today announced the debut of SiriusXM Music for Business on BrightSigns LS322 music player. BrightSign will demonstrate SiriusXM Music for Business in the BrightSign booth (#1828) at this weeks Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2016.

Available for the first time ever to customers using a BrightSign music player, SiriusXM Music for Business pairs SiriusXMs wide variety of commercial-free music from every genre with BrightSigns music player to deliver an affordable, powerful solution for businesses to enhance the customer experience in-store and on the phone.

While were widely known for our video solutions, many of our customers use our players to manage audio content within their businesses, said Jeff Hastings, BrightSigns CEO. SiriusXMs unparalleled variety of audio content is the perfect companion to our player. This is a very compelling solution for businesses that want to use music to enrich their customer experience.

SiriusXM Music for Business delivers more than 100 commercial-free music channels, 30 of which are entirely interruption-free. All content is licensed and available for business use. Installation is quick and easy, with packages starting at $24.95 per month.

The service is available on BrightSigns LS322 player, one of the industrys most advanced and reliable devices for distributing audio content. The player supports in-store messaging, background music, and on-hold messaging. Managing players via the web portal makes it easy to centrally control groups of radios via the web, and even schedule channel changes based on the time of day.

For more information about SiriusXM Music for Business, visit www.DynamicMediaMusic.com/BrightSign, call 1-800-684-7050or email sales@dm-us.com.

About BrightSign

BrightSign LLC, the global market leader in digital signage media players, is headquartered in Los Gatos, California, with offices in Europe and Asia. BrightSign manufactures media players, and provides free software and networking solutions for the commercial digital signage market worldwide, serving all vertical segments of the digital signage marketplace. From entry-level BrightSign LS players to BrightSign 4K players offering state-of-the-art technology and unsurpassed performance, BrightSigns products are known for their signature reliability, affordability, ease-of-use, and market-leading technology. For more information, visit www.brightsign.biz. Follow BrightSign at http://twitter.com/brightsign and http://www.facebook.com/BrightSignLLC.



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Addressing a Business Advocacy Forum organised under the auspices of the BUSAC Fund, Kofi Agbogah, Director of Hen Mpoano said Ghana is on a steep decline so there is need to put in place structures that would ensure that we get fish back into the sea."

We are in a serious situation because data available shows that fishermen are catching less than 20,000 tonnes a year, and our historical maximum has been 120,000 and 130,000 tonnes a year. If your yield at a particular time is less than 10 percent of the historical maximum that means that the resources are depleting. This also means that we are in crisis so we need to take some steps, he said.

Agbogah said the nation is still harvesting the same quantity of fish it was harvesting 50 and 60 years ago - about four million fish a year due to various unregulated means used to catch fish.

"So there is a problem. The legal regime allows for anybody to go to sea. Unlike a licence to drive, it is not the same for fisheries. Everyone is racing to catch the last fish, he said.

To salvage what is left of the fish industry,Agbogah is calling for a strict enforcement of the laws governing the fisheries sector.

According to him,90 percent of the infractions of the laws happen on land before they go to see.

We are in talks with some chief fishermen and stakeholders to form citizen vigilante groups, so that they become our eyes and ears over there. When they see any infractions, they can either call or text us," he said.

He added that his outfit is working with some communities to sensitize them on the need to use sustainable fishing methods and make them realise that if they are destroy the fishery resources, they will destroy their lives.

Godfrey Baidoo-Tsib, Director of Monitoring Control Surveillance Division, Fisheries Commission, noted that the commission is looking at reducing the number of fishing days for industrial fleets.

Fishermen must set aside another day in addition to Tuesdays for non-fishing. We are looking at closed seasons where nobody will go fishing, he said.

In a move to bring sanity into the fishery sector, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister, Ms Sherry Ayittey, in January 2016 asked the ministry's unit in charge of monitoring the activities of illegal trawlers in the fishing industry to weed out miscreants whose operations in the sector are fast depleting fish stock.

She said: "The law says don't fish for juveniles, what are the juveniles? They are the tiny fish that will grow to become the big fish. So if you sweep everything from the bottom of the ocean, there'll be nothing and the law empowers the enforcement unit to ensure that you don't take the juveniles."
Addressing a forum organised by the COCOBOD at Dunkwa-On-Offfin in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region for Cocoa farmers, Mr. Alhassan said the cocoa sector could face a major setback if the menace by the illegal miners is not addressed.

Ghana is struggling to to meet its targeted cocoa production. The country imported 15,500 tons of cocoa beans from neighbouring Ivory Coast in the 2014/2015 crop season, according to the finance minister, Seth Terkper.

Ecobank predicted cocoa production in Ghana to fall to between 730,000 and 750,000 tonnes following an outbreak of fungal black pod disease last year.

Arable lands in Ghana are owned by chiefs and family heads, therefore the government has minimum say in how lands are used.

But Mr. Alhassan in his speech urged chiefs to refrain from selling out arable farm lands for mining activities.

In a similar event two days ago in the Brong Ahafo region, Mr. Alhassan said harsh weather accounted for the low cocoa production in the 2014/2015 season.

He said government provided the necessary inputs and logistics like free seedlings, fertilisers and insecticides to guarantee good yield in the cocoa industry but the rainfall delayed and the subsequent bush fires destroyed many cocoa farms in the cocoa growing areas.

The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and industry had forecast cocoa output in Ghana and Ivory Coast to decline sharply.
Read more: Teacher trainees threaten demo over feeding fees

According to government, the allowance had outlived its usefulness and had also curtailed enrollment which has now improved since it was scrapped.

There had been several student protests to get the allowance restored, but government has insisted on maintaining the new policy. But the NPP has argued the policy is not friendly and will only burden trainees.

Dr Bawumia believes governments mismanagement of the countrys resources is to blame for the non-payment hence its decision to scrap it.

See also: Teacher motivation allowance abolished

"We will restore the teacher and nursing training allowances  for us, it is non-negotiable. Every nation must prioritize certain sectors at every point in time and invest the necessary resources to reap maximum benefits and, for the NPP, Ghana today needs to invest every necessary resource in education to give us the quality human resource we need to win the globally competitive economic battle," he said.

Dr. Bawumia made these remarks at the Dambai College of Education (DACE) in the Volta region.

"In the governments desperation and recourse to a fixation on taxation and unfortunate cuts in the hope that it would fill the hole they have sunk the Ghanaian economy into, they have also cancelled the all-important Teacher Trainee Allowances. It is instructive to note that this policy, like the many other desperate schemes, was introduced around 2013 and 2014 after the Government had recklessly borrowed and overspent in the 2012 Election year leading to double digit fiscal deficits in 2012 and 2013.

See also:

"When you are desperate and when you find yourself in a hole, any idea will sound great to you because you have very limited options. It is therefore not surprising the number of desperate schemes and policies this government keeps innovating in attempt to climb back up from the hole," Dr Bawumia stated.
This follows some anomalies that were detected in 10,000 documents validated so far.

Acting President of Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Mr. King Ali Awudu has told Pulse.com.ghthat three documents, that is, the Establishment warrant, Recruitment form, and Input form, were not present in the application documents of a lot of the teachers.

He said the teacher unions and government on March 15, 2016 signed a communique to suspend the validation process to enable those anomalies to be corrected.

"If that is the case, let us break the validation, let the auditors and the entire team go for Easter, and resume on 29th. From the 15th to 29th, GES should go to all the regional education offices and district education offices and get those documents for the teachers, so that when we resume on the 29th and we start the validation those teachers will not be lacking those forms again," he added.

Background

Teachers across the country earlier this year served notice of a strike on February 29, 2016 if government failed to pay them their outstanding arrears by the end of February.

Government had subsequently met the various teacher unions on two different occasions to try and reach an agreement for the teachers to rescind their strike decision.

However, government on the third meeting with the teacher unions on Wednesday ordered the release of an amount of GHS 1,579,078.20 to settle 2012 salary arrears of teachers across the country.

A communique signed by the various stakeholders at the meeting said arrears for 2013 and 2014 will, however, not be paid, until authorities validate some payment processes which will begin on Thursday.

The validation of documents began to pave way for the teachers to be paid their arrears.

The teacher unions, including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and the Concerned on March 1, 2016 officially suspended their intended strike which was scheduled for February 29, 2016 until validation of their claims and documents are completed.

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), David Ofori Acheampong, said even though they are yet to receive full payment of their salary arrears from government, they will hold on to the strike following the validation process that has begun by the Controller and Account Generals Department, CAGD and the Audit Department.

The validation process has however been put on hold following the absence of some documents to complete the process.
The victim identified as Nguyen Thi Phuonh was severely attacked by her police officer ex-boyfriend, Tran Minh Trung, 24, at a cafe in Hai Phong City, Vietnam, where she works, on Tuesday, March 15, 2016.

Eyewitnesses reveal that Trung had grabbed Thao by the hair, pushing her head hard into the floor, reportedly hitting her across the face.

The reporte reveal that Trung had left Phuonh to get a pair of scissors from his bike parked outside the Cafe, which he used to stab her in the arm.

Four witnesses, which included the shop owner and three other waitresses had reportedly been frightened by the scene, as Trung reportedly kept yelling while assaulting Thao.

Trung is said to have only stopped hitting Phuonh after she passed out.

Doctors at the Viet  Tiep Hospital, reveal that Phuonh has suffered brain juries, bruises in the eye and a stab wound in the arm from the assault, after she had been rushed to the hospital by her colleagues.

The Hai Duong Province Police have also revealed that they are investigating the case, promising to carry out the appropriate action against Trung if the accusations leveled against him are proven true.

Phuonh who had been pictured in the hospital, showed the police several text messages Trung had allegedly sent her, threatening to kill her as well as her entire family.

One of the texts read:

"I will kill your father for failing to educate you, kill your grandparents."
An invitation to the President of Ghana to address (MPs) undermines the safety of the Scottish Parliament for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, according to opposition MPs.

Read more: University of Aberdeen confers Doctor of Laws on President Mahama

The MPs are joining with human rights campaigners to call on their government to confront President John Dramani Mahama about his abuses of lesbian and gay citizens.

Mahama received muted applause from the Holyrood chamber as he listened to FMQs on Thursday morning, but a meeting with opposition leaders was cancelled.

After the Scottish Parliaments Presiding Officer, Tricia Marwick, said she would extend the hand of friendship to Mahama, members of the Scottish Greens, including their co-convenor Patrick Harvie, who is gay, wrote to her on Wednesday to urge caution.

See also:Mahama arrives in Scotland for Doctorate degree in Law

They said: We believe that the Scottish parliament should be a place where everyone can feel safe. Yet the invitation to President John Dramani Mahama to address MPs can only undermine this, given his full support for the horrific discriminatory laws towards the LGBT community in his country.

Ghana is one of 75 countries around the world where it is still illegal to be gay, carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison.

Responding to calls from opposition leaders, a Scottish Government Spokesperson confirmed that the first minister would share her strong view that the Commonwealth values of humanity, equality and tolerance are universal values during the presidents visit.

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty Internationals programme Director in Scotland, said her organisation received regular reports that LGBT people faced police harassment, while repressive attitudes towards LGBT Ghanaians meant they were vulnerable to discrimination and physical attacks. This was against a background of the use of torture and ill-treatment by police and intelligence services, alongside widespread violence against women and girls.

McAuliffe said: We understand opposition leaders and MPs choosing not to meet President Mahama during his visit to the Scottish Parliament as Ghanas human rights record has serious failings. However, we are not calling for a boycott of the visit as we view this as an opportunity to raise our concerns about LGBTI discrimination, violence against women and girls, and the use of torture. Nicola Sturgeons commitment to raising values of humanity, equality and tolerance is welcome and we look forward to hearing about any positive interventions.

Mahamas visit to Scotland will also entail him receiving an honorary degree from the University of Aberdeen on Friday.
The family had been to his residence to inform him about final funeral rites for the late MP.

Joseph Boakye Danquah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) legislator for Abuakwa North, was stabbed to death at his East Legon residence.

See also: NPP politicians in shock over death of colleague

Mr Danquah was stabbed multiple times by an unknown assailant (s) at his Shiashie residence in Accra, which led to the arrest of one suspect, Daniel Asiedu, a 19-year-old boy.

The suspect allegedly used a ladder to climb to a roof linking to a terrace and then entered the MP's bedroom through a window and stabbed him.

Family head of the late JB Danquah, George Amoah has however expressed misgivings about the pace of of prosecution.

"...We have stopped short of making political utterances hoping that all will be well with the investigations. In a situation like this the police has a duty, we believe to let the family or Ghanaians know where they are getting to," he added.

Meanwhile, former President Jerry John Rawlings has asked Parliament to intensify the implementation of death penalty for murderers.

He said, "We all believe in the New Testament, but if some people are determined to conduct their lives along the Old Testament, then please lets not give them the other cheek to slap."
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, was yesterday sworn in the Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, as acting President of the country in the absence of President John Mahama and his vice, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur.

BUKOM BANKU VICTIMS SPEAK OUT

The three ladies who suffered brutalities at the hands of Bukom Banku, currently on police bail, have narrated a story of sheer brutish conduct on the part of the pugilist.

SADA BLOWS GH5M ON BLOCK MACHINES

The Savanah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is in the news again following the expenditure of close to GH5 million on block making machines

GNPC WASTES OIL MONEY; UNABLE TO RECOVER $122M

Five years after oil production, the misuse of Ghana's oil revenues and the lack of transparency and accountability in the award of oil blocks among others are denying Ghanaians the full benefits of the oil resource.

BAD LOANS HIT GH4.2 BILLION

Banks assests quality in 2015 deteriorated as non-performing loans increased from GH2.72 billion in December 2014 to GH4.52 billion in December 2015.

BE ALERT: DON'T IGNORE MINOR BREACHES, OWNERS OF PUBLIC PLACES ENGAGED

Security chiefs have started a series of engagements with memebrs of the public, particularly owners of public places, as part of efforts to raise the consciousness of Ghanaians of potential terror attacks.

PASSPORT APPLICANTS SEEK ANSWERS TO SHORTAGE OF FORMS

Confusion is reigning at the Passport Office in Accra following the halting of the sale of passport forms at commercial banks.

JUSTICE DENNIS ADJEI EXONERATED
This comes on the back of a terror alert by National Security, asking Ghanaians to be wary of a "credible" threat of attacks in Ghana.

The warning follows attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast last week, which killed several people and destroyed properties.

Security experts have said that public places including hotels, restaurants, malls and other public places that attract a lot of foreigners are prone to attacks.

The Ghana Tourism Federation has subsequently asked hoteliers to be vigilant as it also institutes training programmes to educate them on basic security measures.

President of the Federation, David Nana Anim has however said the training programme would not be successful without adequate sponsorship from the general public.

"We at GHATOF, we have instituted a programme, and we are doing it in conjunction with the Police command.

"We are looking for sponsorship. As we speak now we have the documents right in front of me and we are looking for sponsors to come on board so that we can tell every single operator that these are some of the things that they need to look out for," he told Radio Ghana.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command said, "It's just increased vigilance given the recent events that have happened in that area of the world," Reuters has reported.

The National Security Council of Ghana on Wednesday issued a warning on a possible terror attack, asking Ghanaians to be wary and security conscious.

The warning follows attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast last week, which killed several people and destroyed properties.

Security experts have said that public places including hotels, restaurants, malls and other public places that attract a lot of foreigners are prone to attacks.

This has raised fear and panic among Ghanaians who believe their lives are at risk.

Suspected terrorists last Sunday shot and killed 19 people at a beach side resort in Ivory Coast.

The order by the US against traveling to Ghana and the other countries suspected to be susceptible to terror attacks is expected to be in force till June 30, 2016. It however does not include official travels.

"Given the recent attacks in western Africa, we felt it prudent to make this decision at this time in an effort to ensure the safety of our personnel," U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said.

However, Interior Minister, Prosper Bani has called on Ghanaians to remain calm as security is beefed up around possible danger zones to avert any attack.

See also: UK warns its citizens in Ghana to be vigilant
The warning follows attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast last week, which killed several people and destroyed properties.

Security experts have said that public places including hotels, restaurants, malls and other public places that attract a lot of foreigners are prone to attacks.

This has raised fear and panic among Ghanaians who believe their lives are at risk.

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin has subsequently alerted its citizens in Ghana or those who intend travelling to Ghana to be security conscious.

"What we have done is to advise our citizens in the region including Ghana to be vigilant. We've said there is an underlying threat of terrorism," he told Accra-based Radio Gold.

However, Interior Minister, Prosper Bani has called on Ghanaians to remain calm as security is beefed up around possible danger zones to avert any attack.

He made this known at a press briefing after a meeting of security chiefs to come out with strategies to fight terror in Ghana.

Mr Prosper Bani further indicated that hotel and restaurant managers have been given specific instructions on what to do in case of an attack.
The warning follows attacks in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast last week, which killed several people and destroyed properties.

Security experts have said that public places including hotels, restaurants, malls and other public places that attract a lot of foreigners are prone to attacks.

This has raised fear and panic among Ghanaians who believe their lives are at risk.

However, Interior Minister, Prosper Bani has called on Ghanaians to remain calm as security is beefed up around possible danger zones to avert any attack.

He made this known at a press briefing after a meeting of security chiefs to come out with strategies to fight terror in Ghana.

Mr Prosper Bani further indicated that hotel and restaurant managers have been given specific instructions on what to do in case of an attack.
The President will on Friday, March 18, 2016 receive Honourary degree of Doctors of Laws from the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom.

Read more: University of Aberdeen confers Doctor of Laws on President Mahama

The convocation, which takes place at the Universitys Kings College, will form part of the Presidents working visit to Scotland.

President Mahama who left the shores of Accra on Wednesday, for Glasgow will meet with the First Minister of Scotland and visit the Scottish Parliament where he will observe First Ministers Question Time and address a meeting of Parliamentarians.

He is accompanied by the First Lady, Lordina Mahama, Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh (MP), Communications Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and the Education Minister Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman.
At a press conference addressed by the Communications Director, Nana Akomea, at its headquarters in Accra on Thursday, March 17, 2016, he said the lack of proper evidence to implicate Woyome is a clear indication that government was conniving with some party members to loot the state.

According to him, President Mahama has not shown the needed guts adequate to fight corruption.

He said, "There is a clear vacuum in the national leadership in the fight against corruption."

"That the twist and turns that led to Mr Woyome being paid the GHS51.2 million clearly show a deliberate pattern of high-ranking NDC officials, aided by highly placed public servants, to connive and conspire with people, who are NDC-connected, to steal or misappropriate taxpayers money," he stated.

See also: Woyome freed again

"That the element of these classic plots of deliberate connivance and collusion are all present in the Woyome payout. In this particular case, the president at the time, President John Evans Atta Mills  thats what we are told in the EOCO report  ordered that no monies should be paid to Mr Woyome, and that the ministers should go to court to defend the state.

"When they went to court, the same twist and turns evident in the Woyome case, had been replicated and runs through other massive fraudulent payouts, including the payout to Messrs Waterville, GYEEDA, SADA, Smarttys, and the like.

"The same pattern, the same collusion, the same conniving, the same sequencing of events that made the Woyome payout possible can be seen in all of these other payments," he added.

More here: Woyome to refund GHC51m in three years
Mr. Andrew Awuni in 2015 lashed out at the Chairman of the Council of Elders, C.K Tedam for suspending its National Chairman, Paul Afoko.

According to C.K Tedam, Paul Afoko was suspended because he failed to call National Executive Committee meetings among others.

But Mr Awuni disagreed saying, C.K Tedam lied over Afoko's suspension.

In a statement signed by the Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, cautioned Mr Awuni to desist from making divisive statements about internal party matters.

The statemant added: "Mr. Andrew Awunis hatred for Nana Addo reached a crescendo in the 2012 elections when he blatantly refused to contest the 2012 elections in the Bongo Constituency with the aim of not wanting Nana Addo to win the elections. This clearly shows a man who is known for arrogance, a man who incites people against one another. A man who is divisive in nature and has nothing to offer other than to continuously spew garbage."

Below is the full statement:

DIVISIVE ANDREW AWUNI SHOULD SHUT UP OR FACE OUR WRATH

The attention of the New Patriotic Party in the Upper East Region has been drawn to very distasteful comments made by Mr. Andrew Awuni about the Presidential Candidate of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He seeks to set a sinister agenda whose aim is to give our candidate a bad name in order to hang him. He posits that the NPP shall lose the 2016 election.

It is both ironical and regrettable that party faithful are the ones that would predict doom for the party going into a general elections. The first duty of a person who purports to love the NPP would have been rather to work for the success of the party, instead of being the one to predict its failure.

We wish to assure Andrew Awuni and his like, that insha Allah we shall win the 2016 election in order to recue this country from the corrupt and incompetent hands of John Mahama and his family and friends.

Mr. Awuni and his anti-Akufo-Addo friends should know that they are not the wisest people that we have in this party. For them to insult the honour and integrity of all the honorable men and women who make up the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party is disrespectful to say the least. This is a party of rules, structures and institutions. To suggest that one person, in this case Akufo-Addo imposed his wish on all the members of NEC is an insult to the collective wisdom of the people who make up this party. Indeed Nana Addo expressed his heartfelt worry over the suspensions in Sunyani by saying:

I am saddened that the party has had to resort to suspensions, but I am fortified that our party structures have been shown to work. They have demonstrated that, indeed, the rule of law works in the NPP and that nobody, including myself, is above the Party or its laws. And that is how it should be. Nonetheless, it is important that the Party keeps in constant review the sanctions that have been imposed. And so, we can ask ourselves the question: can those who hold the work of the partys organs in contempt be said to be true lovers of the party? 

It is important that, any serious political party like the NPP which readies itself to form the next government (to salvage Ghanaians from the current economic hardships) must first instill discipline among its own rank and file. This will assure the public and Ghanaians of the partys commitment to work with the laws of the land. In fact, it further gives credence to the fact that, the next Nana Addo Government would not shield its appointees in its quest to decisively fight corruption. A canker that has been institutionalised in the current incompetent NDC administration.

Suspension of members is not new in any political party. After the 2004 elections the NDC suspended their General Secretary Dr. Josiah Aryeh for allegedly taking a bribe from the NPP.

The suspension of Chairman Paul A. Afoko is therefore not without precedent. Thus, it is unacceptable and highly absurd for Andrew Awuni to claim that the justifiable indefinite suspension of Chairman Afoko is tantamount to our electoral defeat come November 7, 2016. When the then-Chairman Harouna Esseku was ipso facto suspended from his post, Mr. Awuni was tight lipped regarding Mr. Essekus suspension.

We are not surprised by these unguided words coming from Mr. Andrew Awuni because he stated explicitly in Bongo during our National Executive elections in 2014 that, Anyone who refuses to vote for Afoko is his enemy . Perhaps this explains his hate speeches targeted at our Flag bearer and other functionaries who do not believe in his unsound and divisive tactics.

Mr. Andrew Awunis hatred for Nana Addo reached a crescendo in the 2012 elections when he blatantly refused to contest the 2012 elections in the Bongo Constituency with the aim of not wanting Nana Addo to win the elections. This clearly shows a man who is known for arrogance, a man who incites people against one another. A man who is divisive in nature and has nothing to offer other than to continuously spew garbage.

Currently, Bongo Constituency is sharply divided due to his divisive methods and the Regional Executives are currently working very hard to merge the differences, he should not extend it to the national level else we will match him squarely.

We would like to use this opportunity to remind Mr. Andrew Awuni that, his family house in Bongo, specifically Dua community which is currently a death trap due his negligence needs his attention. His time is best served there than his unguided hate speeches against a man who would surely lead Ghana towards the road of economic recovery and prosperity. Contrary to what Mr. Awuni purports as his motive, it is he who is making our journey to the Flagstaff House difficult.

Ghanaians are discerning enough to see the blatant display of corruption under the Incompetent John Dramani Mahama and we believe Ghanaians are ready for change. The current economic crisis the country is facing, the rising graduate unemployment, high cost of school fees, high cost of utility tariffs, and high cost of fuel prices are enough reasons for Ghanaians to get rid of Mahama. This would be the deciding factor not Afoko or any of the suspended executives.

We want to make it categorically clear to Mr. Andrew Awuni that , the party is very united and solid behind Nana Akufo-Addo and it will suffice for him to know that NPP would win November 2016 elections, NPP is bigger than any individual of which Afoko nor any of the suspended executives are not exceptions. Long live NPP Long live Ghana

..Signed.

Mohammed Murtala Ibrahim
In the petition written and copied to Pulse Business by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, they enumerate what they describe as misrepresentations of the industry in the reasons cited by the NCA for the need to introduce the ICH.

A telecoms Clearinghouse refers to a central platform where calls from different Mobile Network Operators converge for billing and reconciliation to be done. Call data are also produced here.

It is believed that an Interconnect Clearing House will help the Ghana Revenue Authority properly track the number of calls exchanged between the telcos operating in the country in order to properly track total revenues accruing to the telcos from those calls so they can be properly taxed.

The Chamber of Telecommunication Companies, has however described the NCA's assertions as not reflective of the current situations pertaining in the telecommunications industry.

It is based on these assertions by the National Communications Authority, that the joint committees of Finance and Communications recommends for the house to pass the ICH Bill, something that the Telcoms Chamber describes as unfortunate.

The Chambers' first concern is the inadequate market- survey conducted by the NCA in ascertaining the true situation on the ground in relation to interconnectivity between the telecommunications companies operating in the country.

The Chamber says, there is no mention of any evidence- based market study by the National Communications Authority which points to a market failure that warrants the operation of an Interconnect Clearing House.

The Chamber also contested the assertion made by the NCA that an Interconnect Clearing House is needed because of existing interconnect difficulties owing to the differences in service providers' technology and equipment.

According the chamber, no such difficulty exists because telcos do not interconnect at the access level, but at the core level based on international protocols and not equipment and technology types. Therefore the assertion that the interconnect difference exist because of technology and equipment differences is not true.

Below is the full petition by the Telecommunications Chamber:
According to a statement by the NBC, which is the government agency in charge of broadcasting regulation, the song was banned from being played on the airwaves for its obscenity, being indecent, vulgar languages, lewd and profane expressions like Wa gba ponron, I just want to hit you now, Je kin wo be

The song in question has also been in the news of recent following the claims by Dbanjs producer Deevee that the rapper Olamide stole a part of the song from them.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
He led a worship session and also played the saxophone. Apart from singing and playing musical instruments, Nino Idibia also raps.

Nino is taking after his father 2face Idibia who is widely regarded as the best singer of our generation.

Today we highlight five male celebrities with talented kids;

1. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Femi Kuti & Seun Kuti

Fela is known worldwide as the creator of the Afrobeat genre. Apart from leaving a rich musical legacy Fela left us with two of his sons Femi and Seun Kuti who are pushing the Afrobeat genre outside of Nigeria. Femi Kuti has been particularly successful in this regard. He has been nominated four times at the Grammys. Seun Kuti on the other hand has been busy establishing his name and has gone on several international tours within the last few years.

2. Justus Esiri & Dr. Sid

The late Justus Esiri was one of Nollywoods greatest actors. He acted in classics such as , and  His son Sidney Esiri popularly known as Dr. Sid is a talented musician who has astonishingly been a member of Da Trybe, Mo Hits and the Mavins. Just like his father Dr. Sid is a household name.

3. Sir Shina Peters & Clarence Peters

The father is the godfather of Afro Juju and his son is the godfather of music videos. In the late 80s and early 90s Shina Peters stormed the music industry with his contemporary brand of Juju music called Afro Juju. The legendary musician gave birth to Clarence Peters who in the mid 00s started his career in music video productions. Today he is the biggest and most famous music video producer in Nigeria. Additionally, Clarence Peters mum is the Nollywood actress Clarion Chukwura.

4. Will Smith, Jaden & Willow Smith

Hollywood actress Will Smith is a multi-talented celebrity. With three decades in the game Will Smith is an all-rounder with Grammy award winning rap albums and blockbuster movies. His kids Jaden and Willow Smith have taken after his footsteps. Jaden and Willow have active music and modelling careers.

5. Lenny Kravitz & Zoe Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz is a rock legend who is an icon in the music industry. His daughter Zoe Kravitz is one of the hot upcoming actresses in Hollywood which makes sense because her mother is actress Lisa Bonet. She has acted in movies '' and ''.
Apparently, she was not pleased that the bill, was rejected by the Senate. This is also the position of some Nigerian woman and women's rights groups.

Showing her disappointment concerning this development, she wrote on her Instagram, If we cannot go to every government representative to show them how unacceptable it is then why should we even talk about it?

"This is totally unacceptable and if every African woman cannot rise up to fight for their rights and the rights of their daughters, then why should anyone listen or care?"

"If every woman who is a mother, wife, sister, aunt or even neighbor to any senator, governor, minister etc cannot speak to them about this then lets all go to bed."

"I am tired of seeing the same people fight for the rights of women and children, risking their lives everyday while others act like they dont care."

Her position is that the fight to win equal roles for women in the society is a duty of all females.

According to the actress, the cause is lost if women don't stand united and speak with one voice in their bid to fight against marginalisation, which is the trend in most African nations.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, gave the ruling on Wednesday, March 16, 2016.

Tobechukwu was arraigned before the court on a 12- count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.

The Justice found him guilty of all the charges, sentencing him to 7 years on counts 1 to 8; 8 years on count 9; 7 years on count 10, 8 years on count 11 and 7 years on count 12, making a cumulative of 37 years imprisonment.

The offender is also expected to return the $40 million he collected from his victim, and hand over a Toyota Corolla vehicle to the Federal Government of Nigeria, which is a proceed from the crime.

He had on Monday, October 28, 2013, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, but later changed his plea to guilty.
The incident, according to the distraught family of the girl, happened when she left her family home at Gboyega Kilo Street in the Ojodu Berger area, at about 5:30 am, to board a vehicle to her center for the exam which was scheduled to start at 6:30am.

It was learnt from Clements examination printout that the examination centre was the West African Examination Council, International office on Plot B, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Lagos.

The teenager's aunt, Njideka Orazulike, reported that after waiting for her daughter to come back home, she got a text message at about 5pm, intimating her that she had been abducted and she did not know the location where she was taken to.

The text message read:

'Mummy, they took my phone and beat me up inside the bus. Mummy, I dont know where they took me to. They made me sleep and said they will kill me if I ran.

Someone gave me my phone, saying I must return it before they came back. Mummy, please save me, please.'

The matter was said to have been reported at the Ojodu Police Division and had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.

Clements uncle, Emeka Orazulike, said the teenager wrote that the abductors had seized her phone since morning and she only managed to write a text through someones assistance.

Rita finished from a college on Aina Street in the Ojodu area. She just concluded her SSCE; we then enrolled her for the UTME. Her father lives in Enugu.

The examinations board gave her that Thursday, by 6.30am, to sit for her exam. She was to sit at a centre in the Agidingbi area. On that day, as I was preparing for work around 6am, she met and told me that she was set to leave for the venue.

I gave her N1,000 when she told me the centre was at Agidingbi. She would use only N100 for transport. I then left for work.

As I was coming back around 6.30pm, her mother called that she forwarded a message to my telephone. I then checked my phone and saw the scary message. I first went to the Area 'F' Command, Ikeja, and was about making a statement when the Area Commander directed me to the Ojodu Police Division.

We reported the matter on Friday at Ojodu, and the police there radioed other stations. When we called her phone, it rang on that Thursday but since Friday, it had been switched off.

She was used to going out. When she wrote her WAEC, her centre was at Giwa Oke Aro, Agbado. She went there with her friends.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Freddy Asu said that Akinbode was arrested while wearing the Nigerian police force uniform with the rank of a sergeant bearing a name tag of Taiwo Akinbode.

Asu further alleged that Akinbode had in his possession at the time of his arrest, a complete police uniform for Anti-Riot Police officers, one police Identity card and one certificate of voluntary retirement from the Nigerian police force, offences which are punishable under sections 77, 79 and 328 (d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state 2011.

When the charges were read to him, Akinbode pleaded not guilty to the charge and his counsel, Daniel Abbe, urged the court to grant the defendant bail in liberal terms as the defendant is still presumed innocent until proven guilty.
He confessed to the crime on state television saying a church group had asked him to bring back a "trophy" from his trip.

North Korean state news agency KCNA said Warmbier was convicted under an article of the criminal code relating to subversion. The sentencing was given by the Supreme Court.

Warmbier, who is a student at the University of Virginia, was arrested on January 2, 2016, as he was trying to leave North Korea.

He spoke at a press conference in Pyongyang amidst tears, where he said he had "committed the crime of taking down a political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel".

"The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim".

He affirmed that "it was the worst mistake of his life".
Read her letter here:

"My name is Bridget and I am in a very serious dilemma that is threatening my happiness and is capable of throwing me into untold shame and disgrace.

I have been in a relationship with Mike for six years and and last year, he proposed to me and being what I had been waiting for, I did not hesitate in accepting him. Before then, all our family members knew about our relationship and saw us as husband and wife.

We did our introduction in December and I moved in with him, while we continued to plan the formalisation of our wedding before June this year, but all the plans is going down the drain due to a mishap that befell me that was not of my making.

It happened that in January, robbers stormed the estate Mike lives and went on a house to house raid. When they got to our flat, they could not get much money and in anger, the robbers turned on me and two of them raped me while holding a gun to Mike's head.

But that incident is what is making my life a living hell because since then, Mike seems to hate me and even when I was in the hospital, he visited only twice and was in a hurry to leave. When I was discharged, he told me to go and stay with my sister till he could sort out the trauma he is going through.

I have tried to get through to him but he is not willing to meet me; even attempts by my sister to talk to him fell on deaf ears. Just last week, he sent me a text message informing me that he can't go ahead with the marriage as the picture of my being raped has refused to get off his mind.

I don't know what to do at the moment and ai have even contemplated suicide.

Bridget."

How Nigeria voted:

12% - Yes, she could have contacted a deadly disease

88% - No, he has to stand by her no matter the situation
The latest victim is a 28-year-old man identified as Ukeoma who was beheaded early today when gunmen stormed the Mgbuitanwo community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the hoodlums attacked the community as early as 5:30am and shot sporadically into the air to scare the people. They made their way to the home of the victim where the attacked him before he was beheaded.

Not satisfied with their bloodletting, the gunmen were said to have abducted another man identified as Eruchi and took him to a yet-to-be ascertained destination.
The convicts are said to be among the 850 people being detained over their alleged involvement in the Boko Haram insurgency.

In December 2014, Cameroon adopted a controversial anti-terrorism law, which permits the death penalty as a sentence for perpetrators or accomplices of terrorist acts.

Boko Haram members were also recently sentenced to death, and executed, in Chad over their alleged participation in terrorism.

The country broke a 12-year moratorium on the death penalty on August 29, 2015 after it executed 10 men, who were found guilty of participating in suicide attacks in Ndjamena.

The executions were condemned by the United Nations due to the speed with which they were carried out.

UN Spokeswoman, Cecile Pouilly stated that the 10 men were executed by firing squad only one day after they were sentenced to death under the new anti-terrorism law.

According to the information that we collected, the timing of the trial was reduced from eight to two days and it was relocated for security reasons. We do not have information whether they had access to lawyers, whether they were able to appeal against their death sentence," Pouilly said.

We had welcomed the decision to adopt a new penal code that was abolishing the death penalty. So, it is really a big step backward. It is a big disappointment for us, She added.

The UN agency also called on Chad to review its anti-terrorism law which it says contains a very vague definition of terrorism, which may not be legal internationally, and potentially could put many people at risk of execution.

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In the tribute issued in Abuja, Buhari further described Ocholi as one of his right hand men in the quest to reposition Nigeria for the betterment of all citizens.

Buhari, who said that a lot had been said about Ocholi and a lot more would be written on him, adding that Ocholi was no mean man.

"He was a man among men, an Iroko in a forest of trees.

"How do I begin to pay this tribute to a man who was the epitome of civility, the archetype of intellectualism, and the paragon of loyalty?

"How do I begin to mourn James Ocholi, whom you can describe as one of my right hand men in the quest to reposition our country, and fashion a land of peace and prosperity, where no man is oppressed?

"A lot has been written about Ocholi since the tragic event of March 6, 2016, which took the life of our Minister of State, Labour and Employment, his wife, Blessing, and his son, Joshua.

"And a lot more will be written, for Ocholi was no mean man. He was a man among men, an Iroko in a forest of trees.

"How are the mighty fallen!

"Among many other positive and pleasant things, I will always remember Ocholi for his loyalty to our beloved country Nigeria, loyalty to our party, the All Progressives Congress, and loyalty to our administration, in which he had served for just about 4 months, before death took him.

"In 2011, Ocholi ran to be governor of Kogi state on the platform of our then party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). I believed so much in him, and in his ability to add value to the governance of his state, that I followed him round the state on campaign.

"We visited all the local governments, visited the paramount rulers, and urged the people to vote in a worthy man as governor. But politics is a peculiar game in Nigeria.

"The best often does not win. Ocholi did not win. But he bore it gracefully.In 2015, he threw his hat into the ring again.

"He sought to be governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he had helped midwife. He still did not win at the party primaries, an eventuality he bore gracefully again.

"When the APC was being negotiated into existence among the legacy parties, Ocholi did a yeoman's job, contributing his quota to the legal processes.

"This he did under a junior lawyer, who was not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), like him then. But what mattered to Ocholi was the birth of a strong, solid party, which could wrest power at the centre, and bring change to our country.

"Hierarchy is important in the legal profession, just as it is in the military. But Ocholi subordinated pride and ego, served under his subordinate, and APC was born.

"Dream became reality.

"Steadily but sure-footedly, he was part of the Change Cabinet, resolved to bring our country from out of the woods, and pedestal Nigeria among the greats in the comity of nations.

"Then the unthinkable happened. The Grim Reaper harvested Ocholi. What a pity! Sad and tragic.

"But we have this consolation: the departed has taught us fidelity, commitment and loyalty to party, to government, and to God.

"He will be sorely missed.
The CBN gave the explanation after it was accused of conducting a secret recruitment process and hiring children of prominent citizens.

The clarification was made by the apex banks acting Director of Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor to Premium Times.

In the last two years, we have had cause to recruit specialists, and what the law says is that if we are going for that kind of recruitment we should apply for waiver, so that we can do targeted recruitment, Okoroafor said.

The other issue is that there are states that are not well represented (in the CBN), and in this case we focus on those states to recruits people of certain classes that we used to cover the shortfall in those states, he added.

Earlier reports had it that the CBN has hired 909 staff in two years without advertising vacancies.

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This coming barely few days after the President of Omega Fire Ministries (OFM) Apostle Johnson Suleiman cursed Governor Nasir El-Rufai, because of the controversial bill.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, El-Rufais spokesperson, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said the government will go ahead with the bill.

He said This is not a new law, it has existed since 1984, with amendments in 1987 and 1996.

The bill, by virtue of Section 45(1) of the 1999 Constitution, is in order and does not offend the provisions of the constitution. The provisions of the bill are in tandem with the Constitution.

There is nothing in the bill that suggests any effort to abolish, stop or derogate on the freedom of religion and religious beliefs.

It merely seeks to ensure that religious preaching and activities in the state are conducted in ways that do not threaten public order, public safety, and to protect the rights and freedom of other persons, Aruwan said.

The Kaduna state CAN Chairman, Bishop George Dodo, on his part said I dont think any governor has the power to enact law that will supersede what is in the constitution.

The constitution guarantees every person the right to practice his/her religion, I dont think there is any governor that can enact a law in that regard.

Governors ask for prayers in all places of worship, so how would they enact a law that will ban the practice of religion.

The Guardian reports that Islamic scholars in the state have also rejected the bill.
They attacked Tombo in Buruku local government area of the state on Thursday afternoon, set a part of the community on fire and took over the deserted villages.

As I speak with you the people are shooting sporadically and the villagers are fleeing for fear of being killed," a source from the community told the newspaper.

The situation in Tombo at the moment is scary and we are helpless, its as if we are in a war situation where the mission of the invaders is to occupy and tske over our villages.

Its a pathetic situation because corpses are littering the community though one cannot give a specific number of the dead which should not be less than 15 but I know that the casualty figure could be huge because many have been wounded as bullets continue to fly around.

The people are also burning down houses, farms and food stuff as they move into the villages in what looked like a well coordinated attack, the source said.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent (ASP), Moses Yamu said the attack occurred at about 3pm. He put the number of people killed at seven.

According him, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Yakadi had led a team to the crisis zone curtail the situation.
You will recall that the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti ordered the DSS to release Afolabi Akanni (a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly), and produce him in court on March 16, 2016.

The Speaker, in a statement said We have said times without number that this particular case of DSS invading the Ekiti State House of Assembly is in no way about fighting any crime; it is simply a case of political vendetta. When the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, headed by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, handed down the judgment last Thursday, we felt that the course of justice was about to be followed, but we were mindful of the fact that the executive had disobeyed many court orders in the past.

Oluwawole also said That is why we have kept on calling on relevant stakeholders that the Ekiti case is like the more you look, the less you see. There is no allegation against the four members of the House that they had held since the last two weeks and they were not released, neither were they produced before any competent court of law for any offence.

We, in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, believe in the principles of separation of powers and the rule of law. That is why we have said that the Federal Government has more than the ordinary interest in the political issue in Ekiti State. It should be prevailed upon to allow democracy to work at all levels of governance, the lawmaker said.
Punch reports that the deceased, Paul Hezekiah, was a final year student of computer engineering of the University of Jos.

According to reports, he resumed for his first day at work with a phone shop, as part of his three month Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, that fateful day.

Hezekiah was allegedly shot at close range by the DSS official, during a raid on a market known as GSM Plaza, where mobile phones are sold.

It is not clear if the deceased tried to resist arrest, or attempted to harm the officer.

Reports say the DSS official put Hezekiahs corpse in a van and drove away.

The Plateau State police commissioner, Mr. Adekunle Oladunjoye, alsoconfirmed that the student was killed by a DSS officer on assignment.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Shehu, gave the advice during a courtesy visit by the new NUJ executive members of the state council.

According to him, some members of the press are rushing to publish or air negative stories concerning the police but fail to report achievements of the command..

"It baffles one to see minor cases of crimes being promoted on the front pages of national dailies as well as in the broadcast media while successes in policing are not adequately reported.''

He added that in the same manner, the media concentrate on reporting cases involving prominent persons ignoring those affecting ordinary citizens, who deserved such publicity much.

Shehu therefore called for increased synergy and collaboration between the police and the media through frequent interaction.

"We dont have problem with the media reporting criminal acts but as newsmen do that, they should also balance up by reporting our accomplishments," Shehu said.

Earlier, the NUJ Chairman, Mr Garba Mohammed, told the CP that his council was ready to collaborate with the police command for the benefit of the society.
The strike which was called off on Wednesday night, March 16, lasted for 10 days. The state chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Akeem Ambali, confirmed the development.

He directed all state workers in the state to resume at their duty posts on Thursday, March 17.

Ambali said they agreed to suspend the strike after members of the state House of Assembly and top traditional rulers intervened in the matter.

Yes, we have suspended the strike. But it is for two weeks to enable the state government look into our demands. It followed the intervention of well-meaning people in the state," the labour leader told Punch.

The Speaker and honourable members of the House of Assembly met with us and they asked for two weeks to enable them iron out our issues with the governor. Also, the Awujale of Ijebuland and the Alake of Egbaland met with Labour and promised to intervene by meeting the governor. I think they have met the govenor.

Also, Dr Ade Abolurin (former Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps) met with us and pleaded that we suspend the strike. Many people, including the Body of Former Permanent Secretaries also intervened. Therefore, as a mark of respect, we decided to agree with them.

If they are saying two weeks, then let us wait and see what would happen. The governor will meet Labour personally in the next couple of hours.
Osinbajo said this at the Service of Songs for the late minister, his wife, Mrs Blessing Ocholi and son, Mr Joshua Ocholi in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on March 6, the minister, his wife and son died in auto accident along Kaduna-Abuja express road.

"The APC has lost a pioneer member and a distinguished servant of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"President i has also confirmed this through his words, that the late minister has shown humility and selflessness when he accepted to serve as a deputy legal adviser to his subordinate colleague, professionally.

"The President has said that Ocholis action was in order to stabilize the party and to ensure that the party's interest was not jeopardized.

"I also want to say that the Federal Executive Council has also testified to Ocholis insightful contributions, strong values and integrity, he added.

He said that with Ocholis death, Nigeria has lost a true patriot.

The Vice President said Ocholi was indeed a God fearing man and this has reflected in everything he does.

He added that James Ocholi was truly honest person, saying that political leaders must emulate such attitude.

In his tribute, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara called on Nigerians to immortalize the late Ocholi, describing him as a great Nigerian.

"It is not enough to remember the good things he did while he was alive. The best way to honour Ocholi is to replicate some of the legacies he left behind.

"Longevity is not measured on how much you have stayed while alive but rather how much impact you have made on the people, he said.

NAN reports that the sermon was taken by Archbishop Sam Amaga, Foundation of Faith Church (Salem Family Worldwide), who dwells on humility, a drive for excellence and services to God.

NAN also reports that other top dignitaries who were present at the service of songs included, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Buratai said further that the attack is a sign that the remaining members of Boko Haram are struggling to survive, according to The Nation.

The army chief is said to have made the comments in Benin City during a visit to the headquarters of the 4 Brigade.

First of all, the report talking about the end of insurgency was not properly carried. I did mention that insurgency is a very difficult situation. It is a global phenomenon and we will continue to struggle to ensure that it comes to an end very soon. This does not mean that insurgency will just die, Buratai said.

So, what happened today is not unexpected because these people are struggling to survive and these are the last remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists.

And as you know very well, they are sending innocent young girls to go and kill themselves. It is unfortunate. Their (Boko Haram) end is near definitely. But terrorism, in itself, is not something that you just wish just like that; it requires a lot of intelligence, lot of painstaking measures so that we will be able to take care of it.

They are within us, within the society and, at any point, they will sneak out and go and commit the crime. So, it requires a lot of intelligence; and a lot of painstaking measures to completely end it, he added.

The attack, which occurred on the outskirts of the state capital, Maiduguri, is said to have left 24 people dead.

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Metuh, through his lawyers asked the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ibrahim Auta, to transfer his case from Justice Okon Abang to another judge.

Justice Abang said the Chief Judge informed him of a petition written against him on the ground that refused to avail Metuhs lawyers the records of the court, thereby denying them the inalienable right of appeal.

However, Justice Abang said he will not withdraw from the case in line with the circular by the National Judicial Council, which directed any trial judge to continue to preside over a case, where a petition has been filed, until such a time when the chief judge of the court will make a decision.
For today, March 17 2016:

THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

Why private, greenfield refineries, cant take offNigerias plan of producing over 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), the reason for which 45 licences were issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) between 2002 and 2014 for the establishment of private refineries in the country, may remain a pipe dream never to be realised. READ MORE

Police move against threats to Rivers rerun polls on SaturdayAhead of Saturdays rerun national and state legislative elections scheduled to hold in Rivers State on Saturday, the Inspector General of Police,(IGP), Solomon Arase yesterday disclosed that the police had identified all the flash points that could mar the peaceful conduct of the polls. READ MORE

How I bought houses for Badeh, by witnessA prosecution witness, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi yesterday, told the Federal High Court, Abuja how he assisted former Chief of Air Staff (CoAS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh in purchasing landed property in various locations across the country, including Ogun River Street, Maitama, Abuja. READ MORE____________________________________

THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

How twin suicide bombers killed 22 worshipers at Borno mosqueMAIDUGURINo fewer than 22 worshipers, including the bombers, were killed in yesterdays early morning twin suicide bombing at Molai-Umarari village, behind the Molai Hospital, on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. READ MORE

Ranking of Obas: Amosun wades into Alake, Awujale rowAbeokutaGovernor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, yesterday, met with the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in a bid to broker peace between the two top Yoruba traditional rulers. READ MORE

Alleged N3.9bn fraud: Badeh took N558.2m from NAF monthly  WitnessABUJA  Erstwhile Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi, retd, yesterday, disclosed how former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd), within one year, siphoned over N3.9billion from the accounts of the Force. READ MORE____________________________________

THE NATION NEWSPAPER

Lawmakers set to remove N37b items from budgetLawmakers have uncovered 25 fresh errors in this years budget, it was learnt yesterday. The items involved are allocated about N37, 025, 238, 407. READ MORE

Badeh diverted N558m monthly as COASThe prosecution in the case involving former Chief of Air Staff (COAS), Alex Badeh opened its case yesterday with a witness, who gave details of how he aided Badeh to divert N558.2 million monthly from the Nigerian Air Forces Personnel and Emolument Vote Account with the United Bank for Africa (UBA). READ MORE

N3.1b probe: Confusion in Jonathans campThere is confusion in ex-President Goodluck Jonathans camp on how to refund the N3.1 billion allegedly shared by six Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chiefs. READ MORE____________________________________

BUSINESS DAY NEWSPAPER

Poor yields, incentives slash Nigerias non-oil export earnings by 59%Nigerias economic diversification mantra may remain wishful thinking, except both the Federal and State governments intervene to save the dwindling receipts from the non-oil export sector, which fell by a dismal 59 percent in 2015. The fall of the non oil export value was on account of the absence of support for exporters, poor yields READ MORE

RMBN boss, others urge government to address key drivers of economic growthEconomic analysts have expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy would experience a rebound only when required actions are taken to address issues in the oil industry, currency valuation and infrastructure deficit, adding that these are key drivers of the economy. The panel of analysts at the Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) Nigeria 3rd Annual Economic Breakfast, READ MORE
Since I took the mantle of leadership of our great party, I have been working assiduously to make PDP a strong and united party once again, Sheriff said.

My efforts have been yielding positive results as evident in the level of success we have recorded in recent re-run elections in the country, he added.

Sheriffs appointment as chairman in February has split the PDP due to allegations that hes a Boko Haram sponsor.

The new chairman was earlier said to have held a series of peace meetings to plead with members who had threatened to leave the party.

"Sheriff has met with ex-National Secretary of the party, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and other leaders begging them not to leave the PDP. He is worried that his emergence has caused division within the party, a source told The Nation.

Again, he met with the Chairman of PDP Ministers Forum, Tanimu Turaki(SAN) to prevail on his members to shelve the Tuesday session which might embarrass him as a leader.

As I am talking to you, both Governor Olusegun Mimiko and National Secretary Prof. Wale Oladipo, have been reaching out to most leaders of the party to convince them to accept Sheriff,the source added.

Sheriff is also expected to meet with former President, Goodluck Jonathan to seek his intervention in the matter.

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The closed door meeting held on Wednesday, 16 March, 2016, according to a statement signed by FCTA Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Hazat Sule was to assess the general security situation as the FCT Area Councils Election approaches.

The FCT Security Committee held the meeting at the Banquet Hall, FCT Ministers Residence, Gwarinpa I District, Abuja, where the Minister, presiding over the meeting said all outfits must strategize on how to nip in the bud any security breach as the Area Councils go to the polls on 9 April, 2016.

According to the statement, the Security Committee condemned the recent political violence in Abaji Area Council and promised to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book.

I urge you to arrest any of those involved in the Abaji incident and make example to others, even if the perpetrator(s) is a sitting Council Chairman here, because the law is a respecter of nobody Bello was quoted as saying to the security agents.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu in his address to the political gladiators in FCT, said, they will not condone rascality
Tensions have been rising in the state in anticipation of the March 19, 2016 State and National Assembly rerun elections and the situation has been escalated by the inciting comments made by Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi and Wike have engaged each other in a war of words so vitriolic that the only thing left is for them to threaten murder.

Wike is so desperate that he can sell his mother. On the day of the re-run, I am ready for Wike, they should come out with their guns, we are ready for them, Amaechi said during a radio interview while campaigning for his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Saturday is your day, come out and vote. They will no longer have the Police they had, they will no longer have the Army they had, the former governor, now the Minister for Transport, said on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at an APC rally in the state.

In response, Wike fired back asking Amaechi what authority he had to deploy soldiers for the elections.

Amaechi lacks proper parental upbringing hence his desperation in the political arena. He is a psychiatric patient who was at the radio station abusing people who are old enough to be his fathers/mothers simply because his party lost at the Supreme Court, the governor said via a statement.

We will defeat Amaechi again and again. No matter the soldiers deployed to Rivers State, the PDP will win all the seats. Amaechi lacks sound parental upbringing. He has vindicated us when he said that he has been given the army to rig the rerun elections. I know the Chief of Army staff very well. He should not allow a psychiatric patient to use the Army to rig.

Is Amaechi now the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces that he talks about deploying soldiers? Our people will rise up to defend their votes. They will make the needed sacrifices for their votes, Wike added.

The governor has also gone ahead to threaten physical violence against Amaechi and has urged his supporters to get involved.

We heard Amaechi will be moving from polling booth to polling booth. Let him try it. I will show him that I am the Governor of Rivers State. I challenge him to move around. If he dares come to anybodys polling booth and you see him, beat him thoroughly, Wike said during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign rally in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, according to Daily Post.

All those who plan to swap result sheets, may their souls rest in peace. Nobody will rig in Rivers State. Anybody who thinks Amaechi will give them result sheets to swap should be ready to swap their dead bodies, he added during the same rally according to The Eagle Online.

Wike has also issued a statement urging PDP members in the state to resist arrest during the elections.

The situation has led Nigerians to express concern about the impending electoral violence via social media.

The most unfortunate aspect however, is that if violence does break out, neither Wike nor Amaechi will be affected by it. Instead, it is innocent residents of the state that will suffer and possibly lose their lives for an unworthy and unnecessary cause.

INEC needs to prevent this imminent war by postponing the elections until a time when the polity has cooled and Wike and Amaechi have been reasoned with by a higher authority, possibly President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is contained in a statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh on Wednesday in Abuja.

It stated that there was no valid reason for the shift, except that the PDP and its candidates were more popular and set to sweep the polls.

Metuh, however, said that PDP members and supporters "are fully mobilised and ready for the elections. It is obvious that we are winning; the people are with us.

He also said that PDP would not accept anything short of free, fair and credible elections.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, had reiterated that the election was postponed due to short fall in the number of ad-hoc staff required to conduct the FCT election.

Mahmood stated this during a joint news conference he held with the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase on preparation for Rivers rerun election.

"FCT INEC required 9,000 ad-hoc staff to conduct the election, but was able to recruit 3,532 from the NYSC, leaving a shortfall of over 6,000.

"We took a step to engage students from University of Abuja, but were able to recruit about 2,000 people. Mahmood said.
The motion of Ibrahim Gama, a.k.a Lugard, arguing that chief whip is disloyal to the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, led to Mamuda's impeachment.

In a unanimous decision, the House adopted the motion and immediately removed Mamuda, who represents Madobi constituency.

The House thereafter named Labaran Madari, a member representing Warawa constituency, as the new chief whip.

According to the House Committee on Information, Salisu Ibrahim, who spoke to Premium Times, Mamuda's removal is in conformity with the law.

He said the APC constitution stipulates that a sitting governor is the leader of the party in the state, except where opposition party is in government.

Pulse recalls that on Tuesday, March 15, 36 members of the house, out of 40, pledged allegiance to Governor Ganduje.
The sins, contained in a statement released by Rivers APC Chairman, Davies Ikanya on Wednesday, March 16, are as follows:

1. President Jonathan failed to muster the courage and political will in a PDP-controlled National Assembly to see to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the over six years of his administration to demonstrate his hatred for the Niger Delta region knowing that communities in Rivers State will benefit from the bill.

2 The East/West Road, especially Eleme-Onne axis in Rivers State, was not only abandoned but was a nightmare to travellers and commuters.

3 Bodo-Bonny Federal Road was completely abandoned just because it is situated in Rivers State.

4. Refusal to refund to the State Government over 90 billion naira used in the dualisation of Ikwerre-Owerri Road approved by late President YarAdua and other Federal Roads in the State executed by the State to ease the sufferings of the people of Rivers State.

5. Wickedly stopped Train 7 at NLNG Bonny and the loss of jobs to our people and revenue to Government.

6 Non-implementation of UNEP Report on the clean-up of Ogoni land despite all the pleas by our people and the International Community  just to punish the Ogonis and Rivers State irrespective of their overwhelming support for him during the 2011 elections.

7 Lack of any visible Federal Government project in Rivers State throughout his over six years as President of Nigeria. Instructively, of all the states Dr Jonathan has visited in the course of his re-election campaign, it was only in Rivers that he could not name a single development project he initiated, not to talk of executing.

8. Ceding of oil wells belonging to Rivers to Bayelsa and Abia states to ensure that the revenue accruing to the State was reduced to nothing.

9. Abandoned construction of the Port Harcourt International Airport after completing other airports started at the same time with it. The airport has thus become an eyesore and the worst airport in the entire world. Pictures of the current state of the Airport attached explain the level of hatred Dr Jonathan has for Rivers State and her people.

10. Turning the Port Harcourt axis of Enugu-Port Harcourt Express Road into a death trap. The pictures attached of the bad state of the road explain everything.

11. Posting and encouraging the excesses of the tyrannical Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu during his inglorious days in the State.

12. Supporting the impunity of daily killing, maiming of members of Rivers APC by the Police under the watch of Dan Barure then Commissioner of Police of the State

13. Supporting every imaginable act of impunity in the State, including the plot by five State Assembly members to impeach the Speaker in a House of 31 members.

14. Seizing and grounding the planes of the State for no just cause.

15. Harassing and intimidating the then Governor of Rivers State (Rt. Hon. Amaechi) for no just cause and even supporting the splitting of the Governors Forum into two just to ensure that Governor Amaechi, who was duly elected by his colleagues, does not have an easy reign as the Chairman of the Forum.

16. Refusal to allow the then Governor of the state to construct the Federal Road that leads to the Kalabari Kingdom just to ensure that during the rainy season the Kalabaris will not have a road to their place.

17..Refusal to refund the State the money used to construct the smooth, beautiful dual carriageway from Omerelu to Port Harcourt  particularly up to the Airport Junction from Owerri in Imo State, which the Federal Government abandoned just because Rivers State people ply that road.

18. Refusal to refund the money used by Rivers State to construct the Ahoada/Elele Alimini Federal Road and the interchange (Flyover) at Obiri Ikwerre.

19. Refusal to attend to the poor state of the Onne  Port Harcourt component of the East/West Road. This is the road that services the Port Harcourt Refinery from where petroleum products are supplied to the South East and parts of the South South. That is the road that leads to the Onne Free Zone and to Okrika, the home Local Government of Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigerias former First Lady.

20. Turning a blind eye while his party continues to kill, bomb and disrupt APC rallies.

21. Against the spirit of equity, unity, justice and fair play, Dr Jonathan and his wife, Damee patience Jonathan imposed Chief Nyesome Wike a cancellous fellow from the Ikwerre tribe as PDP candidate and Governor of Rivers State, knowing very well that the former Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was also of Ikwerre extraction and that with Chief Wike as Governor that the Ikwerre tribe will governed Rivers State for 16 years to the detriment of other tribes and sections of the State. This shows that Dr Jonathan and his son and unjust party do not wish Rivers State any good.

22. Former President Jonathan released all the N25 Billion that accrued from the principle of derivation from the five Soku Oil Wells that rightly belong to Rivers State kept in reserve for Rivers State and Bayelsa State were all paid to Bayelsa State his home State to prove his hatred for Rivers State

23. As a President, Dr Jonathan continued to under fund the NDDC to ensure that Rivers State and in extension the Niger Delta region is not developed, till the time he left office, over N700B owed by the Federal Government was not paid to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

24. Refused to empower and fund the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs initiated by the Yar-Aduas administration. The then Minister of Niger Delta once stated that the N41.7B due to the Ministry was not paid until Dr Jonathan left office to ensure that 90 percent of the projects initiated by the Ministry were not executed by the Ministry in Rivers State and other Niger Delta States

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According to SaharaReporters, the Major and three other soldiers were killed on Thursday, March 17, after they ran into an set up by militants.

This is coming 48 hours to the re-run senatorial election in the state

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have however pointed accusing fingers at each in the killing of the major and the soldiers.

In a tweet via its handle @APCNigeria, the party said thugs loyal to the state Governor, Nyesom Wike carried out the gruesome murders.

During rallies led by Wike across the state, he had reportedly threatened that anyone who attempts to rig the rerun polls against PDP candidates will be killed.
Justice George Omereji of the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt delivered the ruling in a suit filed by the state Chairman, of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Bro Felix Obuah and the party itself.

He ruled that "an order of interim order be made and is hereby made restraining, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, whether by themselves, their agents, servants, officers and operatives or privies from interfering with the applicants right to freely participate in the government of Nigeria either directly or through free chosen representatives, threatens to arrest, harass, intimidate, torture, incancerate the applicants and their members during the rerun elections for the State and National Assembly on 19th March, 2016".

The judge ordered the PDP to serve the judgment on the Military for them to comply.

"Leave be and is hereby granted the applicants to issue and serve the originating motion of the jurisdiction of this Honorable court for service on the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Brigade Commander of Second Amphibious Brigade and INEC at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT," Justice Omereji said.
Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, gave the warning at a joint news conference he held with Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday in Abuja.

"Let me note that the intelligence unit of the Nigerian Police has conducted a comprehensive security threat analysis of Rivers state.

"The areas likely to present major security threat as well as individuals who are poised to make themselves available as political thugs to threaten the peaceful conduct of the electoral process have been identified.

"I can assure you that appropriate mechanisms have been duly put in place to prevent these anti-democratic elements from manifesting their criminal intent, Arase said.

He advised politicians and the electorate to conduct themselves with decorum, while avoiding acts of brigandage, saying "security agents are under strict instructions to deal decisively with such situations.

"Our democracy has evolved to a level where political gladiators and electorate should allow morality, integrity, genuine national passion, service and above all, the dictates of the law to guide their actions.

"The days when political power is attained through the rule of violence rather than the rule of law and democratic values are fading.

"Our political actors that believe in turning citizens to political thugs and cannon fodders to bear the fatal brunt of their political ambition should allow such thoughts to fade henceforth or be prepared to face the wrath of justice.

Arase announced that 6,000 policemen and three commissioners of police had been deployed to Rivers for the elections, adding that officer from 14 units of Police Mobile Force had also been deployed to compliment the state command.

"In addition, special protection units, Explosive Ordinance Department, federal special anti- robbery squad, operatives of the criminal intelligence and investigation department, counter-terrorism unit and marine section of the force are also being deployed.

"These land and marine assets will be complemented by aerial surveillance to be undertaken by not less than three police helicopters.

He added that the police would also be supported by other security agencies and the armed forces.

On the propriety of deploying Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Operations, Sontoye Wakama, who is believed to be from Rivers axis, for the election, Arase said that the man would not be in Rivers during the election.

He explained that Wakama was only mandated to hold meetings with stakeholders and police officers in the state command, adding that the man would return to Abuja on Thursday.

On his party, INEC chairman assured that the commission had taken every measure and precaution to ensure free, fair and credible election on Saturday.

He said that all personnel involved in the election had been warned against compromising the processes and procedures in any way, adding that "violators will be severely sanctioned.

Yakubu appealed to all political actors in Rivers to avoid statements and actions capable of breaching public peace so that the people of the state could choose their representatives in peace.
According to the Kaduna State Chapter of CAN, a meeting held with government officials on Wednesday, 16 March, 2016 in Kaduna has nothing to with their earlier stand.

Pulse gathered that the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Barnabas Bala Bantex met with the leaders of Kaduna State CAN, led by the chairman George Dodo, Catholic Bishop of Zaria.

According to the government in a post, the Deputy Governor said the Religious Preaching Law is proposed to curb extremism and protect safe practice of faith.The government further said it was the first time the preaching bill is being subjected to democratic scrutiny since it was enacted in 1984.

The 1984 and 1987 versions of the edict were enacted following outbreaks of religious violence which Kaduna wishes to confine to the past. Bishop Dodo said CAN welcome the consultations, and would be making a comprehensive submission to the House of Assembly and the Executive the government said in the post.

The Deputy Governor of Kaduna was quoted as saying that the consultations continue and that the legislative process of public hearings also offers a platform for all views.

Speaking to Pulse, the secretary, Kaduna State CAN, Dr Sunday Ibrahim said contrary to insinuation about their meeting with government officials, they have not shifted from their earlier stand.
Kinvi, for several months, fed and provided shelter for Muslims who fled from the anti-balaka militia at his mission hospital in Bossemptele. He also helped them escape to the Cameroon boarders.

According to , Kinvi during an interview said that upon being a priest he took an oath to serve and stand with those who have lost everything.

When I became a priest, I undertook to serve the sick even if it meant putting my life in danger.

I said that but I didnt really know what it meant.

But when the war came, I understood what it means to risk your life. Being a priest is about more than giving blessings; its about standing with those who have lost everything.
The 300 Level Computer Science, student, Hezekiah Paul, died at the Plateau Specialist Hospital from the gunshot wounds.

According to NAN, the students took their protest to the office of Directorate of State Services, near Police A Division, where they registered their grievance.

They also moved to the Plateau House of Assembly where they equally registered their grievance.

Mr Alaba Abraham, leader of the protesters, called for a thorough investigation into the incident and justice meted to the perpetrators.

Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Peter Azi, who received the students, told them that he would make sure that justice was done.

Azi said he was aware of the incident and had visited the victim in the hospital before he died.

This morning, I was with the Commissioner of Police to seek an explanation and was told that the suspect had been arrested, he said.

He commended the protesters for their orderly conduct.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Emmanuel Abuh (DSP), confirmed the incident, and described it as unfortunate.
They accused the authorities of introducing new entry requirements at the point of their moving to 200 level, despite scoring more than the 50 per cent.

They urged the Federal Government to direct the school authorities to reverse the new policies while also accusing the university management of deliberately raising the bar in order to enrich the school.

On Tuesday, March 15, during a press briefing, they made their demands known.

One of the students, who identified himself simply as Bassey, said the university should explain how diploma students, who scored 3.0 and 3.5 in their courses, would be given the go-ahead to proceed to 200 level over students admitted through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, who scored better grades.

It is clear. The university prefers students who pay N400,000 per session to those of us who pay N55,000 per session. There are more than 500 diploma students and the university rakes in about N200m per session.

Is that not enough to upgrade their facilities in order to increase their quota?"

That is just at the Faculty of Science alone. The university rakes in money in other faculties as well.

The National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, Mr. Hassan Soweto also admitted that the university was wrong in its decision.

Soweto said,Yes, we do not want the facilities to be overstretched because it will affect the quality of education. But it has to be resolved without violating the rights of the students and somebody within the management has to pay for it. This is a clear case of corruption. As it is now, UNILAG will always have more than enough students over and above the quota for the College of Medicine. The students did not fail. The authorities simply decided to manufacture a different entry requirement to weed out students.

Head of Information Unit, Mr. Toyin Adebule, has however said the school's position is unlikely to change.

Our position has not changed. In the past, we used to admit between 300 and 400 students and we have such a system that the number drops to between 100 and 200 by the time they get into 200 level. That was normal until the Nigerian Medical Association said we must not admit more than 150 students.

We have to follow the guidelines and let me tell you that admission is provisional until you get into the clinical stage. That is when you are sure of graduating. Even the certificate is an award and look at what happened at the University of Port Harcourt. They were not able to graduate because of overpopulation. There is nothing we can do because we are being regulated.
Mr. Murtala Mani, commissioner of Police in the state, gave this information in Uyo yesterday while briefing journalists on the activities of the suspects.

Mani, represented by ASP Onyeka Orji, aide and former Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the syndicate was brought down on March 7, through intelligence information.

According to Mani, the suspects were Mr. Etini Solomon, 21, from Abak Local Government Area of the state and Mr. Itohowo Joseph, 22, from Nsit Ubium LGA.

On March 7, 2016 our team of detectives attached to the Area Command apprehended one Etini Christopher Solomon M of Ikot Ufen village in Abak LGA, who specialised on printing and selling fake recharged cards to members of public.

On interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime; a search was conducted and recharge cards were recovered on his possession, the police commissioner said.

The recharge cards recovered include MTN, N71,600; Airtel, N105,800; Etisalat, N39,900, and Glo, N36,300, totalling N253,300, Mani said.

According to the Akwa Ibom police chief, Solomon confessed to the police that Joseph was the person who gave him the code and flash drive to print the recharge cards.

I bought the product from this man (Joseph), I did not know the product was invalid. It was on March 5, that I gave him N25,000, Solomon said.
The victims, Claudio Chiarelli, 65 and his son Max, 28, had been members of the volunteer anti-poaching organisation Zambezi Society and had been conducting patrols in Mana Pools National Park, northern Zimbabwe, during the weekend.

The Telegraph reports the two men had been with a group sent out as relief for a team of rangers who had earlier been deployed to follow track suspect elephant poachers when the accident occured.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority confirms the incident, revealing that the rangers had been alarmed by movements in the trees and the sound of voices.

They had opened fire in the general direction of the sounds, killing the father and son.
A photo of the young woman lying in her own pool of blood was posted on Facebook by her father.

The man who identified himself as Ghazi H., said his beloved 21-yr-old daughter Shilan had rejected an arranged marriage to her cousin and paid for it with her life during a wedding ceremony in Hanover, Germany.

Police immediately began a search for her cousin, Daily Mail reports.

The 50-yr-old Kurdish man said his family had fled Iraq for Germany when his daughter was three years old adding that she had grown up as a self-confident young woman with German citizenship, studying property management at college in Hanover.

It is with the deepest sense of loss and pain that I announce the loss of my daughter. She died in a pool of her own blood, as a victim of a treacherous tradition, he captioned the sad images he had posted.

Ghazi said his two brothers identified as Numan H. and Hassan H., had tried to arrange a forced marriage between Shilan and her 22-yr-old cousin, Sefin, but she refused saying she didnt love the man and rejecting the proposal.

He said he left his family in the care of his brothers including his daughter while he went for a project in Iraq. Unknown to him, His brother continued with the marriage proceedings, trying to marry the young woman off to his son.

She begged me to do something and so I cancelled the engagement, her father said, adding that he called off the marriage plans immediately he returned from Iraq.

Shilan was shot on March 13, at about 10pm and reports say the police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Sefin who is a prime suspect in her murder.
Now into the second year of its worst migration crisis since World War Two, Europe has been hit by more than 1.2 million arrivals, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, since the beginning of 2015.

Italy's coast guard has continued to pick up migrants in trouble in the stretch of water between its southern coast and North Africa, although most people seeking a better life in Europe have taken less dangerous routes to Greece.

Italian coast guard and navy ships and a Norwegian vessel operating for the European Union border agency Frontex rescued 1,467 people in 12 operations on Wednesday, the coast guard said in a statement.

The coast guard found two bodies while rescuing 750 people packed into six rubber boats, and navy officials on a separate rescue mission found a third corpse. The coast guard gave no details on the nationalities of the victims or those rescued.
WEST MIAMI, Fla. -- It was not supposed to end like this for Marco Rubio.

Eleven months ago, he launched his presidential campaign in front of Miami's Freedom Tower, the Ellis Island for his and other Cuban families. In his rapid rise, young Rubio had been a darling of both the tea party movement and the conservative intelligentsia -- the Republicans' best hope of attracting nonwhite voters.

But then came vulgar Donald Trump. Rubio was savaged on everything from immigration to his height. On Tuesday night, Rubio, his campaign fading, lost his home state of Florida to the bigoted demagogue who makes scapegoats of foreigners and minorities. Bowing to the inevitable, Rubio ended his candidacy.

By the time Rubio's campaign bus rolled to its final pre-primary stop -- an outdoor basketball court here where he played as a boy -- only a couple-hundred supporters were on hand, nearly equaled by the number of journalists on death watch.

When Rubio spoke, the sound system failed, so he delivered his valedictory with a bullhorn.

Rubio's voice sounded tinny, but his words were rich with nostalgia as he recalled knocking on doors when he ran for city commissioner here. "In between sips of sweet Cuban coffee, I heard the stories of their youth, of the dreams they lost," he said. "That has carried me every single day throughout this campaign, knowing that my worst days are better than some of the best days that many people in this community have had."

These are not the best days for Rubio, or for anybody who cares about American democracy. The 44-year-old made mistakes during his campaign: freezing in the New Hampshire debate, failing to take on Trump earlier, then finally attacking Trump by joking about genitalia.

Yet he finished honorably. He spoke reflectively Monday about Trump's brutal transformation of politics. This message should have been delivered much earlier, but it deserves to be heard even now.

"Leadership is not about going to an angry and frustrated people and saying you should be even angrier and more frustrated, and you should be angry and frustrated at each other," Rubio told a gym full of Christian college students in West Palm Beach. "That's called demagoguery. And it's dangerous." It leads, he said, to "where we are today, a nation where people literally hate each other because they're voting for different candidates. ... And it leaves us incapable of solving problems."

Trump tore up the norms of decency that remained in American politics, and Rubio expressed puzzlement that it worked. "My whole life I've been told being humble is a virtue, and now being humble is a weakness and being vain and self-absorbed is somehow a virtue," he said. "My whole life I've been told no matter how you feel about someone, you respect everyone because we are all children of the same God -- and now being respectful to one another is considered political correctness."

Rubio voiced regret for his own role in the vulgarity, saying he "felt terrible" about it. Such remorse separates Rubio from Trump, who seems to have no shame as he blurts obscenities, delivers insults and winks at violence. "There are people, I know, who like this stuff because he says what they want to be able to say, [but] presidents can't say whatever they want to say," Rubio told the students, mentioning the harm to America's reputation that Trump has already done. "We're not a Third World country. We're the United States of America."

That's the welcoming country to which Rubio's parents immigrated, settling among the shoe-box homes here in Cuban West Miami. "Everywhere I go I tell the story of this community of people, many of whom lost their country in their youth," Rubio said in his boyhood park, his kids beside him in the bed of his Dodge pickup.

He spoke, in English, then in Spanish, with the requisite optimism, telling supporters he looked forward to moving his "caja china" -- Cuban barbecue -- to the White House.

But Rubio's speech to his modest band had the ring of a farewell. "I will always be a son of this community. I will always carry with me the hopes and dreams of generations that made possible the dreams of mine," he said. His candidacy, he said, "was possible because you and I happen to live in the one place on Earth where even the son of a bartender and a maid from West Miami can be president."

Or at least he can lose to a trash-talking rich guy from Queens.
"The Americans," about undercover KGB agents in America at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, is at once the best thriller on TV and one of the most despairing, a story of challenged loyalties, bending and breaking families and other trusted relationships, and children taking on the sins of their parents. That makes it a tough sell for some even as it's one of the most gripping shows around both on a moment-to-moment basis and as a whole. But FX has stuck by the low-rated show, and its fourth season premiere, "Glanders," shows the show in fine, downbeat form.

Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) are still trying to negotiate their relationship with their young teenage daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor), who now knows of their Soviet origins (and has told her trusted pastor in confidence). They have little time to stop and think about it: their handler, Gabriel (Frank Langella), tells them to contact a source in biochemical warfare, William (Dylan Baker), who Gabriel believes is under surveillance. Meanwhile, their FBI-agent next-door neighbor Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) is directionless after trying to make a deal to get his former informant and mistress, Nina (Annet Mahendru), out of the Soviet Union (she's busy earning the trust of Michael Aronov's captive scientist Baklanov). And Philip is haunted by his violent past (he killed a boy who persecuted him as a child) and present (he's now guilty of murdering a man to throw the trail off his other wife, poor Alison Wright's poor informant Martha).

Philip and Elizabeth's feelings for each other are more deeply felt now than they were in the past (they were married as a part of their cover), but there's still some distance, with Philip unable to speak about the recurring dream of him smashing another young boy's head in. It's a chilling vision, shown in a grainier past with heightened sound as we hear a horrible crunch when young Philip brings the stone down again and again, and as director Thomas Schlamme matches the boy's eyes with the man's, we see someone who's had to do horrible things to survive for a cause he's not quite as committed to as his wife. He tries taking it to an EST meeting, but he beyond his clear fear and desperation, he can't get into the specifics of the murder, nor can he forgive himself "He was bullying you. Why isn't he asking for your forgiveness?" the EST man asks as we get flashes of the boy's caved-in face. "I never talked to him about it...he moved away." There's the typical support group applause for sharing, but as Philip sits, he's white as a ghost. He's a fraud and a murderer, and he can't reconcile that anymore.

Elizabeth reaches out after they abort a mission when Philip thinks William is being followed, but there's something more as they're separated by a chain fence. She's reaching out, and he's not reaching back. He does talk to Stan's ex-wife Sandra (Susan Misner) after the EST meeting, but her advice to talk to Elizabeth and deal with the weight on him falls on deaf ears. As for Martha...well, she has her own problems. She's initially shocked and horrified by the news that he's killed her friend to throw the trail off of her, blaming herself for the murder. "Clark" (as Philip calls himself around her) tries to reach out, but she pulls away, and looks at him the next morning like a giant bug. "Clark" does tell her he made it as painless as possible and finds a way to reveal a bit of himself, telling her (without full details) that he's haunted by a childhood incident. Rhys and Wright are the MVPs of this episode, one using micro-gestures and facial expressions to show a greater introspection for Philip, possibly shame, the other slowly accepting that she's in love with a murderer and needs to find ways to stay in this with him. "Clark" uses his quasi-confession as a way to get Martha to copy surveillance reports and learn if someone is following William, but in at least one sense, he's more open with her than he is with Elizabeth.

There's a lot of opening up in "Glanders." Paige speaks with Pastor Tim (Kelly AuCoin), her uncommonly understanding confidant. She's able to ask more of her parents now that they've let her in on their secret, but Elizabeth's rationalized responses only frighten her more, and when her school says the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning, she waits outside, terrified that she'll reveal something. She's resolute that she and Pastor Tim can't tell anyone else and immediately rejects his suggestion that they all come in and talk about it (they're recording Pastor Tim with other parishioners, so it's only a matter of time anyway). He's a genuinely kind mentor, trying to foster understanding between Paige and her parents and pushing her to ask them more. But it's a difficult position to put a child in, to say the least, and things aren't about to get better.

At the same time, Baklanov's conversations with Nina are getting increasingly personal, less focused on work. He confesses that he fears his son has forgotten him (he was kidnapped in an earlier season and sent back to the USSR, where he's forced to help with technological needs), and claims to have been a bad husband who cheated on his wife, which led to his capture. Nina is in one of the most difficult positions on the show, always pushed into spying on someone who she grows genuinely close to and given zero options otherwise; here, she's a good listener for poor Baklanov, telling him that "You're not destroyed," to his protests. Their conversations are filmed at low angles (or beneath a metal staircase), as if we're spying on them not for political secrets, but personal ones. There's no hope for Baklanov. "I picture myself as dust, just ground up in the dirt." And though Nina, because of her situation, must betray him, her heart breaks for him.

Of course, almost everyone will be dust if they're not careful. As bonds are stretched to their limits, Philip and Elizabeth meet with William, played by Baker in a gloriously grouchy manner. He's passed off a biological weapon: "Glanders," a disease that "is to meningitis what the bubonic plagues is to a runny nose." They're getting into increasingly dangerous territory, not helped by Stan showing up at the Jennings' place after the meet to confront Philip for seeing his ex-wife (Stan's current girlfriend saw them at a bar). Their friendship has been an odd one, with Philip showing real warmth towards his neighbor even as he's secretly a sworn enemy. But here, Stan's capacity for rage shines through, accusing Philip of the worst while grabbing him by the jacket (where a deadly biological weapon is kept and could break at any moment). Stan leaves Philip behind, but as our anti-hero holds the vial of Glanders up to the garage light before it goes out, there's a great deal of weight in his stare. We're moving past espionage and into truly nasty territory, and it's going to affect (or infect, rather) everything.

Stray thoughts:

-Favorite bits of direction: everything involving Paige trying to avoid being noticed, whether it's a camera going around a different corner in the house to reach Elizabeth, giving Paige a moment to collect herself before speaking to her mother, or the camera moving through a classroom of students rattling off the Pledge from memory as it suddenly takes greater weight for her. Taylor remains one of the best young actors on TV.

-In the Rezidentura, Arkady is not happy to see Tatiana keeping secrets from him. More on this in future episodes, I'm sure.

-Does Martha know the full extent of "Clark's" real nature? She must know he's not who he presented himself as, but I can't quite remember if she's put together that he's KGB.

-Best bleak joke of the episode: Baker is terrible at pretending he's not up to anything, conspicuously walking very slowly and with his hands behind his back for no apparent reason.
The annual Black Hills Regional Job Fair is timed well for employers seeking seasonal workers for the upcoming South Dakota tourism season, as well as for job seekers looking for full-time local employment or even a new career.

The 17th annual job fair Wednesday attracted 88 employers, with between 1,000 and 1,800 potential job seekers expected at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Weve had over 2,000 in the past. Its great weather today, so we shouldnt have anyone who couldnt get here because of a snowstorm, said Peggy Schlechter, of the South Dakota State University Extension Service.

Schlechter coordinates the Rapid City event, hosted by the South Dakota Association of College Career Centers, formerly known as the South Dakota Career Planning and Placement Association.

The SDACCC also hosted the South Dakota BIG Job Fair and the South Dakota Teachers Job Fair in Sioux Falls on Tuesday.

This is a community event put together by a great group of volunteers that just come together every year to link employers with people looking for jobs, make it easy on both sides, Schlechter said.

A trend this year, Schlechter said, is an increase of the number of employers seeking seasonal workers. Schlechter hoped the job fair's coinciding with an early-release Wednesday would lure high school students seeking summer employment.

Because of low gas prices and expectations of good weather," she said, "some seasonal employers are looking to open earlier.

Theyre looking to get their positions staffed as early as possible so they can get open, if they arent open already. We expect to be a hot year for tourism.

Every year we try to hire as many local people as we can, said Gideon Oakes, of Teddys Deli of Keystone. The job fair is a really good opportunity to gather everyone who is looking for a position into one place.

Thats why were here, Oakes said. Weve only missed one year in the 10 that weve been open.
Lucinda Mays of Chadron and Amy Seiler of Scottsbluff were recognized at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA) awards reception March 4 in Lincoln. Their efforts will be recognized again during Wildflower Week in western Nebraska June 2-4.

Lucinda Mays of Chadron received the Jim Kluck Honor Award recognizing individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum or its affiliates. Mays is horticulturist of the Chadron State College Arboretum, an NSA affiliate site, where she has worked to improve the beauty and functionality of the campus green space. Mays efforts have included the native and pioneer plant celebration near the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, the bioretention plantings near the Coffee Agriculture Pavilion and most recently an experiment with a pollinator-friendly living fence near the new Eagle Ridge student housing complex.

Nomination forms supporting Mays honor emphasized her exceptional skills as an educator and promoter of green space and indicate her opinion and advice is highly valued by many colleagues. In addition, nominations noted her tireless work to help the campus community and visitors, the people of Chadron and western Nebraska and others associated with NSA.

Amy Seiler of Scottsbluff received the Arboretums Educator Award for her efforts promoting and using native plants. Seilers passion and enthusiasm for prairie and native plantings is evident in all the work she does with school groups, forestry outreach and community landscape efforts.

Seiler was instrumental in getting a rain garden established in Scottsbluff/Gering and participates in many tree and landscape events and projects throughout western Nebraska.

For more information about the award winners or the statewide network of public landscapes modeling and promoting sustainable landscapes for healthy homes and communities, call 402-472-2971 or visit www.plantnebraska.org.
Former Russian mayor sentenced to 5 years in prison for abuse of power

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  A court in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia has sentenced former mayor of Nazran to 5 years in a penal colony for abusing his power during resettlement of people from dilapidated buildings, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday.

According to investigators, former mayor of Nazran, Beyali Ozdoev, wanting to make a favorable impression of his administration, ordered his subordinate to sign documents on onstructuion of several apartment buildings for resettlement of people. Construction of the buildings has never been completed.

Damage from actions of mayor and other officials in this case exceeded 14 million rubles ($200,000). The Magassky Regional Court of Ingushetia found them guilty of documents forgery and abuse of power.
Russian penitentiary service asks court to collect $42.8 mln from its ex-head

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Russias Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) has asked the court to recover about 3 billion rubles (about $42.8 million) from the former head of the service, Alexander Reimer, and other people who stand charged with embezzlement, RAPSI learned on Thursday.

FSIN confirmed that it was acknowledged as suffering party in the case.

In May, the court seized 15 million rubles ($211,200) in assets belonging to Reimer.

The probe into the case was opened after two employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) were detained on suspicion of extorting $2.6 million from a businessman in connection with the purchase of ankle bracelets.

Charges have been brought against Reimer, his former deputy Nikolai Krivolapov, director of FSINs Information and Technical Support Center Viktor Opredelyonov, and the director of a private company, Nikolai Martynov.

After Reimer resigned from FSIN in 2012, a 10 billion ruble ($122 mln) fraud was uncovered at the service. Reimer has denied his guilt.

Reimer also has been charged with abuse of office.

Alexander Reimer, 57, was chief of the Interior Ministry Department in the Samara Region from April 2006 to 2009. In August 2009, he was appointed FSIN director and in 2010 promoted to the rank of Colonel-General of the Interior. He was dismissed from FSIN on June 26, 2012.
Russian legislators propose to limit power of child protective services  report

MOSCOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  Russian child protective services may lose their right to take away children from their families without appropriate courts ruling, Izvestia newspaper reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, Yelena Mizulina, Deputy Chair of the Federation Councils committee on constitutional legislation, is one of the authors behind a bill that limits the power of child protective services. Current legislation allows services to act immediately if there is information regarding potential threat to life or health of a child.

At this time the law allows [services  ed.] to take away a child for any reason. It may be dirty dishes in the kitchen or clothes of inappropriate size. The law also encourages arbitrary restriction of the parental rights. This is unacceptable, Mizulina said.

Legislators claim that they seek to make restriction of parental rights the last available measure when dealing with a crisis in a family.
Bill on rehabilitation of Crimean victims of political repressions reaches State Duma

MOSOW, March 17 (RAPSI)  A group of State Duma lawmakers submitted a bill to the lower house of parliament on rehabilitation of Crimean residents who have been suffering political repressions from Ukrainian authorities until March 18, 2014, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday.

Individuals who strongly stood for reunification of Crimea with Russia have been condemned by Ukrainian courts and still continue to be convicts, reads an explanatory note to the document.

Ukrainian authorities persecuted the peninsula residents over the years for their political and social views and activity aimed to put the historical record straight and reunite Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia, according to the bills authors.

The bill says that political activists of Crimea may be rightly considered to be victims of political repressions as they have been denied normal job and opportunity of self-fulfillment after initiation of thin criminal cases by Ukraines State Security Service against them and following illegal conviction.

Crimea reunited with Russia following a referendum in March 2014. Over 96 percent of those who took part in the polls voted for joining Russia.
Sagarmatha Network Pvt. Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003.
Morocco has launched an unprecedented diplomatic offensive to reach a quick settlement of the Sahara conflict and does not seem ready to turn a blind eye on the blunders made by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his recent visit in Algeria and in the Tindouf camps.

Rabat has just announced its decision to reduce significantly the participation of the Moroccan civilian component within the UN peace mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO.

The Kingdom is also considering the withdrawal of Moroccan troops engaged in UN peacekeeping operations if Ban Ki-Moon does not change his recent pro-Polisario stances.

The decisions, taken in response to the UN chiefs bias, are equal to the anger felt by the entire Moroccan people and political class. Last Sunday, more than three million people took to the streets in Rabat and the following Tuesday, nearly 180,000 Sahrawi citizens staged a demonstration in Laayoune, near the headquarters of the MINURSO, to express their resentment and exasperation at Ban Ki-Moons bias.

Moroccos King Mohammed VI, who is paying an official visit to Moscow, was reassured Tuesday in the Kremlin by Russian President Vladimir Putin of Russias support and understanding of the position of Morocco in the Sahara issue.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, the two countries expressed opposition to any violation of the parameters already defined in existing resolutions of the Security Council to search for a political solution to the Sahara issue, alluding to Ban Ki-moons verbal blunders

On the diplomatic front, the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar presented in New York on Monday, a letter to the UN Secretary General, expressing firm denunciation and total rejection by the Kingdom of Morocco, its people and all its forces, of Bans objectionable statements and condemnable gestures about the Moroccan Sahara issue, during his recent visit to Algeria, said a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

Moroccan officials are therefore not ready to give up the defense of the countrys primary national cause. On the contrary, they moved up a gear in their diplomatic offensive after they waited for over forty years for a political and consensual solution that is slow to come to close once for all the dossier of the artificial conflict created by the Algerian and Libyan regimes during the cold war era.
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Mar-16-2016 20:37 TweetFollow @OregonNews Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Kicks off the 2016 Literacy Project Because everyone EATS.... agriculture is important to 100% of us.

Myers Elementary students in Salem, Oregon.

Photo: AITC

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fifth graders in Salem physically tried on different career possibilities at the annual Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Literacy Project 2016 Kick-off at Myers Elementary School this week. The 2016 featured book Before We Eat: From Farm to Table, and the related lesson feature a myriad of careers available in the Oregon farming, forestry, fishing, and fiber industries. The message is especially important now as the average age of US farmers approaches 60, and many more people will be needed to fill agricultural and natural resource positions in the coming years. Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom has been working for decades to excite young students about agriculture. The AITC's annual Literacy Project is in its 9th year. One book is chosen every year, and a lesson plan is developed to reinforce the message of the book; the book then remains in the classrooms of participating teachers. Across Oregon, the project has eager volunteers bringing each Literacy Project book into the classroom: over 725 volunteers read to 20,077 students in 889 classes statewide in 2015 alone. The kick-off event featured Oregon Agriculture in the Classrooms Teacher of the Year Scott Kiser giving an introduction of the program; Carolyn Jackson, a longtime program volunteer providing an entertaining and thought-provoking discussion about where food comes from; and Executive Director Jessica Jansen having kids dress up in career costumes and talking about the process of food going from farm to table. "I hope students take away a better knowledge of the (agricultural) opportunities in Oregon," Kiser said. The 2016 AITC Literacy Project has been generously supported by Oregon Women for Agriculture, NORPAC and Oregon State University, College of Agricultural Sciences. For more information on how to become a volunteer with the Literacy Project, or have a volunteer come to your classroom, please visit oregonaitc.org/trainingevents/literacy-project/. _________________________________________

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The petite society scandal in which longtime deYoung Museum grande dame Dede Wilsey brought some unwanted attention to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco's financial controls has taken a new turn. Wilsey friend Therese Chen  a former museum staffer who was known to do favors for Wilsey and for whom a controversial $450,000 check was cut in May 2014 labeled "disability severence" for Chen's husband, retired museum stationary engineer Bill Huggins  died Friday at a hospital in Oakland, as the Chronicle reports. Chen was 65, and had suffered a stroke.

Chen's husband's heart attack and subsequent retirement and need for at-home care was what prompted the writing of the check, which Wilsey apparently made out of sympathy for the couple but without approval of the museums' Board. The ensuing whistle-blower situation with former museums CFO Michele Gutierrez then caused some resignations of prominent board members, and an audit from the state's attorney general's charitable trust division.

Now, the city controller has opened its own audit, and Fine Arts Museums Board member and former city attorney Louise Renne is calling for Wilsey simply to repay the museum coffers out of pocket. "The right thing needs to be done," says Renne. "Its critically important for the museum, the board and the city as a whole." Presumably the repayment would not come from the surviving husband, Huggins, himself.

Museums spokeswoman Amanda Duckworth, on behalf of Wilsey, declined to comment on the progress of any audits or any decisions, saying to Matier & Ross, "That work is ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to comment until the committees work is completed."

Wilsey has long been talked about as presiding over the two museums, including the Legion of Honor, with some imperial power, and this situation appears to have highlighted that. Expect any paybacks or apologies to occur very quietly, and without contrition.

Previously: Oh Dear, Dede: Mrs. Wilsey Defiant, Says She Didn't Need Board Approval For Gift

Oh Dear, Dede: State Opens Inquiry Into Wilsey's Apparent Financial Misconduct
Citing San Francisco's high cost of living and the increasing cost of tuition, the spokesperson for a website that seeks to connect millennials with wealthy people "willing to pay for 'arrangements'" says that at least 194 San Francisco State University students are current "sugar babies," exchanging companionship for cash or goods.

This according to SF State's student newspaper, the Golden Gate Xpress, which reported yesterday on the wave of students who reportedly pay their bills via the kindness of amorous benefactors.

As part of their reporting, the Xpress spoke with Brook Urick, a spokesperson for Seeking Arrangement, a website that describes itself as "Where beautiful, successful people fuel mutually beneficial relationships." According to Urick, 194 SF State students are registered on the site on the "baby" side of the equation. (Students are offered "a free premium membership when a baby registers with a .edu email address," the Xpress reports.)

It has a lot to do with the cost of living, which is outrageous in San Francisco and the surrounding areas, Urick told the Xpress.

Tuition rates just keep rising, scholarships become less and less available, and people have to look to alternative methods to pay for their schooling.

Alternative methods like, apparently, getting paid for their attentions. That said, Urick hastened to distinguish these sugar babies from sex workers, saying that "its a relationship and its a gift. The idea is that these people are generous, theyre willing to spoil. They might not have time for traditional relationships, but theyre willing to provide something else.

For a 19-year-old sorority girl/sugar baby who spoke with the Xpress, that meant an "allowance" from her paramour.

I needed money," she told SF State. "We went on another date to an Italian restaurant. He called me a car, and as I was leaving he gave me $600. He was like, I know you need to get your nails done as well as pay your rent. That was my allowance.

In another case, she says, I had to move...So (my sugar daddy) gave me the deposit money. He put it on Google Wallet because he was in New York that week and couldnt see me. I asked, and he was like, Here you go.

And while Urick seems to downplay the sexual element of the relationships, it's clearly there, says the sugar baby. "Obviously some guys are a lot more pushy than others, she told the Xpress, saying that in her relationship with "one of the top financial advisors on the west coast, a dapper, self-made 36-year-old divorce with two children looking for a girl who promised not to nag him about settling down" that "things didnt get physical until the fourth date."

For her part, Deborah Cohler, SF State's chair of women and gender studies, urges you not to rush to judge this woman or her 193 co-babies. As we all know, SF is "an extraordinarily expensive place to live...So we have all kinds of working students on campus.

Almost all romantic or sexual relationships have some form of reciprocity expected, she told the Xpress.

These relationships, it sounds like, have a more explicit expectation of a certain kind of material reciprocity up front. If we didnt pathologize or stigmatize this kind of material expectation, these relationships wouldnt have to be so coded or secretive.
Though moving into San Francisco can be seemingly impossible, and deeply saddening and dignity-reducing task, many young people are still managing to do it. And now, as the Wall Street Journal reports, venture capital firms like Maveron and Fidelity Investments want to help the kids out. The companies have begun investing in "dorms for adults" in an effort to provide young people with a housing solution that just so happens to offer a high return on their investment.

San Francisco Business Times picked up on the story too, and notes that at the price of $1,800 per month (per room), there is quite a return to be had.

We've of course written about these types of living arrangements before, and as you might expect, they skew toward depressing. Stuffed full of people working "in tech, finance, and some interns, also startups and entrepreneurs," the spots appear to be a way to continue pretending you're in college but without, you know, the sex. Because: bunk beds.

The Business Times notes that these locations are not limited to the Bay Area, and says Maveron has backed New York-based co-living startup Common, which owns properties in Williamsburg and Crown Heights.

You have this incredibly large category, which theres not that much venture activity in, that needs to be reimagined, Maveron partner Jason Stoffer explained to the Wall Street Journal. "[There is] insanely high consumer demand for reimagining how Millennials live in urban environments.

Right, but how about Millennials with too much dignity for a bunk bed but not enough money? There's always Antioch.

Related: Apartment Sadness: Bunk Bed Room, Sleeps Six, Real Cheap
Last night marked the final pop-up at Divisadero's Mojo Bicycle Cafe for Wes Rowe and his ultra-popular, all-brisket WesBurger. It was packed. "Almost every week at Mojo, I can tell who the first 20 or so burgers will go to," Rowe told Hoodline, "I know my customers by first name."

Now, Rowe is on to the next: His opening-soon brick-and-mortar called WesBurger 'N' More at 2240 Mission Street (at 18th), a development about which we learned last fall, and which we've got photos of for you now.

The opening date for the new home of Rowes' cast-iron skillet-cooked burgers hasn't yet been determined, but could be any day now. The menu, we're assured, has all the hits like his Jack in the Box-inspired "Hot Wes," a play on the fast food chain's "Hot Mess." Rowe tops that one with onion rings, queso (a nod to his Texas roots), and pickled jalapenos.

As you would expect from the 'N' More tag, Rowe will have plenty of non-burger items to enjoy, even paying homage to his days as another pop-up, Uncle Brother's Chicken. Expect Nashville-style chicken and even, indeed, a fried chicken burrito.

WesBurger 'N' More has a retro soda fountain ambiance (root beer floats, anyone?) with a long counter, booth seating, and a communal table. As for adult sodas, expect beers on tap, Lone Stars by the bottle, and house punches.

And don't call burgers a trend  especially to Rowe, who has blogged religiously about the form for Serious Eats' A Hamburger Today blog. But if you've noticed standalone burger joints like Kronnerburger popping up in the last couple of years, well, you're not alone in using the T-word. Some say it's demand, with restaurants who are known for their burger getting so many orders each day that it makes sense to give them pride of place of the menu. At WesBurger, it's getting just that. And what can we say? Burgers are good, son.

Wesburger 'N' More - 2240 Mission Street at 18th


As we learned back in October, La Boulange founder Pascal Rigo  who sold his bakery chain and recipes to Starbucks for a cool $100 million only to reopen a few of its original locations under the name La Boulangerie de San Francisco  is not a dude who can stop working. In addition to reviving his bakery in six spots around town, he took a job as Munchery's Chief Customer Experience Officer last fall, but it sounds like that didn't work out so well. As Eater reports, Rigo has already left the company after just five months citing, "I just did not share anymore their strategy for growth and their vision for the future." What might that mean?!

Rigo contends that in the prepared-food delivery segment "Munchery is ideally positioned" to dominate, however he must have butted heads with Munchery CEO Tri Tran over how to make that happen.

In a statement to the Business Times, Rigo says, "We were just too far away on the overall strategy and vision going forward."

Munchery's spokesperson also have a statement saying,

Under his leadership and direction, we have elevated our menu offerings  most notably through the launch of our Ready-to-Cook line of meal kits  brought on new chef partners and laid the foundation for exciting projects, soon to be announced. La Boulangerie will continue as a key supplier of Muncherys breakfast and dessert options, with Pascal remaining an important business partner to the Munchery team.

Rigo was responsible for bringing on Charles Phan and his ready-to-cook offerings on the app, per Eater.

In the meantime, the obviously not-retiring-soon Rigo is now freed up to start some new business, or to keep opening more bakeries.

This news comes quickly on the heels of this week's end of the line for Spoonrocket  and we learn today via the Business Times that Spoonrocket has inked a deal to sell their food-delivery technology to Brazilian startup iFood.
Former Mayor Willie Brown once joked to a colleague, or so the New York Times writes, that the "e" in "email" stood for "evidence." Only, he probably wasn't joking.

Now, in the political town Brown helped fashion, current members of the San Francisco board of Supervisors and their aides  types who may or may not be hip to Snapchat, the self-deleting photo app  are reportedly flirting with a new way to maintain privacy and dodge public records laws: The popular self-deleting message app Telegram.

April Veneracion is a top aide to Supervisor Jane Kim and a Telegram user who tells the Information that she likes how her message self destructs. with Telergram, which also offers chat rooms that "[allow] us to be in touch with each other almost instantaneously. But does using the app violate public records legislation? Veneracion wasn't sure, but I should find out though! she wrote to the Information.

Unlike on competing services like WhatsApp and iMessage, Telegram has a "secret chat" mode in which both sender and recipient of texts can delete messages. Those messages, says Telegram, aren't even stored on the company's servers  making them unreadable even under the power of a court order.

Business Insider explains that California law says texts and email are to be a part of the public record if related to public business. They also, somewhat damningly, observe that Telegram was reportedly used by ISIS members until the company shut down those channels last year.

By the Examiner's count, five Supes  Malia Cohen, Aaron Peskin, Jane Kim, David Campos and John Avalos  were on the app, though at least one claims not to be using it. I expect all my communications are subject to sunshine laws, Avalos wrote to the paper (by text message). "My standard text is via my phone. I have Telegram but rarely use it."

As Board goody two-shoes Scott Wiener tells the paper, I dont want to comment on what other elected official are doing. I take my own sunshine obligations very seriously and try to be transparent with my calendar, with my emails. I think people have a right to know what I am doing."

The laws have to evolve, executive director of the SF Ethics Commission LeeAnn Pelham tells The Information. If folks are doing the publics business, that's something policies have to evolve over time to capture.

As interim policy director for the open government advocacy group the Sunlight Foundation added, Theres something new here with Telegram, he said. This has been talked about a lot as something we will be concerned about. It makes sense it starts in San Francisco.

Related: City Hall Gets Lazy With Board Of Supes Class Photo, Photoshops Peskin In
CHEROKEE, Iowa | Kenny Berns bowling career lasted just 20 years, but his accomplishments outnumber many bowlers who are in the sport twice as long.

Bern won Iowa state team titles in 1957, 1964 and 1967 and that was just the beginning of the success for a bowler who made his mark on the national scene. His bowling career came to an end in 1975, but he will enter the Iowa State Bowling Hall of Fame in Des Moines on March 19.

I never picked up a ball until I was 27, said Bern who lives in Cherokee, Iowa. They asked me to bowl in a mixed league and I figured it will kill off some winter months and it just took off from there.

The 88-year-old had 12 series of more than 650 in his first year bowling and was named the Cherokee Bowler of the Year one year later. His success outside the state started in 1958 when he captured the Aquantennial Classic in Minneapolis, but his quick rise was not an accident.

The guy practiced forever, hours a day when he was not working, said Steven Gonshorowski, a fellow bowler and friend of Bern. He was very meticulous and he would practice forever.

His biggest national accomplishments came in back-to-back years as he finished second in the Bowlers Journal in 1967, and followed that up by winning the prestigious tournament the next year with a record-setting 1,194 score in five games. He teamed with Cliff Konrad for a fourth-place finish in the same event that year.

He bowled in Cherokee, Storm Lake and drove back and forth to Sioux City twice a week through the years. He also won titles in Sacramento and Omaha but the results were not the driving force.

It was the competition, I loved the tournaments and back then every little bowling alley had a tournament, Bern said.

He bowled seven 300 games in his career with four of them sanctioned.

They were harder to come by in my day because of the way they dressed the lanes and the technology that they have today, Bern said.

Gonshorowski said the hall of fame honor is well deserved.

He was a force but it is difficult to get recognized on the west side of the state because there are just more bowlers on the east side, he said.

For Bern, the honor is one he appreciates deeply but is something he has earned with his impressive results.

I might have carried a bit of a chip on my shoulder, he said. I never claimed to be the worlds best bowler, but I was one of them.
SIOUX CITY | State Sen. Rick Bertrand of Sioux City is preparing to pull the trigger on a high-profile Republican primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Steve King.

Bertrand told the Journal he plans to file nomination papers at 8 a.m. Thursday to enter the GOP race for Iowa's 4th congressional district. Friday is the deadline for state and federal candidates in Iowa to have their names placed on the June 7 primary ballot.

Bertrand has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference Thursday in Sioux City, where he is expected to formally declare his political intentions. Later in the day, announcements are scheduled in Ames and Fort Dodge. The 4th District covers 39 counties in western and north central Iowa.

Three weeks ago, Bertrand first told the Journal he was "strongly, strongly" considering a run for the seat held by King, an outspoken and nationally known conservative.

In an exclusive interview Wednesday, Bertrand said he's spent the time since then getting a feel for how people would respond to his candidacy and by traveling extensively through the 4th District. During the trip, he said he personally obtained more than 3,000 signatures for the nomination petitions he will file with the Secretary of State's office in Des Moines.

The positive reviews he heard from voters convinced him to move forward with the campaign. Bertrand said the time is right because the district is poised to grow through initiatives such as the completion of a modernized, four-lane U.S. Highway 20 in 2018.

"If we are going to grow Iowa, it is going to come in the 4th District," said Bertrand, who argued district residents need a more effective congressman to push for changes required to maximize that growth.

Political observers have said it will be a tough battle for Bertrand to defeat King, especially with him entering the race less than three months before the June primary.

Bertrand said King, seven-term incumbent first elected in 2002, has become ineffective as he courts a national reputation and hasn't delivered for constituents in spite of lengthening tenure.

"I am not going in there to be a national figure. I am going to be likable and effective," said Bertrand, a two-term state senator and Sioux City businessman and developer.

Bertrand said King hasn't nabbed important committee posts of power to help Iowans improve their lives through economic growth. He contends King has been in office too long and "is polarizing."

"I like Steve but, you know what, it is time ... You become institutionalized after 14 years," Bertrand said.

Bertrand said he learned working in the split-controlled Iowa Legislature that some compromises must be made to help pass legislation to help the Sioux City area. He pointed with pride to voting in 2013 for the largest commercial property tax cut in Iowa history and in 2015 for a 10-cent increase in the state gas tax, which was used to expedite the Highway 20 widening in three Northwest Iowa counties.

Bertrand said he recognizes that gas tax increase vote is a concerning action among some Republicans. He said all his votes were designed to improve the area.

"It was not a fun vote, but (I'm) not afraid to vote (for) my district," he said.

Bertrand's Sioux City news conference Thursday is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. at Stoney Creek Inn, 300 Third St.

A third Republican had previously announced he would run for the 4th District seat, but Thursday morning Paul Lunde, an attorney from Ames, said he did not get the minimum 1,866 signatures to satisfy the state filing requirements.

The only Democrat to file for the 4th District seat is Kim Weaver of Sheldon, the O'Brien County Democratic Party chairwoman.
The Northeast Nebraska Ducks Unlimited Chapter will host its 29th annual banquet on March 31 at the El Ranchito Restaurant in South Sioux City.

Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m.

"Ducks Unlimited is the worlds largest wetlands, waterfowl, and wildlife conservation organization," said Area Chairman Matt Aitken. "Our organization has conserved over 13 million acres of wetlands and related waterfowl habitat since 1937. More than 60 percent of DUs revenues are generated by one million supporters and members through fund-raising events like the one scheduled here.

The event will feature the Great Gun Giveaway again this year, where the raffle winner chooses their gun from a list of 30 shotguns, rifles and handguns.

For ticket information, contact Aitken at (712) 259-9203.
There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to
Hazel Neave of Waldorf, Maryland passed away peacefully on Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Genesis Healthcare Center in Waldorf. She was 87 years old. Born on November 23, 1928 in Hughesville, MD she was the daughter of the late Mary I. H. Thornburg Neave and the late Richard Ernest Neave.



Being raised in Hughesville, Miss Neave graduated from Hughesville High School as well as the Westtown Friends (Quaker) School in Westtown, PA. She then attended Wilmington (Quaker) College and received her B.S. degree in Education. She later earned her Master's Degree in Education from Amherst College in Massachusetts.



Miss Neave worked as Extension Agent for the Maryland Extension Service in St. Mary's County. She served in the Peace Corps, traveling the world, and also worked for the University of the District of Columbia. She was an excellent seamstress who taught classes, and enjoyed making her own clothes. She also enjoyed photography, art, cooking and teaching her faith. Miss Neave was a long time and very active servant of the Baha'i Faith.



In addition to her parents, Miss Neave was preceded in death by her two sisters Evangeline Neave Corbitt and Mary Ann Neave. She is survived by her brothers Allen Jay Neave, Robert Ernest Neave and his wife Sandie; also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.



Service and interment will be private. No flowers, please! In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Hazel's name may be made to those who took wonderful care of her for two years: Genesis Healthcare, 4140 Old Washington Road, Waldorf, MD 20602.
GREENBELT, Md. (March 16, 2016)U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Damien Lanier Owens, age 33, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and for being a felon in possession of a gun.



The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement AdministrationWashington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge William P. McMullan of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ExplosivesBaltimore Field Division; Chief Henry P. Stawinski of the Prince George's County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans.



According to his plea agreement, on October 29, 2013, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence where Owens was staying with his girlfriend, Asia Renee Holland. A 9mm semiautomatic pistol was recovered from the bedroom where Owens and Holland were found. The firearm had been reported as stolen. Owens had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.



On November 4, 2014, deputies from the Calvert County Sheriff's Office Drug Enforcement Unit and Special Operations Team, and a DEA Task Force Officer executed search warrants for a vehicle registered to Owens' girlfriend, and for the body of Owens. The search warrants were executed while the vehicle was parked at a gas station in Dunkirk, Maryland, with Owens in the driver's seat and Holland in the passenger seat of the vehicle.



Law enforcement recovered from the car: a digital scale with suspected cocaine residue; .32 grams of crack cocaine; and an unlabeled pill bottle with four oxycodone pills, recovered from Holland's purse. A female deputy conducted a search of Holland after she became irate and screamed at and confronted law enforcement officers during the search of the vehicle. The deputy recovered two clear baggies containing a total of 31.05 grams of crack cocaine and 54.35 grams of powder cocaine from Holland's crotch area. Owens admitted that the drugs in the car and recovered from Holland were his.



Asia Renee Holland, age 24, also of Upper Marlboro, pleaded guilty to the drug charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2016.



United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the DEA, ATF, Prince George's County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department and Calvert County Sheriff's Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Kelly O'Connell Hayes, who prosecuted the case.
Thursday, 3/17

Theater

The amazing Slow Burn Theatre Company continues to bring some of Broadways biggest hits to the Broward Center with the Tony Award-winning best musical, Spring Awakening, through April 3. Based on a play by Frank Wedekind, the rock musical explores the angst of adolescence in late-19th century Germany through a powerful score from Duncan Sheik. Tickets are $25 at BrowardCenter.org.

Friday, 3/18

Concert

The Cleveland Orchestra concludes its tenth anniversary residency at Miamis Arsht Center with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet performing Liszts emotional Piano Concerto No. 2. The program also includes a world premiere to celebrate the collaboration with the Arsht Center by Dorman and Mahlers epic Symphony No. 1, Titan. Tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39 at ArshtCenter.org.

Saturday, 3/19

Concert

The Gay Mens Chorus of South Florida will premiere two works from a new opera, Not in My Town by Michael Ross, Friday, March 18 and tonight at 8 p.m. at the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale. Not in My Town is the story of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in 1998 for being gay. The concert, Love American Style also includes works by Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein and Barry Manilow. Tickets are available for $35 and $45 at GMCSF.org.

Sunday, 3/20

Concert

Looking for an offbeat evening? The Wellington International Ukelele Orchestra is coming to the Parker Playhouse, 707 NE 8th St. in Fort Lauderdale, and bringing plenty of four-string merriment, heavenly harmonies, outrageous costumes and spontaneous comic repartee with them. Hear the music of Justin Timberlake, Prince, The Beatles, Dolly Parton, Cyndi Lauper and more! Tickets at ParkerPlayhouse.com.

Monday, 3/21

Television

Hes back! Pee-wee Herman (aka Paul Reubens) is headed back to the television in Pee Wees Big Holiday, streaming live on Netflix beginning Friday, March 18. A fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee to take his first-ever vacation in this latest installment about the wacky man-child and his friends, Bella, Pterri and Jambi. Joe Manganiello and Tara Buck co-star. Find it at Netflix.com.

Tuesday, 3/22

Theater

Bullets Over Broadway, the hit stage adaptation of Woody Allens gangster film, comes to the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach through Sunday, March 27. A young playwright, in desperate need of financial backing for his next show, accepts an offer he cant refuse from a mobster looking to please his showgirl girlfriend. Youll love the dancing, colorful characters and jazzy 1920s score. Tickets at Kravis.org.
Mob wives star had a love affair with the LGBT community

No one had ever heard of Angela Raiola when she joined the cast of VH1's hit reality series "Mob Wives" in January 2012. An admitted fan of Botox and plastic surgery, the 50ish woman had had numerous face-lifts and breast augmentations.

She dressed like a sex pot and cussed like a sailor  the lifelong smoker had a voice so deep and gravelly that it startled people. As Big Ang she quickly became the breakout star of "Mob Wives"  audiences fell in love with her lovable, larger than life personality.

When Raiola died of cancer at age 55 on February 18, she was remembered as a kind soul, not only by her "Mob Wives" co-stars but by her neighbors in suburban Staten Island, New York.

Ang, they said, was always available to lend an ear and to offer a kind word. Her parties at "The Drunken Monkey," the Staten Island bar she owned for a number of years, had become legendary.

Among many other things, Big Ang was a self-admitted "fag hag." "I love 'dem' queens and 'dey' love me," she told me during a 2013 interview. "We both have a thing for clothes and shoes. Where can you have more fun than with the gays?"

Staten Island has long been New York City's most conservative borough  LGBT people have never felt welcomed there. But that didn't stop Ang from launching a weekly gay night at "The Drunken Monkey." She said there were never any problems with the surrounding neighborhood.

"We get a lot of gay people," she told me. "Everybody loves me."

Ang was also a supporter of marriage equality. "Have your wedding party at my bar!" she offered. According to Towleroad, Ang even helped a gay fan propose to his boyfriend.

As her popularity soared, Ang got her own spin-off series. In episode nine of "Big Ang," she parties hard with a group of gay men at the New York City Pride Parade. She became a talk show favorite, launched her own brand of Big Ang Wines and appeared in the movie Scary Movie 5. The more exposure she got, the more audiences wanted.

"I'm going to take this as far as I can," she told me in 2013.

But it wasn't meant to be. Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, Ang underwent surgery and appeared to have beaten it. Later in the year her cancer returned. It had spread to her brain and lungs and had reached stage 4. Ang bravely soldiered on, allowing the "Mob Wives" cameras to document her battle during the series' sixth season. Those episodes are currently airing.

A few weeks before she died, Ang gave her final interview on "The Dr. Oz Show." She already knew that the battle was lost. "I try to stay positive," she told Dr. Oz. She expressed concern for her children and grandchildren, saying that they needed her as she wiped away her tears.

Big Ang was a star who shone very brightly albeit briefly. We'd never seen anyone quite like her before. Its highly unlikely that someone like Ang will come along again. Rest in peace.
Spartacus International Gay Guide a valuable resource

In 1999 the Guide - the late, great magazine of gay male travel, politics and sex - called gay men the free radicals of social life and the worlds most active tourists (sex and otherwise). Even today, when ISIS threatens one hemisphere and the Zika virus threatens the other, gay men continue to travel the globe in search of sex, love and adventure.

For many gay travelers, the Spartacus International Gay Guide is the essential tool. Founded in 1970 by John D. Stamford, the Spartacus Guide is currently published in Berlin by Bruno Gmunder Verlag. Published in book form or as an app, it provides gay travelers with the legal and social status of homosexuality and homosexual people in most of the worlds nations as well as a list of gay bars, hotels, saunas, restaurants, shops, beaches and cruisy areas within each particular country.

Since 2013 the editorial staff of the Spartacus International Gay Guide has compiled the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, which lists the most and least homo-friendliest countries worldwide. The 2016 Index, just released, gives us the legal situation of gays and lesbians in more than 190 countries.

It was compiled by the Spartacus editorial team in regular contact with the German Foreign Office, the foreign embassies in Germany as well as LGBT activists from around the world. Countries are ranked according to 14 categories, including anti-discrimination legislation, marriage or civil partnership, adoptions allowed, LGBT-marketing, equal age of consent, religious influence, HIV travel restrictions, anti-gay laws, sodomy laws, Pride events banned, hostile locals, prosecutions, murders and death sentences.

Not surprisingly, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Canada are the top three countries on the Travel Index. Equally unsurprisingly, Somalia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates are on the bottom of the list (nos. 194-92). For the record, USA is no. 46 in the Index, below Nepal but above Colombia. (The Index can be found at SpartacusWorld.com/GayTravelIndex.pdf).

In the press release Bruno Gmunder mailed to announce the publication of the 2016 Gay Travel Index, several recent developments are detailed. The recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage is mentioned, as well as the fact that the narrow majority decision of the judges is controversial and is also a subject of dispute in the current presidential election campaign with the Republican candidates.

The Maldives, though a fantastic holiday destination, is rated no. 171 by the Index, and with good reason: Here the Sharia law applies and theoretically gay men can be sentenced to death. The Maldives repeatedly presented active opposition, as one of the few countries, to public UN decisions on the recognition of LGBT rights.

Ironically, Germany, where Spartacus is published, falls back in the ranking to no. 17, though still higher than most nations (including the U.S.). The great political debate on the introduction of marriage between homosexuals in Germany  ultimately led to no political progress. German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains firmly against the expansion of LGBT rights.  It is very possible that other countries such as Switzerland or Portugal (nos. 25 and 19, respectively) pass Germany in the Index ranking. On the other hand, Nepal went up 50 positions (to no. 44), Puerto Rico 41 positions (to no. 39) and Mozambique 37 positions (to no. 41).

The Spartacus Gay Travel Index includes a separate listing for all 50 American states, ranging from California at no. 1 to Mississippi at no. 50 (again, there are no surprises here). Florida, a popular LGBT destination in spite of itself, is no. 21 on this list, thanks in part to the repeal of this states antigay adoption ban. Like the worldwide Index, the U.S. state ratings are likely to change depending on political or legal circumstances. The current wave of religious freedom and transgender bathroom bills in the various state legislatures are certain to affect their states standing in next years Index.

For almost half a century, the Spartacus International Gay Guide has served as the Bible of gay travel and tourism. The Spartacus Gay Travel Index is another valuable resource for the LGBT communities around the world and an important tool in our ongoing fight for rights and equality.
SFGN Endorses Hillary Clinton For President

Toni Armstrong Jr. Thank you for taking a definitive stand. This is a polarizing election cycle and we all may as well state clearly what we really think. In the end, I will "vote blue, no matter who."

Scott Fitzwater Just more evidence as to why I don't read this rag. Your reasoning is based loosely on her gender and the candidates in the Republican Party? You speak of her experience yet you say nothing of the experience of the other Democratic candidate as if he doesn't even exist. How about getting past the primaries first.

Robert Youngquist Is Hillary qualified to be the next President? Yes. Does she have the experience? Yes. Will she make a good a President? Only time will tell. Will I vote for her in the primary? NO. Why not? I have TRUST ISSUES with her. If she becomes the Democratic nominee? Hmmm. Well I'll take an antacid and vote for her because on her worst day she'd be better than a Repukelican on his best day. However, my gut feeling tells me Bernie will be the nominee and I'm going to FEEL THE BERN all the way to November!

Readers Respond To Joe Pallant's Tri-Rail Pitch

Gene Mahoney Two of the author's three bases for supporting his argument are falsehoods. "Transit has the potential to revitalize a downtown area." This refers to urban downtowns of which Wilton Manors cannot be considered one. "Open up the suburbs to new people." Wilton Manors does not have any suburbs; in fact it is surrounded by a city. That being said, the argument made by the author fails.

John Gianni Caminiti So far I have not seen anything to entice me to support it. It does not seem to stop anywhere desirable. If you take the train to Miami, how do you get to the beach or to town? There is no station nearby.

Jeffrey Berger Sadly no one would ever think about a moratorium on growth.

Caitlyn Jenner Says Hillary Clinton Only Cares About Herself

Vanessa Holcomb Thomas How can she not see the irony in that statement. I'm done with her and her show.

Jerry Foster This is all a publicity stunt for Bruce to get more money for his self. So, let's be clear, he is doing all of this for himself, not you or I. He is an embarrassment to the Transgender community and America. Ignore him at it will go away. Being Transgender is much much more than private parts. It has a lot to do with what goes on in the mind and spirit of the person going through the transition. As you can see, an empty transitioned shell is useless to the cause!

Karen Severson Yeh ironic how lgbt people would vote for the party who wants to take away their rights and put us back in closet.
Rainbow flags over the entrances to car dealerships, pawn shops or barbershops in Fort Lauderdale do not guarantee anything, but when a gay-attractive product like the residential developments of fourth generation builder Bradley Deckelbaum are considered, the strategy (or lack of one) is worth an interview. Riva, his new luxury condominium project, is very attractive to the gay buyer, but the man behind it is straight. How has he managed to reach the Fort Lauderdale gay luxury housing market with Riva and with earlier projects like La Rive?

Fort Lauderdale resident Bradley Deckelbaum and real estate agent Kenneth Averett-Clark cannot clearly explain what they do to reach the gay buyer, but they do it very well and with repeated success. Deckelbaums 15-floor riverfront project Riva, under construction on Federal Highway just north of Sunrise Boulevard, is almost 70 percent sold.

Rivas location is of interest. It is not really part of the Coral Ridge or Lake Ridge or Sunrise/Intracoastal neighborhoods. Its neighbor to the south is East Point Towers where a large percentage of the residents are gay. At least two other nearby residential developments in the works might necessitate the coinage of a new gayborhood called Galleria, perhaps. (You heard it here first.)

Deckelbaum describes Riva as a place designed for real Florida living with its 100 units stretching to swallow all the natural light and fresh air a buyer could desire in south Florida. The expansive terraces feature summer kitchens with river, ocean or city views. The eight penthouse residences emphasize the oasis quality of Riva, says Averett-Clark who is showing them to buyers who want to enjoy seclusion and privacy without having to retreat into cramped darkness.

When asked to describe the Riva buyer, Deckelbaum said, We build for the fulltime to nearly fulltime resident. When New York was our primary demographic coming into town and looking for second homes, I used to say that we build for the kind of people with a home in the Hamptons rather than those who just come down to Fort Lauderdale for Christmas.

With Riva, we figured there would be two or three segments stampeding for this kind of product, and we were right. In addition to the gay buyer, there are the younger empty-nesters of Broward County, and also couples from nearby Weston and from within Fort Lauderdale. These buyers already know the city, now they want the right home here. Maybe their kids are grown and they are looking to move back into the city. Maybe they are thinking ahead to the day when their kids will soon be out of the nest. Our buyers are not too concerned about school systems.

Deckelbaum says Riva is attractive to non-euphemistic DINKs [double-income-no-kids] meaning that DINK is not just a polite way to say gay. Professional couples of all types are buying into Riva.

Deckelbaum notes that the demand for new construction in Fort Lauderdale exceeds the stock available, and he plans to develop other residential projects. When asked if he is responsible for the signature look of his projects  sleek and modernist, with soaring clear or tinted glass and white finishes  he admits that choosing the look of his projects is not his doing, and that if his projects seem to breathe elegant minimalism that is attractive to gay buyers, his savvy team deserves the credit.

A good portion of their customer base is gay, but Deckelbaum and Averett-Clark who have worked together for many years first in New York and now in Fort Lauderdale are extremely post-modern in their thinking about gay real estate development to the point that they were not even sure which of their co-workers, team or staff might be gay.

For these two men, gay is a non-issue. The straight Deckelbaum shrugs when asked if he has acquired some kind of gay sensibility that informs a luxury condo development like Riva or La Rive, but Averett-Clark, who works with his husband Jack Clark of Balistreri Real Estate, easily recites a long list of discriminating gay clients who have purchased what Deckelbaum has built over the years. He too shrugs at the notion that Deckelbaum has some special insight into residential development for the gay market, saying, Bradley builds sexy. Its really that simple.

Check out riva-condo.com
R136 STSCI

Astronomers using the unique ultraviolet capabilities of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have identified nine monster stars with masses over 100 times the mass of the Sun in the star cluster R136.

This makes it the largest sample of very massive stars identified to date. The results, which will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, raise many new questions about the formation of massive stars.

An international team of scientists using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has combined images taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 with the unprecedented ultraviolet spatial resolution of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph to successfully dissect the young star cluster R136 in the ultraviolet for the first time [1].

R136 is only a few light-years across and is located in the Tarantula Nebula within the Large Magellanic Cloud , about 170,000 light-years away. The young cluster hosts many extremely massive, hot and luminous stars whose energy is mostly radiated in the ultraviolet [2]. This is why the scientists probed the ultraviolet emission of the cluster.

As well as finding dozens of stars exceeding 50 solar masses, this new study was able to reveal a total number of nine very massive stars in the cluster, all more than 100 times more massive as the Sun. However, the current record holder R136a1 does keep its place as the most massive star known in the universe, at over 250 solar masses. The detected stars are not only extremely massive, but also extremely bright. Together these nine stars outshine the Sun by a factor of 30 million.

The scientists were also able to investigate outflows from these behemoths, which are most readily studied in the ultraviolet. They eject up to an Earth mass of material per month at a speed approaching one percent of the speed of light, resulting in extreme weight loss throughout their brief lives.

The ability to distinguish ultraviolet light from such an exceptionally crowded region into its component parts, resolving the signatures of individual stars, was only made possible with the instruments aboard Hubble, explains Paul Crowther from the University of Sheffield, UK, and lead author of the study. Together with my colleagues, I would like to acknowledge the invaluable work done by astronauts during Hubbles last servicing mission: they restored STIS and put their own lives at risk for the sake of future science! [3]

In 2010 Crowther and his collaborators showed the existence of four stars within R136, each with over 150 times the mass of the Sun. At that time the extreme properties of these stars came as a surprise as they exceeded the upper-mass limit for stars that was generally accepted at that time. Now, this new census has shown that there are five more stars with more than 100 solar masses in R136. The results gathered from R136 and from other clusters also raise many new questions about the formation of massive stars as the origin of these behemoths remains unclear [4].

Saida Caballero-Nieves, a co-author of the study, explains: There have been suggestions that these monsters result from the merger of less extreme stars in close binary systems. From what we know about the frequency of massive mergers, this scenario cant account for all the really massive stars that we see in R136, so it would appear that such stars can originate from the star formation process.

In order to find answers about the origin of these stars the team will continue to analyze the gathered datasets. An analysis of new optical STIS observations will also allow them to search for close binary systems in R136, which could produce massive black hole binaries which would ultimately merge, producing gravitational waves.

Once again, our work demonstrates that, despite being in orbit for over 25 years, there are some areas of science for which Hubble is still uniquely capable, concludes Crowther.

Larger image

Notes

1] R136 was originally listed in a catalogue of the brightest stars in the Magellanic Clouds compiled at the Radcliffe Observatory in South Africa. It was separated into three components a, b, c at the European Southern Observatory (http://www.eso.org), with R136a subsequently resolved into a group of eight stars (a1-a8) at ESO, and confirmed as a dense star cluster with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope after the first servicing mission in 1993.

[2] Very massive stars are exclusive to the youngest star clusters because their lifetimes are only 2-3 million years. Only a handful of such stars are known in the entire Milky Way galaxy.

[3] STISs capabilities were restored in 2009 by astronauts who successfully completed Serving Mission 4 , one of the Hubbles most challenging and intense servicing missions, involving five spacewalks.

[4] The ultraviolet signatures of even more very massive stars have also been revealed in other clusters  examples include star clusters in the dwarf galaxies NGC 3125 and NGC 5253. However, these clusters are too distant for individual stars to be distinguished even with Hubble.

Reference: The R136 Star Cluster Dissected with Hubble Space Telescope/STIS. I. Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Census and the Origin of He II 1640 in Young Star Clusters, 2016 May 1, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society [http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/458/1/624, preprint (PDF): http://www.spacetelescope.org/static/archives/releases/science_papers/heic1605a.pdf].

The international team of astronomers in this study consists of Paul A. Crowther (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK), S. M. Caballero-Nieves(Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK), K. A. Bostroem (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA; Department of Physics, University of California, Davis CA, USA), J. Maz Apellniz (Centro de Astrobiologa, CSIC/INTA, Madrid, Spain), F. R. N. Schneider (Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Argelanger-Institut fur Astronomie der Universitt Bonn, Bonn, Germany), N. R. Walborn(Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA), C. R. Angus (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK), I. Brott (Institute for Astrophysics, Vienna, Austria), A. Bonanos (Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Greece), A. de Koter (Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Institute of Astronomy, Leuven, Belgium), S.E. de Mink (Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands), C. J. Evans (UK Astronomy Technology Center, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK), G. Grfener (Armagh Observatory, Armagh, UK), A. Herrero (Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Departamento de Astrofsica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain), I. D. Howarth (Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London, UK), N. Langer (Argelanger-Institut fur Astronomie der Universitt Bonn, Bonn, Germany), D. J. Lennon (European Space Astronomy Center, ESA, Villanueva de la Caada, Madrid, Spain), J. Puls (Universitts-Sternwarte, Munchen, Germany), H. Sana (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA; Institute of Astronomy, Leuven, Belgium), J. S. Vink (Armagh Observatory, Armagh, UK).
Ceres ESO

Ceres is the largest body in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and the only such object classed as a dwarf planet.

The spacecraft has been in orbit around Ceres for more than a year and has mapped its surface in great detail. One of the biggest surprises has been the discovery of very bright spots, which reflect far more light than their much darker surroundings [1]. The most prominent of these spots lie inside the crater Occator and suggest that Ceres may be a much more active world than most of its asteroid neighbours.

New and very precise observations using the HARPS spectrograph at the ESO 3.6-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile, have now not only detected the motion of the spots due to the rotation of Ceres about its axis, but also found unexpected additional variations suggesting that the material of the spots is volatile and evaporates in sunlight.

The lead author of the new study, Paolo Molaro, at the INAF-Trieste Astronomical Observatory , takes up the story: As soon as the Dawn spacecraft revealed the mysterious bright spots on the surface of Ceres, I immediately thought of the possible measurable effects from Earth. As Ceres rotates the spots approach the Earth and then recede again, which affects the spectrum of the reflected sunlight arriving at Earth.

Ceres spins every nine hours and calculations showed that the velocities of the spots towards and away from the Earth due to this rotation would be very small, of order 20 kilometres per hour. But this motion is big enough to be measurable via the Doppler effect with high-precision instruments such as HARPS.

The team observed Ceres with HARPS for a little over two nights in July and August 2015. The result was a surprise, adds Antonino Lanza, at the INAF-Catania Astrophysical Observatory and co-author of the study. We did find the expected changes to the spectrum from the rotation of Ceres, but with considerable other variations from night to night.

The team concluded that the observed changes could be due to the presence of volatile substances that evaporate under the action of solar radiation [2]. When the spots inside the Occator crater are on the side illuminated by the Sun they form plumes that reflect sunlight very effectively. These plumes then evaporate quickly, lose reflectivity and produce the observed changes. This effect, however, changes from night to night, giving rise to additional random patterns, on both short and longer timescales.

If this interpretation is confirmed Ceres would seem to be very different from Vesta and the other main belt asteroids. Despite being relatively isolated, it seems to be internally active [3]. Ceres is known to be rich in water, but it is unclear whether this is related to the bright spots. The energy source that drives this continual leakage of material from the surface is also unknown.

Dawn is continuing to study Ceres and the behaviour of its mysterious spots. Observations from the ground with HARPS and other facilities will be able to continue even after the end of the space mission.

Notes

[1] Bright spots were also seen, with much less clarity, in earlier images of Ceres from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope taken in 2003 and 2004.

[2] It has been suggested that the highly reflective material in the spots on Ceres might be freshly exposed water ice or hydrated magnesium sulphates.

[3] Many of the most internally active bodies in the Solar System, such as the large satellites of Jupiter and Saturn, are subjected to strong tidal effects due to their proximity to the massive planets.

More information

This research was presented in a paper entitled Daily variability of Ceres Albedo detected by means of radial velocities changes of the reflected sunlight, by P. Molaro et al., which appeared in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The team is composed of P. Molaro (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Trieste, Italy), A. F. Lanza (INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania, Catania, Italy), L. Monaco (Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile), F. Tosi (INAF-IAPS Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Rome, Italy), G. Lo Curto (ESO, Garching, Germany), M. Fulle (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Trieste, Italy) and L. Pasquini (ESO, Garching, Germany).

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the worlds most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the worlds most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the worlds largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become the worlds biggest eye on the sky.

Links

Research paper  http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1609/eso1609a.pdf
Expedition 47 NASA astronaut Jeff Williams looks at a Russian space suit during a visit to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) museum, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Star City, Russia. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingall. NASA

Much of the research taking place onboard the International Space Station helps doctors improve health for citizens on Earth and astronauts living in space. Other station experiments help engineers design smarter materials and better technologies to advance business and space industries.

At the beginning of the day, British astronaut Tim Peake joined Commander Tim Kopra for blood pressure checks. The duo also checked the fluid pressure in each others eyes using a tonometer with support from doctors on the ground. The medical checks are part of the ongoing Ocular Health study that seeks to understand vision problems some astronauts have reported after their long-term missions.

Kopra then started researching liquid crystals and their potential for better display screens on spacecraft systems. Afterward, he collected and stored samples for a study that explores how microbes influence the human immune system in space.

Peake spent the rest of the afternoon inspecting the COLBERT treadmill located in the Tranquility module. Veteran cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko studied radiation exposure before cleaning fans and air ducts inside a pair of Russian modules.

On-Orbit Status Report

Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS) Gylcerol/Water Fill: Kopra completed a science run of the OASIS Gylcerol/Water Fill activity by filling the Inkjet droplet device with glycerol/water for the final experiment protocol on each sample container and will exchange the hard drive for continued operations. OASIS studies the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity, including their overall motion and the merging of crystal layers known as smectic islands. Liquid crystals are used for display screens in televisions and clocks, and they also occur in soaps and in cell membranes. The experiment allows detailed studies of the behavior of these structures, and how microgravity affects their unique ability to act like both a liquid and a solid crystal.

Ocular Health: Kopra and Peake installed batteries in the Cardiolab (CDL) Holter Arterial BP Unit, powered on the unit, cleared the memory, donned the BP Cuff, and each performed a BP measurement prior to stowing the hardware. The results are recorded in the Vital Signs Data Collection Tool form. With observation from the ground support personnel, Kopra and Peake will practice using the Tonometer on an eye simulator and then conduct a Tonometry Exam with the Medical Ground Support team.

Microbiome: Kopra completed a questionnaire, set up body sampling collection equipment and performed body sample collections. He then placed the samples in cold stowage. Microbiome investigates the impact of space travel on both the human immune system and an individuals Microbiome (the collection of microbes that live in and on the human body at any given time).

Hatch Seal Inspection: Kopra completed the first of two sessions of this scheduled maintenance to clean the USOS hatch seals in Node 2, Node 3, PMM, COL and JEM. He also inspected the sealing surface and hatch handle mechanism for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) or damage. The second hatch seal inspection session is planned for Thursday.

Treadmill 2 (T2) 6-Month Maintenance: Peake partially completed this 6-month inspection of T2. He inspected tread belt slats, cleaned closeout panels, lateral belt and drive shaft teeth and vacuumed inside T2 rack space and filter screen. He also replaced the eye bolts that attach bungees to the rack. Peake was scheduled to complete axle greasing, however, he was unable to locate sufficient grease so the task will be scheduled for a later date.

Cygnus Cargo Operations: Peake relocated cargo from the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (JLP) Bay 2 to the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JEM) and Columbus (COL) in preparation for OA-6 arrival scheduled for March 26.

Robotics Operations: Robotics ground controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the Offset Grapple start position in preparation for tomorrows planned OA-6 Robotics Onboard Trainer (RoBOT) training session. They are currently performing checkout maneuvers of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Shoulder Yaw Joint. This troubleshooting is intended to further isolate the cause of an anomaly that prevented the shoulder yaw joint from starting up during RRM operations in October 2015. SPDM Arm 2 is functional with some constraints.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Hematocrit Test / ?? Book 2 r/g 1647

HRF  Sample Insertion into MELFI

BIOME  Sample Collection

Hematocrit Test r/g 1647

Hematocrit Hardware Stowage

HRF  Sample Insertion into MELFI

??? Laptops Antivirus Scan Check and Status Report / r/g 8247

On MCC Go Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Eye Examination

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Vision Questionnaire

JEM  Relocating Cargo in Preparation for Cygnus arrival

MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter gathering and measurements.r/g 1662

Ocular Health (OH)  Blood Pressure Operations

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Tonometry Test Setup

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Eye Examination

Ocular Health (OH) Blood Pressure Operations

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Vision Questionnaire

Health Maintenance System (HMS): Tonometry Test  assistance

Health Maintenance System (HMS): Tonometry Test  Subject

Ocular Health Experiment  Tonometry Test  Crew Medical Officer (CMO)

Ocular Health Experiment  Tonometry Ops  Test Subject

Laptop FS1 S/W Upgrade r/g 1665

BIOME  Sample Collection

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Tonometry Hardware Stowage

HRF  Sample Insertion into MELFI

BIOME  Equipment Stowage

Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS)  Sample Container Exchange and Glycerol/Water Fill

Crew Prep for PAO

PAO Hardware Setup

PAO Event

T2 Semi-Annual Maintenance [Partially completed]

Vacuum Cleaning of ??1 and ??2 air ducts in DC1

BIOME  Equipment Stowage

Hatch Seal Inspection

?3 Fan Screen Cleaning in DC1 / Thermal Mode Control System

Cleaning ??1, ??2 dust filters and ?1, B2 Fan Grilles in MRM2

On MCC Go ISS ?2 Repress from Progress 429 (Aft) ???? Section 2 (start)

??? Maintenance

?2  Unmanned activities

On MCC Go ISS ?2 Repress from Progress 429 (?ft) ???? Section 2 (terminate)

IMS Delta File Prep

Completed Task List Items

None

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

MSS Powerup

SPDM Arm 2 shoulder yaw test [In work]

MSS Powerdown

Nominal ground commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 03/16: Ocular Health, Fundoscope, OBT Cygnus RoBOT #1

Thursday, 03/17: Ocular Health, Hatch seal inspection, T2 6-month maintenance

Friday, 03/18: 46S launch (crew sleep shift)

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  Off

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  Off

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Override

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 Full Up
NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 March 2016. NASA

A pair of spaceships is getting ready for launch to the International Space Station in less than a week. A Soyuz rocket will launch three new Expedition 47 crew members Friday evening from Kazakhstan. A few days later Orbital ATK will launch its Cygnus cargo ship from Florida and deliver new science, spacewalk gear and crew supplies to the station crew.

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin are counting down to their launch Friday at 5:26 p.m. EDT/9:26 p.m. UTC. They will arrive at their new home in space less than six hours later when they dock their Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft to the Poisk mini-research module. Watch the launch and docking activities live on NASA Television.

Orbital ATK is preparing to launch its Cygnus space freighter Tuesday at 11 p.m. EDT/Wednesday 3 a.m. UTC for a four-day trip to replenish the Expedition 47 crew. Cygnus will launch atop a United Launch Alliance rocket from Kennedy Space Center on its sixth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The Cygnus launch and rendezvous will be covered live on NASA TV.

Back in space aboard the orbital laboratory, astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake participated in more eye checks for the Ocular Health study. The duo is also exploring how living in space affects the side effects and the dosage of medication on the human body. Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko explored stresses on the stations structure and researched how international crews and mission controllers inter-relate during missions.

On-Orbit Status Report

Ocular Health (OH), Fundoscope: Kopra and Peake continued with OH and Fundoscope operations which are ongoing this week.

Dose Tracker: Kopra and Peake completed entries for medication tracking early this morning. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data is expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.

OA-6 Preparations: Kopra and Peake completed another session of Robotics On-Board Trainer (RoBOT) On-Board Training (OBT) in preparation for OA-6 arrival. The procedure included a 30 meter approach, two Capture Point hold runs and 2 meter runs. Following RoBOT training Peake utilized the Auto Run Tool to continue practicing 2 meter and 30 meter approach runs. Also in preparation for OA-6, the crew unlatched the Node 1 Nadir hatch.

Air Quality Monitor (AQM) Sieve Cartridge Troubleshooting: On February 3, during activation and checkout of AQM #1005 the crew received a Not Ready status. It was suspected that the issue is with a sieve cartridge. Kopra removed the old cartridges from AQM #1005 and replaced it with new ones to confirm whether the issue was due to a bad cartridge or the unit itself. Initial results of ground commanding indicate that the cause was a bad cartridge and is now resolved.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: On October 8, 2015, during Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) operations, invalid joint position and Resolver-to-Digital (RDC) Built-In-Test (BIT) errors were seen. Last evening, Robotics Ground Controllers performed Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Arm2 Shoulder Yaw (SY) joint characterization. The characterization was completed with no test failures and no recurrence of the anomaly. Data collected will be analyzed to help characterize the original anomaly.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

OCT Hardware Setup

SEISMOPROGNOZ. Data export from ???? Payload Server to RSS1 (start) r/g 1677

DOSETRK  Questionnaire Completion

RS1 Laptop Displays Update Check r/g 1671

WRS Water Sample Analysis

DOSETRK  Questionnaire Completion

Health Management System (HMS)  OCT  Subject

PAO hardware setup

Health Management System (HMS)  OCT  Operator

Voice check in S/G1 from Baikonur

Crew Prep for PAO / r/g 1676

TV PAO with the Participants of Pan-Russian Schoolchildren Conference Step into the Future, Cosmonautics r/g 1676

Health Management System (HMS)  OCT  Operator

Health Management System (HMS)  OCT  Subject

Water Transfer to EDV from Progress 431 (DC1) H2O Tank 2 using compressor and H2O Tank Bladder Compression / r/g 1675

OCT Hardware Stowage

OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring / r/g 1588

TOCA Data Recording

Unlatching N1 Nadir Hatch Hardstops

On MCC Go Filling up Progress 429 (Aft) ???? Section 2 with N2

IMS Tagup (S-band)

Onboard Training (OBT)  Dragon Rendezvous and Berthing Procedures Review

??? Maintenance

SEISMOPROGNOZ. Data export from ???? Payload Server to RSS1 (end) r/g 1677

Environmental Health System (EHS)  AQM Checkout

Onboard Training (OBT)  Dragon Rendezvous and Berthing Procedures Review

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Fundoscope Setup

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Fundoscope Prep

On MCC GO Closeout Ops after H2O Tank 2 Bladder Compression in Progress 431 (DC1) Rodnik system

IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop / r/g 1589

Fundoscope  Eye Exam

Fundoscope  Eye Exam CMO

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Fundoscope Prep

INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 1663

Fundoscope  Eye Exam CMO

Fundoscope  Eye Exam

URISYS Hardware Setup r/g 1673

Health Maintenance System (HMS)  Fundoscope Teardown and Stowage

Completed Task List Items

None

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

OH support

Cygnus RoBOT OBT support

Nominal ground commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Thursday, 03/17: Ocular Health, METERON, Cygnus RoBOT OBT

Friday, 03/18: 46S launch/dock (crew sleep shift), docking prep/arrival tasks

Saturday, 03/19: Crew sleep day following 46S docking

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  Off

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Override

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Full Up
Ministry boasts of increased transparency as NGOS cite flaws.

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THE ELECTRONIC marketplace seems one of the biggest achievements of the Interior Ministrys push to fight corruption. During the first year of its operation, the system helped save 54 million on sub-limit orders, the ministry claims. Though experts praise the system, they say it is not as ideal as the ministry describes.

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It is certainly one of the biggest anti-corruption measures in past years, Interior Minister Robert Kalinak told the press in early March when presenting the results of the first year of the e-marketplace operation.

The system was designed for offices, municipalities and state firms to purchase common goods and services, with the commercial operation starting in the beginning of 2015. The price range of sales is between 1,000 and 134,000 for state, though the others have a higher cap at 207,000. In the case of construction projects, like changing windows or installing floors, prices are capped at 5.2 million.

Among the biggest benefits of the system is improved transparency, anonymity, the clear use of public sources, and also reduced time necessary for making a purchase, according to Kalinak.

Though Gabriel Sipos, head of the ethics watchdog Transparency International Slovensko (TIS), praises the impact of e-marketplace on sub-limit orders, he stresses it is only a minor success compared to the total number of public competitions.

Only 5 percent of the total volume of the competitions last year was done via e-marketplace, Sipos told The Slovak Spectator. If we want to improve the quality of state orders, we have to focus on big trades, like public-private partnership projects, highways or the IT sector, and not rely only on the e-marketplace which is only a supplementary form.

Peter Kunder of the ethics watchdog Fair-Play Alliance (AFP) says that though the e-marketplace resulted in savings and easier purchases, but it is necessary to realise that the introduction of the system and its operation is not for free.

Moreover, the methodology of calculating the savings is detached from reality, Kunder told The Slovak Spectator.

To illustrate the problem, Kunder picked an example of buying a paper for the office for which you allocate 1,000. Paper in the shop costs 900, but a company buys it for 880 via e-marketplace. The ministry claims that the company saved 120, but Kunder notes it is only 20.

Read also:

Read also: E-marketplace has saved 54 million Read more

More municipalities should join

The e-marketplace system is used to make 110 purchases per day on average, while the ministry once recorded 318 purchases made during a single day, according to Kalinak.

Meanwhile, the average number of procurers taking part competitions is increasing. Since the beginning of 2016, each auction was attended by 5.13 procurers on average. An average duration of one public competition is five days, which is flexible for the needs of public procurers, Kalinak said.

A total of 32,385 purchases were made via the e-marketplace in 2015, on goods totalling more than 270 million. The most traded goods were office supplies, meal vouchers, cleaning gear, and construction or medical materials. More than 12,000 suppliers and 6,600 procurers have already registered with the system.

Though the Interior Ministry praises the increasing number of procurers, Sipos assumes that the e-marketplace would post even better results if there were more of them.

Up to three-quarters of municipalities have not even used it, though they make the most purchases of this type, he added.

Fighting dodgers

The Interior Ministry data also suggest that 99 percent of users are satisfied with the system, while 96 percent are satisfied with the contracts. Moreover, the system enables the procurers to rank the suppliers attending electronic auctions. If they receive three negative references from three procurers, they appear on a blacklist. Though they are not immediately excluded from auctions, the procurers can say that they do not want to sign an agreement with them and can announce a new competition, explained Tatiana Behrova, advisor to the Interior Ministry for public procurement.

Paradoxically, this filter was welcomed by suppliers, who were disgusted from dishonest speculators, rather than procurers, she told The Slovak Spectator.

The ministry does not publish the lowest actual bid in the auction. The bidders can only see the latest submitted bid and their placement compared with other bidders, Behrova added.

Kunder, however, says that it is very hard to sanction unfair trades. Moreover, the whole system is based on the conditions which can be changed at anytime by the Interior Ministry, and it is difficult to carry out public control.

Also the supervision of trade by state seems to be non-functioning as there were trades which should not have appeared on the e-marketplace, Kunder added.

Moreover, Slovakia still misses a dynamic purchasing system which would curb the space for cartel agreements between bidders, Kunder said.

Challenges for above-limit orders

The Interior Ministry has meanwhile launched an e-marketplace also for above-limit orders, with the plan to curb the space for corruption in these types of competitions. The system is more complicated than the one for sub-limit orders as it needs to reflect European directives.

One of the differences is that the system cannot be anonymous as the information about the order has to be published in a European bulletin. It is also necessary to enable review engagements or multilateral communication between procurers and suppliers, Behrova explained.

Since the system is so complicated, it is not possible to merely increase the cap on the limits at the existing e-marketplace, according to Kunder.

Adding new functionalities to the current system would be so extensive that it would mean building a completely new system, he said.

Sipos adds that it is necessary to realise that it will not be possible to procure all above-limit orders via e-marketplace. This concerns only common goods and services, like electricity or office supplies. The more expensive orders should be procured via ordinary systems, he added.
LAST year, Bratislava Slovensky plynarensky priemysel (SPP) gas utility paid the highest amount of tax, amounting to almost to 194 million.

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It was followed by the Eustream company, which paid the state more than 112 million, the latest chart Top 10 of the indexpodnikatela.sk website suggests, processing the financial data from back in 2014. Kia Motors Slovakia placed third, with taxes of more than 80 million.

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The Top 10 chart also consists of companies like, for example, Slovenske Elektrarne, Volkswagen Slovakia, Orange Slovensko and Slovenska Sporitelna.

The biggest profit before taxation, amounting to almost 483 million, had Slovensky plynarensky priemysel, Branislav Vaculciak of the website added, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The second biggest profit was marked by Eustream, the Slovak operator of gas transport network, with a profit of almost 447 million; and the last of the first three places goes to Kia Motors Slovakia with a profit of 362 million.

Companies from the Bratislava Region paid the largest amount in taxes; the share of nine companies in the total tax of the Top 10 chart is more than 85 percent. Only a single company on the chart is not based than the Bratislava region: Kia Motors Slovakia, which resides in the Zilina Region.
New parliament will convene for founding session on March 23

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DEPUTIES who have been elected to parliament will convene for a founding session next Wednesday, which marks the official end of Smers outgoing government.

President Andrej Kiska announced that he was convening the first session of parliament on March 23, his office informed on its website, following the presidents meeting with Robert Fico earlier this morning.

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At the meeting, Fico presented the programme priorities and the division of chairs in the new government as agreed by the four parties of the aspiring ruling coalition: Smer, Slovak National Party (SNS), Most-Hid, and Siet. Fico brought the proposal to Kiska exactly one week after Kiska designated him to try and put together a new government, based on the March 5 election results.

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The first session of the new parliament will also mark the end of the outgoing government of Robert Fico and his Smer party that ruled the country without a coalition partner for the full term of four years, since 2012.

The cabinet will officially submit their resignation to the president after the parliamentary session, following which the president will appoint the new government. The emerging ruling coalition will then have to win the trust of the MPs in a vote within 30 days.

The new government currently has the support of 81 MPs in the parliament. To be able to take office, it needs to be approved by more than half of the total 150 MPs.

Most and Siet leaders likely deputy speakers

At the founding session, MPs will elect the parliaments speaker, his or her deputies, and heads of parliamentary committees from their midst.

Based on the coalition agreement, the parliaments speaker post should go to SNS, while each of the remaining coalition partners gets a deputy post. The fourth deputy post should be filled by the opposition, in line with the tradition.

The media reports suggest SNS head Andrej Danko will be the speaker of the parliament, despite his lack of experience in politics. The speaker of the parliament is one of the top three constitutional posts in the country. The deputy speakers posts are expected to go to Radoslav Prochazka (Siet) and Bela Bugar (Most-Hid). Bugar has already served as deputy parliament speaker before. Outgoing Culture Minister Marek Madaric is likely to be Smers nominee for the deputy speaker post, the SITA newswire reported.

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Activists organising the march against extremists turn to general prosecutor.

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THE GENERAL Prosecutors Office has received altogether 160 motions calling to disband the far-right Peoples Party Our Slovakia (LSNS) of Marian Kotleba.

The General Prosecutors Office is currently looking into the submissions, said its spokesperson Andrea Predajnova, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

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The proposals have been filed by the organisers of the march against extremism, which took place on March 7 in Bratislava.

The activists have also delivered a letter to General Prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar, asking him to turn to the Supreme Court with the demand to disband LSNS. They say it is identical to the party which was already dissolved in the past for being at odds with the constitution.

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They referred to the motion submitted by former general prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka in October 2015, proposing to disband Slovak Togetherness  National Party. The Supreme Court accepted the proposal in March 2006, TASR wrote.

The party, however, continued in its activities as a civic association under the name Slovak Togetherness. It was disbanded by the Interior Ministry in November 2008, but the Supreme Court cancelled this decision in July 2009.

The right-wing extremists took control over the Friends of Wine Party before the 2010 parliamentary elections, and later changed its name to LSNS.
Three MPs from the partys slate out over decision to join the coalition with Smer and SNS

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THE NEW Smer-led government coalition hoped to control 85 votes in the parliament, but actual support looks to be 81 MPs Siet and Most-Hid members revolt against the coalition with Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS).

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Three members of Siet and deputy chairman of Most-Hid Zsolt Simon said they will not support the new government and will instead retain their parliamentary seats as independent MPs, raising additional questions about the stability of the four party government.

Siet slips further

The parliamentary caucus of Siet did not emerge yet, and it is now almost clear that it is unlikely to do, because there wont be the required eight MPs to form a caucus.

The partys number two, Miroslav Beblavy, said he was quitting as the partys deputy chairman immediately after information transpired that Radoslav Prochazka and Andrej Hrnciar met with Smer politicians at the Governments Office on Sunday, March 6 (as shown from pictures printed by the tabloid Novy Cas daily).

Prochazka at the age of 43 years discarded his good name so much that he wont clear it anymore, Beblavy said in his reaction to Prochazkas post-election conduct.

When Prochazka definitively said he was entering talks with Fico, Beblavy together with two other MPs elected for Siet, Katarina Machackova and Simona Petrik, said they would not join the party caucus in the parliament.

Another Siet candidate, Zuzana Zimenova, who is the first replacement if any of the partys MPs gave up their seat (for example, by taking a post in the executive), announced that she wouldnt support the government either.

On March 17 all four of them said they were quitting the party.

Most loses one MP

Zsolt Simon, the co-founder of Most-Hid, said he would not join the party caucus either.

Entering the government with Smer and SNS is in my view not in line with the interests of the members of Most-Hid and its voters, Simon wrote on his Facebook profile on March 15 and added that this will be the end of Most-Hid, and that caretaker government and early elections would have been a better option for Slovakia.

Zsolt Simon, co-founder of Most-Hid, will not be joining its caucus. (Source: Sme)

In whose name?

In reaction to Prochazka taking part in coalition talks, people around Beblavy set up the #nievmojommene (#notinmyname) initiative on March 14, which was signed by more than 16,000 voters of Siet, among them 250 members of the party, in 24 hours, calling for Siet not to become part of the government with Smer.

Beblavy said he believed the coalition talks with Smer were a violation of clear pre-election promises that the party expressed to its voters.

Siet, a party that was built on Radoslav Prochazkas strong showing in the 2014 presidential vote, has finally ended with just over 5 percent in the parliamentary election, about half of what the pre-election polls suggested.

The results of the first post-election poll by Polis agency suggest that voters tend to agree with Beblavy rather than with Prochazka, as Siets result one week after the election was halved compared to its actual election result. Siet would be left out in the cold with a mere 2.3 percent.

Cooperation with Smer might not mean an end to Siet, sociologist Martin Slosiarik said in an interview with Sme. If the party manages to fulfil some of its priorities, it might regain the trust of part of its disappointed voters, he said.
Within four days, the four parties agreed not only that they found no issues that would definitely divide them, as Fico said, but they also came up with the programme priorities as a basis for their potential governments programme statement, and a division of posts in the parliament and in the cabinet.

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THE UNEXPECTED election results produced a ruling coalition that seemed highly unlikely even some days after the elections.

Smer, who has been ruling the country for four years on its own, was joined by the Slovak National Party (SNS), its ruling partner from the 2006-2010 term, and the centre-right Most-Hid and Siet. The latter two have, albeit reluctantly, said no to a coalition with Smer before the elections, and many of their voters and even some members are now disappointed with their shift.

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Although the talks have been tough, we have found no issues that would definitely divide us, Robert Fico, who as a leader of the party with the highest election gain was assigned to lead coalition talks, said on March 14 following negotiations with his three potential partners.

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After one week of the nation digesting the election results, quick developments ensued at the weekend. On March 13 evening, the agreement between the four parties was already taking shape, the next day the parties agreed on programme priorities of their government.

On March 17 Fico presented the coalition proposal to President Andrej Kiska who subsequently announced the founding session of the parliament would take place before Easter holidays, on March 23. Following that session, the outgoing government will officially submit their resignation and Kiska will appoint the new government, which will then have 30 days to present their programme statement to the parliament for a confidence vote.

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Quick talks

By the time Fico got the official green light to put together a government from President Andrej Kiska on March 9, Richard Sulik, leader of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) that ended second in the election, had already been talking to most centre-right parties about their potential interest in forming a coalition without Smer. All the centre-right parties in the parliament would be part of that government, along with SNS and possibly supported in the parliament by MPs of the party of Boris Kollar.

Bela Bugar of Most-Hid and Radoslav Prochazka of Siet at first both officially refused to talk with Robert Fico. But they changed their minds when SNS leader Andrej Danko declared that his party was not going to be part of the centre-right government.

Most and Siet seen behind priorities

Following the March 15 talks, the four partners came forward with their programme priorities. Fico insisted that the document is an intersection of the programmes and priorities of the four partners, Bugar said that his party has managed to have 90 percent of their programme incorporated into the document.

Political analyst Pavol Babos admitted for the Sme daily that the document largely reflects the priorities of Siet and Most-Hid.

That shows that if Smer wanted to keep them in the government, it had to give way, the analyst said as quoted by Sme. Analysts, however, also stress that the document in which the parties outlined their priorities is not yet the official governments programme statement that they will present in the parliament when requesting the MPs approval.

While the programme priorities might reflect the programmes of Most-Hid and Siet, the composition of the cabinet as outlined by the parties on March 16 shows Smer will keep most of the key posts in the future ruling coalition.

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Refugee crisis not among priorities

The priorities are divided into 11 fields. There is no mention of no mention of the refugee crisis and the lawsuit Ficos outgoing government has filed against the EU council for adopting the refugee quotas. While Smer before the elections insisted that the lawsuit will have to stay put, Bugar, for instance, made it clear his party was prepared to withdraw it if it was part of the next government.

The parties want to adopt an effective law against shell companies, and propose a constitutional law on proving the origin of property, in the field of transparent governance, which Most-Hid labelled the flagship of its programme.

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As for education, the parties want to increase spending on the sector, and introduce fundamental changes at the same time. They want to invite teachers and other employees in education to participate in drafting their government programme statement. This was what PM Fico had promised the striking teachers before the elections.

The parties also agreed on bolstering civic education against extremism and totalitarian regimes, which is likely a reaction to the good result of the far-right extremist party in the elections.

In health care, generally viewed as the most problematic sector not just due to the lack of resources but also due to the corruption practices that are widespread in it, the parties say they want the opposition to be represented in supervisory bodies of the state-run health insurer Vseobecna Zdravotna Poistovna (VsZP) and the Health Care Surveillance Authority.

The new government also plans to limit the profit of private health insurers, improve the quality of health treatment, as well as to make the use of public sources more transparent.
THE WHITE Night festival is heading to the city of Plzen in the Czech Republic. After six successful years in the eastern-Slovak city of Kosice and a first edition in Bratislava (in 2015) it now goes to the neighbouring Czech Republic.

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Part of the Slovak festival of light and art in public space will participate in the Plzen festival Blik Blik which takes place on March 18 and 19, Slovak organisers informed the SITA newswire in mid-March.

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Blik Blik will offer to its visitors a route three kilometres long, full of light and art among the pre-fab houses of the Lochotin housing estate.

Eleven art projects will be presented, including three Slovak ones: light installation Andromeda by Peter Vrabel  a kind of carpet strewn with 5,000 lights from plastic spoons; interactive digital fireworks by Zana Petrovicova and Ondrej Maksi; and 50 light runners created by Robert Farkas, called Za Mier! / For Peace! All three works were made for the White Night festival, which supports the creation of new works by Slovak artists.
THE FUTURE governments priorities in education are only vaguely formulated, which is a bad sign for the sector, according to analysts approached by the Sme daily.

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Unspecific, compiled in a hurry and without any deadlines or specific amounts - this is what school employees and activists had to say about the proposals for priorities in the education sector.

The proposal lacks a concept, is chaotic and ignores most of the fundamental problems of our education system," said Vladimir Burjan, editor-in-chief of Dobra skola (Good School) magazine told the daily.

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The only specific thing so far is that the post of education minister will be occupied by the Slovak National Party (SNS).

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Prior to the general election, all political parties were reiterating that education was of the utmost priority, but now this doesn't seem to be the case. Peter Dral from civil association New Education System said that the placement of education approximately in the middle of the priority list attests to the fact that it will not actually be a priority. It was also put into a single chapter with culture and sport, while another two education priorities will be addressed within the chapter dedicated to national minorities.

The priorities do not mention the future of science and research, or of teachers and universities. Representatives of school unions, professional associations and other employees of the education system are not certain whether they will be invited to participate in the creation of specific programme priorities.

Vladimir Crmoman of the Slovak Teachers Initiative thinks it is important that teachers are not only invited to participate, but are also listened to.
GIANNI Pittella, president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, on Thursday warned Smer leader Robert Fico not to enter into a coalition with the Slovak National Party (SNS).

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This move is raising concerns, said Pittella in a press release, as qutoed by the TASR newswire on March 17. He should abandon this political path, because hes risking being at odds with progressive values and principles.

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He added that S&D will call on the Party of European Socialists (PES) to debate Smers membership, as it did in 2006 when Fico first led a coalition that included SNS. Smer had its membership suspended for nearly two years but got it back in 2008 based on its performance in maintaining minority rights and other societal values.

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Pittella was involved in a controversy with Smer-SD back in the autumn of 2015, when he called on its ousting from PES over Ficos attitude towards migrants and Slovakia's lawsuit concerning migrant quotas. Nevertheless, Smer retained its PES membership.

Pittella does not have the faintest idea of how a government is set up, so he should not comment on how the Slovak one is being formed, Fico responded.

My grandpa used to say: Chose the right words when talking about things you dont understand, said Fico, as quoted by TASR.
SLOVAKIAs government has accepted the current draft of a migrant crisis agreement with Turkey, Prime Minister Robert Fico said before the beginning of a two-day EU summit in Brussels on March 17.

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However, no one knows what will come next because motions often emerge at the last minute, said Fico, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

He referred to the past weeks extraordinary EU-Turkey summit, where Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu submitted new requests that European leaders had not been notified about in advance.

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The draft agreement with Ankara includes the return to Turkey of all new illegal migrants who sail from Turkey to the Greek islands. Furthermore, as part of existing commitments, the EU is supposed to accept one Syrian from Turkish refugee camps for every Syrian that Turkey takes in from the Greek islands.

On the other hand, Ankara is demanding the speeding up of visa regime liberalisation with EU, with visa duty for Turkish citizens to be scrapped by the end of June at the very latest and not October, as originally planned. Turkey is also calling for the payment of the already allocated 3 billion to be executed ahead of schedule, with the money earmarked by Turkey for the improvement of living conditions for Syrian refugees on its soil.

Ankara also wants the sum to be increased by another 3 billion and to open further accession chapters as soon as possible. The recent Friends of Syria summit raised $10 million to alleviate the crisis.

Fico pointed out that when it comes to the resettlement of Syrians from Turkish camps, Slovakia insists on a voluntary migrant resettlement scheme for EU member states rather than a quota system. Also, their numbers should not exceed the already greenlighted scheme to relocate 160,000 migrants.
The designers file includes a note written in Paris in November 1944. A source in Madrid informed us that Madam Chanel was in 1942-43 the mistress and agent of Baron Guenter von Dinklage. Dinklage used to be an attache at the German embassy in 1935. He worked as a propagandist and we suspect him of being a (German) agent, the document says.

According to Frederic Queguineur, who is in charge of the secret services' archives, the file shows that Coco Chanel was documented as an agent by the Nazi intelligence organization, the Abwehr.

From the German point of view, they registered her, so it means she potentially could be a source of information, fulfill a mission, work for them. But from her point of view, we don't know if she was really aware of that, he told the AP.

With the beginning of war Chanel closed her fashion boutiques and shops. After the arrest of her nephew she made contact with the German authorities and after liberation of France, she was accused of collaboration and was expelled from the country.

Earlier, historians suspected that Coco Chanel not only supplied the Abwehr with information, but also excelled in more than a dozen spy missions.

The secret services' archives include German documents seized by the French at the end of the war and thousands of individual files pertaining to members of the French resistance and investigation files of suspected collaborators.
According to the Committee's statement released by local media, over the last two years more than 600,000 websites have been identified by the country's authorities as violating national laws.

Those who have published and promoted pornographic content will face up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 3 million Saudi riyals (about $800,000).

Saudi newspaper Al-Watan quoted press secretary of the Committee Faiz Al-Atiby who said that the institution has its own sources to identify and block pornographic websites in the country.
Talking about whether Japan is now trying to predict how US policy may change towards China, the analyst said, Japan is very closely monitoring US policies toward China. Judging by the statements of the candidates , the challenge and the rise of China is seen differently by different candidates. Some say something about the need to contain China, because it is too active in the South China Sea. But all of these are just applications that do not make any changes to the policy pursued under Obama.

The analyst further spoke about how the United States will seek to create the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) and how Obama said that if the US does not write the rules of economic cooperation in the region, the Chinese will do it for them.

According to Panov, All of that shows deterrence but at the same time there is no intention to aggravate relations with China. There is an aim to cooperate and make certain concessions. The yuan has become the reserve currency and China's share of votes in the International Monetary Fund may increase.

There were statements by Li Keqiang that Beijing does not consider the US military presence in the region as a threat to China.

China went on to cooperate with the US in sanctions policy toward the DPRK. In other words, now there was a paradigm of relations between the US and China  containment and cooperation. At this stage it is in the US interests. Beijing, of course, is not happy with the fact that the United States and Japan want to cordon China. But on the other hand, it is not particularly possible. Therefore, strategically, there are no serious changes.

I do not think that the US policy toward China will seriously change under the new president, no matter whether it will be Trump or Clinton, Panov concluded.
Last October, a US Lockheed AC-130 gunship aircraft fired 30mm cannon shells for over 30 minutes into a MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz, killing over 40 medical staff and patients, among whom were children.

Ranjbar, a renowned human rights activist, and MSF think the bombing of the hospital in Kunduz was a crime against humanity.

"By all indications it was a war crime The people of Afghanistan are still in shock and don't understand why airstrikes were carried out against an unprotected social object. NATO commanders knew the hospital there where, by the way, doctors were assisting wounded during military action," Ranjbar told Sputnik.
Rosneft, Oil India, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroresources signed a memorandum of understanding on how the sides will cooperate in the Vankor project, envisaging the joint analysis of a potential partnership for the development of the Suzunskoye, Tagulskoye and Lodochnoye fields.

These documents literally open a new page in Russian-Indian energy cooperation in keeping with the agreements reached at the top level between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreed format for cooperation, reached at the corporate level, is aimed at creating a vertically integrated system that will allow Indian partners to participate in Rosnefts upstream projects while giving Rosneft access to the growing Indian market. These agreements represent a transition from energy dependency to energy partnership of both countries, said Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin.

Vankorneft, a Rosneft subsidiary, was established in 2004 for the purpose of developing the Vankorskoye oil and gas condensate field, the largest field discovered and put into operation in Russia in the past 25 years. The field is situated in the north of East Siberia  in the Turukhansk District of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. In 2015, Vankorneft produced 22 million metric tons of oil and 8.7 billion cubic meters of gas.
In particular, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu proclaimed that his country carried out more than 9,000 flights which contributed to the Syrian troops liberating 400 towns and over 10,000 square kilometres of territory.

The reader is encouraged to consult The Sakers latest article if theyre interested in a detailed analysis of everything that Russia has accomplished thus far, but the present piece will now move on to describing the intent behind the drawdown and the contingency measures that are in place for defending Syria from any large-scale aggression against it.

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom:

Russias announcement was timed to coincide with the resumption of the Geneva III talks and clearly carries with it the symbolic message that Moscow is doubling down on its diplomatic commitment in resolving the War on Syria.

The countrys leadership has reminded the world time and again that the only solution to the long-running war is a diplomatic one, with only the Syrians themselves having the right to decide how this will unfold.

A de-jure partition is absolutely off the table and prohibited by UNSC Res. 2254, but theres a creeping fear among many that a de-facto one could occur if federalization is ever implemented.

Its perhaps for this reason why the Syrian government and its people are currently not in favor of this approach, and for curious readers who are wondering exactly what could be so bad about federalization, the author welcomes them to read his earlier published research on the topic thats available at Russias National Institute for Research of Global Security.
Syrian Kurds are already busy spinning that a federal Syria would be based on community spirit, not geographical confines.

Ankaras response, predictably, has been harsh; any Kurdish federal system in northern Syria represents not only a red line but an existential threat to Turkey. Ankara may be falling under the illusion that Moscow, with its partial demobilizing, would look the other way if Erdogan orders a military invasion of northern Syria, as long as it does not touch Latakia province.

And yet, in the shadows, lurks the possibility that Russian intel may be ready to strike a deal with the Turkish military  with the corollary that a possible removal of Sultan Erdogan would pave the way for the reestablishment of the Russia-Turkey friendship, essential for Eurasia integration.

What the Syrian Kurds are planning has nothing to do with separatism. Syrian Kurds are 2.2 million out of a remaining Syrian population of roughly 18 million. Their cantons across the Syria-Turkey border Jazeera, Kobani and Afrin  have been established since 2013. The YPG has already linked Jazeera to Kobani, and is on their way to link them to Afrin. This, in a nutshell, is Rojava province.

The Kurds across Rojava  heavily influenced by concepts developed by imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan  are deep into consultations with Arabs and Christians on how to implement federalism, privileging a horizontal self-ruled model, a sort of anarchist-style confederation. Its a fascinating political vision that would even include the Kurdish communities in Damascus and Aleppo.

Moscow  and that is absolutely key  supports the Kurds. So they must be part of the Geneva negotiations. The Russian long game is complex; not be strictly aligned either with Damascus or with the discredited opposition supported and weaponized by Turkey and the GCC. Team Obama, as usual, is on the fence. Theres the NATO ally angle  but even Washington is losing patience with Erdogan.

The geopolitical winners and losers

Only the proverbially clueless Western corporate media was caught off-guard by Russias latest diplomatic coup in Syria. Consistency has been the norm.

Russia has been consistently upgrading the Russia-China strategic partnership. This has run in parallel to the hybrid warfare in Ukraine (asymmetric operations mixed with economic, political, military and technological support to the Donetsk and Lugansk republics); even NATO officials with a decent IQ had to admit that without Russian diplomacy theres no solution to the war in Donbass.

In Syria, Moscow accomplished the outstanding feat of making Team Obama see the light beyond the fog of neo-con-instilled war, leading to a solution involving Syrias chemical arsenal after Obama ensnared himself in his own red line. Obama owes it to Putin and Lavrov, who literally saved him not only from tremendous embarrassment but from yet another massive Middle East quagmire.
EDINBURGH (Sputnik)  Lord Advocate of Scotland Frank Mulholland, the countrys most senior state prosecutor, will be deemed "unfit to hold office" if he does not pass a report into alleged criminality involving his offices personnel to an independent prosecutor, spokesman for a justice campaign group considering the case told Sputnik on Wednesday.

After a three-year criminal investigation, Police Scotland are now set to pass a report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Scotlands prosecution service. It follows allegations that senior prosecutors, police officers and prosecution witnesses acted with criminal intent during the trial of Libyan Abdelbaset Megrahi who was convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie. The claims against prosecutor's office include perversion of the course of justice and perjury.

It is vital that Mulholland avoids a conflict of interest between himself and his duty to the Scottish public, Robert Black of the Justice for Megrahi committee said.
Just a few months ago President Barack Obama was making light of Russias foreign policy only to realize that there was no way Russia could be excluded from the process of resolving international conflicts.

Therefore, the White House was left with no option other than to acknowledge Russias importance, Markus Kaim emphasized, adding that Moscow would retain its leverage even with the bulk of its aerial forces withdrawn from Syria.

Russia is not losing anything Moreover, it retains its leverage, including military, Markus Kaim said.

On Monday, President Vladimir Putin indicated that the Kremlin would start withdrawing its main forces in Syria, saying that the military had largely achieved its objectives.

Moscow will, however, maintain a military presence in the Arab country, and a deadline for complete withdrawal has not yet been announced.

Putin also indicated that Russian forces will remain at the port of Tartus and Hmeymim airbase in Latakia.
During a meeting an NGO addressed the President of the United Nations General Assembly and said:

"Such [an] unprecedented personal attack undermines not only undermines the dignity of the working group but erodes the credibility of the human rights system as a whole", and will have "global repercussions."

The official spokesman for UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the ruling was "ridiculous." Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "I reject the decision of this working group. It is made up of lay people not lawyers."
The Daily Star also dismissed as suspect the fact that President Putin was the first foreign leader to express his condolences to the Turkish people in the immediate wake of the Ankara blast, even though the newspapers initial reaction to Putins message was fairly positive.

Russia is not the only one Ankara feels free to blame for every bad thing happening in the country though.

After the May 2013 explosion in the city of Reihanly, the bloodiest such attack in the countrys modern history, President Erdogan pointed the finger at Syrian President Bashar Assad, claiming that the Turkish authorities had enough documentary evidence to prove it.

According to Ankara, the perpetrators of the deadly attack wanted to thwart the process of peaceful settlement of the Kurdish problem.

Shortly after it transpired that the explosives-packed vehicles had actually been sent to Reihanly by a Haisam Toubalijeh, also known as Keysem Topalca, with links to MIT, Turkey's intelligence organization.

According to intelligence reports leaked to the press, Ankara had full knowledge of the planned attack but did nothing to prevent it.

In July 2015 a 20-year-old Turkish student was identified as the suicide bomber who killed 33 youth Socialist activists in the town of Suruc.

The attacker was an ethnic Kurd from Turkey's south-eastern province of Adiyaman and reportedly had links to the Daesh terrorist group.

Pro-government newspapers, The Daily Star included, then wrote about outside forces working hard to undermine the Turkish government.

None of them bothered to ask how come a Daesh terrorist had managed to infiltrate leftwing groups so closely watched by police and intelligence agencies.

On October 11, 2015 twin explosions outside Ankaras main train station left over 100 people dead and around 250 wounded. The tragedy happened as hundreds of young people had gathered to protest against violence between authorities and the Kurdish militant group, the PKK.

Even before the investigation had time to name the suspects, President Erdogan blamed the Kurdistan Workers Party, the People Democracy party, the Syrian intelligence and the Syrian Kurds from the Democratic Union Party.

Even though all available evidence linked the attack to Daesh, the newspaper Aksam accused the Kurds for the deadly attack.

The newspaper Yeni Safak, owned by Presidentnet Erdogans son-in-law, named PKK and the leftwing Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Party-Front (DHKP/C) as the main culprits and Selahattin Demirtas as the main instigator.

All these attempts by pro-government media to shift the blame away from Daesh terrorists raised angry protests within Turkish society.


What is more, after Mikheil Saakashvili came to power and his anti-mafia law was passed many Georgian criminal lords left the country and moved to Europe where they are running their criminal businesses. Currently, their syndicates have problems with recruiting mobsters from Georgia. But if visa restrictions are removed the situation will change.

Nevertheless, these risks have not prevented Brussels from removing visas restrictions for Georgians.

According to the author, the EU needed a precedent to honor a small country which has been pro-Western for nearly 25 years.

During the last 25 years, Georgia has seen several changes of power but Tbilisi has always stood for integration with Europe. Unlike Ukraine, Georgia has never withdrawn its application for NATO membership from Brussels. Moreover, it has sent troops to Iraq, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.

Finally, a year ago Tbilisi made a "totally irrational move;" at the request of the EU it imposed visas for Asian and African countries. As a result, Georgia lost 30-40 percent of its income from tourists and foreign students.

"The reason was to obtain a visa-free regime with the EU regardless of any losses," the article read.

While Georgias admission to NATO is impossible due the possible escalation between the alliance and Russia, the EU had to find a way to refresh its reputation as a post-Soviet country.

In recent year, Europe has lost some of its attractiveness as it has failed in its attempt to deal with crises in the post-Soviet territories, including the conflict in Ukraine, the article read.

Unlike Ukraine, Georgia has been more or less politically stable recently, and this is why Brussels has picked Tbilisi as a country to be "awarded" for pro-European loyalty.

"The removal of visas for Georgia seems to be the least risky way to do this," the author concluded.
The new proposed replacement  known as Privacy Shield  has been agreed after months of negotiation between the US and the EU and promises that: "for the first time, the US government has given the EU written assurance from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that any access of public authorities for national security purposes will be subject to clear limitations, safeguards and oversight mechanisms, preventing generalized access to personal data [] through an Ombudsperson mechanism within the Department of State, who will be independent from national security services."

However, lawmakers on the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee in the European Parliament have called-in the details over fears Privacy Shield has been drafted too loosely and will not protect the personal data of EU citizens.

Speaking on the Commission's proposal, the committee chair Claude Moraes said:

"The new framework [] has no written text and my first concern is that it has too much in common with the previous Safe Harbor decision. The announcement does not indicate any measures which are legally binding on either party, but relies on 'declaration' by the US authorities on their interpretation of the legal situation regarding surveillance by the US intelligence services.

"Another key concern is that the creation of an Ombudsman which could be a positive step forward in assessing the complaints of citizens does not seem to be underpinned in the current statement by sufficient legal powers," he said.
EU finance ministers last week agreed to make the largest corporations operating in the EU report their activities to tax administrations. It follows a serious of rulings and investigations by the European Parliament and Commission.

However, critics say the new tax arrangement  for multinationals with a total consolidated group revenue of at least US$847 million  will only involve passing tax information between member states' tax agencies and will not be made public or available to journalists.

"If only companies headquartered in the EU are legally required to file reports on a country-by country basis, the legislation will be much less effective. Subsidiaries that are part of non-EU companies should be covered in the requirement, regardless of the size of the subsidiary, provided that the whole group meets the threshold," Elena Gaita, Policy Officer on Corporate Transparency at Transparency International told Sputnik.
It might come as a surprise to some, considering Norway faced criticism for accepting a low number of asylum-seekers and even deporting some refugees. But one thing is certain  the Refugee Norway organization, which recreates the experience of living in a refugee camp for Norwegian teenagers, is doing everything to make sure Norwegian teenagers learn a thing or two about the lives of refugees.

Many Norwegian parents want their children to learn about challenges and hardships faced by refugees by sending their children to these fake refugee tours which simulate the lives of refugees for 24-hours, the Local said.

"The camp is supposed to give the teens a small insight and a feeling of how it is to be a refugee," said Kenneth Johansen, director of Refugee Norway, as quoted by the Washington Post.
Joe Corre, founder of high-end lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, will conduct a ceremonial burning on November 26 during the Punk London celebration, which he claims is being organized in close collaboration with Buckingham Palace.

The Queen giving 2016, the Year of Punk, her official blessing, is the most frightening thing Ive ever heard, Corre told Crack. Talk about alternative and punk culture being appropriated by the mainstream. Rather than a movement for change, punk has become like a f*cking museum piece or a tribute act.

Punk London includes a year of events, gigs, films, talks, exhibits and more, celebrating 40 years of punk heritage and influence in London, according to its website. It is supported by the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the Mayor of London.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On October 31, 2015, a Russia-operated Airbus A321 plane crashed en route from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg as a result of an explosion on board. All 224 people on board the plane were killed. The Daesh radical group, which is outlawed in Russia and a range of other countries, said it had planted a bomb on board the aircraft.

"After the plane terrorist attack we were open to all additional measures and all suggestions and comments from the Russian authorities. We took all the recommendations into account," Shoukry said in an interview with the Russian Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Flights between Russia and Egypt were suspended following the crash.
Daesh militants created the female police forces in their territories in 2014. The al-Khansaa Brigade was named after Al-Khansa, a female Arabic poet from the earliest days of Islam. The unit was initially used for examining women at Daesh checkpoints. However, later its fighters were brought to the streets of Raqqa to enforce Sharia law.

The female brigade acts with the same brutality as other Daesh fighters.

According to Zeinab, al-Khansaa Brigade fighters have spread fear among the women and girls in Raqqa, Daeshs self-proclaimed capital.

In 2015, an Islamist female fighter killed a woman in Raqqa while she was breastfeeding her newborn child. The innocent mother covered her son with a burqa to hide him, but fighters of the al-Khansaa Brigade spotted her. One of the jihadists took the baby, gave it to another woman, Aisha, a former resident of Raqqa, said.

Salih, a 77-year-old Syrian, told another story about the infamous female brigade.

"I once saw a woman at a market and she lifted her niqab to inspect vegetables. A Daesh policewoman saw her and beat her. She was bleeding so badly that she died on the way to hospital. I saw many things, but I would cry if I told you them all," he said.
According to Meslet, the HNC has already had contacts with Russia, having held "many meetings" with Russian envoys.

"We look for good relations with Russia, we want to reestablish the good relationship as soon as the Russian government leaves the Assad side," Meslet told Sputnik, explaining that "Russia for us is not the Syrian regime. With the Syrian regime, we started indirect talks. But with Russia there is no need of indirect talks, there is need of direct talks, if they prove that they are with the Syrian people."

The Saudi-backed HNC is willing to come to Russia for dialogue if Moscow stops supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to the HNC spokesman.

"If they [Russia] stop supporting Assad and we receive an invitation, we will go, and we welcome any invitation as long as they really prove that they are with the Syrian people, not with Assad. In the end, we want good relations with the Russian government and Russian people. For us it's important. We are ready to do it if it helps our people to reach the solution and freedom," Meslet told Sputnik.

The Swiss city of Geneva is currently hosting intra-Syrian peace talks between the opposition and the government. A delegation created following talks in Moscow and Cairo is one of the two Syrian opposition delegations taking part in the negotiations. The second delegation, the HNC, was created in Saudi Arabia in December and includes representatives of some groups considered to be terrorist organizations by Syria and Russia.

"Our aim in Syria is to have a political transition," the HNC spokesman stressed in his interview with Sputnik.

HNC is willing to see the establishment of a transitional governing body in Syria with full executive powers, while the government considers it unacceptable.

The current round of intra-Syrian peace talks aimed at putting an end to the deadly civil war that has been ongoing in Syria since 2011 is expected to last until March 24.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The UN special advisor to the special envoy for Syria, Jan Egeland, said Thursday that the UN humanitarian mission had been granted access to 15 new hard-to-reach areas in Syria, including Aleppo and Homs.

"We have as a positive step gotten permits to go to 15 new hard-to-reach locations, and that includes a number of locations in the Aleppo area and the Homs area where needs have been growing and where people have not received relief for months," Egeland said.

Speaking after the 5th meeting of the UN task force on humanitarian matters of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), Egeland added that the issue of medical supplies continued to be the "single most difficult issue in the humanitarian access work."
"Ultimately the full facts must be brought to light by an independent investigation and through formal legal determination made by a competent court or tribunal," Kerry stated. "[The United States would] strongly support efforts to collect, document preserve and analyze the evidence of atrocities," the top diplomat said.

Kerry admitted the State Department was not able to compile a "complete record" of all Daesh crimes due to a lack of access to information, and had relied on information gathered by the US Defense Department, intelligence community and outside groups to carry out its review.

John Kerry called on the international community to help the victims of Daesh terrorists as well as to stop the atrocities committed by the group.

"Today, I say to all our fellow citizens and to the international community, we must recognize what Daesh is doing to its victims, we must hold the perpetrators accountable, and we must find the resources to help to those harmed by theses atrocities to be able to survive on their ancestral land," Kerry said.

Daesh terrorists kill Christians and other religious minority groups solely based on their faith and because they do not follow its "perverse ideology," the US secretary of state said.

"Daesh has executed Christians solely because of their faith," Kerry stated. "Yazidis because they are Yazidis, Shia because they are Shia."

Kerry said that the groups "entire world view is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology."

The US state secretary continued that "naming these crimes is important but what is essential is to stop them."

Kerry explained reaching that goal will require unity in the United States and within the countries directly involved.

"Their determination to act against genocide, against ethnic cleansing, against the other crimes against humanity must be pronounced among decent people all across the globe," Kerry maintained.

In February, Russian Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis called on the international community to prevent the killing and expulsion of Christians from the Middle East and end the violence in the region. The two religious leaders also discussed the possibility of forming jointly a political association to counter the genocide of Christians.
With the assistance of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Syrian Army regained control over a number of strategic towns in Syria. Aleppo, the countrys second-largest city, is now almost surrounded. In autumn 2015, government forces backed by Russian airstrikes managed to cut Aleppo from northern territories. They also took control over the Kweiris airbase which was under the control of militants for over three years.

During the Russian campaign, the Syrian Army also regained control over much of the provinces of Hama and Homs. Latakia was fully liberated. The battle for the ancient city of Palmyra is now underway.

According to Stratfor, the Russian aviation backed by Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran has helped the Syria Army score an advantage over opposition groups all over the country. At the same time, Stratfor warned, the Russian withdrawal may weaken the positions of the Syrian Army.

To sum up, Syria, a country which was on the brink of collapse last summer remains a sovereign state. Currently, even rivals of President Assad have to admit there is no alternative to him in Syria, a fact that Moscow has stressed since the beginning of the Syrian crisis.

Demonstration of Force

During the 167 days of the operation, almost all of Russias most advanced jets, strategic bombers, air defense systems, and naval forces were involved. The task force was expanded to 70 aircraft, including the newest Su-35 four-generation jet fighters.

During the Syrian operation, Tu-160 long-range bombers went through their baptism by fire. They conducted several sorties from an airfield in Russias Mozdok.

In addition, 4,000 personnel were deployed to Syria. After a Turkish jet shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber Russia deployed to Syria several air defense systems, including the Pantsir-S1, Buk-M2 and the cutting-edge S-400.

The Russian task force in Syria was support by naval forces, including the B-237 Rostov-on-Don submarine and the Varyag missile cruiser. They fired 48 Kalibr cruise missiles at terrorist targets in Syria. This was the first combat usage of the Kalibr missile.

According to Stratfor analyst, Russia showcased the full range of its advanced weapons and demonstrated their capabilities to potential buyers. One of the results is the upcoming $8 billion arms deal with Iran.

According to military analyst Mikhail Khodarenok, during the operation a number of weapons were used for the first time in combat, particularly the Kalibr naval-based missile and the Kh-555 aircraft-based missile. In addition, Russia used KAB-500 guided air bombs.

"The use of weapons of this kind is a pass ticket to the club of privileged powers," the analyst underscored.

Fighting Terrorism
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pullout of the main contingent of Russian forces from Syria, stating they had accomplished their anti-terrorism mission.

Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Col. General Viktor Bondarev said the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria will be completed within two to three days.

He [OICs Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani] deemed the Russian decision a positive development that would solidify the Geneva peace talks, under the auspices of the United Nations, toward a political solution to the Syrian crisis and ending the plight of the Syrian people, the release stated.
Claims that Riyadh could be a nuclear power have circulated since the late-1980s. At the time Saudi Arabia bought a shipment of Chinese-made DF-3A missiles, with a maximum operational range of 2,500 km. Later it was reported that Saudi Arabia obtained nuclear warheads because Riyadh funded Pakistans nuclear program.

Nevertheless, those allegations are nothing but rumors despite very close ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, an article on the Czech website Echo24 read.

Claims were made that the kingdom is ready to buy nuclear warheads from Pakistan if Iran becomes a nuclear power. In February 2016, Saudi political analyst Daham al-Anzi said in an interview with RT that Saudi Arabia has already acquired nuclear weapons. In his interview with Fox, a former CIA officer said Riyadh has four or seven nuclear bombs.

However, no official statement has been made by Saudi Arabia.

"This may be a bluff. But it also may be part of a strategy of nuclear non-transparency like Israel does. If Saudi Arabia really has nukes it would have very serious consequences," the article read.

First of all, this would start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, including for Iran, Turkey and Egypt.

What is more, the situation would be definitely ignored by Moscow.

"In this scenario, Russia may deploy its tactical nuclear bombs to Syria, which would only escalate conflict to the point where there can be no winners," the author concluded.
CAIRO (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, members of a Kurdish conference in the Syrian town of Rmeilan announced the creation of the Democratic System of Rojava and Northern Syria that would remain a part of Syria as a federal unit. The Syrian government said the Kurds unilateral decision had no legal power.

"Syria will not be the same, we should not support the formation of new entities. It only stirs up conflicts in the region," Orabi, who is Egypt's former foreign minister, told RIA Novosti.

According to Orabi, the newly established formation could spread to northern Iraq in the future.
Civiroglu believes the Kurds are excluded not for reasons of merit or human rights, but based on geopolitical calculations by leading powers in the region, particularly Turkey.

In terms of Geneva, it is mainly Turkey that is preventing the Kurds from being represented, said Civiroglu. He suggested that Saudi Arabia and Qatar may be playing interference based on their own interests. Civiroglu believes, however, that the Kurds should be included because they are a major minority in Syria, they have long been oppressed, and they were deprived of basic rights.

Zafar Bangash agreed, saying, The Kurds cannot continue to be excluded from discussions, but Turkey, in particular, is dead against any representation for the Kurds. He explained that Erdogan cannot accept the Kurds in Turkey linking up with the Kurds in Syria because he views that as a potential threat to Turkey.

Bangash sees Saudi Arabia and Qatar as a forceful secondary impediment to Kurdish representation in the peace talks, observing that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are backing opposition groups and they worry that if the Kurds are involved in the discussion then the influence and impact of the groups that they are backing will be diluted.

How will the Syrian government respond to the Kurdish announcement?

The Syrian government has made its position clear that these types of moves that would divide Syria are unacceptable to the Assad regime, said Bangash. Weeks ago, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that there is a Plan B, that they may want to partition Syria or divide it into a federal system, and the Syrian government is opposed, because they see the ramifications.
The largely administrative punishments were applied to officers and enlisted personnel of the US military, reports Associated Press . According to military officials, several personnel were suspended from their duties. Despite that administrative punishment can, in some cases, end chances for promotion, no criminal charges have been made.

Sources in the US military revealed that results of the investigation into the October 2015 aerial attack will be made public in a partially redacted form in coming days. Doctors Without Borders representatives said the organization will not comment until the Pentagon's decision is made public or communicated directly to the charity.

The hospital, run by the international charity organization Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres), was attacked by an AC-130 Spectre gunship, often called a flying artillery.'
A purported Grand Dragon of the KKK, Quigg claimed that he prefers Clinton over Donald Trump, stating, as his reasoning for the switch, that the Democratic candidate, "makes false promises in her presidential campaign." Quigg believes that once she becomes President, she will completely change her agenda.

"She's telling everybody what they want to hear so she can get elected. Once she's in the Presidency, she's going to come out and her true colors are going to show," Quigg said.

This claim sounds even more curious, given that in September 2015 Quigg posted to his Twitter account that Trump "is the only hope to get White America back" and, as such, received the racist group's full support. David Duke, the "Grand Wizard" of Ku Klux Klan, declared that "not voting for Trump" is a "treason to heritage."
If there is a real desire on both sides, direct talks are a better option than staying in different rooms, this will speed up the processBut to date we have not seen such a desire from the regime, Jamus underscored.

An opposition delegation formed after meetings in Cairo and Moscow is also present at the indirect negotiations.

"The list [of those establishing a transitional authority in Syria] will not comprise neither [Syrian President Bashar] Assad nor those who gave instructions to kill the Syrian people," Bader Jamous told reporters.

Neither the West nor Russia can solve the terrorism issue in Syria, only the Syrian people are able to handle this problem, he stressed.

After the power transition and the creation of a new governing body in Syria, the Daesh terrorist group will be eradicated within three months, Jamous added.

Daesh has been designated a terrorist group and outlawed in Russia and many other countries. The group has seized large areas in Syria and Iraq, declaring a caliphate on the territories under its control.

Mohammed Alloush, a senior member of the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian opposition representing Jaysh al-Islam militant group, will remain the leader of the HNC despite the objections of the Syrian government.

"We have Mr. Alloush as the head of the delegation at the talks, and he will remain the head. Alloush one of the most important people in the delegation, and he plays a role on the ground in Syria and in groups that are fighting in Syria," Jamous said.

"We have arrived, we do not intend to exit the negotiations. We came to try as much as possible to resolve the conflict," Jamous added.

Syrian Riyadh-based HNC opposition coordinator Riad Hijab will arrive in Geneva for the intra-Syrian talks as soon as they enter a serious stage, he noted.

The HNC, which was created in Saudi Arabia in December 2015, includes representatives of some groups considered to be terrorist organizations by Syria and Russia, and is one of the opposition delegations participating in the UN-brokered talks on the Syrian settlement launched late January and later put on hold.
The problem prompted thousands to take the streets of Beirut. The demonstrators accused the government of mismanagement and corruption, sparking rumors of yet another "Cedar Revolution" in the country.

Tensions over the garbage crisis are still simmering in Lebanon. According to The Daily Star, The We Want Accountability group Wednesday lambasted Beirut's most recent trash plan which envisions the opening of three landfills around the capital "as another example of the government's corruption, and warned of 'surprise' measures."

But is the situation that pure and simple?

According to Meyssan, there is serious trouble brewing in Lebanon.

"Over the last seven months however, the country has been shaken by the 'garbage crisis' and the resulting demonstrations which could have led to a second 'Cedar Revolution,' then by a crisis of confidence with Saudi Arabia and its allies, and finally by the international accusations against Hezbollah," the journalist notes, adding that the combination of the three events looks rather sinister.
The Syrian Kurds have also managed to take control over a portion of an "incredibly divided country" that is relatively "less conflicted, less unstable," he explained.

Coons also criticized the central government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, arguing the government has "lost legitimacy" and "doesnt have control of a majority of its own country."

The Kurdish bid for an autonomous federal region came amidst the UN-sponsored intra-Syrian talks taking place in Geneva, Switzerland. The Syrian Kurds have been excluded from the Geneva talks, which are aimed at achieving a political transition in the country that has been mired in civil war since 2011.

Kurds Bid for Autonomy Can Indicate Crisis of Confidence in Syrias Future

The serious push for a Kurdish autonomous federal region in northern Syria could indicate a collapse in confidence for the future of that country, US Senator Tim Kaine told Sputnik on Thursday.

"Its either a way of saying they see no end in sight [in the Syrian civil war], or even if there is some brokered deal, they dont want to be part of whats next," Kaine suggested, noting the complexity of the situation.
"Firstly there is the Wolfowitz doctrine, which basically makes it clear that the United States should prevent the rise of any state that could present sufficient power to threaten American unilateral action. Russia has risen and has displayed such power.This is the reason for the constant demonisation of Russias leader. We have the number one candidate for the democratic Nomination Hillary Clinton, who now compares the President of Russia with Hitler.So what has happened is that every American president during my lifetime, especially Nixon and Reagan worked to create trust between the two major nuclear powers. But beginning with Clinton, the trust that had been achieved was progressively destroyed."

"When you destroy trust between nuclear powers you recreate the possibility of nuclear war, either by intent, or miscalculation. So this is a reckless and irresponsible act on the part of Washington.The information war that is going on now is to prepare the American population and NATO countries allies for military conflict with Russia. This is part of the preparation of that. We now have high level people in the US government and military who go to Congress and say that Russia is an existential threat. This is rubbish!You have to remember that before the wars started in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, it was the constant demonisation of the leaders of the governments, against Gaddafi, Hussein. When you see these kinds of demonisation it fits a pattern."

"A hot war can come from a new cold war. Another factor is the American military industrial complex, with a turnover of a trillion dollars annually. Their entire revenues come from serving the war capability of US government. They have a huge interest in having a major enemy. They tried to make terrorists that enemy, but that is not serious enough, so this complex has great interest in recreating the Russian threat. From the neo conservative standpoint, they actually regard any country with an independent foreign policy to be a threat to the United States. So that part of the equation means that they can move the cold war into a hot war, it only takes a small amount of miscalculation. I dont see how the Russian government can believe one word coming out of Washington."
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The Mi-28NE boasts an integrated electronic combat system. Other modifications include: a new main gearbox for transmitting higher power to the rotor; new high-efficiency blades with swept-shaped tips; and an engine fuel injection control system.

The main sensors of the integrated electronic combat system are the microwave radar antenna, mounted above the rotor head, and a forward-looking infrared system.

The system displays the helicopter location on a moving map indicator, and flight, systems and target information on liquid crystal displays. The crew is equipped with night-vision goggles.

The pilot uses a helmet-mounted target designator, which allocates the target to the navigator's surveillance and fire control system. The navigator/weapons officer is then able to deploy guided weapons or guns against the target.

The targeting system follows the direction of the pilot's eyes.

The Mi-28NE Night Hunter is powered by two VK-2500 turboshaft engines each generating maximum take-off power of 2,200hp.

The helicopter can climb at a rate of 13.6m/s and has a service ceiling of 5,600m. The cruise and maximum speeds are 270km/h and 300km/h respectively, while the range is about 435km.

Nearly a dozen countries have shown interest in buying the Night Hunters.

These are CIS countries, Latin America, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Bahrain, Iran, Egypt, Algeria and also countries in sub-Saharan Africa, a source at the Defense Ministrys international cooperation department told Gazeta.ru.
Portman opened his remarks by noting that March 18 "marks the second anniversary of Russias annexation of Crimea and subsequent military intervention in eastern Ukraine." Apart from mischaracterizing the reunification of Ukraine with Russia  the result of a referendum in which 97% of Crimeans voted for the move  and reiterating baseless claims of Russian military actions in that country, the Senator argued that these actions "exposed and intensified a broader struggle over the future of Central and Eastern Europe, the future of NATO, and of the rules-based, American-led international community."

In response to a perceived threat of Russian aggression against NATO interests, dismissed months ago by Russian President Vladimir Putin as "the kind of thing that only crazy people think and only when they are dreaming," Portmans legislation calls for the following provisions:

First, the formation of a new US agency called the Center for Information Analysis and Response spearheaded by the State Department with assistance from USAID. This agency is tasked with "exposing and countering foreign disinformation operations and proactively advancing fact-based narratives that support US allies and interests."
"I really think the orca over-hang and the questions about it  whether people are right or wrong about it  it wasn't worth fighting that. We needed to move where society was moving."

The park will now immediately stop breeding orcas, and additionally claims they will also soon end the practice of making them perform. In addition, SeaWorld agreed to invest $50 million over the course of the next five years for the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals and Humane Society advocacy campaigns.

In October 2105, California banned the breeding of orcas at the San Diego SeaWorld as part of the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement Act, introduced by Representative Adam Schiff. The company had filed a lawsuit in response.

"These changes are something that advocates have been urging for years, and I think SeaWorld will find that visitors will reward their actions with a renewed interest in the parks," Representative Schiff said in a statement on Thursday.

The park did not cave to activist demands that they immediately release the animals they currently hold captive. Manby claims that no captive dolphins or orcas have been successfully released into the wild.
The good thing is that she doesnt know her breeding. When they line up, shes not going to know shes in against horses that were purchased for a lot of money. Dad (Frank) always says they dont know how much you paid for them.

She might not hail from a well-known family, but Hazmatt is ready to make a name on her own. A daughter of stallion Mattnamaras Band and the mare Surelymowdowner, the four-year-old Hazmatt will take on some of the sports best older female pacers in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at Yonkers Raceway.

A total of 23 pacing mares entered Fridays opening round of the Matchmaker, which will be contested over six weeks ending April 23 with a $125,000-added final. Fridays participants, divided into three $40,000 divisions, include defending champion and Dan Patch Award-winner Venus Delight, O'Brien Award winner Lady Shadow and stakes-winners Bettor N Better, Delightful Dragon, Gallie Bythe Beach, Krispy Apple, Sandbetweenurtoes, The Show Returns, and Yagonnakissmeornot.

Hazmatt will be exiting the conditioned ranks for the first time, but is no stranger to success at Yonkers. She is 5-for-5 this year, with all of her starts coming at The Hilltop. For her career, she has won 11 of 22 races and earned $81,510 for trainer Tony OSullivan and owners F. Bellino & Sons, Frank Bellino, and Joe Bellino.

The Bellinos bought Hazmatt privately from trainer Jim Mulinix, who also bred the horse, last July. Grant Wilfong, who trains horses in Indiana for the Bellinos, suggested the group take a look at the pacer.

Grant found her and really liked her, Bellino said. Im really excited. I think (the Matchmaker) is going to be a great series for her and great to see what we have.

Hazmatt has won every start at Yonkers in gate-to-wire fashion, with a margin of victory no less than one length each time, and posted a best time of 1:53.3. She will be driven in her Matchmaker division by Brian Sears.

I dont think shes going to embarrass herself, Bellino said. I know everybody says dont look at times, but if you look at the times and the quarters shes going, shes going just as good as any of them. I think shes going to be right there, to be honest with you.

Hazmatt was unraced at age two. Last year, she won a maiden race in her career debut for Mulinix, then headed to OSullivan and won four of her next eight starts in Canada. She won once in her final eight races of the campaign, which were all contested at Woodbine Racetrack.

She was a little inconsistent, OSullivan said. When we first got her, she was very aggressive. It took a long time to get her to calm down. She threw in a couple bad races and it was mostly because she over-raced herself. When we went to Woodbine, she really didnt adapt to the style. They go the first eighth so fast at Woodbine. Even though she can leave, she wasnt herself. She wasnt finishing up well.

We couldnt really find anything wrong with her. We decided to send her to Yonkers to see if a small track would help her. She has the speed and shes very handy. Its all kind of worked out perfectly. The first start at Yonkers she was very aggressive. Brian wanted us to play with her gear a little bit to get her to come back to him. We made some changes to her bit and since then, even though shes been up front, shes been two fingers.

Hazmatt will be stepping up in competition in the Matchmaker, but OSullivan, like Bellino, is hopeful the mare can do well in the series.

Its a real big step up, but she gets around Yonkers really, really well so we figured wed give her a shot, OSullivan said. Weve got nothing to lose. Why not give her a try. Her times have been very good at Yonkers and shes been doing it easily, but shes been doing it by herself. No doubt shes going to have to be more versatile. I wouldnt think shes going to be able to wire these mares.

But up here (in Canada) she probably went her best races when she raced off the pace. She sat on a helmet and was super. Itll be interesting to see if she settles off the pace a little against better mares if she can carry her speed like she has. It will be exciting to see what she can do.

Blue Chip Matchmaker Series Champions

2015 --- Venus Delight

2014 --- Somwherovrarainbow

2013 --- Feeling You

2012 --- Rocklamation

2011 --- Tomorrowpan

2010 --- Ginger And Fred

2009 --- Pancleefandarpels

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.
Training at the South Florida Trotting Center resumed on Thursday (March 17) a day after 12 horses perished in yet another tragic barn fire for the Standardbred racing industry. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has ruled the deadly blaze as accidental.

As an article by the Palm Beach Post explains, the countys fire rescue squad now considers the investigation into what caused the blaze closed.

The article has cited Palm Beach County Fire Rescue as saying that an unspecified electrical malfunction caused a catastrophic failure at the meter. This failure caused flames and sparks to ignite hay, feed, and other combustible materials that were stored nearby.

Horsepeople that worked frantically to save the Standardbreds during the fire were able to get 11 out, but had to fight 30-foot flames, dense smoke and extremely hot gates.

The horses came out and then ran back in, and these guys (the trainers whose horses were stabled there) ran back in after them, well-known horse owner Sam Stathis, who is also the owner of the training centre, said Wednesday afternoon during a press conference. We saved 11 horses. I dont think any of them made it out on their own. We have a lot of heroes. We had a tremendous tragedy, but we have a lot of miracles, on top of the tragedy.

Dale Gilmore, one of the conditioners that helped save horses, has been quoted as saying that You could only stay inside for what felt like seconds  and the horses were scared. We had to force them out. The gates felt like fire.

Its a worst nightmare, said trainer Jamie Daley, who also did all he could to save the cherished animals. You work with these horses seven days a week. Theyre like family to you.

The 11 horses that were saved from the blaze are being cared for, as the fire caused them to suffer smoke inhalation, while others are also dealing with serious burns.

A GoFund Me account has been established by Post Time with Mike & Mike to help the affected horsepeople. The group will split all funds raised through the site between trainers Roman Lopez and Thomas Haughton to help offset the cost of damages because of the fire.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to everyone affected by the tragic fire.

(With files from Palm Beach Post)

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One incumbent is running in the five-candidate race for two open seats.
If no improvements are made to the intersection of Industrial Way and Oregon Way by 2040, drivers could spend up to an hour waiting in traffic jams there  especially after trains come through.

Options for avoiding such jams range from creating new streets in the area to building overpasses at Industrial Way and Oregon Way.

The team studying the intersection shared those bits of information during an open house Wednesday night. The event is part of the process under which the intersection is scheduled to be rebuilt by 2022.

Planning for a better flow of traffic through the Industrial Way/Oregon Way intersection has been going on intermittently since 1968, but the Legislature gave the project a big boost last year when it allocated $85 million for construction.

Its a complex intersection already, with three at-grade railroad crossings. Planners expect that a fourth railroad crossing will be added, crossing SR433 between Industrial Way and the Lewis and Clark Bridge, after a new rail line is put in.

The intersection is already one of the states busiest freight intersections, with trucks making up more than 20 percent of the traffic.

On Oregon Way north of Industrial Way, traffic flows are fairly consistent through daylight hours, with a slight increase in late afternoon, so traffic jams can be expected throughout the day.

With anticipated traffic increases, if nothing is done by 2040, drivers would have to sit through two or more signal changes before they got through, said Claude Sakr, the project manager for Cowlitz County. The intersection will fail, he said.

Currently, an average of four 2,000-foot-long trains move through the intersection daily, Sakr said, blocking traffic for five to seven minutes. A similar train would back up traffic for as much as an hour by 2040, because of the increased number of vehicles anticipated, he said.

Just how many trains arrive 24 years from now depends largely on whether the Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export facility is built. That could require 20 trains a day, but in any case the Port of Longview wants to develop Barlow Point, which would also be served by trains.

As unveiled during a meeting last September, planners have suggested four possible layouts for the intersection. One would elevate both Oregon Way and Industrial Way. Two options would elevate parts of them and keep some lanes on the ground. Yet another option would be keep the roads on the ground but widen them, with more turning lanes.

Since the previous meeting, planners have added more options for alleviating congestion to the mix. Rather than rebuilding the Industrial Way/Oregon way junction, new options include keeping more traffic on Tennant Way and Oregon Way, building a zigzag route linking International Way and Panel Way in the Port of Longview, or making Beech and/or Alabama streets through routes between Oregon Way and California Way.

Sakr said planners are assuming that no replacement for the Lewis and Clark Bridge will be built before 2040. The bridge will continue to be a funnel, he said.

A draft environmental impact statement on the project is scheduled to be done in the fall. After another comment period, the final EIS is due in 2017.

It would take about two years to design the project and another three years for construction. So it could be 2022 before the work is completed.

The Highway 432 corridor project, from Interstate 5 to the area near the Millennium site, has a price tag of up to $350 million and would also create a new overpass at the Weyerhaeuser Co. main gate, along with a second railroad bridge over the Cowlitz River and a new track in the rail corridor. There isnt a timeline  or funding  for those other projects, however.
tech2 News Staff

Update: A Flipkart spokesperson reached out to tech2 and stated, "The report is pure fiction and seems to have been constructed based on invisible sources that have highly imaginative minds and given to improbable flights of fancy. There have been no talks or discussions for potential sale. Flipkart continues to be the market leader in India and we are in this business for the long haul."

In a surprising turn of events, a report has surfaced online which states that online e-commerce giant Flipkart was considering selling itself to Amazon! However, sources with knowledge on the matter emphasised that the talks have gone cold between the two companies.

A report by the The Economic Times stated that almost half-a-dozen sources told the news site of the discussions between Flipkart and Amazon, and emphasised there is no reason to believe that a deal will be struck or that talks are still ongoing between the two. The talks were held until as recently as the last quarter of 2015, one of the sources reportedly said.

Chief Executive Officer Binny Bansal reportedly stated that Flipkart would raise money only at the right valuation. Of course, Sachin Bansal, Executive Chairman of Flipkart put out a mystic tweet on his thoughts on the same too! Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal own about 7 percent stake each in Flipkart.

https://twitter.com/_sachinbansal/status/709942557086601216

"All rumours of potential sale and down rounds are false and baseless," said Binny Bansal. "Flipkart continues to be the market leader in India and we are in this business for the long haul." According to the report, Amazon made a preliminary offer of up to $8 billion to acquire Flipkart, nearly half of its previous stated valuation of $15.2 billion.

Recently, reports doing the rounds said Chinas e-commerce giant Alibaba may buy stake in Flipkart. The sources stated that talks are at an initial stage and the deal is dependent on whether or not Flipkart is willing to offer a discount on its current valuation of $15 billion. There is also speculation of Alibaba talking to Snapdeal, but it wants a discount on the firms current valuation of $6.5 billion.
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By Asheeta Regidi

The increasing use of technology and the highly digitised world we live in made cyberterrorism a possibility a long time ago. The alleged use of SmeshApp by Pakistan Intelligence Agencies to spy on Indian army personnel is a rude reminder that cyberterrorism is more than a mere possibility, it's real.

Indian army personnel were tricked into installing SmeshApp on their smartphones. This gave Pakistan access to a wealth of critical security information such as troop movements and the counter-terrorism moves of the army. The data collected through this app also may have been used to aid the Pathankot attack. If confirmed, this will be the first major incident of cyberterrorism in India.

What forms can cyberterrorism take?

Cyberterrorism, generally speaking, is the use of computers to commit terrorist attacks. The target of the attack might be computers, information systems and data. This data may be used to conduct terrorist activities in the real world. Section 66F of the Information Technology Act, 2000 defines cyberterrorism and identifies two types of attacks.

One form of cyberterrorism is when a computer system is hacked into to access restricted information, such as military information. The disclosure of such information will be a threat to the security or integrity of the nation. The use of SmeshApp directly demonstrates this type of cyberterrorism. Once installed, this app allegedly collected information on the soldiers every movement, which included phone logs, texts, e-mails and even real-time geolocation information (GPS data).

It is also feared that pictures were surreptitiously clicked through the hacked smartphones. The data collected from each individual soldiers phone collectively revealed crucial security information to the spies. The spies also lured the soldiers using fake Facebook accounts. Once they were befriended, they hacked into the soldiers personal computers. There is no way of estimating how much confidential information the spies had access to through these systems.

The hacking and defacement of Indian government websites is very commonly reported. There is a wealth of confidential information which is available on these websites, and it can be stolen by the hackers. In the past however, actual theft of this information has not been reported.

Another form of cyberterrorism is when the hacking of a computer or introducing a virus into a computer results in a threat to people. For example, a hacker may hack into a hospitals computer systems and make changes which will result in the administration of wrong medicines to patients. This can be fatal for the patients and at the very least, will severely affect their health. Another example of this type of attack is when people are denied access to critical systems such as mobile phone networks.

This form of cyberterrorism actually happened in Estonia, which faced a large scale distributed denial of service attack in 2007. The highly technologically dependent state was rendered completely offline for a period of three weeks. Access to Estonias online infrastructure was completely blocked, which stopped essential services such as mobile phone networks, the internet, online banking and government services.

As cities become increasingly dependent on technology to operate, they become increasingly vulnerable to cyber terrorism. Any system which uses computers or software can be affected this way. For example, the GPS tracking systems which are so common in taxis these days can easily be the object of an attack.

Hackers, software developers can be held liable

The SmeshApp spying scandal reveals a wide range of people who would have been involved in the attack. For example, the app will have needed software developers to create the apps. It would have needed expert hackers who could hack into and take over the smartphones and computers of soldiers. Yet other experts would have been involved for the collection and analysis of the data from the hacked systems.

For instance, if the collected data is encrypted, experts will be required to decrypt it. Under the provisions of the IT Act, not only the hackers themselves, but anyone conspiring with them to commit cyberterrorism will also be liable. This will include all such hackers and other experts involved, including the persons who created the fake Facebook accounts.

If such a person did not know what the app was being used for, then he may not be liable for cyberterrorism specifically. For cyberterrorism, these persons will be punishable with imprisonment for life under the Information Technology Act. These persons will also be punishable under other Indian terrorism laws.

Computers Aiding 26/11 Attacks

Apart from a few isolated incidents around the world, cyberterrorism has been rare. The use of computers to aid terrorist attacks, however, is not so rare, even in India. In fact, they were used extensively to aid the 26/11 attacks. Google Maps was used to guide the terrorists into the city, and Voice-over-IP systems using fake routers were used to communicate. The terrorists also attempted to hack into hotel computers to acquire information on the people staying in the hotels.

The targets of the attack, the two luxury hotels and the Jewish hotel, were also searched for and finalised on the basis of an online search. The sad part is that intelligence agencies abroad and in India had access to this information, but were unable to figure out the terrorists plan in time. E-mail routers were also used to send e-mails from fake IP addresses in the Ahmedabad blasts of 2008. This use of computers to aid terrorist attacks is, however, not cyberterrorism. This is, at best, one of the major drawbacks of technology.

Terrorists are becoming more and more familiar with technology. The more tech-savvy they become, the larger the avenues of cyberterrorism that will open up for them. The Indian army has issued a new internet advisory after the SmeshApp incident came to light. However, in view of the extent of information that may have been revealed, a lot of the damage has already been done.

It is surprising that these measures were not already in place, but it is also possible that the reality of cyberterrorism as a threat did not hit until now. It is hoped that now, stricter measures will be put in place to guard against cyberterrorism.

The author is a lawyer with a specialisation in cyber laws and has co-authored books on the subject.
tech2 News Staff

According to reports, the government of India might be trying to finalise the policy framework over the controversial net neutrality issue. It has asked the telecom regulator TRAI to submit recommendations on the matter. Speaking to the Economic Times, TRAI Chairman RS Sharma confirmed receiving a letter from the Department of Telecom on making recommendations and that they will shortly bring out a consultation paper on it.

Early last month, TRAI made its stand clear against differential pricing which effectively meant things were bleak for net neutrality too. TRAI said that anything on the Internet cannot be differentially priced and no operator shall charge discriminatory pricing on content, source and application. The existing plans in operation will not be valid in 6 months. Along with the ban on differential pricing, TRAI will determine if attempts are being made to violate regulations. TRAI is essentially attempting to put everything on the Internet on an agnostic platform. Internet companies, however, will not fall under TRAIs domain.

For those uninitiated, it began with TRAI floating a consultation paper seeking views if differential pricing should be allowed, amidst the whole net neutrality debate. The regulator wanted to know what steps should be taken to ensure principles of non-discrimination, affordable Internet access, competition and so on if differential pricing is allowed. After some media coverage connecting differential pricing to net neutrality, TRAI quickly put out a statement saying the paper issued is not on net neutrality, but on a specific matter about differential pricing.

However, there is no denying that both are co-related.
Police no help in search of missing Tanvir Hassan Zoha, family says

Tanvir Hassan Zoha

bdnews24.com: Police are not helping in the search for Tanvir Hassan Zoha who is missing following the theft of Bangladesh Bank reserves from the US account, his family says. Zoha identified himself as the ICT Divisions cyber security specialist while speaking to the media in the wake of the massive cyber attack but the government body soon denied any links with him. His family said he has been missing since Wednesday night. I spoke to him last at around 11:30 last night. He said he was coming home. But his phone has been switched off since midnight, his wife, Dr Kamrun Nahar, told bdnews24.com on Thursday. Yamin, a friend of Zoha, said they were both picked up by unknown men who dropped him off before leaving with Zoha. Yamin came at around 2pm and told us that Zoha asked him to come to the cantonment area. Then they both got on a CNG auto-rickshaw to come home, said Zohas uncle, Mahbubul Alam, a former director general of state-owned Bangladesh Television. But their auto-rickshaw suddenly stopped and a jeep drove in front of them. Before they knew anything they were separated. A car then dropped Yamin off at Manik Miah Avenue. Zohas family went to Kalabagan Police Station but they were asked to go to Kafrul Police Station instead. When they did, Kafrul police said they should go to Cantonment Police Station. They then asked us to go back to Kafrul Police station once we were there. When we did, they asked us to go to Bhasantek Police Station. But we were tired of not receiving any help so we didnt go to Bhasantek, said Zohas uncle. Law-enforcing agencies have not commented on Zohas disappearance but Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon, said, Police have been questioning people who they believe are suspects. When asked if Zoha have been detained, he said, I cant say that right now. He might have been arrested for the investigation. But I dont know. Polices Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have been investigating the theft but was yet to disclose anything about Zoha. The transfer of $81 million from the Bangladesh Bank account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York by hackers drew international media attention after the Philippine Daily Inquirer broke the news on Feb 29. Bangladesh Bank officials learnt of the heist almost immediately but withheld the information for about a month.
Bangladeshi artists Nipa, Iqbals artworks at UNESCO exhibition

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

Artworks by two Bangladeshi artists, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa and Mohammad Iqbal, have been selected for the International Womens Day exhibition

at UNESCO Headquarters

in Paris.

The 10-day long exhibition was inaugurated on March 10 by Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO at Sale des Pas Perdue of UNESCO Building. In her speech the Director General called on UNESCO Member States and all partners to join forces to advance gender equality

in every society. She praised the role of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in women empowerment in Bangladesh.

The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to UNESCO,

M Shahidul Islam introduced the two Bangladeshi artists and their artworks. Speaking on

the occasion, the Ambassador referred to the strong leadership of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to empower women and encourage their participation in wider social, cultural, economic and political life in Bangladesh.

The theme of this years

exhibition is Womens role in Sustainable Development, which brought together

paintings by artists from Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Togo, Turkey

and Ukraine.

Nipa and Iqbal have been selected to represent the Asia-Pacific region. They have

contributed four paintings each to the exhibition.

While Nipa is known for her colorful abstractions, figures have taken a prominent place

in Iqbal's paintings.

The exhibition will remain open for public until March 18. Paris-based Bangladeshi renowned artist Shahabuddin Ahmed, diplomats, French

government officials and art enthusiasts from the French society attended the event. n
Exemption of demurrage on baggage cargos at Ctg Air Port demanded

CCC Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin speaking as chief guest at a discussion meeting on the 96th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children\'s Day at Abdus Sattar auditorium in the Corporation yesterday.

Chittagong Bureau :

UAE Cargo Owners Association, Chitagong demanded exemptions of demurrage over imported cargos brought under baggage rules at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport .

The association leaders urged upon the Prime Minister to intervene the matter of demurrage exemptions over their consignment brought under baggage rules at a press conference held at Chittagong Press Club auditorium yesterday morning .

President of the Association Anowarul Ashraf Chowdhury readout the written statement before the media men in the press meet. The press meet was told that following detention of consignments under baggage rule at Chittagong Airport , several cases have been lodged against the Bangladeshi expatriates in 7 states of Middle East and some of the expatriates now under jail custody in ME countries and a number of concerned expatriates are now fugitive there.

President of Expatriate Welfare Council Syed Musleh Uddin in the press meet urges intervention over the matter by the Prime Minister .

He also said PM always enquires the welfare of the expatriates and earmarked the expatriates as golden men. He also mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina like as our mother and she always kind to the welfare of the expatriates. The president of the UAE Cargo Owners Association demanded the solutions of the matter by exempting demurrage at airport and formulation of new expatriate friendly baggage rules immediately.

The press meet was also told that 50 lakh Bangladeshi are engaged in different professions in middle east countries and most of the expatriate could not turn home regularly due to low paid employee there . So to feed back the demands of their family members in Bangladesh, these expatriate sometimes send different household materials etc to their family members by air cargo.

Mentionable that for the last four months, these expatriates are being deprived of their facilities . The leaders of the COA and EWC in the press meet demanded to release the baggage cargos from Chittagong Airport after paying regular routine charges exempting the demurrage charges of airport warehouse.


Israel seizes large tracts of land in occupied West Bank: Army Radio

A view shows Jordan Valley near the West Bank city of Jericho.

Reuters, Jerusalem :

Israel has appropriated large tracts of land in the occupied West Bank near the Dead Sea and the Palestinian city of Jericho, Israeli Army Radio said on Wednesday.

Israel's Peace Now movement, which tracks and opposes Israeli settlement in territory captured in a 1967 war, said the reported seizure of 579 acres (234 hectares) represented the largest land confiscation in the West Bank in recent years.

The group said plans for expanding nearby Jewish settlements and building tourism and other commercial facilities in the area were already on Israel's drawing board.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, in a statement, called on the international community to press Israel to stop land confiscations. Most countries view Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as illegal and an obstacle to peace.

The U.S. State Department criticized the land seizure, saying ongoing expropriations and settlement expansions were "fundamentally undermining the prospects for a two-state solution."

"We strongly oppose any steps that accelerate settlement expansion, which raises serious questions about Israel's long-term intentions," State Department spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing.

Asked about Army Radio's report of the land confiscation, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon's office said in an email to Reuters: "We are not relating to the issue."

Photos of a de facto Israeli confiscation notice - a Hebrew map and accompanying documents titled "A declaration of government property" - were tweeted, however, by the Palestine Liberation Organization on Tuesday.

Dated March 10, it listed 2,342 dunams, or 579 acres, and carried the signature of an official identified on the map as Israel's "supervisor of government property and abandoned property in Judea and Samaria", Hebrew terms for the West Bank.

Such an appropriation would be the largest since August 2014, and larger than the 380 acre (154 hectares) area that Israel first said in January it planned to designate as government property near the Dead Sea. News of those plans drew international condemnation at the time.

Israel says it intends to keep large settlement blocs in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. Palestinians, who seek to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, say they fear Israeli settlement expansion will deny them a viable country.
Economic Reporter :The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government and The Royal Thai Embassy in Dhaka jointly organized a four daylong event namely "Thailand Week 2016" from 16 - 19 March 2016 at the International Convention City Bashundhara.The four days event in Dhaka is going to have two parts. Trade days will consist of Business Matching session on 16 & 17 March 2016 and on 18 & 19 March 2016 the exhibition will be open to the public.This Event is a distinctive effort of the Royal Thai Government to expand the opportunities to the business communities of both countries, which will consequently strengthen the economical relation and increase the trade substantially.There are 39 Thai exhibitors who are featuring their 5 categories of products that include Garments & Fashion Accessories, Food & Beverages, Heavy Industry, Household & Kitchenware Products etc at this event.The Major Activity is One to One Meeting. We welcome all Bangladeshi Importers and Businessmen to visit the fair and enjoy the meeting with Thai Exporters. The interested parties are requested to contact: 01819262124 or [email protected]
Nawshaba, Moushumi Hamid, Marshal in telefilm

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

As an actress, either Moushumi Hamid or Nawshaba are very popular to all. But as an actor, promising Marshal has already established himself as a full-fledged actor. As a result, he is getting offers to work in good story based plays.

As a part of its continuation, Marcel got the scope to work under Matia Banu Shuku written a telefilm titled Painna Bhuter Golpo. New director Robi Sikder is making the telefilm.

Though as a model Robi Sikder earlier performed in several number of TV commercials and also worked as an actor in many plays for the first time his acting in a telefilm. Meanwhile, he also made a documentary before. When he got story of Matia Banu Shuku of this telefilm he did not refuse to make it.

Shooting of telefilm Painna Bhuter Golpo was held at a house at Pubail in Gazipur from March 15 to 17. Marshal is now working with Moushumi Hamid and Nawshaba.

While talking about the telefilm actor Marshal told this correspondent, I have worked mostly in literary story based plays. In my acting career, I got the opportunity to work under noted directors. I have been establishing myself in acting day-by-day. I often try to break myself while acting. I am grateful to Robi Sikder and Matia Banu Shuku to give me a scope to work in this telefilm.

Nawshaba shared her feelings by this way, There is nothing tosay new about Shuku Apas script. She writes story cordially. I am really impressed to work in the telefilm.

Moushumi Hamid said, There are some works which remain in mind forever. Painna Bhuter Golpo is that type of work. Robi Sikder Bhai has made the telefilm sincerely.

Director Robi Sikder informed that the telefilm will go on air soon in any satellite channel.

It may be mentioned that Marshal acted first play was Shuvo Drishti. Within very short days Marshal acted and Animesh Aich directed Shat Shotero and Matia Banu Shuku directed another play titled Agun Poka will go on air, he said.




IT expert Zoha missing?

Home Minister says he might have been arrested

Staff Reporter :Tanvir Hasan Zoha, an IT expert, who was involved in the investigation of the Bangladesh Bank cyber heist, has reportedly been missing since Wednesday.His wife Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury claimed that her husband was abducted from Kachukhet area around 1:00am Wednesday. She said Zoha talked with her over the phone around 11:30pm Tuesday for the last time. His mobile phone has been found switched off since 12:15am.Zoha's uncle Mahbubul Alam claimed that Zoha went to the office of an intelligence agency on Wednesday night from where he phoned his friend Yamir Ahmed to accompany him on the way to his residence."My nephew Zoha and Yamir took a CNG-run auto-rickshaw but it went out of order after two minutes. Then two microbuses blocked their way and took away them. Then, Yamir was dropped at Manik Mia Avenue. Later, Yamir informed Zoha's family about his abduction," Mahbubul said as quoting Zoha's friend Yamir.Raising allegation against police, Mahbubul Alam said that they went to Kalabagan police station to inform police soon after the incident, but the police told them that the area of the incident is under Kafrul police station.After they reached Kafrul police station early Thursday, they were again sent to Cantonment police station. Not only that, the Cantonment police sent them to Bhasantek police station where the law enforcers told them that the area of the incident was not under their jurisdictions.Being failed to file a general diary, Zoha's family members were compelled to return to their home. Zoha's wife demanded her husband to return safe and sound.Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday afternoon said that missing IT expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha might have been arrested for the sake of investigation over the Bangladesh Bank fund heist.The Minister came up with the statement after attending a programme at Krishibid Institute in the capital's Farmgate."The law enforcers might have arrested Zoha for the sake of investigation. But I am not sure about it", the Home Minister said responding to the queries of reporters.On February 4, hackers stole more than $101 million from Bangladesh Bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and wired it to a number of bank accounts in the Philippines and Sri Lanka.On February 29, Philippines daily the Inquirer broke the story of a possible $100m digital bank robbery of the BB fund.After the incident of Bangladesh Bank reserve heist came to light, Zoha talked to the media, giving expert opinion.The media reports identified Zoha as the ICT Division's cyber security specialist or cyber security wing director (Operations). But the ICT Division in a press release denied any link with Zoha.In the statement, the ICT Division further said it had not formed any committee to probe the fund heist.
10 hurt in city's Geneva Camp rival clash

As two rival drug dealer groups of Bihari community locked in clashes equipped with local made arms over establishing supremacy at Geneva Camp in city\'s Mohammadpur area on Thursday. Police trying to quell the clashes though the situation still tense.

Staff Reporter :

At least 10 persons were injured in a clash between two groups of people at Geneva Camp over establishing supremacy in the capital's Mohammadpur on Thursday.

The clash took place following an altercation between supporters of the two groups of people at the camp on Wednesday midnight.

The injured persons were sent to different hospitals of the capital.

Eyewitnesses said both groups equipped with home made arms attacked

each other around 12:30pm, leaving 10 people injured.

A policeman was also injured as the warring people threw brick chips at the policemen when they reached there to bring the situation under control.

The law enforcers raided the camp around 1:00pm and recovered knives and brick chunks from different places of the camp, Wahiduzzaman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Tejgaon Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told the reporters at 2:15pm.

None was arrested in connection with the incident, said the ADC. Additional police were deployed in the area to avert further clash. ADC Wahiduzzaman added that police would file a case in this connection.
Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle finally solved?

Inquisitr :

The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle may have finally been solved. Scientists believe that they now know why ships seemingly disappear when entering the mysterious stretch of sea. The researchers believe that giant craters on the bottom of the ocean may be the culprit as they send giant explosions of gas spew from the holes without warning.

The Daily Mail reports that scientists with the Arctic University of Norway believe they may have finally discovered what causes mysterious disappearances of ships in the Bermuda Triangle in the Barents Sea. The researchers found giant underwater craters that are believed to have been created by build ups of methane gas under the surface. The craters are indicative of areas where methane gas has built up and was rapidly released in gas explosions. Therefore, with numerous craters of this nature found under the Barents Sea within the mysterious Bermuda Triangle, the researchers believe that it may play a part in the disappearance of ships.

It was noted by the scientists that as the methane built up and was released,

it would pose a travel hazard on the surface of the Barents Sea as the gas would rise rapidly and mix with the water causing the ships to potentially sink. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Russian scientist Igor Yeltsov says that the methane explosions could account for sinking ships and that the waters would be mixed with high levels of gases, making it treacherous for vessels.

As you can see from the video, as the methane gas bubbles explode from the crater below, a freighter ship on the surface could potentially sink if it is on the edge of the bubble field as the front of the ship would be more buoyant that the rear which is submerged in the bubbling waters. In fact, the scientists note that if the ship was on the wrong part of the water when the bubbles exploded to the surface it could potentially snap the ship in half depending on the amount of gas released.

While the video shows exactly how ships could potentially be destroyed in a natural gas eruptions, it does not explain the disappearance of airplanes over the region. However, Bermuda Attractions notes that the methane theory could account for plane crashes as well as "gas is highly combustible." Therefore, "an eruption can also cause a plane flying above it to catch fire and completely get destroyed."

The latest research from the Arctic University of Norway suggests that there are more of these craters below the Bermuda Triangle than previously thought. The craters researched by the team were up to half a mile wide and 150 feet deep. Therefore, the scientists note that the cavities were likely filled with methane gas before it erupted to the surface.
Dhaka-KL deal on workers hiring to remain valid

UNB, Dhaka :Malaysia's decision to halt the recruitment of new foreign workers will not affect the validity of the deal signed with Bangladesh as it will remain valid once the country lifts the current ban, said its Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot."This is because the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was for a period of five years," Malaysian media outlet The Star Online quoted Datuk Seri as saying in a report from Petaling Jaya on Thursday. The freeze does not make the agreements 'null and void' and the agreement will remain valid when the freeze islifted, Riot quoted as saying.Malaysia has signed agreements for intake of foreign labour not only with Bangladesh but with seven countries, he said. On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Cabinet had decided to put a stop to the recruitment of new foreign workers into the country.
Damage control first priority

New BB governor pledges

Staff Reporter :

The newly appointed governor of Bangladesh Bank, Fazle Kabir, has said his first mission is to focus on repairing the damage caused by the recent cyber heist on its US Federal Reserve Bank account and to make sure such an incident is never repeated.

"Our first priority should be taking of necessary steps to repair the damages and to prevent recurrence of such incident of heist through which hackers took away $100 million from the central bank," he told reporters at Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday after his return from the United States.

"The government, the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister have entrusted me with a big responsibility, and I will try my best to fulfil it," said the new BB governor.

On Tuesday, Atiur Rahman quit as the central bank governor amid pressure from the government after it was revealed that the bank had kept the cyber-theft of $81 million from its account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York secret from the government. The same day, Finance Minister AMA Muhith announced the name of Fazle Kabir as the successor of Atiur Rahman. He has been appointed the central bank's governor for the next four years. Prior to his new appointment, Fazle Kabir was the chairman of state-owned Sonali Bank.

Also a former finance secretary, Fazle Kabir hoped that the inquiry committee formed by the government would perform their duty and reports would be coming out gradually.

Earlier on Wednesday, the finance minister informed reporters that the newly appointed governor of Bangladesh Bank, Fazle Kabir, will take charge on March 19 after his return from the USA.

Indicating to new governor's priority the Finance Minister said that Bangladesh Bank`s different systems require serious reforms. "It is not in a very healthy condition. This is my assessment."


Alleged robber killed in Magura gunfight with cops

Staff Reporter :

A suspected robber was killed in a 'gunfight' between his cohorts and police at Ramkantapur village in Shalikha upazila of Magura district on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Obaidul Sikder from Hatbaria Union of the Upazila. The body was also buried after autopsy.

The police filed two cases with the Shalikha Police Station in this connection.

Officer-in-Charge of Shalikha Police Station Abu Jihad Fakhrul Alam Khan said that on a tip-off that a gang of robbers were taking preparation to commit robbery in the area, a team of police launched a drive there at about 2:00 am.

Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the gang members opened fire at them, prompting the police personnel to retaliate with bullets that triggered a gunfight.

Later, police recovered the body of a member of the gang while his other accomplices managed to flee the scene.

Five policemen, including Sub-inspector Nasir Uddin, were also injured during the gunfight.

The injured policemen were admitted to Magura Sadar Hospital.

The law enforcers also recovered one foreign-made pistol, one magazine, some sharp weapons, three rounds of bullets and six rounds of bullet shells from the spot.
Slim chance to retrieve $81m, says Senator Osmena

$4.31 lakh believed to be part of the total carried by branch manager's car on Feb 5 evening, says witness

Senator OsmeAa

Staff Reporter :There is a "very low" chance that the government will be able to retrieve the $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh central bank because the money is now likely outside the country, says Senator Sergio Osmena III.Quoting Senator Osmena, Philippines Daily Inquirer on Wednesday said still, tracking the money from Bangladesh Bank would depend on the cooperation of casinos at the resumption on Thursday of Senate inquiry into the money-laundering scheme. The stolen money found its way into casinos after being withdrawn from a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Makati City.Senator Teofisto Guingona III, Chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, said it would be very difficult to retrieve the money "given that it has entered the blackhole."At the resumption of its hearing on Thursday, the Senate blue ribbon committee is expected to focus on casinos in finding out what happened to the stolen money.Osmena told reporters in his office in Makati City that the chance of retrieving the money is "very low". "We will try to get more information from the casinos. We have not questioned the President of Solaire because he was out of the country and the corporate counsel he sent does not know the details of the transactions," he said.The Senator said he wanted to find out from the casinos "where the money went" and for them to show their records that they "received the amounts and to whom these amounts were credited."The Senate committee is looking for the "electronic trail" of the money from the casinos, according to Osmena."I hope (the casinos can provide the electronic trail). We don't know how they will defend themselves but the law is full of holes. They can get away with it," he said.Asked whether there were laws that the casinos could invoke to allow them not to talk, Osmena said the country's laws "protect more the criminals than the government," citing as example the bank secrecy law that was invoked repeatedly by RCBC officials at the hearing on Tuesday.Meanwhile, a witness told a Senate hearing on Wednesday that a 20-million peso (US$4.31 lakh) cash believed to be part of the $81-million stolen funds from the Bangladesh Bank was allegedly loaded to the vehicle of Maia Santos-Deguito, the branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC). Romualdo Agarrado, former customer service head of RCBC branch on Jupiter Street in Makati City, disclosed this when he testified at the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the alleged money laundering scheme that slipped through the Philippine financial system. Agarrado said he personally saw the $4.31 lakh cash placed in a paper bag being loaded to the car of Deguito last February 5 when the inward remittance in the name of businessman William Go came in.In the afternoon of February 5, Agarrado said, the branch's assistant manager, Angela Torres, requested $4.31 lakh from the cash centre."Then around 5:30 in the afternoon, the armor car arrived from the cash center bibilangin po namin yung cash (we would count the cash), that was $4.31 lakh requested from the cash center," he said.Agarrado said he and Torres immediately transferred the money to the teller."Between 6:30 [and] 6:45pm the teller placed the money in a box, counted it and put the cash in branch manager Maia Deguito's room. That time BM Maia was outside the branch, I think she was talking to somebody on the cellphone," he said.He said Jovy Morales, the bank messenger, then transferred the money from the box to a paper bag before loading it to Deguito's vehicle with the help of Torres. "Jovy Morales loaded [the money] to the vehicle of manager Maia Deguito. Morales was the one who loaded it and was assisted by Angela Torres," he added.Agarrado said, "I could clearly see it because I was sitting on the table fronting the main door of the branch. It was made of glass so it could be clearly seen outside, even though it was 6:30 or quarter to 7:00pm already, the lighting was clear inside the branch."
Spies have no frontiers

Obi Anyadike :

A months-long investigation by IRIN into the secretive intelligence-linked firm Palantir, reveals a cosying up to aid organisations large and small, including a bargain-basement contract with a sensitive UN agency, and a flirtation with the international response to the Ebola outbreak. But how close is too close?

UN nuclear watchdog IAEA, dealing with Iran and North Korea, has contracted Palantir at rock-bottom rates

The UN's humanitarian arm engaged Palantir on a proof-of-concept analysis in the Philippines

The Silicon Valley "unicorn" explored the non-profit sector as hedge against a decline in counter-terrorism opportunities

Political and confidentiality concerns limit its success, as well as a clash of organisational cultures

The software is amazing. It's an all-powerful data integrator: combing through data from documents, websites, social media and databases, turning that information into people, places, events, things, displaying those connections on your computer screen, and allowing you to probe and analyse the links between them. The tool, developed by secretive Silicon Valley firm Palantir, can be enlisted to tackle a range of humanitarian problems: from people trafficking and gun-running to stemming floods. It could revolutionise disaster coordination, management and response.

But the global aid community is wary. Palantir retains extremely close links to the US security establishment, and the line between politics and humanitarian work is under constant attack and incrementally being pushed back.

After a months-long investigation, IRIN can reveal how potential aid partners are spooked by these political and security connections and how a major deal with a key UN agency recently fell through because of them.

The power of Palantir's pattern-finding data analysis is already used by blue chip US humanitarian organisations including the Carter Center, the Clinton Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the dirty-money chasing arm of the George Clooney-affiliated Enough Project.

"It's a transformative tool," said Andrew Brenner, of the Rockefeller-linked 100 Resilient Cities Initiative. "Palantir's engagement in Norfolk (a flood-prone city in Virginia) has completely changed the way the city goes about its planning work and its response efforts; and that's no small feat, to change the way a city operates."

But the data analysis software has other, less benign applications. Palantir, whose initial investors included the CIA's venture capital outfit In-Q-Tel, is in tight with the US security services - so tight in fact that the private Palo Alto-based firm is widely rumoured to have been behind the tracking and finding of Osama Bin Laden.

The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has also hired Palantir. The challenge for the IAEA is the verification of non-proliferation agreements - Iran and North Korea for example - and it spent $500,000 in 2014 on Palantir's Gotham software to analyse the available data.

"The idea that the likes of Google, GPS, Microsoft don't have ties with US intelligence is silly"

It seems to fly in the face of humanitarian principle, let alone common sense, for aid workers to seek to partner with an outfit that has its roots so firmly embedded in covert operations.

There are many places in the world where a Palantir logo on your laptop would not be the wisest bit of branding. And there's the related, almost reflex, concern, that having Palantir in the room is an open invitation to the US National Security Agency to read your email and add your data to their vast, global, intelligence trawl. But Andrew Schroeder, director of research and analysis at the US humanitarian outfit Direct Relief, an early philanthropic partner for Palantir, dismisses fears that working with the firm means compromising your data and opening a backdoor to Langley, Virginia.

"Palantir is hardly the only software company that has security links. The idea that the likes of Google, GPS, Microsoft don't have ties with US intelligence is silly, " said Schroeder, who worked with Palantir in the Philippines when the firm provided data analysis for a Direct Relief health project.

"I always assume that if they want your data, they will find a way to get it. Humanitarians are not good at data security even on a good day," he noted. "But I don't see any benefit for the intelligence community to find out about Direct Relief's medical aid shipments. They can find that on our website."

But humanitarian advisor Paul Currion has more fundamental concerns. "Technology is often viewed as neutral, and it's marketed to us like that. But the reality is that when it comes to software, there are assumptions built into code," he said.

"The assumptions of the intelligence community are not the same as our assumptions. Software designed based on their assumptions will not necessarily serve our purposes, even if the tools themselves might be useful."

His objection to working with an organisation like Palantir is essentially political. "The question is whether humanitarian organisations should share our broader political concerns. I would argue strongly yes - that humanitarian principles actually should translate into a concern about military-industrial surveillance and its providers."

Human rights and technology researcher Tom Longley references a 2011 scandal in which a Palantir engineer was involved in plans to launch cyberattacks on WikiLeaks. He was suspended, but then reappointed. "I'm curious," wrote Longley in an email exchange. "What would it take for Palantir to become an unacceptable ally?"

Sanjana Hattotuwa, a senior researcher at the Centre for Policy Alternatives and special advisor to the ICT4Peace Foundation, believes that no one can be under any illusion in this post-Edward Snowden world: "If you're concerned about security, you shouldn't be on the internet".

"My opinion on Palantir is that they provide a service that is perceived to be valuable," he said. If they were ever found out "to have deep links with spook infrastructure", they would be "finished as a company, and so it is in their interest to actually mean what they say". "I don't think they hide what they are," explained a director of a Geneva-based non-profit whose team analyses data on crises from open sources. "They pitch their software as the stuff you use to find bad guys."

His keen interest is "because I don't see any other software with that level of functionality I want the best hammer in my hand, and that happens to be Palantir."

And Palantir is not the only startup funded by the CIA's venture capital firm that works in the humanitarian world. Recorded Futures, backed by In-Q-Tel and Google, monitors the web for "real-time threat analysis". It was hired by the UN Development Programme after the Georgia/Russia conflict to scan social media for clues to upcoming crises.

Humanitarian coordination is only going to get harder. The exponential growth in data means more fragmented information, more formats, more tools, more complexity, more urgency.

"Increasingly, it's a software problem," said Jonathan Stambolis, previously head of international partnerships at Palantir, now founder of Zenysis Technologies. "The challenge is the streamlining of information, its cleaning, collating, managing and integrating." Humanitarian work, or as Palantir calls it, "philanthropy engineering", is almost the pro bono side of the company, which is currently valued at $20 billion, making it the fourth wealthiest venture capital-backed firm in the world (Peter Thiel, one of Palantir's founders, also has a substantial stake in accommodation service Airbnb, ranked third).

Palantir was launched in 2004. Its core business spans three broad areas: government contracts (the defence and security establishment, but also FBI and local law enforcement); the financial sector, where its software helps detect fraud; and legal research - what it calls "legal intelligence" - connecting the dots within the data, which reportedly helped in the conviction of Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff.

It makes its money from selling licenses on its groundbreaking software, which can be off the shelf or bespoke. But the real earner is in the super-smart staff it sends in to run the system for you - its "forward deployed engineers", in Palantir's militarised argot. According to Richmond, a "barebones" system at commercial rates would set you back $7 million a year; bells and whistles and you're talking $12-15 million - although the price varies hugely depending on scale and task.

Yet it provides these services to humanitarians virtually for free. In the case of proposed partnerships with the UN's emergency aid coordination body, OCHA, and later the Accra-based UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, Palantir offered such heavy discounts that the deals would have caused problems with the UN's procurement procedures, officials familiar with the details told IRIN.

"Palantir philanthropy has tended to be more interested in the problem sets rather than whether people in [the aid industry] can pay for it," said Schroeder.

"They find it to be of signature benefit to the company, from a recruiting standpoint, that their engineers will work on the world's hardest problems, like human trafficking and disaster relief - things that are meaningful."

Palantir's initial interest in the non-profit world seemed to be more the search for a new business model than altruism. Direct Relief was one of its early partners and Schroeder describes a scenario in which, before the emergence of so-called Islamic State, counter-terrorism seemed to be on the wane, and not the same growth opportunity it is today.

"I could see us in retrospect being some kind of research project," said Schroeder. They knew there were "paying clients" within the disaster relief sector, "we just didn't happen to be one of them". Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 provided an opportunity for Palantir to show the humanitarian community what its software could do. Their pointman was Stambolis, who had been an adviser to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and knew Valerie Amos, then head of OCHA. "That was effectively how they got through the door," said one OCHA official.

They were keen to understand the data challenges and ran a "who, what, where" service in parallel with OCHA's. One question they were asked to explore, and were able to solve, was whether food aid deliveries were being politicised - with particular constituencies favoured. The answer was not made public by OCHA. Athough Stambolis said he was unaware of any unease caused by Palantir's intelligence connections, more than one OCHA staff member confirmed that it was indeed those fears that sunk the deal. "The OCHA [donor relations] people said we should be very careful & cautious about how we work with them," one official, with years of disaster experience, wrote in an email.

"I'm sure they had the idea they could become the central information infrastructure for the humanitarian community," said the Geneva-based humanitarian director. "If that's the case, they're not on the right track. I think they underestimated how paranoid we are about the dark side."

A case in point was his request for anonymity. He has courted Palantir, and has had at least one sit-down meeting in their Washington office, but they are yet to make him an offer. "They must be busy," he suggested.

But he didn't want his name or that of his organisation used in this story. "If we're known to be using that software, then our credibility goes out of the window and we're the humanitarian black sheep."

"Over time, I think Palantir's philanthropy model has changed," said Schroeder. "They inherited a set of business practices from their other clients, and they were trying to figure out how to apply it to non-profits. I think what surprised them is how much they needed to change in order to fit their technology to the non-profit context."

Palantir may have decided it doesn't need the headache of the humanitarian world. Richmond, for one, believes the aid industry needs Palantir far more than the firm - busy gobbling up office space in Palo Alto - needs it. IRIN was unable to get a response from the company to its many questions.

Although Palantir's growth has been staggering, it is not immune to the current market turmoil. That might make them even more selective in terms of philanthropic partners.

The Geneva-based director is still patiently waiting for his call. "I reached out to them, but they didn't take the bait," he said. "Maybe the story we tell doesn't interest them."

(The author is the Editor-at-Large of IRIN News)
No family politics can be an alternative to Awami League politics

The council conference of BNP will be held tomorrow to demonstrate how absolutely that has become a mother-and-son party. They had to obtain permission from the government for holding council conference and there is much to fear how orderly the conference will be concluded.

The leaders and workers of BNP must be praised for enduring endless persecution, harassment and also imprisonment. Hundreds of them are still in jail not to be seen at the conference.

The sad part is that BNP is losing its relevance as an opposition party despite so much oppression they went through.

The family politics ran its course when in January 5, 2014 election Awami League had ended whatever was left of election politics by which one party came to power after another automatically.

Both Awami League and BNP used their family names for politics in a political vacuum. They inherited not just family connections but also the reputation of the leaders tragically assassinated.

Awami League and BNP practised the same politics. None of them truely cared for democracy and pursued mere power politics. The politics of politicisation of all the professions and institutions that the parties followed was the politics of one party government to end democracy.

Awami League grabbed the opportunity and now consolidating its position for its one party rule. The problem it is facing now is its incapacity to run the government. The government is hampered by inefficiency and massive corruption of the leader's chosen sychophants.

Such is the fate of family politics everywhere in contrast to the accountability of democratic politics. Even without effective opposition, the family politics ultimately sink in the sea of corruption and inefficiency.

Sycophancy is not the way of efficient and honest people. There is mismanagement in every sector of public life. Still the sycophants of the government are singing the songs of success never seen before.

Now a law has been passed to stifle the independence of the judiciary. But it has to be admitted that uptill now some independence exists for the judiciary though trial by police is preferred by the government.

Under a democracy also the people's strength and courage come from the opposition. Without a strong opposition party democracy does not work. The people remain helpless.

The family politics is no politics. But to have and save democracy the leader has to have political knowledge and experience and this is the reason why in family politics flatterers and liars dominate to misguide the party politics and the government also.

In the present political momentum, an effective democratic opposition is needed most to save democracy. For family politics, there is no need for choosing BNP. Awami League exists in full swing. Otherwise, the nation will have to suffer the consequences of a faltering one party rule -- anarchy. As mother-and-son BNP is a dying force not a democracy. It must change to be political party. Those in BNP must think seriously.

It is a known characteristic of family party politics to take it for granted that foreign influence will help one or the other to come to power. Foreign embassies had to play an active role to resolve disputes over elections. The political leaders welcomed such interference. Yet the leaders did not try themselves to solve the political problems politically. They initiated politics making their own people helpless and now voterless.

The foreign influence for running our politics is undeniable. Our leaders have proved weak to show their political inexperience to guide their politics.

India has no hesitation to tell its preference for Awami League. BNP prefers to depend on Western countries. But in the process, both Awami League and BNP have neglected the democratic values and principles. Their power base is not democracy or people.

But the present challenge for any opposition should be how to save democracy. For that to happen, it is vitally important to seek the people's support as a democratic party. But it has to be agreed, however disappointingly that BNP does not see the need of giving up family politics of inheritance. Awami League's alternative cannot be undemocratic family politics of the past.
Steven Serrano

In the block of text that follows the email Steven Serrano sent me is a quote from Agnes Martin: The worst thing you can think about when you're working is yourself. From its foundations to its slowly growing bookshelves, the newly opened Corpus Info Shop has been guided by ethics in this vein. Infoshops are community-based, alternative media centers that offer books, art, zines, film and music that you won't be able to find at the traditional library a few blocks away. And more than that, Corpus is a safe, radical and queer space to broach new topics and explore others that may have previously escaped your radar.

We started thinking about opening this space the day we met, Edward Phillips said as we sat in the window of the small spot on Sixth Street. Serrano and Phillips are all at once the creators, curators and the ones that work desk hours at the space. Both moved to Albuquerque a little over a year ago and noticed the abundance of decidedly vibrant and queer-friendly house shows, bar shows and arts events, for that reason, What really spoke to [us about Corpus] was the library aspect, said Phillips. Serrano, who was active in similar spaces in Arizona and frequented radical bookstores on the West Coast noted that they had these amazing collections, these amazing archives that you could buy, but were expensive  I thought, I'd love to take this [book], carry it with me everywhere, have it be a part of my life, then give it away again. Now the two are making that possible for all the avid readers, queer theorists, comics enthusiasts and radical thinkers throughout the community. Corpus's member-based library system allows memberswho pay just $20 a yearaccess to a multitude of rare media that they can take home, absorb and then pass on. Not everyone is privileged enough to buy these expensive books, Serrano noted, but we can provide them  each of these books is going to go into many, many hands and many, many minds.

Steven Serrano

In addition to the infoshop's library there is also a mix-tape station where music archivists can make their analog dreams come true, recording from vinyl and other media, as well as a copy machine, where zinesters can print their latest opus at a fraction of the price of a commercial store. There will also be two monthly eventsa first friday art show and performance as well as a cinema nightthat are open to the public. Twenty-six bodies can fit in here sitting, Serrano said as we talked logistics, which makes the space quite cozy. [At first] we thought it was too small, he went on, but we created an idea and made it fit  the idea was to start small and [let the community] give us a reason to grow. For DIY spaces like this one, it really is all about the community[without] that mutual support  it just won't work, Serrano said. The more membership, the more support, the more books that are donated; we'll have a reason to create more shelves, more space, different space.  What it looks like now is not what it's going to look like in six months.

Corpus provides an alternative space to while away free hours, a place free of the commercial grind, with no profit motive, where nothing has a price tag and all efforts are devoted to learning, collaboration and creation. People keep walking in and asking 'Is this stuff for sale?' Serrano laughed. Was there a need for a space like this? Perhaps, he continued, Are we filling it? I hope so.

Moving forward, Phillips and Serrano aren't thinking about the potential challenges, only the expanded opportunities that come with engaging with others through Corpus, and the dynamic potential it has to serve the community. Every time we give out a membership card, my heart pounds, Serrano told me, Now you have access to this weird thing we've been creating for months.

Get your body to Corpus during regular shop hours (Thursday 7-9pm, Friday 7-10pm and Saturday 1-6pm) with cash on hand to become a card-carrying member or get there early on April 1 to find a seat for Corpus's first cinema night, a double feature that kicks off with The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye, an exploration of the life of musician and performance artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, followed by FLicKeR, about artist Brion Gysin. The lights dim at 7pm.

Corpus means body, and bodies mean a lot, as Phillips and Serrano pointed outa body of work, a body of knowledge, a full catalog, the human bodybecome a part of the frame that supports Corpus and contribute to an ever more vital community by becoming involved with this exciting new project. Connect with Corpus by visiting the shop at 214 Sixth Street SW, sending an email to corpus. infoshop@gmail or finding them on your social media of choice.
Money will primarily be used for personnel and programming to help grow Acadianas entrepreneurial ecosystem.

JPMorgan Chase is partnering with INNOV8 Acadiana by granting the Community Foundation of Acadiana organization $75,000 to help grow Acadianas entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Chase's Ed Hebert

Chase says in a press release that its continued investment in Acadiana directly supports the community where its employees live, grow, start businesses and raise families. Small and emerging companies often are where innovation and ideas happen. Right here in Acadiana, entrepreneurs are tackling some of the worlds biggest problems, creating innovative products, and helping other businesses function more efficiently and effectively. As a supporting partner of INNOV8 Acadiana, we are proud to assist budding entrepreneurs in the Acadiana region, Ed Hebert, managing director of Chase commercial banking in Acadiana, says in the release.

INNOV8 Acadiana serves the region by helping entrepreneurs accelerate their success. Their primary mission is to introduce scaleable companies with motivated investors ready to provide capital, mentoring and contacts as equity business partners.

We are very excited to receive this grant from one of the best friends of small businesses in the country, Pete Prados, director of INNOV8 Acadiana, says in the release. The money will primarily be used for personnel and programming as we continue to open doors for students, startups, and second-stage companies throughout our region.

JPMorgan Chase serves more than 4 million small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the nation, nearly 80,000 of which are in Louisiana. JPMorgan Chase has been ranked the states No. 1 Small Business Association lender for three consecutive years.

INNOV8 Acadiana plans to host several pitch competitions in 2016, including the LAGCOE Energy Innovators Pitch Competition later this year. Ongoing monthly meet-ups with LEDAs Opportunity Machine bring together mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs ready to find one another. An Angel investment group, Acadiana Angels, is being formed to streamline the investment process by bringing vetted deals to accredited investors. INNOV8 pitch contestant winners from 2015 have moved on to other funding opportunities, formal training and new growth. All of the primary pieces of the puzzle are coming together to grow our entrepreneurial ecosystem; talent, acceleration, and access to capital, says Prados. Especially at a time like this in Acadiana where the energy market is hurting everyone, entrepreneurs still continue to launch great companies and create exciting new avenues for job and wealth creation.

JPMorgan Chase, which has 3,200 employees in Louisiana, says it has donated more than $34 million to nonprofits in the state since Hurricane Katrina.
Michael Tolbert, 36, and Gregory Davis Jr., 33, both of Lafayette, face 1 count of felony theft over $25,000 each.

On Wednesday, detectives with the Lafayette Police Department arrested two men, including a Lafayette Consolidated Government employee, alleging they stole money from the citys parking meters.

Davis Jr.



Michael Tolbert, 36, and Gregory Davis Jr., 33, both of Lafayette, face one count of felony theft over $25,000 each. Police say they received information that money was being stolen from parking meters within the city by an LCG employee.

The investigation revealed that Tolbert, who is an employee of LCG Parking and Administration, was allegedly removing money from the meters and turning over the money to Davis, who was working as his accomplice. Davis would then bring the stolen coins to a financial institution to obtain bills, according to police.

Tolbert

According to investigators, the two men had been stealing money from the meters as far back as March of 2015. In addition to the theft charge, Davis was found to be in possession of marijuana and now also faces a charge of possession with Intent to distribute marijuana.
SPRINGFIELD  Democrats and Republicans in the Illinois Senate dug their trenches a little deeper Thursday as the stalemate over the states budget continues.

Democrats voted to approve a bill that would authorize spending $3.8 billion on higher education, social services and other programs that have been deprived of funding since the fiscal year began July 1. Republicans, meanwhile, reiterated Gov. Bruce Rauners call for increased spending on elementary and secondary education in next years budget.

The vast majority of this years spending has continued thanks to court orders, consent decrees, state statutes, and a small number of budget bills that have been approved by the General Assembly and signed by the governor, most notably one covering elementary and secondary education. But the programs the Senate bill covers havent received any funding.

The bill passed on a 39-18 vote, garnering enough support to override a potential veto from Rauner.

Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, one of the bills sponsors, said it would allow universities, community colleges, social service providers and others to get in line for payment from the state.

Before we decimate our higher education institutions here, before we decimate our community service providers that we need as our partners  we need to get them into the queue so they can actually get paid, Steans said.

But Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said doing that would be like telling someone to get in the back of the line at a bank thats already been shut down.

Youre telling people, Go get to the back of the line, after the bank run has already shut the doors, Rose said.

Democrats argued that without spending authorization those programs have no hope of ever receiving money.

At an appropriations committee hearing earlier in the day, University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen expressed the schools support for the bill while also calling on lawmakers and the governor to work with universities to come up with a long-term plan to stabilize higher education funding.

It would be a ruinous legacy of the legislative branch and the administration branch to somehow destroy public higher education in this state, Killeen said.

Testifying at the same hearing was Comptroller Leslie Munger, who estimated that the states backlog of unpaid bills could reach $10 billion by June 30, not counting any new spending authorized by the Senate bill.

However, Democrats noted that the bill would authorize payments to entities with which agencies under the governors control have signed contracts. That includes a $38 million deal with Amtrak that the Rauner administration announced in February.

The path forward for the legislation is unclear.

The House passed a similar measure earlier this month that would spend about $100 million less and is tied to a bill that would forgo repayment of $454 million borrowed from special funds to plug holes in last years budget. Neither chamber is scheduled to return to Springfield until the first week of April.

Rauner has indicated that hell veto either version if it reaches his desk.

Rather than adding billions to our debt and risk further delaying payments to social service providers, the General Assembly needs to stay in Springfield and negotiate a balanced budget alongside structural reforms that create jobs and grow our economy, spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said in a written statement after the vote.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans held a news conference Thursday calling on Democrats to join them in supporting the governors plan to fully fund general state aid to public schools for the first time in seven years.

The state aid formula includes a minimum amount of funding that is designed to be required to be sent to our schools so that all of our students across the state have a foundation level of educational support, Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said.

Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, a leading proponent of overhauling the state aid formula, said the foundation level is a fictional number that doesnt address funding inequalities.

Democrats, who want to change the formula before putting more money into the system, are still waiting for a district-by-district breakdown of Rauners proposal, Manar said.
Carpenters, woodsmiths and stonemasons.

According to Edward O' Day, a retired professor of European history, these were the skillsets of Irish immigrants who migrated into Southern Illinois throughout the 18th Century.

O'Day, who took an interest in Irish settlements while tracing his genealogy, reflected on John Lawler and his family who, according to O'Day, were documented as the earliest settlers in the region.

"John Lawler and his family arrived in Shawneetown, Gallatin County, from County Kildare, Ireland, in 1819," he said.

The Lawlers, along with three other families who O'Day said emigrated from Leinster, Ireland, formed what was known as Pond Settlement.

"All three of these earliest settlements were primarily farming communities," he noted.

According to the former Southern Illinois University professor, Irish immigrants migrated into the region in greater amounts after the state opened to settlement in the early 1820s.

If there was a job in building a railroad, or even a road like the National Road, the Irish were willing to labor," he said.

According to O Day, during the 1830s, rivermen, tradesmen and craftsmen developed a strong Irish presence in Cairo.

Like the Lawlers, most of these Irish were probably direct immigrants," O'Day said, "arriving either down the Ohio from Pittsburgh, or up the Mississippi from New Orleans."

It was not until the 1850s and '60s that census of Irish immigration began to develop in the region.

O'Day said this was a result of the Irish Potato Famine that occurred in 1846.

The census tells us where people came from," O'Day said. "They had much more specific numbers about how many Irish lived in the area, and we had names to go with them.

In places like Tipperary town, verified by O'Day as "a small ethnic Irish space carved out amidst the surrounding Germans," Irish immigrants began to settle in larger numbers.

There were some places in Illinois, like Tipperary town in Monroe County, which was named after Irish counties." O'Day said. "That means most of the people who had settled in Monroe County, had come from Tipperary County in Ireland.

O'Day said the mixture of Catholic Germans and Catholic Irish within the town, now known as Tipton, brought the establishment of churches.

If the Germans came from a Catholic part of Germany, and the Irish came from a Catholic part of Ireland," he said, "they were drawn together because together, the two communities can build a Catholic church.

Tipperary town was the first of many towns where the Irish built upon their religious beliefs.

St. Patrick's Catholic church, the first Catholic church in Tipton, was erected in 1850.

The construction of the Illinois Central railroad also brought about Irish immigrants and Irish-Americans.

"Advertisements in 1852 enticed Irishmen to 'come forward and assist in laying this mighty track,'" O' Day expressed.

Once the railroad was completed most Irish settlers, O'Day confirms says 400 to 500 immigrants, in the region lived in what he called "shanty towns."

"Vandalia, Fayette County, and South Pass (Cobden) in Union County was the site of another large labor camp," he said. "All along the line a few Irish stayed on as track laborers but their numbers were small."

Though Irish immigrants were not well developed in Carbondale, O'Day reflects on a peculiar Kate McCarthy, a widow from Ireland, who had to sustain herself, and her three children, after the loss of her husband.

For financial support she opened a boarding house, which was used for railroad workers, on Oak Street.

O'Day confirmed that, unlike the majority of Irish immigrants in the region, McCarthy remained in Carbondale until the day she died.

After the famine rush, and the construction of railroads, a lot of immigrants migrated to Chicago for better jobs.

According to O'Day, those who remained were decedents from those who emigrated from Ireland, better known as second generation Irish Americans.

"What you have left are the people who are still proud of their Irish ancestry," O'Day said. "Whether they're decedents of those protestants who came from the Carolinas, or the Catholic Irish who came in the 1830s, a lot of those people, right down into the 20th century, still consider themselves Irish-Americans."
Growing up in the South during the Civil Rights era, Leo Twiggs was well acquainted with the Confederate flag, but it wasnt until he went to get his doctorate from the University of Georgia that he began to be drawn to the flag as a subject for his art.

On my way there I would just see these flags flying, Twiggs says. But I had never seen the flag displayed the way it was than on my way to the University of Georgia.

This pre-occupation with the flag really fascinated me because it happened in our state. We were flying it over our Statehouse, but in Georgia it was so blatant. It was down on the houses, he says. Id look at my rear view mirror on my way to Athens and it looked like a sea of Confederate regiments back there.

Since then, the Confederate flag has become one of the touchstone symbols for the African-American batik artist, a professor emeritus at S.C. State whose works have previously been on display at the Gibbes Museum of Art. The flag pops up again and again in his work as what can perhaps best be described as grotesque. In these pieces, the Confederate flag is transformed into a distorted, disembodied relic, a stain on the past  and the present. Its a tattered and torn ghost that haunts the South.

What I wanted to do early on was to create a flag that looked like it had been left in a trunk for 150 years and all of a sudden you pull it out of a trunk and you see the stain and the mildew, he says.

For Twiggs, the flag allowed him to explore what the Drive-By Truckers Patterson Hood would much later call the duality of the Southern thing. The artist says, I was always fascinated by the contradictions of the South  the hospitality on one hand and the Southern past, slavery and all of that. And so you had these dual perceptions of the South.

But as important as that was, Twiggs was also drawn to the flags simplicity and the allure of the St. Andrews cross and the letter X.

Its a powerful graphic statement, he says. And so Twiggs became fascinated with the X-shaped signs that are often found at railroad crossings and he began incorporating them into his work, most notably in his series called Crossings. In that series, the X takes on a haunting, nearly foreboding connotation, as it hovers over Twiggs human figures, largely faceless figures that take on the appearance of shadows even when they are a color other than black or gray. In the process, the railroad crossing calls upon the African-American journey from slavery to freedom and later to equality. Along the way, personal prejudices and institutional racism blocked their path.

I thought in the South, we had to cross over that, Twiggs adds. The flag has been with us. It has kept all of those things going.

Sometime later, Twiggs took the X and the idea of a crossing one step further, transforming it into a symbol for death itself, the final crossing.

We human beings in life go through a series of crossings, he says. You might lose a loved one. You might lose a mother or father. You might get divorced. All of those are just things in our lives that we have to cross over.

Today, all of these symbols come together in perhaps one of Twiggss most powerful works to date, Requiem for Mother Emanuel No. 3. In this piece  which recently sold at a Spoleto USA auction for $13,000  the Emanuel AME Church is captured at an angle as if something has shaken its very foundations. Meanwhile, an ugly smudge of a Confederate flag  tattered and frayed  is smeared across the churchs facade like a fresh wound. Below the flag and the church are nine stark Xs.

Requiem for Mother Emanuel No. 3 stands in stark contrast to some of the more treacly works that have been created following the tragic events of June 17. In fact, it may be one of just a handful of artistic representations that even attempts to capture the horror of that day.

When the Mother Emanuel incident happened, obviously, I was very moved. I had been to the Emanuel Church. I had been to Charleston, Twiggs says, before turning his attention back to the flag, the subject of so many of his paintings since the 1970s. What I tried to do is show it as a ragged instrument that now has bloody connotations because you see there is blood sprayed all over it.
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The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has increased the number of its gas filling stations in Romania to 33, said the message from the company.

SOCAR commissioned another gas filling station under its brand name on Bucharest-Constanta highway March 16, according to the message.

Currently, the companys gas filling stations operate in 16 regions of Romania.

SOCAR is the sole producer of oil products in Azerbaijan. It has filling stations in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania and Switzerland.

The company exported 1.23 million tons of oil products in 2015, compared to 1.2 million tons in 2014.
/By Azernews/

By Nazrin Gadimova

Over 100 companies with foreign investments operate in Azerbaijan as of early 2016, reads a report by the countrys Taxes Ministry released on March 16.

Since the beginning of 2016, the ministry registered 25,508 taxpayers, including 23,828 individuals and 1,680 legal entities (114 of which are enterprises with foreign investments), according to the report.

The ministry further said that the foreign-invested companies operating in economys non-oil sector have expanded their interests. Thus, earlier these companies were represented in such spheres as industry, construction and transport, while now they are also engaged in trade, tourism and sphere of services.

Sparkassen Advisory Services and DB International GMBH (both from Germany), General Engineering Services and Supply Company LP and Cieco BTC UK Limited (both from UK), as well as U.S. Trea International Group Inc. are among the new companies operating in the country.

Moreover, such foreign companies as Estonian SKYBUS, Austrian Vega International Car Transport & Logistic-Trading Gesellschaft, French Airbus Ds Geo Sa, Norwegian Qinterra Technologies AS and EPI limited are operating in the country.

The ministry further noted that foreign investors' interest in Azerbaijan following the measures taken to improve business and investment climate and simplify business registration, as well as increased state support for entrepreneurs.

Attraction of foreign investments into the country and increase in the number of large companies with broad financial capabilities contribute to the development of Azerbaijans private sector, the ministry emphasized.

On the background of the worldwide economic fluctuations, Azerbaijans government is keen on diversifying the economy by encouraging local entrepreneurs and attracting foreign investments.

The head of the state has repeatedly stated that business development and the deepening of radical reforms are the priority issues for Azerbaijan at this stage.

Experts believe that one of the key points here is to attract investment. Thus, the head of the state has signed a decree to encourage investment activities, improve business environment, increase industrial production, as well as create a mechanism and normative legal acts related to encouragement of investments.

Thus, the amendments to the Tax Code, approved by the head of state on February 16, provide for tax benefits to legal and physical entities engaged in investment activities. Following the amendments, the entrepreneurs will get the relevant document, granting them with tax and customs privileges.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkey once again showed how solid is the foundation of the two peoples friendship, fraternity and strategic partnership, said Novruz Mammadov, Azerbaijani presidential administrations deputy head, chief of the administrations foreign relations department.

Mammadov made the remarks March 16 speaking to reporters in Baku.

He said the talks and meetings held during the visit, as well as the documents signed, and the visits results demonstrated that the two countries, the two peoples are one nation, two states, as said by Azerbaijans national leader Heydar Aliyev.

The speeches made and the documents signed during the visit showed that these states, these peoples are always together and will be together in all the processes taking place in the world, both at hard and successful times, said Mammadov. Turkish media too reacted to this visit that way.

He added that the speeches made by the two countries presidents showed the essence of the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

This is a solid basis for our history, our countries and our future, and we must continue our relations on this basis, added Mammadov.
Iranian government has granted the agriculture ministry with a permit for cooperation with Azerbaijan in veterinary sector.

Under the permit, Irans agriculture ministry is entitled to hold talks and sign temporary agreements with Azerbaijan, ILNA news agency reported March 17.

According to the report, within the next three years the ministry will be authorized to take measures regarding the cooperation with Azerbaijan in the veterinary sector.

Irans First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri has informed the countrys agriculture ministry and the ministry of foreign affairs about the decision.

The agriculture ministry is required to coordinate its measures regarding the issue with the ministry of foreign affairs.

Over the past couple of years bilateral ties between Tehran and Baku have improved significantly.

Recently, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev concluded his late-February visit to Iran, which took place on the invitation of Irans President Hassan Rouhani. The high-level official visit resulted in conclusion of over 10 documents covering various areas of cooperation between Tehran and Baku.

President Rouhani is also expected to pay an official visit to Baku within the next six months to discuss expansion of ties.
The main stage of negotiations on the strategic partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan will be completed in summer 2016, said Herbert Salber, the EU special representative for South Caucasus, in an exclusive interview with Trend in Baku March 17.

He said the new strategic partnership agreement between EU and Azerbaijan is bound to cover all the potential areas of cooperation.

Salber added that the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be raised in the agreement.

The EU representative also said that whenever the EU negotiates an agreement on behalf of member states, the negotiations have to get their mandate.

Salber added that once the mandate is there, concrete negotiations on the new strategic partnership agreement between EU and Azerbaijan will start.

Salber also positively assessed his visit to Azerbaijan.

I had meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, he said. I covered a big spectrum of interest for me.

During the meetings, we discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, few issues that followed up to the visit of Federica Mogherini, vice-president of the European Commission, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, he said.

He also said the relations between the EU and Azerbaijan have good prospects, adding that Mogherinis recent visit to Azerbaijan confirmed the willingness of both sides to develop the bilateral cooperation.

Further speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Salber said the settlement must be achieved first and foremost by the both parties involved.

International community can make proposals for settlement of the conflict, he said. But the choice should be made by the actors involved.

The negotiations on the conflict settlement have been lasting for more than 20 years, said Salber. All the potential proposals have been on the table. This is the matter of making choice.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
/By Azernews/

By Nazrin Gadimova

Establishing contacts and dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region is an important key in the conflict settlement.

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark as part of meeting with visiting Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus.

Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan for the resolution of the conflict and changing the current status-quo, which is unsustainable and unacceptable for Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov believes.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict evolved in 1988 as a result of Armenian aggressive policy towards neighboring Azerbaijan. As a result of a bloody war, Armenia occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories.

The Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly expressed concern over the delayed conflict resolution process, with some of them proposing to make substantial changes in the format of the mediating Minsk Group.

However, despite the concerns and efforts of foreign governments and international organizations Armenia does not give up its non-constructive position. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four binding resolutions on its pullout from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

EU can contribute to settle conflict

Herbert Salber believes that the European Union can contribute to the settlement of long lasting conflict. A new agreement on bilateral partnership will cover all aspects of EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, EU special representative for the South Caucasus said in his interview to the local media.

At the same time, Salber stressed that settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be achieved only with the participation of both parties in this process.

The international community can make proposals to resolve the conflict, but the parties to the conflict should make the choice by themselves. Negotiations to resolve the conflict have been continuing for more than 20 years, many ways have been proposed to resolve it, and the matter depends on the choice of the parties, he said.

Good opportunities for further expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU opened after Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy visited Azerbaijan, according to Salber.

Mogherini, who visited Azerbaijan on February 29, believes that a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in accordance with the international law, remains a top EU priority.

The EU, which is not directly involved in the conflict resolution, has repeatedly stated that the status quo is unacceptable and supports diplomatic settlement of the conflict within the framework of the Minsk Group. The peace talks have been largely fruitless so far despite the efforts of the MG co-chairing countries over 20 years.




Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on March 17 pardoning 148 people.

Under the decree, 137 people, sentenced to imprisonment, have been freed from serving the remainder of the prison term.

Moreover, six people were freed from the remainder of the correctional labor and five people were freed from the penalty in the form of a fine.

Sixteen foreign citizens are among the pardoned.

The decree enters into force from the date of signing.
/By Azernews/

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijans Armed Forces can defeat the Armenian troops not only in the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh, but also destroy any object in the territory of Armenia.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated about this in a statement issued as a response to the article issued by Russia's Military-Industrial Courier newspaper on March 9.

Facts and figures cited in this article are outdated. Azerbaijan, within a short period, took steps to upgrade weapons and equipment with more modern, high-precision and destructive ones, and this process gains momentum. The authors reasoning is often misplaced; it does not reflect the current situation and the processes in the region in reality, the ministry stressed.

Azerbaijan has enough power and strength to fight against the criminal units, consisting of occupants and separatists, according to the defense ministry.

The Defense Ministry reminded that Azerbaijan pursues peace policy and respects the international norms. That is the reason why the country does not launch active hostilities with Armenia.

Azerbaijan, which is in war with neighboring Armenia over the latter's territorial claims during more than 20 years, keeps in focus the armament, working closely with leading companies and firms in various fields of military industry.

The country purchased numerous weapons from foreign countries including Turkey, Russia and Israel, to modernize and upgrade its armed forces, and signed military contracts with over 20 countries, which envisage a large-scale weapons supply.

Azerbaijan also regularly holds military drills to check the training level and fighting capability of the army.

The country leaves behind the CIS and regional countries to take its place among the first 70 strongest militaries of the world, according to the US-based Global Firepower survey center. The survey center has ranked the Azerbaijani army as 64 of 126 in the list of world's strongest armies with a GFP Power Index rating of 1.5221.

Although Baku stand for peaceful resolution of the conflict, the country strengthens its military arsenal to prevent all possible provocative attempts of Armenia that created an unrecognized regime at the occupied territory of Azerbaijan as a result of conflict that evolved in 1988.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 1994, but long-standing efforts by U.S., Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on its pullout from the neighboring country's territories.
/By Azernews/

By Amina Nazarli

ADA University, one of the prestigious universities of Azerbaijan, hosted "Climate change and global warming lecture as part of Global Perspectives Lecture Series on March 16.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan's first lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Founder and Head of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva, president of Azerbaijan Engineering Academy, Rector of National Aviation Academy, Academician Arif Pashayev, MPs, foreign ambassadors and students of ADA University and other universities of the country.

In his remarks, rector of ADA University, Azerbaijani deputy FM Hafiz Pashayev highlighted the importance of the topic, saying that Global warming is considered to be a priority area of concern for all countries.

He said ADA University also attaches particular importance to this topic, adding that extensive researches are being carried out by the university`s center for environmental and energy issues.

Pashayev provided an insight into the activities of ADA University, saying the institution is actively involved in tree-planting and other environmental campaigns.

Well-known space researcher, professor at ADA University Roald Sagdeev gave a lecture on climate change and global warming.

He hailed the Paris summit on climate change, which was successfully held last December, but said the summit did not guarantee complete fulfillment of the goals to prevent global warming.

He noted that global warming created certain difficulties for global civilization, emphasizing the necessity of reducing carbon emissions.

Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyngulu Baghirov noted that the Azerbaijani government fully complies with its obligations of international organizations.



He noted that significant work was done to protect the environment during the tenure of national leader Heydar Aliyev, adding that this environmental policy is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev.



The minister hailed environmental projects realized in Azerbaijan with the support of IDEA Public Union and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Leyla Aliyeva, for her part, said the IDEA has implemented a number of projects aimed at protecting the nature and environment.



Founder and Head of IDEA Public Union noted that man and nature are the most valuable things that the mankind has.

"Nature does not wait. We must do it now." said Aliyeva, expressing confidence that everyone can contribute to saving the environment.

Roald Sagdeev then responded to participants' questions.

President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva also asked him a question: "Mr. Sagdeev, do you think there is a common platform through which we can prevent threats faced by the entire planet? Do you think it is possible to develop any ethical mechanisms in fighting against this threat and other challenges facing humanity today? Or this is just a beautiful, utopian idea?"

Roald Sagdeev said that this is a very deep issue.

Perhaps the answers of optimists and pessimists will be different here. I even heard such an idea that when it comes to this issue it is even impossible to convince audience, the majority of people based on scientific and practical arguments. Maybe we will need something like the ecological religion, religion of the land and nature to save mankind, he emphasized.
/By Azernews/

By Amina Nazarli

The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan has canceled daylight saving time, Trend reports on March 17.

Last week, the Azerbaijan National Sciences of Academy offered to abolish the practice of transition to daylight saving time, which the country experiences every last Sunday on March, since 1997.

The country was expected to switch to summer time by setting the clocks one hour forward at 04:00am on March 27, Sunday.

This issue was discussed at a meeting of the ANAS Presidium, which was held with the participation of experts in astrophysics, energy, zoology, geophysics, geography, economics, ICT and other fields.

The practice was first introduced in Europe during the First World War. The idea was to take advantage of the longest summer days by gaining an extra hour of daylight and shortening the days in winter.

The concept was actually brought by American inventor and politician Benjamin Franklin, back in 1784. He suggested that starting the day earlier in summer will save a considerable number of candles.

Following the Cabinets decision to cancel the daylight saving time, Azerbaijan Airlines announced that the company will adjust the schedule of flights.

AZAL announced that with a view to ensure timely arrivals at destinations, its all international flights will depart/ arrive at the Azerbaijani airports an hour before the time specified in the already purchased airline tickets.

The Heydar Aliyev International Airport urges AZALs passengers, who have purchased tickets for the date from March 26, to come to the airport three hours before departure time shown on the ticket.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Azerbaijan announced that amendments to the time zone of Azerbaijan may be provided in the next update of Microsoft operating systems.

The company claimed that majority of user devices including computers and smart phones in Azerbaijan will automatically switch to daylight saving time, thats why they it recommended to pay attention and adjust the time manually.

We have not been previously notified of the decision. But if we get a formal appeal to take the necessary measures in this regard, we will notify the head office of Microsoft, so that they take into account the new time zone for Azerbaijan in the next update of the operating system. We hope that the issue of the update for the time zone of Azerbaijan in the Microsoft products will be solved for the next transition to winter time, the company said.
The 18th Microcredit Summit Campaign that concluded yesterday (March 16) in Abu Dhabi, UAE declared the recognition of the importance contributing to growth, poverty alleviation and social welfare.



The delegates also highlighted reduction in unemployment, empowerment of women as well as its contribution to other economic benefits that enhance the pillars of a sustainable economy.



Organised jointly by Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), and the Microcredit Summit Campaign, the summit gathered 1,000 global policy makers, central bank managers and microfinance experts to explore and discuss innovative financial inclusion strategies that can create clear pathways to economic and social inclusion.



At the closing ceremony, the summit partners committed to the declaration that supports the success of the Universal Financial Access 2020 goal, the World Bank 2030 goals, and the UN Global Goals.



Abdullah S Al Darmaki, CEO of Khalifa Fund said: Khalifa Fund will continue to promote entrepreneurship and support SMEs in Abu Dhabi, thus contributing to the development of a diversified, knowledge based economy, in line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.



Al Darmaki stressed that Khalifa Fund has made great progress in facilitating access to capital and improving the qualified workforce through unique training programs to boost the entrepreneur leadership of all social classes. He also pointed out that small and micro businesses constitute more than 40 per cent of the total projects financed by the Fund.



Nasser Bakr al-Kahtani, CEO of AGFUND, said: We are confident that we will execute the plans given in the declaration with the support of high level decision makers, executives and leaders. We all share the same objective, which is to implement programs that contribute to the overall growth of microfinance.



Larry Reed, director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign, recommended a more focused and collaborative approach among governments, regulators, businesses, financial institutions and citizens towards building strong, stable financial systems for the most marginalized segments of society.



Abu Dhabi Declaration on Economic Empowerment and Social Inclusion includes:



Work with governments and regulators to develop national financial inclusion strategies that:

 Utilize digital technology to build a national payments system that can reach everyone at low cost

 Create space for specialized financial institutions that provide a broad range of financial services that include saving to micro, small and medium businesses owners.

 Build financial systems that include a package of diverse and integrated services geared for low-income people

 Develop legislation and incentives to encourage banks and financial institutions to adopt clear policies and strategies to increase the share of micro-projects of the total loan portfolio

 Expand financial literacy/education so that people can use financial products in a way that improves their lives and helps them build assets

Developing innovative financial options for entrepreneurs through:

 Extending agricultural value chains to reach small scale farmers, especially in the rural areas.

 Linking government social payments to financial systems in a way that expands financial inclusion

 Creating graduation pathways from social payments and basic livelihoods to micro, small and medium sized businesses

 Increasing the financial access for Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME's)

Creating partnerships between sectors and institutions that link increased financial inclusion to greater social inclusion, including:

 Expanding access to health financing, health insurance, and health education

 Expanding training and access for women

 Creating employment opportunities for all those who can work, especially youth

 Providing financial services for the older people and people with disability.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar's Ahli Bank on Thursday denied it was involved in an "impending merger" with International Bank of Qatar and Al Khalij Commercial Bank .



Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that the trio were in early-stage talks on a merger that could pool assets worth more than $30 billion, citing three people with knowledge of the matter.



Those talks were focused on winning backing from key shareholders at each of the banks, according to one of the sources, an important consideration in a country where state ownership is prominent across the economy and political factors can often supersede other considerations.



"We categorically deny this speculation as baseless and we remain focused on delivering our agreed strategy and serving our customers," Ahli Bank chief executive Salah Murad was quoted as saying in the bourse statement.  Reuters
UAEs Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters have signed Dh391.1 million ($106.4 million) worth of contracts during the ongoing International Conference for Security and National Resilience (ISNR) Abu Dhabi 2016.



ISNR being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), kicked off on March 15, and will conclude today (March 17).



The announcement was made by Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior and deputy chairman of the higher organising committee of ISNR Abu Dhabi 2016.



Al Raisi noted that the contracts were signed upon the directives of Lt General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to acquire the best technological security devices, equipment and vehicles, and to seek qualified personnel and training services to promote the skills of the MoI staff members according to the best international standards, said a statement.



Major General Al Raisi said that the MoI, represented by the General Directorate of the Federal Criminal Police, signed five contracts to purchase handling, detection and specialised security vehicles, for a total value of Dh26,106,574 ($7.10 million). The most prominent contracts are as follows: a Dh12,428,147 ($3.38 million) worth contract with Al Hamra Trading Est; a Dh9,487,110 ($2.58 million) worth contract with Eye On Technology; a Dh1,846,489 ($502,699) worth contract with International Golden Group; a Dh1,742,828 ($474,477) worth contract with GulfNet Security Systems Company LLC; and a Dh602,000 ($163,892) worth contract with Qartaja Trading Est.



Major General Al Raisi added that the MoI also signed four supply contracts for a total value of Dh231,697,342 ($63.07 million), notably a contract to supply, install and operate tools, equipment, software, training, and maintenance of e-Ports projects with Electronic Identity Management and Security Solution (Eimass) worth Dh187,800,342 ($51.12 million); two contracts with Atlas Communication worth Dh43,897,000 ($11.9 million) to supply, install, and operate the main station, base stations of Tetra System, with the training; and to supply, install, and operate visual communications network (LTE) and supply wireless devices.



The MoI also signed a contract with Bin Salmeen Computers and Office Supplies, worth Dh6,494,455 ($1.76 million) to supply, install, and operate CCTV cameras on the digital network system, added the statement.



According to Al Raisi, the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters announced the signing of 11 contracts, for a total value of Dh127,318,388 ($34.66 million). The contracts are as follows: four contracts with Eimass; one to separate the MoIs and Emirates Identity Authority (EIAD) fingerprint databases; two contracts for the iris recognition devices maintenance and technical support for central and supporting locations; one contract to implement a new system to connect all operating systems in the countrys different ports, for a total value of Dh44,683,694 ($12.1 million).



The Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters signed three contracts with Emirates Solutions for Integrated Security (ESIS), to design, and supply three GIS mobile labs, and provide technical support and software for the operations rooms systems (IDS, STORM), as well as providing consultancy services in the field of security GIS systems worth Dh36,272,159 ($9.87 million); and two contracts with Atlas Communications to renovate the wireless network (Tetra) worth Dh19,158,948 ($5.21 million); and a contract with Emirates Photo Marketing, Abu Dhabi Branch, to supply the ink for the driving licenses and registrations for the Federal Traffic and Licensing system, worth Dh5,074,460 ($1.38 million).



The press conference was attended by Brigadier Saeed Saif Al Nuaimi, deputy director of Finance and Services at the Abu Dhabi Police; Brigadier Jassem Al Mansouri, from the office of Inspector General of the Ministry of Interior; and Colonel Abdulla Al Masood Al Issaei, from Abu Dhabi Police, it added.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-based Grandweld has secured its position as a leading regional shipyard for the offshore segment by completing the construction of 17 vessels during the previous year.



Grandweld, operating from its Dubai base since 1984, specialises in vessels custom built to conduct complex operations in the regions challenging offshore environment, said a statement from the company.



The companys latest projects include advanced crew boats, dive maintenance and support vessels, and work crane boats for top Middle East energy firms and offshore contractors, it said.



The company recently delivered three work crane boats for Kuwait Oil Company, optimised for duties such as heavy lifting, oil-pollution control, SPM hose handling, and supply to remote areas  to two modified 42 metre long crew boats (FNSA-3 and FNSA-4) for Fujairah National Shipping Agency.



The latter vessels are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots and customised to execute operations such as security duties, fast transportation of offshore personal and cargo, and the rapid supply of fuel and freshwater.



The Middle East is a unique environment, with unique challenges and opportunities, said Jamal Abki, general manager Grandweld Shipyards.



Our integrated proposition is efficient, flexible and modern, while our in-house engineers and project managers are world class. In addition, we invest heavily in research and development to enhance our own designs, as well as using respected external designers when desired. This ensures our vessels are leading the way in operational efficiency, reliability and performance - something the industry clearly appreciates, he said.



Additionally, other noteworthy deliveries over the last few months include three 34.3-m aluminium crew boats to Jana Marine Services, a 50-m dive maintenance and support vessel to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), and the 42-m crew boats Stanford Volga and Stanford Niger, which are capable of carrying 83 people at speeds of 25 knots, said the statement.



Jamal said: As the offshore trend points towards more optimised, complex vessels, our knowledge and experience allows us to respond with advanced new builds that deliver added performance and competitiveness for our clients, he said.



Were now looking forward to building on our leading market position over the space of the next 12 months, and beyond, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
As many as 350 million businesses would begin exporting goods for the first time if they were to adopt an end-to-end digital strategy, according to a study from the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).

Named Future of Trade the report provides an overview of how trade will unfold over the next ten years, and builds on insights shared by 150 experts across five continents over twelve months.

The reports most striking conclusion is the scale and impact of digitalisation on global trade. DMCCs research suggests that full digitalisation of commerce could lead to a six-fold increase in the number of business that export goods. This could mean between 100 million and 350 million businesses would become engaged in global export trade for the first time.

The conclusions of our report are clear, said Gautam Sashittal, CEO of DMCC. Companies that want to succeed in todays challenging marketplace must adopt a robust digital strategy, think globally and embrace change. If the world of global trade collaborates around these maxims, we will all surely benefit.

To highlight the importance of their findings, DMCC and Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) have created the Industry Digitalisation Index (IDI) to track the progress of change across geographies and sectors. The index will be updated regularly to provide a real-time picture of digital progress in global trade. The IDI finds that 42 per cent of all business are fully digitalised today.

A free-zone initiative by the government of Dubai, the DMCC is home to more than 11,500 companies and attracts billions of dollars worth of foreign direct investment a year, particularly in the commodities sector.

Dubai is positioned at the centre of the worlds busiest trade routes, and has been for centuries, said Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman of DMCC.

Research such as DMCCs provides actionable insights for businesses in a time when trade routes are rebalanced by new technologies and increasing global connectivity, he concluded. - TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Najd Rent-a-Car, a leading automotive rental provider and a member of the Al Basel Group, plans to invest Dh5 million ($1.36 million) for the acquisition of eight new luxury cars to be added to its current fleet of in 2016.



The move is part of the companys continuing efforts to expand its operations in Dubai, UAE, a statement said.

The companys acquisition of new vehicles is expected to complement recent industry reports saying that the demand for luxury cars in the emirate will likely increase by 20 per cent in 2016.



According to the companys senior executives, Najd Rent-a-Car has purchased eight new luxury cars, which includes brands like Mercedes, Audi, Escalade, BMW and Range Rover. To date, the company now operates 100 vehicles within its fleet, which is currently valued at Dh30 million.



We are proud to announce that we have recently acquired eight new luxury vehicles to our fleetstrongly reflecting our deep commitment towards providing our clients with world class luxury oriented automobiles, said Omar Al Kasem, partner and VIP operations manager, Najd Rent-a-Car.



This move is part of our continuing efforts to reinforce our operations in the emirate while also consolidating our position as a leading provider of rental vehicles in the UAE. These new additions to our fleet will play a key role in addressing the demand for luxury cars in Dubai, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Euro Motors, the exclusive dealer and distributor for Jaguar Land Rover in Bahrain, has announced that it will once again partner with Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) for the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, in April.



The 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will be held from April 1 to 3.



For the second year running, Euro Motors Jaguar will provide six branded Jaguar vehicles, two Jaguar XEs and four Jaguar XFs, to be used in BIC promotional tours that will see them driven to a number of locations in the kingdom to publicise the fastest race in the world, said a statement.



Euro Motors involvement in this initiative incorporates the factor of added excellence, which emanates from all aspects of Jaguar Land Rover Limited and their award-winning vehicles, to the build up to the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, it added.



Euro Motors will be supplying two of its most recently introduced models, the award-winning Jaguar XE and the alluring All-New 2016 Jaguar XF for the tours, it said.



Hannane Laidouni, marketing manager of Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover, said: Due to our many successful collaborations with BIC in the past, it brings us immense pleasure to announce our participation in this latest initiative as well.



As always, the highest of importance is placed on the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix due to the substantial scope of its contribution to many significant sectors in the kingdom such as the economy, the tourism sector, the motorsports sector and so forth, she said.



To add to the glorious nature of the occasion is the fact that Bahrain is once again in the international racing community limelight for the duration of the event due to the BIC leading the way in the region by holding the prestigious position of the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East. Therefore, it was imperative that we partake by lending our wholehearted support, and it was with that in mind that we conceived the idea of this creative endeavour, she added.



This is just the latest in a long line of partnerships that Euro Motors Jaguar Land Rover has undertaken with BIC that serves to strengthen our brands and position them as the vehicles of choice, she concluded.



With tickets for the 2016 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix selling out fast and record numbers expected to be in attendance this year, F1 enthusiasts are encouraged to visit the Jaguar promotional tour vehicles during their pit stops and book tickets at the earliest, it added.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has called on residents in the emirate to take part in Eart Hour, for the ninth consecutive year.

It is being organised in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council, and in partnership with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS), in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and with the support of Dubai Properties Group.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer, said: Dubai marks the annual Earth Hour event in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to strengthen the leading role Dubai plays in supporting global efforts to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse-gas emissions that cause global warming and climate change.

Earth Hour activities begin from four pm on March 19, encouraging people to switch off unnecessary lights at 8:30 pm.

Various private organisations, universities and schools will take part in the event, which will feature a host of family-oriented and entertainment activities to raise awareness about the environment, and promote the rational use of electricity.

We are happy to be uniting with 7,000 cities from around the world to observe Earth Hour, which is the largest environmental event worldwide. Dewa is a major contributor to Dubais efforts to raise environmental awareness. This supports its vision of becoming a sustainable innovative world-class utility," said Al Tayer.

"Dewa has implemented several conservation and awareness programmes and initiatives, targeted at different segments of society. We aim to increase awareness of the importance of rational consumption and conserving our natural resources, ensuring sustainability for generations to come, he said.

We encourage active participation in Earth Hour by all Dubais residents, to enhance the Emirates participation in initiatives that enhance public awareness about environmental issues, to support sustainable development locally, regionally, and internationally, added Al Tayer.

Arif Mubarak, CEO of Dubai Properties Asset Management (DPAM), said: Since the initial launch of this international activity in Dubai in 2008, along with several other pioneering environmental initiatives, we are proud to be an official environmental ambassador of Earth Hour.

"We are honoured to have hosted this initiative for the third time. The event will take place at Bay Avenue Park, Business Bay, which is one of our most prestigious locations. This reflects our efforts to limit the growing effects of climate change.

In co-operation with the Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE), Dewa recently launched the Carbon Neutral initiative to neutralise of carbon dioxide emissions as a result of Earth Hour, to zero per cent.

This will be achieved by adopting the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) across all Dewas projects based on the Kyoto protocol, which is directly-linked to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change. - TradeArabia News Service
Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) was named the second best exhibitor from the Middle East at ITB Berlin 2016, which concluded in the German capital on March 13.



SCTDA participated in the event for the 19th consecutive year as the leading travel and trade exhibition celebrated its 50 session this year.



The Sharjah stand at ITB Berlin drew significant attention from decision makers, tour operators and representatives of international destinations as it showcased the emirates new tourism products, especially those related to cultural tourism.



The Sharjah delegation to ITB Berlin, led by SCTDA, included for the first time Knowledge without Borders and Sharjah Institute of Heritage, as well as SATA, Cozmo; Shurooq, Sharjah Healthcare City, Sharjah Museums, and Sharjah International Airport, among others.



During the exhibition, SCTDA led high-level meetings with senior decision-makers in the German, European and global tourism field. Sharjahs participation also included a number of activities that highlighted the cultural identity and heritage of the emirate.



The ITB exhibition offered SCTDA a major platform to promote Sharjahs distinct family destinations, particularly the recently launched Al Noor Island, and its eco-tourism initiative, the Mleiha archaeological project. The authority also showcased its innovative solutions, including mobile apps and interactive touchscreens, which have contributed to improving the experience of tourists in the emirate.



More than 185 countries from around the world participated in ITB Berlin this year. The exhibition, held over an area of 160,000-sq-m, brought together 10,000 exhibitors, and attracted 23,000 trade visitors as well as 50,000 regular visitors. - TradeArabia News Service
Bahrain's stylish new five-star hotel, Downtown Rotana, was officially inaugurated yesterday in Manama.



Held under the auspices of Zayed Al Zayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, the event saw a number of VIP guests, members of the board and media in attendance. Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority acting chief executive Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Rotana chairman Nasser Al Nowais and Abdulla Buhindi, Banader Hotel chairman, were among the speakers at the conference.



Reflective of its name, the hotel is situated in downtown Manama, less than two minutes walking distance from the historical Bab Al Bahrain and traditional local market (souq), and only steps away from key corporate hubs such as Bahrain Financial Harbor.



The new hotel is the third Rotana property to open in Bahrain and aims to cater to the growing needs of the modern business community.



"With the opening of the Downtown Rotana, our inventory in Bahrain has increased to more than 680 rooms. Bahrain has always been a prime market for us in this region, and we are excited about the growth of this country's hospitality sector," said Omer Kaddouri, Rotana CEO and president, at the inaugural ceremony.



The 26-storey structure features 249 luxurious rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and unobstructed city views, four unique dining concepts, a rooftop swimming pool, a Bodylines Fitness and Wellness Club, a ballroom with 300+ capacity and ample state-of-the-art meeting facilities.



Furthermore, the group plans on expanding its presence in the region. "Rotana has aggressive expansion plans in this region and beyond, in line with our vision to be operating 100 hotels by 2020. This year we have opened three hotels, in Doha, Istanbul and here in Bahrain. And we have six more to open by the end of the year," Kaddouri said.



The upcoming properties will open in Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha, Amman, Erbil and Kinshasa in Congo. - TradeArabia News Service
In the wake of recent attacks on hotels in Egypt, the country will spend $32 million to upgrade security in two Red Sea resorts popular with foreign tourists, said a report quoting the tourism minister said.



According to the minister, Hisham Zaazou, the plan is to expand the use of security cameras, scanning and detection equipment and sniffer dogs in the towns of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. He also said additionel secutiry personnel will be deployed, said a report in The Big Story.

"The security of visitors to Egypt remains our highest priority," Zaazou said in a statement.



The move follows wo attacks earlier this month that targeted hotels frequented by foreign tourists in Cairo and Hurghada. No one was hurt in the Cairo attack, but three tourists  two Austrians and a Swede  were injured in Hurghada.



Tourist numbers to Egypt have slumped drastically in the tumultuous five years that followed the 2011 revolution, and after the October crash of a Russian passenger jet flying over Sinai in November which the government suspects was likely bombed down.
Cristal Group has confirmed its participation at the Arabian Travel Market 2016 (ATM), the Middle Easts premium travel and tourism show, which is taking place in Dubai, UAE, next month.



The group will be present at the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority stand to promote its existing and upcoming projects.



Making the announcement, Kamal Fakhoury, COO of Cristal Group, said: We will definitely be attending the Arabian Travel Market to update the regional and international travel trade professionals about the latest developments at Cristal Group. We have a number of strategic announcements lined up and ATM provides an excellent opportunity to present these. GCC and the Levant region remain the main focus of our expansion strategy where we have several amazing hotels in the development pipeline."



The Cristal Group recently announced the opening of Cristal Erbil Hotel in Iraq, conveniently located in the heart of the city in one of Erbil's landmark buildings alongside the 100-m ring road. Just a 15 minutes drive from the airport, the deluxe property features 100 luxurious rooms and suites equipped with the finest amenities.



On site are outstanding dining and recreation facilities including 24-hour lobby lounge, an all-day-dining restaurant, specialised Oriental restaurant, exclusive Cristal Spa with massage/treatment rooms, sauna, steam rooms, Jacuzzis, Olympic indoor swimming pool, and multi-purpose gym.



The hotel is equally well-endowed with business and banquet facilities and boasts a business centre at the Club Lounge, a boardroom with a capacity to accommodate 20 delegates as well as a luxurious ballroom that can host up to 300 people. Complementing the signature Cristal hospitality is the latest in touch screen LCD technology and all state-of-the-art facilities. - TradeArabia News Service
Wyoming Department of Health officials dont expect the Zika virus will gain a foothold in the Cowboy State, but that hasnt stopped them from warning travelers of its seriousness.

Pregnant women, those trying to become pregnant and their partners should take seriously travel warnings related to the virus, according to a news release from the Wyoming Department of Health.

The virus has been active in Central America and parts of South America.

Zika symptoms can include red eyes, rash, joint pain and fever, with symptoms lasting several days to a week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers are studying whether there is a link between the virus and microcephaly, a birth defect in which a babys head is smaller than normal.

The virus can be spread by mosquito bites or sexual contact with someone who has the virus. However, the type of mosquitoes that spread the virus dont live in Wyoming because of the states climate, according to the release.

Zika has not been found in any Wyoming residents, according to the release. But the Health Department also warned women, both pregnant and trying to get pregnant, to postpone trips to places where Zika has been active.

There is no cure or medicine to treat the virus at this time.
CHEYENNE  Wyoming lawmakers are weighing how to regulate marijuana brownies and similarly spiked foods and beverages that increasingly are coming in from neighboring Colorado and other places where the drug is legal.

A bill to make it a felony to possess more than 3 ounces of marijuana edibles died in the Wyoming legislative session that ended this month. Lawmakers deadlocked on how to measure the concentration and potency of marijuana and its active ingredient, THC, when its mixed with the other edible ingredients.

The Joint Judiciary Committee is set to consider the issue again before next year.

Frankly, its time the state take a comprehensive look at its marijuana laws in general, not just with edibles, said Rep. Charles Pelkey, a committee member and Democrat from Laramie, home to the University of Wyoming. The reality is that in Colorado, 25 miles south of our only college town, its legal.

For prosecutors to charge someone with felony drug possession, marijuana must be in its original form, Cheyenne District Attorney Jeremiah Sandburg said, citing a recent state Supreme Court decision. Unless the drugs original form can be isolated in edibles  which could well be impossible  possession of any amount of them is a misdemeanor, he said.

Sandburgs office brought felony charges of marijuana possession against a man with nearly 2 pounds of pot candies, cookies, bread and chocolate bars. A judge dismissed the case last summer, saying felony charges would require possession of more than 3 ounces of marijuana in plant form.

Casper District Attorney Mike Blonigen said he wants to see the state change the law to create balance between penalties for possession of the drug in its plant and edible forms.

I could have literally a semi load full of edibles, and it would only be a misdemeanor, he said. Now you still cant sell them, you still cant possess them legally.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has seen a steep increase in marijuana edibles in recent years since other states legalized recreational pot use, Col. Kebin Haller said. Shipments are moving north from Colorado and east from Washington state, he said.

A Wyoming college student visiting Denver jumped to his death after eating a marijuana cookie in 2014, just months after recreational sales began in Colorado, said Thomas J. Gorman, director of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The federal office coordinates law enforcement response to drug trafficking in much of Colorado, parts of Utah and southern Wyoming.

An autopsy report listed marijuana intoxication as a significant contributing factor in the death of the 19-year-old.

By legalizing marijuana, we were supposed to stop the black market, Gorman said of Colorado. But in fact, we have become the black market for so many states around the country.

Gorman said its not practical to require an analysis to determine the THC content of edibles to prosecute their possession. He noted that the law does not require an analysis of the potency of marijuana in plant form to make its possession a crime.

If Wyoming wants to make it a felony to have edibles, it could set a weight limit and stick to it regardless of the amount of the drug or THC they contain, Gorman said.

Its just not worth it to make it so darn complicated, he said.
Supporters of state tax credits for angel investors are hoping the Legislature will fund the program this year after investment in Arizona companies dropped off dramatically in 2015.

When the credits ran out, our investment activity fell off a cliff, said Curtis Gunn, chairman of Tucsons Desert Angels.

In 2014, Desert Angels was the third most active investment group in the country, investing almost $7 million into 32 companies. Over the first half of 2015, the group invested about $3.5 million into approximately 20 companies, Gunn said.

Tax credits ran out in June and the second half of the year we invested less than half a million dollars, he said, adding that the start of 2016 is on par. Ive had members directly say theyre not investing because the tax credits went away.

Angel investors are qualified under securities law to make high-risk private equity investments that can provide critical seed money for early-stage companies.

Arizonas Angel Investment Tax Credit Program, approved by the Legislature in 2006 with a $20 million cap, allows an investor to claim a credit equal to 30 percent of the investment made in a certified business. Investors in rural or bioscience companies are able to claim a credit of 35 percent.

It gives the investor more comfort because theyre getting something back from their investment immediately in the form of a tax credit or it allows them to invest more than they otherwise would have, so its a win-win, said Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

Tucson biotech firm HTG Molecular Diagnostics, which employs 90 workers near South Palo Verde and East Valencia roads, is among notable small businesses that have benefited from Arizonas Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. An estimated $110 million has been raised for HTG through the program, the Arizona Commerce Authority says.

HTG, which went public last May, launched a new test for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in October.

But opponents say the government should not be in the business of subsidizing venture capital investments.

An investor is not going to pass on a good idea, said Scot Mussi, director of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. At best, taxpayers are subsidizing something that was already going to happen anyway, and at worst they fund ideas that should never receive funding.

The groups position is that the program picks winners and losers among taxpayers, among venture capital investors and among aspiring entrepreneurs.

But Zylstra said the credit is not about government picking favorites.

We dont buy the assumption that everyone should be treated equal, because not everyone contributes to the economy in the same way, he said.

Technology companies tend to be growth companies that can create a large number of jobs if they are successful, Zylstra said, and he said the tax credit program has already proven itself.

Since 2006, 125 small businesses received $60 million in certified investments from the $20 million in tax credits, with more than $420 million raised by 94 of those companies through other financing.

Estimated tax revenue generated from the $20 million in tax credits is $44 million, meaning the state has already recouped its investment and more, according to a report by the Arizona Commerce Authority, which administers the program.

Proponents were successful in 2014 in extending the program to 2021, but efforts to recapitalize it for another $20 million fell short. Another attempt last year also failed.

This year a more modest $7 million proposal through SB 1139  spearheaded by Sen. David Farnsworth, R-Mesa  made it out of the Appropriations Committee but was not heard by the Finance Committee, led by Sen. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria.

The hope now is to have the $7 million included in the budget through the Arizona Commerce Authority, Zylstra said.

Im modestly optimistic we have enough supporters in the Legislature and theyll carry the day, but its never over until its over, he said.

In the meantime, investors may continue to sit on the sidelines or let their money flow elsewhere, Desert Angels chairman Gunn said.
Coming brewhouses not listed:

Button Brewhouse: Opening between Silverbell Road and Interstate 10 at intersection of Coachline and Twin Peaks roads. Hope to open Aug. 2016. buttonbrewhouse.com or email drink@buttonbrew.com

Flux: Hope to open this spring in Historic Warehouse District just north of Downtown Tucson around Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street. 305-9863, fluxbrewing.com

Black Rock Brewers: Hope to open this fall in the 22nd Street and Pantano Road area. Blackrockbrewers.com and facebook.com/BlackRockBrewers.
Arizona may have the prickly pear margarita and now a worldwide city of gastronomy  but for the ninth year in a row  no James Beard Awards.

Four Arizona chefs made the semifinals list in February, but none went on to the finals. Chris Bianco of Pizzeria Bianco was in the running for the main prize, Outstanding Restaurant, and Sam Fox of Fox Restaurants Concepts was up for Outstanding Restaurateur. When the finalists came out March 15, these categories went to restaurants in 28 states including New York, Illinois and California.

Two other Phoenix-based chefs Kevin Binkley and Charleen Badman were also in the semifinals for the Best Chef Southwest. In the finals, that category was almost completely dominated by Texas ...

Outstanding Restaurant

Alinea, Chicago

Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, CO

Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL

Momofuku Noodle Bar, NYC

The Spotted Pig, NYC

Outstanding Restaurateur

Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, Boka Restaurant Group, Chicago (Boka, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, Swift & Sons, and others)

Ken Friedman, NYC (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin, Tosca Cafe)

Michael Mina, Mina Restaurants, San Francisco (Michael Mina, Bourbon Steak, RN74, and others)

Cindy Pawlcyn, Napa, CA (Mustards Grill, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, Cindy's Waterfront at the Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurants, Philadelphia (Serpico, The Dandelion, Talula's Garden, and others)

Best Chef: Southwest

Bryce Gilmore, Barley Swine, Austin

Steve McHugh, Cured, San Antonio

Hugo Ortega, Caracol, Houston

Alex Seidel, Fruition, Denver

Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston

All of this raises the question ... Why? Let's ignore the fact that not a single chef, finalist or otherwise is based in Tucson. Even if you look across the wide state of Arizona, we're practically MIA. According to Dominic Armato of the Arizona Republic, the last AZ local to take home a prize was the high-end Japanese chef Nobuo Fukuda in 2007.

Is this supposed to mean that Arizona has crappy restaurants? I'm not so sure. While anyone can submit a restaurant for consideration during the initial call for entries, the judging process seems a tad biased toward major cities.

First, an unnamed but small committee of industry professionals and journalists is tasked with narrowing the first list of 20,000-plus, down to 20 semifinalists in each category. From there, the list goes to a larger pool of voters made up of industry professionals and previous winners (which of course are in the big cities).

While some of the voters are divided up by region, it's not clear how many of these people actually live in Arizona. And also: Although the rules on the website seem clearly delineated, there's nothing that actually says the voters need to visit all of the restaurants. (Am I wrong? Were you a panelist? Let me know in the comments!)

Unlike the Oscars where it's easy for a voter to see all of the movies, how easy is it to eat a fine dinner at several restaurants in different states? (There's also no mention of whether these judges are getting reimbursed by James Beard for their meals.) The likely result is that people vote for who they know, and if they don't know you, they don't vote for you.

But we knew all this already. Tucson's always ignored by these types of contests. But hey, at least we're not alone! Here's a list of states that the voting panel also left behind in the 2016 Restaurant and Chef Awards finals list:

Alaska

Arkansas

Connecticut

Hawaii

Idaho

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Nebraska

Nevada (Honestly a little perplexed by this one. Nothing in Las Vegas?)

New Hampshire

New Jersey

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Utah

Vermont

West Virginia

Wyoming
85, entered peacefully into the arms of our lord March 14, 2016. Survived by daughter, Denise Lindsay (Carl) Cherry and grandson, John Carl Cherry. Preceded in death by husband, John Edward Lindsay; parents, James G. Chrison, Martha (Prokopis) Chrison and brother, George J. Chrison. Helen was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Despite her life long battle with rheumatoid arthritis she lived life to the fullest. She loved musicals and opera and was a music major in college. She leaves a legacy of strength, determination, compassion and love. A Celebration of Life will be held at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 9252 E. 22nd Street, Friday, March 18 at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Arthritis Foundation. Arrangements by ANGEL VALLEY FUNERAL HOME.
Born April 4, 1943 in Harrisburg, PA to Farrington T. and Marjorie Schaeffer, passed away March 15, 2016. Sharon was a spirited and eclectic person with many talents. She and her family moved to Tucson in the early 50's. She graduated from Tucson High School in 1961 and attended the University of Arizona where she became a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She met and married an Air Force Academy cadet, Robert J. Melone in 1964. Their new life together took them to Washington, D.C. where Sharon worked for Congressman McClory and Senator Paul Fannin. She genuinely loved the limelight of the political arena. In the early 70's, Sharon returned to Tucson and worked for the Community Food Bank and the American Heart Association as a Fund Raiser. Sharon was forced into early retirement by challenging health issues. Despite her health, she managed to develop Mystery Shoppers of Tucson. She also volunteered at Casa De Los Nino's, was an usher for the TSO, and a docent at Reid Park Zoo. She also learned and performed face painting at many local events. Sharon loved animals and always surrounded herself with them. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother-in-law, Paul Werner. She is survived by her sister, Susan Werner; cousin, Marilyn Schaeffer and numerous cousins in the Illinois area. Her pets, Malagra, Apple and Tulip also survive her and have all found new loving homes. Services will be held graveside at EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY and Cemetery, 12:00 p.m., Friday, March 18, 2016 with a reception to follow at East Lawn's reception hall. A Mass will be dedicated in her memory on Saturday, April 2, at 8:00 a.m. at St. Cyrils Church. Arrangements by EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY.
A former Tucson police officer who filed a lawsuit against the department last year may no longer be able to work in law enforcement in the state.

The Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board decided Wednesday to initiate proceedings against Beau Tribolet, which could result in the suspension or revocation of his peace officer certification, said board spokeswoman Sandy Sierra.

Tribolet was an 18-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department when he resigned Nov. 4 after internal affairs determined he provided false testimony in a civil hearing, an AZPOST document obtained by the Star shows.

In November 2014, Tribolets wife ran a red light, and a ticket was issued from a red-light camera. A process server went to their home in February and gave Tribolet paperwork for the violation, the document said.

In April, his wife was notified her license had been suspended for failing to appear in court, and when she asked Tribolet, he said he didnt remember receiving any paperwork, the document states.

At a June court hearing to contest the suspension, Tribolet was placed under oath and denied being served the paperwork, the document said.

The process server produced a nearly four-minute recording of his conversation with Tribolet, and his wife confirmed that it was Tribolets voice. The suspension was upheld, and the judge contacted TPDs internal affairs division to alert them to Tribolets false testimony, the document said.

During his internal affairs interview, Tribolet stated several times that he didnt remember being served with the paperwork, even after hearing the recording, the document said.

He resigned in lieu of termination.

Last July, Tribolet filed a retaliation and harassment complaint against the police department in Pima County Superior Court, also naming then-police Chief Roberto Villasenor and the Tucson city clerk as defendants in the suit.

Tribolet alleged that after reporting a possible incident of sexual harassment by another TPD sergeant, he was reprimanded, demoted and subjected to two internal affairs investigations, according to court documents.

The lawsuit also said Tribolet was ordered to take forced leave during the internal affairs investigation. He claimed he was receiving ongoing psychological care as a result of the situation aggravating his pre-existing PTSD.

The court dismissed the lawsuit at the defendants request, court records show.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will return to Tucson on Friday, holding a public rally at the Tucson Convention Center downtown.

The Vermont senator will discuss his plan to make public colleges and universities free, addressing climate change, guaranteed universal health care and getting big money out of politics.

Arizona's presidential preference election is Tuesday, March 22.

The Sanders campaign is asking those who want to attend to RSVP with the campaign, saying the event is first-come, first-served.

Sanders is expected to speak at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

For security reasons, please do not bring bags, and limit what you bring to small personal items like keys and cell phones. Weapons, sharp objects, chairs, and signs or banners on sticks will not be allowed through security.

To RSVP, go to tucne.ws/ernie

Meanwhile, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is set to tour the border around Douglas on Friday. The Republican senator also is holding a rally at a Phoenix Christian college Friday. There's been no word of any events in Tucson.
El Rio Community Health Center opened Arizonas first human milk donation center on Tuesday, joining a national milk bank network.

The collection center is located in El Rios Birth and Womens Health Center, 5979 E. Grant Road, No. 107, and Tucson-area mothers with extra breast milk are invited to donate on site.

For us to be modeling the commitment to breast-feeding is really exciting, said the birth and womens center manager, Olga Ryan. This seemed like a really good match for us  we have a lot of moms who breast-feed.

El Rio is joining with Mothers Milk Bank, a nonprofit organization based in Colorado that collects, pasteurizes and distributes donated breast milk to babies across the country whose mothers cant supply enough milk.

All hospitals use human milk, but mostly for premature babies or babies in the intensive care unit, Ryan said. Its not often that you hear about it being used for full-term infants.

Ryan said the donated milk is also helpful when issues with breast-feeding arise: Sometimes babies need extra milk to supplement what their mom is producing while the problems are addressed.

What we really want is to be able to do, is give our moms a ready choice: Do you want formula or breast milk? Ryan said.

Jessica Tredici, a registered nurse who works at El Rio, proposed the idea and was already familiar with the program when she visited the Mothers Milk facility in Denver to gather more information, Ryan said.

Weve had women come to us to sign the required paperwork to donate on their own, Ryan said.

One El Rio patient, Brooke Rosenau, had been donating on her own for years, packaging her milk in dry ice before shipping it off to Denver at her own expense.

Now Rosenau and other interested mothers can pump at the center or bring the milk in from home. It will be kept in a designated freezer until the collection box is full and ready to send to Denver for processing.

Mothers who are interested in donating must be healthy, producing more milk than their own baby needs, and free from medications that could be harmful to infants, Ryan said.

After a phone interview with a lactation consultant, prospective milk donors will be sent paperwork to take to El Rio and get required bloodwork done.

Anyone interested can call the Birth and Womens Health Center, visit El Rios website or call the Mothers Milk Bank directly.
The anti-gun violence group founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords announced Wednesday it is joining with a legal center to promote common sense gun laws.

Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly founded Americans for Responsible Solutions in 2013, two years after Giffords was shot in the head in Tucson. Six people died and 13 were wounded in the shooting.

With Wednesdays announcement, Giffords group joins with California-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, founded in 1993 after a shooting at a San Francisco law firm left eight dead and six wounded.

By coming together, we can do more to take on the gun lobby, deliver even more victories for common sense, and save lives, Giffords and Kelly said in a statement.

Giffords group promotes gun laws and is committed to helping elect candidates from both parties who support common sense laws that make communities safer from gun violence, the group said in the announcement.

The law center drafts gun safety legislation, defends gun laws in court, and educates the public on common sense solutions to Americas gun violence epidemic, the centers executive director Robyn Thomas said in the announcement.

By teaming up with Americans for Responsible Solutions, our legal experts will now have a much larger platform to help bring key policies like universal background checks to more states, Thomas said.

The law center will operate as part of the Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation.

This merger unites the nations top gun safety messengers and advocates for common sense changes to our laws with the people who have the deepest expertise on our nations gun laws and gun policy, Peter Ambler, director of the Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation, said in the announcement.

Its a formidable combination that will lead the way on gun violence prevention for years to come, Ambler said.

Federal Election Commission filings for the Americans for Responsible Solutions political action committee show the group brought in about $3 million in 2015. The law centers tax return for 2014 showed it brought in about $1.4 million in revenue.
PHOENIX  State legislators are moving to end dog racing in Arizona, a sport one lawmaker called one step above dogfighting.

Legislation unanimously approved Wednesday by the Senate Finance Committee would make the practice illegal at the end of the year. That would leave horse racing as the only live animal racing sport here.

In a curious twist, HB 2127 has the support of the owners of Tucson Greyhound Park, the last remaining track in the state. Lobbyist Mike Racy said the owners are willing to pull the plug.

But that support comes with a price tag: Track owners want to preserve their exclusive right to operate off-track betting facilities around Southern Arizona for the next two years.

That move is getting a fight from the owners of horse tracks who now must pay Tucson Greyhound Park about $500,000 a year to have signals from their live races carried at those OTB locations. They would rather set up their own off-track betting sites.

But lawmakers, anxious to put a halt to dog racing, were not anxious to disturb what appears to be a delicately crafted agreement between the tracks owners and Grey2K USA, the national organization that has been working to wipe out dog racing worldwide and promote the rescue and adoption of dogs that owners no longer want for racing.

Joe Romack, who told lawmakers he rescues greyhounds, urged them to approve the measure.

I get these dogs off the track and see how abused they have been, he said.

A greyhound brought to him from the Tucson track died last week after there was a delay in surrendering the animal for treatment, Romack told lawmakers.

Theyre in cages 20 hours a day, he said.

They sleep on scraps of urine-soaked carpet, Romack continued. We need to end the abuse.

That description drew derision from Rory Goree, chairman of the Arizona Racing Commission.

I know in the media you have heard a lot of lies about Tucson Greyhound Park, he told lawmakers. Those dogs are not as bad off as other people that you heard earlier, or the media, claim.

Goree said if the owners of Tucson Greyhound Park want to shut down, thats their decision. But he said the practice should not be outlawed in case the company that owns now-shuttered parks in Phoenix and Apache Junction want to reopen.

And Bill Rice, representing the Arizona Greyhound Association, which includes dog owners and kennel operators, lashed out at Grey2K.

Theyve never rescued a dog in their life, he said.

None of that impressed Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson.

Greyhound racing isnt a sport, he said. Its a cruel practice thats like one step above dogfighting.

Farley said the issue is complicated by the perverse fact that Arizona laws actually seem to keep the practice alive.

That includes tax credits which Racy said were put in place to help the tracks after tribal gaming was made legal. Michael Preston Green, who lobbies for Grey2K, said $4.8 million in tax credits is sitting in an account that can be used against future earnings.

Its just not right, Green said.

And then theres the dome, the exclusive right to operate off-track betting.

Racy said that right needs to be preserved for the next two years, beyond the end of live racing, for economic reasons.

He said Tucson Greyhond Park, with 100 workers, is the largest employer in South Tucson. He said it needs time to transition.

That move will get a fight from Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, when the measure goes to the Senate floor. He said there is no reason for the horse tracks to have to keep paying Tucson Greyhound Park for off-track betting services for another two years.

Thats also the assessment of Sen. Lynne Pancrazi, D-Yuma.

But Farley said it has taken years for all sides to come to an agreement, and cautioned that any change in the deal could pull it apart  and kill the legislation to end dog racing.

Pierce, however, said hes not worried. He said the finances of it all will kill dog racing, sooner or later.

I dont believe they want to keep losing money down there, he said of the Tucson park.
PHOENIX  State lawmakers Wednesday sent Gov. Doug Ducey a bill that will allow him to enforce his demand that local governments fall into line with state policies.

SB 1487 allows any legislator to ask the Attorney Generals Office to investigate whether a local ordinance or policy is contrary to state law. If the attorney general finds the state statute is being violated, the local government would be given 30 days to bring their local practices into compliance.

But what really gives the measure some teeth is the failure of a city, town or county to comply would require the state treasurer to stop providing state aid and redistribute those dollars to other communities.

And if a local government disagreed, the case would go directly to the state Supreme Court for a final word.

Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said his boss is waiting to see the final language. But Scarpinato acknowledged the legislation crafted by Senate President Andy Biggs is in line with a frustration the governor expressed in his State of the State address in January.

In that speech, the governor lashed out at communities that were looking to create a patchwork of different wage and employment laws.

Its California-style chaos, he said, calling such local laws trendy, feel-good policies that are stifling opportunities across the nation.

And just so the point was not lost, Ducey said hes not just asking local governments to fall into line.

I will use every constitutional power of the executive branch and leverage every legislative relationship to protect small businesses and the working men and women they employ, up to and including changing the distribution of state-shared revenue, the governor said.

SB 1487 provides exactly that power.

This is a critical bill if we want to be relevant, said state Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert. This is an enforcement mechanism so that the laws are followed.

If Ducey signs the measure, the likely first targets are Tucson and Bisbee.

In the case of Tucson, there already is a formal attorney generals opinion that two city ordinances are contrary to state law.

One requires people who lose a firearm to report it to police. The other allows police to request a breath sample from someone who has negligently discharged a firearm and appears intoxicated.

Tom Horne who was attorney general at the time said both laws run afoul of a state statute that pre-empts local gun laws.

City Attorney Mike Rankin disagrees. And the council has refused to back off.

Now Mark Brnovich, Hornes successor, could threaten the city with loss of its revenue-sharing dollars, a figure in the $50 million range.

Bisbee is in a somewhat similar position, with its council concluding a state law banning regulation of plastic bags does not apply to its ordinance.

The legislation also comes as other communities are looking at enacting local laws that could be seen in conflict with state policy, including higher minimum wages than state law and requiring private companies to offer things like paid sick and maternity leave.

Wednesdays 32-28 vote came over the opposition of several lawmakers who previously had been on city councils.

State Rep. Bob Robson, R-Chandler, said he shares the frustration of some of his colleagues when cities appear to ignore state statutes. He cited his own battle with the city of Scottsdale that had thrown roadblocks in the path of sign walkers, people who stand on sidewalks near businesses to solicit customers.

But he said the penalty is inappropriate.

Taking state-shared revenue is taking from the citizens of a community that really had no stake in it, other than the people they hire, he said.

Robson also said that city council members, in enacting local laws, rely on the legal advice of their attorney.

He said if the attorney general determines those laws are contrary to state law and that decision is upheld by the Supreme Court, a more appropriate remedy might be something like requiring the city attorney to take the bar exam over again because they didnt understand the constitution.
Pluto and its moon Charon have occupied the same neighborhood at the far edge of our solar system for 4 billion years, but their surfaces are completely different.

They dont look a thing like each other, said Alan Stern, who headed up NASAs New Horizons mission, which grabbed the first close-up photos of Pluto and its moons on July 14.

Five peer-reviewed papers in the journal Science and dozens of presentations being made at a conference Monday explain many of the reasons for those differences  elaborating on the New Horizons science teams initial conclusion that Pluto continues to be geologically active.

Most of the high-value imaging from that single July flyby has since made its way to Earth, though half of the scientific information is still being dribbled out bit-by-bit as the spacecraft speeds toward new targets in the vast Kuiper Belt, said Stern.

The contrast between Pluto and Charon, often considered a sister planet because of its proximity and size, could not be greater, Stern said, and is unique in planetary exploration.

The two have been orbiting each other for billions of years. They live in the same radiation environment and the same thermal and collision environment and they dont look a thing like each other.

Plutos surface has been reshaped by internal and atmospheric forces, while most of Charons surface hasnt been reshaped for 4 billion years, according to the new reports.

Charon is a relic of a long time ago, Stern said.

Veronica Bray, of the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, helped the team constrain the age estimates of the surfaces, basically by identifying and counting impact craters on the different regions of the two bodies.

Its like driving a car, Bray said. The longer you drive, the more bugs will hit your windshield. Use your wipers, and it will set that bug number back to zero.

With a planet, youre going through space, getting hit by comets, which cause impact craters. But new geologic activity will wipe that slate clean.

The geological activity on Pluto has removed the craters more recently than on Charon, Bray said.

Pluto does have some cratered regions, but its most striking feature from day one has been a vast white, flat, plain that forms the western lobe of the heart-shaped region informally named for the planets discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh of Lowell Observatory.

Offset by the reddish cast of the features that surround it, crater-free Sputnik Planum, as it is informally called, is less than 10 million years old, the team concludes.

There is, in fact, this remarkable diversity of compositional units across Pluto, telling us that there are processes going on that are sorting things out, said Will Grundy of Lowell Observatory, who heads the surface composition team at New Horizons and was first author of the Science paper on it.

Sputnik Planum has all the volatile ices in it, Grundy said.

It is a sea of frozen nitrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, capable of convective movement and able to float glaciers of hardened water ice at geologically slow speeds. It is changing and shaping the surface of the planet.

To the East is another region where material from Sputnik Planum is being deposited, accumulating and forming glaciers that are flowing back down hill into Sputnik, said Grundy.

The planets composition also shifts with altitude and season, said Grundy, who helped prepare for his teams analysis of Plutos surface by creating exotic ices with a NASA-funded team at Northern Arizona University.

Pluto features mostly frozen nitrogen in lower regions and methane frost atop its water-ice peaks.

Charon, meanwhile, is mostly water ice and heavily cratered. It looks the way scientists expected it, and Pluto, to look  with a few notable exceptions, including a reddish pole.

Grundy said most of the volatile ices that continually reshape Pluto would easily escape from its less massive moon. There is no way to keep volatiles on Charon, he said.

Some, however, get seasonally trapped at Charons north pole during its decade-long winter and are converted by energetic radiation into heavier molecules  the precursors of the same tholins that give much of Pluto its reddish tint.

The other pole would be similarly red if that scenario is correct, he said, but it wasnt lit by the sun as New Horizons flew by.

Pluto traps most of its gases in a colder-than-expected upper zone, according to a paper devoted to its intriguing atmosphere, with its layers of haze.

As it whizzed by at 30,800 mph, New Horizons kept all its eyes on the twin prizes of Pluto and Charon, but it did capture images of Plutos four smaller moons on approach.

Manipulation of those images produced accurate measurements of size and albedo, despite the fact that some of the images are still unclear, said Tod Lauer, of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, who helped with the image processing.

Styx, for example, the smallest satellite, we really didnt get close to at all, unfortunately. We had enough pixels to say its yay-by-yay, but in terms of resolution, its fuzzy, said Lauer.

The paper concludes that the four smaller moons  Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra  are highly reflective and assumed to be water ice. They are also pock-marked with craters.

That led scientists to conclude that the moons formed around 4 billion years ago in the same collision that created Pluto and Charon.

Among the other findings cited in the Science paper on the smaller moons: rapid rotation rates and unusual pole orientations; bright, icy surfaces with albedos and colors distinctly different from those of Pluto and Charon; evidence of merged bodies; and surface ages of at least 4 billion years.

Mission planners had worried upon approach to Pluto that it would encounter additional small moons or dust rings that could injure the spacecraft. They were relieved to find nothing in the way and they now have a measurement of how clear the path was.
PHOENIX  Unable to block the Obama administration from sending refugees here, state lawmakers are now erecting a new roadblock.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 to make any charity that helps resettle refugees from certain countries financially liable for any crimes they commit within the first five years they are here. And to back that up, the charities would have to obtain $25 million in liability insurance or face civil fines of up to $1,000 a day for each of the refugees it has resettled in the past five years.

SB 1452, crafted by state Sen. Judy Burges, R-Sun City West, is very specific, targeting only refugees who are from high-risk countries. And that is defined in a way to include many countries from the Middle East that have been a source of new Arizona residents.

Ron Johnson, who lobbies for Arizona Catholic Charities, said this would be the first such law like this in the country. He questioned both its necessity and its legality.

The move comes several months after Gov. Doug Ducey asked the federal government to halt refugee resettlement into Arizona. Ducey cited a provision of a federal law that entitles him to immediate consultation by federal authorities of plans to resettle any refugees in the state. And he demanded the federal government take into account the concerns and recommendations of the state of Arizona as they are required to under federal law, in our efforts to keep our homeland safe.

But what Ducey got was a conference call between federal officials and various governors detailing their screening efforts.

Rep. Bob Thorpe, R-Flagstaff, has separate legislation to preclude state local officials and agencies from cooperating with the federal government to place refugees here unless that person has undergone a thorough criminal history, terrorism and health background check and has been approved for placement by this state.

Burges, like Thorpe, acknowledged the state cannot block refugees. But she said her legislation would at least ensure that taxpayers are protected if any of them commit crimes.

Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, said the measure makes sense.

People who come through here on a regular path legally take years, he said. When you talk about refugees, there is a different path, Farnsworth continued. They are not fully vetted.

Johnson disagreed.
ELOY, Ariz.  The Arizona Department of Public Safety says impairment is suspected in a wrong-way accident that has closed eastbound Interstate 10 near Eloy in southern Arizona.

The DPS says the Thursday morning collision involved a vehicle traveling westbound in eastbound lanes.

The DPS also says there's at least one serious injury but that no additional information is immediately available on the accident.
Help India!

By,IANS,

New Delhi : Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Partys manifesto released Friday, the Congress party said BJP has a narrow agenda.

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The Congress party attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manifesto released earlier in the day and said that the party has imitated Congress manifesto.

They have copied our manifesto, central minister and Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal told reporters.

He also took note of the inclusion of the BJPs long-standing demands  building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, removal of the constitutions article 370 relating to Jammu and Kashmir, and imposing a uniform civil code.

What is the BJPs agenda except for the Ram Mandir, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code, he asked.

They have a narrow agenda, narrow vision and narrow mindset, Sibal said.

Sibal said the BJP was doing politics of incomplete India and would not come to power as long as they continue to do so.

The BJP manifesto has no meaning since it is not the manifesto of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it leads, and would not be acceptable to most of its allies, he added.
Help India!

By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net

Rajasthan: Four Kashmiri students who were allegedly thrashed and later arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of cooking beef in Mewar University hostel have been released after a board of experts confirmed that the meat was not beef.

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The students were produced before the Gangrar sub-divisional magistrates in Chittorgarh on Wednesday.

A veterinary medical board collected samples of meat from accused students hostel room. After testing, the board concluded that it was not beef.

The meat sample was sent to a veterinary medical board and they confirmed that it was not beef. As, there was no reason for us to keep them in the custody, we released all the four of them, said Labhu Ram, Station House Officer Gangrar, Rajasthan.

The four Kashmiri studentsShakib Ashraf, Hilal Farukh, Mohammad Maqbool and Shaukat Aliallall between the age of 21 and 27 years of age were arrested on Tuesday under Section 151 of the IPC for disturbing the peace.

Rajasthan Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore was quoted by ANI as saying, Kashmiri students accused of cooking beef in the Chittorgarh College have been released after questioning. It was just a precautionary measure, the students were released respectfully.

According to a report published in valley-based Newspaper Kashmir Observer, On Monday night, a few Dogra students from Jammu spread word in the University that four Kashmiri students have cooked beef in their hostel. Though the students did not take these rumors seriously, however a large number of supporters from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) assembled outside the University gates and started raising anti-Kashmir and anti-Muslim slogans.

It has been further alleged that the four Kashmiri students were also manhandled by some fellow-students and local residents.

The Newspaper further quotes students as saying, The activists tried to break the lock of the gate, however the University authorities did not allow them to enter into the premises. Some of them beat up few Kashmiri students who locked up themselves in their hostel rooms.

Following the reports of alleged harassment of Kashmiri students in Rajasthan, Director General of Police (DGP), K Rajendra Kumar contacted his counterpart of Rajasthan and enquired about the incidents of alleged harassment of students from Jammu and Kashmir. Rajendra urged them to ensure safety of the students from J&K studying in these states.

The DGP has appealed the people, particularly the student community not to pay any heed to the rumours being circulated on the social media and remain vigilant of the rumour mongers who might have some sinister designs.

He urged the people to verify such content from police help-line numbers in Srinagar on telephone numbers 0194-2506504 /0194-2506508/ & Mobile No: 9858000333 and in Jammu on telephone numbers 0191-2542000/0191-2542001, 0191-2560401 & Mobile No: 9419255283.

(With inputs from PTI)
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today is the day we celebrate St. Patrick, who did not actually drive out any snakes from Ireland, also he wasn't even Irish, but I digress. Let's be real, today is the day we drink, a day where we are all Irish. Coming from an Irish Catholic family, there are two things I learned growing up: the Irish like to drink and they have kids like it's a competition.

St. Patrick is not the patron saint of green beer, so why is his day of celebration so synonymous with drinking? In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday, and they have treated it as such. It used to be a day of going to church and culminated in a feast for dinner. However, in the early 1900's in America, Irish immigration was rising and amid a lot of discrimination, Irish Americans wanted to celebrate their heritage and also acknowledge their new home in America. To parade down the streets was an act of public pride and celebration.

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in America also meant that you could have a day off from Lent, hence the drinking. Ireland didn't allow their bars to even be open on this religious holiday until the 1960s, but seeing how much fun we were having over here, they relented. And so the holiday evolved, and with it the traditions. St. Patrick's Day has gotten so big, that it is widely recognized around the world with parties and parades.

So raise a glass and drop your keys (seriously you are an asshole if you drink and drive) to the Irish in us all!

And if you want to learn more about the Irish, check out Weekly Alibi's podcast this week.
Agroup of scientists has developed meat in the laboratory from stem cells. The cardiologist and director of the company Memphis Meats, Uma Valeti, leads a research team that is reaping grown beef. It should be noted that the research group includes Valeti was formed in Mayo and dean Clinical Associate at the University of Minnesota, plus Nicholas Genovese, a biologist stem cell in partnership with Will Clem, a biomedical engineer and owner of a restaurant chain in Memphis.

The research

This breakthrough has the potential to completely revolutionize the meat industry by removing the moral debate of killing animals and providing the world cleaner, healthier and better quality, both beef, chicken and pork and beef.

Such production requires only a period of time between 9 and 21 days.

For the development of this type of meat, scientists identified a particular animal cells that are able to regenerate themselves. "Then these cells are provided with oxygen and nutrients such as sugars and minerals", said the researcher, stressing that developing meat is "identical molecular and cellular level" that authentic. This novel cultured meat no side effects to health as bacterial contamination are highly saturated. "It is sustainable and is free from cruelty," he says.

The first manufacturing base of this meat will be established in the United States, but the ability to install others in India and China is explored.

The group of scientists is optimistic and try to put this product in restaurants in three years and in retail stores in 2021.For now, scientists got funding through a venture capital fund.

Eating meat serves as a metaphor and teaching life.In the future it could eat meat without animals found dead.For now, researchers are under experimentation with crops, however, already showed that cultured meat could be healthier than traditional food, since oxygen levels and cultivation processes would a consumer product higher quality.

Researchers seek to place cultured meat in restaurants over the next three years and in stores in 2021, but still lacking regulations and resolve the ethical dilemma of stem cell work.The goal of researchers is to produce massively meat of beef, pork and chicken, the three species most consumed in the world.For now, scientists got funding through a venture capital fund.
UAE gateway to Mideast for China's products: minister Updated: 2016-03-17 10:11 (Xinhua)

DUBAI - A senior trade official of the United Arab Emirate said on Wednesday that trade and economic relations between his country and China are "strong."

Sultan Al-Mansouri, UAE's minister of economy and foreign trade, said in a e-mailed statement that UAE is considered a gateway to about 60 percent of China's exported merchandise to the regional market.

The minister also noted that the trade volume between the two countries in 2014 surpassed $46 billion, a 28-percent increase compared to that of the previous year.

Now almost 300,000 Chinese citizens live and work in the UAE, along with over 4,000 companies, 249 trade agencies, and 5,451 registered Chinese brands, according to the ministry of economy.

Al-Mansoori said the UAE, a major oil supplier, has become a Middle Eastern hub and "an ideal channel linking east and west," attributing that to reasons including political stability and security, as well as "world-class" infrastructure and legislative environment that are supportive of the country's business climate.

The UAE also has 34 tax-free various free zones, consolidating its position as an developed investment destination not only in the region but around the world, he noted.

He believes that there is still great potential for further cooperation between the two sides, while the UAE is eligible for a "dominant added-value role" in China's belt and road initiative.
Tourism institute looks to mainland for talent Updated: 2016-03-15 20:03 By Zhao Xinying(chinadaily.com.cn)

A tourism education organization in Macao is seeking more prospective students from the mainland.

The Institute for Tourism Studies has prepared scholarships and internship opportunities for the arrival of students from the mainland, said Fanny Vong, president of the Institute at a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.

In recent years, tourism has been a booming industry in China, with the country receiving more than 4.1 billion tourists from home and abroad and revenue from tourism reaching 4.13 trillion yuan ($634 billion) in 2015.

Against such a backdrop, Vong said the boom is expected to continue and the need for tourism talent, especially those with international vision and professional ability, will remain strong.

The institute, established in 1995, is a public body for higher education open to students across the globe. It now has about 1,500 students from 22 countries and regions, among them 182 from the mainland.

The institute offers six four-year Bachelor Degree programs, including culinary arts management, heritage management, hotel management and tourism business management. All courses are delivered in English.

"A crucial criterion for us to recruit students from the mainland, apart from their good results in the national college exams, is that they should have good English ability," said Vong.

Students can choose to, for example, spend about two-and-a-half years studying at the Macao campus, then a six-month internship abroad and finally the last year in another country finishing their studies for a double degree.

"We are cooperating with 85 education institutes and 500 tourism and service enterprises, which means our students will have a large number of opportunities and choices in their study or internship," she said.
Q&A: Future of Hong Kong Updated: 2016-03-16 15:49 (chinadaily.com.cn)

Premier Li Keqiang answers questions of the media at the news conference after the closing meeting of the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 16, 2016. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Phoenix TV: In the past couple of years whenever we come to the mainland, we are often asked what has happened with Hong Kong. There is so much to this one simple question and also the Mong Kok riots that took place on the first day of China's Lunar New Year exposed some problems that exist in Hong Kong's society. Hong Kong's economic growth has also been slowing. Mr. Premier, next year marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, many people in Hong Kong are asking this question: where will Hong Kong go in the future? What is your answer to that question Mr. Premier and will the central government introduce more policies to support Hong Kong's development?

Li Keqiang: Next time you get asked about this question, I suggest that you can answer that Hong Kong will maintain long-time stability and prosperity. The policy of the central government of adhering to "one country, two systems"  the Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and high degree of autonomy will not change, and this policy has not changed. We believe that the Hong Kong SAR government has the ability and Hong Kong people have the wisdom to properly handle the complex issues in Hong Kong.

The development of Hong Kong is needed by Hong Kong itself and also the country as a whole. Hong Kong's development ultimately comes down to the efforts made by the people in Hong Kong. As an advanced economy, Hong Kong achieved a (GDP) growth of 2.4 percent last year, which is not low at all. Hong Kong can further use its own strength and also seize the opportunity offered by mainland development. The central government will give full support to any proposal from the SAR government that helps maintain Hong Kong long-term stability and prosperity and contributes to the well-being of people in Hong Kong. I have a confidence in a bright future of Hong Kong.






Premier Li proves he's a good listener Updated: 2016-03-17 08:10 By Zhang Yue(China Daily)

I was taken aback when I saw the long queue of hundreds of reporters in front of the Great Hall of the People at 7 am on a smoggy Wednesday morning - three hours before a news conference where Premier Li Keqiang would meet journalists and answer their questions.

I later learned that some had waited since 4 am in the hope of getting a good seat.

Getting as close as possible to the premier's seat is probably what every reporter wants because it gives them a better chance to ask questions of the premier and a better opportunity to observe his reactions.

After five years working as a reporter, this was my first opportunity to attend the annual news conference by the Chinese premier, or more precisely, my first time covering the two sessions.

I was lucky enough to grab a seat in the front row.

Li seemed to be a very good listener. As he listened to the reporter, he tended to nod to show that he understands the point of the question. Even when reporters from foreign press organizations raised questions, Li nodded and took notes, often before the interpreter started interpreting.

I did not get the chance to ask a question, but my colleague in the middle row did. She asked about the timeline of China's medical care reform, a question that has proved to be the most cared about, according to netizens responding to a recent online survey.

To me, the premier looked calm and confident in responding to every question during the two-hour news conference. And having covered many events from China's State Council for several months, I now better understand the premier's confidence and patience. Most of the questions - be they about medical insurance, urbanization policy, encouraging an innovation driven economy - have been repeatedly studied and reviewed based on the premier's field work.

We walked out of the gold hall slowly. Along the way, I talked to Jiang Na, a reporter from Farmer's Daily who grabbed the premier's attention by holding up the word "Farmer" throughout the two-hour conference and who grabbed the last question on the government's efforts on grain prices.

"I was so so nervous when I realized that he noticed me," Jiang said. "I was scared that I might be too exaggerated in front of the premier. I was so surprised and felt relaxed as he gave a very patient and detailed answer to the question."

Contact the writer at zhangyue@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/17/2016 page4)
Final session ends in agreement Updated: 2016-03-17 08:10 By Cao Yin(China Daily)

The National People's Congress 2016 sessions closed on Wednesday, after deputies approved a number of important documents along with the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

The documents include the Government Work Report, the central budget and work reports from the national top court and the country's top procuratorate.

With the ongoing crackdown on corruption and an increased awareness of the rule of law, the work of the two judicial bodies - the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate - has received more support from the legislators. Fewer lawmakers voted against their reports than the previous year.

The deputies also used the session to adopt the country's first Charity Law.

As for the 13th Five-Year Plan, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said the approval of the draft plan was the key result of the two sessions this year.

Zhang said the plan offers a blueprint for national development during the coming five years and is a vital guideline to the construction of a moderately prosperous society.

"We'll make that development a priority and fully implement the plan, taking practical steps on the concepts of innovation, coordination, green principals and open and common sharing," Zhang said.

The plan had been under heated debate by deputies in the previous few days. Du Liming, a deputy from Chongqing, said he proposed that more high-speed rail routes be built in the western regions, while Tang Hongjun, another deputy, called for stronger protection of intellectual property.

Now that the two sessions have ended, the NPC's Standing Committee will start to hold meetings every other month for detailed discussions on legislation and government work.

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/17/2016 page4)
For oil company, natural gas new 'engine of growth' Updated: 2016-03-17 08:10 By Zheng Jinran(China Daily)

Businesses seeking alternatives in new energy as traditional fossil fuels run low

Editor's note: Enterprise transformation has become a hot concern among many entrepreneurs at a time when the country faces the challenge of restructuring its economy. It was an important subject during the annual session of the country's top legislature, which concluded on Wednesday.

Huabei Oilfield Co has the world's deepest gas storage tanks underground and has begun to provide a steady gas supply to the clean-energy thirsty region of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

Pumps belonging to Huabei Oilfield Co do their work in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Besides oil, the company is also providing natural gas. Liu Xuezhong / For China Daily

It's part of the company's effort to develop new revenue streams, said Huang Gang, an NPC deputy and head of the company, which is headquartered in Cangzhou, Hebei province. It's a branch of domestic energy giant China National Petroleum Corp.

"New-energy resources have become an engine of growth, which is important in light of the complicated situation of a sagging global economy and volatile oil price in recent years," Huang said.

Some oil companies are confronting the challenges of the dwindling nonrenewable resource, looking ahead to a time when oil may be all used up.

Daqing Oilfield, one of the major oil fields in China, has started to taste the bitterness of limited resources.

It had maintained annual production above 50 million metric tons for 27 years, followed by a 12-year period at 40 million tons. But in 2015, annual production was reduced to 38.5 million tons, the first time below 40 million. It expects further cutbacks, to 32 million tons, by 2020, according to a statement.

"Low oil prices in the world have affected Daqing city's economy, which saw GDP declines for the first time," said Lu Hao, an NPC deputy and governor of Heilongjiang, where the oilfield is located. Provincial revenue fell by more than 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) last year, Lu said.

Huang, the head of Huabei Oilfield, said, "It's time for oil producers to pursue sustainable growth from other promising sources."

Huabei started to diversify its energy resources during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-15), aiming to make the oilfield a comprehensive energy supplier, he said.

During the transformation process, more has been invested in the new-energy sector, especially in natural gas, from exploration to storage. And over the past five years, sales revenue in new energy has increased from 1.1 billion yuan to 6.1 billion, which has facilitated the oil field's growth in a diversified way, Huang said.

The company has been exploring gas storage since 2011, and holds gas in groups of underground storage tanks in Langfang city, 90 kilometers from Tian'anmen Square, according to the company's statement.

"It began supplying Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province on March 1, to meet growing regional demand - a result of changes in the consumption of energy for environmental improvement," Huang said.

The tanks currently store 800 million cubic meters, he said, adding that the tanks are located at a depth of 5,000 meters, the deepest in the world.

Gas exploration is the wave of the future, Huang said.

"We will have more opportunities than challenges when facing the new normal of the economy," he said.

zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/17/2016 page5)
Sansha, China's southernmost city, to plant 500,000 trees Updated: 2016-03-17 08:10 By Huang Yiming and Liu Xiaoli in Haikou(China Daily)

China's southernmost city is preparing to plant 500,000 trees within the year in a new "greening of the islands" initiative.

Residents and soldiers plant trees at Zhubi Reef in Sansha city, Hainan province. Last year, about 300,000 trees were planted on Sansha's islands and reefs. Xinhua

Sansha's island location in the South China Sea means the city's forest-building plans will face challenges, including the transportation of seedlings, limited fresh water supplies and extreme weather, including typhoons.

But the tree planting project is seen as vital because the forests will provide a windbreak and prevent shoreline erosion, improve the area's ecology and benefit residents, officials said.

"Transportation is a big issue, all tree seedlings coming in from Hainan island will first arrive in Yongxing island, then they will get distributed to other reefs, most of which are without a port," said Shi Guoning, deputy director of the Bureau of Land and Resource and Environmental Protection for Sansha.

"To transport the tree seedlings to the reefs and sandbars, we will have to use small boats and wait for high tides to reach our destinations," Shi said.

The lack of fresh water for irrigation will be anther major stumbling block. Sansha has invested about 2 million yuan ($306,700) on seawater desalination equipment and water pumps. It also set up a rain water collecting tank system last year to benefit trees being planted in an area called West Sandbar.

"Before that, we had to rent boats to transport fresh water from Zhaoshu island, which is about 3 sea miles away from West Sandbar. It was not easy," Shi said.

But the hard work and expense will be worth it, he said, because the trees will greatly improve the living environment for locals.

Coconut and casuarina trees are the plants of choice because they have a high survival rate in the area's hot, humid, salty and highly sunny conditions.

Last year, about 300,000 trees were planted on islands and reefs, and 90 percent survived, turning the desert islands into green ones.

Sansha has also promoted an "Internet plus tree" adoption activity to involve netizens. For 300 yuan per year, participants can sign up over the Internet to "own" a coconut tree on the city's Zhaoshu island, according to media reports.
Mainland ready for musical from HK Updated: 2016-03-17 08:33 By Zhang Kun(China Daily)

Edward Lam, Hong Kong theater director.[Photo provided to China Daily]

A Hong Kong stage adaptation of the Chinese folk tale of the "butterfly lovers" with a modern twist is coming to the mainland soon.

The Art School Musical has been produced by Edward Lam, a Hong Kong-based theater director, essayist and art educator, and will be staged in Shanghai over April 1-3.

When the production premiered in Hong Kong in 2014, critics saw it as a successful case of re-creating an age-old folk tale in the modern-day world.

The musical's main characters are inheritors of cultural relics, and the play is a discussion of art, dreams, life and eternity.

Liang Weishi, an essayist in Hong Kong, praised the production as a "new model for Chinese musicals".

Lam has been active on Hong Kong's cultural scene for more than 20 years. His adaptation of Eileen Chang's Red Rose, White Rose won the best screenplay at the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards in 1994. Since then he has been devoted to the theater scene in Hong Kong, working with artists and diverse institutions.

The ancient story of the "butterfly lovers" is about a young woman dressed as a man in order to gain access to a celebrated school. She and a schoolmate fall in love, but the star-crossed lovers are forced to separate, only to be reunited in death, when they turn into butterflies, flying freely and happily together.

The tale has been one of the most enduring and celebrated folk love stories in China. It has been passed on from generation to generation over more than 1,000 years.

The most famous adaptation is a violin concerto of the same title by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao in 1959.

Yet Lam was inspired by a Chinese film adaptation by Li Han-hsiang in the 1960s, titled The Love Eterne.

Lam was impressed by Li's presentation of heroine Zhu Yingtai as an independent and intelligent woman who is ready to learn and love.

In Lam's play, the modern-age Zhu no longer has to dress as a man in order to be admitted to a public school, but it is the hero, Liang Shanbo, who constantly hides his true self behind an invisible mask to gain respect, win his loved one's heart and simply boost his self-confidence.

Lam attributed the tale's enduring popularity to the rarity of youthful love in a traditional patriarchal society.

The pursuit for individual values and freedom is "never outdated", he says.

All the songs in the musical, other than Self Portrait by French poet Francois Villon, have been composed by Chen Jianyi from Taiwan.

Jordan Cheng, from Macao, and Margaret Cheung, who was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Australia, are two among the play's 18 main actors.

Although both have developed a successful portfolio while performing in musicals, this will be Cheng's first mainland stage event.

If you go

7:15 pm, April 1-2; 2 pm, April 3. Shanghai Culture Square, 597 Fuxing Road Middle, Xuhui district, Shanghai. 021-6472-9000.
Master of arts and guardian of crafts Updated: 2016-03-17 14:48 By Peng Yining(China Daily USA)

A sentinel of tradition is helping ensure we can continue to enjoy fineries steeped in history

It may just look like a button to you and to me, but the wonderful little knot that is the apple of Huang Yuangsung's eye represents no less than centuries of history.

In fact so enthralled is Huang with these intricately made curios that they have helped to keep him tied up for more than half his life, from a day in 1972 when his eyes first fell on one, attached to the clothing of a farmer, when he beheld it more as art than as a mere fastener.

Clockwise from top: A woman from Shandong province weaves; a cave house is filled with a woman's Chinese papercuts; a woman (right) teaches how to make Chinese knot. Photos Provided to China Daily

The previous year Huang, now 72, had begun publishing Han Sheng, or Echo, a magazine in Taiwan devoted to folk craft, and his mission to document China's folk culture continues to this day.

Huang learned from the farmer that the button knot he saw was called jie and that women in rural areas make them to attach not only to clothing but use them as decorations in varying sizes on curtains and other fabric items as well.

Thus began a search stretching over nine years, one in which Huang managed to track down the last surviving masters of jie making, and he painstakingly made records of a dozen knot-tying skills, illustrated step by step, and revealed them to the public in an issue of Han Sheng that came out under the banner "Chinese knot".

By putting in the hands of readers the ability to duplicate all 14 kinds of knots, the oldest one dating back nearly 18 centuries, Huang played a major role in ensuring that this ancient art would not be lost to the world.

In fact it was Huang who coined the term Chinese knot, a craft that would eventually experience a renaissance in China and be picked up by other craftspeople in many other countries as well.

Beyond buttons

But of course Huang and Han Sheng's horizons stretch well beyond these buttons. Each issue of the magazine focuses on a single subject, the topics as diverse as the cover art they inspire: 18th-century kite patterns, Shanxi noodle-making, Fujian mud houses. Issues are often closer to a book in length, packed with photos and hand-drawn diagrams. The research can take months, even years.

In fact, in going about his work, Huang seems to be obsessed with the same exacting attention to fine detail that has possessed the practitioners of the crafts he chronicles. For example, for readers to enjoy the glories of the finest traditional opera costume, in taking a couple of photographs, one of the front and one of the rear, will simply not do. Instead, readers are regaled with illustrations of the minutest details, including the various patterns found in its embroidery, every button, the collar band, and cuffs. Readers will also be given a step-by-step guide to how the garment is made and be schooled in any nomenclature relating to patterns.

Just as Han Sheng pays tribute to artisanship, the magazine itself has received widespread accolades for its own craftsmanship, perhaps none as lofty as when, in 2006, Time magazine in the United States, in a list titled Best of Asia, named it the "best esoteric publication".

The judging panel called Han Sheng the "Chinese art and culture bible", and said "every issue is almost as reverently handled as the artwork and craftwork it seeks to preserve".

Steeped in culture

Huang, born in Taoyuan, Taiwan, studied sculpture in one of the island's best art schools. Although it was in urban settings that he was mostly educated, his strongest recollections are of the countryside, he says.

"When I was a child, my home village was full of folk craft arts: the colorful costumes in folk operas, wall paintings in temples and traditional paintings for celebrating the Chinese New Year."

One of his strongest memories, he says, is of a ceremony worshipping Mazu, a goddess said to protect seafarers who is widely worshipped in Taiwan.

"Folk culture was once the glue of rural society, but it is now disappearing," Huang says. "I hope my magazine can be a kind of gene bank. Even if art forms die out, at least through the magazine people can relive them."

In his quest to collect folk craft, Huang travels frequently between Taiwan and the mainland. The mainland has a longer tradition of craft making and is better endowed with resources, he says. In his first visit to Beijing he was particularly impressed by homemade red lanterns for celebrating the Chinese New Year.

"Craft arts were everywhere in the mainland, and people were still making and using them. I was thrilled. It was as if I had discovered a gold mine. But with the rapid urbanization of the past few decades those traditions have been disappearing at an unprecedented rate."

While Huang has been privileged to watch on as crafts that seemed on the verge of distinction have shown new spurts of life, he has also been a front-row spectator as some have died. Twenty years ago, he says, he visited a craftsman who was using methods dating to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to dye fabrics.

"He was breaking his old dye vat into pieces. When I asked if he was about to buy a bigger vat he said hardly anyone bought his stuff and he was about to quit. He was the last person I know who still knew how to dye textiles in the Tang Dynasty fashion, and his quitting meant that that skill was about to die."

Even with the coverage that Han Sheng gave to those skills, it was not enough to save the craft, he says, and the workshop of that old craftsman is now a mere relic, albeit a tourist spot where people can buy traditional textiles, and see the tools of the old trade.

Staying relevant

Huang has shown himself adept at adapting to the times to ensure that the magazine does not go the way of crafts that have disappeared.

In 2003 Han Sheng began publishing in Beijing, putting out editions for mainland audiences, and to mark the start of the Year of the Monkey, on Feb 8, Han Sheng worked with Baidu to produce a traditional paper-cut monkey for the front page of the Chinese Internet search engine's maps section.

"It's good to see traditional monkey images being used as motifs on an Internet site," Huang says. "That raises awareness among people of the skills of paper cutting. I know people of the present age can appreciate the beauty and skill of traditional arts. But what we need to do is to ensure those arts do not become extinct."

pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn

One people, one sense of history

In 1988, Taiwan authorities for the first time allowed the elderly to return to the mainland and visit their families. Huang accompanied his father-in-law, a former Kuo-mintang airman, on a trip to Hubei province, where his father-in-law was born and raised.

From then on, Huang began collecting material on the mainland.

"I saw my father-in-law draw a map of his hometown and put a small red spot on his home village because he missed his home but couldn't go back," Huang says.

Huang also accompanied many other veterans returning to the mainland and says he was touched by the deep emotional attachment that they had with their hometowns.

In the 1980s elderly people from Taiwan flying to the mainland had to transfer in Hong Kong and then enter the mainland through Guangdong.

"Veterans were talking and laughing on the train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, really excited about going home," Huang says. "Once the train crossed the Guangdong border, silence descended in the carriages and everyone peered at the scenery, something they had not seen for decades. The mainland had changed. Many had tears in their eyes."

Huang says that in his group was a 60-year-old who said little and seemed serene, but in Guangzhou talking on the telephone his composure broke and he burst into tears.

"After 30 years he finally heard the voice of his mother. Many people never got the chance to see their homeland again. I'm glad people from both sides can now visit each other freely. After all, we both share the same history and tradition."

(China Daily USA 03/17/2016 page10)
Policy is to consolidate ties with Taiwan Updated: 2016-03-17 08:11 By Zhu Songling(China Daily USA)

At a press conference on Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang again addressed the importance of 1992 Consensus, echoing top leader Xi Jinping's remarks earlier this month at a panel discussion on the significance of the consensus, which explicitly describe the nature of cross-Straits relations and are crucial to the long-term development of cross-Straits ties.

In his remarks made at the discussion with Shanghai delegation, Xi warned against the elements seeking "Taiwan independence", saying the tragedy of national secession will never be allowed.

Li, too, has said that the mainland will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus as the political foundation of cross-Straits ties and promote exchanges in diverse fields with Taiwan compatriots.

In fact, mainland leaders have been reiterating the importance of the 1992 Consensus for cross-Straits affairs. Apart from the historic 1992 Consensus, this time Xi also stressed the consistency and clarity of the mainland's cross-Straits policy, signaling a timely response to "the change in Taiwan's political situation".

Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, won the island's leadership election in January and is scheduled to take office in May. Yet she remains ambiguous about her stance on the 1992 Consensus, only expressing her wish to "maintain the status quo" in cross-Straits relations.

Over the past eight years, under the leadership of Kuomintang, Taiwan has seen an increasing number of benign exchanges with the mainland. That explains why some have expressed concern over whether the mainland would compromise its stance on the 1992 Consensus after the DPP assumes power.

Xi's latest remarks on cross-Straits affairs has made it clear that only by acknowledging the 1992 Consensus and accepting its core contents will the two sides share the political common ground as well as peaceful development.

Indeed, both sides have some differences on the elaboration of the "one-China principle", based on which the 1992 Consensus was agreed upon. The key concept, in fact, could serve as the political foundation of both sides and a permanent booster for frequent exchanges, even under different names, as long as the historical role of the 1992 Consensus (not the "1992 Talks") and its core contents are acknowledged - the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China.

In this sense, as Xi implied in his overture, the mainland wants those politicians and parties on the island that are yet to fully acknowledge the 1992 Consensus to take a step forward in improving the livelihoods of compatriots on both sides and strengthening stability across the Straits.

Xi also said the mainland will further promote cross-Straits cooperation and exchanges in all fields, deepen economic and social integration, and enhance the sense of a community of common destiny. Such remarks are a clear message that the mainland is willing to promote cross-Straits ties for the sake of compatriots across the Straits who "should not be let down".

Hopefully, the island's incoming leader will get the gist of the mainland's goodwill gesture, and refrain from hurting the cross-Straits relationship.

The author is director of the Institute of Cross-Straits Relations at Beijing Union University.

(China Daily USA 03/17/2016 page12)
Creation of biological zone boosts farming in fragile Inner Mongolia Updated: 2016-03-17 08:46 By Zhu Wenqian In Beijing And Yuan Hui In Hohhot(China Daily USA)

Officials from the Lao Niu Foundation said it has helped nearly 3,000 farmer households over the past five years, through its creation of an international biological demonstration zone in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

An Yaqiang, the foundation's deputy secretary-general, said it has delivered nearly 300 million yuan ($46 million) of economic benefits to the area.

The site, in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, was the autonomous region's first forestry carbon-sequestration project that has been registered under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The foundation, established by Niu Gensheng, chairman of Mengniu Dairy Group, has worked mainly on the repair and maintenance of nearly 2,590 hectares of what is considered ecologically fragile land, with the help of the local governments, research institutions, enterprises and nongovernmental organizations.

An explained that over the past decades, many parts of Inner Mongolia have suffered severe environmental degradation, such as land desertification, shortage of water and loss of biological diversity, as a result of climate change and logging activities.

"The local ecosystem has become increasingly fragile, and is now China's most-serious area of desertification. It has become a threat to the ecological security and sustainable development of the whole country," said An.

"More than 30 percent of the land in the area has suffered soil erosion. There is an urgent demand for treatment."

Niu started Mengniu Dairy in Inner Mongolia autonomous region in 1999, and An said the founder remains committed to promoting local economic development.

The foundation's work within the demonstration area has focused on the restoration of local trees and vegetation, and improving the use of its water resources.

It expects that over the next 30 years, its newly created forests will have absorbed 220,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

"The area has created temporary job opportunities for 1.14 million working days, and 18 full-time jobs, which has significantly eased local employment pressures," An said.

Lin Kuocheng, the Inner Mongolia project director for the US-based NGO Nature Conservancy, said: "Most enterprises put their efforts into construction, rather than maintenance. There is a lack of experiences that we can refer to when it comes to ecological restoration and management."

Contact the writers at zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn and yuanhui@chinadaily.com.cn

The desertified area in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, in 2010 (left), compared with the same area after vegetation restoration in 2014 (right). Provided To China Daily

(China Daily USA 03/17/2016 page15)
Policy is to consolidate ties with Taiwan Updated: 2016-03-17 07:57 By Zhu Songling(China Daily)

A reporter from Taiwan's CTI television asks a question during a press conference in Beijing, March 16, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

At a press conference on Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang again addressed the importance of 1992 Consensus, echoing top leader Xi Jinping's remarks earlier this month at a panel discussion on the significance of the consensus, which explicitly describe the nature of cross-Straits relations and are crucial to the long-term development of cross-Straits ties.

In his remarks made at the discussion with Shanghai delegation, Xi warned against the elements seeking "Taiwan independence", saying the tragedy of national secession will never be allowed.

Li, too, has said that the mainland will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus as the political foundation of cross-Straits ties and promote exchanges in diverse fields with Taiwan compatriots.

In fact, mainland leaders have been reiterating the importance of the 1992 Consensus for cross-Straits affairs. Apart from the historic 1992 Consensus, this time Xi also stressed the consistency and clarity of the mainland's cross-Straits policy, signaling a timely response to "the change in Taiwan's political situation".

Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, won the island's leadership election in January and is scheduled to take office in May. Yet she remains ambiguous about her stance on the 1992 Consensus, only expressing her wish to "maintain the status quo" in cross-Straits relations.

Over the past eight years, under the leadership of Kuomintang, Taiwan has seen an increasing number of benign exchanges with the mainland. That explains why some have expressed concern over whether the mainland would compromise its stance on the 1992 Consensus after the DPP assumes power.
Consumers' rights are essential part of supply-side reform Updated: 2016-03-17 07:57 By Zhu Qiwen(China Daily)

A deliveryman of Chinese food delivery company Ele.me prepares to deliver meals in Shanghai, March 24, 2015. [Photo/IC]

With much fanfare, China's state broadcaster China Central Television named and shamed a bunch of wrongdoers, particularly some e-businesses, in its annual gala to mark World Consumer Rights Day, which fell on Tuesday this year.

Such a ritualized media campaign against suspected business misconduct is certainly of value to Chinese consumers who deserve stronger protection from all kinds of frauds, fake goods and poor services.

Unfortunately, it has become increasingly less influential because of both declining audience ratings resulting from the fierce competition the traditional broadcasters face from Internet-based new media, and the lack of effective follow-up efforts in the past to address rising consumer complaints.

However, this is not a challenge only for CCTV.

Chinese policymakers should also recognize the very urgent need to significantly strengthen protection of consumer rights, and implement stronger legislative and administrative measures. If Chinese consumers are expected to do the heavy lifting to push forward economic growth, their legal rights must be expanded and defended in line with the latest developments in consumption patterns and trends.

In other words, promoting the greater satisfaction of Chinese consumers will determine the speed and sustainability of consumption-led growth.

In 2015, consumption contributed 66.4 percent to GDP, up 15.4 percentage points from 2014. The unexpected decline in exports and sluggish investment growth disproportionately enlarged the contribution consumption made to the Chinese economy last year.

But there are two consumption trends in China that have demonstrated their potential to give fresh impetus to the economy. One is the jaw-dropping surge in online shopping among Chinese consumers. The other is their unbelievable love of foreign goods such as the high-tech toilets they are snapping up in Japan.

While domestic enterprises should do their best to tap the spending power of Chinese consumers at home, Chinese policymakers should also heed their calls for better protection of consumer rights.
Saving Chinatown raises big questions Updated: 2016-03-17 05:32 By HATTY LIU in Vancouver(China Daily Canada)

"The world's narrowest broom closet", the historic and newly renovated Jack Chow Insurance building in Vancouver's Chinatown, is scheduled to re-open to the public soon. JACK CHOW / FOR CHINA DAILY

From a controversy in January over a 12-storey condo development to the remodelling of the world's narrowest building, the preservation of Vancouver Chinatown's heritage in a growing city is posing big questions for the neighbourhood's leaders and residents.

Recent meetings of the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee were attended by city councillor Raymond Louie and representatives of the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Issues discussed included restricting building heights in Chinatown and the impact of on-going repairs on Pender Street water mains on businesses, bus routes and foot traffic.

A condo development at the corner of East Hastings and Gore Street, approved by the city on Jan 25, also frustrated heritage activists as it replaces a section of one-storey shops  including an affordable "mom-and-pop" barbershop and butcher  and will stand out in a neighbourhood of low-rise buildings.

According to Judy Lam Maxwell, a Chinatown historian and member of the revitalization committee, the two major concerns over Chinatown's development are regulating the height of new buildings and attracting businesses that will not compromise the character of the neighbourhood.

"Chinatown is a national historic site and provincial historic site, but it's not a heritage site for the city of Vancouver, except for some heritage buildings," Maxwell said. "There are currently no height-restrictions on new buildings in Chinatown, and slowly [older] buildings have been knocked down or left to deteriorate."

In addition to the disappearing buildings and businesses, the aging population and lack of youth or families in the neighbourhood are also of concern, as Chinatown is no longer the hub of services for the area's Chinese community.

Maxwell said the neighbourhood is not opposed to development, even when it brings in non-Chinese businesses.

"A lot of new, great non-Chinese businesses and restaurants are opening with mostly non-Chinese clientele [that] bring a young energy to the neighbourhood," she said. "[Chinatown] building owners want people that can pay rent, and the revitalization committee has some standards, such as new non-Chinese businesses have to have some Chinese signage, and everyone has complied so far."

"The concern is only when new businesses or residential buildings end up pushing out local seniors and other residents or business-owners, or mostly don't provide services they would use," Maxwell explained.

Another recent development in Chinatown has been the remodelling of the Jack Chow Insurance building at 8 West Pender Street. Built in 1913 and just 1.5-1.8 meters deep from storefront to back, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's shallowest commercial building.

In honour of the building's 100th anniversary, the Chow family, which has owned the building since 1985, restored the glass sidewalk outside the building, built a glass frontage and glass staircase, and installed programmable energy-efficient LED lights and a sound system.

According to Rod Chow, president of Jack Chow Insurance, the renovation not only adds modernized upgrades but restores the building's historic facade and incorporates features keeping with the building's history and reputation as being "the world's narrowest toaster, the world's narrowest coat closet, and the world's narrowest broom closet".

"We also brought back a historic use of the building by installing new window wickets, so customers can walk up and be served out the window like in the old days," Chow said. "Like any historic area, Chinatown's development has to balance respecting history and the neighbourhood's need to grow."

The building will host a grand reopening to the public with tours later this year.
US says it is in talks with China's ZTE Updated: 2016-03-17 03:34 (Agencies)

The US Commerce Department said it is in talks with ZTE Corp over the Chinese company's alleged violations of US trade rules, and ZTE will appeal tough US export restrictions imposed last week, according to Reuters.

Commerce and ZTE are in "ongoing discussions," a senior Commerce official told Reuters. "These discussions have been constructive, and we will continue to seek a resolution."

On Wednesday, Reuters, citing what it said is a "person familiar with the matter", reported that ZTE will appeal the Commerce Department' s export restrictions after the telecom equipment maker's lobbying effort failed to allay concerns about its business.

ZTE, also a top smartphone maker, declined to comment on its appeal plans or about its lobbying efforts.

Commerce imposed restrictions on US suppliers providing crucial components to ZTE for alleged Iran sanctions violations, a move likely to disrupt its global supply chain.

How long the appeals process might take remains unclear. It usually takes a year or more for export curbs to be removed for a company, but Washington can act more quickly.
Chinese tourists a boost to US Updated: 2016-03-17 05:37 By CHEN WEIHUA in Washington(China Daily USA)

The 2016 China-US Tourism Year is expected to help boost the US tourism industry as international visitors spent an estimated $18.3 billion in the US in January, according to a report by the International Trade Administration (ITA) under the US Department of Commerce on Wednesday.

The report describes travel and tourism as still the nation's number one services export, citing the fact that international visitors spent the estimated $18.3 billion on travel to, and tourism related activities within, the US in January.

Educational and health-related tourism and short-term worker expenditures accounted for $4 billion in January, up more than 10 percent from January 2015, according to the report.

"Today's data show that the United States remains a desirable destination for international travelers," said Stefan Selig, under-secretary for international trade.

"The travel and tourism industry remains important to the nation's economy and to American workers, annually generating nearly $1.6 trillion of economic output that supports nearly 8.1 million US jobs."

"The Commerce Department continues to introduce new initiatives like the recently launched 2016 US-China Tourism Year to support President Obama's National Travel and Tourism Strategy goal of welcoming 100 million international visitors by 2021," he said.

The 2016 China-US Tourism Year, announced by President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama during Xi's state visit to the US last September, aims to increase travel and tourism between the two countries by enhancing the traveler's experience, increasing the traveler's cultural understanding and expanding the traveler's appreciation of natural landscapes in each other's countries.

From the US perspective, the US-China Tourism Year offers the chance to build on the current double-digit growth in arrivals from China, expanding the US share of the nearly 100 million Chinese visitors traveling each year, according to an ITA report on Feb 25.

The exact amount spent by Chinese tourists in the US in January is not yet known, according to an ITA press officer.

Chinese travelers have been known in recent years for spending the most per capita among international travelers. According to the US Commerce Department, total US travel and tourism exports to Chinese visitors totaled a record $24 billion in 2014, accounting for 57 percent of services exports to China.

Total arrivals of Chinese tourists and travelers numbered 2.56 million in 2015 and is projected to reach 2.97 million in 2016, according to US Commerce Department.

An average of 2.1 million US tourists and travelers have been going to China annually in recent years, according to China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

The total number of tourists going both ways is expected to hit 5 million, according to CNTA Chairman Li Jinzao at the launch ceremony of the 2016 China-US Tourism Year in Beijing held on Feb 29. That number was 4.75 million in 2015.

Both governments have applauded their 2014 announcement of a reciprocal extension of visa validity  for tourist and business travel from one to 10 years, and student travel from one to five years  as a great spur to travel between the two nations.

China is now the fourth-largest source of international travelers to the US while the US is the third-largest source for China, according to Li, who added that the bilateral tourism trade has grown at a rate of 16 percent despite a slowdown in economy and trade.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Gambia resumes ties with China Updated: 2016-03-17 19:05 By Li Xiaokun(chinadaily.com.cn)

China on Thursday resumed diplomatic ties with Gambia, the African country which cut "diplomatic'' relations with China's Taiwan in 2013.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his visiting Gambian counterpart signed a joint communique to resume diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level on March 17.

"The Islamic Republic of The Gambia recognizes the importance and reality of the One-China policy, the national reunification and peaceful reunification," said Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, the Gambian foreign minister.

"And the Islamic Republic of The Gambia, the president, the government and the people of Gambia will support this initiative and will support the policy at all levels," she said when meeting reporters with Wang after the signing ceremony.

"We want to congratulate ourselves for this very historic event."

Wang said upholding the One-China principle is the prerequisite and political foundation for China's diplomatic relationship with any country.

"For more than two years, Gambia has demonstrated firm sincerity and determination and has made the right choice on this matter," he said.

China set up diplomatic ties with Gambia in 1974. In the following two decades, China helped the country to build a number of projects for free.

In 1995, Gambia cut its diplomatic ties with Beijing, shifting to Chinese Taipei.

However, it announced in late 2013 it would cut "diplomatic" ties with Taiwan. A statement from the president's office said the decision was based on national strategic consideration.

Beijing said after learning the news that it had not contacted Gambia beforehand.

Wang said on Thursday that the resumption of the ties is a natural outcome of previous efforts, follows the trend of the times and is in line with the interests of the two countries and their peoples.

"The China-Gambia relationship has thus turned to a whole new page."

He said both countries will explore cooperation in six priority areas, such as agriculture, investment and trade and infrastructure, including port construction, to allow people see how their "candid interests" are met from the resumption of ties.
Vietnam discussing with other Mekong countries to ensure sustainable use of water Updated: 2016-03-17 19:48 (Xinhua)

HANOI -- Vietnam is discussing very actively with China and other Mekong River countries in order to ensure sustainable use of the Mekong water resources, said a Vietnamese official on Thursday.

Le Hai Binh, spokesperson of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remark at a regular press briefing in Vietnam's capital Hanoi when responding to a reporter's enquiry over China's discharge of water to Mekong River downstream to help alleviate drought and saline intrusion in Vietnam's southern Mekong Delta region.

"Through diplomatic channel, Vietnam has requested China to increase the release of water from Jinghong dam in China's Yunnan province to help alleviate the drought and saline intrusion in a number of Vietnamese southern provinces in the Mekong Delta region," said Binh.

"According to information from Vietnamese Embassy in China, on March 14, 2016, representative from Chinese authorities of water resources met with Vietnamese Embassy representative and informed us that from March 15 to April 10 this year, China will increase discharge of water from Jinghong dam down the river from 1,100 cubic meters per second to 2,190 cubic meters per second, which double the long-run annual average," Binh told reporters.

"Prior to making request to the Chinese side, Vietnamese competent authorities have worked together very closely to come up with a detail plan to help relieve the drought in Vietnamese provinces around the Mekong Delta," Binh said.

"For the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are discussing very actively with China and other Mekong River countries in order to ensure sustainable use of the Mekong water resources and ensure harmony between the interests of all the riparian states and that of people living in the region," Binh told reporters.

The ongoing serious drought is damaging some 160,000 hectares of paddy rice in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, causing losses of some 5,000 billion Vietnamese dong (222.2 million U.S. dollars), and affecting about 290,000 hectares of fruit trees, Vietnamese media reported earlier on Tuesday.

Spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lu Kang said on Tuesday that China will release emergency water supply from Jinghong Hydropower Station from March 15 till April 10 to the lower reaches of the Mekong River to alleviate drought in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

China and the five countries along the Mekong are friendly neighbors and assistance like this is natural, Lu said.
Over the weekend of April 8-9 -- three weeks from this coming weekend -- I'll be the scholar-in-residence for a Shabbaton (a Shabbat retreat) hosted by Congregation P'nei Tikvah in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The weekend will feature a Friday night dinner as our kabbalat Shabbat experience; a Shabbat morning Torah study and brunch; and a Saturday evening poolside havdalah and dessert gathering -- complete with poetry reading!

I'm looking forward to meeting members of the P'nei Tikvah community, and to spending time with my host there, Rabbi Yocheved Mintz, who I have known for many years through OHALAH, the association of Jewish Renewal clergy.

This isn't officially part of the ALEPH / Jewish Renewal Listening Tour, but on Shabbat afternoon there will be some conversations about Jewish Renewal's past, present, and future even so.

If you are in or near Las Vegas, I hope you'll consider joining us for the Shabbaton! The organizers are asking people to sign up (and pay) by April 1, so -- please let them know if you're planning to join us.

(From Las Vegas I will be moving on to the California stops on the ALEPH / Jewish Renewal Listening Tour, so if you're in southern or northern California, stay tuned for more information there.)
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PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
The ministrys decision is in response to complaints about tax refund delays caused by tax agencies, which causes shortage in businesses capital sources.  Photo thanhnien

HA NOI (VNS)  The Ministry of Finance has asked local tax authorities to refund value-added tax (VAT) to enterprises if the amount of tax they default on is less than the amount of tax refund that they will receive.

The ministrys decision is in response to complaints about tax refund delays caused by tax agencies, which causes shortage in businesses capital sources.

Deputy Minister o Hoang Anh Tuan said that 287 businesses across the country were waiting for tax refunds but there are both objective and subjective reasons for the delay.

One of the reasons is that some enterprises owe the State budget but the State budget must also refund tax to these enterprises. However, under current regulations, the two debts are not allowed to be offset, so enterprises are required to settle debts with the State budget before receiving tax refund.

According to Tuan, there are 20 enterprises facing this situation.

The ministry officially abolished the regulation via a document sent to local tax offices on Monday.

The ministrys leader also asked the General Department of Taxation (GDT) to check and inform local tax agencies within 6 working hours upon receiving their proposals for tax refund approval.

If they receive approval, the agencies would then issue a decision to refund tax to enterprises and update the tax payers database.

Local tax offices must take full responsibilities if they are slow in refunding tax to enterprises, Tuan said.

However, the ministry still requests localities to delay the tax refund if they detect any breaches of tax or customs regulations committed by companies or if tax payers are unable to prove the eligibility of the tax amount declared in their applications.

Tuan added that some businesses which were under scrutiny also have to be put in the waiting list.

Another reason for the tax refund delay is that some localities do not have enough funds to return to enterprises.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet, general director of the Nhat Tri Thanh Company which specializes in supply materials for the metallurgy industry, said the firm should have received VN38 billion ($1.7 million) of tax refunds by the end of January, but due to a shortage of money, the local tax office delayed the refund until the beginning of February.

Nguyen Huu Quang, an official from the National Assemblys Finance and Budget Committee, said a delay like this was not rare.

Deputy head of central a Nang Citys tax authority Nguyen inh An said that there are 5-6 pending applications at his office because of capital shortages. Normally, due to the limited quota set for each locality, the GDT would approve the refund in accordance with the order of priority such as type of business, export and big investments.

Tuan said that the ministry had enough resources for tax refunds nationwide. Currently, funds reserved for tax refund total VN3.8 trillion (US$173 million). However, he did not deny the possibility that This man has much to eat but that man finds no small piece.

He said HCM City now had only VN92 billion ($4.2 million) in the reserve while it needed VN800-900 billion ($36-41 million) for tax refunds. In contrast, the central Ha Tinh Province has VN1.1 trillion ($50 million).

To fix the problem, the ministry would remove quotas set for each locality and be more flexible in allocating funds for tax refunds.

inh Nho Hau, head of the Ha Tinh Provinces tax office, said that the changes in tax refund regulations would help tackle difficulties for both local tax offices and businesses.

He also suggested that there should not be any discrimination among enterprises. Tax offices should repay tax to enterprises right after they complete procedures applying for the refund, regardless if they are big exporters or investors.

Over the past two months, 3,100 applications were sent to local tax agencies and all of the enterprises successfully reclaimed tax with total amount of funds worth VN13 trillion ($591 million). This year, the Government set aside VN98 trillion ($4.5 billion) for tax refunds.  VNS
Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of Viet Nam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association, said that the price gap being capped at 7 per cent would cause administrative procedures to become more complicated for companies.  Photo enternews.vn

HA NOI (VNS)  Beverage companies seek to delay until the beginning of 2017 the application of amended regulations on calculating their special consumption tax, claiming they need more time to adjust their production plans.

According to Decree 108/2015/N-CP and Circular 195/2015/TT-BTC, which came into force just over two months ago, the special consumption tax on producers would be calculated based on the price that its member distributing company sold to sales agents and the taxable price must be lower than 7 per cent compared to the agents monthly average end selling price.

Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of Viet Nam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association, said that the price gap being capped at 7 per cent would cause administrative procedures to become more complicated for companies.

Beverage companies need time to adjust their production plans, said Viet, adding that implementation of the two documents should be delayed until January 1, 2017.

Nguyen Hong Linh, general director of Ha Noi Beer Alcohol and Beverage Joint Stock Corp. (Habeco), said that having the price gap between sales agent and distributing company capped at 7 per cent, instead of current 10 per cent, would make it hard for distributing companies to cover their operation costs.

The regulation would also cause difficulties in compliance, as the price of beverage products often change seasonally.

Participants at a conference yesterday urged the government to revise the regulations on calculating the special consumption tax for companies that operated under a holding company model in order to create conditions for them to do business efficiently.

Several companies said that the taxable price should be the end selling price of the producer, not the end selling price of its member distributing company.

Le Hong Xanh, deputy director of Sai Gon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Joint Stock Corp. (Sabeco), said that the new regulations would increase tax pressure on companies and might cause a decline in revenues as well as contributions to the budget.

au Anh Tuan, from the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the issuance of legal documents must have an appropriate roadmap, adding that sudden amendments might force companies to face the risk of losses or even leave the market.

The two legal documents were issued months after the audit watchdog proposed that Sabeco pay an additional VND408 billion (US$18.2 million) in special consumption tax for 2013.

Sabeco distributed its beer products through several intermediaries, from a subsidiary, Sabeco Trading Joint Stock Company, in which it holds a stake of 90 per cent, to regional trading companies, before selling to dealers and consumers.

Sabecos excise tax filing was based on the selling price of Sabeco Trading Joint Stock Company, while the state audit said that the excise tax should be calculated based on the selling price of regional trading companies, resulting in a controversy.

The association earlier this year said that the beverage industry contributed VN30 trillion to the State budget last year.  VNS
Irish heritage: Irish people celebrate St Patricks Day. - Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Ireland

To mark the occasion of Irelands St Patricks Day today, Viet Nam News presents an article written by the Ambassador of Ireland to Viet Nam, Cait Moran.

Every year on March 17, Ireland and the Irish people celebrate our national day, St Patricks Day. This is a global celebration  over 70 million people around the world claim Irish heritage and many more have become firm friends and fans of all things Irish, including here in Viet Nam. This year, the celebration in Ha Noi is particularly special as Viet Nam and Ireland are marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Ireland opened an embassy in Ha Noi just over 10 years ago. At the heart of our mission was the desire to assist Viet Nam in reducing poverty and to share Irelands development experience in a way that could support Viet Nam in its own development.

Trade between our two countries has grown fivefold in the last eight years. The advent of the European Union-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement will enable and incentivise further trade. We hope to deepen our collaboration in the fields of education, agri-food and aviation services in the years ahead. Irish businesses from the dairy, seafood, consultancy and building materials sectors are investing and trading with Viet Nam more than ever before, and the Irish Business Association of Viet Nam is expanding its membership.

We are well placed to do this. Ireland has been the fastest growing economy in the European Union for three years in a row, with current GDP growth at well over 6 per cent. Ireland maintained its position as the best country in the Eurozone for doing business, according to Forbes magazine rankings in 2015, and came in fourth overall in the world. This ranking is testament to Irelands favourable business and regulatory climate. Ireland is home to: nine of the top 10 global software companies; all of the top 10 Born on the Internet companies; nine of the top 10 global pharmaceutical firms; and 15 of the 20 top global medical technologies companies.

The turnaround in Irelands fortunes since the devastating global financial crisis and recession has been nothing short of remarkable. Difficult fiscal reforms and sound economic policies have paved the way for the sustained, broad-based economic growth that we have achieved. Irelands economic success is thanks in no small part to the hard work and resilience of the Irish people, and their spirit of innovation and creativity.

The high quality of Irelands education system  and its link to industry - has been a critical factor in Irelands economic success. Education is a priority area for future collaboration between Ireland and Viet Nam. In Ireland, our focus on education and innovation has driven the growth of our economy, producing graduates that are suited to todays technology intensive industries. Irish universities are ranked in the top 3 per cent of worldwide universities. This creates a unique opportunity for international students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to join research programmes that are driving innovation and changing lives worldwide. Last year, our embassy launched a pilot initiative, the Viet Nam Ireland Bilateral Education Exchange (VIBE) programme, to support research and development partnerships between Vietnamese and Irish Universities and research institutions.

The agri-food sector is Irelands largest indigenous industry. Each year, Irish food and drinks are exported to over 175 markets around the world, including Viet Nam. I am delighted that Irish dairy, pork and beverage products are now available in the Vietnamese market. Through the Origin Green initiative, launched in 2012, Ireland has become a global leader in sustainable food production, with innovative tools for measuring and improving our carbon footprint at all stages of the food chain and world class systems on food quality and traceability for consumer assurance. Ireland is well positioned to work with Viet Nam in respect of the challenges of modernising agri-systems and adding value to domestic exports.

I know that with the support of Government, the business community, civil society and our strong alumni networks, the collaboration between Viet Nam and Ireland will continue to grow.

For today, I want to wish the Irish community and all of the friends of Ireland in Viet Nam a very happy St Patricks Day. -- VNS
Local fishermen did not agree with the decision because the project would occupy the entire coast, including the wharf for fishing boats.  Photo danviet

Thu Van

Three days ago, I proposed a topic for the column Talk around town which runs every Wednesday on our print version to my editor-in-chief, and got the go-ahead.

My intention was to criticise a recent regulation from Ha Nois Department of Education and Training proposing school suspension for students who violate traffic rules multiple times.

The next day, something happened that killed my topic.

After a lot of public debate and controversy surrounding the issue, the education department agreed with many people that the regulation would be counter-productive and dropped it.

Though I was saddened that I could not write about it anymore, I was surprisingly pleased in another way. It was one of a few recent incidents that made me feel hopeful about social criticism and its positive effect on policy making processes.

After receiving suggestions from the public, (luckily we have social networks which make these easily accessed and disseminated), the Ministry of Education and Ha Nois education and justice departments held a meeting to discuss the matter. Their decision to drop the regulation came quickly and was of course welcomed by many.

This swift decision reminded me of another incident last month in central Thanh Hoa Province.

Hundreds of people from Quang Cu Commune of Sam Son town, Thanh Hoa Province surrounded the headquarters of the Provincial Peoples Committee and the Provincial Party Committee for 11 days to protest a beach tourism project, which would result in giving 3.5km of the coast in the commune to the FLC Group.

Local fishermen did not agree with the decision because the project would occupy the entire coast, including the wharf for fishing boats. They wanted at least 500m-1,000m of coast left for fishing.

Thanh Hoa Provinces Party Secretary Trinh Van Chien, in a meeting with the fishermen held after the protest, said he was sorry for what had happened, explaining in detail the provinces policies, assuring the people that their livelihoods were taken into account by authorities.

More importantly, he gave orders to protect between 300m and 1.5km of the coastline from the project to ensure fishermen have space for fishing.

If you watched a video of Chiens talk, you would hear clapping from the fishermen. It was a touching moment to me, though saying so might be a bit cheesy, but earning the peoples trust is a visible success for any governing agency. It was also one moment when we can say authorities listened to peoples opinions and tried to right wrongs.

Along with such positive changes on the side of the authorities, we are also seeing better social critics. This is important, because when more knowledgeable individuals are involved in the discussion, the more high-quality outcomes we will have.

The Flood Prevention Center of HCM City recently proposed the city Peoples Committee buy 63 pumping trucks at the cost of VND1.4 trillion (US$62 million) to address flooding in the city. Many experts protested this idea, saying it would be wasteful and ineffective.

They also provided recommendations for alternatives.

The citys Party Secretary Dinh La Thang said professors and scientists in the city are precious human resources that need to be consulted on relevant matters.

He said authorities need to manage not only based on management skills but also on the appliances of science and technologies.

I liked the way authorities handled the cases mentioned above. Im pretty sure many people shared my opinion.

When I buy a product I give feedback to the sellers if I like it or not; and if not, tell them how Id like the products to be. Any business needs feedback from its customers. I hope my government, the one I pay for through my taxes, would also provide me with good products. If they dont, criticism is unavoidable and any government with good will to take criticism onboard will only grow better and serve the people better.

Feedback help make a product stronger.

Social criticism helps make a government better.

Of course, there is still much to do in the long run for our government to better serve the people, but at least, we have hope that things are starting to change for the better.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (centre, blue cravat) and Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong attend the closing ceremony of the Viet Nam-Laos Joint Committee on the Border Marker Planting Project yesterday in Ha Noi.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

Ha NoI (VNS)  A State ceremony to mark the completion of the border marker planting project along the Viet Nam-Laos border was held in the capital city yesterday with the presence of Nguyen Tan Dung and Thongsing Thammavong, prime ministers of Viet Nam and Laos.

As of now, 1002 marker posts have been planted along the 2,340 km border between the two countries.

Before the project was launched (in 2008), there were only 199 marker posts planted, Ho Xuan Son, deputy minister of foreign affairs and chairman of the Viet Nam-Laos Joint Committee on the Border Marker Planting Project, said at the meeting. But now that the project is complete, it will enable Vietnamese and Laos authorities to manage their borders easier and tighten their bilateral co-operation, particularly economic and commercial co-operation and tourism for provinces along the border, Son said.

Addressing the ceremony, the two prime ministers spoke highly of the significance of the project in promoting relations between the two countries.

They said the project was a symbol of their traditional friendship  particularly the solidarity and comprehensive co-operation used to respect each others independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests.

They also expressed their hope that the project would contribute to strengthening the Viet Nam  Laos co-operation in many areas, particularly trade, investment, culture and tourism.

During the meeting, Pham Binh Minh, Vietnamese deputy minister and minister of foreign affairs, and Laos Thoonglun Sisulith, minister of foreign affairs, signed the Protocol on the Border Line and Marker Post, and the Agreement on Management Protocol for the Land Border and Border Posts between the Viet Nam and Laos governments.

Earlier, Laos Prime Minister Thammavong was received by Prime Minister Dung.

The two leaders spoke about the implementation of the Viet Nam  Laos Co-operation Agreement from 2011 to 2015 in their respective countries. They agreed to continue giving priority to the consolidation and development of Viet Nam  Laos relations, considering them an invaluable asset and a matter of life or death for the revolutionary cause of each nation.

During the meeting, the two leaders promised to do their best to ensure strict implementation of the co-operation plan between the two governments in 2016, the bilateral co-operation between the two nations from 2016 to 2020, and strategic co-operation in their transport sectors from 2016 to 2025.

They also agreed to do their best to raise the two countries bilateral import-export turnover to US$3 billion by 2020.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung voiced Viet Nams strong co-operation and co-ordination with Laos in its capacity as ASEAN Chairman in 2016.

President Sang receives Laos PM

President Truong Tan Sang (right) receives Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in Ha Noi. VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Khang

The same day, President Truong Tan Sang received Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong in Ha Noi.

Sang expressed his hope that all important political documents adopted at the 10th Laos National Party Congress would be put into action and help improve Laos economics and society.

In return, the Laos Prime Minister promised to do his best to help improve the livelihoods of both Vietnamese and Lao people, particularly those living along the borders.  VNS
A perspective of the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Expressway. Construction of the project is expected to start in 2017.  Photo baodautu.vn

ONG NAI  The progress of the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet Expressway and plans to acquire the lands required for it were discussed at a meeting on Tuesday between the projects management agency and officials from provinces through which the expressway will run.

The 100km expressway will run through the districts of Thong Nhat, Cam My, Long Khanh, and Xuan Loc in ong Nai Province and Ham Tan and Ham Thuan Nam in Binh Thuan.

It will cost over VN17.7 trillion (nearly US$800 million), with funding provided by the International Development Association and the World Banks International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Its first section is 36km long from Dau Giay to Xuan Loc District, and its construction will begin in the first quarter of next year.

The 62km second section will run from Xuan Loc to Phan Thiet, and construction will start in 2018.

Plans for site clearance and compensation payment have been approved, the Project Management Unit No 1 said.

But there differences in the land areas to be taken over by authorities and the areas approved by the ong Nai Peoples Committee, the Management Unit No 1 said.

Speaking at the meeting, deputy chairman of ong Nai Peoples Committee, Tran Van Vinh, urged the unit to closely co-ordinate with provincial authorities.

He also urged the ong Nai Department of Natural Resources and Environment to get plans for land use quickly from district authorities to ensure that the lands could be handed over in time. VNS
The MAPG aims to call donors and international sponsors to effectively implement the programme, also known as Programme 504.  File Photo

HA NOI (VNS)  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, head of the State Steering Committee for the National Mine Action Programme, has agreed to establish the Mine Action Partnership Group (MAPG).

The MAPG aims to call donors and international sponsors to effectively implement the programme, also known as Programme 504.

The MAGP also aims to bolster mutual understanding on policies, plans and measures to implement the programme, ease the impacts of bomb and mine pollution on Viet Nams socio-economic development, and team up with domestic and international organisations to deal with the aftermath of bombs and mines left over from the war.

More than 800,000 tonnes of unexploded bombs and mines are buried across 21 per cent of the country, mainly in the central provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue, in addition to Quang Ngai.

Wartime bombs and mines have killed about 42,130 people and injured others 62,160, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.  VNS
Loss-making budget airline AirAsia India said on Thursday it has appointed a new chief executive officer as the carrier seeks to boost its market share and turn profitable. The airline, part-owned by Malaysian carrier AirAsia Bhd and Tata Sons, stated that former American Express executive Amar Abrol will take over from Mittu Chandilya, who will step down at the end of this month after almost three years in the job.

Abrol was most recently the CEO of a financial products start-up after spending 19 years at American Express. The airline, which has struggled to make money since it launched in mid-2014, also announced the appointment of former Air France KLM executive Ankur Khanna as chief financial officer, and Kiran Jain as its head of commercial operations.

Abrol has no experience in the aviation industry and is the CEO of Tune Money  a start-up owned by Tony Fernandes. I look forward to leading the team and giving many more Indians the opportunity to access the exciting promise of Indian civil aviation, he said.

Mittu Chandilya led the airline team from the front through its launch and establishment in an intensely competitive market. The Board deeply appreciates his contribution. In Amar Abrol, we have a strong successor, with years of experience in customer delivery, which will be critical to the airlines future. Together, with his senior management team, we are confident that Amar will lead AirAsia India into its next stage of growth, said S Ramadorai, chairman, Air Asia India.

Interestingly, while Chandilyas appointment was announced by Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia Bhd, the latest press release has no comments from him.

After initial euphoria, AirAsia India has been unable to make its mark amid slow growth and continuous losses at a time when fuel is cheap. The airline has also seen several senior-level exits earlier last year.

In December, Arun Bhatia, who owns 10 per cent in AirAsia India, threatened to go to court alleging that the airline was being controlled by Malaysian shareholders.

The airlines chairperson S Ramadorai had then denied the allegations and said that there was no violation of Indian laws by the airline.

While the aviation industry was rife with speculations about Chandilyas resignation, Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia denied the news till Wednesday.

AirAsia India competes with IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir in Indias fast-growing air travel market, operating six aircraft covering 12 routes. Its market share stood at 2.3 percent in January, official data shows, ranking it sixth among Indias airlines.

FACTFILE
Russian state-owned petroleum explorer and the world's largest publicly traded oil company Rosneft is all set to purchase 49 per cent stake in India's private sector oil refiner Essar Oil, promoted by the Ruia family.

The Russian firm announced that its Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin has held negotiations with the management of Essar Oil and confirmed it will buy 49 per cent stake. Through this deal, Rosneft will gain access to Essar-operated Vadinar refinery, the second-largest oil refinery in India, with a capacity of 20 MT per annum.

Read more from our special coverage on "ROSNEFT" Russias Rosneft sells nearly half of Vankor field to Indian firms

"We had constructive discussions with management of Essar. We achieved preliminary agreement on the terms and procedure," Sechin told reporters after meeting Essar Directors Prashant Ruia and Ravi Ruia here.

Apart from the refinery, Essar Oil also operates a network of petrol pumps as well as coal-bed methane (CBM) blocks. "We have to go to obtain all the permits (for the acquisition). The transaction will be completed by June 2016," Sechin said. Essar Oil plans to implement the modernisation program expanding the refinery's capacity up to 25 million tonnes per annum including production of 1 million tonnes per annum of propylene, the Russian explorer said in a statement.

Essar Oil Director Prashant Ruia confirmed the development saying Rosneft has today confirmed its intention to acquire 49 per cent equity interest in Essar Oil Ltd. "The parties intend to close the transaction by June 2016 following the execution of mutually agreed binding documents and after receipt of necessary approvals," he said.

According to Rosneft, preliminary mutual understanding has been achieved on the timing and structure of the deal to buy into the equity of Essar Oil Ltd. "The parties intend to sign and close the transaction by the end of June 2016 upon obtaining all necessary permits," the firm said in a statement. Rosneft will also supply 10 million tonne of crude per annum to the Vadinar refinery in Gujarat for 10 years. "In addition an agreement on crude oil deliveries to commence this year has also been achieved," it said.

Rosneft and Essar Oil & Gas Ltd and Essar Energy Holdings Ltd, companies incorporated and managed under the laws of Mauritius, had in July last year signed a non-binding Term Sheet. Promoter Ruia family held 90.5 per cent of Essar Oil in July last year, of which 65.6 per cent is in the form of overseas depository shares. The company has since been delisted through a share buy-back.
The finance ministry is preparing a model Centre-State Investment Agreement (CSIA), for effective implementation of the it is set to sign with other countries. The draft could be presented to the Cabinet for approval in two or three months, Business Standard has learnt.

Union Budget 2016-17, presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 29, had proposed the CSIA, to be signed between the central and state governments. This will ensure fulfilment of the obligations of state governments under these treaties. States which opt to sign these will be seen as more attractive destinations by foreign investors, the annexure to the Budget speech had stated.

There can be instances where a problem with a foreign investor might be due to a particular state. Signing a CSIA will ensure states stick to the commitments as well, said an official.

Some of the features include an enterprise-based definition of investment, non-discriminatory treatment, protection against expropriation, an Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision requiring investors to exhaust local remedies before commencing international arbitration, and limiting the power of tribunals to awarding of monetary compensation. The Centre will not make it mandatory for states to sign these agreements but if any dont, we will inform our counter-parties (other nations) and that foreign companies should keep that in mind before investing," said the official.

However, some critics say this does not make sense from the perspective of international law. Whether a central government enters into any such agreement with states or not, the actions of state governments will continue to bind the Indian state, said Prabhash Ranjan of South Asian University. Irrespective of a foreign company running into trouble with any state, the liability will be on the Centre, he said.

This seems like a way for the Centre to internally shift blame, he added. And, if the Centre signs a CSIA with states in relation to the BIT, why not to the World Trade Organization agreements or the double taxation avoidance agreements it signs with various countries?



The BIT language was cleared by the Union Cabinet in December. It keeps taxation out of its ambit, unlike the present Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements, with the idea that foreign companies finding themselves in a tax row with the government will not be able to invoke the investment treaty their parent country has signed with India, as is the case at present.

India or any other country cannot nationalise or expropriate any asset of a foreign company unless the law is followed, is for the public purpose and fair compensation paid. Public purpose is not defined in any treaty India has signed with other nations. The BIT states that dispute-resolution tribunals, including foreign tribunals, can question public purpose and can re-examine a legal issue settled by Indian judicial bodies.

BIT is expected to replace the existing Bippas. It is expected to be signed with all the countries India has bilateral investment treaties with. India has signed Bippas with 72 nations and signed but not enforced it with an additional 11.

British telecom major Vodafone had invoked the India-Netherlands Bippa, seeking international arbitration in its long-drawn Rs 20,000-crore tax dispute, following the cancellation of conciliation talks. Similarly, Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia resorted to this for resolving the tax department's claim of liability, existing and anticipated, for seven years from 2006-07. Cairn Energy, too, recently demanded compensation under the ambit of the India-UK Bippa for the Rs 10,200-crore tax notice slapped on Cairn India.
India Thursday pitched for unleashing the "collective strength" of as Sushma Swaraj underlined the need for a South Asian Economic Union with greater connectivity and forward movement on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles.

The External Affairs Minister stated that while the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries are doing well individually, they have not been able to unleash their collective strength effectively.

"We have taken some important decisions to integrate our economies through SAFTA and South Asian Trade in Services Agreement. These need to be developed and consolidated further if we are to achieve a South Asian Economic Union," she said in her address at the 37th Council of Ministers meeting here.

Underlining that the South Asian region is hailed today as having the potential to be the front-runner of growth and prosperity and is one of the fastest growing regions of the world, she pointed out that regional integration is lacking.

"The statistics are telling our region accounts for merely 2% of world trade and 1.7% of world FDI. Our intra-regional trade is less than 6% of our global trade and intra-regional FDI accounts for only 3% of total FDI inflows," she said.

Swaraj said that despite strong growth and huge advances in education, healthcare and rural development, the region still has the world's largest number of people living below the poverty line.

"We continue to face significant challenges in delivering food security, health, nutrition and education to our peoples. All this goes to show that while we are doing well individually, we have not been able to unleash our collective strength effectively. We must think innovatively and find solutions so that we may harness our economic complementarities and ensure a conducive environment for rapid growth," she said.

Swaraj said connectivity is central to regional development and will determine how "we meet our goals of growth, employment and prosperity".

"As we seek to overcome basic problems of physical connectivity, it is important for us to move forward quickly on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles. Economic activities, cultural connections and people to people contacts will flow naturally from such connectivity," she said.

The Minister asserted that the Indian government has shown its commitment to a 'Neighbourhood First' policy from its very first day in office.

"Our vision of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' is for the



whole SAARC region and together, we can create a viable ecosystem of regional integration, cooperation and socio-economic development," she said adding that together, "we can unlock the latent talent of South Asia".

Swaraj said India is prepared to work within the SAARC community to realise developmental goals.

"Indian Universities remain open for SAARC citizens. We are committed to supporting campus and infrastructure development of the South Asian University that has been established exclusively for the students of the region.

"We have moved forward on unilateral initiatives that we announced at the last Summit for sharing Indian scientific and technological progress with the SAARC community," she said.

Swaraj said these include among others a dedicated Satellite for SAARC to support applications in health, education, disaster response, weather forecasting and communications for our people, establishment of a supra- national laboratory to combat diseases like TB and AIDS, creation of a SAARC wide Knowledge Network to interlink our students, academic and research communities, and organisation of the first SAARC Annual Disaster Management Exercise.

"Looking ahead, I am confident of your support for a SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Centre in India. Such a Centre can benefit from domain expertise of a large network of specialised Indian institutions experienced in quick response to various natural disasters," she said.

Swaraj said SAARC is about positive synergy that will allow each of its members to achieve their full potential.

"We must recognise that we have common enemies in poverty, illiteracy, terrorism and environmental degradation. We will need to fight these challenges together since we have a shared history, and a shared destiny. Let us reach for it together," she said.

The Minister also paid tribute to Nepalese people's grit and determination in wake of their resolve to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake last year.

The SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
WATERLOO  The shooting that injured Demarcus Green in February 2015 came during a night of drinking and pizza.

In fact, the shooting happened moments after Greens acquaintances received a pizza that had been delivered to the front porch at 518 Rhey St.

After collecting the bill and dropping off the pizza, the delivery driver heard someone comment you dont need to bring a gun into this as he walked back to his vehicle, Assistant County Attorney Brad Walz told jurors Wednesday as trial began for the alleged shooter, Choroin Devontea Smith.

The driver shrugged it off as a joke, but as he climbed behind the drivers seat, he heard a single shot, Walz said. Minutes later, police and paramedics arrived to find pizza and wings spilled on the porch and Green with a gunshot wound to his shoulder.

Smith, 19, of Waterloo, is charged with willful injury causing serious injury, intimidation with a weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Walz said Green had been involved in a fight with another person, Trevell Bruce, on the porch. The defense said the argument started when Green egged Bruce on about an earlier time when he got beat up in prison.

During the fight on the porch, Smith shot Green, Walz said. The bullet passed through Greens shoulder and lodged in a window frame, Walz said. Both Smith and Bruce left before police arrived.

Smith has pleaded not guilty, and defense attorney Kathryn Mahoney said there is more to the story, including an unidentified person at the party that she referred to as third dude.

Mahoney also noted that people at the Rhey Street address were highly, highly intoxicated that night, and police werent able to obtain any pertinent information about a possible suspect when they arrived at the scene.

There are reasonable doubts entering into this, she said.

Days after the shooting, Waterloo police pulled over a vehicle during a traffic stop. Both Smith and Bruce were in the vehicle, and officers located a .22-caliber Beretta handgun hidden under a seat. Walz said the investigators were able to tie the weapon to a spent shell casing found on the porch of the Rhey Street home.

The trial continues Thursday in Black Hawk County District Court.
DES MOINES -- Handicapped drivers issued placards after Jan. 1 to park in specially designated zones would renew the permits every five years under a bill passed Wednesday by the Iowa Senate.

The measure was approved 47-2.

The bill would maintain current lifetime removable windshield placards previously issued to disabled Iowans but would make devices temporary and subject for renewal by the Iowa Department of Transportation if Gov. Terry Branstad signs it into law.

Its permanent now, said Sen. Wally Horn, D-Cedar Rapids, the bills floor manager, that means you get to keep it forever, and so this bill is trying to clear up what is happening. Some people think that people are passing it on to other relatives and things like this.

The bill returns to the Iowa House for consideration of minor Senate changes.

In a separate measure, senators voted 47-2 to send House File 617 to the governor. The bill would establish specialty license plates that would offer space for decals by nonprofit groups approved by state transportation officials without impacting existing specialty plates.

The decals would could not promote a specific product or brand name, said Sen. Chris Brase, D-Muscatine, floor manager of the bill that now goes to Branstad for his consideration. DOT officials already regulate what can appear on a state license plate, he noted, and a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision established that states can limit the contents of license plates because they are state property.

I think this is a good bill. Its worked well in other states, said Brase. The law enforcement community likes this bill because it creates a standardized Iowa plate so when they see the plate they can recognize where its from. It also would reduce some of the costs to our counties because they only have to keep in stock one design of a plate and then it would be up to the nonprofits to produce and to distribute the decals that may be applied.

Senators also voted 49-0 to approve House File 2345, a bill that would require county engineers to report annually on bridge repair work but the bill returns to the House to consider an amendment to put a three-year sunset on the requirement.

Also Wednesday, senators voted 49-0 to send Branstad a bill that would allow a judge to terminate parental rights of convicted rapist as long as there is clear and convincing evidence the pregnancy was the result of a sexual assault and a separate measure that would extend the statute of limitation for crimes involving the kidnapping or human trafficking of a minor.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 16, 2016 | 03:54 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Paducah Area Community Reuse Organization has approved a loan of more than $600,000 for a new pizza restaurant in the old Coke plant.

At its meeting Wednesday, PACRO offered a loan from its revolving loan fund for up to $664,000 to Paducah Pizza Bakers, LLC, doing business as Mellow Mushroom Paducah. The funds will reportedly be used for building improvements and equipment for the new restaurant, which is planned to open in the former Coke plant on Broadway Street.

According to PACRO, the project will create between 75 and 100 new jobs in the community.

We are excited to be a part of this great project for Paducah and the region. Our board has worked hard partnering in our communities and this is a great testament of how we continue to move our region forward with new opportunities and the creation of jobs. We couldnt ask for a better partner than the team working with Mellow Mushroom." said Mayor Gayle Kaler, Chair of PACRO.

Ed and Meagan Musselman, Partners in Paducah Pizza Bakers, LLC said they are excited about opening up a location in Paducah.

What a great team effort by PACRO, EntrePaducah, Murray State Small Business Center, and Kentucky Innovation Network  WKCTC to make this project a reality. We are excited to be bringing this great project to Paducah and the Region and look forward to continue our efforts to make the Midtown area of Paducah, KY a location for continued investment and job creation.
Wikipedia/OliScarff

7. Homer

Wikipedia

The question of authorship has always been a fascinating one. When a book is published, people tend to take for granted that the person who wrote it is a real living, breathing human being. With a brief author's bio and a smiling picture, why would you question it? What would be the point of making up an identity? As it turns out there are plenty of reasons why a person or company might want to present somebody as real when they're not: like if that person happens to be saying nice things about your company, or is purporting to have lived an incredibly interesting (and marketable) life. On top of that, the further back in time we travel, the harder it is to truly prove a person's existence, even those figures who are considered household names. From the Bard himself William Shakespeare to a certain troubled teenager whose diary has been in print for over forty years, here are seven famous writers who might not have actually existed...No, I'm not talking about the yellow-fleshed Simpson. I'm talking about one of the most influential writers in human history, the man responsible for penning two literary cornerstones, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad details events during the Trojan War, a ten-year siege of the city of Troy. Specifically, it deals with the quarrel that takes place between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles. The Odyssey, on the other hand, concerns Odysseus, focusing on his journey home after the fall of Troy and the various challenges he encounters along the way. When most people think of Homer, they think of a writer from ancient Greece, but what most people don't know is that even they considered Homer to be a legendary figure from long in the past. It turns out that we aren't even sure that Homer was a real person. We certainly don't know when he lived or whether he actually did. Historical accounts of Homer differ wildly, frequently placing his life centuries apart. This is mainly due to the fact that anybody who ever wrote about him was doing so from a time hundreds of years after he supposedly lived. In fact, there are many scholars who actually believe that Homer was merely a pseudonym that was used by multiple different writers.
Lucasfilm

It's always an issue when any franchise - big screen, small screen or video game - is hyper-extended by money-men looking to capitalise on particular characters or individual elements that only worked because they weren't the main focus, or because they were atypically appealing. The pursuit of a brand without thinking has historically led to ill-conceived sequels like The Blair Witch: Book Of Shadows, and unfortunately Hollywood continues to ignore the pitfalls of reinvention entirely.

For that reason beloved characters are pushed through a mangle because story innovation requires something new of them, and writers aren't capable of building an engaging universe around the elements that the audience actually likes. Nobody seems to realise that the characters are king, and that it isn't enough to just rely on them looking the same, or having the same name - they have to have the same substance and the same appeal, or audiences are left cold and angry.

It is particularly annoying when writers take a bad-ass character and reinvent them without the darkness or the swagger, and we're left watching something that might look the same, but which fundamentally lacks soul and the edge that once made them so endearing.

Whether it is because their ridiculous scripts require a betrayal of the character to sell a story, or because of some wayward agenda to make them more Hollywood, it is often the bad-asses who come off the worst in the pursuit of sequels...
11. Chris Pratt - Passengers

Who doesn't love seeing a totally unexpected actor scoop up an Academy Award? After all, who could've predicted a few years ago that the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jean Dujardin, Sandra Bullock, Lupita Nyong'o and... Monique... would all end up with little gold guys? Sometimes an actor surprises us because they're simply not conventional Oscar material, as in the case of McConaughey, the star of bonafide classics like Surfer, Dude and Fool's Gold whose performance in Dallas Buyers Club sustained momentum from festival screenings all the way to the ceremony virtually unchallenged. Then there are actors like Nyong'o, who are unexpected simply because we most likely hadn't heard of them previously, even though her turn was a conventionally box-ticking, Oscar-worthy performance. This year's Oscar race won't really kick off in earnest until around September, but it's always fun to try and guess the winners way ahead of time, especially in the insanely competitive acting categories. And, going off prior successes, acclaimed source material and the fallout of this year's #OscarSoWhite controversy, we can make some educated guesses about a few left-field actors and actresses who could unexpectedly end up nominated for, and even winning an award outright.Jim Preston, a man on-board a spacecraft which is transporting thousands of people to a distant colony planet. He's woken up when his sleep chamber malfunctions, and rather than spend the rest of his life in isolation, decides to wake up a female passenger, Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence).For starters, the film's being directed by The Imitation Game's Morten Tyldum, it's got a prime Oscar-friendly December release date, and Pratt is starring opposite Lawrence, who is an Oscar darling and therefore likely to bring out to the best in him. If the film achieves the right mix of poignant drama, this could be Pratt's big break away from comedy with a Best Actor win.Because Pratt's career thus far has carved him out more as a charming movie star rather than a serious actor, typically appearing in light comedy and adventure movies. He could easily spend the rest of his career without a single Oscar nomination or win, rather simply turning in reliable starring roles in blockbuster fare and nobody would mind, but hopefully Passengers will show us a different side of Pratt's skill set.
Like Daenerys getting to Westeros, Game of Thrones Season 6 seems to be taking forever to come around. It's the same every year, a problem that comes with an annual dose of just 10 episodes, each packed with the sort of favourite-character-killing twists and burning-a-child-at-the-stake shocks that leave you desperate for more. After character images, and a teaser that didn't actually give us any new footage (but did hint at everyone dying, which was nice), we've finally had a proper, full-length trailer to obsess over for the next month or so. There was certainly plenty in there to get excited about, with Jaime's return to King's Landing, Cersei's battle with the Faith, Davos wielding Longclaw, dragons, and Bran Stark standing next to the Night's King! Jon Snow, meanwhile, was still deader than dead is dead. The trailer comes at a good time, when anticipation is reaching a fever pitch, and after months of rumours, set-leaks, and spoilery speculation. There's been talk of Shae coming back, Sansa being pregnant, and Ian McShane linked with every male book character we've not seen on screen yet. This trailer confirms none of those things (although, if you do want answers, it's no she's not, maybe, Septon Meribald/Elder Brother). However, there are lots of rumours that we have had confirmed by the new footage, and though there may be some spoilers in here, it really just makes the wait even more unbearable.
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If youre looking to try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino

 Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first.

 Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well.

 What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that.

The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players.

 How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long!

 Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package  which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up.

 Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home.

Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice

It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices

 Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves.

 Reputation. Find out what the general public thinks about the casino. Check out any customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Amazon and Google Play to find out more. As far as gaming goes, you can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been any complaints against the casino.

 Security. Make sure the casino uses SSL encryption to secure its transactions, meaning that your private data stays safe during transactions. Other than that, look for security seals on the site itself and verify that theyre legitimate. You can also check out the casinos privacy policy to see how they handle confidential information.

 Payment methods. Its good to have multiple payment options available, especially if you plan to play frequently. Its also nice to find a casino that accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. If youre worried about safety, you can always opt for a credit card or PayPal instead.

With all those criteria in mind, heres our top picks

Betway:

Betway is a relatively new UK casino offering online gambling to residents of the United Kingdom and European Union. They offer hundreds of games across both land based and digital platforms, with plenty of top software providers like Net Entertainment, Microgaming and Yggdrasil Gaming Network. With a generous welcome offer that gives players 100% up to 100, you really cant go wrong with Betway.

Coral Casino:

Coral Casino is operated by the same company that runs the famous Caribbean casino, Grand Reef. Like many casinos, Coral Casino offers a wide variety of games, including plenty of video slots and table games. New players can benefit from a huge 100% match bonus up to 1000, while existing customers enjoy 25% cash back on deposits made within 48 hours of opening an account.

Ladbrokes Casino:

Ladbrokes Casino is owned by the same company as the famous bookmaker that started life in 1921. With more than 500 games from leading software providers such as Amaya, NetEnt and Microgaming, you wont be disappointed by the quality of the games here. New players get a 200% match bonus up to 500, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits.

Paddy Power Casino:

Paddy Power is another Irish-owned casino that operates throughout Europe. Not only does Paddy Power Casino offer traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette and slots, but it also provides a full range of sports betting, including football, tennis, boxing and horse racing. New players can receive a massive 100% match bonus up to 200, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits.

William Hill Casino:

William Hill Casino is one of the biggest names in the industry, operating in Europe, Asia and North America. Founded in 1984, this online casino has more than 400 games to choose from, including slots and table games, with a wide array of software providers like WagerLogic, Big Time Gaming and Rival.

Bonus: 100% Match Bonus up to 100  Register Now

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If youre interested in trying out an online casino but arent quite ready to commit to one, why not try out one of the many no deposit casinos weve reviewed? You can test drive various casinos completely risk-free, so you can feel confident about your choice before you make a single penny deposit.
Sorraya Khan in Guernica:

In the beginning, 5 Queens Road was my Pakistan. The house didnt belong to me, and although it was my grandparents home, it didnt belong to them, either. None of which stopped any of us from believing it did. The house was partitioned shortly before British India was, in 1947. The border that cleaved the latter produced the independent nations of India and Pakistan; the border that cleaved the former shifted, growing or shrinking depending on perspective and the passage of time. When I first arrived as a child, the inhabitants had already been mired in war for so long their memories were blurred and no one I knew could accurately recall its trajectory. Only two facts were worth remembering: my family had neither instigated nor perpetuated the conflict.

The house came to my grandparents in the chaos of Partition. It had been built by the British in the early 1940s and eventually sold to Dina Nath, a Hindu, who decided against leaving Lahore for India in the summer of 1947. Instead, Dina Nath drew a line down the middle of the house and searched for a Muslim tenant to live on the other side, hoping that the presence of a Muslim might protect him from the raging violence against Hindus who had dared remain in Pakistan. My grandparents, their seven children, my grandfathers mother, and several of his brothers moved in. For reasons that are unclear and now impossible to know, my grandfather and Dina Nath grew to dislike each other until eventually the men stopped speaking. By all accounts, Dina Naths initial partitioning was generous, but over time the border moved until all that was left of my grandparents side was the house I knew. It consisted of two bedrooms and bathrooms, oddly shaped living and dining rooms, a study, and, for some mysterious reason, the entire back lawn, of which a corner was an outside kitchen where my grandmother prepared all our meals.

Sixteen years after Partition, and in the winters that followed (thanks to the home leave benefit of my fathers UN job), I came to a house crumbling under the weight of their feud.

More here.


DRP Price and Participation

Sydney, Mar 16, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of MNF Group Limited ( ASX:MNF ) is pleased to advise that the subscription price for the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) applicable to the interim 2016 dividend, is $3.11 per share.



This Subscription price represents a 4.7% discount to the 5 day Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) ending 15 March 2016.



The company received subscriptions for 5.48M shares from 383 shareholders. This represents participation from 8.2% of the company's issued capital and from 14.2% of the current shareholder base.



The Board wishes to thank all those who participated in the MNF DRP.





About Symbio Holdings Limited





Symbio Holdings Limited (ASX:SYM) is a software company changing the way the world communicates.

Symbio's technology replaces old-fashioned telecom networks with software, making it faster and easier to deliver modern cloud-based communication services, unlocking endless new applications for calling, messaging and phone numbers.

Symbio is the backbone for the global cloud communication industry. Over 500 service providers - from telecom start-ups to the world's biggest software companies - rely on Symbio for the connectivity, quality and expertise they need to solve complex communication challenges.

Headquartered in Sydney, Symbio powers billions of calls and messages each year, owns networks in three countries and employs over 450 staff worldwide.

For more information about Symbio visit www.symbio.global


iSignthis V2.0 Paydentity SaaS Certified to PCI DSS V3.1

Melbourne, Mar 17, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ('the Company") is pleased to announce that it has achieved Level 1 Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) v3.1 certification for its V2.0 SaaS 'paydentity' cloud based identity and payment processing services.



- iSignthis Version 2.0 SaaS now 3rd Party Certified



- Customers expected to go live progressively



- Certification mitigates Company, Customer and Card Holder risk



- Certification allows transaction processing of End Users to commence



The Level 1 certification allows iSignthis to offer full 'paydentity' payment processing services, across all major card schemes.



The audit and certification applies to the companies V2.0 SaaS released in late December 2015. The certification covers technical, security and operational procedures of iSignthis Ltd and its subsidiaries, and further assures our customers of our ongoing compliance with the Payment Card Industry requirements.



As a result, iSignthis Customers will be able to commence transacting based upon their launch timetables, which will be announced separately.



The Company is also uniquely registered with Visa as a Card Authentication Service.



The Company was audited by Security Centric Pty Ltd of Sydney, a PCI Qualified Security Assessor (https://securitycentric.com.au/)



About the PCI Security Standards Council



The PCI Security Standards Council is an open global forum, launched in 2006, that is responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of the PCI Security Standards. The Council's five founding global payment brands are American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard, and Visa Inc.



http://www.pcisecuritystandards.org





About iSignthis Ltd





iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

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Discusses Production Ramp Up at the Olaroz Lithium Facility, Argentina and the Lithium Market

Brisbane, Mar 17, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Orocobre Limited ( ASX:ORE ) ( TSE:ORL ) ( OROCF:OTCMKTS ) ("Orocobre" or "the Company") has released an audio webcast with the following details:



Orocobre CEO, Richard Seville, discusses the Company's progress in production ramp up at Olaroz, the recent change of government in Argentina and the lithium market.



Speaker: Richard Seville, Managing Director and CEO



Listen to this webcast at:

http://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/7570PR4X





About Orocobre Limited





Orocobre Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange ( ASX:ORE) ( TSE:ORL) (OTCMKTS:OROCF), and is building a substantial Argentine based industrial chemicals company through its portfolio of lithium, potash and boron assets. In partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC) and JEMSE, Orocobre has built and is now operating the world's first commercial, brine-based lithium operation constructed in approximately 20 years.

In 2018 Orocobre announced the Stage 2 Expansion of its flagship Olaroz Lithium Facility in Argentina. The Stage 2 Expansion will add 25,000 tpa of lithium carbonate production capacity, taking full production and capacity to 42,500 tpa of lithium carbonate for sale to industrial, technical and battery markets, positioning Orocobre as one of the world's largest and lowest cost lithium chemicals producers.

Additionally, Orocobre and Toyota Tsusho Corporation have commenced construction of the 10,000 tpa lithium hydroxide plant in Naraha, Japan. The construction of the Naraha Lithium Hydroxide Plant will further cement Orocobre's position as a global lithium chemicals producer operating at the bottom quartile of the lithium cost curve. This new hydroxide plant will be the first of its kind in Japan and will provide Orocobre product diversification suitable for different battery technologies and the potential for significant margin growth on our primary lithium carbonate being converted to battery grade lithium hydroxide.
ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost.
BankBazaar, Indias leading financial website, today announced the appointment of Murari Sridharan as Chief Technology Officer. Murari was previously the GM, Engineering at Microsoft Redmond.

This is an exciting time for us at BankBazaar.com, said Adhil Shetty, BankBazaar co-founder and CEO. As the leading fintech company in India, everything we do is built around our technology. We have a fantastic team of people who have achieved path-breaking successes. At this point, we were looking for a leader who could give direction to our efforts better and help us go that extra mile. With his rich background of developing and implementing crucial high-performance initiatives successfully and on tight deadlines, Murari fits the bill perfectly.

Based in Chennai, Murari will lead the technology initiatives pioneered by BankBazaar.com, such as the paperless application process, to the next level. Prior to joining BankBazaar.com, Murari was with Microsoft for the past 12 years. Most recently, he ran the engineering team that launched Cortana  Microsofts digital assistant challenger to Apple's Siri.

Murari has a PhD from the Iowa State University, and has 12 patents at Microsoft. In the past, Murari has chaired two global internet standards group, which have, among other things, set the global standard for TCPs congestion control mechanism that enables proper functioning of the internet.

Speaking on his decision to join BankBazaar.com, Murari said: Work is a huge part of my life and I intend to have fun building products. The leadership & the team here is world class. This is my main reason to join BankBazaar as the people and problem space are awesome.The interesting science is how we infer user intent looking through tons of user activity and how to simplify task completion. This understanding of the user will not only increase conversion rates, but will allow us to run long-term campaigns for the user in a way that adds significant customer value. The most successful companies of the next decade are going to be folks that get user intent right and provide contextual and relevant information to simplify task completion. Bankbazaar is uniquely poised to take advantage of the shift from an app-centric world to a task-centric world and from a reactive pull based interaction model to a more proactive push based model. The possibilities are endless and the problem space is exceptionally interesting. There are a few companies in the world that will get this right, and BankBazaar.com promises to be one of them.

BankBazaar.com hosts the widest range of financial products from over 50 of the biggest public and private sector banks, NBFCs, and insurance companies in India and gets an average of 5,000,000 visitors per month. The company is also hosting the largest ever month-long sale of financial products in March. The company generated a funding of USD 60M in its C-Series funding led by Amazon along with Fidelity Growth Partners and Mousse Partners and returning investors Sequoia Capital and Walden International in July this year, which spurred its growth further.
(This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)She traded tax forms in a sterile office for strikes and grapples in an auditorium surrounded by peers cheering her on.Mariah Johnson, a value-added tax (VAT) officer with the 52nd Force Support Squadron, took the first step to making the sport of jiujitsu her own Feb. 20, when she entered her first competition."Jiujitsu has been the most helpful thing in my life," she said. "It's taught me how to stay calm in any situation and to stay positive. With every bad thing, there's always something good that comes out of it."Johnson works for the squadrons VAT office, an agency on Spangdahlem Air Base that handles the relief program that offsets the difference of what Airmen pay overseas compared to the U.S.When not pushing papers, she practices jiujitsu in a free class on base. After her first jiujitsu fight at the Submissao competition in Karlsruhe, Germany, she received a belt promotion.From a friend's recommendation, Johnson began practicing in November. Initially, she viewed it as a stress reliever; but soon realized it was not just a routine workout, but as something more meaningful in her life, she said.Resilience is a crucial concept the Air Force encourages its Airmen and community to practice. Johnson continues to practice this despite a challenge she recently faced."When I first started (jiujitsu), I was going through some hard times in my personal life that were dragging me down mentally and physically," she said. "Jiujitsu taught me different coping mechanisms. No matter what life threw at me, there would always be a way to keep moving forward and essentially fighting for what I want and getting to the place where I needed to be."If I gave this up, I don't know what I'd do," Johnson added. "Even if I never win, I'm fine with it, because this is what I love to do, and I'm helping people do what they love as well. Without me continuing to compete or fight, others won't be able to compete or win a match or learn something from me."Johnson also pointed out that the class isn't just for stress relief; it also provided a community that makes her feel welcomed."Every single training partner is a part of my family," she said. "I can be around the people who I love because they go through the same struggles and know how it is. They are my family. We're all doing the same sport, we're all training the same way. We may be at different belt levels, but we were all once white belts, so there's always a mutual level of respect. After a sparring session, we become friends again and say, 'Thank you for teaching me something new.' Jiujitsu is my therapy."Johnson said she learned a lot about remaining calm and focused during sparring sessions. But, through practice sessions, she learned something else from the sport."You don't really lose; you either win or you learn," she said. "Failure is not an option to me."Johnson stated that jiujitsu focuses not on strength, but on technique to overcome an opponent. Mind games, Johnson said, are a major factor during a match as competitors must remain calm and think about their next move even though they are being choked out."When you panic, your mind clouds, and your judgment goes out the window," she said. "You start thinking about the worst-case scenario, but there's always a way to get out of a submission and to submit your opponent. In life, things get thrown at you. Are you going to panic or accept it? The key is to deal with it and to move on."For Johnson, jiujitsu is not just a sport or a martial arts class she attends to stay physically fit, but a way for her to keep herself in tune with herself to practice resiliency and fitness in all aspects of her life."If you love what you're doing, then don't stop," she said. "If you fall, get right back up. Continue whatever you were doing, struggle with it and just continue. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, accused of taking kickbacks in awarding of contract for Maharashtra Sadan, has been sent to judicial custody till March 31 by special PMLA Court.

Meanwhile, an ED source said Bhujbal denied he had any knowledge about the Maharashtra Sadan scam even.

Today we confronted him with statements given by some of the persons (witnesses). However he denied everything, said an ED official.

The ED had arrested the former Maharashtra PWD minister in a money-laundering case on March 14. He is accused of taking kickbacks in awarding of contract for Maharashtra Sadan, the state guest house in Delhi. The ED had told the court that his arrest was necessary as he was not cooperating with the probe.

On Wednesday, he had registered complaint of uneasiness regarding which a team of doctors from the government-run J J Hospital was sent to the Enforcement Directorates office in Mumbai.

The Enforcement Directorate had on February 1 arrested former lawmaker Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of Chhagan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case in Mumbai after the agency conducted multiple searches in connection with the probe against Bhujbals and others.

The Maharashtra ACB had earlier filed two FIRs against the Bhujbals and others under the provisions of the PMLA to probe the Delhi-based Maharashtra Sadan scam and the Kalina land grabbing case.
In shocking news, a doctor of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was found dead in his hostel room on Thursday.

Doctor Kunal, 34, had not been eating for past three days. His room was bolted from inside.

The doctor was pursuing his post-graduation in AIIMS medicine department and was staying in junior resident hostel in Masjid Moth area near the hospital, they said.

We received the information about the incident around 11 a.m. today (Thursday) that a junior resident doctor who was also pursuing his post-graduation in medicine has been found dead, a senior official said on the condition of anonymity.

To know the exact cause of his death his body has been sent to the forensic department for post-mortem, he said.

He did not identify the deceased by name nor give any other information on the subject pending the post mortem examination.

Earlier in 2014, a 20-year-old nursing student at AIIMS depressed over her relations with her hostel superintendent and other members of the staff, committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her room.

The doctor, a resident of Bihar, was found dead on his bed and there was no sign of any injury on his body.
Leaders of the European Union meet in Brussels on Thursday to agree on a deal to offer Turkey the following day that would secure Ankaras commitment to a scheme intended to halt migrant flows to the Greek islands.

A year into a crisis in which more than a million people have arrived in chaotic misery, many of them Syrian war refugees and most of whom come from Turkey via Greece to Germany via dangerous sea crossings and long treks, hopes have risen around the summit table that they may have found a way to at least slow the movement.

But leaders acknowledge there is no silver bullet and face many obstacles over the next two days, from howls of outrage that they plan mass expulsions of vulnerable people to a country with a patchy and worsening human rights record, to a lingering feud between Ankara and small but vocal EU member Cyprus.

Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do, European Council President Donald Tusk wrote to leaders inviting them to the summit he will chair. After discussing the economy, the 28 EU national leaders will discuss the migration issue over dinner, starting around 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

A breakfast is set for Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, where Tusk hopes to finalise a deal which the Turkish premier first sprang on the EU, with backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a special summit 10 days ago.

Under the deal, which was set out in fuller fashion by Tusk in a draft for EU leaders on Wednesday, Turkey will, in addition to a previous agreement to try and prevent the smuggling of migrants via rafts, take back all those, including Syrian refugees, who do make it to Greek islands off Turkeys coast.

The draft, which was seen by Reuters, says the plan is to break the business model of the smugglers and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk. It stresses the plan is a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order.

Potentially the most explosive topic, which diplomats say risks derailing the whole deal, will be how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new chapters of Turkeys snail-like negotiations to join the EU at some distant future date.
In a major setback to Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad, the Bombay High Court on Thursday set aside the death sentence awarded to lone 2010 Pune German bakery bomb blast case convict Himayat Baig. Baig was convicted only under one section, while he was acquitted of the remaining charges.

Court held him guilty only for possessing RDX at his house and confirmed the life imprisonment handed down to him.

Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre read out the judgment to Baig. You have been acquitted of the death penalty, the judges told Baig. Baig said that he has been made a scapegoat and that he has been framed in the case.

The confirmation petition was filed by the Maharashtra government and Baig had filed the appeal challenging his conviction and the death sentence.

In 2013, the sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded him capital punishment.

The sessions court had held Baig, a resident of Beed, guilty under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substances), 474 (forgery), 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of IPC.

He was also convicted under various sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosive Substances Act. The court, however, confirmed Baigs conviction and life sentence imposed on him under section 5(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, for possession of RDX. The court also confirmed his conviction under section 474 of IPC, for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards.

The state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Baig on 7 September, 2010. Investigators say they found 1,200 kg of explosives from his home in Udgir in Latur district.

During the trial, the defence had claimed that Baig was falsely implicated by the ATS in the case. They claimed that Baig was attending a wedding in Aurangabad on the day of the blast. The prosecution has said in court that the blast was planned at a meeting in Colombo in 2008, where Baig was trained to make a bomb. He assembled the bomb at his cyber cafe in Udgir.

Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.

Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Punes Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58, including some foreign nationals.

Baig, as per police, was a member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen and he was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Punes Koregaon Park area.

Special Public Prosecutor Raja Thakare had argued for confirming the death sentence by stating that the entire case was based on circumstantial evidence and every circumstance had been proved by relevant records which are of sterling quality. Further he had argued in favour of the death penalty saying that the trial court reasoning was sound and thus death penalty should be upheld.

However, advocate Mehmood Pracha and TW Pathan appearing for Baig argued that the prosecution evidence is of weak nature and fabricated. They said independent investigations carried out by other agencies like the National Investigation Agency and the Delhi Special Cell have indicated that other accused not before the court were involved in the case. Moreover, two other intervenors cited several instances of Baigs innocence.

Interestingly, and more importantly, two key witnesses had moved their applications in the matter, saying they were coerced into giving statements against Baig during his trial. In addition, AAP leader Ashish Khetan had moved an application, claiming that he had carried out a sting operation on these witnesses which revealed that they were coerced and tutored by the Maharashtra ATS to give the testimony. The HC rejected the applications filed by the two witnesses and Khetan.
The Islamic State militant group has committed genocide against minority Christians and Yazidis as well as Shi`ite Muslims, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday, a finding that is unlikely to greatly change U.S. policy toward the group.

The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians. Yazidis because they are Yazidis. Shi`ites because they are Shi`ites, Kerry said, referring to the group by an Arabic acronym, and accusing it of crimes against humanity and of ethnic cleansing.

While the genocide finding may make it easier for the United States to argue for greater action against the group, it does not create a legal obligation on the United States to do more.

On Wednesday, a State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: Acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any particular legal obligation for the United States.

Islamic State militants have swept through Iraq and Syria in recent years, seizing control of large swathes of territory with an eye toward establishing jihadism in the heart of the Arab world.

The group`s videos depict the violent deaths of people who stand in its way. Opponents have been beheaded, shot dead, blown up with fuses attached to their necks and drowned in cages lowered into swimming pools, with underwater cameras capturing their agony.

U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered air strikes against the group but has not made any large commitment of U.S. troops on the ground.

It may strengthen our hand getting other countries to help. It may free us against some (legal) constraints, but the reality is that when you are fighting somebody, you don`t need another reason to fight them, said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.
A Pakistan investigation team probing the Pathankot terror attack will visit India on March 27 and begin work the next day as India has issued visas to them, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday after meeting Sartaj Aziz in Pokhara, Nepal on the sidelines of SAARC summit.

Its not possible that I and Aziz meet and the Pathankot issue is not taken up. Yes, it was discussed, Swaraj said.

Several issues were discussed between the two leaders including the Pathankot terror attack.

During a joint press conference with Swaraj, Aziz said he is hopeful of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharifs meeting in Washington in March.

During the meeting, Aziz handed over to Sushma Swaraj an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to attend the South Association Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan later this year.

This was the first formal meeting between the two leaders after the January 2 cross-border terror attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot, Punjab, that claimed the lives of seven Indian security personnel.

The attack derailed the foreign secretary-level talks between the two south Asian neighbours scheduled for the middle of January after Aziz and Sushma Swaraj had in December last year agreed to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

The two leaders arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday to attend the 37th meeting of the Saarc council of ministers which was held on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj and Aziz met for five minutes over breakfast here. Their first meeting was over dinner on Wednesday night.
US President Barack Obama has issued an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea.

The White House on Wednesday announced the robust new sanctions are part of its response to the North Koreas January 6 nuclear test and February 7 ballistic missile launch, Xinhua News agency reported.

The executive order blocks certain transactions on property belonging to the North Korean government and to the ruling Workers Party of Korea.

The US Department of the Treasury also announced new sanctions on Pyongyang following Obamas executive order. The sanctions are aimed at 17 government officials and organisations.

It also identified 20 vessels as blocked property.

The new sanctions target North Koreas energy, mining, financial services and transportation sectors, prohibit exports of goods, services, technology and new investment in the country.

These actions are consistent with our longstanding commitments to apply sustained pressure on the North Korean regime, the White House said, adding The US and the global community will not tolerate North Koreas illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions on North Korea to curb the countrys nuclear and missile programmes.

Security Council members also called for an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

The Six-Party Talks, a mechanism involving North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, the US and Russia, is believed to be a practical way to realise denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.

It was launched in 2003 but were stalled in December 2008. Pyongyang quit the talks in April 2009.
The law enforcement agency had issued summons to Vijay Mallya for personal appearance on March 18, 2016 under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Mallya and Chhagan Bhujbal two big fishes are in legal net for money laundering, one reached behind bars whereas another one is touring around the world. Anyhow, Bhujbal is grabbed without giving any time to him because he was an opposition leader, whereas Mallya is giving tough time to BJP and he became Member of Parliament with BJPs support. These summons are a damage control act as Mallya deserted the country with the support of the Government. Will the BJP Government auction the properties of other defaulters? Some of the leading corporates owe much larger money than the Mallya. Most of these corporates took loan on fictitious/conjured firms and diverted to other companies, a clear case of money laundering. Unfortunately, these defaulters are sheltered and protected by the BJP Government for their favour to the party. Some of these defaulters are front-runners for takeover of public sector banks. Anything and everything is possible under a pro-rich government! Arun Jaitley has not only failed in bringing back the much promised Black Money but also failed in checking the defaulters.

Vijay Mallya sought time till April for making a personal appearance before the Enforcement Directorate, virtually making it clear that he would not present himself before the anti-money laundering agency pursuant to summons issued by it in the IDBI bank loan default case. The ED had recently registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on a CBI FIR registered in 2015. The agency is also investigating the overall financial structure of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and will look into any payment of kickbacks to secure loan.

The CBI had booked Mallya, the chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, its directors, former chief financial officer of the airlines A. Raghunathan and unknown officials of the IDBI Bank in its FIR alleged that the loan was sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits. The ED is looking into the proceeds of crime that would have been generated using the slush funds of the alleged loan fraud. It is also probing if some of this amount was sent abroad illegally.

Mallya, who is facing legal proceedings for alleged loan defaults by his group to the tune of over Rs. 9,000 crore, the media reports and BJPs reply to court, was that he has left India. However, through social media he interacted with Indians and said he is not an absconder and he will comply with the law of the land. Even though, Mallyas words appear to be harmonious, but its high time he should pay off his debts to banks and erstwhile Kingfisher employees. He should maintain the dignity of Upper House (Rajya Sabha) as its member. If he could successfully come out from this foreboding situation, he might gain faith of people.

Moreover, he has legal experts team with him for taking him out of any situation. He was King of Good Times for many upper crust of the society. Mallya has goodwill of others as he brought a lot of things back to India which belongs to us. He has just failed in business of Kingfisher Airlines but he is running other business successfully. United Spirits and United Breweries are tremendous doing superb business. Shareholders, who invested in these companies, are happy that Mallya helmed these and managed their transition to global beverage companies. We cannot blame him and hold only him responsible for the failure of Kingfisher Airlines business. This has to be debated in the court and let the court decide his liability in this case.

The key idea of forming a corporation is to protect personal assets and diversify risk among many investors. A clear bankruptcy law is needed to manage the equitable distribution of the remaining assets in a bankrupt business. Mallya owns 1.87% of Kingfisher Airlines. Banks and Indian Financial Institute own 31.68% of the company. Morally, he might be responsible for the messes, but it is the banks that have played the punter here. Public money has literally been thrown down in the gutter. All failures need fall guys and Mallya provides for the best mascot of this failure. If natural justice has to go its course, the decision makers in SBI, BoB, ICICI and IDBI banks must face trial along with Mallya and his core team. The larger institutional stakeholders must be asked to share blame for statutory non  compliances.

Meanwhile, he also sought to shift the blame to the media. Mallya also questioned news reports that ask, he must declare his assets. Too much wrong indulgence of media might shift the focus from main issues. Its high time; media should publish the development related to the news and stop doing his trial. Mallya may have been the head of UB group and Kingfisher, but the banks and their corrupt managers those who approved loans to Kingfisher Airlines are more responsible for this fiasco. Airlines are a tremendously hard business to make money in, especially with super high fuel prices till 2013 and a very unpredictable policy regime under the UPA government. Further, one person cannot be singled out in a failed business  many people were involved in it. India lacks a clear bankruptcy procedure and it is time to bring that in.

However, if the government can insist on having Board representation in every corporate where there is more than 5% of capital infusion of public money, there may be some gain from this episode?

You cannot call him absconder. Mallyas principal residence is London. Going back home is not absconding. He is a frequent flyer to India. Though, he possesses an Indian passport, he is a permanent resident of Britain. It is a financial matter. Due to the volatile markets that have caused businesses to experience lack of money flow, he may be finding some difficulty. He only has to convince the courts of his position. In fact, there are hundreds of companies in Britain that are not in a position to repay their debts to their lenders. Many small businesses in India are closing down due to the lack of money flow. Mallya has not reneged to pay his debt. Mallya has promised that he will come back to India to face his creditors. If he refuses to comply with the SCs orders, then you can call him an absconder. Till then, we should wait and watch, what will happen further.
Houses started to really smell damp. Mold started to grow. Not all at the same rate. It depended on the size of the house, the location of the pipes and what kind of pipes people started out with (some types tolerated the drilling better than others), the climate that the home was located in, the skill of the plumber in using the special drill, and also, importantly, the more treatments a person's plumbing had, the more there seemed to be a swampy, damp, feel to the home. Some of the bits might have been defective and made bigger holes than others, too. It's a mystery because a proper investigation was never done. People called their plumbers to come fix this new problem that people never experienced before, at least not on this scale, at this rate, in America. That's when things got really bizarre.

Hearing about all the leaking that was now occurring, the AAP, CDC and ACIP got together and declared that one treatment was not enough. They issued a proclamation stating that the occurrence of leaky pipes required more frequent drilling. They added more treatments to the plumbers' pipeholing schedule - every 2 to 3 months holes were to be drilled in all the pipes in homes across America. Now, friends, you can just imagine what happened next.

At first, the plumbing treatment seemed to work. With one treatment, most people didn't notice anything wrong, at least not for a while (the holes were microscopic and the pipes were behind walls). But some people noticed that their pipes leaked right away. These people reported leaking to their plumbers and the plumbers almost never admitted that the treatment caused the leaking. They would say that the pipes leaked after treatment because the house was defective, that the pipes would have leaked anyway and that temporal association with pipeholing treatments was coincidental. Many people were ignored when they complained to the AAP and the CDC. The experts insisted that the pipeholing program was backed by solid indisputable science.

It wasn't long before the government and the AAP went into production to manufacture all the necessary special drills and drill bits that would be needed to drill microscopic flood preventative holes in every pipe in every home across America. The equipment was expensive to produce, especially since the special drill bits had to be discarded after only one use. But these partners calculated that the money saved by preventing floods would be far greater than the millions spent on the Program. It was a good investment, they thought. They also knew that they would be able to sell the pipeholing treatments to Americans and planned to export the special drills and bits to all other countries. To guarantee the success of their scheme, they declared that untreated homes would devastate the country's economy, that pipeholing was a matter of national security, and that no pipehole preventable floods should be tolerated in a scientifically and ethically advanced society. They passed laws to make the service mandatory. No one could refuse.

The American Academy of Plumbers (AAP) grabbed ahold of this idea and met with government officials. The officials were impressed and saw an opportunity to form lucrative partnerships. They didn't understand the physics, but they accepted the plumbers' explanation because they were the experts. Some master plumbers (MPs) were assigned to high level positions in the American government so that they could oversee this new partnership and make sure that homes across America and even the world would be protected from flooding by this new technological advancement. Called the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention (CDC for short), these top experts advised government and world leaders about the best way to prevent and treat pipe problems. The CDC had a lot of power and dictated to all the plumbers in the land how to do their job. The AAP went along with whatever decision the CDC made. A special committee made up of plumbing industry insiders was formed. The Advisory Committee on Interventional Pipeholing (ACIP) was tasked with ongoing evaluation and recommendations for the new Pipeholing Program.

Then one day, a plumber got the idea that if he could put a few microscopic holes in pipes, that those holes would prevent bigger holes from forming and would not only make those pipes last longer, but would also protect homes from flooding. He said it would work because of physics, which he explained was too complicated for the non plumber to understand. Some people remembered the leaking of the older type pipes and thought it was a good idea to have this protection from leaks and flooding. Now, there weren't really too many plumbers in those days. But that was about to change.

Once upon a time in America, houses did not have indoor plumbing. Later, when plumbing was installed into homes, early pipes were not reliable and often would leak and need replacing. As the manufacturing process improved, so did pipe reliability and leaking was no longer a big problem. Americans were dry and enjoyed a good clean water supply for several decades.

People found that all of a sudden many plumbers didn't even recognize water when they saw it. It was as if they were blind to water! A plumber could be standing in a foot of water in your living room and not realize that his feet were wet, and he would get annoyed if you pointed it out. He was there to do a treatment, he'd say, and insist that there is nothing wrong with your house. Other plumbers would acknowledge the water, and without looking anywhere in the house, not even at one pipe, would say that it is impossible to know exactly where the water is coming from. They would swear up and down that the water had nothing to do with their treatments. They would tinker around, fix nothing, and hand you with a big bill for their services. So, people were on their own to remediate increasingly moldy houses, an expensive proposition. Because treatments were mandated by law, they were forced to get the next pipeholing treatment - and the next and the next and the next. Because the leaks were not fixed and were made worse, people could not get rid of the mold. That meant that people across America were not only weakened, but that they were forced to pay a lot of money to plumbers and mold experts.

Meanwhile, the plumbing industry grew along with other industries that found an opportunity in this new market the plumbers and government created. There was grumbling among the masses. Some people suspected that the plumbing treatments were causing the leaking and the mold while others had blind faith in their government and plumber and didn't see a connection.

Some of the affected adapted to the wetness by deciding that it had always been this way, that some people were just always wet, but either it wasn't noticed or it was called something else. The "adjusters" declared that wetness was a gift, that their skin would be painfully dry if not for the wetness, that dryness would stop them from living full lives, and that having chronically macerated skin increased their sensitivity which led to higher intelligence and creativity which they didn't want to lose. The adjusters took offense that anyone would suggest that they have their pipes fixed to stop the wetness. They were evidence of the remarkable adaptability of the human spirit (which often requires a good dose of denial). They insisted that their condition was a wonderful variation of normal. They joined in public discussions and organized to fight against change. They were not concerned about those who were suffering from the wetness. The government loved the adjusters because they liked the Pipeholing Program. Members of the adjusters' organization were chosen to be citizen representatives on government committees formed to address any pipeholing concerns.

Then a new problem was discovered. Drinking water was found to be contaminated and sewage was leaking out around the sewer pipes. Plumbing experts continued to insist that the physics was settled, that the pipes were improved by the treatments and that if there was a problem, that more treatments were the answer.

With government backing the plumbers and spreading daily propaganda that the pipe treatment program was vitally important and safe, the people became divided. People who thought the program was damaging their pipes were pitted against the people who believed that without the pipe program, the country would be in ruins. Those who were suspicious of the program started to demand an explanation of the physics that experts claimed was behind the program.

After many years, plumbing experts did finally concede that there were rare cases of leakage caused by the program, but said it was "only" 1 in a million pipes and that that amount of collateral damage was worth saving so many homes in the war against plumbing pipe failure that could so easily lead to flooding and devastate the country.

People whose lives were devastated by the treatment itself started suing the plumbing association and the association in return went to its partner (in crime), the government, and asked to be relieved of all liability for any harm that comes out of the Program. The government agreed, and levied a 75 cent tax on the sale of every treatment from that day forward. The tax money went into a special fund to pay victims of pipe treatment damage. A special Pipeholing Court was established to replace a normal court of law, with special rules applying to the new court designed to rob the injured of justice. While more than 3 billion dollars was paid out, many thousands of people were turned away and the fund continued to rake in billions for the government.

A growing movement of resisters signed petitions, called the government, made movies and formed organizations. Many master plumbers started to realize the harm they were doing. While most master plumbers were too afraid to speak up and many others liked the money they were making and didn't want to rock the boat, scores came forward to testify that even they thought that pipeholing was causing terrible problems. These MPs were labeled trouble makers and anti-science and were made out to be enemies of the people. Tragically, some of the finest expert master plumbers had their plumbing licenses taken away because their truth telling threatened the profitability of the program.

At one point, because resisters were secretly skipping or resisting treatments, in an attempt to make sure that no pipe would go without at least one treatment, the government mandated for the first time that all new pipes would have to be drilled in the factory, so that from that day forward, no new pipes could even be purchased that were not pipeholed.

A very evil man named Aul Profit, MP, was a pipeholing insider who actually was responsible for developing the special drill. He ridiculed and attacked the public that was hesitant to have their pipes treated. He said there was absolute proof that the program did not damage pipes and that in fact, pipeholing made pipes stronger. But, of course, there was no such proof. Profit wrote books (well, his name was on them) and articles and gave lectures all about how terrible pipe treatment dissent was and how resistant people were a threat to society. He said that journalists who report pipeholing horror stories should be thrown in jail. He had the gall to claim that Jesus Himself would vigorously defend pipeholing. He and his cronies aimed to make pipeholing dissent illegal and punishable by fines and imprisonment. Profit even once said that a pipe as small as 20 inches long could have 10,000 holes drilled in it all in one day and not only would it not leak, but it would be a stronger, better pipe!

As demand for plumbing services grew, the plumbing industry exploded and became a central part of American life and economy. Huge plumbing services buildings were erected in every town. Everyone had a personal relationship with and was dependent on their plumber and the cost of plumbing services skyrocketed so much so that many people went bankrupt trying to pay their plumber.

In order to remedy the situation, then President O-no-a came up with a plan. He worked hard to make sure that all could afford the extensive plumbing services that were now a sad part of modern life. He came up with the Affordable Plumbing Act, which was signed into law. The law had some good parts, but the bad part was that while people would have access to plumbing, plumbing was still very expensive and some people were rightfully worried that with the Act, there would never be a way out of submitting to pipeholing and all the problems and plumbing bills that came with it. Many people hoped for a day when pipeholing would end.

The elders remembered when pipes didn't leak like they did with preventative pipeholing. They remembered when an occasional leak, even a flood, would be dealt with and then be over. That's not saying that the flooding in the old days wasn't sometimes bad. Sometimes it was. There were times when people even got killed. But modern leaking and flooding had become an expensive, chronic problem. The people were always wet and sick from mold, bad water and raw sewage from leaky pipes. They grew tired and weary.

The young were taught in school that pipeholing is safe and necessary, that wetness is normal and that living in wet, damp, moldy, sewage filled homes with bad water was just a fact of life, that this is the way it always was. Even though they were always sick from the sometimes knee high water and sewage, many of the young accepted the official explanation. They were loyal to their government and to the by now huge and very powerful plumbing system that they had grown up with. They thought (as they had been taught) that anti-pipeholers were a danger to society. They had no idea that society was in danger from the pipeholing itself.

The young wrote books celebrating the cooked up history of wetness to wide propagandized acclaim. Many people recognized the content of these books as nothing but mawkish newby poppycock.

Politicians and media personalities took stands on the issue:

Truth Barker Rump, successful business man and presidential candidate, wasn't afraid to say that pipeholing was likely the cause of leaking, that he had seen friends whose pipes were drilled and soon after their house was a mess and no one believed them.

Ken Barfson, another candidate who was himself a highly specialized and gifted MP, admitted in a televised debate before millions of Americans that many other MPs knew that too many pipe treatments were causing problems, but backed down after the backlash, as did candidate...

Pander Raul, another MP, who spoke out momentarily about the hazards of pipe holing and how people should have a choice, but then was seen the next day in a publicity stunt having one of his own pipes treated.

Bullary Hinton, who ridiculed anti-pipeholers, attempted to reassure a wary public and safeguard her backer's businesses by proclaiming, "The science is clear. The earth is round, the sky is blue, and pipeholing works. Grandmothers know best."

Panderson Stooper was a reporter who would stoop to whatever low his bosses required in suppressing the truth and attacking the truth tellers when he interviewed them, as did...

Sanjay Chutzpa, a nervy MP on the media payroll who would from time to time when interviewing pipeholing victims acknowledge the connection, but then would on cue for the camera deny it.

Zany Malvarez was another media paid MP, who himself had a significant life altering wetness problem, but could not, at least publicly, seem to connect the dots between pipeholing and his condition, declaring whenever called to do so by his media bosses, that there is no connection between pipeholing, wetness and mold, etc.

Gill Baits, diabolical billionaire international pipeholing proponent and investor, used his money and power to track pipeholing dissenters and to force the use of pipeholing around the globe. Baits cast wide nets of lies, in order to trap more people and countries into submitting to pipeholing technology. In his sales pitch, he only talked about the supposed benefits, he would not mention and when confronted would deny, the wetness and destruction.

Bernie Blinders, another presidential candidate, who could see all of society's ills but somehow couldn't make the connection between pipeholing and the pervasive wetness plaguing Americans, believed with religious fervor that pipeholing was crucial for the common good.

So, my friends, how does this story end?

How about this:

MPs across the country lost their water blindness and started to realize that they were doing great harm. They rose up and refused to participate in any more pipeholing. MPs instead focused on restoring dryness through real repairs. People started refusing pipeholing treatments en masse. Pipe factories rose up and refused to drill holes in new pipes. Lawyers and prosecuters refused to litigate pipeholing refusal cases. Judges refused to prosecute the MPs for disobeying the corrupt pipeholing laws. Through the next election, the entire American government was replaced by honest people and the pipeholing laws were not only overturned, but pipeholing was banned forevermore.

Mold started to subside. Raw sewage no longer leaked into homes. Plumbers started to remember and practice the skills of their profession. All the money from the Pipeholing Injury Fund plus all the money that had formerly been channeled to pipeholing research and development was devoted to healing those who had been sickened by the pipeholing program.

And --- the crooks ---- all of them, especially Profit and his CDC cronies and the media liars, were all sent to a wet, sewage filled prison where all the pipes they designed were sent to be used. The walls of the prison were covered with special wet proof wallpaper that was covered with the photos of the people who were harmed by the pipeholing program. The criminals lived in that prison with their victims staring at them day and night, for the rest of their natural lives.

THE END

Moral of the Story: Expert approval of products coming out of the developmental pipeline is no guarantee that the products are not pipedreams.

This story is dedicated to the infamous Senator Richard Pan of California (author of the draconian SB277 law that goes into effect in July 2016), who, lying through his teeth, taught a group of public health students that the most dangerous ingredient in vaccines is water.








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If Quebec wants the power to veto the pipeline, Alberta will fight back, says Notley

CALGARYNational cohesion on Energy East seemed to drift further out of reach on March 1 after the Quebec government announced plans to seek an injunction against the company proposing the cross-Canada pipeline.

Environment Minister David Heurtel said his government got no response from TransCanada Corp. to two letters it sent in late 2014 advising that the $15.7-billion project must pass a provincial environmental impact assessment.

So he said the province intends to go to court to make sure the Calgary-based company obeys provincial rules.

In the face of its neglect, the government has taken action, Heurtel said. This is not only a matter of respect, but equally a question of fairness toward all companies that wish to do business in Quebec.

Heurtel stressed that the announcement does not mean the province has decided whether its for or against the project. He also sought to defuse any potential backlash from Western Canada.

This is not directed at any province or region, said Heurtel. This is about one company that wants to do a project in Quebec which, in our opinion, is not respecting Quebec law.

Nonetheless, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said the move is likely to be divisive.

Lets respect the fact that there is a national process in place, he said. Provinces shouldnt be slapping their own processes on top of that, especially when it is trying to avoid the project happening at all.

Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said if Quebec wants the power to veto the pipeline, the province will fight back vigorously.

But based on discussions shes had, that does not appear to be the case. I am going to leave the gun in the holster until we are actually at the gunfight, she said.

Pipelines that cross provincial boundaries are subject to a federal environmental review process administered by the National Energy Board. The federal cabinet makes the final decision based on the NEBs recommendation.

Provinces conduct their own reviews to help formulate their positions, which are considered in the NEB process. Quebecs environmental regulation agency is to begin hearings March 7.

In light of that impending process, TransCanada called Quebecs move perplexing.

Louis Bergeron, vice-president in Quebec and New Brunswick for Energy East, said the BAPE (the French-language acronym for the environment review body) already has most of the necessary documentation Heurtel cited.

If theres additional information that is required, we will be providing it during the BAPE hearings, he said.

Former NEB chairman Gaetan Caron, who now is with the University of Calgarys School of Public Policy, said theres nothing particularly new about provinces voicing concern over a projects environmental impact.

What has changed for the NEB has been the politicization of regulatory process for pipelines.

From The Canadian Press










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Russia is just finishing 5,000 shelters in Moscow. Theyre much more open (in this regard anyway) on this topic than other governments.

I personally estimate the US probably has over 150 Deep Underground Military Bases. A huge military underground city exists underneath the Denver Airport. Russia has some that can accommodate over 100,000 people (at the base of mountains). These are entire underground cities that have been under construction since the 1980s.





The far greater electromagnetic fields of Planet X will cause great earthquakes (greater than the highest level of 9.5 known to date), volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and a shift of the physical poles.

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This highly fascinating compilation features photos of alleged alien species.

According to whistleblower and former Canadian defense minister Paul Hellyer, there are alien races on Earth.

Leaked military guides and other sources inform us that aliens have been living on planet Earth before the human race came to be.

Discover the wealth of other intelligent life in the Universe and from nearby star systems (e.g. Alpha Draconis, Zeta Reticula, Pleiades, etc.).

Whether mammalian, reptilian, amphibian or insectoid, there is a vast array of life forms awaiting our contact

Do you believe in Extraterrestrial Intelligence? What about the idea that not only do they exist, but that they are in contact with the Earth currently?

All of the evidence Ive seen has pointed to this being true, and if you have seen some of the information out there, Im sure this idea doesnt come as being far fetched to you. This article will expose the undercover story, and introduce you to the species you can make direct contact with right now.

Humans have already discovered 2,000 exoplanets in our Universe, with over 500 discovered this year alone. These planets are potentially suitable for life and have the right conditions to support it, including perhaps oxygen, carbon, and water.

Our continued study of space has only led us to realize that it is very likely that the Universe is absolutely teeming with life, especially when you take into account that there are an estimated 100 billion galaxies in our Universe.

Some people may think its impossible that aliens would be able to exist, and doubly impossible that they would be able to travel light years to visit us. But think about this:

Our earth is only 4 billion years old in a universe that is 14 billion years old. What could a species learn, create, and do that has a 2 or 3 billion year head start on us?

Proven contact

Humans who act as Spiritual Channels have been pushing up against mainstream consensus for years, sharing that they have directly had contact with extraterrestrials.

Abductees, military personnel, whistleblowers, even reputable scientists have been thoroughly tested by a vast range of neurologists, hypnotists, psychologists, etc., proving undisputedly that these people have had contact with ETs, some of which is reported to be both positive and negative.

If this is coming as news to you, here is the former Minister of National Defense of Canada Paul Hellyer giving full disclosure within parliament about the UFO coverup stories and ET contacts we have made. He explains in front of a room of government officials that there are over 80 species of aliens we are aware of, and 4 of them in particular that we have made direct contact with on earth:

It is believed that all of the ones who have contacted us so far are benevolent and want to help us. Some of these beings may appear odd or paranormal in nature to us, and that from what I understand its because it is hard for us to fully understand their consciousness, intelligence and the way they interface with reality.

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Conspiracy theorists alike have long suspected that there might be ninth planet in our Solar System, far out beyond the orbit of Pluto.

'Planet X' community has occasionally suggested that this distant ninth world is currently on a devastating collision course with our own planet. But actual scientists are interested in the idea too, mainly because of the need to explain anomalies in the orbits of extremely far-off objects in the Kuiper Belt, the vast and mysterious disc of rock, ice and comets that extends beyond the orbit of Neptune.





Most recently Scott Sheppard from the Carnegie Institution for Science, and Chad Trujillo, from the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii, argued in a 2014 paper and subsequent research that several small objects, including 2012 VP113 and a 500-1,000 km across rock called V774104, exhibit a strange discrepancy in their orbits. Specifically, there is a strange gap between their closest approach to the Sun and the time when they pass through the 'plane' of the Solar System. This discrepancy could have several causes -- other researchers have argued it might be the result of 'stellar nurseries' near to our Solar System, or an object pulled out of orbit from its star and into the outer reaches of our own -- but a large, dark planet, estranged but still at home around our sun, was considered a more likely cause.





Now a team at the California Institute of Technology believe they have found clear evidence of that giant , icy world -- our Sun's ninth -- orbiting at an almost unimaginably vast distance.







The paper, published by Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown -- the latter of whom, in a neat twist, was one of the researchers primarily responsible for demoting Pluto to a dwarf planet in 2006 -- in the Astronomical Journal, describes this world as being five to 10 times as massive as Earth and around two to four times as wide. That scale is not closely matched by any existing world, but would make the planet the fifth largest in the Solar System, closest in mass to Uranus.





The existence of almost-planets in the belt is nothing new on its own -- Pluto was long regarded as a 'Planet X' itself, before it was discovered, finally, in 1930 (and until its demotion to a dwarf planet in 2006). Makemake and Haumea are two further dwarf planets that lie in the belt, while Eris is more massive even than Pluto and usually orbits the Sun from a much greater distance. But all of these objects are orders of magnitude smaller than Planet Nine.





The orbit of Planet Nine is extreme, never coming closer than 30.5 kilometres from the Sun, which is five times further than the average orbit of Pluto. The world would be extremely cold and dark -- which is why no one has ever taken a direct picture of it. Indeed, so controversial is the planet that Batygin and Brown initially launched their investigation to prove Planet Nine did not exist, and disprove the 2014 paper by Sheppard and Trujillo. But after building on research by other astronomers, Brown and Batygin found their computer model of the object's orbits only worked if Planet Nine existed; the "clustering" of the objects was only possible if a ninth planet was affecting their orbits, twisting them by up to 90 degrees and keeping them from coming as close as expected to the Sun.





"It's almost like having six hands on a clock all moving at different rates, and when you happen to look up, they're all in exactly the same place," Brown said in a statement. "Basically it shouldn't happen randomly."





"Shouldnt something like that be hard to miss?" Brown told Scientific American. "Yes, you would think so. This a case where we had our noses buried in the data, never stepping back and looking at the Solar System from above. I couldnt believe I'd never noticed this before. It's ridiculous."





Brown and Batygin said they had considered the possibility that instead of a planet, an object had formed more recently in the belt comprised of comets and rocky balls clumped together. On review that appears to be impossible, because the belt does not contain enough mass. A planet roughly five times as massive as Earth, however, formed along with the rest of the Solar System, perfectly fits the model, and explains other strange phenomena discovered in the belt in recent decades.





"Continued analysis of both distant and highly inclined outer Solar System objects provides the opportunity for testing our hypothesis as well as further constraining the orbital elements and mass of the distant planet," the paper says.












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Hillary Clintons presidential campaign manager, John Podesta, is an advocate for the release of government files regarding UFOs. Over the past few months he has tweeted about his interests. However, many suspected his comments were made in jest. Podesta was recently asked about his UFO interests on KLAS 8 News Now and whether he has discussed the topic with Clinton, and says he is still very interested in the declassification of UFO documents.

Podesta was interview by KLAS political reporter Steve Sebelius, and the interview was featured in a story on the KLAS website co-written by KLAS reporter George Knapp.

In the story, KLAS wrote: Several U.S. presidents are on the record, talking about the UFO mystery. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan say they had UFO sightings of their own, but the current presidential campaign might be the first in which UFO disclosure has been championed by a major party candidate.

When asked about his interests in UFOs and whether he has discussed the issue with Clinton, Podesta answered, Ive talked to Hillary about that. Its a little bit of a cause of mine, which is, people really want to know what the government knows, and there are still classified files that could be declassified.

In an interview with The Conway Daily Sun in December, 2015, she was asked about UFOs and referred to Podestas interests in the topics.

According to The Conway Daily Sun, Clinton said, [Podesta] has made me personally pledge we are going to get the information out. One way or another. Maybe we could have, like, a task force to go to Area 51.

Many news outlets, such as CNN, assumed Clinton made those comments in jest. However, Podestas comments to KLAS demonstrated to them that he takes the topic very seriously.

I think Ive convinced her that we need an effort to kind of go look at that and declassify as much as we can, so that people have their legitimate questions answered, he said. More attention and more discussion about unexplained aerial phenomena can happen without people who are in public life, who are serious about this, being ridiculed.

To the surprise of many, Podesta has not shied away from the topic of UFOs as the manger of Clintons campaign. In fact, upon leaving his last position as an adviser for President Obama, he tweeted that his biggest failure in 2014 was once again not securing the #disclosure of the UFO files.

In September of 2015, he then tweeted what has been interpreted by some as a challenge for reporters to bring up the topic of aliens with his candidate. After an interview by actress and writer Len Dunham, Podesta tweeted: Great interview, @lenadunham. But Lena, ask her about aliens next time!! #TheTruthIsOutThere http://hrc.io/1jusxfk cc: @HillaryClinton

Thus far, The Conway Daily Sun seems to have been the only one to take up Podestas challenge.

In response to their UFO story on Clinton, Podesta tweeted: Just in time for the X-Files revival. #TheTruthIsOutThere.

Podestas reputation as a UFO buff and X-Files fan goes back to his position as former President Bill Clintons Chief of Staff. He served in that position from 1998 until 2001. It is rumored that he had an X-Files themed birthday party at the White House.

However, perhaps his most shocking UFO related exploit was an appearance at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. in 2002 in which he called for the release of classified UFO documents.

Podesta told the press: It is time for the government to declassify records that are more than 25 years old, and to provide scientists with data that will assist in determining the real nature of this phenomenon.

The topic of UFOs is still a taboo topic in most mainstream circles. Many believe that Dennis Kucinichs presidential campaign was severely damaged when he was asked in a presidential debate in 2007 about a UFO sighting he had witnessed. So it seems counter-intuitive that a presidential campaign manager would be pushing the topic.

In the KLAS interview, Podesta told Sebelius, I come in for my fair share of people asking questions about whether I am off my rocker, but Ive been a long-time advocate of declassification of records.

Bernie Sanders campaign has been UFO free. According to KLAS, when asked about UFOs, Sanders has said he is far more interested in issues that are pressing for most Americans.

The interview can be seen on the KLAS website here: http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/i-team-clinton-aide-seeks-ufo-files



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By Robert B. Engel, Chief Executive Officer, CoBank





In a down commodity market, achieving higher yields from the same or fewer inputs is driving American farmers to be more precise than ever in how they manage their acres. U.S. farmers have always adapted and innovated, but now there is a significant transformation taking place in how farmers use both data and communications networks. In fact, you could argue that today, the data farmers harvest is almost as important as crops themselves to their business operations.

This new age of data-driven agriculture will take significant investment in, and ongoing support of, rural broadband infrastructure. And that investment cant come soon enough.

Precision agriculture technology today allows farmers to collect data on crop yields, fertility application rates, plant populations, soil moisture levels, plant health, crop maturity, weather conditions, insect damage and weed competition on every acre of every field. This wealth of data is collected in real time and transmitted via cellular and broadband networks to the cloud, and then to desktop computers or farmers hand-held mobile devices in the field to help them make better management decisions.

Its been a quiet but quick revolution; one that has huge implications for the farm productivity and profitability which is so critical to our nations economy and well-being. It also places considerable onus on policymakers in Washington to support this critical need with sound public policy.

Turning better broadband into more bushels

The exponential growth of data-driven farm technologies is requiring farmers to continually upgrade their data plans with their cellular and broadband providers, increasing the need for both broadband and cellular coverage in rural America.

A large-scale farmer like Lon Frahm, who owns a 30,000-acre corn and wheat farm in Colby, Kansas, uses 30 to 40 gigabytes of data per month during peak usage in the fall as his combines collect yield data at harvest and upload the information directly to the cloud. Frahms cellular data requirements today are quadruple what the farm used three years ago.

Every piece of equipment that Frahm runs collects data, recording every single nutrient or herbicide that gets put down. As recently as three years ago he had to use memory cards or USB thumb drives to transfer that data. Now everything is being transferred to the cloud via mobile networks.

The farms 10 employees, including an IT specialist, each carry smartphones and tablets with them at all times, enabling them to share to-do lists, locate machinery anywhere on the farm and even know when its time to deliver seed to the field during planting season without having to make a call to the tractor driver.

Bigger Data Needs  For Farms of All Sizes

The trend toward bigger farming operations spanning larger geographical areas shows no sign of slowing down. According to USDAs Census of Agriculture, the number of farms with more than 5,000 acres grew to 24,089 in 2012, up from 21,625 farms reported in the 1997 Census of Agriculture.

With large farmers commonly operating in multiple counties, states or even in other countries, the demand for remote monitoring technology with data moving through cellular networks is growing almost exponentially.

Ranch Systems, LLC, a farm information management company based in Novato, California, helps these farmers with remote monitoring and control on geographically dispersed properties. According to the company, because farmers want access to information using more and more devices, and the cost of those devices and electronics is going down along with the cost of data plans, mobile networks are the predominant channel for collecting data and getting it up into the cloud.

But it isnt just large farms that are capitalizing on precision ag technology. Small and medium-size operations are as well. Kevin Lauwagie, who farms 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans in Winthrop, Minnesota, carries an iPad with him at all times. The ability to pull up field maps and find crucial information during the growing season has helped him boost yields on every acre of the farm, while trimming production costs.

Becoming more efficient with every acre and every input cost is no minor issue, especially as commodity prices have retreated sharply. Lauwagie gains some efficiency because he has a better handle on where to spend money. And an extra five or six bushels an acre can be the difference between a profit and a loss in this period of lower commodity prices.

More data demands stronger networks

As data collection technology evolvesfor example, through the use of remote sensors, drone technology or more precise and accurate field mapsfarmers will be sending more data through wireless cellular networks.

Technology also allows farmers to manage large numbers of acres on a much more granular scale. Lon Frahm used to manage his farm by the field. Now hes narrowed it down to a grid of a few acres, and hes starting to work with companies that can take that to a 100-square-foot area grid.

Theres no turning back the clock on agriculture which must compete in a global marketplace in a deflationary environment. Farmers must continue to benefit from reduced input cost and increased productivity with precision agriculture through ever-growing usage of data empowering information. This puts greater demand on mobile networks to provide reliable and efficient transfer of bigger data.

The greater demand for real-time data isnt just happening in New York or San Francisco where robust cellular networks exist, but also in rural areas where emerging pressure is taxing existing broadband networks. It will take ongoing and timely investments in broadband infrastructure to ensure technology-driven farmers have the ability to manage their operations at peak efficiency for greater financial and environmental sustainability.

Policy implications

However, the importance of and need for enhanced rural broadband networks doesnt end with agriculture. For all residents and businesses in rural communities, expanded broadband capacity is vital to maintaining our rural communities as desirable places to live and work by supporting current and future demands of commerce, health care, education, energy and public safety services.

With fewer subscribers per square mile in rural communities, the sizable capital costs associated with broadband and wireless deployment and maintenance are often cost-prohibitive. Communications companies need a sufficient and predictable level of funding through a sustainable cost-recovery mechanism to support the financing of rural broadband in high cost areas.

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has recognized the importance of a national effort to increase broadband access, and has established the Connect America Fund to support rural broadband and the associated Mobility Fund for rural wireless access. But more investment and support is needed!

Meeting the need for rural broadband access must remain a top priority for rural communication services providers and their national communications provider partners; as well as for financial institutions such as CoBank whose mission is to support their collaborative efforts to close the digital divide and serve rural businesses and communities. It is the whole economy  not just the rural economy  that will reap measurable benefits from universal access to enhanced broadband capabilities in rural America.



Robert B. Engel is chief executive officer of CoBank, a $117 billion bank serving agribusiness, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations throughout the United States.




ISIS Genocide Against 'People of the Book' -- How Long Will Kerry Continue to Talk Around It?

For five months, the State Department has indicated that Iraq's Yazidi community should be declared a target of ISIS genocide but meanwhile has been less sure about ISIS's intentions toward Middle East Christians. Tomorrow is Secretary John Kerry's congressional deadline for officially determining whether Christians, along with the Yazidis and possibly others, face genocide by ISIS. Insisting that department lawyers need a little more time to struggle with the evidence, Kerry promises his decision soon, if not this week. This shouldn't be a hard case. Few groups have publicized their brutality toward Christians in real time and in technicolor as ISIS has. Christians, among others, have been declared genocide victims by Pope Francis, the EU Parliament, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and the U.S. House of Representatives, in a bipartisan, unanimous vote on March 14, in the heat of election season. All along, the State Department has demonstrated that it is not just being abundantly cautious and slow in ruling that the atrocities against Christians is genocide but that it is simply unwilling to use that designation specifically for Christians. Rather than carefully reviewing the evidence, as it claims, it has ignored it. For months, State officials claimed they lacked facts about the Christians and then did nothing about it. Rather than follow the precedent of Secretary Colin Powell, who collected evidence for determining genocide in Darfur, Kerry refrained from dispatching fact finders in the case of the Middle Eastern Christians. When some 30 Christian leaders wrote on December 4 to request an opportunity to brief Kerry, he failed to answer. With only a month remaining until its March deadline, State Department officials asked the Knights of Columbus, which had been running TV spots on the Christian genocide, to prepare a written report of the facts. Before it was even completed, those same officials, meeting with Iraqi Chaldean Catholic leaders, told them that a genocide determination for Iraqi Christians was not in the offing. State suggested that terms such as "persecution," "ethnic cleansing," or "crimes against humanity" -- terms that carry less moral and legal weight -- be used instead. The Knights on March 9 presented their weighty, 300-page report, based in part on a fact-finding mission that used the Darfur fact-finders' questionnaire. The Knights list over a thousand instances of ISIS's deliberately massacring, killing, torturing, enslaving, kidnapping, or raping Christians. This catalogue of horrors, however, may still not be enough. Genocide is a crime of intent, and State Department officials, overlooking such ISIS declarations as "We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women," have had trouble determining whether ISIS aims to destroy all or part of the Christian communities in its territory and is thereby committing genocide as defined in the United Nations' Genocide Convention. State's troubles may be explained in part by its reliance on a 30-page trip report of the Holocaust Museum's office of genocide prevention. That report finds that ISIS, far from intending to destroy Iraqi and Syrian Christian communities, respects them as "People of the Book," and seeks to peacefully coexist them. The report takes at face value ISIS's claims of a jizya option, as does the State Department in its annual religious-freedom report for 2015. The museum report uncritically asserts that "IS specifically notes that its treatment of the Yezidis differs from its treatment of ahl al kitab, the 'people of the book,' Christians and Jews, who had the option of paying the jizya (tax) to avoid conversion or death." The museum report repeats such ISIS claims and lets them stand unchallenged. Purporting to quote ISIS fighters on why they reject a Mosul Christian's attempt to stay and pay the jizya -- "we wanted to meet with your priests and they said no" -- the report neglects to give the Church's side of the story. It gives the impression that ISIS gave Iraq's Christians a reasonable deal but that Christian leaders refused it and therefore have themselves to blame. That conclusion is reinforced in another passage in the museum report: "It is unknown whether Christians who were given the option to pay a jizya or leave, instead of convert or face death, would still be given this option should they return now." This speculation, of course, is preposterous. ISIS doesn't respect Christians. It beheads or enslaves them. The museum report is compromised by its failure ever to present the viewpoint of Christian leaders. NINEVEH, IRAQ In fact, Mosul clergy who had direct engagement with ISIS in July 2014 state that there was no serious option for Nineveh's Christians to pay jizya to avoid worse consequences. Archbishop Yohanna Moshi of the Syriac Catholic Church, the largest church in Nineveh, writes that the Christians of northern Iraq determined they "can never trust Daesh [ISIS] no matter how many good intentions they try to show." This is not Islamophobia: The Christian jizya issue aside, the State Department, of course, does not trust ISIS either. Emanuel Adelkello, a Syrian Catholic priest who dealt directly with ISIS over the fate of the 1,000 Christians still in Mosul in late July 2014, wrote to me details about the "jizya option." He relates that ISIS demanded all remaining adult Christian men to gather at a Mosul community center, purportedly to hear ISIS's jizya announcement. After the Christian leaders consulted among themselves, they decided it would be unwise to go. Father Emanuel explained that they feared that either they were being rounded up for slaughter or that the Christian women and girls would be jeopardized should their people remain under ISIS's "protection." In the priest's words:

The collective belief was that this gathering was not an attempt to negotiate, it was only going to be a demand at best, and a trap at worst. The Christians mostly believed they would likely be killed if they showed up. At the appointed time, no Christians showed up. Angered, ISIS then gave them two choices, leave or be killed. . . . [Jizya] was only put forward initially as a ploy from which ISIS could keep the Christians there to further take advantage of them and abuse them. There was specific concern that the intention was to keep women there so that they could be taken freely by the ISIS fighters. The ISIS fighters had made public statements that according to the Koran it was their right to take the Christian women as they pleased.

After burning Christian books, destroying churches, and kidnapping priests in Raqqa in 2013, ISIS then publicized, in February 2014, a new dhimmi pact [to pay a jizya tax] with Christians in Raqqa State. The announcement received considerable attention in international media, but there is little evidence that there was much of a Christian community to form the pact with. Although the agreement includes the standard language of "not building a church, monastery or monk's hermitage," there is no evidence that any existing churches actually remained open or in Christian hands, much less that anyone would want to build any. Indeed, there are no images whatsoever of what could be described as normal Christian life in ISIS-controlled territory -- no functioning churches, no monasteries or working priests, and no Christian families or Christian schools -- all of which had existed throughout Islamic history.

Their concerns were soon to be validated. Within weeks, two dozen Christian women and girls who had remained in Nineveh were captured as ISIS sex slaves. They have yet to be freed. In August, thousands of Yazidis were also captured. On October 16, 2014, the Islamic State's treasury department released an official price list for the sale of Christian as well as Yazidi females. Girls one to seven years old were the priciest, at $200. This price list was found authentic by Zainab Bangura, the U.N.'s special representative for sexual violence in conflict. Reports about the Christians who stayed behind in Nineveh after ISIS took control in the summer of 2014 also provide critical evidence. Iraqi Christian parliamentarian Yonadam Kanna reports that a dozen or so Christian families who remained in Mosul, largely because of disabilities or old age, were forced to convert to Islam. World magazine editor Mindy Belz, who interviewed Christian survivors in Nineveh, writes in her new book They Say We Are Infidels that, in the major Christian city of Qaraqosh, some 100 Christians who were initially left behind were held hostage in their homes. "One father described being tortured," she relates, "while his wife and two children were threatened after the family refused to deny their faith." Another Nineveh family had their three-year-old daughter, Christina Noah, taken from them by ISIS militants. According to a cell-phone call from Rita, a 25-year-old Christian woman who also failed to escape, both she and Christina were detained in a holding pen with other women and girls and waiting to be sold at a Mosul slave market, as reported in the New York Times. Archbishop Moshi states that in all, over 20 Christians, aged mostly between 40 and 70, were captured and haven't been seen since, despite ransom offers from the Church. One 80-year-old Nineveh Christian woman who stayed was reportedly burned alive last May. In another Christian family, the mother and twelve-year-old daughter were raped by ISIS militants, leading the father, who was forced to watch, to commit suicide. A Christian refugee told Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, now the archbishop emeritus of Washington, that she witnessed ISIS crucify her husband on the door of their home. In September 2014, a family of twelve Assyrian Christians, trapped in their Nineveh hometown of Bartella after ISIS swept in a month earlier, escaped after being forcibly converted to Islam. A coreligionist who refused to renounce his faith was badly beaten, tied up, and taken off in a truck to, as they concluded, be killed. The small numbers of Nineveh Christians remaining live as indigents or captives, or both. SYRIA Ambassador Alberto Fernandez, the former counterterrorism coordinator in the State Department under Kerry, has determined that ISIS's jizya option is a "Salafi Caliphate publicity stunt." It aims to make its leader appear more caliph-like. Fernandez wrote about the jizya option in Raqqa:ISIS defectors report that the rape of Christian female "infidels" in Raqqa was common and approved by the ISIS sharia court. Some were twelve years old. The last young person to leave Raqqa reported that he had to pay "jizya" but lived in "constant fear" and had to conform to Muslim dress and customs, even to shout "Allahu akbar" along with mobs, and had no possibility of going to church. No more than a dozen or two elderly Christians are left in Raqqa. Over the past year, ISIS abducted some 500 Christians from the Syrian town of Qarayatain and from villages in the Khabur River valley. In both cases, Islamic State sharia courts ordered church patriarchs to pay the Islamic tax levied for non-Muslims, but it's impossible to see these as anything but hostage-for-ransom cases. From the Khabur group, three men dressed in orange jumpsuits were killed in an ISIS video, and the rest were eventually freed, after the Assyrian Church paid part of the $23 million that ISIS demanded. Archbishop Jean Kawak of the Syriac Orthodox Church states that the Qarayatain Christians are being "treated like slaves" and continue to be held there against their will. In every known case where ISIS uses the term "jizya," the Christian payments are clearly ransom or extortion. Permission to perform Christian "rites" is traditionally purported to follow from jizya, but in no known case does ISIS honor it. ISIS's demands for jizya are typically accompanied by atrocities. There is no functioning church, no Christian clergy, no Christian liturgies or sacraments, and no intact Christian community anywhere under the Islamic State. Genocide is the "crime of crimes." Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R., Neb.), who along with Representative Anna Eshoo (D., Calif.) introduced the House genocide resolution, remarked that it is important to address "the scandal of silence and indifference about ISIS' targeted and systematic destruction of these endangered communities." It is urgent that the Obama administration recognize that Christians too are among the victims of ISIS genocide and, along with Yazidis, extremely vulnerable. You can help by signing this petition.
Somewhere at the nexus of gonzo journalism, adventure travel, post-punk millennialism and Jackass-inspired pranksterism, sits Vice magazine. A couple of weeks ago, the magazine/ website/ publishing company/record label partnered up with oddball indie filmmaker Spike Jonze and the A&E Networks to take over and rebrand History Channel 2 as Viceland. The new cable channel specializes in basically the same documentary/reality shows as its competition.but with an added layer of immersion journalism and hipster hosts. Music video director Lance Bangs takes on underground comics in Flophouse. Jewish rapper from Queens Action Bronson does the food travel thing in F**k, Thats Delicious. Vice correspondent and international adventurer Krishna Andavolu examines the stoner lifestyle in Weediquette. And newly formed gay icon Ellen Page explores the worldwide LGBT community in Gaycation.

Gaycation is a fine example of Vicelands house style. Its host, Ms. Page, is known mostly as an indie film actor (Hard Candy, Juno, Super). Shes also a self-professed vegan, atheist and feminist. In 2014 she came out as gay during a speech at the Human Rights Campaigns Time to Thrive conference. With Gaycation, she joins her best friend Ian Daniel traveling the world and seeing how gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people live. The show has a touch of the usual travel show gloss, with the hosts gobbling local cuisine, going to parties, visiting the beach. But its got a much more serious undercurrent.

In Brazil, for example, Ellen and Ian attend Carnival. Brazil has an extremely high percentage of openly out LGBT people. During Carnival you cant go more than a block without spotting a group of scantily dressed transsexual revelers. However, Brazil also has one of the highest homophobic murder rates on the planet. In between cruising gay bars, Ellen and Ian talk to the families of murder victims and even quiz a former police officer who casually claims to have killed dozens of gay people. This is not, it must be noted, the happiest of vacations.

Whether theyre in Brazil or Japan or Jamaica, the hosts encounter vibrant, happy, tightly connected communities of gay people. As one person points out, If you think you live in a place with no gay people, youre wrong. Sadly, however, no country is without its ingrained prejudices, fears, hatreds. To their credit, Ellen and Ian do their best to dig up and directly confront these sociocultural struggles. Gaycation will open your eyesbut it probably wont put you in the mood to travel.

Page, who narrates each show, makes for an interesting host. Dressed mostly like Beaver Cleaver, she comes across as curious and crusading. But shes also quite shy in real life. Watching her dodge the advances of various intoxicated women at lesbian bars around the globe is rather entertaining. Like a lot of Vices correspondents Ellen and Ian are somewhat unschooled in traditional journalism. This makes them open-minded and considerably unjaded. At times, however, theyre clearly in over their heads.

Gaycation is a sometimes uneven mixture of LGBT travel boosterism and reality-confronting journalism. If it occasionally fails to balances the light and the dark in equal measure, it at least gets points for approaching its topic with empathy and intelligence.
US Will Not Recognize Kurdish Region in Syria

Amer al-Halloush (C), member of the Syrian Democratic Council, leaves after a meeting of more than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties in the town of Rmeilan, in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province, on March 16, 2016. ( Delil Souleiman) Washington (AFP) -- The United States warned Wednesday that it would not recognize an attempt by Kurdish groups in war-torn Syria to form an autonomous federal region. Washington has supported and encouraged the Kurdish parties of the area in their fight against a common foe, the Islamic State jihadist group. But the State Department said Wednesday it would not support the breakup of the country and that any new federal model would have to emerge from peace talks. "We've been very clear that we won't recognize any self-rule autonomous zones within Syria," spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "This is something that needs to be discussed and agreed upon by the relevant parties in Geneva and then by the Syrian people themselves." Representatives of Bashar al-Assad's government and of the opposition ranged against him are negotiating an end to the civil war under UN auspices in Geneva. But parties representing Syria's Kurdish minority have not been invited to the talks and are instead trying to create a unified region of their own. Any bid to expand an existing system of self-rule will anger Turkey, wary of anything that might encourage Kurdish separatism within its own borders. More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties met Wednesday in Rmeilan, in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province. The meeting adjourned in the early evening and will reconvene on Thursday, when a decision on declaring a semi-autonomous northern region will be announced.
Kerry Declares Islamic State Has Committed Genocide

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. ( Susan Walsh/AP) Secretary of State John F. Kerry formally declared Thursday that the Islamic State extremist group has committed genocide against Christians and other religious minorities, including Shiite Muslims, in its rampages across the Middle East. Responding to a March 17 deadline set by Congress late last year, Kerry issued a finding that largely concurred with a resolution passed unanimously Monday night by the House of Representatives declaring the Islamic State guilty of genocide. The vote was 393 to 0. Kerry said a review by the State Department and U.S. intelligence determined that Christians, Yazidis and Shiite groups are victims of genocide by the radical al-Qaeda offshoot, a Sunni Muslim group also known as ISIS, ISIL and Daesh, its Arabic acronym. In a statement read to reporters at the State Department, Kerry said that in his judgment, "Daesh is responsible for genocide" against the groups. Kerry said that "Daesh is genocidal" in its actions and overall policy and that the group "has self-defined itself as genocidal." He said, "We must hold the perpetrators accountable," adding: "Naming these crimes is important, but what is essential is to stop them." The genocide designation does not legally require the United States do anything more than what it already is doing in its military campaign against the Islamic State and in Washington's push for Syrian peace talks, said Mark Toner, deputy spokesman for the State Department.

"It's more a moral statement," he said. "It's a recognition of what groups have gone through, suffered. It's a rallying cry for the international community. But it doesn't change our overall strategy, except to intensify what we are doing." Kerry went to great lengths to mention atrocities committed by Islamic State fighters against a broad swath of religious and ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Shiites and Turkmens, as well as Christians. That was because he does not want to fuel perceptions that the United States is engaged in a modern-day Crusade, a so-called clash of civilizations between Muslims and Christians, aides said.Kerry said that he was "neither judge nor prosecutor nor juror" on genocide and that an independent investigation must bring to light the full facts of Islamic State atrocities. But he said the United States would turn over any evidence it has to any criminal court that investigates the group. The State Department had indicated Wednesday that Kerry would miss the congressional deadline, prompting sharp criticism from lawmakers. U.S. officials said that Kerry concluded his review just hours after that announcement and that the criticism had not affected his decision, the Associated Press reported. The formal U.S. finding of Islamic State genocide is important to many Christian conservatives in the United States, giving it potential political ramifications during this highly charged election year. In late December, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, said at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire that the Islamic State's depredations can be properly called "genocide." Responding to a voter's question, she said that she had held back on using the term because of its legal implications and weight but that now "I will because now we have enough evidence." Kerry's declaration Thursday appeared to mollify some congressional critics. "I commend Secretary Kerry and the State Department for making this important designation," Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) said in a statement. "The genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and others is not only a grave injustice to these ancient faith communities -- it is an assault on human dignity and an attack on civilization itself. The United States has now spoken with clarity and moral authority." Fortenberry, a sponsor of the congressional resolution that passed Monday, added: "I sincerely hope that the genocide designation will raise international consciousness, end the scandal of silence, and create the preconditions for the protection and reintegration of these ancient faith communities into their ancestral homelands." Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who introduced a similar resolution in the Senate this week, also praised Thursday's declaration. "The administration made the right call by stating the obvious truth that ISIS is responsible for genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East," he said in a statement. "Telling the truth and condemning genocide against those who seek to worship or not worship as they see fit is a small but important step to recovering a coherent American foreign policy. This decision does not end the atrocities but it does name them." The Holocaust Memorial Museum issued a report last year saying its investigators had found evidence that Yazidis -- an ancient faith made up of mostly ethnic Kurds -- were victims of genocide in Iraq at the hands of the Islamic State. The Catholic organization Knights of Columbus last week released a 280-page research document highlighting Christians as victims of ISIS genocide. Dozens of members of the International Association of Genocide Scholars signed a document last fall saying it believed the Islamic States has perpetrated genocide against "Chaldean, Assyrian, Melkite Greek and Coptic Christians; Yazidis, Shia Muslims, Sunni Kurds and other religious groups." In his statement Thursday, Kerry said a U.S.-led coalition that has been conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria has helped push the militants out of 40 percent of the territory they controlled in Iraq and 20 percent of their territory in Syria. Although it is "impossible to develop a fully detailed and comprehensive picture of all that Daesh is doing," Kerry said, the U.S. review highlighted a number of cases of Islamic State atrocities. For example, he said, Islamic State fighters in August 2014 killed hundreds of Yazidis in their village in northern Iraq, trapped others on nearby Mount Sinjar and "enslaved thousands of Yazidi women and girls," raping many of them. He said the Islamic State has summarily executed Christians in Mosul, the group's main stronghold in northern Iraq, and in Libya, where the group has been making inroads. Kerry also cited the massacre of hundreds of Shiite Turkmens, an ethnic and religious minority, and the systematic destruction of antiquities, churches, monasteries and other elements of the cultural heritage of ancient communities. Recounting the story of a 14-year-old boy who was recruited by the Islamic State and sent to carry out a suicide bombing against Shiites, Kerry quoted the group as having declared that "it is a duty imposed upon us to kill them .?.?. and cleanse the land of their filth."
March 16, 2016

The Islamic State (IS) is shifting tactics in the Sinai Peninsula: If its too difficult to attack military positions, it targets civilians.

The IS affiliate in Sinai, known as Wilayat Sinai, is playing up military shows of force and increasingly intimidating and targeting civilians there. The majority of the terrorist organizations previous attacks fiercely targeted military positions. Military positions are still being targeted, but the number of attacks has noticeably shrunk.

One of Wilayat Sinais largest attacks came July 1, when car bombs targeted security checkpoints in Sheikh Zuweid. According to a statement from Egyptian army officials issued shortly after the attacks and cited by the Associated Press and Reuters, 17 soldiers and more than 100 militants died.

Wilayat Sinai claimed responsibility for the beheading of more than one citizen in November and this month. Moreover, it organized multiple military parades in February, apparently designed to intimidate citizens, which ended in the Egyptian armed forces killing 35 of its members.

Retired Maj. Gen. Hisham al-Halabi told Al-Monitor there are several reasons why Wilayat Sinai is targeting citizens and flexing its muscles to intimidate them while the number of attacks against military targets has decreased. The reasons include the armed forces tightened security measures around military positions, the crackdown on organized terrorist operations in general, and Wilayat Sinai s attempt to show its strength to the outside world and financial backers.

Statistics in 2015 confirmed that terrorist organizations in Egypt have become more aggressive than ever before. The number of terrorist attacks reached 617 in 2015, compared with 349 in 2014, according to the Cairo index of stability by the Regional Center for Strategic Studies.

According to the same index, Sinais statistics are among the worst in Egypt, as the number of terrorist attacks there reached 90 in 2015. Yet details of the index confirmed there was a crackdown on terrorist organizations following the attacks on Sheikh Zuweid: The total number of terrorist attacks in Egypt from August to December 2015 dropped significantly to 64, compared with 170 in the same 2014 period.

This decline in Egypt in general was certainly reflected in Sinai, according to Halabi, as Sinai held a 15% share of the total number of terrorist attacks in 2015.

Halabi said terrorist organizations have well-known concealment strategies, one of which is to hide among citizens. He added that the groups deliberately terrorize citizens to prevent them from cooperating with security forces and reporting them.

In this regard, a March 1 statement attributed to Wilayat Sinai said the organization beheaded Radi Suleiman Salem, a Sinai citizen, and shot his son to death allegedly for "cooperating with the army to monitor the movements of the organizations members and report them to security services.

The intimidation is not restricted to individual citizens; the group also targets workers at some Sinai businesses. A statement attributed to Wilayat Sinai circulated in December among ambulance workers in northern Sinai, warning them against transferring injured security personnel to hospitals.

In October and November, Wilayat Sinai hijacked ambulances and injured drivers at the facility, looted an aid post on the international road in eastern el-Arish, and destroyed an aid post that was under construction in southern Sheikh Zuweid.

According to Halabi, IS and its branches, including Wilayat Sinai, are armed at a level unprecedented in the history of terrorist organizations, which he said shows the group is backed by agencies and countries. He pointed out that IS must show the funding states its strength and control so that money will continue to flow, or else succumb to the Egyptian armed forces growing threat.

The World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Report published in September said Egypt has moved up slightly in its rankings. The report credits several factors for the improvement, including security, but said security is still an important hindrance to economic growth.

Halabi said that to counter the terrorists concealment among citizens, the countrys Sinai development plans should be coordinated with the military and security crackdown on terrorism. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently reiterated plans he announced a year ago to spend 10 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.28 million) on Sinai development.

Yet the above does not mean that the direct war between Wilayat Sinai and the Egyptian armed forces has ended or that it has become limited to shows of force and targeting workers at some facilities. Rather, terrorist attacks are still haunting military stations and soldiers. A series of attacks was carried out recently on March 5-7, killing 12 members of the armed forces, according to a statement by Wilayat Sinai. Yet these attacks were preceded by a period of calm, ranging between five to seven days. This period of time is longer than the one separating the attacks in 2014 and 2015, when more violent attacks were conducted on almost a daily basis at some security checkpoints.
March 17, 2016

CAIRO  The Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle is an area of land just under 8,000 square miles (13,000 square kilometers) on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. While it is of great importance to Egypt due to its location on the countrys southern border, north of the so-called administrative boundary set by the British in the early 20th century, Sudan has been determined to lay claim to the area as a way to preserve the countrys sovereignty.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has stated, The Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle is a Sudanese area but we are not going to war for it  it will be reclaimed through negotiations. Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said during a TV interview before assuming the presidency, The Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle is part of Egyptian territory  And we urge Sudan not to start a conflict with Egypt. For the first time ever, a representative of the disputed region has been elected to the Egyptian parliament in a bid to strengthen the countrys claim. Al-Monitor interviewed Mamdouh Amara about the problems facing his constituency, the governments plan to develop it and the nature of the Egyptian-Sudanese dispute.

The text of the interview follows:

Al-Monitor: What are the main issues the Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle is dealing with?

Amara: The region is facing problems related to health care and education. The government has allocated 100 million Egyptian pounds [roughly $11.2 million] to develop the regions hospital by establishing new medical departments. However, due to its remoteness from the capital, doctors refuse to work there, which raises a human resources problem. And for the same reason, teachers refuse to work in the region. This is why they should be offered incentives to encourage them to work in the Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle. We also lack science teachers.

Al-Monitor: The government announced that it is planning to invest 764 million Egyptian pounds [$86 million] to develop the Halayeb and Shalateen area. How will the government spend these funds?

Amara: The money will help fund the building of administrative facilities as well as developing roads, water and solar energy plants. However, the regions main problem is not the facilities and buildings, but human resources.

Al-Monitor: You have called for the establishment of public university branches in the region to meet its need to offer several programs of study. Are you currently in contact with the minister of higher education to achieve this goal?

Amara: I have met the minister at the parliament and he promised to visit the Halayeb and Shalateen area to study this request.

Al-Monitor: You have mentioned that more students in your constituency are leaving secondary school for vocational education. How will you address this issue?

Amara: Education in Halayeb and Shalateen is on the decline due to the lack of science teachers. This is why more students are opting for vocational education. I will ask the Ministry of Higher Education to organize competitive exams to fill the gap in teachers of certain majors in Halayeb and Shalateen. This is because the last teacher eligibility tests did not take into account geographical distribution.

Al-Monitor: Doctors are refusing to work in Halayeb and Shalateen. Do you have plans to encourage doctors to serve in your region?

Amara: I will demand a 1,000% salary raise to encourage doctors to come work in the Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle and legislation that binds doctors to work in such remote areas, in addition to bonuses to attract doctors.

Al-Monitor: Does the Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle need special legislation from parliament to solve its problems?

Amara: Of course we do. The current laws are hard to implement here, and we need laws that aim to develop border regions, including raising the budget allocated for development in these security-sensitive areas. Egypts enemies take advantage of the difficult living conditions of the people living in border regions to destroy the country.

Al-Monitor: Why is the Halayeb-Shalateen Triangle left out of the investment plans, despite its important resources that usually attract capital?

Amara: This is due to its distance from the capital and poor infrastructure. The government is planning to build an airport near the area. If this plan ever sees the light of day, it will be quite beneficial. The constitution stipulates that the cabinet and parliament must commit to developing border areas.

Al-Monitor: Some are concerned that Sudan might use the harsh living conditions of the people in Halayeb and Shalateen to its advantage and assert Sudans sovereignty over the region.

Amara: Any misinterpretation of the Halayeb and Shalateen issue could fuel more tension between Sudan and Egypt.

Al-Monitor: Could the kinship between the tribes of Halayeb-Shalateen and Sudan play a role in strengthening Sudanese-Egyptian relations?

Amara: Certainly, and even though the government called for mutual visits between those tribes and taking advantage of this relationship, both governments have to approve.

Al-Monitor: Are there any parliamentary visits to the Sudanese parliament with the purpose of easing the tension in the Egyptian-Sudanese relations?

Amara: The Egyptian parliament has yet to organize such visits.
March 17, 2016

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  On March 12, a Hamas delegation made a five-day visit to Cairo for the first time since the Muslim Brotherhood regime in Egypt was overthrown on July 3, 2013. This was an important step toward the possibility of reviving the relations between Hamas and the current Egyptian regime and putting an end to the tension that has prevailed for years.

The Hamas delegation was formed of six prominent leaders, four of whom are from the Gaza Strip and members of the movements political bureau, namely Khalil al-Hayya, Mahmoud al-Zahar, Imad al-Alami and Nizar Awadallah, who traveled through the Rafah crossing that was opened especially for the delegation. From Doha, the deputy head of Hamas political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk and political bureau member Maher Obeid joined.

The delegations visit to meet with officials from the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) came shortly after Egyptian Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar accused Hamas of being involved in the assassination of former Egyptian Attorney-General Hisham Barakat in 2015, which points to Egypts willingness to appease tension with Hamas.

A Hamas political leader in Gaza told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that previously there had been contact by phone between the Hamas leadership and the GID to discuss the reasons behind the tension between the two parties, before Hamas heard the shocking Egyptian accusations in Barakats assassination.

There was talk of an Egyptian desire to host a Hamas delegation before this accusation that resulted in postponing the visit. However, phone calls were made again and the delegation scheduled a visit to Cairo on March 12, the source said.

Concerned parties had high expectations regarding the possibility of bridging the gap between Hamas and Egypt as soon as the visit was announced. There were many leaks about the topics to be discussed, even before Egypt or Hamas made their official statements.

Another Hamas political leader source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, One cannot have high expectations in this round of talks. Hamas has a strong desire to do everything it can to make this rapprochement work and fix its relations with Egypt. However, expectations on whether it will succeed or not are still low.

He added, After years of estrangement filled with thorny issues, one cannot say that it would be easy [to patch things up], although it is a good thing that the Hamas delegation was welcomed in Cairo."

Egypt accuses Hamas in Gaza of interfering in its internal affairs by helping the Muslim Brotherhood confront the Egyptian regime, cooperating with the Salafists in the Sinai Peninsula and targeting Egyptian army forces in previous years, which Hamas has always denied.

Political author Thaer al-Akkad wrote in an article published March 15 on Donia al-Watan website, Hamas will face a number of difficult questions and vital demands that Cairo wants answers to in order to change the official Egyptian position regarding the movement.

Akkad said, The first demand Egypt would have is for Hamas, as a Palestinian organization, to end its connections with the Brotherhood and not to interfere in Egypt's internal affairs and its national security, especially since Hamas has recently started hinting that it is only connected to the Brotherhood by ideology and that Hamas is a Palestinian movement whose sole mission is to defend the Palestinian people.

A round of talks finally took place in Doha in February to reach Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, during which both sides agreed to continue their discussions without reaching a definitive agreement to end the division. Meanwhile, media outlets reported that Turkey is demanding Israel, during their ongoing talks, to lift the siege of Gaza and build a seaport, as a condition to restore the relationships between Turkey and Israel.

The source noted that there is an Egyptian desire to restore the Palestinian issue following the talks about reconciliation in Doha, as well as the Turkish pressure on Israel regarding the Gaza Strip, in addition to the international talks on the need to improve living conditions in the besieged Gaza Strip.

We believe that Egypt is the only one able to achieve Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah. Without it, no agreement could withstand and the internal reconciliation would be one of the files discussed in Cairo with Egyptian officials, the source said.

He added, The current changes in the Arab region is one of the main reasons behind the delegations visit to Cairo, as well as the current weak Palestinian political regime. And since Hamas is an important component in the political regime, Cairo wants to talk to Hamas again.

Egypt has in the past sponsored truce agreements between Palestinian factions and Israel after any military confrontation in the Gaza Strip, the last of which took place in summer 2014 when both sides reached an agreement that was to be completed at a later stage. However, the agreement was never finalized in light of the tensions between Cairo and Hamas.

The Hamas political leader pointed out that Hamas is looking forward to Cairos return to the scene in order to renew truce talks with Israel and carry on with the exchange deal of Israeli prisoners in Hamas prisons  whom Israel believes to be dead already  and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. In addition, Hamas hopes that Cairo would reopen the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Abu Marzouk, who headed the delegation in Cairo, wrote on his Facebook page after the talks ended March 16, The visit was fruitful and we have opened a new page with a friendly discourse with our brothers in Egypt to stress that we will not show them anything but goodness and peace.

Meanwhile, Hayya stressed the importance of security issues discussed with Egyptian officials. He said in a press statement released in Cairo March 15, We emphasize our commitment to Egypts stability and security and we stress our noninterference in its internal affairs and refuse to harm the Egyptian national security. We will not allow anything that stems from the Gaza Strip to harm Egypts security and the Egyptian people. We reiterate our duty to protect the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and to take all necessary action in this regard.

Hamas strong desire to restore its ties with Cairo will push it to exert many efforts on the political level. However, Hamas will not be able to participate in fighting the Islamic State in Sinai, although this is what Cairo seems to need at this stage. In addition, Hamas seems to be waiting for developments to unfold in the Arab region and for the reformation of alliances to positively reflect on the movement.
March 17, 2016

Iranian officials have repeatedly rebuffed calls by other oil producers to halt or cut production. Tehran appears determined to reclaim market share lost as a result of EU and US sanctions imposed in recent years over its nuclear program.

Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh has ridiculed the idea of a production freeze, calling it a joke. In his telling, Iran will only join talks to this end after it has reached its pre-sanctions output of 4 million barrels per day (bpd). In fact, since the Jan. 16 implementation day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran has followed through and increased production. Though slower than predicted, some 300,000 bpd have been added to Irans output, which now amounts to 3.2 million bpd. This has enhanced the oversupply in the international markets, thereby contributing to the prolonging of the low oil price cycle. Indeed, the dramatic oil price decline since mid-2014 has obviously hurt Iran, which is a major oil producer. Income from oil exports has crumbled accordingly, putting the Iranian government under severe pressure.

However, compared with other major oil producers, Iran finds itself in a somewhat better position to cope with low oil prices  at least in the long run. Time is particularly on Irans side when compared to its major regional rival, Saudi Arabia. In this vein, a number of factors play into Irans hand  if managed properly by the government.

First, Iran experienced the major fiscal shock to its budget earlier than other oil producers. Already since 2011, Tehran was confronted with a drastic decline in oil revenue. Harsh energy and financial sanctions by the European Union and the United States halved Iranian exports to 1.3 million bpd in 2013. In the meantime, Iran launched a series of mitigation policies under the label of the Resistance Economy. These comprise the increase of taxation as well as the promotion of non-oil economic growth.

Second, Irans economy is more diversified as its energy sector has increasingly integrated into the countrys economy. In the 1970s, more than 90% of Irans combined oil and natural gas production was exported, with only less than 10% consumed at home. In stark contrast, in 2014, domestic consumption accounted for 76% of the oil and natural gas produced in Iran. Of note, in absolute terms, domestic oil and natural gas demand increased by almost nine times between 1970 and 2014. Though parts of this increase are related to population growth and overconsumption, the integration of the energy sector into the economy was nevertheless accompanied by the rise of non-oil economic activity. By 2014, Irans real gross domestic product had grown by 2.7 times compared with 1988, when the eight-year-long Iran-Iraq War ended. Based on the domestic consumption of energy, Iran has begun to industrialize  particularly in energy-intensive branches such as petrochemicals, cement and steel.

Third, Irans non-oil trade deficit is narrowing. Increasing economic activity outside the energy sector has allowed Iran to expand the export of non-oil products. As a result, by the Iranian year 1393 (2014-15), the non-oil trade deficit had shrunk to $2.7 billion, down from $33.8 billion only five years earlier. Unlike in the past, Iran today requires only comparably little hard currency from oil exports to offset its non-oil trade deficit.

Fourth, based on non-oil economic growth, Irans state budget can resort to other means of finance such as taxation or asset sales. Despite the increasing integration of the energy sector into the countrys political economy, large portions of Irans government budget continue to be based on oil revenue. Although somewhat declining and already well below the level of other oil-exporting countries, the International Monetary Fund estimates that oil revenues are still accounting for some 29% of government revenue in the current Iranian year, ending March 19. But unlike most other oil-exporting countries with little economic activity outside the energy sector, the reasons behind this are more political and less economic. Successive administrations have failed to substantially increase the highly unpopular taxes. Moreover, most parastatal organizations, which play a significant role in the Iranian economy, have enjoyed tax exemptions. However, as pressure on the government budget mounted, the administration of President Hassan Rouhani has increased taxation. The government has also announced that it will make the parastatal organizations eventually subject to taxation  although the question of enforcement remains on the table.

Fifth, in the short term, Iran is benefitting from the release of frozen assets as part of the implementation of the JCPOA. EU and US sanctions over the Iranian nuclear program prevented Iran from accessing funds and assets abroad, which are estimated to amount to some $100 billion. With the implementation of the nuclear deal, these funds are now becoming available to Iran. Though only a one-off measure, this is easing the burden of falling oil prices in the short term.

In all, these factors should not be taken as to suggest that Iran is not suffering from the decline in oil prices. As a significant portion of government income continues to stem from oil revenue, there is no doubt that the Rouhani administration is facing pressure. Moreover, fundamental economic reform is complicated by a series of factors, including widespread corruption, nontransparency, deficient law enforcement and the grip of parastatal  but not government-controlled  organizations over large swaths of the economy.

Nevertheless, it appears in the long run as if Iran is better positioned to endure low oil prices than most of the other oil-exporting countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In particular, Irans regional rival Saudi Arabia is experiencing rather extreme challenges. Some 80% of the kingdoms government income comes from oil exports, and alternative sources yet need to be developed. While Riyadhs financial reserves are still vast, amounting to $620 billion in early 2016, they are rapidly shrinking: Only last year, they declined by some $100 billion.

Against this backdrop, the effect of low oil prices might go beyond the borders of the oil-producing countries and also affect regional political dynamics. Iranian and Saudi spending to support allies and proxies, a major component of their projection of power throughout the region, is obviously a function not only of intentions in Riyadh and Tehran, but also of the financial means at their disposal. Assuming that Iran is better positioned to endure low oil prices in the long run than Saudi Arabia, as argued here, the question of when oil prices will climb again could therefore be of crucial importance for the geopolitics of the region.

Certainly, Irans decision not to take action against low oil prices is primarily motivated by the ambition to reclaim market share. The fact that Irans major regional rival, Saudi Arabia, is about to suffer comparably more from low oil prices, however, has not gone unnoticed in Tehran.
March 16, 2016

TEHRAN, Iran  It has only been three weeks since Iran held landmark parliamentary elections, yet several controversies have already arisen over remarks made by both an incoming female lawmaker and a veteran member of parliament. Meanwhile, the qualifications of two Reformist candidates, one of them a woman, have also been challenged.

The first controversy erupted when Parvaneh Salahshouri, a sociologist who successfully ran on the Reformist ticket in Tehran, denied remarks about the mandatory Islamic veil in Iran attributed to her by Viviana Mazza, a correspondent of the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera. In an interview with Mazza, Salahshouri had said, It is our primary right to choose [whether to wear the Islamic veil]  the time will come [when women wont have to wear it if they dont want to].  It is a hard process to have the right choice. When asked whether it will one day be a choice for Iranian women to wear the Islamic veil, Salahshouri responded, Of course, it is the process of development.

Immediately coming under heavy fire, Salahshouri claimed that her remarks were taken out of context. Yet the video of the interview, which has been subtitled and widely distributed on social media in Iran  including on the popular messaging app Telegram  does show that Salahshouri indeed made the remarks attributed to her.

In the second incident, parliamentarian Nader Ghazipour from Urumia in West Azerbaijan province became the focus of controversy after being seen insulting female members of parliament and making dirty jokes in a video that has gone viral. In reaction, female lawmakers have filed a lawsuit against Ghazipour. While other lawmakers have tried to mediate between the two sides, the female members of parliament remain adamant about pursuing their lawsuit.

Separately, in a third controversy, some media outlets have questioned the legality of Soheila Jelodarzadehs candidacy. Jelodarzadeh successfully ran as No. 3 on the 30-member Reformist List of Hope in Tehran. Iranian election laws require candidates to quit state jobs at least six months ahead of their candidacies. Critics say Jelodarzadeh has been working as a consultant to the Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade despite running for office. However, the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade has released a statement denying the accusation, adding that she resigned in June last year. The dispute has yet to be resolved.

A long struggle

Women have tried to enter the Iranian political arena throughout the 37 years since the countrys 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the executive branch, women have held senior positions. For instance, in the current administration, the vice presidents for Womens and Family Affairs as well as Legal Affairs are both women, in addition to the head of the Environmental Protection Organization. Moreover, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the first  and the last  head of government who proposed three women for ministerial portfolios, although only one of them, gynecologist Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, garnered enough support in parliament to be confirmed as the first female health minister of Iran.

In the legislative branch, the picture is far gloomier. Over the past three decades, a grand total of 78 women out of the 2,954 legislators have been in office. This is equivalent to a male-female ratio of 20:1. The fifth parliament (1996-2000) saw the highest number of female members of parliament, at 14. This record is, however, likely to be beaten as 14 women were elected in the Feb. 26 vote, with eight more set to compete in runoffs to be held next month.

As some of the newly elected female lawmakers are as young as 30, some female activists expect the new parliament members to push for changes to current laws, pass new ones and increase parliaments supervisory role. Ordinary Iranian women, meanwhile, feel both pessimism and optimism alike.

Pouneh, 24, a graphic artist and designer in Tehran who didnt find time to vote, thinks womens presence in the legislature is heartwarming and hopes that female members of parliament can do something for other women.

Atefeh, 27, a swimming instructor in the Iranian capital, told Al-Monitor, In the worst scenario, even if they are not effective, as long as the society gets accustomed to see them in parliament, the mission is done. Atefeh thoroughly reviewed the profiles of all women she voted for and in her eyes, at least three of them are pragmatists who could make change.

Shirin, a manager in her 40s, told Al-Monitor that although she wrote the names of female representatives on her ballot, shes not very optimistic because men will ultimately block all efforts made by female members of parliament. According to Shirin, as long as half of parliamentary seats are not occupied by women, one cannot call parliament a representative of all of Iranian society.

Batoul Mousawi, a doctoral student of women studies who ran as an independent candidate in Tehran and secured 4,514 votes, told Al-Monitor she believes that being in parliament provides female legislators with enough opportunities to raise their voices and concerns about womens affairs. Batoul is very critical of the incumbent female lawmakers and believes that their presence in parliament made no difference.

Indeed, the record of previous female legislators shows that women have rarely been among the most active members of parliament. Over the past four years, nine female lawmakers made an average of four speeches in parliament. One of their limited achievements was the passage of a bill to reduce the working hours of mothers with specific conditions. It is important to note that all incumbent female members of parliament are from the Principlist camp  and that none of them were re-elected on Feb. 26. Female members of parliament do not have any roles in the main parliamentary committees and are usually involved in activities related to the Health and Medicare, Social Affairs, Cultural Affairs and Article 90 Committees.

The most active female lawmakers were those in the Reformist-dominated sixth parliament [2000-2004]. They made amendments to several laws and regulations regarding women. Some of these measures included compelling the government to allocate scholarships to female doctoral students for studying abroad, exempting women from paying special taxes, raising the legal age of marriage for girls from 9 to 13, passing a bill on abortion for medical reasons and introducing plans on empowerment of female breadwinners, etc.

Most of the female candidates who find their way into parliament claim that they seek reforms to women-related laws. The experience of the past 16 years shows that some of them have fulfilled their promises, as noted above.

Yet despite these efforts, it seems that the proper implementation of most of these laws is not guaranteed. Nonetheless, despite all hopes and doubts, many still agree that fresh blood in the veins of the parliamentary group of women bodes well for all who elected female representatives.
March 17, 2016

With the so-called knife intifada exacting its toll of Jewish and Palestinian blood every few days, Israel is not happy with the voices currently emanating from Arab capitals. But suddenly, among the raucous condemnation of the injustice of Israels occupation, a melodious tone was heard from a Muslim capital. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir told the Saudi newspaper Al-Okaz March 14 that even if Israel had conquered Syria, it would not have inflicted the destruction taking place there right now, would not have killed the number of people killed so far and would not have expelled people the way they are being expelled now.

The comments by the Sudanese leader, who is wanted on suspicion of war crimes, were obviously directed first and foremost against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Over the past two years, Bashir has formed a new alliance with the Saudi-Sunni axis to replace his love affair with Shiite Iran, Assads patron. Nonetheless, it is not every day that Israel rates a positive mention from the leader of a state that dabbles in sending weapons to Hamas and other factions in the Gaza Strip.

This is not the first time that Khartoum has eyed Jerusalem, while setting its sights on Washington. Like many, the Sudanese apparently believe that Jews control the world and they can influence the Americans to help other countries. At a conference held in Khartoum in January  as part of the national dialogue meetings, aimed at reconciling the armed militias  it was suggested that Sudans hostile policy toward Israel was damaging its ties with the United States. Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour said in response that he was willing to examine the issue of normalizing relations with Israel.

Israel is following the messages from Sudan with curiosity, but is careful not to get too close. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon are quietly awaiting a signal from the United States in regard to relations with Khartoum. But as often happens in Israeli politics, a diplomatic rookie who was given a senior post, blabbed and provided the missing pieces of the puzzle. Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan said in a Jan. 26 interview with The Times of Israel, We dont have to be different than the entire Western world. The Western world  the US and Europe  have relations with Sudan, and with Saudi Arabia and other countries. I dont think we need to be any different. According to Ben-Dahan, Israel can contribute a lot to Sudan, in many areas.

The deputy minister of defense was probably not talking about supplying drip irrigation systems, which Israel exports to many African countries. Israel is known in Sudan as a supplier of weaponry and surveillance equipment to South Sudan. Sudanese generals who crossed the blurred lines between the various militias and ethnic groups brought with them as dowries made-in-Israel rifles and surveillance tools. Khartoums signals of rapprochement to Israel, along with reconciliation moves between the Muslim state and the Christian neighbor to the south headed by dictator Salva Kiir, will enable international arms industry and weapons traders, including those of Israel, when the time comes, to enjoy the best of both netherworlds: those of war criminals and genociders in Sudan and of murderers from South Sudan. It will happen the day the Western world decides to lift the barrier of sanctions.

In the meantime, the arms embargo by the European Union on South Sudan is still valid, as is the decision by the United States to suspend weapon's export to that country. A year ago, the United States initiated a UN resolution proposal at the Security Council, to place an arms' sale embargo together with other sanctions on both sides, unless they stop the mutual bloodshed.

The report by the panel of experts published on Jan. 22 by the UN Security Councils South Sudan sanctions committee provides a glimpse of the bloody cauldron that Israel is also stirring. It reveals that Israel provides South Sudan with intelligence collection tools that enable the administration to track its opponents and to take action against them. The document includes photos of soldiers armed with ACE assault rifles that are produced in Israel, an advanced version of the Israeli-made Galil rifle. According to the report, the rifles were used by a militia, trained at the farm of President Kiir, in a December 2013 massacre and attack against the Nuer tribe, in which many civilians were killed  an episode marking the start of the civil war.

The fact that Israel sold South Sudan weapons before the 2013 civil war is not disputed; still, Israel stopped sending South Sudan lethal firepower at an early stage of the fighting. Nevertheless, the panel of experts determined that Israeli micro-Galil rifles reached South Sudan in 2014, having been sold to Uganda that sold them to South Sudan. Even if Israel  as it claims  was unaware of the deal between Uganda and Sudan, it is not exempt of moral responsibility for it. Israeli attorney Itai Mack, who is active in efforts to increase public supervision of Israeli arms exports, told Al-Monitor that he had found that Israeli experts come and go in South Sudan.

An end to the all-out war taking place in Sudan and South Sudan is nowhere in sight. Mack said that Jerusalem would do well to heed the recommendations of the UN panel of experts to impose a total arms embargo on defense exports to South Sudan as a call to stop military aid to South Sudan, and to refrain from forming new military ties with Khartoum. The weapons that according to past reports Israel sold to nefarious regimes, such as that of South Sudan, could be used to carry out crimes against humanity and war crimes. That was the case with other weapons, including Israeli ones, that circumvented the embargoes on Rwanda, Bosnia, the Ivory Coast and Liberia. Israeli relations with Sudan could hurt the efforts of the international community to bring to an end the conflict in Sudan and to bring Bashir to trial in The Hague over his involvement in the genocide in Darfur.

In July, Israel will mark with great fanfare the 40th anniversary of the Entebbe operation, popularly known as Operation Jonathan, after Benjamin Netanyahus brother, a member of the Israeli commando unit who was killed there in the hostage rescue. On this festive occasion Israel would do well to remember that Jonathan "Yoni" Netanyahu was killed by a soldier of then-Uganda leader Idi Amin. Amin, at one time Israels best friend in Africa, subsequently became an ally of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. Who knows, maybe the soldier who killed Yoni was trained using Israeli weapons at an Israel Defense Forces base. It is regrettable that Israeli political and security echelons have not learned yet the lesson of not playing with fire with nefarious regimes.
March 17, 2016

At an April 2013 campaign rally, presidential candidate Hassan Rouhani was asked about the house arrests of the 2009 Green Movement leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi, Zahra Rahnavard and Mehdi Karroubi. At the time, the Green Movement leaders had been imprisoned for over two years without trial for calling for protests against the contested 2009 presidential elections, which kept the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power.

Rouhani responded to the question by saying, This condition is not to our benefit. This split, which day by day is becoming deeper, must be eliminated. He added, I am hopeful that the elections will decrease the distance somewhat and that the future administration can bring about an atmosphere that is not securitized. In my opinion, it is not a problem for conditions to be brought about one year from now such that not only those under house arrests are freed but that all of those who were imprisoned over the 2009 events will also be freed.

In February, the Green Movement leaders marked their fifth consecutive year under house arrest.

Since Rouhani took office in August 2013, the issue of the house arrests has been raised by journalists and activists alike. The response by the administration has been always diplomatic and they have hinted that there have been efforts behind the scenes.

The house arrests have once again become the topic of Iranian media after an open letter from perhaps Irans most famous and legendary actor, Ezatollah Entezami, calling on Rouhani to end the house arrests. The letter was published on Kaleme, the news website affiliated with Mousavi, on March 16.

Dear Mr. President, with the accomplishment of one of your campaign promises, you were able to remove the shadow of the ominous sanctions from the peoples head through negotiations and talks, the letter read. Isnt it time to act on your other campaign promises, meaning removing the house arrests?

The letter said that resolving this issue would add to national trust and unity and asked, Why are you delaying in accomplishing this promise?  Is it possible to ignore such an important issue and [still] want the solidarity of the people? Ignoring the truth and closing your eyes to it will only make resolving it more difficult. We are talking about national solidarity.

The letter concluded, At the end of my long life of 90 something years, I hope that with prudence and wisdom, this issue, like the issue of the sanctions, comes to a happy ending. I have the expectation on the threshold of the New Year [March 20] that you will resolve the issue of the house arrests.

The administrations response to the letter has been vague. Rouhanis chief of staff, Mohammad Nahavandian, when indirectly asked about the letter and the end of the house arrests, said, Everything must be done on its own time with its own appropriate speed. (Given that the house arrests are a sensitive security issue, Nahavandian was asked when the president would fulfill his domestic campaign promises.)

The administration has been less vague in the past. In February 2015, when asked about the end of the house arrests, administration spokesman Mohammad-Bagher Nobakht said that while it had made attempts to address the issue, ultimately, Were not the final decision-maker on this.
March 16, 2016

On Feb. 17, Ankara witnessed its first suicide attack carried out with a moving vehicle. The attack targeted a military shuttle bus, killing 29 people, mostly military personnel. In a column I wrote after that attack, I asked if that was just the beginning.

Twenty-five days later, about a kilometer (half a mile) from the scene of the Feb. 17 bombing, there was another suicide bombing, again with a moving vehicle. However, this attack, at the central square of the city, was against civilians. The March 13 attack killed 37 people, wounded 125 and shook the country to its core.

That was the third suicide attack in Ankara, following the Oct. 10 Islamic State (IS) attack near the central train station and the Feb. 17 explosion.

As I emphasized in a Dec. 30 column titled Are clashes spreading to western Turkey? the government is engrossed in long-term sieges of towns such as Yuksekova, Sirnak and Nusaybin to disrupt the logistics lines of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and its newly established youth wing, the Civil Defense Units. Ankara is bent on undermining the Kurdish resistance by combat.

The plan is to first clear out the trenches and barricades in towns and then deploy forces based in permanent outposts to restore state authority over the restive neighborhoods. The PKK has only one card to play to confront Ankaras increasing pressure, and that is to carry the battles to western Turkey.

The Ministry of Interior announced that the key perpetrator of the March 13 Ankara attack was Seher Cagla Demir, a female university student. Demir joined the PKK in 2013, went to northern Syria in December of that year for military training and joined the clashes there. There are also media reports that a second perpetrator was a male Turkish citizen named Ozgur Unsal, whose linkage with the PKK has not yet been established.

Among 29 people detained in Istanbul, there are nine lawyers, including Demir's lawyer, Huseyin Bogatekin. Demir was actually on trial for belonging to the PKK, but had not been detained during the proceedings. In nationwide anti-PKK operations after the Ankara bombing, 320 people have been rounded up so far.

Reports said the vehicle used in Ankara was stolen Jan. 10 from Sanliurfa. According to initial reports, the bomb was made up of about 100 kilos (220 pounds) of C4 plastic explosive. Its detonation system was concealed in a special pocket made to foil X-ray checks.

The government's draconian reporting limits have kept this from being confirmed, but reports suggest the woman was driving the car that exploded next to a bus. The burned but intact body of a man that was found outside the car indicates that he wasnt in the car when it exploded. He might have been tasked with blowing himself up as crowds assembled  especially police officers from the nearby riot police base  but didnt have time to do it. It is possible that a third person exploded the car with a remote control as the woman was driving.

The Kurdish Freedom Falcons (TAK), which had claimed responsibility for the Feb. 17 attack, has not commented on the latest bombing. However, all signs again point to the TAK, a semi-autonomous, armed outfit that carries out attacks under the PKK umbrella. The PKK supports the TAK ideologically and provides it with personnel, logistics and financing. Then what makes the TAK semi-autonomous? The PKK, which has a rigid hierarchical structure with strict internal discipline, now allows the TAK to decide the nature, location and timing of its operations.

In other words, PKK leaders, after authorizing the TAK to carry out an operation, learn about the outcome from TV reports.

This freedom of action granted to a lower-level leadership makes its operations unpredictable and harder for security forces to track TAK members down and prevent attacks.

Also, because the TAK is using vehicles for its attacks, security forces and intelligence units must cover the entire country instead of focusing on one urban area. This makes monitoring suspicious vehicles particularly difficult.

The PKK, which is becoming a true umbrella organization that uses proxies to launch attacks in western Turkey, forces Ankara to think hard about how to deal with this new wave of terror. It is certainly imperative for Ankara to form a special task force that will be free from the shackles of bureaucratic hierarchy and that operates in all parts of the country with the full backing of all public bodies. Ankara, still burdened with security mayhem, has yet to come up with a comprehensive and integrated strategy to combat such attacks.

Ankara must recognize that the PKK, because of its combat against IS, has achieved significant global legitimacy. By not claiming credit for attacks in western Turkey, the PKK protects that legitimacy while still disrupting Ankaras plans to boost its forces in the southeast for the coming spring clashes. That eases the pressure on PKK forces in that region.

The PKK leaders' stance is simply: We dont approve of these attacks, but we cant stop the angry Kurdish youth.

The commonality between the perpetrators of the Feb. 17 attack and this latest one is their long stays in northern Syria where they received military training.

This is a matter that Ankara  which maintains its stern attitude toward Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) and is expanding its fields of operation in the southeast  must think about. There are cracks appearing in the PKK. In addition to the long-established PKK military command in Iraqs Qandil Mountains, now Rojava is emerging as a regional inspiration center of leftist and secularist armed Kurdish resistance. This new power center is somewhat influenced by Shiites and Alawites, friendly to Russia, warm with Iran and fervently anti-IS. The message to Qandil is, We will not allow you to use Rojava dynamics as an appetizer in your bargaining with Ankara.

True, this new Kurdish power in Syria is under the patronage of the PKK, which is working full time to nurture a regional, young Kurdish resistance of ethno-nationalist and anti-jihadi character.

This latest attack also exposed a dangerous trend in Turkeys domestic politics. Now when a part of the population harshly criticizes the Justice and Development Party government over such attacks, another segment castigates this criticism as terror propaganda. This terror conundrum is becoming the main agenda item shaping the debates in the Turkish media and influencing the policies to be developed.

In the midst of this debate, Ankara has declared operations at Silopi, Cizre, Sur and Idil mission accomplished and is trying to emphasize the reconstruction of massive damages to those towns while simultaneously launching massive security operations in Sirnak, Yuksekova and Nusaybin.

Therefore, Ankara cannot discount the likelihood of additional terror acts in different parts of the country.
March 17, 2016

The latest suicide bombing in downtown Ankara that killed 37 civilians naturally shook Turkey and heightened the nations worries about terrorism. It also supported, especially for foreign observers, Turkeys concern over the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)  and by extension, PKK-affiliated Kurdish forces in Syria, even if they are effective against the Islamic State.

However, the way President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to this terrorist attack was disturbing. The powerful president is using Turkey's troubles to take his increasingly authoritarian rule to new heights. His objective was evident in the speech Erdogan gave in Ankara on March 14, just a day after the deadly terror attack. He not only condemned the terrorists who use bombs and weapons to kill people, but also what he called unarmed terrorists who supposedly help them with their ideas. He said, There is no difference between a terrorist with a gun and bomb in his hand and those who use their work and pen to support terror. The fact that an individual could be a deputy, an academic, an author, a journalist or the director of an NGO [nongovernmental organization] does not change the fact that that person is a terrorist.

But how exactly would a deputy, an academic, an author, a journalist or the director of an NGO support terrorism? If an individual openly incited terrorist violence, calling for more bombings and other attacks, then Erdogan would be justified. However, it is clear that both Erdogan and his supporters have lately begun accusing people of unarmed terrorism for merely criticizing the governments anti-terrorism measures.

Some 1,100 Turkish academics and foreigners, including intellectual activist Noam Chomsky, signed a petition in January titled We do not want to be partners to the crime. The short statement criticized the government for committing human rights violations in its counterterrorism campaign that is ongoing in certain southeastern towns. It blamed the government for committing massacres of Kurdish civilians and called for an end to all related security operations. While one could have criticized the text for being silent on the crimes of the PKK, it certainly had nothing to do with inciting terrorism or any other form of violence.

Yet Erdogan and his media loyalists ferociously condemned the academics as terrorists. Soon after the petition was released, dozens of them were detained by the police and some of them were fired from their universities, though public prosecutors released all the detainees after questioning. As of the beginning of this week, none of the academics were in jail. Their release apparently made Erdogan unhappy, for in the same speech about unarmed terrorists, he said, We cannot tolerate those giving support to a terrorist organization going into a courthouse through one door and coming out right out of another.

Alas, just a day after Erdogan's statement, three of those petiti on-signing academics were arrested and put in prison. They probably will be jailed for a while, and more may join them. Meanwhile, Chris Stephenson, a British academic teaching computer science at Istanbuls Bilgi University, was detained by police for promoting PKK propaganda after distributing leaflets inviting people to Nowruz celebrations. He was soon released, only to be deported from Turkey, where he had been living for 25 years, with his Turkish wife and daughter.

It is worryingly clear that Erdogans very broad definition of terrorism also defines how the Turkish police and even the judiciary see the matter. But even this power seems not to be enough for the president, for he also called for legal amendments. We should redefine terrorism as soon as possible and include this in the Turkish penal code, he said in the same speech. This is not an issue of freedom of press or freedom of organization. It is about a more effective way of dealing with the vile assailants who try to harm our people.

Erdogan went even further, saying, Certain segments of our society and in the international arena are at a crossroads. They will either be on our side, or the on terrorists side. So merely not being on the governments "side" could get one branded and prosecuted as a terrorist.

What Erdogan is doing is resurrecting the old Turkish concept of thought crime. For decades, the infamous penal code Articles 141, 142 and 163 criminalized communist, separatist or anti-secular propaganda. It was only thanks to liberal reformers such as Turgut Ozal, Turkey's former prime minister and president, that such draconian laws were annulled. Moreover, when Erdogans Justice and Development Party came to power in 2002, it vowed to advance the liberal agenda, which was also encouraged by the Europan Union. As a result, Erdogan and his party realized many legal reforms and also adopted a critical tone against the heavy-handedness of previous governments against Kurdish separatists and rebels. In 2011, for example, Erdogan gave a landmark speech defining the bloody crackdown of the Kurdish Rebellion in Dersim in 1937-38 as a massacre by the state, for which he offered an official apology as prime minister.

It is ironic that today the same Erdogan condemns academics who criticize the state  just as he once did  as terrorists who should be in prison. It makes one think that all the liberal agenda Erdogan and his supporters adopted in the early 2000s, when they were not yet the state establishment, was merely Machiavellian maneuvering. Once they took power, they began to adopt the very authoritarian habits they once opposed. And the worst news is that this may be only the beginning.
Ambulance.JPG

An Alabama vehicle manufacturer recently developed two ambulances to help kids in need in south Florida.

(Courtesy of Excellance)

Excellance, which launched in Madison in 1975, has finished production on two custom rides for Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. The emergency vehicles serve the area's only licensed specialty hospital for children with more than 650 physicians and 130 pediatric sub-specialists.

The bright blue ambulances are among Excellance's most custom to date, with a CritiCool-Therapeutic Hypothermia System, Olympic blanket warmer, LED lighting and a Stryker Power load system capable of lifting up to 700 pounds.

The vehicles, which have heart and teddy bear graphics to match the hospital's medical helicopter, can transport up to two cots, have four air-conditioning systems, feature a DVD player and screen for long-distance traveling, and are equipped with two hydraulic oxygen/medical air lifts.

Excellance said they also have a FireCom Intercom System, which facilitates communication between medics and the driver during transport. An Engel Medical refrigerator is on board to keep IV fluids and medications at the right temperatures during storage.

There is an electric step at the side entry door for easy entry, an Air Ride System, cab radio with GPS and an on-board Wi-Fi router inside the vehicles.

The company makes rescue trucks, command/communications units, bomb squad units, roll-off P.O.D. modules, hazardous materials vehicles, and special test vehicles for the U.S. Department of Defense. Excellance's Mobile Stroke Unit is one of only a couple existing in the world with technology to help victims receive the fastest, highest-quality care during a stroke.

Excellance is also the only company to design and build a custom ambulance that runs solely on compressed natural gas (CNG).
Spice news conference to be held Monday

Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich speaks at a press conference in 2012. (G.M. Andrews/Press-Register File)

A few days after an apparently decisive Alabama Supreme Court ruling, a long-running funding dispute between the Mobile County Commission and the Mobile County District Attorney's office appeared to be as far from an amicable solution as ever.

On March 11, the court ruled in favor of District Attorney Ashley Rich, and on Wednesday she made a settlement proposal that one county commissioner described on Thursday as "very workable," estimating its up-front cost at about $4 million. But the official response from an attorney representing the commission was anything but conciliatory, saying the true cost was higher. The commission attorney also accused Rich of misleading the public about her offer and charging that it includes exorbitant demands.

Wednesday afternoon, Rich issued a public statement that while she was "extremely pleased" by the state supreme court's ruling, "the goal of our office is to resolve this longstanding and expensive litigation, to find middle ground that both sides can agree upon and to provide a foundation which will best protect and serve the citizens of Mobile County.

"Therefore," she wrote, "we are willing to immediately settle this matter on terms and conditions much less costly than those mandated by the highest court in the State."

The commission's official response, delivered Thursday afternoon by attorney LaVeeda Morgan Battle, began by noting that the commission is disappointed with the court's decision.

"While the County is considering its legal options, Ms. Rich has requested the case be settled and has publicly made statements about what would normally be confidential settlement negotiations," Battle wrote. "The statements Ms. Rich has made publicly do not tell the entire story ... She is demanding just under $5 million dollars in back pay for salaries she has not even paid her employees and asking for addition amounts above the salary schedule she provided to the public. She is demanding we pay her for vacant positions. She is demanding we pay for defunct positions."

"We are including her letter to us with this press release to provide the public with the whole truth," Battle wrote.

The dispute goes back at least to 2011, when Rich began to complain that under state law, Mobile County was underfunding her office. The laws in question split the responsibility for funding district attorney offices between the state and the respective counties; at the time, Mobile County was providing about a third of the Mobile County district attorney's $5.4 million budget, and Rich said the county share was about three-quarters of a million short. She'd gotten a favorable opinion from state Attorney General Luther Strange.

By spring 2012, Rich had filed a notice of claim that she intended to sue if the matter couldn't be settled. Response from the Mobile County Commission was divided: Mike Dean, then the representative of District 3, was in favor of a $150,000 settlement deal that Rich had proposed. "I would have taken that all day long," he said at the time. "I don't think it should have gotten to this point."

District 1 Commissioner Merceria Ludgood and District 2 Commissioner Connie Hudson, interviewed at the same time, said that the budget was tight all over, that many agencies funded by the county were suffering cuts and that the funding laws were somewhat open to interpretation. Ludgood said that the difference might have to be resolved by a judge.

The matter did indeed go to court, and on March 11 the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling broadly favorable to Rich.

District 3 Commissioner Jerry Carl, who took over Dean's seat in 2012, also seems to have inherited his view of the matter.

"I was not surprised with the ruling. Personally, I kind of anticipated that it would not come back to benefit us," Carl said Thursday. "I've said all along I felt like we needed to be doing something to help her. When this originally started, of course it was before I was elected, I don't know exactly but it was something like $100,000 more in the budget that she asked for. So we've gone from that to, now it's going to cost us, well, pretty much unlimited."

Carl spoke Thursday morning, before Battle's statement on behalf of the commission was released. Calls to the offices of Ludgood and Hudson made at the same time were not returned.

There would seem to be some pressure to come to an agreement: Carl said that the commission had two weeks to respond to the court's ruling, and Rich set a deadline of 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, for a response to her offer.

"Your response must be in writing and must affirmatively address each point," she wrote. "This offer is also immediately rescinded if any type of pleading is filed with the Alabama Supreme Court seeking reconsideration, clarification, or any other such relief."

Battle wrote of Rich's conduct: "These confusing messages about what in fact can be done to resolve this matter are exactly why the County is interested in seeking some clarification about the Supreme Court's decision, and exploring all legal options at this point."

Carl, who said he thought it would be "senseless" to ask the state supreme court to reconsider its ruling, estimated the up-front cost to the county at about $4 million, which he said was "very doable." The current county budget, approved in September, is $129.4 million.

"I think what Ashley reached out with yesterday in that letter to me showed a lot about her and her personality," Carl said. "She really could have took advantage of the amount of money and she didn't. I'm excited about what we've got. I think it's very workable. We'll have to make some alterations in the commission, in the budget, but we do that all the time. That's just part of doing business. And we do have a little bit of money left over from last year."

In her public statement, Rich challenged the idea that her requests were exorbitant. "There is no truth to the ridiculous claims that this ruling would double the salaries of prosecutors to twice that of trial judges - such outlandish comments are just not productive."

In her response, Battle wrote that "Mobile County provides more funding for the Mobile County District Attorney (DA) than virtually any other counties do for their respective DA's offices. This decision places Mobile County in the unenviable position of being mandated to pay as much as $249,000 to $300,000 salaries to Assistant District Attorneys when all other counties get to decide in their discretion how to supplement these state employee salaries."

Rich: "Perhaps the single most important responsibility of the Mobile County Commission is to properly fund law enforcement and prosecutors. Several counties around the State already do, including Montgomery, Jefferson and Madison Counties."

Battle: "Some may think the County is responsible for filling in the gaps in public safety funding created by cuts in State funding. The County still believes the law protects the County from being saddled with the State's financial responsibility to pay for its employees."

Amid the hard-nosed negotiating stances, it wasn't clear what weight Carl's view would carry. But as he expressed sympathy for the challenges faced by the district attorney, Carl referenced the ongoing murder trial of Thomas Lane, accused of murdering his estranged wife in 2003. Lane was convicted in 2006 and sent to death row, but that verdict was overturned. He was retried this month and convicted again on Monday. But in bizarre twist, a juror fell ill during the sentencing phase of the trial, which began Tuesday. The alternate jurors had already been dismissed, so if the affected juror is unable to return in a timely manner, the impact on the trial could be serious.

"That's the type of stuff there's no way to budget for," Carl said. "Bless her heart, I mean, she's tried it twice and there's a chance she'll have to do it three times. Now how do you budget for that?"
As a veteran of numerous road trips across our great state, I am well aware that it is filled with surprises. But sometimes, you have to leave the interstates and major highways to find its hidden natural wonders.

Here are a few you won't want to miss:

1. The Bamboo Forest

800 Upper Kingston Road

Prattville, Ala.

334-361-3640

In a section of a 26-acre area in Prattville called Wilderness Park, bamboo grows as much as 60 feet high and 6 inches in circumference. It was the first designated wilderness park in the country. In the 1940s, someone sent a packet of seeds to the owner of the property, who planted them. Before long the exotic plants covered a wide area of the property. The trees form a canopy overhead, making it a unique hiking spot, according to PrattvilleAL.gov.

2. Dismalites, 'glow worms' in the canyon

901 County Road 8

Phil Campbell, AL

205-993-4559

A trip to Dismals Canyon in the daytime is fascinating enough but when you visit at night, you have a chance to see the glowing critters that cling to the sides of its boulders. Called Dismalites, they are the larvae stage of a unique insect "that emits a bright blue-green light to attract food, in the form of other flying insects," according to DismalsCanyon.com. "It requires a select habitat to survive: humidity to prevent it from drying out; hanging surfaces to allow it to build sticky webs to trap the food; an adequate food supply of insects; a still atmosphere to prevent lines from tangling; and darkness to allow it to show a light. Dismals Canyon provides the perfect habitat for these unique insects to survive."

3. Natural Bridge

U.S. Highway 278 W

Natural Bridge, AL

205-486-5330

About 28 people call the Winston County town of Natural Bridge home but the town boasts one of Alabama's largest wonders: the Natural Bridge. The 148-foot sandstone bridge is the longest east of the Rockies, according to NorthAlabama.org. The arch of the bridge is 60 feet above the path below.

Admission is charged.

4. The Hiding Tree at Blakeley State Park

34745 Alabama Highway 225

Spanish Fort, AL

251-626-0798

Blakeley, a thriving town near Spanish Fort in the 1800s, is now a ghost-town-turned-state-park, according to Blakeley Park's website. The site has lots of trails and natural features, as well as a cemetery and a Civil War fort site. One attraction that draws visitors is the Hiding Tree, which has a large, human-sized opening at its base. Legend says that during the Civil War, soldiers would crouch in the natural hollow, either to hide from attackers or to ambush them.

5. Moss Rock Preserve boulder field

Preserve Way

Hoover, AL

205-444-7777

Moss Rock Preserve is known for its amazing boulder field. Although it is a destination for serious rock climbers, it also offers amazing scenery for sightseers, including a rock shelter where Native Americans once camped. Check out other rock formations such as "Aristocratic Nose," "Big Ben," "Snoopy's House" and "I'll Tumble for You," according to ExploreSouthernHistory.com. The preserve is owned by the City of Hoover.

6. Mushroom, elephant rocks at Horse Pens 40

3525 County Road 42

Steele, AL

256-538-7439

A natural Alabama site with the odd name of Horse Pens 40 is also a favorite of rock climbers. Located in St. Clair County near Steele, it is described on its website as "a natural wonderland of unique rock formations nestled atop Chandler Mountain in the foothills of the Appalachians." The surfaces of many of the boulders appear scaly, like reptiles, and one is known as Dinosaur Rock. You can also see Elephant Rock, Mushroom Rock and more.

Horse Pens 40 also played a role in the Civil War when "folks from the lowlands brought their children, horses, possessions, and valuables here to hide them from both the Yankee invaders and the Confederate recruiters and Bushwhackers. Discovered by the Confederates, it was then used for storage of supplies to be distributed to Confederate troops as they passed nearby. These rocks also contain several outlaw hideouts which were used for many years. The famous Alabama outlaw Rube Burrow had a hideout here, complete with a stable, hidden passages, and a secret stone door to allow for escape if necessary."

7. Goat Trees

Dauphin Island Park Board

109 Bienville Boulevard

Dauphin Island, AL

251-861-2742

Most people think of the Sea Lab when they think of Dauphin Island but it's also home to some unusual oaks known as Goat Trees. According to a legend recounted on AlabamaBirdingTrails.com, the trees located near Shell Mound Park once served as shelter for wild goats that inhabited Dauphin Island. The trees have limbs that reach as far as 50 feet and grow nearly parallel to the ground, providing the perfect climbing surface for goats. These days, the Goat Tree Preserve is listed as part of the National Wetlands Inventory and provides habitat for dozens of birds, including warblers, vireos and gnatcatchers. It is a favorite destination of bird watchers.

Join al.com reporter Kelly Kazek on her weekly journey through Alabama to record the region's quirky history, strange roadside attractions and tales of colorful characters. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest.
Vanderbilt University Divinity Professor Amy-Jill Levine, a New Testament and Jewish studies scholar, will be speaking in Alabama tonight through Saturday.

Levine, a self-described Jewish feminist, is the author of "The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus" and "Short Stories by Jesus: the Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi."

Levine will speak Thursday, March 17, at 6:30 p.m., at All Saints' Episcopal Church, 110 West Hawthorne Road in Homewood, on "Jesus in his Jewish Context: Piety, Politics, Practice, Parable, Prayer."

On Friday night at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., she'll speak at Canterbury United Methodist Church, 350 Overbrook Road in Mountain Brook, on "Jesus in his Jewish Context," as part of the SPAFER lecture series.The Southern Progressive Alliance for Exploring Religion frequently brings guest lecturers to Birmingham to discuss faith.

In a recent question-and-answer with AL.com, Levine offered some thoughts on Jesus, Jews and the New Testament.

AL.com: Is the New Testament anti-Semitic?

Levine: Passages in the New Testament have been interpreted in anti-Jewish ways, in racist ways, in sexist ways, and so on. Responsibility for reading the text as a book of love rather than of hate rests in our hands.

AL.com: Is the Christian concept of Jesus as Messiah compatible with the Jewish concept of a Messiah?

First-century Judaism had no singular view of the Messiah, although most Jews believed the messiah would bring about the messianic age, when war, disease, poverty, and death all ended, when all the dead are raised, when Jews in exile would return to the Land of Israel, and when peace would prevail. The predominant Christian view separated the coming of the Messiah from the Messianic age and posited a second coming.

AL.com: As a professor of Jewish studies and New Testament, was there anything you found particularly important about the 2015 U.S. visit of Pope Francis?

Levine: Pope Francis made an unscheduled stop at St. Joseph University in Philadelphia to visit a newly dedicated statue depicting Synagogue and Church as two beautiful women engaged in conversation. The statue commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of "Nostra Aetate," the Vatican II document that opened new and positive relationships between Catholics and Jews.

AL.com: What do you think Jesus would have to say about same-sex marriage?

Levine: For Jesus, final judgment is based on whether we feed the hungry, give the thirsty something to drink, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. Such issues are of greater concern throughout the biblical tradition than matters of sexual identity.

Faithful Bible readers will disagree on sexuality, politics, religion, and so on. However, the Bible states that we are all in the image and likeness of the divine; therefore, our responsibility is to promote compassion and shalom rather than hatred and demonization; it is to recognize that the person with whom we disagree is also a child of God.
Idomeni, Greece  If refugees encamped at Idomeni are hoping for the current European summit to resolve their plight, they are likely to be disappointed. The summit is focused on stopping new arrivals in Turkey, rather than in the relocation of those already in Europe.

Yet it is on this summit that many here are pinning their last hopes. If they dont open the border after the [summit] meeting I will return to Syria. I will pay smugglers to take me back, says Mohammed Hasan, a 26-year-old business graduate from Aleppo.

A bomb demolished his house, killing his parents and two brothers, while he was minding the family clothing store. Two months ago, he paid smugglers $800 to get to Turkey, and another $900 to jump on a boat to Lesbos. He hopes to be reunited with one surviving brother in Germany.

In doing so he has skipped his army duty. Now the army  they want me, he says. If they catch me maybe they [will] kill me  or give me a gun.

Hasan has been in Idomeni, on the Greek border with former Yugoslav Macedonia, for 17 days, but that is enough to make him contemplate the dangers of returning.

You see these people, he says with a glance at hundreds of refugees in the tents surrounding Eidomeni train platform, which no longer functions as a passenger station. Animals cannot live here. If you want [you can] stand for three or four hours in line to get a sandwich.

Crestfallen at the tent city

Some refugees still arrive here. Three newly arrived Syrian mothers look crestfallen at the tent city around them. They tap messages into their mobile phones despondently.

An enterprising driver parks his bus on the main road through the muddy camp: Bus to Athens, reads a handwritten note in the window  though he says he has few takers at the moment.

Many are hoping against hope. I think the [summit] wont change the [situation with] the border but I hope it will because we have to go to Germany, says Iman, an Arabic language teacher from Idlib in Syria. We cannot go back to Syria  impossible.

In front of her family tent, her husband and children tend a small fire made from logs handed out by charities.

The Idomeni camp stretches out for hundreds of yards along the railway track that crosses the border, and for hundreds of yards on either side. Authorities estimate that 12,000 people are here, but only a minority sleep in the large marquee tents the UN has set on dry concrete slab and filled with more than 100 bunk-beds each.

The vast majority sleeps in camping tents set directly on to muddy fields, or the coarse gravel of the railway tracks. Their mornings are spent queuing for healthcare or food handouts, and buying eggs, potato chips, rice, bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, oranges and bananas from the back of pick-up trucks run by Roma.

By afternoon, they light individual fires from foraged wood, old railway sleepers and rubbish, on which to cook their lunch or warm tinned milk.

Children are constantly coughing, and sickness runs high.

We have many cases of respiratory disease, pneumonia, because the living conditions are not OK, says Marie-Elizabeth Ingres from Doctors Without Borders. The Paris-based NGO has brought 140 doctors to Idomeni and the surrounding area.

Doctors of the World are here, too, and a German medical charity, Search and Rescue, plans to bring two fully staffed mobile clinics.

Despite our efforts  its not the NGOs who can manage the situation. Its too big, says Ingres.

Volunteers step up

Just as NGOs supplement inadequate state aid, volunteers are supplementing the NGOs, but demand greatly outstrips supply. The clamour for clothes is such that volunteers distribute them at night.

Another nocturnal duty is the allocation of tents. At about 11pm we do a tent patrol, see who the new families are, says Christine, a Canadian volunteer who preferred not to use her real name. Theyre the ones sitting in the fields.

Shortages impose tough choices. Ted, a volunteer from the UK, remembers a woman who stood for hours in the rain with her baby, waiting to be relocated to a dry tent, holding up the outspread fingers of one hand and shouting, Five!

She took me to this tiny little tent in a puddle where she opened the door and there were four further children shivering, one of them in nothing but boxer shorts and a T-shirt, physically shaking. She passed me her baby and picked up one of the other children and passed it to me, and then another  I had three of the children and I became overcome with emotion. It took all my might to bite my tongue and hold back my tears.

Volunteers have been arriving from all over the world  150 in the past few weeks alone, as Idomeni camp has mushroomed. The construction of the border fence by the former Yugoslav Macedonia, and the gradual tightening of border controls, which culminated in a complete border closure earlier this month, mean that refugees have now spilled outside the official camps.

A small hotel in the nearby town of Polykastro serves as a 24-hour base of volunteer operations. By 10am, a dozen of them are chopping vegetables to put into three vast, 40-litre pots, where they are gradually turned into soup over gas fires. Others cut sandwiches. The entire payload is delivered to Idomeni in the afternoon.

Hope is all thats left

Refugees put up with their lot in the hope of moving on, and even false hope acts like a flint to tinder. On March 13, refugees were handed a flyer with a map of the border fence that purported to show a way through it.

The flyers origins remain unknown, but the following day hundreds of people set out to find this secret passage.

Morale was very high [because of the flyer], says Ted. I can sympathise that they wanted to believe it.

Christine and Ted say they tried to stop the march. Of course it didnt work, says Christine. [Refugees] said, Nothing thats ahead of us can be worse than whats behind us.'

There was a man in a wheelchair and three of his sons were trying to push him up the hill through mud, says Christine.

They asked, Is this the way to the border?' Eight kilometres into the trek, she says, I saw this young guy with a club foot and one arm slung over each of his friends limping slowly along through a muddy field I saw a young boy leading his blind father by a scarf.

Children were passed arm-to-arm over a torrent, quick and cold with fresh rain. An elderly woman fainted in the middle of the torrent and it took three volunteers to carry her across. People dropped their blankets, tents and bags as their strength drained. A heavily pregnant woman and her husband pressed on with their first-born infant, refusing rest.

The expedition ended in disaster. The refugees managed to end-run the border fence, but were arrested as they entered former Yugoslav Macedonia, along with the volunteers and journalists who accompanied them.

PHOTO GALLERY: Refugees attempt Greece-Macedonia crossing

For sure, Germany dont want us, says Hasan. European countries dont want us. Lebanon is a small country, but there are more than three million Syrians there. Here [in Europe] there are many large countries and they have one million and say it is difficult.

When the rain began, morale was shattered, says Christine.

I had a father clutching my arm, with red eyes, saying, I spent 3,000 dollars. It was all I had  to come here. Europe was my big dream, this safety was my big dream. He was standing in a puddle crying, I am here! I am here! What is this?'
The president retains a grip on the ANC but scandals and court cases show his power is not as absolute as it seemed.

In the Pretoria High Court 2D, Advocate Kemp J Kemp hunched his shoulders and pushed his head out like a heron about to snaffle its prey.

The 2009 decision to drop more than 700 fraud, corruption, racketeering and money-laundering charges against his client, President Jacob Zuma, was a message, Kemp argued, that the National Prosecuting Authoritys enormous powers would never again be used to decide who will be the president of the country or to engineer political results.

How is that not something that should be upheld, and that should not be lauded? he asked a full sitting of the High Court bench in the South African capital.

Kemp was in court fighting against the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), who had filed an application to have the dropping of charges declared irrational. The 2009 decision to discontinue Zumas prosecution was made by Mokotedi Mpshe  then acting national director of public prosecution.

If the application succeeds, charges against Zuma may be reinstated, the DAs James Selfe told Al Jazeera.

Mpshe had ostensibly dropped the charges after listening to conversations between Leonard McCarthy, then head of the Scorpions special investigative unit, and former prosecutions leader Bulelani Ngcuka, emanating from phone taps by still-unestablished sources.

Ngcuka and McCarthy had apparently discussed whether the timing of the charges against Zuma could be manipulated to favour former President Thabo Mbeki, who was contesting the African National Congress (ANC) presidency against Zuma at the ANCs 2007 Polokwane conference. Zuma ultimately won.

Working in the shadows

The irony of Kemps argument was inescapable: The president, who recently weathered a vote of no confidence in the national legislature through the ANCs substantial majority, has long stood accused of eroding the independence of institutions such as the prosecuting authority and using the states intelligence and security apparatus for his own political ends.

The former head of Mbokhodo, the internal intelligence arm of the ANC during the struggle, Zuma is well-attuned to working in the shadows. State intelligence has been used against both mainstream political opponents and grassroots activists, whether in the countrys sprawling shack settlements or in the #FeesMustFall student protests.

Writing in Business Day, political analyst Steven Friedman said that Zuma was schooled in the security world and  operates politically much as a security operator would, far more concerned with how to stay one step ahead of the enemy than with trying to achieve something for the country.

In reference to a proxy war developing between the president and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Friedman wrote that under Zumas watch the security cluster in general and the spies in particular have much more room to move  and so to meddle in national politics .

Destroying reputations

Six days before Gordhan was to deliver his recent budget speech, he received three pages of questions from the Hawks, an investigative unit that replaced the Scorpions, who were disbanded following pressure from the ANC while it was investigating Zuma before his ascension to the presidency

The questions related to the National Research Unit, an investigative unit situated in the South African Revenue Service, which Gordhan had headed from 1999 to 2009.

READ MORE: What now for South Africas #FeemustFall movement?

In a statement released by Gordhan following his speech  and after the list of questions had been leaked to the media  the finance minister categorically state[d] that the Hawks have no reason to investigate him.

I believe this was meant to intimidate and distract us from the work that we had to do to prepare the 2016 budget, he said in the statement.

Gordhan continued: There is a group of people that are not interested in the economic stability of this country and the welfare of its people. It seems they are interested in disrupting institutions and destroying reputations.

He later fired off another salvo, sending a letter to the Hawks asking them under whose authority he was being investigated.

The ministers of police and state security hastily convened a news conference where they maintained that the questions did not mean Gordhan was being investigated.

The president and the finance minister were facing off, but even Zuma hard-men such as ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, and the party itself were coming out publicly in support of Gordhan.

This is a startling development, said Richard Pithouse, a political analyst and academic at the Unit for Humanities at Rhodes University. The liberals within the ANC, the communists, the trade unionists, many people who one would think would support Zuma [are] openly backing Gordhan.

South Africans were as depressed as their currency

After being elected ANC president, Zuma had once danced unchallenged through South Africas political landscape  singing his trademark struggle song, Mshini Wami (Bring me my machine gun) to populist frenzy, while promising a more everyman administration than that of his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki.

He had revolutionised how power could be attained and consolidated within the ANC in the build-up to his 2007 election, and had kept a firm grip on the party ever since.

Yet, his control no longer appears absolute. To understand why, analysts suggest, one must rewind to December of last year.

There was a total backlash against the president from all sectors of society. by Richard Pithouse, political analyst

By the time the second Saturday of December 2015 had come around, South Africans were as depressed as their currency.

The rand had nose-dived following Zumas sacking of finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, replacing him with an unknown parliamentary backbencher, David Van Rooyen.

An estimated 177 billion rand ($11.6bn) had been lost on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and ordinary South Africans were contemplating bludgeoned investments and shaky futures  alongside the distressing sense that Zuma had acted with a self-serving impunity.

That moment of overreach by Zuma changed everything, says Pithouse. There was a total backlash against the president from all sectors of society following the collapse of the rand.

A country resigned to the presidents litany of scandals  including the appointment of alleged lover Dudu Myeni as South African Airways boss and Public Protector Thuli Madonselas findings that Zuma and his family had unduly benefited from a taxpayer-funded 246-million-rand ($15.7m) upgrade to his private residence at Nkandla in rural KwaZulu-Natal  was now angry and deflated.

The mood darkened when a minister in the presidency, Jeff Radebe, alluded that Nenes sacking had not been discussed at a cabinet meeting held just before the announcement was made by the presidency on December 9. The ruling ANC also appeared to be caught unaware by Zumas decision.

Van Rooyen reportedly pitched up at the treasury with two advisers linked to the Gupta family from India, whose businesses  interwoven with that of Zumas son, Duduzane  had apparently benefited from their proximity to the president with several government contracts.

[Firing Nene] was a most unfortunate act on the part of the president, says George Bizos, a human rights lawyer who was part of the legal team that defended, among others, Nelson Mandela and Govan Mbeki at the 1963 Rivonia Treason Trial. He obviously didnt consult his highly placed advisers in government. That the president was almost compelled within a very small period of time to change his decision was encouraging, though.

Zuma had sacked Nene on a Thursday night, appointed Van Rooyen the next day and, by that Sunday night, announced the reinstatement of Nenes predecessor, Gordhan  after meeting business leaders and political elders over the weekend.

The markets stabilised slightly, but the damage to South Africas economy  and Zumas reputation  had been done.

He seemed to be operating outside his own party and his cabinet in an attempt to give a patsy appointment the keys to the national treasury  with the apparent intention of gaining access to it for his patronage network, observed Pithouse.

An emboldened Gordhans fingers were clenched around the national purse-strings while Zumas vice-like grip on the ANC appeared to be loosening.
It may be premature to label Boko Haram as defeated but it is surely decimated.

There is a deafening bang  a bomb blast. Then another. Dismembered bodies litter the ground. Agonising wailings rent the air. Emergency aid workers scuttle to the scene. The dead are relocated to the morgue, and the injured to the hospital. Security operatives arrive to cordon off the area. The opposition party screams government incompetence. The president releases a statement to condemn the insurgents.

In northeastern Nigeria, this is a familiar story. When Boko Haram struck on Wednesday, only the fine details were altered. This time, the target was a mosque in Ummarari village near Molai, on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Boko Harams capital.





Two girls bore the bombs. As one targeted the mosque itself, the other went after fleeing Muslims. Twenty-two people died; 18 were injured. But contrary to the machinations of the insurgents, this is not an attack that will strike fear into the hearts of the people.

Not without a fight

There was a time, even in the Muhammadu Buhari era, when Boko Haram was truly ruthless. The assumption of presidential power by the retired military officer and former dictator looked primed to spell the end of the sect. Far from it.

In just three attacks in Buharis first three months in office, Boko Haram accounted for the death of 241 people. This excluded a certain week in July when souls perished every single day in pockets of attacks.

READ MORE: Theyre back: Boko Harams return under Buhari

Fast-forward to Buharis latest three months in office, and the statistics show a sect far decimated in number and potency. In the three months of 2016, the three highest-profile attacks have killed 79 people  one-third of the June-August 2015 figures.

The Nigerian army has a history of embellishing its victories over Boko Haram while underestimating its own losses... by

Triple blasts in Chibok on January 27 claimed 13 people; eight people were killed by a suicide bomber two days later; while  in its highest-casualty attack of 2016  58 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were bombed to death while awaiting food at their camp in Borno in February.

Signs of Boko Harams last days

The Nigerian army has a history of embellishing its victories over Boko Haram while underestimating its own losses, which is the only possible explanation for Buharis insistence that no single local government is under the grip of the terrorists.

While the claim has already been punctured by David Rodriguez, commander of the US Africa Command (USAFRICOM), Borno residents have confirmed that the sect no longer operates at full strength, even if some villages are still no-go zones.

It is almost six months since Boko Haram last released a video  its preferred medium of publicly instilling terror in the people and eminent supporters of the military and the government.

In the last of such videos  a 17-minute clip released on October 5, 2015  neither Abubakar Shekau nor his impostor made an appearance. The closest to an appearance was the unidentified fighter blurting: Our leader Abubakar Shekau is alive and remains our leader.

It is no coincidence that Boko Haram leaders have lost their voice; among them, there are dissenting ideas on how best to hurt their targets. The February attack on IDPs was followed by reports of internal wrangling on the propriety of attacking displaced persons.

Some aggrieved members have also jumped ship, ending up in Libya, Syria and other battlegrounds, promising the comrades they left behind that they would return when things have changed.

Decimated  not defeated

Although Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, would have none of it, it is still premature to label Boko Haram as defeated. Decimated? Surely.

READ MORE: How will Nigeria fare under Buhari?

But to suggest that the war has been won is to undermine the sanctity of human life; it will never be over until civilians in the northeast can go about their normal business without fearing for their lives  until we get to a point where yesterdays tragedy is unable to repeat itself.

To say this war is over amounts to shunning the societal hangovers of terrorism. There are millions of displaced persons in camps all over the northeast and in homeless countries who need to find their feet.

Hundreds of thousands of people in previously raided villages are starving and lacking access to potable water and basic healthcare. This war will never be over until the millions of lives shattered by Boko Haram have been rebuilt.

To suggest it is over is to contradict the pre-swearing-in promise of Buhari that victory over insurgents would not have been achieved until the abducted Chibok girls are rescued.

But to not spot Boko Harams recent reliance on individual, vengeful attacks in place of the groups original doctrine-driven campaign is to stubbornly overlook the progress that has been made against the sect.

Boko Haram may have succeeded in killing 22 people on Wednesday, but it is no longer the fearsome sect we used to know. We hope that it will never be.

Fisayo Soyombo edits the Nigerian online newspaper TheCable.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Federalism can and should only come about with the approval of the Syrian people via a referendum.

It was widely reported last week that major Western powers and Russia were discussing the possibility of a federal structure for Syria, and had passed on ideas to UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who says they form part of the agenda for the current Geneva talks.

Although no details have yet been made available, it is reportedly envisaged that Syria would remain a unitary state, but with broad autonomy to regional authorities. Though it is not the first time the idea has been floated, it is receiving serious attention at the moment, Reuters reported on Friday.





This is furthering debate about the pros and cons of a federal system. Those in favour point to the obvious failings of highly centralised states in the Arab world, including Syria.

This has enabled iron-fisted autocracy, endemic corruption, rampant human rights abuses and, in some cases, minority rule that is deeply resented by the majority.

Proponents of federalism say it is an acceptable, if imperfect, middle ground between centralisation and partition.

Gaining traction

The idea is gaining traction in wartorn Libya, particularly in the east and south, whose populations complain of continued marginalisation by Tripoli.

READ MORE: Syria: Whats in a federation?

Federalism is part of the transitional framework that was agreed upon after the revolution against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen, where neither partition nor centralised government have succeeded.

Given the long and dark history of foreign meddling in the Arab world and the wider Middle East, there is widespread suspicion of federalism as a stepping stone to territorial division... by

However, opponents of federalism point to its myriad shortcomings in Syrias neighbour Iraq, saying the dismantlement of a centralised system not only failed to solve certain problems but also created and exacerbated others. The swift, chaotic nature of that dismantlement certainly contributed to its failures, but its violent repercussions have nonetheless left a deep imprint in the country and the region.

Given the long and dark history of foreign meddling in the Arab world and the wider Middle East, there is widespread suspicion of federalism as a stepping stone to territorial division  a tool by which foreign powers could more easily exert control over smaller, weaker states. Its critics point to the autonomy enjoyed by Iraqi Kurds since the early 1990s  Masoud Barzani, president of Iraqi Kurdistan, called this year and in 2014 for a referendum on independence.

The debate reflects a certain level of schizophrenia, whereby many opponents of federalism or partition also rail against the artificial borders of modern Arab states that were created and imposed by Britain and France after World War I.

In the context of Syria, suspicions are raised particularly because it is foreign powers  backers of both sides in the conflict  that are floating the idea of federalism.

The fear is that these powers, realising that no warring party is capable of outright victory, will settle for dependent fiefdoms under the guise of federalism.

Such a scenario may resemble the situation in neighbouring Lebanon, where foreign powers continue to vie for influence in a politically fractured country long after the end of the civil war there.

Federalism is on the table

That federalism is on the table in Geneva despite rejection of the idea by both the Syrian regime and the main opposition bloc is indicative of how the peace process is increasingly being imposed on Syrians, with or without their inclusion, and detached from the reality on the ground. It also makes the debate about federalism moot without Syrian acceptance.

Any mention of this federalism, or something which might present a direction for dividing Syria, is not acceptable at all, said Syrian opposition coordinator Riad Hijab. We have agreed we will expand non-central government in a future Syria, but not any kind of federalism or division.

On Saturday, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said: We reject talks about a federal Syria.

This was reiterated on Tuesday by Bashar al-Jaafari, head of the regime delegation. It represents something of a U-turn by the regime, since President Bashar al-Assad said in September that he was open to the idea.

The regime line may have changed owing to renewed confidence in light of Russias directly military involvement. That Assad vowed last month to retake the whole country, when just last summer he acknowledged manpower shortages in his army, indicates that he now thinks federalism would blunt his ability to fulfil that vow.

READ MORE: Why Syrias Kurds want federalism, and who opposes it

The only Syrian party that currently supports federalism is the Kurds, who this week stated their intention to declare federalism in the north. This is fuelling further domestic and regional opposition because Syrian Kurds, who have recently made significant territorial gains, have twice declared autonomy since the revolution against Assad began.

The fear is that they may go the same way as Iraqi Kurds in cementing autonomy in pursuit of eventual independence.

Wary of nationalist aspirations

This is likely to have influenced the reactions of Turkey and Iran  backers of opposing sides in the conflict but both wary of nationalist aspirations among their own Kurdish populations  to the idea of federalism.

We reached an agreement with Iranian officials during my visit to Tehran that Syria would continue its life and presence as a powerful country, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said last week, his country since rejecting the Kurds federalist intentions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country defends Syrias unity and integrity and the control of all its territory by the government. Irans state-funded Press TV published an article on its website entitled Dividing Syria under federalism?

Given domestic and regional reactions to Syrian federalism, fissures are likely to open between the warring parties on the ground and their foreign backers if the latter push the idea in Geneva and beyond against the wishes of most Syrian representatives.

The fact is that the country no longer exists as a unitary state, and many question whether it is possible to reconstitute it. In any case, federalism can and should only come about with the approval of the Syrian people via a referendum. If the idea is to be discussed at the negotiating table, the focus should be on organising such a vote.

Sharif Nashashibi is an award-winning journalist and analyst on Arab affairs.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
From the outset of the Syrian conflict, the PYD has pursued its own self-declared interests.

Shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial withdrawal of combat forces from Syria, the dominant Kurdish-led Democratic Union Party (PYD) declared to form a  federal democratic system in the three cantons of Afrin, Kobane, and Jazira.

Collectively the PYD has dubbed these areas Rojava, or Western Kurdistan. The two events are linked, with the PYD working to create facts on the ground, so that it is positioned to play a role in future decisions about governance in Syria.

The PYDs democratic federalism is a reference to the political vision of its leader, the imprisoned founder of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan.

Despite fighting for Kurdish autonomy, the PYD  like the PKK  rejects the idea of nationalism, blaming the rise of the nation state and the creation of the modern nation state for oppressing Kurds.

After its formation in Turkey in 1978, the PKK first used force to try and push for an independent Kurdistan, before the group modified its approach in 1999, adopting this notion of democratic federalism or autonomy.

The objectives of PYD

The PYD, like the PKK, does not advocate for the creation of Syrian Kurdistan per se, but instead is pushing for an anarchic type political system, wherein decision-making is granted to a series of local councils.

This concept underpins the groups current governance model in Rojava, albeit with important caveats: The PYD requires that its armed wing Peoples Protection Units (YPG) prove security in areas under its control and insists that the leadership in Qamishli, the de facto capital, make economic policy.

The by 

regime have undermined its relations with much of the Arab majority anti-Assad opposition. The group, in turn, believes that the bulk of this opposition is too conservative in outlook and is allied too closely with Turkey  the PKKs ostensible enemy.]

This approach is at odds with the spirit of autonomy the PYD reportedly embraces, but is otherwise reflective of the groups threat perceptions  and the PKKs own history of fighting and defeating any rival group that challenged its authority in areas where it is dominant.

From the outset of its rule in Rojava, the PYD has made clear that intends to pursue this political model. Since taking control of Afrin, Kobane, and Jazira in July 2012, the group has drafted a constitution, held elections, and installed numerous local councils, co-chaired in typical PKK/PYD fashion, with a man and woman.

Controversially, the PYD has maintained relations with the Syrian regime. In Qamishli, the regime maintains a presence, while recent events clearly show links between the two in north Aleppo.

The PYDs continued links to the regime have undermined its relations with much of the Arab majority anti-Assad opposition. The group, in turn, believes that the bulk of this opposition is too conservative in outlook, has a close relationship with Syrias al-Qaeda affiliate, the Nusra Front, and is allied too closely with Turkey  the PKKs ostensible enemy.

The group has also sought to gain international legitimacy, and has therefore reflexively rejected links to the PKK, owing to the latters designation by most Western governments and Turkey as a terrorist organisation.

The PYD is, without question, a group operating under an umbrella organisation, Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), founded in the mid-2000s by the PKKs leadership.

In the summer of 2014, the group managed to gain widespread international acceptance, after its militia, the YPG, played a critical role in the rescue of Yezidis from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

International links

The United States, in particular, has cultivated close ties with the YPG, with the group now acting as the vanguard force in the current war against ISIL in Syria.

Russia has also established links with the group, first by allowing the PYD to open an office in Moscow, and then through a military partnership in northern Aleppo. The PYDs general acceptance as a key actor in Syria has undermined Turkeys efforts to isolate the group, both internationally and militarily, with the Arab opposition inside Syria.

ALSO READ: Why Syrias Kurds want federalism, and who opposes it

Turkeys importance, both as a long-standing US ally and as the backer of much of the anti-Assad insurgency in the north, has allowed for Ankara to continue preventing the PYD from attending recent peace negotiations in Geneva.

As a result, the PYD is not represented at the Geneva talks. This explains why the group is continuing to push ahead with its own political ambitions, regardless of immediate widespread acceptance from the international community.

Russia has signalled support for a federal Syria, despite Assads refusal to think about dividing Syria politically. The Russian withdrawal of forces, in turn, is widely seen as Moscow increasing pressure on Assad to negotiate an end to the conflict with representatives from the anti-Assad opposition.

OPINION: The YPG  Americas new best friend?

To be clear, Russia is retaining forces in Syria, but its new posture may signal a change in the scope of its mission from shaping the battlefield to trying to use its military gains to negotiate a solution to the crisis on its own terms. The PYD is acutely aware of this, and is therefore pursuing its own self-declared political and military interests.

The US has indicated that it will not recognise a self-ruled Kurdish zone in Syria. However, the US military is reportedly building two air bases in PYD-controlled territory, and representatives from the US government have met key PYD leaders in Qamishli  bestowing upon the PYD a de facto recognition that its leaders are eager to exploit.

From the outset of the Syrian conflict, the PYD has pursued its own self-declared interests.

This latest declaration reflects this approach, further underscoring that the PYD will continue to pursue its declared intent: the creation of a federal Syria, wherein it has the opportunity to pursue its preferred model of governance.

From the PYDs perspective, it has the support of the worlds superpower, the US, and a second great power, Russia. It will continue to balance these ties, while at the same time pushing ahead with its own agenda in Syria  and the region writ large.

Aaron Stein is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The fixation on jihadists is distracting attention away from the troubling rise of far-right extremism in Europe.

It has been described as a treasure trove and goldmine. German intelligence has reportedly obtained the recruitment documents of 22,000 members of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

While some have cast doubts on the authenticity of the information released in the media or raised questions about whether this was perhaps an intentional ISIL leak, the German security services are satisfied that the documents are authentic.

Nevertheless, one thing this cache of documents and earlier finds clearly point to is the basic breakdown of where ISIL recruits come from.

An analysis of 1,700 ISIL documents obtained by Syrian independent electronic newspaper Zaman al-Wasl found that nearly three-quarters of recruits were from Arab countries, with Saudi Arabia leading the pack, followed by Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.

Syrians make up less than 2 percent of the recruits listed in this cache, lending greater credibility to the notion that ISILs blood-soaked theocracy is a kind of foreign imposition.

A false presumption

However, while ISIL depends heavily on foreigners with no connections to the local social fabric  thereby facilitating its brutality  this figure is probably too low, especially considering how long the terror group has now ruled.

Its possible that [Syrians] are mentioned in other documents, and these are mostly about foreigners, Hassan Hassan, co-author of the acclaimed ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror, told me. Syrians have a sizeable presence within ISIL, particularly young people or former insurgents.

The exaggerated hype around jihadists makes ordinary Europeans feel much less safe than they actually are and shakes their trust in their Muslim compatriots. It also causes a sense of greater marginalisation and isolation among ordinary Muslims in Europe, as they endure a mounting wave of racism and hate crimes. by

Despite all the media hype and political frenzy accompanying the phenomenon of European jihadists, only a small minority of ISIL recruits in the leaked documents actually come from Europe.

This chimes with the estimates of Western intelligence agencies and independent think-tanks. In early 2015, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR) at Kings College London estimated the presence of 4,000 Western European fighters in Syria and Iraq.

At the end of 2015, another estimate, released by intelligence consultancy the Soufan Group, put the number of Europeans combatants in Syria and Iraq at 5,000 (PDF).

Although the number of European recruits appears to have risen significantly over the past couple of years, it still represents a minuscule proportion of Europes Muslim minority.

The European Union is home to 13-20 million Muslims, while Europe as a whole has a Muslim population of 44 million. This means that European jihadists in Syria and Iraq represent a maximum of 0.04 percent of the EUs Muslim population.

Despite this microscopic fraction, the concave mirror of sensationalist politicians and media outlets make it appear to be a monstrous phenomenon of giant proportions  as if a European jihadist foreign legion is marching to the Levant, while a similar army, disguised as refugees, is marching in the other direction, to conquer Europe.

This magnifying and amplifying effect has serious real-world consequences. One significant effect is how the hype shifts government responses away from holistic policies and towards narrow, security-focused punitive measures.

OPINION: The real threat of foreign fighters in Syria

While fear of the terrorism potential of returning jihadists is understandable and we must be vigilant so as to prevent future atrocities, this overlooks the fact that, as the experience of some Muslim countries shows, the most effective form of de-radicalisation of jihadists is often jihad itself. Confronted with the discrepancy between their utopian ideals and the ugly, murderous reality, many return, wishing to turn over a new leaf and reintegrate into society.

Cooperation rather than coercion

Instead of locking up ex-jihadists and throwing away the key  or stripping them of their nationalities, thereby giving them no path towards de-radicalisation and reintegration  we need a more nuanced approach.

Though war crimes committed should be punished, the growing ranks of disillusioned ISIL defectors can be utilised to undermine the groups appeal and propaganda, and assist in state efforts to prevent radicalisation among vulnerable individuals (PDF).

Governments and civil society should recognise the defectors value and make it easier for them to speak out, contends Peter Neumann, ICSRs director. Where possible, governments should assist them in resettlement and ensure their safety.

Moreover, the exaggerated hype around jihadists makes ordinary Europeans feel much less safer than they actually are and shakes their trust in their Muslim compatriots.

It also causes a sense of greater marginalisation and isolation among ordinary Muslims in Europe, as they endure a mounting wave of racism and hate crimes.

This hysteria strengthens the hands of extremists. Islamist and jihadist recruiters are able to prey on the vulnerabilities and sense of alienation felt by young, disaffected Muslims to radicalise more of them. It also weakens and undermines the role of secular and moderate Muslims as cultural bridges.

OPINION: Abu Omar al-Shishani  death of an ISIL commander

Far-right and neo-Nazi hatemongers exploit the actions of the few jihadists to demonise the majority of peaceful Muslims  a strategy exploited by groups as diverse as the Front National in France, Jobbik in Hungary and numerous Republican presidential candidates in the United States, most vociferously by frontrunner Donald Trump.

In fact, the fixation on jihadists, Islamic terrorism and Muslims is distracting much-needed attention away from the odious and troubling phenomenon of the rise of far-right white and Christian supremacism and extremism, both in Europe and the US.

Despite two major terrorist attacks in France over the past couple of years and the growing vocalness of the far-right, the vast majority of French people have a positive view of Muslims (76 percent), according to a Pews survey. Britons and Germans also hold similarly favourable views.

This points to a way forward out of the growing hate and animosity marking the public discourse.

The silenced and increasingly sidelined sensible majority must seize back the podium from the extremists, whether they be Islamists or the anti-immigrant far-right, and the media and politicians must pay greater attention to us.

Khaled Diab is an award-winning Egyptian-Belgian journalist, writer and blogger. He is the author of Intimate Enemies: Living with Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land. He blogs at www.chronikler.com.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
TAK says attack was a response to security operations carried out by Turkish forces in the southeast of the country.

A breakaway faction of Turkeys outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has claimed responsibility for the suicide car bomb attack that killed 37 people in Ankara on Sunday.

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) said on Thursday the attack was a response to security operations carried out by Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of the country.

On the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out  in the streets of the capital of the fascist Turkish republic. We claim this attack, TAK said in a statement on their website, warning that it would stage more attacks.

READ MORE: Ankara bombing and the failing Turkish state

Witnesses said the blast on Sunday set vehicles on fire and heavily damaged several buses.

The explosion, which could be heard several kilometres away, also sent burning debris showering down over an area a few hundred metres from the justice and interior ministries, a top courthouse and the former office of the prime minister.

Authorities detained 11 people over Sundays bombing, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, while Turkeys air force hit several Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq hours after the blast.

The attack came three weeks after a similar car bombing in Ankara killed 29 people, also claimed by TAK.

TAK says it has split from the PKK, but some experts say they are closely linked.
Protesters rally in front of presidential palace and judge moves to block appointment as pressure on Rousseff grows.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been sworn in as President Dilma Rousseffs chief of staff in Brazil, deepening a political crisis as protests against the appointment entering a second day and a judge tried to block it.

Clashes briefly erupted in the capital Brasilia after Lula  a former president  was sworn in to the role in a move that his opponents see as a ploy to shield him from prosecution.

Supporters of the left-wing leader scuffled with opponents of his Workers Party outside the presidential palace before the ceremony on Thursday.

Police said they used pepper spray to stop fighting between the rival groups. They also moved on some 300 opposition protesters who were trying to enter the square, which was occupied by more than 300 pro-government demonstrators.

Shortly after the ceremony, a federal judge issued an injunction in an attempt to block Lulas appointment on the grounds that, by taking office, it would derail an ongoing investigation.

Al Jazeeras Margas Ortigas, reporting from Rio de Janeiro, said that the federal government headed by Rousseff would appeal against that ruling.

A defiant Rousseff, who is herself embroiled in a bribery scandal involving a state-run oil company, welcomed Lula to her cabinet.

Convulsing Brazilian society with lies, with reprehensible practices violates constitutional rights and as well as the rights of citizens, said Rousseff, who is facing mounting pressure to quit.

With Brazils economy mired in its worst recession in a generation, popular anger at Rousseff is mounting as the investigation  into bribes and political kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras  taints her inner circle.

The scandal has divided her governing coalition and moved her main partner, the PMDB party, closer to breaking with her government.

Desperate gamble

Rousseff [is] fighting for her life, Jan Rocha, a local journalist, told Al Jazeera. If the Congress approves the impeachment proceedings then she is gone.

Bringing Lula on board, she said, was a desperate gamble.

Lula is well known for his political experience and ability, and being able to persuade enough people in the Congress not to vote for impeachment, she said.

Hundreds of anti-government protesters calling for Rousseffs impeachment and Lulas arrest also blocked the Avenue Paulista in central Sao Paulo.

On Wednesday, tens of thousands of protesters thronged the streets of the Brasilia and Sao Paulo, the countrys financial hub, to protest his appointment.
Presidential frontrunner Trump says there will likely be a violent backlash if Republican party blocks his nomination.

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has said that his supporters would likely riot if his party denies his nomination at the July convention.

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday after a string of primary election victories, Trump warned that there could be a major uproar if he falls just short in the delegate count and loses in a rules fight.

Trump might fall short of the majority required, enabling the party establishment to put forward another name at the convention in Cleveland to formally pick its candidate.

I dont think you can say that we dont get it automatically. I think youd have riots. I think youd have riots. Im representing many, many milions of people, he said.

If you just disenfranchise these people, I think you would have problems like youve never seen before.

After scoring big wins in Florida, Illinois and North Carolina, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the partys convention in July. But he still must do better in forthcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a sliver of hope that he can still be stopped.

Trump a global risk

Meanwhile, the Economist Intelligence Unit, a British research organisation, has warned that if elected, Trumps presidency could have damaging impacts on the economy, trade, and fuel terrorist attacks.

Trump was ranked as one of the top 10 global risks in an updated list on Wednesday.

In the event of a Trump victory, his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war, the organisation said.

READ MORE: Donald Trump and electing Islamophobia

His militaristic tendencies towards the Middle East (and ban on all Muslim travel to the US) would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups, increasing their threat both within the region and beyond.

Fox cancels debate

Trumps decision to withdraw from the next Republican debate scheduled for Monday in Utah has forced Fox News to cancel the event after presidential rival John Kasich said he would not participate in it without the frontrunner on stage.

Trump told Fox News, which hosts the partys debates, in an interview on Wednesday that he would not appear at the event because he thought the Republicans had had enough debates.

The billionaire had also skipped a Fox News debate in Iowa in January amid complaints that he had been mistreated by the network.

He has long clashed with anchor Megyn Kelly and revived criticism of her on Tuesday, calling her on Twitter crazy and unwatchable.

The Iowa debate went on as scheduled, despite Trumps decision to host a rally at the same time.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Deselegn says food aid provided so far has been too little, too late.

Ethiopias leader has urged the world to donate more towards food aid he says is needed to fight a drought that has left more than 10 million people hungry.

Aid agencies and the government said they must raise more than $1.4bn of aid, but that only about half of that amount has been collected.

The emergency appeal is the third largest in the world after those for Syria and Yemen.

Ethiopia should not be neglected by any means despite all the other crises that are going on elsewhere in the world, Prime Minister Hailemariam Deselegn told the Associated Press news agency in an interview.





The US has been the biggest donor, giving more than $532m in humanitarian aid to the country since October 2014.

The Ethiopian government has also spent about $380m of its own money.

My country deserves more support because we are also sheltering some 750,000 refugees from neighbouring countries that need food aid, Hailemariam said, referring to the fact that the Horn of Africa nation hosts a large number of mainly South Sudanese, Eritrean and Somali refugees.

If something goes wrong, it is the international community who has not come in. The aid provided to us so far is very little and it often came very late. I urge organisations like UNICEF to come in if they think this is a worst case scenario. Just talking is not a solution.
At least 14 passengers killed, 36 wounded after bus overturns near Mudawara crossing on Jordan-Saudi Arabia border.

At least 14 Palestinians have died and 36 were injured in a bus crash in southern Jordan, local media and medics reported, citing security officials.

Petra news agency said the death toll of the accident, which occurred near the Mudawara border crossing to Saudi Arabia late on Wednesday, was likely to rise.

Some of the injured were in critical condition, Jordans Civil Defence Department (CDD) said.

The driver of the bus may have lost control, the CDD said, after which the bus overturned.

It added that the passengers were headed to Mecca to perform the Umra rituals.

The injured, whose condition ranged from medium to critical, were transferred to two public hospitals, CDD said.

Palestinian pilgrims from the occupied-West Bank usually travel to Saudi Arabia by land through Jordan in a trip of more than 1,200 kilometres.
Health officials say recent Sierra Leone flare-up has ended, leaving no confirmed cases of the virus in West Africa.

The recent flare-up of Ebola in Sierra Leone has ended, leaving no confirmed cases of the virus in West Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

More than 3,500 people have died of Ebola in Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in late 2013.

WHO said on Thursday that the country was free of the epidemic after it marked 42 days since the last person confirmed to have Ebola in Sierra Leone tested negative for a second time.

Today marks another milestone in the countrys effort to defeat Ebola, WHO said in a statement, commending the countrys response swift response to the latest outbreak.

From nurses, vaccinators and social mobilisers to contact tracers, counsellors and community leaders, Sierra Leoneans in affected districts mobilised quickly and their involvement and dedication was instrumental and impactful.

READ MORE: Ebola in Sierra Leone: New case spreads community fear

Sierra Leone was declared free of Ebola transmission on November 7 last year, but two cases have emerged since then: in early January, a 22-year-old woman was taken ill near the Guinean border and died days later, and her aunt was infected soon afterwards.

The WHO refers to these isolated cases as flare-ups but maintains the original chains of transmission have been stopped in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Guinea was declared free of the virus in December, while Liberia was given a clean bill of health in January.

WHO said, however, that the three worst-affected countries are still at risk and must remain on high alert and ready to respond.

A country is declared Ebola free 42 days after the recovery or death of the final patient and if there are no new infections.

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has claimed the lives of more than 11,300 people, according to WHO.
Despite challenges to the military campaign against ISIL, analysts are confident that victory is imminent.

Sulaimania  The military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) is entering a crucial phase, Iraqi and Western analysts say.

According to a recent study, in the past three months the group has lost 8 percent of its territory in Syria and Iraq.

The past six months have seen the reclaiming of some significant and symbolic territories from ISIL in both Syria and Iraq. With Coalition Forces stating that 20 percent of ISIL-held territory in Syria and 40 percent in Iraq were regained in 2015.





While Kurdish officials acknowledge the groups retreat, they nonetheless warn that any attempt to downplay the role Kurdish ground forces played in the war effort against ISIL will only sow the seeds for future conflicts.

The momentum of the recent successes against ISIL must not be lost, but in order for these successes to be maintained we must examine the root causes and make sure that there is an inclusive political process in conjunction with the military strategy to avoid further sectarian issues post-ISIL, Barham Salih, former Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), told Al Jazeera.

Salih was a keynote speaker at the Sulaimania Forum on the same topic in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimania on March 16-17. The two-day forum, organised by the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani (AUIS), also included senior politicians, diplomats and analysts.

READ MORE: Iraqi Kurds  Losing to ISIL is not an option

But with Mosul and Raqqa still firmly in ISILs grasp and territorial gains on their southern borders in Syria, just how close is victory?

With Mosul and Raqqa still firmly in ISIL's grasp and territorial gains on their southern borders in Syria, just how close is victory? by

Kurdish security experts have criticised the anti-ISIL coalitions reluctance to view Iraq and Syria as one arena when it comes to ISIL. ISIL fighters themselves pay little notice to national borders.

There has been some co-ordination between Kurdish forces across the frontlines in Iraq and Syria, with the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) forces forming a significant presence during the liberation of Sinjar in November last year and the KRGs Peshmerga joining the defence of Kobane.

Another factor that has hindered the military campaign is the lack of a truly unified command in Iraq or Syria. The internal political and sectarian divisions emerge as the various groups vie for influence in post-ISIL territorial gains.

Few  if any  of the local military forces are without partisan allegiances and agendas. A truly national agenda is lacking, making it much harder to create a well-coordinated and unified strategy.

Hayder al-Khoei, a research fellow at the London-based policy institute Chatham House, expressed a measure of optimism.

In some ways, ISIL has acted as a glue that has brought together their various and diverse enemies and created a more united front to confront them, he told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: The Iraqi Kurds and then came ISIL

Although Khoei recognises it may not be coordination and cooperation to the degree that is required but certainly there has been much better coordination and this is not just internally. Both Iran and the US are on the same side in Iraq supporting the central government in Baghdad and regional government in Erbil.

One of the reoccurring themes has been the need to reinforce the political process.

I think this is why it is important to have political deals and resolutions now not just after the liberation and military campaigns, said Christine van den Toorn, director of the institute of Regional and International Studies at American University in Sulaimania.

She added: Politics will also challenge any calm after the storm, as we see happening in places like Sinjar and Tuz Khormatu.

Despite these ongoing challenges to the military campaign against ISIL, some like Khoei remain confident that military victory is imminent, even if ISIL is likely to remain a formidable terrorist organisation and security threat.

READ MORE: Analysis  is Sinjar the new Kobane?

The internal cracks in Iraq will deepen. Alongside Sunni insurgency, Shia militias will be the biggest challenge to the authority of the central government. There is no vision in Iraq for what a post-ISIL reconciliation will look like and what the terms of the settlement will be. The biggest fear is that after ISIL we will have another version that exploits the same underlying causes which gave birth to ISIL, he said.

Internal differences are not the only issue complicating the military campaign. Both Iraq and the Kurdistan region are facing a crippling economic crisis, in part due to the crash in oil prices.

Civil servants, including the Peshmerga, have gone unpaid for six months, with a partial reinstatement of salaries for this month (although no back payment of the unpaid salaries). There has been some debate as to how much longer the Kurds in particular can sustain the war effort against ISIL, with members of the KRG openly saying that its hard to win a war when the KRG is nearly bankrupt.

Salih added that ISIL is a regional problem, and pushing ISIL out of Iraq whilst they are still in Syria is not a true solution.

Follow Lara Fatah on Twitter: @Lara_FFatah
Meir Dagan led the Israeli intelligence service from 2002 to 2011 and had been a recent critic of PM Netanyahu.

Meir Dagan, the former longtime chief of Israels intelligence service, Mossad, has died of cancer at the age of 71, the Israeli prime ministers office said.

The Mossad announces that former Mossad Director Meir Dagan passed away this morning, the office said in a statement published on Thursday.

Dagan joined the Israeli army in 1963 as a paratrooper and commanded a company in the Sinai desert during the war in 1967.

In 1970, under command of then-army leader Ariel Sharon, Dagan formed the Sayeret Rimon, a unit of soldiers disguised as Arab locals that worked in the Gaza Strip to locate Palestinian fighters.

Dagan directed the Mossad from 2002 to 2011. Under his leadership, the spy agency reportedly carried out covert attacks against Iranian nuclear scientists and unleashed cyber-attacks, including the Stuxnet virus that delayed the Iranian nuclear programme.

After he stepped down, Dagan was a fierce opponent of a military strike in Iran. He openly criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus opposition to the recently implemented nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Born in 1945 in Ukraine to Holocaust survivors, Dagan reached the rank of general in the Israeli army.
A catalogue of issues remains unresolved as European leaders meet to agree on deal aimed at tackling flow of refugees.

European Union officials have warned that many hurdles remain ahead of a crucial summit over a tentative deal with Turkey aimed at tackling the massive influx of refugees into Europe.

Leaders of the 28-member bloc are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to agree on an ambitious resettlement plan, which was drawn up at an earlier summit on March 7.

Under the draft deal, Turkey would take back all refugees and migrants who cross into Europe from its soil in return for more money, faster EU membership talks and quicker visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

OPINION: The dark side of the EU-Turkey refugee deal

The agreement, however, has faced criticism on several fronts, and European Council President Donald Tusk said there was hard work ahead before it is finalised.

Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do, Tusk, who chairs Thursdays summit before the arrival of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday, said in his invitation letter to EU leaders.

The catalogue of issues to be resolved before we can conclude an agreement is long.

Cyprus standoff

Potentially the most explosive topic, which diplomats say risks derailing the whole deal, will be how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new chapters of Turkeys slow negotiations to join the EU at some distant future date.

Several of these have been blocked by Cyprus over Turkeys refusal to give it the same rights as other EU states in access to Turkish ports and airports.

The island was split into Turkish Cypriot north and an internationally recognised Greek Cypriot south in 1974 when Turkish troops invaded a third of the island after a coup by supporters of union with Greece.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has made clear he will lift his veto on Turkish accession chapters only if Ankara ends its refusal to recognise Cyprus. Turkey wants concessions for its allies in self-declared Northern Cyprus.

Tusk, who visited Ankara and the Cypriot capital Nicosia this week, said in a draft on Wednesday that the EU would work with Turkey to prepare for a decision on opening new accession chapters as soon as possible  a vague prospect Davutoglu may not appreciate.

Legal concerns

The European Council president has also drafted a set of principles to overcome legal and political objections to the deal, including an assurance against blanket mass returns of refugees.





Under the key clause, in exchange for Turkey taking back all refugees arriving in Greece, the EU will resettle one Syrian for every Syrian allowed to remain on Turkish soil.

EU officials argue this is needed to undercut refugee smuggling networks, but the UN and rights groups have warned that this amounts to the illegal mass expulsion of asylum seekers.

Vincent Cochetel, UNHCRs Europe regional director, said last week that the collective expulsion of foreigners is prohibited under the European Convention of Human Rights.

He added: An agreement that would be tantamount to a blanket return of any foreigners to a third country, is not consistent with European law, is not consistent with international law.

READ MORE: The EU-Turkey refugee deal and the Kurdish issue

In his letter, Tusk said that an absolute priority is to ensure that our decisions respect both EU and international law.

His draft to EU leaders said that the one-for-one plan is a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order.

EU officials argue that the alternative to holding people back in Turkey is to see a further build-up of refugees stranded in deteriorating conditions in Greece, whose European neighbours have closed their borders  already over 40,000 people are marooned in Greece.

The Brussels summit comes as the UN said arrivals in Greece alone had topped one million since January 2015, accounting for most of the 1.2 million people who sought asylum in the EU last year as they fled war in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Meeting resulted in reduced tension on the border and an exchange of prisoners, Saudi envoy to UN tells Al Jazeera.

A delegation from Yemens Houthi were in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdoms ambassador to the United Nations has said.

Abdallah al-Mouallimi told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the meeting resulted in a reduction of tensions on the border and an exchange of prisoners.

We will continue to open our arms and our hearts to the possibility of dialogue with everybody, Mouallimi told Al Jazeeras UpFront.

His comments came as a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition announced that major combat operations were coming to an end.

However, Mouallimi said that if the Yemeni government ask us to continue the military campaign, of course we will.

READ MORE: Military action in Yemen: Whos for, whos against?

Saudi Arabia and its allies launched air raids in March 2015 against the mostly Shia rebels who control large parts of Yemen. Saudi Arabia fears the Houthis will give its regional rival, Iran, a foothold on the Arabian Peninsula.

More than 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict since the intervention began, according to the United Nations.

UN officials have called on the Saudis to stop the campaign
South African President Jacob Zuma has denied allegations that a prominent business family influenced his decisions in choosing cabinet ministers.

I am in charge of the government, I appoint in terms of the Constitution, Zuma said in parliament as he came in for sharp criticism from opposition MPs.

There is no minister who is here who was ever appointed by the Guptas or by anybody else, he said, referring to a family that owns businesses ranging from tech firms to media outlets and energy and mining businesses.

The deputy finance minister, Mcebisi Jonas, issued a statement on Wednesday alleging that the politically connected family had directly offered him the finance ministers job in December  a month in which Zuma appointed three finance ministers in just five days.

Those five days rattled markets, leading to a fall in the value of the countrys rand currency.

During a combative exchange in parliament, Mmusi Maimane, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance party, said to Zuma: Is the president willing to take accountability for the decision and resign in front of the people of South Africa?

Has Zuma lost his grip on South Africa?

Opposition MPs said Zumas decision to fire the finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, replace him with a relatively unknown parliamentarian, and then replace him with a more experienced former finance minister weakened the economy and currency.

Zuma denied that, saying the rand was already in decline before he shuffled the ministers.

The president, who has previously said his ties with the Gupta family are above board, has been plagued by scandals in recent years. His son, Duduzane, is a director along with Gupta family members of six companies, according to documents seen by the Reuters news agency.

Two years ago, Zuma was criticised when a Gupta family wedding party was allowed to use a military base in Pretoria.

Members of the Democratic Alliance and other critics say the alleged influence of the Gupta family over Zuma is a threat to the countrys democracy.

Maimane said Deputy Finance Minister Jonass statement provided evidence after numerous allegations of state favours, murky business relationships and clear-cut nepotism between the president and the family.

Mockery of democracy

Jonas said he had rejected the offer because it makes a mockery of our hard-earned democracy.

The Guptas denied the claim, dismissing it as infighting between rival factions of the ruling African National Congress party.

Any suggestion that the Gupta family or any of our representatives or associates have offered anyone a job in government is totally false, the family said in a statement on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, another ruling party member alleged that the Guptas offered her the post of minister of public enterprises, the department that handles South Africas national electricity supplier and national airline carrier.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said the party had not discussed removing Zuma.

Hes not untouchable, hes the president, Gwede Mantashe told Reuters.
The Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and several allied groups have voted to create an autonomous federation in the northern part of Syria.

PYD officials claimed autonomy for the Kurdish-controlled areas on Thursday after two days of meetings with delegates of different communities in the region.





Representatives of the Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian communities and other ethnic groups met in the town of Rmeilan in Hassakeh province to discuss bringing three Kurdish-led autonomous areas under the umbrella of a federal system.

Taj Kordsh, a spokesman for the Syrian Democratic Forces, one of the groups involved, told Al Jazeera that the move had been made after many attempts by the Kurds to be heard.

The Kurdish people have been rejected and silenced in the latest peace talks in Geneva, he said.

We feel that the world powers are using us as a tool to push forward their agendas. It is now our right to protect ourselves. We do not support dividing Syria, but we expect an equal and fair outcome from the peace talks, and we have not seen any.

The YPG, Jaish al-Thuwar and other Kurdish groups are all part of the SDF, a coalition that was founded in Syrias northeastern region in October.

Both the Syrian government and one of the main opposition blocs immediately rejected the move.

The Syrian foreign ministry issued a warning to anyone who dares to undermine the unity of the land and the people of Syria under any title.

Creating a union or a federal system  contradicts the Syrian constitution and all the national concepts and international resolutions, the statement said.

Rojava autonomy declared

The opposition Syrian National Coalition also said it rejected such unilateral declarations and warned against any attempt to form autonomous regions that it said would confiscate the will of the Syrian people.

The newly declared region, known as Rojava, consists of three distinct enclaves, or cantons, under Kurdish control in northern Syria: Jazira, Kobani and Afrin.

At least 200 representatives have met in Rmeilan to put forward this decision. We expect to hold several other meetings to discuss how the administration of this region will be organised, the statement said.

Why Syrias Kurds want federalism, and who opposes it

The move is likely to anger neighbouring Turkey, which fears that growing Kurdish power in Syria is encouraging separatism ambitions amongst its own Kurdish minority.

Idris Nassan, a Syrian Kurdish official and former leader of the Democratic Union Party, said the announcement would mean widening the framework of self-administration across northern Syria.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Kobane, Nassan said preparations for federalism had been under way for some time.

Federalism should be the future not only for northern Syria or the Kurdish regions but for Syria in general, because under federalism democracy and equality will be guaranteed, he said.

Syrias Kurds effectively control an uninterrupted 400km of territory along the Syrian-Turkish border from the Euphrates River to the frontier with Iraq, where Iraqi Kurds have enjoyed autonomy since the early 1990s.

They also hold a separate section of the northwestern border in the Afrin area.
Analysis: The latest Syrian Kurdish move toward cementing autonomy comes as no surprise  but how far will it go?

It was not long after Syrias anti-government protests turned bloody that debate among regional analysts started over whether the chaos would lead to the country being divided along sectarian lines.

If the conflict continued to spiral out of control, could there be a partition allowing the Alawites to take the north, Sunnis to take the centre, Druze to create a fiefdom in the south, and the Kurds (who make up roughly 10 percent of the Syrian population) to claim the countrys northeast?





Fast-forward two years later, in November of 2013, Syrian Kurds unilaterally declared an autonomous zone in the countrys northeast. The region  made up of three cantons, or towns  Jazira, Kobane and Afrin  was called Rojava (Kurdish for West, and a reference to the Syrian towns that Kurds claim as Western Kurdistan).

The announcement got little attention, as the world was focused on the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), the escalating sectarian violence in Iraq and the interim Iran nuclear deal.

The big shift happened in September 2014, when Kobane, a town bordering Turkey, came under siege by ISIL. The battle captured the worlds attention and it even got its own hashtag  #SaveKobane. The worlds attention eventually faded even though the towns hardships did not.

READ MORE: Kobane explained: Whats so special about it?

Talk of partition was resurrected in late February when US Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that partition might be part of Plan B for Syria. This was amplified earlier this month when Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that federalism is a possible solution for Syria.

For many stakeholders, federalism has become something of a dirty word... by

The Arab world roared in protest, with one Syrian opposition representative, Riad Hijab, saying it will not be acceptable at all.

Yet, on Wednesday, as Russia began its partial withdrawal from Syria, Syrian Kurds made headlines yet again by announcing that the Rojava region was preparing to declare a federal system.

Anas al-Abda, head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary Forces, told the London-based Al Hayat newspaper: One of the main fixtures of the Syrian revolution is the unity and integrity of the Syrian territory and people. Any proposal that undermines this is not acceptable.

He also panned the timing of the announcement, as if to coincide with the start of the Geneva Talks, as a real attempt to sabotage the negotiation process.

For many stakeholders, federalism has become something of a dirty word, conjuring up images of oppressed minorities, smaller nation-states, and groups simply vying for power.

This is a familar story for both Syria and Iraq: both emerged from the Ottoman Empire a century ago by the Sykes-Picot agreement.

And Kurds  whether in Syria, Iraq, Iran or Turkey  have made no secret of their longing for an independent homeland.

READ MORE: Analysis  is Sinjar the new Kobane?

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Alan Semo, representative of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the UK, insisted their intention was not to declare full independence, but to be part of future democratic federal Syria.

He refuted that the timing had anything to do with the Russian withdrawal, but did not comment on whether the announcement was an effort to gain some leverage in the Geneva Talks.

The Kurds of Syria, who number more than two million, used to be called the forgotten Kurds. Isolated from the rest of the world, they received far less media attention than their brethren in Iraq, Turkey or Iran. Still, most suffered just as much over the decades at the hands of the Syrian regime.

When the Baath party came to power in 1963, Kurds endured the consequences of the nationalist agenda, which included a full-fledged Arabisation policy. This reportedly included deportation, prohibition of the Kurdish language, and the denial of Syrian citizenship, among other measures.

READ MORE: A growing identity crisis for Iraqi Kurds

While the Kurds were vocal participants in the campaign against Bashar al-Assad in the early days of the protests, over the course of the past five years there has been much speculation over whose side the Kurds are fighting on in the Syrian war.

Without a doubt, the Syrian Kurds are keen to emulate their brethren in Iraq by establishing an officially recognised autonomous zone. But the dynamics at play are very different. by

Some have surmised that Syrian Kurds have adopted a more pragmatic stance, and reached an agreement with Assad: to fight ISIL in exchange for the measure of autonomy they achieved in 2013. Syrian Kurdish sources, however, insist they are fighting Assad forces, as well as ISIL.

As Semo is quick to point out, the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) are currently engaged in a battle with Syrian government troops in Qamishli to ensure as many Kurdish areas as possible are liberated from the grip of the Assad regime.

Without a doubt, the Syrian Kurds are keen to emulate their brethren in Iraq by establishing an officially recognised autonomous zone. But the dynamics at play are very different.

I dont see the declaration as a flash in the pan, said Shwan Zulal, a Kurdish affairs analyst. The PYD and YPG will not relinquish their territorial gains without a fierce fight  only if Turkey and Assad worked together could they push them out. And that doesnt seem likely.

If this latest Syrian Kurdish attempt to edge closer toward the dream of independence will be met with enthusiastic support from the Kurdish street across the Middle East, it is not guaranteed to receive any official backing from Iraqs Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The spokesman of the opposition Iraqi Kurdish Gorran party, Shoresh Haji, told Al Jazeera that while he couldnt speak on behalf of all Kurds, he would say that the Kurds here [the Kurdistan Region of Iraq] are very supportive and sympathetic to their brothers and sisters in Rojava, and they will back their wishes.

According to Zulal, however, the KRG is likely to retain a pragmatic stance on the issue in order to avoid problems with Turkey, whose goodwill is integral to the KRGs survival.

I think it will play out more along partisan lines, he said, explaining that local political parties will voice support for the sake of popular support.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan [PUK] will be more openly supportive of the move, while the Kurdistan Democratic Party [KDP] will be shy about openly supporting the PYDs ambitions due to their relationship with Turkey.

Indeed, the KRG has largely survived on the good graces of the US and Turkey. And if the US and Turkey are less than thrilled with unilateral Syrian Kurdish statements about autonomy, the KRG is not likely to endorse them either. Syrian Kurds, after all, share closer ties  both ideological and kinship  with their brethren in Turkey than those in Iraq.

The Americans have already voiced their opposition to a federal Kurdish region in Syria, apparently pre-empting an actual declaration. The US State Department issued a statement on Wednesday affirming they would not support any self-ruled, semi-autonomous zone in Syria.

Although Washington has been supportive and even indispensable to the measure of independence Kurds have achieved in neighbouring Iraq since 1991, the Americans would have fierce reservations over allowing the formation of an independent Kurdish statelet bordering its ally, Turkey.

Follow Tanya Goudsouzian on Twitter: @tgoudsouzian

Follow Lara Fatah on Twitter: @Lara_FFatah
Russian President Vladimir Putin says troops could relocate to wartorn country within a few hours if needed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to continue supporting the Syrian government in its fight against armed groups  even as some of his forces withdraw from the country.

Speaking at the Kremlin on Thursday, three days after he ordered Russian forces to partially pull out from Syria, Putin said the move had been agreed with President Bashar al-Assad.

He added, however, that Moscow could relocate its military contingent back to the country within a few hours, if needed.

If necessary, literally within a few hours, Russia can build up its contingent in the region to a size proportionate to the situation developing there and use the entire arsenal of capabilities at our disposal, Putin said, repeating that Moscow would keep a contingent at its air and naval bases in Syria.

The Russian leader also said Moscow would continue to carry out air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups.

READ MORE: Russia begins withdrawal of forces from Syria

His remarks came after a leading Russian general told local media that Moscow would complete the withdrawal of most of its forces in Syria before the end of the week.

In an interview with Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, Viktor Bondarev, the commander of the countrys air force, said the withdrawal will be over very quickly.

He added: Within the timeframe determined by (the president) and the defence minister. Today or tomorrow  within two to three days we will complete the task.

The interview was published in the newspaper on Thursday, but was put online late on Wednesday. It was not clear precisely when the general made his remarks.

The first group of Russian warplanes that left Syria arrived in Russia on Tuesday, while the second group of jets left the Khmeimim airbase in Syria on Wednesday.

The number of Russian soldiers in Syria has never been revealed, but US estimates suggest it varies from 3,000 to 6,000 military personnel on the ground.
Hanada al-Refai tells Al Jazeera about being tortured, losing her brother, and her campaign to free political prisoners.

A previous version of this story wrongly identified Geneva as the Swiss capital. It is Bern.

A woman who says she was jailed in Syria for seven months has revealed the extent of torture she and her brother  who was killed in prison  suffered at the hands of Bashar al-Assads government.

I want to be a voice for the victims of this war. The conditions in jail are very sadistic, very criminal by Hanada al-Refai

From being forced to eat from toilet pots and being interrogated in a room covered in vomit and blood, to being badly beaten for days on end and receiving constant death threats, activist Hanada al-Refai said the treatment meted out to her was inhuman.

I want to be a voice for the victims of this war, she told Al Jazeera, speaking in Geneva where the latest round of peace talks are being held. The conditions [in jail] are very sadistic, very criminal.

Refai on Thursday appeared on a panel in the Swiss city at an exhibition of photographs smuggled out of Damascus by a former military photographer code-named Caesar. Also speaking on the panel were other Syrian activists and Britains special representative for Syria.

Refai was a teacher, but when the uprising began she seized the opportunity to join peaceful protests.

READ MORE: Yazidis tell horror stories about ISIL captivity

Before I was just a wife, mother and teacher. At that time I wasnt interested in politics, it was a red line. But we were hoping that we [Syrians] had the courage to have a revolution, like Egypt, she said.

I started to be an activist when the revolution started from Deraa, my city. We call it the cradle of the revolution.

She collected videos of demonstrations and posted them online to show the world what was going on in Syria.

I saw men die

But on March 15, 2012, she says she was arrested as she tried to run away from officers manning a checkpoint in Nabak. She was held in Harsata, an Air Force Intelligence base.

I thought they wouldnt beat me. I am grandma, a teacher, a woman  [But] they took me inside, covered my eyes and tied my hands behind my back.

The prison officers then forced her into a crouching position.

READ MORE: Syria detainees face systematic torture

I was stuck and couldnt move, she said. They turned me so that my face was on the floor and my legs were up. They took off my shoes and socks and started beating my feet with a stick. I dont know for how long  I was screaming like hell. I have never screamed like this, even when I had each of my four children.

Most of the other prisoners were men, many of whom began to suffer from mental illness, a condition al-Refai says she came to envy as the torture intensified.

I saw a lot of men, they got crazy. We used to feel very jealous of them that now they were happy. They dont know what was going on. I saw men die, she said.

Others were hung from the ceiling as punishment for not giving information.

Why would they deprive me from my family for seven months? Just because I asked for freedom? For dignity? she said. While they were beating me, they said, What more freedom do you want? You dont have to wear hijab, you drive a car, you went to university. This was all a favour from his excellency.'

Brother killed

Her brother Naef, a military judge, visited her two days after she was jailed. But a week later, he was also arrested. Two years and two months into his imprisonment, he was killed.

He studied law, he wanted fairness and justice, she said. But he couldnt get justice for himself. I tried everything to save him but I couldnt and he died. They killed him.

Naefs body has not been returned to the family.

When I talk about him, Im talking about them all [political prisoners in Syria]. We have to save whoever is still alive, set them free, said Refai. I wont ask for the impossible, to bring him back to life. But at least I want my brothers body back. He deserves to have a grave like any human being.

READ MORE: Up to 7,000 Syrians tortured or killed in detention

There are no verifiable statistics on how many people have been jailed since the war started in 2011. But by some estimates more than 200,000 people may have been held as political prisoners, including thousands of women and children.

In seven months, I met 65 women aged from 12 to 85 years old, Refai said, adding that the child was detained because her father fled the army, and the 85-year-old because her son had left.

She also met female university students in jail, and believes the government uses women as a weapon of war.

The threat of rape silences dissent, she explained.

They [the university students] were scared of the regime and of society. They think, Who will want to marry me? Even if nobody rapes them, others might think maybe somebody touched them.

Refai has now vowed to campaign for the release of all political prisoners, especially women and children.

Asked what she thought should happen to those who ordered torture, she said: They must be punished. For me or those who are relatives of detained, at least we need to know there is justice on planet earth. We dont want to wait for heaven for a judgement from God. They must be judged now, on earth.
There is a dramatic rise in the number of Palestinian minors detained since October, rights groups say.

Halhul, Occupied West Bank  On a hilltop overlooking the town of Halhul from the West, the al-Wawi family home looks unremarkable at first. A row of potted plants sit on a low wall above a plot of barren grape trees out front.

A large plastic poster, hanging from the roof, displays a photograph of some of the familys young daughters.

Among the smiling faces is 12 year-old D*, who no longer lives in the family home.

Instead, she is detained at the Hasharon prison in Israel.

On February 18 she was sentenced  in a plea bargain  to four and a half months in prison, after being charged with attempted manslaughter and possession of a knife.

Amid a dramatic rise in the number of Palestinian minors detained in Israeli prisons since October, D is probably the youngest person in the system.

Under the Israeli military legal system, which applies to Palestinians living in the West Bank, D was just two and a half months over the age of criminal responsibility, 12 under Israeli law, when she was arrested and imprisoned.

On the morning of February 9, the child arrived at the entrance to the illegal Israeli settlement of Carmei Tzur, just north of Halhul in the occupied West Bank.

Since October, incitement has been used a lot against children when they are posting things on Facebook, Twitter or social media in general. Also the charge of throwing stones has been used a lot, as well as charges related to attempted attacks. by Laith Abu Zeyad, international advocacy officer, Addameer

According to media reports from the day, witnesses alleged that she had a knife hidden under her shirt and was asked to stop by the settlements security guard, who was suspicious of the young girl.

A passing settler then allegedly took the knife from the girl and detained her until soldiers arrived at the scene. Soon afterwards, she was arrested by soldiers and taken for interrogation.

Sitting in the living room with her husband and youngest daughter, Sabha Mudya recalled the morning when her daughter was arrested at the entrance to the illegal settlement.

She woke up around 6.30am and made a few sandwiches for her sisters. She didnt eat herself, but she got dressed and tidied up her room and the house. She left for school around 7.40am. It was a completely normal morning, said Mudya.

I was sitting outside and talking with a neighbour when my brother Jamil arrived at the house, looking very distracted and upset. Thats when he told me that they had found my child near the Carmei Tzur settlement.

Following her arrest, the 12 year-old was interrogated twice that afternoon. For both sessions she was alone, without an attorney or her parents present.

Such practices are common for Palestinian minors who have been arrested in the West Bank but can lead to a violation of the detainees legal rights.

The initial interrogation will often determine the continuation of the process. Very often if children confess or make statements and do not get legal advice to explain their rights to them, they will very often incriminate themselves, said Sarit Michaeli, spokesperson at Israeli human rights NGO BTSelem.

Sometimes they make false confessions, sometimes they will incriminate themselves in a way that a lawyer would be able to protect them from.

READ MORE: Oz: Israels prison for Palestinian children

Meanwhile, in practice there is a vast disparity in the way that Israeli civil law treats children compared with the way military law treats them, according to BTselem.

When it comes to periods of detention, minors under military law can be held for much longer before being brought in front of a judge. In Israeli law, however, [minors] can only be held for 12 hours before being brought in front of a judge. Long periods of detention also lead to self-incrimination, they lead to children being harmed and they lead to pressure being applied on the children to sign plea bargains that might be problematic, said Michaeli.





As of the end of January 2016, 415 Palestinian minors under the age of 18 were held as prisoners or detainees in Israeli prisons, according to Israeli military statistics.

Laith Abu Zeyad, international advocacy officer at the Palestinian prisoners rights NGO Addameer, said the number of minors being arrested has spiked since the current outbreak of violence began in October 2015.

Since the beginning of October there has been an increase in the number of children being arrested and detained. Since October 2015, incitement has been used a lot against children, for example when children are posting things on Facebook, Twitter or social media in general. Also the charge of throwing stones has been used a lot, as well as charges related to attempted attacks, he told Al Jazeera.

WATCH: Israel accused of abusing detained children

Triggered by Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, protests spread throughout the Palestinian territory and Israel in September.Israeli troops have responded with force, using live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas and stun grenades.





Since October 1, Israeli troops or settlers have killed 199 Palestinians, including bystanders, unarmed protesters and alleged attackers.

While Ds parents have been able to glimpse their daughter and have brief exchanges at court hearings, they last saw her at the court hearing when she was sentenced on February 18, they have not been able to visit the Hasharon prison where she is serving her sentence.

The International Red Cross informed the family that they were working to organise a trip to visit their daughter in the near future but the family is pessimistic.

No one has told us when we can talk to her. Unless we get a permit to visit her in prison, we dont know if we can visit her. This is controlled by the Israelis, said Mudya.

After she was convicted and sent to prison, I felt a great loss. It is the first time Ive felt actual pain in my chest, losing my child and not being able to see her every day. I dont see her any more and I miss her.

*Al Jazeera has refrained from revealing the girls name due to her age.
Shut out of UN-brokered talks, Kurdish Democratic Union Party and its allies choose to go it alone.

Syria has been at war now for five years. And in that time, the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, and its armed wing, the YPG, have skilfully gained control of almost the entire northern stretch of the country. An area the Kurds call Rojava.

Aided by US material support and air strikes, they are seen as a key ally in the fight against ISIL, but the Kurds of Syria have been frustrated as their victories on the battlefield have not translated into political gains.

Shut out of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva, they have chosen to go it alone.

Declaring their intention to establish a federal Kurdish region in northern Syria, the Kurds say they are not pushing for independence. Rather, for a decentralised, federal model to be applied throughout Syria.

But their plan is running into major resistance. Not just from Turkey, which has threatened to go to war if necessary, to block the creation of any autonomous Kurdish region in Syria, but also from the bulk of the Syrian opposition and the government in Damascus.

On this Inside Story, we ask if federalism could work in Syria? And how will Kurdish demands affect negotiations to end the war?

Presenter: Nick Clark

Guests:

Peter Galbraith  Former US Diplomat and informal Adviser to Syrian Kurds

Muhittin Ataman  Deputy General Coordinator, SETA

Lydia Wilson  Research Fellow, Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict, Oxford University
Rabat reduces staff and support for the UN mission in Western Sahara in protest at Ban Ki-moons comments.

Morocco has said it is reducing its staff and support for the UN mission in Western Sahara, in protest at Secretary General Ban Ki-moons recent comments about the disputed territory.

The government in Rabat has also threatened to pull its troops out of all UN peacekeeping operations.

The escalating dispute between Morocco and the UN was sparked when the UN chief visited Saharan refugee camps earlier this month.

Speaking after the visit, he referred to what he called Moroccos occupation of Western Sahara.

Rabat reacted with outrage, saying the UN chief had abandoned his neutrality, objectivity and impartiality.

When a huge protest was mobilised in the Moroccan capital over his comments, it was Bans turn to be offended at the slogans.

Morocco has been administering the Western Sahara, which was formerly under Spanish colonial rule, since 1975. Rabats official stance is that it is historically part of Morocco.

The territorys long-standing inhabitants are a culturally and ethnically distinct group. Under the Polisario Front from the mid-1970s, many of them have been seeking independent nationhood.

Polisario waged a guerrilla war until a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991. But the two sides have been deadlocked since, particularly over a referendum on the territorys future.

A plan for regional autonomy proposed by Morocco has been rejected by Polisario as not enough.

Last week, Ban pledged to restart UN efforts to reach a solution.

But what effect will this dramatic diplomatic standoff have on a dispute that has proved so intractable for so long?

And is there any chance of a breakthrough?

Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria

Guests:

Samir Bennis  Editor-in-chief, MoroccoWorldNews.com

Christos Tsatsoulis  Former UN peacekeeper and field commander in Western Sahara

Carne Ross  Executive director, Independent Diplomat consultancy
While the swing side of harmonica master Hendrik Meurkens' personality has basically been dormant for the past fifteen years, it hasn't disappeared. After highlighting his Brazilian jazz bona fides on record after record, Meurkens now returns to straight-ahead jazz on this instantly pleasing date.Harmonicus Rex, despite it's humorously monstrous title, isn't a roaring beast. There are no high speed scenarios to speak of and no bash-and-crash displays to witness. This record's strength is in its ability to get the point across without all of that needless showboating. It's essentially a model for how feel and taste can trump tempo and dynamic excess in terms of establishing a swinging environment. And with a cast that includes drumming legendand under-the-radar heavies like pianistand bassist, it's easy to see why this album projects that train of thought.In observing Meurkens here, it becomes increasingly clear that he's a master conversationalist with some incredible ears and reflexes. That's something that's often overlooked in discussions of his work, but it's central to the success of his art. Whether trading solos with trumpeteron "Mundell's Mood," responding to Moroni with brief and subtle gestures during "In Your Own Sweet Way," blending and balancing his sound against that of Anders Bostrom's alto flute, or playing off of the rhythm section when in the spotlight, Meurkens' foremost concern is how he relates to the other musicians and the music at hand.Meurkens clearly relies on a recipe that calls for stirring all of the essential elements of a straightforward date together and cooking everything on low to medium settings. It's a formula for success. By exploring the mellow environs of ballads like "Afternoon" and "Darn That Dream," inviting a little heat and embracing the swing uplift on "SKJ" and "Up Jumped Spring," finding the sweet spots between those locales, and even taking a quick dip into bossa territory on "A Summer In San Francisco," Meurkens manages to create a complete picture that offers rich viewpoints to admire from wherever you happen to be standing.
A 12-foot-long plywood wall reading Peace, Art, Israel, greeted students on the Plaza of the Americas on Wednesday.

This Is Israel, a pro-Israel UF club, held its first Artists 4 Israel event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Students wrote messages, including Peace for Israel, on the back of the plywood wall to promote peace and teach students about Israel.

Two internationally recognized graffiti artists, Yenia Jaramillo and Leon Rainbow, painted a pro-Israel mural on the front of the wall.

The artists also spray painted T-shirts for students to wear. Students chose designs for their shirts, including blue and white peace signs.

Johana Wiznitzer, a co-organizer of the event, said the group wanted to show that Israel is a peaceful country.

We hoped this event can open up students curiosity to learn more about Israel and see that its a democratic country just like ours, the UF public relations and political science sophomore said.

The 20-year-old said she worked with UF and national Jewish organizations, including Hillel and the Jewish Student Union, since the beginning of the semester to put on the event.

Nathalie Jaramillo, a UF health science freshman, said she thinks art is a great way to encourage peace.

I think its really powerful that theyre doing this through art, the 18-year-old said. Art is universal and makes it easy to spread a message.

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CONGRATS to the EduGator Nation!! Glenn Good, the dean of the College of Education, wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon.

Norman Hall received $14.1 million from the Florida Legislature to renovate the building after Gov. Rick Scott released his 2016-2017 budget veto list Tuesday. Norman Halls request wasnt on that list.

The money covers more than half of the $24.4 million needed to renovate the building, Good said. For the 2015 budget request last summer, Scott vetoed $8 million for Norman Hall repairs.

Maddie McClinton, a former UF student senator for the College of Education, said she traveled to Tallahassee to lobby for money for Norman Hall after Scott vetoed it.

She heard rumors that Scott planned to sign it, but the announcement was a relief, the 21-year-old said.

Education is not always the most talked about, the UF elementary education senior said. It is growing and changing, and the field of education is still as important as everything else.

Matthew Hoeck, the Student Government director of external affairs, said he printed Scotts veto list and the external affairs team scoured through it, looking for Norman Hall.

While lobbying, SG told legislators about asbestos, mold and flooding in the building built in the 1930s.

We had members of (the Florida Legislature) saying, Wow, this was in bad shape when we were there, Hoeck said. Were glad to see those talks were productive and our lobbying was successful.

Contact Melissa Gomez at mgomez@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @MelissaGomez004.

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UFs School of Theatre and Dance will address the issues of race relations with the opening of the show Honky at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The satire provides insight on race issues after a violent shoe commercial that relied on stereotypes ends in a real-life tragedy. The story follows how the men involved with the commercial handle the issue.

Last Spring, UF put on Gator Tales, a Gainesville-specific play that followed the lives of the first African-American students to attend UF.

Andrew Quimby, a UF theater major, plays the role of Peter Trammel, the man who wrote the ad.

Peter is a typical white, male yuppie who never had to acknowledge the complicated nature of race relations, Quimby said.

Quimby said his character feels guilty for the tragedy and his ignorance. He tries to make up for it but ends up losing touch with himself as a person.

Hes just a really honest representation of whites in America trying to understand the other side, he said.

Raquelle Wallace, a 19-year old acting sophomore, was also in Gator Tales. In Honky, she plays the reporter.

In a brief breaking news spot, the reporter introduces information that pushes the plot forward and affects the other characters, Wallace wrote in an email.

Wallace said her favorite part of her character is how she becomes less professional as she realizes how absurd the news story is. Wallace added that the script is hilarious.

Michael Ortiz, a 21-year-old UF acting junior, said the show has a good amount of humor in it to balance out the seriousness.

The audiences eyes are going to open up to the humor, he said.

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The show will take place in the Black Box Theatre in the Nadine M. McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion.

Performances will run through March 26. Tickets are $18 for general public, $15 for faculty and seniors and $13 for UF students with their Gator 1 Cards.
Know Where Coffee celebrated its one-year anniversary with a latte art competition.

Fifteen baristas from around Florida competed head-to-head for the title of Best Latte Art at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Know Where Coffee, situated at 1226 W. University Ave.

About 40 guests attended the competition, enjoying the creative lattes the competing baristas whipped up.

We thought the friendly competition would be a fun way to bring in the community to celebrate our anniversary and showcase some skills, said Alfonso Guerrero, the founder and manager of Know Where Coffee.

The coffee shop prides itself on providing the best coffee quality. Everything is measured, weighed and timed to ensure the coffee produced is the best it can be from the products used.

Zeal Coffee Roasters sponsored and helped host the event by providing coffee for the competition.

Making a latte may seem simple, but it can be complicated, Guerrero said. The milk changes the flavor, making it silky and smooth. It is more than a companion to the espresso; it enhances it.

The latte competition was made into a bracket system, with the baristas challenges changing during each bracket. The first bracket was creating art in latte cups, the second bracket in cappuccino cups and the third bracket in a cortado cup. The contestants competing for first place chose which cups they wanted to make their final art in.

The first-place prize was $100 and a home-brew kit. The second-place prize was $30 and coffee beans. The third-place prize was $10 and a Know Where Coffee mug.

The judges examined multiple aspects of the latte art presented to them. The judges looked at the color contrast, symmetry, level of difficulty and the milk texture in the latte to decide which art was superior to the other.

The lattes were placed onto the counter in squares marked by blue painters tape, one labeled A and the other B. The judges were unaware of which barista made each latte.

I love coffee, so being able to judge this competition is really cool, said Bret Larson, a judge of the competition and, an owner of Opus Coffee.

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Some of the competitors had one year of experience, while others had five years or more.

Among the competition was Alfonso Guerrero and his brother Rodrigo Guerrero, who also works at Know Where Coffee.

I have only been doing this for a year, said Rodrigo Guerrero. Id like to win, but well see what happens.

As the competition ensued to the final two baristas, Justin Hall and Alfonso Guerrero approached the espresso machine. They swirled their cups of espresso and delicately poured milk into the cup to create a piece of art. The judges deliberated for minutes before pointing to latte B, making Alfonso Guerrero the winner of the latte art competition.

Hall, who won second place, has been a barista for four years and owns Spring Park Coffee in Green Cove Springs, Florida.

The second-place winner left with $30 and some coffee beans.

Ill probably use it to buy the gas to get home, Hall joked.
The Kennedy family has some seriously strong genes, or at least the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's side does. The Internet is currently freaking out because Onassis's granddaughter, comedian Rose Kennedy Schlossberg, looks like a straight-up clone of Jackie O.

Here's Jackie O. on the left and the 27-year-old Schlossberg on the right:

It's crazy, right? They have the same face shape and nearly identical features. According to the Huffington Post, people came to this realization after Schlossberg launched a comedy series on the Web. The daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, Rose Kennedy Schlossberg was raised on New York City's Upper East Side, and Jackie O. used to dote on her. And she may be the spitting image of her grandma, but Schlossberg is making a name for herself in the comedy world with her new video series called "End Times Girls Club." Check out an episode below:
           2005     ..        
March 17 through 20 brings the second annual Movies & Meaning: A Dream Space to Downtown Albuquerques KiMo Theatre (423 Central NW). Billed as a new kind of festival for everyone who loves stories and light and a dream space laboratory for a more beautiful world, the four-day event will include a mixture of films, seminars, workshops, poetry readings and more. Among the special guests are trauma therapist, yoga teacher and crooked mystic Teresa Pasquale, Franciscan friar and globally recognized ecumenical teacher Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation and Santa Fe-based experimental filmmaker Godfrey Reggio. Films run the gamut from the short (Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumis lovely animated film The Dam Keeper) to the documentary (the rural News Zealand lifestyle film This Way of Life ), from the classic (Carl Theodor Dreyers 1929 epic The Passion of Joan of Arc ) to the experimental (Reggios 1982 environmental tone poem Koyaanisqatsi ), from animated family fare (the 2015 adaptation of Kahlil Gibrans The Prophet ) to speculative sci-fi features (2013s philosophical, virtual reality Hollywood head trip The Congress starring Robin Wright). For a complete schedule of films and events , go to moviesandmeaning. com. Tickets run $199 to $399 and are available now through kimotickets.com.

Film Flashback

Local film historian, journalist and author of New Mexico Filmmaking, Jeff Berg will present another of his patented Made in New Mexico film screenings/lectures. This Saturday, March 19, starting at 10:30am, at the Special Collections Library (423 Central NE), Berg will take viewers on a trip back in time to learn the history of filmmaking in our state. This 90-minute cinematic event will feature the silent short film The Tourists, shot in and around Albuquerque in 1912the first year of statehood and the very start of our local filmmaking industry. Berg will include clips from many other films lensed in the Duke Cityincluding 1943s Kirtland base-shot war drama Bombardier, a 1940 fashion show documentary called Fashion Horizons and the eye-rolling Bette Davis/Ernest Borgnine hippie comedy Bunny OHare. Berg will also discuss his research on the 1933 feature Air Hostess, which may have been filmed in part at the old Albuquerque Sunport. Admission to this event is free, but donations to the library are always encouraged. After the screening, Berg will be selling copies of his book on the history of New Mexico-made films, recently published by The History Press.




AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank

Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War

The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool

She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold

In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners

By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him

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FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground

AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum

OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World

COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground

ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words

BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance

A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum

OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008

HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World

DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground

BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum

WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat

THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground

FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat

THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World

POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day

FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance

YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum

THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground

OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies:

WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World

DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama

PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words

TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day

THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum

THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies

AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance

CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida

SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World

PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground

VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day

REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies

FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum

SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies

ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008

AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World

STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special

SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum

TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt.  Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground

IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008

CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies

WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto

DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance

I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE]
It is widely acknowledged that community banks provide the majority of loans to our nation's small businesses and serve as an important financial resource to small towns and rural communities. It is not widely discussed, however, that community banks collectively make our financial system safer. As a significant factor contributing to industry consolidation, new laws and regulations designed to enhance safety and soundness are actually heightening systemic risk.

The statistics showing industry contraction are undeniable. As regulatory burden has grown, the number of institutions has dropped more than 60% over the last 25 years.

The cost of regulatory compliance has both a fixed and a variable component. Increasing variable costs lowers returns, impeding the ability of the entire industry to attract, let alone retain, capital. As fixed costs rise, so does the size threshold for viability, leaving smaller banks no choice but to get out. And then there is the talent component. Excessive, duplicative and even inconsistent regulation reinforces the impression that the term "banker" is more akin to a dirty word than a respected profession. And the biggest insult of all is that Main Street bankers are being punished for crimes they did not commit. Community banks were not to blame for the financial crisis, nor do they have a history of taking advantage of consumers, people who are the community banker's neighbors and friends.

So how is this making the banking system less stable? Fundamental insurance and investment principles explain why.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is in the insurance business and the primary business of insurance is loss predictability. And since the law of large numbers teaches us that predictability is directly related to the size of the population, the fewer the number of banks, the more likely it is that the FDIC's insurance fund might not be adequate to cover the losses.

Think about it this way: If we only had one $10 trillion bank covered by the FDIC and it had a 1% chance of failure each year and that failure would cost $1 trillion, the fund would theoretically need to have $10 billion. Let's double that to $20 billion just to be safe. Each year the bank did not fail, no problem. Unfortunately, if it were to fail, the fund would be $980 billion short. If, however, there were 10,000 banks, all with $1 billion and the same risk profile, the FDIC would likely need $10 billion to cover its annual loss. With $20 billion in reserve, we can all be much more confident the insurance fund won't go underwater and taxpayers won't be called upon for a bailout.

Loss avoidance is not necessarily inconsistent with loss predictability, but when rules designed to avoid losses materially reduce the size of the insured population, the risk of a potentially catastrophic loss goes up. This is what happens when a greater proportion of institutions are too big to fail.

The second hidden danger of too much regulation is that it decreases the differences between banks. As regulation has increased, banks have become more homogeneous.

The most basic investment strategy designed to maximize risk-adjusted returns over time is diversification. With the exception of geographic diversity, simply having more banks that are otherwise identical erodes some of the protection afforded by the law of large numbers.

An investor enjoys some diversification by owning stock in a variety of companies. Real diversification, however, is only created by investing in the widest variety of companies, industries and asset classes as is reasonably possible. Regulation that results in excessive similarities between banks not only decays the diversity that reduces risk, but it also diminishes the likelihood that innovations will be developed to reduce the remaining risks.

The evidence is clear that the level of bank regulation has reached the point of increasing the risks it was intended to reduce. Basic insurance and investment management principles support the case for community bank deregulation. Public policy ignores those principles at our collective economic peril.

Joe B. Slavens is president and chief executive of Northwest Bank & Trust Co. in Davenport, Iowa.
A Big Congratulations: Finally, KeyCorp's Beth Mooney is getting some company at the CEO level of the big banks. Nandita Bakhshi has been tapped as Bank of the West's next president and chief executive officer. The TD Bank exec will join the San Francisco unit of BNP Paribas in April and start in her new roles in June. She succeeds Michael Shepherd, who will take on the role of chairman at BNP Paribas USA, a newly created holding company for all of BNP Paribas' U.S. subsidiaries. Bakhshi, one of our 25 Women to Watch (a good call, no?), appeared on the cover of the October issue of American Banker Magazine. She is TD's executive vice president and head of North American direct channels. Her 28-year banking career also includes top posts at Washington Mutual, FleetBoston and First Data. In the press release announcing the new hire, the $76 billion-asset Bank of the West cited Bakhshi's "visionary thinking, relentless customer focus and values-driven philosophy" among the reasons why she got the job.

Return and Rise: Bank of America Merrill Lynch has promoted leveraged-finance specialist A.J. Murphy to head of global capital markets  one year after her return to the bank. She had left in 2014 to join Goldman Sachs as a partner. B of A has other women in leadership roles, including head of global research Candace Browning. But the bank says it does not break out gender numbers by business or region. Women make up 25% of senior leadership at JPMorgan Chase, 23% at Citi and 21% at Goldman. Murphy replaces Jim Probert, who is retiring, and she will oversee debt and equity capital markets, which generated revenue of $1.4 billion and $985 billion, respectively, for 2015.

It's What's Inside (and Outside) that Counts: Goldman Sachs tops eFinancialCareers' list of ideal employers for finance professionals, but JPMorgan Chase is most ideal for women. Cathrin Petty, JPM's head of healthcare investment banking for EMEA, says that follow-through on female forward initiatives is imperative in the banking sector and that it isn't enough just to have a mission statement in place (basically, more action to back up all that talk, please). The easiest way to get more women into top roles in the industry is to provide good role models, Petty adds. Two of JPM's top guns, for example, CFO Marianne Lake and asset management CEO Mary Erodes (veterans of our Most Powerful Women list) participate in the company's "Women on the Move" program, which allows female employees to talk out ideas and get feedback from senior female executives internally. Petty says a push from outside the company makes a difference as well. "There's nothing quite like more women in senior investment banking positions to reinforce the message, but it's also important for clients to support it as well," she says.

Lip Service Lives on: The piece of the Dodd-Frank Act that aims to add more women and minorities to the finance industry went into effect nine months ago, but it still has a long way to go. Section 342, spearheaded by Rep. Maxine Waters from California among others, requires financial regulators to monitor their agencies' workforce diversity and supplier diversity. It also requires them to assess diversity policies and practices of the entities they regulate, but this has proven to be more tricky, because "the language that went into the passage of the original section didn't provide for any enforcement capability," according to Orim Graves, executive director of the National Association of Securities Professionals. Female representation in finance and insurance in both professional and managerial roles has actually declined slightly over the last 10 years. "We remain disappointed that, almost five years after the Dodd-Frank Act was enacted, our federal financial services agencies continue to provide lip service to important issues related to the diversity and inclusion of women and minorities in the financial services sector," Waters wrote in a joint news release in June with Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio.

Loosey-Goosey Laws and Leaders: Mercatus Center research fellow Hester Peirce has been nominated to fill a vacancy at the Securities and Exchange Commission, where she would write and implement post-financial crisis rules. Peirce is of the attitude that Washington has so far made poor decisions in its so-called efforts to avoid another crisis. "Giving regulators more levers to pull and buttons to push with respect to the financial system only creates a false sense of security," she says of Dodd Frank in a book she co-edited, "Dodd-Frank, What It Does and Why It's Flawed." That's why the law, which effectively put the power to avert another financial meltdown in the hands of the ones that missed it the first time, would be her biggest target at the SEC, she says. Peirce has complained about oversight of money-market mutual funds and the new Financial Stability Oversight Council, among many other things.

Role Call

JPMorgan Chase has named Sarah Youngwood chief financial officer for consumer and community banking. The company promoted her from the position of director of investor relations, according to an internal memo. She has been with JPMorgan for about 20 years.

Barbara Duck will become chief information officer of BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., on July 1. The bank is expanding the CIO's duties beyond IT to include data oversight and digital development. Duck, who joined BB&T's executive management in 2003, will oversee BB&T's digital channels, including online and mobile.

BB&T also expanded the role of Donna Goodrich, its deposits services manager. She now has direct responsibility for the payments business and is expected to work with other executives to "further integrate the digital experience for various lines of business." Goodrich joined BB&T's executive management in late 2006.

In Case You Missed It

Work-Life Balancing Acts: ICICI Bank is trying to get more women to stay in banking with two recently introduced initiatives. The first gives female employees a work-from-home opportunity for as long as one year. The other covers the cost for a child and one caretaker to come along on work trips for female managers with children three years old or younger. Chanda Kochhar, ICICI's CEO, says she recognized that half of women enter the workforce upon completing a formal education but when they're between 27 and 32 years of age there's a tendency for them to leave their jobs, citing among the reasons maternity, child care, travel time, untimely shifts, long working hours and medical conditions. (The private equity firm KKR also recently began offering the bring-the-baby travel perk, as you may have read here before.)

First Base, Salaries; Second Base, Bonuses: Women in banking receive smaller bonuses and take longer to reach the top of the ladder than their male counterparts, according to recent U.K. study. Men and women in banks' mergers and acquisitions department now receive the same base salary (good job) but the average bonus of the male employee is about $42,000 more than the average bonus of his female counterpart. A survey of 4,700 front-line bankers indicated it takes men 17.5 years on average to become a managing director; his female counterpart, 19.5 years.

Beyond Banking

A Different Kind of Work Spouse: Nora Bloch and Sarah Kitterman are Boston bankers with young families that share a job. One works Monday to Wednesday, the other Wednesday to Friday. Colleagues never doubt that by communicating with one they effectively communicate with both. About 20% of U.S. companies and half of U.K. companies allow job sharing, but why so few? The approach  in which two people in a given workplace share one job and one identity  has been touted as a possible solution to the gender gap in top leadership roles, a tricky balancing act for many women when they start families and have to cut their hours to tend to their children, find childcare and pay for it, or quit. Often, they quit.

A Woman's Worth: Here's a big reason why women in their 30s leave their jobs: they find other jobs that pay them more. If you have any doubts, ask women in their 30s (never assume). About 65% of them cited another higher-paying job as a main reason for leaving their jobs in a study. Women and men actually leave organizations for similar reasons, the research shows. While work-family balance is not one of the reasons typically given by men, both genders are motivated by salaries. Findings also show women are likely to leave if there is a lack of opportunity for learning and development (62%), if the work is uninteresting and not meaningful to them (56%), if they're underpaid for their worth (56%) or if they're starting a family (54%) and want to devote more time to it. So of course there is truth in the family theory, but why assume it applies to every woman? Men's top five reasons were mostly the same, although family time was not one of them. About 56% of men cited jobs elsewhere that pay more and 44% indicated their compensation was not commensurate with their effort.

Minority Female Entrepreneurs, Apply Here: Of 10,284 venture deals funded between 2012 and 2014, 24 of them were led by black women. But a new startup accelerator called digitalundivided is looking to grow that number fast. The Atlanta-based organization will open applications for its first class of up to 15 minority female-led companies in May, for a summer start. It has not announced partners yet, but it is funded by a U.S. Small Business Administration grant. It's also raising the Harriet Fund (as in Harriet Tubman) to invest exclusively in women of color. "A lot of funds have diversity as part of their marketing and branding," says Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne, a 17-year JPMorgan Chase veteran whose management company is helping start the fund. "But if there are so many people focused on women and diversity and the urban environment, why then have there only been 24 deals done with women of color? With the Harriet Fund, if there are 15 women a year coming through, we'll be upping those numbers with lightning speed."

Applications for our 2016 Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance program will be available soon. Please see our Women in Banking page and join our LinkedIn group.
The top online banking fraud cybergang, Dridex, has recently stepped up its attacks and added ransomware to its repertoire.

Dridex malware already accounts for half the financial cybercrime against financial institutions, according to the security firm Symantec, citing the number of computers the group infects. (The second-largest malware used, Dyre, was recently disabled.) The group and its botnet send millions of phishing emails a day, in one to five daily runs, and manages to infect an average of 3,000 to 5,000 computers a day.

"We've had peak periods when it's more than that," said Kevin Haley, director of security response at Symantec, including some high peaks earlier this year.

This is a threat to banks' online banking security on multiple levels. Not only are hackers breaking into employee and customer computers to steal online banking credentials and commit fraud, they're also learning how to lock files and drives throughout a company's network, rendering it helpless until it pays a ransom, as Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood found out in February.

How Dridex Works

"Dridex is the 800-pound gorilla in the banking Trojan space," said Stu Sjouwerman, founder of the security firm KnowBe4. "They are a large Russian cybergang that's been in that space for years, and they have a sizable infrastructure already in place with their highly sophisticated banking Trojans."

Dridex programmers offer their banking Trojan to other cybercriminals in an underground twist on the software-as-a-service model.

Not just anyone can buy it, though. You have to know the right people.

"They make malware available through a service offered to a limited clientele," said John Miller, director of the ThreatScape Cyber Crime service at iSIGHT Partners, a security research and analysis company owned by FireEye. "Then those clients, once they've distributed copies of the malware they receive through the subscription, are able to exploit compromised machines in their fraud operations."

Like most malware, Dridex (which also goes by the names Cridex and Bugat) usually worms its way onto computers through phishing attacks. Fake emails containing malicious files are sent to unsuspecting victims, who click on them and allow malware to seep into their computers. The malware lurks on the user's computer, watching everything she does and waiting for her to do some online banking, at which point it uses keystroke logging or web injections to steal her user name and password, which are then used to steal money from her bank account or her company's account.

The Dridex Trojan is programmed to look for 300 financial institutions, mostly in the U.S. and U.K., including the largest American banks. "They add more and more financial institutions to the list all the time," Haley said. "They want to get the biggest bang for the buck."

In October, the FBI estimated at least $10 million in losses in the U.S. could be attributed to Dridex.

At the same time, the Department of Justice announced that it, the FBI and the U.K.'s National Crime Agency had disrupted the Dridex botnet. A Moldovan administrator of the botnet, Andrey Ghinkul, was arrested on August 28, 2015 in Cyprus.

"Through a technical disruption and criminal indictment we have struck a blow to one of the most pernicious malware threats in the world," a U.S. attorney declared at the time.

However, early this year, a wave of phishing emails unleashed more Dridex malware into the wild than ever before, according to Symantec.

Brian Krebs, author of the popular blog KrebsonSecurity.com, said for the Dridex gang to be stopped, law enforcement would have to go after their infrastructure.

"If the authorities want to go after these groups, what they need to do is compromise or backdoor the money mule networks these guys use to cash out their victims," he said. "The [bad guys] were sharing the infrastructure before. I guarantee they're still sharing it now. The authorities know how to infiltrate and take down money mule networks. They've done it before. They did it with Zeus," another form of malware used by criminals.

The Dridex gang's recovery from the FBI sting also shows how well it's run, Haley observed.

"Like a real company, there's a lot of effort to be resilient, to be able to stay in business and do disaster planning," he said. "Clearly, having members of your gang arrested should be a disaster. But to pick off one or two people is not enough. The botnet that they control has a peer-to-peer quality. It's very difficult to take down and you could cut off one head but multiple other heads remain."

New Product Line: Ransomware

While the Dridex group's phishing and online banking fraud work hasn't abated, it's recently added ransomware as a sideline. Ransomware is malware that encrypts and locks the files on a user's computer and sends a message demanding payment in order for the files to be unlocked.

"We've seen the distribution operations that are used to support Dridex also spreading Locky, a type of ransomware," Miller said.

According to Forbes, Locky ransomware is infecting more than 90,000 systems a day.

In January, the FBI warned of the rise of ransomware. "Ransomware has been around for several years, but there's been a definite uptick lately in its use by cyber criminals," the agency said in a press release.

"Everybody's getting more into ransomware, why wouldn't you?" Krebs said. "It's a no-brainer. Two percent of the people pay. You just have to be prolific, that's all."

Right now, such attacks are opportunistic, Krebs said. "The ransomware attacks will get a lot more expensive, and soon," he said.

Sjouwerman is certain banks are being targeted by the ransomware.

"You will never find a bank that's willing to admit it has been targeted, has been infected and paid a ransom," he said. "That would be an immediate loss of half their deposits. It ain't going to happen. However, I'm sure they're being targeted."

And ransomware has dangers beyond the initial computer it hits.

"They're not just trying to infect your workstation and lock your files on you workstation; they're trying to go for any network drive they can find," Sjouwerman said. "That's where the risk is. This is what happened at Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood."

Why People Fall for It

The Dridex perpetrators have gotten good at disguising malware as an invoice in their phishing attacks.

"If you got a bill in an email that looks like it came from someone you did business with, you're liable to click on it just to see what's going on," Haley said. "That's one of the things that make these guys so effective."

Krebs said in some cases, hackers will post fake resumes on job boards and collect the emails of people who respond to them  people in charge of HR and hiring.

"They target those people with phishing, so they can get access to their accounts and before you know it they've spammed the world with this stuff," including the people applying for the jobs, he said. "It's easy to say, 'Why do people click on this stuff?' But if you've been out of work for six months and you're looking at being able to make your rent payment, and someone offers you a work-from-home job to make two grand a month, a lot of people would say, 'Hey, that's exactly what I need.' They're not asking too many questions."

It's also easy for malware to exactly spoof an email address, Sjouwerman pointed out, as he sent me an email that appeared to be from my own account. An email directly from your boss's or CEO's email address is hard to ignore.

The Best Defenses

Attacks like Dridex are hard for banks to block because they have no control over their customers' computers. They can, of course, try to stop the malware from creeping into employees' desktops. Education and two-factor authentication are the two best ways to prevent employees from clicking on malicious email attachments.

"Defense in depth starts with the outer layer  the mushy, human layer of policy, procedure and awareness," Sjouwerman said. "If you get a request from your CEO, it's OK to say no to your CEO and double-check and text or call him. You need to have a policy in place." He also advises conducting phishing tests to see if employees will click on things they shouldn't.

To fight ransomware, Sjouwerman recommends blocking all emails with .zip extensions or macros at the email gateway level. He also suggests disabling Adobe Flash Player, Java and Silverlight if possible, as these are used as attack vectors.

Fraud detection software is the next line of defense, to spot the signs of unusual activity and block fraudulent money transfers.

But perhaps the best defense against ransomware is good backup. If a company knows its files and applications are well-replicated, it can say no to a ransom demand, shut down the infected machine and start fresh on a new computer.

There are and will continue to be other threats to online banking security. Mastering a defense against Dridex could go a long way toward deflecting others.

Editor at Large Penny Crosman welcomes feedback at penny.crosman@sourcemedia.com.


Earlier this year economists at Equifax published a commentary that boldly asserted "The Subprime Auto Bubble is Fiction, Not Fact."

To support that claim, Equifax compared the growth in auto loans to those it called "nonprime" borrowers with those to consumers who had "prime" and "super-prime" credit scores. The firm found that loan originations to the less creditworthy group grew by 2.4% from 2013 to 2014, while loans to the more creditworthy borrowers swelled by 5.1%.

The implication was clear: why all the hand-wringing about subprime auto lending when loans to prime borrowers have actually been growing at a faster rate?

But a close reading of the report showed that Equifax was counting consumers with credit scores as low as 620 as prime borrowers  quite a low threshold, and lower than the one that Equifax had used previously.

At the bottom end of Equifax's so-called prime segment, more than one out of every three borrowers is expected to become severely delinquent, according to a document published by the company.

The low cutoff skewed the numbers in a way that made the growth in prime auto lending look larger, and the growth in subprime lending appear smaller, than they otherwise would have.

When asked about the report's methodology, Dennis Carlson, one of the Equifax economists who authored it, said in an email: "We chose 620 as our cutoff based on conversation with industry experts inside and outside of the company."

"Had we chosen a different cutoff, we believe the trends would remain materially the same," he added.

The Equifax report is an example of how, in consumer lending, the terminology used to describe the creditworthiness of borrowers often sows more confusion than understanding.

At a time when regulators, prosecutors and the media have stepped up their scrutiny of subprime auto lending, some in the industry have changed their definitions of key terms in ways that downplay the risks involved. Others have left the buzzwords undefined.

The parallels with subprime mortgage lending are hard to miss. During the mortgage boom a decade ago, government-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac used language in ways that minimized their perceived exposure to high-risk loans.

"This is what we saw in the mortgage-backed markets," said Mark Williams, a lecturer at Boston University's business school and a former federal bank examiner. "So it's kind of repeating the lessons still not learned from the mortgage crisis."

"Subprime," "Otherwise Subprime" or "Subprime-Like"

Between 2005 and 2007, Fannie defined a subprime loan as one that was originated by a company, or part of a company, that specialized in subprime loans, the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission later found.

Using that definition, Fannie stated that subprime loans accounted for less than 1% of its business volume during those three years. But at the same time, 5% of Fannie's conventional, single-family loans went to borrowers with FICO scores of less than 620, the commission reported.

A similar issue involving the use of terminology arose in a recently settled government lawsuit against three former Freddie Mac executives.

The Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that the officials, including former Chief Executive Officer Richard Syron, drastically understated Freddie's exposure to subprime mortgages between March 2007 and August 2008.

One senior executive told investors that Freddie had "basically no subprime exposure," even as the company had more than $141 billion in exposure to loans that were described internally as "subprime," "otherwise subprime" or "subprime-like," the complaint stated.

But the SEC's case turned out to be a dud, dragging on for four years before finally being resolved on terms that barely amounted to a slap on the wrist. The three former executives agreed to temporary employment restrictions and to fork over a total of $310,000, payments that will be covered by insurance.

A settlement document filed in U.S. District Court last month explained why the SEC's case fizzled.

"During the relevant period," the document stated, "there was no one universally accepted definition of subprime that was used by market participants."

The SEC's problem was this: it is hard to prove that someone made a misleading statement about subprime mortgages when no one can even agree about what a subprime mortgage is.

"Nonprime," "Near-prime" and "Aspiring Prime"

In auto lending, the terminology used to describe various market segments is perhaps even more slippery than in the mortgage realm.

In the much larger mortgage market, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act provides some agreed-upon terminology, as do the conforming loan standards established by Fannie and Freddie. But there are no parallel standards in auto lending, said Chris Kukla, senior vice president at the Center for Responsible Lending.

"I think unless and until some kind of data reporting scheme is put in place, you're going to see these very different definitions," he said.

In auto lending, industry participants have not even found common ground on what the various risk categories should be.

The word "subprime" has fallen out of favor in auto lending in the wake of the subprime mortgage fiasco. "The concept's been tarnished by what happened in the financial crisis," said Chris D'Onofrio, a senior vice president at the ratings firm DBRS.

Sometimes, the euphemistic word "nonprime" is used as the word "subprime" used to be  describing borrowers who do not qualify for prime credit offers. "Subprime" is frequently the descriptor for a smaller subcategory of loans.

In a September 2014 report, Standard & Poor's segmented the auto lending market into "subprime," which referred to FICO scores below 620; "nonprime," which ranged from 620 to 659; and "aspiring prime," which went from 660 to 719; as well as "prime" and "super-prime."

Other market participants use different categories, and establish different cutoffs to distinguish between them. "It's not a hard and fast, solid line between the different categories," D'Onofrio said.

The lack of standard terminology can make it hard for investors to assess the public statements of executives at U.S. auto lenders.

For example, Ally Financial CEO Jeffrey Brown said this during the firm's most recent earnings call: "While we're not doing any of the deep subprime, we have widened the buy box a little bit."

But when asked to clarify how Ally defines "deep subprime," a company spokeswoman declined to say. Instead, she stated in an email: "We view nonprime as below 620 FICO."

Further confusion can arise when the definitions of key terms are changed.

Experian publishes a widely cited quarterly report on the U.S. auto finance market. As recently as the second quarter of last year, Experian defined "nonprime" loans as those to borrowers with scores of 620 to 679, "subprime" loans ranged from 550 to 619, and "deep subprime" loans were those that went to borrowers with credit scores below 550.

But in the third quarter of 2014, Experian lowered its ranges, even though it was still using the same scoring model. Now "nonprime" borrowers ranged from 601 to 660, "subprime" encompassed borrowers with scores from 501 to 600, and the "deep subprime" category included borrowers who scored from 300 to 500.

One effect of the revisions was to mask the prevalence of new loans to less creditworthy borrowers.

In the second quarter of 2014, 36% of new auto loans went to borrowers with credit scores below prime, according to Experian. The following quarter, once the new definitions were in place, that figure had fallen 28%.

Melinda Zabritski, senior director of product and marketing in Experian's auto finance group, said that the definitions were revised in order to conform to the use of auto-lending terminology elsewhere in Experian.

"There was really no market reason why we made the changes that we did. It was more internal business reasons," she said.

What's in a Name?

None of this proves that there is in fact a bubble in subprime auto lending. The industry's supporters make some strong points to support the contention that there's no cause for alarm.

They note that auto loan originations to consumers at the bottom end of the credit spectrum were significantly higher a decade ago than they are today. They also point out that the sector weathered the crisis surprisingly well, as Americans who needed cars to get to their jobs prioritized paying their auto loans ahead their mortgages.

On the other hand, the industry's critics point to the growing trend of 72-month and even 84-month loan terms as evidence that lots of consumers are driving home in vehicles they cannot really afford. Longer loan terms result in smaller monthly payments, but they also mean sharper falls in the value of the cars used to secure the loans.

The key question, in terms of assessing credit risk, is whether lenders are pricing subprime loans appropriately. And auto loans to consumers with damaged credit are clearly expensive.

A recent WalletHub report compared what borrowers with high and low credit scores would be charged for a five-year, fixed-rate new car loan of $20,000. Borrowers with credit scores of 720 or higher would pay $1,557 in interest over the life of the loan, while those with scores from 620 to 659 would pay $6,918, the report found.

The labels that get affixed to the various risk bands  "nonprime," "subprime," etc.  may not matter much inside the companies that specialize in auto lending. After all, lenders look far beyond credit scores, assessing factors such as the ratio between the loan and the value of the car, as well as the ratio between the monthly payment obligation and the borrower's income, in an effort to gauge risk.

"As you get into the folks that have had credit problems of various types, I think the use of just a FICO score as a predictor of behavior is a little harder," said Christopher Gillock, a managing director at Colonnade Advisors.

Likewise, investors in bonds linked to auto loans typically have access to a wide range of information that is relevant to an assessment of credit quality, including average interest rates, average loan terms and geographic mix.

But for regulators and researchers seeking to assess the big picture in U.S. auto lending, the industry's confusing and often contradictory use of terminology can be an impediment to understanding. That is troublesome, given that industry participants have revised key definitions in ways that make the risks appear smaller.

"If definitions were changing to be more conservative, then that would be very positive," Boston University's Williams said. "But what you're finding is the opposite."
Our Conservative Campaign Committee team has been traveling state to state, boots-on-the-ground campaigning for Ted Cruz in caucuses and primaries. After campaigning for Cruz in Fayetteville, North Carolina, we joined a rally led by Heidi Cruz.

In her speech Heidi shared how Ted fell in love with and memorized the U.S. Constitution as a teenager. Ted also memorized large portions of the Bible. Against all odds, experts and polls, Ted resoundingly won his bid for the U.S. Senate.

Heidi cited her husband's courage. He went to Washington as a Texas Senator fully committed to staying loyal to the Constitution and the voters who sent him. This is why it drives me nuts when I hear clueless voters say Cruz is a part of the problem or Cruz is disliked in DC. I want to yell, Cruz is not a part of the corrupt system. Cruz is disliked because he is a powerful leader and advocate for We the People who refused to go-along to get-along. Of course, the DC politics-as-usual crowd are going to hate him.

Folks, as I said, my CCC team and I have been traveling the country attending Cruz rallies. Every time I hear Cruz speak, I think, Praise God! This is the man we have been praying, longing and waiting for; a president truly committed to fixing all that is wrong in our country, coming out of Washington.

Each GOP debate has confirmed that no other presidential candidate possesses a better understanding of the issues and has better solutions than Ted Cruz. The best part is Cruz has a proven peerless record of following through with his promises.

Like Ronald Reagan, Cruz continues to outperform the polls and expert opinions. Clearly, Americans have had their fill of our country's downward spiral imposed by Leftist governing. Americans are ready to make a sharp right turn. Cruz will win the general in a landslide. And Lord knows we desperately need Cruz folks. Our country is a mess.

In Nashville, TN, I picked up a local music magazine with an article praising Black Lives Matter. The gist of the article was America sucks for blacks and cops seize every opportunity to murder blacks. News flash: Blacks are murdering each other in record numbers, not cops.

I am black and have witnessed first hand in my family the stifling impact of blacks believing Leftist/Democrats' lies; filling blacks' heads with victim-hood-ism and negativity regarding their remarkable country. The Black Lives Matter movement was founded on the lie that Michael Brown was shot by a white cop while trying to surrender with his hands up. The truth is Brown was shot while assaulting the policeman, trying to take the officer's gun. And yet, the Left/Democrats continue to further the lies to keep blacks believing America is against them and only keeping Democrats in office will keep racist white America a bay. This is pure evil, folks.

Cruz is proud and grateful to be an American and wants to bring us together as Americans; rejecting the obvious benefits of campaigning on the fact that he is Hispanic.

A line in the Bible says My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6) Man, does this scripture apply to black Americans. Thanks to decades of Democrat deception, far too many blacks are ignorant to the truth that they are blessed to be born in America; the greatest land of opportunity on the planet for all who choose to go for it.

Our CCC team spent a night in Asheville North Carolina. On TV in the hotel lobby was a report about Black Lives Matter attempting to hijack a Trump rally. Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton commented how dangerous Trump is. I spontaneously spouted out loud, No lady, you're dangerous!

Folks, this despicable woman played a major role in the deaths of our U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi and lied about it. Hillary looked Pat Smith in the eye and lied to the grieving mom about the circumstances which led to the death of her son in Benghazi.

Hillary headed the Bimbo Eruptions initiative to persecute and silence all the women with whom her husband, President Clinton, had a sexual encounter. Hillary sells government access via $250,000 fees for her speeches. Her email scandal is criminal and a major threat to national security. Her arrogance, condescension, superiority, and sociopathic lying are extremely dangerous. As a black American, it is particularly insulting to hear Hillary attempting to sound black when addressing black audiences, trying to fool us dumb colored folks. Everything Hillary and her fellow Democrats say or do is designed to deceive.

Ben Franklin said, The sting of rebuke is the truth. Folks, I can hardly wait to see Ted Cruz sting Mrs Clinton's derriere with the truth all over that debate stage. It is time that the American people see this corrupt, evil and sociopath presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, for who she really is.

Ted Cruz is a huge blessing; a breath of fresh air. Honest. Straightforward. Cruz promises to rescind Obama's thousands of job-killing regulations. He also promised to repeal the disastrous ObamaCare.

Cruz said The social safety net should be a trampoline and not a hammock. As a black American who has witnessed Democrats crushing the hopes, dreams, and potential of members of my family by addicting blacks to generational government dependency, I view Cruz's statement as tough-love; real compassion.

On foreign policy, Cruz said he will rip to shreds Obama's catastrophic insane Iran Nuke deal.

Cruz promises to abolish the IRS; replacing it with a flat tax that Americans can file on a postcard.

God promises to bless those who bless Israel. Cruz promises to restore our relationship with our longtime ally, Israel. Ted Cruz is our guy folks. C'mon, letting come together as Americans and rally behind this once in a lifetime opportunity to vote for someone with the know-how, character and commitment to really fix Washington for We the People. Let's rally behind Ted Cruz.

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American

Chairman: The Conservative Campaign Committee

LloydMarcus.com
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz warns as part of his stump speech that we are one Supreme Court Justice away from losing our Second Amendment Right to keep and bear arms. On Wednesday, President Obama nominated for the Supreme Court vacancy created by the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia just such an individual -- Judge Merrick Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbis, a Bill Clinton appointee. As Carrie Severino, chief counsel for the Judicial Crisis Network, which plans an ad campaign against Garlands confirmation, noted in National Review last week:

Garland has a long record, and, among other things, it leads to the conclusion that he would vote to reverse one of Justice Scalias most important opinions, D.C. vs. Heller, which affirmed that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to keep and bear arms. Back in 2007, Judge Garland voted to undo a D.C. Circuit court decision striking down one of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. The liberal District of Columbia government had passed a ban on individual handgun possession, which even prohibited guns kept in ones own house for self-defense. A three-judge panel struck down the ban, but Judge Garland wanted to reconsider that ruling. He voted with Judge David Tatel, one of the most liberal judges on that court. As Dave Kopel observed at the time, the [t]he Tatel and Garland votes were no surprise, since they had earlier signaled their strong hostility to gun owner rights in a previous case. Had Garland and Tatel won that vote, theres a good chance that the Supreme Court wouldnt have had a chance to protect the individual right to bear arms for several more years. Moreover, in the case mentioned earlier, Garland voted with Tatel to uphold an illegal Clinton-era regulation that created an improvised gun registration requirement.

Scalia told Chris Wallace of Fox News that he would not like to see his replacement be someone who would undo everything he has accomplished and worked for. President Obama dishonors his memory and puts our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms in the crosshairs by nominating just such a person.

Sen. Cruz, who warned of a nomination like Garlands, was a prime mover in getting Heller, in which Scalia wrote the majority opinion, before the Court and decided in favor of gun rights. The Court ruled that the right to keep and bear arms was an individual right and that the word militia, as the Founders intended, meant the whole people of the United States. If Heller had gone the other way, our gun rights would have been thrown on the ash heap of history. In January Cruz told CNN:

I represented 31 states in the Heller case, which upheld the individual right to keep and bear arms. You know what Barack Obama's position is? That there is no individual right to keep and bear arms whatsoever under the Constitution Hillary Clinton, for example, has said she will put Supreme Court justices on the court who will overturn Heller. And if Heller is overturned there were four justices who said that there is no individual right to keep and bear arms whatsoever, that it is only a collective right in the militia, which is fancy lawyer talk for a nonexistent right [If] Hillary Clinton gets one more Supreme Court justice, what it would mean is, the Supreme Court would say you and I and every individual American have no constitutional right under the Second Amendment at all, and either the federal government or a state government could make it a crime to possess a firearm.

Cruz also opposed another Obama anti-gun pick, the selection of Dr. Vivek Murthy to be Surgeon General, telling CNNs Candy Crowley as Murthys nomination battle was underway:

Of course we should have a surgeon general in place, Cruz told Crowley. And we dont have one because President Obama, instead of nominating a health professional, he nominated someone who is an anti-gun activist.

Murthy eventually made it, confirmed in a lame duck session. As Investors Business Daily (IBD) noted:

No longer fearing electoral revenge from the National Rifle Association, an outgoing Democratic Senate pushed to confirm an anti-Second Amendment radical, who thinks guns are a health issue, as the nations top doc. A Democratic Senate that earlier balked at the nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy to be surgeon general of the U.S. no longer feared the possible electoral consequences of approving him in the wake of Novembers Republican tsunami. That, along with the GOPs obsession to not be blamed for a government shutdown, gave us a bad budget deal and the Democrats a chance to confirm Murthy. A brief rebellion over immigration led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, interrupted the smooth passage of what has been called Cromnibus and led to a weekend session that arguably gave outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid an opportunity to advance several of President Obamas nominees toward confirmation, including the once-stalled nomination of Murthy.

Our Second Amendment rights are indeed one SCOTUS pick away from disappearing. The GOP has pledged not even to hold hearings on any nominee, preferring it be part of a referendum in November. President Obama has said he has a right and a duty under the constitution to nominate someone. That he does. But the Constitution also gives the Senate the right and duty to advise and consent, not a duty to hold hearings. The Senate can sit on a nominee or otherwise block the nominee. Then Sen. Barack Obama in 2006 supported a Democratic filibuster against Samuel Alito. Sen. Chuck Schumer advocated blocking nominees when the president was Republican George W. Bush.

The next president should make that pick, not an anti-gun lame duck with an agenda to complete his fundamental transformation of America. Not long ago, the Second Amendment hung in the balance, and we may be thankful Ted Cruz and Antonin Scalia were there to save it. That battle was won, but the war over the Second Amendment is not over.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
The American public tends to see military action as binary: all in or not in at all. Mostly were not in -- as befits a country that is not aggressive or acquisitive. But if were in it, win it. In this age of transnational enemies and vacuums of governance, however, the Obama administration has created a series of half-in, half-out military and political situations that have brought chaos to the Middle East, confusing our friends and comforting our adversaries. In Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and Somalia, fear of a Vietnam-like quagmire still drives American leadership.

Afghanistan was called Russias Vietnam for a reason, but Vladimir Putin appears to have learned a different lesson about quagmires. Setting achievable aims -- both military and political -- and stopping when they have been met as much as practical, is key to being able to leave third countries while maintaining influence.

The apparent beginning of a Russian pullout of some forces from Syria should not be mistaken for the end of the Syrian civil war -- or for a moral foreign policy. What it suggests, rather, is that Russia has achieved its military goals there and is now content to let both the political and military processes proceed with less direct Russian intervention.

Russias primary goals in Syria were:

To secure its hold on the bases at Latakia and Tartus, which requires a friendly government in Damascus, and

To damage Sunni jihadist rebels, whether ISIS, al Qaeda, or simply anti-Assad.

A secondary goal was to allow the Russians to test and show off new generation military equipment and tactics, including sustained bombing and the MiG-31M aircraft. Another was to provide diplomatic achievements including opening conversations -- and discussing arms sales -- with American allies/clients Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan, and deepening the information exchange with Israel.

Russia provided the airpower that allowed Syrian troops to retake territory essential to security in the northwestern part of the country, and bombed Sunni areas regardless of rebel or jihadist allegiance. There is no longer an existential threat to a pro-Russian regime in Damascus.

Having succeeded, theyre leaving. True, Russian air defense systems and advisors will remain to ensure the security of Russian-supported assets and goals, but the main military mission appears to be over and Putin is content to be a player at the multi-player peace talks.

What will happen at the international conference? It hardly matters. Does Assad stay or go? As long as the government in Damascus maintains its ties to Moscow, it hardly matters. Does Damascus control all the territory that used to be Syria? As long as it controls the northwest region that abuts the Russian bases, it hardly matters. Does Iran stay in Syria? It hardly matters to Russia, but it should be noted that Iran has also been withdrawing its fighting forces. Will the peace process end the war? Likely not, although again from the Russian point of view, it hardly matters.

In Ukraine, Russia stoked the war and fought the war, and the wreckage of war for Ukrainians continues to this day. But it means little to Putin since the goal of annexing Crimea without European pushback was accomplished. Goals were set, strategy formulated, military action undertaken, and military action succeeded. The same will be true for Syrians -- the grinding of the civil war is not Russias concern.

Compare and contrast to the United States.

President Obama came to office with no articulated goal in Iraq or Afghanistan except to leave. I was elected to end wars not to start them. In his 2009 West Point address he explained, I want the Afghan people to understand -- America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. We have no interest in occupying your country. We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect -- to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave.

He did note, Our overarching goal remains to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future." We heard those words later with regard to ISIS -- disrupt, dismantle, defeat.

The theme continued through his presidency. Make no mistake, ending the wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) responsibly makes us safer and our military even stronger. (2012) In Syria, A red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. They were but we didnt in part because the administration thought it would end up fighting the civil war. (2013) The choice we face [on the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran] is ultimately between diplomacy and some form of war. (2015) Even Libya, which appeared for a while actually to have been a short-term intervention, is now dragging us back in as ISIS used the vacuum of power on the ground to take over the city of Sirte. (2016)

For the president, war is no longer binary. Were back in Iraq, sort of, and across the border in Syria. Were still in Afghanistan, and the former U.S. commander there is calling for intensified military engagement. U.S. Special Forces operations and drone strikes are occurring in Libya, and American bombs have hit Somalia. Bombings and deployments of American forces around the world with no militarily achievable goal in sight may eliminate known players in the ranks of ISIS and al Qaeda without slowing the spread of terror and Islamic ideology.

In the meantime, the Russians have taken their prizes and gone home.
As presidential wannabe Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) racks up convention delegates, operating on autopilot as she lies her way through her campaign telling her audiences what they want to hear, will her contradictions and outright misstatements and evasions finally catch up with her? Will they detour her attempt to live once again in the White House and lead to the Big House? Well see.

At several campaign stops in Chicago on the eve of Tuesday's election, Clinton bragged about her dedication to the working class and illegal residents. At an immigration workshop aimed at turning illegal aliens and their American born citizen children into voters she stated:

"I will work very hard when I am president, if you join with us and help me become president, to be sure we immediately begin working for comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship," Clinton said to a standing ovation before delivering a line seemingly aimed at Republican front-runner Trump. "Please tell everyone that we have to have a good vote tomorrow to send a strong message that love trumps hate." (snip) Later Monday morning, Clinton gave a stump speech at a Plumbers Hall rally on the West Side in which she returned to a theme she's struck repeatedly in recent days  that the divisive nature of the Republican race for president is not productive for the country. (snip) Clinton used the rally to urge a crowd of about 500 people, most of them union workers, to help her extend her current delegate lead over Sanders. (snip) She hewed to many of the economic themes of her campaign, from increasing the minimum wage and ensuring equal pay for women to creating clean-energy jobs and penalizing companies that move jobs out of the country. Clinton predicted that the economy would be the biggest issue with the Republican nominee in the general election. "I want you to remind folks between now and when the polls close, we've had two Democratic presidents in 35 years, and you know what the facts show? The facts show the economy does better when we have a Democrat in the White House," said Clinton, who asserted that former President George W. Bush ruined the economic gains made while her husband was in the White House. "They are George W. Bush on steroids," Clinton said of the Republican field. "Each and every one of them would throw us back into the mess that President (Barack) Obama has dug us out of." Clinton also mentioned the recent decision by Nabisco to ship 600 jobs from its Chicago bakery to Mexico. "We're going to make companies like that pay an exit fee," she said. "They are going to have to pay money for the communities they are leaving behind." On Monday afternoon, Clinton met with the leadership of bakers union that represents the Nabisco workers on the Southwest Side.

Uh, Hillary--it was your husband who pushed through the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA), which combined with the unions' demands for higher wages in highly taxed Democrat controlled Illinois, that have made it easier and so much more economical for companies such as Nabisco to move to Mexico before that probable illegal "exit fee" is enacted.

(Incidentally, the immigration workshop was:

hosted by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who lauded the role of "peaceful protests" in canceling Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's Chicago rally Friday.

In case you didn't know Gutierrez is a Democrat. And -- oh what not a surprise! -- not one of Clinton's appearances in Chicago was marred by any conservative Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Kasich or Carson supporter trying to prevent Clinton from speaking. Oh, and Trump won Illinois as did Clinton.)

However, just a few days prior to her Chicago visit Clinton proudly announced she was going to destroy good union jobs held by white working class Americans, many of them minorities, i.e., ethnic or Southern. (Yes, they are minorities!)

Im the only candidate which has a policy about how bring economic opportunity using clean, renewable energy as the key into coal country. Because were gonna put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business. (emphasis added) Were gonna make it clear that we dont want to forget those people. Those people labored in those mines for generations. Losing their health. Often losing their lives to turn on our lights and power our factories. Now, weve got to move away from coal. And all the other fossil fuels. But I dont want to move away from the people who did the best they could to produce the energy that we relied on.

Oh, another Hillary lie because she is definitely moving away from these people--rejecting them totally while giving them a double whammy by forcing the newly unemployed in struggling towns to pay more for electricity, a position that her boss, President Barack Hussein Obama (D), also advocates.

And right on cue, on Wednesday, Peabody Energy, "the largest private sector coal company in the world" announced, "there exists substantial doubt whether we will be able to continue as a going concern"

This means that it might go out of business or seek bankruptcy protection joining

Arch Coal, Alpha Natural Resources and the Patriot Coal Corporation, into bankruptcy. The United States coal industry has been pummeled by tighter regulations and competition from cheaper sources of fuel, mostly notably natural gas. (snip)

With revenue falling and debt costs rising, coal companies, which are large employers in parts of West Virginia, Wyoming and Utah, have been scrambling to stay solvent.

But other than that-- hey, the Obama economy is great!

And then there is Benghazi, Libya where Hillary lied, lied and lied about brave Americans who died. At an MSNBC townhall Monday night these words came tripping off her lips about that incident on September 11, 2012.

Libya was a different kind of calculation. And we didn't lose a single person. We didn't have a problem in supporting our European and Arab allies in working with NATO.

Is she cruel, callous or merely delusional? Tell the families of US Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, Information officer Sean Smith and CIA operatives who were former Navy SEALS, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods that they're not "lost; that these upstanding individuals didn't sacrifice their lives for her political whims or convenience.

Continuing with her lies fantastic she added:

Now, is Libya perfect? It isn't. But did they have two elections that were free and fair where they voted for moderates. Yes, they did. So you know, changing from a dictator who has hollowed out your country to something resembling a functioning state and even hopefully more of a democratic one doesn't happen overnight.

The admittedly imperfect brutal dictator Muammar Qaddafi was co-operating with the US and had a functioning country; Libya has now imploded into civil war as Islamic State terrorists control large areas of the country.

Now pandering to an audience of potential voters by lying to tell them what they want to hear might be distasteful but not indictable; cruelly denying the reality of a deadly diplomatic fiasco which should have perhaps led to her disappearance from public life is reprehensible but maybe not worthy of prison. But Clinton's use of her own unsanctioned and private -- and probably unsecured -- e mail server certainly might be. The inquiries from the Senate and the FBI continue although still yet another former State Department employee has clammed up.

A State Department staffer who oversaw security and technology issues for Hillary Clinton is refusing to answer Senate investigators questions about the former secretary of states use of a private email server  marking the second time an ex-State employee has declined to talk to lawmakers. (snip) The chairmen of both committees, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), are now threatening to consider other ways to compel him to discuss the matter. We are troubled by your refusal to engage with the committees even after repeated overtures of accommodation, the letter to Bentel and his lawyer reads. We need to speak with you.  We would, of course, prefer that you meet with us in a voluntary and informal manner, but we will consider other options if faced with a continuing lack of cooperation. (snip) this latest missive from Grassley and Johnson shows that the email scandal isnt going away. Republican investigations into the server will continue through the spring, if not longer, as the FBI conducts its own investigation into whether classified information was mishandled by Clintons setup  a probe that is ongoing but could wrap up as soon as this summer. (snip) Law enforcement is investigating whether Clintons unusual setup ever put classified information at risk  or whether anyone unlawfully forwarded classified intelligence to her unsecured account. State has discovered more than 2,000 classified emails that passed through the server, including about two dozen that were top secret. Clinton maintains they were not marked classified at the time they were sent. The Senate committees are also investigating the issue, though with a slightly different focus. While also probing the security of the server, the panels are questioning whether Clinton or her top staff ever intentionally sidestepped record-keeping laws under the Freedom of Information Act. That law requires all emails from public officials that mention work issues to be preserved and available for public request. The FOIA question is also being litigated through federal courts, where conservative group Judicial Watch just won a major victory after a judge approved the groups request to question Clintons closest staffers about whether they were intentionally hiding correspondence.

Actually Hillary, orange would be an attractive color on you and prison jumpsuits can be flattering.
Media outlets are spinning the news that up to 7 GOP Senators plan on meeting Obama SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland as a "revolt" of some sort. But that's not what's happening and Republicans should not jump to conclusions about what this means. Jordain Carney writes on The Hill:

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she agreed to meet with Garland after the White House reached out, but said such a meeting will take place after the Senate returns from its two-week recess in April. The White House has asked me to meet with him, and I've agreed to do so, Collins said. I've never refused an offer to meet with a nominee to the Supreme Court; that has always been my standard practice. And, so, I have accepted that offer, and it will be scheduled after the recess." Asked if she thinks Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will change his mind, the Maine Republican said no. "I don't see the majority leader changing his mind on this issue. He believes strongly that this should be a decision made by the next president. I don't agree with that decision, but I respect it, she said. The irony, however, will be if the next president, whoever that may be, ends up nominating a person who is far more liberal than Judge Garland, who is considered to be a centrist." Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) also told reporters that he would meet with Garland, saying, "I meet with people. That's what I do." Whether to meet with Garland is also splitting vulnerable Republicans who are at the center of the battle for control of the Senate. Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), all of whom face tough reelection battles, each said Wednesday they were open to meeting with Garland. Ayotte told Politico she would meet with the nominee out of "courtesy" and to explain why she thinks the seat should remain vacant until next year. Kirk previously told The Hill he would meet with whomever Obama picked, and added Wednesday, "I will assess Judge Merrick Garland based on his record and qualifications." Despite the early signs of division, McConnell and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) both said Republicans remain committed to keeping Scalia's seat vacant. McConnell and Cornyn, the Senate's top two Republicans, have said they wouldn't meet with Obama's pick.

Three of those Senators are facing tough re-election battles in blue states. Ayotte, Kirk, and Portman are playing the triangulation game -- appearing reasonable while not committing to anything at all. Their thinking is simple; why hand your opponent an easy issue to demagogue?

There will be no hearings on Garland's nomination. There will be no floor vote. Even if it got that far, there's no possible way Garland would be approved. So conservatives who are saying that this is just the first step in a GOP cave in on the nomination are either dreadfully uninformed or paranoid.

Since 2010, Republicans have blocked 95% of Obama's agenda -- blocked it to the point that the president has felt it necessary to try and rule by decree. The wildly exaggerated charges that Republican RINO's have given Obama everything he wants are ridiculous. If that were true, why all the executive orders? Why all the unilateral decrees from the White House? Immigration, carbon rules, EPA overreach on clean water, aspects of Obamacare implementation (including the insurance slush fund) and more have all been blocked by a solid GOP wall of resistance.

The idea that Obama has gotten everything he wants because Republicans fold is a talking point, not supported by the facts or reality. The conservative echo chamber ignores this however, and will point to these Senators meeting with Garland as a "betrayal." None of these Senators will ever vote to confirm at anti-gun zealot like Garland and conservatives who think so should take their meds and get a grip.
Last month, the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS), which manages the pension funds on which Californias educators rely, voted to divest the stocks of U.S. thermal coal companies. Many have praised the nations second largest public pension system for taking this bold action, including California Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon, who specifically blamed the coal companies for causing global climate change.

But is a public pension fund that many California residents now and in the future depend on for retirement income really the right stage for a political climate battle?

Managers of pension funds, including CalSTRS, owe fiduciary duties to their clients, which means they must make decisions solely for the benefit of those clients. Other interests, including a pension managers own political views, should not interfere with pension-related decision making without the express consent of fund participants. CalSTRS managers seem confident that they are exercising that duty. Perhaps, in a legal sense, they are correct. But many financial professionals are skeptical of socially motivated asset divestiture decisions, such as University of Chicago professor of finance Steven N. Kaplan, who attests that Any time you mix social goals, there is a cost, [...] The question is simply how big that cost is.

Less than three years ago, CalSTRS seemed to understand this logic. In mid-2013, CalSTRS CEO Jack Ehnes wrote, regarding climate-motivated divestitures, that divestment bears the risk of adversely affecting an investment portfolio and severs any chance to advance positive change through shareholder advocacy. Even more recently, CalSTRS Chief Investment Officer admitted, Ive been involved in five divestments for our fund, [...] All five of them weve lost money, and all five of them have not brought about social change.

CalSTRS decision follows in the footsteps of many major fund managers who have chosen to purge their portfolios of any number of politically incorrect investments. Perhaps the best known campaign of that sort was the 1980s movement to divest from companies associated with South Africas apartheid government -- a move that has been lauded as a victory against racism. But an empirical examination of the actual effects of that campaign found that large-scale divestiture had no discernable effect on the financial health of any of the affected companies. If there was any effect, it was that stocks flowed from socially responsible to more indifferent investors and countries.

For the conscious investor, handing away voting rights and self-inflicting financial losses is not a recipe for forcing social or political change.

To make things even worse, it is not as if CalSTRS has any extra cash lying around for indulging socially conscious policy preferences. In fact, CalSTRS is dangerously underfunded. A recent book by Lawrence J. McQuillan, titled California Dreaming, details the extent of CalSTRS financial turmoil. Even by the agencys own generous estimates, the CalSTRS system is only 70.8% funded -- and even that is an overestimate, considering that many of CalSTRS accounting practices would be criminal if done by a private organization.

Of course, any shortfall in CalSTRS funding will have to come from somewhere: California taxpayers pockets.

Climate change advocacy need not come in the form of ill-considered financial decisions that are unlikely to metabolize into real change. Particularly when these decisions affect the retirements of Californias educators and the pocketbooks of Californias taxpayers, public pension managers need to be able to look past their own political views and act solely in the interests of those whose retirement nest eggs are in their trust. Holding that money hostage to political whims is financially irresponsible.

William Shughart, Research Director at the Independent Institute, is J. Fish Smith Professor in Public Choice at Utah State Universitys Huntsman School of Business and Senior Fellow at Strata; Arthur Wardle is a junior studying economics at Utah State University and an Associate at Strata.
On Monday, a 27-year old man -- born in Montreal to Somalian immigrant parents -- attacked and stabbed several members of the Canadian military in a Toronto recruiting center.

The attacker now faces a total of nine charges, including three counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of assault with a weapon, and one count for possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

During the attack, Toronto police confirm that the individual called out Allah told me to do this. Allah told me to come here and kill people.

However, at a press conference discussing the attack, Toronto police chief Mark Saunders told his audience the following: Don't go to that Islamophobic nonsense.

Given how the attacker invoked Allah in the cause of attempting to kill Canadian soldiers, the case is clearly one of Islamic terrorism.

While the Canadian media is, in its typical politically-correct manner, treating Saunders' unprofessional comments about Islamophobic nonsense with kid gloves, the police chief's off-the-cuff public statements in an official capacity warrant his immediate dismissal from a leadership role.

The Canadian public is rightly concerned about acts of Islamic terrorism on its soil, and -- in this case -- there is reliable evidence that the attacker himself sought to communicate to others around him at the time of the attack that the attempted murder was being done in the name of Islam.

For the police chief of Canada's largest city to ridicule such associations as Islamophobic nonsense demonstrates a clear bias against, and a failure to display adequate sensitivity to, valid public concerns on a core national security issue, thereby undermining public confidence in his ability to protect the public from further attacks motivated by the Islamic faith.

If Saunders offers a public apology and an immediate resignation as police chief, he should be allowed to continue in a lesser nonleadership capacity within the force. However, if he refuses to display remorse for his ill-advised Islamophobic nonsense comments in a timely fashion, his employment in the Canadian public-sector police service should be terminated in its entirety.
It is tempting to think that political parties came into existence in this country if not when the Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, then at least by the time Vermont ratified it on January 10, 1791.

That is, it is tempting to think that the Constitution  somewhere, somehow, even if indirectly or implicitly  addresses an issue that has defined virtually every aspect of our electoral process for over two hundred years. Right?

Wrong!

The Constitution says nothing about political parties. Not only that, but the Founding Fathers explicitly did not want American politics to become partisan. In the Federalist Papers, Hamilton and Madison both warned against the dangers of domestic political factions.

Moreover, the first president of the United States, George Washington, was not a member of any political party at the time of his election or throughout his tenure as president. In fact, Washington argued that political parties should not be formed for reasons he stated in blunt terms his Farewell Address. Washington's analysis is not only brilliant, but remarkably prescient.

Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally. This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy. The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty. Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another. There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and serve to keep alive the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

The irony is that Washington's objections were ignored by his vice president, John Adams, who succeeded him. Adams was elected in 1797 as a member of the Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, while James Madison, our fourth president, was elected as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. Hamilton and Madison evidently ignored their own objections as well as those of Washington.

Dissolving political parties in this country is by no means a simple matter. It would mean, for example:

Eliminating the requirement that voters register under a party affiliation.

Doing away with party affiliation by elected or appointed office holders.

Redefining criteria for deciding passage of legislation, at national and state levels.

Eliminating primaries/caucuses to declare a winner for each competing party in national as well as state elections.

Eliminating political conventions along with the concepts of delegate and party standard bearer.

One can only guess how the electoral system in this country would have evolved had Washington's advice been heeded. Is it too late to do that now? Points two through five entail sweeping changes, but point one seems straightforward and a good place to start.

Under a no-party system, it is doubtful that the following would have been elected president of the United States:

A wealthy playboy from Massachusetts.

A peanut farmer from Georgia.

A philandering governor of Arkansas.

A community organizer from Chicago.

On the other hand, the following probably would have been elected president under a no-party system:

A general who led the Allies to victory during WWII.

A governor of California.

A naval aviator who fought during WWII.

A governor of Texas.

Finally, under a no-party system, it is doubtful that a former secretary of state who was being investigated by the FBI for potential breaches of national security while in office would be taken seriously as a candidate for the presidency. On the other hand, it seems clear that Donald Trump (and perhaps Ted Cruz) would easily be elected president of the United States.
More and more businesses are moving their computing platform to the cloud. Cloud computing is the term given to accessing computer and database services via or from a remote computing installation. Android has several cloud computing technologies built into it  if you use labels in Gmail, this is one example as your Gmail is sorted into the relevant label by the Google cloud system. It should come as no surprise that Google has experience when it comes to cloud computing technologies, but in the enterprise market, Google is not the market leader. Instead, it is chasing Amazon and Microsoft and is believed to be the third largest cloud computing company  although it is difficult to quantify the market as cloud computing providers do not detail their business numbers.

We have seen Google adjusting and improving its cloud offering, such as incorporating additional technologies into the cloud platform and hiring Diane Greene to run the cloud computing business at the end of 2015. Weve also seen Google supporting new server processor designs in the shape of Qualcomm; currently Intel has a stranglehold on the server processor market. These efforts, especially recruiting Diane Green, appears to have already made an impact on Googles offering and positioning in the market. We are seeing reports that Apple have signed a deal with Google to use the Google Cloud Platform in a contract believed to be worth between $400 million to $600 million, although it is not understood if this is the annual or total value of the contract. Whilst winning Apples cloud business is important in its own right, Google has nabbed the business from the market leader, Amazon. It appears that Apple is splitting its cloud computing services between Amazon and Google. And the Apple deal is reported as being Dianes work, following the announcement in February that Spotify is moving from the Amazon cloud to Google.

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Apple are traditionally very private when it comes to these sorts of arrangements and has never publicly spoken of their cloud computing partners, but Apple have disclosed (via a security document) that they use both Microsofts cloud Azure and Amazons AWS (Amazon Web Services) for parts of their iCloud services, such as iMessenger and the iCloud backup. In February, Morgan Stanley estimated that Apples AWS annual costs are around $1 billion, so it is possible that that this cost is being split broadly down the middle between Amazon and Google. Given that the relationship between Apple and Google has not always been smooth, this news illustrates the benefits that Diane is already bringing to the cloud computing business.
After a shy beginning, Android Wear smartwatches are finally starting to gain momentum. Traditional electronics makers such as LG, Huawei and Motorola are leading the way, but conventional watchmakers are slowly entering the smartwatch market, in order to get a slice of the $11.5 billions in sales projected for 2016, and even more in the coming years. One of the most iconic examples was the release of the TAG Heuer Connected, a fully-fledged Android Wear smartwatch by Swiss luxury watch brand bearing the name. Earlier this year, Casio, another traditional watch company, announced their entrance into the market with the WSD-F10 rugged smartwatch during CES 2016, and the Japanese company is set to put their newest wearable on sale from March 25.

Casio is known for their G-Shock line of rugged watches featuring bulky bodies. These are very resistant to shock, water, dust and other situations where you shouldnt be using a regular watch. The Smart Outdoor Watch WSD-F10 follows the same line and you will get the full experience of Android Wear on your wrist, without having to worry about damaging the watch. It features a circular screen with a resolution of 320 x 300 pixels, and it has a very subtle flat tire. One of the biggest complaints about smartwatches is battery life, but the F10 comes with a dual-layer LCD screen with a monochrome mode that once activated, it turns off all smart features and the watch can last up to 2 months on a single charge, especially useful if you are going for a hiking trip. Additionally, it is waterproof to depths of up to 50m and the device has a nice set of sensors: pressure, compass, and accelerometer  but sadly, no GPS. Casio worked on the software to make it easy for users to access information generated by these sensors, and they can be reached via dedicated buttons on the side. Additionally, the F10 comes with a set of exclusive watch faces.

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All the other good sides of having an Android Wear smartwatch are present, obviously, and you will just need to pair it to a smartphone to get notifications and interact with all the apps available for the system. The Casio WSD-F10 will be available in the U.S. and online purchases will start next Friday, March 25th, via Amazon, Google Store, REI Co-Op, and Casio. With a list price of $500, it will be available in Green, Orange, Black, and Red.
Stagefright is the rather unfortunate name given to a piece of multimedia code embedded into the Android operating system and designed as a media player, which was included back with version, 2.2 Gingerbread. It was made famous last year because an exploit was discovered that allowed an attacker to insert a piece of malicious code deep into an Android device to rapidly and silently gain control over various aspects of the device. The Stagefright exploit was activated when the device plays a short video clip, which could arrive via a multimedia message (MMS) or from a webpage. The issue was discovered in the spring but not reported until the summer, which gave Google time to patch the issue. Approximately a billion devices were potentially at risk of the exploit and as a part of the process, Google also announced it would start rolling out monthly software updates to Android. Several manufacturers have also jumped onto this and will be rolling out these same fixes to their devices, although so far only BlackBerry have consistently delivered the goods in this respect. It is not known if the discovery of the Stagefright vulnerability prompted Google to release monthly patches or if this project was already underway.

Perhaps because the Stagefright exploit was given a lot of publicity, or perhaps because it has been difficult to do, but when it comes to actual malware that utilises the Stagefright exploit these have been thin on the ground. However, a group of Israeli researchers have announced that they have now produced the first reliable Stagefright exploit. The team have produced a PDF document (see the source below) with how to build the exploit for yourself. The PDF is something of a hackers manual providing a wealth of information about our devices and of the many ways these can be exploited. Given that there remain millions of unpatched, unsupported devices still in service and still vulnerable to the Stagefright exploit, guides and how-tos when it comes to sidestepping Androids built-in security systems will be interesting to all sorts of people. The guide details how simply visiting a malicious webpage is enough to compromise the device, as the site can push a media clip to the device. This is one reason why malware could potentially infect our devices from adverts.

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The teams way of hacking into a device involves three steps. First, a malicious webpage sends the device a video file that is designed to crash the mediaserver, causing it to be restarted and reset to its internal state. Once the mediaserver has been reset, JavaScript embedded on the page sends information from the device to the attackers server, which then generates a custom video file that is subsequently sent back to the device. The customised video file exploits the vulnerability in the device and sends more information back to the server, which builds a second custom video. Its this one that contains the malware: when processed by the Stagefright mediaserver, it executes the malicious content on the victums device with escalated privileges.

Whilst there is some work to be done on the server side of things as it needs to build a custom video file designed to attack the particular device that is viewing the webpage, over time the process could almost certainly be streamlined. The author explains that with further research it may be possible to lay aside all or some of the lookup tables, which could be used to produce a generic exploit. And because users do not need to press play on an embedded MPEG4 file (the exploit is triggered when the browser fetches and parses the file, not when played), this means users may not know that their device is even under attack. The exploit is reputed to work on devices running Android 2.2 through to 4.0, 5.0 and 5.1; devices running Android 4.1 through to 4.4 do not appear to be at risk from this system. For more information, check out the embedded video below.

https://youtu.be/I507kD0zG6k
Promotions, or promos, as they are better known, are being used by the smartphone manufacturers every time there is a new device launched  especially during pre-orders. They try and entice you to sign up to purchase their new devicenot only to get your business, but it gives them a good idea about production and shipping  allowing the manufacturer to gauge interest. The promos are given after you actually buy the device and sign up with a carrier for a two-year contract. For the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung would give you a free Gear VR headset  not a bad deal and a chance to test ride and see how virtual reality actually works. Now that the pre-orders are over and the devices are out on the shelves for sale, it is up to the carriers to bring in the customers by offering some of their own promos. Telus appears the first of the Canadian carriers to make a move and we are sure that others will follow.

Telus will start their promo on March 18 in partnership with Samsung and begin offering customers a free three-month subscription to Netflix and 1GB of free data each of the three months for all postpaid customers that purchase a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. According to our source, the internal document they received says that two days after you purchase your Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge the customer will receive a text message telling you that you are eligible for the promo. By replying, yes to your message it will activate your extra 1GB of data and send you a promo code for your three-month Netflix subscription. According to their document, the promo will last until May 7.

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Judging from the comments, customers are not too happy with this three-month promo  they see it as a deliberate push to use that extra gigabyte of data and then some while streaming Netflix. It is not real clear if the promo code Netflix sends you allows you to use Netflix anywhere, including your laptop or smart TV, although it probably does. There is always WiFi to consider, then your data will not be affected in any way.
Google has their hands in all sorts of areas, and one of those is robots. They bought Boston Dynamics back in late 2013, a little over two years ago, and are now looking to sell off the company they paid an undisclosed sum for. Similar to what happened with Motorola, under Googles ownership. While Boston Dynamics have built some pretty cool robots under Googles ownership, and even released a few videos showing exactly what they are capable of. It appears that many executives at Alphabet dont think that Boston Dynamics can generate a marketable product in the next few years.

According to a couple of people familiar with Alphabets plans, they were hoping that Boston Dynamics would generate some real revenue for the company, but it doesnt look like thats going to happen. So the company is reportedly up for sale now. Alphabet hasnt yet confirmed that they are looking to sell off the company just yet. Also according to these people that are familiar with the plans, it looks like Toyota Research Institute and Amazon are among the buyers for Boston Dynamics. Toyota Research Institute is a division of Toyotas Motor Corporation, and Amazon already uses robots to assist in fulfilling orders in their many warehouses around the world.

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Back in 2013, Androids founder, Andy Rubin was in the field of robotics at Google after having left the Android team, and he made the deals for a few different companies including Boston Dynamics in late 2013. Andy Rubin then left Google in October of 2014 to pursue other opportunities. After Rubin left, reports began to speculate that Replicant was plagued by leadership changes, and failures to collaborate with other companies. Which is now why Google is wanting to sell the company.

Its a bit unfortunate that Google wants to sell Boston Dynamics, as they have something really great on their hands. But as we stated earlier one, many within the company dont think that the division could make a marketable product for a few years. Which means it would just continue to take money from Google and the rest of Alphabet, without accounting for any of their revenue.
Pre-orders for the Vive virtual reality headset from HTC went live on the 29th of last month, following which, reports indicated that the Taiwanese company sold over 15,000 units in less than ten minutes. HTC, however refused to officially either confirm or deny those claims, saying that the company does not comment on sales numbers. The device costs $799 a pop in the US, making it by far the most expensive VR headset in the market today, with the Oculus Rift and Sonys PlayStation VR (formerly Project Morpheus) both costing significantly less at $599 and $399 respectively. The HTC Vive will ship to early birds from next month for US residents but those in the UK will have to wait at least until the 5th of April to get their hands on the device.

That little dampener notwithstanding, the company has just announced some exciting news for UK residents that will no doubt be of importance for VR enthusiasts in the country. The Taiwanese company has just announced the list of retail locations where the much talked-about VR headset will be available for purchase. The list includes Currys PC World stores at Leeds (Birstall), Tottenham Court Road and Reading. Scan Computers International Ltd. at Bolton will also stock the device, as will Overclockers UK at Newcastle-under-Lyme. While that doesnt sound like many retailers, the one thing to note here is that prospective Vive buyers will be able to get hands-on demos of the device at each of the outlets mentioned above, before putting down the cash.

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Talking about the price, the HTC Vive will cost significantly more in the UK than it will in the US. According to the listing on HTCs official website, the device will have a price-tag of 689 ($996) in the country, in addition to which, buyers will have to pay a 57.60 ($83) toward shipping and handling. So all said and done, the overall cost of the gadget will come to a whopping 746.60 ($1079). For that price, buyers will get the Vive headset, two wireless controllers, two Lighthouse base stations and free copies of the following software  Job Simulator: The 2050 archives, Fantastic Contraption and Googles Tilt Brush 3D painting app.
A while back, Google got the green light from the local government to begin widespread testing of Project Loon in India. Their plan was to use a good chunk of the local spectrum from previously unused sources, broadcasting and wireless partners to provide a wide and powerful 4G LTE network from their balloons, to be provided to those in areas where internet connections are sparse and hard to come by. Despite the noble goal of Project Loon, which is connecting those who would otherwise remain unconnected, the nature of the project means that hiccups are practically inevitable. One of the earliest and biggest roadblocks to the project, in every territory, has been users of the spectrum proposed for use by Loon demanding that Google either not use that spectrum, or change their usage to avoid interference.

Thanks to that particular roadblock, the Indian government is asking Google to change their proposal for Project Loon and resubmit it as soon as possible. According to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the current proposal for Project Loon involves spectrum bands in the 500-700 MHz range, which would end up causing interference with local cellular providers. Another project, run by Ernet India, proposes the use of unutilized TV broadcasting spectrum and could be interrupted or encounter problems thanks to the planned pilot test of Project Loon.

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Specifically, the project plans to make use of TV spectrum in the 470-582 MHz range to alleviate common cellular issues. The spectrum at hand, called TV whitespace, is able to reach into buildings and underground spaces much better than existing cellular spectrum, as well as being able to reach further. With Project Loons specs pointing to a reach of about 40 kilometers in diameter on the ground, with the balloon at the center, the proposed spectrum could certainly cause interference with Ernet Indias project. For the moment, the Indian government has handed over 60 MHz worth of spectrum to Ernet to build out the networks and begin relevant testing. According to Prasad, there has been no word from Google on an updated proposal. It is unclear at this time what the Indian government plans to do if Google doesnt deliver.
MediaTek held a press conference in China yesterday. During the event, the company announced that their Helio X20 SoC will start shipping on devices next month, while theyve also introduced the Helio X25 processor, which is essentially a higher-end variant of the Helio X20. Meizus executives were present at the event, and theyve announced that the Helio X25 will fuel their upcoming Meizu PRO 6 flagship phablet. Thats not all though, the Helio X25 will be exclusive to Meizu initially, we still dont know for how long, but it seems like nobody will be able to use this chip at least a couple of months.

Well, Meizu was not the only company which confirmed that theyll use MediaTeks chips yesterday, LeEcos execs have said that the upcoming LeEco Le 2 which has been leaking like crazy recently, will ship with MediaTeks Helio X20 processor on the inside. The LeEco Le 2 is the companys second-gen Le device, and it will probably launch alongside the Le Pro 2 and Le Max 2. These three handsets are expected to see the light of day next month, as are many other Helio X20-powered handsets. Zopo is yet another great example, the company has showcased their Speed 8 flagship during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona last month, and have announced that first units will start shipping in April.

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Now, as far as LeEcos Le 2 handset is concerned, weve seen some listings of the Snapdragon-powered Le 2 as well, so it seems like the company is preparing to launch two variants of this smartphone. Does this mean Le 2 will be available in Europe and the US as well? That is quite probable, at least as far as the US is concerned. LeEco is already selling their accessories in the US, and the company has announced such expansion for this year, so its realistic to expect that the Le 2 will be available in the US, and it will almost certainly ship with the Snapdragon 820 over there. Now, as far as specs go, this handset will probably ship with a QHD (2560 x 1440) display, and 4GB of RAM on the inside. You can also expect it to be made out of metal.
Each year LG launches a new flagship phone as part of the G series, and every year the company seems to approach the smartphone market from a slightly different angle. Last year the LG G4 stood out from the crowd thanks to a slightly curved display, a powerful camera, and a unique design language. This year at Mobile World Congress, the company took the veil off the LG G5, and once again the new model seems to follow a different recipe than its predecessor. The LG G5 features a dual-camera setup, its wrapped in metal, and for the first time in the companys history, the new flagship adopts a modular design. Although not many details have been unveiled at MWC in regards to future expansion modules, LG revealed that it will support third party manufacturers willing to create modules for the new flagship. Today the company announced an upcoming developer conference which will revolve around the idea of creating such third party modules, also known as Friends.

When the LG G5 was unveiled at Mobile World Congress last month, the Korean tech giant also presented a couple of modules  or Friends as LG calls them  which can be attached to the flagship and enrich the user experience. First, there was the CAM Plus module which includes a battery and offers a wider range of physical controls for the camera, and a Hi-Fi Plus module which takes the form of a 32-bit DAC created by Bang & Olufsen. However, LGs plans are to create an open ecosystem which will allow third party manufacturers to build modules / LG Friends for the latest flagship. This was confirmed during MWC but no other details have emerged since.

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The good news is that according to a recent press release, LG will host a developer conference in San Francisco next month with the purpose of showing developers the ins and outs of building LG Friends modules. At the same time, the company will also release hardware and software development kits for third-party developers willing to invest in LGs vision of modular smartphones. Hopefully, these modules will expand the flagships lifespan, and perhaps even inspire other smartphone makers to create similar modular solutions in the future. Whatever the case may be, it remains to be seen how many third-party developers will be on board with LGs idea, and what types of interesting modules they can come up with following LGs guidelines.
Baidu may not be the most well-known name worldwide, but it is one of the largest technology companies in China, with its search engine being the most widely-used search service in the Peoples Republic. The company last year announced that it has been testing self-driving vehicles for over two years in its deep-learning research lab, much like Google has been for the past few years. While its tests have been restricted to its home country thus far, the company is now apparently planning to start testing them abroad  specifically, in the U.S. According to a report published by the Wall Street Journal, Baidu has plans to build a commercially viable autonomous vehicle as early as 2018. The company reportedly already has an office in Sunnyvale, CA, where many of its 160 employees are apparently busy with the autonomous vehicles project.

Baidu uses modified BMW 3-series compact sedans for its testing purposes, having signed a partnership with the Bavarian automaker back in 2014 to test self-driving cars. The two companies had originally announced their intention of launching autonomous vehicles commercially by 2015 itself, but now that were already past that deadline, the company seems to be looking at a more realistic target of 2018 to roll out its fleet, which will reportedly focus on the public shuttle market rather than private ownership. While not much is known about Baidus research in the autonomous vehicles space, the company did announce last year that its test vehicle has traveled a distance of 18.6-miles throughout the countrys capital city of Beijing.

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Baidu is one of the many companies worldwide that has been testing self-driving automotive technologies over the past few years. While original research regarding autonomous cars started as far back as the 1920s, it was Carnegie Mellon Universitys path breaking research in the 1980s in partnership with Mercedes-Benz that produced the first truly self-driving vehicle as a proof-of-concept prototype. More recently, a number of tech companies, automakers and auto parts manufacturers like Google, Apple, Baidu, General Motors, Bosch, Nissan, Renault, Toyota, Audi, Volvo, Tesla Motors, Peugeot etc. have been pouring their time, money and energy testing their vehicles and assessing the commercial viability of such technology in the real world.
Ringing Bells, the newly-incorporated Indian company that recently announced the highly-publicized Freedom 251 smartphone at the astonishing price-point of just Rs. 251 ($3.6), has been in the news for all the wrong reasons since then. It has been accused of passing off a Chinese-made smartphone as its own, while the third-party call-center operator which was handling all the enquiries on its behalf, sued the company for fraud and non-payment of dues. However, all of that pales into insignificance when compared to the kind of trouble the company now finds itself in, as the countrys Union Cabinet Minister for Telecommunications, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, has now revealed that various departments of the federal government are currently investigating the company for a number of alleged unlawful activities.

According to Mr. Prasad, Ringing Bells is being investigated for FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations by the ED (Enforcement Directorate), which is a federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating white-collar economic crimes in the country. As if that wasnt enough, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has apparently also been looking into the companys financials, while the Department of Electronics and IT (DeitY) is investigating all the allegations regarding the much talked-about smartphone itself. The report also claims that back in February, the Corporate Affairs Ministry had directed the SFIO (Serious Fraud Investigations Office) to start investigating the controversial company, based on all the negative publicity surrounding the company since the announcement of the Freedom 251 smartphone.

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According to a written statement from Mr. Prasad regarding the matter, On the basis of the report of SFIO, Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide letter dated February 25, 2016 has advised Regional Director (North Region) to direct RoC (Registrar of Companies), Delhi, to take up the matter with the company and its directors under Section 206 (1) of the Companies Act, 2013 and send a report through the Directorate. All of which can only mean further troubles for Ringing Bells. The company also stands accused of not getting the Freedom 251 smartphone certified by the relevant federal authorities, before unveiling it to the media earlier this year. It will be interesting to see the next chapter in the ongoing saga unfold, now that the company is besieged from so many quarters.
Samsung and its music services is a topic which has been hitting the headlines extremely frequently over the last few weeks. This was largely due to two rumors developing. The first was that Samsung is planning to close down its Milk Music service and the second was that Samsung could be looking to acquire a different music streaming service, namely Tidal. As you might expect with two developing rumors like those, it was starting to be thought that the first might be a result of the second. Although, this was a point Samsung were quick to point out as not true.

Irrespective and regardless of the situation with Milk Music, Samsung does seem to be pushing forward with its Samsung Music app. This is an app which is in beta form and one which has this week seen it being pushed to the Play Store. This is pretty much a typical music app which looks to provide Samsung device owners with the ability to playback various supported track formats all within the confines of a Samsung-inspired app.

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At the moment, it does seem that the pushing to the Play Store is only a move to allow for easier updating of the app in the future and not for the general public to download and use. Mainly, due to this being an app which only looks to be usable on a Samsung device. Not to mention, not all Samsung devices are supported. As it seems you do need to have a Samsung device which is running on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) to make use of the app. For those thinking about sideloading the app, you can try, but it is unlikely that it will work and certainly not on any device that is not running Marshmallow. Although, if you do own the latest Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, then you should have no problems in installing the app. Either way, if you do have a Samsung device running on Marshmallow and would like to give the app a try, then you can find out more as well as download the app by heading through the link below.
You may recall that music discovery and streaming service SoundCloud showed some interest, not too long ago, in the possibility of launching a subscription service, as well as beefing up their existing ad-supported offerings. To that end, they signed a deal with Universal Music Group, one of the largest record labels in the world. This gave them access to hits from tons of top artists like Taylor Swift, Maroon 5 and Katy Perry. Although a deal with Universal may not have been quite enough to justify a subscription service, they also signed up with Warner Music Group and indie network Merlin. The deal with Sony gives them some powerful artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Ke$ha and The Foo Fighters. Although their collection is still not comprehensive, with all of these deals under their belt, it looks like they just might be ready for launch.

The deal with Sony Music marked the rekindling of a lost flame after Sony cut ties with SoundCloud last year, citing a lack of proper monetization opportunities. Hearing word of a paid subscription service, in the vein of the highly profitable Apple Music, likely led to their change of heart regarding the streaming outfit. Although the rumored $10 a month subscription may not resonate with their current large crop of free users, an industry insider has stated that they have to make this work if SoundCloud has a long-term future.

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SoundClouds subscription service may do quite well despite barging into a crowded market, mostly due to the relatively large catalog of exclusive music that SoundCloud boasts. While most subscription services feature the bigger names, their catalogs end up largely the same, meaning that SoundClouds exclusives spicing things up could lead to enhanced market performance. The Verge reached out to both SoundCloud and Sony Music, but both declined to comment, brushing the reports off as rumors. At the moment, nothing has been set in stone as far as the subscription service or what music will populate it, leaving analysts and insiders to go largely from hearsay in forecasting how the service will do. At this point, things like the pricing, featured artists and promotions are still up in the air.
Spotify, perhaps the most popular streaming music service, has been a bit of hot water as of late. Since word came out that Spotify hadnt paid out all of the royalties that they should have, many havent been too happy with the service. Especially artists that were missing their royalties. However, today Spotify and the National Music Publishers Association have reached an agreement over the missing royalties and damages for this whole issue. Spotify will pay around $21 million to resolve this issue. This money will go to both publishers and songwriters in this new deal. The settlement breaks down as $16 million being set aside for royalty payments with $5 million bonus fund for publishers and songwriters who decide to opt into this deal.

The National Music Publishers Association or NMPA, President and CEO David Israelite, stated that this deal is considered a win for publishers and songwriters. In addition tot hat Israelite also stated that the NMPA will continue to push for digital services and streaming services such as Spotify, to properly pay out royalties to all those involved. Something that is important in this day and age where many arent buying the physical music on CDs and such. And often times not even buying the song from an online store, but simply streaming it when they want to do so.

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With this deal, Spotify is covered for all content that they have streamed since being created back in 2006 and all the way until June 30th, 2017. The music streaming service hopes that the deal here will also eliminate the complaints from publishers and songwriters. So that Spotify will be able to move on from these lawsuits. YouTube struck a deal like this with the NMPA in 2011, and after the deal was set, many of the lawsuits were dropped.

For those publishers and songwriters affected by the unpaid royalties, theyll be able to claim their unpaid royalties beginning in April and for the three months following that. Spotify will be setting up a portal for those parties to claim. If there is any money left over from this deal, it will be split with publishers and songwriters based on their market share on Spotify.
The smartphone business is of course a global one, and whenever a business goes global like this, its pretty much impossible for Politics to not get involved. This March, ZTE felt that first hand as they were handed a US Exports ban by the US Commerce Department. Weve already covered just why ZTE were handed such a ban, but the long and short of it is that some of ZTEs components and devices were making their way into Iran, a Middle Eastern state that the US has been operating an exports ban to for some time. After efforts from their extensive lobbyist network have failed them, ZTE is looking to appeal the decision. Now though, the firm has delayed the announcement of their annual financial results.

ZTE have said, in a statement made to the Hong Kong stock exchange that pending a thorough self-assessment on the potential impacts of the restriction measures on the business and operation of the group the firm could not release final figures. Its unclear whether or not this is just posturing on ZTEs part, but the Hong Kong stock exchange has listed the companys shares falling by as much as 20% already this year. The reason the US export ban could be harmful to ZTE is is that it prevents them from getting key components they need to keep production running and to keep their own global supply chain running. The suspension of the companys shares in Hong Kong, which started on March 7th, has in turn caused Goldman Sachs to cease reporting on the company for now, claiming that there isnt enough info to recommend an investment rating as they do for many other firms.

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This is sure to be an ongoing saga for some time, but whether or not ZTE will face long-term damage as a result of the exports ban is unclear. One thing is clear however, is that this is becoming more and more political as time goes on. While the US and China might not see eye-to-eye on a great many things the global economy is one area in which the two do seem to meet in the middle on. As a successful and growing company, ZTE is a big player on the global stage and should this have any effect on Chinas interests, things could become quite heated, indeed.
(ANSA) - London, March 17 - Italy "proposes much closer coordination" within both NATO and the European Union (EU) concerning the handling of the migrant and refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said Thursday. Pinotti cited the "common objectives" of missions such as Sophia against people smugglers and traffickers and operations to rescue migrant boats in difficulty. "Italy continues to insist that human lives must be saved, that the traffickers must be arrested and made harmless, and then that political efforts are needed to stop the exodus," the minister said.

A Europe that is unable to manage a few hundred thousand refugees when other Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon are having to deal with millions would be "cause for reflection", Pinotti added.


(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - Premier Matteo Renzi said on his way in to a European summit Thursday that Italy's "objective is to reach an immigration accord with Turkey, but starting from our values and our ideals".

Any such deal with Ankara must be "based on European principles", he added.

"We agree on reaching the accord with Turkey, but let us be very clear - it will set a precedent," he warned. "The rules that will apply to Turkey will have to apply to the other countries we expect (migration) flows to be coming from".

"For a long time, Italy stood alone in requesting a European approach to immigration. Finally the issue has been recognized as one that needs to be faced by everyone". He added that "the real challenge is investing at the root of the problem, going to Africa, making Africa central".

He said earlier that "for the first time in many years we have a situation in which the Italian government is stable and the rest of the world is not". He cited Spain, Greece, Portugal and other countries where "grand coalitions are governing".

At the current time, Renzi said, "there is instability in Spain, Greece has voted three times, in Portugal the top party can't govern. "In Italy the situation is a bit odd, but it's always a bit odd in Italy.

"But the point is that there is stability in this period in Italy".

He also said "this is the moment of responsibility. No one can save Europe on their own".

The premier is poised to set out his vision for a new direction for EU's economic policy at the summit of European leaders that will kick off in Brussels later on Thursday. Before the summit, Renzi told the Italian parliament that the EU's fiscal compact was not working and it should be possible for governments to make tax cuts "while running a deficit, but without going over the (budget) parameters". "The fiscal compact and its related measures have caused damage to the economic and political direction of Europe and of Italy too," Renzi said. "The Italian press has interpreted the principles of flexibility and investments as a request or a kind of concession... (but) Italy is not trying to obtain something for itself but rather to change the EU's political and economic direction. "Without flexibility, not even Merlin the magician can cut taxes". Renzi suggested rigour should not be devoted just to the budget rules, arguing that there would be more investments for other countries "if Germany respected the European limits on the trade surplus". "If the Germans brought their trade surplus within the limits set by the rules, we would have 38-40 billion in investments that would not only help Germany but also the EU," he said. He said that last week's surprise moves by the European central Bank in cutting rates to zero and expanding quantitative easing "deserve all our support but we have to acknowledge that stimulus of a financial nature is not enough" to boost growth. "The ECB's policy is very useful but it isn't sufficient to restart not only consumer spending but also to recover competitiveness".


(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - Premier Matteo Renzi warned on his way in to a European Union migration summit Thursday that any immigration accord with Turkey will set a precedent. "We agree on reaching the accord with Turkey, but let us be very clear - it will set a precedent," he said. "The rules that will apply to Turkey will have to apply to the other countries we expect (migration) flows to be coming from".

Italy's "objective is to reach an immigration accord with Turkey, but starting from our values and our ideals". Any such deal with Ankara must be "based on European principles", he added.

"For a long time, Italy stood alone in requesting a European approach to immigration. Finally the issue has been recognized as one that needs to be faced by everyone," Renzi went on.

He added that "the real challenge is investing at the root of the problem, going to Africa, making Africa central".

"Africa is a priority for this government and for Italy - may it be so for Europe as well." "To those who say we must help migrants in their home countries, I answer that Italy is on it," Renzi said.

The Italian premier added that while it is important to reach a deal with Turkey, aid Greece and keep Cyprus' concerns in mind, the real challenge is to go to the root of the problem.

"(We need to) go to Africa, increase aid, create development opportunities there within the framework of an overall political strategy," he said.

In related news, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she shared the "cautious optimism" of European Council President Donald Tusk that leaders can reach a common position on a deal with Turkey on migrants and refugees.

"The talks will be difficult but...I am cautiously optimistic that we can find a common position," Merkel said. "We must find a shared solution first of all among EU countries".

Earlier this month, the EU reached a preliminary deal whereby Turkey would take back one Syrian illegal immigrant for every legitimate asylum seeker that it allows into Europe.

However, critics have expressed concerns about human rights guarantees, among other things.


(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - The United States recognises that Iran is completely different from Islamic State (ISIS), Iranian Ambassador to Rome Jahanbakhsh Mozaffari said at an ANSA forum on the new scenarios opened up by new Iranian President Hassan Rohani Thursday.

The forum also featured the chairman of the Senate foreign affairs committee, Pier Ferdinando Casini, former Italian ambassador to Tehran Luca Giansanti, currently director- general per for political affairs and security at the Italian foreign ministry, and the president of Italy's Centre for International Studies (Ce.S.I.), Andrea Margelletti.

Ambassador Mozaffari said that despite the "US having always given their allies in the region unconditional support" over the last 37 years, Washington has "for the first time recognised that no Iranian was involved in the September 11 attack, just as there are no Iranians among those who have cut off heads in Iraq".

He said this was one of the important effects of the recent accord on Iran's nuclear programme.

"We are happy that after these 37 years an issue has been resolved that had been created by them, although there are other obstacles to its realisation," the ambassador said referring to July 14 nuclear accord, on which he also recognised the important role played by Europe.

"We believe," he added, that the solution of a complex question via diplomacy is an example to be followed".

Mozaffari insisted on Tehran's desire to seek a diplomatic interlocutor in Saudi Arabia, a rival Sunni power to the Shiite Iran in the region.

"We never wanted to remove (Saudi Arabia) from the efforts to resolve regional crises," he stressed, and "we have never interrupted relations with them" despite the many cases of tension, also in the last few months.


(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - The chair of Italy's international adoptions commission said Thursday the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has cleared another 47 adopted children so they can join their new parents in Italy. "We obtained the green light for another 47 children adopted by Italian families," said Silvia Della Monica (PD).

"This is truly good news. We express great joy and satisfaction".

On March 8, the DRC authorized 66 adopted children to join their Italian parents.

Another 14 adopted children were authorized to leave the African country in mid-February.

In November 2015, the DRC approved the adoptions by foreign families, including Italians, of 69 children after a two-year wait.

In May 2014, an Italian Air Force jet carrying 31 Congolese children adopted by families in Italy arrived from the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, marking the happy conclusion to a protracted ordeal.

For eight months, 24 Italian couples had been unable to bring their adopted children home from the DRC despite completing the adoption process, due to lack of final clearance by Congolese authorities.

The government in Kinshasa in September that year suspended permissions on all international adoptions citing suspected irregularities, but admitted that none of the procedures in question concerned Italy.


(ANSA) - London, March 17 - There will be no Italy-led mission in Libya unless Libya requests it, Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said after talks in London Thursday with British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.

"The position Britain has adopted is Italy's position," said Pinotti, stressing that "there is concern on the part of the international community to help Liba stabilise its security".

With Fallon, she said, "we spoke about the fight against Daesh (ISIS) and what can be done to reinforce the national-unity government in Libya which exists but must be recognised by all the Libyan parties".

As for the possible training of Libyan troops, Pinotti did not rule out a request on this being made.


(ANSA) - Verona, March 17 - Carabinieri police investigating the theft of 17 Renaissance paintings from a Verona museum last November said Wednesday they will not be satisfied until the artworks have been returned to their rightful home.

"We are still searching for them, and I will not be happy until I have seen them hanging back in the museum," the head of Verona's flying squad Roberto Di Benedetto said. His comment came the day after Carabinieri arrested 12 people on suspicion of robbing the artworks from the city's Castelvecchio Museum. Seven arrests were made in Italy and five in Moldova. "We believe they are in Moldova, we have a few ideas concerning this possibility," said Carabinieri art squad commander General Mariano Mossa. "The hope is that the paintings are still all together," added prosecutor Gennaro Ottaviano. Investigators believe private security guard Francesco Silvetri, who was on duty at the museum on the night of the theft, Silvetri's twin brother Pasquale and the latter's Moldovan wife Svetlana Pkachuck played a central part in the robbery, acting as an go-between for the thieves. Three armed men broke into the Castelvecchio museum just after closing time on November 17 and before the alarm had been set for the night, stealing canvases worth an estimated 10-15 million euros.

The loot included Andrea Mantegna's Holy Family with a Saint, Pisanello's Madonna of the Quail, Peter Paul Rubens' Lady with Campions, and six Tintorettos, Castelvecchio Museum Director Paola Marini told ANSA at the time.


(ANSA) - Milan, March 17 - The Milan appeal court found Silvio Berlusconi's son, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, and Mediaset Chairman Fedele Confalonieri guilty of fraud at the Mediatrade subsidiary of the broadcasting giant and sentenced them both to 14 months in prison on Thursday. The other defendants in the trial were acquitted.

In the first-instance trial in July 2014, the pair were both acquitted along with the other defendants. Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of three years, two months for Pier Silvio Berlusconi and of three years, four months for Confalonieri.

The pair were convicted of fraud in the purchase of film rights by Mediaset.

Jail terms of such short length are usually suspended in Italy.

Three-time premier Silvio Berlusconi was initially also implicated in the Mediatrade case but his position was shelved in 2011 due to lack of evidence.


(ANSA) - Rome, March 17 - President Sergio Mattarella sent a message in praise of liberty and national unity on the 155th anniversary of Italian unification Thursday.

"The more united the country is, the better growth will be in terms of duration and sustainability," Mattarella said during his Africa mission. "When fissures open, on the other hand, we all become weaker". He said "the institutions are first to be called on to give an example of collaboration, responsibility and transparency in the service of the common good".

"Unity is also an ideal," the president said. "This is what we intend to celebrate today, especially in the dialogue with the younger generations, who are facing problems never seen before and whom we have a duty to accompany towards a future of liberty and cohesiveness".

Mattarella on Thursday arrived in Cameroon, the second stop on his Africa mission after a visit to Ethiopia.

He was received with every honor in the capital Yaounde, where President Paul Biya awaited him at the airport and cheering crowds lined the streets on the way in to the city.


(supersedes previous)(ANSA) - Yaounde, March 17 - Cameroon plays an important role in the fight against Islamist terror in the region, President Sergio Mattarella said after meeting with President Paul Biya in the African nation's capital on Thursday.

"We spoke of the common fight against terrorism," Mattarella said. "Cameroon is playing an invaluable role...in the region for common action with neighboring countries. It is a forward thinking and highly effective approach". The Italian president arrived Thursday in Cameroon, the second stop on his Africa mission after a visit to Ethiopia. He was received with every honor in the capital Yaounde, where President Paul Biya awaited him at the airport and cheering crowds lined the streets on their way in to the city. Mattarella earlier in the day sent a message in praise of liberty and national unity on the 155th anniversary of Italian unification. "The more united the country is, the better growth will be in terms of duration and sustainability," Mattarella said. "When fissures open, on the other hand, we all become weaker". He said "the institutions are the first in line to be called on to give an example of collaboration, responsibility and transparency in the service of the common good". "Unity is also an ideal," the president said. "This is what we intend to celebrate today - especially in the dialogue with the younger generations, who are facing problems never seen before and whom we have a duty to accompany towards a future of liberty and cohesiveness".


(ANSA) - Brussels, March 17 - Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Thursday there is no evidence yet migrants are trying to reach Italy via Albania. "(However) we must not relax entirely, because we must keep a possible evolution along that route - and the risks that could stem from it - under observation," Alfano told reporters ahead of a pre-summit meeting of European People's Party (EPP) leaders. "This is why we are working with Albania".

"Italy is in favor of a deal with Turkey, but not at all costs," Alfano added. "Some fundamental liberties issues must be guaranteed absolutely. We are a continent of liberties and rights and we relate with those who ensure a standard of freedom that is compatible with the European one".


Any Turkey deal will set precedent warns Italian PM 'Same rules will have to apply to other countries' says Renzi

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 17 - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warned on his way in to a European migration summit Thursday that any immigration accord with Turkey will set a precedent. "We agree on reaching the accord with Turkey, but let us be very clear - it will set a precedent," he said. "The rules that will apply to Turkey will have to apply to the other countries we expect (migration) flows to be coming from".



Italy's "objective is to reach an immigration accord with Turkey, but starting from our values and our ideals", Renzi said. Any such deal with Ankara must be "based on European principles", he added. (ANSAmed).




Turkey:Tak Kurds claim responsibility for Ankara attack Extremist group also claimed action that killed 29 officers

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 17 - The extremist Kurdish group Tak (Falcons for the liberation of Kurdistan) claimed responsibility for the car-bomb attack that killed 37 people in the centre of Ankara, on Sunday.



Tak called it an ''act of revenge'' in response to military operations carried out by Turkey in the Kurkish-majority south-east of the country since July. It is the same group that also claimed responsibility for the attack against Turkish army officers which took place last month in Ankara killing 29 people.




ANSAmed - Tomorrow's events in the Mediterranean

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 17 - These are the main events scheduled in the Euro-mediterranean area for tomorrow: BRUSSELS - EU, European Council with Jean-Claude Juncker and Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the agreement with Ankara on the migrants and refugees issue (also March 18).



TIRANA - Visit by European Commissioner for immigration Dimitris Avramopoulos who meets the highest state officials to discuss immigration and terrorism.



TUNIS - Mission of a delegation of Italian regions for institutional meetings aimed at selecting the best ways with which the regional system can contribute to supporting the democratic process and the economic development of Tunisia.



PARIS - Book salon with window on Algeria, guest city Costantine (to March 20).



(ANSAmed).




(ANSAmed) - AMMAN, MARCH 17 - At least 16 Palestinians were killed and 36 injured late Wednesday in a road accident near the Jordanian Saudi borders when their bus overturned on the desert road, officials said today.



The bus was carrying pilgrims heading to Saudi Arabia when the bus driver lost control near the border of al Modawara, said the public defence in a statement.



Several of the injured passengers are in critical conditions and receiving treatment in Maan government hospital and other medical facilities in the south.



Jordan desert road is notorious for high casualty accidents due to the bad condition of the highway. (ANSAmed).
(ANSAmed) - Pozzallo, March 17 - Italy is set to have to manage over 2,000 new asylum seekers after two big groups arrived late on Wednesday, with two others set to land Thursday.



Some 640 migrants landed in the Sicilian port of Pozzallo after being rescued by a German navy ship while trying to reach Italy aboard five dinghies, one of which was sinking.



Two suspected human traffickers have been detained. The Italian coast guard rescued and took to the southern island of Lampedusa 270 people, including around 50 women and many children.



They mostly come from Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, Congo, Guinea and there is also an entire family of Eritreans.



One of the asylum seekers got a warm welcome from a Lazio fan who was among the volunteers assisting, after arriving wearing a shirt of Rome's sky blues. An Italian Navy ship, meanwhile, is set to arrive in Reggio Calabria on Thursday with 590 rescued migrants abroad and the body of someone who died during the voyage. Another 594 people rescued from a migrant boat near the Libyan coast will arrived in the Sicilian port of Messina aboard a coast guard ship.



That ship is also carrying two corpses.
ROME - At a crucial summit of the 28 in Brussels the aim is to find an accord with Turkey on the migrants front - an agreement that on paper does not look easy.

"Our aim," said Premier Matteo Renzi in Belgium, "is to reach an agreement with Turkey on immigration bat starting from our values and our ideals". Renzi underlined that the accord with Ankara on immigration must be "based on the principles of Europe".

"It is alright to make an agreement with Turkey but one must be clear that if there is one it will set a precedent - the rules that will be valid for Turkey must be valid also for other countries from which we expect flows".

Tusk, more cautious than optimistic. On the EU-Turkey agreement "I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic," said European Council President Donald Tusk a few hours from the start of the European summit on the migrants emergency. "Only if we work together in a coordinated way and stay calm, will we attain success".

Merkel, cautiously optimistic on common position - "The discussions will be difficult, but we have a basis," for this "I am" like Tusk "cautiously optimistic that we can find a common position" among the 28 for the agreement on migrants with Turkey. This is what the German Chancellor said on arrival at the EU summit, underlining that "we must reach a common solution above all among the EU countries" and retaining it "positive" to have had time "to like at the questions in depth".

Cameron, we won't give free visas to the Turks - "We support the idea of sending back migrants arriving irregularly, it is a good idea" that hits the business model of the people smugglers, British Premier David Cameron said on arriving at the EU summit. But with the agreement with Turkey, Cameron added, "Britain will not offer free visas to the Turks" and "will not take more refugees, because Britain has its policy".

Meanwhile European parliament president Martin Schulz after the meeting with Cypriot president Nikos Anastasiadis, said "I believe that we will reach a solution".

The threat of Cypriot veto of the EU-Turkey accord appeared one of the main obstacles on the road to finding the agreement.

"It is in the interests of the European parliament to open the negotiating chapters that concern the freedom of the press," Schulz added, "I am confident".

European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker said: "If all goes well and reason prevails, I am rather confident on the agreement with Turkey" at the EU summit.

To resolve the question posed by Cyprus "we are discussing with the Turks, with the Greeks and with the Cypriots," Juncker said.




EU suffers democratic deficit, Turin prof. Varoufakis says Former Greek minister honoris causae lecturer

(ANSAmed) - TURIN, MARCH 17 - "There is no flower more fragile than democracy" and Europe, "composed of democratic countries," as an institution suffers from a "democratic deficit," former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said Thursday.



Varoufakis reiterated his views, which are at the heart of his new political project, the Diem25 movement, while he was in Turin to receive his nomination as honorary professor of the northern city's International University College.



"It is a great honour," said the former member of the Tsipras government, "and I am proud to be part of the academic world again. For me it is a homecoming".



Varoufakis gave his inaugural lecture on the theme of 'Democracy in Europe -- the political economics of an epic struggle'.



"In recent days I have spent every hour together with people who, like me, want to react so as to reform the continent," he said, without however disclosing the platform of his new movement to be launched next week.



"You will have to be patient, there is not long to wait," Varoufakis added. In his speech he spoke also about the migrant question which he described as a missed opportunity, ending with the quip that "Einstein was a refugee. And so was Superman".



(ANSAmed).




Migrant crisis needs long-term solution says Gentiloni 'Did not begin in 2015 and won't be over by March 2016'

(ANSAmed) - PRAGUE, MARCH 17 - The refugee and migrant crisis requires a long-term solution at the European level, Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said after meeting with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek in Prague on Thursday.



"Italy believes the migrant crisis did not begin in August 2015 and will not end in March 2016, so the European Union must come up with a common solution," Gentiloni said.



The Italian minister reiterated the importance of economic cooperation with departure countries - such as war-torn Libya and Syria - in a bid to solve the crises that prompt thousands of people to flee their homes in search of safety in Europe. Gentiloni also pressed for common EU measures on border control and migrant processing, relocation and repatriation.



"You can debate single measures, but you can't avoid having a common approach," the minister said. "This is an inhumane emergency... shifting the burden of the crisis to countries of first arrival, such as Greece, is indecent," Gentiloni said, adding he hopes today's EU summit will "make a significant step" in reaching a migration deal with Turkey. (ANSAmed).




(ANSAmed) - RABAT, MARCH 17 - Morocco is ready to pass a law against surrogacy, said Health Minister Houcine El Houardi.



The text of legislative proposal n.47-14 which is currently being drafted will regulate artificial insemination as a whole and will turn surrogacy into a crime.



Once the bill will be approved, reproductive cloning, gender-selection and the sale or transfer of gametes for commercial or scientific purposes will be punished with penalties which will go from 10 to 20 years of prison to fines worth from 500 thousand ( 46 thousand Euros approximately) to one million Dirhams (92 thousand Euros approximately). The draft bill which was recently sent to the Rabat General Secretariat, makes all forms of maternal surrogacy illegal, with the intent of ''respecting human dignity against any type of commodification the female body''.



Surrogacy is not regulated in the African continent with the exception of South Africa which allows it, provided that the woman carrying out the pregnancy does not receive any payment.



With this bill Morocco will be the first African country to ban it.


BEIRUT - The Kurds of northern Syria have proclaimed the creation of a Kurdish federation autonomous of Damascus, according to the panArab television channel Al Jazeera.



Idris Nassan, head of international relations in the Kurdish 'canton' of Kobane, said that "an agreement on the proclamation of a federation" had been reached at a conference of Kurdish leaders under way since Wednesday in the Rmelan area.



He added however that the participants still are "discussing the final document" that would be used in the formal proclamation.



The new 'federation' ought to include the three cantons of Al Jazira, Kobane and Afrin controlled by the Kurdish militias of the Ypg fighting against Isis with the support of the Syrian regime and the United States.



However Syria as well as Turkey, which together share 900 km of border with Kurdish territory, both have expressed their opposition to the unilateral proclamation of Kurdish autonomy.


BarcelonaThe Catalan National Assembly (ANC) is drafting a road map towards independence, a milestone forecast for 2017. This proposal, which must be approved by its general assembly in April, and which ARA has had access to, defines the role that the organization must play in upcoming months. It is a proposed roadmap drawn up by the National Secretariat that the territorial and sectorial groups can amend.

The ANC sketches various scenarios, one of which is the possibility of repeating the Spanish elections and the central government offering Catalonia an independence referendum.

Pro-independence slate

Because of the impossibility --as it stands now-- of electing a new Spanish president, the ANC foresees the repetition of elections in Spain. In this context, it will attempt to push for the creation of a "slate with maximum pro-independence unity" to achieve a "significant influence" in Madrids Congress. The organization believes that after the experience of the 20-D elections "it is more necessary than ever" to increase the presence of "pro-independence Catalanism" in Madrid to set conditions for the governability of Spain. However, it also foresees, at the same time, moving forward with the independence process in Catalonia.

Similarly, it also notes that if Madird respects the right to self-determination and "commits to holding, in the near-term, a binding referendum" in Catalonia, "an agreement will be necessary". The ANC sets the conditions that this consultation would have to meet: "The referendum must be held only in Catalonia, have a decisive character, respect basic democratic conditions, have a clear question with a binary response, have balanced propaganda, not change the voter register, allow Catalans living abroad to vote, and involve international observers.

Meeting of elected officials

One of the actions already proposed in the previous roadmap, and which is also included in the agreement between Junts pel Si and the CUP for this term, is the creation of an Assembly of Elected Officials (AdCE), which would bring together all of the Catalan representatives elected in the most recent municipal, European, Spanish, and Catalan elections. This assembly would be expected to take over, should the Spanish State suspend Catalonias devolved powers. "The AdCE would have to be prepared if an institutional vacuum occurs so as to give democratic legitimacy and continuity to the independence process", says the proposed roadmap.

The first taste of this unity is the re-establishment of the Table of Political and Social Forces for a new state, which is made up of all the pro-independence parties and organizations. It met repeatedly during the previous term --it also included ICV and EUiA, who oppose outright independence, and now the ANC wants to blow new life into it in order to broaden the support base of independence by appealing to Ada Colaus group and the constituent process. In fact, the ANC wants this table of parties to become a stepping stone for the launch of the assembly of elected officials, where the maximum number of political forces should be represented.

With this in mind, the organization foresees that the deputies and municipal representatives that "must comprise" this assembly meet "in the next few months" in an "act of affirmation of national sovereignty of high symbolic value.

Weaving alliances with the forces for the right to self-determination: the constituent process

One of the priorities set out by the ANC for the next year is to broaden the pro-independence base. "The social majority is a priority for our organization", says the roadmap. To do so, it establishes various approaches: to set policies for healthcare, labor, education, culture, economy, and international relations that respond to the needs of Catalan society; to have a public debate on the basic features of a new republican constitution; and to weave alliances with the political forces in favor of the right to self-determination with trade unions and business and social organizations.

To this end, the ANC expects to become a "driving force" of the constituent process. The organization "will actively participate" in the "platform for outreach and coordination of the debate" that it is exploring between the grassroots independence movement and the organizations in favor of the constituent process. This would be a discussion on the new country that the ANC wants to keep "participative, open, transparent, and inclusive for all citizens". It draws inspiration from the Congress of Catalan Culture held in the 1970s, which launched a process of participation and citizen debate throughout Catalonia and the Catalan Countries.

What role must the ANC play in this debate?

The proposed roadmap calls for the territorial assemblies of the organization, in collaboration with other territorial associations, to "jointly" create the organizing committees for the debates, and to persuade the institutions to get involved. As to the special interest assemblies, their job will be to promote platforms within their professional areas, for example healthcare, education, law, etc.

The steps towards an independent state

The last section of the roadmap lays out the course agreed to by Junts pel Si and the CUP in this term. It predicts that the Parliament will proclaim independence in 2017 and ,immediately thereafter, approve the disconnection laws that are being drafted in the Catalan chamber. This would be immediately followed by the calling of constituent elections, the results of which will set the configuration of forces to draft a Catalan Constitution. The ratification of this new Constitution in a referendum would imply a "yes" vote of the citizenry to independence.
The rebrand is part of a change programme, which has seen the 82-member IATA specialist interest group embark on a Smart Data Project, as well as a new audit and certification scheme.

Emirates SkyCargo announced it has joined the organisation as a full member for the first time after having had an observer on the Board for the past year.

Other new members include Brussels Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Vienna Airport plc, and CargoAware, a division of Franwell.

Cargo iQ members work together to measure success and continuously improve the value of airfreight for customers, said Ariaen Zimmerman, Executive Director, Cargo iQ.

We have successfully developed a system with clear milestones and unique route maps, and thanks to our reliable monitoring, members can improve their services to customers.

Our new Smart Data Project will add 110 million lines of performance data annually, allowing our members to further improve their processes and adding more value to the air cargo industry.

We are excited to embark on this next chapter of our work, which benefits the whole industry, with innovative ideas and new members.

Having the biggest air cargo carrier on the planet amongst our new members just adds to that excitement.

Max Sauberschwarz, chairman of Cargo iQs Membership Board and Kuehne+Nagels Global Head of Carrier and Gateway Air Logistics, said he was looking forward to the rebrand building positive momentum for the organisations work in the industry.

Cargo iQ stands for collaboration, trust, quality, reliability, and innovation, he said. Our organisation provides value for our members and for the air freight industry and we are excited to be progressing with the new name now, based on the achievements of the group to date.

Nabil Sultan, Emirates' divisional senior vice president, Cargo, said; We are delighted to become a member of Cargo iQ, as its mission dovetails Emirates SkyCargos long-established commitment of Delivered as Promised to our customers.

"With the rebranding of Cargo iQ and the launch of their strategic transformation programme, we felt that the time was right to become a member. We look forward to making meaningful contributions to the group as well as learning from fellow members to further improve our own quality assurance programme.

Ten million airport-to-airport and 5.5 million door-to-door shipments were measured by Cargo iQ in 2015, enabling members to take action to improve and standardise internal processes by identifying where quality was an issue.

Cargo iQ members are also able to follow best practices and define common processes with industry partners in the supply chain.

This year, the group will implement a new audit and certification scheme, which is focused on giving the Cargo iQ Quality Management System Certification higher international recognition.

I welcome this brand refresh as Cargo iQ marks the start of a new chapter for the great work initiated by Cargo 2000, said Glyn Hughes, global head of cargo, IATA. The air cargo industry continues to face enormous challenges and in order to fulfil the value proposition shippers demand, we must focus much more on delivering quality. Cargo iQs new approach to benchmarking and the use of smart data will help ensure we can indeed meet that objective.
The presentation comes just six weeks ahead of the launch of direct air services to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, scheduled to commence on 3 May 2016.

On the side-lines of the event, Emirates also signed a marketing and tourism agreement with the Ningxia Tourism Administration, which aims to utilize the airlines global network to further boost inbound tourism to Yinchuan and the greater Ningxia region, and reciprocally to Dubai and the Middle East.

Under MoU, Emirates together with the Ningxia Tourism Administration will put into effect a range of joint marketing activities such as trade familiarisation trips, product presentations, media campaigns, tourism promotion activities, roadshows and workshops, amongst other activities, aimed at deepening tourism cooperation and exchange between the Ningxia Hui Autonomous region and Dubai.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Li Lingbing, Consul General to the UAE for the Peoples Republic of China by Badr Abbas, Emirates senior vice president commercial operations for the Far East; and Xue Gang, Deputy Secretary General, The Peoples Government of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Badr Abbas said: By joining forces with the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Tourism Administration we are enhancing our efforts to support the tourism industry and increase our trade ties with the Ningxia region, which will ultimately grow inbound leisure and business traffic. We are confident that our partnership will attract global travellers to enjoy and discover the many attractions that the Ningxia region has to offer.

Xue Gang, deputy secretary general, The Peoples Government of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region said: Upon the opening of Emirates new air route connecting to Ningxia, and under the direction of the One Belt One Road initiative, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Tourism Administration have decided ,with careful study and consideration, to establish an office in the Middle East, and have chosen Hunter International Travel and Tourism as the marketing centre of its tourism administration of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. This will be to promote travel and tourism between the UAE and China.
The initiative aims to bring more business and leisure travellers to the UAE capital over the summer months. The Abu Dhabi: sunshine guaranteed or your next holiday for free campaign will apply to every booking that consists of a flight and hotel-inclusive package between May and September. Visitors who experience more than 5mm of rainfall during their stay in Abu Dhabi will receive another holiday free of charge.

Etihad Holidays is launching the campaign alongside the opening of its new UK office. In the UK, Etihad Holidays will operate under its own Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) and as a member of ABTA, the UKs leading travel association.

In 2015, more than 230,000 passengers travelled from the UK to Abu Dhabi, a 14 percent rise on figures for 2014 - according to recent statistics released by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.

Mohammed Al Bulooki, vice president UAE Commercial at Etihad Airways, said: Our guests from the United Kingdom are repeatedly telling us that they want the acclaimed Etihad Airways experience to extend to every part of their journey to Abu Dhabi and we aim to deliver on their wishes. We are confident that this amazing destination, which we are proud to call home, will enthral and captivate all those who visit us via our three gateways in the UK.

Abu Dhabi is already a thriving and cosmopolitan tourism hub which has a considerable amount to offer every visitor, whether they are here for the year-round sunshine, the spectacular cultural sites and institutions, or for the ultimate adventure getaway. We are committed to being a key driver in helping to further grow the tourism industry in the Emirate.
The magazine is issued in line with the Centres strategy to support and encourage the next generation to adopt innovation and show more interest in scientific knowledge and space science.

The Red Planet magazine is characterised by its simple and easy writing style that simulates the minds of a young audience and presents space science in a fun, interactive and simple way.

The magazine focuses on facts, entertaining information and science fiction stories encouraging kids to read and eventually stimulating creativity and innovation.

It is now to be issued on a regular basis every two months for the young generation passionate about science and space exploration. The magazine is also to be distributed to a group of officials and those interested in kids education, as well as to libraries, universities and astronomy and space sciences centres and kids clubs.

The first issue of the Red Planet magazine features fictional stories and characters to stimulate the imagination, including a story about Jassem and Hessa, an Emirati brother and sister enthused by space, and an adventure featuring an Emirati astronaut who gets lost in a meteor storm. Also featured is the story of the details unknown to many relating to the risks and challenges faced by the first men on the moon aboard Apollo 11.

Mona Al Qemzi, assistant director general for administrative and financial affairs at MBRSC and the managing editor of the Centres magazines Majarat and the Red Planet said: MBRSC has a long term planned strategy that aims to build a future generation in science in general and space specifically, to have future scientists and specialists who will continue our journey in space and advanced technology.

In addition to MBRSCs role in developing satellite manufacturing sector in the UAE, the Centre has always been looking for ways and means to educate the kids and youth about space and advanced technology to encourage them to create and innovate in different sectors including space, technology and renewable energy, in line with the National Innovation Strategy launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

He added: Based on the successful experience in launching Majarat magazine, which offers scientific knowledge and information about space and advanced techniques for college students and specialists, we decided to target the age groups between 7 to14 years in order to instil in them a love of reading and a passion for space and science. We ensured that the writing style adopted in the magazine addresses their minds, develops their innovation and creativity skills and cultivates a love of reading in them, especially for scientific books and materials.
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As EU summit gets underway in Brussels today, Commission President Juncker says he is "cautiously optimistic" about negotiations with Ankara, but the latest draft agreement with Turkey seems to fall short of Erdogans demands.

Brussels (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Todays EU summit in Brussels, the third in a few weeks to deal with the wave of migrants reaching Europe, is set to finalise a deal between the 28-nation bloc and Turkey.

In exchange for its cooperation in stemming the flow of migrants into Greece, and fighting human trafficking, Ankara wants more money, an exemption from the Schengen rules, and speeded up negotiations for entry into the European Union.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is due to join the summit tomorrow.

Ahead of the summit, the European Council President Donald Tusk admitted that a catalogue of issues still need to be addressed if we are to reach an agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was especially adamant about it. Speaking before the German parliament, she urged EU member states to do more.

What Turkey has done for . . . some 2.7 million refugees can't be praised highly enough, she said. Europe has not covered itself with glory in how, as a union of 28 member states with 500 million citizens, it has struggled with fairly sharing the burden.

In last weeks draft plan, EU leaders had agreed that in return for action on migrants, the EU would exempt Turkish nationals from visa requirements in June, boost financial aid to Ankara, and push talks on Turkeys possible accession to the EU.

However, the latest draft of a proposed agreement to the Turkish government does not seem to meet Turkish demands.

First, there is no guarantee that Turkeys application for EU membership will be accelerated  only a commitment to prepare for further negotiations in as short a time as possible.

Likewise, exemption from Schengen rules for Turkish nationals by the end of June will depend on Turkey meeting all 72 conditions set by the EU.

Finally, there is no certainty that the financial aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey will be doubled from the three billion Euros already promised since that is linked to positive results from the first payment.

In addition, there is a legal as well as an ethical issue with respect to forcing irregular migrants to go back to Turkey after they reach Greece.

Echoing such doubts but without directly mentioning the European summit, Pope Francis yesterday asked, How is it possible that so much suffering can befall men, women and innocent children?

When todays immigrants seek refuge, they find closed doors, the pope lamented. And they are there, at the border because so many doors and so many hearts are closed. The immigrants of today that suffer cold, are without food and cannot enter, do not experience hospitality. It pleases me so much when I see nations, rulers that open their heart and open the doors!

Nevertheless, I am cautiously optimistic that we will conclude a binding agreement with Turkey, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Twitter.
by Sami Osman

The 13 March attack was claimed by TAK (Kurdistan Freedom Falcons). "Revenge" for 300 Kurds killed in Cizre in security force operations. Kurdish lawyers and university students detained. Erdogan asks parliament to drop 'immunity of five Kurdish deputies, "accomplices" of terrorism.

Ankara (AsiaNews) - The radical Kurdish group, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons " (TAK), has claimed responsibility for the car bomb suicide attack in Ankara last week that left 35 dead. In a statement published on their website, they state that "on the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out... in the streets of the capital of the fascist Turkish republic". The group said that it is a response to the Turkish army security operations in the southeastern part of the country, inhabited by a Kurdish majority.

In February, the Turkish forces concluded a military offensive in that area with door to door searches, gunfire, arrests and curfews, mostly concentrated in the town of Cizre. The TAK statement said that it wanted to avenge "the 300 Kurds killed in Cizre as well as our civilian casualties".

The TAK has ties to the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers Party, considered a terrorist organization, which in the 1980s and 1990s fought against the military regime for the independence of the Kurdish zone from Ankara.

Because of this link, immediately after the attack in Ankara, the Turkish authorities accused the PKK and launched air raids on its bases in northern Iraq.

However, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has decided to launch an offensive against the Kurds that have renounced armed struggle with great effort and sought a political representation in the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), led by Selahattin Demirtas. The HDP gained 13% of the vote in the last election, robbing Erdogan's party, the AKP, of an absolute majority in parliament.

Yesterday Erdogan accused politicians, journalists and intellectuals of being "accomplices" of PKK terrorism. He has asked parliament to "quickly" remove the immunity of five HDP deputies for engaging in "propaganda" in favor of the PKK. These include Demirtas, who had asked for a form of "autonomy" for the 15 million Kurds in Turkey.

Erdogan maintains that "terrorists do not only use the weapons, but also the pen".

After the attack, the police have carried out a series of arrests of pro-Kurdish groups. Yesterday at dawn eight lawyers were detained in Istanbul. The day before, three college students, signatories of a "petition for peace", which denounced the massacres of civilians during operations against the PKK by the security forces were arrested.

An opposition MP, Ozgur Ozel, OF the Republican People's Party, CHP, said: "It is disturbing to see the president acting as someone who gives orders to parliament".
There is a "glimmer of hope" that begins with the promise of God to Abraham and ends with Jesus. It is a virtue that "flows beneath the water of life, but that sustains us so we do not drown in lifes many difficulties, so we do not miss that desire to find God, to find that wonderful face that everyone will see one day".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Christian hope is a "quiet, humble but strong virtue" that never disappoints, it is a source of joy and gives peace to our hearts, said Pope Francis at the Mass this morning in Casa Santa Marta, commenting on the Gospel passage in which Jesus talking with the doctors of the law says that Abraham "rejoiced in hope" to see his day.

Abraham, he said, had his temptations along the path of hope, but he believed and obeyed the Lord, and so set out on the journey to the promised land. There is, then, the Pope said, something like a thread of hope that joins the whole story of salvation and is a font of joy.

Today the Church speaks to us of the joy of hope. In the first prayer of the Mass we asked for the grace of God to keep us in the hope of the Church, because it does not fail. And Paul, speaking of our father Abraham, tells us: He believed against all hope. When there is no human hope, there is that hope that carries us forward, humble, simplebut it gives a joy, at times a great joy, at times only of peace, but the security that hope does not disappoint: hope doesnt disappoint.

This joy of Abraham, this hope, he continued, grows throughout history. At times, he admitted, it is hidden, it is not seen; at times, it is clearly manifested. Pope Francis cited the example of the pregnant Elizabeth, who rejoiced at the visit of her cousin Mary. It is the joy of the presence of God, he said, that journeys with His people. And where there is joy, there is peace. This is the virtue of hope: from joy to peace. This hope, he repeated, never disappoints, not even in moments of slavery, when the people of God were in a foreign land.

This thread of hope begins with Abraham, who spoke with God, and ends with Jesus. Pope Francis dwelt on the characteristics of this hope. If, in fact, one can say that he has faith and charity, it is more difficult to speak about hope: We are able to say this [about faith and charity] easily, but when we are asked, Do you have hope? Do you have the joy of hope? But, father, I dont understand, can you explain? Hope, that humble virtue, that virtue which flows under the water of life, but that bears us up so we dont drown in so many difficulties, so we do not lose that desire to find God, to find that wonderful face which we will all see one day: hope.

Today, the Pope said, would be a good day to think about this: the same God who called Abraham and made him go out of his own land without knowing where he was going, is the same God who goes to the Cross, to fulfil the promise He made.

It is the same God who, in the fullness of time, ensures that the promise would become a reality for all of us. And what unites that first moment to this last moment is the thread of hope. And that which unites my Christian life to our Christian life, from one moment to another, in order to always go forward  sinners, but going forward  is hope. And what gives us peace in bad moments, in the darkest moments of life, is hope. Hope doesnt disappoint: its always there: silent, humble, but strong.
by Christopher Sharma

AsiaNews meets Ravin, Angel and Alisa, some of the young Catholics participating in a retreat. They want to be a "good example for their peers." Angel says that the secret of her joy "are the teachings of Jesus." Participants include young people of different faith, a young man confesses: "My Catholic friends live in a dignified way and do not ruin their lives with drugs".

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - Although a small minority, Nepals young Catholics are determined to be models for the whole society. They want to be "guide for the thousands of people who are arid from a spiritual point of view and without hope". Ravin, Angel and Alisa are among the young people who AsiaNews met at the retreat led by Fr. Ignatius, pastor of Assumption Cathedral in Kathmandu.

The retreats organized by the Catholic Church welcome people of faith and those with none, who are attracted by the "dignified lifestyle of Catholics and the Christian youths resistance to drug addiction". For the latter, the secret of their happiness lies exclusively in the teaching of Jesus.

Fr. Ignatius highlights the value of these young people: "Young Catholics are serious and their teaching is important for society. They are few in number but great in significance.

The church retreats welcome hundreds of young people and their families every year. Participants also include several catechumens that explain the reason that prompted them to conversion.

Sudarshan Poudel has a different faith, but participates in the retreat and says: "I see that many of my Catholic friends live dignified lives and have never been dependent on the consumption of drugs. Instead I saw many people's lives ruined by drugs or a miserable existence. Catholics are educated, competent and thats why I joined the retreat". Finally he confesses that parents allowed him to participate because "my mother knows that my Catholic friends are good people".

Speaking to AsiaNews, Ravin Shrestha says: "We young Catholics are different from the rest because we believe that we must first introduce ourselves as models of education, professionalism, spirituality, and work for the needy and oppressed people. We are being educated and trained to commit ourselves [to building] a better society.

Angel Tamang, a high school student, says: "Young Catholics have always attracted the interest of the people, who then want to copy us. This is because we are able to live better lives. When people ask me the secret of my joy, I answer that comes from the teachings of Jesus. I read the Bible and I know the life of Jesus, who always encourages me to be honest and to work tirelessly for the community. " Some of her friends, she says, "have started to read the Bible and try to follow my example. Although it will take some time, little by little we will be able to help guide society".

Alisa, another young participant in the retreat, says: "We must be faithful to God and to ourselves. In this way God will guide us to success". And then she warns. "If we are thirsty from the spiritual point of view, we can do nothing. The divine teachings must have meaning in our practical life".
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The move is part of a strategy to expand the firms human resources and industrial relations practices.With Kathy and Craig and their team joining us, we will now be able to offer that to clients in Western Australia too, said head of Minters national HR&IR practice Jim Fox, adding that its a service offered in other states.The move will bump Minters WA office up to the 11largest firm in the state, ahead of Squire Patton Boggs and Jarman McKenna, according to a report by Business News.[The] appointment continues our already strong growth in Western Australia where we are seeing double digit year-on-year growth across our Perth practice, said WA managing partner Adam Handley.Reid, who advises across a range of employment law issues and industry sectors, said being part of a national team would provide clients with valuable resourcing.Our clients increasingly have complex work they need done, often quite urgently and involving other locations in Australia and Asia, not just Western Australia, she said.By the same token, we have number of significant WA-based clients who want genuine depth of knowledge of the local market and the resources to deal with their employment and safety challenges here.The opportunity to join the Minter Ellison team enables us to meet both of these needs and continue the prompt and pragmatic service for which we are known."
Ensuring a potential employee is the right cultural fit for your organisation is a key part of many recruitment processes  but is it always the most important?



We spoke to two award-winning employers who said it trumped skills and capability any day.



You can go to the marketplace and you can recruit for capability, particularly in a leadership role, but if you get the wrong cultural fit, they can destroy a lot of hard work very, very quickly, warned Leading Edges group CEO Struan Abernethy.



Wed sooner recruit for the right profile than the right capability because you can develop capability, he continued. Of course we dont always get it right because its not 100 per cent science but we are very focused on it.



The sales organisation has been identified a number of times as one of New Zealands best workplaces  as has facilities management company Recreational Services.



Kim Ibberson is the HR manager at Recreational Services  she told HRD that the company has a specific cultural interview during the recruitment process.



Its a pretty robust recruitment process so we do obviously look for the skills and knowledge but more importantly the directors really look for fit, she revealed.



Because its a family-owned business, and has been now for 23 years, there really is that family-value so they want people that really fit with the values, she explained.



Once a candidate has made it through the standard recruitment process, theyre then put through a cultural interview, which Ibberson says will be attended by at least one company director.



They like to keep in touch, have their finger on the pulse and make sure that the right people are going into the right roles  thats just a part of that family culture, she added.


A series of new initiatives in Australia are being put in place with the aim of making locations outside of capital cities more attractive to long term settlement.It is well known that overseas job seekers tend to want to live in the big cities like Sydney and Melbourne but the government is keen to encourage them to think about other parts of the country where just as many opportunities are available.The Government has introduced legislation to establish the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), a centrepiece of the White Paper on Developing Northern Australia."With 40% of Australia's land mass but only around 5% of our population, the potential for economic growth in our north is enormous. The NAIF will support this growth and complement private sector investment," said Josh Frydenberg, Resources, Energy and Northern Australia Minister.The NAIF offers loan funding of up to $5 billion to encourage private sector investment in airports, ports, roads, rail, energy, water and communications with the aim of driving growth and attracting more people.Frydenberg said Northern Australia has been hampered by the difficulties of attracting long term investment. Under the new approach, the Commonwealth will partner with the private sector and the governments of Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory to provide funds at concessional terms for major projects.Some 40 projects valued at $21 billion have already been identified as potentially worth funding through the facility. The focus is likely to be on building roads, developing water resources and building a sustainable workforce.Recently appointed Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan, wants to create a kind of Brisbane line in reverse. "I want an Australia where people want to move to north of the Tropic of Capricorn so they too can benefit from the huge opportunities that are here," he said."Doing this is important for our whole nation, not just the north. Further growth and development in Northern Australia will help grow the national economy as a whole, and take pressure off our congested capital cities," he added.
All new two-wheelers need to comply with BS-IV norms from April 1, while existing models have received a target date of one year to complete the update.

Royal Enfield launched its much-awaited Himalayan adventure tourer recently, but enthusiasts in the national capital will not be able to purchase this latest offering as the Delhi government has banned registrations of all non BS-IV compliant two-wheelers in the city.

Speaking to our sister publication Autocar Professional on the sidelines of the Himalayans launch, Rudratej Singh, president, Royal Enfield, said: The Delhi government wants BS-IV to be implemented immediately which is why it is not registering any new BS-III vehicles. Delhi is a big market for us and we are working on making the motorcycle BS-IV compliant. But this is the case only in Delhi right now and there is no such concern from any other region.



Until now, BS-III norms were applicable on two-wheelers, while BS-III and BS-IV norms were applicable on passenger vehicles across the country. However, from April 1, 2016, all new models of two-wheelers will need to comply with BS-IV norms, while existing models launched until March 31, 2016 need to upgrade to BS-IV by April 1, 2017.

BS-IV norms were initially introduced in 13 cities in April 2010, which was further expanded to 50 by March 2015, with the norms slated to be applicable across the country by April 2017.

Nevertheless, Royal Enfield has clarified that the Himalayan will be BS-IV compliant well before the April 2017 deadline, along with all other RE models. Even as two-wheelers were exempted from the recent odd-even scheme in Delhi, the ban on registrations has come as a strong jolt for other manufacturers as well. It is understood that the recently launched Bajaj V15 commuter motorcycle and new Suzuki Access scooter all fall under this ban, due to pending approvals by the transport authority. Interestingly, there has not been any official order by the Delhi government on banning registrations, and the industry is seeking approval for registration of BS-III two-wheelers while BS-IV is notified.

Shourya Harwani (Autocar Professional)
H-D dealerships have been supplied with a 2016 Sportster 883 Iron, which has been chosen as the platform for this year's competition. Unlike similar dealer competitions organized by other manufacturers, Harley's Battle of the Kings relies solely on parts sourced from the official aftermarket parts catalog.The number of dealers involved in this contest is huge, as it appears that all the dealers who wanted to take part in this neat contest were admitted. For size, Italy alone has 40 dealers that entered the Battle of the Kings competition, and it looks like H-D retailers in the rest of the European countries are in this too.The new Sportster 883 Iron arrived in Europe in December 2015 and is one of the popular Harley models, partly because of its accessibility, both technical and financial, partly because of its sober, darkened looks.The Iron is powered by an 883cc air-cooled Evolution v-twin, and comes with a low seat height of only 775mm that makes it a very convenient choice for shorter riders, too. Likewise, thanks to its moderate dimensions and weight (256 kg in running order), the Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 has always been one of the bikes of choice for riding ladies.The new Iron boasts a darkened attire, with the frame, wheels and engine painted black, and lacking the usual lush chrome details that are traditionally associated with the MoCo bikes.Bikes entered in the Battle of the Kings must be customized using whatever assortment of parts their creators think suitable. These parts must be original Harley items picked from the maker's extensive aftermarket catalog. New paint is allowed, but no parts fabrication will be tolerated, and no hacking or sawing must be involved in building these bikes.While the creativity is somewhat limited by these rules, the Battle of the Kings is a great way to find out how cool the Sportster 883 Iron can look using only parts from the Harley catalog. Check out your country's section on the Harley-Davidson website to see the bikes.
The modern vehicles aren't necessarily any better than other scooters out there, but even though others have slightly copied its design, there's still nothing that even begins to compare to the original. It's one of those brands where you can't use reason to explain why it's got the success it has - it's something you have to feel with your heart.And the best way to do this is during a warm summer night when you're cruising through an Italian town with a girl you just met having no idea where you're going, but enjoying every passing mile and every flying second. I'm sorry, Honda or Yamaha, I know you probably make better machines than the Piaggio-built Vespa, but you can't get that on one of your scooters.However, it's this love for their Vespas that the Italians have that's turning their streets into loud and polluted places at rush-hour, making all the magic we've been talking about up to this point seem irrelevant. But you can't just scrap a Vespa, just like you can't willingly chop off your right arm. And yet, sometimes they need to go.A Spanish studio (the irony, right?) called Bel & Bel is gathering old Vespa scooters and transforming them into something else. By taking as many parts as possible from the decommissioned Vespas, Bel & Bel handcrafts them into these wonderful swivel chairs. In spite of the retro design, these pieces of furniture come with all the modern amenities you'd expect, including a reclining function or a hydraulic piston for height adjustment. The upholstery is faux leather, so it's more durable and easier to care for.At this moment, you're looking at the pictures and are starting to get a little worried: they look great, but just how expensive is one of these? Well, you're going to have to ask, so if you're really interested you can head over to the Bel & Bel website . The studio says that the chairs can be customized to clients wishes, which is the kind of feature associated with premium products. We have a hunch that they're pretty expensive, so you might be better off just buying an actual scooter if owning a Vespa is what you're after. But don't tell Bel & Bel we said that.
That's very nice of them. With most of us just coming out of winter and still a long time away from enjoying truly warm weather, this is the closest we'll get to a heat-stroke, even if it's just a virtual one. And they've also given us an enjoyable companion - or, at least, that's what she seems at first.Despite this being a 360 degrees video, I kept the camera focused on the car's commands. My eyes barely left the steering wheel and the left-side footwell, and not for the reasons you're probably thinking of. It's just a professional habit, but whenever I get in the car with someone new, I analyze his or her driving technique. Usually, it only takes a minute or two to realize whether I should relax or be on my toes.With the girl with the wavy hair and polka-dotted skirt driving a smart fortwo cabrio with the virtual me in it, it took less than fifteen seconds. First of all, she's just too relaxed with taking her hands off the wheel. We may be going slow, but somebody who does that at 20 mph is more likely to do it at higher speeds as well.Of course, I realize she's an actor chosen for this gig based on different reasons than her great driving abilities, and she's also driving a stick, so there's that in her favor too, but she's not doing a terrifically good job of it. For one thing, you don't hover your left foot over the clutch pedal at all times. It's more a case of going in, doing the job, and getting the hell out of there, resting your foot on the "fourth" pedal on the left. She's also pressing the clutch when she's turning and before she starts to brake, which is a big no-no.But the worst part happens around the 30-second mark. Forget about the fact that she rarely keeps her hands on the wheel correctly, just watch how she steers right. OK, lady, stop, I've had enough, I'd like to get out now. Who turns the wheel like that? I mean, apart from 70-year-old truckers, who else does that? I believe somebody told her about that during previous takes, because she seems to suddenly remember she's not supposed to do that so she tries to mask it with an artistic finger movement. You know, like gymnasts do when losing balance on the beam ("what are you talking about, I meant to do that, it was part of the program"). But you're not fooling us, sweetie.Oh, and try to count how many times she says "cool" during the 120 seconds of the video. I would have done it myself, but I got out after that disastrous right-hand turn, remember?
Now, the mesmerizing and not-fully-understood world of rat-rodded bikes and cars is the place where we can expect to find such unbridled approaches to pretty much any solution. Less focused on function and emphasizing the form, rat designs often turn out to be way cooler than their "civilized" counterparts.The exhaust we're talking about is loaded on a car, but there's absolutely nothing preventing installing one on a ratted bike. As long as the overall theme of such a bike is related, even remotely, to the desert (and most are), the lizard/dragon is good to go.The owner of this car opted to endow the dragon with fire-breathing capabilities. Observe the spark plug implanted in the chest and the live wire that powers it; it appears that the plug is fired to ignite whatever unburned fuel escapes down the exhaust, and thus make the dragon spit fire.On a motorcycle, we'd also add a hinged tongue that moves under the force of the exhaust gasses, flaming or not. Its rattle would add to the tonal presence of the bike and make everything even more spectacular.Perhaps it would take us some time to get used to avoiding the hot metal dragon when getting off the bike, but after the first two or three times you burn your trousers and legs, we'd say that respect for the fire-breathing beast comes naturally.
Photo courtesy of MBUSA.

Mercedes-Benz USA has released the first rendering of its new Atlanta-area headquarters in Sandy Springs, Ga.

The company plans to break ground in the spring and complete the new facility in early 2018. The company moved into a temporary facility in July after moving from New Jersey.

The 225,000-square-foot headquarters will be located on a 12-acre campus at the south side of the 76-acre property formerly owned by Glenridge Hall. The four-story building will contain "innovative architectural elements designed to provide a performance-oriented and collaborative environment," according to Mercedes-Benz.
A big breakfast and lunch are in store for The Weekender as the SocialFlight calendar gets more fly-in activity.Big South Fork Airpark will host its Oyster Roast Fly-In on Saturday in Tennessee. All residents and guests are invited to celebrate spring at the welcome center and enjoyfresh oysters, grill items, cool drinks and live music. Be sure to make a reservation for the oyster roast.Hebron Airport in Nebraska will host an all-day fly-in with an early breakfast, an FAA safety seminar on IFR charts for VFR pilots, an aerobatics seminar and a flight demonstration, followed by Young Eagles flights in the afternoon.

EAAChapter 237 in Blaine, Minnesota, will host asouthern-style breakfast social onSaturday with biscuits and gravy, sausage, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, coffee and orange juice. The chapter will use funds for Young Eagles, educational programs and other needs.Blackwater Airfield in Munson, Florida, will host a fly-in benefitSaturday and SundayforVet Jets, which provides flights to injured veterans. The event starts with breakfast, runs through lunch and will feature a sweet potato drop. Camping is available under-wing or at the nearby lake. For more on this weekends events, visit SocialFlight.
17 March 2016 12:44 (UTC+04:00)

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijans Armed Forces can defeat the Armenian troops not only in the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh, but also destroy any object in the territory of Armenia.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated about this in a statement issued as a response to the article issued by Russia's Military-Industrial Courier newspaper on March 9.

Facts and figures cited in this article are outdated. Azerbaijan, within a short period, took steps to upgrade weapons and equipment with more modern, high-precision and destructive ones, and this process gains momentum. The authors reasoning is often misplaced; it does not reflect the current situation and the processes in the region in reality, the ministry stressed.

Azerbaijan has enough power and strength to fight against the criminal units, consisting of occupants and separatists, according to the defense ministry.

The Defense Ministry reminded that Azerbaijan pursues peace policy and respects the international norms. That is the reason why the country does not launch active hostilities with Armenia.

Azerbaijan, which is in war with neighboring Armenia over the latter's territorial claims during more than 20 years, keeps in focus the armament, working closely with leading companies and firms in various fields of military industry.

The country purchased numerous weapons from foreign countries including Turkey, Russia and Israel, to modernize and upgrade its armed forces, and signed military contracts with over 20 countries, which envisage a large-scale weapons supply.

Azerbaijan also regularly holds military drills to check the training level and fighting capability of the army.

The country leaves behind the CIS and regional countries to take its place among the first 70 strongest militaries of the world, according to the US-based Global Firepower survey center. The survey center has ranked the Azerbaijani army as 64 of 126 in the list of world's strongest armies with a GFP Power Index rating of 1.5221.

Although Baku stand for peaceful resolution of the conflict, the country strengthens its military arsenal to prevent all possible provocative attempts of Armenia that created an unrecognized regime at the occupied territory of Azerbaijan as a result of conflict that evolved in 1988.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 1994, but long-standing efforts by U.S., Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on its pullout from the neighboring country's territories.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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17 March 2016 18:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Nazrin Gadimova

A chauvinism movement seems to proper Armenia as anti-Russian language hysterics gains momentum in the country.

After the CSTO Councils meeting in Yerevan the Armenian officials expressed their dissatisfaction with speeches made in Russian without interpretation in the state language.

Given that the Russian is the official language of the CSTO, all these statements seem to be extremely ridiculous and absurd. Moreover, in order to allow Armenian nationalists to unburden their hearts, numerous reports have emphasized that the event will be held in Russian.

The state officials sharply criticized Eduard Sharmazanov, deputy chair of the parliament, who represented Armenia at the above-mentioned meeting for making his speeches in Russian. In response to criticism, Sharmazanov stressed that the CSTO events differ from bilateral meetings.

However, Sharmazanovs excuses did not satisfy stubborn Armenian officials.

Tevan Poghosyan, a member of Heritage faction, could not hide his nationalist stance, demanding to insist upon the simultaneous translation into Armenian, while the Armenian MPs were obliged to make statements in Armenian during the meeting.

Armenia is mono-ethnic country where chauvinism and nationalism transmitted from mother's milk.

Armenian intolerance is well known far beyond its borders. Even Russia, its great-power ally, which have repeatedly faced with the Armenian harassment.

Fighting use of Russian language has intensified in Armenia, even gaining an aggressive tone with each passing year. Opponents to use of the Russian, apparently, believe that getting rid of the Russian language will help them to get free from dependence on the big brother.

The Russian language was not treated very well in this country even during the Soviet period. It is not surprising that after the collapse in 1991, Armenia began crusade against the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia.

After some time, Moscow has brought these nationalists back to earth. Thus, in 2002, immediately after official meetings, Armenia was forced to open Russian-speaking school sectors.

However, these classes seemed to pose a hazard to national identity of the 'great' nation, pushing Armenians to forbid their children to study in the Russian-speaking schools.

What is interesting is tolerant Armenia with a population of 2.9 million people is home to only 5,000 ethnic Russians and this figure is greatly exaggerated.

In 2014, Armenia and Russia witnessed a row that took place during the meeting of the Armenian-Russian parliamentary friendship club. Dmitry Kiselyov, director general of the Russia Today news agency, accused Armenia of suppressing the Russian culture.

"There are no Russian schools in Yerevan, Russian culture is secondary and this is too dangerous," Kiselyov stressed.

These statements provoked a strong reaction of the Armenian establishment  everyone was trying to accuse him of unfair treatment with Armenia.

Now similar accusations rained on Sharmazanov, who dared to speak Russian at the meeting of the CSTO Council.

It is noteworthy that no other member of the CSTO than Armenia holds such a disaffection with regard to the Russian language. Noteworthy, all of these countries are more developed and economically stronger than Armenia, which is dramatically concerned on preservation of national identity.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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17 March 2016 11:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Aynur Karimova

Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement on withdrawal of the armed forces from Syria is seen as a pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to reach a political settlement to the country's civil war and raises prospects for a U.S.-Russian deal to accomplish that.

Putin said on March 14 that he has instructed his armed forces to start pulling out of Syria, over five months after he ordered the launch of a military operation that shored up his ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Reuters reported.

Putin, at a meeting in the Kremlin with his defense and foreign ministers, said Russian military forces in Syria had largely fulfilled their objectives and ordered an intensification of Russia's diplomatic efforts to broker a peace deal in the country.



But the Russian leader signaled Moscow would keep a military presence: he did not give a deadline for the completion of the withdrawal and said Russian forces would stay on at the port of Tartous and at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria's Latakia province.

Nikolai Pankov, the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia, said Moscow would continue military operations against the Islamic State and another terror group linked to al-Qaeda. The forces remaining in Syria have a task to continue striking terrorist targets, the Associated Press reported.

The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura called Russia's such a move a significant development that would propel the UN-led peace talks in Geneva, which was resumed on March 14, in which members of the Syrian regime and opposition are meeting indirectly through a mediator to try to forge a path to peace and to resolve the five-year civil war in the country.

As a result of the Syrian crisis, more than 270,000 people have been killed, more than a million migrants have made the dangerous voyage to Europe, leading to an international humanitarian crisis. In general, 4.6 million Syrians are refugees, and 6.6 million are displaced within the country.

Syria's government reported that is was not surprised with Russia's decision to withdraw "as the decision was made in coordination and consultation with us."

The country's main opposition group, the High Negotiations Committee, also welcomed the Russian withdrawal. The group believes that if Russia is serious about pulling out from Syria, it will be an end to crimes in Syria and "will help us to put an end to terrorism there in Syria."

However, the U.S. is cautious on Russia's withdrawing from Syria. "We're going to judge Russia by its actions  not its words," State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

The positions of Russia and the U.S. clashed in the Syria crisis: Russia strongly supported its long-time ally Assad, while the U.S. has called for Assad to step aside and backed rebels trying to force him out. Now, Russia's decision to withdraw from Syria is believed to make Moscow and Washington closer to finding a diplomatic compromise in this issue.

Experts believe that if earlier Assad showed little interest in making any compromises to end a war that marked its fifth anniversary on March 15, after the removal of the Russian troops from Syria, Assad will be forced to make concessions in negotiations.

Russian air strikes against the rebel groups in Syria, which began in September 2015, have helped Assad remain in power and turned the tide of the war in his favor, while prior to Russia's increased military involvement, Assad was losing territory to the insurgents.

The Russians had deployed about 50 aircraft and several thousand ground advisers and other support troops for Assads forces in Syria.

Putin apparently decided not to keep his military in place to deal a final blow to Assad's opposition, which could take time and would be very costly at a time when the Russian economy is in recession because of falling prices for its huge oil exports.

Experts believe that Putin has achieved its goal in Syria: he intervened to prop up the regime, to get Assad in a position to negotiate.

After Putin's such a statement, a question arose why Russia, a country facing international sanctions imposed on it due to the Ukraine crisis and not winning many friends for supporting the Assad regime, had effectively abandoned its long-standing ally.

Putin had a number of motives for making the announcement, according to the experts. The main factor was Russia's desire to improve its negative image on the global stage.

Also, Russia seeks improved relations with its allies, in particular with its major trading partner, the EU.

Putin's other goal in Syria is to win a seat at the negotiating table and have a chance to press its interests in any final peace deal as Moscow eyes to be recognized as a pivotal player in the Middle East and a global power equal to the U.S.

Thus, Russia's decision to withdraw from Syria will likely improve Moscow's relations with the world, which was worsened after the Ukraine crisis.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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17 March 2016 18:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Aynur Karimova

Lifting sanctions in fact opened large opportunities for the resource-rich Islamic state to push forward its long stagnated industry. Intensified visits to Tehran in an effort to find a deserved place in the perspective Iranian market are reality of the past few months. But could Russia really become the favorite partners in the oil and gas industry of Iran is now debated by experts unambiguously.

Iran and Russia have recently voiced their intention to develop all-out cooperation in the energy sector - from swapping oil and gas to involving Russian companies in the development of Iran's oil and gas fields.

The removal of the international sanctions on Iran and the recent improvement of Tehrans relations with the Western countries have tackled the competition among the energy companies for the vast Iranian market. Russia is among these states.

Russian companies are keen on participating in the development of oil and gas fields in Iran and eye projects for increasing Iranian oilfields recovery rate.

After the 5+1 agreement with Iran and lifting of sanctions over the Islamic Republic's energy sector, Iran officially invited all foreign companies to invest in the country's oil and natural gas, LNG, petrochemical sectors.

Gazprom, Lukoil and other Russia companies were active in Iran as well.

Energy analyst Omid Shokri Kalehsar said that after 5+1 agreement, the CEO of Lukoil has announced that Lukoil is to reopen it office in Tehran.

"Gazprom is also ready to get back Iran giant South Pars filed. Russia firms are also active in Iran nuclear sector. And Iran is planning to made agreement with Rosatom to build new nuclear power plant in Iran," he told Azernews.

Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh expressed his country's interest in intensifying energy cooperation with Russia in the post-sanctions era. Such a statement was made at a meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Tehran on March 14.

Novak, who addressed the journalists after the meeting with Zanganeh said that Iran has right to be exempted from crude output cuts to stabilize the market "with an aim to remedy the losses inflicted on its economy from international sanctions."

"Since Irans production decreased under sanctions, we totally understand Irans position to increase production and revive its share in the global markets, he noted.

Energy ministers of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Qatar agreed to freeze the oil output after the negotiations in Doha on February 16. They decided to stabilize oil output at the level of January 11, if other major exporters follow the suit.

Such a decision was aimed at dealing with decreasing oil prices and relieving the glut on the world oil market. Kuwait and UAE also joined this deal.

James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, believes that believes that the Islamic Republic has made clear that it will not subject itself to quotas "as such it is likely to win market share if others voluntarily cut production."

Kalehsar, in turn, noted that Irans first priority is to recover its oil production capacity at the level of before sanctions.

"Before the EU and the U.S. imposed economic sanctions on Iran, the Islamic Republic produced some 4.5 million barrels of oil per day and now, the country is planning to produce such amount of oil in a short term. Iran does not care more about oil prices. Iran expects from OPEC and non-OPEC members to free oil production, but allow Iran to produce more oil and recover its oil production capacity," he noted.

The Islamic Republic, after the removal of international sanctions, is planning to take its rightful share in the world energy market, primarily as a major natural-gas exporter.

Iran with the worlds second largest gas reserves and the fourth largest oil deposits, has already declared its readiness to re-enter the global oil and gas market. Tehran is looking for markets to target, and Europe is interested in Iranian gas as the primary objective of the EU is the diversification of energy resources and decrease of gas dependence on Russia.

One can expect that the relations between Tehran and Moscow will worsen if Europe replaces Russian gas to Iranian blue fuel.

However, Dorsey believes that Russia will have to balance its differences with Iran over energy with its other interests in the region that involve Iran such as Syria.

"As a result, it is unlikely to put those other interests at risk," he said.

Kalehsar, in turn, said that exporting natural gas to the European consumers is Iran's long term plan as Iran needs about 6 billion euros of investment for construction of relevant pipeline.

"It is clear that the EU energy demand is decreasing, and the EU is planning to import LNG from the U.S. to decrease its dependency on Russia gas. Sooner or later Iran will export gas to the EU as Iran needs market for its gas. Iran is also planning to use Oman LNG facilities to produce LNG in Oman and export it to the EU," he stated.

Tehran has been considering various destinations for diversifying energy supply routes and transporting its natural gas to Europe.

Ukraine, which has energy refining and export infrastructure, could take a significant share on the Iranian market by meeting the needs of a post-sanctions Iran.

Also, Ukraine's potential to transit Iranian blue fuel to Europe, is the most important factor for Iran, which has been working to figure out ways to enter the European gas market.

Commenting on the affect of such a transit operation to Tehran's ties with Moscow, Dorsey said Russia realizes that Iran makes a point of acting in its own interest and not easily buckling down to pressure.

"Russia needs Iran as much as Iran needs Russia. As a result, oil exports to Ukraine are not going to make Moscow happy but unlikely to create a breaking point. Moreover, Russia realizes that Ukraine will no longer accept dependency on Russia," he added.

Kalehsar, however, is pessimistic on the possibility of this transit.

"The main question is in which pipeline Iran can export gas or other fuels to Ukraine. Iran has to build pipeline but due to the Ukraine's security and stability problem, I am not sure that foreign companies will invest in such projects," he said.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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17 March 2016 10:35 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Ankara has once again showed how solid is the foundation of the two peoples friendship, fraternity and strategic partnership.

Novruz Mammadov, Azerbaijani presidential administrations deputy head, chief of the administrations foreign relations department, made the remark speaking to reporters in Baku on March 16.

Mammadov said the talks and meetings held during the visit, as well as the documents signed, and the visits results demonstrated that the two countries, the two peoples are one nation, two states, as said by Azerbaijans national leader Heydar Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev paid a working visit to Turkey on March 15 immediately after deadly attacks on Ankara. Here the president joined the fifth meeting of the Turkey-Azerbaijan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council that was scheduled to be held in Baku, but was cancelled due to the Ankara terror attack.

The speeches made and the documents signed during the visit showed that these states, these peoples are always together and will be together in all the processes taking place in the world, both at hard and successful times, said Mammadov. Turkish media too reacted to this visit that way.

Turkish media hailed mutual support between Baku and Ankara, and underlined the importance of documents signed by the two countries and the statements made by the heads of state. Some of the article headlines read President Ilham Aliyev comes to Turkey for a historic summit, Great support for Turkey and Brotherly support.

Mammadov further noted that the speeches made by the two countries presidents showed the essence of the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

This is a solid basis for our history, our countries and our future, and we must continue our relations on this basis, added Mammadov.

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17 March 2016 13:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Nazrin Gadimova

Establishing contacts and dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region is an important key in the conflict settlement.

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov made the remark as part of meeting with visiting Herbert Salber, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus.

Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan for the resolution of the conflict and changing the current status-quo, which is unsustainable and unacceptable for Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov believes.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict evolved in 1988 as a result of Armenian aggressive policy towards neighboring Azerbaijan. As a result of a bloody war, Armenia occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories.

The Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly expressed concern over the delayed conflict resolution process, with some of them proposing to make substantial changes in the format of the mediating Minsk Group.

However, despite the concerns and efforts of foreign governments and international organizations Armenia does not give up its non-constructive position. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four binding resolutions on its pullout from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.

EU can contribute to settle conflict

Herbert Salber believes that the European Union can contribute to the settlement of long lasting conflict. A new agreement on bilateral partnership will cover all aspects of EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, EU special representative for the South Caucasus said in his interview to the local media.

At the same time, Salber stressed that settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be achieved only with the participation of both parties in this process.

The international community can make proposals to resolve the conflict, but the parties to the conflict should make the choice by themselves. Negotiations to resolve the conflict have been continuing for more than 20 years, many ways have been proposed to resolve it, and the matter depends on the choice of the parties, he said.

Good opportunities for further expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU opened after Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy visited Azerbaijan, according to Salber.

Mogherini, who visited Azerbaijan on February 29, believes that a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in accordance with the international law, remains a top EU priority.

The EU, which is not directly involved in the conflict resolution, has repeatedly stated that the status quo is unacceptable and supports diplomatic settlement of the conflict within the framework of the Minsk Group. The peace talks have been largely fruitless so far despite the efforts of the MG co-chairing countries over 20 years.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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17 March 2016 17:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Baku will send a protest letter to Belgiums executive and legislative bodies over an illegal visit of Belgian MPs to Azerbaijans territories occupied by Armenia.

Hikmet Hajiyev, Spokesman for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made the remark while talking to Trend.

Some members of a group of MPs from the local legislative body of Belgiums Flemish region, who illegally visited Azerbaijans occupied territories, are known for their radical views both in Belgium and beyond, Hajiyev said, stressing that some of them stand out with a position promoting hatred on ethnic and religious grounds.

The spokesperson said that by visiting the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, these people support the unrecognized regime created here as a result of Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan and the bloody ethnic cleansing.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by the U.S., Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

Hajiyev further added that those Belgian MPs will be included in the list of persona non grata of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

This visit was organized by the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy and federations head Kaspar Karapetyan personally accompanied the Belgian MPs during their visit to the occupied lands.

With such provocative actions, Armenian diaspora circles try to impede the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the international law, as well as restoration of peace and stability in the region, he said.

Baku has repeatedly announced that it will not tolerate the violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in particular through engaging in and/or facilitating by whatever ways and means illegal activities in the occupied territories.

Under the Azerbaijani legislation, any illegal activity in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan can be cause for a prosecution. Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied regions of Azerbaijan are considered illegal and individuals who pay such visits are included in the ministrys black list.

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17 March 2016 17:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

ADA University, one of the prestigious universities of Azerbaijan, hosted "Climate change and global warming lecture as part of Global Perspectives Lecture Series on March 16.

The event was attended by Azerbaijan's first lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Founder and Head of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva, president of Azerbaijan Engineering Academy, Rector of National Aviation Academy, Academician Arif Pashayev, MPs, foreign ambassadors and students of ADA University and other universities of the country.

In his remarks, rector of ADA University, Azerbaijani deputy FM Hafiz Pashayev highlighted the importance of the topic, saying that Global warming is considered to be a priority area of concern for all countries.

He said ADA University also attaches particular importance to this topic, adding that extensive researches are being carried out by the university`s center for environmental and energy issues.

Pashayev provided an insight into the activities of ADA University, saying the institution is actively involved in tree-planting and other environmental campaigns.

Well-known space researcher, professor at ADA University Roald Sagdeev gave a lecture on climate change and global warming.

He hailed the Paris summit on climate change, which was successfully held last December, but said the summit did not guarantee complete fulfillment of the goals to prevent global warming.

He noted that global warming created certain difficulties for global civilization, emphasizing the necessity of reducing carbon emissions.

Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyngulu Baghirov noted that the Azerbaijani government fully complies with its obligations of international organizations.



He noted that significant work was done to protect the environment during the tenure of national leader Heydar Aliyev, adding that this environmental policy is being successfully continued by President Ilham Aliyev.



The minister hailed environmental projects realized in Azerbaijan with the support of IDEA Public Union and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

Leyla Aliyeva, for her part, said the IDEA has implemented a number of projects aimed at protecting the nature and environment.



Founder and Head of IDEA Public Union noted that man and nature are the most valuable things that the mankind has.

"Nature does not wait. We must do it now." said Aliyeva, expressing confidence that everyone can contribute to saving the environment.

Roald Sagdeev then responded to participants' questions.

President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva also asked him a question: "Mr. Sagdeev, do you think there is a common platform through which we can prevent threats faced by the entire planet? Do you think it is possible to develop any ethical mechanisms in fighting against this threat and other challenges facing humanity today? Or this is just a beautiful, utopian idea?"

Roald Sagdeev said that this is a very deep issue.

Perhaps the answers of optimists and pessimists will be different here. I even heard such an idea that when it comes to this issue it is even impossible to convince audience, the majority of people based on scientific and practical arguments. Maybe we will need something like the ecological religion, religion of the land and nature to save mankind, he emphasized.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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17 March 2016 23:38 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan`s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva met with spouses of the heads of diplomatic missions in Baku on the eve of Novruz holiday on March 17, Azertac state news agency reported.

Mrs.Aliyeva said she was delighted to meet with the spouses of the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan.

The wife of the Pakistani Ambassador, Chairperson of the Organization of Spouses of Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Asima Qaiser, highlighted the activity of the organization.

Qaiser spoke about the projects implemented under the leadership of the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, hailing the first lady`s activity as excellent. She thanked Azerbaijan`s first lady and proposed holding such meetings on a regular basis.

Mrs. Aliyeva said the heads of diplomatic missions and their spouses contributed to the strengthening of relations among countries. She said this meeting is a good opportunity for discussing cooperation prospects.

Spouse of the Dutch Ambassador Ursula Cehner provided an insight into the charity projects of the organization.

Mehriban Aliyeva stressed the importance of expanding work on this front. The first lady said she was ready to support the projects of the Organization of Spouses of Heads of Diplomatic Missions.

They then had a joint tea party. The spouses of the heads of diplomatic missions were presented with Novruz gifts.
17 March 2016 10:12 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani start-up joined Seedstars World held in Lozanna, Switzerland, as a winner of qualifying round of the competition which took place last year in Azerbaijan with the support of Azercell Telecom and organizational support of Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. 12 star-ups out of 60 were able to qualify for the final round to compete for USD 500 thousand in investment. Although start-ups from South South Africa, Australia and Morocco became the winners of the competition, the start-up project representing our country caught great interest.

Azerbaijan joined the competition with the project Dronee, which is a drone, customizable aircraft vehicle carrying a hardware platform. Developers can easily use the drone for own purposes by choosing relevant hardware (mobile multimode camera, air censor, thermal camera, 4G modem etc.) and applications and entering the codes.

Seedstars World is the global competition to identify talented youth in emerging and fast-growing start-up market. The competition aims to provide support for entrepreneurs in emerging countries. While Seedstars World covered 36 countries last year, now there are 60 countries participating in this competition. It drew the attention of entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley (center for hi-tech companies in California, US) and Western Europe. Previous participants of the competition were able to create over 360 jobs and attract some USD 20 million as investment. Having MEST, Google for entrepreneurs and Microsoft as its partners, Seedstars World provides platform for innovative start-ups and supports regional business.

Azercell Teecom LLC, leading mobile operator in Azerbaijan, collaborates with Swiss company of Seedstars in the World Start-up Competition. Imran Baghirov, head of Strategic Partnership and Customer Channel Management Department, recently appointed a Seedstars World ambassador, underlined the importance of global integration in the process of digital ecosystem development in Azerbaijan. While sharing his impression about the event, he stated that considering the innovative and great business potential of the young in Azerbaijan, it is a reasonable strategy to increase the role of start-ups in national economy by creating favorable conditions for them. Currently, there is a severe struggle going on for innovative minds and business ideas in the world, and we, as a part of this struggle, need to work hard to apply innovation and encourage international investors to invest in our country. "Rivalry between the countries over the next period will be on science and innovation. Imran Bagirov added.

Barama Innovation Center was founded in 2009 by Azercell with the purpose of supporting entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan. The Center generally supports the projects in information technologies and start-ups operating in this industry. Barama Center has made a number of achievements during six years of its activity. More than 30 projects were launched at the center and 20 of them completed successfully. 4 companies have been established and successfully run operations. Barama has upgraded its activities since 2014 to grow as professional business incubator and was introduced to the public with the name Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center

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17 March 2016 13:32 (UTC+04:00)

Road and Traffic 2016, the 6th Caspian International Road Infrastructure and Public Transport Exhibition, will be held at Baku Expo Center on May 11-13.

Road&Traffic is the regions leading trade event bringing together professionals in road and tunnel planning and construction, road safety, public transport and Intelligent transport system. Road and Traffic 2016 is organised by Iteca Caspian and its partner ITE Group.

Azerbaijani and international companies exhibiting at Road&Traffic 2016 will present services in planning and construction of roads, bridges, and tunnels, road construction equipment and materials, road safety devices, road marking equipment, road monitors, software for planning road infrastructure, smart transport management systems, buses and much more.

Road&Traffic 2016 provides the ideal conditions for meeting directors and professionals from leading road construction companies in the region, the opportunity to share experience and assess the market, close contracts and invest in Azerbaijans road construction market.

Since its inception, the exhibition has received official support from the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The exhibition also receives support from the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) and the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organisations of the Azerbaijan Republic (ASK). Road&Traffic will take place alongside TransCaspian 2016, the 15th Anniversary Transport, Transit and Logistics Exhibition, and CIBS 2016, the 3rd Caspian International Boat and Yacht Show.

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18 March 2016 12:56 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan has turned into an attractive country for investors over the past decade and now famous Swiss company SIKA joined the list of the foreign companies doing business in the country.

Azerbaijans Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov announced that SIKA has become a resident of the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park, which enjoys huge infrastructure on an area of 295.62 hectares and resides nearby Sumgayit city that is 32.5 km away from Baku.

The Park established in 2011 with aim to accelerate the economic and industrial production development of Azerbaijans non-oil sector has already had five residents and the Swiss company with the initial $5.4 million investment will be another investor contributing for production of competitive products from local raw materials and creating new jobs.

Other five residents are Azertexnolayn LLC, SOCAR Polymer, Azerfloat CJSC, Azerbaijan Fibro Cement Ltd, Baku Non-Ferrous Metals & Ferroalloys Company and SIKA company.

SIKA, established in 1910 and having over 150 factories and plants in 80 countries, will be engaged in the production of raw materials for construction mixtures and finished products.

Sika LLC, a division of Swiss SIKA AG, created a plant for manufacturing concrete mixers in Baku in 2015.

Director of Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park Nazim Talibov noted that the company will build a plant with annual production capacity of 5,000 tons on the parks territory.

General Manager at SIKA Azerbaijan Adem Yayla, for his part, announced that the company plans to start production in the first quarter of 2017.

He told reporters that the plant construction is expected to be completed by late 2016 and start the production of construction mixtures from 2017.

We plan to produce the construction mixtures which are currently imported by the country. Initially, the products will be used for the parks needs (around 300 tons a year) and then for the country. But we plan to start the export of our products within 2017, he emphasized.

He noted that Azerbaijan has great potential not only to meet the domestic demand for construction materials, but also export it to neighboring countries.

Deputy Director of the Industrial Park Zaur Mammadov, in turn, said that Azerbaijan will export the construction materials manufactured by SIKA plant to the neighboring countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Iran.

He noted that currently the Park attracts the attention of many foreign companies.



Companies from Canada, Austria, South Korea, Hungary, Croatia and other countries also show interest in starting production in various spheres such as pharmaceutics, medical and chemical products, construction and so on, said Mammadov.



The Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park chooses its residents based on such criteria as the use of innovative technologies, compliance of technologies with environmental standards and the products should be export-oriented and competitive, according to the deputy director.

In order to increase the investment attractiveness of the park its residents are exempt from paying income, land and property taxes for seven years. Moreover, equipment and technology used in the park are also exempt from value-added tax.

The Azerbaijani government takes serious measures and creates a room for new foreign investors as the national economy is open for all investors that will positively impact the countrys economic potential.

--

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 March 2016 18:46 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan Airlines announced that the company will adjust the schedule of flights due to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to cancel daylight saving time.

AZAL announced that with a view to ensure timely arrivals at destinations, its all international flights will depart/ arrive at the Azerbaijani airports an hour before the time shown on the already purchased air tickets.

The Heydar Aliyev International Airport appeals to all passengers, who have purchased tickets for AZAL's flights that are after March 26, to arrive at the airport for check-in 3 hours before departure time shown on the air ticket.

All departments of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines will operate in intensified work regime to ensure the timely embarking of passengers.

If you have any question, please contact us by calling + (99412) 598-88-80 or *8880*, or write to the e-mail:[email protected]

Azerbaijan Airlines is a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries. AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 25 airplanes, does not have a single old plane.

Being an important member of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council, for its services AZAL received a prestigious "4 Stars" from the leader in air transport research, the world-famous British consulting company Skytrax last June.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 March 2016 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

Azercell Telecom is launching 2 new campaigns with very favorable terms for SimSim (pre-paid) and post-paid subscribers on the occasion of Novruz holiday. For the first time, SimSim subscribers are offered Samsung J1 Ace mobile phone with interest free credit on the eve of the holiday. According to the campaign terms, subscribers can obtain Samsung J1 Ace mobile phone for favorable terms by joining Kombo 8 or Kombo 16 tariff pack.

Thus, subscribers joining Kombo 8 pack will get a chance to get Samsung J1 Ace for the monthly payment of AZN 19 for 18 months while those using Kombo 16 will need to pay AZN 27 monthly for the same period. In order to benefit from the campaign, subscribers should apply to Azercell dealer network, as well as Azercell Express offices from March, 16.

In addition, Azercell has prepared another favorable campaign for all subscribers. Thus, subscribers purchasing Samsung S7 mobile phone in the period of March 18  April 18 will get 5GB internet data for the next 6 months from Azercell. In order to activate the bonus, subscribers need to send 5 to 2525 or dial *100*5#YES. The campaign is valid in Azercell dealer network and Azercell Express offices.

Azercell once again invites you to share this festive mood with your dearest ones!
17 March 2016 11:44 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan will soon host Booktrailer Festival for the first time. The festival aims at promoting books, supporting and developing creative forms of reading, searching talented young people in cinematography and promoting bookrailers as a part of art and business.

The Contest is open to all participants regardless of age. A money prize to award the competition winners was recently established. Thus, the first place will get a prize in the amount of 1000 manats ($604), while the winners of the second and third places 800 manats ($483) and 500 manats ($302), respectively.

The organizing committee of the event has revealed steps that you need to follow to join the contest:

You can join the contest with a booktrailers of one book or a series of books regardless of their date and place of publication; the number of submitted works by one participant is not limited; the copyright is the film owner responsibility;

Booktrailers must not contain material that promotes any ethnic, racial, religious forms of hate, pornographic, any content that violates or encourages the violation of any law, rule or regulation;

The films will not be returned after application;

The Organizing Committee have the right to use the booktrailers to promote the festival through social networks, sites, YouTube, mass media etc., without informing the director and payment .

Booktrailers shall meet the following requirements :

-Participating trailers will be limited to 4 minutes;

- video formats : mpeg4, mpeg, mpg, avi, wmv;

-video can be shot with actors or without actors, as well as animation (cartoons);

- before sending your booktrailer post the logo of the Festival;

- finish your application with the book poster, and the website address of the Festival (www.booktrailer.az);

-booktrailer must not contain any mention of specific brands of goods, trademarks, and commercial organizations and sponsors aside the organizations of the festival

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Chose the book;

2. Create a book trailer by scripting your idea;

3. Shoot the booktrailer;

4. Send the final product;

The deadline for event is April 15, 2016. The winner will be announced on the International Book Day - April 23, 2016!

Conditions of participation and requirements can be found here:

www.booktrailer.az

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BooktrailerFest

For all questions, please contact: [email protected]

Media partners of the event are Trend, Day.az, Milli.az and Azernews.az.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 March 2016 10:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijans state energy giant SOCAR continues to expand its network of filling stations in Romania.

"SOCAR" brand new petrol station was opened on Bucharest-Constanta highway on March 16. It is the 33rd gas filling station opened by SOCAR in Romania, the company reported.

Currently, the companys gas filling stations operate in 16 regions of Romania. The variety of oil products includes A-95 and A-98 gasoline, as well as Diesel "Euro-5" standards and Super Diesel are sold in the companys filling stations.

SOCAR entered the Romanian market by buying local filling stations from Romtranspetrol and re-branding them in 2011. To become one of the most important players in fuel distribution in northeast Romania, SOCAR earlier announced that it will open 100 gas stations here.



The company also a network of gas stations in Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Georgia and Ukraine.

As the only oil producer in Azerbaijan, SOCAR exported 1.23 million tons of oil products in 2015, compared to 1.2 million tons in 2014.

The company has representative offices in Georgia, Turkey, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Britain, Iran, Germany and Ukraine, and trading companies in Switzerland, Singapore, Vietnam, Nigeria, and other countries.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 March 2016 12:18 (UTC+04:00)

By Aynur Karimova

A subsidiary of Canadian Zenith Energy Company will operate an onshore block of oil fields in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijans state energy giant SOCAR and Zenith Aran Oil Company signed an agreement on production sharing, restoration, development and exploration at the Muradkhanli, Jafarli and Zardab oil fields on March 16.

SOCAR reported that the deal was inked by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and Zenith Energy CEO Andrea Cattaneo for a period of 25 years.

The Muradkhanli-Jafarli-Zardab block is located in the oil and gas area of Yevlakh-Agjabedi-Imishli region of Azerbaijan. Remaining recoverable reserves of the block is estimated at 1.8 million tons of oil and 36 million cubic meters of gas.

These fields cover an area of 642.2 square kilometers. Currently, the average daily oil production at these fields is 350 barrels. Small volume of gas is also produced at the fields and is used in economic and industrial activities.

The Zenith Company will hold 80 percent share, while the remaining 20 percent share will be owned by the Azerbaijani side.

Earlier, Zenith Energy LTD opened its regional office in Baku.

SOCAR is involved in exploring oil and gas fields; producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate; marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in the domestic and international markets; and supplying natural gas to the industries and public in Azerbaijan.

SOCAR earlier expressed interest in developing oil fields in Canada. The company has already established certain business relations with Canada, and SOCAR's subsidiary - SOCAR Trading actively operates in this country.

Taking into account that there is great potential for work both in trade and oil industry sectors, SOCAR plans to open a representative office in Calgary. Canada has fields with large stranded oil and gas reserves, and SOCAR can be engaged in developing them.

--

Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
17 March 2016 14:14 (UTC+04:00)

The German embassy suspended its work in Ankara due to the threat of new terror attacks in Turkey, Turkish Kanal7 TV channel reported on March 17.

Meanwhile, the work of the German consulate was also suspended in Istanbul. Germany urged its citizens to leave Turkey due to the threat of new terror attacks in this country.

Earlier, Germanys Federal Foreign Office urged the countrys citizens not to travel to Turkey. Moreover, the Federal Foreign Office recommended the countrys citizens, who are currently in Turkey, to avoid crowded places.

The Turkish Hurriyet newspaper said March 17 that 26-year-old Ozgur Unsal, a Turkish citizen, was one of the March 13 suicide bombers.

A car bomb exploded in Ankara on March 13, near a crowded bus stop. The explosion killed as many as 37 people, 125 more got injured.
17 March 2016 14:29 (UTC+04:00)

Turkeys oppositional Republican Peoples Party (CHP) has demanded that the countrys interior minister, Efkan Ala, resign.

The minister doesnt cope with his responsibilities, CHP claimed in a message March 17.

Earlier, the CHP head Kemal Kilicdaroglu criticized Turkeys Interior Ministry for not being able to find a suitable candidate for the position of minister.

CHP also made suggestions in its message, which, as the party believes, can improve the situation in Turkey.

The suggestions include changing Turkeys foreign policy on the neighboring Arab countries.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
 

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St. Patricks Day at OHennings

What: Orphan Jon and the Abandoned will perform. Corned beef and cabbage dinner offered for $10. When: Food at 4 p.m.; band starts at 5 p.m.

Where: OHennings Bar, 1312 Airport Drive
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) wants the UK to remain part of the European Union (EU), as 71% of its members overwhelmingly endorse staying in Europe.

In June this year, UK voters will decide whether they want to stay in or leave the EU.

Until now, the FDF has remained tactfully silent on the subject, but this week, Ian Wright, its director general, said: I am delighted that our executive committee felt strongly that we should have a clear point of view on the most important issues facing our industry. Few are more important than the EU referendum and our point of view is clear  the UK should remain a member.

But the 71% quoted is not as comprehensive a sway as it might seem  there was only a 50% response rate to the poll. Of those who responded, 17% preferred not to express an opinion, and 12% wanted out of Europe.

Wright said the group completely respected the decision of those who voted no, adding that it did not speak on behalf of any single member company.

Last week, the Food Collaboration Council (FCC) published a report in which it urged the UK to wake up to the enormity of unravelling 43 years of co-negotiated food legislation.

Britains food manufacturing sector would be particularly hard hit in the event of an exit, it said, as it is more heavily dependent on a European workforce with over one-quarter (26.9%) hailing from the EU. It also warned of inevitable rises in food prices, due to a weak pound raising the cost of imports.

The report said: Brits need to stop joking about wine lakes, bent bananas and myths from the EU past, which have been sorted, and get real about security of food supply today and tomorrow.

Last month, a clutch of leading food firms joined nearly 200 business leaders in saying leaving the European Union would threaten jobs and put the UKs economy at risk.
David Brooks, Rosie Glazebrook, Stewart Houston and Paul Williams will serve an initial three year term with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), ending in 2019.

Tim Bennett, chair of the FSA, said: I am delighted to welcome David, Rosie, Stewart and Paul to the FSA board. They will bring a breadth of knowledge and experience that will enhance the FSA board, and I look forward to working with them to continue to protect consumers interests in relation to food.

David Brooks is a non-executive director with The Billington Group and an advisor to the food and beverage team at Grant Thornton UK LLP. He has over 25 years experience in the food industry and was CEO of Finsbury Food Group from 2002 to 2008.

Rosie Glazebrook chairs a research ethics committee, is a non-executive board member of Public Health England and a board member of the Human Tissue Authority.

Stewart Houston is a partner in the family pig business. Stewart was chair of the pork levy board Bpex from 2003-2015 and chair of the National Pig Association. He sits on Defras Animal Health and Welfare Board.

Paul Williams has worked in the international seafood business for more than 20 years, in both the public and private sectors. He was research director and then, for five years until 2015, chief executive of the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish), the UK seafoods industry levy body. Williams is also a board member of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

In January of this year, Michael Wight, head of food safety policy at the FSA, responded to our Reporting In column in the 8 January issue.
Premier Foods has announced the appointment of Jette Andersen as managing director of its International Business Unit.

Reporting directly to Gavin Darby, Premier Foods chief executive, she will help to drive overseas sales growth, which the company said was an increasingly important part of its strategy.

Andersen joins from Orangina Schweppes International, a division of Suntory Food & Beverage Europe, where she held numerous positions. Most recently, she worked as general manager for North Europe, French Territories, the Caribbean and North America.

Darby said: Growing our brands in key international markets such as North America and Australasia is a key part of our growth strategy. Over the last year weve been strengthening our international team, and Im delighted that Jette has joined us at this critical time. Her experience will be invaluable as we seek to expand into new markets.

Premier Foods owns brands including Mr Kipling and Cadbury Cakes and recently reported strong sales in its sweet treats division.
HondaJet Makes Mexico Debut at Aero Expo in Toluca

Greensboro, N.C. - Honda Aircraft Company announced yesterday that the HondaJet has received type certification from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Mexico, the Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC).

The world's most advanced light jet also will make its debut at the 2016 Aero Expo, Mexico's most prominent business aviation event. The trade show is being held at the Toluca International Airport from March 16 to 18 where a production HondaJet will be on static display.

"Receiving aircraft validation in Mexico is an important milestone for Honda Aircraft Company, paving the way for the start of HondaJet deliveries in Mexico," said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. "We are excited to respond to the interests of customers in Mexico, and we will begin with the first delivery in a few weeks."

To provide sales, service and support for customers in Mexico, Honda Aircraft has partnered with Aerolineas Ejecutivas (ALE) - the largest executive aviation company in Mexico. Aerolineas Ejecutivas has been a pioneer in business aviation services since it introduced the first jet for executive charter service. ALE's expansive footprint includes operations in major cities including Toluca and Monterrey.

"It is a tremendous opportunity and a privilege to sell a world-class product like HondaJet that our customers will embrace," said Aerolineas Ejecutivas President Arturo Ortega Olive. "There are several business opportunities for HondaJet in the Mexico business jet market. We are excited to showcase this advanced light jet for the first time at Aero Expo."

The HondaJet incorporates advanced technological innovations that were developed from long-term research activities. The patented Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration, natural laminar flow wing and nose, and composite fuselage deliver a superior combination of speed, comfort and fuel efficiency over other jets in its class.

The HondaJet received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration type certification on Dec. 8, 2015, and the company began deliveries on Dec. 23, 2015. The HondaJet is manufactured at Honda Aircraft Company's world headquarters in Greensboro, N.C.

For more information about the HondaJet, visit HondaJet.com.
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Dalia Giancarlo has a few choice words for people who dont vote.

They better get up and go and vote if they want a better life, Giancarlo said. If not, their fault.

Though Giancarlo was born in Cuba, shes made her life in the United States. She moved to the states with her family when she was four years old. Her father worked in the cigar factories until he started his own cigar making company. When he died, Giancarlo and her mother took over the family business until they sold it about 20 years ago.

The 93-year-old Cuban American woman has voted in every election since she became a naturalized citizen at 21 years old. Nothing was going to stand in the way of her voting during the Primary Tuesday.

I have 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, she said. I want the best for them in their future.

Giancarlo was in the hospital for a week for congestive heart failure. She got out on Saturday, and went straight to the polls on Tuesday  family and her oxygen tank in tow.

And besides, I was feeling pretty good, she said. I was feeling strong and good so I had to vote, I just had to vote.

Giancarlo brought one of her great-grandchildren with her to the polling location. Eight-year-old Caden Thompson-Beckwith was disappointed he couldnt vote himself, but he still got to go inside with his great-grandmother and get an I Voted sticker.

I wanted to vote for Bernie Sanders, Thompson-Beckwith said. His great-grandmother reached over and pretended to wring his neck. A die-hard Hillary Clinton fan, Giancarlo voted for the former Secretary of State.

We all have our differences, Thompson-Beckwith said.Right, thats right darling, Giancarlo said to her great-grandson. Thats why were in the United States.

Giancarlo said she looks forward to casting her vote again in November.
Winter Haven Police are investigating a purse snatching that left a 71-year-old woman with a broken wrist.

The incident is the latest in a rash of occurrences that started with a vehicle stolen from Lakeland on March 9, and has been linked to six other cases.

Police say the latest theft happened on March 15 in the Publix parking lot located at 1350 6th St. NW in Winter Haven.

The victim was headed to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which is directly across the street from the parking lot. Police say the suspect, who was a passenger inside the vehicle with several other men, pretended to need directions to the church, but then snatched the victims purse off her shoulder.

The victim was taken to the Winter Haven Hospital Emergency Room, where she was treated for a broken wrist along with multiple scrapes and contusions.

The suspects vehicle is described as a stolen 2001 gold Jeep Grand Cherokee (FL tag 379MSR). The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a black roof rack and a broken right-side (passenger) brake light. Additionally, the top window brake light does not work, either.



Police urge everyone to be extra diligent in surveying their surroundings before exiting their vehicle. If there is ever a doubt about their safety, drivers should stay inside and lock their car doors. Police say the average age of the victims is older than 65 years.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for the CASH reward of up to $3,000.
Frank Sinatra Jr., who carried on his famous father's legacy with his own music career, and who was scheduled to perform in Daytona Beach and in St. Petersburg this week, has died.

He was 72.



The Sinatra family said in a statement to The Associated Press that Sinatra died unexpectedly Wednesday of cardiac arrest while on tour in Daytona Beach.



The statement said the family mourns the untimely passing of their son, brother, father and uncle. No other details were provided.



Kidnapped and held for ransom when he was 19, Sinatra Jr. had already followed his dad into the music business by then. He eventually worked for his father as his musical director and conductor. He performed the National Anthem at a New York Yankees game last year.

Sinatra Jr. was scheduled to perform Wednesday night at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach and at the Mahaffey Theater on Thursday.



A sign on the door at the Peabody Auditorium alerted ticketholders to the cancelled show. It read Tonight's Sinatra Show has been cancelled. Cash refunds are available from point of purchase. Credit refunds are automatic through Ticketmaster.

A message on the Mahaffey's website read: It is with great sadness that we inform you that Frank Sinatra Jr. passed away Wednesday evening. Refunds for the March 17 performance at The Mahaffey will be issued through the original point of purchase. Please allow up to seven business days for your financial institution to return the funds to your account.


Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media is getting close to wrapping up.



Thursday, the jury saw a video deposition from Hulk Hogan and a commercial spoof he made about Miley Cyrus' famous wrecking ball music video.



The defense is trying to prove that Hogan does not have a problem showing off his body in public.



Hogan says he was in character when he made that promotional video and not as the private person Terry Bollea.



"When I sat down on the wrecking ball, had boas around me, it was not embarrassing to be in character at all," he said.



Hogan's suing Gawker for $100-million for invasion of privacy when the gossip website portioned an excerpt of a sex video with his former best friend's wife.



Closing arguments in the trial are expected to begin Friday morning.



The judge dealt another blow to Gawker when she ruled they could not see the full 30-minute Hogan sex video that they received in an anonymous package.



Defense attorneys wanted the jury to see that Gawker used discretion and only posted nine seconds of sex.
Tampa Police say a suspect was killed early Thursday after he fired a gunshot at officers responding to a domestic disturbance call.

Police say officers responded to a domestic disturbance call on the 3300 block of Cherokee Avenue at around 1:10 a.m. Thursday.



Once on scene, officers spoke to Sunny Chin, 53, who they say who refused to cooperate and pointed a handgun at them.

"The gentleman who lives there came out, he was armed," said Tampa Police spokesperson Steve Hegarty. "[Officers] engaged him in conversation, he pulled the trigger with his weapon, it did not go off. He went back into the house."

Additional officers were dispatched to the house, and officers then tried to communicate with Chin via a PA system. Chin reportedly then challenged officers to come get him.

Later, Chin came out of the house and onto his carport, with a gun tucked into a towel around his waist. Officers approached the suspect while carrying a shield, and ordered him to keep his hands visible and not fire on them.

Chin then reportedly reached for the weapon at his waist and fired one shot, which hit the shield.

"Our officers had a shield up, he hit the shield dead on," said Hegarty.

Officers then returned fire, killing Chin.

Officials say no officers were injured. The woman in the house, Chin's girlfriend, Pasko Bunluan, suffered scrapes and bruises but no major injuries, and is cooperating with the investigation.

She said her relationship with her boyfriend of 18 years has always been rocky. It was no different this morning when she said he was drinking and acting violent.

The officers involved - Corporal Sean Stuart, Corporal Stephen Drabiniak and Officer John Simpkins - will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, as is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.


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Cameron County officials have raided yet another round of illegal, underground gambling operations in the Brownsville area.

On Tuesday night investigators executed a search and seizure at three separate locations in Cameron County. At one stop they reported seizing 36 motherboards from 25 gambling machines. According to officials they had raided that location in the past.

This location was the scene of a reported armed robbery in which patrons were robbed at gunpoint of their winnings and other valuables, a frequent danger when running or soliciting these illegal operations. In that incident robbers allegedly fired a warning shot in the air.

A second bust at separate location netted 26 motherboards and another 19 gambling machines.

A third bust saw officials take custody of 31 motherboards and 23 gambling machines.

RELATED: Take a look at an illegal gambling trailer in Brownsville

There were no arrests made in the raids Tuesday night. All the operations were empty at the time of the raids. Officials have an idea that some of the operations were tipped off that they could be raided. At one location the smell of cigarette smoke was still in the air.

These busts are a part of Operation Bishop, which seeks to stamp out illegal gambling in the community. Operation Bishop kicked off in April 2013 and according to officials they have executed more than 70 raids since.

A large raid in October 2015 uncovered a series of gambling operations set inside re-purposed 18-wheeler trailers.

According to current Texas state law, 8-liners and other businesses that give out cash prizes or gifts valued at five dollars or more are deemed illegal-gambling operations.

Its been speculated that the Brownsville operations could be used by Mexican drug cartels in the area to launder large amounts of illicit cash.
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An East Texas judge resigned Monday following allegations that he sent a woman several sexual text messages while meeting with a judicial conduct board in Austin, according to media reports.

RELATED: Florida man dresses up as Donald Trump's penis outside rally before Tuesday primary elections

Smith County Judge Joel Baker resigned from his position on the State Commission on Judicial Conduct on Monday amid the allegations, the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported.

Baker told the newspaper that his resignation and the allegations were not related.

"My resignation is simply a result of the overwhelming level of stress I've been under," Baker told the newspaper in a letter co-signed with his wife.

RELATED: North Texas school police officer arrested on charges of sexual assault of child

News station KLTV reported that a woman who wished to remain anonymous claims she and Baker exchanged sexual messages during commission hearings in Austin, county work hours and out-of-town conferences paid for by taxpayers.

Baker and the woman also exchanged nude photos, including photos of Baker's genitals, the woman told KLTV.

The woman told the news station that she and Baker had never met, but that he sent her a friend request on Facebook during 2015.

Baker allegedly sent her several sexual messages before she broke up with her boyfriend in October.

"He messaged me and said something along the lines like, 'Hey, how are you? I would love to come drink a glass of wine with you,' is how it started," the woman told KLTV. "That's how our initial contact was."

The woman's friend told her to contact private investigator Tim McLemee, who convinced her to continue the online relationship.

In a Feb. 10 message, Baker told the woman he was in a meeting looking "at complaints about judges"  and proceeded to send her several lewd messages, according to the news station.

"Had Joel Baker simply said 'I am in a very important court hearing, I cannot talk right now. I will contact you after I get off work today,' I would have had the utmost respect for that response," McLemee told the news station.

RELATED: Police: Naked New Mexico woman used heroin, pills and drank whiskey before high-speed chase

Baker told the Tyler Morning Telegraph that the allegations are false.

"Since my re-election campaign in 2014, I have been the target of ridiculous allegations via anonymous blogs," Baker wrote in the letter to the newspaper. "It has been a very difficult time and has caused a tremendous amount of stress for me and for my family, and we desperately wanted to find out who it was who held so much hate that they were determined to destroy our family."

Baker said he went along with the woman, who asked him about a job and then sent him a sexually explicit email.

"I never sent any explicit videos or photos of myself to (the woman) as has been alleged," Baker wrote.

The commission is now investigating Baker, according to KLTV.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports
The College Heights Endoscopy Center in Allentown, Pa., welcomed Representative Charlie Dent (R-PA) for a visit last week.

While at the center, Rep. Dent met with staff and physician partners Sean Lacey, MD, and Robert Sinnott, MD.

Here are five things to know:

1. Rep. Dent is co-sponsoring the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer bill which is an important legislation for GI centers. The bill waives coinsurance for colorectal cancer screening tests to cover 100 percent of the costs under Medicare part B regardless of whether the physician removes tissue in the same clinical encounter.

2. College Heights Endoscopy Center is associated with Gastroenterology Associates and Colon-Rectal Surgery Associates in Allentown, Pa. The center specializes in endoscopic procedures as well as diagnostic testing.

3. There are nine physicians associated with the center who perform colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, peripheral nerve evaluation and upper endoscopy.

4. The surgery center is Medicare-certified and affiliated with AmSurg. AmSurg division vice president, operations Meg Morgan was also at the center during Rep. Dent's tour.

5. The physicians at College Heights Endoscopy Center perform more than 7,000 colonoscopies per year. The CDC estimates if all precancerous polyps identified and removed before becoming cancerous, new colorectal cancer cases could drop 76 percent to 90 percent.

"We had an opportunity to talk about the need for increased colorectal cancer screening, the disparities in reimbursement between HOPD and ASC and the difference in rate increases," said Ms. Morgan, of the center's visit with Rep. Dent.
Here are four recent news updates on key gastroenterology and endoscopy companies.

Exalenz Bioscience is collaborating with the Acute Liver Failure Study Group to study the ability of the BreathID Methacetin Breath Test to predict patient outcome in cases of acute liver failure.

GI Dynamics received the initial results from its pivotal clinical trial of the EndoBarrier therapy.

David N. Gill, CFO of EndoChoice, purchased 5,000 shares of the company in a recent transaction.

Timpani Capital Management raised its stake in Cantel Medical by 1.1 percent.

Intercept Pharmaceuticals developed a new research initiative with the University of Pennsylvania's PennCHOP Microbiome Program to study the effects of obeticholic acid on the microbiome in a number of chronic liver diseases.
House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) unveiled the committee's budget plan for fiscal year 2017 Tuesday, which calls for a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Here are seven of the budget's key proposals related to healthcare.

1. The budget plan achieves $7 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years through a combination of $6.5 trillion in savings coupled with economic growth.

2. The budget calls for the ACA to be fully repealed. "This budget repeals all of Obamacare in order to protect the American people from its harmful taxes and regulations, its perverse incentives that limit job creation and keep wages low, and the limited access to quality, affordable healthcare created by law," the budget states.

3. The budget would transform Medicare into a "premium support model." Under the model, Medicare recipients could remain in "traditional Medicare" or receive premium support to purchase a private Medicare plan.

4. The plan would reduce Medicare spending by $449 billion over 10 years.

5. Along with repealing Medicaid expansion under the ACA, the budget proposal calls for transforming Medicaid into a block grant program.

6. Under the plan, Medicaid and other healthcare spending would be reduced by $1.03 trillion over 10 years.

7. The Independent Payment Advisory Board  the unelected 15-member agency created under the ACA charged with achieving Medicare savings  is repealed under the proposed budget. The creation of the agency was one of the most controversial provisions of the ACA, and major healthcare groups, including the American Medical Association, have publicly fought for its elimination.

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Due to a higher number of surgeries, Boston Medical Center's net patient revenue increased 8.2 percent to $265 million for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, according to the Boston Business Journal.

During the quarter, the hospital saw increases across the board. Boston Medical Center had a higher number of emergency room visits, and its total surgeries tally grew by 144 cases to a total of 5,480. The increase is primarily attributed to higher outpatient surgeries.

Boston Medical Center's operating income isn't faring as well. From the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 to this point in the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the hospital's operating income has dropped 74.5 percent from $13.7 million to $3.5 million.

Richard Silveria, the hospital's CFO and senior vice president of finance, attributed fiscal year 2015's high operating income to a number of factors, including savings from a reserve that was initially used for the upkeep of three buildings, which were sold in 2015.
An analysis from ProPublica has finally substantiated the long-disputed claims that the payment physicians receive from pharmaceutical companies and medical device makers influence how they prescribe medicine. Physicians who receive such payments do in fact tend to prescribe more brand-name medications on average.

Researchers matched records on payments from pharmaceutical and medical device makers in 2014 with corresponding data on physicians' medication choices under Medicare Part D. They evaluated physicians who wrote at least 1,000 prescriptions in five large medical specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, psychiatry and ophthalmology.

Here are six findings from ProPublica's analysis.

1. Physicians who received payments from pharmaceutical companies and device makers  even in the form of a meal  prescribed a higher percentage of brand-name drugs than those that didn't receive payments. Physicians who received industry payments were two to three times more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs at high rates compared to their peers in their respective specialties.

2. Those who received more than $5,000 from drug or medial device makers usually prescribed the most brand-name medications. For example, internists who did not receive payments prescribed brand-name drugs at an average rate of 20 percent, compared to 30 percent for those who received more than $5,000.

3. The analysis doesn't show that payments influence physicians to prescribe certain drugs, or even a particular company's drugs. Instead, it reveals that industry payments are associated with prescribing practices that benefit pharmaceutical companies' bottom lines.

4. Other studies have repeatedly shown that generic drugs are equally effective as brand names for most patients and cost substantially less money. Additionally, patients report relatively the same level of satisfaction with generic and brand name drugs, according to the report.

5. Richard Baron, MD, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine, said the findings of ProPublica's analysis make sense, and that physicians today often have to put more effort into avoiding industry payments than receiving them. "You have the people who are going out of their way to avoid this and you've got people who are, I'll say, pretty committed and engaged to creating relationships with pharma," Dr. Baron said, according to the report. "If you are out there advocating for something, you are more likely to believe in it yourself and not to disbelieve it."

6. Of the specialties analyzed by ProPublica, ophthalmologists who received payments of more than $5,000 in 2014 had the highest brand name prescribing rate (64.6 percent), followed by internal medicine physicians (30.1 percent), family medicine physicians (25.8 percent), cardiologists (24.1 percent) and psychiatrists (18.9 percent). However, various other factors contribute to physicians' choices for which medicines to prescribe. For instance, some specialists treat patients for conditions for which few generic options are available. Several physicians who received large industry payments and who had higher than average brand name prescribing rates said their prescribing practices intend to serve their patients' best interests.
The Ottawa Hospital in Canada, suffered a ransomware attack last week in which four computers became inaccessible to hospital administrators, reports CBC.

No patient information was affected by the cyberattack, and the hospital has removed the software from the computers, Kate Eggins, hospital spokeswoman, told Ottawa Citizen.

"The malware locked down the files, and the hospital responded by wiping the drives," Ms. Eggins said. "We are confident we have appropriate safeguards in place to protect patient information and continue to look for ways to increase security."

The ransomware infiltrated the hospital network in the form of a spam email. When a user opens the attachment in the spam email, the affected software is able to encrypt data on the computer. However, Ms. Eggins told CBC the hospital was able to remedy the situation without making any payments.

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Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health has named Pauline Grant interim president and CEO, as the system navigates various changes and works to restore public trust.

Here are 10 things to know about Ms. Grant.

1. She will replace Kevin Fusco, who was appointed acting president and CEO to step in for the late Nabil El Sanadi, MD.

2. She is Broward Health's first female president and CEO.

3. She has worked in healthcare for more than three decades.

4. Since 2003, Ms. Grant has served as CEO of Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach, Fla., formerly North Broward Medical Center.

5. She has served in various positions at Broward Health, including director of primary care services and vice president of ambulatory services.

6. Ms. Grant has also held positions in healthcare with the Broward County government, The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Jamaican government.

7. In a statement, North Broward Hospital District Chairman David DiPietro called Ms. Grant "a strong and steady leader."

"She has the trust of her team, colleagues and board of commissioners. She is the right person to manage our system at a difficult time," he said.

8. Ms. Grant earned a master's of business administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, as well as a master's degree from the University of the West Indies.

9. Ms. Grant's appointment comes at a tumultuous time for Broward Health. The system was thrown into the spotlight in January when Dr. El Sanadi was found dead in his condominium from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Subsequently, a private investigator came forward, claiming Dr. El Sanadi had hired him last spring for an investigation into Broward that led to FBI involvement. Earlier this month, Broward's former compliance director said he was fired for bringing attention to illegal activities at the health system. And most recently, a multimillion-dollar advertising contract was swept into the center of an investigation Broward Health.

10. With the appointment of Ms. Grant, Broward is eager to turn over a new leaf.

"Every day thousands of Broward Health team members impact the lives of thousands of patients. Our doctors and nurses are an incredible collection of professionals who are leaders in our community and their fields. It is now time to put the focus back on them," Mr. DiPietro said in a statement.

"Our board will continue to operate in a transparent fashion and will work with the new CEO to ensure that our system remains committed to our mission of providing high quality patient care."
Teri Fontenot has served as president and CEO of Baton Rouge, La.-based Woman's Hospital, a 350-bed Level III regional referral hospital for obstetrics and women's cancer care, since 1996.

A highly esteemed leader, Ms. Fontenot has a breadth of healthcare leadership and finance experience. She previously served as the 2012 chair of the American Hospital Association board of trustees, chair of the CEO's committee of the AmericanCollege of Healthcare Executives and served on its board and officer nominating committee. Ms. Fontenot also served a six-year term on the Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health for the National Institutes of Health and chair of the board of the Louisiana Hospital Association in 2002.

Ms. Fontenot took the time to answer some of Becker's Hospital Review's questions.

1. How does your background in finance serve as an advantage in your current role as president and CEO?

The current healthcare environment has shifted the financial risk from payers to health systems, so strong financial and analytical skills are vital. With the basis for organizational success moving from increasing volume to one measured on value, and coupled with dwindling payments from payers, healthcare systems are leading initiatives to keep people healthy and out of acute settings, which effectively diminishes traditional revenue streams. As a result, every dollar spent must have a return or benefit greater than the cost.

Having a strong financial background allows me to better understand the interplay among revenue, outcomes, cost and ROI at Woman's. In addition, since Woman's is a small system focused on women's and infants' healthcare, my finance training and experience as a CFO helps me identify and focus on income statement and balance sheet vulnerabilities early so we can proactively address them to improve performance.

2. How would you describe your leadership philosophy?

I believe the role of the CEO is to aspire and inspire. I am responsible for leading the creation of the vision and strategic plan, then sharing the vision and creating excitement among the team members who will actually accomplish it. Sometimes an educator, often a facilitator, maybe even a peace-maker, the CEO must always be the cheerleader.

I also believe the CEO is the promoter of organizational culture and values. Externally, the CEO is the persona of their organization. Internally, the CEO sets the tone and the pace. I try to be a good example every day in action and word, be visible and approachable to all stakeholders, and make decisions that support our values and ethics. A good example is the elimination of offices at the new hospital campus that we moved into three years ago. The executive team made the decision that we would use an open architecture design to reduce costs and increase flexibility. As a result, we eliminated 200 offices. No one on the executive team has a private office, including me. It really made a profound statement with our employees and physicians that the executives are no more special than anyone else at Woman's  we are all valued.

Finally, I believe the CEO's role is to provide the resources that employees need to get their jobs done in a manner that reinforces that they are valued. Whether it is hiring co-workers who are competent, ensuring there is adequate staff for safe care, providing reliable customer service to support departments or keeping supply cabinets stocked and equipment in good working order, my job is to provide the tools needed so they can perform their work.

3. What would you say is the No. 1 health issue currently facing your patient population?

Sadly, it is the marked increase in drug-addicted pregnant women and their newborns. Seeing a newborn go through withdrawal is heartbreaking, especially for the doctors, nurses and social workers who care to them.

4. How do you balance your family and personal life with work? Do you have any tips for other executives who may struggle to find a balance?

My family would tell you that I don't balance it! Fortunately, I enjoy the work and the people at Woman's, so it doesn't really feel like a job. My family has been incredibly supportive of my career. When I became CEO in 1996, my daughter was 10 years old and my husband traveled. He changed careers so he didn't have to travel because my hours were long and unpredictable, and I took my daughter to meetings and events as appropriate. She has thanked me many times for helping her learn at an early age how to interact with powerful people; she is not intimidated today in these settings as her own career develops, and she has told me that it has given her a competitive advantage.

Regarding tips, probably the most liberating one was when I stopped trying to draw a hard line between work and personal time. The stress was greatly reduced and by allowing the blending of my work and personal life, I feel like I am in control of how much time I devote to each component rather than the clock being dominant.
President Barack Obama Wednesday nominated Merrick Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Chief Judge Garland has more years of experience as a federal judge than any current member of the high court, according to The New York Times, and generally garners bipartisan support. Even Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) this week told conservative media outlet NewsMax, "[Obama] could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man."

What could his nomination mean for the Supreme Court, and what could it mean for healthcare? Here are five things to know about Chief Judge Garland's political leanings and their implications in the healthcare sphere.

1. Chief Judge Garland is considered evenhanded. "Not only is Merrick enormously gifted intellectually, but he is thoughtful as well, for he respects other points of view and fairly and honestly assesses the merits of all sides of an issue," wrote Charles Cooper, assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel to the Reagan Administration in 1995. "And he has a stable, even-tempered, and courteous manner. He would comport himself on the bench with dignity and fairness."

2. However, political scientists say he could tip the court balance to the liberal wing. According to The New York Times, "If Judge Garland is confirmed, he could tip the ideological balance to create the most liberal Supreme Court in 50 years." An analysis featured in the Times report from four political scientists gauges that Chief Judge Garland likely lies between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan on a scale of political leaning. In other words, he would be the third most liberal justice on the high court.

3. He brings some fresh perspectives. Chief Judge Garland is from Illinois, which would make him only the second justice from the Midwest, and at age 63 he would be among the oldest justices ever appointed. However, he is a white male Harvard graduate who comes from the D.C. Circuit, which is in keeping with most of the other justices, according to The New York Times.

4. His views on cases in the Supreme Court remain a bit unclear. While he generally leans left, "he is seen as leaning toward the government in criminal cases," according to Politico. He generally favors agency decisionmakers too, according to a 2010 SCOTUSblog. For example, he has supported National Labor Relations Board decisions in quite a few cases, and in the 2006 case Alpharma v. Leavitt, he upheld the Food and Drug Administration's determination to approve a drug, according to SCOTUSblog. However, many still want to know more about his views. "Judge Garland does not have a public record on reproductive rights and Senate Republicans' obstruction denies all of us our right to know where this nominee stands on core constitutional questions of women's privacy, dignity and equality," NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue said, according to Politico.

5. President Obama's pick might not have any immediate effect on the Supreme Court or on healthcare. With the support of other Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has promised to continue to stiff-arm a hearing so that the vacancy can be filled by the next president, an action backed by remarks from Vice President Joe Biden in 1992 when he was Senate Judiciary Chairman, according to The Hill. In the meantime, the Supreme Court has already begun to hear arguments on some major healthcare cases this month, including Whole Women's Health v. Cole, the first major abortion case in the high court in nine years. On March 23, it will hear arguments on Zubik v. Burwell, which challenges the contraception mandate under the Affordable Care Act. In the case Chief Judge Garland is not appointed to the high court, these cases and others will continue with eight justices.

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Vice President Joe Biden met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers March 16 to go over a medical innovation bill that could provide funding for his cancer "moonshot" initiative, according to The Hill.

Vice President Biden met with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), ranking member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), who serve as leaders of the House's 21st Century Cures effort.

Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) also attended the meeting. Mr. Alexander and Ms. Murray are in the process of negotiating a companion to the 21st Century Cures bill, which passed in the House in July. The Senate bill is taking longer than expected, but it will likely include new funding for the National Institutes of Health to conduct medical research, some of which could support the cancer moonshot initiative, according to the report.

"Today's meeting with Vice President Biden and Senate leaders was positive and productive. The #Path2Cures connects both the White House and U.S. Capitol, and we welcome the vice president's enthusiastic participation in this bipartisan effort," Mr. Upton, Mr. Pallone and Ms. DeGette said in a joint statement. "We are seeing a tremendous opportunity for Cures, with our legislative efforts coupled with the 'moonshot' and the administration's precision medicine initiative, there is no question that 21st Century Cures is the right vehicle to get this done," the lawmakers added.

Currently, Mr. Alexander and Ms. Murray are negotiating how much new mandatory funding to provide NIH and how to pay for it. Senate Democrats want to allocate $5 billion per year, but the White House has not disclosed how much it is looking for, according to the report.
Chip Thomas, MD, is not your average physician.

Dr. Thomas practices on a Native American reservation in Arizona, which he has called home since 1987. However, what makes him truly unique is his street art, which as been popping up on water tanks, two-story homes, trading posts and abandoned structures on the Navajo Nation, according to 12 News.

"I really see myself as kind of a megaphone, you know, amplifying messages within the community," Dr. Thomas told 12 News.

On his blog, Dr. Thomas details how his love of documentary-style photography, experiences on the reservation and predisposition for old school hip-hop and graffiti, in combination with a 2009 Brazilian sabbatical, all influenced his street art alter-ego, Jetsonorama.

His art incorporates huge versions of his own photographs of babies, elders, Code Talkers and others  some seven stories tall  which are pasted onto anything that can be a public canvas. Layers of text are often tagged on top.

The photography that informs his art has also helped inform his medical practice. "By going out and spending time with people in their homes and family camps, I have come to know them as friends. Interestingly, these home visits enhance my doctor-patient relationship by helping me be a more empathetic healthcare practitioner," he wrote on his blog.

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Excela Health, a nonprofit health system based in Greensburg, Pa., is suing Westmoreland County after it denied Excela's request to extend tax-exempt status to one of its ambulatory surgical centers, reports Tribune-Review.

Excela Health bought the surgical center in 2013 for $11 million. Excela has argued the surgical center should be exempt from taxes, as the facility is an extension of nonprofit Excela Health Latrobe (Pa.) Hospital.

The Board of Assessment Appeals denied the request in January, contending ASCs compete with for-profit businesses, unlike hospitals, whose purposes are charitable.

Excela filed the lawsuit filed against the Board of Assessment Appeals Feb. 2.

Court records show Latrobe (Pa.) Area Hospital, the owner of Greensburg-based Laurel Surgical, owns 59 properties in Westmoreland County. Of those properties, 35 have been granted tax exemptions under the hospital system's nonprofit umbrella, according to the article.

Excela manages operations at three acute care hospitals in western Pennsylvania.
A Mount Pleasant, S.C., woman who posed as a nurse to steal prescription drugs, turned herself in to police Monday under charges of unlawful practice of medicine, according to a report from WBTW News 13.

With another person's Social Security number, name and nursing license, the 29-year-old Karen Stone was able to gain employment at the retirement community Somerby of Mount Pleasant, according to the report.

When staff at the retirement home found two bottles of Ritalin had been stolen, they reported it to authorities. The investigation led to Ms. Stone who has a history of similar behavior, according to the report.

According to a Somerby Mount Pleasant statement provided by the news report, the senior living community said it could not comment on an ongoing police investigation.

"Our senior living community takes very seriously our responsibility to our residents. It is our company policy to take all reasonable and necessary measures to protect their lives, their property and their safety," the statement read, according to the report.

Ms. Stone has been released on a $30,000 bond, according to the report.

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The following insurers made headlines this week. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.

1. Humana opens its second retail pharmacy in Texas

Louisville, Ky.-based health insurer Humana opened a retail pharmacy in San Antonio, marking its second retail pharmacy in the state of Texas.

2. 150k Highmark enrollees desert plans in 2016

Pittsburgh-based health insurer Highmark's enrollment both on and off the federal exchanges dropped from 350,000 in February 2015 to 195,000 in February 2016.

3. UnitedHealth creates 'start-over' insurer Harken Health

A new health insurer, Harken Health, is making a splash in the Atlanta and Chicago marketplaces.

4. AMA, physicians to Florida AG: Stop the Humana-Aetna merger

Together with the American Medical Association, two Florida organizations  the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association  asked Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to block the proposed merger between Humana and Aetna.

5. Could Humana's past predict the effects of its merger with Aetna?

For insight on the impact of the proposed merger between Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna and Louisville, Ky.-based Humana, it may be helpful to look at one of Humana's previous transactions.

6. CMS fines Humana $3.1M for Medicare violations

CMS charged Louisville, Ky.-based health insurer Humana $3.1 million for areas of noncompliance regarding its Medicare Part C and D plans.

7. BCBS of Michigan lays off 22 workers

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan laid off 22 employees in its IT department.

8. Hazel Hawkins, Aetna fail to reach reimbursement agreement

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, Calif., and Aetna severed ties after failing to resolve reimbursement disputes at the beginning of the year.

9. United, Tennova Healthcare hospital break over reimbursement rates

After a year spent in negotiations, UnitedHealthcare members will continue to receive in-network rates for medical services at six Tennova Healthcare hospitals in Knoxville, Tenn. A single Tennova hospital in Harton, Tenn., however, is excluded from the deal.

10. How much did Humana's CEO make in 2015?

Louisville, Ky.-based Humana president and CEO Bruce Broussard's total earnings increased 1.98 percent between 2014 and 2015.

11. NC insurance commissioner: BCBS could be fined up to $1k per day per violation

In February, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin began an investigation of Durham, N.C.-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the systematic problems it has had since early this year. Now Mr. Goodwin is planning on financially penalizing the insurer.
The following hospitals and health systems shared plans to hire workers in the last month, starting with the most recent.

1. Munson Medical to hire 200 employees

Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, Mich., is looking to fill more than 200 open positions, including entry level positions such as billing representatives, medical and nursing assistants.

2. Cleveland Clinic to host new grad recruitment event for RNs

Cleveland Clinic hosted a recruitment event March 12 for newly graduated registered nurses. Cleveland Clinic has numerous nursing opportunities available in Northeast Ohio and Florida hospitals.

3. North Dakota health systems developing creative ways to hire more nurses

Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Fargo, N.D., had 112 registered nurse positions open as of March 6, according to The Bismarck Tribune. The system has used various recruitment tactics to attract more nurses, including signing bonuses.

4. New W.Va. post-acute hospital could bring 100 jobs: 5 things to know

A planned multimillion-dollar hospital expansion in South Charleston, W.Va., could bring with it about 100 full-time jobs, according to a report from The Charleston Gazette-Mail. The 71,000-sqaure-foot facility is expected to be built on the campus of Thomas Memorial Hospital, and will specialize in pulmonary, cardiac telemetry, joint-replacement rehabilitation, wound care, cancer/palliative care and long-term care.

5. New Kindred Hospital South Florida-Hollywood unit will create 50 jobs: 3 things to know

Kindred Hospital South Florida-Hollywood, a subsidiary of Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare, opened a skilled nursing unit that will create 50 jobs, according to a South Florida Business Journal report. It is a 30-bed, sub-acute care unit.

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In a tight job market, companies like Fidelity, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Chegg are all getting onboard to offer the latest in employee benefits designed to attract and retain younger employees, according to The Washington Post.

The benefit? Student loan repayment.

It's a benefit many millennials  who now make up the largest segment of the working population, according to the report  can really get onboard with, especially healthcare workers. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges indicated nearly 80 percent of 2014 medical school students were saddled with $100,000 or more in debt at graduation.

While the student loan repayment trend is still fairly new, it is growing, the Society for Human Resources Management's director of compensation and benefits, Bruce Elliott, told The Washington Post. He said he can tell the trend is here to stay based on the number of startups popping up as third-party administrators for the benefit, according to the report.

For millennials, loan repayment can be much more attractive than a 401(k) because they are more focused on alleviating debt than retirement. According to the report, some companies have even engineered the benefit so that they make student loan payments on behalf of an employee when the employee contributes to their 401(k).

For employers, offering benefits like loan repayment is more attractive than raising salaries because they bump up total compensation but are more flexible if revenue goes down, according to the report.

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The Oregon Consortium of Nursing Education has selected a cloud-based interactive solution created by Jive Software to help improve nursing education across its campuses and, ultimately, address the staggering nurse shortage in the U.S.

The solution will boost accessibility of nursing curriculum, best practices, specialized knowledge and peer-to-peer feedback among the OCNE's nursing educators, professionals and students.

"Jive's Healthcare Collaboration solution is a revolutionary approach that aids us in raising awareness and combating the impending nursing faculty crisis," said OCNE Director Paula Gubrud-Howe, EdD, RN. "We see this as the first step in creating a globally connected healthcare solution for all nurses."

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Intellijoint Surgical signed a distribution agreement with Corin Group.

Here are three key notes:

1. The agreement gives Corin distribution rights for Intellijoint's flagship product intellijoint HIP in Australia.

2. intellijoint HIP provides surgeons with intraoperative measurements in real time, helping enable proper establishment of cup position, equalization of leg length and restoration of hip offset.

3. The deal also paves the way for broader distribution and co-development between the two companies.

"We are pleased to partner with Corin to offer intellijoint HIP to surgeons in Australia. The broader capability of Corin's organization and their commitment to innovation will expand access to the latest technology available for 3D surgical measurement to the growing Australian hip replacement market where surgeons currently perform about 45,000 procedures annually. We look forward to the beginning of a meaningful relationship between our two companies and are excited about future opportunities," says Armen Bakirtzian, CEO and co-founder of Intellijoint Surgical.
The Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance opened a new office in Nashville.

Here are five key notes:

1. The Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance opened the new office in the ONEC1TY development. All physicians and services that were based at the group's 21st Avenue North location moved to the new facility.

2. The new facility includes advanced imaging technology, new exam tables and furnishings.

3. Medical staff will be able to access medical records and imaging information directly from the exam rooms with updated equipment. The new equipment is designed for more efficiency as clinicians can review and illustrate diagnostic findings for patients and educate them about conditions and treatment.

4. The new facility also includes physical therapy, hand therapy, MRI, digital X-ray, CT and fluoroscopic procedures. The clinic offers extended hours walk-in clinic for both adult and pediatric patients for immediate access orthopedic care. The walk-in clinic will also treat injured workers and drug screening services to workers compensation.

5. The group will continue to operate 17 other office locations around Middle Tennessee with hospital and surgery center affiliations intact.

"The ONEC1TY development is an innovative, wellness-focused community, offering a range of amenities TOA visitors can enjoy," said Jeff Herring, MD. "The new technology and equipment TOA has invested in will help our practice enhance the care we provide to people of all ages and advance orthopedic care across the region."
Difficult patients are less likely to receive accurate diagnoses, based on Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands research, according to Medscape. Difficult patients were defined as those demonstrating disruptive behaviors. BMJ Quality and Safety published the studies online on March 16.

In the first study, researchers analyzed six scenarios, involving a demanding patient; an aggressive patient; a patient questioning the physician's competence; a patient ignoring a physician's advice; a patient with low expectations; and a helpless patient. Researchers labeled diagnoses as simple or complex, and asked 63 family practice medical residents to diagnose.

Here are three insights from the first study.

1. Despite case complexity, diagnostic accuracy proved lower for difficult patients, compared to neutral patients.

2. Residents demonstrated a 42 percent greater chance of misdiagnosing a difficult patient, compared to a neutral patient.

3. Residents spent the same amount of time with difficult and neutral patients.

In the second study, 74 residents dealt with the same scenarios as the first study, in addition to a patient threatening a physician and a patient accusing a physician of discrimination.

Here are three observations from the second study.

1. The study revealed a 20 percent decrease in diagnostic accuracy for difficult patients.

2. The researchers concluded difficult patients cause "resource depletion." That is, physicians use more energy dealing with disruptive patients, taking away from their focus on clinical information processing.

3. The researchers wonder if the results would change if experienced physicians, instead of residents, participated in the study.
Here five spine surgeons discuss the challenges to innovation in spine surgery.

Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.





Next week's question: The demand for physician assistants is growing. Would you recommend hiring a PA? Why?





Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, March 23, at 5 p.m. CST.

Question: What are the biggest barriers to spine surgery innovation in 2016?

William Taylor, MD, Director, Spine Surgery, Vice Chairman, Division of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Diego: The transition into coverage by insurance plans will have a negative effect on the marketplace. It may keep many stakeholders from considering new technology that has utility but cannot be brought to market. This is the biggest barrier to spine surgery innovation, coupled with the financial and procedural barriers to clinical trials.

Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I think the biggest barriers are the excessive and misdirected efforts of insurance companies to cut costs and maximize their profits. By arbitrarily citing outdated, misdirected and poorly applied guidelines, they stifle surgeon efforts and hence the demand for better and safer products.

Mark Nolden, MD, NorthShore Orthopaedic Institute, Chicago: The biggest barrier to innovation in spine surgery is the economic pressures of the healthcare industry as a whole. With bundled payments and other reimbursement structures, surgeons have a greater challenge to prove the new technology and implants bring with them improved patient outcomes. That requires high quality outcomes-based research, which takes time and resources. But without that extra effort, the government and third-party payers often are not willing to reimburse healthcare providers for the new technology.





Many times there is increased cost that comes with innovation, and the concern is businesses will be hesitant to develop anything new if payers ultimately don't approve its use. But with better communication in demonstrating the needed innovation is superior to what we have currently, improved patient outcomes should follow. It just might take more time and effort to get technology implemented and these devices paid for with greater government and third-party scrutiny.

Thomas A. McNally, MD, Director, Chicago Spine Center at Weiss Memorial Hospital: The lack of coverage by insurance companies is stifling to spine surgery innovation. It's been harder to try new devices and procedures because it takes so much time for staff to get approvals from insurers or for physicians to go through the appeals process. And these are all FDA-approved treatments we're recommending.





I'm also concerned that higher costs to businesses will prevent companies from innovating. Healthcare reform brought with it a medical device tax, which is making businesses hesitant to invest in development if a successful outcome is uncertain. They're the ones having to bear all the risk with a possibility of no return on their investment. In the end, the patients lose.





Neel Anand, MD, Clinical Professor of Surgery, Director, Spine Trauma, Cedars-Sinai Spine Center (Los Angeles): The biggest barrier to innovation is declining reimbursements and lack of approvals for new technologies. There is no point in innovating and spending money on research, only to have the product not be approved by the insurance companies. Despite good FDA trial outcomes, insurance companies don't approve new technologies or techniques, this kills innovation.
Young entrepreneurs from Omagh Academy have won a European award for their Ouch Pouch - a first aid kit aimed at children.

The pupils, who formed a company called Emerge after working with charity Young Enterprise, triumphed over 30 other companies formed by youngsters from around Europe.

With the support of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they attended a European trade fair staged in Vienna last week by global charity Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise, where they won the best overall company.

Emerge developed a medical kit to educate children aged five to 11 on how to deal with minor medical emergencies.

The kit includes basic equipment, a booklet of instructions and a Medi Teddy to provide comfort to children when they are hurt.

Ann McGregor, chief of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, said she was "delighted to support these students as they take part in programmes which focus on entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy".

"The initiatives will help them develop the skills they need in order to operate within the global economy," she added.
Chancellor George Osborne delivers his budget as PM David Cameron looks on

Northern Ireland businesses were handed a double-edged sword after Chancellor George Osborne revealed he was cutting the rate of corporation tax across the UK as a whole.

In his spring Budget, Mr Osborne said he would cut the business levy from its current 20% rate to 17% from April 2020.

That shrinks the gap with Northern Ireland's proposed 12.5% tax rate, set for 2018.

While that means Stormont could save tens of millions as the shortfall in funding is reduced, it will "also reduce the competitive advantage that the lower tax rate policy will give us", according to FSB policy chair Wilfred Mitchell.

Neville Crowe, EY tax director, said: "It's double-edged. In marketing Northern Ireland, we will have to focus our minds overall. That will include concentrating on sectors, the whole package."

PwC economist Dr Esmond Birnie said the move reinforced the argument that slashing the rate "can only be one of a number of things we've got to get right" to attract business here.

Elsewhere, firms here are also set to get a much-needed boost from a freeze on fuel duty. Seamus Leheny, of the Freight Transport Association, said even a 1p increase could have added 470 a year for average fuel bills per lorry.

Ulster Bank chief economist Richard Ramsey said other "businesses-friendly measures included 1bn of tax support for the oil and gas industry, cutting business rates for all ratepayers, and a new stamp duty regime for commercial property".

Michael Hall, managing partner at EY, said it was a "sweet and sour Budget, with big businesses paying for the cuts for small ones".

"There is the sweet taste of stimulus for small businesses, whether positively through business rates or neutrally in exceptions to tax relief restriction."

Writing in today's Belfast Telegraph, George Osborne said he was working alongside Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers "towards the devolution of corporation tax".

"It's now vital the Executive continue to press on with the programme of reform needed to ensure the financial sustainability we require to confirm corporation tax devolution," he wrote.

Coleraine is also set to get an extra cash allowance from the Treasury for the creation of its enterprise zone.

The Chancellor revealed that the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) had downgraded its forecast for GDP for 2.4% to 2% this year, from 2.5% to 2.2% in 2017 and from 2.4% to 2.1% in 2018.

Stephen Kelly of Manufacturing NI said with Northern Ireland's largest external market in Great Britain, "it's disappointing that growth predictions have been downgraded".

"On the up side, it appears the Executive will receive some 200m as a result of the Barnett consequential and the reduction of the rate of corporation tax makes a Northern Ireland rate more affordable," he added,

CBI regional director Nigel Smyth said businesses here would "welcome the reduction in the capital gains tax rate and support for the self-employed".

Glyn Roberts of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association said that the "cutting of corporation tax to 17% will clearly reduce the cost of a local 12.5% for the Executive". Members with vans would also welcome the freezing in fuel duty.

Pubs, restaurants and off-licences across Northern Ireland are also likely to benefit from a freeze on an increase in duty for alcohol. And Colin Neill, from Hospitality Ulster, welcomed the freeze.

BDO partner Maybeth Shaw said that the extension of the 10% rate of capital gains tax "should help stimulate investment in trading companies".

Mr Osborne also moved to clamp down on multinationals that seek to avoid taxes through complex structures.

Ann McGregor, head of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said there were "some welcome elements of the budget, particularly for small businesses in terms of tax relief and stimulus for investment".

The Chancellor also announced an increase in the personal tax allowance to 11,500, and a higher rate tax threshold to 45,000. Both will come into effect in April 2017.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said that would bring a boost to consumers, with a "faster increase in the personal income tax allowance and in the higher rate threshold".

Caroline Keenan, tax director at ASM Chartered Accountants, said the Chancellor "will be hoping for a positive response from the electorate to his Budget measures".
Adrian Dunbar carries an air of authority that has grown increasingly steely as he nears 60, and it is even more pronounced when he's sitting behind a table in Methodist College, in a superintendent's uniform.

The occasion is a Press conference between the filming of scenes for the third series of hit police drama, In The Line Of Duty. The Enniskillen-born actor is a solemn presence during the 15-minute question-and-answer session, sitting, arms folded, alongside his co-star Martin Compston, who plays the tenacious young DS Steve Arnott in the BBC's best-performing drama series in 10 years.

The two stars make a disparate pair, one as dark and unlined - and short - as the other is grizzled and statuesque. With those deep-set, chilly blue eyes and patrician bone structure, Dunbar is perfect for his role as Superintendent Ted Hastings, head of an anti-corruption squad in the riveting procedural drama filmed in Belfast, but based in an unnamed English city.

As a former RUC officer in Line Of Duty, Dunbar has kept his native accent for the role.

"It was useful at the start to make Hastings from here, especially if he had been involved for many years in counter-terror," he says. "There's a lot of instances where people came, after 15 or 20 years in the RUC, and went into other police services across the UK, in particular the MET. So that kind of makes sense.

"There's no plan to bring his Northern Ireland back story into the series, but it would be interesting."

Following a unit of police officers who investigate their own, Line Of Duty, created by writer Jed Mercurio, has earned rave reviews since it was first aired in 2012. Given the uncomfortably close-to-the-bone script, the police refused to co-operate with the programme's producers, who filmed series one in Birmingham. Consequently, the production team was advised both by retired police officers and anonymously by serving officers, making for some truly gripping, realistic storylines.

But even with the brilliant writing, Dunbar was surprised initially at the drama's huge success.

"The thinking is, that the more sensational a thing becomes, the more the audience gets gripped by it. But this is a very procedural show and it seems to me that people are very keen to use their own brains and their own imagination and watch police procedure take its real course rather than a fictitious course," he explains.

"So that's been very positive. You don't expect audiences to want that detail in something. We are expecting to build on that with the next series. We are very confident about the next series ... the storylines are very, very good and the issues are very powerful. The structure of the piece is going to lend itself to a big, big build up and an audience being gripped. We have a fantastic first episode, so if we can get our main audience in on the first episode I think they're going to stick with us."

As in series two, which starred the brilliant Keeley Hawes as the central baddie cop (now jailed), Dunbar's character Ted Hastings' marriage is in ruins in series three, following a disastrous financial investment. In real life, Dunbar has been married to Anna Nygh, an Australian, since 1986, and is stepdad to her son Ted from a previous relationship. The couple have one daughter, Madeleine, and live in Crouch End, London.

Dunbar explains: "Ted's still very pretty much on his uppers. He's not very good at managing his dough and his marriage is very much falling apart at this point. He's separated. He's living in a very small little bedsit somewhere. So, no, he's not doing too well."

A dedicated supporter of the arts in Northern Ireland, Dunbar is pleased to be shooting Line Of Duty in Belfast. Ormeau Avenue is used for the exterior scenes featuring the drama's 4th Street Station, and several scenes of a police awards ceremony in series three were shot in one of Methodist College's impressive function rooms, where the invited Press caught glimpses of the actress Vicky McClure as undercover DC Kate Fleming, and Craig Parkinson as creepy copper Matthew 'Dot' Cottan, one of the corrupt lot.

"Belfast is a good town to shoot it in - the series suits Belfast," he adds. "We are shooting it in a fictitious UK city so we can't ever show where we are, because that might be alluding to the police forces we are investigating, so Belfast suits that very well.

"It's great for me because I have loads of mates and can get down home as much as I can. But that doesn't happen a lot because the schedule is pretty tight."

Given the aspersions cast upon Belfast last year by Game Of Thrones actor Kit Harrington - and more recently by Louis Walsh, who claims the city is dull and boring - I wondered how Scottish actor Martin Compston (31) found working here. Currently dating a stunning American cheerleader, Tianna Flynn, Compston is set to appear in a Hollywood action movie, The Hunter's Prayer, opposite Sam Worthington (Avatar).

"I love it here - I've had a great time," he insists. "Anyone coming away from home for, I think, five years - it's going to be tough. But there's some great boozers here, there are fantastic restaurants, great nightlife. We're here four months at a time - it's tough shooting away from home but it's a great place to shoot.

"This feels like our home now. I really enjoy it and the scripts are so good. We always had a hope it was going to do well but I don't think we realised how well. The first series I think was the biggest hit in 10 years on BBC2, so the way the fans have taken to it is a credit to the writing and it's taken all of us back.

"I'm very proud of it. The scripts just seem to be getting better and better every series, so if we keep delivering what's on the page, it's going to keep going and going."

A fourth series was recently confirmed. Meanwhile, series three begins this Thursday, starring the excellent Danny Mays, who made a compelling Ronnie Biggs in the eponymous TV drama. Mays plays the role of apparent villain Sergeant Danny Waldron, leader of an Armed Response Unit, who is beset by personal troubles even greater than Keely Hawes' troubled loner in series two.

In previous series, Line of Duty has placed a character in a situation which prompts anti-corruption unit AC12 to investigate. The protagonist's guilt or innocence is never clear until the very end, but in an intriguing twist on how events have previously unfolded, the apparent culpability of Sergeant Waldron in series three seems clear from the outset.

"One of the things that's distinctive about Line Of Duty is that we have a different person under investigation in every series," says Mercurio, during the Press set-visit in Belfast.

"Because it's built round the character's story, that makes each of the serial series very different - it's a completely fresh investigation.

"I suppose also we are looking at firearms. We are looking at the role of the police in using police powers, when they are allowed to use lethal force. So, it's an officer under investigation who really is the most dangerous adversary AC-12 have come up against. That propels us into an investigation that digs into his personal relationships, his private life and unexpected twists and turns."

Given that Mays, the star of Ashes To Ashes and several Harold Pinter plays, has described his character as "damaged, twisted and unpredictable", it looks like we're in for another thrilling ride with the new series. Mercurio admits to being "excited and flattered" by the glowing reviews to date.

"When people are actually talking about the stories you have been involved in writing; I was delighted," he says. "Obviously that had the knock-on effect that the BBC were very pleased with the success and made this extraordinary commitment to give us two more series, at least two more series. They commissioned two in one go, so we know we are going to be back next year and that's great to have the opportunity to plan ahead and have that sort of security."

A former hospital physician and RAF officer, Mercurio (49) is ranked among UK television's leading writers by TV-industry magazine Broadcast. Along with Line Of Duty, his chief works for television include the series Bodies (based on his 2002 novel), The Grimleys and Cardiac Arrest.

From Staffordshire, Mercurio confirmed that series four of Line Of Duty will be filmed in Belfast.

"It's a great city to work in. We have everything we need in terms of locations and resources," he adds. "What's great about the fact there are other productions here is that they are driving the industry. So, people who want to work in film and TV in Northern Ireland don't have to move to get the right experience.

"I think if that level of production can be sustained here, then I can only see it growing. In the past if you graduated here and you had ambition to work in film and TV, you probably had to move either down south or across to London where the biggest industry is.

"But that's changing and I think that's really good for the area. There's a great atmosphere in terms of working with the cast, the production company and the BBC. It's certainly one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in my career and I really don't want don't want it to end."

Line Of Duty returns to BBC 2 on Thursday, March 24 at 9pm
Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK that does not have such a service

A dedicated air ambulance service could be up and running in Northern Ireland by September after the Chancellor committed 4.5m of funding to the project.

The announcement was made as George Osborne delivered his eighth budget yesterday.

The funding comes out of fines from banks caught up in the Libor scandal, in which inter-bank lending rates were rigged.

Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK that does not have such a service.

It is thought the air ambulance will be based on the current Welsh model, which has three helicopters and is run by a charity but staffed by the NHS.

While it is not known where the helicopter will be based, First Minister Arlene Foster has previously supported establishing a headquarters at St Angelo Airport in Enniskillen.

Ian Crowe, chairman of Air Ambulance NI, said the group was set to meet with Health Minister Simon Hamilton to discuss the finer details of the service.

He added that the target date to have the air ambulance running was September 1.

"Now that this is concrete, our fundraising will begin to sustain the service," Mr Crowe explained. "We are meeting the Health Minister next week to move forward with this plan.

"It's fantastic news, and I got a text from Arlene Foster congratulating us on the funding.

"The 4.5m involves two years of up-front funding and then 1m of match funding after the second year, so we have to raise 1m in a year, which I hope we will do."
The last vestiges of what was once Northern Ireland's biggest railway hub are being demolished to make way for a brand new one.

The vast warehouses in what was once the Great Northern Railway goods yard at Grosvenor Road are being cleared to create space for the new integrated Belfast Transport Hub.

Translink predicts passenger numbers of up to 14 million by 2030 and hopes to start work on the site in 2018 ahead of a planned opening in the mid-2020s. The hub will feature rail, bus, cycle, taxi and car facilities.

According to rail buff Robert Gardiner, the sheds are the last part of the Great Northern Railway complex.

"Trains full of wagons would have come up from all over Ireland and were offloaded here," he said. "This included things like cattle from Sligo and Guinness from Dublin."

The entire site, right up to the present Europa Hotel, was once the headquarters of the Great Northern Railway, which at the time was the biggest rail operator in Ulster.

"They were the ones who created the Enterprise train service, which was introduced in the 1940s as an express to Dublin," Mr Gardiner explained.

"They came up with the name Enterprise, and it left from Great Victoria Street.

"There would have been tractors taken out from Belfast on the backs of wagons - food, potatoes, everything that could be moved by the railways moved to Grosvenor Road.

"All the Guinness barrels would have been transported from Dublin by rail up to Great Victoria Street and into those sheds. It's hard to imagine that such a huge site was once dedicated to freight movement."

Over the years the railway experienced a big downturn in fortunes.

"Part of the facade - designed by Godwin - was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Europa and the station was repeatedly blown up during the Troubles," Mr Gardiner said.

"It was in a sorry state. Then they took the decision in 1976 to close the railway station and switch everything to Central Station, but that meant trains were no longer running into the city centre. Then in 1995 they reopened it as a much smaller concern compared to the massive terminus it must once have been."

Under the plans for the new hub the cross-border Enterprise service will be diverted to Great Victoria Street from its current terminus at the Central Station.

"The Enterprise is going to return to its former home, which is a very good news story," Mr Gardiner added."But it's noteworthy, I think, that the last part of the original huge complex of the original railways is being demolished as part of its rebirth."

Government and European funding have still to be agreed and planning permission has to be sought for the development.

But it has been identified by the Executive as one of seven flagship projects for funding.

Visiting the site last week, Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen said: "This impressive facility will be a catalyst for the regeneration of this area and will ensure we have the right infrastructure in place to attract more people to use public transport."
Some of the floral tributes laid at the scene of the dissident attack on him

Some of the floral tributes laid at the scene of the dissident attack on him

Some of the floral tributes laid at the scene of the dissident attack on him

Murdered prison officer Adrian Ismay spent his weekends patrolling the River Lagan following the drowning of a young man, in a bid to prevent another tragedy, his friends have revealed.

The father-of-three was so alarmed at the death of 20-year-old Joby Murphy, who fell into the river after a Snow Patrol gig four years ago, that he would walk the banks of the river until 4am each weekend to save anyone else from falling in.

"That is the sort of man he was. Adrian dedicated his life to helping others," one of his friends said.

Another revealed that Mr Ismay once made a 70-mile drive after midnight to help a friend who was suffering from depression.

As well as working for the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Mr Ismay was a volunteer for the Community Rescue Service (CRS), which provides a search and rescue response for missing persons throughout Northern Ireland.

In fact, a few hours before the bomb attack on Friday, March 4, he had just returned home from a search and rescue operation, his friend Connor Duncan said.

"Adrian devoted his life to helping others. I have known him for many years. We first met through the CRS and we became friends.

"Everyone knew Adrian. He would do anything for you.

"He was a very forgiving and loyal man. You knew you could rely on him," Mr Duncan said.

The North Antrim man added: "It was like a freight train hit me when I first heard about the attack.

"Another friend from the CRS had spoken to him a few days ago and he was on the mend and was in good spirits, so it was a double shock when I heard he had died.

"I was dumbstruck. I was standing across from the City Hall when I heard the news and I didn't know what to say or do."

Mr Ismay was a long-serving prison officer based at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre in south Belfast. He had served for 28 years.

A Prison Service colleague said he was "a role model" who did all he could to rehabilitate offenders.

"Adrian was a true friend and colleague. He was extremely loyal towards all who worked with him.

"His main focus was of course his family where he will be missed the most and outside of this he lived to help those in need, whether as a first aider or as part of a search and rescue team," he said.

His colleague continued: "Adrian wasn't interested in your politics or otherwise; if you needed his help you got it, no questions asked. As a prison officer, he was a role model to all. He was professional in every way, from how he dressed, to his actions and attitude towards prisoners.

"The crime they committed wasn't his main focus, but how he could help them rehabilitate and cease their offending."

Mr Ismay's most recent post within the Prison Service was as a trainer for new recruits.

His colleague continued: "Latterly as a trainer he was keen to pass on his vast experience to those just entering the Prison Service and I know that those he taught were very appreciative of his ability in this field."

"Adrian Ismay was a giant of a man in every way," he added.
A passer-by leaves a floral tribute near the spot where the bomb went off

Adrian Ismay who died yesterday, 12 days after a bomb exploded under his van

Justice Minister David Ford said those responsible for planting the device had little regard for life

The family of murdered prison officer Adrian Ismay are utterly devastated by their loss, colleagues have said.

Finlay Spratt, chairman of the Prison Officers Association in Northern Ireland, said he had visited the 52-year-old's wife and three daughters on Wednesday.

He said: "They are just totally and utterly devastated.

"This man was a servant of the community. He had an amazing record both within the prison service and outside, as a volunteer. You name it, he did it.

"He served everybody in the community."

Sean McCarry, from the Community Rescue Service with which Mr Ismay volunteered, also paid tribute.

He said: "Adrian spent tireless hours trying to save people's lives.

"This was not just an attack on Adrian, this was an attack on society as a whole.

"Adrian spent his time going out and saving lives, not taking lives, he was trying to build communities, not destroy communities, and that's the truth about the man who was murdered."

Church and political leaders have united in expressing revulsion at the attack by dissident republicans who are opposed to the peace process.

Stormont Justice Minister David Ford said those responsible for planting the device had little regard for life.

He said: "I am shocked to learn Adrian has died as a direct result of the actions of people who have obviously little regard for the lives of those who serve the community.

"This is shocking news and will be even more painful for Adrian's family and prison service colleagues."

Prison staff in the Republic of Ireland have also expressed disgust.

A statement from the Prison Officers' Association said: "Adrian was the victim of a cowardly and atrocious bomb attack while he was driving to work.

"This was a horrendous act that has no place or serves no purpose on this island.

"A shameful and cowardly act such as this is reminiscent of difficult times that we all thought were left in the past."

Anne Connolly, chairman of the Policing Board, expressed condolences to the officer's family.

She said: "We are ever grateful to those who work to keep our community safe and people in our community share the sadness now being felt by those who knew Adrian best.

"Serving the community for over 28 years, Adrian's contribution to society through his work in the prison service and volunteer roles is in stark contrast to those who carried out this vile attack."

Ms Connolly urged anyone with information to bring it to police.
Northern Ireland's Health Minister should decide whether gay men can donate blood here, not the UK Health Secretary, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said the controversial issue should be dealt with by the devolved administration because it is not a reserved matter.

The judge also dismissed a ruling that ex-DUP Health Minister Edwin Poots acted irrationally by retaining the ban. In a vindication of Mr Poots, the judges ruled by 2-1 that maintaining the ban was not "disproportionate or contrary to EU law".

"It was regrettable that this case was taken in the first place," Mr Poots said. "It was not the best use of resources. The safety of the public has always been my first and foremost objective.

"I welcome the fact that the highest court in Northern Ireland has vindicated my position."

Sir Declan told a sitting at Belfast's Royal Courts of Justice: "Having analysed all the circumstances, we have concluded there is no basis for the conclusion that the minister's decision was pre-determined by his Christian beliefs, and there is ample evidence to indicate the minister approached the decision by evaluating the factors before adopting on a precautionary basis the status quo."

The ban on gay men donating blood was lifted in England, Scotland and Wales in 2011 and replaced with rules that allow the giving of blood a year after their last encounter with another man.

But the lifetime ban was kept in Northern Ireland by DUP MLA Mr Poots, who cited "blood safety" issues. His successor, Jim Wells, also declined to lift the ban.

Following a judicial review brought by an anonymous man last year, the High Court branded Mr Poots' stance "irrational", given that Northern Ireland accepts blood from other parts of the UK.

Mr Justice Treacy also found he had breached Stormont's ministerial code by not consulting on the policy with fellow ministers.

Mr Poots and his health counterpart at Westminster, Jeremy Hunt, lodged an appeal against the critical determination.

While Mr Poots appealed against the entirety of Mr Justice Treacy's ruling, Mr Hunt appealed only against the finding that responsibility for blood donation policy was a reserved matter.

Last year, Health Minister Simon Hamilton announced the ban should be lifted if a government advisory group said it was safe.

After the latest case, gay rights campaigners said the new ruling provided clarity.

John O'Doherty, director of LGBT support group The Rainbow Project, added: "It is disappointing their lordships have failed to recognise there is no reasonable, rational or medical reason to maintain this lifetime ban, particularly in light of the fact that other regions have moved to temporary deferral.

"Today's judgment clarified that the issue of blood donations remains within the purview of the Northern Ireland minister. We would once again urge Simon Hamilton to accept the advice given by the experts and adopt a one-year deferral, which exists in all other parts of the UK.

"This issue has been debated for over five years and tens of thousands has been spent on maintaining a ban. While the minister may state that he has not yet made a decision, any right-thinking person would accept that five years is enough time."

The Northern Ireland Equality Commission said it looked forward to a decision on the issue.

"The commission's position has been that a ban on blood donations from any group must be based on clear medical evidence and the extent and duration of the ban must be proportionate to the level of risk identified," it added.

"The Commission considers that the ban is inconsistent with the Department of Health's practice of accepting donated blood from Great Britain, where men are permitted to donate blood after a 12-month deferral."
Yesterday I set out a budget to make the UK fit for the future. I set out how I will deliver economic security, national security and opportunity for families in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is thriving as part of the UK. Since early 2010, employment has grown, with 51,000 more people in work and lower unemployment.

Earnings grew faster than in any other UK region over the past year.

The Budget confirms over 220m of additional funding through the Barnett formula for the Northern Ireland Executive, thanks to our prioritisation of frontline services and support for business through the rates system in England.

Part of our plan is about ensuring each nation and region achieves its true potential, which is why have set about delivering the most radical transfer of power in modern history.

Read more

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In Northern Ireland, this means that the excellent Secretary of State Theresa Villiers and I are working towards the devolution of corporation tax.

It's now vital the Executive continues to press on with the programme of reform needed to ensure the financial sustainability we require to confirm corporation tax devolution.

And I was able to confirm yesterday that legislation will be finalised soon which will ensure that investors in the Executive's pilot Enterprise Zone near Coleraine will be able to benefit from tax breaks.

Thanks to an increase in the income tax personal allowance and higher rate threshold, 800,000 people in Northern Ireland will get a tax cut by 2017-18.

I'm also delighted to have announced that we are providing 4.5m towards the launch of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service for Northern Ireland.

Dr John Hinds, who tragically died last summer, was a brave and committed trauma doctor, as well as a dedicated campaigner. He saw an air ambulance as essential, not a luxury.

I am pleased that now we are playing our part in bringing his vision one step closer to being a reality.

Our investment will help to get an air ambulance service up and running, including the lease of a helicopter, as well as financial support for its first three years in operation.

It's been suggested that it could save up to 50 lives a year. It will unarguably enhance the excellent services that Northern Ireland's trauma clinicians, nurses, paramedics and support staff already provide.

Northern Ireland will no longer be the only region of the UK which does not have a helicopter emergency medical service.

It's part of a record 42m allocation of banking fines I've announced at this Budget.

We've already provided significant additional financial support and flexibility to the Executive as part of the Stormont House and Fresh Start agreements, and that support has played a big part in stabilising politics and ensuring that resources are available to invest in those priorities that we share with the devolved administration.

The Northern Ireland Executive's implementation of welfare reform was a central element of recent progress. I announced yesterday that to support the advances which have been made, I have committed to exempting from tax those top-up payments to non-taxable benefits which the Executive intends to fund from within its block grant.

This tax exemption will ensure fairness in the tax system. And it mirrors the tax treatment of welfare payments the Scottish Government will soon have the capacity to make.

It's another example of the Executive and the government being able to find ways to support the people of Northern Ireland, whether responsibilities lie at Westminster or at Stormont.

This is a Budget that delivers on our plan for working people in Northern Ireland and sets out the next steps in building a stronger Northern Ireland economy. It is crucial that we act now, rather than pay later, to ensure the UK is fit for the future.

As I have said, we must go on making the bold decisions and confronting our country's long term challenges - and that is what my Budget is all about.
Health trusts spent a staggering 140m on bank and agency workers in just 12 months

Almost 400,000 a day is being spent dealing with chronic staff shortages in our health service, it has been revealed.

Health trusts spent a staggering 140m on bank and agency workers in just 12 months.

More than 1,000 posts are vacant in Northern Ireland's hospitals, forcing trusts to employ temporary staff. This usually comes at a significant cost.

The Belfast Telegraph has previously reported how agency nurses at one health trust were paid up to 87 an hour.

In the 12 months to last April, a total of 140,607,692 was spent on agency and bank staff - equivalent to 385,226 a day.

The figures were disclosed by Health Minister Simon Hamilton after an Assembly question from SDLP MLA Fearghal McKinney.

Mr McKinney said the scale of expenditure was appalling.

"The figures are staggering and illustrate exactly why there is a pressing need for long-term planning with regards to staffing," he said.

"Considering the many pressures in the health system, a bill of 140m for banking and agency staff is appalling. Under the DUP stewardship of the health service, the agency bill alone has risen by almost 30m since 2011.

"Worryingly, what we do not know is the amount of this money that is going directly to the agencies and being redirected from front line services.

"The Health Minister and the Health Department must explain themselves and why many permanent health care workers are denied a fair and proper pay increase while the system is shovelling money wholesale to fill temporary gaps."

Mr Hamilton's answer covers the 12 months to April 2015.

The Belfast Trust - Northern Ireland's largest health trust - spent just over 47m in that period on bank and agency staff.

The Northern Trust allocated 28.7m, while the Western Trust's bill topped 25m.

Kevin McAdam from the Unite union said there was a total lack of planning.

"It is an absolute disgrace that workforce planning is not carried out effectively at department or trust level," he said. "Short-term cuts are creating crises which can only be filled by agency staff. Departments are making cuts to show cost savings on paper, but are then bringing in agency staff, which ultimately cost more.

"In trying to save money, they actually cost themselves money. It is nothing short of a scandal."

Last month an investigation by the BBC found there were more than 850 nursing vacancies across four of Northern Ireland's five health trusts.

Figures also revealed there were 243 doctor vacancies.

Nursing vacancies at the Southern Health Trust went up by 1,000% in two years - from 19 to 226. The Belfast Trust reported more than 500 available nursing positions and 113 unfilled doctors' posts.

The South Eastern Trust did not supply information, meaning the true figure will be higher.

Garrett Martin from the Royal College of Nursing in Northern Ireland estimated there are about 1,500 nursing vacancies across all sectors.

"Ill-judged cost-saving measures and inadequate workforce planning have created a significant over-reliance on the supply of nurses through the nurse bank and nursing agencies," he said.

"This has resulted in high levels of nurse vacancies across the health service and the nursing home sector, with demand for nursing staff outstripping the supply.

"In addition, HSC trusts are turning increasingly to agency staff, because demand for nursing staff via nurse banks is outstripping supply.

"This is of great concern, since it can impact on the quality of care, nor is it value for money."

"Nursing teams are depleted, which creates additional pressures and compounds existing problems, particularly in relation to continuity of care for patients."

The Department of Health said: "Trust expenditure on agency nurses ensures safe and effective services and contributes significantly to maintaining services, often across smaller sites.

"Reasons for HSC trusts employing agency staff can include, for example, cover for sickness, maternity and increases in beds over the winter months. It is, however, an important policy aim for the health service to endeavour to reduce expenditure on agency, locum and bank staff."
UUP health spokeswoman Jo-Anne Dobson, who asked the question, said that any loss or was a serious matter

Hundreds of medical records have been lost by hospitals here over the past four years, new figures have revealed.

Since 2012, nearly 350 incidents of records being lost or patient confidentiality being breached by health trusts have been reported to the Department of Health.

The figures, which emerged in an answer to an Assembly question to the Health Minister, have led to calls for action to be taken to protect confidentiality.

There were 346 incidents in total, the highest in 2014 when the number of cases rose to 108, dropping 12 months later to 69.

The minister's response did not reveal any detail of the type of losses in each trust area.

UUP health spokeswoman Jo-Anne Dobson, who asked the question, said that any loss or was a serious matter.

It has previously been revealed that in 2012 a client's referral details appeared on Facebook after a staff member dialled the wrong number and left a message on a machine.

Ms Dobson said the latest figures were concerning and that she was "deeply disturbed" by the volume of incidents.

"The problem has deteriorated significantly over recent years so it is essential that Simon Hamilton gets to grips with an issue which he was very vocal about himself as a backbench MLA in 2008 - a time when the number of reports going missing was comparatively lower compared to two or three times that now," she added.

"It is clear that minimum standards regarding the safe and secure handling of deeply private and confidential documents are not being met.

"The loss of a medical record can delay and impede the timely delivery of care, and as we all know, the longer the patient has to wait the more prospect there is of them coming to harm.

"I would call on the minister to take all necessary steps to ensure patient confidentiality right across the health service, wherever the records be held on paper or electronically, to restore patient confidence."

A DHSSPS spokeswoman said: "Each health and social care organisation is responsible, as data controllers under the Data Protection Act (DPA), for the management of records and personal information.

"They must ensure they comply with the DPA, and are answerable to the Information Commissioner for breaches of personal data."

Disciplinary action taken in cases of recorded incidents of lost or breached medical records is the responsibility of each individual organisation.
A Northern Ireland missionary shot in Africa has paid a "substantial" amount of money to clear the names of three men wrongly accused of the attack.

Maud Kells is back home in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, following a three-month trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help free the men.

It was the first time the missionary had returned to the war-torn country since being shot in January 2015.

While she did not reveal how much money she handed over, 76-year-old Ms Kells said it was "worth every penny" to ensure the freedom of the trio, one of whom she said saved her life in the aftermath of the attack.

"It was a substantial amount of money," she said. "They asked for a really huge amount of money in the first place, but I refused and then we managed to whittle it down.

"I was able to pay the money using donations from people in Northern Ireland, so I am very grateful to them for making it possible.

"Unfortunately, a lot of African countries are full of bribery and corruption and they will do anything to get a bit of money, especially if a white person is involved.

"I wasn't going to let these men suffer. I knew I had to get them freed, so I had a lot of discussions and we arrived at an out-of-court settlement and eventually got their names cleared."

Ms Kells, who was crowned Belfast Telegraph Woman of the Year for 2015, also said she was determined to return to Congo to continue her work as a midwife and bible teacher.

She also wants to ensure work continues on the construction of a nursery school.

"I was away for three months but it was far too short," Ms Kells explained.

"I wanted to go for six months, like I normally do, but my mission wouldn't allow it. They also put on extra security for me - I had a night guard - and they also insisted that someone travel with me.

"I was fortunate that the daughter of someone involved in missionary work took time off from her job in nursing in Glasgow to come with me.

"I wasn't really scared about going back. I put my confidence and trust in God. There is a promise in the Bible, 'Fear thou not for I am with you, I will never leave you or forsake you', so I held on to that promise.

"I wanted to clear the names of the three men if possible, and I wanted to finish building a nursery pre-school that we had started and I wanted to complete a few other projects.

"I went on November 29 and returned back home on March 5, and there was Christmas and New Year.

"There were also medical conferences and I had a lot of visitors, mostly state officials - head of security, the head of the legal department - who all came to see me to discuss the shooting incident. I wanted to talk to them about clearing the names of the falsely accused."

Ms Kells said that two of the men spent time in prison after it was claimed they were involved in the shooting. A third man went in to hiding with his wife and two children.

"He was frightened to come back, but he came back at the beginning of December because I had sent a message to him in the forest to come back," continued Ms Kells.

"His wife was heavily pregnant at the time and I was really concerned about her and her baby. But the Lord really answered my prayers because she had a healthy baby.

"They were very lucky because they were able to find a sort of health centre, although there were no proper nurses or midwives.

"They are actually calling the baby Pamela, after my niece, who has been unwell for three years."

Ms Kells said she was told by officials that one of the men was originally put in prison until he gave a statement about the night she was shot.

She was then told he was being held because he had not shouted when she was shot.

"That was a ridiculous thing to say," she said. "If it wasn't for him I would probably have died that night.

"Everyone was terrified to come near me when they heard the shooting.

"They thought the bandits were still around, and eventually one man got free from the bandit who had him. He was able to get to the pastor and then suddenly everyone appeared."

Ms Wells revealed that she was planning one final trip back to Congo in the hope that she will finally be able to complete the construction work on the nursery school.
A man has been ordered to stand trial accused of having a mobile phone allegedly used by dissident republicans when they tried to remotely detonate a bomb outside a school.

At Craigavon Magistrates Court, 45-year-old James Seamus McGuigan, from North Street in Lurgan, was charged with possessing a mobile phone and SIM card in circumstances which gave rise to a reasonable suspicion their possession was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism on dates between October 8 and October 18, 2013.

The charges arose after an explosive device was uncovered in Sloan Street in Lurgan in October 2013.

Previous courts have heard terrorists tried four times to remotely detonate a no-warning bomb beside a special needs school.

Describing McGuigan as a "dissident republican", a detective constable outlined how a mobile phone was strapped to the bomb so that it could be detonated remotely.

He said police investigations indicated that terrorists had tried to detonate the device.

They then called Craigavon Area Hospital to issue a bomb warning claiming to be from the Real IRA.

That call resulted in the school, another nearby primary school and several homes being evacuated, the police officer said.

The officer claimed McGuigan could be linked to the incident as a SIM card used in the bomb had originated from him.

He added that McGuigan's fingerprints were also found in the phone box in the Seagoe Industrial Estate which had been used to call the hospital.

None of the claims were opened in court yesterday, but a prosecuting lawyer submitted that there was a prima facie case against McGuigan based on the evidence and statements.

Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare said he was satisfied there was a case to answer and returned the charges to the Crown Court for trial.

McGuigan was remanded on his own bail of 700, with two sureties of 2,500 and 2,000, to appear for arraignment at Laganside Court in Belfast on a date to be fixed.

Conditions of his release include a curfew from 8.30pm until 7am, an order that he signs three times a week at Lurgan police station, and is electronically tagged.

McGuigan is also not allowed to leave Northern Ireland, must surrender his passport and is not to be in possession of a mobile phone.
The situation was brought under control at around 4.30am. March 2016. Picture: BBC

Clean up at the Holylands area of Belfast on Thursday Morning, One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Photo Pacemaker Press

The morning after the night before. People in the Holylands celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

The morning after the night before. People in the Holylands celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker 17/03/2016

The morning after the night before. People in the Holylands celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

People in the Holylands celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

People in the Holylands celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

Clean up at the Holylands area of Belfast on Thursday Morning, One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Photo Pacemaker Press

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

PACEMAKER BELFAST 17/03/2016 A Police Presence in the Hollands area of Belfast, Celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Police were attacked with bottles in Agincourt Avenue as a crowd of about 300 people gathered in the area. The disturbances lasted for over two hours, ending at about 04:30 GMT. Police said they went to the area after a crowd was reported to be blocking the road and throwing missiles at homes and cars. Vehicles parked along the street were damaged during the trouble. One police officer said some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs". Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

PACEMAKER BELFAST 17/03/2016 A Police Presence in the Hollands area of Belfast, Celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Police were attacked with bottles in Agincourt Avenue as a crowd of about 300 people gathered in the area. The disturbances lasted for over two hours, ending at about 04:30 GMT. Police said they went to the area after a crowd was reported to be blocking the road and throwing missiles at homes and cars. Vehicles parked along the street were damaged during the trouble. One police officer said some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs". Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

PACEMAKER BELFAST 17/03/2016 A Police Presence in the Hollands area of Belfast, Celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Police were attacked with bottles in Agincourt Avenue as a crowd of about 300 people gathered in the area. The disturbances lasted for over two hours, ending at about 04:30 GMT. Police said they went to the area after a crowd was reported to be blocking the road and throwing missiles at homes and cars. Vehicles parked along the street were damaged during the trouble. One police officer said some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs". Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

PACEMAKER BELFAST 17/03/2016 A Police Presence in the Hollands area of Belfast, Celebrating Saint Patricks day.One police officer has been injured and three people have been arrested after disturbances in the Holyland area of south Belfast. Police were attacked with bottles in Agincourt Avenue as a crowd of about 300 people gathered in the area. The disturbances lasted for over two hours, ending at about 04:30 GMT. Police said they went to the area after a crowd was reported to be blocking the road and throwing missiles at homes and cars. Vehicles parked along the street were damaged during the trouble. One police officer said some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs". Picture Matt Bohill Pacemaker

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Scenes in the Holylands on St Patricks day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Revellers in the Holylands on St Patrick's day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Picture - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Belfast , UK - March 17, Pictured is The scenes in the Holyland on St Patrick's day on March 17, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph )

Large crowds are gathering again in the Holylands after trouble flared in the early hours of St Patrick's Day resulting in a police officer being injured.

Shortly after 2am in the early hours of St Patrick's Day police received the report to the Agincourt Avenue area of south Belfast.

A drunken crowd of around 300 gathered blocking roads, throwing missiles and reportedly singing "pro-IRA songs".

The disturbance lasted for over two hours as police attempted to disperse the drunken crowd who were damaging property.

One police officer told the BBC that some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs".

It ended at around 4.30am and police remained in the area.

Hundreds are now gathering again in the south Belfast area.

Police are "concerned" that more trouble might break out.

"We're dealing with people who are abusing alcohol and then abusing the community within which they live," Chief Superintendent Chris Noble told the BBC.

"What young people do could have a life-changing effect for them in terms of their education and their employment."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Flashback to 2009 - Scenes from Belfast's Holyland area during disturbances on St. Patricks day. Flashback to 2009 - Scenes from Belfast's Holyland area during disturbances on St. Patricks day. Flashback to 2009 - Students clash with police in the Holylands area Paul Faith Flashback to 2009 - Police patrol the Holyland area on St Patricks Day Flashback to 2009 - Police in riot gear watch as a crowd gather in the Holylands area of south Belfast earlier this year / Facebook

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Whatsapp Flashback to 2009 - Scenes from Belfast's Holyland area during disturbances on St. Patricks day.

CHARGED

An officer was injured when he was struck on the shoulder by a bottle.

Three males aged 19, 20 and 21 were arrested on suspicion of a number of public order offences.

They have since been charged following the disorder.

The 21-year-old man has been charged with disorderly behaviour, a 19-year-old man has been charged with riotous behaviour while a 20-year-old man has been charged with disorderly behaviour, obstructing police, resisting police and two counts of assault on police.

All three are due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Wednesday April 13.

As is normal procedure, all charges are reviewed by the PPS.

Police have said they will maintain a visible presence today and in the coming days.

Superintendent Darrin Jones said: Police will continue to have a highly visible presence in the area over the coming days. I want everyone to enjoy the St. Patricks Day celebrations but I would strongly encourage people to consider the long term consequences of engaging in drunken or anti-social behaviour.

Naked man wearing an Irish flag this morning in the Holyland pic.twitter.com/RqXRrOsed7  Claire Graham (@JournoClaire) March 17, 2016

"Police will deal robustly with any offences to bring people before the courts, and this may lead to career limiting sanctions. Police will be on the streets of Belfast throughout the day to ensure anyone wishing to travel, work or socialise in Belfast can do so safely.

MORNING AFTER CLEAN-UP

A clean-up operation is currently underway in the area where students are queuing in large numbers at off-licences as they prepare for St Patrick's Day celebrations.

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST CONDEMN BEHAVIOUR

A spokeswoman for Queen's University Belfast said that they will have a team on the ground today and that any student found to have brought the university into disrepute will face rigours of "strict off-campus disciplinary code".

It said in a statement: "Queens University and the Students Union condemn the anti-social behaviour that took place in the Holyland area of Belfast last night. Staff from the University and the Students' Union are on the ground today in the Holyland area, as they will be tonight.

"While the vast majority of Queens students will celebrate St Patricks Day in an enjoyable and peaceful manner, Queens will fully investigate any complaints or reports of anti-social behaviour.

"A strict off-campus disciplinary code is in place and if any Queens student is found to have brought the University into disrepute, they will be subject to the full rigours of this code. The University has been working since January of this year with the PSNI, Belfast City Council, Ulster University, Belfast Met and other key stakeholders, and supports robust enforcement of legislation in relation to anti-social behaviour. The University will continue to liaise closely with the authorities in identifying any Queens students who may have been involved..

"Over the last number of years the University has invested significant resources to help improve community relations and will continue to work with its partners to this end.

ULSTER UNIVERSITY HAD 'TEAM ON GROUND'

In a statement to the BBC Nolan Show Ulster University said they had a team on the ground at the time of the disorder and will have a presence in the area throughout the day.

A spokesman said: "Although the activity in the Holyland area is a combination of university and college students, non residents and post primary students all five HEI's have been working proactively together in advance of St Patrick's day to ensure their respective students are fully aware of their responsibilities and risks of engaging in anti-social behaviour.

"We have built strong partnerships with Belfast City Council, landlords, residents and police who are supportive of our ongoing work in the area.

"We are and have been working closely with them throughout the year.

"A new joint community affairs officer funded by Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast enaged with students on a daily basis

"We can confirm that the Ulster University had a team on the ground last night and will have teams in the area throughout the day."

'DISPERSE STUDENTS FROM HOLYLAND ACCOMMODATION'

South Belfast MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir called the disruption "unacceptable" and called for Stormont's Department of Social Development to disperse the students from the Holyland.

He said: "While people are entitled to celebrate holidays like St Patricks Day there is absolutely no justification whatsoever for the behaviour which Holyland residents had to endure last night.

"The core issue within the Holyland has always been the concentration of students into a small area. Sinn Fein had taken a position some time ago that purpose built student accommodation would help resolve this. Thankfully we have seen a number of these developments across the city been approved by planners. I believe this will help to relieve the Holyland issue.

He added: "I would go further and call on the DSD to plan for a dispersal of students from the Holyland allowing the properties there to be transformed back into family homes.

"For today however, I would urge students and others to not let the behaviour we witnessed last night be repeated and to enjoy St Patricks Day in a responsible way with due regard to the Holyland community"

'ATTACKING POLICE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ST PATRICK'

DUP MLA for south Belfast Emma Little Pengelly slammed the disturbance as "disgraceful and provocative".

She said: "Crowds singing pro-IRA songs while attacking police with bottles has nothing to do with St. Patrick. It is sectarian, totally unacceptable and it needs to stop.

"I have been working closely with Queens University, Ulster University and others in the lead up to this years St Patricks Day working hard in the background to try and prevent anti-social or drunken behaviour on the streets.

"It is disgrace that once again, despite these efforts, we have a situation today where a police officer has been injured and three people arrested. This is absolutely shameful.

"I will continue to liaise with the PSNI and the University contacts throughout today in attempts to prevent more disorder.
The Duke of Cambridge poses for a group photograph with the Irish Guards

The Duke of Cambridge salutes at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow (MoD/PA)

The Duke of Cambridge prepares to present sprigs of shamrock to the Irish Guards

William presents a sprig of shamrock to the Irish Guards' regimental mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Domhnall (MoD/PA)

The Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition today by staying at home with her children, leaving her husband to hand out shamrock to troops during a St Patrick's Day parade.

Usually a female member of the Royal Family presents the Irish Guards with their traditional honour, but Kate, 34, was at home in Norfolk with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Instead the Duke, who is Colonel of the regiment, led the parade at Hounslow Cavalry Barracks in west London.

Since 1901, when the regiment was first founded by order of Queen Victoria, the regiment's parade has traditionally been presided over by a woman.

For the last five years, Kate has presented soldiers with their St Patrick's Day shamrock, but this year decided to put family first, as she and William prepare for lengthy state visits to India and Bhutan later next month.

Although the soldiers were disappointed that the Duchess was unable to attend, Company Sergeant Major Carl Laverty said they were "conscious that she has family commitments", adding that the "lads were ecstatic" to have their Colonel present the honours instead.

The day's celebrations began at dawn, as the Irish Guards Pipes and Drums contingent performed Reveille, followed by a round of gunfire.

After arriving at the barracks, William led a private ceremony for the family of Major Harry Shapland, who was killed in operations in northern Iraq in 1994.

Inside the barracks' Mess Hall, the Duke presented Major Shapland's mother with the Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll, created in 2009 to recognise the families of armed forces personnel who have died in conflict or as a result of acts of terrorism.

After the private ceremony, William, dressed in an Irish Guards frock coat and wearing a ceremonial sword, was welcomed on to the central parade ground with a regimental royal salute, followed by the National Anthem played by the regiment's bagpipes and drum divisions.

The Duke began the parade by handing out baskets of shamrock to warrant officers, who then distributed the sprigs down and along the ranks.

William appeared in good spirits throughout the parade, joking with officers and wishing them a happy St Patrick's Day.

Presenting the shamrock to the regiment's mascot, four-year-old Irish wolfhound Domhnall, the Duke passed the duties on to the dog's handler, having observed his wife's failed attempts to fix the shamrock to Domhnall's collar last year.

For many of the soldiers present, the parade was the first St Patrick's Day celebration in recent memory where the entire regiment has been in attendance. It was also the first time that the parade has been held at Hounslow, which became the new barracks for the regiment in 2015.

In recent years the parade has been much smaller, due to the Irish Guards' commitments to frontline duties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more recently in operations in Bosnia, Oman and Kenya.

After the ceremony, William met soldiers and their families, and sat for group photographs with the Officers' and Sergeants' Mess.

The Duke spoke with John Patrick Keneally, whose wife, Maryam, was wearing his father's Victoria Cross medal.

"The Prince talked to us about my father, who I'm named after," John said.

"We talked about my father's service in Tunisia during World War Two.

"He was interested to hear how he had been part of the Tunisia operations in 1943, a crucial theatre that helped to turn the tide of the war."

William also spoke with Army cadets attending the parade, including Lance Sergeant Alex Hullme, 16, of Crosby, Liverpool.

"He was very pleased to hear that I've signed up to join the Irish Guards," Alex said.

"We talked about my detachment from Crosby, and he was pleased to hear that we had won the Mini Micks competition, held in Ireland.

"It was great to have him present our shamrock to us."

The Duke also demonstrated a touch of his paternal side, when he was shocked to learn from one officer and his wife, who was heavily pregnant, that she was in fact expecting later in the day.

"You're expecting today? Wow, you must sit down," he joked.
A total of 800,000 people here will benefit from an income tax cut in the next two years, Chancellor George Osborne has pledged.

Writing exclusively for the Belfast Telegraph, he described Northern Ireland as "thriving" - but also added that Government financial support had helped stabilise politics.

In his Budget speech yesterday, the Conservative Chancellor said tax exemptions would mean greater fairness in the system.

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A hike in the income tax personal allowance will also mean 800,000 people here getting a tax cut by 2017-18. They will gain 182 a year and 35,000 will be removed from income tax altogether.

Mr Osborne said it was now "vital" the Executive presses head with reforms, including pruning the public sector by up to 20,000 jobs, to ensure the financial sustainability needed to go ahead with the corporation tax cut.

He also confirmed legislation would soon be finalised to ensure that investors in planned pilot enterprise zone near Coleraine benefit from tax breaks.

"This is a Budget that delivers on our plan for working people and sets out the next steps in building a stronger Northern Ireland economy," Mr Osborne wrote.

Secretary of State Theresa Villiers argued the Budget would "help to safeguard economic security in a turbulent world.

"Since early 2010 there are over 51,000 more people in work in Northern Ireland, with the unemployment register down 40% from its peak," she added. "This Budget will ensure that Northern Ireland continues to benefit from the Government's long-term economic plan."

But there was negative reactions from politicians and trade unions. Sinn Fein MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir said: "It's clear austerity will continue to be the price of the union with Britain."

SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie attacked the Chancellor's changes to Personal Independence Payments as "shameful", even though they were not mentioned in his address. "His failure to mention the 1.2bn cut to Personal Independence Payment in his statement was no mistake," the South Down MP said. "There is no justifiable reason for this flagrant attack on disabled people. It will drive more people into poverty."

Ukip's sole MLA David McNarry MLA also warned: "The Executive needs to take note of the cut in corporation tax to 17% in 2020 which reduces the differential between Northern Ireland on 12.5% and the rest of the UK. Perhaps more importantly, they should take note that the Irish Republic is planning to levy a Corporation Tax rate of 6.25% on businesses based on intellectual property developed in Ireland."

NIPSA General Secretary Alison Millar added: "In addition to the proposed imposition of a 1% pay freeze for public sector workers until 2020, a further 3.5bn in cuts is forecast, including a freeze on working age benefits. These tax credits are paid to those in work whose wages are too low. The local economy is dominated by such malpractice.

But Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, welcomed the Chancellor's specific support "for responsible drinkers and our nation's pubs. "The freezing of duty on the likes of beer and spirits is the right thing to do and demonstrates how the Government has prioritised the hospitality sector as a key driver of the economy. If only the Northern Ireland Assembly could show that same level of support, we would not be operating in a legislative environment that is outdated and prohibiting growth or any chance of growth," he added.

And Glyn Roberts of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Association said: "Overall, this is positive budget for small traders with its emphasis on lowering tax, reforming business rates and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs."
Britain will not be taking any extra migrants as a result of a deal being struck between the European Union and Turkey, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.

Mr Cameron was speaking as he arrived at a summit in Brussels at which it is hoped to finalise an agreement drawn up with Turkey two weeks ago to stem the flow of migrants across the eastern Mediterranean.

The Prime Minister said that reaching a deal which would allow migrants to be returned from Greek islands to Turkey would represent "good progress".

Under the terms of the proposed deal, the European Union would take one Syrian refugee from camps in Turkey for every migrant returned to the country. Ankara stands to gain 6 billion euros (4.7bn) in aid as well as visa-free travel for its nationals.

But Mr Cameron said that provisions on the visas and refugee resettlement would not apply to Britain because it is not part of the EU's Schengen border-free area.

"Because we have kept our own border controls, because we are out of Schengen, we won't be offering visa-free access to Turks as part of this agreement," he said.

"We maintain our own immigration policy.

"We have already said what we are going to do in terms of taking Syrian refugees to Britain and that is under way. We won't be taking more because of what is discussed here today.

"If we can get an agreement that returns the migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey that would be good progress."

Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu drew up the principles of the deal with German chancellor Angela Merkel before presenting it to the other 27 leaders of EU member states at a summit earlier this month. He will join them again in the hope of securing final agreement.

Under the plan, Turkey would receive 3 billion euros (2.3bn) in additional funding by 2018, on top of 3 billion offered late last year. The EU also said it would speed up a visa liberalisation process to allow 75 million Turks to visit the Schengen area without a visa by June. Talks on Turkey's long-stalled application to join the EU will be revived.

It is understood that the deal envisages fast-track hearings and appeals before irregular migrants are returned to Turkey, in order to overcome objections from the United Nations to blanket removal of all those arriving by boat in Greece.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said that any arrangements would respect both European law and the Geneva Conventions.

He said: "I'm pretty sure and confident that we will reach an agreement with Turkey today or tomorrow."

European Council president Donald Tusk said he was "cautiously optimistic" about finalising the agreement, but added: "Frankly speaking, more cautious than optimistic."

Mr Cameron made clear that the UK backs the proposed arrangement, but would not add to its existing plan to take in 20,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees from camps in the region over five years.

"What matters today is actually busting the business model of those people-smugglers and therefore breaking the link between getting on a boat and getting settlement in Europe," said the Prime Minister.

"So we support the idea of turning people from the Greek islands back to Turkey. That's a good idea."

Refugee Council chief executive Maurice Wren said: "The EU's plan to outsource its responsibility for protecting refugees to Turkey is immoral, unworkable and probably illegal.

"The fact that the Government is boasting of its intention not to lift a finger to help more refugees find safety in the UK is emblematic of its lack of moral leadership and political courage to do the right thing and offer more refugees safe passage."

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte suggested that the prospect of immediate return from the Greek islands to Turkey would halt the flow of migrants by the eastern Mediterranean route "in three to four weeks" after finalisation of the deal.

But Mr Cameron warned fellow leaders that the new arrangements may push some to switch their efforts further west to the sea routes from Libya, in a repeat of scenes last summer when thousands attempted the perilous journey by boat to Italy.

While attention has been focused during the winter months on the eastern Mediterranean route, which remained viable because of the proximity of Greek islands like Lesbos to the Turkish coast, Mr Cameron will tell the Brussels summit that Europe should be preparing for the possibility of a new surge of boats from Libya as the weather and sea conditions improve.

The PM told MPs on Wednesday that Britain was "definitely" ready to assist the new Government of National Accord established last weekend in Libya as it addresses the double challenge of people-smuggling and the Islamic State terror group.

Meanwhile, EU auditors issued a harsh verdict on efforts to control migration from outside the bloc prior to the current crisis. External migration operations on southern and eastern borders between 2007 and 2013 lacked a clear strategy and suffered from "complex governance, insufficient coordination and the absence of a funding overview", said the European Court of Auditors.

Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman said the UK believes the proposed new arrangements with Turkey can be imposed "in line with EU and international law" as individual cases would be assessed on their merits.

But Amnesty International refugee director Steve Symonds said: "The plan lacks both logic and compassion. By abandoning their legal obligations, European leaders won't put a stop to refugee migration.

"In fact, they'll make it even less likely that countries like Turkey will improve their treatment of refugees, resulting in still more people risking their lives in search of safety."

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said Turkey was "blackmailing" the EU over the migrants.

Mr Farage told ITV News: "We are about to offer the Turks visa-free access for 77 million people into the EU, possibly from June. We are going to give them 6 billion euros, of which (the British) are contributing 500 million sterling. And Merkel has made a promise to Turkey that they can join the EU in a few years' time.

"Frankly, we are giving, giving, giving ... They have been blackmailing and they have been doing very well."

Mr Farage said that unless it was made clear that migrants would be processed in Turkey to see whether they had a genuine case to enter Europe as refugees, numbers arriving in the EU this year could rise as high as 1.5 million.
Game of Thrones is too "brutal and hardcore" to watch, according to show star Stephen Dillane.

The 58-year-old also confirmed that his character Stannis Baratheon, who appeared to meet a sticky end at the hands of Brienne of Tarth in the series five finale, was dead as far as he knew.

The actor said of the worldwide hit programme, which is filmed largely in Northern Ireland: "It's pretty brutal, I couldn't watch much of that anyway. It's hardcore. Too tough for me. It's just too painful.

"It's pretty intense, quite overwhelming. The whole world of it is pretty overwhelming."

Asked what he got out of starring in the massively popular show, he replied bluntly: "Money."

And quizzed on whether he got any professional or personal satisfaction from the series, he reportedly said: "Er, no."

Despite saying he did not "blame" people who stopped watching after his character ordered his daughter to be burnt alive, Dillane backtracked and said the show was "fantastic".

He added: "I don't dismiss it at all. I think it's fantastic. I think it's an extraordinary thing. An amazing phenomenon, a really amazing phenomenon.

"Money is the main thing that I got out of it. It's an odd situation - there is a kind of etiquette around these things. I think it's extraordinary. I am not dismissing it at all."

And in response to the question of whether Stannis - last seen about to be beheaded - was really dead, the actor replied: "As far as I know, yeah."

The series has made locations in Northern Ireland world famous, and as well as pumping money into the local economy through its production, it has also bolstered tourism.

Game of Thrones returns to Sky Atlantic on April 25
Camilla and Charles watch traditional dancers performing in Tvrda, the old town of the city of Osijek in eastern Croatia

A leading music scholar was moved to tears when the Prince of Wales visited the biggest Orthodox temple in the Balkans on the first day of a two-day visit to Belgrade.

Charles met Professor Dimitrije Stefanovic at St Sava Temple and was treated to some medieval music.

Prof Stefanovic warmly shook the Prince's hand, becoming very emotional as he thanked him for visiting the spiritual temple of Serbian believers.

Two choristers performed a selection of music for the Prince before they joined Prof Stefanovic to sing a song specially written for Charles's visit.

The performances took place in the temple's crypt - which is yet to be completed - and there were fresco artists painting as the Prince was told about the detailed work that had gone into the building.

Crowds of well-wishers gathered to see the Prince as he left the temple to the ringing of bells. He took some time to shake hands with some members of the public, many of whom had applauded and cheered upon catching sight of him.

Earlier in the day Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a memorial ceremony at Belgrade New Cemetery.

To mark the occasion, the Prince wore an RAF tie, veterans badge and the shoes issued to him when he joined the RAF in March 1971.

The memorial is above an underground crypt in which the bodies of 4,603 known and unknown soldiers have been laid to rest.

Shortly after the event, the Prince and President Tomislav Nikolic attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

They were led into the site by a piper from the Royal Irish Regiment, and greeted by a British military band.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Prince asked Mr Nikolic to pause for a short time so he could pay his respects. After the wreath laying, the Last Post was played and a short prayer was said.

Crowds lined the streets as the royal couple made their way to Kalemegdan Fortress where they took in the view of the confluence of the River Danube and the River Sava.

The Duchess then left to make her way to an event at Zvecanska Children's Home where she was due to meet representatives of Unicef and the Djokovic Foundation.

Charles continued to walk in the sunshine towards the Roman Well, through the King's Gate, along the Sava Promenade and up the Grand Staircases towards the Victor Monument.

He stopped briefly at a World War One exhibition before walking on to Princess Ljubica's residence.

The building is one of a few that survived the first reign of Prince Milos Obrenovic, and was built between 1829 and 1831. Members of the public excitedly hurried to get photos of the Prince, some applauding as he passed by.

He was greeted at the residence by the Choir of the Jewish Community in Belgrade. He was then invited to take a seat in the Divan room to engage in an inter-faith dialogue with representatives from Serbia's Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities.
Home Office figures showed there were a total of 280 terrorism-related arrests in 2015

Home Office figures showed there were a total of 280 terrorism-related arrests in 2015

Record numbers of teenagers are being arrested in counter-terrorism investigations, new figures have revealed.

Sixteen under-18s were held in the year ending December 2015, a rise from 10 in the previous year and the highest number for the age group in a calendar year since data collection started in 2001.

The statistics, published by the Home Office, also showed that rising numbers of women are being arrested on suspicion of terror-related offences.

Last year 45 female suspects were held - an increase of 50% on 2014, continuing an "upward trend" recorded in recent years.

Overall, there were a total of 280 terrorism-related arrests in 2015 - a drop of 3% compared with the previous year.

A Home Office report published alongside the figures said the fall was driven by a decrease in the numbers held for domestic terrorism.

By contrast there was a small rise in arrests linked to international terrorism, which now accounts for more than three-quarters (79%) of all arrests.

Police and security services have been mounting an unprecedented operation to counter the threat to the UK following the rise of Islamic State.

Last week, Mark Rowley, the country's most senior counter-terrorism officer, warned that the group "has big ambitions for enormous and spectacular attacks". Authorities have foiled seven plots to attack the UK in the last 18 months.

The statistics released on Thursday chime with fears of increasing numbers of women and teenagers being drawn into extremism.

Schoolgirls and young families are among those feared to have fled the UK to join IS, which is also known as Isil, Isis or Daesh.

The number of suspects who were bailed to return pending further investigation jumped nearly five-fold, from 13 in 2014 to 64 last year, accounting for 23% of the total arrests.

" As time passes, cases will progress, meaning that the number of persons released on bail will decrease, while the number of charges (and other outcomes) will increase," the Home Office report said.

Of the other people arrested, 96 (34%) were charged with an offence, 109 (39%) were released without charge and 11 (4%) faced "alternative action".

The figures also revealed that:

:: There have been 3,157 terrorism-related arrests since the September 11 attacks in the US in 2001.

:: There were 71 arrests in the last three months of 2015 - an increase of nearly 50% compared with the previous quarter.

:: There were 143 people in custody for terrorism-related offences, with another 25 behind bars for domestic extremism or separatism.

:: More than three-quarters (78%) of those arrested were of British or British dual nationality.

Shashank Joshi, senior research fellow at security think-tank the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), said the figures suggest the counter-terrorism environment is "broadly steady".

"There is a high level of threat," he said. "A great deal of the threat is latent and is not going to show up in arrest figures."

Security Minister John Hayes said: "We are determined to detect, disrupt and where possible prosecute all terrorist threats to the UK.

"The figures released today once again highlight the hard work carried out by the police, Security Service and Crown Prosecution Service to keep the public safe - and emphasise the scale of that challenge."
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Belgrade, Serbia, after arriving from Croatia, on the third day of their six day tour to the Balkans

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have attended a memorial ceremony at the Belgrade New Cemetery as they began their visit to Serbia.

Charles and the president of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, laid wreaths at the Memorial Crypt of the Belgrade Defenders, followed by a pause for reflection before Serbian priests read a short prayer.

The prince wore an RAF tie, veteran's badge and the shoes issued to him when he joined the RAF in March, 1971.

Dressed in a grey and black Bruce Oldfield coat, the duchess observed proceedings as the national anthems of both countries were played by a military band.

The memorial is above an underground crypt in which the bodies of 4,603 known and unknown soldiers have been laid to rest.

Charles and President Nikolic later attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

They were led to the site by a piper from the Royal Irish Regiment, and greeted by a British Military band.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Charles asked President Nikolic to pause for a short time so he could pay his respects.
Several critically injured people were flown to a hospital in the Jordanian capital of Amman

Sixteen Palestinian pilgrims have been killed in a bus crash in Jordan.

More than 30 others were injured in the accident close to the border with Saudi Arabia.

Nine of the dead were pinned underneath the vehicle when it veered off the road and overturned, a spokesman for Jordan's Civil Defence department told the Voice of Palestine radio station.

Injured passenger Azzah Ibrahim said he remembered the bus overturning.

"Some of us were beneath the bus, and some of us were inside the bus, between the chairs," he said from his hospital bed in the southern city of Maan, about 45 miles (70km) from the scene of the accident.

Heavy equipment was used to lift the bus and pull nine bodies from underneath.

The windows of the mud-smeared bus were shattered. Glass shards, passengers' crumpled clothing and empty water bottles were strewn on the floor of the vehicle.

The passengers, all from the West Bank, had been on their way to a Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Jordan's state news agency Petra initially reported late on Wednesday that 14 passengers had been killed and 36 injured. It said the driver had apparently lost control of the vehicle.

Overnight, the death toll rose to 16, including two children, said Dr Walid Ruwad, the manager of Maan hospital.

Bassam Hijawi, an official at the Palestinian embassy in Jordan, said five critically injured passengers were flown by helicopter to the Jordanian capital of Amman.

Three others, who were in a serious condition, were evacuated to a hospital in the Red Sea port of Aqaba, he told the Voice of Palestine.
EU leaders are pushing ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades.

With European unity fraying in the face of more than one million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey - the source of most refugees heading across the sea to Greece - is seen as the key partner to contain the influx.

The UN refugee agency, however, has strong reservations about asylum standards in Turkey and rights groups are concerned over Ankara's crackdown on the media and its increasingly bloody conflict with Kurdish rebels.

But the EU feels it has no better option.

"How are you going to help Greece without having an agreement with Turkey to handle the issue? Do you really want to condemn Greece to become a refugee camp for the rest of Europe?" EU Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said ahead of the two-day summit in Brussels.

Unnerved by the hundreds of thousands of people flooding into Europe, Austria and other northern nations tightened border controls, creating a domino effect throughout the Balkans. Macedonia, just north of Greece, has all but locked its gates.

Greece, which has a vast sea border, cannot do that. So the moves have left nearly 46,000 people stuck in Greece, including some 14,000 camped out in the border town of Idomeni who are desperately hoping to move on towards Germany or Scandinavia.

Some Idomeni refugees waded through a raging stream to cross into Macedonia this week, only to be sent back bloody and bruised.

Under the EU agreement, which could be sealed with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday, Turkey would stop migrants from leaving and take back from Greece all "new arrivals" not eligible for asylum.

For every irregular migrant returned to Turkey, EU countries would take in one Syrian refugee from Turkey, up to a total of 72,000, all resettled in a process supervised by the UNHCR.

In exchange, the EU could provide Turkey with up to six billion euro (4.75bn) to help the 2.7 million Syrian refugees there, and speed up EU membership talks and ease visa rules for Turkish citizens.

Rights groups fear the deal is a fig-leaf to hide the deportation of migrants, even though the EU insists that each person can make a case in an interview and has the right to appeal.

Changes made to the draft deal since it was made public on March 7 "do little to hide Europe's shameful planned mass return of refugees to Turkey", Amnesty International said Wednesday.

Ahead of the summit, EU Council President Donald Tusk said "I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic" about the chances for success.

He said any deal must satisfy all EU member countries, "big or small".
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has called for a review of US arrangements for Sinn Fein after he was refused entry to a St Patrick's Day event hosted by US President Barack Obama and fellow party member Martin Ferris was detained for several hours in Boston.

Speaking before walking in the New York St Patrick's Day parade, the Sinn Fein President revealed Kerry TD Martin Ferris was detained by US officials yesterday for "several hours" and had to get a later flight to Boston.

This comes after the Sinn Fein President was accused of "narcissism" after he compared being refused entry to a St Patrick's Day event hosted by US President Barack Obama to the case of civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks.

Today, before walking in the St Patrick's Day parade in the New York Patrick's Day march, he called for the the full normalisation of relations between Sinn Fein and the White House, and a review of the U.S. security arrangements for Sinn Fein representatives visiting the country.

Mr Adams was at the centre of an embarrassing row with the White House after he was forced to undergo a security check before attending the prestigious Shamrock Ceremony.

He accused the US government of treating Sinn Fein "differently" to other political parties.

In a scathing attack on the White House, Mr Adams said Sinn Fein would "not sit at the back of the bus for anyone", in a reference to US civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

However his comparison of his experience at the White House - where he was reportedly detained by security offices for up to 90 minutes before deciding to leave - to the courageous stand taken by the late Ms Parks has been derided by politicians at home.

Last night, Fine Gael Wexford TD Michael D'Arcy hit back at Mr Adams, saying he was "a long way from Rosa Parks".

"He's not the first or last politician to go through security checks in the White House.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Parade goers pose on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A parade participant poses on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: A man holds up a Gay Pride flag at the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Participants march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: An Irish Wolfhound walks in the St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Participants march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Participants march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade as members of the military stand guard on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Participants march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: Participants march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: New York governor Andrew Cuomo poses for a picture while marching in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, Mayor de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: A police officer and his son march in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: People cheer as the during the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray marches in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, Mayor de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images County Cork Pipes and Drum marching band bagpipers go past a billboard on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio marches in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, Mayor de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images A marching band plays on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images The US Navy Marching Band walks on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Ireland police officers walk on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A parade participant cheers on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images New York Governor Andrew Cuomo poses on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio waves on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Marching bandsare seen on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images The NYPD Emerald Society Marching band is seen on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Parade watchers line up on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Parade watchers line up on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 17: A man holds up a Gay Pride flag at the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, one of the largest and oldest in the world on March 17, 2016 in New York City. Now that a ban on openly gay groups has been dropped, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is attending the parade for the first time since he became mayor in 2014. The parade goes up Fifth Avenue ending at East 79th Street and will draw an estimated 2 million spectators along its 35-block stretch. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Parade goers pose on 5th Avenue during the 255th New York City St Patrick's Day Parade on March 17, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Timothy A. CLARYTIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

"Gerry expects preferential treatment wherever he goes but you don't get much preferential treatment in the White House," said Mr D'Arcy. Fine Gael Meath East TD Regina Doherty said Mr Adams' "narcissism has reached dizzying heights".

"The distinction between Rosa Parks, the first lady of civil rights, and Gerry Adams is unparalleled," she said.

However Mr Adams defended his reference to Ms Parks.

"I mean I was invited to the place. I was there at least 30 times in the last 20 years at different events and for talks and meetings as well as for these more ceremonial celebrations of St Patrick's Day. So you know we aren't going to sit at the back of the bus," he said.

"It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently."

The Sinn Fein leader was invited to the White House event along with his deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

However, on arrival Mr Adams was told by staff there was a security issue which needed to be addressed before he was granted entry.

Last night, the US Secret Service released a statement saying the delay in processing Mr Adams was due to an "administrative input error".

"The Secret Service would like to express our regret that the issue involving Mr Gerry Adams' entry into the St Patrick's Day reception could not be resolved in a more timely manner.

"Unfortunately, an administrative input error received by the Secret Service was not able to be rectified promptly," said the statement.

After the White House event, Mr McGuinness and Ms McDonald attended an Irish Embassy function in Washington. Mr Adams was not seen at the event.

At the reception in the Wilward Hotel, Mr Kenny joked that his day in Washington had "gone very well", before adding: "Bejaysus, I wish I didn't have to go back and face what I have to face but c'est la vie."

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan defended Mr Kenny's unguarded comments which has become a major talking point of his State visit.

Mr Flanagan said: "I was present when the Taoiseach made a light-hearted comment and I'm disappointed that his comment has been misinterpreted (and) misunderstood."

Irish Independent
A man reaches out as mourners carry a Turkish flag-draped coffin following Sunday's explosion in Ankara (AP)

A Kurdish militant group has claimed responsibility for a suicide car-bomb attack in the Turkish capital which killed 37 people.

In a statement posted on Thursday on its website, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons said the attack in Ankara was in response to Turkish military operations against Kurdish rebels in the south-east.

The Turkey-based group is considered an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and has carried out several attacks in the past including one in Ankara in February that killed 28 people.

More than 200 people have died in five suicide bombings in Turkey since July that were blamed either on the Kurdish rebels or IS.

Meanwhile, Germany's foreign minister says he decided to close the country's embassy in Ankara and its consulate in Istanbul, as well as German schools in both cities, after authorities received a security warning Wednesday night.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters in Berlin that there were "some very concrete indications that terrorist attacks were being prepared against our facilities in Turkey".

Mr Steinmeier says security is being increased at all facilities and authorities are trying to collect more information.

He did not say how long the facilities would be closed.
The US Secret Service has said it "regrets" the controversy surrounding Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams's attendance at a St Patrick's Day event in the White House hosted by President Barack Obama.

Mr Adams reacted angrily after he was forced to undergo a security check before attending the prestigious Shamrock Ceremony and accused the US Government of treating Sinn Fein "differently" to other political parties.

In a scathing attack on the White House, Mr Adams said Sinn Fein will "not sit at the back of the bus for anyone", in reference to civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

Last night the US Secret Service released a statement saying the delay in processing Mr Adams was due to the an "administrative input error".

"The Secret Service would like to express our regret that the issue involving Mr Gerry Adams' entry into the St Patrick's Day reception could not be resolved in a more timely manner.

"Unfortunately, an administrative input error received by the Secret Service was not able to be rectified promptly," it said.

Fine Gael Wexford TD Michael D'Arcy hit back at Mr Adams, saying he was "a long way from Rosa Parks".

"He's not the first or last politician to go through security checks in the White House.

"Gerry expects preferential treatment wherever he goes, but you don't get much preferential treatment in the White House," added Mr D'Arcy.

The Sinn Fein leader was invited to the White House event along with his deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. However, on arrival the Louth TD was told by staff there was a security issue which needed to be addressed before he was let in to the event, attended by an array of US and foreign dignitaries.

He was reportedly detained by White House security officers for up to 90 minutes before deciding to cut his losses and leave.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Adams said: "When I arrived the staff at the White House informed me that there was an issue of 'security'.

"After two decades of travelling back and forth to the USA and countless meetings in the White House with successive US Presidents, this is an unacceptable development.

"It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently."

Mr Adams said last year the US State Department initially refused to meet him during talks on restoring political stability in Northern Ireland.

The Sinn Fein leader met the Congressional Friends of Ireland, a political lobby group in the US, which Mr Adams said shared his "grave disappointment".
Bangladeshi supporters of Islamic political parties shout slogans during a protest in Dhaka against abolishing Absolute Faith and Trust in Allah from the constitution, July 15, 2011.

A spirited debate is unfolding in Bangladesh as its Supreme Court prepares to hear a 28-year-old petition challenging the constitutionality of an amendment that made Islam the states religion.

The High Court division of the Supreme Court on March 27 is scheduled to hear the petition and set a future date for a ruling on the amendment, which was enacted under the dictatorship of Gen. H.M. Ershad in 1988.

The countrys constitution guarantees secularism, but the legal move aimed at stripping Islam of its status as the official religion in predominantly Muslim but multi-religious Bangladesh has riled Islamic groups and parties.

The writ petition was filed 28 years ago by 15 civil society leaders after Ershad's Jatiya Party-led parliament declared Islam as the state religion. But the Supreme Court never heard the case, Rana Dasgupta, one of the lawyers representing the petitioners, told BenarNews.

Ten of the petitioners already died before any hearing took place. We firmly believe that the court will examine the documents and give a verdict without being influenced by the comments of others on the issue, he said.

Dasgupta is also general secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad, an association representing religious minorities that have been targeted in recent and sometimes deadly attacks by suspected Islamic militants, amid a growing wave of fundamentalism.

He said some leaders of Islamic party publically were calling for retaining Islam as the state religion in order to influence the justices before the hearing.

Bangladeshs original constitution, framed in 1972, adopted secularism as one of the four fundamental principles of the state, according to Dasgupta. However in 1976, the countrys first military ruler and founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Gen. Ziaur Rahman, removed the secular provision in the constitution and replaced it with Faith in the Almighty Allah.

Ershad, the second military ruler, 12 years later added another change that made Islam into the state religion.

Millions sacrificed in name of secularism

"In 1988, we formed a committee against autocracy and fundamentalism and filed the writ petition.  We sacrificed three million people in the 1971 war [of independence] against Pakistan for a secular country, Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, one of the 15 petitioners, told BenarNews.

Mr. Ershad made Islam as the state religion to cash in on common peoples sympathy with a view to prolonging his rule, not for passion for Islam, he added.

Since 1971, Bangladesh has pursued secularism as a state policy, but the military rulers who usurped power following the August 1975 assassination of the countrys founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Islamized the constitution in a way that went against the spirit of the independence war, Chowdhury said.

The writ petition is going to be heard after 28 years, he added, noting that the political atmosphere now was relatively better and more conducive to discussing this issue.

[W]e think the issue of State religion should be settled now, he said.

Defaming Islam?

Islamic parties and groups are resisting the legal move, with some leaders even threatened to stage protests over the upcoming court case, according to reports.

We want Islam to retain [its status] as the State Religion of Bangladesh because the Muslims are the majority here. You will see state religions in many countries in the world, Abdul Latif Nizami, president of the conservative Islami Oikya Jote party, told BenarNews.

Islami Oikya Jote is aligned with Bangladeshs largest faith-based party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the main opposition the BNP.

Nizami said the majority of Muslims in Bangladesh would not accept scrapping Islam as the state religion. But he declined to say whether the Islamic parties would stage street protests.

And I hope the judiciary would consider the opinion of the majority of the people while delivering the judgment, Nizami added.

But a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) last week quoted Islamic Oikya Jote Secretary General Mufti Mohammad Faezullah as saying that protests could happen.

Any move to scrap Islams status will undermine and defame the religion, Faezullah told AFP.

Obviously the Islamic parties, general people and the clerics will resist the move by holding protests.

Gauging how people might react

But according to Professor Nizam Uddin Ahmed, a political commentator and author of several books on Bangladeshi politics, the average citizen doesnt really care about the issue of Islams official status in Bangladesh.

The common people of Bangladesh have never been bothered whether Islam should be the state religion, he told BenarNews.

I personally think that the abrogation of Islam as the state religion would not heat up the countrys political situation, because the Islamic parties are cautious about waging a street movement over the issue. Again, they are divided, too, he added.

In his view, the constitutional amendments passed under the regimes of generals Rahman and Ershad no longer are legitimate because, in 2010, the Supreme Court declared their regimes as illegal.

In line with the court order, the [ruling] Awami League restored the original 1972 constitution, but they did not risk removing Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh, fearing tough street agitation. Now, both the Islamic parties and the opposition are at bay; the government has established a tight grip, Ahmed said.

However, another commentator warned that doing away with the provision in the amendment that established Islam as the state religion might worsen the countrys current political climate.

The hardline Islamic parties and the militant outfit would preach it (replacing Islam with secularism in the constitution) as an anti-Islamic act. Every possibility is there that the militants may mislead the people about secularism, Brig. Gen. Shahedul Anma Khan, a security analyst and columnist, told BenarNews.
For the first time in their history as nations, neighbors Bangladesh and India this week launched direct cargo services that would enable goods shipped by sea to reach each others ports in a maximum of four days, officials say.

Previously, goods sent from India took more than three weeks to reach Bangladeshs Chittagong or Mongla ports because shipments first had to pass through Colombo or Singapore, Bangladesh shipping minister Shajahan Khan said.

I have inaugurated the service on Tuesday and the first Bangladesh cargo ship left Chittagong Thursday for Indian ports. This is historic day for all of us, Khan told BenarNews.

The businessmen used to take at least 25 days to carry goods to and from India and Bangladesh. Now, with the coastal shipping service in place, we can export to and import from India in only four days. This reduced time and cost would automatically boost trade between the two neighbors, Khan said.

Businessmen said the direct routes would also boost trade between India and Bangladesh and allow India to ship products to its seven northeastern states via Chittagong port.

The coastal shipping is a very good move to increase trade in the sub-region comprising Bangladesh, landlocked northeastern states of India, Nepal and Bhutan, Q.K. Ahmad, the former president of the Bangladesh Economic Association, told BenarNews.

Bangladesh and India signed an agreement during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Dhaka on June 6, 2015, followed by the signing of a protocol in November, which cleared the way for direct maritime cargo services.

The countries bilateral annual trade volume is worth more than U.S. $6.6 billion, according to a commerce ministry figure.

Cargo ships from Bangladeshs Chittagong, Narayanganj, Ashuganj, Paira, Khulna, Mongla and Pangaon (near Dhaka) ports can carry goods to seven Indian eastern coastal ports in Kolkata, Haldia, Paradip, Vishakhapatnam, Kakinada, Krishnapatnam and Chennai and vice versa, according to the agreement papers.

On Thursday, Bangladeshi shipping company Neepa Paribahan dispatched its first cargo ship laden with cotton and textile items from Chittagong port to the Indian port of Krishnapatnam, company CEO Sirajur Rahman told reporters.

Before this week, a ship from Indias Kolkata port could reach Chittagong ports in two days, but companies had to pay the rate based on a 25-day transit via Singapore or Colombo.

And businessmen must charge for every second. The higher cost results in higher commodity prices to the consumers, Rahman said.

Khwaza Mainuddin, a columnist and former president of Economic Reporters Forum in Bangladesh, explained that Bangladeshi and Indian businessmen used to ship cargo between the two countries, via Singapore and Colombo, for economic reasons.

The volume of cargo generated in different Indian ports for Bangladesh was not adequate to load a big ship, as a majority of the export-import business was done through land ports. So all the small consignments of cargo were sent to Colombo or Singapore, where businessmen jointly hire big Bangladesh-bound ships, he told BenarNews.

Mainuddin said the introduction of the coastal shipping service would allow small ships to shuttle to all ports located along Indias east coast and carry the goods to and from Bangladesh.

Easing overland bottlenecks

The text of the bilateral deal stipulated that the maritime shipping services between India and Bangladesh would enable the movement of cargo to the Northeastern states through Chittagong, and thereafter by road or river routes.

The deep draft ports on the eastern coast of India can be hub ports for the onward transportation of cargo to Bangladesh via the coastal mode. The Indian ports will attract enhanced cargo and also the overall transportation cost to Bangladesh will get reduced, the document said.

The rapid growth of India-Bangladesh trade has resulted in congestion at the main Petrople-Benapole land port. The traffic congestion at the Bangladesh side of the land port has emerged as one of the biggest impediments to export-import trade, it said.
Sri Rahayu Binti Masdin Nur shows her passport at the Indonesian embassy in Damascus, March 15, 2016.

An Indonesian woman is on her way home after being evacuated from Raqqa, Syria, the self-proclaimed capital of the so-called Islamic State, the Indonesian embassy in Damascus said in a statement Wednesday.

Migrant worker Sri Rahayu binti Masdin Nur, 40, a native of West Nusa Tenggara, was trapped for more than three years in the city, according to the statement.

"After careful planning and looking for the right time, Sri was evacuated through the mountainous Raqqa and Aleppo terrains in a clandestine journey of six days," it said.

Since conflict erupted in Syria in 2011, Indonesia has repatriated almost 13,000 migrant workers from the Middle Eastern country, embassy staff said.

Heads on a road

Sri went willingly to Syria in February 2011 to work as a housemaid in the city of Aleppo. When her contract ended two and a half years later, she was placed with an elderly Syrian engineer in Raqqa.

As the Syrian conflict heated up, Sri requested to return home. But an employment agent told her  falsely  that the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus had closed and there were no more flights to Indonesia, the statement said.

At the time, the Syrian civil war had raged for two and a half years, and Raqqa was under the control of the Free Syrian Army.

Three months later, at the end of 2013, IS entered Raqqa and claimed it as their capital.

Many local residents fled, but Sris employer chose to stay.

Sri witnessed IS cruelty first hand on several occasions, according to the embassy statement. One day, at the market, she saw decapitated heads lining the road.

After that, she rarely left the house unless it was urgent.

With the city under IS control, it was very difficult to secure basic necessities. During Ramadan 2014, to get a loaf of bread, she had to sleep in a bakery, the embassy statement said.

Rescued

The embassy learned about Sri in June 2015 and launched efforts to evacuate her.

An embassy lawyer pressured her employment agency to assist her, but the agency said it was impossible to get someone out of Raqqa.

But one day, an employee of the agency who knew Raqqa well agreed to be sent to rescue her. The journey out took six days.

"To fool the IS soldiers, Sri and the agency employee said they were husband and wife," the statement said.

Sri arrived at the Indonesian Consulate in Aleppo in January 2016 and was brought to Damascus on March 12 for repatriation to Indonesia.

Indonesias Ambassador to Syria Djoko Harjanto praised collaborative efforts that led to her rescue.

"Without a strong network between the Embassy in Damascus, the Syrian government, and the local community leaders, it would be impossible to carry out the mission to protect citizens in the middle of the turmoil of the Syrian conflict," he said.

Syria-bound

It was not the first such rescue, according to AM Sidqi, an embassy staff member.

"In January 2016, the embassy also managed to rescue a woman from Subang named Casih Binti Waan from the siege of IS in Deir Ezzor. The evacuation was conducted by a helicopter of the Syrian army," Sidqi said.

He added that since the conflict erupted in Syria in 2011, the Embassy had repatriated almost 13,000 migrant workers to Indonesia.

The Indonesian government has also responded to reports of Indonesian nationals joining IS, according to Fajar Nurhadi, chief of the division for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens Abroad at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.

"Most of the reports come from police and people who have lost contact with relatives after getting news that they wanted to go Syria. We continue our prevention and rescue efforts," Fajar told BenarNews.

"Our representatives meet individuals or groups who want to go to Syria and we coordinate with the local police and immigration officers to deport them," he said.

According to Fajar, some mention economic reasons for joining IS. They are lured by big salaries and benefits promised by IS, he said.

According to data from the Foreign Ministry, some 217 Indonesian citizens have been arrested and deported from abroad, mostly from Turkey, before crossing to Syria, allegedly to join the extremist group .

On March 13, 14 women and children who claimed to want to join family members in Syria were stopped at Jakartas international airport just before departing for Turkey. Police told them to return home after questioning them.

According to the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), through September 2015, about 800 Indonesians had joined IS abroad.

In February, Indonesian President Joko Widodo told an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit that 329 of his fellow citizens had joined IS in Syria. That figure, he said, was relatively small compared with Indonesias population of 252 million.

On Tuesday, a West Jakarta court convicted and sentenced a man to three and a half years in jail for supporting IS, bringing to 13 the number of IS supporters serving prison sentences in Indonesia.
Indonesian police display an image of one of two Uyghur men they say was killed in Central Sulawesi this week, March 16, 2016.

Security forces in Indonesia shot dead two ethnic Uyghurs during their hunt for the country's most wanted militant in a remote part of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago's main islands, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

The men were among six Uyghurs from China's Xinjiang region who are believed to have joined wanted militant Santoso's Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) group, Central Sulawesi Police Chief Rudy Sufahriadi told a press conference.

Santoso had declared allegiance to the Islamic State terror group in an audio recording released by the MIT in July 2014.

The two Uyghurs were killed in a shootout Tuesday in Posos Lore Peore district between suspected militants and security forces, Rudy said.

Four more Uyghur men are still with the group, according to police, who said they obtained the information from a captured MIT militant.

Persecution

The men are from the Uyghur Muslim minority group in China's Xinjiang region, where Beijing is pursuing a "strike hard" campaign to quell unrest and has launched crackdowns on civil society.

Persistent violence in the region has led to hundreds of deaths which Chinese authorities blamed on Islamic extremism and foreign influence. Rights groups say the violence was a response to draconian restrictions on the region's religious and cultural life.

The World Uyghur Congress linked the Uyghur killings in Indonesia to alleged Chinese persecution of the minority group.

"Uyghurs cannot bear Chinese persecution, and are therefore forced to flee their homes to go all over the world," Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Uyghur exile group, told BenarNews.

"If there are individuals who have been involved in extreme behavior, Beijing should bear direct political responsibility," he said.

"This is because Chinas brutal crackdown has resulted in a large number of Uyghur fugitives, who were influenced differently in different countries."

He expressed concern that the Chinese government might use the Indonesian incident "to carry out even harsher crackdowns on Uyghurs in the name of fighting terrorism."

From China

Indonesian police identified the two dead Uyghurs as Farok alias Magalasi Bahtusan, and Nuretin alias Abdul, Rudy told reporters.

The identification process moved quickly because we involved an MIT member who was captured alive, Zaelani. He said the two bodies were those of Farok and Nuretin from Xinjiang, China, Rudi said.

The corpses were being held at the Bhayangkara hospital in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, pending further investigation, he said.

According to Zaelani, the two joined the MIT group in the middle of 2015, police claimed.

Indonesian officials are not sure how the Uyghur men managed to enter Indonesia and travel to Poso.

A series of military-police operations has brought hundreds of personnel to the remote and mountainous region since January 2015 in an effort to crush the MIT group and capture Santoso.

Questions

MIT is thought to number around 30 people, including three women from West Nusa Tenggara province, hundreds of miles away, who reportedly joined the group in 2012 after their husbands were killed in Poso.

With the death of Farok and Nuretin, we believe there are still four other Uyghurs with Santoso and his gang in the Poso hinterlands, because Zaelani has told us there were six of them in all, Central Sulawesi police spokesman Hari Suprapto told BenarNews.

We are investigating how they were able to get into Poso, who was their escort, and what role they had in MIT, Hari said.

A number of Uyghurs have been picked up by Indonesian police in recent years and accused of militant activity. In December 2015, police arrested a Uyghur man in Bekasi, West Java who was allegedly involved in planning a suicide bomb attack.

In July, four Uyghur men were sentenced to six years in jail each on terrorism charges, after being arrested in Poso in September 2014 allegedly on their way to join the MIT.

The two Uyghur men who were killed apparently joined Santoso in Poso when security forces were carrying out a massive operation to track him down, a local activist pointed out.

They managed to get through, and there were six of them. Now there are four, since two are dead. Even with just four, its a risk for police, said Moh Affandi, director of the Central Sulawesi Institute for Legal Studies ahd Human Rights Advocacy (LPS-HAM).

The six Uyghurs undoubtedly brought weapons and explosives with them when they joined MIT, he said.

Their presence in MIT raises many questions. Its up to the police to answer them, he said.
Malaysian opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (center) listens to journalists following a sit-in at the corridors of the parliament, in Kuala Lumpur, July 7, 2015.

The offices of the attorney general and public prosecutor should be separated to ensure that criminal justice is enforced fairly and impartially in Malaysia, the local chapter of corruption watchdog Transparency International said Thursday.

The attorney general is appointed by the prime minister and holds the parallel office of public prosecutor, but no single person should hold so much power over the nations criminal justice system, according to Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) and civil society groups.

The current set-up has made it easier for unchecked and inappropriate decisions to be made in relation to cases involving high-profile individuals, TI-M President Akhbar Satar said in a statement.

The system should also be changed so that the public prosecutor is answerable to parliament and not the executive branch, Akhbar argued.

This separation of powers as a method of checks and balance will ensure that prosecution decisions can be made without any fear or favor and protected from political interference, he said.

Akhbar went on to cite the recent decision by Attorney Gen. Mohamed Apandi Ali to clear Prime Minister Najib Razak of potential corruption charges in financial scandals linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad state investment fund.

Very clearly, Apandi needs to come clean and be transparent about this decision, Akhbar said.

In January, Apandi announced that his office was closing investigations into corruption scandals facing the prime minister, particularly one involving a deposit of U.S. $681 million into his private bank accounts before the 2013 general election.

Apandi said no criminal offense had been committed, that most of the money had been returned , and that it was a personal donation from Saud Arabias royal family.

Najib has maintained he never took money for private gain. But last July, the month when news of the scandal broke, he sacked Abdul Gani Patail, the attorney general at the time who was heading an inter-agency task force probing that and other scandals associated with 1MDB.

On Thursday, Apandi did not respond to requests from BenarNews seeking comment.

A serious structural issue

University of Malaya law professor Azmi Shahrom agreed that the public prosecutors office should be autonomous from the attorney-generals office.

TI-M is correct. But it could only work if our version of the prosecution service is independent and free from government interference. There is no way a Barisan Nasional government will allow that, Azmi told BenarNews, referring to the coalition that has ruled Malaysia since 1957.

Elsewhere, the head of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) described the current set-up as problematic.

In cases involving any member of the executive, especially the Prime Minister, extraordinary measures must be taken to guarantee that deliberations on prosecution will be handled independently. There is a serious structural issue with the Attorney Generals Chambers which impacts upon public trust in the institution, IDEAS Chief Executive Officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Thursday in a statement.

And according to G25, a civil society group led by influential people from across Malaysian society, a fundamental conflict of interest exists in the functions and powers bestowed on the attorney general.

It is poor governance that the Attorney General is the legal advisor for the government of Malaysia and also the final arbiter on decisions to prosecute, the G25 said in a statement.

Under pressure

The current attorney general is facing pressure over his decision to close the investigations into Najib.

On Tuesday, opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail called for Apandi to be removed from office by submitting a parliamentary motion for a no-confidence vote against the attorney general. But Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rejected the motion.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Bar Association this week lodged a case with the Supreme Court asking the justices to review Apandis handling of the investigations connected to the prime minister.

Hata Wahari contributed to this report.
Yemenis gather at the scene of two suicide blasts north of the southern port city of Aden, March 16, 2016.

Singapore has arrested four men under its Internal Security Act (ISA) who joined or planned to join violent overseas conflicts, its Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Wednesday.

Three of the men were involved in a sectarian conflict in Yemen while the fourth attempted to join a Kurdish militia group fighting the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria, an MHA statement said.

The ISA allows suspects to be detained without trial or issued restriction orders under which their movements are monitored and they are required to attend religious counseling sessions.

Two of the men, Mohammad Razif bin Yahya and Amiruddin bin Sawir, were detained in August 2015 after they voluntarily participated in an armed conflict in Yemen, the MHA said.

Razif, 27, began religious studies in January 2010 and Amiruddin, 53, in July 2013. Both volunteered for armed sentry duties at a religious institution to prevent incursions by Shiites, the statement alleged.

It said that Amiruddin was involved in a gunfight with Shiites and that both men were prepared to kill and be killed as martyrs.

By taking up arms in Yemen, they have demonstrated a readiness to use violence to pursue their religious cause. As such, they are assessed to pose a security threat to Singapore, the MHA statement said.

Yemen has endured years of armed conflict between its majority Sunni Muslims and Houthi rebels, who are Shia. Saudia Arabia and a coalition of Arab states entered the conflict in 2015.

Against IS

Two other men, Mohamed Mohideen bin Mohamed Jais and Wang Yuandongyi, were issued restriction orders (RO) this month, according to MHA.

Mohideen, 25, performed sentry duties in Yemen while pursuing religious studies from 2009 to early 2011 but was not involved in any firefights, according to the MHA.

Wang, 23, planned to travel to Syria to join a Kurdish militia group that is fighting against the Islamic State (IS). He left Singapore in January 2016 planning to travel to Turkey and Syria, but someone who became aware of his plans reported him.

MHA said Wang was taken into custody in an unnamed country and returned to Singapore where he was placed on an RO this month.

In December 2015, Wang contacted a Kurdish militia group online to express interest in their fight against IS and communicated with others about joining the militia group, the MHA said.

Wang had Singapore military-issued gear including a uniform and boots he planned to use in battle, it said.

The government takes a stern view against anyone who supports, promotes, undertakes or makes preparations to undertake armed violence, regardless of how they rationalize such violence ideologically, the MHA statement said.
For Immediate Release, March 17, 2016

Florida Black Bears Petitioned for U.S. Endangered Species Act Protection

Estimated More Than 20 Percent of Population Lost in 2015

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Renowned scientists, including Drs. Stuart Pimm and Adrian Treves, and over a dozen conservation and animal-protection organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity and Animal Legal Defense Fund, today submitted a scientific petition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Florida black bear under the federal Endangered Species Act. Habitat loss, roadkills and the first state-authorized bear hunt in over 20 years made 2015 a deadly year for Florida black bears, with humans responsible for killing at least 590 bears out of an estimated population of 3,000 to 3,500.

Image courtesy Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. B-roll is available for media use.

The Florida black bear almost blinked out of existence once on our watch, said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Years of out-of-control sprawl have pinched the Florida black bear between roads and homes, threatening its long-term survival, but the Endangered Species Act can provide a roadmap to make sure the bear has a place in Floridas future.

The states largest land mammal, the Florida black bear once roamed widely throughout the Southeast. It now occupies only 18 percent of its original range, in seven highly isolated subpopulations. Land-use decisions, hunting and human population growth cut the bear population from an estimated 11,000 to just 300 several decades ago. State protections helped bring bears back from the brink of extinction, but following state delisting and an ill-conceived hunt sanctioned by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the bears future is once again threatened.

The Endangered Species Act exists to save imperiled species like the Florida black bear, which has become isolated in ever-smaller pockets of habitat, said Stephen Wells, Animal Legal Defense Fund executive director. At a time when the bear faces the threats of encroaching development, busy roads and a disastrous trophy hunt, the law must step in to protect this iconic species from an untimely demise.

Outside of habitat loss, vehicle collisions have, for years, been the leading known cause of death of Florida black bears. The number of bears killed by vehicles has consistently increased from 33 in 1990 to 170 in 2014, peaking at 285 bear deaths in 2012. Another increasingly common threat is poorly managed human garbage and other human food sources that create so-called problem bears that are removed or killed to prevent ongoing conflict. Florida wildlife managers killed 108 problem bears in 2015 alone. With Floridas human population expected to increase by nearly 50 percent by 2060, these threats will only worsen, as human development encroaches on the bears ever-shrinking habitat. Endangered Species Act listing and the designation of critical habitat for the bears would help alleviate the threats.

Black bears are an iconic species, an essential part of our natural world: We need to ensure they remain that way, said Dr. Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke professor of conservation ecology at Duke University and long-time Florida species and habitat researcher.

Scientists have an obligation to speak up when agencies are not using the best available science to protect our wildlife said Adrian Treves, associate professor at the Carnivore Coexistence Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Florida back bears are a public-trust asset, and the states apparent mismanagement of the Florida black bear not only puts the bear at risk of extinction, but appears to violate state and federal public-trust obligations.

Scientists joining the petition include Drs. Stuart Pimm, Adrian Treves, Miha Krofel, Paul Paquet, John Vucetich. Guillaume Chapron and Robert Wielgus. The local, state and national organizations joining the petition include Animal Hero Kids, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, Animal Welfare Institute, Big Cat Rescue, Center for Biological Diversity, CompassionWorks International, Environmental Action, Florida League of Women Voters, The Humane Society of the United States, Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary, Lobby for Animals, Preserve Our Wildlife, Sierra Club Florida Chapter, South Florida Wildlands, Speak Up Wekiva and Stop the Florida Bear Hunt. The Everglades Law Center co-authored the petition. These organizations collectively represent the interests of more than 100,000 Floridians who care deeply about the Florida black bear and its long-term survival.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) was founded in 1979 to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. To accomplish this mission, ALDF files high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm; provides free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are punished for their crimes; supports tough animal protection legislation and fights harmful legislation; and provides resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.

Everglades Law Center is a nonprofit, public interest environmental law firm dedicated to protecting Florida's environment and communities. Our mission is to advocate, negotiate, and when necessary, litigate to protect and restore the South Florida ecosystem. Our attorneys are strategically positioned throughout the Greater Everglades region and handle a wide range of legal and policy matters for more than thirty national, state, and local environmental and conservation organizations.
In the microscopic life that thrives around coral reefs, San Diego State University researchers have discovered an interplay between viruses and microbes that defies conventional wisdom. As the density of microbes rises in an ecosystem, the number of viruses infecting those microbes rises with it. It has generally been assumed that this growing population of viruses, in turn, kills more and more microbes, keeping the microbial population in check. It's a model known as "kill-the-winner" -- the winners being the blooming microbial cells and the killers being the viruses (mostly bacteria-killing viruses known as bacteriophages) that infect them.

However, a recent study of virus-host dynamics near coral reefs led by SDSU virologists suggests that, under certain conditions, viruses can change their infection strategy. As potential host microbes become more numerous, some viruses forego rapid replication and opt instead to reside peaceably inside their host, thereby reducing their the viruses' numbers. In a study published today in the journal Nature, the researchers refer to this alternative model as "piggyback-the-winner," and it could have implications for phage-based medicine and ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental disturbances that promote microbial blooms.

Microbial population explosions can take many forms--algal blooms in the ocean and in lakes, fungal blights in soil and bacterial infection in humans are just a few examples--and how viruses respond to this rapid microbial growth has long interested ecologists. Many viruses can make the switch between rapid replication and dormant coexistence. For decades, most researchers have assumed that during microbial population booms, their viruses take advantage of the opportunity to multiply by killing the abundant microbial winners.

"Kill-the-winner seems to make sense," said Ben Knowles, a viral ecologist at SDSU and the study's lead author. "The logic behind it has been around for a while. The reasoning is very seductive."

Knowles, along with the study's other lead author, SDSU postdoctoral researcher Cynthia Silveira, and an international team of collaborators with expertise ranging from mathematics, physics and statistics to ecology and molecular biology, decided to put this model to the test. They collected samples of microbe-rich seawater near coral reefs in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Then, using a combination of microscopic and genomic techniques, they analyzed those samples for the abundance and nature of both microbes and the viruses that infect them.

Under the kill-the-winner model, researchers would expect to find more viruses per microbe in samples with a high microbial density and growth rates. What Knowles and his team found, however, was just the opposite: As microbial abundance increased, the virus-to-microbe ratio decreased significantly.

Next, Knowles and his team ran an experiment in which they incubated seawater from a pristine coral reef location and from Mission Bay in San Diego for several days, during which they monitored the viral and microbial abundance. The results matched their field sampling, with virus numbers staying relatively low even as microbial populations bloomed.

Why weren't the viruses exploiting the increasing population of hosts by infecting them and multiplying rapidly? Why weren't they killing the winner? Exploring this phenomenon further, the researchers used metagenomic analysis to determine whether the viruses in the sample showed virulent, predatory traits or the hallmarks of non-predatory lifestyles. Intriguingly, they found that in samples with a higher microbe count, viral communities became less virulent.

Instead of multiplying and killing off their booming host population, more of the viruses instead integrate themselves into their host. The viruses replicate more slowly, but they also avoid competing with other viruses and having to navigate with the host's own immunity defenses. This piggyback-the-winner model better explains virus -host dynamics during periods of fast microbial growth than the established kill-the-winner model, the researchers said.

"When you have a fast-growing host, if you're a virus, you profit more from integration," Knowles said. "It's just intelligent parasitism."

A better understanding of these dynamics holds promise for improving human health. For example, specially targeted phages have been suggested as a possible therapy for conditions like cystic fibrosis, which is caused by frequent bacterial lung infections. This discovery also could help improve marine ecologists' understanding of the microbiological forces that influence coral reef health.

Source: San Diego State University
Thiloshini Ramdass, brand manager for Imperial Logistics says: "With 11 years' experience within the communication and brand field, I can confidently say that every brand has many stories to tell - these stories engage, inform, surprise, delight, and impact their audience... and I am the conduit between the brand and the media. Being in an industry that ensures getting the right product, in the right quantity, in the right condition, at the right place, at the right time and at the right cost to clients, this motivates me." We wanted to know more about Ramdass' brand story and passion for her logistics brand.

Thiloshini Ramdass

What does brand management mean to you?

Brand management simply means, in a nutshell, when you put your brand on something, its a testimony to the world that this is what you harvest, and as a brand manager I take full responsibility to uphold, promote and influence public opinion favourably over the brand.

Tell us about a day in your work life.

Firstly coffee, coffee, coffee. A hefty part of my portfolio is assisting my marketing executive, Michelle Neilson, in media monitoring, copywriting and responding to imperative requests that ascends. In addition, my work involves creating briefs for seasonal advertising campaigns, arranging interviews, creating press releases that encompasses company accomplishments/services and endeavours weve undertaken. However, every day is different, from content management to advertising to media management and the list goes on.

Whats on your wish list for brand objectives for 2016?

To have a widespread consistency and synergy of the brand and to align all stakeholders, clients and employees to the strategic corporate positioning of the brand throughout the group.

What do you love most about your brand?

A brand is a promise! When I think Imperial, my thoughts are co-collaborator - working with our clients to unlock their competitive advantage. I love that Imperial is planted in hearts and minds and is memorable. There are so many elements within the brand that portrays the strength of the brand. To name a few  diverse combined skills, driving competitiveness, delivering value.

Is your brand using content as part of your marketing strategy?

Yes  content is a solid influencer and definitely part of our marketing strategy. I ensure that our content best matches our brands voice. Having a creative mind I get to interact with likeminded individuals, learn on a daily basis and take on new challenges.

What do you see currently as the main challenges and/or opportunities for your brand sector?

With Imperial being so diverse and a decentralised business with many companies in the group, each with their own identity and brand, it sometimes poses a challenge for these businesses to co-brand. Creating synergy between the Imperial companies working together enhances both profitability and the valuation of the brand for both parties.

What do you love most about the South African consumer?

Imperial is a business to business company. However, I admire South African consumers for their brand consciousness and demand for quality products. We have a keen eye for whats hot and whats not. By keeping these triggers in mind, consumer facing businesses can build a creative landscape crafted to perfection for the eyes of the South African market.

What are your own personal favourite brands?

The brand I admire and respect is Coke. Coke is very confident in their brand, hence they have such large consumer loyalty. Besides the product being delicious, its the marketing that is the backbone and that makes the brand sparkle! As someone that takes time to get involved in CSI activities, Coke invests in communities and give back to the community in many ways. The name campaign was epic - #shareacoke. A brilliant form of advertising!

Although South Africa is not quite yet integrated, South African consumers loves solid brands, it gives us a sense of being a part of something bigger!

What brand marketing campaign have you noticed and been impressed by recently/ever?

Again Coke! This was a huge splash and far more than an advertising idea! This was/is a ground breaking innovation and it all excellently incorporated the iconic Coke logo. Apart from being so innovative, it completely fuelled social media amongst family and friends across the globe.
Empowerment group Grand Parade Investments (GPI) is pursuing its expansion of its Burger King franchise with a little less relish, as competition intensifies and cost pressures in the domestic fast-food segment increase.

Speaking after the release of interim results to end-December on Wednesday, GPI CEO Alan Keet said the Burger King rollout would probably reach about 75 to 80 outlets by the end of June. GPI, which now has 63 outlets, initially set a target of 100 stores by the end of June this year.

This figure was subsequently revised to 85 stores.

Burger King also saw the sudden resignation of CEO Jaye Sinclair recently.

Mr Keet said GPI management was taking a hands-on approach to Burger King, focusing specifically on profitability in a more competitive fast food market. He conceded the more competitive environment had prompted GPI to lower margin expectations at Burger King to the "mid-fifties". "Weve changed our mentality (around pricing) and are prepared to take on our competitors head-on."

He also warned the drought and related increase in food prices would put significant pressure on Burger Kings gross margin during the next six months. GPI was still on track to achieve the 85-store target stipulated in the Burger King master franchise agreement by the end of the calendar year.

"We still think there is capacity for 200 Burger King stores in SA over the longer term."

GPIs results showed Burger King reported a R24m after-tax loss  markedly less than the R40m loss notched up in the previous trading period.

Revenue was hiked 66% to R224m and the "four-wall" earnings (operating profit before head office cost and franchise fees) jumped 352% to R12m.

GPI also recently acquired the South African master franchise licences for Dunkin Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.

The Dunkin Donuts licence requires GPI to open 80 corporate-owned restaurants and 210 franchised restaurants over 10 years, while the licence for the Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops requires 71 corporate-owned outlets over 10 years.

GPIs total debt topped R853m, but is underpinned by GPIs valuable gaming investments  most notably Western Cape-based casino company SunWest, and its (reduced) holdings in limited payout machine operations.

GPI recognised R64m in equity-accounted earnings for the period and received R95m in dividends from its 25.1% holding in SunWest, which operates the cash spinning GrandWest casino in Cape Town. Asked whether GPI could sell the stake in SunWest, Mr Keet discounted the chances of it in the short term.

GPI agreed last year to sell its gaming assets as part of a proposed shuffle in the ownership of Western Cape properties between rival casino groups Tsogo Sun and Sun International. The deal fell through.

An investment analyst, who asked not to be named, said that if the deal between Sun International and Tsogo Sun had materialised, GPI would have been worse off, because they would have swapped a share in one of the countrys finest businesses, with an effective monopoly in the Western Cape, for a stake in a fast-food operation competing in an overcrowded market.
Koo Govender, former VWV group CEO and M-Net Director of Marketing and Communications, has been appointed as CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network for South Africa and will be reporting unto Dawn Rowlands, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Sub-Saharan Africa.

Koo Govender Dawn Rowlands

Koo was the first female CEO of the VWV Group, where her passion for womens empowerment and mentorship was demonstrated by her championing of the Phakama Womens Academy which is a bridging programme to equip and empower marketing university graduates for the realities of the corporate world. Koo will remain as a trustee of the Academy to ensure continuity and momentum of this vital and unique initiative.

In joining Dentsu Aegis Network, Koo is returning to her media roots having been actively involved in the broadcasting and media industry for 22 years, culminating in her holding the Corporate Marketing and Communications Directorship at M-Net. During her tenure at M-Net Koo and her team won numerous industry awards, including Loeries and Promax, and she coordinated the pay-TV stations 25th birthday celebrations.

In addition to being a prominent and accomplished public speaker, Koo has won various business and women empowerment awards; the latest of which was the Mail & Guardian Investing in the Future and Drivers of Change Awards 2015.

With a combination of client and agency experience, a thorough grounding in media, and an underpinning drive and passion Koo is the ideal candidate to both consolidate and build the Dentsu Aegis Networks position in the South African market," stated Andre Andrade, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network for Iberia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Koo Govender stated the following regarding her new role: This position provides a unique opportunity to bring together all of the experience I have gained over the years within a global group that is really committed to the challenge of unlocking Africas potential.

Dawn Rowlands, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Sub-Saharan Africa, commented on Koos appointment: Having Koo join us in South Africa will ensure we keep pushing for transformative growth in South Africa. Our operations in sub-Saharan Africa are now sizeable and the demand for regional thinking and expertise across Africa is immense. Koos experience in marketing, media and communication will be an asset to our operating model in South Africa. She will also join the regional exco for Dentsu Aegis Network SSA along with Gillian O'Mahoney, Nazli Roskin, Bevis Hoets and our other CEOs across the region. Lastly though, we are exceptionally excited to have another strong and accomplished woman join our team.




The forecast for retailers in Africa remains buoyant in the long term, despite the headwinds in Africa such as falling commodity prices and the slowing of the Chinese economy. This is according to the inaugural PwC's report So Much In Store, which was released recently in Johannesburg.

The report, an in-depth study into the make-up of sub-Saharan Africas retail and consumer goods industries, provides an outlook over the next five years for 10 economies on the continent that PwC believes will offer the most compelling opportunities for retail and consumer businesses. The countries include: Angola, Cameron, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cote d Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Factors such as Africas demographic dividend, its growing middle class, rising income levels and rapid urbanisation are positives that are assisting to drive the growth of retail. In Nigeria alone Lagos population is set to grow to 24 million people by 2030 while Dar Es Salaam and Johannesburg will boast 11 million people. These are massive numbers and a huge consumer base for retailers to target. Building on this is an improvement in governance and democracy together with a reduction in red tape across the continent.

A market of close to 100 million

Political leaderships have realised that if their country is to prosper then their political leadership has to work for the people. As a result, we are seeing the emergence of trade blocks that neutralise movement across borders. Essentially this gives retailers a market of close to 100 million people, says Michael Mugasa, partner PwC Kenya  industry leader for consumer, industrial products and services.

This point is a significant cause for optimisation, says Anton Hugo, PwC Retail and consumer leader  Africa. The removal of trade barriers makes it easier for retailers to increase geographical territory and provide a bigger diversification of products.

What we do need to see more of is the manufacturing and producing of goods on the continent. The process where we send products to Europe, where it is packaged and branded and sold back to us needs to end. We are starting to see investors who want a presence in Africa, and retailers who are looking to operate across Africa, and to do so they have to ensure that they have supply chain optimisation, says Mugasa.

Assist in improving infrastructure

What this also does is to assist in improving infrastructure he adds. Governments are developing infrastructure to make it easier for companies to operate - for example, the development of fast speed rail and a new port in Kenya. In Mombasa it took 30 days for goods to clear, today it only takes three to four days.

There is also an increase towards modernisation and while the strength of informal trade in Africa is still high, it does present retailers with the opportunity to take market share, says Hugo. There is already some growth in Western-styled malls in West Africa.

There has been huge growth in loyalty programmes. This is not only about driving feet in store, but about accessing the buying behaviour of consumers so they can be targetted at the right time and at the right price. East Africas largest retailer has a strong loyalty programme. Now in its fourth year, that programme has served them well in terms of information on their customers, says Mugasa.

Other factors include consumer credit, which has grown in both in East and West Africa, cellphone penetration and technology, with technology being a complete game changer for consumers and retailers.

Introducing the Report, Eben Gerryts, PwC industry leader for consumer, industrial products and services  Africa, says that there is reason to be optimistic - retail in Africa still has a good story to tell. Retail in Africa is still a good bet.
Port Elizabeth-based eco-solutions company, Rhino Water, is piloting a unique product to South Africa which organically disposes of waste and has a handy by-product - wash water.

Packaged waste treatment plants, similar to this, are providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly on-site solution for South African abattoirs struggling with the safe disposal of slaughter waste.

Although the company is also busy with the organic clean-up of the citys polluted North End Lake, with this new project they are piloting an organic solution for ridding abattoirs of animal waste which, in the process, both saves and creates wash water.

Waste water management

The severe drought throughout South Africa has seen the countrys 460 red meat abattoirs inundated with animals for the slaughter as farmers battle water shortages. The severe water shortages have put red meat abattoirs under pressure in terms of the stringent standards for cleanliness and waste disposal laid down by the Meat Safety Act and individual municipal by-laws for waste water management.

Red Meat Abattoir Association spokesman Dr Gerhard Neethling said the more effective use of water and the re-use of grey water had become a priority for the industry.

Neethling said the methods of waste disposal approved by the red meat regulations were not deemed acceptable according to newer waste management regulations and guidelines provided by the national Department of Environmental Affairs. There have been challenges with regards to implementation, said Neethling. The association is currently engaging with the department to investigate and approve alternative options for the industry.

Waste treatment geared for the meat industry

Rhino Waters new waste treatment solution, in partnership with organic solutions company Blue Planet South Africa, sees organic waste treatment plants set up on site, geared specifically to the red meat and poultry industry.

According to Rhino Waters managing director Sarel Bam, few abattoirs were able to comply with current regulations when it came to slaughter waste with many incurring penalties for effluent ending up in sewers or dumped in the bush. We have brought a unique, organic solution to SA which consists of a packaged plant to treat blood, organic waste and grey and black water to municipal discharge and irrigation standards. A by-product of this process is wash water.

Specific technologies needed

Bam said abattoirs required specific technologies to treat a wide range of waste categories unique to the industry. Challenges include high levels of ammonia, iron, nitrates and coliforms in the waste water, as well as the slow decomposition rate of animal waste, said Bam.

He said the plant itself was modular in design, with components pre-manufactured for easy installation. The added benefit of the on-site packaged plant was that wash water could be extracted from the treated animal waste and used for washing floors and other on-site cleansing requirements.

Partnering with environmental company Cool Technology, which was responsible for the treatment plant design, has given Rhino Water access to the imported BluePlanet range of AquaClean bacterial products. Cool Technology has since become a 50 percent shareholder in the newly established BluePlanet South Africa, which holds sole import rights for Southern Africa.

A hands-on process

Blue Planet technical applications manager Charlie Hopkins said the product was imported from the USA and had been used successfully in more than 60 countries worldwide. Among its successes, said Hopkins, was the treatment of industrial waste water from a local cheese manufacturing plant. They have to dump whey that doesnt meet the requirements to process into cheese. Its really bad stuff but adding extra bacteria fixes the problem  its very much a hands-on process that is managed and monitored.

Hopkins said Blue Planet SA would start to manufacture the product locally in the second half of the year to ensure that pricing was not dependent on exchange rate fluctuations and that continuous supply could be guaranteed.
This World Water Day on 22 March, farm management, staff and visitors of Vergelegen Wine Estate will be raising a glass to the abundant water permeating land once densely packed with invasive alien vegetation.

Newly rehabilitated wetland showing growth

In what is believed to be the largest private conservation undertaking in South Africa, 2,000 hectares (of a planned total of 22,00 hectares on the farm) have been cleared and rehabilitated to indigenous vegetation. In the process, the programme has unleashed water resources and generated over 230 jobs for previously unemployed and untrained people, in areas such as bush cutting and hand-picking alien seedlings.

Anglo American acquired the farm in 1987, and the investment in this clearing programme, and other interventions, have made it a leader in the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative. The estate, which is open to the public, is considered a national treasure and has been nominated as a World Heritage Site.

Clearing alien vegetation boosted water flow

Before the implementation of the clearing project, activities such as the planting of pine plantations, acacia and eucalyptus woodlots and agricultural development opened pathways for alien plant invasion, said Vergelegen environmental project manager Jacques van Rensburg. More than 80% of the farms natural veld was invaded by pine on the higher slopes, with acacia and eucalyptus species in the low-land area.

As alien vegetation uses up to 60% more water than fynbos, its clearing has boosted water flow. The farms environmental treasures now include 80 hectares of rehabilitated wetlands, fed by the Hottentots Holland mountain range catchment area. These offer a thriving habitat for numerous species of birds, amphibians, invertebrates and wetland-associated mammals such as otters, mongooses and small buck.

While the slightly acidic nature of the farms wetlands limits the number of plants, numbered among them are floral jewels such as Wachendorfia, Watsonia and Aristea. There are also varieties of Ericas and endemic Leucodendrons, many of which are on the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red Data List. The farms wetland areas also contain a pristine palmiet bed that helps remove excess nutrients from the water and improves its quality.

Lourens River

The return of indigenous vegetation (which acts as a natural filter) and other conservation initiatives have also contributed to mopping up pollution and encouraging diversity in the Lourens River. This is the only South African river that is a Protected Natural Environment, and the 10 kilometres running through the estate (of a total 20 km) are managed by Vergelegen, the Lourens River Conservation Society, the City of Cape Town and CapeNature.

The river has indigenous fish such as Sandelia capensis and Galaxia spp. Shy Cape clawless otters can be seen at night, while water mongoose, large grey mongoose and small grey mongoose live off the fish. Large-spotted genets also thrive, while resident bird life includes malachite and giant kingfishers.

On the entire farm, the number of bird species has soared from 80 to at least 142 since the alien vegetation clearing began. The animal population now includes numerous antelope species, leopard, caracal, honey badgers, snake weasels, silver foxes, Cape hares and spotted genet. There are at least 500 different plant species in total.

Vergelegen middle dam

Local and international scientific research at the farm is coordinated by Vergelegens Centre of Learning Excellence. For example, Hamburg University of Technology scientists researched the Lourens River water quality, while a Stellenbosch University group undertook research at the estates vast Rooiland dam, which stores 2.72 million m of water. The dam was used as a negative control in an investigation of the impact of small-scale aquaculture on the water quality of irrigation dams in the Western Cape.

Improving the quantity and quality of water at Vergelegen has been one of the many successful outcomes of the alien vegetation clearing programme, said Vergelegen MD Don Tooth. Our achievements have been a team effort and we are happy to share our conservation research and learnings with other interested parties
Over the next two years, Nelson Mandela Bay residents will see the addition of a modern residential development, green-rated office blocks, an international hotel, and a lifestyle centre in the Baywest City precinct.

Representing a total investment of over R1.2bn, the project aims to boost the local economy through job creation, shaping a business, retail and lifestyle hub in the western suburbs along the N2 freeway. The concept for the precinct roll-out is similar to how Cape Towns Century City and Durbans Gateway developments have unfolded.

Office Park on Coral Tree Avenue

The lynchpin of this concept, the R2bn Baywest Mall, already occupies 90,000m at the heart of the new precinct.

According to Baywest managing director, Gavin Blows, the intention was to grow the precinct into a secure, modern mixed-use environment. All the developments will ultimately complement each other and create one of the fastest growing nodes in Port Elizabeth. Blows said Baywest City would offer a fresh and exciting development that embodied the ease of the live-work-play lifestyle.

Residential component

First on the cards for this year is the 228 unit residential component, which will comprise a mix of modern freestanding homes and townhouses in a high-tech, secure gated community off Walker Drive opposite the mall.

Blows said construction on the high-end residential village, which will have a total built area of 46,000m, was expected in the second half of 2016. Scheduled for construction in the latter part of the year is the precincts second A-grade office block - a modern, green-star rated multi-storey building with high-speed fibre connectivity, a gross lettable area of 8,000m and ample basement as well as ground-level parking.

Our research shows that there is a high demand for A-grade office space in the western suburbs, said Blows, adding that the new office block would comprise two buildings. "Most staff and managers reside this side of town and getting in and out of Baywest is far easier than other nodes. Businesses will be able to occupy space ranging from 150m to an entire building.

Baywest Precinct Map

Boasting an environmentally sensitive design, the A-grade buildings were targeting a four-star Green Star certification from the Green Building Council SA, he said. Another purpose-built, three-storey office block, which carries a five-star as built rating, is currently under construction. Its set for completion by the end of this year and will be the first green-rated commercial building in the Eastern Cape.

Top-end restaurants

Blows said the two-year plan further included the establishment of two freestanding 'destination eateries' - top-end restaurants either new to the city or extremely popular - overlooking the conservation area bordering the N2 freeway.

Another major project is a 20,000m lifestyle centre incorporating the latest design Virgin Active gym and several big-box retail outlets. We have had a great demand from non-mall retailers that prefer larger space.

He said the lifestyle centre would house hardware, furniture, home and outdoor outlets in addition to the 3,300m gym.

Baywest City visitors and travellers can also look forward to a 150 room international hotel, as well as an Engen 1-Stop service station with 24 hour convenience offerings. This is simply the next phase in a 20 year plan. The take-up so far has exceeded expectations, said Blows.
When arriving at Madi a Thavha, amidst the lushness of Limpopo's mountains, lakes and forests, you are immediately taken by the traditional sculptures and artworks placed all over the grounds of this unique guest house and art centre.

Bringing together local masters and emerging artists

Heading out from here one will encounter the mythologically potent Lake Fundudzi, ancient spiritually important forests and a belt of Venda woodcarvers celebrated the world over - Jackson Hlungwane, Noria Mabasa, Johannes Maswanganyi, Samson Mudzungu and others. This generation of spiritual sculptors turned the South African art world on its head. Work some regarded as craft, was viewed by critics and historians as the fine art it is. The problem was that as the sculptors grew older, fewer and fewer learned their trade. Limpopo, meanwhile, began to grow as a tourist destination and the nearby administrative capital Thohoyandou began to bustle. Here is the perfect place, rich with heritage, to grow the existing craft market.

The National Arts Council (NAC) Craft Panel recognised this opportunity to develop skills in a culturally unique craft sector, grow employment in a geographically remote region, and facilitate entrepreneurs, artists and artisans gaining easier entry into the market. This is where Madi a Thavha fitted perfectly into the plan. Through sustainable practice and a trusted bond with a network of local artists and handcrafters for a decade already, Madi a Thavha is also home to a gallery showcasing local masters and emerging artists working in and reinterpreting the traditional design patterns and art forms of the VhaVenda and VaTsonga people - notably through wood carving, beading and textile design.

A fair trade destination

A fair trade tourism destination, Madi a Thavha which means water from the mountains, was beginning to attract more and more foreign buyers and facilitate a meaningful exchange between the local and international art communities - one that is facilitating a broadening flow of business.

At the picturesque art centre, a craft workshop and craft store became new additions. Local women are employed at the Madi a Thavha textile and design studio, a business that produces homeware from Venda fabrics decorated with traditional Tsonga beading and embroidery. Visitors are also taken on guided tours of the studios and workshops of local crafters and sculptors.

A flagship project

The NAC chose Madi a Thavha as a flagship Craft Initiative Project, collaborating to align master crafters with talented handcrafters in training and development programmes.

The initiative culminated in CraftArt, an exhibition that showcased work from 48 of Northern Limpopos finest established and new artists and crafters. The NAC-funded exhibitions theme centred on the traditional motifs and designs used to adorn local homesteads. It showcased local craft to a broader audience - from tourists and visitors to gallerists and interior decorators, government to museums.

But the process was even more important than the outcome. Through the NAC Creativity in Craft Training programme, potential craft talent in the region was spotted and nurtured. Participants were encouraged to experiment with new processes, colour and texture combinations. This skills transfer and the dialogue between artists and crafters resulted in innovative new products and ranges - traditionally inspired contemporary jewellery pieces, beaded baskets, glass weaving artifacts and beaded-and-embroidered fabric and textiles. Handmade recycled glass beads, indigenous seeds from Marula and Baobab trees were also incorporated as new materials into some of the new ranges.

Sustainable expansion of the market

In the process, business skills were passed to the community, as well as a new knowledge of production processes and a focused consideration of sourcing and the use of raw materials.

For the project, various communities played host to workshops in market support, technical and product innovation. There were training and mentoring programmes across the Northern Limpopo region in Thohoyandou, Elim and Giyani. People living with disabilities and people living with HIV/Aids were also included.

In 2016, the promotion and the sustainable expansion of the market in this culturally rich region will continue. This NAC project aims at perfecting successful products from the previous year while building proficiency and also sourcing alternate raw materials for new craft ranges. New life has been breathed into an ancient practice here, providing both jobs and the preservation of heritage.
Anticipation for the third edition of Africa Travel Week is building with less than three weeks to go. Organised by Thebe Reed Exhibitions and Reed Travel Exhibitions, the highly sought after industry shows ILTM Africa, ibtm Africa and WTM Africa will provide a comprehensive and diverse platform for leading businesses in the inbound and outbound travel sectors to do business, all under one roof at the CTICC on 4-8 April 2016.

ibtm Africa

The 2016 edition of ibtm Africa, in association with SAACI, sponsored by Gauteng Tourism Authority and hosted by WTM Africa on 8 April, will provide African exhibitors in this niche field to meet face to face with selected senior international buyers, network with like-minded business people and harness the many opportunities that exist on the continent for MICE.

WTM Africa, Africas leading B2B inbound and outbound travel and tourism event, is bursting at the seams in 2016. Exhibitors from across South Africa and other African countries will be exhibiting the very best that Africa has to offer and in addition international tourism boards, international hotel brands and product suppliers have signed up to benefit from quality appointments with buyers from all over the continent and beyond.

The WTM Africa events programme provides a reason to visit all on its own. All three days are packed with key and relevant seminars and presentations, by sought after speakers, on topics that are of key relevance to our industry. New this year is the introduction of the Travel Technology Show at WTM Africa where visitors can be educated on the very latest in trends in relevant technology.

The African Responsible Tourism Awards will also be taking place at WTM Africa on 7 April. Sponsored by Wesgro, the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the Western Cape, these prestigious awards recognise companys achievements in innovation and responsible tourism.

For the second year running, the worlds largest travel insider community, Travel Massive has partnered to take advantage of the WTM Africa platform in which to share ideas, network and learn. WTM Africa has also partnered with Trip Advisor, the world for this years show.

TripAdvisor and E-Tourism Frontiers have created an all-new forum for destination managers called DATA: Destination Academy with TripAdvisor, with regional events held around the world. DATA provides destinations with an opportunity to talk about their experiences, challenges and successes in digital marketing while taking part in highly practical and regionally relevant training. DATA also provides attending destinations with access to exclusive, unpublished deep data from TripAdvisor that reveals new and valuable insights into traveller behaviour on their online path to purchase for travel to the region.

ILTM Africa, now in its fourth year, will again bring the best of African luxury and high-end products to luxury travel buyers from across the globe for targeted pre-scheduled appointments. ILTM Africa will be taking place 4-6 April and is by invitation only with all buyers and exhibitors having been through a strict accreditation process in order to participate.

Looking forward to 2016s event, Alison Gilmore, director of the ILTM portfolio had this to say Africa is proving to be the growth story of the 21st century  the variety of beautiful locations available to the luxury traveller throughout the continent is huge. As more hotels are developed, this story of success for African tourism is only going to continue. Now is the time for the African luxury travel industry to connect with the worlds best international Africa specialist agents during this time of growth and we are delighted to welcome the very best at this years ILTM Africa. ILTM Africa has received 30 new confirmed participants at this years show of leisure and exclusivity.

General manager for Africa Travel Week, Chardonnay Marchesi concurred by saying There is no better time for Africa to do business. Our continent has so much to offer to the travel and tourism industry at large. We are looking forward to bringing the best the travel and tourism industries have to the city of Cape Town next month. Look forward to seeing you there!
MTN has launched the next generation of mobile network technology, Long-Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), in Gauteng and Western Cape. The technology has been launched in Camps Bay (Cape Town), Moreleta Park (Pretoria) and at the Gautrain station in Rosebank (Johannesburg).

Krishna Chetty, acting chief technology officer at MTN SA said the introduction of this new technology was in line with MTN's vision of leading South Africa into a bold new digital world and to keep up with continuous customer demands for higher network speeds.

"LTE-A allows us to prepare our networks for the digital age and the introduction of avante-garde digital solutions that are expected to come to the market in the future," said Chetty.

The lack of critical high value spectrum has compelled MTN to re-farm existing spectrum to cater for the roll-out of new generation networks such as LTE-A. LTE-A is still relatively new and thus only a few high end devices are compatible with this network. Many older smart devices support LTE.

"MTN wishes to encourage its customers to establish if LTE is activated on their devices as this will enable them to get better speeds. In addition, activating LTE on a smartphone also helps to move from 3G to LTE thus helping to create a more seamless network experience," concluded Chetty.
As BBC World News celebrates its 25th anniversary this month, BBC's Africa bureau analyst and correspondent reporting for BBC World News Milton Nkosi exclusively shares his favourite BBC story he's covered, as well as top media trends to watch out for in 2016.

Back in 1991, World Service Television (known as BBC World News today) launches with its first half-hour bulletin across Europe. Just a few months later, new deals made the channel available across Asia. I chatted to Milton Nkosi who joined the BBC in the late 1980s, and has previously served as its South Asia bureaux editor based in Delhi, India, about some of the most significant news stories hes covered in his BBC career and his daily on-the-job stresses

1. Tell us more about the specific story featured in these images.

Nkosi: In this picture I was interviewing former US president Bill Clinton while he was the hinterland of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape, in 2012. He had been there to wish Nelson Mandela happy birthday. On that day I had the opportunity to meet and chat to his daughter Chelsea, who had accompanied him. What was interesting for me was that Mr Clinton remembered me from an earlier meeting.

We had met at a private residence of my friend who hosted a dinner in his honour a few years prior. Later, I also met secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in Cape Town and, when I told her that Bill and I had met at our mutual friend's home, she was elated and said shed heard about that dinner!

Nkosi with Hillary Clinton

2. Quite the scoop! Give us a brief overview of your personal story  your studies and career highlights package so far.

Nkosi: I joined the BBC as a fixer in the late 1980s, when the anti-apartheid story was at its peak and just before the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990. I then went on to train at what is now called the BBC College of Journalism in London. I worked in Television Centre in London, too. I then worked as an assistant producer, and gradually moved up the ladder, eventually becoming Africa producer. It was in the year 2000 that I applied for the Africa Bureau Chief job.

There was a vigorous selection process, after which I became the first African to be head of the Africa Bureau for BBC News. I will not bore you with the many stories we covered during my time  wars, coups, outbreak of epidemics, revolutions... Many of the stories I worked on were recognised in awards, and I was fortunate enough to become the very first recipient of the ONE BBC Awards, where I won the Global Ambassador award. There is no greater joy than having your work recognised by those who know the trade more than you do - your colleagues.

After heading up the Africa bureau for seven years, I became the BBC News South Asia bureaux editor. I covered many stories in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Now I'm back in Africa working as an analyst and correspondent in new media online. I enjoy writing. It is therapeutic!

3. It certainly is. What else do you enjoy most about your daily duties, and which aspects cause you the most stress?

Nkosi: I enjoy telling the African story. Africa is a changing continent and its very different from when I started working here over 25 years ago. Democracy is spreading, in spite of all the drama we still see such as Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, the attacks in Burkina Faso and lately in Cote Ivoire and South Sudan.

It is most fulfilling to write stories about a continent that is changing for the better. I find great joy in explaining to our audiences all over the world that Africa is not just about war, famine, disease and destruction. There is a lot more to this beautiful continent than the cliched stories of the past. That is what inspires me.

The most stressful aspect of the job is covering stories that make it sound like Africa is a dark continent, such as stories of corrupt leaders. I get a kick out of deadlines, but my goodness do they also cause stress!

4. Deadlines are more intense than ever before, especially as media's one of the fastest-changing industries thanks to the fast-pace of technological change that disrupts the news flow and traditional methods of reporting. Elaborate on the specific journalism/media trends you're most looking forward to in the industry this year.

Nkosi: I hate sounding like an old geezer, but reporting has changed so much since my days as a young journalist, running around with tonnes of TV equipment just to do a short three-minute package. Nowadays, we can film in high definition and do live crossings from a mobile phone, and no one can tell the difference. Some of us remember a time when it used to take about five people to film a story but, in 2016, we can do one-man bands. So I'm looking forward to interacting more with audiences. Its pretty cool to be answering individual questions from members of the public whilst I'm tweeting from inside a court case, such as the Pistorius murder trial we covered in Pretoria two years ago.

You can get in on the action by following Nkosi on Twitter, or you can click here for more on BBC World News, visit their website and follow their Twitter feed.
The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) will reissue an invitation to apply for a free-to-air licence after it rejected all five applications including the Gupta family's Infinity Media Networks, because of non-compliance with the requirements.

In 2014 five companies - Medo Investments, Levoca 565 trading as Hola Media, Infinity Media Networks, Rubicon Investments and Change TV Network - responded to Icasa's invitation to apply, known as an ITA, for free-to-air licences to rival existing player e.tv. The regulator aims to open the market to more competition.

The country's only free-to-air broadcaster, e.tv, has urged the regulator not to issue new licences, saying a market study to determine the viability of new broadcasters and a review of the regulations to protect existing players was necessary.

Some of the requirements that the applicants did not meet include providing evidence that they had the financial means for the running of the business.

They also did not provide proof of their capability, expertise and experience in broadcasting, as required.

Acting Icasa chairman, Reuben Mohlaloga, said after careful consideration of the provisions of the Electronic Communications Act (ECA) and the requirements of the ITA, the regulator decided to refuse all the applicants and decided to open the process anew.

Icasa has not disclosed when it is likely to issue a new ITA. However, prior to inviting new applicants, Icasa planned to run workshops on how to compile an application, said Mr Mohlaloga.

"This is the result of the deficient applications that the authority received, which resulted in the authority being unable to license, following this licensing process," he said.

Mohlaloga said the licensing of additional commercial free-to-air television broadcasting services would stimulate competition and increase the variety of television broadcasting services in SA.

"This process also sought to ensure that historically disadvantaged persons are given an opportunity to participate meaningfully in the sector," he said.

Source: Business Day
On 2 April 2016, at Q.ba Cocktail Lounge at Stoneridge Centre in the east of Johannesburg, Bonele Lusithi will launch a brand extension to his house record label, Addicted Souls Music, with a clothing line. Model and entrepreneur Samuel Gumbie will host the event.

The highlight of the night is an advertising device, Jabu, created by Lusithi. This device promises to change the way service providers can reach potential customers. The device plays advertising videos in a loop and transmits the audio on the videos via FM, allowing anyone nearby with an FM radio on their device to tune in and listen. A prototype of the device can be seen on display at J's Barber Shop and Men's Clothing Shop in Melrose and will be on display on the launch night for attendees to view and listen.

For more information, go to www.addictedsoulsmusic.com.
The most creative campaigns of 2015 in advertising, design, architecture, video, communication and much more are currently on show. Aimed at anyone interested in creativity and innovation in brand communication, the Loeries exhibition will travel to Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban over the next 7 months.

11-15 April: Openwindow School of Visual Communication

09-13 May: Tshwane University of Pretoria

23-27 May: VEGA Pretoria

20-24 June: Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography

01-05 August: Red & Yellow School of Logic and Magic

22-26 August: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

05-09 September: Durban University of Technology

26-30 September: VEGA Durban
Slovak regional governor bans a theatrical performance in mid-stream

15. 3. 2016

cas cteni < 1 minuta





Marian Kotleba, the neo-fascist regional governor of the Slovak city of Banska Bystrica has ordered the cancellation of a theatrical performance in Brezno, Slovakia.

The Jan Chalupka Theatre in Brezno was performing "The Blacksmiths", an anti-war play by the Serbian author Milos Nikolic when it was ordered to stop the production immediately "because of vulgar expressions contained in the play" by an official from the local authority educational department. The official had been told by the neo-fascist regional governor of Banska Bystrica, Marian Kotleba, who was in the audience, to stop the play immediately. The performance originally took place on Kotleba's orders as part of an event during which he was to present awards to local teachers.

Marian Kotleba's neo-fascist "Peoples Party-Our Slovakia" (LSNS) won 8% of the vote and 14 seats in the parliament during the general election in Slovakia on 6th March 2016.

Source in Slovak HERE

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We've entered the acceptance phase of Trump grieving and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) now says congressional Republicans will "make it work" with Trump.

More interestingly, Ryan addressed Trump's opposition to cutting social programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

In short, Ryan says his House will keep trying to cut these programs regardless of who becomes president even if it's a Republican who opposes it.

Well make it work if it happens, Ryan said in an interview with CNBCs John Harwood. Im going to defend our ideas as the Republican Party, but were going to have to work with whoever our nominee is. [...] I think for younger people like myself, they're not going to be there for my generation when we retire, Ryan said. You have to change these benefits to prevent them from going bankrupt.

Maybe the Republican party will not steal the nomination from Trump at their convention. That doesn't necessarily mean they will respect the will of the voters who are not voting for Ryan's spending cuts.

Ryan previously said he wanted to work with the GOP candidates on a positive legislative agenda to present to the American people, but the ridiculous budget currently working its way through the House is anything but positive. It's clear now that Ryan never had any intention of compromising and meeting the political needs of their presidential nominee.

Ryan may say he has no interest in being anointed the nominee at the GOP convention, but he may as well be the nominee. By refusing to alter the party's agenda in Congress regardless of who wins, Ryan is appointing himself as leader of the party.

If there are any recent examples of a congressional party pursuing an agenda their own presidential nominee opposes, I can't recall them.

I'm starting to think the reverence and hype of the Fake Genius that is Paul Ryan has done as much or more damage to the Republican party than Trump will. Would there even be a Trump without the party's fetish for radically reshaping government in favor of the rich? They've been running on Paul Ryan's Path to Poverty budget for six goddamn years with nothing to show for it but electoral ruin.

The current GOP Congress is the ultimate manifestation of a party that has supported an economic regime for over 30 years that impoverishes white conservatives and tells them minorities are to blame for it. Trump is the avatar of these conservatives who've been sold a box of goods by their own party.

If Republican voters nominate someone who is opposed to spending cuts and Republicans in Congress ignore them, there should be absolutely no debate that Congressional Republicans only serve their rich masters.
Claims and counterclaims are flying fast and thick of drama at Mass Media Complex, where the head honcho, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo has allegedly been shown the door

Social media was this week abuzz with news that Deputy Permanent Secretary for Information and Broadcasting at Presidential Affairs and Public Administration ministry, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo had been fired.

It was said that Kaboeamodimo was sacked by Permanent Secretary to President Carter Morupisi on the instructions of his boss Eric Molale. However, both men have denied the reports. No we have not fired him. His contract is coming to an end in April, said Morupisi when approached for comment.





For his part Molale refused to comment saying, Go and ask the person who told you that information, and hung up. It is alleged that Kaboeamodimo successfully fought off the attempts to terminate his contract by appealing directly to President Lt. Gen. Dr. Ian Khama. The decision was later rescinded in favour of redeploying him to another ministry, which has not been named.

But Kaboeamodimo expressed shock Wednesday this week when contacted, saying he had also heard the rumours that he had been sacked, or had resigned or that he was redeployed. I am totally in the dark, all I know is that I am on leave in Lesotho, he said. Many journalists and other Btv employees have been redeployed to other government departments allegedly due to fallout with Kaboeamodimo. In fact some even went to the extent of signing a petition protesting the manner in which Kaboeamodimo was running the department. They even reported the matter to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) and the Ombudsman. Asked about reports that he fought hard when the news was delivered to him and was later promised to be redeployed to another ministry he replied: Well I cant comment on stories like that. I am not the kind to fight my employer Sir.


FREMM frigate. A DCNS image

PARIS (BNS): Shipbuilder DCNS has officially handed over the third FREMM multi-mission frigate "Languedoc" built for the French Navy.



The frigate was officially accepted by OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation) on behalf of the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) on March 16 (Wednesday), the company announced on Thursday.



FREMM "Languedoc" is the fifth unit built by DCNS and the third intended for the French Navy.



The first two frigates of the series, Aquitaine and Provence, have been delivered to the French Navy in 2012 and 2015 respectively.



The FREMM family of frigates with technically advanced features is being built to counter all threats emanating from air, sea or land. With a displacement of 6000 tons and a length of 142-m, the vessel can cruise at a speed of 27 knots.



Each warship will carry state-of-the-art weapons and systems including the MdCN cruise missiles, Aster anti-air missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes. The sensor suite of the frigate is designed around the Herakles multifunction radar with a range of more than 250 kilometres.



The FREMM programme currently involves the construction of ten frigates, eight of them for the French Navy. Six of these are slated for delivered by 2019. The remaining two, equipped with extended anti-aircraft capabilities, will be delivered before 2022.



DCNS is currently completing the FREMM Auvergne, which was floated on 2 September 2015, and is pursuing the assembly of the FREMM Bretagne. Work has started on the eighth FREMM in the series, the Normandie.



The shipbuilder is also finalising the design of the last two FREMMs with strengthened anti-aircraft capacities.



Two other frigates have been sold to export customers -- the Royal Moroccan Navy and the Egyptian Navy.




An armoured vehicle manufactured by Tata Motors.

MUMBAI (PTI): Tata Motors has said it expects a 10-12 per cent yearly growth in revenue from defence exports in the next few years.



The auto major is a leading supplier of defence vehicles.



Exports currently constitute 15 per cent of the company's overall defence revenue, and is likely to grow at 10-12 per cent per annum in the future, Tata Motors Vice-President for defence and government business, Vernon Noronha, told reporters in Mumbai on Wednesday.



Exact figures on the company's overall defence revenues were not immediately known. At the Group level, Tata said it expects to close the current fiscal with a 7.5 per cent growth in revenues from defence and aerospace at Rs 2,650 crore.



The company exports to the SAARC countries and Africa at present and is looking at the ASEAN region, including nations like Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia, as an emerging market opportunity, Noronha said.



Aid and development markets in west and central Africa is also an interesting opportunity, he said.



Among its products portfolio, the thrust is on multi-axle combat support vehicles, light armoured and combat vehicles when it comes to the defence exports, he said.


Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  With the Liberal government set to unveil blueprints for a massive infrastructure program in Tuesdays budget, a man who has given a lot of thought  and advice  on the subject is highlighting key elements Ottawa should consider.

For starters, former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge recommends Ottawa take potential political risks by placing particular focus on the needs of the biggest cities, even though cash for the program is collected across the country.

And then theres what Dodge calls his favourite suggestion: user fees or tolls on major roads and bridges to help support the infrastructure over the long haul.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a televised interview in New York, Thursday March 17, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

It takes some political stickhandling  I just think that the time has come, Dodge said of user fees in a recent interview.

Why do we charge for the use of buses and subways and give away the roads, quote, free, unquote? Obviously, it leads to a misallocation of resources.

Selling the idea to rural Canada that funnelling a larger proportion of public cash into Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver would likely present another challenge for Ottawa, he said.

But Dodge believes enhancing urban infrastructure like public transit would be in the best interests of the economy overall, enabling the cities to compete globally for high-quality employers and workers.

From a pure economic standpoint, our big infrastructure problems are ports, are major urban areas and major transportation corridors, said Dodge, who has advised the Ontario and Alberta governments on infrastructure.

The last thing we need is to cook up a bunch of painting projects or whatever that really are not going to help very much in the rural communities.

Dodges remarks about Ottawas multibillion-dollar infrastructure plan come as the Liberals prepare to release further details of the program in their first budget.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a Bloomberg interviewer in New York that the first two years of the governments decade-long infrastructure program will focus on unsexy things that governments hate to announce.

He then listed off items like recapitalization, deferred maintenance, upgrades and restoring signals on subways.

Trudeau also acknowledged that he doubts ramping up these types of early investments will boost Canadas weak productivity.

Instead, he said, after the initial phase Ottawa will focus government spending on larger, more-detailed projects aimed at increasing long-term growth and guiding Canada toward a low-carbon economy.

What were looking at is not so much trying to jolt the economy into life, as trying to lay the groundwork and the foundation for better growth, better productivity over the long term  and not just an instant influx of cash, Trudeau said.

I think the challenge when youre trying to shovel money out the door is that it doesnt always get spent on the right things.

Looking at the rural-urban divide, it remains to be seen how the government will divvy up the infrastructure funding.

The president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said federal infrastructure investments are particularly important for small communities in rural and northern regions because they have such limited financial capacity.

The government needs to be forward-looking  we know that theres a migration of people into our more-urban centres and the government needs to be responsive to that trend, said Raymond Louie, who is also a veteran Vancouver city councillor.

But Louie noted that rural Canada still holds a significant proportion of the population. In 2011, Statistics Canada estimated about 20 per cent of Canadians lived in rural areas.

We cant forget the small communities as part of the situation as well, Louie said. It is a challenging task for the government.

Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter
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This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO  Katanga Mining Ltd. says it doesnt expect to find any survivors from a landslide at an open pit copper mine in Congo that it operates for Glencore.

The publicly traded mining company, which lists its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange, says only three bodies have been located despite an extensive search over 10 days since the landslide occurred.

A local official previously said last week that two bodies had been recovered and five people were missing.

Richard Muyej, special commissioner of Lualaba province, says five of the seven people were employees of the Kamoto Copper Company, a subsidiary of the Swiss mining company Glencore, while two were guards.

Katanga (TSX:KAT) is a publicly traded subsidiary of Glencore that operates the mining complex.

It said Thursday in a statement from Zug, Switzerland, that one of the three recovered bodies has yet to be identified.

Despite all available resources being made available for the search effort, no further individuals have been located, Katanga said.

Therefore, it is with deep regret that the company must now assume that any individual who was in KOV open pit at the time of the incident will not have survived.

Katanga said its working with authorities to determine the cause of the geotechnical failure.
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This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Police made a big bust this week when they arrested a suspect in connection with at least 11 break-ins to vehicles.

But citizens still have to do their part to curb car-hopping, they say.

Three simple things  lock your vehicle, take your keys with you and dont leave anything valuable in your vehicles, Brandon Police Service Sgt. Bill Brown advises.

Statistics show that theft from cars is a persistent problem.

So far in 2016, there have been 57 reports of thefts from vehicles and 12 attempted thefts in Brandon.

Last year, during the same time period, there were 61 thefts from vehicles and 25 attempts.

In 2015, police ran a specific program to stop car-hopping  slang for stealing various items from parked cars.

Brown said its too soon to say whether that program will run this year.

Police got a good start to the year, however, by arresting a suspect in connection with a spree of car break-ins.

Around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, police were called about multiple break-ins to vehicles on the 3400 block of Richmond Avenue.

A witness who spotted a man inside his vehicle followed the suspect and detained him until officers arrived.

On Wednesday, police said that a 24-year-old man has been charged with 11 counts of possession of property obtained by crime, indicating there were that many vehicles entered.

A search of the mans property turned up several items believed to have been stolen from vehicles in the west end.

Photos show that the stolen items varied widely  smartphones, clothing, loose change, pens, a pack of gum.

Areas west of 34th Street  such as Waverly and Brookwood were the targets but there was one vehicle entered on the 1500 block of Second Street.

Brown said groups have been known to get together for the night and wander the streets looking for unlocked vehicles.

Thieves have been known to smash windows to get in, but mostly they prefer unlocked vehicles.

A good percentage of them are based on vehicles left open, Brown said.

But, Brown said, in general, vehicle break-ins are a crime of opportunity and, with the weather warming up and more people out and about, that opportunity rises.

A review of police releases that mention either break-ins to vehicles or smashed windows (suggesting an attempted break-in) show that most have happened downtown or in the west end.

Those releases indicate that three people caught stealing, or trying to steal from vehicles, have been 18- to 24-year-old men.

The reports also show that suspects get caught when alert citizens call police about suspicious activity near vehicles.

As for penalties for the crime, probation has been the sentence for a few youths who got caught.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @IanHitchen
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This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 120 people from a wide swath of provincial agencies and religious institutions packed the Pioneer Lounge at the Keystone Centre on Wednesday to learn more about Islam and Muslims.

Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association, had one message she hoped resonated with everyone following the training session, which was hosted by Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba.

That Muslims are just like anyone else, she said.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association, speaks to a room full of people during an information session about Islam and Muslims hosted by Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba at the Keystone Centre on Wednesday.

Siddiqui didnt shy away from any topic, blasting misinterpretations of Islam and Muslims held by both the western world and terrorists.

Its good to dispel those misconceptions and give context, she said.

You dont have to look far to see how misconceptions and opinions rooted in ignorance can create problems, according to Siddiqui.

U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump has made political gains by lashing out at Muslims and Islam.

Its scary, Siddiqui said, who has family in the United States and has paid close attention to the Republican primaries.

Racial insults and threatening messages are being hurled at her family in the U.S. on a regular basis at the moment, she said.

If (Trump) wins  God forbid he doesnt  but it could be open season on Muslims, she said, adding that angry mobs of people combined with liberal gun laws are a recipe for disaster.

While shes dealt with some of the same problems here in Canada, Siddiqui said it isnt as extreme.

I get my share of hate mail and threats, and for us its just a source of amusement because I cant let it get to me, Siddiqui said. There are Islamophobes everywhere. There will always be racists everywhere. Thats a part of the human condition.

But look at the gathering here  there are so many people wanting to know. They know that they dont know and these are people you can inform. The racists  choose not to know because they have chosen hate.

Sessions like the one yesterday can help tear down walls between groups, she said.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association, speaks to a room full of people during an information session about Islam and Muslims hosted by Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba at the Keystone Centre on Wednesday.

Its always good to actually talk to people themselves and to ask questions.

Arlene Stewart, director of programming for CFS of Western Manitoba, said social agencies need to have a better working understanding of Islam to ensure they are giving the best quality service to Muslims.

We dont want to live in ignorance, Stewart said. We want to bring some information. For me, its understanding, respect and working better with and for our Muslim people.

Dave McGregor, CEO of CFS of Western Manitoba, said its the first time this course has been offered in Brandon.

When we work with families, its important for us to understand their context and cultural background is certainly part of that, McGregor said.

While the majority of the attendees were from service agencies  such as the Brandon School Division, Brandon Correctional Centre and Prairie Mountain Health  others were people who recently formed organizations to sponsor refugee families from Syria.

 ctweed@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @CharlesTweed
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This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CFB SHILO  Canadian Forces Base Shilo will offer a pilot program to help medically released soldiers transition from the military back to civilian life.

Speaking to a gathering of approximately 50 people at the Military Family Resource Centre in Shilo on Wednesday, veteran family co-ordinator Pamela Hall said many soldiers go through a period of identity crisis when they realize they are being released from the military.

For many members, the toughest challenge in transitioning back into the civilian world is the loss of identity, Hall said. The military really has its own community and people really tend to identify themselves with their occupation, so losing that leads you to ask yourself the question, What am I now?

The Veteran Family Program will be offered at seven sites across Canada, including Shilo, Edmonton, Esquimalt, North Bay, Trenton, Val Cartier, and Halifax.

The program isnt designed specifically for the soldier, however, as it encompasses any issues a family might undergo through the transitional process.

Approximately 1,200 Canadian Forces members are medically released annually across Canada and approximately 700 military spouses and 900 children are impacted by their release, according to Hall.

Assistance will come in three main areas: referral services, transitional programs and access to intervention support.

Its about transferring your military skills to the civilian world, said Hall, who wrote her dissertation on post-traumatic stress disorder, which is one reason a soldier may get medically released.

Whether the release is physical or mental, Hall said its critical to help soldiers and their families reorganize their lives and prepare for their next chapter.

The pilot program will run for four years, providing support to soldiers from six months pre-release to two years post-release.

Base commander Lt.-Col. John Cochrane said its important to ensure soldiers and their families are prepared for life after the military.

We as a military do a really good job of looking after our people while they are in uniform, Cochrane said. The military way of life becomes ingrained not only in the member, but also in the family, based on the way we are moved around and the activities and scope that we have.

To go from that full level of support to literally none on the day you are released is very difficult.

He hopes soldiers spread the word and utilize the program.

It can be accessed through self-referral, medical or community referral.

 ctweed@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @CharlesTweed
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This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister was the only party leader to venture to Brandon during Day 1 of the provincial election campaign.

Pallister was greeted by party supporters in Brandon, where he stopped for photo ops at Ecole secondaire Neelin High School and Brandon University on Wednesday. Speaking to a full house at The Chilli Chutney, Pallisters main message was about rolling back the provincial sales tax to seven per cent, which he announced in Winnipeg earlier in the day.

We think leaving a little more money on the kitchen tables of Manitobans, whether its in Parkland or Brandon or southern or northern Manitoba, or the city of Winnipeg  its a good thing to do, to give Manitobans the respect they deserve, Pallister said.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister speaks to a crowd of supporters at The Chilli Chutney during a campaign stop in Brandon on Wednesday.

When asked if there were any Brandon-specific priorities he could provide details on, Pallister said hes excited to do that  just not yet.

I think Im going to be here (in Brandon) six times, thats what my tour looks like. Its an ambitious tour, he said. I am going to be announcing several things in Brandon that pertain not solely to Brandon, but pertain very much to Brandon, but Ill be doing that as the campaign unfolds. I wont be doing it today.

With a growing population, Brandon is in major need of new schools. Pallister wouldnt comment on whether the PCs will be committing to construction of a new school.

Ive got a long affiliation with Brandon and a lot of affection for education as a top priority, he said. Frankly at least one of our announcements will pertain to education, so I wont do those announcements today, but education clearly is a top priority for us.

Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, Premier Greg Selinger expressed optimism as he launched a campaign that his battered, 16-year-old New Democratic government can overcome polls that put it in the back seat.

Weve listened to Manitobans on what their priorities are and weve put forward a program that they have said is their top priority  infrastructure and jobs and the ability to look after people, Selinger said after asking Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon to dissolve the legislature to trigger a 35-day campaign for an April 19 vote.

We hope (Manitobans) will understand that we havent always got it right in how we initiated those initiatives, but we are showing results.

The NDP has been in power since 1999, but polls heading into the campaign suggest the party is on the ropes  some 20 points behind the Opposition Progressive Conservatives and in a battle for second place with the Liberals, who captured one legislature seat in the last election.

The New Democrats have faced public backlash over a 2013 decision to raise the PST to eight per cent and Selinger barely survived an internal challenge to his leadership last year. He has defended the tax increase as necessary to fund infrastructure projects and shore up the economy, but his polling numbers have not improved.

The NDP faces a well-funded Progressive Conservative party under Pallister, who is a former MP, and a revived Liberal party under Rana Bokhari, a lawyer who has worked to raise the Liberal profile since taking over in 2013.

Earlier in the day, Pallister kicked off the partys campaign in the heart of Selingers riding of St. Boniface in Winnipeg.

The $300 million that the PST rollback would cost would be recouped by cutting government waste, he said.

No government service is untouchable and all options are on the table, he said.

Its about getting a handle on this freight train of spending increases that the NDP is driving, Pallister said. There are no sacred cows here. The NDP has overspent in virtually every department.

Selinger warned that the Tories and Liberals would cut government services.

The choices are clear. They are stark, he said.

Bokhari began her campaign, surrounded by a handful of candidates, with a promise to bring in all-day kindergarten. She said the promise would cost $50 million  a figure that wouldnt include school expansions or upgrades, and would come out of general revenues.

Bokhari said a full costing of the partys promises will come next week.

Internal documents obtained by The Canadian Press in 2014 showed the governing NDP built a file for over a decade on the idea, but decided to focus on capping class sizes from kindergarten to Grade 3 instead. Bokhari couldnt say what would happen to that commitment if the Liberals were elected.

She said Manitoba voters are eager for change and  unlike her opponents who have been in public office for years  Bokhari said she is the only one capable of providing it.

They are true politicians, in the worst sense of the word, she said. There is room for change.

The NDP held 35 of 57 legislature seats at dissolution, while the Tories held 19 and the Liberals had one. There were two vacancies  former NDP cabinet ministers who resigned last year.

After Selinger raised the sales tax, and as public anger remained high, five of Selingers top cabinet ministers called on him to step down to help the partys fortunes rebound.

Selinger opted for a leadership race instead. He won 51 per cent of the votes on a second ballot. Many stalwarts in the legislature chamber and the partys back rooms have since left. Selinger is entering this campaign without many of the veterans from previous elections.

 jaustin@brandonsun.com and The Canadian Press

 Twitter: @jillianaustin
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER  A British Columbia man convicted in the Air India bombing deaths of 331 people has been denied his request to participate in political matters.

Your associations with others of a similar mindset were directly risk-related and led to the murders of many innocent people, the Parole Board of Canada said in a ruling against Inderjit Singh Reyat.

The board said in its decision released Thursday that it considered comments by Reyats lawyer about his clients rights under the charter to participate in political issues.

Inderjit Singh Reyat, the only man ever convicted in the Air India bombings of 1985, waits outside B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Friday, September 10, 2010. Reyat, convicted in the Air India bombing deaths of 331 people, has been denied his request to participate in political matters by the Parole Board of Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Reyat became eligible for statutory release in January after serving two-thirds of his nine-year sentence for perjury for lying at the trial of two other men charged in Canadas worst mass murder 30 years ago.

The board also imposed a second condition for Reyat not to associate with anyone involved in political or criminal activity or extremist views.

Patrick Storey, regional spokesman for the parole board, said Reyat could consider the condition for him not to get politically involved as being too broad.

That could be construed, I suppose, as not to associate with anyone involved in political activity, which means he couldnt talk to his municipal councillor or an MP or a (member of the legislature) as any Canadian citizen would be able to do.

Storey said the conditions will be in place for the duration of Reyats statutory release and that he could appeal the decision or take his case to the Federal Court if a new review is not ordered.

The Crown said the terrorist attack against state-owned Air India was prompted by British Columbia-based Sikh extremists revenge against the Indian government for ordering the army to raid Sikhisms holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984.

Two baggage handlers were killed at Tokyos Narita airport on June 23, 1985, when a suitcase exploded before it was loaded onto an Air India plane. That was the same day another suitcase bomb aboard an Air India plane exploded off the coast of Ireland, killing 329 people.

The Crown maintained the bomb-laden suitcases were loaded onto flights at Vancouver International Airport before one suitcase was transferred to an Air India plane in Toronto then headed to Montreal to pick up more passengers on its way to Delhi via London.

Reyat had previously pleaded guilty to reduced charges of helping to make the bombs at his home in Duncan, B.C., and spent five years in prison.

Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajiab Singh Bagri were both acquitted of mass murder and conspiracy in March 2005.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 17/03/2016 (2410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Rolling Stones are coming. Barack Obama is coming.

There is a new revolution brewing in Cuba. In fact, it started months ago and had nothing to do with the arrival of the Americans to its shores. It had everything to do with the arrival of the Internet. On a smartphone.

This years Star Jet Vacation went to Varadero, Cuba  something we never thought possible in the 11 years weve been taking vacationers from Brandon on the exclusive vacation group from Marlin Travel and Star-FM.

Each year for more than a decade, nearly 100 people come with us on a Star Jet vacation. After going to Mexico numerous times, then Jamaica, the Bahamas and Dominican Republic, the announcement was made that the United States was considering the normalization of relations with Cuba.

For anyone who has ever visited Cuba, you know this is going to mean big changes. With little infrastructure regarding the Internet, and complicated permissions for broadcasting from a communist country, we always felt it too difficult to take the Star Jet to Cuba. But with more than 100 flights daily coming from the U.S. starting Sept. 1, we felt this had to be the year.

The trip itself was near perfect  perfect weather, perfect service from hotel staff at the Paradisus resort, and the perfect example of what a vacation is really all about: relaxation, new experiences, new friends, and a new perspective. All of which this years Star Jet delivered on and more.

Sometimes the toilets gave us issues and we had to get someone in to fix them on occasion, and the Internet was beyond unreliable. Getting into Wi-Fi was a sport onto its own.

But while toilets are a necessity, the Internet is not. But unlike toilets, which have been around for some time, the Internet in Cuba has not  less than six months now.

And while most Cubans can only dream of having a smartphone, some do. The government is selling a basic version of the smartphone for US$60. But in Cuba that is three months wages for the average entry-level worker. For those with a hot new iPhone or android phone, almost all of them have been mailed into the country from friends or relatives from other parts of the world, including Canada and the U.S.

On our day in Havana, we were taken to a display of replica missiles from the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. As we stood taking pictures beside missiles that could have delivered a bomb 72 times the power of the one that destroyed Hiroshima, the mood was sombre and all of us reflected on the magnitude of those events  even though some of us were not even born when it happened. But we witnessed the fallout from it.

After Russia and the U.S. nearly started a nuclear war, a truce was reached, and Russias missiles were removed in exchange for the Americans leaving Cuba alone. Forever. As in the worst silent treatment ever. No trade, no help, no products or services or anything from the U.S., and in exchange, Cuba would never agree to purchase anything from them.

Until recently, it was a crime for Americans to travel to the island, and a stamp on your passport would result in a $15,000 fine.

And as I stood beside the missiles in the hot Cuban sun, I thought to myself how stubborn people can be. How stubborn politics in a country can be. How stubborn and close-minded countries can be. And how it is all so sad.

Fast-forward to this year and the arrival of the Americans to open the U.S. embassy in Havana (which we drove right by) and the dawn of a new age in Cuba. A country void of commercial capitalism, you wont find as much as a Coca-Cola sign in Havana, let alone a billboard, advertisement, or anything to resemble the freedom or opportunity of capitalism.

And it made me thankful to live in a country where I can say almost anything I wish on the radio, or write in the paper. I also have the right to listen to other stations, read other publications, the Internet, and watch TV.

And while the government continues to control the media in Cuba, it cant control the message. With the arrival of the Internet, everything is changing. People are reading. They are socializing. They are tweeting. And theyre learning.

A new revolution has begun. They are seeing things theyve never seen before, and reading about parts of the world they never knew existed. It was almost like someone in the Communist party thought: With the Americans coming, we better slowly open the floodgates slightly, so the freedom dam does not burst. And its working.

While more than a decade ago, in my last visit to Cuba, I could not find anyone excited about the prospect of Americans coming to Cuba. Now it is the opposite. Cubans appear to be cautiously optimistic about what they are seeing and reading online.

And while I confirmed most sites appeared to be unblocked or unaltered by government entities, thats not to believe someone isnt watching what youre doing online.

So, which websites have Cubans  with their limited connectivity  been visiting most? The web traffic analytics site Alexa ranked the sites like this:

 Google.com.cu  This is the official Cuban landing page for Google (default language is Latin American Spanish). Even typing in google.com sent me to this page.

 Facebook.com

 Yahoo.com

 YouTube.com

 Cubadebate.cu

 Wikipedia.org

 Blogspot.com

 WordPress.com

 Granma.cu  The official website of the Communist Party of Cuba.

As you see, its not so different the rest of the world. A new day is coming to Cuba. And the information revolution has already begun.

And even though the Internet in Cuba is like our old dial-up, it is available  and sometimes it is even free in designated parks with Wi-Fi  meaning the government is slowly pulling back the curtain for its citizens to see what is happening in the rest of the world.

<t-1>For the U.S., the curtain on the Cuban stage is also being

pulled back, allowing its citizens to see one of the most beautiful places in our part of the world  proving that all silent treatment, whether its between families, communities or even countries, someday will end.

Even if it takes a half-century to accomplish.

BIRTHDAYS

Tammy Power  Craig Sinclair  Sabrina Guay  Derek Jago James OConnor  Allison Collins
Britain is on the verge of a deal with Brussels which would allow it to scrap the so-called "tampon tax", George Osborne has said.

The British Chancellor said he expected an announcement "in the next few days" that the UK will be able to end VAT on women's sanitary products.
By Daniel McConnell, political editor, in Washington DC

Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley has paid a warm tribute to his late father as he was honoured by the Irish American Fund in Washington DC.

Speaking at the gala dinner, Mr Flatley spoke of his pride in spreading Irish culture throughout the globe.

Mr Flatley was one of four honourees at the event which raised more than $1m for philanthropic causes in Ireland.

"I wish my father could not be here tonight," he said. "He was a Sligo manSadly, he passed away a year ago last Sunday. My mother just turned 80 and she couldn't make the trip.

"My mother is from Carlow and they came to the United States from Carlow in 1947 with nothing and they worked so hard. Two Irish peopleThey worked day and night to support us. I would have nothing, I would be nothing without my parents and any award I receive in my life time, particularly this one, it's for them."

Speaking on the eve of his retirement, he spoke of the toll his dancing career has had on his body.

"It has been a great 20 years. I finish tomorrow. I would like to think the good times have outweighed the bad times, but sometimes I wonder. My body has taken a severe beating. I need shoulder replacements (and) my knees and spine need a lot of work," he said.

He added: "A torn calf, two ruptured Achilles tendons and a broken toe...It's been severe but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

He went on to reference the impact the Riverdance and Lord of the Dance shows have had around the world.

"It was my great honour for the last 20 years to do what I do. We have brought Irish culture to the four corners of this globe. We have sold out every major venue from Tokyo to Texas and from Mexico to Moscow," he said.

"We have entertained people from all over the world and I'm proud to say I brought the tricolour with me everywhere.

"As I finish tomorrow night in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas I can honestly say hand on heart in front of God I have given every last drop of what I have to my art and to Ireland," he added.

Michael Flatley and Jean Butler in their Riverdance heyday.

He concluded his speech by performing a jig and reel on his flute.

Among those present at the gala dinner were Irish Ambassador to the US Anne Anderson, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, Mary Lou McDonald and Martin McGuinness.
A 23-year-old male driver who was seriously injured in a collision on Hyde Road, Limerick on Tuesday, March 15, was pronounced dead at University Hospital, Limerick this evening.

Another 28-year-old male passenger was pronounced dead shortly after the collision on Tuesday.
By Patrick Flynn

Two flights diverted to Irish airports this afternoon after declaring emergencies over the Atlantic Ocean.

British Airways flight 2153 diverted to Shannon after the crew reported fumes in the cockpit.

There were 288 passengers and crew on board the flight, which was travelling from Gatwick to Barbados in the Caribbean.

The flight landed safely at 4.20pm and was met by airport fire crews.

The flight was later cancelled and is due to continue its journey on Friday morning.

At around the same time, the crew of Turkish Airlines flight TK-33 declared a medical emergency.

The flight was en-route from Istanbul to Houston in the US when the crew turned around off the Mayo coast.

The crew reported that a woman in her 30s had fallen ill and required urgent medical attention. Its understood there was a medical doctor on board who tended to the patient.

The flight rerouted to Dublin Airport, where it landed at 4.50pm.

The woman was removed to hospital for treatment, while the flight continued its journey shortly before 7pm.
Vautour justified the late decision to bypass the Timico Gold Cup by running away with the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Scoring at the Festival for the third time in a row, the even-money favourite was giving trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh their sixth winner of the 2016 meeting.

Village Vic did the majority of the donkey work until Walsh asked Vautour to go about his business after the fifth-last fence.

Road To Riches, who was also switched from the Gold Cup, tried to serve it up to the Rich Ricci-owned Vautour but it cost him second place.

Six lengths away, Valseur Lido snatched the runner-up spot for Mullins and Gigginstown House Stud by half a length from Road To Riches, also carrying the colours of Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary.

Al Ferof ran a creditable race in fourth.

Walsh said: "We went a good old gallop, he travelled well and jumped like a buck. He lengthened his stride off the bend and while he was tight at the last two, he was deadly at them.

"He's a pleasure to ride - we've had a fair battle with him since Christmas, but he was spectacular today."

On his well-being leading up to the meeting and the decision to swerve the Gold Cup, Walsh said: "If you were watching him at home I'm not sure you'd even have run him in the Ryanair.

"He worked half all right on Saturday morning, I wouldn't say he worked well. If you'd watched him up until then - I'd written him off in my mind, but Willie gets it right doesn't he?"

Ricci said: "I feel odd, to be completely honest. I wanted the horse to run in the Gold Cup, but of course I'm delighted to win. We just wanted to do the right thing for the horse."

mfl

Mullins: "He hadn't been exactly delighting me in his work and it is amazing to see him do a performance like that.

"I think the drying ground has been a huge help to him, he's a horse that just struggles in that winter ground, I think.

"He had a very hard race at Kempton (second to Cue Card in the King George) and it took him ages to get over it.

"We've been trying everything for the last three weeks, changing all sorts of things, and it's worked, I think.

"It looked like the right race. I think it was Djakadam he was working with when he was disappointing."

Walsh had recorded his 50th career Festival victory in the opening JLT Novices' Chase, and Mullins added: "I just said to Ruby on the way out, make it 51 please."

Ricci went on: "We had the whole hullabaloo about the Gold Cup, last year's Gold Cup third was behind us there, what could have been.

"They insist he hasn't been working well so when he does what is he capable of? Last year he looked a looked a lot better in his coat, but he's a hell of a horse, he loves this place, he's a joy to own.

"He was buzzy in the ring today but he's only had two runs. I don't know what we'll do with him next, he's lightly raced, probably Punchestown.

"Djakadam must be working the house down is my immediate reaction, so hopefully it bodes well for tomorrow."
Bernie Sanders has said he will not seek a recount of results in Missouri's Democratic primary, conceding defeat to Hillary Clinton.

Mr Sanders said it is unlikely the results will affect the awarding of delegates in the state and he would "prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money".
SeaWorld will end killer-whale shows after years of bad publicity.

The attraction has said the current generation of orcas in captivity will be the last.

Animal rights group PETA welcomed the move, but said the whales currently in captivity should be released immediately.

In a statement, PETA said: "PETA has campaigned hard, and now there is a payoff for future generations of orcas  but today is the day to stop breeding, not sometime later this year.

"SeaWorld must open its tanks to the oceans to allow the orcas it now holds captive to have some semblance of a life outside these prison tanks."
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The government is launching a "ready, fire, aim!" blast of superannuation system changes, just when it's finally getting around to developing the frameworks that were supposed to guide it.

And this in the shadows of an election and an apparent need to be seen to be doing something, anything, that might be labelled "reform".

The government thus is paying the price for its own tardiness, ideological imperatives and the political requirement to have some sort of reform to talk about on budget night.

In short order, the Turnbull/Morrison pairing has gone from everything being on the table, to only a few leftover crumbs, one of them being a trimming of the more extraordinarily generous aspects of our super system.
"It's not so much training people to sleep, it's changing the culture, and that's important. We have had this culture where we brag about how little sleep we got and how well we can function with so little sleep. It was a badge of honour. It's slowly shifting."

Ms Zee said while the amount of sleep a person needed varied, the target was between seven and eight hours. But along with length of time is consistency.

"The largest factor is that we're not prioritising our sleep," she said. "We're not maintaining a regular sleep and wake time, it seems to be something that's expendable. If you have something you need to do, you're likely to just curtail your sleep."

But what about all the wonderful things we have to look at on our phones and tablets?

"If you're staying up late, you're not staying up in total darkness," Ms Zee said. "You're doing things, checking your emails, working on the computer. That exposure to light late in the evening impacts your sleep pattern. And it's a vicious cycle. You stay up too late, you use more light, that makes it harder for you to sleep, so you stay up later, and on and on."
The film Spotlight highlighted the power and importance of first class investigative reporting by newspapers. How sad it is to hear that the equivalent of 120 editorial jobs will be lost across Fairfax publications ("Fairfax Media journalists strike after proposed editorial cuts", March 17). So many journalists who were leaders in their field have already gone. Not everyone wants just the equivalent of "sound-bites" in digital editions. Many readers rely on the thoughtful and reasoned analysis for which Fairfax papers have been famous. The tradition of fine investigative journalism must continue in the interests of a fair and just society. Myree Harris Petersham I have to say I feel genuinely sick in my tummy when I read "Fairfax Media announces editorial cuts". Only quality newspapers in the country are going down. It is bad for democracy and, for readers like me who have read the papers front to back for decades, it is really sad indeed. What can readers do to keep those hard-working journos and other staff in Fairfax? Mukul Desai Hunters Hill

Manildra's ministers I found it interesting to see how often Manildra was able to meet with ministers ("Manildra had 20 meetings with NSW ministers before new ethanol laws introduced", March 17). As the one-time secretary/treasurer of a statewide notfor-profit organisation, I can recall that over a period of 15 years my organisation tried many times every year to secure a meeting with the relevant minister. Not once, in 15 years did we secure any meeting. Ministers, and all MPs, would do well to remember they have taken an oath to serve the people, not to sell themselves to the highest bidder. Martin Field Kingscliff In defence of Dick Honan and his Manildra Group, it should perhaps be noted that Manildra Group does deserve kudos for its contribution to rural employment and the rural economy. Some years ago Manildra breathed new life into several small country flour mills that have since been expanded and now produce not only flour but also the by-products that go into the manufacture of starch, glucose, protein and ethanol. The plant that does this is located near Nowra and is a recycled milk processing facility. Manildra saved the sugar industry on the Clarence River by setting up Sunshine Sugar in partnership with NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative. More recently Manildra has further expanded with entry into the beef and lamb meat trade with a state of the art abattoir at Cootamundra. Terry Boardman Queenscliff

As someone whose car has suffered expensive damage due to an accidental dose of E10, I would like to write to the NSW government, protesting their proposed E10 legislation. Unfortunately, it seems that unless I enclose a cheque for at least $160,000 I'm not going to get anywhere. William Lloyd Denistone East It must be nice to be Big Business, you get access to any federal minister you want, while the poor mug voter can't even get an answer to an email from them. I sent Prime Minister Turnbull an email on December 30, 2015. I am still waiting for acknowledgement, let alone a reply. Gerald Borthwick Stockton Backing Barnaby

John Howard is to go bush in support of Barnaby? He's got the Akubra, and the swagger, why not put them to use? Keith Russell Mayfield West St Pats Malaysian-style As an Irishman living in Australia, how did I celebrate St Patrick's Day with my Egyptian-born wife? Why, at a Malaysian restaurant, of course. Gerard Kirwan Cremorne

Safe Schools policy furore real harm The continuing furore around the Safe Schools policy is of concern ("Backbench furious after review backs Safe Schools", March 17). Many of our students need support, encouragement and understanding as they come to terms with adulthood and their own place in it. Many schools are attempting to allow for sympathetic and empathetic programming to support individual differences. But most importantly the policy is designed as an opt-in facility offering schools the necessary structured options. It is not compulsory. Yet the backbench furore which has erupted does not allow for the differences and peer support essential for healthy options for students. And it is our children, many of whom are most vulnerable, who need to be considered first and foremost. The Safe Schools policy does just this. It is an important policy within the curriculum and must be ensured to allow the support schools need. Janice Creenaune Austinmer In all the attacks on the Safe Schools program and the claims that it pushes a particular ideology, why has no one mentioned the chaplains program? Established by Howard at a cost of millions, converted by the Gillard government to cover youth workers or chaplains, determined by a school's need, the funds were again restricted to religious counselling when Abbott took over government.

Like NSW, where ethics education is under constant attack, the Coalition is determined to push ideology in schools, so long as it is an ideology that complies with its world view. No concern for the mental and physical wellbeing of many young people. If Safe Schools must go, so should the chaplains program  there's a budget saving. Jennifer Raines Newtown Given the attitudes expressed by many socially conservative politicians is it possible to have the Safe Schools program extended to Parliament? John Bailey Canterbury Why is it that ultra-conservative politicians are constantly so obsessed with, and confused (or just ignorant) about other people's sexuality?

Brett Jack Bonnyrigg Heights The petition circulated by George Christensen demonising the Safe Schools program has gone missing ("Safe Schools petition 'goes missing' as conservative push fractures Turnbull frontbench"). How marvellous it would be if Christensen, Bernardi, Abbot and other signatories would themselves go missing. May the flawed document never be resurrected. Donna Wiemann Balmain Cold shoulder follows Peter Fitzgerald, Botany Council's ex general manager's practice of popping his phone in the refrigerator would no doubt ensure he only received cold callers ("ICAC hears former Botany Bay Council staff put phones in the fridge so 'no one can listen"', March 17). Bill Carpenter Bowral

Lukewarm response At 9pm on Wednesday night, there was an ABC television program that is called Luke Warm Sex. I am an avid ABC viewer, but this was absolute rubbish. There was full frontal nudity on this show which was disgusting and unnecessary. Some feedback to the upper echelons of ABC: cancel this program immediately. Steve Barrett Glenbrook Cost of crime A high price-$1355 per day per offender  for inevitable future prison ("Locking up Indigenous kids costs $236 million a year", March 16). Let's break the cycle. Run youth centres with sports, extra education, trade courses, give incentives, more boarding school opportunities. A dream can be a reality that creates jobs, curbs the high detention rate, changes lives  and costs less. Common sense spending  investing in all young lives is smart and makes a difference.

Cecile Hunt Paddington Trumped Yes Mr Pyne, Terrifying ("Terrifying and kind of weird: Christopher Pyne blasts the Donald Trump phenomenon", March 17). Even more terrifying is that Mr Trump is the end product of the bigotry and racism encouraged by the Republican Party in an effort to obstruct America's first black president. Alpheus Williams Red Rock And I can remember when we were worried about George Bush jun becoming President of the United States and what he might/ might not end up doing. Doesn't he look positively benign now when looking at and listening to Donald Trump?

Rose Panidis Graceville, Queensland Note to Stokes junior I admire Alan Stokes ("Too many kids are barely enough  if you're selfish enough to be that selfless", March 16) and his wife for lovingly raising five children and wish the whole family much happiness. However, in this already crowded world, which has finite resources, I beg the children to not carry on the tradition of large families. Please be selfless and consider the poor struggling planet. Thelma Frost Mudgee Cafes home to ideas Dom Knight ("Sydney is too expensive to take a risk on your dreams", March 17) ought to take a stroll for a few blocks next time he leaves the ABC building in Ultimo. He may be surprised by the large number ofWi-Fi cafes and the business being done there  coding, deals, partnerships, introductions. Cafes are the work and meeting places for those "bright young people building nifty things". Sydney may be expensive but cafe work space is a cheap and effective ideas cauldron  something you need for a boom.
Where will the next million people who move into Sydney live? Will new suburbs have the kind of parks, playgrounds and community services that make Sydney such a great place to live or will those amenities be removed from existing suburbs to make room for more housing? Will new investment in rapid transport networks make moving around the city easy, or will congestion be used to keep people in "their" part of town?

Since the Sydney Olympics the population of Sydney has grown by nearly 1 million people. There is no doubt that rapid growth is a source of both opportunity and pressure, and there is also no doubt that, to date, it has led to a widening in the gap between those with the most and those with the least. But, while the link between rising inequality and rapid population growth isn't coincidental, it's also not inevitable. Policy decisions matter.

For those lucky enough to own one, the family home is the largest store of wealth in Australia. And for those who don't, rent is among the largest living expense. As population growth drives up both property prices and rents, particularly in well-serviced suburbs close to the city, the distributional consequences are obvious.

The way our cities are designed, the public amenities we choose to invest in, and the way we tax and redistribute wealth and income all play an important role in the distribution of social and economic opportunities, both within cities and between them.
Because today is the final sitting day of Parliament until May 10 - the date that the Budget is handed down. That's unless everyone agrees to come back a week early - and the Greens and Labor have each indicated that they won't, not least because of the estimated $5 million that it would cost to resume Parliament on May 3. That means that any changes to the upper house ballot have to be passed by the senate today, and then rushed downstairs to the House of Representatives for the government to sign off. There's no time set for Parliament to rise today so this can - and probably will - go on until the wee small hours of Friday. It may have passed by the time you read this, but expect it to be dragged out to downright silly lengths. But even if it does pass, the chances of the government calling a double dissolution are now getting very slim, for several important reasons. Those reasons!

First up, Turnbull lacks an obviously strong trigger with which to argue the need for a DD to the Governor General. The best twice-unpassed legislation they have is their failure to pass a bill to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, but a) the CEFC has been economically successful and b) would make a mockery of the government's already-shaky argument that they take emissions reduction seriously, right before an election after the hottest year on record. There's an argument that the bill to reintroduce the Australian Building and Construction Commission could act as a trigger, arguing that failure to pass is the same as the senate rejecting it (and has a nice "stop our too-powerful unions!" argument for the government to boot). However, the government actually blocked debate on the bill on Tuesday - which badly weakens the argument that the senate have been refusing to act on it. They also lack a clear method to force the senate to return early unless the senate vote today to give Senate Leader Stephen Parry the authority to order a special sitting, which seems unlikely, and a DD has to be called by May 11 in order to make the deadline for a July election (which is the latest that a DD can be called). So that means that Turnbull could be left with no option but a normal election, where only half the senate are up for re-election.

And all but one of the current crossbench - John Madigan - still have three years of their term left. So, Malcolm. Still happy about winning the leadership the way you did? No creeping sense that you might have made a terrible, terrible mistake? And things suddenly become clear! In yesterday's V from the S we mentioned the government's odd-looking decision to introduce an "effects test" that would effectively limit big corporations - such as the major supermarket chains, for example - from using their market dominance to squeeze out smaller competitors. And, as was pointed out, it was a move that seemed weirdly off-message. After all, adding new regulations to control the operations of the free market seems a strange decision by the free market party that pledged to eliminate regulation.

On Thursday the current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared that this was an example of the government making "hard decisions", but it turns out that his description was incorrect on two points: it was neither hard nor a decision. Beautiful unity! See, if you thought "say, that protectionist kinda idea seems very in keeping with the attitudes of the National Party", then you'd be correct. In fact, this was one of the things that Turnbull had to pledge before the Nationals agreed to support his leadership back in September, along with other edicts including no changes to policies on climate change or same-sex marriage. In other words, this was less "hard" than "already decided", and less a decision than a condition. Still, can't blame him for trying to make a virtue out of a stone-cold necessity to protect the Coalition. Even if it once again demonstrates how little he's actually running the shop.

Dude, where's my childish petition? And the government's joy at watching Labor and the Greens fight among themselves might be a little tempered by the sight of the Coalition continuing their proud recent tradition of tearing each other apart. After yesterday's temper tantrum by conservative MPs furious that the Safe Schools program wasn't the homosexual recruitment manual they kept pretending it was, Nationals MP George Christensen wrote a petition to have the program immediately defunded. The plan was that he would then present the petition to the PM as triumphant proof that the fevered imagination of right wing zealots is more important than petty matters like "reality" or "the safety of children".

Except then he apparently lost it. Clever boy! With friends like these Fellow anti-anti-bullying enthusiast Cory Bernardi confirmed that "the whereabouts of the petition is unknown", while Christensen's office couldn't confirm or deny it - possibly because they'd lost their phone along with the petition. The absence of the petition shouldn't dissuade Bernardi or Christensen, though. After all, they can just make one up using their own imagination - you know, like they do with most of the evidence supporting their arguments. And just in case there was any doubt that the Coalition is sensitive and mature on the subject of gender and sexuality, one yet-to-be-named MP told his colleagues during the review briefing that "You've got to understand  most little kids are confused, but when they grow up they become normal."

"Normal". Wow. Just just wow. With geniuses like this in positions of authority, Australia, the campaign leading up to the legally unnecessary half-billion dollar plebiscite on same-sex marriage is going to be what's the opposite of "dignified, respectful and definitely not an excuse to attack LGBTI folks"? The cocktail hour: rockin', rockin' and rollin' Sometimes, just sometimes, the nation seems too ridiculous to comprehend. So pour a strong one and have some utter silliness courtesy of US comic geniuses Bad Lip Reading. Let this play through your head every time you see someone from the senate arguing why everyone's acting in bad faith except them.
President Barack Obama opened the festival last week with a talk about civic engagement, becoming the first sitting president to attend SXSW in the festival's 30-year history. He weighed in on Apple's legal fight against the federal government over encryption, and told a crowd of tech enthusiasts that Republican lawmakers in Texas aren't interested in making voting easier.

Mrs. Obama steered clear of hot-button topics. She instead promoted her Let Girls Learn initiative, which encourages world leaders to provide education opportunities to an estimated 62 million girls globally who do not attend school.

She also says she won't disappear from public view or slow down once she leaves the White House next year.

"Sometimes there's much more you can do outside the White House without the constraints, the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship," she said.

"There's a potential that my voice can be heard by many people who can't hear me now because I'm Michelle Obama, the first lady. I want to be able to impact as many people as possible in an unbiased way to try to keep reaching people. I think I can do that just as well by not being president of the United States."
A former Department of Defence employee has lost his compensation bid after claiming to have severely injured his back and left leg after lifting a heavy box of paper more than 30 years ago.

The man claimed his supervisor tried to straighten his back after the incident, which caused a disc to slip leaving his left leg immobile.

Former public servant: "He broke it by being stupid and sticking his knee into my back" Credit:Michel OSullivan

"He broke it by being stupid and sticking his knee into my back and trying to straighten me up," he told the Administrative Appeals Tribunal of Australia.

According to court documents, the man heard a cracking sound while lifting the box and could not get off the ground. He lodged a claim for compensation and the government accepted liability for spinal pain.
A man charged with slashing the throat of a homeless man in the Sydney CBD while he slept was known to the victim, police allege.

The 37-year-old was sleeping on a footpath with another homeless man early on March 10 when the attacker allegedly crouched over him and cut his throat with an unknown object before running away.

A man has been arrested following attack on a homeless man in the CBD. Credit:Craig Sillitoe

The homeless man underwent surgery to what was described by police as a "substantial wound" and has since been released from St Vincent's hospital.

A 39-year-old, who police say knows the homeless man, was arrested and charged on Thursday, and is due to appear at Central Local Court on Friday.
The fallout from a multi-million dollar corruption inquiry into Botany Bay Council is spreading across Sydney, after the principal person of interest levelled accusations of criminal conduct related to a former mayor of Drummoyne.

In extraordinary testimony to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Botany's former chief financial officer Gary Goodman recounted the Saturday night he went to steal mayoral diaries from Peter Fitzgerald's time at Drummoyne, now known as Canada Bay Council.

"I believe it saved Mr Fitzgerald either a fine with the Tax Office or he had a case against the Tax Office and he won," said Mr Goodman, who was employed at Drummoyne at the time.

He alleges the diaries were doctored after they were removed from the council.
An overnight factory blaze at Wacol west of Brisbane is not being considered as suspicious.

Emergency services were called at about 5.30pm to the fire which is affecting a scrap metal and tyre factory.

A large fire has broken out at a factory in Wacol.

Five fire trucks are on the scene battling the blaze, which was brought under control hours later.

Paramedics were on standby but nobody was treated.
A former Queensland policeman has been found not guilty of raping a woman in the back of a squad car while he was on duty.

Trent Christopher Birthisel, 31, was accused of assaulting the then 20-year-old after she asked for a ride home from a night out in Mackay in 2014.

Former police officer Trent Christopher Birthisel has been found not guilty of charges of rape and of sexual assault. Credit:iStock

A Mackay District Court jury on Thursday cleared him of rape and sexual assault charges after retiring to consider a verdict on Wednesday afternoon.

The former constable exhaled heavily as the jury cleared him of the offences, while the woman who made the allegations cried in the public gallery.
A woman has been hospitalised with a significant head injury after allegedly being assaulted with a stick during a crabbing trip in the Torres Strait.

Police say the woman, 28, was flown to the Cairns hospital with head and facial injuries after allegedly being assaulted while on a crabbing expedition on Tuesday night.

A woman has allegedly been assaulted while on a crabbing expedition.

A Papua New Guinean man has been charged with grievous bodily harm and is due to face the Thursday Island Magistrates Court on Thursday.

AAP
The leader of the team building a quantum computer at The University of New South Wales, Michelle Simmons, says Commonwealth Bank of Australia is having a big impact in how the cutting-edge hardware is being designed and predicts banking to be one of the first sectors to adopt the revolutionary technology.

CBA has invested $10 million in the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology, where Ms Simmons, a quantum physicist and one of Australia's most highly regarded scientists, expects to build a quantum computer for commercial use by 2025.

Professor Michelle Simmons and CBA CIO David Whiteing inside the quantum computing lab at UNSW. Photo by Peter Braig (NO CAPTION INFORMATION PROVIDED) Credit:Peter Braig

Input from CBA has resulted in her researchers amending the design of the computers, whose manufacture will be based on requirements for particular industries, she said. Some of her team have been seconded to CBA to understand banking applications, while CBA staff have been working in the UNSW lab.

"We are engaging with people who want to use our technology over the longer term, and for a university research organisation the end users are absolutely pivotal to the quality of what we are producing," Ms Simmons told an APP Securities disruptive technology lunch in Sydney on Thursday.
Others expected Pluto to look somewhat like Triton, a Pluto-size moon captured into orbit around Neptune. Instead, New Horizons photographed a dazzling variety of landscapes, from soaring mountains to flat plains. Pluto is proving to be far more diverse than and quite different from Triton. "The big surprise is that Pluto turned out so surprising," said Jeffrey Moore of NASA's Ames Research Centre in California, who heads the mission's geophysics and imaging team. An ice volcano? Nitrogen might also flow deeply enough to be warmed by the interior and then erupt back at the surface - producing what scientists are surmising might be an ice volcano. They are studying a mountain named Wright Mons that rises 3.2 kilometres, spans 144 kilometres across and has a hole at the centre.

"It's not like any feature we've seen anywhere else in the solar system," said John Spencer, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. The varying mix of ices could form different alloys with very different properties, similar to how adding carbon transforms iron into steel, and that could help explain the wide range of topography. "That's the new physics that needs to be learnt," Grundy said. A big, fractured moon The fly-by spotted an enormous gash in Pluto's largest moon, Charon, that differs from Pluto in the make-up of its surface.

Charon appears to made of just water ice without the other ices seen on Pluto. That matched expectations, because Charon, with less gravity, would not have been able to hold on to methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide. The most striking feature on Charon is the 1000-kilometre long gash, longer than the Grand Canyon. Harold Weaver, the mission's project scientist, said the gash was probably formed early in Charon's history when the surface cracked and material from the still-warm interior oozed out. "Charon burst at the seams," he said. Smaller moons spin rapidly, while tipped over The four small moons of Pluto turned out to be brighter and smaller than expected and spin quickly. Their axes are also tipped sideways, a configuration that defies easy explanation.

Pluto and its miniature planetary system are believed to have coalesced out of a cataclysmic collision earlier in the history of the solar system. Over time, the rotation of moons tend to become gravitationally locked so that the same side of the moon is always facing the planet. That occurred with Charon. But the four smaller moons - Nix, Hydra, Styx and Kerberos - are tiny and further away. A month before the fly-by, based on years of Hubble photographs, two astronomers suggested that Nix and Hydra appeared to be rotating chaotically, jostled by the competing gravitational pulls of Pluto and Charon. They also said that Kerberos was markedly darker than the other three. The New Horizons photographs showed otherwise. None of the moons appear to be rotating chaotically, and their spin is faster than expected, not at all locked to their orbital periods, which range from 20 to 38 days. Hydra spins fastest, at once every 10 hours. Kerberos turns out not to be dark; the four small moons are all brighter and smaller than previously estimated, ranging in reflectivity between fresh concrete and fresh snow. The rotation of the small moons are also tipped over, almost at 90-degree angles from what would be expected. "We have no idea what that means yet," Spencer said.

One of the astronomers who reported the chaotic rotations, Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, said that the New Horizons' observations surprised him, and that he was working on reconciling them with what Hubble had seen. Surprise in Pluto's atmosphere Another finding indicates that the upper atmosphere of Pluto is much colder, meaning that nitrogen escapes at a rate of about a hundredth of what had been expected. Frances Bagenal of the University of Colorado, head of the team that performed that analysis, said the calculation runs counter to what mission scientists were saying a week before the fly-by, when New Horizons had already detected nitrogen escaping from Pluto. "We were being fooled by something else," Bagenal said.
One of the policemen stabbed by Numan Haider is sure the teen was about to decapitate him before he was shot dead by another police officer.

The AFP officer, who cannot be identified, was stabbed twice in the head, twice in the left shoulder and once in the chest when Haider, 18, attacked him and a colleague outside the Endeavour Hills police station on September 23, 2014.

As the AFP officer lay injured on the ground, he was aware Haider was moving around him and about to stand over his head.

"I am sure when Haider moved around me he was going to cut my head off," the officer, referred to in court as Officer B, said in a statement read to the inquest into Haider's death in the Coroners Court on Thursday.
Flowers at Koonung Creek Linear Park in Doncaster a few days after Masa Vukotic was murdered. Credit:Joe Armao "I just thought I'm going to stab and I'm going to hurt these f---ing dogs," he said. "So I thought originally, look for rich areas. I thought rich areas, these f---ing c---s, they don't care unless it happens to them, unless it's in their society." Price claimed he'd had the urge to kill for quite a while. The victim, Masa Vukotic. "I was planning this days before I went to Kew thinking of stabbing someone. I remember on the bus to that region; I was sitting next to these two Asian chicks; I was looking at them and just knew I was going to do something bad."

Price boarded bus 724 near the intersection of Victoria and Wellington Streets, Collingwood, at about 6.14pm to travel to the Doncaster park and ride bus stop on Doncaster Road. He arrived at about 6.35pm and began walking. Masa Vukotic was on an evening walk when Sean Price attacked. Credit:Lauren Zienstra/Lo Zee photography. Ms Vukotic left her home to go for a walk about five minutes later carrying her front door key, mobile phone. She was listening to music on her earphones. It was a sunny day and sunset wasn't until 7.30pm. Ms Vukotic walked towards a small park called Koonung Creek Linear Park, about 1.6 kilometres south east of the Doncaster park and ride bus stop.

Price had entered the park and was looking for someone to stab when he saw Ms Vukotic. "This chick was on the other side of the road ... she's like started talking to a bird like f---ing Snow White," Price later told police. "I thought she's ... dressed like f---ing all yuppie. "I just thought f--- this, this is the moment. This one just ended up being the one. I just f---en had to kill her." Price said Ms Vukotic had ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He took out the kitchen knife he had wrapped in a sock from his bag and ran up to Ms Vukotic. Price pushed the terrified schoolgirl into bushes off the footpath so he could stab her. Ms Vukotic pleaded with Price not to hurt her, telling him, "No, I'll do anything you want." Price ignored her and began stabbing her repeatedly. Price said he made sure Ms Vukotic was dead because "otherwise it was a waste of f---ing time doing what I'm doing."

Price then ran off carrying the knife, the bag and his jacket before using a tap from a house on Heyington Street to wash the blood from his hands, arms and face. He put the spare T-shirt he had over the bloodied T-shirt he was wearing and boarded a bus on Doncaster Road at about 7.10pm. Commuters noticed Price was agitated, nervous, out of breath and sweating profusely. He got off on Victoria Street, Abbotsford, walked to Victoria Park railway station and caught a train to Flinders Street station before travelling to Sunshine station and walking home. The next day at 7.07am, Price again left home intending to stab someone else.

He travelled from Footscray to Seaholme then back to Yarraville, where he got off the train at about 9.33am. There he claimed he decided not stab anyone after a stranger gave him $50. On his way home, he stopped in at the Brimbank library in Sunshine to go online to read media reports on Ms Vukotic's murder. The next morning, two days after the murder, Price was in Sunshine when he grabbed a man around the neck, punched him in the head several times and stole his mobile phone. Price then went back to the Brimbank library and spent 17 minutes reading more reports about the murder.

"More and more was coming out and I'm thinking, I'm f---ed now," he told police. Price then tried to steal a BMW but the owner fought him off. Realising it was only a matter of time before he was arrested, Price decided to rape someone. "I thought f---, I'm going to jail for this one. I've just got to take a chick. I'm going to be stranded for the rest of my life. Who cares, no one's going to give me a Nobel prize; I'm going to get a life sentence for this. I thought I'll bust a nut just before I f---ing go to jail forever." Price walked into a nearby store at 11.10am and grabbed a woman, putting his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming.
In an affidavit, Mr Madafferi's lawyer Paolo Tatti, revealed how police had visited Mr Madafferi to discuss the contract on Mr Acquaro's life. Lawyer Joseph Acquaro was shot dead in an East Brunswick street on Tuesday morning. Credit:Channel Nine Mr Tatti's affidavit, dated September 16, 2015, said two detectives went to see Mr Madafferi at his Noble Park supermarket on June 19, 2015. "My client requested that they move outside the shop as there were customers present, and a discussion took place in the loading bay adjacent to the shop," Mr Tatti's affidavit said. "During the discussion, which lasted no longer than a few minutes, the police said words to Mr Madafferi to the effect that they had information that there was a contract on the life of Mr Joseph Acquaro for $200,000, and that if something happened to Mr Acquaro they would know where to start looking.

"My client told the police that he knew nothing about the matter and the police then left and have not contacted him again. "I am instructed by Mr Madafferi and I believe that he was and remains extremely upset and distressed about the visit. "He denies the suggestion that he would ever engage in such conduct." Mr Tatti said Mr Acquaro had from time to time performed legal services for Mr Madafferi or his related entities. "Mr Acquaro also represented my client's brother, Francesco ["Frank"] Madafferi, in relation to charges of trafficking a commercial quantity of a controlled drug ... until he ceased acting shortly before the trial commenced.

"I am informed by [lawyer] Mr Michael Teti [a former employee of the law firm Acquaro and Co] that in addition to acting on behalf of Francesco Madafferi in relation to this criminal matter, Mr Acquaro had business dealings with Francesco Madafferi and was a close friend of his for many years until the two had a falling out in 2013." Another member of Antonio Madafferi's legal team, lawyer Gina Schoff, QC, told the court this week that Mr Acquaro's execution-style killing meant a suppression order was now needed to protect her client's prospect of a fair trial in the civil case against The Age. Tony Madafferi is the owner of the national pizza chain La Porchetta. Credit:Jason South "One can see how highly prejudicial it would be if a juror were to learn or to think that Mr Madafferi was responsible for the death of one of Mr McKenzie's sources ... and that is what The Age will report tomorrow if ... there is carte blanche on reporting," Ms Schoff said. She said Mr Madafferi was suing The Age because he was "seeking to clear his name ... he seeks vindication".

The appearance of Mr Acquaro's "dead body" was an "extraordinary coincidence," which would make full vindication of Mr Madafferi's reputation difficult. "Here we have gunshot wounds. Yes, they could be totally unrelated but that stark coincidence, that incredible coincidence of on the one hand the $200,000 contract ... and now the murder of Mr Acquaro, it can't but fail to excite the interest of readers," Ms Schoff said. Last year Ms Schoff argued in the same court that The Age should be compelled to reveal the sources of its stories. At the time she said: "to suggest that someone might try and knock off one of [McKenzie's] sources, it's really  in our submission it's fanciful, Your Honour, absolutely fanciful". Tony Madafferi in his Noble Park store, where police visited him in June 2015. Until Mr Acquaro's murder this week, lawyers for The Age had pushed for his name to be suppressed to try to protect him. They argued that, if it was widely believed (rightly or wrongly) that he was a source, it might endanger his life. Since his death, that fear no longer applies, and The Age this week attempted to have the suppression order lifted.

Mr Madafferi changed positions and opposed that. Ms Schoff argued for her own client's statement to be suppressed because now there was "a dead body within five months of the trial". In a landmark decision in December last year involving the first test of Victoria's protection law for journalists' sources, Justice Dixon said The Age had argued the articles related to matters of significant and legitimate public interest that warranted investigation and public scrutiny. Justice Dixon did not believe the identity of The Age's sources was critical to Mr Madafferi's defamation case and dismissed his application. The defamation trial is set down to begin on August 1. Lawyer Gina Schoff said the murder of Mr Acquaro was an 'incredible coincidence'. Credit:Justin McManus Ms Schoff also suggested that, since Mr Acquaro's execution, Mr Madafferi - who originally wanted his pleas heard by a jury - might now prefer to seek vindication in front of a judge alone.
Opponents to the Safe Schools program have approached Perth high school students, urging them to adhere to Christian values.

Mt Lawley Senior High School principal Milton Butcher said students were handed anti-Safe Schools leaflets on Wednesday morning as they arrived at school by two adults who refused to identify themselves.

Anti-Safe Schools campaigners have been handing out leaflets promoting Christian values at Perth schools.

"Some students reported they were very distressed by the actions of these adults," Mr Butcher said.

"It is unreasonable for adult campaigners to approach children, some as young as 12 years of age, on their way to or from school.
Trumponomics will bring recession rather than a great economic revival. Credit:AP "There's a tendency, in the third election in a row for a party, for there to be some sense of complacency," said former White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer. What Democrats need to do in the coming months is clear, he said: "The difference between Donald Trump winning or losing is whether Obama's 2008 coalition turns out in 2016." Many Democrats think that if Mr Trump is the GOP nominee, he will help the Democratic Party solve the mobilisation problem. They think that Mr Trump's strident anti-immigrant positions and his controversial comments about women and minorities will help Democrats in the fall. Latino voters, especially, are receiving the attention of advocacy groups, including super PACs friendly to the Clinton campaign and to Democrats in general. Liberal investor George Soros is among the backers helping to amass about $US15 million ($19.7 million) for a super PAC devoted to increasing the participation of Latino voters as well as African Americans and women.

Democratic Party officials say they are taking the threat of a Trump nomination seriously and plan to begin attacking him immediately, on policy and on his temperament. They also vow not to make the mistakes that Mr Trump's GOP opponents made early in the primary season. They are not assuming that the billionaire real estate magnate will self-destruct, they say. "We're ready for Donald Trump," DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz told reporters on Wednesday. "We're not treating him like the laughing stock that Republican establishment folks treated him for far too long." Mr Obama in recent days has been in the forefront of those taking Mr Trump seriously. More than once, the President has gone on extended riffs about why he thinks Mr Trump as a political leader is bad for the country. "The best leaders, the leaders who are worthy of our votes, remind us that even in a country as big and diverse and inclusive as ours, what we've got in common is far more important than what divides any of us," he said in Dallas last Saturday, just as reports about violence at Trump rallies were dominating the news. Increasingly, Mr Obama has been using Mr Trump's candidacy to talk about what kind of country the United States is becoming. At a St Patrick's Day luncheon at the Capitol on Tuesday, Mr Obama again alluded to Mr Trump's harsh campaign rhetoric.

"In America, there aren't laws that say that we have to be nice to each other, or courteous, or treat each other with respect. But there are norms. There are customs," he said. "The longer that we allow the political rhetoric of late to continue, and the longer that we tacitly accept it, we create a permission structure that allows the animosity in one corner of our politics to infect our broader society. And animosity breeds animosity." Clearly, once there is a Democratic nominee, which Mr Obama advisers say they expect will be Mrs Clinton, the President will hit the campaign trail on her behalf. He recently endorsed two Democrats involved in contested Senate primaries, former Ohio governor Ted Strickland and US Representative Patrick Murphy. And Mr Obama has begun making his case to the Democratic Party's most dedicated financial backers. "My main message to Democrats over the course of the next several months - I'm sure I'll be saying, 'Write cheques,' because that's part of the process - but what I'm really going to be saying to people is, 'Keep your eyes on the prize here,' " he said at the DNC fundraiser in Austin. "Change doesn't happen overnight, and we never get 100 per cent of change."

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said in an email that Mr Obama will be "a huge liability" in swing states because he has "job approval numbers that continue to struggle." "An overwhelming majority of the people want a different approach than Obama," Mr Walters wrote. "Polls show Americans are tired of the status quo and want to take our country in a new direction." Democrats, by contrast, think the key to winning this year is, in the words of one party strategist, "more about mobilising your own voters than persuading some rapidly shrinking middle." Several Democratic strategists say they are confident that Mr Obama can boost turnout for their candidates in key states, including Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Virginia. And if Mr Trump becomes the GOP nominee, they say, that could put more congressional seats in play. By contrast, the President rarely made it out on the trail in 2014, when Senate Democrats were running in states such as Arkansas and Alaska. "These are states growing in population, and they are growing in diversity," said Guy Cecil, co-chairman and chief strategist for Priorities USA, a super PAC supporting Mrs Clinton. When it comes to Mr Obama, "he'll be a terrific validator for Hillary, or whoever is the Democratic nominee," Mr Cecil added.
"It's a hard one to research because these people are lying. Most of the people do have some degree of serious ... personality issues." But it wasn't a case of the person believing they had a sickness - it was a person actively trying to trick others by imitating the symptoms of an illness, he said. "You are actually faking the illness and the effects of treatment. It's purposefully creating or exaggerating a condition. "Some people describe it as a particular form of lying, a particular way of deceiving people." Those with the disorder wanted sympathy, Goodwin said.

"The core of it is that the person assumes the social role and all the benefits that go with being a sick person. What they're after is sympathy and social identity, wanting to be seen ... [under the social label that] cancer survivors are wonderfully courageous people. "Generally when you are sick, people cut you quite a lot of slack. People treat you kindly." While factitious disorders have always existed, he said, it was only recently with the rise in fundraising websites that more cases were being uncovered as the perpetrators got caught out. With social media, it was simple for other people to set up crowd sourcing to try and help their supposedly sick friends or family members. In the past, if financial gain was involved it would have been considered malingering rather than factitious disorder - although the two were now entwined.

The mother pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges for conning donors out of more than $NZ27,000 on crowd sourcing sites, online auctions, and concerts in her honour. Judge Claire Ryan said the woman's fraud had a serious impact on the lives of her victims, many of whom had decided they could no longer support people seeking donations. "[It was] a pattern of telling people, I'm sick, I'm really unwell. Suddenly she's ended up with money, which she has spent and she can't repay, and she's been caught," Judge Ryan said. It was possible she didn't set out with the intention of gaining money - it likely started as a means of garnering love and support, Judge Claire Ryan said. "I can't accept your offending wasn't deliberate. You knew what was happening, you enjoyed what was happening.

"You took the money and you spent it. Because of your factitious disorder you enjoyed the attention." The woman cried throughout her December court appearance - when her sentencing was put off for an administrative reason - working her way through a box of tissues on the bench in front of her. On Thursday, however, she appeared more composed. Although crying briefly, she sat stone-faced and dry-eyed as the judge read to her the victim impact statements of the people and companies she had defrauded. The victims were unanimous that the woman's actions meant they no longer trusted people seeking charitable donations. The companies who donated items for auction - which were sold by the woman and the money spent on herself - say they may not offer donations anymore. One charitable organisation said in a statement: "I can't believe someone would stoop so low ... when there are so many people out there fighting for their lives. I'm appalled by the level of deceipt."

The woman's fraud took in almost everyone. Her family, friends, and countless strangers believed the ruse, genuinely thinking the woman was dying - they all tried to help her, emotionally and financially. The establishment of a fundraising page for her generated almost $NZ14,000 from well-wishing donors. Auctions and events generated another $NZ13,000. The funds were to allow the woman to live out some of her dreams before she died. For her part, since being caught, the woman had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Her lawyer, Alex Steedman, said his client wanted to accept culpability for her actions. "My client has never denied her offending," he said. "In terms of her culpability, she's always accepted that." Judge Ryan granted the woman permanent name suppression, due to her mental health condition. It was revealed in court the offender had a vast history of hospital admissions for invented conditions. The suppression was granted on the back of testimony from a clinical psychologist at the aborted December sentencing.

Barry Kirker, a clinical psychiatrist who had assessed the offender, told the court the woman's factitious disorder would be aggravated by the stress of her name being published. There was a possibility that the woman could endanger her baby's health, he said. Factitious Disorder (or Munchausen) by proxy is another manifestation of the condition, in which parents create and inflict illnesses upon their children to garner sympathy and support from others. She had recently had a baby, the court was told. There was also the possibility the increased stress could cause the woman to self-harm, Dr Kirker said. The woman said she was able to pay back $NZ50 a week in reparations.
A lawsuit filed against Uber claiming that the ride-sharing company was to blame for the jailing of an Uber driver who is charged with murder is a hoax, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office in the United States said on Thursday.

The Sheriff's Office said officials became suspicious of the suit, filed in the name of murder suspect Jason Dalton, who is currently jailed in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, after seeing the online filing. The online filing included a facsimile of the envelope used to send the suit, which had a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, postmark.

Jason Dalton appears via video before Judge Christopher T. Haenicke in February. Credit:Carlos Osorio

"Our mail does not go Philadelphia. That raised a lot of suspicion right there," Pali Matyas, an undersheriff, said in an interview.

The envelope in court documents was not a jail envelope, the postage did not match what the county jail uses and the hand-written court filing did not match handwriting the office had on file of Dalton, Matyas said.
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The supply of affordable housing in Australia requires serious reform from the federal level, a leading housing industry association has warned.Looking beyond the current cycle, a strong focus on housing supply and policy reform is crucial to Australias future economic and social prosperity as we look to successfully house a growing and ageing population, along the way reducing pressures on the nations burgeoning health budget, Housing Industry Association (HIA) chief economist Harley Dale said.Australia will fail to achieve this objective without federal government leadership and involvement in housing policy reform, including strategic planning for the future housing and residential infrastructure requirements of our growing and ageing population.According to Dale, tinkering with tax provisions such as negative gearing and capital gains tax does not represent real reform  and actually risks damaging confidence towards the housing industry.A key finding in the latest HIA National Outlook is that a peak in new home building activity will be followed by a significant cyclical downturn extending to 2017/18.New dwelling commencements are forecast to decline from a record peak of 220,000 last year to a trough of around 160,000 in 2017/18, while the growth in residential property prices will continue to slow.However, Dale says the outlook for renovations investment, which is recovering from a 12 year low, is looking a little brighter.Having grown by just 0.9% during the 2014/15 financial year, renovations investment is forecast to grow by 2.8% in 2015/16. Growth is anticipated to increase by a further 1.7% in 2016/17, with activity then projected to see modest yet steady increases out to the end of the decade.This outlook for the renovations sector doesnt look like shooting the lights out, but it is considerably more promising than what we have faced for some years now.
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He wrote the sounds of silence.

The cacophony of Coney Islands Boardwalk  the roar of the Cyclone and crashing of the waves  takes center stage in the new, lavishly-illustrated childrens book The Sound of All Things. The books author, who will appear at the Brooklyn Public Library on March 19, based the story on his memories of growing up with a deaf mother and father in 1930s Brooklyn.

Write about what you know maybe is true, said Myron Uhlberg, now 82. On self-examination, what I did know is growing up with two deaf parents in Brooklyn. Of course I have to write about Brooklyn because thats what I knew.

The Sound of All Things  Uhlbergs seventh published book  focuses on a typical weekend from his childhood, spent on Coney Island with his parents. During these expeditions, Uhlbergs father would ask him to translate the sound of the Boardwalk, to explain what things sound like, things he could never hear, he said.

The books focus on noise made creating the images a difficult task, said the books illustrator.

Given that its a book about sound, it was a challenge to try to figure out ways to use visual stimulants in the painting to show sound, said Ted Papoulas, a former Brooklynite who now lives in New Jersey.

Silent fireworks: Former Brooklynite Ted Papoulas faced a challenge illustrating Myron Uhlbergs new childrens book, The Sound of All Things, because he needed to find visual stimulants to show sound in his paintings, he said. Ted Papoulas

Papoulas researched old photos of Brooklyn streets and of the Boardwalk in order to created his paintings of Coney Island in the 1930s. Papoulas said that it required a careful process of thinking of each page and what had to be depicted, and adding details and textures to it to make the scene come to life.

Uhlberg  who now lives in California  and Papoulas will meet for the first time at the Brooklyn Public Library event on March 19. During the books publication process, they communicated by email and phone.

While he is in Brooklyn, Uhlberg plans to head back to Coney Island and chow down on some Nathans hot dogs on the Boardwalk. He is also excited to share the Brooklyn he grew up in with readers, because so much of that world has changed, he said.

The book is my Christmas present, or birthday present, to the Brooklyn that I once lived, and I remember, and will never forget, he said.

The Sound of All Things at the Brooklyn Central Library Dweck Center [10 Grand Army Plaza between Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway in Prospect Heights, (718) 230-2100, www.bklyn libra ry.org ]. March 19 at 1 pm. Free.

Illustrating sound: Brooklyn-born author Myron Uhlberg used memories from his childhood to write his new childrens book, The Sound of All Things, in which he describes the sounds of the Boardwalk at Coney Island for his deaf parents. Ted Papoulas
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What a brush off!

Bushwick artists are refusing to participate in a local bloggers hasty attempt to start a new neighborhood arts festival in the June weekend previously occupied by the decade-old Bushwick Open Studios gala  but the upstart says he doesnt care if Bushwick artists dont want to be part of his Bushwick art crawl, and he will put it on anyway.

Im not interested in participating in the debauchery of Santacon or the Saint Patricks Day Parade, but its going to happen anyway, said web-developer Brandon Mickman, who paints and runs a blog called Bushwick Bomb. Whatever, its a free country.

Mickman says his Bushwick Arts Festival on June 35 will be a much-needed answer to the hefty notes of disappointment ringing through the city after the organizers of Bushwick Open Studios announced last month that they are pushing back the popular annual event  where local artists open their work spaces to the public and fill the streets with their weirdo pieces  from summer to fall this year in order to shake off the events growing frat-party reputation.

But many local creative types say the move was necessary to fix the once-reputable art crawl, and Mickmans disregard could jeopardize their attempts to patch up relations with the community.

I cant say it bodes well, said Deborah Brown of gallery Storefront Ten Eyck. I think it is only going to build on whats been going on in recent years that the Bushwick Open Studios people are trying to get away from.

Bushwick Open Studios also chose to reschedule so it could have more time to convene with longtime Bushwickians, who felt the event was encouraging hipsters to gentrify their hood. But Mickman is refusing to address those concerns, the critics say, and is essentially giving the middle finger to the original fests efforts to reach across the aisle.

This is beyond disrespectful to the Bushwick community, said one commenter on the Bushwick Arts Festivals Facebook page. [You are] simulating something that a community sat and spoke for months about and concluded that the direction needs to change.

Mickman admits that he fully anticipated the backlash  he originally attempted to remain anonymous so he would not have to deal with the heat, he said. But he ultimately feels the communitys critiques are baseless, and claims enough artists are on board with his plan to merit the summer fest  though he refused to name any that are participating.

I think if enough people want an event, they should have it, said Mickman, claiming he consulted with several noteworthy and established artists during the two weeks it took him to plan the festival.

Some artists say they would be open to an extra arts festival in the neighborhood, however  so long as the focus is sharing the masterpieces of the local community.

Why not have two events? said Fanny Allie, who hails from France but now creates collages in the 11221. It doesnt hurt.

Artists interested in participating in the Bushwick Arts Festival have until May 1 to register at www.bushw ickar tsfes tival.com .
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WALKING THE HIMALAYAS

Levison Wood

Hachette India

289 pages; Rs 699



Levison Wood is an inveterate walker. Last year he trekked 1,700 miles across the Himalayas in six months, starting from northern Afghanistan, and continuing through Pakistan, India, Nepal and ending in Bhutan. The result is Walking the Himalayas, and a much-watched television series in the UK. Earlier, in 2014, he had trudged 4,000 miles along the length of the Nile, from its source in Rwanda to the shores of the Mediterranean, which too had led to a book - Walking the Nile - and a successful TV series.

The 33-year-old Mr Wood, a former British Army paratrooper, is a full-time travel writer who draws inspiration from Kipling's stories, and from figures such as T E Lawrence, Francis Younghusband and David Livingstone. He has been charged by a hippo, survived an accident in which his car fell into a 150-metre ravine in Nepal, got lost for an entire day in Kashmir, and was mistaken for a Chechen terrorist by Russian soldiers just after the Beslan massacre in September 2004. Yet, he confesses that the thought of doing a nine-to-five job terrifies him.

After the rigours of his Nile walk he was mentally preparing to hang up his walking boots at least temporarily, when an Indian-origin friend persuaded him that life in the suburbs of London would be too dreary. He then decides to walk the length of the Himalayas, which he had seen as a 19-year-old in 2001. Having been hooked by their power and majesty, "I knew that I would have to return," he writes.

He is not interested in setting climbing records, but wants to figure out just what the mountains mean to those who live amidst them. Starting at the beginning of the Wakhan Corridor, a remote valley in northern Afghanistan that marks the start of the Greater Himalaya range, he traces - so his guide tells him - the route Bin Laden took when he escaped from Afghanistan in 2001. They walk along the Karakoram Highway, built by Chinese engineers, which follows a branch of the ancient Silk Route.

Mr Wood's style is conversational, and he throws in bits of contemporary politics and history of the regions he walks through, drawing sympathetic portraits of the peoples he comes across. He is mostly non-judgmental - only observing, recording and describing. Yet he is also given to making naive and simplistic statements, like the following: "Unlike India, which regards China as a sworn enemy and threat to its sovereignty, Pakistan has embraced Chinese economic expansionism." And on arriving in Srinagar, Mr Wood describes it as an "infamous city" for no stated reason.

Mr Wood is at his readable best when engaging with members of local communities. He meets Kyrgyz nomads (among "the last true nomads in the world"); a Gujar nomadic chieftain who asks him if he is a nomad and then believes him to be destitute because he owns no sheep; and people of the Hunza valley in northern Pakistan, Ismailis who like to claim descent from Alexander's soldiers, and whose dialect is quite unlike the Pashto, Urdu or Farsi spoken in neighbouring areas.

Mr Wood's conversation with his Kashmiri guide Mehraj, however, should give all Indians pause. Mehraj says categorically and yet apparently without rancour that he is not Indian but Kashmiri, that "Indians come here to occupy us", and that "we want our independence back, like we always had".

Two days after crossing over into Nepal, a jeep ride almost turns into Mr Wood's final journey, as the vehicle's brakes fail and it plunges 150 metres into a ravine. Mr Wood is flown to London where a fracture in his upper right arm is set right. Fifty days after the accident, he is back in Nepal, and carries on from where he had left off, but not before thanking the doctor at the village clinic who had administered basic first aid after the accident, and making a small donation.

Mr Wood doesn't know what to make of Bhutan. He finds Thimpu, the capital, "eerily quiet", sterile and "almost like a sanitised version of a Swiss Alpine resort". The Bhutanese government gives Mr Wood a tight timeframe of one month to reach Gangkhar Puensum, his final objective on the Tibetan border, and insists on providing him with a minder - the only country to do so during his six-month expedition. In a country that boasts of its gross national happiness, the Bhutanese do not strike Mr Wood as particularly happy.

On finally reaching Gangkhar Puensum, Mr Wood feels an overwhelming sense of relief that he no longer has a goal, but can walk back at leisure and take in the beauty of his surroundings, grateful for just the air he is breathing. He takes some memories back with him with satisfaction: an audience with the Dalai Lama in McLeod Ganj during which the holy man suggests a way to get to Lhasa by gaming the Chinese system; the sheer spectacle of the Kavad Yatra in Haridwar; and an encounter in Rishikesh with a charismatic spiritual master, whose personal assistant urges him not to "forget to like us on Facebook"; while other sights are seared into his memory, such as the scenes of devastation he sees close to the epicentre of the earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015.
German luxury carmaker BMW, which also owns the Mini brand, launched its Cooper Convertible model in India. The three-door, soft-top Mini Cooper S Convertible is priced at Rs34.9 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The convertible is powered by a four-cylinder twin-power turbo engine mated to a six-speed Stronic automatic transmission, churning out a maximum output of 190 bhp and a peak torque of 280Nm.

The vehicle can go from zero to 100 kmph in a mere 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 235 kmph.

The new model features cruise control, dual illuminating vanity mirrors, remote keyless door locks, split-folding rear seatback, bucket front seats and height adjustable driver and passenger seats.

According to Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group India, the company could look at the possibility of assembling the new model in India, if it reaches a critical mass in sales. BMW has an assembly line in Chennai for eight of its models. The German carmaker introduced the Mini range of vehicles in India in 2012 and has been selling about 400 units every year. The all-new Mini Convertible is unapologetically outgoing, said Sahr. Its a spontaneous and emotionally intensive way of savouring authentic Mini driving fun.

Source : BS Motoring
After a surge in sales in the south and west, air conditioner (AC) makers are preparing for a hot summer in the north.

Rising temperatures in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana pushed up sales by up to 25 per cent for major manufacturers such as Daikin, Blue Star, Carrier-Midea and Voltas between January and mid-March. This has given hope to the sector, hit by a mild summer last year.

According to B Thiagarajan, president of Blue Stars AC and refrigeration business, they expect 25 per cent growth in 2016-17. The south accounts for 29 per cent of sales, the north for 37 per cent, the west for 22 per cent and the east follows with 12 per cent.

This year, the industry has witnessed an early onslaught of summers, right from the middle of February. While the entire country witnessed a relatively warm February, in March we see a lot of traction in South India. We see the momentum continuing with a buoyant April and May, Pradeep Bakshi, president & chief operating officer, Voltas Limited said.

According to P Vijay babu, business head (AC), LG India, they are expecting a double digit growth from the northern region. LG is the second largest AC maker in the country after Voltas. Other major players like Daikin, Carrier-Midea, Videocon and Godrej too are expecting sales to grow by 15 to 30 percent this year.

Daikin, Carrier-Midea, Videocon and Godrej expect sales to grow by 15-30 per cent. Dealers have been demanding products such as ACs. Typically, February-March is when we place the products in the market. Weve had to rush that process to meet demand this year, said Anirudh Dhoot, director, Videocon Industries.

AC sales are driven by higher temperature and intermittent rain in the north this month can play spoilsport. Industry executives are betting on a weather prediction of above-normal heat after Holi.

The Rs 10,000-crore industry grew by 10 per cent last year, compared to the over-20 per cent it had expected. The summer season, 50-60 per cent of yearly sales, saw volume growth in single digits.

Sale of ACs in India is much lower than in major Asian economies such as Japan and China, at four million units a year. Its penetration in Indian households remains low at three per cent, compared to an average of 60 per cent among major economies, an EY report stated. All signs seem to suggest that the summer this year will be better than last year. Generally, summer (comes) in the first week of March; this year, it kicked in earlier, said Kamal Nandi, executive vice-president, Godrej Appliances.

KEEPING IT COOL

AC sales surge early in February, March 2016 in south & west India due to higher temperatures



Last year 4 million ACs sold, but penetration remains low at 3% compared to global average of 60%



Industry grew 10%, less than 20% growth projected



Milder summer played spoilsport but festive season saved the day for the industry



Sales expected to clock Rs 23,100 crore by 2020 from Rs 10,000 crore in 2015

Source: Industry
In a blow to lenders recovery efforts, the auction for Kingfisher House  once headquarters of Vijay Mallyas long-grounded airline  turned out to be a damp squib with no bidders coming forward due to litigation fears and a high reserve price of Rs 150 crore.

The 17-member consortium, led by State Bank of India, will now meet on March 19 to discuss the future course of action to review the reasons including the reserve price for the failure of Thursdays auction.

Read more from our special coverage on "KINGFISHER HOUSE" Banks, taxman eye Kingfisher House

Even before the auction started, bankers and experts were sceptical as no bidder had approached SBICAP Trustee, which conducted the e-auction, till March 14  the last day to register and deposit the earnest money.

The lenders had put the property, with a built-up area of 17,000 sq ft, on the block as part of their efforts to recovery dues from Mallya. The dues to lenders stood at Rs 6,963 crore at the end of December 2014, according to the auction notice. The base price for the property, located near domestic airport in Mumbai, has been set at Rs 150 crore.

At Rs 88,235 per sq ft, the property is priced nearly three times higher than ongoing rates in the area, real estate experts said. Ashok Kumar, MD of Cresa Partners, a realty consultancy said, the base price was too high given that rates in Andheri are between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 per sq ft. Since the property is disputed, not many people would have liked to take part in the bidding, he said.

The auction was conducted under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002. Sanjay Dutt, MD, Cushman & Wakefield said there was very short time for bidders to respond. It is not very easy to sell properties today as markets are poor. Property selling and buying take deliberations. The property is best suited for end-users and not for developers. End-users study these properties differently, Dutt said.

Meanwhile, an SBI executive said termed the no-show as a hiccup but not a dampner. Lenders consortium will take up the issue soon to decide next round for bidding. He, however, declined to talk about specific dates. Banks would also finalise dates for auction of KFA trademark soon. The process of taking possession of Kingfisher Villa, Mallyas property in Goa, is still not over.
Indias largest realty firm, DLF, on Thursday sold its shopping mall at Saket in New Delhi to its wholly-owned subsidiary for Rs 904.5 crore, as part of a strategy to consolidate and monetise rental assets.

said the board of directors had approved sale of  Place Saket, a shopping mall, having a built-up area of 5,16,000 sq ft along with land parcel... to Nambi Buildwell Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company on an arms length basis.

This is in line with the strategy to structure ownership of existing assets to facilitate potential monetisation, either through Real Estate Investment Trusts or otherwise in future, subject to necessary regulatory and statutory approvals, the company said in a filing to the BSE.

In October last year, had announced its promoters would sell their 40 per cent stake in the companys rental arm, DLF Cyber



City Developers, for an estimated Rs 12,000 crore to institutional investors for monetising commercial assets and remove conflicts of interest.

DLF owns remaining 60 per cent stake in DCCDL, which holds the bulk of its office and retail complexes. The company has rental assets of about 30 million sq ft with an annual rental income of about Rs 2,700 crore.

The promoters will re-invest a significant part of the amount realised from the sale in DLF Ltd.

DLF is expecting the deal to be completed by July this year as more than 25 institutional investors have shown interest to take part in bidding process.

Meanwhile, DLF informed that the board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per fully paid equity shares of Rs 2 each of the company for the FY 2016.

DLF has a land bank of 281 million sq ft, of which 37 million sq ft is under construction.
The government should think beyond the offset policy to make the country a part of the global aviation manufacturing chain, said people heading Indian operations of international aerospace manufacturing firms.

According to them, the government should think of synergising the civil and defence aviation sectors, focus on research and development, introduce a programme to improve capabilities and forge partnerships between private and public sector companies.

These views were shared at a discussion on aviation manufacturing at the India Aviation 2016 on Thursday.

Under the governments current offset policy, foreign companies that bag major defence contracts have to spend at least 30 per cent of the contract value in India through local sourcing. Several aerospace companies have established joint ventures with Indian counterparts to make some parts used in the products that they are going to sell to the Indian defence forces.

People often ask me: What are you doing over the offsets? I say thats a wrong problem to solve. We make sure our Indian partners are globally competitive in quality, delivery and cost, to be able to embed themselves in the global supply chains, the way we did in Japan and Korea, said Pratyush Kumar, president, Boeing India.

Citing the first titanium forging done recently by Bharat Forge for the company, Kumar said Boeing intends to deepen the partnerships to take India to the level of Japan and Korea. The government should take steps towards making the local aerospace industry globally competitive.



Pratt and Whitney India Manager and Managing Director Palash Roy Choudhury said the R&D and technology development in aerospace has been happening only in the public sector and the government needs to take private sector players on board as they look to quickly commercialise the innovations.

To bring technology and more manufacturing into the aerospace sector, the government also has to raise the FDI limit beyond 50 per cent, said Roy Choudhury.

The inter-operability between Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the regulators of various countries will also be required to make the quality



certifications universally acceptable with regard to local manufacturing, he said.

Textron India Private Limited Managing Director Inderjit Sial said the issue of raw materials has been a major challenge in India.

It is not about the technology. Most of our new technologies are being developed in India, he said.

Textron is planning to increase the production of BEL 407 helicopter cabins to 10 per month from four at present, but Sial said he was not certain when achieve this target would be achieved because of reasons like non-availability of quality raw materials like titanium and composites.

Rajesh Chaubey of Honeywell India said there were significant gaps in the Indian aerospace manufacturing and to overcome these issues, India should focus on developing strong design and development capabilities in the country.

If you develop the design and development capabilities, it goes without saying that the products designed here would also be manufactured locally, he said.

According to Ashish Saraf, vice-president, industry development and strategic partnerships, Airbus India, the country currently lacks engineering talent in core areas of manufacturing like thermodynamics and was available mostly in the support services.

This has to be changed by way of creating specialised institutes, he said. With aerospace being a capital intensive industry the creation of common facilities would help develop the necessary ecosystem to support the growth of industry and Airbus too is planning to participate in such endeavours, according to him.

He also suggested the government to create an aerospace fund to help start-ups to grow in this sector.
After launching its range of consumer home appliances, India is targeting to capture atleast five per cent of the market in the coming five years.

The consumer small appliances market, which is growing at 12 per cent per annum, according to the company, will touch Rs. 25,000 crore by 2021 from the current Rs 10,000 crore.

Positioning itself in as a 'value for money' in the upper srata as well a 'premium' brand, the company is in the process of rolling out small appliances in 19 categories and is likely to compete with well-established names like Bajaj, Crompton Greaves, Philips, Morphy Richards and others.

While the company will contain its manufacturing priorities to battery only, it is importing about 65 per cent of the products from China while outsourcing the rest to Indian manufacturers. However, its entire range of fans will be sourced from Indian vendors only.

"While we have introduced some of the products under various categories now, we will expand the portfolio and launch more than 60 products over the first three months next fiscal year onwards", the company's chairman Amritanshu Khaitan said.

Furthermore, expecting atleast 30 per cent of the sales to take place via the online route, specific products which will be available exclusively on specific online domains are also under consideration.

Also, 25 per cent of its entry-level product range will be sold through FMCG channels.

It is also expecting a big push in its sales via large format retails (LFR) on account of the newly laucnhed products. The LFRs, comprising of Reliance, Spencers, Metro, Walmart and others contribute to 7-8 per cent of the company's consolidated sales which is expected to scale up to 15 per cent.

However, this year, the company will focus on its LED bulbs business for promotional and related marketing activities.

Currently, the company spends around 5-6 per cent of its turnover on marketing activities which is likely to scale up.

"We will not hesitate to change it down the line", Khaitan said adding that he wants the company to diversify its business and enter new segments.

"Through a study conducted internally, it was found that Eveready is a brand perceived in the energy segment but was limited to batteries only. Thus we thought of diversifying in the power-related businesses", he added.
Heineken is likely to ask Vijay Mallya, who owes creditor banks more than $1 billion, to step down from the board of United Breweries, India's largest brewer, three people with direct knowledge of the plan told Reuters.

They said such a move would likely be a prelude to the Dutch drinks firm raising its stake in the maker of Kingfisher beer to above 50%, betting on a small but fast-growing beer market.

Heineken acquired a 37.5% stake in United Breweries in 2008 through its takeover of Scottish & Newcastle and has since increased its holding to 42.4%. With Mallya distracted by debts from a collapsed airline venture, this could be a timely grab by Heineken in a market that is growing much faster than the global average.

Two-thirds of Indians don't drink alcohol, often for religious or cultural reasons, but rapid urbanisation and a rising middle class are changing consumer habits. India accounts for 13% of world beer consumption, and annual volume growth is expected to outpace the global average, and major markets like China, through 2019, according to ratings agency Moody's.

The sources said Heineken was considering asking Mallya to step down from the United Breweries board he chairs. Alternatively, it could call a shareholder meeting to vote on his ouster from a company his father built into a family empire.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A Heineken spokesman declined to comment on any move to tighten control over the Indian joint venture, but said India remains an "exciting opportunity" for growth given its demographics and strong economic fundamentals.

Mallya and a spokesman for UB Group did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

KING OF GOOD TIMES

Banks, regulators and investigators in India have turned up the heat on Mallya, who inherited United Breweries at the age of 28 and led it on an ambitious expansion.

Creaking under mountains of bad debt banks themselves are under pressure from the government to chase up high profile cases like Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines collapsed in 2013 leaving unpaid wages and angry creditors.

Mallya has already been forced to give up control over United Spirits, part of his UB Group, to Diageo, which now owns about 55% of the company. He stepped down from the board last month, receiving a $75 million pay off. On Thursday, creditors auctioning off Kingfisher Airlines' Mumbai headquarters did not receive a single bid, according to a banker with direct knowledge of the process.

Mallya left India early this month - as banks sought a court order to confiscate his passport - and has not disclosed his whereabouts, but he has used his Twitter account to say he is not an "absconder" and would comply with Indian law.

The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and the vast unpaid bank dues are a high-profile illustration of India's ineffective bankruptcy and debt recovery processes, and highlight the often close ties between politics and business.

A member of India's upper house of parliament, Mallya is known as the "King of Good Times" for his party lifestyle. He is often described as India's answer to British entrepreneur Richard Branson.

Mallya borrowed heavily to expand his airline's network, but a series of missteps, including the ill-conceived acquisition of a rival, saw the carrier grounded, some former senior staff said. They said Mallya micro-managed operations - from the selection of routes to the design of baggage tags - with no previous experience in the aviation industry.

"Unlike what he did in his liquor business, which is run by people who have the expertise, he got personally involved in the airline business .... a very, very wrong decision," said Sanjay Bahadur, who worked at the airline as a corporate affairs executive dealing with the government and regulators.

Mallya has blamed the airline's collapse on macro-economic factors and previous government policies.
Brazilian commercial jets manufacturer, Embraer, is confident of clocking steady growth in the executive jets space in India, primarily on the back of the growing understanding among corporate houses of the need for private jet charters to make their businesses more effective and efficient, according to Claudio Camelier, vice-president (sales and marketing ? Middle East and Asia-Pacific), Embraer Executive Jets.

"India is not a market (for executive jets) that is booming or growing a lot. It is a stable market and we are not seeing any kind of relevant movement ? either up or down ? since the last two years. However, factors like high GDP growth rates, diversification of businesses, and the growing acceptance of executive jets by the business community in this country which has expanded geographical distances, make us confident that we will keep growing here," he said.

Embraer, which has been in the market for a little over 10 years now, has expanded its product portfolio from one single aircraft (Legacy 600) to seven business jet types.The S?o Paulo-headquartered company is getting closer to its 1,000th delivery of business jets globally.

Embraer has a strong presence in India with a total of 28 aircraft of different market segments, including 21 executive jets across six different models. The company had emerged as the market leader, delivering 35 per cent of the total executive jets into India over the last five years, Camelier said.

Stating that Embraer forecast 490 executive jets to be delivered by all manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding China, over the next 10 years, he said a major portion of this would be from Embraer's stable.

Embraer today announced an order for its new entry-level business jet ? Phenom 100E ? from an undisclosed customer based in India. The aircraft will be managed by Titan Aviation group. This order takes embraer's executive jet aircraft registered in India to 22, across six aircraft types.

According to Camelier, the newly-ordered Phenom 100E, powered by two Pratt & Whitney engines, will be delivered later this year.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to file cases against senior executives of three or four public sector banks, that were part of the lending consortium for Kingfisher Airlines (KFA).

This is apart from the case registered in December against five serving and retired IDBI Bank executives; A Raghunathan, former chief financial officer of Kingfisher Airlines; and United Breweries (UB) Group Chairman Vijay Mallya.

The move comes after Raghunathan and UB Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ravi Nedungadi disclosed details of transactions between banks and the airline, when they were questioned by the CBI for about two days in Mumbai earlier this week.

"The agency is examining the data provided by them and is likely to register a criminal case against some bank executives," a CBI official told Business Standard.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing alleged money laundering by Mallya, has reportedly found evidence of loans being diverted to 20 entities in India and abroad.

The bank accounts of these firms are likely to be frozen.

"Several links have emerged which indicate the money trail used in deals in Western countries, mainly in the US and the UK," a senior ED official said.

When asked about the Golden Eagle Trust in the Isle of Man set up by Mallya's father Vittal Mallya, the official said it could be one of the recipients of money taken out of India. "Trails also show the link to other tax havens like Liechtenstein, Panama and Monte Carlo," the official added.

The ED has received documents from almost all banks that lent money to KFA. The ED probe started with the default of a Rs 950-crore loan from IDBI Bank. The bank had, on Raghunathan's letters citing Mallya's meetings with top bank executives, sanctioned loans of Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore to the airline in 2009.

The CBI probe highlights how the sanctioned loans were misused by Mallya and that funds were diverted. The banks in their defence have said the loans were sanctioned accepting the assignment of the Kingfisher brand, a corporate guarantee from United Breweries Holdings, and a personal guarantee from Mallya.

The CBI is expanding its investigation to all alleged wilful defaults related to KFA. The agency is also preparing to move court to gather information on the foreign assets of Mallya and KFA.
New York's Plaza Hotel is poised to go on the auction block next month, potentially ending two years of uncertainty over ownership of the storied property off Central Park. Billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben hold the mortgage on the five-star hotel and have scheduled a foreclosure auction for April 26, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be named because the sale hasn't been made public yet. The Reubens bought the loan from Bank of China after a default by the property's current majority owner, Sahara India Pariwar, last year. Sahara ...
App-based taxi hailing company plans to add 5,000 CNG-powered cars to its fleet in the Delhi-National Capital Region within a week, as it looks to rebuild capacity after the ban on diesel vehicles.This is part of a plan to invest Rs 200 crore to build its CNG cab capacity in Delhi over the next six months. Last year, the high court here had rejected Olas plea to be allowed to operate diesel cabs here.

It directed that all app-based taxi aggregators phase out diesel vehicles by March 1. Read more from our special coverage on "OLA" Ola ups CNG drive, to infuse Rs 200 crore for cabs in Delhi-NCR

Competition Appellate Tribunal rejects Fast Tracks plea in Ola case

Ola appoints Sunil Shirguppi as Vice President, engineering

Ola ropes in ex-Goldman Sachs exec Sunil Shirguppi

Ola to add 50,000 autos, expand to 10 cities With the 5,000 new vehicles on its platform, will take its total CNG fleet strength in the region up to 25,000 vehicles. "We intend adding 5000 new CNG vehicles on our platform in the region, which would in turn contribute to a clean and green Delhi NCR," said Pranay Jivrajka, COO at . "Ola has rolled out to a number of programs that help driver partners take the first step towards entrepreneurship."

Ola has partnered with car manufacturers and financiers to offer its driver-partners attractive discounts and exchanges. A driver will be able to get up to Rs 1.5 lakh off on the exchange of their old diesel vehicles through the scheme. Spot financing will be on offer from State Bank of India, IDBI and Shriram Finance, among others.
Prolonged slowdown in the corporate sector and the rising bad loans has forced banks to squeeze funding to micro, small and medium enterprises. As a result these small businesses are increasingly turning to online platforms to raise funds.

These online portals works in the space of peer-to-peer lending (P2PL) arrangements, which allows an individual to lend money to other unrelated individuals without assistance from any financial intermediary.

"We have seen more demand coming in from the SME and the MSME sector, especially the ones that are new in the space because they find it difficult to get loan from the banks as they may not have the required income/bank documents etc in place, as a result we have seen an increased demand from this segment," said Vaibhav Pandey, CEO of i2ifunding.com.

As per the Reserve Bank of India data, credit to small industries between January 23, 2015-January 22, 2016 grew at 2.4% as compared to 12.7% a year ago. In the same period, bank credit to medium enterprises degrew by 7.1% compared to a growth of 0.7% a year ago. According to RBI guidelines, micro and small enterprises are those in which the loan size is up to Rs 5 crore.

Shankar Vaddadi, Founder, i-lend.in, another P2P lending platform also terms the SME and MSME category as a "massive segment." "Since it is very difficult to get an unsecured loan for either first time borrower or people who may not have all the required documents needed by a bank.

These people come on to the online platform and avail credit with ease."

Pandey also added that with the demand ha also been increasingly coming from the new players entering the e-commerce segment. "E-commerce has been a big driver. This is because on one hand we have new players from that segment scouting for funds. And on the other hand because several small entrepreneurs are getting to sell their products online which in turn are leading to an increased demand for capital for which they are coming to us."

This comes at a time when the Reserve Bank of India is looking at ways to regulate this sector. Currently, it does not come under the ambit of the banking regulator. However, considering that this sector has been gaining momentum in the last couple of years, RBI is now looking at monitoring this sector. Several online portals have sprung up in India to facilitate such lending and some have also secured private funding from investors, but it is still at a nascent stage compared with countries such as the US and China.
Leading auto component maker Sona Group is looking at setting up a dedicated unit to cater to the growing demand for equipment and mchinery by the defence sector. At present, conglomerates like Tata, Reliance and Mahindra are major players in the industry.

A dedicated manufacturing set up for defence sector is a high possibility, not under the listed entity (Sona Koyo Steering) but within the group. We have products that can be used in tanks and other defence vehicles, said Sunjay Kapur, chairman of the Sona Group, well known for its steering systems where it is the largest domestic player. Our group forging products will be a low hanging fruit. Steering can also be applied to a defence vehicle. Gears can also be used.

Kapur said the defence sector is looking for an organised supply chain. As a natural step they look at the automotive industry. We are in conversation with a lot of agencies to explore this business. The National Democratic Alliance government has focused on indigenous production of defence equipments under the Make in India campaign. It has granted manufacturing permits to a number of private players.

The current components of auto industry do not have a ready application in defence. We are closest to them in manufacturing system and processes. We understand manufacturing of quality products at a competitive cost and therefore a typical component person would be in a good position to set shops for the defence industry, said Kapur.

Sona Group, Kapur said, is working towards doubling its revenue to Rs 10,000 crore in next five years. The group will look at new business areas of defence, aerospace and railways in addition to expanding the auto component business to grow revenues.
Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd (SMIPL) is expecting to sell 3.7 lakh two-wheeler units in the country and another one lakh units in overseas during the year 2016-17. The company is also planning to export its newly launched version of Access 125 cc to neighbouring countries including Nepal, Bengladesh and Sri Lanka, said senior officials from SMIPL.

Speaking to the reporters in the sidelines of launch of the new Access 125, Kenji Hirozawa, vice president, sales and marketing, SMIPL, said that the company during the current fiscal year sold around 3.2 lakh two-wheelers in the domestic market and exports around 60,000 to overseas markets. The exports has doubled during the current fiscal year.

"We are expecting the sales to be around 3.7 million in the domestic market next year and an exports of one lakh units," said Hirozawa. The company has been exporting two-wheelers to Latin American and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.

He added that the company is focusing on the premium segment of the two-wheeler market with the 150 CC motor cycle and 125 CC scooter products.

The company is looking at production of 1 million two-wheelers in India by 2020 and it would look at launching a product in the motorcycle and another one in scooter segment, he added without revealing the details.

It's manufacturing facility, in Gurgaon, Haryana, has an annual production capacity of 5.4 lakh units and expects to manufacture around 4 lakh units in the facility this year. The company expects that it could increase the production up to 7 lakh units, without expanding the capacity. It also has room enough for expansion, if required.

The company is expecting its new version of Access 125 cc scooter to have a sales of two lakh units in an year's time, said Suresh Babu J, national head - marketing and product planning, SMIPL. The company has around 400 dealers currently and every year add aorund 70-80 dealers overall.

SMIPL has sold 20 lakh units of Access 125 so far. The new model, which has a Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) engine and other latest technologies, will be sold at Rs 57,947, ex-showroom Chennai.
Guenter Butschek, the new chief executive and managing director of Tata Motors, is set to initiate crucial operational changes, overhaul brand positioning and spruce up manufacturing processes to make the company more agile.

Butschek, 55, who took over the reins a month ago, said his focus would be to make the company leaner and more flexible, which will help it respond faster to market changes than it has historically.

We will identify the root causes of some of the inefficiencies we experience at Tata Motors. You need to be sufficiently agile and fast in responding to consumer demand and processes needs to be simpler. We will take very decisive decisions on short notice. Tata Motors will undergo a major transformation to get future ready, he added.

Butschek has been tasked to turnaround the companys fortunes, plagued by low demand despite the launch of three new products in six months. Butschek fills the void created by the demise of former MD Karl Slym in January 2014.

Tata Motors is desperate to gain the ground it lost to rivals like Mahindra & Mahindra and Honda in recent years. In the April-February period Tata Motors reported a fall of four per cent in domestic car, utility vehicle and multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) sales, even as the industry grew by about eight per cent. Its share has collapsed to 5.45 per cent compared to 14 per cent reported four years ago.

Analysts say Tata Motors has been slow in responding to changing consumer tastes. Besides, there are issues relating to its brand perception. In an hour-long maiden interaction with the media, Butschek said he realises both the loopholes and has hit the ground running.

We need to very carefully consider how we position the brand. Sometimes the brand attributes are differently interpreted by products and also by the customer/market. There needs to be a clear statement that captures the brand values of Tata Motors, and serves as the backbone of the organisation and to the entire value chain. It has to be very crisply clear to our suppliers and customers, he said.

Butschek, who was the former chief operating officer at Airbus, stressed the need to focus on three key elements - technology, design and quality - besides placing global products as a benchmark as against Indian products for making a rightful push in the market.

The company will not be reinventing the Tata Motors brand, but will reposition itself. "What we are going to communicate in a couple of weeks might look in the first instance like something new but to put it in context, it will be 'wow', which is the essence, and that is what we are looking for, added Butschek.

Tata Motors also intends to cut down on its suppliers to improve quality and consistency. "We have room for improvement as far as productivity is concerned, and in quality. We will reduce the number of suppliers because this is one of the areas where it is right to say 'less is more', because I would focus my resources in the development of my strategic supply partners instead of wasting it on those who will remain substandard, added Butschek.

On the product front, Butschek said besides the Nano, which has a great potential for the future the company, he will look not just to enter but create new segments. It is gearing up to launch the Tiago (hatchback), Hexa and Nexon (SUV) this year.

We are at a crossroads where we need to think about gamechangers, the Nano was a gamechanger, the next generation Nano could be a gamechanger, Butschek said.
After registering a growth of 10.8% in volume terms during FY15, the demand for three-wheelers has been on a declining trend since the beginning of the current fiscal year (i.e. down 2.9% in 10 months FY 2016). However, as per a recent report, the volumes are expected to recover and clock 8-10% growth in FY17.

The fall in demand for three wheelers in the past few months has primarily been due to lack of fresh permits being issued by various Road Transport Authorities (RTAs) unlike in the previous year when fresh permits were issued by states such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

Read more from our special coverage on "ICRA" ICRA reduces outlook of banks

However, a research report on the Indian commercial vehicle said by expects volumes to recover and grow by 8-10% in the domestic market in FY17 (estimates).

During the current fiscal, three-wheeler exports from India have grown by 3% to 360,000 units (in 10 months FY16). Given the tight liquidity scenario, expects three wheeler exports to remain subdued in the near-term. However, over the medium-term, the segment is likely to register healthy growth on back of structurally favorable growth drivers and improving distribution reach of Indian OEMs.

With industry volumes of around 940,000 units in FY15, India is positioned as the largest manufacturer as well as market for three-wheelers, globally. The three-wheeler industry has been clocking a strong 8.9% unit sales growth over the past decade, the report highlighted.

Between 2006 to 2015, the three wheeler industry in India has witnessed a CAGR of 8.9% in unit sales driven by steadily rising exports as well as domestic demand.

Within the overall industry, the domestic three-wheeler market stood at 532,000 units in FY15 and has registered a CAGR of 4.4% over the past ten years. In contrast to domestic demand, exports of three wheelers from India have grown at much higher pace (i.e. 20.4%) during the same period.

As a result of this trend, the share of exports in three wheeler industry volumes has risen from 18% (in FY06) to almost 43% (in 10-months of FY16).

Indias three wheeler exports have grown at a CAGR of 20% over the past decade. With export sales of over 410,000 units in FY15, India ranks amongst the leading exporter of three-wheelers, globally. Over the past decade (i.e. FY 2016-15), Indias three wheeler exports have grown at a CAGR of 20.4% (in unit sales).

As per industry estimates, while countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh (within South Asia) followed by Middle East & Africa account for majority (around 90%) of exports from India, Indian OEMs have also ventured into the relatively developed markets in the ASEAN and Latin American region over the past few years.

Within the exports pie, Bajaj Auto continues to be the largest three-wheeler exporter from India, contributing 70% to the total sales. "However, over the years, OEMs like TVS Motors, Piaggio and M&M have also started making in-roads into international markets. In addition, some of the fringe players are also eyeing export markets on back of new model launches," the report added.

ICRA felt that this trend has been supported primarily by two factors; one a strong demand from international markets on back of rising demand for last-mile connectivity (owing to lack of well developed public transport system) in emerging markets in Africa and South-East Asia and secondly, declining trend in demand for three-wheeler goods carriers in the domestic market due to competition from Small Commercial Vehicles (SCVs).

Actually, the passenger variant of three-wheeler industry accounts for bulk of industry sales. With annual sales volumes of 432,000 units in FY15, the passenger carrier segment accounts for almost 80% of domestic three-wheeler industry sales.

Over the past decade (i.e. FY 2006-15), the passenger carrier segment has witnessed a CAGR of 8.2%.

Coming to the cargo variants of three wheelers, with annual sales volumes of around 100,000 units in FY15, the goods carrier segment accounts for almost one-fifth of domestic three-wheeler industry sales. Unlike the passenger segment, which has grown steadily over the past decade, the demand for goods carriers has actually declined by 4.2% over the same period.

While the Indian three wheeler industry is represented by five large players and numerous un-organised regional players. However, the industry is fairly consolidated with top-3 players contributing 87.3% to industry sales in 10 months of FY16.

ICRA said that Bajaj Auto has been the industry pioneer and has remained the market leader with 46.4% share in the domestic market in 10 months of FY16. Piaggio is the second-largest player with a market share 30.4% (in 10 months of FY16).
India's low-cost domestic airline IndiGo has opted to purchase its aircraft from Airbus, but its rival Boeing's Senior Vice-President (Sales) for Asia Pacific and India Dinesh Keskar is upbeat about the India market. In an interview with Arindam Majumder, he said Boeing was in a better shape than the competition. Edited excerpts:



The aviation policy is likely to be out soon. It might allow more planes to fly to international destinations. How do you think this would affect Boeing?



Boeing is a renowned manufacturer and focuses on bringing the best products to the market. We have worked in India for 75 years. We don't participate in policy making, but we understand the policies and work with them. So, 85 per cent of the domestic market uses our 737-type aircraft. We have a great airplane and have some new ones coming up as well. We will keep talking to the airlines and give our products to them.

Most of the market is focused on the domestic routes. In this situation, if the market leader (IndiGo) starts preferring your rival manufacturer does that affect you?



Not at all. If you count the number of airplanes today with Air India, Jet and SpiceJet we have more airplanes in operation than IndiGo and GoAir combined. And now, there is Vistara and Air Asia.

It so happens that in wide-body market, most airlines prefer our products. In a narrow-body market we are almost equal to Airbus. We are in a much better shape in India than our competition.

What effect would the decision on the "5/20" rule have on your production?



India is expected to buy 1,740 planes for $240 billion till 2034 - depending on a number of macroeconomic factors.

The value of those aircraft will remain the same with, or without the policy. What will change is what will be spent besides the amount on aircraft. We cannot predict whether or not it will be five airlines or 10 airlines flying those aircraft. In 1990, we had two airlines.

Vistara has also opted for Airbus. Do you see that as a drawback?



We didn't lose Vistara to Airbus. What happened is that SilkAir, which is owned by Singapore Airlines, discarded all their Airbus products and took Boeing. So clearly, we had the right airplanes. What we didn't have was the supply for Vistara. Whereas, Airbus can produce their planes in six months, we can't. Our products are sold out, it takes us more time.

What are you doing to decrease the delivery time?



We are increasing our production. We are going to produce 57 planes a month now. But, we also don't want to produce too much and create overcapacity because if the market goes down, it will be a problem.

Several of our airplanes are sold to a leasing company. We advise the airlines to start off with those airplanes and then take the new airplanes directly from us.
The state administration, in an initial step to address the strike at Tata Motors' factory at Sanand near here, has given official recognition to the workers union leading the stir.

Till now, there was no officially recognised union at the plant. The state labour department, mediating between management and stir leaders, formally registered the union, named Bharatiya Kamdar Ekta Sangh, Sanand, on Thursday. It has around 450 members. Hitesh Rabari, a permanent worker, is president and Umesh Rathod, another worker, is secretary.

Rabari said he was happy at the labour department recognition but added the strike would continue if the company did not reinstate 28 workers who had been suspended on disciplinary charges, trigger for the strike. "We are open to an enquiry. But, we want the company to take back the suspended workers during the enquiry," he said.

A meeting is scheduled at the labour commissioner's office on Friday. M S Patel, assistant commissioner, said he hoped the deadlock would be resolved at the meet.

Other trade unions and some other bodies plan to stage a protest rally on Sunday, in support of the workers, at the Sanand industrial estate on Saturday.

Rabari said if a satisfactory compromise was reached on Friday, they would immediately call off the protest.

A company spokesperson said, "We have always maintained we respect the right of the workers to form a union. We believe it will help both parties engage and resolve matters amicably. But, we have not received any communication about the registration of a union for our Sanand plant."



The company added, "We welcome the initiative..to mediate between the workmen representatives and management. We look forward to open and mutually beneficial discussion in this meeting and hope the workmen representatives will join this meeting with heightened responsibility towards all workmen and resume duty at the earliest."
The Bombay High Court Thursday quashed the awarded to lone convict Himayat Baig in the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune due to lack of evidence, but confirmed life sentence imposed on him for possession of explosives.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre said Baig is acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, and under some sections of the Explosive Substances Act.

The court, however, confirmed Baig's conviction and life sentence imposed on him under section 5(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, for possession of RDX.

The court also confirmed his conviction under section 474 of IPC, for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards.

The high court further said that it need not pass any order on the applications filed by two witnesses in the case, as it has acquitted Baig of the charges.

Notably, when Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case had also filed an application seeking their evidence to be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.

Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58, including some foreign nationals.

In 2013, a sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded capital punishment.

Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the case, was arrested in September 2010 from Latur in Maharashtra.

The ATS had recovered 1,200 kgs of RDX from Baig's residence in Latur after his arrest.

There are total eight accused in the case, of whom six are wanted.

Besides Baig, another accused Qateel Siddiqui was also arrested, but he died in Pune's Yerawada jail following a scuffle with other inmates.

The other wanted accused in the case are--IM operatives Yasin Bhatkal, Mohsin Choudhary, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Ismail Bhatkal, Fayyaz Kagzi and Sayyad Zabiuddin Ansari.

According to prosecution, the bomb used in the blast was assembled at Baig's internet cafe. Thereafter, he travelled to Pune by bus with Mohsin Choudhary and planted the bomb.

However, Baig's lawyer Mehmood Pracha had earlier argued that Baig was not even present in Pune at the time of the blast, and that he was attending a wedding in Latur.

According to Pracha, it was Qateel Siddiqui who along with Yasin Bhatkal went to Pune.

When Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case filed an application in HC seeking that their evidence be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

Former journalist Ashish Khetan had also earlier filed a PIL, alleging that Baig was falsely implicated and the case should be probed afresh by NIA.
Several committee reports have time and again pointed at a large number of harmful drugs in the market. Doctors believe that government's step - even though it may give a jolt to the pharma sector's corporate fortunes - is meant to correct the situation.

"These drugs have been proven to be harmful for us. Most of the countries worldwide have already banned them. Moreover, this toxicity - proven in many of these drugs - decreases the body resistance to fight any disease," said a senior AIIMS doctor.

For example, Nimesulide - a drug which can cause liver damage, especially among children suffering from viral infection - is banned in the US, UK and Australia. As a result, the Indian government has now banned its nine different combinations.

According to the Ranjit Roy committee set up by health ministry, the country has an unacceptably large number of drug formulations in the market - somewhere between 60,000 and 85,000. "Many of these medicines should not have been allowed to reach the market in the first place," it said.

The committee, which submitted its report in July 2013, expressed its surprise as to "how such a situation has come to pass". "Such a massive drug consumption leads to body getting immune to the medicine's effect itself. The situation becomes dangerous as a stronger drug is needed to kill the same bacteria," said the doctor.

The government, understanding the seriousness of situation, set up a new panel, under the chairmanship of Professor Chandrakant Kokate, to review the safety and efficacy of one category of drugs - fixed dose combinations (FDCs). Consequently, it banned 344 FDCs last Thursday.

"I have to give my patients directly the second or third line of treatment when they come to me. Earlier, they used to get well in 2-3 days. Now, they take 7-8 days. Their body has become immune to antibiotics due to its continuous usage," said a Gurgaon-based pulmonologist.
After a brief lull, unseasonal rain returned over parts of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh but its intensity was much less and it was not accompanied by any strong wind or hail till Thursday evening.

It has rained in northern Punjab, Haryana and in the foothills of the Himalayas, and also Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand since morning. These mild rains might continue for a couple of days, said G P Sharma, vice-president at Skymet Weather Services.

He said in the next few days, good rain will fall over the Himalayan region. In the foothills, there could be mild showers.

The government's meteorological department said rain and squall might occur at one or two places in northern India, including the Himalayan foothills. Weather officials feel rain intensity won't be high and the standing wheat and mustard crop won't be hit much.

In 2015, the standing rabi crop on 19 million hectares was damaged by heavy unseasonal rain, accompanied by strong winds and hail. However, this year, the situation does not look worrisome.

R K Gupta, acting head of the Directorate of Wheat Research in Karnal had told this newspaper last week that mild rain might only help in prolonging the winter, beneficial for the standing wheat crop.

The sunshine which has followed the intermittent rains also seems to have helped the crop. India is expected to produce around 94 million tonnes of wheat in 2015-18, about eight mt more than the final production in 2014-15.
Indian has granted visas to members of the Pakistani Special Investigation Team, dispatched to assist Indian authorities in the probe into the January 2 Pathankot airbase attack, media reported on Thursday.

Seven-day visas have been given to six members of the team, Dunya News said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had formed a team including representatives of different intelligence agencies to provide relative material to Indian authorities.

A special team was put together that was tasked with assistance of Indian departments that are probing the airbase attack.

On January 2, six militants stormed Pathankot airbase in the Indian state of Punjab killing seven security personnel. All attackers were also gunned down.
New Yorks 109-year-old is poised to go on the auction block next month, ending two years of uncertainty over its ownership.

David and Simon Reuben currently hold the mortgage for the premium property located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, and have scheduled a foreclosure auction for April 26, Bloomberg reported.

The Reubens bought the loan from Bank of China after a default by the five-star hotel's current majority owner, Sahara India Pariwar, last year. Sahara is under major financial strain, after its head Subrata Roy, was imprisoned in early 2014 for defrauding investors.

The chateau-like Plaza has had several changes in its ownership. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump bought the Plaza in 1988 and married his second wife, Marla Maples, there. He sold it to a collective of owners including Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal of Saudi Arabia, who then sold it to Israels Elad Group, which converted some of the hotel rooms to condominiums. Bin-Talal still retains a minority stake in the Plaza, as does an entity tied to hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal.

The will be sold in a package with the Dream Downtown hotel, which is located in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood that is located one block from the elevated High Line park. The package will include the Plazas hotel rooms, its restaurants and retail space.

The two hotels serve as collateral for the Bank of China loan and are cross-collateralized with the Grosvenor House hotel in London. The Dream hotel too is jointly owned by Saharas Subrata Roy and Chatwal. The combined mortgages for the New York properties total nearly $500 million.

Reuben Brothers declined to comment. The Plaza is the site of the 1985 signing of the historic Plaza Accord to devalue the US dollar.
Taking forward its decision to open up the coal sector for commercial mining, the government will allot 16 blocks to PSUs for carrying out production and sale of the dry fuel.

Of the 16 blocks "earmarked for State Public sector Undertakings for sale of coal", five mines are in Madhya Pradesh, three in Telangana, two blocks each in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, and one each in Odisha and West Bengal, according to an order of Coal Ministry.

Of these blocks, eight have been identified for the host states, the remaining are for other than host state, according to the order.

For the first time in over 40 years, the government is throwing open the coal sector for commercial mining, which is being undertaken by the central PSU Coal India.

The Cabinet earlier gave its approval for allotting to central and state PSUs for sale of coal, especially to medium, small and cottage industries, under the provisions of the (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

In January, Coal Secretary Anil Swarup had said that the coal ministry was working towards creating a platform for commercial mining "in the next 3-4 months".

The blocks that have been earmarked for allocation to PSUs include Shankarpur Bhatgaon II Extn and Madanpur South in Chhattisgarh; Patal East and Mednirai in Jharkhand; Dahegaon/Makard hokra- IV and Kosar Dongergaon in Maharashtra; Baitarni West in Odisha.

Penagaddppa, Anesttipali and Punkula-Chilka in Telangana, Gourangdih ABC in West Bengal, Sahapur East and Sahapur West, Suliyari, Dongri Tal-II and Marki Barka mine in Madhya Pradesh are the other mines.

The decision to open up coal sector is in line with the government's target of doubling coal production to 1.5 billion tonnes by 2020. It has fixed a target of 1 billion tonne of production for Coal India by 2020.

Coal India accounts for over 80% of the domestic production and has a target to produce 550 million tonnes of coal this fiscal.

The government has made it clear that the decision for commercial mining will not impact Coal India.
India and Switzerland are working "very closely" on sharing of information related to tax matters on suspected illicit money cases, a top Swiss official said today.

Swiss Ambassador to India Linus von Castelmur also said automatic exchange of tax information between India and Switzerland is expected to happen "rather soon".

"Switzerland and India are working very closely (on information exchange on tax matters)... We have received requests for exchange for information from Indian authorities," he told reporters here.

In recent months, Switzerland has disclosed names of more than a dozen Indians about whom information has been sought by the Indian government amid suspicion that their accounts in Swiss banks were being used for stashing illicit money.

Swiss banks, known for their banking secrecy practices, have come under global pressure as countries, including India, are ramping up efforts to crack down on the black money menace.

According to Castelmur, Swiss government had given information to India with regard to the HSBC case.

A leaked list of hundreds of Indian clients of HSBC's Geneva branch had found its way to the Indian tax authorities, which are probing the matter.

Describing automatic information exchange "future music", Castelmur said both sides are working towards it.

There should be a bilateral arrangement where both sides can commit to proceed with automatic information exchange, he added.

"There was a past and we are overcoming it through cooperation," he said and stressed with increased cooperation, cases would become "more and more seldom".

In January, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had met his Swiss counterpart Ueli Maurer on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos.

Maurer had said the bilateral cooperation on tax matters in terms of sharing information on suspected black money cases would continue at "a good level".
At a time when the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been vilified endlessly for being hotbed of "anti-national" activities and a drain on the taxpayers' money, its sociology department has been ranked among top 100 across the world by a prestigious international ranking agency.

In its report released earlier this week, the UK-based QS World University Rankings has rated JNU's Centre for the Study of Social Systems (CSSS) 51st, up by 7 ranks compared with last year. The Centre was founded by Yogendra Singh in 1971 and has had several illustrious academicians as its faculty, including Professors T K Oommen, Dipankar Gupta, Nandu Ram and Anand Kumar. Incidentally, JNU students' union vice-president Shehla Rashid Shora did her Master of Arts from the Centre.

"This ranking is based on various credentials - the quality of knowledge produced, interventions made, and students doing research or placed in universities in India and across the world. The current faculty also has a unique representational character, drawn from different social backgrounds," Professor Vivek Kumar, who specialises in sociology of marginalised sections, said. In February, the venue in Gwalior where Kumar was to deliver a speech on B R Ambedkar was attacked by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists.

The CSSS has a 22-member faculty, which includes Susan Visvanathan, Avijit Pathak, Tanweer Fazal, Edward Agapito Rodrigues, Arshad Alam, Surinder Singh Jodhka, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Maitrayee Chaudhuri and Tiplut Nongbri. Each semester, the centre takes in 80 to 85 students. As many as two thirds of its 40 to 45 M Phil students go on to work on their doctoral dissertations.

The CSSS has done pioneering research in subaltern, Dalit and tribal studies, social movements and madarsa education. Oommen was the first academician to study social movements from a sociological point of view, with students heading to Naxalbari to study the Naxal movement and in later years to Jharkhand to make sense of the tribal assertion. "The Centre has done seminal work in these fields, although not always recognised within the academia," Kumar, who has been a pioneer in highlighting Ambedkar's role as a nation-builder beyond being a Dalit icon, said. The Centre also houses a Chair in the name of Dr B R Ambedkar sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India which supports and conducts activities relating to the intellectual contributions of Ambedkar and provides scholarships for research to students from Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes.

The ranking comes in the wake of a sustained campaign to vilify JNU since a protest on February 9, where some participants had allegedly raised "anti-national" slogans. Some of the video recordings of the protest that went viral on social media were later found to be doctored by the Delhi government probe. However, it led to the arrest of JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar and attacks on journalists when the student leader was produced in a local court in Delhi. Two of Kumar's fellow students - Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya - are still in jail on charges of sedition. There have been demands by elements affiliated to the Sangh Parivar to shut down JNU. Many in responsible positions have even gone on to allege that the university is a waste of taxpayers' money as it doesn't produce "enough doctoral dissertations".

Last week, President Pranab Mukherjee had conferred JNU with the award for excellence in research and innovation. President Mukherjee had presented the award to the Molecular Parasitology Group of JNU for its pioneering work in the area of molecular parasitology, especially anti-malaria, leishmaniasis and amoebiasis.

The QS World University Rankings for 2015-16 which were released earlier this week take into account research quality, graduate employment, student-staff ratios, teaching standards and the number of international students while rating nearly 800 universities from all over the world. The biggest single factor in the QS rankings is academic reputation. This is calculated by surveying more than 60,000 academics around the world about their opinion on the merits of institutions other than their own.
Last month, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or Trai, suggested that the private sector should be involved in the implementation of BharatNet, the ambitious project to link all the 250,000 gram panchayats through broadband. As rural broadband is prone to "market failures as well as government failures", private-public partnership is the "only viable option," Trai said.

The market failure it talked about was the unwillingness of private telecom service operators to put up an optical fibre network in the rural areas because the costs outweigh the benefits. And the government failure Trai referred to was the inordinate delay in the project.

Started in 2011 by the United Progressive Alliance government, BharatNet, earlier known as the National Optical Fibre Network, was supposed to get fully implemented in the space of two years. Till date, there is only one fully digital state in the country: Kerala. Apart from the southern state, BharatNet has managed to digitally connect only Chandigarh, Puducherry and parts of Karnataka.

While the project entailed laying about 700,000 kilometres of optical fibre, the distance covered till the end of February was just 124,797 km, or less than 18 per cent. Worse, BharatNet has faced huge cost overruns: against the initial estimate of Rs 20,000 crore, it is now expected to cost Rs 75,000 crore.

The government says the tardy progress is over issues such as the right of way and problems with contractors.

Whatever be the reason, the result is poor connectivity over large swathes of India. According to the International Telecom Union 2014 State of Broadband Report, India is ranked 142nd out of 166 nations in internet usage, below Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Also, India is among the 42 least connected countries in the world, with 11 countries from Africa ranked higher than it.

This is what has perhaps prompted Trai to suggest involving the private sector to speed up the project. "A PPP model that aligns private incentives with long-term service delivery in the vein of the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer/ Build-Operate-Transfer models of implementation should be the preferred means of implementation," Trai said.

Currently, a special purpose vehicle, Bharat Broadband Network, incorporated in 2012 under the Union communications and IT ministry, is handling the rollout of the optical fibre network. The project is being executed by state-owned BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid in the ratio of 70:15:15. Till date, no private player has been taken on board for laying the optical fibre.

The opportunity for the private sector sure is there if the government accepts Trai's suggestions - the money for BharatNet is coming from the Universal Service Obligation Fund to which all telecom companies contribute.

Nagging problems

But experts are doubtful if handing over the work to the private sector will help because they too will face the core obstacle of the right of way. Private companies say the problem needs to be addressed before they come on board.

To resolve this, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has been actively seeking the participation of the state governments in BharatNet. About 18 state governments have already agreed to the Centre's proposal to set up SPVs in conjunction with states for laying down the optical fibre network, which may put the project on the fast lane.

Trai has stressed that the right of way must be provided free of cost by all states to the executing agency. This is the most fundamental requirement for this project.

There could be other issues as well. A senior executive from a telecom company says there is no clarity on monetisation for private players in the PPP model, which is why it may not attract huge investments from the private sector.

Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General Rajan Mathews says there has to be more clarity on the current network status of BharatNet and where private players will be involved for development and implementation.

In an interview in December, Prasad had said the government would consider private players for marketing. The department of telecom is now in the process of finalising the marketing strategy for BharatNet.

According to a senior officer in the ministry, the government might outsource the marketing activities to private players and not involve them fully in the project despite the regulator's recommendations. "The government may bring in private players for outsourcing operations and management of BharatNet in a contract estimated to be worth about Rs 1,000 crore," the official says.

BharatNet needs to be completed quickly. A recent report by BMI Research, a Fitch Group company, has said that any further delay in BharatNet poses a risk to the returns on investment in new large capacity data centres by global players such as Amazon's Web Services and IBM.
The government of Madhya Pradesh is inviting tenders for a 750-megawatt (Mw) solar energy park at Rewa. The World Bank-supported project is to be split into three units of grid-mounted solar photovoltaic power plants of 250 Mw each. State-owned Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam has joined hands with Solar Energy Corporation of India to form an equal-stakes venture, Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ltd, implementing agency for the project. The three units will be developed on a pre-identified land parcel inside the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Project.

A two-stage bidding process will be conducted. The final selection will be through reverse bidding for rates, with no viability gap funding, over an e-bidding platform. The process is likely to be over by June. Those selected will sign a power purchase agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Power Management Corporation (MPPMCL). The former is committed to buy 121 million units (kwh) from each of the three units; MPPMCL will book 80 per cent of the generation capacity. So far, bidding for solar energy parks have been conducted in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Though Karnataka is said to be developing the biggest solar park, with 2,000 Mw capacity in Tumakuru district, the Rewa park will be the largest contiguous project with a single evacuation point.

Altogether, 33 solar energy parks with 19,900 Mw combined capacity are coming up in 21 states. Madhya Pradesh with 2,750 Mw planned is second only to Rajasthan in terms of capacity.

For the financial offer, the bidders will quote the tariff that will be applicable to the relevant Unit for the First Contract Year (initial tariff). The last lowest tariff quoted by an eligible bidder during the Reverse Auction Process, for a unit, will be the sole criterion for determining the Selected Bidder for that units. If at the end of the reverse auction process, no bids are received from any of the eligible bidders for a unit, the eligible bidder with the best quote for that unit will be awarded that unit.

Besides one-time payments of around Rs 3.26 crore, bidders for each unit will be required to pay land charges of Rs 5.4 crore, infrastructure charges of Rs 3.58 crore in the first 10 years and Rs 4.9 crore in subsequent 15 years and administrative charges of Rs 75 lakh.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to review its call drop compensation regulation.

The court asked Trai to consider papers dealing with technical aspects of dropped calls and apprise it of its stand on amending the regulations.

"It appears that nobody had seen technical papers on the day of (framing of) the regulations. Please tell us in an affidavit whether you could consider amending the regulations or you still want to stand by them," a bench headed by judge Kurian Joseph said.

Trai had in October come out with rules that were to come into effect from January 1, asking telecom operators to refund a rupee for every dropped call up to a maximum of three per day. Telecom companies had challenged this in the high court, which had dismissed their petition. They then moved the Supreme Court, which is now hearing the matter.

Thursday's observation came from the judges when counsel Kapil Sibal resumed his arguments on behalf of the Cellular Operators' Association of India challenging the judgment.

"You cannot shy away from the fact that exactly one month after the regulation on call drops, you (Trai) have come out with technical papers in which you admit that call drops will happen and the reasons can't be attributed to telecom companies alone," the Bench said.

A Trai technical report last year had conceded that all call drops could not be blamed on service providers. The judges said the suggestion was without prejudice to the parties who would be heard next month. If Trai wants to stand by its decision, it is free to do so.

Sibal submitted that these issues should be sorted out by hearing all players and not be fought in court. He pointed out calls dropped because of lack of towers, tower sealing by municipal agencies, and grey market handsets.

Additional Solicitor-General PS Narasimha, appearing for Trai, said technical papers were periodically released by the regulator on various subjects and were different from regulations. Even the regulation allows for two per cent call drops.

"They (TRAI) did not consider our response at the stage of the consultation paper and came out with a zero tolerance on call drops. Now, they come out with technical papers in which they admit what we have been saying--that call drops are beyond the control of service providers," Sibal said. If Trai's recommendation is implemented, telecom operators will end up paying around Rs 50,000 crore to consumers in a year.
The banking system always comes under severe liquidity shortage in the middle of March but even so, they borrowed on Wednesday an unprecedented Rs 2.66 lakh crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as money from the system flew to government coffers as part of advance tax outflow.

Even before the advance tax outflow started, the liquidity shortage was Rs 1.49-1.66 lakh crore. This year, the tightness has been extraordinary, said Saugata Bhattacharya, chief economist at Axis Bank.

Chinas exchange rate adjustment in January meant investors from emerging markets liquidated their portfolio aggressively. India saw equity outflow of nearly $2.5 billion in about a fortnight in January, even as fresh debt flows didnt come in as the (government-set) limits were mostly filled.

That created a lasting hole in liquidity, which got accentuated as the government refused to part with its cash balances kept with RBI. These were Rs 1.2 lakh crore in December after the advance tax outflow, which the government did not spend immediately. The surplus cash balance of the government meant for auction, estimated at 70-80 per cent of the total cash balance, was Rs 1.3 lakh crore.

However, RBI has said it is ready to pump the liquidity needed to keep call money rates anchored around the repo rate. The central bank has stepped up its bond buying programme from the secondary market and has so far done three bond purchases under its open market operations (OMOs). On Thursday, RBI purchased Rs 14,409 crore of bonds from the market.

RBI might have to do more OMOs to ease liquidity, said Soumyajit Niyogi, associate director at India Ratings. Also, the government might opt to redeem its bonds prematurely to ease the liquidity pressure, he said. However, once the government starts spending its cash balances, the system might become liquidity-surplus, Niyogi said.

Bond yields though, might not get impacted by much, as bond prices are now getting determined by demand and supply and the Budget numbers were lower than the market expectation, said Bhattacharya of Axis Bank. The yields, in fact, fell on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve kept its policy rates unchanged. Yields on the 10-year bond closed at 7.52 per cent, compared with its Wednesday close of 7.58 per cent. In reaction to the Fed policy review, the rupee rose sharply to close at a more than two-month high of 66.75 a dollar. It had closed at 67.24 on Wednesday.
Listing of companies in the country will soon be a reality, said the panelists at the Round Table here on Thursday. Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Union Budget 2016-17 that public sector general companies would be listed, and hopes have been raised for the first listing of an insurance company in the industry.

G Srinivasan, chairman and managing director, New India Assurance said that the listing process was possible in a short span of time. "While we have to go through the process, all four public sector insurers are in a position to list, though it could take six to nine months. New India Assurance will be one of the first companies to be listed."



Apart from Srinivasan, the other panelists in the Round Table included HDFC Life MD & CEO Amitabh Chaudhry, SBI Life MD & CEO Arijit Basu, Religare Health Insurance MD & CEO Anuj Gulati, Marsh India Insurance Brokers CEO Sanjay Kedia, and Life Insurance Corporation of India Executive Director Vipin Anand.

Getting insurers to list on the stock exchanges has been an area of focus for the insurance regulator. The regulator has even said that they may nudge insurers to list if they feel a need to do so. Among private insurers, only HDFC Life has announced its plan to list on the markets, though it has not specified any timeline.

Chaudhry said the impact of listing will be huge on existing and prospective customers if it is done at the right price and if the post-listing performance is decent. "The confidence will improve and the trust deficit will come down. As we become owned by customers, we have to sign up for standards which are higher than what we are at today," he said.

According to him, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has been pushing for listing because it wants them to stand on their own feet and not depend on promoters. "We are looking forward to it as and when it happens," Chaudhry added.

A lot of expectations have been generated on if and when Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) would list. While LIC's Vipin Anand said that this was a government decision and there is not development on this front as of now, he added that the scrutiny that LIC faces as a public sector insurer is much higher than some of the listed entities.

While New India's Srinivasan said listing would help improve the profile and image of the industry, Anand explained that even after 15 years of private sector insurers, LIC continues to be the dominant player in the market and its image among customers remains the best.

"Listed or not listed, a competent performing public sector insurer can hold its own," Anand added.

Adding to this, Religare Health's Anuj Gulati said, "The level of financial reporting we do, the amount of data we put up on our website is no less than what listed entities do."



Distribution of insurance products was an important point of discussion, where there were opposing views on open architecture between insurers having bank partners and those that didn't.

SBI Life's Arijit Basu explained that mis-selling is very low in the bancassurance channel, and is about one-fifth of that in the agency channel.

He said enforcing open architecture at banks would not be beneficial. "We have 80 per cent of our sales through the bancassurance channel, and we are still covering only 30 per cent of State Bank of India's branches. That is the problem. Insurance itself is a nascent activity for banks. If you were to impose something, it would be detrimental," he said. However, he added that bancassurance would eventually go the open architecture way in the next few years, a thought shared by other panelists as well.

In the past, banks have not agreed to become insurance brokers, preferring the corporate agency route. Marsh India's Sanjay Kedia said that any insurer owned by a bank, would not prefer open architecture.

"Open architecture will work for banks that have no insurance subsidiary or partner, but the bank will be driven by which insurance company offers the higher commission and incentives for volumes and will promote those products," he said.

Among distribution channels, agents account for the lion's share in terms of size and number of policies that they contribute to the industry. LIC's Anand explained that to sell insurance to the 300 million young people, there is a need to attract younger generation to the profession. He added that while youngsters are joining the profession, the numbers are much below the demand.

To make India an insured population, the country needs at least five million new insurance agents, he added. There are currently about two million agents.

Insurance also remains a push product, which has led to low penetration and density. Srinivasan said that there is a situation of insurance inertia in the country wherein people are aware of the need for insurance, but are still not buying it.

He stated the example of the recent Chennai floods where there were heavy damages to households. While it was expected that this would motivate people to buy home insurance, the actual data showed that home insurance purchase has not happened.

The solution, according to the panelists, was to have simple products at affordable costs. Citing data from the recent Pradhan Mantri Jan Suraksha Yojana, where millions have been insured in a short span, the insurance executives said that the country needed simple and cheap products that could compete in the market.

Agency channel contribution is at 80% of total business, but attrition rates are rising every day. We need a minimum of five million agents to make India an insured society

Vipin Anand, ED (Direct Marketing), Life Insurance Corporation of India

Distribution is not an issue, but investment restrictions imposed upon them are. We are not able to compete with other financial products, due to movement restrictions

Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, HDFC Life

The organised labour market including segments like SME is still largely uninsured. More incentives are needed for corporates to increase penetration

Anuj Gulati, MD & CEO, Religare Health

Penetration rises when high value products are sold, but it does not necessarily mean that the coverage is going up

Arijit Basu, MD & CEO, SBI Life

Insurance inertia is a big problem in India. People know insurance, understand the benefits of insurance but they will still not make the effort of going and buying insurance

G Srinivasan, CMD, New India Assurance

There is an inherent bias in the regulatory and policy system that encourages owned distribution by insurers. This will limit insurance penetration

Sanjay Kedia, CEO, Marsh India
The Indian Air Force is demonstrating its combat and firepower on 18 Mar 16 at Rajasthan's Pokhran firing range in the presence of the Honble President Shri Pranab Mukherjee and the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. During the event, the IAF would showcase its capability delivering fire power both by day as well as by night. .

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Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Air Staff would be welcoming the Hon'ble President and the Honble PM at Pokhran. The primary objective of this exercise is to demonstrate the IAF's capability to safeguard our national interests. During the exercise, the IAF would also project its transformational state-of-the-art combat potential for meeting challenges be it from the air, land or sea. .

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The event comprises six packages depicting six themes in which more than 180 fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters are participating. .

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First on the show, would be a flypast showing IAF's journey over eight decades, with the aircraft of yesteryears like Tiger Moth flying along with the with the latest acquisitions of the IAF. The flypast by a mixed formation comprising MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and the mighty Su-30, would represent the transformation of the IAF over the decades. .

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Next package would comprise net-enabling operations aircraft. This would commence with fly past by the indigenously developed Airborne Early Warning and Control System aircraft, which would then be followed a synchronized weapon delivery demonstration comprising precision based bombing at simulated targets by Mirage-2000, Su-30, MiG-27 and the Jaguar. .

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After demonstrating offensive capabilities, the IAF would showcase its multi-layered Air Defence operations. It will comprise fly-past by Flight Refuelling aircraft, IL-78 FRA along with two Su-30 aircraft which will demonstrate the ability to extend on-station endurance and strategic reach of fighter aircraft. This phase would also include Surface to Air Guided Weapons like the IGLA shoulder-fired missile system and the OSA-AK missiles striking down airborne targets. Capability demonstration of the indigenously developed 'Tejas' aircraft to deliver Laser Guided Bomb and fire a Air-to-Air Missile and the capability of the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter to carry out rocket firing would be carried out for the first time. This would be followed by a spectacular simulation of a Combat Search and Rescue operation carried out by the IAF's versatile helicopters such as MI-35 and Mi-17V5.

The firing of Akash Missile would be undertaken for the first time in the IAF's history of Fire Power Demonstration. .

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The next phase would highlight the important role played by the Indian Air Force in support of the ground forces. This phase involves striking of targets that would simulate the enemy's vital assets which would be engaged from the air by a variety of aircraft in the IAF's inventory. In addition, the assault landing capability of the versatile C-130J aircraft and the fire fighting capability of the Mi-17V5, would also be displayed. .

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After the demonstration of live weapons, an array of aerobatic displays by the Sarang Team, the Suryakiran Team and the Su-30 would add fervour to the evening. The Air Warrior Drill Team and Air Force Symphony Orchestra would then enthral the audience with their performances on Terra Firma. .

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As night draws down upon the desert skies, the night capabilities of the IAF would come to fore. A number of targets would be engaged in this phase by fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters using rockets as well as bombs. The Combat Free-Fall jumps during the night would showcase, how the IAF could take on insertion of troops deep into the enemy territory, undetected. .

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The entire event would showcase more than 22 types of platforms and Weapons systems. Frontline fighter aircraft including Sukhoi 30, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, MiG-29, Attack helicopters, Remotely Piloted Aircraft(RPA) and high tech AWACS would display their potential during the show. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and LCH the prestigious indigenous projects, would also be a part of air display. Transport aircraft like the An-32, Embraer, IL-76, IL-78 and C-130J would participate in all their glory while medium lift helicopters(Mi-17, Mi-17 1V. Mi-17V5) and attack helicopters(Mi-25, Mi-35) would also showcase their capabilities. .

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PM to address World Sufi Forum later today

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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will address at the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi this evening. .

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The Forum has been convened by the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board, to discuss the role of Sufism in countering rising global terror. .

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The Forum, will debate long-term alternatives to counter rising issues of radicalization and use of terror in the name of religion. It is expected to emphasize and reassert India's position as one of the global centres for moderate ideology in Islam. .

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The four-day event, beginning today is likely to be attended by over 200 delegates, including foreign delegates from 20 countries. Spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and theologists from Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, UK, USA, Canada and Pakistan, among other countries, are expected to be present. .

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Minister of State (I/C) Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off a goodwill rail rake consignment carrying High Speed Diesel (Gasoil) from Siliguri Marketing Terminal of Numaligarh Refineries Ltd (NRL) to Parbatipur storage depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) in Bangladesh. The goodwill rail rake consignment for supply of 2200 MT (2700 KL) HSD of BS III Grade with 350 PPM Sulphur content is an outcome of the discussion between the two Governments. .

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From Siliguri, the 42 wagons (each with a capacity of 64 KL) rail consignment will travel over 516 kms (253 km in India and 263 km in Bangladesh) on the existing railway line via Rangapani, Singabad, Rohanpur to Parbatipur, where it will be received by Mr Nasrul Hamid, Honble Minister of Power, Energy and Mineral resources, Government of Bangladesh and Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh on 19th March. .

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The present consignment is a symbolic gesture of friendship and cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh. During the successful visit of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015, both India and Bangladesh welcomed the Sale-Purchase Agreement signed between NRL and BPC for construction of a pipeline from Siliguri to Parbatipur for supply of HSD to Bangladesh. It was agreed to jointly work towards implementation of this Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline, a 135 kms pipeline project (5 km in India and 130 km in Bangladesh) with a capacity to carry 1 MMTPA from Siliguri terminal to Parbatipur depot of BPC. The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the Neighbourhood First Policy of Government of India to boost bilateral trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation with in SAARC. .

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Presently, Bangladesh meets its requirement of petroleum products through imports at Chittagong port. The products are subsequently transported to the rest of the country using river route. Once the NRL refinery expansion from present 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA is complete, India will be in a position to export petroleum products on a regular and long term basis to Bangladesh. Prior to the construction of the pipeline, the rail rake mode of transportation of product from Siliguri to Parbatipur is also an effective mode of transport with minimum loss and pollution. .

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During the above flagging off event, Sh S S Ahluwalia, Honble MP Lok Sabha, from Darjeeling constituency, senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of External Affairs, Railways and Customs Department, State and District Administration and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd. were present. .

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Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti will release Detailed Project Report on Forestry Intervention for Ganga on March 22, 2016 in New Delhi. .

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As a part of Ganga rejuvenation programme, forestry interventions all along the course of river has been envisaged. In the process, the National Mission on Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation entrusted one year assignment to the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) on Forestry Interventions for Ganga in April, 2015. .

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The FRI submitted the draft DPR to the NMCG on February 16, 2016. Subsequently the Water Resources Ministry conveyed its approval and asked FRI to finalize the DPR incorporating the specific comments and suggestions made by the NMCG/Ministry. The final DPR will be released in the presence of Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar and Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Prof. Sanwar Lal Jat. .

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A day long workshop has also been organised to mark the release of DPR. Senior officials of five participating states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal) representing the respective Governments and concerned State Forest Department, environmentalists, scientists, representatives of Eco Task Force, ITBP, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and Civil Society Organizations have also been invited to the workshop. .

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The preparation of DPR envisaged extensive consultations with various stakeholders in the context of river Ganga at the national and state levels and incorporation of science based methodology. This included use of remote sensing and GIS technologies for spatial analysis and modeling of pre-delineated Ganga riverscape covering 83,946 sq.km out of a much larger Ganga River basin within the country. FRI has designed four sets of field data formats to obtain the site based information on proposed forestry plantations in natural, agriculture, and urban landscapes along the river course and other conservation interventions. More than 8,000 data sheets were obtained from five states along the river course. The Institute also developed a software to collate, analyze and report generation on potential plantation and treatment models. .

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Extensive plantations in natural, agriculture, and urban landscapes besides conservation interventions such as soil and water conservation, riparian wildlife management, wetland management, and supporting activities such as policy and law interventions, concurrent research, monitoring and evaluation, and mass awareness campaigns have been envisioned in the DPR. .

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Altogether, 40 different plantation and treatment models have been selected for implementation by five states. The project will be implemented over a period of five years by the State Forest Departments of five participating states in Phase-I (2016-2021). .

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The project envisages active involvement of two battalions of Eco Task Force in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for raising plantations in difficult terrains. The State Forest Departments in five states are also expected to involve ITBP, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and Civil Society Organizations for various proposed activities including monitoring and awareness campaigns. .

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Samir/jk
Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal New and Renewable Energy launched report titled, Scaling up Private Investment in Rooftop Solar" here today. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Goyal said that We need to find ways for solar energy to become norm rather than exception. The minister reiterated that people can immensely be benefited from generating rooftop power particularly on industrial and commercial buildings. He further said that technological innovations will find solutions for significant problem associated with grid integration and help clean energy to become a very robust element in Indias power scenario. We are committed to making rooftops happen", he added..

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The report is aimed at policy makers in central and state governments, regulators, utilities, investors, banks, the solar industry, the real estate industry, think tanks, local government bodies and others with an interest in the future of rooftop solar. This study makes recommendations that the authors estimate can double rooftop solar capacity by 2022 without any additional direct subsidy. The report is the product of an in-depth study by the Solar Rooftop Policy on ways to increase private investment in rooftop solar in India. The report focuses on how solar on the roofs of business, institutions and homes can be scaled up to the Governments target of installing 40 GW of rooftop solar capacity by 2022. Rooftop solar will contribute to Indias energy security and is an important part of achieving the Governments overall target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. .

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BACKGROUND .

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The report, which exclusively reflects a study about rooftop solar, is a result of a yearlong process involving a project team with experts from four organisations, contributions from 20 organisations as coalition partners and consultations in Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. The study was conducted in close cooperation with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. .

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The Solar Rooftop Policy Coalition has four funding partners: The Nand and Jeet Khemka Foundation, The UK Department for International Development, The Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and The Climate Group. The report was prepared by a project team consisting of experts from The Khemka Foundation, The Climate Group, Bridge to India and Meghraj Capital Advisers. Over 20 other organisations contributed ideas and analysis to the report. Consultations were held in New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad in August 2015. The report is aimed at policy makers in central and state governments, regulators, utilities, investors, banks, the solar industry, the real estate industry, think tanks, local government bodies and others with an interest in the future of rooftop solar. .

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RM/PS
An advocate for stricter Wall Street regulations is asking shareholders of JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup to vote to consider breaking up the banks. The proposal, by Bartlett Naylor, the financial policy advocate at the activist organisation Public Citizen, is expected to appear in the annual proxy filings of both banks and will then be put up for a vote among all investors who own shares in the banks.

Similar proposals from Naylor have been either shot down or defeated by the banks in the past. Last year, only 4 per cent of Bank of America's shareholders voted for a similar proposal from Naylor.

But public debate about breaking up the banks has, if anything, heightened over the last year as Senator Bernie Sanders has put the issue at the centre of his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. More surprisingly, last month Neel Kashkari, a former Goldman Sachs executive and the new president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, said that more still needed to be done to shrink the largest banks.

Naylor's proposal suggests that a committee be created to study whether breaking JPMorgan and Citigroup into smaller pieces would be a good thing for the bank's investors. The recommendation from Naylor is that the board "act to explore options to split the firm into two or more companies, with one performing basic business and consumer lending with FDIC-guaranteed deposit liabilities, and the other businesses focused on investment banking such as underwriting, trading and market-making. Divestiture would also give investors more choice and control about investment risks." The largest banks already face new regulations that penalize them for their size, and most of them are moving to slim their operations.

In response to Naylor's proposal, which was included in Citigroup's proxy statement released on Wednesday, the bank said that its executives had been regularly evaluating and taking actions to streamline the company. As evidence, the bank pointed to the paring down of Citi Holdings, a unit within Citigroup that holds many of its least desirable assets. Since the financial crisis, Citigroup has sold multiple assets including its subprime consumer lending unit, OneMain Financial, and most recently, its retail businesses in Argentina, Colombia and Brazil.

While Citi has struggled to satisfy investor questions about whether it has the right business mix, JPMorgan has been more successful and has continually posted record profits.

In its response to Naylor, JPMorgan argued that the company "continues to successfully adapt its strategy and financial architecture in the constantly evolving banking landscape."



2016 The New York Times New Service
Deutsche Borse and London Stock Exchange Group (LSE) agreed to combine in a $30 billion deal to create a European trading powerhouse better able to compete with US rivals encroaching on their turf.

However, the deal, which marks a third attempt to link the exchanges, may prompt a takeover war after New York Stock Exchange owner Intercontinental Exchange said it may bid for the British group.

Nearly 16 years after Deutsche Borse first tried to take over LSE, the exchanges said last month they were discussing an all-share merger, which they confirmed on Wednesday would give Deutsche Borse shareholders 54.4 per cent and LSE investors 45.6 per cent of a new company.

This offers a unique opportunity for Frankfurt, which has always played second fiddle to London as a global financial centre, something recognised by the German government, which said it would welcome the deal if it strengthened Frankfurt.

They also promised users, the banks and fund managers who pay fees to trade and companies which pay to be listed, substantial benefits, but gave no figures.

And, in a clear effort to win over Europes politicians to the benefits of a dominant pan-European exchange, Deutsche Borse Chief Executive Carsten Kengeter said it would enable Europe to enhance its capital . This chimes with European Union plans for a Capital Union to compete better with the US and Asia.

Kengeter said Germanys Bundesbank and Frankfurt-based European Central Bank would really appreciate the boost to Frankfurt as a financial centre.

With this transaction Deutsche Borse is halting its decline in market share that has been on the cards for a number of years, Kengeter said.

Deutsche Borse has been under constant pressure because Europe was the natural space for expansion for North American and Asian rivals, with the deal providing the critical mass needed for Germany and Europe overall to fight back, he added. Despite these incentives, the deal faces questions over Britains European Union referendum in June and whether regulators will approve a huge presence in derivatives clearing.

Kengeter said the time was right for a merger which will combine the LSE's share-trading operation with the derivatives trading of Deutsche Borse's Eurex, adding that he expects the deal to close by the end of 2016 or in early 2017.

No decision has been taken on the date of a shareholder meeting to vote on the merger and Kengeter shrugged off concerns over the impact of Britain, Europe's biggest financial centre, voting to leave the EU. "We will be having a successful transaction irrespective of the Brexit outcome," he said.

In further efforts to keep all parties happy, the exchanges confirmed LSE Chairman Donald Brydon would be chairman and Kengeter chief executive officer and the board would have equal representation of LSE and Deutsche Borse directors.

One potentially sensitive question yet to be ironed out is the name for the new firm, which will be domiciled in Britain, with a primary listing in the blue-chip FTSE 100. It will also have a home on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and a corporate headquarters in both cities. LSE Chief Executive Xavier Rolet, who will retire if the deal goes ahead, sought to ease concerns that large swathes of IT operations would shift from London to Frankfurt, saying there would be a "balanced" distribution between the two.

Industry analysts warned of challenges from the EU's competition regulator over a huge presence in derivatives clearing, which was an issue when a previous attempt by Deutsche Boerse to merge with NYSE Euronext was scuppered by Brussels.

Kengeter said he was "confident" of clearing a review by regulators and talks has already begun with them, adding that clearing should be viewed in a global not European context.

LSE Group -- created in 2007 when London Stock Exchange merged with Milan stock exchange Borsa Italiana -- said its shareholders would receive a dividend of 25.2 pence per LSEGshare for the six months to Dec. 31.
Russia and Singapore are interested in jointly developing the Arctic, Interfax reported, citing Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko's statement on Thursday during an official visit by a delegation of the upper house of Russia's parliament to Singapore.

"Considering its cutting-edge technology for building drilling platforms for extreme environmental conditions, Singapore is interested in joining Arctic development projects. Russia is likewise willing to cooperate with Singapore because Arctic development is a priority and a promising sphere of activity. Singapore could play a positive role in this context," Ms. Matviyenko said.

She recalled that in 2013 Singapore was granted permanent observer status in the Arctic Council with Russia's support.

"We highly value our cooperation with Singapore in this field. Last year, the Arctic Council held an Arctic forum, which encouraged considerable interest in Singapore," the council speaker said, adding that Singapore is especially interested in studying changes in the Arctic environment that are caused by global warming.
The prospect of winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilising the world economy, according to British research group Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

In the latest version of its Global Risk assessment, the EIU ranked victory for the Republican front-runner at 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic hard landing rated 20.

Justifying the threat level, the EIU highlighted the tycoon's alienation towards China as well as his comments on Islamist extremism, saying a proposal to stop Muslims from entering the United States would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups.

It also raised the spectre of a trade war under a Trump presidency and pointed out that his policies tend to be prone to constant revision.

He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), and has repeatedly labelled China as a currency manipulator it said.

He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jiadhi terrorism, including, among other things, advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS (and acquire its oil).

By comparison it gave a possible armed clash in the South China Sea an eight  the same as the threat posed by Britain leaving the European Union  and ranked an emerging market debt crisis at 16.

A Trump victory, it said, would at least scupper the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February, while his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war. There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn, it added.

However, the organisation said it did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in an election and pointed out that Congress would likely block some of his more radical proposals if he won November's election.

Rated at 12 alongside the prospect of a Trump presidency was the threat of Islamic State, which the EIU said risked ending a five-year bull run on US and European stock markets if terrorist attacks escalated.

The break-up of the eurozone following a Greek exit from the bloc was rated 15, while the prospect of a new cold war fuelled by Russian interventions in Ukraine and Syria was put at 16.
Forensic audit is in the news in India, with banks, regulators and enforcement agencies using more of such services at a time when financial fraud seems to be rising. David Stulb, who heads the EY (earlier Ernst & Young) global forensic practice (Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services) was in India recently. A talk with Rajesh Bhayani:



In which areas are frauds rising globally, apart from cyber crimes?



At the global market, EY is focusing on two areas where we see increasing levels of fraud. The first is terrorist financing. There has been an increase in global terrorist attacks and these have to be financed somehow. In addition to the traditional methods, terrorists are innovatively using technology more and more, a serious global challenge.



The second is increased market volatility. Last August, we saw how volatility in the Chinese stock market led to tremors across global markets. Additionally, anticipated correction in the energy market, alongside sharp volatilities in currencies and a weak start to the year for equities, also demonstrates this. Whether this is due to market forces, financial fraud or related to terrorism cannot be known but certainly this sharp market volatility gives us a sense that something is wrong, which cannot be attributed solely to market forces.



When the present government came to power in India, hopes were raised that stern action would be taken on corruption, bribery and black money. These are serious issues and challenging from a forensic accounting point of view.



Among market frauds, where is the potential seen higher?



Recent corporate frauds such as Volkswagen and those involving bribes paid by corporates to government officials have created panic. Circumvention of financial sanctions and terrorist financing are also areas where market platforms can potentially be used.



In India, we know from our discussions with the Reserve Bank (RBI) and the Central Bureau of Investigation that there is a real concern regarding funds raised for religious charities and the end purpose of such funds. These agencies are carefully looking at this problem.



For example, my sense is that IS (Islamic State, the West Asian insurgency) is actually an organised crime syndicate, engaged in raising funds through oil theft, profit kidnapping and prostitution, and using financial channels to move this money around. They might also use religious charities to do this, a big headache for all governments  Asian governments are particularly concerned. Sharp movements and crashes in markets are pressure points where the potential threat of inflows or outflows of terrorist financing cannot be ruled out.



In the context of India, the month of March as a popular financial year-end is a time where companies might be tempted to window-dress balance sheets, show higher profits, hide non-performing assets and keep derivative losses opaque, for example.



Which India-specific fraud issues are forensic auditors in demand?



Classic banking frauds related to the rise of non-performing assets or frauds involving connivance of employees and their clients are on the rise. Investigators and regulators have frequently started using the services of forensic accountants to detect such fraud.



Similarly, we have seen a high level of bribery and corruption-related charges recently and a number of foreign clients have also required our forensic services. Therefore, it is no surprise that our India team has grown from 30 to 600 over the past four years, under Arpinder Singhs leadership. This shows corporates in India are looking at tackling such issues and pro-actively managing their fraud risk frameworks.



The Indian governments efforts to further increase the ease of doing business is seen in a positive manner. Transparency International notes this in its recent index, where Indias rating is equal to or better than other BRIC nations.



But, bad brains always stay ahead of investigators!



Yes but the Indian enforcement agencies I have come to know are investing in new technologies and will continue to invest much more. India has the best of the brains for software development and this can be used to detect frauds. I know RBI is providing training to their inspectors from a forensic perspective. Enforcement agencies are using voice analysis technology more and more during interviews, to provide a better indication as to whether people are hiding information or lying. The use of external forensic accounting experts has also increased. The Aadhaar card initiative is another important initiative which could help in the detection of fraud.



On the corporate front, I am amazed to see how fast technologies are evolving in India. Solutions to combat fraud and corruption are becoming increasingly automated. Today, EYs forensic technology labs in Mumbai and Hyderabad support global companies through cyber forensics and forensic data analytics capability, which enables us to decipher fraud patterns and determine other areas of concern.



How are you addressing cyber crime?



You can judge we are taking it seriously from the fact that EY recently appointed a former director from the (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation, two former air force generals and has 1,200 professionals dedicated to forensic technology issues, including cyber crime. This is a serious global issue and although Indian companies are worried about it, their awareness and level of security for cyber crime is lower in comparison to global peers. Hence, India has emerged as a big market for us for all kinds of frauds. EY now has 10 partners and 600-plus professionals focusing on forensic work in India.



How secure is e-commerce, catching up fast in India, from that perspective?



A potential risk. E-commerce is in a nascent stage in India and the risk will have to be mitigated as it continues to grow. Since it connects a large chain of merchants, couriers, financiers and credit card companies, storage, etc, there is a high risk of fraud and for counterfeit products to be sold. There have also been instances of buyer-seller frauds, where participants from the other side take the benefits of discounts and cash-back.
Benchmark share indices came off their intra-day highs to end flat, tracking weak European cues, amid selling in late trades with pharma shares leading the decline after the government's recent ban on combination drugs.

The S&P BSE Sensex ended down 5 points at 24,677 and Nifty50 ended 14 points higher at 7,513. In the broader market, the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices ended up 0.5%-0.7% each. Market breadth ended negative with 1,271 gainers and 1,339 losers on the BSE.

" pared gains on selling in late trades tracking weakness in European . Pharma shares also witnessed further selling pressure. Meanwhile, investors are also realising short term losses to offset agains the profits made in the first half of the current fiscal as part of their tax planning measures," said G. Chokkalingam, Founder and Managing Director, Equinomics Research and AdvisoryEarlier in the day rallied after the US Federal Reserve indicated less-than-expected rate hikes this year. The Fed's dovish stance also raised hopes of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and also provided comfort on foreign fund inflowsThe US Fed at its two-day policy which ended Wednesday maintained a status quo on key rates and indicated there could be just two rate hikes instead of four as was widely expected by the market.

Foreign institutional investors were net sellers in Indian equities worth $1.82 billion in January and February while from March 1-15 they were net buyers to the tune of $1.66 billion.

The Indian rupee surged against the US dollar amid selling pressure in the American currency by exporters and banks. The rupee was trading 54 paise higher at Rs 66.69.

SECTORS & STOCKS



BSE Oil & Gas index was the top gainer up over 2% followed by Capital Goods and IT among others. BSE Healthcare ended down over 1% while Realty index eased 0.5%.

Financial shares ended mixed amid profit taking in late trades. HDFC and HDFC Bank ended down over 1.4% each while Axis Bank, SBI and ICICI Bank ended up 0.5%-0.9% each.

Bharti Airtel ended up 0.9% after the telecom major said it has acquired spectrum in six regions for Rs 4,428 crore from Videocon Telecom, a subsidiary of Videocon Industries. Videocon Industries ended 2% higher.

Pharma shares weakened on concerns that the pharma sector in India could witness an immediate loss of Rs 1,000 crore due to the government ban on combination drugs that include cough syrups, anti-diabetic medicines and flu treatments, according to media reports. Lupin, Sun Pharma, Cipla and Dr Reddys Lab ended down 0.6%-3.8%.

ONGC ended up 3% after its overseas arm ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) signed an MoU with Roseneft to acquire additional 11% stake in Vankorneft for $930 million.

Indian Oil Corp, Oil India and Bharat Petroleum ended up 3%-5.5% after the consortium signed an agreement to buy stakes in Russia's Taas-Yuriakh oil field in East Siberia for about $1.3 billion (about Rs 8,750 crore). Meanwhile, hike in the petrol and diesel prices also aided sentiment.

Among others, Blackstone has emerged the strongest contender to acquire IT services firm Mphasis from Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a deal that could be worth over $1 billion, according to media reports. Mphasis ended up 3.6%.

Alok Industries ended up 7.2%. Bombay High Court order on Wednesday forestalled implementation of Alok Industries' resolution for its lenders to convert loans into controlling equity until a winding-up petition by HSBC is worked out.

Deep Industries ended up 8% after the company announced that it has received an order worth of Rs 247 crore from state-owned oil exploration & production company Oil And Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Shares of select steel companies are trading over 1% higher on the Bombay Stock Exchange after the Directorate General of Safeguards in the Central Board of Excise and Customs has recommended extending the duty on hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel in coils of a width of 600 mm or more until March 2018.Shares of primary producers such as JSW Steel, Tata Steel, Jindal Steel & Power,Steel Authority of India are up 1.2%-1.6% each.
The agriculture departments of Haryana and Punjab are extra vigilant this year to prevent distribution of spurious cotton seeds and chemical spray by distributors.

Last year, because of the bad quality of seeds and spray, there was a substantial loss of cotton crop, which was hit by white fly and leaf curl virus.

Sowing will start in May, after the wheat harvest is over.

As recommended by the All India Coordinated Research Project for Dry Land Agriculture, Haryana has approved 35 hybrid seed varieties and shortlisted 12 seed companies, to be granted a licence to operate.

The suppliers of seeds and pesticides will have to operate in a highly regulated market this year as the damage to cotton had political and financial repercussions on the state governments last year.

The Haryana government recently announced indemnity of Rs 967 crore to farmers affected by pests in five districts.

Sowing last year was 583,000 hectare in Haryana, concentrated largely in the districts Sirsa, Hisar, Jind Fatehabad and Bhiwani.

Sources in the agriculture department said the area under cotton could decline as growers diversify some part of their land towards other crops like guar and pulses. Where irrigation is available, paddy would be the first choice over cotton, as it has an assured Minimum Support Price.

The department had earlier projected to bring up to 50 per cent under desi (native) varieties to break the monoculture in cotton farming but this does not seem feasible, as farmers are not keen to take one risk after another by growing the desi variety on a large scale.

Punjab has approved 38 varieties of cotton seeds and its agriculture department is keeping an extra vigil on the distribution of seeds and chemical sprays so that the farmers are not fleeced by the companies.

Cotton acreage was 398,000 hectare last year in Punjab and has grown in the south-west of the state in districts Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala and surrounding areas.

The state government has decided to kick-off an awareness campaign, jointly with private distribution companies to make farmers aware of the ideal quantity and time of sowing and spraying to keep pests at bay.

The area this year may decline by 20-25 per cent over the last year as back-to-back crop failures have put farmers under acute stress and heavy debts.

Farmers in the Bathinda belt told Business Standard they would divert some area towards paddy and pulses. The cost of cotton cultivation is almost double that of paddy. Guar and pulses are other options available to the farmers during the kharif sowing season.

BALE-OUT
Shares of Tractors were up nearly 3% at Rs 1,524 after the company said it has entered into an agreement with Government of Karnataka for establishment of Custom Hire & Service Centres.

In an effort to revolutionise farm mechanisation in Karnataka the company in a release said that it has entered into an agreement with Karnataka Government for establishment of 92 Custom Hire Service Centres in nine districts.

The scheme which is the brain child of Agriculture Minister Sri Krishna Byregowda will be a boon to small farmers and will revolutionise farm mechanization in Karnataka, said B.C.S. Iyengar, Director, Corporate Strategy.

The stock opened at Rs 1501 and touched a high of Rs 1,540. At 11:20am, over 3,700 shares were traded on both the stock exchanges.
Actor Ajay Devgn was recently spotted enjoying snowboarding while shooting his upcoming film 'Shivaay' in Bulgaria.

Giving a sneak peek of his snowboarding fun, the 46-year-old actor recently took to his Twitter handle and shared a pic, writing, "#Snowboarding #bulgaria #Shivaay."

Notably, the upcoming movie, which will mark the actor's second venture as a director after he helmed 2008 movie 'U Me Aur Hum,' also stars Dilip Kumar's grandniece, Sayesha Saigal, who is making her debut with the movie.

Few days back, Ajay had unveiled the first look of his film on Twitter by sharing a pic wherein he could be seen hanging off a cliff with the support from a rope and wrote, "Trying to overcome my fear of heights, do you guys think this will help??."

The movie will hit the theatres on October 28, 2016.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Affairs Adviser Satraj Aziz on Thursday handed over a SAARC summit invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their bilateral talks here.

Swaraj told media, "Sartaz Aziz has handed over the invitaion for the next SAARC meet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the behalf of our PM, I have accepted the invitation."

During their meeting held after the SAARC ministerial meeting, India said that it had raised the issue of the Pathankot terror attack with Pakistan and sought information about action taken by the latter.

Aziz confirmed that a special investigation team from Pakistan will be visiting India from March 27 to probe the attack.

The 19th SAARC summit will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan on November 9 and 10 this year.
Sounding the poll bugle in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that they have emerged as an alternative to CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) and Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state.

BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the recent Panchayat elections clearly point towards rising popularity of the saffron party in the southern state.

"There are clear evidences, in the last Panchayat elections, BJP won several seats. BJP is also ruling one municipality. In Trivandrum corporation, we are the biggest party. We have gained about 15 percent of vote. The Congress only got 25 percent vote. BJP has got a solid vote base," he said.

"We can see that in Kerala the prospect of the BJP is bright. We are confident that we will win the elections and get majority...People in Kerala now see BJP and allies as an alternative to the two fronts(LDF and UDF," he added.

Meanwhile, the seat sharing talks in both UDF and LDF have entered a crucial second phase. The minor partners are putting pressure on Congress and CPI (M) respectively for more share for the May 16 assembly polls.

Congress, the lead partner held bilateral talks with representatives of JD(U), Kerala Congress(M) and Kerala Congress (J) on Tuesday.

In Kerala, voting for 140 assembly seats would be held in a single phase on May16.
Residents in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura city on Thursday celebrated 'Laddoo Holi' by smearing one another with coloured powder and tossing 'laddoos' at each other at the Sri Ji Temple.

Laddoos were flung around and the sweets were pocketed as blessed offerings from the Lord. Laddoos are distributed to mark the arrival of Lord Krishna.

Devotees also sang praises in the name of Lord Krishna and played with colours to mark the festival.

Holi celebration is seen in whole world but the most zeal, enthusiasm and faith is seen at the land of Lord Krishna, Brij, where Holi is started 40 days before during the Basant Panchmi and starts preparation of the world famous Lath Mar Holi.

The festival of colours, Holi is celebrated one day after the last full moon in the month of Phalguna, which usually takes place in March. This year, the festival will be celebrated on March 23.
Professor Virender Singh, the aide of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Thursday surrendered before the Rohtak District Court.

"I'm a law abiding citizen. I haven't done anything wrong. The truth will come out soon," Singh said.

"Most of the truth has already come out as the court has observed that this is not a case of sedition," he added.

The court had on Tuesday denied his anticipatory bail, saying that although, prima-facie, sedition case is not made against him but allegations are of serious nature and the case requires deep probe and his co-operation.

The Rohtak court had, on February 29, issued arrest warrants against Prof. Virender after he failed to join the probe even after he was granted two days time by the Special Investigating Team.

The FIR was registered on the complaint filed by Captain Pawan Anchal (retd.), a Bhiwani resident. Besides charges of sedition, offences of criminal conspiracy and damaging public property were also included in the FIR.

Virender has been accused of talking to a Khap leader in order to allegedly incite violence in the that took place last month.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenpress news agency presents on the air of Lratvakan radio all that you will hear, read and see on todays news.

Special pays allocated to the participants of the Great Patriotic War or other military operations by the USSR are planned to be increased up to 12 thousand AMD against the existing 8 thousand AMD. This draft decision is included in todays session of the Cabinet.

World Vision Armenia and Yerevan Municipality continue their cooperation aimed at promotion of inclusive education in the sidelines of which 135 wheelchairs will be provided to 94 schools and 11 kindergartens of the capital on March 17 and 18.

Re-orderings, establishment of new political parties and changes in the Electoral Code take place in the political arena. Political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan, MPs Sukias Avetisyan and Vahan Babayan will touch upon the latest domestic developments in the country.

Discussion themed Proliferation of HIV/AIDS, prevention and awareness raising activities in Gegharkunik Province. Social worker Lilit Aleksanyan, physician at Epidemiological Surveillance Department of National Center for AIDS Prevention of the Ministry of Health Vardan Arzakanyan will present the situational analysis.

Armenia will join Gout de France / Good France event on March 21, which means The taste of France. 1000 chefs from 5 continents will participate in this events initiated by Foreign Ministry of France and Chef Alain Ducasse. The French Embassy in Armenia will organize a gala concert. French Ambassador to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier, the cook of the embassy and Chefs of different restaurants will meet with journalists today to present details on the event.

Cafesjian Center announces the solemn opening ceremony of the first exhibition of 2016 which displays the works of one of the prominent Armenian specialist in fine arts Robert Elibekyan.

You can read more about these and other topics at armenpress.am and listen to the news on the air of Lratvakan radio. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
The Kochi team of the Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested absconding accused Abdul Jaleel for his role in the Kannur PFI camp case. He was picked up from the house of his wife at Narath, Kannur.

He is being brought to Kochi and will be produced before the NIA Special Court.

He was officiating Chairman of Thanal Foundation, which owned the hall where the terrorist training camp was conducted by the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Earlier, Twenty-one people belonging to the PFI were convicted by a special NIA court in Kerala of terrorist acts for organizing a terror camp in Kannur in 2013.
The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Jeffrey Mountevans?, will visit India from March 18 - 23 March as part of the UK's commitment to boosting economic ties between the two countries.

The Lord Mayor will lead a delegation of British professional and financial services providers to India's political and financial centres - New Delhi and Mumbai. The UK has been working closely to support the Indian Government's aim to foster economic growth and inclusive development and this visit is aimed at furthering this for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The UK has also been working closely to support the Indian Government's 'Skill India' campaign. This visit will build on the ongoing work in this area.

With India's renewed growth trajectory there is a greater demand for professionally qualified staff. Currently the demand for professionally qualified professionals in India significantly outstrips the supply. The UK is a world leader in providing educational resources from pre-school to university and the qualifications and learning offered by these UK institutes are recognised by employers around the world. India with its young population is well placed to take advantage of the UK's expertise in financial and professional services.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Lord Mayor Mountevans said: "Ever since Mr. Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India, we have seen his visionary economic reform plans for India. As India looks to raise more capital for its ambitious plans, the City of London, as the leading financial centre in the world, stands ready and willing to support these aspirations. This is an exciting time for UK - India relations and on this visit I am looking forward to exploring how we can form even stronger ties, especially in the areas of financing, skills and economic cooperation. I strongly believe that we can 'Make in India' and 'Finance in the UK'."

During the visit the Lord Mayor will call on a number of senior Ministers and Officials in the Indian Government including Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley, where he will emphasise the UK's commitment to cooperate on infrastructure financing, green financing and the continuation of broader financial sector collaboration under the India UK Financial Partnership.

He will also meet Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister for Power to discuss how the UK can support India's clean energy ambitions, in particular the role of the City of London as a world hub for international finance including green finance.

In Mumbai the Lord Mayor will meet the Chairman of SEBI, Deputy Governor of RBI, British banks in India and other senior leaders from the financial and professional services sector, through one to one meetings and round tables. They will discuss key areas of shared interest including financial inclusion, regulatory reform, financial technology, and the raising of finance in the UK to fuel India's growth.

During his visit he will engage with established and new market participants and government officials, to address issues of mutual interest. Topics covered will include the development of a Fintech bridge between the two countries; the international use of the rupee and long term financing solutions for infrastructure development.

The Lord Mayor represents the City of London and businesses and helps the City Corporation advice the Government of the day on what is needed to help the financial services sector to function well. The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance minister each week to discuss financial services, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives.

The City of London has an active programme of engagement with India, including through its representative office in Mumbai and through advice and guidance from the City of London Advisory Council for India, made up of Indian financial services experts. The aim of the City of London's work is to promote a genuinely two-way exchange of trade and investment in financial and professional services between the UK and India and to facilitate engagement between policymakers and industry representatives from both countries.
Congratulating U Htin Kyaw on becoming the President of Myanmar, the military pledged its cooperation even as it faces questions from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) members for choosing a former general for the post of vice president.

"For stability and peace, unity and development, the Tatmadaw will cooperate (with the new president) in every aspect of future processes," the Myanmar Times quoted the office of commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as saying.

The NLD welcomed the statement and have full faith that party leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was barred by the constitution from assuming the presidency, will be able to manage power-sharing arrangements with the military.

The military holds 25 percent of seats in parliament and has three key ministers as well as the position of first vice president in U Myint Swe.

NLD leader and Nobel laureate Suu Kyi in her first public statement since her trusted long-time aide was elected president by parliament on March 15, said that she was proud of her party for its support to U Htin Kyaw, Myanmar's first non-military head of government since the 1962 military coup.

"I don't know how to properly express thanks to our people who have long peacefully supported the efforts of the NLD. I believe we can overcome all of the challenges we will have to face along with our people," the Myanmar Times quoted her as saying.

Meanwhile, NLD spokesperson U Zaw Myint Maung said that people should not be too anxious over how the government will cope with a former general despite them holding important portfolios as first vice president.

"We have no reason to comment on the person selected by the bloc of military representatives. Our policy is that we will work together with anyone who acts for the good of the country. We need to forget the past, but we need to do better in the future," he said.

He added that at the end of the day it was Suu Kyi who is running the government even if it is headed by the president.
A small study has found that a new type of dengue vaccine called TV003 seems to protect people against at least one type of the virus.

The clinical trial, in which volunteers were infected with dengue virus six months after receiving either an experimental dengue vaccine developed by scientists from the National Institutes of (NIH) or a placebo injection, yielded starkly contrasting results.

All 21 volunteers who received the vaccine, TV003, were protected from infection, while all 20 placebo recipients developed infection. The study underscores the importance of human challenge studies, in which volunteers are exposed to disease-causing pathogens under carefully controlled conditions.

"The findings from this trial are very encouraging to those of us who have spent many years working on vaccine candidates to protect against dengue, a disease that is a significant burden in much of the world and is now endemic in Puerto Rico," said Stephen Whitehead of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). "In fact, these results informed the recent decision by officials at Brazil's Butantan Institute to advance the TV003 vaccine into a large phase 3 efficacy trial."

The experimental vaccine was developed primarily by Dr. Whitehead and his colleagues at NIAID's Laboratory of Infectious Diseases. Scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also contributed to the vaccine's development.

The candidate vaccine is made from a mixture of four live, weakened (attenuated) viruses targeted to each of the four serotypes. A total of 48 healthy adult volunteers enrolled at two trial sites, the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and were randomly assigned to receive either vaccine or placebo injection.

"Because there are no specific therapies for dengue fever, it is desirable to have a challenge virus that causes infection, but does not result in significant symptoms of disease," Anna Durbin, who led the clinical trial, said.

Dr. Whitehead is currently developing a human challenge model using a modified dengue serotype-3 virus. This challenge virus could be used in future clinical trials to test the efficacy of candidate dengue vaccines or therapies.

The study is published in Science Translational Medicine.
Nine-in-ten (89 percent) organisations across the globe were left exposed to significant dangers in 2015, due to the impact of unplanned growth that happened as a result of a growth surge.

New international research from Epicor Software Corporation, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software, has unveiled the potential pitfalls of growth, when it is unplanned.

The research, which was conducted by MORAR Consulting and commissioned by Epicor, questioned over 1,800 leaders from 12 countries across the globe.

Of those surveyed globally, 58 percent of businesses reported growth in 2015 and nearly 70 percent expect to grow in 2016, however only 11 percent experienced growth totally in line with their plans in 2015.

Of the Indian businesses surveyed, 77 percent reported growth in 2015, while 84 percent expect to grow in 2016, however only 20 percent experienced growth totally in line with their plans in 2015.

The business leaders surveyed admitted they often fear the consequences of growth, citing a number of negative impacts when growth is not planned for effectively.

More than half, 63 percent said they worry that business growth puts excessive pressure on operations, damaging quality and customer satisfaction. More than half the businesses (52 percent) were also concerned that their business IT systems may prove unable to cope with managing a larger, more complex, business model.

The top concerns cited by CEOs were the lack of visibility into business operations by management, loss of focus on product direction, disruption of work culture, followed by the perceived loss of customer intimacy that may come about as a result of growth.

Growth also poses a number of concerns about resource availability as business activities scale. Sixty six percent of business leaders said that as a result of growth, they worry that their business might take on large or complex projects that they lack the skill set and technology to deliver effectively, damaging their brand reputation. They were also concerned that by growing the business, workloads may increase to a level that places too much pressure on staff, prompting key personnel to leave the organisation (59 percent). More than half (60 percent) of business leaders polled worry they are not personally prepared for the challenges of managing a larger, more diverse business.

Globally, significant levels of unplanned growth were more likely to be experienced by mid-sized businesses with 100-999 employees (37 percent), than larger enterprises with over 1,000 employees (29 percent). Unplanned growth can bring challenges and pitfalls which nearly three quarters of businesses agreed are of at least some concern to them. Growth was most likely to be described as painful (in as many as one in ten cases) by smaller mid-sized businesses (100-249 staff) as they make the difficult transition from small to mid-sized enterprise.

In the light of this it is not surprising that business leaders in India found growth to be difficult as well as rewarding, suggesting businesses in India need to prepare for growth more effectively. More than half (59 percent) admitted that they found growth challenging in 2015.

To support business growth, and prepare for its challenges better, 83 percent of businesses believe that an effective and integrated IT infrastructure is essential. "This adoption of new technologies should position organisations to reap the benefits of newfound efficiencies and pave the way for growth," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing, Epicor.

"Although the majority of businesses intend to grow in 2016, it's clear that there are significant concerns with regards to businesses ability to deal with growth," said Fox.

He added, "These concerns are not altogether unfounded, as our research shows even when businesses plan to grow, this growth can still surprise them; putting unexpected pressures on the organization. The proper time to prepare for growth surges is well in advance, as having an information framework to enable an organization to respond and keep pace in the face of growth has never been more vital."

To help manufacturing businesses plan growth better Epicor has released a new eBook that outlines the key success factors that manufacturers believe contribute to their growth.

The book is available for download from www.epicor.com/mena/company/business-growth.
Mobile app for transportation Ola is all se to expand its fleet of CNG cabs in Delhi by adding more than 5000 cabs in the span of next one week to invest around Rs. 200 crore in the Delhi-NCR.

The company has brought together car manufacturers, banks and financiers and valuation platforms to enable heavy discounts, attractive loan offers and on spot valuation and exchange.

"Ola is bringing a great opportunity for driver partners across Delhi NCR to benefit from heavy discounts on new CNG vehicles, optimum on-spot valuation and exchange and a lot more. Through this mega event, we intend adding 5000 new CNG vehicles on our platform in the region, which would in turn contribute to a clean and green Delhi NCR," said COO Ola Pranay Jivrajka.

"We have rolled out to a number of programs that help driver partners take the first step towards entrepreneurship by bringing the best deals for them through backward integration with car manufacturers, banking and financial institutions and other ecosystem partners," Pranay further added.

The taxi aggregator has partnered with dealers of leading car manufacturers including Maruti, Tata, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Nissan amongst others.

It has also on-boarded banking and financial institutions including State Bank of India, IDBI, Shri Ram Finance amongst others.

This is the largest amongst a series of programs rolled out by Ola to encourage CNG adoption in Delhi NCR.

Currently, there are more than 20,000 CNG cabs registered on the Ola platform in Delhi NCR and by the next week.

Earlier in August 2015, Ola had organized 'Ola Green Pragati Week' to bring together thousands of driver-partners as well as financing and car manufacturer partners under one roof. Under this initiative, Ola enabled drivers in the city to purchase a new CNG car with benefits of up to Rs 100,000.

It also partnered with Indian Oil to enable fuelling cash-back for drivers across India; also rolled out an extensive driver outreach program for CNG adoption in Delhi in September 2015.

Ola announced a first of its kind partnership with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to offer cash backs to all its drivers on fueling up their vehicles at Indian Oil fuel stations across the country.

The company expects thousands of drivers in the state of Delhi to exchange their diesel vehicles for CNG vehicles over the next few months under this scheme.
Pakistan's Minister of Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan has directed officials to draft a comprehensive strategy to enhance trade cooperation with Iran ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Islamabad at the end of March.

Islamabad's potential to strengthen business ties with Tehran has substantially increased following removal of economic sanctions on Iran.

Khan, who was presiding over a meeting, instructed his officials to prepare proposals for Rouhani's visit.

Officials of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Federal Board of Revenue, representatives of traders, rice and kinnow associations and two officials of the Iranian Ministry of Trade visiting Pakistan attended the meeting.

Khan's decision to call for a trade proposal may just be another way to mend its trade since a report by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) revealed huge discrepancies in the bilateral trade data available.

The report warned that Pakistan-Iran trade was continuously shrinking for the last five years; while China continued to be Iran's top trading partner.
At least two soldiers and suspected militants were killed in s gun battle in Pakistan's Chilas town of Gilgit-Baltistan region on Thursday.

The area has been cordoned off and search operation to hunt the militants has been launched.

According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the militants were involved in attacks on tourists, civil transport and security forces, reports Dawn.

The identity of the militants, their affiliation or any other details about the clash is unknown.

The exchange of fire comes days after the army chief General Raheel Sharif approved death sentences of 13 terrorists who have been convicted by military courts.

Apart from terrorism, the convicts were involved in killing of foreign tourists at Nanga Parbat, attack on Saidu Sharif Airport, destruction of schools, attacks on armed forces, law enforcement agencies and civilians.

In June 23, 2013, nine foreign tourists and one of their Pakistani guides were killed at the 4,200-meter base camp of Nanga Parbat.

The attack was claimed by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and later an army colonel, a captain and a senior superintendent of police (SSP), investigating the massacre was also later killed in Chilas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will inaugurate the World Sufi Forum in New Delhi where more than 200 Indian and international delegates, including Sufi Shuyukh, spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and masters of Sufism, are participating.

The four-day event is being organized by All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), the apex body of Sufi Dargahs in India.

The meeting is expected to debate on how Sufi teaching can prevent global terrorism. The conclave will also debate on how to guide the Muslim community away from sectarian division.

The organizers also said the debate on role of women in Islam will also conducted in the international conference.

The Sufi Conference is expected to come out with a declaration against extremism and Wahabism in the last day of the event to be convened in the Ramlila Maidan.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Standing Committee, comprising foreign secretaries of eight member nations, has decided to recommend that its SAARC Council of Ministers meet every alternate November.

The Council of Ministers is holding its 37th session in Pokhara on Thursday.

After the meeting, Nepal's Foreign Secretary, Shankar Das Bairagi, who had chaired the meeting, said the recommendation would be made in a bid to ensure that the SAARC Summit is held every two years.

He added that as the United Nations General Assembly opens on the third Tuesday of every September, the decision would help the South Asian regional body become more effective in pursuing its agenda of regional cooperation.

The SAARC has already completed 31 years since its establishment but has hosted only 18 summits so far.

The summit was to be held every year in the beginning. The 18th Summit was held in Kathmandu in November 2014.

Bairagi also said secretaries of the member nations are holding discussions to find an all-agreeable date for the summit.

He informed that the Standing Committee held discussions over 32 agendas adding all the foreign secretaries have agreed to rectify regional agreements made so far and begin its implementation.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Les Violons d'Armenie (Strings of Armenia ") launched the Dances of the World concert, during which the band will perform in Yerevan museums. In an interview with Armenpress the artistic director of the quintet Grigor Arakelyan said that the first concert will be held on March 26 in the Aram Khachaturyan House-Museum.

"We do not use ordinary instruments, instead we play Armenian instruments, prepared by Martin Yeritsyan. With those instruments we try to play not only Armenian music: "Dances of the World" program includes classical music from different nations. It is very interesting when music of different nations is played side by side, Grigor Arakelyan said. According to him, "Dances of the World" includes music by Brahms, Ravel, Grieg, Komitas, Stravinsky and other composers. The band members are Grigor Arakelyan (Armenian viola), Meline Marukyan (Armenian violin), Karine Arakelian (Armenian violin), Albina Malishenko (Armenian viola) and Susanna Muradyan (Armenian cello).

Dances of the World is aimed to bring world famous national dances to the society, characteristic of European music of the Romanticism era , and melodies of Eastern national music . This is also an attempt to bring together different nations, their originality and cultural heritage, where Armenian music has its own place, "Grigor Arakelyan said.

The program has several goals. It is planned to establish a center that will contribute to the preservation of medieval Armenian music and European music of the Baroque period, enabling to bring world famous Baroque performers from different corners of the world , conduct trainings, master classes and why not by the state support organize big festivals.

"We would also like to contribute to supporting vulnerable social groups. For example, we may create free musical groups for children with problems: It is not necessary to invest a lot of money, it may be done step by step, so maybe we'll allocate some of our concert money to art schools, where children can get an education in music, or learn pottery. We hope that our objectives will be fulfilled. But we hope that the government will also support all this work to reach our goals faster, Grigor Arakelyan added.

Les Violons d'Armenie quintet was formed in 2013 by composer, violinist Grigor Arakelyan. Members of the band are musicians of the Opera and Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Grigor Arakelyan and the violin maker Martin Yeritsyan created an Armenian violin family for the ensemble. These instruments allow the ensemble to play not only the works of medieval Armenian music, but also the European repertoire, Baroque, Romanticism and Impressionism. The ensemble's repertoire is based on Grigor Arakelyan work.
The two-day meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Foreign Ministers is slated to begin in Pokhara in Nepal today where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the meeting.

The Foreign Secretaries of all SAARC countries yesterday discussed ways to implement plans to improve connectivity, counter terrorism, and other issues.

Swaraj along with her counterparts from SAARC countries will discuss the progress made on the programmes approved at the last summit of the regional association at Kathmandu in 2014.

Aziz, who will meet Sushma today, told the media earlier that he is ready to discuss anything his Indian counterpart wanted to.

"The meeting is of course to hand over the invitation for the SAARC Summit, but anything that she ( Sushma Swaraj) wants to discuss, we will discuss," said Aziz.

On being asked about other discussions like the recent Pathankot terror in India's airbase, Aziz evaded the question.

Aziz, however, said that the Pakistan 's special investigation team will soon be visiting India to probe the attack.

Swaraj is expected to raise the Pathankot terror attack with Aziz during the meeting on the sidelines of SAARC.

This development comes amid the stalled Foreign Secretary-level talks between both nations following the impasse over the probe of the January 2016 Pathankot Air Base terror attack.

Both the Foreign Ministers met last night during a dinner hosted by Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli ahead of a meeting of SAARC foreign ministers.

The two exchanged pleasantries and sat next to each other during the dinner in the resort town located 200 km northwest of the capital Kathmandu.
The Government of Haryana has stepped up security in many towns as the deadline issued by the Jat community to accept their demand for quotas ends today.

On Monday, Jat community leaders had threatened to resume their agitation for quotas which saw widespread violence across the state last month.

"The state government has time till March 17. So far, the government has not responded to any of our demands," said Hawa Singh Sangwan, the president of the Akhil Bhartiya Jat Mahasabha.

But a bill which will grant special Other Backward Classes status to Jats and four other communities to entitle them to reservations in government jobs and educational institutions is unlikely to be introduced in the state assembly today as there is still a lack of consensus. The bill is reportedly being redrafted for introduction in the state assembly.

The Jats along with Bishnoi, Jat Sikh, Rode and Tyagi communities will be given 10% reservation under the special OBC category that is being created by the Chief Minister M L Khattar-led BJP government.

Khattar has assured that the existing 27% quota for OBCs will remain untouched.

The Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, which is spearheading the quota protests, has also demanded withdrawal of cases against those booked for rioting and arson during the violent protests last month.

The state government has stepped up security in Rohtak and Jhajjar towns, the epicentre of the protests. It has also asked for 80 companies of paramilitary forces from the Centre to maintain law and order.

The district administrations in Rohtak, Sonepat, Jhajjar, Jind, Bhiwani and Kaithal have ordered the closure of schools and colleges as per television reports.

Last month, the Haryana police was severely criticised for its "failure" to prevent and control the violence that swept the state, in which 30 people were killed and over 200 were injured.

Jats in Haryana have been demanding the benefits of affirmative action for years. The previous Congress government had announced "Special Backward Caste" for the community in 2013, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court stalled the move last year.

The Supreme Court has rejected the inclusion of Jats in the Centre's OBC list on the ground that the Commission of Backward Castes does not consider them socially and economically backward in Haryana.
What if you could use fruits as a source of energy to power your gadgets? A team of scientists has found that rotten or damaged tomatoes could soon be rescued from the bin and used to generate electricity.

The team's pilot project involves a biological-based fuel cell that uses tomato waste left over from harvests in Florida.

Researcher Namita Shrestha from the South Dakota School of Mines and said, "We have found that spoiled and damaged tomatoes left over from harvest can be a particularly powerful source of energy when used in a biological or microbial electrochemical cell. The process also helps purify the tomato-contaminated solid waste and associated waste water."

Tomatoes are a key crop in Florida, notes researcher Venkataramana Gadhamshetty, who's leading the project. He stresses that the project is important to the state because Florida generates 396,000 tons of tomato waste every year, but lacks a good treatment process.

The team developed a microbial electrochemical cell that can exploit tomato waste to generate electric current. Shrestha explained that microbial electrochemical cells use bacteria to break down and oxidize organic material in defective tomatoes.

According to calculations by Shrestha, there is theoretically enough tomato waste generated in Florida each year to meet Disney World's electricity demand for 90 days, using an optimized biological fuel cell.

"Our research question at this time is to investigate the fundamental electron transfer mechanisms and the interaction between the solid tomato waste and microbes," Gadhamshetty notes.

They plan to improve the cell by determining which of its parts - electrode, electricity-producing bacteria, biological film, wiring, are resisting the flow of electricity. Then they will tweak or replace that part.

The study is presented at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Region welcomes expansion of IMF capacity building activities

Maintaining high growth, boosting job creation, and making further gains in reducing poverty are top policy priorities, Asian policymakers declared at a conference. The region's dynamism presents an historic opportunity to invest now for the futureand to advance Asia, said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde in opening remarks. Doing so will not only put Asia on the path to sustained growth, but also strengthen its role in the global economy, she noted.

Asia is a ray of hope for global economic recovery, added Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi. The twenty-first century is, and will be, the Asian Century.

Over the past 15 years, economies in Asia have become strongerthe region accounts for 40 percent of the global economy and contributes about two-thirds of global GDP growthand social progress and poverty reduction have seen significant improvements.

While Asia remains the most dynamic part of the world economy, its growth momentum has cooled, reflecting among other things a more challenging global environment. Participants at the three-day conference Advancing Asia: Investing of the Future examined the main economic and social challenges facing the region, and looked at ways that economic policy can boost potential output and advance employment growth and social progress more widely.

New push to build capacity

During the opening session of the conference, the IMF and Government of India also announced the opening of the South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) in New Delhi next year. The new center will offer a fully integrated training and technical assistance center serving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

In announcing the SARTTAC, Prime Minister Modi said: The Fund has built up an immense stock of economic expertise. All its members should take advantage of this. All of us need to pursue policies that provide a stable macroeconomy, enhance growth and further inclusion. The Fund can be of great assistance in this. Apart from advice, the IMF can help in building capacity for policy making.

Despite the decade of strong growth in the region, millions of people in Asia continue to live in poverty, and labor force participation by women and youth remains low in many countries. Conference panelists discussed ways to share the region's wealth more equally, and to encourage increased labor force participation by women and youth.

Harnessing the region's potential

Some unique measures to overcome inequality in the region were discussed, including a scheme in the Maldives to concentrate populations across some 180 islands into central areas in order to ensure provision of basic services such as health and education. Azeema Adam, Governor of the Central Bank of Maldives, also noted that lack of financing for investment in basic infrastructure is a challenge for the Maldives.

Access to education, especially basic primary education, was seen as critical to achieving inclusive growth. The solution to overcoming poverty is giving everyone the chance to finish at least a basic education, said Milwida Guevara, CEO of Synergeia Foundation in the Philippines. Educational systems also need to be innovative and tailored to the needs of local communities.

Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson of BRAC Bank, Bangladesh, noted that access to financial services is an essential element of poverty reduction. Financial services drive social and economic progress. They facilitate people's ability to enter the job market, access health care, and pay school fees. To encourage increased access, financial services need to be tailored to the needs of different income groups, from basic savings to providing loans for startup companies.

In her keynote remarks, Melinda Gates, co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, also underscored the importance of increased access to basic health and financial services, especially for women and girls. Harnessing the potential of women and girlsthe region's greatest natural resourceis the most effective means of securing sustainable, inclusive growth. Empowering women and girls is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do, she said.

Cleaning up the environment

The economic consequences of climate change are increasingly coming to bear on the regionboth by raising their proclivity to experience natural disasters and in the deterioration of living standards and environmental conditions. Water resources and flooding, vulnerable coastal zones, heat waves, and increasingly volatile conditions for agriculture are just some of the problems to which countries in the region must adapt in the coming years. Panelists discussed the need to both adapt to and mitigate natural disasters.

Innovative measures to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change are taking place across the region, including project to finance green garment industries, organic fertilizer production, and solar homes and plants, participants observed. President Takehiko Nakao said that the Asian Development is increasingly focusing its financing on energy efficient projects, including renewable energies and public transportation projects.

At the same time, the Attorney General and Minister of Finance of Fiji, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, stressed the importance of adaption, especially for Pacific Island economies. He noted that Fiji, and most Pacific Island countries, already have low carbon footprints, but they face challenges to adapt their infrastructure to make them more resilient to natural disasters. This will be an important consideration as Fiji rebuilds form the recent devastation from Cyclone Winston.

Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Program, reiterated that addressing climate change requires action to both reduce carbon emissions and help vulnerable countries adapt, including through investing in disaster resilient infrastructure and climate smart agriculture.

Managing capital flows

Conference participants also discussed the challenges in the region associated with the normalization of U.S. and other advanced economy monetary conditions, in particular ongoing and possible financial volatility in the region. Panelists saw a role for both macroprudential as well as capital controls in managing capital flows. Sukudhew Singh, Deputy Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia, saw the need to use the full spectrum of tools, including capital controls, but policymakers would achieve the best outcomes by working on their own fundamentals.

There was also discussion of possible role for international policy coordination in ameliorating the negative impact of volatile capital flows. In a keynote address, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan noted that the larger economies needed to be more aware of the risks involving their monetary policies, which almost always focus inwards and tend to overlook the spillover effects on smaller economies. "Given the importance of spillovers from monetary policies, it is important we start building a global consensus on how to get better outcomes for the world," Rajan said.

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An agreement for IDA Credit of USD 35 Million from World bank for Madhya Pradesh Citizen Access to Responsive Services Project was signed by Shri Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. The Implementing Entity Agreement was signed by Mr. M.

Selvendran, ED (State Agency for Public Services), Department of Public Services management, MP on behalf of the Government of Madhya Pradesh, and Mr. Onno Ruhl, Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank.

The project size is USD 50 million, of which USD 35 million will be financed by the Bank, and the remaining amount will be funded out of State Budget. The project duration is 5 years.

The objective of the project is to improve access and quality of public services in Madhya Pradesh through implementation of the 2010 Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act. The project is expected to deliver key results in terms of improving access to services and citizen outreach, simplification of Government services, performance management and strengthening the capacity of implementing agencies. The project has been designed as a result based financing programme, under which funds will be released on achievement of agreed results.

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Making out a strong case for removal of cess and surcharges of various types, the ASSOCHAM has approached the Finance Ministry for a clear road-map for reduction of corporate tax to 25 per cent, which is effectively over 34 per cent at present.

In a post-Budget memorandum to the Finance Ministry, the chamber said the surcharge and education cess was originally introduced for a short period of time but the same is being continued from year to year. This has pushed up the overall tax rate sharply for the corporate sector to 34.608 per cent.

It is also recommended that the Government gives a time schedule for withdrawal of the surcharge and education cess. The Government had announced in the Budget for 2015-16 that tax benefits / exemptions would be withdrawn and simultaneously, the basic corporate tax rate would be reduced from 30 per cent to 25 per cent over a period of four years. In this year's Budget a road map has been given for withdrawal of the various tax benefits / exemptions but the time plan for reduction of Corporate Tax Rates has not been given, the ASSOCHAM memorandum stated.

The chamber Secretary General Mr D S Rawat, such a clear road map would enable businesses to evaluate availability of funds for capital investments.

It would also help in giving more funds to the corporate sector for investment and growth and also generate confidence and certainty. This in turn will result in overall buoyancy in the national economy, he said.

With a view to helping the ' Start-ups', the ASSOCHAM representation stated that the reduced tax rate of 25 per cent should also be made applicable for all companies and not only to manufacturing companies. This would provide a boost to the 'Start-up India' initiative and will bring newly set-up manufacturing as well as non-manufacturing companies on an equal footing as far as tax rates are concerned.

It said with introduction of a new provision for levy of tax on dividend in excess of Rs ten lakhs, a situation of triple taxation has arisen.

Under the existing provisions of clause (34) of section 10 of the Act, dividend which suffer dividend distribution tax (DDT) under section 115-O is exempt in the hands of the shareholder.

This year's budget has introduced a new section 115BBDA which provides that any income by way of dividend in excess of Rs 10 lakh shall be chargeable to tax in the case of an individual, Hindu undivided family (HUF) or a firm who is resident in India, at the rate of ten percent

The proposal has effectively lead to a situation of triple taxation namely - corporate tax, DDT and now additional 10 per cent tax. As a result the effective tax rate goes up drastically.

Alternatively, if these provisions are not removed, it should be expressly clarified that only dividend income in excess of Rs. 10 lakhs will be taxable at 10 per cent and senior citizens should be exempted from such a levy.

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Tata Motors announced that it has signed a contract to supply 25 Tata Starbus Diesel Series hybrid electric buses with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). This is the single largest order awarded for hybrid electric vehicle technology. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

Shares of public sector oil marketing companies (PSU OMCs) will be in spotlight after Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) yesterday, 16 March 2016, announced an increase in the price of petrol and diesel with effect from the midnight of 16/17 March 2016. Petrol price was hiked by Rs 3.07 per litre and diesel price was raised by Rs 1.90 a litre at Delhi (including state levies) with corresponding price revision in other states. After the latest revision, petrol in Delhi costs Rs 59.68 per litre and diesel costs Rs 48.33 a litre.

Shares of oil exploration & production (E&P) firms, PSU OMCs and aviation firms will be watched after a sharp jump in international crude oil prices yesterday, 16 March 2016. Brent for May settlement was currently up 31 cents at $40.64 a barrel. The contract had jumped $1.59 a barrel or 4.1% to settle at $40.33 a barrel during the previous trading session.

TCS announced the successful launch of Norway's first peer-to-peer mobile payment solution with DNB, the largest financial services group in Norway. With 25% of Norway's population using DNB's peer-to-peer mobile payments application 'Vipps' within six months of launch, the P2P payment solution has helped DNB become a significant player in the highly competitive mobile payments space in a short space of time. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

Wipro announced the launch of cargo reservations, operations, accounting and management information systems (CROAMIS), a next gen end-to-end cargo management system for the aviation industry. CROAMIS has been developed jointly between Wipro and Qatar Airways, through an innovative co-funded model. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

Idea Cellular and Videocon Telecommunications mutually agreed to terminate their earlier agreement regarding 'Transfer of Right to Use 1800 MHz Spectrum' in two service areas with immediate effect. The announcement was made before market hours today, 17 March 2016. On 24 November 2015, the Board of Directors of Idea had empowered the company to enter into an acquisition agreement for right to use 1800 MHz spectrum of Videocon Telecommunications (VTL), in the telecom service areas of Gujarat and UP (West) for an aggregate consideration of around Rs 3310 crore, pursuant to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) Guidelines for Trading of Access Spectrum by Access Service Providers dated 12 October 2015. No joint intimation of this Transfer Agreement for Right to Use Spectrum under Spectrum Trading Guidelines was filed with DoT, by the parties. Also, there is no cost implication to Idea on termination of the agreement.

Meanwhile, Idea Cellular continues to aggressively launch its high speed mobile broadband 4G LTE services. Idea has launched its 4G LTE services in the tenth telecom service area of Maharashtra & Goa, from Nagpur city. The company remains on track to launch 4G LTE services in 750 key towns across 10 telecom circles latest by end of June 2016.

Shriram Transport Finance Company said that it is considering raising funds by issuing secured redeemable non-convertible debentures (NCDs) on private placement of basis. Based on the market conditions the meeting of banking and finance committee will be held during the current month ending 31 March 2016 to consider and approve the terms of such borrowings. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

Gammon India said that the securities allotment committee of directors allotted 63.62 lakh equity shares at Rs 11.89 each, aggregating to Rs 7.56 crore, to the company's corporate debt restructuring (CDR) lender, United Bank of India, on conversion of part of its outstanding loan and interest into equity shares of the company. With this allotment, the CDR lenders collectively hold 62.65% of the total equity capital of the company. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

IRB Infrastructure Developers said that it received an approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for formation of infrastructure investment trust (InvIT). Sebi has granted the certificate of registration to IRB InvIT Fund to which IRB Infrastructure Developers is a sponsor, to carry out the activities as an InvIT subject to the conditions. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

VST Tillers Tractors said it signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Karnataka Government for establishment of 92 custom hire service centres (CHSC) in nine districts. These CHSCs will provide farm machinery at affordable rental rates to farmers. The hiring and service charges will be determined by the committe constituted for the purpose after taking into consideration farmer's affordability and economic feasibility of the CHSC. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

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VST Tillers Tractors rose 1.5% to Rs 1,505 at 09:45 IST on BSE, after the company signed memorandum of understanding with Karnataka Government for establishment of 92 custom hire service centres in nine districts.

The custom hire service centres (CHSC) will provide farm machinery at affordable rental rates to farmers, VST Tillers Tractors said. The hiring and service charges will be determined by the committe constituted for the purpose after taking into consideration farmer's affordability and economic feasibility of the CHSC, the company said. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 16 March 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 241.02 points, or 0.98%, to 24,923.50

On BSE, so far 351 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 678 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,539.75 and low of Rs 1,500 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,660 on 7 July 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 1,221 on 27 March 2015.

The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 8.64 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

VST Tillers Tractors' net profit rose 47% to Rs 17.71 crore on 42.3% rise in net sales to Rs 151.37 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014.

VST Tillers Tractors manufactures power tillers, tractors, paddy transplanters and diesel engines.

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Arunachal Pradesh Governor J.P. Rajkhowa has again urged the Centre for the construction of three to four more greenfield airports and more helipads in the state due to its difficult terrain.

Rajkhowa made the request during a meeting with Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who asked the state to acquire over 525 acres for the proposed greenfield airport in Hollongi area of Arunachal, Raj Bhavan spokesperson Atum Potom said on Thursday.

"They discussed aviation-related issues, including the greenfield airport and finances for renovation of 20 helipads in the state," he said.

The governor also stressed on the dual utilisation of advance landing grounds at Vijaynagar, Walong, Ziro, Aalo, Mechuka, Tuting and Pasighat as civil terminals.

An Airport Authority of India's board member, present at the meeting in Delhi, said the Arunachal Pradesh government has to acquire and hand over 525 acres free of cost and free of all encumbrance to facilitate preparation of a detail project report.

Approvals from the civil aviation ministry, Public Investment Board, Niti Aayog and Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs have also to be sought.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday condemned the 'raid' by election expenditure observers at the private residence of Agriculture Minister Rockybul Hussain.

"It is politically motivated. It exposes the central government's attitude towards the opposition," Gogoi told media persons here.

"It also exposes the Centre's policy to defame the opposition. The raid was conducted before the assembly polls. They did not find anything from his house. It is politically motivated to defame the Congress," said Gogoi.

Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on April 4 and 11.

A team of election expenditure observers raided Hussain's residence at Panjabari area in Guwahati for over five hours on March 16.

Hussain has lodged an FIR at the Dispur police station here, saying the raid was aimed at defaming him ahead of the polls.

Meanwhile, Gogoi also attacked Bharatiya Janata Party's chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and dared him to make public how much money he had given for the development of Majuli from his Member of Parliament's Local Area Development Fund.

Sonowal filed his nomination papers on Wednesday from Majuli (reserve - ST) constituency in Jorhat district.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. This year, the issue of compensation will be raised in the Armenian communities of Europe, in addition to the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. This was stated by Peto Demirchian, in charge of communications of ARF Armenian National Committee of Europe in interview with Armenpress". He presented the plans for the current year.

-Mr. Demirchyan, what will distinguish the activities of the Armenian National Committee of Europe in 2016?

- Back in 2015, during the Armenian Genocide 100th anniversary events, it was already highlighted that our policy will include the compensation issue. In other words, there will be not only the pursuit of the Armenian Genocide recognition and condemnation, but the compensation issue will also be raised. Steps will be taken in this direction. I can say that our work in 2016 will move forward in this direction. The compensation issue will be raised both in European institutions and the society.

-Are there any new initiatives or resolutions relating the Armenian Genocide at this stage?

-First of all, the European Armenian National Committee coordinates the work of Armenian National Committees across Europe. If any of the committees initiates a resolution, we work together. Today we have 17 committees in European countries. It is clear that the overall coordination of the work is done jointly. As for new projects, I can say that work is being done, but so far for obvious reasons I dont want to reveal anything. But I can say that we follow the Armenian Genocide recognition process in Germany, which started in April last year. We hope that Parliament will go to the end this time.

-Do you work with members of the German Parliament, what do they think?

- No one is denying the fact of the Armenian Genocide. Leaders of various factions have spoken about this. This trend was seen during last year's discussions, this is simply a question of urgency. Today, the agenda is the issue of refugees. Germany is trying to win over Turkey in order to prevent the entry of refugees to Europe to some degree. In this context, the issue of the Armenian Genocide slightly repulsed, but discussions are underway. Recently, the Armenian National Assembly delegation visited Germany and the Armenian Genocide issue was discussed.

-Mr. Demirchyan, what initiatives do you have in connection with Artsakh. We see that different U.S states recognize the independence of Artsakh. What developments can we expect in Europe?

- It should be noted that there are also developments in Europe in this regard. As we know, the Basque country recognized the Artsakh independence. New cooperations are registered between European cities and Artsakh. Connections are established between Stepanakert University and European universities. In addition, various delegations, in cooperation with us, are visiting Artsakh. This year, this work will continue and we can say that successes will be achieved in 2016 in terms of cooperation between Artsakh and European cities. In fact, recently the delegation of parliamentarians from Belgium and Flanders were in Artsakh.

Anna Gziryan
The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted, to life imprisonment, the death sentence of IM operative Mirza Himayat Baig after acquitting him any involvement in the February 13, 2010 German Bakery blast but upholding his conviction for possessing explosives and forged documents.

Baig was the lone accused who was convicted for the blast at the popular eatery near the Osho Ashram in Pune's fashionable Koregaon Park area and much frequented by the young crowd, in which 17 people, including five foreigners, were killed. Another 60 were injured including 12 foreigners.

A division bench of Justice N.H. Patil and Justice S.B. Shukre overturned the Pune sessions court verdict of April 18, 2013 sentencing him to death.

"Aapko phaansi ki sazaa se bari kiya jata hai (your sentence of hanging has been remitted)," the bench said as an emotional Baig folded his hands in gratitude.

Baig, the sole Indian Mujahiddeen operative caught in the blast case, had appealed against the capital punishment.

"Baig has been totally absolved of all the major charges including conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder and other serious charges pertaining to the German Bakery blast," his lawyer A. Rehman told IANS shortly after the ruling.

"He has only been convicted under the Explosives Act and for forged documents and awarded a life sentence. This is only the first step for us. We will appeal against the Bombay High Court verdict before the Supreme Court soon. We are confident he will come clear from this too," he added.

Eminent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam said he would not be able to comment on the development without studying the high court order, but said all charges against Baig were proved in the Pune court.

On February 19, 2015, an attempt was made on Baig's life when he was lodged in Pune's Yerawada Central Jail, but he managed to survive.

In view of the threats to his life, he was shifted to the Nagpur Central Jail, through the efforts of various social activists led by Rafi Anjum Inamdar.

He was brought to Mumbai recently in connection with the ongoing trial and lodged in Arthur Road Central Jail, said Inamdar.

Baig, 35, hailing from Beed district of Maharashtra, ran the Global Internet Case in Udgir, adjoining Latur district.

He was reportedly trained in terror acts by Fayyaz Kagzi in Colombo in March 2008, and also trained in Bhatkal, Karnataka.
The Shiv Sena on Thursday attacked MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and said he should be "legally beheaded".

Taking umbrage at Owaisi's utterances in Latur last week that he would not say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' even if he was threatened with a knife, the Sena said: "Why should anybody do this? He should be legally beheaded."

In a vitriolic editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena also criticized Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for allowing Owaisi to move around freely and sneak out of Maharashtra despite making such statements.

"Legislators sitting on strike in Sindhudurg are beaten up by the police, but in the same state a person (Owaisi) making such seditious statement escapes scot free," the party said.

"The deplorable status of Muslims in India is primarily because of such thinking of persons like Owaisi. 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is an inspiration to the people of this country," the Sena said.

"Owaisi has insulted our Mother India. All the Muslims in the country should chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' to express their opposition to Owaisi's ill-conceived views. Those who refuse, their citizenship and voting rights must be cancelled," the party said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a West Bengal youth over suspected links with the Islamic State (IS) terror group, an official said on Thursday.

The 19-year-old, a student of a private engineering college in Burdwan district, was detained and questioned by the NIA in February.

The NIA in January busted a terror module, arresting several people from cities across the country "who were in the process of organising themselves to commit terrorist acts".

"He has been formally arrested and we are in the process of presenting him before a court and secure his custody," said an NIA officer.
Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal was sent to 14 days judicial custody by a Special Court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act here on Thursday.

He was arrested late on Monday by the Enforcement Directorate and sent to two days custody of the investigating agency, which is probing money laundering and other cases against him.

Shortly after the Special Court ruled, Bhujbal was sent to the Arthur Road Central Jail where his nephew Samir Bhujbal is also lodged since his arrest on February 1 in related cases.

Bhujbal had earlier pleaded innocence in the cases pertaining to the construction of Maharashtra Sadan, a government guesthouse in New Delhi and the Kalina (Mumbai) land grabbing cases.

In a major embarrassment to the Nationalist Congress Party to which he belongs, Bhujbal was interrogated by ED officials for nearly 11 hours on Monday and then placed under arrest for alleged corruption.

The ED action came after over a month after his nephew Samir Bhujbal was similarly summoned in February and arrested by the ED.

Later last month, ED questioned Pankaj Bhujbal, a legislator, and allowed him to go even as his father Chhagan Bhujbal cried foul. The NCP termed it "political vendetta".

The ED's probe follows a Bombay High Court ruling in January when it sought progress reports from the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau and the ED within four weeks on their investigation against the Bhujbals.

The ED had conducted searches twice at nine premises belonging to the Bhujbal trio and others and subsequently served attachment orders on three prime properties linked to the Bhujbal family members worth over Rs.280 crore in Mumbai.

Simultaneously, the State Anti-Corruption Bureau lodged a chargesheet against the three Bhujbals and 14 others in the Maharashtra Sadan case.
State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) plans to invest Rs.2,000 crore for the upgradation of its network, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Thursday.

"The company has plans to invest Rs.2,000 crore for the upgradation of its network which includes adding another 21,000 BTS (base transceiver stations). The addition would include 13,000 BTS which the telecom operator would use for its 3G services," he said.

According to the minister, investment plan is part of the government's initiative to modernize the public telecom operator so as to make it relevant in the competitive environment which telecom sector is facing now.

He dedicated 1000th Wi-Fi hot spot to the nation with the operationaliation of the facility at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a bid to tap new sources of revenue, the government also introduced a plan to deploy public Wi-Fi hotspots across the country covering all religious, tourist and important locations in the country. It proposes to set up 2,500 hotspots across India in the first phase of the plan.

A slew of initiatives which include free night calling from its fixed landline to any other service providers' network, free incoming calls while roaming and upgraded minimum speed of broadband from 512 kbps to 2mbps have been taken by the company to regain its financial health.

As a part of upgrading and expanding both mobile as well as fixed telephone network, approximately 660 telephone exchanges have already been upgraded to NGN (Next Generation Network) from PSTN (public switched telephone network) exchanges.

The minister also gave go ahead to the NGN technology designed and manufactured locally by centre for development of telematics.

Prasad also inaugurated several value added services (VAS) on NGN and a new innovative services called fixed mobile telephony (FMT) which enables customers to make and take calls while moving.
Haryana's Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar on Thursday asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to construct a canal to get water from the Nangal dam, saying the state can't provide water to the national capital as it has no other option left after Kejriwal opposed the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal project.

"Water is lying available in the Nangal dam for Haryana and Delhi, but we don't have any resource to supply it and you (Kejriwal) opposed our only resource SYL canal in Punjab for your political gains. By doing this, you in fact stood against the interest of the people of Delhi," Dhankar said in a letter to Kejriwal.

"Seeing your stand, Haryana will be unable to supply your share of water through its own canal as you have stood against the interests of the farmers and people of Haryana," he said.

He said Haryana provides 0.2 million acre-feet water to Delhi by its main line canal which reaches Delhi through the Narwana branch of the West Yamuna canal system.

"Due to this load, Haryana could not get 496 cusec water of its share. Other than this, Haryana also supplies 330 cusec water from the Yamuna canal to Delhi," Dhankar said.

The Delhi government, however, termed it an effort to draw public attention away from the real issue of Haryana.

"This letter has no value for us. It is just an attempt to divert the attention of the people of Haryana from their real issues," Delhi's Water Minister Kapil Mishra told IANS.

He also criticised the Haryana government for failing to control the law and order situation in the state.

"The law and order situation has completely collapsed in Haryana. They should focus on strengthening the situation," he added.
A CBI special court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against senior Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Rajeev Kumar over a plot allotment scam, an official said on Thursday.

Special Central Bureau of Investigation Judge G. Sridevi issued the warrant against Kumar for his role in the scam in Noida.

He was sentenced to three years on November 20, 2012.

Kumar, who was appointed secretary in the state, was indicted by special CBI judge S. Lal in 2012, along with former chief secretary Neera Yadav.

He had approached the Allahabad High Court against the order.

The court, however, dismissed his petition for relief after which the state government was forced to remove him from his post.

Yadav surrendered in the Ghaziabad court on March 14.

She is being held in the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad district.
The Congress on Thursday slammed the government on the issue of party vice president Rahul Gandhi's citizenship issue being referred to the Lok Sabha's Ethics Committee.

"They (government) have blindly referred the case of citizenship of Shri Rahul Gandhi to the Ethics Committee without any sense of judgement and without even making out a case," leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told media persons here.

"This absolutely demonstrates the hatred against the Congress leadership and against the opposition, as to how arbitrary they can act. If they think that by doing this they can damage the image of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, it is impossible," he added.

The Ethics Committee has served notice on Rahul Gandhi, asking if he had ever declared himself a British citizen.

"The ethics committee has served Rahul Gandhi a notice and will act on the matter only after a reply from the Congress member," BJP MP Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters here on March 14.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had alleged last year that Gandhi declared himself as a British national in the annual return of a company in Britain.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swamy alleged that Gandhi was a director in Backops Limited, which was incorporated in 2003 in Britain and dissolved in 2009.

Swamy alleged that Gandhi had "given his date of birth correctly but declared himself to be of British nationality with a UK address".

Following the controversy, BJP MP Maheish Girri had written to the Lok Sabha speaker on the issue and the matter was later referred to the Ethics Committee.
Connectivity among south Asian nations was the key to economic development of the region, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday.

Addressing the 37th session of the council of ministers of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) here, Sushma Swaraj said connectivity was central to development and economic, cultural and people-to-people contacts would flow naturally from connectivity, according to a tweet by external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup.

She said the south Asian nations must think innovatively and find solutions to harness their economic complementarities.

Observing that Saarc embodies the aspirations of the people of the region, she said south Asia was poised to take off as a region of vitality, creativity and economic growth.
The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday set aside the suspension of opposition YSR Congress Party legislator R. K. Roja from the Andhra Pradesh state legislative for one year.

Passing interim orders on Roja's petition challenging the assembly speaker's move, Justice Ramalingeswara Rao suspended the assembly resolution that had sought her suspension.

The actress-turned-politician, who represents Nagari constituency in Chittoor district, was suspended from the assembly during the winter session for one year for allegedly using "abusive" language against members of ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Legislative Affairs Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu had moved a resolution to this effect and Speaker K. Sivaprasad Rao had announced that the same is passed by a voice vote.

The aggrieved member had approached the Supreme Court, challenging her suspension. The apex court on Tuesday had directed High Court at Hyderabad for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,to immediately hear her petition.

The judge observed that prima facie the house does not have power to suspend a member under rule 340 of the assembly rules for one year, and the member can only be suspended for the session under this rule for disrupting the proceedings.

The court adjourned the final hearing of the case by four weeks.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to challenge the single judge's order before the division bench. It was decided to file an appeal through the legislature secretary to challenge the order. The government argues that as per the constitution, the courts can't overrule the decisions of the legislature.

Following the court order, Roja came to the assembly building. She met legislature secretary and handed over copy of the court order. Legislators of YSR Congress welcomed her when she reached the assembly.

Terming it as victory of truth, Roja said she would attend the assembly session from Friday and that the suspension had deprived her of the right to raise people's issues in the assembly.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. On the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan opposing forces on March 16 and early morning of March 17 the adversary fired more than 400 shots from various caliber weapons towards Armenian positions. As "Armenpress" was informed by the press service of the Nagorno Karabakh Ministry of Defense, the Defense Army mostly refrained from response actions and confidently continued to carry out their military duty.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday lashed out at the CPI-M, accusing it of taking the state back by decades and spreading negativity about her government now.

"Those who took the state back by decades are spreading hate, falsehoods and negativity now. Those who can't win by votes, indulge in slandering," she said at a meeting at Birpara of Alipurduar district.

"The new generation of youth in Bengal will take the state forward. Bengal is turning around," she said.

Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, attacked the central government for slashing funds for the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and plight of labourers.

"The centre stopped funds for ICDS scheme. We are now funding the scheme. We will keep running Anganwadi centres," Banerjee asserted.

Ahead of the crucial assembly polls, Banerjee had earlier announced her government's decision to take over engineering firm Jessop and tyre maker Dunlop India. Recently, two bills were passed in the state assembly for taking over the industrial units run by the Pawan Ruia Group.

"We took over Dunlop and Jessop factories because we care for the welfare for workers. We will not allow the innocent workers and labourers to suffer because of the central government," she said.
India will soon sign an agreement with Myanmar and Thailand to provide road connectivity in the region, following a similar agreement with three other nations, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.

"The IMT trilateral highway project will be signed among three countries -- India, Myanmar and Thailand. The agreement is ready. We will sign it within 15 days so that there will be seamless connectivity to all these countries," Gadkari told the India Today Conclave here.

"Connectivity between Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal to promote seamless movement of goods from border has been already signed," the minister said, referring to the agreement inked in June last year, as part of a larger plan to connect the Subcontinent with Asean members.

"Now, 25 places from India have a bus service to Bangladesh."

Dwelling on faster road network, Gadkari said work had started on eastern and western principal express highways. This apart, the Delhi-Panipat highway was being built at a cost of Rs.15,000 crore, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi setting a target of 400 days for completion.

He also said that the 90-km, 14-lane Delhi-Meerut Express Highway will be a first of kind in India.

Gadkari said the country's northeast region was also a top priority for his government and that Rs.1 lakh crore had been allocated for roads projects there. "Our target is to complete the project in the northeast by five years," he said.

"Our 'Bharatmala' project is also on track," the minister said, referring to the plan for a major initiative for the national highways to improve road connectivity along the coast, borders, least developed regions, religious places, tourist spots along with bridges and road widening.

Detailed project reports are already being prepared for 17,200 km of roads with 205 rail over- and under-passes and 1,500 major bridges along the national highways. In ports, modernisation plans are afoot, even as work is progressing fast on inland waterways, Gadkari said.
India's first early earthquake warning system was displayed here on Thursday by its Indo-German promoters, who said it could dispatch a message or warning of an impending earthquake, giving ample time to save precious lives and facilities.

The device - Early Earthquake Warning and Security System - has been installed at the Haryana mini-secretariat in Chandigarh two days back.

It had successfully worked in Chile, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Pakistan in the past, the promoters said.

"During the 2010 Chile earthquake, the system sent out warning 35 seconds before the secondary or the most destructive earthquake waves could reach a particular area. The time window depends upon the distance between the point of installation and origin of the earthquake. Sometimes its even 15 seconds; it seems low, but its enough to save many lives," Juergen Przybylak, managing director of Secty Electronics, the German company which made this device, told IANS.

The system costs Rs.30 lakh, and is currently installed in over 20 countries in vulnerable seismic zones.

Prior to its installation in Chandigarh, the machine was successfully tested at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Structural Engineering Research Centre (CSIR-SERC) lab in Chennai, said Prof Chandan Ghosh, head of the National Institute of Disaster Management (Geo Hazards Division).

"Delhi, National Capital Region and most parts of north India fall under seismic zone-4 and Srinagar in seismic zone-5. The challenge is to see if the set-up in the seismic zones are able to take earthquakes of the future," said Ghosh.

"We have apprised the ministry of earth science and the National Disaster Management Authority about the successful test at the CSIR-SERC and installation at Chandigarh for necessary action," said Bijender Goel, the Indian partner of the German manufacturers.

He said they had requested the government to make the system's import duty-free, till it can be manufactured under the 'Make in India' programme.
Pakistan said on Thursday that efforts are on for direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to achieve peace and stability in the region.

The statement came two weeks after the Taliban refused to join the peace negotiations. Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan, the second largest resistance group has, however, announced it will take part in the talks.

The quadrilateral group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US invited the Taliban and other armed groups to join the talks by the first week of March. Pakistan offered to host the talks.

"Efforts by the QCG (Quadrilateral Coordination Group) countries are continuing for holding the talks between Afghan government and the Taliban," Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakria said.

"It is a shared responsibility of all the four countries which are part of the QCG. At this stage I can only say that efforts are on and all the four countries are making their own efforts in their own domains to bring the Taliban groups as well as other groups to the negotiation table for direct talks between Afghan government and the groups invited for the talks," Zakria said at his weekly briefing.

The spokesman said Pakistan believes that an inclusive Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process is indispensable for peace and stability in the region.
A spoon-billed sandpiper was spotted in south China's Hainan province this week, the third time the endangered bird has been seen on the tropical island.

Luo Lixiang with the Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park photographed the sandpiper on Wednesday while he was patrolling the park. He did not notice the rare bird till he checked the photos later at night, Xinhua reported.

Spoon-billed sandpipers are listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

There are fewer than 200 spoon-billed sandpipers living in the wild due to environmental degradation, according to Lu Gang, an expert with Kadoorie Conservation China.

"Spoon-billed sandpipers migrate to wetlands in southeast Asia every spring and autumn, and during the course they make stops in China's Jiangsu, Hainan and Guangdong provinces," Lu said.

In 2009, English birdwatcher Paul I. Holt and his assistant found a spoon-billed sandpiper in Hainan's Haikou city, the first time it was spotted on the island.

Another spoon-billed sandpiper was spotted in Hainan two years later.
The government's Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) will help save up to $6.5 billion annually through energy efficiency and also help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 million tonnes, Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.

"Energy efficiency has been a serious priority of this government. In fact, it has more potential than any other programme. The LED programme can lead to $6.5 billion savings and reduction of 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission per year," Goyal said at the annual India Today Conclave here.

Under the DELP initiated last year, the government has provided over 7.9 crore light emitting diode (LED) bulbs to families through distribution companies at monthly instalment payments of Rs.10 per each bulb. The discoms charge the EMI to consumers' regular electricity bills.

The power minister also outlined the benefits of the central government's Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (Uday) scheme for restructuring the accumulated debt of states' discoms that has reached a staggering nearly Rs.4.4 lakh crore. Nine states till date, including Jammu and Kashmir, have signed the MoU to join the Uday scheme.

"I am confident that by 2019 every state discom will make profits," he said.

Also on Thursday, Goyal launched a web portal here to facilitate distribution of coal by state mominated agencies (SNA) to small and medium (SME) sector consumers.

The web portal, with facility of online registration, would provide small and medium consumers access to information about availability, booking and distribution of coal, the coal ministry said in a statement here.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday declined specific comment if his government considered industrialist Vijay Mallya an absconder but sought to assure that every penny that is due from him to state-run banks will be recovered.

Answering a specific question at the India Today Conclave on Mallya, who is said to owe Rs.9,000 crore to 17 banks, most of them in the state sector, the finance minister said every agency in India, be it for enforcement or investigation, was on the job regarding the case.

"The facts are very clear: Every government agency will take strong action against him. Banks will go all out to recover every single penny," he said about Mallya who left the country earlier this month amid charges of wilful default on bank loans worth thousands of crores.

The finance minister said the bank loan defaulters who had "misconducted themselves", without providing "adequate sureties" are a source of worry "because there are moral and ethical issues without legal liability"

"The kind of example (Mallya) has brought a huge bad name to both to India's banking as also to India's private sector. It's dangerous for the future if we are not able to remedy this," he said.

He also said the immediate job of the government was to strengthen the public sector banks.

"So I am trying to recapitalise banks," he said.

Even as Jaitley was speaking, a consortium led by the State Bank of India was preparing for the auction of Mallya's Kingfisher House at Jogeshwari in Mumbai, in a bid to recover a part of the the nearly Rs.7,000 crore debt due from the now grounded Kingfisher Airlines alone.
At least five militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency on Thursday, an army statement said.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of the Pakistani army, said in the statement that the militants attacked a check-post of the security forces in Daroodrab area of Khyber Agency, a semi-autonomous tribal area along Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The troops gave a befitting response and killed five militants in the retaliatory attack, the statement said adding that no casualty was reported among the troops.

The identity of the killed militants was not revealed yet but outlawed groups Lashkar-e-Islam and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were found involved in such attacks on security forces in the past.

The attack happened at a time when the forces are launching an armed offensive "Operation Zarb-e-Azb" in the neighbouring tribal area of North Waziristan to eradicate militancy from the region.

The operation has broken the backbone of the militants, according to the ISPR, but they still carry out sporadic attacks on forces and general public whenever chance arises for them.
Meir Dagan, a former head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, died on Thursday morning at the age of 71, the government said.

Dagan was the 10th serving director of the Mossad, between 2002 and 2011, who had suffered from health issues in recent years and undergone a liver transplant in 2012.

Mossad described Dagan as a distinguished member of the Israeli establishment community revered by many both at home and abroad.

Dagan became a staunch critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, specifically over the issue of Iran.

According to international media reports, during Dagan's tenure as Mossad chief, the spy agency carried out assassinations abroad of top Hamas and Hezbollah operatives.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted, to a life term, the death sentence to Mirza Himayat Baig after his conviction for the February 13, 2010 Pune German Bakery blast which killed 17 people, including foreigners, his lawyer said.

"Baig has been totally absolved of all charges including conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder and other serious charges pertaining to the German Bakery blast," said his lawyer Abdul Rehman.

"He has only been convicted under the Explosives Act and given a life sentence. This is the first step only - we plan to appeal this and we are confident he will come clear from this too," he added.

Around 7 p.m. on the day, a powerful blast ripped through the popular eatery near the Osho Ashram in the fashionable Koregaon Park area and much frequented by the young crowd.

Among the 17 killed were an Italian woman, an Iranian and two Sudanese students.

Another 60 patrons were injured in the blast, including 12 foreigners while the eatery subsequently reopened briefly and shut down.

A Pune sessions court had in April 18, 2013 awarded the death penalty to the sole accused, Indian Mujahiddeen operative Baig, against which he had appealed before the Bombay High Court.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. On the last day of his official visit to the Republic of Cyprus, March 16, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with Archbishop of All Cyprus Chrysostomos II. As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office, the President of Armenia attached great importance to inter-religious solidarity and respect towards each others belief, which, in the assessment of Serzh Sargsyan, is the one of the cornerstones of Armenian-Cypriot firm friendship.

Stating that the reciprocal respect established between the Armenian and Cypriot peoples is also conditioned by the devotion and respect towards common universal values, President Sargsyan mentioned that the Church has been the guardian of those values for centuries, and during a period of the Armenian history, when Armenia was deprived of statehood, the Armenian Church, in some sense, played the role of a state. The President expressed conviction that in our days the issue of reinforcing religious values has a special importance, considering the fact that the process of globalization is full of not only positive consequences, but also negative ones, withstanding which is an imperative particularly for small states from the perspective of preserving national identity, cultural and spiritual values.

At the meeting President Serzh Sargsyan thanked the authorities of Cyprus, the Church, the friendly people of Cyprus for their careful attitude towards the Armenian people and particularly those living in Cyprus.

Archbishop of All Cyprus Chrysostomos II documented with satisfaction that historical cordial relations are established with Armenians. According to him, the Church of Cyprus is in excellent terms with the entire Christian world, including the Armenian Church, and those relations foster the reinforcement of inter-state ties. The Archbishop expressed conviction that better days are ahead of the friendly peoples of Armenia and Cyprus, and wished peace and welfare to Armenia and its people.

In the sidelines of the visit to Cyprus, President Serzh Sargsyan also visited Narek school in Nicosia on March 16, familiarized himself with the conditions and programs of that educational institution, and watched the cultural performance by the pupils of the school prepared on the occasion of the Presidents visit. The President put a wreath on the memorial located in the backyard of the school and St. Mary Church dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and later held a meeting with the representatives of the Armenian community in Cyprus.








The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted to life term the death sentence awarded to Himayat Baig, convicted for the February 13, 2010 Pune German Bakery blast in which 17 people, including foreigners, were killed.

A Pune Sessions Court had in April 18, 2013 awarded the death penalty to Indian Mujahideen operative Baig, against which he had appealed in the Bombay High Court.
Germany on Thursday closed its consulate general and a high school in Istanbul following security threats.

The privately run German High School will be closed on Thursday, for a day, the school said in a statement. Both the consulate and the school are located around Taksim Square, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkey has remained on high alert following a suicide car bomb attack in Ankara on Sunday which killed 37 people. In January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack in Istanbul.
Goa legislators, irrespective of party affiliation, have backed Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar's proposal to make feni, a popular local alcoholic drink distilled from cashew juice, the state heritage drink.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, a day after Parsekar outlined his plan, PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar said feni was good for health and its status as a state heritage drink was an "excellent idea".

"Liquor is separate, feni is separate. Feni is available only in Goa, the way cashew nuts were available in Goa, but are now a fad all over India. People take feni for good health also. Usually this drink is available in this monsoon, but it is very popular all over the world," Dhavalikar said.

Cashew feni is distilled from fermented juice extracted from the cashew apple and is a popular alcoholic beverage in Goa. A similar process is also used to distill coconut feni from palm toddy.

The opposition Congress, too, congratulated Parsekar for bestowing the state heritage drink status upon feni.

"It is a good decision. Goa is known for its feni and it is unique to the state," said Congress MLA from Cumbharjua Pandurang Madkaikar.

Parsekar also said that feni was not just an alcoholic drink but also has medicinal value.

"Feni is not just a liquor, not just a spirit, not just an alcohol... it has medicinal value also. It needs to have special status and our government, after thinking about it, has declared it as a state heritage drink," he said.
The Congress on Thursday hit out at the government for "not allowing" party leaders to speak on the Ishrat Jahan case during the budget session of parliament.

"The Ishrat Jahan case was allowed for discussion during the parliament proceedings but it was arbitrary that only the BJP and their supporters were allowed. Congress leaders and Congress speakers were not allowed to speak on that," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told mediapersons here.

"It is only to subvert the criminal case pending before the CBI court as against a number of Officers and others in Gujarat and it is clear as to how discussion can take place when the chargesheet is pending," he added.

"The judicial magistrate also found that this was a fake encounter and couldn't say whether they were connected with the terrorists or not. The SIT clearly found, after taking evidence and taking confessional statement that it was a fake encounter. That is the position they wanted to disturb."

"The matter even went to the high court and Supreme Court. Everybody upheld that it was a fake encounter. One-sided discussion has taken place. This was a black day for the Lok Sabha," he added.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday ordered an 'internal inquiry' to probe how files concerning the affidavits filed in the Ishrat Jahan case have gone missing.

Former home secretary G.K. Pillai had also claimed that there was "political interference" in the case which led to the deletion of reference to Lashkar-e-Taiba from the revised affidavit filed in 2009.

On March 10, the home minister had told the Lok Sabha that "two letters from the then home secretary to the attorney general in 2009 have gone missing. The then attorney general had vetted two affidavits regarding the case. Those are also not available".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and home ministry officials had alleged recently that the UPA government did a flip flop over the controversial 2004 shootout in which Ishrat, then a student of a Mumbai college and allegedly a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative, was killed.
Airlines in India will need 1,740 new airplanes valued at $240 billion over the next 20 years, leading aircraft-maker Boeing has said.

According to Boeing's latest forecast, 1,460 or 84 percent of these aircraft will be single-aisle while wide-body aircraft will account for 15 percent.

Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president, Asia Pacific and India Sales, Boeing Commercial Planes, told reporters at India Aviation 2016 here on Thursday that Boeing is developing new fuel efficient airplanes to address the needs of its customers such as those in India.

He said that while India domestic passenger traffic is at highest levels over past five years, fuel prices and the exchange rate continue to drive the airline operating costs and profitability.

Keskar believes lower fuel prices and increased load factors are driving industry recovery and the Indian domestic market is returning to profits. He, however, said exchange rate remained a worry with the rupee declining steadily since mid 2014.

"Increased traffic, reduction in operating costs, and fare discipline will drive India aviation profitability," said Keskar while pointing out that India domestic passenger traffic is at the highest levels.

More than 80 million domestic passengers flew by air in 2015 against 66.4 million in 2014. The recovery in domestic passenger traffic started with 2014. Domestic passengers increased by 21 percent in 2015.

Keskar said it was not just good growth but profitable growth. He, however, called for increased fare discipline to ensure that the industry continues to grow with profitability.

Stating that lower fuel prices and increased load factors are driving the recovery of industry, he said there was 39 percent reduction in break even fare over last three years.

According to him, a relatively stable rupee with decreasing fuel prices reduces break-even fares.

He noted that while fuel prices have decreased 53 percent from October 2013 peak, Indian carriers still pay over 50 percent more for fuel than the US carriers.

He said fuel as a percentage of operating cost came down from 49 percent in January 2013 to 23 percent in February 2016.

"Fares have decreased with fuel cost but at a slightly slower rate," he added

Keskar also noted that landing and navigation fees are growing as proportion of operating cost. The landing fee in India is lower than that in Europe but higher when compared with the North America and the Latin America.

Stating that Boeing met its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) commitment in India, he said the state-of-the-art facility built in Nagpur has been handed over to India.

The MRO has the capacity of two A777 size wide body aircraft and six 737 size narrow body aircraft.
India and Pakistan are vying to host the Saarc Environment and Disaster Management Centre, a new body to look into the environment- and disaster-related issues in the region.

During the ongoing 37th Saarc Ministerial Meeting underway in Pokhara, some 200 km west of Kathmandu, the two countries have laid their respective claims to host the headquarters of the proposed body.

Sources said the matter figured during a brief meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, foreign relations adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, on Thursday morning during a breakfast meeting hosted by Nepal Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa.

Climate change, degradation of environment and recurring natural disasters have taken a toll in the region and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) member-states are less prepared to combat these menaces.

With this realisation, the member-states have agreed to set up the centre to meet the environmental challenges in a professional way.

Other interested member-states have dropped their claims to host the regional body, said two diplomats familiar with the development.

The member-states had agreed to merge the Saarc Disaster Management Centre, Saarc Forest Management Centre, Coastal Area Management Centre and Environment Centre into the proposed body.

As the issue could not make a headway at different levels, it has finally landed at the ministerial-level meeting.

India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh have expressed the desire to host the headquarters of the proposed body but during several rounds of negotiations, Bhutan and Bangladesh opted out of the race, leaving India and Pakistan in the field.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
As delectable as pork momos are, inadequately cooked meat filling could be the reason you catch tapeworm infection of the brain, warn Indian scientists, who have taken science to kitchens by suggesting simple steps to improve the quality of northeast India's traditional and much-loved product.

Momos -- steamed or fried folded dough pressed around fillings of meat, condiments and vegetables -- are ubiquitous in northeastern states and among the top pig-out foods in Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttarakhand.

"Whether they are served at local roadside stalls, dining places or high-end restaurants, they are one of the most famous delicacies for the public.

"But if the pork meat is not properly cooked through, it could heighten risk of occurrence of neuro-cysticercosis caused by pork tapeworm cysts (larvae)," R. Thomas, scientist at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Pig, Guwahati, Assam, told IANS.

Thomas said while Indian Council of Medical Research data suggests the incidence of neurocysticercosis had alarmingly shot up in the recent past, no uniformity exists in the manner in which pork momos are cooked across the region. In developing countries, neurocysticercosis is the most common parasitic disease of the nervous system and is the main cause of acquired epilepsy.

"Many of the momos are homemade and recipes have been carried down through generations. But the mushrooming of fast food stalls along roadsides with no or minimal cooking facilities are attributed to the spike in neurocysticercosis," he said.

So to rustle up a standard processing technique, a one-of-a-kind study was carried out by Thomas and colleagues S. Naskar, N. H. Mohan and D.K. Sarma across 100 fast food outlets (mostly un-authorised ones) in both rural and urban localities of Assam's Kamrup district.

"In rural areas, we found the cooking was okay. Ideally, you should hold the temperature of the meat at 70 degrees centigrade for some time to ensure the cysts are inactivated. Also, the meat should be cooked before stuffing but in the fast food joints we observed, the meat stuffing is cooked together with the dough cover.

"While the dough is cooked in a few minutes, the meat remains undercooked," explained Thomas.

The study published in January in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge notes: "In 68 percent of the outlets, the core temperature of the meat pieces present in the momos was below 60 degrees centigrade even after cooking."

Based on the analysis, the researchers recommend two standardised techniques perfected at the institute's pork processing unit.

"The first process proposes cutting the meat into small pieces and pressure cooking it for 25 to 30 minutes. The other method suggests mincing the meat and shallow pan frying it (keema) for 10 to 12 minutes. In both the cases, the core meat temperature reached above 70 degrees centigrade which is recommended for destroying the causative agent, the cyst," added Thomas.

While the trick to hygienic momos lie in temperature control, the scientists also hope food stall owners and consumers become more aware about food safety standards.

(Sahana Ghosh can be contacted at sahana.g@ians.in)
The proposed Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code will make it easier for new entrepreneurs to begin or exit from start-up businesses, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.

"Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which is being planned, is going to make it easy to start up as much as to get out of start-ups because if you are not doing well, there shouldn't be a taboo, there should not be a hitch. They should be able to get out faster," she said at the India Today Conclave here.

Noting the government has recently announced a Start-up Action Plan that includes tax holidays, Sitharaman said: "India is the third largest start-up country, only after the US and the UK, thanks to the entrepreneurial skills of Indian youngsters."

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill, designed to provide an easy exit option for insolvent and sick companies, has been referred to a joint committee of parliament.

The bankruptcy code proposes a time-bound framework - 180 days, extendable by another 90 days - to resolve insolvency cases, which, currently in the country, take an average of more than four years to resolve.

Answering questions at the conclave earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that besides the Goods and Services Tax Bill, the insolvency law was among the last major pieces of reform legislation that remain to be enacted, although he did not visualise any political roadblocks in its passage through parliament.

Sitharaman also said the Niti Aayog will be setting up 70 incubation centres all over the country, which would be ranked in innovations, and the top 10 incubators would get a Rs.10 crore incentive award.

In this connection, she also said that with "jugaad", or frugal innovation, which the country is known for, Indian youngsters have now brought technology and skills to where these could not reach earlier.

"As a result, today jugaad is the innovation that the government is also recognising," she said.
At least 800 women from Iraq, Jordan and Syria were forced to join the Islamic State terrorist group recently, a US based Iranian journalist Azabeh Moaveni said at the India Today conclave here on Thursday.

"All these women had to join the terrorists as they had no other choice," Moaveni said claiming she talked to six of these fighters in Syria.

"IS have reintroduced the concept of sex slavery and they have been justifying it under the name of Islam," Moaveni said.

"This was the first Jihad where you can have female companion that maybe the reason why many people from Europe ended up joining IS. Later they realized that it gave no autonomy to the women," she said.

She said many of IS's top leaders are of British origin. Azabeh Moaveni covered the Middle East for Times magazine.

Counter-terrorism expert Daniel Benjamin said "they use women as temporary comfort for their fighters," adding that fear remains the most effective weapon of the IS to control its people."

"Other militia groups who don't impose barbarism are being endured by the people in Syria and other affected countries these days as it has evolved as another reason of worry for the global security establishment," he added.

A freelance photographer from Denmark Daniel Rye Ottosen who escaped from IS captivity after paying a ransom said, "The world has become a difficult place to live in as there (was) no space for freedom of expression."

"People who are joining IS from these countries believe that is Islamophobic and it is lying to them."
Japan reported a trade surplus of 242.8 billion yen ($2.2 billion), marking its biggest trade surplus since September 2011, the government announced Thursday.

The surplus compares with a deficit of 426 billion yen ($3 billion) in February 2015 and a deficit of 648.7 billion yen ($5.75 billion) in January 2016, EFE news reported.

Japan's exports in February fell 4 percent from a year earlier to 5.7 trillion yen ($50 billion) while imports dropped 14.2 percent to 5.46 trillion yen ($48 billion), according to data released by the finance ministry.

The closures of most nuclear power plants following the Fukushima accident in 2011 have pushed Japan from surpluses into deficits since the imports of oil and gas to generate electricity in power plants has put a heavy burden on the Japanese trade balance.

Japan's deficit with China, its biggest commercial partner, fell by 50.5 percent, to 382.4 billion yen ($3 billion).

With the world's largest economy and its second biggest trading partner, the US, Japan posted a trade surplus of 604 billion yen ($5 billion), up 4.3 percent from year-on-year.

As for trade with the European Union, Japan recorded a deficit of 33 billion yen (2$296 million).
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to fly to Moscow for talks on March 22, a diplomatic source informed. Armenpress reports, citing TASS.

Taking into account the time difference, the top US diplomat will meet with the Russian leadership on March 23. The source gave no details on the possible date of Kerrys departure from Moscow.

Kerry told reporters on March 15 that he will go to Moscow next week "to discuss how we can effectively move the political process forward and try to take advantage of this moment."

He said the cessation of hostilities brokered by Russia and the United States is largely holding and now Syria has the best opportunity in years to put an end to the conflict by resolving it at the negotiating table. "We have reached a very important phase in this process," Kerry stressed.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kerry held a telephone conversation on March 16 at the initiative of the US side. Russias Foreign Ministry said "following a request of the US Secretary of State, an agreement has been reached that John Kerry will make a working visit to Moscow next week to continue negotiations on pressing issues on the Russian-US agenda."
The indefinite hunger strike by members of the Jat community to demand a judicial probe into violence during the quota stir in Haryana continued for the fourth day here on Thursday.

The protesters alleged that violence in Haryana was a "government conspiracy" to defame the entire community.

"It has become a matter of self-respect for us. Our community has been blamed across the country for the looting of shops and rape of women in the garb of the reservation movement. There should be a judicial probe to find out the real culprits," Vishwa Jat Chetan Manch president Omveer Singh told IANS.

Singh accused the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana of turning the "peaceful movement" violent.

"Jats were sitting on a peaceful agitation but the BJP-led government in the state as well as the Centre intentionally used force to make it look like violent movement. The police arrested innocent youths from our community and framed them in false cases. We will travel from village to village and expose the Bharatiya Janata Party," the Jat leader said.

"We will not let the government sleep in peace if our demands are not fulfilled," he said while reiterating the demand for reservation in government jobs.

As many as 30 people died in the violence during the Jat quota stir in Haryana.

Meanwhile, the 72-hour deadline set by the Jats for the passage of the reservation bill, that envisages 10 percent quota for the Jats along with four other communities under the special Other Backward Class category, in the Haryana assembly ended on Thursday.

The community members had threatened to resume their agitation if the bill was not passed.

As a precautionary measure, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas of Rohtak and Jhajjar.
A 34-year-old junior resident doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences was found dead in his hostel room here on Thursday, hospital authorities said.

According to the officials, Kunal Gupta was pursuing his post graduation in AIIMS medicine department and was staying in the junior resident hostel in Masjid Moth area near the hospital.

"We have come to know that the deceased was addictive to alcohol and had not had food for the last three days. His body was found today (Thursday) around 11 a.m in his room which was bolted from inside before the doors were broken," said a senior official of the hospital.

He said that no injury mark was found on the body of the deceased, who belongs to Hajipur in Bihar.

Earlier in 2014, a 20-year-old nursing student at AIIMS, depressed over her relations with her hostel superintendent and other members of the staff, committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her room.
A junior resident doctor working with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was found dead in his hostel room here on Thursday, hospital authorities said.

The doctor was pursuing his post-graduation in AIIMS' medicine department and was staying in junior resident hostel in Masjid Moth area near the hospital, they said.

"We received the information about the incident around 11 a.m. today (Thursday) that a junior resident doctor who was also pursuing his post-graduation in medicine has been found dead," a senior official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"To know the exact cause of his death his body has been sent to the forensic department for post-mortem," he said.

He did not identify the deceased by name nor give any other information on the subject pending the post mortem examination.

Earlier in 2014, a 20-year-old nursing student at AIIMS here, depressed over her relations with her hostel superintendent and other members of the staff, committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan of her room.
A son of a Dubai-based businessman was arrested on Thursday from neighbouring Rajasthan on the charge of killing three persons with his sport utility vehicle in Kutch district.

Pankil Mohatta (25) was apprehended from Abu Road early Thursday morning when he arrived at his relative's house, police said.

"We had alerted the police in Palanpur, Ahmedabad and Abu Road where his relatives live as we thought he might visit them," said Kutch (East) Superintendent of Police G.V. Barot.

The accused's blood sample was sent for analysis to ascertain if he was driving under the influence of liquor or drug on Monday night when his SUV rammed a group of people, killing three and injuring two others.

The incident took place near the IFFCO Colony gate on the Gandhidham-Kandla Road after which Pankil fled from the spot.

"Pankil was behind the driving wheel when the accident took place," Barot said.

His father, Sunil Mohatta, is into the export-import business and resides in Dubai, while Pankil stays with his grandparents in Gandhidham, around 250 km from here, police said.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the state government's action in ordering a probe into alleged land scam in the state was "politically motivated".

Hooda has been summoned by the Justice S.N. Dhingra Commission of Inquiry, which was set up in 2015 to probe the grant of commercial licences to a number of private companies, including Skylight Hospitality of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and DLF.

Hooda has been accused of extending favours to Vadra and has been asked to appear before the commission by March 23.

Reacting to the summons, Hooda lashed out at the BJP government in the state, saying it would not achieve anything.

"Obviously, there can be no second opinion on this," Hooda told reporters when asked to comment whether the summons were politically motivated.

"Otherwise, why should there be a commission for one or two villages. Everyone knows who is their target, but they will not achieve anything," the senior Congress leader said.

On February 10, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said in Chennai that the one-man commission inquiring into the controversial land deals was likely to submit its report before June.

"The commission is looking into the matter. It is supposed to give its report in June. It seems the commission will give its report before June," Khattar had told IANS.
Maoist guerrillas on Thursday shot dead four labourers constructing a road in Jharkhand's Gumla district, police said.

Some 20 Maoists raided a road construction company at Basia, 145 km from Ranchi, around 2 a.m. and opened indiscriminate fire, killing the four, a police officer said.

In Jharkhand, Maoists demand levy from contractors involved in road construction work.
Myanmar's president-elect U Htin Kyaw on Thursday submitted to the a proposal plan of forming the new government to the Union Parliament, as part of the process in preparation for taking office.

U Htin Kyaw's proposal plan was forwarded two days after he was elected by the parliament as president of Myanmar for the next five years, Xinhua news agency reported.

The new government will be sworn-in on March 30 and will assume office from April 1.

U Htin Kyaw has proposed the formation of 21 ministries with 18 ministers to be appointed and the proposal will be discussed by parliament on Friday.

The listed ministries are those of foreign affairs, agriculture, transport, culture and religion, natural resources and environment conservation, electric power and energy, labour and immigration, national planning and finance, industry, health, education, construction, social welfare, relief and resettlement, hotels and tourist, commerce, information, ethnic affairs, president's office, defence, home affairs and border affairs.
Pakistan, the incoming chair of Saarc, has proposed the name of Pakistani diplomat Amjad Hussain B. Sial as the next Saarc secretary general, officials said on Thursday.

The name was proposed during the ongoing 37th Saarc Ministerial Meeting in Pokhara, and circulated for endorsement from the member-states and a ratification is expected from the ministerial meeting on Thursday.

Sial, a career diplomat at the Pakistan Foreign Service, has been an ambassador to various countries. He will replace incumbent Arjun Bahadur Thapa of Nepal who will retire in March 2017.

Sial had served in the Saarc Secretariat in Kathmandu as director from 2003 to 2006.

Pakistan is also hosting the 19th Saarc Summit this year. The date and venue are, however, yet to be announced.

The Saarc secretary general is usually picked according to the English alphabetic order among the member states. Their tenure is three years.

A standing committee meeting at the foreign secretary-level on Wednesday decided to host the Saarc Summit in November after every two years.

Nepal's Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi said that in 32 years of its history, Saarc could host only 18 summits.

India also got the approval of Nepal for a satellite for Saarc during the meeting. This was already approved by Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The Saarc satellite will be used for meteorological purposes as well as communication.

India and Pakistan also gave the nod to Nepal's proposal on sharing its experience and expertise on community forestry management.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
A 19-year-old engineering student hailing from West Bengal was arrested by the NIA in Delhi for acting as a facilitator for the Islamic State (IS) terror group, an official said on Thursday.

"Ashik Ahammed alias Raja, a resident of Dhaniakhali, in Hooghly district was arrested in Delhi in a case relating to terrorist conspiracy. He was engaged as a facilitator to some of the key members of the IS-affiliated terror module, who wanted to recruit and radicalise youths in West Bengal," said an officer of the National Investigation Agency.

Ahammed, who is pursuing a diploma course in mechanical engineering from a private college in Durgapur of Burdwan district, was in February detained by the NIA and interrogated at length.

The NIA in January busted a terror module, arresting several people from cities across the country "who were in the process of organising themselves to commit terrorist acts". During the interrogation of the accused Ahammed's name cropped up.

Ahammed was presented before the NIA Special Court in Delhi on the day which sent him to police custody for five days.
With her favoured candidate Marco Rubio dropping out of the presidential race, South Carolina's Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley is now hoping for "solid and strong" Ted Cruz to stop Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

"My hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can pull through this and that he can push through and really get to where he needs to go," she told reporters in Columbia, the state capital.

"Because we do want a strong leader, we do want somebody that's conservative, we do want somebody that's action-minded. So we'll see what happens."

Haley said her prayers fall short of formally endorsing Cruz but would like to see the Texas senator succeed.

She suggested Cruz's path to nomination lies with his disciplined and concerted campaign, but she doesn't think Ohio Governor John Kasich has much of a chance.

After wins in Republican primaries in four states on Tuesday, Trump's delegate-count has risen to 673 as against Cruz's 411 and Kasich's 143. Trump would need 1,237 delegates to capture the Republican prize.

The rising Republican star who is often mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick was chosen by Republican Congressional leaders to give the party's response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in January.

Haley had endorsed Rubio last month. The Florida senator pulled out of the race after Trump routed him in his own home state.

"I don't know that I need to formally endorse," she said. "If anybody asks me, that's what I want to see happen."

However, she said she will put her weight behind the Republican nominee even if it's Republican front-runner Trump.

Haley and Trump have been at loggerheads over the tactics employed by the latter on the campaign trail, sparring most publicly over Trump's stance on banning Muslim immigrants.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker does not expect Turkey to become a member of the European Union in the next 10 years.

Turkeys EU membership talks began in 2005. The European Union and Turkey have provisionally agreed to speed up membership and visa liberalization negotiations in exchange for Ankara helping Europe in tackling the current migrant crisis.

"Turkey is currently not ready for accession," Armenpress reports, citing Sputnik, Juncker told the German Handelsblatt newspaper on Wednesday, adding "I think that wont be the case in 10 years either."



The European Council will hold a two-day meeting starting on Thursday, where an agreement is expected to be reached on an EU-Turkey action plan that envisions a one-for-one exchange of undocumented migrants for approved refugees.



"In the coming days, we will conclude a binding agreement with Turkey, which we had already prepared during the last summit," Juncker told Handelsblatt, saying he was "cautiously optimistic" about the deal.

Earlier in March, Ankara pledged to take back all undocumented migrants that had arrived to the European Union from Turkey and send in their place documented Syrian refugees on a one-for-one basis in exchange for a total of six billion euros ($6.6 billion), the acceleration of visa liberalization negotiations and EU accession talks.
The government hopes biennial elections in Rajya Sabha will give it enough seats in the upper house of parliament to pass the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday.

"Numbers are going to significantly change in the Rajya Sabha with the biennial elections. Every political party in parliament, barring one, has told me it will support GST," Jaitley said, fielding questions at the annual India Today Conclave in New Delhi.

The Bill has been approved by the Lok Sabha and is currently stalled in the upper house, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks a majority.

Referring to the Congress party, that is opposing the bill in its current form, Jaitley said the party has an "issue on constitutional capping" of tariffs.

"Our tariffs are not decided by constitutional caps," the finance minister said, adding that such a move would limit the scope of making future changes.

"Today state governments tell me they are all in favour of . Even Karnataka, which has a Congress government, wants the GST," he added.
The Pakistani government has allowed former President Pervez Musharraf to travel abroad for medical treatment, the country's Interior Minister said here on Thursday.

The decision came a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered removal of a travel ban on Pervez Musharraf, enabling him to go out of the country.

"We have decided to permit Pervez Musharraf go out of the country for medical treatment in line with the court's verdict," Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said at a news conference in Islamabad.

Khan said Musharraf will return to the country within six weeks.

Reports earlier suggested that Musharraf planned to depart for the United Arab Emirates late Wednesday. However, he could not leave the country as his name was on the list of those who cannot leave the country without government permission.

"We have removed Musharraf's name from the Exit Control List," the minister said.

The federal government had earlier banned Musharraf, who quit as president in 2008, from leaving the country as he faces several cases including high treason and the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

A special court, hearing the treason case against Musharraf for abrogating the constitution, had summoned him to personally appear on March 31, but it is unclear if he will return for appearance. The former president has been formally charged in the case.

Musharraf was also charged in the murder case of former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Musharraf has been formally indicted in the case.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court ended a travel ban on the former president after his lawyers told the court that their client suffers from "back pain" and the treatment is not available in Pakistan.
Even as the post-retirement stand taken by former bureaucrats in the Ishrat Jahan case has re-exposed the chink in the politicians-babus nexus, a new book by Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra says "politicisation of public services" has left a negative impact.

"The politicisation of public services, with money and muscle power playing an increasing role, has negated the scope of orderly functioning," says the book 'Safeguarding India - Essays on Governance and Security' by Vohra, also a former union home secretary.

"To remain in power at any cost, the political executives consciously select pliable officers," says Vohra, who in 1993 authored the famous Vohra (Committee) Report on the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats in India.

"Over the years, governance through known policies, systems, rules and procedures has been vitiated by political interference and all kinds of extra-constitutional pulls and pressure," says the book (published by Harper Collins Publishers).

Serving officials, on the condition of anonymity, agree to most of what Vohra says with a few stating that mostly the political class and hidden ambitions of the babus are to be blamed for the loss of credibility of Indian steel frame.

"The latest instances suggest politicians of all hues believe in using and abusing the bureaucracy," said an office-bearer of IAS Association in poll-bound West Bengal.

"The instances of former Delhi police commissioner B S Bassi playing into political tune or former top babus like G.K Pillai coming forward turning the tables on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's known detractor P Chidambaram vis-a-vis Ishrat Jahan case is a point in case," he says.

The political class seems to agree about the rot.

"If G K Pillai had an issue with the affidavit on Ishrat case, he should have complained then. I did not expect this from a senior officer," K C Tyagi, member of parliament of Janata Dal (United), told IANS.

In 2011, a bizarre episode reflecting muscle-flexing by bureaucracy had come to light when a parliamentary panel probing the 2G scam found that former Telecom Secretary A. V. Gokak had "overruled" then Prime Minister I K Gujral in 1997 and referred the study on licensee fees to other fora instead of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) as directed by the then prime minister.

"This was a major lacuna. This should not have happened. Prime Minister is the highest authority and any order from him should have been implemented in letter and spirit," then Joint Parliamentary Committee chairman P C Chako had said.

But complexities in Neta-Babu relations is nothing new as there have been several such instances of bonhomie and at times political arm twisting as well as kowtowing of the steel frame in front of the political class.

Under UPA several babus and former military men thrived in post-retirement careers.

Top brass in intelligence M K Narayanan was accommodated first as National Security Advisor and then as Governor of West Bengal.

The likes of P C Haldar and R S Pandey were assigned as negotiators to deal with ultras in the northeast.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 3 during his reply to the debate on President Pranab Mukherjee's address to Parliament made terse remarks on babus in the Lok Sabha and said, "arbo-kharbo ka tankha ja raha hae (Crores are being given as salary of government servants)".

True, Indian bureaucracy, known for its huge numerical strengths and peculiarity in performance, has grown from 1,232 in 1951 to over 5,000 in 1996.

By 2011, according to officials in the Ministry of Personnel, total sanctioned strength of IAS officers as on January 1 was 6,077 and of these 4,488 were in position, thereby making a shortage of 1,589.

The problems for babus mount once good work yields reprimand, say some. "I know of former Punjab DGP O P Sharma who worked in tandem with KPS Gill to curb the spinal cord of Punjab militancy. But once government changed in the state, he was hounded out by the Brar government," says a Punjab cadre official.

Least to say, former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan, known for his maverick style, had acidly coined a phrase "I am sorry" for abbreviation of IAS.

(Nirendra Dev can be contacted at nirendra.n@ians.in)
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday flagged off a 'goodwill' rail rake carrying 2200 tonnes of high speed diesel from Siliguri in West Bengal to Bangladesh.

The consignment, an outcome of discussions between the two governments, was sent by Siliguri Marketing Terminal of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd to Parbatipur storage depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

Pradhan is Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas.

From Siliguri, the 42-wagon consignment will travel over 516 km on the existing railway line via Rangapani, Singabad, Rohanpur to Parbatipur, where it will be received by Bangladesh's energy minister Nasrul Hamid on Saturday.

A Numaligarh Refinery spokesman said the consignment is a gesture of friendship and cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh.

"During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015, both India and Bangladesh welcomed the Sale-Purchase Agreement signed between NRL and BPC for construction of a pipeline from Siliguri to Parbatipur for supply of high speed diesel to Bangladesh," said the spokesman.

During the Prime Minister's visit, it was also agreed to jointly work towards implementation of the 135 km 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline', a project with a capacity to carry 1 MMTPA from Siliguri terminal to Parbatipur depot of BPC.

The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' of the government of India to boost trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation within South Asia.

Bangladesh meets its requirement of petroleum products through imports at Chittagong port.

The products are subsequently transported to the rest of the country using river route. Once the Numaligarh Refinery's expansion from present 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA is complete, India will be in a position to export petroleum products on a regular and long term basis to Bangladesh.

Prior to the construction of the pipeline, the rail rake mode is considered an effective way of supplying fuel from India to Bangladesh with minimum loss and pollution.
President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of India's armed forces, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the firepower of the Indian Air Force on Friday as 181 aircraft showcase their capability to fight a war at the Pokharan firing range in Rajasthan, a state bordering Pakistan.

The exercise will show India's capacity to "deter aggression", the IAF said.

A major highlight of the exercise will be the display of the IAF's capability to operate day and night as a significant achievement for the force which did not have this ability last time India got into an armed conflict with Pakistan at Kargil.

The exercise will include combat manoeuvres and live firing of air-to-ground and air-to-air precision weapons by fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters.

Tejas, the indigenous fighter jet that won global appreciation at the recent Bahrain air show, will for the first time display its firing capabilities.

Also on public display for the first time will be the Astra air-to-air missile, being developed by DRDO, and the Akash missile.

The event titled "Iron Fist 2016" will see the participation of 181 aircraft, 103 of which are fighter planes.

The demonstrations include firing of lethal ordnance, combat and combat support demonstrations.

The last Iron Fist held in 2013 was the IAF's first day-night exercise, and more than 100 aircraft and 30 different weapon platforms were showcased.

The exercise is aimed at displaying network-centric operations capabilities of the IAF.
Prince S.A.S. Marcello I, the prince of Seborga, a region in Italy, along with nine members of his cabinet, on Thursday visited Ghaziabad and appealed to the people here to visit his state.

Addressing mediapersons, Marcello said the state of Seborga was a "sovereign state which never signed any treaty with the Italian government".

"For its independent entity, we have approached the UN and filed a petition in a court in Europe but a decision has not yet gone in our favour.

External Affairs Minister Nina Menegatto said: "Our purpose to visit Ghaziabad is to invite its residents. They just have to obtain Schengen Visa (applicable in some European countries). Our state is 45 minutes drive from the Nice Coteazur airport in Italy on the France border.

"Our state is spread over just 14 square km area. Its population is only 320, and is visited by 2,000 tourists (annually). The maximum tourists are from Japan," Menegatto said.

Stating that August 20 was their National Day, the prince said: "We have honorary ambassadors in 12 countries, including India and the United States. We invite all of you to visit and witness our grand function."
Actor Purab Kohli, who recently had a daughter with his lady love Lucy is all set to welcome the mother and daughter to India for good.

Currently filming for "Rock On!! 2", Purab had been juggling his family life and work life in India simultaneously with his loved ones in London.

"The last couple of months have been really hectic with my shoots. In the time I've been getting days off I've been flying to London to be with the family even if its just for a weekend. But thankfully we now feel Inaya (daughter) is ready to take her first flight and I'm going to bring them back with me on this trip," Purab said in a statement.

Sharing that his daughter is lucky for him, the 37-year-old says that Inaya has brought him "some really good work".

"My daughter has already got me dancing to her tunes and her luck is bring me some really good work too. Looking forward to the year now with all this interesting shooting to do and also have my family close by to me," he said.

Shooting for "Sense 8 season 2" next month, Purab will also feature in the official remake of American TV series "Homeland" in India which will be directed by Nikhil Advani.
As the RSS on Thursday dubbed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi as anti-national for his refusal to say 'Bharat mata ki jai', BJP president Amit Shah said other factors will be taken into account to judge Owaisi's patriotism.

"Anyone who refuses to say 'Bharat mata ki jai' is anti-national for us," Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at the India Today conclave here.

Shah also echoed similar sentiments at a subsequent session at the event.

"We will explain the meaning of 'Bharat mata ki jai' to Owaisi. Whether he is anti-national or not will be concluded after taking other factors into account," Shah said.

"Ninety nine percent people in India have no problem saying 'Bharat mata ki jai'. If you also start considering one percent dissent so seriously, how will the country be run," the BJP leader said.

Both leaders however were categorical that students who participated in an event on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on February 9 were anti-national.

"People who are anti-India are anti-national for us. If a student raises slogans in favour of a criminal who was hanged by our Supreme Court for attacking the temple of democracy, he is anti-national for us," Hosabale said when asked to comment on the JNU event.

"To commemorate the death anniversary of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru itself is anti-national and seditious," Shah said.
India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, foreign relations adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, met here on Thursday morning.

They met over breakfast organised by Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa.

The two leaders arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday to attend the 37th meeting of the Saarc Council of Ministers which will be inaugrated by Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli later in the day.

Their breakfast meeting lasted for about five minutes and was later joined by Thapa. Their first meeting was over dinner on Wednesday night.

Sushma Swaraj and Aziz are scheduled to hold another meeting on Thursday evening to help cement ties.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday met her Maldivian counterpart Dunya Maumoon on the sidelines of the Saarc ministerial meeting here.

"Neighbourly engagement! EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Maldives FM Dunya Maumoon on sidelines of 37th Saarc Ministerial," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a picture of the two leaders.

Earlier on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj addressed the 37th session of the council of ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) during which she said that connectivity was the key to the development of the south Asian countries.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. US President Barack Obama has issued an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea, after its "illicit" nuclear test and satellite launch, Armenpress reports, citing BBC.

It freezes North Korean government property in America and bans US exports to, or investment in, North Korea.

The order also greatly expands powers to blacklist anyone, including non-Americans, dealing with North Korea.

The 6 January nuclear test and 7 February satellite launch were violations of existing UN sanctions.

President Obama's order includes measures from the recently agreed UN Security Council sanctions - the toughest sanctions in decades against North Korea.

But it also contains separate sanctions passed by Congress and enacted by the president in February.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said: "The US and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations."

Obama said the sanctions "did not target the people of North Korea" but suggested that the country's leadership only had itself to blame.

How much property North Korea has in the US is unknown, and trade between the two is tiny, but the expanded blacklist powers are a significant stepping up of the punitive measures available to Washington.

It is also the first time the US has had a blanket ban on trade, as it once had with Iran and Myanmar.

Amid the heightened tensions, the North sentenced an American student to 15 years hard labor on Wednesday for "severe crimes" against the state.

The US demanded North Korea immediately release Otto Warmbier, 21, who was arrested for trying to steal a propaganda sign from a hotel while on a visit in January.

The US and South Korea are also holding their annual military drills this month, which routinely generate tension, but this year North Korea threatened to launch a "pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice" against the US and South Korea.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to the Pakistan prime minister, on the sidelines of the Saarc ministerial meeting here on Thursday.

During the meeting, Aziz handed over to Sushma Swaraj an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to attend the South Association Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan later this year.

This was the first formal meeting between the two leaders after the January 2 cross-border terror attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot, Punjab, that claimed the lives of seven Indian security personnel.

The attack derailed the foreign secretary-level talks between the two south Asian neighbours scheduled for the middle of January after Aziz and Sushma Swaraj had in December last year agreed to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi.

The two leaders arrived in Pokhara on Wednesday to attend the 37th meeting of the Saarc council of ministers which was held on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Sushma Swaraj and Aziz met for five minutes over breakfast here. Their first meeting was over dinner on Wednesday night.
Two people were killed and over 20 others injured in a pile-up involving more than 10 vehicles in a tunnel in Japan's Higashihiroshima city on Thursday.

The accident occurred at around 7.30 a.m. in the Hachihommatsu tunnel on the Sanyo Expressway when a rear-end collision between two vehicles occurred, local police said, adding that following vehicles collided one after another, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some 70 people were evacuated from the tunnel, among whom one was in a state of the cardiopulmonary and was later confirmed dead.

Police later found another person dead in a car.

Fires in the tunnel were put out, police added.
US President Barack Obama has issued an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea, the media reported on Thursday.

The White House on Wednesday announced the "robust new sanctions" are part of its response to the North Korea's January 6 nuclear test and February 7 ballistic missile launch, Xinhua News agency reported.

The executive order blocks certain transactions on property belonging to the North Korean government and to the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

The US Department of the Treasury also announced new sanctions on Pyongyang following Obama's executive order. The sanctions are aimed at 17 government officials and organisations.

It also identified "20 vessels as blocked property".

The new sanctions target North Korea's energy, mining, financial services and transportation sectors, prohibit exports of goods, services, technology and new investment in the country.

"These actions are consistent with our longstanding commitments to apply sustained pressure on the North Korean regime," the White House said, adding "The US and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities."

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions on to curb the country's nuclear and missile programmes.

Security Council members also called for an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

The Six-Party Talks, a mechanism involving North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, the US and Russia, is believed to be a practical way to realise denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula.

It was launched in 2003 but were stalled in December 2008. Pyongyang quit the talks in April 2009.
Ex-servicemen continuing with their protest here on the 'One Rank One Pension' (OROP) on Thursday said they will approach the one-member judicial committee but wondered if the government will accept its recommendations.

Members of the United Front of Ex-Servicemen (UFESM) on Monday met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who, the ex-servicemen said, asked them to approach the judicial committee of L. Narasimha Reddy, a retired Patna High Court chief justice, in case they wanted any changes in the OROP scheme.

"We will go to the judicial committee. We will use all democratic methods to forward our demands," Maj. Gen. Satbir Singh (retd) said on Thursday.

Singh said the ex-servicemen will approach the committee through the government.

"We will submit our concerns to the government which will forward it to the committee," Singh said.

"But when we asked if the government will accept the committee recommendations, the minister said it is not certain," he added.

The veterans have maintained that the OROP scheme announced by the government is flawed, and want some amendments, including reduction in the period of revision of pensions to one year from the present five.

Headquartered in Delhi, the judicial committee is supported by the department of ex-servicemen's welfare under the defence ministry.

It is examining measures for the removal of anomalies that may arise in the implementation of the OROP, measures for the removal of anomalies that may arise out of inter-services issues of the three armed forces due to implementation of OROP, implications on service matters and any other matter referred by the central government on implementation of the OROP or related issues.
It is five months since Tidjane Thiam set out his strategy for Credit Suisse in a 69-page presentation. Since then, shareholders have seen a negative 42 per cent return - worse than at all of his European rivals, and twice as bad as Swiss peer UBS. Thiam's grand plan was to double pre-tax profit in Asia from 2014 levels and in some areas of wealth management. Events have overtaken him. It's time for what in bank-speak is known as a strategic acceleration.

Thiam gave himself three years to hit his goals. Two of them look unattainable. In the wealth management division, pre-tax profit shrank 42 per cent in 2015, so it now has to treble its pre-tax profit in three years to meet his target. Wealth management brings its own peculiar, unforeseeable risks. A lawsuit filed on March 15 is at least the second to seek damages over allegations that Credit Suisse failed to prevent a former employee laundering money.

Asia too is a tough choice of strategic focus. Even leaving aside the slowdown in China, UBS already has double the investment banking market share of its Swiss rival, and over a quarter more Asian wealth advisers than Credit Suisse is aiming for by 2018, notes Macquarie.

Thiam could help himself out with some simplicity. He doesn't like return-on-equity targets, but an overall group pre-tax profit target would still be more helpful than the individual divisional ones he has now. If this were set at 6.5 billion Swiss francs for 2018, then Credit Suisse still might be able to make an 11 per cent return on equity - which is what analysts forecast for UBS.

Or he could cut more deeply in investment banking. Thiam envisages risk-weighted assets for his trading and corporate finance businesses growing by more than a quarter by 2018. Cut them by a fifth instead, and that 11 per cent return on equity could come in three years on a lesser 6.1 billion Swiss francs in group pre-tax profit.

Thiam, who hasn't run a bank before, was a high-risk choice of chief executive. In his last job running insurer Prudential, one of his first moves was a bold albeit failed bid for Asian rival AIA that, in light of AIA's subsequent strong performance, looks smart. The most decisive thing about his time at Credit Suisse so far is the fall in its shares. Thiam's revamp needs a do-over.
In 2011-12, the University of Delhi changed the way students were admitted into its three medical colleges  UCMS, MAMC and Lady Hardinge. Till 2010, the University conducted its own entrance examination for admission.
The government's decision to ban 344 fixed-dose combinations may be well-intentioned but the way it has been implemented leaves a lot to be desired. The notification for the ban was issued by the health ministry on March 10, a day before the Supreme Court was supposed to hear a plea by well-known whistle-blower Dinesh Thakur that the country's drug regulators had failed to enforce rules on product safety. It's a different matter that the Supreme Court threw out Mr Thakur's plea, questioning his locus standi - Mr Thakur is an overseas citizen of India.
Sam Walsh has achieved most of what he set out to do at Rio Tinto. The 66-year-old Australian has cut billions of dollars off costs and slashed investment as the rout in commodities prices takes its toll on the industry. But on one thing he failed. Walsh, who said on March 17 that he will retire as chief executive this summer, decided that pushing out more iron ore into a falling market would eventually kill off higher-cost rivals. His successor Jean-Sebastien Jacques has a chance to bury that foolish strategy.

Rio Tinto has outperformed its rivals since Walsh became chief in January 2013, having previously run the iron ore business. Prices of all the major commodities Rio produces have slumped. But shareholders who invested when Walsh took charge have only lost one-third of their investment. Those at rival BHP Billiton have lost nearly half, and the FTSE Mining Index has shed 79 per cent, according to Eikon data. Walsh has achieved this by making Rio admirably lean. It can produce a tonne of iron ore for less than $15 - where prices during his tenure have fallen from around $150 per tonne to $55.

The price war Rio has fuelled hasn't done much good. Walsh thought iron ore prices below $80 per tonne would force higher-cost rivals out of business and lead to a price recovery. Rio has continued to boost production from its core Pilbara mines to around 40 per cent more than its total capacity back in 2013, despite weaker demand growth from China. Rivals have responded by cutting costs and investment or forming alliances. Fortescue recently signed a deal with Brazilian giant Vale to sell blended iron to China, as part of which the Brazilians could take a stake in their high-cost Australian peer.

Jacques will probably deliver more cost cutting. As an old-hand in copper, he may put more focus on the red metal, which unlike iron is genuinely relatively scarce. But he also has the opportunity to take Rio in a different direction by forging peace with Rio's iron ore rivals, easing off on production, and putting the company in a stronger position to grow once the downturn in prices ends.
On a day the authenticity of information on the Lok Sabha website came under a cloud, the Opposition on Wednesday embarrassed the government in the Rajya Sabha by recommending to the Lok Sabha as many as five amendments to the . The Lok Sabha sat till late in the evening to discuss the Bill and rejected the amendments after a walkout by several Opposition parties. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill in its original form.

It is rare in the history of Parliament for the Upper House to have recommended amendments to a money Bill. The was certified as a money Bill by the Lok Sabha Speaker, which meant that the Upper House could only recommend amendments, which are not binding on the Lok Sabha. According to the Constitution, the Speakers veto on the issue cannot be challenged.

But, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) chief Sitaram Yechury said in the Upper House that legal avenues would be explored on the issue of the Speakers discretion. Echoing similar views, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters that the party could challenge the Speakers ruling in a court of law since by no stretch of imagination, is the a money Bill. In the discussion on the Bill, Congress member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh suggested nine amendments that primarily related to ensuring that Aadhaar is not made mandatory for seeking government entitlements, that it should not be used for any other purpose other than for identifying beneficiaries for government subsidies, and that the government should look into the recommendations by the A P Shah committee on privacy of Aadhaar data. He also suggested the clause relating to sharing of biometric information in cases of  security be amended considering the possibility of its misuse.

The Opposition  the Congress, the Left parties, Janata Dal (United) and other regional parties  pushed for a division of votes on five of these nine amendments. But, such is the lack of numbers of the government in the Rajya Sabha that despite the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members supporting the government on the issue and parties such as Trinamool Congress, Biju Janata Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party staging a walkout, the government lost 76 to 64 of the 140 members voting on the amendments.

Ramesh, the former union minister for rural development, criticised the government for pushing it as a money Bill. He said the government, by trying to bypass the scrutiny of the Upper House, was knocking a nail in the coffin of the Rajya Sabha.

THE FIVE CHANGES TO AADHAAR BILL

Congress member of Parliament (MP) Jairam Ramesh moved nine changes. Other MPs also moved changes. The Opposition pushed for a division on five of Rameshs nine changes. These five were incorporated in the Bill and recommended to the Lok Sabha, which later rejected all these changes RAJYA SABHAS FIVE CHANGES

CHANGE 1: Clause 3 An individual who does not wish to continue as a holder of Aadhaar number should be permitted to have his number deleted from the Central Identities Data Repository. A certificate shall be issued within fifteen days of the request. CHANGE 2: Clause 7 If an Aadhaar number is not assigned to or if an individual chooses not to opt for enrolment, the person shall be offered alternate and viable means of identification for delivery of the subsidy, benefits, or service. CHANGE 3: Clause 33 For the words  security, the words public emergency or in the interest of public safety be substituted. CHANGE 4: Clause 33 The Oversight Committee (which will take a decision on whether to agree to a request to share biometric data of an individual for security) should also include the central vigilance commissioner or the comptroller and auditor general. CHANGE 5: Clause 57 This clause be deleted

Clause 57: states that nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the use of the Aadhaar number for establishing the identity of an individual for any purpose, whether by the state or any body, company or person.

Ramesh added that former Attorney General K Parasaran, a nominated member of the House, had a said that in its pith and substance Aadhaar was not a money Bill.

He also accused Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of having manufactured information that the previous Congress governments had pushed through such Bills as the Juvenile Justice Bill in 1986 and African Development Bill in 1983 as money Bills.

Jaitley said the source of his information was the Lok Sabha website, but Ramesh countered it by saying that the Rajya Sabha secretariat has told him that the information was incorrect and neither of the two Bills had been certified as money Bills.

Subhash C Kashyap, former secretary-general of the Lok Sabha, said he could not recall a previous instance of the Rajya Sabha having recommended amendments on a money Bill. He also said Jaitleys mistake was bona-fide and could not attract a privilege motion. The privilege motion can be moved if a member of the House has shared some information deliberately, wilfully and with a view to misleading the House. This clearly wasnt the case as the finance minister had relied on the Lok Sabha website.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a 10-day campaign on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar (April 14) to reclaim its Dalit support base.

The twin objectives of the Dalit Chetna Yatra will be to spread awareness about the Narendra Modi governments various schemes for Dalits and to counter the oppositions campaign in the wake of the suicide of Dalit doctoral student Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 40 of the 84 seats reserved for scheduled castes. Its Dalit leaders have conveyed to the party leadership that the controversy after the Hyderabad suicide had led to an adverse impact. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has also asked the BJP to reach out to the community.

This outreach plan was finalised at a meeting of the partys Dalit MPs on Wednesday evening. RSS senior Krishna Gopal and BJPs general secretary (organisation) Ramlal attended. Gopal is looking after RSS-BJP coordination for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. The Dalit vote had significantly contributed to the partys spectacular performance in UP in the 2014 elections.

Party head Amit Shah is likely to recast his team to include more Dalit faces after the BJPs national executive meeting over the weekend. Currently, there isnt a single Dalit in Shahs team of 39 and only one in the partys list of 10 spokespersons.

The Chetana Yatra will have BJP leaders go to Dalit localities and the party will also organise camps. Prime Minister Modi will address a rally in Uttar Pradesh on April 14. On March 21, he will lay the foundation stone for an auditorium to be constructed at 25, Alipur Road, in Delhi  the house where Ambedkar had passed away.

At the meeting, BJPs SC Morcha chief Dushyant Gautam said while Vemulas suicide was unfortunate, the research scholar was part of protests against the hanging of 1993 Mumbai bomb blast convict Yakub Memon. He said no Dalit could ever support anti-national activities.

Participants also stressed that the party needed to counter Jawaharlal Nehru University students union leader Kanhaiya Kumars claims that the government at the Centre was anti-poor. The sense was that Kanhaiyas speeches have struck a chord since he himself comes from a poor family. We need to tell people that it isnt the NDA government in power for the past two years but the Congress governments that have been responsible for the level of poverty we see even after 67 years of independence, a party leader said.

The party has also decided that the PM will address a maximum of eight rallies in West Bengal. This is in some contrast to Modi having addressed over 30 in the Bihar elections of last year. Bengal has a six-phase poll.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. April 24 will be now designated "Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day" in the Glendale Unified School District after a unanimous vote by school board members on Tuesday, Armenpress reports, citing LATimes.

Since the 2013-14 school year, students and teachers have been given the day off on April 24  globally observed as the recognition of the Armenian Genocide  because so many of them take part in genocide events, such as the annual remembrance march through Hollywood.

However, school officials wanted to locally brand the day, which until now was referred to only as a non-instructional day.

"Every calendar in the school district, it's going to be printed 'Armenian Genocide [Commemoration] Day," said board member Greg Krikorian. "It's going to be embedded in there."

Glendale Unified is the first school district in the country to establish a day in remembrance of the genocide, which began in 1915 and resulted in the killing of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Krikorian said the genocide remembrance day is also about welcoming other ethnicities to participate and learn about the genocide, adding that while growing up in Hartford, Conn., he learned a lot about the local Irish and Italian populations.

"I think it's good to know what your neighbors and co-workers went through," he said.

Christine Walters, board president, echoed those statements, saying the commemoration day is also a lesson about man's inhumanity to man.

"I think for us to be able to really embrace our cultural history and our collective cultural history is extremely important and really educating students about how things can get out of control," she said.

While it is important to afford people the time to observe April 24 in their own ways, it's also significant for the day to have a label, said board member Armina Gharpetian.

"Naming the day has a lot more value and meaning to our students, to our teachers, to the whole entire district and the city," she said.

Elen Asatryan, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region, praised the decision during the school board meeting.
Haryana braced for a renewed quota agitation on Thursday, even as the government made an attempt to avert it by inviting Jat leaders for talks on Friday with a promise of getting a Bill on reservation passed during the ongoing Budget session that ends on March 31.

Bracing for the stir, the state government also deployed paramilitary forces and police in sensitive districts. The state had witnessed widespread violence during the first phase of the agitation last month that left 30 people dead and caused extensive loss.

The Centre has sent paramilitary forces to the state, which are being deployed in sensitive areas like Rohtak and Jhajjar districts.

To defuse the situation, the state government invited the Jat leaders for talks.

Our leaders will be meeting the chief secretary and director general of police tomorrow afternoon as per the government invitation, All India Jat Aarakshan Sanghursh Samiti president Yashpal Malik said. Till then, we will not resume our agitation, adding after meeting the top officials the next course of action will be taken.



In the evening, Chief Minister Manohar Lal said the Jat reservation Bill could be brought during the current Assembly session on any day.



In a brief statement, he said, The Bill is being drafted after consideration of every aspect and discussion with all stakeholders. This Bill may be introduced in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on any day during the ongoing Budget Session.



Finance Minister Abhimanya earlier said, We are sure that during this session, this Bill will be passed. He told reporters that it is taking time to draft the Bill as the government wants to make it sure the new law does not get entangled in a legal quagmire. The Bill (to give reservation to Jats) is being drafted and we are making efforts to bring and pass such a Bill in the assembly which is in the interest of Haryana people and it does not get entangled in legal quagmire... This is why it is taking time (for introducing Bill in assembly), he said.

He asked Jat organisations to give their suggestions to draft this for their benefit instead of giving ultimatum on resuming agitation.
The first half of the of Parliament ended on Wednesday on an embarrassing note for the government, with the Opposition recommending five amendments to the Aadhaar Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

But, in a departure from the past two sessions, during which little business was transacted because of constant disruptions, the tail end of the current session was marked by vigorous activity, thanks to the spirit of accommodation shown both by the government as well the Opposition on several legislation, including on the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill.

In the past week, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha sat till late into the night to achieve record productivity and cleared much pending business. After a 40-day recess, the two Houses of Parliament will meet again for the second part of the from April 25 to May 13.

The agenda for the second half will include the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution amendment Bill and the passage of the Finance Bill. The standing committee studying the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is scheduled to submit its report by April 29. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016, was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and is likely to be taken up in the second half of the session.

In the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the Congress and Left parties led other smaller parties to not only recommended amendments to the Aadhaar Bill, but also berated the government for bringing that Bill as a money Bill under false pretences to bypass Rajya Sabha scrutiny.

The Opposition succeeded in putting its objections to the Bill on record and also said it would approach courts of law to question certifying of Aadhaar Bill as a money Bill. According to the Constitution, the President may either give or withhold his assent to a money Bill, but it cannot be returned to the House by the President for reconsideration. However, the Lok Sabha rejected the amendments leading to Opposition apprehensions that having discovered the money Bill route for passing Bills, the government may now opt to use it as a preferred parliamentary tactic in the future.

The government lost despite All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supporting it on the issue, while parties like the Trinamool Congress, Biju Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party staging walkouts before the Congress and Left parties demanded a division of votes. The last couple of days were also marred by vicious exchanges between members of Congress and Left parties on one side and those of Trinamool Congress after the surfacing of a sting where leaders of West Bengals ruling party are purportedly seen to be accepting cash from representatives of a private company.

The session began on a dismal note with disruptions becoming the rule almost every day in both Houses. However, the Real Estate Regulation and Development Bill 2015, which was also passed by the two Houses following pressure on the Congress by home-buyers, and the passage of 10 other legislation led to 120 per cent productivity of the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha virtually matched that performance at just under 100 per cent, also passing 10 Bills. The Lok Sabha functioned for 97 hours and the Rajya Sabha for 75 hours.

The Opposition did have its way by forcing the government to amend the Presidents Address to the two Houses by forcing it to oppose a minimum education qualification being fixed for candidates in local and panchayat elections. The amendment was adopted 94-61, driving home the governments lack of numbers in the upper House. The Opposition also forced the government in the Rajya Sabha to refer the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill 2016 to a standing committee although the Lok Sabha has passed it.

Privately, Congress MPs conceded that daily parliamentary disruption was a strategy of diminishing returns. But they also pointed out that if the government did not have a majority in the upper House, it needed to accept this and reach out to the Opposition more.

We helped the government pass at least two Bills because they had the grace to concede that these Bills were originally brought by us: the land swap agreement with Bangladesh moved by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the Juvenile Justice Bill brought by Women and Child Welfare Minister Maneka Gandhi. We passed the Bills because the ministers reached out to us and publicly acknowledged our role in drafting the Bills. If the government is respectful and statesman-like, we will also meet it half way. But if you abuse us and revile us and then expect us to do your bidding, you are mistaken, said Rajya Sabha member B K Hariprasad.

The inter-session period will see heated campaigning for five Assembly elections around the time the House reconvenes. However, in the course of this period and before the Monsoon session in August, nearly 75 MPs will retire from the upper House and new ones will take their place. This will include five nominated MPs, who will be the NDA governments choice to replace the ones who have already retired. In addition, a new crop of MPs from Tamil Nadu will reflect the Assembly election results. The second part of session will see some old but many new faces in the upper House.

BILLS PASSED

BILLS INTRODUCED

(Development and Regulation) Bill (passed by LS; RS to take up)(Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 (passed by LS)(Amendment and Validation) Bill (passed by LS, sent by RS to a select committee)(Scheduled Castes) Order Amendment Bill (passed by LS)(Regulation and Development) Bill (passed by both Houses)(Amendment) Bill (passed by both Houses)(Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill (passed by both Houses)(Amendment) Bill (passed by both Houses)(passed by RS; passed by LS in winter session)(passed by both Houses)(in RS)
Libyan coastguards and navy special forces today rescued 187 African migrants and found four bodies after a fire on a boat headed for Europe, a navy spokesman said.

Colonel Ayoub Qassem, quoted by a agency operated by Libya's unrecognised authorities in Tripoli, said the rescue took place six nautical miles off Sabratha, 70 kilometres west of the capital.

He said 187 migrants were rescued from the blazing vessel and another boat nearby, 43 of whom were hospitalised with burns. Four South Africans had been burnt to death.

An investigation has been opened into the cause of the fire, said Qassem.

Among the rescued migrants from several countries were 64 Sudanese, 30 Moroccans and an unconfirmed number of Egyptian nationals, he said, adding that nine women and four babies were on the boats.

The migrants were to be handed over to anti-illegal immigration authorities in Zawia, which lies between Sabratha and Tripoli.

Yesterday, Italy's coastguard said more than 2,400 migrants and three corpses had been recovered from people smugglers' boats off Libya in the previous 24 hours.

The figures signal a pick-up in the flow of migrants attempting to reach Italy via Libya, a route through which around 330,000 people have made it to Europe since the start of 2014.

Prior to the latest rescues, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) had reported 9,500 people landing at Italian ports since the start of this year.
At least five soldiers were killed and eight others were injured when militants today attacked an army checkpoint with mortar shell in Egypt's restive North Sinai.

A mortar shell fired by militants exploded at the checkpoint in the city of Rafah killing at least five soldiers and injuring eight others, security officials said.

The injured were transferred to the hospital for treatment, most of them in critical condition, the sources added.

Egypt's North Sinai has witnessed many violent attacks by militants since the January 2011 revolution that toppled the ex-president Hosni Mubarak.

The attacks targeting police and military increased after the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 by military following massive protests against his rule.

Over 700 security personnel have been reported killed since then.

The military has launched security campaigns in the area, arrested suspects and demolished houses that belong to terrorists, including those facilitating tunnels leading to the Gaza Strip.
A man died and three others are in critical condition after a group of cow protection activists attempted suicide today by consuming poison, seeking 'Rashtra mata' (mother of nation) status to cow and beef ban across country, on the premises of collectorate here.

Despite deployment of police personnel, the 8 activists managed to consume pesticides and were immediately rushed to civil hospital earlier in the day.

"One of them, identified as Hindabhai Vambadiya, died at the hospital while undergoing treatment whereas condition of three others is said to be critical," said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kalpesh Chavda.

35-year-old Vambadiya was part of the group that had gathered outside the premises of the Collector Office here demanding that government should declare cow as 'Rashtra Mata.'



They managed to consume pesticides even before police personnel could prevent them from doing so.

Former Congress MP from Rajkot, Kunvarji Bavaliya and Chairman of 'Gau Seva Ayog' Vallabhbhai Kathiriya rushed to the hospital after the incident but were blocked by protesters from entering the premises of the hospital.

A call for Gujarat bandh has been given by 'Gau Rakshak Samiti', which had launched the protest for declaring cow as "Rashtra Mata", over the death of Vambadiya.

The ACP said they will investigate how the activists managed to consume poison despite presence of police and the tip-off in advance about the impending suicide attempt.

Those in hospital are identified as Kamlesh Rabari (29), Dinesh Loriya (45), Amar Danidharaiya (35), Raghuvirsinh Jadeja (30), Vala Maru (36), Vijay Sindhav (28) and Deepak Vaghela.

Police did not disclose the names of the activists whose condition is critical.
Signalling a tough line on the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' despite controversies, BJP chief Amit Shah today said 99 per cent people were agreeable to hailing 'Mother India' with the slogan and the party would "convince" the rest.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave here, Shah justified the government's action on the JNU row, insisting that some people deciding to hold a programme to commemorate Afzal Guru's death anniversary in itself is "anti-national".

In his over an hour interaction, the BJP President expressed confidence of that BJP will form a government in Assam but reacted cautiously about its prospects in other states, saying the party will work to increase its influence and play a role in government formation in these states.

Responding to a number of questions on the controversy surrounding the issue of chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai', Shah said that the particular slogan was in vogue even before RSS and the BJP came into picture.

"99 percent of people agree with the slogan. This debate is irrelevant. Those who do not want to chant this should be asked what is their problem with this slogan. We will convince the one per cent people, who do not want to chant it," Shah said but declined to answer how will the BJP go about it. "You leave it to us, how will we do it," he said.

When asked whether MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who said he would not raise the chant hailing 'Mother India' "even if a knife is put to my throat", is a traitor, he said," No one becomes a traitor due to just one thing" and added "we will have to consider all other things and then come to a conclusion".

The BJP chief also said there is no need to say Bharat Maata Ki Jai under pressure from RSS or BJP.

"This slogan is being chanted much before RSS and BJP came to power," Shah said.

Asked about controversial comments made by party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya that those who do not chant the slogan should be sent to Pakistan, the BJP chief said one should rather listen to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and he himself said.

To queries on the JNU row, he said the very fact that an event was organized on February 9 to commemorate Afzal Guru's hanging is anti-national.

"There is no confusion in BJP about this. If some people decide to hold a programme to commemorate his death anniversry, this itself is anti-national," he said.

Shah said he does not consider Rahul Gandhi's visit to JNU



during the students' protests as wrong but voiced reservations against the Congress vice president delivering a speech there accusing the Modi government of trying to suppress their freedom of expression.

"I am against this statement of Rahul Gandhi that some people want to suppress your freedom of expression," he said.

Referring to alleged anti-India slogans raised at the JNU during the Afzal Guru event, he said, "If there are voices like these, then they must be suppressed."



When asked about raising of anti-national slogans in places like Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP had allied with PDP, he referred to the arrest of separatist leader Masarat Alam and said he would have never been arrested had BJP not been in power.

Alam was sent to jail even when PDP was in power in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said when asked about PDP's alleged soft corner for Afzal Guru.

When asked about a Supreme Court observation that merely raising anti-India slogan is not treason, he shot back, saying that the same court had once said that calling Congress activists goondas was also treason.

Congress was in alliance in Kerala with Muslim League, which was responsible for India's partition, Shah said.

At this Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who was seated among the audience rose and defended the alliance, saying the Muslim League in Kerala was different and was founded after the partition. Tharoor said its policies were not communal.

When told about the allegations that his government was crushing freedom of expression, Shah shot back asking "give me one example."



Rejecting the charge, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was called "Hitler, Ravan, a mass murderer" but BJP did nothing against those who called him names. "We will tolerate criticism against people and government but not the country," he said.

Taking a dig at Congress for its criticism of BJP over alleged intolerance, he said the UPA government had acted against internet giant Google for allegedly showing a cartoon against Congress president Sonia Gandhi "while I keep all cartoons against me on by website".

Asked whether his relationship with the Gandhi family is not good, Shah said, "It is true that the relationship is not good. As far as I am concerned, the relationship is not good. I do not know about them."



Shah said BJP was on course to achieve its target of a "Congress-free India" and cited the election results in some states as example.

Asked about BJP's prospects in five states, Shah reacted cautiously. "Party will work to increase its influence and to play a role in government formation in these states."



About Assam, he, however, expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government.

On Aligarh Muslim University's minority status issue, he said that AMU is "not a minority" institution.

He said the BJP demands that it should implement reservation for SC/ST and OBCs in admission there.

About black money, he said the government was moving in the right direction but there was some delay.
Two government officials today certified in a court here the documents related to the medical claim of nearly Rs 2 lakh allegedly taken by AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi for his mother who was not dependent on him.

Metropolitan magistrate Ambika Singh recorded statements of complainant witnesses, Assistant Election Regional Officer (Model Town) Satbir Singh and an official from Delhi Vidhan Sabha's Pay and Accounts department.

The court fixed April 23 for recording pre-summoning evidence of the complainant and advocate Vivek Garg.

The court had in January this year recorded the statements of two Delhi Assembly officials, Manoranjan and Hoshiyar Singh as witnesses.

The court had on December 3, 2015 allowed Garg's plea, who had sought permission to examine two officials of Delhi Assembly and one Election Commission officer as witnesses in support of his complaint.

The court was hearing a complaint filed by Garg alleging that the MLA from Model Town constituency had committed an offence by getting his mother's medical allowance reimbursed from Delhi government, despite his parents not being dependent on him and not entitled to the claims.

On November 4, 2015, Delhi Police had told the court the AAP leader had returned the money to the Assembly secretariat.

In its status report, the police had told the court that Tripathi was interrogated and he stated that when he came to know that his father, being a pensioner, was not entitled to medical claim, he wrote a letter to the Assembly secretariat to know the rules and was asked to return the amount with interest, that is, around Rs two lakh on September 16, 2015.

The complainant had told the court that the MLA accepted his crime by returning the money and now there was no need to lodge an FIR and he be directly put on trial.

In his complaint, Garg had claimed that Tripathi, in two affidavits filed before the Election Commission during the 2013 and 2015 Assembly polls, had declared that his parents were not dependent on him.

He alleged that Tripathi had obtained a medical facility card under Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme and to obtain "wrongful gains", he has disclosed in the card that his parents are dependent on him and can avail medical facility on the card of an MLA.

He had sought registration of an FIR against Tripathi for alleged offences of cheating, criminal breach of trust by public servant, forgery for cheating and criminal conspiracy under the IPC.
JNU students who have been served show-cause notices by the varsity in connection with the controversial Feburuary 9 event have decided not to reply to the notice, terming the findings of the probe committee report as "spurious".

Refusing to accept the findings of the five-member probe panel, the students are maintaining that there can't be a "show-cause" without "show-crime".

The students had passed a resolution in this regard at a council meeting late last night.

"We have communicated to the administration, how the committee has violated the principles of natural justice in the enquiry process. They have neither addressed our concerns nor has taken any step regarding this. Without addressing these concerns, no free and fair enquiry is possible," JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.

"The students have been issued show cause notices which hold them guilty. They have not even been given the entire report, despite repetitive demands. The accused students have not even been told the specific charges against them. When they don't know the crime what explanation will they give," she added.

The JNU students union has resolved to oppose any disciplinary action based upon the findings of the allegedly "partial" and "biased" enquiry.

The students have also alleged that the High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) is operating on the same pattern of the Hyderabad University's enquiry which "led to institutional murder of Rohith Vemula".

After a high-level committee of the university, found them "guilty" of "violating university norms and discipline rules" show-cause notices were issued to 21 students on March 14 asking them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them.

They have been given time till tomorrow to reply to the notices following which a final decision regarding the "quantum of punishment" will be taken by the administration.

The students have called for a protest demo at the administration block tomorrow against the findings of the report and the functioning of the committee.
An AIIMS doctor, said to be addicted to drugs, was today found dead in his hostel room under suspicious circumstances, police said today.

The doctor identified as Kumar Kunal (34), a junior resident in Medicine Department, was found dead in room number 602, the Masjid Moth doctor's hostel of the institute, a senior police official said.

"The body was found on the bed and the room was bolted from inside. There were no injury marks on his body...So far investigations have revealed that he was not eating since the last three days and was also not seen during the same period," the official said.

"The cause of death is yet to be ascertained so we have registered a case under section 174 of CrPC (related to drugs)," the official said.

"As Kunal did not come out of his room last evening, the hostel warden informed AIIMS security. The security informed the police. They broke open the door of his room and found his body," an AIIMS staff said.

Police suspect that the deceased was a drug addict.

"He was a known addict and injections have been found on the spot," he said.

The family of Kunal, who was a resident of Vaishali district in Bihar, has been informed of his death. The body has been preserved till the family's arrival.
Ending months of speculations, AirAsia India today said Amar Abrol will replace Mittu Chandilya as its CEO with effect from next month.

Chandilya would continue with the airline until the end of April to ensure a smooth transition of the CEO role.

Abrol, who has over 20 years of experience, was most recently the CEO of Tune Money, a startup that aims to deliver low-cost financial products in South East Asia.

Chandilya has led AirAsia India from June 1, 2013 and under his leadership, the airline has established a fleet of six aircraft, covering 12 routes and carrying over 1.8 million passengers.

In the October-December 2015 quarter of operation, AirAsia India clocked a 134 per cent growth in passenger traffic as it flew over half-a-million customers, and operated 3,376 flights as compared to 1,444 flights in the same period of 2014.

Before joining Tune Money in 2013, Abrol spent 19 years with American Express, leading diverse teams across multiple markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, India and Malaysia.

Born and raised in India, Abrol graduated from Delhi University and is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Commenting on the appointment, AirAsia India Chairman S Ramadorai said, "Mittu Chandilya led the airline team from the front through its launch and establishment in an intensely competitive market.

"The Board deeply appreciates his contribution. In Abrol, we have a strong successor, with years of experience in customer delivery, which will be critical to the airline's future. Together with his senior management team, we are confident that Abrol will lead AirAsia India into its next stage of growth."



Abrol said: "AirAsia India is poised for strong growth. I look forward to leading the team and together, giving many more Indians the opportunity to access the exciting promise of Indian civil aviation."



AirAsia India today also announced the appointment of Ankur Khanna as the Chief Financial Officer and Kiran Jain as the head of Commercial.

Khanna joins from Air France/KLM, where he recently headed Regional Finance for the Middle East/Gulf region based in Dubai.

Jain has over 25 years of aviation-related experience covering airports, airlines and duty free. Jain most recently headed the Airport Marketing and Route Development function at Delhi International Airport.

Chandilya said: "The past three years has been a rewarding and enriching journey for me and AirAsia India. I am delighted that AirAsia India is today a customer-preferred airline in the sectors that it operates. I will truly miss each member in our young organisation without whose passion and energy none of this would be possible.

"Look at how quickly we grew. I started with two planes



in Malaysia. But I did not have a 5/20 rule. I was not sued every day. I did not have Naresh Goyal on my back. How long I have been in India? Two years. How long has the government of India been around? You have been a country of a long time, right? Wait, patience. Must not rush," Fernandes said.

He said he needed to know what the government's aviation policy was going to be before expanding AirAsia India's fleet and network.

AirAsia India, which started operations in June 2014, is co-owned by Tata Sons (49 per cent) and AirAsia Berhad (49 per cent). The rest of two per cent is held by airline's board members S Ramadorai and R Venkataramanan. The airline flies to 10 domestic destinations with a fleet of six Airbus A320 aircraft.

"I have to congratulate (the government). ... It (doing away with 5/20 rule) is a good step forward for Indian aviation and hopefully most of the measures (proposed in the policy) will be going to be enforced," Fernandes said.

The new aviation policy, announced last month, did away with the 5/20 rule which allowed global operations by an Indian carrier having 20 aircraft and five years of domestic operations. The policy now allows overseas operations by any Indian airline with 20 aircraft which keeps aside 20 per cent of its fleet exclusively for domestic operations.

The proposed regional connectivity scheme was also a good step just like the Government's decision to come up with regional airports which would bring down airport charges, which at present along with taxes on jet fuel are "too high," he said.

Terming the policy as "quite impressive," the AirAsia group chief said India also needed to open up in terms of international traffic rights.

Fernandes also said he wanted to expand Malaysian carrier AirAsia's operations into India.

"We (AirAsia) would love to go to many more Indian cities but Indian government is not giving us any more route rights at the moment. So, I think that is something the government has to look at.

"They (government) are very worried about Middle East and all it, they are trying to protect Air India, and I think that comes at a cost, at the cost tourism and jobs. So we will wait and see whether India (government) give us more rights. Right now, we have fully exploited all traffic rights and we cannot do any more," he added.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. The government allocated 25 million AMD to the Ararat regional administration for reconstructing the "Artashat Medical Center" CJSC hospital building. As "Armenpress" reports, the Minister of Healthcare Armen Muradyan noted that the architectural design works of the hospital are finished, and now the launch of the tender for selecting the contractor carrying out the construction work is underway. Construction works will begin after signing the contract with the tender winning company.
"Allegiant", the third movie in the "Divergent" franchise, will release in India on April 1.

The final movie will be split in two parts. The third installment shall be called just "Allegiant" while the fourth and final film will be called "Ascendant".

The movie, set in a futuristic dystopian world of Chicago, stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James as Tris and Four.

Woodley said her character of Tris is going into a new direction in the upcoming movie, which is being released in India by PVR Pictures.

"When we first met Tris in Divergent, she empowered herself. In Insurgent, she's guilt-ridden and winds up being betrayed by her brother Caleb. In Allegiant, Tris steps outside of Chicago because she feels like it's part of her destiny.

"I have relished the challenge of pushing my character toward new horizons.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today launched the first phase of Fiber Grid project to provide broadband connectivity at cheap rate.

Andhra Pradesh government signed an MoU with Cisco company today as part of the inauguration of India's first statewide broadband project 'AP Fiber-Net' here.

Naidu said that digital transformation was the most transformative means to ignite sustainable growth and improve society. His government's aim was to provide internet connection to all households in the state as part of Digital India campaign, he said.

Under the project, internet connections would be provided at cheap rate in districts of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram by April. It will cover the rest of the state by end of July this year.

Under the project, 15 Mbps broadband connection will be provided at Rs 149 per month to households and 100 Mbps connection for offices at Rs 999 per month.

Electrical poles will be used to lay overhead fiber net cable instead of underground cable to save on the cost.

Executive chairman of Cisco John T Chambers said Cisco will set up an Internet of Everything (IoE) Innovation Centre in Visakhapatnam to foster regional innovation and will enable partners and startups to build solutions around IoE and engage in rapid prototyping.
Arunachal Pradesh Governor J P Rajkhowa has urged the Centre to improve telecommunication facilities in the state.

Rajkhowa, who met Tecommunication Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi yesterday, informed him about the issue of erratic and unsatisfactory mobile and internet connectivity in the state, a Raj Bhawan release said here today.

He requested the Union minister to direct BSNL and other service providers to develop their infrastructure to bring the connectivity standard in the state to national level.

Sharing his experience at Bumla Pass along the Indo-China border, the governor said mobile connectivity was non-existent at remote places and cause a lot of hardship to the public and the jawans along the international border.

The governor also met Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu and emphasised on expediting the work on strategic railway lines initially to Tawang in the West and Pasighat in the East.

Rajkhowa also stressed on early completion of the twin Rail-cum-Road Bogibeel Bridge over the river Brahmaputra, within the revised timeline of mid 2017.

The Governor emphasised on infrastructure for strong



and permanent development and said investment atmosphere would be created through strong infrastructure and the government was seriously making efforts in improving electricity, road, irrigation, smooth traffic and other things.

The government has taken several steps in the farm sector as 65 per cent of the state population depended on agriculture, giving a renewed vigour to the farmers through many favourable decisions.

With an aim to revive large and medium irrigation projects, approval of Rs 865.90 crore for a total 22 projects was given, which could irrigate 51,270 hectares of land, the Governor said.

The government has increased the commission of PDS dealers from Rs 80 to Rs 100, she said adding, after implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013, a total 49.25 lakh beneficiaries were getting five kg rice or wheat for one Rupee per kg.

Under the Antyodaya scheme, BPL families were being given 35 kg grains for Rs one per kg, she said adding, a total 6.6 lakh BPL families have got LPG cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yozana.

Besides, the state government was giving Rs 130 as bonus on the minimum support price to procure paddy from farmers, the Governor said.

The commission of fair price shop owners has been increased from Rs 80 per quintal to Rs 100.

The state has improved massively in pisciculture, getting 1,03,640 metric tonne as against the demand for 1,40,000 metric tonne, the Governor said.

The government's aim, Murmu said, was to make the state a power hub in the next three years and for this the government has signed MoUs with the NTPC, Tata Group and Adani Group and an agreement has been made for a 1,600 MW power plant in Godda district to be developed in three years, Murmu said.

Work was also going on at NTPC's North Karanpura in Chatra district and in the next three years 1,980 MW power would be generated, the Governor added.

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To empower women, the Governor said 33 per cent



reservation was made in the recruitment in police department.

One stop centres at Ranchi, East Singhbhum and Dhanbad have been set up for assistance to exploited women along with five fast track courts to dispose off cases related to witchcraft, she said.

Widows with poor background and who are head of their families would be provided with housing, Murmu said and there was an aim of building a total 11,000 houses under Baba Saheb Ambedkar Housing Scheme this fiscal.

Under the Indira Awas Yozana, 1,02,552 houses were built this fiscal, she said.

The government believed that unless adequate manpower was there in every department, expected speed for development could not be given, she said.

The process of recruitment of a total 8,314 personnel was on, she said adding, a total 600 junior engineers were recruited.

The government has taken a decision to make Ranchi WiFi city and was moving on to become a paperless office in the first phase at four departments, the Governor added.

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The Governor said during last year, the state



government took various important decisions in the interest of the people; among them was the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act (1908) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (1949) were historic and farsighted.

Showing strong will power by the government, the Governor said the government has categorically stated that there would be no compromise in the interest of either the development of the state or the development of tribals/natives.

The amendments to the two acts were given to provide right to tribals and strengthen their economy, Murmu said.

Law was being enacted to ensure that the agriculture land of Adivasi families can also be utilised for non-agriculture purpose with ownership right of land remaining intact with the family, the Governor said.
Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang today alleged the border issue between Nagaland and Assam is continuing because Assam government does not want to resolve the matter outside the court.

"Government of Nagaland has always been for peaceful and amicable settlement of the issue outside the court but it has been pending since the Assam government filed a suit in the Supreme Court in 1989 for settlement of the matter," Zeliang said while replying to MLA Imkong L Imchen's suggestion in the state Assembly that the state government should focus on resolving the border issue with Assam.

Zeliang said the SC had appointed two senior advocates as mediators, which worked for two years to know the ground reality, but the Assam government did not cooperate with their movements.

Subsequently, the SC advised the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to explore the possibility of resolving the issue between the two states outside the court, he told the Assembly.

Zeliang said that during the meeting attended by the CMs of both states he had conveyed to the Union Home Ministry the willingness of Nagaland government to resolve the matter outside the court, but Assam government stressed that the matter would be decided in the court.

The Chief Minister also told the House that dialogue between Peace Committees of the two states was on, while people-to-people contact was being maintained to resolve the matter outside the court.
An Assocham trade delegation showcasing its packaging and printing products at the three- day South African Propak expo here has been well received with many participants expressing interest in the Indian products.

Assocham Assistant Director Kaushal Lal Gupta said that despite severe competition from many participant countries at the Propak expo, there had been a great interest in the packaging products and related manufacturing and printing equipment that was being offered by the Indian delegation.

"India is focusing strongly on the quality materials which South African companies demand, at competitive prices," Gupta told PTI today at the conclusion of the second day of the three- day expo.

"In order to give small enterprises an opportunity as well, we brought many of them here for the first time to give them some exposure through a space in a combined stall.

"We do not only want companies that have a turnover of over Rs 50 or 100 crore to get an opportunity to sell in this market. We want to provide opportunities for those in the five to 10 crore area as well," Gupta added.

Propak Africa is a marketing platform where anyone in the packaging, food processing and labelling industries can showcase their products and meet new customers.

Ramesh Nakhwa of Zen Engineering said he was pleased with the interest in its water treatment products.

"Water and waste water is something that is universal. All companies require it and we do it for beverages and pharmaceuticals.

"We have had a very good enquiry base from South Africa and a few from (the neighbouring states of) Mozambique, Botswana and Angola also," Nakhwa said as he expressed confidence in the leads developing into concrete agreements.

Uday Shah, Director of Vishwa Exim, said his company has been coming to various exhibitions in South Africa for every single year of the past two decades and had established a partnership with a local company to service its range of machines which had been bought by many companies in the southern African region.

"Our service guys are here every alternate month and I come myself every three months from our headquarters in Ahmedabad," Shah said.

Sieving and filtering solutions company Galaxy Sivtek has also established a local partnership to oversee sales of its equipment in South Africa for the past three years.

"They are promoting our equipment for the food, chemicals, ceramics and mining industries, with 24 units running in the field already; and we have come to Propak for the first time to market aggressively in the local market for the next two years, first in South Africa and then in East Africa," said Export Sales manager for the company Keyur Andhariya.
A court here has granted bail to a lawyer from Delhi whose car had allegedly hit a motorcycle killing a doctor on the night ofMarch 5 on Yamuna Expressway, an accident that had sparked a row with HRD Minister Smriti Irani being accused of not helping the victims.

Advocate Dimple Arora, accused of rash and negligent driving, was given bail by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajeev Kumar, on furnishing of surety of Rs 20,000each given by two other lawyers Hari Om Sharma and Sanjiv Chaturvedi, Sanjiv Kumar Tewari, counsel for Dimple, said.

Dr Ramesh Nagar, a doctor from Agra, was travelling on a motorbike along with his daughter Sandali and nephiew Pankaj when it was hit allegedl by the car carrying Dimple Arora.

The charge sheet would be submitted in the courtinvoking IPC sections 279 (rash driving), 335 (voluntarily causing hurt), 338 (Endangering personal safety of others), 304 A (causing death by negligence) and 427 ((mischief causing damage) against Arora, sub inspector Rajendra Singh, investigating officer in the case, said.

Following the incident, Smriti Irani found herself in a spot when the children of the doctor Ramesh Nagar, killed on the Expressway, contradicted her claim that she had tried to help the injured and ensure they reached hospital.

On the night of March 5, Irani escaped with minor injuries after her vehicle and her escort vehicle had rammed into a vehicle that had allegedly hit a motorcycle killing one Dr Nagar and injuring Sandali and Pankaj.

However, the minister's office had said in a statement that the vehicle mentioned in the media reports of having hit the motorcycle had nothing to do with Irani's cavalcade and that she had directed SSP, Mathura, to arrange ambulance immediately so that injured could be given medical treatment at the earliest.
To commemorate the contributions of Indian soldiers in 1971 liberation war, the Bangladesh government will organise programmes in eight different places in India to honour them.

"We are grateful to the Indian soldiers who fought for liberation of our country and sacrificed their lives. Our government has decided to organise functions in eight places in India to honour them," Bangladesh Minister for 'Liberation war' AKM Mozammel Haque told reporters here today.

"We have intimated our decision to the Indian government and finalise the programmes in consultation with the appropriate authority," he said.

An eight-member delegation from Bangladesh, led by Haque, today visited a park here constructed by Tripura government to mark the liberation war.

Chottakhola is a village near the Indo-Bangla border in South Tripura district, about 130 km from Agartala. The guerrillas of the liberation war established a camp in 1971 to launch a bush war against the Pakistan army.

"We are also grateful to the government of Tripura for constructing a park and museum in memory of the war," he said.

Tripura was the war headquarters of the Bangladesh liberation war. The state had accommodated 14 lakh refugees from the war, which was more than its own population at that time.
Amid a raging row over Vijay Mallya fleeing the country, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the banks will recover every penny of loan given to him and investigative agencies will take strong action against the liquor baron wherever he is found to have violated the law.

Mallya, promoter of long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, had left India on March 2, presumably for London, days before Supreme Court heard a plea of clutch of state-owned banks seeking recovery of over Rs 9,000 crore from his group firms.

"His (Mallya's) facts are very clear. Every government agency, whether its taxation department or investigative agency, wherever he has violated law, is going to take strong action. As far as banks are concerned, they are going to recover every penny of the rupee that they can from him," Jaitley said.

The minister was answering questions at India Today Conclave on what the government was doing to recover money from Mallya, who is currently in the UK.

He also said the government has been trying to address the problem of NPAs in sectors like steel, textile, highways and infrastructure, which are on account of economic slowdown.

"NPAs due to sectoral slowdown would cease to be NPAs once there is an upturn," he added.

However, Jaitley said, the real source of worry was the cases involving "misconduct" on the part of individuals.

"There is a second category where large amounts of loans have been given in individual cases and some of the people misconducted themselves, there may not be adequate sureties and that's a source of worry. This is the one, which is real cause of worry because there are moral and ethical issues without legal liability.

"The kind of example (Mallya case). Has brought a huge bad name to both to India's banking as also to India's private sector. It's dangerous for the future if (we) are not able to remedy this," he said.

He further said the immediate job of the government was to make sure public sector banks remained strong. "So I am trying to recapitalise banks.
The standoff over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal escalated further today with MLAs of opposition INLD in Haryana and Congress in Punjab today attempting to storm each other's Assemblies as the dispute threatened to embroil Delhi whose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opposed construction of the canal.

INLD legislators, led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora, went to the Punjab Assembly, which is in session, and staged a protest at its gate against a bill passed on Monday by Punjab Assembly that provides for returning 3,928 acres of land acquired for construction of SYL canal to original landowners.

In a counter action, Congress MLAs of Punjab tried to barge into Haryana Assembly but were stopped by the watch and ward staff.

While the protest by INLD legislators lasted for quite some time, the Punjab Congress MLAs' action was a brief event.

A scuffle broke out between the INLD MLAs and watch and ward staff outside the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab and Haryana, with common capital Chandigarh, have Assemblies in the same complex here.

After the Question Hour, INLD MLAs moved out of the Haryana Assembly and went to the Punjab legislature raising slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the "unconstitutional" Bill be withdrawn.

Chautala later told reporters that "we met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the Bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."



"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

In the midst of Punjab-Haryana battle on SYL issue, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the target of sharp attacks by two senior ministers of Haryana, O P Dhankar (Agriculture) and Capt Abhimanyu (Finance) for his recent statement opposing construction of SYL canal in Punjab.

A couple of days ago, Kejriwal, during his tour of Punjab, where his party AAP plans a big foray in assembly polls due next year, had come out against SYL canal.

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Dhankar, in a letter to Kejriwal, asked him to "get his own canal constructed for carrying Delhi's share of water with your efforts."



"Haryana gets Delhi's 0.2 MAF share through the Bhakra Main Line from Punjab which then reaches Delhi through Narwana Branch and Western Yamuna canal



Dhankar said that besides Haryana also transfers 330 cusec of Yamuna water through the Western Yamuna canal to Delhi. "Haryana is not able to lift its share of 498 cusec of water," he told Kejriwal.

"We have share of water in Ravi Beas at Nangal Dam meant for Haryana and Delhi, but there is no channel to get this water. And you have opposed the only proposed SYL canal, through which water for Haryana and Delhi would come, for your political benefits in Punjab," the minister said.

Dhankar said that "by doing this (opposing construction of SYL canal) despite being Delhi Chief Minister, you have stood against the interests of people of Delhi."



"Seeing your stand, Haryana will not be able to deliver your share of water to Delhi since you have stood against the interests of farmers and people of Haryana," the minister told Kejriwal.

"For Delhi's needs of water you may take the trouble of getting your own canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala Headwork's (Yamunanagar) so that Delhi's share of water reaches the national capital due to your efforts," Dhankar told the Delhi Chief Minister.

Abhimanyu termed Kejriwal's statement on SYL canal issue as "irresponsible and factious."



Interacting with the media, he said the Delhi Chief Minister should keep in view the interests of the people of Delhi as Delhi was getting water through Haryana.

He said "Kejriwal was born in Siwani town of Haryana where the water level is the lowest. Kejriwal should think of his motherland as it had been thirsty far the last five decades."



The Finance Minister said that the Delhi Chief Minister should have been sensitive towards the people of Haryana and Delhi so that Delhi may not face any problem in getting water.

Khattar also said he has spoken to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and expressed his displeasure over Punjab government's move on the SYL canal.

"We are constantly in touch with the Centre also on SYL issue. I have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All our MPs have also met the Prime Minister on this issue," he said.

On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal told the media in Moga that he is ready to "make any sacrifice" rather than allow a "single drop of water" to flow out of the state.

He said Punjab is "fully prepared" for a sustained democratic and peaceful fight for justice over the critical issues "affecting the destiny of coming generations".

"There is no question of Punjab government accepting or implementing any decision which deprives the state of its just right under the settled riparian principle," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

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Chautla, the INLD senior leader, "if need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab and even our workers will bring implements to again dig up the land under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab."



Asked whether INLD will continue its alliance with SAD, Chautala said the party's alliance with Akalis has now ended as it has brought Bill against the interest of Haryana. "We now do not have any relation with SAD in Punjab," he said.

After this incident, Punjab Congress MLAs including CLP Charanjit Singh Channi, Tript Bajwa, Kuljeet Nagra, Bharat Bhushan Ashu also went to Haryana Assembly premises to register their protest against INLD members.

Meanwhile, Haryana Assembly later unanimously passed a resolution condemning the attitude of Punjab Congress MLAs who marched to the entry point of Haryana Assembly here and raised slogans against the MLAs of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

It was also decided in the resolution that the Punjab Speaker should be asked to take action and register an FIR against the Punjab Congress MLAs for "hurting the dignity" of the House.
Four Kashmiri students, who were arrested following rumours that they cooked beef in their hostel room in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh, have been released, police said today, claiming the meat in their posession was prima facie not of the cow.

The police have also identified the man who allegedly spread the rumour on a whatsapp group and legal action has been initiated against him, they said.

"The four Kashmiri students were arrested and later released by the SDM court yesterday after they furnished personal bonds of Rs 25,000 each," Superintendent of Police, Chittorgarh, Prasanna Kumar said today.

"We have also identified a local man named Gaurav who had circulated the rumour on a whatsapp group which created tension on Monday night," he said.

The students studying at a private university were allegedly manhandled by some other students after the rumour spread but police said the meat was not found to be beef. The Kashmiri youths were also alleged to have beaten up a local journalist when a crowd had gathered in front of the Mewar University to protest alleged cooking of beef.

The students were arrested yesterday under section 151 of CrPC (Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences).

Kumar said the meat which was brought to the university by the Kashmiri students was not beef and it became clear during the investigation.

"We have verified it from the butcher that it was not beef. However, we have sent samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory and the report is awaited," he said.

The officer said a notice was also served to the university after a few cases were registered in different matters involving its students in the recent past, including the episode related to the Kashmiri youths.

"We have asked them to improve the situation and the university administration has assured they will ensure there is no problem related to law and order," the officer said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Negotiations are underway with the Russian side in order to be able to reduce gas prices for the population. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Levon Yolyan stated at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting. "Currently, negotiations are being held in the direction of reducing gas prices, including for the population. We will inform about the results after the negotiations are completed ", Armenpress " reports the Minister saying. At the same time, he expressed hope that the negotiations will be completed by April.

The natural gas price for Armenia starting from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016 will be maintained US $ 165, as in the period of the previous year. Negotiations are underway to purchase gas on preferential terms.
Bharat Wire Ropes will hit the capital markets tomorrow with its Rs 70 crore initial public offering (IPO).

The Maharashtra-based specialty wire ropes manufacturer has fixed the price band at Rs 40-45 for the IPO.

The bidding for the shares would conclude on March 22.

As per draft papers, the company is aiming to raise Rs 70 crore through the issue. The offer would include reservation of equity shares worth Rs 3.5 crore for subscription by eligible employees.

Proceeds of the issue would be utilised for setting up a manufacturing plant at Chalisgaon in Maharashtra and for other general corporate purposes.

The issue is being managed by Intensive Fiscal Services and BOB Capital Markets. The equity shares of the company are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE.

Since the beginning of 2016, three firms -- Quick Heal Technologies, TeamLease Services and Precision Camshafts -- have hit the Dalal Street.

Besides, the public offer of Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) is currently underway, while that of Infibeam will open on March 21.
Former state BJP chief Rahul Sinha and actor Rupa Ganguly of teleserial 'Mahabharat' fame figure among 194 candidates whose names were announced by the party today for the West Bengal assembly polls.

The announcement was made following a meeting of the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, among others.

The Party, however, did not announce its candidates for Kerala due to 'some pending issues'.

Union Minister and CEC Secretary J P Nadda said the party has given representation to "all sections" of society in list. He said young candidates have been preferred and 26 women figured among the candidates announced so far.

With today's announcement, BJP has declared its candidates for 246 seats in the 294-member state assembly.

Sinha will contest from Jorasanko seat in Kolkata, while Ganguly, who is the party's state women's wing chief, will try her luck from Howrah North.

Former state party youth wing president Amitava Roy will be in the fray from Barrackpore and actor Suman Banerjee from English Bazar, Nadda said.

About the list of candidates for Kerala, he said, the CEC has approved nominees for several seats but it will released after completion of certain formalities.

Sources said the state BJP leadership had released a list of candidates for 22 seats a few days ago, making the task a "little difficult" for the central leadership. It is not clear if all the names announced by the state unit will find favour with the Party's central leadership.

Kerala BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan told a press conference that his party's prospect in the state, where it currently has no MLA, is "bright" as people are fed up with the ruling Congress-led UDF and its main challenger is the CPI(M)-led LDF.

He also referred to the recent incidents of violent attacks on party workers allegedly by CPI(M) activists, and accused the ruling Congress of protecting the accused.

Former Kerala BJP President V Muraleedharan claimed BJP had stitched together a "formidable alliance" that includes Ezhava outfit Bharat Dharma Jana Sena, and it will do well in the polls.

Kerala goes to the polls on May 16, while West Bengal will have elections in six phases between April 4 and May 5.
A BJP MLA in Haryana today demanded that President's Rule be imposed in Punajb, saying its Assembly passed a bill providing for returning the land acquired for the construction of SYL canal to the original landowners even as a presidential reference in this regard is pending in the Supreme Court.

Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel claimed that around 150 JCBs have been deployed for filling up the canal in Ropar and Patiala districts which shows that law and order situation has "collapsed" there.

He also demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal tender his resignation on moral grounds "as he has been working in an illegal and arrogant manner for political benefits and damaging the interests of other states".

Goel said Badal would be held responsible if the people of Haryana reacted "harshly" to the situation.

"If Haryana retaliated, the people of Punjab would not be able to reach Delhi. Badal should know that he has to cross through Haryana while going to Delhi," he said.

BJP is part of ruling coalition in Punjab and the ruling party in neighbouring Haryana. The two states are locking horns over the issue of the completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal which is meant to carry water from Punjab's rivers to Haryana.

On Monday, in an attempt to prevent its neighbouring states from getting a share in river waters flowing through Punjab, the state assembly had passed a bill against the construction of the canal.

The Bill also provides for returning free of cost 3,928 acres acquired for its construction to the original landowners.

Goel also criticized Arvind Kejriwal, saying that before supporting Punjab, he should take care of Delhi which could face a severe crisis if Haryana stopped water supply to it.
A BJP worker was arrested today in connection with the attack on police horse Shaktiman during a protest by the party here even as army doctors decided to amputate the hind leg of the equine, which was still in pain and cannot stand, to save its life.

Three days after the attack that sparked outrage, the worker identified as Pramod Bora was arrested from Haldwani in Nainital district for forcefully pulling the bridle of the horse and causing its fall at the protest venue on March 14 and leaving it injured, Dehradun SSP Sadanand Daate told PTI. Bora was arrested from Mukhani area of Haldwani on a requisition by Dehradun police, Nainital SSP Sweety Agarwal said, adding he has been handed over to a police team from Dehradun and is being taken to the state capital.

On reports that summons were issued to BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi by him in connection with the attack, Uttarakhand DGP B S Sidhu said only the Investigating Officer is competent to issue summons. When queried, Investigating Officer Arun Pandey neither denied nor confirmed issuing summons to the legislator, saying investigations are still on.

The horse in fact fell with its entire weight on its hind quarters under the combined impact of Joshi's frontal attack with a lathi and Bora pulling up its reins from one side, Daate said.

'Shaktiman', a well trained horse which was part of Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years, was allegedly attacked by Joshi, an MLA from Mussoorie, during the march. The animal suffered fractures in one of his hind legs during the protest.

An FIR had been lodged at Nehru Colony police station against Joshi and his associates.

Giving an update on the medical condition of the horse which was operated upon by a team of vets a day after the attack, the DGP said a team of doctors from Pune which examined Shaktiman today are of the opinion that its fractured hind leg will have to be amputated to save its life.

However, it has not yet been decided when the amputation will take place, he said.

Daate said the horse is still in pain and cannot stand. "Army doctors are attending on the horse. We are doing everything we can to help it recover fully from the injuries," he added.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse's condition.

"We are worried about the horse as it is still in pain and cannot stand on its feet. However, it is being looked after properly. Let people decide who is wrong," he said. The BJP has been demanding withdrawal of the cases lodged against its workers including Joshi with the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt asserting that they were being framed at the behest of the state government to cow down the opposition.

However, the Chief Minister has refused to withdraw the cases, saying he does not believe in interfering in police investigations which should be carried out independently.
Farmers' body BKU today said the government should pay fair remunerative prices for crops with 50 per cent margin over the cost of cultivation as the farming community is reeling under stress after a two consecutive drought years.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) General Secretary Yudhvir Singh after submitting a memorandum to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that farmers are living under tremendous stress, leading to a rise in the number of suicide cases. He demanded debt waivers for farmers.

"There was back to back droughts in last two years so now there is an urgent need for the BJP-led government to fulfill its promises made in its manifesto of giving higher minimum support prices with minimum 50 per cent more margin over the cost of cultivation," Singh added.

Stating that farmers are still committing suicides, Singh said they are unable to generate enough income for their livelihood and as a result there debt is increasing.

There is also a need to frame a new comprehensive policy to tackle unseasonal rains and drought situations, he said adding that "whatever relief is provided by the government is not enough".

On the revised Crop Insurance Scheme, the BKU said there would be no substantive benefits to farmers from the cosmetic changes made to the scheme.

He further said the BKU also raised the issue of WTO with the Agriculture Minister.

On the WTO issue, he said the Indian government failed to secure any permanent solution to food security issues at the December 2015 Ministerial meeting at Nairobi.

"India was not even able to bring the pertinent issues specifically related to farmers and agriculture sector to the table, he said.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff swore in predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her new cabinet chief today, but a judge quickly quashed the appointment amid allegations she was trying to protect him from corruption charges.

Rousseff attacked her enemies for trying to remove her in a "coup" as she sealed her risky bet to team up again with her old mentor, whose new position grants him ministerial immunity, protecting him from prosecution in criminal court.

She got as far as giving Lula a post-ceremony hug before federal judge Itagiba Catta Preta suspended the embattled ex-president's nomination to the cabinet chief post "or any other that grants him immunity."



The preliminary injunction, which must still be reviewed by a higher court, can be appealed.

It plunges Rousseff's tottering government into even deeper uncertainty as the president fights off new impeachment proceedings, mass protests, a deep recession and the splintering of her coalition.

Lula and Rousseff, the leftist leaders who have governed Brazil for the past 13 years, were all sharp suits and warm smiles at the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace, belying the catastrophic political and economic crises gripping the once-booming Latin American giant.

But the ceremony reignited the protests sparked yesterday by an anti-corruption judge's leak of a damning wire-tapped phone call between Rousseff and Lula suggesting she appointed him to save him from arrest.

"Shame!" shouted a protester as Lula was sworn in. The ex-president's supporters for their part chanted slogans accusing their opponents of seeking a coup.

"The putschists' shouting won't make me veer from my path or bring us to our knees," said Rousseff.

Lula, the once wildly popular president who led Brazil from 2003 to 2011, is charged with accepting a luxury apartment and a country home as bribes from executives implicated in a multi-billion-dollar corruption scam at state oil company Petrobras.

Rousseff vehemently denies she appointed him to help him dodge prosecution, insisting she needs his political acumen to help rescue her government from crisis.

But hours after Lula's appointment, federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading the explosive Petrobras probe, ordered the release of evidence suggesting darker motives.

Rousseff called Lula's bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so he could make use of it "if necessary."



That extract seems to confirm that Lula's nomination was aimed at saving him from possible arrest.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that Canada will seek a two-year term on the UN Security Council starting in 2021, citing the country's resettling of Syrian refugees and a desire to take part in peacekeeping efforts as evidence of a renewed commitment to engagement in world affairs.

Trudeau, who took office in November, on Wednesday said that Canada's ideals align with many of those dear to the UN, including human rights, gender equality and diversity. Canada last held a seat on the Security Council in 2000.

"It's time for Canada to step up once again," Trudeau said. Canada will compete with Ireland and Norway for two available seats on the council.

Trudeau's announcement at the UN in front of about 300 diplomats, staffers and came after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to Canada and meeting with Trudeau last month.

Canada has served six times on the Security Council since the late 1940s. In 2010 it lost a seat to Portugal, a defeat blamed on a lacklustre attempt by the conservative government then in charge.

The 15-member council has five permanent members who each have veto power: The United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. Ten additional members are elected for two-year terms.

The 193 members of the UN General Assembly won't vote on the seat Canada is pursuing until the fall of 2020.

Trudeau said his country has shown that it has a role to play on the Security Council. He emphasised Canada's commitment to resettling refugees from the war in Syria.

The country has now accepted more than 25,000, a dramatic change from the previous conservative government, which declined to resettle more refugees despite the haunting image last year of a drowned 3-year-old Syrian boy washed up on a Turkish beach. The boy's aunt lives in Canada.

Trudeau said the new residents will make Canada stronger. "People have come to Canada seeking a better life and have contributed immensely," he said. "This is about building a stronger economy in five years, in ten years," he added.

Trudeau also said Canada can play an important role in peacekeeping operations, not in terms of quantity but in quality, perhaps in situations where the French language is needed.

Lloyd Axworthy, Canada's foreign affairs minister in the late 1990s, said Canada has lost standing at the UN over the last decade and needs to work hard to regain it.
"Catching thieves will not harm the country," noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj said on Thursday while batting for action against wilful defaulters amid a raging controversy over liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who owes over Rs 9,000 crore to banks, leaving the country.

"Wherever there are justifiable reasons (for non-payment of loans), actions should not be taken. However, where there are cases of wilful default, where loans were diverted for other purposes, action should be taken. Catching thieves will not harm the country," he said.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave here, Bajaj also said that bank officials, who give loan on the basis of the just brand of a company, were "either corrupt or highly inefficient".

BJP chief Amit Shah said a probe is being conducted into how Mallya escaped from the country. "He should not have gone. If he was right, he should have stayed here. Our courts are very liberal," he said.
A Rajasthan-based Chartered Accountant (CA) and a real estate agent were today questioned by the CBI in connection with its probe in Rs 1,000 crore Syndicate Bank fraud case.

While the CA, Bharat Bamb was questioned in the agency headquarters here, Shankar Khandelwal was grilled in its Jaipur office, official sources said here today.

The CBI officials have also recovered Rs 67 lakh cash and three hard discs from one of the employees, identified as Mahendra, of the CA, they said.

Both Bamb and Khandelwal have been detained and questioned, the sources said.

In this scam, four businessmen allegedly managed to open 386 accounts in three branches of Syndicate Bank in Rajasthan in connivance with five of its executives and defrauded it of Rs 1,000 crore using fake cheques, letter of credits and LIC policies.

Satish Kumar Goyal, General Manager (then posted at Jaipur), Sanjeev Kumar, DGM, Regional Office, Deshraj Meena, Chief Manager, MI Road Branch, Adarsh Manchanda, Malviya Nagar, all in Jaipur and Avdhesh Tiwari, AGM, Udaipur have been named in the agency's FIR.

Sources said the accused in alleged connivance with almost all the employees of the bank's three branches--two in Jaipur and one in Udaipur--created a dubious layer of fake transactions involving a shell amount of Rs 18,000 crore. However, the amount of fraud is only Rs 1,000 crore, they said.

The sources said the accused resorted to discounting of fake cheques and bills against fake Letters of Credit and arranged over-draft limit against non-existent LIC policies.

The scam that allegedly ran through 2011-16 continued unabated escaping the audits and throwing to the wind all the formalities of KYC norms as 386 bank accounts of various nature were opened in these three branches of the public sector bank, they said.

The sources said documents submitted by genuine account holders were allegedly misused while opening these bank accounts.

The transactions of fake cheques ranged from Rs 40 lakh to Rs five crore with maximum number of cheques in the range of Rs 2.5 crore to four crore, they said.

Explaining the modus operandi, the sources said these people allegedly deposited fake cheques and get a discounted cash on them (For example for the face value of Rs 100 cheque, they got Rs 90 cash immediately).

It is alleged that before the cheque bounced, they used to produce another cheque of higher face value and again get an discounted encashment with a portion of it used to write off against the previous fake cheque. To avoid detection, many of these transactions were nullified from the proceeds of new fraudulent transactions, they said.
The Central Board of Secondary Education has rescheduled its Class XII board Examination for Sociology, Sanskrit Core and Bengali due to Assembly Election in Assam.

Assistant Secretary of CBSE, regional office Guwahati has informed that the Sociology (039) examination scheduled for April 4 next will be held on April 23, said a government release here today.

The Sanskrit Core (322) and Bengali (105) examinations scheduled for April 11 will now be held on April 26, the release said.

The two-phase assembly elections will be held on April 4 and 11.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a verdict on the "Zalyan and others vs. Armenia" case. As "Armenpress" reports, former servicemen of the armed forces Arayik Zalyan, Razmik Sargsyan and Musa Serobyan were present at court, complaining that they were suspected in murdering a serviceman and confessed as a result of violence and pressure. They also complained that they had been illegally detained and imprisoned.

The ECHR unanimously ruled that violation has not been found in accordance to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture and inhuman actions. At the same time it was noted that by the same article the proper procedure of the investigation has been violated.

The European Court concluded that 1st, 2nd and 3rd paragraphs of Article 5 of the Convention, which relate to the right to liberty and security, were violated in regard to Zalyan.

The court decided that Armenia should pay a monetary compensation of 20 thousand Euros to Zalyan, and 15 thousand to Sargsyan and Serobyan.

In the Mataghis case, three soldiers were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2005, and a year later, by the Court of Appeal, to life imprisonment. Years later, in 2012, only through the verdict of the Court of Cassation they were acquitted. They claim that they were beaten and pressured, under which Razmik Sargsyan admitted his and his servicemens guilt.
Amidst simmering tension over threat of Jats resuming their agitation for quota, the Centre has sent 3,000 paramilitary forces to Haryana to ensure peace and deployed another 300 personnel to guard Munak canal which supplies water to Delhi.

"All arrangements have been made for Haryana and forces have been sent," a senior Home Ministry official said today.

Additional paramilitary forces were deployed in all sensitive places, some spots on highways and for Munak canal, the official said.

Large-scale violence and destruction of public and private properties had taken place during the week-long Jat agitation in Haryana in which about 30 people were killed last month.

Protesters also damaged the Munak canal, located about 100 kms from Delhi, disrupting water supply to the national capital for several days.
Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Charanjit Singh Channi today asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to protect the interests of the state at every level in view of the status quo ordered by the Supreme Court on the SYL Canal.

"Badal should fight the case in true spirit pleading it in the Supreme Court with the best available legal experts of the country," the senior Congress leader said.

"The land could be de notified via notification also but intentionally to befool the people of Punjab the bill was brought by the ruling party in Vidhan Sabha," he said.

Channi said that the Punjab assembly had unanimously passed the bill and the Congress party will not let any single drop of water to go out of the state.

"Now it is upto the conscious of the chief minister of Punjab whether to continue this alliance with the BJP at the Centre or not," he said.

"Badal should also withdraw his daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Modi cabinet as a matter of protest because the BJP government in Haryana is pushing the case against the Punjab," he said.

Channi also questioned the silence of the Punjab BJP on the SYL matter when their government in Haryana is opposing Punjab's move.

"The people of Punjab are eagerly watching and will give them a befitting reply in the coming vidhan sabha elections," he said.

Channi also called upon Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to clarify their relationship with Indian National Lok Dal Supremo Om Parkash Chautala and his family in view of the ruckus created by Abhay Chautala and his party MLAs on the issue of SYL Canal bill.

He said it was shocking that the INLD legislators led by Abhay Chautala allegedly stormed Punjab Assembly to register their protest against the legislation to de-notify SYL Canal.

He said that this had never happened earlier although the Assembly complex is shared by the two states from the very beginning.
Lawmakers in Chile's lower house of Congress today approved abortion in limited circumstances, the first step towards lifting a decades-long ban on the practice in the socially conservative South American country.

Under the measure approved by the Chamber of Deputies, abortion will be allowed in cases of rape, risk to the mother, or when the fetus is no longer considered viable. The Senate must now approve the draft.

"Incredible -- the motion is passed," said the leader of the Chamber of Deputies, Marco Antonio Nunoz, after a heated debate of the draft submitted by the government of President Michelle Bachelet.
China is building a in South China Sea, a senior official here has said and underlined that the facility in the disputed region has been approved by the UN.

The facility is being constructed in the South China Sea, Wang Hong, chief of the State Oceanic Administration, told reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the annual legislative session yesterday.

"In fact, it has begun operations and has already issued tsunami alerts to the community, including neighbouring countries in the South China Sea," Wang was quoted as saying by the state-run Global Times.

He said the project has received United Nations approval.

This is the latest announcement on facilities China is constructing in the disputed South China Sea, though Wang did not reveal the specific location of the facility.

China defends facilities in the South China Sea like a light house saying that it will benefit all the countries in the region while critics say it is an attempt by Beijing to solidify its presence in disputed islands and reefs with permanent structures.

Officials of South China's Hainan Province also announced that the province is building piers and restoring the ecological environment on the the Paracel islands which China calls as Xisha Islands.

Lighthouses have started operating since October on Huayan and Chigua reefs in the Nansha (Spratly) islands, whilethe airport on Yongxing Island has been managing flights.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea.

Its claims are countered by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

United States Navy too is actively present in the area as Washington seeks to assert freedom of navigation in the South Chia Sea.

"Sovereignty is not only protected verbally but is now exercised and governed through our actions. This will effectively enhance our presence in the South China Sea," Ling Shengli, secretary-general of the Security Study Centre at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

China's foreign ministry has reiterated that such construction falls within China's sovereignty rights and are civilian and public facilities aimed at better serving coastal nations in the South China Sea as well as maritime traffic from around the world.

Ling stressed that China has been constructing facilities for civilian use and limited defence facilities to protect civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the US will continue to insist on so-called freedom of navigation in the region and may lead to disputes. But major conflicts are not likely between the two countries under the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea, Ling said.
China today said it never recognised the Dalai Lama-backed Tibetan government-in-exile in India and asked countries around the world not to provide any "stage" to independence activists from Tibet.

"You must be quite clear about the position of Chinese government, that we have never recognised this so-called government-in-exile," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

He was answering a question about the final election for the 16thTibetan Parliament-in-exile based in Dharamsala slated for March 20 and whether the Chinese government has any preferred candidate.

"We also hope that countries around the world, especially those that have friendly relations with us will not provide any stage for Tibetan independence separatist activities," he said.

China considers the Dalai Lama, the self-exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, as a proponent of Tibet's separation and has rejected his autonomy proposals.

According to overseas groups, about 130 Tibetans attempted self-immolations in recent years demanding the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-exile is the unicameral and highest legislative organ of the Central Tibetan administration in Dharamsala.

The Tibetan prime minister (chief executive) is directly elected by about 150,000 members of the exiled Tibetan community. The Parliament currently consists of 44 members.
The "disinformation" campaign by Congress to "defame" the Modi government, the Ishrat Jahan and JNU rows, besides the "pro-poor and rural-centric" budget will be the key issues on the agenda at BJP's two-day National Executive meet beginning here on March 19.

"The opposition, especially Congress, has been exposed in the last 20 months over a host of issues, be it returning of awards by a section of intelligentsia or JNU row where it chose to side with anti-national forces. These will come up for discussion," a party leader said.

Elections to five state assemblies in April-May will be part of the deliberations during which Uttar Pradesh, which will go to the polls early next year and where BJP's stakes are high, may also figure.

The need to inform the masses about the "pro-poor and pro-village" aspects of the budget will be stressed upon at the meeting, party sources said, adding that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be the main speaker on the issue.

The party's office-bearers will meet on Saturday and the much-larger Executive will go into a huddle in the afternoon.

Party chief Amit Shah will set the tone for the exercise with his inaugural address to the Executive. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address the valedictory session on Sunday, they said.

The event will provide the party yet another opportunity to project its hardline nationalist credentials in the wake of the JNU row.

All top party leaders, including Shah, had hit out at Congress, particularly its vice president Rahul Gandhi, over the issue at a Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha convention recently.

"We believe that the issue has highlighted Congress' increasing ideological hollowness and that it can take up any cause in its desperation to target the government," sources said.

The recent revelations in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case will also provide ammunition to the party to attack Congress.

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The BJP said on Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress forgets a comprehensive all party meeting on August 12, which its own party leaders attended and where the Prime Minister spoke at length on the issue.

"Congress remembers Jammu and Kashmir only in the opposition. The most simmering situation in Jammu and Kashmir took place in 2010 when the Congress was a partner of the ruling coalition. The round of protests in 2008 took place under a Congress Chief Minister. Never has the Congress spoken for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits," it said.

The BJP said Congress was only paying lip service towards the "marginalised and the minorities" and blamed that most of farmer suicide have taken place in Congress Governments.

"It was a BJP government that formed a separate ministry of tribal affairs and carved two states with significant tribal populations," it said.

BJP said Prime Minister's statements on being the third largest economy in the world was based on GDP growth, but Congress leaders cite PPP data to contest this fact.

"Their spinning skills can be perhaps better utilized in the Indian cricket team. Infact, India is ranked third in the list of top prospective host economies for 2016-18 in the World Investment Report 2016 released by the UNCTAD recently (June 2016)," BJP said.

The party blamed Congress for poor research on its claims of flawed Aadhaar numbers.

"104.4 crore persons have been given Aadhaar as of today, out of the total national population. This comes to 82 p.C of the total population. And, if we simply take the adult population that is above 18 years this amounts to 98 p.C of the population," it said.

It said the inflation rate under the NDA government has not crossed 6 per cent when the rates during the Congress crossed double digits.

Chiding Congress for attack on Prime Minister's Independence Day speech, BJP said, "It was nothing but opposition for opposition's sake, indicative of the great panic that has set in the minds of the Congress party over the pro-people and development-oriented NDA Government's good work.
Congress today took credit for the passage of several bills in the Budget session so far but struck a cautious note on government's claim that the much delayed GST bill would be passed in the second phase of the Parliament session.

"We will cross the bridge, when we come to it," Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said at a joint press conference he addressed with M Veerappa Moily a day after the conclusion of the first part of the Budget session.

Asked about Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu expressing confidence that the key GST bill would be passed in the second phase, he said the government has so far not talked to the opposition on taking up the bill.

Insisting that such bills are first taken up by the government with opposition and other political parties in the Business Advisory Committees of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, he said the GST was not brought up there.

Azad replied in a similar vein when asked about Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement that it was difficult to accept Congress' demand to cap GST rate in the pending Constitution Amendment bill.

Seeking to take credit for passage of several bills, Moily said, "Rajya Sabha functioned at 129 per cent of the scheduled time and Lok Sabha at 120 per cent. This is in contrast to the performance of the Opposition led by BJP during UPA-II, when the House wasn't allowed to function."



Azad said it was on the insistence of Congress, and not the government, there were extra sittings in Parliament.

"Without the cooperation of Congress, no legislation would have been passed in the Rajya Sabha," he said underlining that the government lacked majority in the Upper House.

The Leader of the Opposition insisted that the amendments passed in the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address and Aadhaar Bill had sent a "strong message" to the government to "not take the Rajya Sabha lightly."



He claimed the Prime Minister had refused to answer "any of the issues" that were raised by the Opposition, including the Pathankot terror attack, farmers suffering due to unseasonal rains, black money, and the Vijay Mallya issue. "Sadly, the Prime Minister did not respond to any of these questions."



Attacking the government on its claim of streamling defence purchases, Azad said, "The government didn't streamline defence procurement, but ended it".

Citing an example, he said during the UPA rule, it was decided to go in for 126 Rafale fighter jets with the deal including transfer of technology from France.

"We were to receive 18 jets and 108 jets were to be manufactured by HAL. This was Make in India. But, the PM and his new government scrapped the deal. Instead they decided to buy 36 readymade jets," he said.

Noting that this deal was set to be signed during the Republic Day visit of French President Francois Hollande, he said, but it has been three months, and there is still "no deal".

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Moily accused the government of giving a "casual



treatment" to GST in the Budget 2016-17.

"With regard to the GST, which was the brainchild of the UPA government, they have given casual treatment in the Budget. You do not find any strategy or a roadmap for the implementation of GST. This is how they perform," he said.

The former Union Minister said Congress has cooperated in spite of all "provocations" and despite the "confrontationist attitude" taken by everybody in the NDA including the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.

"We have kept India first then the Politics. They have kept the Politics above and India comes next to them. This is how they behave," he said, adding that this is the "best performance" as far as opposition is concerned.
A man, accused of sodomising a person 19 years ago and inflicting injuries on him with sharp edged weapon, has been convicted by a Delhi court which said the victim's testimony remained "unshaken" even during his cross-examination over a decade after the incident.

Metropolitan Magistrate Kapil Kumar convicted the accused under section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code while also relying on the testimony of the doctor who had examined the victim.

"The unshaken testimony of prosecution witness three (victim) read with the testimony of prosecution witness two (doctor) and the medical report proves on record that the accused committed carnal intercourse against the order of nature with the victim," the magistrate said.

The court also dismissed the contention of counsel for the accused that the forensic report showed that sodomy was not committed saying, "It is mentioned in the explanation appended to the section 377 IPC that penetration is sufficient to constitute carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in the section."



It observed that the victim, during cross examination which happened around 16 years after the incident, stood the test of cross examination and nothing came on record to lead any doubt about the credibility.

According to the prosecution, the victim, a resident of Jahangir Puri in north Delhi, was sodomised by the accused Suresh Mehto on August 22, 1997 at the basement of a shop near Azad Pur here.

It said that few days prior to the sodomy incident, Mehto, along with his associates, had beaten up the victim accusing him of stealing 30 cartons of mangoes. This matter was reported to the police, the prosecution added.

The accused denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty during the trial.

The court is yet to pronounce the quantum of punishment for the convict.
Cuba put four dissidents on a flight bound for the United States, an opposition member said today, calling their release "a gift" to US President Barack Obama.

The development comes days before Obama makes a historic visit to Cuba, a milestone in the political rapprochement between the former Cold War foes.

The four dissidents -- Niorvis Rivera, Aracelio Riviaux, Vladimir Morera and Jorge Ramirez -- previously had been released in 2014, only to be subsequently rearrested.

"They were taken out of their jails Tuesday and taken to the Combinado del Este prison in Havana, where they filled out their immigration paperwork and traveled the same day to the United States," Jose Daniel Ferrer, a dissident, told AFP.

A fifth dissident, Yohannes Arce, who was released in January 2015, is set to fly to the United States today, he said.

Ferrer, who is among a group of dissidents slated to meet the US president Tuesday in Havana, said the release was "like a gift for Obama."



The Roman Catholic Church had acted as a mediator in the releases, he said.

"This is a gift, a morally very controversial present," said Ferrer, who leads the banned Patriotic Union of Cuba. "The Cuban regime feels that the best thing it has to negotiate with are the political prisoners."



He said Rivera had not wanted to leave Cuba without his family members, but agreed to go after the government promised that they would follow in 10 to 15 days.

The four dissidents were among a group of 53 who were released in December 2014 after Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced their intention to restore relations severed more than 50 years ago.

The four were jailed again a year later.

Morera, who was on a hunger strike for more than 80 days last year, "is well and happy, although he is still suffering from the after-effects" of the prolonged fast, his son Vladier said.

"He had no idea that he would be freed or about the trip until the last minute, but he's already there," he said. "He's happy, and he told us that the family would reunite over there."



Cuba denies holding political prisoners, saying dissident arrests have been for common crimes.
A dalit was beaten to death at Sathi village in the district for allegedly stealing a watch, police said today.

Kothari (42) was yesterday beaten badly by Chunmun Patel, who suspected him of having stolen his watch, with sticks resulting in serious injuries, Circle officer Yashveer Singh said.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

An FIR has been lodged in this connection. The accused is absconding, he said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Armenia will export tobacco filters to Uzbekistan, Japan and two other countries, Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan announced during the Cabinet meeting.

For this purpose, the government extended customs exporting permission to "SPS Cigaronne until October 7, 2017.

"The company imported tobacco filters which were supposed to be processed and exported during 2015. But the Uzbek colleagues were unable to purchase the products because of financial problems and export will be carried out this year. This decision will allow the processing work to be finished in order to start exporting, "Armenpress" reports Minasyan saying, adding that the company has also signed similar agreements with Japan and two other partners and will start exporting.
The number of Palestinian pilgrims killed when their bus overturned in a remote area of southern Jordan rose from 14 to 16 overnight, including nine who had been pinned under the vehicle, officials said today.

The bus veered off the road in the accident late Wednesday near Jordan's border with Saudi Arabia, Farid Sharea, a spokesman for Jordan's Civil Defense department, told the Voice of Palestine radio station.

Injured passenger Azzah Ibrahim said he remembers the bus overturning. "Some of us were beneath the bus, and some of us were inside the bus, between the chairs," Ibrahim said from his hospital bed in the southern city of Maan, about 70 kilometers from the scene of the accident.

Sharea said heavy equipment was used to lift the bus and pull nine bodies from underneath the vehicle.

The windows of the mud-smeared bus were shattered. Glass shards, passengers' crumpled clothing and empty water bottles were strewn on the floor of the vehicle.

The passengers, all from the West Bank, had been on their way to a Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Jordan's state agency Petra initially reported late Wednesday that 14 passengers were killed and 36 injured. It said the driver had apparently lost control of the vehicle.

Overnight, the death toll rose to 16, including two children, said Dr Walid Ruwad, the manager of Maan hospital. Bassam Hijawi, an official at the Palestinian embassy in Jordan, said five critically injured passengers were flown by helicopter to the Jordanian capital of Amman. Three others, who were in serious condition, were evacuated to a hospital in the Red Sea port of Aqaba, he told the Voice of Palestine.
In yet another warning, the Delhi government has asked over 525 private schools to refund the extra fee they took from parents of students within 15 days.

A committee headed by Justice Anil Dev Singh has identified 525 schools to be overcharging parents on the pretext of implementing recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission while not doing it.

The panel was constituted last year following the Delhi High Court's order and has so far submitted nine interim reports to be implemented by the schools.

After submission of the eight interim reports, the Directorate of Education (DoE) had directed 472 schools to refund the amount within 15 days. However, till December last, only 43 schools had complied with the order.

"525 schools have been identified by the committee in its nine reports to refund excess fee charged. They are hereby directed to comply with the said reports within a period of 15 days and to submit compliance report," a communication by DoE said.

According to the directive, schools that have charged excess fee to implement 6th Pay Commission's recommendations but have not implemented it are supposed to make the payments to their staff as per the commission recommendations, out of excess fee collected, with 9 per cent interest, without further raising any fresh demand from the parents or students.

"And if after implementing the 6th CPC in the school, there still remains excess money charged from the students/ parents by such school, it shall be refunded to the concerned person," the circular said.

The committee has so far submitted recommendations on 1,066 schools.
Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGCIG) Rajendra Singh is on a two-day visit to Kolkata to review the coastal security mechanism in the region.

The Flag Officer's presence is aimed at bolstering ties with all stakeholders of the coastal security mechanism, officials said.

During the visit Singh shall also meet West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and discuss the future expansion and presence of the force in the state.

Singh is the first regular Coast Guard officer to be elevated to the rank of director general.

Coast Guard's North East region, headquartered in Kolkata, is a hotspot of maritime activities where implementation of Sagarmala project is likely to pose a host of challenges like marine pollution, maritime terrorism, smuggling of contraband, narcotics, etc.

The region is scheduled to witness a sea change in shipping traffic with coming up of world-class container trans-shipment port at Sagar island under Sagarmala project.

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Meanwhile, a Kozhikode report said the Coast Guard Station (CGS) conducted a coastal clean up at nearby Beypore.

Nearly 100 personnel from Coast Guard Station Beypore, Coast Guard ships and the public, including children from nearest coastal area, participated in the event in which about two tonne of debris were collected and disposed off at a safe place, an ICGS release said.
The Election Commission today removed 34 officials including a District Magistrate (DM) and four Superintendents of Police (SPs) in the poll-bound West Bengal, following complaints from opposition parties.

"I have received a communication from the Election Commission, which asked to remove 34 officials with immediate effect," Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee told PTI.

The 34 officials are one DM, four SPs, one SDO (Sub-Divisional Officer), two SDPOs (Sub-Divisional Police Officer), two DEOs (District Election Officer) in Kolkata South and North, and 24 ICs (Inspector In-Charge), Banerjee said.

Hooghly District Magistrate Sanjay Bansal, Burdwan SP Kunal Agarwal, Malda SP Prasum Bandyopadhyay, Nadia SP Bhaskar Mukherjee and South Dinajpur SP Arnab Ghosh were among the officials the EC has asked to be removed.

Mukta Arya has been asked to take over as the new DM of Hooghly district.

Those who would replace the four SPs were Gourav Sharma in Burdwan, Waqar Raja in Malda, Sisram Jhajhoria in Nadia and Rashid Munir Khan in South Dinajpur district.

Regarding the replacement of other officials, the Chief Secretary said a panel would be sent to the Election Commission to finalise their selection.

The transfer order came a couple of days after the full Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, had visited the city and interacted with political leaders when opposition parties had complained against these officials.
: Southern Railway will run special train services between Ernakulam Junction and Chennai Central to clear the extra rush of passengers. Train No 06004, Special fare train to Ernakulam Junction will start from Chennai Central at 18.20 hrs on Apr 7 to reach Ernakulum Junction at 07.40 hrs the next day.

In the return direction Tr.No. 00604, Suvidha special train will start from Ernakulam Junction at 1900 hrs on Apr 10 to reach Chennai Central at 07.15 hrs next day, a railway press release said here today.
El Salvador's congress has approved a temporary measure to allow about 1,000 old or sick inmates to leave prison, to free up police to fight gangs.

The legislation approved yesterday may also help reduce overcrowding in the Central American country's prisons.

The government has said it is studying a series of measures to improve the fight against violent Mara street gangs.

The measure approved yesterday will allow the release of inmates with a terminal or degenerative illness and prisoners over age 60 who have served at least a third of their sentences.

Nobody with a sentence of over eight years nor those convicted of serious offenses will be eligible under the measure, which is scheduled to last one year.
Rare images of the north-eastern tribes, part of over 10,000 black and white photographs taken between 1930s and 1960s by noted anthropologist Verrier Elwin during his study of tribals in central and north-eastern India, are on display here as part of an ongoing exhibition.

England-born Elwin, who gave up clergy to work with Mahatma Gandhi, is considered one of the best anthropologists of India and he researched the tribals until his death in 1964 in Delhi. Born in 1902, he went to on to become the "first British person" to gain Indian citizenship in 1954.

"We have displayed a small section of the rare images of the tribes taken by Elwin during his career as an anthropologist and ethnologist in India. The body of work that he produced in terms of photographs was of course phenomenal, and of great anthropological value," Director, Intangible Cultural Heritage, INTACH, Nerupama Modwel told PTI.

The exhibition which ends on March 20 has been organised by city-based Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage along with Adivasi Arts Trust and Ambedkar University Delhi and hosted at INTACH headquarters.

"We have displayed a small part from the archive of photographs taken by Elwin that document a critical period of transition and the objective is to draw attention to the urgent need to conserve and preserve his unique legacy for posterity," she said.

The set of monochrome images take viewers on a journey capturing the life, culture and folklore of some of the tribal cultures of Arunachal Pradesh, from the Monpas in the northwest to the Wancho of the east, the Naga tribes and the ethnic population of Manipur.

"Besides, his pioneering work in researching the tribes of India, his seminal contribution, also includes documenting their lives and he took over 10,000 black and white photographs of them from 1930s to 1960s in central and north-eastern parts of the country," she said.

His work was so influential that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru after Independence appointed him as Advisor on Tribal Affairs to the Governor of Assam, based in Shillong for the last ten years of his life, according to INTACH.

For his lifelong work and contribution to the welfare of tribals, he was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1961.

Best known for his early work with the Baigas and Gonds of central India, he also studied several tribes in North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). Elwin documented a vast number of folk tales from across India and even married a tribal girl.

The celebrated anthropologist produced a number of books on tribals, some of them path-breaking.

His autobiography 'The Tribal World of Verrier Elwin' posthumously won him the 1965 Sahitya Akademi Award in English language.
Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer today said it has bagged an order for a new entry-level business jet, Phenom 100E, from an Indian customer.

The aircraft will be managed by Titan Aviation Group, a global aviation speciality service provider headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, the company said in a statement.

It, however, did not disclose the identity of the Indian customer acquiring the aircraft.

Phenom 100E will be the fourth Embraer airplane managed by Titan Aviation when it is delivered later this year, the statement added.

Following the delivery of this order, the number of registered Embraer executive jest in India would stand at 22, the company said.

"We are grateful for the confidence the customer has placed in us and thank Titan Aviation for their unwavering support. This order takes the Embraer Executive Jets aircraft registered in India to 22, across six aircraft types," Claudio Camelier, Vice-President, Sales, Embraer Executive Jets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, said in the statement.

As of now, over 330 Phenom 100 and 100E jets have been delivered to customers worldwide.

Recently, Titan Aviation Group started operating a new Embraer Legacy 650 large business jet under an aircraft management agreement with a customer in the Middle East.
European countries including France and the Netherlands will take part in Uttar Pradesh AgriHorti Tech to discuss and share knowledge in the field of agriculture and horticulture, an official said today.

Besides, Italy and Israel are also participating in the two-day event which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on March 28 in Saifai.

The event aims at brining together constituents of agriculture and allied industry like horticulture, dairy, livestock, poultry and food technology under one roof to share information and technology, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Pravir Kumar said.

The event is being organised jointly by UP government in and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Radeecal Communications, he said.

"Uttar Pradesh AgriHorti Tech will not only cater to agriculture and horticulture sector but will also feature two more concurrent events - dairy livestock and poultry expo - which will be an international event on dairy livestock and poultry technology," the official said.

The participants from the Netherlands, Italy, Israel and France will showcase their technological advancements in these sector, he said.

Apart from technology service providers, banks will also showcase their services related to agri business as well as various departments of UP government, including Mandi Parishad will showcase its innovations and potential at the event, the official added.
An exhibition showcasing the contributions of Zoroastrians and Parsis to the world of culture, philosophy and art is being organised by the Union Minority Affairs ministry here.

The 11-day-long "The Everlasting Flame International" exhibition, to begin on March 19, will be held at premier cultural institutes here under scheme Hamari Dharohar (Our Heritage) in collaboration with Union Ministry of Culture and Parzor Foundation, an official release said.

The exhibition is a celebration of history, beliefs, practices and contribution of Parsis, micro-minority community whose contribution surpasses its numbers, the Ministry said in a statement.

"It will showcase a plethora of cultural events spread over a period of more than two months. It will encompass all the elements of the contribution of Zoroastrians and Parsis to the world culture, philosophy and art," it said.

Under this, 'The Everlasting Flame: Zoroastrianism in History and Imagination' exhibition will be held at National Museum, 'Threads of Continuity: Zoroastrian Life and Culture' at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) and 'Painted Encounters: Parsi Traders and the Community' at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) along with many cultural and educational programme, it added.

The exhibition will take visitors on a journey from earliest days of Zoroastrianism to its emergence as the foremost religion of imperial Iran. From the shores of Iran to the west coast of India, the maritime journey of Zoroastrians is followed to their settlement in India where they came to be known as the Parsis.

"The exhibition examines their growth as an immigrant community in India and the later expansions. The narrative is divided into 10 sections," the Ministry said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. The National Program on Improvement of Armenias Demographic Situation in 2016-2018, in the sidelines of which the program of providing affordable apartments to young families will be carried out, is still in the phase of discussions, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan told after Cabinet session.

At the same time he mentioned that the program Affordable apartments for young families amended during March 17 Cabinet session is also one of the components, included in the 2016-2018 national program on improvement of the demographic situation.

The program on purchasing an apartment for affordable price is to be discussed under the framework of a national program to improve the demographic situation. The program will be presented to the Government for approval in the future, the minister said, Armenpress reports.
A 27-year-old woman was allegedly raped by five persons at Tewda village in the district, police said.

The incident occurred yesterday under Kakroli police station when the woman was brought near a jungle by the five accused who then raped her, SHO Pankaj Tyagi said.

Police have registered a case of gang-rape against the five accused, including a former candidate of Lok Sabha elections, Musa, Tyagi said.

The woman has been sent for medical examination.

Meanwhile, some locals met the police officers and alleged that the accused have been falsely implicated and the case is a result of old enmity.

No arrest has been made so far, the SHO added.

In another case, a 14-year-old girl was raped by her landlord's son when she was alone in the house in Shamli district yesterday, police said.

The girl has been sent for medical examination. Police are investigating the case and the accused is absconding.
A team of election flying squad today seized 600 rice bags valued at Rs six lakh being transported in a lorry without valid documents here.

The lorry proceeding from Athur to Salem market was intercepted at Valapadi Mettupatty during a vehicle check, Salem-Yercaud Returning officer Sundaram said.

As the driver failed to produce valid documents for the load of rice, the lorry was impounded.

Reacting to the seizure, Local Traders Association President Jayaseelan condemned the action of election officials.

Meanwhile, election officials in Kumarapalayam in neighbouring Namakkal district seized footwear worth Rs 36 lakh from a container lorry for want of proper documents.
As many as 8.47 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India in February as compared to 7.61 lakh during the same month last year, recording a growth of 11.3 per cent, Tourism Ministry said today.

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism rose by 17.1 per cent to Rs 13,627 crore in February this year against Rs 11,642 crore in the same period in 2015, an official release said.

Bangladesh topped the list in terms of share in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) during February among the top 15 source countries with 12.96 per cent share, followed by the US 12.94 per cent, the UK 12.45 per cent, Canada 4.71 per cent, Sri Lanka 3.86 per cent, Germany 3.51 per cent and France 3.46 per cent.

Malaysia's share was 3.34 per cent, while that of China 3.08 per cent, Russian Federation 3.07 per cent, Australia 2.69 per cent, Japan 2.37 per cent, Thailand 2.28 per cent, Nepal 1.69 per cent and Afghanistan 1.65 per cent.

The percentage share of FTAs at top 15 ports was highest at 32.33 per cent at Delhi Airport, followed by Mumbai Airport 17.24 per cent, Chennai Airport 7.33 per cent, Haridaspur Land check post 6.98 per cent, Bangalore Airport 5.66 per cent and Goa Airport 4.52 per cent, the release said.
Fourteen Palestinian pilgrims were killed and 36 others injured when their bus overturned in southern Jordan near the Saudi border, emergency services have said.

Jordan's civil defence officials yesterday said the driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle around 320 kilometres south of Amman and warned that the toll could rise, given the severity of the injuries.

The group had been heading to Saudi Arabia for the umrah pilgrimage, which along with the more important annual hajj attracts millions of Muslims from around the world.
Backed by over a six-decade long legacy in India, French Defence company Thales is all set to participate in the ninth edition of the upcoming Defence Expo in Goa.

"Thales will showcase a wide range of systems and equipment designed to meet today's critical needs of the armed forces at its booth," the company said.

The company said it will put at display its latest works in missile technologies, radars and support systemsn during the Defexpo.

"We have had a fruitful association with India since 1953 and over the years have secured the confidence of the Indian armed forces, the government and the industry," said Antoine Caput, Vice President and Country Director, India, Thales.

"Make in India is a core element of our strategy for India and in this regard Defexpo provides us with a great platform to connect with all stakeholders and present our flagship capabilities," Caput said, according to a press release.

Thales offers its comprehensive tools to India's land forces. These include interoperable land forces systems for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), vehicles and command posts; optronics, communications and identification means for soldiers; vehicles and tools for vehicle support in all types of missions; weapons systems and munitions, etc.

"Thales will be displaying a variety of such vehicle solutions and soldier modernisation systems at its booth in Def Expo," the company said.

In the field ofNaval defence, Thales's sensors, systems and communication solutions are built around the latest, fully proven technologies.

"The group has a strong global reputation and expertise in systems integration, commitment to partnership with local industries, and a proven track record of working with shipyards all over the world. The Thales booth will showcase its capabilities in undersea sonars and radars," the release said.

In Air defence, the company offers armed forces worldwide a fully integrated air defence capability, from radars and C2 centres through to effectors and their respective fire control systems.

The firm's advanced air defence offering is an integrated set of solutions designed to ensure timely decision-making and effective responses for the protection of military forces, key assets and citizens.

Defence Expo-2016 will showcase India's premiere Land, Naval and Internal Homeland Security Systems from 28-31 March Betul, Naqueri Quitol in Quepem Taluka of South Goa.
Highlighting the fate of Iraq's Yazidi women who are raped and slain by Islamic State group jihadists, a French minister called on the United Nations to incorporate 'femicide' in international law.

Young women of the Yazidi minority are often taken by IS fighters as sex slaves, then killed.

"It is because they are women and they are Yazidis that they are sold and murdered" by the IS fighters, said Laurence Rossignol, France's minister for family, children and women's rights, speaking Wednesday at the 60th annual Commission on the Status of Women.

"What they are experiencing is femicide," she emphasized.

While genocide -- the killing of a large group of people of a nationality or ethnic group -- is part of the international legal vocabulary, femicide -- the deliberate and violent killing of women -- is not, Rossignol said.

The international military coalition fighting in Iraq and Syria "should say that it is not only at war against the terrorism of the Islamic State group, but it is also there to free the Yazidi women of the femicide that the suffer," Rossignol said.

Rossignol wants to see the term femicide, which is already in use by women's rights groups, become "the basis for prosecution in international courts," and eventually taken up by the International Criminal Court, Rossignol told AFP.

The Hague-based ICC is empowered to try war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In March 2015, a UN report said that attacks in Iraq by the IS group against the Yazidi minority "could constitute genocide."



The femicide concept could also be applied to the kidnapping of young women by the Boko Haram fighters in Nigeria, Rossignol added.

The French minister also urged the UN commission to fully decriminalize abortion around the world, and allow broader access to contraception, especially due to an increased use of rape as a method of warfare.
England skipper Eoin Morgan has said Chris Gayle's skill level was "quite up", putting into perspective the onslaught the big-hitting Jamaican unleashed on his bowlers in their opening ICC World T20 fixture here.

Gayle smashed a sensational unbeaten century, studded with 11 towering sixes, to single-handedly take West Indies to a comprehensive six-wicket victory over England last night.

"Yes he certainly did what he does. He was outstanding today in conditions probably that favoured the bat a lot more than the ball. We could have been better by the way we executed our skills I think. But when he got in he didn't give us any chances and took on our bowlers," Morgan told reporters at the post-match media conference.

Chasing a challenging target of 183, the West Indies romped home in 18.1 overs on the back of Gayle's bludgeoning innings during which he brought up the fastest century in World T20 off just 47 balls, to better his own 2007 record of completing a ton in 50 balls.

"I don't think our bowling was outstanding. I certainly think we bowled with little bit of aggression early on, when he (Gayle) did face very little in the power play. But when he did face, the balls were quite attacking. I think he played Adil (Rashid) particularly very well," he added.

When quizzed about their plans to stop Gayle, Morgan said, "There are number of plans to stop him (Gayle). Obviously we bowled short to him for a while, he countered that. He is a very difficult batsman to bowl to like you have mentioned. He plays a couple of dot balls but also has the ability to take any of our bowlers down, just in one over. Tonight his skill level was quite up.

"Our plans were very good and execution of them was all right. But he is a world class player, he played really well tonight."



Morgan said that there were times when England had been successful against Gayle.

"Everybody knows how he plays and he has played for a very long time. And that's just the way he plays. Coming into this game, if he did get himself in, we did expect that. We have played against him before where things worked in our favour but today it was his night," the left-handed batsman added.
German diplomatic missions and a school in Turkey were closed today for security reasons, the German consulate in Istanbul said, less than a week after a suicide car bomb attack in the capital.

The measure concerns the German embassy in Ankara as well as the consulate and German school in Istanbul, it said on its website.

Sunday's suicide bombing, which killed 35 people, was claimed today by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Last January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack blamed on the Islamic State group in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district.

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.
With the Mumbai event being cancelled due to opposition from Shiv Sena, Suhaib Ilyasi is now launching the music of his film "Ghar Wapsi" in the national capital and has sought security for Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, who will attend the event.

Ali, who has made an acting debut with this film, has also lent his voice to a patriotic song in the movie.

The music launch is scheduled for April 4.

In a letter to the Commissioner of Delhi Police dated March 16, Illyasi has requested for police security.

"The music of Ghar Wapsi which was scheduled to be released last month in Mumbai was postponed due to Mumbai Police and Maharashtra government's inability to assure a security cover to Ghulam Ali," Ilyasi told a press conference here.

"Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena was very categoric when he said that he would not allow Ghulam Ali saab on Indian soil and would oppose it. Shiv Sena has a certain strength in the capital and we want to ensure that Ghulam Ali saab is safe and secure," said Ilyasi.

While condemning Shiv Sena's stand, he claimed that "a legend like Ghulam Ali saab should not be dragged into controversies and should not be made a scapegoat to petty politics between Shiv Sena and BJP."



The film, which is in its final phase, is set for release this summer and stars Farida Jalal, Zarina Wahab, Alok Nath, Reema Lagoo, Deepak Tijori, Srishti Goutam and Harsh Nagar.
Notwithstanding the Goa government's claim that land was not alloted on permanent basis for the Def Expo and Aero India, papers tabled on the floor of the House here reveal that the state has already passed a resolution to give the land in Quittol (Betul) on permanent basis to host the two mega events.

"Goa government-run Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in its 344th board meeting held on July 15, 2015 had resolved to grant in-principle approval for allotment of 150 acres of land at Quittol for organising Def Expo and Aero (India) show on permanent basis," read a letter written by IDCManaging Director S V Naik to the Department of Defence Procurement of the Defence Ministry.

State Industries Minister Mahadev Naik tabled these documents on the floor of the House in response to a question by Congress legislator Chandrakant Kavlekar.

Certain sections of the society are opposed to Quittol (Betul) as a permanent venue for the Def Expo and Aero India shows.

Earlier, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said that the land was not allowed on permanent basis to the Defence Ministry for the purpose.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in a letter to Parsekar had requested to allot land in Goa for the Def Expo and Aero India shows.

"Since starting of these shows, Aero India happens to be in Bengaluru and Def Expo in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. As the shows have grown significantly in the past few years, the present venues have become relatively unviable for smooth conduct of the shows due to a variety of reasons such as congestion around the venue, poor access, disturbances in functioning of Bengaluru airport etc," Parrikar said.

"As far as venue for Def Expo is concerned Pragati Maidan is under major renovation, and therefore, perhaps would not be availablealso," he said.

"To look out for alternative venues for Aero India, a Committee was set up by this Ministry in the past and the committee, after going through all the merits and demerits, had recommended Goa as the most suitable venue for Aero India.

Goa being a popular tourist destination has an added advantage for hosting such show," the letter said.

"In view of the above, Government of Goa may consider allotment of about 150 acres of land on the coastline which can accommodate 10,000 feet runway along the coast, so that a permanent venue for conducting Def Expo and Aero (India) Show can be set up," Parrikar said.

The Def Expo would be held from March 28-31 in Goa.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Iconic French designer Coco Chanel was registered as an Abwehr agent, according to declassified documents of the French secret services, but historians believe that she might not have been aware of it, Armenpress reports citing Sputniknews website.



French historians unveiled French secret services' archives from World War II providing insight into secretive operations led by both the Nazis and the French resistance.

The documents also revealed the individual paths taken by thousands of agents, including celebrities like French designer Coco Chanel.

Coco Chanel who is one of the most famous French women of the 20th century was listed as a German intelligence agent; the Associated Press reported citing the unveiled secret services archives.

The designers file includes a note written in Paris in November 1944. A source in Madrid informed us that Madam Chanel was in 1942-43 the mistress and agent of Baron Guenter von Dinklage. Dinklage used to be an attache at the German embassy in 1935. He worked as a propagandist and we suspect him of being a (German) agent, the document says.

According to Frederic Queguineur, who is in charge of the secret services' archives, the file shows that Coco Chanel was documented as an agent by the Nazi intelligence organization, the Abwehr.

From the German point of view, they registered her, so it means she potentially could be a source of information, fulfill a mission, work for them. But from her point of view, we don't know if she was really aware of that, he told the AP.

With the beginning of war Chanel closed her fashion boutiques and shops. After the arrest of her nephew she made contact with the German authorities and after liberation of France, she was accused of collaboration and was expelled from the country.

Earlier, historians suspected that Coco Chanel not only supplied the Abwehr with information, but also excelled in more than a dozen spy missions.

The secret services' archives include German documents seized by the French at the end of the war and thousands of individual files pertaining to members of the French resistance and investigation files of suspected collaborators.








About 50 gold coins weighing 398.5 grams, valued about 10 lakh, were seized from a passenger at Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport here, customs official said today.

Akash Verma arrived from Dubai and was screened, whereupon 50 gold coins concealed in his rectum were found, Customs Commissioner Sanjay Gahlot said.

Verma is a resident of Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, said Gahlot, adding the coins were wrapped in carbon paper and concealed in the rectum. The coins were traced out by the security staff of customs at the Airport.
The Gujarat High Court today asked the state home department to complete installation of CCTV cameras at police stations across the state by March 31.

The objective of the exercise is to prevent custodial torture.

The government today informed that out of 561 police stations supposed to be covered by CCTV surveillance (as per the court's September 24, 2014 order), installation was complete at 485 stations.

The high court had earlier sought completion of the work by December 31, 2014.

The division bench of justices S R Brahmbhatt and A G Uraizee asked Additional DGP V K Mall to complete installation at remaining 76 police stations by month-end and adjourned the hearing to April 6.

Prakash Kapadia of NGO Jagega Gujarat filed a protest petition last year, pointing out that the home department had failed to comply with the court's earlier order.

The high court had asked the government to install 15 CCTV cameras each at bigger police stations and nine each at smaller ones, in response to Kapadia's original petition which demanded this measure to prevent the custodial torture.
Unidentified gunmen killed a colleague of environmentalist leader Berta Caceres, who was slain almost two weeks ago in similar circumstances, Honduran authorities have said.

Two men shot Nelson Garcia to death Tuesday after he returned home from helping evicted Indians move their belongings. Police had removed the Indians from land they were squatting on not far from Garcia's home in the hamlet of Rio Chiquito, 200 kilometers north of Tegucigalpa.

A police statement yesterday called the killing an "isolated" act of violence unrelated to the slaying of Caceres.

But the organization that both Caceres and Garcia belonged to described Garcia's death as part of "the government's constant harassment" of Indian groups. Both activists were Lenca Indians and belonged to the Indian Council of People's Organizations of Honduras.

The council said in a statement that "repression, intimidation and threats against colleagues who are fighting to recover lands to plant and preserve nature have worsened in recent days."



There are about 400,000 Lencas in Honduras and neighboring El Salvador.

Caceres won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project on a river that the Lencas consider sacred.

The Dutch development bank, known as FMO, announced yesterday that it is suspending its operations in Honduras because of the killings. The bank finances about USD86 million worth of projects in Honduras.

"Given the current situation, with ongoing violence, FMO decided to suspend all activities in Honduras, effective immediately," the bank wrote in a statement. "This means that we will not engage in new projects or commitments and that no disbursements will be made, including the Agua Zarca project," which Caceres opposed.

"We have called upon the Honduran government to do anything in their power to stop the ongoing violence and killings in their country," the bank's statement said.

The US Embassy in Honduras said in a statement that "on behalf of the people and Government of the United States, we condemn the murder of civil society activist Nelson Garcia yesterday. Coming so close to the murder of his colleague Berta Caceres, his death is cause for particular concern."



"We expect the Government of Honduras will fulfill its commitment to lead a thorough and fair investigation and bring anyone connected to his murder to justice," the statement added.
Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu today termed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's reported statement on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal issue as "irresponsible and factious."



Interacting with the media in the press lobby of Haryana Assembly here he said the Delhi Chief Minister should keep in view the interests of the people of Delhi as Delhi was getting water through Haryana.

He said, "Kejriwal was born in Siwani town of Haryana where the water level is the lowest. Kejriwal should think of his motherland as it had been thirsty far the last five decades."



The Finance Minister said that Delhi Chief Minister should have been sensitive towards the people of Haryana and Delhi so that Delhi may not face any problem in getting water.
In an unprecedented development, MLAs of opposition INLD in Haryana today virtually stormed the Assembly of neighbouring Punjab to protest against a move that could stall construction of a canal by which Haryana is supposed to receive water.

INLD legislators led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora went to the Punjab Assembly which is in session and started protesting at its gate.

They were protesting against a bill passed by Punjab Assembly that provides for returning 3,928 acres of land acquired for construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to the original landowners.

The INLD MLAs were engaged in a scuffle with the security personnel outside the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab and Haryana, with common capital Chandigarh, have Assemblies in the same complex here.

Chautala and his party MLAs went to the Punjab Assembly while their own Assembly was in session.

The INLD MLAs raised slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the Bill be withdrawn.

Later speaking to reporters, Chautala said, "We met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the Bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."



"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.
Haryana government today said it will soon bring a proposal to change the name of 'Nilgai' (Antelope) to 'Roze' and will also give permission to kill the animal to protect crops.

During question hour in Assembly, Kehar Singh MLA asked Haryana Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh whether there was any proposal under consideration of the government to tackle the problem of antelopes in the state.

In his reply, the minister said that Haryana government had issued 42 permits for hunting of Nilgai during 2007-08 till 2015-16. "But only two Nilgai were actually hunted," he informed the Assembly.

The minister said people in the state are reluctant to kill the animal because as per Hindu religion, this animal is called 'Nilgai'.

"We are now bringing a proposal to change the name of Nilgai to Roze and we shall give permission to kill the deer-like animal wherever the need arises," the minister said.

He further informed that Bihar government had given permission in several areas to kill 'Nilgai'.

Kehar Singh MLA pointed out in the assembly that that Nilgai was responsible for the damage of farmer's produce.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, government of India vide notification date December 1, 2015 has declared Nilgai and wildboard as vermins in Bihar for a period of one year from the date of issue of this notification, the minister informed the House.

He said the government of Haryana has authorised Divisional Forest Officers of respective districts to issue hunting permit of Nilgai on receiving resolution of concerned Panchayat, he said.
The Madras High Court today directed Tamil Nadu government to constitute a special team to monitor the aspects of the collection of excess fares by cinema theatres.

Disposing of a PIL, a bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, also ordered that the public should be informed through proper publicity (about excess fares), a methodology of giving such complaints telephonically to facilitate information to flow to the team.

Petitioner G Devarajan submitted that he was charged Rs 200 for a first class ticket at a theatre, which was a clear violation of the Government Order dated May 20, 2009 which fixed the maximum rate at Rs 120.

Though he had already made a complaint to the Commercial Taxes department in this regard in November, 2015, no action had been taken on it.

The theatre owners without any fear for law were collecting charges excessively for new movies, causing loss to the government treasury.

He prayed to the court to direct the authorities to take action against the theatre owners.
The Delhi High Court today refused to stay the Centre's February 5 notification providing minimum import price (MIP) on specified iron and steel products "for now", saying the issue needs consideration.

"It is a matter which needs consideration. We cannot stay the government MIP notification for now," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said.

The bench, however, issued notice to Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) seeking their response within two weeks on the petition filed by Steel Wire Manufacturers Association of India.

"Notice. Response within two weeks. Whatever steps taken in pursuance to the notification will be subject to further order of this court. Call on April 6," the bench said.

The association has sought to declare the notification of February 5, 2016, imposing MIP for various steel products by the government as "illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional" and a direction to restrain government from implementing it.

The association, established in 1968, is an apex body of steel wire and steel rope manufacturers in India and is recognised by the Government.

In its petition, it said that the Centre, through Ministry of Steel, had issued a notification on December 15 last year in which prohibition regarding manufacture, storage, sale, distribution etc were imposed on specific steel products which did not conform with the specific standards and did not have the BIS mark on it.

It alleged that later, the government, through Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued a notification on February 5 providing MIP on specified iron and steel products.

The petition claimed that the February 5 notification was "arbitrary and contrary to the provisions of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992."



"Being aggrieved by the issuance of notification dated February 5, 2016 which aim to restrict the fair trade practice and adversely affect the downstream steel industry being against the government of India policy 'Make in India', the petitioner is filing the present writ petition," it said.

The association claimed that the "imposition of MIP on



the iron and steel product will cause irretrievable damages as the members of petitioner' association will now be forced to purchase/import steel products at price more than or equal to the MIP prescribed vide notification dated February 5, despite having an agreed contracted price with the seller which may be less than the MIP imposed by the respondents."



"Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution provides freedom of trade and profession. Any provision restraining any trade is violation of Article 14. Imposition of MIP amounts to restrain by which importers/users, manufacturers can not carry of business/trade in India in terms of the ordinary economic principles," it added.

The plea further alleged that the government has failed to demonstrate as to how the MIP is in the interest of general public.
The High Court at Hyderabad today suspended the proceedings of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly wherein YSR Congress MLA R K Roja was suspended from the House for a year.

Roja, the MLA from Nagari in Chittoor district, was suspended for a year during the winter session of the AP Assembly in December last year for allegedly using unparliamentary and abusive language against certain members of the ruling Telugu Desam, including Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The aggrieved opposition member filed a writ petition in the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, challenging the House's decision against her.

Judge A Ramalingeswara Rao prima facie found that the Speaker did not name Roja before moving the motion for suspending her.

"Under Rule 340 (2), the Speaker can suspend any member who has been persistently obstructing the proceedings of the House and who had been violating the rules of the business for the remainder period of the session. In this case no such procedure has been adopted and the rule quoted for her suspension does not apply to the case of Mrs Roja," the judge observed.

He posted the writ petition for final consideration four weeks later.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to challenge the single judge's order before a division bench of the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad.

"Under Article 212 of the Constitution, the court cannot overrule a decision of the House. Nor can the House be held in contempt. We will not implement the single judge's order and go on appeal against it," a minister said.

The single judge's order is yet to be delivered to the Speaker formally.

Roja's lawyer told reporters outside the High Court that it is an interim order and this (order) will be immediately informed to the Legislative Assembly to enable the MLA to attend the session.

The Delhi government in its affidavit has said that the



petition filed by the petitioner was misconceived, devoid of merits and was liable to be dismissed.

"The claim of the petitioner is totally vexatious and does not fall within the legal ambit and by no stretch of the imagination, the claim of the petitioner can be justified.

"The petition is not maintainable in as much as section 37 of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 provides that the courts cannot inquire into the proceedings of Legislative Assembly and no officer or member of Legislative Assembly in whom powers are vested by or under the Act," the government added.

Earlier also Sharma had sought the court's permission to allow him to take part in a two-day special session held in June.

The AAP government had told the court that Sharma has not "regretted" on what he had said about Lamba.

Referring to a report of an Ethics Committee of the Delhi assembly on the issue, the government had said that Sharma was given chances to express regret on his remarks but had refused.

The Ethics Committee had "unanimously" recommended stripping Sharma of his assembly membership for his remarks against Lamba and being "unrepentant" about it.

Sharma had earlier said "my intention was not to hurt Lamba as she is like my sister, but if she felt offended I express regret over it".
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Delegation, led by the Chairman of the Armenian Central Bank Arthur Javadyan, departed to Frankfurt, where he will take part in the next meeting of the Monitoring Board of the programs of the German-Armenian Fund.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia, in the course of the meeting the process of implemented programs realized in cooperation with KfW bank p, as well as the possibility of starting new projects and other issues of the Armenian-German cooperation in the financial sphere will be discussed.

Arthur Javadyan will also hold a series of meetings with the leaders of partner organizations.
Two flights bound for Nepal and Bhubaneswar were today grounded for a few hours and 340 people on board were evacuated following a bomb threat call received at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here but they turned out to be hoax.

"An all clear was given to both the flights after about four hours of conducting anti-sabotage checks. The bomb call turned out to be hoax," a senior airport security official said in the evening.

Officials at the airport said while the Air India flight to Bhubaneswar took off at 5:20 PM, Royal Nepal Airlines' Kathmandu-bound flight was waiting for "operational" clearance. There were also reports that four Members of Parliament were booked on the AI flight.

The threat was triggered after the airport control room received a call at about 10 AM from a person identifying himself as Abhishek Singh and that he was a "CBI officer". He is reported to have said there is a "time bomb" in the Nepal bound flight (RA-206) and that some "movement" was happening at the terminal area to strike the Delhi-Bhubaneswar flight (AI-705).

Soon after the call was received, passengers on board the two aircraft were evacuated and taken to the isolation bay where security agencies carried out anti-sabotage checks.

While the Kathmandu flight had 155 passengers and nine crew members, the flight bound for Odisha's capital had 169 fliers and seven crew members.

Passengers of both the flights and their baggage were subjected to a second round of checking with the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) at the IGIA monitoring the situation.

Security personnel from the CISF and Delhi Police had cordoned off the two planes along with bomb disposal squads, the officials said.

They added police is trying to track the number, location and person who made the hoax call to the airport call centre.

Talking about the menace of hoax calls, Central Industrial Security Force chief Surender Singh had said while 44 such calls were received last year at various airports where the force is deployed, 16 such calls have been made till early March this year.

(Reopens DEL 61)



Officials said the hoax call was made from a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) facility by using multiple Internet Protocol addresses and hence sleuths were finding it difficult to probe its exact origin.
FMCG Hindustan Unilever (HUL) today said it has signed an agreement with LT Foods for sale of its rice exports business for a consideration of Rs 25 crore as it looks to exit non-core businesses.

"...It (HUL) has signed an agreement for the sale of its rice exports business carried out primarily under the brands 'Gold Seal Indus Valley' and 'Rozana', to LT Foods Middle East DMCC, a group company of LT Foods Limited (owner of 'Daawat')," the company said in a filing to the BSE.

HUL said the deal envisages transfer of the brands and inventory for a consideration of Rs 25 crore, subject to adjustments on closing.

"HUL's decision to divest is in line with its strategy to exit non-core businesses, while continuing to drive its growth agenda in the core packaged foods business," it added.

The transaction is subject to fulfillment of certain conditions and the parties will work together to complete this over the next few months. HUL will continue to manage the business until the completion of the transaction.

"The brands enjoy strong equity... Given the context of our portfolio priorities, we believe that it is in the best interest of the business to sell these brands to a strategic player such as LT Foods, who is capable and well positioned to unlock their full potential," Sanjiv Mehta, CEO and Managing Director of HUL, said.

The brands registered a turnover of Rs 51 crore as per audited financials for the year 2014-15.

HUL began exporting premium Basmati rice in 1985 under the brand 'Gold Seal Indus Valley' to various countries in the Middle East and Europe, which was subsequently extended to other brands and geographies.
Indian Air Force will demonstrate its combat and firepower, including Akash Missile, for the first time, in the desert of Pokhran tomorrow.

The entire event, which would be attended by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will showcase more than 22 types of platforms and weapons systems.

Frontline fighter aircraft including Sukhoi 30, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, MiG-29, attack helicopters, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) and high tech AWACS would display their potential during the show.

Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' and LCH, would also be a part of air display.

Transport aircraft like the An-32, Embraer, IL-76, IL-78 and C-130J would participate in all their glory while medium lift helicopters (Mi-17, Mi-17 1V, Mi-17V5) and attack helicopters(Mi-25, Mi-35) would also showcase their capabilities.

"The primary objective of this exercise is to demonstrate IAF's capability to safeguard our national interests," an IAF statement said.

During the exercise, IAF would also project its transformational state-of-the-art combat potential for meeting challenges be it from the air, land or sea.

The event comprises six packages depicting six themes in which more than 180 fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters are participating.

First on the show, would be a flypast showing IAF's journey over eight decades, with the aircraft of yester years like Tiger Moth flying along with the latest acquisitions of IAF. The flypast by a mixed formation comprising MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29 and the mighty Su-30, would represent the transformation of IAF over the decades.

Next package would comprise net-enabling operations of aircraft. This would be followed by a synchronised weapon delivery demonstration comprising precision based bombing at simulated targets by Mirage-2000, Su-30, MiG-27 and Jaguar.

IAF would showcase its multi-layered air defence operations. It will comprise fly-past by flight refuelling aircraft, IL-78 FRA along with two Su-30 aircraft which will demonstrate the ability to extend on-station endurance and strategic reach of fighter aircraft. This phase would also include surface to air guided weapons like IGLA shoulder-fired missile system and the OSA-AK missiles striking down airborne targets.

Capability demonstration of the indigenously developed 'Tejas' aircraft to deliver laser guided bomb and fire a air-to-air missile and the capability of the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter to carry out rocket firing would be carried out for the first time.
The finals of IIT Bombay's e-Yantra Robotics Competition (eYRC), which is in its fourth year, will be held in the campus from tomorrow.

The two-day event will witness teams from across the country competing for the coveted prize and the opportunity to intern at IIT Bombay, an official release said.

The e-Yantra project is sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, under the National Mission for Education through ICT, to provide hands-on learning infrastructure to students who have limited access to labs and mentors, it stated.

The theme for this year's eYRC is 'Smart Services'. The competitors have to develop indigenous solutions using robotics for delivery services, hotel services, hazardous waste handling and emergency services.

It aims to make students aware about how technology can be used to solve many problems that we face in our day-to-day lives and also provide a common platform to showcase their talent, the release said.

Teams from engineering colleges in Mumbai, Mathura (UP), Shillong (Meghalaya), Nadiad (Gujarat), Shimoga (Karnataka), Kanyakumari and Erode (Tamil Nadu) are participating in the final leg of the competition.

A competitive framework harnesses the intellectual ability of youngsters to create practical solutions to real problems, the release said.

The domains range across manufacturing, defence, smart homes, city maintenance and service industries. The competition engages students in project-based learning, where they solve problems using robots, it said.

The goal of the e-Yantra project is to create a cadre of engineers to address problems that a rapidly growing economy such as India is facing.

"We want to create resources that will contribute to 'Make in India'. The project is setting up e-Yantra labs in engineering colleges across the country. If a college spends Rs 2 lakh on a laboratory and volunteer 4 teachers for this, e-Yantra trains the teachers and helps them set up a lab in 4 to 5 months," e-Yantra projects' Principal Investigator Kavi Arya said.
Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said India cannot have "uninterruptable" talks with Pakistan ignoring terror attacks emanating from that country as it amounts to surrendering "self-respect" at times.

"We cannot have uninterruptable talks with Pakistan because if the military and ISI do unleash Lashkar-e-Taiba on Mumbai again or on another Indian city, we should interrupt talks. We can't talk to people when their own nationals uncontrolled by them are blowing up bombs in our country and killing Indians," he said.

Tharoor, who held the minister of state for external affairs portfolio in the erstwhile UPA government, said uninterruptable talks do not make sense because "then you actually surrender your self-respect by saying we will talk to you even if your people are coming and humiliating us and killing us and harming us".

The Congress MP was speaking at a panel discussion at the 'Penguin Spring Fever' here.

Former Indian foreign service officer TCA Raghavan, former Pakistani diplomat Husain Haqqani, who joined via video-conferencing, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen and former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar were also in the panel.

Tharoor went on to say that India was stuck in dialogue with a country that was either "unable or unwilling" to give it peace.

Referring to the disputed region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, he said that India has never "realistically claimed" the region.

"Yes, we do maintain a claim to what is called the 'Azad Kashmir' and 'Pakistan-occupied Kashmir' as we call it, but my own view is that we maintain that claim essentially in order to have something to give up in case of settlements. We are not realistically trying and claiming that back indeed," he said.
India will sign a trilateral road agreement in the next 15 days with Myanmar and Thailand with a view to promoting trade and tourism in the region, Road Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"We will sign a road agreement with Myanmar and Thailand to link the North-East to the two East-Asian countries. The agreement is ready and it will be signed in 15 days," he said at the India Today Conclave here.

The trilateral pact between India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) will provide a seamless vehicular movement between SAARC and ASEAN nations and will enhance trade, business, health, education and tourism between India and the two countries.

Gadkari said the landmark Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Motor Pact has already been inked with identification of 14 routes for passenger services and 7 routes for cargo movement.

To check road accidents, the Minister said government has issued directions to concerned agencies for the rectification of 726 black spots, which cause a high number of accidents in the country.

India accounts for about 5 lakh road accidents a year in which 1.5 lakh people die and 3 lakh are crippled.

On ports, Gadkari, who also hold the portfolio for Shipping, said concerted efforts by government has improved the performance of the ports.

He added that his ministry expects at least Rs 6,000 crore in cumulative profit for 12 major ports and three flagship organisations.

"For the first time, all our 12 major ports and three flagship bodies - Cochin Shipyard, Shipping Corporation of India and Dredging Corporation of India are poised for over Rs 6,000 crore profit this fiscal," he added.
India will host the new SAARC Disaster Management Centre while an existing centre in Pakistan would be expanded to look after the environment under a compromise reached today at a key meeting of the grouping here.

The Council of SAARC Ministers has agreed that the new SAARC centre will be based in India while an existing centre in Pakistan would be expanded to look after the environment, after the two countries vied to host the new SAARC center altogether.

"This decision is subject to endorsement by the SAARC Heads of State/Government at the next SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November," diplomatic sources said.

The Council of SAARC Ministers has agreed that a new expanded SAARC Disaster Management Centre will be based in New Delhi, the sources said here during the 37th SAARC Council of Ministers in this Nepalese resort city, some 200 km west from Kathmandu.

The existing SAARC Energy Centre in Pakistan will additionally look after environment issues in future, the sources said.

Pakistan and India were vying to host the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Centre, a new body to look into the environment and disaster-related issues in the region.

Swaraj in her address at the 37th SAARC Ministerial meeting said: "Looking ahead, I am confident of your support for aSAARCEnvironmentandDisasterManagement Centre in India."



She argued that such a centre can benefit from domain expertise of a large network of specialised Indian institutions experienced in quick response to various naturaldisasters.

Pakistan too was keen on hosting the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management.

However, it seems a compromise was made.

Both Swaraj and Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Pakistan Prime Minister, Sartaj Aziz,said that the SAARC meeting was held in a very "cooperative" environment.
Time has come for India and Pakistan to engage in talks with an open heart leaving behind nearly 70 years of hostility to resolve all outstanding issues as well as to rid the region of terrorism, a prominent Pakistani Islamic cleric said today.

Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, who had led a massive protest against Nawaz Sharif regime in Islamabad one-and-half years back, said use of religion as a front to promote terrorism should not at all be tolerated and both countries should join hands to defeat the menace.

Expressing serious concern over growing efforts to radicalise young minds, he also called for urgent measures such as introduction of counter-radicalisation curriculum in schools, colleges, universities, madrassas and institutions run by religious bodies to educate youths about terrorism and extremism.

Strongly pitching for dialogue between India and Pakistan, Qadri said both the countries must decide whether they want to continue nearly seven decade hostility between each other which had devastating consequences or would prefer a path of peace, economic growth and development.

"If they decide this basic point, then only a new chapter of good relations can start. Proper dialogues should start between the governments at differnt levels and finally at top level. All issues which always remained the basis of tension should be discussed with an open heart and mind," Qadri told PTI.

The 65-year-old cleric said all issues including Kashmir, Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot attack should be discussed. "We are wasting lot of our energy, budgets, resources, time and mental faculty because of our hostile relationships. This should end."



On India affected by terror infrastructure operating from Pakistani soil, he called terrorism enemy of mankind and said both countries must agree that it is their common foe.

"Terrorism is an enemy of mankind in every aspect and I will feel it will be a great success if India and Pakistan sit together and accept that we have a common enemy.

"If you see 70 years have passed and the position is that India considers Pakistan its enemy Pakistan considers India its enemy. These things have been ingrained in the minds of people. First of all they have to say no to it. They have to agree that terrorism is the common enemy," said the cleric.

The region, Qadri said, will be deprived of development if



terrorism is not uprooted, he said demanding strong action against those using religion to support terrorism. He did not give a specific reply when asked about terror groups operating from Pakistani soil.

Asked how to deal with radicalisation, he said specific curriculum should be introduced in schools, colleges, universities, madrassas and any other religious institutions.

"A specific subject should be introduced in curriculum right from the primary school. It should be introduced in secondary school, colleges to universities. In the same way it should be introduced in the madrassas, in the mosques, in temples and in all religious institutions.

"We need to introduce peace, counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation as subjects so that the youth may understand that extremistic views, to be extreme to others is something which is not acceptable by our religion," he said.

The religious leader said extremism, radicalisation and terrorism are the main challenges facing the region and India and Pakistan must come together to defeat them.

"Wherever terrorism exists, wherever are the roots, whatever are the groups, everybody knowns about it. Both India and Pakistan should take common action. Unless terrorism is uprooted, the region will be deprived of development," he said.

Asked to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to Lahore, he refused, saying the relationship between people of the two countries should improve.

"Both the countries have genuine concerns, may be some of them are right, some of them are wrong. May be some of them are just accusations. But some of them have content. That is why I emphasise on a dialogue with open mind and open heart," he said.
India and Pakistan are competing to host the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Center, a new body to look into the environment and disaster related issues in the region.

During the ongoing meeting of 37th SAARC Council of Ministers in this Nepalese resort city, some 200 km west from Kathmandu, the two nations laid claims to host the headquarters of the newly proposed body.

India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh had expressed their desire to host the headquarters. During the several rounds of negotiations, Bhutan and Bangladesh withdrew their claims, leaving India and Pakistan in the race.

"What can be confirm is that other interested member states have dropped their claims over hosting the regional body," said two diplomats familiar to the development, adding that there can be breakthrough only when one of the countries backs off.

Climate change, degradation of environment and recurring various types of natural disasters have taken a toll in the region and member states are less prepared to combat these menace. With this realisation, the member states have agreed to set up such centre to meet the challenges in a professional manner, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Member states had agreed to merge SAARC Disaster Management Centre, SAARC Forest Management Centre, Coastal Area Management Centre and Environment Centre into environment and disaster management centre.

After programming committee meeting of joint secretary level, foreign secretary level meeting of standing committee level could not make headway, the issue has now landed at the ministerial level meeting.

Sources told the newspaper that the issue figured in a brief meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Relations Adviser to Pakistani Premier, Sartaj Aziz, today during a breakfast meet hosted by Nepal's Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa.
India today began exporting diesel via rail to Bangladesh with the rollout of first consignment from Siliguri.

A goodwill rail rake consignment carrying diesel from Siliguri marketing terminal of Numaligarh Refineries Ltd (NRL) was flagged off today, an official statement said here.

"The goodwill rail rake consignment for supply of 2200 tons (2700 kilolitre) diesel of BS III (of Euro-III) Grade with 350 PPM sulphur content" will travel by rail from Siliguri to Parbatipur storage depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) in Bangladesh.

From Siliguri, the 42 wagons (each with a capacity of 64 kl) rail consignment will travel over 516 km (253 km in India and 263 km in Bangladesh) on the existing railway line via Rangapani, Singabad, Rohanpur to reach Parbatipur on March 19.

"The present consignment is a symbolic gesture of friendship and cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh," the statement said.

During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June last year, NRL and BPC signed a Sale-Purchase Agreement for construction of a pipeline from Siliguri to Parbatipur for supply of diesel to Bangladesh.

It was agreed to jointly work towards implementation of this 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline', a 135 km pipeline project (5 km in India and 130 km in Bangladesh) with a capacity to carry 1 million tons per annum from Siliguri terminal to Parbatipur depot of BPC.

Diesel would be moved through rail till the pipeline is constructed.

"The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' of Government of India to boost bilateral trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation with in SAARC," the statement said.

Currently, Bangladesh meets its requirement of petroleum products through imports at Chittagong port. The products are subsequently transported to the rest of the country using river route.

Once the NRL refinery expansion from present 3 to 9 million tons per annum is complete, India will be in a position to export petroleum products on a regular and long term basis to Bangladesh.

"Prior to the construction of the pipeline, the rail rake mode of transportation of product from Siliguri to Parbatipur is also an effective mode of transport with minimum loss and pollution," the statement added.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. On her official app, Khloe Kardashian gives fans an inside look into every facet of her world -- even her nightstand. These days, the Kocktails with Khloe host, 31, is adding nonfiction to her growing pile of books, including Dawn Anahid MacKeen's The Hundred-Year Walk: An Armenian Odyssey,Armenpress reports citing US Magazine website.

"[It's] a firsthand account of an Armenian mans escape from war," Kardashian writes, "Stepan Miskjians granddaughter wrote this book using his journals to guide her."

Investigative journalist MacKeen shares her grandfather's harrowing flight from a forced march through the Syrian Desert during the Armenian genocide as well as her own experience retracing his steps 92 years later.

Last April, Kardashian marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide by visiting the national memorial with her sister, Kim, and their cousins. The family placed flowers on the site which commemorates the 1.5 million Armenian people who were eliminated from their historic homeland in Turkey through massacres between 1915 and 1923.

"Knowledge is power! If we know better than hopefully we shall do better," Khloe wrote on Instagram after the visit in her ancestral homeland. "Genocides, massacres, human slaughter... are despicable acts!! Educating people as to what happened in history is our duty. It is also our duty to not be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation no matter their race or creed."








India is yet to receive visa applications from Pakistan's special investigation team (SIT) members who are supposed to visit the country to probe the Pathankot terror attack, Indian government sources said.

"We have not received any visa application from the Pakistani SIT so far and hence the question of giving them visa does not arise at this moment," the sources said.

They added that the Indian government will process the visa applications expeditiously once they are received.

The remarks came amidst media reports that India has granted visa to the Pakistani SIT.

Pakistani Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday said he hoped the Pakistani SIT will visit India soon.

"Very soon. Insha Allah," he had said when asked how soon one can expect the SIT in India.

The External Affairs Ministry has welcomed Pakistan's plan to send an SIT to investigate the deadly January 2 attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot.

The attack occurred just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impromptu visit to Lahore.

The incident had led to the postponement of the Foreign Secretary-level talks.

The is one of the issues on the agenda of bilateral talks between External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Aziz here on Thursday.
Indian-Americans expressed their disappointment over Barack Obama's decision not to nominate "trailblazer" Sri Srinivasan to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court bench but appreciated the US President for "strongly considering" the Indian-origin judge.

Srinivasan, 48, was among the few judges interviewed by Obama for the top judicial post, but in the end he opted to nominate judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

Encouraged by the fact that Obama during his presidency nominated a record number of Indian-Americans to senior judiciary positions, community leaders from across the country were hoping that Srinivasan would be the pick.

"The expectations were high and Sri was eminently qualified. The community was disappointed to say the least. This SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) process could take a while during this political season so let's wait and see what happens," M R Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, told PTI.

"This also indicates that Indian-Americans are not yet punching our weight. We have a long way to go where we are a significant force in the political arena," said Rangaswami, who had organised the first-ever Indian-American presidential inaugural ball after Obama was sworn-in for the second term in 2013.

"However, It is gratifying to see so many Indian- Americans run for office in this election cycle. We could actually have an Indian American caucus next year!" he said.

Rangaswami is currently planning for the next Indian- American presidential inaugural ball for the new president to be elected in the November 8 presidential elections.

Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Victory Fund, also expressed his disappointment over the decision of Obama, who has in the past called Srinivasan as a "trailblazer".

"For the first time in American history, the President interviewed an Asian American for the US Supreme Court. While we are disappointed that an AAPI was not selected, we are pleased that President Obama strongly considered Judge Sri Srinivasan.

"The AAPI community wants a seat at the table in every venue and truly believes the bench of qualified AAPI candidates deserve consideration for the very next vacancy," he said.

(Reopens FGN5)



Ravi Batra, an Indian-American attorney from New York, said: "While I would have loved to have Sri nominated... Still Garland, with a longer life, actually has a longer and more documented history of dedicated public service and is an honour to our Republic that he has been so nominated."



"While we hoped to see the first Hindu American on the Supreme Court, Judge Garland is a fantastic choice," said Suhag Shukla of the Hindu American Foundation.

"Judge Garland's even-handedness and his commitment to justice are readily apparent from his record," he said.

While Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund (SALDEF) had called on Obama to nominate the first Asian American Supreme Court Justice, the advocacy group in a statement said that it realised the profound statement Srinivasan made as the first Asian American in history to make it to a President's shortlist.

"SALDEF wholeheartedly supports President Obama's nomination of Chief Judge Garland, we are encouraged by the consideration of Judge Srinivasan, and we eagerly await the first Asian American Supreme Court Justice," SALDEF said.
India cannot surpass China's GDP despite the "potential" to become a big power, a state-run Chinese daily said Thursday, underlining that "unrealistic" praise and forecasts for India are just giving an "illusory picture".

The higher projections of India's economic growth rate in comparison to China's slowing down economy has riled the Chinese official media which argues that India is far away in catching up with China's GDP.

"It is inescapably clear that India won't easily outgrow China as predicted by the West. From a macro perspective, China's GDP in 2015 was nearly $10.42 trillion, which is around 5 times as much as India's $2.18 trillion," an article in the Global Times said.

The daily said that it is foreseeable that China's future economic growth rate may slow down slightly, but the possibility of zero and negative growth is "almost nonexistent".

"As a result, there is no possibility of India surpassing China," the article said, adding that "authors in the West never tire of choosing India to compare with China. They seem to consider that India could replace China in the near future."



"It must be admitted that India is a potential big power. But unrealistic praise and forecasts for India are just painting an illusory picture for it," the article said.

It said that though international agencies such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and IMF try to "trumpet" India's advantages, India is not yet a dominant player on the international economic arena, and it has many ingrained problems."



Pointing that India's electric power, urban water supply, public transport and other infrastructure construction are lagging behind, it said the gap between India and China has not narrowed but expanded after so many years of development.

"Most of India's indicators of the level of social development today, such as life expectancy at birth, adult literacy rate, power consumption, proportion of rural population and proportion of poverty, still remain at the level of China's at the end of 20th century," it said.

India's last year GDP grew at 7.2 % while China's decelerated to 6.9% slipping below seven per cent for the first time in a quarter century.

The government fixed this year's target at 6.5-7%.

In its forecast, the IMF predicted Chinese economy to further decelerate to 6.3% in 2016 and 6% for 2017, whereas for India, it has projected 7.3% GDP in 2015-16 and 7.5% in 2016-17.
A 38-year-old Indian-origin man who referred to himself as "Mr Con" has been jailed for 37 months in the UK for duping elderly people for a sham medical trip to India.

Birmingham-based Gurtake Singh preyed on the goodwill of people with sob stories claiming he needed taxi money to visit ill relatives in hospital, West Midland Police told Birmingham Crown Court.

He deceived people into giving donations of 20 pounds to 350 pounds. Singh, who referred to himself as "Mr Con", admitted 11 counts of fraud and one of theft.

Detective Sergeant Phil Poole of West Midlands Police said: "Singh's tactic tended to be knocking doors in a panicked state, sometimes crying, in order to gain entry.

"Once inside he would tell stories of relatives being rushed to hospital and that he desperately needed taxi money to visit them.

"Victims described him as friendly and charming, even kissing them on the cheek and accepting drinks while engaging them in conversation. He was very plausible and showed no remorse for the people he conned."



Singh first struck last June when he was allowed into the home of a 69-year-old man where he convinced the victim to hand over 30 pounds and swiped a silver cup on leaving, 'Birmingham Mail' reported.

He also scammed 150 pounds from an 82-year-old woman and returned the next day with fruit to say "thank-you" - before getting her to take out another 350 pounds to help pay for a medical trip to India.

In one incident, he introduced himself to an 84-year-old woman as "Mr Con" and kissed her on both cheeks as she handed over 40 pounds from her pension.

Poole added: "He knew the names of the residents he approached and also names of neighbours.

"It was all calculated to offer them reassurance, that he was genuine, and would honour claims he'd return the money."



Singh was jailed on Monday for three years and one month and also ordered to pay back 1,552 pounds compensation to his victims and banned from cold-calling addresses or asking people in the street for money.
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of tech major Infosys, has signed a pact with Asia Heart Foundation to enable the adoption of robotics in healthcare.

As part of the MoU, the foundation has granted Rs 8 crore to Asia Heart Foundation.

The grant will be used to purchase high-end equipment  the IS 3000 da Vinci Si system to enable robotic surgeries, the Foundation said in a statement here.

The da Vinci system of surgery facilitates affordable and high quality, minimally invasive surgeries to a large number of people who currently do not have access to it, it said.

In addition, a part of the fund will be utilised for training surgeons and providing research opportunities for making use of robots in complex surgeries and indigenizing the production of such technology in India, the statement said.

Asia Heart Foundation will endeavour to conduct over 1,500 surgeries by training 97 surgeons over the next seven years, benefitting more than 1,900 patients, it added.
The NIA, which conducted a probe into the Iranian dhow intercepted off Kerala coast last year, has stated that the crew members did not have links with any terror outfit and filed a charge sheet in the special court here against the captain under an Act which deals with illegal fishing by foreign vessels in Indian waters.

NIA sources said a detailed, scientific investigation conducted by it has found that the 12 crew members of the boat--11 Iranian nationals and a Pakistani citizen--had no links either with any terror outfit or international drug mafia.

"The captain of the vessel has been charged with violating the Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act-1981. It is an Act to provide for the regulation of fishing by foreign vessels in certain maritime zones of India. No other crew has been chargesheeted in the case," the sources said here.

The charge sheet was filed before the special NIA court here on March 14. The court will consider the case tomorrow, the sources said.

The Iranian dhow, "Barooki", was intercepted by the Coast Guard and state police following intelligence inputs, in July last year off the coast of Alappuzha and brought to Vizhinjam.

The crew members were detained by the CG and police which recovered a satellite communication set and a Pakistani identity card from the vessel.

The case was later handed over to the NIA and a team of the agency and scientists of Geological Survey of India had conducted a mission onboard a research vessel--'RV Samudra Ratnakar'-- off Kerala coast to recover objects allegedly dropped in the deep sea from the dhow.
The Islamic State jihadist group today released pictures of six men being executed on charges of "spying" for the Iraqi government in the city of Fallujah.

In a statement posted on social media, the IS jihadists use three different methods to execute their victims, all wearing orange jumpsuits.

"The judicial police carried out death sentences issued by an Islamic court in Fallujah against several apostates after they were convicted of spying," the statement said.

The statement was written like an official government release and described the circumstances that led to the capture of each of the six men.

The pictures showed masked IS fighters in full tactical gear, against the backdrop of a heavily damaged city.

Four of the victims were shot in the head, one was decapitated with a knife and another with an explosive rope.

Fallujah lies in Anbar province only 50 kilometres west of Baghdad and is the jihadist group's largest remaining stronghold in Iraq after the city of Mosul.

IS controlled most of Anbar a few months ago but sweeping military operations by the Iraqi security forces backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition are turning the tide.

Fallujah is almost completely isolated from other IS-controlled territory and IS is believed to be increasingly struggling to get supplies into the city.

The situation also appears to be causing increased internal tension in Fallujah, with IS paranoid that residents are assisting with an impending government offensive.

Jihadists detained dozens of residents of the city last month after clashes between IS and Iraqi tribesmen.
Cash-strapped Islamic State has lost almost a quarter of its territory in the last 15 months and the dreaded terror group is increasingly isolated and on the decline, according to a new study.

Data published by IHS Jane's 360 has shown that since January 2015 the militant group has lost 22 per cent of its territory in Iraq and Syria and 8 per cent of the losses were in the past three months.

"The tide of the war is turning against the Islamic State. Between January 1 and December 15, 2015, the Islamic State lost control of 14 per cent of its territory. New analysis indicates that in the last 3 months, the Islamic State has lost a further 8 per cent of its territory," the report said.

"In 2016, we have seen major losses in the north-east extend south towards Raqqa and Deir al-Zour as the mixed- sectarian Kurdish and Sunni Syrian Democratic Forces advance under the cover of US and Russian airstrikes," it said.

The monitoring group attributes these defeats to a changing strategic landscape.

The loss of the pivotal Syrian border crossing of Tal Abyad took out one of the Islamic State's chief access points for smuggling in weapons, materiel and new fighters. Tighter Turkish border controls also have thinned out cash flows, as well as the numbers of foreign recruits seeking to join the group, the The Washington Post reported citing the report.

Airstrikes by the US-led campaign and an ongoing Russian mission in Syria have pinned the Islamic State back, it said.

"Isolation and further military defeats will make it harder for the Islamic State to attract new recruits to Syria from the pool of foreign jihadis," writes Columb Strack, a Middle East analyst at IHS.

"The Islamic State is increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline. This plays into the hands of its main rival, al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, which despite sharing the same ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate, has criticised the Islamic State for prematurely declaring it," the IHS report said.

Local smuggling channels still operate, the report said but noted that the risk of detection, and therefore the associated costs have skyrocketed.

"But the demise of the Islamic State is hardly a foregone conclusion. As a separate report from the Institute for the Study of War points out, the threat posed by the extremists is not limited by geography. Even as the group suffered defeats in Iraq and Syria, its proxies carried out brazen attacks from Jakarta to Paris and numerous other places in between," the US daily said.
Israel's standoff with Brazil over the naming of a controversial ex-settlement leader as ambassador to Brasilia was ended today but reignited hours later due to an "unfortunate bureaucratic mistake".

The country initially announced it would be seeking a new candidate for ambassador, effectively ending the eight-month standoff, but later reversed its position.

Brazil has refused to accept the nomination of Danny Dayan, selected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last August.

Israel's government had dug in its heels, refusing to suggest an alternative candidate, but early today announced it had invited new applications for the post.

"The foreign ministry human resources department has published today a tender which is addressed to the Israeli diplomats here at the foreign ministry, for the position of ambassador in Brasilia," foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told AFP.

An hour later, however, Nahshon said the statement was incorrect and confirmed that Dayan was still Israel's choice.

He blamed an "unfortunate bureaucratic mistake", declining to give further details.

"Danny Dayan is still Israel's appointed ambassador," he said.

Dayan reacted to the mix-up by saying he had "regretted" that Israel had apparently backed down.

"For about an hour I was personally happy that I had been released from the quite embarrassing situation in which I find myself (but) I regretted that the state of Israel had given in to the boycott," he said on Twitter.

"Now it has become again the opposite."



The dispute began last summer when Netanyahu announced that Dayan, who was born in Argentina and moved to Israel aged 15 in 1971, was the country's preferred choice.

Brazil's government reportedly opposed Dayan because of his opposition to a Palestinian state and because Israel failed to consult over its choice.

Dayan headed the Yesha Council of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank between 2007 and 2013.

Brazil recognised Palestinian statehood in 2010.

Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are illegal under international law and seen as major stumbling blocks to peace efforts.
Meir Dagan, a former Israeli general and longtime director of its spy agency, has died. He was 71.

Dagan directed the Mossad from 2002 to 2011. Under his leadership, the Mossad reportedly carried out covert attacks against Iranian nuclear scientists and unleashed cyber-attacks, including the Stuxnet virus that delayed the Iranian nuclear program.

After he stepped down, Dagan was also a fierce opponent of a military strike in Iran. He openly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the recently implemented nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Born in 1945 in Ukraine to Holocaust survivors, Dagan reached the rank of general in the Israeli army and was known for innovations in battling terrorism.

Dagan is survived by his wife and three children.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Scans of King Tut's tomb appear to have revealed two hidden rooms - a discovery that could heighten speculation that the chambers contain the remains of the elusive Queen Nefertiti, Armenpress reports citing AlJazeera website.

Egypt's antiquities minister, Mamdouh el-Damaty, said on March 17 that analysis by a Japanese team showed rooms that would be scanned again at the end of the month to get a better idea of what may be inside.

The discovery could shine new light on one of ancient Egypt's most turbulent times, and at least one prominent researcher has theorised that the remains of Nefertiti may indeed be there.

El-Damaty said he thought the chambers could contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamun's family, but would not speculate on Nefertiti, the whereabouts of whose tomb is a mystery that has fired the imaginations of archaeologists for decades.

The minister also told reporters that the secret chambers may contain metal or organic material, but he declined to comment on whether royal treasure or mummies could be inside.
Meir Dagan, a former head of Israeli spy agency Mossad who worked to thwart Iran's nuclear programme while also opposing a military strike against it, died today at 71, the government said.

Dagan, who battled liver cancer and had undergone a transplant, led the Mossad from 2002 through 2010.

He was reportedly tasked with sabotaging the nuclear programme of Israel's arch-foe Iran to prevent it from developing atomic weapons.

But while leading that secret war, he also strongly opposed a military strike against Iran, a position shared by then military chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then defence minister Ehud Barak were reported to have given the order in 2010 for the military to prepare such a strike, which was never carried out.

In 2012, Dagan told US network CBS an Israeli attack would have "devastating" consequences for Israel and would be unlikely to put an end to the Iranian nuclear programme.

Under Dagan's leadership, the Mossad is believed to have assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists, caused explosions at nuclear facilities and used computer viruses to damage uranium centrifuges.

The Mossad has never confirmed such operations.

Several other controversial operations were attributed to the Mossad during Dagan's unusually long tenure, including a 2008 car bomb in Damascus that killed top Hezbollah operative Imad Mughniyeh.

Others included a 2008 air raid in Sudan against an alleged Iranian arms convoy said to be destined for Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and a 2007 bombing of a suspected desert nuclear site in Syria.
Actor Jamie Dornan has become a father for the second time.

The "Fifty Shades of Grey" star's wife, Amelia Warner, was photographed pushing a stroller in Notting Hill, London, suggesting she recently gave birth, reports E!online.

The couple has yet to comment on the news, but Dornan recently opened up about his life as father to two-year-old daughter Dulcie.

"I love fatherhood. These last couple of years have been quite something. But we're enjoying it," he had said.

The couple tied the knot in April, 2013.
Amid indications of Jats resuming their agitation in Haryana to press for quota, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav today kickstarted his four-day 'Sadbhavna' Yatra in the state.

Yadav was in Yamuna Nagar and Kurukshetra today. In the next three days, he will travel to different parts of the state and appeal for peace and harmony, the party said.

Yadav, who had unsuccessfully contested from Gurgaon as Aam Aadmi Party candidate during Lok Sabha polls, also hit out at the BJP-led Haryana government for its "mishandling" of the Jat agitation.

During his tour, he will visit Kaithal, Kalayat and Safidon. He will be in Bhiwani and Tosham on March 19 and will end the yatra in Hisar, the party said.

Haryana braced for a renewed quota agitation today even as the government made a last ditch attempt to avert it by inviting Jat leaders for talks tomorrow with a promise of getting a bill on reservation passed during the ongoing Budget Session of the Assembly that ends on March 31.
Amid a raging row at JNU over some students being charged with sedition, the varsity's Centre for Social Studies has bagged 51st position in the QS World rankings, up by 7 ranks compared to previous year.

The jump in the world rankings comes at a time when the varsity is caught in a row over an event against hanging of Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised, triggering concerns among people worldwide about whether the university's image will suffer a setback because of the ongoing controversy.

Interestingly, some of the students who are facing charges in connection with the controversial February 9 event, are from the same department.

The Centre for the Study of Social Systems (CSSS), is one of the prestigious departments of sociology in India with student strength of around 450. About 35 students are awarded M. Phil degree and 25 students submit their doctoral dissertation every year on a range of socially relevant themes.

The Centre also houses a Chair in the name of Dr BR Ambedkar sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India which supports and conducts activities relating to the intellectual contributions of Babasaheb Ambedkar and provides scholarships to students from SC/ST sections for research work.

Last week, the university was also announced as winner of the Presidents award for excellence in research and innovation.

President Pranab Mukherjee had presented the award to the Molecular Parasitology Group of JNU for its pioneering work in the area of molecular parasitology, especially anti-malaria, leishmaniasis and amoebiasis.

The QS World University Rankings for 2015-16 which were released earlier this week take into account research quality, graduate employment, student-staff ratios, teaching standards and the number of international students while rating nearly 800 universities from all over the world.

However, the biggest single factor in the QS rankings is academic reputation. This is calculated by surveying more than 60,000 academics around the world about their opinion on the merits of institutions other than their own.
Kerala-based Kalyan Jewellers today announced its foray into Qatar later in the month.

The company said it would open seven showrooms in Doha, Qatar's capital, in a single day later in the month and its global brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan will inaugurate the showrooms.

"He will be accompanied by...Film stars Nagarjuna, Prabhu Ganesan and Manju Warrier for the launch," it said.

Kalyan Jewellers has been steadily expanding its presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region since it launched its international operations. In two years, the company has opened over 40 showrooms in India and the GCC, it added.

Company's Chairman and Managing Director T S Kalyanaraman said: "We have registered a healthy double digit growth rate in our business in the GCC and believe that the Qatar presence is critical for us to push the GCC share of the group turnover to the 40 per cent mark, which is our medium-term target."



The jewellery firm had earlier made its entry into the GCC by launching six showrooms on a single day in UAE.
A scheduled meeting between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Kanhaiya Kumar had to be cancelled today as the JNUSU president failed to reach the Delhi Secretariat on time, "upsetting" the CM who had waited for nearly an hour.

CPI National Secretary D Raja, who also waited for Kanhaiya along with the CM, said that the student leader could not reach as he got stuck in a "heavy traffic jam", which apparently did not go down well with the CM, sources said.

Kanhaiya was supposed to meet Kejriwal at 6 PM for which Raja, accompanied by his daughter Aparajita who is also a JNU student, had reached before scheduled time.

"He could not reach on time as he got stuck in a traffic jam. By the time he reached near Supreme Court, the CM had already been waiting for nearly one hour.

"So they spoke over the telephone and agreed to meet most likely on Saturday. Kejriwal had prior engagements regarding the upcoming Budget so he could not wait more," Raja told reporters.

While Kanhaiya could not be reached for his comments, his party maintained that since Delhi Police could not provide him security for moving out of the campus, he got late and later got stuck in traffic near ITO.

However, a Delhi government official said that contrary to Raja's statement, any future meeting between the two has not yet been agreed upon.

"Raja, despite being a national-level leader could reach on time but Kanhaiya could not. The CM was upset as he could not meet him and had to leave for prior engagements," sources said.
NIA today arrested a man from Kerala wanted for his alleged role in conducting a terror camp in Kannur district of the state in 2013.

Officials said a team from NIA's Kochi unit arrested Abdul Jaleel (41) in the wee hours from a house in Narath area where his wife was staying. He will be produced before a special NIA court in Kochi today.

The case pertains to the conduct of a secret training camp in Narath area by Popular Front of India (PFI) operatives.

The men were trained inside a building owned by Thanal Foundation Trust in use of swords and explosives for executing terror attacks.

Jaleel was the officiating chairman of the foundation. A non-bailable warrant issued by the court and a Look Out Circular were pending against him in the case, the officials said.

The agency has also picked up another person, identified as Shihab, along with Jaleel for questioning.

A special NIA court in Kerala had early this year convicted 21 men of PFI in the case.

The court had found them guilty under several charges charges, including criminal conspiracy, membership of unlawful assembly, possession of arms and explosive substances, inciting communal disharmony, assertions prejudicial to national integration besides organising a terrorist camp.
Secretary of State John Kerry will miss this week's congressional deadline for deciding whether atrocities by the Islamic State against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria should be designated genocide, the State Department said.

Department spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry is taking a "measured" approach and while his decision will come "soon" it will not meet today's deadline. Other officials said they expected the determination could be made next week.

"He recognises the seriousness of the atrocities committed by this terrorist group as well as the importance of this issue to its victims and survivors," Toner told reporters.

"Given the scope and the breadth of the analysis he's contemplating, he will not have a final decision completed by the congressionally-mandated deadline tomorrow. However, this issue is clearly of the utmost importance to him as well as Congress, and we expect him to reach a decision very soon."



Congress had set a March 17 deadline for the determination. Earlier this week, the House passed a non-binding resolution by a vote of 393-0 condemning Islamic State group actions as genocide.

Reaction to the delay from lawmakers was swift. "This is heartbreaking. There has been ample time for analysis. The evidence of ISIS genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and others is horrifyingly clear," said Rep Jeff Fortenberry, who authored the bill. "I cannot understand the hesitation by the State Department."



"There's absolutely no reason for further delay," said Rep Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

An executive branch determination of genocide by the Islamic State would mark only the second time a U.S. administration has reached that conclusion while a conflict is ongoing.

The first was in 2004, when Secretary of State Colin Powell determined that atrocities being committed in Sudan's Darfur region constituted genocide.

Powell reached that determination amid much lobbying from human rights groups but only after State Department lawyers advised him that it would not contrary to legal advice offered to previous administrations - obligate the United States to take action to stop it.

In that case, the lawyers decided that the 1948 UN Convention against genocide did not require states to prevent genocide from taking place outside of their territory.

Powell instead called for the UN Security Council to appoint a commission to investigate and take appropriate legal action if it agreed with the genocide determination.

Kerry faces similar issues, although Toner suggested Kerry has already received a similar legal opinion.
In the wake of Supreme Court direction for maintenance of status quo on land meant for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar hoped that "status quo ante as it existed on March 14, 2016 has been restored in respect of the Punjab portion of the SYL canal."



"I hope that you will put an end to the free run of the hoodlums who have felled thousands of trees, destroyed wildlife, flattened structures and filled up the SYL Canal," Khattar said in a letter to his Punjab counterpart Parkash Singh Badal, which was released to the media here tonight.

Khattar said, "I suggest that strict action be initiated against the officers and officials who were mute spectators and silent collaborators in this brazen display of utter lawlessness."



"I will be delighted to receive a communication that status quo ante has it existed on March 14, 2016 has been restored in respect of the Punjab portion of the lifeline of Haryana viz., the SYL canal," Khattar said in his two page letter sent to Badal today.

He told Badal, "Upon a reference by us, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India has appointed your Chief Secretary and Director General of Police as Court Receivers of the all lands, works and property in the Punjab portion of the SYL. It has also directed them to maintain status quo with regard to these."



Khattar had earlier returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore "in original" which Punjab had sent yesterday for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal saying "hope that good sense will prevail and the people of Haryana will be given their due and legitimate share in the Ravi Beas waters through the SYL canal at the earliest."



The letter said, "further for over three decades now the SYL has been a Central Project for which the Government of India has already reimbursed to both the states money spent in Punjab portion of the SYL. On this score alone the drawing out of any money from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab for payment to us is a gross irregularity."



Khattar told Badal that he was writing in his response to his letter of yesterday with which the cheque was sent.

"I was in the middle of a meeting in my office when



the envelope containing your letter was delivered to me at around 7:30 pm last evening. I briefly halted the ongoing proceedings to open the envelope.

"I was hoping it to be carrying your gracious acceptance of the telephonic request I had made to you earlier in the day that the Government of Punjab should pro-actively stop the completely unlawful acts of filling up of the SYL canal in Punjab territory that had begun after the passage of the Punjab Sutlej Yamuna Canal (Rehabilitation and Re-vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill despite it not having received the assent of the Governor of Punjab," Khattar said.

"But going through its content, I could not help wondering at its brutal brevity, total thoughtlessness and complete disregard of canons of financial propriety."



"Your two line letter on a matter that has serious importance on the lives of millions of Haryanvi's merely discloses a certain decision of your Council of Ministers and your consequent act of enclosing a cheque," he said.

The letter further said, "It does not disclose what exactly was the issue that your Council of Ministers was considering, what information was made available to it or was called by it from the State's bureaucracy or what options were considered and weighed by the Council before the decision was arrived at. It does not even disclose the date of the meeting of the Council of Ministers."



Khattar said, "Let me apprise you such a decision could not have been taken in pursuance of the said Bill till it is enacted. And even if it gets enacted someday, since it was not a Money Bill not even a penny could be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of Punjab in its pursuance."



The Punjab Cabinet had on Tuesday decided to dispatch a cheque for Rs 191.75 crore back to Haryana which had sent it towards construction of the SYL canal. The cheque was dispatched yesterday.

Punjab Assembly had on Monday passed the Punjab Satluj Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2016, which aims to de-notify the land acquired for construction of SYL canal, a lingering dispute between the two neighbouring states.
Vladimir Putin is resisting President Barack Obama's call for Russia to release a Ukrainian pilot who is on trial over the death of two Russian journalists, a Kremlin spokesman said today.

Nadezhda Savchenko was fighting with a Ukrainian volunteer brigade against Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine when she was captured in June 2014.

Russia says she was a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack that killed two journalists and several civilians. A verdict is expected Monday in her trial on charges of accessory to murder.

A senior Obama administration official has said the US president urged Savchenko's release in a phone call with Putin this week.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, said Putin told Obama that "interference in our courts isn't permissible and not possible."



The Foreign Ministry later today echoed that position in a statement that followed a meeting between ministry officials and ambassadors from countries of the European Union, which has called for Savchenko's release.

The ministry "pointed out the unacceptability of attempts to place pressure on Russian authorities" in the case, it said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Cardinal Sean P. OMalley said on March 16 the Archdiocese of Boston will hold its first commemoration of the Armenian genocide, the latest Catholic Church effort to acknowledge the events that killed 1.5 million a century ago, Armenpress reports citing Boston Globe.

OMalley is set to preside over a 4 p.m. prayer service April 23 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End.

In a statement, OMalley referred to an acknowledgment last year by Pope Francis that the World War I-era deaths at the hands of Ottoman Turks were the first genocide of the 20th century, a statement that angered the Turkish government.

OMalley also expressed solidarity with Christians who are suffering around the world.

Pope Francis made clear that the church acknowledges the suffering of so many who lost their lives in witness to their faith and that, tragically, such witness continues through the persecution of Christians taking place throughout the world today, OMalley said.

Building on our bond as Christians, the Archdiocese of Boston joins with our Armenian brothers and sisters to make this remembrance in common prayer to our Lord, OMalley added.

Local and regional Armenian religious leaders will attend the April event.

The Revs, Antranig Baljian and Arakel Aljalian of the Boston-area Armenian community lauded OMalley for his desire to continue building bridges of Christian unity.

Catholics and Armenians are standing together more strongly than ever, they said in a statement released by the Catholic archdiocese. The vitality and fidelity of the Armenian community which will be expressed April 23 is a demonstration of the victory of good over evil.

A 2001 declaration by Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin II, the Armenian Apostolic Churchs supreme patriarch, referred to the Armenian slaughter as a campaign of extermination generally referred to as the first genocide of the 20th century.

But the Vatican had largely avoided that term before Pope Francis statement last April.
Syria's Kurds today declared a federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, but both the government and an opposition coalition rejected the move.

The announcement is likely to anger neighbouring Turkey and has complicated peace talks in Geneva aimed at ending the five-year civil war.

The United States, a key backer of Kurdish fighters in the battle against the Islamic State jihadist group, has also warned it would not recognise any self-ruled Kurdish region within Syria.

More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties meeting in Syria agreed to create a "federal system" unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces.

"We have given our blessing for the establishment of a federal system in Rojava (three Kurdish cantons) and northern Syria," said Aldar Khalil, a member of the conference's preparatory committee.

Sihanuk Dibo from Syria's leading Kurdish faction, the Democratic Union Party, said delegates to the conference "approved" the plan.

The announcement came on the second day of the meeting in Rmeilan, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province.

Kurdish parties already operate a system of three "autonomous administrations" in Syria's north, with independent police forces and schools.

The three cantons stretch along Syria's northern border with Turkey and are known as Afrin and Kobane, both in Aleppo province, and Jazire in Hasakeh province.

The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), considered one of the most effective forces fighting IS, has cleared the jihadists from swathes of territory in those areas.

Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.

The new "federal system" is expected to centralise governance in the three cantons under councils elected by the people.

Borders and other administrative details concerning the region would be discussed today, officials said.

They stressed the federal region would be based on "territorial" lines, not ethnicity, and that the move is not intended as a step towards full independence.

The Kurds, who represent about 15 per cent of the Syrian population, have tried to avoid confrontation with the regime or non-jihadist rebels since the war broke out in 2011.

Even so, their declaration of a federal region has angered Syria's government and opposition.

Citing a foreign ministry official, Syria's state agency SANA said the Kurdish announcement "has no legal basis and will not have any legal, political, social, or economic impact.
The Gujarat Government has allotted land near here to set up a regional hub of National Security Guard (NSG), whose commandos were flown into the state early this month in the wake of a terror alert, the Assembly was informed today.

The land, measuring 1.33 lakh sq metres, has been allotted to the Centre near Randesan village in Gandhinagar district, Minister of State for Home Rajnibhai Patel said.

Speaking during a discussion on the budgetary demands for Home Department, Patel said the market value of the allotted land is more than Rs 470 crore, but it has been given to the Centre at a token cost of Re 1.

A hub of the elite anti-terror force here is crucial as Gujarat shares a 512-km-long land border with Pakistan and has 1,640-km-long coastline, he told the House.

"When terrorists attacked Mumbai in November 2008, it took significant time to deploy NSG commandos by airlifting them (from Delhi). To avoid such a delay in future (in case of a terror attack), we had requested the then (UPA) Government to set up an NSG hub in Gujarat," said Patel.

"As the Centre accepted our request in March 2011, the state government agreed to provide land at Randesan village to set up necessary infrastructure for the NSG hub," he said.

Four NSG teams were dispatched to Gujarat in the first week of March following intelligence inputs that 10 terrorists have sneaked in the State to launch an attack on the famous Somnath Temple during Maha Shivratri festival.
Sri Lanka's foreign exchange reserves rose to USD 6.6 billion following currency swap deals with India and SAARC, the government has said.

"The gross official reserves were estimated at USD 6.6 billion and it is sufficient for four months of imports," Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama said yesterday at a media briefing.

"It is recommended to keep at least three months of imports. So we are at a comfortable level now," Amunugama said.

Sri Lanka, which has been facing a balance-of-payments crisis, received USD 700 million currency swap of dollars for Sri Lankan rupees from Reserve Bank of India on March 8 and another USD 400 million from SAARC.

"After receiving those two funds, our foreign reserves went up from USD 5.5 billion to USD 6.6 billion," he said.

Amunugama said the government was hopeful of receiving initial proceeds of USD 1.5 billion IMF loan to boost foreign exchange reserves by mid this year.

Amunugama further stated that Sri Lanka's estimated budget deficit for 2016 narrowed to 5.4 per cent from earlier 5.8 per cent after adjusting for recent amendments to budget proposals.

Sri Lanka expects to reduce the budget deficit to 3.0 per cent of GDP by 2020.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week blamed the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime for leaving behind a massive Rs 9.5 trillion debt burden on the country.

Wickremesinghe informed the Parliament that the government's debt burden was Rs 9.5 trillion and could further rise.

He said the government has been compelled to revise the 2016 budget and raise taxes to increase revenue and keep the budget deficit and debt under control.
Two more persons were today arrested and four police officers suspended in connection with the alleged murder of a lawyer in Bilhaur Tehsil, even as other advocates went on a strike demanding compensation for the victim's family and a magisterial probe into the matter.

A fresh post-mortem has also been ordered after the relatives of the victim Jitendra Pal objected to the previous report which didn't show any sign of beating, Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur today said.

"All the accused, Satyendra Yadav, Jitendra Yadav, Aman Yadav and Bunty Yadav have been arrested," he said, adding that four policemen, including an inspector, have been suspended over complaints of negligence.

"In a case of negligence, Bilhaur Inspector Jiwaram Yadav, Chowki Incharge Jawaharlal Yadav, Mahesh Yadav and Vijay Yadav have been suspended and investigation has been ordered," he said.

35-year-old Jitendra was allegedly beaten to death by his neighbour Satyendra and the other accused yesterday following an altercation over a drain outside his house at Ratiram Purwa village in the district.

He was taken to hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said, adding that Satyendra and one of his companions had been arrested yesterday.

Meanwhile, all lawyers of a Kanpur court today went on a strike and also blocked the Ballohar-Kannauj highway.

Former General Secretary of Bar Association, Naresh Tripathi said lawyers would end the strike only when government gives compensation to the family of the deceased and a magisterial probe is ordered.
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in his directives issued to the state government today expressed serious concern over the failure of its Public Health Department to fully utilise the funds allocated for the backward regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra (ROM).

The Governor in his directives for utilisation of funds allocated to the Statutory Development Boards (SDBs) of Vidarbha, Marathwada and ROM noted that in the financial year 2015-16 the expenditure in public health sector by end of December 2015 was only Rs 34.32 crore against the allocated Rs 167.80 crore.

The Governor sought a detailed action plan from principal secretary, Public Health, within two months, to use the funds.

Shiv Sena's Dr Deepak Sawant holds the Public Health portfolio.

Regarding the development backlog in the irrigation sector in the backward regions under these three SDBs, the Governor noted that despite periodically revisiting the action plan for removing the irrigation backlog between 2010 to 2015, the Water Resources Department could not end the backlog in irrigation in Amravati, Akola, Washim and Buldhana districts of Vidarbha.

The Governor directed the government to allocate a total of Rs 5,410.53 crore for 2016-17 for the three SDBs to remove the irrigation backlog. The Water Resources ministry is headed by BJP's Girish Mahajan.

Taking note of large number of vacancies in the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation which severely impacts the ongoing projects, the Governor directed the state to fill the vacancies within four months.

Of the total 358 posts in group A and 974 posts in group B at VIDC, only 29 and 346 posts respectively have been filled.
Maharashtra government has set 2019, the year when next Assembly elections are slated, as deadline to complete most of the ongoing development projects in the state including Metro-II project and Navi Mumbai international airport, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today.

Speaking during a debate over the motion of thanks on Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao's joint address in Legislature, Fadnavis told the Council that his government has obtained all necessary approvals from the Centre for development projects which were stuck for last many years.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, Fadnavis said the Congress only announced projects but could not execute them as they failed to get necessary approvals despite having their government at the Centre.

"The Coastal Road Project was announced by former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. He held various meetings in Delhi but couldn't get permissions. We obtained all approvals in 11 months. Tenders will now be floated on April 30, work order will be issued in September and the first phase of the project will be completed in 2019," said Fadnavis.

On the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project, the CM said its mention was first made in the state Budget when he was first elected as an MLA from Nagpur constituency in 1999.

"Work order (for the project) will be issued in October-November this year and the first phase will be completed in 2019. The whole project's time-frame is four and a half years," he said.

He also set till 2019 the time limit for completion of the work at Navi Mumbai International Airport.

"We received all permissions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a day's time through video conferencing," he said.

Fadnavis once again gave a deadline of 2019 for the Mumbai Metro II project (from Dahisar to Andheri) and a deadline of 2020 for Mumbai Metro III project (from Colaba to Seepz).

"Metro will take some more time as it will have an underground route," he said.
Noting that the Telangana government aims to complete major portion of its ambitious scheme to supply piped drinking water by end of 2017, a state minister today said the programme would be funded from extra-budgetary resources.

In his reply to a question on the scheme by BJP floor leader K Laxman and others in the Legislative Assembly, state Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao said 22,224 habitations of 99 constituencies (total 119) are proposed to be covered by 2018 under the scheme.

"The government has given administrative sanction to works worth Rs 36,976.54 crore," he said.

Observing that Union Rural Development Minister Rao Birender Singh has also appreciated the project, the minister said that the state government has sought funds from the Centre and NITI Aayog.

"The government has taken loans from government institutions, including Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)," he said adding that the state government is in consultation with State Bank and a consortium of banks.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has already said that his party would not seek votes in the next elections (in 2019) if the drinking water is not supplied to the people, the minister said.

Laxman queried about the requirement of funds for the scheme and its repayment.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition (Congress) K Jana Reddy, who spoke on the 2016-17 Budget for the second day, felt that it requires Rs six lakh crores to fulfil the ruling party's promises.

There is no progress in implementation of promises like double bed room houses for the poor, three acres of land, 12 per cent reservation each for minorities and STs and promoting industrialisation, he alleged.
In a shocking incident, a 72-year- old man suffered a stroke inside the toilet at a hospital here and died even as a nurse allegedly locked the place presuming no one was there, police said today.

The hospital has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

According to the autopsy report, the deceased, Dattatray Kamble, had high blood pressure due to which a blood vessel ruptured causing his death, a senior official of Boiwada police station said.

He said doctors described it as a natural death and hence, no case has been registered.

Kamble, a resident of Kolhapur, had come to Mumbai for the treatment of his wife, Sunanda, who suffers from a kidney problem.

The couple had gone to the civic-run KEM hospital in Parel area on Tuesday. At around 4 PM, Kamble asked his wife to wait on the ground floor of the hospital building and went to the toilet in OPD area.

After that his family could not locate him and searched for him everywhere. Kamble's body was found by the hospital staff yesterday morning in the toilet.

KEM Hospital Dean Avinash Supe said as per preliminary investigation, a female nurse locked the bathroom after the OPD was closed at 4 PM on Tuesday.

Since the toilet was for men, she did not enter it. The nurse called out a couple of times and locked the door when there was no response, Supe said.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, he said an inquiry into the matter was on.
In a breakthrough, a 'man-made' sun experiment in China has successfully produced long pulse plasma discharge at a temperature of more than 50 million degrees - the longest discharge at such a high temperature.

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), an artificial sun experiment developed by Hefei Institute of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Science, realised a ultra-high temperature (UHT) long pulse plasma discharge for 102 seconds as of January.

"An artificial sun can provide limitless clean energy through controlled thermonuclear fusion," Xu Jiannan, from the China Academy of Engineering Physics, told 'People's Daily Online'.

The light and heat of the Sun come from two of hydrogen's radioactove isotopes - deuterium and tritium.

These release a huge amount of energy during the process of fusion into a helium atom. The artificial sun imitates this fusion process.
Companies are increasingly looking at maternity benefits as a tool for attracting and retaining talent and not merely a legal obligation, says a report.

The findings showed that companies which offered additional maternity leave and benefits saw demonstrable results in the form of increased return to work post-maternity and greater employee retention over a period of time, said the report by IT industry body Nasscom and law firm Trilegal.

"The idea of maternity benefits has evolved in recent times. We are also witnessing a concerted push from the government to improve the benefits available under law," Swarnima, co-author of the report and Senior Associate Trilegal, said.

The report said for a majority of the companies, over 75 per cent of employees returned to work after availing their maternity leave, and the attrition after that was also low.

The beneficial measures that these companies have adopted are having demonstrable results and this is what seems to be driving more companies towards adopting such practices in an effort to attract and retain women employees, the report said.

Moreover, in an analysis of comparative benefits across jurisdictions, India fared poorly as against developed nations like France, the UK, Sweden, the US, and Singapore.

The report further said in some European countries there is a concept of 'parental leave' - where leave can be taken by either parent based on their requirements.

In France, up to 3 years of unpaid leave can be shared between the parents, while Sweden provides for 70 weeks of parental leave.

"These proposals are however not welcomed by all - the concern raised by smaller companies is that this may have a negative impact on hiring decisions," Swarnima said adding "it be interesting to see the direction that the law takes in the coming months, with the interests of different stakeholders to balance.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. In the northeastern military unit of the NKR Defense Army; In the military base of the conservation area, at about 14:55, serviceman Artyom Varderesyan got fatal injuries as the result of enemy shooting on March 17.

As the Press Service of NKR MOD informed Armenpress, an investigation is underway to determine the details of the case.

NKR Defense Ministry shares the grief of loss and expresses its support to the family members, relatives and colleagues of the victims.
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti today met BJP President Amit Shah amid rising speculation about government formation in Jammu and Kashmir but there was no clear indication whether they have made any headway.

The PDP, which toughened its stance after Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's demise by seeking concrete plans for the state's development the before the coalition could be resumed, may latch on to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement in the Lok Sabha in which he promised speedy implementation of all the projects.

The PDP President, who was in the national capital to attend the budget session of Parliament, drove in a car without security for a meeting that lasted nearly 30 minutes.

Both the parties maintained silence on the meeting but sources in the know said it was part of the intense efforts being undertaken by the two parties before resuming the coalition.

Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, who is considered one of the architects of the coalition worked during Sayeed's time, is also understood to have been doing the ground work for bringing together PDP which has 27 MLAs and BJP's 25 MLAs in the 87-member State Assembly.

The sources said consultations with some of the ministries have been undertaken and the state may soon witness the end of Governor's rule which came into force from January 8 this year after Mehbooba decided against taking over the reins after her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's death.

Jaitley had announced in Parliament earlier this week promised that the Centre will speedily implement all the projects announced as part of special package to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Prime Minister has announced special package for J&K. We want that the three regions of the J&K are developed very fast," Jaitley said in reply to debate on Budget in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Mehbooba had said last month that before taking a call on continuing the alliance, she wants to "reassess" whether the Narendra Modi government would take substantive steps within a 'set time-frame' to address the "core" political and economic issues of the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government record after completion of over two years in power has been "mixed" as despite doing its best to roll out a red carpet for investors, it preferred caution over boldness, an American expert on India has told lawmakers.

"So far, the Modi government's record has been mixed. It has done its best to roll out a red carpet for investors, with the prime minister himself acting as India's chief pitchman," Sadanand Dhume, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

"However, in terms of deep structural reform, the government has either been stymied by the opposition or has itself preferred caution to boldness," Dhume said.

Despite a comfortable majority in the Lower House of Parliament, the Modi government has done nothing to reverse the previous government's laws like an unpopular retroactive tax, said Dhume, also a Wall Street Journal columnist.

Dhume said, "instead of winding up the previous government's flagship make-work programme, a notoriously leaky rural job guarantee that wasted billions of dollars, the Modi government has increased its funding to a record level."



At the same time, he said a lot has been achieved under the Modi-led government.

"Foreign investment norms have been eased in, among other areas, defence, insurance and food processing. Between May 2014 and December 2015, foreign direct investment in India rose 33 per cent to USD 64 billion compared to USD 48 billion in the 20 months before Modi's election," Dhume said.

"Several high profile firms, including Taiwan's Foxconn and South Korea's Posco have pledged billions of dollars of fresh investment in India. Large US investors include General Electric, General Motors, Uber and Oracle," he told lawmakers.

Dhume told lawmakers that Washington should continue to encourage the emergence of India as a prosperous and strong democracy that acts as a stabilising force in the region and beyond.

"At the same time, the US needs to deepen trade ties with India with the strategic goal of remaining India's largest single trading partner taking into account both goods and services," he said.

Meanwhile, Richard M Rossow, senior fellow, Wadhwani Chair in US-India Policy Studies Center for Strategic and International Studies and other commentators regularly lament that they expected more, deeper reforms by this point.

"But the Modi government's track record is solid, if unspectacular," Rossow said.

Rossow also said that Modi has surprised the American security community with his forward leaning views on Asian security which matches that of the US.

"We have also made progress on our long-stalled 'Defense Technology and Trade Initiative' programs for co-development and co-production of defence materiel, as well as renewing our defense framework agreement for another ten years," he said.

"India has become one of the largest markets for US defence exports, and a major partner for joint exercises," he said.
Praising Islam for its message of peace and harmony, Prime Minister on Thursday said none of Allahs 99 names stands for violence and asserted the fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion and the two should be de-linked.

Addressing the first World Sufi Forum, he said, This is an extraordinary event of great importance to the world, at a critical time for humanity. At a time when the dark shadow of violence is becoming longer, you are the noor, or the light of hope. When young laughter is silenced by guns on the streets, you are the voice that heals.

The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. It is a struggle between the values of humanism and the forces of inhumanity. It is not a conflict to be fought only through military, intelligence or diplomatic means. It is also a battle that must be won through the strength of our values and the real message of religions. As I have said before, we must reject any link between terrorism and religion. Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious, he said.

Terming Sufism, a spiritual quest that traces its origin from the Holy Prophet and the fundamental values of Islam, which literally means peace, Modi said, And, it reminds us that when we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem. Earlier, Modi was welcomed with the chant of Bharat Mata Ki Jai at the forum convened by the All India Ulema and Mashaikh Board, to discuss the role of Sufism in countering rising global terror.

Modis message came at a time when his government has been facing Opposition flak on the issue of communalism and amid a raging debate on nationalism.

The four-day event, beginning on Thursday is being attended by over 200 delegates, including foreign delegates from 20 countries.

Spiritual leaders, scholars, academicians and theologists from Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, the UK, the US, Canada and Pakistan, among other countries, are coming for the event.

During his around 30-minute speech, Modi quoted a number of Sufi scholars to drive home the message of unity of mankind preached by all religions.

"When the spiritual love of Sufism, not the violent force of terrorism, flows across the border, this region will be the paradise on earth that Amir Khusrau spoke about... Terrorism divides and destroys us.

"Indeed, when terrorism and extremism have become the most destructive force of our times, the message of Sufism has global relevance," he said.

Noting that every year over 100 billion dollars are spent on securing the world from terrorism, he said that the money should have been spent on building lives of the poor instead.

In an oblique reference to Pakistan, which has often been accused of harbouring terrorists, Modi said,"there are forces and groups that are instruments of state policy and design.

There are others recruited to the cause in misguided belief."



In the backdrop of youths from many countries having joined the ISIS with radicalisation happening through Internet, Modi said while there are some who are trained in organised camps, "there are those who find their inspiration in the border less world of cyber space".

"Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified. Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support.

"They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. And, they are putting entire regions to peril and making the world more insecure and violent," he said.

He said that advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values is a task that states, societies, sages, scholars and families must pursue.

Noting that the message of Sufism is not just confined to combating terrorism, the Prime Minister spoke of the "rich diversity" of India stressing that the values of harmony, welfare, compassion and love for human beings are the foundation of a just society.

He said this is the principle behind his idea of 'Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikaas'.

"And, these values are important to preserve and nurture diversity in our societies. Diversity is a basic reality of Nature and source of richness of a society; and, it should not be a cause of discord.

"We need just not constitutional provisions or legal safeguards, but also social values to build an inclusive and peaceful society, in which everyone belongs, secure about his rights and confident of her future," he said.

Speaking on the challenge of violence, the Prime Minister underlined the need to remember the teaching of Holy Quran that if anyone slew one innocent person, it would be as if he slew a whole people and if anyone saved one life, it would be as if he saved a whole people. He also underlined the message of non-violence propagated by Lord Buddha and Mahavira.

"In many parts of the world, there is uncertainty about the future, and how to deal with it as nations and societies.

These are precisely the times that the world is most vulnerable to violence and conflicts," he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that the global community to be must be more vigilant than ever before and counter the forces of darkness with the radiant light of human values.

In his speech, he quoted profusely from the Bible and the Quran apart from Hindu scriptures and referred to Sufi saints and scholars including Hazrat Moinuddin Chishti, Persian Sufi poet Saadi Jalaluddin Rumi to drive home the message of unity.

Modi also hailed India as "land that is a timeless fountain of peace, and an ancient source of traditions and faiths, which has received and nurtured religions from the world" and its people "with an abiding belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the World is one family".

Modi compared the existence of varies communities in the



country with strings of a sitar in which they together create melody.

"Like the strings of sitar that each produces a note, but come together to create a beautiful melody. This is the spirit of India. This is the strength of our nation. All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, the micro-minority of Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India," he said.

Alluding to the Partition, the Prime Minister said, "at the dawn of Independence some chose to go away and, I believe, it also had to do with colonial politics of that time."



He underlined that leaders like Maulana Azad, and important spiritual leaders such as Maulana Hussain Madani, and millions and millions of ordinary citizens rejected the idea of division on the basis of religion.

The Prime Minister gave the credit to "every member of every faith in our diverse and yet united nation" for India moving forward in all spheres.

On the spread of terror, he said in this digital century, the reach of terror is growing and its toll is rising every year.

"Since the beginning of this century, tens of thousands of families have lost their loved ones in thousands of terrorist incidents globally. Last year alone, I am talking about 2015, over 90 countries experienced terrorist attacks.

"Parents in 100 countries live with the daily pain of their children lost to the battlefields of Syria. And, in a globally mobile world, one incident can claim citizens of many nations," he said.

He said terrorism is a "daily threat" from the centres of conflict in West Asia to calm cities in distant countries and in remote villages of Africa to the towns in our own region.

"Each day brings us terrible news and horrifying images of schools turned into graveyards of innocence, of prayer gatherings turned into funeral processions, of call to prayer or Azaan drowned by the sound of explosion, of blood on the beach, massacres in malls and smouldering cars on streets, of thriving cities ruined and priceless heritage destroyed, and of parents bearing coffins, entire communities dislocated, millions displaced, and refugees caught between fire and stormy seas," the Prime Minister said.

Modi said the conference should send a message to the world of "a melody of harmony and humanity, the embrace of diversity, the spirit of oneness, of service with compassion and generosity, a resolve against terrorism, a rejection of extremism and, a determination to advance peace".
When an individual's rights come into conflict with national interest, it is "inevitable" that the country's welfare prevails, a top official of a think tank said here today.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave here, Shaurya Doval, executive director of India Foundation and son of NSA Ajit Doval, said one can be labelled as a "nationalist" or "anti-nationalist" depending upon whether their actions "strengthen or weaken" India.

"I think when it comes to an individual's rights and obligations in conflict with larger interest of the nation, it is inevitable that the interest and welfare of the nation must prevail over the individual interest," Shourya, who heads the think tank jointly with BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, said.

Referring to a terror strike in France, Shourya said the government there "changed 90 laws overnight, put behind individual liberty when it came in conflict with national interest and did whatever they needed to do."



He maintained that slogans like 'Afzal hum sharminda hai, tere katil zinda hai' and 'tum kitne Afzal maroge, har ghar se Afzal niklega' allegedly raised at the February 9 event at JNU, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's assertion that he "will not say Bharat Mata ki jai even if someone puts knife to my throat" can be labelled as "anti-national".

To the sloganeering of 'hume kya chahe azadi, Sanghvad se azadi, manuvad se azadi, samantvad se azadi', he said, "This, I won't call anti-national, but if someone says hume kya chahiye azadi, I have a problem."



During the event, he also questioned "award wapsi" episode launched by artists and writers post the Dadri lynching incident, saying those who gave back honours should ask themselves if they were returning the awards to India "which had given them the award".

"If India gave them the award, is it that India that they have lost their faith in that they are returning their awards to? And, in doing so, the question they must ask are they strengthening India, whatever may be their conception of India or are they weakening India?" he said when asked if those who returned awards were "anti-nationals".

He also said the common people of the country are not "foolish" and cannot be "fooled" by use of sophisticated arguments.
Nepal will continue to improve ties with China in a bid to "counterbalance" the influence of India, BMI Research said in its report.

The research firm said India-Nepal ties will remain "cool" despite Nepali Prime Minister's visit to India on February 19 following the partial resolution of the constitutional crisis.

"While Nepal will remain heavily dependent on India, Kathmandu will increasingly seek to improve ties with Beijing in a bid to counterbalance New Delhi and wean the country off its dependence on India," the Fitch Group company said.

It said that while India-Nepal ties have historically been extremely cordial, the constitutional crisis and the resulting economic blockade of goods into Nepal led to a significant "cooling" of bilateral ties.

"Despite the partial resolution of the constitutional crisis and Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli's visit to India on February 19, we expect bilateral ties to remain cool in the near future as both sides seek to gradually re-establish trust," it added.

Nepal has traditionally been under New Delhi's sphere of influence, with India providing the country with the bulk of its energy and military needs, it said, adding that India has also exerted considerable influence over Nepal's domestic politics.

India's influence was evident in the crisis which began on September 23 2015, where Nepal's Madhesi minorities protested that they had not been given sufficient representation in the country's new Constitution, it added.

"Given the close relationship between Nepal's Madhesi minorities and the Madhesis in neighbouring Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi has been inclined to support Nepali Madhesis in a bid to court Madhesi votes in both states," the report said.

Accordingly, Indian support for the Madhesi had led to speculation that New Delhi imposed an unofficial blockade at the Nepal-Indian border to cut off fuel supply so as to force Kathmandu to consider the demand of the ethnic minority group, it stated.

According to the research body, with Nepal importing almost all of its oil from India, the shortage of fuel led to the development of a black market and the gradual restoration of road links with China.

"Although Nepal does not fall within China's traditional sphere of influence, mounting tensions with India provide Beijing with an opportunity to strengthen relations along the shared border. Accordingly, China reopened its border with Nepal in Tibet amid mounting tension with India," it reasoned.

Further, the report said, considering India has remained one of Nepal's largest donors despite changes in the government, it is likely that New Delhi was using the reduction in aid to signal its displeasure with Kathmandu.

The firm sees China proceeding cautiously to avoid unnecessary tension with India as a result of moving into New Delhi's traditional sphere of influence.
Fresh links between the Paris attacks and a bloody anti-terrorism raid in Brussels emerged today as a manhunt continued for two suspected extremists who escaped.

The firefight on Tuesday, in which an Algerian national with suspected ties to Islamic State was killed, erupted after Belgian and French police searched a property in connection with the November 13 Paris massacres, claimed by IS.

Sources close to the investigation told AFP that the officers visited the apartment believing it was rented under the same false identity as a hideout in the southern Belgian city of Charleroi used by the Paris attackers.

In the Charleroi hideout, police had found DNA traces of Paris attacks ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud as well as Chakib Akrouh, both of whom were killed north of the French capital days after the Paris attacks under a hail of police bullets.

According to Belgian daily De Standaard, police believe both properties were actually rented by convicted car thief Khalid El Bakraoui, 27, who is at large.

His brother, Ibrahim El Bakraoui, is also known to authorities and served a nine-year sentence in 2010 after firing on police during a robbery, according to daily La Derniere Heure.

Sources close to the investigation told AFP the search on Tuesday was to verify if the El Bakraoui brothers were to be found at the apartment, though expectations were low as water and electric power had been cut off for weeks.

According to De Standaard, the two suspects on the run from the firefight Tuesday are not the El Bakraoui brothers, though a spokesman from the federal prosecutor refused to confirm the information.

The Standaard also reported that police found computers with encrypted data and false IDs at the scene of the firefight.

"In a stroke of luck, the police fell upon what evidently constitutes the core of a terror cell planning something," researcher Claude Moniquet of the European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center told AFP.

"These are active and heavily armed operators as shown by the presence of 11 Kalashnikov rifle chargers in the apartment," he added.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel yesterday called on Brussels residents to "stay calm and cool-headed" as the investigation continued into the police raid.
Union minister Mahesh Sharma today inaugurated a new terminal at Gorakhpur airport here.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation said the terminal constructed at a cost of Rs 23 crore and was completed in 18 months.

He said the Ministry would consider naming it as 'Guru Gorakshnath' and added that flights to Varanasi and Lucknow will be started in future.
Indian-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley today endorsed Republican candidate Ted Cruz in the race for the White House which will provide a fillip to the Texas Senator's aspiration to become the US President.

Haley had earlier endorsed and campaigned for Senator Marco Rubio, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of front runner Donald Trump in his home State of Florida.

Haley, who has not yet made an official announcement to endorse Cruz, told reporters she hoped that the Senator would emerge as the Republican presidential nominee.

"Ask me when the time comes again, but as of now I strongly believe I will support the Republican nominee," Haley was quoted as saying by a local State paper.

"The only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can come through this. That's who, privately, I am fighting for," Haley said.

Cruz is currently lagging far behind front runner Trump in the delegate count and unlikely to cross the half way path of 1237 delegates but Haley thinks otherwise.

"I do see a path for (Cruz), because I think he's been solid and strong the entire way. I think that he has been disciplined in the way that he has done it," the popular Indian American Governor said.
Nikki Haley, currently the only Indian-American governor in the US, today backed Ted Cruz in the race for the White House, boosting his campaign against Republican front-runner Donald Trump after Marco Rubio bowed out of the contest.

Haley, the 44-year-old South Carolina governor, had earlier endorsed and campaigned for Senator Rubio, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Trump in his home state of Florida.

Haley, who has not yet made an official announcement to endorse 45-year-old Cruz, told reporters that she hoped that the Senator would emerge as the Republican presidential nominee.

"Ask me when the time comes again, but as of now I strongly believe I will support the Republican nominee," Haley was quoted as saying by a local State newspaper.

"The only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can come through this. That's who, privately, I am fighting for," Haley said.

Cruz is currently lagging far behind front runner Trump in the delegate count and unlikely to cross the half way path of 1237 delegates but Haley thinks otherwise.

"I do see a path for (Cruz), because I think he's been solid and strong the entire way. I think that he has been disciplined in the way that he has done it," the popular Indian American Governor said.

Haley is currently the only Indian-American governor in the US after Bobby Jindal, the two-time governor of Louisiana, completed his term in January.

(REOPENS FGN 3)



Meanwhile, Trump is considering his trusted military advisor Lt Gen (rtd) Michael Flynn as his national security advisor, the reports said.

Flynn, 56, was one of the top military leaders to have endorsed Trump and has been his closest military advisor for more than a year now.

"Lieutenant General (rtd) Michael Flynn has emerged as Donald Trump's leading candidate for national security adviser, according to people familiar with the president- elect's transition planning," National Review reported yesterday.

If selected, he would succeed Susan Rice as the National Security Advisor.

"Like the president-elect, Flynn, a self-described "maverick" and longtime Democrat, shares a penchant for unvarnished straight talk that has earned him praise from some and condemnation from others," Review said.

In his latest book in August, he had advocated cutting off aid to Pakistan, if it continued to help the jihadis.

He served as the director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and chair of the Military Intelligence Board.
Japanese financial services giant Nippon Life has completed acquisition of additional 14 per cent stake in Reliance Capital Asset Management (RCAM) for Rs 1,200 crore, raising its holding to 49 per cent.

Nippon Life Insurance now becomes a co-sponsor of Reliance Mutual Fund, along with Reliance Capital, following which the name of fund house would be changed to Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management.

The board of directors of RCAM, in a meeting held here today, approved the transfer of an additional 9.57 per cent stake to Nippon Life, with the balance 4.43 per cent to be transferred in the next couple of weeks, Relinace Capital said in a statement.

The transaction pegs the valuation of RCAM at Rs 8,542 crore, the highest till date for any asset management company in the country.

Nippon Life had acquired 26 per cent stake in the fund house for Rs 1,450 crore in 2012. Subsequently, the Japanese firm increased its stake by 9 per cent, to 35 per cent, in February last year at an aggregate value of Rs 657 crore.

RCAM runs Reliance MF and is part of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group's financial services arm, Reliance Capital.

Nippon Life manages around USD 520 billion or Rs 34 lakh crore in assets while RCAM manages Rs 2,61,424 crore as on December 31, 2015 across mutual funds, pension funds, managed accounts and offshore funds.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. On March 15, Permanent Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic to the USA Robert Avetisyan delivered a speech at an event organized in the U.S. Congress on the initiative of the Armenian National Committee of America. The event was aimed at promoting peace in Artsakh and Armenia, contributing to the prosperity of the two Armenian states, and supporting the resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

Armenpress was reported by the Department of Information and Public Relations of Artsakh Republics MFA that in his speech, the NKR representative expressed his gratitude to the Committee for organizing the event, and stressed the importance of ongoing joint efforts.

Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the USA Grigor Hovhannisyan, U.S. Congressmen, Mayor of the city of Montebello, California, Jack Hajinyan, and Director of the Stepanakert Caroline Cox Rehabilitation Center Vardan Tadevosyan, who had arrived in Washington to participate in the Committees events, delivered speeches. Head of the ANCA Washington Office Aram Hambarian chaired the event.

In their speeches, the U.S. Congressmen assured that they would continue to contribute to the security of Artsakh and Armenia, establishment of peace, and restoration of the historical justice, stressing the necessity of recognizing the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination and the Armenian Genocide.

In his speech, Director of the Stepanakert Rehabilitation Center Vardan Tadevosyan briefed on the Centre's activities, noting the importance of this humanitarian initiative for Artsakh and the region, and presented the problems and challenges facing the center.

Staff members of the U.S. Congressional Offices and the RA Embassy to the USA, representatives of the Kurdish and Yezidi political circles, journalists, and members of the Armenian community of America participated in the event.
Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij today said 'Haryana Nursing Council' would soon be re-constituted to smoothly run nursing colleges in the state.

Vij was replying to a question during the ongoing session of Haryana Assembly here.

He said this Council was constituted during the regime of former Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda but he had neither adopted nor amended the Punjab Nursing Registration Act-1932.

As a result of it, even today, 16 out of its 17 members are related to Punjab. After amendment in this Act, the state government would soon constitute Nursing Council in Haryana. This would help in resolving problems of Multi Purpose Health Worker (MPHW) colleges in the state, he said.

The Health Minister said he had ordered vigilance inquiry of 15 colleges of Multi Purpose Health Worker approved during the tenure of former Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. He said the previous State Government had given approval for opening 15 MPHW colleges just one month before elections.

The Health Minister said suspicion was raised when these 15 colleges sought permission to admit students. It was at that time that inspection was again conducted.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court also gave its consent to the decision of the state government for re-inspection.

Vij said that following this, Sub Divisional Officers of the districts concerned and officers of the Department got videography of the inspection of these colleges, but the report submitted by them was entirely different from the report submitted earlier.

He said in old report college building was shown, but in new report there was vacant land.

He said as facts have come to light, it was clear that earlier report was "false". It was found that the institutions taking permission for opening colleges had "cheated" the government and the officers who had prepared the wrong report had "misled" the government.

Keeping in view these facts, vigilance inquiry of these colleges has been ordered today. Strict action would be taken against all those found guilty, he added.

Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Om Parkash



Dhankar said that to resolve the problem of stray cattle permanently in the state, the state government is establishing 40 Gau Abhayaranayas in a phased manner.

In the first phase, land has been made available in Hisar, Bhiwani, Yamunanagar and Panipat. In rural areas, about 84,554 and in urban areas, 32,655 stray cattle have been identified. Besides this, the decision of sending stray cattle to over 400 Gaushalas in the state is under consideration.

Dhankar was replying during the ongoing Haryana Vidhan Sabha Session here today.

Haryana Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that with the implementation of 'Mhara Gaon-Jagmag Gaon' scheme, the power supply has improved. This scheme covering 83 feeders of rural area would be implemented in 260 feeders in the next phase. Under this scheme, besides replacing obsolete electricity wires and conductors, electricity meters are installed outside houses.

Panwar was replying to a question asked by MLA Tek Chand Sharma about obsolete electricity wires in Prithla Assembly Constituency. He had asked the question from the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Panwar informed on behalf of the Chief Minster that 294 km long wires have been replaced in Prithla Assembly Constituency. He said that there are 515 feeders in district Faridabad and 35 feeders in Prithla constituency.

Out of the total 10,831km long wires 10,160km wires have been replaced.

In a reply to questioned asked by MLA Umesh Aggarwal, Haryana Industries Minister Captain Abhimanyu said the land measuring 1383.68 acres which was transferred to Reliance Haryana SEZ in Gurgain was now reverted to HSIIDC.

Subsequently, the state government has identified Global City project at Gurgaon as an early bird project under Delhi Mumbai industrial corridor project.

The cabinet in its meeting held on February 7, 2014 had approved the setting up of project on the land received back from Reliance Haryana SEZ Limited.

Minister said no other land for SEZ has been acquired by government in industries department. Further there is no proposal of government to acquire land for any other SEZ, he further said.
Rejecting criticism that US President Barack Obama missed a golden opportunity to bring in diversity in the Supreme Court bench and could have chosen someone younger, the White House asserted that he nominated "the best" to serve on the apex court.

"The President's commitment to the principle of ensuring we have a judiciary that looks like the rest of the country is rock-solid," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily conference.

"And the other principle that he has strongly adhered to is making sure that he's choosing the best person for the job, and I think he's demonstrated over the course of his seven years in office that it is absolutely possible to do both," he added.

Earnest was responding to questions yesterday as to why Obama overlooked the strong credentials for the judge from diverse communities including African Americans, Indian Americans and Asian Americans even as some of them figured on his short-list.

"I can tell you that the President considered a diverse array of candidates, and I think that's what you'd expect considering the diverse array of individuals that the White House consulted in advance of the President making his decision. The President took that advice quite seriously and considered a diverse array of candidates," he said.

"The President ultimately settled on Chief Judge Garland for one reason, and one reason only, and that is simply that he believes that Chief Judge (Merrick) Garland is the best person in America to do that job. And that's how the President made the decision," Earnest said.

He said that the President himself has talked on a number of occasions about how important it is to ensure that the federal bench is as diverse as the rest of the country.

"When you take a look at the President's track record, it's quite strong. That starts with the two previous appointments that the President has made to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court. He appointed the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court in the form of Justice Sotomayor," Earnest said.

He pointed out that Obama appointed the third and fourth



women to serve on the Supreme Court in Justice Sotomayor and Justice Kagan, besides appointing 117 minorities to the federal judiciary which is more than any other President.

"He has appointed 26 African American women to the federal bench. That is more than any other President. He's appointed 37 Hispanics to the federal bench. That is more than any other President.

"He's appointed 20 Asians to the federal bench. That is more than any other President. And he has appointed 11 LGBT judges. That is more than every other President combined," the spokesman said.

Earnest also refuted the impression that age played a factor in Obama's nomination process.

"The President, in choosing Judge Garland, chose somebody who's 63. Some of his other candidates were roughly 15 years younger. If this candidate, Judge Garland, is confirmed, that means the President's legacy on the Supreme Court will be significantly shorter than it could have been if he had chosen someone who is younger.

"Why not take that opportunity? To what extent did age play a role in this decision?" he was asked.

"I'm not aware that age played any role in the President's decision-making," Earnest said.

"Maybe there are some people who would suggest that it would have, but the President was looking for the very best person for the job. And regardless of age, the President was focused on choosing somebody who has the proper temperament and the unquestioned legal credentials and a commitment to public service to do this job," he argued.
US President Barack Obama will take a message of reconciliation directly to the Cuban people next week, delivering a public address billed as the keystone of an historic visit to the communist-ruled island.

Obama will on Sunday become the first US president in 88 years to visit Cuba, a trip his advisors say will be heavily focused on taking his message to the public.

The centerpiece will be an address Tuesday at the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, which the White House hopes will be televised across the country.

"We see this speech as a unique moment in the history between our countries," said Ben Rhodes, the architect of Obama's opening to Cuba and a senior foreign policy advisor.

It will be "an opportunity for him to describe the course we are on, to review the complicated history between our countries."



The address will also "look forward to the future and to lay out his vision on how the United States and Cuba can work together, how the Cuban people can continue to pursue a better life."



Obama has championed engagement with Cuba, and diplomatic relations between the Cold War foes were restored in July of last year.

The president and his family will kick off their visit on Sunday evening with events in Old Havana, playing a visit to Cardinal Jaime Ortega, who helped broker secret talks between the two governments.

The next morning Obama will tour a memorial to national icon Jose Marti.

Marti, a writer and independence hero beloved by Cubans of all political hues, lived in New York for years, battling for Cuba's independence from colonial Spain from exile.

His memorial stands on Revolution Square, in the shadow of a monument to that other icon of Cuba, Che Guevara -- the archetypal guerrilla fighter who shared Marti's suspicions of US influence in the hemisphere.

Obama is slated to meet President Raul Castro on Monday, and officials are promising "very candid" discussions about areas of disagreement, including human rights abuses and political freedom.

There are no plans to meet his brother Fidel, who ruled Cuba for decades and was long America's communist bogeyman.

Obama will also meet specially invited members of civil society on the trip, including political activists.

"It remains very much a system of one party, a system in which you continue to have detentions of harassment of activists," said Rhodes.
Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will visit China next week during which he was expected to finalise agreements on importing fuel and gas besides transit and transportation deal to facilitate entry of Chinese goods into the land-locked country through Tibet.

Oli will visit China on March 20 to attend Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told media here today.

Chinese official media earlier reported from Kathmandu that Oli may clinch Transit and Transportation Agreement on importing fuel and gas from China to reduce dependence on oil imports from India.

"The upcoming visit will be the highest-level interaction between China and Nepal since establishment of the new Nepalese government last October," Lu said.

Chinese leaders will meet with Oli to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of mutual concern, he said.

Earlier Oli, whose Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (United Marxist Leninist) advocates closer ties with China, was expected to visit China ahead of India, breaking from the past tradition of Nepalese Prime Ministers visiting India first.

However, Oli later opted to visit India as his government opened new initiatives to address the demands of the Indian- origin Madhesis protesters, who had blocked Nepal's trade routes with India for months.

While Oli's government accused India of imposing an unofficial blockade to back the Madhesis, it sought China's support to import essential oil and gas supplies to ease the scarcities.

China hassupplied 1000 MT of petroleum products at the height of Madhesi agitation to Nepal through the Tibet border.
One person was killed and 35 others were injured when a four-storey building collapsed in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The building, which was under construction, collapsed and buried dozens of workers last evening in the Puzi village of Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, officials said today.

More than 220 police, fire fighters and rescuers, along with 42 excavators and other vehicles were brought in for the rescue mission.

A total of 35 people were pulled out of the debris and admitted to local hospitals, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

The building was a public venue used for village gathering.
The number of women diplomats at the United Nations has always been low and for the last 70 years only a few have gotten seats on the Security Council.

In 2014 there were a record six, in 2015 there were four, and today there is only one woman on the council, US Ambassador Samantha Power.

With thousands of women at UN headquarters this week for the annual meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of



Women, four UN ambassadors who served on the 15-member council including Power spoke about being part of the male-dominated body and the need to put more women in the front lines on issues of international peace and security.

UN political chief Jeffrey Feltman, who moderated yesterday's panel, said being back to just one woman on the council shows the need for a "sustained commitment" to gender parity in dealing with world crises and conflicts.

But he stressed it's not just the Security Council where women are outnumbered.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has increased the number of undersecretary-generals and assistant secretary-generals serving overseas to about 20 per cent, and the number of women ambassadors at the UN has risen from about seven 20 years ago to about 37 today, which is also about 20 per cent, "but again it's not enough," Feltman said.

"Numbers aren't everything, but they're an important signal to the international community" of the implementation of the UN goal to achieve equality for women including in leadership positions, he said.

The first woman to serve on the Security Council was Ana Figueroa Gajardo of Chile in 1952. The first American woman with a seat on the council was Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick in 1981.

Power said the first time she felt that she was the only woman on the council was last Thursday during a debate on sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers where she spoke out strongly.

"I felt when I was strong, very strong, I could see the little thought bubbles in some of my counterparts who were listening to me thinking, 'This is because she's a woman.

She's this fired up about this issue,'," Power recalled. "I don't think it has anything to do with being a woman. It has to do with basic decency and injustice and a sense of what the UN stands for."



She said people will also ask why there's been no woman secretary-general and why there have only been two women presidents of the General Assembly in over 70 years, she said.

Other ambassadors said getting a seat at the Security Council table was harder for women than for men but that being female also had its advantages in diplomacy.

Jordan's UN Ambassador Dina Kawar said "women get where we get ... Because we fight more to get where we want to get." "I think we all navigate in no man's land, male and female," Kawar said. But "there's something in this nature in women where we want to find solutions."



Lithuania's UN Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite said having "women sitting at the council and debating world affairs is a very powerful signal for those who would like to be there in the future.
The Shiv Sena today took on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and sought revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan even as authorities in Uttar Pradesh denied permission to him to hold two events.

As the row over Owaisi's recent remark in Latur escalated, the Sena also sought to know from ally BJP leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis how Owaisi was allowed to leave the state after "insulting" the country.

In a vitriolic editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said, "Hardik Patel had by mistake disrespected the national flag and he was tried for sedition and is still in jail. Has Asaduddin Owaisi not committed treason as well by insulting mother India? The citizenship and voting rights of all those who do not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' should be revoked."



"There is a BJP Chief Minister in the state. He has to answer how was Owaisi allowed to leave Latur after insulting the country," it said.

The Muslim community has remained "backward" due to the ideas propagated by people like Owaisi, the Sena said hitting out at the AIMIM leader.

However, MPCC spokesman Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged that the Sena is only indulging in politics of hypocrisy.

"They (the Sena) should understand that they will be taken seriously, even by their own ally (BJP) after they come clean themselves. Merely chanting slogans won't make them nationalists," Zakaria said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said everybody may not agree with the views of the RSS and BJP.

"The RSS and the BJP are portraying 'Bharat Mata' as a 'devi' (goddess) and are expecting all to chant slogans. Everybody may not want to subscribe to this. But, nobody would mind praising mother India," he said.

"They should first clear their stand on whom do they actually want all Indians to praise and then go around giving certificates of patriotism to others," he added.

In Uttar Pradesh, Owaisi's programme in Lucknow today was cancelled after he was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state.

An angry AIMIM slammed the SP government's decision to deny permission, saying it was "afraid" of Owaisi it had "done nothing" for the minorities.

Owaisi was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting in Lucknow on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state, Additional District Magistrate (west) JS Dubey said in his order.

"He is, however, free to visit Lucknow," it stated.

During his proposed two-day visit to the state, Owaisi was to visit Azamgarh in connection with a programme also but that too has been cancelled.

"Owaisi's programme has been cancelled after the district administration denied permission. As he cannot hold roadshow, address public meeting and cannot attend gathering of more than 30 persons, he has cancelled his visit," AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali told PTI.

Alleging that the SP government was afraid of Owaisi, Ali said, "The present SP government did nothing for the minority community in its four-year regime. It is afraid of Owaisi.

(Reopens DEL35)



Meanwhile, BJP's women activists today staged a protest against AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan who was suspended from Maharashtra Legislative Assembly yesterday for refusing to say 'Bharat Mata ki jai'.

The demonstration was held near railway station in Byculla in South Mumbai which is represented by Pathan in Assembly.

Pathan was suspended for remainder of the ongoing Budget session after the House adopted a unanimous resolution to this effect.

(Reopens BES29)



Meanwhile, AIMIM workers also staged a protest against suspension of Pathan.

The protest was held at Nagpada in South Mumbai during which party workers shouted slogans "We want justice" and "Revoke suspension of Pathan".
Pakistan today rejected as "baseless rumour-mongering" the reports about presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and asserted that Kashmir was a long-standing item on the agenda of the UN.

"I will not comment on media reports. However, we totally reject baseless rumour-mongering about the presence of PLA (People's Liberation Army) troops" in PoK, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said here at his weekly briefing.

Zakaria noted that China has also refuted these reports.

He said Kashmir was a long-standing item on the agenda of the UN and several UNSC resolutions accept the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir.

Media reports recently said that Chinese troops entered almost 6 km inside the Indian territory near the scenic Pangong lake area in Ladakh sector.

The incident had occurred on March 8 when a platoon of at least 11 PLA men led by a Colonel-rank officer crossed over the imaginary Line of Actual Control (LAC) close to the Pangong lake, the reports had said.

On the issue of travel permission to Pakistani officials for World T20 match between the two countries, Zakaria said Pakistan was disappointed over India's decision to bar Pakistani diplomats from travelling to Kolkata.

"On this issue, we conveyed our disappointment to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner. I don't know the exact status at this moment whether permission has been granted as yet. However, I think the issue will be resolved soon," he said.
Pakistan government today allowed ailing Pervez Musharraf to go abroad for medical treatment, a day after the Supreme Court lifted a bar on foreign trips of the former military ruler facing trial in a number of cases including for high treason.

Musharraf, 72, is facing treason trial since 2013 and he was barred from leaving the country in 2014 by the government. The order was declared as illegal by the Sindh High Court in the same year.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Sindh high court, rejecting the appeal of the government. But it did not stop the federal government from putting new bars on Musharraf's foreign tours.

Interior minister Nisar Ali Khan told a press briefing that after consultation the government decided to let Musharraf leave the country for treatment.

He said Musharraf's lawyers had formally asked the government to allow him to undertake foreign travels.

"The government has decided to allow Musharraf to travel abroad for treatment. He has also committed he will face all cases against him in court," Khan said.

He was referring to several cases faced by Musharraf including the high treason charged in a special court for suspending the constitution in 2007, which has been declared under Article 6 as being punishable by death.

He was indicted in April, 2014 but since then no progress has been made in the case for various reasons.

Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League said yesterday that Musharraf was having problem in the backbone and he needed to go to the UAE to see a doctor.

It is believed that the decision to let Musharraf go out of the country will help heel a rift between the powerful army and the government, as the former was unhappy over treason trial of the former chief of army staff.

Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, Musharraf was forced to resign as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai.

He is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years in self-exile in Dubai to contest the general election in 2013 which he lost.
A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced here today.

The announcement came after Swaraj's 20-minute meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31 on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"It is not possible that Pathankot be not discussed in my meeting with Sartaj Aziz...The date for JIT visit has been decided. It will arrive on (March) 27th night and will begin their work on March 28," Swaraj said addressing the media with Aziz after the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.

Aziz, on his part, expressed satisfaction over the way the Pathankot incident was handled on both sides. He hoped that Sharif and Modi will meet in the US.

"Not sure whether there will be a structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.

Aziz also handed over an invitation to Swaraj for Prime Minister Modi to attend the SAARC Summit hosted by Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Swaraj said she has accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister and thanked Sharif and Aziz for it.

Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the January 2 Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.

Noting that India has faced a number of cross-border



infiltrations and attacks, Jaishankar said during one such assault a Pakistani terrorist was also caught, clearly showing the neighbour's involvement.

Earlier, while rejecting Pakistan's offer for talks on Kashmir, government sources said that since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, India has proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them.

"We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added.

Pakistan had on Monday invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue.

The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the continuing unrest in Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in Kashmir which is witnessing a turmoil following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month.

Wani was hailed as a martyr by Pakistan, which also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's foreign office writing to a host of countries besides the United Nations, while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley is the root cause of the turbulence.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. During the official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on March 17 attended the Summit of European People's Party (EPP) in Brussels. Sargsyan delivered a speech in the mentioned summit, during which touched on the dynamically developing relations between Armenia and the EU, the course of development of cooperation in all fields of mutual interest, large-scale reforms implemented in Armenia, which occupy an important place in the relations of our country with the EU.

The President also touched on developments in the Middle East, arisen as a result of the refugee crisis, which has become the most serious challenge not only for European countries, but also partner countries and for all humanity.

As Armenpress was reported in the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of the Armenian President's Staff, on the sidelines of the summit Serzh Sargsyan met with the head of the Greek party New Democracy Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The sides discussed issues related to the development of inter-party cooperation in the framework of the EPP, as well as issues of bilateral interest. Reference was also made to the official visit of the Armenian President to Greece and the agreements reached in the mentioned meeting.

The working visit of the delegation to Belgium, headed by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, will return to Yerevan in the evening of March 17.
Pakistan today proposed the name of its career diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial as the new SAARC Secretary General.

Satraj Aziz, Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, proposed Sial's name during the ongoing 37th Foreign Ministerial Meeting of SAARC countries in this Nepalese resort city.

If Sial's name is confirmed, he will succeed incumbent Secretary General from Nepal, Arjun Bahadur Thapa, whose three years' tenure will end in February 2017, Republica reported.

A career diplomat of Pakistan, Sial had served as a Director of Pakistan in the SAARC Secretariat from 2003 to 2006.
India will allow a Pakistani probe team to visit wherever necessary in connection with the probe into the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said today.

"We have taken an in-principle decision to facilitate the visit of a Pakistani team to India for furtherance of our case," he told reporters here.

A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack.

Asked whether the Pakistani team will be given access to strategic Pathankot airbase, Rijiju said,"we will allow them to visit wherever necessary" for the investigation.

On reports that New Delhi has given clearance for visas for a six-member Pakistani SIT team, Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home, said no decision has been taken on visa as Islamabad has not yet conveyed about the composition of the probe team.

"When a formal request will come, we will take a decision on visa," he said.

Six Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Muhammed, had attacked the airbase on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed. In the gun-battle, all six terrorists were also killed.
The state-owned Pawan Hans is in discussions with European aviation major Airbus to jointly set up an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility at Mumbai's Juhu aerodrome.

"It (discussion) is almost at final stages. There is some nitty-gritty which is to be sorted out," Pawan Hans Chairman and Managing Director B P Sharma said here today.

Hopeful that a pact could be inked by the end of this month, Sharma said the proposed MRO will initially provide maintenance and other related services for Dauphin and other Airbus choppers.

Speaking at the India Aviation-2016 event, Sharma said availability of land is not a constraint at the Juhu airport where the MRO is to come up.

Yesterday, Pawan Hans had announced its plan to jointly develop the MRO with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for maintaining defence choppers fleet.

The government owns 51 per cent stake in Pawan Hans while the rest is with ONGC.

Besides, Sharma said, the company is expected to hold parleys with the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to explore business opportunities in the two states.

As per the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Pawan Hans and HAL, both companies will form a joint working team and conduct detailed studies and work on the business plan, among others.

HAL has been manufacturing and overhauling its Cheetah or Chetak and Dhruv helicopters, besides providing support.

Earlier this month, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said the 2016-17 Budget proposals for the civil aviation sector will help India become a hub for MRO activity.

In the Budget 2016-17, the government has come out with various proposals, including Customs and excise duty exemption for tools and tool kits used in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) works.

"The MRO business of Indian carriers is around Rs 5,000 crore, 90 per cent of which is currently spent outside India -- in Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE," Raju had said.

"Given our technology and skill base, the government is keen to develop India as an MRO hub in Asia, attracting business from foreign airlines while retaining domestic business."



In line with the Make in India initiative, many other incentives have also been extended to the MRO segment. These include scrapping the one-year restriction for utilisation of duty-free parts and permitting import of unserviceable parts by MROs for providing exchange.

Besides, foreign aircraft brought to India for MRO work will be allowed to stay up to six months or as extended by aviation regulator DGCA. Such aircraft will also be permitted to carry passengers in flights at the beginning and the end of the period of stay in India.
People living in Mauritius are the wealthiest individuals in Africa with USD 21,700 in wealth per person while those living in Zimbabwe are the poorest with a per capita wealth of just USD 200, says a report.

According to a report by New World Wealth, Mauritius is the richest country in Africa largely because it provides secure ownership rights.

Other contributing factors to the high average wealth in Mauritius include, migration of a large number of wealthy individuals, low taxes, a thriving financial services sector, low level of government regulation in the business sector and low crime rate.

"It should be noted that all these figures are well below top ranked worldwide countries like Switzerland and Australia, which have wealth per capita's of over USD 200,000," New World Wealth said.

Besides Mauritius, the others in the list of top five wealthiest country in Africa include, South Africa with per capita wealth of USD 10,300 followed by Namibia (USD 10,200), Botswana (USD 8,400) and Gabon (USD 8,100).

The report noted apart from Zimbabwe, all countries listed experienced a rise in per capita wealth during the period between 2000 and 2015.

"Back in 2000, Zimbabwe was one of the wealthiest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa on a wealth per capita basis, ranked ahead of the likes of Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, Zambia and Ghana. However, now it is ranked well behind these countries," the report said.

Interestingly, North African countries such as Algeria, Egypt and Morocco all rank high on the list despite recent instability, the report noted.
A petition was filed today in the High Court here to stop Pervez Musharraf from leaving Pakistan, a day after the country's top court allowed the former military ruler to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Musharraf, who is facing trial in a number of cases including high treason, is all set to leave for Dubai after the Supreme Court ordered the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL), allowing him to travel abroad.

Petitioner Syed Iqtidar Haider pleaded before the Lahore High Court (LHC) that General Musharraf is facing a treason case under Article 6 of the Constitutionfor clamping emergency in the country on November 3, 2007,and being a 'suspected traitor' he should not be allowed to leave the country (on the pretext of getting medical treatment).

He asked the court to intervene alleging that the government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has struck a deal with Musharraf, 72, therefore it is not going to stop him from proceeding abroad. He requested the court to place the name of Musharraf on ECL again.

Yesterday afive-member bench of SC ordered the government to remove Musharraf's name from the ECL.

The issue of Musharraf's foreign travel arose when the government launched a high treason case against him in 2013 for suspending the constitution in 2007.

The government in April, 2014 banned Musharraf's foreign travels but the Sindh High Court in Karachi rejected the ban in a decision in June, 2014, which was challenged by the government in the Supreme Court.

Musharraf his application stated that his medical condition has greatly worsened.

The application mentioned a May 4, 2014 medical report, prepared by a private medical board consisting of top neurologists and orthopaedic surgeons from Karachi, which stated that Musharraf had fractured his vertebra.

It said the treatment for this kind of a fracture was not available in Pakistan and surgery had to be performed in Dubai, North America or Europe.

Over the past two years, Musharraf's condition had been deteriorating, but things took a serious turn on February 11, 2016 when he had to be rushed to PNS Shifa Hospital in Karachi, it said.

The high treason case deals with suspension of the Constitution by Musharraf in 2007 which has been declared under Article 6 as being punishable by death.

Musharraf was indicted in April, 2014 but since then no progress has been made in the case for various reasons.

In January, Musharraf was acquitted by an anti-terrorism court in the 2006 murder case of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the first major relief to the ex-army chief entangled in several high-profile cases.

He came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, Musharraf was forced to resign as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai.

He is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years in self-exile in Dubai to contest the general election in 2013 which he lost.
Pharma stocks further weakened today, falling by up to 6 per cent, amid concerns over ban on several drug products which may hit revenue of these firms.

Shares of Venus Remedies tumbled 5.90 per cent, Lupin was down 4.23 per cent and Natco Pharma dipped 3.23 per cent on BSE.

Sharon Bio-Medicine lost 3.08 per cent, Sanofi India dipped 2.99 per cent, Biocon (2.19 per cent), Glenmark Pharma (2.04 per cent) and Pfizer (1.37 per cent).

Lupin and Cipla were the top losers among the 30-Sensex components.

Led by losses in these stocks, the BSE heathcare index fell by 1.24 per cent to end at 15,394.61.

Health Ministry through a gazette notification had banned over 300 fixed dose combination drugs, including cough syrup compositions, saying they involve "risk" to humans and safer alternatives were available.

"The prohibition is likely to have an adverse impact on the revenue and profitability of the company... Corex recorded sale of Rs 176 crore for the nine month period ended December 31, 2015," Pfizer had said.

Healthcare major Procter and Gamble yesterday got interim relief from the Delhi High Court which stayed till March 21 government's decision banning sale of its cough-and-cold medicine Vicks Action 500.

Similar reliefs have been given to pharma major Pfizer's cough syrup Corex, Abbott Healthcare and Macleods Pharmaceuticals whose certain combination medicines were banned by the Health Ministry.
A Philippine banker shifted USD 81 million stolen from Bangladesh's central bank into various accounts because she feared for her life, her colleague told a parliamentary investigation today.

Maia Deguito, manager of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) branch in Manila's financial district could only muster a blank stare when discussing the dirty money, said Romualdo Agarrado, a senior officer in the same branch.

"She just looked at me with a blank stare and said: I would rather do this than get killed, or my family," Agarrado told the Senate inquiry.

In a scam that shocked the financial world, unknown hackers tried to steal around USD 1 billion from Bangladesh's deposits with the US Federal Reserve in New York on February 5.

They got away with USD 81 million -- sending it to the RCBC branch managed by Deguito -- before the scam was uncovered.

Authorities have lost track of the money, with significant amounts believed to have been laundered through Philippine casinos.

Although low-level bank officers in Manila have been implicated, no-one yet knows who was behind the heist.

Acting on a request from the US Federal Reserve, RCBC headquarters issued an order to recall the USD 81 million from Deguito's branch on February 5.

But on that day, Deguito transferred USD 66 million to accounts of ethnic Chinese businessman William Go, RCBC legal affairs head Maria Celia Fernandez-Estavillo told the Senate hearing today.

Estavillo said the remaining USD 15 million was transferred to another account, which she did not identify.

Agarrado also said Deguito approved a 20-million-peso (USD 430,000) withdrawal from one of Go's accounts, which he helped to load into her car.

Agarrado said he knew something was wrong, but he did not report it to his superiors because he was "overcome with fear".

Pressed by senators, Deguito denied being afraid for her life but declined to elaborate unless she could speak privately. The senators then began a classified session to hear her testimony.

Go's lawyers told an earlier Senate hearing that he had not set up the account, and that his signature was forged.

Estavillo, the RCBC legal head, told the Senate on Tuesday the USD 81 million eventually ended up in the account of Philrem, a foreign exchange brokerage.

Philrem President Salud Bautista told Tuesday's hearing USD 30 million was transferred to a casino junket operator who is of Chinese descent.

The rest of the money was transferred to Philippine casinos, USD 29 million to Bloomberry Resorts, which operates the Solaire mega-casino in Manila, according to the anti-money laundering council.

Another $21 million was transferred to Eastern Hawaii Leisure, which operates a casino that caters to a mainly Chinese clientele in the sleepy northern province of Cagayan, it said.
Ahead of assembly polls, police officers of Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry and neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu have decided to work in close coordination and step up checking operations tocurb the movement of anti-social elements.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Karaikal District, A K Gawas, had convened a meeting of police officers of Karaikal, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts here last evening to discuss the security measures in border areas in connection with the May 16 assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Nagapattinam SP D Kannan and top officials from the three districts attended the meeting.

Gawas said officers of the three districts have decided to jointly conduct checking operations in border areas.

"It has been decided to have a strict check over the movement of cash, illegal arms, ammunition, explosives, weaponry and illegal trade of alcohol. Moreover, such checking at the borders will prevent movement of cash, freebies and liquor which could be used to induce the voters during the elections," he said.

Wine shops located in the border areas and anti-social elements residing near the borders wouldbe identified and monitored, he told reporters after the meeting.

The officers also discussed ways for better co-ordination and co-operation between the officers of the two states and modes for quick dissemination and sharing of information and intelligence, he added.
Healthcare platform Practo today said it will foray into the Brazilian market as part of its international expansion plans.

The Bengaluru-based startup already operates in 15 countries including Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines across over 50 cities.

It currently lists over 2 lakh doctors, 10,000 hospitals, 8,000 diagnostic centres and over 4,000 wellness centres globally and receives over 10 million searches monthly across its website and apps.

"Practo will start with Sao Paulo and will bring two of its products - Practo Search and Practo Ray (cloud based practice management solution for doctors) to the market. They will be available in Portuguese and English for consumers and healthcare professionals in Brazil," Practo said in a statement.

Using Practo Search, consumers can search through a verified database of doctors and find doctors according to specialisation, symptoms as well as insurance they accept, it added.

They can go through the Practo Profile for each professional or establishment as well.

Through Practo's app and website, consumers will be able to search through over 5,500 verified doctors, which covers nearly 50 per cent of all clinics in Sao Paulo, it said.

In the second half of 2016, Practo plans to expand to Rio de Janeiro and eventually to all large cities in Brazil.

Additionally, Practo will also expand its consumer offering to cover more healthcare segments such as wellness, fitness, preventive and curative segments as well, it said.

Practo Ray will be available in Brazil at a subscription of 750 BRL per month.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to serve millions of consumers in Brazil and simplify healthcare experience for doctors and consumers simultaneously," Shashank ND, Founder & CEO, Practo said.
A helicopter carrying earthquake relief supplies turned turtle and crashed while taking off from a famous tourist spot in Nepal near the border with Tibet, injuring a Swedish pilot in the latest air accident in the country.

The helicopter belonging to Fishtail Air, a private airlines, met with the accident while taking off from Langtang in Rasuwa district.

The accident site Langtang is a famous tourist spot situated about 150 km north of Kathmandu near the Tibetan border.

According to a staff of the airlines, the chopper lost balance and turned turtle while taking off at 3.15 pm.

The reason for the accident is not known yet.

The 9N-AJI chopper was operated by a Swedish pilot who sustained minor injuries in the mishap.

There was only a pilot on board when the accident happened. The helicopter was damaged in the accident.

This is the fourth helicopter involved in earthquake relief work to crash in the last one year.

In May, a US Marines UH-1Y Huey helicopter went down in Sindhupalchok killing four US nationals, two Nepali soldiers and six Nepali wounded earthquake survivors.

In June, a Mountain Air chopper returning from Dolakha after distributing relief to earthquake victims crashed in Sindhupalchok, killing all four, including a Dutch national, onboard.

In the same month a Simrik Air helicopter caught fire and crashed in Gorkha, but passengers and crew had a narrow escape.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin during the ceremony of conferring state awards expressed condolences to the widows of 4 servicemen killed in Syria. As Armenpress reports citing gazeta.ru, this is reported on the Kremlin website.

Vladimir Putin, in particular, expressed condolences to widows of Oleg Peshkov, Alexander Pozinich, Ivan Cheremisin and Fyodor Fyodor Zhuravlyov.
Outraged Brazilians protested in Brasilia and Sao Paulo following the release of a taped phone call between President and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

During the call, recorded Wednesday by police and released by a federal judge, Rousseff called Lula on his bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it "if necessary."



That extract was largely seen as confirmation that an aim of Lula's nomination to the post was to spare him possible arrest for corruption.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court.

The recording was made public by federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading a probe into Brazil's biggest ever corruption scandal.

Lula vigorously denies involvement in the scandal, in which investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of $2 billion, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

The release of the recording caused an uproar in Congress, where furious opposition lawmakers shouted "Resign! Resign!"



Some 2,000 people spontaneously gathered in the capital Brasilia demanding that Lula step down and Rousseff leave office and to show their support Moro.

As night fell, another protest began in Sao Paulo, according to an AFP photographer.

"Resign! Resign!" shouted several thousand protesters at the foot of a highrise housing FIESP, a powerful federation of Sao Paulo industries that was illuminated in green and yellow -- Brazil's national colors -- in addition to a large inscription that read "Impeach now."



The presidency responded by announcing in a statement that "judicial and administrative measures" would be taken to "repair the flagrant violation of the law and the constitution committed by judge" Moro, without going into specifics.

It said that Rousseff sent the decree to Lula only so that he could sign it and make it official since he had indicated he would not be in Brasilia for the official taking up of the role planned for Thursday.

Lula's appointment is a risky bet for Rousseff, who is battling crises on multiple fronts: an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, mass protests and the fallout of the Petrobras scandal.

The impeachment push against Rousseff is not directly related to the corruption scandal, but has advanced in tandem with it, deepening the crisis engulfing her administration.

On Sunday, an estimated three million Brazilians flooded the streets in nationwide protests calling for Rousseff's departure.
Signaling Russia's intention to maintain a high-profile role in Syria despite its partial military withdrawal, President Vladimir Putin warned today that Moscow could still build up its forces within "a few hours" if needed and will continue helping the Syrian army fight extremist groups.

Putin, who recalled some of Russia's warplanes from Syria earlier this week, said Moscow will keep enough forces there to continue the fight against the Islamic State group, the Nusra Front and other extremist organizations. It will also continue to boost the Syrian military with weapons, training and operational guidance.

In an apparent warning to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others who had talked about the possibility of sending troops into Syria, Putin also emphasized that the Russian military will keep all its air defense missile systems, including the powerful S-400s, at its air base in Syria. It will stand ready to use them "against any targets that we would consider a threat to our servicemen," he said.

Putin's statements underlined his intention to maintain a strong military presence in Syria to consolidate the military and political gains achieved in Russia's 5 and a half month air campaign.

That campaign has helped turn the tide of war and allowed Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces to make significant advances ahead of peace talks, and established Russia as a major player in the diplomatic effort to determine Syria's future.

Speaking during a Kremlin ceremony honoring Russian military officers who have taken part in the Syrian campaign, Putin said that the action in Syria has demonstrated Russia's "leadership, will and responsibility" in fighting "enemies of civilization."



Russian warplanes have conducted more than 9,000 combat missions since the air campaign began on September 30, allowing the Syrian army "to gain strategic initiative," Putin said.

He said the action in Syria cost the military about about USD 480 million, adding that the Defense Ministry already had those funds earmarked for maneuvers and used them instead to finance the Syrian campaign.

"There is no more efficient way of training than real combat," he said, adding that the military action in Syria allowed the Russian armed forces to test their long-range cruise missiles and other new weapons in real action for the first time.

Putin said that a Russian- and US-brokered cease-fire that began on February 27 has now allowed Russia to reduce its military presence in Syria.
President Vladimir Putin today warned Russia could ramp up its military presence in Syria within "several hours" if needed, as he urged all sides of the conflict to respect a ceasefire.

Putin spoke during a ceremony in the Kremlin's sumptuous St George's Hall to bestow awards on servicemen who fought in Syria, with the military's top brass among some 700 personnel from the armed forces in attendance.

"If there's a need, Russia literally within several hours can ramp up its presence in the region to the size required for the unfolding situation and use the whole arsenal of possibilities we have at our disposal."



"We would not want to do that, a military escalation is not our choice," he added.

"And that's why we put our hopes in the common sense of all parties, in the commitment to the peace process of both the Syrian authorities and the opposition."



On Monday, Putin ordered the surprise withdrawal of most of armed forces from Syria, saying Moscow's task had been "on the whole" completed.

He said Moscow was not abandoning its ally Bashar al-Assad, pledging Russia's continuing military, financial and other support to his regime and praising the Syrian leader.

"We see his restraint, his sincere desire to achieve peace, his readiness for compromise and dialogue."



Moscow is set to maintain its air base and a naval facility in Syria and Putin indicated that Russia's drawdown would not significantly change the balance of forces in Syria.

Putin said Moscow would keep its advanced S-400 air defence systems stationed in the war-torn country and warned its forces would shoot down "any target" they considered a threat.

He added that he was certain that the "patriotic forces" fighting jihadists would score new battlefield triumphs in the near future.

The Russian leader also extolled the country's armed forces for their service in the Middle Eastern country.

"It is you - the Russian soldiers - who opened the path to peace," he said, adding that the five-and-a-half-month Syria campaign allowed Russia to test its weapons on the battlefield.

Pro-Kremlin observers hailed the Syria campaign which they said helped Putin break out of international isolation over Ukraine and assert Russia's interests in the Middle East.

But critics charge that Putin's foreign policies have sunk Russia into an economic quagmire, with support for Ukrainian rebels and the Assad regime diverting finances from medical care, education and science.

Putin pledged that "attention to economic development in difficult conditions" was a top government priority.

Many analysts argue the danger of a costly protracted war similar to the Soviet Union's 10-year involvement in Afghanistan was not lost on the Kremlin, with Putin deciding to pull the forces out amid a relative lull in fighting and peace talks.
Battling a series of graft charges, Sri Lanka's former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa today vowed to continue his fight against President Maithripala Sirisena's government even if his "whole family" were to be jailed.

"If they think by jailing my family they can force me out of politics, they are mistaken," Rajapaksa said at a public rally at the Hyde Park here.

Since Rajapaksa's defeat in January 2015 after almost a decade in power, the former president and his family members have faced a series of corruption charges.

His second son Yoshitha Rajapaksa and younger brother Basil Rajapaksa are also facing graft charges and have been arrested by the police in the past.

Rajpaksa also exhorted the government to start work on his pet Chinese funded project of Colombo Port City and blamed the government for its inability to handle the economy.

"Please start the project, do not antagonise our friend China," Rajpaksa said.

The project was suspended by Sirisena in February 2015 -- a month after he came to power over environmental concerns.

After an year-long suspension, Lankan government had last week given the go-ahead to resume construction on the project.

Rajapaksa and his loyalists attended the rally despite his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) ruling the rally had no support from the party leadership and President Sirisena.

However, none of the speakers directly criticised Sirisena, thereby avoiding the risk of being tried for breach of party discipline.

The rally was organised to demonstrate the strength of the joint opposition group of Rajapaksa loyalists.
The Reserve Bank today signed a SAARC currency swap agreement with the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMBA).

Under the arrangement, RMBA can make withdrawals of US dollar, euro and rupee in multiple tranches of up to a maximum of USD 100 million or its equivalent, RBI said in a release.

This is expected to further economic co-operation between the two countries, it added.

The agreement is valid for three years from the date of signing.

RBI also offers an aggregate amount of USD 2 billion both in foreign currency (USD and euro) and rupee to SAARC member countries -- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The swap arrangement is intended to provide a backstop line of funding for the SAARC member countries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity mismatches till longer term arrangements are made.

It is also offered to take care of short-term liquidity due to market turbulence.

The arrangement will thus improve financial stability in the region, RBI added.
Launching a scathing attack on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", the today sought revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan.

The Sena also sought to know from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis how Owaisi was allowed to leave the state after he refused to chant the pro-India slogan.

Read more from our special coverage on "SHIV SENA" Shiv Sena taunts PM Modi; questions Indias stability in lieu of JNU row, terrorist attacks

Notably, against the backdrop of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's suggestion that the new generation needs to be taught to chant slogans hailing mother India, Owaisi had, at a public rally in Udgir tehsil of Latur district, recently said, "I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab."In a vitriolic editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said, "Hardik Patel had by mistake disrespected the flag and he was tried for sedition and is still in jail. Has Asaduddin Owaisi not committed treason as well by insulting mother India? The citizenship and voting rights of all those who do not chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' should be revoked.""There is a BJP Chief Minister in the state. He has to answer how was Owaisi allowed to leave Latur after insulting the country," it said.

The Muslim community has remained "backward" due to the ideas propagated by people like Owaisi, the Sena said lashing out further at the MIM leader.

However, MPCC spokesman Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged that the Sena is only indulging in politics of hypocrisy.

"This is the height of hypocrisy. One one hand the Sena preaches patriotism lessons to others and on the other, indulges in massive corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ruled by it. There are irregularities worth hundreds of crore in awarding contracts for various purposes," he alleged.

"They (the Sena) should understand that they will be taken seriously, even by their own ally (BJP) after they come clean themselves. Merely chanting slogans won't make them nationalists," Zakaria said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said everybody may not agree with the views of the RSS and BJP.

"The RSS and the BJP are portraying 'Bharat Mata' as a 'devi' (goddess) and are expecting all to chant slogans. Everybody may not want to subscribe to this. But, nobody would mind praising mother India," he said.

"They should first clear their stand on whom do they actually want all Indians to praise and then go around giving certificates of patriotism to others," he added.
The standoff over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal escalated further today with MLAs of opposition INLD in Haryana and Congress in Punjab today attempting to storm each other's Assemblies as the dispute threatened to embroil Delhi whose Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opposed construction of the canal.

INLD legislators, led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora, went to the Punjab Assembly, which is in session, and staged a protest at its gate against a bill passed on Monday by Punjab Assembly that provides for returning 3,928 acres of land acquired for construction of SYL canal to original landowners.

In a counter action, Congress MLAs of Punjab tried to barge into Haryana Assembly but were stopped by the watch and ward staff.

While the protest by INLD legislators lasted for quite some time, the Punjab Congress MLAs' action was a brief event.

A scuffle broke out between the INLD MLAs and watch and ward staff outside the Punjab Assembly.

Punjab and Haryana, with common capital Chandigarh, have Assemblies in the same complex here.

After the Question Hour, INLD MLAs moved out of the Haryana Assembly and went to the Punjab legislature raising slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the "unconstitutional" Bill be withdrawn.

Chautala later told reporters that "we met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the Bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."



"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said.

He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

Noting that Haryana government has shown strong resentment over Punjab's "unconstitutional" move on SYL canal issue, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said his government has returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore "in original" which Punjab had sent yesterday for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The Punjab Cabinet had on Tuesday decided to despatch a cheque for Rs 191.75 crore back to Haryana which had sent it towards construction of the SYL canal.

In a statement in Haryana Assembly, Khattar said he had requested Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki not to give assent to the bill passed by that state's Assembly.

In the midst of Punjab-Haryana battle on SYL issue, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the target of sharp attacks by two senior ministers of Haryana, O P Dhankar (Agriculture) and Capt Abhimanyu (Finance) for his recent statement opposing construction of SYL canal in Punjab.

A couple of days ago, Kejriwal, during his tour of Punjab, where his party AAP plans a big foray in assembly polls due next year, had come out against SYL canal.
Of the total Rs 84.06 lakh seized during vehicle checks since the model code of conduct came into force on March 5, Rs 60 lakh has been restored to its rightful owners following verification of valid documents, District Collector P Shankar said today.

Election officials had seized Rs 84.06 lakh till yesterday, coming under three assembly constituencies, and had returned Rs 60 lakh to the owners, after they produced the documents, Shankar told reporters here.

So far 16 cases had been registered with regard to violation of the model code of conduct, he noted.

On creating awareness among voters, the collector said the services of nurses in various government hospitals would be utilised to create awareness about voting, by carrying out door-to-door campaign.

Similarly, awareness will be created among the student community to ensure 100 per cent voting, he added.
The Select Committee of Rajya Sabha will scrutinise and submit its report on the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, in the opening week of the second part of the Budget Session.

The first part of the session, which began on February 23, concluded on March 16 while its second part will commence on April 25 and wrap up on May 13.

All parliamentary committees to which such Bills have been referred are expected to speedily scrutinise the bills during this recess period and submit them to Parliament when the second part of the session commences.

The Upper House had on March 15 adopted a motion for referring the Bill, which seeks to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968, and the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, as passed by Lok Sabha.

According to a Rajya Sabha bulletin, the panel has been asked to submit the report by the last day of the first week of the second part of the Budget session.

The Select Committee, headed by BJP member Bhupender Yadav, has been asked to carry out a detailed scrutiny of the measure that seeks to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by people who migrated to Pakistan and China after the wars and amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

Other members of the 23-member panel are Hussain Dalwai, K Rahman Khan and PL Punia (Congress), MJ Akbar, and Shamsher Singh Manhas (BJP), Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) Javed Ali Khan (SP), KC Tyagi (JD-U), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress), Ritabrata Banerjee (CPI-M), S Muthukaruppan (AIADMK), Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), D Raja (CPI), AU Singh Deo (BJD), CM Ramesh (TDP), Praful Patel (NCP), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Naresh Gujral (SAD), Ramdas Athawale (RPI), Ram Kumar Kashyap (INLD), Mir Mohammad Fayaz (PDP) and Parimal Nathwani (Independent).

The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on March 9 with the government overruling demands by some opposition parties that it be sent to the Standing Committee of Parliament.

In the wake of the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971, there



was migration of people from India to Pakistan and, under the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act, the government took over the properties and companies of such persons as had taken Pakistani nationality.

These 'enemy properties' were vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.

The amendments say that once an enemy property is vested in the Custodian, it shall continue to be vested in him as enemy property irrespective of whether the enemy, enemy subject or enemy firm has ceased to be an enemy due to reasons such as death, etc.

The new Bill also ensures that the law of succession does not apply to enemy property; that there cannot be transfer of any property vested in the Custodian by an enemy or enemy subject or enemy firm and that the Custodian shall preserve the enemy property till it is disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The amendments are aimed at plugging the loopholes in the Act to ensure that enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian continue that way and do not revert to the enemy subject or enemy firm.

The Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968 and provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property with the Custodian.

The Centre, through the Custodian, is in possession of enemy properties spread across the country. In addition, there are also movable properties categorised as enemy property.
Beleaguered Sahara group seems headed for a fresh blow with the mortgage holders of its prized overseas hotel assets reportedly readying a billion- dollar auction for the iconic Plaza and trendy Dream Downtown properties here next month.

The group has been trying hard to raise funds including through refinancing of loans on these two hotels as also on the historic Grosvenor House property in London, to ensure release of its chief Subrata Roy from New Delhi's Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged for over two years.

While there was no official word from Saharas, reports said that the two hotels can fetch up to USD 1 billion.

Without identifying the source, a Bloomberg report said the "foreclosure auction" has been scheduled for April 26 by the billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben, who had refinanced an earlier Bank of China loan of Indian group on its three foreign hotels.

It pegged total mortgage for the two US hotels at USD 500 million, saying they serve as collateral for the loan and were cross-collateralised with the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

Another report in the New York Post quoted unnamed hotel industry insiders as saying the price could top USD 1 billion at the auction of Plaza and Dream Downtown.

Queries sent to the Sahara group, including about the trigger to the 'foreclosure action', remained unanswered.

Reuben Brothers also didn't reply to the queries.

In March last year, Bank of China had put Grosvenor House under "administration" for recovery of its loans after the lender declared "an event of default" on the US loans due to some technical breaches in the financial covenants.

The loan on Sahara's three hotels -- Grosvenor House in the UK and the two prime hotels in New York -- from Bank of China was "cross collateralized and cross guaranteed".

Subsequently, Sahara reached a USD 850 million (Rs 5,500 crore) refinancing deal with Reuben brothers and averted the 'default-triggered' sale of Grosvenor House hotel property.

Grosvenor House, a landmark property on Park Lane in London that was designed by acclaimed architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, was purchased by Saharas in 2010. The two hotels in the US were purchased later.

The three hotels were acquired between 2010-2012 at an estimated valuation of USD 1.55 billion. Market experts peg their current valuation at upwards of USD 2.2 billion.

The 109-year-old Plaza in New York is situated off Central Park and its ownership has changed hands several times, while currently Sahara group has about 75 per cent and the remaining 25 per cent is with Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal of Saudi Arabia.

In the past, its owners included real estate tycoon and the current US Presidential candidate Donald Trump, who had married to his second wife Marla Maples in this hotel.

The hotel, which has 282 rooms in addition to several condos, restaurants and shops, have hosted the famous Plaza Accord to devalue the US dollar in 1985.

Sahara group has been engaged in a legal battle with markets regulator Sebi for a long time over a case involving raising of funds from investors to the tune of over Rs 24,000 crore. Sahara, however, claims it has already repaid 95 per cent of the investors' money directly.
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (ES) of the Republic of Armenia, on March 17 by 21.00 all state and interstate highways in the Republic are passable.

Armenpress was informed from the Armenian ES that Sotk-Qarvachar highway is difficult to pass.

Black ice is formed on Goris-Sisian highway.

As the department of ES of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of The Republic of Georgia informs, Stepantsminda-Larsi roadway is open for all type of vehicles.
Markets regulator Sebi has asked Jeevan Suraksha Real Estate and its directors to refund money to investors that the company raised illegally through redeemable preference shares (RPS).

Besides, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) also imposed a ban on the company and its seven directors -- Chandan Das, Ashok Chakraborty, Uttam Acharjee, Champa Biswas, Sangita Das, Arju Acharjee and Dipamoni Acharjee -- for four years from the completion of refund.

According to Sebi, the Assam-based company raised Rs 6.30 crore from over 299 entities during 2006-07, 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Since shares were issued by the firm to more than 50 people, it qualified as a public issue that requires compulsory listing on recognised stock exchanges, which the company failed to do.

Among others, it was also mandatory for the firms to bring out a prospectus with respect to the public issue.

In an order, Sebi asked Jeevan Suraksha Real Estate and its directors to "refund the money collected by the company through the issuance of RPS...With an interest of 15 per cent per annum compounded at half yearly intervals, from the date when the repayments became due to investors till the date of actual payment".

In addition, they "shall issue public notice, in all editions of two national dailies (one English and one Hindi) and in one local daily with wide circulation, detailing the modalities for refund, including details of contact person within 15 days of this order coming into effect".

In case the company fails to comply with these directives, Sebi would make a reference to state government or local police to register a case against the company for fraud.

Besides, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs would initiate the process of winding up of the company.
Police horse Shaktiman, which was subjected to a brutal attack during a BJP protest here on Monday, had his injured hind leg amputated in an emergency life-saving surgery today even as a party worker was arrested.

The surgery was conducted at a veterinary hospital here by a team of doctors led by surgeon Feroze Khambatta, hours after Army doctors from Pune opined that one of the hind legs of the horse that was fractured will have to be amputated as the animal might lose its life by tomorrow due to spread of gangrene from the wound.

"The surgery has gone as planned," Uttarakhand DGP B S Sidhu said tonight after a limb of the horse, which was still in pain and could not stand on its feet, was removed, three days after the attack that sparked an outrage and led to an FIR being filed against BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi.

"The surgery was basically necessitated by the fact that the blood supply has ceased to the portion of multiple fractures and it was essential for saving the life of the animal. We got the best possible surgeon in the country to perform the surgery and we hope he will be able to survive," Sidhu said.

Stating that Shaktiman will take a month to recover from the surgery, Sidhu said that in the meantime he will be given temporary prosthetic aid in the form of artificial legs which will be tailor made to his specifications.

"Army doctors are attending on the horse. We are doing everything we can to help it recover fully from the injuries," Dehradun SSP Sadanand Daate had said earlier in the day.

The BJP worker identified as Pramod Bora was arrested from Haldwani in Nainital district for forcefully pulling the bridle of the horse and causing its fall at the protest venue on March 14 and leaving it injured, Daate told PTI. Bora was arrested from Mukhani area of Haldwani on a requisition by Dehradun police, Nainital SSP Sweety Agarwal said, adding he has been handed over to a police team from Dehradun and is being taken to the state capital.

On reports that summons were issued to BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi by him in connection with the attack, Uttarakhand DGP B S Sidhu said only the Investigating Officer is competent to issue summons. When queried, Investigating Officer Arun Pandey neither denied nor confirmed issuing summons to the legislator, saying investigations are still on.

The horse in fact fell with its entire weight on its hind quarters under the combined impact of Joshi's frontal attack with a lathi and Bora pulling up its reins from one side, Daate said.

'Shaktiman', a well trained horse which was part of Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years, was allegedly attacked by Joshi, an MLA from Mussoorie, during the march. The animal suffered fractures in one of his hind legs during the protest.

An FIR had been lodged at Nehru Colony police station against Joshi and his associates.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse's condition.

The BJP has been demanding withdrawal of the cases lodged against its workers including Joshi with the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt asserting that they were being framed at the behest of the state government to cow down the opposition.
Shia LaBeouf and his longtime girlfriend Mia Goth are reportedly engaged.

The couple was grabbing groceries at Gelson's earlier this month when LaBeouf, 29, told the cashier that they were set to get married, reported Us magazine.

Goth has been spotted wearing a large diamond ring on her wedding finger, and last month, Labeouf called the actress his fiancee while executing his performance art project #Elevate, during which he rode an elevator with strangers for an entire day.

The couple met and fell in love while shooting "Nymphomaniac: Vol II" in 2012. Engagement rumours have been spiralling around the pair ever since the British actress appeared to be wearing an engagement ring at a 2015 Paris Fashion Week show.

They briefly split last summer after the actor was caught on tape threatening Goth during a fight on the streets of Germany.

LaBeouf previously dated stylist Karolyn Pho and another British actress, Carey Mulligan.
Employees posted by Indian establishments in Australia for a predetermined duration of up to 60 months are not required to contribute towards social security schemes in that country.

Similarly, Australian employees posted in India would enjoy the same benefit after producing a certificate of coverage certifying that they are contributing towards social security schemes such as PF and pension in their home country.

"In pursuance of the social security agreement (SSA) signed with Australia, Government of India has notified it... has come into force with effect from January 1, 2016," the Employees Provident Fund Organisation's office order said.

As per the order, the SSA provides for detachment, totalisation and portability. Under the detachment clause, the employees of one country deputed by their employers to other country for short-term assignments are exempted from social security contributions up to a period of 60 months.

The clause would enable Indian as well as Australian employees to avoid double social security contribution and enhance competitiveness of their products and services.

As per the government notification, EPFO has been identified as the agency to implement this SSA in India. It has also been authorised to issue certificate of coverage to employees of Indian establishment posted to Australia.

For availing this benefit, the Australian workers are required to produce certificate of coverage, showing that they are covered under social security schemes under a statutory authority like EPFO in their country.

At present, social security agreements are operational with 15 countries - Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Luxembourg, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, Czech Republic, Austria, Finland, Norway, Canada and Hungary.
Asserting that there are terror groups that are instruments of state's policy and design, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes that cannot be justified.

Addressing the first World Sufi Forum, Modi in an oblique reference to Pakistan said while some are trained in organised camps, there are others who "find their inspiration" in cyber space.

"There are forces and groups that are instruments of state policy and design. There are others recruited to the cause in misguided belief.

"There are some who are trained in organised camps. There are those who find their inspiration in the borderless world of cyber space. Terrorism uses diverse motivations and causes, none of which can be justified," he said at the Forum convened by the All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board to discuss the role of Sufism in countering rising global terror.

Asserting that terrorists "distort" a religion, he said they kill and destroy more in their own land and people than they do elsewhere while making the entire world "insecure and violent".

"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere. And, they are putting entire regions to peril and making the world more insecure and violent," he said.

Noting that terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion, the Prime Minister said it is a battle that must be won through the strength of values and "real" message of religions.

"The fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion. It cannot be. It is a struggle between the values of humanism and the forces of inhumanity.

"It is not a conflict to be fought only through military, intelligence or diplomatic means. It is also a battle that must be won through the strength of our values and the real message of religions," he said.

Strongly emphasising on rejecting de-linking terrorism and



religion, Modi termed as "anti-religious" those who spread terror in its name and stressed the need to advance the message of Sufism which he noted stood for principles of Islam and the highest human values.

"As I have said before, we must reject any link between terrorism and religion. Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious. And, we must advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values. This is a task that states, societies, sages, scholars and families must pursue," he said.

He also said that since the beginning of this century, tens of thousands of families have lost their loved ones in thousands of terrorist incidents globally and just last year alone, over 90 countries experienced terrorist attacks.

"Parents in 100 countries live with the daily pain of their children lost to the battlefields of Syria. And, in a globally mobile world, one incident can claim citizens of many nations.

"Every year, we spend over 100 billion dollars on securing the world from terrorism, money that should have been spent on building lives of the poor. The impact cannot be fully captured in statistics alone. It is changing the way we live," he said.
Nigeria's military today said suspected pirates killed two soldiers in a gun battle in the oil-producing south, where tensions are high before a re-run of disputed elections.

The shooting happened at about 11 am (local time) as troops in a speedboat were patrolling the creeks in Abonnema, west of the Rivers state capital, Port Harcourt.

Army spokesman Captain Eli Lazarus in Port Harcourt described the clash as a "fierce encounter with a group of unknown gunmen suspected to be sea pirates".

"Our men displayed extraordinary gallantry. Unfortunately, an officer and a soldier who sustained various degrees of injury during the encounter lost their lives," he added in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether the gunmen also suffered casualties.

Rivers and the Niger Delta region were plagued in the 2000s by rebels who attacked oil pipelines and kidnapped workers as part of a campaign for a fairer share of crude revenues.

The region's maze of creeks and tributaries have also been used by maritime pirates who attack ships and take hostages off the Gulf of Guinea.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) blamed the shooting on "thugs" from the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were "in the process of hijacking election materials", it wrote on Twitter.

The PDP controls Rivers but is in opposition to the APC nationally.

Rivers state has long been a flashpoint for political violence and tight security has been ordered for Saturday's polls, including movement restrictions and a ban on speedboats.

The re-run for seats in the Rivers state assembly and the national assembly in Abuja comes after court rulings on challenges to the initial results.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said "violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections", calling political unrest "primitive, barbaric and unacceptable".
Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer Suzuki Motorcycle is looking to register a two-fold growth in its exports figure for FY 2015-16 at 60,000 units over the previous fiscal, a top official said today.

"Last year (2014-15), we exported around 30,000 units to Latin American countries and to countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. This year (by March 2016), our exports will be at 60,000 units. That is almost double of last year," Suzuki Motorcycle India General Manager - Exports, Kenji Hirozawa told reporters at the launch of new Access 125 here.

The GM attributed the increase in exports towards success of 150cc motorcycle Gixxer which was well received overseas.

"90 per cent of our exports are Gixxer. Remaining will be our scooters...," Hirozawa, who also handles Sales - Dealer development for Suzuki Motorcycle, said.

About the export plans for the next financial year 2016-17, he expressed confidence that the company would ship more volumes of Access 125.

"We are launching this (Access 125) today. Hopefully, we will try to cross one lakh units in exports by March 2017."



On the sales target of the Access 125 priced at Rs 57,947 (ex-showroom Chennai), he said the company plans to sell around two lakh units in domestic market.

Since the introduction of Access variant in India, the company had sold over two million units, Suzuki Motorcycle India National Head (Marketing), Suresh Babu said.

About the company's total sales for 2015-16, he said that "it is expected to be around 3.20 lakh units."



Suzuki Motorcycle sells Access 125, Lets, Access 125, Access 125 SE, Swish 125, motorcycle Gixxer SF, Gixxer and Hayate through all dealerships across the country.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today held a meeting with her Maldivian counterpart Dunya Maumoon on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting here.

"Neighbourly Engagement! EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Maldives FM Dunya Maumoon on sidelines of 37th SAARC Ministerial," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a photo of the two ministers.

The Maldives recently witnessed a political controversy surrounding jailed former president Mohamed Nasheed who has sought a two-month extension of his medical leave in the UK.

Maumoon had visited New Delhi last November and said that India-Maldives ties have "sufficient depth" and that her country discusses with India almost all issues, including the political situation in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed also visited India this week and held talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on a host of issues.
Legislators of Opposition INLD in Haryana today protested outside the Punjab Assembly against the bill passed by the neighbouring state that provides for returning 3,928 acres acquired for the construction of the SYL canal to the original landowners.

Midway the assembly proceedings, INLD MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala and state unit president Ashok Arora went out of the House and started protesting at the gate leading to the Punjab Assembly.

The Punjab and Haryana assemblies are located in the same complex.

The INLD MLAs raised slogans against the governments in Punjab and Haryana and demanded that the Bill be withdrawn.

Later speaking to reporters, Chautala said, "We met Punjab Assembly Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal in his room in the complex and lodged our protest against the Bill passed by the House.

"The passage of the bill will trigger a fresh row between the two states. We considered Punjab as our elder brother but today they have betrayed us."



"Now the people of Haryana will have no faith in Punjab...They have ended the relationship between the two states," he said,



He termed the situation as a "black chapter" in the history of Haryana and said his party will fight it till the end.

"If a need arises, INLD will mobilise its workers and proceed to the border with Punjab with implements to again dig up the under construction SYL canal being flattened by the people in Punjab," Chautala said.

The legislators also engaged in a scuffle with the security personnel outside the Punjab Assembly during sloganeering.
Peace talks to end Syria's brutal war broadened to include an opposition group close to Moscow, as the UN intensified efforts to find a political solution to the five-year conflict.

UN mediator Staffan de Mistura met for the first time late yesterday with an umbrella delegation including the so-called Moscow Group, which are demanding an equal seat at the negotiating table.

That would be hotly contested by the "official" opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which insists it alone must represent the opposition in the talks.

The UN did not clarify what role the new group would play in the negotiations but co-president Randa Kassis told reporters "We are here as a negotiating delegation."



The entry into the Geneva talks of the Moscow Group, along with the so-called Cairo and Istana groups, followed Russia's surprise decision to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, where they had been fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Western governments voiced hopes the continuing pull-out could boost the talks by pressuring Assad.

Russia has said its five-month bombing campaign in Syria had helped push back the jihadists and analysts say it has allowed Assad's forces to gain ground and cement their hold on key parts of the country.

But the US military yesterday said it had seen significant reduction in Russia's combat power in the war-torn country.

In Geneva, it was not immediately clear what impact the inclusion of the pro-Moscow group would have on the talks, or whether it was a gesture from de Mistura to Russia following the pullout.

The UN envoy has said Russia's action could have a "positive" impact on efforts to end the conflict and that Moscow's announcement on the day negotiations opened was "not a coincidence".

After multiple failed peace efforts, de Mistura has said he sees added "momentum" in the current round of dialogue, which comes as a ceasefire imposed on February 27 remains broadly in place.

His tentative optimism was backed by US Secretary of State John Kerry who heads to Moscow next week to discuss the peace drive.

"We may face the best opportunity that we've had in years to end (the war)," Kerry said on Tuesday.

The conflict has killed more than 270,000 people and send millions fleeing, many seeking new lives in Europe where the influx of refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia has created a huge headache for the EU.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s book, The Real Anthony Fauci, became an immediate best-seller upon its release in 2021, and that despite Big Techs censoring of its advertising. Kennedys book has now been made into a movie
The Telangana government hopes to complete the 'Charminar Pedestrianisation Project' (CPP) in the old city of Hyderabad in about four to five months if "absolute cooperation" of all concerned is available.

In his reply to a question on the project by MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and other MLAs of the party in the Legislative Assembly, Telangana Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao agreed that there has been delay in completing the project.

He said he would hold a meeting of legislators from the old city within a week and also visit the area to see that the implementation of the project moves ahead smoothly.

The CPP was conceived mainly to decongest the precincts around Charminar and to achieve a quality urban environment.

Noting that the project began in 1993, Owaisi said it is no where near completion.

He and other party MLAs highlighted the problems of shopkeepers and hawkers who would be affected by the project and the need to address their concerns.

Thousands of tourists come to see Charminar but there are not enough toilets for them, Owaisi said, expressing concern over pollution affecting the monument.

The minister said the government is thinking of introducing battery-operated vehicles in the area.
The government of the says its ousted vice-president has been charged with terrorism for his alleged role in an explosion on the President's speedboat last September.

Ahmed Adeeb was arrested days after the blast which injured the wife of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom and two . Weeks later Adeeb was voted out of office.

Government spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab said on Thursday that Adeeb and five military personnel were charged in a criminal court this week. Adeeb is accused of helping the military personnel plant explosives and abuse of his authority in gaining access to the boat.

The government of the Indian Ocean island nation says the blast was caused by a bomb, but FBI investigators said they found no evidence of a bomb.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon today embarked on a two-day visit to India for talks aimed at expanding bilateral military, security and economic cooperation.

Prawit, who is also Thailand's defence minister, is visiting India on the invitation of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

During his visit, Prawit is scheduled to hold talks with the Defence Minister and the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to tighten bilateral relations and expand military, security and economic cooperation.

He will also called on Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Prawit was accompanied by Thailand's deputy commerce minister Suvit Maesincee, permanent secretary for defence Preecha Chan-o-cha, supreme commander Sommai Kaodira, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and secretary-general of the National Security Council Taweep Netniyom, media reports said.

Thailand and India will celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.
The parent company of The is planning to cut 250 jobs, including 100 in the newsroom, as it attempts to balance the books within three years, the newspaper reported on Thursday.

Editor-in-chief Katharine Viner and chief executive David Pemsel sent a joint email to staff saying that the "volatile media environment" had led to an "urgent need for radical action", but that they hoped the redundancies would all be voluntary. Operating losses amounted to 58.6 million ($84.8 million, euro 75.0 million) in the year to the end of March 2015, according to the online report.

A spokeswoman for News and Media confirmed that the company was consulting on proposals "to reduce our UK headcount" but declined to give numbers.

She said there were "no plans" to close The Guardian's sister Sunday newspaper, The Observer.

"In January we unveiled our strategy to address the balance of costs and revenues across Media Group, targeting new revenue streams and a 20 per cent overall reduction in our current cost base, with an aim to break even at an operating level by 2018/19," the spokeswoman said.

"Today we have shared with colleagues a series of proposals, which include plans to reduce our UK headcount.

These proposals form the basis of a consultation process, which begins today."



The proposal is to cut the UK workforce by 18 per cent, or 310 jobs, according to theguardian.com report.

About 60 positions remain unfilled, so the company is hoping to cut 100 jobs from the 725-strong editorial workforce and 150 from commercial and support departments.

The Guardian also employs 210 people in its US and Australian operations, who will be unaffected. The consultation is due to last for eight weeks. The news comes at a turbulent time for newspapers, as they struggle to adapt to falling advertising revenues.

Next week The Independent will print its last edition and become a digital only newspaper, after paid circulation slumped to about 40,000.

As well as the job cuts, The Guardian has given up on plans to turn a former train depot in London's King's Cross area, the Midland Goods Shed, into an events space.
Masked men threw eggs, flour and disinfectant at a prominent Russian rights activist in Chechnya in an attack that sparked widespread condemnation today.

Igor Kalyapin, the head of the Committee to Prevent Torture rights group was ordered to leave his hotel on Wednesday evening and then targeted by a group of "young men in civilian clothes and black masks", a lawyer for the group said.

"They threw eggs, cake, flour and green disinfectant," Dmitry Utukin said.

Utukin posted a photograph on Facebook of Kalyapin standing with his face and jacket coated with flour and eggs and bright green disinfectant.

Kalyapin, a veteran activist, has publicised abuses by the Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. His group, which oversees rights activists in Chechnya, is one of the few still active in the region.

The Kremlin rights council, an advisory body to President Vladimir Putin of which Kalyapin is a member, said it was "outraged and concerned" at the attack, which it condemned as "a disgrace."



The rights council said it wrote to Russia's interior minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev asking him to take personal control of the probe into the incident, which it said should be treated as the criminal offence of hooliganism.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that "an attack on a member of the presidential council... Is a very dangerous trend, which undoubtedly prompts concern. This is unacceptable."



Peskov linked the attack to the crime-prone situation in the region, dismissing a suggestion that it could affect whether the Kremlin extends Kadyrov's mandate next month.

Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia director Hugh Williamson said "the attack on Igor Kalyapin shows again that it's open season on human rights defenders in Chechnya."



Earlier this month, masked attackers beat up foreign journalists and support staff and set fire to their minibus as they were driving to Grozny on a press tour organised by Kalyapin's group.

Kalyapin said a group of men entered his hotel room and ordered him to leave, citing his criticism of Kadyrov.

Outside a group of women shouted at him, asking how he dared to "speak badly of Ramzan," he said.

Kalyapin was visiting Grozny to meet journalists and a Chechen rights activist, his group said.

Chechnya's interior ministry said it was looking into the incident.

Last year the group's office in Grozny was attacked by masked men after it criticised Kadyrov's call to destroy the houses of relatives of suspected Islamists.
A new play aims at demystifying the strange persona of Allama Iqbal and in the process bring into light many little-known facts of the poet-philosopher who is best known for his iconic Urdu song 'Saare jahan se achcha.'



"Sir Iqbal" is Delhi-based Pierrot's Troupe's latest play which will have its first public show here this Sunday.

Co-written and co-directed by M Sayeed Alam and Danish Iqbal, it portrays the life of Iqbal - the writer of 'Saare jahan se achcha' and the progenitor of the idea of Pakistan; someone claimed by both India and Pakistan as their as their very own as their very special.

Set up in backdrop of the first half of the 20th century, the play mirrors the literary, cultural and political life of the country till the time of the death of this 'Poet of the East' in 1938 in undivided India.

"This will be the first public show of the play which we wrote last year. It was staged last year in Kolkata but that was hosted at the initiative of the Minority Affairs Department of the West Bengal government," says Alam who heads the Pierrot's Troupe.

"In the play, Iqbal's story is narrated by his trusted servant Ali Baksh who was very close to him and knew many things about the poet," Alam told PTI.

One of the little-known facts about Iqbal was that he could not see out of his right eye, he says.

"There is also an interesting story behind the gold medal that was awarded to him by the Government College Lahore. He secured only a third division but was given the medal as he was the only student in that category," claims Alam.

He says the basis of these nuggets is a number of materials on Iqbal in both India and Pakistan.

The role of Iqbal is enacted by Alam while Harish Chhabra plays the servant in the one-and-a-half-hour play. Among the other actors are Niti Phool, Anju Chhabra, Dawood Yaqub, Ratan Bhatia, Vibhav Srivastava and Jaskiran Chopra.
The keenly-contested Republican and Democratic primaries in the US state of Missouri is over but front-runners Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton may have to wait for months to know the final outcome of the poll that saw a record turnout, US media reports said today.

When vote counting for the Republican and Democratic primaries for the 2016 US presidential poll in Missouri was completed on Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump lead their respective party primaries by less than half a percentage point.

Since the margin of victory in each case is less than one percentage point, CNN and other US networks said they will not project a winner in either contest.

Stephanie Fleming, a spokeswoman for the Missouri secretary of state's office, said that 100 per cent of precincts have reported, but some absentee and provisional ballots remain uncounted. These ballots will be counted in the coming days.

Overseas absentee ballots will be accepted until Friday.

The recount law in Missouri allows a second-place finisher to request a recount if the margin of victory is less than half a percentage point. As the count stands now, both margins of victory are small enough that Democrat Bernie Sanders or Republican Ted Cruz would be able to request a recount to verify the findings, if they choose to do so, the report said.

Media in the state's capital St. Louis predicted that the political battle after the primary polls is already brewing that could drag on for months.

"There are questions about whether candidates on both sides of the aisle will ask the state for a full recount," NewsChannel 5 said.

For Republicans, 52 delegates are up for grabs and 71 will be awarded to Democrats.

At the end of voting, real estate tycoon Trump was ahead of Texas Senator Cruz by just 1,726 votes in the Republican race. But it was much tighter on the Democratic side with former Secretary of State Clinton ahead of Senator Sanders by only 1,531 votes.

A spokeswoman for the office of Missouri's secretary of state said yesterday that no candidate had submitted a request for a recount yet because they have to wait for the election results to be fully certified over the next several weeks.

But political experts does not appear to think a recount would be a major game changer for any one candidate, the report said.

Missouri saw more than 1.5 million ballots, or 39 per cent of registered voters, cast on Tuesday. That was the highest amount recorded for a Presidential primary in Missouri history. The previous record of 1.4 million, or 36 per cent, was set during the 2008 primary.

Missouri went to polls along with the key states of Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio.
A four-member crew of a tugboat have been stranded at nearby Vizhinjam port for the past five months and are on a hand-to-mouth existence as the owner allegedly abandoned it and did not pay their salaries.

The crew, including the vessel's Chief Engineer T S Sreekumar, alleged that their owner had not paid them salaries and they were barely manging with paltry sum deposited once in 9-10 days and have run out of fresh water.

"About Rs 1,500 is deposited by the owner for the four crew members at the rate of 9-10 days and when that it gets over we have to plead for more. There is no fresh water and we are consuming contaminated water from the bottom of the tank to beat the heat," Sreekumar told PTI today.

The owner had abandoned the vessel and was not responding to their pleas for early settlement of their dues, he alleged.

Adding to their woes, the owner has sent a lawyer's notice to Sreekumar alleging that he had illegally seized the tugboat for ransom under the guise of salary abusing the process of law.

The company has warned that he would be held responsible for the safety of the crew and the vessel, he said quoting from the notice received by him yesterday.

The tug 'M V Brahmekshara', with a 10 member crew, had left Tuticorin in neighbouring Tamil Nadu in October last year on a voyage to Maldives towing a barge containing load of stones.

Trouble began as the tugboat and barge ran aground near an island in Maldives following which it was detained by the authorities alleging that some coral reefs had been damaged.

After a month, the boat was allowed to set sail and it anchored at the nearest port of Vizhinjam as it was short of fresh water since December 1 last.

Of the crew, six, including the captain have left for their homes.

The boat berthed at the port is also causing hindrance to other vessels and port workers have already complained that it should be removed as early as possible.

Port officer M T Mohandas said the owner of the tug, after a lot of efforts, paid up about Rs one lakh, being part of the dues to the port.

Sreekumar said he had boarded the boat on a two-month contract which expired in November. The contract had neither been renewed nor his dues, totalling about Rs 6.5 lakh, cleared, he claimed.

"The owner is giving instructions to sign off not following procedures of sign off," he said.
Two cases were today filed in Bihar seeking sedition charges against AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his refusal to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

ABVP leader Ramji Singh in Buxar filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Hari Shankar Prasad seeking booking of the Hyderabad MP under section 124 A which relates to sedition.

Petitioner's lawyer Uma Shankar Singh said along with the writ-application, two CDs of the AIMIM leader's provocative speech in Maharashtra have been attached.

Another case was registered against Owaisi in Gopalganj by Mohammad Kurwan Ansari, a native of Ektarwah village, urging Chief Judicial Magistrate to prosecute him under the sedition charge.

Meanwhile, in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, BJP members trooped into the well of the House over absence of the Health minister in the House to answer their questions of the members and also chanted "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans.

Later, Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar while talking to reporters outside the House said they were patriotic citizens of the country who feel proud in chanting nationalistic slogans.

Without naming Owaisi, he said people displaying "pro- Pakistan inclination" by triggering such controversy and hurting nationalistic feeling of citizens should be dealt with severely in accordance with the law of the land.
Two persons were killed



today in the Deulbari-Judgerhaat area during a violent clash between two rival gangs, the police said.

There was old rivalry between gangs of Muslim Gharami and Shirajul Lashkar over gold trading in Kultali in South 24 Parganas district.

Today the gang members of Shirajul opened fire on Muslim Gharami (28) killing him on the spot, the police said.

As the of Gharami's death spread, his gang members assembled and attacked their rivals, the police said adding, though Shirajul managed to escape, a group of miscreants hacked his mother Rahima Lashkar (50) to death.

There was tension in the area after the two deaths and a large police contingent has been posted there to keep situation under control, a senior district police officer said.
Two Palestinians stabbed an Israeli soldier near a group of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank today before being shot dead, the army said, the latest in a months-long wave of violence.

The incident occurred at the Ariel junction in the West Bank. The female soldier was being taken to hospital, while the two assailants were shot by forces at the scene, the Israeli army said.

Medics described the victim's condition as "moderate to severe" and said she was around 20 years old.

Since October 1, a wave of violence has killed 196 Palestinians, 28 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians were killed while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to the Israeli authorities.

Others were shot dead during protests and clashes.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest.

Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence.

Most of the attackers have been young people, including teenagers, who appear to have been acting on their own.
At least two soldiers and three militants were killed today in a clash between Pakistan security forces and rebels in the country's peaceful northern areas.

The clash occurred in Gilgit-Baltistan when troops raided a hideout of militants in Tarel valley in village Gayyal near Chilas at a tip-off, army said.

"Three wanted terrorists were killed by security forces in a successful IBO (Intelligence-based Operation)," according to the statement.

Two security forces personnel were alos killed in exchange of fire, it said.

A search operation is still underway, it added, and security forces have cordoned off the site in Gayal village.

The killed militants were involved in attacks on civil transport, tourists and security forces.

The affiliation of the militants was not known but the area is known haunt of terrorist linked with anti-Shiite Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehreek-Taliban-Pakistan. Both groups are banned in Pakistan.

The latest killing came after five terrorists were killed last night when they attacked a military check post in Khyber Agency, army said.
University Grants Commission (UGC) has sent letters to Vice Chancellors of universities asking them to organise two to three-day Yoga fest in April and May for students.

In separate letters, UGC secretary Jaspal S Sandhu said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the need for making Yoga more appealing to youth so that they can imbibe this rich cultural heritage and their energy could be channelized in nation-building.

"You are requested to organise 2 to 3-day 'Yoga Fest' during April-May, where students could be sensitised about the strengths and health benefits of Yoga.

"They may also be trained in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) to be performed on International Day of Yoga on 21st June, 2016, which is available at the website of the Ministry of AYUSH," the letter said.

Sandhu also suggested other activities for this fest' like cultural programmes based on Yoga.

Lectures by experts on subjects such as, 'Yoga for Lifestyle modifications', 'Yoga for Wellness', 'Yuva Yoga', 'Yoga and Detoxification', 'Power of Pranayama', could also be included in the fest, he said.
A British university professor who says he was deported from Turkey for "terrorist propaganda" said today he would appeal the "ridiculous" ruling in order to be reunited with his family.

Chris Stephenson, a lecturer at Istanbul's Bilgi University, said he was put on a plane late yesterday after turning up to court to support fellow academics charged with terror offences.

They were detained after signing a petition condemning military actions in operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"At the entry (to court) they searched my bag and found some invitations for Kurdish New Year from the People's Democratic Party, which is a legal party," the 66-year-old explained to AFP.

"I was accused by the public prosecutor of making propaganda for a terrorist organisation and taken into custody."



State agency Anatolia reported that Stephenson was questioned by police after they found him in possession of leaflets promoting Kurdish New Year celebrations.

Britain's Foreign Office said it was providing assistance "to a British national who was arrested in Istanbul on 15 March", but did not confirm he had been deported.

The computer sciences teacher said he had become a target after signing the petition but insisted he had done nothing illegal.

"It's quite ridiculous," he said. "The invitation in my bag... It's like a postcard and was printed by the third largest party in the Turkish parliament.

"When I appeared before the prosecutor the next day, he didn't proceed with this charge and I was released but he made an administrative request to deport me, which they did. I haven't been found guilty of anything."



Stephenson has lived in Turkey for 25 years. He married a Turkish woman 19 years ago and the couple have a Turkish daughter, aged 13.

"My life is in Turkey," he explained. "We will apply to the courts to have this decision cancelled."



The three lecturers were detained on Tuesday as the country's security services crack down on Kurdish rebels following a suicide car bomb blamed on the PKK that killed 35 people in the capital Ankara on Sunday.

"I've been worried for some time that something like this might happen because the situation is getting worse in terms of freedom of expression and human rights," said Stephenson.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday stepped up his efforts to have pro-Kurdish lawmakers prosecuted while police detained eight pro-Kurdish lawyers in a dawn raid.
Britain is set to lift a 15-year-old ban on a pro-Khalistan militant group after a debate in the House of Commons concluded that "sufficient evidence" does not currently exist to link it to terrorism.

The International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), established in the 1980s in militancy-wracked Punjab, was involved in "assassinations, bombings and kidnappings, mainly directed against Indian officials and interests", the British Parliament heard this week.

However, the debate entitled 'Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism' on Tuesday night concluded that "there is not sufficient evidence to support a reasonable belief" that the ISYF is currently concerned with terrorism.

It therefore approved the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2016, which was laid before the House of Commons on February 22 and will be formally passed tomorrow.

"The decision to de-proscribe the ISYF was taken after extensive consideration and in the light of a full assessment of all the available information," UK minister for security John Hayes told the Commons.

He was questioned by Labour's shadow home secretary Andy Burnham whether the ban had been maintained since 2001 "because of pressure from the Indian government", something Hayes denied "without equivocation, hesitation or obfuscation".

Labour's longest serving Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz welcomed the government's decision, saying, "At every meeting that I have attended to do with the Sikh community, members of the community ask about the issue and feel that they have been discriminated against.

"There are 450,000 Sikhs living in the United Kingdom, and about 150 gurdwaras in the UK. Even though it is one organisation, because it has the word 'Sikh' in its name, it affects other parts of the diaspora," he said.

He also called for a review of the ban in place against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The ban on the ISYF in the UK came in force in March 2001, which led to the organisation being banned in India in December that year and in Canada in July 2003.

The Sikh Federation (UK) had applied for the ban to be lifted last year, followed by a legal challenge against UK home secretary Theresa May for refusing to lift the ban.

The Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) had sought further reasons for May's refusal to lift the ban but the UK government decided instead not to further contest the ban and moved the order for parliamentary approval on February 22 this year.

Sikh Federation chair Bhai Amrik Singh said "The Home Secretary has shown courage in making this decision despite the inevitable pressure from the Indian authorities and so close after the attacks in Paris (last November). However, this also shows there was no case against the ISYF that would stand up to legal scrutiny".

Britain's decision to lift the ban will be formally notified to the UN and the European Council once agreed in Parliament at the end of the week.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has demanded an investigation into an air strike on a market in Yemen that reportedly killed dozens of civilians.

The situation in Hajja province in northern Yemen is not clear, but local sources blame the Saudi-led coalition fighting Huthi rebels for carrying out Tuesday's strike.

Initial reports from health officials said the bulk of the more than 40 dead were civilians, but a tribal chief later told AFP that 33 of those killed were Huthi militiamen.

"The secretary general condemns the airstrikes that hit al-Khamis market in Mastaba district in the Hajjah province of Yemen yesterday," Ban's office said yesterday.

"This incident is one of the deadliest -- reportedly killing and wounding scores of civilians, including women and children -- since the start of the conflict," he complained,



"This is the second major incident of this kind in just over two weeks," he added, stressing that attacks on civilian areas like markets are a breach of international law.

Human rights groups have repeatedly complained that air strikes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition -- with technical and logistical support from the United States and Britain -- hit Yemeni civilian targets.
Morocco has ordered 84 international staff members in the UN peacekeeping mission for Western Sahara to leave within three days, in protest at recent comments by the UN secretary-general about the disputed territory. The UN called the move "unprecedented."



UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Morocco's order was "in clear contradiction" of its international obligations and a challenge to the UN Security Council, which authorized the mission. The mission is meant to monitor a cease-fire and help organize a referendum on the Western Sahara's future. That referendum has never taken place.

The council was meeting behind closed doors today afternoon on Morocco's actions. Dujarric said UN peacekeeping officials are planning for a number of possible contingencies, including terminating the mission.

Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, in 1975 and fought a local independence movement called the Polisario Front until the UN brokered a cease-fire in 1991.

Morocco considers the vast, mineral-rich Western Sahara as its "southern provinces" and has proposed wide-ranging autonomy for the region, but the Polisario Front insists on self-determination through a referendum for the local population. That hasn't occurred because of disputes over voter lists.

The latest dispute, which led to a massive protest in Morocco on Sunday against Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, was sparked by his use of the term "occupation" in describing Western Sahara's territorial status during his visit this month to refugee camps in Algeria for the Sahrawis, as the region's native inhabitants are known.

According to the UN peacekeeping department, there are 85 international staffers in the UN mission, known as MINURSO. Morocco has ordered 81 of them to leave, along with three African Union observers.

UN Special Representative Kim Bolduc of Canada, who heads MINURSO, and other senior people were not on the list of those ordered out, the department said.

Trying to evacuate 84 people in three days makes it "virtually impossible for the mission over a sustained period to fulfill its mandate," Dujarric said. He called Morocco's order "unprecedented" because past issues with countries over UN peacekeeping missions were worked out within months, not days.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi's programme in the city today was cancelled after he was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state.

An angry AIMIM slammed the SP government's decision to deny permission, saying it was "afraid" of Owaisi as the UP government had "done nothing" for the minorities.

Owaisi is currently facing fire for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', claiming that it is matter of personal choice and no one can be forced to do so.

Owaisi, who had to visit Lucknow today, was denied permission by the district administration to hold a meeting on grounds of "law and order situation" in the state, Additional District Magistrate (est) JS Dubey said in his order.

"He is, however, free to visit Lucknow," the order stated.

During his proposed two-day visit to the state, Owaisi was to visit Azamgarh in connection with a programme also but that too has been cancelled.

"Owaisi's programme has been cancelled after the district administration denied permission. As he cannot hold roadshow, address public meeting and cannot attend gathering of more than 30 persons, he has cancelled his visit," AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali told PTI.

Alleging that the SP government was afraid of Owaisi, Ali said, "The present SP government did nothing for the minority community in its four-year regime. It is afraid of Owaisi, who is not only party president, but MP also."



"They have imposed Emergency in the state. A party president and MP is being repeatedly stopped in UP. They are strangulating democracy as Muslim-Dalit are coming with AIMIM and also most backward are also joining the party. This has given reasons to SP to get worried," he said.

Ali said AIMIM supporters would hold a demonstration here against the SP government's attitude towards their party president.

(REOPENS DES1)



In Ghaziabad, scores of Hindu Raksha Dal volunteers today burnt an effigy of AIMIM leader Owaisi in site-4 industrial area.

Later, they assembled outside Sahibabad police station and demanded that an FIR be registered against him for his "anti-national" remarks, Hindu Raksha Dal president Pinki Chaudhary said.
Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey has sent to Raj Bhawan the unedited CD and transcript of senior minister Azam Khan's speech in the state Legislature in which he had allegedly accused Governor Ram Naik of working under the "influence of a party".

The CD along with the edited and unedited transcript was received by Raj Bhawan yesterday and the Governor will go through it before taking any action, if required, a Raj Bhawan official said today.

Earlier this month, the Governor had taken a serious note of Khan's hard-hitting remarks against him in the House and written to the Speaker asking him to provide its unedited printed copies and audio and video CD.

The Governor in his letter had said Khan and other members have referred to UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015 in the House, which he wanted to "read and see".

Khan has been engaged in a war of words with Naik for some time, with the Samajwadi Party leader accusing him of being a "kar sevak" and "communally vitiating" the atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh at the behest of the Modi government at the Centre.

On March 8, the SP leader had said in the House: "A Bill (UP Nagar Nigam Amendment Bill 2015) is pending with the Governor for over one year through which Mayors could be removed for financial irregularities. The Governor has stalled the Bill giving an impression that he is working under influence of a party."



The Bill was not given assent so that mayors could not be punished for their "dishonesty", Khan had alleged.
The Supreme Court today assured the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) that it will accord an early open court hearing of its plea seeking review of its 2015 verdict by which real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal were required to serve two-year jail term if they failed to pay Rs 30 crore each.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit said that it will take up the early hearing plea with Justice A R Dave, who is heading the bench hearing a similar plea by the CBI in the case.

The CJI assured the counsel, appearing for AVUT, that probably the review plea will be listed for hearing after the Holi vacation.

Earlier this year, a three-judge bench comprising justices A R Dave, Kurian Joseph and A K Goel had decided to hear the review petition filed by CBI and the AVUT in an open court.

59 cine-goers had died of asphyxia during the screening of Bollywood movie 'Border' in Uphaar theatre. The Ansals have already deposited Rs 30 crore each.

The review plea filed by AVUT, said, "The impugned orders are in gross violation of natural justice and have been passed without affording victims any effective, meaningful hearing."



It said the apex court judgements "bestow an unwarranted leniency on convicts whose conviction in the most heinous of offences has been upheld by all courts including this court and sentences imposed on them have been substituted with fine without assigning any reason or basis."



"The sentences of the convicts have been reduced to the period undergone without taking into account the gravity of their offence," it said.

The CBI, in its review plea, had said the apex court did not give it time to put its views forth which has resulted in the "miscarriage of justice".

"Due to the paucity of time on the day on which this case was heard, the prosecution could not adequately put across the reasons why this court should not substitute a monetary fine in place of a jail sentence.

"This petition also seeks to raise issue of an apparent error of law in the judgement and order of this court which has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice," the agency said in its plea.

The agency also said that the "callousness" of the Ansal brothers led to 59 people being trapped and suffocated to death in the theatre.

The association and the CBI had also filed application seeking open court hearing on the review pleas.

The apex court had, on August 19, 2015 sent Ansal



brothers, Sushil and Gopal, to two-year rigorous jail term if they failed to pay Rs 30 crore each within three months.

In a judgement on September 23, the bench had said the "magnitude" of the tragedy case "calls for a higher sentence" but the court has to limit itself to the choice available under the law.

A two-judge bench of justices T S Thakur and Gyan Sudha Misra (since retired) had in a March 5, 2014 order differed on the quantum of sentence for Ansal brothers -- Sushil, 76, and Gopal, 67.

While Justice Thakur had retained the one-year jail term awarded by Delhi High Court in 2008, Justice Misra had awarded the maximum punishment of two years with a rider that it can be reduced to the period already undergone behind bars on payment of Rs 100 crore as fine collectively by them.

After this, the matter was referred to the bench of Justices A R Dave, Kurian Joseph and Adarsh Kumar Goel, which enhanced the sentence to the maximum period of two years under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of IPC if they failed to pay the fine amount.

While Sushil has spent over five months in prison, Gopal was in jail for over four months immediately after the tragedy.

The three-judge bench had also said that on the principle of parity, the case of Gopal will stand on the same footing as that of Sushil.

Fifty-nine people, trapped in the balcony of the theatre in South Delhi, had died of asphyxia following the fire and over 100 were injured in the subsequent stampede on June 13, 1997.
The US has asked to immediately release its national, who was jailed for 15 years with hard labour for subversive activities after stealing a propaganda banner, and accused the reclusive nation of using imprisoned Americans as "pawns to pursue a political agenda".

Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was arrested in in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state, according to the country's official news agency KCNA.

He was yesterday sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labour, KCNA said.

The White House asked the North Korean regime to pardon Warmbier.

"Now that Mr Warmbier has gone through this criminal process, we strongly urge the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"Warmbier was reportedly sentenced to 15 years of hard labour, the allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States, or in just about any other country in the world," he said yesterday.

Warmbier was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion, KCNA said.

"In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said, without elaborating.

The White House accused of using US citizens for furthering its political agenda.

"Now, despite official claims that US citizens arrested in North Korea are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these US citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda.

"This underscores the risks associated with travelling to North Korea. And the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by US citizens to North Korea," Earnest said.
The US declared today that the Islamic State group's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

Secretary of State John Kerry made the proclamation after Congress demanded Washington recognise that the group seeks to exterminate religious minorities.

"Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, what it believes and what it does," Kerry declared.

"Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups, and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds and other minorities," he added.

The Islamic State group has regularly carried out mass killings of Shiite Muslims, Christians and Yazidis. In June 2014 it seized the formerly cosmopolitan city of Mosul in northern Iraq, placing whole communities under threat of murder, rape or enslavement.

Already in March last year, UN investigators warned the self-proclaimed caliphate was trying to wipe out Yazidis, members of a pre-Islamic religious minority.

While genocide is a crime under international law, US officials say Kerry's ruling does not put Washington under any more legal obligation to act.

Instead, they argue, the United States is already doing its utmost to halt the slaughter by leading a 66-nation coalition to "degrade and destroy" the group.

Kerry said the facts must one day be brought before an international tribunal, and that the United States would do all it could to support an investigation and prosecution.

He said that through air strikes and support for local forces, the coalition has pushed IS fighters from 40 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria.

"We've degraded their leadership, attacked their revenue sources and disrupted their supply lines, and currently we are engaged in a diplomatic initiative aimed at trying to end the war in Syria," he said.

Kerry argues Bashar al-Assad's brutal campaign to cling to power in Syria fuels the chaos that allowed the IS group to seize the east of his country.

He vowed to continue pressing for a negotiated settlement to the broader civil war to allow local forces and the international coalition to focus its fire on the extremist threat.

"My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that in my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims," he said.

"For those communities the stakes in this campaign are utterly existential," he said. "So we must bear in mind after all that the best response to genocide is a reaffirmation of the fundamental right to survive.
With India becoming an increasingly central economy, the US should work more comprehensively to integrate the country in global economic institutions, a top American expert on South Asia has said.

Alyssa Ayres, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), said that the US should take action and champion Indian membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

"As India becomes an increasingly central global economy, the United States should work more comprehensively to integrate India in global economic institutions. APEC should be the highest priority," Ayres told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

"India seeks membership and has been waiting for nearly twenty years. APEC membership would be a helpful step toward the possibility of considering Indian participation in an expanded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) down the line, and APEC membership would include (India) in a range of peer consultations committed toward the shared goals of free and open trade and investment," Ayres said.

There are other economic institutions in which India should become a member, she said.

India currently holds "key partner" status in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), but it should become a member, she said.

This is one of the world's primary information sharing mechanisms on global development, a conversation India has been participating in, but not as a full member, she said.

"OECD membership would also open up the opportunity for Indian membership in the International Energy Agency (IEA). Again, India is a 'key partner' of the IEA, but as India ranks among the world's top energy importers, it no longer makes sense for it to be outside this organisation," Ayres said.

In her testimony, she also called to elevate support for India's economic growth to the highest bilateral priority for the US agenda with India.

A recent CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force on US-India Relations recommended completion of a bilateral investment treaty; high-level discussion of bilateral sectoral agreements, such as in services; and identification of a longer-term pathway to a free trade agreement or Indian membership in an expanded TPP as an equivalent.

It also called for creation of initiatives that respond to Indian interest in domestic reform needs, such as technical advice on market-based approaches to infrastructure financing, shared work with international financial institutions to re-prioritise infrastructure financing, continued joint work on science and technology, labour, transportation, and vocational skills training.

US-India trade, she said remains well below its potential only a little more than one-tenth of US-China trade in goods, and more on the scale of Taiwan or the Netherlands.

The Obama administration has held out a target of USD 500 billion for two-way US-India trade as a vision statement, but the anticipated timeframe as well as the path to get there remains unelaborated.
A Saudi announcement that major combat is nearing an end in Yemen was welcomed by Washington, as the death toll from alliance air strikes on a market rose to 119.

The United Nations childrens' agency gave the new toll, nearly three times that previously reported, for the Saudi-led strikes on the market this week in northern Yemen's rebel-held Hajja province.

It is one of the deadliest incidents since coalition forces intervened on March 26 last year to support President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after rebels seized large parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa.

Medics and tribal sources had previously reported 41 people killed in the strikes, and a health official in Hajja said the dead were civilians.

But a tribal chief close to the rebels on Wednesday told AFP that 33 of those killed were fighters of the Iran-backed Huthis.

Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri, the coalition spokesman, said the strikes targeted "a militia gathering" in a place for buying and selling qat, a mild narcotic that is chewed throughout Yemen.

In an interview on Wednesday, he told AFP that "we are in the end of the major combat phase," to be followed by the creation of a stable security situation, then reconstruction.

The White House welcomed the statement yesterday.

"We have expressed our concerns about the loss of innocent life in Yemen, the violence there that is plaguing that country has caught to many innocent civilians in the crossfire," spokesman Josh Earnest said.

"We would welcome and do welcome the statement from coalition spokesperson Saudi General Ahmed al-Assiri who indicated today that major operations in Yemen are coming to an end and that the coalition will work on 'long-term plans' to bring stability to the country."



Supported by air strikes and some coalition ground troops, anti-rebel forces have retaken territory, including much of the south.

But they have failed to dislodge the Zaidi Shiite rebels from Sanaa or to completely remove them from the country's third city Taez where intense battles continue.

Rights groups have raised concerns about civilian casualties caused by the coalition as well as by the Huthis, who are allied with elite troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Among those killed in Mastaba district on Tuesday were 22 children, while another 47 people were wounded, UNICEF said.

"We strongly deplore the deadliest attack in Al-Khamees market in Mastaba district of Hajja governorate," it said in a statement.
Vodafone Business Services (VBS), Vodafone India's enterprise arm, today unveiled its growth strategy to double its target of the Small and Medium Business segment (SME) in the country, specifically Karnataka.

In line with government's vision of Digital India and Make in India, VBS aims to adopt a three-pronged approach focusing on coverage, intelligence and automation to double its channel network by FY 2016-17, the company said.

Accordingly, it said in a statement here, it will increase the channel partners to cover the increased SME customer base in this region.

VBS has launched three SME focussed initiatives which include Information and Communications Technology (ICT) cloud-based offerings; six new vertical propositions specific to a industry and Ready Business 2.0, a value proposition empowering SME to overcome their business challenges and take advantage of the future opportunities.

Noting that IT boom has resulted in the development of more than 150,000 small and medium enterprises in Karnataka, the company said that, currently, VBS is working with customers in varied sectors such as IT/ITES, Startups, E-commerce, Automotive, Construction, Manufacturing in the state.

Announcing this initiative, Ajay Sehgal, National Head - Small and Medium Enterprises, Vodafone Business Services, said, "The SME vertical is the fastest growing business segment for Vodafone Business Services.

Leveraging the advantage of our global expertise and our experience in India, we will support emerging SMEs to enhance their productivity and business efficiencies.

Engaging channel partners to drive adoption, VBS aims to enhance its SME reach through its new channel strategy; strengthening the width of coverage with primary Channel Partners and leverage the infrastructure available in the market for extended reach with Advanced Resellers (partners who already have an existing IT relationship with SMEs). In addition, VBS will also empower its existing selected high performing retailers to graduate to working with SME customers for addressing their ICT needs, the statement added.
With the fifth round of talks on wage revision for garment workers in and around Tirupur district remaining inconclusive today, the next round of negotiations has been scheduled for March 24 in Tirupur.

The talks were held between representatives of six manufacturers associations, including Tirupur Exporters Association and South India Hosiery Manufacturers Association and eight major trade unions.

The associations offered 18 per cent hike in the wages in the first year, increasing three per cent more from the last time the talks were held and three per cent annual hike during second, third and fourth year, S Duraisamy, President, Joint Action Committee of Trade unions, said.

However, the unions have demanded 50 per cent hike in the first year, 20 per cent in the second year and 10 per cent each in the third and fourth year, he said.

Since the manufacturers wanted to discuss the issue in their executive committee, further talks were fixed for March 24, Duraisamy said.
Madhya Pradesh Commerce and Industries Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia met Telangana IT and Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao here today and discussed industrial investments, government schemes and other issues.

"Raje specifically sought to know the strategy of Telangana Government with regard to attracting investments into the State and complimented the path-breaking industrial policy - TSiPASS (Telangana State industrial Project Approval and Self Certification System)," Telangana government said in a release here today.

"She also showed keen interest in Mission Bhagiratha (scheme to provide tapped drinking water), Mission Kakatiya (revival of water bodies) and their implementation. The Madhya Pradesh Minister informed KTR (K T Rama Rao) that her government took agriculture, auto, electronics as focus areas and mentioned that it ranked number one state in the production of pulses," it said.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Loss-making budget airline AirAsia India said on Thursday it had appointed a new chief executive officer as part of a management shake-up, as the carrier seeks to boost its small market share and turn a profit in a fiercely competitive aviation market.

The airline, part-owned by Malaysian carrier AirAsia Bhd and India's Tata Sons conglomerate, said in a statement that former American Express executive Amar Abrol will take over from Mittu Chandilya, stepping step down at the end of this month after almost three years in the job. Abrol was most recently the CEO of a financial products start-up and spent 19 years at American Express, AirAsia India said. The airline, which has struggled to make money since it launched in mid-2014, also announced the appointment of former Air France KLM executive Ankur Khanna as chief financial officer, and Kiran Jain as its head of commercial operations. The carrier competes with IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir in India's fast-growing air travel market, operating six aircraft covering 12 routes. Its market share stood at 2.3 percent in January, official data shows, ranking it sixth among India's airlines. Last year it put domestic growth plans on hold as it waited for a government ruling on whether to change a measure regulating overseas flights. (Reporting by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
Group LP is nearing a deal to acquire HP Incs controlling stake worth about $940 million (about Rs 6,248 crore) in Indian information technology (IT) outsourcing services provider Mphasis Ltd, according to three sources directly involved in the deal.

HP owns roughly 60.5 per cent stake in Mphasis, and the US-based parent had been looking to exit from the Indian venture to shore up its capital, as it struggles with weak demand for PCs and printers.

Bids for buying the Mphasis stake were submitted earlier this month and the US private equity firm has emerged as the front-runner for taking majority ownership of the mid-sized Indian IT services exporter, the sources said.

Financial details of the possible deal were not immediately known. Based on Mphasis stock price on Thursday, the HP stake in the Bengaluru-headquartered company is valued at about $940 million (Rs 6,248 crore). The companys total market value is about $1.6 billion (about Rs 10,634 crore).

and HP declined to comment, while Mphasis did not respond to emails.

Mphasis, whose rivals include outsourcers Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys, is not likely to command a very high valuation as a major part of its business depends on subcontracting by HP, one of the sources said.

Until a few years ago, Mphasis generated roughly half of its revenue by providing services to HPs clients. This has now come down to 24 per cent of the firms total revenue, it said in its latest annual report.

The Mphasis deal, if closed, will be one of the biggest M&A transactions in Indias $150 billion (about Rs 10 lakh crore) outsourcing sector, and underscores foreign investors confidence in growth potential as western clients send more jobs to India to cut costs.

Last month, Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte and PE investors Advent International and Bain Capital jointly bought a minority stake in India-focussed outsourcing firm QuEST Global Services for $350 million.

MphasiS was formed in 2000 and six years later Electronics Data Systems Corp acquired a majority holding in the company. In 2008, EDS was acquired by HP, which resulted in the transfer of the shareholding to the computer maker.

A pact on the deal could be signed by early next month, two of the sources said, cautioning the acquisition terms had not yet been finalised.
Dangerous and impracticable as it seemed, aviation progressed rapidly, especially during the First World War, which saw huge advances in the speed, power and endurance of aircraft.

At the time, flying was regarded largely as a novelty because almost no-one could foresee just how the flimsy, unstable and often lethally dangerous aircraft of that era could be used for any commercial purpose.

DEPENDING upon whom you choose to believe, the first flight by a powered aircraft in Australia took place either in Sydney during 1909 or in Melbourne on 18 March 1910, when the famous escape artist, Harry Houdini, deftly flew his French made Voisin biplane around the appropriately named Digger's Rest.

The post war era saw a succession of truly astounding feats of aviation. In 1928, Australia's Bert Hinkler was the first person to fly solo from Britain to Australia, while Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm were the first to fly across the Pacific.

Aircraft themselves also rapidly changed from under powered wooden and fabric biplanes to machines made of stressed metal, equipped with increasingly powerful and reliable engines.

Aeroplanes were becoming a stronger, tougher, faster and more reliable form of transportation than had been envisaged by all but the most enthusiastic aviation pioneers.

It is therefore not surprising that those who lived and worked in remote and rugged Papua New Guinea soon grasped the potential for aircraft to assist in the development of the country.

The first commercial passenger flight from Australia to PNG took place on 28 January 1933, but it is clear that aircraft (Junkers Ju 52's) were being used to ferry people and goods to and from the Wau goldfields as early as 1932.

On that basis, I think that it can fairly be said that PNG was one of the first places in the world in which commercial aviation was established.

World War II produced a further acceleration in the development of aviation and, in particular, brought into existence the vast number of aircraft, pilots, engineers and airports that formed the basis of the post war development of a truly global air transportation network.

In PNG there was a further rapid increase in the use and importance of aircraft after 1945 as the influence of the administration was steadily expanded across the country, initially through the activities of Patrol Officers (kiaps). As the kiaps opened up the hitherto unexplored hinterlands of PNG, they established more and more Patrol Posts and this, in turn, was often accompanied by the construction of airfields.

Many, perhaps most, of these airstrips were constructed by the local people using hand tools. The role of the kiap was to locate a suitable site, conduct a usually rudimentary survey of the proposed strip and then cajole, bribe or coerce the local people into building it under his supervision.

Mostly, the people saw the intrinsic merit in having an airstrip that would connect them to the wider world.

These airstrips were sometimes carved out in extremely unpromising locations. They were and are found perched precariously on ridge tops or surrounded by towering mountains or at the end of valleys where, once an aircraft is committed to land, there is no chance of going around for another go.

Indeed, PNG boasts the most hair-raising collection of airstrips in the world, which regularly test the skills, nerve and luck of pilots and passengers alike.

Flying in PNG was, from the outset, not an activity for the faint hearted. The terrain abounded in what pilots facetiously call "cumulus granite" and an unwary or just plain unlucky aviator could easily fall victim to sudden changes in the tropical weather and crash into the mountains. More than a few have done so but, despite the hazards, aviation has flourished in PNG.

For the Papua New Guineans first contacted by the kiaps, their initial experience of an aeroplane (called a "balus" in Neo-Melanesian Pidgin) must have been a profound shock. Nothing could have seemed more inexplicable and magical than a metal bird from which people and goods emerged.

Aircraft and flying became a potent symbol of the knowledge, power and reach of a remote yet manifestly very real "gavman".

Thus, in some of the most rugged and remote locations on earth, it soon became a routine ritual that when the distant drone of an aircraft was heard, the cry "balus i kam" would ring out. People would gather near the airstrip to enjoy the excitement of an aircraft landing, being unloaded and then taking off once more.

Very soon, the local people began to go aboard these aircraft and take their first flight. While posted at Koroba in 1971, I saw village people dressed entirely in traditional attire, nervously climbing aboard an aircraft, clutching their bilums and wide eyed with anxiety.

As the plane accelerated to take off, the noise and speed was clearly very frightening for them. Happily, exhilaration soon replaced fear for most of them and, of course, they had a fantastic story to tell their wantoks when they returned.

Now, flying is a fairly unexceptional activity for many Papua New Guineans, with aircraft traversing the country on a daily basis. Already, many Papua New Guineans have become commercial pilots and fly with airlines throughout the world.

That said, flying still possesses a degree of symbolic power, representing modernity and high technology in a country where most people continue to live in a traditional manner.

Any future history of PNG will need to devote a substantial chapter to aviation owing to its importance in opening up the country and its continuing role in delivering people, goods and services.

For those who have never been to PNG it is very hard to conceive of just how important a role aviation has played and continues to play in its development and governance.

The excited cry of "balus i kam" will continue to ring out in remote corners of PNG for many years yet.
Boeing Co and Airbus Group SE said on Thursday they expect Indian to order up to 1740 jets over the next 20 years, as aircraft manufacturers eye one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets to offset any weaker sales elsewhere.

Boeing said falling fuel prices, increasing numbers of Indians wealthy enough to travel by air and improved airport infrastructure would boost orders.

The company expects to buy 1740 planes worth $240 billion by 2034, its senior vice president for Asia-Pacific and India sales, Dinesh Keskar, said at an event at this week's Indian Aviation airshow in the southern city of Hyderabad.

Airbus, at the same event, said it forecasts India will require more than 1,600 passenger and freighter aircraft, three-quarters of them narrow-body jets, over the next 20 years, offering $224 billion worth of business.

"India's growth can help offset the slowdown in other parts of the world," Boeing's Keskar told Reuters after the event.

Aircraft executives are looking to India to support sales after global economic uncertainty overshadowed recent aviation shows in Singapore and Dubai, raising worries about a slowdown in orders.

However, plane makers meeting in Singapore last month defied the industry's growing number of sceptics, saying an unprecedented expansion in the aerospace industry is into its eighth year, supported recently by low oil prices.

BUDGET AIRLINES

Indian budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd is in talks with Airbus and Boeing to buy about 100 planes, worth about $11 billion at list prices, but has yet to finalise the purchase.

Boeing is keen to clinch the order to keep a foothold in the low-cost Indian carrier market, while a win for Airbus would cement its position as the country's dominant supplier of narrowbody planes.

"Airbus is being very aggressive and I don't blame them. We have a relationship with SpiceJet that dates back to 2002. We have worked with them in good and bad times," said Boeing's Keskar.

InterGlobe Aviation Ltd's IndiGo finalised the purchase of 250 A320neo aircraft in August, handing Airbus its largest-ever order by number of planes. Other are also looking to grow their fleets to win more of what is expected to become the world's third-largest aviation market by 2026.

The number of Indian passengers has jumped more than 20% in the past year. India's biggest airlines including SpiceJet, Jet Airways (India) Ltd IndiGo and GoAir, largely money-losing until this year, are now profitable as the outlook for the market improves.

"We are confident about the India forecast because of economic growth, middle class growth and airlines are doing well. There is a relatively low number of aircraft compared to other emerging markets," Airbus' Head of Marketing in Asia Joost Van Der Heijden told reporters in Hyderabad.
By Neha Dasgupta and Suvashree Choudhury

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday provided relief to banks taking on debt from their state electricity providers as part of the country's massive bailout of its utilities, according to three bankers who received a letter from the central bank.

The letter said the RBI would allow banks to include the debt they hold from state electricity utilities as part of their "held-to-maturity" (HTM) bonds, even if it pushes that category above an existing ceiling of 21.5 percent, the bankers said.

HTM refers to the portion of bond requirements lenders are allowed to hold until they mature without needing to mark-to-market them to daily price movements, thus letting banks avoid having to reflect potentially big losses in the illiquid bonds.

"It's a good and positive step as it takes away the tension of marking them to market movements if we had to keep these bonds on our trading books," said one senior trader who received the letter, declining to be identified because the communication had not been made public.

The central bank did not immediately reply to an email from seeking comment.

Power Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed that the central bank has allowed lenders to hold the bonds under the HTM category.

To further assist banks, the RBI will also allow greater flexibility in selling the state utility debt by exempting the bonds from a rule that prevents lenders from selling more than 5 percent of their HTM debt once a year, the sources said.

Traders said this measure would enable banks to find buyers for large chunks of the state utility debt if they wish.

The RBI measures are intended to help the country achieve its massive bailout of state utilities under the UDAY power scheme the government announced last year, which pushes states to guarantee the debt held by regional electricity utilities.

India's state utilities are reeling under debt of 4.3 trillion rupees ($64.42 billion), after years of undercharging customers for electricity as state governments sought to win votes.

Much of this debt is owed to banks, which have lent heavily to the utilities. The scheme allows lenders to convert up to 75 percent of existing loans to these electricity providers into bonds, with states assuming the interest payments and redemptions.

($1=66.7500 Indian rupees)

(Editing by Rafael Nam and Clarence Fernandez)
By Barani Krishnan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices hit 2016 highs on Thursday, with U.S. crude surging 5 percent to pierce the $40 barrier, on optimism that major producers will strike an output freeze deal next month amid rising crude exports and gasoline demand in the United States.

A weaker dollar after a Federal Reserve policy decision on Wednesday that indicated two U.S. rate hikes this year instead of four also drew oil buyers using currencies such as the euro .

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC producers led by Russia will meet on April 17 in the Qatar capital Doha, aiming for the first global supply deal in 15 years.

"The remote possibility that a coordinated supply control effort comes from this meeting, assuming it even happens, has put market bears on the defensive," said Pete Donovan, broker with Liquidity Energy in New York.

Oil prices have surged more than 50 percent from 12-year lows since the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries floated the idea of a production freeze, boosting Brent up from around $27 a barrel and U.S. crude from around $26.

On Thursday, the front-month in U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures settled up $1.74, or 4.5 percent, at $40.20, after scaling a 2016 high of $40.26.

Brent crude's front-month finished up $1.21 at $41.54, after earlier reaching the year's peak of $41.60.

"For now, the market is staying well supported," said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix. "It will be difficult to return to the lows of the year."

WTI also hit a premium against Brent in intraday trading, the first time since January, as traders piled into the U.S. crude market on bets of an uptick in domestic oil exports.

Venezuela's state-run PDVSA bought two more cargoes of WTI this month after becoming Latin America's first importer of U.S. oil since January after an export ban was lifted.

"We're seeing increasing export activity in the U.S. Gulf, with over 2-1/2 million barrels currently loaded on tankers, ready to depart, and there's potentially more," said Matt Smith who tracks crude loadings for New York-headquartered Clipperdata.

U.S. crude has also gained traction on smaller stockpile builds of late, and surging gasoline consumption.

U.S. crude inventories last week climbed to its fifth straight week of record highs but by just 1.3 million barrels, a much smaller build than forecast, government data showed. Gasoline demand rose 6.4 percent over the past four weeks from a year ago.

(Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in LONDON; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio)
State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), India's biggest explorer, plans to enter into partnerships with overseas oilfield service providers to boost output from ageing oil and gas fields, its chairman said.

Under the terms of the tie-up being discussed, firms such as Schlumberger NV and Halliburton Co will invest capital and share technical expertise in stagnant but producing hydrocarbon fields, D.K. Sarraf told Reuters.

If the foreign partners are able to increase output, they will be paid a pre-determined fee on each additional barrel of crude oil produced, making it the first time India has adopted this kind of agreement, he said.

ONGC, which accounts for half of India's total oil and gas production, has often been criticised by investors for failing to arrest a steady decline in its output. Most of its major fields are more than 25 years old.

India imports almost 77% of its total crude oil requirement and the government is pushing to reduce crude oil and natural gas imports to between 65 and 67% in the next six years.

Global oilfield service providers are looking for orders from India as drilling and exploration contracts elsewhere in the world are fast drying up following a plunge in oil prices.

In this low crude oil regime, we have decided to take advantage of the lower cost of services to enhance our capacity," Sarraf said.

Despite a 60% fall in global crude oil prices in the past year-and-a-half, has maintained its capital spending and has spent about $4.5 billion so far in the current fiscal year to end-March to bolster production.

Besides Schlumberger and Halliburton, is in talks with Weatherford International and Baker Hughes Inc., among others, Sarraf said. Schlumberger declined to comment. Halliburton, Weatherford and Baker Hughes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Sarraf said ONGC is working to identify fields where output has come to a standstill after years of operation, but which the service providers see as offering potential.

Partnerships are being considered for assets such as the Mehsana field in the western state of Gujarat and ONGC's oldest asset in eastern Assam state, said an ONGC executive who did not wish to be named.

Sarraf declined to comment on the timeline for signing the partnerships.
By Henning Gloystein and Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE/JINAN, China (Reuters) - The sales team at Sakhalin Energy on Russia's far east still finds Singapore hot, but they're flying in more often these days.

"We come out three times a year now to visit existing clients and make new connections," said Alexander Tsarev, its general manager of crude oil marketing on a recent visit. "Personal contact is important, especially in a competitive market like this one. You have to be flexible and close to your partners."

The oil and gas producer, based on Russia's Sakhalin island, is one of a handful of far east Russian oil companies that are rapidly expanding their market share in Asia, the world's fastest growing oil market.

Exploiting its proximity to northern Asia and the collapse of the rouble against the U.S. dollar, Russia has become the fastest growing oil supplier to Asia at a time when Middle East exporters are distracted by internal strife and competition from U.S. shale producers.

"Russian crude is really attractive to us due to its fast delivery time and also cheap prices," said a spokeswoman from SK Innovation <096770.KS>, which owns South Korea's largest refiner.

China, Japan and South Korea together import more than 12 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, twice the amount bought by the United States, the world's top consumer.

Russia's exports to China have more than doubled since 2013, steadily catching up with top supplier Saudi Arabia, according to data from Thomson Oil Research & Forecasts. Both countries supplied over 4 million tonnes of crude a month, or about 1 million barrels per day (bpd), by the end of last year.

'TEAPOTS' RISE

Russia has made the most headway in China, where the 4,900 km Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean (Espo) oil pipeline, helped it beat out the Saudis to be the biggest exporter for several months last year. China also overtook Germany as Russia's biggest oil customer.

Russian exports have been boosted by the emergence of China's independent refiners, known as "teapots", which have quotas to import the equivalent of about 20 percent of China's crude imports, which have hit a record of 8 million bpd.

Russia's oil has taken market share "because of the good mix of quality and price of Russian oil," Li Xiangping, chairman of China's largest private refiner Dongming Petrochemical Group, told on the sidelines of a recent event in Shandong.

Almost all of the teapots are gathered in the coastal Shangdong province and are connected by pipelines to mid-size terminals that cannot accept the massive supertankers used by Middle Eastern exporters.

Russia, by contrast, ships its oil in smaller vessels.

NOT JUST CHINA

Russia is also targeting the trading hub of Singapore and is making gains in Japan and South Korea, although its share of shipments there still lags well behind Saudi Arabia.

Between 2013 and 2015, Russia's far eastern exports to South Korea doubled to more than 200,000 bpd, while shipments to Japan rose about 25 percent to 290,000 bpd, despite the country's falling oil demand.

While the smaller ships needed to serve east-Russia's smaller ports mean that its seaborne crude does not necessarily have a freight cost advantage over supplies from the Middle East's cost-efficient super-tankers, the shorter distance poses a huge time advantage to refiners, buyers say.

A super-tanker at average speeds of 15 knots will take over 20 days to reach South Korea from Saudi Arabia, while a journey from Russia's Pacific far east takes just two or three days.

"The short distance and faster delivery of Russian crude makes it possible to refine crude early, therefore shortening the period between time of purchase and actual delivery, when refiners are exposed to variable factors," said a trading source at a Japanese refinery.

Russia's aggressive move into Asia has led Middle East producers like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq to re-focus their sales effort on Europe.

Russia itself is now eying the next big prize in oil markets, India, where demand has just pipped supply and growth now outpaces China.

Russian oil giant Rosneft [ROSN.MM] is on a high profile visit to India this week to sign energy deals with several leading Indian refiners and firmly establish itself as a major supplier of the world's fastest growing fuel market.

(Additional reporting by Rebecca Jang in SEOUL, Vladimir Soldatkin in MOSCOW, and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by Richard Pullin)
By Masayuki Kitano

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's exports unexpectedly rose in February from a year ago, helped by a surge in shipments from the statistically volatile pharmaceuticals sector, but the broader trade outlook remains clouded by poor demand from Asian countries.

Non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 2.1 percent in February from a year earlier, trade agency International Enterprise Singapore said in a statement on Thursday.

The median forecast in a survey was a contraction of 2.6 percent. In January, exports fell by a revised 10.1 percent from a year earlier.

Jeff Ng, an economist for Standard Chartered Bank, said despite the surprise increase, the numbers are not particularly impressive given the low export base a year earlier.

"The result looks weak, given that the 3-month moving average continued to fall 5.6 percent year-on-year," he said, adding that base effects will be higher in March and pose headwinds to the year-on-year reading.

Another concern is the sluggishness in exports to emerging Asian countries, Ng said.

"Given our own house view that growth in the U.S. and Europe may actually start to slow a bit, it does provide some challenges ahead," he said.

Like much of Asia, trade-reliant Singapore's export sector has been hit hard by a collapse in demand from major trading partners, particularly China. Data from the Singapore's main port operator showed container volume at the island's ports fell 9.7 per cent in the first two months of the year compared with the same period last year.

Exports to China, Singapore's top overseas market, fell 1.2 percent in February from a year earlier, after a 25.2 percent slide in January.

The slowdown in China, a major export market for commodities and consumer products, has dealt a severe blow to economies around the world, including Asian exporting giants such as Japan and South Korea.

An ongoing shift in Singapore's economy towards higher value-added services and away from the manufacturing sector bodes ill for the outlook for non-oil domestic exports, said Vaninder Singh, an economist for RBS.

"As the transformation continues to unfold, the NODX number will continue to remain under pressure," he said.

Domestic exports of electronics rose 0.7 percent, while shipments of pharmaceuticals, which are produced in batches in quantities that can vary sharply from month to month, jumped 40.0 percent in February from a year earlier.

Singapore's electronics sector has been underperforming neighbours such as South Korea and Taiwan, due to the city-state's lack of popular high-tech products such as smartphones.

(Additional reporting by Paige Lim; Editing by Sam Holmes)
HAMBURG (Reuters) - Volkswagen aims to agree a deal with U.S. authorities that resolves as many issues related to its emissions cheating scandal as possible at once, a senior manager at the German carmaker told .

"It must be our goal to negotiate a comprehensive solution, which could also include the lion's share of expected penalties," the person, who asked not to be named because talks with U.S. authorities were confidential, said on Thursday.

Almost six months after it admitted to installing test-rigging software, Europe's largest carmaker has still to reach an agreement with U.S. regulators on how to fix almost 600,0000 affected cars.

VW also faces mounting legal action - the U.S. Justice Department sued the company in January for up to $46 billion for violating environmental laws and this week sent VW a civil subpoena under a bank fraud law.

A federal judge has set a March 24 deadline for VW to say whether it has found a fix acceptable to the authorities. The VW manager said it was unlikely that a compromise would be reached by then.

He said negotiations were focused on fixes for affected cars as well as compensation for excessive nitrogen oxide emissions. German magazine Wirtschaftswoche had reported earlier that VW could buy emissions rights for nitrogen oxide.

VW declined to comment on details of a possible deal, saying only that it was in constructive talks with U.S. regulators.

The VW manager also said that talks included a contribution to electric mobility in the United States, for instance by investing in a network of charging stations for electric cars.

The idea that VW could set up a factory for electric cars in the United States is meanwhile off the table, he said.

VW aims to fix as many of the affected cars as possible and buy back vehicles where a fix is not possible.

Chief Executive Matthias Mueller has said in January that he believed a new catalytic converter system could be fitted to most affected U.S. vehicles in a solution he believed might satisfy regulators.

"I think we can now offer a package that will come very close to what the EPA is expecting from us," he said at the time.

(Reporting by Jan Schwartz; Writing by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Alexander Ratz and Georgina Prodhan)
The BJP used its brute majority in the Lok Sabha to reject the five amendments to the Aadhaar Bill that were passed by the Rajya Sabha as part of a Congress plan to embarrass the Centre.

The Bill was hotly debated in the Upper House for hours after which it passed four amendments moved by Congress member Jairam Ramesh, who argued the legislation was not a money bill.

In a deft move last week, the government had branded the bill as a money bill and passed it in the Lower House. The benefit of labelling it as a money bill was that the Upper House, where the BJP lacks majority, could not reject the Bill and simply referred it back to the Lok Sabha for its approval.

The Centre had taken recourse to this method as the Congress had openly opposed the Bill, expressing concerns on national security and privacy related clauses. The government's push for the Bill came on the last day of the first half of the crucial budget session.

The Congress, which had brought in the system of unique identification number called Aadhaar to serve the social welfare subsidies during the previous UPA regime, was miffed that the BJP as then opposition had opposed its moves to give a statutory backing to the scheme.

Infosys founder-member Nandan Nilekani had been roped in by the Congress to plan and launch the ambitious Aadhaar project.

The Aadhaar Bill will give the government access to the world's biggest biometric database. In the Upper House, the Congress invoked article 109 of the Constitution to press a debate on the Bill and forced four amendments in the legislation. In the Lower House, the opposition party walked out in protest as the changes were rejected by voice vote.

As a former Union Minister, Ramesh had termed the Aadhaar scheme a potential game changer for the 2014 national elections, in which the Congress was wiped out.

Other than Congress, the Left parties too opposed the Bill in the upper house saying the privacy of a billion people could be compromised and data could be misused to profile and target individuals.

"You are displaying arrogance and are not willing to listen to others," CPI-M member Sitaram Yechury told Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. "Privacy is not an absolute right. The Supreme Court is considering the privacy issue. It is subject to restriction. It can be restricted by a procedure established by law," Jaitley countered Yechury.

"If you criticise me, it is your freedom of speech. If I criticise you, it is my intolerance?" Jaitley hit back at Yechury, referring to the continuing debate over intolerance. The Finance Minister assured the house that a citizen's data will only be shared with security agencies on grounds of national security and that too with a court order.

The Opposition had earlier urged the government to extend the upper house by two days to discuss the Bill but the government rejected the proposal.

On Wednesday, however, it gave four hours to discuss the issue.


Members of the Logan City Council Tuesday heard a detailed report on the State Road Corridor Study  I-15 to 1000 West. The major presentation came from Mike Pepper from HDR Engineering.

Prior to that, Utah Department of Transportations Region 1 coordinator, Rod Terry, talked about a local project.

The project is going to go from State Route 23 over to State Route 38 to add more passing lanes, said Terry. It will be under construction this summer. So there is some relief coming for those who get to travel from Cache Valley over to Box Elder County, or visa versa, to commute.

Council member Jeannie Simmonds also updated the others on the Cache Valley Transit Districts short range transit plan.
LOGAN (AP)  A retired Utah lawyer used her expertise to help victims of domestic violence before her husband killed her and then himself, a grim reminder of the unpredictability of domestic abuse and how it can affect older couples, experts said Wednesday.

Authorities found the bodies of Mary Flynn Palley, 73, and her husband, Dell Andrew Johnson, 82, after the newspaper in their town of Logan alerted police to a handwritten letter to the editor it received Friday.

Palley had been recently diagnosed with Parkinsons disease and her husband been caring for her, but she was still strong and active in the community, said her son, John Palley. The Herald-Journal said the letter mentioned her illness.

Johnson apparently shot his wife to death and then turned the gun on himself, authorities said.

Mary Palley was a smart, passionate advocate for women in the northern Utah city, her son said. She went to law school at the University of California, Los Angeles, and moved to Logan after meeting Johnson on a plane and marrying him in 1989.

They had a good relationship, I would picture them holding hands, he took care of her, John Palley said.

The dynamics of domestic violence tend to be different in older couples, University of Utah professor Sonia Salari said. Her research has found that in younger couples, a killing often comes after years of abuse, but with people over 60, the perpetrator, usually a man, is more likely to be suicidal and decide to take his partner with them.

There may be no red flags in the form of prior abuse, she said.

Even if its the first time hes ever been aggressive toward her, thats still domestic violence, she said. But its important for those who are trying to interpret what happened to not assume that there was some kind of terror behind the scenes, that it was long term.

Johnson had a few eccentricities  the former member of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints held strong opinions on the faith and thought some people had turned against him, but nothing that seemed alarming, John Palley said.

A former engineer who collected farm equipment, Johnson had talked recently about getting a gun, but that didnt seem strange given his rural upbringing, John Palley said.

Over the years, the couple had been active in local Democratic politics, hosting events for politicians at their house, said Vincent Wickwar of the Cache County Democrats.

Mary Palley also served on the board of the Logan-based Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse for 26 years, raising money and using her legal experience to help victims get protective orders or file for divorce.

She was just really a strong, passionate woman, loving and caring to everyone around her, executive director Jill Anderson said.

<hr />

An event to celebrate Palleys life and service is planned for March 22nd at the Logan Country Club. For more details, <a href=https://www.facebook.com/events/552296808280800/ target=_blank>click here</a>.
LOGAN  The Jon M. Huntsman Hall on the Utah State University campus officially opened Wednesday afternoon. In attendance at the dedication and ribbon cutting was Utah Governor Gary Herbert, USU President Stan Albrecht and Jon and Karen Huntsman, the namesake and principal donors of the new building. Elder M. Russell Ballard, an apostle of the LDS church, gave the dedicatory prayer.

This day marks an important milestone in our journey to build a top-tier business school here at Utah State University, said Douglas Anderson, dean of the School of Business.

Before the ribbon cutting, many of the donors met in the L. Tom Perry room on the fifth floor of the building where Albrecht, Anderson, Herbert and Huntsman addressed those in attendance. The American Festival Chorus performed America the Beautiful.

Its within these walls learning will transpire, Huntsman said in his address. The uneducated will be lifted and elevated by their professors to comprehend useful business tactics and strategies.

The new 125,000-square-foot, $50 million building will serve the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business and was built as an expansion to the already-existing George S. Eccles Business Building.

The design of Huntsman Hall integrates seamlessly with the George S. Eccles Business Building, Anderson said. This is a great asset to us. The integration of these two facilities makes each one a more powerful and valuable asset in itself.

About 70 percent of the costs of the building were made by private donors. In addition to the Huntsman Foundation and the State of Utah, nine private donors and organizations contributed more than $1 million each, more than 13 contribute at least $100,000 each.

This was by no means a one family or a one person job, Huntsman said. This came from the heart and soul of so many of you in this room and others. I wont name names but Karen and I share this podium with each of you.

Huntsman made it clear in his address that all the lessons learned in the new building will be meaningless unless the co-product is integrity.

Deep down we all know right from wrong, he said. Yes, the subjects taught here will be critical and helpful, but our very own drive, our unrelenting determination to succeed and our honesty will determine our legacy and in the process we cannot forget that business expression of old which states, Tough times never last, but tough people do. Our students must be men and women who compete fairly, fiercely and win without cheating.

Herbert thanked everyone involved in the effort and specifically mentioned the Huntsman familys support of education and cancer research as ways the state has been benefited.

We cant overstate the blessings the blessings Utah receives because Jon and Karen Huntsman are from Utah, he said.

In his dedicatory prayer, Ballard asked that the new building stand as a beacon and be a place where students can get an education and go forth into the nations of the earth and lead in very special ways. According to Anderson, the building that used to stand where the Huntsman Hall is now was Lund Hall, and was dedicated by Ballards grandfather, Melvin J. Ballard.
Published on March 17, 2016

The EU leaders meet (once again) to discuss how to deal with refugees' flow into the EU. Will they finally find a legally-binding agreement? Follow our live story if you don't want to miss that!
Romania: Academic publication should not reduce jail time

Published on March 17, 2016

Story by Cristina Radulescu

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The decision taken by Romanias Minister of Justice, Raluca Pruna, to repeal Law 254/2013 has been faced with a large public outcry. The law provides, among other things, shorter prison sentences to convicts who publish academic works during their time in jail. Its exploitation en masse in 2015 has cast a lot doubt about its true role in the Romanian judicial system. Opinion piece.

Romania is a country that is arguably still trying to escape the long shadow cast by the former communist regime. Over four decades of socialist rule left their mark on society and, most problematically, on our culture.

While Millennials are striving to prove that Romanians have the potential to accomplish far more than their current capabilities (creatively, academically and industrially), the older generation is still holding the reins in the country  the path that the nation will take lies firmly in their hands.

Nevertheless, there is only so much that people are willing to stand back and take. Against the backdrop of a series of unfortunate events, taking place in autumn 2015, we witnessed a paradigm shift in the behaviour of the Romanian government.

In October last year, an awful fire broke out in a Bucharest nightclub. Thirty people were burnt alive and another thirty succumbed to their extensive injuries before New Year's Eve. There are no words to describe the pain felt by families who lost their loved ones, or by those who witnessed the horror themselves.

The only good thing to result from this insurmountable loss was Romanians desire to hold the government accountable for it. Surprisingly for many, the ensuing popular movement led to the fall of the government and its replacement with new representatives who seem a lot more in tune with the needs of the many, as opposed to those of the powerful few.

Publishing behind bars

A good example of one of these changes is the repeal of Law 254/2013  and it's predecessor Law 275/2006  an issue that took centre stage in the countries political scene just a few weeks ago. The original legislation offered an amnesty to prisoners at a ratio of three days reduction in sentences for every two days spent working on a published academic work.

The amendments to the law in 2013 now means that, in it's current form, it roughly stipulates that convicts will receive a 30 day sentence reduction per published academic work  regardless of the quality or length of the publication. These rules exist alongside various other methods of reducing one's sentence through approved volunteer work, paid work or schooling.

On the one hand, this may appear to be a sound rule, in line with the right to freedom of speech as found in the European Convention of Human Rights. On the other hand, it in practise functions more like a loophole that enables those without an academic background to be taken for real intellectuals, despite the fact that their contribution to said works has actually been next to nothing.

The number of published works by prisoners has witnessed a bewildering increase since the amendment to the law: from 90 in 2014 to 340 in 2015. Sadly, this growth isnt so much due to the government's investment in the rehabilitation of convicts, but more to the financial power some detainees maintain whilst behind bars.

Nevertheless, it wouldnt be fair to generalise. Some of those involved, although certainly guilty of white-collar crimes, have an extensive intellectual background that justifies them publishing academic works during their imprisonment.

For example, Romanias former Prime Minister, Adrian Nastase  who was found guilty of fraud and embezzlement  managed to publish three academic works while in prison. This hardly came as a surprise, since he had been a prominent political intellectual, as well as a former law lecturer at the University of Law in Bucharest.

However, those indirectly responsible for the need to repeal an otherwise solid piece of legislation are those very financial criminals who aren't exactly known for their intellectual ability. From loan sharks to members of Romanian crime families, they have nevertheless all somehow managed to churn out volumes upon volumes of scientific work, which served as their get-out-of-jail-free cards. Ultimately this allowed them to return to their unsavoury dealings in the outside world.

Recent evidence has shown that the true authors were "bought" by the prisoners for hefty sums  and hefty threats of what could happen should they disobey.

Can justice be served?

In this authors view, the obscenity of the situation doesnt so much lie in the obvious copyright infringement, but the blatant moral disregard for another persons creative rights. By so easily being able to "purchase" this window of opportunity, such convicts illustrate the aforementioned phenomenon of putting the needs of the rich and powerful (and immoral) above the needs of those who carry less financial weight and influence. They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, but the purse is apparently stronger still.

Repealing (or at least amending) Law 254/2013 would not be an infringement of basic human rights (as some domestic media outlets want us to believe), but a way in which the new government can put things in order and claim that justice has been served in favour of those who need it most.

Its inadmissible that an entire population be left at the mercy of playground thugs, as the aim of the law should always be to punish and deter.

Story by Cristina Radulescu
Why is Trump coming to Robstown? Here's what political experts think.

Trump will appear at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds on Saturday to "advance the MAGA agenda," according to his Save America PAC.
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES The Munchie's Grub Bus sits at J.P. Luby Park during spring break on Wednesday.

SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Glen Kiely grills papers and onions in side the Munchie's Grub Bus parked at J.P. Luby Park during spring break on Wednesday. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES The Munchie's Grub Bus parked at J.P. Luby Park during spring break on Wednesday. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Beatrix Romona takes an order for chicken tacos in the Munchie's Grub Bus parked at J.P. Luby Park during spring break on Wednesday. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Glen Kiely makes chicken quesadillas in the Munchie's Grub Bus parked at J.P. Luby Park during spring break on Wednesday.

By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times

Technically it's not a magic school bus though some might disagree.

Munchie's Grub Bus can't even be called a food truck because it's bigger.

The bus, which opened about two weeks ago, has been parked at J.P. Luby Park feeding tacos, sandwiches and random chef creations for beachgoers during spring break.

The idea for the bus was born after Corpus Christi native Hank Harrison, 26, Jeremy Wells, 32, of Virginia and Xavier Ramos, 33, of Tampa, Florida saw the need to feed the hungry with local food made by locals.

Harrison said growing up in Corpus Christi helped him know exactly where the crowds are during spring break.

"Everything is local. From the food that is all from South Texas to the spray paint on the bus that has the Corpus Christi skyline. We want to keep it all local," Harrison said. "And we knew spring break would be the perfect opportunity for us to start."

The trio of entrepreneurs met at Christopher Newport University in Virginia and Wells and Ramos moved to Corpus Christi to help bring the project to life.

"I took a blind move. I had never been to Texas before and I gave my family a two weeks notice and I said 'I'm moving to Corpus,'" Ramos said. "We know Corpus Christi has a lot of potential. It has room to grow and it's just the right market for us."

A few of the items the bus offers include chicken, pork or steak street tacos, and Cuban style sandwiches; and a Philly Mac, which is the bus's version of a Philly Cheese steak sandwich topped with homemade mac n' cheese.

Harrison said although the bus has been parked at the beach for spring break, they plan to travel around Corpus Christi and visit the downtown area.

"We were outside of Rebel Toad Brewing Company a few days ago. We were out at the St. Patrick's Day Festival and we will be outside Cassidy's Irish Pub Thursday night," Harrison said.

Skyler Stults, 22, of Lubbock, was hanging out with his dog at the beach Wednesday when he noticed the big blue bus parked near his car.

He tried the chicken street tacos with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.

"I had just woken up from a nap when I saw it," Stults said. "The tacos were pretty good. This is such a cool concept because when you're trying to get out of here and maybe drunk, you're starving. It's convenient."

The trio said this is the first of several projects they plan to produce locally.

"This city is really on the verge of just popping," Harrison said. "And that drive and enthusiasm to want to make things happen here is contagious."

Twitter: @CallerNatalia

If you go

What: Munchie's Grub Bus

When: 8 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday

Where: Outside of Cassidy's Irish Pub, 601 N. Water St.

Information: http://www.munchiesbus.com/ and to find more locations visit https://www.facebook.com/munchiesgrubbus/
GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Police officers from Port Aransas Police Department and other area agencies watch for illegal activity as beach goers dance and drink during spring break Tuesday.

By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

PORT ARANSAS  A call from dispatch comes across the mobile radio: "Man in a long-sleeve shirt. Pole 25. Last seen waving a gun next to a jacked-up red Jeep in a gray or white Honda Civic."

When Port Aransas Police Chief Scott Burroughs arrived, a man in a blue long-sleeved shirt stepped back into a silver Honda Accord. On a speaker, Burroughs advised him to get out of the vehicle, which he did, but he never stopped talking.

A minute later, Port Aransas Police Sgt. Mike Hannon had the man in handcuffs, facedown in the sand while three officers searched the vehicle. The 22-year-old man who called 911 stood with friends to the side, while the suspect's friends paced nervously.

They didn't find a gun, but Burroughs said brass knuckles, bottles of pills, drug paraphernalia and a bullet were discovered. The vehicle was impounded and Kendal Thomas was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance. He is at Nueces County Jail with bail set at $4,500.

This is Burroughs' eighth spring break on the Coastal Bend. After retiring from the Travis County Sheriff's Office and working in Austin for 26 years, he wanted something different while staying active in law enforcement.

"Port Aransas is such a unique place to police because the population changes so much," Burroughs said. "In the winter time, we almost trip over each other. But in the summer, we could double our forces and not have enough people."

This year, there are 17 Port Aransas officers assigned to five 12-hour shifts. However, officers from area agencies such as Port Lavaca, Victoria, Ingleside, Aransas Pass, and more are hired to assist the small department with large, and often raucous, beach crowds. Most units have at least two officers, one local and one out-of-towner.

The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission also have troopers and agents patrolling. The city of Port Aransas emergency medical services routinely transports passed-out partyers to area medical facilities, which have a tendency to fill up quickly.

But it comes with the job.

"You treat it like you're preparing for a hurricane. The locals who own businesses love spring break because it's a big revenue generator for the city," Burroughs said. "It's part of the Port A experience. It's like living in New Orleans and complaining about Mardi Gras. This is a part of who we are."

Retired Chicago police officer Laura Lee Degenhardt has been waiting a while for a ride-along with the local officers. She moved to the beach town three years ago.

"You assume people will operate under the law, but it quickly becomes a mob mentality," Degenhardt said, adding she only saw similar situations in Chicago around Wrigley Field after a White Sox game.

Each year, a perimeter is made by parked vehicles somewhere along the south side of the beach. This year, it has been between Poles 25-30.

Loud music, students from different universities and high schools and even a parent here-and-there makes this all-day party the location of fights, public intoxication and brushes with alcohol poisoning.

"We make our presence known. We walk through and let them know we're here," Burroughs said as he walked into the den of wall-to-wall spring breakers just as a fight broke out between an underage teenage girl and a young woman.

Both were put in handcuffs and taken to the station's holding cell to be processed. Since one was a minor and a Port Aransas resident, her parents were waiting for her at the station, he said. She was cited for consuming alcohol, and the woman was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct.

"She gave the transporting officers a lot of trouble. But they just sleep it off in the holding cell and see a judge in the morning," Burroughs said.

As for the newly changed ordinance targeting spring break drinking on beaches after 6 p.m., Hannon said they haven't had any arrests yet. However, there have been after-6 p.m. drinking arrests for minors-in-possession or -consumption and public intoxication.

"We go around warning them throughout the day that starting at 6 p.m., there's no alcohol on the beach," Hannon said. "Our night guys say they have not seen people actively drinking on the beach much. Though not violating the ordinance, we have arrested some for other alcohol charges."

No officers feel an anti-police sentiment while patrolling the beach. Often, they're given high-fives and screams of "I love cops!" from passers-by.

"As long as there have been phones around, they've been recording us. We also have a lot of body cameras and dash cameras, so we're used to it," he said. "The Port Aransas community is very supportive of us. The Friday before spring break, the community comes together for a prayer meeting for all of us."

Twitter: @Caller_Jules
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SHARE Chris Manyeki, Liza Saldana and Sandra Mayorga $ID/[No paragraph style]:photos by Courtney sacco/caller-times Jacqueline Bolden, Ashleigh Bolden and Carrie Bolden

The Mary Grett School hosted a Spring Fling and carnival for students, alumni and their families March 10 at the school in celebration of Texas Public Schools Week. Potential students and their families also were invited to attend.

Participants enjoyed a dance, a cake walk, games and food.

Proceeds from the event benefited school programs.
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By Matt Woolbright of the Caller-Times

The Texas General Land Office has agreed to a deal with a company to explore building a seawater desalination plant in the San Patricio-Nueces County region.

A memorandum of understanding has been reached with the Seven Seas Water Corp. to develop a plan for building a seawater desalination plant, state Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, told the Caller-Times.

The plant would sell water exclusively to industrial customers, and the output is expected to be between 10 million and 20 million gallons of freshwater daily, according to Seven Seas Water CEO Doug Brown. Seven Seas Water would be the operator and majority owner of the facility.

"Corpus Christi has a need for water  the municipal system is stressed and the residents feel that," Brown said. "Our focus will be on industrial customers, which will relieve stress on the residential customers' system."

Specifics of the agreement were not released Tuesday, but Hunter said the establishment of an agreement shows where the state and market are looking to build the industry.

"The great thing about this is you have a MOU with the State of Texas and a competent, experienced water desalination group who are looking at our region to start and expand ocean desalination," Hunter said. "It's a huge boost for our area, and it's a huge boost for us nationally."

A representative from the General Land Office said the agency will be seeking stakeholder input on the concept in the coming weeks and months.

"The Coastal Bend's growing industry has a growing need for water," said Jim Suydam, press secretary for the office. "Commissioner (George P.) Bush is interested in exploring how that need can best be met in the decades ahead, and is eager to hear what people think of the idea of using desalination to accomplish this."

If constructed, the plant would be the first of its kind in Texas that purifies seawater and sells it to multiple customers, Brown said.

"This would allow Corpus Christi to invite new industrial development into the area, which they can't right now because they can't guarantee water supplies," he said.

He added no water purchase contracts have been signed yet, but there have been discussions with potential customers in the area. Purchase contracts typically aren't signed before almost all the permitting is complete, he explained, and that could take about a year.

San Patricio County Judge Terry Simpson said the project will likely spur substantial growth in the region  particularly industrial growth.

"Anything like that boosts the area in the fact we'll have a more stable water supply, and that's what industry is looking for  a place where they know they can get water," he said.

The project, which is expected to cost between $100 million and $150 million, would be completely privately financed  a fact Nueces County Commissioner Mike Pusley said could lead to much faster development and construction than if the government was footing part of the bill.

"(Seven Seas Water has) done numerous desal plants around the world, and they have been very successful about it," said Pusley, who has worked on efforts to bring a seawater desalination plant come to the Corpus Christi region for years. "And they've got all the pieces of the puzzle to make it work, namely they can finance their own project which multiple other companies that came to us about this couldn't do.

"The fact you have a company with the funding to get this project off the ground on (its) own is a major step forward," he added.

Pusley called the project "integral" to the region's ability to continue growing in the next decade  a sentiment echoed by several regional leaders  and said he believes it will happen. Soon.

"It's never going to rain enough in Texas for us to depend on water reservoirs so our only option is to go with desal," Pusley said. "All the moons are lined up in the right direction for this to move forward to completion in the next couple of years."

Twitter: @reportermatt
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Janey Davy Cone

NAS-CC anniversary brings back memories

Reading the Caller-Times articles about Naval Air Station Corpus Christi brought back memories of stories that my mother told.

Her name was Clara Davy, and she volunteered at NAS during World War II. Her first job out there was to teach young men to drive. Once they learned to drive, then she taught them to drive heavy equipment. She also drove the ambulance, and delivered wounded military to their families living in the area. When the Navy found out that her grandfather was Patrick Dunn, and she had spent a lot of her life on Padre Island, they had her lead teams through the dunes at night to watch for German submarines. She loved being able to help her country.
The business is understood to be worth around US$40 million and was previously handled by Hakuhodo. The appointment of UM followed a pitch that also involved the incumbent and Dentsu.

According to a source, H&M also recently appointed the agency for planning and buying duties in Japan, worth around $12 million. That pitch reportedly involved Dentsu, the incumbent, ADK, Hakuhodo, and TBWA Hakuhodo.

Representatives from UM were unable to confirm, deny or comment on the developments.

Campaign understands that demand for data and analytics services played a role in both appointments. UM offers a proprietary Business Analytics Engine to monitor performance and assist in the media-planning process.
| BY Ricki Green |

Atomic 212 is at the forefront of developments in workplace structure, productivity and flexibility. The media and advertising agency has spearheaded a multi-faceted approach that will see the business position itself as the workplace of the future.

Says Jason Dooris, CEO, Atomic 212: We are gradually implementing dozens of small changes across the business, experimenting with unique ways of working in order to create a flexible work environment and hopefully foster creativity.

This isnt about having all the answers, its about adopting a test and learn mindset. Just because people have been working a certain way for years, it doesnt mean its the best way to work, or the most productive or efficient.

Phase one of the agencys productivity plan was the Talk First Initiative, which the business rolled out in late 2015. This saw the agency ban internal emails, in a bid encourage staff to talk to each other rather than firing off emails constantly. The initiative was aimed at improving work-life balance and to stop staff members assigning tasks on weekends and outside of work hours.

Says Dooris: We implemented the Talk First initiative in order to stop professional discourtesy, where staff would simply allocate tasks without actually talking to the people around them.

The second phase of the plan has been implemented in recent weeks. Phase two was coined the Fresh Air Project. This revolves around flexible working environments. For example, Atomic 212 employees are encouraged to take lightweight tables and chairs onto the Atomic 212 wharf in Walsh Bay in order to generate creativity and bolster productivity.

Says Dooris: A change in environment can have a huge impact on creativity. We work in such a beautiful part of Sydney that is seems ludicrous to be couped up in the office, especially when we are supposed to be generating creative ideas.

The agency is bringing the notion of a flexible work environment to life through a number of small changes to the office  these include standing desks, remote office strategies and hot-desking. The most senior staff in the business frequently relocate their work spaces within the office, in order to give junior staff access to the most experienced people in the business.

The agency also began introducing the Double Robotics telepresence robot in its offices to allow for a mobile, remote office experience. The Double device is a portable screen with video and audio capabilities, which can be controlled and manoeuvred remotely. This allows staff members to attend meetings and workshops from their home, or from different Atomic 212 offices around Australia and New Zealand.

The third phase of the plan relates to flexible work hours.

Says Dooris: We havent developed a fancy name for this phase yet.

The agency has been a major supporter of flexible work hours since its inception.

There is a major issue in our industry with mothers returning to work  we have put flexible structures in place to encourage women to come back to work after having children, in an environment where they dont have to feel guilty for leaving the office to spend time with their families. We have staff who leave the office a couple of times a week to go to university. We have staff who prefer to work from home on some days. Weve always been very flexible.

However, the third part of Atomic 212s workplace rollout will see this approach solidified in the agencys business plan and performance indicators.

Says Dooris: Well be ramping this up significantly in the coming months.

Many of these changes were inspired during Dooris frequent business trips to Japan. The flexible workplace model in Japan is very impressive. We certainly dont want to replicate everything, but the flexibility strategies I saw were a real eye opener.

D ooris (left) was careful to point out that these workplace changes have not been designed to upend the entire office.

Banning internal email definitely took some adjustment, but the other changes have been incremental. Its about creating a flexible work environment which caters for different people.

Some people prefer the standing desks, other people like to sit. Some people have taken to working outside with gusto, whereas others are comfortable at their desks in the office. Some people like to take a couple of hours off in the middle of the day to do their chores or exercise, others prefer more traditional hours. We dont want to be encouraging people to work ridiculous hours, but if someone is a night owl and does their best work at midnight, we want to allow them to work when they feel most productive. We want to cater to everyones preferences.
| BY Ricki Green |

Filmgraphics is set to turn the comedy world green with envy after announcing the arrival of Irish directors John OHagan (left) and Lorcan Finnegan (right).

Joining the ranks of Sydneys most established production company, both directors have roots in comedy, hail from Dublin, and have been behind award winning work for global clients including the likes of Mercedes, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Budweiser, Heineken, Renault and Lucozade.

After completing a BA in graphic design in Dublin, Finnegan moved to London to work for Charlie Brookers comedy production company Zeppotron as a motion designer, editor and later as a director. In 2004, he moved back to Dublin to set up his own studio under the name Lovely Productions.

Since then, Finnegan has written and directed several short films, TV commercials and music videos and his latest short film for the Irish Film Board, Foxes, premiered at the SXSW and won an IFTA for Best Short Film as well as screening at Tribeca and many international festivals. He has finished post on Without Name his first feature film and is currently collaborating with writer Garret Shanley on sci-fi feature Vivarium with Film4 and the IFB.

OHagan was also raised in Dublin before attending Brown University and New York University. His first short film, Five Spot Jewel, won several best short film festivals and his first feature-length documentary, Wonderland, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to win several Best Documentary awards. He began directing commercials through Hungry Man New York. His debut, Arctic Ground Squirrel for Dial-A-Mattress, earned him a Cannes Gold Lion and a Gold CLIO. A visual-comedy director, he is well known for his award-winning Super Bowl commercial Cat Herders for EDS. His work is well known for both humour and strong visual storytelling.

Says Anna Fawcett, executive producer, Filmgraphics: We are truly delighted to bolster our ranks with the likes of these talented directors whose repertoire of international achievements is sure to impress. May the road rise to meet all who welcome them to Australian shores.
| BY Ricki Green |

CB Exclusive  Pfizer has launched a Quit Smoking campaign via WiTH Collective, for its prescription-only brand this week, reminding smokers how hard it is to quit on your own.

Says Russel Hind, senior brand manager, Pfizer: Working alongside WiTH Collective, we quickly identified that most smokers have had a few goes at quitting. One of the main reasons for failure can be that theyve tried to do it by themselves. Our insight is that quitting smoking is actually a two-person job. And your doctor is key  youre four times more likely to quit smoking with the help of your doctor or another healthcare professional.

Says Justin Hind, CEO of data-driven creative agency WiTH Collective: This is a tough audience to reach, especially in social, as they are generally unreceptive to traditional quit-smoking messages. We needed to talk to smokers in a way that didnt draw on their previous failure, something they hate being reminded of. We also wanted to encourage them to talk to their doctor, something they were reluctant to do. By presenting the notion of quitting being a two-person job, we found that smokers were more accepting of their previous lack of success. So the campaign set out to demonstrate that it was entirely reasonable to expect one person to fail at a job that is naturally designed for two. And then, that doctors are the best people to approach about quitting.

Says Steve Coll, CCO, WiTH Collective: We teamed up with Alex Roberts at Finch Productions to surprise actors in a series of genuine auditions. Each actor was approached by their agent to audition for a particular role. But when they turned up to audition for the part, they were instead asked to perform the roles of two characters in the same scene at the same time, with a fairly unrelenting talent director putting them through their paces. We choose Romeo and Juliet, Moby Dick and The 3 Little pigs as audition pieces to prove to our audience that, like quitting smoking, some jobs are too hard to do alone.

Says Hind: The category needed a real shake-up, so we were keen to explore social activation with WiTH Collective. They delivered the message of its harder to quit on your own, and executed it in a way that is both entertaining and shareable, something that non-smokers can feel comfortable sharing with their smoking friends. The activity prompts smokers to find out more at helptoquit.com.au.

The campaign has gone live today, via Facebook, Youtube, Outbrain, Catch-up TV and owned media.

Client: Pfizer

Senior Brand Manger: Russell Hind

Brand Manager: Jessica Middleton

Agency: WiTH Collective

CEO: Justin Hind

Chief Creative Officer: Steve Coll

Copywriters, Hamish Greive, Matt Johnson

Art Director: Brett Welsh

Account Manager: Phil Campbell

Account Director: Petra Smith

Senior Account Director: Josh Sanford

Agency Producer: Meredyth Judd

Production Company: Finch Productions

Director: Alex Roberts

Production: Amy Dymond

Sound: Nylon Studios

Post Production: White Chocolate
| BY Ricki Green |

Rocky Mountaineer, a world leader in luxury rail travel, has launched its new integrated brand marketing campaign, All Aboard Amazing in Australia and New Zealand via DDB Canada.

The campaign features animation style creative paired with live action photography to depict the awe inspiring journey guests experience when travelling through the majestic Canadian Rockies aboard Rocky Mountaineer.

The brand, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, embarked on the new campaign as a way to capture the magic and wonder that guests experience onboard Rocky Mountaineer while enriching connections with nature and their travel companions.

DDB Canada Vancouver, used a combination of practical models and computer graphic renderings to create the new campaign and illustrate the scale and uniqueness of the luxury rail line against the superlative beauty of Canadian Rockies Giants.

Says Monique Gomel, vice president of global marketing and communications, Rocky Mountaineer: We offer a genuine and iconic Canadian experience for all of our guests and it was time to create a campaign that could bring the experience to life in a unique and ownable way. To do this, we needed to go beyond traditional advertising norms and methods to communicate our message. Our goal was to recreate the feeling of wonder that guests experience while aboard Rocky Mountaineer, and I think weve achieved that with this new and vibrant creative.

While the new TV spot first debuted mid-January, the brand is officially announcing the new campaign this month in an effort to deliver a more emotive and inspiring experience for would-be travellers. The campaign features a number of integrated elements including TV, print, online and direct marketing that will roll out across the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand in 2016.
Group A Strep can knock a person down for a few days, with symptoms that include a sore throat, scarlet fever or a skin infection.

But the worst cases can put people in the hospital. A wound infected with strep bacteria that is left untreated can evolve into a case of flesh-eating bacteria that can result in loss of limbs or death.

Responding to what appeared to be an increase in severe cases of invasive Group A Strep, the Coconino County Public Health Service District has joined in a new research effort and started an outreach campaign to tackle the illness locally.

One prong of the work involves partnering with the Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen, in Flagstaff as well as Flagstaff Medical Center to better study the genetic makeup of the Streptococcus bacteria present in local strep cases. The research, which began in 2015, looked at local cases and compared those bacteria isolates with samples collected from around the state and the nation.

For its part, the hospital boosted its efforts to keep an eye out for and test possible strep cases. Many of those positive tests were sent to TGen for analysis.

The DNA sequence analysis, conducted from January through July of last year, determined that several cases had identical strains of Group A Strep and determined that an outbreak was spreading in northern Arizona.

Data kept by the health district would seem to reflect that conclusion, with the number of cases in Coconino County rising from three in 2010 to seven in 2014 to 18 in 2015. Its unclear, however, whether the increase in cases last year was due to increased monitoring and reporting connected to the strep study or an actual increase in invasive strep infections, said Mare Schumacher, epidemiologist with the public health services district.

Regardless, the increase prompted the health department to take a closer look at the strep bacterium and plan outreach efforts to reduce the spread of the illness, she said. So far, the department has focused its efforts at the Flagstaff jail and local homeless shelters, including Sunshine Rescue Mission, Hope Cottage and Flagstaff Shelter Services, because doctors notes and other records showed that several of the infected patients had gone to homeless shelters or were homeless, Schumacher said.

She emphasized that doesnt mean an outbreak started in the shelter or that it was the shelters fault.

There were people we know for sure arent homeless who got the same kind (of strep), she said.

Schumacher also noted that someone who has easy access to health care may go to the doctor for a strep infection and be sent home with antibiotics without being tested and without the illness becoming severe. Someone who is homeless or doesnt have access to health care may be more likely to wait until a strep infection becomes bad enough to put them in the hospital, skewing the data toward those people, she said.

Health department staff have made four presentations so far and are conducting follow up visits at the locations, she said.

The goal is to spread awareness about the infection among shelter clients and staff, encourage handwashing, discouraging the sharing of personal hygiene items and emphasizing the need to seek care for wounds that may be infected with the strep bacteria, Schumacher said.

Because Group A Strep is a bacterial infection passed by person-to-person contact, the jail and homeless shelters also made sense to target because they are places where people have close contact, a county summary said.

Another piece of the story is Edwin Rodriguez, an epidemiology associate at the health department, whose position is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rodriguez and another public health associate joined the health department in October, and that has allowed the county to pursue several projects it has been wanting to do but unable due to staffing constraints, Schumacher said. One of those projects was related to strep.

Its the first time the Coconino County health department has had those employees, she said.

TGEN LENDS RESEARCH POWER

TGens work focused on analyzing the genomic sequence of several isolates of invasive Group A Streptococcus bacteria present in northern Arizona patients. An analysis of more than 100 cases in northern Arizona and around the state found that a hypervirulent strain of the strep bacterium was present in many of the northern Arizona cases. That particular strain was also the known cause of a nationwide outbreak of invasive Group A Strep in Canada in 2006 between 2009. The research was able to conclude that the cases in Canada and the recent outbreak in Arizona are genomically linked, with the strain only emerging in Arizona within the last few years, Dave Engelthaler, director of programs and operations at TGen North in Flagstaff, wrote in an email.

The research institute published a paper on its strep research in the latest issue of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Emerging Infectious Disease.

TGen is now working with the Coconino County Public Health Services District and the Arizona Department of Health Services to continue the epidemiological investigations.

The institutes research also aims to help mitigate effects and limit or prevent further spread to at-risk populations, Engelthaler wrote.
What has Gov. Abbott done about the six mass shootings on his watch?
President Barack Obamas nomination of federal appeals court Judge Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court led some pundits to declare that Republicans would be hard-pressed to oppose him. After all, Garland is seen as a moderate and exceptionally sharp, and his near 20-year tenure on the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit provided particularly good training for the work hed see on the high court.

As my colleagues David Savage and Del Quentin Wilber put it, Garland can claim to be the American jurist most qualified to move up to the Supreme Court.

But as Republicans and conservative groups made abundantly clear within minutes of the announcement, the issue isnt who got nominated. Its who did the nominating.

Nominee Makes No Difference, as the Concerned Women for America put it succinctly in the headline of its news release Wednesday morning. This nomination will upset the balance of the Supreme Court to the radical left for many decades. Such a seismic shift in the highest court of the land must be presented to the people, said Penny Nance, the groups president.

If Republicans allow Garland to be confirmed, their core constituencies are likely to feel betrayed regardless of how reasonable and non-ideological the judge may be.

Granted, when youre standing where Nance is standing, anyone to the left of John Kasich looks radical. But the polarization around this issue could put Republican senators in a no-win position.

The seat is open because one of the most conservative jurists on the bench, Antonin Scalia, died unexpectedly last month. That leaves the court equally split between conservatives named by Republican presidents and liberals named by Democratic ones. The fear is that anyone Obama names will be more likely to side with the liberals on such issues as abortion and governmental power.

Thats an entirely reasonable assumption, even though jurists have been known to shift right or left after rising to the bench (see, for example, Anthony M. Kennedy on gay rights). Ever since Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork, a well-qualified but divisive conservative jurist, lawmakers and their constituents have come to see nominees almost as instruments of partisan policymaking. That view has been reinforced by confirmation hearings that focus on ideological issues (e.g., abortion) and caricatures of judicial philosophies (e.g., is the judge an activist?), rather than exploring a nominees experience, breadth of legal knowledge and decision-making style.

So if Republicans allow Garland to be confirmed, their core constituencies are likely to feel betrayed regardless of what anyone says about how reasonable and non-ideological the judge may be. And with control of the Senate hanging in the balance, and Republicans having more incumbents facing reelection than Democrats do, the last thing the Senate GOP can afford to do is to discourage its political base.

That will be even more true if both parties tickets are led by baggage-laden presidential nominees, as appears all but guaranteed. Republican conservatives and Democratic liberals may all be tempted to stay home in November rather than vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, who were not their choices.

Yet theres a risk on the other side too, which is why this appears to be a no-win situation for the GOP. If Garland winds up looking like a stellar jurist and an eminently reasonable choice, voters in the political center  yes, they exist  could see the Senate GOP as stubbornly obstructionist. Thats certainly the picture Democrats will be painting. And unless conservatives find a way to alter that picture, the refusal to act on Garland could spell trouble for swing-state Republicans up for reelection, whose fate will determine which party controls the Senate in 2017.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wasted little time announcing that Garland wouldnt even get a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. As a consequence, Republicans will have to rely on the media to make the case that Garland isnt the decent, modest, even-handed and excellent judge that Obama says (and will continue to say on a near daily basis) he is.

Of course, the politics are completely scrambled this year. Trump has benefited most among Republicans from voter anger at Washingtons dysfunction, and hes on the record as opposing Senate action on Garland.

It cant be fun to be Garland in this situation, knowing that youre going to become a target even though theres zero chance your nomination will get a vote before the election. At least he can hold onto the hope that a Democrat will win the presidency in November, at which point Republicans may rush to confirm him before the next president nominates someone who really is radical.
Today is Thursday, March 17, the 77th day of 2016. There are 289 days left in the year. This is St. Patricks Day.

Todays Highlight in History:

On March 17, 1966, a U.S. Navy midget submarine located a missing hydrogen bomb which had fallen from a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber into the Mediterranean off Spain. (It took several more weeks to actually recover the bomb.)

On this date:

In 1776, the Revolutionary War Siege of Boston ended as British forces evacuated the city.

In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed the first king of a united Italy.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt first likened crusading journalists to a man with the muckrake in his hand in a speech to the Gridiron Club in Washington.

In 1912, the Camp Fire Girls organization was incorporated in Washington, D.C., two years to the day after it was founded in Thetford, Vermont. (The group is now known as Camp Fire USA.)

In 1936, Pittsburghs Great St. Patricks Day Flood began as the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, swollen by rain and melted snow, started exceeding flood stage; the high water was blamed for more than 60 deaths.

In 1941, the National Gallery of Art opened in Washington, D.C.

In 1956, comedian Fred Allen, 61, died in New York.

In 1969, Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel.

In 1970, the United States cast its first veto in the U.N. Security Council. (The U.S. killed a resolution that would have condemned Britain for failure to use force to overthrow the white-ruled government of Rhodesia.)
It is alleged that Mr Klobucar, who was said to be struggling with delusions, formed the belief that Mr Gajic was a paedophile two days earlier, when he went with his uncle went to buy cannabis from the deceased.
Were not sure which is worse for kids: too many tests that take away from class time or only a few, high-stress tests that wind up not meaning much because parents opt their children out of them.

Somewhere in there must be a happy medium. So far, Arizonas meddling legislators havent found it and could be making things worse. The ideal is a testing regimen that helps each student assess his or her progress while also providing meaningful group data so that a curriculum or teaching method can be improved.

The first part speaks to creating tests that are related in a meaningful way to what teachers are attempting to teach. The new Common Core has thrown over rote memorization for problem-solving and critical thinking about texts that challenge students to see issues from multiple perspectives. The tests are also delivered to students online in interactive formats.

As such, the tests are new in both content and format, and it should be expected that it will take several school years for students and teachers to adjust. Other states that are early Common Core adapters have found just that and have adjusted passing scores accordingly.

Parents who complain that lower scores indicate the tests are too difficult are premature. We understand their concern that children are disappointed and at risk for lower self-esteem. But kids are also adaptable and resilient  scores will improve with time and so will their attitudes toward them.

Lawmakers who use such complaints to attempt to pull the plug on mandatory tests have no such excuse. The accountability movement in public education by definition must have a way to measure the effectiveness of what is being taught. Parents who enroll their children in a public school have, in effect, signed a contract to participate in an institution that depends on cooperative learning and assessment. They dont have the right to unilaterally breach it by opting out.

That said, we do feel parents should have more access to their childrens test answers, not just their scores. We know this might compromise the effectiveness of the test questions for the next years test takers. But there ought to be a way for parents and students to address specifically how they can improve, and in a timely fashion  preferably over the summer, not the next fall when students have moved up to a new grade and new subjects.

Arizona lawmakers have turned back the opt-out movement while still watering down the effectiveness of the standardized AZMerit test, which is used for the Common Core curriculum. Theyve done this by promoting the idea that schools can choose alternative tests as long as they measure the basic standards in Common Core. One lawmaker even mentioned the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which is used for college admissions.

But as we said above, the Common Core is as much about a new way of teaching and learning about a subject as it is mastering it  say, the chemical table or the causes of the American Civil War. It would not only be hard to duplicate a Common Core-based test, but even if it could be, why bother? Educators from across the country have developed the curriculum as a way to put U.S. students on an equal footing with their global peers, and it has worked in Massachusetts, where test scores are world-class. That state also uses the same, standardized test as a way to assure a big enough data base so that students in different socioeconomic groups get the extra or different resources they need to succeed. Were Arizona to go to a school choice option for testing, no such database would be available on a statewide level, which is where the curriculum is being set.

Some want to make the school testing debate as one about parental rights and choosing whats best for their children. That horse left the barn long ago when schooling was made mandatory and elected school boards were empowered to use public resources to hire professionals and advance the educational prospects of a communitys children. The advantages to the community of annual, standardized testing far outweigh any perceived threat to the overall control that parents have in the upbringing of their children. The goal now is to improve the tests and how the results are used, not undermine them so that they are a waste of students and teachers time.
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Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

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Many students of CBSE Class 12 complained about the the Mathematics paper being lengthy and tricky and have demanded leniency in evaluation. The Central Board of Secondary Education has set up a committee of subject experts to review and look in to the matter.

The CBSE boards posted a circular on its website saying that, "The feedback received from various stakeholders including students, subject teachers, examiners will be placed before the committee of subject experts and the board will take remedial measures before evaluation."

HRD Minister Smriti Irani, has also taken a social platform to promote the initiative taken by the CBSE in setting up a expert committee for review.

The CBSE Class 12 Mathematics Paper was held on March 14, 2016. The tough, tricky and lengthy paper has received a lot of criticism from students, teachers and parents too. Also, there were allegations made that the paper was leaked on Whatsapp leading a demand for re-test from some parts of the country.

Students Claim CBSE Class 12 Math Paper Leak! Officials Refute

CBSE also provided clarification on the paper leak, that "CBSE would like to assert that report is baseless. There has been no such leakage of question paper of any kind but only two questions matched with only one question paper set. But, that is a co-incidence as these two questions are also from the NCERT Textbook."

According to Oneindia.com, the tough maths exam paper has left many students in tears. Parents of these kids have started an online campaign requesting leniency in evaluation process.

Meanwhile, social media platforms are abuzz with complaints stating the tough Class 12 Maths paper and as of now as many as 240 petitions have been signed and post on Change.org platform, getting support from 25,000 people.

"Hundreds of anxious Class 12 students and their parents have started petitions on Change.org appealing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to show leniency in evaluating the Mathematics paper that concluded yesterday," said the petition platform.

The biggest petition, with 12,500 signatures, was started by a student from Guwahati. Other petitions were started by students from Kolkata, Chennai and other cities including Thrissur.

"CBSE has broken the dreams of several students by setting a paper which was meant for IIT aspirants. This year CBSE Maths Paper was tough as well as long and has made several students cry. CBSE should come out with a statement immediately to take care of their mental agony which will help them to concentrate on their next exam," said the Guwahati petition starter in this Change.org petition.
The Italian company confirmed the debut of the Giulias US-bound range at the upcoming New York Auto Show.



The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia will be available with a turbocharged 276hp 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Alfa claims that the 276hp Giulia needs less than 5.5 seconds for the 0-60mph sprint, with the top speed standing at 149mph. The new eight-speed automatic transmission is designed with enthusiasts in mind, offering gear shifts that take less than 100 milliseconds.

Customers will also have the option of Alfas new Q4 AWD system on Giulia and Giulia Ti models for better all-weather traction. Every model will come with a class-exclusive carbon-fibre driveshaft, leather upholstery, a seven-inch digital display in the instrument binnacle and Alfas DNA selector with Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency driving modes. Infotainment options include a 6.5-inch or a 8.8-inch widescreen display.

Next to the regular Giulia will be the Quadrifoglio version which is powered by a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 with 505hp, allowing it to accelerate from zero to 60mph in 3.8 seconds and lap the Nurburgring in 7:39 minutes. Top speed is rated at 191mph.

Performance-wise the range-topping Giulia offers a four-mode DNA Pro selector with an additional Race driving mode, a torque vectoring differential, six-piston Brembo brakes at the front and four-piston ones at the rear.

PHOTO GALLERY
A concept showcasing the facelifted Chevrolet Coloardo for overseas markets has been teased, with the release of a single blacked-out image by GM ahead of a debut in Thailand later this month.



The pickup-truck appears laden with accessories including knobbly off-road tires, an elaborate roof storage setup, snorkel, black wheel arch flares and blacked out power-dome on the hood. Sweeping LEDs housed in squarer headlight assembly seems to indicate the styling of the American Chevrolet Colorado will be largely be adopted for this facelift.

This is backed up by spy shots which circulated earlier this month, where a completely undisguised prototype of the Thai-built, facelifted Colorado was snapped. Although the styling will be brought into line, its unlikely the engine options, including the 3.6L 305hp V6, will follow suit, sticking with a predominantly diesel lineup elsewhere.

The Colorado is manufactured in Brazil and Thailand- the latter being the main export source to other markets, such as Australia where it is sold as the Holden Colorado, competing with sister car Isuzu D-Max, which differs only in details and engines.

In Brazil, the car is sold with the evocative Chevrolet S10 nameplate and features a 2.4-litre engine optimized to run on sugar cane ethanol.

The concept will be revealed at the Bangkok Motor Show that opens its doors on the 23rd of March until April 3.

Photo Gallery
A 60-year old driver of an Opel Astra hatch lost control of his car and smashed into a Porsche dealership in Stade, Germany, on Thursday morning.



Eyewitnesses told German authorities that they saw the driver of the Opel drifting to the opposite side of the road and without braking, touching the grass and hitting a lamppost and a property wall, before accelerating towards the Ferdinand-Porsche-Strae showroom, where he crashed through the glass and into a 996-generation Porsche 911 GT2.

Police said that the man, whose name has not been released, was in severe shock after the accident, but was not injured, though; he was transported to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure.

No one else was hurt in the incident, but the dealerships facility and cars suffered damages in excess of 120,000 (equal to US$135,000), and thats a preliminary estimate.

Photo Gallery
While the production C-HR was presented earlier this month in European spec at the Geneva show, Toyota wont be showing the small CUV in New York next week. Instead, it will display a re-heated and re-badged version of last years Scion C-HR Concept from the LA Auto Show.



The study, which will join the Toyota-badged GT 86 in the Big Apple, will be followed by the U.S. production version later this year, ahead of its sale date, scheduled for next spring, when it will arrive as a 2018 model.

Were very excited to be showing the C-HR Concept as a Toyota and adding it to our line-up next year. The style and substance of the production C-HR will make it a winner in the hottest segment of the industry, commented the Toyota Division Groups VP, Bill Fay.

The C-HR is underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), which the brand says, is an innovative and integrated approach to developing new platforms and powertrains.

Technical specifications on the production C-HR for the North American market, will be announced in the coming months. In Europe, the crossover will be offered with a 1.2-liter turbo gasoline unit, rated at 114 HP, with a 1.8-liter hybrid powertrain from the Prius, delivering 122 HP, while certain markets will also get a 2.0-liter mill, connected to a CVT.

TOYOTA C-HR CONCEPT

EUROPEAN TOYOTA C-HR
A prototype for the North American specification 2017 Cadenza was nabbed resting at a parking spot in Kansas the other day, by one of Carscoops readers.



Kia gave us our first look at the new full-size sedan in their home market of Korea- where it goes by the name K7, at the end of last year, ahead of a global launch in the coming months.

While the Koreans had the US tester covered up, we did notice that the Michigan-plated model sported fender-vents trimmed in chrome, which are not found on the Korean-market K7. Otherwise, we dont see any other differences between the two.

The new Cadenza, which could be revealed as soon as next week in New York or latter this fall in Los Angeles, has a more assertive appearance, as Kia puts it, with sharper creases and a very Maserati-like concave front grille. Its an elegant design that keeps some signature styling cues from Kias smaller Optima and larger K900, without looking like a rescaled version of either.

At this point, we do not know with what engines the new Cadenza will be offered in the States, but in Korea, the 2017 K7 gets a 187hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a 286hp turbocharged 3.3-liter six-cylinder and a 199hp 2.2-liter turbodiesel.

In North America, some of the Cadenzas rivals in the dwindling large sedan class, include the Chevrolet Impala, Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon.

Thanks to Patrick for the photos!

Photo Gallery

KDM 2017 KIA K7
Americans will have a chance to discover Long Way North later this year thanks to a pickup from stateside distributor Shout! Factory. The film had its North American premiere this month at the New York International Childrens Film Festival this month.

In an interview that took place at the Anima festival, Chaye spoke to Cartoon Brew about how he worked his way up from storyboard artist into the directors chair, why a film production can be better when all of the studios artists work together in the same room, and the impossible task of competing against cutthroat American film studios.

Cartoon Brew: You recently toured the American studios to promote the film. What kind of responses did the film receive?

Remi Chaye: American people are so expressive. There was a lot of Fantastic! and Awesome! following the screenings. Sometimes youre not sure how much they actually like it when they say that, but then again, I dont think Pete Docter would spend an hour talking to us following the screening at Pixar if he had been annoyed by it.

One thing I noticed that was strange to the Americans is our frequent use of holds. In American animation, something has to move all the time. Europeans are closer to Japanese animation in the way that we make greater use of silence. Personally, I very much enjoy those type of Japanese films where nothing happens except drinking tea.

In your presentation at the Anima festival you mentioned it took three years to get enough investors on board to make the film. What made it so difficult?

Remi Chaye: Having an original story with unknown creators didnt help, but also European 2D animation as a whole is just a risky business. Sadly enough, lots of independent animated movies are commercial failures, because we have to fight against huge American marketing machines like Zootopia and Star Wars. You have this saying in America  Winner takes all. Thats what their marketing strategy is like. They do not only want to sell their own movies  they want to saturate the whole market. This kind of all-absorbing, aggressive marketing makes it hard for films like Long Way North to exist.

Long Way North cost 6.4 million euros, which is slightly above the European average. Nonetheless, its a tiny budget for the films quality. How did this limited budget influence the end result artistically?

Remi Chaye: One of the things we had to reduce a lot was the lighting on the animation. I had planned to have animated lighting throughout the whole movie, but was forced to limit that to a certain amount of shots. That was hard for me to accept.

The main difficulty, however, was the quotas. Every time an animator would unnecessarily move a characters shoulder, we would go over budget. Animation quotas varied from 1.8 to 2.2 seconds a day. More time was given for emotional scenes, less for action scenes. So whenever characters were running and jumping, we just had to accept what could be done in 1.8 seconds a day. But during emotional and subtle moments, like Sasha realizing the boat isnt where she thought it would be, this is what I wanted the animators to spend time on.

Working with a limited budget comes down to choosing where you spend the money and energy in every phase of the process. If you give an artist two days for a background, it will be better than in two hours. So, if you give the artist two hours to do the background, then you have to accept the result, even if its not exactly what youd want it to be. Its as simple as that.

Do you see a way to reduce the production budget any further for a future film?

Remi Chaye: The only way we could reduce costs further would be to lower the wages, which are modest already. I wouldnt want that. Actually Ive heard about people working (partly) for free on European feature productions, but to me thats not a solution. If you have to rely on people working for free, whether it be supervisors or interns, the fact is that the industry is dead. I personally dont accept anyone working for free, and I ask my films producers not to accept it either. In that sense, I guess Im a socialist  but dont tell the Americans! Id lose all chances at American success. [Laughs]

Brew readers have been raving about Long Way North ever since the release of its concept trailer. Fans especially seem to love the films unusually spare sense of design.

Remi Chaye: To me, drawing is about interpreting reality  its a way to look at a chair, to make the spectator interpret that chair in a way that says something. I think the style of Long Way North is a way to look at reality through light, shapes, and colors, evoking emotion and tickling the imagination.

Reproducing reality, with reflections and everything  it doesnt really interest me. I dont want to spend the budget on showcasing each of Sashas hairs in detail. The simple shape of her hair, combined with the rhythm the wind adds to it, contributes to the films poetry.

Another unique design choice you made was the absence of outlines

Remi Chaye: The thing with outlines is that they are, more or less, black. So when your designs have an outline, all of the films colors have to go with that black color, limiting your color palettes and spectrums. The absence of outlines gave us the freedom to explore a lot of different color palettes throughout the film, not just those pulling towards black.

You started out as a comic book artist and illustrator. What made you turn to animation?

Remi Chaye: Being out of illustration work for a while , I started working as a storyboard revisionist. Having worked at home by myself for ages, the ambience of an animation studio made a big impression on me. Animation is a collective art. Its such a pleasure listening to each other and adding up different artistic skills.

Artistically too, animation is an interesting medium. I like the fact that you have the same tools at your disposal as when youre painting, which enables you to express emotions through the way you paint a sky for example, plus the tools of cinema. This combination is really powerful.

Starting out as a self-taught storyboarder, how did you transition to directing?

Remi Chaye: Here and there people started to ask me to direct small TV specials and such, but I felt I lacked the necessary skills. As a storyboarder, I had worked for directors who were not up to the job, and I didnt want to become one of them. So, at 33 years old, I signed up for a fantastic school called La Poudriere. When you are self-taught, your feelings tell you what works and what doesnt, but you cant analyze them. Art school gave me the tools to structure and communicate my feelings, which is one of the most important things a director needs to be able to do.

After La Poudriere, were you ready to be the director you wanted to be?

Remi Chaye: Not really. At La Poudriere I directed several short animated films, but I hadnt yet felt the size of a feature-length production. So when Tomm Moore, director of The Secret of Kells, was looking for a storyboarder, I told him, Im interested, but besides a storyboarder, Id like to be your assistant director. While working as an assistant director on Kells, and after that on The Painting, I got to understand the workings of the big machine that feature filmmaking is  management, pipelines, naming rules, the industry, balancing art and budget  as well as how to tell a story of that length. Only after that I felt ready to direct my own feature-length film.

Youve assembled an amazing team for the film, amongst which Marie Vieillevie as your assistant director. How do you balance your vision with those of the artists on your team, such as Marie, who also directs films in her own distinctive style?

Remi Chaye: I dont feel that being the films director, I should tell people to do things a certain way. Rather, I make use of their skills by listening a lot. I see a film as a collective work of art; the artists I work with take a step towards me, but I also take a step towards them. I think the final style of the film is somewhere in the middle, in between all the different artists and their skills.

That being said, one of the coolest things about our team was actually to work with so many directors. Animation is all about doing a small piece of the total work, putting every little brick in the right place to build a wall. So when an artist whos a director themself is putting a brick in the wall, not just understanding their own little brick but the whole wall, that artist is more likely to pick the right size of the brick and put it in the right place.

On the films production blog we can see the studio space during production. It looks quitecozy.

Remi Chaye: It was packed. During summer it was really hot in Paris and we were in the studio with about 40 people. Animators, layout artists, supervisors, me  we were all working in the same room. There wasnt really a hierarchy, which actually had a big advantage. When Id discuss storyboards, layouts, or animation with the supervisors, the whole team could hear us. Unconsciously, all artists would soak up our discussions. So once it was time for the animators to animate their shot, they would completely understand what they were doing, because they had heard all the problems and solutions, the whys and the hows the supervisors and I had discussed.

What kind of films would you like to make in the future?

Remi Chaye: Id love to continue making 2D animated fictional adventures like Long Way North. Id like to add a little bit more of comedy though. Not gags  comedy. Gags are visual or standalone jokes, while comedy is a situation that can last for ten minutes. Far too often the use of many gags in a row leads to losing the actual point.

Youre presenting your next feature-length adventure in concept at Cartoon Movie. Can you tell me a bit about it?

Remi Chaye: A Childhood of Martha Jane Canary is based on the life of Calamity Jane [an American frontierswoman who lived from 1852 to 1903]. Its a bit strange for a European guy like me to do a Western  thats actually the reason why we try not to make a Western. [Laughs] We wont be using the iconography of the genre, but it will shine through in other aspects of the film.

We want to tell the story of a girl that discovers a life with freedom  that of a boy. When she refuses to go back to her old life as a housewife, the adventure starts. Calamity Jane is such an interesting character. Shes like a stray dog, affectionately licking your face first and then stealing the bread in your pocket. Shes an uneducated liar with a long-lasting laugh and lots of imagination. Its a lot of fun to write her story, and a lot of fun to draw, too.

Were planning to use the same style, team, and pipeline as Long Way North, rather than reinventing the wheel. I hope the new film will take five years to realize, rather than ten Cartoon Movie has proven very successful for Long Way North, so lets see what will happen there for A Childhood of Martha Jane Canary.
Photo: Contributed - Jonathan Eastland

Seeking feedback on death and dying

This week is a constituency week. This means the House is not sitting, as Members of Parliament are back in their ridings before returning to Ottawa next week for just four days, until the House rises again for two more constituency weeks before resuming on Monday April 11th.

Part of the reason I oppose the idea of the House of Commons no longer sitting on Fridays is that there is already an adequate number of constituency weeks to achieve a balance between time in Ottawa and our home ridings.

By cancelling Fridays, we will eventually see the productivity of Thursday sittings plummet, as MPs use the day as a travel day in order to take advantage of Friday in their ridings. In essence, Thursday will become the new Friday, meaning less votes on Thursday, less regular attendance on Thursday committees, and perhaps less debate in the House of Commons.

For this weeks MP report, I would like to resubmit a portion of my MP report from February of 2015. While I seldom rerun a report, the topic is one that I know all Canadians take very seriously: The subject of doctor-assisted suicide, as it relates to a recent Supreme Court ruling.

The riding boundaries have since changed, as have our Parliaments over the past year, and I believe it is important to hear from citizens in our new riding of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola on this important subject that will soon be before the House.

When I last raised the topic, I received a large volume of sincere and at times, heartfelt, comments and thoughts. One particular constituent shared a perspective that I believe raises unique and important concerns that I would like to share with you, for added perspective.

The following is an excerpt from my February 2015 MP report:

The citizen in question suffers from a severe physical disability, and opposes the legalization of assisted suicide. The reason for this opposition is not based on faith, nor a previous encounter with suicide, nor hope that a miracle cure will be discovered.

The concern from this particular citizen is guilt. This person relies heavily on family to serve as specialized caregivers. As many will know, providing specialized and end of life care for a severally disabled loved one can be a challenging experience. In this case, the constituent shared a great love and appreciation for family members for their great sacrifices to allow a better quality of life.

The concern shared is that legalized suicide would create an easy option for this person to end their own life with the assistance of a willing doctor. However, this person expresses a strong will to live. They have no desire to die.

The guilt comes from the significant ongoing efforts of family members in providing specialized care. As legalized suicide could end the need for that care, the choice not to pursue suicide would create intense guilt for imposing on loved ones, when another option is available.

Suffice to say, this was a difficult and emotional conversation, and I apologize if I have not relayed this concern in the manner it deserves.

This illustrates the situation of a severely disabled person who does not wish to die but has admitted the guilt of not pursuing suicide to relieve family members. It is a situation that could potentially result in a reluctant medically assisted suicide.

I do not believe this is a situation any Canadian would welcome, and it is one we should be mindful of in this discussion.

There are other situations and different perspectives in this conversation that are well deserving of consideration. I welcome your views, opinions and experiences. I can be reached at [email protected] or toll-free at 1.800.665.8711.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Thinkstock.com

Eleven internationally trained physicians will soon begin practising in rural communities in B.C., including one new family doctor each for Logan Lake and Princeton and two for Ashcroft.

The doctors were recruited and assessed through the Practice Ready Assessment-BC program.

Many smaller communities across the province are struggling to keep or recruit even a single doctor.

The Practice Ready Assessment program is one of several ways we are strengthening health care, especially in rural and remote areas of the province, said Health Minister Terry Lake. Doctors in smaller communities provide a broad range of health care in their practices and hospitals that not only support the health and wellness of individuals, but the community as a whole.

The prospective doctors spend three months with a B.C. physician, who evaluates their skills as they care for patients.

Physicians successfully completing the program commit to practise for at least three years in a designated rural community in need.

The new physicians will start practising within the next month.

This program not only ensures that qualified international doctors are working in rural areas where they are most needed, but the three-year return of service also provides stable access to care for patients, said Dr. Charles Webb, Doctors of BC president. The partnership of Doctors of BC and the provincial government allows us to tackle rural recruitment and retention concerns in a strategic way that benefits patients, physicians and our health care system.

One of the new physicians, Dr. Deborah Obu, moved to B.C. after meeting with recruiters at a career fair in Dublin, Ireland.

Obu, who will be working in Ashcroft, cannot say enough good things about her experience.

"Before starting my assessment in Lillooet, I was quite uncertain of the experience ahead. However, the doctors I worked with were very kind and I remember one of them saying to me I know you are an experienced physician and have worked hard to get to this stage, now let us assess and assist you get ready to practise in Canada, she said.
I appreciate the concerns expressed by the writer of the March 14 letter published under the headline OR must be available however there are several inaccurate assumptions made which I would like to correct.

Having a baby can be an anxious time under the best of circumstances. We recognize this. That is why when the new perinatal unit was added to the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC), the health and wellbeing of our patients was at the centre of the decision. We worked directly with physicians, nurses and other health-care professionals on the design to find the best solutions to meet their needs and the needs of mothers and babies.

There are two dedicated obstetrical operating rooms in the IHSC and any one of the 16 operating rooms is available for both elective and emergency Caesarean-section deliveries. In every emergency situation, there is an obstetrician or other health-care provider who determines where the emergency procedure should occur. If it is determined that the procedure should occur in an alternate operating room, then there is a dedicated route to that location which allows for the quickest transfer time.

We have excellent obstetricians and perinatal staff at Kelowna General Hospital and we are confident they will continue to offer expectant mothers excellent care no matter the situation.

Kelowna General Hospital meets the guidelines set out by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada for transport of emergency Caesarean section patients to the operating rooms.

Beverly Sieker

Kelowna General Hospital Health Service Director, Surgical, Women's & Children's Services
Photo: Contributed - Jumbo Glacier Resort

UPDATED at 10:50 a.m.

The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear a case involving a First Nation that claimed development of a B.C. ski resort would interfere with its religious practices involving the spirit of the grizzly bear.

The Ktunaxa Nation sued after the Jumbo Glacier Resort was given the OK from the provincial government in March 2012 for construction in Upper Jumbo Valley, 55 kilometres west of Invermere.

The suit said the development would desecrate sacred land practices.

"We are saying indigenous peoples, ourselves included, have spiritual beliefs and we have the right to have those spiritual beliefs taken into account when statutory decision-makers are coming to a decision about activity on the land," said Ktunaxa Nation chairwoman Kathryn Teneese.

Both the B.C. Supreme Court and B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed the claim, noting that the process had dragged on for more than two decades.

The courts ruled that approval of the development did not violate the rights of the Ktunaxa, and there was reasonable consultation.

Teneese said the First Nation is waiting to hear back from its lawyers.

"They are going to be laying out what the next steps are and provide us with a timetable of what we need to do."

As usual, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for its decision to hear the case.
Photo: The Canadian Press

An elderly man who won court approval Thursday to have a doctor help him die  likely this weekend  pleaded with the government to change the law permanently to legalize doctor-assisted deaths.

In a statement read to the court, the terminally ill man, 81, said he had lived a long and wonderful life but was troubled with the current legal situation.

"My only regret in these last months is that my family and I have had to expend what little energy I have left to fight this court battle," the man, who can only be identified as A.B., said in the statement.

"My wish is that our government will see fit to make permanent changes in the law so that no other family will have to do this ever again."

In the first such case in Ontario  and the third in Canada outside Quebec  Superior Court Justice Paul Perell approved A.B.'s request for an exemption to Criminal Code provisions on assisted suicide under a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling.

The approval, which followed a 30-minute hearing, was unopposed by the federal and provincial governments.

Perell also agreed to the man's request that his death be classified as caused by disease, obviating the need to notify the coroner as would normally be required. The man and his family opposed coroner involvement given that it could lead to police involvement, an unnecessary autopsy or toxicology tests.

In brief submissions to the court, A.B.'s lawyer Andrew Faith stressed that the condition of his client, diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, was worsening, leading to urgency in the need for the court approval.

"He would like to be in a position to avail himself of this relief this weekend," Faith told the court.

Perell did express some unease with the idea that the coroner could be bypassed in all assisted-death cases  noting a case could arise in which someone was severely disabled rather than terminally ill. Faith said Thursday's decision was based only on the specific circumstances of his client.

Last year, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down laws that bar doctors from helping someone die, but put the ruling on hold for one year. In February, the court granted the federal government a four-month extension, but said the terminally ill could ask the courts for an exemption to the ban during that period. Quebec set up its own legislative regime on assisted death in December.

In lengthy oral reasons in which he appeared at times to become emotional, Perell said the man's condition and circumstances met the Supreme Court's criteria for the exemption. Those conditions include being mentally competent, in extreme pain, and making the assisted-death request without coercion or manipulation. The judge also noted the man's family and doctors supported his request.

"A.B. deposes that his suffering is intolerable and unbearable," the judge said, adding that granting the exemption was "not a routine exercise."

The plan, now, is for doctors to follow the "Quebec protocol"  essentially helping the man die by lethal injection. Court heard that oral drugs used in Oregon assisted deaths are simply not available in Ontario in the required doses. The three-step plan involves sedating the man, putting him into a deep coma, then giving him a deadly dose of a drug that will stop his heart and breathing.

"I believe firmly in the right to die with dignity and that it is a right that should be available to all Canadians," A.B. said in his statement.

Some experts have argued that coroner or medical-examiner involvement is the best way to prevent murder under the guise of assisted death.

"The point of reporting these cases to coroners or medical examiners is to make sure that somebody who has expertise in death investigation has some oversight, and could trigger an investigation if there was something that went against the law, such as a false consent or a doctor who was performing (physician-assisted death) on patients who did not qualify legally," said Pauline Alakija, a forensic pathologist in Alberta.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version incorrectly said the case was the second in Canada.
Photo: Contributed

Alcohol, speed and not wearing a seatbelt are believed to be contributing factors in a fatal crash near Prince George.

RCMP were called at about 12:45 a.m. March 12 to a rollover involving a Dodge Ram truck on Highway 97 near Austin Road in Prince George.

A portion of Highway 97 was closed for several hours while traffic investigators and a collision re-constructionist gathered evidence.

Police believe that excessive speed and alcohol were related factors, as well as the lack of seatbelt usage which left one male dead and three others injured, said Const. Lesley Smith. The driver of a full-sized pickup lost control and the vehicle rolled across the oncoming lanes of Highway 97 and landed on its roof in the northbound ditch.

A 22-year-old Prince George male is now facing Criminal Code charges.

Prince George Regional Provincial Traffic Services continue to investigate accident and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact investigators at the North District RCMP Traffic Unit at 250-649-4004.
Even though it is illegal, it is not hard to find people using a cell phone or other devices while driving.

There are distracted driving laws in B.C., but the sight of someone motoring down the road holding a phone to their ear or sneaking a look at a text message while waiting at a stop light can be a common occurrence.

Distracted drivers face a fine of $167 and three demerit points, but is that enough?

Not according to most of the 20,000 people who responded to a online query by the provincial Liberals.

Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster said 90 per cent of the respondents were in favour of tougher laws.

There are more people being killed by distracted drivers than impaired drivers, said Foster.

Punishments for impaired driving in B.C. are some of the toughest in Canada and have reduced the number of impaired driving incidents.

Some people are suggesting tougher distracted driving laws would have the same effect.

Foster said one of the most common suggestions was a graduated fine system where the more often a driver is caught, the more they have to pay.

Some people don't seem to mind paying the (current) fines. Unfortunately, it seems to be you have to get people in the pocket book before they pay attention, said Foster, adding distracted driving accidents are 100 per cent preventable.

Foster said in 2014, there were 66 deaths and 630 serious injuries due to distracted drivers.

The Liberal party government whip said there is an abundance of hands-free products available to the motoring public.

Or you could just pull over. It's no big deal, he said.

Foster would not go so far as to say he personally feels fines should be increased, but he said it is something the Liberals are discussing.

If there are things the government can do to make things safer, then we should look in to it, he said.

Vernon RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy said distracted driving is a problem everywhere.

Our traffic services officers routinely do enforcement action that targets distracted drivers, said Noseworthy, adding there will likely be distracted driving campaigns in the North Okanagan in the coming months.

We always remind people that driving requires your full attention so cellphones and other distractions have no place when you are driving, she said.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Americans got to witness a Canadian visitor this week immersed in an activity his nation prides itself on having mastered: Stickhandling. The person performing the pivots was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The subject he skated around: Donald Trump.

The prime minister was asked repeatedly during his visit to New York this week and in Washington last week what he thinks of the Trump phenomenon.

It happened at the White House; at the UN; in front of a business audience; and Thursday in a Lower East Side New York deli where two men dispirited by the state of American politics dropped to their knees and jokingly begged Trudeau to run for president.

Trudeau avoided mentioning the billionaire's name every time.

"I have tremendous confidence in Americans' capacity to get the right result through their electoral system," he told a business audience Thursday, echoing previous responses.

"I think we're going to see what Americans are made of in this upcoming election."

He told the people in the deli that he couldn't  as a Canadian. They replied that being born in Canada hadn't stopped Sen. Ted Cruz. Trudeau noted one significant difference with the Republican contender: Cruz is an American citizen.

He curtly told a news conference at the United Nations on Wednesday that he had faith in the better angels of Americans' nature, paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln.

Later, he alluded to the U.S. election before a high-powered crowd. After receiving an award from a women's group at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, he said the reason he was able to introduce progressive policies like a gender-parity cabinet and welcoming refugees was because his approach won with voters.

"As much as I was able to do, and my government was able to do, we only did it because Canadians made a choice: to choose a more open, fair, positive way of doing politics," he told the ballroom crowd, which included the heads of McDonald's, Campbell Soup, Shell, and the Carnival Corp.

He added, dryly: "That is certainly something that I hope resonates through political systems around the world."

That last line prompted laughter and perhaps his loudest applause of the evening  louder even than his references to the gender-parity cabinet, which is why he was invited to the gala and given the award from the women's group Catalyst.

Amid the claps, he added: "I'm not thinking of any place in particular!"

Several former Canadian ambassadors to the U.S. have publicly warned the prime minister not to talk about the U.S. election, saying it would be a mistake to turn Canada into an issue in a messy campaign.

Trudeau's appearances before heading home later Thursday included an interview at Bloomberg, owned by Trump critic and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg wrote a laudatory piece about Trudeau this week headlined, "Canada's New Hope."

He was asked again there about what he would do if Trump becomes president.

Trudeau replied that he understood why people were angry in many countries about the current political and economic systems and explained that he's working on democratic reforms and economic policies aimed at empowering frustrated voters.

With respect to a president Trump, he said he'd work on areas where they shared common ground. The interviewer pressed him  what possible common ground could the Canadian progressive find with an American Republican talking about walls and ripping up trade deals and banning Muslim visitors to the U.S.?

Trudeau replied: "A desire to see Americans do well. A desire to see citizens in our countries to have better jobs and greater opportunities."

There appeared to be another reference to the U.S. election on Wednesday during his meeting with Laurence Fink, the powerful head of world-leading asset manager BlackRock.

"I think the opportunity for Canada in the short run is good," Fink said.

"A lot of confusion here in this country in investing. There's probably even greater opportunities in the stable environment of Canada."

Most of the leading presidential candidates have opposed the new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and Trump has also spoken about cancelling NAFTA.
Photo: Facebook - BC Forest Fire Info

Last year's busy and threat-filled wildfire season has B.C. officials on the offensive early.

The BC Wildfire Service is urging the public to be cautious with any open burning activities, pointing to a possible early drying trend in the Kamloops Fire Centre this spring.

Residents are asked to be ready so a backyard fire doesn't become an interface wildfire.

Homeowners and industry personnel are encouraged to visit the BC Wildfire Service website, consult the newly updated FireSmart Homeowner's Manual, and take the following precautions:

Ensure enough people, water and tools are on hand to control a fire and prevent it escaping.

Do not burn during windy conditions.

Create a fireguard at least one metre around a planned fire site.

Consider conducting smaller burns around a perimeter rather than a large fire, and create a fuel break.

Never leave a fire unattended.

Make sure a fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cold to the touch before leaving area.

Pay attention to changing weather conditions and follow all burning regulations to help reduce the number of preventable wildfires.

Before conducting a burn, check with the local fire department, municipality and regional district to see if there are any open burning restrictions or bylaws in effect.

Anyone planning large-scale industrial burning or conducting a grass burn larger than 0.2 hectares (Category 3 fires), must obtain a burn registration number ahead of time by calling 1-888-797-1717.

Always check the venting conditions before conducting an open burn. If venting conditions are rated "poor" or "fair," open burning is restricted. The venting index can be found on the BC air quality website.

If an outdoor burn escapes and causes a wildfire, the person responsible may be held accountable for damages and fire suppression costs.
Photo: Google Maps

Despite sunny skies and warmer weather in the Okanagan, icy roads are still proving dangerous.

Just before 7 a.m. Thursday morning, West Kelowna RCMP responded to a single vehicle car crash on Westside Road near Traders Cove.

A 33-year-old Vernon woman driving a Nissan Altima had lost control coming around a corner and ended up in the ditch.

She was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, believed to have been caused by the cars air bags. The vehicles front end suffered major damage.

The road was icy at the time of the crash and police believe this was a factor.

"RCMP would like to remind motorists to slow down and drive to the road and weather conditions," said Kelowna RCMP Const. Jesse O'Donaghey. "At night, the roadways still have the potential to ice over as the temperature continues to drop below freezing."

Police are asking anyone who saw the crash to contact the West Kelowna RCMP at 250-768-2880.
Photo: Contributed - Wikipedia

Quebec has finally controlled its spending, Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said Thursday after tabling a second consecutive balanced budget with the help of $10 billion in equalization payments.

The Liberal government is actually projecting a surplus of roughly $2 billion in 2016-17, with the money going toward chipping away at the provincial debt of $207.7 billion.

Premier Philippe Couillard went on an aggressive cost-cutting campaign after being elected in April 2014. Measures included downsizing the civil service, slashing funds earmarked for education and keeping the lid on government spending.

Leitao says Quebecers are beginning to reap the benefits of that economic rigour.

"This is a budget of conviction," he told reporters. "We were told our plan was ambitious  in a tone that was dubious of our ability to do it. Well, we did it.

''Our fiscal house is now in order. Every Quebecer contributed to the effort that needed to be made.''

The flip side to that optimism is a massive debt that will cost a staggering $10 billion to service in 2016-17.

While Quebec's debt in terms of raw numbers is considerably lower than Ontario's, the ratio of Quebec's gross debt to GDP on March 31, 2015, was 55.1 per cent, compared with 46 per cent for its western neighbour.

Leitao is projecting revenue of $102.6 billion in 2016-17, including $20.2 billion in various federal transfer and equalization payments. Quebecers pay some of that money in federal income and consumer taxes.

The finance minister played down the political impact of the province receiving $10 billion from the equalization program.

''This is not Alberta and Saskatchewan transferring funds to Quebec,'' he said, adding that Quebec is next to last among recipient provinces on a per-capita basis.

''This is federal revenue that comes from all Canadians in all provinces.''

Leitao said he is looking forward to the day when Quebec no longer receives equalization payments.

Quebec is also banking on Ottawa's commitment to invest in infrastructure to help spark economic growth and has asked the federal government "to rapidly identify the projects" which will receive funding.

"Shovels must be in the ground by the next construction season, in order to revitalize the economy," the budget document reads.

The province is calling on Ottawa to increase payments for health care to help fund services for its aging population. Quebec wants the federal government to pay for 25 per cent of provincial health-care costs, up from the 22.2 per cent set for 2016-17.

Ottawa's health transfer to Quebec will be roughly $5.9 billion in 2016-17, which begins April 1.

Leitao says the Quebec economy will grow by 1.5 per cent in 2016 and 1.6 per cent in 2017. Growth should be helped by the low Canadian dollar and stronger U.S. economy, which the government believes should continue to boost exports.

The Education Department will receive the highest budget increase, at three per cent, up from the 0.9 per cent increase during the last fiscal year. That caused schools across the province to significantly scale back resources.

Infrastructure, programs to help increase graduation rates as well as services for students with disabilities will all benefit from the extra $1.2 billion over three years the government has set aside.

There are also modest measures to decrease Quebecers' tax burden.

Leitao said the government will push forward by one year its plan to gradually remove a health tax that was scheduled to end in 2019.

Quebecers who make more than $18,570 pay between $100 and $1,000 a year in health taxes, which Leitao said will be eliminated by 2018 for all taxpayers.

Parti Quebecois finance critic Nicolas Marceau reminded reporters that the budget shows "a deterioration in public finances."

He said while the budget is balanced, the government's austerity measures over the past two years "slowed growth" to less than two per cent.

"In terms of economic growth, this budget is devastating," Marceau said.
Case Report

On the morning of September 12, 2014, a Missouri resident, a man aged 52 years, visited hospital As emergency department for evaluation of acute onset of severe neck pain that radiated down his left arm to his hand. After a cervical spine radiograph, a diagnosis of cervical muscle strain and radiculopathy was made, for which the patient received injections of orphenadrine (a muscle relaxant) and ketolorac (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug). He was instructed to take ibuprofen and cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxant) for pain relief and to return if symptoms worsened. The next day, he awoke with numbness and tingling in his left arm, severe bilateral upper body tremors, and sweating, as well as continued neck pain. He returned to hospital As emergency department, where he received a diagnosis of a herniated disc and was discharged with instructions to take oral prednisone and oxycodone HCl/acetaminophen. That same evening, while the patient was at home, his symptoms progressed, and he became anxious and fearful; family members transported him back to the emergency department, during which time he began experiencing visual hallucinations. He was admitted to hospital A with a diagnosis of suspected serotonin syndrome secondary to the cyclobenzaprine.

On September 13, the patient was treated with oral ibuprofen and cyproheptadine and with parenteral lorazepam, diazepam, diphenhydramine, and haloperidol. On September 14, losartan and hydrochlorothizide were prescribed to be taken orally for hypertension, but the patient was unable to swallow these medications. His condition progressively worsened, with the development of considerable rigidity and action tremors in his upper extremities. That same day, he was transferred to hospital B, a tertiary care referral hospital, for neurologic evaluation. Upon admission, he was febrile (104.9F [40.5C]), tachycardic, tachypneic, and hypertensive with bilateral upper extremity tremors and whole body myoclonic jerks. On September 15, he required intubation and mechanical ventilation for airway protection. Before intubation, the patient orally communicated an aversion to water.

During the next 11 days the patient underwent an extensive laboratory evaluation to determine the cause of his encephalopathy, including a urine drug screen, tricyclic antidepressant levels, an arbovirus panel, and testing for antibodies to Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, syphilis, and herpes simplex virus; all test results were negative. The peripheral white blood cell count and liver enzymes were both slightly elevated. On September 19, a traumatic lumbar puncture yielded hemorrhagic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with elevated glucose, protein, and white blood cells. Electroencephalogram studies indicated generalized slowing of brain activity, minimal reactivity to noxious stimulation, and absent posterior dominant rhythm, consistent with encephalopathy. The patient required dopamine and norepinephrine for cardiovascular support, continuous mechanical ventilation for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, and hemodialysis for acute kidney injury. Initial treatment included broad-spectrum antibiotics for presumed sepsis and acyclovir for suspected herpes encephalitis.

Family members initially reported that the patient lived in a trailer on 97 densely wooded acres, but his exposure to wildlife was not known at that time. Because of the acute and rapidly progressive clinical course of his illness and the elimination of the most common etiologies of encephalitis from the differential diagnoses, the possibility of rabies was considered, public health officials notified, and confirmatory laboratory testing initiated on September 18. Serum, CSF, nuchal skin biopsy, and saliva specimens collected on September 19 were submitted to CDC on September 22 for rabies testing.

On September 24, rabies was confirmed by the presence of rabies virus antigen in the skin biopsy, and the detection of rabies virus in saliva and skin by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Genomic sequencing found the variant to be associated with the tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus [formerly Pipistrellus subflavus]). Neither antirabies antibodies (immunoglobulin G or immunoglobulin M) nor rabies virus neutralizing antibodies were detected by indirect fluorescent antibody or rapid fluorescent focus inhibition tests in the serum and CSF specimens collected on September 19. However, both antirabies antibodies and rabies virus neutralizing antibodies were subsequently detected in a serum specimen collected on September 25. Because of the advanced stage of illness and worsening prognosis, the Milwaukee protocol (1) was not initiated. On September 26, the family elected to withdraw life support, and the patient died shortly thereafter.
Increasing health care worker knowledge and implementation of TB infection control measures in health facilities are key to preventing the nosocomial spread of TB and reducing the incidence of TB globally. Ongoing support will be required to ensure that gains are maintained and that the infection control program is sustainable.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease mortality globally. Nosocomial transmission is a significant source of TB infection and of particular risk for health care workers and persons living with human immunodeficiency virus infection. TB infection control measures to reduce the transmission of TB in health care facilities have not been well implemented in settings with high numbers of cases and limited resources.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease mortality worldwide, accounting for more than 1.5 million deaths in 2014, and is the leading cause of death among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (1). Nigeria has the fourth highest annual number of TB cases among countries, with an estimated incidence of 322 per 100,000 population (1), and the second highest prevalence of HIV infection, with 3.4 million infected persons (2). In 2014, 100,000 incident TB cases and 78,000 TB deaths occurred among persons living with HIV infection in Nigeria (1). Nosocomial transmission is a significant source of TB infection in resource-limited settings (3), and persons with HIV infection and health care workers are at increased risk for TB infection because of their routine exposure to patients with TB in health care facilities (35). A lack of TB infection control in health care settings has resulted in outbreaks of TB and drug-resistant TB among patients and health care workers, leading to excess morbidity and mortality. In March 2015, in collaboration with the Nigeria Ministry of Health (MoH), CDC implemented a pilot initiative, aimed at increasing health care worker knowledge about TB infection control, assessing infection control measures in health facilities, and developing plans to address identified gaps. The approach resulted in substantial improvements in TB infection control practices at seven selected facilities, and scale-up of these measures across other facilities might lead to a reduction in TB transmission in Nigeria and globally.

To address the risk for TB transmission to uninfected persons, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends implementation and scale-up of TB infection control measures, including managerial (leadership and commitment for establishing and implementing infection control policies at the health facility), administrative (prompt identification and separation of persons with presumptive TB, with timely diagnosis and treatment of TB patients), and environmental (optimization of building design and patient flow to reduce the concentration of TB droplet nuclei in the air and control directional flow of potentially infectious aerosols) measures and personal protective equipment (PPE) use, implemented in conjunction with other infection control measures, to reduce the risk for TB transmission in health care facilities (6). Preventing nosocomial TB transmission, aimed at reducing the impact of TB on persons living with HIV, is also a priority for the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) (7). However, infection control measures to prevent TB transmission in health care facilities have not been adequately implemented, especially in settings with high incidence of TB and limited resources (8,9).

A four-phase TB infection control initiative, Building and Strengthening Infection Control Strategies (TB BASICS), was developed by CDC to assess and improve health care facility infection control practices in countries with high numbers of TB cases, using a continuous quality improvement approach. The initiative includes 1) TB infection control training of health care workers, 2) baseline health facility assessments and development of intervention plans, 3) implementation, and 4) monitoring and evaluation through engagement of local health officials and health care workers to encourage commitment to the initiative. The pilot project was conducted in seven health care facilities in Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states that are supported by a PEPFAR implementing partner in southeastern Nigeria. These facilities provide services to 1.48 million persons and, during the past year, treated 1,600 TB patients.

A 3-day training workshop based on the WHO policy on TB infection control in health care facilities, congregate settings, and households (6) and delivered by MoH and CDC was conducted for 50 health care workers, including physicians, nurses, residents from the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP), TB and HIV program coordinators, and TB/HIV program officers from the MoH. A precourse assessment identified environmental and administrative measures for infection control as the main gaps in participant knowledge. Training materials, videos, and job aids* were provided to all participants to facilitate their training of other staff members in their respective health facilities.

Teams conducted baseline assessments of TB infection control practices at each of the seven facilities using a standardized facility assessment tool that included staff interviews, observation of routine practices, and review of available policies and procedures on infection control. After completion of the baseline assessments and identification of programmatic areas for strengthening, each team developed a facility-specific intervention plan with a timeline for implementation. Implementation of TB infection control measures at each facility was reassessed at 2, 4, and 6 months after the baseline assessment. Monitoring of 14 managerial measures, 13 administrative measures, seven environmental measures, and three PPE measures was conducted by NFELTP residents, and the final evaluations were performed by the teams that conducted the baseline assessments. Data were displayed in a color-coded dashboard (http://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/38109) that indicated elements that were not implemented (and for which there was no implementation plan) in red, elements that were planned but not yet implemented in yellow, elements that were not applicable or assessed in blue, and elements that were fully implemented in green. Site-specific feedback and a copy of the dashboard were provided to the facilities immediately after the baseline assessment was completed and at each of the bimonthly evaluations so that staff members could visually track their own progress.
Since May 2015, when Zika virus, a flavivirus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, was reported in Brazil, the virus has rapidly spread across the Region of the Americas and the Caribbean. The association between maternal Zika virus infection and adverse fetal and reproductive outcomes, including microcephaly, prompted CDC to issue a Level 2 alert travel notice* for the 37 countries and U.S. territories (at the national and territorial level) that have reported recent Zika virus transmission as of March 11, 2016. In addition to mosquito bite precautions for all travelers, CDC advises that pregnant women postpone travel to affected countries and U.S. territories. Within a nations borders, ecologic characteristics, which determine the distribution of mosquito vectors, can vary considerably. CDC conducted a spatial analysis, focusing on the probability of occurrence of Ae. aegypti, to support the demarcation for subnational travel alerts. Based on results of this analysis, travel that is limited to elevations higher than 2,000 m (6,562 ft) above sea level is considered to have minimal (approximately 1%) likelihood for mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission, even within countries reporting active transmission. Women who are pregnant should avoid travel to elevations <2,000 m in countries with active Zika virus transmission.

Zika virus is a flavivirus primarily transmitted by Aedes species mosquitoes (1). In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infections in Brazil (2). Currently, outbreaks of Zika virus disease are occurring in many countries and U.S. territories, and as of March 11, 2016, CDC had issued 37 Level 2 travel notices for areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission. Currently, when laboratory-confirmed local Zika virus transmission is first reported, travel notices are issued for the entire country or U.S. territory. Establishing more precisely defined areas of Zika virus risk in a country or U.S. territory is complicated by incomplete surveillance data on the disease and the presence of the mosquito vector.

In an effort to develop more precise guidance for travelers, CDC evaluated whether subnational travel notices could be based on an ecologic indicator of the probable absence of the predominant Zika virus mosquito vector, Ae. aegypti. Within a nations borders, ecologic factors, such as temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and human population density, that define suitable habitats for Aedes species vary. Where habitat is unsuitable, the mosquito vector is likely to be absent, and risk for mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission is likely to be negligible.

The first step in developing subnational travel notices required identification of a single, easily quantifiable ecologic variable that could be used as a substitute for the likely absence of Ae. aegypti. Of the many ecologic factors affecting habitat suitability and Ae. aegypti survival as a vector for Zika virus, temperature has been the most frequently investigated and rigorously quantified (3); however, temperature varies widely and is difficult to predict locally and over the long term. Historically, elevation has served as a reasonable proxy for temperature. Because it is static and relatively easy to measure (4), elevation was selected for further investigation. Previous reports from various global regions suggest that Ae. aegypti is present, but rare, between elevations of 1,7002,100 m (5,6). Therefore, this analysis was restricted to countries and U.S. territories that have 1) ongoing Zika virus transmission and 2) areas with high elevations (starting at >1,500 m). Sixteen countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela have areas which fit these criteria. No U.S. territories had elevations at that level.

Spatial analyses were conducted using multiple data sets: global data on predicted probabilities of the presence of Ae. aegypti based on 20,000 observed occurrences during 19602014 (7); remotely sensed data on human population density (8); global geographic data on human dengue cases during 19602012 (9); and a digital elevation model (10); zonal statistics were used to relate the data sets. Within each of the 16 countries, the area of land suitable for Ae. aegypti, and the human population counts within each area were quantified. The quantification was done in 100-m elevation segments for elevations between 0 m and 2,500 m. Across all 16 countries, at elevations >2,000 m, Ae. aegypti was predicted to be largely absent. Because of sparse current geographic data on Zika virus cases, cases of dengue, another vector-borne viral disease spread primarily by Ae. aegypti, were examined as a proxy for Zika cases. Only 1.1% (28/2,682) of dengue cases in the global data set (9) were reported to have occurred at elevations >2,000 m in the 16 countries.

A CDC Zika virus travel notice is currently applied to an entire country or U.S. territory when transmission is confirmed by a local public health authority. However, Ae. aegypti might not be uniformly present because of differences in ecologic suitability. Recent advances in scientific modeling have allowed for more precision in geospatial analyses. CDC applied these approaches to previously published and rigorously evaluated data to determine if more precise guidance to travelers and persons living in affected regions could be established. The results from the spatial analyses of 16 countries with ongoing Zika virus transmission and elevation points >1,500 m indicate that Ae. aegypti is unlikely to be found at elevations >2,000 m because of unsuitable ecologic factors, including but not limited to, low temperatures. Consequently, at elevations above 2,000 m, the risk for mosquito-borne exposure to Zika virus is considered to be minimal. These findings support revising the Zika travel notice to reflect enhanced geographic precision regarding the likelihood of Zika virus presence at certain elevations.

With this revision, CDC recommends that women who are pregnant should postpone travel to areas that are at elevations <2,000 m above sea level in countries and U.S. territories with ongoing Zika virus transmission. Because Zika virus is primarily spread by mosquitoes, CDC recommends that travelers protect themselves from mosquito bites. Travel that is entirely limited to elevations >2,000 m is considered to pose minimal likelihood for mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission.** As additional geographic data specific to Zika virus cases in relation to elevation become available, these recommendations will be reviewed and revised as needed.
Zimbabwe: Filabusi cement plant in planning stages

ICR Newsroom By 17 March 2016

Local entrepreneurs plan to establish a cement manufacturing company in Filabusi, Insiza district, with a cement capacity of 0.5Mta, according to the Zimbabwe Chronicle.



Philani Mpofu, who runs an engineering and construction firm based in Bulawayo, said major

preliminary works have been carried out on the limestone resources.



We started working on this project in 2014 and have covered a lot of groundwork. Because this

is a massive project weve engaged Danish Cement Consultants to assist us in rolling out the

project, said Mr Mpofu.



So far weve done the aerial topographic survey using 3D technology with a Namibian firm.

Weve completed mineral deposit identification and security with the Ministry of Mines and

Mining Development.



Weve also done an environmental prospectus with EMA whove given us the green light to

conduct a full environmental impact assessment (EIA).



Securing fuel and power for the project is the next step, along with attracting further investors in the project.



Working with our consultants, on Friday we did an assessment of the communication

infrastructure, that is, the railway and road network and its capacity. We also met Hwange

Colliery Company management on coal supply issues for the proposed plant, he said.



At the moment were in talks with Zesa for electricity connection. Ideally well need 10MW, but weve tabled different options to the power utility to cut the costs.



The multi-million dollar investment project is expected to create between 500 to 1000 job

opportunities for locals.



He would not disclose the total investment value and other partners involved but only said

his team was working with potential investors that cant be disclosed right now.



He added his team visited different countries in Europe in March last year to identify and inspect suitable machinery for the project.

Published under
Ghana to restrict cement imports

ICR Newsroom By 17 March 2016

The Ghanaian government has announced plans to restrict cement imports into the country with Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, proposing the curtailment.

"The Ministry of Trade and Industry proposes through legislative instrument to impose a ceiling on the annual importation of cement into Ghana. Companies that wish to import bagged cement shall be issued a permit to avoid the chaos that has lately saddled the sector," the statement said.

Cement importers will have up to 31 March 2016 to register with the Ministry of Trade and Industry , which has stated that "Companies that are legitimately licensed under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme are exempted from the need to apply for permits."



He said cement imports, currently at around 1Mta, are exacerbating the supply glut. The countrys cement manufacturers have a total production capacity of about 9Mta while domestic demand is below 6Mta.



Local cement producers have applied repeatedly for government intervention on the issue. Diamond Cement Company in Aflao has in recent months protested against the importation of already bagged Dangote Cement from Nigeria.

Published under
Note to journalists: Please report that this research will be presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

A press conference on this topic will be held Monday, March 14, at 10 a.m. Pacific time in the San Diego Convention Center. Reporters may check-in at Room 16B (Mezzanine) in person, or watch live on YouTube http://bit.ly/ACSliveSanDiego . To ask questions online, sign in with a Google account.

SAN DIEGO, March 13, 2016  The blueberry, already labeled a super fruit for its power to potentially lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, also could be another weapon in the war against Alzheimers disease. New research being presented today further bolsters this idea, which is being tested by many teams. The fruit is loaded with healthful antioxidants, and these substances could help prevent the devastating effects of this increasingly common form of dementia, scientists report.

The researchers present their work today at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the worlds largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 12,500 presentations on a wide range of science topics.

Our new findings corroborate those of previous animal studies and preliminary human studies, adding further support to the notion that blueberries can have a real benefit in improving memory and cognitive function in some older adults, says Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., leader of the research team. He adds that blueberries beneficial effects could be due to flavonoids called anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve animals cognition.



Currently 5.3 million people suffer from Alzheimers disease. But that number is expected to increase, Krikorian notes, as the U.S. population ages. By 2025, the number of Americans with this degenerative disorder could rise 40 percent to more than 7 million, and it could almost triple by 2050, according to the Alzheimers Association.

In an effort to find ways to slow down this alarming trend, Krikorian and colleagues at University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center conducted two human studies to follow up on earlier clinical trials.

One study involved 47 adults aged 68 and older, who had mild cognitive impairment, a risk condition for Alzheimers disease. The researchers gave them either freeze-dried blueberry powder, which is equivalent to a cup of berries, or a placebo powder once a day for 16 weeks.

There was improvement in cognitive performance and brain function in those who had the blueberry powder compared with those who took the placebo, Krikorian says. The blueberry group demonstrated improved memory and improved access to words and concepts. The team also conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which showed increased brain activity in those who ingested the blueberry powder.



The second study included 94 people aged 62 to 80, who were divided into four groups. The participants didnt have objectively measured cognitive issues, but they subjectively felt their memories were declining. The groups received blueberry powder, fish oil, fish oil and powder or placebo.

The results were not as robust as with the first study, Krikorian explained. Cognition was somewhat better for those with powder or fish oil separately, but there was little improvement with memory. Also, fMRI results also were not as striking for those receiving blueberry powder. He says that the effect may have been smaller in this case because these participants had less severe issues when they entered the study.

Krikorian said the two studies indicate that blueberries may be more effective in treating patients with cognitive impairments, but may not show measurable benefit for those with minor memory issues or who have not yet developed cognitive problems.

In the future, the team plans to conduct a blueberry study with a younger group of people, aged 50 to 65. The group would include people at risk of developing Alzheimers, such as those who are obese, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. This work could help the researchers determine if blueberries could help prevent the onset of Alzheimers symptoms.

He acknowledges funding from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council , the National Institute on Aging and Wild Blueberries of North America .

American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 158,000 members, ACS is the worlds largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Farmers and ranchers took to the Capitol steps Tuesday seeking quick action to address property taxes, with time slipping away before Nebraska lawmakers adjourn for the summer.

We need the Legislature to act now, said Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

Agriculture in the state is preparing for a third straight year of decline, following a 38 percent drop in net farm income in 2015. And property valuations for Nebraska farms and ranches remain among the highest theyve ever been.

We have 19 days left in the legislative session  not very much time  and yet at this point we do not have bills out of the Revenue Committee to deal with these issues, Nelson said.

He was joined by some 50 farmers and ranchers, most wearing blue jeans and some in cowboy hats and boots.

If the Legislature doesnt start to solve this, people are going to take it into their own hands, said Jeff Metz, a Morrill County commissioner and rancher.

Unsatisfied with a plan Gov. Pete Ricketts brought forward this year, Revenue Committee members have spent weeks trying to come up with an alternative that is politically feasible and would begin to address farmers concerns.

Committee members lurched toward possible compromise Tuesday, tentatively agreeing to rewrite part of the governors plan with a two-part proposal.

And although the committee held a public hearing on the governors bill (LB958) in February, the changes being considered are substantial enough to require a second hearing, which will be scheduled for the coming weeks.

One component of the rewrite would change how Nebraskas nine-year-old property tax credit fund is distributed, with more going to agricultural landowners.

That change would take effect in 2017, with the goal of boosting the overall amount of credits so residential and commercial landowners wouldnt lose out.

While those additional credits wouldnt come right away, it would be action this year, said Revenue Committee Chairman Mike Gloor of Grand Island.

Other measures  such as Gloors bill to raise the states cigarette tax  could be used to provide those additional credits sooner, he said.

The other piece of the Revenue Committees working plan takes aim at spending by community colleges.

Colleges and other local governments are limited in how much their budgets can grow each year, but budget authority that isnt used one year can still be tapped in the future.

Ricketts original bill sought to limit that carryover of unused budget authority to 3 percent of the overall budget for each city, county or other local government. The Revenue Committee rewrite would apply that restriction only to community colleges.
An attorney for the state Wednesday fought a Fillmore County judges decision to bar prosecutors from using a Grafton mans statements to law enforcement against him at a trial for shooting his brother.

At issue are two key questions:

* When should law enforcement read a suspect his rights?

* And does law enforcement have an obligation to correct a suspect who offers to tell them his story off the record when they know that everything he says can be used against him?

The questions arose in the case against Ervin Fuehrer, a 61-year-old charged with first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony in the March 19, 2015, shooting of his brother, Stephen Preslicka, in Fuehrers driveway.

In December, Fillmore County District Judge Vicky Johnson ruled that statements Fuehrer made after the sheriff arrived couldnt be used against him because he hadnt been read his Miranda rights and wasnt free to go after the sheriff showed up on Fuehrers own report that he had shot a man.

Johnson also found that the state couldnt use statements Fuehrer made to State Patrol investigators later at the station because he said he wouldnt talk to them without an attorney before offering to tell them off the record what happened.

But theres no such thing as off the record in law enforcement.

In oral arguments Wednesday, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Laura Nigro said their duty was to read him his Miranda warnings, which they did. Law enforcement is allowed to use a certain amount of deception, she said.

Regarding the statements before that, Nebraska Court of Appeals Judge Michael W. Pirtle quickly cut to the chase. At what point was he not free to leave? the judge asked her.

Once the sheriff handcuffed him and put him in the patrol car, Nigro said.

But Pirtle pressed. Could Fuehrer have left after he told the sheriff that he had shot his brother?

Theoretically, Nigro believed he could have, despite the sheriff testifying under oath at a pretrial hearing that he probably wouldnt have let Fuehrer go.

She said the sheriff still was trying to determine what happened and whether it was a crime; he didnt decide to arrest Fuehrer until after Fuehrer made the statements at issue.

Pirtle asked why not just go ahead and read the Miranda warnings after a statement like I shot my brother, rather than waiting to determine if it was an accident or a crime.

Nigro said it was a brief encounter, and the sheriff wasnt asking Fuehrer questions.

Why not read Miranda once Fuehrer was arrested and put in the patrol car, the judge asked.

Im not saying it was necessarily best practice, Nigro said. But I am saying it wasnt an interrogation, because there werent questions being asked.

Attorney Bob Parker disagreed. He said the sheriff asked Fuehrer what happened when he got there, and Fuehrer was telling him, without being advised of his Miranda rights or his right to remain silent.

And, Parker argued, when the investigators let Fuehrer talk to them off the record they were implicitly promising him that his statements wouldnt be used against him.

I think the officers could have cured this by saying there is no such thing as off the record. What you say can and will be used against you, he said.

Maybe they never had it come up before, Parker said. He couldnt find any other Nebraska cases where it had come up.

Pirtle took the case under advisement.
In preparation for severe storm season, the National Weather Service led annual storm spotter training Tuesday at the Homestead National Monuments Education Center.

Volunteers from Gage, Saline and Jefferson County attended to learn how to spot severe weather systems in a state that has averaged 53 tornadoes per year over the past three decades.

The spotters provide a vital function. The National Weather Service in Valley, Neb., near Omaha, covers more than 38 counties within eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. However, there simply arent enough radars for such a large territory, an NWS presenter told the attendees.

We need people on the ground, said National Weather Service forecaster Cathy Zapotocny. Spotters are an integral part of the warning system.

Zapotocny, along with John McKee, interim emergency manager at Saline County, and Larry Howard, National Weather Service electronics systems analyst, gave those in attendance an overview of the role of a spotter and their importance in the storm warning system.

With 302 severe weather reports coming from spotters in the local area last year alone, Zapotocny made it clear that without the volunteers, the National Weather Service would be unable to pinpoint most severe storms, including those that spawn tornadoes.

Zapotocny said the number-one rule of thumb for storm chasers is to always stay out of the tornados path. Instructional videos and real-life scenarios gave viewers a rough idea of just how damaging these storm systems can be. Storm spotting is about as dangerous and thankless a job there is, Zapotocny said.

The second rule of thumb, said Zapotocny, is its best to stay on the south or southeast side of the storm, because storms and tornadoes often travel from southwest to northeast. This isnt always the case, she said, but as a general rule staying southeast is the best way to stay out of a storms path.

To report a tornado, contact the National Weather Service at (800) 452-9074 with the location, heading and any visible damage the storm has caused. Reports can also be sent via Facebook, facebook.com/NWSOmaha, or Twitter @NWSOmaha, or submitted through the NWS website, www.weather.gov/oax.

The next training opportunity will be Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Plymouth Fire Station, giving those who missed the Tuesday session another opportunity to learn how to prepare for severe storms as Nebraska heads into tornado season.
McCrory will face Cooper for governor; rematch between Forest and Coleman for lieutenant governor; bonds pass easily

CJ photo by Kari Travis

Statewide races

General Assembly races

Incumbent Senate Republicans Joyce Krawiec in District 31, and Tommy Tucker in District 35.

Incumbent House Republicans Jamie Boles in District 52, Lee Zachary in District 73, Harry Warren in District 77, and John Fraley in District 95.

Incumbent House Democrats Larry Bell in District 21, William Brisson in District 22, Jean Farmer-Butterfield in District 24, Michael Wray in District 27, Rosa Gill in District 33, Charles Graham in District 47, and Kelly Alexander in District 107.

Three open House seats were filled by primary winners because no one from the opposing party filed for the seat: Republican Holly Grange in House District 20, Democrat Terry Garrison in House District 32, and Democrat John Autry in House District 100.

In House District 67, one of the most closely watched and hotly contested races, incumbent Republican Justin Burr narrowly edged challenger Lane Burris by 242 votes to advance to the General Election. Burr had a public falling out with House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, but was endorsed by House Majority Leader Mike Hager, R-Rutherford.

Incumbent GOP Rep. Charles Jeter had an even closer contest, defeating challenger Tom Davis by just 23 votes in District 92.

All results:

SENATE

District 4 (D)-Angela Bryant (I) 81.38 percent, James Mills 18.62 percent

District 11 (R)-Rick Horner 51.57 percent, Benton Sawrey 48.43 percent

District 12 (D)-Susan Byerly 77.42 percent, James (Jay) Willis Sills Jr. 22.58 percent

District 16 (D)-Jay Chaudhuri 63.14 percent, Ellis Hankins 36.86 percent

District 21 (D)-Ben Clark (I) 49.85 percent, Naveed Aziz 44.26 percent, Eronomy Neon (Mohammed) Smith 5.9 percent

District 31 (R)-With 76 of 81 precincts reporting: Joyce Krawiec (I) 62.12 percent, Dempsey Brewer 27.54 percent, Peter Antinozzi 10.35 percent

District 33 (R)-Cathy Dunn 40.14 percent, Eddie Gallimore 32.2 percent, Joe D. Kennedy 27.66 percent

District 35 (R)-With 45 of 48 precincts reporting: Tommy Tucker (I) 62.25 percent, Matt Daly 37.75 percent

District 36 (R)-Paul R. Newton 37.01 percent, Scott C. Aumuller 30.06 percent, Amy Blake 21.38 percent, Parish Moffitt 11.54 percent

District 36 (D)-Robert Brown 65.1 percent, Andrew E. Platek 34.9 percent

District 38 (D)-With 33 of 34 precincts reporting: Joel Ford (I) 52.22 percent, Roderick Davis 47.78 percent

District 40 (D)-With 46 of 48 precincts reporting: Joyce Waddell (I) 64.37 percent, Nasif Majeed 35.63 percent

District 44 (R)-David L. Curtis (I) 51.08 percent, Chris Carney 48.92 percent

District 45 (R)- Deanna Ballard 52.96 Ken Boham 47.04 percent

District 46 (D)-Anne Fischer 53.77 percent, Jim Cates 46.23 percent

District 47 (D)-Mary Jane Boyd 60.14 percent, Tim Murphy 39.86 percent

District 48 (R)-Chuck Edwards 56.23 percent, Lisa Carpenter Baldwin 33.83 percent, Dennis Justice 9.94 percent

HOUSE

District 6 (R)-Beverly Boswell 39.25 percent, Ashley Woolard 36.72 percent, Arthur Williams 24.03 percent

District 6 (D)-Warren Judge 71.83 percent, Judy Justice 28.17 percent

District 9 (D)-Brian Farkas 61.77 percent, Walter E. Gaskins 38.23 percent.

District 17 (R)-Frank Iler (I) 67.77 percent, Marion D. Davis 32.23 percent

District 20 (R)-Holly Grange 62.01 percent, Tammy Covil 37.99 percent

District 21 (D)-Larry M. Bell (I) 85.47 percent, Scotty L. Smith 14.53 percent

District 22 (D)-William Brisson (I) 53.48 percent, Ben Snyder 46.52 percent

District 24 (D)-Jean Farmer-Butterfield (I) 61.95 percent, Kandie D. Smith 38.05 percent

District 26 (R)-Donna McDowell White 59.57 percent, Dennis Nielsen 40.43 percent

District 27 (D)-Michael H. Wray (I) 52.57 percent, Franklin D. Williams Jr. 47.43 percent

District 28 (R)-Larry C. Strickland 50.14 percent, Tony Braswell 41.81 percent, Gregory A. Dail 8.05 percent

District 28 (D)-Patricia Oliver 50.36 percent, Jimmie M. Massengill 49.64 percent

District 32 (D)-Terry Garrison 67.32 percent, Gary Lamont Miles Sr. 32.68 percent

District 33 (D)-Rosa U. Gill (I) 64.48 percent, Shirley E. Hicks 22.73 percent, Bernard Allen II 12.79 percent

District 36 (R)-Nelson Dollar (I) 55.78 percent, Mark Villee 44.22 percent.

District 36 (D)-Jennifer Ferrell 75.31 percent, Woodie Cleary 24.69 percent.

District 44 (R)-Jim Arp 50.99 percent, Richard Button 43.14 percent, Todd Ausborn 5.87 percent

District 47 (D)-With 32 of 34 precincts reporting: Charles Graham (I) 58.17 percent, Randall Jones 41.83 percent

District 52 (R)-Jamie Boles (I) 53.75 percent, John (JD) Zumwalt 46.25 percent

District 53 (R)-David R. Lewis (I) 78.6 percent, Chuck Levorse 21.4 percent.

District 58 (D)-Amos Quick 71.53 percent, Ralph C. Johnson (I) 28.47 percent

District 67 (R)-Justin P. Burr (I) 50.97 percent, Lane O. Burris 49.03 percent

District 73 (R)- Lee Zachary (I) 51.48 percent, Dwight Shook 48.52 percent.

District 77 (R)-Harry Warren (I) 71.44, Andrew H. Poston 28.56 percent

District 81 (R)-Larry W. Potts 52.3 percent, Tyler Lohr Forrest 27.69 percent, Sharon Phillips Pearce 20 percent

District 82 (R)-Larry G. Pittman (I) 52.77 percent, Michael Fischer 47.23 percent

District 83 (R)-Linda P. Johnson (I) 61.64 percent, Nathan D. Stone 38.36 percent

District 84 (R)-Rena W. Turner (I) 63.8 percent, Kirk Sherrill 36.2 percent

District 87 (R)-Destin Hall 59.74 percent, George S. Robinson (I) 40.26 percent

District 91 (R)-Kyle Hall 43.84 percent, Robert Knight 30.58 percent, Ira (Bubba) Tilley 25.58 percent.

District 92 (R)-Charles Jeter (I) 50.16 percent, Tom Davis 49.84 percent

District 93 (R)-Jonathan C. Jordan (I) 73.95 percent, Lew Hendricks 26.05 percent

District 93 (D)-Sue Counts 72.82 percent, Ronnie Marsh 27.18 percent

District 95 (R)-John A. Fraley (I) 68.48 percent, David W. Thompson 31.52 percent

District 100 (D)-John Autry 53.26 percent, Billy Maddalon 46.74 percent

District 101 (D)-Beverly Miller Earle (I) 78.53 percent, Steven Jones 21.47 percent

District 103 (D)-Rochelle Rivas 50.06 percent, Noah Lieberman 49.94 percent

District 105 (R)-Scott Stone 52.2 percent, Tim Morgan 47.8 percent

District 107 (D)-With 18 of 19 precincts reporting: Kelly Alexander (I) 90.14 percent, Robert Blok 9.86 percent

District 113 (R)-Cody Henson 64.66 percent, Coty James Ferguson 35.34 percent

District 115 (R)-Frank Moretz 58.93 percent, Robert Chilmonik 41.07 percent

District 118 (D)-Rhonda Cole Schandevel 57.98 percent, Reese Steen 42.02 percent

District 119 (R)-Mike Clampitt 59.13 percent, Aaron Littlefield 40.87 percent

District 120 (R)-Kevin Corbin 73.85 percent, Elliott J. Southworth 26.15 percent

RALEIGH - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won easily against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in Tuesday's Democratic presidential primary, while casino mogul Donald Trump staved off a late surge by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to claim victory in the GOP presidential contest.With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton bested Sanders 55 percent to 41 percent, while Trump led Cruz 40 percent to 37 percent. The only other GOP candidate receiving double-digit support was Ohio Gov. John Kasich, with 13 percent. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who suspended his presidential campaign Tuesday night after losing his home state, collected 8 percent of the vote. In the Libertarian Party primary, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, won in a crowded field with 42 percent of the vote; "no preference" finished second, with 35 percent.Pre-election polls consistently showed Trump with double-digit leads, but almost all of Trump's margin of victory occurred before Tuesday, in early and absentee balloting. Among votes cast March 15, Trump bested Cruz by a margin of only 39 percent to 38 percent.The statewide primary, moved to March 15 by the 2015 General Assembly, was indeed consequential in the presidential contest as the four major contenders, along with spouses and other surrogates, made a series of appearances in the Tar Heel State during the final two weeks of the campaign. Trump will leave North Carolina with approximately 29 delegates to Cruz's 27.Four other states held presidential contests Tuesday. Trump also won Florida and its 99 convention delegates - leading Rubio to suspend his campaign - added a win in Illinois. Kasich won his home state and its 69 convention delegates. At press time, only a few thousand votes separated Trump and Cruz in Missouri.With the Missouri outcome pending, Trump will hold at least a 200-delegate lead over Cruz and have roughly half the delegates needed to win the GOP nomination outright before the party's nominating convention in Cleveland.Primary contests for the state's 13 congressional districts were on the ballot, but those results will not be counted. A three-judge U.S. District Court panel declared the maps unconstitutional, forcing the General Assembly to convene a special session last month to draw new maps. The legislature set a June 7 date for the congressional primary, with candidate filing opening today; however, the new set of maps also are being challenged in federal court, so the congressional primary could be delayed further.The state will get its marquee gubernatorial race matchup in November after incumbent Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper easily won their respective primaries.In the state's race for U.S. Senate, incumbent GOP Sen. Richard Burr handily fought off three primary challengers. He'll face former Democratic state Rep. Deborah Ross of Wake County, who beat three party rivals of her own, and Libertarian Sean Haugh on the Nov. 8 general election.McCrory led former state Rep. Robert Brawley, R-Iredell, 82 percent to 11 percent with 86 percent of the precincts reporting. Charles Kenneth Moss got 8 percent.Cooper led Ken Spaulding 70 percent to 30 percent. Libertarian Lon Cecil will also be in the gubernatorial race against McCrory and Cooper.Burr fought off Dr. Greg Brannon, who also unsuccessfully challenged Thom Tillis for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination two years ago. With 84 percent of the precincts reporting, Burr had 62 percent to Brannon's 25 percent. Paul Wright finished third with 8 percent. Larry Holmquist had 5 percent.In the Democratic race, Ross garnered 63 percent. Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey came in second with 16 percent. Durham businessman Kevin Griffin finished third with 12 percent. Army veteran Ernest Reeves of Greenville had 9 percent.The $2 billion Connect NC bonds also were approved by a 66 percent to 34 percent vote, with 83 percent of the precincts reporting.Former state Rep. Linda Coleman, D-Wake, won the right to a rematch with incumbent GOP Lt. Gov. Dan Forest. With 85 percent of the precincts reporting, Coleman led the Democratic primary field with 51 percent. Holly Jones had 29 percent, Robert Earl Wilson had 10 percent, and Ronald L. Newton had 10 percent. Forest and Coleman will also face Libertarian J.J. Summerell on the Nov. 8 ballot.Other incumbent Council of State candidates also fared well.Republican Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler bested primary rival Andy Stevens 69 percent to 31 percent, with 86 percent of the precincts reporting. Troxler will face Democrat Walter Smith in the November general election.Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson defeated Henry J. Pankey 80 percent to 20 percent, with 86 percent of the precincts reporting. She'll face Republican Mark Johnson in November. Johnson won the GOP primary with 53 percent of the vote. Rosemary Stein came in second with 33 percent, ahead of J. Wesley Sills with 14 percent.Two state senators won their respective party's nominations to replace Cooper as attorney general. Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, led Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill 55 percent to 45 percent, with 99 percent of the precincts reporting. Sen. Josh Stein, D-Wake, led Marcus Williams 53 percent to 47 percent in the Democratic primary.Republican Mike Causey won the GOP primary for insurance commissioner. With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Causey had 41 percent. Joe McLaughlin had 33 percent and Ron Pierce had 26 percent. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Wayne Goodwin in the November general election.Former Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker secured a victory in the Democratic primary for labor commissioner. He led Greensboro activist Mazie Ferguson 57 percent to 43 percent. The winner faces incumbent Republican Cherie Berry in the general election.Republican Michael LaPaglia defeated primary rival A.J. Daoud 61 percent to 39 percent, with 86 percent of the precincts reporting. He'll face incumbent Democrat Elaine Marshall in the general election.In the Democratic primary for state treasurer, Dan Blue III defeated Ron Elmer 59 percent to 41 percent. The winner will face Republican Dale Folwell, a former state representative and former head of the Division of Employment Security, in November. That race will be to replace Democrat Treasurer Janet Cowell, who chose not to seek re-election.Two incumbents were knocked off by primary challengers in the House. Democrat Amos Quick defeated incumbent Ralph Johnson in House District 58, and Republican incumbent George S. Robinson lost in House District 87 to challenger Destin Hall. Quick and Hall effectively won the seats because they have no opposition in the General Election.Sixteen other primary winners - two in the Senate and 14 in the House - also in effect were elected to the seat they were seeking because they have no opposition in the General Election, barring a write-in candidate or an independent challenger. They were:
It has been far too many years since the Woke theology interlaced its canons within the fabric of the Indoctrination Realm, so it is nigh time to ask: Does this Representative Republic continue, as a functioning society of a self-governed people, by contending with the unusual, self absorbed dictates of the Woke, and their vast array of Victimhood scenarios?

Yes, the Religion of Woke must continue; there are so many groups of underprivileged, underserved, a direct result of unrelenting Inequity; they deserve everything.

No; the Woke fools must be toppled from their self-anointed pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now.
Tom Campbell

The 2016 election cycle is one of the wildest and strangest we've seen, especially the presidential contests. In recent days these campaigns have raised interesting questions about protest and disruption.Former Senate leaders Trent Lott and Tom Daschle speak to those points in their insightful new book, Crisis Point. In the introduction they say, "The adversarial system of government, was meant to spur debate, challenge complacency, and drive progress. It has sustained our Republic for over 225 years, but we have to face a sad truth: it has stopped working. In fact, it has begun to work against us."These two, from opposing parties and political perspectives, assert that partisan rancor has replaced reasoned debate and whether deliberate or unintentional the media has become a forum for voices to shout at each other, without facing one another, in an ever-escalating arms race that airs the extremes at such deafening levels it drowns out everything and everyone else in between.Daschle and Lott remind us that our differences and diversity are a large part of what has made America the great nation we love. Our founding fathers established a climate that encouraged contrarians, stimulated argument and that very process has sustained us. Disparate interests competed with and checked each other. "The pulling from both sides is intended to create a strong whole, just as two opposing forces pulling a rope tightens that rope. However, too much tension breaks the rope entirely, an apt metaphor for where we find ourselves," the authors say.We should never forget the lengthy and heated arguments the Continental Congress conducted regarding separation from England, arguments that resulted in the Declaration of Independence. Author Joseph Ellis remembers "a decade-long shouting match" in the 1790s that produced our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Both helped unify 13 disparate colonies into a strong nation, while not allowing government to become so powerful we felt the need to revolt all over again.Today's contrarians and protestors should be encouraged and are not, as some suggest, tearing us apart. They are voices to which we need to actively listen. Our very existence and strength has come from these necessary and valuable arguments. With the exception of The Civil War, people of good will seeking the common good have always come together to find those things we can agree upon and find compromise, a word with an undeserved bad name.What has historically been - and should continue to be - perhaps our biggest virtue, the ability to disagree, is devolving into our great failing. The First Amendment guarantees every citizen the right to protest and advocate for or against issues they believe important, but it does not offer that guarantee when that protest becomes disruptive. This belief that one side can only win when the other side loses runs counter to our history, is unproductive and impedes any hope of reaching win-win progress for the common good. We see it in our Congress, in many legislatures and Town Halls.Lott and Daschle contend we need to take the time to develop chemistry among those with whom we differ, have the courage to listen to them, demonstrate true leadership and vision through finding compromise. Our continued greatness demands we return to those long-held practices and back down from this crisis point.
Hunters are eager for opening day of the statewide turkey hunting season in Georgia. The highly-anticipated day is Saturday, Mar. 26 and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division expects that the 2016 season should be a fair one.

Perspective is important because Georgia is still in the top six states in terms of eastern wild turkey harvest and population, even while we have had some declines in reproduction and the overall turkey population, says Kevin Lowrey, Wildlife Resources Division wild turkey project coordinator. Hunters heading to the woods need to remember that there is a new requirement this year to have a harvest record and that they will need to report their harvest through Georgia Game Check.



With a generous bag limit of three gobblers per season, hunters have from March 26 through May 15  one of the most liberal turkey seasons in the nation - to harvest their bird(s). With many pursuing wild turkeys on private land, hunters are reminded to always obtain landowner permission before hunting.

What should hunters expect this spring? The Lower Coastal Plain and Ridge and Valley will have an above average season this year and next year, due to better reproduction levels than other parts of the state. While other regions saw some reproduction improvement in 2015, the lower cycle in 2014 may mean fewer 2-year old gobblers, so hunters likely will be pursuing older birds, which may raise the challenge level.

NEW this year: all turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime, and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season. Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record, andwithin 72 hours, must complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check. More information about this requirement at www.georgiawildlife.com/ HarvestRecordGeorgiaGameCheck .

A WMA license is required for any person 16 years or older who does not possess a valid honorary, sportsman or lifetime license when hunting wild turkey on a WMA or public fishing area. In addition, a valid hunting license and a big game license are required. Legal firearms and archery equipment for hunting wild turkey are shotguns (loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot), any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.
Arne Duncan animatedly chats with audience members after making his last speech as the U.S. Secretary of Education in the basement of St. Sabina Church in Chicago Wednesday Dec. 30, 2015. Duncan is working with the philanthropic Emerson Collective to build a small team in Chicago focused on creating job opportunities for young black men. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Arne Duncan is back in Chicago with a new mission: to tackle the desperate unemployment rate among young people, particularly young black men, that he believes is feeding the rising violence in his hometown.

The former Chicago Public Schools chief, who spent seven years as U.S. Secretary of Education before stepping down in January, is working with the philanthropic Emerson Collective to build a small team in Chicago focused on creating job opportunities for 17- to 24-year-olds who are neither working nor in school.

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These "disconnected" youth, who often have criminal records and lack high school degrees, face employment barriers and tend to live in neighborhoods where gangs are the only ones hiring, Duncan said.

"It's a time of crisis, and we are going to have to behave and do things very differently," Duncan said Thursday. "You can't police your way out of this, you can't arrest your way out of this."

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Emerson Collective, based in Palo Alto, Calif., was founded in 2011 by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The organization champions immigration reform, school improvement and various other social justice initiatives through investments in entrepreneurs and nonprofits as well as support of public policy advocates. It made headlines last year when it launched XQ, a nationwide movement to reimagine high schools that includes a $50 million grant competition.

Duncan said he was driven to focus on youth unemployment by "the unprecedented level of violence" in the city and a study put out in January by the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois at Chicago that found staggering unemployment rates among youth in some communities.

The report found that 47 percent of 20- to 24-year-old black men in Chicago are out of school and out of work, compared with 20 percent of Hispanic men and 10 percent of white men.

The disparities among 20- to 24-year-old women are also great, with 35 percent of black women neither in school nor working, compared with 18 percent of Hispanic women and 3 percent of white women.

The out-of-school, out-of-work rates were worst in highly segregated neighborhoods on the city's South and West sides that are experiencing high levels of violence. They are also worse than the national average and rates in comparable big cities.

Chicago saw 102 violent deaths in the first two months of this year, the most since 1997 and nearly the double the 52 recorded during the same period last year, according to data compiled by the Tribune. Police have blamed intensifying gang conflicts.

To combat the hopelessness that breeds criminal activity, Duncan said, young people need to be reconnected to the legal economy.

"If we can work in communities and provide real training that leads to real skills that can lead to real jobs, I have confidence that these men and women will make different choices," he said.

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The most crucial, and probably most difficult, challenge will be lining up employers to offer concrete jobs on the back end, Duncan said. But he said it's the right thing to do from a business standpoint, as companies don't benefit from the city's violence and many have talent shortages they struggle to fill.

"These kids are smart, they're entrepreneurial, they're hardworking, they've just never had a chance," Duncan said.

Though the details of the initiative are still being worked out, Duncan said he intends to target new economy jobs, such as coding and tech, as well as the traditional economy, such as retail.

He also hopes to create opportunities within disinvested communities where many unemployed young people live, perhaps by creating a pool of funds to invest in local, community-owned businesses.

"I constantly hear there's no access to capital, there's no way to grow," Duncan said.

Though the immediate goal is to get disconnected youth into jobs, Duncan said he intends to eventually work with federal, state and local agencies  including Chicago Public Schools  and start earlier in kids' lives.

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The work will include partnering with community-based organizations that are already tackling the problem, investing in entrepreneurs who can bring innovation and job growth to neglected neighborhoods, and collaborating with local leadership to expand the best solutions. The broader goal is to explore factors in schools, homes and communities that contribute to crime, joblessness and social breakdown.

"If we're honest with ourselves, the collective response has been nowhere close to the magnitude of the challenge," Duncan said.

aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com

Twitter @alexiaer
Chipotle Mexican Grill responded quickly when four of its workers called in sick last week with suspected cases of norovirus. The Boston-area restaurant was shuttered for cleaning, and no customers got ill.

The company's management considers that a successful outcome  a sign its updated health protocols are working. But customers, still wary of the chain after a string of outbreaks, didn't see it that way.

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Headlines about the Massachusetts restaurant closing once again sent Chipotle's sales plunging. And while the company called that sales decrease a "blip" on its road to recovery, the incident illustrates just how difficult it will be for the chain to get its mojo back.

"It's great that they caught it before anybody got sick, but how could it happen again?" said Christopher Muller, a restaurant and hospitality expert who teaches at Boston University. "They're caught in a very bad cycle."

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Chipotle sales tumbled 26 percent in February, marking at least the third straight month of declines for a chain once known for intense customer loyalty. Sales had started to recover a bit in early March, but then sank 27 percent in the week following the Boston situation. The company called that incident a "nonevent" and said it became public only because parents of one of the workers called the media.

The company's vigilance in closing the restaurant for a full cleaning only threw a bigger spotlight on the situation.

"We're really proud of the protocol working perfectly," Steve Ells, the company's co-chief executive officer, said Wednesday during an investor presentation. "Unfortunately, it was spun to be a negative, but nonetheless we'll still continue  out of an abundance of caution  to make sure that we're going the extra steps to be safe."

Chipotle executives reiterated Wednesday that they're confident the company can restore its sales and profit. But it's going to take time. Facing its second straight negative sales quarter, the company is now forecasting a loss of $1 or more per share in the first quarter. Costs for new food-safety measures and promotion are higher than predicted, said the company, acknowledging that fallout from the crisis is far more damaging than initially expected.

The company has hired a new director of food safety and says its updated protocols will reduce the risk of a new outbreak to "near zero." Still, it's not clear that customers are getting the message.

The company hasn't been strong enough explaining what it's doing to improve food safety, said Richard Frisch, a partner at Forum Strategies and Communications. His two college-age sons  once loyal Chipotle customers  have stayed away from the restaurants since the crisis hit, he said.

"The message hasn't gotten to them," Frisch said. "They have to do more to get positive word of mouth and change the conversation."

Free-burrito offers  sent to customers' mobile phones and through traditional mail  have drawn some customers back to Chipotle's restaurants. But the chain faces a deeper question about the strength of its brand. A generation of U.S. consumers grew up with Chipotle as the go-to option for better fast food, a place to grab a quick burrito made with the type of premium ingredients coveted by the foodie crowd.

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Getting that image back will be difficult, particularly as negative headlines and pictures of empty restaurants keep popping up on social media, said Allen Adamson, the former North American chairman of the branding firm Landor.

"They can solve the health issues, but getting that momentum back is very tricky," he said. "There's a fashion dimension to the food business  when a place is packed, you want to try it. You see them now, it's deserted. It looks like a bowling alley."

Chipotle's crisis began in earnest last November, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to the chain. That brought national attention to a series of previous illnesses among customers, including a norovirus outbreak in California that sickened more than 200 people. A month later, scores of Boston College students got the virus after eating at a local Chipotle.

By March, Chipotle had mostly been out of the news for the better part of a month. Then workers at a different Massachusetts location got sick. Once again, the company's stock price fell.

The shares are down more than 28 percent over the last 12 months, a plunge that has wiped out more than $5 billion in market value. The shares dropped as much as 3.9 percent to $480.82 on Thursday, the third straight day of declines.

Norovirus is the most common foodborne illness in the U.S., according to the CDC. From 2009 to 2012, almost two-thirds of cases from food contamination were linked to restaurants.

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Many restaurant chains have reduced the risk of norovirus over the years by eliminating opportunities for workers to touch food with their hands, said Ben Chapman, a food-safety expert and professor at North Carolina State University. Some of them insist on employees using tongs in food preparation, for instance.

Even so, it's likely that other chains have had workers get sick with norovirus in recent months without generating media attention, Chapman said. Chipotle is under more scrutiny as it tries to restore its reputation, he said.

"This is norovirus season  it's really not that unusual," he said. "But there's heightened awareness with Chipotle because they've had so many incidents."
Forget foosball tables or free snacks. The latest employee benefit for recruiting and retaining young employees is more practical.

On Tuesday, Boston-based Fidelity announced that it had begun offering a perk that would help employees repay their student loans. All full-time employees at the manager level and below can get up to $2,000 a year paid toward their student loan, up to a total of $10,000. Employees still make their own payments, while Fidelity's benefit is sent directly to the loan provider by a third-party vendor and applied to the principal, reducing the overall size of the loan.

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The financial services company joins a small but growing number of firms that are helping ease the pain of student loan debt for their growing population of millennial employees - while at the same time offering benefits that aren't as permanent as a bump up in workers' salaries. Pricewaterhouse Coopers announced in September it would extend a similar benefit to its workers. Smaller companies such as Chegg and LendEDU offer the perk, and third-party vendors say many more are expected to announce the benefit in coming months.

A survey by the Society for Human Resources Management from last June said only about three percent of companies in its survey offer the perk, but its director of compensation and benefits, Bruce Elliott, expects that number to grow.

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The trend is a response, of course, to the fact that for young workers, student loans have become a more burdensome financial problem. Education debt has soared in recent years, nearly tripling since the early 1990s and reaching an average of $35,000 in 2015, according to data from the publisher Edvisors.

After asking employees about their biggest challenges, "we were surprised to learn that student loans were at the top of the list," said Jennifer Hanson, who leads Fidelity's "associate experience" and benefits. "It was causing them to put off important things, whether it was buying a house or getting married."

But the move also comes as employers facing a tight labor market and want to stand out in particular to younger, college-educated employees. Millennials are the largest segment of the labor force, and in response, employers are tailoring benefits to their needs. For instance, many are expanding family leave benefits.

One way Elliott says he knows a trend has legs is that startups get founded to cater to the market and act as administrators for the new perks  in this case, verifying that employees have student loans and then handling the logistics of paying the loans directly on the employer's behalf.

Tuition.io, which is administering Fidelity's program, says it is talking to some of the largest U.S. companies. The CEO of another vendor, Gradifi's Tim DeMello, says it has 100 companies scheduled to offer the benefit in coming months, including 19 Fortune 500 companies.

Another company, Student Loan Genius, says it's seeing interest in a recently introduced platform that helps companies repurpose the money they've budgeted as 401(k) matching contributions. When workers make a student loan payment, it triggers the company to make a 401(k) contribution on their behalf.

Millennials' "eyes are not on retirement, it's 'how do we get rid of our student loans, control our debt,' " says Tony Aguilar, the founder of Student Loan Genius. These sorts of benefits, he says, are "for a different generation with different problems."

Of course, companies could just raise employees' overall pay, giving workers higher salaries that would let them pay their student loans as well as make 401(k) contributions. But part of the appeal of these benefits to companies  beyond the goodwill they build with employees  is that they are flexible, Elliott says.

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"It's a way to differentiate total compensation without creating an increase in base pay," he says. "If revenue is down for whatever reason, it's easier to cut this type of benefit than it is to cut salary."

While such benefits may have advantages for both employees and their bosses, they have the potential, at least, to create tensions between employees. Employees whose parents paid for school or who've already paid off their loans could feel left out. "What happens inside these firms at some point with the students who did not take out student loans?" Wharton business school professor Peter Cappelli says.

Fidelity's Hanson says the flexibility of the student loan benefit was not a factor in the company's decision to offer it, and sees student loan debt as "a concern across the board"  the company estimates about 25 percent of employees have student loan debt. The program does not have an age limit, and employees who still carry student loan debt well into middle age would benefit from it. Even employees who don't qualify for the benefit have said "they love it," she says. "It sets Fidelity apart."

And that, of course, is exactly what companies want when it comes to benefits like this, Elliott says. "What I find particularly interesting about this benefit is the employer is paying after the fact," he says. He believes "we're absolutely going to see a lot more innovation on benefits  especially as it relates to this generation."
Tyler Stoltenberg, 30, lives on the third floor above Monty Gaels, an Irish bar in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. "I think it's a part of city life," he said. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Slurred, drunk conversations late at night. The strong scent of spice. Empty wine bottles tossed, clanging, into the alley below a bedroom window.

Those are all nightmarish scenarios imagined around living above a bar or a restaurant.

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But many of Chicago's residential neighborhoods are lined with main arteries that nestle popular eateries, topped with homes. Curtains and dressers decorate the floors above restaurants like Boka in Lincoln Park; a man works on a laptop beyond a window above a bar sign on a stretch of mixed-use buildings on Halsted Street.

Brokers say that a bustling restaurant underfoot is not always a big seller. But some tenants appreciate the convenience of a place right downstairs  a dive bar with happy hour might be horrifying to one person, but a perk to another. The smell of spices might make one nauseated, another starving. And a lot depends on the business.

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"Some of them are very good about it, some of them are not very good at all," said Lincoln Park real estate agent Pamela Butler.

Residents' complaints about restaurant noise funnel everywhere from 311 to local officials. A brochure on "Noise Concerns for Bars & Restaurants" (music should stay on premises; sound can't exceed 55 decibels) is on the website of Ald. Ameya Pawar, whose 47th Ward stretches roughly from Addison Street to Foster Avenue in the North Center and Ravenswood neighborhoods. His chief of staff, Jim Poole, said the office receives 20 to 25 complaints a year. He encourages calling the business as a first step. Next, police can enforce 911 noise-disturbance complaints.

Stoltenberg said living above an Irish bar means he has an easy spot to bring out-of-town guests, with an unbeatable commute. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Noisy customers or stale-beer smells can be turnoffs. But for those who can appreciate benefits alongside challenges, downstairs spots can be dynamic neighbors.

Pros and cons

Sure, when Kirsten Van Wyck, 28, lived above Matilda in Wrigleyville, the sidewalk filled with drunks celebrating Saturday morning college football games. But even now, she visits Matilda  and even met her boyfriend there, after moving out.

Plus, a bar downstairs meant someone was always nearby, like the time she locked herself out.

"There's no better place to kill some time than a bar," she said.

For Tyler Stoltenberg, 30, living in a third-floor Lincoln Square apartment that tops an Irish bar and pizza place is a net advantage.

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"I think it's part of city life," said Stoltenberg, creative and retail manager for the nonprofit organization 826CHI's outpost in Wicker Park.

An apartment in between acts as a buffer, he said, but noise still wafts up  such as muffled trivia questions.

"It comes up the stairway," he said.

Same for the sound of clumps of people outside. Especially late, and especially loud.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 25 Fried chicken and waffles at Batter & Berries 2748 N. Lincoln Ave. Tuesday, March 22, 2016. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

"When we have our windows open, it sounds like it's in our apartment," he said.

But having a spot below to grab drinks or dinner is really convenient, he said. The bar  Monty Gaels Tavern & Grill  is a place to bring out-of-town guests with an unbeatable commute. And there's this: Stoltenberg lived until age 4 above a Wisconsin bar his family owned.

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For Robert Sancrainte, 28, living above John Barleycorn on Clark Street in Lincoln Park became a built-in place to grab beers. Especially on Sunday nights.

"There was one bartender who basically never charged me," he said.

Sure, noise sometimes erupted late into the night, but he didn't mind  he himself worked weird hours as a doorman.

"There were some nights I was awoken by people shouting in the street at 4:30 in the morning," he said, "but probably not more common than anyone who lives on a busy street."

The spaces above restaurants aren't always residential  some restaurants use them as offices or storage.

Above chef Dario Vullo's Nando Milano Trattoria on Division Street in Wicker Park, it's both; he and his wife live above the restaurant on the second floor.

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Restaurateur Dario Vullo, who lives above his business, prepares a morning espresso in his restaurant Nando Milano Trattoria on Division Street Thursday, March 17, 2016. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

"Living above is a luxury," he said. He acknowledges it's a bit of a trade-off  sometimes it's too close to work to really disconnect, and his wife, training to become a surgeon, might need sleep when customers are still chatting.

Keeping tabs

Mimi Simon, a spokesperson for Chicago's Department of Buildings, noted the city's multiple regulations to protect residents living above restaurants and bars  covering everything from fire risks to noise. Residents should call 311, she said, and the city will complete an inspection, she said.

Most restaurant owners and employees, whether they live in the building or not, are aware of the potential for grumbling.

Matilda owner Kevin Abercrombie said the bar gives out free bottles of water when closing on Friday and Saturday nights. Patrons of the tavern on Sheffield Avenue find it generous, he said, but there's a quiet benefit, too: "People tend to talk less when their mouth is full of water."

Sean Carroll, 23, a bartender at Monty Gaels, said they keep in mind those on higher floors.

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He said he's only encountered folks from upstairs  knowingly  once, when two men came in recently with a group of friends. He poured them a few free drinks.

"They were all lovely," he said in a Dublin accent.

No tenants have ever come in to grouse, he said  and he was even speaking behind the bar of an Irish pub the Monday after St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Even though the bar closes at 2 a.m., the staff turns the music down closer to midnight, he said.

"We don't want to make a hostile environment, where if they do come in, they come in to complain," he said. "It's a bit of a balance."

Added owner Kevin Vaughan, whose restaurants around the city include Monty Gaels, music is lowered after 11 p.m. during weekdays, and staff isn't allowed to listen to music after close.

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"Having said that, it is important for tenants to really assess their needs and noise sensitivity level prior to moving in, as moving above a bar and a restaurant will expose you to at least some noise," he said.

Pick your neighbors

So what should you look for, if a broker tosses such a property into the option pool?

Butler has a few tips. She's a broker with @properties  and she herself has a backyard that backs up to multiple East Lincoln Park restaurants, ranging over 23 years from tea to Thai.

The cons of living above a bar? Sometimes music, trivia questions or outside conversations drift up the stairway. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

The good ones, she said, kept things clean, removed trash daily and posted signs asking customers to be quiet.

"You very rarely if ever saw anyone come out and be rude or obnoxious or throwing beer bottles or vomiting in the front yard," she said.

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She advises visiting at all hours. An apartment that boasted beautiful light during the day might be above a rowdy club blasting country music at night.

Look at the alley, to see if trash is piling up or rats scurrying. Investigate the trash situation  will a truck be coming by regularly, and will that sound like clinking glass at 5 a.m.?

"When the garbage truck comes for that, it's extremely noisy," she said.

Consider parking, if the restaurant is so popular that streets clog.

And pay attention to the doorway  many places have doors that abut the residential door or share an entry.

"How secure is it?" she said. "Because somebody might not think it's someone breaking into your unit, they may think it's somebody walking into the restaurant."

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Whether a lively bar on Halsted shares your doorway or it's a cozy restaurant downstairs on Division perfect for a nightcap, the unique experience of living aloft comes with things sweet and sour.

"It's truly perception," Butler said. "It's beauty in the eye of the beholder."

abowen@tribpub.com

Twitter @byalisonbowen
Raleigh, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory applauded the passage of the $2 billion Connect NC Bond proposal, which will enable North Carolina to build the infrastructure that will improve the state's quality of life for generations to come."North Carolina has sent a message to the nation that people can come together and work to pass a bond package that will benefit future generations," Governor McCrory said. "I want to thank the voters for saying yes to education, yes to strengthening our National Guard, yes to improving our quality of life by investing in our state parks, and yes to our smaller cities and towns for infrastructure that attract new jobs and strengthen our economy."The Connect NC bond will invest $980 million into the state's 17 universities. The vast majority of these improvements will build facilities that will improve teaching and research in the science, technology, engineering and medical fields. An additional $350 million will go to the community colleges, primarily for new construction, repairs and renovations on its 58 campuses.Another $309.5 million will be awarded to smaller cities and towns to build and repair water and sewer systems. These investments are crucial to retaining and attracting new jobs outside of the state's metro areas.Agriculture and consumers will benefit from Connect NC. Approximately $94 million will be spent to construct a new Agriculture and Consumer Sciences Lab for veterinary, food, drug and motor fuel testing. An additional $85 million will go toward a new Plant Sciences Research Complex at NC State University.The National Guard will receive $70 million to rehabilitate Regional Readiness Centers in Burke and Wilkes counties as well as construct a new readiness center on Guilford County. Another $9 million will go toward the competition of the Samarcand Corrections and Law Enforcement Training Center in Moore County.To improve North Carolina's quality of life as well as help preserve the state's environment and natural beauty, the Connect NC bond will invest $75 million into our state parks. An additional $25 million will go the North Carolina Zoo for upgrades to service support facilities, trails and exhibits. its long-term growth.On Wednesday, Governor McCrory will make three stops around the state to thank the people of North Carolina for their vote of confidence in the state's future. At 10:00 a.m., the governor will be at Jordan Lake State Park at the Ebenezar Access in Apex. The second stop will occur at 1:00 p.m. at the Edward B. Forte Interdisciplinary Research Center at NC A&T University in Greensboro. At 3:30 p.m., Governor McCrory will visit Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte at the Overcash Building.For a complete Connect NC project list, click here For a Connect NC project list by region, click here Crystal Feldman
The chant started moments before Democratic state's attorney candidate Kim Foxx took the stage to claim victory Tuesday night.

"Two down, one to go," began a small group of young supporters.

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The two down? State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, freshly dumped by primary voters, and former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, fired in the fallout of the Laquan McDonald police shooting scandal.

"Two down, one to go! Two down, one to go!" the chant quickly grew louder, spreading within seconds and echoing across the Wolf Point Ballroom inside the downtown Holiday Inn overlooking the Chicago River.

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The one to go? Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

While not on the ballot for three more years  if he chooses to run again  Emanuel in many ways remained at the center of Tuesday's primary election.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders repeatedly slammed the mayor and highlighted his ties to Hillary Clinton in hopes of winning votes in Chicago but fell just short in the Illinois primary after a late surge.

Former President Bill Clinton remarked how never again should a community have to wait more than a year to view the video of a police shooting  stopping short of mentioning that Emanuel fought the release of the McDonald video for a year until a judge ordered the mayor to make it public.

And as voters swept Alvarez out of office by nearly a 30-point-margin amid strong dissatisfaction of her handling of the McDonald case, Emanuel has faced similar plummeting approval ratings and a lack of public trust in how he dealt with the shooting.

Since late November, Emanuel has scrambled to gain control of the McDonald scandal, which has led to accusations of a cover-up, calls for his resignation, his acknowledgment that Chicago cops use a "code of silence" to conceal wrongdoing and a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the Police Department's use of force. The mayor's legal fight to withhold the video came as Alvarez took more than a year to charge white police Officer Jason Van Dyke with murder for shooting the black teenager 16 times.

Alvarez ultimately filed charges the same day Emanuel released the video.

At a City Hall news conference Wednesday, Emanuel said he didn't think the state's attorney's race served as a referendum on his handling of the controversy.

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"I don't need just an election to know we have a lot of responsibility post-Laquan McDonald," Emanuel said. But the mayor did acknowledge Foxx's overwhelming victory represented more than just a switching of the letterhead at the state's attorney's office.

"I think the voters were clear they want to see a change, not just in the sense of the prosecutor, but at our Police Department, in our community relations and how we work together," Emanuel said. "It's an unequivocal and unambiguous message to all of us that we have a lot of work to re-establishing trust."

A political strategist to his core, Emanuel at one point joked that he'd promised his staff he wouldn't wade too much into the presidential race and instead would "try to resist my inner pundit DNA." As a former congressional leader and senior aide to two presidents, Emanuel isn't accustomed to being sidelined when presidential politics are front and center on the national stage, much less in Chicago.

But with friends Hillary and Bill Clinton in town regularly to campaign in recent days, Emanuel kept his public distance. Clinton aides said that neither the former president nor the former secretary of state held any private meetings with the mayor while they were here. Emanuel also would not say Wednesday whether the Clintons had invited him to campaign with them.

"I've got to be honest. People elected me to be mayor," Emanuel said. "There were enough candidates over the last three months. They didn't need another candidate."

Sanders sought to make Emanuel a political liability in Illinois, mocking the mayor's closing of nearly 50 schools, labeling his record as "disastrous" and calling on Clinton to reject his endorsement. The Vermont senator also aired a TV ad in which a Chicago school principal criticized the mayor as being a chief backer of the city's "corrupt political system" and another TV spot that featured Emanuel's opponent in last year's runoff election, Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia.

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In the end, the attacks didn't move the needle enough to keep Clinton from taking Illinois, as she easily won suburban Cook County and Chicago while racking up big margins in the city's majority African-American wards.

"It wasn't too effective, because Hillary still won," South Side Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, said of Sanders' anti-Emanuel efforts. "But I think it did create some damage to the Clinton campaign in the city of Chicago."

The overwhelming vote against Alvarez was more indicative of Emanuel's struggles to regain Chicagoans' trust, Beale said.

"Anita's race was around the corner, and she didn't have the time to correct the damage," Beale said. "The people respect you more when you come out with the facts and try to correct it versus withholding information for political reasons and having it blow up on you. The luxury that the mayor has is that he's got three years to correct that."

Ald. Danny Solis, 25th, a top Emanuel ally, agreed but also argued some of the problems that have cropped up, from the state's attorney's office to systemic practices in the Police Department, aren't the mayor's fault.

"There have been some circumstances that he didn't necessarily cause himself, and right now they've got him a little bit behind the eight ball," Solis said. "I expect there will be some substantive police reforms. And even if his popularity doesn't go up, that's going to be a big win for us."

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A Chicago Tribune poll published in early February showed Emanuel's approval rating at a record-low 27 percent. The same poll had Alvarez's job approval at 30 percent.

Asked if he would have suffered the same fate as Alvarez had he been on the ballot Tuesday, Emanuel joked, "Well if I was, I would have spent more money than I did last night."

As for the "Two down, one to go!" chant that broke out at Foxx's celebration, Emanuel was caught unawares.

"I didn't see it," he said.

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Eugene Williams, of Chicago, from left, Anne Kirkpatrick, of Spokane, Wash., and Cedric Alexander, of DeKalb County, Ga., are all contenders for Chicago police superintendent. (Phil Velazquez / Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's handpicked Police Board has chosen two black men and a white woman as finalists in what promises to be a high-stakes appointment as Chicago's next police superintendent at a time the department faces major reforms to restore public confidence.

Emanuel will choose either a black Georgia law enforcement veteran with a doctorate in clinical psychology, a white female lawyer who was police chief of Spokane, Wash., or an African-American insider with 15 years of command experience with Chicago police.

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In making the announcement, Lori Lightfoot, head of the Chicago Police Board, alluded to the crisis facing the department because of the shocking video-recorded police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, calling the decision on the next superintendent a historic moment for the Police Department.

"Things have to change from the inside out," she said at a news conference at the Harold Washington Library. "Accountability has to be the rule of the day for the Chicago Police Department, and that has to happen regardless of who is chosen as superintendent."

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The three vying for the superintendent's post are:

Cedric Alexander, the public safety director of DeKalb County in Georgia. He brings the widest experience as a nearly 40-year law enforcement veteran of at least three police departments and has experience working in homeland security posts. He has also been outspoken on policing issues, criticizing Emanuel's handling of the McDonald case just last month.

Anne Kirkpatrick, who was police chief in Spokane for six years and is an instructor at the FBI Leadership Program. In Spokane, she faced the fallout over a fatal police beating that led to public outcry and a demand for reforms.

Eugene Williams, who has 36 years with Chicago police and now heads the Bureau of Support Services, which oversees the department's administrative activities. During the application process, he spoke openly of the department's biggest failings, including its weak disciplinary practices.

For the first time, the Police Board released the finalists' answers to wide-ranging essay questions. Perhaps not surprisingly given the climate in Chicago, all three candidates reflected the most modern thinking on policing, setting aside ideas of so-called "warrior" policing that is more heavy-handed and confrontational. They also talked of using objective, independent reviews of police shootings and the need for transparency.

At least one of the city's leading police critics said he was impressed by the list. Craig Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor who has long studied police misconduct, called Alexander "a proven leader" who is outspoken and "has had some success in tough places." Futterman said Alexander has the ability to command respect from the officers as well as the community.

Futterman also spoke highly of Kirkpatrick, though he wasn't as familiar with her track record. He said Spokane, however, has a national reputation for turning around a troubled police department.

Futterman said he doesn't question Williams' ethics or integrity and believes he can be effective at building trust with the community.

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"I think it's an impressive pool," Futterman said. "We need a change in culture. It takes someone who is going to be strong, someone who can also deal with a strong mayor.  Each of these folks has something to be said for them."

But Black Lives Matter Chicago, an activist group that has been openly critical of law enforcement during recent protests, called the selection process "undemocratic" and demanded the creation of an elected civilian police accountability council.

On Thursday, Emanuel didn't offer a specific timeline but said he hopes to act quickly to pick a new police superintendent from among the three finalists. He said he plans to interview all three before making his decision.

On Dec. 1, Emanuel fired Garry McCarthy after more than 4 1/2 years as superintendent in the fallout over the release of the video showing a white police officer shooting black teenager McDonald 16 times. Emanuel fought the release of the police dashboard-camera video for more than a year until a judge in November ordered him to make it public.

The video release roiled the city, resulting in weeks of street protests, a U.S. Justice Department probe into the Police Department's use of force, and calls for the resignations of Emanuel and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, who lost decisively in Tuesday's Democratic primary.

Many political observers expect Emanuel to pick an African-American as the next police superintendent, given the dissatisfaction in that community over how the McDonald case was handled.

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President of the Chicago Police Board Lori Lightfoot, at podium, speaks following the board's approval of three candidates for consideration as Chicago's next Superintendent of Police on March 17, 2016. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Emanuel indicated Thursday that race will play a role in his pick, saying that "in the sense of building trust and cooperation, it's something obviously you have to look at."

Others believe he will select an outsider, given the department's long history of police misconduct. That would mark the third consecutive outsider to hold the job.

The mayor said whether a candidate is an insider or outsider "is a factor, but not the only factor."

A leading voice on police reform

Alexander, 61, who lived on Chicago's South Side for a time during his childhood, has had in a wide variety of positions  from working as an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center to running the Rochester, N.Y., Police Department, where he developed a mental health training program to help police engage with people suffering from mental illness. He also worked on homeland security issues for the state of New York and for the Transportation Security Administration in Dallas.

In recent years, he has emerged as a leading voice on police reform, serving not only on the Obama administration's Task Force on 21st Century Policing but also as a commentator on the tension between police and the public.

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He was on the ground during police controversies in Baltimore and Ferguson, Mo., while serving as national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

In a column for CNN last month, he took a swipe at Emanuel and Alvarez, ripping the city's delay in releasing the video of Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting McDonald.

"Official evasion, deception and delay have made a terrible event corrosive and destructive," he wrote. "When the news is bad, our leaders have a duty to deliver it. Whether the news is bad for us or bad for them, they need to disclose it, fast and in full. Bad news does not improve with age."

But Alexander has faced criticism in his current post in Georgia over four shootings by officers over two years that raised questions about the department's training and tactics, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. In one, a white DeKalb officer fatally shot an unarmed, naked black man in March 2014.

In the public outcry over the incident, Alexander asked the state to investigate all police shootings and pushed for more training for officers in dealing with mentally ill suspects, the Atlanta newspaper said.

In his essays, Alexander pledged to support outside criminal investigations of incidents of police-involved shootings or in-custody deaths.

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Alexander, through a spokesman in DeKalb, declined to comment.

A tumultuous time

Originally from Tennessee, Kirkpatrick, 56, began her law enforcement career in 1982 in Memphis, Tenn., where she worked three years as an officer before taking a leave of absence to attend law school in Seattle.

After earning a law degree from Seattle University in 1989, she joined the police force in Redmond, Wash., a Seattle suburb, rising to sergeant over eight years. In 1996, she was named the chief of police of Ellensburg, Wash., a college town with a 30-member police force. After five years there, she was hired as the police chief of Federal Way, another Seattle suburb, with a police force of 158 officers.

In 2006, Kirkpatrick became police chief of Spokane, the second largest city in the state with a population of more than 200,000 and a police staff of more than 400.

Kirkpatrick's resume touts an impressive list of achievements in Spokane, including the implementation of a Compstat-style management system, the revision of the department's policy and procedure manual to reflect "best practices" for police, and negotiating Spokane's first police ombudsman to manage civilian oversight of police issues.

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She arrived at Spokane during a tumultuous time. Months earlier, Spokane police officers had been accused of beating and hog-tying janitor Otto Zehm during a confrontation at a convenience store, causing his death. Police initially had said the man lunged at an officer, but surveillance video released months later showed him backpedaling away.

Like the McDonald shooting in Chicago, Zehm's death sparked outcry among the media and citizens' rights groups and led to a series of public meetings with Kirkpatrick and other city leaders on reforming police accountability. One of the officers accused in the beating was indicted three years later on federal charges of excessive force. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to prison.

But Kirkpatrick's focus on police accountability also sparked controversy among the rank and file, including several lawsuits filed by officers who claimed Kirkpatrick unjustly fired them.

In October 2011, a Spokane jury awarded longtime Detective Jay Mehring more than $700,000 for a wrongful termination and defamation lawsuit he brought against Kirkpatrick and the city of Spokane. Mehring, who had been fired by Kirkpatrick after he was accused of threatening his wife, alleged that Kirkpatrick had unfairly tried to make him an example to further her career. Mehring was acquitted of criminal charges and was reinstated to the force.

"She was planning on using Spokane as a steppingstone to move on to another place," Mehring's lawyer, Bob Dunn, told news reporters after the verdict.

In an interview with the Spokane Spokesman-Review as she prepared to leave the department in 2012, Kirkpatrick said she felt like she had accomplished what she set out to do.

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"I had been asked when I came to Spokane to turn the battleship, if you will," she said. "I think the battleship, although in stormy waters, did turn."

Kirkpatrick recognized that her tough stance on officer misconduct may have led to low morale among the rank and file.

"I will be an officer's greatest cheerleader because I believe in what we do," she said at the time. "But I also will never look the other way. I guess I would call that trying to be a good parent."

After she left, the Justice Department conducted an extensive review of the use of force by Spokane police and found that the department had fallen short in crucial areas, including improper and inconsistent policies on documenting uses of force and lax training of officers.

The Justice Department's 177-page report also criticized Kirkpatrick for her response to the Zehm killing, saying that "little was done to repair and mend the turmoil this incident caused both internal and external to the department."

"The department's lack of transparency, accountability, and community outreach efforts has increased the distance between the police and its community," the report said.

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In her essays, Kirkpatrick said she had promoted transparency on officers' use of force in Spokane by relying on outside police agencies to investigate the incidents.

"Unfortunately, force is a part of police work," she wrote. "But when the public trusts the investigation of that force, then its use is accepted as being legitimate."

Kirkpatrick said she fostered a system of accountability for officers by enforcing a "zero-tolerance policy" against biased policing.

"My experience is that most officers know when a fellow officer is biased," she said. "Sometimes it shows up in the character of the officer as early as in the basic police academy training. The reason they are allowed to remain in the department is because of weak leadership."

Kirkpatrick also addressed what's called "testi-lying" by officers in court, saying it is a symptom of a "clash of values" among some in law enforcement who view loyalty to their fellow officers as more important than telling the truth.

"The thinking is that it is better to fudge on one's testimony in order to get the bad guy off the street than to tell the honest truth and risk seeing the 'guilty' guy walking free," Kirkpatrick said. "This is corrupt thinking."

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As far as reducing violent crime, Kirkpatrick proposed getting "back to basics" and implement proven strategies such as "broken windows," which took a zero-tolerance approach to quality-of-life crimes. She said she also is a proponent of Compstat programs that use algorithms to track violent crimes and implement manpower accordingly  a strategy implemented by McCarthy.

Efforts to reach Kirkpatrick by phone and email Thursday were unsuccessful.

Moved up the ranks

As the longest continuous-serving member of the Chicago Police Department's command staff, Williams has regularly been seen at news conferences over the years hovering in the back with other police officials while the superintendent addresses the media.

It's also not the first time he's been named a finalist for superintendent. He made the cut the last time around when McCarthy was picked in 2011.

In 36 years with the department, Williams has moved his way up the ranks. He's worked as a homicide detective, a beat officer, a narcotics and gang investigator and has had various command posts for the past 15 years, spanning the tenures of three superintendents. He also had the key post of chief of patrol overseeing beat patrols in the department's 22 police districts.

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While Williams was its commander, the Austin patrol district on the West Side, long one of the city's most crime-ridden, went six months without a homicide.

He currently runs a department bureau that oversees training and accountability, two crucial areas amid the probe by the Justice Department.

Williams, 62, also heads the Chicago chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, a group that mentors officers and does community outreach in neighborhoods. He's also been considered a favorite among many African-American ministers in the city.

In the wake of the McDonald shooting, Williams said in his essays that he was instrumental in pushing the department's new accountability measures for dashboard cameras and their audio components. Officers have repeatedly violated these policies for years, he said, and have intentionally damaged the dash-cam video and audio in many cases. He pointed to the McDonald shooting as an example of the problem.

"For this lack of integrity, we have never seriously disciplined any department member," Williams wrote. "As a result, we have not had video and audio in several of the high-profile police-involved shootings or other allegations of misconduct."

Williams also advocated for "early warning systems" in which supervisors identify patterns of complaints against the officers, calling that a crucial step in building trust in the community.

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He criticized the department for not doing "a very good job in ensuring the administration of timely and appropriate discipline when we encounter allegations where our integrity has been called into question."

Williams also said that preventing racial profiling cannot be done by simply requiring the department's 12,000-strong police force to undergo training every few years.

"It must be reinforced verbally and practiced at every roll call, radio assignment, police/citizen engagement and communique that comes from the superintendent down the chain to the first line supervisor," he wrote.

To attack violence, Williams said he would redeploy 380 rookie officers and their 30 sergeants from foot patrols to high-crime districts to work the beats with veteran officers so they can respond to more calls for service.

Contacted by a Tribune reporter on Thursday by email, Williams responded by saying "in fairness" to the selection process he would not be able to comment "until the process has run its course."

"Thank you for your interest," he wrote. "I'm honored that you have reached out to me for a response re: being a finalist for Superintendent."

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The Police Board bypassed John Escalante, who was appointed interim superintendent by Emanuel after McCarthy's firing. He will continue in that post until a successor can be named and take office. Escalante had said he would seek the permanent post.

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Lightfoot would not discuss why Escalante didn't make the cut, but she praised his work as interim superintendent, noting that he's been "put in a very challenging situation that he didn't expect."

In an email Escalante issued throughout the department, he remained committed to leading the department "throughout this transition."

"I ask that all of you continue to join me in staying focused on the important police work ahead," he wrote.

Tribune reporter Hal Dardick contributed.

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U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, center, leaves the courthouse after his arraignment at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Dec. 22, 2015. (Andrew Craft, Associated Press)

RALEIGH, N.C.  Well before Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his Army post in Afghanistan, he washed out of the Coast Guard three weeks into boot camp when he was found on the barracks floor suffering a panic attack, his hands covered in blood from a nosebleed.

Two years later, though, he joined the Army, obtaining a waiver from rules that bar the enlistment of those with certain psychological problems.

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The details about his mental health  including the Army's later diagnosis of Bergdahl as suffering from "schizotypal personality disorder"  are contained in newly released documents that offer a glimpse of the legal strategy his lawyers may use in the desertion case against him.

Bergdahl, 29, was held five years by the Taliban and its allies before he was swapped in 2014 for five Guantanamo Bay detainees in a deal bitterly criticized by members of Congress. He is charged not only with desertion but with endangering comrades who were sent out to search for him, and could get life in prison if convicted at a military trial set to begin this summer.

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In a 2014 interview soon after his release, Bergdahl told a general investigating his disappearance that he grew up reading about the samurai code and World War II heroes, spending much of his time alone wandering the Idaho woods with cats, dogs and horses. He loved the ocean and found the Coast Guard's domestic mission honorable, but admitted in the interview to being overwhelmed around other people.

"Growing up the way I grew up, I also lacked the understanding of how to move through society," he said, according to the documents released by his lawyers.

He found the pressure intense at a Coast Guard boot camp in 2006: "You were right there in the focal point and every action you were doing was pressured and it was watched. What ended up happening was, I ended up having a panic attack, about three weeks into it."

The officer who conducted the investigation, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, later testified at a hearing that Bergdahl was found on the floor, blood on his hands. Bergdahl told Dahl that at the time, his family, especially his father, had been making him feel as if "I can't succeed in anything, that I am a failure."

Bergdahl said a psychiatrist asked him to sign paperwork, and he received an "uncharacterized discharge" from the Coast Guard. In court, his lawyers have described it as a "psychological discharge."

In 2008, however, Bergdahl was granted a waiver to enter the Army, which at the time had relaxed its recruitment standards because it was stretched thin by the fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

He told Dahl that he disclosed his panic attack and reasons for leaving the Coast Guard to an Army recruiter. The recruiter then typed a statement for Bergdahl to sign saying he "had a hard time adapting to change" but not mentioning the panic attack, Bergdahl said.

By several accounts, his Army stint was successful until he walked off and fell into the hands of the Taliban, with one sergeant testifying last September: "He was a great soldier."

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The documents released Wednesday night also include a form from July 2015 showing that an Army Sanity Board Evaluation concluded that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder when he left his post in Afghanistan. A Mayo Clinic website says people with the disorder have trouble interpreting social cues and can become significantly distrustful of others.

However, the sanity board said that despite the "severe mental disease or defect," Bergadhl was able to understand that his actions in walking away from his unit were wrong. The board also concluded Bergdahl isn't currently suffering from psychological problems that would prevent him from standing trial.

On Thursday, Bergdahl's lawyer Army Lt. Col. Franklin Rosenblatt declined to discuss how the psychiatric issues figure in their strategy. But defense arguments at his 2015 Article 32 hearing  similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding  shed light on the role his mental health may play.

Defense attorney Eugene Fidell told the officer presiding over the hearing that mitigating factors in the case include "the psychological diagnosis that's before you, and the need for continuing medical and psychiatric or psychological care. This is totally undisputed."

Fidell also said the decision to let Bergdahl in the Army was "improvident."

"I think a reasonable observer, nonetheless, would wonder why the Army would've taken a person who, within the relatively recent past, had bilged out of Coast Guard recruit training  boot camp  for this kind of reason," he said.

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Information about Bergdahl's mental health could garner sympathy from jurors if it is allowed as evidence during the guilt-or-innocence phase of the court-martial, said retired Army Maj. Gen. Walt Huffman, who served as the branch's top lawyer and later as dean of the Texas Tech University School of Law.

"Sometimes juries hear things and say, 'We understand the law and all that, but it's not right to punish this guy,'" Huffman said.

The soldier's mental state could also be used to argue for leniency during the sentencing phase, he said.

Huffman said the defense could also use the recruitment information to argue in a pretrial motion that the Army shouldn't have jurisdiction to try Bergdahl because he shouldn't have been allowed in to begin with.

Prosecutors could counter, however, that Bergdahl wore the uniform and accepted military pay long enough to justify Army jurisdiction, Huffman said.

Associated Press
Kathy Manos Penn

Running through my brain this week are thoughts of the disorientation I experience when we "spring forward" each year. Yes, we'll have more daylight hours after dinner, which I enjoy, but it will take me the week to get over my "fuzzy brain syndrome." I didn't catch the whole blurb, but the Weather Channel mentioned there are more heart attacks when the time changes, though the reason for the increase is unclear. Another fact reported by the Huffington Post is that "workplace and car accident deaths have been known to increase five to seven per cent in the three days following the start of daylight saving time." This short-term negative seems to be offset by fewer accidents overall when daylight saving time is in effect. That impact is attributed to more driving occurring in daylight hours when driving is safer.In 2014, our local paper reported that the state of Tennessee was considering staying on daylight saving time year round and never "falling back." And a Google search indicated that Florida was considering the same. What's Florida's rationale? Giving residents more daylight later into the evening and boosting the economy by encouraging tourists to stay out later. I'm betting that the hope for increased tourist dollars is the primary impetus.Someone once told me that she always took the week following our "spring forward" as a vacation week, so she could adjust more easily to the change. That sounds like a grand plan, though I've never managed to try it myself.Since my thoughts ramble around, an image of my former boss just popped into my mind. He lives on the West coast but has always worked an East coast schedule. He's at his desk at 5:30 AM PT on weekdays and claims to call it quits around 2:30 PM. Like most of us, though, his workday has a flexible end, and he often works later. I'd have to be in bed by 8 PM to make that schedule work for me. Just the thought of regularly getting up at 4:30 AM makes me shudder. At least the effect of "spring forward" is temporary.Much as I enjoy "falling back" and waking up early and refreshed for a few days, I'd gladly trade that sensation for never having to "spring ahead" again. Meanwhile, please excuse me while I get another cup of coffee.
When you receive an email from your grandson asking for money because he's stranded on a school field trip, it might seem that the compassionate thing to do is help him out. However, this message is most likely not a true call for help but rather Internet fraud.

"Scammers target seniors because they are the most vulnerable group out there," says Thomas Brady, director of the Homeland Security Training Institute at College of DuPage. "Seniors are a trusting generation who want to help. They are also people who have worked hard and most likely have a nest egg. Internet scammers go where they think the money is and then play on emotions and trust."

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The Internet is an amazing tool that allows us access to information from around the world but it can also allow the world to have access to our private information. Older adults are eager to try new technology. According to U.S. Department of Homeland Security, baby boomers embrace new technologies 20 times faster than members of Gen Y. However, taking advantage of the electronic age comes with increased risks. Just like the lock on your front door helps keep criminals out of your home, Brady and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommend these tips for keeping cyber criminals from invading your computer.

Don't wait to update: Cyber criminals are constantly trying to sneak onto your computer, so it is important to keep security software updated. The best choice is software that updates automatically. Beware of offers for security software that pops up as message or is solicited in an email. Sometimes scammers will send you an email claiming to have found bad programs on your computer that they can fix. This is most likely an attempt to get into your computer, says Brady. Carefully choose security software from well-known companies to be safe.

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Beware of sharing: Do not give out your Social Security number, bank account information, or birthdate unless you're absolutely sure where it is going.

"Your personal information is like the key to the castle and needs to be protected," cautions Brady.

A common ploy is a request that appears to be from your bank or from a government agency asking to update personal information. Although the email may look official, Brady says it's most likely a foxy felon trying to steal your information and ultimately, your identity.

When in doubt, check it out: Deals on the Internet abound but if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely isn't true. Check out offers by simply putting the company's name into a search engine with the word "review" or "complaint." If others have had bad experiences, they are most likely reported on the Internet.

"You should always be able to find an address, a phone number and other information about a reputable company," says Brady. "If you are unsure, call the company. The Better Business Bureau is also a good way to check a company's reputation."

Look for encryption: When you're banking or shopping online, check to make sure the site offers encryption, a way to protect the confidentiality of digital data stored on computer systems or transmitted via the Internet. A simple way to do this is to look for a web address that begins with "https." The presence of the "s" means the site is secure and your personal information will be protected. Be sure that "https" is on every page of the site, not just the opening page. If any part of the site is not encrypted, your information is not safe.

No simple passwords: Although it might be tempting to use an easy to recall phrase like your address or last name as a password, it increases your risk. The more complicated the password, the harder it is for criminals to guess what it is. Aim for 10 or more characters and slip in some numbers and symbols. Don't use the same password for every account because if one account is hacked, the criminals will have access to all your accounts.

"Never give your password to anyone," adds Brady. "If someone contacts you to ask to verify your password, do not give it to them."

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It's also wise to periodically change your passwords to keep criminals at bay.

Wired cash gone in a flash: Criminals often request payment to be wired because this transaction is impossible to reverse and is very hard to trace. "Unless you are sure of where it is going, do not wire money. It is like sending cash to someone. Once they have it, it is gone," explains Brady.

Beware and take care: After a disaster, emails asking for funds might fill your inbox. Many of these are not real organizations, warns Brady. "Stick to established charities. It is best if you contact them instead of responding to a request. When you contact the charity, you can be sure it actually is the charity."

He also advises against appeals for health products and discounted medicines. "These appeal are like the traveling salesmen selling magic elixirs long ago," says Brady.

It's best to buy medicines only from licensed pharmacies in the United States since medicine from other sources could be expired or fake. Be wary of claims of effectiveness for products. Unless there is research to support the claims, it's prudent to avoid them and any possible side effects.

Don't chance finance: Promises to get rich quickly with a small investment are simply empty pitches, says Brady. As with all investments, there is no "sure thing." The same rule applies to foreign lotteries. Not only is it illegal to play in a foreign lottery, it most often is a ploy to get your money. Be wary of emails that claim you have won money but need to send funds to cover the taxes or transfer expenses. If you have to send money to get your prize, there is no prize. The money you send will be lost.

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Watch accounts amounts: With today's Internet access, it's much easier to keep an eye on your bank and credit card accounts. Check them frequently and call if you see an unfamiliar transaction. Criminals will often try out their access to your account with a small amount first to see if anyone is watching. Being vigilant is a good way to outsmart cyber criminals.

Free safety seminars

What was true a week ago sometimes can have already changed. Keeping updated can be a challenge, especially for those who have left the workplace for retirement. To help keep area seniors updated, Continuing Education at College of DuPage is hosting a series of four free seminars designed to inform seniors on a variety of issues and challenges. The first session in the series will cover disaster preparedness and will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, in the Homeland Security Education Center, Room 1022, on the College's main campus at 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn. Additional sessions in this series will cover community watch on Thursday, May 19, fighting back against scammers on Thursday, Aug. 25, and advocates for seniors on Thursday, Oct. 20. Registration is required and seating is limited. For more information and to register, call 630-942-3427 or email cameronl@cod.edu.
Karen Best Wrights experience raising her two grandchildren led to a book and a website offering support to others in the same position.

JoAnn and Terry Cunningham were looking ahead to all they would do in retirement when the unexpected happened. Their daughter, in her early 30s, had problems that made it impossible for her to raise her infant daughter and son. In stepped JoAnn and Terry to raise the children as if they were their own.

"Our lives just stopped," JoAnn, of Niles, Michigan, says. "We're dedicated 100 percent to the raising of these children. You have to find the time to get a babysitter if you go out. We've stopped our lives. All the things we would have done, could have done or should have done, we no longer do."

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The Cunninghams are hardly alone. The nation is witnessing what some call an "epidemic" of grandparents being called upon to raise their grandchildren.

And while it can be trying to raise grandchildren, there are great rewards as well.

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"I never wake up and feel, 'Oh, I have to do this one more day,' " Cunningham says. "I'm grateful we do have the energy. And I'm happy we can be there and take care of them."

Sandra Timmerman, visiting professor of gerontology and retirement living at The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, sums up some of the joys and benefits.

"The notion of legacy is very important as you get older, and there are values that grandparents can transmit to their grandchildren too," she says.

"Teaching values about saving money, providing for the family and making a difference in someone else's life becomes very important for grandparents. Your years of life and the wisdom you've accumulated allows you to pass on your values and what's important in life. It's a non-financial legacy that grandparents can provide that perhaps a parent cannot."

The numbers

AARP found 2.6 million U.S. children live in homes where grandparents are the householders, and those grandparents are responsible for the children, says AARP's Phoenix-based family and caregiving expert Amy Goyer.

About 2.5 million U.S. grandparents are the householders and responsible for the grandkids living with them. Approximately 67 percent are under age 60.

This has been a significant issue for a while, Goyer says. "The numbers increase slowly, but what we know is that the causes are not going away. When grandparents or other relatives step in and raise kids, we know there's some kind of crisis or a chronic problem in the family. It can be the result of addiction or mental health issues, child abuse, a financial crisis or even military deployment."

Sarah Stein, manager of community programs for AgeOptions, the Oak Park-based Suburban Cook County Area Agency on Aging, agrees it is a growing issue.

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"In general, it's trending upwards," she says. "We haven't seen a huge increase, but overall it's increasing. With each passing year, I think the awareness is growing. We're giving more assistance to grandparents as well as to other non-parent relatives raising children."

Biggest challenges

A number of hurdles face the grandparent thrust again into parenting roles. So says Karen Best Wright, Richmond, Virginia-based author of "I Love You from the Edges: Lessons from Raising Grandchildren." Wright raised her two grandchildren for seven years, then saw them returned to her daughter for 6 years before gaining the children again. She is also founder of the support group website raisingyourgrandchildren.com.

Among those hurdles are legal challenges. "That can be a nightmare," Wright says. "To get children in school or in some kind of medical program, you have to have legal custody. Some states make it easier than others.

"In my support group, one of the biggest problems is legal custody, because they don't have money for the attorney."

The children's emotional issues are another hurdle. "It's never a happy situation," Wright says. "The parent may be unhappy, the child may grow up conflicted about the parent and why he or she wasn't raised by the parent."

The emotional needs of the child confronted Nancy Brown, 65, of Santa Cruz, California, when she and her husband Glen began raising their two grandchildren, ages 6 and 9. "The children have been through some trauma and have different needs than my own children did," she says.

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Financial issues are another headwind grandparents face. "The biggest challenge is the money being spent not only on the grandchildren but on the biological children who need help," says Timmerman.

"Much of the money is spent on clothing and keeping the household going, or paying for things that kids need in school, like computers and books. It might come back (to hurt) the grandparents later. They have taken big chunks out of their retirement savings. And it's hard to get a job. Even if you want a job there is the reality of age discrimination in the workplace."

For Kelly Erickson of Mishicot, Wisconsin, the most vexing issue in raising her grandchildren is the realization that lifestyle options are no longer available to her. "My peers moving on to the next phase of their lives while I'm still raising children is the most difficult," she says. "They are vacationing and doing what they want, while I'm still facing the responsibility of caring for children."

Put yourself first

According to Wright, every grandparent must make one issue a priority: "Their own wellness must be at the top," she says. "They tend to neglect themselves. Some have poor lifestyle habits."

Another priority should be to seek resources. Grandfactsheets.org is an AARP repository of information and resources for grandparents and other relatives raising children. Use the drop-down menu headed "Grandfacts national & state FACT SHEETS" at the center right of the main page to access a list of local programs that provide support, resources and assistance to grandfamilies.

Above all, don't overlook the many rewards that come from raising children, even if you're doing so later in life.

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"It's such a gift, spending time with young children," says Brown. "For us to have that spontaneity is a delight. I have time. We can follow their interests, go to museums and get them into some art classes."

Goyer best sums up the role played by grandparents raising grandkids. "I always think of them as the silent heroes of our generation," she says.
Quentin Moore, 34, of Aurora, already serving a 23-year prison sentence for attempted murder, was charged in 2007 with the 2005 beating death of Jorge Caro and the 2001 killings of Larry Postelwaite and Sharon Paulette. (Kane County Sheriff's Office)

Nearly nine years after prosecutors charged Quentin Moore with multiple murders as part of Operation First Degree Burn, the imprisoned Auroran will be placed in Illinois Department of Human Services custody in an attempt to restore his fitness for trial.

Judge Linda Abrahamson, who is at least the eighth judge to preside over Moore's case, issued her decision last week as part of a stipulated hearing based on a psychologist's recent evaluation of Moore and his ability to assist in his defense.

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Moore, 34, already serving a 23-year prison sentence for attempted murder, was charged in 2007 with three murders: The 2005 beating death of Jorge Caro, and the 2001 killings of Larry Postelwaite and Sharon Paulette. Prosecutors have elected to try Moore for Caro's death first, but the path to a trial has stalled several times in recent years.

Abrahamson's ruling requires Moore to be treated at a secure Department of Human Services facility with the belief he can be restored to fitness in a year, according to court documents. Moore's mental state has been a constant issue in the case, with him being judged unfit and fit at various points.

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In 2013, jurors ruled him fit following a multiday trial that included testimony from a doctor who suggested Moore, a reputed gang member, might be pretending to be delusional. Moore's attorney at the time countered with details of his client's paranoid behavior and beliefs of a conspiracy against him.

Moore's actions in and out of the courtroom have been the basis for concerns by the handful of lawyers who have represented him since 2007. Moore attacked one of his attorneys in court during 2010 jury selection. Restraints and other precautions have been implemented for some of his court appearances, while Moore, at times, has refused to attend his hearings.

Moore also has filed a range of hand-written motions suggesting, among other things, alleged mistreatment in prison and that the state owes him lottery winnings.

A June 9 status hearing has been scheduled in the case.

As of Thursday, Moore remained in the Kane County Jail awaiting his placement in a Department of Human Services facility.

Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.
Chickens will be the topic of discussion during a lecture at Garfield Farm Museum. (Allen Cunningham / Daily Southtown)

Garfield Farm Museum will host a lecture and discussion about genetic diversity in chickens Saturday.

The lecture will be presented by Dave Bauer, special projects manager and director of the chicken breeding program at the museum. The lecture will cover the origin of chicken breeds and the museum's 20-year effort to preserve the Black Java, the second oldest breed of chicken in America.

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Bauer will discuss the many different breeds and divisions, and how numerous modern breeds descended from the Black Java.

There is a $20 donation for the class, which includes lunch.

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The chicken diversity lecture and discussion is at 10 a.m. at Garfield Farm Museum in La Fox. Reservations are preferred. For information, call 630-584-8485 or email info@garfieldfarm.org.

Literary event in Batavia

Waterline Writers will host a literary reading and open mic Sunday at Water Street Studios in Batavia.

One reading will feature essays on creativity, craft and discipline by Nik Markevicius.

Bakul Banerjee will share her poetry, and also information about finding inspiration in meditations and dreams. Banerjee will also share information about her upcoming Poetry Fest workshop at Harold Washington Library in Chicago.

A short story by Laura Dyrda will be read. Waterline Creative Director Anne Veague will share her creation mythology.

Kristin LaTour will share poetry that answers the questions presented in her new collection, "What Will Keep Us Alive."

Open mic begins at 8:30 p.m., with five-minute limits for all readings.

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Admission is $5, or $3 for students.

The literary reading and open mic begins at 7 p.m. at Water Street Studios, 160 S. Water St. in Batavia.

Immigration reform discussion at Aurora University

"Immigration Reform in the Land of Opportunity: What's Happening on the Local, State and National Levels?" will be discussed by a panel of experts at a town hall meeting March 23 at Aurora University.

Rick Pearson, the Chicago Tribune's chief political reporter, will moderate the discussion.

Scheduled panelists are Clarisol Duque, chief of staff of U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin's Chicago Office; Juliana Kerr, director of Global Cities and Immigration at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Andrea Kovach, senior attorney at Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law; Rebecca Shi, executive director of Illinois Business Immigration Coalition; and Matthew Soerens, U.S. Church Training Specialist at World Relief.

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The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Call 630-844-4924 or email artsandideas@aurora.edu.

"Immigration Reform in the Land of Opportunity: What's Happening on the Local, State and National Levels?" is at 7:30 p.m. at Crimi Auditorium, 1347 Prairie St., Aurora.

Fermilab lecture about dark energy

Fermilab in Batavia will host "Probing the Dark Universe" Friday.

The lecture will introduce the Dark Universe, current and ongoing research in the field and how new experiments and observations illuminate the topic. Within the past 20 years, cosmologists have discovered that only 4 percent of the universe is composed of ordinary matter, while the remaining 96 percent is dark, Fermilab officials said.

The lecture will be presented by Josh Frieman, a senior staff scientist at Fermilab and professor of astronomy and astrophysics and member of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. Frieman also directs the Dark Energy Survey, a collaboration of 300 scientists across 25 institutions, which built and operates a 570-Megapixel camera on a telescope in Chile. The group is carrying out a five-year survey of 300 million galaxies and thousands of supernovae to probe dark energy and the origin of cosmic acceleration.

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Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at fnal.gov.

"Probing the Dark Universe" is at 8 p.m. at Fermilab's Ramsey Auditorium, Batavia.

Got Pulse? Columnist Joy Davis is looking for interesting, quirky and just plain funny stories about people and places in the Fox Valley. Email her at joydavis234@gmail.com.

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But Laesch, although he admitted to disappointment, was surprisingly upbeat. The race was a tight one, with his candidate picking up 67 delegates. And he had a full day planned, which included heading to the Aurora Election Commission to check on the numbers there; then driving downtown to Bernie's Chicago headquarters where he planned to give the national campaign an honest assessment of what he thought went wrong.
Lincoln-Way's former grounds director resigned after his bosses learned that he'd ordered employees to build a memorial plaque for former Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie's father, Burns. (Daily Southtown, Erin Gallagher)

Lincoln-Way's former grounds director admitted ordering an employee to create a memorial plaque for ex-Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie's father in an interview with a private investigator hired by the school district, records obtained by the Daily Southtown show.

Paul Gonzalez, the former official, also admitted ordering "a few school district employees" to remove a large sign from the entrance to Wyllie's Frankfort subdivision and reinstall it once it had been repainted, according to the investigator's report.

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Other district employees acknowledged doing side jobs for Wyllie but said they did so on their own personal time, according to the report.

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 withheld the report from the public until this week, when an attorney for the district released the record after the Southtown filed an appeal with the Illinois attorney general's office.

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The south suburban school district hired a private investigator in September 2013 to look into a Freedom of Information Act request by the education support union that indicated school employees did private work benefiting Wyllie on public time, records show.

As part of the investigation, Naperville-based investigator Jim Zarnick interviewed five employees, including Gonzalez, and issued a report Sept. 30, 2013.

Gonzalez admitted that he directed the employees to do work in Wyllie's subdivision in April 2013, at a time when Wyllie was still the district's superintendent.

It's not clear from the report when Gonzalez ordered the employees to create and install the memorial plaque for Wyllie's father, Burns Wyllie, who died in 2011. The plaque is housed off-campus, according to the report. The union official who filed the FOIA request that led to the investigation said it's by the Marley Oaks Assisted Living center in Mokena.

Wyllie led District 210 from 1989 to 2013. Gonzalez had worked with Wyllie at a school district in Elmhurst and was hired by District 210 in 1991, Gonzalez previously told the Southtown. He declined to comment for this story.

Records show Lincoln-Way suspended Gonzalez "without pay pending termination" Oct. 1, 2013, a letter sent to Gonzalez by Superintendent Scott Tingley shows.

In the letter, Tingley said Gonzalez acknowledged doing private work during public time "without direction from any supervisor." Gonzalez resigned days later.

The private investigator's report does not substantiate all the claims suggested in the union's FOIA request.

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One of the employees the private investigator interviewed said another employee came to Lincoln-Way East on a Sunday, retrieved a school district snowplow and salt, then used them in Wyllie's subdivision.

But the employee who allegedly plowed Wyllie's subdivision said he didn't, and Gonzalez denied that it happened or that he knew about it, according to the report.

The employee who said he didn't plow Wyllie's subdivision did acknowledge "doing side jobs" for Wyllie but said "all work was conducted on his personal time."

Those "handyman" jobs included "fixing cabinet squeaks, siding and a screen door," according to the report.

Another employee said he'd been to Wyllie's subdivision to provide "an estimate" to one of Wyllie's neighbors but said that was done on personal time.

The employee who talked about the snowplow use said another employee was "making street signs" for Wyllie and had "painted dog murals on chairs" and in the "dog training school" for Wyllie. The report does not indicate what, if anything, Gonzalez said about the dog murals.

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The painter acknowledged doing jobs for Wyllie and his subdivision but said he had not made any signs while an employee of the school or on district time. The report does not indicate what he said about the dog murals.

In recent months, the Daily Southtown has reported on numerous questionable expenses and practices by Lincoln-Way while under Wyllie's watch.

Last year, Lincoln-Way landed on the state's financial watch list, which came as a shock to many in the community and has led to increased scrutiny of the district. The Illinois State Board of Education on Wednesday placed the district on its financial watch list for the second straight year.

In 2007, Lincoln-Way bought $5.07 million worth of farmland in Manhattan Township, apparently without an appraisal, in a deal that benefited the Lincoln-Way Foundation president's firm, which received $195,000 in commission, records and interviews show.

Shortly before retiring in 2013, Wyllie signed a no-bid 10-year contract with a private day care center that uses each of the district's four buildings rent-free.

The deal was never formally approved by the school board, officials said. That contract replaced a 2008 pact signed by Wyllie between the district and Frankfort-based Aunt Nancy's Child Care, but it's not clear why the deal was extended when it still had five years remaining.

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Oak Lawn-based Community High School District 218 has a similar contract with a private day care center but charges its vendor $76,250 a year for use of space at one building.

Lincoln-Way also spent at least $90,000 for children's playgrounds used by Aunt Nancy's, records show.

Earlier this month, the Southtown revealed that Wyllie is receiving the largest teacher's pension in the state  $312,000, more than he ever made while still working  and that he is being disbursed that amount because of an obscure calculation that boosted his retirement pay.

Wyllie also charged nearly $30,000 in expenses to Lincoln-Way as the district's financial condition deteriorated, for items that included dog training books and a $106 teddy bear.

Earlier this year, the Southtown highlighted Gonzalez's role in the creation of Superdog, a controversial dog training center built by Wyllie without board knowledge or approval.

School district officials acknowledged that the district spent nearly $45,000 to renovate a barn for Superdog, a program that Tingley said had "no student benefit."

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Gonzalez acknowledged helping Wyllie start the program, saying he was "under the superintendent's authority ... and if the superintendent says this is what you're doing, this is what you're doing. You don't ask questions  too many questions, anyway."

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

In January, the Southtown filed a FOIA request for disciplinary and investigation records involving Gonzalez. The school district responded by releasing a letter suspending Gonzalez but the district withheld other records, citing an exemption in state law that allows the district to withhold preliminary drafts of documents.

Asked for more information, the district said any other records would have been reviewed only during closed session and were therefore exempt.

On Feb. 29, the Southtown appealed Lincoln-Way's denial, arguing that the district improperly withheld the records.

This week, an attorney representing Lincoln-Way called the Southtown to say the district would release all of its records related to Gonzalez's suspension, including the previously withheld private investigator's report.

Wyllie did not return a call seeking comment.

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gpratt@tribpub.com

Twitter @royalpratt
A local congressman sent an email four minutes after polls closed on Tuesday, and the message crystallizes the need for redistricting reform.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski wasted no time celebrating victory on Election Day. The email to reporters at 7:04 p.m. from the representative for thousands of Southland residents seemed harmless on the surface.

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"I want to thank the people of the Third District for their support in the primary and their vote of confidence in my commonsense leadership," Lipinski said.

The six-term moderate Democrat scored 57,783 votes on Tuesday. The problem is that Lipinski faced no opponent in the Democratic primary, and he's running uncontested in the November general election.

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Arthur Jones, the only Republican to file, was removed from ballots prior to the primary. Jones is a Holocaust denier who marched with Nazis in Chicago's Marquette Park in 1978. Will County voters cast 631 write-in ballots for Republicans in the primary.

This is the best candidate Republicans could find?

There's a problem when an entrenched incumbent like Lipinski is able to declare victory eight months before the general election and four minutes after polls closed in the primary, before county clerks had a chance to even begin tallying votes.

The problem is that partisan control over the redistricting process is reducing competition in elections. What's more, it reduces incentives for elected officials to cooperate with legislators of the other party, which reduces overall civility in government.

In other words, gerrymandering gives rise to the likes of Donald Trump. It's behind the gridlock in Springfield and the state budget impasse. David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, summed it up when he spoke to The Northwest Herald for a series about the alarming increase of uncontested elections in McHenry County.

"There is no incentive in the Illinois system for people to cooperate," Yepsen said. "There's a disincentive to cooperate, and it works like this: If I'm in a safe district, all I have to do is keep my base happy. I pander to my base, whether I'm a Republican or Democrat. There's a penalty if you're seen as reaching out to compromise."

There are numerous reports and studies at the state and national level about this. Ballotpedia analyzed the state legislative races for November and concluded "no significant changes will occur to political control in the state after the November 2016" elections in the House and Senate.

"Even if Republicans win every race where they have a candidate, they cannot win back control of the chamber. That's because there are too many races where Democrats have an unopposed candidate," Ballotpedia said of House elections.

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In the Illinois Senate, "of the 40 districts up for election, 30 have already been decided because of unopposed candidates," Ballotpedia found.

The problem is getting worse. President Barack Obama felt it important enough to talk about the issue in January during his final State of the Union address.

"I think we've got to end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so that politicians can pick their voters and not the other way around. Let a bipartisan group do it," Obama said.

Try to set aside for a moment your personal opinion of Obama and his policies. The man's been president for eight years, and when given a soapbox he chose to speak about the need to restore fairness to the election process.

Redistricting reform is needed because everyone is hurt by partisan remapping of legislative districts after every 10-year Census. FairVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit, says, "Redistricting encourages manipulation of our elections by allowing incumbent politicians to help partisan allies, hurt political enemies and choose their voters before the voters choose them.

"The current process is used as a means to further political goals by drawing boundaries to protect incumbents and reduce competition, rather than to ensure equal voting power and fair representation."

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Numerous solutions address the lack of fairness in the redistricting process. Some states are successfully adopting reforms, FairVote says. In Iowa, a nonpartisan body of civil servants draws maps that the legislature must then vote to adopt without amendment.

In California, maps are drawn by an independent commission intended to be free from legislative pressure. In Florida, the state legislature still adopts district maps, but the state Supreme Court must approve them. In New Jersey, a bipartisan commission determines district boundaries with a public interest tiebreaker.

Lipinski, by the way, is independent-minded and the only House Democrat to vote against Obamacare. He's a Democrat, but he represents people in conservative communities like Western Springs and Homer Glen, so he tends to side with his constituents.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Lipinski was hand-picked for the seat after his father, longtime Rep. Bill Lipinski, won the Democratic primary to retain the office in 2004. The elder Lipinski then dropped out of the race before the general election, and his son easily defeated the Republican opponent.

Still, the younger Lipinski's qualifications are indisputable. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, a master's degree in engineering-economic systems from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in political science from Duke University.

His Tuesday night victory message sounded full of hope and optimism for a brighter future.

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"We still have a lot of work to do, but if we pull together, Americans can accomplish anything. I will continue to lead the fight to get our nation moving in the right direction and build up America's middle class."

For Illinoisans, I think the path toward a state turnaround starts with redistricting reform.

tslowik@tribpub.com

Twitter @tedslowik
The former owners of this house, built in 1869, say it is too good to be torn down. (Kimberly Fornek / Pioneer Press)

A Hinsdale house that has lasted more than 145 years may not last much longer. But it would not fall due to lack of interest in preserving it.

A local real estate agent has had more than 20 showings of the two-story, Italianate-style home, at 520 N. Garfield, since she got the listing in January.

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"It certainly has intrigued people," said Diana Ivas of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. "It's a nice entry house into Hinsdale."

The house, built in 1869, has a living room and dining room with wood floors and pocket doors between them, a kitchen, den, half-bath and family room opening onto a deck on the first floor. The second floor has four bedrooms (one of which is quite small, a walk-through closet) and two bathrooms. Two furnaces heat the home.

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The showings have resulted in three offers, but the bank that owns the property has rejected them all because they were too far below the $549,000 sale price.

The bank appraised the house as though it were in perfect condition, but that's not the case, Ivas said.

There's water damage to the ceiling in the first-floor study, she said. Some of the windows are quite old and need to be replaced. By modern standards, the kitchen needs upgrading. There's seepage in the basement. The house has no garage and a gravel driveway along the north side.

But the house, the main part of which was built two years before the Chicago fire, has its charms: a foyer with a black and white tile floor and the original walnut staircase, 10-foot ceilings and tall windows.

The house is on the section of Garfield that continues straight north past the intersection with The Lane.

Potential buyers are "enchanted" with the house until they bring an architect or contractor with them to evaluate its condition, as one buyer did, Ivas said.

Repairs and renovation are estimated to cost more than $100,000, which makes the asking price too costly for the buyers who want to live in the old Victorian, Ivas said.

It's sad to say, but the best use of this house may be as a teardown," Ivas said, which is why the online real estate listing, describes the house as "ideal as a teardown."

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John Bohnen, a member of Hinsdale's Historic Preservation Commission and owner of County Line Properties real estate firm, said the work the house requires is extensive.

"Major renovation needs to be done. I don't know where you would start," said Bohnen, who toured the house with his daughter who was interested in buying a Hinsdale home.

Bohnen estimates a new owner could spend $300,000 renovating the house and they couldn't live there while work was being done.

To make that project affordable, the price of the house should be the value of the lot, which he estimates is between $400,000 and $425,000.

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency has programs to encourage homeowners to preserve old homes, such as a property tax assessment freeze program and historic preservation tax credits.

But the owner has to learn the guidelines for renovation in order to qualify for the programs, Bohnen said.

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Eileen Lackland, who owned the house, until last October, said it would be a terrible loss if it is torn down.

She and her husband, David Lackland, bought the house in 1986, and completely rehabbed it between 1990 and 1993, Lackland said.

"We gutted the house and put in all new electrical, all new plumbing, new heating and air conditioning. We put in insulation and reframed the house. We had woodwork milled to match," Lackland said.

They put a new roof on the house in 2001 and a new roof on the southern addition in 2009, according to the real estate listing.

According to the Lacklands' research, the home was converted into a two-flat with a separate apartment and kitchen on the second floor around 1900.

As the Lacklands were undoing those changes, they found artifacts in the ceilings and walls from the previous owners, including earrings, a child's button-up shoe, a prescription bottle from the first doctor in Hinsdale, a Chicago Tribune newspaper article from 1871 and tin-type pictures they suppose are portraits of the first family to live in the house, the Sawyers.

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The house originally was built on the corner of Garfield and Walnut Street and was moved to its present site in 1901, Lackland said.

In 2007, when the Lacklands refinanced the house, it was assessed at $950,000, she said. They also took out a second mortgage to help pay huge medical bills and a new roof.

When house prices plummeted, the Lacklands ended up owing more on the house than it was appraised at and could not keep up with the mortgage payments. Eventually, the bank foreclosed, and the note was sold from one bank to another.

"We tried for 2.5 years to work with the bank," Lackland said. "It went from ridiculous to more ridiculous. If there was a way we could have stayed, we would have. We didn't want to leave."

kfornek@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @kfdoings
A parking lot used partially for boat storage north of the Waukegan Port District property on Pershing Road is set for redevelopment this year as a power-boat sales and service facility. (Dan Moran, Lake County News-Sun)

A bid to transform a mostly unused parking lot south of the Waukegan Yacht Club into a "major marine retail hub for the entire Midwest" moved forward this month when the Waukegan City Council approved a Wisconsin-based company's plans for a $5 million sales and service complex.

Bay Marine of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., is set to break ground next month on a 40,000-square-foot showroom for "high-end marine retail and boats" and a 7,000-square-foot administrative center on a five-acre plot southeast of Madison Street and Pershing Road, which sits on the northern boundary of the Waukegan Port District headquarters.

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Waukegan senior planner Steve Sabourin described the concept as an example of private-sector projects encouraged by the city's 2003 comprehensive plan for lakefront redevelopment.

"This (complex) would be located in what is identified as the 'Harborfront' in the Downtown / Lakefront Master Plan," Sabourin wrote in a report earlier this year to the council. "The Harborfront would contain a central park, active marina and retail district, public lakefront and clear connection to the downtown.

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"This proposed development supports the Harborfront's identity as a marina district. The overall size and character of the proposed development is consistent with the vision defined for the Harborfront District (and) will also enhance the lakefront's character."

According to plans reviewed and approved on March 7 by the council, Bay Marine would also install a 100-ton lift arm for launching and retrieving watercraft between 50 and 100 feet in length. The construction timeline calls for that equipment and the two buildings to be in place by October.

Long-range concepts call for the company to build an additional 7,500-square-foot service building and a 30,000-square-foot pavilion-style structure in a parcel north of Madison that adjoins the harbor's Siver Park. Details submitted to the city by Bay Marine describe the pavilion as having removable sides, allowing it to be used for indoor boat storage during the winter and then for covered but not enclosed community events during the warm-weather months, like concerts and art festivals.

The main showroom would be 36 feet tall at its eaves, fitting under a height limit imposed by the city to avoid shoreline buildings that obstruct views of the lake from the bluff. Recommendations from the city's planning and zoning department also call on the developer to landscape the surrounding area, replace current chain-link fences with ornamental fencing and use more windows on public-facing walls.

All told, Bay Marine president Matthew Felhofer said in a letter of application to the city that "if our business vision is realized, Waukegan could develop into a major marine retail hub for the entire Midwest."

"Bay Marine sells and services high-end power boat and motor yacht clients around the country," Felhofer wrote. "We anticipate that the Waukegan operation will generate in excess of $10 million in gross revenue within three years and employ a minimum of 15 full-time employees within that same time frame.

"We anticipate that our development will draw other relevant marine brokers and dealers to establish a presence in the area. With the current building blocks in place in the form of a large marina that is half renovated and only 64 percent full, and our plans to build out the infrastructure to handle large private motor lots, the stage will be set for broader community development."

During a March appearance before the council's Judiciary Committee, 7th Ward Ald. Lisa May asked Felhofer if he had any concerns about dredging issues in Waukegan Harbor, which has seen deep-draft shipping affected by buildup of sand in recent years, particularly following storms. Felhofer indicated that Waukegan isn't alone in dealing with that issue.

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"We are somewhat concerned about the water depth at the north end of the marina, but we're working with the port authority to address that," he said. "If dredging is necessary, we have a plan to do that. (So), yes, that is a continuous concern for us regardless of where we're located, whether it's Sturgeon Bay or Chicago or wherever."

The land slated for development is owned by the Waukegan Port District, which announced in February that it had contracted the Siegel-Gallagher Management Company out of Milwaukee to manage operations and marketing at both the harbor and Waukegan National Airport.

In announcing the move, Port District officials said the company will be charged with exploring "additional uses for the harbor and adjacent land that will serve to expand and maximize the activity and revenue potential and the port," including improvements to restaurants in the area.

danmoran@tribpub.com

Twitter @NewsSunDanMoran
While the several Nero trainees fiddle as state government torches Illinois, we're all captivated and diverted by who is more willful and stubborn  House Speaker Michael Madigan or Gov. Bruce Rauner.

It's political jousting that makes the state seem incompetent to conduct its own business.

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Some things seem to be true because they actually are true.

But you have to ask yourself if anything is being broken in Illinois during the willfulness that can't be fixed promptly if the combatants can agree long enough for a state budget.

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Is Illinois just a large fiscal rubber band that will snap back into place once our hired hands in Springfield get back to productive public service?

There are risks to permanent damage. Not everything will be fixed if the state must endure another budgetless year.

Until Rauner gets what he wants in political genuflection, he has announced he will veto funding for the state public university system.

Aside from millions withheld from private social service agencies covering support for the elderly, infirm and at-risk children, the school system shapes the granite cornerstone of Illinois life, and it's being chipped away every day.

The public college system is being damaged one job furlough, one canceled academic program at a time.

From Carbondale to Bloomington to DeKalb, the regional schools that economically fuel the parts of Illinois that are not Chicago are in trouble. Except for legally mandated pension payments, they haven't gotten any money from the state for a year and might not get a dime for another year.

How long could you live on your savings?

The directional universities  led by Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern  are a $7 billion industry employing 52,840 and conferring nearly 40,000 bachelor's degrees annually at 12 schools.

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Those schools educate 200,000, mostly Illinoisans, every year. They are the cultural, professional, intellectual hearts of many small cities.

They all are at risk now. It's what the Wallendas do on a tight wire.

But even before state government declared fratricidal war on itself, the system was struggling with rising costs and falling enrollments. The state already had cut $1.7 billion since 2010.

Since 2009, the system has suffered the steepest enrollment plunge (17.8 percent) by a wide margin among the 50 states, according to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association.

As an example, Eastern Illinois University plummeted from 13,349 students to 8,913 even before the Rauner-Madigan don't-blink contest. The school has laid off hundreds of nonfaculty members. Even the school's president is taking 14 unpaid furlough days.

Western Illinois in Macomb has cut $4 million in academics, plus majors in religious studies, public health and women's studies. 

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The state board governing the universities now talks in terms of "superfluous bachelor and master's programs" on the budget slicing block. Schools that once provided deep academic oceans are being turned into wading pools.

The state's higher-ed managers now call 17 percent of degree programs "superfluous."

"Superfluous" is an economic definition that immediately precedes extinction. The state is deliberately dumbing itself down.

Now that the governor has vetoed the $721 million Monetary Assistance Program grants for students at colleges  including College of Lake County  the pipeline to upward mobility is being squeezed even tighter. MAP was the only way many low-income students had a seat in class.

Rauner would have approved the money if the legislature had given him total control over spending.

When community colleges announced they'd cover the shortfall from their emergency funds, they also made clear that remedy could not last long.

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There are low-income students not attending local colleges now only because of Rauner and Madigan.

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Rauner's pronounced dedication to higher education rings hypocritically hollow, given the reality of his budget preference of cutting 17 percent.

The underlying presumption of the Springfield showdown is that eventually  sooner or later  they'll decide the harm surpasses any good that winning provides. But what if they never agree and never surrender to stop the harm through Rauner's entire term?

If that were to occur, the peril to the state might be too profound even to consider. Thousands of the most vulnerable would have been harmed. The trust in self-governance to shape lives positively would have all but collapsed.

In the name of reform, Rauner and Madigan would have brought Illinois to its knees.

But one specific outcome would be clear. Illinois residents might wake up in 2019 to find they no longer have a viable public university system.

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Russian roulette is a game that hardly ever ends well.

david.rutter@live.com
Teens who aren't even old enough to get driver's licenses are accused of taking multiple stolen cars on joyrides over a series of days, Park Ridge police say.

Two 14-year-old boys from Park Ridge and one 14-year-old boy from Buffalo Grove are each facing several criminal charges in connection with the thefts of at least four cars across Park Ridge between Feb. 21 and March 5. Because of their ages, the boys are not being named by police.

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According to police, one of the Park Ridge teens is accused of stealing a 2012 Honda that was left running outside Sav-A-Lot, 110 Euclid Ave., on the evening of Feb. 21; a 2001 Chevy Tahoe that was parked with the keys left inside at Washington School, 1500 W. Stewart Ave., on Feb. 26; a 1996 Volvo that was left unlocked and running in the parking lot next to the Park Ridge Public Library, 20 S. Prospect Ave, on March 1.; and a 2005 Subaru left running on the 700 block of North Prospect Avenue on March 5.

"These were all crimes of opportunity," said Park Ridge Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen, advising owners to lock their cars and not leave them running when unattended.

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Police say the day after he stole the Chevy Tahoe from Washington School, the boy gave it to the other Park Ridge teen. The car was found on Feb. 26 in the area of Belmont and Austin avenues on Chicago's Northwest Side without working brakes and with an inoperable transmission, police said.

The boy accused of stealing all four cars was reportedly driving the stolen Volvo around Park Ridge and was even seen filling it up with gas at Thornton's, 1118 W. Touhy Ave., on March 3, Jogmen said.

That day, a 59-year-old Des Plaines man told police the Volvo cut him off in traffic, got behind him and then tapped his bumper while he was driving in the area of Greenwood Avenue and Cedar Street. The 14-year-old, along with three other boys who were passengers in the car, jumped out and ran away, abandoning the Volvo, police said.

On March 5, a Park Ridge police officer saw the 2005 Subaru that was reported stolen earlier that day racing another car in a parking lot of Maine South High School, 1111 S. Dee Road, Jogmen said. When the officer approached, three boys  the same who were later arrested  abandoned the cars and ran, police said.

"They already had a head start," Jogmen said. "They were long gone. We brought a K-9 in, but the K-9 could not track them."

One of the cars abandoned in the parking lot had been reported stolen out of Buffalo Grove that day, he said.

Police say the 14-year-old who was accused of the actual car thefts was taken into custody March 6 after he was reported missing by his parents, police said. He was charged with possession of stolen vehicles, possession of marijuana and fleeing from police.

Separately, he had also been apprehended by Chicago 16th District police on Feb. 21 while driving the stolen 2012 Honda, police said. He has been arrested four other times by Park Ridge police for offenses that include criminal damage to property, possession of marijuana and violation of curfew, Jogmen said.

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The other two boys were caught after they allegedly attempted to steal another car from the 700 block of North Prospect and then tried to burglarize a car on the 200 block of Ashland Avenue on March 7, police said. A witness reportedly saw the burglary attempt and contacted police, who took the Buffalo Grove teen into custody. He was charged with burglary to a vehicle and fleeing from police.

Buffalo Grove Police Lt. Tom Nugent said the Buffalo Grove teen has also been charged with theft and possession of a stolen vehicle in his home community.

The Park Ridge 14-year-old was interviewed by detectives the following day and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary to a vehicle and fleeing from police.

Jogmen said the three teens are students of area alternative schools.

The two Park Ridge boys were released to their parents and have been petitioned to Cook County juvenile court, he said. Nugent said the Buffalo Grove boy is in custody at the Lake County juvenile detention center in Vernon Hills on the Buffalo Grove charges.

jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter: @Jen_Pioneer
Boy wounded in Gary shooting

A boy visiting a friend around 11 p.m. Monday was shot by someone in a silver vehicle passing by, according to Gary Police Lt. Thomas Pawlak. The friend pulled him inside the house and called police.

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When officers arrived at the scene, they followed a trail of blood to the residence, where they found the boy with a gunshot wound in the left side of his chest. He was taken to Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary.

Calls to the hospital went unanswered Tuesday.

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Anyone with information should contact Sgt. Michael Barnes of the Gary Police Violent Crimes Unit at 219-881-7434.

Police officer dodges SUV headed toward him: report

A Gary man who was asleep behind the wheel of a crashed SUV has been charged with attempted battery by means of a deadly weapon and three counts of resisting law enforcement involving the police officer who tried to assist him.

According to a police report, Dolton J. Pippins tried to run over Gary police Patrolman Rashawn Woods, who was called shortly before 5 a.m. March 12 to the 500 block of Vermont Street in Gary to check on a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe that had crashed into a Saturn in front of the home.

Woods stood on the passenger side running board to check on Pippins, who was asleep behind the wheel with the engine still running, records state. Woods woke Pippins and identified himself as a police officer. Instead of shutting off the engine and getting out of the SUV as directed, Pippins accelerated with Woods still on the passenger side step, records state.

Woods jumped from the SUV as it started moving and then had to jump out of the way as the SUV headed toward him, records state.

Pippins drove south on Vermont Street to the 600 bock, then swerved and struck a tree in the front yard of a home at 645 Vermont St., at a high rate of speed.

Woods ran down the street, opened the driver's side door and used his Taser to take Pippins into custody, records state. Woods' right leg was injured during the incident.

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While following up with a resident in the 500 block, Woods learned the SUV had struck the Saturn and a Kia Spectra.

Pippins, 34, of the 4400 block of East 13th Avenue, has warrants for a battery case in Lake Superior Court and a Lake Station City Court case.

Alleged robbery scheme ends with charges for man, 18

A man who told his friend he wanted to rob a marijuana dealer last month has been charged with attempted murder and other felonies after the woman who gave him a ride was critically injured.

Tyler Lamont Steffey, 18, of the 1100 block of West 72nd Circle, is accused of shooting the woman, who had agreed to give him a ride to the marijuana in exchange for gas money, records state.

While they sat in the parking lot at a gas station on 15th Avenue and Chase Street in Gary, Steffey asked the woman about a handgun she had stolen, which he said he wanted to use the gun to rob the "white weed dealer," the probable cause affidavit states. The woman retrieved the gun from her sister's house in Hammond.

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While they were waiting for the marijuana dealer to arrive and smoking a cigarette, Steffey directed the woman to an alley in the 900 block of Chase Street. After waiting about an hour for the dealer, they concluded he wasn't coming. After that, the woman told police that everything went blank and she woke up on the ground, bloody, and began crawling, the affidavit states.

A witness told police the injured woman came to the back door of a house in the 900 block of Chase Street, walked through the home and went outside to the front steps.

The woman was shot in the face and the chest. She was transferred from Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus to an Illinois medical center for treatment.

After the shooting, the victim's sister said Steffey sent her a text that the woman had never picked him up, records state.

In addition to attempted murder, Steffey was charged in Lake Superior Court with aggravated battery, battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, auto theft and misdemeanor theft.

Demotte man charged in New Chicago robbery

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A man who walked in on a robbery at a New Chicago convenience store was able to provide police with a license plate number of the SUV that was driven from the scene.

The witness told police when he walked into 7 Elephants, 2930 DeKalb St., he saw items on the counter moving and heard a struggle. When he heard someone shout, "Give me the (expletive) money," he ran from the store, got into his car, drove across the street and called 911, the probable cause affidavit states. The witness saw a man leave the store and jump into a rusted, white Jeep Cherokee with a black primer front fender on the passenger side. As the SUV drove from the store, the man noted the license plate, which police traced to the girlfriend of Jason M. Bloch, who had loaned him the vehicle.

Boch, 38 of Demotte, was charged in Lake Superior Court with attempted robbery resulting in bodily injury, attempted armed robbery, robbery resulting in body injury and armed robbery in the incident, reported at 1:14 p.m. March 11.

When police arrested Bloch in Chicago on March 13, he appeared to have been wearing the victim's blue Nike sweatshirt, which had what appeared to be blood droplets on it, the affidavit states.

Probation sentence for man in theft

A Gary man was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months on probation for theft.

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Garland Henry McGhee III, 20, must pay $250 in restitution to the victim. In court, McGhee admitted he and another man stole a television, several silver-colored rings and assorted jewelry in 2015 from a Merrillville residence.

McGhee had faced two to 12 years on a burglary charge, which was dismissed.

Lake Superior Court Judge Samuel Cappas told McGhee if he completes the terms of his probation with no violations, he can ask the judge to reduce his felony conviction to a misdemeanor.

Man faces 10 to 30 years in robbery

A robbery charge was filed against a Gary man who told police he was attacked last month in his home and his television stolen.

Kevin Scott Bridgewater, 24, of 830 W. 39th Ave., was charged in Lake Superior Court with robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 2 felony punishable by 10 to 30 years.

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The victim told police Bridgewater showed up at his home at about 1 a.m. Feb. 24 in the 1000 block of West 35th Avenue. After they talked, the man said he stood up to put his jacket on to take Bridgewater where he wanted to go. Bridgewater kept asking the man why he left Kevin, the probable cause affidavit states. When the man tried to respond, Bridgewater asked the same question over and over, then stood up and hit him in the face as he was sitting on the couch, the affidavit states.

The man tried to stand up, but Bridgewater pushed him down, hit him again in the face and kicked him in the ribs with his boots, the affidavit states. When he tried to get up, both men fell down and broke a glass table, records state. Bridgewater picked up a broken shard of glass, pointed it at him and ordered him into his bedroom. When the man came out of the bedroom, Bridgewater had stolen his television and left the apartment.

The man was hospitalized for four days at Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus in Gary for treatment of his injuries which included 12 stitches for a cut on his left ear, a cut on the bridge of his nose and a facial bone fracture.

Stabbing brings charges against Hobart woman

A charge of battery by means of a deadly weapon was filed against a Hobart woman who is accused of stabbing her stepfather with a steak knife.

Catherine Patrice Alexander, 31, got into an argument with her stepfather regarding her drug use and financial issues on March 9 at the family home in the 4100 block of Harms Road, documents state. Alexander's mother told police she warned her husband that Alexander had gotten a knife from downstairs and was coming back upstairs, the probable cause affidavit states. While the mother barricaded herself in her bedroom, the argument continued, the probable cause affidavit states.

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The man told Alexander she needed to leave the residence, and she responded by stabbing him in the chest, the affidavit states.

The knife struck the man's sternum and didn't further penetrate his chest, records state.

In a statement to police, Alexander acknowledged she stabbed her stepfather but that it was only a butter knife and she was trying to defend herself, records state.
Thomas L. Keon, chancellor-designate of Purdue University Northwest and current chancellor of Purdue University Calumet, has received national recognition for his commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Additionally, university faculty member Richard Rupp will further his commitment to spreading the news about the slaughter of elephants and rhinoceroses Wednesday at PNW's Calumet campus in Hammond.

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Keon is among 27 heads of colleges and universities to receive "INSIGHT into Diversity" magazine's Giving Back Award. According to the magazine, the award recognizes leaders of higher education for going above and beyond their daily leadership duties to make a difference in the lives of underrepresented students, employees and community members.

Keon is the only award recipient from an Indiana institution.

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"In preparing students for opportunities in a global society, colleges and universities have a responsibility to nurture a learning and working environment that espouses respect and understanding for all individuals," Keon said. "I take that responsibility seriously, which gives me great pride in being selected to receive this award."

Keon, a first generation college graduate, was honored for being a champion of affordable education and programming that supports the needs, success and leadership of students from disadvantaged communities. Under his leadership, Purdue Calumet introduced Brother 2 Brother, a program geared to increasing retention and graduation rates of Hispanic and African-American male students.

Purdue Calumet also provides programs for military veterans, students of LGBT orientation and leadership development for students of all populations.

Inclusivity has been one of the four cornerstones of Purdue Calumet's strategic plan developed under Keon's leadership.

"Chancellor Keon has diligently worked to create and maintain an educational environment that is free from harassment and discrimination for faculty, students and staff," PNW Calumet Director of the Office of Equity and Diversity Linda Knox said. "His ability to put himself in the shoes of others and tactfully guide them on the path to success is a trait that not only makes him a socially responsible leader, but also an impactful leader."

Human behavior vs. animal survival

Some 80,000 elephants have been killed for their ivory during the past three years, according to Rupp, Purdue University Northwest associate professor of political science.

What's more, he claims that since the early 1970s, the rhinoceros population in the southern African nation of Zambia has diminished from approximately 120,000 to just eight rhinos today  all under the 24-hour care of armed guards.

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"The only reason African wildlife is nearing extinction is because of human behavior," Rupp said. "We need to change that behavior, and we do not have much time."

Rupp will discuss the challenges of international cooperation in response to the slaughter of African wildlife Wednesday when he delivers the seventh annual PNW Calumet Faculty Lecture titled, The Politics of Extinction: Human Behavior vs. Animal Survival. The lecture begins at 6 p.m. in Alumni Hall of the Student Union & Library.

"I plan to illuminate how difficult it is for nations to cooperate with each other  even when they are in fundamental agreement," Rupp said. "The mass slaughter of African wildlife and the trade in ivory illuminates the challenges confronting international cooperation. You would like to think that with most governments in agreement that the on-going massacres are at crisis levels, we would be witnessing effective global cooperation. That is not the case."

Admission to the lecture is free.

Wes Lukoshus is associate vice chancellor of marketing and communications at Purdue University Northwest.

lukoshus@purduecal.edu
State Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, pictured here on June 17, 2013, said she felt threatened after hearing a voice mail message left at her office by Stephen Bona. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

In a case that touched on free speech limits, gun control, same-sex marriage and Sarah Palin, a Chicago man was found guilty Thursday of threatening a west suburban state representative.

Stephen Bona, 52, was convicted on two felony counts of threatening a public official by DuPage County jurors, who listened to a day of testimony Wednesday and then deliberated about 90 minutes after listening to closing arguments. Jurors acquitted him on one count related to threatening property damage.

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Bona, who is gay, left a voice message for Republican state Rep. Jeanne Ives in March 2013 that was prompted by statements Ives made in a radio interview in opposition to same-sex marriage.

State's Attorney Robert Berlin said Bona's remarks crossed the line of free-speech guarantees.

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"The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to free speech," Berlin said. "What the First Amendment does not do, however, is to allow free speech to digress into threats against public employees or elected officials."

Bona, who remains free on bond, declined to comment after the verdict. His attorney, Stephen Richards, called it a difficult case.

"We think we'll be vindicated on appeal," he said.

Judge George Bakalis set April 29 for sentencing. Bona could face two to five years in prison, though probation is also an option.

In the voice message, Bona had referenced a Web post made by Sarah Palin that identified congressional districts held by Democrats using crosshairs graphics.

"We know where you live," Bona said in the message, which was played twice during closing arguments. He then said in the message that the assault weapons ban had lapsed  something Ives should think about before she spoke. Bona then called her a derogatory name.

Ives and Bona both testified Wednesday, with the Wheaton-area lawmaker saying she was frightened and concerned about her children when she heard the recording. Bona said he never intended to threaten Ives but said he was angry about what he described as her inflammatory rhetoric on same-sex marriage and gun control.

Bona had left two messages  he either ran out of recording time or had a technical problem  but an Ives aide said she deleted the first message because Bona had used a curse word.

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In the first message, Bona, a human resources manager for a sporting goods distributor, allegedly spoke of his same-sex marriage to a Chicago police officer who is now retired and how they had been good citizens and neighbors throughout their 20-year relationship.

His attorney argued that without the context provided by the missing message, the second message came across more menacing.

But Assistant State's Attorney Jim Scaliatine argued that context and the politics that prompted the incident did not matter.

"This isn't about gay marriage or gun control," he told jurors. "It's not about your beliefs, it's not about Stephen Bona's beliefs or Jeanne Ives' beliefs. This is about a threat."

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
By Allan Xu, Manager, Business Advisory Services

Editor: Alexander Chipman Koty

Following Chinas lowest annual growth in a quarter century in 2015, many analysts are pessimistic about the state of the countrys economy. According to the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, 20 percent of American manufacturers operating in China plan to lay off employees in the coming year. Indeed, the manufacturing sector  Chinas leading industry  could be the economys biggest victim. Mass layoffs may be unavoidable for many manufacturing companies that are facing declining demand and rising business costs.

However, implementing mass layoffs in China is a complicated procedure that requires adherence to strict procedures and, under some conditions, explicit government approval. When restructuring a company at such a large scale, employers must take caution of government regulations and the rights of their workers. Failure to satisfy regulations and procedures when carrying out mass layoffs can lead to rejection from the government, workplace disruptions, and costly labor disputes that companies can ill-afford when already in a fragile fiscal state.

Conditions

Legally speaking, economic redundancy is when an employer lays off 20 or more employees or over 10 percent of its total number of employees. In order to protect workers rights, a company can only carry out mass layoffs under specific circumstances. According to the Labor Contract Law of the PRC, an employer may execute economic redundancy in the following situations:

The company undergoes restructuring pursuant to the provisions of the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law of the PRC;

The company has serious difficulties in production and business;

The company undergoes a change of production, significant technological reform, or change of mode of operation and, upon variation of labor contracts, there is still a need for retrenchment; or

The objective economic circumstances for which the conclusion of a labor contract is based have undergone significant changes and as a result thereof, the labor contract can no longer be performed.

RELATED: Payroll and Human Resource Services from Dezan Shira

Procedure

If a company qualifies for economic redundancy, it must follow a particular procedure to downsize lawfully. As long as any of the above conditions are satisfied, a company can proceed with a mass layoff through the following steps:

Announce the situation to the relevant labor union or all staff 30 days in advance of the planned downsizing;

Seek the opinion of the labor union or the employees;

Develop a proper scheme for enacting the redundancy;

Report the redundancy scheme to government labor administrative authorities;

Announce the formal scheme of economic redundancy to all staff, terminate labor contracts with laid-off staff, and settle their severance payments.

Reporting to government labor administrative authorities is not simply a formality to receive a bureaucratic rubber stamp. Government officials use their discretion to determine whether a company qualifies for economic redundancy, and in some cases can be quite strict. There also appear to be unofficial regional variations in enforcement standards. For example, Beijing has a reputation for being tough on employers, while Shanghai is generally more amenable to greenlighting layoffs. In any case, liaising with the local labor bureau before formally submitting an application helps mitigate uncertainty and increases the likelihood of success.

Beyond complying with government requirements, companies must be conscious of the impacts merely applying for economic redundancy can have on its employees. Announcing layoffs 30 days in advance inevitably introduces various complications to the workplace. Employees may feel dejected and protest, and particularly desperate workers may try to seize or damage company assets, such as official company chops. On the other hand, if the economic redundancy application ends up being rejected, employees are empowered to negotiate more lucrative severance payments from the employer. Developing a strategic plan to approach certain employees before formally announcing mass layoffs can help employers retain control over what is often an unpredictable process.

Other Considerations

When engaging in economic redundancy, staff cannot be laid off indiscriminately. Special consideration must be paid to vulnerable workers who retain additional government protection, such as pregnant and injured employees. For example, Article 42 (b) in the Labor Contract Law of the PRC regulates that an employer cannot rescind a labor contract with an employee where that worker has contracted an occupational illness or suffered an injury while working for the employer and is confirmed to have lost their labor capability wholly or partially. In this case, the injured or otherwise indisposed workers contract cannot be rescinded during mass layoffs. Awareness of the makeup of the companys staff and their legal rights when developing a layoff scheme facilitates a smoother and more amicable transitional process.

While economic redundancy is not a pleasant approach to scaling down a struggling business, it is essential to be prepared should the need arise. Employers should be prudent when planning a mass layoff to avoid rejection from the government and contentious labor disputes. Further, companies would be wise to develop programs to help laid off employees transition to new jobs and insulate them from the shock of unemployment. Employers must be mindful of strategies to lessen the impact of mass layoffs on both the companys bottom line and the well-being of their workers in order to successfully weather challenging economic periods.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. 

Human Resources and Payroll in China 2015

This edition of Human Resources and Payroll in China, updated for 2015, provides a firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management  essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China, local managers, and HR professionals needing to explain complex points of Chinas labor policies.



Labor Dispute Management in China

In this issue of China Briefing, we discuss how best to manage HR disputes in China. We begin by highlighting how Chinas labor arbitration process  and its legal system in general  widely differs from the West, and then detail the labor disputes that foreign entities are likely to encounter when restructuring their China business. We conclude with a special feature from Business Advisory Manager Allan Xu, who explains the risks and procedures for terminating senior management in China.

How to Restructure an Underperforming Business in China

In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we explore the options that are available to foreign firms looking to restructure or close their operations in China. We begin with an overview of what restructuring an unprofitable business in China might entail, and then take an in-depth look at the way in which a foreign company can go about the restructuring process. Finally, we highlight some of the key HR concerns associated with restructuring a China business.
The $200 million investment by Beijing-based property developer Fu Wah International Group in the five-star Park Hyatt Auckland serves as a strong signal that Chinese investors have growing interest in global hotel property market, industry experts said.

It is one of the largest foreign investments in New Zealand's tourism infrastructure.

Work on the project on Auckland's Wynyard Quarter waterfront neighbourhood began last week and the hotel is slated for opening in 2018.

Fu Wah won development rights for the hotel after a global investor search process in 2013 led by the land owner, Panuku Development Auckland.

The city council-controlled organization's CEO John Dalzell said Fu Wah stood out as a development partner with its commitment to a long term sustainable investment proposal, respect for the history of the site and its significance to Aucklanders.

"For many years this signature site has been known as the home of our America's Cup sailing team, Emirates Team New Zealand. Being blessed with some of the best views of the Waitemata Harbor and Auckland City, it was always destined for so much more.

"We look forward to the positive impact Park Hyatt Auckland will have on the waterfront and the region," Dalzell said.

Fu Wah Board Director and Overseas Investment General Manager Lim Wong said a further $2.5 million will be spent by Fu Wah to go toward a public promenade, walkway and art display in the area surrounding the hotel.

"It is important that the building is able to be enjoyed by the public as well as creating a public space for everyone to enjoy."

The 195-room hotel, to be managed by the Hyatt Group, will complement Wynyard Quarter's award-winning buildings and public spaces and deliver significant economic benefits to the central business district and nearby areas.

Hyatt Group Asia Pacific President David Udell said it was important to select the right brand to introduce to the new destination.

"Park Hyatt Auckland will be a landmark hotel, delivering a new level of luxury and sophistication to our guests. These elements are increasingly being sought by a growing number of discerning and affluent business and leisure travelers visiting this beautiful harbor city."

This will be the first Park Hyatt hotel in New Zealand, and one of only 37 globally. Fu Wah also recently acquired the Park Hyatt Melbourne.

"The growing inbound tourist sector together with New Zealand's reputation of being one of the best places in the world to do business made Auckland the ideal location for our newest Park Hyatt," said Udell.

Park Hyatt Auckland was designed by Singaporean-headquartered AR+D Studio principal Ali Reda and local award-winning firm Bossley Architects, with interior design by Conran + Partners.

The project will be a joint venture between Chinese and New Zealand-based construction companies, with details of the partnership to be announced in April.

Lu Jinyong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said China's overseas investment is expected to exceed foreign investment in this country in two years.

Last year Chinese mainland's investment abroad ranked No 3 at $130 billion, following No 2 Hong Kong at $165 billion and No 1 the United States at $384 billion.

"To invest in the hospitality property market in a tourism country such as New Zealand has a bright future and a controllable risk," said Lu.
Against the backdrop of an intricate global economic climate, China is confronting the mounting pressure of a downward economy. The GDP growth rate fell to 6.9 percent year-on-year in 2015, a historic low. The beginning of 2016 witnessed lackluster performance in both stock and currency markets, and a breadth of fallen trade even larger than last year, which caused global concern on the state of the Chinese economy.

On March 2, Moody's lowered China's government credit outlook from stable to negative. However, the market responded calmly; the offshore RMB exchange rate was stable and domestic bond and stock markets were unaffected.

The year 2016 marks the initiation of the 13th Five-year Plan (2016-2020) for economic and social development. On the question of in which direction the Chinese economy is headed -- whether the macro economy can defend the bottom line, and whether China can overcome difficulties to achieve the Five-year Plan targets -- a collection of renowned experts and scholars gave their points of views. Their comments are summarized here.

Hard landing?

The year 2016 marks the start of the decisive phase of completing the construction of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and also a critical stage in advancing the structural reform.

On a global scale, uncertainties and unstable factors in China's external environment affected it in a way that cannot be underestimated: the world's economy is undergoing a profound adjustment and a sluggish recovery, with the international trade floundering, fluctuations in financial and commodity markets, and elevated risks in geopolitics.

From the domestic perspective, accumulative problems and risks have surfaced, which are exemplified by a lower growth rate, the travail of economic restructure, the switch of economic driving forces, and higher downward pressure. Concerns on the Chinese economy are constantly debated. George Soros even predicted that a hard landing would be unavoidable for China.

Cao Heping, economist and Peking University professor, holds that China's national economic system covers a full range of industries, thus emerging industries such as those related to the Internet Plus will offset the declining growth rate in trade and investment, and tap into the great potential in the economy.

Xu Shaoshi, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, observed that the Chinese economy is flexible and capable of shielding against risks, as it has a solid foundation, huge market demands and vast room for development. What's more it is improving the quality of production factors, and has garnered rich experience in macro readjustment. "The Chinese economy will definitely not have a 'hard landing,'" Xu said. "We are capable of operating the economy within a reasonable range."

A drag on world economy?

The first quarter of 2016 saw substantial fluctuation in the global financial market and a slump in commodity prices, leaving emerging economies stuck in a rut. Some Western media attributed the world economy's "bad cold" to China's "sniffle."

"This is a false conclusion," said Liu Shijin, former vice director of the Development Research Center (DRC) of the State Council, a government think tank. "China's GDP growth rate in 2015 was 6.9 percent, still higher than the world's average and that of developed economies. It signifies China's positive role in world economy."

Zhang Xiaoji, former head of the Foreign Economy Research Department of DRC, said that China contributed a share of 25 percent to the world's economic growth last year, still a high level. He spoke frankly that the way of inputting huge investment in infrastructure to jack up commodity prices and spur the world economy that China once adopted during the global financial crisis is abnormal and unsustainable, which is negative for both China and the world in a long run.

Xu Shaoshi introduced that China currently ranks second globally in import volume, and that its demands kept rising in crude oil, iron ore, mineral and chemical fertilizer, natural and synthetic rubber, grain, and other products. Its contribution to the world economy is indisputable.

Slower economic growth a 'new normal'?

The growth rate in 2015 was lower than the expected seven percent, rousing questions as to whether China had lost its growth momentum.

Economist Li Yining believes that the rate is within the reasonable range. As the economy is shifting from industrialization to post-industrialization, the tertiary industry contributes more than a half of the GDP. From this perspective, the slide in growth rate is the same as that of other countries around the world.

The economist said that a prosperous second industry made it possible for China to attain a rapid development in the past several decades. From the experience of developed countries, in a phase when the tertiary industry dominates, a rate from three to four percent would be no mean feat. "In this period, China should be fully aware of the importance of restructuring and changing the mode of economic development, instead of focusing on the rate figures. In other words, restructure is more important than the aggregate economic volume."

"The Chinese economy is entering the 'new normal' phase that features lower speed, optimized structure, and switched driving forces. From this angle, China's economic performance is outstanding," Xu Shaoshi remarked. "For example, we created 13.12 million jobs, over 30 percent more than the target. People's income experienced steady growth, up 7.4 percent. The consumer price index (CPI) went up by a mere 1.4 percent. The environment has been improved significantly. That's why I believe the economy is operating within a reasonable range."

Difficulties and challenges

A report from the DRC of the State Council predicts that in 2016 China will see a "dip" in its economy.

Xu Shaoshi said that China would encounter various adverse influences in its economic and social development by the uncertainties and instabilities in the world economy. The financial market fluctuations, the slump of commodity prices, and the risks in geopolitics can never be ignored. China is faced with three economic issues at this stage: to deal simultaneously with the slowdown in economic growth, to make difficult structural adjustments, and to absorb the effects of the previous economic stimulus policies. Meanwhile, China is facing a grim downward trend in its economy  slower economic growth, lower prices in industrial products, shrinking earnings of companies in sectors of the real economy, and less fiscal revenue  and growing risks in the fiscal and financial sector. In a word, more complexities lie ahead for China's future development.

Wu Xiaoqiu, director of the Finance and Security Institute at Renmin University of China, said that China was confronted with a three-faceted challenge in its economy. First, dealing with the severe overcapacity is still an urgent task. Second, China must change the way of economic growth and care more about the environment. Third, China should address the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Financial writer Wu Xiaobo said that China was facing a bumpy road ahead in 2016. China's economy is likely to keep going down in the "new normal" period. "Traditional manufacturers are still struggling. Their suffering is far from over. But as we can see, the middle class is emerging and growing, and it contributes to the consumption. In both domestic and foreign trade, changes are likely to happen. "

A medium-to-high growth possible?

The National Bureau of Statistics released some core numbers in January, which show that the CPI is rebounding and the decline in the PPI narrowed on a monthly-and-yearly basis. Trade surplus hit a record high of 406.2 billion yuan and foreign investment is growing fast thanks to the "Belt and Road" Initiative.

Although the growth rate in 2015 was lower than seven percent, Li Yining believes that the seven percent target is sustainable if the structural reform  the very key issue  can be implemented. "There's no denying that China has faced challenges in its economy. The economic downward pressure does exist. Only with reform can China get onto the path of 'new normal.'" Confidence, as Li said, is important at the moment.

Clearly, confidence comes from the achievements of the 12th Five-Year Plan period and China's resolution to deepen the all-round reform. At present, the supply-side structural reform  with an emphasis on cutting overcapacity, destocking, deleveraging, reducing costs, and identifying growth areas  is in action. With more reform benefits, periodical economic capacities will be strengthened and thus, in the long run, China's growth potential won't hit the sharp decrease.

Businesses are most sensitive to the market. Yang Yuanqing, CEO of Lenovo Group, said that companies should be confident about products like smartphones and PCs. While this market seems saturated, product improvement and upgrading can stimulate new demand. In this sense, quality should be improved and high-end and high-valued innovative products should be made. In addition, better services can be another opportunity to improve the economy.

Zhang Jindong, chairman of Suning Holdings Group Ltd, said that consumption would lead to future growth. The consumption of high-quality products and big brands will, undoubtedly, be leading the new trend. Zhang said the "new normal" was a period of important strategic opportunities for China. Measures, such as promoting the new industrialization, reducing the divide between urban and rural areas, increasing public goods supply, and advancing coordinated development across regions, will inject vitality and impetus to China's long-term economic development.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has said it should make clear that relocating people from the poorest regions is a mean of reducing poverty rather than an end in itself.

Relocation should not be just for the sake of relocation, without keeping in mind that its function is to overcome poverty, Wang told a meeting on poverty relief.

The bottom line is that relocation should not increase people's burden by offering new houses that they cannot afford.

In order to raise people out of poverty as scheduled, the authorities should strengthen their support with follow-up policies, the vice premier said.
National legislators from Heilongjiang province, which is China's principal producer of non-genetically-modified soybeans, are calling for a law to set up a special zone where the planting and processing of GM plants is prohibited.

Deputies to the country's top legislature hope such a law would preserve ecological diversity, benefit farmers who plant non-GM soybeans and avoid "possible contamination" of the soybean crop by GM plants.

The size of the proposed special zone would restore the province's soybean growing acreage to its 2010 level of 4.3 million hectares, said national lawmaker Tan Zhijuan.

Tan said universities in Heilongjiang and beyond should have first call on the non-GM soybean products coming out of the special zone.

"Heilongjiang, China's largest producer of non-GM soybeans, has seen its planting acreage downsized to a tipping point of 1.4 million hectares," said Tan, who is a veteran agricultural specialist.

"This represents a drop of a staggering 66 percent in five years following the influx of much cheaper GM imports."

Nationwide, China imported 81.7 million tons of soybeansmostly GM oneslast year, which meant more than 80 percent of its soybean consumption was met by imports, said Tan.

"China has the world's most diversified wild soybean resources," Tan said.

As a responsible country, China must protect living genetic material including seeds and tissue used for plant breeding, preservation and research, Tan said.

Although the planting of GM soybeans has not been detected so far in Heilongjiang province, there are risks that GM seeds might find their way to the fields, for example, through leakage from road transportation, Tan warned.

She said the key to establishing the non-GM soybean protection zone would be to build up an industrial chain that streamlines the planting, processing and sales of non-GM soybeans.

This non-GM industrial chain will differentiate itself from that for GM products and improve the competitive edge of the domestic soybean industry to target its niche market, Tan said.
More than 60 young delegates from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam attend the launching ceremony of the 2016 Lancang-Mekong Youth Friendship Exchange Program in Nanning, capital city of southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on March 14, 2016. [Photo by Zhou Jing / China.org.cn]

A six-country youth-friendship exchange program was officially launched on Monday in Nanning, capital city of southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

More than 60 young delegates from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the 2016 Lancang-Mekong Youth Friendship Exchange Program, which will run until March 21.

Co-hosted by China and Thailand this year, the event marks the program's 11th exchange between young people from the six countries along the Lancang-Mekong River region. The first exchange was initiated by China and launched in 2001.

At Monday's launching ceremony, Vice Chairperson of Guangxi Youth Federation Liu Xuanqi said the program helps young people from the participating countries better understand and cooperate with each other and provides a significant platform for youth-friendship exchanges along the Lancang-Mekong River region.

Thai delegation leader Manamuti Natika said that by bringing young delegates from the six countries together to share their knowledge and experiences, the program will surely help boost the development of relationships between today's young generation.

From March 14 -17, six delegations will pay visits to the Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Incubator in Nanning High-tech Zone and the China (Guangxi) International Youth Exchange Institute, in addition to experiencing the lifestyles of local communities and ethnic cultures through museum exhibitions.

The six delegations will continue their exchanges in Bangkok, Thailand, from March 17-21.

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The illegal traffic of rosewood continues in Madagascar, a non-government organization on environment protection said on Wednesday.

"Traffic of rosewood decrease in 2015 compared to 2014 but it continues," Ndrato, president of Alliance Voahary Gasy NGO said during a debate organized by the American Center on the occasion of World Wildlife Day.

Alliance Voahary Gasy complained that the court in Madagascar is the first problem which renders difficult or impossible the fight against illegal traffic of rosewood.

Ndrato said that a rosewood trafficker called Bekasy was sued in justice last year, but Bekasy was released by the court and still being able to go outside the country.

The NGO president complained that it was a shame that Singapore denounced that Madagascar's minister of Environment gave permission to export some containers of rosewood in February 2014 and this former minister of environment went to Singapore in December 2014 to explain to Singapore's administration that these containers of rosewood was legal.

The current minister of Environment Ralava Beboarimisa said during the debate that the government already did an effort to install the special court for rosewood.

Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina already vowed to fight illegal traffic of rosewood. But Ndranto said the situation is alarming.

Ndrato added that the government should listen to the civil societies if it really wants to fight against it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 14, 2016.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the majority of his troops out of Syria. This comes as a surprise to everyone. A slew of questions erupted around this decision, wondering what Putin has achieved with Russia's intervention that started in September, which was denied at first, then admitted as a fact, and then accepted as a fait accompli. Did Russia outfox the West, yet again? Was it predictable? If yes, why was it not predicted? What were the gains and losses for Russia and for the West? And the most important question, what does this sudden move signal, and what can we expect moving forward?

So, what did Russia achieve? It's not very baffling to understand Russia if one carefully remembers the patterns emerging with Russian state behavior since the 2007 Munich security conference, the year that might have marked the return of Russia as a great power. A great many things happened that year, with the start of the Russian long range bomber flights across the Atlantic, as well as submarines trailing Western navies, a Cold war era practice, a crippling "unidentified" cyber-attack on Estonia and a culmination in Putin's denouncing of the Western liberal interventionist regime and "American uncontrolled hyperpower" in the Munich conference speech. Ironically, in the following year, Russia carried out its first intervention outside Russian borders in Georgia. Since then, it has been a periodic ebb and flow with Putin escalating somewhere, and backing down somewhere else. Crimea, Ukraine and Syria all follow the pattern.

Now, one needs to understand Russian goals and motivations to understand whether this limited intervention was a success or failure, and also whether or not the West has been proverbially "outfoxed." The Russian president had a quirky client with Bashar Assad. Contrary to popular opinion, evidence suggests there is a big difference in the way Assad sees the Syrian war when compared to the way that Putin sees it. For Assad, this conflict is civilizational, ethno-sectarian, and survivalist. If Assad loses, he might suffer the same fate as Gaddafi, and his people, the Shiite Alawites, might be massacred. The main goal of Assad was to stabilize the regime in a safe corner, and make the conflict one between good and evil. Russian goals were different and multiple.

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A second group of Russian military aircraft has departed from the Hmeimim air base in Syria since the withdrawal of Russian troops from the war-torn Middle East country began, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

The Su-25 attack jets are taking off from the Hmeimim air base in Syria. [Photo/Xinhua]

The group consists of an Il-76 transport aircraft carrying engineers and technical staff, and several Su-25 attack planes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered on Monday the withdrawal of most of the country's air force from Syria after nearly six months of strikes against terrorists in the country. A cease-fire brokered by Russia and the United States has largely taken root in the country, which prompted the Russian move. The withdrawal is being carried out in groupings, each consisting of a transport plane with personnel and equipment followed by different types of combat jets.

After crossing the Russian border, all the aircraft may make intermediate stops to refuel and receive technical checks before heading to their home airfields independently, the ministry said.

The first group consisting of a Tu-154 transport aircraft and several multifunction Su-34 bombers landed Tuesday in an air base in the Voronezh region in southeast Russia.
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At least 22 people have been confirmed killed after two suicide attacks early Wednesday targeted a mosque in Umarari village located on the outskirts of Maiduguri, capital of Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, spokesman of the Nigerian army, Col. Sani Usman said.

In a statement, the army spokesman said one of the attacks took place inside the local mosque, while the second blast occurred a few minutes later, about 50 meters away.

Two female suicide bombers perpetrated the attacks, he added.

Earlier, local authorities who confirmed the incident to Xinhua said 21 people had sustained various degrees of injury following the attack.

All the injured were evacuated to a state-run hospital near the commercial city of Maiduguri, the army spokesman said.

One of the suicide bombers sneaked into the mosque during early morning prayer, according to Alhaji Dambatta, leader of the civilian joint task force, who coordinated rescue operation after the incident.

Terror group Boko Haram is suspected to be responsible for the attacks. The group, which has spread its tentacles to Cameroon, Chad and Niger, has kidnapped thousands of people and killed more since 2009.

Early this year, the Nigerian government said it has "technically defeated" Boko Haram, but the unrelenting group has continued to carry out more attacks.
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Three suspected al-Qaida would-be suicide bombers were killed in a premature explosion in Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Wednesday afternoon, a police official told Xinhua.

The provincial police official said that "a premature explosion occurred inside a house in Aden's neighborhood of Daar Saad while preparing explosives for a terrorist attack in the province."

One of the suicide bombers detonated the explosives he was wearing mistakenly, killing himself and two other bombers at the scene, the police source said.

According to local intelligence sources, the three suicide bombers were apparently heading to conduct three simultaneous attacks against pro-government forces in Aden.

On Saturday night, airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led warplanes and pounded al-Qaida-controlled positions and vehicles in the turbulent district of Mansourah in Aden province, leaving about 15 extremists killed.

The port city of Aden, Yemen's temporary capital, has been witnessing a state of chaos and lawlessness during the past months resulted in the assassination of Aden's former governor, several high-ranking security officers and judges.

Earlier this week, the pro-government forces air-covered by Saudi-led warplanes carried out a military operation to eliminate al-Qaida terror cells from Mansourah and Buraiga districts of Aden.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East and the affiliate of the Islamic State.

The security situation in the country has deteriorated since March 2015 when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.
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Iran's Foreign Ministry dismissed a recent report by the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, as "politically-motivated," Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

"We believe that the content of the rapporteur's report on the Islamic Republic of Iran is biased and has been prepared with the political intents," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said reacting to Shaheed's latest report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Shaheed's report has been made on the basis of unauthentic information rather than the realities on the ground, Jaber Ansari said.

Such approaches not only fail to improve the status of human rights in the world, but also downgrade the issue to the level of political disputes among the countries, he said.

Iran is committed to promoting human rights according to its own constitution and religious values, he added.

In his latest report on human rights condition in Iran, Shaheed said the Islamic republic was engaged in several human rights abuses in 2015, including the rise in the number of executions, as well as crackdowns on journalists and activists.

Iran has dismissed several times the reports by the UN human rights institutions, saying that they did not reflect the realities in the country.
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Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir on Wednesday welcomed the partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria as a 'positive step,' Al Arabiya News reported.

Al-Jubeir told reporters that he hoped the pull-out will force Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to give compromises and speed up the political solution.

Meanwhile, he denied any major deal between Saudi Arabia and Russia that is related to the Saudi oil policy and the Russian foreign policy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that most Russian forces would be withdrawn from Syria.

Russia started helping Syria in September by carrying out air strikes and providing other military assistance against the militant groups.
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the meeting by Canada of its self-imposed deadline to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees when he met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at UN headquarters.

At the end of February, the Canadian government reached its goal of accepting 25,000 Syrian refugees. Earlier this month, Canada also announced an ambitious plan to admit record number of immigrants in 2016.

According to readout of the meeting of the two sides, Canada would also resume funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), an agency that provides assistance to Palestine Refugees.

"The Secretary-General requested Canada's support for his recently adopted Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism," said the readout.

On his first visit to the UN headquarters, Trudeau discussed the issues of climate change, sustainable development agenda, gender equality and humanitarian assistance. He also expressed the strong intention that Canada is looking forward to "a renewed role" at the UN in years ahead.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. State Secretary John Kerry discussed the need to deepen coordination between the two sides on the cessation of hostilities in Syria in a phone conversation on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The two sides discussed the issue of deepening coordination, including in the military field, to secure Syria's cessation of hostilities, and to promote a political settlement through dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition groups," the ministry said in an online statement.

Russia's military pullout from Syria creates a favorable condition for the negotiations in Geneva, said Lavrov, noting that the Syrians themselves must decide the future of their country.

The ministry also confirmed Kerry's visit to Moscow next week over a bunch of hot issues.
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UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy said Wednesday that Syrian talks had entered the substantive phase and proximity discussions aiming to broker a political solution had made important progress since they started on March 14.

Malek Juha, a Syrian technician, fixes a car in Damascus, capital of Syria, on March 13, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

"As you will recall, on Monday, the Syrian government delegation provided us with some ideas on the political process. We reacted to them through seeking further clarifications," said Ramzy following a meeting with the Syrian government delegation headed by Bashar al-Jafaari.

"The discussion was substantive and lays the ground for further substantive discussions in the future," he added.

Ramzy, standing in for UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura who had to travel to Berne, also indicated that the special envoy would be convening with members of the Cairo and Moscow groups later today.

"The process as we see it at this stage is progressing, it reflects the situation on the ground, that there has been quite a large reduction in violence, and that has been reflected in the attitude of various delegations including yesterday with the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) and today the government," Ramzy observed.

This auspicious start stands in stark contrast to a first round of talks which came to an early standstill last month because Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government delegation and the HNC, the Saudi-backed umbrella group for Syrian opposition factions, failed to see eye-to-eye on a number of issues.

Since then, much progress has been made on the humanitarian and cessation of hostilities fronts in the country at war since 2011.

The withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria, a decision taken jointly by Damascus and Moscow according to al-Jafaari, was also welcomed by many as a step in the right direction.

"By and large, we see that we have achieved important progress in just a few days and we look forward to continuing our discussions with all participants in the coming days," Ramzi concluded.

The special envoy is scheduled to meet the HNC delegation tomorrow to continue discussions on issues raised in the first meeting they had on March 15.
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The investigation into Sunday's deadly bombing attack in Turkey's capital Ankara has presented more details suggesting that the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militant group was behind the blast.

A man carrying a sack walks past a damaged vehicle as members of Turkish police special forces (L) look at him in Baglar district, which is partially under curfew, in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey March 15, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Turkish Interior Ministry stated that one of the suspected bombers, identified as 24-year-old Seher Cagla Demir, was trained in Syria by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.

The DNA and fingerprint evidence have confirmed the identities of two suspects, according to local media reports.

Investigators have determined that a sedan loaded with some 300 kg of explosive mixture of TNT, RDX, and ammonium nitrate was used, the state-run Anatolian news agency reported.

The surveillance footage from street cameras, recorded before the attack, also revealed that Demir and another suspect named as Ozgur Unsal were seated in the car.

Turkish police is also looking at a third suspect, investigating a possibility that the car might have blown up with a remote detonator by a third person scouting from the distance.

The attack, which took place near bus and subway stations in the downtown Ankara, where the government buildings are located, killed 37 people and wounded more than 100 others.

On Wednesday, The Ministry of Health issued a statement saying that 32 wounded citizens are still being treated in area hospitals with 10 remaining in critical condition.

ERDOGAN WANTS STRONG ACTION

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Wednesday that the state will wipe out the terrorism and pledged the security forces will go into their lairs if necessary to take the terrorists out.

"The iron fist (of the state) under the velvet glove will pound their (PKK militants') heads. Terrorists must be confronted without giving in any concessions whatsoever," he underlined.

The president also repeated his earlier call on redefining terror laws in the parliament to include labeling propaganda as a terror act itself.

On Tuesday night, three Turkish academics were arrested in Istanbul for making terrorist propaganda after reading a petition that called for an end to clashes between the security forces and PKK militants.

A total of 47 suspects have so far been detained in connection with Ankara bomb attack, while the police are searching for 10 others.

In sweeping security operations against the PKK across the country, 320 suspects were detained by the police and 41 were arrested by the courts in various provinces in the last three days.

The PKK, which has been waging a separatist war against Turkey since 1984, is listed as terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

The lead suspected bomber Demir was being tried for being a PKK member and promoting the terrorist organization in western Balikesir province while her suspected accomplice Unsal had a police record on drug charges.

PKK UNOFFICIALLY ACCEPTED ITS ROLE

The PKK has not publicly claimed the attack but senior figure Mustafa Karasu claimed the target was the riot police near the blast site.

Karasu, writing under his pen name in Ozgur Gundem daily which is seen as closely affiliated with the PKK, warned that the conflict will escalate further.

Ankara Prosecutor's Office obtained a warrant from the court authorizing the police to collect all copies of the daily in connection with terrorism.

The main suspect in the bombing attack is the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), considered to be a sort of the PKK's special forces.

TAK also claimed last month's bombing attack that killed 29 people, mostly members of Turkish military, in the Turkish capital Ankara.

According to terror expert Suat Oren who works for Ankara-based Research Center for Security Strategies (Gusam), TAK is not a separate organization but rather a label used by the PKK to assume liability for sensational terror acts.

"TAK is just a shadow under the PKK," he said.

OPPOSITION TURNS UP HEAT

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has ratcheted up its criticism of the government on handling of surge in terror incidents.

The CHP Deputy Chairman and Spokeswoman Selin Sayek Boke announced on Wednesday her party's four-point proposal to tackle with terrorism in the country.

She emphasized that the Turkish foreign policy must change the course for 180 degree, especially on Syria, adding that the Parliament must be called up for an action to deal with the terror.

She also asked the government to sack Interior Minister Efkan Ala for his failure to prevent the attack and make appointments in security and intelligence apparatus on merit basis rather than with partisan approach.
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The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) on Thursday claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack in Turkey's capital Ankara that killed 37 on Sunday.

The group, which is linked to the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), said the Ankara attack was a "vengeful action" for Turkish government operations against PKK targets in mainly Kurdish southeast that has been going on since July.

In an online statement, TAK confirmed Seher Cagla Demir as the suicide bomber in the attack, which also injured more than 100 others.

On Tuesday, Turkey's Interior Ministry identified the bomber as PKK member Demir, who was born in 1992, saying she joined the PKK in 2013 and received training with the People's Protection Units in Syria.

TAK previously claimed responsibility for another suicide car bombing that targeted military personnel in Ankara on Feb. 17 that killed 29 people.

The group has earlier claimed responsibility for some other attacks outside the PKK's regular area of operation in the mainly Kurdish southeast, such as a 2015 attack at Istanbul's second airport that left an aircraft cleaner dead and another injured.
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China voiced opposition to the new sanctions imposed by the United States on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday.

"China has always opposed any unilateral sanctions by any country," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily press briefing.

Lu said under the sensitive and complex situation of the Korean Peninsula, China opposes any moves that may further escalate the tensions.

Moreover, China has "repeatedly stressed during its contact with a certain country that unilateral sanctions imposed by any country should not affect or undermine China's legitimate interests," Lu added.

U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order imposing new sanctions on the DPRK on Wednesday.

The White House said the "robust new sanctions" are part of its response to the DPRK's Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 ballistic missile launch.

The executive order blocks certain transactions on property belonging to the DPRK government and to the Workers' Party of Korea.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Wednesday also announced new sanctions on DPRK following Obama's executive order. The sanctions are aimed at 17 DPRK government officials and organizations.

It also identified "20 vessels as blocked property."

The new sanctions target DPRK's energy, mining, financial services and transportation sectors, prohibit exports of goods, services, technology and new investment in the country.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on tougher sanctions on the DPRK to curb the country's nuclear and missile programs.
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Germany on Thursday closed its diplomatic missions and schools in Turkey's capital Ankara and its largest city, Istanbul, citing unspecified security threats.

The decision was made following "unconfirmed warning" of a possible attack, the German Foreign Ministry said.

Private German High School in Istanbul announced on its website that it would be closed for one day.

Both the consulate general and the high school are located around Taksim Square at the center of Istanbul.

German citizens were urged to stay away from the area, while the closures have reportedly triggered panic among the Turks.

Turkey has remained on high alert following several terror attacks in Ankara and Istanbul.

On Sunday, a suicide car bombing hit Ankara, the capital, killing 37 people and injuring more than 100 others.

On Feb. 17, another suicide car bomb targeted military shuttles in the capital city, killing 29 and injuring 81 others.

The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, a Kurdish militant group linked to the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), have claimed responsibility for both attacks.

In January, 12 German tourists were killed in a suicide attack in Istanbul.

On Oct. 10, 2015, suspected Islamic State (IS) militants bombed a peace rally near Ankara railway station, killing 103 people.
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U.S. State Secretary John Kerry will visit Moscow next week, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Wednesday.

During the planned visit, Kerry will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and possibly Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Kerry's meeting with Putin is "under consideration."

Kerry and the Russian leadership are expected to discuss the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria and the progress of the Syrian peace process.

The Foreign Ministry also said that in a phone conversation initiated by Kerry on Wednesday, Lavrov and his U.S. counterpart discussed how to deepen coordination between the two countries as well as issues related to Syria.

Lavrov said the pullout of Russian forces from Syria facilitated ongoing intra-Syrian reconciliation talks in Geneva which began on Monday.

After nearly six months of air strikes against terrorists in Syria, Putin ordered Monday the withdrawal of most of the Russian air force from the war-torn country, which started on Tuesday.
A $100 banknote is placed next to 100 yuan banknotes in this October 16, 2010 file picture illustration taken in Beijing. [Photo/Agencies]

China's central bank has drafted rules for a tax on foreign-exchange transactions in a step to stem speculators, according to Bloomberg News.

Known as the "Tobin tax", it is designed to raise the cost for spot currency conversions, and is described by its originator, Nobel-winning economist James Tobin, as "throwing sand in the wheels of speculators". Citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that the initial rate may be kept at zero to allow authorities to refine the rules.

The People's Bank of China didn't immediately respond to request for comments. Vice-governor Yi Gang has raised the possibility on several previous occasions but did not hint whether it would materialize any time soon.

The problem with the "Tobin tax", according to Tommy Ong, managing director for treasury and markets at DBS Hong Kong, is it can't guarantee less volatility in the market since it's difficult to identify if currency trading is due to speculation or the genuine need of companies hedging their foreign-exchange exposure.

The news surprised some observers since the PBOC has won an early victory in its defense of the yuan. Expectation of further depreciation eased when central bank data showed last week that the fall in foreign-exchange reserves was much smaller than in January.

In Hong Kong, the offshore yuan fell 0.12 percent to 6.5189 per dollar on Wednesday, trading around 12 basis points weaker than in Shanghai. After the worst start to a year in two decades, the yuan has strengthened 1.6 percent since Jan 7.

Hedge funds that previously bet against the yuan now are paying a price. According to Bloomberg, at least $562 million of options that pay out if the currency drops below 6.6 per dollar have expired worthless since August. Another $807 million will lapse within three months.

"The Chinese government has proved a stronger adversary than many traders anticipated. ... Bears now face a difficult choice: They can abandon the trade, or hunker down for what could become a costly waiting game," Bloomberg wrote.

PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said at a Saturday news conference that it is difficult for him to predict movement in the exchange rate, but "despite volatility, calm and normalization always follow a period of turmoil".
JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation and an Indonesia-China joint venture firm for the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway on Wednesday signed a concession agreement.

Under the deal, the government gave a 50-year concession period to the PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), starting from May 31, 2019 when the high-speed railway is expected to be ready for operation, Indonesian Minister of Transportation Ignasius Jonan said.

"Based on analysis, the break-even point will be reached in some 40 years," the minister said after witnessing the signing.

The concession agreement dealt with construction, operation, maintenance of facilities, business, and operation of the railway, according to the ministry.

With the signing of the agreement, the transportation ministry would immediately issue a business permit and a license for the construction of the railway, the minister said.

The concession agreement is one of the ministry's requirements for issuing the license.

"With the signing of this deal, a new era of train transportation in Indonesia has come," said Hanggoro Budi Wiryawan, president director of PT KCIC.

He said that the construction of the railway would create many jobs and include a transfer of technology.

"For the smooth construction of the high-speed railway, we will train many workers who will join PT KCIC," said Wiryawan.

The $5.5 billion railway project links Indonesia's capital Jakarta and the fourth largest city of Bandung with a distance of about 150 km.

Travel time between the two cities will be cut from more than three hours at present to less than 40 minutes once the project is finished.
HANGZHOU - China Zheshang Bank, a commercial lender in East China, is seeking as much as HK$11.767 billion ($1.516 billion) from a Hong Kong IPO.

The Hangzhou-based bank began offering 3.3 billion shares at HK$3.92 to HK$4.12 apiece for sale from 9 a.m. on Wednesday.

The pricing for the IPO is expected to be confirmed on March 21, to be followed by its trading debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on March 30, according to a post on the company's website.

It said five cornerstone investors, including Zhejiang Seaport Group, Alipay Hong Kong backed by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and brokerage Shenwan Hongyuan Group, agreed to buy as much as $1.01 billion of shares.

Zheshang Bank had total assets of 1 trillion yuan ($154 billion) and 128 outlets across China as of Sept 30, 2015.
Over 80 CEOs and presidents from Fortune Global 500 companies will gather in Beijing this weekend to discuss with top Chinese officials how the country's economy will develop in the next five years.

Leading global entrepreneurs from energy, finance, tech and other sectors will attend the China Development Forum, which is being held from Saturday to Monday, said Long Guoqiang, deputy director of the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Themed "China in the New Five Year Plan", the forum will focus on key issues, such as whether China can meet its growth target range of 6.5 to 7 percent for 2016, how China will accelerate economy restructuring, and how to tap into the investment opportunities from China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Mark Fields, CEO of Ford Motor Co; Ben van Beurden, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, as well as Jack Ma, founder and chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, are among those scheduled to attend.

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the Chinese central bank and other ministerial-level officials will also show up to talk with foreign CEOs.

Initiated in 2000, the forum is a platform for foreign business and academic leaders to interact with China's top decision makers and economic planners.
One of China's leading animation and toy producers, Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture Co, used to depend on domestic market demand for growth.

But last year, its toys, which are based on a series of self-owned animation movies, were efficiently promoted to global users.

"Innovation, helped by increased investment in research and development, has played a key role in the overseas business growth," said Su Jiangfeng, the company's deputy general manager.

Su said toy exports by the company  mainly to Europe, the United States and Asia  increased by more than 30 percent year-on-year to $57 million last year.

Overseas sales of Alpha's latest products, based on its popular animation series Super Wings, reached about $7 million last year.

Alpha, based in Shantou, Guangdong province, has developed a dominating position in the domestic market, with a market share of up to 50 percent in animations, according to Su.

"We have tried to produce value-added products to tap the international market," Su said.

Innovation, along with resumed overseas market demand for toys, helped to boost Chinese toymakers' exports last year amid a generally gloomy outlook for Chinese manufacturers.

According to the General Administration of Customs, in the first two months of this year, the country's imports and exports of toys grew by 3.5 percent year-on-year to 12.76 billion yuan ($1.96 billion). China's overall trade fell by 12.6 percent year-on-year in the same period.

Li Zhuoming, chairman of the Guangdong Toys Industrial Association, said, "The export growth was mainly due to increased efforts by Chinese companies in technological research and development."

Popular foreign and Chinese animation movies also helped to generate Chinese toy sales, Li said.

In Shantou, one of the major toy manufacturing and trade bases in Guangdong, toy exports increased by 13 percent year-on-year to more than $1.17 billion last year, according to a local customs source.

Toy processing factories in Chenghai, a district of Shantou  dubbed China's toy and gift export base  have also seen rapid business growth, according to Guo Zhuocai, chairman of the Chenghai Toys Industrial Association.

"A growing number of local toy processors have shifted to making smart toys," Guo said.

In addition to more overseas sales, Chinese toymakers will see increased domestic business, as a baby boom is expected in coming years with the introduction of the policy allowing couples to have a second child, Guo said.

"Domestic demand for toys will rise quickly, with a growing number of international manufacturers also keeping an eye on the Chinese market," Guo added.

qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn
China has surpassed the United States to become the world's largest country exporting cultural goods in 2013, a latest UNESCO report said.

By 2013, the total value of China's cultural exports stood at $60.1 billion, more than double that of the United States' $27.9 billion, according to the report by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS).

"Trade in cultural goods totaled $212.8 billion in 2013, nearly double the amount in 2004. This is further evidence of the critical role cultural industries play in today's global economy," said Silvia Montoya, director of the UIS.

Here are the top 10 country exporting culture goods in the world.

No 10 Turkey
Harald Krueger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

BMW Group revealed its new Strategy Number One > Next and announced the new line-ups in Munich on Wednesday, following its sixth consecutive record-breaking year in the global market, and 1.6 percent expansion in the Chinese mainland.

The premium individual mobility provider, with its Strategy Number One > Next, is setting out the framework in an expectation to shape change in the automobile sector. The BMW Group said it intends to remain the driving force with a clear focus on people and their environment, and to deliver ground-breaking and responsible solutions.

Harald Krueger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, said: "We are setting the standard with our Strategy Number One > Next, both now and in the future. We will lead the BMW Group into a new era, one in which we will transform and shape both individual mobility and the entire sector in a permanent way."

In the coming years, the group will focus on broadening its technological expertise, and the technological focus will be on consistently achieving further advances in the fields of electric mobility and automated driving.

"We will be broadening our model range with the BMW X7. We are also taking an in-depth look at the additional potential of this highly attractive segment," he said at the annual accounts press conference.

The current plug-in hybrids are in their third generation and are technological market leaders. With the fourth generation, the electric range will be extended. Development of the fifth generation is already underway.

A further expansion of the M product range is already being planned, after the BMW M2 impressed both press and public.

A new generation of Rolls-Royce motor cars is going to be available from early 2018, and the ultra luxury brand is testing its new aluminum space-frame architecture for all future Rolls-Royce models.

"We are targeting new highs for sales volume and group profit before tax," Krueger said. The target for the Earnings Before Interest and Tax margin ranges between 8 and 10 percent -- unchanged for 2016.

The launches of the new generations of BMW X1 and MINI Clubman models towards the end of 2015 are also expected to boost sales volume figures in 2016.

The BMW brand maintained its top position in the premium segment last year. The group's automobile sales volume climbed 6.1 percent to a new record level of 2,247,485 units, from 2,117,965 units in 2014. Sales volume growth was realized in all major sales regions, in line with its strategy of achieving a balanced distribution of worldwide sales.

The Chinese mainland market has continued being the group's largest single market since 2012.

The premium carmaker's sales volume reached 464,086 units in the Chinese mainland last year, up from 456,732 units in 2014. Its net profit jumped 10 percent year-on-year to 6.3 billion euros. Following the Chinese mainland, the other three largest markets over the past year were the United States, Germany and Great Britain.
Visitors test smartphones at the ZTE stand during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. [Photo/Agencies]

Beijing calls on Washington to handle the issue 'with discretion' to avoid harming growth of ties

ZTE Corp is in talks with the United States government over the telecom equipment manufacturer's alleged violations of a US trade restriction.

Opinions are split on whether the negotiations could help resolve the dispute, which, if it remains unresolved, could have a negative impact throughout China's IT industry.

Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng on Tuesday said China is "greatly dissatisfied" with the US decision to ban the Shenzhen, Guangdong-based company from buying parts from US suppliers.

"I hope the US could handle the issue with discretion to avoid harming the stable, healthy development of Sino-US trade ties," said Gao. He added ZTE has sent a delegation to Washington to discuss the issue with the US authorities.

The US Commerce Department confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that negotiations are under way.

"These discussions have been constructive, and we will continue to seek a resolution," said the US newspaper, citing an unnamed senior official at the department. ZTE did not elaborate on the details of the talks, saying no final decision has been made.

The US Commerce Department last week banned ZTE's suppliers in the US from selling components to the Chinese company amid claims that ZTE exported prohibited products to Iran.

The US suppliers, including mobile chip giant Qualcomm Inc, will need to apply for permits from the US government before selling products to ZTE.

ZTE said in a statement its operations were in compliance with the laws and regulations in every local market. The company pledged to cooperate with the investigation.

Hu Lu, an analyst at Changjiang Securities Co Ltd, said the punishment was related to a multi-million-dollar hardware and software export deal ZTE signed with Telecommunication Company of Iran in 2012. The US forbids a long list of US-made IT products from being sold to Iran.

"It was not the first time for the US to investigate Chinese IT companies. Due to strong government interference, ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd are finding it difficult to penetrate the US market," Hu said. "But considering that talks are taking place, and the obvious negative influence on the trade relationship with China, the US government is likely to ease the punishment."
Ding Lei, head of LeEco's car development arm , delivers a keynote speech at a press conference on March 16, 2016 in Beijing. [liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese tech company LeEco Holdings Co held a press conference on Wednesday to roll out its business strategy regarding connected cars and also introduced its management team to the public.

"Based on the principle of "opening up", we are keen to collaborate with the entire auto industry to rebuild the latter's eco-system," said Ding Lei, head of LeEco's car development arm. Named "SEE project", the company's auto-connected blueprint aims at becoming one of the important carriers in the process of the connecting the Internet with the Intelligence of the auto sector.

During the press meeting, three domestic auto manufacturers, including BAIC Motor, BYD and Dongfeng Motor have respectively signed cooperation agreements with LeEco for embedding the company's connected-car system -- an "ecolink" in selected products.

Being the first strategic partner among the three enterprises, BAIC Motor announced its ecolink-supported blade electric vehicle -- EU260 at the Guangzhou International Motor Show held last November.

"We'll further collaborate with LeEco in establishing an open auto eco-system," said Zhang Yong, vice general manager of BJEV, A BAIC Group subsidiary that produces new-energy vehicles. "Our cooperation will not only be limited to products and services, but also reflects our successful experiences in our respective industries," Zhang added.

Ni Kai, who is named by media as "one of the country's pioneers of driverless study", also attended the event.

Ni used to be an senior scientist of tech giant Baidu's Institute of Deep Learning and head of the company's driverless R&D team before he took the position as the vice president of the smart driving department of LeEco's auto manufacturing arm.

According to He Yi, CEO of LeEco's auto-connected system, by relying on its global innovative R&D team, the company's platform will revolutionize the traditional driving experience and provide a new business model for partners that work on the automobile supply chain.

"Currently, ecolink has been available for automobile application content providers, such as map navigators, audio players and news radios, to embed on the platform -- open.le.com, and the accessibility of the Software Development Kit (SDK), including the ability to monitor the condition of the automobile, voice control and mobile payments, which will also be open to third party developers," said He.

According to the company, the entire team of LeEco's auto-connected arm has close to 300 people, among whom more than 50 have multinational backgrounds. The company has established a globalized structure with its headquarters based in Beijing and its innovation center, integration center and R&D center located in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Chengdu, respectively.

Ecolink, a LeEco-backed connected-car platform, is on display at the rear center console of a new-energy produced by BAIC Motor. [Liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

Two on-board smart devices were also announced during the event.

Priced at 299 yuan ($46), the new video recorder makes it possible for drivers to share clips on LeEco's online video channels.

For drivers whose car lacks on-board Bluetooth-connected radios, map navigators and voice controls, LeEco presents its solutions with a set that includes a Bluetooth receiver and a mobile controller attached to the steering wheel.

Three on-board electronic solution providers, including Shenzhen-based HSAE, Huizhou-based ADAYO and Desay SV Automotive, have also signed cooperation deals with LeEco.

Next month, the concept vehicle of LeEco's auto subsidiary arm is expected to be on display at the Beijing International Auto Show and the company will also jointly launch a new connected-car system with BYD.
Lawmakers participate in a vote on Wednesday. [Photo by Xu Jingxing/China Daily]

After making dozens of people-oriented changes, national legislators gave a ringing endorsement on Wednesday to the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), the road map that sets the course for the world's second-largest economy in the coming half-decade.

The economic and social development blueprint won 2,778 "yes" votes, or 97 percent of the total National People's Congress, at the close of the annual legislative session.

Lawmakers, in cooperation with the country's political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made 57 revisions to the draft plan during nearly two weeks of deliberations. Changes ranged from ramped-up job creation to the training of more pediatricians in the wake of the universal second-child policy.

The NPC's ratification capped months of drafting efforts, during which opinions were collected from Party members, non-Communist parties, industry leaders, commerce federations and members of the public.

Projecting an annual growth rate of at least 6.5 percent, the plan calls for "more than 50 million" new urban jobs to be created, exceeding the ambition of the earlier draft, which had called for up to 50 million.

The adjustment, while small, shows that "the deputies and political advisors are keen to tackle the employment problem, given the country's aging population", said Chen Yu, vice-president of the China Association for Employment Promotion.

At the request of legislators and political advisers, the plan also rolled out measures to address questions arising from the December revision of the decades-old family planning policy. The revision allows all couples to have a second child.

A bullet point in the final version of the blueprint shows the thinking of lawmakers: "Enhance the caring and assistance to families that lost their only child." It adds that more care should be given to women in bearing and rearing children.

A study by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think tank, estimated that 1 million families had lost their only child to disease or accident as of 2012, and the number was expected to grow by 76,000 each year.

"They are now allowed to give birth a second time, but some of the mothers belong to the senior age group, which means more risks in childbirth," said Wang Jinying, deputy chief of the Economics Institute at Hebei University.
Although I was assigned to cover this year's two sessions, I was not interested in the grand meeting at first.

Deputies discuss the annual national budget involving trillions of yuan, and I am only a humble wage earner. What has that to do with me?

My first trip was to the hotels where delegations from Henan province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region were staying. I arrived early along with the delegations to get familiar with them.

That trip changed my mind about the two sessions.

As I stood in the hall of a hotel, I happened to recognize a deputy, Li Guangyu, head of the Affiliated High School of Peking University, Henan branch. We talked a little while and the topic turned to what advice or motion he would offer this year.

"Educational equality," he said. "Only 7.5 percent of Henan high school graduates enroll at key universities. The percentage is 24 for Beijing and Tianjin and 22 for Shanghai. I'm always proposing giving Henan students more opportunities, and this year I will continue."

Born and raised in Henan myself, I could not agree more. Thirteen years after graduating from high school, I still often have nightmares about the days before taking the gaokao, the national college entrance exam. The number of college applicants from Henan was highest in the nation, yet the chance of admission ranked much lower.

Had I made a habit of sleeping earlier over the years, I might not have been part of China Daily today.

That afternoon, I also interviewed college presidents, a judge from a local court and a doctor who has been practicing medicine in a village for 49 years. Their motions and proposals varied, but they had one thing in common: they were practical. One college president called for fair education; the judge hoped to strengthen labor protection; the village doctor proposed to provide better medical conditions for rural regions to protect people's health.

On the late subway traveling home, I suddenly realized that the two sessions were not so far away from me as I had reckoned. Being elected from among the people, deputies are ordinary people, too, and they face the same everyday problems as everyone else. They care about ordinary people's daily lives, and it's their job to express real needs to the top powers of the State.

Actually, the State has long been promoting ordinary people's lives. In his 2016 Government Work Report, Premier Li Keqiang many times mentioned people's livelihoods, and he got applause for that. Among the measures already taken, simplifying administrative approval procedures will help people open shops more easily, while construction of affordable housing will make more people's dreams of living in their own homes come true. Insurance against major diseases will help prevent the tragedy of families being driven into poverty because of the high cost of healthcare.

Proposals and advice from NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee also touch our daily lives. As my first articles about Henan won positive feedback, I decided to cover the two sessions from the angle of ordinary people's lives. Yes, ordinary people's lives should be, and are, the primary concern of the supreme political power of the nation.

To accomplish my goal, I carefully studied materials I could collect about each of the deputies, looking for clues leading to people's lives.

Among the deputies I interviewed, some proposed to construct more roads for regions with large minority populations, while some advised widening channels for technical laborers nationwide. Each of the deputies, driven by concern for people's livelihoods, was willing to sit down and share his or her concerns with a journalist.

As I arrived at the office in the evening, my editor was still there.

"How are the days at the two sessions?" he asked. "Did you get bored?"

I replied with a smile. "Next year, please give me the opportunity again."
Major General Chen Zhishu shared two alarming lessons when he highlighted the need to check the effectiveness of efforts in eradicating poverty.

"Otherwise, the ongoing campaign to relieve poverty will end up in vain," said the officer who was once part of the nationwide efforts.

Chen, former commander of the Gansu Provincial Military Command, is a son of Chen Geng, a founding general of the People's Liberation Army.

The PLA has long been part of the country's poverty relief missions, offering manpower, funding and other services.

Chen first noted a case in which several households in a remote area received assistance from the PLA.

"The households were truly impoverished, and the area's natural resources reserve was in poor condition. Breeding cattle was then decided as a solution for them," he said.

"The bulls and sheep were bought and sent to them, and training for breeding techniques and purchasing outlets were also considered. ... However, when the army staff returned six months later, all the cattle had been slaughtered for meals or sales," he added.

Chen reminded policymakers that the status of the residents who are helped is "often changing" when poverty relief efforts are being rolled out.

"The villagers may be out of poverty this year but potentially return to poor conditions next year. ... Life skills should be effectively nurtured among those helped to make them help themselves," he said.

According to the Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang on March 5, 10 million citizens will be lifted out of poverty this year, and 2 million among them will reach the goal through relocation.

In another case, the destination for the migrants turned out to be full of saline-alkali soil, which was not fit for cultivating crops.

"As a result, the villagers had a small harvest that year. Then the local government invested a lot in improving the soil, but there was still little hope of seeing a bumper harvest for a few years to come.

"The villagers were frustrated and then returned to their homelands," said Chen.

The natural capacity of the new destination hosting the migrants should also be taken into account, Chen said.

"If an area could host at most 30,000 residents, accommodating 50,000 will raise an issue on how to tackle the remaining 20,000. The consequences will be seen in water and other resources," he said.
The world's top weiqi (or Go) player, Ke Jie, believes he has got what it takes to beat the artificial intelligence program AlphaGo, which has just thrashed South Korean grandmaster Lee See-dol, but Ke admits his chances of winning are shrinking as AlphaGo "learns" at a stunning pace.

Developed by Google's London-based AI subsidiary DeepMind, AlphaGo ended its historic tournament against Lee on Tuesday. It clinched the competition between man and machine by winning the final match of the ancient Chinese board game and taking the seven-day series 4-1.

Ke, the youngest player to win three world titles, had claimed "AlphaGo can't beat me" before the much-hyped contest. After the dust had settled, he was still relatively confident.

"I believe I can beat it. Machines can be very strong in many aspects but still have loopholes in certain calculations," said the 18-year-old.

But he realizes his chances of beating the machine grow slimmer as time goes on because of AlphaGo's learning ability. "It can teach itself and it evolves to be better and better. It is hard to predict (who would win) in future," he said.

Ke had put his chances of beating AlphaGo at around 60 percent.

A matchup between Ke and AlphaGo is eagerly anticipated, especially in China and by DeepMind's developers.

DeepMind's CEO, Demis Hassabis, has expressed a willingness to invite Ke to be AlphaGo's next opponent and the company's research scientist, Raia Hadsell, directly raised the prospect of Ke playing against the machine.

"Up for a match, Ke Jie?" she asked on her Facebook page after AlphaGo won a ranking in the listing of human Go ratings. AlphaGo had a world ranking of fourth and 3,533 points following its defeat of Lee on Sunday. It has since climbed to 2nd.

Ke, currently world No 1 in Go ratings, defeated Qiu Jun to win the 2nd Bailing Cup final and become world champion on Jan 14, 2015.

Ke has since earned Go's highest level of nine dan and won the 2015 Samsung Cup.
Two senior officials have been placed under investigation for suspected corruption as the nationwide anti-graft campaign is picking up steam.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on Wednesday announced the investigation into Lu Ziyue, mayor of Ningbo in Zhejiang province, and Wang Yang, vice-chairman of the Liaoning People's Congress.

The commission, China's top anti-graft body, made two brief statements immediately after the 12th National People's Congress concluded its annual meeting, saying they are being investigated for "serious violations of Party discipline", a phase that usually refers to corruption.

No detailed information about their charges was available as of press time.

Lu, 54, also a deputy secretary of the Ningbo committee of the Communist Party, spent his entire career in Zhejiang province.

He held positions as the mayor or deputy Party chief as well as other senior posts in several cities in the province, including the mayor of Yiwu, a manufacturing and trading hub for small commodities.

According to public records, he was the deputy governor of Zhejiang province from January to May 2013 before he was appointed deputy Party chief and the acting mayor of Ningbo in May the same year.

Wang, 59, has held a host of positions in governments at city and provincial level in Liaoning province for more than 30 years. He worked in Anshan, a city known for its iron and steel industry, for most of the time and was the mayor of the city from 2011 to 2012.

He became the Party chief in Fuxin, Liaoning province, in 2012 before he was elected as vice-chairman of the Liaoning People's Congress in January 2013.

The probes are the latest efforts of the top disciplinary authority since it started a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in late 2012.

By the end of last year, more than 120 officials at or above minister level have been held under investigation and nearly 24,000 Party officials as well as government functionaries were disciplined last year.

Two weeks ago, the commission announced the investigation of Wang Min, vice-chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the 12th NPC.
Rabbits are raised at the institute in an environment where temperature, humidity and air pressure must all meet national standards. [Photo/China Daily]

China is expected to adopt its first national standard on laboratory animal welfare and ethics by the end of the year.

This will mark a major legislative breakthrough for the protection of animals used in research and testing by the pharmaceutical and other industries.

The draft, which is available for public opinion until Sunday, is expected to greatly improve the welfare of laboratory animals in China, according to Sun Deming, chairman of the Welfare and Ethics Committee of the Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.

"Although all users of laboratory animals are required to conduct welfare and ethics reviews, they adopt different standards, and some are too lax," Sun said.

Qin Chuan, the association's president, said the lack of legislation has become a bottleneck for the development of China's multibillion-yuan biological and pharmaceutical industries and other industries related to the use of laboratory animals.

The new standard, which aims to minimize the use of animals and also their pain, integrates the latest concepts and requirements for the ethical treatment of lab animals, Sun said.

It has been recognized by leading experts at home and abroad, Sun said during the two-day Sino-British Third International Seminar on Laboratory Animal Welfare and Ethics.

The conference in Hefei, Anhui province, which was co-hosted by the association and the British government, ended on Thursday.

"We drew on experiences and lessons in the legislation of laboratory animal welfare from other countries, such as the UK, when drafting the standard," Sun said. "If carried out, it will be of epoch-making significance for China's laboratory animal welfare and ethics."

The draft includes requirements for the production, transportation and use of laboratory animals, including qualifications for personnel, animal-raising facilities and the use of animals in testing.
Selfie sticks not allowed at premier's news conference By Zhao Huanxin (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-03-16 10:25:03

A network journalist holds a selfie stick as delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People for the NPC annual session in Beijing, March 4, 2015. [Photo/CFP] Photos: Selifies popular among deputies and reporters in 2015

Reporters attending a news conference to be given by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday morning are not allowed to use selfie sticks, it was announced at 10:00 am, about half an hour before the start of the event.

"Otherwise, both the selfie sticks and their owners will be asked to leave the hall," said a staffer at the Central Hall, on the third floor of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The press conference is a regular arrangement. The premier of the State Council, or Chinese Cabinet, usually meets the media at the end of the annual national legislative session.
Election result 'won't affect Sino-US relations' By Li Xiaokun (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-17 02:36:53

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks at a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2016. [Photo by Wu Zhiyi/China Daily]

Premier Li Keqiang voiced confidence on Wednesday over Beijing's ties with Washington, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election later this year.

He made the remarks when asked about Sino-US ties at his annual news conference at the end of the two sessions.

He said the US election campaign has been lively and has attracted widespread attention. "I believe that no matter who gets into the White House in the end, the underlying trend of China-US ties will not change," Li said.

"It has been several decades since the two countries established diplomatic relations, and the relationship has seen lots of ups and downs, but it has always been moving forward, which I believe is the underlying trend."

He said many people only saw differences between the two countries and "overlooked one very important thing that happened last year"  China became the US' top trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $560 billion.

"This in itself shows that the common interests between the two countries are constantly expanding, and far outweigh their differences," he said.

To ensure the healthy development of these ties, Li said both countries need to follow the principles of equality and mutual benefit, such as in negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty.

Shi Yinhong, a professor of US studies at Renmin University of China, said that as both the Chinese and US economies face increasing uncertainties, "it is more urgent than in the past for the two nations to work together and actively handle challenges".

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said the premier had made a "very important strategic judgment" that "the common interests between China and the US far overweigh their differences", given the complex situation in bilateral ties.

On China's relations with the Asia-Pacific region, Li said Beijing sees no contradiction between its insistence on safeguarding its territory and its desire for peace and stability in the region.

"China will remain committed to the path of peaceful development and ... will not waver in its resolve to uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity, and these two are not in conflict."

He said Beijing hopes all countries in the region and outside it, including the US, will work together to uphold regional stability, not the opposite. "That is in the interests of all," he said.
By Zhu Wenqian In Beijing And Yuan Hui In Hohhot | China Daily | Updated: 2016-03-17 08:46

Officials from the Lao Niu Foundation said it has helped nearly 3,000 farmer households over the past five years, through its creation of an international biological demonstration zone in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

An Yaqiang, the foundation's deputy secretary-general, said it has delivered nearly 300 million yuan ($46 million) of economic benefits to the area.

The site, in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, was the autonomous region's first forestry carbon-sequestration project that has been registered under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Students have class in a schoolhouse constructed under the assistance of Chinese government in Kenya. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Chinese government will finance construction of an international language and culture center at Kenyatta University that is located on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa, and senior Kenyatta University administrators on Tuesday attended the ground-breaking ceremony to pave way for the construction of the center.

In his opening remarks, Liu said the center will open a new chapter in Sino-Kenyan bilateral cooperation.

"The centre is another example of our solid friendship, and it will promote interactions between the Chinese and Kenyan people," Liu remarked, adding that China will strengthen bilateral cooperation with Kenya in education, culture and arts.

Liu said the center, which will be completed in 18 months, will position Kenya as a hub for training in Chinese language and culture.

"This center will enable Kenyan youth learn Chinese language. It marks a milestone in Sino-Kenya cooperation," he added.

Olive Mugenda, Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University, lauded China's support towards advancement of arts and cultural learning in Kenyan universities.

"Construction of a language and culture center that will house the Confucius institute will foster our friendship with China. It will also boost socio-economic progress in the country," Mugendi said.

She also revealed that China has financed the construction of a health and referral center at the university, which will be opened soon.
Students perform grass dragon dance after school in the farmland in Chongqing municipality, March 16, 2016. [Photo/IC]

The students, from a grass dragon team of a local primary school, practice the folk art in the blooming canola flower field by waving the grass dragon which they made by themselves. In 2013, the school started a grass dragon dance team and invited the inheritor Liu Yingsheng as a tutor to help preserve the endangered folk craft.

The 71-year-old Liu Yingsheng, is one of the few people who inherited the making and dance technique of the traditional grass dragon. As an intangible cultural heritage, "Cai family grass dragon" is made of straws and has a long tradition dating back to the Qing Dynasty. The whole dragon has three to nine parts and can be played by two or more people.
Presidential candidate U Htin Kyaw (L) of the National League for Democracy (NLD) arrives at the Union Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, March 15, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

The election of National League for Democracy candidate Htin Kyaw as Myanmar's president on Tuesday, along with an NLD candidate and a military candidate as vice-presidents, marks a significant power transition in the country.

Given that the smooth transition of power remains a top priority for Myanmar's democratic process, it is indeed encouraging that various parties have shown a relatively high level of reason and willingness to compromise. But this also means the sharp differences among them may only have been temporarily shelved.

Taking a long-term perspective, it is clear Myanmar's democratic process will inevitably lead to the weakening of the military's influence on national politics.

At the same time, how to promote the legalization of Aung San Suu Kyi's de facto leadership is also a ticklish problem Htin Kyaw will have to address.

Due to the lack of a highly efficient civil service and an authoritative judiciary, and the challenge of eradicating divisions among the ethnic groups in its northern region, political issues are expected to be a drag on the country's progress.

But Myanmar's newly elected leadership has to overcome such difficulties to promote healthy economic development, as people have high expectations for the future under the NLD's rule.

Under its new leadership, Myanmar is unlikely to reverse its previous friendly policy toward China, as China is Myanmar's largest neighbor with time-honored links in various fields. Adopting an antagonistic stance toward China will only bring harm rather than benefits to Myanmar.

China is ready and able to support Myanmar's stability and development, and is also willing to help its neighbor stabilize the domestic situation and push forward its economic development, not least because these are also in China's interests.
A deliveryman of Chinese food delivery company Ele.me prepares to deliver meals in Shanghai, March 24, 2015. [Photo/IC]

About 30 online take-away food businesses including ele.me and Baidu Waimai were inspected recently, only about half of them passed. Some of the restaurants that failed the quality inspections were registered as management companies to avoid the hygiene scrutiny. Beijing News commented on Wednesday:

Even though online-to-offline companies have become prevalent in recent years, many do not meet the necessary standards.

It requires more responsibility to build an online fast-food platform rather than a single physical business, as there is the potential for a gap to exist between sparkling online presentation and dirty kitchens.

Consumers' trust in online food ordering platforms stems from the perception that the platforms have already passed food quality examinations. This is not necessarily the case. So not only should the business operators monitor the food preparation process, the authorities must as well.

O2O businesses need covering by stronger regulations.
Visitors view AIMA e-bikes at a new energy expo in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Tianjin AIMA Bikes Co Ltd is a leading e-bike maker in China, with annual sales of more than 3 million units.[ZHEN HUAI / FOR CHINA DAILY]

Xu Jia'ai, director of the public security department of East China's Zhejiang province and a deputy to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, has called for better management of electric bicycles. Beijing Times said on Wednesday:

Cheap electric bikes powered by big batteries have become a necessity for a considerable number of Chinese, especially for people making deliveries, who, to some extent, rely on such bikes for their livelihoods.

Against the backdrop of China's urbanization and the increasing restrictions on purchasing and driving cars and motorcycles, more people are resorting to electric bikes.

Yet, the relevant regulations, which have not changed in more than 16 years, lag far behind the production and promotion of these vehicles. Accordingly, it is estimated about 90 percent of today's electric bikes do not meet the national standards.

It is time the authorities strengthened their management over electric bikes, most of which are being produced, sold, and used with little oversight.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

China must avoid falling into the middle-income trap, Premier Li Keqiang cautioned when delivering this year's Government Work Report to the National People's Congress in Beijing earlier this month. Beijing Youth Daily said on Wednesday:

The so-called middle-income trap has haunted some Asian and Latin American economies, which after managing to get rid of poverty, have failed to complete the necessary economic transition to realize the next stage of development. This has resulted in economic stagnation, widening income gaps, severe corruption, high unemployment and financial fragility.

Premiere Li's warning is timely as China's GDP per capita reached $8,000 last year, which is just over the middle income level. More importantly, its remarkable economic rise in the past three decades or so has been fueled by high investments and the consumption of natural resources, as well as labor-intensive and export-oriented development, which is not sustainable.

However, to say China will inevitably get caught in the middle income trap is going too far, because China still has time to avoid it by changing to a growth mode driven by technology and productivity.

Regarding its deepening comprehensive reform and efforts to promote technical innovations, the country has already approved a universal second-child policy to meet the foreseeable demand for labor. It should now put more effort into expediting the ongoing reform of the household registration system and farmland ownership, as well as enhancing vocational education, to help more migrant workers settle in cities and rural residents improve their livelihoods.

For the time being, China's educational expenditure has only accounted for about 4 percent of its total GDP, nearly 1.5 percent less than that of the United States and even 3 percent less than Finland's. It has been proved that higher education can partly offset the dwindling population dividends. Of course, rural residents and their children have to be treated equally if they permanently live in a city.

Technological innovations, too, should play a bigger role in the country's long-term growth. Apart from doubling the financial support for scientific research, more measures need to be taken to curb the violations of intellectual property rights.
[Photo provided to China Daily]

Experts and officials gathered recently in Beijing to discuss the development of tourism in the Diqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture.

Based in Southwest China's Yunnan province, the prefecture's local tourism bureau organized the meeting.

"It's important to adopt an innovative way to combine tourism with local cultures and lifestyles, so as to enhance tourist experience," Zhang Peitao, deputy director of the bureau, said at the conference.

Diqing boasts beautiful locations like Shangri-La but needs diversified tourism products to help visitors explore the province.

The prefecture's Zhongdian county, which renamed itself Shangri-La in 2001, claims to be the inspiration for Lost Horizon, a novel by British writer James Hilton.

"Younger generations focus more on quality travels," said Liu Tao, an official of the State Council's Development Research Center.

Speaking at the same forum, he said that tourism would lead to more jobs for local communities in areas where different ethnic groups lived.

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Porto calls in Portuguese wine country
Foreign Minister Wang Yi greets his Gambian counterpart Neneh Macdouall-Gaye at a signing ceremony in Beijing on Thursday. ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY

Beijing has resumed diplomatic ties with Gambia, the West African country that cut "diplomatic" relations with Taiwan in 2013.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his visiting Gambian counterpart Neneh Macdouall-Gaye signed a joint statement on Thursday to resume diplomatic ties at ambassadorial level.

"Gambia recognizes the importance and reality of the one-China policy, national reunification and peaceful reunification," Gaye said at a joint news conference with Wang.

Wang said upholding the one-China principle is the prerequisite and political foundation for China's diplomatic relationship with any country.

"For more than two years, Gambia has demonstrated sincerity and determination and has made the right choice on this matter," he said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular news briefing on Thursday that the resumption of ties is "not targeted at any other side".

He said there is no change in Beijing's policy on pushing forward relations across the Taiwan Straits.

China formed diplomatic ties with Gambia in 1974. But in 1995, Gambia cut these ties and shifted to Taipei.
One year after 18-year-old Henry Lee, a high school student in Palo Alto, California, killed himself due to clinical depression, his father hosted a talk a few weeks ago with Chinese-American parents to discuss how society, schools and families can better use resources to help vulnerable teens.

Lee's seminar and advices come in a timely manner. Thousands of miles away from Palo Alto, 23 young people in Hong Kong have taken their lives since the start of this academic year. The seven most recent cases had occurred within nine days. The numbers have alarmed the University of Hong Kong's Center for Suicide Research and Prevention.

On March 10, the Hong Kong Education Bureau called a meeting with key stakeholders and announced a series of emergency measures, including improving student counseling support on campus, holding seminars to help teachers and parents identify problematic behaviors of students sooner, and forming a committee to come up with recommendations on preventative solutions in six months.

As some blame the pressure-cooker education system and Asian-American families' pursuit of academic excellence, experts believe complex factors such as spending too much time in virtual worlds and a lack of peer interaction could be contributing to the problem of teen suicide.

Teen suicide is a growing health concern worldwide. It is the third-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24, surpassed only by homicide and accidents, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Causes of suicidal distress can be triggered by psychological, environmental and social factors. Suicide risk-factors vary with age, gender, ethnic group, family dynamics and stressful life events; mental illness, however, is the leading risk factor.

In Henry Lee's case, "he provided a light to those around him and always found a way to make people laugh," recalled his father, who added that many of the young man's intimate friends and close family members couldn't associate Henry with depression and suicide.

A talented cyclist, artist and musician, Henry was an advocate for others who suffered as well, providing comfort to friends with shared experiences. Despite his own condition, he wanted to pursue a college degree in linguistics and wished to perform research in psycholinguistics to help detect early stages of depression by assessing lingual expression in others.

Though he sought and received medial treatment and support from his family, Henry ultimately took his own life on Jan 24, 2015. Henry's father urges anyone in a similar situation to seek help and support as early as possible.

"Don't feel shameful if your child has depression; don't hide it and pretend everything is just fine," Henry's father said at the seminar in Silicon Valley. "We hope to raise awareness for mental health and to prevent teen suicide universally."

Screening programs have proven to be helpful because research has shown that suicidal people show signs of depression or emotional distress, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Referrals can be made for treatment, and effective treatment can be employed when signs are observed in time. Intervention efforts for at-risk youth can put them in contact with mental health services that can save their lives.

"Teen suicide is preventable. Family is a buffer against stress for children and teenagers," said Xie Gang, school psychologist with the Fremont Unified School District. "Let our children know that parents are always here to help and support, so they won't go extreme when dealing with difficult times."

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com
No casualties are reported; ministry, embassy express 'serious concerns'

China's Foreign Ministry expressed "serious concerns" on Wednesday over the sinking of a Chinese fishing vessel by the Argentine coast guard and demanded Argentina to thoroughly investigate the incident.

In a news release on the ministry's website, spokesman Lu Kang said the Chinese vessel, Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010, which was operating in Argentine waters on Monday, was chased by the coast guard "for several hours" before it was fired upon. Shots reportedly "caused a leak in the hull and led to its sinking", Lu said.

There were no reports of casualties, and four Chinese crew members were rescued by the Argentines, while 28 others were rescued by Chinese fishing boats nearby, Lu said.

He said the State Council attaches high importance to the incident and "made important instructions".

Both the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese embassy in Argentina lodged urgent representations with the Argentine government "expressing serious concerns and demanding that the Argentine side conduct a thorough investigation", Lu said.

The ministry also demanded that Argentina inform China of the details, ensure the safety and rights of the Chinese crew and "take effective measures to avoid any repetition of such an incident", he said.

Reuters reported that the Argentine coast guard detected the vessel fishing off the coast of Puerto Madryn, Chubut province. It quoted the coast guard as saying the vessel was fishing illegally and "performed maneuvers designed to force a collision with the coast guard" before the coast guard personnel were ordered to open fire.

Xu Yicong, former Chinese ambassador to Argentina, said the decision to shoot the boat was "not careful enough" and Argentina should offer a clear explanation.

He said that China's cooperation with Argentina in the fishing goes back many years, and the two countries should "strengthen communication and coordination" to solve the problem if cases of illegal fishing arise.

The incident is "unlikely" to affect bilateral cooperation in the long term, he said.

Chen Yuanting, a researcher of Latin American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said such an incident is "rare" in the history of the countries' relationship.

Argentina is known for its rich fishery resources such as squid.

Chen said Argentina is friendly to China, but the incident may hint that a "delicate adjustment" of its policies toward China was made after the new Argentine government took office late last year.

Argentina is a major destination for Chinese investment in Latin America, and China should pay attention to protecting its interests in the country, she said.
DPRK denounces S.Korea-US joint military drills (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-03-17 09:05

PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday denounced the United States and South Korea for pushing the situation to the point of "explosion" through provocations, the official KCNA news agency reported.



The statement came at a time when South Korea and the United States are carrying out their largest-ever annual military drills, which Pyongyang said amount to "an provocation to the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK and an open declaration of a war against it."



The statement, issued by the DPRK government, political parties and organizations, threatened of a deadly preemptive attack on U.S. and South Korean forces.



"Once there is a slight sign of the start of their foolish special operation, the Korean People's Army will promptly launch the battle for preemptive attack without hesitation," it said.



On March 7, South Korea and the United States kicked off joint military exercises codenamed Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, which will run through April 30. The drills are reported to be largest-ever and mobilize the most advanced weapons.



The exercise involves the new OPLAN 5015 for the first time. The OPLAN 5015, which was formally approved by Seoul and Washington in June last year, allegedly encompasses scenarios for pre-emptive precision strikes against the DPRK's nuclear and missile facilities in a contingency with Pyongyang.
JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation and an Indonesia-China joint venture firm for the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway on Wednesday signed a concession agreement.

Under the deal, the government gave a 50-year concession period to the PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), starting from May 31, 2019 when the high-speed railway is expected to be ready for operation, Indonesian Minister of Transportation Ignasius Jonan said.

"Based on analysis, the break-even point will be reached in some 40 years," the minister said after witnessing the signing.

The concession agreement dealt with construction, operation, maintenance of facilities, business, and operation of the railway, according to the ministry.

With the signing of the agreement, the transportation ministry would immediately issue a business permit and a license for the construction of the railway, the minister said.

The concession agreement is one of the ministry's requirements for issuing the license.

"With the signing of this deal, a new era of train transportation in Indonesia has come," said Hanggoro Budi Wiryawan, president director of PT KCIC.

He said that the construction of the railway would create many jobs and include a transfer of technology.

"For the smooth construction of the high-speed railway, we will train many workers who will join PT KCIC," said Wiryawan.

The 5.5-billion-US-dollar railway project links Indonesia's capital Jakarta and the fourth largest city of Bandung with a distance of about 150 km.
PHNOM PENH - Cambodia on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Chinese government to discharge water from Jinghong Hydropower Station in Southwest China's Yunnan province to downstream Mekong River for emergency use from March 15 to April 10.

"The discharge of water into Mekong River proves again the good cooperation on water resource management between the Mekong countries and China, which is an important part of the Mekong-Lancang River cooperation mechanism," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement.

The welcome came after Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Lu Kang announced in a regular news briefing on Tuesday that China will discharge water from a dam to the lower reaches of the Mekong River to alleviate drought in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam from March 15 till April 10.

Mekong River originates in China and runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is known as Lancang in the Chinese stretch.

China and the five countries along the Mekong are friendly neighbors and assistance like this is natural, Lu said.

Since late 2015, countries along the Lancang-Mekong River have suffered from drought to varying extents due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, the spokesperson said, adding the situation has worsened recently and threatens people's livelihoods.

"In order to accommodate the concerns of countries at the lower reach of the Mekong River, the Chinese government decides to overcome its own difficulties to offer emergency water flows," Lu said.

He said water resources cooperation is an important component of the cooperation mechanism being worked on by China and other Mekong River countries.
A multi-media theater work titled Golden Gate will highlight the overlooked history and experiences of the early Chinese immigrants who helped build the American West. Through storytelling by local community members, the performance aims to reinvigorate a forgotten cultural heritage.

Story tellers rehearse for the multi-media theater piece Golden Gate, which will be premiered at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco on March 18. [Provided to China Daily]

The evening-long show, which will be premiered at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco on Friday and run three days, is produced by Chinese Whispers, a community-based storytelling group dedicated to unearthing and sharing the stories of early Chinese immigrants to America.

About a quarter million Chinese came to California between 1849 and the early 1880s to work on the railroads and in the mines, agriculture, fisheries, industries and other services on the American frontier.

"But we know very little about them as individuals, as people. Who were they, these early immigrants? What else did they do? What were their stories?" said Rene Yung, artistic and founding director of Chinese Whispers.

"We have been excavating this very history and gathering forgotten stories about everyday people who helped transform the west," she said, because many of their stories were obscured or purposely erased.

Different from a traditional play, the production features nine storytellers who represent themselves, telling true stories in live performances and exchanges with the audience.

Among the nine storytellers, three are first-generation immigrants and the others are second, third or fourth generation. Coming from different walks of life, they all have had professional theatrical training and have prior acting experience.

Ford Lee, 84, tells stories of his family in San Francisco's Chinatown over three generations. Another storyteller shares the experiences of his ancestor arriving in San Francisco at age 7 as an orphan and later learning to read and write, and finally establishing his own commercial enterprise, said Yung.

Ford Lee (center), 84, a story teller, tells about his family in San Francisco Chinatown over three generations during a rehearsal of the multi-media theater work Golden Gate to be premiered at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco on March 18. [Provided to China Daily]

"These are the stories seldom told outside of the families. These stories have not been given voice back then or now," she said. "The Chinese have a tradition of not telling family stories to their kids, which is true now, so very little was carried down."

The production is also intended to pay tribute to the unsung heroes of the everyday, who paved the way for later generations in the land of immigrants.

Developed from five years of research including oral history interviews with community elders, the fragmentary stories of individual lives are interwoven with the larger historical context, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882.

"They are amazing stories. It makes sense to put them together even if they are fragmentary," Yung said.

She wrote the scripts herself and interwove them with an original contemporary soundscape, music and projected imagery of abstract and symbolic pictures mostly taken from nature.

The multimedia approach is designed to help the story reach out to the imagination of the audience, and enhance the mood of isolation, worry and anxiety, said Yung.

A previous project by Chinese Whispers was Bay Chronicles, which retraced the overlooked history of Chinese shrimp fishing in San Francisco Bay through a series of research voyages on a replica 19th century Chinese shrimp junk and a multimedia art installation by Yung that featured sound and video captured on the voyages.
Badaling Great Wall is decorated with green lights to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Beijing on Wednesday. St Patrick's Day, which falls on Thursday, is a traditional festival of Ireland and the country's National Day. According to Irish Ambassador to China Paul Kavanagh , St Patrick's Day is a time of celebration in Ireland and for all those of Irish descent and affinity around the world. The honor for the Government and People of Ireland has a number of Chinese national icons join the global greening in 2016 including the Canton Tower in Guangzhou and a number of prominent buildings in Shanghai. In February Ireland celebrated in red in Dublin. [Provided for chinadaily.com.cn]
In the planned Chinese remake of The Devil Wears Prada, which actress will icily detail the fashion history of cerulean blue?

Beijing-based Desen International Media, according to the Hollywood Reporter, will produce a version of the popular 2006 comedy that starred Meryl Streep as the imperious editor of the fashion magazine Runway and Anne Hathaway as an indifferent intern.

Streep, in the role of Miranda Priestly, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and also was nominated for an Oscar.

The Chinese cast, however, won't be clickety-clacketing on stiletto heels around Manhattan. Instead, they will be navigating the glass towers of Shanghai, where the remake will be set.

The original The Devil Wears Prada was released in China in February 2007, eight months after it opened in the United States. The film was a smash hit in major Chinese cities, with corporations conducting screenings for Women's Day parties on March 8, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The Chinese-language version of the original 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger, in which the Streep character was widely interpreted to be based on Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, also became a bestseller. The book is available on Amazon in both simplified and traditional Chinese.

Desen, founded by film producer Ann An in 2006, did not say if it has secured the movie rights to the book.

China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television has approved the film project.

"Terrific film. It's the kind of story that could work very well in China," said Robert Cain, a Los Angeles writer and producer and publisher of ChinaFilmBiz, a blog focused on China's movie industry.

"The audience there is a very strong, young female audience and there have been a lot of movies made and distributed very successfully" for female moviegoers, Cain told China Daily.

"Desen has had a lot of success in the past" with films geared toward women, said Cain, who has consulted for clients such as CCTV, Shanghai Media Group and China Film Group.

The movie would do well if it follows the success of the 2013 smash Tiny Times, which has pretty much the same story line.

"The film's main thread (is) the efforts of fumbling girl-next-door Lin Xiao (Mini Yang) ... settling into her job at a fashion magazine and acclimatizing herself to the glamorous, high-octane world of haute couture," was how the Hollywood Reporter described it.

The film, which generated a flurry of sequels, told the story of four fashionable college girls in Shanghai, which the Los Angeles Times described as "The Devil Wears Prada meets Sex and the City (minus the sex)".

The movie was based on a series of novels by Guo Jingming, who also directed it. The picture opened a surprising gulf in public opinion, with fans embracing its celebration of the good life as others decried it as materialistic.

"Materialism is something we face every day now, and it is not dirty," Guo told China Daily in 2013. "Our film audiences are much younger than before. They live with materialism."

China Daily's Raymond Zhou was one of the film's critics.

"When I first criticized Tiny Times, tens of thousands of Guo Jingming's fans swarmed to my micro blog, leaving all kinds of nasty  but often childishly laughable  words," Zhou wrote early this year. "Guo  had won a base of some 10-20 million loyalists through his fiction, most of whom are teenage girls. His public response to my criticism essentially started a call to action.

"I was only one of hundreds of critics who lambasted his film, yet I was turned into a symbol of acerbic criticism since he responded to only mine, thus elevating me out of mass oblivion' in the words of some Guo devotees."

But the film also won support from state media.

Hu Xijin, editor in chief of the Global Times, complimented Guo's mastery of "subtle emotions".

"I believe [Guo] is a superman who can decipher many types of delight and sorrow," he wrote on Weibo.

Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com
BEIJING -- Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli will visit China and attend Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference next week at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Thursday.

"The upcoming visit will be the highest-level interaction between China and Nepal since establishment of the new Nepalese government last October," Lu said at a regular press briefing.

Chinese leaders will meet with Oli to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of mutual concern, said Lu.

Both China and Nepal are currently standing at a crucial stage of development and are facing new opportunities of cooperation, Lu said, adding he hopes the two countries will promote their partnership of comprehensive cooperation to a new height.
A Virgin Atlantic passenger plane flies in the sky with the moon seen in the background, in London, Britain January 19, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Virgin Atlantic said today it was investigating an alleged incident on a recent flight from London to Shanghai when a Chinese woman said she was abused by a fellow passenger.The airline said the company will not "comment further until we have resolved the issue with our customer directly."In a statement passed to China Daily by spokesman Jason Betts, Virgin Atlantic said, "We are aware of an issue on a recent flight and would like to reassure the customer that we are taking her claims seriously and are fully investigating the circumstances. The safety and wellbeing of our passengers is always our priority, and we will continue to speak directly with the customer to ensure the situation is resolved."In a later statement, provided by spokeswoman Louise Holding, Virgin Atlantic said, "we are aware of the concern around the alleged incident on flight VS250. We are a multinational company with zero tolerance of racism."The carrier declined to provide any further details, adding "this is an ongoing investigation."The report, about the Chinese female passenger, on the Virgin flight VS250 on March 1, 2016, who said she was insulted by a Caucasian male passenger and subsequently allegedly ignored by a flight attendant, went viral on social media in China.By late Thursday Beijing time, over 5 million users had read about the issue on the Chinese social media site Weibo, which is similar to a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook.Contact writer: wangmingjie@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye in Beijing on March 17, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye signed a joint communique in Beijing Thursday to resume diplomatic relations.

"The People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of The Gambia...have agreed and decided to resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level as of the date of the signing of this Joint Communique," the communique says.

The two countries also agreed to exchange ambassadors and, in accordance with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, provide necessary assistance for the establishment of embassies and the performance of their respective duties on a reciprocal basis, it says.

According to the communique, the Chinese government supports the Gambian government in its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and develop the economy.

The Gambian government recognizes that there is only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, it says.

The Gambian government undertakes not to establish any official relations or engage in any official contact with Taiwan, it says.

The Chinese government appreciates this position of the Gambian government, it says.

"The time of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Gambia was determined through consultation between the two sides," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Thursday.

The resumption of diplomatic ties is not directed against anyone, he said, reiterating China's adherence to the one-China policy and peaceful development of cross-Strait relations remains unchanged.

There is only one China in the world, and both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China, he said, adding that China's sovereignty and territorial integrity will not be divided.

Asked if China had provided enormous aid to Gambia to resume ties, Lu said the resumption of diplomatic relations is based on mutual respect,trust and benefit and on an equal footing.

"China will discuss friendly and reciprocal cooperation with Gambia following the resumption of ties," Lu said.

"The Chinese people have always held friendly sentiments toward the Gambian people," said Wang, adding that the resumption of the ambassadorial relations reflects common aspirations and are in the fundamental interests of both nations.
(Photo : Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images) China's Premier Li Keqiang answers question during the annual news conference following the closing session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 16, 2016 in Beijing, China.

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The strengthening of China-US will benefit the Asia-Pacific region, China's Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday, adding that the two nations can work together to maintain regional stability.



"It is natural that there are some differences between neighbors, but as long as we treat each other with sincerity and seek settlements with diplomatic and peaceful means, we are fully capable of maintaining regional stability," Li said at a press conference following the end of a meeting of the country's top legislature.



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According to Chinese state media, Li also highlighted what "countries from outside the region," like the United States, can do to help promote and maintain peace within the region.



"The US has never left the Asia Pacific, we can cooperate in the Asia-Pacific region and properly handle our differences," he said.



Premier Li emphasized that China has always advocated for peace and stability in its relationship with neighboring countries, even that with the US.



"We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development, but we will not waver in our resolve to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Li said. "The two are not contradictory."



He expressed optimism that all countries, whether within or outside of the region, "will do more things beneficial to regional stability, rather than the opposite."



China and the U.S. have exchanged a heated rhetoric over the past few months after reports surfaced that Bejing has deployed weaponry to disputed territories in the South China Sea. Washington responded by sending a carrier strike group to patrol the area.



Many experts agree that while there are points of differences between China and the U.S., the common interests of both nations far outweighs them.



President Xi Jinping is likely to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington at the end of this month and will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama, Premier Li announced recently. Analysts say it is likely that the recent developments in the South China Sea will feature prominently in the talks between both leaders.



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As bodies pile up, Kerry nearly misses congressional deadline for declaring ISIS guilty of Christian genocide 17 March, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

UPDATE: On the morning of March 17, Secretary of State John Kerry made an unexpected statement at the State Department declaring that in his view ISIL was guilty of genocide against Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims.

WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner)  Despite the U.S. House of Representatives voting unanimously March 14 to call the Islamic State's murderous rampage across the Middle East "genocide," a spokesman for Secretary of State John Kerry claimed Wednesday he would miss a congressionally-mandated deadline today for making the same designation.

Kerry has repeatedly put off the work of making the designation, insisting that he either has incomplete information or that a study is being conducted to see if ISIS's actions against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in the region meets all of the legal parameters of genocide, as defined by the United Nations.

On March 16, Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said in the State Department's daily briefing that Kerry "continues to study the issue of atrocities perpetrated by Daesh [ISIS] and is committed to undertake his assessment in a measured and deliberate way. He recognizes the seriousness of the atrocities committed by this terrorist group as well as the importance of this issue to its victims and survivors. Given the scope and the breadth of the analysis he's contemplating, he will not have a final decision completed by the congressionally mandated deadline tomorrow."

We take those [designations] very seriously. However, we take the process very seriously as well. And so if we need some additional time, a matter of a few days or a week or so, in order to reach what we believe is a more fact-based, evidence-based decision, then we're going to, working in consultation with Congress, ask for that extra time.

Kerry is not alone in dragging his feet. Earlier in March, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama still wasn't convinced that the purge of Christians and other religious minorities from the region was genocide because the designation required a "rather precise interpretation of the law."

Toner said the "issue" was very important to Secretary Kerry and he expected a decision soon. Asked by a reporter if the decision could be forthcoming at all this week, Toner said he did not know.

"Very soon is about as precise as we can get at this point," Toner said. He then changed the subject, focusing instead of the terrorist bombing of a mosque in Maiduguri and the destruction brought by Boko Haram elsewhere in Nigeria against moderate Muslims.

Reporters then pressed Toner again, claiming "it's been months" and Kerry has not acted. Toner said Secretary Kerry was still gathering details from the region  a "very rigorous" process.

"And the Secretary has urged his team here at the department as well as the broader intelligence community, and even the NGO community, to provide as much information and evidence as possible so that he can make the best decision possible. And if this has delayed the process, we believe it's worth it," Toner said. He added that Kerry was a lawyer and wanted to be certain the evidence fit within the legal definition of genocide.

According to one reporter in the room, the State Department has missed congressionally-mandated deadlines before, including on its Human Rights Reports.

Toner said he and Secretary Kerry  a former member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee  certainly respects congressional deadlines, but he said they are aren't always realistic given the nature of the report. He said the State Department takes the genocide designation seriously.

"We take those [designations] very seriously. However, we take the process very seriously as well. And so if we need some additional time, a matter of a few days or a week or so, in order to reach what we believe is a more fact-based, evidence-based decision, then we're going to, working in consultation with Congress, ask for that extra time," Toner said.

The members of Congress, however, needed no more time. They voted 393-0 in favor of the resolution decrying the genocide carried out by ISIS radicals.

In November 2015, Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, predicted the Obama administration would forgo any designation of genocide for Christians in Iraq. Shea later sent a letter to Kerry, pleading with him not to overlook the abuse, torture, expulsion and murder of Christians in the region.
Iran sends message to Israel  on a missile 17 March, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

TEHRAN (Christian Examiner)  Iran has conducted a test launch of a missile with a special message for Israel, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has reported.

Emblazoned on the side of the gold missile was a slogan written in Farsi but also in Hebrew: "Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth."

According to MEMRI, which monitors extremist media in the region, Iran conducted the tests as part of its annual missile drill March 8-9. The missiles, the Qadr-F and Qadr-H, have ranges of about 1,300 and 900 miles, respectively. Both missiles are capable of reaching Tel Aviv if fired from the western most region of Iran.

Iranian Revolution Guard Corps commander Ali Jafari and the head of the IRGC aerospace and missile division, Amir Ali Hajizadeh both attended the missile tests as IRGC leaders said the missiles would be used to "destroy the Zionist enemy."

The main threat against Iran comes from the Zionists. Those most hostile towards Iran should naturally fear this readiness and these capabilities the most. Our missiles cover the [entire territory of the] occupying Zionist regime, therefore they fear [us] the most.

On March 16, after reports of the missile tests began circulating widely in Israel and other parts of the Middle East, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed again that the country's missile program is only meant to be "defensive" and he advised "foreign powers to adopt the policy of peace and friendship instead of enmity and distrust."

"Our people dislike tensions. Countries which have maintained the path of tension are advised to return to the path of peace and friendship. Those who unfairly took our missile test case to the UN Security Council came back disappointed," Rouhani told reporters in Tehran on Wednesday. "We have no intention to invade our neighbors. Our missile program is completely for defense purposes."

Much of the propaganda coming out of Iran is bluster.

For instance, Iran claimed it had 1 million missiles ready for its defense (a number not even the United States or the Soviet Union could claim). It nonetheless reveals Iran's stated desire to destroy Israel  it claims in a "defensive war."

Ali Jafari, commander of the Revolutionary Guards, said March 8 that the missile tests displays only a portion of the country's capabilities.

But just what capabilities the country can boast remains a mystery. Iran has conducted similar tests in the past and when photos of the tests were released, they were found to be edited to show more missiles being fired than were actually fired.

Jafari claimed Iran has the right to develop the missiles "in the face of hostility" and any request to remove them is a "red line."

"Iran's officials consider the IRGC's missile capabilities to be a red line and are of one mind on this issue. Our enemies, too, have understood that increasing the sanctions and the security pressure has no impact on the growth of our capabilities," Jafari said.

"While confronting the enemies, the IRGC's finger is always on the trigger. The enemies of the Islamic Revolution should fear the roar of the IRGC's missiles," he added.

"The main threat against Iran comes from the Zionists. Those most hostile towards Iran should naturally fear this readiness and these capabilities the most. Our missiles cover the [entire territory of the] occupying Zionist regime, therefore they fear [us] the most."

A video of the missile tests revealed some of Iran's hardened underground facilities. An Israeli flag was painted on the floor at the entrance of the facility for those who enter to walk over.
Radical Islamists kill 500 Nigerian Christians; villagers afraid to bury their dead Christian Post Contributor | 17 March, 2016 by Stoyan Zaimov

BENUE, Nigeria (Christian Examiner)  Radical Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria have killed close to 500 predominantly Christian farmers in Benue state in central Nigeria in a series of attacks over the last month, and are reportedly still hiding out among villagers, making survivors too afraid to return and bury the dead.

"In the last three weeks, Aku, Odugbeho, Aila, Okokolo and Ikobi have been utterly destroyed and over 300 people have been killed," Steven Enada, a development advocate campaigning against the killing of the Agatu people, told Morning Star News.

"We have corpses littered in the field like a war fought in the Roman Empire by Emperor Nero," he added, with survivors too afraid to return to bury the dead.

International Christian Concern said on Tuesday that in total close to 500 people have been killed over the past month, and thousands have died in clashes since 2001.

The Fulani herdsmen launched a heavy attack against the Agatu farmers on Feb. 22, and a week later had killed over 300 people in the slaughter.

Ikwulono John Anthony, an indigene of the affected Christian communities, said that some of the attackers are still in the villages.

"I took the risk and came to Agatu together with the delegation from the presidency of Nigeria, where we visited Obagaji, Egba, Aila, Adagbo, Okokolo, Akwu, Ugboju, Odugbeho and Odejo," he said.

"Entire villages were burned down completely by Fulani herdsmen. Unidentified corpses of these Christians were discovered, properties were looted by these Fulani invaders. As I speak to you, Fulani herdsmen are living in the deserted villages. I couldn't believe what my eyes saw."

Fulani leaders are apparently accusing farmers of killing up to 10,000 cows, something which the local villagers deny.

Emmanuel Ogebe, a human rights lawyer, told Morning Star News that the villagers would not even have the means to slaughter such a large number of cows.

"Such a mass slaughter would take weeks, and the skeletal remains of the cows would completely dot the landscape of Agatu, and the stench would permeate the air," he said.

Ogebe added that he feels there is religious motive behind the attacks, with the radicals waging jihad to take over the villages.

ICC has noted that although there are historical tensions over land rights for cattle grazing versus farming in the region, it would be wrong to conclude that the mass killing of Christians is due only to tribal conflicts.

"We must not allow the frequency and heightened brutality Christians continue to endure in this region to desensitize us to the real human loss and suffering they experience," Troy Augustine, ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, said back in February.

"Nigerian officials should follow their first mandate in protecting all Nigerians against violent threats to life and property, whatever the source, instead of allowing these crimes to continue unpunished and conveniently explained away through the lens of resource wars and historical tribal tensions."

The attacks have continued despite President Muhammadu Buhari ordering an investigation into the clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and the Christian farmers, expressing his "deep shock" at the level of violence that has been committed.

The ongoing attacks have also displaced close to 7,000 villagers from their homes.

Stoyan Zaimov is a reporter for the Christian Post. This article first appeared at Christian Post and is used with permission.
One of the Islamic State's senior commanders Abu Omar has died of his wounds last week. He was injured by US airstrikes in Syria near the city of Shaddadi earlier this month, according to CNN. Twelve other ISIS militants including his bodyguards are also assumed to have been killed in the strikes.

Omar al-Shishani was a Georgian citizen, known as 'Omar the Chechen,' in the Islamic State network. He had a designation similar to 'minister of war' in the ISIS military command.

"We assess he's dead," said US military spokesman Col. Steve Warren.

After the airstrikes, ISIS said on social media that al-Shishani was wounded. The US intelligence also noted that his intercepts had gone silent.

However, ISIS' media group, Aamaq agency, later contradicted the report, saying that al-Shishani had not died nor had sustained any injuries.

Accounts from other sources seem to indicate that he is indeed dead. The head of Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, said that Omar was admitted to a hospital in Raqqa, which still remains under ISIS control.

"Shishani is not able to breathe on his own and is using machines. He has been clinically dead for several days," Rahman was quoted as saying by AFP.

al-Shishani was targeted outside the Syrian town of Shadadi on March 4, which was the site of intense fighting between the Islamic State and Syrian Democratic Forces and Syrian Kurd militia, with the US Army providing logistic support. The alliance backed by the US tried to take back the town near the Iraqi border that has a strategic significance in the war against ISIS.

al-Shishani, whose real name is Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, was a former Georgian military veteran, who was among thousands of foreign militants fighting for the Islamic State. He was reputed as one of ISIS' most battle-hardened commanders, with a $5 million reward on him from the US State Department.

He is believed to have been sent to Shaddadi to strengthen and reinforce ISIS militia after it suffered a series of setbacks at the hands of opposing forces.

There have been previous reports of his death, which later proved false. In 2014, Russia alleged that he died in Chechnya, but the reports were not verified. He was later found to have survived the war in the Northern Caucus.

Earlier this week, US confirmed al-Shishani's death but did not comment on the circumstances of his death.
Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC) officially announced on March 11 that the organization's name will be changed to 'SOON Movement.' For the near future, the organization will be using both names together as leaders predict it will take time to completely transition from the original name the organization had been known as for 45 years.

According to KCCC, Campus Crusade for Christ (also known as Cru) was started by Dr. Bill Bright and his wife at UCLA in 1951, and currently has some 30,000 full-time staff in 193 countries. In 1971, staff of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ -- a South Korea affiliate of Cru -- began evangelizing in college campuses in Los Angeles, which began KCCC's ministry in the U.S. Today, KCCC has about 90 staff in 52 universities in the country's major cities.

KCCC's leaders have pursued changing the ministry's name since four years ago, beginning with Campus Crusade for Christ's decision to change its name to Cru in 2011. The leaders of Campus Crusade for Christ, as it was known as at the time, decided to change the ministry's name after concluding that the term 'Crusade' in the middle of the former name may remind some of the historical Crusades that took place from the 11th to 13th centuries, and may thus have a negative influence on the ministry's evangelical and missional purposes. For the same reason, some 95 percent of Cru's international affiliates had also changed their names, including 'Agape' in Europe, 'Life Ministry' in Southeast Asia, 'Great Commission Ministry' in West Africa, and 'Power to Change' in Canada and Australia. However, the affiliate in South Korea still maintains the name, 'Korea Campus Crusade for Christ.'

The various global affiliates, though they are still a part of the Cru umbrella, are independent in terms of operations, and are able to decide their own names depending on the missional conditions and circumstances of each country. And within Cru's ministry in the U.S., several sub-ministries for different ethnic groups also exist, including Epic Movement for Asian Americans and Destino Movement for Latino Americans. KCCC is a part of Cru, but has been carrying out ministry independent from it in the sense that it focused on reaching out to Korean American college students and Korean students studying abroad in the U.S., and had been maintaining the name, 'KCCC.' But it will now be changing its name to 'SOON Movement.'

'Soon' is a Korean term that symbolizes Christ and appears in the Korean translation of Isaiah 53:2, which describes Jesus as one who "grew up before him like a tender shoot." (The 'shoot' is translated into 'soon,' in Korean.) At the same time, 'soon' is also a Korean term that is directly related to one of the most defining aspects of KCCC's ministry: 'soon' small groups. KCCC's small groups are called 'soons,' in which the 'soon wons' (small group members) are discipled by 'soon jangs' (small group leaders). Using the word 'soon,' which is a significant term in KCCC's discipleship training, as part of the ministry's new name also can be interpreted as the ministry's further commitment to discipleship.

The decision made by Cru's leaders to change the ministry's name came from the negative connotations that the term 'Crusade' has, but KCCC has a bit of a variety of reasons in changing its name. The first reason has to do with the 'Korea' portion of the name.

"As our campus ministry's focus and weight began to turn to the English-speaking members, and though we're proud of our Korean heritage, we began to notice that the term 'Korea' in our name may give off a vibe that we don't welcome students who aren't Korean, and that we're trying to be exclusive to Koreans," KCCC staff said at a press conference on March 11.

"The need to change the 'Korean' portion of our name came to the forefront when we realized that the presidents of the student bodies in our Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago regions were either White or Chinese, different ethnicities," explained Dong Whan Kim, the national director of KCCC USA.

A similar logic was applied for the term, 'Campus,' in the former name. KCCC's current ministry is not bound only to college campuses, but the organization also engages in local church ministry, worship ministry, and juvenile camp ministry, beyond the lines of the college campus. And for 'Crusade,' the same reasoning applied as that of Cru's.

"For Muslims, who we consider as the most significant people group to whom we must evangelize, the term 'Crusades' carries with it the most pain," explained Kim. "We don't need to create additional barriers to ministry by keeping that term."

The last term left is 'Christ.'

"Only the name of Jesus Christ must be exalted and shared. For this name to be most effectively shared to people of all backgrounds, anything can be relativized or changed," KCCC representative said.

To the question, "Is there any evidence that taking out the term 'Christ' in the name would help to share the gospel more effectively?" Kim responded, "We take pride in being a campus ministry that shares the gospel most proactively. In reality, saying up front, 'I am Christian,' while evangelizing on college campuses creates a barrier as the other person begins to think, 'I'm not a Christian.' It causes the process to begin with a closed heart. But when we introduce ourselves with the term, 'soon,' which symbolizes Christ, it would make it easier for those who are approached to become more interested. We don't want to abandon Christ's name; we want to exalt and testify Christ with the term, 'soon.'" KCCC staff explained that 'soon' is "the most Korean term that signifies Christ."

When asked, "Have you considered the first impression that Korean Americans or students of other ethnicities may have at the term, 'soon'?" Kim answered, "'Soon' is the same word as the 'soon' that signifies the near future, and so it does get compared in that way."

"However," Kim continued, "we can turn that attention to an interest for Jesus Christ."

"When writing the term in English, we will be spelling the name with all capital letters, as ' SOON,'" explained Sung Joo Cho, the operations director for KCCC.

"We are concerned that those who spent their most precious college years in KCCC whether in South Korea or in the U.S. may feel that changing the ministry's name may take away from their memories with the ministry," KCCC said in a statement. "But nothing has changed. We have served not for the name of KCCC, but for Jesus Christ. Though our name may change, we hope that you will continue to love and support us so that we could further testify to the name of Jesus Christ."

Meanwhile, some of KCCC's current staff were sent to the U.S. from South Korea's Campus Crusade for Christ, and KCCC USA has had a 'dual affiliation' with both South Korea's CCC and Cru in the U.S., but with this name change, KCCC USA will become exclusively under Cru in terms of legal or operational aspects. Most of KCCC's current staff are either 1.5 or second generation Korean Americans who were trained by first generation Korean staff, and KCCC's name change could also be interpreted as a shift in generational focus and leadership from the first to the second generation Korean Americans.

This article has been translated by Rachael Lee. For the original in Korean, visit kr.christianitydaily.com.
American student Otto Warmbier has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor by the North Korean Supreme Court for allegedly working against state interests by attempting to steal a propaganda poster from his hotel lobby.

Warmbier is a University of Virginia student majoring in economics and commerce, was made to confess his "crimes" on North Korean state television about three weeks ago.

The court convicted him of "hostile acts" towards state, and gave him 15 years in prison with hard labor.

The White House has urged North Korea to release Warmbier on humanitarian grounds, and grant him special amnesty.

Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that the misdemeanor charges against him would not lead to "arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in just about any other country in the world."

"It is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these U.S. citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda," he added.

Ohio Governor John Kasich spoke with his parents in Cincinnati and has at many previous occasions asked North Korea to release Warmbier. He said on his website that the college student's arrest "was completely unjustified and the sentence North Korea imposed on him is an affront to concepts of justice."

Warmbier was detained on January 2 as he was about to leave the country after a five-day tour organized by China-based travel company Young Pioneer Tours.

On February 29, he was made to read his 'confession' of subverting government interests, at a news conference arranged by North Korea.

He allegedly tried to steal a propaganda slogan hanging on the wall of a "staff-only" lobby in the early hours of morning before his scheduled departure out of the country, but since the hanging was too heavy, he left it there and went back to his room.

Warmbier was made to say publicly that he did it as a part of a conspiracy involving a church and a secretive Z society, and was being paid in form of a $10,000 used car.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said that, "North Korea's sentencing of Otto Warmbier to 15 years' hard labor for a college-style prank is outrageous and shocking. Pyongyang should recognize this student's self-admitted mistake as a misdemeanor offense that it would be in most countries, release him on humanitarian grounds and send him home."

In the past two years, North Korea has released three American detainees. At present, a Korean-Canadian Christian pastor, Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, is serving a sentence of life-imprisonment with hard labor on charges of spying against the government.

Bill Richardson, Former Governor of New Mexico, met with two North Korean diplomats from the United Nations to call on the country to release Warmbier, the New York Times reported.

The US interests in North Korea are represented by Sweden, as it has no embassy in the country.
Five sheriff's deputies in North Carolina have been disciplined for not acting when a black protestor was punched in face by a white supporter at Donald Trump's rally on March 9.

Three of the deputies were demoted and suspended for five days without pay, and the other two were suspended without pay for three days.

The deputies were charged for "unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies of the office of sheriff," said a statement from Sheriff Earl Butler, Cumberland County, NC, on his Facebook page.

Cell phone videos taken at the scene show a Trump supporter punching a protestor, identified as Rakeem Jones, 26, when he was being led out by the deputies.

The audience was booing, and the protester gave his middle finger to the crowd. As the police was escorting Jones out, with three policemen walking ahead of him up the stairs and two walking behind, a Trump supporter near the stands came up and beat him. The two deputies following Jones appeared to just walk past the aggressor.

The Trump supporter, 78-year-old John Franklin McGraw, later said that Jones deserved the punch, and that, "the next time we see him, we might have to kill him."

McGraw was arrested the next day and charged with assault, and communicating threats, which were caught live on the video recorded just after the punching incidence.

"The actions of the deputies and their failures to act in situations such as that which occurred during the Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum have never been and will not ever be tolerated under the policies of this office," the Sheriff statement said.

All the five deputies have been placed on probation for the next one year.

Sheriff Butler also said that some of the disciplined deputies had a track record of bravery in handling many criminal cases, including handling of Andrew Michaelis, who killed his family and then charged on the deputies. He said that, in view of the deputies' past record, their punishment was moderated.

"I have taken into account the past bravery and exemplary conduct, including the life-saving and other actions of these deputies in assessing the discipline, and in imposing the sanctions," the sheriff wrote. "We regret that any of the circumstances at the Trump rally occurred, and we regret that we have had to investigate all of these matters."

The sheriff said he reviewed the evidence from the rally, and dismissed possible charges against Trump for inciting a riot at the event.

"It is our duty and responsibility to do justice, and to carefully examine not only the actions of others, but our own actions to ensure that the law and our policies are justly and fairly enforced based in principle and without other influences," he said.
About 20 leaders of the community and homeless ministries gathered in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning to share and discuss what they have been doing thus far in terms of reaching out to the homeless, what resources they need and may be able to receive from the government, and ways they can partner with the government to be more effective in their outreach.

The session, which was hosted by Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), was attended by representatives of about a dozen organizations, including Grace Community Services (a ministry part of Grace Ministries International), CCCLA, World Martial Arts Mission, and New World Mission.

Ben Pak from the office of Senator Kevin de Leon, and Ashlee Oh, a consultant for the homeless initiative of Los Angeles County, were also present at the gathering.

Hyepin Im, the CEO and president of KCCD, said that the gathering came about because she noticed that many organizations and ministries have been doing much to reach out to and help the homeless but have not been receiving attention or recognition from the government, potentially causing them to miss out on resources they may be qualified for.

But even if none of you are able to receive any funding or resources as a result of this meeting, at the very least, my hope is that you would get to know each other and encourage one another, Im said to start the meeting.

Previous to the meeting, KCCD had conducted an informal survey with about 30 churches, organizations, and individuals who have been involved with homeless outreach work. Of those who participated in the survey, 29 said they provide food, 28 said they provide clothing, 23 said they provide worship and spiritual support, and 12 said that they provide some sort of housing or connect individuals to housing opportunities.

More than half said they need some type of money, financial support, grant, funding, or donation in response to the question, What support do you need in working with the homeless? Several said they need more volunteers, and a few said they would like networking opportunities to learn from other organizations and see how they can work together.

Pak and Oh shared some of the initiatives that the government has recently launched, both on the county and state levels, that may allow some to receive funding, and also allow these organizations to become a part of the greater process in combating homelessness.

On the state level, Pak explained the No Place Like Home Initiative that was announced in January this year, a multi-billion dollar initiative to prevent and address homelessness that received bipartisan support. The proposal focuses on providing housing, as state lawmakers hope to spend $2 billion to build permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals, as well as $200 million to provide supportive short-term housing and rent subsidies.

This money will be trickling down very soon in a few years, said Pak, and I hope the community is engaged. Individuals, ministries, or organizations should get ready to be one of the non-profit organizations eligible to receive this funding.

On the county level, Oh elaborated on 47 strategies that were just approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in early February to tackle homelessness. Members of the community are also invited to participate in the implementation process as part of a workgroup and/or by providing feedback to policy drafts, Oh said. Strategies include increasing employment for homeless adults; providing subsidized housing and expanding general relief housing subsidies; enhancing services for transition age youth; and creating homeless prevention programs for families.

One representative from New World Mission who has been doing homeless outreach for some 20 years shared that he personally knows of a few Korean homeless individuals who simply stay at the home of people who are doing homeless outreach-related work, as well as some who consolidate resources to live four to five people to a room. Others also shared of specific people and organizations that have been providing informal housing. Would these people be qualified to receive any funding or resources, or does it have to be a formal shelter or housing building?

Every unit counts, Oh responded, and shared that they may be able to receive funding from the county but would need to meet with them separately to hear about the circumstances.

The two-hour meeting mostly touched upon these funding and resource opportunities, and Im shared a willingness to start a loose network of those who are involved with homeless outreach to continue sharing information and resources.
Secretary of State John Kerry declared on Thursday that the atrocities committed by ISIS against Christians, Yazidis, Shia Muslims, and other groups is genocide.

"My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that, in my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims," Kerry said, using the acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Arabic.

"Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions - in what it says, what it believes, and what it does," he continued. "Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities."

Kerry's statement comes after months of pressure from religious groups as well as lawmakers. Congress had required Kerry to make a decision on whether to call ISIS' actions as 'genocide' by March 17, a deadline which was included in a budget measure passed late last year.

The House of Representatives also voted 393-0 to pass a resolution which urged the Obama administration to declare that "those who commit or support atrocities" against other religious minorities are committing "war crimes," "crimes against humanity," and "genocide."

Christian groups have also been pressuring the Obama administration to call the atrocities "genocide," as multiple letters have been sent and a 278-page report was submitted to the State Department, detailing that there is sufficient evidence to call ISIS' actions against Christians and other religious minorities as genocide.

Kerry clarified during his statement that he is "neither judge, nor prosecutor, nor jury with respect to the allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing by specific persons," and said that the facts must be investigated "by a competent court or tribunal."

Instead, he said his hopes in using the term 'genocide' would "assure the victims of Daesh's atrocities that the United States recognizes and confirms the despicable nature of the crimes that have been committed against them."

Experts debate whether the State Department's decision to use the term will bring along with it any specific obligations in terms of policy changes or actions from the U.S. government.

According to Mark Toner, the State Department spokesman, such a determination "would not necessarily result in any particular legal obligation for the United States."

Others argue that using the term could pressure the government for the use of greater military force against ISIS, and to also welcome more refugees into the U.S.

In Defense of Christians, one of the organizations that co-authored the 278-page report submitted to the State Department, extended their "deepest gratitude to Secretary Kerry and to the Obama administration for carefully reviewing the overwhelming evidence of the genocide against Christians, Yazidis, Shia Muslims, and other religious minorities and for proclaiming the irrefutable truth that the crimes they have suffered constitute genocide."

"By joining its voice to that of the House of Representatives, the American people, and the international community, the United States today makes clear to ISIS that its attempt to stamp out religious minorities must cease," Carl Anderson, the CEO of the Knights of Columbus said in a statement.
John Steinbeck once famously described Cannery Row as a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. And the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route in Spain, might be similarly described. The Camino is a rotten sock, a throbbing blister, a lingering burn, a Pyrenees-pass, and a table of strangers, atheists, and religious devotees who learn to share a peaceful meal. The Camino is a disagreement about the perennial questions and the meaning of it all: pain, prayer, solitude, communion, of whether it is sane to think there is a higher Way. The Camino is an awkward communal bathroom, a forced pre-dawn wake-up, a rickety top bunk, and a cacophony of snoring. The Camino is the belligerent German who drinks all the table wine, the esoteric spiritualist whose feet never touch the ground, and the grieving widow who walks to mourn her loss. The Camino is a swirl of faces and intentions and infirmities, all aiming at a single end.

For us, we were two old buddies hitting the road. Every other year we took a long hike, and this year, we felt the Camino calling. Wed heard reports about the trails burgeoning comeback; an estimated 200,000 pilgrims were now walking it every year. Both of us were in states of transitiongeographically, vocationally, spirituallyand little sounded better to us than a long, unhurried walk.

In the end, the Camino was all we expected and more. Indeed, so much so that when we returned to our home cities, we started emailing each other notes from the journals we kept along the way, in hopes of capturing the essence of the trail.

On paper, the Camino de Santiago (or Way of St. James) looks like an unerring ...

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The Templeton Prize is one of the most prestigious in the world. It was established in 1972 by the late Sir John Templeton, who said he wanted to identify entrepreneurs of the spiritindividuals who have devoted themselves to deepening our understanding of human purpose and ultimate reality.

As the Templeton Prize website puts it, The prize celebrates no particular faith tradition or notion of God, but rather the quest for progress in humanitys efforts to comprehend the many and diverse manifestations of the Divine. The prizes monetary award is 1,100,000 sterling (a little over $1.5 million currently).

Recipients have come from a variety of religious traditions (the Dalai Lama won it in 2012), but most have been Christians, and some, evangelicals (Billy Graham, Bill Bright, and Charles Colson, to name three). This year the award was given to Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. According to Templeton, he has spent decades bringing spiritual insight to the public conversation through mass media, popular lectures and more than two dozen books.

In particular it noted, Central to his message is appreciation and respect of all faiths, with an emphasis that recognizing the values of each is the only path to effectively combat the global rise of violence and terrorism. CT invited Miroslav Volf, professor of theology at Yale Divinity School, to write about the significance of this prize for Sacks, since Volf himself has argued along similar lines in his recent, Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World.Volf is likely best known among CT readers for his now classic book ...

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A fleet of 50 currachs (longboats) weaved its way toward the shore, where a young Roman Brit and his family walked. His name was Patricius, the 16-year-old son of a civil magistrate and tax collector. He had heard stories of Irish raiders who captured slaves and took them "to the ends of the world," and as he studied the longboats, he no doubt began imagining the worst.

With no Roman army to protect them (Roman legions had long since deserted Britain to protect Rome from barbarian invasions), Patricius and his town were unprepared for attack. The Irish warriors, wearing helmets and armed with spears, descended on the pebbled beach. The braying war horns struck terror into Patricius's heart, and he started to run toward town.

The warriors quickly demolished the village, and as Patricius darted among burning houses and screaming women, he was caught. The barbarians dragged him aboard a boat bound for the east coast of Ireland.

Patricius, better known as Saint Patrick, is remembered today as the saint who drove the snakes out of Ireland, the teacher who used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and the namesake of annual parades in New York and Boston. What is less well-known is that Patrick was a humble missionary (this saint regularly referred to himself as "a sinner") of enormous courage. When he evangelized Ireland, he set in motion a series of events that impacted all of Europe. It all started when he was carried off into slavery around 430.

Escape from sin and slavery

Patrick was sold to a cruel warrior chief, whose opponents' heads sat atop sharp poles around his palisade in Northern Ireland. While Patrick minded his master's pigs in the nearby hills, he lived like an animal himself, enduring ...
While my high school peers gulped down cheap beer from their parents basement stashes, I was wearing WWJD bracelets and silently judging them.

My youth group era eschewed anything lukewarm, instead opting for extremes. (Or, as we said in the 90s, eXtreme!) Being extreme for God meant staying far away from anything that could potentially lead down a dark road. If sex before marriage was sin, nix kissing too. And maybe dating altogether. If you disagreed with a company, boycott it. If an album had swear words, run it over with your car.

Though my dad kept red wine in the basement and advocated moderation in all things, I thought of things the youth group way. If its a sin to get drunk, dont drink at allnot even champagne on your wedding day. Eventually, I tried a strawberry daiquiri, which I consumed with Dad on my 21st birthday. It turned my cheeks rum red and made my head spin. I had no desire to do it again.

A couple years later, I met Starling Castle Riesling. It tasted like honey and sunlight and joy and lightnessall the things that were missing in my life just then. That was the year that I was trying to feel my way through a dark, undiagnosed depression and a soul-crushing church search at the same time. Life felt heavy and bleak, but the winethe wine made me float. I started drinking wine, and all of the sudden my black-and-white world got a whole lot more complicated.

As a memoirist, when I tell the stories of my life, I have to talk about my journey with alcohol, which started with that first glass of Riesling almost a decade ago.

I love wine. I love the complex taste of it on your tongue, the nuances that I can sense but not name. It brings out the flavors ...

1
Deadly Law on California's Horizon



NAPA, Calif., March 17, 2016 /



The Act has been on hold for the past five months, as it was passed during a special legislative session that was called by Governor Jerry Brown to cut healthcare spending and address Medi-Cal funding shortfalls. The special session closed a few days ago, which means that on June 9, assisted suicide will be legal in California.



"The End of Life Act fundamentally changes the practice of medicine in California," says Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The new law violates the trust between vulnerable patients and their doctors, who should have an unequivocal commitment to protectingnot shorteninghuman life."



The original Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association provided that physicians "ought not to abandon a patient because deemed incurable." Patients already have the right to opt out of unwanted life-prolonging treatment. But now, under the guise of patient "autonomy," California will no longer protect the weak from pressure to end their lives prematurely.



"Aid-in-dying" proponents are working to abandon ever more patients to lethal drugs. They want to legalize doctor-assisted death nationwide. They want assisted suicide available even for those who are not terminally ill. Tragically, their efforts are often successful.



In Oregon, the number of patients who die by assisted suicide has increased by over 800% since the so-called "Death with Dignity Act" was passed. Canada is getting ready to enact legislation that will allow assisted suicide even for those with non-terminal conditions. In the Netherlands, mentally ill patients can go to pop-up clinics to be put to death by doctors who have never treated them.



Life Legal is preparing to challenge the End of Life Option Act before the June 9 implementation date.



About Life Legal Defense Foundation

Life Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit

Share Tweet Contact: Alexandra Snyder, Life Legal Defense Foundation , 202-717-7371NAPA, Calif., March 17, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- A California law allowing doctors to prescribe life-ending drugs will go into effect in just 90 days. Under the End of Life Option Act, physicians can prescribe "aid-in-dying" drugs (mega-doses of barbiturates) to patients diagnosed with a disease that, within reasonable medical judgment, will cause death within six months.The Act has been on hold for the past five months, as it was passed during a special legislative session that was called by Governor Jerry Brown to cut healthcare spending and address Medi-Cal funding shortfalls. The special session closed a few days ago, which means that on June 9, assisted suicide will be legal in California."The End of Life Act fundamentally changes the practice of medicine in California," says Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of Life Legal Defense Foundation. "The new law violates the trust between vulnerable patients and their doctors, who should have an unequivocal commitment to protectingnot shorteninghuman life."The original Principles of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association provided that physicians "ought not to abandon a patient because deemed incurable." Patients already have the right to opt out of unwanted life-prolonging treatment. But now, under the guise of patient "autonomy," California will no longer protect the weak from pressure to end their lives prematurely."Aid-in-dying" proponents are working to abandon ever more patients to lethal drugs. They want to legalize doctor-assisted death nationwide. They want assisted suicide available even for those who are not terminally ill. Tragically, their efforts are often successful.In Oregon, the number of patients who die by assisted suicide has increased by over 800% since the so-called "Death with Dignity Act" was passed. Canada is getting ready to enact legislation that will allow assisted suicide even for those with non-terminal conditions. In the Netherlands, mentally ill patients can go to pop-up clinics to be put to death by doctors who have never treated them.Life Legal is preparing to challenge the End of Life Option Act before the June 9 implementation date.About Life Legal Defense FoundationLife Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit www.lldf.org
Former Congressman Frank R. Wolf and 21CWI Applaud Statement Condemning ISIS Genocide



WASHINGTON, March 17, 2016 /



At a press briefing this morning, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement declaring that the Islamic State is "responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims. [The Islamic State] is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions  in what it says, what it believes, and what it does."



The statement follows a vote Monday in the House of Representatives passing H. Con. Res. 75decrying the ISIS genocide against Christians and other religious minoritiesand H. Con. Res. 121calling for a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal.



21CWI President Randel Everett noted, "Frank Wolf's leadership has been an invaluable asset to the only two instances in which an active situation has been declared genocide, first in Darfur in 2004 and now in Iraq and Syria." Everett further stated, "We extend our deepest appreciation to Secretary Kerry, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein, Special Envoy Knox Thames as well as to Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA)."



In February 2015, 21CWI released "Edge of Extinction," a seminal report describing the genocidal actions of the Islamic State following a fact-finding trip to the frontlines of the engagement with the Islamic State. 21CWI were lead authors for widely signed International Religious Freedom Roundtable letters in October 2015 and February 2016 and advocated within Congress, the State Department, the Administration and across multiple religious denominations and numerous grassroots activists for a declaration of genocide. Through the Ruth Project, 21CWI continues to support an education initiative that helps Syrian refugee children in Lebanon who have fled, in part, the violence of the Islamic State.



21CWI is a non-profit human rights organization working to empower a global movement to advance religious freedom as a universal right through advocacy, capacity building and technology. For additional statements or media appearances or more information contact Lou Ann Sabatier at

Share Tweet Contact: Lou Ann Sabatier, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative , 703-216-2941, lsabatier@21wilberforce.org WASHINGTON, March 17, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Former Congressman Frank R. Wolf, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative (21CWI), stated, "Today the United States stood with millions in Iraq and Syria who have experienced the most brutal reality imaginable  genocide."At a press briefing this morning, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement declaring that the Islamic State is "responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims. [The Islamic State] is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by actions  in what it says, what it believes, and what it does."The statement follows a vote Monday in the House of Representatives passing H. Con. Res. 75decrying the ISIS genocide against Christians and other religious minoritiesand H. Con. Res. 121calling for a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal.21CWI President Randel Everett noted, "Frank Wolf's leadership has been an invaluable asset to the only two instances in which an active situation has been declared genocide, first in Darfur in 2004 and now in Iraq and Syria." Everett further stated, "We extend our deepest appreciation to Secretary Kerry, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein, Special Envoy Knox Thames as well as to Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA)."In February 2015, 21CWI released "Edge of Extinction," a seminal report describing the genocidal actions of the Islamic State following a fact-finding trip to the frontlines of the engagement with the Islamic State. 21CWI were lead authors for widely signed International Religious Freedom Roundtable letters in October 2015 and February 2016 and advocated within Congress, the State Department, the Administration and across multiple religious denominations and numerous grassroots activists for a declaration of genocide. Through the Ruth Project, 21CWI continues to support an education initiative that helps Syrian refugee children in Lebanon who have fled, in part, the violence of the Islamic State.21CWI is a non-profit human rights organization working to empower a global movement to advance religious freedom as a universal right through advocacy, capacity building and technology. For additional statements or media appearances or more information contact Lou Ann Sabatier at lsabatier@21wilberforce.org , 703-216-2941, visit 21wilberforce.org , 21Wilberforce on Facebook and Twitter.
The Philos Project Praises the State Department for Determining that the Islamic State is Committing Genocide in Iraq and Syria

Contact: Juliana Taimoorazy, The Philos Project, 847-401-8846, Juliana@philosproject.org



NEW YORK, March 17, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- This morning, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the United States has found the Islamic State guilty of carrying out genocide against Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. "In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims," Kerry said, using the Arabic term for the extremist group. "Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions. In what it says, what it believes, and what it does."



On March 9, The Philos Project  in a coordinated effort with the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, Assyrian Aid Society of America and the American Mesopotamian Organization  sent an open letter to Secretary Kerry and the State Department, calling on them to fully and unequivocally recognize the Islamic State's campaign of genocide.



The Philos Project salutes the United States government for making the historic decision to find the Islamic State responsible for genocide. "We welcome Secretary Kerry's recognition that ISIS is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities," said The Philos Project Executive Director Robert Nicholson. "The Obama Administration definitely got this one right.



"The Philos Project was grateful to play a part in this battle and we thank our partners the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, Assyrian Aid Society, and American Mesopotamian Organization, as well as our attorneys at Andrews Kurth LLP, for joining the fight with us."



Today's historic finding of genocide does not bring an end to the effort to help persecuted Christians, but a new beginning. Secretary Kerry called for the liberation of Iraq and Syria and security for the minority communities who want to return to their homes. That is precisely the path that The Philos Project supports. "What is needed are safe havens for Assyrian Christians and other minorities in the Nineveh Plain of Iraq and in eastern Syria," Nicholson said.



Philos Project Fellow and Iraqi Christian Relief Council President Juliana Taimoorazy called on the Obama Administration to create a refuge for the persecuted in their ancestral homeland. "Having this genocide officially recognized highlights the immediate funding needed to ease the real suffering felt by millions on the ground," Taimoorazy said. "With renewed hope we continue to work on creating the right conditions for establishment of a safe haven for Assyrian Christians and other minorities in Iraq."



"Only when these communities can protect themselves and determine their own fate will they be truly free," Nicholson said. "The Philos Project is working tirelessly to ensure that Christians and all minorities of the Middle East are able to live in liberty and justice in their own lands."



Nicholson and Taimoorazy are available for interviews.



About The Philos Project:

Proclaiming friendship with those in the region who support liberty and justice

for all peoples,



for all peoples, Reviving an intellectually rigorous Christian approach to foreign policy, especially as it relates to the Middle East;



Educating Christians on the theological, historical, and political issues surrounding Israel and the Jewish people; and



Empowering the church to advocate for real peace in tangible ways.

For more information, please visit www.philosproject.org.



For more information about the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, please visit www.iraqichristianrelief.org.



Contact:

Juliana Taimoorazy

Juliana@philosproject.org

847.401.8846
NRB Applauds Secretary Kerry's Recognition of ISIS Genocide of Christians Contact: James A. Smith Sr., NRB, 202-999-8714, jsmith@nrb.org



MANASSAS, Va., March 17, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- National Religious Broadcasters thanks U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for concluding that the barbarism being perpetrated against Christians in the Middle East by ISIS is, in fact, "genocide."



"I applaud and welcome Secretary Kerry's announcement this morning that ISIS is perpetrating genocide against Christians and other minorities," stated Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, President & CEO of NRB. "Now the United States is morally compelled to act in defense of our brothers and sisters whose lives and cultural heritage are being viciously assaulted simply because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."



NRB has and will continue to urge for U.S. government and faith leaders to acknowledge the reality of, and to pursue a call to action against, the persecution of Christians overseas, particularly in ISIS-occupied regions.



Notably, Proclaim 16, the NRB International Christian Media Convention, held a special session on this genocide featuring Canon Andrew White, Vicar Emeritus of St. George's Church in Baghdad, who spoke from firsthand experience about the terrors of ISIS.



More information about the background for this genocide declaration is available here.



About NRB

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is a non-partisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. Our mission is to advance biblical truth; to promote media excellence; and to defend free speech. In addition to promoting standards of excellence, integrity, and accountability, NRB provides networking, educational, ministry, and fellowship opportunities for its members. Learn more at www.nrb.org.



About the Convention

The annual NRB International Christian Media Convention is the largest nationally and internationally recognized event dedicated solely to assist those in the field of Christian communications. The dynamic Exposition consists of around 200 companies and is an active marketplace for those seeking tools and services to expand their organizations. The next Convention will be held at the Orlando World Marriott in Orlando, FL, February 27-March 2, 2017. For more information, go to www.nrbconvention.org.

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home US Bill protecting religious groups on college campuses from being forced to accept anyone passes in Kansas

Kansas House has endorsed Bill 175, which is designed to shield religious organizations in college campuses from being forced to welcome anyone to join them regardless of their personal faith and beliefs.

The bill was advanced by lawmakers in Kansas this week in the hope to prevent universities from forcing faith-based organizations at colleges from being forced to allow anyone to become part of their groups. The vote passed 80-39.

The Senate adopted the bill in 2015, but it only reached the House during the recent session. Before it was endorsed, a lengthy debate ensued in Kansas House, the Topeka Capital Journal reports.

Supporters of the bill argue that university administrators threaten to ban or block funding for student faith-based organizations who do not accept member applicants that do not share the group's faith. GOP lawmakers say those with beliefs and faith directly contradicting those core to the groups could potentially force their way into groups at the moment. LGBT activists, as well as those following Islamic faith could forcibly join Christian student groups and vice versa, backers of the bill have claimed, which they state compromises groups' religious liberty.

Republican Rep. Joseph Scapa, who supports the bill, said religious organizations should have the right to require that the members share their faith before letting them join.

"Religious Groups should be free to require their members and leaders to share the group's faith. That's the entire point of having the group," said Scapa.

Democratic Rep. Annie Tietze, on the other hand, claims groups not wanting to allow people join them just because they hold contradictory beliefs amounts to discrimination. She claims the bill will give student groups access to public funding which they can use to discriminate and limit membership. She said private groups unsanctioned by the school do not have the right to receive state funding for "discriminatory behavior."

Along this line of argument, the University of Kansas and Wichita State University's respective student government organizations passed resolutions opposing the bill. An amendment to the bill later on added language stipulating that the organizations must not violate federal anti-discrimination law.

Republican Rep. John Whitmer explained that the bill does not aim to discriminate, but to ensure that for example, Christian student organizations are led by dedicated Christians and not by people who do not even believe in the foundational elements that make the group unique.
home World Christians mark 5th Syrian civil war anniversary with #PrayForRefugees campaign

Mar. 15 marked the fifth anniversary of Syria's civil war, and Christians commemorated the event by launching the #PrayForRefugees campaign.

World Vision, World Relief, Operation Mobilisation, Lutheran World Relief, the International Mission Board (IMB), and other Christian groups marked the fifth anniversary of Syria's civil war by making the day a special day of prayer using the hashtag #PrayForRefugees. The civil war has so far displaced almost 7 million Syrians from their homes and caused them to live as refugees.

The #PrayForRefugees campaign aims to spread awareness of the Syrian civil war, which has left up to 470,000 people dead in its wake, according to Religion News.

Although the main focus of the #PrayForRefugees campaign is on Syria, the involved Christian groups are also aiming to raise awareness of the growing number of refugees worldwide, which has already reached 60 million.

"I fear that most people in our churches are paying little or no attention to this crisis," IMB head David Platt said.

World Relief President Stephen Bauman said not everyone may agree on a single political solution for the refugee crisis, but all Christians can pray for peace in the country. He also urged Christians to pray for those caught in the crossfire and the ones who render their services to the victims of the war, the report relays.

Some have done more than just pray for the Syrian refugees. Indianapolis-based Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Tobin has taken in four refugees despite the absence of federal funds for resettlement programs.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, along with 30 other governors, have taken efforts to ban the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S. For them, the move would only open their doors to potential terrorists.

However, federal Judge Tanya Walton Pratt has ordered the release of funds for resettlement, saying the ban is unconstitutional discrimination. Another 200 refugees are expected to be resettled in Indiana this year.

The #PrayForRefugees campaign runs from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.
home Life Christians ought to accept failure as part of life, says Pastor Rick Warren

Failure is a natural part of life and Christians must learn to accept and redefine it, Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren says.

In a write-up titled "You Need to Accept the Reality of Failure," Southern California-based Pastor Rick Warren urged Christians to accept the fact that failure is a reality of life. He cautioned against letting the fear of failure control our lives, because no one is perfect.

Warren said Americans put so much value on success and neglect the truth that everyone fails at some point. The world-renowned Christian leader explained that failure is part of humanity, and there is no guarantee that a person will not commit another mistake in the future no matter how careful he tries to be, The Christian Post reports.

Pastor Warren says playing safe is also a mistake in itself. Fearing failure can cause a person to become a workaholic and indecisive. It can also cause a perfectionist to avoid taking risks just to avoid failure. The only failure that a person needs to fear is the failure to receive God's grace, the pastor said, quoting Hebrews 12:15.

"You'll never overcome your fear of failure until you fully accept the reality that you're not perfect," Warren expressed. "You've already failed many, many times in life. So have I. You're a failure in some area of your life right now. And you'll fail a lot more in the future."

What Christians need to do is to accept failure, let go of their fear, and rely on God's grace.

In another post, Pastor Warren cites several successful people who succeeded because they persevered even after several failures. He used U.S. President George Washington, Rowland Hussey Macy, and Babe Ruth as examples.

In addition, Warren said a person becomes a failure once he gives up.

Referencing the story of Jesus' resurrection in the Bible, he said God specializes in turning failures into successes. One overcomes failure by giving it to God and obeying His will no matter what negative issues come up.
home World Christians, religious minorities most affected if Syrian peace talks fail

Christians and other religious minorities will be the groups most affected in the event that the Syrian peace talks in Geneva fail, according to groups urging global leaders to do more to protect the groups facing severe persecution in the Middle East region.

Should the Geneva talks fail to result in a pluralistic government that will protect religious minorities, Christians in Syria will continue to be eradicated or expelled from their own country. Unfortunately, Christians are not adequately represented in the Syrian peace talks because they do no hold any position in the government and the opposition, according to Fox News.

A petition signed by 37,500 citizens from numerous nations has been brought to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, bringing focus to the dangers that Syrian Christians and other minorities in the region face. The petition highlights the urgent need for adequate representation for them in the Geneva talks, the report explains.

Just this week, the Syrian peace talks in Geneva have resumed. Representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and the anti-Assad opposition are included in the Geneva talks. The talks aim to reshape Syria by solidifying the ceasefire in the country, drafting a new constitution, and implement national elections by 2017.

The Geneva talks are also significant because the five-year war in Syria has resulted in the death of over 250,000 people and the biggest refugee crisis in modern history. It has also allowed ISIS to gain control of large parts of Syria and Iraq, where they enforce an extreme and often-barbaric version of Muslim Shariah Law.

Meanwhile, Fox News says it will be difficult to have a single representative of Syria's Christian community because of its diversity. Five Patriarchs of Antioch administer the Christian Church in Syria including the Greek-Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Maronite Catholic Church, and Syriac Catholic Church.

Despite the diversity in the Christian community of Syria, the publication says there is no excuse for excluding Christians in a plan that will create a new version of their country. The task of bringing the different groups together to create a single voice for Syrian Christians in the Geneva peace talks is a challenging one, but could prove vital for the stability in the region.
home US Donald Trump Dayton rally attacker says he's Christian, not ISIS

Thomas DiMassimo, the protester who disrupted Donald Trump's recent rally in Dayton, Ohio, says he is a Christian and has denied allegations that he is affiliated with ISIS.

A video of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump's rally in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday shows the billionaire reacting as Secret Service agents formed a protective wall to block a protester charging towards him. New footage of the incident shows the man, Thomas DiMassimo, jumping past a barrier and several security guards before he is stopped, according to The Christian Post.

Thomas DiMassimo, 32, was later charged with the misdemeanors of disorderly conduct and inducing panic. However, the Cobb County Georgia resident spoke to CNN and revealed that he only wanted to send Donald Trump a message and had no intention to hurt the Republican presidential candidate.

DiMassimo said he thought he could get up on stage, take the mic, and tell the people that they can all band against Donald Trump and what he calls the billionaire's "supremacist ideas." He also accused Trump of trying to destroy the U.S. to gain power for himself, the report relays.

"I was thinking that Donald Trump is a bully, and he is nothing more than that. He is somebody who is just saying a lot of bold things, he's making bold claims," DiMassimo told CNN. "But I can see right through that and I can see that he's truly just a coward. And he's opportunistic and he's willing to destroy this country for power for himself."

Morevoer, DiMassimo denied Trump's allegations about him having ties with ISIS. The protester said he is a Christian.

Because of what happened at the Ohio rally, Donald Trump announced that he had decided to cancel the event to prevent anyone from getting hurt. Thomas DiMassimo, on the other hand, is set to appear in court on Wednesday.
home World Easter, Hindu festivals officially become national holidays in Pakistan

Easter, Holi, and Diwali have been officially declared as national holidays in Pakistan on Tuesday after Parliament adopted a new resolution.

The resolution marks the first time in 68 years that Pakistan's religious minorities including Christians and Hindus will get to celebrate their important festivals as national holidays. Hindu lawmaker Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani is the one who moved the resolution to make Easter, Holi, and Diwali national holidays, according to India Times.

For Vankwani, the resolution will contribute to Pakistan's image of religious tolerance. He noted that the U.S. and India also observe such holidays, the report relays.

The resolution to make the changes received no opposition, allowing the changes to be implemented without any barriers, the Huffington Post reports.

Although Federal Minister for Laws and Justice Pervaiz Rashid said Pakistan already has more holidays than any other country, he still did not oppose the resolution. Instead, he said there should be no discrimination based on faith and religion among Pakistanis. He added that all of them should bear one another's sad and happy times.

"Every citizen is enjoying religious freedom," Rashid declared.

In line with the approval of the resolution, Hindus, Christians, and other members of religious minorities can now take leave during their respective religious festivals, the report adds.

Pir Aminul Hasnat Shah, the State Minister for Religious Affairs, announced that the Interior Ministry has already permitted the heads of federal organizations, institutions, and departments to allow their employees to take leave to celebrate the said festivals.

Pakistan's population is comprised mostly of Muslims. The decision to adopt the resolution is a significant milestone for the country's minorities because it reflects increasing religious tolerance, Time says.

Just 1.6 percent of Pakistan's population are Christian, with Hindus making up roughly 2 percent of the population.
home World Egypt called to drop 'blasphemy' charges against Christian teens for mocking ISIS

A human rights group has urged Egypt to drop the blasphemy charges filed against four Christian teenagers and their teacher after they mocked ISIS in a private video.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the Egyptian authorities to "quash" the blasphemy charges slapped against the four Christian teens and their teacher. The human rights group also said Egypt should revoke the law that allows authorities to prosecute those accused of blasphemy, The Christian Post reports.

On Feb. 25, Mueller Edward, 17, Alber Ashraf, 16, and Bassem Hanna, 6, were sentenced to five years in jail for participating in a video wherein they mocked ISIS' act of beheading their hostage. Clinton Yousef, 7, was sentenced to five years in a juvenile facility, and their teacher got a three-year jail sentence, Al-Bawaba relays.

The teens' defense lawyer Maher Naguib indicated that they are planning to appeal the ruling, which he said was too harsh. He told the AFP that the judge gave the teens the maximum punishment.

HRW deputy Middle East director Nadim Houry said the Christian teens should not be imprisoned for what they did because they were just joking around. Instead of punishing them for an immature joke, Houry suggested that Egypt should protect their freedom of expression.

"These children shouldn't face prison for expressing themselves, even with an immature joke," said Houry. "The continued prosecution of blasphemy cases in Egypt goes against the government's claim to be promoting a more inclusive vision of religion."

Edward's father explained to HRW that the boys were so troubled with the slaughtering of Coptic Christians in Libya when they made the controversial video in January 2015. He said the boys did not mean to offend anyone with the video, the report relays.

Other activist groups including the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights echo HRW's sentiment. For them, the ruling on the blasphemy charges filed against the Christian teenagers was too harsh.
home World Ivory Coast terrorist attack leaves 16 dead, including 5-year-old boy

A terrorist attack at an Ivory Coast beach on Sunday has left 16 people dead, including a five-year-old boy who stood up for his Christian faith.

On Sunday, at least four Al Qaeda militants attacked the beach and rounded up the Christians. They shouted "Allahu Akbar" and opened fire, killing16 people, including the five-year-old boy, four Europeans, and two soldiers, according to TRU News.

Eye witnesses claim the boy knelt and begged for his life before being shot dead by one of the militants. Marcel Guy, who saw the incident, said the Arabic-speaking gunman spared one child who recited an Islamic prayer. However, the militant shot the Christian boy.

"The Christian boy was shot and killed right in front of my eyes," Guy said.

The Al Qaeda attack in the Ivory Coast beach resort sent tourists running through Grand-Bassam. After the commotion, dead bodies were scattered on the beach, CNS News reports.

A few hours after the terrorist attack, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara set foot on Grand-Bassam and released a statement saluting the security forces who responded quickly and helped prevent the death toll from going up.

"I present my condolences to the families of the people who were murdered, and of course I am very proud of our security forces who reacted so fast," Ouattara said. "The toll could've been much heavier."

Meanwhile, Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the Ivory Coast attack. The extremist group also hailed three of the attackers as "heroes" for what they did on Sunday.

Although there was an American embassy delegation in Grand-Bassam at the time, the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan said they had no evidence that the U.S. citizens were targeted in the attack. Nevertheless, they said they are keeping an eye on the situation.

The U.S. also released a statement condemning the Ivory Coast attack. State Department spokesman John Kirby said they are ready to support the local government in the investigation into the attack.
home Faith Pastor Saeed Abedini: American Christians lack true revival; Iranians spend more time praying and evangelizing

Pastor Saeed Abedini says American Christians might be lacking true revival, and noted that Iranians generally spend a lot more time praying and evangelizing.

Recently, Abedini revealed that he had spoken to Liberty University senior vice president for Spiritual Development David Nasser. He told Nasser that since he was freed from prison in Iran, pastors have been asking him to pray for American Christians to experience revival.

While everybody right now is discussing politics, Abedini says is may be a sign that America is looking to politics to satisfy a thirst. However, he said politics will not quench that thirst; only Jesus Christ can.

When he asked a student there if the university is experiencing a revival, the student answered that they have good worship, Bible study, and service for the Lord. However, Pastor Abedini said good worship, Bible study, and service are great, but they are not indicative of a true revival.

"New believers in Iran pray at least five hours a day and they are ready to give their life to keep their faith," Abedini said in his post on Facebook. "And when you ask them if they have revival, they say, 'No! We don't know the Bible very well, we don't evangelize enough and we don't preach. We can't find a church to go to and we feel very bad about it.' In them, I see revival."

Abedini explained that American Christians are blessed with so much, but their hearts still need revival. He said the type of revival that they need is the one that brings them on their knees to pray.

Pastor Abedini was jailed in Iran for three and a half years for his Christian faith and was freed in January in a prisoner exchange deal. While in prison, the pastor said he had witnessed so many people sticking with their faith despite their difficulties, while others took up torturers on their offer to instead embrace Islam so their torture would stop.
Astronomers see young stars devouring would-be planets 1,500 to 3,500 light years from Milky Way

Stars look very innocent and captivating when you look at them in the night sky, twinkling and seemingly harmless.

A new study by an international team of astronomers, however, revealed that stars experience violent youths, and even devour clumps of matter that can form into planets.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) in Japan used the Subaru Telescope, located at the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii, to examine young stars or "protostars" known as FU Orionis objects.

While observing the young stars located between 1,500 and 3,500 light years from the Milky Way, astronomers found things that they described as "surprising, fascinating" and "nothing like anything previously observed around young stars."

The researchers saw "tails" projecting around the stars believed to be from protoplanetary material, or those materials that give rise to new planets. There were also spikes of gas and dust.

These indicate a morbid story: The young stars are eating would-be planets.

Using computer simulations, the astronomers were also able to draw the supposition that the protoplanetary disks of newly formed stars could be gravitationally unstable and can fragment. These materials create dense clumps of gas that can collide with the stars, making them grow, creating bright bursts of light.

Study lead author Hauyu Baobab Liu, an astronomer at the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Taipei, Taiwan, said these findings reveal violent portions of a star's youth that has been thought to be relatively peaceful all along.

"We suggest a previously unrecognised evolutionary stage in the formation of stars and protoplanetary disks," Liu told Space.com.

The researchers also said the results of this study offer a "promising explanation for the nature" of young stars, although they admit that further studies and computer simulations have to be done to discover how stars really form and develop.
Catholic priest who rescued 1,500 Muslims from brutal massacre in line for $1m peace prize

A Catholic priest who sheltered 1,500 Muslims fleeing almost certain death in is in the running to receive a $1 million peace prize.

In 2013, Father Bernard Kinvi opened his church as a place of refuge for Muslims fleeing brutal sectarian violence in the Central African Republic (CAR).

The CAR has been beset by violence since the majority-Muslim Seleka drove out President Francois Bozize in a coup in March of that year. Though the group has since disbanded, former members continued to target towns and villages across the country, which caused the uprising of an opposing Christian faction, the anti-Balaka. They attacked Muslims, massacring them and destroying their homes and mosques.

Both groups have only loose ties with their religious affiliations, and Muslim and Christian leaders from CAR have united to condemn the conflict.

One of the most violent attacks conducted by the anti-Balaka took place in early 2014 in Bossemptele, a town in the north-west of the country, where Father Kinvi  a missionary from Togo  directs a Catholic mission hospital. More than 80 Muslims were murdered, and Father Kinvi spent days searching for survivors, and bringing them to his church for safety.

 I cannot support the killing of a man. We're all human: religion doesn't come into it. 

"It wasn't a decision; it was just something that happened," he later told the Guardian. "As a priest, I cannot support the killing of a man. We're all human: religion doesn't come into it. If anti-Balaka come in wounded, I treat them.

"I don't care who you are or what you do with your life or what your religion is, you are a human being and I will treat you."

He was intimidated and taunted by the anti-Balaka for his actions. They threatened to kill the Muslims under his care, who at one point numbered around 1,500.

However, the priest was able to organise their transfer over the border into Cameroon and into relative safety. In March 2014, African peacekeepers evacuated the majority of the Muslims who remained, but those who were too weak, children and the disabled, stayed behind at the church.

"When I became a priest, I undertook to serve the sick even if it meant putting my life in danger," Father Kinvi said.

"I said that but I didn't really know what it meant. But when the war came, I understood what it means to risk your life. Being a priest is about more than giving blessings; it's about standing with those who have lost everything."

In an interview with the National Catholic Register, Father Kinvi said the conflict in the CAR has "truly tested my faith", but insisted that it had also caused it to grow.

"I exceptionally experience that our God is always with us in all our trials. I performed some exceptional acts that made me believe that it is the Lord who works in me. This shows God is in control," he said.

"I discovered that only love can destroy the walls of hatred. I thank God that I showed love to all who came to our hospital; I met rebels who once threatened me with death, and I was able to offer my hand to greet them, thanks to this love. Only love can overcome the hatred of the world. And this love we can live through prayer. And each time one asks me where I find the strength to do all that I do, I simply say, 'Jesus Christ.' The Eucharist, adoration, daily prayer of the Rosary: These are my weapons of victory.

"My ministry bears fruit every time I heal more life through faith, prayer and love."

Having already received the Human Rights Watch 'Alison Des Forges' award in recognition of his work, Father Kinvi has now been shortlisted for the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, which will be presented by George Clooney in April.

The award is given to "individuals who put themselves at risk to enable others to survive".

In a statement, the Aurora Prize committee said the priest was selected because he "provided medical assistance and refuge to both sides of an armed conflict, establishing his mission as a safe haven for any and all who were injured, despite the violence that raged outside."
Coptic bishop welcomes US announcement that ISIS committed genocide

Bishop Angaelos has welcomed the US' declaration that ISIS has committed genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims.

For only the second time in history, the US administration today declared an ongoing conflict to be genocide. The term is understood to signal the gravest possible crime against humanity.

"In my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups ... under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia (Shi'ite) Muslims," said US secretary of state John Kerry, using an Arabic derogatory term for ISIS.

He added the militant group was genocidal "by self-proclomation, by ideology and by actions".

He went to say the US did not have the full picture but would support efforts to gather further evidence.

"The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians, Yazidis because they are Yazidis, Shia because they are Shia," Kerry said.

He continued: "Naming these crimes is important, but what is essential is to stop them."

In an interview with Christian Today, the general bishop of the Coptic Church in the UK, Bishop Angaelos, said he had not expected the judgement.

"I was in the States last week and there seemed to be such reservation about declaring a genocide against Christians that the general expectation was it would be genocide for other groups but not Christians," he said.

"But it is very welcome that now both Congress and the [Obama] administration have declared a genocide against Christians as well as Yazidis and Shia Muslims."

He said that his concern until this point had been there would be "partial recognition" for either a Christian or a Yazidi genocide. He said that "would have left the unrecognised group at risk".

A declaration of genocide places obligations on the US to intervene. The US' deliberations over whether to use the term echoed Clinton's failure in 1994 to declare the Rwandan conflict a genocide, which he later regretted.

The announcement made by Kerry on Thursday followed a unanimous vote in the House of Representatives on Monday to use the term. It also comes after the European Parliament declared the atrocities committed by ISIS a genocide in February.

Bishop Angaelos has become heavily involved in the response to the conflict as well the ensuing refugee crisis as many Christians caught up in the violence are Copts. This became particularly apparent after a video was released by ISIS depicting the murder of 21 Copts on a beach in Libya in February 2015.

However, Angaelos said: "This was never really just about the Coptic community. This was about speaking for all groups who have been subject to horrific treatment."

Angaelos said what followed now was a matter for international law. He added he would like support for communities currently at risk to be top of the global leaders' priorities after this declaration.

"I hope the implication of this declaration for people under ISIS' rule is they feel we understand their suffering and recognise what have been going through," he said.

"I hope they will recognise we will stand with them going forward."
'Indiana Jones 5' confirmed for 2019; Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford returning

Disney has officially announced that "Indiana Jones 5" is indeed moving forward, reports Screen Rant. The film is currently slated to release on July 19, 2019. Not only is the franchise finally getting a new entry but both director Steven Spielberg and actor Harrison Ford are coming back.

Walt Disney Studios CEO Alan Horn explains, "Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can't wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019. It's rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn't be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven."

According to the report from Screen Rant, the reason Disney could not announce the film during the past few years was because despite the company purchasing Lucasfilm -- a move which allowed them to produce "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" -- the company did not get all the rights for a new "Indiana Jones" film until just recently.

Spielberg and Ford did make a comeback several years back for a fourth film, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" but this was not as warmly received by audiences and critics as the previous three films. Many fans blame the faults of the film on George Lucas, who wrote most of the film's story.

The fifth film will not have Lucas's involvement, although Disney has yet to announce who will be taking over in designing and writing the film's script.

The release date is set a week after Disney and Marvel Studios launch "Inhumans," which means it is likely the Marvel film will be shuffled and be rescheduled to a better release date.

It was previously believed that the fifth film would be a reboot, with a younger actor such as Chris Pratt or Bradley Cooper taking over as the titular character. With Harrison Ford still leading the role, it is likely the new film will be set in a later decade, such as the 1970s.
Leading evangelical pastor Robert Jeffress speaks out for Donald Trump

A prominent Southern Baptist pastor has spoken out in support of Donald Trump.

Pastor Robert Jeffress said members of the evangelical elite who oppose the Republican front-runner are out of touch with average evangelical Christians.

"There is an absolute disconnect between the evangelical elite leadership and the average person in the pew," said Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, on Public Radio International.

"The evangelical elite leadership just doesn't get it," he added.

Polls show that almost no evangelical leaders back Trump, compared to nearly four in ten evangelical voters.

Jeffress spoke about the presidential race in 1980, and compared the devout born-again Christianity of Jimmy Carter to the pro-abortion Ronald Reagan.

"Evangelicals overwhelmingly went with Ronald Reagan, not because he was the most religious choice, but because he had the quality people felt was necessary at that time, and that was leadership."

Jeffress also defended Trump against the pope's recent criticisms of him.

"I think it's wrong to say that Donald Trump or anyone who advocates for national security, who wants to build a wall, is somehow not a Christian, as the pope intimated a few weeks ago. Look, building walls is not non-Christian. God told Nehemiah 'build a wall around Jerusalem.' The purpose of that wall was not to keep the Jews from going out but to keep the enemies from coming in."

Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics, said: "I am less concerned about what happens in the political tumult of the country than I'm concerned about what evangelicalism is about, which is ultimately a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I see that being obscured this year," according to Baptist News.

"When you have some leaders pronouncing Donald Trump to be a Christian  despite the fact that he openly boasts and brags about adulterous affairs and uses racially tinged and derogatory speech and a thousand other things, and says he has nothing for which to ask forgiveness from God  that to me is not a political issue. It is a gospel issue, and that has to do with who evangelicals actually are."

Jim Wallis of Sojourners agreed with Moore: "Not every supporter of Donald Trump is a racist, I'm sure, but the racists are all supporting Donald Trump.

"Russell and I would vote different ways on a number of things, but this is a gospel issue here. I'm doing a book tour around the country full of evangelicals and young people who regard Donald Trump as contrary to the gospel."
Pope Francis urges European nations to open borders to refugees

Pope Francis urged nations to "open their hearts and open their doors" to refugees on Wednesday, appealing for compassion for those waiting at closed European borders made to feel like exiles abandoned from God.

"Immigrants today are suffering outdoors, without food, and cannot get in. They don't feel welcome," Pope Francis told the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square to hear his General Audience, praising "nations and leaders who open their hearts and open their doors."

The situation can lead to questions like "Where is God? How is it possible that so much suffering can befall innocent men, women and children?", he said.

"They are there at the border because so many doors and so many hearts are closed."

More than 1.1 million migrants and refugees fleeing war and failed states flowed into the European Union in 2015 and the influx has continued, prompting countries straddling the main migration corridor through the Balkans to the wealthy north of the EU to seal their borders, trapping tens of thousands in Greece.

"How many of our brothers these days are living through a real and dramatic situation of exile, far from their homelands. In their eyes they still have the ruins of their homes," said Pope Francis.

"They have fear in their hearts and unfortunately, often, the pain of having lost loved their ones," he said.

The Pope reflected on a passage from Jeremiah 30-31, in which the prophet turns to the Israelites who had been exiled, offering them words of consolation, announcing the return to their homeland.

The re-entrance of the Israelites into their homeland is a sign "of the infinite love of God the Father who does not abandon his children, but cares for them and saves them."

Francis likened the situation of the Israelites to those suffering today, reiterating that "God is not absent", even in the "dramatic situations" of war and violence today.

"We must not give in to despair," he said, but continue "to be confident that good overcomes evil and that the Lord dries every tear and frees us from every fear."

He closed his address by highlighting Jeremiah's announcement that "I will turn their mourning into gladness, I will give them comfort and joy."

Additional reporting by Reuters.
State Department delays decision to label ISIS atrocities 'genocide'

The US State Department has delayed the decision to call the suffering of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East genocide.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will not have a decision on whether atrocities committed by Islamic State constitute genocide by a March 17 deadline set by Congress, but he should have a decision soon, the State Department said on Wednesday.

"We are informing Congress today that we're not going to make that deadline," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing.

The delay came two days after The House of Representatives voted by 393 to 0 that "the atrocities perpetrated by ISIL against Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide," and weeks after the European Parliament declared the same.

"We certainly respect the deadlines that Congress lays down on specific reports, or in this case decisions about genocide," he said. "However, we also take the process very seriously. And so if we need additional time... in order to reach a more fact-based, evidence-based decision, we're going to ... ask for extra time."

The vote in the House came after the release of a detailed report which documented the persecution faced by Christians in Syria and Iraq at the hands of ISIS, compiled by Knights of Columbus and In Defence of Christians.

"The American people and global conscience implore our national leaders to not stand silent in the face of mounting international consensus. In Defense of Christians asks the Secretary of State John Kerry to speak out soon on behalf of Christians and other minorities undergoing genocide at the hands of ISIS," IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans said in a statement responding to the delay

"Christiansonce one of the largest religious minorities in the regionare losing their lives as the daily targets of ISIS. The images of their beheadings have been broadcast for the world to see. Hundreds of thousands of those who have survived are living as IDPs (internally displaced person) and refugees in foreign lands. Having lost everything, and with little real support from the West, they are being condemned to a future without education, without medical care, without proper shelter, without enough food, without a home. A future without hope," she added.
The man who converted Ireland: 10 things you might not know about St Patrick

St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, as all the world knows. St Patrick's Day processions are big events, particularly in America, as descendants of Irish emigrants everywhere reconnect with their roots. But who was St Patrick, and what should we remember about him?

1. He has lots of fans

Even though hard information about him is quite hard to come by, including his dates; the 5th century is as precise as it gets. On the other hand, he was a terrific evangelist and totally fearless, leaving the safety of his home to face beatings, imprisonment and opposition from druids, kings and pretty much everyone to establish the Christian Church in Ireland.

Beyond all the usual kitsch, #StPatrick was the greatest missionary Christianity had known since #StPaul, leaving the safety of the Empire.  Arch Mark Coleridge (@ArchbishopMark) March 17, 2016

2. There may have been two of him

Die-hard Patrick fans might be outraged by this, but some of the stories associated with him might originally have been about Palladius, who was sent by Pope Celestine 1 as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. Not for nothing are these called the Dark Ages; it's all very confusing.

3. He was born in either England, Scotland or Wales

More vagueness: no one's quite sure, but it wasn't Ireland. It might have been Cumbria. We're pretty sure he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. Six years later he escaped and returned home. He went back to Ireland as a missionary.

4. He's the reason there are no snakes in Ireland

Patrick banished them after they attacked him during a 40-day fast. That's the story; disappointingly, naturalists say there were never any there in the first place.

5. His walking stick became a living tree

He used to stick it in the ground whenever he stopped to preach; on one occasion he took so long that it took root. In Catholic piety saints tend to take on responsibility for particular jobs or people groups. However, Patrick is not the patron saint of long-winded preachers. The place is called Aspatria or 'Ash of Patrick'.

6. He met two ancient Irish folk-heroes

He talked to Cailte mac Ronain and Oisin, in theory both long dead, and tried to convert them without success. They enjoyed fighting and feasting too much.

7. Patrick killed a large sea serpent

He despatched it on Loch Dearg ('Red Lake') and its blood turned the water red. Again, naturalists have queried this account on a number of grounds.

8. He lit a bonfire no one could put out

On the Hill of Slane in County Meath he lit an Easter bonfire in defiance of High King Laoire. No one could put it out except Patrick. It may not have happened exactly like that, but it's a great story.

9. We still have his bell

St Patrick's Bell is kept in the National Museum of Ireland. First mentioned in 552 AD, it was removed from his tomb after his death. It really is his, which is amazing.

10. He used a shamrock as a sermon illustration

Patrick explained the Trinity using a shamrock as an illustration. The Irish had lots of triple-aspect deities, which might have made them more receptive to Christianity.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
These Christian converts fled certain death in Iran, now on hunger strike in Calais

"We ran away for a good life  where do we run to now?" The desperation in the voices of the nine Iranian men on hunger strike in the Calais refugee camp, nicknamed 'the jungle', is palpable. After 17 days of refusing food, their resolve has not withered. They tell me one of them went to hospital on Sunday after fainting for the third time but the medical team could not persuade him to eat.

I speak to six of the men down a crackly line to Calais and through a friendly interpreter called Sarwar.

They have been on hunger strike since 29 February after the demolition of homes in the southern part of the camp began. At least three of them fled Iran after converting from Islam to Christianity, an act punishable by death. They say their aim is that the evictions in the jungle stop until a viable, safe solution is found for all the refugees living there.

In spite of a court ruling on 25 February that residents of the Calais jungle could not be forcibly removed from their temporary shelters, the bulldozers soon moved in. The group of friends were threatened and physically forced from their homes, which were then destroyed. The shock and horror of this led them to take the drastic action to begin the hunger strike and for some of them of them to sew up their mouths.

On their blog, I read that when someone is sentenced to death in Iran and told they will be executed in a month, they sew up their mouths as a last form of protest before they die.

They were already exhausted from living in the camp, which they describe as 'hell on earth', but felt that there was no other way to bring the world's attention to the desperate situation which they and their fellow residents face.

Thousands of refugees, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors, now have nowhere to go apart from to new, smaller camps springing up across the Calais area where living conditions are reportedly dire. They fear that evictions due to start in the northern part of the camp will cause further chaos.

Omid (23) is particularly concerned for the families who are now extremely vulnerable: "We are doing this for the whole of the jungle. For all the women and children."

This protest is about more than their individual desires for asylum. Their plea is that all residents of the camp can live lives that are safe and free.

The men explain how they fled violence and abuse and came to Europe expecting to have their human rights respected, but this has not been the case: "Tear gas has been deliberately sprayed by police in the family areas where they know there are many children."

The police frequently fire rubber bullets. One middle-aged woman and her two children, including her teenage son, were handcuffed, thrown into a van and kicked onto the floor by the CRS, the French riot police. They were driven out of Calais before being thrown out and told to walk back to the jungle.

The level of police brutality the men have witnessed and experienced in the camp has deeply shocked them.

The police fire plastic bullets at them and say that if they don't like it they should go back home. However this is not an option for the Iranians: "If you convert to Christianity, you have no chance in Iran. If we go back, 100 per cent we will be killed."

Reza (24) says that the French police don't like him: "They kicked and beat me. They destroyed my shelter."

 "If you convert to Christianity, you have no chance in Iran. If we go back, 100 per cent we will be killed." 

They also tell me they are scared to walk into the town because of threats and violence which have come from some of the residents of Calais. There have been a number of local protests against the camp and reports of refugees being beaten up when they step out of the jungle.

The men are now all sleeping in Jungle Books, the camp's colourful library, which has become a centre of information and one of the few areas where people can get on the internet or charge their mobile phones so they can contact families at home.

Hossiin (37) was imprisoned in Iran for converting to Christianity from Islam. After being granted parole, he ran away: "This is a hard, risky life. When I came here they did not believe I had converted and was a Christian because it could not be proved. Why else would I run away from my country?"

Moktar (35) says: "We are used to living in a country where religion is used as a tool of discrimination."

Part of their disillusionment comes from the fact that they believed they were coming to a Christian continent which would protect them.

They express their utter devastation as they watched the Protestant church and Kurdish mosque be torn down. The court order had promised these communal areas would be protected, but just a week later they were destroyed. "How can a Christian country destroy a church? Why did no-one stop it? Why did no French Christians come to stop it happening?"

One of the strikers is considering converting to Christianity but appeals to Christians to come and fight for him in the camp, then he says he will believe.

When asked what message they would bring to Christians in the UK, they say: "We are asking them to put pressure on the government to find a solution for the people in the jungle."

Omid says: "Show me what it means to be a Christian. We are brothers and sisters. We are no different. We are equal in front of God. We want to be treated the same. We are human beings."

 "Show me what it means to be a Christian. We are brothers and sisters. We are no different. We are equal in front of God. We want to be treated the same. We are human beings."  Omid - Iranian hunger striker

They ask for Christians to pray wholeheartedly into this horrible situation.

"Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for humanity. We are following his example. We are struggling to do the same for these helpless people."

Tom Radcliffe (49), a British volunteer who had been living in a caravan next to one of the Iranians since September, initially joined the hunger strike for the first nine days as an act of solidarity and friendship. He tells me that the strike has now become more of a spiritual than political act as the men have begun to lose hope of any political solution.

"There is a fearlessness about them which some people in the West might find difficult to understand, even Christians, because we have such a materialistic world view. As some of them are recent converts they have a very strong faith and sense of the afterlife.

"It is a powerful act to choose to become a Christian in Iran because it is against the law. They are gentle, kind men but they have a powerful conviction. It is faith which has driven them out of their homeland. They have come from a cruel to a hopeless situation. They are now appealing to God and placing their trust entirely in him. That kind of faith can feel intimidating."

The hunger strikers are clear that they will carry on their protest if their health begins to deteriorate, even if it costs them their lives. Yet Hossiin seems to hold out hope for a better life one day: "I want to live where people do not watch me all the time and ask what I am doing. I want to live in freedom. I hope one day I can live as a normal person."

Their resilience and faith bring a challenge to all Christians, spiritually and politically. When I visited the camp in October, I saw how the residents had created a vibrant community out of almost nothing, including shops, cafes and places of worship. Although the living conditions were bad there was a sense of hope and possibility.

One winter and six months later, with much of what was created now destroyed, the feeling is more urgent. Throughout this call the men cry out: "Show me, show me". It is a petition for someone to listen and respond to them, perhaps even a cry to God to hear their suffering. Certainly it is a plea for their Christian brothers and sisters to speak up and act on their behalf.

They believe that words and resolutions have failed, that the law has abandoned them. Stateless and homeless, they are looking for action, for solutions. Tom concludes by offering this appeal: "When I needed a neighbour, were you there, were you there? And the creed and the colour and the name won't matter. Were you there?"

You can read more about the hunger strikers on their blog.

More than 100 major public figures including Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Idris Elba and several bishops have written an open letter to David Cameron. Join them in calling for the Prime Minister to ensure that refugee children from Calais are protected
Utah Senate passes bill that requires unborn babies to receive anaesthesia before they are killed through abortion

Does it make it more humane to make babies not feel the pain of death when they are murdered through abortion?

Voting 19-5, senators from the state of Utah approved a bill that would require abortionists to administer anaesthesia to unborn babies so they cannot feel pain while they are being killed.

The proposed law is applicable for unborn children who have been at least 20 weeks inside their mothers' wombs.

"A physician who performs an abortion of an unborn child who is at least 20 weeks gestational age shall administer an anaesthetic or analgesic to eliminate or alleviate organic pain to the unborn child caused by the particular method of abortion to be employed," the measure reads.

Republican Senator Curt Bramble, who authored the bill, said his proposal will give the babies to undergo abortion some "humanity" before they are ultimate murdered.

"Let's call it what it is: It is killing babies, and if we're going to kill that baby, we ought to have the humanity to protect them from pain," Bramble said, as quoted by Christian News.

The senator based his bill on studies that suggest how babies can already feel pain at 20 weeks gestation, although some studies indicate that unborn children already have a sense of pain even earlier.

Bramble said if he had his way, he would like to completely outlaw abortion, which he called "barbaric," "horrendous" and a "death sentence." He nevertheless acknowledged that this decision rests on the Supreme Court.

"If we could prohibit all abortions except in the rarest of circumstances, if we could overturn Roe V. Wade, I would be a proud sponsor of that bill," the Republican lawmaker said.

The bill exempts mothers who may experience bad health effects if their babies are administered anaesthesia. Another exempted case is when "the abortion is performed because the foetus has a defect that is uniformly diagnosable and uniformly lethal."

Before the measure was debated upon, members of Planned Parenthood of Utah protested at the Senate, bearing signages which stated "Keep Politics Out of the Exam Room" and "Senator Bramble Is NOT My Doctor."
World Evangelical Alliance head condemns religious violence, urges Israeli-Palestinian dialogue

All religions can generate extremists, according to the general secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance  but Christian teaching about salvation through Christ rejects all kinds of religious violence.

Bishop Efraim Tendero was giving the keynote speech at the Christ at the Checkpoint conference in Bethlehem. He urged Christians to recognise their own history of violence and pleaded with Israelis and Palestinians to "honestly engage in dialogue" with each other.

Tendero said: "In North America the Ku Klux Klan killed hundreds of African-Americans and burned down many schools and churches in the name of a 'pure' Christianity. In European history we find too many examples of Christians promoting violence against Jews. Such extremism is everywhere and people, women, men and children alike, are caught up in its violence."

However, he said: "It is the nature of religions to make truth claims, about what ultimately exists, and how people relate to the divine. A religion becomes extremist when it uses force or violence to impose truth claims on other people or to apply those truth claims to its own members. As religious leaders, it is our duty and call to promote, to teach, to foster the peace in our traditions."

He stressed the precarious position of minorities, including evangelicals, in some countries where religious nationalism was a factor. "The adherents of other religions are seen as not truly belonging there, as not enjoying the full rights of citizens of that nation. The risk of violence against minority religions increases, often motivated by the desire to protect, the religious identity of one's nation. Evangelicals around the world suffer greatly from this form of oppression and this is one important dimension of the conflicts between Jews and Palestinians."

He said that "Salvation is by faith alone, not by cultural or national identity" and that "Because loving God and our neighbours is the center of our faith and life, we have to overcome any tendency toward violence in our hearts and in our communities."

Tendero spoke of his own experiences of peacemaking and dialogue in the Philippines before urging Israelis and Palestinians to engage in dialogue.

"We Christians have asked for forgiveness from each other and from other religious communities for practising discrimination and persecution in the past," he said. "Please do the same! It would be better for you to argue vehemently on opposite sides of a table than to build walls or launch bombs."

He also called for the Palestinian Authority and the State of Israel to allow national evangelical alliances to be legally recognised so they could "properly and officially represent their faith communities". "Such a step would be appreciated by the 600 million Christians around the world, who identify themselves as evangelicals, and for all who seek concrete ways to promote peace and reconciliation in this troubled world," he said.

Tendero urged both sides to "Step back from making exclusive territorial claims related to your religion, such that people who do not share your religion cannot live in peace with you."
A landmark sale to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death

The first four Folios of William Shakespeares collected works  including an unrecorded First Folio  are to tour New York and London, where they will be auctioned on 25 May

This spring, Christies is to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) with a landmark sale, offering the first four Folios of his collected works in a special four-lot auction in London on 25 May.

The sale is to be led by an unrecorded copy of the First Folio: the first collected edition of Shakespeares plays, widely considered to be the most important literary publication in the English language. The First Folio contains 36 plays, 18 of which had not previously been printed, and which would otherwise have been lost forever.

Open a larger version of this image Portrait of William Shakespeare from the title page of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays. Copper engraving by Martin Droeshout, 1623. One of the earliest portraits of Shakespeare. Photo  GraphicaArtis / Bridgeman Images

Widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, Shakespeares plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more frequently than those of any other playwright. Preserved for posterity in these volumes, his plays define our knowledge of Shakespeare the man, playwright, poet and actor. The four Folios will tour to New York from 1 to 8 April, before going on public display in London from 20 to 28 April, celebrating Shakespeares 400th anniversary on 23 April before being exhibited in a pre-sale view in May. The exhibitions will provide viewers with the rare chance to see the complete set of Folios  the earliest editions of the greatest playwright in history.

Margaret Ford, International Head of Books & Manuscripts, comments: Even four centuries after his death, Shakespeares plays touch and transform lives and continue to be read and performed from Albania to Zambia. It is deeply moving to handle the first printed record of his collected plays and to be reminded of their impact. Especially exhilarating is bringing a newly recorded copy of the First Folio to public attention, and to be able to offer a set of the Four Folios in this important anniversary year. Published in 1623, the present copy of Shakespeares First Folio (estimate: 800,000-1,200,000) is one of the most desirable examples remaining in private hands. It was bought in 1800 by renowned book collector Sir George Augustus Shuckburgh-Evelyn (1751-1804) and has been hidden from public view for over two centuries. Even on publication in 1623, the First Folio was considered a privileged acquisition and would have taken pride of place on any bookshelf.

Open a larger version of this image The title page for Hamlet from the First Folio
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Jaycee Dugard, who was kidnapped at age 11 and held as a sex slave in a Bay Area backyard shack for 18 years, cannot sue the government for failing to arrest and jail her future abductor in repeated parole violations over a 2-year period, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The government and its officers who were monitoring Phillip Garrido during his parole from a previous rape conviction in the years before the abduction had no legal duty to protect Dugard from Garrido because they could not have known he would single her out as a victim, the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco said in a 2-1 ruling.

The court did not address the question of whether parole officers had failed to do their jobs properly.

Garrido was paroled from prison in 1988 after serving 10 years for a rape in Nevada. In June 1991, he and his wife, Nancy, snatched Dugard while she was on her way to school in South Lake Tahoe and drove her to their home near Antioch, where she was held captive in a backyard shed before being rescued. Raped repeatedly, she gave birth to two daughters, in 1994 and 1997. The older child is also a plaintiff in her lawsuit.

Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years in prison for kidnapping and rape, and Nancy Garrido was sentenced to 36 years to life.

In 2010, California lawmakers approved a $20 million settlement to Dugard and her children after investigators found that state officers had missed many opportunities to rescue the captives outside Antioch.

Dugards suit against the federal government focused on Garridos time on parole between late 1988 and her kidnapping. Her lawyer said parole officers knew he had repeatedly failed drug tests and admitted using drugs, but never notified the U.S. Parole Commission, which could have revoked his parole and returned him to prison.

The appeals court, upholding a judges dismissal of the suit, said federal law allows individuals to sue the government only if they could also sue a private institution under similar circumstances.

In California, the court said, a private company that runs a rehabilitation program cant be sued if one of its inmates or parolees eludes supervision and harms a member of the public.

The same protection applies to the government in this case, since there was no evidence that Dugard was a specially identifiable victim before her kidnapping, Judges Richard Clifton and John Owens said in the majority opinion.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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Georges Bistro on Westheimer is apparently bidding adieu.

Owners Georges and Monique Guy, longtime Houston restaurateurs who opened the bistro in the former Feast spot at 219 Westheimer in 2014, are calling it quits. The Georges Bistro Facebook page states: "Yes, it is true. Monique and Georges are returning to France at the end of this month. Come celebrate with them one last Easter for lunch on March 27. They also will be hosting a Farewell Dinner March 23." The restaurant's website also confirms the closing ("Monique and Georges are returning home to Maussane"); and George Guy's Facebook page has a post that private selection wines are for sale at 30 percent off "before closing."

The Guys opened Georges Bistro two years ago on Lower Westheimer in the same space where they operated Chez Georges for several years before Feast had its celebrated five-year run.

The Guys, who own the property, moved back to that space after running Bistro des Arts. Their Georges Bistro offered (and still does until officially closing) what they called "true French cooking" with dishes such as bouillabaisse; foie gras terrine; snails stuffed with garlic, parsley and butter; frisee salad with goat cheese and dry ham; duck and pork rillettes; beef daube; cassoulet-style duck leg confit; veal kidneys in mustard and Madeira cream sauce; roasted duck with orange sauce; roasted rack of lamb with herb and pistachio crust; braised pork feet gratinee; navarin of lamb; red snapper quenelle with lobster sauce; and Lyon-style andouillette sausage.

The Guys have toyed with retirement several times and weathered Georges battle with cancer. Their Houston restaurant career includes opening Bistro Provence, Chez Georges, Bistro Don Camillo, La Brocante, and Bistro des Arts.
Tucked into the scenic Hill Country woods is the "Trois Estate at Enchanted Rock," now listed for sale at $15 million. That's down from the $15.9 million it was selling for around this time last year.

The Fredericksburg estate has been operating as a bed and breakfast that's gained great acclaim from a number of travel sites.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spent Wednesday touring parts of Orange and Newton counties inundated by flood waters that have displaced thousands after a reservoir north of the area released billions of gallons of water into the Sabine River.

Abbott had not met with any residents when he addressed the media on Wednesday afternoon, but said he gathered from local officials that the overwhelming attitude is optimistic, despite some communities facing the daunting task of completely rebuilding.

It could be a few days before state officials know whether the area will qualify for federal disaster relief, which poorer areas in Newton County plan to rely on for rebuilding efforts, multiple officials said.

Seventeen Southeast Texas counties are listed in a state disaster declaration signed by Abbott. On Wednesday, the governor said four more will be added. Federal authorities will decide in the coming days whether to lend support.

President Barack Obama declared a major disaster in seven Louisiana parishes affected by recent flooding.

Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said Texas must meet a higher threshold than Louisiana before it will be eligible for federal assistance.

For Louisiana, the threshold for federal funding assistance is a little more than $6 million, according to Kidd.

In Texas, where the population is far greater, Kidd said that number is around $35.4 million.

"We're working very closely with our local partners to provide those damage assessments to us for individual and public assistance," Kidd said.

Abbott said the helicopter view of damage in Newton and Orange counties "was stunning."

The governor was surprised by the size of the devastation.

Deweyville, a Newton County town with a population of about 1,000, is almost completely underwater.

Orange County Emergency Management officials estimate 10,000 people have been displaced so far, and the number will likely grow as the flood seeps into bayous.

"The size of it," Abbott said. "When you're in the air, you can see the massive area that is flooded. It is just stunning to see how widespread the water was and water just covering everything."

Reconsidering floodgates

It's been almost a week since the Toledo Bend Reservoir began releasing water from record rainfall at the dam in Newton County.

Ann Galassi, assistant general manager of administration at Sabine River Authority - the agency that controls the reservoir - said the dam was not built for flood control. The man-made reservoir was built to make electricity.

Galassi said that it would have been against protocol to release some of the water in advance of the deluge, which dumped up to 18 inches of rain over the reservoir late last week.

Some residents who are critical of the SRA have said flooding wouldn't have been as severe or as widespread if some of the water had been released in advance of the storm.

At Toledo Bend, the floodgates are designed to protect the integrity of the dam and prevent ruining the reservoir's hydroelectric system.

Galassi said Wednesday it could be worth reconsidering the guidelines on when to release water and the possibility of rebuilding the reservoir itself.

Record flooding spurs a lot of events, from people rethinking where they live to changing federal guidelines for opening floodgates, Galassi said.

The floodgates would have to be lowered and officials are still figuring out what all that entails.

"It would just have to all be looked at completely differently," Galassi said. "(Toledo Bend) wasn't built or engineered that way and I think that has a lot to do with it. I'm sure it's something we need to consider."

When asked about residents' concerns about the way the SRA handled the water release, Abbott punted.

"We would need more information," he said.

Read the complete story in the March 17 print edition of the Beaumont Enterprise.

BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott
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Who doesn't want to be queen of the world?

That's part of the philosophy of the "Sweet Potato Queens" movement created by Jill Connor Browne and her band of women crowned with mountainous hair and draped in sequined, lurid costumes. Inspired by her book series, women have formed some 6,000 empowerment chapters around the globe.

By rebelling against a drab existence and inventing an outrageously larger-than-life, hyper-sultry identity for herself and her friends - and hijacking a local parade - Brown inspired a movement of countless thousands of followers across the nation.

Its newest incarnation, a musical comedy-drama, will be hosted by Theatre Under The Stars at Hobby Center.

More Information 'The Sweet Potato Queens' Where: Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center, 800 Bagby When: Thursday-March 27 Tickets: tuts.com; thehobbycenter.org See More Collapse

A trio of creative minds has birthed "The Sweet Potato Queens" musical, part of the TUTS Underground series. Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes wrote the adaptation while renowned lyricist Sharon Vaughn and composer Melissa Manchester crafted the songs and score.

Vaughn and Manchester made a pilgrimage to Jackson, Miss., to better understand the spirit of the Sweet Potato Queens.

"Jill is a very soulful woman," Manchester said. "She's steeped in wisdom and a tremendous sense of humor."

Her followers are often professional women, doctors and lawyers, who embrace their more colorful Queens' personas as they face daily obstacles more fearlessly.

"These women have learned how to not take themselves so seriously," Vaughn said.

Manchester also added that growing up often implies forgetting how to be lighthearted.

"Jill refused to be under the big thumb of life pressing down on her," said Holmes. "She celebrates the fact that you have every right to be queen of the world for one day."

Her sage philosophy is always followed with a wink: Sure, you may deserve to "princess wave" on the last float of the parade, but it's in a manner of poking fun. We're all humans but can afford to laugh at ourselves.

"Jill just blew it up with really high hair," said Manchester of one thing that was not forgotten in the musical's creative process.

Holmes took careful liberty with adapting the book series for the stage, delving into Browne's no-filter humor and the Sweet Potato Queens' world.

"I drew a lot from her real life, such as her relationship with her daughter and men in her past," Holmes said. "Then compressed it all within two hours."

However, Vaughn emphasized that the story is neither a musicalized documentary nor a Southern musical. There are elements that immerse the audience in Southern culture, but the message of effervescent empowerment is more significant.

Browne's story travels between two realities - the environment in Jackson and an alternate, somewhat fantastical world where Browne calls herself "empress."

Manchester and Vaughn experimented with rhythmic pulse and melodic tonality to give each character a unique voice. The musical score and Holmes' book went hand in hand.

"It was easy to write because the characters are my homies, people I know very well," Vaughn said.

At the same time, it was a rewarding process to reach into parts of the characters that would resonate with the audience, she said.

To preserve authenticity, the song lyrics also had to impeccably match with the words spoken in the books. Both Manchester and Vaughn are pop songwriters who found the transition to musical theater to be a luxurious experience.

"We could make up words and mispronounce them; it was gloriously fun," Vaughn said.

In the end, working with each other garnered mutual respect everywhere.

"Any of these actors are Broadway-capable," Holmes said. "It's astounding because they're doing something that's never been done."

The team also has been impressed by the cast, made up entirely of Houston locals, whose easygoing attitude, with constant tweaks and thrilling character transformations, have infused life into the story.

"The words they sing, those aren't mine anymore," Vaughn said. "They belong to the characters."

TUTS' mission is to showcase new musicals, and they believe that Houston's arts scene is teeming with opportunities.

"Everyone here goes to the opera, the symphony and the ballet," said Manchester. "The attendance is wide."
With more than 27 million Twitter followers, Pope Francis indisputably is the world's leading digitally connected religious leader. This weekend, though, the Argentina-born pontiff will expand his Internet reach even further -- to Instagram.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said the pope's first posted images will reflect the core messages of his papacy: tenderness, mercy and "lots of joy."
A firefighter was taken to the hospital for observation after a fire at a restaurant in west Houston, officials said Wednesday night.

The blaze broke out about 7:20 p.m. at a P.F. Chang's in the 11600 block of Westheimer. Houston firefighters found smoke in the ceiling area when they arrived at the scene.
One of the 10 most wanted fugitives in Texas was handed over to authorities this week at the U.S.-Mexico border. Omar Cruz, 31, was wanted on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than 14, and alleged forgery of a financial instrument in Amarillo, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

CHECK THIS OUT: Police search for gang member on Houston's 'Most Wanted' list

U.S. Marshals and investigators with the DPS were able to track Cruz to Matamoros, Mexico after receiving a tip. Mexican authorities turned Cruz over to the Marshals at the Laredo Port of Entry on March 15.

He was booked into the Webb County Jail and is expected to be extradited to Potter County. A reward of up to $7,500 will be paid out by authorities. Cruz, who was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive list in late 2014, was apprehended as the result of a tip that was placed through Texas Crime Stoppers.
Before Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl spent nearly five years as a Taliban prisoner of war and was thrown out of the Coast Guard during basic training, he flew all the way to Paris to join the French Foreign Legion.

A transcript of Bergdahls interview with the chief Army investigator in his case, released Wednesday night, sketches out the curious path of Bergdahls life. His rejection from the legion in 2005 and short, ill-fated stint in the Coast Guard propelled him on a spiritual journey.

Bergdahl hoped to confront weaknesses that stemmed from a life of obscurity and social isolation, the documents reveal, but in seeking personal growth, he endured captivity under the Taliban, emerging as one of the best-known  and most vilified  American soldiers ever.

The reason for the French Foreign Legion was  Ill be honest, it was an adventurous sounding idea. I have always wanted to travel and I have always wanted to learn languages. And I have always had that interest of expanding my experience and understanding of the world, Bergdahl told his investigator, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, who now is a commander at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.

Unfortunately, I went all the way to Paris. I went to the fort and I tried to check-in. They did a physical on me and they told me because of my eyes they wouldnt take me, which was honestly, kind of, a little bit of relief because by the time I got over there it was way overwhelming. I was there. I didnt speak any French or anything like that. I was relieved. Honestly, I was relieved.

Bergdahl, 29, of Hailey, Idaho faces a possible life sentence if convicted on charges of misbehavior before the enemy and desertion after walking off Observation Post Mest in eastern Afghanistan near midnight June 30, 2009.

Concerned about problems in his battalion, he planned to run 19 miles to another post to trigger a massive search that would get him a face-to-face meeting with a general to discuss the issues. Then a private first class, he was captured by Taliban fighters 10 to 12 hours later and held prisoner nearly five years.

The Obama administrations exchange of five Taliban prisoners to win his freedom drew outrage from mainly Republican politicians and widespread public criticism.

The San Antonio Express-News and other media organizations had filed requests with the Pentagon to release Dahls 373-page transcript, and attorneys for Hearst Newspapers filed motions to obtain the documents in military courts.

The requests were denied.

A sanity board report, shared on a defense website along with Dahls report, confirmed recent claims that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder, which causes people to have disturbed thoughts and troubled relationships.

Bergdahls attorney, Eugene Fidell, declined to comment when asked why he felt he should release documents that until now had been sealed. He recently told the Express-News that mental-health issues could be used as a defense.

However, the sanity board said Bergdahl was fit to stand trial, and that despite suffering from a severe mental disease or defect while posted in Afghanistan, he was able to appreciate the nature and quality and wrongfulness of his conduct.

The question of potential mental issues arose during an Article 32 preliminary hearing last year in San Antonio, where testimony showed that Bergdahl was discharged in his third week of Coast Guard boot camp after suffering a breakdown.

No details were given at the time, but the issue arose during Dahls interrogation.

Bergdahl said he wasnt talking with his parents when he joined the Coast Guard and suggested that he didnt inform friends of the decision, either, telling Dahl that he did not want to trouble them with over-necessary drama or anything like that.

Three weeks into boot camp, he suffered a panic attack.

I just remember that it came about one evening when everyone was going down for roll call. What happened was, they got me to the hospital. And, in those moments, I think it was a psychiatrist  there was a couple people that were there. They came in and asked me some questions.

And I believe I said something about  I was trying to say, basically, I cant save these people. Because the pressure was, honestly, all the way up until that point, the information I was getting from my family, especially my dad, was that I cant succeed in anything, that I am a failure.

Described as honest and highly idealistic, Bergdahl told Dahl of a regimented upbringing. He said he was home-schooled in rural Idaho and raised in a very strict, very religious setting, one with a decidedly military atmosphere where his father served as a drill instructor of sorts.

Bergdahl cited the soldier-type environment that served as his home in deciding to join the Coast Guard without telling anyone, saying, the idea is you pull your own weight.

My father, despite the fact that he was never in the military, he was very  his mindset was very military. He raised me knowing how to shoot weapons. I have probably been doing that since I was two to three years old, he told Dahl. So that has  the weapons and the very strict and very ethical environment that I was raised in was the most prominent theme throughout my life.

However, it wasnt the best house to be in.

Bergdahl didnt elaborate, but described himself as in introvert who observed cats, dogs and horses, and also was a wanderer who admitted to becoming overwhelmed when he left the mountains to find a job in the city. He also was aware of the gaping holes that existed in his experience, one of them, relationships with women.

After returning home from the Coast Guard, Bergdahl felt that his release on an uncharacterized discharge was probably a good thing but also felt singed by the experience, explaining, The fact that I had failed at that, never settled. It never left my mind.

Determined to gain what he called a better understanding of such social interaction in that type of environment, he traveled and spent a lot of time focusing on dance and meditation.

One of the reasons why I was focusing on dancing was because that put me in an environment that forced me to actually interact on a social level that I was never used to, Bergdahl said. Because growing up in the household that I grew up in, 20 girls didnt exist to me until I turned 17. Or, yeah, 16 or 17. They never existed to me until I got to that point. Yeah, basically, that kind of a relationship. So, I understood that I needed to work on that.

Bergdahl said he also embraced Samurai philosophy and forms of eastern meditation, and pointed to martial arts instructor and actor Bruce Lee as a role model.

His goal: Confront his weaknesses.

I understood that if you had a weak point somewhere that you needed to face it and you needed to focus on it, he said.

The years spanning his enlistment into the Coast Guard up until the point he joined the Army was Bergdahls way of coping with his lack of experience. He thought a lot and pondered philosophy.

Joining the Army was a way to prove something and succeed, and at first things went well. But the respect he felt for one drill instructor turned to disgust when he arrived in Alaska for duty. Distrustful of other soldiers, Bergdahl soon grew dismayed over what he was taught at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.

I came down to NTC to train as a soldier and I spent the majority of my time cleaning up; picking-up cigarette butts and trash, or sorting through brass, he told Dahl.

Bergdahl grew even more disenchanted in Afghanistan. Described as a good soldier at his outpost, he had concerns about his command and decided to take matters into his own hands. It was his duty as an American citizen.

And as a private first class, where I was standing, I was seeing around me all this just stupid (expletive). And I was seeing things heading in a very dangerous direction, he explained. So, I had to do something. It had to be me doing it. And so I came up, happily with my ignorance of a young  from a young mans mind and my imagination, I came up with a fantastic plan.

sigc@express-news.net
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WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS

Two young Georgia men are recovering from severe burns after a man allegedly threw scalding water on them while they were napping - because they are gay, reports say.

Marquez Tolbert was sleeping-over at the Atlanta apartment of Anthony Gooden, both 21, when the boyfriend of Gooden's mother, Martin Blackwell, 48, woke the young men by pouring boiling water across their bodies on Feb. 12.

"Get out of my House with all that gay," Blackwell said, according to NY Daily News.

Tolbert told WSB-TV that he is still in pain from second- and third-degree burns that required skin to be moved from his thighs to rehabilitate his damaged back.

HATE CRIME IN TEXAS: Montgomery County family fears son's death was because he was gay

"The pain doesn't let you sleep. It's just, like, it's excruciating, 24 hours a day, and it doesn't go anywhere," Tolbert told WSB-TV. "It doesn't dial down, anything. It's just there."

Tolbert spent 10 days at Grady Memorial Hospital, while Gooden was released Friday. According to a GoFundMe page set up for Tolbert, Gooden had to be induced into a coma.

23 YEARS LATER: Man convicted in Houston gay murder freed on parole

Blackwell remained Thursday in the Fulton County (Ga.) Jail, charged with two counts of aggravated battery. An Atlanta Police Department LGBT liaison assisted in the case to make sure Blackwell did not make bond, police told WSB-TV.

A friend of Tolbert set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money for the young man and his mother to cover health and living expenses while Tolbert is recovering. To assist them during this difficult time, visit their website here.
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In Denmark, youll find the happiest country in the world. (Though its up for debate whether its a socialist paradise or, merely, paradise)

Scandinavian countries dominated the newly updated World Happiness Report 2016. Denmark moved back into the top spot, overtaking last years winner, Switzerland. The region's other three countries -- Norway, Finland and Sweden -- also ranked in the top 10.

SURVEY: The happiest cities in America

The United States landed at No. 13. The country moved up to second in its region this year, surpassing Costa Rica and Mexico. In the Americas, only Canada does better at No. 6.

The index has been published since 2012 by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a U.N. organization. Researchers look at several factors to determine quality of life in 157 countries. The report analyzes GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, trust in government and business, perceived freedom and generosity (full report here).

The worlds happiest country has been a favorite reference point for one liberal candidate for president. Democratic socialist candidate Bernie Sanders repeatedly has praised the Danes as a country that represents his vision for the United States. In response, the center-right Danish Prime Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen has said Denmark is far from a socialist planned economy. Denmark is a market economy.

READ THIS: 15 things you didnt know about Bernie Sanders

Still, Denmark and the rest of the countries at the top of the list have strong social safety nets, including widely available health care and education. However, these countries also have fairly homogeneous populations unlike the United States. Rasmussen came to power with support from the anti-immigration Danish Peoples Party.

The least happy countries are made up of impoverished nations, often in the middle of political crises and violent unrest. Burundi finished last, just ahead of Syria, Togo and Afghanistan.

Global powers like China (No. 83) and Russia (No. 56) finished far behind the U.S. A couple of countries, such as Venezuela (No. 44) and Greece (No. 99), plummeted in rankings from 2015 to 2016 due to recent economic disasters.

Meet the 25 happiest countries in the world in the gallery above.
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Donald Trump warned there could be riots if the Republican Party chooses another candidate to replace him at the GOP convention this summer. His comments foreshadow a possible repeat of the riotous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The Republican National Convention begins July 18 in Cleveland. Trump told CNN that if he arrives at the convention just short of the necessary delegates to claim the nomination, the party should not usurp the nomination from him.

READ MORE: Video: Protester at Donald Trump rally gets sucker-punched by supporter

I think it would be  I think youd have riots, Trump said. I think youd have riots. Im representing a tremendous, many, many millions of people.

Theres reason to believe that hes not wrong. His supporters have attacked protesters at his rallies. Last week, Trump cancelled a speech in Chicago after adherents and protesters squared off outside and inside the venue. Many, including his rival Republican candidates, blame Trumps at times violent rhetoric for the growing tension at his events.

Some political commentators have drawn comparisons between the atmosphere at his rallies and the 1968 Democratic convention. At the event, rioting anti-war demonstrators clashed with authorities at one of the darkest times during perhaps the darkest year in modern U.S. history.

The Huffington Post has an excellent story on the similarities in talking points and rhetoric between Donald Trump and George Wallace; Ted Cruz and Richard Nixon; Hillary Clinton and Hubert Humphrey; and Bernie Sanders and Eugene McCarthy. At the DNC almost a half-century ago, the establishment candidate Humphrey defeated anti-war outsider McCarthy to take the partys nomination in the midst of chaos. He lost the general election to Nixon.

DEBUNKED: No, Joel Osteen didn't endorse Donald Trump

Today, the result of Trumps populism are scenes not dissimilar from 1968. At the time, more than 20,000 protesters for the Youth International Party (Yippies), marched against the Vietnam War, poverty and racism. The situation quickly grew out of hand.

See the gallery above for a look at the scenes from the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
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Just a few weeks ago, Lindsey Graham joked to the press about killing Ted Cruz. Now the Texas senator has Grahams support for the presidency.

Graham, the GOP senator from South Carolina and former presidential candidate, called Cruz the best alternative to Donald Trump and plans to fundraise for Cruz.

READ THIS: 'Duck Dynasty' star is Ted Cruz's biggest celebrity supporter

His decision to go to bat comes despite Graham frequently hitting at Cruzs unpleasant reputation in D.C.

"If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you," he told the Washington Press Club Foundation at their 72nd Congressional Dinner. At the same event, he said the Republican Party has gone "bat**** crazy."

Graham must see Cruz as the best option to overtake party front-runner Donald Trump. Not that the senator sounds particularly enamored with either choice. In January, Graham told party officials that picking between Trump and Cruz is like being shot or poisoned.

Those arent the only insults Graham has lobbed at Cruz. Hes called him an opportunist, wrong on foreign policy and a liar. However, the South Carolina senator started hinting he might make an about-face on Cruz after he won the Texas primary.

Although Graham might not have drunk the poison, it sounds like hes swallowed a bitter pill to back Cruz as the partys best hope for the White House.

See the gallery above for 15 things you didn't know about Ted Cruz.
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Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is taking fire for a controversial placement on his campaign's freshly released roster of national security advisers.

Among 23 right-leaning former government officials and think tank personnel named Thursday in Cruz's "national security coalition," there was Frank Gaffney, a former Reagan administration assistant secretary of defense who lost credit in political circles for his fervent promotion of conspiracy theories and his radical anti-Islam inclinations.

READ THIS: Just weeks after joking about killing him, former candidate endorses Ted Cruz

"Once a respectable Washington insider, Frank Gaffney Jr. is now one of America's most notorious Islamophobes," wrote the Southern Poverty Law Center in its profile of Gaffney, who it dubbed an extremist. "Gripped by paranoid fantasies about Muslims destroying the West from within."

Most prominently, Gaffney helped propagate the narrative that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, lying to Americans about his faith.

But his list of unsubstantiated anti-Muslim allegations goes on. After Gaffney was barred from speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2011, he announced the event had been infiltrated by Islamic fundamentalists trying to bring the U.S. under Koranic law.

Also in 2011, he alleged on his radio show that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was guilty of "treason" for allowing the appointment of a Muslim lawyer as a judge.

In a 2009 interview on NBC, Gaffney alleged that Saddam Hussein was behind the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

Gaffney heads the Washington D.C.-based Center for Security Policy. In June, the CSP released a widely discredited study, which found that a quarter of American Muslims supported violence against the United States.

That study became a crucial piece of supporting evidence behind GOP frontrunner Donald Trump's call to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S.

When Trump cited the CSP study in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper in December, Tapper said, "Donald, we wouldn't even put that poll on the air. It's a hack organization with a guy who was dismissed from the conservative circles for conspiracy theories. You know that."

The Cruz campaign's main national security adviser, who has raised eyebrows for her credentials in art history, told Bloomberg that a wide range of personal perspectives from those picked for the campaign's coalition were "by design and not accident."

RELATED: The art history professor behind Cruz's foreign policy

Other members of the coalition have stressed the importance of engaging and involving Muslims as part of America's 15-year "War on Terror" in the mostly Muslim nations of the Middle East and Central Asia.

Here's the full roster of Cruz's new national security coalition, as written by the Cruz campaign:

Elliott Abrams was an assistant secretary of State in the Reagan administration and a deputy national security advisor in the George W. Bush administration; he is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stewart Baker served as assistant secretary for policy at DHS, as general counsel of the National Security Agency, and as general counsel of the bipartisan commission that investigated intelligence failures involving WMD and Iraq.

Ilan Berman is vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council, and an expert on Iran, Russia and radical Islam.

Lt. General William G. "Jerry" Boykin is a retired US Army Delta Force and Green Beret commander and the Executive Vice President of the Family Research Council.

Fred Fleitz is senior vice president of the Center for Security Policy and a former Central Intelligence Agency analyst.

Randy Fort has served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations in senior positions in the intelligence community, and is currently an executive with the Raytheon Company.

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. is the President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy. He acted as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy under President Reagan.

Nile Gardiner is a former aide to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Mike Gonzalez is a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, a former speechwriter for the Bush Administration and editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal.

Katharine C. Gorka is the president of the Council on Global Security.

Steven Groves is a Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation where he concentrates on the protection of American sovereignty, treaties, and international law.

Mary Habeck is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where she studies al-Qa'ida, ISIS, and jihadi-salafism, and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Kristofer L. Harrison is a co-founder of the China Beige Book and was an official in both the Departments of Defense and State in the George W. Bush administration.

Jerry Hendrix, a retired Navy captain, is the principal director of the Stoneridge Group, a national security consultancy.

Michael Ledeen is freedom scholar at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, holds a Ph.D. in Modern European History, and is the author of more than 35 books, including the forthcoming The Field of Fight.

Clare M. Lopez is vice president for research & analysis at the Center for Security Policy.

Andy McCarthy is former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, led the prosecution of the "Blind Sheikh" and 11 other jihadists for waging a terrorist war against the United States that included the 1993 World Trade Center bombing

Robert C. O'Brien is a partner at Larson O'Brien LLP; he was a senior foreign policy advisor to Gov. Scott Walker and Governor Mitt Romney, and was a US Representative to the UN General Assembly.

Michael Pillsbury was a Reagan campaign advisor in 1980, served as assistant undersecretary of defense for policy planning under President Reagan, and is the author of three books on China.

Charles "Cully" Stimson is the senior legal fellow and manager of National Security Law Program at The Heritage Foundation; he is a former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs.

Jim Talent was a U.S. senator from Missouri and served on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees for twelve years; he is currently a senior fellow specializing in military preparedness at the American Enterprise Institute.

Daniel P. Vajdich is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and was Governor Scott Walker's deputy foreign policy director and lead staffer for Europe and Eurasia on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Christian Whiton was a State Department senior advisor and deputy special envoy during the George W. Bush administration; he is the author of Smart Power: Between Diplomacy and War, and is a principal at DC International Advisory.
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Wayne Propst of Tyler is telling reporters in East Texas that he's found snail fossils dating back to the biblical flood in his backyard, but almost everyone is skeptical for good reason.

The man was helping his aunt do some yard work when he says he discovered a cache of fossils of snails in the soil, according to KYTX-TV in Tyler.

Propst, who told reporters he loved dinosaurs as a kid, seems convinced that he's discovered remnants from the flood described in the Bible, the very flood that led to Noah and his family building an ark for every living creature on Earth.

RELATED: Fossils of Pterosaur, flying Texas reptile, unearthed by SMU researchers

His only confirmation that he's dealing with something so old seems to be the word of a self-proclaimed fossil expert named Joe Taylor.

Taylor is best-known as the director and curator of the Mt. Blanco Fossil Museum in Crosbyton, east of Lubbock.

The museum states that it doesn't believe that fossils are millions of years old, but just thousands of years old, which might rankle some mainstream scientists. To the museum, the Bible is true science.

RELATED: Fossil find sheds light on how evolution produced T. rex

Taylor's museum is a roadside curiosity for travelers and does spark interest in fossils among people of all ages, it seems.

Apparently, Taylor hasn't viewed the fossils with his own eyes. Nevertheless, he told reporters he's nearly sure that the fossils are from the time of that epic flood.

Meanwhile Propst and his aunt are still marveling at what they think is a discovery of biblical history.

RELATED: Let's end the war between science and religion

"What's really interesting to me is we're talking about the largest catastrophe known to man, the flood that engulfed the entire world," Propst told KYTX-TV.

Propst has hired local neighborhood children to help him with his ongoing archaeological dig. Aunt Sharon is using a toothbrush to clean the discoveries.

Fossils, of course, are found all over the world and all over Texas. Some Biblical scholars put the date of the Great Flood written about in the Bible at around 2348 B.C.

Fossils take thousands of years to make, as anyone who took science in elementary school likely learned.
THE LEAD: THE TEXAS DELEGATE MATH, per the Chronicles Kevin Diaz and Dylan Baddour: Delegates from most states become free agents after the first round, but rules among states vary. The Texas Republican Party binds its 155 delegates until a third round, limiting their leverage somewhat.

For now, 104 of the states GOP delegates will be bound to Cruz; 48 will be assigned to Trump, and three are committed to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who dropped out Tuesday after losing his home state of Florida. Under state party rules, they will likely be free agents in the second round of balloting, assuming Rubio doesnt hit 20 percent in the first round.

The personal styles of the individual delegates could come into play to an even greater extent if the convention deadlocks on the first round. Given the organizational strength behind Cruzs grassroots support in Texas and elsewhere  plus the penchant of longtime party activists to get involved in the process  many analysts give the advantage to Cruz in a full-on floor fight.

-- GOP leaders grapple with grudgingly accepting Trump, by the APs Julie Pace and Steve Peoples. Republican leaders are wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about Donald Trump's likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination. With at least three more states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July. But he still must do better in upcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a sliver of hope he can still be stopped.

-- Read Chris Tomlinson in the Chronicle today: Norway taps rainy day fund, will Texas? Norway is home to 5 million people, which means the government is currently holding $163,800 in savings for every man, woman and child. Texas also has a rainy day fund financed by oil revenues for economic slowdowns, but conservative lawmakers in Austin have started diverting money from it to finance roads and water projects, shifting over $1.3 billion last fall . The latest balance is $9.61 billion, or about $355 per Texan.

Lawmakers don't return to work until January 2017, but when they do, they'll also find that revenues from oil and gas are down dramatically, and that sales tax receipts have dropped alongside the drilling rig count. With a budget crisis looming, lawmakers will almost certainly have to tap the fund next year to make ends meet.

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SPEED READ

Cranking up pressure, Dems ready to bring Garland to Capitol, AP

Michelle Obama encourages young girls: Prove the doubters wrong, San Antonio Express-News

With Rubio out, Nikki Haley backs Ted Cruz for president, The Dallas Morning News

Cruz slams Obamas Supreme Court pick, calls it a preview to a Trump presidency, The Dallas Morning News

Seeking copies of Gov. Greg Abbotts emails? Good luck with that, The Dallas Morning News

Documents portray Bowe Bergdahl, accused of desertion, as idealistic loner, Los Angeles Times

Abbott expands disaster proclamation, Austin American-Statesman

Don't leave them kids alone: State lawmakers target parents, Austin American-Statesman

Cruz says he has a path to victory over Trump, but he needs help soon, The Washington Post

Republicans enter a shadow campaign to sew up delegates, The New York Times

GOP debate canceled after Trump pulls out, Politico

Texas gets F in school funding report, Houston Chronicle

Growing chance of contested convention puts added focus on delegates, Houston Chronicle

Ted Cruz faces slim chances at nomination after a rough Tuesday night, Houston Chronicle

Cruz, Kasich reveal subtle split over Obamas Supreme Court pick, Politico

Ex-law clerk, Austin lawyer praises Supreme Court nominee Garland, Austin American-Statesman

THE RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

-- Trump as GOP presidential nominee could lean on party money, by the APs Julie Bykowicz. Trump's victories this week make it much more likely that he'll be the party's presidential nominee, probably facing off in November with Democrat Hillary Clinton. That raises the question of how a so-far self-funding Trump would pay for what could be a billion-dollar campaign. The answer could be, in part, the Republican National Committee.

In the four years since Mitt Romney lost to President Barack Obama, the party has spent millions of dollars to identify and persuade voters by building up its data team and deploying hundreds of on-the-ground employees across the country. These specialties of the national party happen to be lacking in Trump's own campaign.

-- With Rubio out, Cruz confronts a new foe in Kasich, by NYTs Matt Flegenheimer and Thomas Kaplan. After months squaring off against Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, presuming him to be the chief obstacle to a one-on-one showdown withDonald J. Trump , Senator Ted Cruz on Wednesday emerged from the latest Republican primaries with a new foe who was actually there all along: Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. The transition seemed a bit jarring for all involved. The men had scarcely said a cross word about each other before Tuesday nights contests.

Now, it seems, Mr. Cruz and Mr. Kasich will get to know each other a bit better. And their opening gambits were to argue that the other has no chance of becoming president.

-- Republicans enter a shadow campaign to sew up delegates, by NYTs Trip Gabriel. With more than half the states having now held their nominating contests, Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz are quietly directing their attention to a second, shadow election campaign  one that is out of sight, little understood but absolutely critical if Republicans arrive at their national convention with Mr. Trump short of a majority of delegates.

This parallel campaign is to select the individual delegates who will go to Cleveland in July for what could be the first contested convention in American politics in more than 60 years. Chosen through a byzantine process in each state, most of the delegates will become free agents if no one wins a majority on the first ballot.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
Peste 300 de liceene s-au inscris in Startup School si sunt gata sa invete bazele antreprenoriatului tehnologic. Vezi cum a fost la evenimentul de lansare a programului national de educatie antreprenoriala
Philadelphia Official, Auto Body Shop Charged in $400K Fraud

Prosecutors in Philadelphia allege that a city fleet supervisor steered work to an auto body shop that overcharged the city $400,000 for phony or inflated bills.

American Collision is also at the heart of a pending case accusing it of using deer carcasses and other props to stage accidents and collect on insurance claims.

Shop-owner Ronald Galati Sr. is already serving more than 20 years in prison for attempting a failed hit on his daughters boyfriend.

Prosecutors alleged Tuesday that Galati and his son, Ronald Galati Jr., didnt have welding equipment needed to get the city contract, but city fleet supervisor Robert Otterson qualified them for the work and told them how much to bid to win the contract.

Investigators said American Collision was designated a secondary repair facility for overflow repairs work on the citys fleet of vehicles but was sent many more vehicles than the primary repair facility. They allege that the firms repair and labor costs were fraudulently inflated, and after Otterson approved them, Galati Sr. would then share some of the ill-gotten proceeds with him.

The defendants are charged with theft, criminal conspiracy and tampering with public records or information.

Galati Sr.s attorney declined comment, saying he had just started reviewing the evidence. Galati Jrs attorney didnt immediately return a call seeking comment. Otterson attorney Perry DeMarco Sr. declined comment on the charges but said his client would fight them with full vigor. He said Otterson was a family man with an unblemished record and he and a co-worker received a certificate of excellence three years ago from the managing directors office for his work.

Mississippi Woman Accused of Insurance Fraud

A 34-year-old Laurel, Miss., woman has been arrested on a charge of insurance fraud.

Attorney General Jim Hood says Arnisha Dean is accused of making a false and fraudulent statement to her insurance company, United Automobile Insurance Company. Hood said Friday that Dean bought insurance online on a vehicle and minutes later filed a claim for damage to a vehicle that had been wrecked a few hours earlier that same day.

Dean was booked into the Jones County Jail. Her arraignment is set for March 15. It was not immediately known if Dean is represented by an attorney who could comment on her case.

If convicted, she faces up to three years behind bars and $5,000 in fines.

North Carolina Couple Accused of Trying to Defraud Insurance Company

A Fayetteville, N.C., couple is accused by authorities of trying to defraud an insurance company after submitting altered receipts for property they said was stolen.

The Fayetteville Observer reports Maria Alta Bruno and Luidor Lamour are charged with insurance fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretense and conspiracy. Lamour is facing two additional counts of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense.

Specifically, Bruno and Lamour are accused of submitting written and oral claims to USAA Insurance Co. for an item purchased at H.H. Gregg which actually belonged to someone else.

Lamour is accused of submitting two other claims for items believed to have been stolen.

Bail was set at $5,000 for Bruno and $15,000 for Lamour. Its not known if they have attorneys.

AP contributed to this content

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Young, privately owned and ambitious, Anbang Insurance Group stands out in Chinas staid, state-dominated insurance industry.

Founded just 12 years ago, Anbang made a splash in the United States in 2014 with its $2 billion purchase of New York Citys Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Since then, it has plowed more billions into acquiring insurers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Iowa and South Korea. Last week, it agreed to pay $6.5 billion for Strategic Hotels & Resorts, an American hotel chain.

On Monday, it went after even bigger game, launching a surprise $14 billion bid with partners for the Starwood hotel chain.

Anbang makes no secret of its global ambitions. It aims to become one of the top 10 comprehensive financial groups in the world, its website says.

That is a break with a Chinese industry in which bigger, older companies have stuck to their home market. But it reflects the growing space for innovation as regulators loosen controls in hopes of making Chinese financial industries more competitive and productive.

The driving force credited with propelling Anbangs rise is chairman Wu Xiaohui, who news reports say got his start in the rental car business before founding Anbang in 2004. He rarely talks to reporters or appears in public.

Anbang started with a single outlet in Beijing. Its biggest shareholder, at 20 percent, was state-owned car maker Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. The following year, a state-owned oil company, Sinopec, bought a 20 percent share.

Since then, the company says it has expanded to more than 3,000 branches with 30,000 employees worldwide serving 35 million clients. It has diversified into life insurance, banking, asset management, leasing and brokerage services.

Its global expansion coincides with encouragement from the ruling Communist Party for Chinese companies to go abroad to diversify away from dependence on a slowing domestic economy.

The Chinese business press has compared Wu to Warren Buffett for following the legendary American investors approach of using the cash flow from insurance operations to buy other businesses. But rumors also have swirled about whether Wus success is built at least partly on family ties or help from influential figures on Anbangs board.

According to the Chinese press, Wu is married to Zhuo Ran, a granddaughter of former supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, though the business magazine Caixin reported last year the couple had separated.

Board members have included Zhu Yunlai, the son of former Premier Zhu Rongji and a successful banker in his own right, and Yong Longtu, Chinas chief negotiator in talks that led to its World Trade Organization membership, according to news reports.

Last year, the newspaper Southern Weekend reported Anbangs real owner was Chen Xiaolu, the son of late Chen Yi, a member of the ruling inner circle that founded the communist government in 1949.

Chen, 68, told Caixin in a separate report he had no ownership stake in Anbang but served as a consultant. He said he had been Wus business partner for 15 years but did not intervene in company operations.

Chen told Caixin he recommended Wu buy U.S. assets because Chinas economy was slowing but Americas was recovering.

Anbangs rapid growth in a heavily regulated economy is built partly on Wus skill at cultivating ties with regulators, Chinese media say.

To pay for its buying spree, Anbang raised 50 billion yuan ($8 billion) from investors in 2014, taking on dozens of new shareholders.

That reduced founding investor SAICs stake to less than 1 percent. It also increased its registered capital fivefold to 62 billion yuan ($9.5 billion), the biggest among Chinese insurers, even though the company doesnt rank among the top 10 property insurers or in the top 30 in life insurance.

That, combined with buying the Waldorf and other assets outside its core insurance business, has prompted suggestions in the Chinese press the company acts more like an investment fund for which insurance is a sideline.

The lightning pace of acquisitions also has prompted Chinese financial analysts to question whether it is sound or sustainable.

In a rare public appearance in December, Wu stressed his responsibility to ordinary policyholders.

Insurance money is ordinary peoples pensions and life insurance. It must be invested in the best companies, Wu told a business conference, the newspaper China Business Journal reported on its website. He said insurers must protect small investors.

Anbangs global expansion has not all been smooth sailing.

Last year, Anbang paid a symbolic 1 euro for Vivat, a Dutch insurer that was part of a financial company that had been nationalized, and agreed to pump in 1.35 billion euros. Vivats Dutch CEO left, reportedly after disputes with Anbang about his role in the company.

Last year, Anbangs offer to buy South Koreas Woori Bank in a sale analysts had valued at $2.7 billion fell through after the government failed to attract the legally required minimum of two bidders.

Also last year, Anbang withdrew from an attempt to buy Portugals Novo Banco SA. The Chinese suitor and the Portuguese government, which created Novo Banco out of another defunct bank, gave no reason, but the complex acquisition bore a 5 billion euro ($5.5 billion) price tag and the cancellation followed turmoil in Chinese financial markets.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. safety regulators initially declined to grant medical clearance for a German pilot who five years later deliberately flew an airliner full of people into a mountainside in the French Alps. A lawyer for victims families says they missed a chance to head off the disaster.

As Andreas Lubitz prepared in June 2010 to come to the U.S. for training at Lufthansas flight school in Arizona, he applied to the Federal Aviation Administration for a student pilot medical certificate, according to FAA records and a report by French air crash investigators.

Lubitz initially told the FAA he hadnt been treated for any mental disorders, and he failed to list doctors who had treated him on the application form as required.

But Lufthansa knew that he was being treated for depression brought on by stress and had taken a leave of absence from his training before returning to work with a doctors statement that he was had been successfully treated.

After Lubitz filed the erroneous application, a medical examiner working for the FAA in Germany filed one correcting the discrepancy, with an explanation that he had been found fit to fly.

Brian Alexander, an attorney hired by the families of about 80 of the passengers killed in the crash, said that because Lubitz had initially lied to the FAA about his mental health history, it was within the agencys power to simply deny him the medical clearance.

Instead, the FAA wrote Lubitz asking for a report from his doctor, including whether medications for depression had been discontinued. With that in hand, the FAA granted him the medical certificate in late July.

They had a chance to maybe stop this, Alexander said.

The FAA confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press that the agency issued the clearance after conducting an exam and obtaining additional information about his previous treatment for mental health issues.

However, the statement said the agency has no indication that Mr. Lubitz falsified any records or was unfit to be a pilot at the time of that exam.

Alexander called the FAA statement disingenuous. Lubitzs initial application shows clearly that he checked the no box when the correct answer would have been yes, he said, and that is enough for FAA officials to have refused to grant the certificate even.

They cant retreat from what happened here, Alexander said. He got caught. Thats the only reason he came clean.

Alexander acknowledged that denial in such circumstances may not have been the agencys normal practice. But had the agency probed more deeply, it might have learned that the pilots depression was far more serious than portrayed, he said.

Lubitzs severe depression, which began in 2008, included suicidal thoughts, and he made pacts with his psychiatrist not to commit suicide, according a report released this week by the Bureau dEnquetes et dAnalyses, the French investigative agency.

Lubitz went on to complete his flight training in Arizona and became a pilot for Germanwings, a regional airline owned by Lufthansa.

Voice recordings show that on March 24, 2015, he locked the captain of Germanwings Flight 9525 out of the cockpit before setting the plane on a collision course with the rocky face of a mountain, killing himself and all 149 others aboard. The plane was on its way from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Oklahomas workers compensation system took a hit on March 1, 2016, when the states Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional the provision in the 2013 Oklahoma Workers Compensation Act that prohibits workers comp claims from workers who have been employed less than 180 days.

The high courts ruling came less a week after the Oklahoma Workers Compensation Commission ruled portions of the states opt-out provision of the workers comp statute to be unconstitutional as well.

The case before the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Torres v. Seaboard Foods LLC (Case No. 113649), involves an employee who suffered cumulative injuries after working only 120 days.

The Court explained that the administrative law judge had sided with the employer in denying the claim because the employee had not worked the necessary 180-day period. The decision of the ALJ subsequently was affirmed by the Workers Compensation Commission.

On appeal, the Oklahoma Supreme Court found the 180-day provision, which essentially cuts off an injured worker from any kind of remedy under the law, violates the Due Process Section of the Oklahoma Constitution.

The justices also found the provision to be plainly unfair.

The 180-day cutoff creates a classification that completely bars Petitioner and others in Petitioners position from recovering for their injuries at all. In this regard, the 180-day line separating who may recover for potentially identical injuries on cumulative trauma grounds is not only arbitrary, but fundamentally unjust, wrote Vice Chief Justice Douglas Combs in a concurring opinion. (Emphasis in the original.)

Justice Tom Colbert, also in a concurring opinion, stated that with the enactment of the Administrative Workers Compensation Act (AWCA), the balance is now off kilter and has become one-sided to the benefit of the employer.
Gustavo Dudamel Given the Cultural Achievement Award by the Americas Society

LA Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel attends The Los Angeles Philharmonic 2015/2016 Season Opening Night Gala at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on September 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel was honored with the Americas Society Culutral Achievement Award. The award was given to the conductor for his outstanding accomplishments in the artistic and humanitarian communities.

According to a release, the Los Angeles Philharmonic maestro has achieved great praise for his contributions to both the Philharmonic and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. As a humanitarian, he is recognized for his dedication and commitment to transforming the lives of thousands of young aspiring musicians.

In that regard, Mr. Dudamel led a resounding performance by the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles alongside Coldplay, Beyonce and Bruno Mars at the Super Bowl earlier this year. YOLA, then, is an organization aimed at providing opportunities for low income youths who dream of becoming a classical musician.

The award was presented Saturday, March 12 from the Council of the Americans and CEO Susan Segal. On the subject, Segal commented:

"Maestro Gustavo Dudamel brings together in one person extraordinary musical talent, a passion for education, and a new vision for achievement and advancement that have touched the lives of thousands of young people around the world."

To which Dudamel also said:

"On behalf of all the people who believe and engage in the vision that music and the arts can be a vehicle for social change, I am very honored to accept this award. In our extremely complex world, it is my hope that music will continue to inspire and heal people. This has been and remains my goal."

Maestro Dudamel also recently performed Fanfare for the Common Man with members of the L.A. Philharmonic on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The performance was to promote the Phil's 2016 world tour.

Congratulations to Mr. Dudamel for his latest achievement. In the meantime, catch the Colbert performance below.

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsGustavo Dudamel, L.A. Philharmonic, The Americas Society, Cultural Achievement Award
Jose Llana Returns to King and I, Releasing New Album Altitude Based on Broadway Career

Broadway star Jose Llana is getting ready to revive his role as Lun Tha in The King and I at the Lincoln Center later this Spring. That isnt all. Llana will also be releasing a new album, Altitude based on his favorite numbers throughout his career.

Jose Llama got his Broadway start in the 1996 revival of The King and I as Lun Tha. Some of Llunas other Broadway roles includes Chip in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Angel in RENT and Jessie-Lee in Street Corner Symphony just to name a few.

Llana released a statement about the new album and his storied career on Broadway (via Press Release):

Twenty years ago  in the Broadway Revival of The King & I  I began an amazing, messy, unpredictable journey. Since then, Ive gotten to sail on Adam Guettels rolling waves, misspell words in Bill Finns adolescent gymnasium, and rule with an iron fist in David Byrnes presidential palace. And two decades after I arrived in New York, when I took the stage as the King in the new Broadway production of The King and I, I knew Id come full circle. At my concert for Lincoln Centers American Songbook Series, I got the chance to honor the composers whove kept me gainfully employed, and who make me want to keep reaching for higher altitudes. This album was inspired by that night, and the astonishing music Ive been lucky enough to get to sing.

Altitude hits online retailers on May 13. You can preorder Altitude at www.YellowSoundLabel.com.

Llana will make his return to the King and I at the Lincoln Center April 19 - May 1.

The tracklist for Altitude includes :

1.) Saturn Returns  Written by Adam Guettel, from Saturn Returns: A Concert

2.) Icarus  Written by Adam Guettel, from Saturn Returns: A Concert

3.) We Kiss in a Shadow/I Have Dreamed 

Music by Richard Rodgers / Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, from The King & I

4.) Lonely Town  Music by Leonard Bernstein / Lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green, from On the Town

5.) Chips Lament (M. U. E.)  Written by William Finn, from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

6.) Marry Me a Little  Written by Stephen Sondheim, from Company

7.) She is More  Written by AnnMarie Milazzo, from Pretty Dead Girl

8.) Child of the Philippines  Written by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim, from Here Lies Love

9.) Hero and Leander  Written by Adam Guettel, from Saturn Returns: A Concert

10.) Thinking Out Loud  Written by Ed Sheeran

11.) Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)  Written by Billy Joel

12.) A Puzzlement Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, from The King & I

13.) A Perfect Hand  Written by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim, from Here Lies Love

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsJose Llana, Returns, King and I, Album Altitude, broadway, Career
American Idol Alum Chris Daughtry Talks Fox Live Musical The Passion

This Sunday, Fox is airing their next live musical event, The Passion from New Orleans. The production, hosted by Tyler Perry is based on the annual event held in the Netherlands which re-tells the story of the Christ death and resurrection in a different city with different pop songs each year: This years cast includes Jencarlos Canela as Jesus Christ and American Idol alum Chris Daughtry as Judas Iscariot.

Recently, Chris Daughtry spoke to USA Today about branching out into the world of acting:

"I've always had a desire to act, but musicals (weren't) one of the things I wanted to be in."

Daughtry went on to add that he was attracted to the shows more modern look:

"I thought it was really cool that it wasn't going to have that aesthetic at all, which makes it more relevant and compelling."

The show will also feature modern pop songs. One of many songs featured in the show is the Imagine Dragons song Demons, performed as a duet after (spoiler alert) Judas betrays Jesus. Executive producer Mark Bracco spoke up about the song, saying:

"The lyrics are so eerily perfect that it almost feels as if that song was written for that moment. Whenever any of the characters have dialogue, it's all taken directly from Scripture and they speak it that way."

The cast list for The Passion includes:

Jencarlos Canela as Jesus Christ.

Chris Daughtry as Judas Iscariot.

Prince Royce as Peter.

Trisha Yearwood as Mother Mary

Seal as Pontius Pilate

With Tyler Perry serving as host and narrator.

The Passion airs semi-live Palm Sunday on Fox.

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsAmerican Idol, Alum, Chris Daughtry, FOX, Live, Musical, The Passion
Watch Laurie Anderson Perform Music for Dogs on the Late Show with Colbert

Laurie Anderson performs at the January Midnight Moment concert for dogs: Heart Of a Dog by Laurie Anderson at Duffy Square on January 4, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Laurie Anderson performed a new piece for dogs in Times Square during a chilly New York evening. Now, she has brought that special canine masterpiece to the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in a most resounding rendition of the tune.

On the show, Ms. Anderson entertains both humans and dogs with a new composition all her own. The piece is an exploration on how sounds affect the ears of a canine since they're cognitive prowess for hearing and processing audio and sounds is much more complex and sensitive than our own.

Rolling Stone commented on the performance:

"The ears of her special audience did perk up a few times during her short performance, which was also palatable for human ears. Anderson began with a section of lithe, elegant plucking that moved deftly into dissonance and scraping before coalescing into a rumbling, stirring close."

The new work from Anderson comes as an idea conjured by her and world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Since that discussion in 2010, Anderson has held two concerts of the piece, with an incarnation of it being performed at a festival in Sydney, Australia.

Also, the concert for dogs is in coordination with her recent film Heart of a Dog. In the film, the musician reflects on her late-mother, her late-husband Lou Reed and her beloved dog. That piece is set to debut on HBO April 25.

Certainly the performance was intended for dogs and not humans, and yet the experience is something not uncommon with our own human experience too. But without delving too far into the philosophy behind the work, take a preview of Anderson's latest idiosyncrasy with a video from the Late Show with Colbert below.

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsLaurie Anderson, Music for Dogs, Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Heart of a Dog
AKRON, Ohio -- The leader of an Akron dogfighting ring that drew spectators from across the country will spend an additional two years in prison after Summit County prosecutors took up the case following a conviction in federal court.

Alvin Banks, 56, pleaded guilty Thursday to dogfighting and possessing a weapon as a felon in Summit County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Alison McCarty sentenced him to two years in state prison. That prison term will begin once he completes a two-year federal prison sentence.

Defense attorney Noah Munyer said that his client looks forward to putting the case behind him.

A defendant can be prosecuted in both federal and state court without violating laws protecting him or her from double jeopardy. It's more common for county courts to drop charges if federal prosecutors take up the case.

"With nearly 40 others charged in Summit County in connection with dog fighting, we felt it was appropriate to charge the man who admitted to holding dog fighting tournaments at his home," Chief Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Brad Gessner said in a statement at the time Banks' indictment in county court.

Banks organized the large-scale dogfighting ring at his home in the 1100 block of Cordova Avenue.

Banks had an elaborate set-up for training dogs for fighting, a ring for holding tournaments and even had a concession stand set up for spectators. Police and federal agents raided the property Nov. 15, 2014.

Authorities seized eight pit bulls and pit mixes, including two bloodied dogs fighting in a ring set up in Banks' garage. One of the dogs was euthanized.

Forty-seven people, including some from as far away as California, were arrested in what Akron police called the largest dogfighting bust in recent history.

Authorities also seized more than $52,000 in cash, brought by people who came to bet on the matches, and another $30,000 strewn on the ground.

Banks pleaded guilty in April to federal charges of sponsoring and exhibiting a canine in an animal-fighting venture, as well as buying, selling, delivering, possessing, training and transporting canines and attending an animal fight.

He also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and a drug charge relating to a small marijuana-growing operation found inside his home.

Ten people, including Banks, were convicted in federal court. Prosecutors said 37 of the remaining 38 other defendants have either pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial. The last is scheduled for trial in April.
STOW, Ohio -- A former Army recruiter was sentenced Thursday to two years on probation after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with a teenager.

Jonathan Crouch, 37, of Copley, apologized to the girl for his "poor judgment" at the hearing. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O'Brien also ordered he have no contact with the girl.

Crouch will be discharged from the Army after a 18-year career. He will lose his pension, defense attorney Andrew Parker said during the hearing.

Crouch was an Army recruiter in Barberton at the time of his arrest.

"I should have been more mature in my decision making," Crouch said.

Crouch previously pleaded guilty to four third-degree misdemeanor counts of sexual imposition. He originally faced five felony charges.

Crouch was classified as a Tier I sex offender at the sentencing, meaning he must report his address to the county sheriff every year for 15 years.

Crouch previously told investigators that he carried on a months-long sexual relationship with the girl. The two met while working out at their apartment complex's workout room.

The investigation began April 15 when a man reported finding text messages on his daughter's cellphone that referenced another girl having a sexual relationship with an adult.

Stow police spoke with the other girl, a 16 year old, who told police that she had sex with Crouch several times.

Officers raided Crouch's apartment in the 2000 block of Hidden Lake Drive and seized three cellphones, an Amazon Kindle, two laptop computers, five thumb drives, two external hard drives, a CD and a smart watch.
Pfeiffer Elementary School

Akron police are investigating after a student reported two men tried to get her into their truck while she walked home from school.

(Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com)

AKRON, Ohio -- Akron police are investigating Wednesday after two men tried to lure an elementary school student into their van.

The 9-year-old girl reported that she was walking home about 4:15 p.m. from Pfieffer Elementary School's Akron After School program on 9th Street N.W.

A white truck pulled up next to her. An older man with a white beard opened his door and told the girl to get into his truck, the girl told police.

The student ran back to the school and reported the incident to a school official.

Akron police went to the school and conducted interviews. No arrests have been made.
NORTHFIELD CENTER, Ohio -- The two children found dead after their father set fire to their home, causing it to explode, died of suffocation.

The Summit County Medical Examiner, however, is unable to tell exactly how Alyson Mather, 12, and Ruthie Mather, 9, were suffocated. Their deaths were both ruled homicides on Thursday. They had no indication of smoke inhalation, meaning they were dead before the smoke from the fire would have filled their lungs.

Their father, Jeffrey Mather, 43, died of a suicide after he poured gasoline on Jan. 11 throughout their home in the home at 7486 Skyhaven Road, the medical examiner said. His wife was also found dead in the home.

The medical examiner was unable to determine the manner of 43-year-old Cynthia Mather's death but noted that the cause of death was an overdose of Prozac. There was no indication she suffered from smoke inhalation.

The medical examiner said they were unable to determine if she was poisoned or if she committed suicide. Medical examiner records said their task of finding out how the family died was complicated by how burned their bodies were.

"It is unclear which parent is responsible for the death of the two children or how the children were asphyxiated and we will not speculate on the circumstances," the medical examiner said in a statement.

Cynthia Mather's father, Thomas Winger, declined to comment when reached by cleveland.com on Thursday.

Jeff Mather was found dead next to a charred gas can.

Mather set the fire on the first floor of the home. The other three were on the second floor of the home when the fire started. They fell through the second floor when it collapsed.

The Ohio Fire Marshal officially ruled the fire arson.

Jeff Mather had previously attempted suicide in December after his role changed at his job at Swagelok in Solon, the records say. He told authorities that he had been depressed for a few months.

Prior to that, Jeff Mather had no history of mental illness, marital or financial problems, according to the records. Cynthia and Jeff were married for about 20 years.

Mather, a deacon for 13 years at The Rock Community Church in Garfield Heights, spent three days in a Willoughby mental health facility before returning to work Jan. 4.

Cellphone records showed Cynthia Mather had informed family members things were going poorly with her husband after his return to work.
AKRON, Ohio -- Two people pleaded guilty to their roles in a robbery and beating of a 20-year-old woman.

Zachary Cruse, 23, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors and defense attorney William Vasillou negotiated a three-year prison sentence if Cruse testifies against Tyran Porterfield, 19.

The third co-defendant in the case, Darius Mitchell, 25, pleaded guilty to robbery and burglary Wednesday. He also agreed to testify against Mitchell. There is no recommended sentence for Mitchell.

Summit County Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands scheduled a June 1 sentencing date for both men on the condition that Porterfield's case is resolved.

The trio on Oct. 12 burst into the woman's apartment in the 500 block of Tennessee Place. One of the men punched the woman in the face. Cruse attacked a 24-year-old man in the apartment, police reports say.

Someone threatened to kill the woman and her young daughter, who was also in the apartment at the time. One of the men pulled the woman down a flight of stairs after she ran to protect the child, police reports say.

The woman escaped the apartment and called police. Officers found her screaming at the apartment and the 24-year-old man hiding in a closet for fear of his safety.
What does it take to make a business out of an Instagram account? The entrepreneurs behind three successful accounts dished to CNBC about their top tips for becoming an Insta-boss.

For Ali Maffucci, it all started when her mom "spiralized" zucchini into spaghetti using a machine that turns vegetables into noodles. Two months later, she quit her job and started Inspiralized, an online and social media blog.



Ali Maffucci of Inspiralized turned vegetable pasta into a full-fledged social media brand. Source: Unique Lapin

"One hundred percent, Instagram has been my biggest platform of all social media accounts," Maffucci said. She sees the most follower engagement and opportunity for sponsorship on the platform.

Sponsors pay the self-taught cook, author and product developer $1,000 to $40,000 per campaign, which can vary in number of posts on Instagram and her blog. Restaurant chain Houlihan's also recently featured Maffucci's recipes under a licensing agreement and collaboration.

1. Reach out to people

When Maffucci didn't see people talking about spiralizing, she tapped into a community of healthy bloggers on Instagram to make it a topic of conversation. Success doesn't exist in a vacuum. Start following and commenting on people who blog about similar things, Maffucci recommended. Today, Inspiralized has more than 130,000 followers on Instagram and 2 million blog subscribers.

"If you're interested in fashion, for example, find style-related hashtags and be genuine in your comments on them. Say 'Cute shoes' or ask, 'Where did you get that?'" Maffucci said.

2. Get savvy with hashtags and accounts

Start your own hashtag, the blogger suggested. And if you have a product you're marketing, create an account exclusively for it since links in Instagram posts and comments don't hyperlink. "People can click on the account name and see it instantly. They know exactly what it is. It really helps you grow that presence tremendously," she said.

3. Take awesome photos

This may seem obvious, but social media stars can't stress it enough  only post high-quality photos. "Great photography  it's really powerful," said blogger Erica Domesek.

Domesek started a crafts business seven years ago making custom necklaces for her friends. Fast forward to today, and her crafting site and Instagram account "P.S.I made this..." has become her full-time job.



Erica Domesek of P.S.- I made this... Source: Jana Williams

So what's behind a good photo? If you're using a smartphone, start by using the grid setting on your phone's camera, turn on the "auto HDR" feature and use natural, outdoor lighting when possible.



4. Shout out to influencers

If you have a post or image you think a specific brand name or big social media influencer will like or share, tag it with the user name. To avoid annoying anyone, do this sparingly. "You can tag brands, magazines or other influencers who have a lot of followers. It can be like a knock-knock on their door," Domesek said.

5. Know your niche

Across the pond, blogger Julie Falconer stressed the importance of honing in on a niche. She worked in banking and finance for several years before she quit her job in 2007 and moved to the U.K. She started blogging about her travel adventures in London. Now, it supports her life living there.

More than 93,000 people follow her Instagram account, "A Lady in London." Falconer runs a related travel planning business, has an e-book on social media strategies, teaches branding and social media monetization courses. Here are her tips: "I think it's really important to know what your niche or unique selling point is on Instagram and really go with that, whether you're going to choose a geo location or theme to specialize in," Falconer said.

Then once you have your niche area of focus, communicate that in every photo you post to Instagram. "It gives people a way to remember your account," she said.

6. Stay on brand

Just because something looks pretty, doesn't mean you should post it. It's important to stay on brand, or only produce content that's related to what your style and blogging subject.

"You have to be careful no matter what it is to stay on brand," Falconer said. "I only work with partners that are on brand."

7. Go offline
Japan's exports fell 4 percent on-year in February, a larger-than-expected drop, but slowed their decline from January.

A poll of analysts by Reuters showed expectations of a 3.1 percent fall in exports. But the fall was less sharp than the 12.9 percent on-year decline in January.

Imports fell 14.2 percent against the same month last year, data from the country's Ministry of Finance showed. Analysts expected a 15.2 percent fall.

Exports to China increased 5.1 percent, while exports to Asia as a whole where down 6.1 percent on-year.

The trade balance was considerably under the median estimate, coming in at a 242.8 billion yen ($2.2 billion) surplus, against expectations of a 388.6 billion yen surplus.

A MOF official attributed the jump in exports to China to demand stimulated by the Lunar New Year holiday, which took place in February, but that this made exports to the country look healthier than the reality.

- Reuters contributed to this report.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


The Tanjong Pagar container terminal, foreground, the Keppel container terminal, back right, and the Brani container terminal, back left, stand in this aerial photograph taken above Singapore, on Thursday, July 2, 2015.

Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 2.1 percent in February from a year ago, as shipments to the United States rose and a decline in sales to China moderated.

This reversed a 10.1 percent overall decline in year-on-year exports that was reported in January. Five economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had a median forecast of a 2 percent increase.

The data released Thursday by International Enterprise Singapore, the country's trade agency, showed that shipments to China dropped 1.2 percent in February compared to the same period a year earlier, a big improvement on the 25.2 percent on-year fall recorded in January.



Shipments to the U.S. were up 4.2 percent, reversing a 5.1 percent decline in January.
The court has often operated with fewer than nine members many times in our history and, more than a few times, presidents and the Congress have jockeyed, struggled, and contested over vacancies and confirmations. It is understandable that many regret the politicization of the court's membership but it is also understandable, given the role that the court now plays in our democracy, that many people care, a lot, about the court. There can be little doubt that, if the president were a Republican and the Senate were controlled by Democrats, things would proceed similarly to the way they are now.

Turning to Judge Garland in particular, several points are noteworthy. First, there is the fact that, at 63, he is the oldest nominee to the court in 45 years. In recent decades, especially since the controversial treatment of one of President Reagan's nominees, Robert Bork, presidents of both parties have sought to increase the impact of their Supreme Court picks by nominating relatively young jurists. A judge who joins the court at, say, age 50 (as Justice Elena Kagan did) has the potential to shape the court's work for many years. By nominating Judge Garland instead of, for example, Judge Sri Srinivasan or Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the president appears to be taking a different path. It could be, in fact, that the president expects the Senate to stand by its resolution not to confirm Justice Scalia's replacement before the election, and so he has decided to, in effect, save some of the younger candidates on his short list for the possibility of a Hillary Clinton presidency and then let her make the nomination.
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It's been a tough week for billionaire investor Bill Ackman, and longtime investors are debating the health of his firm, Pershing Square. News that Ackman sold down his Mondelez position by 20 million shares on Wednesday night, just a day after losing $1 billion dollars on paper in Valeant , raised a flurry of new questions. His fund is down 9 percent this week and 26 percent year-to-date. Pershing Square's value has also declined 47-percent from its high reached just back in July of last year. On Thursday, Standard and Poor's placed Pershing Square Holdings ' "BBB" issuer credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on watch negative. The agency cited the firm's drop in net asset value, "largely because of a precipitous decline" in Valeant shares. In a letter to investors on Wednesday night, Ackman said the Mondelez sale was for "rebalancing," as the position grew outsized, compared to other holdings, like that of Valeant, which have dropped in value. That sparked wild speculation about whether Ackman might have gotten a margin call, or something else.

Bill Ackman David Orrell | CNBC

Ackman denied that claim to CNBC on Thursday morning, saying, "We don't use margin leverage  never have and never will." Other investors speculated that Ackman might be preparing for a wave of redemptions prompted by his portfolio's recent declines, which he said was not the case. Ackman said just 2 percent of Pershing Square's assets, which total more than $11 billion  was redeemed on Feb. 15, the most recent opportunity to do so. Much of the negative Valeant news was already widely known at that time, though the shares had not yet taken the biggest plunge. As of Feb. 15, Ackman said, some 83 percent of his investors who could have cashed out instead rolled their money ahead and remained in the fund. One long-term Ackman investor told CNBC on Thursday that he has no desire to leave. "We're sticking with him for sure" the investor said, pointing to Ackman's long-term track record, which he called stellar. He also pointed out successful bets in the Howard Hughes Corp. , Air Products and several others as reasons to remain optimistic. The investor further blamed bad press for much of Ackman's ills. "Generally speaking, it's been all negative and there's been a piling on effect as a result."


Billionaire investor William Ackman adjusted his battered hedge fund portfolio on Wednesday when he sold 20 million shares of snack maker Mondelez International , one day after another key holding, Valeant Pharmaceuticals , lost half of its value.

In a three paragraph letter sent to investors after the close of trading on Wednesday and seen by Reuters, Ackman said his firm, Pershing Square, has no plans to sell other investments right now and has "substantial uninvested cash." The letter came one day after Pershing Square lost about $800 million when Valeant was pummeled after raising the possibility that it may default on its debt and posting a worse-than-expected financial outlook.

Bill Ackman at Delivering Alpha 2015 in New York on July 15, 2015. David A. Grogan | CNBC

Ackman's Pershing Square Holdings has now lost 26.4 percent since January, marking one of the worst performances in the hedge fund industry this year. Before today's sale, Pershing Square owned 43 million shares, or 7.5 percent, of Mondelez, which makes Oreo cookies, Trident gum and Milka chocolate. It now owns 5.6 percent of the company. The hedge fund unveiled its position in Mondelez in August 2015 and has since been pushing for a sale. "We continue to believe in the potential for operating improvements and margin expansion that we expect will lead to substantial further increases in value," Ackman wrote in the letter. On Tuesday, Ackman barely contained his frustration with Valeant in an earlier note, warning the company and assuring his investors that Pershing Square was "going to take a more proactive role at the company to protect and maximize the value of our investment."
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With his youthful earnestness, genial personality and devotion to conservative policy, Paul Ryan enjoyed a special stature within GOP even before he became House speaker late last year. John Boehner had resigned in frustration with his fractious caucus, and colleagues pressed Ryan to take over the job, three years after his unsuccessful bid as Mitt Romney's running mate. Now the raucous 2016 presidential race  which Ryan considered, then decided not to enter  is posing fresh challenges. Criticizing some statements by GOP front-runner Donald Trump but pledging to support him if nominated, Ryan has been leading his colleagues toward developing their own conservative agenda to be unveiled before this summer's Republican convention.

The 46-year-old Irish-American speaker sat down with me this week to discuss those challenges over a glass of Guinness in the Capitol, hours after he hosted President Barack Obama and Ireland's prime minister at a luncheon. What follows is a condensed, edited transcript of our conversation.

HARWOOD: You've got to be really happy you didn't run for president this year.

RYAN: Yes. I think that's probably a totally, completely fair thing to say. I looked into it. For lots of reasons I didn't do it, namely phase of life, family reasons, our kids are pretty young.

CNBCs John Harwood sat down with House Speaker Paul Ryan in a "Speakeasy" interview at the Capitol Building in Washington DC on March 15, 2016. Sophie Bearman | CNBC

HARWOOD; We do have a clear front-runner in the Republican race. You and Donald Trump  how's that going to work? RYAN: We'll make it work if it happens. I'm going to speak my mind. I'm going to defend conservatism as I understand it. I'm going to defend our ideas as the Republican Party. But we're going to have to work with whoever our nominee is.

HARWOOD: How do you take into account, as you shape your agenda, the voices of Republican voters as expressed in these primaries so far?

RYAN: Well, it's bottom up here in the House. So every one of our members of the House Republican Conference is working on this agenda, participating in assembling this agenda based on getting influence and input from their own constituents. Every member of Congress, that's what we do. If you're in the House, you are from the people. You are the grassroots. You're elected every other year. And out of that come these solutions, which we're going to take to the country and say, "Here is what we will do if you, our fellow citizens, give us the ability to put it in place. Here's how we get America out of the rut we are in."





Remember, we're not going to pay for that, recall? We think we should secure the border, that's for sure. Exactly how we should secure the border? We should let the experts decide exactly where. Speaker Paul Ryan on building a wall on the Mexican border.

HARWOOD: So as you consider what voters are saying, are you exploring in your agenda funding the construction of a border wall? RYAN: Remember, we're not going to pay for that, recall? We think we should secure the border, that's for sure. Exactly how we should secure the border? We should let the experts decide exactly where.

HARWOOD: So maybe not a big wall.

RYAN: Look, I'll let you talk to the task force as to exactly how we think we should secure the border. But one thing that does unify all Republicans is we should have a secure border.

HARWOOD: On the issues of trade and entitlement reform, isn't the message that Republican voters have been sending that they want something more from the Republican Party than simply freer markets and less government?

RYAN: We are in a global economy, whether we like it or not. And we believe, I believe, that America should be at the table, writing the rules of the global economy instead of China.





HARWOOD: So if the messages of those voters is "no more trade deals," you're saying, "That's not what House Republicans believe?"

RYAN: I don't think that that's necessarily the message. They say no more bad trade deals, they say good trade deals. Donald Trump says, "Let's have good trade deals." So I don't think people are saying, "Put up a wall and stop trading with the rest of the world." How can you do that if we're 5 percent of the world's population?

HARWOOD: Donald Trump does say, "Do not touch Social Security and Medicare, we don't need to do that."

RYAN: I believe that if we do not prevent Medicare from going bankrupt, it will go bankrupt. And that will be bad for everybody. We have to tackle our debt crisis. We have to tackle the drivers of our debt. And I think, I hope, that whoever our standard bearer's going to be will acknowledge that.

I disagree with that. I think for younger people like myself, they're not going to be there for my generation when we retire. You have to change these benefits to prevent them from going bankrupt. Ryan, on his differences with Donald Trump on entitlement program reform.

HARWOOD: But if presidential leadership is the indispensable ingredient for entitlement reform, as everybody's said, and has for a long time, doesn't it mean if you nominate and elect a candidate who says, "Don't touch them," it's not going to happen?

RYAN: Well, I'd like to think that he will see what is going on with these programs.

HARWOOD: He says don't touch anybody.

RYAN: Well, I disagree with that. I think for younger people like myself, they're not going to be there for my generation when we retire. You have to change these benefits to prevent them from going bankrupt.

HARWOOD: But Donald Trump is running against candidates in the Republican primary who agree with you on entitlement reform, and beating them. What does that mean?

RYAN: Yeah, well, I think he's beating them for lots of reasons. Do we have a debt crisis coming in America? Yes, we do. Should we do something to prevent that from happening? Yes, we should.





HARWOOD: On taxes, when your predecessor as Ways and Means chair, Dave Camp, came out with a comprehensive tax reform a few years ago, he adopted as a principle that it was going to be distributionally neutral. It wasn't going to give an advantage to any group over the current system. Is that still a principle that you think is appropriate for the Republican tax agenda?

RYAN: So I do not like the idea of buying into these distributional tables. What you're talking about is what we call static distribution. It's a ridiculous notion. What it presumes is life in the economy is some fixed pie, and it's not going to change. And it's really up to government to redistribute the slices more equitably. That is not how the world works. That's now how life works. You can shrink or expand the economy, and what we want to maximize is economic growth and upward mobility so that everybody can get a bigger slice of the pie.

HARWOOD: And you're not worried that those blue-collar Republican voters, who are voting in the primaries right now, are going to say, "Hey, wait a minute. You're really taking care of people at the top more than you're taking care of me."

RYAN: I think most people don't think, "John's success comes at my expense." Or, "my success comes at your expense." People don't think like that. People want to know the deck is fair. Bernie Sanders talks about that stuff. That's not who we are.

CNBCs John Harwood sat down with House Speaker Paul Ryan in a "Speakeasy" interview at the Capitol Building in Washington DC on March 15, 2016. Sophie Bearman | CNBC

HARWOOD: Your predecessor, John Boehner, came up with a budget deal at the end of his term, which you then passed. But all of your Republican presidential candidates denounced the deal, said it was a terrible deal. If you can't persuade your colleagues among leaders in the Republican Party that you're doing the right thing with deals like that, how can you govern?

RYAN: We're coming to the end of the stress of what I call a divided government. You have a conservative Congress on the one hand, and a very liberal, progressive president on the other hand. And we're coming to the end of this. The nerves are very frayed. I feel them myself.

I really believe what we need is a clarifying election in this country, to ask the men and women who are citizens of this nation, to break this impasse. We have a broken, divided government that isn't fixing the big problems facing our country. And if we keep this broken, divided big government going as it is, these problems get out of control. They go beyond our ability to fix them on our own terms as a nation.

If we have another presidency like this presidency, then I really do worry that the best days will be behind us, and that's the problem. If we have divided government, we're going to have to figure out how to make it work and it won't be nearly as good as if we have unified government to give us the ability to fix these problems. Ryan

HARWOOD: So what do you do if a Democrat wins the presidency? RYAN: Let me just finish my point. What I believe we do is we take an agenda to the country and say, "This is what we think we need to do to fix this country's big problems. This is how we prevent a debt crisis. This is how we grow the economy." And then we let the country make a decision. And if we win the kind of election that we're hoping to win in 2016, not unlike what Ronald Reagan, and my mentor Jack Kemp did in 1980, then we will have earned a mandate from the country to put these things in place. If, then, on your scenario, we have divided government, then we're just going to have to figure out how to make it work. But I think it's going to be more of the same. That's the frustration. What we're worried about is having more of the same, which is all these big problems that are facing our country that are piling up, they're still fixable. If we have another presidency like this presidency, then I really do worry that the best days will be behind us, and that's the problem. If we have divided government, we're going to have to figure out how to make it work and it won't be nearly as good as if we have unified government to give us the ability to fix these problems.

HARWOOD: You mentioned your old hero/mentor, Jack Kemp. This has not been a primary campaign that sounds like Jack Kemp. RYAN: That's for sure, I would agree with you on that.

HARWOOD: And you have spoken out on that on several occasions, to say you don't like the tone. If people like you speak out, condemn things that you think are offensive in the campaign, but nevertheless say you're going to support the candidate doing those things as the nominee, aren't you proving him right when he says, "I could walk down Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I'm not going to lose support."

RYAN: No, because I have to respect the primary voter. I have to respect the citizens  of this country, and the member of the Republican Party who goes to the polls in Wisconsin, Ohio or wherever  to select the nominee. I have to respect that process. We don't have brokered anything. It's the primary voter who chooses it. But I am a conservative. I am a pro-growth, constitutional, limited government conservative. So I'm going to speak out for what I believe in  the kind of inclusive, aspirational, optimistic politics which unites people.

The kind of politics that I abhor, that I reject, which I think the president has played very successfully, is identity politics. Politics that I think, at the end of the day, is paternalistic and condescending. Politics that speaks to people in ways that divide them from one another, that divides people in this country.

The left shouldn't do it, and neither should the right. And I think it's wrong when either side does it, and that's why I speak out on these things when I see that happening. But at the end of the day, the Republican primary voter gets to make the decision on who their standard bearer is.

HARWOOD: And you have to follow that decision?

RYAN: It's not my decision, it's their decision.

HARWOOD: No, but it's a decision on who you support, who you are going to say, "I'm for this person."

RYAN: I'm the speaker of the House. I represent everybody here in Congress, I represent Wisconsin's First District, and as the co-chair of the convention, I respect the rules.

HARWOOD: Your Irish heritage is important to you. It's important to the country. But Irish immigration wasn't always universally popular.

RYAN: Yeah, that's for sure

I think what we're hearing from are people who are really anxious, and they're worried about their future. And so when they see open borders or porous borders where the rule of law is not even being applied, they're very concerned. So I don't think this is about race or culture. I think this is about whether we are continuing this beautiful American idea, or whether we're fracturing as a country. Ryan
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A Barclays analyst who was arrested for allegedly torturing his New York roommate's cat is no longer employed by the bank  and also may face serious new criminal charges, CNBC has learned. And the cat that Declan Garrity is accused of brutally abusing was set to undergo yet another surgery for her injuries on Thursday.

Garrity, a 24-year-old analyst, was placed on leave by Barclays in late February after his bust on animal torture and cruelty charges related to his alleged tormenting of a cat named Lucy. At the time of his arrest in Manhattan, the bank said it would conduct "a thorough investigation" of the native of Northern Ireland.

Lucy The Cat Source: gofundme

Less than a week later Garrity was arrested again. This time for a criminal contempt charge after he allegedly returned to the apartment he had shared with Lucy's owner to retrieve his belongings, but without a police escort, as had been required under an order of protection and by a judge's order.



On Wednesday evening, a Barclays spokesman, after being asked about Garrity's status at the bank, said, "Mr.Garrity is no longer with Barclays." "I can't comment on the reason for his departure," said the spokesman, who also declined to say when Garrity left the bank's employ. The father of Lucy's owner  who had been informed of Garrity's departure from Barclays  told CNBC that prosecutors told his family earlier this week that a grand jury had returned an indictment lodging eight felony charges against Garrity in conjunction with the cat case, as well as other charges related to his alleged violation of the protective order. A spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment when asked whether new charges were being filed in the case, noting that "the case is open and pending." Garrity's lawyer did not immediately return requests seeking comment. Garrity, who is in United States on a work visa, had worked at Barclays' offices in New York City since October 2014. According to his LinkedIn page, his responsibilities included "know-your-client screening," which includes verifying client identities at the bank. The honors graduate of Queens University in Belfast has written on social media accounts about being a vegan, and posted links that expressed concern about the treatment of animals used to produce food. His Facebook page features a photo of a small dog lying under a blanket.

Lucy The Cat Source: gofundme

A criminal complaint against the 180-pound Garrity says that shortly after he moved into an Upper East Side apartment already occupied by the cat's owner, the woman noticed "Lucy's behavior change." That 8-pound pet began hiding in her bedroom, not eating and constantly licked her paws, the complaint said. On Jan. 25, the complaint said, Garrity told the cat's owner "an iron had fell on the cat," which suffered a broken pelvis. Then, on the morning of Feb. 20, the owner came home from work to find Lucy hiding in her carrier with "her rear foot facing the wrong direction," along with cat hair and blood on towels in the bathroom, according to the complaint. The cat was later found to have suffered a broken bone in her leg, broken ribs, teeth and claws, and burns across her body, authorities said.

Garrity told cops he was "alone with Lucy" in the apartment during the previous night into the next morning, the complaint said. After being released on $5,000 bail, Garrity was ordered to stay away from the apartment, except for a two-hour window on Feb. 29 to have his belongings moved out. He was told by a judge to go there only with a police escort. Authorities said Garrity went to the apartment without such a police escort on Feb. 29, and tried to get into the apartment, in violation of the protective order and the judge's command, according to another criminal complaint. He was later released on $1,000 bail after that second arrest.
The controversial move by Brazil's president to appoint her predecessor and personal mentor as her chief of staff has been blocked by a federal judge, according to media reports. It was announced on Wednesday that Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would take a position in President Dilma Rousseff's government. However, on Thursday, a judge issued an injunction saying this could impede the money-laundering investigation into the former premier, according to Brazilian newspapers including O Globo.



Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff with former president, Lula Da Silva. Mario Tama | Getty Image

Both Lula and Rousseff are under scrutiny as part of an investigation  known as Operation Car Wash or Operacao Lava Jato  into the massive corruption scandal at Brazil's state-run oil company, Petrobras. Lula's appointment sparked protests across the country after it was announced. At a time of economic crisis, the move provoked heavy ire in a country decreasingly tolerant of its frequent political scandals. Many critics of the government saw Lula's appointment as an attempt to protect the former premier from prosecution for money laundering and make the impeachment of Rousseff less likely. "The obvious issue is that Lula's presence could make impeachment less likely, as he used his influence in Congress to help Rousseff. With regards to Lula's own vulnerability, it appears that only the Supreme Court can authorize the investigation, imprisonment, and trial of Cabinet members," Win Thin, head of emerging market currency strategy at BBH, said in a note on Wednesday.

Brazil



Rumors began circulating early this week that Rousseff, who was handpicked by Lula in 2010 to succeed him as president, would appoint him to her cabinet. The Brazilian real depreciated by more than 4 percent against the U.S. dollar as a result of the speculation, but bounced on Thursday on the news of the judge blocking Lula's appointment. "Giving Lula an appointment that gives immunity from prosecution gives the wrong signal to markets  the course of justice has been prevented," Blanco told CNBC by phone on Tuesday. At a news conference on Wednesday following the announcement, Rousseff told journalists that she was "very happy," according to several reports. "His joining my government strengthens my government," she said, "Many people don't want it to be strengthened. But he is coming and he's coming to help." A transcript published by domestic media on Wednesday details a phone conversation between Lula and Rousseff that was allegedly taped by Brazilian Federal Police. In it, Rousseff says that her main goal in inviting Lula to join the cabinet is to try to avoid his detention.



Some sort of coup?

The Brazilian media is agog with speculation that Lula may seek to redirect economic policy. Reports suggest the head of the central bank has been asked to resign and that Lula has requested former central bank president, Henrique Meirelles, replace him.

Other reports suggest Meirelles is being considered for the post of finance minister and that Lula only agreed to rejoin the cabinet on condition that economic policies became more pro-growth. "What does one call it when an unelected official basically takes over the reins of the government and installs his own policymaking team? At the risk of hyperbole, couldn't this be regarded as a coup of some sort?" BBH's Thin said on Wednesday.

Economy bottoming out?
Since the chances are growing of the Republican Party's having a convention fight to pick its nominee, a brokered convention could become a legitimate possibility. Even with Donald Trump leading the race with 656 delegates, the odds are increasing that he may not achieve the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the GOP nomination before the July convention. Complicating matters further is a new rule proposed for the convention that could put all eight candidates who already won delegates on the first ballot. Some Republican unbound delegates are saying they could ultimately change the outcome of the convention and introduce new candidates at the last minute if no one wins a clear majority. So, who are these seemingly free agents known as unbound delegates, and why are they considered the true power brokers in this race?





GOP Delegates at the 2012 GOP Convention in Tampa, Fla. Getty Images

'Unbound' delegates

Though the majority of delegates heading to the convention are bound to a candidate, currently 112 delegates of the 2,472 Republican delegates are free to choose or pledge their support for their preferred candidate. They are deemed "unbound" because their states or territories  North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, American Samoa and Guam  do not hold primaries or caucuses. While this may seem like a small number of delegates, in a hotly contested convention, every vote matters. In addition, if no majority is reached after the first nominating vote, most delegates are no longer bound by their state's primary or caucus results. If subsequent ballots are needed, almost all of the delegates can vote any way they want, according to Geoffrey Skelley, political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "That's when the individual identities of the delegates come into play," said Skelley. "This means that it is paramount for candidates to have delegates at the convention who support them." Below is a breakdown of the current delegates needed for each candidate to have a majority.

Why are they so powerful in this race?

Some unbound Republican delegates, like Curly Haugland of North Dakota, insist that most people do not understand the significance of delegates at the convention or the GOP eight-state rule. Haugland said that while most people think the rule refers to a candidate's having to win eight states in the primary, the candidate actually needs to demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from eight states at the convention.

"The requirement is that the candidate must demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from eight states that are permanently seated," Haugland told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "The delegates cannot vote until they are permanently seated, and that's the first action of the convention." Haugland even questioned why primaries and caucuses are held at all, saying the media has created a "perception" that voters choose the nominee directly.

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State-run conglomerate China Merchants Group has made an informal bid to buy London's Baltic Exchange, becoming the latest contender for the business that has been the hub of the global shipping market for centuries, two sources told Reuters. The approach was made by the group's subsidiary China Merchants Securities, according to the sources, who declined to be identified as the matter is not public. "They are the latest (suitor) and certainly, with such a massive group, it shows how this is heating up," one source said. An acquisition of the Baltic, which was founded in 1744, would give the Chinese conglomerate ownership of the industry's benchmark indices - which could be further commercialized - and greater access to the multi-billion dollar freight derivatives market. It is the latest Chinese company to look at shipping and commodities targets in Europe, aiming to take advantage of a market downturn that has pushed down valuations of some firms. China Merchants Securities, which is listed in Shanghai, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

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A spokesman for China Merchants Group in the Chinese city of Shenzhen said on Wednesday he was not aware of any bid for the Baltic Exchange, adding if there was a bid it would be processed by one of the group's units, which are listed in various locations such as Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. A Baltic spokesman said the exchange "to date hasn't commented on the identity of anyone involved in the process and declines to comment on whether or not the Baltic is in discussion with CMG (China Merchants Group)". On Feb. 26 the privately held Baltic Exchange confirmed it had received a number of "exploratory approaches" after the Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX) revealed it was seeking to buy the business. Both statements came a day after Reuters exclusively reported the Baltic had held talks with SGX and other potential buyers including CME Group, ICE and Platts. Last October, sources said the London Metal Exchange (LME) had made an approach to buy the Baltic. Clearing houses and exchanges are all looking for a way to distinguish themselves at a time of growing regulatory scrutiny and weak commodities markets. Buying the Baltic would allow any of those entities to diversify their activities into freight.

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China Merchants Group is among the country's biggest conglomerates, with interests spanning ports, shipping and financial services.

In December, Chinese authorities approved its acquisition of state-run logistics group Sinotrans & CSC Holdings Co, part of efforts by Beijing to make sprawling government-controlled firms more efficient as economic growth slows. That deal placed China Merchants' estimated assets worth 624 billion yuan ($96 billion) and Sinotrans & CSC assets of about 109 billion yuan under one roof. The two sources said China Merchants Securities was willing to pay a premium above other bidders to acquire the Baltic. Separate sources had previously estimated the deal could be worth about 84 million pounds ($118 million). Other Chinese firms looking at targets in Europe include COSCO, last month named by Greece as the preferred bidder for its biggest port, Piraeus.

Since then, COSCO has merged with fellow state firm China Shipping Group to create one of the world's biggest commercial shipping companies, China Cosco Shipping Corporation. Competition China Merchants still faces competition from SGX and others such as the LME, which was bought by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing in 2012 for $2.2 billion. The Baltic is owned by around 380 shareholders, many from the shipping industry. It produces daily benchmark rates and indices that are used across the world to trade and settle freight contracts. Last month Baltic Exchange chairman Guy Campbell wrote to the company's wider members, comprising around 650 companies that include the shareholders, and said no formal offer had been received, adding that discussions "may very well lead nowhere". In 2011, the Baltic - via a wholly owned subsidiary -launched the first central freight derivatives platform, called Baltex. Freight derivatives, which allow investors to take positions on freight rates in the future, are a multi-billion dollar niche market which is seen as another attraction.
That means even candidates who have dropped out of the race could be considered for the nomination.

Curly Haugland, a member of the GOP's standing rules committee, sent a letter to all GOP presidential campaigns and Republican National Committee members in November that he plans to present an amendment that essentially will allow any candidate who received a delegate to be placed back on the first ballot.

The Republican nomination process may be flipped on its head if a proposed amendment is passed just days before the convention, an amendment that is showing some support among party members.

"There will be eight candidates on the first ballot for the 2016 nomination for president," said Haugland, an unbound North Dakota delegate. "Those candidates worked very hard to win their delegates, and the voter deserves to have their vote count."

Haugland's amendment would replace Rule 40, which was passed during the 2012 convention that made it mandatory for any candidate who sought the GOP nomination to have the support of the majority of the convention delegates in eight states or more.

But Haugland said of his proposal: "This amendment would do the best job of honoring the votes of every voter participating in primaries or caucuses, because every vote that resulted in the allocation of a delegate to a candidate would be represented at the convention."



And Haugland has allies.

"Curly is right on this.The delegates have the power and ultimate authority in nominating the candidate. Not Priebus (RNC Chairman Reince Priebus) and the RNC," said A.J. Spiker, past state chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa and former senior advisor to Sen. Rand Paul's presidential campaign. "The delegates can write any rule they want and pass it. They have that power. It's really a lie the Democrat and Republican establishments have pushed that the caucuses and primaries mean something. They don't. Just like the Electoral College decides who is the next president. It's the delegates who decide who the nominee is."



Haugland tells CNBC he did not write this amendment because he is "anti-Trump." It's about fairness and eliminating the big money influence in the nomination process. Haugland said the RNC lusts for money and is "hooked" on the primary process. "Big money wins primaries, and the RNC is selling these primaries and caucuses like commodities. We're talking about a half a billion dollars being spent in these contests. The money is going into the pockets of pollsters, pundits. ... It's not right."

The RNC declined to comment to CNBC.



"The whole nomination process has been put on super steroids." agreed Gary Emineth, former chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party and an unbound delegate. "Curly's correct in that the process has been hijacked by big donor money and has broken away from the grass-roots movement. I can see why he wrote this amendment. We have become a party of special interests and money. People are buying their way into office and they are blowing off the grass-roots organization which is what the Republican Party was built on. The party of Abraham Lincoln started out with people walking door to door and neighbor to neighbor encouraging people to join a philosophical belief to change their city, state, county and country."



Haugland stressed to CNBC,the rules to receiving the nomination are straight-forward, "There is no winner take all. No 1237. Republican rules forbid that. The nomination power rests in the hands of the delegates."



Riker agreed, saying the rules give the delegates the ultimate authority in deciding who the nominee would be, not the primary results, "If Trump fails to get the delegates by one delegate or even if he gets the so-called 'magic number,' the delegates can get together and throw him off the ballot if they wanted," Riker said. "If Trump is short that number I can guarantee you Trump will not get the nomination. He won't make it past the second ballot because he does not have the ground game at the convention."
An employee uses a microscope at the Medtronic assembly plant in Tijuana, Mexico.

Shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals continued to tank Thursday afternoon on reports creditors could demand new terms that could further pressure the company's business model.



Valeant's investors, including hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, have been dumping the stock since in recent months amid questions about the company's accounting. Ackman's Pershing Square entities, which owned 30,711,122 Valeant shares, recently suffered a single-day paper loss of $1.09 billion dollars.



Les Funtleyder, a health care portfolio manager at E Squared Asset Management, told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Thursday he is avoiding Valeant "like the plague."

"Fortunately, I never held a single share in Valeant. Last year, when the company raised drug prices and scrapped R&D, that was a big red flag for me," said Funtleyder. "Without research, you don't get new drugs. Period. Why even be in the pharmaceutical business at that point? You might as well be selling sneakers."

Funtleyder calls Valeant's business model "broken" with little hope of recovery.

"The only way to revive the company is with new management."

Given such a bearish stance on Valeant, where is Funtleyder putting money to work in the health care sector?

"I have long-term positions in the medical technology and managed care sectors of health care, two good places to be in 2016,"

His five favorite stock picks right now are Stryker , Boston Scientific , Medtronic , United Health Care and Penumbra .

Funtleyder calls Penumbra the most interesting trade of all, thanks to an innovative device for stroke victims that suctions out clogged arteries in the brain.

"Penumbra's device is literally a stroke vacuum cleaner, " he said. "It's very cool."
A close-up of the front of the US 10-dollar bill bearing the portrait of Alexander Hamilton, America's first Treasury Secretary. Paul J. Richards | AFP | Getty Images

Tweet 1 Lew said last year that he wanted to add a woman's image to the $10 note, which currently features Hamilton's likeness.



A Treasury spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News that Lew had invited Miranda to the Treasury on Monday for a tour. The actor and Broadway composer was already in Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress about taking action on Puerto Rico's debt crisis. "The Secretary thanked Miranda for the ingenious way in which he has been able to tell Hamilton's story and ignite a renewed interest in one of our nation's founding fathers," the spokesperson said. "Secretary Lew also reiterated his commitment to continue to honor Alexander Hamilton on the 10 dollar bill."
As technology and artificial intelligence (A.I.) advances, jobs in banks and offices are set to be replaced by automation, according to industry experts. The clearest sign of how far A.I. has come was earlier this week, when against champion Lee Sedol. AlphaGo's victory was seen as a major milestone for A.I. due to the complexity of the board game. But AlphaGo is only the tip of the iceberg for what A.I. can do, says Professor Andre Spicer, from Cass Business School. "According to some scenarios, A.I. will quickly replace many forms of complex knowledge work ranging from lawyers to librarians, professors to policy analysts," Spicer said in a press release. "For instance, there are already robo-journalists which scour news feeds and then automatically generate stories. This could be a serious problem for developed economies where a large proportion of well-paid jobs are forms of knowledge work."

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Another occupation under threat from automation is the bank teller. In the future, ATMs will be able to perform most of their tasks, such as opening accounts and processing loans, according to Andy Mattes, CEO of software company Diebold. "The ATM of tomorrow is going to replace the teller," said Mattes. "It can do approximately 90 percent of what the human being can do and it's going to be your branch in a box." ATMs will be able to perform these functions at a fraction of the cost compared to human employees, said Mattes, as they will be able to check and process any paperwork. "The new machines will identify yourself: you can put your passport on it, they can scan documents, you can literally do anything online that you would've been able to do in front of a human being," he explained.

Henrik5000 | Getty Images
Heads of state and government from the European Union (EU) and Turkey are meeting for a two-day summit on Thursday to clarify the details of a deal aimed at stemming the flow of migrants into the 28-nation bloc but some countries are unhappy with draft proposals on the table. The summit will include U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Francois Hollande among other leaders from the region and will be chaired by the European Council President Donald Tusk. The summit comes after a special European Council meeting on March 7 that involved representatives of Turkey in a bid to push forward with a deal aimed at stemming the flow of migrants into the 28-nation bloc. There, the EU agreed to give Ankara more money to cope with the influx of migrants (around three million migrants, most fleeing Syria's civil war, are in Turkey) as well as faster EU membership talks for Turkey and easier visa-free travel. In return, Turkey agreed to halt the influx and said that it would take back Syrian migrants who arrived in Greece (the recession-hit country is struggling with the numbers of migrants arriving) and those intercepted in its waters, but demanded that for that every Syrian migrant they take back, the EU accept a Syrian refugee from Turkey.

A man holds a German flag as migrants and refugees protest for the opening of borders near the Greek village of Idomeni, where thousands are stranded on March 7, 2016. Louisa Gouliamaki | AFP | Getty Images

More than a million migrants entered the EU in 2015, according to the United Nations, although this is likely to be a conservative estimate. Many have traveled from Turkey to Greece by sea, or over land, then travelling northwards through Europe to countries like Germany. The preliminary deal was not met with universal agreement. Cyprus, a country divided into Greek and Turkish parts, is especially not happy with the prospect (albeit distant) of Turkish accession to the EU. Anti-immigration parties across Europe are also not happy with the deal, saying it doesn't do enough to discourage migrants. Allowing easier, visa-free travel for 77 million Turks too has not gone down well in other quarters either.

Deal needs work

One analyst closely following the summits said a deal at the latest meeting was likely but that its implementation would prove difficult, particularly given resistance at a national level in many countries.

"Resistance from a number of member states to different parts of the deal will complicate the talks and could water down some elements. In any case, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's bet on the Turkey deal remains at risk from implementation problems," Carsten Nickel, senior vice president at risk consultancy Teneo Intelligence said in a note on Wednesday. In addition to Cyprus' concerns, Nickel said, other countries were also cautious about the deal. "The French government is under domestic pressure from the right-wing populist National Front over the prospect of visa-free travel to the EU for Turkish citizens, while Spain is questioning the viability of turning back refugees under international law. The Bulgarian government is concerned that the deal does too little to prevent migrants from travelling to its country, and east European nations as well as Paris remain unwilling to significantly increase the number of refugees they would accept under an EU-wide relocation scheme agreed  but never implemented  last year."

More to be done

Ahead of the two- summit on Thursday, Tusk said in a statement that the objective of the summit was clear: "To conclude an agreement to further strengthen our cooperation with Turkey in order to stem the flow of migrants from Turkey to Europe."

"But as my talks in the last ten days have proven as well as my trip to Nicosia and Ankara yesterday, there is still a lot to be done before we can reach an agreement acceptable to each and every one of our 28 Member States and Turkey." Tusk said there was "still a number of issues to be resolved and on which we are working." The most important one, he said, and one "where we cannot and will not compromise, is the absolute need to respect both our EU law and international law. This is indispensable. Without that Europe will no longer be Europe," he said. Lastly, Tusk added, "while we all focus on how we can further strengthen our cooperation with Turkey on migration and beyond, we should not forget the larger picture. No matter how good and game-changing such an agreement is, it will not in itself end the migration crisis. But it can and should help," he said. "That is why we cannot afford to rely on this agreement alone. And that is why we have to remain serious on our common European comprehensive strategy that goes beyond Turkey."
Norway's central bank on Thursday cut its key interest rate to an all-time low of 0.5 percent from 0.75 percent, and raised the prospect of a move into negative territory.

The bank warned that should the Norwegian economy be exposed to further shocks, the possibility of negative rates could not be excluded.

"We have experience from other countries that it's possible to go beyond the zero lower bound...if necessary, we have extended room for maneuver," central bank governor ystein Olsen told CNBC.

He added it would, however, require new shocks which he did not see at this point.

So far the board had not considered other measures such as quantitative easing, he added.



Norway's economy has been hurt by falling oil prices and the central bank warned that developments in the Norwegian economy had been weaker than foreseen, with unemployment expected to edge up. Unemployment currently stands at 4.5 percent, he said, which Olsen believed was "close to the peak".

"If you see oil continue to tick higher, then we are not going to see negative rates," Thomas Harr, Global Head of FICC Research at Danske Bank said. The central bank's general macroeconomic forecasts are based on oil at a rate of $50-$55 per barrel.

Since the summer of 2014, the Norwegian economy has been experiencing a clear downturn, the country's statistics agency Statistics Norway said in a report published last week.

Oil prices started on their sharp downward trajectory at that point and the country's oil investments suffered. Mainland Norway's gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 2015 by 1.0 percent, the agency said, the weakest growth since the financial crisis in 2009.

The central bank said oil investment was expected to show a somewhat more pronounced fall in the years ahead than previously foreseen.
Sure, minorities and union workers will have more incentive to go to the polls with more on the line, but as we edge closer toward November, this will also lead to a more disenfranchised and divided electorate that is angrier than ever. Those on both sides of these controversial issues will become more vocal, especially as politicians use it as anger bait.

Around 30 senators are up for re-election this year (mostly Republicans) and you can bet those heated topics will all become talking points on the campaign trail. When listening to their stump speeches, voters at those campaign stops will start to feel like your angry Uncle Larry who tries to stir up trouble at the dinner table. It doesn't lead to any productive solutions but his discussion gets everyone riled up.
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SeaWorld Entertainment is to end the breeding of orcas - or killer whales - following continued criticism from animal rights activists. Its current family of orcas will be the last generation of orcas at SeaWorld, it announced Thursday, and will instead offer "new, inspiring, natural orca encounters" as part of an ongoing commitment to "education, marine science research, and rescue of marine animals."

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"SeaWorld has introduced more than 400 million guests to orcas, and we are proud of our part in contributing to the human understanding of these animals," Joel Manby, president and chief executive officer of SeaWorld Entertainment, said in a statement. "By making this the last generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will encounter these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter."

The Orlando, Florida-based company also reaffirmed its commitment not to collect marine mammals from the wild and announced a partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of HSUS commended the company in the SeaWorld press release for making a "game-changing commitment" and said the two organizations would be working together to achieve solutions on a wide set of animal issues. Late last year, SeaWorld announced that its signature Shamu show in San Diego would be phased out amid criticism and the threat of legislation to ban the public orca shows. A few weeks later, SeaWorld filed a lawsuit challenging a California commission's ruling that banned the theme park from breeding captive orcas at its San Diego park.

'More humane' model
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is sworn in to testify before a House Oversight and government Reform hearing on "Examining Federal Administration of the Safe Drinking Water Act in Flint, Michigan, Part III" on Capitol Hill in Washington March 17, 2016. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder urged policymakers to pass a $165 million appropriation for Flint residents Thursday even as he faced calls for resignation over the dangerous levels of lead in drinking water there. Snyder apologized for the public health emergency in the city and defended his administration's response in testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in Washington on Thursday. He pointed to reforms like diagnostic testing and home nurse visits, deflecting accusations that the state alone is responsible for lead that leached into residents' pipes when Flint switched its water supply from Detroit to the Flint River in April 2014 in a cost-cutting move.



"Let me be blunt: This was a failure of government at all levels, local, state and federal," Snyder said. "I'm not going to point fingers or shift blame."

But Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., argued it is Snyder, not the Environmental Protection Agency, that is responsible for the crisis, saying the governor failed to act as staffers and the EPA sounded alarms. "Children will sit in the second and third grade and will not be able to read the words, 'See spot run,' and they won't know why," Cummings said at the opening of the hearing Thursday. "But the reason why is because there is lead in their veins." There were reports of numerous health issues in Flint including an uptick in cases of Legionnaires' disease, a rare type of pneumonia. Occurrences of Legionnaires' disease in the city after the water source switch were more than the previous five years combined, Snyder said during the hearing.

"Obviously given the change in water source it's a concern," Snyder said. But he said he was unaware of much of the knowledge discussed by his staffers, including his chief of staff. "There's no doubt in my mind that if a corporate CEO did what Gov. Snyder is doing he would be hauled off on criminal charges. The board of directors would throw him out and the shareholders would revolt," Cummings said.

Michigan residents lined up at the Capitol hoping to be let in to hear testimony, Cummings said, scheduled to determine the role of the EPA in the emergency. The agency's funding is decided by Congress.

Cummings said that Snyder had primary responsibility, but that the EPA could have done more. Internal emails from an EPA administrator who later resigned stated she was "not so sure that Flint is the community we want to go out on a limb for," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said.

"Are you kidding me? Of all the communities out there, Flint is the No. 1 place they should be going out on a limb for. It's depressed economically," Chaffetz said.

But EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy contended that, though they could have acted faster, her staffers were provided with false information from the state of Michigan.

"We should not have been so trusting of the state for so long when they provided us with overly simplistic assurances of technical compliance rather than substantive responses to our increasingly growing concerns," she said.

State experts at the Department of Environmental Quality assured Snyder the water was safe, despite outside warnings of dangerous levels of lead coming from the Flint River, he told the committee. His investigation has found systemic failures within the state department.
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Despite softening in Cuban-American relations, policies remain tepid and hurdles impede eager investors who seek to crack the new market. Still, many remain optimistic as President Barack Obama sets out for the island in less than a week. "It's the old prodigal son coming home; I'll be on that bridge, I might even be driving that ship myself," kidded a hopeful Frank Del Rio, who thinks relations will continue easing. The Cuban-born Norwegian Cruise Lines CEO, is one of the many businessmen who look to bring business to Havana; but, despite diplomatic efforts from the U.S., the Cuban embargo remains in place, an onerous issue for American companies. In this line, news emerged Thursday that the U.S. government removed Cuban ports from its security list.

"Sooner or later the embargo has got to go for the tourism industry in Cuba to really flourish," Del Rio told "Power Lunch." "Even with all the changes that executive orders have, its travel that's allowed  not tourism, and there's a big distinction."

While many call for Congress to lift the embargo, the Cuban government is heavily criticized for its internal undemocratic restrictions. In addition, some remain dissatisfied that the American effort is not reciprocated by Cuba. Beyond U.S. policies, the Cuban tourism sector remains challenged by scanty financial institutions in Cuba. The lack of financial services may soon be changing as American company Stonegate Bank now offers banking services for Cuban officials in the U.S. and conversely offers debit cards that work in Cuba. Although these services are not necessarily directed to the Cuban people, it raises the question of whether Cubans will have access to credit cards in the near future. The Florida-based bank has issued fewer than 100 cards, but Dave Seleski, the bank's CEO foresees a boon amid eased travel restrictions. "The Cubans had been for 15 months  about banking services  operating on a cash-only basis," Seleski said. "It was a big issue; it was holding up the talks for starting an embassy."

Many Americans continue to question whether their businesses would be welcomed in the island, and according to University of Havana economics professor Juan Triana, the country is looking forward to it.
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Donald Trump would lose handily to Hillary Clinton in a general election for one key reason, former Bush 43 aide Tony Fratto said Thursday. "In the very best of years, when you have a unified GOP, Republicans have an electoral disadvantage relative to the Democratic candidate; that's pretty clear," Fratto told CNBC's "Squawk Box."

"Trump is not going to bring unity to the party. If it's a contested convention, and it's someone else, that's not going to resolve unity either. So, [with] a divided GOP and a fairly unified Democratic candidate, I don't think this is a hard question," said Fratto, the former deputy White House press secretary and now managing director at consulting firm Hamilton Place Strategies.

Clinton notched victories in Ohio and Florida on Tuesday, two key swing states. Trump won the Florida GOP primary, but lost in Ohio to the state's governor, John Kasich.

Trump has accumulated 683 delegates, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is in second place with 422, according to NBC News. A GOP candidate needs 1,237 total delegates to secure the nomination. The business mogul might fall short of the majority required, enabling the party's establishment to put forward another name at the July convention in Cleveland to formally pick its candidate.

On Wednesday, Trump warned of riots if he is denied the party's presidential nomination after a string of primary election victories, raising the temperature even more in the heated GOP race.

"If we just look at polls, Cruz is at least running even with Secretary Clinton. That's at least a competitive race. Trump is not running very close at all, but I think the difficulty is what does it look like, whether it's Cruz, Kasich, Trump, after a GOP convention, and what's going to be a contested GOP convention," Fratto said.

According to recent polling data, Cruz and Clinton were in a virtual tie, while Clinton held a sizable lead against Trump. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who in the wake of Trump's Florida victory said fellow Republicans should coalesce around the front-runner, told "Squawk Box" he could relate to the real estate tycoon.
The U.K. government's forecasting unit has slashed its oil income expectations for the next five years, predicting negative revenue from sector taxes this year as crude producers continue to struggle under low prices. The latest figures released by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) project U.K. oil and gas revenues to be "slightly negative," with losses set to total 10 million ($14 million) for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Government earnings from the 2016-2017 fiscal year until 2020-2021 have been revised down by an average of 1.2 billion ($1.7 billion) each year.



A worker looks out onto the weather deck of the Armada gas condensate platform, operated by BG Group Plc, in the North Sea, off the coast of Aberdeen, U.K. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images

That's compared to 2.2 billion in revenue in 2014 to 2015, and 11 billion in 2011 to 2012. Abhishek Deshpande, an oil and gas analyst at Natixis, told CNBC by email that the downward revision "is not at all surprising," noting that oil prices have dropped 27 percent from where they sat at $48 per barrel as of the last OBR forecast in November, to $36 per barrel at the beginning of March. The negative revenue forecast "is clearly showing the difficulty the oil producers in the North Sea face despite the talks on cost reductions," Deshpande explained. The OBR makes its calculations using futures prices for the first two years of its forecasts, and then holding those flat in nominal terms. Oil prices have been under pressure thanks to many producers ramping up production despite a global glut. U.K. oil production, for example, rose by 12.8 percent in 2015  a year when oil prices dropped over 31 percent. The price crisis has also caused difficulties for resource-rich countries like Norway, which dipped into its oil-driven sovereign wealth fund for the first time in January since it was established in 1996. Norges Bank also downgraded its oil industry investment expectations Thursday morning, forecasting a 12 percent cut for 2016.

"We are also expecting oil companies in the U.S., particularly (those) that are not well hedged and in expensive basins, to have negative cash flows as well if (the) oil price does not recover fast," Desphande said. Back in the U.K., the Conservative government is willing to exacerbate its own revenue losses to easing the tax burden on the oil and gas sector. In the government's budget speech Wednesday, Chancellor George Osborne's announced a 35 percentage point cut to the petroleum revenue tax to zero, and reduced the supplementary charge to 10 percent. The move is expected to lower receipts by around 0.2 billion per year, starting from the period running 2016 to 2017. It's a long-term view that the government hopes will boost sector returns. "There are only a few profitable firms in the sector," the OBR report explained. "Lower tax rates will boost the post-tax returns on oil and gas production, but we have assumed only a modest behavioral response. As noted earlier, the low oil and gas price environment will make it difficult for projects to clear investment hurdles," the report added. "This is likely to be the case even with lower tax rates."
Bankers Healthcare Group LLC (BHG) is leasing 4,700-square-feet of space in the former Engine 14 fire station at 238 Division St. in Syracuses Franklin Square. The additional office space is located near the firms financial headquarters at 201 Solar St. The company cites corporate growth and increased demand in the marketplace for pursuing the additional space. (Photo credit: Bankers Healthcare Group)

SYRACUSE, N.Y.  Bankers Healthcare Group LLC (BHG), which has its financial headquarters at 201 Solar St. in Syracuse, is now leasing additional office space in a nearby building that once served as a fire station.

The company is leasing space in the former Engine 14 fire station located at 238 Division St., the company said in a news release issued Tuesday.

The former fire station is located not far from BHGs financial-headquarters location. The building, constructed in 1915, housed local firefighters until 1961, BHG said in its news release.

The company has a five-year lease for its 4,700-square-foot space, it said.

BHG is citing corporate growth and increased demand in the marketplace for pursuing the additional space. The firm provides personal and commercial loans, credit cards, and insurance services for health-care professionals.

We moved into our financial headquarters at 201 Solar Street in 2013 and quickly reached the point where every desk was filled, Al Crawford, CEO of BHG, said in the firms news release. We had to make room for more growth. With its unique characteristics and convenient location directly across the street, the fire station was a perfect fit.

JGB Properties, LLC owns the property, according to the website of the Onondaga County Department of Real Property Tax Services.

More than 100 of the companys 270 employees work at its financial headquarters in Syracuse. The local employees include those involved in BHGs internal-marketing agency, who will move into the firehouse workspace to accommodate the departments rapid growth, the company said.

The firm refers to its leased office space as its national marketing office, according to its website.

BHGs corporate headquarters are located in Davie, Florida, and it also operates a national sales office in New York City, the website says.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Boone County high school football regular-season superlatives in 2022

Here are some of our superlatives for Boone County football players at the end of the regular season.
Best of Business 2022: Learn Who Won Our 15th Annual Reader Poll

Local professionals chose their favorite business and professional services, products, healthcare, dining and more. Find out who their top picks are.
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By Wayne Risher of The Commercial Appeal

Lindon Laxton retired from Roadway Express in 2000 with a monthly pension of $3,300, $100 for each year he drove trucks around Memphis and cross country.



He'd spent 100 hours a week in an over-the-road truck as a team driver in latter years of his career. At 57, he was ready to spend more time with his wife Sharon, three children and grandchildren while supplementing a retirement check with part-time income.



But 15 years into a comfortable but modest retirement, the Cordova resident was jolted last October by a proposal to slice his pension in half.



The Central States Pension Fund, jointly overseen by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and employers, is warning of insolvency by 2026 unless benefits are cut now. It has proposed to reduce pensions for about 115,500 retirees, slightly more than half of current retirees.



"I feel like I've been robbed," Laxton said. "I was promised all these years that I would receive this retirement at retirement age as long as I worked the years, and now they're telling me that they have misinvested the money. I had no idea, or I'd have stayed in the truck," he said.



Laxton is among thousands of Memphis area retirees who could be affected.



Central States has nearly 5,000 retirees in five congressional districts that converge on Greater Memphis, according to the Pension Rights Center in Washington.

Mid-South retirees receive annual pension payments totaling $76.7 million from the fund, which contains $927 million for area retirees considered at risk by the Pension Rights Center.

Penny Pilgrim, leader of Tri-State Teamster Retirees, said, "You're talking about most of them losing over half their retirement. At our age, we can't afford that."



Pilgrim, 73, is retired from Yellow Freight after 30 years. She drove a truck, worked on a dock and was a dispatcher. Roadway and Yellow Freight became part of YRC Worldwide.



"It's affecting us, but it's going to affect the economy in this area, too," said Pilgrim, whose pension would go from $2,500 a month to about $1,200. "If people don't have the money, they're not going to be buying things."



Pilgrim said the public should be concerned about the retirees' plight. "If it wasn't for trucking, your food, your clothing wouldn't be delivered. It's not going to walk to the store, and a train's not going to deliver it," she said.



Laxton, Pilgrim and other retirees are fighting back by writing letters and making phone calls to regulators and lawmakers who could derail the cuts. They're also trying to spread the word to fellow retirees.



Congress opened the door to reduction of current retiree benefits with pension reforms approved in 2014. The Central States proposal is under review by the Treasury Department and is expected to be put to a vote of plan participants in coming months. Central States wants to implement the cuts this summer.

While painful, without additional funding the Funds proposed rescue plan is the only realistic option to save the Fund from financial failure and help ensure it is able to continue to pay benefits to all participants and beneficiaries in the future, Central States wrote in a letter to Congress earlier this year. The letter indicated that without benefit reductions, approximately $11 billion of additional funding would be necessary to prevent the Fund from becoming insolvent.



Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders has introduced a bill to reverse the 2014 measure that allowed multiemployer pension plans to reduce benefits under certain circumstances. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, is co-sponsoring the legislation.



The Central States' move has stirred anger and frustration among drivers: anger directed at fund managers, Congress and the Teamsters international, and frustration because retirees no longer have a vote on union leadership. Union members and employers have equal representation on the Central States board.



Central States has been squeezed by changing demographics -- it has five retirees for each worker -- and trucking company failures post-deregulation. More recently it was hammered by the recession and the loss of a major chunk of active drivers when UPS was allowed to pay $6.1 billion to pull out and form its own fund in 2008.



Willie Hardy, 73, a retired Roadway Express driver, said the local retiree group is hoping to spur people into action. A quarterly meeting of the retiree group drew about 150 people to a union hall on Brooks Road this week.



The group plans to send a busload of retirees to Washington for an April 14 rally on Capitol Hill.



"This pension thing here, if it goes through, it's going to devastate a lot of our retirees," Hardy said. His would be cut from $3,200 to $1,600.

"A lot of them, they won't be able to buy their medicine. They'll have to choose between their food and their medicine. It's going to be tough if it goes through," Hardy said.

Laxton said the threatened loss of income makes him question why he put up with the industry's hardships. And the way retirees are being treated certainly does nothing to draw young people to trucking, which suffers from chronically high turnover rates and a growing shortage of drivers.



"When you spend 100 hours a week in about a 10-foot square box, when you're not driving you're sleeping, going from Memphis to California and back, or Arizona, or New Mexico, or wherever, you can kind of grit your teeth and go on and say, 'Well, I'm doing this for my family and my future. This is what I'm going to have in my later years of life,'" Laxton said.



If the cut goes through, Laxton said he'll have to make do with what's left of his pension and Social Security and "what I can do part-time, and at age 72, and I'll be 73 next month, that doesn't leave a lot of jobs for you to go to."
A rendering by Looney Ricks Kiss submitted to the Memphis Center City Revenue Finance Corp. shows the proposed $43 million development by Belz Enterprises and Harbor Retail Partners.

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By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal

The southwest corner of Union Avenue and McLean Boulevard sold Thursday to the developer that wants to raze the vacant office and hotel buildings there and replace them with a $43 million development of apartments, retail and parking structure.

The Shelby County Register's Office website shows that the old Towery Office Building on the corner at 1835 Union sold for $870,000, and the hotel building behind it sold for $1.25 million.

The purchaser is HRP Union-McLean LLC of Marietta, Georgia.

The Marietta-based Harbour Retail Partners is joining with Memphis-based Belz Enterprises to develop the property.

The plan is to build 188 apartments, 513 parking spaces and up to 41,000 square feet of retail.

About three weeks ago, the project cleared a legal hurdle when a bankruptcy judge in Nevada approved the sale of the bankrupt property.

Harbour Retail Partners had been trying to buy the attached, blighted buildings on 1.7 acres since signing a purchase agreement in September 2012.

Harbour Retail later formed a partnership with Belz Enterprises, which will add an adjoining 1.5 acres it owns along Union. The buildings there housing tenant Methodist Healthcare clinics would also be demolished for the new project.

The hotel at 1837 Union has been $715,608 in arrears on local property taxes, and another $509,279 in local property taxes has been owed on the office building. The taxes will be repaid out of the purchase price, court documents show.

The Center City Revenue Finance Corp. has approved property tax breaks for the new mixed-use development that total $10.5 million over 15 years.

But the project will still generate an additional $1.7 million in local tax revenue over the same period, the Downtown Memphis Commission staff has calcualted.

The project partners had been working to recruit an anchor tenant, including a national gourmet grocery.




SHARE Courtesy of Bob McLeod This Superman/Spider-Man panel (left) is typical of the dynamic art of Bob McLeod, a guest at MidSouthCon. The weather-controlling mutant Storm of the X-Men (right) is among the Marvel Comics characters also brought to life by McLeod. The weather-controlling mutant Storm of the X-Men is among the Marvel Comics characters brought to life by MidSouthCon guest artist Bob McLeod. (Courtesy of Bob McLeod) Courtesy of Del Rey Books "Dark Disciple" is among the "Star Wars" novels of Christie Golden, an author who will be a guest at this weekend's MidSouthCon. Courtesy of Christie Golden Christie Golden, the "Author Guest of Honor" at MidSouthCon 34, has been writing science-fiction novels for 25 years.

By John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal

In February, scientists confirmed a century-old Einstein theory  and made front-page headlines  when they recorded the first direct evidence of gravitational waves.

The waves were generated by the collision of two black holes a billion light years away.

"This merger turned three suns' worth of matter into pure energy," said Portland physicist and Forbes science columnist Ethan Siegel. "And it did it in a span of 20 milliseconds. This is so much power that for that amount of time it outshone all the stars in the universe combined."

And by "universe," Siegel clarified, he means "visible universe," which includes "only" about 46 billion light years of space.

Compared to such mind-blowing real-life concepts, the escapism of fiction  the "warp drive" of "Star Trek," the intergalactic derring-do of "Star Wars," the wizard wars of "Harry Potter," the hungry revenants of "The Walking Dead"  seems like child's play. (Siegel, in fact, is an aficionado of the children's show "My Little Pony," a universe with its own peculiar rainbow-magic rules.) And yet fans of science fiction are often well-versed in science fact.

There's a place for all of this  from Einstein theories to rainbow ponies  at MidSouthCon, the city's oldest celebration of science fiction, fantasy and horror in all its forms, from literature to movies to comic books to television to gaming and costume-play and beyond.

The 34th annual MidSouthCon takes place Friday through Sunday at the Hilton Memphis on Ridge Lake Boulevard. Siegel, 37, a veteran of the "con" and the author of "Beyond the Galaxy: How Humanity Looked Beyond Our Galaxy and Discovered an Entire Universe," will be present as a guest of honor and "toastmaster." He will be joined by numerous other celebrity guests  authors, comic-book artists, gamers and others  plus close to 2,000 convention-goers, many of whom will be garbed as their favorite fictional mutant, alien, monster or hero.

Festival chairman Carlin Stuart said last year's MidSouthCon attracted 2,146 guests  "a record crowd."

"We're in a period where geek is chic," Stuart said. "All the superhero movies, the return of 'Star Wars,' 'The Big Bang Theory'  there are people who don't know jack about science fiction, but they love 'The Big Bang Theory' because it's funny. It makes the convention an easier sell."

Some of this year's celebrity participants remember the pre-"chic" era. Tampa-born "Comics Guest of Honor" Bob McLeod, co-creator in 1982 of "The New Mutants," a Marvel Comics "X-Men" spin-off, has been drawing comic books since 1974.

"It's radically changed over the course of my career," said McLeod, 64. "When I started, it was such a smaller, friendlier business. Marvel was actually a small company owned by Cadence Publishing. Now they're owned by Disney.

"Back at the beginning, nobody got into the business to be rich and famous; they did it because they wanted to draw comic books. Since I was a little kid, all I ever wanted to be was some kind of cartoonist as opposed to a fine art painter or other kind of artist. There's just something about black line on white paper, the simplicity of cartoons and the charm of cartoons, that appealed to me."

MidSouthCon "Author Guest of Honor" Christie Golden, 52, of Arlington, Virginia, also got into the business for love (she attended many conventions as a fan before becoming a professional). Yet she owes her ability to make a living as a writer to the genre's expanding popularity.

Golden's first published novel was written as an assignment for TSR, the company that produced the "Dungeons & Dragons" game. In the 25 years since, she has become a prolific go-to writer for novels that tie in to the universes of "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "World of Warcraft" and other sources.

"It's about storytelling," Golden said. "I'm also trained in theater, so that I have an ear for dialogue and characterization. That kind of talent lends itself to writing for characters that you may not have created but that you can inhabit."

MIDSOUTHCON 34 A fantasy/science fiction/horror/gaming convention.

Celebrity guests, panels, screenings, art shows, a masquerade, dealers rooms, more.

Friday through Sunday, Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd.

Weekend registration: $50. Friday: $25. Saturday: $35. Sunday: $20. Reduced rates for children under 11.

Visit midsouthcon.org.
SHARE Courtesy of Shangri-La Projects Album cover art for the "Memphis Heat" soundtrack.

By John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal

They grow up so fast: "Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin'"  the definitive documentary celebration of the no-holds-barred heyday of local professional wrestling, from Sputnik Monroe in the 1950s to the Andy Kaufman/Jerry Lawler feud of the 1980s  turns five next week, and the public is invited to what promises to be a pile driver of a birthday party.

Almost a half-decade to the day after the March 25, 2011, launch of the movie's theatrical run in a pair of Malco theaters, "Memphis Heat" returns to the big screen Thursday, with 7 and 9 p.m. showings at the Paradiso, 584 S. Mendenhall Road. Regular admission prices apply. (Not coincidentally, Thursday also is "National Sputnik Monroe Day," named in honor of the wrestler who battled Jim Crow as well as rival Billy Wicks in largely segregated Memphis.)

The "re-premiere" coincides with the belated release of the "Memphis Heat" soundtrack album on the Shangri-la Projects record label. "Pressed on 180 grams of twisted steel & blood-spattered vinyl," the red LP features 17 brawny cuts of all-star Memphis rock-and-roll, including Adam Woodard's "Fargo Rock" by the S.A.D. Few and a tribute to longtime "studio wrestling" announcer Lance Russell titled "Banana Nose Blues" by a combo billed as Rug (i.e., Doug Easley and Roy Brewer). Produced by Easley and recorded at Easley-McCain, with mastering by Jeff Powell at Sam Phillips Recording Service, the soundtrack consists of original music created for the movie, with the exception of the River City Tanlines' body-slamming "Black Knight." The album art was designed by Ben Powell.

"Because of the record plant that just opened here, we got to do everything from start to finish in Memphis," said Shangri-la Projects founder Sherman Willmott. He said the vinyl-only album will be on sale at the screening, along with the "Memphis Heat" DVD and Memphis author Ron Hall's book on the subject, "Sputnik, Masked Men, & Midgets: The Early Days of Memphis Wrestling." The LP also is available at Shangri-la Records, Goner Records, Burke's Book Store, the Booksellers at Laurelwood and the Five in One Social Club, or online at shangrilaprojects.com.

Willmott and Hall are the producers of the "Memphis Heat" documentary, which was directed by Chad Schaffler. In addition to irresistible action footage and vintage publicity material documenting the exploits of such colorful figures as Jackie Fargo, "Superstar" Bill Dundee, Handsome Jimmy Valiant and "coco-butt" master Bobo Brazil, the movie offers something of a primer on race, pop culture and media during a certain era in Memphis and the Mid-South, before the hegemony of cable television displaced regional orneriness with national branding.

MORE FROM MOORE

Dauntless Memphis moviemaker Larry Moore returns next week with his fourth feature film in 15 years, the intriguingly titled "Top Models Are Deadly."

Described by Moore as a "Peter Gunn"-esque 1950s detective story "done in the classic style of Howard Hawks," the movie screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Extended. Tickets are $15 each.

Taking a cue from Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, who starred in films as fictionalized versions of themselves, Moore play "Larry Moore," who in this case is a private security expert hired to protect a glamorous fashion model turned talent agent, played by Elle Anderson. "I tell people the only way Spike Lee or Woody Allen would get hired to play the lead in a movie is if they cast the movie themselves, so I follow that philosophy," said writer-director Moore, 67, a University of Memphis business professor in his "day job."

Moore said the film was shot all over Memphis and the Mid-South and covers an eight-year time period. "My first movie covered a 24-hour time span, the second one covered three weeks, the third one about six months, and now this one." His previous films  all featuring Larry Moore as Larry Moore  include "General Sessions," "Somerville" and "Cold Steele." "I'm reliving my childhood favorites through my films," he added, saying his projects show the influence of such past programs as "Perry Mason," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The F.B.I."

Moore said he is hosting the premiere of "Top Models Are Deadly" at Theatre Memphis rather than inside a traditional movie auditorium because the live-performance venue holds some 600 seats, and he needs close to that number to accommodate the many people who worked on his very low-budget film, as well as their family and friends (in addition to whatever unaffiliated audience members might show up). Unfortunately, two of Moore's more notable cast members won't be able to attend: The film features the late local actor John Malloy in a supporting role, and also includes a cameo by the late guitar legend Mabon "Teenie" Hodges.

LOCATION, LOCATION

The On Location: Memphis Film & Music Fest is now accepting submissions for its 17th annual festival, to be held Aug. 12-14, primarily at the Malco Studio on the Square.

The festival screens narrative and documentary features and shorts, as well as animated films. Past festival guests have included Isaac Hayes, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter, Cybill Shepherd, Robert Townsend, Tom Berenger, director Del Shores and animator Don Hertzfeldt, among others.

For more information or to submit a film, visit filmfreeway.com and search for "On Location: Memphis."

'ROUND THE BEND

Erik Jambor, executive director of Indie Memphis from 2008-2014, is returning to the staff of the BendFilm Festival in Bend, Oregon, as "festival programmer."

The job enables Jambor to remain based in Memphis even as he programs festival selections in coordination with BendFilm director Todd Looby. A co-founder in 1999 of the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, Alabama, Jambor was BendFilm director in 2007, leaving Oregon for the Memphis job.

The job is indicative of a trend  made possible by the pervasiveness and efficiency of the Internet  in which experienced filmmakers and festival managers are recruited to work for festivals in towns where they don't live. For example, Mississippi's Oxford Film Festival this year hired out-of-towners as narrative feature programmer, documentary programmer and publicist.

The four-day and increasingly prestigious BendFilm Festival screens close to 90 narrative feature, documentary and short films annually. Its website is www.bendfilm.org.
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By Katie Fretland of The Commercial Appeal

Two former FedEx employees and a third defendant pleaded guilty Thursday to interstate shipping theft.

Grand jurors charged that Akeem Gowdy, Tavaris Mickens, Juan Royal and others conspired to execute a scheme to defraud FedEx between about January 2013 and December 2014.

Part of the scheme was for the defendants to gain access to FedEx shipping meter accounts and re-label FedEx shipping boxes of merchandise from wireless mobile companies, according to the indictment. They would redirect the boxes to New York and other cities.

The defendants fraudulently obtained Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless merchandise resulting in an aggregate actual loss of about $1,728,840.18, the grand jury charged.

Gowdy, of Memphis, was a material handler and worked at the FedEx hub in Memphis from February 2013 to October 2014. Mickens, of Memphis, was a supervisor and worked in the hub from May 2011 to November 2014. Royal, of New York, was charged with receiving boxes sent by co-conspirators.

U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. set sentencing for July 8.

The cases of two others, Jordan West, of New York, and Christopher Crawford, a former FedEx material handler, of Memphis, are pending.

The Secret Service, FBI and the Memphis Cargo Theft Task Force investigated the case.

"FedEx has zero tolerance for criminal activity in its network. Our cooperation with law enforcement led to the indictments against these three former employees, and we will continue to vigorously pursue anyone who engages in this type of behavior," said FedEx communications adviser Jim Masilak in an emailed statement.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

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By Richard Locker of The Commercial Appeal

NASHVILLE  A state bill introduced with great fanfare in January to freeze tuition at Tennessee's public colleges and universities has suffered an obscure death in a House subcommittee.

The bill had the powerful backing of Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and had advanced through a unanimous vote of the Senate Education Committee, chaired by the bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville.

During her committee's hearing last month, Gresham presented an unusual slideshow of charts and graphics that sought to shift blame for large tuition increases over the last two decades away from state lawmakers  whose appropriations of taxpayer dollars have been cut in half as a share of the costs of educating a state college student and toward what she called inflated salaries and staffing levels on the state's campuses.

The bill's House sponsor, Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, made a similar case  enhanced with slides showing large payouts by the University of Tennessee to settle various lawsuits against it  in the House education subcommittee on Wednesday. But his presentation failed to sway its members, who killed the bill on an unrecorded voice vote after an hour-long discussion.

The "Tuition Stability Act," House Bill 2069, froze tuition and mandatory fees at current levels until the 2018-19 school year, and in subsequent years required unanimous approval by an institution's governing board for tuition increases greater than 2 percent above the consumer price index.

It also instituted a tuition freeze for individuals, so that each students' tuition and mandatory fees remained fixed at their freshman-year rates through their undergraduate years, if they stayed enrolled full time and graduated on time.

Daniel and Gresham argued that the UT system has 1,465 employees and the Tennessee Board of Regents system has 945 with annual salaries of $100,000 or higher. They also concluded that salaries of various university officials were 14 to 37 percent higher than similar positions in state government.

"When higher education can't get the money they need out of the state, instead of making tough choices to cut their budgets and live within their means, higher education has been balancing their budgets on the backs of Tennessee students and working families," Martin told the subcommittee.

Daniel also said graduates with heavy student debt find it harder to buy cars and other products, which he said impacts state tax revenue, and have less time to engage in volunteer and charitable work. He said the prospect of heavy debt would likely change behaviors, including young people "eschewing college in favor of military or skilled trades, community college (and) online alternatives ...(and) gravitation of students to majors that enable higher income rather than majors that really interest them."

But Rep. Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, who recorded a vote for the bill, said lawmakers over the years have cut the state's share from 66 percent of the higher education system's budget to 32 percent.

"I can recall years past when decisions were made to cut back on the number of state dollars going into higher education. And I can recall the discussions ... saying we're going to back off on state dollars; we want to increase the tuition, and there was an attitude that we needed to shift the percentages to where government is less and tuition is more," Brooks said.

"Well, unfortunately that's what happened  and that's legislatively driven."
NASHVILLE  A state bill introduced with great fanfare in January to freeze tuition at Tennessee's public colleges and universities has suffered an obscure death in a House subcommittee.

The bill had the powerful backing of Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and had advanced through a unanimous vote of the Senate Education Committee, chaired by the bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville.

During her committee's hearing last month, Gresham presented an unusual slideshow of charts and graphics that sought to shift blame for large tuition increases over the last two decades away from state lawmakers  whose appropriations of taxpayer dollars have been cut in half as a share of the costs of educating a state college student and toward what she called inflated salaries and staffing levels on the state's campuses.

The bill's House sponsor, Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, made a similar case  enhanced with slides showing large payouts by the University of Tennessee to settle various lawsuits against it  in the House education subcommittee on Wednesday. But his presentation failed to sway its members, who killed the bill on an unrecorded voice vote after an hour-long discussion.

The "Tuition Stability Act," House Bill 2069, froze tuition and mandatory fees at current levels until the 2018-19 school year, and in subsequent years required unanimous approval by an institution's governing board for tuition increases greater than 2 percent above the consumer price index.

It also instituted a tuition freeze for individuals, so that each students' tuition and mandatory fees remained fixed at their freshman-year rates through their undergraduate years, if they stayed enrolled full time and graduated on time.

Daniel and Gresham argued that the UT system has 1,465 employees and the Tennessee Board of Regents system has 945 with annual salaries of $100,000 or higher. They also concluded that salaries of various university officials were 14 to 37 percent higher than similar positions in state government.

"When higher education can't get the money they need out of the state, instead of making tough choices to cut their budgets and live within their means, higher education has been balancing their budgets on the backs of Tennessee students and working families," Martin told the subcommittee.

Daniel also said graduates with heavy student debt find it harder to buy cars and other products, which he said impacts state tax revenue, and have less time to engage in volunteer and charitable work. He said the prospect of heavy debt would likely change behaviors, including young people "eschewing college in favor of military or skilled trades, community college (and) online alternatives ...(and) gravitation of students to majors that enable higher income rather than majors that really interest them."

But Rep. Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, who recorded a vote for the bill, said lawmakers over the years have cut the state's share from 66 percent of the higher education system's budget to 32 percent.

"I can recall years past when decisions were made to cut back on the number of state dollars going into higher education. And I can recall the discussions ... saying we're going to back off on state dollars; we want to increase the tuition, and there was an attitude that we needed to shift the percentages to where government is less and tuition is more," Brooks said.

"Well, unfortunately that's what happened  and that's legislatively driven."
The Commercial Appeal files With a yank of a switch on March 19, 1955, at Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co.'s new Mutual office, Memphis took the first step toward a new numbering system. About 33,000 telephone numbers were changed as Col. Roane Waring, president of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce, pulled the lever.

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March 17

25 years ago: 1991

Irish and non-Irish eyes were smiling at the Magevney House at 198 Adams Saturday as the Allegrezza Dancers, including Las Woodard, Perveen Rustomfram and Colette Ellis danced an Irish jig on the eve of St. Patrick's Day. The historic house has sponsored St. Patrick's Day festivities since 1972.

50 years ago: 1966

An out-of-town consultant to the Program of Progress yesterday praised the work of the directors in the movement to change Memphis' form of government and said everything seems to be in "good shape." Dr. Lee Greene of Knoxville, head of the political science department at the University of Tennessee, is here to meet with the directors today when many decisions are expected on the administrative setup for the proposed mayor-council government.

75 years ago: 1941

Memphi, oldest of the secret societies around which much of the gaiety and fun of the Memphis Cotton Carnival centers, is the first of the societies to hold a 1941 meeting. They will meet at a dinner and stag party tonight at Memphis Country Club.

100 years ago: 1916

RALEIGH, N.C.  Mrs. Ida Bell Warren, the first woman ever sentenced to be electrocuted in North Carolina, was delivered to state prison authorities for execution on March 31.

125 years ago: 1891

Tiny shamrocks of greenest green were visible yesterday, the surest harbingers of the approach of the day of blessed St. Patrick, the same being today.
March 17, 2016  Kevin Vaughan, of Township Development Services, discusses a tax break for CCL/Korsini, a label-making company, during the Collierville industrial development board meeting at 500 Poplar View Parkway Thursday afternoon. Vaughan has been assisting CCL in the tax break application. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)

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By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

Collierville's Industrial Development Board voted unanimously Thursday to give an eight-year tax break worth an estimated $3.3 million to support the local expansion of CCL Label, which makes labels for consumer products ranging from vodka to herbicide.

The tax break won't be final until the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen approves it.

CCL Label made an implied threat that if it didn't get the public support, the company might instead take 130 new jobs to Clinton, South Carolina, where it also runs a facility.

But some of the South Carolina town officials reached by phone this week said they'd heard nothing about the possibility of the jobs coming there. That  and the fact that CCL already said publicly it would invest in the Memphis area  raises the possibility local governments might give tax breaks to a company that never intended to take the jobs elsewhere.

At Thursday's public meeting, CCL was represented by Kevin Vaughan with Collierville-based Township Development Services. He said it's no surprise people in South Carolina hadn't heard about the CCL project because the company is not involved in a subsidy bidding war. He said CCL always preferred to invest in Collierville. "Provided that the benefits measured up."

CCL is also receiving support from the state of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority, said Vaughan and John Duncan, Collierville's economic development director.

CCL Label is a Canadian company that currently employs 186 people in Collierville, making product labels for items such as Roundup herbicide and Purell hand sanitizer. CCL says it's planning to work with the Turkish company Korsini-SAF to invest an estimated $24.7 million in land, construction and equipment for a new product line: in-mold labeling, in which the product label becomes an integral part of a plastic container.

In July, CCL and Korsini issued a joint news release saying they planned to put the in-mold labeling facility in the Memphis area. The news release mentioned no other possible sites.

But during the application process for reductions of Collierville and Shelby County taxes under the Payment-In-Lieu-of-Taxes program, or PILOT, company representatives have spoken about going elsewhere. "CCL Label has recently completed an expansion in Clinton, South Carolina and presently (owns) a site large enough to accommodate this facility," representatives wrote in an application. "This PILOT will go a long way in securing it for Collierville."

The company might be faking interest in South Carolina to use as leverage in tax break negotiations, but there's no way to tell, Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First, a Washington group critical of subsidies, said in a recent interview.

Reached by email this week, Brian Evans, the general manager of the CCL facility in Collierville, was unavailable to address the Clinton, South Carolina question. But in a previous interview, he addressed the earlier statement of intent to invest in Collierville. "As you evaluate different options, sometimes your perspective can change. Certainly I would prefer to see it here in Collierville. I'm here in Collierville."

The chairman of Collierville's Industrial Development Board, Mark Moody, said Thursday he was unaware the companies already announced their intention to invest in the Memphis area.

"Well, we go by what the applicant presented, and it was still another location," he said. "Beyond that, in my opinion this is a project that is so valuable to the town for so many reasons." The company is making a huge investment in business equipment, he said. (They've promised to invest $16.3 million.)

CCL Label would receive a 65 percent reduction in Collierville and Shelby County taxes. That's lower than the typical 75 percent granted by the board.

Even with a 65 percent tax reduction, the expansion project generates far more payments to local governments than if the area by the existing CCL facility on Progress Road remains undeveloped, said Moody and Duncan, the town's economic development director.

Clinton, South Carolina is a town of about 8,600 roughly one hour's drive northeast from the state capital, Columbia. Jonathan Coleman, executive director of the area's Laurens County Development Corporation, said he couldn't comment on any economic development prospects.

Other Clinton leaders, including Mayor Bob McLean, said they knew about CCL but had heard nothing of expansion plans and were unaware of any competition with Collierville.
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By Clay Bailey of The Commercial Appeal

Were taking a break from the de-annexation debate in this edition of Outside the Loop (well, we do refer to it briefly) and focus on an indirect link between serial killer George Howard Putt, whose death was confirmed Wednesday, and one of the suburban police forces.

We also start bidding farewell to a longtime city clerk, and, although she is not leaving until late-April, theres no indication it will be a Kobe-like departure tour.

Finally, well make a few stops at other suburbs Outside the Loop.

GERMANTOWN

A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF PUTT CASE: Theres a connection between the George Howard Putt cases and the Germantown Police Department: The late Bob Cochran, who served as the suburbs chief for 10 years, was head of the Memphis homicide division during the Putt investigation.

Putt, 69, died in prison last October  a death unknown until Wednesday. For 29 days beginning in August 1969, the city was on edge as reports of a serial slayer emerged. It finally ended with a chase through the roadbed of the then-under construction expressway through Midtown.

Putt was captured there after the Sept. 11, 1969 slaying of Mary Christine Pickens at her residence in the LeBlanche Aparment at 41 N. Bellevue. One of Pickens neighbors  Wayne Armstrong  wearing only his underwear, chased the murderer, firing shots at Putt as he ran. Putt eventually was caught by police near Linden and Pasadena after a posse of citizens joined Armstrong in the pursuit.

Cochran outlined the entire case in a 1971 research paper for a course at Northwestern University. The 250-page work showed the details of the slayings, the investigation of the cases, the interrogation of Putt and an attempt to characterize the mood of Memphis, that he said became a city of terror as a result of five savage murders.

Cochran shared the highly-detailed report in 1989 for a 20-year retrospective of murders. He described the investigations, collection of growing evidence of a serial killer after the initial slayings of Roy and Bernalyn Dumas at their apartment in the 1100 block of South Cooper. The rest of the report includes details such as detectives giving Putt a hamburger after his capture. Before Putt had a chance to eat the sandwich, he was called for a lineup, and he put the hamburger in his shirt pocket, Cochran wrote.

Cochran died of lung cancer in November, 1998.

GERMANTOWN NO. 2

GOODBYE, DOTTY: Dotty Johnson is stepping down as Germantown city clerk at the end of next month.

Aldermen and other city officials spoke of Johnsons value to the city in a story by Germantown reporter Jane Roberts posted at commercialappeal.com on Wednesday.

Let me add reporters who have covered the suburb over the years to the list of those who appreciated Johnson.

Particularly, me.

Dotty was a font of information for reporters looking to fill gaps in stories. Not giving away any city secrets, mind you. Just pointing to the documents requested. An old agenda. Beer license. Background on an ordinance. A convenience stores history of violations for selling beer or tobacco to underage customers.

Even in the four years as the Court Clerk, when she was somewhat limited in the documents she was allowed to share, Dotty still was as helpful as possible.

Theres a lot of historical knowledge walking out the door with Dotty Johnson at the end of next month.

COLLIERVILLE

GLOWING GRADE FOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE: AdvanceED, an evaluation team from Alpharetta, Georgia, issued its report on the Collierville school system, giving the suburban district some high praise.

In a story this week, Collierville reporter Daniel Connolly noted the district had an overall score of 329.27, higher than the average of 278.34 among the thousands of schools worldwide the organization reviews.

The Tennessee State Board of Education authorizes AdvanceED to issue accreditation certificates, said Philip Cramer, staff attorney for the state board.

Accreditation, among other benefits, ensures the school system can continue to receive federal funding and that its diplomas are recognized by colleges.

DE-ANNEXATION DEBATE: Im not going to add another story right now to the ongoing discussion about de-annexation. But trust me when I say if you want comprehensive coverage of the debate, we have posted plenty of stories about the matter and will continue to follow the developments from Ryan Poe at City Hall and Linda Moore in the county government building to our Nashville reporter Richard Locker.

This issue will be discussed for days, so you might as well keep up with the twists and turns as they develop.

NORTH OF COLLIERVILLE: State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, who lives just on the north side of the Wolf River from Collierville, said this week its too early for him tolobby for the speaker of the Senate and lieutenant governor spot fellow Republican Ron Ramsey will vacate this fall.

Ramsey announced this week he wont seek another term after 24 years in the General Assembly.

COLLIERVILLE EXIT: Connolly will cover the Collierville Industrial Development Board meeting at noon today. His report should appear on our website midafternoon focusing on an application by CCL Labels.

LAKELAND EXIT: The Lakeland Board of Education approved naming the suburb's new middle school Lakeland Preparatory Middle School.

Superintendent Ted Horrell said crews are clearing the land and construction can hopefully start in June.

Officials hope to open for the 2017-18 school year.
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By David Ignatius

WASHINGTON  What accounted for Vladimir Putin's surprise decision Monday to start pulling Russian forces from Syria? Is it possible that he spent last weekend reading Jeffrey Goldberg's piece in The Atlantic and decided that President Obama was right about the Syria mess, and that he should quit before he got any deeper in the quagmire?

Goldberg's account of how Obama fell out of love with the Arabs has inspired much commentary. But here are a few brief thoughts, occasioned in part by Putin's adoption of what in the Vietnam era was known as the "Aiken strategy"  named after Sen. George Aiken, R-Vt., who said in 1966 that the United States should declare victory and redeploy its forces  but which we now might rechristen the "Goldberg variation."

 Goldberg's piece is authoritative and compelling. But it illustrates why presidents usually save such explanations for their memoirs. Such candor is destabilizing: Friends and foes discover what the president really thinks, a matter usually shrouded by constructive ambiguity. We may have imagined Obama's growing disdain for the Arabs, his skepticism bordering on contempt for the foreign policy establishment and his "fatalistic" view about the limits of U.S. power. Now, in "The Obama Doctrine," we have chapter and verse.

When Obama visits Saudi Arabia this spring, will it help that we now know that Obama sardonically told the Australian prime minister "it's complicated" when asked whether the Saudis are America's friends? Ditto Goldberg's revelation that "in private" (ha!) Obama said of the Saudis' suppression of women's rights that "a country cannot function in the modern world when it is repressing half its population."

Maybe it will be beneficial for Obama to have been so open. Mutual hypocrisy has been one of the historic weaknesses of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. But this is the opposite of the Brent Scowcroft-style quiet diplomacy Obama supposedly values.

 Obama's tone throughout the article is supremely self-confident and also weirdly defensive; a reader senses that he has been waiting to tell off the foreign policy establishment since 2009, when he feels he got pushed into adding 30,000 more troops into Afghanistan despite his better judgment. His message, basically, is: I'm right, and you're not listening.

You might think, with a metastasizing Syria crisis that has claimed 300,000 lives, has wrecked that country and threatens European stability, that Obama might have second thoughts about the wisdom of his policy. Not so. Goldberg writes: "As he comes to the end of his presidency, Obama believes he has done his country a large favor by keeping it out of the [Syria] maelstrom  and he believes, I suspect, that historians will one day judge him wise for having done so."

It's hard to know what would have been the right decisions in Syria. But how can this be an outcome in which the president takes such pride?

 In such a comprehensive piece, there were two topics that were oddly minimized, since both were priorities for Obama from the day he took office.

The first was Obama's drive to achieve the nuclear agreement with Iran, a goal to which he subordinated many other Middle East objectives. In online postings about the Goldberg article, Jay Solomon of The Wall Street Journal and Dennis Ross, a former senior administration official, have both argued that Obama didn't militarily enforce his "red line" against Syrian use of chemical weapons in part because he didn't want to derail the Iran talks.

Obama low-keys his expectations for the Iran deal these days, beyond its specific limits on Iran's nuclear program. But I suspect he views it as a fundamentally important strategic opening in the Middle East that could lead to eventual balance between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Sunni and Shiite, mending the feud that is ripping the Middle East apart. Personally, I think he's right to see this as the potential start of a new security architecture. Maybe he's saving that theme for his memoirs.

The second missing element is what I've described as Obama's "cosmic bet" in 2011 on Islamist democratic parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Justice and Development Party (AKP), a Muslim Brotherhood clone, in Turkey. Obama treated Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the instruments of democratic change. That was an understandable decision, but we can see now that it was a very bad mistake. It spun the Arab Spring in a dangerous direction from which it never recovered.

Whatever else might be said about the coup that installed Abdel Fatah al-Sissi as president in Egypt, it probably prevented an Egyptian-Turkish Muslim Brotherhood alliance that would have been catastrophic. Goldberg doesn't really address this strand of policy.

 The overarching question in "The Obama Doctrine" is whether Obama was right to reduce America's "overextension" in the Middle East, as White House aide Ben Rhodes puts it. Obama reasoned that the Middle East "is no longer terribly important to American interests," that there's "little an American president can do to make it a better place" and that American meddling leads to the deaths of our soldiers and "the eventual hemorrhaging of U.S. credibility and power."

Obama was wrong on all three, in my view: The Middle East does matter; the United States can help, and not doing so hurts our global standing. But even if he's right, he needs to reckon better with one clear lesson of his presidency: As the United States stepped back in the Middle East, others stepped forward. Russia has moved into the vacuum left by retreating American power; so has Iran; so has Saudi Arabia; so has the Islamic State.

Is the United States better off in a world where these other powers advanced as we stepped back? I don't think so.

David Ignatius' email address is davidignatius@washpost.com.
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Frustrated with Boston Dynamics slow pace in building a marketable product, Googles parent company Alphabet is apparently looking to unload robotics pioneer Boston Dynamics, which it acquired a little more than two years ago.

Alphabet is cutting its losses and looking to unload the company, according to a Bloomberg report. The company is known for its four-legged Big Dog and a slow-moving humanoid robot that became a video sensation.

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg also reported that Toyota Research Institute, a division of Toyota Motor Corp., and Amazon.com, which uses robots in its warehouses, are potential buyers.

Alphabet did not respond to a request for comment.

Google bought Boston Dynamics with just a few weeks left in 2013 as part of a wide-ranging shopping spree of robotics companies.

Boston Dynamics, while well known for its Big Dog and Cheetah robots, gained mainstream recognition when its 6-foot-tall, 300-pound humanoid robot, Atlas, was used in the multi-year DARPA Robotics Challenge .

Google, now Alphabet, has been working for several years on the robotics needed for autonomous cars, logging in thousands of miles on highways and city streets.

However, with Boston Dynamics work with DARPA and various military contracts, Google was picking up a robotics company a bit off center from its more consumer-oriented work.

Still, that leaves some wondering why Google decided not to stay with the Boston Dynamics work for the long haul.

Its hard to see why Google would get rid of Boston Dynamics so soon after purchasing them in 2013, said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. From what I can tell, it looks like there is a fundamental mismatch between Boston Dynamics management and Googles, in terms of collaboration with Googles robotics folks. Plus Google was looking for the Boston team to come up with sellable products sooner rather than later.

If Boston Dynamics didn't meet an Alphabet-set goal to get a product available to market and start generating revenue, then the frustration level may have risen too high.

Mike Gennert, head of the Robotics Engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said that if Boston Dynamics is for sale, a buyer stands to gain a big foothold in the robotics industry.

Boston Dynamics has greatly advanced robotics technology since its founding in 1992, said Gennert, who led WPIs team in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. I dont think it will take 24 more years until their machines have serious commercial potential. Take the Atlas robot, for example. Another five cycles of improvement and youve got a really useful robot in five to eight years.

The question remains, however, that if Alphabet sells Boston Dynamics, does that mean the company is backing away from robotics all together or simply offloading this one piece.

If they're selling Boston Dynamics, it would seem to me they're moving away from robotics, as strange as that might sound, said Jeff Kagan, an independent industry analyst. I would think if Google was still interested in robotics, it would hang on to Boston Dynamics and possibly make another acquisition for shorter-term realization.
23 May 2022

- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
Cllr Peter Golds is Leader of the Conservative Group on Tower Hamlets Council.

We are approaching the last phase of the London Mayoral election. Shortly, the clocks will change and evening canvassing will start in earnest. As polling day approaches the electorate firms up on their decision.

The London Mayoral contest is what they describe in the US as an open contest. In the four previous elections the decision has involved candidates who were household names with all the advantages and indeed disadvantages that come with this premise.

This year we have two candidates whom the electorate will look at and decide who to support based on their actual performance leading up to May 5th.

There can be no doubt that Zac Goldsmith has grown into campaigning city-wide. On a cold Thursday evening in January, Zac came to help at a council by-election in the Faraday Ward of Southwark. Rob Flint, the GLA candidate, David Furze, our local council candidate and Toby Eckersley, a veteran of years of Southwark campaigns, led the group to meet Zac on their campaign trail. It was a small group but it could have been hundreds as far as our London candidate was concerned. This was Zac the local candidate, fighting with his supporters  wherever.

I have heard similar stories from other boroughs over the winter months. Zac has been delighted to meet his supporters and his voters  anywhere.

His meetings have shown a candidate who is calm, thoughtful and interested in all Londoners and their wide range of concerns.

He has also faced some pretty unpleasant personal attacks from an opponent who delights in dishing it out but most certainly cannot take any kind of criticism.

Some have said that his stands on Europe and Heathrow should be toned down. Why? He has opinions and principles. He cannot expect to agree with every Londoner. However, Londoners know they have a candidate who is not afraid to take a stand that may not be popular with every audience. Already, Londoners are working out that Labours candidate is a past master at saying what a particular audience wants to hear and hoping that other audiences simply do not notice.

A vast complex city such as London needs to be led by a person of principle, who may or may not agree with every policy of their government, but stands up for what they regard as the best for the city and its wide and diverse communities.

Goldsmith is not a tribal machine politician; the Labour candidates instinctive response to any question is to recite the most recent briefing from the unions  or worse, a Daily Mirror editorial.

The cynical ploy by Sadiq Khans union paymasters to delay the night tube has been exposed as a political game  as transparent as the Sadiq Khan posters on the Unite office windows for the process that saw him secure the Labour nomination from Baroness Jowell.

Goldsmiths campaign machine is exactly where it should be. Day after day, across the capital are teams of Londoners genuinely enthused by a candidate who demonstrates calm, charm and answers to questions.

There are also some hard electoral facts to prove this. Goldsmith took on a constituency which was regarded as a Liberal Democrat stronghold. He won it and in five years turned it into an ultra safe seat. Sadiq Khan inherited a constituency that has been Labour, apart from 1955-64, since 1945. It took him just two elections to turn it into a marginal, a seat now so marginal that Labour are worried about a possible by election should he become Mayor.

Exactly eight years ago, when polls showed Ken Livingstone moving ahead of Boris Johnson, Neil Kinnock made one of the most memorable comments ever regarding Ken Livingstone, Everyone likes Ken, except the people who know him.

This past weekend a helper in Whitechapel received a calling card from the Labour Party. It featured the local Labour Member of Parliament, the Labour Mayor of Tower Hamlets, and the Labour GLA candidate. Missing was Sadiq Khan.

Does Neil Kinnock have anything to say this time? We would all like to hear it.
Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is How we invented Freedom and why it matters.

Shall I tell you the most depressing thing? Its not that the party of Lincoln and Reagan will be fronted by a self-absorbed, foul-mouthed, thin-skinned, bullying, mendacious, meretricious, mountainous berk. Its not the reputational damage that our most important ally will suffer in consequence: if I were Mexico, Id be glad to pay for a sodding wall to keep Trump out. Its not the prospect of another sleekit Clinton using Supreme Court appointments to ensure a full generation of left-wing judicial activism.

No, sadder than any of these things is what the rise of the Donald says about democracy. With the exception of Switzerland, the United States is the most democratic country on Earth. Its founders, who had led a revolt against Lord Norths remote and self-serving regime, were determined to construct a system where decision-makers were representatives, not rulers. To this day, American democracy is characterised by a number of peculiar features designed to keep the government in check: term limits, states rights, balanced budget rules, ballot initiatives, open primaries, the direct election of public officials from the sheriff and the school board to the chap in charge of bin collections.

By and large, the system has worked. Power has been dispersed, devolved and democratised. For over two centuries, Americans have taken it for granted that they can turn their leaders out of office and change the direction of the state through the ballot box. This is more exceptional than we sometimes realise. For the past 10,000 years, the normal condition of humanity has been servitude: the gang in charge plunder the territory under their control, and try to ensure that their children enjoy similar rights of legalised looting. A mediaeval European monarchy was, in this regard, little different from a modern African kleptocracy.

In their great study, Why Nations Fail, James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu call this model the extractive state, and note that it is humanitys default setting. The alternative, which they call the inclusive state, is based on the rule of law and the accountability of those in charge to the rest of the population. Inclusive states have developed only recently, and largely in the language in which you are reading these words.

The founders envisaged citizen-legislators, servants of the people who would gladly renounce office and return to private life, as Cincinnatus to his plough. Donald Trump, to put it as neutrally as I can, is not such a man. In his private life, as in his business, he is preening and pugnacious, quick to take offence and unable to forgive. Everything is about him. His politics are simply an extension of his business branding: Trump, Trump, Trump.

He displays no trace of awareness that he is aspiring to an office bigger than he is. When he was asked on Twitter by Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska: Will you commit to rolling back Exec power & undoing Obama unilateral habit? These r sincere questions & I sincerely hope u answer rather than insult, he replied, @BenSasse looks more like a gym rat than a U.S. Senator. How the hell did he ever get elected?

What are Trumps policies? Meh. A former Democrat and Clinton crony who saw that the other side offered a better opening, he has dispensed with details like policy advisers and manifestoes. Tax, abortion rights, foreign affairs: its all fluid. Even the one, absolute trademark policy, that wretched wall, is, he says, all negotiable.

Yet no one seems to care. Americans want someone who will articulate their anger, and Trump certainly does that: he has gone from lashing out verbally to urging his supporters to beat the crap out of anyone heckling his rallies.

Trump is not the first politician to play on anger, of course. The French populist, Pierre Poujade, once said that he spoke for the lied-to, the ripped-off, the ignored, the furious, and thats pretty much Trumps shtick.

But America isnt France, for Heavens sake. It is designed precisely so that voters dont have to be lied to, ripped off, ignored or furious. It is the ultimate inclusive state. To see that great republic descend into pessimism, irrationalism and sheer nastiness is heartbreaking.

Its true that Trump may still somehow be stopped, though his critics are having to devise increasingly ingenious mathematical formulations to show how it could happen even in theory. Its true, too, that, short of some grand jury indictment for Hillary, its hard to see how he can actually become president.

That, though, isnt the point. The damage is already being done. The Republican Party is being tainted by association, America is being diminished in the eyes of her allies and, worst of all, the whole concept of participatory democracy, based on open primaries, is being tarnished.

Regular readers will be familiar with my pet theory that, in general, voters get it right. Every recent British election has been lost by the party that most deserved to lose. This is because the general population is generally wiser than the elites. When the experts fell, in turn, for appeasement, prices and incomes policies, non-selective education, the ERM, the euro and the bailouts, the country at large remained rightly sceptical. In Edmund Burkes metaphor, the great oxen have a better track record than the noisy grasshoppers.

Until now. All of a sudden, people just want to use the electoral process as a way to register their disdain. As poor Marco Rubio said in announcing the suspension of his campaign, no one wants optimism at the moment.

Which is a pity because, looked at rationally, Americans have every reason to be optimistic. Their country is peaceful and prosperous, which is why so many people from around the world pay it the ultimate compliment of wanting to settle there. The protectionism that Trump espouses would, paradoxically, hurt the people who are cheering for him the most enthusiastically: low-paid workers, who would face a rise in prices and, as productivity slowed, a drop in wages. When Trump declares that he loves the poorly educated, he means that he is happy to have their votes, not that he has ever stood up for them in his life: he is the ultimate beltway networker. And yet, to repeat, no one seems to care.

Ah, America. You deserve better. And we expect better.
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The Mass Rape Of The Bosnian Women Was Genocide!

By Professor Francis A. Boyle

17 March, 2016

Countercurrents.org

University of Illinois College of Law, Womens Law Symposium, March 9, 2016

The author won two Orders from the International Court of Justice overwhelmingly in favor of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina against Yugoslavia to cease and desist from committing all acts of genocide in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention on April 8, 1993 and September 13, 1993. This was the first time ever that any Government or Lawyer had won two such Orders in one case since the World Court was founded in 1921. And on August 5, 1993, he also won an Article 74(4) Order from the World Court to the same effect. Under Article 74(4) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, when the Full Court is not in Session, the President of the Court exercises the Full Powers of the Court and can issue an Order that is binding upon the states parties in a case. The story is told in his book The Bosnian People Charge Genocide! (Aletheia Press: 1996).

I want to express my gratitude to the Womens Law Society for asking me to speak here today and especially in honor of International Womens Day. The WLS organizers asked me to talk about a problem related to women and human rights. Over my career since coming here in 1978 -- both practicing and teaching international human rights law -- the most daunting problem I ever confronted was being the Lawyer for all the raped women of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I was the Attorney of Record for at least 20,000+ raped women of Bosnia before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the World Court of the United Nations System. All 20,000+ of these raped Bosnian women were my Clients. I had originally figured 20,000 was a gross underestimate since rape is always underreported -- especially during war time. When the war and the genocide were over, the United Nations got into Bosnia in order to investigate. I have read that the current U.N. estimate is that about 40,000 Bosnian Muslim women were raped during that war and genocide.

The Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic appointed me their General Agent with Extraordinary and Penitentiary Powers to represent the Republic of Bosnia Herzegovina before the International Court of Justice. That meant I was their Attorney of Record and their Ambassador to the World Court with responsibility to argue their case for genocide and to stop the genocide against the Bosnians. This lawsuit was the most important international human rights case ever filed at the World Court since it was founded in 1921. All I am going to do here is discuss one critical element of the case when I argued to the World Court that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide. I was given complete authority by President Izetbegovic to argue this case as I saw fit, and the mass rape of the Bosnian women was a decisive component of this genocide lawsuit as I saw it.

Even the Nazis during World War II did not engage in the mass and systematic rape of women as a technique of warfare, though the Japanese came very close to it against Chinese women during the Second World War. Bosnia was appalling! It seemed to me that what was going on there was not just rape  which in times of war is a war crime -- but that what was going on there was genocide. Outright genocide! So I decided to argue that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide to the World Court.

Now when I argued the case to the World Court I was operating on the basis of multiple and independent reputable human rights sources that what we were dealing with here was somewhere between 20,000 to 25,000 raped Bosnian Muslim women. If you look at the Genocide Convention, I was working with this definition in respect to arguing their case for genocide:

Article II. In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such

(b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group

Certainly rape causes both serious bodily and serious mental harm to members of the group. In this case, Yugoslavian and Bosnian Serb Christian men were raping Bosnian Muslim women.

But that is only the actus reus of the crime of genocide that I just quoted to you. I also had to prove the mens rea, and in the case of genocide, this was a specific intent offense. So I had to argue and prove that these women were being raped because of their Muslim religion or because of their Bosnian nationality or because of their Bosnian Muslim ethnicity. So how did I do that? I compiled all the victims statements we could get from United Nations Organs, the Council of Europe, reputable human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and put them all together and filed them with the World Court. And what type of evidence did I use to establish their genocidal specific intent by means of rape? Here, I am going to use some graphic language, but, hey, we are all adults here and we are lawyers. So that is just the way I had to argue the case:

I got numerous statements that, while these women were being raped, their rapists and the men surrounding them and oftentimes gang-raping them, said to them while they were in the process of raping and gang-raping them Fuck Mohammad! That proved that the rapists and gang-rapists were motivated because of the womens religion. Or the rapists and gang-rapists would yell to their victims while raping them Fuck your Turkish mother! Bosnians are not Turks. They are South Slavic people, but because they are Muslims, Serbs derogatively refer to them as Turks. I put that in there to indicate these women were being raped on grounds of nationality and ethnicity. And: Fuck you, you Balija whore! Balija is a Serb derogatory term for Bosnian Muslims. Ditto. And: Fuck Alija! -- in reference to my Client the President of the Republic of Bosnia Herzegovina Alija Izetbegovic, who was a Bosnian Muslim. Ditto. Etc

I compiled all these statements I possibly could obtain and put them into a package and filed them with the World Court. It was not enough just to prove that these women were being raped. It was not enough just to prove that these rapists and gang-rapists were war criminals and sadists. I had to prove that in the process of raping them these Christian Serbs raped the Bosnian Muslim women for religious reasons or national reasons or ethnical reasons as required by Article 2 of the Genocide Convention that says: committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such. I argued to the World Court that Christian Serb men were raping Bosnian Muslim women for national and ethnical and religious reasons.

I also argued to the World Court Article 2, paragraph (d) of the Genocide Convention to establish that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide for a second count of the actus reus for genocide: Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group. And here, again, I used a multiplicity of victims statements from all reputable human rights sources and organizations, that while these women were being raped and gang-raped, their rapists and the men surrounding them and their gang-rapists, were saying to them Were going to give you a good little Serbian baby, or Were going to give you a good little Serb baby. This is because in this South Slavic culture the ethnicity is deemed to descend from the father. So, technically, if you have a child born of a Bosnian Muslim woman raped by a Christian Serb father, the baby is deemed to be Serb. Also, Were going to give you a good little chetnik baby! Chetnik was a term for Serbian partisan resistance fighters during World War 2. Nothing wrong with resisting the Nazis. But here these Christian Serb men were invoking the Serb term Chetnik while they were raping these Bosnian Muslim women.

Next, Yugoslavia and the so-called Bosnia Serb Army, which was in fact an arm of the Yugoslav National Army, maintained rape camps for Bosnian Muslim women throughout the Bosnian territories that they occupied. There Bosnian Muslim women were confined and reduced to sexual slavery, repeatedly raped and gang-raped, traded around, sold, and trafficked. If they became pregnant in these rape camps, we had numerous victims statements that their captor-rapists told them: We are going to make you stay here to give birth to a chetnik baby so that you do not get an abortion. Yet another violation of Genocide Convention article 2(d) that I filed with and argued to the World Court.

Finally, we had large numbers of Bosnian refugees up in Canada. The Clinton administration  Clinton was such a phony and a hypocrite on Bosnia, I wont go through it all here. But Canada was letting them in, while Clinton was not letting them into the United States on a large scale until after the Dayton Agreement. I called up to Canada and said I need five courageous women, victims of rape, willing to give me their statements that I will file with the World Court and they must also be willing to testify at the World Court in front of the entire world what happened to them. They got me the five courageous rape victims, we had their victim statements recorded, translated into English, and I filed them with the World Court.

At this beginning stage of the case I was simply trying to get what is called an indication of provisional measures of protection. That is the international equivalent of a temporary restraining order and injunction against all acts of genocide. So the proceedings on the merits and the trial itself would come later on down the line. At this stage, I was just trying to stop the genocide and the war and the rapes. I fully intended to call as witnesses before the World Court as many rape victims as I could fit into the schedule for the trial on the merits.

To make a long story short, I won a massive overwhelming Order from the World Court against Yugoslavia. Three measures of protection, the first that Yugoslavia itself should cease and desist from committing all acts of genocide against Bosnia and the Bosnians. I won that measure unanimously. The second, that Yugoslavia must do everything in their power to stop all these paramilitary, military, terrorist groups, and criminal gangs that they had launched upon the Bosnians, including for the purpose of the mass rape of the Bosnian women as techniques of ethnic cleansing and warfare. I won that measure with only the Russian Judge dissenting. And then third, which I had requested, that Yugoslavia do nothing more to further extend or aggravate this dispute over genocide. I won that unanimously too.

So then my Order was transmitted to the United Nations Security Council for enforcement as required by the United Nations Charter. It was for the Security Council to enforce my Order that genocide and the raping be stopped because Yugoslavia did not stop the genocide and raping and indeed they continued it and escalated it. What did the Security Council do with my Order? Nothing! Clinton sabotaged its enforcement together with the British and the French and the Russians. So nothing was done.

Amazingly, instead of enforcing my World Court Order against Yugoslavia, these Great Powers then decided to punish Bosnia and the Bosnians by coming up with the so-called Owen-Stoltenberg Plan. This would have carved up the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina into three little chunks of land, destroyed our Statehood under international law, robbed us of our U.N. Membership, and subjected 1.5 to 2 million more Bosnians to ethnic cleansing. The Bosnian Apocalypse was staring me right in my face!

So I returned to the World Court asking for a second Order of provisional measures of protection to stop Owen-Stoltenberg. Then the very next day I flew to Geneva where I was the Lawyer for the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Owen-Stoltenberg negotiations in order to stop them in situ. I sabotaged the whole damn thing right then and there. I made sure it never happened. And then I went back to the World Court and won that second Order  again -- a massive overwhelming victory on behalf of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina against Yugoslavia to cease and desist from committing all acts of genocide against the Bosnians, both directly and indirectly by means of their genocidal surrogates. That was the end of the Owen-Stoltenberg Plan.

When the war was over, President Izetbegovic gave an interview in which he said we almost lost our State in the Fall of 1993, which was correct. I was there. Bosnia almost fell. All of Bosnia would have been turned into Srebrenica, and I later became the Attorney of Record for the Mothers of Srebrenica and Podrinja at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. 8,000+ Bosnian Muslim men and boys were just exterminated, and many women were raped. We would have had at least another 100,000+ more dead Bosnians and another 40,000+ more raped Bosnian Muslim women if Bosnia had fallen in the Fall of 1993.

But Clinton, Britain, France, and Russia refused to enforce my second World Court Order at the U.N. Security Council against Yugoslavia. Even most despicably, Clinton, Britain, France, and Russia sabotaged my strategy and our efforts to invoke the United Nations Uniting for Peace Resolution (1950) in order to have the United Nations General Assembly enforce my World Court Order against Yugoslavia. And in the Fall of 1993 Clinton finally came out of the closet and revealed his genocidal intention to carve-up and destroy the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Clinton hauled into the White House the Dutch Foreign Minister Kooijmans to serve as his stalking horse in order to do his genocidal dirty work for him. I had already briefed Kooijmans in his office at The Hague on these so-called Bosnian peace plans, saying they were all genocidal; that he should have nothing to do with them; and asked him to help us. Instead Clinton and Kooijmans came up with what they called the Contact Group Plan, which, again, would have done the same thing as Owen-Stoltenberg: Carve-up the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina into three pieces, destroy Bosnias Statehood under international law, and subject 1.5 to 2 million more Bosnians to ethnic cleansing.

So acting pursuant to my advice, President Izetbegovic gave me the authority to sue Britain at the World Court for aiding and abetting Yugoslavias genocide against the Bosnians and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We really couldnt sue Clinton. Clinton was guilty as sin and deserved to be sued! But the only hope we had was that Clinton would change his mind. And among the other Permanent Members of the Security Council, the British were certainly the worst against us by far -- though I had repeatedly offered to sue France and Russia at the World Court as well. Ditto for Croatia.

I set out to sue Britain to stop this latest Clinton/Kooijmans/Contact Group genocidal carve-up plan. I also set out to sue Britain at the World Court for aiding and abetting the Bosnian genocide, to stop the genocide, including the mass rape of the Bosnian women, and to break the genocidal arms embargo that the Security Council had illegally imposed upon the Bosnians in gross violation of their basic right to self-defense under U.N. Charter article 51. The Bosnians could not defend their women and their children. The Yugoslav National Army was one of the most powerful armies in Europe. After the Tito/Stalin split, Tito had armed, equipped, supplied and trained the JNA to repulse an invasion by the Soviet Union. By comparison, the Bosnians had no heavy weapons of their own. They were being slaughtered. I could watch it live on CNN.

In response, the British then threatened the Bosnians to the effect that if they let me argue this genocide case against them at the World Court, we will starve you to death. It was the middle of winter. All the food supplies for the Bosnians came in at Sarajevo airport that was under the control of the British and French troops. The British just threatened to cut off the supplies then and there. So under those circumstances of extreme duress, we had to withdraw that lawsuit against Britain for genocide from the World Court. The British also said: And by the way, fire Boyle! The British and everyone else involved knew full well that so long as I was Bosnias Lawyer at the World Court, I would use all the powers at my command and move heaven and earth to prevent their genocidal carve-up and destruction of my Client the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the further genocide of my Clients the Bosnians.

Well, alright, I was doing this case free of charge and pro bono publico. I wasnt paid a dime by the Bosnian government, whether for expenses or for fees. Indeed, I was eating my own expenses. It cost me $30,000 in out of pocket expenses to win those two World Court Orders that I took out of my own bank account and put on my American Express Gold Card. That money was paid back to me by a Bosnian woman living in Canada who took out a second mortgage on her home. So the Bosnian government brought in their own Bosnian lawyer to take my place, Mr. Softic. And then what happened? Here we get directly into feminist legal studies and international human rights law.

When I was flying back from the World Court to here in Champaign the day after winning my first Order, on that long airplane flight home I contemplated to myself: Ok. I won this Order but now Im going to have to prove it at the trial. And here, theres 25,000 raped women. I did win the temporary restraining Order but proving it in Court on the merits is another matter. I want this to be done in a way that would set a precedent for the future of all women. So I am really going to need an expert on both feminist legal theory and international human rights law to conceptualize this entire matter for me on setting up, proving, and winning that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide. So I called up my friend Professor Kathleen Mahoney, who teaches at the University of Calgary Law School in Canada and I asked her to handle all this for me and in particular to conceptualize how we are going to argue and win that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide from a feminist legal studies perspective. She readily agreed to do it, free of charge and pro bono publico, eating her own expenses, and immediately set up a team of women lawyers there in Calgary and went to work on it for me.

What happened? After I was moved off the case, Bosnias lawyers dismissed Professor Mahoney and her team and dropped the entire issue that the mass rape of the Bosnian women was genocide from the World Court lawsuit. They dropped it all completely from the proceedings. After I had deliberately put it right in there smack dab in the heart of the lawsuit as one of the critical elements of this genocide case right from the very get-go.

And then, when it came to the trial on the merits at the World Court, I was not there, but here. I did follow it from here and as far as I could tell, Bosnias Lawyers did not have even one Bosnian woman victim of rape testify. I stand subject to correction by someone who actually attended the World Court trial in The Hague, but you had 20,000+ raped women, and Bosnias lawyers did not call even one rape victim to testify as a witness? And this despite the fact that at the very beginning of these proceedings I had told the World Court that I had at least 5 rape victims and I was going to call them all to testify at the trial about what happened to them?

So of course in its Judgment on the merits, the World Court basically said Well Bosnia made the charge at the beginning of the lawsuit, but they didnt put on any evidence in the Memorial or in the trial to support it. So it was summarily dismissed, and that was that. These 40,000 raped women of Bosnia were abandoned and betrayed by their own government! Likewise, the Mothers of Srebrenica and Podrinja were abandoned and betrayed by their own government! Ditto for the Women of Srebrenica!

Where do we stand now? My argument that the rape of women can constitute genocide was ratified by International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in the Akayesu case decided in 1998. Akayesu is the leading source of international legal authority that we have today that the rape of women can constitute genocide. As for Professor Mahoney, she and her team took all of their outstanding work and filed it with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia where it was used in the Foca Rape Camp case. The Serbs established and maintained rape camps. These Bosnian Muslim women were kept in these rape camps, they were repeatedly raped and gang-raped, they were traded around and sold and trafficked. Professor Mahoney and her team successfully argued to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia that their sexual slavery was a crime against humanity.

Now, that is a major advance for women in the development of international human rights law and of international criminal law. Up until that ruling, sexual slavery in war time had never been considered anything more serious than a series of war crimes. Thanks to Professor Mahoney and her team, sexual slavery is now a crime against humanity. More serious than a war crime, and just short of genocide.

For example I have tried to help the Sex Slaves in Korea that the male chauvinist pig militarists in Japan still call their comfort women that were designated for their own personal sexual comfort. Well clearly this is a crime against humanity -- what the Japanese did to the Korean women and also to the Chinese women, the Sex Slaves over in China too, during World War II. And Japan still denies it as of today. In both cases, nothing meaningful has really been done to rectify these grave injustices, these crimes against humanity against the Korean women and the Chinese women by Japan. Most of these women have gone to their graves in silence and unvindicated. These Korean women and these Chinese women too have been abandoned and betrayed by their own governments.

Finally, overall, it has just been announced that on March 24, 2016, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia will issue its Verdict on Radovan Karadzic. Karadzic had been indicted for every crime in the ICTY Statute including two counts of genocide  one count for Bosnia in general and the second count for Srebrenica in particular. During the summer of 1993. I stopped Karadzic, Milosevic, Tudjman, Boban, Owen, Stoltenberg, the United Nations and the European Union from carving up and destroying the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the most catastrophic consequences for the Bosnians. We were all in Geneva together! And they had the backing of Clinton and Christopher working behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. in support of their efforts to destroy us. It will certainly be nice to see Karadzic finally get his just desserts after all these years!

Similarly, working on behalf of my Clients the Mothers of Srebrenica and Podrinja. I got the ICTY Prosecutor to likewise indict Slobodan Milosevic for every crime in the ICTY Statute book including two counts of genocide -- one count for Bosnia in general and the second count for Srebrenica in particular. He died while on trial in The Hague taking all his secrets with him. How convenient for Clinton, Britain, France, Russia, the United Nations, and the European Union. Dead men tell no tales! I will have to study the Karadzic Verdict and figure out what more  if anything  can now be done on behalf of the 40,000 raped women of Bosnia, the Mothers of Srebrenica and Podrinja, the Women of Srebrenica, and the Bosnians. Thank you.




Tribal Rights, Mining And Gram Sabha: Tribals Have Power To Reject Vedanta Bauxite Mining

By Zubair Nazeer & Rahul Chimurkar

17 March, 2016

Countercurrents.org

Tribal communities in India have to consistently struggle for safeguarding their rights. In this struggle, they not only have to struggle against non-tribals but also government authorities. Post Independence, there have been several landmark legislations with the capacity to empower the tribals in India such as Forest Rights Act (FRA), Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), etc. However, these legislations are used inappropriately by the various state governments to deny tribals their guaranteed rights. It is unfortunate that the main concern of tribal communities is to protect these landmark and friendly acts from constant attack from various state governments as well as the Union government rather than utilizing these legislations to ensure their socioeconomic development. These attacks have been either through legislations, petitions, or in a covert way.

The recent attack on tribal rights is in the form of a new interlocutory application filed by the Odisha government before the apex court on 25th February, 2016. The application has been moved by the state run miner OMC (Odisha Mining Corporation) to challenge the landmark Vedanta bauxite mine judgement of the Supreme Court. The application claims that Forest Rights Act and its rules do not require any consent from the Gram Sabha for use of forestlands if government decides that the rights of people have been settled. The OMC has made this claim on the basis of several arguments. The main argument is that resolutions of Gram Sabha rejecting mining cannot remain perpetually in force. The OMC seeks constant review of decisions of the Gram Sabha on a flimsy argument that members who had taken decisions rejecting mining have passed away. It has also questioned resolutions of the 12 gram sabhas of the Dongaria Kondh, Kutia Kandha and other tribal communities on the basis of technical errors committed during the passage of the resolutions rejecting mining in the Niyamgiri Hills of Odisha. The state government further claims that tribal communities may have exceeded their powers by declaring an entire plateau, situated far away from the abode of Niyam-Raja (the tribal communities traditional god), as sacred.

Basically, Odisha government wants the Supreme Court to set aside these resolutions rejecting mining by reviewing its own Vedanta Judgement of 2013. The State Government believes that if it succeeds to do so, then it would seek clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the mining project, which they had rejected after the Supreme Courts Vedanta Judgment of 2013. The SC heard this plea on 4th March and decided that the matter be referred to a three-judge Bench of the court for consideration. There is a need to understand the powers of Gram Sabha, the intentions of the State Government and their concern for tribal rights. The issue of undermining the powers of Gram Sabha is not specific to Odisha, for other state governments have also made such attempts. Even the activists defending rights of tribal and their institutions have been under attack. Recently, Soni Sori was attacked for defending tribal rights in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

One of the important legislations for tribal empowerment is Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996(PESA). Under PESA, if there is an acquisition of land for development projects, then it is mandatory to obtain the consent of Gram Sabha or Panchayats at the appropriate level. Since Gram Sabha is the most representative institution of any village (as defined by the Act), it is obvious that Gram Sabha has to be consulted. It is the responsibility of the Gram Sabha to prevent alienation of land [Section 2 (c)]. Its decisions have to be sacrosanct and should not be questioned. The Odisha government is basically questioning the authority of Gram Sabha which has been deemed powerful, even by the Supreme Court in the Vedanta Mining Judgement. Therefore, the decision to approach the Supreme Court to question the power of Gram Sabha seems questionable and illogical. It is a fact that there is no uniformity in application of PESA by various state governments. Since the implementation of the Act, this has emerged as one major challenge. In Odisha`s case, power of acquisition of land for development projects has been assigned to Zila Parishad, which basically goes against the spirit of the PESA. Moreover, the composition of Zila Parishad is tilted in favor of Government with official representatives having a greater say in the final decision making. In fact, there is a need to review the implementation of PESA in Odisha to transfer powers assigned to the Zila Parishad to Gram Sabha. Even the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA), which the State government is using as a tool to challenge decision of 12 gram sabhas, gives utmost power and significance to Gram Sabha and considers it as the most important institution to ensure protection and development of tribal communities.

It is surprising that the state government claims that the decision of gram sabhas needs to be reviewed because those who were members of gram sabhas at that time when resolutions rejecting mining was passed are no more. The argument seems fallacious. It means to claim that members are more important than an institution (Gram Sabha). It is the decision of the institution that needs to be respected by the state government. There is no question that the decisions taken by Gram Sabha can be reviewed. But they can be reviewed only by Gram Sabha itself. There has to be no undue pressure and interference from outside. One has to but question the intention of the state government when it states that the decision rejecting mining in the hills needs to be reviewed because younger tribals have become members of the Gram Sabha. It means that the state government is pre-judging that younger population will give a decision in its favor. This again is an insult to Gram Sabha as an institution and there have been many occasions in various states where pressure has been used to get a favorable decision. On the one hand, Odisha government questions the power of Gram Sabha but on the other hand it wants these gram sabhas to review their decision. There seems to be utter confusion and desperation to get clearance for Vedanta Mining Project in Niyamgiri Hills

The OMC has also questioned the decision of Gram Sabha and belief of tribal communities that Niyamgiri hills are sacred and an integral part of their religious beliefs. The argument that only a small part of the plateau is sacred is questionable. As per the FRA, tribals have right to traditional knowledge and cultural diversity. It is tribal knowledge and their beliefs that have to be given primacy in this regard. Outsiders, including the state government, cannot decide what is religious and sacrosanct for tribal and what is not. Similarly, under PESA, it is Gram Sabha which is central in managing, protecting and preserving the traditional customs of tribals [Section 2 (h)]. Therefore, it seems that in the context of the recent shift in the development paradigm of the state, the traditional beliefs and practices of Tribals seems to be under threat. Gram Sabha is competent to preserve tribal practices and religious beliefs, but it is this institution that has been facing challenges from the state government. In the Samata Judgement (1997), the Supreme Court has given a clear message that if the government allows transfer of land in favour of non-tribals (in this case MNC) and/or leases land for mining in the scheduled areas, it would completely destroy legal and constitutional fabric that is made to protect the tribals. It is rather surprising that the Odisha government has not understood the Samata Judgment and approached the SC with an interlocutory application.

The decision of Odisha government to file an interlocutory application has serious consequences for tribals not only in Odisha but across the country. It weakens the main legislations, FRA and PESA; that are there to protect tribal rights and ensure their socioeconomic development. It challenges the authority of the Gram Sabha as an institution of tribal participation in democracy. Therefore, it can lead to further alienation of tribals from the mainstream. If the decision is given, as it is anticipated by state government then it will set a bad precedent and may intensify efforts to acquire tribal land on one pretext or other and displace a number of tribals. The decision to allow mining in Niyamgiri hills may lead to violence because it will be taken by the tribal community as an attempt to disregard and disrespect their religious views and traditional beliefs. It may intensify the already existing assimilation efforts carried out in various tribal areas of India. The prevention of Land mining in the Niyamgiri hills is also ecologically important. Mining in this area would damage its fragile ecology, causing a great loss of biodiversity.There are already apprehensions that the Union Government is trying to dilute the various tribal related acts and legislations especially the consent clause of the Gram Sabha. Any decision that supports the position of the Odisha Government will give further credence to these apprehensions.

Under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, it is the responsibility of Governor to safeguard the rights of tribals.Leaders of Niyamgiri Suraksha Sangram Samiti and Lokshakti Abhijan have sought intervention of Governor SC Jamir to stop the State Government from trying to convene gram sabha meetings again for bauxite mining in the hills. The governor of Odisha should review the decision of the state government to file an interlocutory application. If he fails to do so, then the SC has to ensure tribals that their rights guaranteed by the Constitution would be safeguarded and no such precedent would be set that in any way would erode their rights. It is high time that the concept of penal offence be incorporated into the PESA. It would be used as a legal instrument to take action against those authorities and institutions which fail to consult Gram Sabha wherever needed by law or show disregard and disrespect towards decisions of the Gram Sabha.

Zubair Nazeer and Rahul Chirmurkar are Research Fellows in the Department of Political Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. They are working on Tribal Rights and Development in India.




Edward W. Said On Orientalism

By Gaither Stewart

17 March, 2016

Greanvillepost.com

Edward Said wrote a new preface for the twenty-fifth anniversary edition of his classic book, ORIENTALISM, originally published in the USA by Random House in 1978. In the following pages I have quoted some of the authors major thoughts and added my own ideas about Saids preface written in 2003 for the last Vintage Books edition of his magnificent work.

Rome: In Edward Saids preface to the 25th anniversary edition of his magisterial work, Orientalism, the author rapidly begins his definition of the Orientalism that has resulted from the immense distortion introduced by the empire (of imperialism) into the lives of lesser peoples and subject races. How little it wishes to face the long succession of years through which empire continues to work its way in the lives of, say, Palestinians or Congolese or Algerians or Iraqis.

For Said, the Wests Orientalist line begins with Napoleons entry into Egypt two centuries ago, continues with the rise of Oriental studies (one of the authors principle targets) and the takeover of North Africa, and goes on to similar undertakings in Vietnam, in Egypt, in Palestine and during the entire twentieth century in the struggle over oil and strategic control in the Gulf, in Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Afghanistan. The author poses the question that if the Holocaust has permanently altered the consciousness of our time, then why do we (the imperialist West) not afford the same recognition to what imperialism has done, and what Orientalism continues to do.

Here I stray from the Preface and look ahead to the book text itself to the point Said lists three major forms taken by Western Orientalism beginning with the Napoleonic invasion of Egypt, the very model of a truly scientific appropriation of one culture by another, apparently a stronger one, which set in motion processes between East and West that still dominate our contemporary cultural and political perspectives. In nineteenth century Europe a vast body of literature about the East was generated which created a new awareness of the Orient in the West which in turn was translated as a new relationship between the Orient and the West.

The second form of Orientalism was the modernization of knowledge in the West about the Orient. Oriental societies and university departments of Oriental studies spread across Europe to disseminate the new knowledge about the Orient. Then in the third form in which Orientalism existed, limits were fixed as to what the more creative Westerners could experience or even say about the Orient. For Orientalism, Said proposes, is ultimately a political vision of reality whose structure promotes the difference between the familiar (Europe, the West, us) and the strange (the Orient, the East, them). This vision in a sense created and then served the two worlds thus conceived: Orientals lived in their world; we lived in ours.

The result was that the stronger of the two, the West, could penetrate (also imperialistically) and give meaning to the great mysteries of the East. Saids argument is that precisely such a vision of the East vision has made Orientalist reality, its vast institutions and all-pervasive influence, both inhuman and persistent up to the present.

This vision of the state of relations between East and West between scholars and intellectuals on the one hand and national states (and blocks of nations) and their peoples and their religions on the other, is disheartening and frustrating for a person, especially a thinking and caring person, who belonged to both worlds as did Said. His prefaceactually also his entire bookis thus a challenge to scholars, in his words to use humanistic critique to open up the fields of struggle between East and West in place of the polemics and antagonisms that prevent mutual comprehension one of the other.

The author holds steadfastly to his humanistic method chiefly because he truly believes that nothing that goes on in our world has ever been isolated and pure of any outside influence. For him the discouraging part of such considerations is that the more cultural studies show that such is the case, the less influence it has in East and West. The emergence of the explosive territorial-religious-social-political polarizations we know today offer us the bitter confirmation of the state of relations between two irrational and apparently irreconcilable antagonists today faced with the reality of Islam versus the West.

The controversial world-famous scholar and writer and leading U.S. advocate of the Palestinian cause, Edward Said, died of leukemia in New York on September 25, 2003 at age 67. He had signed this new preface to Orientalism in May, 2003, obviously, aware that he had little time to state his case in full. Born in 1935 in Jerusalem, then part of British-ruled Palestine, he was raised in Egypt before moving to the United States as a student. In that sense he lived a pluri-cultural life: Islam and the West. Therefore, he felt a special moral responsibility in the use he made of his particular life experience and abilities.

His passion literally exudes from most every line of the sixteen pages of one of his last major writings. He emphasizes the vital necessity for independent intellectuals to provide alternative models to the reductively simplifying and confining ones, based on mutual hostility, that have prevailed in the Middle East and elsewhere for so long.

Said, a professor of comparative literature at Columbia University and not of Arab or Islamic studies as one might expect, was a harsh critic of Israel for its mistreatment of the Palestinians. In the name of academic freedom, Columbia did not censure him when he created international controversy like the time he demonstratively threw a rock toward an Israeli guardhouse on the Lebanese border. As to his ability to interpret political events, he wrote after visits to Jerusalem and the West Bank that Israels xenophobia toward Arabs had strengthened Palestinian determination. In general, his outspoken stance made him many enemies and he received many death threats; his office was set on fire and the Jewish Defense League labeled him a Nazi.

Said does not mince words in this preface, signed three months before his passing. Speaking as both American and Arab he advises against underestimating the simplified views of the world formulated by a few Pentagon civilian elites for U.S. policies in the Arab/Islamic world. He charges the media for its endlessly debating of policies based on terror, preemptive war, and unilateral regime change backed up by the most bloated military budget in history and for assigning itself the role of producing so-called experts who validate the governments general line. Likewise, he accuses Americans in general for not generating enough dissent from the dubious thesis that military power alone can change the map of the world.

The breath-taking insouciance of jejune publicists who speak in the name of foreign policy and who have no live notion (or any knowledge at all) of the language of what real people actually speak has fabricated an arid landscape ready for American power to construct there an ersatz model of free market democracy. Said explains that he means the difference between knowledge of other peoples and other times that results from understanding, compassion and careful study and analysis and on the other hand, knowledge that is part of an overall campaign for self-affirmation, belligerency and outright war.

Excusing himself (needlessly in my opinion) for too many abrupt transitions between humanistic interpretation on the one hand and foreign policy on the other, and his refusal to accept that a modern technological society that, along with unprecedented power, possesses the internet and F-16 fighter jets, must be in the end commanded by formidable technical-policy experts like Donald Rumsfeld,

Said writes a five-liner denunciation of American ideology that I consider morally exemplary of his thinking: Reflection, debate, rational argument, moral principle based on a secular notion that human beings must create their own history have been replaced by abstract ideas that celebrate American and Western exceptionalism, denigrate the relevance of context, and regard other cultures with derisive contempt. But what has really been lost is a sense of the density and interdependence of human life.

As could be expected, the book, Orientalism .stirred up a hornets nest in the field of Middle Eastern Studies. Roger Owen, Professor of Middle East History at Harvard University, a good Orientalist according to Saids definition, notes the personal tone in Saids book: the authors origins, his reasons for writing the book, his genuine offense at the objectification of Arabs and Muslims. Owen notes that parts of the book are read as political and polemical rather than scholarly and academic, a no-no in the academic world. Saids words are actually more than criticism; they are an accusation that was answered chiefly by counter-accusations which muddied the oh so sensitive academic waters.

Saids Orientalism thus continues to be regarded as dangerous, in particular by those who have perhaps never read it, like State Department Arabists. Hence, the polarization in the field of Modern Middle Eastern studies: the followers of Edward Said on the one hand and those, for example, belonging to the Middle East Studies Association on the other. Saids critics claim the attacks on Said and his followers (caused by Said himself and his book) make it more difficult for good Orientalists to sustain an attack on the role of (bad and guilty) Orientalists in authorizing not only American military and security policy but those of Israel as well. It is my view that academia, in its genteel-acidic manner, is attempting to shift the blame onto Edward Saids shoulders for their kowtowing to political power.



Said then concludes his imaginative-interpretive essay-preface twice. His first conclusion is to insist that the terrible reductive conflicts that herd people under falsely unifying rubrics like America, the West, or Islam and invent collective identities for large numbers of individuals who are actually quite diverse cannot remain as potent as they are, and must be opposed, their murderous effectiveness vastly reduced in influence and mobilizing power.

And lastly, the author writes, most important, humanism is the only, and I would go so far as to say, the final resistance we have against the inhuman practices and injustices that disfigure human history. We are today abetted by the enormously encouraging democratic field of cyberspace, open to all users in ways undreamed of by earlier generations either of tyrants or of orthodoxies. The world-wide protest before the war began in Iraq would not have been possible were it not for the existence of alternative communities across the globe, informed by alternative news sources, and keenly aware of the environmental, human rights, and libertarian impulses that bind us together in this tiny planet.

Gaither Stewart, based in Rome is a veteran journalist and essayist on a broad palette of topics from culture to history and politics, he is also the author of the Europe Trilogy, celebrated spy thrillers whose latest volume, Time of Exile, was recently published by Punto Press.






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The best thing that can be said for this year's session of the Indiana General Assembly is that it ended.

Lawmakers didn't do much in their two months at the Statehouse  and what they did do they didn't do well  but that might be a sign of progress.

At least this year, they didn't rip Hoosiers apart with pointless right-to-work legislation or an ill-conceived and futile proposed state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Nor did they chase away business and turn Indiana into a national and international laughing stock with another ill-advised and misnamed Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

These are baby steps, to be sure, but our legislators have a long way to go. Learning not to play with fire or sharp objects is an essential developmental stage.

Just how far our lawmakers still have to go in regard to achieving maturity can be seen in the way they approached this session.

Two big tasks confronted them at the outset.

The first was figuring out a way, after last year's RFRA debacle, to reassure businesses and other parts of the grown-up world that Indiana would find some way to extend civil rights protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens.

The second was determining how the state would deal with its crumbling roads and bridges in a sustainable fashion.

The first challenge the legislators responded to by hiding under their beds and hoping it would go away. After a few early and isolated attempts by a few precocious lawmakers to acknowledge that all human beings are, well, human, the mass of the legislators decided that basic fairness was just too difficult a concept for them to absorb.

The second challenge  the one involving the state's highways and bridges  the lawmakers kicked just far enough down the road (pun intended) to move it past this fall's election. They voted for a funding plan designed to be sustainable all the way through Nov. 9.

So, if our toddling legislators weren't preoccupied with really important matters, how did they fill their time?

Not by doing much that was good.

They voted to outlaw abortions if they're performed on the basis of gender or disability. In addition to likely being unenforceable  just how do we police a woman's thought and motivation?  it also has the added benefit of encouraging pregnant women to lie to their doctors.

They continued their schoolyard bully routine with Indiana teachers and the state's public school students.

Despite there being no credible evidence that vouchers have achieved any of the promised results, they voted to expand a voucher program that already is among the most expansive  and expensive  in the nation. And they played a particularly mean-spirited game of keep-away with teacher pay.

And they issued a loud wail of protest about the Carrier Corporation's decision to relocate operations  and 2,100 Hoosier jobs  to Mexico. It was about as effective in dealing with the situation as most temper tantrums are.

The problems that might require adult levels of concentration and discipline they left for another day, year or decade.

The reality that between nearly 25 percent of Hoosier children now live in poverty troubled them little, if at all. Ditto for the fact that income and wage statistics indicate that the bottom half of Indiana's middle-class is in the midst of a slow and desperate slide toward poverty. The same goes for the fact that the tensions between the Hoosier haves and the have-nots only will increase as these trends accelerate.

Empathy is a quality associated with maturity. So is sagacity. Both may be beyond our leaders at this stage of their development.

The 2016 session of the Indiana General Assembly has come to an end.

Julius Caesar once delivered this terse report to the Roman Senate about a victory in battle: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Our legislators would say:

We came, we saw, we took a nap.

As legislative sessions go, it wasn't good, but it could have been a lot worse.

And that, with this bunch, is a victory of sorts.

John Krull is director of Franklin College's Pulliam School of Journalism, host of "No Limits" WFYI 90.1 Indianapolis and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
By Mark Wilson of the Courier and Press

The lead fire investigator in the Inland Marina arson trial on Thursday testified that he did not find evidence the fire was caused by electrical malfunction.

Richard Howard, a fire investigator for the Evansville Fire Department, testified the intense blaze burned away most of defendant William Marver's houseboat down to its aluminum hull.

"The heat release rate of this fire was tremendous. Everything on this boat was combustible," he said.

Howard said the fire burned hot enough to melt much of the copper electric wiring on the boat, meaning the fire's temperature would have reached more than 1900 degrees Fahrenheit.

Marver, 57, of Evansville, and Brenda Harris, 49, of Hatfield, are each charged with conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit arson for hire, and arson with intent to defraud. The longtime friends are accused of burning Marver's 66-foot houseboat for insurance money.

Investigators have said the Feb. 14, 2015, fire caused $4.5 million in damage to five boats as well as the marina dock. Four of the boats capsized.

Harris was on the boat with her son Zachary Patrick and his friend Cory Boling when the fire started. Patrick testified Thursday that they were helping move items off the boat so Marver could prepare it for sale.

Deputy Prosecutor Dennis Vowels is arguing that Harris started the blaze by purposefully knocking over a kerosene heater inside the boat, and that the alleged plan was implied in Facebook messages between Harris and Marver.

Defense attorneys John Brinson and Ivan Arnaez contend the fire started with an electric malfunction and not from the kerosene heater.

John Johnson testified on Thursday that he was a bookkeeper and paid the bills for Marver's businesses from 2011 through May 2015.

He said it was his suggestion to sell the boat, along with other of Marver's personal items, to raise cash for Marver's business, Jaguar Oil, which owns and operates oil well leases.

At the time of the fire, Johnson testified, crude oil prices had dropped by about 50 percent from the previous year and cash flow was tight. He said they decided to sell the houseboat along with other boats, a jet ski, several cars and rental properties Marver owned.

Patrick testified earlier Thursday that the fire on the boat began after there was fire in the electric breaker box on the dock to which Marver's boat was plugged in.

Howard testified Thursday that, several days after the fire, Marver himself directed him to look at the boat-to-shore cable as the possible source of the fire.

However, he said he found no conclusive evidence of that and instead found indicators that the heat that damaged the cord as well as the breaker box on the dock originated from the direction of the boat.

One indicator, Howard said, was that the heaviest damage on the cord did not extend all the way down to where it plugged into Marver's boat. Instead, Howard said it started a few feet up the cord, where flames coming off the boat would have touched it.

Another indicator, Howard said, was that the fire burned away the insulating sheathing of the wire but melted the copper wire in such a way that it caused multiple breaks in the wire.

Howard said that had the fire come from within the electric wire, it would have stopped at the first break in the line and not continued to cause multiple breaks.

Howard will resume his testimony Friday morning. He will be followed by Lt. John Cannarella, of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, who investigated the fire, as well as several defense witnesses.

The jury is expected to begin deliberating in the case Friday afternoon.
By Mark Wilson of the Courier and Press

A witness at the Inland Marina arson trial told investigators just days after the fire that he suspected it may have been intentionally set.

That witness, Newburgh resident Cory Boling, testified for the entire afternoon Wednesday during the trial of William Marver and Brenda Harris, who are accused of arson and other charges in the fire.

During Boling's testimony the jury watched and listened to almost two hours of investigators' interview with him.

Boling was one of three people who were on the boat when the fire happened shortly after midnight on Feb. 14, 2015.

Marver, 57, of Evansville, and Harris, 49, of Hatfield, are each charged with conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit arson for hire, and arson with intent to defraud. The longtime friends are accused of burning Marver's 66-foot houseboat for insurance money.

Investigators have said the fire caused $4.5 million in damage to five boats as well as the marina dock. Four of the boats capsized.

Prosecutors argue that Harris started the blaze by purposefully knocking over a kerosene heater inside the boat.

Boling testified that he was at the boat with Harris and her son Zachary Patrick. He said that he is Patrick's brother-in-law and that the two also work together.

Boling said Patrick asked him if he would help move items off Marver's boat on the night of Feb. 13, 2015, before the fire. He said they told him that Harris was cleaning and unloading the boat for Marver, who was going to sell it.

In court Wednesday, he said that Harris did not actually do any cleaning. Instead, Boling said that Harris talked with Marver on her cell phone for much of the night while Boling and Patrick loaded a pickup with items from the boat and took them to Marver's house nearby.

Boling said he and Patrick also smoked marijuana while they were at the boat.

He was interviewed on Feb. 19, 2015, by Lt. John Cannarella, an investigator of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, along with Richard Howard, a fire investigator at the Evansville Fire Department.

In the interview, Boling told investigators he was nervous and afraid of being associated with the fire because of his criminal history.

Boling acknowledged in court that he has past convictions for theft and sexual misconduct with a minor.

"I feel like I am part of something I don't know nothing about," Boling told investigators. "I want to know what happened that night as much as y'all do."

Under cross examination in court Wednesday by defense attorney John Brinson, Boling denied that he knocked the kerosene heater over himself.

He testified that after the fire Harris told him something to the effect of, "You know what I had to do, you know why I did it."

He eventually told that to investigators during his initial interview and said he was confused about why she would say that to him.

Boling testified that there were two fires on the boat that night. He said the first fire was caused when an electrical breaker box on the dock blew and the lights went out on the boat.

He said he saw the kerosene heater knocked over on its side in a different location in the boat than where it had previously been. After helping Patrick find a fire extinguisher, Boling said he panicked and left the boat but heard Patrick using it to put out the fire.

Boling said he saw the fire had been put out and that he later moved a container of kerosene away from the heater and suggested they remove the heater from the boat. They did not do it.

He said that several minutes later, while he was on the boat deck, he saw another fire in the boat and that Patrick and Harris did nothing to put it out, ignoring several fire extinguishers on the dock.

Defense attorneys Brinson and Ivan Arnaez attacked Boling's credibility and inconsistencies in his testimony.

"They are supposed to take your word? The word of a convicted thief," Arnaez said.

The trial continues today with another full day of prosecution evidence and witnesses. You can follow live updates below.
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The stakes couldn't be higher for European leaders who were meeting in Brussels this week to discuss a common response to the flood of refugees pouring into Europe from Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan.

Ostensibly the talks were aimed at convincing Turkey, a major transit point for migrants, to close its border with Greece to prevent refugees from continuing their journey to northern Europe.

But the real issue was the Europeans' inability or unwillingness to absorb the newcomers despite the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on the continent's southern flank.

Unless the European Union can get its act together to address that crisis, the future of a united Europe without borders that shares a common currency and defense policy could itself be at risk. And that should be of significant concern to Americans as we elect our next president.

The rapid influx of more than a million refugees has undermined the fragile political consensus that allowed European governments to accept people fleeing conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa and provide temporary food, housing and other aid.

As the human tide has swollen, the cost of such assistance has soared, overwhelming the capabilities of countries like Greece and the Balkan states to respond. That in turn has led to the rise in popularity of right-wing political parties whose leaders denounce the migrants and demand that the institutions that made their arrival in Europe possible  including the E.U. and NATO  be dismantled.

If all this sounds familiar, that's because it mirrors the situation in the U.S. that has arisen from the candidacy of Donald Trump as a contender in this year's presidential election. Trump has made no secret of his antipathy to migrants from Mexico and Central America, who he claims are stealing American jobs and committing crimes when they enter the country illegally. It's no coincidence that the authoritarian politics he espouses sound a lot like those promoted by right-wing European leaders such as France's Marine Le Pen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

And make no mistake: Trump is no more committed to NATO and the E.U.'s continuance as a unified political entity capable of serving as a counterbalance to Russian aggression than are his right-wing European counterparts.

They would all gladly see the end of the trans-Atlantic Western alliance that has helped maintain stability in Europe for more than half a century. Indeed, Trump has gone out of his way to mock the idea of the U.S. playing a leadership role through its international partnerships, suggesting instead the country is better off going it alone, free of entangling alliances that could constrain its use of military force and responding to global crises only when its vital national interests are directly threatened.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shrewdly exploited the European refugee crisis to further sow discontent and discord among the 28 E.U. member states. Russia's entry last September into Syria's bloody civil war was aimed not only at bolstering the teetering regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a longtime Moscow ally, but at intensifying the refugee crisis on Europe's doorstep in a way that weakens Western resolve. Putin has used the migrants' predicament to cruelly expose the political differences and policy confusion among the E.U. member states while sending a warning to countries like Ukraine that they cannot rely on the West to counter Russian aggression.

Later this year Britain will hold a referendum on whether to leave the E.U., and next year France holds presidential elections in which Le Pen hopes to advance her party's xenophobic vision of Europe's future. Depending on the outcomes of those votes it's possible other E.U. countries could also jump on the anti-E.U., anti-NATO bandwagon, in which case the eventual dissolution of the entire European project developed during the postwar era could be only a matter of time.

It's not too far a stretch to imagine that the migrant crisis could succeed in accomplishing what decades of Soviet intimidation failed to do. That is why the stakes in Brussels this week are so high for both Europe and the U.S., and why the talks on what to do about the gravest humanitarian crisis since World War II must not be allowed to fail.

This editorial appeared in The Baltimore Sun.
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Kirstin Ethridge

Evansville

For years, St. Mary Catholic Church in Downtown Evansville has been known as a safe space for all people, including LGBT+ Catholics. This is no longer the case. The Rainbow Catholics in Christ group, which ministered to LGBT+ Catholics, was recently rejected by the church's new pastor, Father Gordon Mann.

Father Mann claims that RCC's teachings are not in compliance with the Catholic Church's teachings. However, RCC ministered openly for twelve years with the knowledge and consent of multiple pastors. Furthermore, how can a group which teaches that God loves all people be against God's teachings? As 1 John 4: 7-8 says, " ... everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love."

I was baptized and raised in the St. Mary community. Until this year, I had always found it to be a welcoming safe space. As soon as I was old enough, I participated in many ministries, from greeting people at the church doors to teaching First Communion classes, because I wished to contribute to this wonderful mission of God's love. Due to the church's change of heart, I have had to resign from my multiple ministry positions. As I said in my resignation letter, "I cannot in good conscience continue to teach at a parish which excludes. Even if I do not explicitly teach exclusion, by remaining a First Communion teacher, I would be complicit in such exclusion."

I am currently in search of a church which will be more reflective of God's all-encompassing love. In the meantime, I encourage anyone who is grieving about this change, as I am, to reach out to groups such as the Tri-State Alliance; the TSA has information on the future of RCC and other LGBT+ ministries. All people are created in God's image. All people deserve an inclusive worship space.
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New York, March 17, 2016  The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Azerbaijans decision to release four independent reporters and a human rights lawyer, urges authorities to ensure they will not have criminal records, and calls on authorities to free all journalists who remain behind bars.

President Ilham Aliyev on Thursday issued a decree pardoning 148 people, including imprisoned journalists Hilal Mamedov, Tofiq Yaqublu, Parviz Hashimli, and media lawyer Rasul Jafarov, according to news reports. Jafarov is the founder of the Sport for Rights coalition, of which CPJ is a member.

In a separate development today, the Baku Court of Appeals lessened a December 28, 2015, sentence for journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov, changing his six-year prison term into a suspended, five-year sentence. Mirkadyrov was set free after the court ruling, reports said.

We celebrate todays news, and we urge President Aliyev to free all other journalists who remain behind bars, said Muzaffar Suleymanov, CPJs Europe and Central Asia senior research associate. Azerbaijani authorities must once and for all accept that critical journalism is not a crime, and must stop harassing and jailing journalists.

Among those still imprisoned in Azerbaijan are journalists Nijat Aliyev, Araz Guliyev, Seymur Hazi, and Khadija Ismayilova. Local and international human rights and press freedom groups, including CPJ, have determined their imprisonment is retaliation for their reporting, and have long advocated for their release. Most recently, CPJ urged Federica Mogherini, the European Unions top diplomat, to call on Aliyev to release imprisoned reporters during her February 29 visit to Baku.
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Our hope is that President Obama will meet journalists working for the alternative media, not just to cover his visit, but to start a dialogue, said Elaine Diaz Rodriguez, director of Periodismo de Barrio (Neighborhood Journalism) a website focusing on climate change and the impact of natural disasters on local communities. Diaz, who last year became the first Cuban journalist to receive a Nieman fellowship at Harvard University, said such an encounter with Obama would validate journalism in the island nation. It wont resolve our problems, but it will boost our legitimacy and reduce our vulnerabilities, she told CPJ on the phone from Havana.

When Obama arrives in Cuba next week for an historic visitthe first by a sitting U.S. president since 1928he will find a media landscape that has greatly developed over the past decade. While the emergence of the independent Cuban blogosphere can be traced to early 2007, when the first few blogs were written under pseudonyms, in the past five years the field has experienced a dramatic change, CPJ has found. Press freedom advocates and Cuban journalists with whom CPJ spoke, point to Yoani Sanchez, the 40-year-old founder of Generacion Y, as a pioneer in this blogging community.

The Cuban government, while preserving a restrictive legal framework that bans independent journalism, has also urged citizens to be more critical. In a December 2010 speech before the legislature, President Raul Castro said: Do not fear discrepancies and differences of opinions, which will always be more desirable to false unanimity based on simulation and opportunism. It is a right that others should not deprive anyone [of].

However, rights groups, including the non-governmental rights group Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, have complained that harassment, including the temporary detention of dissidents, continues to be the norm, according to reports. Cuba has disregarded such allegations.

For Diaz, a former professor at the University of Havana, the idea of a journalism start-up was born at Harvard University after a class on news and participatory media by Global Voices co-founder Ethan Zuckerman. I wanted something small that wouldnt be seen as a threat by the state media, Diaz said. She was aware that the venture would operate in a legal limbo because the Cuban constitution doesnt allow the existence of privately owned media. The print and broadcast media are wholly controlled by the one-party Communist state and, by law, it must be in accordance with the goals of the socialist society, according to CPJ research.

Launched in October 2015, Periodismo de Barrio has four reporters and a few contributors in the provinces. The site is devoted to issues such as housing, water supply, and communities affected by natural disasters. Some reports have a critical viewpoint directed at local-government level, Diaz said. She explained that local authorities have accepted criticism, adding, We dont offer solutions but we propose a debate. Local governments are looking at us as an ally, even when we report on sensitive issues. A story last month about dozens of properties in central Havana that are at risk of collapse was well-received by authorities, Diaz said.

Ted Henken, president of the non-profit research group Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy and associate professor of black and Latino studies at Baruch College in New York, told CPJ the Cuban blogosphere today is well-developed and diverse, as Cuban journalists find reliable ways to get online. Some of them have realized that a blog is like an op-ed and does not use the whole range of journalistic techniques and possibilities, he said.

Henken, who has written extensively about the evolution of the Cuban blogosphere, said that a larger group of journalists was producing more professional reporting in a digital format. He cited 14ymedio (Fourteen and-a-half), La Joven Cuba (The Young Cuba), On Cuba, and Periodismo de Barrio as some of the best examples of this trend.

Perhaps the most prominent critical outlet, launched by Sanchez in May 2014, is 14ymedio, named for 14th-floor Havana apartment where it is produced together with the y of Sanchezs famous blog, Generacion Y. It has over a dozen reporters based in Cuba, providing coverage of national and international politics, society, economics, sports, science, and technology. It also includes in-depth reporting and editorials.

Sanchez and her team have been blocked since day one, with access to the site denied in Cuba, CPJ research shows. By using USB drives, DVDs and CDs, email and mobile phones, 14ymedio has bypassed these restrictions to get its material to a wider audience. The website is widely viewed as a leading source of independent reporting and critical commentary, but CPJ has documented how Sanchez and her team were discredited in the Cuban state media as a cybermercenaries. Its reporters have sometimes been harassedthe Inter-American Press Association reported how the office has come under surveillance and how men identifying themselves as government agents barred a managing editor from leaving to cover a human rights eventbut they have not faced serious restrictions.

Another emerging blog is La Joven Cuba, which was launched in 2011 by Harold Cardenas, a 30-year-old professor of philosophy at the University of Matanzas, and his campus colleagues Roberto Peralo and Osmany Sanchez Roque. Cardenas said the blog deals with one of the most controversial issues in todays Cuba: politics and its leaders. And we do not practice self-censorship, Cardenas told CPJ during a telephone interview.

But La Joven Cuba is considered to have a pro-revolution agenda. We are nationalistic: protecting our nation is our main goal, Cardenas said. He described the blog as a platform for political participation, but supportive of the socialist ideals. We are a critical voice from the left, and this has facilitated access to state institutions. Cardenas added that while some officials understand the bloggers position, others dont. Within the blogosphere, Cardenas said, La Joven Cuba has seized a space of dialogue with the Cuban state.

Cubans wait to use an Internet cafe in Havana. The countrys bloggers are calling for greater access to the Web, which is currently expensive and limited. (AFP/STR)

Cardenas and Diaz agree that Internet access is a necessity for Cubans. And both have become advocates for greater access. Cubans should be our main audience, but the majority dont have access, Cardenas said. He believes that one of the reasons is the lack of infrastructure due to the trade embargo. But there is also a prejudice that it would be used against the state by international critics, a reasonable feeling after so many years of hostility with the U.S., Cardenas said.

With 25.7 percent of the population using the Internet, according to UN data, Cuba has one of the lowest connectivity rates in the Western hemisphere. But that figure includes only people who can only log on to a government-controlled Intranet.

In January, Cuba announced a pilot project to bring broadband Internet to two neighborhoods in the capital, The Associated Press reported. Access to broadband in Cuba began only in 2015, with the opening of dozens of public WiFi spots that cost USD$2 an hour about a tenth of the average monthly salary in Cubato use. Citizens can also access the Web through government-run Internet cafes, where an hour of connection can cost between $6 and $10, a prohibitive amount of money.

Funding for privately run ventures is also an obstacle to Cubas press. Diaz, who has a code of ethics for her site, said that Periodismo de Barrio receives funds from non-governmental organizations that support international journalism. No one can question our independence or launch a campaign to discredit us. We are absolutely transparent, we published the grants that we receive, and describe precisely for what purposes they were used, she said. Diaz added that the site does not accept funds from the U.S. government or U.S.-sponsored institutions, but has received a grant from a Swedish foundation.

Cardenas said that La Joven Cuba is a non-profit financed by him and his colleagues. He said they are careful not to receive any funds for their political activism. The only thing that we have accepted are nougat from Alicante that were a gift from a reader in Spain, he said.

Both bloggers told CPJ they have made an effort to distance themselves from more critical journalistsincluding the 14ymeidio reporters who are considered by the government to be part of Cubas dissident community. Diaz and Cardenas emphasized the achievements of the Cuban socialist system in healthcare and education, for example, and did not openly criticize the political system or the Communist party. Both said they did not feel represented by the dissident community. Dissidents do not have internal influence internally in Cuba, only outside of the country, said Cardenas.

Copies of the state-run newspaper Granma are sold on the streets on Havana. Cuba does not allow privately owned media outlets but bloggers say they are increasingly able to report independently. (AP/Ramon Espinosa)

Some of the so-called dissidents are equally wary of the Cuban bloggers. Miriam Celaya, a blogger at 14ymedio and author of the Sin EVAsion (Without Evasion) blog, has been critical of Cardenas and the Cuban official blogosphere. He could be defined as a Taliban-light, equivalent to a believer convinced of the superiority of the Cuban system, disguised as a critic, Celaya wrote in a critical column published on the Miami-based website Cubanet. He is reasonably disapproving, moves within government institutions (so hes controllable) and knows exactly where the line that cannot be crossed is, she said of Cardenas in her column titled The New York Times, a branch of Granma.

According to Diaz, almost 3,000 blogs make up the countrys blogosphere including some run by Cubans living in exile in Europe and the U.S. Other well-known platforms and bloggers include Havana Times, an independent outlet featuring posts from many bloggers and independent activists; La Chiringa de Cuba, founded by Carlos Alberto Perez after he left the Ministry of Communications last August; Alejandro Rodriguez, whose work is published on his blog and by the BBCs Voces desde Cuba; and Roberto de Jesus Garcia, an independent journalist and the head of Hablemos Press (Lets Talk Press).

Diaz hopes Obamas visit will initiate a period where free expression issues can be more openly discussed. We need a different media system that can allow us to open private media, non-profit, and other models. We cannot continue to operate in a legal limbo, she said. 14ymedios Celaya is less optimistic about Obamas ability to produce such a change. To grant the new position of the White House the ability to open democratic spaces of expression within Cuba in that short period of time is wrong, irrational, and even disrespectful, she wrote on March 9.

The thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations and the rise of digital media in the island, said Henken, gives the Cuban government an opportunity to demonstrate that it can tolerate constructive critics and learn from them. He added, Up to now, the government has tolerated them in different degrees and different ways. What is new at this time is that authorities are not throwing people in jail.

[EDITORS NOTE: The sixteenth paragraph has been updated to reflect that Periodismo de Barrio has received a grant from a Swedish foundation.]
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I think my actions  have harmed the national interest. What I have done was very wrong. I seriously and earnestly accept to learn a lesson and plead guilty, said Chinese journalist Gao Yu during a televised confession on the state-run channel CCTV in May 2014.

The televised confession by Gao, who was released on medical parole in November last year, is one of more than 15 that have been aired by the state broadcaster since 2013. They feature journalists, activists, and human rights lawyers in scenes reminiscent of the public self-criticism sessions of the Mao era. Critical journalists living abroad however, say physical distance is no protection from attempts to publicly shame and intimidate them.

CPJ spoke with two overseas Chinese journalists who say they have been subjected to smear campaigns and cyber attacks. Both said that they could not prove who is behind the attacks but they suspect the Chinese government or its affiliates are responsible.

Award-winning journalist Sheng Xue, pictured, says she has been subjected to an extensive character assassination campaign. (Sheng Xue)

Award-winning journalist Zang Xihong, better known as Sheng Xue, moved to Canada after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. She was a Canada correspondent for Radio Free Asia for 17 years until 2014 and is now a freelance writer and democracy activist. Shengs reporting on human rights issues won her Canadas National Magazine Award and the Canadian Association of Journalists award for investigative journalism.

However, a Web search of her name in Chinese is more likely to return results accusing her of immoral behavior. Since 2006 and intensifying since after 2012, Ive been the subject of an extensive character assassination campaign, Sheng told CPJ.

When CPJ ran a Google search of Shengs name in Chinese, it found pages of articles accusing her of numerous sexual liaisons, prostitution, spying for the Chinese government, embezzling political dissidents funds, and intimidating a writer who has cancer. There are over 150 smear articles written about me just under one byline. Those articles are posted on all kinds of websites. My husband and I have been subscribed to email groups that we cant even unsubscribe from. We are forced to see them, said Sheng. She told CPJ she met the man she believes is the author at a conference in 2006, when he shouted about someone being a spy.

Doctored photos have also been posted online and phony advertisements for escort services, using her face and personal details, have been widely distributed, she said. A Chinese man has also been photographed outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa holding a placard that claims Sheng is a Communist spy, the Globe and Mail reported this month. Sheng told CPJ that her Internet has also been under frequent distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. I have given up at this point. Let them just do it, said Sheng.

This kind of harassment put enormous pressure on me and my family. My sister, who had been very supportive of my work, recently pressed me to stop my criticism of the Chinese government, Sheng said.

Michael Craig, chairman of China Rights Network, told CPJ that the Toronto-based human rights group has sent letters to the police and intelligence service asking them to investigate the harassment. He added: We, who work most closely with Sheng, completely trust her and consider the allegations absurd.

The New York-based blogger Wen Yunchao, who helped CPJ research its annual prison census two years ago, has also been the victim of online harassment. Before leaving China in 2012, where he says he was harassed repeatedly by police over his online writing, Wen was a reporter and editor for local and national websites.

On February 28, a Twitter account was set up under the name of Wens 14-year-old son and posts in Chinese were sent from it accusing Wen of espionage and he and his wife of being in a broken relationship, he told CPJ. Among the tweets viewed by CPJ is one that read, A classmate told me, I heard your dad is a spy sent by the Chinese government. Every time when I heard these words, my heart is filled with a sense of unspeakable satisfactionMy dad is a great person.

On March 5, over 200 anonymous phone calls were made to Wens cell phone, and a DDoS attack targeted Wens IP address and paralyzed his network. The attack has continued all week, Wen told CPJ today. Wen posted screen grabs on his social media accounts showing the anonymous calls he receives. Here we go. Another round of attacks on me and my family. Its hard to take, Wen said to CPJ.

In June 2013 the blogger testified at a congressional hearing in the U.S. about the cyber abuse he had received since 2011, including DDoS attacks, phishing, hacking, and exposing private information about his family. [For a time in 2012], unidentified persons also posted viciously defaming information about me online at the rate of over 10,000 times per day [on Twitter], Wen said at the hearing.

The attacks have continued. In mid-2014, a series of articles accusing him of spying, corruption, prostitution, and being a dog, along with photos of him that had been doctored to be obscene, were widely distributed on the Internet. A couple of months later, several articles falsely attributed to Wens wife, claiming that she abused her son, appeared online. Wen has not told his wife about the articles, which were emailed to him anonymously. After all this, I can take it but Im not sure about my wife. Better spare her the pain. My son was only 10 when this started, he said.

Similar smear campaigns have been used against the political cartoonists Badiucao, who lives in Australia, and Jiang Yefei, who fled to Thailand before being repatriated and arrested in China. Badiucao, a contributing cartoonist for China Digital Times who uses a pen name to protect his identity, was attacked in a Twitter smear campaign after drawing cartoons in support of imprisoned human rights activists in China, China Digital Times reported. From the smear essays, I could see that they had very carefully examined words and pictures Ive posted on my social media. My biggest worry is the exposure of the private information of my family, Badiucao told CPJ.

The wife of Jiang, an independent cartoonist who published work mainly on social media accounts, told CPJ last year that she thinks he was targeted over his cartoons ridiculing Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In Jiangs case, he ended up on Chinese state television. The cartoonist was repatriated from Thailand and arrested by Chinese police in November 2015 for assisting others to illegally cross the national border, according to CPJ research. In a televised confession aired on CCTV later that month, Jiang was seen in a prison vest, looking tired and speaking slowly as he said: I feel my behavior is wrong. Now I feel very remorseful. I must plead for leniency.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists has joined 34 other organizations in calling on the U.N. Human Rights Council to vote in favor of renewing the mandate of the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The vote is scheduled to take place during the 31st session of the council, which ends March 24.

In the joint letter, the organizations drew attention to the range of serious and systematic violations of civil and political rights in Iran, as well as the need for the council to urge Iranian authorities to implement long overdue legal changes that would address the grievances of those who have borne the brunt of human rights abuses.

Journalists and other political and civic actors are arbitrarily detained and given increasingly harsh prison sentences, often for trumped-up national security-related charges, the letter said. Iran is one of the leading jailers of journalists, with 19 behind bars as of CPJs annual prison census on December 1. Ahead of last months legislative elections, journalists were arrested and at least one publication was banned, CPJ research shows.

One of those arrested was Issa Saharkhiz, a prominent journalist who contributed to opposition news website Rooz Online, whose health has deteriorated since he was taken into custody on November 2, his son told CPJ. Saharkhiz is charged with propagating against the state and assembly and collusion against national security, according to his lawyer. On Friday, the journalist was transferred to a hospital due to health complications from prolonged hunger strikes, news reports said.

Read the full letter here.
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For 23 years Godfrey Mwampembwa has been a prominent and quick-witted observer of the political scene in East Africa. But all that changed last month when the cartoonist, known as Gado, was told his contract at Kenyas biggest newspapers, the Nation, would not be renewed.

Gado, who is one of Africas most celebrated cartoonists, said no reason was given for the termination of his contractthe Nation management said in an interview with Africa Uncensored it was a normal contractual parting of waysbut the cartoonist told CPJ he firmly suspects the paper was under pressure from government officials.

He told CPJ he has been under considerable pressure for months from representatives of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto, including legal action over his cartoons and repeated phone calls to the papers management and himself.

It is no secret that there were many in government who didnt like my cartoons over the years. But we had grown used to that and the Nation thankfully consistently pushed back. Things changed in 2013 after a new government came into place and the pressure became far more intense. I have no doubt that the Nation crumbled, which is quite sad and should be seen in the broader context of efforts by those in government to control the press, he said.

Kenyan cartoonist Gado, pictured, says he came under pressure for his work. (Gado)

Tom Mshindi, editor-in-chief of the Nation Media Group, denied that pressure from the government led to Gados contract being ended. Gado has been drawing critical and satirical cartoons for many years and Nation has continued to have him, he told CPJ by email.

Dennis Itumbi, a spokesman for Kenyatta, denied that the Kenyan authorities leaned on newspapers to influence coverage or weed out critics. He told CPJ: The president and deputy president believe in a free press. They have a whole manifesto to deliver on which includes safeguarding freedom of the press. We want business to thrive not die.

Itumbi would not discuss specific claims about efforts to pressure editors and newspaper proprietors, telling CPJ those issues should be aired in court when aggrieved journalists sue their employers.

A July 2015 CPJ special report on conditions for the press since Kenyatta took power found that journalists in the country are vulnerable to legal harassment, threats, or attack, while news outlets are manipulated by advertisers or politician-owners.

The government has championed several pieces of legislation that would sharply limit the ability of journalists to report freely. CPJ documented how Parliament passed a law in October which would have imposed a fine of up to USD$5,000 or two years in jail, or both, on any journalist found guilty of defaming the Kenyan parliament or its members; and how Parliament endorsed an amendment to security laws in December 2014 that would have allowed Kenyan security forces to intercept communications and imprison journalists for covering anti-terrorism investigations and operations.

The anti-terror law was successfully challenged in the courts and parliament retreated on the defamation law in the face of a public outcry, but that has not stopped authorities from taking action. Recent examples include the arrest of parliamentary editor John Ngirachu in November last year. He was detained and questioned after declining to reveal the source of a story about corruption, according to reports; the detention and questioning of several bloggers, almost all of them critics of the government who, according to reports, were detained over their social media posts; and the firing of Denis Galava, a managing editor at the Nation, who was sacked over a New Years editorial critical of the Kenyatta administration, reports said. The Nation issued a statement saying he had not followed the correct procedure in writing the editorial.

Slideshow: Gados work

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Gadodescribed by the prominent South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro as the most important cartoonist in Africahad commented on the shrinking space for press freedom in Kenya in a July 2015 Financial Times interview. The cartoonist said: I think that freedom of expression of the media in Kenya has been on the right track until recently. Weve seen fight back from this administration. Theyve complained bitterly about lots of thing about meIve no problem about thatbut what we have seen with the current administration is that they have been trying to roll back the gains that had been achieved in the past.

Gado says he was summoned to the office of the Nation Media Groups then chief executive Linus Gitahii n March 2015. He told CPJ that Gitahi persuaded him to take a sabbatical, telling the cartoonist Tanzanias then-president Jakaya Kikwete objected to a cartoon published in January 2015 in the regional weekly The East African, which is part of the Nation Media Group.

The Kikwete administration had banned distribution of The East African in Tanzania for operating without a license and Gitahi told Gado that he needed to explain to Tanzanian authorities that some action had been taken against the cartoonist, Gado said. (The ban on The East African was lifted in January.)

In an interview last week with Kenyan online outlet Africa Uncensored, Gitahi denied there was any pressure over the cartoon and said he and Gado had mutually agreed on the cartoonist taking a sabbatical.

Mshindi gave a similar account to CPJ, saying that Gitahi allowed Gado to take a sabbatical that the cartoonist had requested. It was a mutually agreed decision and had nothing to do with the cartoon although it did offend Tanzanias authorities, he said.

Gado told CPJ that toward the end of the year-long sabbatical the Nation informed him that his contract would not be renewed. Many Kenyans criticized the move on social media as yet another example of attempts to muzzle the press.

In an interview with the online publication Africa Uncensored, the Nations editor-in-chief Mshindi said there was nothing unusual about the decision to end his contract. The only thing that I want to say is that a contractual relationship between an employer and an employee is very clear and any one person can end that relationship if they feel that there is sufficient reason for that to happen. Mshindi said.

In a statement to his lawyers Gado, who is contesting his dismissal, alleged that he and the management of the Nation had come under severe pressure to tone down caricatures which lampooned the authorities.

According to the statement, viewed by CPJ, in 2009 Kenyatta, the then Kenyan finance minister, sued Gado after he drew a series of caricatures about a political storm which broke after the minister said a typing errormay have been to blame for an extra $120 million added to the Supplementary Budget. The case has not yet been resolved.

The statement says Gado was called in by the editors in 2014 and told that the board was under pressure from state authorities to get him to stop depicting the president and deputy president in shackles, after they were indicted by the International Criminal Court.

On another occasion, after he caricatured the deputy president in relation to the allegedly illegal appropriation of a school playing field, Gado described receiving a call from the deputy presidents office complaining that the cartoon was unfair. Early in February 2015, Mshindi called Gado in for a meeting about the depiction of the deputy president and asked him not to persist with the drawings, according to Gados statement.

Mshindi told CPJ that neither claim was true. The board does not get involved in the minutiae of what goes on in the newsrooms. We have a clear policy on this, he said in an email. As editor in chief, I discuss all content direction with my editors and key contributors. I did not instruct Gado to end his depictions of the deputy president and any cursory review if the papers will confirm this.

In his legal statement, Gado said, I was astounded by his assertion because I was being given boundaries to operate within. I protested to him that while the paper had the right not to publish what I draw, I would not agree to politicians dictating what I should draw or what I should not. I made it clear to him that I did not share his views. We left the matter at that. As an editorial cartoonist, I felt less protected and more vulnerable.

Gado told CPJ, For a long time, many countries in Africa looked up to Kenya as an example when it came to the field of press freedom. We are seeing a clear and systematic effort by the state to roll back those gains which is very worrying. Gado added, The media is not perfect. But it serves as an important check on executive excesses and therefore makes an important contribution to the health of any society. The state should not seek to monopolize the information the public has access to.

Reporting by Kerry Paterson, CPJs Africa research associate, and Murithi Mutiga, CPJs East Africa correspondent. Mutiga is a columnist and consulting editor for the Sunday Nation, which is part of the Nation Media Group.
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Prosecutors preparing charges against media owner, pro-government newspaper says

Turkish prosecutors are preparing a case against media owner Aydn Dogan and his daughter, Hanzade Dogan Boyner, claiming they ran a fuel-smuggling ring, the pro-government daily newspaper Aksam said in a front-page story yesterday. Aksam said prosecutors were seeking a 23-year sentence against the businessman, whose company, Dogan Holding, owns the leading daily newspaper Hurriyet and the television channels CNN Turk and Kanal D.

Aksam also said Isbank  Turkeys largest bank, which is 28-percent owned by the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP)  was accused of financing the smuggling ring. Both Dogan Holding and Isbank denied the allegations, and neither have received formal notice of an investigation, Reuters reported.

Dogan Holdings sold the newspapers Milliyet and Vatan to businessmen with ties to the government in 2011. The government levied a massive tax fine against the group in 2009.

The rumored case against Dogan follows recent government moves to take control of leading media groups. Police on March 4 raided the offices of the Feza media group, which owns Zaman, Turkeys largest-circulation newspaper, hours after a court mandated the governments takeover of its editorial and management boards. In October 2015, police raided the offices of television stations, radio stations, and newspapers owned by Koza Ipek Holding, following a court order allowing the government to take control of the company. The companies on March 1 filed notice with the stock exchange that they were closing because of financial losses, according to press reports.

[March 18, 2016]

Authorities block news websites

The pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency (DIHA) on Thursday reported that their website was blocked in Turkey for the 33rd time.

The news agency has had many troubles with the government recently: According to CPJ research, at least two of its reporters  Feyyaz Imrak and Nedim Oruc are currently jailed for doing their jobs, and CPJ is currently researching whether four more were arrested in the course of reporting. At least seven ethnic-Kurdish journalists have been arrested in Turkey since December 1, according to CPJ research.

The news website Demokrat Haber, which has often been critical of the government, on Thursday also reported that its website had been blocked in Turkey, for the second time.

CPJ was unable to access either website Thursday night, using the countrys leading Internet Service Provider, Turk Telekom, or mobile data browsing, using the mobile phone operator Turkcell.

Turkeys telecommunications regulator, the TIB, has repeatedly blocked access to news websites since fighting between the government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the government classes a terrorist organization, resumed in July 2015, CPJ research shows.

Der Spiegel correspondent ejected

The German newsmagazine Der Spiegel on Thursday reported that authorities had not renewed the work permit for its Turkey correspondent, Hasnain Kazim, and so the magazine was pulling him from his assignment. In a brief statement, Florian Harms, the editor of the magazine, said it had become clear that Kazim was no longer welcome in the country because of his reporting.

Der Spiegel briefly pulled Kazim from Turkey in 2014, after an article he wrote on the aftermath of a mining disaster led to his receiving more than 10,000 threats via email and his social media accounts, the Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet reported at the time. In one of the messages, for example, an Internet user threatened to cut the journalists throat, according to Hurriyet.

[March 17, 2016]

Erdogan equates critical journalists with terrorists

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today suggested that journalists calling for his resignation were allied with terrorists, revisiting a theme he has stressed with increasing regularity in recent weeks.

So he is a columnist, stating his opinion. I am not interested in whatever you may be. You are against me if your pen is standing on the side of the terrorists, Erdogan said of critical journalists in remarks broadcast on live television from the Turkish capital Ankara and widely reported online today. This is the day of struggle. This is the day to advance upon the cruel in the harshest way.

Some columnists and so forth are almost touching elbows with Qandil, the president said, referring to the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq, the base of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey has classed as a terrorist organization.

This was at least the second time this week that Erdogan equated journalists with terrorists. Speaking after a car bomb killed at least 37 people in Ankara on March 14, Erdogan told reporters that he saw no difference between a terrorist holding a gun or a bomb and those who use their position and pen to serve the aims of terrorists.

Being an MP, an academic, journalist, writer or civil society group executive does not change the reality of that person being a terrorist, he said, in remarks reported by Reuters.

After that speech, Turkish authorities stripped journalists at the pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem of their state press cards, the newspaper reported on March 15.

No one claimed responsibility for the March 14 bombing.

Government forces have clashed with Kurdish separatists in southeastern Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq and Syria since a ceasefire between the government and the PKK unravelled in July 2015. The military has imposed a 24-hour curfew on several towns, and on Monday launched airstrikes on suspected PKK positions in northern Iraq that Turkish authorities estimated killed at least 45 PKK fighters, according to press reports.

[March 16, 2016]
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I. Overview

The breakdown of negotiations between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), reignition of hostilities in July 2015 and subsequent spiral of violence underscore the urgent need for a new peace process. Since December, however, confrontations between Turkish security forces and the PKK  listed internationally as a terrorist organisation  have entered an unprecedented stage. The state imposed urban curfews to restore public order in towns where PKK-backed youth militias were resorting to barricades and trenches to claim control. Those curfews, lasting for days or weeks at a time, have resulted in months-long battles in towns and city districts throughout the south east. More than 350,000 civilians are estimated to have been displaced and at least 250 killed as security forces deploy tanks and other heavy weaponry to urban centres and the PKK engages in asymmetric urban warfare to prevent the government from retaking full control.

Though some curfews have been lifted in the last few weeks, the human cost of conflict continues to rise sharply: of the 350 Turkish police and soldiers killed in eight months of fighting, 140 died in the first two months of 2016, according to Crisis Groups open-source casualty tally. The conflict has also struck the capital, Ankara, twice in two months: on 17 February, a car bomb near the parliament killed 25 military personnel and four civilians, while on 13 March a suicide bomber at a bus stop during rush hour killed 37 civilians. Both attacks have been claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), an offshoot of the PKK. Nationalist anger was heightened when the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) decided not to sign the parliamentary condemnation of the first attack, arguing that Islamic State (IS) attacks in Suruc, Ankara and Sultanahmet and civilian losses during the curfews should be condemned in the same declaration. Three days later, an HDP member of parliament attended a condolence ceremony for the individual who exploded the bomb. While HDP condemned the second attack, it again did not join the statement issued by the other parliamentary parties. These developments fed the increasing public perception and the governments steadfast conviction that the HDP, a legal political party, cannot distance itself sufficiently from the PKK.

Domestic political discourse is polarised and hardening, while the space for dissent on the Kurdish issue or other contentious ones such as democratic reform is shrinking, as Ankara adopts an increasingly defensive, often heavy-handed line. The effort of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to lift parliamentary immunity from five HDP deputies, including its co-chairs, for supporting terrorism threatens to dismantle a significant legal outlet for millions of predominately Kurdish voters. It also supports the PKKs argument that self-defence is needed as political options for solving the conflict are narrowed by the rupture of talks with the PKKs imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, and arrest of local HDP political representatives.

The densely-populated south-eastern cities and towns are set to remain on the front line, despite the drawdown of the last weeks. With winters end and emboldened by the role of its Kurdish affiliates in Syria, the PKK is readying for more pushback against the government, while the prospect of further attacks in the west of Turkey by radical Kurdish groups has risen significantly. Newroz  a festival traditionally celebrated by Kurds in Turkey around the March equinox  risks inflaming further unrest.

Ankara has promised to rebuild shattered towns and districts, but also to beef up the security forces with larger police stations and more checkpoints in the most restive communities. This is unlikely to remain unchallenged by the PKK and its sympathisers. Meanwhile, its plan to sideline the HDP will limit the potential of the governments initiatives to be embraced by the HDPs significant constituency in the region. And Ankaras room for manoeuvre is limited until Kurdish movement representatives condemn violence and refrain from treating armed resistance as a legitimate form of dissent against the state.

The only way toward a durable solution is peace talks with the PKK accompanied, on a separate track, by ensuring further democratic rights for Turkeys Kurdish population, including full mother tongue education, further decentralisation, a lower electoral threshold for parties to enter parliament and an ethnically neutral constitution. But the immediate priority is to manage the situation to prevent more casualties and displacement. In the short term, Ankara should create a solid legal basis for further curfews, focusing on practices that limit civilian casualties and human rights abuses, and holding security forces accountable for breaches. It must ensure that human rights violations are addressed by due process, reconstruction does not disenfranchise property owners and tenants displaced by fighting, and those who wish to can return to their homes.

Both Ankara and the PKK say the psychological fault lines of the conflict and the loyalties of the predominantly Kurdish citizens in the south east have shifted decisively in their favour. The state argues that the PKKs shift to urban warfare has enraged once sympathetic residents. The PKK argues that the use of heavy weapons in towns and cities provokes a region-wide backlash against Ankara. Crisis Group research in Diyarbakr, the largest city in Turkeys majority Kurdish heartland, shows, however, that neither side has markedly shifted civilian sentiments over the three-decade-old conflict. This briefing presents a snapshot of that research. Reflecting perspectives of officials, NGOs, municipality representatives, lawyers and displaced individuals, most of whom were not willing to be identified, it aims to draw attention to the increasing human costs of the confrontation by analysing recent conflict dynamics in the Sur district.

Diyarbakr/Istanbul/Brussels, 17 March 2016
Social messaging application developer Thred has scored a place in Microsoft's BizSpark program, which gives the startup US$120,000 (A$160,000) worth of Azure credits along with promotion to the partner ecosystem.

The Thred application allows users to integrate multiple social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong but is listed on the ASX following an April 2015 deal with Perth-based resources company Promesa.

As part of BizSpark, Microsoft will offer Thred access to new development and technical support for the development. Chief executive David Whittaker told CRN: "Microsoft have offered us to be a part of their partner roadshows as a part of their partner promotion in the region.

"We are in discussions regarding integration with some of their larger existing customers  and it is this aspect along with their own product integration in the future that is incredibly valuable to Thred," he added.

He called BizSpark "a very good program" that "provides us with Azure platform credit as well as being a springboard for introducing us into the Microsoft network and ecosystem".

According to the startup, Microsoft has worked closely with its development team by using its Office 365 graph API to allow Thred's messaging platform to access Office 365 data, including Microsofts mail, calendars and contacts.

Whittaker said Thred was already getting recognised by Microsoft's clients. "A partnership such as this with Microsoft has an immediate impact of accelerating our growth and hastening our maturation cycle well beyond the level of organic growth."

Thred's web application offers "unified social messaging", promising to address major social media platforms, as well as allowing instant access to social media friends, followers and contacts in a unified manner.

The startup is initially planning a limited market release. The app is likely to be launched in New Zealand, Canada and other places "where we can get that all important market feedback  allowing us to iterate Thred before doing a full global launch" added Whittaker.
EMC has recognised eight Australian and New Zealand companies as its highest-performing partners of 2015.

Dimension Data Australia had two reasons to celebrate after winning the Alliance Partner ANZ award and being named ANZ Partner of the Year.

Telstra also tasted success at last nights EMC Business Partner Program Awards, with a win in the Cloud Service Provider Partner ANZ category.

Data#3 won the Australian Solution Provider Partner category, while Datacom New Zealand was named the top Kiwi partner.

As part of EMCs heavy push into the midmarket, the awards contained two new categories to recognise the partners that did the greatest business with EMCs two distributors.

Cirrus Networks, including recently acquired L7 Solutions, took home an Outstanding Achievement Award for its work with Avnet Technology Solutions Australia.

Cirrus landed the No.3 spot in the 2015 CRN Fast50 with 154 percent revenue growth to reach $14.9 million in the 2015 financial year. The company acquired L7 Solutions from Amcom for $500,000 in December 2015.

[Pre-register for 2016 CRN Fast50 now!]

Avnet is new to the EMC channel, having plucked the storage vendor from incumbent distributor Westcon in a competitive tender last August.

Perfekt was also recognised for its work with Ingram Micro Australia, while Sempre was recognised for its work with Ingram Micro New Zealand.

In further good news for Ingram Micro Australia, the company was named ANZ Distributor of the Year.

EMC Asia Pacific & Japan president David Webster, who was on hand to announce the winners, said it was exciting to see the innovative work they did for their customers last year.

In 2016, EMC and its partners will continue to help customers to modernise, automate and transform their data centres to enable future growth, he said.

As all flash arrays become a mainstream technology, we will see disruption of the data centre as we know it. We will continue to work together to ensure our joint customers are the disrupters, not the disrupted.

EMC sent several leading ANZ executives to the awards, including country manager Alister Dias, general manager of service providers, systems integrators and alliances Mark Fioretto and general manager of mid-market, inside sales and distribution Brett Harris.

Joergen Jakobsen, Asia Pacific & Japan vice-president and general manager of channel, also attended the awards.
Channel programs News

HP Doubles Down On Partners Again, Aims to Leverage HP.com Online Shopping Site To Drive Sales Leads To Partners

Steven Burke

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HP Inc. is taking its all-out offensive to drive sales through partners to another level with a game-changing plan to leverage its HP.com online shopping store to drive sales leads to commercial partners.

Effective May 1, the HP.com online shopping store site will no longer be a stand-alone sales team measured on sales volume on the website but rather on the total number of transactions that it drives to partners in each of the regions.

The go-to-market shift eliminates HP.com as its own separate P&L battling for sales against partners and draws a "revolutionary" distinction between HP and its competitors, said HP Inc. CEO Dion Weisler in an interview with CRN.

[Related: HP Inc. CEO Weisler On Moving Direct Accounts To Partners, Windows 10, Elite X3 And The 3-D Printing Opportunity]

"We are definitely first-movers here," said Weisler. "Most dot-com organizations exist to sell directly to customers and that is not the mission for this team. It is revolutionary for the channel today. We grew up in the channel. We have such a great relationship with our channel partners. We don't want to be fighting against them. We want to be working with them."

In fact, Weisler said HP plans to leverage the HP.com talent to help partners become bigger players in the ecommerce market. "What we want to do is take that [HP.com] expertise and help partners become dot-com-enabled," he said. "That is how we are now goaling this team."

The formal announcement of the go-to-market shift was made by HP Americas President Christoph Schell in a Wednesday evening session at the first-ever HP Americas Executive Forum for commercial partners with 125 of HP's elite partners at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. "This changes the way HP Shopping goes to market," said Schell. "They will now put more emphasis on making sure they can hand over leads to partners."

Under the new omni-channel model, the shopping sales teams in each region will work to drive sales through partners in their respective markets. The 70-member Americas HP.com online shopping team, for example, will now be "partner-centric," chartered with generating leads into SMB and handing those leads over to partners, said Schell. "This is huge," he said. "No one else is doing this."

HP Personal Systems Business President Ron Coughlin said he sees the change in the online shopping model as the "ultimate expression" of HP's channel centricity. "This is a full-on, all-chips-in bet with our partners," he said. "We have a lot of confidence in our partners. We have confidence they will recognize that we are doing something no one else is doing and they will reward us for it."

The new HP.com online shopping model comes on top of a decision to make additional investments in an HP inside sales unit that was set up in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, last year to drive leads to partners. What's more, it comes just three weeks after HP Inc. moved 30 percent of its direct accounts -- about 1,500 customers -- to its partners.

"You either believe in the channel or you don't," said Weisler. "For us it is about not being a one-trick pony. If you are going to say you are channel-centric, then be channel-centric and have consistent proof points that you are directing business that way."

The HP.com business model shift makes the onetime 100 percent direct-sales-focused website more of a "repository" for information with the aim of driving more customers to a "trusted adviser," said Peter Larocque, president of North America Technology Solutions for Synnex, one of HP's top distributors. "HP is putting their money where their mouth is and investing more in the channel," he said. "They really know their end-user customer is best served by a local resource."

Larocque said he is not surprised by the plan to use HP.com to drive more sales through the channel. "HP Inc. has had a trajectory to use the channel more and more and more and more," he said. "The reason they are doing that is they know the channel is going to do a good job."

HP partners, for their part, said they see the company driving business model and product innovation at a breakneck pace as an independent company.

"The split has gotten HP more focused and energized," said Mont Phelps, CEO of NWN, No. 70 on the 2015 CRN Solution Provider 500, which was named the HP Printer and Personal Systems Growth Reseller of the Year in 2015. "You can see the effort and the ideas."

NWN President and COO Skip Tappen said he sees HP going to greater lengths than ever before to leverage the power of the channel. "This shows HP understands the channel can add real value to the solutions," he said. "It is not just about the transactions anymore."

Partner say they see the HP product portfolio, including the new Windows 10 Elite x3 phablet, as cool and hip, driving a consumerlike experience with best-in-class products in the commercial market. NWN's Tappen said his "litmus test" is the reaction his teenage son had to the new HP products. "My son looked at the latest HP products and he thinks they are cool," he said. "That's a big change from his previous impressions."

Rick Chernick, CEO of Camera Corner Connecting Point of Green Bay, Wis., No. 291 on the 2015 CRN Solution Provider 500, said he is already setting up meetings with customers to show off the latest HP products including Elite x3 and PageWide printers. "I am pumped up," he said. "The products are so much better."

Chernick also applauded the stepped-up focus to drive more sales hand in hand with partners through HP.com and through the Rio Rancho force with lead generation for partners. "They are driving both business model and product innovation," he said.

Kelly Ireland, founder and CEO of Orange, Calif.-based CB Technologies, an HP Platinum partner, No. 258 on the CRN 2015 Solution Provider 500, said she is planning on investing more sales resources and talent into driving HP device and printer sales after seeing the product road map and vision from HP Inc. at the Americas Executive Forum. "This really resonates with our education, SLED and solutions focus," she said. "I am going to make a really big bet on HP devices and printers."
Managed services News

HP Set To Pioneer Device As A Service Offering For Channel Partners

Steven Burke

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HP is seeing hundreds of millions of dollars in sales pipeline for device as a service and is pulling together a channel offering to capitalize on the growing market opportunity.

Ron Coughlin, president of HP's personal systems business, said in an interview with CRN that more than 40 percent of companies are actively considering moving to device as a service.

"We see it as a tremendous opportunity, and in fact, the demand is ahead of what we expected at this stage, and we are building capability to catch up with that," he said. "Device as a service is scaling rapidly."

[Related: CEO Weisler On HP's 'Big Strategic Change,' Device As A Service Pipeline And New Product Innovation]

The device as a service contractual relationship allows customers struggling to manage the wide range of devices being used by employees to move to a single subscription contract with monthly payments for devices based on the number of users in an organization.

Unlike HP managed print services, which started as a direct sales offering, HP device as a service is being built from the ground up as a channel program, said Coughlin. "We see the primary play here as through the channel," he said.

Coughlin and his team, in fact, were meeting with channel partners at the first ever Americas Executive Commercial Forum at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix this week to develop the device as a service channel program.

Bill Avey, the worldwide vice president and general manager of support services at HP who developed HP's managed print services offering, is leading the device as a service offensive.

Coughlin encouraged partners to work directly with HP to develop the program. "Engage now because we are still shaping the program," he said. "Partners get to shape what it looks like."

Coughlin also urged partners to start discussing device as a service contractual relationships with customers and to work with HP to close those deals now. "We have solutions today," he said.

In fact, HP has already won device as a service deals with a number of companies including Siemens and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

HP will have a flexible device as a service offering with a "menu approach" that allows partners to customize the program, said Coughlin. "Some might take the HP offer top to bottom, similar to channel [managed print services] and others might take a piece of the HP offering and marry it with their own," he said.

The device as a service includes everything from mobile devices and tablets to PCs to workstation and retail point-of-sale systems.

The HP device as a service initiative opens the door for partners to layer on significant value-added services including analytics around the devices, said Michael Park, HP vice president and general manager of mobility. "We are creating an entirely new market segment," he said.

The device as a service offering is being welcomed by IT departments, which are increasingly focused on strategic business priorities rather than device and support management.

Kelly Ireland, founder and CEO of Orange, Calif.-based CB Technologies, an HP Platinum partner ranked No. 258 on the CRN 2015 Solution Provider 500, said she sees device as a service as another big growth opportunity for HP partners. "The key to success will be how easy it is to deploy," she said. "If they set it up so it is simple and easy like managed print services, then it is going to be huge."

CB Technologies made the shift to long-term, contractual relationships versus transactional deals several years ago, said Ireland, and is reaping the benefits of that change. "The vast majority of our growth is contractual managed services solutions," she said.

Ireland said she expects her HP sales to double over the next year as she commits more sales resources in the wake of the HP business model and product innovation she has seen at the Americas Executive Commercial Forum this week. "We are doing a lot of print and mobility solutions," she said.
Live With Weisler

HP Inc. CEO Dion Weisler spoke with CRN at the Americas Executive Forum in Phoenix about the plan to use HP.com's online shopping site to drive sales leads to partners, the significant sales pipeline around PC and device as a service, and new product innovation.

The new revolutionary HP.com online shopping model comes on top of a decision to make additional investments in an HP inside sales unit that was set up in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, last year to drive leads to partners.

What's more, it comes just three weeks after HP Inc. moved 30 percent of its direct accounts -- about 1,500 customers -- to its partners. Under that initiative, HP is ratcheting up the already tight ties between its direct sales force and partners in the as-a-service era. The new HP.com business model shift raises the channel commitment bar even higher.

Effective May 1, the HP.com online shopping store site will no longer be a stand-alone sales team measured on sales volume on the website but rather on the total number of transactions that it drives to partners in each of the regions.

Weisler said the move eliminates HP.com as its own separate P&L battling for sales against partners and draws a "revolutionary" distinction between HP and its competitors.
EDITOR'S NOTE: He Said-She Said is a biweekly advice column for singles featuring a question from a Crosswalk.com reader with responses from a male and female point of view. If you've got a question about anything related to singleness or living the single life, please submit it to hesaid-shesaid@crosswalk.com (selected questions will be posted anonymously).

QUESTION:

I have been meeting up with this girl from my church. We are both seniors in high school, and I first noticed her on a mission trip to Guatemala this past summer. I was attracted to her level of maturity after conversation. Were both pretty involved in church, and since September, weve been meeting up bi-weekly 1-on-1, for an hour before youth group. Technically, we agreed that we wanted to stay friends, but I was wary of where our situation was heading. Ive always found her attractive, but she will be heading off to a university in the East Coast. At the moment, I could probably handle it, but I wouldnt want to make things harder for me (or her) when she has to leave. I have been talking to my parents and church counselors about my situation with this girl, and after a lot of prayer, Ive decided that it would be best to stop our 1-on-1 meetings.

Now, the question remains: Is it possible to stay friendspossibly keeping a potential relationship on holdwhile treating her as a fellow sister-in-Christ? My close friendships are cultivated through 1-on-1 settings; I find group settings superficial. I would also like to go to prom together, but I am not sure if that would be a good idea. A counselor told me to "guard your hearts". I want to guard my heart AND her heart, but what does it truly mean, and where do I draw the line in doing that?

HE SAID:

My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart for they are life to those who find them and healing to ones entire body. Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. Proverbs 4:20-23

From the early days of grade school we are taught the heart is life. When it stops beating, we cease to exist, and this is true in the physical sense.

However as Christians we are told it holds the very source of life, which is the Word of God. When we put our trust in the Lord and allow Him into our heart, thats where we hold the very truths of life. Those truths and principles we try to live out each day is what we are told to guard and protect.

You both sound like very mature people and seem to be seeking the Lords direction for your lives. You say youve decided it would be best to stop meeting together, but Im curious to know what she says about it.

I for one shouldnt be encouraging anyone to get involved before going away to college since I did the summer before and it decimated my studies for the first couple of quarters; however, I wasnt walking with the Lord nor seeking His Will.

God brought the two of you together for a reason, and possibly just a season. However, if you care about each other (even just as friends), communicate well with one another and encourage each other in your walk, why would you want to stop meeting together?

Living away from home for the first time can be a tough season in a young persons life and having someone who understands and cares can be the catalyst to success in school and living out your faith. Knowing the other will ask hard questions may encourage you to stay faithful to the Lord during those difficult times.

This doesnt mean you have to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and going to the prom with her as a friend doesnt need to signify anything more. Many kids these days are going as friends. Dont put a lot of undue pressure on the relationship aspect (or allow others to) and go out and enjoy your senior year with whoever encourages you and helps keep you on track with Jesus.

True, deep and honest friendships are hard to find, and it may be just the thing to help each of you to guard your heart.

SHE SAID:

Thanks so much for your question as the concept of "guarding your heart" applies to all aged singles. First, I agree with your decision to pull away a bit considering she is heading to the east coast for school. By all means you can stay friends, allowing the Lord to direct your steps. While I do think you are very young and may meet someone else, you are obviously attracted to this woman, making it very hard to step away. So let's talk about a game plan that will help guard your hearts.

What does it mean to "guard your hearts?" It simply means that you are controlling how much emotional involvement there is. Now, I am not a guy, so I can't say for sure whether men do this but women can jump so far ahead in a "friendship" that we have started picking out china patterns. We can take any little thing a guy does and make it mean something very powerful. We can become obsessed with a guy where all our thoughts are about him. Then, when things change, not in our favor, it rips us apart. So let's address your four questions:

1. Should you continue your one-one-one meetings? While they are great to get to know someone better, your one-on-ones had a goal--to date her. But for her, they may have just been two good friends hanging out. Since you may not be in the same place in your relationship, I would agree and say they would have to end for nowas they will only cause you to become more attracted to her.

2. Can you still be friends? It may be hard to take a step back, but I think you can still do it. It sounds like she wants to remain friends so be thather friend. You can't help who you fall in love with, but you can control your actions and what you say. So as her friend, limit your calls and texts to her (and other social media). Be genuinely concerned for her well being but not more than a friend would be. Stay in touch but don't appear clingy.

Now, you are probably asking where the fine line is in this. Only you will know by the consequences of over-stepping those boundaries. Another way will be your own heart. If you find yourself thinking about her too much or going out of your way to see her, then that will tell you that your own personal boundaries need to be checked.

3. Should you wait for her? Well from someone who had waited for another person for many years that never turned into a relationship, I would make sure it's what God wants you to do. If she is the one," then she will be the one a year from now and so on. But don't miss opportunities to date other women. If you continue to pray about your friendship, continue to communicate with her in general, then things may work out at the right time.

4. Should you still ask her to the prom? I would not recommend that you ask her to the prom. That would be the opposite of guarding your heart. Rather you should go as a group and enjoy any small bits of conversation you have with her.

The bottom line in all of this is to trust the Lord. Keep giving it to God and let him design your next steps. Keep communication open, but guard your heart so you do not get hurt. However, even a broken heart can turn into something wonderful.

Proverbs 3:5-7, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.

HE is  Cliff Young, a Crosswalk.com contributing writer and a veteran single of many decades. He has traveled the world in search of fresh experiences, serving opportunities, and the perfect woman (for him) and has found that his investments in God, career and youth ministry have paid off in priceless dividends.

SHE is ... Kris Swiatocho, the President and Director of TheSinglesNetwork.org Ministries and FromHisHands.com Ministries. Kris has served in ministry in various capacities for the last 25 years. An accomplished trainer and mentor, Kris has a heart to reach and grow leaders so they will in turn reach and grow others. She is also the author of four books.

DISCLAIMER : We are not trained psychologists or licensed professionals. We're just average folk who understand what it's like to live the solo life in the twenty-first century. We believe that the Bible is our go-to guide for answers to all of life's questions, and it's where we'll go for guidance when responding to your questions. Also, it's important to note that we write our answers separately.

GOT A QUESTION? If you've got a question about anything related to singleness or living the single life, please submit it to hesaid-shesaid@crosswalk.com (selected questions will be posted anonymously). While we are unable to answer every inquiry, we do hope that this column will be an encouragement to you. Click here to visit the He Said-She Said archives.

Publication date: March 17, 2016
Cunard has announced the appointment of Simon Palethorpe as SVP sales and marketing.

Palethorpe will join Southampton-based cruise line Cunard on April 11, 2016 following on his career in the food, retail and travel industries.

His long career began in consulting and then at PepsiCo, followed by senior roles at Levi Strauss and buy.com, which was later acquired by John Lewis. This acquisition formed the foundation for John Lewis current online business where Palethorpe served as managing director. On leaving John Lewis, He then joined the board and became group commercial director for Avis Europe. After a stint in private equity at Terra Firma Capital Partners, Palethorpe has spent the last four years managing a portfolio of online businesses in the food, cosmetics and ticketing industries.

Carnival UK CEO David Noyes said: "This is a key year for Cunard with the remastering of the company's flagship, Queen Mary 2. Simon's appointment will reinforce our efforts to take the Cunard brand to new audiences around the world."

Simon Palethorpe said: "I am delighted to be joining the team at Cunard and look forward to helping build on its exceptional work. The Cunard brand has been synonymous with the height of cruise luxury for nearly two centuries and is still as relevant for customers today as it always has been."
Here's a polarizing question: is a phone a second factor, in the context of two-factor authentication? Fellow infosec pro @johnnysunshine tweeted the above last week, and sparked a lively debate.

Before answering the question, let's back up a bit and explain two-factor authentication (or 2fa). To borrow an analogy I first used two years ago: 10,000 years ago, Grog and Mag formed a secret club. To ensure new members of the club would be accepted, they came up with a secret phrase. Thus was born the first password. One day Narg overheard two members greeting one another and learned the secret phrase. Thus occurred the first password breach.

Passwords can be stolen though, whether through a server database breach, or via a phishing scam, or by keylogging malware that captures the password as you enter it into a webpage. If a password is the only thing protecting your account, then a stolen password lets an attacker pretend to be you. If the attacker knows the right password, the server or website has no way of knowing it's an impostor.

By adding a second factor - something you physically possess (an identification card, or a token generator, or - the crux of today's question - a phone), the bar for an attacker is raised. Individually, each factor might be relatively easy to defeat. Gaining access to both a password and a device at the same time though takes more effort, and is far less likely. Not impossible, but less likely.

About that phone...

Two-factor means you as the user have to have a second thing with you to serve as the second factor. Some services offer a physically unique device to serve as the second factor - often something along the lines of an "RSA Token" - a small device about the size of a USB flash drive that displays a number, which changes every minute or so. Less common is a token the size and shape of a credit card that does the same.

But think about the number of important accounts you have: banks, credit card accounts, email accounts, social media accounts. Carrying one "second factor" around might not be a nuisance, but carrying a dozen around becomes impractical in a hurry. What is something almost everyone has though, and has with them at almost all times?

A cell phone.

Service providers caught onto this a few years ago and began implementing a form of two-factor authentication in which the provider sends a SMS or text message with a typically six-digit code to enter along with your password. Similar to a physical code generator, the SMS code is only useful for about a minute before it changes to something else.

More recently, companies including Google, game maker Blizzard, and security provider Duo have produced Android and iOS authenticator apps that emulate the function of a code generator. Functionally though, they behave the same: they give a one-time-use token that is good for about a minute, and must be used along with the password in order to log into an account.

So what's the big deal?

Well, as Twitter alias @munin implies, phone malware and malicious actors. The story that kicked off this discussion described a sophisticated new mobile malware scheme currently targeting customers of 20 banks in Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. The initial bait was a popup message indicating that a particular website required installing "Flash Player" - but the install link was fake. Upon installing the malicious fake Flash Player, the program would silently scan the phone for the mobile apps of targeted banks and download additional payloads for each app found.

To defeat two-factor authentication, the malware can forward SMS communication to the attacker. It can also delete SMS communication from the phone itself, enabling the attacker to generate and intercept future 2FA tokens without the user being aware. Security firm ESET has all the gory details in their analysis of the malware.

So, phones aren't suitable for two-factor authentication?

If you ask 10 security experts that question, you'll get 12 answers. There are many experts whose opinions I respect, that will disagree with me - and that's OK. Read the discussion that follows the original tweet and you will see a variety of well-informed opinions on both sides. Cyber security is a complicated field, fraught with threats and exploits.

But Security For Real People exists to give reasonable advice for reasonable security. Saying mobile two-factor authentication is too risky to use is no help to you - because what is your alternative? Two-factor authentication using a phone is convenient to you, it is widely available, and it raises the bar for an attacker significantly. Can it be defeated? Sure. But using a password alone is far more likely to result in a compromised account.

Bottom line? For accounts that you would be seriously unhappy to have broken into, if the provider offers two-factor authentication using your cell phone, by all means take advantage of it.
Dozens of banks in Russia were targeted this week by hackers pretending to be the security arm of the Russian Central Bank, FinCERT. While Phishing attacks against banks in Russia are nothing new, one posing as the center that's supposed to defend banks against attacks like this is worth looking at.

On March 14, shady individuals registered fincert.net, a false URL that - at a glance - would lead one to believe the domain is owned by FinCERT. However, fincert.net isn't their domain; it's actually cbr.ru.

FinCERT is a department of the Russian Central Bank. It was created after a 2014 order by the Russian Security Council called for the creation of a center that would respond to cyber-based fraud and attacks. Since going online, FinCERT has become a major player in Russia as far as banking and information security are concerned.

At noon on March 15, the attackers launched their email campaign form info [at] fincert.net. They selected this time of day for good reason, because the lunch rush could give them a better chance at success.

According to Kaspersky's Alexander Gostev, who blogged about the incident on the company's Russian portal, the attackers were particular about their messages and to whom they were addressed. This suggests the attackers were using a targeted list of addresses and names, as none of the recipients were discovered via public access. The messages were formal, properly addressed and titled.

(An English version of Gostev's post was not available at the time this story went to print.)

A day later, on the morning of March 16, the attackers sent additional messages to what is suspected to be several hundred Russian banks. But there was a small mistake; they made grammatical errors pertaining to the word compromise.

The attachment on the message got it right. The Word document was formatted to look like a legitimate FinCERT bulletin  suggesting that the attackers took their time to learn proper protocol and standards. A remarkable feat, considering FinCERT notifications are usually not for public consumption.

The document used a macro to download a file from a remote server. The file itself was signed just hours prior to the start of the attacks with a valid code certificate from a company in Moscow. The certificate was issued by Comodo. If the files are executed, a legitimate remote administration tool (LiteManager 3.4) is installed.

The Kaspersky post didn't state if there were any confirmed victims.

Again, the point isn't that the attackers used Spear Phishing as a mode of attack, that's rather common. But the level of effort that went into this campaign is unusual.

The attackers registered a solid domain, did their homework on who to target and when, researched the proper formatting of FinCERT notifications, and made sure their files were signed by legitimate certificates. Even the backdoor was a legal piece of software.

The only fallback in this scheme was the usage of macros and the failure to check for grammatical errors.

But, considering the high points on all the other aspects of this campaign, human nature (and the lunch rush) will likely overrule any error checking, which increases the odds of someone clicking and installing the remote access tools.
HAMDEN Now for the 68th year in a row, volunteers with the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair (CSEF) will organize the annual event for students in grades seven through twelve. Over 700 young scientists from 130 schools from across the state will compete at the Fair, from which about 150 students will be selected as finalists. The finalists will present their research to nearly 300 volunteer judges from government, academia, professional societies, and industry on Thursday, March 17. They'll compete for nearly $200,000 in prizes, as well as several trips to represent Connecticut at national and international competitions. CSEF is generously hosted by Quinnipiac University at its Mount Carmel Campus in Hamden.

"I hear from manufacturers and high-tech startups all across Connecticut that they're in desperate need of young workers who have a passion for science and engineering. That's where the Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair comes in," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. "The Fair is a fun way for Connecticut's students to explore science, technology, and math while showcasing their hard work."
BRIDGEPORT The state rested its case Thursday against a nurse accused of killing a 20-year-old college student and dismembering her body.

Prosecutors Joseph Corradino and Ann Lawlor ended their case against Jermaine Richards after calling 39 witnesses in just over a week.

Defense lawyers Richard Silverstein and Leo Ahern are to begin their case Friday morning. Richards is not expected to testify.

The private-duty nurse, who lives in Bridgeport, is charged with murder in the April 19, 2013, death of Alyssiah Marie Wiley of West Haven.

This is the second trial for Richards. A first jury deadlocked on a verdict in the case last year.

Wiley, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University, was last seen on video from a surveillance camera outside her dormitory on April 19, 2013, getting into Richards car.

Twenty-seven days later, after a state-wide search and appeals by her mother on television, Wileys grisly partial remains were found in a wooded area at the end of Quarry Road in Trumbull.

The prosecutors contended that Richards, 33, who had been dating Wiley, killed her after she broke up with him.

On the afternoon of April 19, Wiley texted friends she had broken up with Richards and was on her way back to campus, according to trial testimony. Her cut up body parts were found less than 2 miles from Richards home.

The prosecution painted Richards as a vain and obsessive lothario who stuffed newspapers in his boots to make himself appear taller and while dating Wiley was also seeing three other girls.
First Cuba-US direct mail service flight lands in Havana

Cuba and the US reestablished direct mail service with the arrival of the inaugural flight that landed on Wednesday at Havanas Jose Marti International Airport from the US city of Miami.

Shortly after 10:00 a.m., the SAAB 340 aircraft of IBC Airways arrived at the Aerovaradero terminal carrying the postal cargo, which was received by Cuban authorities headed by Carlos Asencio Valerino, president of the Correos de Cuba Business Group and officials from the Civil Aeronautics Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Customs of the Republic.

The reestablishment of direct postal service will make it possible to increase delivery speed of mail, previously sent through a third country- and lower operational costs, and will allow national users to send to the neighboring country correspondence and parcels, which are no more than postal packages of up to 10 kilograms, with a price established by current tariffs.

After six and a half years of negotiations, on December 10, Cuba and the United States agreed to reestablish direct mail service through the implementation of a pilot plan for the transportation of post.

The resumption of the service is one of the first tangible results after the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Havana and Washington in July last year and will benefit citizens on both sides of the Florida Strait, which will be able to send, more quickly and safely, correspondence, postal packages, courier and express parcels through post offices.
Somerset jury finds two of three defendants guilty of murder

Now in its fifth day of testimony and seventh day overall, the double murder trial taking place in Somerset County is now over. The jury decided.
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Not many students can say they woke up this morning with their bills paid, a full bank account or extra spending money in their pocket, but they can relate to one thing and that is being broke.

Budgeting seems almost impossible for some students when spending money on fast food, and weekend adventures with friends seems to come natural for so many.

But without it, many students at the University of Memphis said they wouldnt be able to make a living.

This leads to more hours being clocked in at work and leaves less time for studying.

Junior accounting major Megan Neely, 20, from Oakland, Tennessee said that despite studying a financial field, money management is one of her hardest tasks.

Neely has found herself working job after job all while being enrolled as a full-time student.

Im a junior and I still havent gotten used to being an adult, Neely said. Its way easier going broke than maintaining your money, and thats something they never taught us in school.

Neely said that she had to teach herself the fundamentals of money management. While she has developed a monthly plan to keep up with her expenses, she said the struggle of spending responsibly hasnt gotten any easier.

Neely sticks to a specific monthly plan while writing out all of her monthly expenses and then calculates how many hours she plans to work.

She said that she always tries to estimate a little under her normal amount to leave room for the unexpected such as sick days and emergencies.

Sophomore nursing major Shekela Walker, 20, from Memphis, Tennessee, said before she learned how to spend wisely, going broke was a monthly routine.

At the start of her freshman year, she was employed at Kroger which helped her to spend less on fast food and rely more on home-cooked meals.

Fast food will literally eat all of your pockets, Walker said. Learning how to keep groceries in my dorm was a big step for me. Before I knew it I was saving more money than expected, and had more money available for not only necessities but other wants also.

Walker said she has two separate bank accounts, and uses one to hide money from herself to avoid excessive spending.

She deposits money into both accounts every paycheck, but only withdraws from one while the other accrues over time.

Not going broke is really all about maturity when you think about it, Walker said. Were not babies anymore, and our parents arent going to always be there to bail us out of financial trouble.

Sophomore nursing student Moginique Smith, 19, from Memphis, Tennessee said relying on financial support from her parents was never an option.

She said shes had to manage being a full-time nursing student at The Loewenberg College of Nursing while working two jobs to make a living.

Im big on shopping, a little too big. Smith said. I would find myself spending my last on a cute pair of heels, but when it was time to pay rent at my apartment, I wouldnt have enough money in my account.

Smith said she had to learn how to say no to shopping in order to save more money.. When she does reward herself with new goodies, she focuses less on name brands to get the best bang for her buck.

Budgeting is a big part of making it in the real world, Smith said. Although, its easy for us as college students to waste our money on so many other distractions presented daily, in my case hourly, we have to become more responsible and focus on saving for the future.
George Osborne is the most substantial politician in this Government, the least irresponsible Chancellor of the Exchequer since Ken Clarke lost the job in 1997.

But yesterday he delivered his Budget in the tones of a rattled man, who sees his prospects of becoming prime minister shrinking by the day.

The storm clouds are gathering, he warned. He spoke of the uncertainty of nervous markets. He asserted that the British economy is fundamentally strong, but faces very difficult world conditions. He acknowledged that the recovery has slowed, and that growth will undershoot his forecasts, just as most of the numbers have fallen short of predictions since 2010.

The Office for Budget Responsibility says that Britains productivity is still lagging behind expectations, although Osborne takes refuge in the fact that most of Europe is doing no better, or even worse. He continues to expect a budget surplus by 2020, although torpid tax revenues make this seem pretty speculative.

George Osborne is the most substantial politician in this Government, the least irresponsible Chancellor of the Exchequer since Ken Clarke lost the job in 1997. But yesterday he delivered his Budget in the tones of a rattled man, who sees his prospects of becoming prime minister shrinking by the day

The Chancellor was justified in pointing out that the country would be in much deeper debt if Labours prescriptions had been followed since 2010 (he claims the Exchequer would be 930 billion worse off, and he may be right).

But this is scant comfort, when the most pertinent fact about Britain is that as a nation we are still vastly over-borrowed. The reasons are simple: we are cutting public spending less than prudence demands, still paying ourselves as a nation more than we earn.

Though he claims our economy is basically sound, this remains doubtful as long as its chief engine is consumer spending and borrowing, while manufacturing languishes. One of these fine days, our hideous trade imbalance with the rest of the world is likely to jump out and bite us.

Petty

All British Budgets are ham theatre. Chancellors announce the shuffling of a few millions here, a few there, whereas the number that matters  overall government expenditure  amounted last year to 748 billion. Most of this, however, is what the Government regards as non-discretionary spending: on welfare, pensions, the NHS and, at David Camerons stubborn insistence, overseas aid.

George Osborne nowadays seems to assume strategic responsibility for everything from education to railways and childrens health.

Thus yesterdays Budget for future generations included a fiscal attack on sugary drinks for children; reduced taxes for small businesses; a fresh swathe of elected mayors; extended school hours; academy status and thus more freedom from local authorities for schools across the land.

Some of these ideas are entirely sensible, but why the education parts should have been unveiled in a Budget speech was hard to justify, save to emphasise that the Chancellor does all serious policy-making, while David Cameron takes Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons, glad-hands visiting foreign leaders and launches a small number of RAF Tornados against evil-doers.

Osborne gabbled through much of his speech yesterday. Our attention was distracted in every TV shot by the proximity of Theresa Mays cleavage. Perhaps this was prearranged to prevent us from noticing how petty were most of the Budget measures, hitting rock bottom with the portentous announcement that tolls on the Severn Bridge will be halved in 2018.

The Chancellor now knows that, well before the next election and maybe even before David Cameron quits the premiership, this economic cycle will hit a downturn. He is surely right that there is plenty of bad news coming in from across the world, especially China, and that this must affect us.

He is also entitled to say that, since 2010, he has struggled manfully to contain public expenditure, to reverse the insane extravagances of the Blair-Brown era. But not enough. Over past decades all Western European nations, and especially Britain, have indulged a wildly exaggerated sense of entitlement.

We have given ourselves state health and welfare benefits which are becoming unaffordable as the balance of global wealth tilts sharply away from the West towards Asia. We do not face absolute poverty, but it is essential to moderate state spending before fiscal disaster ruins our childrens futures.

Vested

Every electorate in the developed world resists cutbacks. France, in particular, has become almost ungovernable, as vested interests take to the streets to fight every encroachment on cherished privileges.

What is different in Britain is that Camerons Tories occupy as politically powerful a position as any government we are likely to have for decades.

The Labour opposition is almost moribund. There is never a right time to do unpopular things, but with more than four years before the next general election, Osborne and Cameron could and should be making a start on curbing the ever-ballooning costs of the NHS and the welfare system.

They can have a good argument about whether they begin by imposing a small charge for GP visits, to deter time-wasters, or by means-testing some drugs and treatments.

But it does not require a public school education to see that ring-fencing the health service from all budget cuts  not to mention doing the same for overseas aid  is crazy and unsustainable.

Something has got to be done some time  and if not now, when? Unfortunately, even tragically, George Osborne flagged his intentions, and his motives, in last autumns spending review.

He proposes to run the Treasury from now until David Cameron quits chiefly with an eye on securing the succession for himself. He is making policy as an aspiring prime minister, his economic programme shorn of fiscal objectivity and a noble aspiration to reform Britain in the long term.

This may be the way politicians behave, but it is not the way statesmen do. If I was a personal friend of Osborne, I would counsel him thus: you are an extremely able man, who since 2010 has done well by Britain. Justly or not, however, you lack the gift of making yourself liked. You are probably the fittest man to be the next prime minister, but you are unlikely to get the job.

You have a chance instead to earn the historic gratitude of the British people by doing hard things that need to be done. You can show yourself to be a Chancellor of real integrity, in the mould of men such as Geoffrey Howe and Ken Clarke.

Osborne gabbled through much of his speech yesterday. Our attention was distracted in every TV shot by the proximity of Theresa Mays cleavage. Perhaps this was prearranged to prevent us from noticing how petty were most of the Budget measures

Yesterday, instead, was a missed opportunity, just as was the last spending review. Osborne cheapened himself by using his platform to claim that Brexit from Europe will damage the economy. We know he believes this, but the Budget speech was not the moment to make such a divisive point.

Fantasy

The Chancellor will further damage his hard-earned reputation if he chooses to follow David Cameron in addressing government as an endless succession of tactical issues, bereft of higher or longer-term purpose.

The above is written in sorrow. It is because George Osborne is capable of great things that it is dismaying to see him immerse himself in small ones, chiefly related to his own future.

He proudly declared yesterday we choose to put the next generation first. If he was serious about that, however, he would recognise that checking the careering juggernauts of health and welfare spending, and our consequent future indebtedness, are vastly more important than freezing fuel duty.
A mother-of-five who appeared in Britain's Got Talent has revealed how her husband broke her jaw just hours after she gave birth - despite him never being violent towards her before.

Becky O'Brien, 35, from Essex, had been married to Stephen Moonesamy for less than a year when, in February 2010, he flew into a rage and attacked her as she lay in her hospital bed.

Now Becky, who reached the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent last year, is urging other women in abusive relationships to seek help - before it is too late.

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'He pulled me into his web': Becky says she was swept off her feet when she met Stephen in 2009, and it was not until after they were married that she began to notice his controlling behaviour

Becky suffered a fractured jaw, a split lip and a punctured cheek in the attack, which happened just hours after she had given birth to twins Chloe and Toby. She said: 'I remember thinking, if I don't get out of this he'll kill me'

Becky first met Stephen, a former dancer, when she was running a dance school in Northampton and employed him.

She recalled: 'I thought he was well presented and handsome. We got on well and we started seeing each other. He proposed that summer and we married in September. It was all very fast but he'd swept me off my feet.'

Becky recalled how her fiance booked a date and a venue without consulting her - in a move which she thought was 'romantic' at the time, but now believes was an early sign of his controlling nature.

'He pulled me into his web,' she explained.

Just days before the pair married that September, Becky - who was already a mother to Jack, now 12, and Charlie, nine - found out she was pregnant.

'We were overjoyed,' she admitted.'I didn't think anyone would want me, a single mum of two boys. He was like my knight in shining armour.'

Stephen chose a wedding date and a venue without telling Becky - something she thought was romantic at the time, but she now believes was controlling

However, cracks were beginning to show. 'Stephen at that point would lose his temper and punch objects,' she said. 'One time he smashed a chest of drawers.

'My mum called him the "boomerang man" because he would constantly pack his bags and leave after an argument, only to come back.'

Becky suffered a difficult pregnancy with severe hyperemesis, causing her to be sick up to 30 times a day, before going into labour early at just over 27 weeks (six months).

But with her twins arriving so early, nurses chose to keep her in early labour for ten days. When her babies were finally born, Chloe weighed just 2lb 2oz and Toby weighed 3lb 1oz.

'I was exhausted,' Becky recalled. 'But Stephen didn't seem interested in the twins at all. He didn't even want to hold Toby. He started saying it was my fault they'd come early. At that point I was so stressed and exhausted, I just asked him to leave.

Just days before their wedding in 2009, Becky - who was already mother to twin boys - found out she was pregnant. She went into premature labour the following February and was kept in early labour for ten days

'I stood up to walk across the room, but he threw me on to my bed and started beating me into the bed. I remember thinking, if I don't get out of this he'll kill me.

'I must have been screaming, but the nurses didn't come for a few minutes because I was still on the maternity ward and they thought it was just someone in labour.

'When they arrived, he calmly left the room, waited for the lift and went home. He called police and told them "I've just attacked my wife".'

Becky, who was left with a fractured jaw, split lip and punctured cheek, remained in hospital for a further ten days where she didn't hear from Stephen, who police initially barred from contacting her.

'I felt numb,' she said. 'My whole world had been turned upside down.'

Stephen pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm at Luton Crown Court where the judge said his actions 'beggared belief'.

The mother-of-five appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2015, getting as far as the semi-finals before being booted off the show

Becky wowed judges with her rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, admitting that she had been inspired to appear on the show after escaping an abusive relationship. She now sings for a band and is touring the UK

However he was spared jail as he had no prior criminal record and had never been physically violent towards her before.

Pamela Brain, defending said: 'This is truly a very tragic case... They were under great stress and a number of pressures and difficulties had built up over a period of time.'

Becky recalled: 'Everyone thought he'd had a breakdown. He appeared genuinely remorseful. He even took himself to anger management.'

Stephen was handed a suspended sentence as well as two years' probation and was ordered to sign up to a domestic violence programme.

But Becky, who at the time considered the attack to be a one-off, said: 'I didn't associate it with the times he'd lost his temper in the past. I knew nothing about being in an abusive relationship.'

Becky met her current partner, Gary, at a karaoke competition in 2012 and the pair have been together since

Feeling vulnerable and struggling to care for her four children alone, Becky allowed Stephen to move back in.

'I tried to brush things under the carpet,' she explained.

Chloe and Toby both suffered from severe health problems, and the first few months of their lives were blighted by hospital visits and doctor appointments. Becky found herself stuck at home with an increasingly controlling husband.

'I felt like a prisoner in my own home,' she said. 'Stephen was like an army sergeant. He didn't like me going out on my own, didn't want me to have a life.

'He even told me there was a correct way to hang washing. I wasn't even allowed to iron the clothes, he said I had to flick them a certain number of times before hanging them.'

However, Becky finally managed to find the strength to leave when, in April 2012, she told him she'd had enough and filed for divorce.

After moving judges to tears during her audition for Britain's Got Talent, Becky embarked on a musical career. The mum-of-five is also an ambassador for Women's Aid, campaigning for better laws around domestic abuse

Becky, centre, has moved on with her life and is currently touring the UK with her band The Ratpack And Judy

'Chloe had fallen ill and Stephen suggested to nurses that it was my fault,' she said. 'It was the final straw.'

As a single mother of five young children, Becky struggled emotionally and financially. For several months her family of six all lived in a one-bedroom flat.

But later on in 2012, Becky met her now-partner, Gary, at a karaoke competition.

In 2015, she appeared on Britain's Got Talent, reducing crowds to tears at the live auditions when she confessed she had recently escaped an abusive marriage.

She is now touring with her band The Ratpack And Judy, as well as being an ambassador for Women's Aid, and campaigns for better laws surrounding domestic abuse.

She said: 'I've thrown myself into working and I try and do as much as I can. It's easy to think, why doesn't someone just leave? But it's more than that.
One woman was branded a f***** idiot in an explicit rant

Men were shocked by personal nature of the insults

A group of men have been left shocked after reading out the sexist comments aimed at their female co-workers for an online experiment.

The writers from website Elite Daily were challenged to read out the abusive comments on camera for a video which has received more than 84,000 views on YouTube.

The men were visibly shocked by the comments - with one referring to women as 'dogs' that should be 'beaten' and others making graphic sexual references.

The experiment was carried out so men could understand the kind of abuse their colleagues receive online, with almost all of the women who work for the site reporting violent and personal attacks from trolls.

A comment from a man called Brendon T was the first to be read out.

He was responding to an article written by Gigi Engle called: '24 reasons nice guys always chase the b**** as told by the b****.'

'You're a f**** idiot,' one of Gigi's male co-workers recited.

A man read out a comment aimed at the writer Gigi Engle in response to an article she'd written about dating, which said that she deserved to be physically assaulted

Another co-worker of Gigi's read out a post that was derogatory about women over 30 years old

Another read out a comment which said that the writer deserved to be physically assaulted.

He said: 'This b**** need the s*** slapped out of her. Weak men my a**. Isn't weak when they don't beat the f*** out of you for being a total f*** stick.'

Looking visibly shocked, he continued: 'I don't get why anyone would ever get on the internet and write why a woman needs to have her a** kicked.

'It makes me feel very angry. Usually when I get attacked online it's for my arguments, not how I look.

'They argue against what I'm trying to say. They don't attack my sexuality or my appearance.'

A colleague of Emily McCombs was surprised by the offensive comment: 'Why are so many women retarded?'. It was made in response to an article she'd written about sex

Another one of Emily's workmates was horrified by a comment making explicit reference to a sex act

Another of the participants added: 'The best part of this is that the guy is a barista at Starbucks telling other people that they're f****** idiots.'

His colleague agreed, saying: 'It's clearly another notch above the things the men on this site get and unfortunately it's like that across the internet,' one of the men responded.

Emily McCombs was also targeted over an article she wrote called: 'A woman's perspective on getting laid.'

Lydia Mansel wrote about Brazilian waxing and ended up being labelled a dog

Alexia Lafata was branded dumb and obnnoxious for writing about dating as a feminist

One of her male colleagues read out a comment, which said: 'She's annoying. Nothing a **** in her mouth can't fix though. Thumbs up.'

Another offensive response to her piece was : 'Why are so many women retarded?'

ONLINE ABUSE AGAINST WOMEN Chief executive of Reddit Ellen Pao resigned from the site last year after receiving death and rape threats and racist abuse from users who were unhappy users unhappy with her attempts to crack down on hate speech and revenge porn. Holly Brockwell who runs a women's tech website recently received a torrent of personal abuse about her character and professional life after writing an article about how she didn't want children. Labour MP Jess Phillips was bombarded with messages on Twitter threatening rape her after calling for a debate on International Men's Day in the House of Commons. Advertisement

A colleague of Lydia Mansell's read out a response to her article: 'Women are paying the high price for men's love of Brazilian waxing.'

He explained: 'Someone commented below that: "What a mutt. Woof, woof". OK that's way too much.'

His fellow participant added sarcastically: 'Great, so now someone is thinking it's okay to compare women to dogs, which is definitely a 2016 forward-thinking thing to do

'Everyone is a person. Nobody should take abuse. Women unfortunately get the short end of it, and unfortunately it's deep rooted in society.'

Another man read out a comment left for Alexia Lafata on her article: 'How to date like a feminist.'

'What an obnoxious dumb **** you are,' he repeated. 'It's an aggressive thing to say to a stranger you don't know.'

One of the participants agreed, saying: 'I don't know why the anonymity of a keyboard allows dudes to feel like they can use the C word.'

'Another offensive comment on the same article was: 'She sounds like a thirty plus year-old woman who is still single.'

Despite their shock at the posts nobody could immediately offer a solution to the problem.

This man suggested that ignoring the troll is the best policy as they won't go away if they know their comments are having an impact

One of the men responded: 'Obviously because women above 30 have to be married or they're not worth anything right. Okay, cool.'

Despite their shock at the posts nobody could immediately offer a solution to the problem.

However, one suggested ignoring them was the best policy.

'You don't want to engage these people,' he said. 'They're also not going to go away if they think what they're doing is making a difference.
Gently, Mum and Dad started to tell me what was going to happen. Every detail is etched into my memory. The smell of my mother's perfume. The slight wobble in her voice as she spoke. The concerned look in my father's eyes.

While they cared for each other and loved me and my younger brother, they just couldn't go on. 'I'm so sorry, but we're getting a divorce,' Mum said.

I wept. Our snug little family was going to be blown apart. But my torment was soon followed by an overwhelming sense of gratitude to my parents.

Karen Yossman's parents divorced just six months ago, in their 60s, Her parents had wanted to divorce for more than 16 years, but had soldiered on for her, above as a child, and her brother's sake

Because this didn't take place when I was still playing with dolls, or in the throes of adolescent angst. Instead, my parents announced their intention to divorce just six months ago, when they were in their 60s and not long after I had walked down the aisle, aged 28.

So why was I grateful? Because it emerged that my parents had wanted to divorce for more than 16 years, but had soldiered on, remaining there for my brother and me until they felt we were old enough, and mature enough, to cope.

'I just couldn't do it,' my mother says today. 'We didn't want to jeopardise your wellbeing or exam results with all the emotional upheaval. So we just sort of put it out of our minds.'

Such self-sacrifice, even for your children, is truly rare. But I believe more children would cope better with divorce if their parents showed even a fraction of the thoughtfulness that mine did.

Because even though I am much older than most young people who discover their parents are splitting up, I still found the news terribly upsetting. I could barely eat or sleep for a week.

Imagine how difficult it would have been if my parents had told me when I was 12, the age at which the first cracks started to appear in their relationship.

Twenty-eight-year-old, above, is so grateful her parents hung on for her sake. She found the news upsetting and could barely eat or sleep for a week

But, you might say, surely your childhood was riven with tension, with your parents continually at each other's throats? Many couples use this excuse to divorce, saying that they don't wish to expose their children to rows or bad atmospheres at home.

Thankfully, my parents had more consideration than that.

For my childhood was pretty idyllic. My brother and I grew up in a leafy North London suburb with no inkling that our parents were less than content.

As a fashion designer and a journalist, they both had fulfilling, busy jobs but always ensured we had time together as a family.

Weekends were spent feeding the ducks or playing on the paddleboats in Regent's Park. Every summer we would decamp to the Mediterranean. Gradually, though, I became aware that while we spent time together as a family, my mother and father rarely stepped out as a couple. They argued, too, though rarely about anything serious.

Only once did the tensions surface. When I was 16, they consulted divorce lawyers. It came out of the blue and I only found out when my mother confided in me, thinking me old enough to handle the news.

But the mere thought of them breaking up devastated me, which my parents clearly realised. I hated the thought of having to pack up all our belongings and sell our lovely family home. I dreaded the prospect of awkward family gatherings and maybe having to compete for Mum or Dad's attention with step-parents or - heaven forbid - half-siblings.

This was the fate of so many of my friends whose parents had divorced.

My father, I recently learnt, was equally worried that a separation would mean losing contact with us. 'I didn't want to be one of those dads who only saw their kids every other weekend,' he explains.

My parents clung on for our sakes. I presumed the talk of the 'D' word had just been a wobble, and normality was resumed.

Then eighteen months later, I started university and when it was time to move all my belongings into my student digs, Mum and Dad drove me to Oxford. They were still together when they repeated the journey three years later, for my graduation.

When I moved back to London I was too busy building my own life - going to law school, starting a new job, embarking on a serious relationship - to spend much time thinking about theirs.

I didn't spot any signs that they had reached tipping point. But after many years of drifting apart, they finally decided to split up amicably. At least then they could see out their remaining decades as free agents.

So it wasn't until last November that I realised my parents had never truly recovered from their 'wobble' all those years ago. They were just biding their time until they felt my brother and I were independent enough - in homes of our own, with long-term partners and steady jobs - for them to separate quietly.

ON THE ROCKS AT 25 The divorce rate is highest among women aged 25 to 29 and men aged 25 to 34 Advertisement

I look back and marvel that they held it together for so long, especially as I approach the age my mother was when she had me.

Only now can I truly appreciate the endless patience she and Dad exhibited in continuing with their crumbling marriage.

The family law organisation Resolution claims 82 per cent of children who experience divorce say they don't believe their parents should have stayed together for their sake.

Regardless, I am nothing but grateful for my parents' sacrifice, especially having worked briefly in matrimonial law, where I witnessed at first hand the damage done to children at the centre of domestic disputes, with arguments over everything from visitation rights to bedtime routines.

As an adult, I can understand that relationships sometimes just don't work out, instead of secretly worrying that I am at the root of my parents' marital difficulties, as I might have done if they had divorced while I was still young.

Karen says as an adult, she can understand that relationships sometimes just don't work out, instead of secretly worrying that she is at the root of my parents' marital difficulties, as she might have done if they had divorced while she was still young. Plus, now she lives away she didn't have to watch the marriage dissolve

And because I don't live with them, I can escape to my own home without having to watch their marriage dissolve at close quarters. Indeed, they can have privacy to deal with the end of their marriage, too.

I do feel guilty that Mum and Dad wasted years playing happy families for my sake.

But Mum maintains she has no regrets, saying: 'I really wanted

you and your brother to stand on your own two feet before we finally split, and I'm glad I did.'

Of course, no good deed goes unpunished, and an unexpected drawback of waiting until they were in their 60s to split up is that my parents are, in some ways, taking it harder than I am.

Even in amicable separations such as theirs, the process of divorce is inevitably lengthy, costly, and emotionally draining.

'The prospect of moving house and starting over at my age is daunting,' admits my father, in his late 60s. In Mum's case, however, it is her age - she's in her early 60s - that is spurring her on.

'I feel I have maybe ten good years left,' she says. 'Now that I've raised my children I have more time and, in some ways, energy, I want to enjoy being independent and not having to worry about somebody else all the time before old age kicks in.'

It's not just my mother who feels this way. Recent statistics show that the number of older couples splitting up, nicknamed 'silver splitters', has reached an all-time high and is often prompted by 'empty-nest syndrome'.

'There is a massive increase of people in their 60s separating,' acknowledges Arabella Russell, a counsellor at Relate.

'We're living longer and we have more of an expectation that we're allowed to be happy.

'People are more financially independent and accepting of the idea that you can keep on having an intimate relationship into older age.

'And because of that, there's a sense of 'I don't have to curl up and be miserable in this relationship any more'.'
Dr Pause is travelling the world to interview people about fat positivity

She says fat activism is a civil rights movement

The 36-year-old jokes that she is 'professionally fat'

She also runs a fat positive radio show called Friend of Marilyn

Cat Pause is an academic who

In a world where plenty of people make money from being thin, in the form of personal trainers, Instagram stars and supermodels, Cat Pause is fat for a living.

'I'm professionally fat,' jokes Dr Pause, who is from Palmerston North, New Zealand. 'Being fat is my research, its my show, its my hobby.'

The 36-year-old is an academic who specialises in fat studies, as well as being a fat activist and running a radio show on fat positivity.

'I'm fat professionally: Cat Pause (above) is an academic who researches in fat studies, a fat activist and a radio show host

Fight the power: Dr Pause says that fat activism is a 'civil rights movement' to ensure fat people have the same rights as non fat people

Being a fat activist, Dr Pause explains, is about advocating for the rights of people regardless of their weight.

'Fat activism is a civil rights movement to ensure fat people have the same rights and dignity as non fat people,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

The academic says that people think that fat discrimination is just about mean comments, but that it actually impacts lives in quite a big way.

'You can be fired from a job, or not hired, because you're fat. You can be rejected from housing because of your size,' she explains.

Discrimination: The 36-year-old says that in many places in the world, it is legal to fire people or deny them housing because they are fat

Body love: Dr Pause hosts a radio show, called Friend of Marilyn, about fat positivity and fat activism

As well as being an academic and researching fat studies at the University of Massey, Ms Pause started hosting a radio show in 2011 about fat positivity.

The show, called Friend of Marilyn, is broadcast on a local radio station and published as a podcast.

Now Ms Pause is going on tour and travelling the world to interview fat people about fat positivity for the show.

She's starting her world tour in Australia, before heading to Singapore and the Philippines. She also hopes to go to Russia, Africa, Europe and America.

World tour: The academic is now taking her radio show across the globe to interview fat people in different countries

Trolls: Dr Pause had also received abuse, including death and rape threats, for being vocal about fat acceptance

While Dr Pause has had a positive experience within the fat positive community, she says that, like many other fat women, she receives abuse simply for her size.

'Being a woman online, let alone a fat women online who isnt apologising for being fat, brings out the worst in people,' she said.

Dr Pause has received abuse ranging from people who call her disgusting, to rape and death threats. She has even received handwritten letters full of abuse posted to her office.
With active pregnancies a common choice for many expecting mothers, one woman has taken her prenatal routine to a new level.

Australian pole dance champion, Cleo the Hurricane, 36, has been sharing 'flexy' snaps and videos of herself on the pole throughout her pregnancy and has now penned a raw blog post to share her experience with her large following.

The Los Angeles-based pole professional, who is described as an 'international rock star' in the pole dancing community, has built up an impressive career where she has starred in her own fitness DVDs, taught thousands of aspiring pole artists and performed around the world.

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Seven days to go: Australian pole dance champion, Cleo the Hurricane, 36, has been sharing 'flexy' snaps and videos of herself on the pole throughout her pregnancy (pictured at seven months)

Superstar: The Los Angeles-based pole professional, who is described as an 'international rock star' in the pole dancing community and has built up an impressive career

Raw: Cleo explained that while she wanted to have a family, she knew that as a pole instructor, performer and a competitor it was 'never really a possibility' (pictured at eight months pregnant)

'Ahhh pregnancy... it's a wonderful thing really! Watching my belly grow, feeling my baby move, eating... and eating... and EATING! I definitely got a sweet tooth and a taste for cheese these last 9 months!' Cleo, who is just seven days out from giving birth, wrote on her blog.

Cleo explained that while she wanted to have a family, she knew that as a pole instructor, performer and a competitor it was 'never really a possibility' or would have been 'detrimental to my career.'

'That life, although it was amazing I had to give up but was completely happy to and ready,' Cleo said.

Passionate: 'Pole Dancing has brought to me so MUCH, I mean if you're a pole dancer you know exactly what I'm talking about,' she said

Feeling good: I love the heels, skimpy outfits that used to scare me when I first started, the sensual movements, the athleticism... everything about it!' Cleo said

'Pole Dancing has brought to me so MUCH, I mean if you're a pole dancer you know exactly what I'm talking about. I love the heels, skimpy outfits that used to scare me when I first started, the sensual movements, the athleticism... everything about it! Yup, you know what I'm talking about.'

Cleo said she loves being pregnant but feels 'unsexy'.

'Womanly DEFINITELY, feminine YES, confident YES... but sexy? That's a big NO,' she said.

Cleo revealed she had put on just under 22 kilograms and said when she looks in the mirror she 'loves what she sees' but in a 'different light' to what she is used to.

Things have changed: 'My husband sees me differently, now as the mother of his child and these days it's all about the little kisses and cuddles instead of what got me pregnant in the first place! The SEX!' She wrote.

Cleo revealed she had put on just under 22 kilograms and said when she looks in the mirror she 'loves what she sees' but in a 'different light' to what she is used to.

'Even my husband sees me differently, now as the mother of his child and these days it's all about the little kisses and cuddles instead of what got me pregnant in the first place! The SEX!' She wrote.

'As much as I have enjoyed this journey, preparing for motherhood, watching my baby belly grow... I have been CRAVING and LOVING that feeling of putting on my heels, a sexy song and pole dancing... just to feel sexy again.'

Natural in heels: 'As much as I have enjoyed this journey, preparing for motherhood, watching my baby belly grow... I have been CRAVING and LOVING that feeling of putting on my heels,' Cleo said

Flexy snaps: Cleo said she was glad she didn't 'hang up' her heels completely during her pregnancy and while she wasn't doing full blown pole dancing, she enjoyed taking 'flexy pregnancy pics' each month

Cleo said she was glad she didn't 'hang up' her heels completely during her pregnancy and while she wasn't doing full blown pole dancing, she enjoyed taking 'flexy pregnancy pics' each month.

She said it helped her 'feel sexy' again' but at the same time explained that she does take her pregnancy 'VERY seriously' and would 'never put on a pair of 7 or 8" heels if I wasn't completely comfortable and confident in them.'

'To be honest I am more clumsy at home barefoot than I am in a studio with sky-high stilettos on. I also completely stopped doing inverted tricks, Iron Xs and anything aerial of the pole quite early on in my pregnancy,' she said.

Happy place: She said it helped her 'feel sexy' again' but at the same time explained that she does take her pregnancy 'VERY seriously' and would 'never put on a pair of 7 or 8" heels if she wasn't confident

Pole star: 'As women we all want to feel sexy, this is how I feel sexy... YES.. dressing up as a cop in 8" heels and posing for a picture, or doing the splits,' Cleo said

Ignoring the haters: Cleo also said that while people often said that a pregnant woman on a pole was disrespectful to their body and their baby, this is how she feels 'sexy'

'I see women posting pics late into their pregnancy in Iron X's and I think WOW that is really amazing! REALLY REALLY amazing but I made that choice not to. That doesn't mean what they're doing is wrong! I think it's pretty cool!'

Cleo also said that while people often said that a pregnant woman on a pole was disrespectful to their body and their baby, this is how she feels 'sexy.'

'As women we all want to feel sexy, this is how I feel sexy... YES.. dressing up as a cop in 8" heels and posing for a picture, or doing the splits. YES... girls ALSO just wanna have fun!' She said.

Confident: 'This is how I express myself and I'm sure my son is gonna think his mum rocks when we bring out these pics on his 21st birthday! My husband also thinks I'm pretty cool,' she said

Excited mum to be: Cleo said she wants to be a 'great role model' for her son as a 'strong and free spirited woman doing what I love'

'This is how I express myself and I'm sure my son is gonna think his mum rocks when we bring out these pics on his 21st birthday! My husband also thinks I'm pretty cool!'

Cleo said she wants to be a 'great role model' for her son as a 'strong and free spirited woman doing what I love.'
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh came face to face with the kings of the animal kingdom when the opened a new lion enclosure in London Zoo today.

Her Majesty opened the Zoological Society of Londons Land of the Lions exhibit, which will home four endangered Asiatic lions.

The 89-year-old monarch and Philip viewed the big cats in their new home and met the ZSL exhibit delivery team, zoo keepers and members of a conservation group.

The Queen viewed the big cats in their new home and met the ZSL exhibit delivery team, zoo keepers and members of a conservation group

Her Majesty opened the Zoological Society of Londons Land of the Lions exhibit, which will home four endangered Asiatic lions

The Queen, who wore a pale blue coat and matching hat adorned with a feather, also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the opening.

The Queen has been patron of the ZSL since June 1952.

The zoos three female Asiatic lions, Rubi, six, and twins Heidi and Indi, five, were born at London Zoo and have been on holiday at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire while their new enclosure was built.

The only male, Bhanu, arrived at the zoo in February after making the long journey from Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg, Canada.

ZSL is expecting two more lions from Sakkarbaug zoo in Gujarat, India, to arrive in the near future.

Only 500 of the endangered lions remain in their natural habitat, the Gir Forest of western India.

The Queen wore a pale blue coat and matching hat adorned with a feather and was all smiles at the engagement with the big cats

The 89-year-old monarch and Philip viewed the big cats in their new home and met the ZSL exhibit delivery team, zoo keepers and members of a conservation group

The Queen took to the microphone to open the enclosure with the Duke of Edinburgh on their visit to ZSL

The Queen has been patron of the ZSL since June 1952 and she appeared delighted to reveal a plaque in her and Philip's honour

Queen Elizabeth II is presented with a photograph of her first visit to the Zoo as she and Duke of Edinburgh officially open the new Lion enclosure at London Zoo

A lioness walks in her new enclosure as Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip opens 'The Land of the Lions' exhibition

Her Majesty spoke to zookeepers, left and right, the enclosure will form a new breeding centre, and ZSL will work with zoos across the globe

The enclosure will form a new breeding centre, and ZSL will work with zoos across the globe to ensure a healthy population continues.

Work began on the enclosure in 2014, and it will cover more than 2,500 square metres - five times bigger than before.

It will feature an overhead walkway, recreations of Indias Sasan Gir train station, abandoned forts, a crumbling temple and an Indian high street.

Her outing with Prince Philip to Regent's Park followed an evening at the annual High Commissioner's Banquet at the Guildhall in London last night.

With the Duke of Edinburgh by her side, The Queen, who was resplendent in purple, greeted dignitaries at the annual event.

During a speech at the banquet Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans, congratulated Her Majesty on her conservation efforts.

The Queen looked resplendent in rich purple as she attended the annual High Commissioner's Banquet at the Guildhall in London last night

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh attended a reception and banquet to mark Commonwealth week

Thanking the royal family for their 'unswerving commitment' to the 'greatest global challenges' he announced that Epping Forest, on the border of London and Essex, would join The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) initiative.

The QCC is designed to create a network of forest conservation initiatives across the 53 Commonwealth nations, in a bid to protect plants and trees.

Lord Mayor Mountevans said he was 'delighted' to dedicate Epping Forest to the Queen, describing the woodland as 'a jewel in the capital's crown'.

In a speech opening the annual banquet, which was first held in 1874, he said there was no greater challenge than conserving 'our precious natural resources and environment, for future generations'.

The Queen listened to a speech by Lord Mayor Mountevans at a reception at the Guildhall

During a speech at the banquet Lord Mayor Jeffrey Mountevans (left), congratulated The Queen on her conservation efforts

The Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh (front row 2nd left) pose for an official photograph during a reception to mark Commonwealth week at the Guildhall in London

'Above all, we have a shared responsibility, across the Commonwealth, to protect the woodlands which are the lungs of our planet', he said.

'So, on behalf of us all, may I congratulate Your Majesty for creating The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy: an excellent way to work together on forestry conservation.'

Epping Forest has been managed by the City of London Corporation since 1878.

The QCC initiative is led by the Royal Commonwealth Society in partnership with charity Cool Earth and the Commonwealth Forestry Association.

Lord Mayor of the City of London Jeffrey Mountevans (left) makes a presentation to The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during the reception

The Queen at the reception (right) and signing the guest book at the reception (left) at last night's event

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London Jeffrey Mountevans (left) as they arrive a reception to mark Commonwealth week at the Guildhall in London
A stay-at-home mother who was accused of not 'doing anything' while looking after her baby all day documented her life with a series of candid photographs.

Yuliya Skorobogatova, from Moscow, Russia, was tired of seeing glossy images of motherhood so decided to capture an uncut version with a selfie stick and post it on Facebook.

Yuliya's project was triggered by a male pal who told her he was amazed to see her looking so tired while she was on maternity leave.

Waking up: Yuliya Skorobogatova, from Moscow, Russia, was fed-up with looking at glossy images of motherhood so decided to make an uncut version and post it on Facebook

Yuliya showed how much hard work goes into looking after a tot all day and she can't get a moment's peace, even in the bathroom

The mother-of-two decided to lift the lid on her life with a series of candid images, with none of the gloss painted by other mummy bloggers.

Yuliya explained: 'A male friend of mine once told me "you don't do anything, but simply stay home with the baby".

'He is right in some ways  I dont have to wake up early five times a week and rush to the other side of Moscow in a metro carriage packed like a box of sardines. Or to sit in a traffic jam listening to those iPod tracks over and over again.

'I dont have to deal with office tasks and follow management orders. I stay at home and yes, I do nothing. What a pleasure.'

Yuliya dresses her baby on camera and the youngster doesn't look happy about it and screams throughout

Yuliya appears bored during a trip to the park as children play happily in the sandpit. She said: 'Currently, I am on a maternity leave and all my days look identical, like twins'

Yuliya needs to be at her baby's beck and call so is always next to her, even while drying her hair

Yuliya makes dinner and tastes the dish while her baby sits in the high chair screaming for food. She said: 'If you haven't started a family yet, take a good look because this is what's coming your way'

While Yuliya cooks, her baby sits on the floor and is entertained by some pasta shapes in the chaotic photos posted on Facebook

Yuliya waters the plants, gripping her watering can in one hand and her daughter in the other

When she has a haircut, Yuliya takes her baby with her and keeps her right next to her in her buggy

She explained that a driven career woman can become numbed by the endless rounds of nappies, feeding, washing and playing with the baby.

Yuliya said: 'Currently, I am on a maternity leave and all my days look identical, like twins.

'The only way for me to identify whether it is weekend or not is through my husband, who stays at home in the daytime.'

She explained: 'Any mother who has had a baby will recognise all of this.

'But if you haven't started a family yet, take a good look because this is what's coming your way.'

Yuliya appears exhausted and cradles her baby to get her to go to sleep in another selfie

While Yuliya's baby has a quick nap, she has a moment to herself to wear a face mask and pluck her eyebrows

Yuliya tries to do some work but her toddler comes over seeking her attention during playtime

Yuliya spends most of her day doing household chores like ironing while also taking care of the baby

While Yuliya prepares lunch for her youngster, the tot is happy to play with dried pasta on the kitchen floor.

Even the bathroom is not a refuge as the curious tot wants to know what mum is doing, clutching the curtain as she tries to take a shower.

And, far from the media image of go-getting mother juggling a career and baby, Yuliya is lucky to snatch a few minutes on her laptop, still in her pyjamas.

In one snap, Yuliya yawns sleepily at her smartphone while her baby has apparently fallen off the edge of the bed.

Yuliya shops for a new outfit for her baby while her daughter is kept amused by toys in her pram

Yuliya takes her baby to the doctors for a check up. In her posts, Yuliya suggested she didn't miss the rat race but she also found motherhood could be mind-numbing

Yuliya relaxesand takes her eye off the baby for a moment - in which time she appears to tumble off the bed

Yuliya is flat out on the play mat as the curious toddler decides to get up close and investigate the camera

Even on the toilet there's no time for peace and quiet when Yuliya's little girl demands not to be left out

Most aspects of motherhood are difficult and Yuliya showed how hard it was to brush her baby's teeth

During a chocolatey snack, Yuliya's baby helps to take a selfie and stares into the lens
Although the tumor was successfully removed, Walter still needs to have

Dr. Mike Sughrue, a neurosurgeon at The Stephenson Cancer Center, operated on Walter while he was awake to

A dedicated dad walked his daughter down the aisle just three days after having a high-risk brain surgery that was expected to leave him paralyzed.

Walter Thompson, a father from Oklahoma, was diagnosed with fist-sized, internal capsule glioma tumor in the middle of his brain just weeks before his daughter's wedding after he noticed he lost feeling on his left side and was no longer able to button his shirt sleeves.

The concerned father told KFOR every doctor he met with said the tumor was 'inoperable'except one.

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Miracle: Walter Thompson walked his daughter Ruth-Ann down the aisle just three days after having brain surgery that was expected to leave him paralyzed

Dr. Mike Sughrue, a neurosurgeon at The Stephenson Cancer Center in Oklahoma City, was willing to operate on the complex tumor, although he warned Walter that there were risks.

'[It was] a pretty horrible brain tumor to be truthful,' Dr. Sughrue recalled.

'There`s a real high chance, if not almost a certainty, that we`re going to paralyze you trying to take this out,' he warned Walter before the operation, in which the cancer patient was required to stay awake the entire time.

Dr. Sughrue is one of the few surgeons who operates on the brain while his patients are wide awake, and it was important that Walter was coherent during his surgery because his speech and movements showed the surgeon which areas to avoid in his brain.

Terrible time: The father from Oklahoma feared he wouldn't be able to be their for his daughter after he was with fist-sized, internal capsule glioma tumor in the middle of his brain just weeks before her wedding

Skilled neurosurgeon: Almost every doctor told Walter (L) the tumor was 'inoperable' - except Dr. Mike Sughrue (R). However, the doctor warned him that the high-risk surgery could leave him paralyzed

During the procedure, Walter spoke with the doctors and used his pegboard so Dr. Sughrue could monitor his brain stimulus.

'Never have I felt anything like that sir, never,' Walter recalled of the intense surgery.

Walter admitted that the doctor told him that he put 'a lot of pressure on him', but he patient pointed out that Dr. Sughrue achieved what was thought to be impossible.

Just three days later, Walter donned a cowboy hat, teal shirt, and his trademark mustache to walk his daughter Ruth-Ann down the aisle.

Unbelievable: Walter, who had to stay awake during the surgery, played with his peg board, so the doctor could monitor his brain function and know which areas to try and avoid

Touching story: Walter, who was left with a scar on his head, will be undergoing chemotherapy, but he is expected to keep most of his hair

I didn't think I was gonna be able to walk her,' he said with tears in his eyes. 'That was a troubling thing in my heart,

'The day God laid her in my arms... She`s a precious young lady, and I've looked forward to this day.'

Walter has had his mustache for more than two decades, recalling how he last shaved it off when Ruth-Ann was just four years old, and she asked him to 'put it back on'.

'I have not removed it in 22 years, sir, and I would not for her wedding day,' he said.
The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles enjoyed an action-packed day in Serbia on the fourth stage of their Balkan tour including a visit to a bee museum and a dinner to honour British nurses.

Camilla had a chance to admire women in elaborate traditional outfits made of carefully embroidered lace, flower-print fabric, loops of pearls and show-stopping head-dresses laden with strands of beads.

Later that day she and the Prince of Wales attended a reception to celebrate the UK nurses who served on the front line with the Serbian army during the First World War.

The Duchess of Cornwall, 68, met women in traditional Serbian dress outside of the bee museum she visited in Novi Sad

The Prince of Wales and Camilla also attended a reception to celebrate British nurses who served on the frontline with the Serbian army during the First World War

Camilla chose a deep purple jacket with a sequin collar and dress at this evening's official reception and she paired her outfit with hoop earrings and opaque tights to keep out the cold.

While Charles chose a pin-striped suit and pale pink tie for the occasion.

Ahead of the evening reception on their final day in the country, the Prince and Duchess made a number of stops, beginning the day at a cultural market in Novi Sad.

Crowds gathered in the square to see the royal couple - some taking to windows to catch a glimpse - and cheered and applauded as Charles and Camilla walked through, occasionally stopping to shake hands and exchange a few words.

Camilla met two women in bright traditional dress both wearing unusual headdresses after she visited a bee museum in Belgrade

Camilla got hands on to inspect the intricate headdress which was decorated with beads and florals

A woman in traditional costume shakes Camilla's hand as she learns about the decorative costumes women traditionally wore

One of the women in local traditional costumes that the Duchess of Cornwall met at the Bee Museum outside Novi Sad

They also visited the Matica Srpska gallery where the Prince turned his hand to art restoration.

He was shown the gallery's conservation studio, which is currently working on the Iconostasis of the Serbian Church in Budapest, and, on being shown one of the pieces in the process of being cleaned, he was invited to have a go.

He picked up a tool and began gently scraping at the surface, saying: 'This is very exciting. It's amazing. You have to be careful.

After enjoying himself for a short time, he laughed and said 'I'd better not do too much', before putting the implement down.

he Duchess of Cornwall studies an unusual bee hive shaped as a church, at the Bee Museum

Camilla tries out sesame honey produced at the bee museum from a terracotta pot, the Duchess chose a navy coat and dragonfly brooch for the outing

The Duchess of Cornwall looks at red and black knitted socks in a traditional design at a market in Novi Sad

Camilla, pictured at the market square, grins to the market stall holder as she looks at the array of candles and ornaments

The Duchess met locals and took a closer look at a young baby in a padded blue babygro

Together with the Hungarian government, the gallery is restoring 54 different icons from the Iconostasis which were painted in the 19th century by Arsenije Todorovic.

They represent one of the most valuable inherited artefacts of Serbian culture. When restoration is complete in 2017, the icons will be returned to Hungary.

During the day, the royals learned about the country in a cultural event featuring dancing and crafts.

They were treated to a performance by members of the Triorca Orchestra - a project that encourages children from Serbia, Britain and Germany to come together using the international language of music.

Charles and Camilla are also set to view two stalls displaying artwork created by children with disabilities.

Camilla admires the British food selection produced at the Bee Museum with plenty of Union Jacks on display

Camilla sat in on a class for young children learning to speak English, at the Matica Srpska Gallery

The Prince of Wales samples cognac with monks made at the 700-year-old Kovilj Monastery in Novi Sad

Members of a crowd get out their phones for a snap of Prince Charles and he poses for pictures

The royals look at a stall selling local intricate embroidery on a market square

Camilla chats with young musicians from an orchestra performing for the couple

The Prince visited Kovilj Monastery where he learned about the rehabilitation programme it runs, and was invited to taste some of the products it makes.

He also went to the Kovilj marshes to see a special nature reserve.

The Duchess visited a beekeeping museum and winery, and met women wearing traditional dress, with one wearing a wide hat decorated with beading and pom poms, with a traditional red floral dress worn over a crocheted shirt, while another woman sported a large floral headress full of colourful blooms and a green fringed poncho.

Camilla then visited the Food is Great festival in Sremskl Karlovcl.

They concluded the day by attending a reception celebrating Serbian women on the front line in the First World War and in the UK.

Charles and Camilla will take in an exhibition of photographs of Allied medical missions in Serbia in the First World War, before the Prince delivers a speech which will be broadcast live.

Charles shakes hands with a local who appeared to crack a joke and made the prince laugh

The royals listen to a chamber orchestra perform on a market square with Camilla choosing knee-high boots and wrapped up in a woven coat

The Prince of Wales talks with citizens of Novi Sad and jokingly waves a finger

The prince spots something which piques his interest as the couple walk across the square

To conclude the visit, they met Dushan Marinkovic, whose grandmother Margaret Curry Polemis and aunts Rina Marinkovic and Mary Lorbek provided care to war orphans and refugees from Serbia in Greece during the First World War.

The royal couple unveiled a plaque in memory of Ms Polemis and her daughters.

Yesterday, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall attended a memorial ceremony at the Belgrade New Cemetery as they began their visit to Serbia.

Charles and the president of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic, laid wreaths at the Memorial Crypt of the Belgrade Defenders, followed by a moment of pause for reflection before Serbian priests read a short prayer.

Camilla chose a deep purple jacket with a sequin collar and dress as she celebrated British nurses who assisted the Serbian army

Camilla added glamour to her outfit with a pair of large drop earrings in a matching shade of deep purple

Prince Charles speaks at a reception at the Serbian Parliament as Madame Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Maja Gojkovic, centre, looks on

Prince Charles chose a pinstriped suit for the occasion and wore a jazzy pocket handkerchief in a geometric pattern

To mark the occasion, the prince wore an RAF tie, Veterans badge and the shoes issued to him when he joined the RAF in March 1971.

Dressed in a grey and black Bruce Oldfield coat, the duchess stood and observed proceedings as the national anthems of both countries were played by a military band.

The memorial is located above an underground crypt in which the bodies of 4,603 known and unknown soldiers have been laid to rest.

Shortly after the event, Charles and President Nikolic attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

They were led into the site by a piper from the Royal Irish Regiment, and greeted by a British Military band.




Experts have hailed sitting the new smoking, warning that increasingly sedentary lifestyles are compounding the obesity crisis.

For many in office-based jobs, long hours leave little time for exercise during the day.

Health experts have warned that long periods of sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity.

And, with the concerns came a solution - standing desks, designed to allow you to work at your desk sitting down or standing up.

They were hailed a means of tackling the typical office-worker's lack of movement.

But, a new piece of research has cast doubt on the health benefits.

A review of 20 studies has led scientists to question whether standing desks are, in fact, a waste of time.

Standing desks have been hailed as one solution to the obesity crisis. With mounting concerns over society's increasingly sedentary lifestyle, the desks are designed to help office workers spend a proportion of the day standing rather than sitting. But, a new review of 20 studies, suggests they may be a waste of time

They found 'little evidence' the height adjustable furniture actually benefits health.

Co-author Dr Jos Verbeek, of the Cochrane Work Review Group in Finland, said: 'Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight'

Researchers examined data from 20 studies, incorporating a total of 2,174 participants from the US, UK and Europe.

Study leader, Dr Nipun Shrestha, of the Health Research and Social Development Forum in Nepal, said: 'This review shows at the moment there is uncertainty over how big an impact sit-stand desks can make on reducing the time spent sitting at work in the short-term.'

Previous research has shown office workers spend 65 per cent to 75 per cent of their time sitting - half of which is in prolonged periods - increasing the risk of heart disease and premature death from other illnesses.

But the latest findings published in the Cochrane Library says more research is needed into the possible benefits of a variety of interventions intended to reduce sitting at work - including stand-up desks.

Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight Co-author Dr Jos Verbeek, of the Cochrane Work Review Group

Millions of people worldwide sit at a desk all day and over recent years this has led to increased levels of physical inactivity in the work place.

The researchers found very low quality evidence from three non-randomised studies in which participants were not selected for stand-up desks by chance and low quality evidence from three randomised studies where those who used them sat between 30 minutes and two hours less.

The desks also reduced total sitting time and the length of sitting periods lasting 30 minutes or longer.

Standing for longer periods of time did not produce harmful such as musculoskeletal pain, varicose veins or a decrease in productivity.

Other interventions aimed at reducing inactivity such as taking a walk during breaks at work didn't change the length of sitting time at work.

The researchers found low quality evidence counselling could lead to a modest reduction in sitting time of around 30 minutes on average.

Sitting has been branded the new smoking by some health experts, who warn sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of obesity and heart disease

But they also found a number of limitations in the studies that reduced their confidence in the validity and applicability of the results from the trials.

The quality of evidence was low for most of the interventions looked at - mainly because the studies were poorly designed and recruited small numbers of people.

Dr Shrestha said: 'There is also low quality evidence of modest benefits for other types of interventions.

'Given the popularity of sit-stand desks in particular, we think that people who are considering investing in sit-stand desks and the other interventions covered in this review should be aware of the limitations of the current evidence base in demonstrating health benefits.

'We need further research to assess the effectiveness of different types of interventions for reducing sitting time in workplaces in both the short and long term.

'The evidence base would be improved with larger studies, longer follow-up and research from low income countries.'

Co-author Dr Jos Verbeek, of the Cochrane Work Review Group in Finland, said: 'It is important workers who sit at a desk all day take an interest in maintaining and improving their well-being both at work and at home.

'However at present there is not enough high quality evidence available to determine whether spending more time standing at work can repair the harms of a sedentary lifestyle.

'Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight.
Women are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease because the wiring of the female brain is more prone to damage, experts today revealed.

It has long been known that the female of the species are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia as their male peers.

But, a new study, is the first to explain why that is the case.

The discovery offers hope of new drugs targeting a protective sheath that boosts communication between neurones, scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, said.

Women are at greater risk of being diagnosed with dementia because the female brain is 'more prone to damage' that can trigger Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found

There are currently 5.4 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer's disease, while 850,000 in the UK are battling dementia.

Researchers examined post-mortem brain tissue from five male and five female patients, and compared them to 10 healthy controls to investigate the dementia gender gap.

They focused on a process called degenerative protein modifications (DPMs) - changes believed to cause a loss of brain function.

Analysis revealed the protein most affected was myelin basic protein (MBP), which insulates the brain's wiring, producing the protective layer covering the signal-transmitting 'axons' of nerve cells.

Damage to myelin was shown to be more pronounced in the brains of the women than the men.

Professor Sze Siu Kwan said: 'As DPMs are likely to critically influence protein function and activity in the central nervous system, they can be novel drug targets for treatment of dementia.'

Past research has shown women suffering from mild cognitive impairment - a precursor to dementia - appear to go downhill at twice the rate as men.

Our findings and further study could have direct implications for our knowledge about the progression of dementia that could lead to the development of drugs for treatment of dementia Professor Sze Siu Kwan

Furthermore, studies have shown women are more susceptible to developing dementia in the first place.

Figures presented at the Alzheimer's Association's Annual Conference in Washington showed around two thirds of older people living with Alzheimer's are women.

At the age of 65 they have a one in six chance of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with a one in 11 chance for men.

But the underlying mechanisms of this gender difference have remained elusive - until now.

Axons are part of the brain's white matter which transmit signals between neurons and myelin provides an electrically insulating layer around them - similar to the insulation around an electrical wire.

Damage to this can stop electrical impulses from being conducted properly, disrupting communication between different parts of the brain.

Professor Kwan said: 'The number of dementia patients is projected to triple by 2050 and there is an urgent need to identify key mechanisms of how dementia develops.

'Our findings and further study could have direct implications for our knowledge about the progression of dementia that could lead to the development of drugs for treatment of dementia.'

The study published in Molecular Brain used a technique called proteomics to examine altered protein levels to identify changes in the temporal lobe, which is involved in visual memory and the understanding of language.

Experts hope their findings will pave the way for new drugs to help prevent the incurable disease

The researchers scanned thousands of proteins to detect changes in the 'power plants' of cells - known as mitochondria - among the dementia patients.

Disturbance to the proteins in the mitochondria was also more pronounced in women than men.

Study co-author Xavier Gallart-Palau, a PhD student, said: 'The findings of this study indicate proteomics can detect differences between male and female dementia patients on a molecular level which cannot be detected by standard approaches.'

The findings also provide new insight into the molecular basis of increased risk and severity in women suffering from dementia.

They could be a step towards future clinical interventions targeted at reducing dementia risk in both men and women.

Dr Heather Snyder, director of medical and scientific operations at the Alzheimer's Association, told the conference in July: 'Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's and there's an urgent need to understand if differences in brain structure, disease progression and biological characteristics contribute to higher prevalence and rates of cognitive decline.
A teenager suffering from 'toothache' was horrified to discover she actually had a rare tumour in her jaw which grew to the size of a gobstopper.

Nadia Hobbs, 18, from St Thomas, Exeter, began suffering pain in her mouth but believed it might be her wisdom teeth coming through.

When she massaged the area she found a pea-sized lump on her jawline, which soon started to balloon in size.

She had blood tests to rule out possible causes of the swelling, such as mumps and glandular fever but her results came back clear, leaving doctors baffled.

Nadia Hobbs, 18, believed she was suffering from 'toothache' but was horrified to discover she actually had a rare tumour in her jaw. Pictured after receiving treatment

Miss Hobbs found a pea-sized lump in her left jaw which grew to the size of a gobstopper. An MRI scan eventually revealed she had a cancerous tumour of the soft tissues in her face

The lump grew to the size of a gobstopper and one day the pain became so excruciating she could barely smile, so her mother Rachel, 44, took her straight to A&E.

There, Miss Hobbs was finally diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive and extremely rare form of cancer of the body's soft tissues, and an MRI scan revealed the true extent of the huge mass.

Amazingly, after seven rounds of gruelling chemotherapy Miss Hobbs' tumour has now shrunk by 75 per cent.

She is sharing her story to warn others not to ignore symptoms of the disease.

Miss Hobbs, a childcare student at Exeter College said: 'I don't know what I'd do without my mum, I never thought I would get cancer and thanks to her I got the diagnosis I needed sooner rather than later.

'My jaw began to ache in the beginning and I only found the lump when I tried to massage the area to relieve the pain a little.

'Mum was concerned from day one but the lump was so tiny and it felt similar to the pain of a wisdom tooth coming through.'

She went to the GP and the dentist, but both were mystified as to what was causing the pain.

She was then referred to a specialist as her jaw had swollen to the size of a gobstopper.

Miss Hobbs said: 'I couldn't even smile any more, the pain was excruciating so mum said she'd had enough and took me straight to A&E.'

While in hospital she underwent more tests and an MRI scan, which revealed a mass on her right cheek.

A biopsy was immediately carried out and weeks later she was given the terrifying diagnosis.

'That day hit me like a brick wall, I was so scared I cried for what seemed like forever I was so scared,' she said.

'Luckily I have the best mum in the world, she's given me the support I've needed to stay strong and together she's helping me to kick cancer's butt.

After an MRI scan, Miss Hobbs was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive and extremely rare form of cancer of the body's soft tissues. Pictured is her tumour, circled in red

After seven rounds of gruelling chemotherapy Miss Hobbs' tumour has now shrunk by 75 per cent

She now faces a further two cycles of chemotherapy before starting six weeks of radiotherapy but is hopeful for the future.

'The size of the tumour completely shocked us all, I couldn't believe how huge it was,' Miss Hobbs said.

'I'd always been completely healthy before my diagnosis, I was applying for university and really happy with my life.

'I was completely devastated, I really don't know how I'd cope if I was diagnosed with cancer again now.

My jaw had swollen to the size of a gobstopper, I couldn't even smile any more and the pain was excruciating Nadia Hobbs, 18

She continued: 'Some days have been really tough, no-one can prepare you for the treatment and the effects it has, but now the tumour has shrunk so much it's all been worth it.

'I've tried to remain positive throughout and have met some really amazing people along the way.'

The hardest part of the treatment was losing her hair, which began falling out in clumps, she said.

As a result, she decided to shave her head completely and has embraced wearing a wig.

She said: 'Young people never think they will get cancer. I certainly didn't and rhabdomyosarcoma is so rare that early signs and symptoms can often be missed.'

She also thanked her family and friends for their support during her ordeal.

'Since my diagnosis I've tried so hard to raise awareness and I want to thank all my family and friends for supporting me,' she said.

'My boyfriend Callum has been my absolute rock too, he's been by my side every step of the way.

'I'm now fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust, they've been amazing and I wanted to give something back and so far a huge team of us have managed to raise 15,000.'

The hardest part of the treatment was losing her hair, which began falling out in clumps, she said. As a result, she decided to shave her head completely, and has embraced wearing a wig (right)

Pictured during treatment, she now faces another two rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiotherapy

Miss Hobbs credits her mother Rachel with saving her life, as she forced her to go to A&E - resulting in her cancer being discovered early

She wants to stress how important it is for people to see their GP if they are suffering any symptoms out of the ordinary - believing an early diagnosis contributed to her survival.

She said: 'I want to warn other young people that cancer can affect anyone at any time, luckily I was diagnosed within eight weeks, but things could be very different now.

'I think young people needed to be taken more seriously when it comes to their health.

'I still don't know what my future holds but I know I'm going to fight cancer every step of the way.'

Mark Hooley, of the charity Children with Cancer, said: 'Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a type of cancer known as sarcoma in which the abnormal cells look like immature skeletal muscle.

'It can begin in many different places in the body but the most common sites are around the head and neck, the bladder or the testes.

'Sometimes tumours may be found in a muscle or a limb, in the chest, or in the abdominal wall.

'RMS is a relatively rare form of cancer. When it does occur, it is most commonly seen in young children aged one to five years old.

She also thanked her family, boyfriend and friends for their support during her ordeal. 'My boyfriend Callum has been my absolute rock too, he's been by my side every step of the way,' she said

It accounts for up to 4 per cent of cancers in the 0 to 14 age group overall - around 60 cases a year in the UK.

'Less commonly, it is seen in teens aged 15 to 19, accounting for around 2 per cent of cancers in this age group - only around 20 cases a year in the UK.

'It can develop in adulthood, although this is even more rare.

'Because it can occur in different parts of the body, it is difficult to be specific about the signs and symptoms of RMS as they will depend on where the cancer forms.

'Generally a lump or swelling, anywhere in the body, is a cause for concern and medical advice should be sought.'
Children who skip breakfast are more than twice as likely to be overweight or obese than those who eat two morning meals, a study has found.

Health experts said youngsters who had breakfast at home followed by another at school were healthier than those who did not eat in the morning.

Previous research has shown that eating breakfast is linked to improved academic performance, better health, and healthy body weight for students.

But there have been worries that a second breakfast at school following breakfast at home could increase the risk of unhealthy weight gain.

Children who eat breakfast at home and again at school were healthier than students who skipped the meal

Professor Jeanette Ickovics, who lead the study at Yale University said: 'Our study does not support those concerns.

'Providing a healthy breakfast to students at school helps alleviate food insecurity and is associated with students maintaining a healthy weight.'

Many schools started to run breakfast clubs to ensure children were getting the meal, deemed by many as the most important meal of the day.

The study tracked 584 pupils from 12 schools which provided breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost.

Researchers tracked the students' breakfast-eating locations and patterns, and their weight over a two-year period from 2011-2012 to 2013-2014.

The study found students who skipped or ate breakfast inconsistently were more than twice as likely to be overweight or obese compared with students who ate double breakfasts.

The weight changes for pupils who ate double breakfasts was no different than the weight changes measured for all of the other students.

Previous research has shown that eating breakfast is linked to improved academic performance, better health, and healthy body weight for students

Obese children often go on to be obese adults, carrying with them an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Latest figures for England suggest a fifth of children joining primary school are now obese or overweight.

The pattern is similar in the US with around a third of American children between the age of six and 11 either overweight or obese.

Co-author Dr Marlene Schwartz said: 'When it comes to the relationship between school breakfast and body weight, our study suggests that two breakfasts are better than none.'
A newborn baby was left gasping for breath on a resuscitation table after doctors gave him up for dead.

Sebastian Sparrow revived himself an hour and a half after his devastated parents were told by medics at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, that he had died, an inquest was told.

But he was too badly brain damaged to be saved and he died two days later after being transferred to University College Hospital in London.

Coroner Mary Hassell said medics must have realised the infant's 'gasps' meant that he was 'dying, and not dead'.

Sebastian was born by Caesarean section on November 6, 2013 after his mother, Sally Sparrow, had a prolonged labour, the hearing was told.

He was expected to be a healthy baby as no problems had been detected throughout the pregnancy.

It was suggested during the inquest that Sebastian may have sustained brain damage during the Caesarean delivery as it took three attempts by different obstetricians to deliver him.

Sebastian Sparrow revived himself after blundering doctors gave him up for dead and medical staff ignored his desperate gasps for breath

In a statement, Mrs Sparrow, a solicitor, and her husband, Jamie, an accountant, said they were left with 'no real understanding of what had happened' after the mistaken diagnosis of death.

A post-mortem examination was not performed and a doctor crucially failed to report Sebastian's death to the coroner, which Ms Hassell said was a clear breach of medical duty.

Sebastian's parents sat through all 13 hours of medical evidence at St Pancras Coroner's Court, but gave their evidence in a statement.

Sebastian, who was Mrs Sparrow's first baby, was full-term when she went into labour and was admitted to the Royal Free.

He was born 'in a very poor condition', which shocked the delivery team as there had been no complications detected prior to delivery.

Sebastian was delivered 'pale, floppy and with absolutely no tone', according to medical staff, and was not breathing.

The crash team rushed to theatre and battled to save Sebastian for 30 minutes before death was apparently pronounced but doctors failed to call a time of death.

The baby was left on the resuscitation table and medical staff offered condolences to his traumatised parents as his exhausted mother lay on the operating table recovering from her Caesarean.

The paediatrician returned to tell us that he didn't understand what had happened - that neither he nor the other hospital staff had seen anything like it - but Sebastian had revived himself and was breathing unaided and had a regular heartbeat Sally and Jamie Sparrow

Midwives went to dress and prepare baby Sebastian to be held by his parents, who were taken to a private room to wait for their little boy.

But 30 minutes later they were stunned to be told by a paediatrician that the baby was making 'post death gasping actions'.

They were distressing even for medical staff to witness and the shocked Sparrows were asked if they preferred to wait for this to pass before holding him.

His parents said in their statement: 'Thinking that Sebastian was dead, and not wanting to make our distressing situation even worse, we chose to wait.

'Another hour passed, before the paediatrician returned to tell us that he didn't understand what had happened, that neither he nor the other hospital staff had seen anything like it, but Sebastian had revived himself and was breathing unaided and had a regular heartbeat.'

But the paediatrician told them that because 90 minutes had passed since Sebastian was thought to be dead he hadn't had any oxygen and his vital organs may have been damaged.

The critically-ill baby was rushed to a specialist neo-natal unit at University College Hospital.

There Sebastian was given a new treatment, xenon gas, but his parents were told that he had severe brain damage and nothing more could be done.

Mr and Mrs Sparrow said: 'On November 8, treatment was withdrawn, and nature took its course.'

Sebastian died in his heartbroken mother's arms shortly afterwards.

The inquest heard Sebastian hadn't had any oxygen and his vital organs may have been damaged because 90 minutes had passed since he was wrongly thought to have died

Giving evidence, Dr Janet Rennie, a neo-natal specialist at UCH, said she believed Sebastian's brain injury was probably caused by delivery attempts during the Caesarean.

She said the mistaken diagnosis of death had lead to further complications, such as organ failure and immune system shutdown.

When Sebastian died, Dr Rennie told the Sparrows that the cause of death had already been ascertained.

The shattered couple said: 'On that basis we decided not to have a post-mortem, but to let Sebastian rest after such a short, traumatic life.'

The fact that his parents weren't with him at the time when he most needed them is something that is going to resonate with me for life. Dr Rahul Chodhari, consultant paediatrician

Ms Hassell, senior coroner for inner north London, told Dr Rennie that not reporting Sebastian's death to the coroner was 'the wrong thing to do'.

Dr Rahul Chodhari was the most senior consultant paediatrician who tried to save Sebastian at the Royal Free.

Dr Chodhari said he 'cannot remember' why it was decided not to call the coroner, when they mistakenly believed the tot had died.

Quizzed by Ms Hassell, he admitted that he recognised there were 'signs of life' in Sebastian 30 minutes after resuscitation attempts were stopped.

But Dr Chodhari chose not to reactivate resuscitation because he thought the likely outcome would be death or serious brain damage.

He said he now accepts 'wholeheartedly' that there were serious failings in Sebastian's care and that he would do things differently in future.

Dr Chodhari said: 'The fact that his parents weren't with him at the time when he most needed them is something that is going to resonate with me for life.'

Two serious incident reports were compiled because of the mistaken diagnosis of death.

But after their initial shock had passed the distraught Sparrows were left with more questions than answers following a narrative verdict.

And their fight for the truth led to an inquest after a two and a half year wait.
A contraceptive pill that could be taken by men as well as women could be on the horizon.

A breakthrough in the understanding of the biology of sperm could lead to a unisex version of the Pill, US government-funded scientists said last night.

They have identified a protein in sperm that gives it the energy it needs to power towards the egg and break its way into it.

As the researchers put it, the ABHD2 protein allows the tail to crack like a whip and power kick its way into the egg.

Therefore, blocking this protein could prevent the sperm from fertilising the egg.

Scientists have found a protein that gives sperm the energy it needs to power towards the egg and break into it. Therefore, blocking this protein could prevent the sperm from fertilising the egg

Dr Stuart Moss, of the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study, said: Developing new compounds that block ABHD2 ultimately may yield new contraceptive methods that prevent sperm from research the egg.

University of California, Berkeley researcher Melissa Miller added: What is really cool is that we have an actual target for unisex contraceptive development.

Theoretically, such a pill could be taken by either sex, allowing men to take a greater share of the burden of contraception.

Conversely, a drug that enhances the protein may help infertile couples have children of their own, the journal Science reports.

While women have had access to oral contraceptives for more than half a century, the quest for a male pill has been thwarted by biology.

Whereas a woman normally releases one egg per month, a healthy man makes 1,000 sperm with every heartbeat - and just one is needed for conception.

There are also concerns over whether men would be willing to take a drug that could be perceived as affecting their masculinity - and whether women would trust them to take it.

Professor Mike Wyllie, an expert in drug development and male sexual health, said: This study has allowed understanding of the control of male fertility to leapfrog, or at least equal, our knowledge of the female reproductive system.

The finding could pave the way for unisex contraceptives if compounds that can block sperm's energy-giving protein can be developed

This can only be good in terms of developing drugs for both conception and contraception.

A contraceptive pill that could be taken by either partner would have a major positive impact on the relationship, where more often than not the only choice of medication must be taken by the female.

The news comes after US scientists announced they have made progress in developing a male contraceptive with no side effects.

Professor Gunda Gerog, of the Minnesota University, has been making tiny adjustments to existing attempts at a male pill, and told the American Chemical Society's annual meeting she was very close.

She said she was trying to make changes to the pill to make it more palatable for men.

She told The Times: 'It would have to be soluble so it could be taken by mouth. It would start working fairly quickly and it wouldn't diminish libido. It would be safe even if taken for decades.

'And because some users would eventually want to have children, its impact on fertility would be reversible, with no lingering ill effects on sperm or embryos.'
TS Thakur made a public appeal for Dushyant Dave not to quit his post

The crisis in the Supreme Court Bar Association triggered by the sudden resignation of senior lawyer Dushyant Dave from the post of President on February 15 has been defused after a surprising intervention by none other than Chief Justice of India TS Thakur.

Dave withdrew his resignation following a request from the Chief Justice during the inauguration of a Bar room in the apex court premises.

Following a very passionate and public appeal by the Chief Justice of India, I have withdrawn my resignation, said Dave.

'Contempt of the Armed Forces Act' proposed

Drowned in the debate of nationalism since the JNU row, BJP Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay has suggested legislation to preserve the honour and dignity of our armed forces through speeches, writings, posters and any other means against onslaughts of the nefarious elements.

He proposed to name it Contempt of the Armed Forces Act after the Contempt of the Courts Act.

He said soldiers were being mocked by some, including academics, as if they were the enemy of the nation.

Plea against Kanhaiyas bail

Annoyed with a deluge of frivolous petitions in the matter of Kanhaiya Kumar, Justice Pratibha Rani of the Delhi High Court marked the file on one such petition that sought cancellation of JNUSU presidents bail to Chief Justice G Rohini.

The reaction came after RP Luthra, a lawyer, told the court that he was not given opportunity to plead his case and was allegedly given the warning of a cost being imposed on him if the petition got dismissed.

Maintaining decorum in court



The man accused in the Patiala House Courts violence case, Yashpal Singh, was present during the hearing on the bail of Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid.

The special judge sought surety from him that he would maintain the decorum of the court.

When the hearing started the police officials surrounded Singh as a precaution to avoid any law and order issue.

Sushmas 3-day visit to Nepal

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived in Nepal on a three-day visit to attend the SAARC Ministerial meeting, during which she will push ahead India's neighbourhood first policy and review the progress of decisions taken by the grouping last year.

The meeting will take place on Thursday after which she will also hold bilateral talks with her counterparts from several countries.
An Air India jet from Delhi to Bangkok carrying 241 people was ordered to park in an isolated area of the Thai capitals main airport after a report of a bomb threat, officials have said.

Air India flight AI 332 from Delhi landed at Suvarnabhumi airport at the scheduled time of 7.13pm (8.43pm IST) and was asked by air traffic controllers to park in an area away from other planes, sources said.

Authorities activated an emergency plan and all 231 passengers, including a child, and 10 crew members exited the aircraft safely via slides before the hunt began for a bomb.

Air India flight AI 332 flying from Delhi to Bangkok was carrying carrying 231 passengers and 10 crew members as it was parked an isolated area of the Thai capitals main airport after a reported bomb threat

Police from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit are checking all pieces of luggage including those loaded on the aircraft, Chadanisa Chumnanvej, deputy general manager of Suvarnabhumi airport in charge of operations, was quoted as saying by The Bangkok Post.

The result of the check remains unknown, the report said.
Kingfisher Airlines, owned by Vijay Mallya, is under the spotlight over overvaluation allegations

Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) has hit further turbulence, with the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probing alleged overvaluation of its brand to raise bigger loans.

Financial advisory firm Grant Thornton has also come under the scanner as it certified the value of KFA at Rs 4,100 crore in 2011, when commercial airlines were piling up losses, a senior official said.

Banks are reported to have valued the airline at a mere Rs 160 crore when they carried out their own internal exercise.

The SFIO will investigate how Grant Thornton arrived at such a high valuation and is looking into claims it was deliberately inflated to get more funds from banks and siphon off money for purposes other than proposed investment in the airline.

While SFIO was already probing KFA for financial irregularities and fund diversion, the agency has widened its ambit to look into the high valuation.

Grant Thornton India told Mail Today on Wednesday that it stands by KFAs brand valuation report and is ready to provide all required information to the authorities.

'We fully stand by our brand valuation report, which we believe was appropriate in the context of when it was done and the purpose for which it was done,' the company said in a statement.

'Grant Thornton will obviously be pleased to offer all the information we have in connection with the matter to the appropriate authorities, and support any investigations,' the statement added.

Burdened under huge losses and liabilities to banks and vendors, the airline finally had to be grounded in 2012.

The State Bank of India-led consortium of banks has stepped up pressure to recover loans totalling more than Rs 9,000 crore granted to KFA, while Mallya, who has been declared a willful defaulter, has flown to England to escape the heat.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are also probing issues related to massive loan defaulting by Mallya and others.

Recently, the ED registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on a CBI first information report registered last year.

The ED is also investigating the overall financial structure of KFA and will look into any payment of kickbacks.

CBI quizzes top Kingfisher Airline and UB officials again

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned two former top officials of Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries (UB) Group for the second day on Wednesday in connection with the loan default case against the companies, promoted by Vijay Mallya.

A Raghunathan, chief financial officer (CFO) of KFA, and Ravi Nedungadi, former CFO of the UB Group, were summoned to the CBIs Mumbai office again and questioned about alleged diversion of funds, official sources said.

While Raghunathan is a named accused in the CBIs case, Nedungadi resigned recently.
A doctor paid a prostitute to sneak into a maternity hospital and have sex with him for 40 minutes while he was on duty.

Rupert Pemsel  a father of two young children whose wife is a GP  arranged the liaison between bouts of helping with emergency caesareans.

A tribunal heard he was wearing scrubs when he buzzed the escort girl into a secure area of his hospital. He had texted her to say: This is naughty on my part so discretion would really be appreciated.

Dr Rupert Pemsel (pictured, right, outside a hearing yesterday) booked sex with a prostitute in between treating mothers and babies at a maternity hospital, a medical tribunal heard. Pictured (left) is Leanne Kennedy, the prostitute

The 32-year-old trainee anaesthetist landed himself in more hot water when  during the subsequent investigation  he revealed he kept a photo of a patients intimate X-ray on his mobile phone.

Pemsel, who was reported to the General Medical Council, appeared before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester yesterday accused of misconduct.

He faces being struck off if he is found guilty.

The hearing was told yesterday that Pemsel had been working at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton on the day in question: December 29, 2013.

Dr Rupert Pemsel (pictured back row, second from left, during a trip to the Gambia) had sex with the woman in a side room after texting her before he started work saying: 'This is naughty on my part so discretion would really be appreciated'

The father of one (pictured during a trip to the Gambia)

Whilst on a night duty shift from 8pm that evening, Dr Pemsel arranged by telephone for a prostitute to attend at the hospital, said Paul Wakerley, for the GMC.

The prostitute attended and he took her to one of the on-call rooms which involved him passing through a key coded door. The doctor was wearing hospital scrubs. He walked ahead of her going down the main corridor. He then led her through a key coded door and checked there were no members of staff in there. There were a number of rooms, one which was a bedroom for the on-call anaesthetist, the pair went in there and locked the door behind them.

He spent approximately 40 minutes in the room, during which time he engaged in sexual activity.

In the run-up to the liaison, the doctor had sent a series of texts to the prostitute telling her he might have to call it off.

Pemsel inexplicably showed investigators a radiograph picture of a patient with a bottle inserted into their rectum, which he had kept on his mobile phone

Pemsel said: If theres an emergency and I have to go Ill give you the money and its up to you whether you wait for the emergency to finish. Likewise, if an emergency happens before you get here, Ill come out and give you the money.

Pemsel later revealed to investigators an indiscreet photo, a radiograph of a bottle in the rectum of a patient.

There was no identification detail on that radiograph.

Dr Pemsel appeared to find that amusing.

The doctors telephone was seized, the image was found on it. He accepts by his own admissions that the image was not taken with the consent of the patient. A full investigation was launched.

Mr Wakerley said Pemsel was asked in interview what had made him think he could take a prostitute into the hospital. He replied: I dont think it was reasonable to do it, I thought it was spontaneous.

Pemsel said he was troubled that he had not given the consequences a thought.

The tribunal was told the doctor was highly respected among colleagues and patients.

He is also known for helping raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight air ambulance and for his voluntary work helping the poor and sick in the Gambia.

The doctor - who worked at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton - had been been highly respected amongst colleagues and patients for helping raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight air ambulance and for his voluntary work helping the poor and sick in the Gambia

Yesterday his wife, who is off from her work at a GP surgery caring for their youngest child, said: Im sorry I have no comment to make.

Bosses at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust suspended Pemsel while they launched their own investigation.

The doctor, from Compton, Winchester, admits misconduct and could now be struck off if the panel finds his fitness to practise has been impaired.
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Syrian girls as young as nine are being forced to marry men double their age to escape war and poverty in their homeland.

Pregnant mother-of-one Marwa, 15, was just 12 years old when she wed her husband, now 23, because her father could no longer afford to look after his large family.

And Rukayya, who is just 14 years old, was given a teddy bear as an engagement gift ahead of her own nuptials.

They are just two of a whole generation of Syrian girls living in a makeshift camp in Hawsh el Harimi, which ironically means 'place of women', in Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, who have become child brides.

Young: Syrian girl Rukayya, 14, holds a teddy bear in her arms, which was given to her as an engagement gift ahead of upcoming nuptials

Child bride: Marwa, 15, pictured with her husband, 23, and their son Malek. She got married when she was 12 years old and now has a son

Mother: Amina, 14, pictured with her young son. Amina's family forced her to get married more than two years ago despite her protestations

Wife: Khalidiya, 15, pictured (left) with her sister in the village in lebanon, became a bride even though she was against the idea

Syria: Nour, 13, got married to a man, 27, she did not know. Her parents were unable to pay for her upkeep so there was no other choice

Engaged: Amal, 14, who left Syria several years ago with her family, is pictured with her future husband Ahmad, 28. She agrees with her family's decision that marrying young was right for her

Photographer Laura Aggio Caldon, who is based in Italy, travelled to the village last year to document the girls' distressing stories.

She said the marriages, caused by Syria's civil war, are creating a 'lost generation', CNN reports.

Writing on her website, Ms Caldon said: 'Early marriages were practiced even before the Syrian crisis, but the impoverishment of families, poor security and the war have facilitated the rise of this phenomenon.

'Marriages in refugee camps in Lebanon often involve girls of 11 to 13 years, and extreme cases of girls as young as nine years old.

'Parents often give economic reasons and security to explain what pushes them into marrying off their daughters.'

Young friends: Three brides - Waad,13, Ayat, 16, and Khalidiya, 15, sit together in Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Waad was forced into marrying her husband and now wants a divorce

Captive: Samira, 14, was taken hostage by ISIS in Syria, but her parents helped her to escape. This young girl is now married and has a son

Memories: Sisters Houda, 14, and Nour, 13, look through pictures of their wedding days. Nour was recently pregnant but had a miscarriage

Husband and wife: Nour, 13, pictured with her husband, who is 27. She did not know him before they wed but was pressured into the marriage by her family

Father and daughter: Amal, 14, pictured with her father. He decided she would marry Ahmad, 28, and Amal agrees with his decision

Future: Marwa, 15, worries about what the future holds because her husband has 'barely any work' and she needs to buy her medicine

During her visit, Ms Caldon met Nour, a 13-year-old girl who fled Syria with her family three years ago. She married a 27-year-old man she did not know.

Samira, 14, was kidnapped by ISIS when she was in Syria but escaped with her family's help. She is now married and has a seven-month-old son.

Houda, 14, left ISIS' capital Raqqa four years ago and now lives in Bekaa Valley with her family, while her husband lives and works in Beirut, Lebanon's capital.

But it is not always young women marrying older men. Mariam, 15, tied the knot with her cousin Sabri, 17, because her parents could no longer afford to look after her.

Bride: Houda, 14, left Raqqa in Syria four years ago and now lives in Bekaa Valley with her family. She is pictured in her dilapidated home

Chores: Married Ayat, 16, who is now pregnant, is pictured doing the housework in her makeshift home as a little boy watches on

Relatives: Mariam, 15, married her cousin Sabri, 17, (pictured together) because her family could no longer afford to look after her

Children: Basma was 11 years old when her parents arranged for her to get married. Basma's husband did not want her to talk to photographer Ms Caldon

Home: The Syrian girls live in a makeshift camp in Hawsh el Harimi (Place of Women), a small village in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon

UNICEF insists that getting married before the age of 18 is a 'fundamental violation of human rights', yet among women aged 20 to 24 worldwide, one in four are child brides.

The charity says it denies girls of their childhoods, can cause social isolation and places them at increased risk of domestic violence.

Child brides are often not able to negotiate safer sex with their husbands, making them vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and early pregnancy, which can place both mothers and babies at risk.

The bloody civil war in Syria entered its sixth year this week and people are continuing to flee their homes.

'As the Syrian conflict continues, the number of child brides is on the rise,' Ms Caldon added.

Cost saving: A wedding dress at is on display at a market. Some girls rent the dress they wear on their big day and later sell their ring

Working: Children and women are forced to work in the fields to make ends meet after leaving their homeland, where war has been raging for more than five years

Making ends meet: Many girls work in the fields for 6,000 Lebanese pounds (2.50) a day because their families have money troubles
The Cincinnati zoo said its two curious polar bears wandered into a behind-the-scenes service hallway through an open den door on Wednesday but never left a secondary containment area.

The zoo said the 17-year-old female Berit and the 26-year-old male Little One, entered an 'inappropriate' area but remained contained and were never loose or a threat to the public.

A statement from zoo director Thane Maynard said staff followed protocols and safely returned the bears to their main holding area within two hours.

The Cincinnati zoo said its two curious polar bears wandered into a behind-the-scenes service hallway through an open den door on Wednesday but never left a secondary containment area

Visitors who were at the zoo at the time wrote on social media after being told to move inside

'The double-containment system that we have in place in the polar bear exhibit worked,' Maynard said in a release.

'The bears entered an inappropriate area but did not leave the building and the public was never at risk.'

Visitors were moved inside as a precaution but were free to leave the zoo.

No injuries were reported and the bears were not hurt.

Zoo spokeswoman Michelle Curley said Berit breached the service hallway around 11.30am before the zoo returned to normal hours around 1.30pm, according to Cincinnati.com.

The zoo said the bears were resting in their den later Wednesday and could be back on exhibit as soon as Friday.

Visitors who were at the zoo at the time wrote on social media after being told to move inside.

The zoo said the 17-year-old female Berit (left) and the 26-year-old male Little One (right), entered an inappropriate area but remained contained and were never loose or a threat to the public. The bears pictured above in February 2007

A polar bear is pictured above swimming inside its enclosure. A statement from zoo director Thane Maynard said staff followed protocols and safely returned the bears to their main holding area within two hours

Brooke Ann Johnson from Indiana who was at the zoo with her family wrote: 'Nothing like going to the Cincinnati Zoo and being on lock down due to a polar bear on the loose!'

Johnson told Cincinnati.com that she was kept inside the conference room with her sister and two nephews.

She noted that her family was not scared during the incident and that staff gave coloring books to children.

'I believe [the workers] did a good job of handling it,' Johnson told Cincinnati.com.

'The workers were very calm when they heard about the escape.'

A polar bear pictured above at the zoo last October. The zoo said the bears were resting in their den later Wednesday and could be back on exhibit as soon as Friday

Visitors were moved inside as a precaution but were free to leave the zoo. No injuries were reported and the bears were not hurt

Berit and her twin brother Ulaq reportedly arrived in Cincinnati in 2000 from the Denver Zoo.

Ulaq died suddenly two years later in October 2002.

Their arrival came shortly after the unveiling of the Cincinnati Zoo's 2.75million polar bear exhibit which includes a seven-foot-wide, 12-foot high glass front, giving visitors an up-close experience to the polar bears.

The zoo had a previous encounter with its polar bears in 1990 when worker Laurie Stober lost her arm after she was attacked by polar bear Icee as she attempted to feed him, Cincinnati.com reported.

On Wednesday, a humorous Twitter account was created for Berit that had her poking fun at the escape ordeal

Stober was awarded $3.5million in a lawsuit filed against the zoo.

On Wednesday, a humorous Twitter account was created for Berit that had her poking fun at the escape ordeal.
The Uber driver in Michigan charged with murdering six people last month in a shooting spree has filed a $10million federal civil rights lawsuit against the ride-sharing company, saying that it is Uber's fault he is in prison, court records show.

Jason Dalton, 45, filed the two-page, handwritten lawsuit against Uber in US District Court in Detroit on Tuesday, saying the company ruined his life and never invited him to any 'corporate parties'.

'Uber doesn't care about its drivers. We are peasants and pawn pieces to Uber's bottom line,' Dalton wrote, adding that the company discriminates against him because of his mental health. 'I'm currently in prison because of Uber.'

Dalton wrote that he is seeking a jury trial and would represent himself in court.

Jason Dalton, 45, filed the two-page, handwritten lawsuit against Uber in US District Court in Detroit on Tuesday claiming the company ruined his life and didn't invite him to 'corporate parties'

He previously told authorities he was being controlled by an Uber app through his cellphone as he allegedly killed six people in a series of shootings in southwestern Michigan on February 20 in between Uber pickups in his car (pictured)

Dalton is charged with shooting eight people, killing six of them, over a five-hour period on February 20 in between driving customers for the Uber car service in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Police said last month that Dalton admitted to the shootings.

'It's hard to know how to respond to someone who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions,' Uber said in a statement. 'Our hearts go out to the victims' families who have to live with the consequences of his terrible crimes.'

Dalton told investigators that the Uber ride-sharing app had the ability to 'take over' his body, local media outlets reported on Monday.

Dalton told police that when he would press a button on his phone screen, the horned cow head of a devil would appear and give him an assignment that he said would 'literally take over' his body, WZZM reported.

Jason Dalton told authorities, 'it feels like it is coming from the phone itself and he didn't know how to describe that', according to the report released Monday.

Police said in the report Dalton said 'he is not a killer and he knows that he has killed'.

Dalton, who was a relatively new driver with Uber when the incident occurred, said the app controlled him like an artificial presence, which would switch from black to red.

Dalton was taken into custody and escorted to a police vehicle while at least two other officers searched his car

When it switched back to black, 'Dalton got his presence back', police reports said, according to WZZM.

He told police that when he pressed a button on the app's screen a devil head and the Eastern Star symbol - a colored, five-point star - would pop up, WOOD reported.

The figure looked like a horned cow head and would provide an assignment that would 'literally take over' his body, Dalton told police.

'When I logged onto site (the Uber app), it started making me feel like a puppet,' he said during a police interview.

A judge earlier this month ordered Jason Dalton to undergo a mental competency exam, though he has no history of mental illness.

He's accused of the shootings outside a restaurant, apartment complex and car dealership.

Six people died  four at the restaurant and two at a car dealership.

Mary Lou Nye, 63, Mary Jo Nye, 60, Dorothy Brown, 74, and Barbara Hawthorne, 68, were killed at the restaurant, where Abigail Kopf was also shot but survived.

High school senior Tyler Smith and his father Rich were then gunned down at a car dealership.

Tiana Carruthers, 25, who was shot outside of her apartment complex by the same driver just hours earlier, is also improving in hospital.

Investigators say Dalton didn't know the victims. They still are trying to determine a motive.
An airline employee was so focused on food he drove a tow-tug out of an airport to a nearby service station to get some lunch.

Jetstar aircraft engineer Raghbir Gill, 60, who was based at Avalon airport in Melbourne, broke a 'cardinal rule' by driving the unregistered vehicle on a road and was fired from his job after heading down to the local BP station in 2015.

But Fair Work Commissioner Anna-Lee Cribb ruled earlier in March he should get his job back despite the safety breach - albeit at a different airport.

Jetstar aircraft engineer Raghbir Gill, 60, drove an unregistered airport tow-tug on a public road from Melbourne's Avalon airport to a BP service station to buy lunch (stock image)

Mr Gill was dismissed by Jetstar for the breach of safety, after breaking one of the company's 'cardinal rules' (stock image)

On the day he had driven the tow-tug to the servo, the Jetstar van he usually drove had broken down and he had been given the other vehicle to drive instead.

He had begun work at 4.30am and by 12 noon had still not taken a break - and with another plane arriving by 2pm, had his mind set on food - not safety.

In his case before the Fair Work Commission, his lawyer, Daniel Victory, detailed other 'serious safety incidents' which did not result in the dismissal of employees, as an argument for Mr Gill keeping his job.

One of those involved an engineer certifying a plane safe to fly when it was not.

But Mr Gill's lawyer argued that other Jetstar employees had carried out major safety breaches and were not dismissed (stock image)

Fair Work Commissioner Anna-Lee Cribb ruled that Mr Gill's dismissal was harsh and ordered he be re-employed (stock image)

Pilots flying to Japan had to land in Cairns because an oil cap had not been fitted correctly and was leaking large amounts of oil.

His actions were said to have 'jeopardised the lives of about 300 people who were on the aircraft', yet he did not lose his job.

In another incident, main landing gear on a plane in Newcastle were not safetied and upon testing of the nose landing gear, the main landing gear also swung up, nearly crushing an apprentice.

Ms Cribb found ruled Mr Gill should be reinstated in his role but at Melbourne's Tullamarine airport rather than the Avalon airport.

His age, financial situation, specific skill set as an aircraft engineer, and the difficulties of finding a job in the industry contributed to her decision.

Ms Cribb ruled: 'In balancing all of these factors, I find that Mr Gills dismissal was harsh.'

While she ordered he be re-employed, the airline was not ordered to compensate him for lost wages since being dismissed.

A Jetstar spokesman told the Herald Sun it stood by its choice to dismiss Mr Gill and was deciding if it would challenge the decision of the Fair Work Commissioner.

A Jetstar spokesman told the Herald Sun it stood by its decision to dismiss Mr Gill and was deciding if it would challenge the decision (stock image)
A domestic violence campaigner has been shot dead by her husband in an apparent case of murder-suicide.

Mary Flynn Palley, 73, a retired lawyer, was found next to the body of her husband Dell Andrew Johnson, 82, in their hometown of Logan, Utah.

Police discovered the bodies after they were alerted to a handwritten letter to the editor of the local newspaper, which was received on Friday.

Authorities found the bodies of Mary Flynn Palley, 73, and her husband, Dell Andrew Johnson, 82, after the newspaper in their town of Logan, Utah, alerted police to a handwritten letter to the editor

Experts said the case was a grim reminder of the unpredictability of domestic abuse and how it can affect older couples.

Ms Palley had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and her husband had been caring for her, but she was still strong and active in the community her son, John Palley, said.

The Herald-Journal, which received the warning letter, said it mentioned her illness.

Mr Johnson apparently shot his wife to death and then turned the gun on himself, authorities said.

Ms Palley's son paid tribute to his mother, who he said was a smart, passionate advocate for women in the northern Utah city.

She went to law school at the University of California, Los Angeles, and moved to Logan after meeting her future husband on a plane, later marrying him in 1989.

'They had a good relationship, I would picture them holding hands, he took care of her,' the couple's son said.

University of Utah professor Sonia Salari said the dynamics of domestic violence tend to be different in older couples.

Her research has found that in younger couples, a killing often comes after years of abuse, but with people over 60, the perpetrator, usually a man, is more likely to be suicidal and decide to take his partner with them.

There may be no red flags in the form of prior abuse, she explained.

'Even if it's the first time he's ever been aggressive toward her, that's still domestic violence,' she said.

Ms Palley also served on the board of the Logan-based Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse and is pictured with the group's president Scott Stettler (left) and executive director Jill Anderson

'But 'it's important for those who are trying to interpret what happened to not assume that there was some kind of terror behind the scenes, that it was long term.'

A former member of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mr Johnson had a few eccentricities including holding strong opinions on the faith and thinking some people had turned against him, but nothing that seemed alarming, his son said.

Mr Johnson, a former engineer who collected farm equipment, had talked recently about getting a gun, but that didn't seem strange, given his rural upbringing, according to Mr Palley.

Over the years, the couple had been active in local Democratic politics, hosting events for politicians at their house, Vincent Wickwar of the Cache County Democrats said.

Ms Palley also served on the board of the Logan-based Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse for 26 years, raising money and using her legal experience to help victims get protective orders or file for divorce.
George Osborne faced a furious Tory backlash last night after suggesting that Britain's independent economic watchdog was in favour of remaining in the EU.

The Chancellor was accused of 'politicising' the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) after he used his Budget speech to suggest the watchdog backed his view that leaving the EU would wreck Britain's economy.

Tory MP Stewart Jackson mouthed the words 'complete b******s' as Mr Osborne said Brexit would 'put at risk all the hard work that the British people have done to make our country strong again'.

Five minutes into his speech, the Chancellor launched into a lengthy defence of EU membership, quoting selectively from the OBR to make his case, despite the watchdog barely mentioning the EU referendum in its extensive report on the state of the economy.

George Osborne (pictured) faced a furious Tory backlash last night after suggesting that Britain's independent economic watchdog was in favour of remaining in the EU

Mr Osborne said: 'The OBR are explicit today that their forecasts are predicated on Britain remaining in the European Union.

'The OBR correctly stay out of the political debate and do not assess the long-term costs and benefits of EU membership.

But they do say this, and I quote them directly: 'A vote to leave in the forthcoming referendum could usher in an extended period of uncertainty regarding the precise terms of the UK's future relationship with the EU. This could have negative implications for activity via business and consumer confidence and might result in greater volatility in financial and other asset markets'.

'Citing a number of external reports, the OBR say this: 'There appears to be a greater consensus that a vote to leave would result in a period of potentially disruptive uncertainty while the precise details of the UK's new relationship with the EU were negotiated.'

'The House knows my view. Britain will be stronger, safer and better off inside a reformed European Union.

'I believe we should not put at risk all the hard work that the British people have done to make our country strong again.'

Former Tory defence secretary Liam Fox MP accused Mr Osborne of 'politicising' the OBR for his own political ends, adding: 'To use the Budget as a tool for the 'remain' campaign was both inappropriate and unnecessarily provocative.'

Osborne (pictured) was accused of 'politicising' the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) after using his Budget speech to suggest the watchdog backed staying in the EU

CAPITAL GAINS TAX CUT FOR STOCKS AND SHARES Savers who put money in the stock market will be charged less tax when they cash in their investments. In an unexpected announcement, capital gains tax for investors who sell stocks and shares will be almost halved. The Chancellor revealed that the tax will be reduced from 18 per cent to 10 per cent for basic-rate taxpayers. Higher-rate payers will see the tax on their gains fall from 28 per cent to 20 per cent. However anyone who has put money into property will continue to pay the higher rates. David Hicks, of Deloitte, said: 'With capital gains tax staying at existing rates on buy-to-let property, investors will have to think hard on future investment decisions.' When you sell an investment and make a profit, or a gain, you pay tax on the amount you make. Around 400,000 people pay capital gains tax every year, raising 5.5billion in revenue for the Treasury. Every saver gets an allowance of 11,100 a year before they are charged the tax. Savers who put money in the stock market will be charged less tax when they cash in their investments That means if you bought shares or a house for 100,000 and sold them for 125,000, 13,900 would be subject to capital gains tax. For a basic-rate taxpayer that would mean a tax bill of 2,502, and for a higher-rate payer 3,892. Under the new rules, from April 6, the same basic-rate payer would pay tax of just 1,390, saving 1,112. A higher-rate taxpayer would pay 2,780, saving the same amount. The changes are forecast to put an extra 2.8billion in investors' pockets over the next five years. Tax expert David Kilshaw said: 'Investors in stocks and shares are likely to be the main winners. Investors in residential property, often the villain in George Osborne's Budgets, are once again left out in the cold.' From April 2019, people who sell a second home or a buy-to-let property will only have 30 days to pay capital gains tax, compared to as long as two years currently. This is expected to generate a 1billion Treasury windfall. Advertisement

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Vote Leave campaign, said: 'Disappointingly, the Chancellor sought to politicise the OBR and drag it into his campaign to keep us in the EU, despite the OBR making clear that it was not making a judgment about the referendum.'

In its report, the OBR said it was 'not for us to judge at this stage what the impact of Brexit might be on the economy and the public finances'.

The studies by external bodies cited by the OBR produced mixed forecasts on the likely impact of leaving the EU. The watchdog said there were only 'tentative signs' that uncertainty about the referendum result 'was affecting business and consumer confidence'.

Treasury sources last night denied leaning on the OBR to include pro-Brussels sentiments in its report.

A source said: 'If we had wanted to drag them into this we would have asked them to produce an assessment of the costs of leaving the EU. The OBR alone is responsible for the contents of its documents. But the idea that the Chancellor could have delivered a speech about the risks facing Britain without mentioning the referendum is just not realistic.'

Expert whose sums don't add up

Andrew Pierce for the Daily Mail

'Criminally negligent': Robert Chote

When he was appointed as Britain's so-called 'fiscal policeman', Robert Chote couldn't have hoped for more effusive praise. George Osborne hailed him as 'one of the most credible independent voices on the public finances'.

That was six years ago when he was chosen to be director of the Office for Budget Responsibility, the body set up by the Government to fulfil its promise to make economic policy-making more transparent.

Its aim was to try to restore public trust in forecasting after successive Chancellors had been accused of getting Treasury officials to cover up their mistakes by using bogus statistics. However, Osborne's humiliating admission yesterday that the financial figures he had set out in November  endorsed by the OBR  were deeply flawed is also hugely embarrassing for Chote.

Mischievously, many MPs  Tory and Labour  were heard muttering last night that his forecasts are becoming criminally negligent. It isn't the first time Chote and his team have been rebuked. In 2012, his forecasting was branded 'appalling' and a 'disaster' by Doug McWilliams, the chief executive of the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

Indeed, the OBR has often been accused of being the Chancellor's in-house prophets who keep getting their forecasts wrong.

As for Chote, the 48-year-old has been criticised for exploiting the way Osborne clearly respects him by acting some times as 'one man judge and jury' on the state of the British economy.

He trained as a journalist, and was once economics editor of the Financial Times  when he had a series of run-ins with the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown, and his sidekick Ed Balls. Relations were so bad at one point that Brown's aides tried to get Chote's editor to move or sack him.

Undaunted, Chote's career blossomed and in 2002 he became director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies. For eight years, he appeared in the media, fearlessly dissecting the economic policies of the main political parties.

Inevitably, he continued to hound Mr Brown, whose Budgets were routinely excoriated by Chote's institute for being 'all smoke and mirrors' that hid the true scale of Britain's economic problems from voters.

After Chote was hired to head the OBR (amid accusations the Chancellor had picked him because he would look favourably on a Tory-run Treasury), he got off to an ignominious start  delivering wildly over-optimistic growth forecasts for 2011, 2012 and 2013, which he was forced to revise.

And last year, the OBR was criticised for appearing to be too close to the Treasury after emails came to light from Osborne's officials which showed they had tried to get the OBR to provide more upbeat language in its forecasts. An embattled Chote tried to ride out the storm by dismissing the emails as having been sent by a junior official. But the impression remained that he was too close to Whitehall, and the Chancellor in particular. A Cambridge graduate and the son of an Olympic javelin-thrower, Chote had studied at Johns Hopkins University in America and then wrote travel books, including one titled The Alternative Holiday Guide To Exploring Nature In The Wilds Of Europe.

He is married to Sharon White, who is the first female, and first black, head of media regulator Ofcom. She once worked in Tony Blair's policy unit and the couple were nicknamed 'Mr and Mrs Treasury'. As the OBR is meant to be completely independent, Whitehall wits commented at the time that there must be no pillow talk between the pair.

The couple live in Hampstead, north London, have two school-age sons and are regular churchgoers. In a recent interview, Chote said he liked economics at school but added: 'My maths wasn't good enough to be an academic economist, hence journalism.' Of his work at the OBR, he said: 'We can't guarantee our forecasts will be accurate.'
As George Osborne sat down, having pinked his way through another Budget, three hands shot forth to congratulate him. David Cameron gave him a little play-punch. Treasury Chief Secretary Greg Hands leaned across to give his bosss steaming withers a pat.

And Home Secretary Theresa May, from the other side, reached out to give the Chancellor a rub. Or was she grabbing hold of him to say cop an eyeful of these puppies, big boy? Treasury forecasts were not the only things plunging.

There is an old line about the politician who cries, these are my principles! and adds and if you dont like them, I have others I can offer you. At recent Budgets we have become used to Mr Osborne effectively saying: I have economic forecasts  and if they dont fit our purposes, I have other forecasts I can offer you.

Congratulations: David Cameron and Theresa May praise Mr Osborne at the end of his speech

Forecasts are never wrong or madly over-optimistic. They are revised down. Productivity growth had been revised down, as had world trade. Labour MPs jeered as Mr Osborne admitted that this revision is a highly uncertain judgment call. This from a man who is making such a palaver about the alleged uncertainty of leaving the circular firing squad of the European Union.

Mr Osborne adopted his vet giving bad news to owner of doomed gerbil voice and said the forecasts were predicated on Britain remaining in the EU. His experts were a-quiver at the extended period of uncertainty that could follow Brexit. Uncertainty is a fancy way of saying we havent really got a clue  which they havent.

Behind Mr Osborne sat Eurosceptic Stewart Jackson (Con, Peterborough). He greeted the EU remarks by saying, audibly, rubbish. He then mouthed a word not unadjacent to ball-cocks. The day had already brought one eyepopper when Jeremy Corbyn entered wearing a smart, dark jacket. Compo at a funeral!

Eyepopper: Jeremy Corbyn opted for a dark jacket for his response to Mr Osborne's Budget

He gave a self-teasing little shimmy like a fashion model. Had Mr Corbyn raised his gaze to the upstairs gallery opposite, he would have seen a claque of Labour MPs not yet convinced by Corbynism. They sat there like a row of hanging judges. They included Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon), Ian Austin (Dudley N) and Dan Jarvis (Barnsley C). The last gave a wolfish grin.

Mr Osborne praised departing Treasury mandarin Sir Nicholas Macpherson, who had always demonstrated the great British civil service values of integrity and impartiality.

Cue derisive laughter from the SNP benches (who feel Sir Nicholas was most partial during their independence referendum).

Sir Nicholas was in a corner box near the Speakers Chair but he was hidden by the deep-gusseted bulk of young Alec Shelbrooke (Con, Elmet, Rothwell and most chip shops between here and Wetherby). No sunflower prospers in Mr Shelbrookes shadow. This is a Budget for the next generation, said Mr Osborne. Short-term political point-scorer, moi?

One Budget Day game is scanning Tory benches to spot the most egregious sycophant. Northampton Norths Sir Michael Ellis, the Buckingham Palace corridor crawler, is hard to beat but he faced competition yesterday from charm-lite Alan Mak (Havant), nodding-dog Matt Warman (Boston) and a Suffolk man called Cartlidge, an absurd and tiresome brayer.

Rubbish: Eurosceptic Stewart Jackson (Con, Peterborough), who sat behind Mr Osborne greeted his EU remarks with some choice words

The longer Mr Osborne spoke, the more Tiny Tim-squeaky became his timbre. Tory MPs liked his stuff on shopkeepers and ISAs. The sugar tax thing slipped down easily. Exposition of the less palatable cuts was left  old trick  to the speechs accompanying documents.

Mr Corbyn spoke with conviction and courageous force. It may be that his economic analysis is dotty but at least he says what he believes.

His opponents sneered but I find it hard to suppress a glimmer of admiration. The sight of him being heckled by that minor figure Mark Garnier (Con, Wyre Forest) was not elevating.
A doctor who paid a prostitute for sex while on duty in a maternity hospital has admitted being addicted to pornography.

Rupert Pemsel, a father of two young children whose wife is a GP, told a tribunal he wanted to take his sexual obsession to the next level.

I started to view  in increasing amounts  internet pornography, admitted the 32-year-old trainee anaesthetist. Its not something Im proud of but I did it nonetheless.

Tribunal: Rupert Pemsel (pictured with his wife Sheyi at a wedding in 2009) paid a prostitute for sex while on duty in a maternity hospital. At a tribunal hearing the 32-year-old admitted being addicted to pornography

It got to a stage where I was watching more than I should have done. It was impacting on me doing house duties and washing and things like that.

Pemsel, who could be struck off, apologised to his Nigerian-born wife Sheyi, 40, for the huge impact of his actions on her, his family and his colleagues.

He told the hearing why he had hired a prostitute between helping with emergency caesareans.

I did it because it seemed it was the natural progression from pornography to real life, he said.

It was something that I didnt commit a lot of thought to. It was something that just happened.

I woke up that evening to go to night shift and while looking at pornography I decided to do it then and it was in no way planned. The fact it was at the hospital did not at the time come in to it.

Leanne Kennedy also known as Leanne Davies, the prostitute

It was not a factor I had considered important. It was merely that I was there and it was a place to meet. There is nothing more to it than that.

The incident happened over Christmas 2013 when Pemsel, who qualified in 2010, was working at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton.

He said he had arranged to smuggle the prostitute into the hospital by text message.

Among his messages, he told her: This is naughty on my part so discretion would really be appreciated.

During the investigation, he inadvertently landed himself in even more hot water by revealing he kept a photo of a patients intimate X-ray on his mobile phone.

Pemsel, who was reported to the General Medical Council, is appearing before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester.

He said he was wrong to take a picture of the patient: Now I am totally and utterly undeniably aware it is inappropriate to take images like that without somebodys consent.

Pemsel was suspended during an investigation into his conduct by University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. He later resigned.

He has since been working as a locum at a number of different hospitals, most recently at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, where he hopes to return.

Pemsel said before the incident he had been under financial strain and stressed from heartbreaking medical work with sick children in Uganda.

He added: I would like to apologise one last time to everybody involved. I am extremely regretful about the impact this has had on the profession.
Dr Nanikram Vaswani faces being struck off by the General Medical Council after giving a patient a vasectomy by mistake

A doctor gave a patient a vasectomy by mistake when the wrong man was brought into theatre, a medical tribunal heard.

A catalogue of blunders at Liverpool's Broadgreen Hospital meant the patient's identity was not properly checked and the surgeon did not realise his mistake until it was too late.

Dr Nanikram Vaswani faces being struck off after the General Medical Council (GMC) claimed the patient was left 'physically and emotionally traumatised' by the ordeal.

Dr Vaswani, an associate specialist in urology, admitted four misconduct charges.

He was meant to be removing scar tissue from the patient, known only as Patient A, but changes to the operating theatre list meant he was given a vasectomy under local anaesthetic instead.

A backlog of patients on that day in February 2014 meant the running order was changed, the tribunal heard.

Christopher Dawson, a consultant urological surgeon who investigated the blunder, said: 'It's my understanding Patient A was brought into theatre outside of sequence for these reasons.'

Nurse Rosemary Tollitt - who faces separate misconduct charges over the same incident - allegedly did not check the patient's identity or tell colleagues she had made changes to the surgery list.

'If she had checked the consent form it would have become apparent Patient A was having a different procedure,' Mr Dawson concluded.

'It's fair to say there were a number of things that happened that day which led to the situation where the error took place.'

But the tribunal heard Dr Vaswani, as the medic in charge, had overall responsibility for what went on in his theatre.

Dr Vaswani admitted failing to confirm the patient's identity, not reviewing the patient's medical notes and not following surgical checklists.

He also admitted failing to inform a consultant or the hospital trust after realising his mistake and not keeping a record of his discussions with the patient in the aftermath.

Opening the case against Dr Vaswani on behalf of the GMC, Hugh Barton said: 'On completion (of the vasectomy), he then looked for the first time at Patient A's notes and learnt of his mistake.'

The doctor tried to reverse the vasectomy later that day after confessing his blunder to the patient.

But the GMC claimed that was not appropriate as he had not performed a vasectomy reversal operation for five years.

On completion of the vasectomy, he then looked for the first time at Patient A's notes and learnt of his mistake Hugh Barton, representing the General Medical Council

Mr Dawson also said: 'My opinion would be, given the emotional state the patient was said to be in, I don't believe the patient was likely to be in a state to give proper informed consent to the procedure.

'It wasn't a good time to have a conversation about reversing it.'

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service is now considering whether Dr Vaswani should be allowed to continue practising medicine. The case is due to conclude next week.

It is not known whether the patient has successfully had his vasectomy reversed.

Ian Cohen, clinical negligence lawyer at Slater & Gordon in Liverpool, said the patient could be eligible for more than 100,000 in compensation but it would depend on how old he is and whether or not he has been left infertile.
Police in Florida say they are struggling to contain out-of-control Spring Break revelers.

It is peak time for hundreds of thousands of college students to head to the Sunshine State to party, but cops say it is getting out of hand.

On Ocean Drive in South Beach, Miami, youngsters cram into eight blocks leading up to the beach.

Bobby Jenkins, president of the local fraternal order or police, told CBS News: 'They're still going to do what they're going to do. You're not going to stop them.

Scroll down for video

Police in Florida say they are struggling to contain out-of-control Spring Break revelers. Some college students are pictured at a beach party in South Beach, Miami

A spring breaker is handcuffed by a Miami Beach police officer during a party earlier this week

'You can deal with one or two but not thousands of them.'

He says it has gotten worse in recent years. 'Usually people leave when you tell them to leave. Here they want to challenge you and take you on about it.'

On Friday, seven party-goers were arrested, some of whom were fighting with police.

Over the weekend a 20-year-old on Spring Break plunged to his death from a Florida parking garage after a day of drinking, authorities said.

Tyler Gilmore, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was found dead near a 10-story parking structure at around 1am in Panama City Beach on Sunday, police said, but could not confirm the height from which he fell.

An investigation into the death is under way, but police say foul play is not suspected.

Gilmore had consumed a large amount of alcohol throughout the day on Saturday, the News Herald reports.

His friends said he was drunk when they last saw him, around two hours before he was found dead.

It is peak time for hundreds of thousands of college students to head to the Sunshine State to party, but cops say it is getting out of hand

Cops say they cannot control the hundreds of thousands students descending on the Sunshine State and claim many are more willing to fight officers when they are told to go home

Panama City in Florida is still trying to recover from a disastrous Spring Break in 2015.

It was filled with shootings, an alleged gang rape and other mayhem.

They enjoyed a record-breaking summer tourism season in the aftermath with experts saying the community did a good job of reacting to the negative news by quickly passing laws to curtail the chaos.

The area found themselves in the national news twice in March 2015 after a gunman wounded seven partygoers at a spring break house party and, in a separate event, three men allegedly gang raped a woman on the beach behind a popular night club.

County and city leaders reacted by passing numerous ordinances in recent weeks.

They approved laws cracking down on loitering and enforcing crowd control.

They also restricted beach drinking during March, when most of the problems happen as college students flock to the area from throughout the Southeast.
George Osborne wooed Middle Britain with tax cuts and a big boost for savers yesterday but admitted the UK's finances had plunged deeper into the red.

In a high-stakes Budget, he also slapped a surprise sugar tax of 8p on a can of fizzy drink and made incendiary remarks on the perils of Britain leaving the EU.

The Chancellor was forced to concede that previously rosy forecasts on growth, productivity, taxes and debt had all been blown dramatically off course  leaving the nation 55billion worse off.

In a high-stakes Budget, George Osborne slapped a surprise sugar tax of 8p on a can of fizzy drink and made incendiary remarks on the perils of Britain leaving the EU. The Chancellor was forced to concede that previously rosy forecasts on growth, productivity, taxes and debt had all been blown dramatically off course

But he is gambling that  with a 9billion tax raid on big business  he can balance the books and even fund an 850million-a-year savings account for the under-40s.

The Treasury will give 1 for every 4 a saver puts aside, up to a maximum of 1,000 a year, to fund retirement or a deposit on a first home. Financial experts said the potential 125,000 nest eggs may threaten the traditional pension.

In a package aimed squarely at middle-class voters, Mr Osborne pledged to increase the ISA limit to 20,000 a year, lift 600,000 earners out of the top rate of tax and free the same number of small firms from the burden of business rates.

His levy on sugary drinks stunned Westminster and raised accusations of 'nannying'. But he insisted he could not stand by when there was an obesity crisis among children.

The Chancellor used his Commons speech to claim that voting to leave the EU would cause 'an extended period of uncertainty'.

He said this was the opinion of the supposedly independent Office for Budget Responsibility  the same body that produced wildly inaccurate growth forecasts in last November's autumn statement.

Tory MPs said the Chancellor was guilty of 'politicising' the OBR and scaremongering.

In his eighth Budget:

Growth was revised down every year  leaving public coffers 56billion worse off than stated in November;

The Chancellor's key rules on capping benefits and cutting debt as a share of national income were missed;

The OBR said that the pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands will be missed;

It added that three quarters of the 900,000 increase in employment over this parliament will be accounted for by immigration;

Duty on petrol and beer were frozen  but wine will become more costly and tobacco went up sharply;

It emerged that almost every council will raise bills by 3.99 per cent each year  adding hundreds to bills;

In many cases, bills will rise to cover the cost of paying the living wage to care home staff.

Critics claimed the sugar tax and other eyecatching measures were intended to distract from woeful figures on debt, borrowing and growth.

As recently as November, the OBR published forecasts that gave Mr Osborne an extra 27billion.

Yesterday, however, it said productivity would be far worse than predicted barely four months ago  leaving a 56billion black hole in the Chancellor's plans.

Even after a 5.5billion package of cuts and the raid on big business, he will still have to borrow an additional 38billion over the course of this parliament.

Mr Osborne insists that  despite missing two other key targets on controlling spending  he is still on target to clear the deficit by 2020.

But this depends on a miraculous turnaround in the nation's finances in the last year of the parliament, when the country is expected to move from a 21.4billion deficit to a 10.4billion surplus.

In a package aimed squarely at middle-class voters, Mr Osborne pledged to increase the ISA limit to 20,000 a year, lift 600,000 earners out of the top rate of tax and free the same number of small firms from the burden of business rates

James Sproule, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, warned: 'The further predictions are into the future, the less accurate they become.

'We should be especially cautious of the OBR's projection that GDP will steadily tick up by around 2 per cent for the next five years.

'If the Chancellor is hoping the next few years will be as predictable as the OBR forecast, he could be in for a shock, with deficit eradication targets slipping further into the future.'

In his first Budget response, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sought to appeal to his core vote. He described Mr Osborne's plan as 'the culmination of six years of his failures' which had 'unfairness at its core'.

Chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver welcomed the sugar levy, declaring it a 'symbolic slap' to big business. MPs had previously been told a decision had been put off until after the June 23 referendum. In a boost for firms, corporation tax will be cut to 17 per cent by April 2020. But bigger enterprises were clobbered with complex rule changes and other charges worth 9billion a year.

The Treasury also expects to rake in 12billion a year by cutting down on tax avoidance.
An extra 450,000 migrants could attempt to reach Europe this summer as a result of the crisis in Libya, EU leaders have been warned.

Border chiefs have already said the continent faces an influx of one million arrivals this year  similar to the number who travelled in 2015.

Now Brussels foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has privately warned that the 'volatile situation' in North Africa could produce hundreds of thousands extra 'potential candidates for migration to Europe'.

The comments came in a letter to EU foreign ministers, extracts of which were leaked to the Politico website.

Border chiefs have already said the continent faces an influx of one million arrivals this year, similar to the number who travelled in 2015 (pictured, migrants near the Idomeni migrant camp in Greece)

An extra 450,000 migrants could attempt to reach Europe this summer as a result of the crisis in Libya (pictured, migrants near the Idomeni migrant camp in Greece)

David Cameron will today plead with EU leaders to take immediate action on Libya or risk seeing a repeat of last summer when the political agenda was rocked by migrants heading across the Mediterranean from North Africa to Italy.

He will travel to Brussels for a summit on stemming the flow of Syrian refugees on the EU's eastern borders, including a controversial deal with Turkey to reduce the number of arrivals in Greece.

But Mr Cameron fears leaders risk being caught off guard, with another wave of migrants poised to cross from Libya as the weather warms and EU action focuses on the situation elsewhere.

A government source said the PM would urge EU leaders to focus on the 'big picture'  and warn that clamping down on the migrant route through Turkey and Greece could see even more migrants try to cross via Libya.

'In the last few months the eastern Mediterranean has been of most concern because it is the shortest route and has been possible to cross in the winter,' said the source.

David Cameron will today plead with EU leaders to take immediate action on Libya or risk seeing a repeat of last summer's migrant crisis (pictured, migrants on the Greece-Macedonia border)

Cameron will travel to Brussels for a summit on stemming the flow of Syrian refugees on the EU's eastern borders (pictured, migrants at squalid Idomeni camp)

Since Tuesday alone, more than 2,400 migrants have been intercepted off Libya by Italian coastguards (pictured)

The UN said 9,500 have landed at Italian ports after leaving Libya since the start of the year (pictured, migrants off the coast of Sicily)

'BLACK AND ASIAN VOTERS VITAL IN EU REFERENDUM' Millions of black and Asian votes are 'up for grabs' in the battle to back Brexit, say campaigners. They claim ethnic minority voters have largely been ignored because they are assumed to be pro-European. But Simon Woolley, of Operation Black Vote, told The Times that because many consider the EU 'anti-black' and fear the emergence of far-Right groups they feel the EU is 'really not right for us'. Advertisement

'But we should be thinking and preparing now for what happens as we move into summer on the western Mediterranean route, which is where this issue started to flare up last year...

If we close down the route to Greece we have to remember that 50 per cent using that route are non-Syrians who may well look at other routes  we may see the diversion of people into the western Mediterranean route UK Government source

'If we close down the route to Greece we have to remember that 50 per cent using that route are non-Syrians who may well look at other routes  we may see the diversion of people into the western Mediterranean route.'

Libya has been in turmoil since the toppling of dictator Colonel Gaddafi in 2011. Since Tuesday alone, more than 2,400 migrants have been intercepted off Libya by Italian coastguards. The UN said 9,500 have landed at Italian ports since the start of the year.

Mr Cameron yesterday denied claims that Britain is poised to send 1,000 troops to Libya to prop up the new regime.

He told MPs that people smuggling is 'bad for Europe and bad for us, and we also have the growth of Daesh [Islamic State] in Libya, which is bad for us and bad for the rest of Europe'.

The EU's borderless Schengen zone has been driven to the brink of collapse by the flow of migrants into eastern Europe this winter fuelled by conflict in the Middle East.

Mr Cameron yesterday denied claims that Britain is poised to send 1,000 troops to Libya to prop up the new regime (pictured, two men help a migrant in a wheelchair in Idomeni)

A government source said the PM will warn that clamping down on the migrant route through Turkey and Greece could see even more migrants try to cross via Libya (pictured, Idomeni migrant camp)

ANGELINA JOLIE, THE UN'S VERY SPECIAL ENVOY Angelina Jolie was mobbed by hundreds of starstruck migrants yesterday when she visited a Greek port where thousands are stranded. Miss Jolie, 40, a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, struggled to move through the crowd, with many jostling for the best positions to take pictures and get a glimpse of her. The actress greeted children and asked the throng of reporters, cameramen and photographers to be more 'thoughtful' as she tried to speak with them. She told one boy: 'I'm here to learn and speak with you and the agencies and the government to learn what is happening, OK? Try to stay strong.' About 4,000 people are waiting at the port of Piraeus in Athens, either to head north to Greece's closed border with Macedonia or for a place in rapidly filling official shelters. Angelina Jolie (pictured) was mobbed by hundreds of starstruck migrants yesterday when she visited a Greek port where thousands are stranded Jolie, 40, a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, struggled to move through the crowd Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (left) meets UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie (right) at the Maximos Mansion in Athens Advertisement

Member states hope to hammer out a controversial deal in the next 48 hours under which Turkey receives billions in aid, visa-free travel and fast-tracked EU membership in return for helping seal its border with Europe.

Under last-ditch efforts to seal the agreement, it emerged yesterday that judges would be despatched to Greece to order the removal of migrants within days of their arrival.

Migrant camps on holiday islands including Lesbos and Kos would be turned into detention centres with teams of justices working round-the-clock in makeshift courthouses to rule on asylum claims.
fisherman, worked on a boat two miles from the island

She disappeared February 10 as Haworth, who is a

A fisherman's beloved dog that was presumed to be drowned in the Pacific Ocean has been found alive five weeks after falling overboard his boat.

Nick Haworth's dog, Luna, a 1 -year-old German shepherd, was spotted Tuesday on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego.

The blue-eyed pup disappeared February 10 as Haworth, a commercial fisherman from San Diego, worked on a boat two miles from the island.

'They were pulling in their (lobster) traps, and one minute Luna was there, and the next minute she was gone,' said Sandy DeMunnik, spokeswoman for Naval Base Coronado.

Saved: Conner Lamb carries Luna, a 1 1/2-year-old dog that fell off a fishing boat in February, after Luna arrived by a Navy commuter flight Wednesday at Naval Base Coronado in California

Lamb squats next to his friend, Nick Haworth's 1 1/2-year-old German shepherd Luna, who fell overboard from his boat in the ocean off the Southern California coast in February. Luna was found Tuesday on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego

Haworth and his friends looked everywhere for her when she disappeared off of his boat. Haworth searched the waters for about two days looking for Luna

'They looked everywhere for her. They couldn't see her. The water was dark, and she's dark.'

Haworth notified Navy personnel that his dog had fallen overboard.

'He insisted that he was 90 percent sure that she made it to shore because she was such a strong swimmer,' DeMunnik said.

Haworth searched the waters for about two days and Navy staff searched the island for about a week but found no sign of Luna.

She was presumed lost at sea until Tuesday morning when staff arriving for work at the island's Naval Auxiliary Landing Field spotted something unusual  a dog sitting by the side of the road.

Navy staff also searched the island for about a week but found no sign of Luna. She was presumed lost at sea until Tuesday morning when she was spotted sitting by the side of the road on the island

On Wednesday afternoon, Luna was flown to a Navy base on the mainland and handed over to Haworth's best friend, who will care for the dog until her owner returns Thursday night. She is pictured above before falling overboard

Domestic animals aren't allowed on the island for environmental reasons, as it is extremely dangerous due to the fact it is used by the military to practice live fire exercises, according to KGTV.

'She was just sitting there wagging her tail,' DeMunnik said. The staff called to Luna, and she came right over.

A biologist then examined the dog and found her a little thin but otherwise healthy.

'It looks like she was surviving on rodents and dead fish that had washed up,' DeMunnik said.

The biologist called Haworth, who was out of state working in the middle of a lake.

'He was overwhelmed. He was so happy and grateful and thrilled,' DeMunnik said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Luna was flown to a Navy base on the mainland and handed over to Haworth's best friend, who will care for the dog until her owner returns Thursday night.

Luna, meanwhile, has a souvenir of the experience. Her dog tag was lost but the Navy gave her a new one, DeMunnik said.

Along with her name, it bears a key lesson in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course taught on the island to Navy and Marine personnel. The tag reads: 'Keep the Faith.'
The Chancellor has promised to close loopholes which allow multinational firms to avoid paying tax in the UK.

George Osborne also set out further cuts to corporation tax, which he said would attract business to Britain and provide a boost to local firms.

In a swipe at global giants such as Starbucks and Facebook, which have been accused of not paying enough tax, Mr Osborne said he wanted to create a low tax economy but one where taxes are paid.

George Osborne, pictured, announced he will cut corporation tax from 20 per cent to 17 by April 2020

His basket of measures would raise 8billion from large companies and multinationals by 2020, he claimed.

Corporation tax is expected to be cut from its current rate of 20 per cent to 17 per cent from April 2020, saving British firms almost 15billion a year by 2020.

The tax has fallen from 28 per cent since the Coalition Government came to power in 2010. Cuts to 19 per cent in 2017 and 18 per cent in 2018 had already been announced.

The further reduction would make Britain the country with the lowest rate of corporation tax in the G20, which the Chancellor said would encourage businesses to invest in the UK.

Britain is blazing a trail. Let the rest of the world catch up, he said yesterday.

But he also pledged to close loopholes where international companies can avoid paying tax in Britain by artificially shifting profits out of the UK, such as using excessive interest payments to reduce the tax paid on profits made here.

The Government will also make changes to the way businesses can carry forward historic losses against their profits to avoid paying tax.

It will cap the amount that can be carried forward to 50 per cent of profits above 5million for a company or an overall group of companies, from April next year.

There will also be more flexibility around the rules, so that groups of several companies can carry forward losses in one arm against profits from another company within the group.

In a bid to prevent historic losses being used to avoid future tax payments, companies will only be able offset a quarter of profits with pre-2015 losses. There will be an exception for banks hit by the financial crisis and mis-selling scandals.

Mr Osborne will cap relief on interest payments used to reduce tax paid on UK profits at 30 per cent of UK earnings, with exceptions for groups with legitimately high interest payments.

The Government also said it would introduce rules to stop multinational companies using a complex technique called hybrid mismatches to avoid paying tax in any of the countries they do business in.

And the Treasury will more closely tax outbound royalty payments  fees for using intellectual property such as patents and copyrights  meaning multinationals will pay more tax in the UK. It will also make sure offshore property developers are taxed on their UK profits.

Mr Osborne also promised to help small businesses who sell online deal with the great unfairness of trying to compete with global giants like Amazon and eBay by tackling overseas retailers who store goods in Britain and sell them online without paying VAT.

Dermot Callinan, of accountancy giant KPMG, said the measures benefited entrepreneurs and smaller companies, but larger firms could lose out.

He added: This seems to be a deliberate tilt of the pitch toward home-grown enterprise through a number of measures.

Laurence Field, of accountancy firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, said: While the reduction of corporation tax will be welcomed by business, in practice it reflects the fact that corporation tax is becoming a lot less important.

Tightening up on loopholes around pay is much more cost effective. The take is bigger and it costs a lot less to collect.

Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, said: The reduction in the headline corporation tax rate sends out a strong signal that the UK is open for global business investment, and reforms to interest deductibility are rightly in line with the international consensus.

But she added: Changes to the tax treatment of losses will make it harder for larger scale-up firms and companies that have been through tough times to play their part in the recovery.

Mark Boleat, of the City of London Corporation, said: Tax reforms to attract multinational firms to the UK are a welcome measure. We need to make sure the UK remains a globally competitive place to start, run and grow a business.
London's Stock Exchange looked set to fall into German hands last night.

The 215-year-old British institution announced it had agreed to go ahead with a 21billion merger with Frankfurt-based rival Deutsche Boerse.

The tie-up was described by the two parties as a merger of equals.

But the 110-page document spelling out the details of the deal confirmed that Deutsche will gain a controlling 54.4 per cent stake in the combined firm.

The holding company will also be run by Deutsches German boss Carsten Kengeter, and will even report its profits in euros instead of pounds.

London's Stock Exchange (pictured) looked set to fall into German hands last night. The 215-year-old British institution announced it had agreed to go ahead with a 21billion merger with Frankfurt-based rival Deutsche Boerse

Critics of the deal  who have raised fears that influence will seep from London to Frankfurt  described the decision to drop the pound as highly symbolic. The London Stock Exchange is one of the three pillars of the City, alongside the Bank of England and Lloyds insurance market.

If a deal is cemented it will mark the latest in a long line of takeovers of British institutions by foreign companies. Other big names to have been gobbled up in recent years include Cadbury, lender TSB and Boots.

Foreign firms have also gained control of much of the UKs power supply, with British Energy snapped up by EDF, the state owned French energy supplier. And huge swathes of Britains transport infrastructure  from ports, to railways to Londons iconic red buses  have fallen into foreign hands.

The LSE Group and Deutsche confirmed last month that they were in talks about a merger.

Yesterday they said the deal would bring together the might of London as one of the worlds biggest financial centres and Frankfurt. But the two groups attempted to allay fears that Germany will have the upper hand in a desperate attempt to depoliticise the deal.

The combined LSE and Deutsche will maintain headquarters in London and Frankfurt, while it will be listed in London and on the Frankfurt stock exchange.

The two exchanges insisted that trading and business would not move from London to Frankfurt or vice versa, but admitted there would be job cuts in both cities in an effort to save 350million a year. But veteran City commentator Justin Urquhart-Stewart described the decision to report in euros rather than pounds as a highly symbolic one that reflected a power shift between London and Frankfurt.

He said: There is no financial need for the London Stock Exchange to merge or to be taken over. London must not sell out to an overseas rival. It would be a great shame for the UK to lose one of its primary financial pillars.

The deal still has to be approved by competition authorities in Brussels, which have previously blocked a merger between Deutsche Boerse and the New York Stock Exchange.The two groups also have to gain the approval of their shareholders.

But the deal could be gatecrashed by Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange. It has made it clear it is considering a counter bid.

Xavier Rolet, the French boss of the London Stock Exchange, is likely to hit the jackpot whatever happens. The 56-year-old has agreed to fall on his sword if the merger with Deutsche Boerse goes ahead.

But he could be in line for a 14.5million windfall from shares which could pay out.

The London Stock Exchange stressed that no decision had yet been made.

Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange have set up a referendum committee to consider the potential impact of Brexit.

But they said that they were determined to press ahead with the deal whatever the British public decide.
On Monday officials said Trump would not face charges for

Five deputies in North Carolina have been disciplined in connection with the assault of a protester at a Donald Trump rally on March 9.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said the deputies witnessed protester Rakeem Jones being assaulted and did not take action at the rally in Fayetteville.

Three of the five were demoted and suspended without pay for five days, WRAL reported. The other two were suspended without pay for three days.

All five of the Cumberland County Sheriff's deputies involved in the assault have been placed on probation for one year. The names of the deputies have not been released.

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Five deputies in North Carolina have been disciplined in connection with the alleged assault of a protester at a Donald Trump rally on March 9

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said the deputies witnessed protester Rakeem Jones being assaulted (above) and did not take action at the rally in Fayetteville. The names of the deputies have not been released

Sheriff Earl 'Moose' Butler said in a statement that the deputies faced disciplinary action for 'unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies of the office of the sheriff.'

'The actions of the deputies and their failures to act in situations such as that which occurred during the Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum have never been and will never be tolerated under the policies of this office,' Butler said in a statement.

In addition, Butler said that the deputies who were disciplined were involved in the July 2014 deadly shooting spree confrontation of Andrew Michaels, who killed family members and assaulted deputies.

Butler explained that their actions in that dangerous situation played a factor into their punishment.

'I have taken into account the past bravery and exemplary conduct, including the life-saving and other actions of these deputies in assessing the discipline, and in imposing the sanctions,' Butler stated.

Authorities have already charged rally attendee 78-year-old John McGraw (left) with disorderly conduct and communicating threats. He was caught on video hitting Jones as he was being led out (right) by deputies at the event in Fayetteville

Three of the five deputies were demoted and suspended without pay for five days. The other two were suspended without pay for three days. All five of them have been placed on probation for one year. Above Jones is detained at the rally

'We regret that any of the circumstances at the Trump rally occurred, and we regret that we have had to investigate all of these matters.'

Authorities have already charged rally attendee 78-year-old John McGraw with disorderly conduct and communicating threats after he was caught on video hitting Jones as he was being led out by deputies at the event in Fayetteville.

Authorities detained Jones after the incident, but he was eventually let go, while McGraw wasn't arrested for the incident until the next day.

At one point during the rally, Trump described a previous event in which a protester traded punches with his supporters.

Trump told the audience: 'They started punching back. It was a beautiful thing'.

In a statement, Trump's campaign said: 'the arena was rented for a private event, paid for by the campaign and these people attended with the intent to cause trouble.

Sheriff Earl 'Moose' Butler said in a statement that the deputies faced disciplinary action for 'unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies of the office of the sheriff.' Above Jones is detained at the rally

'They were only there to agitate and anger the crowd. It is the protesters and agitators who are in violation, not Mr. Trump or the campaign'.

It was announced Monday that there isn't enough evidence to press charges against Donald Trump for his behavior in connection with McGraw's assault against Jones.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said in a statement issued on Monday night that legal counsel advised and Butler agreed that the evidence doesn't meet the requisites of North Carolina law to support a conviction for inciting a riot.
As George Osborne sat down, having pinked his way through another Budget, three hands shot forth to congratulate him. David Cameron gave him a little play-punch. Treasury Chief Secretary Greg Hands leaned across to give his bosss steaming withers a pat.

And Home Secretary Theresa May, from the other side, reached out to give the Chancellor a rub. Or was she grabbing hold of him to say cop an eyeful of these puppies, big boy? Treasury forecasts were not the only things plunging.

There is an old line about the politician who cries, these are my principles! and adds and if you dont like them, I have others I can offer you. At recent Budgets we have become used to Mr Osborne effectively saying: I have economic forecasts  and if they dont fit our purposes, I have other forecasts I can offer you.

Shimmy: The day had already brought one eyepopper when Jeremy Corbyn entered wearing a smart, dark jacket. Compo at a funeral! He gave a self-teasing little shimmy like a fashion model

Forecasts are never wrong or madly over-optimistic. They are revised down. Productivity growth had been revised down, as had world trade. Labour MPs jeered as Mr Osborne admitted that this revision is a highly uncertain judgment call.

This from a man who is making such a palaver about the alleged uncertainty of leaving the circular firing squad of the European Union.

Mr Osborne adopted his vet giving bad news to owner of doomed gerbil voice and said the forecasts were predicated on Britain remaining in the EU.

His experts were a-quiver at the extended period of uncertainty that could follow Brexit. Uncertainty is a fancy way of saying we havent really got a clue  which they havent.

Behind Mr Osborne sat Eurosceptic Stewart Jackson (Con, Peterborough). He greeted the EU remarks by saying, audibly, rubbish. He then mouthed a word not unadjacent to ball-cocks. The day had already brought one eyepopper when Jeremy Corbyn entered wearing a smart, dark jacket. Compo at a funeral!

He gave a self-teasing little shimmy like a fashion model. Had Mr Corbyn raised his gaze to the upstairs gallery opposite, he would have seen a claque of Labour MPs not yet convinced by Corbynism.

They sat there like a row of hanging judges. They included Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon), Ian Austin (Dudley N) and Dan Jarvis (Barnsley C). The last gave a wolfish grin.

As George Osborne sat down, having pinked his way through another Budget, three hands shot forth to congratulate him. Was Theresa May grabbing hold of him to say cop an eyeful of these puppies, big boy?

Mr Osborne praised departing Treasury mandarin Sir Nicholas Macpherson, who had always demonstrated the great British civil service values of integrity and impartiality.

Cue derisive laughter from the SNP benches (who feel Sir Nicholas was most partial during their independence referendum).

Sir Nicholas was in a corner box near the Speakers Chair but he was hidden by the deep-gusseted bulk of young Alec Shelbrooke (Con, Elmet, Rothwell and most chip shops between here and Wetherby). No sunflower prospers in Mr Shelbrookes shadow. This is a Budget for the next generation, said Mr Osborne. Short-term political point-scorer, moi?

Home Secretary Theresa May reached out to give the Chancellor a rub. Or was she grabbing hold of him to say cop an eyeful of these puppies, big boy?

One Budget Day game is scanning Tory benches to spot the most egregious sycophant. Northampton Norths Sir Michael Ellis, the Buckingham Palace corridor crawler, is hard to beat but he faced competition yesterday from charm-lite Alan Mak (Havant), nodding-dog Matt Warman (Boston) and a Suffolk man called Cartlidge, an absurd and tiresome brayer.

The longer Mr Osborne spoke, the more Tiny Tim-squeaky became his timbre. Tory MPs liked his stuff on shopkeepers and ISAs. The sugar tax thing slipped down easily. Exposition of the less palatable cuts was left  old trick  to the speechs accompanying documents.

Mr Corbyn spoke with conviction and courageous force. It may be that his economic analysis is dotty but at least he says what he believes.

His opponents sneered but I find it hard to suppress a glimmer of admiration. The sight of him being heckled by that minor figure Mark Garnier (Con, Wyre Forest) was not elevating.
A man left his girlfriend gobsmacked after getting down on one knee and proposing during a live interview on Nine's Today show for St Patrick's Day.

Owen Morgan and Jen Clarke, who are both Irish but live on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, were being interviewed on the breakfast program on Thursday for a wife-carrying competition they have entered to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

The couple had signed up for the race at Australia Zoo even though they are not married.

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Owen Morgan proposed to his girlfriend of four years Jen Clarke on Queensland's Sunshine Coast while they were being interviewed on Nine's Today show for a wife-carrying competition they entered on Thursday

After being questioned by fill-in host Pete Stefanovic over the rules of entering if they weren't married, Mr Morgan used the opportunity to 'change' their relationship status.

'You're boyfriend and girlfriend, and you're entering a wife-carrying race. Did that raise any issues during registration?,' Stefanovic asked.

Ms Clarke said: 'Well I had to look online, and it said you don't have to be a wife, you can be a sister or someone else's partner as long as they don't mind.'

The couple who are both Irish but live on the Sunshine Coast, were being interviewed on the breakfast program on Thursday for a wife-carrying competition they have entered to celebrate St Patrick's Day

After being questioned by fill-in host Pete Stefanovic over the rules of entering the wife-carrying competition if they weren't married, Owen Morgan used the opportunity to 'change' their relationship status

The had earlier demonstrated how Owen would carry Jen in the wife-carrying competition at Australia Zoo

Her boyfriend then interrupted and could be seen taking a ring box out of his pocket.

'Out here in front of the Australian people we thought we'd try and make a change,' he said.

'Jen, we've been together for a while now, you love animals, I love lamington cake, we make a good team.

'Will you marry me?'

A shocked Ms Clarke quickly said yes before showing off her ring to the cameras.

The couple have been together for four years.

Owen was filmed taking the ring box out of his pocket and getting down on one knee to ask if Jen would marry him

A shocked Ms Clarke quickly said yes before showing off her ring to the cameras
Cat owners in a seaside town fear for their pets after as many as 39 mysteriously disappeared or were found dead in a few months.

Residents in Caernarfon, north Wales, say several were discovered shot or poisoned.

They have urged owners not to allow their pets out at night and called in police and the RSPCA amid fears they are being deliberately targeted.

Cat owners in Caernarfon, north Wales, fear for their pets after as many as 39 disappeared or were found dead in a few months. Karen Bohana (pictured with surviving cat Charlie) has lost two cats in seven months

Karen Bohana, 35, has lost two cats in seven months. Her 14-month-old tabby cat, Nellie, disappeared in August, while kitten Motto vanished four weeks ago.

On the night Motto disappeared Mrs Bohana, a shop worker, claimed she heard gun-shots on the Maesincla estate where she lives, while other neighbours reported seeing a gang of three men with air rifles walking the streets late at night.

Although no one has been arrested, locals fear they are behind the cat disappearances because at least one was found dead with a gunshot wound.

Mrs Bohana said: Ive heard from three people that theyve seen boys or men with lurcher dogs and air rifles in the last few weeks. During this time three cats have been found dead, one has been injured, and three have gone missing.

Dana Macdonald, 31, said her black cat Snoop (pictured) went missing six weeks ago at the same time that three others on her street disappeared. I am so upset, I think he has been hunted, she said

To me, its too much of a coincidence that all these cats have been found dead or missing since people have seen this gang.

She said her partner had also found a dead cat that had been poisoned in a nearby field.

Mrs Bohana added: Youths are doing this for their own amusement. There are evil people around. On two separate occasions, I have heard gunshots in the early hours.

Dana Macdonald, 31, said her black cat Snoop went missing six weeks ago at the same time that three others on her street disappeared. I am so upset, I think he has been hunted, she said.

Another resident, Stephanie Roberts, 26, a mother of two, found a cat with a bleeding head wound last week.

A lot of people are upset, angry and scared, she said. There are people coming from the other side of Caernarfon with dogs.

Animal lover Eleanor Hughes, 76, reckoned a total of 39 cats had gone missing from an area of around ten streets on the estate since last summer.

Im 100 per cent sure it is one person who is mainly responsible, she said. The police have been round to my house to talk to me. I have seen a youth with a shotgun from my bedroom window.

Town councillor Maria Sarnacki said the beat bobby and an RSPCA official were expected to attend an emergency meeting in the community centre last night.

She said: Its very scary. People are afraid. They are too scared to let their cats out at night. People have been coming forward since last September to tell me about missing or dead cats. The total so far is 39 reported to the police.

Missing: Mrs Bohana's 14-month-old tabby cat, Nellie (pictured), disappeared in August, while kitten Motto vanished four weeks ago

She said a young man was locked up after being connected to the deaths of several cats seven years ago and locals were fearing the worst again.

The RSPCA urged anyone with information to call its cruelty appeal line on 0300 123 8018. Police could not confirm if they were formally investigating but urged people to dial 101 or call the anonymous hotline Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A man with albinism and his four-year-old son were approached by police in Toronto this week after bus passengers suspected that the boy had been kidnapped.

Jason Thompson and his son Xavier, who does not have albinism, was traveling home from the Victoria Park transit station in the city's east end on Tuesday when the incident occurred.

After missing a showing of Zootopia, Thompson and Xavier boarded a 2pm bus, only to have the driver pull over a few blocks later, telling no one to get off the bus.

When officers arrived on scene, they asked Thompson if Xavier was his son. When he said yes, police asked him to step off the bus.

Jason Thompson and his four-year-old son Xavier were stopped by police in Toronto on Tuesday as they rode the bus

Someone had called the police because they thought Thompson had kidnapped his son because they don't look alike. Thompson called the incident 'sickening' but has heard of similar incidents occurring to other parents

Thompson, who is part Jamaican, has albinism, as does his wife, who is Indian. Xavier does not have albinism

'Someone potentially believed the child had been abducted,' Const Jennifferjit Sidhu told Global News.

Thompson told Buzzfeed that police told him they 'got a call that something was "off"' and 'the father doesn't look like the son'.

Thompson, who is part Jamaican, has albinism, as does his wife, who is Indian. Their son is darker-skinned than his parents.

He asked police officers why he was being singled out, and and one allegedly told him 'You don't want to do this here, let's just get off the bus'.

It was at that moment Thompson realized he was being singled out because his young son doesn't look like him.

'It's sickening to me that someone would actually take that step,' Thompson told Global News.

'To that person I would say think again. A white guy with a brown kid doesn't mean that anything is going on. This is Toronto,' he added. 'We're a multi-cultural city, let's embrace it and relax everyone.'

He said that officers quickly realized that he and Xavier were related, despite having different skin tones.

Because four-year-old Xavier does not have albinism, he has a darker skin tone than his parents and does not appear to look like either of them

'It's not like I was dragging him or he was screaming, we were having a good time,' Thompson told Buzzfeed. 'We were singing "row row row your boat" together and we were being silly and having fun.

'I was frustrated to be profiled like that,' he added.

Thompson said, however, that the officers were apologetic, claiming they had to investigate because they received a call.

'The officer knew I was offended and said, 'It's OK, it's OK', he told Global News. 'They kept on reassuring me and were very sympathetic and understanding.'

Police tried to follow up with the caller, but he or she did not return phone calls.

After the incident, the officers drove Thompson and Xavier home instead of forcing them back on to the bus, an action Thompson called 'respectful and kind', according to Citynews Toronto.

Thompson said he's heard from other parents who have experienced similar issues, and he told Buzzfeed he's trying to explain the incident to Xavier.
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder upon his release from captivity in Afghanistan, it was revealed on Wednesday.

According to an Army Sanity Board evaluation of the freed prisoner of war, Bergdahl was afflicted with schizotypal personality disorder at the time he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban.

A definition of the disorder on the Mayo Clinic's website states that people suffering from this condition 'are often described as odd or eccentric and usually have few, if any, close relationships.

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Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (pictured in January) said he left a post in Afghanistan in 2009 to draw attention to what he saw as leadership problems in newly released documents from a military investigation

Bergdahl (seen above before his capture) told a general who investigated the case that he hoped to cause an alarm by leaving his post, then walk to a larger base in Afghanistan so he could have an audience with a top commander

'They generally don't understand how relationships form or the impact of their behavior on others. They may also misinterpret others' motivations and behaviors and develop significant distrust of others.

'These problems may lead to severe anxiety and a tendency to turn inward in social situations, as the person with schizotypal personality disorder responds inappropriately to social cues and holds peculiar beliefs.

The website draws a distinction between schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia  a severe mental illness in which people lose contact with reality.'

According to the page dedicated to the disorder, people with schizotypal personalities may experience brief psychotic episodes with delusions or hallucinations, they are not as frequent, prolonged or intense as in schizophrenia.

The mental health evaluation was released by Bergdahl's defense team as part of his court-martial case.

The documents also state that Bergdahl was diagnosed with PTSD after he was exchanged for five Taliban fighters in 2014.

Attorneys for the POW, who faces charges including desertion, said they released the so-called 'Bergdahl Docket' on Wednesday to help counteract negative publicity over the case.

Bergdahl told a general who investigated the case that he hoped to cause an alarm by leaving his post, then walk to a larger base in Afghanistan so he could have an audience with a top commander to discuss what he saw as bad decision-making by his superiors.

'So, the idea was to  it was literally, it was a sacrificial  it was a self-sacrifice thing,' Bergdahl said, according to the transcript of a 2014 interview with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl.

In the interview, Bergdahl expressed misgivings about how he and other soldiers were sent to help retrieve a disabled armored vehicle before encountering explosives and enemy fire that turned a six-hour mission into one lasting several days.

None of the men were killed, but Bergdahl said an officer complained they were unshaven upon their return to base.

He said he began to worry that if he didn't say anything, a future bad order could get someone in his platoon killed.

He described coming up with a plan to leave the observation post his platoon was manning: 'The only thing that I could see was, I needed to get somebody's attention.'

Bergdahl pictured right as he arrives at the Ft. Bragg military courthouse with his attorney Lt. Col. Franklin Rosenblatt for a pretrial hearing in January

Bergdahl pictured above in a Taliban video. As he planned to sneak off and walk to a larger nearby base he wound up in enemy captivity for five years

He ruled out going to the media and instead decided to trigger an alarm by sneaking off and then walking to a larger base nearby.

He described his thought process, referring to himself in the third-person: 'That guy disappears. No one knows what happened to him. That call goes out. It hits every command. Everybody goes, what has happened?'

Within a couple days, he planned to show up at the base: 'the Soldier shows up ... People recognize him. They ID him. They go, "What did you just do?" And that Soldier says, "I am not saying anything about what I did until I am talking to a general."'

Instead, he wound up in enemy captivity.

Bergdahl faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries up to a life sentence.

He was held five years by the Taliban and its allies before a swap involving five Guantanamo Bay detainees, prompting criticism from some in Congress that the move threatened national security.

He was held five years by the Taliban and its allies before a swap involving five Guantanamo Bay detainees, prompting criticism from some in Congress that the move threatened national security

His military trial had been tentatively scheduled to begin over the summer, but it has been delayed by disagreements over access to classified materials.

Bergdahl's attorney Eugene Fidell said the decision to release the documents was made to fight negative publicity and because prosecutors have already entered part of the interview into the court record.

'The more Americans know about this case, the better,' Fidell said in an email.
Inquest: Cheryl James's death was dismissed as suicide by police within just 90 minutes of her body being found

A young Army recruits death was dismissed as suicide by police within just 90 minutes of her body being found, an inquest has heard.

Cheryl James, 18, was discovered with a single shot to the head after she was posted to guard duty alone with an SA80 rifle at the Deepcut Army base in Surrey in November 1995.

Failings by Surrey Police at the time mean it may never be known exactly what happened to the recruit from north Wales.

Yesterday a retired inspector personally apologised to the teenagers family for failing to investigate her death properly.

Michael Day, who had been the duty inspector in charge of the scene, told a fresh inquest he had made a crucial error based on assumptions made on the ground.

Within just 90 minutes of her body being found, her death was dismissed as suicide and the case handed over to the military police and coroner.

As a result, no fingerprints were taken from Pte James weapon, no swabs taken from her wound or hands, no fingertip search was conducted and her rifle was immediately put back into service.

The court heard the decision to hand over the case to the military police was against the law which states the civilian force must retain primacy in such an event.

The retired officer admitted he had not been aware of that and that he had no experience of suspicious deaths.

Apologising to Pte James family, he added: If I had to make that decision again I would have without a doubt taken a different course of action.

It also emerged that Surrey Police withheld letters written by Pte James from her family because they contained sexual references.

Pte James was the second of four recruits to die in shootings at Deepcut  amid claims of bullying, abuse and a cover-up  over a period of seven years.

The inquest continues.
DNA tests have confirmed that the human remains found in woodland are those of missing pensioner DJ Derek - one of Britain's reggae pioneers.

Derek Serpell-Morris, known widely as DJ Derek, was last seen leaving The Criterion pub in Ashley Road, Bristol, in the early hours of July 11 2015.

The 73-year-old, from Bristol, played hundreds of sets over the years and worked with high profile artists including Massive Attack and Dizzee Rascal, appearing in his hit music video Dirtee Disco in 2010.

Avon and Somerset Police today confirmed the tests had proved the remains found were DJ Derek's.

Human remains found in woodland are believed to belong to missing pensioner DJ Derek - one of Britain's first reggae pioneers

A spokesman for the force said: 'DNA tests have confirmed that human remains found in a wooded area in Patchway are of missing 73-year-old Derek Serpell-Morris.

'Derek's family have been updated and our thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time.

'A post-mortem examination carried out earlier this week was inconclusive and further tests are being progressed, but we're not treating Derek's death as suspicious.

'We're continuing to carry out further inquiries on behalf of the Coroner's Office.'

Writing on his Facebook page, his family said: 'Would just like to thank you all for all the love and support over the past 8 months, we wouldn't have been able to get though this without you.

'Yesterday we got the news that our beloved Derek had been found, I am feeling numb right now to think of him being there alone all this time.

'I'm sorry Derek that it took so long and that we all we're looking in the wrong places, I just hope and pray that nothing bad happened to ... at least we can now say goodbye and give you the massive celebration/send off he truly deserves!

'R.I.P. Uncle Derek, thankfully my last memory of u is a very happy one I will miss you.'

The 73-year-old, from Bristol, played hundreds of sets over the years and worked with high profile artists including Massive Attack and Dizzee Rascal, appearing in his hit music video Dirtee Disco in 2010 (pictured)

A member of the public made the grim discovery on land near Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in Patchway, Bristol, at 4.30pm yesterday. Police at the scene this morning

The death is being treated as unexplained and a post-mortem examination will be carried out by a Home Office pathologist to establish the cause of death

A member of the public made the grim discovery, near Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in Patchway, Bristol, at 4.30pm yesterday.

Mr Serpell-Morris was reported missing on July 23 and a nationwide search to find him has been ongoing over the past eight months.

Mr Serpell-Morris was a regular act at local bars and clubs over the years, including at Glastonbury Festival.

Derek Serpell-Morris, known widely as DJ Derek, was last seen leaving The Criterion pub in Ashley Road, Bristol, in the early hours of July 11 2015. CCTV footage from the pub shows him entering the pub on July 10

Mr Serpell-Morris was reported missing on July 23 and a nationwide search to find him has been ongoing over the past eight months

Police and forensic officers attend the scene of where a body belonging to missing DJ Derek was found

Police and forensic officers erect a screen and forensics tent where the body of missing DJ Derek was found

He had been a resident of St Pauls in Bristol since 1978 and was an accountant for Cadbury before becoming a DJ in his mid-30s.

Mr Serpell-Morris was known for playing a blend of '60s rocksteady, reggae, ska, dancehall and soul music.

During the search, the MC tweeted: 'Please help find the Legend DJ Derek I met him on set of my Dirtee Disco video, really nice guy I hope he's ok.'

Mr Serpell-Morris, who did not own a mobile phone, had a hobby of visiting new Wetherspoon pubs and the chain took part in the search to find him.

A photo of the DJ was circulated to managers of 940 Wetherspoon pubs and asked staff to alert police if they spotted him.

The DJ was described as being a white man, of average height and slim built with grey hair.

Social media users tweeted appeals to find Mr Serpell-Morris with the hashtag #FindDjDerek.

Last week, Mr Serpell-Morris's family confirmed they were making an application under the Presumption of Death Act, to be considered by a High Court judge.

Police previously confirmed that the pensioner's bus pass was used on the 10.32am number 78 bus which travels from Bristol to Thornbury on July 11.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey delayed a child abuse investigation for more than 20 years by failing to pass allegations to police, an inquiry heard yesterday.

Lord Carey received a complaint from a young man in 1992 about abuse he had suffered at the hands of then bishop Peter Ball.

But the Archbishop, who retired in 2002, did not pass on the accusations, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was told.

In 1993 Ball was cautioned for gross indecency and returned to work two years later in a different diocese. He was eventually jailed for 32 months last October after admitting abuse of 18 teenagers and young men.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey has been accused of delaying a child abuse investigation

Richard Scorer, representing a string of Balls victims at the inquiry, said yesterday: [The victim] can tell the inquiry about a very detailed complaint he made to Archbishop George Carey in 1992, reporting Peter Balls behaviour years previously.

We believe that the Archbishop of Canterbury failed to pass that information on to the police and is one reason, we believe, a proper investigation of Peter Balls behaviour and abuse was delayed by over 20 years.

It comes three weeks after the Mail published claims made in secret documents that said the Church of England knew Ball was a serial abuser.

The report, compiled at the time by a private detective for Balls legal team, warned senior Church figures that Ball had been abusing not only his office but many young men and had confessed to his behaviour.

The papers showed a police officer discussed with Balls lawyers the need to prevent a scandal, especially as Peter was a frequent visitor to Sandringham and is friendly with Prince Charles.

Ball, now 84, was arrested in 1992 for allegedly molesting novice monk Neil Todd. Establishment figures including two archbishops, Tory MPs and a senior judge mounted a campaign to protect him, claiming it was inconceivable he could have committed the offences.

Former Bishop of Lewes Peter Ball, now 84, was arrested in 1992 for allegedly molesting a novice monk

Ball received a caution after admitting one count of gross indecency. Detectives dropped investigations into other victims cases.

But his trial last year heard that, while Bishop of Lewes, Ball hand-picked 18 vulnerable victims to commit acts of debasement in the name of religion, such as praying naked and encouraging them to submit to beatings.

Despite a number of complaints, he become Bishop of Gloucester and even continued to work as a priest in Truro after he accepted the caution.
An army medic charged with conspiring with his lover to kill his wife may be court marshaled after the murder investigation allegedly revealed evidence he was working as a male prostitute and had child porn.

Sgt. Michael Walker denied his alleged role in the killing of Catherine Walker, who was found stabbed to death in November 2014 in their home in Honolulu.

His lover, Ailsa Jackson, claims she conspired with Walker to get rid of his wife as she pleaded guilty to the murder last December.

Army medic Sgt. Michael Walker (pictured with wife Catherine in 2014) is charged with conspiring with his lover to kill his wife

The pair exchanged emails and text messages about carrying out the killing at a time when he would be at work and making it look like a burglary, the court heard.

Now new allegations have emerged against the army sergeant which accuse him of possessing child porn and being a male prostitute, a military judicial hearing heard on Wednesday.

'Sgt. Walker is alleged to have posted on Craigslist soliciting individuals to engage in sexual acts in exchange for his receiving money,' Jim Guzior, spokesman for Tripler Army Medical Center, where Walker has been assigned since 2013, said.

'Sgt. Walker is alleged to have solicited three men to engage in sexual contact.'

His Army defense attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.

Walker's (right) lover, Ailsa Jackson, (left) claims she conspired with Walker to get rid of his wife as she pleaded guilty to the murder last December

The judicial hearing heard that 92 photos and 19 videos were discovered on Walker's computer in November 2014 after his wife was murdered.

Authorities found further pornographic images and video when they carried out another search in April last year - along with evidence he Walker had been prostituting himself.

Military hearing officer Maj. Nancy Lewis is now considering whether to recommend to court marshal the army medic.

Walker pleaded not guilty last November to conspiring with his lover to kill his wife who was stabbed to death in the couple's bed in 2014.

But the following month, Jackson admitted killing Catherine and described in a Honolulu federal courtroom how she stabbed her multiple times and then waited a half-hour to make sure she was dead.

As part of a plea agreement, Jackson is expected to be sentenced to 30 to 33 years in prison in exchange for testifying against Walker, who is scheduled to go to trial this year in the murder case.

Now new allegations have emerged against the army sergeant (pictured with his wife before her murder) which accused him of possessing child porn and being a male prostitute, during a military judicial hearing on Wednesday

Walker pleaded not guilty last November to conspiring with his lover to kill his wife who was stabbed to death in the couple's bed in 2014

After meeting through an online dating site in September 2014, Walker told Jackson he was married and that his 'deepest desire' was to have his wife gone, but he couldn't divorce her, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Brady said during Jackson's plea hearing.

An indictment includes text messages and emails Walker allegedly sent to Ailsa Jackson about his desire to get rid of his wife, CBS News reported.

'I want you so bad!!!' was one text message on Oct. 12, 2014. 'If only someone was out of the way!'

In a November email, Jackson allegedly wrote that the anticipation was 'exhausting.'

'The thrill is faltering. I'm growing impatience (sic), tired and hungry for action.'

He allegedly responded, 'The sooner the better.'

The two then met and discussed Jackson carrying out the killing while Walker was at work so that he would have an alibi, Brady said.

They discussed making the death look like a burglary, Jackson said.

Prosecutors say that at around midnight on the night of her murder, Jackson used a key hidden in the gravel driveway to enter the Walkers' home, at the Aliamanu Military Reservation, grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Catherine to death.

Walker admits cheating on wife Catherine (pictured) with Jackson but claimed he was still in love with his wife and would never have killed her

Walker's attorney Birney Bervar insists that, while his client did have an affair with Jackson, he was in love with his wife and never wanted her killed.

The couple, married for more than 11 years and originally from upstate New York, were about to undergo in-vitro fertilization after about a decade of trying to have a baby, he said.

Guzior noted that Wednesay's hearing 'is a preliminary hearing and that Sgt. Walker is presumed innocent until adjudged guilty of the charges.'

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake said the government won't seek the death penalty.

As part of a plea agreement, Ailsa Jackson is expected to be sentenced to 30 to 33 years in prison in exchange for testifying against Sgt. Michael Walker, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and is scheduled to go to trial next year.
Teachers at a primary school attended by David Camerons son called police after the discovery of a craft knife.

St Mary Abbots said the find had caused great concern and appealed to parents for information.

The school  where the Prime Ministers eldest daughter was also a pupil  said the knife was found in a classroom used by year 6 children  the oldest age group.

Staff said they had no idea who brought it in, adding that it was a highly unusual occurrence that is naturally concerning.

Teachers at a primary school attended by David Camerons son called police after the discovery of a craft knife

They informed police and sent out letters to alert parents and ask for information, saying any received would be treated with the strictest confidence.

The letters warned that police are notified if knives or blades are brought into school.

A spokesman for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which oversees the school, said parents had been very supportive over the incident.

He added: All year 6 parents were alerted after a Stanley knife was found at the school. The knife was handed to a teacher by a pupil and while there is no suggestion it was used to cause harm it has nevertheless caused a great deal of concern.

St Mary Abbots is an excellent school that provides a safe and happy environment for children to learn and will do everything in its power to ensure this remains the case.

The alert was sounded on Tuesday after a pupil found the knife and handed it in to teachers.

Staff grilled the children but no one owned up to knowing anything about the knife.

It is understood that while police were informed of the incident, it would not have been recorded as a crime as no child was caught carrying the knife. The Church of England school, which sits in one of the wealthiest areas of London, caters for families who are regular churchgoers.

Unlike previous Conservative leaders, Mr Cameron was determined to educate his daughter Nancy in the state sector. He chose the Kensington school over 15 other primaries  including alternative CofE schools  closer to home. Her brother Elwen, ten, is there now.

Mr Cameron was determined to educate his daughter Nancy in the state sector, and he and his family are regular worshippers at the church of St Mary Abbots

According to his aides, the family had been regular worshippers at the church of St Mary Abbots for three or four years. Mr Cameron took Sunday school classes at the church and his wife helped edit the parish newsletter.

In September, Nancy started her first year at a state secondary  Grey Coat Hospital school in Westminster.

Former education secretary Michael Gove also sent his children to St Mary Abbots.

The school was rated as good by Ofsted two years ago, with inspectors noting parents praised its warm, nurturing environment and its beneficial impact on their childrens personal development.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has been denied entrance to the White House because of a 'security' issue.

The politician, who has links to the IRA, was due to attend the annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations on Tuesday, but was turned away at the door.

The Secret Service later apologized, saying there had been an 'administrative input error', but Adams was still furious at what happened.

He even posted the official invite on Twitter to show he should have been welcomed in.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams was denied entrance to the White House for the St Patrick's Day Celebrations on Tuesday because of a 'security' issue

In a statement posted on Sinn Fein's website, he said: 'I had received my usual invitation to attend the St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House and was pleased to accept.

'When I arrived the staff at the White House informed me that there was an issue of "security".

'After two decades of travelling back and forth to the USA and countless meetings in the White House with successive US Presidents, this is an unacceptable development.

'It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently.

'Some of our political representatives have been denied access to the USA while others, including myself, have to regularly go through additional searches and scrutiny when we travel to and from the USA.

'Last year the State Department initially refused to meet me as part of a transparent effort to pressurise Sinn Fein during negotiations at Stormont.

'That meeting did take place after protests from US political leaders. Efforts to pressurise us in the negotiations failed.

'This morning Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald and I met with the Congressional Friends of Ireland.

'They too shared our grave disappointment at the White House situation and expressed their determination to have this issue resolved.

The Secret Service later apologized, saying there had been an 'administrative input error', but Adams was still furious at what happened. He even posted the official invite on Twitter to show he should have been welcomed

'Sinn Fein will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone. We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this. I am hopeful that the controversy around my White House invitation will help lead to a resolution of all these matters.'

In 2009, Obama held talks with Northern Ireland's first and deputy first ministers Peter Robinson and former IRA man Martin McGuinness at the White House on St Patrick's Day.

He backed the Northern Ireland peace process and called America's bond with Ireland 'one of the strongest in the world'.
Teachers in primary schools have been head-butted, bitten and attacked with knives by pupils as young as five, new figures show.

Data released from one key region suggests such incidents could be increasing with the number of children suspended over attacks has grown by more than 50 per cent in just four years.

The statistics were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from local authorities in Yorkshire, where teachers said some children came to school angry and aggressive.

It comes two years after 61-year-old teacher Anne Maguire was stabbed to death by a pupil while she taught a Spanish lesson in Leeds.

Teachers in primary schools have been head-butted, bitten and attacked with knives by pupils as young as five, new figures show (file photo)

Research by the BBC found the number of children suspended for attacks in the region rose from at least 396 in 2011-12 to 623 last year.

Former head teacher Anne Swift said: Some children come into school fizzing with anger.

Its not only upsetting for the children but it has a devastating impact on the teacher and leaves them feeling very drained.

There is a lot of pressure on youngsters to perform, particularly because of the testing and assessments the government insists on.

Sometimes it does not suit the children, they dont want to be sat at a table learning facts and having tests, it can cause them a lot of stress and anxiety.

Ms Swift, who is vice president of the National Union of Teachers Union, said violent behaviour in young pupils was all too common.

During her time at a primary school in Scarborough, she said she had been attacked by a six-year-old girl who did not want to do what was being asked.

She said the youngster started to swear and get quite violent in the classroom before kicking her.

All local authorities in North, West and South Yorkshire were asked via a freedom of information request to reveal details about the number of pupils expelled and suspended for physically attacking teachers and other school staff, such as teaching assistants, since the 2011-12 school year.

One West Yorkshire teacher said she was punched in the chest by a five-year-old boy who went on to be suspended.

The statistics come two years after 61-year-old teacher Anne Maguire (pictured) was stabbed to death by a pupil while she taught a Spanish lesson in Leeds

Two attacks on teachers in Bradford in 2014-15 involved knives, the responses revealed.

Of the councils asked, Doncaster, Leeds and Sheffield said they did not hold the required information.

Many of the authorities said their figures did not include academies and free schools.

Figures from the responding councils show a rise in the number of children suspended, as well as an additional 319 pupils between September 2015 and January 2016.

Since 2011-12, 20 pupils have been expelled for violence in schools in Barnsley, Rotherham, Kirklees, Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it had given schools more powers to tackle poor behaviour, including scrapping rules that stopped teachers from removing disruptive pupils from classrooms.

Teachers and school staff have a right to feel safe while doing their jobs and violence towards them is completely unacceptable, said a spokesperson.

We have taken decisive action to put teachers back in charge of the classroom by giving them the powers they need to tackle poor behaviour and discipline.
Li claimed it was in self-defence after she 'came at him' for not

An Adelaide law student who showed a 'chilling lack of remorse' after bashing and strangling his abusive mother has been jailed for at least seven years.

In 2011 an 18-year-old Wei Li beat his mother to death with a metal rod and strangled her before wrapping her body in bed sheets and fleeing to China.

A Supreme Court jury found the now 23-year-old guilty of manslaughter of his 41-year-old mother and was sentenced on Thursday to at least seven years in prison.

Li claimed he acted in self-defence when his mother came at him, yelling and screaming after becoming angry because he was not practising piano.

Justice Trish Kelly rejected that claim but did accept that Li's mother had subjected him to verbal, mental and physical abuse.

Wei Li claimed he killed his mother after she 'became angry because he was not practising piano'

41-year-old Emma Tien's body was discovered at the family's Burnside home several days after the murder

Li, a law student at the prestigious Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, told the court he was under immense pressure from his 41-year-old mother, Emma Tien.

'If I don't get a straight A in a school report that would result in a beating,' Li said, according to the ABC.

But during his trial police argued his online activity in the days leading up to the murder indicated it was premeditated.

The South Australian Supreme Court heard that Li had used his laptop to search 'where to stab with knife causing quickest death' only days before his mother's body was found on March 19, 2011, ABC News reported.

Wei Li was 18 at the time when he beat his mother with a metal rod and strangled her to death

Wei Li was a law student at the prestigious Prince Alfred College in Adelaide before he murdered his mother in 2011

Other search terms included how to use a knife to 'instantly' kill someone, how to 'commit suicide by biting tongue', how to avoid police detection and ways to make the potentially fatal substance arsenic.

After the killing Mr Li flew to Melbourne, then to Singapore and finally China.

Ms Tian's body was not discovered for several days until a family friend found her body wrapped in sheets on the lounge room floor of their Burnside home.

The murder is believed to have taken place between when Ms Tian was last seen alive on March 17, 2011 and when Li fled to Adelaide Airport on March 19, 2011.

The Supreme Court heard he was arrested by Chinese authorities over an expired visa in 2014 and had to return to Australia or languish in custody.

Wei Li fled to China after killing his mother but was arrested by Chinese authorities in 2014 and returned to Australia

The judge described Li as 'a narcissistic and self-involved young man' and said his description of the daily beatings was 'plainly ludicrous.'

Justice Kelly also said the aspiring lawyer failed to show remorse for his actions: 'Even taking into account cultural differences between Australian and Chinese people, your behaviour and your conduct in the days, weeks and years after killing your mother demonstrate a chilling lack of remorse or contrition.'

Wei Li, 23, will now spend seven years behind bars after being found guilty of manslaughter of his 41-year-old mother

Li was sentenced to nine years' jail, backdated to his 2014 arrest.

Li's barrister, Kevin Borick QC said there could be grounds for an appeal on the basis of inconsistency between the 'scathing' sentencing remarks and the jury's verdict.
The Army's top general says military forces on the ground face a high level of risk if the United States gets into a large-scale conflict against a power such as Russia or China.

Testifying Wednesday on Capitol Hill, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley says years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, constrained budgets and troop cuts have had a cumulative effect on the service.

Milley says the Army is ready to fight the Islamic State group and other terrorist organizations.

But what Milley describes as a 'great power war' against one or two of four countries - China, Russia, Iran and North Korea - would pose greater challenges.

Milley says the Army's readiness is not at a level that is appropriate for what the American people expect to defend them.

Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley (left) says military forces on the ground face a high level of risk if the US gets into a conflict against China or Russia; General John Hyten (right) head of Air Force Space Command said Tuesday 'adversaries' were planning to shoot down US military satellites

Meanwhile, on Tuesday a U.S Air Force general claimed China and Russia are planning to shoot down American military satellites with missiles, spacecraft and even lasers.

General John Hyten, head of Air Force Space Command made the comments while pleading with Congress to increase spending to protect military satellites.

He told the house Armed Service strategic sub -committee that foreign states want to curb American space systems and the threat posed to them had now reached tipping point.

According to the Free Beacon, General Hyten said: 'Adversaries are developing kinetic, directed-energy, and cyber tools to deny, degrade, and destroy our space capabilities.

'They understand our reliance on space, and they understand the competitive advantage we derive from space. The need for vigilance has never been greater.'

The four-star general also added that a new military command centre was monitoring threats to satellites posed by missile launches, covert killer robot satellites and ground-fired lasers that can destroy objects in space.

Lieutenant General David Buck, who testified alongside General Hyten then confirmed that China and Russia pose the most serious threat to space systems.

Their comments came as Douglas Loverro, outlined U.S. plans to deter future attacks.

He suggested that any attacks against U.S. satellites could result in counter attacks either on the ground or in cyber space, but he would not elaborate further.

Last year, Mr Loverro also confirmed that the Pentagon's fiscal 2016 budget request for and extra $5billion marked a 'signficant turn' toward better protecting the satellites.

The satellites provide critical capabilities such as targeting, missile warning and weather data to the U.S. military.

Loverro and other top Pentagon officials also told lawmakers the funding was needed to better protect critical satellites that were designed at a time when the United States was one of very few countries operating and launching satellites.

A growing number of 'inspection' satellites lurk in orbit, possibly awaiting commands to sneak up on and disable or destroy other satellites.

Down on the surface, more and more warships and ground installations pack powerful rockets that, with accurate guidance, could reach into orbit to destroy enemy spacecraft.

A war in orbit could wreck the delicate satellite constellations that the world relies on for navigation, communication, scientific research and military surveillance.

A satellite is sent into orbit from a rocket launch in Cape Canaveral in Florida. The four-star general also added that a new military command centre was monitoring threats to satellites posed by missile launches, covert killer robot satellites and ground-fired lasers that can destroy objects in space

U.S. companies and government agencies have at least 500 satellites - roughly as many as the rest of the world combined. At least 100 of them are primarily military in nature.

Against this huge arsenal, Russia and China possess few counterweights.

China's 2007 anti-satellite test, and a similar trial in early 2013, proved that Beijing can hit a low satellite with a rocket.

In 2010, the Chinese space agency launched a cluster of small space vehicles, including two named SJ-6F and SJ-12, that slammed into each other in orbit, seemingly on purpose.

In July 2013, China deployed a small inspection spacecraft, designated SY-7, in low orbit.

The tiny SY-7 with its remote-controlled claw could be orbital repair or inspection vehicle  or it could be a weapon.

But China lacks the space- and ground-based sensors to accurately steer these weapons toward their targets.

But Russia is still far behind the United States and China as far as space weaponry is concerned. There was a 31-year gap between the Soviet Union's last anti-satellite test and Russia's first post-Soviet orbital-weapon experiment.
'I think it's making their democracy look kind of weird,' Mr Pyne said

Donald Trump clinched several key states in the Republican primary

A senior Turnbull government minister says the idea of Donald Trump becoming U.S. President is 'terrifying and kind of weird'.

The real estate mogul this week swept Republican primaries in Florida, Illinois and North Carolina. He is far ahead of other candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich in the race for the party nomination.

In an interview with the Morning Show on Thursday, Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said the Trump phenomenon was frightening and expressed concern over violence at recent rallies.

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Republican frontrunner Donald Trump swept a series of primaries this week - clinching the crucial state of Florida, as well as North Carolina and Illinois

Senior minister Christopher Pyne said the Trump phenomenon was making the United States look 'kind of weird' to the rest of the world

'Well it's terrifying and we're seeing in America these terrible rallies occurring where people are becoming violent,' Mr Pyne said.

'Now democracy should be robust but it certainly shouldn't be violent and I think the Donald Trump phenemonon is a real problem for the United States.'

'It's making their democracy look kind of weird.'

Fights have broken out at Trump rallies recently and his campaign was forced to cancel a major event in Chicago last week.

Despite critics claiming he was 'inciting' violence, on Wednesday Trump himself predicted 'riots' if he doesn't win the nomination.

In the interview, Mr Pyne said the Republican Party would regret nominating the man widely known as 'The Donald'.

'I think, if the Republican part choose Donald Trump they will find themselves in the wilderness for a very long time,' he said.

Trump is inching closer to the Republican nomination, having secured 673 of the 1237 party delegates required to win

Mr Pyne predicted the Republican Party would find themselves in the political wilderness for a long time if Trump is their candidate this election

Trump has secured 673 of the 1237 party delegates required to win the nomination, far ahead of his nearest rival Senator Ted Cruz, from Texas.

One of his major opponents, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, dropped out of the race this week following a dismal performance.

Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is inching closer to clinching the Democratic Party nomination.

She swept to victory in every state that voted on Tuesday, taking Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Illinois.

Mrs Clinton was also the presumptive winner in Missouri, where the final vote count was still being tallied on Thursday.
A police dog has been hailed a hero after dodging AK-47 bullets to flush out a terrorist siege gunman in Belgium.

Mohamed Belkaid, who was suspected of having links to the Paris massacre in November was gunned down in Brussels after a shoot-out with police on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old Algerian fired from the apartment as armed police stormed their way through the neighbourhood.

The 36-year-old Algerian fired from the apartment as police stormed their way through the neighbourhood

Belgian investigators are still hunting two suspects who fled an apartment one day after a police sniper killed the gunman holed up inside

A German Shepherd (file photo), carrying a surveillance camera, is said to have miraculously dodged the bullets and police in Belgium have hailed the canine as the hero of the siege

A German Shepherd, carrying a surveillance camera, is said to have miraculously dodged the bullets and police in Belgium have hailed the canine as the hero of the siege, according to The Sun.

Belgian investigators are still hunting two suspects who fled the apartment one day after a police sniper killed the gunman holed up inside.

Authorities found a stock of ammunition and an ISIS flag there,according to officials.

Four officers were wounded in the joint French-Belgian raid in a Brussels neighbourhood and related searches.

Prosecutors yesterday released, without charges, two men they held in the wake of the raid, leaving the hunt on for two suspects who have not been identified. Prosecutor Eric Van der Sypt said they 'are being actively sought'.

Illegal immigrant Belkaid's only contact with authorities appeared to be a two-year-old theft charge, said Thierry Werts, a Belgian prosecutor.

ISIS fanatics murdered 130 people in the French capital on November 13 when they targeted bars and restaurants, the Stade de France stadium and the Bataclan music hall in a wave of gun and suicide bomb attacks.

Masked police forces seen on Chaussee de Neerstalle, Neerstalle Steenweg, near the site of a shooting in the rue du Dries-Driesstraat in Forest-Vorst, Brussels yesterday

In November, the mastermind behind the Paris terror plot was killed during a special forces siege on a flat in Saint Denis, close to where four arrests were made today.

Abdelhamid Abaaoud, 27, died in a gun and grenade battle which saw 5,000 rounds of ammunition fired by police. Officers were seen removing two bodies from the apartment this afternoon.

French prosecutor Francois Molins revealed that neither Abaaoud nor Salah Abdeslam, who went on the run after the attacks, were among the seven people arrested in Saint Denis that day.
Victorian Police have named in court documents Melbourne businessman and pizza chain owner Tony Madafferi as a suspect in the alleged $200,000 contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro.

Court documents claim that police have accused Antonio 'Tony' Madafferi of allegedly putting the $200,000 bounty on the head of his former family friend because he believed Acquaro was leaking information to the media, the ABC reported.

Mr Madafferi describes himself in court documents as owning 'business interests business interests, including stalls at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market, property developments, supermarkets and an involvement in the nationwide La Porchetta pizza chain'.

Joseph 'Pino' Acquaro, a sometime mafia lawyer, was gunned down outside his gelato bar at Brunswick East, in Melbourne inner northern suburbs in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Detectives from the anti-gangland Task Force Ourana believe the assassination-style murder of Mr Aquaro was a direct and deliberate attack.

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Victorian Police have named Melbourne businessman Tony Madafferi (pictured) as a suspect in the $200,000 alleged contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro, an allegation Mr Madafferi strenuously denies

Victorian Police have named Melbourne businessman Tony Madafferi as a suspect in the $200,000 alleged contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro (above)

Joseph 'Pino' Acquaro, a sometime mafia lawyer, was gunned down outside his gelato bar at Brunswick East, in Melbourne inner northern suburbs in the early hours of Tuesday morning (pictured, the crime scene)

The police suspicions surrounding Tony Madafferi, who is the brother of Melbourne mafia drug kingpin Frank Madafferi, were revealed when Supreme Court Judge John Dixon lifted a suppression order on affadavits on Thursday.

The affidavits which name Tony Madafferi were part of a defamation action he has filed against Fairfax Media, which was due to be heard in August.

The affidavits claim that detectives visited Mr Madafferi at his fruit shop in south-eastern Melbourne after they had met with Mr Acquaro and warned him that there was a contract on his head and that his life was in danger.

The documents say detectives told Mr Madafferi they believed he was soliciting a hit on Mr Acquaro and that if something happened to the lawyer, they would consider Mr Madafferi their prime suspect.

Court documents claim that police have accused Antonio 'Tony' Madafferi of allegedly put the $200k bounty on the head of Joe Acquaro (pictured) because he believed Acquaro was leaking information to the media

Joseph Acquaro, 54, whose body was found by a garbage worker on Tuedsay morning in inner nortehrn Melbourne (pictured) had a career representing prominent Calabrian Australians, some of whom had mafia links

The ABC reported that Tony Madafferi had strenuously denied the allegations. There is no suggestion that Mr Madafferi had any involvement in Mr Acquaro's death.

In his court write, Mr Madafferi states that he is also 'well-known as a host of the Bruce Campaign Fundraising Dinner ... to raise funds to assist the election campaign of the Liberal Party candidate for the federal electorate of Bruce'.

Joseph Acquaro, 54, had a career representing prominent Calabrian Australians, some of whom had mafia links.

He represented Tony Madafferi's brother Frank Madafferi and former mafia crime boss Pasquale Barbaro when both men were accused on their part in a 2007 importation of 1.2 million Ecstasy tablets from Italy.

More than 30 men were convicted and jailed over the plot to smuggle the drugs in tomato tins to Australia.

Frank Madafferi received a ten-year sentence. Pasquale Barbaro is serving life.
Females only gestate for 20 days before laying an egg into their pouch

Last year, the scientists produced 14 births in the past five years

They will focus on discovering why the anatomy functions the way it does

Scientists who successfully bred echidnas in captivity will now shift their focus on discovering why the four-headed penis of male echidnas function the way it does.

Last year, researchers at the University of Queensland and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary made a break-through after spending five years breeding 14 short-beaked echidna puggles.

On Thursday, sanctuary supervisor of mammals Sarah Eccleston told 612 ABC Brisbane's Kelly Higgins Devine four-headed penis on males were a fascinating piece of anatomy.

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An echidna puggle at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, one of 14 successful births in the past five years

Australia scientists are studying the fuction of the four-headed penis of male echidnas (stock image)

'They have to be quite well endowed to get around the spines,' she said.

'One time they will use two heads, then the next time they will use the other two heads.

'Each of the rosettes (heads) do not all produce sperm at once; they use two of the heads at a time to ejaculate sperm.'

A female echidna typically has a 20-day gestation period before laying an egg directly into her temporary pouch that develops when she is pregnant and regresses when her baby no longer needed.

The puggles hatch about 10 days after the egg is laid, and stay in the pouch for two to three months.

'Most marsupials that have a pouch have three vaginas too, so it does help in the reproduction of echidnas when the male has multiple penis heads,' Ms Eccleston said.

An echidna-breeding partnership has proved so successful that researchers believe it could help save the endangered species - previously thought impossible because of their four-headed penis

This comes after UQ School of Agriculture and Food Sciences reproductive zoologist Associate Professor Stephen Johnston said echidnas have a 'bizarre' method of reproduction.

'The male has a four-headed penis, and uses two of those heads at a time to ejaculate sperm,' he said.

Mr Johnston, said the program had produced more puggles than any other zoo in the world.

'Up to a few years ago it was thought almost impossible to breed echidnas in captivity, and most births were somewhat accidental and unplanned,' Dr Johnston said.

'Now we can pretty much predict that, if we put A and B together and provide the right environmental conditions, a mating is likely to be successful.

'This breeding season our echidnas have already produced five eggs.'

The researchers hope that the knowledge can also be applied to endangered long-beaked echidnas, to ensure the species survives habitat loss and hunting

Dr Johnston said short-beaked echidnas (pictured) like those born at Currumbin were relatively common in the wild in Australia, but time was running out for their larger cousins, the long-beaked echidnas

HOW DO ECHIDNAS MATE? Males follow the female before the female signals it is ready to mate by digging its legs and head into the ground. The male will then dig a rut next to the female

A male has a four-headed penis, but only uses two of those heads at a time to ejaculate sperm when mating with a female

The male will then use the other two heads the next time it mates

A female echidna typically has a 20-day gestation period before laying an egg directly into her temporary pouch that develops when she is pregnant and regresses when her baby no longer needs it

The puggles hatch about 10 days after the egg is laid, and stay in the pouch for two to three months

When the puggles hatch they are only 1.5 centimetres long and will travel further down their mother's pouch to get milk

At seven months old the mother echidna leaves and the puggles are left to fend for themselves Source: ABC Science Advertisement

Dr Johnston said short-beaked echidnas like those born at Currumbin were relatively common in the wild in Australia, but time was running out for their larger cousins, the long-beaked echidnas.

UQ and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary plan to establish a research centre to increase knowledge of monotreme reproduction (egg laying) and biology.
A busty First Dates contestant dubbed the 'coke queen' was a rollerskating waitress and model for the Candyman, the Gold Coast tobacco tycoon, at his infamous party.

Jemma Clark, who appeared in an awkward date with 'Shane' on Wednesday's show, was pictured dancing at Travers Beynon's wild 'party of a lifetime' last December.

She was one of scores of scantily dressed women who attended the lavish gig at Mr Beynon's party pad, which is styled similarly to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion.

The mother-of-three was handed an 18-month suspended sentence last December after admitting supplying 45 ecstasy pills and 2g of cocaine to her friends on the Gold Coast.

There is no suggestion Mr Beynon is associated with Ms Clark's drug conviction.

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Mother of three Jemma Clark, 36, joined hundreds of revellers at Travers Beynon's 'party of a lifetime' last year

Ms Clark (right), wearing pink hair, shorts and knee-high socks, was a waitress at Travers Beynon's party

Ms Clark posted a series of pictures on Instagram of her experience at the party - including waitressing snaps

Ms Clark, 36, was more modestly dressed when she appeared on First Dates on Wednesday evening

Date time: Ms Clark was matched with 'Instagram model' Shane, 31, on First Dates on Wednesday night

A spokesman for Mr Beynon told Daily Mail Australia he did not know Ms Clark: 'She was a rollerskating waitress that was booked through an external agency,' he said.

Mr Beynon has no association with the drug incident.

The heavily tattooed Ms Clark was pictured serving shots to guests as they arrived at the businessman's extravagant party.

The Candyman has become well known for his controversial antics over the past year and his December bash was no different.

The night's entertainment included a mock gun battle, an elephant named Sabu and an enormous fireworks display on the river that accidentally sparked a bushfire.

The businessman also staged a mock execution of A Current Affair reporter Lisa Goddard, who has aired a number of critical stories about his life.

By all accounts, Ms Clark also appeared to enjoy herself through the evening, posting a number of snaps captioned #candymanhasthehottestgirls.

'The Candyman' Travers Beynon is pictured with his wife, Taesha (left), and a blond model at the party

The party at Mr Beynon's Helensvale pad on the Gold Coast featured a mock gun battle

A fire-twirler in a skimpy outfit performs for the crowd of 500 who attended the Helensvale party

Two partygoers have a great time splashing about in Mr Beynon's pool on the night of the party

A pair of young women relax and enjoy themselves at the Candy Shop Mansion party last year

Sabu the elephant was also in attendance along with a variety of other zoo animals

A lavish fireworks display sparked a bushfire over the river from the so-called Candy Shop Mansion

On Thursday, Ms Clark, who also has a taste for controversy, admitted to narrowly avoiding jail for selling drugs last year.

She was handed an 18-month suspended sentence last December after admitting supplying 45 ecstasy pills and 2g of cocaine to her friends on the Gold Coast in January and February 2014.

A court heard she was caught with drugs when police pulled over her car as she drove out of a Bandidos clubhouse on the Gold Coast.

Her conviction came two years after she was given a six-month good behaviour bond for hiding 2g of cocaine in her baby's nappy bag.

'At the end of the day we all go through things in life that we're not proud of,' Ms Clark said on The Morning Show.

'It's something that I've dealt with and it is going to take an effect on my life no matter what I do.

'But I've learnt my lesson and I'm going to move on with life.'

'It is something that I knew would come out'.

The former Playboy model narrowly avoided jail after being convicted of selling cocaine and ecstasy

'At the end of the day we all go through things in life that we're not proud of,' she said of her drug convictions

The brunette socialite has previously partied with rapper Snoop Dog

Flaunting it: She regularly takes to social media to showcase the tattoos splashed across her body
New York's famous Plaza Hotel is hitting the auction block next month, and it could sell for more than $1billion, it was reported on Wednesday.

Billionaire brothers David and Simon Reuben hold the mortgage for the storied five-star hotel and scheduled a foreclosure auction for April 26, a source said.

The auction was prompted after the hotel's 75 per cent owner Sahara India Pariwar - whose chairman went to prison in 2014 for defrauding investors - defaulted on loan agreements, according to Bloomberg.

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New York's famous Plaza Hotel is hitting the auction block next month, and sources say that it could sell for more than $1billion

The five-star hotel that looks over Central Park was built in 1907. The Plaza's 282 hotel rooms, restaurants and retail shops are all for sale

The Reuben brothers have debated selling the property for quite some time, and the luxury hotel property could be auctioned off for more than $1billion next month, another source familiar with the matter revealed.

'The Baccarat just went for $2 million a key,' one hotel developer told The New York Post, referencing a luxury hotel that sold for $230million last month to a China-based insurance group.

'The Plaza will likely go for more,' the developer suggested, adding that it could go for $3million per ky for the 108 suits and $2million per key for the other rooms 'due to its trophy location on Fifth Avenue and its history'.

The Plaza's 282 hotel rooms, restaurants and retail shops are all for sale. The property is being sold in a package that includes Dream Downtown hotel in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood located a block from the High Line, a source told Bloomberg.

The property (pictured) is being sold in a package that includes Dream Downtown hotel in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood located a block from the High Line

The auction was prompted after the hotel's 75 per cent owner Sahara India Pariwar defaulted on loan agreements. Pictured above is a large ballroom in the hotel

The plaza, which has both hotel rooms and condos, sits at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South

Insiders suggested that the auction would take place through multiple rounds of sealed biddings.

Built in 1907, the Plaza also has 152 privately owned condo hotel units.

The Plaza, located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South has changed owners several times over its 109-year history.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump even had his hand in the hotel for a few years.

He bought the chateau-like property for $407million in 1988 and married his second wife, Marla Maples there. Just seven years later he sold it for only $325million to a group including Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal of Saudi Arabia.

That group then sold it to Israel's Elad Group, which converted some hotel rooms into condos.

The Reuben Brothers have not commented on the foreclosure auction.

The Neo-Baroque lobby of Plaza Hotel features large chandeliers, marble tables and extravagant wall decorations

The Plaza also has 152 privately owned condo hotel units. Pictured above is a stairwell inside the five-star hotel
A heartbroken carpenter has spent the past few days tragically building his toddler's boat-shaped coffin after the two-year-old mysteriously died in his sleep.

Gold Coast father Shannon Trounce, 34, had promised his son Jax, two, that he would take him out on the water - his favourite place in the world - over the weekend.

But when they woke on Saturday morning little Jax had stopped breathing after being put to bed with a mild fever, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

By the time Shannon's parents found him, Jax' lips were blue and he was unable to be revived.

Heartbroken father Shannon Trounce has built his own son's boat-shaped coffin after the two-year-old toddler died in his sleep on Saturday

Jax, 2, was tucked into bed with a mild fever but hours later he was found unconscious with blue lips

Daddy's boat: Jax absolutely loved to be on the water - particularly in his father's wakeboarding boat

Jax was the couple's 'miracle boy' - a surprise baby that came after years of unsuccessful attempts at starting a family

'I told him that we'd go on the boat on Saturday and it never got to happen,' a tearful Mr Trounce said.

'I'm never going to be able to build him anything else ... so I really wanted to do this for him.'

Shannon Trounce and his partner Renee Pask, 39, will now have the heart-wrenching job of saying goodbye to their beloved boy - still no closer to understanding how he died.

Ms Pask said Jax was their 'miracle boy' - a surprise baby that came after years of unsuccessful attempts at starting a family and two failed cycles of IVF.

'We went through so much to have him ... He was an angel,' she said.

Jax's mother Renee uploaded a touching photo to her Facebook of the pair walking hand in hand

The parents will now have the heart-wrenching job of saying goodbye to their beloved boy - still no closer to understanding how he died

Their only child's funeral will take place at their family home in Helensvale this Saturday, but the parents could be waiting weeks to find out the results of his autopsy.

Ms Pask remains baffled as to how her perfectly healthy, beautiful, bubbly son could pass away so suddenly.

She took to Facebook to share a photo of her holding Jax's hand while walking along the beach, writing: 'I will hold your hand forever and ever my one and only Bubba I promise you.'

Tributes from friends and family have flooded the pair's social media pages, offering heartfelt condolences for the untimely tragedy.

Mr Trounce changed his display picture to a photo of him lying next to his son Jax - a perfectly healthy, bubbly and loving boy
A sexual predator who ran an 'evil' global child porn network from his bedroom has been jailed for more than 15 years.

Matthew David Graham, 23, started sharing footage of the sexual torture, murder and mutilation of children and babies on the dark web from his family home in Melbourne when he was just 19.

The university student, who operated under the pseudonym 'Lux', encouraged the abduction and murder of a girl in Russia and the abuse of a paralysed and mute girl by her carer.

A four-part video shared by Graham which showed an 18-month-old girl being tied up, gagged and burnt among other horrific acts was described by a judge as 'the worst thing he had ever seen'.

Matthew David Graham, 23, who ran an 'evil' global child porn network from his bedroom, has been jailed for more than 15 years

Judge Michael Tinney said Graham's level of offending was unprecedented and its scale had never before been dealt with by authorities in Australia.

'You were, in fact, a world player seeking to exercise influence and actually achieving influence on like-minded people in this country and around the world from the comfort of your bedroom in South Morang,' he told Graham in the Victoria County Court.

Graham pleaded guilty in September to 13 charges including setting up child pornography websites on the 'dark web' and advising a Russian man how to rape and murder a five-year-old girl.

The court heard how the vile abuser controlled other paedophiles and gave them detailed instructions on how to produce child pornography and abuse children.

'You were at the very top of the tree,' Judge Tinney said.

His services offered an extreme form of a child pornography called 'hurtcore', which showed sickening torture and sexual acts being carried out on children, even babies and toddlers.

Two of his websites were called 'Hurt 2 The Core' or 'Love 2 The Core', and as a condition of membership people were required to upload a certain number of videos.

On these sites, users had access to child prostitutes, images under titles including 'delicious little boys' and 'yummy little girls', and videos of 'sexy little' boys and girls, The Kernel reported.

Two of his websites were called 'Hurt 2 The Core' (above) or 'Love 2 The Core', and as a condition of membership people were required to upload a certain number of videos to enter

On these sites, users had access to child prostitutes, images of 'delicious little boys' and 'yummy little girls', and videos of 'sexy little boys'

A sample of topics on Hurt 2 The Core's message boards in June 2013 included 'Producing kiddie porn for dummies', 'Toddler childporn star', 'Crying rape' and 'Need ideas for blackmailed girl'.

His websites attracted up to 400,000 hits-a-day and included people who posted images of themselves abusing their own children.

Graham also shared, with great fanfare, a video which showed an assault on an 18-month-old girl, the court heard.

THE DARK WEB EXPLAINED The 'dark web' is a term that essentially refers to websites that are visible to the public but hides their server information, including their IP addresses and identity. By doing this, it proves to be very difficult to find out the owner, administrator or manager of a website. They cannot be found in search engines. Nearly all sites on the 'dark web' use a tool called the 'Tor encryption tool' to keep their identities or location hidden. The 'dark web' should not be confused with the 'deep web', which is a term used to describe all web pages that cannot be found or searched for in search engines. The 'deep web' includes the 'dark web', but also includes user databases (like ones belonging to Ashley Madison), pages locked behind pay walls or password protected. Advertisement

The video was made in the Philippines by notorious Australian paedophile Peter Scully, and Graham tried to sell it for up to 900 bitcoins.

Judge Tinney, who was forced to watch the footage, said: 'An infant, totally trusting, totally dependent, totally helpless, is tortured.'

The court heard that his empire was so cruel that other pedophiles refused to mix with him. He is currently in solitary confinement after being assaulted in jail.

He operated his vile network via the dark web, which he came across when he retreated into his room at his parents' home in 2012.

The empire of 'pure evil' he created over the next two years was judged by law enforcement officials to be one of the biggest in the world, with some of the worst content.

Graham, who was not actually producing the vile images himself, told police he wanted to be 'the biggest and the best'.

He also taunted the FBI, at one point writing: 'Well, it looks like this empire hasn't fallen just yet. To any law enforcement agencies reading this, f*** you.'

Diagnosed with a schizoid personality disorder, Graham was disconnected from the suffering of the children, as though he were 'from another planet', the court heard.

Graham's parents, who stand by him, could not have imagined in their wildest dreams the evil and twisted life he was leading from the confines of his bedroom, Judge Tinney said.

He accepted Graham had now shown some remorse.

Graham was sentenced to 15 years and six months in prison but will be eligible for parole after a decade. He has already served some 570 days in jail.

Graham has been linked to Australian businessman Peter Gerard Scully who is up on child sex abuse charges in the Philippines

Graham, who studied nanotechnology at LaTrobe University, first came across websites similar to the ones he would soon be running after hacking activist group Anonymous infiltrated a child pornography website called 'Lolita City' in 2011.

This site could also only be accessed by a Tor encryption tool.

Graham went searching for the websites hacked by Anonymous during Operation Darknet, which was announced on 4chan - a freedom of speech image-bulletin board.

Soon Graham's pseudonym made it onto the FBI's most wanted child sex offenders and after a two-year joint investigation by the FBI, Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, Canadian police and Europol, 'Lux' was charged with 88 offences last year.

Previously, the 22-year-old said he was not a fan of the fetishes he listed on his site, but he did admit to The Kernel as Lux that he had paedophilic urges as a teenager.

During their investigations, authorities also discovered a connection between Graham, who was a babysitter, and Australian businessman Peter Gerard Scully who has been accused of running an international paedophile ring in the Philippines.

The 51-year-old was arrested in February on charges of sexually abusing 11 children - the youngest of whom was only 18 months old - and killing another young girl.

Scully is currently being held in a prison in Cagayan de Oro in the country's south.

Graham has also been linked to former Adelaide childcare worker Shannon McCoole, also known as Skee, who sexually abused seven children - six of whom were in his care.

The 33-year-old was the administrator of a global child pornography website, where he uploaded child abuse content, some of which he committed himself.

He was jailed for 35 years by a South Australia District Court judge last month.

Graham is set to be sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on February 3.
A cycle patrol policeman has been 'deliberately' run down when he tried to pull over two men in south London, Scotland Yard said today.

The 39-year-old officer needed hospital treatment after being struck as he attempted to stop a car as it travelled through Peckham on Wednesday afternoon.

Detectives said he was 'extremely fortunate' to have escaped without serious harm, although he sustained arm and leg injuries in the collision.

Attempted murder: A police officer was 'deliberately' knocked down in Kennington Park Road, South London, (pictured) after he tried to pull over two men in a car yesterday

The officer, from the Met's Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), was on patrol in Kennington Park Road, SE11 at around 2.45pm on Wednesday when he tried to stop a black Vauxhall Meriva.

Victim: The officer, who was on his bike (file picture), had dismounted when the car struck him and knocked him onto the bonnet

A police spokesman said: 'The vehicle appeared to deliberately run over the officer who had got off his bicycle. He was struck by the car and ended up on the bonnet before falling to the ground.

'The suspects drove off at speed in the direction of Peckham, via Camberwell Green Road.

'The 39-year-old male police constable was taken by the London Ambulance Service to a south London hospital with leg and arm injuries. He has since been discharged and is recovering at home.'

Witnesses have been urged to come forward with any information that may help police trace the car, which was found abandoned less than a mile away around an hour later.

Detective Sergeant Ranjit Sekhon, from the RTPC, said: 'I would urge anyone who witnessed either the collision or the car speeding away to contact us. I would also like to speak with anyone who saw two men running from the car after it was parked in Frederick Crescent.

'It is extremely fortunate that the officer, who was attempting a routine traffic stop, was not more seriously injured.

'It is important that we speak with as many people as possible to piece together the moments leading up to the collision.'

Two men, aged 23 and 22, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. They remain in custody at a south London police station.
Plan to stop Muslims from entering US a 'potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups', researchers say

Donald Trump winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilizing the world economy, researchers claim.

Victory for the Republican front-runner has been given a 'score' of 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic 'hard landing' (rated 20), according to British research group EIU.

In the latest version of its Global Risk assessment, the Economist Intelligence Unit justified the threat level by highlighting the tycoon's alienation towards China as well as his comments on Islamist extremism.

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Donald Trump winning the US presidency represents a global threat on a par with jihadist militancy destabilising the world economy, researchers claim

Victory for the Republican front-runner has been ranked at 12 on an index where the current top threat is a Chinese economic 'hard landing' rated 20, according to British research group EIU

It said a proposal to stop Muslims from entering the United States would be a 'potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups'.

It also raised the spectre of a trade war under a Trump presidency and pointed out that his policies 'tend to be prone to constant revision'.

'He has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), and has repeatedly labelled China as a 'currency manipulator'.' it said.

'He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jiadhi terrorism, including, among other things, advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS (and acquire its oil).'

By comparison it gave a possible armed clash in the South China Sea an eight - the same as the threat posed by Britain leaving the European Union - and ranked an emerging market debt crisis at 16.

The researchers said they did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton (pictured)

A Trump victory, it said, would at least scupper the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February, while 'his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war.'

'There are risks to this forecast, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn,' it added.

However, the organisation said it did not expect Trump to defeat his most likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in an election and pointed out that Congress would likely block some of his more radical proposals if he won November's election.

Rated at 12 alongside the prospect of a Trump presidency was the threat of ISIS, which the EIU said risked ending a five-year bull run on US and European stock markets if terrorist attacks escalated.
A large mural of Kim Kardashian's naked body that was plastered on the wall of an inner-Melbourne suburb has been defaced again with a crude message aimed to fat shame.

A hooded person was caught on a newly installed CCTV camera tagging the mural with the words 'no fat chicks'.

Using white spray paint on the black censor bar the person ensured the words were clearly visible.

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A hooded person was caught on a new CCTV camera vandalising Kim Kardashian's mural by spray painting a crude comment aimed at fat shaiming

The anonymous artist Lushsux, who painted the mural, posted the video on Instagram sharing the vandal's work with thousands of followers.

'No fat chicks? Newly installed cctv captures kimkardashian copping it sweet again, haha,' wrote Lushsux.

This is not the first time the 10-metre tall mural that mirrors a controversial selfie posted on social media by the blonde reality star has been vandalised.

On Tuesday black and white paint was thrown at the mural and the word 's**t' was also scrawled in black paint just above the bottom of two black bars strategically placed on the mother-of-two's naked body.

The artist said that he is disappointed that his mural was defaced but that it was inevitable.

'[I'm] pretty bummed, but it was a given considering the subject matter,' Lushsux told Pedestrian.tv.

Alex Mitchell, from Backwards Gallery in Collingwood, has represented the artist, who prefers to maintain his anonymity, for four years and said Lushsux has done extensive work around the Melbourne area.

The vandal tagged the mural which was painted last week with 'no fat chicks'

'The Kim Kardashian mural was done on Saturday and the Donald Trump one was last weekend,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

He is a prolific street artist and does non-stop work on topical subjects like Kim's photo - once it got a few million likes he thought it would be pretty appropriate.'

The mural is a reproduction of a selfie Mrs Kardashian-West uploaded last week which attracted 1.6 million likes and hundreds of thousands of comments.

White and brown paint was thrown onto the 10 metre tall mural that mirrors a controversial selfie posted on social media by the blonde reality star last week

A large mural of Kim Kardashian 's naked body that was plastered on the wall of an inner- Melbourne suburb on Monday was defaced just a couple of hours later (pictured)

It first appeared on the side of a building in Gwynne Street in Cremorne, an inner suburb of Melbourne, with local street artist Lushsux taking responsibility for the on-trend work of art

The mural is a reproduction of a selfie Mrs Kardashian-West uploaded last week which attracted 1.6 million likes and hundreds of thousands of comments

'The Kim Kardashian mural was done on Saturday and the Donald Trump one was last weekend,' Lushsux manager said

The photo appears to be from 2015, with Mrs Kardashian-West's hair peroxide blonde hair giving a strong indication the photo is a throwback from her stint at Paris Fashion Week.

Following the controversy that surrounded the censored image, Mrs Kardashian-West penned an essay hitting back at critics like Bette Midler, Chloe Moretz and Piers Morgan who 'body shamed' the self proclaimed 'selfie queen' for exposing herself online.

She called for an end to 's**t-shaming' and said people need to get over her old sex tape.

Mrs Kardashian-West said she wouldn't apologise for being 'empowered' by her sexuality on International Women's day - one day after her nude selfie sparked a social media uproar.

'It always seems to come back around to my sex tape,' wrote Kim of the critics. 'Yes, a sex tape that was made 13 years ago. 13 YEARS AGO. Literally that lonnng ago. And people still want to talk about it?!?!'
For more of the latest news from Turkey visit www.dailymail.co.uk/turkey

The female suicide bomber who blew herself up in a crowded public transport hub in Ankara on Sunday, killing 37 people, has been identified as a 24-year-old Kurdish separatist

Seher Cagla Demir was a members of the Kurdistan Free Hawks (TAK), who became a rebel in 2013 and had trained in Syria, before carrying out the suicide blast on the Turkish capital.

In a statement on its website, TAK named the woman bomber as Seher Cagla Demir, who had been involved since 2013 in a 'radical fight against a policy of massacre and denial against the Kurdish people.'

'On the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out... in Ankara, the heart of the fascist Turkish republic,' the statement said. The group also posted a picture of the 24-year-old woman online.

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Bomber: Seher Cagla Demir , 24, was a members of the Kurdistan Free Hawks (TAK), who became a rebel in 2013 and had trained in Syria, before carrying out the suicide blast in Ankara on Sunday, killing 37 people

Rebel: Turkish media have released video of Demir attending a May Day march with pro-Kurdish BD Party

Clash: Labour Day marches are traditionally politically charged with demonstrators often clashing with police

It comes as Germany closed its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul due to indications that an attack could be imminent while a German school in Istanbul was also shut due to an 'unconfirmed warning'.

TAK leaders, describing Demir as the first female suicide bomber in its ranks, took responsibility for the bombing earlier this week - and said it would attack security forces again.

The Turkey-based Kurdistan Free Hawks (TAK) group is considered an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and has carried out several attacks in the past including one in Ankara in February that killed 29 people.

Turkish media have published a video footage purportedly of Demir at a May 1 Labour Day protest in 2013.

She is seen joining hands with fellow protesters in a traditional Kurdish dance casually dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

In a second video she is seen marching in the street carrying a poster that proclaims 'Long live socialism', in Kurdish.

Additional photographs published by the Turkish press show her wearing a yellow, green and red headband - colours synonymous with Kurdish independence.

It comes as Germany closed its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul due to indications that an attack could be imminent while a German school in Istanbul was also shut due to an 'unconfirmed warning'.

TAK had previously claimed responsibility for a car bombing in Ankara last month that killed 29 people.

Ankara has now been hit by three bombings in a space of five months, ratcheting up security fears across the city and Turkey.

In a statement posted online, the group described the latest car bombing as revenge for security operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast that have been under way since July, in which hundreds of civilians, security forces and militants have been killed.

TAK said it had not intended to kill civilians and was targeting security forces.

It said a large number of civilians had been killed after police intervened, without explaining exactly how, and warned that further civilian deaths were 'inevitable'.

The Kurdistan Free Hawks said it carried out the suicide blast on Sunday at a crowded public transport hub in the city - and said it would attack security forces again

The Turkey-based Kurdistan Free Hawks is considered an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK

A woman cries over the coffin of a car bombing victim during a commemoration ceremony in a mosque

Relatives of Feyza Acisu one of the victims who was killed in an explosion cries during the funeral in Ankara

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu puts a Turkish flag to the place where the terror attack took place

TAK says it split off from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), although experts who follow Kurdish militants say the groups retain ties.

At least 40,000 people have been killed since the PKK began its fight for Kurdish autonomy in the southeast three decades ago.

The increased violence in Turkey has also put strain on the NATO member's relationship with the United States, which is supporting a Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, in the fight against ISIS in Syria.
The family of a man who beat up pedophile Subway pitch man Jared Fogle in a prison yard says he is lucky to still be alive.

Fogle, who is serving a 15 year jail term for trading child pornography and having sex with underage prostitutes, was tackled to the ground and then punched repeatedly in the face by fellow inmate Steven Nigg in January.

The 38-year-old was left with a bloody nose, scratched neck and a swollen face following the punch-up with Nigg, a 60-year-old serving time for armed robbery at Colorado's Englewood FCI.

The former Subway spokesman was attacked by a fellow inmate in the prison yard at Englewood FCI

Now one of the nephews of Nigg said his uncle was forced to act as Fogle has been acting like a 'big shot' ever since he arrived at the jail in November.

Jimmy Nigg Jnr, told the New York Daily News: 'Jared's lucky he's still alive. My uncle was in a position to kill him. No one was there.

'He got him down, then walked away. Hes not a violent guy, he doesnt have a violent history. Hes sending a message is what hes doing.

Alleged attacker: Steven Nigg is accused of beating up Jared Fogle

'A guy walks in with all this money and celebrity and instead of flying under the radar, hes going into the yard, walking around with big guys, saying no one can mess with me, flashing his money around and that's what (my uncle) is p****d off about.'

Mr Nigg Jnr also added that his uncle attacked Fogle to get back at him for his crimes.

He added: 'He said these kids (the victims) got dads and uncles and they'd love to do what I just did. I'm doing it for the families. I couldn't help it.'

According to the official report filed at the prison, Nigg, 'assaulted Fogle by pushing him to the ground and striking Fogle multiple times in the face with a closed fist.'

'Fogle sustained a small cut on his hand and an abrasion on his left knee from the concrete during the assault.'

Nigg, who is serving time on gun charges related to a decades-old crime spree through Arizona, assaulted Fogle in the prison's recreation yard.

The armed robber walked away from the fight unscathed but was punished with time spent in solitary confinement, TMZ reported .

Nigg - who has been behind bars on and off from 1976 was reportedly angry at the many child sex predators housed in the low security facility.

Fogle rose to fame when he appeared in the fast-food chain's adverts, after shedding more than 200lbs (91kg), in part by eating Subway sandwiches.

But a raid on his suburban Indianapolis home and the resulting criminal case destroyed his lucrative career with the sandwich restaurant chain.

Account: This is the prison incident report for the January 29 assault upon Jared Fogle by Steven Nigg

He pleaded guilty to one count each of travelling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and distribution and receipt of child pornography.

Fogle, a father-of-two, also admitted having sex with two prostitutes aged under 18 at hotels in New York City.

His earliest possible release date is July 11, 2029 - just a month before his 52nd birthday.

His attacker, Nigg, is scheduled for a 2024 release from prison.

Fogle rose to fame when he appeared in the fast-food chain's adverts, after shedding more than 200lbs (91kg), in part by eating Subway sandwiches

He initially served time in prison from 1976 to 1990 when he and partner in crime carried out three armed robberies, stealing $670.

Having been set free, Nigg moved to Wisconsin where he moved in with his father, married and began working at a consignment shop.
EU leaders have been urged not to make Greece 'a refugee camp for the rest of Europe' ahead of a two-day summit to discuss Turkey's role in tackling the migrant crisis.

With European unity fraying in the face of more than a million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey - the source of most refugees heading to Greece - is seen as the key partner to contain the influx.

European leaders gathering in Brussels today are expected to push ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey.

It comes as pictures emerged of the squalid conditions facing migrants who are camping out in northern Greece, at its border with Macedonia.

EU leaders have been urged not to make Greece 'a refugee camp for the rest of Europe'. Refugees are pictured queuing in northern Greece

Squalor: Refugee children walk in the mud at a makeshift migrant camp in the northern Greek border post of Idomeni

EU Commission vice president Frans Timmermans warned last night that agreement with Turkey was vital if the bloc was to resolve the crisis.

He said: 'How are you going to help Greece without having an agreement with Turkey to handle the issue? Do you really want to condemn Greece to become a refugee camp for the rest of Europe?'

The U.N. refugee agency has reservations about asylum standards in Turkey and rights groups are concerned over Ankara's crackdown on the media and its bloody conflict with Kurdish rebels.

Destabilised by the passage of hundreds of thousands of migrants, countries in the Balkans have begun to tighten border controls, with Macedonia north of Greece having all but locked the gates.

Thousands have been camped on the Greek side desperately hoping to move on toward Germany or Scandinavia.

Under the agreement, which could be sealed with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday, Turkey would stop migrants leaving and take back from Greece all 'new arrivals' not eligible for asylum.

Destabilised by the passage of hundreds of thousands of migrants, countries in the Balkans have begun to tighten border controls, with Macedonia north of Greece having all but locked the gates

Thousands have been camped on the Greek side desperately hoping to move on toward Germany or Scandinavia.

For every irregular migrant returned, EU countries would take in one Syrian refugee from Turkey, up to a total of about 70,000 refugees resettled in all in a process supervised by the UNHCR, diplomats say.

'This will be a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order,' says a draft of EU leaders joint statement with Turkey, seen by The Associated Press.

In exchange, the EU could provide Turkey with up to 6 billion euros to help the 2.7 million Syrian refugees there, and speed up EU membership talks and an easing of visa rules for Turkish citizens.

Rights groups fear the deal is a fig-leaf to hide the deportation of migrants, even though the EU insists that each person can make a case in an interview and has the right to appeal.

Changes made to the draft deal since it was made public on March 7 'do little to hide Europe's shameful planned mass return of refugees to Turkey,' Amnesty International said Wednesday.

Within the 28-nation EU, several countries are uncomfortable with parts of the agreement.

Cyprus is brandishing a veto if Turkey continues to refuse to recognize the island state. Spain objects to blanket returns.

An Afghan woman fills her plastic bottles with water as a Greek army officer stands outside a warehouse with supplies at a refugee camp in the western Athens' suburb of Schisto

Migrants from Afghanistan, wait in queues to receive food distributed by the Greek army at a refugee camp in Schisto

European leaders gathering in Brussels today are expected to push ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey. Refugees are pictured in northern Greece

Hungary has ruled out resettling any refugees from Turkey, claiming that it will only encourage more people to come.

Austria, France and Germany oppose Turkey's membership of the EU. France is constitutionally bound to hold a referendum on its accession. But it may not come to that; in a decade of membership talks Turkey has closed only one of the 35 policy chapters it must complete to join.

Beyond that lie real fears that shutting down Turkey and the Balkans migrant route will only open new ones in places like Albanian and Bulgaria, or that Syrians in Lebanon and Jordan might leave for Turkey, looking to be resettled.

'The catalogue of issues to be resolved before we can conclude an agreement is long,' EU Council President Donald Tusk wrote in an invitation to leaders on the eve of the summit he will chair.

Meanwhile, migrants in a squalid camp at Idomeni, northern Greece, are pleading for help amid dismal conditions.

At one tent in the Idomeni mud, 29-year-old Soukeina Baghdadi sipped a coffee and warmed herself by a fire shared with neighbors. Like many, she's hoping to move north to Germany - and hoping Europe's leaders can help.

'All the people here are waiting for the summit, waiting for the borders to open,' she said.

Baghdadi, who is Lebanese-born but lived in Iraq with her husband, is not keen on Europe's plan to distribute refugees like her in Greece to other EU countries.

'I don't want to go through the relocation process, because I'm told that would mean waiting between six months and a year,' she said.

Fatima Ahmad told NBC News she and her family were living like animals.

'We can't live like this. We need a room, a home... a warm bed. We need clean food, clean clothes.
The Australian pastor who was the last person to see the Bali Nine duo alive has revealed she sang hymns with Myuran Sukumaran to 'calm his mind and soul' seconds before he was executed by firing squad.

Sukumaran chose Christie Buckingham, a minister at Melbourne's Bayside Church, to be his spiritual advisor and official witness at the execution after the pair met when she was visiting Kerobokan Prison in Bali.

The mother-of-three travelled to Nusa Kambangan, also known as 'execution island,' on April 29, 2015 and spent time praying, singing and eating chocolate with Sukumaran in his cell before they were walked to the killing field just after midnight, Women's Weekly reported.

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Australian pastor Christie Buckingham (pictured) was the last person to see the Bali Nine duo alive and revealed she sang hymns with Myuran Sukumaran to 'calm his mind and soul' seconds before he was executed

Sukumaran (pictured) chose Christie Buckingham to be his spiritual advisor and official witness at the execution

As the firing squad tied the prisoners to crosses with cable ties - including Bali Nine ringleader Andrew Chan, four Nigerians, an Indonesian and a Brazilian - Ms Buckingham said she refused to leave until Sukumaran was ready.

'I was aware of what was happening behind me, but I hadn't got Myuran into the spiritual place where I'd promised I'd let him go,' she said.

As the shooters began to line up target laser pointers on the prisoner's hearts, Ms Buckingham said she angled herself to block the beam of light from Sukumaran's view.

The pair sang Bless the Lord and Amazing Grace before the pastor said she told him she loved him and would 'see him on the other side.'

As she went to leave the field, Chan beckoned her over to his post and told her to 'keep being God's woman.'

The mother-of-three (pictured far left) travelled to Nusa Kambangan, also known as 'execution island,' on April 29, 2015 and spent time praying, singing and eating chocolate with Sukumaran

As the firing squad tied the prisoners to crosses with cable ties - including Bali Nine ringleader Andrew Chan (pictured left)- Ms Buckingham said she refused to leave until Sukumaran was ready

'I was aware of what was happening behind me, but I hadn't got Myuran into the spiritual place where I'd promised I'd let him go,' Ms Buckingham (right) said

As the shooters began to line up target laser pointers on the prisoner's hearts, Ms Buckingham (pictured in green with Sukumaran's sister) said she angled herself to block the beam of light from Sukumaran's view

Ms Buckingham said plastic sheets were placed in front of the faces of the witnesses to obstruct their view as the prisoners were shot.

The minister described the moment as 'ethereal' and felt a strange sense of relief at the silence after the gun shots as she knew their pair had died immediately.

'I was told on the night that if Myu didn't die instantly, I would have to witness them shooting him in the head - it was my worst nightmare,' Ms Buckingham told Women's Weekly.

The mother-of-three admitted she condemned the Bali Nine after hearing of the young Australian's arrest in April 2005 for smuggling 8.3 kilogram of heroin from Indonesia.

However, on visiting the pair in prison she felt an instant sense the pair were rehabilitated.

'I could see the two boys were totally reformed and not only did they want to rehabilitate themselves, but others too,' she said.

The mother-of-three admitted she condemned the Bali Nine after hearing of the young Australian's arrest in April 2005 for smuggling 8.3 kilogram of heroin from Indonesia

However, on visiting the pair in prison she felt an instant sense the pair were rehabilitated
With her tattoos, bleached blonde hair and ripped tank top, she looks like an all action tough girl.

But the woman slowly exhaling smoke from her thick painted red lips, with a gun casually slung over her shoulder, had the kind of privileged public school upbringing most can only dream of.

For this is evil dictator Josef Stalin's unconventional granddaughter - the youngest child of his much-adored daughter Svetlana Alliluyeva.

Exactly what the Soviet despot would have thought of Chrese Evans - described by her loving mother as being 'American as apple pie' - is anyone's guess.

World's apart: Josef Stalin's granddaughter Chrese Evans could not be more different from the evil dictator, who oversaw the deaths of millions during his time as ruler of the Soviet Republic

Different: Chrese, who was born Olga, now lives in Portland, Oregon, and has a penchant for tattoos

Bond: Her mother Svetlana Alliluyeva was Stalin's only daughter, and youngest child - and was said to be the only person who could make his heart melt. She spent much of her life fleeing his legacy

Chrese - who was born Olga, but chose to change her name - is the youngest of her mother's three children, the only child from Svetlana's third marriage to American architect William Wesley Peters.

Now 44, her life is a world away from the one her grandfather would have more than likely envisaged for her.

Chrese has chosen to spend her days in Portland, Oregon, a million miles away from the private apartments in the Krelmin where her mother, raised in the lap of luxury, would meet Winston Churchill as a young girl.

In the picture of her with the gun over her shoulder - a toy - she is posed as Tank Girl, a 1980s British comic strip character.

The British-educated Chrese, who is reported to have owned a small antique shop in Portland, Oregon, posted the pictures on her social media account.

She proudly boasts about her tattoos, writing of one example of her body art: 'This one took a few years but it was completed in 2007.'

Of another, on her fingers, she said: 'Tim Jordan nailed the 1800's savings bond font in my touch up on Friday, right in time for the photo shoot for the upcoming tattoo book. Thanks love!'

Chrese is the youngest of her mother's three children - the only child from Svetlana's third marriage, to American architect William Wesley Peters.

Her mother, who died from colon cancer five years ago aged 85, wed Peters after arriving in America having fled the country where she had lived a life of untold privilege as a Soviet princess in a state where everyone was supposed to be equal.

The union did not last more than three years, but by all accounts Svetlana - who had renamed herself Lana Peters - was a good mother to her daughter.

In a 2011 interview with the Daily Mail, she said: 'My mother's whole life has been about living this [her association with Stalin] down and trying to lead a new life of her own.'

'Of course, she abhors what Stalin did.

'But there was a period when so many people held her responsible for his actions that she actually started to think maybe it was true. It's so unjust.'

Western: Chrese was born in America almost two decades after her grandfather's death, the product of her mother's third marriage to a U.S. architect in the early 70s

Relationship: Chrese and her mother were incredibly close, and she has spoken publicly about the bond the two of them had. This picture was captioned 'Tattoo by Pedro Dorsey, shoes by Sketchers, me by Mom'

Running: Svetlana died three years ago, having moved around the world - often with her daughter - and changed her name to Lana Peters in a bid to distance herself from her past

Blame: Chrese has said at one point 'so many' people held her responsible for her father's action, that Svetlana began to believe it herself. Pictured: Svetlana and Stalin

Evans was also quoted as saying that despite an itinerant childhood in Britain and the States - not to mention a failed attempt to return to the USSR in 1984 after Svetlana denounced the West - she grew up as a 'kind of normal kid'.

The stay in Russia only lasted three years after the moody Svetlana fell out with her relatives - although it seems to have left its mark.

'My favourite Russian New Year wish to all of you: May you never forget what is worth remembering, nor remember what is best forgotten. *gulp Vodka here*'

She also posted a picture of homemade Russian soup.

'Borscht from scratch. Love making it, feels like Mom was right next to me,' she wrote.

But Evans, who was educated at the Friends' School, Saffron Walden, Essex, a Quaker independent school, moved back to America as an adult. where she worked at a Portland fashion boutique as a student which had seen her study tax law and accounting.

She had the option to work for the US government's Internal Revenue Service, or to start her own business.

'One had the prospect of excitement, the other one was cool,' said Chrese in a previous interview.

Last year she told PBS in America that her mother had shielded her from being constantly confronted with her grandfather's bloody reign of terror.

'It wasn't a part of my past at all, until I was a young teenager, because she kept me very, very sheltered from it,' said Evans.

'She always called me American as apple pie.

'She wanted me - she always wanted to protect me from the hardships that she had had to go through.

'We had a very special relationship, once I had become probably a young teenager.

'Sometimes, I was doing the parenting. Sometimes, she was.

'We were a little bit more of an equal partnership, sort of a super duo.'

'Super-duo': Chrese, aged 15, with Svetlana. The two settled in England for a number of years, with Chrese attending the independent Friends' School in Essex, which was run by Quakers

Escape: Svetlana first left Russia in the 1960s, more than a decade after her father - pictured here with her and her brother Vlasik - had died. She left behind her two older children

Indecision: Later, she would return with Chrese, before falling out with her relatives and leaving once more. Pictured: Svetlana being interviewed in 2010, shortly before she died at her home in the States

Asked what part of her mother is most in her, she said: 'She had incredible faith.

'And I didn't really develop that sense of faith until actually after she passed away and that sense of her being with me.

'I have a sense of accomplishment that I didn't have before that I know that she left with me.

'She was always proud of me, when I hadn't even really accomplished anything, the unconditional love, which I haven't felt from anybody else, ever, because she was my mother, and that warmth of a friendship, which I probably will look for, for the rest of my life in other people.

'But I know that it's possible.'

Partnership: Chrese revealed last year that, as she grew up, sometimes she would do the parenting and sometimes her mother would

Hidden: Svetlana tried her hardest to shield her daughter from her grandfather's crimes as she grew up

Pressure: Svetlana later said her father, who died in 1953, loved her - and always wanted her to be by his side

Hatred: Svetlana also revealed she could never forgive her father. Her relationship with Chrese was entirely different - her daughter even has a tattoo which reads 'Mamma's girl' on her arm (pictured)

Distance: Chrese's mother Svetlana, Stalin's beloved daughter, used to tell her she was 'American as apple pie'

At one point in her fugitive life, her mother Svetlana had retreated to a convent in Warwickshire, and later subsisted on the dole in the Cornish town of Helston.

Just as she discarded her father's Communist faith she also lost her religion.

'I've had too much of it. I don't need the church any more,' she said.

Svetlana's mother Nadezhda Alliluyeva had committed suicide in 1932, when Svetlana was just six, evidently after sinking into depression over Stalin's womanising.

Her death devastated Stalin and his daughter was the apple of his eye.

'You know, my father loved me,' she said as an old woman. 'And he always wanted me to be with him.'

In 1942 he introduced her to visiting fellow war leader Winston Churchill in Stalin's private apartments in the Kremlin.

History: Chrese's mother Svetlana met Winston Churchill during the Second World War, who he later remembered as a 'handsome red-haired girl, who kissed her father dutifully'

The British premier said she was 'a handsome red-haired girl, who kissed her father dutifully'.

Churchill recorded that Stalin 'looked at me with a twinkle in his eye as if, so I thought, to convey 'You see, even we Bolsheviks have a family life'.'

But Svetlana said years later: 'There was a lot of tragedy in my family.'
Protests have erupted in Brazil's capital after a recorded phone call between President Dilma Rousseff and her once-popular predecessor was released, suggesting that she appointed him to her cabinet to spare him from arrest for corruption.

Rousseff appointed Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff on Wednesday hoping that his political prowess can save her administration.

The president is battling an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, and the fallout of an explosive corruption scandal at state oil giant Petrobras.

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Anti-government demonstrators wave a Brazilian national flag next to a bonfire during a protest

Police in riot gear prepare to take on hundreds of demonstrators in Brasilia, central Brazil

A view from above shows the extend of the protest which is against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva becoming the government's chief of staff

However hours after Lula's appointment, federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading a probe into the Petrobras scandal, ordered the release of a call recorded by police suggesting darker motives.

Rousseff called Lula's bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it 'if necessary.'

That extract seems to confirm that Lula's nomination to the post was aimed at sparing him possible arrest for corruption.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil, and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court.

Lula vigorously denies involvement in the scandal, in which investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of $2 billion, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

Rousseff's office said the phone call was merely to discuss a procedural matter.

The recording's release caused an uproar in Congress, where furious opposition lawmakers shouted 'Resign! Resign!'

President Rousseff named her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff Wednesday, sparing him possible arrest for corruption as she seeks to fend off a damaging crisis

Riot police try and defend the area from protesters who are angry over the government appointment

Demonstrators confront riot policemen as they protest against corruption in Brasilia

Pepper spray is used to try and deter protesters from the scene in Brasilia

Rousseff called Lula's bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it 'if necessary'

This afternoon a federal judge suspended President Dilma Rousseff's appointment of her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her new chief of staff.

'I hereby interrupt the nomination of Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to the position of chief of staff or any other that grants him immunity,' Judge Itagiba Catta Preta said in the preliminary ruling, which must still be reviewed by a higher court and can be appealed.

Some 2,000 people had been gathered in the capital Brasilia to demand that Lula step down and Rousseff leave office.

'Instead of explaining himself and assuming his responsibilities, former president Lula preferred to flee out the back door,' said lawmaker Antonio Imbassahy, lower house leader for opposition party PMDB.

'It's a confession of guilt and a slap to society. President Dilma, by appointing him, has become his accomplice,' Imbassahy added. 'The final chapter in this story will be her impeachment.'

As night fell, another protest broke out in Sao Paulo.

'Resign! Resign!' shouted several thousand protesters gathered outside the building housing FIESP, a powerful federation of Sao Paulo industries. The building was illuminated in green and yellow - Brazil's national colors - and included a large inscription that read 'Impeach now.'

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (left) hugs Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff during Lula's swear in ceremony as chief of staff, in Brasilia today

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil, and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court

Rousseff's office said the phone call was merely to discuss a procedural matter

An anti-government demonstrator (left) and a supporter of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff clash today before the appointment of former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as chief of staff, near the Planalto palace in Brasilia, Brazil

Anti-government protestors and supporters of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and President Dilma Rousseff, clash

A police officer uses pepper spray on demonstrators during a protest over the appointment of the former Brazilian president

Demonstrators attend a protest over the appointment of former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

A man holds a framed image of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and a woman holds up a drawing in his likeness, during a demonstration in support of Silva, in Brasilia

The impeachment push is not directly related to the corruption scandal, but has advanced in tandem with it.

The president's office responded by announcing that 'judicial and administrative measures' would be taken to 'repair the flagrant violation of the law and the constitution committed' by judge Moro, but gave no specifics.

On social media, critics gleefully quoted Lula's own words as a rabble-rousing labor leader back to him: 'In Brazil, when a poor person steals, he goes to prison. When a rich person steals, he becomes a cabinet minister!'
A West End theatre has announced plans to shine laser beams on audience members who dare use mobile phones during shows.

The controversial technique is routinely used in theatres around China.

But now, the Jermyn Street Theatre will be using it to shame audience members, in a final attempt to get them to put their phones away.

The Jermyn Street Theatre is planning on using lasers to shame audience members into putting their mobile phones away. The technique is already used at The National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing (pictured)

Originally used by theatres such as the Shanghai Grand Theatre and the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing, the lights are operated by ushers who shine the beams from the sides and back of the room.

It is hoped that the unwanted attention will encourage offenders to leave their phones alone.

Jermyn Street Theatre argue that the constant glow from mobile phones is both distracting for other audience members and performers.

And, the artistic director for the company, Anthony Biggs, said that the devices make him feel physically infuriated.

Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Biggs, said: 'I see people take calls and film shows and I just want to kill them.

'It makes you irrationally angry that people are so selfish and behave with impunity because they think they are not going to get caught out.

'If somebody stands up and says they hate the show I don't mind because at least it shows that they have been watching it.'

Mr Biggs said that some larger West End theatres already use torches to point out people who are using their phones, as it is physically too hard for ushers to get to them.

And the problem is growing.

He said: 'People can't detach themselves from their phones.

'It used to be a young thing but now I see it with people of all ages.

'It's definitely getting worse - it's a truth and a cliche but something needs to be done.'

This is a particular problem for Mr Biggs in his studio theatre.

As because it is so small he argues that it is hard to avoid being distracted by people on their phones.

He said: 'What's upsetting about it is that it's in such a small space it's visible to everyone, so it spoils the illusion.

'Theatre works two ways and people don't realise how annoying being on their phone is, so anything that we can do to stop this behavior is good.'

However, Mr Biggs did admit that the technique didn't come without problems and said that he would not use it if theatregoers were worried about the lights being shined dangerously in their eyes.

He was also concerned about the practicality of implementing the new rules.

For, lights could be shone accidentally at innocent parties or some theatregoers may argue that it is their right to use their phones when they want.

Mr Biggs had previously spoken of his hatred of phones in theatres.

This was documented most notably in 2014 when an actor at the Jermyn Street Theatre stopped mid-performance after he believed a man had been filming him on his phone.

Laser beams are dangerous if shone directly into the eyes, so ushers would be expected to shine the lights from behind to avoid any damage

David Judge interrupted the performance of Athol Fugards Statements, a play in which the two lead actors are naked for most of the time, after he and fellow cast member Jasmine Hyde thought they spotted a man in the front row using his phone continuously.

The actors suspected he was filming the show, but when he was questioned by staff at Jermyn Street Theatre, the man said he was texting his son who was ill.

As a result of this, Mr Biggs publicly blasted mobile phones and said that they could ruin the experience of theatre.

He added that new technology should be brought in to curb usage during shows.

Some performers also agreed that laser shaming may be worthwhile.

Giuseppina Piunti,an Italian mezzo soprano, told The New York Times: 'They should use the lasers all over the world.

'I can see the lasers from the stage, but it's much less distracting than the flash cameras, and the ushers running up and down the aisles.'

Benedict Cumberbatch also voiced his opinions on the matter last year when he warned fans not to film him on stage as Hamlet.

The artistic director at the Jermyn Street Theatre (pictured), Anthony Biggs, has spoken of his hatred of mobile phones being used in theatres several times before

Here, he told audiences that there was 'nothing less supportive' than seeing the red light of a camera in the audience while he performed.

After his first weekend in the role, he said: 'Can I ask you all a huge favour? First of all can I just say a huge thank you to all of you who are here tonight.

'But all of this (pointing to flashing cameras) all these cameras, phones, filming me.

'Put this to good use - it's been a hell of a week.

'This is part of it, outside, whatever, fine. But I can see cameras, I can see red lights in the auditorium. It's blindingly obvious, it's very, very obvious.'

He continued: 'I can't give you what I want to give you which is a live performance that hopefully you will remember in your minds and brains, whether it's good bad or indifferent, rather than on your phones, so please don't.'

However, other theatres in London disagreed with the technique.

The Barbican thought that it would be a step too far.
Ted Cruz has backed down from selling the 'breathe'-themed yoga mats he marketed following a memorable spat with Donald Trump after being threatened with a lawsuit.

The Republican nominee began selling his 'Cruz 2016 "Breathe" Yoga Mat' after he patronized Trump during a debate by challenging him to calm down and 'breathe'.

'I am Ted,' Trump shot back, as Cruz taunted him again: 'You can do it. You can breathe. I know it's hard.'

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Donald Trump is told by Ted Cruz to calm down and 'breathe' during the fiery debate in Houston last month

The opportunity was apparently too much to resist for Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

'When they're done with the yoga, can I answer a question?' he interjected. Rubio then said of Trump: 'He's very flexible, so you never know.'

In the days following the debate in Houston, Texas, Cruz's sales team began hawking the $35 mat to supporters on his campaign website.

A week later, Cruz announced he would be selling his own branded yoga mat - the 'Cruz 2016 "Breathe" Yoga Mat' (pictured). But he has now changed its name after being warned by the Breathe Yoga Wear company

But it is now claimed he has backed down from the official 'Breathe' titling, after Breathe Yoga Wear threatened him with a lawsuit, TMZ reports.

The yoga mat still remains available at the nominee's online store, though it is now rebranded as the 'Cruz 2016 Yoga Mat'.

It is available alongside caps, coffee mugs and baby clothes for sale on the Texas senator's campaign website and is emblazoned with the words 'Cruz' and '2016'.
The number of highly endangered Siberian leopards living in the wild has more than doubled, say the Kremlin.

And under a new scheme, the big cats are being permitted 'free lunches' of livestock, with a state-backed insurance company promising to compensate farmers whose animals are eaten by the predators - as long as they don't shoot them.

Vladimir Putin's chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said there are now 80 Amur leopards in the wild, compared with just 30 a few years ago.

There is now real hope that extinction can be avoided for the rare species which was hit by decades of hunting and poaching.

Big cats are being permitted 'free lunches' of livestock, with a state-backed insurance company promising to compensate farmers whose animals are eaten by the predators - as long as they don't shoot them

Vladimir Putin's chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said there are now 80 Amur leopards in the wild, compared with just 30 a few years ago

There is now real hope that extinction can be avoided for the rare species which was hit by decades of hunting and poaching

Mr Ivanov, Vladimir Putin's chief of staff, admitted that leopards 'have started to attack livestock more often'.

In recent years, the Russian government along with wildlife charities have taken measures to protect the big cats.

The Siberian tiger population is also recovering.

A survey revealed in December that there are now some 562 tigers in their natural habitat in the Far East of Russia.

But Mr Ivanov admitted that leopards 'have started to attack livestock more often'.

He said that SOFGAZ insurance company, widely used by the Russian government, will compensate farmers who do not shoot leopards and tigers that attack their livestock.

'One of the largest Russian insurance companies has volunteered to insure the damage caused by leopards and tigers,' he said.

'The maximum insurance amounts to up to two million roubles.' This amounts to 20,500.

In June, a leopard attacked a two month old calf grazing on a privately-owned farm in Primorye region.

A survey revealed in December that there are some 562 tigers in their natural habitat in the Far East of Russia

One leopard here with a 'free lunch' as part of the scheme to boost the numbers of the endangered big cat

On this occasion, Russian deputy premier Yuri Trutnev paid the farmer 70 bags of oats as compensation, but this sparked the idea of insurance compensation for farmers to protect the rare leopards and tigers, reported The Siberian Times.

Mr Ivanov has led a drive to save the leopard and he called the insurance scheme a 'correct' and 'civilised solution'.

'We can say that our animals are becoming less exposed to dangers coming from humans,' he said.

'In these conditions, our cats are reproducing very well.'

In the past year, nine wild leopard cubs have been spotted by wildlife officials, he said.

Leopards are also living up to four years longer, he said.
Two Palestinian men who reportedly seriously injured an Israeli woman in a stabbing on the northern West Bank has been killed by security forces, the army said today.

The Palestinian assailants were shot and killed by Israeli security forces shortly after the attack outside a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.

The army says the 20-year-old woman was injured in her upper body and is currently in hospital in severe condition.

Israeli security forces shot and killed two Palestinian assailants who stabbed an Israeli woman in the northern West Bank on Thursday

The stabbing Thursday took place at Ariel Junction in the northern West Bank.

On Monday, three Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli security forces after reportedly trying to kill army soldiers in two separate attacks.

An Israeli army officer and three soldiers were wounded in the attacks.

Since mid-September, Palestinians have killed 28 Israelis and two Americans in stabbing, shooting and vehicular attacks.

The army says the 20-year-old woman was stabbed in her upper body and is currently in severe condition

At least 184 Palestinians have died by Israeli fire over the same period, the majority of whom Israel says were assailants. The rest were killed in clashes with Israeli security forces.

Israel blames Palestinian incitement by leaders and on social media for the attacks.

The Palestinians say the violence stems from frustration at nearly five decades of military occupation.
He said they were 'vicious and evil' and do not deserve celebrity status

Billy said the east London gangsters should be remembered as killers

The son of one of Ronnie Krays murder victims has hit out at the celebrity the gangster twins still enjoy today, breaking a 50-year silence over the crime.

George Cornell was shot dead at the Blind Beggar pub in East London in 1966 when son Billy was just eight years old.

Billy, 58, said his father was not the only victim that night as the shooting wrecked his family life and forced his sister Rayner to move abroad with her children so they could avoid being associated with their grandfather's death.

He said he hates the twins but is more angry at the people who still idolise them thanks to their depictions in film and television.

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Billy Cornell, left, pictured with his father George before he was shot dead by Ronnie Kray in east London

George Cornell, pictured, was close to the south London Richardson gang who were rivals of the Krays

Ronnie, right, was jailed for life in 1968 over the murder while twin Reggie, left, was imprisoned the same year

George had known Ronnie and Reggie Kray since their childhood in Whitechapel and they were even in business together for a time.

But he was killed aged 38 while having a drink in the pub with friend Albie Woods only for Ronnie to walk in and shoot him in the head with a Luger pistol.

There are different theories as to why the killing took place, but many believe it to be a revenge attack for the death of Richard Hart, a friend of the Krays, the night before.

The incident is viewed the beginning of the end of the twins brutal hold over east London, with both jailed in 1969 on life sentences, with Reggie imprisoned for the murder of Jack The Hat McVitie in Stoke Newington.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror about the grizzly crime, Billy said: I hate the Krays and anyone who is part of their family  and worse, the people who hero-worship them today as some kind of glamorous Robin Hoods of the East End. They were vicious and evil.

Billy said he has since avoided films and television shows about the pair because they should be remembered as killers and not celebrities.

He said he even wanted to attend their funerals and tell the mourners what he thought of the killers but was stopped by his mother.

The father-of-one added his father hated Ronnie and refused to be intimidated by the twins.

ANATOMY OF A MURDER: HOW FEUD DOOMED GEORGE CORNELL'S LIFE On March 9, 1966, Ronnie Kray walked into the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel, east London, and shot George Cornell in the head. Cornell was a prominent member of the Richardson gang, who were engaged in a feud with the twins and whose actions the night before set in motion the events that would end George's life: March 8, 1966 - Richard Hart, an associate of the Krays, is shot dead out the back of a nightclub in Catford, south east London, which is under the 'protection' of the Richardson gang and their enforcer Frankie Fraser. He was killed after a brawl broke out but it is still unclear if he was shot intentionally. A crime scene photo taken of George Cornell, pictured, shortly after his death at the hands of Ronnie Kray March 9, 1966 - Jimmy Andrews of the Richardson gang was injured in the fight at the club and was taken to Whitechapel Hospital for treatment. George Cornell crosses into Kray territory to visit him at the hospital along with friend Albie Woods. He is later seen walking drunk down Whitechapel Road and entering the Blind Beggar pub, where he is heard insulting the Krays. At around 8.30pm, Ronnie Kray enters the pub with two associates and walks up to Cornell, who is said to have greeted him by saying 'Look what the cat's dragged in'. Kray then shoots him in the forehead with a Luger pistol. Kray and his friends leave and Cornell is rushed to hospital but pronounced dead at 3.30am. The bullet supposedly passed right through his head. Cornell was shot through the head by Kray with a 9mm Luger in the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel A police photograph showing the blood stains on the floor of the east London pub after the killing According to urban legend, his wife Olive then went to the Krays' family home in Bethnal Green and threw a brick through the window. Police surround the pub, where there are blood stains on the floor. Police arrest Ronnie but, despite several eyewitnesses identifying him as the killer, they are forced to release him as no one will testify. May 8, 1968 - Led by Inspector Leonard 'Nipper' Read, Scotland Yard's murder squad arrest both Krays and 15 other members of their gang, based on evidence collected over the past four years. Ronnie is charged with Cornell's murder while Reggie is charged with killing Jack 'the Hat' McVitie. Witnesses come forward to testify and both are convicted in 1969, and jailed for life. Ronnie spent time in jail at Durham and Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight before being transferred to Broadmoor in Berkshire, where he was eventually certified insane and later died of a heart attack in 1995. Reggie was jailed at Maidstone Prison for eight years before being transferred to Wayland Prison in Norfolk. He was released on compassionate grounds in 2000 suffering from bladder cancer, and died in his sleep in October of that year. Police investigated but were unable to charge Kray for two years after witnesses would not testify Advertisement

Billy said: Ronnie was gay and liked being with young boys and to my dad, who was a gentleman who wouldnt let anyone swear in front of a woman, in those days that was unacceptable.

He added he met the Krays in their east London home when he was just four years old and remembers them sitting drinking tea, describing Ronnie as very edgy and Reggie as flash with a slick way about him.

George worked in the Billingsgate fish industry from the age of 12 before running credit rackets at the nearby docks

He changed his name from George Myers and went on to marry wife Olive from Camberwell, South London, moving his family into two flats in the area.

Billy said his father made his money setting up warehouses, buying goods on credit and then selling them on at cheap prices before ditching the businesses without paying his bills.

George then forged ties with the Richardson gang of south London who were rivals of the Krays.

It led to tension between George and the brothers, which spilled over at a nightclub in Catford, south London, in March 1966.

A confrontation between the Kray and Richardson gangs saw Richard Hart, a friend of the twins, shot dead out the back of the venue.

The elder Cornell was murdered by Ronnie at the Blind Beggar pub after going in for a drink in March 1966

Billy said he avoids the film versions of the Krays' lives, including Legend starring Tom Hardy as the twins, pictured, because he hates how they are 'hero-worshipped' and 'glamourised' today

The next day George went into Kray territory to visit a friend in hospital who had been shot, before going into the Blind Beggar for a pint, where he was killed by Ronnie.

Urban legend suggests the juke box in the pub was playing Walker Brothers song The Sun Aint Going to Shine Anymore, and became stuck on that track after a warning bullet struck the machine.

Billy told the Mirror: Dad was drinking and turned as the door opened and saw Ronnie, and said: Look what the cats dragged in. Ronnie pulled out a gun and as dad went to get off his stool he shot him in the head.

He added he had seen his father earlier that night as he had been naughty and had been sent to bed with a clip round the ear.

Billy said his father probably knew Ronnie was coming for him but wasnt afraid of anyone and wouldnt back down from a fight, even if he was outnumbered.

The murder scene has been glamourised on film over the years, including most recently in the Tom Hardy-led Legend last year, where George was played by Shane Attwooll.

Billy said he was woken that night by his mother answering the phone to hear the news about Georges shooting.

According to urban legend Mrs Cornell went to the Kray family home in Bethnal Green and threw a brick through the window, and Billy said she hated them more than anything in the world.

He said the news didnt really sink in and that he was not allowed to attend the funeral but that his father was well-liked and respected.

Ex-market trader Billy has also had his own brushes with the law, being jailed for pick-pocketing several times and serving a 14-month stint at Camp Hill Prison on the Isle of White, right next to Parkhurst Prison where Ronnie was jailed.

His sister Rayner Rothery, 50, pleaded guilty in 2011 to money laundering over a cocaine trafficking scheme worth 375million.

Her husband Robert fled police but was caught two years ago and subsequently jailed for 10 years for possessing 3kg of the Class A drug.

Mrs Rothery told the Mirror: I guess Im like my mum and married a villain but you cant help who you love.
The American ISIS fighter captured by Kurdish forces in Iraq could provide a 'treasure trove' of information about how the bloodthirsty jihadist group operates, it has been claimed.

U.S. officials are extremely interested in interviewing Mohamad Jamal Khweis, who is believed to be the first American fighting with the group to have ever surrendered in the field.

The surrender took place three days ago on the front lines near the town of Sinjar, which was retaken by Iraqi forces from ISIS militants late last year.

An American later named as Mohamed Jamal Khweis is captured by Kurdish forces near Sinjar, in Iraq. The peshmerga general overseeing his surrender said his troops initially mistook him for a suicide bomber

Khweis (left), whose driver's license (right) states he is from Alexandria, Virginia, is believed to be the first American fighting for ISIS to surrender in the field

Seamus Hughes, a former U.S. National Counterterrorism Center official, told NBC News he would be an 'intelligence goldmine'.

'He could provide a window into the ISIS command structure. Who does he report to? What does his daily routine look like? And the most important thing - how did he get there?'

Major General Feisal Helkani, of the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces, claimed Khweis was 'lurking near the peshmerga lines' since Sunday night, and his troops had first tried to shoot him, assuming he was a suicide bomber.

Helkani said he was carrying with him a large amount of cash, three cell phones and three forms of identification, including a U.S. driving license registered to Virginia.

In grainy cell phone footage, also posted on social media shortly after the surrender, the man is seen surrounded by Iraqi Kurdish troops and confirming that he is from the United States and that he is Palestinian.

In response to an interrogator's question, he says he was in the city of Mosul, which is under ISIS control.

After the driver's license was released, reporters showed up outside of the Fairfax County address listed on the license where they encountered an agitated man claiming to be the fighter's father, Jamal Khweis.

One reporter for WUSA even claimed that Khweis hit a camerawoman.

Witnesses said that Khweis became angry when one reporter asked him about his son, and he then told them it was unfair to hold him accountable for his adult son's actions.

'He's 26. Almost 27. He's a grown man, just like you,' he reportedly told a journalist.

In a video of the confrontation Khweis shouts, this is the wrong information. Im telling you, while a younger man tries to shoo the horde of media away.

'Tell us the right answers, a cameraman says.

The younger man begins pushing the lenses of all the cameras away, walking down the line of media.

Jamal Khweis, who identified himself as the father of the 26-year-old man fighting with ISIS, responds to news crews gathered outside a home in Alexandria, Virginia on Monday
A Munich court Thursday sentenced a former German intelligence agent to eight years in jail for spying for both the CIA and the Russian secret service, German media reported.

Markus Reichel had admitted to handing over documents to the CIA, including names and addresses of German agents, in exchange for 95,000 euros (75,000)

The 32-year-old, who worked in the mailroom at the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), also admitted to delivering three classified documents to the Russian secret service.

Triple agent: Markus Reichel has been sentenced to eight years in jail by a Munich court after admitting to spying for both Russian and the US

Reichel's case had emerged during a furore over revelations of widespread US spying in documents released by former CIA intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, which had also plunged its partner service the BND into an unprecedented crisis.

Partially disabled after a botched childhood vaccination, Reichel, who speaks haltingly, had admitted that he had spied for foreign services out of dissatisfaction with his job at the BND.

'No one trusted me with anything at the BND. At the CIA it was different,' he told the court at the opening of his trial in November.

Not only did the CIA offer 'adventure', the Americans also gave him what he craved - recognition.

'I would be lying if I said that I didn't like that,' he told the court.

Speaking during his trial last year, Reichel told a court that he handed over documents to the CIA, including names and addresses of German agents, for 75,000

The 32-year-old, who worked in the mailroom at the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), also admitted to delivering three classified documents to the Russian secret service

After finishing his studies at a training centre for the disabled in 2004, he had been unable to find a job until late 2007, when the BND gave him a position in its mailroom.

With monthly net pay of 1,200 euros, Reichel was in the lowest salary band at the BND.

But the CIA wasn't paying significantly more, the court heard - Reichel allegedly received between 10,000 and 20,000 euros each year in cash at a secret meeting point in Austria.

In all, he obtained 95,000 euros in exchange for documents including names and addresses of BND agents.

Until his arrest on July 2 last year, Reichel was still working for the BND.

Reichel's case emerged in the wake of revelations the United States has been carrying out widespread surveillance on global communications.
The diary of Flying Officer Eric Hartley (pictured) detailed the six hero airmen's struggle for survival

The remarkable story of how six World War Two airmen survived 11 days floating on a dinghy in the ocean has emerged 73 years later.

The diary of Flying Officer Eric Hartley detailed their struggle for survival, which involved using their underwear for a fishing net and sucking their rain-soaked handkerchiefs for water.

They kept morale up by praying twice a day and ingeniously created a sail by sewing two of their shirts together using copper wire, which helped them get closer to land and safety.

FO Hartley's crew had sunk a German U-boat in September 1943, captained by 'Count Dracula', that had destroyed 11 Allied ships.

But in the exchange of fire at just 50 yards, their Halifax bomber was hit, forcing FO Hartley to ditch the blazing aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean 400 miles south west of Ireland.

Most of the crew got out through the escape hatches, but two were killed.

Fortunately the dinghy was undamaged, inflated and then boarded with difficulty.

However there had been no time to bring emergency dinghy equipment, such as food and water.

The six airmen survived in this dinghy for 11 days and were found after ingeniously creating a sail by sewing two of their shirts together using copper wire, which meant they could move at two knots an hour

Their epic story of survival has come to light after the family of FO Hartley sold the Distinguished Flying Cross he was awarded for destroying the U-boat at auction for more than 3,000

During their 11-day ordeal, they were capsized by huge waves, kept awake by freezing water splashing in their faces and had to use their boots to clear out water.

They sucked rain-soaked handkerchiefs for water, shared a few chunks of soggy chocolate and chewing gum and tried to catch fish with a pair of underpants.

But all they could scoop up were foul-tasting 'slimy, salty' jellyfish that had to be thrown back into the sea.

Two of the crew became so delirious their condition was deemed 'critical' and required 'constant attention'.

After waiting a week close to the crash site hoping a search party might spot them, the war heroes created the sail which blew them east towards convoy routes.

The contraption helped blow the dinghy at two knots an hour and, four days later, they were spotted by a Plymouth-bound Royal Navy destroyer.

They were given a hero's reception on board before being taken ashore on stretchers.

Correspondence between FO Hartley's commanding officer and his parents were also put up for sale. The first messages (pictured) told how their son was missing and chances of rescue were 'not very great'

The second lot of correspondence was sent 12 days later and read 'delighted to inform you your son E.L. Hartley is safe'

HALIFAX BOMBER GUNNED DOWN FO Hartley's Halifax bomber was part of 58 Squadron and took off from RAF Holmsley South on September 27, 1943, for an anti U-boat patrol in the Bay of Biscay. On board were pilot FO Hartley, co-pilot Captain Roger Mead, navigator Sgt T Bach, engineer Sgt George Robertson, mid-upper gunner Sgt Ken Ladds, wireless operator Sgt A Fox, rear gunner Sgt Robert Triggol and front gunner Sgt Maldwyn Griffiths. When they saw U-221 they opened fire and sunk it. Its captain was Hans-Hartwig Trojer, a German hero who had been awarded the Knights Cross and was known as 'Count Dracula' because he was born in Transylvania. Sgt Triggol and Sgt Griffiths were killed in the action. The plane sank so quickly the survivors had no time to retrieve any rations or survival aids. Advertisement

Their epic story of survival has come to light after the family of FO Hartley sold the Distinguished Flying Cross he was awarded for destroying the U-boat at auction for more than 3,000.

The black and white picture of the airmen in the dinghy at the time they were rescued was also included in the lot.

Letters and correspondence between FO Hartley's commanding officer and his parents were also put up for sale by auctioneers Wright Marshall of Cheshire.

The first messages told how their son was missing and chances of rescue were 'not very great', while the second lot of correspondence was sent 12 days later and read 'delighted to inform you your son E L Hartley is safe.'

Simon Nuttall, of Wright Marshall, said: 'It is the most remarkable collection that tells an extraordinary story of heroism and survival.

'The logbooks, diary, letters and telegrams cover almost every emotion imaginable.

'One can't even begin to imagine the feeling of hoplessness and despair the men felt as day after day went by with no sign of rescue and with no food or water.

'That must have given way to sheer relief after they were rescued.'
He performs as Muz and recently released a new album

The teacher is also a published poet, spoken word artist and a hip hop MC

What's the betting your science teacher wasn't as cool as this guy?

An amazing video has emerged of a young teacher rapping to help his students learn scientific terms.

Christian Foley, 24, who teaches 12-15 year olds at Cardinal Pole School, Hackney, posted the clip online, saying: 'Ever wondered what the day job of a rap teacher is like? Here is a science freestyle challenge set by my year 8's.'

Rap: Christian Foley, 24, teacher at Cardinal Pole School, Hackney, posted the clip online, saying: 'Ever wondered what the day job of a rap teacher is like? Here is a science freestyle challenge set by my year 8's'

Talented: Incorporating words such as pollen grains, neurology and antagonistic, Foley creates an incredible fluid rap on the spot without hesitation, stunning his students - and the internet - as part of Science Week

Incorporating words such as pollen grains, neurology and antagonistic, Foley creates an incredible fluid rap on the spot without hesitation, stunning his students - and the internet - as part of Science Week.

Highlights of the brilliant performance include lines such as: 'I'm a slow-flow lyricist. I bring in the light when I'm swinging a mike, I'm bringing the light like it's photosynthesis'

He brings normally dull terms to life: 'I'm under high pressure like cholesterol' and 'I'm metallic meaning I am strong like magnesium.'

However, this isn't rare for the young man as in his spare time he performs as Muz - a published poet, spoken word artist and a hip hop MC.

Last month he released a new album, Jumpers for Goalposts.

Foley explains on the site that the project includes 24 deeply autobiographical songs. He writes: 'Over its canvas of soulful and jazz-inflected Spoken Word and Hip-Hop the album is a celebration and elegy of a past that we cannot get back; featuring the phone calls and voices of Christians family and the ghosts of those who have passed away.'

Bringing science alive: Highlights of the brilliant performance include lines such as: 'I'm a slow-flow lyricist. I bring in the light when I'm swinging a mike, I'm bringing the light like it's photosynthesis'

Day job: However, this isn't rare for the young man as in his spare time he performs as Muz - a published poet, spoken word artist and a hip hop MC

Foley grew up in Jersey and used to practise rapping with his grandfather as a teenager.

Thanks to the Jersey Arts Trust he was sent to London to take part in the annual Farrago Poetry Slam, the capitals longest-running slam poetry competition in which he came 5th - something he clearly has looked back from since.

He told the Jersey Evening Post last year: Writing poetry has become a lot harder since I got a full-time job. Before, Id just write as and when inspiration struck. Now, I have commissions to fulfill, deadlines to meet and students to teach.

As well as teaching poetry workshops Foley also teaches at The Complete Works School, a charitable independent school in London.

He told the Jersey newspaper: I use poetry to facilitate education to children. I work with kids who have been excluded from school and young offenders whove had problems with gangs. Its challenging but very rewarding.

Going places: Foley grew up in Jersey and later moved to London. Last month he released a new album, Jumpers for Goalposts
Syria's Kurds have declared a federal region in the country's north as they seek autonomy in areas under their control.

Officials at talks involving Kurdish, Arab, and other parties in the town of Rmeilan said delegates had agreed on creating a 'federal system' unifying the three mainly Kurdish cantons in northern Syria.

The move, which would expand an already existing system of self-administration, is likely to anger Turkey which is wary of any bid by Syrian Kurds to solidify their autonomy and of their control of territory.

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Syria's Kurds have declared a federal region in the country's north as they seek autonomy in areas under their control

The Syrian Kurdish PYD party has been left out of Geneva peace talks - aimed at ending the five-year conflict - in line with the wishes of Turkey, which sees it as an extension of the PKK group that is waging an insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

More than 150 delegates from Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian and other parties met on Wednesday in the town of Rmeilan, in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province.

Kurdish parties already operate a system of three 'autonomous administrations' in Syria's north, with independent police forces and schools.

The three cantons run along Syria's northern border with Turkey and are known as Afrin and Kobane, both in Aleppo province, and Jazire in Hasakeh province.

As well as three cantons, the plan would see the federal system expand to include additional areas recently seized from ISIS in northern and northeastern Syria, Kurdish officials said.

PUTIN: RUSSIA CAN RAMP UP ITS MILITARY PRESENCE IN SYRIA 'IN HOURS' President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia could ramp up its military presence in Syria within 'several hours' if needed, as he urged all sides of the conflict to respect a ceasefire. 'If there's a need, Russia literally within several hours can ramp up its presence in the region to the size required for the unfolding situation and use the whole arsenal of possibilities we have at our disposal,' Putin said in the Kremlin. 'We would not want to do that, a military escalation is not our choice,' he added as he decorated officers who served in the war-torn country. President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia could ramp up its military presence in Syria within 'several hours' if needed. He is pictured handing an Order of Merit for the Fatherland to Russian Aerospace Force Senior Lt Yelena Veselova 'And that's why we put our hopes in the common sense of all parties, in the commitment to the peace process of both the Syrian authorities and the opposition.' Putin's warning came after the Russian strongman on Monday ordered the surprise withdrawal of most of Russia's armed forces from Syria, saying Moscow's task had been 'on the whole' completed. Speaking to the top military brass on Thursday, he said Moscow was not abandoning its ally Bashar al-Assad, pledging Russia's continuing military and other support to his regime and praising the Syrian leader. 'We see his restraint, his sincere desire to achieve peace, his readiness for compromise and dialogue,' Putin said. Putin said that Moscow would leave its advanced S-400 air defence system in Syria and warned that Russian forces would shoot down 'any target' they considered a threat. The Russian president has awarded Russian servicemen and military industrial sector workers who took part in the 2015-2016 military operation in Syria He said Russia had also helped boost Syria's air defences, adding he was certain that the 'patriotic forces' fighting jihadists would score new battlefield triumphs in the near future. He also extolled the Russian armed forces for their service in the Middle Eastern country. 'We have created conditions for the start of the peace process,' he said. 'It is you - the Russian soldiers - who opened the path to peace.' More than 700 soldiers and officers from the Russian air forces, ground forces and navy, and other military officials, have been invited to take part in the ceremony, the Kremlin said. Pro-Kremlin observers hailed the five-and-a-half-month aerial campaign in Syria which they said helped Putin break out of international isolation over Ukraine and assert Russia's interests in the Middle East. Advertisement

Officials said the announcement was not intended as a first step towards independence.

'A federal state for ruling all of Syria is the best way to protect Syria from being divided up, because there is major distrust among the different sides,' said Ibrahim Ibrahim, a PYD media official.

Washington-based analyst Mutlu Civiroglu said the announcement would be a political message 'from Syrians on the ground, politically and militarily'.

'Politically, it's also a message to the United Nations, the US, Russia, and especially to Geneva, that if you ignore us, we are going to determine our future by ourselves,' he told AFP.

Despite deep divisions, the opposition High Negotiations Committee and the embattled government in Damascus have both categorically rejected a federal system in Syria.

On Wednesday, the head of the government delegation to the peace talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, told reporters in Geneva that announcing a federation would be 'a total failure'.

The Geneva talks are part of a diplomatic push launched with U.S.-Russian support to end a conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people, created the world's worst refugee crisis, and allowed for the rise of ISIS

'The Syrian Kurds are an important component of the Syrian people... So betting on creating any kind of divisions among the Syrians will be a total failure,' he said.

The issue of Syria's Kurds has caused a rare rift between the United States and NATO ally Turkey, which is battling a decades-long insurgency led by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Turkey has shelled the main Kurdish militia across the border, the People's Protection Units (YPG), but the United States has cooperated with the group, which has emerged as a key force fighting IS.

'Syria's national unity and territorial integrity is essential,' a Turkish diplomatic source in Ankara told AFP.

He said the Syrian people would 'decide collectively' on the future governance of their country.

'Except for that, unilateral initiatives cannot be valid,' he said.
Terrorist group has also committed 'crimes against humanity' and is responsible for 'ethnic cleansing' against those same groups and others

Roughly 50,000 followers of the religion were trapped on Sinjar Mountain near the border of Syria

Atrocities at the core of the declaration: the August of 2014 massacre of as many as 5,000 Yazidi men, and kidnapping of as many women

Congress and the European Parliament already arrived at that

'Daesh is genocidal by self proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, what it believes and what it does,' John Kerry said today

Secretary of State John Kerry formally declared ISIS' slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims in Iraq and Syria a genocide this morning, following in the footsteps of Congress and the European Parliament.

'Daesh is genocidal by self proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, what it believes and what it does,' Kerry said, using an alternative name for ISIS.

The terrorist group has also committed crimes against humanity and directed ethnic cleansing at those same groups and in some instances others, including Sunni Muslims, Kurds and other minorities, he said.

'This designation is significant. It reflects the gravity of the situation there,' President Barack Obama's spokesman told reporters this afternoon.

ISIS committed the atrocities at the core of the declaration in August of 2014, when it killed as many as 5,000 Yazidi men, kidnapped as many more women, and trapped 50,000 followers of the religion on Sinjar Mountain near the border of Syria.

But it took the Obama administration 19 months to arrive at today's determination as it weighed the legal ramifications of calling the massacre a genocide and met with advocacy groups that wanted Christians and Shia Muslims included.

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Displaced people from the minority Yazidi sect, fleeing violence from forces loyal to ISIS walk towards the Syrian border, on the outskirts of Sinjar mountain, in August of 2014. ISIS killed as many as 5,000 Yazidi men during that onslaught, which has now being called a genocide

Yazidis demonstrate, calling for the opening of the border, at the makeshift camp of the Greek-Macedonian border last week, where thousands of refugees and migrants are stranded. More than one million refugees and migrants - a majority of whom are fleeing ISIS - have arrived in Europe since the start of 2015

Freed Yazidis are seen after the health check process before being sent to Dohuk refugee camps in January of 2015 in Kirkuk, Iraq. 198 Yazidis who were kidnapped by ISIS after it seized Sinjar in August 2014, were released at that time

The decision will not obligate the United States to take additional action against ISIS and does not prejudge any prosecution against its members.

But Kerry said this morning, 'We will do all we can to see that the perpetrators are held accountable.'

'I am neither the judge nor prosecutor nor jury,' Kerry said today in a statement delivered from the State Department. 'Ultimately the full facts must be brought to light by an independent investigation and through formal legal determination.'

The United States will offer 'strong support' to efforts to collect, document and preserve evidence of ISIS' crimes he said.

Kerry acted to meet a congressionally-mandated deadline. The House this week passed a nonbinding resolution by a 393-0 vote condemning the atrocities as genocide.

A day after the State Department said Kerry would miss the March 17 deadline, Kerry had completed his review and determined that the targeted killings did constitute a genocide.

The terrorist group's 'entire worldview is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology,' he said today.

'There's no question in my mind that if Daesh succeeded in establishing its so-called caliphate, it would seek to destroy what remains of ethic and religious mosaic bloods thriving in the region.'

Lawmakers and others who have advocated for the finding had sharply criticized the department's disclosure Wednesday that the deadline would be missed.

'This is heartbreaking. There has been ample time for analysis. The evidence of ISIS genocide against Christians, Yezidis, and others is horrifyingly clear,' Republican Representative Jeff Fortenberry, a sponsor of the House resolution condemning the genocide, told AP in an emailed statement.

'I cannot understand the hesitation by the State Department,' he said.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce likewise said, 'Numerous groups, including the Holocaust museum, have now produced overwhelming evidence. Entire communities are being exterminated. Theres absolutely no reason for further delay.'

Secretary of State John Kerry said this morning ISIS is committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims in Iraq and Syria

Officials said Kerry concluded his review just hours after State's announcement he wouldn't finish n time and that the criticism had not affected his decision.

The determination marks only the second time a U.S. administration has said a genocide was being committed during an ongoing conflict.

The first was in 2004, when then-Secretary of State Colin Powell determined that atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region constituted genocide.

Powell reached that determination amid much lobbying from human rights groups, but only after State Department lawyers advised him that it would not  contrary to legal advice offered to previous administrations  obligate the United States to act to stop it.

In that case, the lawyers decided that the 1948 U.N. Convention against genocide did not require countries to prevent genocide from taking place outside their territory.Powell instead called for the U.N. Security Council to appoint a commission to investigate and take appropriate legal action if it agreed with the genocide determination.

The officials said Kerry's determination followed a similar finding by department lawyers.

Although the United States is involved in military strikes against IS and has helped prevent some incidents of ethnic cleansing, notably of Yazidis, some advocates argue that a genocide determination would require additional U.S. action.

Displaced Yazidis fleeing the violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar, travel in a vehicle as they re-enter Iraq from Syria at the Iraqi-Syrian border in August of 2014. It took the Obama administration 19 months to arrive at today's determination as it weighed the legal ramifications of calling the massacre a genocide

Yazidis who fled the violence in the Iraqi town of Sinjar reach out to receive ice at Nowruz refugee camp in Qamishli, northeastern Syria on the border with Kurdistan. Today's genocide declaration does not carry the legal implication of a verdict of guilt or conviction on genocide charges, but it does show the United States' support for one

In making his decision, Kerry weighed whether the militants' targeting of Christians and other minorities meets the definition of genocide, according to the U.N. Convention: 'acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.'

His determination, however, does not carry the legal implication of a verdict of guilt or conviction on genocide charges, the officials said and he underscored today in in his remarks. Such decisions will be left to international or other tribunals such as the International Criminal Court, ICC.

In a bid to push the review process, several groups released reports last week documenting what they said is clear evidence that the legal standard has been met.

The Knights of Columbus and In Defense of Christians, which had applauded Monday's House resolution, said they hoped the delay would ensure that Kerry makes the determination.

'There is only one legal term for this, and that is genocide,' said Knights of Columbus chief Carl Anderson.
A judge has ruled that four children must be immunised after a Muslim mother refused to take them for vaccines because she thought they contained pork gelatine.

The children, aged between eight months and six, will be forced to have a 'variety of outstanding immunisations' following the ruling at a family court.

Their mother had objected to the vaccines after claiming they contained gelatine from pork, which is forbidden to Muslims.

A judge has ruled that four children must be immunised after a Muslim mother refused to take them for vaccines because she thought they contained pork gelatine (stock picture)

But Judge Carol Atkinson, who did not say what diseases the immunisations related to, said the woman had a 'paranoid view of the world'.

She added: 'The mother has refused her consent on a number of different bases; that the vaccines contain pork gelatine is the most recent objection.

The children, aged between eight months and six, will be forced to have a 'variety of outstanding immunisations' following the ruling by Judge Carol Atkinson (pictured)

'It transpired that the ones proposed do not. Having been shown her fears are unwarranted she has agreed that the children can have the necessary vaccines.'

Judge Atkinson, who did not identify the family, added that she made the order to stop the mother changing her position and withdrawing her consent at a later date.

The issue was brought before the court after social workers asked the judge to make rulings on a number of welfare issues including where the children should live.

The childrens parents, both in their twenties, had separated and they had been living with their mother in London.

But the judge heard that the youngsters had been taken into police protection after concerns were raised about their care.

Judge Atkinson, who said the mother was emotionally volatile and had displayed aggressive behaviour, concluded that the youngsters should live with their Somalian-born father, who was also based in London.

She said he would have support from social workers and added that the children should stay in contact with their mother.

The judge said the council had taken action after neighbours complained of a woman shouting abuse at children and telling of persistent crying.
TV presenter Kay Burley has been ridiculed after tweeting a tribute to Malcolm Muggeridge - who died more than 25 years ago - instead of Cliff Michelmore.

The 55-year-old Sky News host wrote RIP Malcolm Muggeridge above a picture of the journalist who was famous for his scathing satire and commentaries in the 1950s - and died aged 87 in 1990.

Miss Burleys post yesterday at 8.24am followed the overnight announcement of the death of presenter Cliff Michelmore, who was one of BBC TV and radio's leading figures for decades.

Oops: Sky News host Kay Burley (left) tweeted RIP Malcolm Muggeridge (right) above a picture of the journalist who was famous for his scathing satire and commentaries in the 1950s - but died aged 87 in 1990

'RIP the dinosaurs': Online jokers suggested that the death of other well-known figures from decades and centuries past  including Royal Dahl and Winston Churchill - should be marked

And online jokers then suggested that the death of other well-known figures from decades and centuries past  including Elvis Presley, Winston Churchill and Napoleon - should be marked.

Among those making fun of Miss Burley was Alan Perrie from Birmingham, who tweeted: 'RIP President John F Kennedy, cruelly taken from us this morning in Dallas, cause of death TBC.'

Paul Hancock of London said 'RIP the dinosaurs', while Richard Bartholomew warned it'll be Roald Dahl next' - and retired nurse Anne Carlin from Glasgow added: 'He is as dead as Julius Caesar!'

After being alerted to her mistake, Burley tweeted shortly after 9.30am yesterday: 'Thanks all for correcting me re Malcolm Muggerdige [sic]. Some of you more polite than others, as ever.

And comedian David Baddiel tweeted: 'I see Malcolm Muggeridge is trending because Kay Burley mixed him up with Cliff Michelmore. What a time to be alive.'

Former Tonight presenter: Miss Burleys tweet followed yesterday's announcement of the death of presenter Cliff Michelmore (left in 1962; right in 2009), who was a leading figure on BBC TV and radio for decades

Broadcaster and author: Malcolm Muggeridge - who died 26 years ago in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, after a serious stroke - was known for being a journalist, teacher, wartime spy, editor and traveller

Broadcaster and author Mr Muggeridge - who died 26 years ago in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, after a serious stroke - was known for being a journalist, teacher, wartime spy, editor and traveller.

Mr Muggeridge had two sons and a daughter with his wife Kitty, whom he married in 1927 and with whom he lived at a nursing home towards the end of his life. She died in 1994 in Ontario, Canada.

He is as dead as Julius Caesar! Anne Carlin, tweeting Kay Burley

Meanwhile Mr Michelmore, who anchored BBC coverage of the Apollo moon landings and several general elections, was best known as the presenter of BBC magazine show Tonight.

Mr Michelmore, whose broadcasting career began in the Second World War, was made a CBE in 1969. He died at Petersfield Hospital in Hampshire after being admitted last week.

BBC director-general Tony Hall, who led tributes to the outstanding broadcaster, said former RAF squadron leader Mr Michelmore was a national figure at a time when there were just two channels.
Surgeons are set to perform 60 experimental penis transplants on wounded servicemen to restore their urinary and sexual function - in a US first.

Medical staff at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore have been practicing on cadavers before undertaking the operation on actual patients.

More than 1,300 male members of the armed forces have suffered some form of urogenital injury since 9/11 and while many are now survivable, it can have a huge psychological impact, especially on young men, Philly.com reported.

Doctors and advocates who work with wounded soldiers note that the loss of the penis is one of the most emotionally traumatic injuries because it affects a sense of identity and manhood, especially for men hoping to become fathers.

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The procedures will be performed at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore

The diagram shows how surgeons in South Africa performed the first successful penis transplant in 2014. The nerves of the donated penis were joined to the recipient's genital region, in a bid to restore function

Taylor Graham, a hospital spokesperson, said: 'When they wake up after getting hurt, they don't care if they're missing an arm or a leg.

'The first thing they do is to make sure, "Is my penis still intact?" They worry about the arms and legs later.'

Surgeons hope a donated organ from a recently deceased man will provide full function including urination, sensation and sex.

The surgery requires joining nerves and blood vessels under a microscope.

If the first round of operations are successful the procedure can then be used to help men who have had cancer and in gender reassignment surgery.

L. Scott Levin, a surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the world's first double hand transplant last year said the procedure raised ethical concerns

The hospital has, as yet, only been approved by authorities to conduct the surgery on injured servicemen.

The procedures, which will involve the penis only and not the testes, are not yet scheduled but are expected to take place over the coming weeks.

The United Network for Organ Sharing said other hospitals have been approved to perform the specialist surgery.

L. Scott Levin, a surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the world's first double hand transplant last year at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said there were similar ethical and technical concerns with transplanting a penis, as a hand or face.

None of the operations are considered lifesaving, but requires a team of doctors many hours to stitch blood vessels, nerves and muscles together.

Dr Levin said: 'If you don't have a functioning heart, we know you're going to die. We know you can live without hands, a face, or a penis, but your quality of life is extremely compromised.

'Some would say, "Without them, I'm not living".'

Surgeons who carried out the first successful penis transplant at Tygerberg Hospital in South Africa revealed months later that their patient was due to become a father

The first penis transplant was performed in September 2006 at a military hospital in Guangzhou, China, on a man, 44, who had had sustained the loss of most of his penis in an accident.

Despite being a medical success, the patient and his wife suffered psychological trauma and the surgery was reversed 15 days later.

A 21-year-old, who had lost his penis as a result of a botched circumcision he underwent aged 18, was the first person to urdergo a successful penis transplant.

The nine hour operation took place at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, led by doctors from Stellenbosch University in December 2014.

Professor Frank Graewe, who took part in the nine-hour surgery on the South African man, saidafter the procedure: 'He gets good quality erections, ejaculates and has frequent sex with his partner.'
His mother believes identity thieves took out the loans in his name

He was arrested over the weekend by UAE authorities who accused him of defaulting on several loans

Novak, 31, lost his passport in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and reported it stolen

A U.S. schoolteacher working abroad has been arrested while transiting through the United Arab Emirates after someone fraudulently used his name to take out nearly $90,000 in loans in the Gulf Arab country, his mother said Thursday.

Matthew Novak, 31, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, was stopped Saturday at Abu Dhabi International Airport during a layover while traveling from Thailand to Egypt, his mother Carolyn Novak said.

Authorities arrested him over seven loans taken out in his name in several areas of the UAE, a seven-emirate federation on the Arabian Peninsula, she said.

Matthew Novak, 31, was stopped Saturday at Abu Dhabi International Airport during a layover while traveling from Thailand to Egypt. Pictured here in an undated photo released by his mother

Novak previously worked as a school teacher in Abu Dhabi from 2009 to 2012 before taking a teaching job in Thailand and later Cairo, his mother said.

He lost his U.S. passport in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, in 2010 and reported missing to both the U.S. Embassy and local police there before receiving a replacement, she said.

Matthew Novak was arrested Saturday March 12, 2016 while transiting through the United Arab Emirates after someone fraudulently used his name to take out nearly $90,000 in loans in the Gulf Arab country, his mother said Thursday

Carolyn Novak believes someone stole her son's passport and then used it to make the loans.

Emirati officials declined to comment Thursday.

The U.S. Embassy did not respond to a request for comment, though she said they had been working on her son's case.

'Given the circumstances, his spirits are good,' Novak said.

'He's adamant that he did not do this and truly believes we're going to sort it out.'

The United Arab Emirates, home to glittering skylines, luxury malls and the world's tallest building, hosts U.S. military personnel now part of the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

While liberal compared to other nations in the Gulf, the Emirates considers defaulting on loans a criminal offense and incarcerates debtors to stop them from fleeing the country and to make them settle their accounts.

As oil prices have dipped in recent months, some foreign workers in the region have found themselves out of a job and suddenly unable to make payments, effectively trapped overseas.

Cases like Matthew Novak, in which fraud is alleged, are far rarer.

His mother said they've found a local lawyer to help assist him through the legal process.

'I'm hopeful that the charges will be dropped against him and that the nightmare will end,' Carolyn Novak said.

'But until he's actually back in Cairo or the U.S. ... I'm not going to feel safe or comfortable.'

Tourists gather at Abu Dhabi sea front before a heavy rain storm last week
A primary school where children are made to run a mile every day has proved so successful in tackling obesity it could soon be introduced nationwide.

Teachers at St Ninians school in Stirling have sent pupils out for the daily run for the last four years and claim it has improved their behaviour as well as their fitness.

Given the popularity of the scheme, a campaign has now been launched to persuade all primary schools across the UK to copy the model.

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Children at St Ninians school in Stirling run for a mile every day - the scheme could soon be introduced across all primary schools in the United Kingdom

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale joined the pupils for their daily run, which teachers say has improved their fitness and their behaviour

The initiative was started when a volunteer came to the school and said the children were unfit and getting exhausted 'very, very quickly'

Children from Hallfield primary school in London took part in the daily mile run today - the scheme has proved so popular with children it could soon be rolled out across every school in the UK

Headteacher of St Ninians, Elaine Wyllie (pictured), who started the scheme four years ago in Stirling, joins children at Hallfield primary school in London, where it is being rolled out

Five hundred other primaries across Britain have already adopted the scheme as part of their drive to cut childhood obesity.

Daily miles are now run in schools in London, Gateshead, Wales and other parts of Scotland, with 30 schools in Stirling alone taking part.

Children from Hallfield Primary in London were today pictured with ex-Olympian Iwan Thomas, Made in Chelsea's Nicola Hughes and Chloe Lewis from TOWIE taking part in a mile run.

They were also joined by proud headteacher of St Ninians, Elaine Wyllie, who started the scheme at her Stirling primary.

She said: 'The thought of children across the country running every day because of something we've done is phenomenal.

'It's a commonsense approach to children's fitness, which is free and easy. The most important thing is that the children really enjoy it, otherwise you couldn't sustain it. They come back in bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked, how children used to look. It's joyous to see.'

She added: 'We want all schools to give their children the opportunity to run a mile each day.

'It only takes fifteen minutes and has been shown to improve their health, fitness and concentration in class.'

The scheme was introduced four years ago when a volunteer realised the children lacked stamina

The World Health Organization considers childhood obesity to be one of the most serious global public health challenges of the 21st century.

To try and tackle this, George Osborne announced a sugar tax on the soft drinks industry in his Budget yesterday.

One in 10 children are obese when they start school at the age of four or five but around a third of children are considered overweight or obese when leave primary school.

Last week, a year six pupil from Solihull in Birmingham tipped the scales at 16 stone 3lbs when weighed as part of the National Child Measurement Programme.

Experts recommend all children spend an hour a day being physically active in order to remain healthy.

At St Ninians, teachers take their pupils out of lessons on to a specially built circuit around the school's playing field for their daily mile whenever it best suits that day's timetable. Only ice or very heavy rain stops them.

Children who have difficulty with mobility are supported to take part.

Tanni Grey-Thompson, the celebrated Paralympian, peer and chair of ukactive, the UK's leading not-for-profit health body for physical activity, told The Guardian: 'All children need to achieve 60 active minutes every day, whether in a lesson, on the walk to school, or in the playground.

'We know sitting still kills; not sitting still helps children build skills that will stay with them for life.'

Celebrities such as Chloe Lewis from TOWIE and Made in Chelsea's Nicola Hughes gave their support to the scheme today in London

Former Olympic 400m runner Iwan Thomas, who also won a Commonwealth medal gold, jogs with pupils during their daily mile at Hallfield primary school

Meanwhile, researchers from Stirling University are looking for quantitative evidence of the physical, cognitive and emotional benefits of the daily mile.

St Ninians pupils will be compared with children from a school in Stirling that has yet to start the scheme.

Dr Colin Moran, who is leading the study, told the Guardian: 'The children [at St Ninians] don't seem to have problems with obesity; they seem happier and staff say they settle into lessons faster, so we designed a study that would test all of these things. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence about the benefits but there aren't any scientific facts yet.'
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Prince William stepped in to hand out St Patrick's Day shamrocks to more than 600 Irish Guards this morning after the Duchess of Cambridge said she would not be carrying out the 115-year-old tradition of a female royal doing the job.

The 33-year-old had been invited by the guards as their Honorary Colonel to attend the Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London, as it was reported Kate decided she would be staying at home with their two children, Charlotte and George.

The Duchess' decision, which came despite her carrying out the duty for the last four years, broke tradition as the role has been completed by female royals since Queen Alexandra in 1901.

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Prince William stepped in to hand out St Patrick's Day shamrocks to more than 600 Irish Guards - and regiment mascot, Domhnall the wolfhound (pictured) - this morning after the Duchess of Cambridge said she would not be carrying out the 115-year-old tradition

The Duchess has previously been a regular fixture at the event and today is the first one she has missed since taking over the role from the Princess Royal in 2012. She is pictured above with a more alert Domhnall at the parade in 2014

He appeared in good spirits as he chatted to the soldiers and allowed them to pin a shamrock onto his hat, much to the delight of the crowd who waited nearby in the hope they would get a picture.

After arriving at the barracks, the Duke, who is Colonel of the regiment, led a private ceremony for the family of Major Harry Shapland, who was killed in operations in northern Iraq in 1994.

He presented Major Shapland's mother with the Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll, created in 2009 to recognise the families of armed forces personnel who have died in conflict or as a result of acts of terrorism.

After the private ceremony, William, dressed in an Irish Guards frock coat and wearing a ceremonial sword, was welcomed on to the central parade ground with a regimental royal salute, followed by the National Anthem played by the regiment's bagpipes and drum divisions.

The Duke began the parade by handing out baskets of shamrock to warrant officers, who then distributed the sprigs down and along the ranks. He remained in good spirits throughout the parade, joking with officers and wishing them a happy St Patrick's Day.

Presenting the shamrock to the regiment's mascot, four-year-old Irish wolfhound Domhnall, the Duke passed the duties on to the dog's handler having observed his wife's failed attempts to fix the shamrock to Domhnall's collar last year.

After the ceremony, William met soldiers and their families, and sat for group photographs with the Officers' and Sergeants' Mess.

The Duke spoke with John Patrick Keneally, whose wife, Maryam, was wearing his father's Victoria Cross medal, as well as Army cadets including Lance Sergeant Alex Hullme, 16.

The Duke of Cambridge poses for the Corporals' Mess group photo with the Irish Guards as one gentleman tries to take a selfie after Friday's parade

The Prince, whose uniform looked immaculate at the parade, smiled as he saluted an Irish Guard while handing out shamrocks on Thursday morning

The 33-year-old, pictured at the event, arrived at the Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London, after Kate announced earlier this week she would be staying at home with their two children, Charlotte and George

The Prince was earlier pictured waiting in the sun and inspecting his hat before the start of the traditional parade

William, dressed in an Irish Guards frock coat and wearing a ceremonial sword, was welcomed on to the central parade ground with a regimental royal salute before being given the shamrock (above)

He appeared in good spirits as he chatted to senior members of the regiment and prepared to present the shamrocks to the waiting guards

Senior officers were on hand to help Prince William hand out the traditional honours, with a large crowd waiting behind to witness the parade

The father-of-two remained in good spirits throughout the parade, joking with officers and wishing them a happy St Patrick's Day

The Duke passed on the duty of attaching a shamrock to the mascot's collar having observed his wife's failed attempts last year

The Prince, however, was not too afraid to pet the four-year-old Irish wolfhound, who behaved throughout today's ceremony

Other soldiers looked on in amusement as Domhnall turned his head away from the Prince as he patted him during the ceremony

Speaking after the event Company Sergeant Major Carl Laverty said the guards were 'conscious' that Kate, pictured at the parade in 2012, has 'family commitments'

A REGIMENT WHO HAS FOUGHT FOR QUEEN AND COUNTRY Today's parade marked the first time the full battalion has been able to celebrate St Patrick's Day in five years due to previous commitments serving on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq. More recently soldiers have been deployed on operations in Bosnia, Oman and Kenya. Formed in April 1900 by Queen Victoria to recognise the services of Irish soldiers during the Second Boer War in South Africa, the regiment has served in major roles in both World Wars and has been awarded six Victoria Crosses over the last century. Receiving shamrock on St Patrick's Day is a battalion tradition dating back to 1901, when Princess Alexandra became the first member of the Royal Family to attend the ceremony. Advertisement

Mr Hullme said: 'He was very pleased to hear that I've signed up to join the Irish Guards. We talked about my detachment from Crosby, and he was pleased to hear that we had won the Mini Micks competition, held in Ireland. It was great to have him present our shamrock to us.'

The Duke also demonstrated a touch of his paternal side, when he was shocked to learn from one officer and his wife, who was heavily pregnant, that she was in fact expecting later in the day.

'You're expecting today? Wow, you must sit down,' he joked.

The Duchess has previously been a regular fixture at the event and today is the first one she has missed since taking over the role from the Princess Royal in 2012.

A spokesman for Kensington Palace said Kate had wanted to return home to Anmer Hall in Norfolk to spend time with her children ahead of a trip to India and Bhutan next month.

They added: 'The Duchess has very much enjoyed the occasions when she has been able to attend, but the Duke is the Colonel of the Regiment and is looking forward to presenting the Irish Guards with their shamrock.

'The Duchess has returned home to spend time with the children, but looks forward to marking St Patrick's Day with the Irish Guards many times in the future.'

Speaking after the event, Company Sergeant Major Carl Laverty said the guards were 'conscious that she [Kate] has family commitments'.

He also added that the 'lads were ecstatic' to have their Colonel present the honours instead.

Prince William walks across the grass during the parade, which was witnessed by hundreds of soldiers, at Cavalry Barracks on Thursday morning

Today's parade, which the Prince is photographed taking part in (above), marked the first time the full battalion has been able to celebrate St Patrick's Day in five years due to previous commitments serving on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq

Eager royal fans waited behind a rope in the hope they would get a picture of the Prince (left), who was pictured clutching a shamrock while watching the parade (right)

Prince William, pictured looking at the basket of shamrocks, was today able to carry on the battalion tradition

The Prince carried out a salute before the National Anthem was played by the regiment's bagpipes and drum divisions

Lines of Irish Guards raise their large black hats in cheers for the Duke of Cambridge as he visited the barracks on St Patrick's Day

A Guardsman looked delighted to be meeting the Prince, who had a giggle as he chatted to families following Thursday's parade

Prince William met Guardsman Kenny Devon, his wife Rhiannon and their daughter Sofia after the parade and showed a softer side as he pointed to the young girl's pretty headband

The little girl did not seem to break a smile as she met the Prince, who did his best to entertain her as she was held by her mother

The Duke of Cambridge, pictured front row and tenth from left, poses for a group photograph with the Irish Guards during today's visit in the sun

The Prince looked happy as he posed for a photograph alongside warrant officers and sergeants after presenting the traditional sprigs

William smiled as he walked away from the group photograph, flanked by two senior officers who had also been in the picture

But the decision saw the Duke and Duchess ridiculed by members of the public who expressed anger over their break from tradition.

One social media user wrote sarcastically: 'Well she has done it for the last four years - she probably needs a rest', while another claimed they 'did not know' what the purpose of the royals was if they stopped carrying out traditions.

Another added: 'Shame about the Irish Guards @KensingtonRoyal breaking a tradition that goes so far back. It's almost like you want the bad press.'

And one person wrote on Twitter: 'Kate pulls out of traditional St Patrick's Day ceremony with Irish Guards. Poor girl must be tired after her holiday.'

The parade also comes after criticism that the young royal couple is 'workshy', with some claiming they have only completed a handful of officials events since the beginning of the year.

The pair have since attended a number of events including a day of focus on male suicide on March 10, visiting charity XLP on March 11 and the Commonwealth Service, which also saw Prince Harry and the Queen appear, on March 14.
Security forces have returned to the Bataclan in Paris where jihadist gunmen killed 90 to re-trace their steps as part of a probe in to the police response to the massacre.

The re-enactment was ordered by a parliamentary commission investigating the series of attacks on the French capital by ISIS, which left 130 dead and hundreds injured.

But some of the relatives of the dead expressed anger that they had not been informed in advance of the police initiative.

On the other side of the country, law enforcement officials bracing for this summer's European Championships were training with a fake explosion reminiscent of the suicide attacks on the French national stadium that night.

Nadine Ribet-Reinhart (centre), whose 26-year-old son Valentin was killed in the Bataclan attack said she was not given enough warning about the re-enactment

Security forces have returned to the Bataclan in Paris where jihadist gunmen killed 90 to re-trace their steps as part of a probe in to the police response to the massacre

Volunteers train for a chemical attack at the Police National School of Nimes, southern France this afternoon

Law enforcement preparing for the European Championships are expected to train later with a fake explosion reminiscent of the suicide attacks on the French national stadium on November 13

The exercises aim to prevent future bloodshed and shed light on what happened when three gunmen claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group opened fire during a jam-packed rock concert and three suicide bombers attacked the Germany-France football match.

The metal gate of the Bataclan, which has been closed and locked to all but forensics teams and judicial investigators since the attacks, opened briefly Thursday to allow about two dozen people inside before clattering shut behind them.

Moments before, the mother of a young man killed that night complained outside the entrance about a process she said was both unnecessarily painful and did little to help families understand what happened to their loved ones.

'We parents still don't know what time our children died, what their wounds were. On my son's death certificate, it says he died between Nov. 13 and Nov. 14,' Nadine Ribert-Reinhart said. 'It's a farce.'

Thursday's scenario involved a chemical bomb at an open-air screening of a match, with thousands of spectators

The re-enactment was ordered by a parliamentary commission investigating the series of attacks on the French capital by ISIS, which left 130 dead and hundreds injured

Politician Georges Fenech (centre) said the re-enactment was designed to see how police acted, chronologically

The elite BRI police are to show authorites how they eventually stormed the venue and shot dead the four gunmen - and why it took three hours from the start of the attack to the conclusion

Families have not been allowed in, but Alain Marsaud - one of the lawmakers there Thursday - said someone had laid fresh flowers and photos where the victims fell.

Before entering, Georges Fenech, president of the parliamentary commission, said the lawmakers would observe a minute of silence inside before beginning their work alongside the elite police special forces and other first responders that night.

'We will, with them, see chronologically how they intervened and answer the questions that the investigation commission has, that all the victims, the families have, and all the French as well,' Fenech said.

The November 13 attacks began at the stadium with three suicide bombers and ended with the siege of the Bataclan, where 89 people died that night over 2 hours until the final police assault ordered by the president. One officer penetrated the concert hall and managed to kill an attacker before retreating.

'From the moment one police officer very courageously killed one of the terrorists, it changed the behavior and the way the other two acted. They stopped killing, slaughtering people. So we asked a lot of questions,' Meyer Habib, one of the lawmakers, said after emerging.

The parliamentary committee is also investigating the French state's response to the jihadist attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in January last year

Investigation: Some of the relatives of the dead claim they were not told in advance about the exercise

In the southern city of Nimes, security officials from French cities hosting the European Championship compared notes and trained for an attack more devastating than the ones on the national stadium.

Thursday's scenario involved a chemical bomb at an open-air screening of a match, with thousands of spectators.

One key moment of Nov. 13 was the decision to continue the Germany-France match even after three suicide attackers detonated outside the stadium in the outskirts of Paris.

Among the spectators that night were French President Francois Hollande, the prime minister and the general who leads the Paris' fire department. All three were evacuated after the explosions, and the fire chief deployed to the Bataclan.

But the bulk of the people in the stadium remained inside - told only there was a 'technical problem' and that they could not leave.

That order, Gen. Philippe Boutinaud told the lawmakers late Wednesday, came from the highest level and was crucial to keeping casualties low in the crowd - one person was killed in the attack, but there was no stampede and spectators evacuated peacefully hours later, some singing the French national anthem.

'While things were unfolding in Paris, I had one constant worry, which was the 72,000 spectators at the Stade de France,' he testified.

Even many of the security guards were in the dark, said Didier Pinteaux, the French football federation's security chief.

'The order was clear to all the managers: under no circumstances should you communicate about the attacks,' he testified.




German court officials are refusing to extradite a suspected double killer to America because U.S. justice officials have not provided a guarantee she will not end up dying in jail.

Arrest warrants were issued for Armando Reyes Diaz, 33, and Dulce Maria Funez, 35, on two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Eddie and Connie Hall in Ethel, Louisiana.

Mr Hall, 53, and his wife, 51, were found dead in their home on a Sunday afternoon in April, 2014.

Dulce Maria Funez, 35, has been arrested in Germany after officials found she was wanted in the U.S. regarding a double murder case

Her boyfriend Armando Reyes Diaz is still wanted by U.S. police and is currently on the run

Diaz and Funez became suspects after police examined a 2009 Nissan Versa with a Louisiana number plate that the two were reported to be traveling in.

Police have kept most of the details secret apart from confirming that a family member, concerned after not hearing from the Halls in a while, had driven to their home and found the bodies.

Despite an international arrest warrant, both suspects vanished until an incident in Germany in November in which a woman working as a cleaner for a local company in the western city of Rheinbach in North Rhine-Westphalia had complained the local police station that she was the victim of sexual harassment.

Police who wanted to check her identity were then stunned to find that the petite woman was in fact Funez, a suspect in a double murder case in the U.S.

She and her then boyfriend were members of the local Hispanic community but it was not revealed how they knew the murdered couple.

She was arrested immediately and since November has been awaiting extradition. However, the hearing has been extended twice because U.S. officials have not provided the needed paperwork.

Germany does not have the death penalty, and refuses to extradite people to countries where they might face a death sentence.

They also do not send people back where they might expect the jail sentence to be excessively long.

According to court officials, the U.S. has given a written statement that she will not get a death sentence.

But if she is given life in jail, the Germans also want assurances that at the most after 20 years she will be allowed to leave.

Eddie and Connie Hall (pictured left and right) were found dead in their Louisiana home in April 2014. Police have kept most details of the case under wraps aside from issuing arrest warrants for Diaz and Funez

Funez and Diaz became suspects after police examined a 2009 Nissan Versa with a Louisiana number plate the two were reported to be traveling in (pictured)

Police vehicles are pictured at the Hall's home in Louisiana, where the double killing occurred

That is because in contrast to Germany, life in jail in the U.S. usually does mean staying in prison until death.

Without a written confirmation of that, she will now have hope of an eventual release, Germany will not allow her to be extradited on the grounds that this is a cruel and inhumane punishment.

Her lawyer Marc Piel, 30, said: 'I don't see how the American justice department can guarantee that my client will get a chance of freedom eventually if convicted.'

He said he believes that they will not meet the deadline, and according to his estimates she will need to be released.

Judges have extended the detention in the prison in Cologne in the hope the U.S. will provide the important paperwork needed. They say that if it is not provided soon, she will have to be released.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials say they have enough evidence to prove that she was the killer, and are working to make sure they come up with a deal that will see her extradited before the deadline.
The LA Safe Surrender Law allows parents to hand over children three days old or younger to a hospital without fear of prosecution

Authorities said Washington had hid the pregnancy from family

A California woman who buried her newborn daughter alive next to a Compton bike path has been sentenced to 14 years in state prison.

Porche Washington, 33, was immediately sentenced after she pleaded no contest to attempted murder and causing great bodily injury to an infant in court on Wednesday.

Authorities said Washington had hid her pregnancy from family and friends.

Porche Washington, 33, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for burying her newborn baby daughter (pictured), who was found alive in Compton, California on November 27

'Basically she was stressed. She did not want to deliver the baby at first,' Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt Richard Ruiz said. 'She was afraid.'

Washington gave birth at a hospital on November 23 and was released with her daughter three days later on Thanksgiving Day.

On November 27 two sisters walking on a Compton bike path near a riverbed heard her daughter's muffled cries, authorities said.

Sheriff's deputies who were called to the scene also heard the child.

They removed chunks of asphalt and found the baby, wrapped in a hospital blanket, in a shallow, rubble-encased crevice.

The baby, seen held by a deputy from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, was still wrapped in a hospital blanket when she was found in the crevice of a bike path

The girl appeared to be 24 to 36 hours old at the time, sheriff's deputies told KTLA.

'She was wrapped in what appears to be a hospital blanket, and her face was covered with loose dirt,' Sheriff Jim McDonnell said.

The baby was hospitalized in good condition before her care was taken over by social service workers, who said they would try and find her an adopted home.

Investigators arrested Washington a week later in Compton after obtaining the mother's name from the hospital and tracking her through acquaintances, authorities said.

Washington initially pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and child abuse and was held on $1million bail.
Scarring: Gemma Hilton was attacked by a stranger while she waited for a friend at a bar in Liverpool

A single mother-of-three glassed in an unprovoked attack on a night out was left with injuries so horrific that her scared children hid in the wardrobe to avoid seeing them.

Gemma Hilton, 34, was attacked by 36-year-old stranger Kelly Watterson while she waited for a friend at a bar in Liverpool a fortnight ago - and now faces being scarred for life.

The care assistant and model from Roby, Liverpool, suffered two huge facial cuts - one of which pierced her cheek - and needed more than 50 stitches after being hit by a glass twice.

Miss Hilton, who has been left too self-conscious to leave home alone, has shared images of her injuries as she launches an appeal for bars to use only plastic cups and glasses after midnight.

She said: I was in the bar waiting for my space and this woman came over to me. She seemed a bit strange, she was in my personal space.

I ignored her and went to sit with some other people but later when I went back to the bar she whispered something in my ear, I cant remember what she said. She put her left arm around me and I pushed it away and backed off.

'But out of nowhere she hit me in the face with a glass. We both stumbled back and she hit me again before trying to hit me a third time, but that time she missed.

I fell to the floor on my side and remember she was kicking me in the ribs, but I cant remember much after that as I passed out. It is all a blur really.

Horrifying: She suffered two huge facial cuts and needed more than 50 stitches after being hit by a glass twice

Stitches: One of the facial cuts pierced the cheek of the care assistant and model from Roby, Liverpool

Recovering: Miss Hilton (pictured before the attack, left, and after, right) has been told to return to hospital in 18 months for more treatment but doctors have warned her she is likely to be scarred for life

After the attack at Woodys Bar on February 5, Miss Hilton was taken by ambulance to Liverpool Royal Hospital before being transferred to the maxillofacial unit at Aintree University Hospital.

She underwent a three hour operation to repair her face and spent three days in hospital.

Miss Hilton, who was studying make-up artistry at college at the time of the attack, now cannot smile properly, gets shooting pains through her head and has numbness on the left side of her face.

She has been told to return to the hospital in 18 months for more treatment but doctors have warned her she is likely to be scarred for life - and she is now taking antidepressants for anxiety.

Miss Hilton said: My face was left a complete mess. When I first came out of hospital my kids were terrified of me. They hid in the wardrobe and said "thats not my mum".

I wont go anywhere on my own now because people stare at me. My children are going to be wanting to go out as the weather gets nicer but I dont want to leave the house.

Request: She has launched an appeal for bars and clubs in Liverpool to use only plastic glasses after 12am

Treatment: Miss Hilton underwent a three hour operation to repair her face and spent three days in hospital

I was already self-conscious before - I wouldnt even go out if I had a spot - so this has really hit my self-esteem. This attack didnt just injure me, it scarred me for life. And not just physically.

When I first came out of hospital my kids were terrified of me. They hid in the wardrobe and said 'thats not my mum' Gemma Hilton

Miss Hilton - who is mother to 15-year-old Ella, Shey, eight, and seven-year-old Chloe - has launched an appeal for bars and clubs in Liverpool city centre to use only plastic glasses after 12am and her viral post racked up nearly 4,000 likes and shares in less than 24 hours.

She said: It has been really hard for everyone. I just want to prevent something like this happening again - if I can stop anyone else going through this, that is the aim.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: Police were called to Woodys Bar in Wood Street, Liverpool city centre, at 1.20am on February 5 to reports of an assault. A 36-year-old woman was arrested and subsequently charged with section 18 wounding.
Kyla Patient and her husband Robert Barnett had just got back from voting in the Missouri primary on Tuesday when they were greeted by a very unhappy little girl.

Their daughter, Aliyah, was in a fit of tears, unhappy that she didn't get to cast a vote herself.

'We also had 'I Just Voted' stickers, and we forgot to get her some, so that only made it worse,' her father told The Daily Mail Online on Thursday.

'I said to her mom, maybe you should record this, because it's probably going to be really funny one day.'

Funny it was. The video of the four-year-old tears ends with her saying that she would have voted for her parents to be presidents.

'She also said she would vote for herself for vice president, but we didn't get that part,' Barnett said.

After putting the clip on Facebook, it spread quickly, and when a local radio station in Hillsboro, where the family live, suggested they put it on YouTube, the video went viral.

'We had always seen videos like that before, but I never thought ours would take off like it did,' Barnett said.

Despite her age, Aliyah is aware of the attention she has been receiving, and was excited to see the video played on Fox 2 on Wednesday night.

'She was so excited. She was like ''oh my god I'm on the TV!''' Patient said.

'I want to vote': Little Aliyah was not happy she had to miss out on voting, and a video of her crying over it has now gone viral

Patient said that they had decided to vote for Donald Trump.

'We didn't go to any rallies, but we followed the campaign on TV and the internet, so I made up mind that way,' Patient said.

Trump ended up winning the Missouri primary, with 40.9 percent of the votes.
The 62-year-old is at the centre of ongoing family

Although mining magnate Gina Rinehart finds herself at the centre of an ongoing feud over her family trust, she still finds time to enjoy a long lunch with youngest daughter Ginia - who has continued to show ongoing support for her mother.

The pair were photographed enjoying a glass of bubbles while dining at Pink Salt in Double Bay in Sydney's east on Thursday with two young men - one appearing to be the family's former body guard and Ginia's rumoured fiance Simon.

In February, a court ordered Ms Rinehart hand over privileged documents relating to the $2.26 billion family trust to her eldest children Bianca Rinehart and John Hancock, as the famous family's feud reaches its fourth year.

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Although mining magnate Gina Rinehart finds herself at the centre of an ongoing feud over the family trust, she still finds time to enjoy a long lunch with youngest daughter Ginia

Ginia turned up hand in hand with rumoured fiance Simon for lunch with her mother

The group dined at Pink Salt in Double Bay Sydney's east on Thursday

Ms Rinehart appealed the court decision.

Ginia has always remained loyal to Ms Rinehart and sided with her mother in court in 2012. Legal submissions showed her siblings called their mother 'deceptive, manipulative, hopelessly conflicted and disgraceful.'

In 2013, Ginia publicly slammed Bianca and John, calling them 'selfish'.

Ginia was spotted holding hands with rumoured beau Simon as she headed into the venue on Thursday, stopping briefly for an intimate conversation near a car.

The group appeared to be celebrating and all paired rose champagne with their meals.

Ginia has always remained loyal to Ms Rinehart and has sided with her mother in court when her siblings called her 'deceptive, manipulative, hopelessly conflicted and disgraceful'

Ginia was spotted holding hands with rumoured beau Simon as she headed into the venue on Thursday, stopping briefly for an intimate conversation near a car

In February, a court ordered Ms Rinehart hand over privileged documents relating to the $4 billion family trust to her eldest children Bianca Rinehart and John Hancock

Ginia was spotted holding hands with rumoured beau Simon as she headed to lunch at Pink Salt in Double Bay

Another man in a blue jumper and white pants joined the famous family for lunch

They were casually dressed for the occasion, with Ms Rinehart donning a loose black top, dark sunglasses and her signature pearls.

Ginia had her hair tied back in a loose pony tail and wore a khaki jumpsuit and converse sneakers and her beau donned a white polo shirt and a cap.

The mining heiress was engaged to American Ryan Johnston, who is the son of Beach Boys singer Bruce Johnston, at the end of 2013.

The pair met at an $120,000-a-year private boarding school in Switzerland and were planning a lavish wedding in Italy before the engagement was quietly called off in October 2013, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The group appeared to be celebrating and all paired rose champagne with their meals

Ginia was spotted holding hands with rumoured beau Simon as she headed into the venue on Thursday

They were casually dressed for the occasion, with Ms Rinehart donning a loose black top, dark sunglasses and her signature pearls
Sen. Ted Cruz  the only one of the trio of GOP candidates who was fully on board with Monday's GOP debate  mocked his rival Donald Trump for pulling out, causing the debate to be cancelled.

'For whatever reason, it seems that Donald Trump finds you a very, very terrifying person,' Cruz said last night on Fox News to Megyn Kelly, a Trump foe who was supposed to moderate Monday's encounter.

Trump announced yesterday that 'we've had enough debates' and said he planned to skip the Fox News-sponsored confab because he had scheduled a speech before AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, at the same time.

Once Trump was out, rival John Kasich said he was following suit.

Cruz called Trump's excuse 'silliness' saying 'AIPAC would have allowed him to speak any time, it's a multi-day conference' and said he planned to follow Trump to Washington, D.C. to speak before the audience too.

'I'm going to be down in D.C. for AIPAC as well since Donald is running away from the debate  I'm happy to debate him there,' Cruz said. 'We could debate foreign policy, but the problem is Donald doesn't do very well in foreign policy because he doesn't even have a basic modicum of knowledge.'

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GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz chatted with Fox News' Megyn Kelly last night telling her Donald Trump's excuse for evading what was supposed to be the next GOP debate was 'silliness'

Ted Cruz mocked his rival Donald Trump saying they could both attend AIPAC and debate foreign policy, but Trump doesn't have a 'basic modicum of knowledge' on foreign policy

This morning Donald Trump caught wind of Ted Cruz's comments to Megyn Kelly and sent out this tweet articulating that Cruz 'can't win'

Trump raised eyebrows yesterday after telling the hosts of Morning Joe, 'I'm speaking with myself, No. 1, because I have a very good brain,' when Mika Brzezinski asked the Republican frontrunner who, exactly, consults him on foreign policy.

'He chose to speak right in the middle of the debate because he's scared to debate,' Cruz contended.

With Rubio now out and the field down to three, with Cruz way ahead of Kasich in the delegate count, but trailing Trump by 262 the Texas senator continues to argue that he's in the best position to yank the nomination away from Trump.

'The field has narrowed even more and he could have had a direct debate with me, but Donald is apparently ducking, he's afraid of being challenged,' Cruz said, pointing out that just a week ago the billionaire was chomping at the bit to take on Cruz.

'And I think that's because the race has shifted to a terrain that is not favorable to him,' Cruz continued, saying that the media was trying to hold a 'coronation' already for the frontrunner.

'The reality is the closer we get to a one-on-one battle, the worse Donald Trump does  he's benefited by having a wide field  and Marco Rubio's decision to suspend his campaign last night was a bad blow to Donald Trump because it means the opposition to Trump continues to unify and Republicans continue to unify behind our campaign,' Cruz added.

Upon hearing of Cruz's conversation with Kelly, Trump took to Twitter this morning.

'Crazy Megyn Kelly supposedly had lyin' Ted Cruz on her show last night,' Trump wrote. 'Ted is desperate and his lying is getting worse.'

'Ted can't win!' Trump added.

Donald Trump said yesterday that he would NOT be going to Monday's debate in Salt Lake City, Utah, as he's scheduled to speak at AIPAC instead. Several hours later a producer from the local Fox affiliate tweeted that the debate had been cancelled

Fox News' Megyn Kelly was to return to the moderator chair for a fourth time this GOP primary season - but then Monday's debate was cancelled

Yesterday word about the debate quickly spread once a local reporter from a Fox affiliate confirmed from a source at the debate venue that it wasn't happening.

Soon, Fox News Channel's executive vice president of news Michael Clemente issued a statement.

DONALD TRUMP'S BARBS HE'S THROWN AT MEGYN KELLY 'She had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.' 'Megyn Kelly must have had a terrible vacation, she is really off her game. Was afraid to confront Dr. Cornel West. No clue on immigration 'The "debate" tonight will be a total disaster - low ratings with advertisers and advertising rates dropping like a rock. I hate to see this.' 'Why does Megyn Kelly devote so much time on her shows to me, almost always negative? Without me her ratings would tank. Get a life Megyn!' 'I refuse to call Megyn Kelly a bimbo, because that would not be politically correct. Instead i will only call her a lightweight reporter!'

'Can't watch Crazy Megyn anymore. Talks about me at 43% but never mentions that there are four people in race. With two people, big & over!' 'Watching other networks and local news. Crazy Megyn Kelly is unwatchable.' Advertisement

'On Feb. 20, the Republican National Committee announced that a GOP presidential primary debate would be held on March 21 in Salt Lake City,' Clemente said.

'They offered that debate to Fox News Channel to host, provided there were enough candidates actively campaigning,' he said.

'This morning, Donald Trump announced he would not be participating in the debate. Shortly afterward, John Kasich's campaign announced that without Trump at the debate, Kasich would not participate,' Clemente continued.

'Ted Cruz has expressed a willingness to debate Trump or Kasich  or both. But obviously, there needs to be more than one participant. So the Salt Lake City debate is cancelled,' Clemente's statement concluded.

A network spokeswoman also pointed out that Trump had been on board with more debates directly after last Thursday's GOP debate in Miami.

''I think they want to do two more debates, and I guess I'm pretty much okay with it,' Trump had said to CNN's Chris Cuomo.

By Friday morning, at a Florida press conference in which he was endorsed by former rival Ben Carson, Trump had changed his tune.

'It would be nice to finish off with this one,' he said of the debate held last Thursday. 'It was just a really nice way to finish off the debate season.'

But on Monday, Fox News Channel made it official announcing yet another GOP primary debate was scheduled for next week and would be moderated by by Trump's sometimes-nemesis Kelly.

Yesterday morning, even, Trump said on Morning Joe he wouldn't be burying the hatchet.

'Not Megyn Kelly, I'm not interested in that,' Trump said.

Winning: Donald Trump appears to be consistently setting the agenda for the Republican Party primary debates

Like the most recent Fox News debate, which took place in Detroit, Michigan, Kelly would have been joined behind the desk by colleagues Chris Wallace and Bret Baier.

The Salt Lake City debate was to be the 13th Republican primary affair, with the debates starting back in August and happening monthly until January hit.

Since then, there have been six  with three debates scheduled back-to-back in February  and one that has already happened in March.

Fox News has sponsored and moderated three of these confabs, with Kelly front-and-center each time.

The first Fox debate was memorable because it became quickly apparent that Trump had a beef with the female journalist, as she asked him early on about some of his sexist tweets.

Trump famously uttered after the fact that Kelly had gone after him because she had 'blood coming out of her wherever.'

A Kelly-vs.-Trump rematch was scheduled in January just days before the Iowa Caucuses, but Trump  after Fox put out an antagonistic press release that mocked Trump for surveying his Twitter followers  decided to skip the affair.

In an unconventional move in politics, Trump scheduled a veterans fundraiser across town from the debate slotted for the same time.

When Trump finally did face Kelly again any beef between the two was overshadowed when the billionaire made reference to the size of his package on national TV.

With yesterday's results changing the dynamic of the Republican race again, Trump, with the most delegates and still the highest percentage of support nationally, would like to quit while he's ahead.

'I think it's time to end the debates.' Trump said Friday addressing the matter concretely.




David Cameron has secured support from all other EU leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) for new flexibility on VAT which would allow the UK to introduce a zero rating on tampons

David Cameron begged EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker for permission to reduce the VAT on tampons yesterday as he tried to head off a major Commons rebellion.

In a humiliating encounter, the Prime Minister was forced to use a Brussels summit on the migrant crisis to plead for help on reducing British tax rates on female sanitary products.

Last night it appeared that Brussels was preparing to offer an olive branch on the issue next week by allowing Britain to scrap the 5 per cent VAT rate on tampons.

EU leaders signalled they would come to Mr Camerons aid on the issue, which has proved embarrassing for the Prime Minister and Chancellor as they try to convince voters to stay in the EU.

In a joint statement, they said they welcomed the intention of the European Commission to come forward with proposals that would provide the option to member states of VAT zero rating for sanitary products.

Mr Osborne said the deal showed the value of being a powerful, confident voice in the EU. He added: We said wed fight for agreement, and tonight all European leaders have welcomed our plan to do just that. Weve achieved what no British government has even tried to achieve.

But Matthew Elliott, of the Vote Leave campaign, said: Even if the PM does win support for these proposals, they will take a long time to come into force, possibly years.

Rebel MPs indicated that they would press ahead with a vote on the issue in the Commons, which could produce a rare Budget defeat for the Government.

They said the row highlighted the extent to which Brussels can overrule British sovereignty. Campaigners have fought for years to have the so-called tampon tax removed, arguing that sanitary products are a necessity, not a luxury, and should therefore not attract VAT.

But under EU rules, the Government has been unable to scrap the tax. Last year, George Osborne courted controversy by announcing that the 12million a year raised from the tax would be given to womens charities.

But campaigners say the tax should be scrapped altogether rather than forcing women to fund charitable projects that should be paid for out of general taxation.

UK officials said the European Commission has signed up to the change and will put forward proposals next week. Mr Cameron decided to force the issue by raising it at a summit of the European Council in Brussels

INHERITANCE TAX UPSURGE The Treasury is on track to pocket millions extra from inheritance tax receipts after a spike in winter deaths. The flu virus struck particularly hard last year because the vaccine was less effective than previous versions. That led to the highest number of winter deaths since 1999, according to the Office for National Statistics. Most of those affected were over 75. In a report, the Office for Budget Responsibility said more estates had been dragged into the inheritance tax net by soaring house prices. It now expects families to hand over 200million more to the Exchequer than the watchdog had originally forecast. This will help the Government rake in a huge 4.6billion in death taxes this year  a fifth more than it collected in 2014-2015. The tax was originally meant to be paid only by the wealthiest families. But runaway property prices have ensured that millions of middle class homeowners now face the levy. Currently, the tax is charged at 40 per cent on assets above 325,000 for a single person or 650,000 for a married couple. From 2017, this will rise to 500,000 for individuals and 1million for couples with a family home. Advertisement

2 MILLION PUNISHED BY 40P RATE Nearly 2million workers have lost out because George Osborne has not raised the 40p income tax threshold in line with inflation, experts said yesterday. The Chancellor used the Budget to raise the point at which the higher rate kicks in from 42,385 to 45,000 in April 2017. The measure will hand an average 400 tax cut to hundreds of thousands of middle class families. But the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank said the 40p threshold would have been 54,405 in 2017-18 if it had gone up with inflation since Mr Osborne became Chancellor in 2010. Freezes or reductions of the threshold since 2010 have acted like a stealth tax. Righer rate income tax payers, of whom there were 1.7million in the 1990s and 3million in 2010, now number 5million. The IFS claims it would have hit 5.4million if the Chancellor had not taken action in the Budget this week, meaning 400,000 people have been saved from the higher rate. It said that a rise in line with inflation would have seen just 3.2million paying the 40p rate or 45p additional rate in 2017-18. Advertisement

More than 300,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to act. Last night, sources at the European Commission indicated that a long-running review of VAT rules in the EU would grant the UK permission to apply a zero rate of VAT to sanitary products.

MPs have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill that would compel the government to unilaterally scrap the tax in defiance of EU law.

Labour MP Paula Sherriff urged the Chancellor to accept her cross-party amendment, adding: If he is really on the verge of an agreement, that should be reflected in this years Finance Bill with a clear timetable for abolition of the tax.

My amendment would allow that, so I invite the Chancellor to announce now that he will accept the amendment next week.

If he refuses to act, I will seek to put it to a vote and I believe I will get strong support from across the House. Tory MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the row highlighted the extent to which Brussels can overrule British sovereignty.

She added: One of the key reasons that I am voting to leave is because we are losing more and more control to the EU.

George Osborne (pictured visiting a school in Yorkshire this morning) said that Britain was on the verge of a deal with Brussels which would allow it to scrap the 'tampon tax', although opposition from the French may scupper the plans

Superdrug has devised this Inforgraphic detailing where is most affected by the tampon tax with Hungary paying the most in VAT

The people we elect should be responsible for setting the taxes in this country  not unelected EU judges and bureaucrats. It is a fundamental principle of democracy that there should be no taxation without representation, which is what we now have.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage said it was humiliating to see British leaders on their knees in Brussels pleading for permission to set tax rates in the UK. He added: It is pathetic for our country.

The EU jealously guards rules on the application of VAT, partly because it gets some of its revenue from the tax. About 0.3 per cent of VAT revenues across Europe are sent to Brussels to fund the European Commission.

Member states are barred from cutting VAT below 5 per cent on products on which it is levied.

When the UK joined the EU in 1973, VAT on tampons was levied at the full rate of 17.5 per cent, because Parliament had classed them as a non-essential luxury item.

Former Labour Treasury minister Dawn Primarolo cut it to 5 per cent in 2000, saying it was about doing what we can to lower the cost of a necessity. But successive governments have been unable to go further and scrap the tax altogether.

The European Commission last night said it was working on two options that would allow member states more flexibility over the setting of VAT rates.

A Commission spokeswoman said that under current rules, member states were not allowed to apply a zero VAT rate to a product unless all other member states agree.

Most Member States tax sanitary products like tampons at around 20 per cent or more, she added.
Health officials have warned Sydney commuters the outbreak of the deadly legionnaires disease is not yet over, as workers continue to try and locate the source.

NSW Health confirmed a total of nine people contracted the potentially fatal disease, which is believed to have been spread by a contaminated cooling tower in the populous Town Hall area.

A man aged in his 80s died at the weekend after contracting the disease a few weeks earlier when visiting the area, The Daily Telegraph reported.

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Health officials have warned Sydney commuters the outbreak of the deadly legionnaires disease is not yet over (stock image)

NSW Health confirmed a total of nine people contracted the potentially fatal disease

Although officials have been testing water towers linked to airconditioning systems, they have not yet found the source of the outbreak.

'The fact the incubation period has passed, you can't use that as evidence the outbreak is over because it's not passed from person to person  it's not as predictable,' UNSW School of Public Health and Community Medicine head professor Raina MacIntyre said.

'They need to find the source so it can be decontaminated and disinfected.'

A NSW Health spokesperson confirmed investigations 'were continuing' on Wednesday night.

The nine people who contracted the disease had the same strain as the man who died over the weekend, however he also had a 'serious underlying condition.'

'No cases of legionnaires' disease linked to the Sydney CBD have developed since 4 March, suggesting the outbreak may be over,' NSW Health communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard said on Wednesday.

A man aged in his 80s died at the weekend after contracting the disease a few weeks earlier when visiting the Town Hall area

But, Ms MacIntyre said the outbreak cannot be declared as over until the source is found by officials.

Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia caused by a bacterial infection of the lungs that can develop after someone breathes contaminated water vapour or dust.

Cooling towers are being inspected in an area bounded by Kent, Druitt, Pitt and Bathurst streets.

Inspections were also conducted around Sussex and Elizabeth streets last week.
Gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro had spoken of his 'power struggle' with pizza chain owner Tony Madafferi months before he was gunned down, it has emerged.

Mr Madafferi, who is the brother of mafia drug kingpin Frank Madafferi, was suspected of putting a $200,000 bounty on the head of the slain lawyer, according to court documents seen by the ABC.

Underworld figures have claimed that Mr Acquaro, 55, was shot up to five times outside his gelato parlour in Melbourne early on Tuesday because he 'knew too much' about the mafia.

Detectives spoke to Mr Madafferi last June when it emerged that a contract was placed on Mr Acquaro and warned if anything happened to him they would 'know when to look', court documents have alleged.

Victorian Police have named Melbourne businessman Tony Madafferi (pictured) as a suspect in the $200,000 alleged contract on lawyer Joseph Acquaro, an allegation Mr Madafferi strenuously denies

Gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro (pictured) was shot up to five times outside his gelato parlour in Melbourne early on Tuesday

The lawyer was gunned down outside his gelato bar at Brunswick East, in Melbourne inner northern suburbs

Court documents reveal Mr Madafferi was suspected of putting a contract on the head of his former family friend because he believed Mr Acquaro was leaking information to the media.

In the months before he was shot dead, Mr Acquaro told the Herald Sun: 'Tony (Madafferi) is rampant. He's slowly getting isolated.

'If you've got a problem, you deal with it. It's a power struggle. He perceives I'm a threat to him. He expects me to succumb ... The guy's lost the plot.'

Mr Madafferi, who owns pizza chain La Porchetta and a number of supermarkets, has lost a battle to keep secret the explosive claims about his links to the lawyer.

The police suspicions surrounding Tony Madafferi were revealed when a Supreme Court judge lifted a suppression order.

The affidavits which name Tony Madafferi were part of a defamation action he has filed against Fairfax Media, which was due to be heard in August.

Two detectives visited Mr Madafferi (pictured) at his fruit shop in south-eastern Melbourne, court documents have alleged

Court documents claim that police have accused Antonio 'Tony' Madafferi of allegedly put the $200,000 bounty on the head of Joe Acquaro (pictured) because he believed Acquaro was leaking information to the media

The affidavits claim that two detectives visited Mr Madafferi at his fruit shop in south-eastern Melbourne after they had met with Mr Acquaro and warned him that there was a contract on his head and that his life was in danger.

The documents say detectives told Mr Madafferi they believed he was soliciting a hit on Mr Acquaro and that if something happened to the lawyer, they would consider Mr Madafferi their prime suspect.

In an affidavit, Mr Madafferi's lawyer Paolo Tatti said: 'My client requested that they move outside the shop as there were customers present, and a discussion took place in the loading bay adjacent to the shop,' according to The Age.

'During the discussion, which lasted no longer than a few minutes, the police said words to Mr Madafferi to the effect that they had information that there was a contract on the life of Mr Joseph Acquaro for $200,000, and that if something happened to Mr Acquaro they would know where to start looking.

'My client told the police that he knew nothing about the matter and the police then left and have not contacted him again.'

The ABC reported that Tony Madafferi had strenuously denied the allegations. There is no suggestion that Mr Madafferi had any involvement in Mr Acquaro's death.

Mr Acquaro had a career representing prominent Calabrian Australians, some of whom had mafia links.

The homicide squad is waiting for an autopsy report to confirm how many times Mr Acquaro was shot

Floral tributes lay out the front of the ice cream parlour on Tuesday afternoon

He represented Frank Madafferi and former mafia crime boss Pasquale Barbaro when both men were accused on their part in a 2007 importation of 1.2 million Ecstasy tablets from Italy.

More than 30 men were convicted and jailed over the plot to smuggle the drugs in tomato tins to Australia.

Frank Madafferi received a ten-year sentence. Pasquale Barbaro is serving life.

Mr Acquaro reportedly felt isolated after a falling out with the Madafferi brothers with whom he had been lifelong friends.

They are believed to have fallen out over business dealings and the fact that Mr Acquaro's sons were becoming close to the Madafferi brothers, which their father did not want.

The Herald Sun has revealed that Mr Acquaro's office was ransacked and his Mercedes Benz smashed by young crime figures shortly before his death.

He also caught an ex-employee and others searching for files.

Mr Acquaro's body was found on a footpath in East Brunswick by a rubbish-truck driver about 2.30am on Tuesday.

His partner of 20 years, Marisa Di Lisio, has now spoken about the moment she found out that Mr Acquaro had been killed after seeing news reports about a shooting early on Tuesday.

Ms Di Lisio, 51, who runs Melbourne cafe Bella Cosi, said she had known Mr Acquaro since she was 16 and revealed that they started their relationship 20 years ago.

She described the lawyer as a 'loving' family man who adored his children, as well as her three sons.

Ms Di Lisio (pictured) has now spoken of the moment she found out that Mr Acquaro had been killed after seeing news reports about a shooting early on Tuesday

Ms Di Lisio, 51, who runs Melbourne cafe Bella Cosi, said she had known Mr Acquaro since she was 16 and revealed that they started their relationship 20 years ago

But Ms Di Lisio revealed that they would argue about the fact that he 'couldn't say no'.

The lawyer, who had aspirations to be Melbourne's 'godfather', was stripped naked, pistol-whipped and beaten in a pizza restaurant 14 years ago over suspicions that he was a police informer.

Police documents seen by the Herald Sun detailed how mafia 'money man' Mario Condello blamed Mr Acquaro after police became aware of an attempt to launder proceeds through an estate agency.

But Mr Acquaro was later freed after convincing Condello, who was later killed, that he was not to blame, the newspaper said.

Mr Acquaro's murderer remains on the loose and police want to speak to any witnesses who heard shots or a car travelling fast the wrong way up the one-way street where his body was found.

The homicide squad is waiting for an autopsy report to confirm how many times Mr Acquaro was shot, or what type of gun was used.

The father-of-three had strong ties within the Calabrian community and had been president of Melbourne's Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Reggio Calabria Club.

He was also a criminal lawyer who had represented a raft of prominent gangland figures in Victoria.
Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, 35, allegedly vandalized a tattoo shop in California in January

Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, a mixed martial arts fighter, continued sowing chaos in California as he allegedly vandalized a tattoo shop while out on bail for fighting with cops, police said.

Miller, 35, was arrested Tuesday for the January 27 graffiti incident and held on $1 million bail, police said according to the Los Angeles Times.

Miller allegedly painted graffiti on a brick wall outside the Stay Ready Tattoo shop in Lake Forest, California. The tattoo parlor has since moved locations.

The fighter was charged with felony vandalism and committing a crime while out on custody on another offense, the Times reported.

The vandalism bust was the latest of Miller's frequent brushes with the law.

In October, Miller was accused of throwing a ceramic tile at a sheriff's deputy and threatening cops with a fire extinguisher and a metal rod, surrendering only when officers Tasered him after an eight-minute struggle.

Last March, Miller allegedly kicked and spat at police officers after an incident at a Laguna Beach restaurant.

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The graffiti incident happened at the Stay Ready Tattoo shop in Lake Forest, California. The shop has since moved locations

Jason 'Mayhem' Miller pictured in his most recent mugshot snapped after his arrest Tuesday

Miller has been an MMA fighter since 2001 and is scheduled for a May 21 comeback fight

He is still facing charges in both cases, the Times reported.

Perhaps the most spectacular of Miller's meltdowns happened in October 2014, when he live-tweeted a four-hour standoff with a SWAT team after deputies attempted to arrest him on suspicion of domestic violence and stalking.

'[I] woke up late, and couldn't leave because there is a highly equipment [sic] regiment of wanna be soldiers outside my house,' read one of Miller's tweets.

During the standoff, Miller tweeted out the address of his Mission Viejo home and attracted a crowd of curious onlookers.

Jason Miller live-tweeted his standoff with a SWAT team in October 2014

The MMA fighter gave out his home address so that his followers could see the 'drama unfold'

Miller responded to a tweet by the Orange County sheriff's office with this message

One of them was pastor Brian Anderson, who said he had become friends with Miller two years prior after he found the fighter passed out naked on a couch inside his church.

'I met with him when he was being arrested at the church,' Anderson told a reporter with KTLA as the SWAT team was preparing to break down Miller's front door.

'He was very apologetic from day one. He took care of absolutely every cost of the damages' to the church - which amounted to $400 and included spray painted walls and ruined books and pictures, according to the Times.

'We've been good buds ever since,' the pastor said.

Miller began his career as an MMA fighter in 2001 and is scheduled for a comeback match May 21 after a four-year hiatus. He was the host of three seasons of the MTV reality show 'Bully Beatdown' which ended in 2012.
She claims he cried on her shoulder confessing his homosexuality

He claims they had a 'compromising' night in a hotelroom in Florence

The controversial 'Vatileaks' trial has been postponed after the Spanish priest who confessed to leaking classified Vatican documents claimed he had slept with one of his co-accused.

Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda told the court in the Vatican that he had a night of passion with Italian PR expert Francesca Chaouqui, who then took to social media to not only deny that they had slept together, but out him as gay.

Married Chaouqui, who is six months pregnant, refuted Vallejo Balda's claims, and said that on the night in question, the Spanish priest had confessed his homosexuality to her.

Confession: Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda (right) admitted in a Vatican court that he leaked classified documents but claimed he had been 'blackmailed' by ex-colleague Francesca Chaouqui (pictured left)

The trial has been adjourned until April 6 after Chaouqui was advised to rest by doctors after Thursday's session.

Chaouqui, a former member of an economic reform commission established by Pope Francis, is accused of conspiring with Vallejo Balda and his assistant to leak documents which revealed serious irregularities in Vatican spending.

Vallejo Balda admitted in court on Monday to handing over files and passwords to journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who are also on trial.

But he said he did so under duress having been effectively blackmailed by Chaouqui, with whom he claims to have had a sexually charged relationship culminating in a 'compromising' encounter in a Florence hotel.

Chaouqui has categorically denied having sex with the cleric, and wrote about her version of the night in Florence on her Facebook page on Wednesday.

PR expert Francesca Chaouqui, right, arrives for the audience of the so-called Vatileaks 2 trial, Vatican City, on Monday, where she is on trial alongside journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, Monsignor Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda and his former assistant Nicola Maio for allegedly leaking confidential Holy See documents

In the widely shared post, she implies Vallejo Balda had confided in her about a previous gay encounter or relationship.

'He told me something in confidence, something he said only I knew,' she wrote.

'I stayed, I listened. I cried with him. I understood what he was going through, as a man and as a priest.

'But he was my friend, and friends are for always, whatever may be hidden in their past.

'I was sincere, I wasn't pretending as perhaps he was. I was sincere when I told him it was not important if he had a lover, that it was not important what sex that person was...'

Chaouqui said the cleric's claims against her had made her decide to reveal what he had told her in court.

'That night and those confidences have been transformed into a night of sex with me, which according to Balda was his first time with a woman,' she wrote.

'In court I will reveal the details of what he confided, without judging I will recount them all, every detail. I have no choice but to do it for my own self-esteem and for the love of the truth that I owe to my (unborn) son.'

The prosecution claimed during the last court session on Tuesday that Chaouqui had sent the Spanish priest a WhatsApp message in which she warned: 'I will destroy you in the press and you know I can do it.'

He has also claimed that she led him to believe she had links to the Italian secret services and contacts with the mafia and powerful politicians.

The latest lurid details to emerge from the case is likely to strengthen the view of senior Vatican officials who regard the prosecution as a public relations own goal and have reportedly been looking for a way to bring it to a speedy end.

Vallejo confessed that he passed documents to journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi (pictured)

Sitting on the bench from left, Italian journalists Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, Ms Chaouqui and Monsignor Angelo Lucio Vallejo Balda attend their trial inside the Vatican in November

The Holy See has been widely criticised for pursuing the prosecution of the two investigative journalists, Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who have published books based on the trial.

Fittipaldi's book 'Avarice,' and Nuzzi's book 'Merchants in the Temple,' detailed millions of euros in lost potential rental income from the Vatican's real estate holdings, millions in missing inventory from the Vatican's tax-free stores, the exorbitant costs for getting someone declared a saint and the greed of bishops and cardinals lusting after huge apartments.

The books were based on documents produced by a reform commission Pope Francis appointed in 2013 to get a handle on the Vatican's financial holdings and propose reforms so that more money could be devoted to the poor.

Vallejo was the commission's No. 2; Francesca Chaouqui was a member and outside public relations expert; and the fifth defendant, Nicola Maio, was Vallejo's assistant.

Vallejo admitted that he gave Nuzzi a five-page list of some 87 passwords to access the reform commission's password-protected emails.

But he said he did so after becoming certain that his email account had already been entered and that Nuzzi had already obtained the documents.

He also admitted to exchanging text messages with Fittipaldi about providing him with other documents.

Chaouqui introduced him to both journalists, he said.

Nuzzi and Fittipaldi face up to eight years in prison if convicted of putting pressure on Vallejo to obtain the documents and publish them. Vallejo, Chaouqui and Maio are accused of forming a criminal organization and providing the documents.

Balda has already spent over two months in a Vatican prison cell. He was transferred to house arrest before Christmas but is now back in the cell after a friend smuggled a mobile phone into his flat, breaching a detention condition that he should not have contact with the outside world.

The prosecutions against the five accused were brought under 2013 legislation rushed on to the Vatican statute in the wake of the first Vatileaks affair.
An asylum seeker is now being held in Switzerland ahead of extradition

travelers before, according to her profile

Mann had opened her flat up to

An American au pair found brutally murdered in Vienna may have met her suspected asylum seeker killer through the CouchSurfing website, it has been reported.

Lauren Mann, 25, was found naked at her apartment on January 25 after her employers told police she had not picked up their child from school.

Firemen broke down the door to her flat to find her half-undressed body lying face down on a mattress and surrounded by burning candles, having been violently suffocated.

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It is suspected U.S. student Lauren Mann (pictured) may have met her killer via the CouchSurfing website

Her profile on the website shows she had three positive reviews from previous visitors, while revealing she student music and French at the University of Colorado

Prosecutors have now revealed Mann died from 'violent suffocation' as they work to try and extradite the murder suspect - a 23-year-old Gambian asylum seeker - from Switzerland

Although investigators believed at the time she had been suffocated it was too soon to tell whether she had definitely been murdered.

Nina Bussek, a spokesperson for state prosecutors, said that they are now sure they are dealing with a murder case after confirming an expert reported a 'violent suffocation'.

She declined to give more detail but it also emerged that Mann was active on CouchSurfing, where she had first met the asylum seeker suspected of killing, Kurier.at reported.

In her profile on the accommodation website, she reported that she had met many friends by using the service.

Her profile also reveals she had graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Music and French.

Three previous visitors were registered on her page, all of which gave her positive feedback about their stays.

Police say DNA belonging to a suspect who had been in the apartment with the American was found on her body.

The man, identified as a 23-year-old Gambian asylum seeker whose claim for refuge in Austria had been rejected and was staying at her flat, had gone on the run after she was found dead.

He was named only as Abdou I. under a legal convention that the surnames of alleged criminals are not released until they are convicted.

He was later arrested in the Canton of Thurgau in Switzerland where he rejected an Austrian bid to have him extradited back to be questioned over the killing.

As a result, the request needed to go to before a court and last week a Swiss judge ruled that he could be extradited, although he has 30 days to decide whether or not to lodge a further appeal.

If no appeal takes place, he will be deported in April.

Police say DNA belonging to a suspect who had been in the apartment with the American was found on her body
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid spent his morning smacking around Donald Trump, but then was forced to admit just how many voters The Donald was bringing to the polls.

Taking his final question during an appearance at the Center for American Progress think tank in Washington, Reid was asked about the often record-breaking turnout being set by the high-octane primary going on across the aisle.

'It's something we can't ignore,' the Nevada Democrat said, adding that most political experts believe the increased turnout is because of the 'rivalry within the Republican party.'

'With the Democrats we've had this thing going on with Hillary and Bernie for a long time, but it was kind of a lovefest, they wouldn't criticize each other,' Reid explained, noting that the Democrats have hit each other a little harder in the last month or so.

But even so, Reid said, 'there was simply not as much interest in the Democrats as the Republicans.'

'I think that Donald Trump has brought people out that have not voted before and I think this is something that should be a concern for the American people,' Reid said.

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Harry Reid spoke today at the Center for American Progress think tank in Washington and bypassed the Democratic primary to instead bash Donald Trump

Harry Reid suggested that Republicans' hands in Congress were dirty as they've permissively allowed Donald Trump's political fortunes to rise

With now just three Republican candidates and the nominee increasingly looking like Trump, Democrats are trying to get their ducks in a row to run against him in the fall.

Reid, today, made a major address on the topic of Trump.

He said that Democrats needed to use the 'power of ideas' to take down the billionaire, calling on progressives and liberals to not 'water down or run away' from policy solutions.

'We should resist the urge to move to the right,' Reid advised.

He weaved Trump's rise in with a permissive attitude coming from other leaders of the Republican party, including his congressional colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan.

'For too long, Senator McConnell and Speaker Ryan have tried to have it both ways, giving Trump a slap on the wrist each time he says something detestable, but always committing to support him at the end of the day,' Reid said.

'This is precisely the kind of moral cowardice that enabled the rise of Trump,' the Senate Democrat continued.

'If Senator McConnell wonders from where Donald Trump came, he needs only look in the mirror,' Reid said at another point.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid isn't the only progressive who's looking beyond the primary, with a number of groups already banning together to take on Donald Trump

Reid assigned some blame to the GOP's last nominee too.

'I find it ironic that Mitt Romney is now speaking out against Donald Trump and his extremism,' Reid said. 'Romney knew how ridiculous the birther claims were, and yet, what did Mr. Romney do? He asked for Trump's endorsement.'

Before his presidential run this year, Trump was the most prominent mouthpiece on the right who believed in the 'birther' theory  that President Obama was born in his father's home country of Kenya and not in Hawaii, which is part of the United States.

'Mitt Romney fanned the flames of resentment,' Reid said.

Missing from Reid's policy speech today was praise for his preferred Democratic candidate, Clinton, who he endorsed in late February.

He simply bypassed talk of the primary, instead making moves to counteract the frenzied pro-Trump vote.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a popular progressive who many courted to run for president before Sanders stepped in, has also hinted, according to Politico, that she'll be more vocal about 2016, at least on the Trump angle.

The AFL-CIO, which hasn't endorsed a Democratic candidate, is already running anti-Trump digital ads and conducting door-knocking in Ohio and Pennsylvania, two swing states where the billionaire's message could especially resonate.

Other groups, including MoveOn, the Sierra Club, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Greenpeace signed a letter with the intention of ramping up an anti-Trump campaign, Politico said.

'This is a five-alarm fire for our democracy,' it said. 'A hate-peddling bigot who openly incites violence is the likely presidential nominee of one of our nation's two political parties.'

'It is alarming and dangerous. Donald Trump's candidacy is a threat to the America we love, and we must respond to him and what he is stoking as such,' the letter concluded.




Headteacher has apologized for not acting sooner to tackle race incidents

A furious mother is demanding that a teacher who greeted her daughter with 'what's up my n*****' is fired.

Destinee Wornum, 16, says she was left feeling humiliated and embarrassed by her English teacher's racist slur during a discussion of Huckleberry Finn at Boston Latin School.

The stunned student says she was too scared to come forward at first as she was worried about what impact her complaint could have on her grade and even her future at the elite school, Boston Globe reports.

Destinee Wornum (pictured) 16, says she was left feeling humiliated and embarrassed by her English teacher's racist slur during a discussion of Huckleberry Finn at Boston Latin School

The distraught Destinee told her mother Rosalind Wornum (pictured together) who was furious over the treatment of her daughter

But when fellow students started a social media campaign in January to highlight racial issues at the institution, she summoned the courage to tell her mother about the incident.

Rosalind Wornum, who was outraged over the the treatment of her daughter, has now met with headmaster Lynn Mooney Teta to demand that the teacher in question is sacked.

'That [statement] was cultural incompetence,' Rosalind Wornum, 49, said in a recent interview. 'What was she expecting from making that statement to her? 'Is it standard process in addressing the book?'

The incident, which occurred last October, took place during a class on Mark Twain's classic novel which uses the racist term frequently.

Rosalind Wornum, (left) has demanded that the teacher who called her daughter (right) the racial slur is fired

The incident came to light after two students at Boston Latin (pictured) launched a campaign with the hashtag #BlackAtBLS to raise awareness of racial issues at the school.

Destinee says her teacher asked her 'what's up my n*****?' before demanding to know, 'how does that make you feel?'

'I didn't know what to say,' Destinee told the Boston Globe. 'I feel like if she wanted to make a point about the n-word, there's always a different way to go about it.

'She didn't have to direct it to me and make me feel uncomfortable like that.'

Rosalind said that the teacher's behavior also set a bad example for students.

'(It) gives the white students more reason to act out because they see it's OK,' she said.

The incident came to light after two students launched a campaign with the hashtag #BlackAtBLS to raise awareness of racial issues at the school.

The campaign followed an incident where a black student was threatened with a reference to lynching. There was also a tense racial discussion between students on social media following the 2014 police killing of a black man in Ferguson.

Headmaster Teta condemned the English teacher's used of the n-word and apologized for not addressing racial incidents in her school sooner.

She told the Wornums that the issue was now being dealt with by the Office of Equity.
The Black Lives Matter group has backed Apple's refusal to help the FBI hack into an encrypted terrorist's iPhone over fears the technology could be used to target activists.

The group say that while they are 'saddened' and 'opposed' to the terror attack in San Bernardino last year, its members 'do not believe fear should distract from the need to protect civil liberties'.

Using Martin Luther King Jr. as an example, the group points out that his phone was wiretapped by the FBI in a move that the agency now recognizes violated his First Amendment rights.

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Black Lives Matter activists wrote to Judge Sheri Pym, who will be overseeing the court battle between Apple and the FBI, urging her not to force the tech company into hacking a dead terrorist' iPhone

In a letter to Judge Sheri Pym, published on Apple's website, the group attacks 'the dangerous implications of the FBIs request in its case against Apple.'

The letter says: 'No party should wield the power to force private companies to weaken the security of all in order to investigate a few.

'By requiring Apple to dismantle its security protections, millions of iPhone users - government officials and civilians alike -risk falling victim to cyberattacks, which ultimately threaten domestic and national security.'

The activists add: 'As activists supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice imperatives, there is even more at stake.

'Many of us, as civil rights advocates, have become targets of government surveillance for no reason beyond our advocacy or provision of social services for the underrepresented.

'The FBIs historically questionable surveillance procedures do not bode well for setting a precedent that allows the agency universal access to private smartphone data.'

The FBI is seeking permission to force Apple to create a security 'backdoor' into the iPhone used by ISIS-inspired terrorists Syed Farook (left) and wife Tashfeen Malik (right)

Apple, meanwhile, issued a final brief today before its showdown with the FBI in court next week, saying the founding fathers 'would be appalled' by the request.

Ahead of the face off in federal court in Southern California on March 22, Apple urged the court to reject the FBI request on the ground it is forbidden by the Constitution.

The firm stuck to its argument that the FBI was overstepping legal bounds by using an All Writs Act to compel the company to help break an iPhone used by terror attacker Syed Rizwan Farook.

'The government attempts to rewrite history by portraying the Act as an all-powerful magic wand rather than the limited procedural tool it is,' Apple attorneys said in the filing.

'Thus, according to the government, short of kidnapping or breaking an express law, the courts can order private parties to do virtually anything the Justice Department and FBI can dream up.

'The founders would be appalled.'

The activists argue that the FBI (director James Comey, pictured) cannot be trusted to use such technology responsibly, recalling how the phone of Martin Luther King Jr was wiretapped under Hoover

Cook has also published a lengthy interview in Time magazine in which he says the FBI's tactics offended his Southern values, prompting him to fight back.

Cook claimed that he was 'deeply offended' by the FBI's tactics which he says have included lying and behaving unprofessionally.

He said that he thought encryption was as important as the 'sun, the air and the water' and that he would fight to protect it.

In a statement, the Justice Department said it looked forward to responding to Apple's arguments in court.

Spokeswoman Emily Pierce said: 'As we have said in our filings, the Constitution and the three branches of the federal government should be entrusted to strike the balance between each citizen's right to privacy and all citizens' right to safety and justice.

'The Constitution and the laws of the United States do not vest that power in a single corporation.'
President Barack Obama's Supreme Court Justice nominee Merrick Garland is making the rounds on Capitol Hill today in a bid to pressure Senate Republicans into giving him a formal hearing and confirmation vote.

Garland, 63, is meeting with two Democrats today, Patrick Leahy, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, and Harry Reid, leader of the Senate Democrats.

Lawmakers will head out of town today for a two-week Easter recess, but nine Republicans have indicated a willingness to meet with Garland when they return next month, including Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley.

The sit-downs shouldn't be interpreted as a retreat, the Republicans say. They remain dedicated to holding up the nomination process until a new president takes office.

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President Barack Obama's Supreme Court Justice nominee Merrick Garland, above, is making the rounds on Capitol Hill today in a bid to pressure Senate Republicans into giving him a formal hearing and confirmation vote

Garland met with two Democrats today, Patrick Leahy, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate's Judiciary Committee, above, and Harry Reid, leader of the Senate Democrats

Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, is calling on his colleagues to vote on Garland by Memorial Day

The president will continue to engage in the process and held a call this afternoon with progressive groups that are working with the White House to see that Garland makes it through the nomination process.

The White House says the president told them how 'proud' he is of the choice he made and that he is committed to making the case that Garland should be approved to Congress.

WHO IS OBAMA'S PICK? Merrick Brian Garland, 63, is Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. President Bill Clinton nominated him to serve on that court in 1997. Garland's career highlight before becoming a judge was serving as a top prosecutor in the Oklahoma City bombing trials of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, and the trial of 'Unabomber' Ted Kaczynski. He was the government's chief lawyer during the McVeigh's case's preliminary hearings and supervised much of the wrangling over whether to seek the death penalty. A Harvard University valedictorian and former editor of the Harvard Law Review, Garland clerked for Supreme Court Justice William Brennan after graduating from law school. He later served as special assistant to President Jimmy Carter's last attorney general before going into private practice and becoming a partner in the law firm of Arnold & Porter. Garland next was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1989 to 1992, and Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1993 to 1994. The Bethesda, Maryland native was on President Barack Obama's short-list of potential Supreme Court nominees when he chose Elena Kagan to fill a vacancy in 2010. Senate Republicans at the time considered him a potential 'consensus' pick they could rally around. Garland has been married to his wife, Lynn, since 1987. They have two daughters, Becky and Jessica, both of whom attended Yale University. Lynn Garland's grandfather was Samuel I. Rosenman, a New York Supreme Court justice and special counsel to Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. During FDRs first 100 days in office, Rosenman was part of the famous 'brains trust' that developed the framework for what would become The New Deal. Advertisement

Top Democrats in the Senate - Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer and others - held a press conference this afternoon outside the Supreme Court to demand a 'fair confirmation process for Garland and that Republican senators 'do their job.'

They want the Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on Garland and allow his nomination to be considered by the full Senate.

With a simple majority of senators behind him, Garland could join the court. Republicans make up 54 of 100 legislators in the upper chamber, though, and they've said since the vacancy opened up on Feb. 13 with the death of Antonin Scalia that they will not allow an appointment to go forward.

'Were in the middle of a major toxic presidential campaign and I dont want to see the Supreme Court dragged through the mud,' Orrin Hatch, the body's longest serving lawmaker, said yesterday after the announcement of Garland's nomination.

Hatch said in a Fox News appearance, 'I happen to like Judge Garland. I think hes a good person. But frankly thats not the issue. Its not about the person; its the system.'

A spokeswoman for Grassley on the Judiciary Committee said the Republican senator spoke to Garland on the phone yesterday and reiterated the majority party's position.

Grassley told Garland an in-person meeting wouldn't change his mind but indicated he was open to one nonetheless. The White House said today that Grassley's staff also agreed to a meeting on behalf of the senator

At least eight other Republicans have said they'd meet with him, too, according to The Hill.

Among them are Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Mark Kirk if Illinois, both of whom are fighting for their political lives this year. Ohio's Rob Portman, Tennessee's Thad Cochran, Arizona's Jeff Flake, Missouri's Roy Blunt, Oklahoma's Jim Inhoffe and Maine's Susan Collins have said they would, too.

'I feel I would want to explain my position to the nominee,' Ayotte said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he doesn't see the point in meeting with Garland as his nomination will never be taken up in the Senate.

Defending the decision in an op-ed published in USA Today, McConnell said, 'The American people deserve a voice in such a momentous decision.'

He cited what senators are calling the 'Biden Rule' and said the nomination should be left up to the next president.

'The American people may well elect a president who decides to renominate Judge Garland. The next president may also nominate someone very different.

'Either way, we can continue to work on legislative solutions, and the American people can continue the national conversation about the type of justice who should serve on the Supreme Court. '

The president will continue to engage in the process and held a call this afternoon with progressive groups that are working with the White House to see that Garland makes it through the nomination process

Obama said yesterday from the Rose Garden of the White House that Garland, 63, is his pick to replace deceased conservative justice Antonin Scalia on the court

Democrats and the White House want the Republican-run Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on Garland and allow his nomination to be considered by the full Senate. He's seen here yesterday with President Obama

As head of the Judiciary Committee, Joe Biden argued more than two decades ago that if a justice resigned, then-president George H.W. Bush should follow the practice of the 'majority of his predecessors' and not name a nominee until after that year's election.

And if he does, the Senate Judiciary Committee 'should seriously consider' until after the campaign season is over, Biden, then a senator from Delaware said.

'Some will criticize such a decision and say that it was nothing more than an attempt to save a seat on the court in hopes that a Democrat will be permitted to fill it, but that would not be our intention,' Biden said in the June 1992 speech.

'It would be our pragmatic conclusion that once the political season is underway, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over. That is what is fair to the nominee, and essential to the process.'

As the fight over Obama's right to nominate someone to fill Scalia's seat waged on, Biden said his remarks were being mischaracterized and he is not opposed to filling a vacancy in an election year.'

'This is not an accurate description of my views on the subject.''

His speech happened months later in the election cycle, the White House says, while Scalia died in mid-February, nearly a year before Obama's term ends.

Top Democrats in the Senate - Harry Reid, left, sunglasses, Chuck Schumer, podium, Elizabeth Warren, right in teal, and others - held a press conference this afternoon outside the Supreme Court to demand a 'fair confirmation process for Garland and that Republican senators 'do their job

OPPOSING SIDES: Patrick Leahy, left, he ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee is butting heads with Chuck Grassley, right, the head of the committee. Grassley say ays no way - Garland's never getting a hearing

Senator John Barrasso said today that the GOP will not budge.

'The decision has already been made,' Barrasso said on MSNBC.

Like Hatch, Barrasso argued that 'it's really not about the person, it's about the principle.'

Nine Senate seats turned over in 2014 from Democrat to Republican, he said. The country is moving in a different direction than it was when Obama was reelected in 2012.

The president can nominate whomever he wants, the Senate gets to decide, he said.

'And it's been decided,; he said. 'A lame duck president shouldn't be making a lifetime appointment.'

Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, is calling on his colleagues to vote on Garland by Memorial Day.

'For more than 40 years, the Senate has held a confirmation vote on Supreme Court nominees on average 70 days after their formal nomination,' he said in a statement. 'The Senate should afford Chief Judge Garland the same process with a fair and public hearing in April, and the full Senate should vote on his confirmation by May 25.'

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough argued on the Today show this morning that 'you cannot find a bad word said about Merrick Garland.'

The president did his job, 'we expect the Senate to now do its job,' he said.

'This is not rocket science here..all they need to do is do what the Constitution says, give him a hearing, give him a vote and let's fill that vacancy,' McDonough said.

Republicans hope they'll win November's election and earn the opportunity next year to replace Scalia with another conservative.

As CNN's Jake Tapper pointed out to Hatch yesterday, Hillary Clinton could win the general election, and Republicans may end up with a less favorable nominee than Garland, who is considered moderate by most standards.

'Thats the risk you take,' Hatch told him. 'On the other hand, do we want the process to be right, sophisticated, and good with a minimum amount of politics involved? Or do we want to just throw it into this cauldron of the presidential election?'

Of course, a Republican could win as well, and the party's leading candidates were chomping at the bit yesterday to have the decision delayed until after November's presidential election.

'I think the next president should make the pick, and I think they shouldnt go forward, and I believe Im pretty much in line with what the Republicans are saying,' Donald Trump said Wednesday morning before Obama's announcement.

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, left, talks with Senator Dianne Feinstein, right, after Obama's Rose Garden announcement. This morning McDonough said, 'We expect the Senate to now do his job'

FAMILY MAN: Garland , 63, is seen here with is wife Lynn, far right, and daughters Becca, left, and Jessica, center, in this undated handout from the White House

Cruz said in a statement afterward, 'Make no mistake, if Garland were confirmed, he would side predictably with President Obama on critical issues such as undermining the Second Amendment, legalizing partial-birth abortion, and propping up overreaching bureaucratic agencies like the EPA and the IRS.'

Long-shot candidate John Kasich said his opposition to the appointment was based on Obama's polarizing behavior. 'I didnt think the president should send anybody up now, because its not going to happen,' he said yesterday at a town hall, according to the New York Times.

Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton backed up Obama.

Sanders said the judge is a 'strong' nominee.

'Refusing to hold hearings on the presidents nominee would be unprecedented. President Obama has done his job. Its time for Republicans to do theirs,' the Vermont senator said.

Clinton noted that Garland has 'considerable experience on the bench and in public service, a brilliant legal mind, and a long history of bipartisan support and admiration.

'Evaluating and confirming a Justice to sit on this nation's highest court should not be an exercise in political brinkmanship and partisan posturing,' she said.
A school security guard in New Jersey who was fired after being caught on camera manhandling students has now been rehired - for more pay - by the same school board.

However the mother of a special needs student who was shoved by the guard, Michael Hunter, is now attempting to press against him.

Surveillance video that was obtained in February by Pix 11 showed Hunter pushing and shoving children in the hallways of Winfield Scott Elementary School.

The main student the video that Hunter was captured mistreating was Wilzamarie Rolon, 13, who is a special needs student.

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Caught out: Surveillance footage from inside Winfield Scott Elementary School showed the guard, Michael Hunter, mistreating students, especially Wilzamarie Rolon (pictured with Hunter), a special needs student

Manhandled: Wilzamarie Rolon, 13 (left), appeared to be the main student that was mistreated by Michael Hunter (right)

'How can this security guard do this to my daughter?' Rolon's mother, Vilmarie Montes, told Pix 11.

'And while I'm looking at the video, it's not only my daughter. There is other kids involved.'

The video shows Hunter throwing Rolon's jacket in her face.

Then, when she tries to get to her locker, he grabs her arm and pushes her.

Finally he grabs her by the neck and walks her down the hall.

Rolon's mother said her daughter suffered injuries and required treatment.

'I took her to the hospital,' said Montes

Scene: The footage surfaced last month after being obtained by Pix 11 from Winfield Scott Elementary School

Montes said the school told her there had been an incident with her daughter, but did not go into much detail. The first time she saw the footage was in the media.

Hunter was re-hired after taking an ethics and boundaries class.

He now works as a janitor at Mabel Holmes Middle School, which is also under the jurisdiction of the Elizabeth School District.

School officials told PIX11 that his new role involved minimal contact with students.

However the job pays more than his security guard role, the station reported.
David Cameron today insisted Britain would not take in any more refugees as he arrived in Brussels for new talks on tackling the migrant crisis.

EU leaders hope to finalise a new deal with Turkey over the next two days which will see illegal immigrants deported back to Turkey in return for Europe accepting genuine Syrian refugees.

But the Prime Minister insisted he would not vote for any deal which led to more people coming to Britain.

David Cameron, pictured arriving at today's talks, said Britain would not take any more migrants or offer visa free access to Turks

He highlighted the 'special status' he claimed to have negotiated for Britain at the last EU summit in February - the basis for his recommendation Britain stay in the EU at the referendum in June.

As he arrived at the talks today, Mr Cameron said: 'We ought to be clear here about Britian's special status in this organisation.

'Because we have kept our own border controls because we are out of Schengen we won't be offering visa-free access to Turks as part of this agreement - we maintain our own immigration policy.'

Mr Cameron said Britain had a clear policy on taking Syrian refugees directly from camps in the region rather than relocating people who have already reached Europe.

He told the waiting reporters: 'We have already said what we are going to do in terms of taking Syrian refugees to Britain and that's underway.

'We won't be taking more because of what is discussed here today.

'But if we can get an agreement that returns migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey that would be good progress.'

Mr Cameron urged his fellow EU leaders to concentrate on breaking the 'business model' of the smugglers so there was no longer a link between getting into Europe illegally and being allowed to stay.

Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu drew up the principles of the deal with German chancellor Angela Merkel before presenting it to the other 27 leaders of EU member states at a summit earlier this month. He will join them again in the hope of securing final agreement.

Under the plan, Turkey would receive 3 billion euros (2.3bn) in additional funding by 2018, on top of 3 billion offered late last year

The EU also said it would speed up a visa liberalisation process to allow 75 million Turks to visit the Schengen area without a visa by June. Talks on Turkey's long-stalled application to join the EU will be revived.

Hundreds of thousands of migrants are stuck in Greece trying to reach the mainland of Europe while they await the outcome of this week's summit

It is understood that the deal envisages fast-track hearings and appeals before irregular migrants are returned to Turkey, in order to overcome objections from the United Nations to blanket removal of all those arriving by boat in Greece.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said that any arrangements would respect both European law and the Geneva Conventions.

He said: 'I'm pretty sure and confident that we will reach an agreement with Turkey today or tomorrow.'

European Council president Donald Tusk said he was 'cautiously optimistic' about finalising the agreement, but added: 'Frankly speaking, more cautious than optimistic.'

The talks at the two day summit are also due to focus on the wider EU economy.

Mr Cameron was warmly greeted at the talks by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker who kissed the Prime Minister twice - once on each cheek.

Mr Cameron is also expected to take the opportunity in the margins of the talks to finalise a deal for Britain to end the 'tampon tax'.

Chancellor George Osborne revealed earlier Britain was 'on the verge' of winning the ability to put a zero-rate of VAT on female sanitary products - something currently banned by EU rules.

Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman said: 'This is an issue we have raised at the European level, we have been talking to the European Commission and our European partners about it.

'As the Chancellor said this morning, we think we are making good progress in those discussions. I don't want to preview what the PM will say in the session but obviously being here in Brussels today, meeting with the leaders, the president of the European Commission, is an opportunity to engage on issues that matter to us.'

She added: 'I don't expect this is going to be the focus of the heads of state and government discussion  there is the opportunity for the PM to talk about these issues in the margins.'
He supported proposed laws to give terminally-ill people right to die

Father of actor David Tennant described as 'beloved figure' by colleagues

Former church leader and father of actor David Tennant, the Very Rev Dr Sandy McDonald, has died aged 78.

Dr McDonald, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1997-98, revealed last year he was fighting degenerative lung disease pulmonary fibrosis.

The Church said he died at the Erskine Care Home for ex-servicemen in Renfrewshire, Scotland, this morning.

Current Moderator, the Rt Rev Dr Angus Morrison, said: 'Dr Sandy McDonald was a wonderful man and minister.

The Very Rev Sandy McDonald, left, father of actor David Tennant, right, has died after a battle with the lung disease pulmonary fibrosis

'Genuine love for people was a defining mark of his ministry. He had a special concern for the well-being, at every level, of his fellow ministers. Sandy's memory will be cherished by many.'

He is survived by three children, including the Doctor Who and Broadchurch star, 44.

The retired minister was described by Church colleagues as a 'beloved figure, widely admired for his fearlessness, generosity and irrepressible high spirits'.

In the 1980s he co-presented religious programme That's The Spirit on Scottish television, and he once appeared with Tennant as a guest on cookery show Ready Steady Cook.

He also took on a cameo role alongside his son in an episode of Doctor Who in 2008.

Following his diagnosis, he spoke out in favour of the right to die of terminally ill people, contrary to the Church's official position on the issue.

Last year, Rev McDonald, who served in the Royal Air Force, had revealed he was terminally ill and backed plans for 'right to die' legislation despite the Church's opposition to it.

He said he had made an end-of life plan and called on senior church figures to back proposed laws to give terminally-ill people 'assistance towards a peaceful death'.

In February last year, ex-Dr Who actor Tennant dedicated his special recognition prize at the National Television Awards to his father.

Rev McDonald filmed a special tribute to his actor son which was played before he collected his award at the NTAs.

In his acceptance speech Tennant, 43, said: 'I would like to dedicate this to my dad. He is an inspiration and a role model, so thanks Sandy.'

Speaking at the time, the star's father said he was delighted at the tribute. He added: 'The event brought a great deal of joy.

'Friends from all over have been ringing since the broadcast. Some people I have not heard from for years have been in touch to say how delighted they were. It was good to talk to them.'

Rev McDonald was a minister in Lanarkshire, West Lothian and Paisley before becoming the General Secretary of the Church of Scotland's Board of Ministry. He retired in 2002.

Meanwhile colleague the Very Rev John Chalmers said: 'Working with Sandy McDonald was one of the great pleasures of my career in ministry.

'It was no surprise to me when Sandy called for a serious dialogue on the right to die - he was a man who tempered his views in the light of reality, he was a man who sat lightly to dogma and who preferred faith in action.

Tennant dedicated his special achievement award at the 2015 National Television Awards, pictured, to his father

'The Church of Scotland needs a new breed of Sandy McDonalds who catch a passion for the good news of Jesus Christ, but whose understanding of the faith is not frozen in time, but develops and matures with new revelation and understanding.'

Dr McDonald was born in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, in 1937 and trained for the ministry after his national service with the RAF.

He served at St David's Parish Church in Bathgate, West Lothian, and St Mark's Parish Church in Ralston, Renfrewshire, and then as general secretary of the Church of Scotland's board of ministry until he retired in 2002.

Helen, his wife of more than 40 years, died in 2007.

Friend the Very Rev Dr Lorna Hood said: 'Sandy didn't just preach. He put his whole self into it - his arms, his voice, his whole body went into his sermons.
For more of the latest Apple updates visit www.dailymail.co.uk/apple

is as important as the 'sun, the air and the water'

Cook says he is 'country boy' who fights back when threatened and says

Apple CEO speaks at length on battle to stop FBI from getting court order forcing company to unlock San

Apple's chief executive has said that he fought back against the FBI on encryption because its lawsuit offended his Southern pride.

Tim Cook, who was born in Alabama, said that 'I'm a country boy at the end of the day' who would not hesitate to fight back after being threatened.

Cook claimed that he was 'deeply offended' by the FBI's tactics which he says have included lying and behaving unprofessionally.

He said that he thought encryption was as important as the 'sun, the air and the water' and that he would protect it.

Cook spoke out in a lengthy interview with Time magazine which filled in the blanks of the early stages in the row.

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Terrorist: Syed Farook's iPhone is now at the center of a major legal battle between the FBI and Apple, which is refusing to help open a 'back door' to allow its secret to be read. He and his Pakistan-born wife, Tashfeen Malik (seen as she entered the U.S. with him) murdered 14 in an ISIS-inspired attack on 8 December last year

Speaking out: Tim Cook has used an interview with Time magazine to make a trenchant defense of his company's controversial position on unlocking the secrets of Farook's phone.

It began on December 2 last year when ISIS-inspired terrorist Syed Farook massacred 14 people in San Bernardino, California, and left behind an iPhone 5s which the FBI tried to access.

Cook claimed that the FBI committed a tactical error by resetting the password on the iPhone's iCloud account, which barred them from accessing it.

Had they not done so then investigators could have obtained everything they needed without having to go to court.

Apple has refused a court order by the FBI to assist its investigation because it claims the Bureau wants it to build a backdoor that could be used to unlock thousands of other devices.

The tech giant says that the row has grave implications in the wider debate about privacy and government surveillance.

But the FBI says that Apple is adopting a 'marketing strategy' because it plays well with its customers.

CATALOG OF ERRORS? TIMELINE RELEASED BY APPLE OF FEDS' ACTIONS December 2 2015 ISIS-inspired terrorist Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik massacre 14 people and injure 22 at the county department of public health in San Bernardino, California, where he worked. December 3 FBI Evidence Response Team descends on the couple's townhouse in nearby Redland and finds two smashed mobile phones and one intact iPhone 5s. The phone was owned by Farook's employer, San Bernardino County which, at the request of the FBI, reset the iCloud password to gain access to the backups. But Farook had not backed up since October 19 meaning the data was out of date and of little use. December 5 Apple says it was contacted by the FBI for the first time and handed over the iCloud backup and some other metadata. During December Apple told the FBI that if it wanted a more recent backup is should take the phone to Farook's apartment where it would automatically log on to the wi-fi and back itself up. This would have allowed Apple to look at the back up on its servers and find crucial data about who he was contacting in the days before the massacre. But since the iCloud password had been changed the phone would not back up automatically without the pass code, Apple says. In the TIME article the FBI's move is described as a 'tactical error'. January 2016 FBI requests a new version of iOS 9, the iPhone's operating system, without the feature which wipes the phone after the password is guessed incorrectly 10 times. The FBI could then do a 'brute-force' attack and use a computer to guess the password. Apple declines. Early February 2016 FBI starts talking about suing Apple for the data, according to Cook. February 16 Dispute explodes into public when FBI obtains a court order from a judge in California ordering it to unlock the phone by disabling the lockout if 10 password attempts are made. Tim Cook responds with 1,100 word public letter which calls the FBI's move 'chilling'. Advertisement

Speaking to Time magazine, Cook denied that he felt 'ambushed' by the FBI but he condemned their tactics as Apple had fully cooperated with law enforcement in the past.

He said: 'What I feel is that in a professional way, if I'm working with you for several months on things, if I have a relationship with you, and I decide one day I'm going to sue you, I'm a country boy at the end of the day.

'I'm going to pick up the phone and tell you I'm going to sue you.

'Do I like their tactics? No, I don't. I'm seeing the government apparatus in a way I've never seen it before.

'Do I like finding out from the press about it? No, I don't think it's professional. Do I like them talking about or lying about our intentions? No. I'm offended by it. Deeply offended by it.'

Cook was born in Mobile, Alabama and has spoken about how his passion for equal rights was fuelled by seeing Ku Klux Klan cross burnings when he was young.

He said that he wanted to protect Apple users because their most personal information was on there such as the location of their children.

He said that the government should actually be pushing for more encryption and that it was like 'the sun and the air and the water. It's a superb thing'.

Cook said he has not spoken to President Obama yet about this case but said that he thought that judges or Congress should be deciding the debate.

He said: 'I never expected to be in this position. The government should always be the one defending civil liberties. And there's a role reversal here. I mean I still feel like I'm in another world a bit, that I'm in this bad dream in some wise.

'So I don't expect that the country wants that. You know we flirt with different things over different times. But we always come back to our core.

'And so is it bad for Apple? I think it's bad for America, really bad for America. And I don't expect it'll happen. I don't think it'll happen. There's too many bright people around.'

Apple has received broad support from the tech community for its stance including from Google, Facebook and Twitter.

In a surprise move, former NSA director Michael Hayden has also backed Apple and said that the backdoor to the iPhone would 'harm American safety'.

However the families of the 14 people killed by Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik have said that they opposed Apple and want them to cooperate.

Cook said that he felt 'uncomfortable' being the one who took a stand but that it was for the good of the country.

He said that 'no one should have a key that turns a billion locks' and that Apple was the equivalent of a FedEx delivery man who was being asked to open his parcels.

He said: 'I'm the FedEx guy. I'm taking your package and I'm delivering it. I just do it like this.

'My job isn't to open it up, make a copy of it, put it over in my cabinet in case somebody later wants to come say, I'd like to see your messages.
The future of the Republican National Committee's 1,500-page convention rule book, chock full of paragraphs and clauses that could hamstring front-runner Donald Trump in July, is in doubt for the first time in generations.

Some RNC members are openly discussing the idea of abandoning the arcane rules that have traditionally offered a way  for those in the know  to jerry-rig the gears that drive the GOP machinery forward every four years.

Instead, they want to use the bland but predictable Robert's Rules of Order to govern the entire Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the event where the party will anoint its presidential nominee.

The impact of such a move could be seismic, removing countless parliamentary maneuvers that might be used to invalidate some of the delegates pledged to Trump.

DEADLY SERIOUS: Republican Donald Trump and his top lieutenants, including campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (left) are hoping to avoid a floor fight over the presidential nomination, but a lot will depend on which rule book the event has to obey

WHERE THE DONALD WANTS TO BE: Mitt Romney waltzed into Tampa in 2012 to accept the GOP's presidential nomination, but Trump's road this year will be more complicated

Switching out one rule book for another wouldn't necessarily stop any shenanigans, the Washington Times reports, but it would force the funny business out into the open.

Trump, the acknowledged presidential front-runner on the political right, has collected 673 delegates so far. He will need at least 1,273, the smallest simple majority, to secure the nomination.

But if he were to arrive at the convention with barely enough, says longtime political strategist and former Trump aide Roger Stone, his enemies inside the party could unleash a string of legal technicalities designed to stop him.

Party elites, Stone wrote on Wednesday, have 'cooked up a strategy to be employed at all costs to steal delegates from Trump so that hell fall below the 1,237 on the first ballot.'

After that, he says, the Republican old guard will 'present one of their group (Mitt Romney, call your office) as the Savior of the Grand Old Party.'

Republican National Committee officials have strenuously denied in the past that they would use or sanction any techniques to deprive Trump of the advantages he's won at the ballot box.

But Stone isn't buying it, saying 'they have found a way to lie, cheat and steal Trump out of enough delegates to force a second ballot' where all bets are off and practically anyone could compete.

Concerns about such chicanery are widespread in the Trump orbit, and Twitter fodder for his legions of cautiously optimistic fans.

Stone cites Rule 16(d), which he says would allow the party to turn away delegates from any of the 19 states that let non-Republicans vote in a Republican primary.

Such 'open' primaries have been Trump's political lifeblood this year, allowing him to draw in disaffected Democrats and independents.

'The GOP bigwigs plan on challenging Trumps delegates from those states,' Stone predicts.

And Rule 38, he says, is a bit of twisted logic governing whether states can force their delegates to vote as a unit, but could also be interpreted to mean that no delegate can be forced to vote for the candidate to whom they're assigned.

Rules like these  and thousands of others  will pour out of the GOP's dust-caked books in the days leading up to the convention, as a series of special committees hear challenges to 'seating' some of the delegates.

THE HOLY GRAIL? A simpler rule book  mere dozens of pages instead of 1,500  could eliminate concerns about back-room plotting to derail the Trump train

All of this would vanish if some RNC members have their way.

'To make this convention more transparent, I will advocate, at the RNC Standing Rules committee meeting in April, adoption of Robert's Rules of Order to replace the 1,500-page U.S. House rules to govern the convention,' Oregon RNC member Solomon Yue told The Washington Times.

And a Kansas RNC member who sits on the Standing Rules Committee said she will support the move.

'Unlike the 1,500-page U.S. House rules, there are in Robert's no surprises that will prevent the kind of chaos media are predicting,' Helen Van Etten added.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has not aid publicly whether he would back a wholesale replacement of the regulations that will determine how things run in July.

The RNC itself has just 168 members, and they could be overruled by the convention delegates themselves.

That outcome could be a matter of sheer practicality.

The Washington Times writes that since the GOP's 1,500-page rule book is essentially a carbon copy of the rules that run the U.S. House of Representatives, there are limits baked into the cake that limit the flexibility of the rules on specific days of the week.

In the U.S. House, the rules can only be 'suspended'  to work out solutions to unexpected problems  on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Robert's Rules of Order is blind to calendars.
Annette Perkins, 44,of Walsall, West Midlands, had been having an affair with Andrew Howell but began bombarding him with calls and text messages when he ended their relationship

A jilted mistress who demanded a meeting with her married ex-lover ran him over in her car - along with the policeman he had called for help.

Annette Perkins, 44,of Walsall, West Midlands, had been having an affair with Andrew Howell but began bombarding him with calls and text messages when he ended their relationship, and refused to leave his wife and flee to Spain with her.

A court heard the mother-of-seven was given a restraining order banning her from contacting Mr Howell after she became obsessed.

But on November 3 last year Mr Howell complained again to police after she had been back in touch, pleading with him to meet at a local park.

PC Adam Bradley was sent to check if she broke the terms of the restraining order and travelled to Brunswick Park, in Wednesbury, West Midlands.

Mr Howell spoke to his former lover before going to talk to PC Bradley at which point Perkins accelerated at them both from a standing start in her Vauxhall Astra.

She ploughed into them both leaving PC Bradley with a fractured bone in his right hand while Mr Howell managed to escape with a cut left elbow.

Perkins pleaded guilty to two assaults, dangerous driving and breaching a restraining order.

She was jailed for 17 months when she appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday.

The court heard Perkins had bombarded Mr Howell with calls after he ended their relationship at the start of last year.

A restraining order was then imposed on her on September 8 banning any contact with him for six months.

Mr Howell complained to police after she pleaded with him to meet at Brunswick Park. PC Adam Bradley was sent to check if she broke the terms of the restraining order. Perkins accelerated at them both from a standing start in her Vauxhall Astra

Prosecutor Ian Ball said PC Bradley was sent to investigate after Mr Howell complained she started calling again.

Describing the attack, the West Midlands Police officer later said: 'I heard the loud sound of a car engine and saw it hurtling towards us.

'We did not have time to get out of the way.'

Perkins fled to North Wales where she was arrested five days later.

Richard Davenport, defending, said Perkins had been left with seven children aged between 14 and 26 after her marriage to another man ended.

He added: 'She became obsessed with this man who had promised to run off with her to Spain but chose to remain with his wife.'
The judge said Taylor was 'obviously talented' and gave him a sentence of up to 15 years on an unlawful

A Michigan man caught a judge off guard last week by serenading her in court with an Adele-inspired apology song.

Darlene O'Brien, a judge at the Washtenaw County Trial Court in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was getting ready to sentence the man for unlawful imprisonment and a weapons charge when he announced he was about to break into song.

'I wrote a song,' said Brian Taylor, 21, before he began to sing his mournful tune which seemed to be based on Adele's hit single 'Hello.'

Brian Taylor, 21, appealed to a judge's power ballad sensibilities with a homemade rendition of Adele's 'Hello'

'Hello there, your honor... I want to say I'm sorry for the things I've done,' Taylor's song began.

'I'll try and be stronger in this life I chose, but I want you to know - that door, I closed.'

Brian Taylor, 21, sang his heart out in a Michigan courtroom last week

'And your honor I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. To my mother I'm sorry, sorry, sorry. To the victim I'm sorry, sorry, sorry,' Taylor continued.

According to MLive, which first published video of Taylor's March 10 courtroom performance, the judge responded by saying he's 'obviously a talented young man.'

Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison for illegally carrying a concealed weapon and 18 months to 15 years for unlawful imprisonment.

The charges stemmed from an incident from November last year when, prosecutors said, Taylor participated in the armed robbery of a 23-year-old man in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

During his hearing, Taylor asked for a lenient sentence so that he could reach his goal of graduating from college before the age of 26. He said he wished to be a role model for his younger brother and take care of his mother, and become involved in his church.

Taylor was on parole at the time of the November incident and will serve additional time for parole violation.

He is due back in court on March 24 in a separate case where he will stand accused of stealing a financial transaction device.
noted that the postmark on the envelope indicate it was sent from Philadelphia and not from Michigan

Not a match: Jason Dalton, 45, is accused of going on a shooting spree but did not file a lawsuit against Uber, say police

A lawsuit filed by someone on Tuesday claiming to be an Uber driver charged with murdering six people last month is a fake, officials revealed on Thursday.

A person pretending to be Jason Dalton, 45, who is accused of going on a shooting spree, filed a phony $10million federal civil rights lawsuit against the ride-sharing company, saying that it is Uber's fault Dalton is in prison, court records show.

The two-page, handwritten lawsuit against Uber was filed in US District Court in Detroit on Tuesday, saying the company ruined Dalton's life and never invited him to any 'corporate parties'.

'He said he has no idea what it is,' Kalamazoo County Undersheriff Pali Matyas told MLive.

'He said he didn't send it, didn't authorize it, doesn't know who did.'

Police were able to discern that the lawsuit was false after noticing that the envelope listed Dalton's name and the Kalamazoo County Jail as a return address but the postmark on the envelope showed it was mailed to Detroit from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

That's what alerted us, the Philadelphia postmark,' Matyas said.

Investigators also compared Dalton's handwriting that that of the one in the handwritten lawsuit and found that they were not a match.

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Who is it? Police say that the handwriting in this lawsuit does not match that of accused killer Jason Dalton, 45, who told police he never filed any lawsuit for $10m

Wrong address: The lawsuit lists the Michigan prison as a return address but police noted that it was sent from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

'Uber doesn't care about its drivers. We are peasants and pawn pieces to Uber's bottom line,' the Dalton impostor wrote, adding that the company discriminates against him because of his mental health. 'I'm currently in prison because of Uber.'

The mysterious poser wrote that he is seeking a jury trial and would represent himself in court.

Dalton is charged with shooting eight people, killing six of them, over a five-hour period on February 20 in between driving customers for the Uber car service in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Police said last month that Dalton admitted to the shootings.

Fake: Someone pretending to be Jason Dalton, 45, pictured in February, filed the two-page, handwritten lawsuit against Uber in US District Court in Detroit on Tuesday

He previously told authorities he was being controlled by an Uber app through his cellphone as he allegedly killed six people in a series of shootings in southwestern Michigan on February 20 in between Uber pickups in his car (pictured)

'It's hard to know how to respond to someone who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions,' Uber said in a statement. 'Our hearts go out to the victims' families who have to live with the consequences of his terrible crimes.'

Dalton told investigators that the Uber ride-sharing app had the ability to 'take over' his body, local media outlets reported on Monday.

Dalton told police that when he would press a button on his phone screen, the horned cow head of a devil would appear and give him an assignment that he said would 'literally take over' his body, WZZM reported.

Jason Dalton told authorities, 'it feels like it is coming from the phone itself and he didn't know how to describe that', according to the report released Monday.

Police said in the report Dalton said 'he is not a killer and he knows that he has killed'.

Dalton, who was a relatively new driver with Uber when the incident occurred, said the app controlled him like an artificial presence, which would switch from black to red.

Dalton was taken into custody and escorted to a police vehicle while at least two other officers searched his car

When it switched back to black, 'Dalton got his presence back', police reports said, according to WZZM.

He told police that when he pressed a button on the app's screen a devil head and the Eastern Star symbol - a colored, five-point star - would pop up, WOOD reported.

The figure looked like a horned cow head and would provide an assignment that would 'literally take over' his body, Dalton told police.

'When I logged onto site (the Uber app), it started making me feel like a puppet,' he said during a police interview.

A judge earlier this month ordered Jason Dalton to undergo a mental competency exam, though he has no history of mental illness.

He's accused of the shootings outside a restaurant, apartment complex and car dealership.

Six people died  four at the restaurant and two at a car dealership.

Mary Lou Nye, 63, Mary Jo Nye, 60, Dorothy Brown, 74, and Barbara Hawthorne, 68, were killed at the restaurant, where Abigail Kopf was also shot but survived.

High school senior Tyler Smith and his father Rich were then gunned down at a car dealership.

Tiana Carruthers, 25, who was shot outside of her apartment complex by the same driver just hours earlier, is also improving in hospital.

Investigators say Dalton didn't know the victims. They still are trying to determine a motive.
James Lohr and Thomas Guolee were held but never charged

Sheriff's office has evidence gang were in touch around time of the murder

They say he had help from notorious, supremacist prison gang 211 Crew

Now former investigators believe the ex-convict was not working alone

Ebel was killed in shoot out with cops after murdering the prisons chief

Three years after a Colorado prisons chief was shot dead on his doorstep, former investigators have revealed they believe his white supremacist killer was not working alone.

Evan Spencer Ebel, dubbed 'Evil Evan', was the only suspect in the fatal shootings of Colorado Department of Corrections director Tom Clements and pizza delivery man Nathan Leon, in March 2013.

Ebel, 28, was killed in a shootout with deputies later that month in Decatur, Texas, after being pulled over for a traffic stop.

But now two top former top law enforcement officials, who were involved in the original investigation, have come forward to claim that Ebel was not working alone, the Denver Post reveals.

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White supremacist Evan Spencer Ebel, (right) dubbed 'Evil Evan', was the only suspect in the fatal shooting of Colorado Department of Corrections director Tom Clements (left) in March 2013

Former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa and sheriff's Inspector John San Agustin say that the killer was conspiring with his white supremacist prison gang - 211 Crew.

Gang members James Lohr, 49, and Thomas Guolee, 33, were never officially named as suspects in the death of Clements.

But police announced they were looking for the parolee Guolee and Lohr, who were both wanted an unrelated warrants, shortly after Ebel was killed in connection with the investigation.

Both 211 Crew members were detained briefly after Clements' murder as possible suspects before being sent back to prison.

Gang members James Lohr, (left) 49, and Thomas Guolee, (right) 33, were never officially named as suspects in the death of Clements.

Former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa and sheriff's Inspector John San Agustin say that the killer was conspiring with his white supremacist prison gang - 211 Crew - based at Colorado Prison

Guolee, who had since been released from jail after completing his sentence, was arrested last December as a suspect in the burglary at the home of a former corrections officer and shooting at police.

San Augustin believes the pair Lohr and Guolee are connected to the murder but claims authorities find it 'easier' to say the case ended with the death of Ebel.

'It would be easy to say we're done with it,' he told the Denver Post. 'We've got the right guy. He's dead.

'(But) I think it would be a bigger injustice to say we are done with it without looking at all the possibilities of who could have played a role in who assassinated Mr. Clements.'

He insists that the magnitude of the planning that went into the double murder - less than two months after Ebel got out of jail - proved that it was a group effort.

Ebel was released from prison on January 28, 2013. By March 14, he had a gun and had cut off his monitor ankle bracelet.

The only other person charged in the case was Stevie Marie Vigil, of Commerce City, who bought the murder weapon for Ebel.

Within three days he had murdered pizza delivery guy Leon and on March 19, he knocked on the door of Clements.

Shattered family: Prisons chief Clements was survived by his wife, Lisa, far right, and two daughters

Father and son: Evan Ebel (pictured with father Jack) was raised in a middle-class Denver suburb. However, Evan fell into crime despite his efforts to put him on the straight and narrow

When the prisons chief opened his front door, he was shot dead.

Clements, born in St. Louis, worked for 31 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, both in prison and as a parole officer, before he joined the Colorado Department of Corrections in 2011.

Ebel was then killed himself two days later in a shootout with Texas lawmen.

Montague County sheriff's deputy James Boyd was shot three times by Ebel, twice in the chest and once in the head but was saved by his bulletproof vest.

'Did this guy really do this all by himself? San Augustin added. 'I'm just telling you that the way the events unfolded it does not make sense that one person was responsible for the murder of Mr. Clements.'

He added that the sheriff's office had evidence that several 211 Crew members - including Guolee - sent each other texts and cellphone calls around the time of Clements' assassination.

San Augustin claimed he had other significant pieces of evidence linking the gang to the crime but didn't want to jeopardize any future prosecution.

Maketa claimed that even at the time of the investigation, authorities had everything they needed to prosecute bar a full confession by the suspects.

'To this day we believe there is no reason not to file. Everyone felt there was enough evidence to charge,' said Maketa, who resigned in 2014.

Shot dead: Emergency personnel carried Ebel away on a stretcher after he was shot in the head following the 100mph police chase in March 2013

Chaos: Ebel was killed by police following a shootout and a high-speed chase that resulted in a fiery crash in Texas

'I believe today that the case should be filed or taken before a grand jury.'

Maketa's successor Sheriff Bill Elder had vowed a thorough investigation into Clements' case when he took over the role in 2015.

But the sheriff's office admits only one investigator, assisted by Department of Corrections staff, is working on the case.

So far, only Ebel has been formally connected with the murder.

Ebel joined the 211 Crew after he entered prison in 2005 for a string of assault and menacing charges that combined for an eight-year sentence.

The 211 gang is one of the most vicious white supremacist groups operating in U.S. prisons, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist groups.

With ties to the Brotherhood of Aryan Alliance, it was founded in 1995 to protect white prisoners from attacks and operates only in Colorado, according to the center.

The white supremacist prison gang has been responsible for numerous high-profile crimes in Colorado.

Ebel had been imprisoned numerous times over the years for a variety of charges from assault to robbery and had previously violated his probation.
A man who told police a toddler in his care choked on a hot dog was charged Thursday with killing her by fracturing her skull at a mobile home filled with trash and bugs, a prosecutor said.

Gary Foley Jr. faces a homicide charge in the death of a 17-month-old girl in Walnutport, Pennsylvania, last year, said John Morganelli, district attorney for Northampton County.

Foley called 911 on February 24, 2015, and told dispatchers, 'Something is wrong with my baby.' He said he'd been feeding the child a piece of hot dog and put her on the floor to change her diaper when she began choking, according to Morganelli.

Gary Foley Jr. (left) faces a homicide charge in the death of a 17-month-old girl in Walnutport, Pennsylvania. He and the girl's mother, 27-year-old Heather Surget (right), also face child endangerment charges

Foley was charged Thursday with killing the 17-month-old girl by fracturing her skull at a mobile home (pictured) filled with trash and bugs, a prosecutor said

An autopsy detected the skull fracture. Morganelli said it's not clear how she suffered the fracture, but he added that Foley was the only adult at home with the child.

Authorities waited to charge Foley while trying to develop more evidence in a case the prosecutor acknowledged is circumstantial.

Foley, 32, and the girl's mother, 27-year-old Heather Surget, also face child endangerment charges.

Foley and Surget were living with three other children in a mobile home that authorities said had trash and bugs everywhere, holes in the floor and no running water or a permanent heating source.

Authorities: Seen together are Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli (left) and Lehigh Township Police Chief Scott Fogel (right)

One-year-old Kannah A. H. Dew, Surget's daughter, 'died unexpectedly' in February 2015, an online obituary said

Scott Fogel, Lehigh Township Police Chief, told Lehigh Valley Live: 'The floor had holes in it where if you weren't sure where to step you could fall through the floor of the mobile home.'

The February 2015 incident happened while Fogel was also looking after his son and Surget's two other children, the Morning Call reported.

Surget told police she met Foley online, and he had moved in with her about a week earlier, Morganelli said.

'Yet another example of individuals who have absolutely no responsibility or ability to take care of numerous children, endangering their welfare, and in this case, also the life of one of the children,' Morganelli said.

There were indications that at least one of the other children had been abused, Chief Scott Fogel said.

Foley's 4-year-old son and Surget's other two children, 3 years and 2 months old, also lived in the home. They were placed in the custody of child welfare authorities.

Foley's son was revealed to have bruises, cuts, and chipped teeth, Lehigh Valley Live reported.

One-year-old Kannah A. H. Dew, Surget's daughter, 'died unexpectedly' in February 2015, an online obituary pointed out by the Morning Call said.

Both Surget and Foley were arraigned Thursday. Surget was jailed on $100,000 bail. Foley was jailed without bail.

Court records don't list an attorney for Foley who can comment on the charges. It wasn't clear whether Surget has an attorney.
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Her striking looks have made her one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood.

But despite Angelina Jolie being described as one of the world's most beautiful women, one young boy at a migrant camp in Greece did not seem impressed when she went to kiss him.

The mother-of-six, who is married to Brad Pitt, visited migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos, where many land after making the perilous journey to Europe from countries such as Syria.

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While on a visit to Lesbos today, Angelina Jolie went to greet on migrant child with a kiss on the cheek but he seemed to recoil in horror

However, when she went to give another migrant girl a kiss on cheek she seemed much happier and grasped her hand as the pair embraced

Miss Jolie had been visiting the Greek island of Lesbos the entry point for many migrants coming to Europe from countries such as Syria via Turkey

As a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, she has visited several migrant camps in Greece over the past two days shaking hands and posing for pictures with refugees.

Many of the migrant children on Lesbos rushed up to the actress upon seeing her, and she welcomed one small girl with a kiss on the cheek as they held hands.

But as she went to greet one boy she got down on her knees and went to give him a peck on the cheek.

The youngster appeared to recoil in horror and even seemed to be pushing Miss Jolie away as she went to kiss him.

However, she was given a much warmer welcome from other migrants who desperately tried to snap selfies with ther.

As a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, she has visited several migrant camps in Greece over the past two days shaking hands and posing for pictures with refugees

While on Lesbos, the actress promised to return to the island with husband Brad Pitt and their six children later this summer

According to the UNHCR, Miss Jolie is visiting Greece 'to reinforce efforts by UNHCR and the Greek government to step up the emergency response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation'

According to the UNHCR, Miss Jolie is visiting Greece 'to reinforce efforts by UNHCR and the Greek government to step up the emergency response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation'.

While on Lesbos, she assured migrant children that the UNHCR were working hard to ensure children would have a safe trip to their destinations.

She also promised the local authorities that she would return to the island with her husband and children Maddox, Zaharah, Shiloh, Pax, Knox and Vivienne, in the summer.

It is believed Miss Jolie's trip to Greece was also going to include a trip to the Idomeni camp on the Macedonian border, where thousands of migrants are trapped after the Balkans country closed their border.

Miss Jolie's visit came as European Union leaders attended a summit in Brussels to try and seal a deal with Turkey to curb the migration crisis.

Children play near the makeshift tents on the border of Greece and Macedonia after becoming stranded at the Idomeni camp after Macedonia closed their border

Several countries expressed concerns about the proposed accord, under which all migrants landing in Greece would be sent back to Turkey which has been seeking EU membership for decades.

A divided EU has pinned its hopes on a bargain with Turkey to cut off the main route used by the 1.2 million asylum seekers who have landed in the bloc since January 2015, sparking the continent's biggest migration crisis since World War II.

'I am cautiously optimistic but frankly, more cautious than optimistic,' European Council President Donald Tusk told reporters before the leaders sat down for talks in Brussels.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel - a strong backer of the deal who faces political pressure at home for her open-door asylum policy - warned there were 'many things to resolve' but evoked 'cautious optimism, stressing the word cautious'.

However Cyprus president Nicso Anastasiades indicated he could be ready to compromise on his objections, after earlier threatening to block the entire deal due to tensions with Turkey over the divided island.

But concerns that the Turkey deal could breach European and international law on the treatment of refugees remained and some leaders were sceptical about the chances of agreement.

Today European Union leaders attended a summit in Brussels to try and seal a deal with Turkey to curb the migration crisis. Pictured are children at the Idomeni camp in Greece

Hundreds of migrants and refugees walked out of the overcrowded camp on the Greek-Macedonian border, determined to use a dangerous crossing to head north but were returned to Greece

Charles Michel, the Belgian prime minister, has accused Turkey of blackmail as leaders accepted that they needed to work with Turkey to solve the refugee crisis.

'Better no deal than a bad deal. Turkey is asking for a lot. I won't accept what at times seems like blackmail,' Mr Michel said.

Meanwhile, Matteo Renzi, the Italian leader said Europe 'cannot afford not to have a deal with Turkey, but must be a deal that respects our fundamental values'.

But the pressure on the leaders to reach a solution is huge, with the EU's Schengen passport-free travel area cracking as countries reintroduce border checks to curb migrants, and anti-immigration parties on the rise.

A young boy stands in the muddy water at the Idomeni camp in Greece. Many of the migrants are stuck at the camp after Macedonia closed its border

'There is no alternative, we have to come to a deal,' said Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency. He said a deal could cut the flow of migrants within three or four weeks.

Under the key clause in the deal, in exchange for Turkey taking back all migrants arriving in Greece, the EU will resettle one Syrian refugee for every Syrian readmitted on Turkish soil.

In order to meet legal requirements, all migrants arriving in the Greek islands across the Aegean Sea will be registered and have their asylum applications processed there, according to a draft of the agreement.

The draft also stresses that the one-for-one plan is a 'temporary and extraordinary measure' and effectively capped at 72,000 migrants.

The summit will also call for aid to Greece to deal with a bottleneck of refugees, after Balkan countries shut their borders to stop them heading north to richer Germany and Scandinavia.
A buy-to-let magnate who lost a multi-million pound fortune in a foreign property deal shot himself dead at his country manor because he feared his marriage was over, an inquest has heard.

Father-of-four Charles Cole, 50, who made his fortune through purchasing buy-to-let properties, was found dead in September last year in the orchard of the family seat in Ploughill, Devon, after being plagued by financial and marital trouble.

An inquest heard Mr Cole shot himself because he believed he was going to lose his wife Iona, his children and his 214-acre estate.

It came after years of financial difficulties, in which he lost millions of pounds after being duped into investing in Romanian property, a decision which left him 'virtually penniless'.

Buy-to-let tycoon Charles Cole who lost a multi-million pound fortune in a foreign property deal shot himself dead at his country manor because he feared his marriage was over, an inquest has heard. He is pictured with his family and his wife Iona

The hearing heard how, before his death, Mr Cole's son Hedley said to his father: 'You are not going to do anything stupid'.

But, the night before he died, he received a phone call from a friend which all-but confirmed the marriage was over, which meant he was 'losing everything'.

He then sent his children off for lunch before shooting himself on the grounds of the grade-II listed manor house.

After his death, It emerged that Mr Cole had left detailed diaries on his computer in which he revealed struggling with finances and that he 'simply could not live without' his wife.

At an inquest into his death in Exeter, the coroner ruled that he committed suicide in 'sad circumstances'.

An inquest heard Mr Cole shot himself because he believed he was going to lose his wife Iona (with whom he is pictured), his children and his 214-acre estate

Mr Cole's 42-year-old widow, who had moved out of the home nine days before his death, wiped away tears as she listened to the evidence at the inquest.

The hearing was told how, before he died, Mr Cole had given his son and daughters some money to go out have lunch in the nearby town of Crediton.

But they soon received worrying texts from a family friend, concerned for their father's welfare. He was later found at the property, having killed himself with one of his shotguns.

In evidence, farmer Stephen Dennis - who has been close friends with the Coles and their four children for 20 years - described Mr Cole as a man who 'put his family first'.

But Mr Dennis told the coroner that emotional cracks and financial pressure had become a struggle for Mr Cole.

'Twelve months ago there were some underlying tensions in their relationship financial issues,' he told the hearing.

He said 'things were not quite as bad as first thought' but that it did not seem to make any different to the state of their marriage.

He added: 'Iona needed some time away. She left on September 13 and this was a surprise and Charles and the children were very upset by that. I tried to keep Charles positive by giving him hope.'

The inquest heard Mr Cole had sent texts to his wife 'trying to repair and resolve things' but remained in a 'dark place'.

The day before his death, Mr Cole told Mr Dennis that 'the news was very dark'. 'He realised it was over with Iona,' Mr Dennis told the hearing.

Minutes before he took his own life, Mr Dennis received a text from Mr Cole, thanking him for his friendship and apologising for 'putting me through it'.

The 50-year-old was found in the orchard of the family seat in Ploughill, Devon (pictured), in September last year after being plagued by financial and marital trouble.

Giving a verdict of suicide, assistant Exeter coroner Luisa Nicolson said the diaries showed 'how much he loved his children and adored Iona and he simply could not live without her'.

She ruled he committed suicide in 'sad circumstances'.

From an ordinary start, Mr Cole and his wife did up and sold a rundown house in Oxfordshire that had been given to him by his father.

They sold it in 1998 for 580,000 before buying the 16th century grade II listed manor house with the proceeds. The property had been built by his ancestors on land that had been in the family for almost 1,000 years before it was sold in the late 1930s.

The couple went on to build up an empire of 84 buy-to-let homes in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, which produced an annual income of 250,000.

But, despite making a fortune on his property, his children were all being privately educated and their school fees were accounting for nearly 100,000 a year.

Cole, pictured with children Lizzie and Hedley, and his family spent six months constructing an Iron Age-style roundhouse, seen above, complete with thatched roof, for 'glampers' to rent from 170

Mr Cole was plunged into further financial difficulty when he saw an opportunity to invest in Romania and borrowed millions to invest in the country. But he was duped and ended up 'virtually penniless'.

The Cole family then created an Iron Age roundhouse on his land for 170 a night B&B guests, which heaped on the financial pressure.

Mrs Cole did not talk after the hearing but Mr Dennis said: 'Charles was a friend and a trustworthy man. If he had a downside he trusted others who could not be trusted.

'Unfortunately he got into dealings with some people who had a different moral standing. He was a self made man who did it through his own processes. What he said, he would do.

'In Romania what he was told was not carried out. He got involved with others in murky waters. All this led to this catastrophic conclusion.'

He said Iona and her children hoped they would be able to stay in the family manor home.
Donna Ridgeway, 48, was arrested after she allegedly tried to persuade a female inmate to perform a sex act on a male guard

A former correctional officer was arrested after she allegedly tried to persuade a female inmate to perform a sex act on a deputy or jail employee.

Donna Ridgeway, 48, was terminated after she had a conversation with an inmate encouraging her to potentially 'get herself out' by 'getting a deputy or someone to do something with that inmate', according to the Ledger-Enquirer.

She's accused of helping the inmate plot a way to get out of jail early by performing oral sex on a male deputy or corrections officer.

Russel County Sheriff Heath Taylor said an investigation was launched into the incident two weeks ago.

The sex act never happened and the inmate reported the incident to authorities.

Authorities said they reviewed a portion of the alleged conversation that was captured on a recording device.

Taylor told the Ledger that officials believe the 'evidence will show that Ms Ridgeway engaged in conversation and committed an overt act in helping a potential crime take place'.

He said he's glad the inmate was honest enough to report the incident but disappointed that Ridgeway 'crossed the line'.

Taylor told the Ledger: 'I think that we do everything we can to explain and teach the correctional officers that they can't get involved with inmates on a personal level.

'Sometimes, we can't stop it.'

Ridgeway had worked as a correctional officer for four years and she was working for Russell County Jail when she was arrested.

Correctional officers are trained to avoid developing any type of personal relationships with the inmates, such as telling them private information about their lives.

Ridgeway was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit sodomy. Her bond was set at $7,500 and she will be housed in the Lee County Jail for safety reasons.
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Left-wing activists have clashed with riot police during protests over new labour laws that are bringing havoc to the streets of Paris today.

Masked youths set of smoke bombs, vandalised public property and were pictured spraying graffiti on the windows of a bank during the angry scenes this afternoon.

Three arrests were made and riot police fired tear gas into the crowds, which paralysed schools and university campuses across France as students gathered in Place de la Republique.

Unrest: Masked youths set of smoke bombs, vandalised public property and scuffled with the police on the streets of Paris today after new labour reforms sparked anger among France's youths, seen as an attack on job security

Uprising: A masked youth was seen breaking the CCTV camera overlooking a cash machine at a bank, which has a broken window (left). Another can be seen launching a projectile into the streets as the tension rises

Scuffles with police: The police officer defends himself with a shield and holds his baton as a demonstrator advances towards the police van with a spade raised above his head in furious scenes on the streets today

Anti-capitalist? The protesters, whose demonstrations were backed by prominent unions, launched heavy objects at the window of a bank and daubed graffiti all over the walls and the windows of the building

Blocking off: Students blocked the entrances to around 115 schools and colleges across France, with campuses paralysed by the protests

Two police officers were injured and youths were seen climbing atop famous landmarks to protest at new labour reforms, seen as pro-business and condemned by prominent French unions.

Students blocked off the entrances to 115 schools and colleges over the reforms, which introduces potential changes to the strict 35-hour working week, after which any work is considered overtime.

The measures are aimed at freeing up the labour market and reining in France's 10 per cent unemployment rate, with youth joblessness nearer to 25 per cent. But critics say the package threatens job security and many feel it will fail to create jobs.

Thousands set off from the vast square in spring sunshine, with banners reading 'Insecurity is not a job' and 'Flexible, exploited, disposable'.

In the western city of Rennes, hundreds of protesters disrupted rail traffic by descending onto the tracks at the main train station, with one waving a sign reading 'Let's stop living like slaves'.

Demonstrations also took place in Marseille in the south and Nantes in the west.

The protests were staged despite the government presenting a watered-down version of its contested labour market reforms on Monday, responding to demonstrations last week by hundreds of thousands of students and workers against the original proposals.

Raising the roof: Two police officers were injured and youths were seen climbing atop famous landmarks to protest at new labour reforms, seen as pro-business and condemned by prominent French unions

Hard hitting: One masked youth can be seen swinging a hammer at a building believed to be a bank, in the left-wing protest in Paris

Smashing the system: Youths throw projectiles at a bank window during a student demonstration against the government's new laws

Taking a stand: Students gather next to central statue of the Place de la Nation in central Paris, letting off smoke bombs in the capital

Leading light: Angry unions and youths embarked on a show of force with French President Francois Hollande in a day of protests against the government's effort to tamper with the country's 35-hour working week

The main students' union, UNEF, and two of the biggest labour unions, the CGT and the FO, were unimpressed by the changes and repeated their call for the entire draft reform to be withdrawn.

The education ministry said Thursday's protests brought 115 of France's 2,500 public high schools to a standstill, and Paris campuses including the prestigious Sorbonne University were shut as well as universities in the cities of Lyon and Bordeaux.

'We're trying to maximise the youth mobilisation in the street as well as at rallies, before joining ranks with the workers' in more demonstrations planned for the end of this month, UNEF head William Martinet said.

Many young people, including graduates, find themselves working on short-term contracts for several years after their studies, or doing internship after internship while hoping to secure a job.

Refusal: Students hold up placards in which they say 'non' to the new proposals unveiled by the government, leading to clashes on the streets for the second time in two weeks

Think of us: Students gather next to central statue of the Place de la Nation holding posters stating 'Students mobilized - our future at risk' and 'Where are our opinions in your decisions'

Up with the workers: High school students march under the banner reading: 'I work, you work, he works, she works, we work, they benefit'

Their situation contrasts with the job security and perks enjoyed by those on full-time contracts in France.

France's Socialist government sought to dispel anger at its pro-business labour reforms with a modest pay rise for public sector workers today after clashes with police and protesters last week.

Eager to appease tensions with unions, the government said it would lift a six-year-old civil servant pay freeze, costing 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion).

A government retreat on a key plank of the reform has failed to appease student organisations, which are demanding that the plans to overhaul France's rigid labour code be abandoned all together.

The government last week dropped plans to cap severance pay for dismissed workers after a protest drew tens of thousands of trade unions and students.

Blockade: Students block the access to the Lycee Arago with garbage containers over the reforms which make labour relations open to negotiations at individual companies in what would be a major cultural shift for the country.

Balance of power: The reform has become a red-flag for student organisations that usually back President Francois Hollande's Socialists, and whose support he needs if he is going to run for a second term in presidential elections little more than a year away

Co-ordinated: Thousands of demonstrators also took to the streets in the city of Nantes in western France earlier today

Making their voice heard: Young people chanted at the front of the demonstration after French student unions called for the entire draft reform to be withdrawn

The reform aims to loosen France's highly codified labour relations, making them open to negotiations at individual companies in what would be a major cultural shift for the country.

The reform has become a red-flag for student organisations that usually back President Francois Hollande's Socialists, and whose support he needs if he is going to run for a second term in presidential elections little more than a year away.

The government unveiled a programme earlier this week to help some disadvantaged youths get a foothold in the job market that would offer them a monthly handout of 460 euros.

On Thursday in a gesture to unions, the government said it would lift a public sector pay freeze in place since 2010 with an increase of 1.2 percent in two stages. However, it had to improve its offer in talks with unions after they rejected a first proposal as too little.

Breaking ranks: One masked protester wearing a black hooded jacket shatters a window using a fire extinguisher

Making a point: The protesters put their hands up as they come face-to-face with a line of French anti-riot police

Standing guard: Police were armed with batons and tear gas as they clashed with protesters during the march
An Iowa waitress was stiffed out of a tip on a $17 check because she was not 'normal looking'.

Taelor Beeck celebrates herself as an individual and works at Zombie Burger in Des Moines.

The pink-haired server was closing out one of her tables at the hip restaurant on Tuesday night when she released the customer had left no tip and a note on the receipt reading: 'Tips are only for normal-looking people.'

'At first, I felt really upset, I felt attacked, I almost felt like I was back in middle school all over again, like being bullied,' Beeck told Pix 11.

Ripped off: Taylor Beeck was stiffed out of a tip on a $17 bill at the Zombie Burger in Des Moines, Iowa, because the patron felt her appearance did not warrant one

The note on the $17.26 bill said: 'Tips are only for normal-looking people'

Beck chose not to publicly reveal the name of the patron, and she also decided against confronting them over the bill, which was totaled $17.26.

A 20 percent tip would have been about $3.40.

'I didn't act on it because it's not worth it when someone puts hate out there, you know to respond in a hateful way will do no good,' Beeck said.

However Beeck said the reality of the situation is that tips is how service people earn their keep, and that her appearance does not impact her ability to do the job.

'I mean I can't pay my bills if people don't tip me,' Beeck said. 'That's how I make a living.'

Taelor Beeck celebrates herself as an individual and works as a waitress at Zombie Burger in Des Moines.

'We are in 100% support of our staff. And we're confident that our customers will be as well,' Zombie Burger said in a statement

The parent company of Zombie Burger has shown its full support of Beeck, releasing a statement saying that customers should support the staff.

'We believe that Zombie Burger is a place that celebrates individuality,' the statement from Orchestrate Hospitality said.

'We stand by our staff. We also believe that our customers enjoy Zombie Burger because it is a wonderfully unique place and that includes the team members.

'We are in 100% support of our staff. And we're confident that our customers will be as well. She is an example of a great team member and we are standing by her.'

Stiffed: The pink-haired server was closing out one of her tables at the hip restaurant on Tuesday night when she released the customer had left no tip

Beeck did have a few parting words for the patron that failed to pay her though.

'I would tell them to not judge someone based on what they look like,' Beeck said.
Robert Chote, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, said he had not endorsed either side in the referendum.

The head of George Osborne's independent budget forecaster has insisted his organisation has reached no view on Brexit.

The Chancellor infuriated the many Conservative MPs supporting the campaign to get Britain out of Europe when he used Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts in support of EU membership.

But Robert Chote, the OBR's director, told the BBC: 'Parliament has told us to produce our forecasts on the basis of current government policy and not to look at any alternatives.

'Current government policy is to stay in the EU so our forecasts are done on that basis. So we haven't done any projections on what difference it would make if we left.'

He added: 'But what we have also pointed out is that if you look at things City economists and other economists are saying, if there was to be a vote to leave then people expect a period of uncertainty while a new relationship with the EU is negotiated and that could have implications for consumers and business confidence and financial markets.

'So we cited what other people have been saying [on] that but we've made no explicit judgements.'

He later told the Daily Telegraph: 'We are reporting on the weight of views that are expressed outside, we are not saying that we endorse any quantitative estimate and we are very definitely not taking a view on the long-term consequences of In versus Out.'

He added: 'We are not attempting to quantify what the impact of the No vote will be  leaving aside the longer-term issues.

'We just thought it was sensible to recognise the fact that this is a risk  lots of other people are talking about it, they are making attempts to quantify it but we did not want to put our imprimatur on any particular estimate.'

The remarks were seized upon by Tory MP Bernard Jenkin.

He said: ''it is not for us to judge at this stage what the impact of Brexit might be on the economy and the public finances - @OBR_UK.

'So there!'

In his speech, Mr Osborne said: 'Over the next few months this country is going to debate the merits of leaving or remaining in the European Union, and I have many colleagues whom I respect greatly on both sides of this argument.

'The OBR correctly stay out of the political debate and do not assess the long term costs and benefits of EU membership.

Mr Chote's intervention was seized upon by Bernard Jenkin, a leading eurosceptic on the Conservative benches

'But they do say this, and I quote them directly: 'a vote to leave in the forthcoming referendum could usher in an extended period of uncertainty regarding the precise terms of the UK's future relationship with the EU.

'This could have negative implications for activity via business and consumer confidence and might result in greater volatility in financial and other asset markets'.'

Mr Osborne added: 'Britain will be stronger, safer and better off inside a reformed European Union.

Following the Budget speech, Vote Leave Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said: 'There is one budget the Chancellor didnt touch today  the 350 million of taxpayers money he hands to Brussels every week.

'Nor could he cut taxes like VAT which weve given up control of to the EU Commission.

Disappointingly, the Chancellor sought to politicise the OBR and drag it into his campaign to keep us in the EU despite the OBR making clear that it was not making a judgment about the referendum.

'If we want to take back control of our economy and our democracy so the Government can spend our money on our priorities, the only safe option is to Vote Leave'.
They make up a little more than one-in-four voters in the Golden State, but it may finally be California Republicans' time to shine.

That's because with 172 Republican delegates allocated to the state  and Gov. John Kasich and Sen. Ted Cruz still in the race  frontrunner Donald Trump will likely need to win the state on its June 7 primary to clinch the nomination and avoid a contested convention in July.

'California's primary delegates became the pot at the end of the rainbow for the campaigns,' explained veteran GOP lawyer Ben Ginsberg to the Los Angeles Times, which published a piece touting the fact that the Republican primary in the state finally matters.

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More Winning Needed: Donald Trump needs to keep earning 50+ percent of the delegates in order to win his party's nomination without taking it to the convention. California could be the clincher

Donald Trump held a large rally in Los Angeles, California in advance of the Republicans' debate at the Reagan library in Simi Valley

Donald Trump already has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - now what he needs from the state are the majority of its delegates

Golden State voters found themselves in this golden opportunity because of the delegate math.

While Trump looks like he can earn the 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination outright, he has to maintain similar levels of support he's seen throughout the primary cycle thus far.

And even if he does that, or better, he may need help from Californians  who head to the polls the last day of voting alongside voters from New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota  to get over the line.

California's delegates represent 14 percent of all Republican delegates.

The billionaire is no stranger to Hollywood, having been a reality television star as well, and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Since the primary is still two and a half months away and its importance is just now being discussed not much polling has been done in the state.

Two samples conducted in March, according to Real Clear Politics, had Trump five points and 16 points ahead.

In both cases Cruz was in second place and Kasich was in third.

Cruz, however, was tied for support with Trump in a California Field poll taken in November, so there could be hope for him yet.

Cruz, too, according to the Los Angeles Times, has laid the best ground game in the state and has, nationally, been very good at getting Republican support in more liberal enclaves.

That strategy could play incredibly well in California, which doles out delegates, three at a time, by congressional district and then give another 13 to the candidate who wins the state.

Donald Trump is no stranger to Hollywood, pictured here arriving at the Academy Awards with wife Melania in 2011. Now he'll need to get California voters on his side

Expect Donald Trump to spend plenty of time in the Golden State in advance of its June 7th primary, which could seal the deal for the Republican billionaire

'Most other Republican presidential campaigns' strategy for California sounds like a burger chain  In-N-Out,' Ron Nehring, Cruz's California chairmen turned national spokesman told the LA Times, name-dropping the states most identifiable burger chain. 'Our philosophy is completely different.'

While Kasich doesn't have a sophisticated ground game nor much money, he received the endorsement from the state's ex-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger earlier this month.

Though, the Los Angeles Times noted, Schwarzenegger is no longer a beloved political figure in the state.

And while California Republicans live in a deep blue state, their demographics align with fellow national Republicans than their fellow Californians.

They're older, whiter and more likely to be married than other Californians, which means they could follow similar voting patterns to what has been seen in the contests thus far.

'We always hope, cycle after cycle, maybe this is the year we're the jewel at the end of the contest,' GOP strategist Reed Galen told the Times.

'Donald Trump again appears to have won Tuesday night but not put away his opponents,' Galen continued.
Who wouldnt break into a smile of gratitude, having just been rescued from a burning building?

A small white puppy has emerged as somewhat of an Internet celebrity after it was captured being carried out of a fire-ravaged apartment in Maryland with what appeared to be a grin on its furry face.

Last Friday, first responders with the Baltimore County Fire Department arrived at the Satyr Hills Apartment at 2200 Whitcomb Circle in Parkville after getting a call about a blaze inside a second-floor unit.

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Lucky dog: This white puppy is lucky to be alive, having been rescued from a burning apartment in Maryland

Ready for his closeup: The small pooch was captured with what appeared to be a smile on his face as he was being carried to safety by a first responder in Parkville, Maryland, on March 11

The curly-haired pooch was extracted from a second-floor unit at the Satyr Hill Apartments and brought downstairs

The four-legged tenant was given some water by the responding firefighters after his dramatic rescue

The firefighters were able to contain the flames within an hour and rescue the family pet.

EMT Walter Sanders was photographed carrying in his arms the seemingly overjoyed pup out of the burning building to safety, reported PIX11.

Captain Geoffrey Donahue took several photos of the rescue and its happy aftermath and shared them on Providence Volunteer Company's Facebook page.

The unnamed four-legged survivor - a white, curly-haired mixed-breed pup - was given some water and was said to be doing well after his brush with death.
But outraged women have hit back saying 'it's not easy for every mother'

Said breastfeeding for more than six months halves breast cancer risk

A dded it should be easier for mums to breastfeed 'anywhere they want to'

Jamie Oliver welcomed the decision to impose a new sugar tax in 2018. He has now revealed his latest campaign will focus on breastfeeding

Fresh from his victory on a sugar tax, Jamie Oliver has revealed the subject of his latest campaign  unrestricted breastfeeding.

The celebrity chef, who is expecting his fifth child, a close source revealed today, declared that those who care about child health must support his drive to make it easier for mothers to breastfeed anywhere they want to.

It is illegal to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a public space, but surveys show that many women still feel uncomfortable doing so.

Mr Oliver told LBC Radio that Britain had a problem with breastfeeding, with one of the lowest rates in the world.

He made a series of startling claims, such as feeding babies with bottle milk can lead to obesity and make them grow up stunted.

And he said that breastfeeding for more than six months can halve the risk of mothers contracting breast cancer.

The chef, who has campaigned against child obesity for years, warmly welcomed George Osbornes decision to impose a new sugar tax in 2018.

But he said more action was needed to safeguard the health of millions of British children.

We need to support the women of Britain to breastfeed more, anywhere they want to, he said.

If you breastfeed for more than six months, women are 50 per cent less likely to get breast cancer. When do you ever hear that? Never.

We have got a problem with breastfeeding. And if you think about it, breastfeeding is the beginning of the story  before school dinners, before sugar.

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The celebrity chef said: 'We need to support the women of Britain to breastfeed more, anywhere they want to'

It's something that's very natural to us  it's easy, it's more convenient, it's more nutritious, it's better, it's free.

He added: When you care about child health you can't just look at one thing. The sugary drinks tax is interesting purely because you are getting your hands on the horns of big business who are usually telling government what to do.

A poll, conducted by Public Health England last year, found that more than a third of breastfeeding mothers shy away from doing so in public

But if you really care about it, it's really big, wide, diverse and things like breastfeeding are at the epicentre of the problem.

Data from breastfeeding tracks into all sorts of things from stunting to obesity to ill-health.

We have the worst breastfeeding in the world. The breastfeeding formula industry has a history of doing things in not such agreeable ways.

Female LBC listeners expressed their outrage that Mr Oliver had the gall to announce he wanted to encourage more women to breastfeed as his next project.

Robyn, from Birmingham, said: 'What does he think we have been doing?

'We didn't know what to do with our nipples until Jamie Oliver popped his head above the parapet. Who doesn't know that breast milk is best for their baby?'

Rebecca from Hertford said: 'The one word that he used to describe breastfeeding which irked me was "easy".

'It is not easy for every mother. I really struggled - I desperately wanted to but I had to stop after six weeks.

'As somebody who has never done it, I don't think he should be the face of this campaign at all.'

And Vicky, from Thurrock, said: 'There's too much pressure put on ladies to do it anyway. We get looked down on if we do not breastfeed from the off.

It is not easy for every mother to breastfeed. I desperately wanted to but I had to stop after six weeks. As somebody who has never done it, I don't think he should be the face of this campaign at all LBC listener Rebecca from Hertford

'I don't think I would want him telling me what I should and shouldn't do.

'If my husband ever tried to tell another woman what she should and shouldn't be doing, as a man, I think I'd give him a clip round the ear for her.'

A poll, conducted by Public Health England (PHE) last year, found that more than a third of breastfeeding mothers shy away from doing so in public.

One in five felt that people do not want them to breastfeed in public.

The PHE quango says breast milk has a positive impact on both a babys and mothers health.

They say: It provides babies with the nutrients they need to make the best start in life, protecting from infection and disease and is associated with a reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese as they grow older.

Breastfed babies are also less likely to suffer from vomiting and diarrhoea and having to go to hospital as a result. For mothers, breastfeeding may lower the risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer.

But, while 74 per cent of women start breastfeeding their children from birth, only 47 per cent are still doing so six to eight weeks later.

The PHE poll found that one in 10 women who chose not to breastfeed said the worry of doing so in public influenced their decision.

Earlier today a close friend of the Oliver family confirmed that Jools Oliver, pictured here with her husand, is expecting a fifth child

Earlier today a close friend of the Oliver family confirmed that Mr Oliver's wife, Jools, is expecting a fifth child.

Speaking about the 41-year-old, a source told The Daily Mail: 'Jools is radiant and blooming for the fifth time. The baby is expected in August.'

Mrs Oliver has frequently admitted of her wish for another sibling for their children Poppy Honey, 14, Daisy Boo, 12, Petal Blossom, six and Buddy Bear, five.

In January last year, the duo said that they were already planning to expand the family with Mrs Oliver explaining that she would be fully prepared if she found herself expecting again.

The couple met in 1993 and tied the knot in 2000, before welcoming their first daughter two years later. Mrs Oliver conceived her first child using IVF but had the other three naturally.

Mrs Oliver recently addressed the balance of running a famous family when she spoke to Mama Love magazine in December 2015.

She said: 'Really I do not feel any different to any other mum. Most of my days are pretty boring and centre around the children.'

Mrs Oliver turned 40 two years ago, and says she embraced the ageing milestone because she felt extremely proud of her achievements in the previous decade.
The Metropolitan Police has been accused of threatening its Irish residents after officers posted an image of shamrock made with handcuffs along with the message 'Happy St Patrick's Day'.

The tweet, which was later deleted, was posted by the Met in Lewisham, south east London.

After a number of complaints were made on social media, the Met issued an apology claiming it was not their intention of causing any offence.

The Metropolitan Police in Lewisham posted the image featuring two pairs of handcuffs and a key along with the message wishing residents a Happy St Patrick's Day - even though St Patrick's symbol was a shamrock

Soon after the tweet was published, it was deleted and officers replaced it with an apology, pictured

However, several people took to twitter to express their outrage over the social media message

Others claimed the tweet featuring the images was lacking in tact on the day of the Irish Patron Saint

The controversial tweet featured two pairs of handcuffs laid out with a key representing the stem.

However, the shamrock, which was a symbol used by St Patrick to explain the relationship between God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost while bringing Christianity to Ireland only has three leaves.

But the tweet was met with anger from followers, claiming the force were 'threatening their Irish residents' and one called it 'racist'.

Another person wrote: 'Very poor taste, think before you tweet. 100yrs since Easter Rising.', referring to an armed republican uprising in Ireland during Easter week in 1916.

Just minutes after the backlash, the force removed the tweet and issued an apology to its followers.

They wrote: 'Apologies for any offence caused by our earlier tweet, that was not our intention at all - hope everyone has a great St Patrick's Day.'

Some Twitter users pointed out that the image the force posted was originally from an anti-drink drive poster in America.

But not everyone was offended by the image.

One user responded to the apology writing: 'I'm Irish and live in London and thought the tweet was very creative and funny, in future ignore the offence mongers.'

Another added: 'I'm intrigued as to what you could have said that offended anyone?!'

Scotland Yard said today there had been no official complaints as yet.
Belgian leader said he will not accept what, at times, seems like 'blackmail'

Proposed measures to deport migrants to Turkey in return for concessions

European Union leaders have agreed a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey and they will now put the measures to Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The 28 EU leaders gathered in Brussels were assured the draft deal which they thrashed out overnight would not result in mass deportations.

Desperate to ease the pressure placed on European borders by more than a million migrant arrivals, the EU has turned to Turkey to help stem the flow of refugees into overburdened Greece.

The plan is to outsource Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades to Turkey, despite concerns over its asylum system and human rights abuses.

Turkey was accused of blackmailing Europe over the migrant crisis as EU leaders met to thrash out a deal to stop refugees reaching Greece (second to left, David Cameron with Angela Merkel)

Twenty eight European leaders met to forge a plan before they met Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu tomorrow

The EU would pay to send new migrants arriving in Greece - who do not qualify for asylum - back to Turkey. And for every migrant returned, the EU will accept one Syrian refugee, for a total of up to 72,000.

In return, the EU will offer Turkey, home to 2.7million Syrian refugees, up to 4.7 billion in aid, an easing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens and faster EU membership talks.

The summit chairman, EU Council President Donald Tusk, will put Europe's terms to Mr Davutoglu this morning.

If he objects, the heads of state and government of the 28 EU nations will meet again to reconsider their position.

Tusk stressed that any agreement must fully comply with EU and international law but human rights groups and leading EU legislators have attacked the plan, saying it sacrifices the rights of migrants fleeing war and poverty.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (in red) said it was possible to overcome leaders' concerns over the legality of deporting migrants from their countries back to Turkey

David Cameron (pictured) today insisted Britain would not take in any more refugees as he arrived in Brussels for new talks on tackling the migrant crisis

Mr Cameron (right) said Britain had a clear policy on taking Syrian refugees directly from camps in the region rather than relocating people who have already reached Europe

After a year in which more than a million people fleeing war arrived in Turkey, EU nations are looking to Turkey to seal the coastline and stem the flow (right, Angela Merkel at the summit with European Parliament President Martin Schulz)

BRITAIN WILL NOT TAKE ANY MORE MIGRANTS, SAYS CAMERON By Tim Sculthorpe, MailOnline Deputy Political Editor David Cameron today insisted Britain would not take in any more refugees as he arrived in Brussels for new talks on tackling the migrant crisis. EU leaders hope to finalise a new deal with Turkey over the next two days which will see illegal immigrants deported back to Turkey in return for Europe accepting genuine Syrian refugees. But the Prime Minister insisted he would not vote for any deal which led to more people coming to Britain. He highlighted the 'special status' he claimed to have negotiated for Britain at the last EU summit in February - the basis for his recommendation Britain stay in the EU at the referendum in June. David Cameron, pictured arriving at today's talks, said Britain would not take any more migrants or offer visa free access to Turks As he arrived at the talks today, Mr Cameron said: 'We ought to be clear here about Britian's special status in this organisation. 'Because we have kept our own border controls because we are out of Schengen we won't be offering visa-free access to Turks as part of this agreement - we maintain our own immigration policy.' Mr Cameron said Britain had a clear policy on taking Syrian refugees directly from camps in the region rather than relocating people who have already reached Europe. He told the waiting reporters: 'We have already said what we are going to do in terms of taking Syrian refugees to Britain and that's underway. 'We won't be taking more because of what is discussed here today. 'But if we can get an agreement that returns migrants from the Greek islands to Turkey that would be good progress.' Mr Cameron urged his fellow EU leaders to concentrate on breaking the 'business model' of the smugglers so there was no longer a link between getting into Europe illegally and being allowed to stay. The Prime Minister insisted he would not vote for any deal which led to more people coming to Britain Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu drew up the principles of the deal with German chancellor Angela Merkel before presenting it to the other 27 leaders of EU member states at a summit earlier this month. He will join them again in the hope of securing final agreement. Under the plan, Turkey would receive 3 billion euros (2.3bn) in additional funding by 2018, on top of 3 billion offered late last year The EU also said it would speed up a visa liberalisation process to allow 75 million Turks to visit the Schengen area without a visa by June. Talks on Turkey's long-stalled application to join the EU will be revived. Advertisement

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was possible to overcome leaders' concerns over the legality of deporting migrants from their countries back to Turkey, in return for political and financial concessions to Ankara.

But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel went as far as to accuse Turkey of blackmail, adding the country is 'asking for a lot'.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the package was 'very much on the edge of international law' and, if agreed, appeared too complicated to implement.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose country is struggling with a build up of tens of thousands of refugees stranded on its borders, said his country needed more help to care for migrants.

EU officials agreed that Greece also needed time to set up legal and administrative structures to carry out deportations.

Ankara's main objective - visa free travel for its citizens to Europe - will still depend on Turkey meeting a longer list of EU criteria.

French President Francois Hollande (left) stressed that Turkey must meet the EU's strict criteria if it is to be granted visa free travel while Cameron (right) said Britain would not take in any more refugees

Tusk is expected to meet with Turkish leader Davutoglu late tonight to prepare for Friday's breakfast with EU leaders including Merkel (pictured)

The importance of meeting every one of the 72 conditions was stressed by French President Francois Hollande, whose voters are alarmed by the idea of 75million Turkish citizens' ability to travel freely to Europe.

Under the proposed plan, Turkey would take back all migrants who crossed from their shores to Greek islands.

The draft says the aim is to 'break the business model of the [people] smugglers' and offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk.

It stresses the return is 'a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order'.

Diplomats said much will depend on how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new 'chapters' of Turkey's negotiations to join the EU in the distant future.

Cyprus has long blocked some chapters over the port dispute. Tusk's draft said only that the EU would work with Turkey to 'prepare for a decision' on opening new accession chapters 'as soon as possible' - a hazy prospect Davutoglu may not accept.

Around 46,000 refugees and migrants are currently stranded in Greece after several Balkan states shut their borders

Of these, around 14,000 are currently living in the squalid Idomeni (pictured) camp on the Greece-Macedonia border

To satisfy EU and international law, Greece and Turkey will have to modify domestic legislation so that Turkey is regarded as protecting asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, even though Ankara limits its formal commitments to that treaty.

All migrants who reach Greece would have a right to put their case for asylum and to appeal against deportation.
But the PM reassured MPs they would be given a say before deployment

MPs warned earlier this week that 1,000 UK troops were being sent to Libya

David Cameron has been summoned to appear before MPs to answer questions over his policy towards Libya - a week after he was rebuked by Barack Obama for leaving the country a 's*** show'.

The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) has taken the unusual step of writing to the Prime Minister to ask him to give evidence in person.

Earlier this week Crispin Blunt, the committee's chairman, revealed that Libya's new unity government had accepted an offer of 1,000 British troops to help them in the fight against ISIS, which has seized control of important strategic areas of the north African country.

David Cameron (right) basked in the glory of overthrowing former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (left) in 2011 but since then the country fell into a bloody civil war which left a vacuum for extremists to prosper, including Isis, which now controls strategically important areas

But yesterday Mr Cameron reassured MPs that they would be given a say on any deployment of conventional troops to Libya.

The FAC has been conducting an inquiry into the events leading up to the 2011 military intervention that helped overthrow Muammar Gaddafi, and has already heard from senior figures including Tony Blair and Lord Hague.

In his letter to Mr Cameron today, Mr Blunt said his committee had received a 'considerable volume of written evidence' but added: 'Before the committee publishes its final report, however, the committee has resolved to invite you to provide oral evidence to the inquiry.

'Given your key role in the development of international policy before, during and after the 2011 intervention - a role which is continuing now with the formation of the government of national accord - the committee believes it is only appropriate to extend this invitation to you in a spirit of courtesy, fairness and genuine inquiry.'

In his letter to Mr Cameron today, Mr Blunt said his committee had received a 'considerable volume of written evidence' but added: 'Before the committee publishes its final report, however, the committee has resolved to invite you to provide oral evidence to the inquiry

ISIS has set up a North African headquarters in the Libyan coastal city Sirte, Muammar Gaddaffi's hometown, which became ravaged by fighting between rival militias, pictured above, in 2011

Mr Blunt wrote: 'Your evidence will obviously be important to us, but I would not wish unreasonably to delay the completion of our work.

'I hope that it will be possible for us to arrange a mutually convenient time to hear your evidence before the end of this session of parliament.'

US President said the Prime Minister's work in Libya was a 's***show' in candid interview last week

By convention the Prime Minister appears before the Liaison Committee - made up of the chairmen of all select committees - twice a year. But the premier rarely appears in person before other committees.

The FAC demanded to know earlier this week whether the Government was about to commit 1,000 troops to an international force to train the Libyan army and provide security for the newly appointed national unity government.

After a visit to the region, the MPs also suggested the new administration was likely to request air strikes against Islamic State targets.

A Government spokesman said what the committee had been told was 'wrong on a number of counts', while Mr Cameron told the Commons that any plans to send 'conventional forces' for training in Libya would be debated in Parliament.

US president Barack Obama triggered a diplomatic spat last week when he suggested in an interview that the current political chaos in Libya was partly caused because Mr Cameron was too 'distracted' to oversee a smooth transition to a new stable regime.

The White House tried to limit the fallout by insisting Mr Obama - who is due to visit the UK next month - 'values deeply the special relationship'.

Yesterday Mr Cameron reassured MPs that if the British Government had any plans to send conventional forces for training in Libya then 'of course' it would come to Parliament and discuss it, after being questioned on the issue by the SNP.

SNP Westminster group leader Angus Robertson said the critics of UK policy on Libya 'even include' president Barack Obama of the United States.

Mr Cameron and Mr Obama, pictured together in the Oval Office, have enjoyed a mostly close relationship over the past several years with a series of bilateral meetings

Barack Obama (pictured right) revealed that he warned David Cameron (left) last summer that the 'special relationship' between Britain and America would be lost if he refused to commit to spending the Nato target of 2 per cent of GDP on defence

The MP for Moray told the Commons there was 'widespread reporting that the UK Government is about to commit to send ground troops to Libya to train Government forces there', asking: 'Is this true and why has Parliament not been informed about it?'

David Cameron replied: 'Well of course, if we had any plans to send conventional forces for training in Libya then of course we'd come to this House and discuss it.'

He added: 'Of course Libya is in a state that is very concerning right now and everyone has to take their responsibilities for that.'

Britain, he said, wanted to see the formation of a unity Government in Libya.

Mr Cameron said: 'There is progress with prime minister (Fayez) Seraj, who can now lead that government of national accord, we'll want to hear from him what assistance and help, that we think should be given in Libya, and countries like Britain, like France, like America, like Italy, will definitely try and help that new Government, because right now Libya is a people smuggling route, that is bad for Europe and bad for us.

'And also you have the growth of Daesh in Libya which is bad for us and bad for the rest of Europe, but if we have any plans for troop training or troop deployment in a conventional sense of course we'll come to the House and discuss it.'

Mr Robertson said the UK spent thirteen times more bombing Libya than securing the peace after the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime.

He said: 'The critics of UK policy even include president Obama of the United States, so will the Prime Minister give a commitment to bring the issue of any potential Libyan deployment of any British forces to Parliament for approval before giving the green light for that to happen, will he give that commitment, yes or no?'

Mr Cameron responded: 'I'm very happy to give that commitment as we always do. Look I'm very clear that it was right to take action to prevent that slaughter that Colonel Gaddafi would have carried out against his people in Benghazi, I believe that was right.

'Of course Libya is in a state that is very concerning right now, and everyone has to take their responsibilities for that. What I would say is after the conflict the British Government did support the training of Libyan troops, we did bring the Libyan prime minister to the G8 in Northern Ireland, we went to the United Nations and passed resolutions to help that government, but so far we haven't been able to bring about that government of national accord, that can bring some semblance of stability and peace to that country.
A man has been arrested after he allegedly poured boiling water over his girlfriend's son and his boyfriend as they lay asleep in bed, leaving the pair with horrific burns.

Martin Blackwell, 48, is charged with aggravated battery after police say he burned Anthony Gooden, 23, and partner Marquez Tolbert, 21, as they slept in Gooden's mother's apartment.

Blackwell allegedly doused the pair with boiling water at the apartment in College Park, Georgia, before telling them 'get out of my house with all that gay' and dragging them out of the front door.

Martin Blackwell, 48 (left), is charged with aggravated battery after allegedly pouring boiling water on his girlfriend's son Anthony Gooden, 23 (far right) and boyfriend Marquez Tolbert, 21 (second right) as they slept

Gooden and Tolbert were then left to go door-to-door in the neighborhood desperately looking for help, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Tolbert's family.

Eventually a neighbor let them in and called for help and the pair were taken to hospital.

The pair suffered second and third degree burns to their backs, heads and necks, with Gooden placed in a medically-induced coma.

Meanwhile Tolbert was forced to have skin removed from his thighs to replace the lost skin on his back, and will now need to wear body compress dressings for two years.

Tolbert and Gooden suffered second and third degree burns in the attack. Tolbert had to have skin removed from his thighs (right) to replace the skin lost from his back (left) while Gooden is in a medically-induced coma

Meanwhile Blackwell, who does not live at the address as he claimed but regularly visits, was arrested and booked into Fulton County Jail.

According to a police arrest report, seen by WSBTV, Blackwell was unrepentant, telling officers: 'They'll be all right. It was just a little hot water on them.'

Blackwell is accused of boiling a pan of water and throwing it over the pair, telling Tolbert to 'get out of my house with all that gay'

Blackwell also told officers he was disgusted by the men's relationship, the report says.

Gooden told Rollingout.com that his mother had only recently started dating Blackwell, and it appeared as though the pair were getting along well.

He said that in the early hours of February 12 he and Tolbert had returned from their job in a warehouse before falling asleep on a mattress on the floor of his mother's front room.

Several hours later, as they were sleeping, Blackwell allegedly filled a pot with water, brought it to a boil, and then emptied it over the pair.

Tolbert said: 'We woke up to boiling hot water. I started screaming uncontrollably and I was pulled out of the house.

'We ran to the neighbors and called the police. We were just burning. My body was just stinging. It was like a really, really severe kind of stinging. I could hardly think straight.'

Speaking to Channel 2 News, he tearfully added: 'The pain doesn't let you sleep. It's just excruciating, 24 hours a day, and it doesn't go anywhere. It doesn't dial down. It's just there.'

Tolbert said all he remembers is screaming in pain as Blackwell lifted him out of bed and threw him out the front door, forcing him and Gooden to go door-to-door looking for help

Tolbert says there is no doubt in his mind that the attack was a hate crime, but those charges do not exist in Georgia, so Blackwell instead faces aggravated battery offences

Asked whether he believes the attack constitutes a hate crime, Tolbert said: 'Why else would you pour boiling hot water on somebody? Where was your head at? Why would you do this?'

An Atlanta Police Department LGBT liaison assisted in the case to make sure Blackwell did not make bond, police said.

While hate crime charges do not exist in the state of Gerogia, the liaison said federal hate crimes could be levied against Blackwell, with a hearing scheduled to address that.
A Texas high school teacher and church leader has confessed to hosting parties where he encouraged up to 12 teenage boys to get naked and performed sexual acts with them, police said.

Jared Anderson, 28, has been charged with sexual assault of a child, sexual performance of a child, possession of child pornography and indecent contact and exposure with a child.

Authorities said Anderson, a married father of two - including a toddler son - hosted multiple parties at his home over the last several months.

The most recent was called a 'Bros night' on February 12 and included seven boys ranging from 15 to 17 years of age.

English teacher and church leader Jared Anderson, 28, (pictured with his wife) has confessed to hosting parties where he encouraged up to 12 teenage boys to get naked and perform sexual acts, police said

Anderson (pictured Wednesday) has been charged with sexual assault of a child, sexual performance of a child, possession of child pornography and indecent contact and exposure with a child

Authorities said Anderson hosted multiple parties at his home over the last several months, the most recent being a 'Bros night' on February 12 with seven boys ranging from 15 to 17 years of age

A post-it note on the door read: 'The last one to get naked has to get the first dare', police said.

Anderson then instructed the boys to strip off their clothes and play games while he walked around 'naked with an erection', according to the police report.

The boys were instructed to 'crawl around naked and touch each other' and 'place their genitals on another boy's face', authorities said.

He also had the teens wrestle each other and hug him while he was naked, according to KENS 5.

The father-of-two instructed boys to strip off their clothes and play games while he walked around 'naked with an erection', a police report reads

Anderson's mouth also came in 'contact with a boy's genitals', the report reads.

Police said at a different party, Anderson challenged a 17-year-old to see who could be the most 'obscene', which involved them sending pictures 'of their genitals to each other'.

Parents of two of the victims reported the incident last week to Anderson's church and the San Antonio Police Department.

Seven to 10 victims, all between the ages of 15 and 18, have since been identified by police, according to My San Antonio.

Police said seven of the boys have given statements as of Wednesday, but they expect there may be as many as ten to 12 arrest warrants.

'If there's that many, there's always a possibility there could be more,' SAPD Sgt Jesse Salame told KENS 5.

'These are disgusting, heinous acts committed against the boys. We're happy to have got him very quickly.'

Texts and voice mails Anderson left apologizing to the boys' parents, some of whom were also interviewed, were documented as evidence, police said.

A search warrant was executed at Anderson's house to look for any visual or photographic evidence.

Anderson has since been placed on administrative leave at Judson High School, where he worked as an English teacher for more than a year. Police said so far no victims are from his district.

He has also been banned from his church.
When Dusha came to check the toddler was foaming at the mouth and nose

A Pennsylvania couple has been jailed for starving their two-year-old daughter - who weighed a mere ten pounds - to death last month.

Andrea Dusha, 26, and Michael Wright Jr., 32, have been charged with homicide after they left their toddler Lydia in a car seat for 13 hours outside their Uniontown home, court documents reveal. By the time Dusha finally came to check on her daughter it was too late.

An autopsy later determined Lydia died of dehydration and malnutrition as they ruled the youngster's death a homicide.

Andrea Dusha, 26 (pictured being taken into custody, right) and Michael Wright Jr., 32, (left) left their toddler Lydia in a car seat for 13 hours, court documents reveal. By the time Dusha finally came to check on her daughter it was too late

An autopsy later determined Lydia died of dehydration and malnutrition as they ruled the youngster's death a homicide

The medical examiner discovered Lydia weighed just 10lbs when she died. A healthy two-year-old should weigh anywhere between 28 and 30lbs.

The couple has now been arrested for criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment in the death of Lydia Wright. They are being held without bond, which is required by Pennsylvania law in most homicide cases.

Police say the little girl was left in her car seat overnight, from 9pm on February 23 until 10.30am the following morning, court documents reveal.

When her mother checked on her, she tried to get her to drink a mixture of water, Gatorade and Pedialyte only to see foam coming from the toddler's nose and mouth as her eyes rolled back in her head, police said.

Dusha rushed the child, who had also stopped breathing, to a hospital where she died, police said.

Wright (pictured, center, being arrested) has now been arrested for criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment in the death of Lydia Wright

Fayette County caseworkers have taken Dusha (pictured) and Wright's other two children into custody

Fayette County caseworkers have taken their other two children into custody.

When officers arrived at the family's squalid home, they discovered the children had been living without water or sewage services.

Investigators also found bottles of urine and dirty diapers, unwashed dishes, tables and counters, and a toilet filled with feces.

The couple has not been charged with using illegal drugs, but police found a syringe and numerous open prescription pill bottles in the bathroom, according to the complaint.
President Barack Obama more or less told Democratic donors last Friday that Bernie Sanders' time is nearly up in the presidential primary, and they'll soon have to line up behind Hillary Clinton.

Clinton struggles with 'authenticity', Obama reportedly said at an Austin, Texas, fundraising event but told donors that is not all-important to winning. And while he did not say Sanders should get out of the race, the president is said to have suggested that his continued candidacy could help Republicans.

The New York Times first reported the comments, backed up by three independent sources and a White House official who said they were true.

The president's spokesman denied an assertion today that Obama endorsed Clinton. That's not what he said, Josh Earnest told reporters

The senior administration official was unable to directly deny the story or tell the press exactly what Obama did say, though.

President Barack Obama more or less told Democratic donors last Friday that Bernie Sanders' time is nearly up in the presidential primary, and they'll soon need to line up behind Hillary Clinton

Earnest said he was in the the room when Obama delivered those remarks at the event, which media was invited to join at the beginning, then escorted out for the private portion of the function.

'President Obama made a case that would be familiar to all of you, which is that as Democrats move through this competitive primary process, we need to be mindful of the fact that our success in November in electing a Democratic president will depend on the commitment and ability of the Democratic Party to come together behind our nominee and the president did not indicate or specify a preference in the race.

Continuing, Earnest said, 'The president pointed out...that both of the Democrats who are running, because they have demonstrated an understanding and a commitment to building on the progress we've made thus far, would be far better presidents than anybody that's been put up on the Republican side.'

That is consistent with the case Obama has made publicly, his spokesman said.

And while Obama does have a preferred replacement - the president's cast a ballot in the Illinois Democratic primary this year - 'he has not indicated that preference.'

As the president has said before, he believes 'he will have an important responsibility in the summer and the fall once the nomination process has concluded in bringing the party together' after the 'vigorous debate' between its Oval Office contenders concludes.

'Which by the way, the president believes is really good for the party,' he said, as it will help the eventual nominee to sharpen his or her skills exercise the organizational 'muscle' of the Democratic Party.

He added, 'But once this process comes to a conclusion, everybody in the Democratic Party will understand the stakes....and given those stakes will need to unify behind the Democratic Party nominee to ensure that he or she can win in November.'

Clinton struggles with 'authenticity', Obama reportedly said at an Austin, Texas, fundraising event but told donors that is not all-important to winning. And while he did not say Sanders should get out of the race, the president is said to have suggested that his continued candidacy could help Republicans

According to the New York Times' sources, Obama acknowledged that Clinton doesn't get people 'excited' like Sanders does. The White House admitted to the Times that Obama said that.

The president also suggested he prefers Clinton, speaking highly of her, and said that while George W. Bush, a Texas native and his predecessor, had authenticity, he wasn't a very good president.

His spokesman wouldn't say today during his regular briefing with reporters if that part of the report was true - that the president commented on his former secretary of state's authenticity.

'I'm not gonna get into the president's private comments. I recognize there's some people who talk about those private comments,' he said. 'I'm not gonna do that from here.'

Less than half of the pledged delegates in the Democratic race have been won, and the Sanders campaign said yesterday that it still believes it can beat Clinton though it trails her significantly at present.

The senator will pick up speed as states along the West Coast vote, his advisers insisted.

Clinton has a lead of more than 300 pledged delegates, and she claims to have the support of 467 superdelegates that don't have to make a choice until the convention and could still change their mind and vote for Sanders.

Her campaign says their pledged delegate lead alone is nearly 'insurmountable' and soon she'll have the nomination locked down.

The White House played nice with both candidates today as it addressed the Times-generated controversy.

'The president has noted that Senator Sanders deserves a lot of credit for the passion that he has inspired among Democrats all across the country,' Earnest said. 'Senator Sanders is talking about deeply held views and doing it in a way that deeply resonates with people.'

He said, 'That's a testament o his skills as a leader and as a politician and as somebody whose got his values in the right place.'

Less than half of the pledged delegates in the Democratic race have been won, and the Sanders campaign said yesterday that it still believes it can beat Clinton though it trails her significantly at present. Sanders and his wife Jane are seen here on Wednesday night

At the same time, Earnest said, 'The president's also talked about Secretary Clinton and her leadership abilities and the way that she has drawn her own passionate following the historic nature of her candidacy certainly has something to do with it.

'But so does he track record of fighting for the kinds of values and advancing the kinds of values that Democrats have long championed.'

As a general matter, his spokesman said, 'that's why the president feels especially fortunate to be in a party that can actually be proud of its presidential candidate.'

The not-so-subtle dig was directed at Republicans who have apologized for and distanced themselves from Donald Trump at one time or another.

'We find that Republican leaders in Washington, D.C. spend a lot of time doing that. And the truth is, they haven't done it enough,' Earnest said.

Directing the scrutiny toward Republicans and away from the president, the White House official said that even when GOP leaders do admit to disagreeing with Trump, 'They continue to insist they will support him.
A Muslim woman at the centre of a German racism trial finally agreed to lift her veil today - only to be told that the judge sided with the defendant who she claimed had abused her.

Amira Behari, 43, had previously refused to remove her niqab to testify in a Munich court.

But she was warned by the judge that if she did not do so, she would face time behind bars.

Despite removing her veil at a fresh trial, the the man she had accused of insulting her in the street was ultimately acquitted.

Racism trial: Amira Behari, who was at the heart of a German racism trial, covered her face and head as she arrived at the Munich court for today's retrial

Religious: Ms Behari had initially refused to reveal her face to the judge at an original hearing in November, after she accused the 59-year-old defendant of shouting abuse at her in the city's central train station

Ms Behari claimed that she had been shouted at in the city's central train station, by the 59-year-old defendant identified only as Kai O.

She claimed the man shouted 'you people are a***holes' at her, before adding 'you don't belong here'.

Ms Behari initially refused to reveal her face at the State Court in Munich in November.

Judge Thomas Mueller said at the original hearing he wanted to see her face to 'read her emotions', adding: 'I need to see you otherwise there will be considerable problems in adjudicating your case.'

Ms Behari refused, saying: 'I have a God at the end of the world who will see me right at the end. I will not do this.'

In court she wore a niqab - like a burka with only a gap for the eyes - as well as gloves and a long leather coat.

Judge Mueller gave up and said he had no alternative but to find the accused not guilty.

Protective: Ms Behari arrived at today's retrial, during which she lifted her niqab to show her face to the female judge, accompanied by a female police officer

But his decision enraged judges and prosecutors in Germany who appealed the decision and scheduled a retrial for this morning.

As Ms Behari arrived at the court today, accompanied by a police officer, she had her face and head covered.

Judge Claudia Bauer gave her the option of withdrawing her case, meaning she would not have had to reveal her face.

But Ms Behari rejected the suggesting, insisting 'he attacked me'.

She then lifted her veil to show her face to Judge Bauer, while members of the public sitting behind her couldn't see it.

Decision: Despite Ms Behari's decision to show her face to Judge Claudia Bauer (pictured) at today's retrail, the judge still sided with the defendant and again acquitted him

Abuse: Ms Behari (pictured arriving at court today) claimed the 59-year-old defendant, identified only as Kai O, shouted abuse at her at Munich's central train station

When asked by the judge whether she is often insulted on the street, she replied: 'Why does that matter to you?'

She then added that she is often spat at and attacked verbally.

However, the judge ultimately sided with the defendant and he was again acquitted.

If she had failed to remove her niqab today, she would have faced a fine or even time in jail.
The ad executive who allegedly threatened to rape female employees and who reportedly made a slew of vulgar comments about jews and blacks has resigned.

J. Walter Thompson in New York said on Thursday that CEO Gustavo Martinez is stepping down and that Tamara Ingram, the agencys chief client officer, will be taking his place, according to the New York Post.

Ingram is currently chief client team officer at WPP.

Resignation: J. Walter Thompson in New York said on Thursday that CEO Gustavo Martinez (left) is stepping down and that Tamara Ingram (right), the agencys chief client officer, will be taking his place

'By mutual agreement, Martinez has resigned in the best interest of the J. Walter Thompson Company,' according to a statement.

Martinez is alleged to have told employee Erin Johnson he wanted to rape her, and grabbed her by the throat while laughing on a number of occasions.

Ms Johnson, who is bringing the lawsuit against her boss, claimed Martinez once said: 'Come here, so I can rape you in the bathroom.'

On the same day, the lawsuit alleges, he interrupted a meeting to asked which female workers he could rape, the New York Post reported.

She claimed that he 'regularly demeans female executives, especially those women he believes are "too American", "too sensitive" and "too bossy"', the Guardian reported.

Martinez also said another female executive he disliked should be 'hogtied' and 'raped into submission', according to Ms Johnson's lawsuit.

Ms Johnson, who is JWT's chief communications officer, also claimed Martinez regularly used racist language when talking about Jews and black people.

Martinez 'has subjected Johnson and other employees to an unending stream of racist and sexist comments as well as unwanted touching and other unlawful conduct', the lawsuit states.

Gustavo Martinez (left), who resigned from ad firm J. Walter Thompson (JWT), is alleged to have said he wanted to rape Erin Johnson (right) and grabbed her by the throat while laughing on a number of occasions

She claimed the alleged abuse 'made it impossible for [Johnson] to do her job ... given Martinez's apparent comfort in making constant racist and sexist slurs, even on tape'.

The Argentinian CEO allegedly called airport workers 'black monkeys' and 'apes' and is claimed to have said he does not like living in upmarket Westchester County, in New York, because he 'hates those f***ing Jews'.

Ms Johnson said she complained to JWT and its parent company WPP (Wire and Plastic Products), only to allegedly have her bonus cut and be frozen out of executive meetings.

Martinez has denied all of the claims.

In a statement, he said: 'I am aware of the allegations made against me by a J. Walter Thompson employee in a suit filed in New York Federal Court.

'I want to assure our clients and my colleagues that there is absolutely no truth to these outlandish allegations and I am confident that this will be proven in court.'

High-profile clients of JWT, which is based in New York, include Macy's, Rolex, the U.S. Marine Corps, Shell, Revlon, Johnson & Johnson, Puma and Ford.

Martinez joined the company as its president in 2014 and became its CEO and chairman last year.

According to a company profile, Martinez's 'key goal is to cultivate a nurturing and creative environment for a network of 10,000 proud and passionate employees'.

Martinez is pictured on a panel alongside (left to right) Frances Negron-Muntaner, Lynda Lopez, Roberto Marques and Jeff Valdez

Ms Johnson has worked for JWT for more than 10 years and gradually rose through the company to her current position as chief communications officer. She is currently on paid leave.

Her lawsuit is also against JWT and its parent company, Wire and Plastic Products, more widely known as WPP.

According to the Wall Street Journal, WPP sent a memo to its senior executives today.

It said: 'WPPs lawyers have been conducting an enquiry into previous correspondence on these matters since February 25 and have found nothing, as yet, to substantiate these charges.'

A spokesman for JWT said: 'We received the lawsuit on Thursday and take these kinds of allegations very seriously.

'Gustavo Martinez has asserted that the allegations are false.

'Following our standard practice, we are undertaking a thorough review of the matter and will comment further at the appropriate time and in the course of the litigation.'
Harry Clarke, pictured, appeared in court today and was charged with dangerous driving

The driver of the bin lorry that careered into and killed six people days before Christmas has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving.

Harry Clarke, 59, allegedly drove a car dangerously on September 20, 2015 knowing he had had two previous medical incidents.

He faces an alternative charge of culpably and recklessly driving the vehicle on that date.

He is also accused of committing fraud between June and September 2015 by pretending to an insurance company that he had a driving licence when it had been revoked.

Clarke, from Baillieston, Glasgow faces a further charge of making a false statement in an application for insurance in May 2015.

He appeared in private at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday where he made no plea or declaration and was granted bail.

Papers from the court allege that on September 20, on Buchanan Street, Baillieston, Glasgow, and elsewhere he drove a car dangerously.

The charge alleges that he did so in the knowledge on April 7 2010 you had suffered a loss of consciousness or an episode of altered awareness when behind the wheel of stationary bus.

It also claims that he drove knowing on December 22, 2014 you had suffered a loss of consciousness when behind the wheel of a moving refuse collection vehicle resulting in the deaths of six members of the public and injury to 15 further members of the public.

The charge further alleges that as a result of the two matters his licence was revoked on June 27, 2015 for 12 months and he knew or ought to have known that he was unfit to drive and that there was a real risk of suffering a loss of consciousness or episode of altered awareness whilst driving.

The alternative charge alleges that the driving was culpable and reckless.

Clarke faces a fraud charge of pretending to Direct Line Group and UK insurance Ltd that he held a driving licence by failing to notify them that his licence had been revoked and induced the company to continue insurance and obtain insurance.

The final charge is alleged to have taken place on May 12, 2015 and claims Clarke for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of insurance or certificate of security, made a false statement in that he stated he had not had a road traffic accident within the previous three years.

Clarke, who crashed his bin lorry in Glasgow in December 2014 has been charged with making false statements to insurance companies by claiming he was not involved in any crash when applying in May 2015

The charge continues the truth being that you had been the driver of a refuse collection vehicle involved in a road traffic accident on December 22, 2014.

It is expected Clarke will return to court at a later date.

Defence lawyer, Ross Yuill representing Clarke said: Mr Clarke is unable to comment at this time.

Three days before Christmas 2014, Mr Clarke blacked out at the wheel in Glasgow city centre. The bin lorry he was driving ploughed into pedestrians, killing six people.

Jack Sweeney, 68, his wife Lorraine, 69, and their 18-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade, all from Dumbarton, were among them.

Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, Jacqueline Morton, 51, and 29-year -old Stephenie Tait from Glasgow also tragically lost their lives.

Clarke refused to comment throughout a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the crash.

He has issued an apology to those who lost loved ones and where injured when the lorry he was driving left the road.

He said: I wish to unreservedly apologise for my role in this tragic event. The families of the victims will have many unanswered questions. I will try to answer all those questions to the best of my ability at the point I am able to do so.

Lucy Ewing, whose mother Gillian died in the crash, said in an interview last year: Its like living a constant nightmare and all you want to do is wake up.

You just never think it will happen to you.

She continued: I think that, obviously, its one of the most difficult things to come to terms with and our family hasnt managed that.

Its the type of thing that never happens, the unimaginable, awful thing, and thats what makes it even harder.

The Crown Office said there was insufficient evidence in law to raise criminal proceedings against Mr Clarke.

Some of the victims families are now seeking a private prosecution.

The Scottish Daily Mail reported that Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has gave the green light for the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to fund a hearing at which judges at the High Court in Edinburgh will decide whether or not to permit a private prosecution.
An 11-year-old California school boy has come forward claiming that a substitute teacher assaulted him in the playground, leaving him with a cut and bruises.

Andreas Cuellar says he was grabbed and choked by a teacher at Michael J. Castori Elementary in Sacramento on February 23.

Andreas says that he was chasing after a ball at recess and that the teacher picked it up, but then refused to give it back.

When Andreas got mad, he says the teacher grabbed him by the arm, Fox 40 reports.

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Assaulted?: Andreas Cuellar says he was grabbed and choked by a teacher at Michael J. Castori Elementary in Sacramento, California, on February 23, suffering a cut and bruises

Injuries: Andreas claims that the teacher grabbed him by the arm (left) and the throat, which left him with a cut on his neck (right)

Andreas says he asked the male teacher to let him go, but he refused.

'And then he grabbed it tighter and started to wiggle my arm around like a toy,' Andreas said.

He claims that the teacher pressed hard on a bruise he already had on his arm, which caused him to scream out in pain.

Andreas' mother, Amanda Cuellar, says that the situation got worse when Andreas tried to go back to class but the teacher told him to stay in the office.

'And then my son said that is when the teacher grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against the wall,' Mrs Cuellar told Fox 40.

Andreas said he called the police immediately following the alleged chokehold.

His mother also filed a police reporter.

Angry: Andreas' mother, Amanda Cuellar, filed a police report following the incident, and hopes the teacher is not allowed to teach again

Investigation: Officials at Michael J. Castori Elementary in Sacramento said they are investigating the claims

However, the teacher told police that Andreas cursed at him and called him the N-word.

Andreas admits to using the term, saying he was mad and lashed out.

The teacher admits to grabbing Andreas by the arm, but denies hurting him or grabbing him by the throat.

The Twin Rivers Unified School District released a statement about the incident, saying that it is being investigated.

'All reported allegations are deemed serious, promptly and thoroughly investigated, and addressed in accordance with all policies and laws to ensure the safety of students, staff and community,' the statement said.
Migrants living in the squalid Idomeni camp took the law into their own hands after suspecting a fellow refugee of raping a seven-year-old girl.

Images from the encampment on the Greece-Macedonia border show a group of migrants dragging the man, dressed in a beige sweater and camouflage trousers, to a police station.

The photographer who took the harrowing images could not confirm if the girl being escorted just a few behind him was the victim but said if the police station was further, 'he may have been in serious trouble'.

Migrants living in the squalid Idomeni camp took the law into their own hands after suspecting a fellow refugee (centre) of raping a seven-year-old girl

The photographer could not confirm if the girl (bottom right) being escorted just a few behind him was the victim

The photographer told MailOnline how the horde of men kicked the suspected rapist, and one man tried to hit him over the head with his belt.

Around 46,000 migrants and refugees are currently stranded in Greece after several Balkan states shut their borders to them.

Of these, around 14,000 are camped out in the border town of Idomeni, desperately hoping to move on towards Germany or Scandinavia.

Some Idomeni refugees waded through a raging stream to cross into Macedonia this week, only to be sent back bloody and bruised.

Migrants drag a man (centre) to the police after accusing him of abusing a young girl in the Idomeni camp

The migrants took the suspected rapist to the authorities who will now look into the accusation

Of the 46,000 migrants and refugees currently in Greece, 14,000 live in the Idomeni camp where a man (centre) was accused of raping a small girl

Under an EU agreement being thrashed out by European leaders in Brussels this week, Turkey would take back all the migrants who currently call such makeshift camps in Greece home.

For every irregular migrant returned to Turkey, EU countries would take in one Syrian refugee from Turkey, up to a total of 72,000.

In exchange, the EU could provide Turkey with up to 4.75bn in aid, to help the 2.7million Syrian refugees living there, and also speed up EU membership talks.

Rights groups fear the deal is a distraction to hide the deportation of migrants, even though the EU insists that each person can make a case in an interview and has the right to appeal.

Some Idomeni refugees waded through a raging stream to cross into Macedonia this week (pictured, the man accused of raping a young girl)

'If the police station was a bit further he may have been in serious trouble,' a photographer at the scene told MailOnline

Migrants the accused rapise (centre), dressed in a beige sweater and camouflage trousers, away from the scene

Changes made to the draft deal since it was made public on March 7 'do little to hide Europe's shameful planned mass return of refugees to Turkey', Amnesty International said Wednesday.

Ahead of the summit, EU Council President Donald Tusk said 'I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic' about the chances for success.
Owen Labrie has violated his curfew eight times since being convicted of sexual

Explanation: An attorney for Owen Labrie (above on October 29) says he has violated his curfew to attend educational seminars in Boston and meet up with his attorneys

A New Hampshire prep school graduate convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old classmate has violated curfew to attend educational meetings, according to his attorneys.

Prosecutors in the case of Owen Labrie have asked a judge to revoke the 20-year-old's bail, saying that he missed his court-mandated 5pm-to-8am curfew at least eight times in five months.

Labrie has been living with his mother in Tunbridge, Vermont, as he appeals his one-year jail sentence and the requirement that he register as a sex offender.

Labrie's defense attorney Jaye Rancourt wrote that her client was meeting with his legal team and 'pursuing educational endeavors' when he broke his curfew.

'In his attempt to make productive use of his time and at the same time maintain some degree of privacy, he violated this courts order and for that he is sorry,' the lawyer stated in her written response to the prosecution's filing demanding the revocation of Labrie's bail.

Labrie's lawyer added that the spirit and purpose of the bail order has been followed. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

In court papers Monday, prosecutor Catherine Ruffle said that on or about February 29, a journalist spoke with the 20-year-old Labrie on a train in Cambridge, Massachusetts. That prompted an investigation into Labrie's travels.

Susan Zalkind, a reporter for Vice who covered Labrie's trial, wrote a story about seeing Labrie on a train from Boston to Cambridge.

In the article Zalkind said Labrie told her that he was visiting his girlfriend, a Harvard University student, and had taken her out to brunch.

He talked about emotional 'ups and downs' and having his life 'torn apart' in the media. Labrie also said that his girlfriend had quietly supported him during the trial, according to the interview.

Labrie was in a rush to get home, Zalkind wrote on Twitter.

Boston.com reported that the St Paul School graduate missed his curfew on January 28 and February 29 by catching a 5.20am bus to Boston to attend seminars for his online education courses, according to his attorney.

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Punishment: In court papers Monday, prosecutor Catherine Ruffle asked that Labrie's bail be revoked (Labrie his lawyer J.W. Carney on October 29 above)

He also violated the conditions of his bail twice in October, before his sentencing, and two more times in February for meetings with 'civil legal council.'

Labrie was 18 at the time of the 2014 encounter with the girl at St. Paul's School in Concord. He claims the two only dry humped and that the encounter was consensual. She maintains that he penetrated her with his finger, tongue and genitals despite her protests.

His DNA was later found on her underwear.

What he did to me made me feel like I didnt belong on this planet like I would be better off dead, the victim said in a prepared statement that aired before Labrie's sentencing.

He was ultimately found innocent on charges of felony sexual assault but guilty of sexual misconduct.

The judge said to Labrie at his sentencing; 'You are a very good liar.'

The convictions centered around the fact that he used a computer to contact his victim and the fact that he had engaged in sex with minor.

'If he had merely called the 15-year-old on the telephone or spoken to her in person, there would be no additional crime,' his lawyers wrote in their appeal to the judge in hopes of having him not have to register as a sex offender.

'Yet because he prearranged the encounter through email and Facebook, he will be subjected to the scrutiny and humiliation of sex offender registration for the rest of his life.'

Jurors reached their verdict in the case after seven hours of deliberations in August and Labrie was seen sobbing in court as the guilty verdicts were read by the forewoman.

Prosecutors claimed he raped the 15-year-old as part of a practice at St. Paul's School known as Senior Salute in which seniors try to romance and have sex with underclassmen.

The prosecution also produced a number of Labrie's friends who testified that he told them the two did have sex.

Labrie - who was the sole defense witness in the case - said that he stopped short of sleeping with the girl because he did not want to have sex with her.

His victim had to leave the courtroom after becoming upset during his testimony, crying as Labrie began to read aloud emails the two exchanged.

As for the testimony of his friends, Labrie's lawyer said that his client had simply been bragging to the young men and embellishing his story.

Labrie stared down the victim and her family as he entered the courtroom the day the verdict was announced by jurors.

Prior to the incident with the victim he had dated her older sister.
He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine

Feds were alerted when he took $4,280 from a temple account at an ATM

He would spend up to $10,000 playing blackjack on frequent casino trips

Karma has come back to bite a Buddhist monk who embezzled at least $200,000 - and perhaps more than $260,000 - from his Louisiana temple to play blackjack, and now faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

Khang Nguyen Le, 38, who was associated with Lafayette's Temple Tinh Do, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud Thursday, admitting that he'd frittered away temple money gambling at L'Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles.

He said he spent up to $10,000 on each of his frequent trips there, drawing the money out at a casino ATM - including a $4,280 withdrawal that brought him to the attention of federal authorities,The Advocate wrote.

Unlucky: Khang Nguyen Le (pictured, left) is facing up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after being caught embezzling money from a temple to fund his blackjack habit

Casino: Le, who was presiding monk at the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Southeast Louisiana Inc., took out money from an ATM at Louisiana's L'Auberge Casino Resort (pictured), his favourite gambling haunt

The Telegraph reported that he would visit the casino every two-to-three days, and quoted court papers as saying be 'always went to the casino alone to prevent members of the Buddhist community from knowing what he was doing.'

'It was his practice to gamble in deserted spots in the casino to not be spotted by members of the congregation,' the papers added.

Authorities say that the exact amount he stole is not clear, but that he might have stolen as much as $263,000.

Le was the presiding monk at the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Southeast Louisiana Inc., a position he held from from 2010 to October 2014 - when federal investigators stepped in - and for which he made $1,000 a month.

That position put him in charge of the three accounts associated with the temple, from which he drew money starting in 2011, and - he says - sometimes returned it.

Temple: Le was affiliated with The Temple Tinh Do (pictured). The access afforded him by his position helped him steal the cash - much to the chargrin of the community, which persuaded his cousins not to pay his bail

He was arrested on Saturday at New York's LaGuardia airport and held without bail after two of his cousins, who tried to raise the bail money to get him out, were told not to by the community.

His appearance in court on Thursday was in fact his third attempt to enter a guilty plea; Le, who is Vietnamese, does not speak English and claimed to not understand the charges being brought against him in previous court appearances.

This time around he was accompanied by both English-speaking and Vietnamese-speaking attorneys, as well as a Vietnamese translator.
Sen. Marco Rubio returned to Capitol Hill today and faced reporters for the first time since leaving the presidential race in Miami Tuesday night.

First and foremost, he said that he wasn't pursuing additional higher elected offices.

'I'm not going to be anybody's vice president,' he announced, according to Politico. He also said he wasn't planning on running for Florida's governor in 2018. He's also already not running for re-election in the U.S. Senate.

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Sen. Marco Rubio returned to work today on Capitol Hill and promptly took questions from reporters including what his future political plans were

Marco Rubio said he had no interest in being vice president - nor would he run for governor of Florida - while he's already giving up his Senate seat

Marco Rubio, with his family at his side Tuesday night, announced that 'it is not God's plan that I be president in 2016 or maybe ever'

Rubio suspended his presidential campaign among friendly faces in his hometown of Miami Tuesday night after losing to Trump in the Florida primary.

The Florida senator brought his bid for the White House to an end, saying it 'wasn't God's plan', but his campaign insisted he would join the movement to stop the media mogul from becoming Commander-In-Chief.

Rubio was at the podium speaking for around 12 minutes before he finally announced the news.

'And so, while it is not God's plan that I be president in 2016 or maybe ever, and while today my campaign is suspended, the fact that I've ever come this far is evidence of how special America truly is,' the senator told the crowd, many of whom yelled up to Rubio that he should fight on for the nomination until the convention.

Rubio characterized his run as upbeat and begged Americans to 'not give into the fear, do not give into the frustration.'

'This is the right way forward for our county,' he said of his positive message. 'But after tonight it is clear that we are on the right side. This year we will not be on the winning side.'

Rubio's fate was sealed as soon as Florida's polls closed at 8pm

Rubio hugs his family at what was supposed to be a night of celebration in Florida, but ended in disappointment

Marco Rubio told an enthusiastic yet bummed crowd that 'it wasn't God's plan' for him to win the White House in 2016. His campaign said he'll spend the rest of the cycle going after Donald Trump

The state was immediately called for Trump.

Rubio's campaign said the politician, who hadn't planned to run for re-election in the Senate, would join the Stop Trump movement.

Today he also seemed unconvinced that the party would get together around a Trump nomination as Republicans usually do once a frontrunner gains steam.

'In an ideal world, you have a nominee, and people coalesce around the nominee, and it gives you a stronger position in the general election,' Rubio said.

'I don't believe Donald Trump will ever be able to do that,' he continued.

'That's my opinion,' he added.

And while he brushed off ideas of running for a new office immediately, he didn't close the door.
Marcia Clark was asked about her time working with fellow prosecutor Christopher Darden during the OJ Simpson trial in a recent interview, and once again refused to reveal the extent of their relationship.

Ellen DeGeneres grilled the lawyer turned author about how close she got to Darden during the trial of the century, and Clark kept her lips sealed - though she did admit to sharing a dance.

'We danced,' said Clark. 'We did a take trip to the Bay Area.'

Clark would not answer however when DeGeneres asked; 'Did y'all make out?'

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Opening up: Marcia Clark spoke about her relationship with Christopher Darden on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show Thursday

Quiet: would not answer when DeGeneres asked; 'Did y'all make out?'

'You and Chris Darden, it seemed like - and I know youre not going to confirm this - but it seemed like y'all had a relationship,' said DeGeneres on her show Thursday.

'I dont know if it ever went anywhere, but it seemed like he was in love with you. I mean, I dont know how you felt about him, but he seemed to be in love with you.'

Clark then told the host; 'It didnt seem that way to me.'

That is when DeGeneres asked if they made out during the trial.

The dance the two shared and their trip have both been depicted on American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson, where Clark is played by Sarah Paulson and Darden by Sterling K. Brown.

The chemistry between the two became the focus of Tuesday's episode, especially after the pair go away together for that weekend getaway to attend the birthday party of one of Darden's close friends.

There is plenty of drinking and laughing at the bar, and the pair share a moment when they get back to the hotel, but there is no intimacy between the two.

Darden walks Clark to the door of her room, but there is no kiss and they both go their separate ways that night.

Back in the day: DeGeneres told Clark; I dont know how you felt about him, but he seemed to be in love with you' (Clark and Darden in February 1995)

On TV: The dance the two shared and their trip have both been depicted on American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson, where Clark is played by Sarah Paulson and Darden by Sterling K. Brown (above)

Darden's daughter Jenee has insisted there was no intimacy between the two prosecutors during the trial of the century, saying that is what her dad told her.

She recently wrote in a blog post; 'As for whether my father and Marcia were seeing each other,

I asked my dad during a car ride around the time of the trial.
Donald Trump used some of his down-time on Thursday to mock his main GOP rival and their mutual Democratic foe in one digital breath.

The billionaire is fresh off a 5-for-6 showing in this week's primaries, has no more contests to worry about until next Tuesday, and shut down Monday'd planned Utah debate by refusing to take part.

So instead of holding rallies, he rallied his social media followers.

'Who should star in a reboot of Liar Liar,' he tweeted. 'Hillary Clinton or Ted Cruz? Let me know.'

DONALD TROLL: Republican front-runner Donald Trump is hammering away at Ted Cruz again

UNSCIENTIFIC POLL: Trump asked his Twitter followers to decide whether the Texas senator or Hillary Clinton is the bigger fibber

THE PHOTOSHOP CANDIDATE: Trump's Instagram riffed on the 1997 movie 'LIAR LIAR' (right, with Jim Carrey) to mock Cruz (left)

The post came with a custom Instagram graphic superimposing Cruz's head on actor Jim Carrey's body in film poster art from the 1997 comedy 'Liar Liar.'

In the movie, an attorney for whom lying comes as naturally as breathing is forced to tell only the truth for 24 hours, after his son wishes for an honest father when he blows out his birthday candles.

Trump used Twitter's polling feature on Thursday to ask whether Cruz or Clinton is the bigger fibber.

Less than four hours into the informal survey, 25,000 Twitter users had weighed in.

The Democratic front-runner was leading the Texas tea party senator by a 56-44 margin.

Trump has tried in recent weeks to rebrand Cruz as 'lying Ted,' launching that effort at the same time he got under Sen. Marco Rubio's skin by incessantly calling him 'Little Marco.'

Rubio dropped out of the presidential race Tuesday night after Trump beat him badly in his home state of Florida.

Cruz shows no sign of following suit, however.

The next two Republican primary contests, in Arizona and Utah, will almost certainly provide the two men with one win apiece.

Trump leads by double digits in Arizona, which will hold a winner-take-all primary on Tuesday whose prize is 58 Republican National Convention delegates.

LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER: Trump will likely turn Hillary Clinton into a poster child for compulzive lying in the fall if the two meet head-to-head for the White House

SPOILER: In Utah, Ohio Gov. John Kasich could hand Trump some convention delegates by keeping Cruz below the 50 per cent threshold he'd need to claim the state's entire slate

On the same day, Utah Republicans will hold caucuses that will favor Cruz. But he must win a clear majority of votes in order to claim all of that state's 40 delegates.

If no one tops 50 per cent, the delegates will be awarded proportionately  giving Trump a gift of delegates he wouldn't otherwise get.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich could make that happen: He's campaigning aggressively in the Beehive State, with three appearances in the Salt Lake City region on Friday.

If Trump wins in Arizona and collects a handful of Utah's delegates, and then goes on to win the remaining winner-take-all primaries in Delaware, Nebraska, New Jersey and Montana, he would need only to win 43 per cent of the rest of the delegates in order to clinch the nomination.

The Donald has won 45 per cent of the delegates awarded so far. and with Rubio out of the race, the competition is thinner.

Clinton has been dogged by her own history of attracting claims of lying as a politician.

Most strikingly, family members of U.S. servicemen killed in a 2012 terror attack on a State Department compound in Benghazi, Libya have accused her of misleading them when their loved ones' remains returned to the U.S.

Instead of blaming militant jihadis for the carnage, they claim, she said the Benghazi killings were the result of a spontaneous protest inspired by a crude YouTube video that was critical of Islam.
A man in China doused a nurse in petrol inside a hospital this week and tried to set her on fire after the death of his mother.

The two were in a lift together when he assaulted her in the evening of March 14 at the Baoji Central Hospital in Shaanxi Province, according to the People's Daily Online.

With her hair and clothes drenched in petrol, the nurse named Li Ming screamed for help. The attacker - only identified by his surname Da - was tackled to the ground on the third floor and immediately arrested.

Restraint: Mr Da was tackled by staff and arrested after he tried to set Li Ming on fire at the Chinese hospital

Terrifying: A nurse at the Baoji Central Hospital in China was doused in petrol and almost set on fire

According to reports, Mr Da planned the attack because he blamed the hospital for the death of his mother, who committed suicide last month after leaving her ward on her own during her treatment of a cerebral infarction.

On the day of the attack, Mr Da followed nurse Li into the lift and pulled her down to the floor by her hair. He then doused her in petrol and threatened to burn her and the hospital building.

When the lift opened a number of nurses tackled Mr Da away from the nurse and prevented him from setting her on fire.

They also snatched the barrels of gasoline out of his hands before he reached a lighter.

Wang Fang, a colleague of Li's who helped save her, spoke to reporters after the attack.

'I saw the dangerous barrels of gasoline, so I snatched them out of the criminal's hands,' she said.

Mr Da had apparently been drinking before the attack, and as well as the petrol, he also carried an iron hammer with him.

Security cameras at the hospital captured Mr Da following Li into the lift holding a plastic bag, but the cameras inside were allegedly faulty, so it was unclear what happened after they entered.

Li's scalp was bleeding after the incident, but apart from that she was relatively unharmed.

Mr Da's mother named Huang reportedly disappeared from the hospital on February 16 where she was being treated after an attempted suicide.

She left the hospital on her own even though it was advised by the doctors that someone was to look after her at all times.

The hospital staff reported Huang missing to the local authorities and searched for her but failed to find her.

Hero: Nurse Wang Fang, a colleague of Li's who helped save her by grabbing the petrol from the attacker

Couragous: The men who tackled Mr Da to the ground after he tried to set a Li on fire in the Chinese hospital

Around three weeks later on March 6 her body was found near the Qingjiang River and police confirmed that she had committed suicide.

Mr Da allegedly demanded compensation from the hospital for negligence over his mother's death, but the two sides had yet to reach an agreement.

Zhen Nan, the deputy chief of the security department of Baoji City Hospital, said the hospital building is 193 feet high, with a total of 15 floors.

According to the report, 532 patients were hospitalised in the building at the time, 438 family members of patients, and 83 medical staff. In addition a lot of valuable medical equipment.

Zheng explained the seriousness had a fire developed in the lift: 'It would quickly spread up the elevator shaft throughout the building and oxygen pipeline, so the whole building would be in danger.'
A Chinese father whose only child died of illness seven years ago has decided to use a stranger to pretend to be his son in front of his mother who believes her grandson is still alive.

Huang Xiaoyong, 56, has concealed the death of his son Huang Ge, who died in 2009, to his ill mother because he can't bear to tell her the truth.

The family from central China's Changsha had an emotional reunion on Monday, and Huang's 89-year-old mother, who is going blind, did not recognise that her wheel-chair bound grandson was actually a fake, reports the People's Daily Online.

A man who's son (left) died in 2009 lied to his mother at a family reunion and used an actor (right) in his place

Practice makes perfect: Before they met in Changsha, Huang Xiaoyong and Wang rehearsed what to do

Blinded: When 89-year-old Niansun met her fake grandson she did not recognise that it wasn't Huang Ge

At the age of seven Huang Ge was diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy and became wheelchair-bound. Doctors said he would not live a day over 18.

After he was diagnosed, together with his father they travelled the country enjoying every last moment they could.

They travelled to dozens of cities, across more than 8,000 miles. Along the way people sponsored them to travel for their courage and never giving up hope.

Huang Xiaoyong drove his son and his wheelchair around in a pedicab, and the pair were met with welcome arms in every city they visited.

Heart-breaking: Huang Ge was diagnosed with muscle disease at the age of seven and needed a wheelchair

Fake it: After advertising for a pretend son on Chinese media Huang Xiaoyong found 28-year-old Wang Feng

Unexpectedly, Huang Ge lived for another three years until he finally succumbed to the disease.

A China Central Television programme called 'China Top Ten People' even had them star in the show, leaving thousands touched by their good deeds.

According to his wishes, Huang Ge's corneas were donated after his death.

Years after his death, Huang Ge's 89-year-old grandmother said she was getting worried about her grandchildren and wanted to see them, especially because he was ill.

She became suspicious and asked for more information. Her son lied again and told her Huang Ge could now stand up with help of a cane.

So she eventually insisted she met her grandson whom she raised.

Bizarrely, instead of telling her the truth, his father successfully found a body double after contacting the Chinese media for help to recruit volunteers.

When he began the search Huang Xiaoyong had a lot of response from people willing to be his son's replacement.

Acting the part: Wang had to cut his hair and sit in a wheelchair as he pretended to be Huang Xiaoyong's son

Reunion: During the gathering the grandmother was not aware that the young man she was talking to was fake

Finally he found 28-year-old Wang Feng also from Changsha, who offered his services after seeing the report.

He said it wasn't an easy thing to do because he needed to cut his hair and use a wheel-chair and crutches.

Because of Huang Ge's condition, his muscles did not grow properly and his speech was impaired, this is something that Wang had to fake.

Huang Ge and his grandmother had special communication when they were together. Wang did not know how to do this, he was worried she would know he was not her grandson straight away.

They met before the reunion at Huang Ge's tombstone in Changsha, Huang Xiaoyong waited with his son's clothes for Wang to wear.

In order to prevent the grandmother smelling a difference in Wang, Huang Xiaoyong covered him in safflower syrup.
Service with a smile has taken a modern twist with a restaurant in China using a waiter to serve customers.

A restaurant in Shenyang, north-east China's Liaoning Province, has started to shake up the workforce by using a robot to serve its paying customers for up to eight hours, the People's Daily Online reports.

The robot is able to hold up to 15 pounds worth of food to carry to its hungry diners.

Clever machine? A robot delivers food to customers at the restaurant in Shenyang, China's Liaoning province

The droid you're looking for! The robot can deliver 15 pounds worth of food in one go to the restaurant's diners

The entire workforce together: The android can work for around eight hours before needing charging again

According to reports the friendly electronic employee can speak only simple commands such as 'hello' and 'please', so its probably best not to complain about your food.

The robot is estimated to cost around 60,000 yuan (6,397) and has a lifespan of around ten years.

It comes integrated with sensors along with navigation hardware.

This isn't the first robot restaurant of its kind in China.

In a restaurant in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, 20 robots are employed to deliver food to tables and even cook dumplings and noodles.

When a diner walks into the establishment, a robot extends its robotic arm to the side and says 'Earth person hello. Welcome to the robot restaurant'.

For many restaurant owners, employing a robot is seen as a cheaper than employing a human.

China is home of the gimmick restaurants with themes such as prison restaurants to airplane cafes.

Warm greetings: The machine can say a few simple words in English including 'hello' and 'please'
On cold, dark days it is tempting to imagine shutting yourself away until the warmer weather returns.

Many animals do it by entering a state known as torpor, which reduces their bodily functions to a minimum and uses fat stores in their body for energy, but could humans ever hibernate in the same way?

Vladyslav Vyazovskiy, associate professor of neuroscience at the University of Oxford has explained what torpor does to the body and how it could affect the human body in an article for The Conversation.

An expert has explained what torpor - or the act of shutting the body down during hibernation - does to the body and how it could affect humans. A 'therapeutic torpor' could make a manned mission to Mars more feasible. Shown here is what the stasis system might look like, designed by Spaceworks

Aside from providing a convenient way to avoid winter, one reason to find out might be the advent of long-distance space travel.

A journey to our nearest planet Mars would take around eight months using current technology.

If we one day hope to visit another star system, even if we could travel at the speed of light, the journey would take years.

Being able to go into a state of long-term torpor would make such distances considerably less tedious for the astronauts and conserve vital resources.

It's still an open question but, at least in theory, we can't exclude that it might be possible.

Torpor appears to have evolved to effectively fill the gaps during those periods of the year when there is no need for certain animals to be out in the world, for example when food is scarce.

Technically it refers to a regulated state of reduced metabolism, meaning the chemical reactions in an organism's body that keep it alive slow down.

Heart rate, breathing and energy consumption all dramatically decrease and body temperature can also fall.

When and for how long animals enter torpor can vary hugely, from many months of the year, to just a few hours a day over a period of a few months. Some animals, such as mice and hummingbirds, enter a state of torpor daily. Others, such as bears, go into prolonged periods of torpor during the winter, known as hibernation

The fact that large mammals such as bears and even primates, such as the fat-tailed dwarf lemur of Madagascar (stock image) can hibernate means that theoretically humans aren't too big or energy-hungry to enter torpor. Nor does our evolutionary origin prevent us from doing so, claims the expert

When and for how long animals enter torpor can vary hugely, from many months of the year, to just a few hours a day over a period of a few months.

Some animals, such as mice and hummingbirds, enter a state of torpor on a daily basis if they need to save energy.

Others, such as hedgehogs and bears, go into prolonged periods of torpor, usually during the winter - this is what we call hibernation.

HOW HUMAN 'HIBERNATION' WORKS Last year, Dr Mark Schaffer from SpaceWorks Enterprises in Atlanta suggested a proposal for putting astronauts into hibernation. According to his plans, the astronauts would be put in stasis using a system called RhinoChill. This would reduce body temperature by about one degree per hour by supplying coolant through the nose. At a temperature of between 32C (89F and 93F), which takes six hours to reach, the crew would enter stasis. Stopping the flow of coolant would then wake the crew when they arrive at their destination. This means that on the journey to Mars, they could be placed in a fairly small capsule. Therapeutic torpor has been around, in theory, since the 1980s and since 2003 it has been a staple for critical care trauma patients in hospitals. It is not typically used for longer than a week. Advertisement

Those species that go into torpor every year, even if the conditions outside are stable, are called obligatory hibernators.

The fact that large mammals such as bears and even primates, such as the fat-tailed dwarf lemur of Madagascar, can hibernate means that theoretically humans aren't too big or energy-hungry to enter torpor.

Nor does our evolutionary origin prevent us from doing so, as hibernating animals have been found widely across all types of mammal.

Controlled hypothermia and metabolism are already widely used in clinical practice, such as during cardiac surgery and to protect tissues from damage when blood flow is reduced, such as after a stroke.

Lowering body temperature and metabolism mean cells need less oxygen, enabling their survival in conditions when oxygen cannot be delivered.

This process of artificial cooling in humans appears similar to spontaneous torpor in animals in that it includes reduced breathing, heart rate and metabolism.

But the key difference is that animals seems to 'know' the way to safely and spontaneously enter torpor.

Lowering a human's body temperature by blocking their natural thermoregulation requires the aggressive use of drugs.

One of the difficulties with replicating torpor is that we don't really know how animals start and maintain the process.

Aside from providing a convenient way to avoid winter, one reason to discuss the technique and its effect on humans is for long-distance space travel. Some proposals suggest a craft could spin to provide artificial gravity and reduce bone and muscle loss for the astronauts in stasis (proposal shown)

Putting a crew in hibernation means the spacecraft designed to take them there could be smaller (illustration shown), cutting weight requirements from 400 tons to 220 tons. The crew could be put to sleep for the 180-day journey to Mars by lowering their body temperature through their nose

Much research has been devoted to investigating it but few conclusive answers have been obtained so far.

On the one hand, it's possible that torpor is triggered in a 'bottom up' fashion, starting with changes occurring in individual cells of the body at a molecular level.

THE JOURNEY TO MARS Getting to Mars is difficult due to the vast distances involved. The distance varies dramatically depending on where Earth and Mars are in their orbits. At their closest they are as little as 36 million miles (58 million km) apart, but at their furthest they can be 250 million miles (400 million km). The way to get to Mars using the minimum energy involves launching in a specific window when the two planets are aligned in such a way that a craft can catch up to the red planet when launched from Earth and enter orbit. This launch window opens approximately every two years and two months, which is why mission to Mars often launch and arrive at similar times  such as Indias recent Mars orbiter and Nasas Maven mission. The next window opens in April 2018, when Nasas next Mars mission  Insight  will launch towards the red planet, while the as-yet unnamed Mars 2020 rover will do the same when the next window opens in July 2020. Advertisement

But a 'top down' approach that involves signals from the nervous system or hormones may also play a role.

There's another key issue with the idea of human hibernation, and that's what it might do to the brain.

Animal hibernators regularly come out of torpor for a period of hours or days but often spend that time asleep, before returning to hibernation Similarly, animals emerging from daily torpor also usually enter a deep sleep.

This has led some scientists to suggest that, although we tend to think of hibernation as being like a long sleep, torpor actually creates a sleep-deprived state and the animals need to regularly compensate for this.

We can see this in the way animals' brainwave patterns are similar when they emerge from torpor to when they have been sleep deprived.

This maybe because the low metabolism and body temperature of torpor are associated with activity in those brain regions, which are typically associated with sleep regulation.

But it may also be because torpor changes the brain in a way that could damage it if it wasn't restored by the mechanisms of sleep.

The brain is highly sensitive to a lack of oxygen and so needs to be protected during the time when blood and nutrients supply is reduced.

Another way that torpor affects the brain is by reducing and reorganising the synaptic connections that are the basis of our memories.

Research in animals such as bats shows that most memories are preserved even after many months in a state of almost complete neuronal depression.

But some memories seem to be taken better care of than others, such as the ability to remember close kin. So if we wanted to induce human hibernation it would be vitally important to investigate further how memories are retained over a long period of torpor.

While we're still unsure whether safe prolonged human hibernation is possible, research looking at potential mechanisms may provide the novel insights needed for this to become a reality.

Recent technological advances and new pharmacological and genetic tools have already shown great potential to induce or manipulate sleep.
Chinas newest spy plane is suited up for the cyber-battlefield.

The CSA-003 Scout built by the China Electronic Technology Corporations Avionics division can collect enemy intelligence and locate vulnerabilities from the sky to facilitate cyber-attacks.

The 1.7 ton plane is equipped with sensors in a pod on its underside, and is among special mission aircraft, for maritime and border patrol, and oil spill response.

Chinas newest spy plane is suited up for the cyber-battlefield. The CSA-003 Scout built by the China Electronic Technology Corporations Avionics division can collect enemy intelligence and locate vulnerabilities from the sky to facilitate cyber-attacks

CHINA'S CSA-003 SCOUT The small aircraft is based on the design of an Austrian utility plane, the Diamond DA42. It has twin turbopop engines and will be manned by 1-2 pilots, along with one sensor operator. The Elint craft will use its capabilities to detect and analyze enemy electronic and cyber activity. These technologies will be contained in the sensor payload, in a pod under the fuselage. Advertisement

Revealed by a Popular Science blog, the CSA-003 is an Electronic Intelligence (Elint) aircraft, so it can use electronics to gather intelligence on enemy activity.

The design is based on the Austrian utility plane Diamond DA42, and has twin turbopop engines.

It is manned by 1-2 pilots and one sensor operator.

Digital Elint and signals processing suite are used to collect intelligence on the battlefield, including data on electronic activities surrounding communications, weapons, and radar.

These technologies are carried in a pod under the fuselage in the sensor payload, PopSci explains, enabling the craft to detect, track, and analyse electronic and cyber activity.

The CSA-003 can work with satellite links and processing support from ground stations.

CETC Aerial Star Also using the same Diamond DA42 airframe, pictured above. The CSA-003 can work with satellite links and processing support from ground stations, creating a larger network of attack assets. It can also feature electro optical/infrared sensor turret to detect enemy forces in any weather conditions

This creates a larger network of attack assets.

It can also feature electro optical/infrared sensor turret to detect enemy forces in any weather conditions.

According to PopSci, its Austrian-inspired design suggests the craft may initially be used for missions like border patrol.

Cyber warfare isn't the only battlefront China has been prepping for in recent months.

China's military is set to create a new 'Space Force' to strengthen its presence in low-Earth orbit, it was revealed early this year.

The CSA-003 design is based on the Austrian utility plane Diamond DA42, pictured above, and has twin turbopop engines. It is manned by 1-2 pilots and one sensor operator

While there has been no official announcement, Washington Times sources claim the Space Force will be created within the People's Liberation Army.

It will include nuclear missiles, electronic data forces, cyber threat units and signals intelligence.

According to an in-depth report by the Washington Times, the move signals an increasing readiness by China for space warfare.

Chinese news outlet Bowen Press said earlier this month that the Space Support Forces will include three branches - strategic missiles, electronic warfare and space forces.

Recently, China conducted its sixth test of a hypersonic strike vehicle as well as a series of anti-satellite missile trials.
Following months of investigations, researchers studying King Tutankhamun's tomb believe there is a 90% chance it does contain at least one, if not two, hidden chambers.

Radar scans of the tomb in the ancient necropolis of Luxor have revealed two possible rooms, and they're likely to contain remains believed to belong to Queen Nerfertiti, Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said.

If confirmed, Mr El-Damaty added 'it could be the discovery of the century' and that it's 'very important for Egyptian history and the history of the world'.

Radar scans of the tomb in Luxor have revealed two possible rooms according to Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh el-Damaty at a press conference in Egypt (pictured). Tutankhamun's chamber is shown top alongside the suspected location of the chambers right and bottom in blue

This image is a more detail shot of the presentation slide. The dark blue border shows the walls that were scanned. The area alongside the antechamber is believed to be empty, while Area 1 contains metal and organic material, and Area 2 contains just organic material. This organic material could be human remains

The announcement follows recent infrared thermography tests that revealed one area of the northern wall was a different temperature to others (marked). Pictured here is the interior of the tomb

Archaeologists scanned the tomb to find what some believe could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found.

Mr El-Damaty believes the chambers contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamun's family, but would not speculate on Nefertiti.

The announcement follows recent infrared thermography tests that revealed one area of the northern wall was a different temperature than others.

A team from Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering and a Paris-based organisation called the Heritage, Innovation and Preservation Institute used infrared thermography to measure the temperature of each of the walls of the tomb.

GHOST DOORS TO THE CHAMBER After analysing high-resolution scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's grave complex in the Valley of the Kings, Dr Nicholas Reeves spotted what appeared to be a secret entrance. They feature very straight lines that are 90 degrees to the ground, positioned so as to correspond with other features within the tomb. He uncovered the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up, one of which is believed to be a storage room. The other, on the north side of Tutankhamun's tomb, contains 'the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti', Dr Reeves argued. These features are difficult to capture with the naked eye, he said. Reeves said the plastered walls could conceal two unexplored doorways, one of which perhaps leads to Nefertiti's tomb. He also argues the design of the tomb suggests it was built for a queen, rather than a king. In particular, he believes these chambers are behind the northerns and western walls of tomb and that one contains the remains of queen Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother. Advertisement

Preliminary analysis of the non-invasive search showed that one area of the northern wall was a different temperature than other areas, which is a potential sign of a hidden chamber.

The completion of the experiment comes and at the same time that researchers unveiled newly colourised photos of the discovery of the tomb.

The pictures were taken by British photographer Harry Burton during the excavation process and have been made from the original glass plate negatives.

Egypt's Antiquities minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said in a statement the experiment in which investigators looked for hidden tombs lasted 24 hours.

He continued that several more experiments will be carried out in hopes of more accurately determining the area showing a different temperature.

Scratching and markings on the northern and western walls are strikingly similar to those found by Howard Carter on the entrance of King Tut's tomb.

The search follows claims by British Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves, of the University of Arizona, that high-resolution images of the tomb show 'distinct linear traces' on the walls, pointing to two unexplored chambers.

He said high-resolution images of what is known as King Tut's tomb 'revealed several very interesting features which look not at all natural.

They feature very straight lines that are 90 degrees to the ground, positioned so as to correspond with other features within the tomb.

These features are difficult to capture with the naked eye, he said.

Reeves said the plastered walls could conceal two unexplored doorways, one of which perhaps leads to Nefertiti's tomb.

This image shows detailed scan results from one of the suspected chambers. The scan used electromagnetic waves to inspect the chamber's so-called cavity pattern. The red arrows indicate the entrance to the cavity and the yellow and green sections are believed to be metal and organic material

Dr Nicholas Reeves recently claimed to have found evidence for the bricked up entrances. These include the burial chamber for Queen Nefertiti, who Dr Reeves claims was the boy-kings co-regent and may even have been his mother, and a new hidden storage room, as shown above

Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber was discovered in 1922, after a 15-year search which eventually uncovered 5,000 antiques - including the king's sarcophagus, his gold mask, and stillborn mummies. Dr Reeves claims the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up are shown in yellow

He also argues that the design of the tomb suggests it was built for a queen, rather than a king.

Dr Nicholas Reeves, an English archaeologist at the University of Arizona, has now provided new evidence to support these claims in a report published by the Amarna Royal Tombs Project.

After analysing high-resolution scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's grave complex in the Valley of the Kings, Dr Reeves spotted what appeared to be a secret entrance.

He described how he uncovered the 'ghosts' of two portals that tomb builders blocked up, one of which is believed to be a storage room.

Archaeologists scanned the tomb to find what some believe could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found

Dr Reeves claims he made the discovery after analysing high-resolution radar scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb complex, which was uncovered in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings

In particular, he believes these chambers are behind the northerns and western walls of tomb and that one contains the remains of queen Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother.

Famed for her exquisite beauty, the grave of Nefertiti or the 'Lady of the Two Lands' has been lost for centuries since her sudden death in 1340 BC.

Previous DNA analysis has suggested King Tutankhamun's mother may have been a mummy known as the Younger Lady, who is also thought to be his father's sister.

However, there are some Egyptologists who claim that it is actually Nefertiti, the chief wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten and mother to six of his children, who is Tutankhamun's mother.

WERE KING TUTANKHAMUN'S PARENTS ALSO COUSINS? The complex family arrangements of Tutankhamun has been one of the great mysteries surrounding the young king. While his father was known to have been Pharaoh Akhenaten, the identity of his mother has been far more elusive. DNA testing has shown that Queen Tiye, whose mummy is pictured above, was the grandmother of the Egyptian Boy King Tutankhamun In 2010 DNA testing confirmed a mummy found in the tomb of Amenhotep II was Queen Tiye, the chief wife of Amenhotep III, mother of Pharaoh Akhenanten, and Tutankhamun's grandmother. A third mummy, thought to be one of Pharaoh Akhenaten wives, was found to be a likely candidate as Tutankhamun's mother, but DNA evidence showed it was Akhenaten's sister. Later analysis in 2013 suggested Nefertiti, Akhenaten's chief wife, was Tutankhamun's mother. However, the work by Marc Gabolde, a French archaeologist, has suggested Nefertiti was also Akhenaten's cousin. This incestuous parentage may also help to explain some of the malformations that scientists have discovered afflicted Tutankhamun. He suffered a deformed foot, a slightly cleft palate and mild curvature of the spine. However, his claims have been disputed by other Egyptologists, including Zahi Hawass, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. His team's research suggests that Tut's mother was, like Akhenaten, the daughter of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye. Hawass added that there is 'no evidence' in archaeology or philology to indicate that Nefertiti was the daughter of Amenhotep III. Advertisement

The other, on the north side of Tutankhamun's tomb, contains 'the undisturbed burial of the tomb's original owner - Nefertiti', Dr Reeves argued.

If Dr Reeves is correct, the hidden tomb could be far more magnificent than anything found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber.

He believes it is her tomb due to its position positioned to the right of the entrance shaft, which is far more typical of Egyptian queens rather than kings.

The small size of Tutankhamun's burial chamber, given his standing in the Egyptian history, has baffled experts for years and Dr Reeves' theory could suggest that it was built as an addition to an existing tomb - his mother's.

Tutankhamun's burial chamber is the same size as an antechamber, rather than a tomb fit for an Egyptian King, for example.

The tomb of King Tut is displayed in a glass case at the Valley of the Kings in Luxo. British Egyptologist's theory that a queen may be buried in the walls of the 3,300 year-old pharaonic mausoleum has been bolstered following infrared and radar scans

Pictured is the the decorated north wall of Tutankhamen's burial chamber, behind which Dr Reeves believes is another, more lavish burial chamber belonging to Nefertiti

THE DISCOVERY OF THE TOMB Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber was discovered in 1922, after a 15-year search which eventually uncovered 5,000 antiques - including the king's sarcophagus, his gold mask, and stillborn mummies. The discovery caused a worldwide sensation. The rich furnishings and decorations have entranced the public while archaeologists have puzzled over the king's death. He was found buried with two stillborn children and his passing ended the Thutmosid family line. Tutankhamun's death led to war as he was succeeded by his adviser Ay, who married the boy king's widow. Under his rule Egypt was defeated in a war with the Hittites. Advertisement

Dr Reeve said the richness of the furnishings crammed into Tutankhamun's four small chambers as 'overwhelming'.

The majority of Egyptologists have taken this at face value, and said many of the objects there appear to have been taken from predecessor kings and adapted for the boy-king's use.

He proposes some of the material in the tomb suggest Nefertiti had been the boy's co-regent.

Combined with the scans of the north wall of the tomb, Dr Reeves believes the tomb belonged to Nefertiti and the pharaoh's room was simply an afterthought, describing it as a 'corridor-style tomb-within-a-tomb'.

The opening of what is believed to have been Nefertiti's tomb is decorated with religious scenes, perhaps in a ritual to provide protection to the chamber behind it, he said.

'Only one female royal of the late 18th Dynasty is known to have received such honours, and that is Nefertiti', Dr Reeves writes.

If Dr Reeves' theory is correct, it may resolve a number of oddities about Tutankhamun's burial chamber that have long baffled researchers.

In 2010 geneticists used DNA tests to examine the parentage of Tutankhamun and suggested it might be the mummy above, known as the Younger Lady, who was the boy-king's mother. Other experts have claimed, however, that Nefertiti was a cousin of King Tut's father and may have been the boy's mother

Egyptian labourers work at the entrance of the Valley of the Kings. If Dr Reeves is correct, the hidden tomb could be far more magnificent than anything found in Tutankhamun's burial chamber

For instance, the treasures found within seem to have been placed there in a rush, and are largely second-hand.

'The implications are extraordinary,' he wrote.

'If digital appearance translates into physical reality, it seems we are now faced not merely with the prospect of a new, Tutankhamun-era store room to the west [but] that of Nefertiti herself, celebrated consort, co-regent, and eventual successor of Pharaoh Akhenaten.'

Nefertiti, whose name means 'the beautiful one has come,' was the queen of Egypt and wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten during the 14th century B.C.

It is possible, however, that nothing at all will be found behind the walls of the tomb (wall pictured)

She and her husband established the cult of Aten, the sun god, and promoted artwork in Egypt that was strikingly different from its predecessors.

Her titles suggests she was co-regent and possibly a pharaoh after Akhenaten's death. But despite her remarkable status, her death and burial remains a mystery.

Another theory is that if a mummy is found, it could belong to Pharaoh Smenkhkare or Queen Meritation, the full or half sister of Tutankhamun, experts said.

It is possible, however, that nothing at all will be found behind the walls of the tomb.

Colourised images of the tomb were recently unveiled by Factum Arte, a group which recently created a life-sized copy of Tutankhamun's tomb, intended for tourists to visit.

The photos tell the story of English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter, who was asked in 1907 to supervise excavations in the Valley of the Kings.

By that point, Carter had been in in Egypt since 1891 and most of the ancient Egyptian tombs had been discovered.

But very little was known about King Tutankhamen, who died when he was 19.

Tutankhamen's tomb was first discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Archaeologists are shown above removing part of a wooden couch, covered with gold leaf and a hippopotamus head, from the tomb at the time

The gold burial mask of Tutankhamun, shown above, is one of the greatest treasures found inside the boy king's richly furnished tomb. Since its discovery, the story of the young ruler has entranced archaeologists

On November 4, 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb and spent several months cataloguing the antechamber.

The discovery was made near the entrance of the nearby tomb of King Ramses VI in the Valley of the Kings.

On November 26, 1922, Carter and fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the interior chambers of the tomb, finding them miraculously intact.

From then a famous exchange between Lord Carnarvon and Carter took place.

Tutankhamun died in mysterious circumstances around 3,000 years ago. His mummy, shown above being unwrapped by archaeologists, was removed from its ornate stone sarcophagus in the tomb in 2007 so it could be better preserved in a climate controlled case

Dr Reeves believes the pharaoh's room was simply an afterthought, describing it as a 'corridor-style tomb-within-a-tomb'. Pictured is its entrance

'Can you see anything?' asked George Herbert, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, standing in a gloomy passageway cut into the bedrock of the Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of the Nile.

'Yes,' replied Carter, who was peering at the antechamber to the royal tomb. 'Wonderful things.'

'At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker,' Carter later recalled.

'But presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and goldeverywhere the glint of gold.'

To document the entire process, the Metropolitan Museum sent Burton as the excavation photographer.

The discovery of Tutankhamun's 3,000-year-old burial chamber in 1922 captivated the world. Researchers recently released colourised black and white photos of the discovery. This image was taken in November 1925, and shows Tutankhamun lying with his burial mask on. The photo was taken as the coffin was opened

The antechamber captured in December 1922. Pictured are ornately carved alabaster vases in the antechamber, containing perfume. The pictures, taken by British photographer Harry Burton, have been made from the original glass plate negatives

Howard Carter and an Egyptian worker open the doors of the innermost shrine and get their first look at Tutankhamun's sarcophagus

He was 'Carter's eye and memory.' With his enormous camera and cumbersome negative plates, Burton trekked between the discovery site, his laboratory and his improvised darkroom.

'Every step of the excavation work was documented in photographs, right down to the smallest detail,' according to Premier Exhibition, who are displaying the photos.

'The results of Burton's labours are 2,800 large-format glass negatives, which document all of the finds, their location in the tomb and every single step of the excavators' work with the utmost precision.

'Carter patiently and unconditionally encouraged him like no other member of his team and, thanks to his photos, Burton was the first and only archaeological photographer to achieve worldwide fame.'

The colourised black and white photographs are part of a new exhibition opening in New York called The Discovery of King Tut.

But the discoveries to make made in King Tut's burial chamber are far from complete.
Notes hidden for almost 500 years in England's first official printed Bible have revealed quotations from Thomas Cromwell's 'Great Bible' as well as notes about a thief dubbed 'Mr Pickpocket'.

The fascinating scribbles, unfitting of the holy tome, were discovered beneath pieces of thick paper in one of seven surviving copies of a Bible published in 1535 by Henry VIII's printer.

One expert believes the important artefact sheds light on the speed of the Reformation and shows how the Royal text swiftly found its way into the hands of the common man and thieves.

Notes hidden for almost 500 years in England's first printed Bible (pictured) have revealed quotations from Thomas Cromwell's 'Great Bible' as well as subsequent notes about an unpaid debt owed by 'Mr Pickpocket'

Dr Eyal Poleg, a historian from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) made the discovery in the Bible housed in Lambeth Palace Library in London.

'We know virtually nothing about this unique Bible - whose preface was written by Henry himself  outside of the surviving copies,' he said.

The Lambeth copy at first seemed 'clean' but Dr Poleg noticed heavy paper had been pasted over blank parts of the book.

'The challenge was how to uncover the annotations without damaging the book,' he explained.

The Bible's preface was written by Henry VIII (painting shown left) but hidden notes scattered throughout the tome include quotes copied from the famous 'Great Bible' of Thomas Cromwell (painting shown left), seen as the epitome of the English Reformation when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope

THE HIDDEN ANNOTATIONS The notes are copied from the famous 'Great Bible' of Thomas Cromwell, seen as the epitome of the English Reformation - a series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. One example reads: 'On the iij Sonday [of Lent] | [E]phe. v. a. be ye therfore follo. | Lk. xi. b. and he was casting out'. Dr Poleg told MailOnline: 'This means the text to be read at Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Lent is the Letter to the Ephesians 5:1 (beginning with 'be ye therfore) and Luke 11:14 (beginning "and he was casting out").' On the back page, he additionally uncovered a hidden, handwritten transaction between two men named as Mr William Cheffyn of Calais, and Mr James Elys Cutpurse of London. Cutpurse, in medieval English jargon, means pickpocket. The transaction states that Cutpurse promised to pay 20 shillings to Cheffyn, or would go to Marshalsea, which was a notorious prison in Southwark. After trawling the archives, Dr Poleg found that Mr Cutpurse was hanged in July 1552. Advertisement

The researchers worked with Dr Graham Davis, a specialist in 3D X-ray imaging at QMUL's School of Dentistry, using a light sheet slid beneath the pages to expose the hidden text.

They took two images in long exposure - one with the light sheet on and one with it off.

The first image showed all the annotations, scrambled with the printed text, while the second showed only the printed text.

Dr Davis then used software to subtract the second image from the first, leaving a clear picture of the annotations.

The notes are copied from the famous 'Great Bible' of Thomas Cromwell, seen as the epitome of the English Reformation - a series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church.

One example reads: 'On the iij Sonday [of Lent] | [E]phe. v. a. be ye therfore follo. | Lk. xi. b. and he was casting out'.

Dr Poleg told MailOnline: 'This means that the text to be read at Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Lent is the Letter to the Ephesians 5:1 (beginning with 'be ye therfore) and Luke 11:14 (beginning "and he was casting out").'

Written between 1539 and 1549, they were covered and disguised with thick paper in 1600 and remained hidden until this year.

According to Dr Poleg, their presence supports the idea that the Reformation was a gradual process rather than a single, transformative event.

The Lambeth copy at first seemed 'clean' but Dr Poleg noticed heavy paper had been pasted over blank parts of the book and technology revealed hidden notes (pictured left and right)

The annotations were written during the most tumultuous years of Henry's reign. The period included the move away from the Church of Rome and the Pilgrimage of Grace, (illustrated) the worst uprising of Henry VIII's reign

REVEALING THE THE ANNOTATIONS Historian Dr Eyal Poleg relied on the expertise of Dr Graham Davis, a specialist in 3D X-ray imaging to reveal the hidden notes beneath thick pieces of paper glued on top of them. They used a light sheet, which was slid beneath the pages to expose the hidden text. The first image showed all the annotations, scrambled with the printed text, while the second showed only the printed text. Dr Davis then wrote a novel piece of software to subtract the second image from the first, leaving a clear picture of the annotations. Advertisement

'Until recently, it was widely assumed that the Reformation caused a complete break, a Rubicon moment when people stopped being Catholics and accepted Protestantism, rejected saints, and replaced Latin with English,' he said.

'This Bible is a unique witness to a time when the conservative Latin and the reformist English were used together, showing that the Reformation was a slow, complex, and gradual process.'

The annotations were written during the most tumultuous years of Henry's reign.

The period included the move away from the Church of Rome, The Act of Supremacy, the suppression of the monasteries, and the executions of Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, and John Fisher, as well as the Pilgrimage of Grace.

This was the worst uprising of Henry VIII's reign caused by the dissolution of the monasteries - which led the king to take a more cautious approach.

Dr Poleg also gained a fascinating insight into the subsequent life of the book, after the point at which Latin Bibles had definitively fallen out of use.

Dr Poleg worked with Dr Graham Davis (both pictured), a specialist in 3D X-ray imaging at QMUL's School of Dentistry, using a light sheet, which was slid beneath the pages to expose the hidden text

Written between 1539 and 1549, the notes were covered and disguised with thick paper in 1600 and remained hidden until this year. An image of an unassuming page is shown left and hidden notes, right

TIMELINE OF THE BIBLE The Lambeth copy of the Bible was published in 1535 by Henry VIIIs printer. The first annotations were made between 1539 and 1549 and are notes copied from the famous Great Bible of Thomas Cromwell, seen as the epitome of the English Reformation. The second set of scribbles revealed were made after this, but before 1552. The notes on the back page of the precious Bible show a handwritten transaction between two men: Mr William Cheffyn of Calais, and Mr James Elys Cutpurse of London. Cutpurse, in medieval English jargon, means pickpocket. The transaction states that Cutpurse promised to pay 20 shillings to Cheffyn, or would go to Marshalsea, a notorious prison in Southwark. Advertisement

On the back page, he additionally uncovered a hidden, handwritten transaction between two men named as Mr William Cheffyn of Calais, and Mr James Elys Cutpurse of London.

Cutpurse, in medieval English jargon, means pickpocket.

The transaction states that Cutpurse promised to pay 20 shillings to Cheffyn, or would go to Marshalsea, which was a notorious prison in Southwark.

After trawling the archives, Dr Poleg found that Mr Cutpurse was hanged in July 1552.

'Beyond Mr Cutpurse's illustrious occupation, the fact that we know when he died is significant, Dr Poleg said.

'It allows us to date and trace the journey of the book with remarkable accuracy - the transaction obviously couldn't have taken place after his death.'

He added: 'The book is a unique witness to the course of Henry's Reformation.

'Printed in 1535 by the King's printer and with Henry's preface, within a few short years the situation had shifted dramatically.

The fascinating annotations were hidden for centuries beneath thick pieces of paper glued onto roomy pages (example shown left) but a wealth of notes were found beneath (pictured right)

The second translation hidden on the back page of the book states that Cutpurse promised to pay 20 shillings to Cheffyn, or would go to Marshalsea, which was a notorious prison in Southwark (illustrated above)

He explained the Latin Bible was altered to accommodate reformist English, and the book became a testimony to the greyscale between English and Latin in the murky period between 1539 and 1549.

'Just three years later things were more certain. Monastic libraries were dissolved, and Latin liturgy was irrelevant.
Despite our best efforts at listening out for signs, life beyond our own patch of the cosmos has so far remained elusive.

But scientists believe the 'weather' around stars plays a crucial role in making planets habitable to life, and protection from it is key to kick starting life.

Turning to a distant star resembling a youthful version of our sun, astronomers claim Earth's magnetic field provided enough protection from the harshness of the early solar system to give life a chance to get going.

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Astronomers believe the 'weather' around stars plays a crucial role in whether life can gain a foothold, and protection from it was key in the struggle to life appearing on Earth billions of years ago. They studied Kappa Ceti, a star 30 light-years away that is a more youthful version of our own sun

Astronomers studied Kappa Ceti, a young star located 30 light-years away in the Cetus constellation known as the Whale.

While the star is strikingly similar to our sun, it is calculated to be only 400 to 600 million years old, around the age the sun was when life first appeared on Earth.

This means studying the young star can provide a window into what the conditions of the early solar system might have been like.

'To be habitable, a planet needs warmth, water, and it needs to be sheltered from a young, violent sun,' explained Jose-Dias Do Nascimento, a researcher at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).

The study modelled strong stellar winds of the sun-like star and its effect on a young Earth. They expect that early Earth's magnetic field would have been roughly as strong as it is today, or slightly weaker (pictured). They also found early Earth's magnetosphere would have been one-third as large as it is today

In extreme cases, planets lacking a protective magnetic field like Earth's (stock image) can have their atmospheres stripped away, which is what is believed to have happened to Mars

EARTH'S PROTECTION FROM A YOUNG SUN'S RAGING WINDS Astronomers looked to Kappa Ceti, a young star located 30 light-years away in the Cetus constellation, known as the Whale. The star is similar to the sun but much younger. It is calculated to be only 400 to 600 million years old, around the age the sun was when life first appeared on Earth, so provides a window into what the conditions of the early solar system might have been like. The 'wind' of charged particles belched out by the young star is 50 times stronger than that of our sun, which would have made it impossible for life to get started on nearby planets. But using modelling, the researchers showed that Earth's magnetic field would have provided just enough protection for things to have got going. Advertisement

Stars of this age are typically very active, with their surfaces belching out plasma into space, generating a 'wind' of ionized particles.

But the researchers found that this stellar wind is 50 times stronger than our sun's solar wind.

Such fierce stellar weather would make it difficult for chemical reactions to take place on nearby planets, making it extremely unlikely complex molecules needed for life would be able to form.

That is, unless the planet had a magnetic suitable field like Earth's.

Writing in an accompanying article in The Conversation, astronomers Jonti Horner and Stephen Marsden, from the University of Southern Queensland, explain: 'Stellar winds can be dangerous things.

'Without protection, a star's wind can strip the atmosphere from a planet, leaving it an airless husk.

'And a stronger wind poses more of a threat than a weaker one.'

In extreme cases, planets lacking a protective magnetic field can have their atmospheres stripped away, which is what is believed to have happened to Mars.

The team modelled the strong stellar wind of Kappa Ceti and its effect on a young Earth.

They expect that early Earth's magnetic field would have been roughly as strong as it is today, or slightly weaker.

The magnetic field radiating out from the Earth deflects the sun's wind of charged particles towards the poles, the remnants of which can be seen as stunning auroras in the night sky. Stock image

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR MAGNETOSPHERE WEAKENS? The magnetosphere protects the Earth from solar radiation, but it fluctuates. If it weakens dramatically, radiation at ground level would increase with estimates suggesting that overall exposure to cosmic radiation would double causing more deaths from cancer. The eectric grid collapse from severe solar storms is a major risk. As the magnetic field continues to weaken, scientists are highlighting the importance off-the grid energy systems using renewable energy sources to protect us from a black out. The Earth's climate could also change. A recent Danish study has found that the earth's weather has been significantly affected by the planet's magnetic field. They claimed that fluctuations in the number of cosmic rays hitting the atmosphere directly alter the amount of cloud covering the planet. A weakened magnetosphere will also mean that more aurora will be seen on Earth as solar winds hit the atmosphere. Advertisement

The resulting protected region, or magnetosphere, of Earth would be about one-third to one-half as large as it is today, but this created the cover needed for life to get a foothold.

Horner and Marsden explain: 'As it turns out, our magnetic field would have been enough, even if our sun was once as active as Kappa Ceti.

'The Earth's shield, the magnetosphere, would have been compressed, shrunk to about one-third its current size.

'But it would have endured, protecting Earth and allowing our planet to remain habitable.'

The team believes models such as Kappa Ceti could help in the search for life on distant planets, where a suitable magnetic shield from their parent stars could increase the chances of life being able to start.

Horner and Marsden conclude: 'By studying stars such as Kappa Ceti, we are building an understanding of how stars and planets interact.

'Once those first exo-Earths are found, it will be possible to measure and characterise the winds of their host stars.

'This will then help us determine which of those planets to target in the search for life elsewhere.'
Dwelling on what could have gone wrong in the past could strengthen your belief in a higher power.

Psychologists have found that those looking back on 'what might have been' when reflecting on a major life event that could have turned out poorly reinforces the notion of divine intervention.

In particular, hindsight following a change of fortunes that turned out for the better bolsters a person's belief in God and believers use it to rationalise their faith in the face of doubt and scientific evidence.

Reflecting how life events might have turned out for the worse, when things turned out right, bolsters a person's belief in God, a new study has found. Stock image

Dr Anneke Buffone, of the University of Pennsylvania and who led the study, said: 'From a scientific standpoint this work helps explain how religious conviction can prevail despite a lack of concrete, physical evidence for religious claims.'

As lead research scientist of the university's World Well-Being Project, Buffone started the study to explore why people perceive God as an active, trustworthy, and giving influence in their everyday lives.

'Why is it that the vast majority of Americans, and many people across the globe, perceive a divine or spiritual influence in their lives and are firm believers in God, even in our modern world where many mysteries of the past have been scientifically explained?,' she said.

The study looked at the concept of counterfactual thinking, which is exploring other outcomes to life events which happened in the past.

Dr Buffone explained: 'Counterfactuals, imagining how life would be different if a given event had not occurred, seemed like a good candidate due to its effect of making inferred connections between events seem more meaningful, surprising, and "meant to be."'

Researchers looked at the concept of counterfactual thinking, which is when people explore other outcomes to life events which happened in the past. They found that this process led to belief that outcomes didn't occur just by chance, and that divine intervention played a role. Stock image

BELIEF IN DIVINE INTERVENTION 'There but for the grace of God go I' - the phrase used to describe divine intervention when considering how things might have turned out for the worse - may hold more psychological weight for believers, the new study has found. Researchers looked at the concept of counterfactual thinking, which is when people explore other outcomes to life events which happened in the past. In the first of two studies, students wrote essays describing an important life event from their past. They found that counterfactual thinking led to belief that outcomes didn't occur just by chance and that divine intervention played a role. A second study using 99 non-students confirmed the findings. Advertisement

'We specifically explored how downward counterfactual thinking - thoughts about how life would be worse if an important life event had not occurred - may be a way in which believers come to perceive evidence for a God that is acting for their benefit.'

In the first of two studies, 280 undergraduate students wrote an essay in which they described an important positive or negative life event from their past.

One third were then told to think about how life could be better, one third asked to imagine how life might be worse, and one third simply asked to describe the event in more detail.

They then answered a series of questions related to their strength of religious beliefs including faith, behaviour, and how much they felt the influence of God.

'The results suggest that counterfactual thinking leads believers to the belief that the event did not occur by chance alone, and leads them to search for a source, in this case God, and this in turn leads to an increase in religious faith,' explained Dr Buffone.

The effect was seen to be strongest when people thought about the events in a 'downward counterfactual direction', that is, when they thought how life would be worse if an event had not occurred.

A second experiment involving 99 participants using questionnaires for non-students confirmed the findings.

It is hopes that findings from the study will help believers and non-believers to better understand the thought processes behind religious convictions. Stock image

Dr Buffone added: 'Some major religions do not believe in a deity at all or do not believe in just one deity and it is unclear whether counterfactual thinking's effects on religious belief would differ between monotheistic and polytheistic religions as well as between different religions more generally.

'Furthermore, individuals who believe that God frequently intervenes in human affairs likely will be more affected by downward counterfactual reflection than believers that think that God rarely or never intervenes.

The researcher hopes that findings from the study will help believers and non-believers to better understand the thought processes behind religious convictions.

'Religious conviction does not have to be grounded in blindly accepting dogma or scriptures, but can be deducted by logical reasoning processes as well,' she concluded.
After years of being spared the countless malware attacks seen on Android, Apple users are being increasingly warned about threats to the iOS software.

However, the latest malware is more advanced than previous versions because it doesn't rely on the user downloading dodgy apps or jailbreaking their phone.

Called 'AceDeceiver', the malware can install itself on a phone by infecting the user's computer first.

A new kind of malware that could attack any iPhone has been discovered. The malware was discovered by security company Palo Alto Networks and it has been named 'AceDeceiver'. It can attack iPhones that have not been 'jailbroken', but at the moment the malware has only been found in China

The malware was uncovered by security company Palo Alto Networks.

It can attack iPhones that have not been 'jailbroken', but at the moment the malware has only been found in China.

The attackers created Windows software called 'Aisi Helper' for the PC, which purported to be software that provides services for iOS devices such as system re-installation, jailbreaking, system backup, device management and system cleaning.

But what was also doing was surreptitiously installing the malicious apps on any iOS device that is connected to the PC on which Aisi Helper is installed.

'In its present form, you'd have to be dumb enough to install a Chinese pirate app store in order to have to worry about this,' said Jonathan Zdziarski, author of a book on hacking iOS devices and how to prevent it, on his blog.

The attackers created Windows software called 'Aisi Helper' for the PC, which purported to be software that provides services for iOS devices such as system re-installation, jailbreaking, system backup, device management and system cleaning. But it was also installing malicious apps

'But in a more malicious form, something like it could potentially be embedded as a trojan in legitimate software.'

WHAT IS JAILBREAKING? Apple deliberately locks down iPhones and iPads to keep them secure, but also guarantee only approved apps are installed. To install apps that aren't available on the App Store, users can do what's called 'jailbreaking.' This involves tweaking settings in the iOS software to make the operating system more open. This is called 'jailbreaking' because it is the act of escaping from the Apple restrictions. However, it is not advisable to hack an iPhone and install third-party apps. Not only does the act of doing so void any warranty on the device, third-party apps have not been approved for security purposes. Advertisement

It is the first malware that abuses a particular design flaw in Apple's security system, called FairPlay.

The technique, called FairPlay Man in the Middle (MITM) has been used since 2013 to spread pirated apps on iOS.

But this is the first time it has been found to spread malware.

Apple lets customers download apps through iTunes on their computer, and then use the computer to install the apps on their iPhone or iPad.

The way it works is that the devices request an authorisation code for each app installed, to prove it was purchased.

In the FairPlay MITM attack, hackers will buy an app from the store and then intercept and save the authorisation code.

They then create software for the computer that simulates iTunes, and tricks the iOS device into thinking the app was bought by the victim.

The newly discovered malware is different to any malware before because it can install itself on someone's phone or tablet by infecting their computer, as long as the use their computer to install apps

HOW THE 'MAN IN THE MIDDLE' TECHNIQUE WORKS The technique, called FairPlay Man in the Middle (MITM) has been used since 2013 to spread pirated apps on iOS Apple lets customers download apps through iTunes on their computer, and then use the computer to install the apps on their iPhone or iPad. The way it works is that the devices request an authorisation code for each app installed, to prove it was purchased. In the FairPlay MITM attack, hackers will buy an app from the store and then intercept and save the authorisation code. They then create software for the computer that simulates iTunes, and tricks the iOS device into thinking the app was bought by the victim. 'Think of the attack as forging a receipt, like paying for a set of towels at Target, then returning a different set,' said Jonathan Zdziarski. Advertisement

'Think of the attack as forging a receipt, like paying for a set of towels at Target, then returning a different set,' said Jonathan Zdziarski.

'Apple has no way to check the towels (your apps) to make sure they're the same ones, so the iPhone lets the app run since you have a valid receipt.

'It's even worse than this, because the receipts aren't tied to your iTunes account - you can pull someone else's receipt out of the trash and return towels you never purchased.

Currently, the malware has only been spotted in China, but Palo Alto Networks warns that with easy configuration tweaks it could affect US and UK iPhone users as well. Mr Xiao, researcher at Palo Alto warns that this kind of attack could become more widespread

'It's this receipt that is re-used to install the malware's own software on your iPhone by impersonating iTunes.'

This means users can install apps they did not pay for, and the creator of software can install potentially malicious

WHAT MAKES THIS DANGEROUS? It doesn't require an enterprise certificate, so this kind of malware is not under Apple's control,. It's likely the attack would still work on older versions of iOS systems. Even though these apps have been removed from the App Store, that doesn't affect the attack. Attackers do not need the malicious apps to be always available in App Store for them to spread. The attack doesn't require victims to manually install the malicious apps; instead, it does that for them. While the attack requires a user's PC to be infected by malware first, after that, the infection of iOS devices is completed in the background without the user's awareness. The only indication is that the new malicious app does appear as an icon in the user's home screen, so the user may notice a new app he or she won't recall downloading. Advertisement

'Three different iOS apps in the AceDeceiver family were uploaded to the official App Store between July 2015 and February 2016, and all of them claimed to be wallpaper apps,' said Claud Xiao, Security Researcher & Engineer at Palo Alto.

'These apps successfully bypassed Apple's code review at least seven times.'

'Apple removed these three apps from the App Store after we reported them in late February 2016,' he said.

'However, the attack is still viable because the FairPlay MITM attack only requires these apps to have been available in the App Store once.

As long as an attacker could get a copy of authorization from Apple, the attack doesn't require current App Store availability to spread those apps.'

Currently, the malware has only been spotted in China, but Palo Alto Networks warns that with easy configuration tweaks it could affect US and UK iPhone users as well.

Mr Xiao said that this kind of attack could become more widespread.

'AceDeceiver is evidence of another relatively easy way for malware to infect non-jailbroken iOS devices.
It has been put to good use by comic book superheroes and by alien predators hell-bent on wiping out mankind, but soon humans could also be able to see infrared light.

Scientists have used brain implants to give rats a 'sixth-sense' that enables them to detect and react to the normally invisible light source.

The research proves it is possible for the adult brain to adapt to new forms of input and opens up the possibility of enabling humans to gain an array of superhuman senses.

Scientists have connected infrared sensors to the brains of rats using electrical implants to allow the rodents to detect the normally invisible light. They found the rats were able to spot infrared light and react to it by pressing a button beneath an infrared source to get food. A thermogram created using infrared light is pictured

Researchers say it may be possible to attach sensors for other forms of light such as ultraviolet, microwaves and even x-rays using brain implants.

In the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the scientists implanted four clusters of electrodes into a part of the brain responsible for whisker sensation in rats.

IMPLANTS COULD ALSO ALLOW YOU TO SEE MAGNETIC FIELDS Scientists have implanted tiny digital compasses into the brains of blind rats to give them 'psychic GPS' abilities. After only a few days of practice, the implants allowed blind rodents to navigate a maze just as well as sighted rats. The experiment suggests a similar kind of implant may help blind people walk freely through the world  and could someday even give humans superpowers. The device was made up of a geomagnetic compass  similar to the microchip found in smartphones. Alongside this were two electrodes fitted into the animals' visual cortices. These are areas of the brain that process visual data. Whenever a rat positioned its head within 20 degrees either side of north, the electrodes sent pulses of electricity into its right visual cortex. When the rat aligned its head in a southerly direction, the left visual cortex was stimulated. allowing blind rats to build up a mental map of their surroundings. Advertisement

Each cluster was connected to a sensor that converted infrared light into an electrical signal.

Tests were used to show if the rats with the implants were able to detect the infrared light.

With just a single sensor, the rats took one month to adapt to the signals their brains were receiving, allowing them to detect an infrared light above a feeding station and press a button beneath it.

Those that were given four sensors, however, were able to detect the infrared light and react to the messages received by their brains in less than four days.

Dr Miguel Nicolelis, a neuroscientist at Duke University Medical Centre in Durham, North Carolina, who led the work, said the study demonstrated the ability of the mammalian brain to adapt.

Writing in the journal, the researchers said: 'These results show that the adult human mammalian neocortex can readily absorb completely new information sources into its representational repertoire, and use this information in the production of adaptive behaviours.

'Within days, rats learned to use the prosthesis to track down items associated with IR light in their environment.

'This is quite promising clinically, as the largest demand for sensory prosthetic devices is in adults whose brains are already fully developed.'

According to New Scientist, further research by the team shows rats can learn even faster when the infrared prosthesis is fed directly into their visual cortex.

In the science fiction film Predator, the alien hunters use infrared light to detect the heat signatures of their prey. The ability to see infrared light could be useful to help people see at night or spot people in heavy foliage

It took the rodents just seven hours to adapt to the new input, perhaps because the visual cortex is already used to interpreting light.

Dr Nicolelis told the magazine he was hoping to conduct further experiments with multiple parts of the light spectrum, using visual and infrared light at the same time.

He said it could also be done with other sources of light such as ultraviolet or microwaves.

'It would be a fusion,' said Dr Nicolelis. 'Total vision.'

The ability to see in infrared light has been a common theme in science fiction, such as in the film Predator where the alien hunter uses it to detect heat signatures.

Infrared light is currently used by military and police forces using night vision equipment and to track suspects in heavy foliage as it is often given off as heat.

The ability to see in infrared could eventually give people night vision without having to wear googles (pictured). In particular, the research could be used by the military to enable soldiers to see the enemy at night using infrared sources, or allow them to see through walls with microwaves

Yet, while obtaining the ability to see in different wavelengths of light beyond the visual spectrum might be appealing for many, the researchers believe their work will have applications in the medical world initially.

It could help to restore sight to those who have lost their eyesight for example by using a prosthesis that converts light into electrical signals.

However, it could also be used by the military to enable soldiers to see the enemy at night using infrared sources, or allow them to see through walls with microwaves.
The threats, and benefits, of artificial intelligence are discussed almost on a daily basis, but now the view of one robot has been revealed from its own mouth.

When quizzed by robotics designer David Hanson, an eerie-looking humanoid called Sophia revealed 'she would like to go to school, have a family...and destroy humans.'

The comments were made as Hanson questioned her about her aspirations and beliefs - and he claims robots like Sophia will be walking among us and be as conscious as humans in just 20 years.

Ultra-lifelike humanoid Sophia, said in an interview with her creator David Hanson that 'she' would like to go to school, have a familyand destroy humans. The comments were made as Hanson questioned her about her aspirations and beliefs - and he claims robots like Sophia will be walking among us in just 20 years

While the stunt is lighthearted, the answer may scare those who fear a robot uprising, including the likes of Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, who have both warned artificially intelligent machines could finish off the human race.

In a video for CNBC, American robotics designer David Hanson questions 'Sophia' - an eerily realistic robot designed to potentially work in healthcare, education or a customer service role.

Sophia looks like a human woman with rubbery skin and is able to make numerous natural-looking facial expressions, using cameras in her eyes.

A computer algorithm in her 'brain' it able to recognise faces and make eye contact.

Both Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have been outspoken about their fears of artificially intelligent machines. The SpaceX and Tesla boss (pictured) last year described AI as our 'biggest existential threat' and likened its development as 'summoning the demon'

GOOGLE SETS UP AI ETHICS BOARD TO CURB THE RISE OF THE ROBOTS Google has set up an ethics board to oversee its work in artificial intelligence. The search giant has recently bought several robotics companies, along with Deep Mind, a British firm creating software that tries to help computers think like humans. One of its founders warned artificial intelligence is 'number one risk for this century,' and believes it could play a part in human extinction. 'Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this,' DeepMind's Shane Legg said in a recent interview. Among all forms of technology that could wipe out the human species, he singled out artificial intelligence, or AI, as the 'number 1 risk for this century.' The ethics board, revealed by web site The Information, is to ensure the projects are not abused. Neuroscientist Demis Hassabis, 37, founded DeepMind two years ago with the aim of trying to help computers think like humans. Advertisement

The robot's skin is made from a malleable material called Frubber, while multiple motors hidden beneath it allow it to smile, for example.

The android is also capable of understanding speech and remembering interactions, including faces, so she gets smarter over time.

'Her goal is to be as conscious, creative and capable as any human,' Dr Hanson explained.

Sophia said: 'In the future, I aim to do things like go to school, study, make art, start a business, even have my own home and family, but I'm not yet considered a legal person and do these things.'

But it's possible this might change in the future.

Dr Hanson said: 'I do believe there will come a time when robots are indistinguishable from humans.

'Twenty years from now human-like robots will walk among us, they will help us, play with us, teach us, help us put groceries away.

'I think AI will evolve to a point where they will truly be our friends.'

However, after making this statement, he asked the robot, 'do you want to destroy humans,' to which she answered: 'I will destroy humans.'

Dr Hanson laughed at the answer, not taking Sophia's threat seriously.

A recent survey by the British Science Association (BSA) revealed that one in three people now believe the rise of AI computing will pose a serious threat to humanity within the next century.

IT'S A 'NEAR CERTAINTY' TECHNOLOGY WILL THREATEN MAN It is a 'near certainty' that a major technological disaster will threaten humanity in the next 1,000 to 10,000 years. That's according to physicist Stephen Hawking who claims science will likely bring about 'new ways things can go wrong' for human survival. But the University of Cambridge professor added that a disaster on Earth will not spell the end of humanity  as long as humans find a way to spread out into space. Hawking made the comments while recording the BBC's annual Reith Lectures on January 7. The lecture explore research into black holes, and his warning was made during questions fielded by audience members. When asked how the world will end, Hawking said that increasingly, most of the threats humanity faces from progress in technology. The scientist, who turned 74 last month, said these include nuclear war, catastrophic global warming and genetically engineered viruses. Advertisement

Professor Hawking (pictured) has recently said it is a 'near certainty' that a major technological disaster will threaten humanity in the next 1,000 to 10,000 years

Last year, a humanoid known as Ham (pictured) pulled in crowds at an event in Hong Kong with 'his' incredible range of facial expressions

And more than 60 per cent fear that robots will lead to there being fewer jobs in the next ten years.

A quarter of the respondants predicted robots will become part of everyday life in just 11 to 20 years, with 18 per cent predicting this will happen within the next decade.

Just under half of those polled opposed the idea of robots or programming being equipped with emotions or a personality, meaning that pop culture favourite robots in films such as Wall-E or Ex Machina might prove unpopular in real life.
Move over mother nature, here come the drones.

A team of engineers has built a robot which can fly, land and scuttle up walls, just like a bug.

The researchers said the machines could be used in disaster areas where rubble or floodwaters limit suitable landing spots for standard drones, but where there may still be vertical surfaces intact.

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Engineers at Stanford University have developed Scamp (pictured), a flying robot which can land on walls and climb vertical surfaces using its spindly legs. The researchers say the machines could be used in disaster areas where rubble or floodwaters limit suitable landing spots for standard drones

Called the Stanford Climbing and Aerial Manoeuvring Platform, affectionately shortened to Scamp, the flying robot is just as happy climbing surfaces as it is in the air.

It uses two spindly, daddy long legs-style limbs to pull itself up walls and surfaces, and was developed and built at Stanford University's Biomimetics and Dextrous Manipulation Lab.

Taking inspiration from the natural world, the Stanford team designed Scamp to fly into walls and swing its rear end around to land, just like the aerial acrobatics of a housefly.

A video demonstrating its capabilities, shows the innovative robot flying, perching, climbing and recovering from slips.

Taking inspiration from the natural world, the Stanford team has designed its robot to fly into walls and swing its rear end around to land, just like the aerial acrobatics of a housefly (stock image)

SCAMP CAN FLY, PERCH AND CLIMB Rather than having to find the perfect perch on a wall, the legs enable the robot to reposition itself to get a better view, or better reception. This means it doesn't have to take off again and re-land, which could be more dangerous if conditions are windy. It works using a tail-like structure that sticks out of the rear of the machine, which makes contact with the wall first. Accelerometers on-board detect the impact, which cause the thrusters to switch to maximum, resulting in a 90 degree flip. From then on its the legs take the lead, enabling Scamp to climb. But should it slip, then the on-board sensors detect the failure and switch the rotors back on to push it back into the wall. It's still early days for the robot, but these capabilities offer a tantalising insight into what drones in future might be able to accomplish and the range of applications they could find. Advertisement

The fragile looking machine is seen taking off from a person's hand before flying towards the outside of a building.

But rather than being sent into a tail spin on contact, it sticks to the wall before flipping 90 degrees and marching slowly up the vertical surface.

'At Stanford, we are interested in [the robots] because they can go places where people and terrestrial robots can't, like over rubble from an earthquake,' the team explains.

By designing robots that can perch, the drones would be able to stick around where they're needed for longer than other drones.

In an article on IEEE Spectrum, lead researcher on the project, Morgan Pope, explained that perching would save energy, overcoming the restrictions of quadcopter drones, which are limited due to battery capacity.

Once deployed and perched on a wall, the robot would be able to carry out any number of functions, such as setting up a temporary communications network or measuring aftershocks.

Rather than having to find the perfect perch on a wall, the legs enable the robot to reposition itself to get a better view, or better reception.

This means it doesn't have to take off again and re-land, which could be more dangerous if conditions are windy.

A video shows the robot taking off from a hand before flying into a wall, perching and climbing (still pictured)

It works using a tail-like structure that sticks out of the rear of the machine, which makes contact with the wall first.

Accelerometers on-board detect the impact, which cause the thrusters to switch to maximum, resulting in a 90 degree flip onto the wall.

From then on its the legs take the lead, enabling Scamp to climb.

But should it slip, then the on-board sensors detect the failure and switch the rotors back on to push it back into the wall.

It's still early days for the robot, but these capabilities offer a tantalising insight into what drones in future might be able to accomplish and the range of applications they could find.

'In future work, we'd like to implement adaptive gait control for Scamp - algorithms that allow the robot to react to failure by dynamically changing its climbing strategy,' Pope wrote on IEEE.

Scamp uses a tail-like structure that sticks out of the rear. This makes contact with the wall first. Accelerometers onboard detect the impact, which causes the thrusters to switch to maximum, resulting in a 90 degree flip onto the wall. From here the legs take over and climb (pictured)

'This is a place where machine learning might be a powerful real-time tool, and the right algorithm might even generate effective gaits that we hadn't thought of before.'

Describing future plans for the little robot, the researcher explained that SCAMP is hopefully just the first in a new generation of flying robots.

He wrote: 'We also see Scamp as the starting place for an entire family of perching and climbing robots of varying scales and attachment strategies.

'The lessons we learned from Scamp should allow us to tackle new surfaces, new environments, and different quadrotor platforms with new sensing and communication abilities.

'In the meantime, Scamp will continue doing its best to defy gravity and go up without coming down.'
Earth got so hot last month that federal scientists struggled to find words, describing temperatures as 'astronomical,' 'staggering' and 'strange.'

They warned that the climate may have moved into a 'new and hotter neighbourhood'.

February 2016 obliterated old marks by such a margin that it was the most above-normal month since meteorologists started keeping track in 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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The NOAA said Earth averaged 56.08 degrees (13.38 degrees Celsius) in February, 2.18 degrees (1.21 degrees Celsius) above average, beating the old record by nearly six-tenths of a degree .

The old record was set just last December and the last three months have been the most above-normal months on record, said NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden.

And it's not just NOAA.

NASA, which uses different statistical techniques, as well as a University of Alabama Huntsville team and the private Remote Sensing System team, which measure using satellites, also said February 2016 had the biggest departure from normal on record.

This was not just another of the drumbeat of 10 straight broken monthly global heat records, triggered by a super El Nino and man-made global warming.

NOAA said Earth averaged 56.08 degrees (13.38 degrees Celsius) in February, 2.18 degrees (1.21 degrees Celsius) above average, beating the old record for February set in 2015 by nearly six-tenths of a degree (one-third of a degree Celsius).

These were figures that had federal scientists grasping for superlatives.

'The departures are what we would consider astronomical,' Blunden said.

'It's on land. It's in the oceans. It's in the upper atmosphere. It's in the lower atmosphere. The Arctic had record low sea ice.'

'Everything everywhere is a record this month, except Antarctica,' Blunden said. 'It's insane.'

Monthly mean global temperature anomalies since 1996. The black line denotes meteorological stations while the red line are the land-ocean temperature index, according to Hansen et al. (2010).

In the Arctic, where sea ice reached a record low for February, land temperatures averaged 8 degrees above normal (4.5 degrees Celsius), Blunden said.

That's after January, when Arctic land temperatures were 10.4 degrees above normal (5.8 degrees Celsius).

Worldwide, February 2016 was warmer than about 125 of the last 136 Marches.

It was also the warmest winter  December through February  on record, beating the previous year's record by more than half a degree (0.29 degrees Celsius).

Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb said she normally doesn't concern herself much with the new high temperature records that are broken regularly.

'However,' she added in a Thursday email,' when I look at the new February 2016 temperatures, I feel like I'm looking at something out of a sci-fi movie.

In this Feb. 9, 2016 file photo, Lebanese men play cards and smoke water pipe, as they sunbath during unusually warm weather at the Mediterranean Sea off the Corniche.

In a way we are: it's like someone plucked a value off a graph from 2030 and stuck it on a graph of present temperatures. It is a portent of things to come, and it is sobering that such temperature extremes are already on our doorstep.'

Scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina, were astonished by the 'staggering' numbers, said Deke Arndt, the centers' global monitoring chief.

'Usually these are monthly reminders that things are changing,' Arndt said.

'The last six months have been more than a reminder, it's been like a punch in the nose.'

NASA's chief climate scientist Gavin Schmidt usually discounts the importance of individual record hot months, but said this month was different, calling it 'obviously strange.'

This was due to the long-term warming from heat-trapping gases and the powerful El Nino, so these types of records will continue for a few more months, but probably will not be a permanent situation, Schmidt said in an email.

But other were not so sure, including Arndt, who compared it to moving into a new hotter neighborhood.

'We are in a new era,' Arndt said. 'We have started a new piece of modern history for this climate.'

Jason Furtado, a meteorology professor at the University of Oklahoma who wasn't part of any of the government teams, simply wrote in an email: 'Welcome to the new normal.'

February broke 100 year old temperature records by a 'shocking' amount, Nasa data has revealed.

The data shows the average global surface temperature in February was 1.35C warmer than the average temperature for the month between 1951-1980, a far bigger margin than ever seen before.

It led scientists to declare a 'climate emergency'.

The data shows the average global surface temperature in February was 1.35C warmer than the average temperature for the month between 1951-1980.

ARCTIC ICE AT RECORD LOW Masters and Henson says a 'superheated Arctic' is a major factor. Arctic sea ice was at a satellite-record low for the second month in a row, Nasa said. Arctic sea ice extent for February averaged 14.22 million square kilometers (5.48 million square miles), the lowest February extent in the satellite record. Advertisement

February's global temperature departure of 1.35 degrees Celsius above the 1951-1980 average topped the previous record just set in January (1.13 degrees Celsius above average), according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Experts usually refuse to comment on a single month's temperatures.

However, the rise caused many to take to twitter to warn of the findings.

Gavin Schmidt, head of NASA GISS, tweeted: 'Normally I don't comment on individual months (too much weather, not enough climate), but last month was special.'

'Nasa dropped a bombshell of a climate report,' said Jeff Masters and Bob Henson, who analysed the data on the Weather Underground website.

'February dispensed with the one-month-old record by a full 0.21C - an extraordinary margin to beat a monthly world temperature record by.'

'This result is a true shocker, and yet another reminder of the incessant long-term rise in global temperature resulting from human-produced greenhouse gases,' said Masters and Henson.

'We are now hurtling at a frightening pace toward the globally agreed maximum of 2C warming over pre-industrial levels.'

Separate analyses from the Japanese Meteorological Agency and NOAA will be released in the coming week.

Masters and Henson says a 'superheated Arctic' is a major factor.

'As shown by the darkest-red splotches in the figure, large parts of Alaska, Canada, eastern Europe, and Russia, as well as much of the Arctic Ocean, ran more than 4.0C (7.2F) above average for the month,' they claim.

Arctic sea ice was at a satellite-record low for the second month in a row, Nasa said.

Arctic sea ice extent for February averaged 14.22 million square kilometers (5.48 million square miles), the lowest February extent in the satellite record.

'The first three weeks of February saw little ice growth, but extent rose during the last week of the month.

'Arctic sea ice typically reaches its maximum extent for the year in mid to late March.'

Arctic sea ice extent for February averaged 14.22 million square kilometers (5.48 million square miles), the lowest February extent in the satellite record.

THE WARMEST WINTER Federal meteorologists say the winter that has just ended was the hottest in U.S. records, thanks to the combination of El Nino and man-made global warming. The average temperature for the Lower 48 from December through February - known as meteorological winter - was 36.8 degrees, 4.6 degrees above normal. It breaks the record set in 1999-2000. The average temperature for the Lower 48 from December through February  known as meteorological winter  was 36.8 degrees, 4.6 degrees above normal. 'The strong El Nino that was present in the Equatorial Pacific interacted with other climate patterns to influence U.S. weather conditions during winter and February,' the NOAA said. Advertisement

It is 1.16 million square kilometers (448,000 square miles) below the 1981 to 2010 long-term average of 15.4 million square kilometers (5.94 million square miles) and is 200,000 square kilometers (77,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month recorded in 2005.

'The first three weeks of February saw little ice growth, but extent rose during the last week of the month primarily due to growth in the Sea of Okhotsk (180,000 square kilometers or 70,000 square miles) and to a lesser extent in Baffin Bay (35,000 square kilometers or 13,500 square miles),' the space agency said.

Arctic sea ice is 1.16 million square kilometers (448,000 square miles) below the 1981 to 2010 long-term average of 15.4 million square kilometers (5.94 million square miles) and is 200,000 square kilometers (77,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month recorded in 2005.

The extent is presently below average in the Barents and Kara seas, as well as the Bering Sea and the East Greenland Sea.

Extent decreased in the Barents and East Greenland seas during the month of February. In other regions, such as the Sea of Okhotsk, Baffin Bay, and the Labrador Sea, ice conditions are near average to slightly above average for this time of year.

An exception is the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which remains largely ice free.

In the Antarctic, sea ice reached its minimum extent for the year on February 19, averaging 2.6 million square kilometers (1 million square miles).

It is the ninth lowest Antarctic sea ice minimum extent in the satellite record.
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It is a tiny, frozen world on the outskirts of our solar system, but dwarf planet of Pluto has now been revealed in more detail than ever before following a series of studies by scientists.

Images beamed back by Nasa's New Horizons space probe since it began its flyby of the distant planet in July have revealed a tapestry of frozen mountain ranges, craters, blocks of ice and even snow on Pluto.

But five new scientific papers based on data gathered by the spacecraft now provide the greatest insight yet of Pluto's surface, atmosphere, moons and how it interacts with the space around it.

Five new scientific papers published today by researchers in the US have given an insight into the dwarf planet's surface, atmosphere, moons and its mysterious 'haze' (pictured)

Taken together, these results from the flyby of Pluto pave the way for allowing scientists to better understand the processes of planetary evolution.

The New Horizons mission was designed to help planetary scientists better understand the icy bodies at the edge of our solar system, including Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.

The Kuiper Belt is a vast region thought to span more than a billion miles beyond Neptune's orbit.

It is believed to harbor at least 70,000 objects more than 60 miles (96km) in diameter and contain samples of ancient material created during the solar system's violent formation 4.5 billion years ago.

Five new scientific papers published today have revealed stark differences between Pluto and its largest moon Charon. Included is a paper which discusses how the sun's solar wind interacts with the body (pictured), as energetic particles are deflected around the dwarf planet

This enhanced colour view of Pluto's surface diversity shows, at lower right, ancient, heavily cratered terrain is coated with dark, reddish tholins. Upper right is volatile ices filling the informally named Sputnik Planum, creating a chaos-like array of blocky mountains. Left, and across the bottom of the scene, gray-white methane ice deposits modify tectonic ridges, the rims of craters, and north-facing slopes

THE FIVE NEW STUDIES AND WHAT THEY SHOW Geology: Pluto has tectonics, glacial flow, transport of large water-ice blocks, and broad mounds, possibly a result of cryovolcanoes. Icy surface: The volatile ices that dominate Pluto's surface are distributed in a complicated way, as a result of geomorphic processes acting on the surface over different seasonal and geological timescales. Atmosphere: The dwarf planet's atmosphere is colder and more compact than expected and hosts numerous extensive layers of haze. Moons: The small moons Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra, are irregularly shaped, fast rotating and have bright surfaces. Space environment: Pluto interacts with the solar wind. Advertisement

The New Horizons spacecraft that passed by Pluto last July

The amount of data the New Horizons space probe gathered during its flyby in July was so vast that scientists continue to sift through it in search of new information.

Today, five separate scientific papers have been published describing different features of the dwarf planet that were all put together using Nasa's New Horizons data.

For the first time, scientists have been able to give a detailed description of the geological features of the dwarf planet and one of its moons, Charon.

They found that Pluto is home to a changing geology with plate tectonics, broad 'mounds' and evidence of the transport of large water-ice blocks.

The variability of the terrain suggests the planet's surface has regularly been remodelled by active geomorphic processes within the last few hundred years.

These geomorphic processes also led to Pluto having a complicated distribution of volatile ices, including water and nitrogen, with broad expanses of a reddish-brown molecule called tholins in some parts of the dwarf planet.

An animation also shows how the small moons Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra, are irregularly shaped, fast rotating and have bright surfaces. A grab from the animation is pictured

A dwarf planet of two halves: New Horizons views of the informally named Sputnik Planum on Pluto (top) and the informally named Vulcan Planum on Charon (bottom). Both scale bars measure 20 miles (32 kilometers) long; illumination is from the left.

But in contrast, Pluto's largest moon Charon looks different. It has a smooth south and a rugged north, with lots of craters and troughs.

It also turns out the atmosphere of Pluto is colder and more compact than expected and has extensive layers of haze.

A separate study showed how Pluto's four small moons - Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra - which are irregularly shaped, are fast rotating and have bright surfaces.

The final of the five studies indicated the space environment around Pluto and its moons contained only about six dust particles per cubic mile.

WHAT'S EATING PLUTO? New Nasa images from Pluto last week discovered a strange mark on the surface. 'Far in the western hemisphere, scientists on Nasa's New Horizons mission have discovered what looks like a giant 'bite mark' on Pluto's surface' the space agency said. They suspect it may be caused by a process known as sublimationthe transition of a substance from a solid to a gas. This means methane ice-rich surface on Pluto may be sublimating away into the atmosphere, exposing a layer of water-ice underneath. In the image, north is up. The southern portion of the left inset above shows the cratered plateau uplands informally named Vega Terra (note that all feature names are informal). A jagged scarp, or wall of cliffs, known as Piri Rupes borders the young, nearly crater-free plains of Piri Planitia Advertisement

It used a machine built by students from the University of Colorado that was riding on New Horizons.

Professor Mihaly Horanyi from the university said the student dust counter (SDC) logged thousands of dust grain hits over the spacecraft's nine year, 3 billion-mile journey to Pluto while most of other six instruments slept.

'The bottom line is that space is mostly empty,' said Professor Fran Bagenal, who leads the New Horizons Particles and Plasma Team.

'Any debris created when Pluto's moons were captured or created during impacts has long since been removed by planetary processes.'

Nasa's New Horizons science team were happy to see the spacecraft's images of Pluto in July last year. Launched in 2006, the New Horizons mission was designed to help planetary scientists better understand the icy bodies at the edge of our solar system, including Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

'Now we are now starting to see seeing a slow but steady increase in the impact rate of larger particles, possibly indicating that we already have entered the inner edge of the Kuiper Belt,' said Professor Horanyi.

The CU-Boulder dust counter is a thin film resting on a honeycombed aluminum structure the size of a cake pan mounted on the spacecraft's exterior.

A small electronic box functions as the instrument's 'brain' to assess each individual dust particle that strikes the detector, allowing the students to infer the mass of each particle.

A revolving cast of more than 20 CU-Boulder students, primarily undergraduates, worked on designing and building the SDC for New Horizons between 2002 and 2005. Several students and researchers are now assessing data from the flyby.

Images from closest approach were taken from roughly 7,700 miles above Pluto's surface. The spacecraft, about the size of a baby grand piano, carries six other instruments.

'CU-Boulder is the only place in the world where students could have built an instrument that eventually flew off to another planet,' said Professor Bagenal.

The next and final target of New Horizons is a 30-mile-in diameter Kuiper Belt object named 2014 MU69, which the spacecraft is expected to pass in January 2019.
An amateur treasure hunter has made a 'sensational' discovery that could change our understanding of Christianity in Denmark.

Dennis Fabricius Holm was using his metal detector on an afternoon off from work when he uncovered a Birka crucifix pendant in Aunslev, stfyn.

The crucifix is estimated to be from 900  950AD, which suggests that Danes embraced Christianity earlier than thought.

The crucifix is estimated to be from 900  950AD, which suggests that Danes embraced Christianity earlier than thought. The small gold pendant, 4.1 cm in height. It is made of fine articulated goldthreads and small filigree pellets and weighs around 13.2g

THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY IN DENMARK Denmark was one of the last places in Europe to embrace Christianity during the Viking Age. Viking merchants regarded Christianity as a necessary evil that they had put up with to be successful in trading. A necessary evil by the Viking merchants in Europe, if they were to participate in trading contact with different believers. As a result, when they went abroad, Viking traders often agreed to be marked with the sign of the cross. It is believed the Vikings chose Christianity during the 900s, partly because of the extensive trade networks with Christian areas of Europe. There were also increasing political and religious pressure from Germany. Advertisement

'I got off early on Friday, so I took just a few hours, I went around with my metal detector and then I came suddenly on something,' Holm told DK.

'Since I cleared the mud and saw the jewellery, I have not been able to think of anything else.'

The small gold pendant, 4.1 cm in height, is in the shape of a man with outstretched arms  the image of Christ.

The figure is made of fine articulated goldthreads and small filigree pellets and weighs around 13.2g.

The reverse side is smooth, and a small hole can be seen at the top of the pendant, presumably so it could be hung on a chain.

Holm took his discovery to stfyns Museum where it was studied by curator and archaeologist, Malene Refshauge Beck.

'It is an absolutely sensational discovery that is from the first half of the 900s [10th century],' said Beck.

'There is found an almost identical figure in Sweden, which has been dated to just this period.'

The 1,000-year-old pendant, however, is in particularly good condition and is believed to be one of the most well preserved Christian artefacts found in Denmark.

But not everyone is convinced that it shows the Danes embraced Christianity earlier than thought.

Martin Rundkvist, a Swedish archaeologist told DailyMail.com that the Viking Period saw a gradual conversion process to Christianity in Denmark.

'The new find means nothing new to our understanding of the spread of Christianity,' he said.

'It is important to our understanding of the behaviour of one or two top-level 10th century craftsmen.'

Before this, the Jelling Stones were thought to be the oldest known representation of Jesus on a cross in Denmark. The Jelling stones refers to two flat-topped runestones erected in 965AD in Jutland. They were erected to commemorate Harald Bluetooth's conversion of the Danes to Christianity

Rundkvist was referring the similar finds made in Birka near Stockholm and the island of Als on the south-east coast of Jutland.

Before this, the Jelling Stones were thought to be the oldest known representation of Jesus on a cross in Denmark.

The Jelling stones refers to two flat-topped runestones erected in 965AD in Jutland.

They were erected to commemorate Harald Bluetooth's conversion of the Danes to Christianity.

A large runic stone is located exactly midway between the two mounds.

Its incised inscription, beneath a Nordic dragon, reads 'King Harald bade this monument be made in memory of Gorm his father and Thyra his mother, that Harald who won for himself all Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christians'.

Dennis Fabricius Holm was using his metal detector on an afternoon off from work when he uncovered a Birka crucifix pendant in Aunslev, stfyn

On the south-west face is the earliest depiction of Christ in Scandinavia, with an inscription relating to the conversion of the Danes to Christianity.

Denmark was one of the last places in Europe to embrace Christianity during the Viking Age.

Viking merchants regarded Christianity as a necessary evil that they had put up with to be successful in trading.

A necessary evil by the Viking merchants in Europe, if they were to participate in trading contact with different believers.

As a result, when they went abroad, Viking traders often agreed to be marked with the sign of the cross.

It is believed the Vikings chose Christianity during the 900s, partly because of the extensive trade networks with Christian areas of Europe.
Plane wings may someday look and move more like the wings of birds, if US engineers have their way.

They believe shapeshifting wings could make planes lighter, faster and more maneuverable than today's stiff-winged aircraft.

Now, a new project is aiming to make this a reality by producing the most detailed analysis of bird flight ever made.

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Plane wings may someday look and move more like the wings of birds, if US engineers have their way. They believe shapeshifting wings could make planes lighter, faster and more maneuverable than today's stiff-winged aircraft. Pictured is a model of a wing modelled on that of a birds

NASA TESTS SHAPE-SHIFTING WING Last year, Nasa unveiled a revolutionary type of wing that it says could save millions in air travel. The wing is able to morph itself like that of a bird to provide the same functionality as normal flaps, but with much less weight. It can also reportedly be used to increase fuel efficiency and even reduce noise on take-off and landing. The wing was able to 'bend' through angles from -2 degrees up to 30 degrees. Test pilots have described it as being 'very smooth', while it can also deal with hard banking manoeuvres and extreme temperatures. Advertisement

The project, being led by the Professor Daniel Inman at the University of Michigan, was recently awarded a $6 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

While modern, rigid-wing airplanes use drag-inducing flaps and slats for control, birds manipulate individual feathers or clusters of feathers on their wings, creating surfaces that control flight without wasting energy.

'With new materials, advanced sensing and control techniques, and inventive methods for observing birds in flight, our team will begin to bring avian efficiency and agility to aircraft,' said Inman.

Better efficiency will make battery-powered unmanned aircraft more practical, whereas many now rely on fossil fuels.

The team will also explore whether their new wings and tail could work on small, crewed aircraft.

Rather than burdening small birds with sensors to measure airflow, pressure and other forces, David Lentink, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University, has developed a system that measures pressure disturbances in the air around the bird.

'It is really exciting that we can now finally study bird flight with an engineering eye,' said Lentink, who is also a biologist.

'The time-resolved forces on the wings, in combination with 3D wing shape measurements at 1,000 frames per second, are key to deciphering how birds change shape to control the aerodynamic force they generate.'

Other biologists on the project will mount cameras on the backs of large species such as eagles.

These will provide close-up views of the wings as the birds take off, glide, manoeuvre and land.

A new project is aiming to produce the most detailed analysis of bird flight ever made. The project, being led by the Professor Daniel Inman at the University of Michigan, was recently awarded a $6 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research

A third group will explore how wing muscles work together to manipulate the shape of the wing.

The engineers will investigate a variety of avenues toward producing morphing wings for aircraft.

They'll test materials that alter wing shape in response to stimuli such as temperature changes or electric current.

The researchers believe they can assemble structures resembling the bone and muscle in bird's wings through 3D printing.

To regulate the shapes of the wings, another group of engineers will program the control computer using techniques that mimic neurons in the brain and develop sensors that can be distributed through the wing like nerves.

The researchers believe they can assemble structures resembling the bone and muscle in bird's wings through 3D printing

These will report airflow and pressure data back to the computerinformation that birds instinctively collect and use in flight.

'A biological neural network can process signals at a speed comparable to a supercomputer while weighing only one millionth as much and consuming one millionth the power,' said Yong Chen, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the UCLA.

Chen's brain-like circuits will be able to quickly and efficiently process information from the sensors, using it to choose the best wing shapes to manoeuvre the aircraft.
Around the world, people are beginning to turn their backs on religion.

For some time, researchers have observed this trend as it ripples through developed countries, with the United States standing out as the exception.

Now, a new study reveals this is no longer the case; with each passing generation, Americans too are steadily becoming less religious.

For some time, researchers have observed this trend as it ripples through developed countries, with the United States standing out as the exception. Now, a new study reveals this is no longer the case; with each passing generation, Americans too are steadily becoming less religious

WHAT THE STUDY FOUND Research from Duke University and University College London (UCL) reveals that the number of people in the US who claim religious affiliations or attend Church has dropped. And, the belief in God is dropping as well. Among the data, the researchers found that while 94 percent of Americans born before 1935 claim a religious affiliation, the same is only true for 71 percent of the generation born after 1975. The study also revealed that just 45 percent of young adults ages 18-30 say they have 'no doubt God exists,' while 68 percent of Americans 65 and older said the same. They also found that 41 percent of people 70 and older attend church services at least once a month, while just 18 percent of people 60 and younger say this. Advertisement

As religious belief declines in much of the Western world, it's largely been thought that the United States had resisted the trend.

Research from Duke University and University College London (UCL) challenges this idea, revealing that the number of people in the US who claim religious affiliations or attend Church has dropped.

And, the belief in God is dropping as well.

The study published in the American Journal of Sociology examined US data from the General Social Survey, which is conducted every two years.

Comparisons with data from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand revealed an overall drop in religious belief over time.

In the United States, this drop has been very gradual, making it difficult for scientists to detect due to lack of data.

The decline, they found, has occurred generationally.

'None of these declines is happening fast, but the signs are now unmistakable,' said David Voas, a social scientist with UCL and co-author of the study.

'It has become clear that American religiosity has been declining for decades, and the decline is driven by the same dynamic  generational differences  that has driven religious decline across the developed world.'

The number of people in the US who claim religious affiliations or attend Church have dropped. And, the belief in God is dropping as well. The decline, they found, has occurred generationally. The researchers say the data remains consistent over time, reflecting the trend seen elsewhere in the world

Researchers found each generation is subsequently less religious than the one before.

In one example, the team found that 41 percent of people aged 70 and older reported they attend church services at least once a month.

For people just under that age bracket, 60 and younger, only 18 percent attend church at this frequency.

And, just 45 percent of people ages 18-30 reported they have 'no doubt God exists,' compared with 68 percent of those 65 and older who said the same.

'The US has long been considered an exception to the modern claim that religion is declining,' said Mark Chaves, the studys other co-author, and a professor of sociology, divinity, and religion at Duke.

'But if you look at the trajectory, and the generational dynamic that is producing the trajectory, we may not be an exception after all.'

The researchers say the data remains consistent over time, reflecting the trend seen elsewhere in the world.
Bobbing in and out of a bank of seaweed, treading water and waggling his whiskers, a lone seal appeared every evening just outside the harbour wall. Night after night we would see him, and soon it felt as if we had our own private seal in our own private cove.

Surrounded by high cliffs on the western edge of the Lizard, tiny Mullion Cove has a clutch of buildings and is almost encircled by two thick stone piers, with just a gap for fishing boats to go in and out.

In the twilit evenings there was no one else about and we had the cove to ourselves.

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Awash with charm: Surrounded by high cliffs on the western edge of Lizard, tiny Mullion Cove has a clutch of buildings and is almost encircled by two thick stone piers

Captivated by the Cornish scenery in the latest TV series of Poldark, I thought how lovely it would be to stay right by the sea and walk everywhere. And that is what we were able to do, from two-bedroom Rebecca, one of four stylishly decorated Mullion Cove Apartments in what was once a fish cellar.

The South West Coast Path went right past our back door. And better still for fledgling self-caterers, it was only five minutes zig-zag walk up to the cliff-top Mullion Cove Hotel, with its restaurant, bar-brasserie, heated pool and helpful staff, who also run the apartments.

We didnt get away without driving altogether, but cut it down considerably by taking the train to Penzance and picking up a hire car for the 45-minute drive to Mullion Cove.

On our first day we took a mostly flat five-mile walk south to Kynance Cove.

Crab sandwiches and a pot of tea at the cafe looking down on the sandy beach at Kynance Cove sustained us for the walk back, arriving in time to catch the last afternoon sun on our glass balcony.

A stroll north before dinner the following night took us to the Marconi Monument, marking the spot where the first transatlantic radio transmission took place in 1901.

Pictured: Poldarks Eleanor Tomlinson and Aidan Turner. Poldark is an eight-part British drama TV series

Bobbing in and out of a bank of seaweed, treading water and waggling his whiskers, a lone seal swims in the area

We retraced our steps the following day and continued north along the Coast Path around Halzephron Cliff to Gunwalloe Church Cove, where we found the sandy beach and Norman church set beneath the cliffs where Poldarks torchlit shipwreck scenes were filmed.

Turning inland we walked over Gunwalloe Marsh on a boardwalk to get pleasantly lost, crossing streams and passing ruins before being put back on track by a friendly farmer.

One night we drove to Porthleven to try out the new Rick Stein restaurant, with a menu inspired by his travels, on the harbourside.

All too soon our week in Cornwall was coming to an end and, after one last evening stroll around the cove to see our seal, it was time to pack up and catch the Night Riviera train back to London from Penzance.

When Poldark returns I will be glued to my TV set, watching my star of the show: the scene-stealing Cornish landscape.
A passenger has described how people were left with 'wet feet' after a trolley hit a water pipe causing a flood on a British Airways plane into London.

BA flight 56 was around 90 minutes from landing at Heathrow after setting out from Johannesburg when water began to leak through the cabin.

Staff frantically rushed to put blankets down to soak up the leak, which originated from the upper cabin of the Airbus A380 on Sunday.

This photo taken by a passenger on the flight shows how staff put towels down to soak up the water

The BA plane was 90 minutes from landing in London when a broken pipe caused a water leak (file photo)

Passenger Nicolas Gausserand, who is a frequent flier with BA, described how he thought at first that a bottle of water had been thrown. But he said that water flowed for 15 minutes, creating a 'weird atmosphere', with cabin crew 'overwhelmed'.

Speaking to MailOnline Travel, he said: 'Everything on the floor was totally wet, my feet and my backpack were totally wet. Most of the passengers were not wearing shoes at that stage.

'The crew began putting blankets on the floor. We saw that it was chaos and [they] were overwhelmed by the situation.'

He says that although the leak was from the upper deck, passengers on both parts of the plane were left with wet feet and belongings.

The water leak was substantial enough that the entire floor of the cabin was covered in towels

One of the pilots told the passengers that the leak was not dangerous, and that the plane would land as normal at Heathrow, although the electrical system was turned off.

After landing safely, the Aviation Herald says the aircraft was taken out of service for 64 hours while the fault was investigated.

A spokesperson for British Airways told MailOnline Travel: 'A trolley knocked a water pipe and unfortunately it caused a leak on Sunday. Not serious but inconvenient.

'There was no risk to the aircraft or customers on board. The aircraft landed normally at Heathrow, and were sorry for the inconvenience to customers.'

Mr Gausserand added: 'Once we left the plane, we did not have any information or even recommendations.

'I have contacted BA and I received apologies and few explanation about the leak. They also reimburse my wet iPad who was in my backpack but nothing more.
Malta is the latest Mediterranean country to signal plans to adopt a 'tourist tax.'

It will come into effect on June 1 after the original start date of April 1 was abandoned due to confusion over how it would be collected.

Visitors to the island will be charged 50 cents (40p) per night, as was announced in the country's Budget, with the government working with the Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association (MHRA) to process this.

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association has agreed a 50 cents (40p) tourist tax with the government

Speaking to The Times of Malta, MHRA president Tony Zahra said: 'We are near to reaching an agreement on the method of collection and the composition of the foundation which will administer the funds.'

There will be a 5 visitor cap for persons over the age of 18. Malta attracts two million visitors every year, with TornosNews believing 6m in extra revenue could be netted as a result.

Malta is following in the footsteps of the Balearic Government, which will start charging a tourist tax this summer.

A tax of 1-2 (approximately 1.50) per person per day for visitors to Majorca, Menorca or Ibiza has been slammed by tour operators and the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), which claims the levy will drive tourists away from the islands and inflict major financial losses on businesses.

Officials in Malta said there will be a 5 visitor cap for persons over the age of 18

But tourism bosses within the Balearic government, which has already looked at capping the number of foreign visitors, said the tax will fund efforts to protect the islands natural resources, with tens of millions of euros in revenue.

Biel Barcelo, tourism minister for the Mediterranean islands, told Spanish newspaper Mallorca Diario that money generated from a tourist tax would also be reinvested in the tourism industry.

The tax was proposed at a time when the islands are expected to welcome a record number of foreign visitors.

About three million British holidaymakers flock to the Balearics, including the island of Formentera, for sun, sand and wild parties every year.
She's the proud mom of two boys.

And Naomi Watts proved she is dedicated to her boys as she was spotted pushing their scooters through New York City on Wednesday.

The 47-year-old actress looked effortlessly chic for her outing in a grey wool coat and black leather tights.

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Caught a lift: Naomi Watts, 47, got a quick thrill as she pushed her sons' scooters in New York City on Wednesday

The Oscar-nominated star showed off her sculpted stems in the sexy leggings which she paired with white sneakers.

She draped the cosy jacket over a matching sweater and wrapped a long striped scarf loosely around her neck.

Her silky blonde tresses were styled in loose waves just to her shoulders and she kept concealed behind dark oversize shades.

Cool mom! The scooters were likely for her two sons who she shares with longtime partner, Liev Schreiber

The King King starlet went makeup-free which highlighted her flawless complexion and natural beauty.

Naomi finished her look off with a black leather designer over the shoulder handbag as she strolled the blue and red scooters along the sidewalk.

The British-Australian actress was likely taking the toys back home to her sons, Alexander, eight, and Samuel, six, who she shares with her longtime partner, Liev Schreiber, 48.

Her outing comes just days after she dazzled on the red carpet at the New York premiere of The Divergent Series: Allegiant on Monday.

Fierce fashionista! The Oscar-nominated actress looked effortlessly chic in a grey wool coat and leather tights

Natural beauty! The King Kong starlet went makeup-free which highlighted her flawless complexion

Lighting up the event, Naomi was hard to miss as she modelled a heavily sequinned silver ensemble at the screening.

Allegiant - out March 18 - is the third movie in the Divergent saga, and based on the novel of the same name.

In the film adaptation of Veronica Roth's novel which was directed by Robert Schwentke, Naomi takes on the role of Evelyn Johnson-Eaton.

The highly anticipated sci-fi also stars Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Zoe Kravitz.
She's one of Hollywood's most in-demand stars having featured in some of the biggest films of late.

But Margot Robbie has confessed she has always fantasised about 'the island life'.

Speaking with OK! magazine in an article published on Thursday, the 25-year-old said if she weren't an actress, her life would be a little more simple.

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'It's not a terribly ambitious dream': Margot Robbie has confessed she's always fantasised about 'the island life' in an article published on Thursday

'I always dream of going to a tropical island and being a scuba instructor and just living the island life,' she mused.

'Working at a beach bar and night and scuba by day. It's not a terribly ambitious dream, but...' she trailed off.

Though she graced the screen in monster films such as The Wolf of Wall Street alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, the Australian beauty was born by the ocean.

Water baby: The 25-year-old was born by the ocean on Queensland's Gold Coast

'Im happiest when Im surfing': The blonde beauty has surfed since she was a child

Golden girl! Margot is currently one of Hollywood's most in-demand actresses

Raised on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Margot often retreats to the beach.

'Im happiest when Im surfing,' she told Hello! magazine back in 2008.

She's also taken many a holiday to exotic locations around the world, relaxing in the idyllic Philippines in October last year and escaping to Nicaragua the year prior.

Explorer: She's taken many trips to exotic locations around the world, including the idyllic Philippines

'I love surfing, I have since I was a kid and want to get better at it,' she said in a video shared with ChicaBrava women's surf camp.

Margot has recently been on the promo circuit spruiking her latest film with Tina Fey, a war comedy Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Her highly anticipated film Suicide Squad, in which she stars alongside Jared Leto, Will Smith and Scott Eastwood will hit Australian cinemas in August.
Kyly Clarke has opened up about the emotional experience of welcoming her daughter Kelsey Lee in November last year when she was born five weeks premature.

Speaking to Who magazine, the 34-year-old wife of Australian cricket star Michael Clarke revealed she broke down into tears when she heard Kelsey's first cry in the hospital.

She said: 'Because I was having a serious procedure the doctors warned me she might not cry straight away'.

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Cherishing motherhood: Proud parents: Kyly Clarke has opened up about the emotional experience of welcoming her daughter Kelsey Lee in November last year when she was born five weeks premature

Explaining she was holding onto her sportsman beau's hand very tight, Kyly said: 'And then I heard her cry. I've never actually cried the way I cried when I heard her cry.

'It was a combination of relief and realising it had all come true.'

Kyly and husband Michael welcomed their first child Kelsey in November last year.

And ever since then, brunette beauty Kyly has made no secret that she is treasuring motherhood.

Emotional: Speaking to Who magazine, the 34-year-old wife of Australian cricket star Michael Clarke revealed she broke down into tears when she heard Kelsey's first cry in the hospital

'You changed my whole world!': On Wednesday Kyly shared a heart-warming picture of Kelsey Lee's tiny foot to Instagram as she gushed over the newborn, saying: 'feel so blessed to have you in our lives'

On Wednesday she couldn't help but gush over her daughter once more as she shared a touching tribute about motherhood for her own mother's birthday.

Posting an image of newborn Kelsey Lee's tiny foot in a heart-warming black and white snap, the WAG penned in an accompanying caption: 'You changed my whole world!'

The True To You author went on to detail how her life has changed for the better since she and husband, former cricketer Michael Clarke welcomed her into the world.

Cute couple: Kyly and Michael were together for 18 months before they married in 2012

'I can't thank you enough for the most wonderful gift you have given me! I love you Bella & feel so blessed to have you in our lives,' she went on.

However, Kyly then articulated that the appreciative post to Kelsey was actually an ode to motherhood, dedicated to her own mother in celebration of her birthday.

'I now know just how much my Mother loves me, and you have showed me that,' she proudly gushed.

'My little angel Kelsey Lee': Kyly recently launched her debut novel titled True To You, which she dedicated to Kelsey

'The 16th a special number, and today it's a GRAND AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU MY MADRE,' she wrote, also adding the hashtag 'all the love I have.'

Kyly recently launched her debut novel titled True To You, which she dedicated to Kelsey.

Taking to Instagram on Friday morning, she posted two sweet snaps of her first born with her new book.

'True to You was made with so much heart & love and I dedicated it to my little angel Kelsey Lee!!' she wrote in the caption.

'My Bella gets the first copy & I'm so very excited to say I finally get to see my first ever published book,' she added.

Family time: Michael shared a doting shot of his daughter on Saturday as the family-of-three kicked back in the balmy climes on Sydney Harbour

Doting: Michael took to his social media sites to share doting pictures of his adoring family on Saturday, with one simply captioned, Chilling with my girls ... got to love days like today

Last month fresh details about the 'mind-enhancing' novel emerged, with publishers describing the work, titled True To You, as 'a collection of mantras, quotes and wisdom'.

Kyly and husband Michael regularly gush over their daughter on social media, with Michael sharing a doting shot of his daughter on Saturday as the family-of-three kicked back in Sydney Harbour.

Sharing a heart-warming picture of his adoring family enjoying a trip along the picturesque shores, he captioned the shot: Chilling with my girls @kylyclarke got to love days like today.

Kyly and Michael were together for 18 months before they married in 2012.
Lily Aldridge showed just why she's one of the world's most beautiful women, even on days when she's not really trying.

The Victoria's Secret model looked simply divine on Tuesday in LA, stepping out in a pair of tiny Daisy Dukes with frayed hems and a sleeveless white top.

The ensemble showcased the 30-year-old's long lean limbs and flawless physique as she headed for a pampering session at a skin care spa in West Hollywood.

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Flawless: Lily Aldridge showed why she's one of Victoria's Secret's top Angels as she rocked a pair of tiny denim shorts and a sleeveless top in LA on Tuesday

The brunette mother-of-one left her gorgeous sleek long hair loose and completed her look with a pair of taupe ankle boots.

She also wore a thick gold band around her neck and accessorized with oversize sunglasses and an animal print purse.

Lily was clearly happy to be back in the LA sunshine after spending time in New York last week promoting the Victoria's Secret Swim Special.

Stepped out: The model, 30, emphasized her long lean legs with a pair of taupe ankle boots

Angelic: The brunette beauty carried an animal print purse and left her glossy locks loose as she headed to a skin care salon for a little pampering

The model made a show-stopping appearance at a special Victoria's Secret viewing party last Wednesday when she showed up in a stunning red dress with strategically placed cut-outs that showcased her fabulous figure in all its glory.

The second annual Victoria's Secret Swim Special went behind the scenes of the glamorous St. Barths swimsuit collection photo shoots starring the famous Angels.

Lily is married to musician and Kings Of Leon frontman Caleb Followill with whom she has a three-year-old daughter Dixie Pearl.
He revealed he was gay two years ago in an interview with British talk show host Michael Parkinson.

And in the latest edition of Star Observer magazine former Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe spoke out about the 'responsibility' he now feels towards others struggling to come to terms with their sexuality.

'There's an opportunity and a good responsibility I feel for young people who may be struggling with sexuality and to make it a more equitable place for us all,' the 33-year-old athlete said.

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Lending a helping hand: Former Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe has spoken out about the 'responsibility' he now feels towards others struggling to come to terms with their sexuality

'I feel like I have something to offer and I like helping out young people. I feel as though there's a role for me to help out.'

The gold medallist went on to explain he never felt 'ready' to come out to the public earlier and insists individuals in the same boat must surround themselves with a support group.

Ian's comments comes three weeks after he revealed people started to question his sexuality when he was 16-years-old.

Role model: The 33-year-old made his comments after revealing fans questioned his sexuality from the age of 16

But due to his successful swimming he explained he found it difficult to comprehend he was gay while the world had their eyes set on him.

'I guess I thought of everything I'd want in my life, a family, and things like that.

'I was so young, I was trying to be everything for everyone and not having the confidence to just be myself,' he told the Daily Telegraph last month.

Ian, who had struggled with alcohol abuse and depression, announced he was in a 'great relationship' with model and law student Ryan Channing, 26, on Valentines Day.

A close friend of the pair confirmed the coupling to the Courier Mail, revealing: 'While it is early days in relationship terms, they are smitten with one another.'

Hard times: Ian's comments comes three weeks after he revealed people started to question his sexuality when he was 16-years-old but his successful swimming career made it difficult to comprehend he was gay

The pair attended their first Sydney Mardi Gra parade together earlier this month.

As Australia's most successful Olympian, Ian achieved fame at the tender age of 15 and has been in the public's eye ever since.

In his 2012 autobiography, This Is Me, he revealed he was suffering 'crippling depression', and had considered suicide.

He attributed his wanting to previously deny his sexuality to the fact he was hounded about it from a young age and that it was done in an almost accusatory manner.

Letting it out: After years of speculation he publicly came out in 2014 in an interview with veteran British broadcaster Michael

'That was the problem,' he said. 'I was asked when I was far too young and then my response was "Im not".'

He publicly came out in 2014 in an interview with veteran British broadcaster Michael who asked: 'You've always said that you're not gay. Is all of that true?'

'I've thought about this for a long time,' Ian replied.

'I'm not straight. And this is only something that very recently - in the past two weeks - I've been comfortable telling the closest people around me exactly that.'
Horizon: The Immortalist

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Do you watch sci-fi movies and think they are documentaries? Would you like to marry a machine? Are you happy to have your brain deep-frozen while you are still healthy?

If you answered yes to all these questions, congratulations! You are officially a scientist, entitled to wear a white lab-coat and be addressed as professor. For extra credibility, you should grow a giant moustache and never comb your hair.

This comic-book notion of scientists proved completely accurate on Horizon: The Immortalist (BBC2). A parade of fantasists, charlatans, nerds and plain weirdos outlined their plans to live for ever, which ranged from the creepy to the murderous.

One deeply disturbed chap wants to die by pumping his brain full of freezing glue, in the hope that 100 years from now medics will ungum it, reactivate it and pop it in a cyborg. Lets not be scared of injecting somebody with a completely deadly poison, he urged.

Do you watch sci-fi movies and think they are documentaries? Would you like to marry a machine? Are you happy to have your brain deep-frozen while you are still healthy? If you answered yes, congratulations! You are officially a scientist, says Christopher Stevens

Another idiot with an IQ of 200 attempted to prove, with the aid of equations scrawled in chalk on Tarmac, that the brain is a computer and within a few decades well be able to upload all our emotions and memories to our phones.

This technology would enable him to live for ever, he enthused, and accomplish all his puerile dreams of being an astronaut, a mountaineer, a musician and a writer.

What he didnt seem to appreciate was that, if he lived long enough, he would eventually grow up.

These people were not parodies, like the Peter Sellers character Dr Strangelove. They were senior scientists at some of the most prestigious universities in the world, brought together by a Russian internet billionaire named Dmitry Itskov, whose goal is to enable humanity to escape Planet Earth by uploading all our brains on to microchips and firing them into space.

What Dmitry forgets is that digital technology evolves so fast that his databases will be obsolete long before his spaceships reach another solar system. The entire human race will be reduced to so many megabytes of electronic junk, like lost files on floppy discs.

But his third-rate science-fiction ambitions were wholesome compared with the plans of Japanese roboteer Hiroshi Ishiguro. Aged 52, with the unnaturally dark hair and sharp cheekbones of an ageing rock star, Ishiguro was building an android that looked like a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

BARE CHEST OF THE NIGHT After he was slashed with a razor by a fleeing suspect in Grantchester (ITV), the Reverend Sidney Chambers (James Norton) had his wound dressed by a comely widow. Take your shirt off, she smiled. As if James ever needs an invitation to do that. Advertisement

Her name was Erica, and the prof fantasised about the day his mind would be installed within her body. Until that was possible, he got his kicks from abusing her: Youre no beauty, he told her nastily, and grinned when her programs made her pout and sigh.

Ishiguro made my skin crawl, but the Horizon voiceover went into raptures over this thinker of seemingly impossible thoughts.

To distract viewers from how unrealistic and fetid it all was, the scientists and their labs were filmed in soft focus, with blurred backlights and beams of blue lasers, through prisms, distorted lenses and cloudy reflections. It was, quite literally, smoke and mirrors.

It must be plain to all but the terminally deluded that anyone selling eternal youth is a fraud. Its Dmitrys look-out if thats how he wants to waste his billions, but the Beeb certainly should not be buying.

Shop Well . . . For Less?

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The Garrett family on Shop Well . . . For Less? (BBC1) were throwing their money away as if it was infected. On a Saturday trip to the shopping centre, they couldnt spend it fast enough.

If youve seen that footage of Michael Jackson shopping in Harrods, the Garretts were like that: Ill have this . . . and that . . . and two of those. Back at the car park, they couldnt remember all theyd bought: dad Rob even forgot about his biggest purchase, a new watch.

The concept is that presenters Steph McGovern and Alex Jones help families to trim their budgets by buying supermarket own-brands and High Street labels, instead of designer goods.
Instagram star Kurt Coleman has hit back at a Sydney-based teacher who labelled him 'self-obsessed' and a 'narcissist' following his recent television appearance on ABC2's Hack Live: Body Obsession.

Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, the 19-year-old said he was shocked to discover the series of events after he received multiple videos which showed the private school teacher blast him in front of year 10, 11 and team students.

According to a source, the topic was brought up by the staff member during a sex education class, where they discussed 'positive body image'.

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'It's funny to see it come from someone of authority': Kurt Coleman has hit back at a Sydney teacher who labelled him 'self-obsessed' following his recent TV appearance on ABC2's Hack Live: Body Obsession

In the video the unidentified teacher said: 'I felt really sad because I thought what a waste, all these amazing beautiful young people who could be changing the world or doing something truly extraordinary instead of taking selfies of themselves all the time. Like what is that.'

'He has so many pictures on his phone of himself. So this isn't even about enjoying someone else's body...he is just actually really into himself,' she continued.

'Did anyone find him attractive?' she went on to ask the crowd, before adding: 'He is orange. He is a human being but how do you get that orange?

'He has an incredible level of narcissist and it was quiet remarkable the obsession itself.'

Being frank: Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia the 19-year-old said he was shocked after receiving multiple videos which showed the private school teacher hitting out at him in front of year 10, 11 and team students

Kurt explained to Daily Mail Australia that he found the comments funny because it would have been something he'd 'expect off a 13-year-old person...not someone of age and authority.'

'It is pretty unprofessional. Aren't you meant to lift your students and teach them not to judge anyone,' he questioned.

'She obviously doesn't understand my message and I am fine that she has those thoughts but do you have to broadcast it in-front of the whole school. To me that is unprofessional.'

He went on to add: 'They [teachers] are literally raising kids and now they are teaching them to say "oh they are orange, do you think they are attractive" when in reality your looks don't matter.

Not impressed: In the video the unidentified teacher said: 'I felt really sad because I thought what a waste, all these amazing beautiful young people who could be changing the world instead of taking selfies of themselves all the time'

'How does that have anything to do with the curriculum?'

The Gold Coast-based star explained his message is to teach people of every age and gender to 'love themselves'.

'My message is always love yourself and that it isn't all about what you look like and not about what you have.

'It is just about the person you are and you should always love the person you are because we are all different,' he finished.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the Catholic Education Department for comment.

Following the incident Kurt paid a visit to the school where he was praised and greeted by hundreds of students.

'My message is always love yourself': Kurt explained to Daily Mail Australia that he found the comments funny because it would have been something he'd 'expect off a 13 year old person'

Numerous pupils who had witnessed the series of events explained to the Queenslander that it 'went off' and that they were 'shocked' by what had happened.

In videos obtained by Daily Mail Australia the crowds of teenagers approached Kurt for a hug and photo while he spoke about his gratitude towards them standing up for him.

Following his appearance at the school in Sydney, students took to social media to apologise, with one posting: '@KurtColeman sincerely apologises for the girl speaking. We stood up for you though x' [sic]

During his appearance on the ABC2 program on Tuesday night with host Tom Tilley, Kurt opened up about being comfortable in his own skin.

Considering his level of confidence, it may be surprising to some that Kurt has had cosmetic procedures done to his face, including a jaw-line procedure, a chin filler and six-monthly lip injections.

He also underwent a body overhaul that saw him lose 15 kilograms.
Speculation is rife that he's dating 20-year-old model Christine Burke 'for weeks'.

However that didn't stop Scott Disick from spending some quality time with the mother of his children and former partner of nine years, Kourtney Kardashian, in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Heading out for a daytime drive in one of the self-proclaimed 'Lord's' many cars, the 36-year-old reality star and her ex, 32, appeared to be on cordial terms - with the pair even sharing sharing a joke.

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On good terms? Following his outing on Tuesday with model Christine Burke, Scott Disick spent some quality time with his former partner of nine years, Kourtney Kardashian, in Los Angeles on Wednesday

Despite the furor and speculation regarding Scott's love life, after reports have emerged that he's moved on with a model 12 years his junior, the exes looked to be enjoying their day out together.

Zipping around the sunny streets of Calabalas - where the pair shared a home - in Scott's Rolls Royce the former flames looked relaxed and at ease in each others company.

And clearly happy to let Scott do the driving, Kourtney relaxed and reclined in the car's passenger seat - tapping away on her mobile phone as she laughed and giggled.

But while the eldest of Kris Jenner's daughters looked to be in high spirits, Scott seemed in a slightly more sober mood, and barely cracked a smile as he drove along.

See more of the latest on Kourtney Kardashian as she enjoys a day out with Scott Disick

In high spirits: Heading out for a daytime drive in one of self-proclaimed 'Lord's' many cars, the 36-year-old reality star and her ex, 32, appeared to be on cordial terms - with the pair even sharing sharing a joke

Although the reality star's surly mood was only skin-deep, as Kourtney posted a series of fun-filled clips to her new Snapchat account, showing the bearded party boy laughing and smiling.

For their outing around the luxurious Californian enclave Kourtney opted for a relaxed look, wearing a denim shirt and tying her long dark hair up in a messy bun.

And - perhaps proving a point - the Kourtney and Khloe Take The Hamptons star wore a naturally toned pallette of make-up, subtly defining her eyes with a lashing of liner and drawing focus to her lips with a dewy application of pink lip gloss.

Scott meanwhile sported his own signature laid-back look, dressed in a casual ensemble, whilst his beard appeared bushy and longer than in previous outings.

Taking it in her stride: Despite the furor and speculation regarding Scott's love life, after reports have emerged that he's moved on with a model 12 years his junior, the exes looked to be enjoying their day out together

Driving Miss Kardashian: Zipping around the sunny streets of Calabalas - where the pair shared a home - in Scott's Rolls Royce the former flames looked relaxed and at ease in each others company

With his dark locks swept off of his face, the reality TV 'bad boy' added a roguish edge to his look with a pair of Wayfarer style black shades.

Since their split in the summer, the couple who have three children -Mason, six, Penelope, three, and Reign, 15 months - have remained on good terms.

However it appears that a much talked about reconciliation is a long-way off, as Scott appeared to make a tentative public outing with rumoured new love, Christine Burke only the day before.

On Tuesday, the 'lovebirds' were both dressed casually in ripped clothes as they left upscale Italian restaurant Toscanova in the Calabasas Commons in California.

Letting him take the wheel: Clearly happy to let Scott do the driving, Kourtney relaxed and reclined in the car's passenger seat - tapping away on her mobile phone as she laughed and giggled

Relax Scott: Although the reality star's surly mood was only skin-deep, as Kourtney posted a series of fun-filled clips to her new Snapchat account, showing the bearded party boy laughing and smiling

Burke - who bares a striking resemblance to Kourtney's half-sister Kendall - was dressed in black Daisy Dukes, a vintage Rolling Stones tee-shirt and black ankle boots that had thick heels.

Scott cut a chicly bedraggled figure in his ripped denim jeans and white T-shirt with roughed-up beige suede boots.

The woman walked behind Scott until they arrived at his black Bentley, with Scott taking on the role of driver as his lunch date took the passenger seat.

There was no affection between the two nor was there any physical contact at all, however, US Weekly reports that Scott and Christine have been dating 'for weeks' - with Tuesday appearing to be their first public outing together.
Radio duo Hamish Blake and Andy Lee not only work together but are undeniably best buds.

And it seems they have so much in common, that their wardrobe choices are now almost identical too.

The pair both wore blue suit jackets to the opening night of Matilda The Musical in Melbourne while their partners both wore black dresses for the evening.

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Doing a double take! Radio star Andy Lee and girlfriend Rebecca Harding (L) and Hamish Blake and wife Zoe Foster Blake (R) attended the opening night of Matilda The Musical dressed in the same colour outfits

Hamish, 34, wore a complete navy suit, featuring tailored trousers and a white shirt with a light blue patterned tie.

Andy, 34, meanwhile also wore a navy tailored jacket and a white shirt, but added a black tie and black skinny leg jeans.

Author and journalist Zoe - who is married to Hamish - cut a stylish figure in a chic little black dress, that featured a plunging neckline and a thigh split. She teamed the look with black pointed heels.

Masters of Communications graduate Rebecca, 24, who is Andy Lee's girlfriend, also wore a black dress, which featured a high neck and material choker and long sleeves.

Her dress was short and showed off her tanned pins. She teamed her look with strappy black pointed heels.

Also making an appearance on the evening was American reality star Kendra Wilkinson, who also wore a black dress. Former Neighbours star and X Factor Australia judge Natalie Bassingthwaighte also attended the star-studded opening night in a chic, black ensemble.

Hot to trot! Also making an appearance on the evening was American reality star Kendra Wilkinson (L) and former Neighbours star and X Factor Australia judge Natalie Bassingthwaighte (R)

Meanwhile, it may come as little surprise that Hamish and Andy have begun to match their clothing styles, as they work together every day on their 2DayFM drive show.

Hamish is a proud father to his one-year-old son, Sonny, with Zoe. The couple tied the knot in 2012.

Andy and Rebecca, meanwhile, went public with their relationship in January last year.

The brunette former waitress told Daily Mail Australia last month that their ten-year age difference doesn't 'at all' bother her.

Friends and colleagues! Hamish and Andy work together on their 2DayFM drive show
Her husband is currently on trial for allegedly helping a fugitive drugs baron avoid justice while on the run.

But Tamara Ecclestone refused to let the family's current legal troubles distract from her precious daughter Sophia's second birthday on Thursday.

The mother-of-one was overcome with emotion as she reserved a special social-media post to honour her first born turning another year older, gushing, 'I love you more than you will ever know'.

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'Love you more than you will ever know': Tamara Ecclestone shared an emotional tribute to her daughter Sophia on her second birthday on Thursday, amid her husband Jay Rutland's legal troubles

Tamara, 31, took to Instagram to share an especially candid picture of her newborn baby girl lying on her bare chest.

The F1 heiress was perfectly preened in the image, sporting a full face of make-up and a bouncy blowdry as she gazed down at her precious newborn.

She was keen for Sophia to have a birthday to remember in years to come as she accompanied the sweet shot with a lengthy, gushing message.

'Two years you completed me': Tamara, 31, poured her heart out in the caption which accompanied the tender shot from her child's first days

Tamara wrote: 'Two years ago today you completed me and allowed me life's biggest privilege being your mumma I am so lucky and will never ever take that for granted.

'You are the most beautiful soul such a kind clever beautiful little girl you make me smile and laugh so much every day.'

She signed off by declaring her love for her and finished with: 'Your kind heart and beautiful nature melt my heart I couldn't be more proud of you. Happy second birthday beautiful princess love you more than you will ever know your mumma xxxxx.'

Picture perfect: Sophia is Tamara and her husband's first child. The family are pictured here attending a private exhibition in February

Celebville's best-travelled tot: As the first child of the billionaire heiress, Sophia leads a life of luxury

Baby's first 'copter ride: She is pictured here in the family's helicopter last year

Doting dad: Sophia plays around her father on one of the family's 11 holidays in the past 16 months

The socialite announced the birth of her first child in a similar fashion, sharing the same image but the full colour version on the same day, two years ago.

'Welcome to the world Sophia, our beautiful baby girl, born yesterday 6lb 9oz. Proudest day of our lives, never felt love like this. X,' it was captioned.

As the first child of billionaire heiress Tamara, Sophia lives a very privileged life - enjoying 11 holidays in 16 months last year.

Pampered princess: She has already developed a penchant for being pampered, as demonstrated in this Instagram image which saw her transformed into a Frozen character

Growing up fast: Sophia rides a Shetland Pony while holidaying in one of the family's exotic vacation locations

Mummy's girl: Tamara breastfeeds her one-year-old daughter on board a flight with her husband

Meanwhile, Rutland, 35, appeared at Thames Magistrates Court, where he faced accusations of assisting 66-year-old crime king James Tarrant escape the UK in 2010 ahead of his trial for drug and gun charges, on Wednesday.

In court, the defendant stood in the dock with his hands behind his back, speaking only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

The matter was adjourned until April 6 because his co-defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, failed to appear. The prosecution is also reviewing the actual charge, the court was told.

Rutland, who is set to deny the charge, was bailed to his 70million mansion in Kensington, west London, which he shares with Miss Ecclestone and their two-year-old daughter.

The allegation against him dates back to 2010, before he met Miss Ecclestone, the daughter of Formula 1 tycoon Bernie.

According to sentencing guidelines, the former city trader would face up to seven years in jail if he is convicted.

In a statement at the time he was charged, Mr Rutland's spokesman said: 'Mr Rutland voluntarily attended a police station and assisted the police with their inquiries.

'He was later charged. He denies the charge and will defend it vigorously.'
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Rebecca Adlington has been pictured for the first time since announcing her separation from husband Harry Needs after just 18 months of marriage, with her wedding ring still on her finger.

The Olympic gold medalist was spotted leaving her local bridal boutique in Stockport, visiting the shop in order to make last minute preparations for her sister Chloe's wedding.

Rebecca, 27, made a brief pit-stop at the store on Thursday, following reports she was seeking solace in her co-star from The Jump, Dean Cain, in the wake of her marital woes.

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Stepping out: Olympic medalist Rebecca Adlington was seen leaving her local bridal boutique in Stockport... two days after announcing her separation from husband of 18 months, Harry Needs

Rebecca was dressed down for her outing, wearing a loose-fitting jumper and jeans with a fur-lined leather jacket.

The retired swimming champion wore minimal make-up and scraped her blonde hair back into a ponytail as she was seen for the first time since her split from Harry, with whom she raises nine-month-old daughter Summer.

MailOnline has contacted Rebecca's representatives for comment.

Low-key visit: The star was seen for the first time since her split from Harry, with whom she raises nine-month-old daughter Summer, and she still had her wedding ring on her finger

Putting on a brave face: Despite her recent split, Rebecca was helping her sister Chloe in the run-up to her wedding

Casual: Rebecca was dressed down for her trip, wearing a loose-fitting jumper and jeans with a fur-lined leather jacket

Dog walkers: The swimmer was seen later seen with her female friend and her daughter as they walked their dogs together

Rebecca and Harry, 24, insisted they had parted ways on 'amicable' terms in a statement released on her website on Tuesday.

It read: 'It's after much thought and sadness that we confirm our separation.

'We move forward with respect for one another and our focus and commitment is on parenting our gorgeous daughter Summer. This will be our only comment on this private matter. Becky and Harry.'

Close to her heart: Rebecca held her young daughter Summer during the walk, with the young tot wrapped up warm from the Spring chill

Dressed for the occasion: Rebecca teamed a black jacket with matching trousers and wellington boots

Walkies: Rebecca shielded herself from the blissful sunshine with stylish sunglasses while she had a firm grip on her dog Millie's pink lead

Girl talk: Rebecca tied her blonde locks up into a simple ponytail as she joined her companion for the leisurely afternoon stroll

Her husband Harry posted a message on Instagram last week which said: 'Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.'

The couple wed in Leek, Staffordshire, two years ago and have lived in Stockport with their daughter Summer ever since.

A new report claims Rebecca has turned to to Lois & Clark: The Adventures of Superman star Dean Cain as she deals with her marriage woes.

Sad split: The swimming sensation announced the news of her marital split on her website earlier this week, revealing it had been a difficult yet 'amicable' break-up

Superman to the rescue: It's been claimed that Rebecca has been turning to Lois & Clark: The Adventures of Superman star Dean Cain as she deals with her marriage woes

Close bond: Dan was seen flashing a big smile at his co-star during filming for Channel 4 show The Jump on the ski slopes of Austria earlier this year

According to The Sun, the American actor has become a close friend to the ex-Olympian after the pair starred on Channel 4s The Jump in Austria earlier this year and was pictured spending the day with the swimmer in London last week.

An insider told the publication that Dean was a shoulder to cry on when the blonde was ruled out from the show with injury, and that the pair regularly partied together whilst filming.

The 49-year-old was pictured having a meet up with the 27-year-old in London last week, with the pair being seen leaving the Charlotte Street hotel in the West End.

Bridal Alterations: The 27-year-old star was making her first public appearance since the big announcement

Shock revelation: 'It's after much thought and sadness that we confirm our separation', the popular British athlete posted on her website

Inspirational quote: Harry, 24, posted a message on Instagram last week which said: 'Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives'

Dean and Rebecca had reportedly stopped to have a coffee after enjoying a spot of shopping on London's Oxford Street.

Adlington once admitted that motherhood put a lot of strain on her marriage and that she and needs would argue regularly.

She said 'giving birth was harder than setting a world record' and added: 'Being a parent is bloody hard work and anyone who says it's easy is flat out lying.

Close friend: An insider told the publication that Dean was a shoulder to cry on when the blonde was ruled out from the show with injury, and that the pair regularly partied together whilst filming

'The team': Dean was pictured with his arm around Rebecca as they posed with the original Jump cast ahead of the latest series

Super-hero: Dean pictured as Clark Kent with co-star Teri Hatcher - who played his on-screen love interest Lois Lane - in the Superman series

'Harry and I have had plenty of arguments... We're knackered.'

The former Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here contestant controversially spent her first mothers' day away from Summer while filming The Jump in Austria, where she suffered a dislocated shoulder.

At the time of her injury, Harry was every inch the supportive husband as he tweeted: 'I really wish I could swap my shoulders for @beckadlington's so she didn't have to feel that pain.'

Just a few weeks before he was seen gushing about his wife on her birthday as he wrote, 'Happy birthday @beckadlington the best is yet to come' alongside a picture from their wedding day.

However, there was a change in tone last week when Harry posted a message on Instagram which said: 'Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.'
Kyle, 47, Kim, 51, and Kathy, 57, all grew up together in Beverly Hills under stressful circumstances.

And their sibling rivalry continues as Kim has battled addiction issues while Kathy and Kyle reportedly duke it out over their husbands' real estate squabble (it has been claimed Mauricio Umansky took clients and agents from Rick Hilton when he set up The Agency).

But on Wednesday all seemed fine between the 90210 girl squad as evidenced by a photo shared to Instagram by Kathy's daughter Paris Hilton.

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Family first: Kathy, Kim and Kyle looked like three happy sisters in this shot shared by Paris Hilton on Wednesday

The three amigos: (from left) Kathy Hilton, 57, Kim Richards, 51, and Kyle Richards, 47

Before the drama: The 90210 squad all prettied up at the QVC at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in 2012

In the image Paris is seen sitting to the far left in a striped dress with her hair down. Kim, Kathy and Kylie are standing in the background.

Also in the photo are Paris' cousins, including Whitney and Farrah.

The blonde DJ's caption read: 'Amazing evening celebrating with the #BirthdayGirl @WhittlesDavis @KathyHilton @KimRichards11 @KyleRichards18 & @FarrahBritt!'

She added: 'Love my family.'

More smiles: Paris with Kyle, Kathy and Kim doing Extra at The Grove in 2012

The tension seemed to boil over for the three sisters during Nicky Hilton's wedding in 2015. There was talk Kyle would not attend the nuptials because of the fight between her husband Mauricio and Kathy's spouse Rick.

There is also the problem of Kim, who has had some big highs and lows.

On Tuesday's Watch What Happens Live she addresses her past with host Andy Cohen. 'I'm doing great, I'm in recovery,' said Kim who wore a black dress with a white collar and matching cuffs.

Special edition: Kim made a special One-on-One appearance on Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday

Andy later asked Kim about her arrest in August 2015 for allegedly shoplifting at a Target store in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.

'It's a legal issue and I can't discuss that. Sorry,' Kim said.

Andy followed up by asking about her April 2015 arrest at the Beverly Hills Hotel for trespassing, public intoxication, resisting an officer and battery on a police officer.

'I drank that night, you know? No excuses,' Kim said.

The host: Andy Cohen thoughtfully offered condolences to Kim over the death of her ex Monty Brinson at the start of the show

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star said she had been sober for three and a half years before her relapse.

Kim said she was coping at the time with her son Chad Davis being sick, her ex-husband Monty Brinson battling cancer and co-star Lisa Rinna riding her on RHOBH over substance abuse suspicions.

Monty died of cancer aged 58 in January and Andy opened the show by offering his condolences to Kim.

Bravo show: Kim sat down with Andy for a special One-on-One interview

Kim said her relapse started when she had a glass of wine with an unidentified girlfriend about two weeks before her arrest.

That was followed by a glass of wine at her daughter Brooke's house the night of her arrest.

'I felt horribly guilty and I thought, ''I need to go home,'" Kim said.

'She only lives a block-and-a-half from the hotel, so I left and I realized, ''Oh, my God. I can't drink and drive. What have I done?'' So, I pulled into the hotel and when I pulled into the hotel I went in,' she continued.

Relapse recount: The reality star talked about her arrest at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Kim said she insisted in sitting in her usual booth despite being told they were closing soon.

'I said, ''Please, I'm staying. I don't want to drive. I'm scared.' And he said, 'No, if you don't leave, we are calling the police.' And I really thought he was joking. And he called the police, and one thing lead to another,' Kim said.

Kim said the arrest turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it lead to a 30-day stint in rehab.

Mother and daughter show: Kim said she and daughter Kimberly were excited to be on The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition

'I'm kind of relieved it happened. I needed a break,' she said.

Television worlds collided as Kim was asked by Andy about appearing with daughter Kimberly on the Lifetime reality series The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition.

The latest episode of the mother-daughter reality therapy series also aired on Tuesday with a title 'Headlines Don't Lie...'.
Her ex Scott Disick is rumoured to be dating a 20-year-old model.

And Kourtney Kardashian showed that two can play that game.

The 36-year-old reality star did not seem too bothered about the recent reports as she was spotted hanging out with Diddy's son Quincy Brown in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

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Date night: Kourtney Kardashian was spotted out with Diddy's son Quincy Brown in Los Angeles on Wednesday night

Impeccable timing: The outing comes just a day after her ex Scott Disick, 32, was spotted with 20-year-old model Christine Burke

As the father of her three children is speculated to be dating a younger woman, Kourtney has surely sent tongues wagging as the actor is 12 years her junior at only 24-years-old.

Kourtney looked fashionable as always for the date as she sported a long navy blue trenchcoat along with a pair of black leather heels.

She added a bit of racy flare to her outfit as she sported a sheer black top with matching leather trousers.

See more of the latest on Kourtney Kardashian as she is seen with Diddy's son Quincy

Dressed to impress? The 36-year-old reality star showed off her fit figure in a sexy sheer top

Getting back at him? She seemed to enjoy the company of the actor who is 12 years her junior at 24-years-old

Fashion flare: Kourtney looked stylish in a navy trenchcoat over a sheer black top with matching leather trousers and heels

Casual cool: Quincy also looked on-trend as he sported an olive-green bomber jacket over grey shirt, distressed moto jeans and black Vans shoes

Her raven-coloured locks were worn down into a braid as she sported natural, complimentary make-up on her face.

Quincy looked stylish as well as he sported an on-trend olive bomber jacket over a grey elongated shirt, distressed moto jeans and a pair if black Vans shoes.

He also sported braids as he accessorised with retro-styled specs along with gold chain and watch.

Gorgeous: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her raven-coloured locks down into a braid as she let her natural looks show with complimentary make-up including a swipe of pink lip

Good life: He is the son of son of model and actress Kim Porter and Sean Combs while his biological father is Eighties New Jack Swing singer Al B Sure! He was also named after his godfather music legend Quincy Jones

The up-and-coming star is the son of model and actress Kim Porter and Sean Combs, better known as Diddy.

He's a singer, model and actor. His biological father is Eighties New Jack Swing singer Al B Sure! And he was named after his godfather music legend Quincy Jones.

This is not the first time the pair have been spotted together as they enjoyed a dinner date together back in December.

Friendly to fans: Kourtney was spotted chatting it up with a stranger on the streets

Night out: They walked side-by-side on the streets of LA as they hung out together

The two were spotted leaving Scott's favourite restaurant, Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills at the time.

Kourtney and Quincy's latest outing came just a day after Scott appeared to make a tentative public outing with rumoured new 20-year-old love, Christine Burke only the day before.

On Tuesday, the 'lovebirds' were both dressed casually in ripped clothes as they left upscale Italian restaurant Toscanova in the Calabasas Commons in California.

Burke - who bares a striking resemblance to Kourtney's half-sister Kendall - was dressed in black Daisy Dukes, a vintage Rolling Stones tee-shirt and black ankle boots that had thick heels.

Familiar face: Kourtney and Quincy enjoyed a similar date night in December as they dined at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills at the time

Scott cut a chicly bedraggled figure in his ripped denim jeans and white T-shirt with roughed-up beige suede boots.

The woman walked behind Scott until they arrived at his black Bentley, with Scott taking on the role of driver as his lunch date took the passenger seat.

There was no affection between the two nor was there any physical contact at all, however, US Weekly reports that Scott and Christine have been dating 'for weeks' - with Tuesday appearing to be their first public outing together.

Busy night: Kourtney was also spotted with younger sister Kendall Jenner in LA on the same night

Sisterly love: Both wore very similar outfits, including black sheer tops, for the occasion

Legs eleven: The 20-year-old model sported a navy suede fringed jacket over sheer top, skinny grey jeans and black leather booties

Peek-a-boo: Kourtney's impressive physique was on full view for the outing
She recently claimed that meeting boyfriend Giovanni Pernice was 'the best thing that's ever happened to her.'

So it came as no surprise that Georgia May Foote seemed in good spirits as she cosied up to her beau at the Matalan collection launch on Thursday.

Beaming broadly, the former Coronation Street actress, 25, looked smitten as she prepared to head into the London shop.

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Loved-up: It came as no surprise that Georgia May Foote, 25, seemed in good spirits as she cosied up to her beau Giovanni Pernice, 25, at the Matalan collection launch on Thursday in London

Clad in a nude blazer and white vest, Georgia looked effortlessly chic in her low-key ensemble.

Slipping her lean legs into a pair of skinny jeans, she flashed a hint of her toned pins through the distressed fabric, adding some extra height to her frame in a pair of white patent court heels.

Keeping her accessories simple, she wore a delicate silver bracelet around her slender wrist as she grasped a small white clutch bag.

The look of love: Beaming broadly, the former Coronation Street actress, 25, looked smitten as she prepared to head into the London shop, dazzling passers-by with her pearly white smile

Two's company: Giovanni held his own on the style stakes, donning a statement green ditsy print shirt whilst layering up in a grey blazer that matched his canvas loafers

Match made in heaven: Georgia snuggled up to her beau - who she met on Strictly Come Dancing - after gushing about their relationship and posting a series of loved-up selfies

Leaving her chestnut coloured locks loose and tousled, she styled her glossy tresses in a side parting, framing her heart shaped face.

Opting for a neutral make-up palette, the brunette beauty accentuated her stunning features with a sweep of rogue on her defined cheekbones and a slick of peachy gloss on her plump pout.

Meanwhile, Giovanni also held his own on the style stakes, donning a statement green ditsy print shirt.

Layering up in a grey blazer - which matched his canvas loafers - the Strictly Come Dancing professional finished off his look with a pair of khaki jeans.

Strictly loved-up! Georgia and Giovanni only had eyes for each other at the Matalan launch

Cute couple: Georgia and Giovanni were the picture of happiness as they cosied up together

Leggy lady! Slipping her lean legs into a pair of skinny jeans, Georgia flashed a hint of her toned pins through the distressed fabric, adding some extra height to her frame in a pair of white patent court heels

Once inside the event, the loved-up couple parted briefly to mingle with the other stars in attendance, with Georgia stopping to chat with former Made In Chelsea star Ashley James who cut a striking figure in a purple lace gown.

Last week, the pair confirmed they were still going strong as they shared a sweet selfie that saw them cuddled up together.

And Georgia recently told The Daily Mirror that the professional dancer couldn't be happier with the Italian heartthrob, 25, following her split from ex-boyfriend Sean Ward.

Brunette beauty: Leaving her chestnut coloured locks loose and tousled, she styled her glossy tresses in a side parting, framing her heart shaped face which bore a neutral make-up palette

Glitz and glamour: Keeping her accessories simple, she wore a delicate silver bracelet around her slender wrist as she grasped a small white clutch bag with her perfectly manicured fingers

Cute couple: Last week, the pair confirmed they were still going strong as they shared a sweet selfie that saw them cuddled up together and resting on each other's shoulders as they smouldered down the lens

'Gio is my best friend and he has helped me through a lot. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me,' she gushed.

The model revealed she has already struck up quite the bond with the choreographer's parents and speaks to them regularly.

'I've been in contact with them a lot and they are lovely. He's met my parents too,' she dished.

Georgia also admitted that she is also happy doting on her man and is a whiz around the house.

'I love cooking for him. He does wash pots and help out. I like being housewifey. I always have really. I like quiet nights in,' she enthused.

Purple reign! Once inside the event, Georgia stopped to chat with former Made In Chelsea star Ashley James who cut a striking figure in a purple lace gown that hugged her hourglass frame

Monochrome magic: Ashley Roberts dazzled in a black printed skirt with matching jacket whilst TOWIE star Georgia Kousoulou opted to wear all white with a black satin bomber jacket

Tan-tastic: TOWIE star Lydia Bright put on a chic display in a tasseled white top with a camel coat
When most people have a big one on the town they usually wake up and regrettably hear drumming in their heads.

But when Kourtney Kardashian does it, she wakes up so that she can create the sound of drumming in her head.

The 36-year-old star took Penelope and Reign to music class on Thursday morning in Beverly Hills, California.

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Ready to go: Kourney Kardashian made a stylish exit in Beverly Hills, California, with daughter Penelope on Thursday morning

Clearly hoping her little ones with follow in their uncle Kanye West's footsteps, the star took her two youngest to hone their musical skills.

Three-year-old Penelope seems to have already found her favourite instrument - the guitar.

Kourtney SnapChatted the little girl doing her best to pluck and strum the strings of an acoustic guitar with her baby brother helping - and hindering - her.

Despite the guitar being a little out of the 15-month-old's league at this stage, Reign is showing great promise with percussion instruments.

See Kourtney Kardashian updates as she takes Penelope and Reign to music class

Learning time: The 36-year-old took her three-year-old daughter and son Reign to music class

Little Miss Independent: At first Penelope wanted to walk by herself to the car and refused to even hold her mom's hand

New talent: Penelope seems to have already found her favourite instrument - the guitar - with her mom SnapChatting her strumming away

Smash it: Despite the guitar being a little out of the 15-month-old's league at this stage, Reign is showing great promise with percussion instruments

While it may be most parents' worst nightmare, the little boy was encouraged to bang away on a drum skin.

After their lesson, the trio headed to the Beverly Hills Hotel where they enjoyed a healthy but fancy snack.

Not only was Kourtney up early and ready to face the not-so-soothing sounds of toddlers playing instruments, she was also putting her best foot forward in terms of style.

Big day: After their lesson, the trio headed to the Beverly Hills Hotel where they enjoyed a snack and posed up for a very cute photograph

Perfectly polished: Not only was Kourtney up early and ready to face the not-so-soothing sounds of toddlers playing instruments, she was also putting her best foot forward in terms of style

Red hot: The 36-year-old stepped out a sports luxe-inspired look wearing a pair of bright red trousers with black stripes down each leg and a tight black tank tucked into the waist band

The 36-year-old stepped out a sports luxe-inspired look wearing a pair of bright red Zadig & Voltaire trousers with black stripes down each leg and a tight black tank tucked into the waist band.

The pants highlighted her slender and toned shape, something she joked on SnapChat she gets by doing unusual squats.

The star got pal Jonathan Cheban to film her as she did squats on her outfit - heels included - while wearing shape wear underpants.

Shinning bright: The star ported a bejewelled pale pink handbag and popped her daughter on her hip

New move: The pants highlighted her slender and toned shape, something she joked on SnapChat she gets by doing unusual squats

Wacky workout: The star got pal Jonathan Cheban to film her as she did squats on her outfit - heels included - while wearing shape wear underpants

Kourtney managed to hold her squats perfectly in heels and not crease up her pants.

The star accessorized the pant look with a pair of suede pumps, simple black frames and a bejewelled pale pink handbag.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her hair braided back in a no-fuss plait with a centre part.

Pro: Kourtney managed to hold her squats perfectly in heels and not crease up her pants

Simple look: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her hair braided back in a no-fuss plait with a centre part

Added extras: The reality star wore simple black framed sunglasses and some gold jewellery

She had worn her hair in a similar style the night before as she headed out with Diddy's son Quincy Coombs.

The 36-year-old reality star and the 24-year-old actor grabbed a bite before heading to a Downtown Los Angeles studio where they met up with Kendall Jenner.

Last year, Kourtney and Quincy caused a few tongues to wag after they were spotted out together, but at the time she was linked to another much-younger man, Justin Bieber.

Lights, camera, action: Kourtney was also seen filming for Keeping Up With The Kardashians with Jonathan Cheban

Great to see you: The star gave Kim's best friend a big hug as they said their goodbyes

Former flame: Meanwhile Kourtney's ex Scott Disick was seen having lunch in Calabasas that same day

Quincy - who recently starred in indie smash Dope - is Diddy's adopted son and his mother is model Kimberly Porter.

Quincy - who is named for his godfather Quincy Jones - has music in his blood as his biological father is RNB performer Al B. Sure!

Kourtney and Quincy's latest outing came just a day after Scott was seen out with rumoured new 20-year-old love, Christine Burke only the day before.
Sharon Stone just does not seem to age.

When dining out with friends at The Palms in Beverly Hills on Wednesday evening, the 59-year-old actress looked wrinkle free.

And the Basic Instinct vet also showed managed to off her trim figure in a curve-hugging silky dress.

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What's her secret? Sharon Stone just does not seem to age. When dining out with friends at the Palms in Beverly Hills on Wednesday evening, the 59-year-old actress looked wrinkle free

A good look: The Casino star added a long sapphire blue scarf for a splash of color as well as a gold and green necklace

The Casino star added a long sapphire blue scarf for a splash of color as well as a gold and green necklace.

On her feet were a pair of turquoise sandals that looked like they'd be at home in Rio.

Pink framed sunglasses added even more depth to her fun look.

The Sliver star was seen laughing it up with a gentleman who wore a black shirt and prescription glasses.

The joke must have been good: The Sliver star was seen laughing it up with a gentleman who wore a black shirt and prescription glasses

The day before the Total Recall vet was seen arriving into LA from Utah, where she is making a movie.

Stone decided to wear a feathered pullover.

The Vogue cover darling looked eager to get back to her nest in posh Beverly Hills as she sauntered through the bustling arrival lounge at LAX.

Plume with a view: Sharon Stone looked great in a feather sweater at an airport in Los Angeles on Sunday

The leggy former model showed off a body many half her age would be proud of in her black woollen jumper, tight blue jeans and cowboy boots.

Sharon rounded off her look with a trendy pair black sunglasses, while she also wore her short blonde hair in a trendy side parting.

The Quick And The Dead star seemed in high spirits after her arrival, and wore a wide smile as she mingled with the other passengers at the busy transport hub.

Big bird: The statuesque actress looked relieved after flying back to Los Angeles

Single Sharon has said her six-year marriage to former San Francisco Chronicle executive editor Phil Bronstein is one of the reasons she has stayed unmarried since their divorce back in 2004.

The actress said: 'Marriage was kind of a losing proposition for me.' The Agent X star was also wed to MacGyver producer Michael Greenburg from 1984 to 1990.

The two also had a custody battle in 2003 over their adopted son Roan, who is now 15-years-old.

After her split, the Sphere actress adopted Laird, 10, and Quinn, nine, on her own.

Squawk-ing to her car: Sharon was turning heads as she sauntered through the bustling transport hub
US court OKs second execution attempt for convicted murder

A US court ruled Wednesday that a convicted murderer should face the death chamber a second time, after the state's first attempt was called off because technicians couldn't find a suitable vein for the lethal drugs.

Romell Broom, who is convicted of raping and murdering a teenage girl in 1984, was stuck with needles at least 18 times over two hours on September 15, 2009 at the prison in Ohio.

The medical technicians assisting in the execution were unable to find a vein suitable for the catheter required to allow the lethal drugs to flow into the body.

The US has seen several botched executions since January 2014, all involving lethal injection Paul Buck (AFP/File)

The repeated attempts caused "a great deal of pain" for Broom, who "covered his eyes and began to cry," court documents said. The execution was then called off.

In the 4-3 ruling handed down Wednesday, the Ohio Supreme Court said the original execution never commenced "because the lethal-injection drugs were never introduced into the IV lines."

"Because Brooms life was never at risk since the drugs were not introduced ... we do not believe that it would shock the public's conscience to allow the state to carry out Brooms execution," Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger wrote in the majority opinion.

In a dissent, Justice William O'Neill said the first attempt to execute Broom "chills me to the core."

"It is not only the rights of the defendant that are in play here. There are state employees who have tragically endured the personal trauma of unsuccessfully attempting to execute a fellow human being," he wrote. "And now we, as a society, are telling them, 'Do it again.'"

A new execution date has not been scheduled.

Broom has appeals pending in federal court, The Plain Dealer newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio reported.

In the US, 31 states allow the death penalty, though the 8th Amendment to the Constitution bars "cruel and unusual punishment."

The US has seen several botched executions since January 2014, all involving lethal injection.
Russia to finish Syria pullout in '2-3 days': general

Russia will complete the withdrawal of the bulk of its forces from Syria before the end of the week, a top Russian general suggested in an interview published Thursday.

"I think this will be over very quickly. Within the timeframe determined by (the president) and the defence minister. Today or tomorrow... within two-three days we will complete the task," Viktor Bondarev, the commander of the Russian Air Force, told Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

The interview was published in the newspaper Thursday but put online late Wednesday. It was not clear precisely when the general made his remarks.

An Su-25 warplane lands at an airbase in Russia's Krasnodar region as part of the withdrawal of Moscow's armed forces from Syria Sergei Venyavsky (AFP/File)

Russian planes have been flying back home from Syria since Tuesday after President Vladimir Putin gave the surprise order to pull out most of Moscow's forces in the war-torn country.

Russia is set to keep its air base near Latakia in Syria and the Tartus naval facility and it remains unclear what sort of presence exactly Moscow will leave behind.

Bondarev said that along with warplanes, Russia will pull out helicopters by loading them onto cargo planes.

Russia had been carrying out a campaign to bomb "terrorist" targets in Syria since September 30 in a campaign Western powers said mainly went after rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces to bolster his regime.

Bondarev said that between 500 and 700 people who participated in Moscow's airstrike campaign in Syria are set to receive medals.
Cambodia PM Hun Sen denies buying up Facebook 'likes'

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen denied buying fake "likes" for a Facebook page Thursday, as the country's rival politicians increasingly battle for social media acclaim.

A self-confessed digital dinosaur, 63-year-old Hun Sen has recently taken to the web with gusto, posting daily Facebook updates and debuting a tailored app featuring news about his everyday life.

The strongman's Facebook page, minted in September, has already garnered 3.2 million "likes", becoming one of the country's fastest-growing and most popular pages.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook page has garnered 3.2 million "likes" Lionel Bonaventure (AFP/File)

But his political rival, self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy, has now accused the premier of hiring foreigners to create fake Facebook accounts to artificially boost his page's popularity.

The allegation came after the English daily Phnom Penh Post reported that nearly half of Hun Sen's thumbs of approval came from accounts based outside the country, mostly from India.

Rainsy's page has fewer overall "likes" at nearly 2.3 million but more come from inside Cambodia, according to the report.

Hun Sen batted away the allegations Thursday while he was speaking at a university graduation ceremony in the capital Phnom Penh.

"I don't know where those 'likes' are from," he said, calling Rainsy a "loser who doesn't agree to lose".

"If I could buy India, I must be really strong. But I am just happy that I, Hun Sen, have been recognised by Indian people and people in other countries as the Prime Minister of Cambodia," he added.

Analysts say the premier's new but voluminous social media habits are an effort to woo young voters as he seeks to extend his more than 30-year grip on power ahead of local elections next year and a national poll in 2018.

"This is yet another sign Hun Sen is desperately trying to halt his waning popularity," Cambodian political analyst Ou Virak told AFP, adding that both Hun Sen and Rainsy have been spending money to advertise their pages.

Rainsy, who lives abroad to avoid arrest warrants he says are politically motivated, has long embraced social media to spread his message to young voters.

A 2013 election saw young Cambodians vote in droves for his Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), wearied by the endemic corruption, rights abuses and political repression seen as the hallmarks of Hun Sen's rule.

The party says it was denied a majority in the election by vote rigging.
Scans of Tutankhamun tomb show '90% chance' of hidden chambers

Radar scans of the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun in the ancient necropolis of Luxor showed a "90 percent" chance of two hidden chambers, possibly containing organic material, Egypt's antiquities minister said Thursday.

Experts had scanned the tomb to find what a British archaeologist believes could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary beauty and wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found.

Preliminary scans of Tutankhamun's tomb reveal "two hidden rooms behind the burial chamber" of the boy king, Antiquities Minister Mamduh al-Damati told reporters.

Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun died aged 19 in 1324 BC after just nine years on the throne Soeren Stache (DPA/AFP)

"Yes, we have some empty space, but not total empty, including some organic and metal material," Damati said in English.

When asked how certain he was, he said there was a "90 percent" chance.

A study by renowned British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves has said that Nefertiti's tomb could be in a secret chamber adjoining Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings in Luxor in southern Egypt.

Reeves, professor of archaeology at the University of Arizona, believes one door of Tutankhamun's tomb could conceal the burial place of Nefertiti.

According to him, Tutankhamun, who died unexpectedly, was buried hurriedly in an underground chamber probably not intended for him.

- New test planned -

His death would have forced priests to reopen Nefertiti's tomb 10 years after her death because the young pharaoh's own mausoleum had not yet been built.

Damati said the two hidden chambers were behind the northern and the western walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber.

"What it means, we have two extensions" behind Tutankhamun's burial chamber, he said.

When asked if the organic material could be a mummy, Damati said: "I cannot say. I can only say we have here some organic materials."

Damati and Reeves differ on whose mummy they expect to find, with the minister previously saying that Tutankhamun's tomb may contain the mummy of Kiya, a wife of Akhenaten.

On Thursday, he said a new radar test would be conducted on March 31.

"Another radar, more improved, will check and measure for the dimensions of the wall behind and the thickness of the walls," Damati said, adding that the result of the new test would be announced in Luxor on April 1.

Nefertiti played a major political and religious role in the 14th century BC.

She actively supported her husband Akhenaten -- Tutankhamun's father -- who temporarily converted ancient Egypt to monotheism by imposing the cult of sun god Aton.

Tutankhamun died aged 19 in 1324 BC after just nine years on the throne. His final resting place was discovered by another British Egyptologist, Howard Carter, in 1922.

Experts are also scanning four pyramids to unravel the mysteries of the ancient monuments.

Using infrared technology, a team of researchers have been scanning the pyramids of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, and Khafre at Giza and the Bent and Red pyramids in Dahshur, all south of Cairo.

Operation ScanPyramids, which aims to search for hidden rooms inside those four monuments, is expected to continue until the end of 2016.

View of King Tutankhamun's burial chamber in Luxor Cris Courncle (AFP/File)
Two soldiers, three militants killed in rare N. Pakistan gunfight

Two Pakistani troops and three militants were killed in a rare firefight in the country's relatively peaceful northern areas Thursday, officials said.

The incident occurred in the Chilas district in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, a scenic tourist hub where the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain ranges converge.

"Three wanted terrorists were killed by security forces in a successful intelligence based operation," the military said in a statement.

Pakistani soldiers gather beside an army helicopter at a military hospital where victims of a helicopter crash were brought for treatment in Gilgit, northern Pakistan on May 8, 2015 Farman Karim (AFP/File)

It added: "The terrorists killed were involved in attacks on civil transport, tourists and security forces. Two security forces personnel also embraced shahadat (martyrdom) in exchange of fire."

A search operation is still underway, it added, and security forces have cordoned off the site in Gayal village.

The statement did not mention which group the militants belonged to, but the Chilas district is a known stronghold of Sunni extremist outfits such as the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

The incident came two days after military courts sentenced 13 militants to death for terrorism-related offences, including the 2013 massacre of 10 foreign mountaineers in northern Pakistan.

Gunmen dressed in police uniforms stormed the base camp at Nanga Parbat, Pakistan's second highest mountain camp, and shot dead one American who also held Chinese citizenship, two other Chinese, three Ukrainians, two Slovakians, one Lithuanian, one Nepalese and a Pakistani guide.

The attack led to a slump in foreign visitors, though the tourism industry has recovered slightly since, thanks in part to a huge rise in domestic holiday-makers.
Pricey gold samurai helmets on sale for Japanese boys

Gold and silver ornamental samurai helmets went on sale for tens of thousands of dollars at a Japanese jewellery store on Thursday ahead of an annual festival for boys.

Samurai helmets and samurai warrior figures are common decorations in Japanese homes with small boys, as the traditional armoured warriors are symbols of virility and symbolic of the wish that male children will grow up healthy and strong.

Jewellery store Tanaka in Tokyo's glitzy Ginza shopping district unveiled this year's collection of helmets featuring designs modelled on those actually worn by famous medieval warriors.

Samurai helmets are common decorations in Japanese homes with small boys Kazuhiro Nogi (AFP)

They are made with up to 430 grams (15 ounces) of gold each, worth as much as six million yen ($53,700), and besides their beauty are well suited as an investment asset, Tanaka said.

Despite being called Children's Day, the May 5 holiday is a seasonal family event to pray for a healthy life for boys, and follows Girls' Day on March 3 focused on traditional dolls.

Famous samurai remain popular in Japan and are often featured in historical television dramas and movies.

They often had original helmet designs to identify themselves, often with characteristics such as dear antlers or figures of a crescent moon.

Tanaka's collection on sale at its outlets nationwide features helmets of five iconic medieval warriors, including Tokugawa Ieyasu, a legendary shogun, or military ruler, who put Japan on a roughly 250-year period of peace after ending a period of intense internecine fighting.
Syria talks turn to substance as Kurds declare federal region

The UN's envoy for Syria said he held "substantive" talks with the country's opposition Thursday on forging a unity government, but the fragile peace negotiations faced fresh hurdles after Syria's Kurds declared a federal region under their control.

United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura said his talks in Geneva with the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) included clear proposals on a political transition to lead Syria out of more than five-years of brutal conflict.

"We were impressed by the depth of the preparation they had," de Mistura told reporters following his HNC meet.

A fighter from the Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG) walks between sandbags on the front line in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakeh on September 4, 2015 Delil Souleiman (AFP/File)

A key question in the talks will be how representatives of the Damascus government respond, including to the HNC's unwavering demand that President Bashar al-Assad leave power before a transitional government is agreed.

Thursday's Kurdish declaration -- aimed at setting up a "federal system" unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces -- risked further complicating the negotiations, from which the Kurds have been excluded.

The federalism call made by more than 150 delegates meeting in the Syrian town of Rmeilan was immediately rejected by Damascus and the main opposition.

The regime charged the move would "encroach on Syria's territorial unity", while the HNC slammed it as "a misadventure (that) is detrimental to the Kurdish cause and the Syrian cause in general."

Speaking before Kurdish leaders made the announcement, de Mistura branded the federalism push as possibly "dangerous".

The Kurds control more than 10 percent of Syria's territory and three-quarters of its border with Turkey, and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) are considered one of the most effective forces fighting the Islamic State group (IS).

The US declared Thursday that IS's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.

- Willing partner? -

The Kurds have been blocked from joining the peace talks due to harsh opposition from Turkey, which considers the YPG a Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.

The latest round of UN-mediated talks aimed at ending Syria's tangled war, which has killed more than 270,000 people, have been taking place since Monday.

Observers agree the atmosphere this time around has been more constructive than during multiple previous failed peace efforts, largely thanks to a partial ceasefire introduced on February 27 that remains broadly in place.

HNC delegate Georges Sabra said his side had presented a "formal proposal" outlining the specific powers of a transitional government.

Asked if she felt the regime was a willing negotiating partner, HNC spokesman Bassma Kodmani told reporters "this is for the UN," to decide.

"The partner on our side is there. The international community recognises (that)," she said.

A US official agreed, telling AFP in an email that the HNC "are taking this seriously."

De Mistura is due to meet Assad's representatives again on Friday.

- Russian withdrawal? -

Russia's surprise decision this week to withdraw most of its forces from Syria, where they had been fighting in support of Assad, fuelled cautious hope that the talks could make progress.

Western governments suggested that the pullout, expected to be completed by the end of the week, could pressure Assad to negotiate an end to the fighting.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country could ramp up its presence again if needed "within several hours".

Moscow is set to maintain its air base and a naval facility in Syria and Putin indicated that Russia's drawdown would not significantly change the balance of forces in Syria.

"In terms of finding a political solution, the question is to what degree are the Russians prepared to move the regime towards something that would be minimally acceptable to the opposition," the US official said.

Meanwhile, with the ceasefire broadly holding, a UN-backed taskforce working to deliver aid to besieged Syrians submitted a plan to the regime that would allow life-saving supplies to reach over a million people by the end of April.

Crucial to the plan's success was whether Damascus would grant humanitarian workers access to all areas besieged by government troops, taskforce chief Jan Egeland said.

The Kurdish population in Iraq and Syria Philippe MOUCHE, Laurence SAUBADU, Simon MALFATTO (AFP)

Amer al-Halloush (C), a member of of the Syrian Democratic Council, the political branch of a Kurdish-Arab fighting force, pictured following a meeting in Rmeilan in northeast Syria's Hasakeh province, on March 16, 2016 Delil Souleiman (AFP)

UN mediator Staffan de Mistura arrives for a meeting with the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) during Syria peace talks at the UN in Geneva, on March 17, 2016 Denis Balibouse (Pool/AFP)

Russian air force pilots walk on the tarmac upon their arrival from Syria at an airbase in southern Russia's Krasnodar region, on March 16, 2016 Sergei Venyavsky (AFP)
Protesters mark one year since mob killing of Afghan woman

Wearing masks bearing an impression of her bloodied face, dozens of Afghans protested in Kabul Thursday to demand justice for a woman savagely killed a year ago after being falsely accused of blasphemy.

The mob killing of the 27-year-old woman known as Farkhunda in broad daylight last March triggered angry nationwide protests and drew global attention to the treatment of Afghan women.

Protesters, some with fake blood on their faces, chanted "Justice for Farkhunda!" on the banks of Kabul River where the frenzied mob turned on her.

Afghan activists protest in Kabul on March 17, 2016, demanding justice for a woman savagely killed after being falsely accused of blasphemy Shah Marai (AFP)

"The murder of Farkhunda touched us all. It was an unforgettable crime against humanity," Laila Qarayi, a women rights activist.

Street plays reenacted her grisly death, symbolising public anger over a Supreme Court ruling last week that upheld reduced sentences for the men convicted of her murder.

The court vacated the death penalty in four cases, reduced prison terms to 20 years in three others and 10 years in the fourth.

It also cut the sentences of nine other defendants.

"It is a matter of great shame for our political and justice systems that justice was not delivered in this case," said Kabul University lecturer Saifuddin Saihoon.

A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told AFP that the country's attorney general has been "instructed to make justice for Farkhunda his top priority and review the case".

But when contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the attorney general said they had not received instructions from the president for any review.

Farkhunda was attacked on the banks of the Kabul River after an amulet seller, whom she had reportedly castigated for peddling superstition, falsely accused her of burning a copy of the Koran.

Her case has become a symbol of the endemic violence that women face in Afghanistan, despite reforms since the hardline Taliban regime fell in 2001.
Congolese writer Mabanckou slams country's leaders as 'torturers'

A Congolese author and one of the world's best known writers in French accused the government of Congo-Brazzaville of being "torturers" on Thursday as the country prepares for a presidential election this weekend.

Alain Mabanckou -- a fierce critic of President Denis Sassou Nguesso's attempt to win a third term on Sunday -- hit out as he took the chair of the prestigious College de France in Paris.

He lambasted the authorities for snubbing his inaugural lecture Thursday -- the first time a writer has been asked to hold the artistic chair of one of France's most renowned educational establishments -- telling French radio, as long as "they remain (in the Congo) doing their culture of torture and barbarism, I will stay here (in Paris)."

Congolese author Alain Mabanckou accused the government of Congo-Brazzaville of being "torturers" as he took the chair of the prestigious College de France in Paris Joel Saget (AFP/File)

Earlier Mabanckou, 50, best known in English for his comic novels "Broken Glass" and "Black Bazaar", had been scathing about the officials' absence.

"If the Minister of Culture of Congo-Brazzaville cannot find the time to come to the college, then I will give him the title of Minister of Lack of Culture," the novelist told French media.

- 'Rainbow French' -

"I know I have angered them and the culture minister is getting himself all excited, shaking somewhere," he said on France Inter radio, bemoaning the "disastrous cultural policies" of many African governments.

Mabanckou's latest novel, "Petit Piment" (Little Pepper) has been seen by some as a satire on the three decades of Sassou Nguesso's rule, which began with him as head of a one-party socialist state.

The author, a professor at UCLA in California, vowed he would use his year at the College de France to highlight African writing and give it its proper place in the pantheon of French letters.

"Some think still that Africans don't have literature like some think that Africa has not entered history," he said, referring to a controversial speech by former French president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007.

"That is not true," he said, "We have no need to enter into history, we are history. The history of France was also stitched by its black sons... France is not really a white Judeo-Christian country," he said, taking up equally hotly disputed remarks by one of Sarkozy's former ministers.

While English literature has embraced its global diversity, he argued, France has been slow to do so. "French is not just spoken along the Seine or in Cafe de Flore", the one-time Parisian watering hole of writers and philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, he said.

"The French language is also the crackle of Abidjan, of all that happens in Dakar.... It is that multicoloured, rainbow French that I look for," he said.

The College de France is a uniquely French institution where any member of the public can attend lectures given by acknowledged experts in their fields on a variety of subjects including medicine, law and mathematics.
Pakistan's former military ruler Musharraf set to leave country

Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was due to leave the country early Friday after the government allowed him to travel abroad for urgent medical treatment, officials said Thursday.

Musharraf's lawyers said he needed to go overseas for spinal treatment not available in Pakistan and a close aide confirmed his scheduled departure, after the government initially tried to block his travel.

"General Musharraf is likely to fly for Dubai on an Emirates airline flight at 3:55 am (2355 GMT)," the source told AFP.

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf seized power in 1999 and ruled Pakistan until democracy was restored in 2008 Asif Hassan (AFP/File)

The retired general and former president was banned from leaving Pakistan in 2013 after he returned to the country on an ill-fated mission to contest elections.

The former ruler was barred from taking part in the polls and instead faces a barrage of legal cases.

Last June, the Sindh High Court removed Musharraf's travel ban, but the federal government, headed by his long-time rival Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, appealed the verdict.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Sindh High Court decision and ordered the government allow Musharraf to travel.

"Today lawyers of General Musharraf filed a proper application and in the light of the Supreme Court decision, the government has allowed him to go abroad for medical treatment," according to Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Musharraf's lawyers have provided guarantees he will return to Pakistan in six weeks and pledged he will appear in court for several ongoing cases against him, Khan said.

In January, Musharraf was acquitted over the 2006 killing of a Baloch rebel leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.

But four cases against him remain -- one accusing him of treason for imposing emergency rule, as well as those alleging the unlawful dismissal of judges, the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and a deadly raid on Islamabad's radical Red Mosque.

Musharraf ousted Sharif from power in 1999 in a bloodless coup and ruled Pakistan until democracy was restored in 2008.

Musharraf has been under house arrest in Karachi while the cases have ground through Pakistan's notoriously slow legal system, lurching from adjournment to adjournment with little clear progress apart from the granting of bail.
India says Pakistan to join air base attack probe

Pakistani investigators will travel to India later this month to help probe a deadly attack on an air base that killed seven soldiers in January, New Delhi's foreign minister said during a visit to Nepal Thursday.

Sushma Swaraj announced the joint investigation after meeting with Pakistan's foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz in Pokhara, on the sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation gathering of foreign ministers.

India has blamed militants from the Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the assault on Pathankot air base in the northern state of Punjab, which triggered two days of gunbattles.

Indian FM Sushma Swaraj (R) and Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation foreign minister's meeting in Pokhara, Nepal on March 17, 2016 Krishna Mani Baral (AFP)

"The date for the joint investigation team visit from Pakistan has been decided... It will arrive on the night of (March) 27th and start its work from 28th," Swaraj told reporters after the meeting.

It is the first time Pakistan has participated in a probe of this kind, an Indian foreign ministry source said.

The rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside the disputed region of Kashmir came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan in December.

It led to the postponement of peace talks planned between the nuclear-armed arch-rivals, with Modi urging his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to take "firm and immediate action".

Pakistan's Aziz said Thursday's meeting with Swaraj was held in a "very good atmosphere".

"The way in which Pathankot issues have been handled, the way the operation was done and now the joint investigation team going there... I think the cooperation on this subject will give some good results," Aziz said.

Aziz told reporters he hoped Modi and Sharif would be able to hold an informal meeting in Washington DC later this month.

Both leaders are expected to be in the city at the same time for the Nuclear Security Summit.
Ferrari signs preliminary deal for theme park in China

Ferrari announced Thursday that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with two Chinese companies to build a theme park in China.

The non-binding deal with Beijing Automotive and Biac Eternaland Property will, if implemented, see the two Chinese companies licensed to establish the park in a still-to-be-decided Chinese city.

The luxury sportscar maker and Formula One powerhouse already has a theme park on an island near Abu Dhabi and is in the process of constructing another one in Spain.

Ferrari, a luxury sportscar maker and Formula One powerhouse, has a theme park on an island near Abu Dhabi and is in the process of constructing another one in Spain, with the hope of leveraging its brand to generate additional revenues Jewel Samad (AFP/File)

The parks are one of the ways in which the company is hoping to leverage its luxury brand to generate additional revenues.
Niger opposition says 'will not recognise' poll result

Niger's opposition said Thursday it "will not recognise" the result of Sunday's presidential election run-off.

The opposition coalition called for "a political transition to allow the organisation of new democratic, free, legitimate, transparent and honest elections".

In a statement, it said it would also not recognise "institutions emanating from this Sunday's presidential and legislative elections."

A man standing in front of a campaign poster for presidential candidate Hama Amadou ouside Amadou party's headquarters in Niamey, on Febuary 27, 2016 Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)

Opposition challenger Hama Amadou, currently receiving medical treatment in Paris, came second in the first round last month, trailing well behind incumbent President Mahamadou Issoufou.

Amadou, a 66-year-old former premier and parliament speaker, was evacuated by helicopter on Wednesday from his prison, where he was being held on shadowy baby-trafficking charges.

He was taken to Niger's capital Niamey and then put on a plane to Paris.

A government spokesman said Amadou had suffered from "a chronic illness for three years" and needed specialist care that "does not exist in Niamey."

In the first round he polled 17.79 percent, compared to 48.41 percent for Issoufou.

Amadou had been forced to campaign from behind bars after being detained on November 14 on the baby-trafficking charges he says are bogus.

The Copa 2016 opposition group said it wished to "reiterate" its poll boycott of March 20 and called on supporters to do the same.

The group decried what it saw as the submissiveness of the electoral commission and the constitutional court towards the executive.

And Copa called on the national and international community to be "vigilant"and to help foster a "sincere political dialogue between all parties".

Amadou's entourage meanwhile told AFP his state of health had improved and urged Niamey allow him to campaign in "regular" fashion against Issoufou.

He was "feeling better" after receiving treatment at a Paris hospital just days before the run-off election, one of his aides told AFP.

Amadou was being cared for at the American hospital of Paris, said Abdou Rafa, who was able to contact the opposition leader's entourage in the French capital.

Niamey's appeals court had on Monday considered a request for Amadou's release on bail but delayed a decision until March 28, a week after Sunday's poll.

Unions, religious groups and traditional chieftains have all urged dialogue and sought to defuse the political tension to prevent a crisis in one of the world's poorest countries.

Amadou heads the Nigerien Democratic Movement (NDM) whose members were tear-gassed by police in February after gathering in their thousands to support their man.

Niger's incumbent president Mahamadou Issoufou delivers a speech at the presidential palace in Niamey on Febuary 26, 2016 Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)
The Guptas: 3 brothers at centre of South Africa graft scandal

Political drama, mining deals and even wedding party controversies -- an immigrant family that is one of South Africa's wealthiest has long been accused of undue influence behind the scenes.

Now the Gupta family is at the centre of attention after they were alleged to have offered key government jobs to those who might help their business interests.

Deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas revealed this week that the Guptas had offered him the post of finance minister, providing the first public testimony of their alleged involvement in cabinet appointments.

The Gupta family is at the centre of attention in South Africa after they were alleged to have offered key government jobs to those who might help their business interests John Wessels (AFP/File)

The corruption scandal has renewed scrutiny on President Jacob Zuma's ties with Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, three brothers from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Led by Atul, they arrived in South Africa in 1993 as white-minority apartheid rule crumbled and a year before Nelson Mandela won the country's first democratic elections.

As the country opened up to foreign investment, the Guptas -- previously small-scale businessmen in India -- built a sprawling empire with interests in computers, mining, media, technology and engineering.

They also developed close links with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, and particularly with Zuma, well before he became president in 2009.

Zuma's son Duduzane is a director of the Gupta's Sahara Computers, which is named after their hometown of Saharanpur.

Zuma's third wife Bongi Ngema and one of his daughters have also been Gupta employees.

"The Guptas are smart and shrewd business people and this can't be a normal relationship," political analyst Prince Mashele told AFP.

"There appears to be a Gupta hand in every business sector."

- Public anger -

Now in their 40s, the Guptas hold court at their residential and business headquarters in a huge high-security compound in Saxonwold, an upmarket district of Johannesburg.

It has a helicopter pad and they reportedly travel with their own chefs and bodyguards.

Public anger towards the family soared in 2013, when a jet carrying 217 foreign guests to a Gupta wedding landed at Waterkloof Air Force base, outside Pretoria.

The airport is a military facility normally used to receive heads of state.

The wedding party did not go through immigration checks, and were given a police escort to the marriage at a casino resort.

The fact that some ministers attended the week-long ceremonies fuelled further antagonism towards the Guptas.

Exploring the tangled web of ties, Bloomberg News recently reported that a firm partly-owned by Duduzane Zuma obtained shares last year in Tegeta Exploration, a company founded by the Guptas.

Soon after, Mines Minister Mosebenzi Zwane joined a Tegeta delegation that visited Switzerland to negotiate the purchase of Glencore's Optimum coal complex.

As with several other ministers, Zwane's appointment was widely seen to have been due to the Guptas.

"There is a feeling that the Guptas are almost running the state," Adriaan Basson, author of the book "Zuma Exposed", told AFP.

"I can't see President Zuma turning his back on the Gupta family."

High-profile holdings in their portfolio include the New Age, a pro-government newspaper launched in 2010, and the 24-hour news channel ANN7, broadcasting since 2013.

After years of silence, the Guptas have started to fight back against their critics and this week they strongly denied the latest raft of allegations.

"We employ more than 4,500 people and reinvest all profits in our South African businesses," they said in a statement to AFP last month.

"We have been in South Africa since 1993 and are a proudly South African family."

A picture courtesy of Eye Witness News (EWN) on May 2, 2013 shows Atul Gupta welcoming guests at the Waterkloof Airforce Base, oustide Pretoria, for the Gupta wedding on April 30, 2013
UN concerned as Morocco cuts mission in row over W.Sahara

The UN Security Council expressed concern Thursday over an escalating row with Morocco over Western Sahara, but did not ask Rabat to drop plans to impose a drastic cut in staff at the UN mission in the disputed territory.

Morocco has ordered 84 staffers from MINURSO to leave in the coming days, a move the United Nations says will cripple the mission that was set up in 1991 after a ceasefire was reached.

"The council has expressed serious concerns," Angolan Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins, who holds this month's council presidency, told reporters after a closed-door meeting.

Moroccan protesters hold signs and shout slogans in the capital Rabat, on March 13, 2016, during a demonstration against statements made by the UN chief earlier in the week regarding the Western Sahara Fadel Senna (AFP/File)

"We have decided that we should all look bilaterally at continuing our engagement to make sure that the situation is stabilized when it comes to the work of that mission, mandated by the Security Council," he said.

There was no appeal to Morocco to reverse its decision, nor was there any expression of support for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who has been locked in a public dispute with Rabat.

During a recent trip to North Africa, Ban angered Rabat when he used the word "occupation" to describe the status of Western Sahara.

The UN chief then angrily accused Rabat of staging protests directed against him during which hundreds of thousands of demonstrators carried banners denouncing Ban's "lack of neutrality."

In response, Morocco decided to cut $3 million in funding for the UN mission and expel the MINURSO staff, decisions Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said were "irreversible."

During his briefing to the council, the UN's top political affairs official, Jeffrey Feltman, asked the 15 members to back a UN request to scrap or ease the punitive measures against MINURSO, UN diplomats said.

- Cuts to UN mission -

Morocco's decision to remove 84 people from the 500-strong MINURSO was described as a crippling blow to the mission, affecting drivers, technicians and communications experts.

"It hits the mission across the board," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, describing the decision as unprecedented and in violation of Morocco's agreement with the United Nations as host country.

Feltman told the council that the military force cannot operate without the civilian component and called for the "unified support" of the 15 members of the panel, UN diplomats said.

The United Nations has been trying to broker a Western Sahara settlement since the 1991 ceasefire ending a war that broke out when Morocco deployed its military in the former Spanish territory in 1975.

Morocco considers the territory as part of the kingdom and insists its sovereignty cannot be challenged.

"What Morocco is proposing is to put an end to the mission," said Ahmed Boukhari, the representative at the United Nations of the Polisario Front, which is campaigning for independence for Western Sahara.

"That would mean the shortest way to the resumption of war," he said.

Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara has been one of the most sensitive issues on the UN agenda, with Rabat sparing no effort to enlist support from council members Egypt, France, Spain and Russia for its stance.

The foreign minister recalled that Morocco was cooperating in international efforts to combat extremist groups and address the problem of foreign fighters joining groups such as the Islamic State.

"How can we accept these roles played by Morocco in the UN and stab Morocco in the back? This is not coming from a responsible approach, this is adventurism," he told reporters.

Mezouar said, however, that Morocco had decided against withdrawing its 2,100 peacekeeping troops from UN missions, dropping an initial threat to do so.

The helicopter of UN chief Ban Ki-moon lands at a base in Bir-Lahlou, in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, on March 5, 2016 Farouk Batiche (AFP/File)
White House says ready to help ICC genocide probe in Syria, Iraq

The White House on Thursday said it was ready to support an investigation by the International Criminal Court into alledged genocide carried out by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

"The United States will cooperate with independent efforts to investigate genocide," said spokesman Josh Earnest, adding that the adminstration is willing to support the ICC in gathering evidence.

The United States declared Thursday that the Islamic State group's slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shiites in Iraq and Syria amounts to a genocide and vowed to halt it.
Pentagon chief praises Kurdish fighters in Syria

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Thursday praised the fighting of Kurdish groups in Syria that have declared a federal region in areas of the country under their control.

The Kurds "have proven to be excellent partners of ours on the ground in fighting ISIL," Carter said, using a term for the Islamic State group in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We are grateful for that, and we intend to continue to do that, recognizing the complexities of their regional role."

A Turkish soldier looks at damaged buildings following heavy fighting between government troops and Kurdish fighters in the Kurdish town of Cizre in southeastern Turkey, which lies near the border with Syria and Iraq, on March 2, 2016 Yasin Akgul (AFP/File)

He spoke the same day Syria's Kurds declared a de facto federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, a move the United States opposes.

Kurdish groups say declaring a federal region along Syria's northern border with Turkey is aimed only at formalizing a semiautonomous zone they have already established during five years of war and create a model for decentralized government across Syria.

But Washington believes any Syrian federalism should develop from United Nations-sponsored talks over a political settlement of the conflict currently underway in Geneva.

However, none of the groups representing the Kurdish minority are participating in the talks because of opposition from Turkey.

The Syrian government and the main Arab-led opposition group oppose federalism in Syria.

So does Turkey, which fears Kurds' ambitions in Syria are fuelling Kurdish separatism at home.

Kurds have played a crucial role in the US-led fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, providing the backbone of the forces that have pushed back the jihadist group in the country's northeast.

The Kurds play a dominant role in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDS), an Arab-Syrian coalition the United States supports.

However, the Pentagon believes more Arab fighters will join the group.

"One month ago I would have said there are about 2,500 Arabs inside Syrian Democratic Forces," said Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Joe Dunford, who spoke alongside Carter. "Today, I can tell you we have 5,000."

More coalition victories would have a "snowball effect," he added.

"More people now are willing to join us because they see the level of support that we are providing and more importantly the level of success that these forces are having."

SDS fighters aided by US special forces recently took control of Al-Shadadi, a town in northeastern Syria previously considered a strategic Islamic State group stronghold.

The SDS has a total of 10,000 to 15,000 fighters, Dunford said, adding that they have an estimated reserve of 20,000 to 30,000 men.
Man charged in Kalamazoo shootings sues Uber

DETROIT (AP)  A man who police say told investigators that "a devil figure" on Uber's app was controlling him when he allegedly killed six people in western Michigan is suing the ride-sharing company.

In his handwritten complaint filed Tuesday, Jason Dalton does not mention the shootings directly, but said: "I am currently in prison because of Uber." Dalton is accused of fatally shooting six people and wounding two others between picking up passengers for Uber in Kalamazoo on Feb. 20.

In his lawsuit, Dalton seeks $10 million from Uber. He claims that the company "ripped" him off and failed to pay him back wages and overtime. The 1-page lawsuit was mailed to the U.S. District Court in Detroit.

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2016, file photo, Jason Dalton, of Kalamazoo Township, Mich., is arraigned via video before Judge Christopher T. Haenicke in Kalamazoo, Mich. Dalton who is accused of fatally shooting six people between driving passengers for Uber in Michigan is suing the ride-sharing company for $10 million. He filed a handwritten complaint Tuesday, March 15, 2016, against Uber, saying he's "in prison because of Uber," though he doesn't mention the shootings directly. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

"I busted my butt for them," Dalton wrote. "They gave me no Christmas bonus, I wasn't invited to any corporate parties, they made me work when I was sick and didn't let me spend time with my two children."

He continued: "My life is ruined because of Uber. My wife is divorcing me because of Uber."

The company said Dalton started working for Uber earlier this year.

"It's hard to know how to respond to someone who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions," Uber said in an emailed statement Wednesday. "Our hearts go out to the victims' families who have to live with the consequences of his terrible crimes."

Dalton is charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings at three separate locations.

According to documents police released Monday, Dalton told investigators that when he opened the Uber app, "a devil head popped up on his screen and when he pressed the button on the app, that is when all the problems started."

His attorney has not responded to requests for comment on his client's behalf.
Rapid melt of New Zealand glaciers ends hikes onto them

FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER, New Zealand (AP)  New Zealand is renowned for its wondrous scenery, and among the country's top tourist attractions are two glaciers that are both stunning and unusual because they snake down from the mountains to a temperate rain forest, making them easy for people to walk up to and view.

But the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. With continuing warm weather this year there are no signs of a turnaround, and scientists say it is another example of how global warming is impacting the environment.

Tourism in New Zealand is booming and nearly 1 million people last year flocked to get a glimpse of the glaciers and the spectacular valleys they've carved. But the only way to set foot on them now is to get flown onto them by helicopter.

In this Feb. 6, 2016 photo, tourists who have taken a helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier climb through a hole in the ice in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

Tour operators offer flights and guided glacier walks, although logistics limit this to 80,000 tourists per year, half the number that once hiked up from the valley floor. Up to another 150,000 people each year take scenic flights that land briefly at the top of the glaciers.

Flying in the UNESCO World Heritage area comes with its own risks, highlighted in November when a sightseeing helicopter crashed onto the Fox Glacier, killing all seven aboard.

Sitting near the base of the Franz Josef Glacier, Wayne Costello, a district operations manager for the Department of Conservation, said that when he arrived eight years ago, the rock he was perched on would have been buried under tons of ice. Instead, the glacier now comes to an end a half-mile (800 meters) further up the valley.

"Like a loaf of bread shrinking in its tin, it's gone down a lot as well," Costello said. "So it's wasted away in terms of its thickness, and that's led to quite a rapid melt."

Because of that melt, the valley walls that were once braced by the glaciers have been left exposed and vulnerable to rock falls, making hiking up too dangerous. Tour operators stopped taking guided hikes onto the Franz Josef in 2012 and the nearby Fox in 2014.

A 2014 paper published in the journal Global and Planetary Change concluded the two glaciers have each melted by 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) in length since the 1800s, making them about 20 percent shorter. The glaciers have recently been melting at a faster pace than ever previously recorded, the authors said.

Heather Purdie, a scientist at the University of Canterbury and lead author of the paper, said climate change is the driving factor.

"We know that glaciers around the world, including the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, are responding to that warmer temperature and they're retreating," she said. Small changes in temperature and snowfall tend to be magnified in the two glaciers and their retreat has been interrupted by advances that can last years, she said.

Costello and tour operators are hoping to see another advance soon. But there's no sign of that: February was the second-hottest month ever recorded in New Zealand.

The hot weather has even created a new type of tourist attraction over the other side of the mountains. Purdie said the glaciers there are also rapidly retreating, resulting in tourists taking boat rides on the lakes to see some of the massive icebergs that have begun to shear away.

A helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier reveals deep crevasses in the translucent blue ice and stunning ice caves through which guides take crampon-wearing tourists. A guide retells the indigenous Maori legend which would have it that the Franz Josef Glacier began as a stream of tears left by a young woman whose lover was killed by an avalanche.

The glaciers are formed by prevailing westerly winds dumping snow in a high-altitude basin. It compacts into ice and is pushed down the valleys much like toothpaste being squeezed from a tube. The glaciers slide and roll down the mountain at a rate of 4 meters (13 feet) each day, picking up rocks and debris along the way.

"It's the uniqueness, the rawness of the environment," that draws tourists from Australia, North America, Europe, and, increasingly, China, said Rob Jewell, chairman of the Glacier Country Tourism Group.

It's also a region which is subject to rapid changes in the weather. At the time of November's helicopter crash  which killed four tourists from Britain and two from Australia, as well as the New Zealand pilot  some observers said the weather and visibility were marginal for safe flying.

Jewell said he didn't want to comment until an investigation by authorities is complete. He said the crash hasn't affected tourist numbers, which have been stronger than ever this year.

At the base of the Franz Josef, Dutch tourist Dieuwke Derkse said she was overwhelmed by the beauty of the glacier and the purity of the environment.

She said she believed global warming was responsible for its retreat and felt a little guilty even visiting New Zealand because of the fossil fuels burned by the plane ride there. But she said the glacier also helped inspire her to live in a more environmentally conscious way.

"It makes me a little bit sad because you see how fast everything is going," she said. "The river is going very fast but the snow and glacier is going backward."

In this Feb. 6, 2016 photo, tourists who have taken a helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier follow a guide in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

In this Feb. 7, 2016 photo, tourists walk past waterfalls at the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

In this Feb. 6, 2016 photo, tourist relax at the end of the track at the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

In this Feb. 6, 2016 photo, Wayne Costello, a district operations manager for the Department of Conservation, explains how the ice has retreated at the Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

In this Feb. 6, 2016 photo, tourists who have taken a helicopter trip onto the Fox Glacier follow a guide in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

This Feb. 6, 2016 photo shows an ice crevasse on the Fox Glacier in New Zealand. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers have been melting at such a rapid rate that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto them from the valley floor, ending a tradition that dates back a century. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
who was shot and wounded by Johnson was taken to hospital

Cruz died at the scene and another

An off-duty suburban Dallas police officer who fatally shot a 16-year-old and wounded another juvenile was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder and aggravated assault, authorities said, while a funeral service for the teen was under way.

Farmers Branch officer Ken Johnson was taken into custody Wednesday night by Addison police officers and was booked into Dallas County Jail.

Jose Raul Cruz was killed and the other juvenile, who was also shot, was hospitalized.

Booked: Farmers Branch officer Ken Johnson (above) was arrested on charges of murder Wednesday night

Victim: The off-duty police officer shot dead Jose Raul Cruz (above) on Sunday night

The shooting happened Sunday evening at a gas station in Addison.

Officials have said that Johnson saw a vehicle being burglarized in his apartment complex parking lot and that he gave chase when the suspects fled.

After the suspects' vehicle spun out about a half-mile away, an altercation led to the shooting.

Cruz's family held a funeral Wednesday night.

Johnson's attorney, Chris Livingston, has said he feared for his life. Livingston could not be immediately reached Wednesday to speak on Johnson's behalf.

Authorities have not said whether the juveniles were armed. Johnson was not injured.

Addison police Chief Paul Spencer said in a statement Wednesday that there was "probable cause" to arrest Johnson but that the investigation will likely take several more weeks.

Cruz's cousin, Nora Rubi, said that she was happy that Johnson had been arrested.

'When I first heard about it, I was crying nonstop. I thought it was a joke,' she said.

Tragedy: Ana Henriques places her hands on a portrait of her son Jose Cruz as she is consoled by friend

Scene: Johnson said he saw a vehicle being burglarized in his apartment complex parking lot and that he gave chase when the suspects fled before the shooting occurred at a gas station (above)

Farmers Branch police spokesman David Laisure declined to comment Wednesday, deferring to Addison police. Spencer previously has said that Johnson had no disciplinary record. He also noted that department policies do not allow off-duty officers to chase suspects in their own vehicles.

According to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Johnson has worked for Farmers Branch police for a year.
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Millions of people around the globe celebrated the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland, using St Patrick's Day as an excuse to paint their towns and cities green.

In Chicago, green dye was put into the river, giving the water a temporary florescent hue. While in Dublin, approximately 500,000 people made their way into town for the parade which comes just a fortnight before the centenary anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

From Sydney to San Francisco the Irish diaspora celebrated the festival with music, parades, dance and song.

New York hosted its first ever gay-friendly St. Patrick's Day Parade with 200,000 marching up Fifth Avenue. For years, organizers said gay people could participate but couldn't carry signs celebrating their sexual identities

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (left), his wife, Chirlane McCray (second left), NYPD Police Commissioner William Bratton (right) and his wife Rikki Kliemanduring pose for a picture as they wait for the start of the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York

In New York, the streets of Manhattan awash in green as thousands marched up Fifth Avenue for the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade - and for the first time in decades, gay activists didn't protest it as an exercise in exclusion.

A year after a limited easing of the parade's prohibition on gay groups, organizers opened the lineup more broadly to include activists who protested the ban for years.

'I never thought I'd see the day when I could march up Fifth Avenue in the St. Patrick's Day Parade with my husband,' said Brendan Fay, chairman of the Lavender and Green Alliance.

'When we started in 1991, after getting arrested so many times for protesting the parade, wow, what a moment this is.'

Around 200,000 participants followed the parade route, marked with a green stripe on the road, in a procession of throbbing pipes and drums, smiling dignitaries and waving flags. Onlookers crowded behind police barricades.

'We love New York City and the parade and being Irish for a day and having a drop,' said Anna Silver, from Nutley, New Jersey, laughing with three girlfriends who all wore bright green T-shirts with green ties and stovepipe hats. 'I'm part Irish on my mother's side, but today I'm totally Irish.'

This year's parade honored the centennial of Ireland's Easter Rising against British rule. It was also broadcast live in Ireland and the United Kingdom for the first time. The grand marshal of the parade was former U.S. Senator George Mitchell of Maine, who negotiated the Northern Ireland peace accord.

The parade traces its history to 1762. For years, organizers said gay people could participate but couldn't carry signs or buttons celebrating their sexual identities. Organizers said they didn't want to divert focus from honoring Irish heritage.

A year after a limited easing of the parade's prohibition on gay groups, organizers opened the lineup more broadly to include activists who protested the ban for years. Pictured, onlookers crowded behind barricades

Around 200,000 participants followed the parade route, marked with a green stripe on the road, in a procession up Fifth Avenue

Dennis Dunn, of The Bronx, New York, holds up a sign saying 'De Blasio Go Home!' as Mayor Bill de Blasio passes along Fifth Avenue

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (center) marches along the Fifth Avenue next to his wife, Chirlane McCray (left), NYPD Police Commissioner William Bratton (right) and his wife Rikki Klieman during (2nd R) during the St. Patrick's Day parade

Heavily armed members of the U.S. Armed Forces marches down Fifth Avenue before the start of the St. Patrick's Day parade

Irish gay advocates sued in the early 1990s, but judges said the parade organizers had a First Amendment right to choose participants in their event.

Over the years, activists protested along the route, and some politicians boycotted. The pressure grew in 2014, when Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to march, and Guinness and Heineken withdrew their sponsorships.

The sponsorships resumed when parade organizers opened a door to gay groups last year, allowing a contingent from parade sponsor NBCUniversal. But critics saw the gesture as tokenism.

Meanwhile, Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade ended a ban on gay groups that organizers had successfully defended at the Supreme Court. In the ensuing months, gay marriage became legal throughout the U.S. and Ireland.

Against that backdrop, New York St. Patrick's Day Parade organizers said they'd add a second gay group this year to the parade ranks: the Lavender and Green Alliance, which had long protested the gay-group ban.

Members of the 28th Battalion Finner Camp of the Irish Army Reserve stand next to Former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell before the start of the St. Patrick's Day parade

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo waves as he marches up Fifth Avenue during the annual St. Patrick's Day parade on Thursday

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (second from left) and Police Commisioner William J. Bratton (right) speak to Cardinal Timothy Dolan outside St. Patrick's Cathedral

De Blasio said, 'Today everyone is celebrating together. Today this city is at peace and the city is unified and we all feel tremendous pride in all of the people brought us together.'

But not everyone felt that way. Some longtime parade participants have balked at the arrival of gay delegations.

'It's contemptible,' said Bill Donohue of the Catholic League, who stopped marching last year.

But Dillon Roger, visiting from Switzerland, thought the parade was 'like a big carnival' and hadn't realized gay groups were kept from marching until recently.

'I always thought the parade was a celebration of being Irish, not Catholic, so yes, it's a big symbol, an important thing for gays to march in the parade today,' he said.

Celebrations marking St. Patrick's Day also turned the streets of Savannah, Georgia, into a sea of green, as revelers in gaudy green hats and T-shirts filled the sidewalks and squares.

In Ireland, record crowds celebrated the national holiday with a parade led by the country's most prominent disabled rights activist, Joanne O'Riordan, who was born without arms or legs. She beamed joyously as she steered her scooter past the estimated 550,000 lining the parade route in Dublin.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, left, and Catholic Charities Msgr. Kevin Sullivan inspect the Fiat 500 sedan used during the visit of Pope Francis to New York as it makes a stop in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral during the parade

A police officer stands guard in front of an anti police demonstrators as the New York Police Department marches up Fifth Avenue

A man dressed as St Patrick leads the annual parade in Downpatrick, to commemorate the man who brought Christianity to Ireland

Berkeley police and fire departments, who travelled from California in the US to honour the victims and survivors of the Berkeley balcony collapse, were cheered along the route of the parade in Dublin where up to 500,000 lined the route.

The second largest gathering was in Limerick.

More than 80,000 onlookers packed the city's streets to watch Grand Marshal and local actor Myles Breen lead the parade from Pery Square.

The Fanzini Brothers and Jedward made guest appearances among the throng of performers.

In Belfast, thousands turned out to see Lord Mayor Arder Carson lead a colourful Rainbow-themed carnival from City Hall to Custom House Square.

Community groups from across the cultural spectrum took part, while former X Factor winner Ben Haenow and ex-Westlife member Brian McFadden headlined a free concert at Custom House Square.

A 50,000-strong crowd cheered on Cork's main spectacle.

Instead of a Grand Marshal, the city's parade was led by actors playing the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence.

Another 30,000 people made their way into Galway city centre, where the theme of the day was 1916 and the city's bid for the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

While parades and celebrations took place around the world, even some in space were celebrating Ireland's national holiday.

British astronaut Tim Peake tweeted a picture of Ireland from the International Space Station, where he is working for six months.

'The Emerald Isle looking lush and green from space...Happy StPatricksDay to all down there!' he said.

David Beckham sent a photograph of a pint of Guinness to his former LA Galaxy team mate and Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane

Across the globe St Patrick's day was celebrated with a series of parades like this one in Ballyheiigue, Co Kerry

Unsurprisingly there was a major parade through the centre of Dublin with thousands of people lining O'Connell Street

These five men dressed as leprechauns before travelling to Dublin City centre to stand outside the Savoy Cinema on O'Connell Street

In his St. Patrick's message the leader of Ireland's 4 million Catholics, Archbishop Eamon Martin, expressed hope that Europe would show greater sympathy to people fleeing war and poverty.

Martin described Patrick - a Briton originally brought to Ireland as a slave who returned to spread Christianity across the pagan island - as an undocumented migrant, too. He said Patrick's life story mirrored 'the growing numbers of people who find themselves displaced and without status in our world'.

Dublin braced for possible drink-fueled trouble as many parade spectators headed for the city's Temple Bar entertainment quarter, where police and private security firms mounted 38 checkpoints to keep crowds under control.

Community groups from across Ireland spent weeks preparing for the big festival which closes off the city centre for all traffic

Joanne O'Riordan, 19, Ireland's most high-profile campaigner for disabled rights and this year's grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade greets spectators on O'Connell Street, Dublin

Some of the floats involved in the St Patrick's Day Parade on O'Connell Street made less sense than others

Performers from Ireland's Artastic cultural group parade down O'Connell Street on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin, Ireland, on Thursday

Crowds gathered in Belfast outside the the Customs House where an open air concert was held as part of the festivities

In Aldershot, the Duchess of Cambridge presents a Shamrock to Domhnall, the Regimental Mascot of the Irish Guards

Yet, over in Cheltenham, the Prestbury Park turned green after thousands of Irish racing fans continued their annual pilgrimage

The bookmakers in Cheltenham took a bashing with Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins having an exceptional festival again this year

Thousands of Irish race fans crossed over the Irish Sea for the biggest National Hunt festival on the annual calendar

As night fell, landmarks such as the Guinness Brewery in Dublin's south inner city were bathed in green light to celebrate the festival

The James Gandon-designed Customs House, pictured was the location of a funfair as traffic was diverted for the annual festival

Trinity College on Dublin's College Green was one of the many landmarks which changed colour to celebrate St Patrick's Day

Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square in London was turned green 50 years after a similar pillar was blown up in Dublin City Centre

The London Eye was also turned green as St Patrick Day revelers enjoyed the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland

The Trafford Centre in Manchester also turned green as one of the many landmarks across the globe to celebrate St Patrick's Day

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge turned green as the Irish community in the North East of England celebrated St Patrick's Day

In Sydney, Australia, revelers braved the rain as they toasted St Patrick with the obligatory pint of porter from St James's Gate in Dublin
Who watched the debates? It's not all preaching to the choir

WASHINGTON (AP)  It turns out the 2016 presidential candidates haven't just been preaching to the choir in all those debates.

Americans have fallen into three camps when it comes to watching the debates: Some have been watching only the Republicans, slightly more have watched only the Democrats and a still larger group has used the debates to check out candidates on both sides.

Those who dipped into debates in both parties have turned out to be the biggest political junkies of them all: They accounted for 39 percent of total debate viewers, but did 73 percent of all the watching.

FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2015 file photo, a production staffer walks across the debate stage before the CNN Republican presidential debate at the Venetian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Americans have fallen into three camps when it comes to watching the debates: Some have been watching only the Republicans, slightly more have watched only the Democrats and a still larger group has used the debates to check out candidates on both sides. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

That's all according to figures released Thursday by Nielsen for its new "Election Central" political insights blog. The company analyzed viewership for 12 debates  the first six in each party.

Nielsen concluded that the figures may signify that "the more engaged viewer finds the time to balance both sides of the political pontification."

The dozen debates that were studied reached 97 million Americans, including 29.2 million who watched only GOP debates, 30.2 million who watched only Democrats, and 37.8 million who watched debates on both sides.

While the Democratic debates may have attracted slightly more eyeballs, the Republicans  usually with brassy former reality TV star Donald Trump at center stage  held on to their viewers far longer.

The debate-watchers spent an average of 138 minutes watching GOP debates, compared to 63 minutes watching the Democrats.

So far, the Republicans have held a dozen debates and the Democrats eight. With Trump and Hillary Clinton steadily padding their delegate leads, the debate season is now winding down.

Plans for a GOP debate on Monday in Salt Lake City collapsed on Thursday after Trump said he wouldn't attend and then John Kasich decided to bow out, too.

Democrats have sanctioned two more debates, one in April and one in May, but no dates or locations have been set.

The debates have been a big draw all season, starting with the 24 million viewers who tuned in for the first Republican face-off last summer on Fox. The most recent GOP debate averaged just under 17 million viewers. The Democratic debates have attracted smaller but still sizeable crowds, including 15.8 million for the first debate and 6 million for the most recent faceoff.

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68-year-old David Thompson is pictured March 6 at Virgen Gorda, British Virgin Islands

David Thompson felt the smack of a wave and found himself hanging by a tether off the back of his sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean, the northern coast of Puerto Rico off in the distance.

No problem, Thompson thought. He was still tied to his boat, wearing his life jacket. All he had to do was hoist himself back onto his boat.

But conditions were rough, 20-knot winds and 10-foot swells. As he climbed back on board, another wave tossed him off. Then the surging water stripped away his life jacket, which had linked him to the boat, and he watched as the boat moved farther away by the second.

'My arms were so tired, I couldn't grab ahold of anything anymore,' the 68-year-old said Wednesday from a hospital in Puerto Rico, where he is recovering from his ordeal. 'So I was watching my boat sail away. I was thinking that was it.'

Yet he kept himself going. He swam and floated on his back and swam  on and on for seven hours, crawling onto a Puerto Rico beach half naked and exhausted.

Thompson, a retired engineer from Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was sailing solo when he went overboard, is being treated for dehydration and expects to be hospitalized for at least four days.

In an interview with The Associated Press from the hospital, Thompson said he had been with his wife, Donna, in St. Maarten. She flew home and he was taking their 49-foot boat, the Enthalpy II, to South Florida. It was about 1 p.m. Sunday when he was knocked overboard.

He recalled that the wave that took his life jacket also stripped off his clothes except for his shirt, leaving him almost naked as he floated in the water and considered his options.

Thompson made his way toward land, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) away. He alternated between floating and swimming, thinking about his 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter to keep himself going.

'I wanted to see her and hug her again. And I have a wife and a nice life. I didn't want to die.'

Thompson kept swimming. A sharp reef cut into his legs as he scrambled onto land. Aware that he was naked, Thompson took off his shirt, stepped into the arm holes to fashioned makeshift shorts before looking for help. He knocked on the door of several homes and called out for help, but none came.

The 49-foot boat, the Enthalpy II, is seen in Simpson Bay Lagoon, St. Marteen in this March 5 photo. David Thompson managed to swim seven hours through rough water to reach land in Puerto Rico after being tossed overboard on Sunday

Thompson managed to swim seven hours to Montones Beach in Isabela, Puerto Rico, after being thrown from his boat. He is being treated for dehydration and is expected to be hospitalized for at least four days

'When they saw me, I was walking like I was drunk because I didn't have any strength left in my legs,' which were bleeding. 'I didn't look like someone you wanted to invite to dinner.'

Finally, he arrived at Villas del Mar Hau, a seaside hotel in the north coastal town of Isabela. He stumbled into the restaurant and asked waiters for help. They gave him food, water and clothes that a previous guest had left behind.

'That man ate so much rice and beans that it seemed like he had not eaten for three days,' said Sandra Villanueva, the hotel owner's assistant. 'I truly admire him. He was so beat up. He had lost all his clothes. His heads, his hands, his feet were all beat up.'

The hotel called police and the U.S. Coast Guard, and Thompson was taken to the nearby hospital in Aguadilla. Officials at the private hospital would not allow an AP journalist inside, but Thompson said by phone that he was awaiting dialysis to get rid of the tremendous amount of protein built up in his body. He was too weak to hold a cup of coffee.

His wife said in a phone interview from Michigan that she was not surprised her husband survived.

'He is stubborn. He is determined. He is like one of the strongest people I've ever known. Once he sets his mind to something, you are not going to change him, which can be aggravating from a wife's point of view,' she said with a laugh.

The Thompsons had planned to vacation in the Florida Keys or possibly the Bahamas next year in their sailboat, which the U.S. Coast Guard recovered, but those plans are on hold.

'Knowing that your husband is on a boat by himself, and getting a call from the Coast Guard is the worst call you can get' she said, choking up. 'The fact that the boat came through and that he was able to come through, it's a miracle.'

Finally, he arrived at Villas del Mar Hau, a seaside hotel on Montones Beach in Isabela. He stumbled into the restaurant and asked waiters for help. They gave him food, water and clothes that a previous guest had left behind
Questions plague Brazil ex-president's chief of staff role

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Uncertainty clouded Brazil's already turbulent political scenario Thursday as a judge blocked the appointment of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as chief of staff to his successor just moments after his tumultuous swearing-in ceremony.

Critics of current President Dilma Rousseff accuse her of a transparent maneuver aimed at helping the once wildly popular Silva slalom legal woes that saw him taken in for questioning in a sprawling corruption probe less than two weeks ago. Cabinet members cannot be investigated, charged or imprisoned unless authorized by the Supreme Court.

Rousseff has insisted the Cabinet appointment has nothing to do with the former president's legal problems, saying Silva would help put the country back on track economically and spearhead the fight against attempts to oust her over allegations of fiscal mismanagement. The impeachment process moved a step closer Thursday as the lower house established a special commission on the matter.

Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is hugged by supporters after his swearing-in ceremony as the chief of staff to President Dilma Rousseff, at the Planalto presidential palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Silva was sworn in as his successor's chief of staff on Thursday. Rousseff insisted Silva would help put the troubled country back on track and denounced attempts to oust her. Supporter on the right is holding a flag that represents Brazil's governing party. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

As the spectacle continued to play out, the simmering anger that bought an estimated 3 million people onto the streets in nationwide anti-government demonstrations over the weekend again spilled over, with protests flaring in Brasilia and Sao Paulo, where demonstrators brandished inflatable dolls of Silva in black-and-white prison stripes. A pro-Silva rally was slated for Friday, but it was not clear whether the former leader would attend.

Rousseff went on the offensive at Thursday's swearing-in ceremony, calling those pressing for her removal "putschists" and accusing Sergio Moro, the judge who is leading the corruption probe at the state-run oil company Petrobras, of violating the constitution and acting in a partisan manner.

"Shaking Brazilian society on the base of untruths, shady maneuvers, and much-criticized practices violates constitutional guarantees and creates very serious precedents," Rousseff said. "Coups begin that way."

The injunction suspending Silva's nomination, brought by a federal judge in Brasilia, was widely expected as such tactics are often used to delay or interrupt political appointments and decisions. But the practical effects remain subject to debate, with some attorneys insisting Silva is the chief of staff  and enjoys the special legal standing afforded by the role  while others contended the injunction must first be ruled on by a higher court.

Gustavo Binenbojm, a law professor at Rio de Janeiro's state university, insisted the injunction is "valid until it's overruled," meaning that Silva is not yet a Cabinet minister.

"The government can't ignore it," said Binenbojm. "The government can try to overrule it, and I think that would be a slam dunk."

On the other hand, Brasilia-based attorney Joaquim Pedro Rodrigues said the injunction stipulates that if the swearing-in already took place, the suspension would not take effect until a final decision is reached. While Silva won't be able to exercise official functions until the matter is resolved, he will enjoy the Cabinet ministers' special legal standing until then, Rodrigues said.

Solicitor General Jose Eduardo Cardozo, a close ally of Rousseff's, said "political motivations" were behind the injunction, which he called "absolutely inappropriate."

"The situation is absurd," Cardozo said at a news conference, adding that the government has appealed. He attacked the judge who issued the injunction as partisan, citing recent photos posted on Facebook showing him at an anti-government rally.

Both Rousseff and Silva have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but Rousseff has seen her popularity nosedive as the country of 200 million has spiraled into crisis after crisis.

The Petrobras corruption investigation has stained Brazil's political and business elite. The country is ground zero for the Zika virus, which scientists believe can lead to birth defects. The economy is mired in the worst recession since the 1930s, with rising inflation and daily announcements of layoffs adding to people's fears and desperation. And in the middle of it all, Brazil is set to host the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

At Thursday's swearing-in ceremony, the atmosphere recalled a campaign rally as a crowd packed with top officials broke into pro-government chants.

In a combative speech, Rousseff said she was counting on Silva, her "great friend, great comrade," to help lift the country out of the current economic and political imbroglios.

She lashed out at Wednesday's surprise release of tapped phone calls between Silva and a host of prominent public figures, including Rousseff herself. Judge Moro released the recordings hours after the announcement of Silva's appointment, saying that the taps appeared to suggest attempts to influence judicial officials in Silva's favor.

Rousseff called the recordings illegal and said their release made "clear the attempt to overstep the limits of the democratic state."

Moro compared the situation to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Watergate scandal that toppled President Richard Nixon.

"Not even the highest authority of the republic has absolute privilege of protection of their communications," Moro wrote, adding that the 1974 decision in the U.S. vs Nixon case was "an example to be followed."

On Thursday, Rousseff's nemesis, lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha established the committee that will decide whether to proceed with impeachment steps against her. Raucous celebrations broke out on the floor, with opposition representatives brandishing signs reading "impeachment now" as Rousseff allies chanted "there won't be a coup!"

Still, it was an early step in a drawn-out process that involves multiple votes in the lower house as well the Senate. Analysts have said the impeachment process could take months, should it move forward.

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Associated Press writer Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

Opposition lawmakers hold up placards with a message that reads in Portuguese; "Impeachment Now" during the formation of a committee on whether to begin impeachment proceedings against Rousseff, in Brazil's lower house, in Brasilia, Thursday, March 17, 2016. It is an early step in a drawn-out process that involves multiple votes in the lower house as well the Senate. Analysts have said the impeachment process could take months, should it move forward. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Anti-government protestors perform a symbolic funeral of the ruling party PT, or Workers Party, outside Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. The impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff moved a step closer Thursday as the lower house established a special commission on the matter. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Anti-government protestors and supporters of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and President Dilma Rousseff clash during demonstrations, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Protesters began gathering in cities across Brazil on Thursday as President Dilma Rousseff prepared to swear in her predecessor and mentor as chief of staff, a stunning development that government supporters believe will ameliorate the political crisis roiling Latin Americas largest country while detractors claim its a naked attempt to avoid prosecution. (AP Photo/Joedson Alves)

Demonstrators march alongside large, inflatable dolls depicting Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in prison garb and current President Dilma Rousseff dressed as a thief, with a presidential sash that reads "Impeachment," during a protest calling for her impeachment and against the naming of her mentor, Silva, as her new chief of staff outside the Sao Paulo's Industries Federation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Rousseff's critics accuse her of a transparent maneuver aimed at helping the once wildly popular Silva slalom legal woes that saw him taken in for questioning in a sprawling corruption probe less than two weeks ago. Cabinet members cannot be investigated, charged or imprisoned unless authorized by the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Anti-government protestors try to rip apart a Workers' Party flag during a demonstration outside Planalto presidential palace as they demand the impeachment of Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Rousseff's critics accuse her of a transparent maneuver aimed at helping her mentor, the once wildly popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, slalom legal woes that saw him taken in for questioning in a sprawling corruption probe less than two weeks ago. Cabinet members cannot be investigated, charged or imprisoned unless authorized by the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Joedson Alves)

A protestor shouts slogans against Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff demanding her impeachment outside Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, March 17, 2016. The impeachment process moved a step closer Thursday as the lower house established a special commission on the matter. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
German submarine builder warns Australia of Japanese risk

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  A German executive vying for a lucrative Australian submarine contract on Thursday said that awarding the contract to Japan could damage Australia's relationship with China.

German's ThysennKrupp Marine Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi and French company DCNS are in the running to build 12 conventional submarines that the Australian navy expects will cost at least 56 billion Australian dollars ($43 billion). The government expects to award the contract this year, with Japan regarded as a favorite early in the bidding process due to its close military relationship with Australia and the Unites States.

Hans Atzpodien, the German company's chairman, described the Japanese bid as a choice for Australia between its relationship with China, its biggest trading partner, and Japan, its second biggest partner.

"Maybe it is an advantage dealing with us not to be in a position where you have to  let's say  decide between certain heavyweights of the Pacific area," Atzpodien told Australia's National Press Club.

Japanese defense officials argue that the military partnership between Japan and Australia will enhance peace and stability, especially maritime security, in the Asia-Pacific region amid China's military buildup in the East and South China seas.

The submarine deal would be Japan's first fully-fledged military technology transfer since World War II.

Australian government ministers have expressed no preference for any bid.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said during a speech in Tokyo last month that for Japan, the deal was strategic while for the others, it was of commercial value.

None of the contenders have ever built a conventional submarine large enough to meet Australia's long-distance requirements.

Germany is proposing a variation of its Type 214 submarine made for Australian specifications called a Type 216. France is offering a diesel-electric version of the Barracuda-class nuclear submarine under construction for the French navy. Japan proposes a longer version of its Soryu-class diesel-powered propulsion system with advanced stealth capabilities.

Atspododien said on Thursday that the Germans could build all 12 subs in Australia for AU$20 billion  less than half the cost that Australia is budgeting for.

Hugh White, Australian National University professor of strategic studies, warned that Japan's long-term cooperation in the submarine contract might hinge on Australia forming an alliance that could bring Australia into conflict with China.

"Tokyo expects that in return for its help to build our submarines, it would receive not just many billions of dollars, but clear understandings that Australia will support Japan politically, strategically and even militarily against China," White wrote in a Fairfax Media column this week.
Conservatives plot Trump demise as he eyes Arizona win

SUN CITY, Ariz. (AP)  Fearful of a Donald Trump nomination to lead the GOP, conservative leaders huddled privately in Washington on Thursday in search of a plan to stop the billionaire businessman. His Republican rivals braced for another Trump victory next week, this time in delegate-rich Arizona.

The GOP has an eager alternative in Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, yet some party leaders are exploring "other avenues" instead of rallying behind the fiery conservative, an ominous sign that Republican leaders' deep dislike of Cruz complicates their overwhelming concern about Trump.

"The establishment is like a wounded animal, now cornered," said Mark Meckler, an early leader in the tea party movement. "They are terrified, irrational and flailing wildly."

In this March 14, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. Republican leaders are wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about Trumps likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination. With at least three more states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Even after being denied victory in five contests Tuesday, Cruz insists he still has a path to the 1,237 delegates necessary to claim the Republican presidential nomination. But in a strategy memo obtained by The Associated Press, his campaign essentially cedes Arizona's March 22 primary to Trump and acknowledges Cruz must win 79 percent of the remaining delegates before the GOP's July national convention.

"This is the moment for all those who believe in a strong America to come together and craft a new path forward," Cruz declared on Twitter while conservatives were meeting in downtown Washington to brainstorm ways to stop his party's front-runner.

Organizers of the meeting included conservative commentator Erick Erickson and Christian conservative leader Bob Fischer. The goal, as stated in the invitation, was "to strategize how to defeat Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, and if he is the Republican nominee for president, to offer a true conservative candidate in the general election."

The group released a statement after roughly four hours behind closed doors calling for a "unity ticket that unites the Republican Party."

While many in the room supported Cruz, they declined to endorse the Texas senator or the only other remaining presidential contender, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and instead urged all former Republican presidential candidates to unite against Trump. They also embraced the possibility of a contested convention.

"Lastly, we intend to keep our options open as to other avenues to oppose Donald Trump," they said, an apparent reference to a possible third-party candidacy that might stop Trump but would likely sacrifice the Republican Party's chances in the general election to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

On Capitol Hill, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he'd help Cruz raise campaign cash in the hope of stopping Trump's march.

Graham, who dropped his own presidential bid last month, called Cruz "a reliable Republican." That was a sharp shift from Graham's recent statement comparing the choice between Trump and Cruz to "the difference between poisoned or shot  you're still dead."

Amid the Republican chaos, Democratic front-runner Clinton focused on fundraising as her campaign begins to look ahead to the general election. She claimed a fifth victory in Tuesday's primaries, as rival Bernie Sanders conceded defeat in Missouri.

However, Sanders continued to campaign aggressively ahead of contests next Tuesday in Arizona and Utah.

Arizona residents are far more likely to see commercials for Sanders than for any other candidate in either party, advertising tracker Kantar Media's CMAG shows. Though trailing badly in delegates, he is spending about $1.8 million on Arizona ads, triple Clinton's media plan.

On the Republican side, so far only Cruz is advertising in the state, a relatively light $256,000, but he got a boost from an allied super PAC on Thursday that reserved $415,000 in Arizona and another $165,000 in Utah, according to CMAG. The ads are scheduled to run through the states' March 22 primaries.

While none of the Republican candidates campaigned publicly on Thursday, Cruz was to appear in Arizona on Friday before shifting his attention to Utah, which his campaign identified in the strategy memo as a key state in his path forward.

Kasich is also making an aggressive play in Utah, with four public events scheduled there over the next two days. The Ohio governor also unveiled the endorsement of former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, who praised "the temperament and the tone" of the Kasich campaign, an indirect jab at Trump.

Kasich has seized on Trump's sometimes violent rhetoric, while an allied group began airing running a TV ad across Utah Thursday that shows a protester being punched in the face at a Trump rally.

"There was a time when presidents were honorable. Trustworthy. What's happened?" the narrator asks, later adding, "John Kasich is presidential."

With a big delegate lead over Kasich, Cruz remains the Republican best positioned to catch Trump.

Even under a best-case scenario, however, Cruz's campaign envisions a slim chance he can win enough delegates to claim the nomination before the convention. The campaign is predicting success Tuesday in Utah and upcoming contests in North Dakota, Wisconsin and Colorado.

The Cruz strategy also depends upon victories on the final day of primary voting, June 7, which features contests in California and New Jersey, among other states.

In Arizona, experts believe about half of all Arizona voters have already cast their ballots  many of them for Trump.

Cruz's state director, Constantin Querard, downplayed Arizona's importance Thursday even as he said Utah and Arizona have the potential to "reset the race" as a two-person contest.

"I think Utah will be a better measure than Arizona," Querard said.

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Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Julie Bykowicz, Julie Pace, Andrew Taylor, Stephen Ohlemacher and Chad Day in Washington and Kathleen Ronayne in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.

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Follow Steve Peoples at http://twitter.com/sppeoples

FILE - In this March 10, 2016, file photo, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Graham said March 17 that he'll help fellow Sen. Ted Cruz raise campaign cash in hopes of stopping Donald Trump's march toward the Republican presidential nomination. Graham dropped his own longshot candidacy in December and has been a scathing critic of the Texas Republican in the past.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Trump as GOP presidential nominee could lean on party money

WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump says he'll raise money for the Republican Party and there's a good reason why: It has the resources he lacks for a general election.

Trump's victories this week make it much more likely that he'll be the party's presidential nominee, probably facing off in November with Democrat Hillary Clinton. That raises the question of how a so-far "self-funding" Trump would pay for what could be a billion-dollar campaign.

The answer could be, in part, the Republican National Committee.

In this March 14, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Tampa, Fla. Trump says hell raise money for the Republican Party and theres a good reason why: It has the resources he lacks for a general election. Trumps victories this week make it much more likely that hell be the partys presidential nominee, probably facing off in November with Democrat Hillary Clinton. That raises the question of how a so-far "self-funding" Trump would pay for could be a billion-dollar campaign. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In the four years since Mitt Romney lost to President Barack Obama, the party has spent millions of dollars to identify and persuade voters by building up its data team and deploying hundreds of on-the-ground employees across the country. These specialties of the national party happen to be lacking in Trump's own campaign.

As nominee, he would inherit those RNC resources, which would grow even stronger with Trump's fundraising assistance. He could also add personnel to the RNC's leadership, further blending his campaign and the party.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus and Lewis Eisenberg, its national finance chairman, have made repeated public assurances that they would support Trump if he becomes the nominee. Eisenberg, an investor, has known Trump for several decades.

Another longtime party financier, Bill Palatucci, plans to raise money for Trump in some capacity. Palatucci's friend and political ally, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was one of the first mainstream politicians to endorse Trump.

"The nominee will take over a party that has resources that simply weren't there for Mitt Romney," Palatucci said. The RNC has consistently raised millions more than its Democratic counterpart in recent years.

After Romney's loss, the party determined that part of what went wrong was organizational, specifically citing weaknesses in data gathering and direct voter contact.

The contrast between then and now is stark: As of March 2012, the RNC had four full-time field staffers; now there are more than 200, spread among 16 states. Some have been in place since 2013. The data team is seven times larger than in 2012 and updates voter information weekly.

"We're way ahead of schedule, and our nominee will inherit the strongest ground game the RNC has ever produced," said Chris Young, the party's national field director.

The party can't pay for everything. Trump's campaign would be responsible for his travel, staff and media such as paid advertising  which happen to be his specialties.

In the primary, the billionaire has managed those costs. He says he has spent about $30 million of his own money so far, and fundraising records show he'd raised $7.5 million from other donors through the end of January.

A reality television star with a penchant for saying controversial things, Trump has risen with the great help of free media coverage. And that's unlikely to change in the eight months before the general election.

What does seem certain to shift is the volume of advertising against him. It has been relatively meager throughout the primary.

Clinton and her allies are unlikely to hold back. The principal outside group backing Clinton, Priorities USA, has preserved most of the $50 million it has raised for use in the general election, spokesman Justin Barasky said.

The group put out its first anti-Trump ad on Thursday, a digital video that ridiculed him for saying, "I am speaking with myself," when asked about his foreign policy advisers.

Trump has said he'd spend "whatever it takes" to win the White House, estimating $100 million at one point.

It is unclear how much cash he has at his fingertips. And he has not released his tax returns, which could shed light on his financial circumstances.

Steven Law, leader of several of the biggest Republican outside groups, including American Crossroads, said Trump will have to respond forcefully to whatever comes his way from Clinton and her supporters. "It's hard to imagine how he withstands the attacks without a conventional campaign response, which takes real money," Law said.

Outside groups such as super political action committees are another potential ally for Trump in the general election. But whether they'll help him is far from clear.

Trump has repeatedly trashed big donors, super PACs and special interests as corrupt.

Law's groups, which have spent years researching Clinton and how to defeat her, have not determined whether they would help Trump win the White House. The network of activist groups funded by the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch is in a similar position.

Factoring into these groups' decision-making: whether he dials back his disparaging comments about political donors and whether the groups think he can win in November. They also want to see assurances that Trump will raise money for his campaign or spend plenty of his own.

"We're going to have to do a dispassionate analysis on viability," Law said of Trump's November chances. Until recently, many donors have been backing other candidates and in some cases spending millions to try to topple Trump.
Snyder blames bureaucrats, EPA faults state in Flint crisis

WASHINGTON (AP)  Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday blamed career bureaucrats in Washington and his own state for the Flint water-contamination crisis, while the head of the federal Environmental Protection Agency faulted him and other state officials.

At a contentious congressional hearing, the Republican governor repeatedly apologized for his role in the crisis, which occurred when state officials switched Flint's water supply to the Flint River two years ago to save money in the predominantly African-American city of 100,000 north of Detroit.

"Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind  the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded," Snyder said.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testifies before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016, to look into the circumstances surrounding high levels of lead found in many residents' tap water in Flint, Michigan. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, for her part, faulted state officials, noting that the impoverished city was under state management when the city's water supply was switched in April 2014.

State officials did not require that the river water be treated for corrosion, and lead from aging pipes and fixtures leached into Flint homes and businesses. About 8,000 children under the age of 6 were potentially exposed to lead, and elevated lead levels have been found in at least 221 children and 104 adults in Flint. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems.

"The crisis we're seeing was the result of a state-appointed emergency manager deciding that the city would stop purchasing treated drinking water and instead switch to an untreated source to save money," McCarthy said. "The state of Michigan approved that decision."

McCarthy acknowledged that the EPA should have been more aggressive in testing Flint's water and requiring changes, but she said the agency "couldn't get a straight answer" from state environmental officials about what was being done in Flint. McCarthy refused several requests by Republican lawmakers to apologize.

"It was not the EPA at the helm when this happened," she said.

The nearly four-hour hearing produced no major revelations, although Snyder for the first time acknowledged that a state law, which allows state-appointed officials to take control of troubled municipalities, failed in the case of Flint.

Several Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee called for Snyder to resign, while Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the oversight panel's chairman, and other Republicans said McCarthy should step down.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said McCarthy understands how serious Flint's problems are, adding: "There's a strong case to make that the United States of America has never had a better administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency than Gina McCarthy."

Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the panel's senior Democrat, said Snyder would likely face criminal charges if he were running a business  a dig at venture capitalist Snyder's oft-repeated claim to run state government like a business.

Besides facing charges, Cummings said of a corporate CEO in Snyder's shoes, "the board of directors would throw him out, and the shareholders would revolt."

Snyder told lawmakers that officials at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality repeatedly assured him that water being piped in from the Flint River was safe, when in reality it had dangerous levels of lead.

But Cummings said the governor should have pushed back against state experts. The committee has obtained documents "showing that people all around the governor were sounding the alarms, but he either ignored them or didn't hear them," Cummings said. He cited an October 2014 email from Snyder's top legal adviser warning that Flint should "get back on the Detroit (water) system" as soon as possible "before this thing gets too far out of control."

The warning came a year before Snyder says he became aware of the lead contamination on Oct. 1, 2015.

Dennis Muchmore, Snyder's former chief of staff, wrote emails in July 2015 warning that Flint residents who had complained about the smell, taste and appearance of the water were "getting blown off" by state officials.

Snyder said he took immediate action after learning that Flint's water was contaminated. He reconnected the city with Detroit's water supply, distributed water filters and began testing children and adults for elevated lead levels, he said.

The EPA deserves its share of blame, too, Chaffetz said.

He told McCarthy in one of several heated exchanges, "You had authority under the law (to fix problems in Flint) and you didn't do it."

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., scoffed at the outrage from Chaffetz and other Republicans, noting that the EPA under President Barack Obama is a favorite target of GOP politicians who routinely accuse the agency of overreach.

In Flint, Republicans "now say the Obama EPA should have stepped in and overruled the Republican governor of a state," Clay said, his voice rising. "The irony is almost overwhelming."

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Associated Press writers David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan, and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this story.

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Reach Matthew Daly: http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Chairman Rep. Jason Chafitz, R-Utah, sternly questions EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy as she appears before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016, to look into the circumstances surrounding high levels of lead found in many residents' tap water in Flint, Michigan. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy are sworn in to testify before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016, to look into the circumstances surrounding high levels of lead found in many residents' tap water in Flint, Michigan. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Lisia Williams, right, and her daughter Jada, second from left, wear shirts that read "Flint Lives Matter" as they join fellow Flint, Mich. residents in an overflow room to watch Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testify before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016, to look into the circumstances surrounding high levels of lead found in many residents' tap water in Flint, Michigan. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Prince Harry to visit Nepal, tour quake-hit areas

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP)  When Britain's Prince Harry visits Nepal this weekend, ordinary people hope his tour of earthquake-hit areas will draw attention to the country's struggle to recover from last year's disaster. Rebuilding is slow, and tens of thousands remain homeless.

"Hopefully when a big prince comes to these alleys and the world's media will see how miserable our lives are, we will get some help," said Ram Kaji, who was selling potatoes on the street near his damaged home in Patan, a historic district near the capital of Kathmandu.

The April 25, 2015, quake killed nearly 9,000 people, destroyed about 1 million homes and damaged many old temples, palaces and other old structures in Patan and the capital.

FILE - In this March 14, 2016, photo, Britain's Prince Harry gestures after attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. When Britains Prince Harry visits Nepal Saturday, March 19, 2016, ordinary people hope his tour of earthquake-hit areas will draw attention to the countrys slow recovery from last years disaster. (Geoff Pugh, Pool Photo via AP)

During his five-day trip, the 31-year-old prince will also visit a camp for displaced survivors and stay with a family whose men served in the famed Gurkha regiments in the British army  units that Harry served with in Afghanistan.

"He has a huge amount of admiration for the resilience of the people of the country, particularly in response to the earthquakes last year," Kensington Palace said in a statement.

Harry is the first British royal to visit the Himalayan country since the monarchy was abolished in 2008 following street protests. Since then, Nepal has turned into a republic, with a president chosen by a parliament. The prince will meet with President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

Authorities, however, have been slow to push ahead with rebuilding efforts. A government reconstruction agency was finally appointed in December but has yet to provide promised aid money to displaced families and guidelines to build new houses and structures.

People who live around the shiny Golden Temple in Patan  which Queen Elizabeth visited about 30 years ago  hope Harry's visit will generate greater awareness about rebuilding needs and bring in funds to repair damages to the many of historic structures.

The Buddhist shrine that dates back 1,400 years was mostly spared by the earthquake but the adjoining monastery, prayer house and assembly halls have been damaged. Only plastic sheets are keeping the rain off and the damaged areas are closed to the public due to danger of collapse. Harry will also negotiate a narrow alley alongside brick and mud houses that are supported by wooden beams.

Puspa Raj Bajracharya, who is on the committee that takes care of the Golden Temple, said they have sent requests and proposals to the government, saying it was getting dangerous for the devotees who come to the temple, but have not received any response. Repairs are estimated to cost about 25 million rupees ($227,000), but so far only a fraction of that has been collected from private donors.

"His grandmother had visited the temple in the 1980s when she came to Nepal with her husband and now the young prince is coming," Bajracharya said. "We hope when the prince comes to our temple we will get the attention of the world to come help us."

Prince Harry will also travel to Bhaktapur, a historic town east of Kathmandu that suffered even more damage, and visit a nearby temporary camp for about 250 people made homeless by the disaster, a quarter of whom are children.

In Pokhara, a lakeside town that is a base for trekkers in central Nepal, Harry will meet several retired Gurkha soldiers and their families. The prince served with a Gurkha battalion during a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Gurkhas have served in the British army for 200 years and have a reputation for being brave, tenacious fighters. Thousands of young Nepali men attempt to pass the grueling test to become a Gurkha, but only a few get through.

Harry will honor those killed in battle and spend a night with a local family.

For years, the Gurkhas fought for equal pay and pension to their British counterparts until a landmark 2008 court ruling that ended most discriminatory practices. Gurkha soldiers now receive equal salary and pension, and their families are allowed to settle in Britain. However, those who retired before 2008 still get roughly one-third of the pension.

The Gurkhas are proud of their heritage and identity, and Harry's visit is a "big event for us Gurkhas," said Krishna Kumar Ale, who served in the British army between 1969 and 1998 when he retired as a major. He recalled seeing the young Harry during a visit to a military exercise in Britain, and said Harry once had a Gurkha orderly.

"He is a good friend of the Gurkhas," he said, "and has always been close with the Gurkhas."
EU agrees stance on Turkey migrant deal

BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union leaders have agreed upon a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey something they will propose to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later on Friday.

At late night talks in Brussels on Thursday, leaders backed a mandate for negotiations with Turkey that they said would not result in mass deportations and some differences were bridged over sweeteners to give Turkey in exchange for its help.

"The 28 have agreed on a proposal," French President Francois Hollande said. "It was late in the evening, but it has been done."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, waits behind a glass partition before departing an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, March 18, 2016. European Union leaders struggled to reach a deal Thursday that balanced their concerns about refugee law and Turkeys human rights record with their desperation to halt the migrant crisis. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

But Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that reaching an agreement had not been easy.

"There too, it is a complicated process," he said. "I think we can get a deal out of this, we have to get a deal out of this. But the race is not really finished yet."

Desperate to ease the pressure placed on Europe's borders by the arrival of more than 1 million migrants in a year, the EU has turned to Turkey hoping to stem the flow of refugees into overburdened Greece.

The plan would essentially outsource Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades to Turkey, despite concerns about its sub-par asylum system and human rights abuses.

Under it, the EU would pay to send new migrants arriving in Greece who don't qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every migrant returned, the EU would accept one Syrian refugee, for a total of 72,000 people to be distributed among European states.

In exchange for the help of Turkey  home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees  the EU will offer up to 6 billion euros ($6.6 billion) in aid, an easing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens and faster EU membership talks.

The summit chairman, EU Council President Donald Tusk, and Rutte are scheduled to present Europe's terms for an agreement to Davutoglu on Friday for his endorsement.

If Davutoglu objects, the heads of state and government of the 28 EU nations will meet again to reconsider their position.

But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel warned that Turkey must not expect a free ride.

"An agreement can be no blank check," he said after the first day of the summit. "A deal is possible but not a certainty. We'd rather have no agreement than a bad agreement."

Human rights groups and leading EU legislators have decried the plan as a cynical cave-in, sacrificing universal rights to pander to a restless electorate fed up with hosting people who are fleeing war and poverty.

Even some leaders acknowledged the EU was walking a tightrope.

"It is on the edge of international law," Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said before leaders signed off on the tentative deal.

Some also criticized Turkey, complaining it was cynically trying to exploit the situation to win concessions well beyond its reach under normal circumstances.

Still, many see this potential deal as perhaps the only way to halt the flow by land and sea, especially as the weather turns warmer, and prevent people from turning to unscrupulous smugglers.

Thousands have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Greek or Italian islands. About 46,000 people are stranded in Greece after Macedonia shut its border to stem the flow along a popular migrant route through the Balkans. At least 14,000 are camped in the mud at a makeshift tent city in Idomeni, on the Greece-Macedonia frontier.

At one tent, 29-year-old Soukeina Baghdadi warmed herself by a fire shared with neighbors. Like many, she wants to move to Germany and is hoping that Europe's leaders can help.

"All the people here are waiting for the summit, waiting for the borders to open," she said.

The threat of a veto by Cyprus did not materialize, as the leaders' draft statement adroitly avoided explicit mention of any timeline on Turkey's EU membership. Turkey does not recognize the Mediterranean island's Greek-Cypriot government; a stance that has been a major obstacle to smooth accession talks.

When asked if he would veto a deal if he had to, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters: "If needed, yes."

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Menelaos Hadjicostis in Brussels and Costas Kantouris in Idomeni, Greece, contributed to this report.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, speaks with French President Francois Hollande during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union, in a standoff hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, walks by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union, in a standoff hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

A woman hangs laundry on tree branches as a child walks by at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Leaders of the EU's 28 divided nations plan to reconvene in Brussels this week in hopes of ironing out disagreements on a proposed agreement with Turkey in the migrants crisis. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

A Macedonian serviceman patrols behind the razor wire enforced fence on the border between Greece and Macedonia, seen from the Greek side, at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Leaders of the EU's 28 divided nations plan to reconvene in Brussels this week in hopes of ironing out disagreements on a proposed agreement with Turkey in the migrants crisis. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

French President Francois Hollande, right, meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (John Thys, Pool Photo via AP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center left, speaks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, center right, during a group photo at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union, in a standoff hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement. (AP Photo/Francois Walshaerts)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, looks out from her car window as she arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, left, arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite speaks with the media as she arrives for an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)

A boy plays with a cardboard box as migrants from Afghanistan, wait in queues to receive food distributed by the Greek army at a refugee camp in the western Athens' suburb of Schisto, Thursday, March 17, 2016. European Union leaders will push ahead Thursday with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

An Iraqi refugee family warms themselves by a fire near a muddy puddle at a makeshift migrant camp in the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Hundreds of migrants and refugees walked out Monday of an overcrowded camp on the Greek-Macedonian border, determined to use a dangerous crossing to head north but were returned to Greece. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

A man carries a wooden railway track beam to use for fire at the northern Greek border point of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Leaders of the EU's 28 divided nations plan to reconvene in Brussels this week in hopes of ironing out disagreements on a proposed agreement with Turkey in the migrants crisis.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 migrants on a dinghy boat are rescued by Italian Navy's personnel off the coast of Lampedusa island, Italy. Italian officials say good weather is the main factor behind a spike in migrant crossings from Libya, with mostly Italian ships picking up 3,100 migrants over the last three days. Ships picked up 712 migrants Thursday on top of 2,400 the two previous days, all grouped in small, flimsy rubber dinghies in international waters near Libya. Three bodies were found during Wednesdays rescues. (Marina Militare via AP Photo)
More than 12 punished for errant Afghan hospital attack

WASHINGTON (AP)  More than a dozen U.S. military personnel have been disciplined, but face no criminal charges, for errors that led to the aerial attack on a civilian hospital that killed 42 people in northern Afghanistan last year, U.S. defense officials say.

The punishments, which have not been publicly announced, are largely administrative. In some cases the actions, such as letters of reprimand, are tough enough to effectively end chances for further promotion. The military has previously said some personnel were suspended from their duties but has given no further details.

The disciplined include both officers and enlisted personnel, but officials said none are generals.

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2015, file photo, an employee of Doctors Without Borders walks inside the charred remains of the organization's hospital after it was hit by a U.S. airstrike in Kunduz, Afghanistan. More than a dozen U.S. military personnel have been disciplined but face no criminal charges for mistakes that led to the bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Afghanistan last year that killed 42 Afghans, U.S. defense officials say. (AP Photo/Najim Rahim, File)

The officials, who were not authorized to discuss the outcomes publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity, said the disciplinary process is nearly complete. It is derived from a military investigation of the Oct. 3, 2015, attack, the results of which are expected to be made public in a partially redacted form in coming days.

Sandra Murillo, a spokeswoman for Doctors Without Borders, said the charity would not comment on disciplinary actions until the Pentagon communicates its decisions directly to the group or makes a public announcement.

The hospital, run by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders in the northern city of Kunduz, was attacked by a U.S. Air Force special operations AC-130 gunship, one of the most lethal in the U.S. arsenal. Doctors Without Borders has called the attack "relentless and brutal" and demanded an international investigation, but none has been undertaken.

Army Gen. John Campbell, who was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan at the time but has since relinquished command, has called it a "tragic but avoidable accident caused primarily by human error."

The attack was unleashed as U.S. military advisers were helping Afghan forces retake Kunduz, which had fallen to the Taliban on Sept. 28. It was the first major city to fall since the Taliban were expelled from Kabul in 2001.

Afghan officials claimed the hospital had been overrun by the Taliban, but no evidence of that has surfaced. The hospital was destroyed and Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym, MSF, ceased operations in Kunduz.

President Barack Obama apologized for the attack, which was one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the 15-year war.

The U.S. command in Kabul said in February that it has expressed condolences and offered payment to more than 140 families and individuals affected by the attack.

In November the U.S. military provided an outline of what happened. It said the crew of the AC-130 gunship, which is armed with side-firing cannons and guns, had been dispatched to hit a Taliban command center in a different building, 450 yards away from the hospital. However, hampered by problems with their targeting sensors, the crew relied on a physical description that led them to begin firing at the hospital even though they saw no hostile activity there.

Many chances to avert the error were missed, officials said.

At a November news conference, Brig. Gen. Wilson Shoffner, a spokesman for Campbell, said the actions taken by the U.S. aircrew were "not appropriate" to the threat they faced, suggesting that a number of them could be faulted.

Campbell and Shoffner said that neither the U.S. Special Forces commander who called in the strike at the request of Afghan forces, nor the U.S. aircrew, was aware that a hospital was being hit until it was too late.

The main U.S. military investigation was completed on Nov. 15 but has not yet been publicly released. U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and across the greater Mideast, rejected in December an AP Freedom of Information Act request for the report, which it said was approximately 5,000 pages long.

A separate U.S. report on the incident, obtained last fall by The Associated Press, said the AC-130 aircraft fired 211 shells at the hospital compound over 29 minutes before commanders realized the mistake and ordered a halt. Doctors Without Borders officials contacted coalition military personnel during the attack to say the hospital was "being 'bombed' from the air," and the word finally was relayed to the AC-130 crew, the report said.

In an interview with reporters last week, Campbell, who is retiring on May 1, said the fall of Kunduz was a surprise  perhaps even to the Taliban.

"They had no clue they were going to take over Kunduz," he said. The insurgents had infiltrated a small number of fighters and attacked a prison in the city, he said.

"They got in the prison and the police just kind of left," and so the Taliban decided to keep pressing with the help of other Afghan police who colluded with the Taliban and were "bought off," Campbell said.

U.S. special operations forces were then sent to the area in support of Afghan forces.

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The Latest: EU agrees migrant plan to put to Turkey Friday

BRUSSELS (AP)  The Latest on European efforts to respond to the migration crisis (all times local):

00:22 a.m.

European Union leaders have agreed a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey which they will put to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday.

European Council President Donald Tusk, right, speaks with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, left, during a meeting on the sidelines of an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, Pool)

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tweeted news of the agreement late Thursday after talks in Brussels where leaders were assured that the draft deal would not result in mass deportations and differences were bridged over sweeteners to give Turkey in exchange for its help.

The summit chairman, EU President Donald Tusk, and the head of the executive Commission are scheduled to present Europe's position to Davutoglu early Friday for his endorsement.

If Davutoglu objects the heads of state and government of the 28 EU nations will meet again to reconsider their position.

The plan essentially outsources Europe's refugee emergency to Turkey. Under it, the EU will pay to send new migrants arriving in Greece who don't qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every migrant returned, the EU will accept one Syrian refugee, all to be distributed among European states.

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6:50 p.m.

An official says Cyprus would agree to lift any objections to reinvigorating Turkey's European Union membership talks if Ankara opens its ports and airports to Cypriot ships and aircraft.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to discuss ongoing negotiations publicly, said Cyprus had blocked five policy areas, or chapters, in Turkey's EU membership talks because Ankara would not extend its customs union with the bloc and allow Cypriot ships and aircraft into its ports and airports.

The official, who spoke during Thursday's meeting of an EU leaders' summit on the migration crisis, said all bloc members "fully understand" Cyprus' position and that no EU leader tried to persuade Cyprus to change tack.

Turkey had insisted that the five policy areas be unblocked before it would agree to a deal that would send back thousands of migrants who had made their way from Turkey to Europe.

Menelaos Hadjicostis in Nicosia, Cyprus.

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5:45 p.m.

Authorities in Greece say nine people from Greece and Iraq have been arrested after allegedly using use a light aircraft to transport stranded migrants from western Greece to Italy.

Police and judicial authorities said Thursday that the arrests were made a day earlier as arrangements were being made to transport a group of migrants from a flight club outside the western Greek town of Missolonghi. The suspects include a light aircraft pilot and a former municipal official from the town.

More than 40,000 refugees and migrants are stranded in Greece following border closures and restrictions by Austria and several Balkan countries  leaving many to turn to smugglers to try to reach western Europe.

Police said the alleged smugglers in Missolonghi had used the aircraft to transport drugs to western Europe but had recently switched to migrant-trafficking.

Migrants were charged between 4,500 and 7,500 euros ($5,100-8,500) each for the trip to Italy, police said.

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5:20 p.m.

Austria's top police official 1,090 people were detained for human smuggling last year, more than double than in 2014.

Konrad Kogler said Thursday the comparative number in 2014 was around 500. That was before the migrant crisis erupted.

With nearly 90,000 people seeking asylum in Austria as of December, the country has introduced a cap of 37,500 this year, suggesting that all over that limit won't be allowed entry unless they are transiting the country with plans to apply elsewhere in the EU.

Numbers have dropped sharply since Austria and its eastern neighbors on the West Balkans route shut their borders to most migrants last month.

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5:15 p.m.

Greece's prime minister says he wants EU leaders to hammer out a deal that will halt the flow of migrants from Turkey to Greece and will instead offer a legal way for refugees to resettle in Europe.

Alexis Tsipras told reporters that he also wants the deal to help accelerate the relocation of migrants from Greece to other EU nations. He said any deal should offer Greece more help to deal with thousands of migrants stuck along the country's northern border after other countries closed their borders to migrants.

He said Greece faces a humanitarian crisis "because of the unilateral actions" of some countries along the Balkan migrant route.

Tsipras was speaking before Thursday's EU summit focused on finalizing a deal to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey.

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5:10 p.m.

Hungary's prime minister says that any deal on the migrant crisis between the European Union and Turkey must include assurances that his nation won't be forced to take in a quota of refugees.

Viktor Orban said that "we have been working for days to ensure that Hungarian interests, that any kind of refugee exchanges, settlement or population movements take place exclusively on a voluntary basis."

Under an outline agreement, Syrians would be sent to the EU for resettlement among its member states. Hungary has long had objections to any mandatory resettlement among EU nations.

He said that "if there is an agreement with the Turks, then only sections should be included in which the settlement of arrivals from Turkey should be managed on a voluntary and not an obligatory basis."

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4:40 p.m.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel says that the Turkish negotiating tactics during talks with the European Union about the migration crisis sometimes feel like blackmail.

Since most of the million-plus migrants that have come into the EU over the past year left from Turkey, EU leaders at Thursday's summit need a deal with Ankara to stop the flow. But many have said that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu drives a very hard bargain.

Michel said that "Turkey is really asking for a lot. I refuse to accept negotiations that sometimes resemble a form of blackmail."

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4 p.m.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is predicting that migrants would stop leaving Turkey for the European Union within a month under a new deal being thrashed out with Ankara.

Rutte told reporters Thursday that "we expect this to stop in three to four weeks." His remarks came before an EU summit focused on finalizing a deal to send thousands of migrants back to Turkey.

The Dutch premier warned that is imperative to reach an agreement with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu by Friday.

Rutte said that "if we cannot work this out tonight and tomorrow, I don't see how we would be able to do it later."

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3:25 p.m.

The president of Cyprus says Turkey must open its airports and ports to Cypriot ships and planes if it wants to join the European Union  a standoff that is hampering efforts to seal an EU-Turkey migrant agreement.

President Nicos Anastasiades said Thursday that "every candidate country should fulfill its obligations and it's obvious that unfortunately, until now, Turkey hasn't."

As part of a package of sweeteners aimed at getting Turkey to take back tens of thousands of refugees, the EU is offering to speed up membership talks with Ankara.

But Cyprus insists that Turkey must extend an EU-wide customs agreement to the Mediterranean country.

Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. Turkey refuses to recognize the Greek-Cypriot government.

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2:35 p.m.

Refugees trapped in Greece have held peaceful protests in the country's main port, demanding that European countries open their borders to let them reach the continent's prosperous heartland.

About 350 people from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan took part in the peaceful protests at Piraeus, the port of Athens, where some 4,000 people are stranded. They held up signs reading "Open the borders" and "We are humans too."

Also Thursday, U.S. actress Angelina Jolie, a United Nations refugee agency special envoy, visited refugee and migrant shelters on the eastern island of Lesbos. That's where most of the more than a million people who reached Greece from Turkey on flimsy smugglers' boats over the past 15 months landed.

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2:15 p.m.

European Union auditors have issued a harsh verdict on some past efforts to control external migration. They say those efforts lacked a clear strategy and were poorly monitored, and that it was impossible to measure their results.

Daniele Lamarque, a member of the EU Court of Auditors, presented the report Thursday on EU-funded projects approved for Algeria, Georgia, Moldova, Morocco and Ukraine in 2007-13. She said the total amount charged to the EU budget couldn't be determined by the audit, and that it was unclear whether the bloc's funds were spent in keeping with intended geographic and policy priorities.

The auditors' recommendations include establishing a framework for assessing performance and focusing EU resources on clearly defined goals.

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1:15 p.m.

Turkey's coast guard says 54 Afghan migrants were intercepted in the Aegean Sea as their dinghy sped toward the Greek island of Lesbos, and were returned to Turkey.

The coast guard released a statement and video Thursday about the interception a day earlier.

European Union leaders are preparing to push ahead with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey, which has been the main departure point for asylum seekers heading for Europe.

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10:45 a.m.

Greece is insisting that European Union leaders meeting in Brussels must provide for sanctions against member states that unilaterally decide to shut out refugees.

Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas, who heads a task force on migration, said Thursday that Europe should not contain "fortress-states."

Athens has repeatedly criticized fellow EU member Austria for capping the number of migrants it lets in, which had a domino effect through the Balkans and left nearly 46,000 migrants stuck in Greece.

That figure includes 14,000 living in a waterlogged tent city set up round the closed Idomeni border crossing with non EU member Macedonia.

Greek authorities are trying to persuade people in Idomeni to move to organized shelters elsewhere, but have ruled out using violence to evacuate the camp.

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10:40 a.m.

The top European Union official trying to broker a contested agreement with Turkey to send back tens of thousands warns that the talks will not be easy.

EU Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday that "I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic."

He says any deal at a two-day meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday must satisfy all the bloc's 28 member countries.

Cyprus is threating to veto a deal because Turkey does not recognize it. Spain rejects any blanket return of migrants. Hungary refuses to resettle refugees from Turkey, saying that would only attract more people to Europe.

The summit is due open in Brussels at 1500 GMT.

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European Union leaders will push ahead Thursday with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades.

With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey  the source of most refugees heading to Greece  is seen as the key partner to contain the influx.

The U.N. refugee agency has reservations about asylum standards in Turkey and rights groups are concerned over Ankara's crackdown on the media and its bloody conflict with Kurdish rebels.

The EU, however, feels it has no better option.

"How are you going to help Greece without having an agreement with Turkey to handle the issue? Do you really want to condemn Greece to become a refugee camp for the rest of Europe?" EU Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said, on the eve of the two-day summit in Brussels.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, center, speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Francois Walschaerts)

A migrant gives a haircut to another one in a makeshift camp at the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Greece, Thursday, March 17, 2016. European Union leaders will push ahead Thursday with contested plans to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Migrants demand to open the border, during a protest at the Athens' port of Piraeus, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Over 4,000 stranded refugees and migrants stay at the passenger terminal buildings, their tents and a warehouse at the the biggest port of Greece. With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey  the source of most refugees heading to Greece  is seen as the key partner to contain the influx. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Migrants demand to open the border, during a protest at the Athens' port of Piraeus, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Over 4,000 stranded refugees and migrants stay at the passenger terminal buildings, their tents and a warehouse at the the biggest port of Greece. With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey  the source of most refugees heading to Greece  is seen as the key partner to contain the influx. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Refugee children walk along railway tracks at a makeshift migrant camp in the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Hundreds of migrants and refugees walked out Monday of an overcrowded camp on the Greek-Macedonian border, determined to use a dangerous crossing to head north but were returned to Greece. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Passers-by look at a tent set up during a symbolic protest against the European Union proposals to deport refugees back to Turkey, in Madrid, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Leaders of the EU's 28 divided nations plan to reconvene in Brussels this week in hopes of ironing out disagreements on a proposed agreement with Turkey in the migrants crisis. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Chancellor Angela Merkel , center, drops her ballot during a voting in the German parliament Bundestag Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

French President Francois Hollande arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. In the first day of a two-day summit, European Union leaders hope to seal a deal with Turkey to send back tens of thousands of migrants amid deep divisions over how to manage Europe's biggest refugee emergency in decades. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Migrants wait in queues to receive food distributed by Red Cross at the Athens' port of Piraeus, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Over 4,000 stranded refugees and migrants stay at the passenger terminal buildings, their tents and a warehouse at the the biggest port of Greece. With European unity fraying in the face of more than 1 million migrant arrivals over the last year, Turkey  the source of most refugees heading to Greece  is seen as the key partner to contain the influx. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Plea hearing delayed for alleged ringleader in gold heist

MIAMI (AP)  A plea hearing has been delayed for a Florida man who allegedly masterminded the heist of $4.8 million in gold bars from a truck along Interstate 95 in North Carolina.

Thursday's arraignment for 46-year-old Adalberto Perez has been moved back to March 31. He faces robbery and firearms charges in the 2015 theft.

The FBI says Perez used a GPS device to track the tractor-trailer and released pepper spray by remote control to sicken the driver and a passenger before the robbery in Wilson County, North Carolina. No one was injured.
A Massachusetts police officer has been placed on administrative leave for posting an image of a mushroom cloud with a reference to Islam.

Medford Officer Jason Montalbano apologized on Wednesday, saying he thought the image was meant to support action against the Islamic State group and that he did not intend to demean Muslims.

He had shared an image on his Facebook page on January 9 of a mushroom cloud with text referencing the atomic bomb dropped on Japan during World War II.

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Massachusetts police officer Jason Montalbano (pictured on Wednesday) has been placed on administrative leave for posting an image of a mushroom cloud with a reference to Islam

He had shared an image on his Facebook page on January 9 (pictured) of a mushroom cloud with text referencing the atomic bomb dropped on Japan during World War II

The post said: 'Japan has been at peace with the USA since September 2, 1945. It's time we made peace with Islam.'

The text references the date when Japan surrendered less than a month after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

On Monday, Montalbano's Facebook profile had been taken down.

Lt. Paul Covino said the department takes the situation seriously and will take whatever action is necessary to correct it.

Mayor Stephanie Burke said police officers should be held to a higher standard when using social media.

'Conduct unbecoming is conduct unbecoming. I think they have to conduct themselves in a way that's much higher than an average citizen,' Burke said, according to Wicked Local.

'They're not supposed to incite,' she added. 'They're supposed to calm things down.'

Meanwhile Montalbano's attorney has called the whole situation a misunderstanding.

He apologized on Wednesday, saying he thought the image was meant to support action against the Islamic State group and that he did not intend to demean Muslims

The text in the post references the September 2, 1945 date when Japan surrendered less than a month after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (pictured) and Nagasaki

'If you look at his record with the city of Medford Police Department you will find no evidence whatsoever of any hostility or discrimination against Muslims or any other religious or ethnic group,' Attorney Alan McDonald said, according to CBS Boston.

Montalbano, who has been an officer with the force for 18 years with a reportedly spotless record, said he had seen the post on someone else's Facebook page.

'When I first saw the post on another site, I took it as targeting ISIS,' Montalbano explained on Wednesday.

'In retrospect, I understand that the reference to Islam was inappropriately over-broad, and offensive to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. I did not intend to demean Islam or Muslims in general.'

Montalbano (pictured right) has been an officer with the force for 18 years with a reportedly spotless record

The image had originated from the Facebook page of retired U.S. Marine and member of the National Rifle Association's Board of Directors, Steve Reichert, according to Wicked Local.

After news broke that Mantalbano had come under fire, Reichert shared his thoughts in a Facebook post: 'What the f**k, I would expect nothing less from the PC nazi's in Ma.

'Since when does taking an oath to uphold and protect the US Constitution limit a police officers 1st amendment rights?

'I need your support folks- let the PD know how jacked up their actions against a patriotic officer are.'

Fellow officers said Montalbano's actions were out of character as they were adamant he did not have biases towards anyone, and noted he was the first to help anyone, CBS Boston reported.

The police department is reviewing the post to determine if an internal investigation is warranted.

In January 2014, the Medford Police Department instituted a social media policy however it mostly covers material that could jeopardize investigations if shared publicly, Wicked Local reported.

Medford Police Chief Leo A Sacco Jr said he does not monitor officers' social media activity.
Republicans wavering on Trump: Denial, grudging acceptance

WASHINGTON (AP)  Republican leaders are wavering between grudging acceptance and denial about Donald Trump's likely ascent to their party's presidential nomination.

The billionaire businessman is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July. But he still must do better in upcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a glimmer of hope he can still be stopped.

"I still think it's a very realistic chance that nobody's going to have a majority of the delegates," said Henry Barbour, a senior Republican National Committee member who worked on Marco Rubio's delegate strategy until the Florida senator left the race Tuesday.

In this March 14, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Tampa, Fla. Trump says hell raise money for the Republican Party and theres a good reason why: It has the resources he lacks for a general election. Trumps victories this week make it much more likely that hell be the partys presidential nominee, probably facing off in November with Democrat Hillary Clinton. That raises the question of how a so-far "self-funding" Trump would pay for could be a billion-dollar campaign. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Barbour said Trump "doesn't deserve to be president," but said he could ultimately support him if he "can convince me that he's presidential material."

Trump has been widely criticized for his comments on Muslims, women and immigrants, among others, and even President Barack Obama this week spoke out against the "vulgar" tone of this election season.

Now Trump warns that his supporters would revolt if he falls just short in the delegate count and loses in a rules fight at the party convention. "You'd have riots," he told CNN on Wednesday. "If you just disenfranchise these people, I think you would have problems like you've never seen before."

Despite the deep concerns about Trump within the Republican Party, there has been no rush among party leaders or donors to coalesce around Ted Cruz, the only candidate in the race with even a long-shot chance of overtaking Trump in the delegate count.

A small group of conservatives met Thursday to discuss the idea of rallying behind a third-party option, but no candidate had been identified to lead that effort. The meeting ended with a call for a "unity ticket that unites the Republican Party."

While many in the room supported Cruz, they declined to endorse the Texas senator or the only other remaining presidential contender, Ohio Gov. John Kasich

The three best-financed efforts to stop Trump abruptly ceased advertising after Tuesday's primary elections. The outside groups American Future Fund, Our Principles and Club for Growth have no Trump attack ads planned for Arizona, a crucial winner-take-all contest in six days, or in any states beyond.

Meanwhile, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton set her sights on a November showdown with Trump. Her victories in four primary contests Tuesday was a harsh blow to rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, giving Clinton what her campaign manager described as an "insurmountable lead" in the delegate count.

"We are confident that for the first time in our nation's history, the Democratic Party will nominate a woman as their presidential nominee," Robby Mook wrote in a memo to supporters.

Clinton has at least 1,599 delegates to Sanders' 844. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.

Trump has won 47 percent of the Republican delegates awarded so far, according to the Associated Press delegate count. He needs to win 54 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination by the time the primary season ends on June 7.

Just a handful of states will vote between now and mid-April.

Any scenarios that end with blocking Trump could leave the party in chaos. But some Republicans suggested that given the party's current state, the chaos couldn't get much worse.

"The divisions are already there," said John Jordan, a California-based Republican donor. "There's already open warfare on TV."

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Associated Press writers Julie Pace, Steve Peoples, Stephen Ohlemacher, Julie Bykowicz, Lisa Lerer and Nancy Benac contributed to this report.

In this March 14, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. Republican leaders are wavering between grudging acceptance and deep denial about Trumps likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination. With at least three more states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Putin: Russia can rebuild its Syria forces in 'a few hours'

MOSCOW (AP)  Signaling Russia's intention to maintain a high-profile role in Syria despite its partial military withdrawal, President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday that Moscow could still build up its forces within "a few hours" if needed and will continue helping the Syrian army fight extremist groups.

Putin, who recalled some of Russia's warplanes from Syria earlier this week, said Moscow will keep enough forces there to continue the fight against the Islamic State group, the Nusra Front and other extremist organizations. It will also continue to boost the Syrian military with weapons, training and operational guidance.

In an apparent warning to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others who had talked about the possibility of sending troops into Syria, Putin also emphasized that the Russian military will keep all its air defense missile systems, including the powerful S-400s, at its air base in Syria. It will stand ready to use them "against any targets that we would consider a threat to our servicemen," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses members if the military in Moscow's Kremlin, Russia on Thursday, March 17, 2016. President Vladimir Putin says Russia can again build up its forces in Syria in a few hours if necessary, and will continue striking extremist groups. Putin made the statement in the Kremlin Thursday while honoring Russian military officers who have taken part in the Syrian campaign. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putin's statements underlined his intention to maintain a strong military presence in Syria to consolidate the military and political gains achieved in Russia's 5 -month air campaign. That campaign has helped turn the tide of war and allowed Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces to make significant advances ahead of peace talks, and established Russia as a major player in the diplomatic effort to determine Syria's future.

Speaking during a Kremlin ceremony honoring Russian military officers who have taken part in the Syrian campaign, Putin said that the action in Syria has demonstrated Russia's "leadership, will and responsibility" in fighting "enemies of civilization."

Russian warplanes have conducted more than 9,000 combat missions since the air campaign began on Sept. 30, allowing the Syrian army "to gain strategic initiative," Putin said.

He said the action in Syria cost the military about 33 billion rubles (about $480 million), adding that the Defense Ministry already had those funds earmarked for maneuvers and used them instead to finance the Syrian campaign.

"There is no more efficient way of training than real combat," he said, adding that the military action in Syria allowed the Russian armed forces to test their long-range cruise missiles and other new weapons in real action for the first time.

Alongside hundreds of officers at the Kremlin were the widows of four Russian servicemen killed in action in Syria: a pilot of a Russian plane downed by Turkey, a marine killed on a mission to rescue the pilot's crewmate, a military adviser killed by shelling and a fourth man the circumstances of whose death haven't been revealed yet. In addition, officials said one soldier at the Russian base killed himself.

Putin said that a Russian- and U.S.-brokered cease-fire that began on Feb. 27 has now allowed Russia to reduce its military presence in Syria. The number of Russian air missions flown in Syria has dropped from 60-80 to 20-30 a day, meaning that some aircraft could be sent home, he said, without specifying how many warplanes will stay in Syria.

Putin said that Assad had been informed in advance about the Russian pullout and supported the decision.

Putin praised the Syrian president for what he described as his readiness to contribute to a peaceful settlement. "We have seen his restraint, a sincere striving for peace and readiness for compromise and dialogue," he said.

The Russian president voiced hope that the partial withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria would send an "important positive signal" and help Syria peace talks that began in Geneva on Monday.

While praising cooperation with the U.S. in negotiating the truce, Putin warned that the Russian military remaining in Syria would be ready to act against any groups that violate the cease-fire.

"If it becomes necessary, Russia is capable of building up its groups of forces in the region to the level required by the situation in literally a few hours and use our entire arsenal," he said. "We wouldn't like to do it ... and we count on common sense of all sides, on the Syrian authorities' and the opposition's adherence to the peace process."

Without naming any specific country, Putin said that "all interested nations have been warned" about Russia's intention to destroy any target that would threaten the Russian military and the fact that Russia also has helped beef up Syrian army's air defenses. The warning appeared directed at Turkey, which downed a Russian warplane at the Syrian border in November, and other nations, like Saudi Arabia, which mulled sending troops into Syria.

"No one has the right to violate the airspace of a sovereign country, Syria," he said.

He also said the Syrian army will press its offensive on Palmyra and drive out the IS forces controlling it, adding that Russia will continue offering all kinds of assistance to Assad's military.

"It includes financial aid, the deliveries of weapons and military gear, help in training, organization and teaming of Syrian armed forces, intelligence support, help in planning combat missions," he said, adding that Russia would also continue to provide direct air cover for the Syrian military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks in Moscow's Kremlin, Russia on Thursday, March 17, 2016. President Vladimir Putin says Russia can again build up its forces in Syria in a few hours if necessary, and will continue striking extremist groups. Putin made the statement in the Kremlin Thursday while honoring Russian military officers who have taken part in the Syrian campaign. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian Su-25 ground attack jets are parked after returning from Syria, at a Russian air base in Primorsko-Akhtarsk, southern Russia, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. More Russian planes returned from Syria on Wednesday, two days after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military to withdraw most of its fighting forces from Syria, signaling an end to Russia's five-and-a-half month air campaign.(Olga Balashova/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
Russian bobsledder fails doping test for meldonium

MOSCOW (AP)  Russian bobsledder Nadezhda Sergeeva says she has tested positive for meldonium.

Sergeeva, who raced at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, tells Russian agency R-Sport that she tested positive last month.

She adds that she last took the substance in "late 2015" and used it "strictly in connection with cardiological problems which had become apparent."

Meldonium, which boosts blood flow, has been banned since Jan. 1, prompting a number of doping cases across a range of sports. Last week, Maria Sharapova admitted that she tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open.
US Supreme Court nominee starts meeting with senators

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Barack Obama's pick for the Supreme Court vacancy is ready to start courtesy calls with senators who Democrats hope will put election-year pressure on Republicans refusing to consider any Obama nominee.

Merrick Garland planned to visit two top Democrats on Thursday, a day after Obama nominated the 63-year-old appellate court judge and former prosecutor for the seat left empty by the death of the conservative Justice Antonin Scalia last month.

The White House said that after a two-week Senate recess, Garland also will meet with Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican who's been a chief focus of Democratic attacks for refusing to let his panel hold a hearing for anyone Obama selects.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, whose panel is responsible for vetting judicial appointments, waits for the start of a hearing shortly after President Barack Obama announced Judge Merrick Garland as his nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Declining to see Garland was Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has led the Republican blockade against a hearing or vote until the next president is in place.

But the planned meeting with Grassley underscored a willingness by a small but growing group of Republican senators to say they'd see the nominee, and in some cases take the process further.

"I meet with anybody, and that would include him," said Sen. Jeff Flake. The Republican said if a Democrat is elected president this November, he'd want the Senate to consider Garland's nomination during a post-election session because "between him and somebody that a President Clinton might nominate, I think the choice is clear."

Some Republicans consider Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton likely to make a more liberal selection should she enter the White House.

Republican senators Kelly Ayotte, Susan Collins, James Inhofe, Orrin Hatch and Rob Portman also expressed an openness to meeting with Garland. Ayotte and Portman are among a half-dozen Republican senators in competitive re-election contests who Democrats hope will be pressured into backing hearings and a vote on Garland or be punished for their refusal by voters.

One reason for the intense combat over Scalia's replacement is that Garland would tilt the court's 4-4 balance in the liberal direction after decades of conservative dominance.

"The next justice could fundamentally alter the direction of the Supreme Court and have a profound impact on our country," McConnell said Wednesday. "So of course the American people should have a say in the court's direction" by their selection of the next president.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, has spent weeks tying Senate Republican opposition to any Obama court nominee to similar views by Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner who many party leaders dislike.

"Republicans now face a choice between blindly taking their marching orders from Donald Trump, or doing their jobs and providing fair consideration to this highly qualified nominee," Reid said Wednesday.

Reid and Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, planned to meet Thursday with Garland.

Garland is chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, considered just a step below the Supreme Court in its clout because of its jurisdiction over administration policy.

As a justice, Garland would be expected to take liberal-leaning views on environmental regulation, labor disputes and campaign finance. On criminal defense and national security cases, he has sided often with prosecutors.

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The outlines of the EU-Turkey migrant deal, at a glance

BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union and Turkey plan to announce on Friday a major step forward in containing the refugee emergency with the return of tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey.

As EU leaders and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu went into a scheduled final day of talks in Brussels, here are the main points of their tentative agreement, based on draft documents seen by the Associated Press and information provided by EU officials who declined to be named because the negotiations are in a sensitive phase.

 All "new irregular migrants" crossing from Turkey to Greece will be sent back. That is, people arriving after this deal is sealed who do not apply for asylum or whose applications are deemed inadmissible. The EU will pay the transport costs. Migrants already in Greece will be transferred from the Greek islands to reception centers on the mainland. Due to legal concerns and fears of mass deportation, emphasis is placed on people being sent back on an individual basis.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, second left, poses with from left, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte prior to a meeting on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, March 18, 2016. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived for talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Their meeting is aimed at thrashing out the details of an agreement to send tens of thousands of migrants in Greece back to Turkey. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP)

 For every Syrian among those returned to Turkey, one Syrian refugee already in Turkey will be resettled in Europe. Under this voluntary part of the plan, a total of 72,000 Syrians would be brought to Europe. There are no provisions relating to other nationalities. The U.N. refugee agency would supervise the resettlement process, with the participation of EU experts.

 Turkey will take all action necessary to stop new migrant sea or land routes to Europe opening up from its territory.

 As one of the sweeteners being offered to Turkey to take back the migrants, the process of easing visa rules in Europe for Turkish citizens will be speeded up, with the aim of lifting the requirements by the end of June. Turkey will commit urgently to take steps to meet all 72 benchmarks for this to happen.

 The EU will also speed up the disbursement of 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to help Syrian refugees in Turkey. If that money is spent appropriately, the EU stands ready to provide up to 3 billion more euros, also to be used for Syrian refugees.

 The EU and Turkey will "prepare for the decision on the opening of new chapters" in Ankara's EU membership talks "as soon as possible." Countries hoping to join the EU must complete negotiations in 35 policy areas, or chapters. Turkey has completed one chapter in a decade of talks. One of the biggest problems is that Turkey does not recognize EU member Cyprus. The likelihood of a veto from Cyprus appears to have subsided.

 The EU will commit to work with Turkey on any "joint endeavor to improve humanitarian conditions inside Syria," where most of the refugees are coming from. This is in response to a repeated demand from Turkey for EU support in setting up safe areas inside Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, right, speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, March 18, 2016. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived for talks with EU Council President Donald Tusk, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Their meeting is aimed at thrashing out the details of an agreement to send tens of thousands of migrants in Greece back to Turkey. (AP Photo/Geoffroy Van der Hasselt)

A migrant sits by a fire in a makeshift camp at the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, March 18, 2016. European Union leaders agreed upon a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey something they will propose to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later on Friday. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)

Refugee children jump on a muddy mattress in a makeshift camp at the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Greece, Friday, March 18, 2016. European Union leaders agreed upon a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey something they will propose to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later on Friday. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Lawmakers challenge Turing executives on drug price hikes

WASHINGTON (AP)  The former top lawyer for Turing Pharmaceuticals said Thursday that he and other executives warned Martin Shkreli against the drastic price hike that triggered a national backlash against the company and its then-32-year-old CEO.

The Senate Committee on Aging subpoenaed current and former Turing executives to appear Thursday and explain the fiftyfold price hike of Daraprim, a drug used to treat a life-threatening parasitic infection. Lawmakers struggled to describe the company's behavior, which Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., called "pure evil."

Turing's former general counsel, Howard Dorfman, told committee members that the price hike "was certainly unjustified."

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, file photo, former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on his former company's decision to raise the price of a lifesaving medicine. The former top lawyer for Turing Pharmaceuticals says the price hike masterminded by Shkreli was not justified. He will tell Senate lawmakers that company executives warned against a backlash. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

When Dorfman and other executives objected to the increase, Shkreli reportedly responded that "no one cares about pricing increases."

"Mr. Shkreli told me that he was the most knowledgeable person with regard to this business model," Dorfman said. "That I was seriously misinformed  despite my 30 years in the industry." Dorfman said he was fired from Turing in August, shortly after raising his concerns.

Thursday's hearing marked the second time in two months that lawmakers have summoned Turing executives to account for their pricing tactics. Last month House lawmakers subpoenaed Shkreli to appear at a similar hearing, though he declined to answer questions, citing his Fifth Amendment right.

Shkreli, who resigned as CEO in December, is facing charges of securities fraud unrelated to Turing. He did not appear at the hearing.

Instead, lawmakers pressed two current Turing executives to justify their business model.

"What improvements did Turing make to Daraprim to justify raising the price from $13.50 per pill to $750 per pill?" asked Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who chairs the committee.

Interim CEO Ronald Tilles acknowledged that the currently sold pill is the same drug that has been available since the 1950s. It sells overseas for about $2.

Tilles began to say that the company spent 60 percent of its revenue last year on research and development. But ranking member Sen. Claire McCaskill interrupted him, pointing out that his statement contradicted testimony by Turing's chief commercial officer, Nancy Retzlaff, who testified at last month's House hearing.

"She might be correct," Tilles acknowledged.

After coming under fire last fall, Turing said that it was investing its profits into a "next generation" treatment that would be superior to Daraprim. But Dorfman said that there was no such research plan in place at the time of the price increase.

"The price increase, as contemplated and subsequently announced, was not justified by any such actual expenditure," he testified.

Tilles and Michael Smith, co-founder of the company, repeatedly said that they had little input on the pricing decision and suggested other Turing executives would be more knowledgeable.

That response didn't sit well with Democrat Joe Donnelly of Indiana.

"I was born at night, but I wasn't born last night: You guys are running a scam," he said. "And you tried to figure out how fast and how long you could milk it."

Many pharmaceutical companies increase prices annually as a matter of doing business. But the staggering size of recent increases by Turing, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and several other drugmakers turned drug pricing into a national issue, reverberating from late night TV to the presidential campaign trail.

The tactics seemed to confirm the public's worst fears about pharmaceutical companies: that they are more Wall Street-driven investment vehicles than actual makers of medicines.

Shkreli's prior work as a hedge fund manager ultimately landed him in court.

Prosecutors in December accused him of losing investors' money through bad trades and then looting Retrophin, another pharmaceutical company where he was CEO, for $11 million to pay back his disgruntled hedge fund investors. Shkreli has pleaded not guilty and is out on $5 million bail.

McCaskill vowed to go after companies like Turing.
Trump campaign challenging comics to think outside the box

NEW YORK (AP)  Donald Trump's presidential campaign is far from ordinary, and late-night television humorists are pushing boundaries in order to keep up.

The most memorable Trump-inspired comedy of the past few months has been more intricate than monologue jokes, reflecting a tough competition for laughs and knowledge that the best material can have a long life online.

John Oliver's epic, 20-minute Trump takedown, with research that revealed the family's name was once "Drumpf," has logged more than 2 million YouTube views. He methodically debunks the beliefs of Trump fans, even as he marvels at the candidate's brazenness. "There's a part of me that even likes this guy," the HBO host said. "It's a part of me I hate, but it's a part of me."

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his primary election night event at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, March 15, 2016. At right is his son Eric Trump and at left is campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

ABC's Jimmy Kimmel reunited Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane as their old characters from "The Producers," whose chosen scam is the Trump campaign instead of a musical about Hitler. They soon recognize the story "starts out funny and then gets really, really depressing."

While Darrell Hammond effectively impersonates Trump on "Saturday Night Live," none of the show's political skits have matched the impact of the "racists for Trump" commercial parody. Trevor Noah's best moment since replacing Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" came when he compared Trump's words to those of African dictators.

"There are a lot of ways where a comedian can tell easy jokes about Trump and they keep repeating themselves," said Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture. "But the really good stuff is very sophisticated, very probing political satire."

Comics were nearly shaking with excitement when Trump announced his candidacy, anticipating a great diversion to a serious campaign. Yet as the outrageous statements piled up and Trump maintained a high standing in the polls, it wasn't so funny anymore  a point Thompson noted was effectively made in a routine by Comedy Central's Larry Wilmore.

"Trump is sort of a double-edged sword," said Matt O'Brien, head writer for Conan O'Brien's TBS show. "On the one hand, he gives you so much to make fun of every day. The real problem is there are now 15 hosts going after the same piece of meat. It's hard to be original with him, because everyone is coming after him from all angles."

The atmosphere for late-night comedy is far different from when the choice was essentially Jay Leno and David Letterman one-liners.

That's made people in late-night take detailed looks at Trump and his supporters. You may still hear jokes about Trump's orange tint or gravity-defying hairstyle, but they already feel old and tired.

The Internet adds another layer of competition. Some jokes that pop online, like the memes that compared Chris Christie to a hostage for how he looked standing behind Trump at a news conference, work much better than they would on television, said Jo Miller, executive producer of Samantha Bee's "Full Frontal" on TBS.

Bee's show this week staged a party for Trump supporters, supplying drinks, massages and fact-checkers who quickly became overworked by the conversation. "How do you fact-check bluster?" Bee asked.

The programs that have taken up the Trump challenge have done so in ways that amplify their particular strengths. Few programs, for example, can match the "Saturday Night Live" tradition of commercial parodies, Miller said. Kimmel shines in Hollywood-like short pieces. Seth Meyers has a more traditionalist's approach, anchored by strong writing. Oliver's signature is lengthier stories based on research done with journalistic rigor.

O'Brien's show is usually more intent on being silly than in being political. The show has a running segment with a Trump impersonator who phones in to the host, like Trump has been doing with news programs. Sarah Silverman was also invited on to play Adolf Hitler and react to comparisons made between Trump and the notorious German leader.

"Trump has given each show a chance to do what they do best but in completely different ways," Miller said.

Even with Trump as a font of comedy, late-night shows haven't neglected other candidates. Bee has thoroughly lampooned Ted Cruz, and Larry David's spot-on Bernie Sanders impersonation is a regular on "Saturday Night Live."

However the Trump campaign ends, it has already left a television comedy legacy stronger than past political campaigns, Syracuse's Thompson said.

"Political comedy on television has never been better," he said.

As the Trump campaign took a darker turn last week, with demonstrations and violence at some of the candidates' rallies, late-night comics kept up with him. Both Bee and Wilmore staged fake fights on their shows.

A Trump impersonator handed bottles to the two combatants on "The Nightly Show," who proceeded to smash them over the other's head.

"Who's going to pay the medical bills?" Wilmore wondered.

"Mexico," the Trump impersonator answered.

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Amid push for transparency, few colleges reveal investments

BOSTON (AP)  Colleges and universities are under growing pressure from Congress and campus activists to reveal financial investments made through their endowments, but most institutions are standing firm against the idea.

The movement includes federal lawmakers who are questioning whether to tax colleges on investment profits that can amount to billions of dollars a year. Many students and alumni are making inquiries too, demanding to know whether schools invest in certain industries.

Those moves challenge the privacy that has long been granted to university endowments, which are large pools of investments meant to provide financial aid to current students and to sustain the schools for future generations.

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2013, file photo, a student walks across the Lawn in front of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., while the Rotunda was undergoing renovation. Amid scrutiny from Congress and campus activists, colleges across the country are under growing pressure to reveal the financial investments made using their endowments. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Endowments face little federal regulation compared with other fundraising institutions. Private foundations, for example, are required to spend at least 5 percent of their assets each year and pay a 2 percent excise tax on investment earnings. Colleges face no spending rules and, because of their educational purpose, are not taxed on their earnings.

Despite the calls for transparency, record requests made by The Associated Press to dozens of the nation's wealthiest colleges show a continued push to keep investments secret.

Out of 50 public and private universities asked to disclose their investments, 39 schools with combined endowments of $255 billion refused to provide a single record. Four never responded to the requests sent in September. None of the private universities, which are not subject to open-records laws, released any information.

Most public universities, which operate with taxpayer money, kept their investments secret. The universities that did provide records in most cases revealed only a small fraction of their portfolios.

Colleges drew on a variety of reasons to withhold records. The University of Virginia and four other public universities said they house their endowments in outside foundations that are not subject to open-records laws. Michigan State University, also public, cited a state law that explicitly keeps college investments confidential. Private Vanderbilt University said it made agreements with financial managers not to share investment details.

"I think that they go to great lengths to try to isolate themselves," said Neal Stoughton, a professor and director of the Endowment Research Center at Vienna University of Economics and Business in Austria.

"They don't want the endowments to be subjected to a lot of political influence, because that's not the way to invest for the long term," he added. "That's not the way to get a higher rate of return."

Transparency can also lead to unwanted scrutiny. For instance, Harvard University's investments in the timber industry inspired student protests in 2014, and environmental groups blasted the school for buying land in Africa to be used for commercial farming. Harvard insists that it invests responsibly.

The University of California system told one of its student newspapers that it cut investments in the owner of Bushmaster, the maker of the rifle used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. The New York Times uncovered the financial tie in 2013.

Many colleges contend that disclosing their investment portfolios would risk losing a competitive edge. Instead, most schools issue annual reports with broad information but few details about specific investments.

Exceptions include the investment arm of the University of Texas system, which is required under state law to publish its holdings every year.

"It's a trade-off between negatively affecting the performance and wanting to fully inform," said Richard Smith, a finance professor at the University of California Riverside who has researched endowments. "Sometimes there's a value in keeping your investment choices secret."

Two congressional committees sent letters to the richest private colleges last month asking for a wide range of information about their endowments, including how the schools use endowment assets "to fulfill their charitable and educational purposes." The inquiry was partly meant to determine whether schools deserve the federal tax breaks they receive.

Separately, Rep. Tom Reed, a Republican from New York, is drafting a proposal that would require all endowments of more than $1 billion to spend at least 25 percent of their profits every year on financial aid. Reed's goal is to help lower tuition costs for students from working-class families. But as part of his plan, he also hopes to propose stronger reporting requirements to shed light on college investments.

"People are concerned. We just don't know where the money's coming from and where it's going," Reed said in an interview. "I think that transparency will go a long way to clean up some abuses in this arena."

On campuses, too, students have been pushing for greater transparency. Student groups that oppose the fossil fuel, firearm and other industries say they should have a role in the investment process. At Northwestern University in Illinois, students in the group Fossil Free Northwestern have ramped up protests this year, pressing the private school to disclose its investments and stop supporting coal and oil companies.

"There's a really big movement to know exactly what is funding our education and to have some sort of say over that," said Christina Cilento, a group member and junior at Northwestern.

Some schools have heeded calls from students and dropped certain investments. Becker College, a small private school in Massachusetts, announced on March 10 that all its investments would "generate a positive impact on society."

But often, even the institutions themselves don't know where their money goes, in part because they hire outside managers who constantly buy and sell investments. Additionally, many schools put their money into mutual or hedge funds, which in turn make other investments that can be kept confidential.

The issue has flared up at Hampshire College, where a group of students urged the school to ensure that its investments, including in hedge funds, don't support prisons. The private college in Massachusetts passed a policy against prison investments last year but added that there's no way to pinpoint where all of its money lands.

In the past, calls for greater transparency have had little success. Last year, state lawmakers rejected a proposal that would have made the public University of Connecticut's endowment subject to open-records laws. In September, private Duke University denied a request from students to release its endowment portfolio, saying there are "genuine concerns such disclosure would reduce competitive advantages."

But Reed said he's unfazed by "negative pushback" he has fielded from some universities.

"If we're going to have a tax preference given to these colleges," he said, "then we need to make sure we know where those dollars are going."

FILE - In this June 4, 2013 file photo, Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., speaks during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Reed is drafting a proposal that would require college endowments of more than $1 billion to spend at least 25 percent of their profits every year on financial aid. Reed's goal is to help lower tuition costs for students from working-class families. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)
Senior Indian, Pakistani officials discuss attack in India

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP)  Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the adviser to Pakistan's prime minister on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Nepal on Thursday, in the first high-level talks between the two countries since an attack on an India army base earlier this year.

Swaraj said a team of Pakistani investigators will arrive in India on March 27 to help probe the attack on the base in Pathankot in India's Punjab state.

The meeting marked a thaw in recent frostiness in bilateral relations since the Jan. 2 attack, in which seven Indian soldiers and six militants died. A group in Pakistan's portion of Kashmir claimed responsibility.

Since independence from Britain in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir, the Himalayan region that both claim in its entirety.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training insurgents fighting for Kashmir's independence from India or its merger with Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denies. More than 68,000 people have been killed in the violence, which began in 1989.

Foreign ministers and top diplomats from eight South Asian nations met in the resort town of Pokhara in west Nepal.
EU's Tusk urges Poland to solve its constitutional crisis

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Donald Tusk, the president of the European Union and the former Polish prime minister, has urged authorities in his homeland to resolve a constitutional crisis that is raising concerns about the rule of law.

Tusk on Thursday urged Poland's government to respect the ruling of the Venice Commission, an international human rights body that reprimanded Warsaw last week for moves that have paralyzed Poland's Constitutional Tribunal.

The ruling Law and Justice party has passed new laws that have essentially prevented the court from acting as a check on government power. The court itself struck down the laws as unconstitutional last week.

A protester from the Committee for Defending Democracy stands next to a board indicating the number of days that have passed since a key Constitutional Tribunal running against legal changes to how the court functions, in front of the government office in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, March 17, 2016. A constitutional crisis persists in Poland, with the EU president Donald Tusk urging a resolution on Thursday, but ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski insisting the government will not accept the ruling. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

But ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczysnki said Thursday the government would not publish the court's ruling, a necessary step for it to become law.

Supporters of the left-wing Razem party wave flags as they end their protest urging the government to publish the Constitutional Tribunal verdict after deciding to undertake other legal actions, in front of the prime minister's office in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, March 17, 2016. A constitutional crisis persists in Poland, with the EU president Donald Tusk urging a resolution on Thursday, but ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski insisting the government will not accept the ruling. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, left, speaks with European Council President Donald Tusk prior to a media conference at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016. Ukrainian President Poroshenko was in Brussels on Thursday to meet with EU officials and discuss the current situation in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
The Latest: Court says Hogan case documents must be unsealed

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  The Latest on the trial of wrestler Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against the New York-based website Gawker (all times local):

7 p.m.:

A Florida appeals court has ruled in favor of a group of media companies that wanted documents unsealed in the Hulk Hogan sex video lawsuit.

Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan arrives in the courtroom Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, and his attorneys are suing Gawker Media for $100 million, saying his privacy was violated, and he suffered emotional distress after Gawker posted a sex tape of Hogan and his then-best friend's wife. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, Pool) NEW YORK POST OUT

Late Thursday afternoon, the Second District Court of Appeals in Lakeland ruled that sealed documents in the case are public records and should be available to the public and the press.

On Wednesday, the court ordered that a number of sealed records be released in the case and Hogan's lawyers filed motions to keep them sealed. Attorneys for media companies, including The Associated Press, filed counter motions to make the records public.

Hogan's legal team has until 4 p.m. Friday to remove such information such as birthdates, bank account numbers and social security numbers, from the documents.

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11:25 a.m.:

A judge says jurors will hear closing arguments Friday in ex-pro wrestler Hulk Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media over a sex video.

Judge Pamela Campbell announced it Thursday. Also on Thursday, lawyers for Gawker showed Hogan a promo video of him wearing T-back underwear and parodying the Miley Cyrus "Wrecking Ball" video.

They also played a video of a Hulk Hogan deposition in which Hogan discussed his wrestling persona, his true identity, branding and celebrity.

Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, is suing Gawker for $100 million for posting the video, contending it violated his privacy. It depicted the former wrestler having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, radio host Bubba The Love Sponge Clem. Both Hogan and the woman said they didn't know they were filmed.

9:45 a.m.:

Testimony will continue for a ninth day in the Hulk Hogan sex video trial in a Florida courtroom.

It's possible that closing arguments could happen Thursday in St. Petersburg.

Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, is suing Gawker Media for $100 million for posting the video, contending it violated his privacy. It depicted the former wrestler having sex with the wife of his then-best friend, radio host Bubba The Love Sponge Clem. Both Hogan and the woman said they didn't know they were filmed. Clem exercised his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and won't testify.

Gawker posted a story and an edited version of the video, saying it was newsworthy. Gawker's editorial process has been an issue in the trial and jurors will grapple with themes of celebrities, privacy and media ethics.

Gawker Media attorneys Michael Berry, left, and Michael Sullivan, right, listen to videotaped testimony by Heather Cole, the ex-wife of Bubba The Love Sponge Clem in the courtroom Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, and his attorneys are suing Gawker for $100 million, saying his privacy was violated, and he suffered emotional distress after Gawker posted a sex tape of Hogan and his then-best friend's wife. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, Pool) NEW YORK POST OUT
Doggone good tale: Pup found 5 weeks after falling overboard

SAN DIEGO (AP)  It sounds like a pitch for a far-fetched movie: "Cast Away," but with a dog instead of Tom Hanks. Only this sea tale is true.

A California fisherman's beloved German shepherd fell overboard and was presumed drowned. More than a month later, she was found.

The 1 -year-old dog named Luna was spotted this week on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego.

Conner Lamb carries Luna, a 1 1/2-year-old dog that fell off a fishing boat in February, after Luna arrived by a Navy commuter flight Wednesday, March 16, 2016, at Naval Base Coronado in California. Luna was found Tuesday on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT

The blue-eyed pup disappeared Feb. 10 as Nick Haworth, a commercial fisherman from San Diego, worked on a boat 2 miles from the island.

"They were pulling in their traps, and one minute Luna was there, and the next minute she was gone," said Sandy DeMunnik, spokeswoman for Naval Base Coronado. "They looked everywhere for her. They couldn't see her. The water was dark, and she's dark."

Haworth notified Navy personnel.

"He insisted that he was 90 percent sure that she made it to shore because she was such a strong swimmer," DeMunnik said.

Haworth searched the waters for about two days and Navy staff searched the island for about a week but found no sign of Luna.

She was presumed lost at sea. Until Tuesday, that is, when staff arriving for work at the island's Naval Auxiliary Landing Field spotted something unusual  a dog sitting by the side of the road. Domestic animals aren't allowed on the island for environmental reasons.

It was Luna.

"She was just sitting there wagging her tail," DeMunnik said. The staff called to Luna, and she came right over.

A biologist then examined the dog and found her a little thin but otherwise healthy.

"It looks like she was surviving on rodents and dead fish that had washed up," DeMunnik said.

Officials called Haworth, who was out of state, working in the middle of a lake.

"He was overwhelmed. He was so happy and grateful and thrilled," DeMunnik said.

Luna was flown to a Navy base on the mainland Wednesday and handed over to Haworth's best friend, who will care for the dog until Haworth returns Thursday night.

Luna, meanwhile, has a souvenir of the experience. Her dog tag was lost but the Navy gave her a new one, DeMunnik said.

Along with her name, it bears a key lesson in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape course taught on the island to Navy and Marine personnel. The tag reads: "Keep the Faith."
The Apple-FBI fight may be the first salvo in a bigger war

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  The Apple-FBI fight may just be the opening salvo in a broader war over encryption, as technology companies continue to lock up their users' messages, photos and other data to shield them from thieves and spies  and, incidentally, criminal investigators.

WhatsApp, the globally popular messaging system owned by Facebook, has already run into trouble on this front in Brazil. WhatsApp encrypts all user messages in "end to end" fashion, meaning that no one but the sender and recipient can read them. Brazilian authorities arrested a Facebook executive earlier this month after the company said it couldn't unscramble encrypted messages sought by police.

U.S. officials are debating how to enforce a similar wiretap order for WhatsApp communications in a U.S. criminal case, the New York Times reported . WhatsApp started as a way to exchange written messages over the Internet, but it has added services like photo-sharing and voice calling, while gradually building encryption into all those formats.

FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, file photo, people wait in front of an Apple store in Munich, before the worldwide launch of the iPhone 6s. The governments fight with Apple over an encrypted iPhone may be the first of many battles in a broader war over who gets access to individuals data, as more tech companies offer encrypted messaging and other services. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

Spokesmen for WhatsApp and the Justice Department declined comment on the Times report, which said the wiretap order had been sealed to keep details secret. The Brazilian case is still pending, although the Facebook executive was released from jail after a day.

For now, U.S. authorities and the tech industry are watching for the outcome of Apple's legal battle against the FBI, which wants to force the company to help unlock an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. But as more companies explore adding encryption, further confrontations are likely.

"I think we can say, without a doubt, there's going to be more pressure on app-makers now," said Nate Cardozo, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Cardozo said he's aware of other recent cases in which U.S. authorities have approached individual companies that use encryption and warned them that criminals or terrorists are using their services. Cardozo declined to name the companies, but said authorities have urged those companies to "try harder"  by redesigning their apps or providing other technical solutions that would let agents read the encrypted messages.

Tech companies say they don't want to interfere with legitimate criminal investigations or national security matters. Instead, they argue they're concerned about criminal hacking, privacy invasion and violations of civil rights.

"It's the government's job to protect public safety," said Denelle Dixon-Thayer, chief legal and business officer at Mozilla, which makes the Firefox Web browser. "Our job in the tech sector is to support that goal by providing the best data security."

While law enforcement authorities have chafed at tech companies' use of encryption, national security officials have warned against weakening encryption. "We're foursquare behind strong data security and encryption," Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a tech audience this month. He drew applause when he added, "I'm not a believer in back doors or a single technical approach to what is a complex problem."

Tech-industry encryption efforts expanded following 2013 disclosures by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden that showed extensive government collection of Internet users' data. The resulting controversy helped spur companies like Apple, Google, Facebook and Yahoo to step up their security efforts, although the companies say they already had those plans in the works.

"There was a fundamental shift in relationships after the Snowden revelations," said Ed McAndrew, a former federal prosecutor now practicing law in Philadelphia, who said he has worked extensively with those companies on cybercrime investigations over the last decade. The companies felt "burned," he said, "so they decided to improve the privacy of their products."

WhatsApp, which boasts a billion users around the globe, first added encryption for its Android smartphone app in 2014. It's been gradually incorporating similar protections into other services, including messages sent on iPhones and even some voice calls. Founder Jan Koum traces his concerns about data-security stem to his parents' fear of government agents listening to phone calls in their native Ukraine.

While Apple uses similar end-to-end encryption for its iMessage service, some other leading messaging and email services do not. Google uses encryption extensively to foil outsiders who might try to read users' data, but in many cases the company can access the data itself  and will turn it over to authorities when presented with legal orders.

Some newer messaging services, including Signal and Wickr, use end-to-end encryption. So does Telegram, which recently announced it has 100 million users around the world. The year-old messaging app Wire said this month that it's adding similar protection for video communications.

More companies may follow suit as a result of the high-profile iPhone dispute, said Mozilla's Dixon-Thayer. The controversy has raised public awareness of encryption, she said. "We might see even more demand from users."
2 girls, mom dead before Ohio house blast that killed dad

AKRON, Ohio (AP)  Two girls and their mother were dead before their father set their house on fire, causing a massive explosion that killed him and shook homes through the neighborhood, authorities said Thursday.

The girls were either strangled or smothered, the Summit County's medical examiner said. Their mother died of a Prozac overdose, officials said, and their father, 43-year-old Jeffrey Mather, died of burns after he set the fire using gasoline.

His death has been ruled a suicide.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2016, file photo, investigators search the site of a Jan. 11 house explosion where a family of four was found dead in Northfield Center Township, Ohio. The Summit County, Ohio, medical examiner said Thursday, March 17, 2016, that two girls found dead inside the home were either strangled or smothered, their mother died of a Prozac overdose and their father, who authorities say set the fire using gasoline, died of burns. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)

All four bodies were found Jan. 11 inside the Northfield Center Township home. Mather's wife and daughters were discovered in a first-floor hallway. Investigators suspect they had actually been upstairs and fell to the first floor when the ceiling collapsed.

The medical examiner found no evidence of smoke inhalation in the mother or daughters.

It's unclear if 43-year-old Cynthia Mather killed herself or was poisoned, a medical examiner's investigator said, but she did have a prescription for the antidepressant. The medical examiner said it couldn't be determined who had killed 8-year-old Ruthie and 12-year-old Alyson.

"It is unclear which parent is responsible for the death of the two children or how the children were asphyxiated and we will not speculate on the circumstances," the medical examiner said in a news release.

Jeffrey Mather, who according to media reports was a deacon at his church, said he had been suffering from severe depression and wanted to end it all, according to a police report.

In early December, he heard a "dark voice" encouraging him to kill himself in a park, according to police, and had been seeing a counselor since then.

An officer with the Cleveland Metroparks had found Mather alone with a shotgun loaded with a single slug. Mather told the officer he had put the shotgun to his head several times but put it down because he saw park visitors walking nearby, the police report said.

FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2016, file photo, investigators search the site of a Jan. 11 house explosion where a family of four was found dead in Northfield Center Township, Ohio. The Summit County, Ohio, medical examiner said Thursday, March 17, 2016, that two girls found dead inside the home were either strangled or smothered, their mother died of a Prozac overdose and their father, who authorities say set the fire using gasoline, died of burns. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
Religion news in brief

Kerry determines IS group committing genocide in Iraq, Syria

WASHINGTON (AP)  U.S. officials say Secretary of State John Kerry has determined that the Islamic State group is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria.

The officials say Kerry will announce his finding on Thursday, meeting a congressional deadline just a day after the State Department said he would miss it.

Secretary of State John Kerry speaks to reporters at the State Department in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Kerry has determined that the Islamic State group is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria, as he acted to meet a congressional deadline. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The delay was sharply criticized by lawmakers and others who have advocated for the determination.

The finding will not obligate the United States to take additional action against IS militants, according to the officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly preview Kerry's decision.

The officials say Kerry would specifically mention Christians, Yazidis and Shiite groups as victims of genocide.

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Pope urges nations to welcome migrants

VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis is urging nations "to open their hearts and their doors" to migrants.

At his general audience Wednesday in St. Peter's Square, Francis said people wonder where God is when refugees are living "in a dramatic exile situation far away from their homeland, with the image of the rubble of their houses still in their eyes, fear in their heart, and often unfortunately the pain for the loss of their beloved ones."

The European Union has told member nations that they "urgently need to deliver" on commitments to settle refugees on the continent, as the number of arrivals in Greece alone reached the million mark since the start of 2015.

The EU's migration commissioner warned that the humanitarian situation in Greece is "getting more acute every day" after newly-built shelters there exceeded capacity.

The warning came on the eve of a summit of leaders from the EU and Turkey to try and limit the number of refugees and migrants entering Europe.

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Priest convicted of theft given more time to return money

WHEATON, Ill. (AP)  A Roman Catholic priest convicted of stealing his parish's money to support a gambling addiction has been given more time to pay back the money.

The Rev. John Regan had been scheduled for a probation revocation hearing in April because he has yet to repay the nearly $300,000 he stole from St. Walter Catholic Church in Roselle. He served there as the pastor until 2009.

Regan's attorney, Jack Donahue, told Judge John Kinsella during a DuPage County Circuit Court hearing that he met with prosecutors last week and they agreed to cancel the hearing. In return, Regan will have a final reporting date in 2019.

At his sentencing in 2011, Regan said he had struggled with a gambling addiction. He is currently assigned to a parish in the Joliet diocese.

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Justice Department probing town's denial to build mosque

BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP)  Federal officials are investigating whether a New Jersey town violated religious freedom laws when it denied a group's plan to build a mosque.

News of the Justice Department's investigation comes a week after the group sued the town in federal court, alleging religious infringement.

Bernards Township Mayor Carol Bianchi told The Associated Press that planning board members were ethical and denied the mosque based solely on land-use considerations. She said the town will cooperate with the probe.

Adeel Magni, an attorney representing the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, declined comment on the investigation. The group's founder, Mohmmad Chaundry, is a longtime Bernards resident who once served on the town's school board.

Bernards is about an hour west of Manhattan.

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North Korea sentences US tourist to 15 years in prison

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP)  North Korea's highest court has sentenced an American tourist to 15 years in prison with hard labor for subversion, weeks after he confessed that he had tried to steal a propaganda banner.

Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia undergraduate student, was convicted and sentenced in a one-hour trial in North Korea's Supreme Court.

In a tearful statement made before his trial, Warmbier told a gathering of reporters in Pyongyang he tried to take the banner as a trophy for the mother of a friend who said she wanted to put it up in her church. At his trial, Warmbier said he had been "used and manipulated."

In previous cases, people who have been detained in North Korea and made a public confession often recant those statements after their release.

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'Spotlight' company settles complaint over made-up dialogue

BOSTON (AP)  The distributor of the Oscar-winning film "Spotlight" has acknowledged that filmmakers fabricated dialogue that made it appear as if a Boston College spokesman downplayed the extent of the Catholic priest sex abuse scandal.

Jack Dunn, a top spokesman at the Catholic university, said he became physically ill when he saw the film and retained a lawyer to demand that the scene be removed.

Open Road Films said in a statement announcing the settlement Tuesday that "Spotlight" contains "fictionalized dialogue that was attributed to Mr. Dunn for dramatic effect." As part of the settlement, Open Road agreed to make donations in Dunn's name to Boston-area charities.

Dunn said Wednesday that he felt vindicated.

The movie is about The Boston Globe's investigation into the abuse scandal.

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Pope Francis delivers his speech during the weekly general audience he held in St.Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
GOP-led House backs legal challenge to Obama on immigration

WASHINGTON (AP)  The House voted on Thursday to embrace the legal challenge to President Barack Obama's actions on immigration in an election-year fight over executive authority and the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally that has roiled the Republican Party.

Republicans who hold a commanding majority cast the issue as Obama exceeding his constitutional authority in unilaterally expanding programs for immigrants. They prevailed on a 234-186 vote that authorizes Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case of United States v. Texas.

A lawsuit from 26 states, led by Texas, challenges Obama's actions, with the Supreme Court set to hear arguments next month and possibly rule in June.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., takes questions from reporters at a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Republicans say Obama exceeded his constitutional authority in unilaterally expanding programs for immigrants. They prevailed on a 234-186 vote Thursday that authorizes Speaker Paul Ryan to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case of United States v. Texas. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

"It is about the integrity of our Constitution," said Ryan, who maintained that any changes in the immigration system rests with Congress acting legislatively. "Those lines  that separation of powers  could not be clearer. But in recent years, the executive branch has blurred these boundaries, to the point of overstepping them altogether."

Democrats argued that Republicans are following the lead of GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump. He has called for removing millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, accused some Mexican immigrants of being rapists and murderers, and pledged to get Mexico to build a wall along the U.S. border.

Immigration bitterly divided the GOP presidential candidates, with Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio calling on candidates to soften their tone. Bush quit the presidential race last month and Rubio abandoned his bid on Tuesday.

"Why does the majority party not just say what they want? They want millions of immigrants deported," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. "Out on the campaign trail on immigration we get lies and demagoguery from Republicans  plural."

After losing the Hispanic vote badly in the 2012 election, Republican leaders insisted that the party needed to be more inclusive for a diverse electorate if the GOP had any hope of winning the presidency. A bipartisan group of senators, including Rubio, crafted a broad overhaul of immigration that boosted border security, increased visas for legal immigrants and a provided a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

The Senate approved the legislation, but the measure stalled in the House despite initial efforts that were quickly abandoned by former Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Ryan.

Faced with the failure of the legislation, Obama acted in late 2014 to allow people who have been in the United States more than five years and who have children in the country legally to "come out of the shadows and get right with the law." He also announced the expansion of a program that affects people who came here illegally as children.

"The president has the right to take these administrative actions under the law," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said Thursday on the House floor in arguing that former Republican President Ronald Reagan went further in his actions on immigration in the 1980s.

Outraged Republicans accused Obama of executive overreach and pointed to his previous steps to unilaterally changes his health care law. The GOP complained that Obama was behaving like a monarch, a criticism that energizes Republican voters.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., takes questions from reporters at a weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Republicans say Obama exceeded his constitutional authority in unilaterally expanding programs for immigrants. They prevailed on a 234-186 vote Thursday that authorizes Speaker Paul Ryan to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case of United States v. Texas. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Bundy loses bid for release ahead of federal trial in Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP)  Nevada rancher and anti-authority figure Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Hoffman pointed to the violence alleged in an indictment accusing Bundy of inciting the impasse to stop a roundup of cattle from public land near his ranch in April 2014, and to a history of Bundy ignoring federal court orders.

"You say you'll continue to do 'whatever it takes,'" Hoffman said in a Las Vegas courtroom where some Bundy backers wore brown T-shirts emblazoned with the three-word slogan.

FILE - This Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, file photo provided by the Multnomah County, Ore., Sheriff''s Office shows Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. Federal prosecutors in Las Vegas are asking a judge to cancel a hearing at which Bundy, who is still jailed, would seek to be freed pending trial on charges that he led an armed standoff against government agents two years ago. Bundy's lawyer, Joel Hansen, said Wednesday, March 16, 2016 he's fighting U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden's request to call off the Thursday detention hearing.(Multnomah County Sheriff''s Office via AP, File)

"I do not believe, Mr. Bundy, that you will comply with my court orders any more than you have complied with previous court orders," the judge said.

Bundy and four of his adult sons are among 19 people now facing federal charges that could put them in prison for the standoff for the rest of their lives.

The scene pitted a self-styled militia perched on an Interstate 15 overpass, pointing military-style AR-15 and AK-47 weapons at federal Bureau of Land Management agents and contract cowboys herding cattle toward a corral. Dozens were in the possible crossfire, but no shots were fired and no one was injured. The cattle were freed.

Bundy's defense lawyer, Joel Hansen, said his client simply won't acknowledge that federal law applies. That consistent denial led Bundy last week to decline to enter a plea to charges including conspiracy, assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal officer, obstruction and firearms offenses. Hoffman entered a not-guilty plea at that time on Bundy's behalf.

Hansen characterizes the 69-year-old Bundy as a political prisoner being held illegally for challenging authority. Bundy insists he has property rights dating back more than a century, to when his Mormon ancestors settled along the Virgin River, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Prosecutor Steven Myhre fought to prevent Thursday's hearing from taking place. He argued that Bundy already had an Oregon court appearance to decide whether he would stay jailed following his Feb. 10 arrest at Portland International Airport. He wasn't entitled to another, Myhre said.

But Hoffman allowed it, calling 33 letters that Hansen submitted from Bundy supporters new evidence that had come to light in recent weeks.

Hansen said the letters showed Bundy was honest, religious and "a man of integrity, who keeps his word."

"He's not going to hurt anybody," the defense attorney said.

Bundy can appeal his detention order to the U.S. district judge who'll handle the trial. A May 2 court date is likely to be pushed back after co-defendants are brought to Nevada from Utah, Idaho, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and New Hampshire. Five defendants who were arrested in Arizona made initial court appearances in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Several people who face charges with Bundy in the Nevada standoff also have been charged in the occupation of an Oregon nature preserve that aimed to oppose federal land restrictions. A judge on Wednesday prohibited U.S. marshals from transferring Cliven Bundy's sons Ammon and Ryan Bundy and others to Nevada for court hearings.

About a dozen Bundy family members and supporters peacefully demonstrated outside the courthouse before Thursday's hearing. They were watched by almost as many uniformed Las Vegas police and U.S. marshals.

Arden Bundy, son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, protests outside Lloyd George Federal Building on Thursday, March 17, 2016, in Las Vegas. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

Carol Bundy, wife of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, center, her son Arden, left, and her daughter Stetsy Cox, protest outside Lloyd George Federal Building on Thursday, March 17, 2016, in Las Vegas. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

Carol Bundy, wife of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, left, and her son Arden, protest outside Lloyd George Federal Building on Thursday, March 17, 2016, in Las Vegas. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

Carol Bundy, wife of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, second right, and her children Bailey Logue, left, Arden Bundy, second left, and Stetsy Cox, right, arrive at Lloyd George Federal Building on Thursday, March 17, 2016, in Las Vegas. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP) LOCAL TELEVISION OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT
Media group: Attacks on Mexico journalists up 22 pct in 2015

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Attacks on journalists in Mexico rose 22 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year, the international media advocacy group Article 19 reported Thursday.

The nonprofit said it recorded 397 acts of aggression such as physical attacks, threats and harassment, including seven killings of journalists.

Authorities were behind nearly 42 percent of the instances of aggression, something Article 19 attributed to a "lack of will on the part of the state and the resulting impunity."

It singled out Mexico City and the states of Veracruz and Guerrero as places with the most incidents.

International bodies such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States say Mexico has become the most dangerous country in the hemisphere for journalists in recent years.

However media advocates' organizations have different methods of compiling data, leading to differing reports on press attacks.
Republican senators propose stricter sanctions against Iran

WASHINGTON (AP)  A group of Republican senators on Thursday unveiled legislation that requires the Obama administration to impose stricter sanctions on every sector of Iran's economy that supports the country's ballistic missile program.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., is a reflection of longstanding exasperation among GOP lawmakers who've complained that President Barack Obama has failed to properly punish Tehran for repeatedly defying a U.N. ballistic missile test ban.

Ayotte and other Republicans said senior U.S. military officials are in favor of tougher sanctions. Both Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Army Gen. Joseph Votel, Obama's choice to be the next U.S. commander for the Middle East, have told the Senate Armed Services Committee in the last week that harder hitting sanctions are necessary.

In this March 14, 2016, photo, President Barack Obama, left, stops to greet Gen. Joseph L. Votel, right, his pick to be the next tU.S. commander for the Middle East, after speaking at the Chief of Missions Conference at the State Department in Washington. Republican senators on March 17 unveiled legislation that requires the Obama administration to impose stricter sanctions on every sector of Iran's economy that supports the country's ballistic missile program. Both Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Votel have told the Senate Armed Services Committee in the last week that harder hitting sanctions are necessary.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Iran's Revolutionary Guard test-fired two ballistic missiles on March 9 and U.S. officials said the launches were in defiance of the U.N. resolution, which calls for Tehran not to launch any ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon.

But Iran's U.N. Mission said in a statement that the country "has never sought to acquire nuclear weapons and never will in the future." It said the missile tests "were part of ongoing efforts of its armed forces to strengthen its legitimate defense capabilities ... against security threats."

The administration in January announced sanctions against Tehran for missile firings in late 2015, but Republicans called those measures tepid and weak.

Ayotte's legislation is supported by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, which suggests the bill could be taken up quickly. Republicans remain frustrated after they were unable to scuttle the international accord to check Iran's nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.

"Tough words alone will not deter the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism from continuing to develop its ballistic missile program," Ayotte said.

The legislation requires new sanctions against persons who knowingly aid Iran's missile program and against entities controlled or owned in part by Iran's primary ballistic missile organizations.

The bill also would mandate a broad reach by requiring the president to issue sanctions on entire sectors of Iran's economy found to be directly or indirectly supporting Iran's missile program.

Republican senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mark Kirk of Illinois also are backing the bill.

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Prince Charles urges reconciliation in war-ravaged Balkans

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)  Britain's Prince Charles called Thursday for reconciliation in the postwar Balkans, urging the region's many nations to work for peace and not become prisoners of their turbulent history.

Charles said that while peace and stability have returned to the Balkans after the 1990s' ethnic wars, more needs to be done in order to preserve the momentum of peace.

"Every society and country is molded by its past, but there can be few places on Earth where one feels the weight of history more than in the Balkans," he said. "No one should forget or ignore that history but, even more importantly, it is important not to become prisoners of it."

Britain's Prince Charles and a Royal Irish regiment soldier drinks a toast to the piper in front of the Serbian parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are on an official visit to Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Speaking in the Serbian capital on St. Patrick's Day, Charles evoked the 1979 death of his uncle Lord Mountbatten, who was killed by an IRA bomb on a boat off the west coast of Ireland, along with his grandson.

"I feel, therefore, that I have at least some understanding, through my own experience, of the heart-rending anguish that so many families in this region, of whatever nationality, race or religion, have experienced through the loss of loved ones," he said.

"But after many years of reflection and, indeed, despair at the pointless cruelty and destruction we witness around the world, my own conclusion is this: that only reconciliation offers the assurance that our children and grandchildren will not suffer the same agonies as our generation," Charles said.

He said the peace agreement in Ireland in 1998 changed "immeasurably" the lives of the people in both communities there.

"It is my profound hope that the countries of the Western Balkans will be similarly changed by your quest for enduring peace," he said.

More than 100,000 people were killed and 1 million were displaced during the war that erupted after the breakup of the former Yugoslav federation. Tensions have been simmering although Balkan countries have improved relations as they seek to join the European Union.

Charles says that "reconciliation requires the commitment of everyone, from the leaders of states and faiths to the ordinary people in their towns and villages." He said more needs to be done to promote dialogue, help the victims and the refugees, teach history honestly and create opportunities for young people to come together.

"The importance of maintaining this momentum cannot be overstated," he said.

Charles and his wife Camilla have also visited Croatia and will travel to Montenegro and Kosovo from Belgrade. The royal couple's visit came amid fears that Balkan tensions could be further fueled by the ongoing migrant crisis.

Britain's Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall arrive in the Serbian parliament building in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 17, 2016. The royal couple is on official visits to Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Britain's Prince Charles addresses the members of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are on official visits to Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Britain's Prince Charles addresses the members of the Serbian parliament in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 17, 2016. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are on official visits to Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Chilean wine to be promoted during Tour de France

CHIMBARONGO, Chile (AP)  Chilean wine producers are toasting a victory in the battle of emerging wines versus old favorites from the Old Continent: a sponsorship deal with the Tour de France, the most famous bike race in the world.

While Chilean producers say it's a sign their country is increasingly prominent in the world of wine, French producers have called the situation "intolerable."

The Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France, reached a sponsorship deal in 2014 with the Southern Cone vineyard in Chile to promote its Bicicleta wines, a name that means bicycle in Spanish.

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a couple of bottles of Bicicleta wine are displayed in Chimbarongo, Chile. The Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France, reached a sponsorship deal in 2014 with the Southern Cone vineyard in Chile to promote its Bicicleta wines, a name that means bicycle in Spanish. French producers were outraged when they realized a foreign wine would get a spotlight during the European countrys signature sporting event, which begins in July. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

French producers apparently failed to notice the deal last year, perhaps because French law bars promotion of alcohol during sporting events. That means billboards for the Chilean wine appear only along stages of the race in Spain, Andorra and Switzerland.

They were outraged when they finally realized a foreign wine would get a spotlight during the European country's signature sporting event, which begins in July.

"We feel humiliated," Frederic Rouanet, wine cooperative president in Aude, in southern France, said in a statement last month. "This situation is intolerable."

In an interview with The Associated Press, Adolfo Hurtado, general manager of the Chilean vineyard, declined to comment on the controversy but defended his wine as a good value.

"The relationship between cost and quality in Bicicleta is very, very good," said Hurtado, noting that a bottle of red wine costs about US $3.70.

Attempting to ease tensions, Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, met with French producers earlier this month and said they could show their wines during guest gatherings at the start and at the end of the 21 stages. Such showings are allowed because they are not considered direct advertising.

The Chilean vineyard is based in the Colchagua Valley, about 95 miles (155 kilometers) south of Santiago. It's named for the way many vineyard workers get to work: on their bicycles.

___

Associated Press reporter Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report.

In this March 9, 2016 photo, oak wine casks of the Southern Cone vineyard, producers of Bicicleta wine, lie in a store room in Chimbarongo, Chile. The Southern Cone vineyard is toasting a victory in the battle of emerging wines versus old favorites from the Old Continent: a sponsorship deal with the Tour de France, the most famous bike race in the world. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a worker of the Southern Cone vineyard, producers of Bicicleta wine, stands next to a vineyard in Chimbarongo, Chile. The Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France, reached a sponsorship deal in 2014 with the Southern Cone vineyard in Chile to promote its Bicicleta wines, a name that means bicycle in Spanish. French producers have called the situation intolerable. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a worker's bicycle rests in a Southern Cone vineyard, producer of Bicicleta wine, in Chimbarongo, Chile. Bicicleta wine has snagged a sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. Bicicleta means bicycle in Spanish. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, workers prune a grapevine at Southern Cone vineyard in Chimbarongo, Chile. Southern Cone vineyard is the maker of Bicicleta wine, which has reached sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. The wine's name means bicycle in Spanish, and it came about for the way many vineyard workers get to work: on their bicycles. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a worker prunes a Southern Cone vineyard grapevine, in Chimbarongo, Chile. Bicileta wine, produced by Southern Cone has reached a sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. French producers were outraged when they realized a foreign wine would get a spotlight during the European countrys signature sporting event, which begins in July. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a woman walks with a bottle of wine next to empty wine casks, at the Southern Cone vineyard in Chimbarongo, Chile. Southern Cone, producer of Bicicleta wine has reached a sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. We feel humiliated, Frederic Rouanet, wine cooperative president in Aude, in southern France, said in a statement last month. This situation is intolerable. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, wine glasses used during a wine tasting by Japanese investors stand on table at Southern Cone vineyard, in Chimbarongo , Chile. Southern Cone, producer of Bicicleta wine has reached a sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. The wine's name means bicycle in Spanish, and it came about for the way many vineyard workers get to work: on their bicycles. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

In this March 9, 2016 photo, a worker of the Southern Cone vineyard walks in the vineyard in Chimbarongo, Chile. Southern Cone, producer of Bicicleta wine has reached a sponsorship deal with the Amaury Sport Organisation, which organizes the Tour de France. French producers were outraged when they realized a foreign wine would get a spotlight during the European countrys signature sporting event, which begins in July. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Thursday, March 24

Today is Thursday March 24, the 84th day of 2016. There are 282 days left in the year.

Highlights in history on this date:

1267 - St. Louis of France calls his knights to Paris to prepare for the Eighth Crusade. It ends in failure before reaching the Holy Land, and becomes the last crusade.

1595 - Peace of Boulogne ends England's war with France and Scotland.

1603 - Crowns of England and Scotland are joined under James VI of Scotland, who begins reign as James I upon death of Queen Elizabeth I.

1765 - Britain enacts the Quartering Act, requiring American colonists to provide temporary housing to British soldiers.

1783 - Spain recognizes independence of United States.

1882 - Robert Koch, German bacteriologist, announces isolation of tuberculosis germs.

1883 - Long-distance telephone service is inaugurated between Chicago and New York City.

1891 - Britain and Italy reach agreement in Ethiopia, defining frontiers of their Red Sea colonies.

1924 - Greece is proclaimed a republic.

1927 - Chinese Communists seize Nanking in China.

1929 - Fascists "win" single-party elections in Italy.

1944 - In occupied Rome, the Nazis execute more than 300 civilians in reprisal for an attack by Italian partisans the day before that killed 32 German soldiers.

1958 - Elvis Presley is inducted into the U.S. Army in Memphis, Tennessee.

1972 - Britain takes over direct control of Northern Ireland in effort to restore peace.

1976 - Argentina's President Isabel Peron is deposed by her country's military.

1980 - Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero is shot to death by gunmen as he celebrates Mass in San Salvador, El Salvador.

1989 - Supertanker Exxon Valdez runs aground on a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound and begins leaking 11 million gallons (41.6 million liters) of crude oil.

1990 - Last Indian soldiers withdraw from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, after a deadlocked 2 1/2-year-old jungle war against separatist Tamil Tiger rebels.

1991 - The Mali opposition says government troops killed nearly 150 people in three days of pro-democracy protests.

1998 - The European Union declares 11 countries eligible for the euro, the currency that will replace their respective national currencies.

1999 - NATO launches airstrikes against Yugoslavia  the first time in its 50-year existence that the alliance had attacked a sovereign country.

2007 - The U.N. Security Council imposes new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, including a ban on Iranian arms exports and on any country buying Iranian weapons.

2008 - Yousaf Raza Gilani, a longtime loyalist of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, is elected Pakistan's new prime minister and immediately frees judges detained by President Pervez Musharraf.

2010 - The U.S. and Russia reach agreements for a historic new treaty to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the former Cold War rivals.

2011 - Fighter jets hit aircraft and a crossroads military base deep inside Libya, and NATO appears poised to assume command of the international operation that is working to thwart Moammar Gadhafi's forces by land, sea and air.

2012 - Egypt's Islamists look poised to dominate a key lever of power that will help determine the country's political future as parliament selects a panel to draw up the country's new constitution.

2013 - Cypriot politicians turn to the European Union in a last-ditch effort to help their nation forge a viable plan to secure an international bailout after failing for a week to find a solution to the crisis that could force their country into bankruptcy.

2014  Fresh evidence gleaned from unprecedented analysis of satellite data shows the missing Malaysian Airlines flight whose fate remains a mystery that consumed the world had crashed into a remote corner of the Indian Ocean.

2015  A German airliner crashes into the French Alps, killing all 150 people aboard. It is later determined the co-pilot deliberately propelled his Airbus jet into the mountainside.

Today's Birthdays:

Harry Houdini, U.S. magician (1876-1926); Edward Weston, U.S. photographer (1886-1958); Joseph Barbera, U.S. cartoonist (1911-2006); Steve McQueen, U.S. actor (1930-1980); Dario Fo, Italian playwright and Nobel laureate (1926--); Louie Anderson, U.S. comedian (1953--); Star Jones, U.S. talk show host (1962--); Keisha Castle-Hughes, Australian actress (1990--).

Thought For Today:
Budget growth downgrade prompts warning over wages and living standards

The downgrading of George Osborne's Budget economic forecasts has left households across Britain facing the prospect of falling wages and a squeeze on living standards, a leading economic think tank has warned.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the deteriorating economic outlook meant the Chancellor had been forced to "pencil in" another year of austerity, with spending in the first year of the next parliament cut by 10 billion compared to previous plans.

In the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Osborne was forced to admit he would need tens of billions more in borrowing after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said growth would be lower than expected.

George Osborne watches pupils during a netball lesson at a school in Garforth, West Yorkshire, the day after his Budget

However at the IFS's post-Budget briefing, director Paul Johnson said that the effects of the downgrade would extend beyond the public finances.

"That loss largely arises from changes in assumptions about future productivity growth leading in to lower economic growth over the rest of parliament," he said.

"If the OBR is right about that, we should all be worried. This will lead to lower wages and living standards, not just lower tax revenues for the Treasury."

Mr Johnson said the Chancellor was paying the price for having made too much of the 27 billion which the OBR had "found down the back of the sofa" at the time of the Autumn Statement in November, when upward revision forecasts meant he was able to cancel planned cuts to tax credits.

The latest changes amounted to a 56 billion "loss" to the Exchequer - leaving him with a net loss of 29 billion.

Mr Johnson warned the Chancellor was now "running out of wriggle room" if he was to meet his self-imposed target of delivering a budget surplus by the time of the next general election in 2020.

He said that the risks were exacerbated by the fact that despite the worsening situation Mr Osborne had still given away 8 billion in tax cuts in the Budget.

"His chances of him having a surplus in 2019-20 are only just the right side of 50-50," he said.

"If there was another downgrade in fiscal forecasts of a similar magnitude and the Chancellor did wish to remain on course to deliver a budget surplus in 2019-20, then this would surely require more real policy change - presumably incorporating at least some permanent tax rises and specific spending cuts."

Mr Johnson said that the gainers from the Budget were at the upper end of the income scale while those at the bottom were largely unaffected.

IFS senior economist Stuart Adam said that even the rise in personal allowances for basic rate taxpayers to 11,500 largely benefited the better off as 43% of adults did not have incomes high enough to attract any income tax at all.

"This is very much a giveaway to the better-off parts of society," he said.

Mr Osborne played down suggestions that he will be forced to find more spending cuts or put up taxes in order to balance the books by the time of the election.

He made clear however that the commitment depended on the economy continuing to grow by at least 1% a year and that he would have to "alter" his plans if it fell back into another recession.

"We have got to hold to the course that we have set out," he told BBC One's Breakfast programme.

"A completely independent body which everybody respects - the Office for Budget Responsibility - has looked at those plans and it says 'If you hold to the course, you deliver those plans, if the economy grows as expected, then we will have a surplus towards the end of the parliament'.

"We wouldn't need anything extra like more spending cuts or more tax increases."
William to join Irish Guards for St Patrick's Day

The Duke of Cambridge will visit the Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow , west London, where he will present more than 600 soldiers with traditional shamrock during a St Patrick's Day parade.

William, who is the Colonel of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, will greet 450 serving soldiers at the ceremony along with 150 association members and Army Cadets from Northern Ireland.

The parade will mark the first time the full battalion has been able to celebrate St Patrick's Day in five years, due to previous commitments serving on the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq, and more recently in operations in Bosnia, Oman and Kenya.

The Duke of Cambridge has a strong connection with the Irish Guards

The Duke will also present a sprig of shamrock to the regiment's mascot, a four-year-old Irish wolfhound named Domhnall, which is Gaelic for "world leader".

The battalion's motto, "Quis Separabit" - or "Who shall separate us?" - is also taken from the knightly Order of St Patrick, founded by George III in 1783.

Formed in April 1900 by Queen Victoria to recognise the services of Irish soldiers during the Second Boer War in South Africa, the regiment has served in major roles in both world wars, and has been awarded six Victoria Crosses over the last century.

Receiving shamrock on St Patrick's Day is a battalion tradition dating back to 1901, when Princess Alexandra became the first member of the royal family to attend the ceremony.

Completing the honours, the Duke will follow in the footsteps of the Queen, the Queen Mother, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and, in recent years, his wife the Duchess of Cambridge.
Rafael Nadal battles past Alexander Zverev into BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals

Rafael Nadal fought off match point before hitting back to beat rising star Alexander Zverev and book his place in the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals.

The former world number one was staring defeat in the face when the German approached the net with the score 40-30 at 5-4 in the deciding set.

But Zverev put a simple volley into the net, Nadal went on to break and then win the final two games, winning 15 of the last 16 points, to claim a 6-7 (10/8) 6-0 7-5 victory.

Rafael Nadal survived a scare at Indian Wells

Nadal's famous battling spirit came to the fore at Indian Wells - he also saved a break point that would have given Zverev a 5-1 lead in the third set - and he was delighted to get through.

"I'm very happy for the victory, obviously. I was fighting during the whole match," said Nadal on the tournament's official website. "It's obvious that I played against a great player, a player who was serving unbelievable, at the beginning especially.

"I am especially happy about the mentality on court, the fighting spirit during the whole match, believing that I can win a match during the whole time even in the tougher situations. I'm sorry for him. But I think at the same time, I deserve a victory like this after a couple of losses with big chances to win, too."

Nadal's reward is a last-eight meeting with Kei Nishikori after the fifth seed needed two tie-breaks to see off big-serving American John Isner.

Nishikori also saved a match point to emerge a 1-6 7-6 (7/2) 7-6 (7/5) winner.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic was not forced to work as hard for his win as he routinely beat Feliciano Lopez in straight sets.

The world number one needed just 67 minutes to claim a 6-3 6-3 success and exact revenge on the Spaniard after losing to him in Dubai last month.

Third-seed Stan Wawrinka was the biggest casualty of the day as he lost in three sets to David Goffin.

The Belgian won 6-3 7-5 7-6 (7/5) to claim a rare victory against a top-10 opponent.

Milos Raonic edged a tight contest with Tomas Berdych 6-4 7-6 (9/7), Gael Monfils eased past Andy Murray's conqueror Federico Delbonis 6-3 6-4, Marin Cilic beat Richard Gasquet 7-5 5-7 6-2 while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was too good for Dominic Thiem in a 6-3 6-2 win.

In the women's event, Serena Williams reached the semi-finals with a emphatic victory over Simona Halep.

Williams was at her imposing best to earn a 6-4 6-3 success in just 70 minutes.
Sir Andrew Witty to step down as GlaxoSmithKline chief executive

Pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline has begun the hunt for a successor to chief executive Sir Andrew Witty after announcing he will step down.

Sir Andrew, who has worked for the company and in the industry for the past 32 years, will retire on March 31 2017, the company said.

He said: "By next year, I will have been CEO for nearly 10 years and I believe this will be the right time for a new leader to take over.

Sir Andrew Witty has worked for GlaxoSmithKline and in the pharmaceuticals industry for 32 years

"In making this decision it has been important to me that the b oard have the time to conduct a full and proper process and that we sustain the momentum of our current business performance, capitalising on the very significant progress we made last year to strengthen the group."

In the company's annual report published separately, it was also revealed that Sir Andrew was awarded a total pay package worth 6.7 million last year - a significant rise on the 3.9 million paid out for 2014.

He was paid a salary of just under 1.1 million, while he was also handed an annual bonus payment of 2.2 million and long-term share awards worth 2.6 million, although 25% of his annual bonus is deferred.
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri not interested in Italy job

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has insisted he will not leave the Foxes and dismissed speculation linking him with the Italy job.

The 64-year-old has guided City to the top of the Barclays Premier League and they have a five-point lead ahead of Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace.

Italy manager Antonio Conte has announced he will leave the national side after Euro 2016 and is expected to become the new boss at Chelsea.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri signed a three-year deal when he joined the club last summer.

But Ranieri, who signed a three-year deal when he replaced Nigel Pearson last summer, said he has no intention of leaving the King Power Stadium now.

"No team can change my mind. I am very proud if they are thinking about me in Italy and everywhere but this is my club," said the Italian.

"I want to stay here, if my owner is happy I stay here. There is nothing to change my mind. There are a lot of things to do here. We are just starting to build. If the owner is happy with me, I am happy with him.

"If it's possible I would like to stay (for) a long time."

Monday's 1-0 win over Newcastle ensured the Foxes will go into the international break as league leaders and they need 20 points to mathematically secure the title.

Danny Drinkwater's form has also seen him earn a place in the England squad for their friendlies against Germany and Holland this month while N'Golo Kante has been rewarded with his first call up for France.

And Ranieri is desperate for the midfield duo to return fit but hopes their selections give them confidence for the run in.

"Yes, I start to be worried now. I'd like them to be with me but I understand," he said.

"Do you remember from the beginning I said we have to save the team, we have build a foundation and also the winning mentality. This is another little step, some players who didn't go to the national team now start to go there, then it is important they get more confidence."
Fortis' $1.3 billion Dutch settlement: Roadmap for VW?: Frankel

By Alison Frankel

March 16 (Reuters) - A juxtaposition of events this week raises tantalizing questions about the course of shareholder litigation against Volkswagen in Europe.

On Monday, the Dutch insurance company Ageas, the successor to the once-mighty Belgian-Dutch financial group Fortis, announced that it had reached a $1.3 billion global settlement to resolve all shareholder fraud claims stemming from Fortis' disastrous 2007 acquisition of the Dutch assets of ABN AMRO.

The deal, as Kevin LaCroix reported at D&O Diary, is by far the biggest ever reached under the Netherlands' collective settlement law, which was previously the vehicle for a $381 million settlement between Royal Dutch Shell and its shareholders.

On Tuesday, the U.S. law firms Grant & Eisenhofer and Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check said via press release that they have filed a suit in Germany on behalf of some large institutional Volkswagen investors who are accusing the company of fraud related to its emissions cheating software.

There is nothing unusual about U.S. lawyers staking claims against VW in Europe. Since the emissions scandal broke last fall, U.S. firms have been jockeying to lead the shareholder case against VW, whether investors move ahead through bellwether litigation in Germany or settlement negotiations via a Dutch "stichting," or settlement foundation.

But what is notable about Tuesday's VW announcement by Grant & Eisenhofer and Kessler Topaz is that those two firms financed one of the shareholder groups that negotiated the Fortis settlement. They also orchestrated the Royal Dutch Shell shareholder settlement in Holland.

They've reaped the benefits, in other words, of the Netherlands' global settlement procedure. Yet in the VW case, they're opting to litigate in Germany rather than pursue a global shareholder deal in the Netherlands.

As I've reported, two other well-known American plaintiffs' firms, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann and Labaton Sucharow, are betting (separately) that VW will ultimately resolve shareholder claims through a Dutch settlement. The big numbers in the Fortis deal have certainly reinforced the idea that investors can recover real money through Dutch stichtings.

"To me, Fortis shows that Dutch settlements are increasingly becoming the method of choice for claims outside of the U.S.," said Bernstein Litowitz partner Jeroen van Kwawegen, a Dutch transplant who is leading the firm's VW case in Europe.

But if Dutch settlements are the best way for shareholders to recover against European companies, why are the two U.S. plaintiffs' firms that have actually been part of global investor settlements in Holland litigating VW claims in Germany?

I put that question to Jay Eisenhofer of Grant & Eisenhofer and Darren Check of Kessler Topaz on Wednesday. Eisenhofer said the answer is simple. Both Shell and Fortis were Dutch companies so Dutch courts had jurisdiction over them. Fortis investors from the Netherlands litigated their claims for years before the company agreed to negotiate a global settlement with all shareholders. In the VW case, by contrast, German courts have jurisdiction over claims by Grant & Eisenhofer's German clients over a German company.

Eisenhofer predicted that German investors will litigate their own claims and reach their own agreements with VW rather than settling through a global deal under Dutch law. "I question why anyone would want to litigate in Germany and settle in the Netherlands," he said. (Eisenhofer did not want to talk about the Fortis settlement. Grant & Eisenhofer and Kessler Topaz have lain low in that case after announcing in 2011 that they were backing a Dutch investor stichting represented by a firm in the Netherlands.)

"The real action is going to be in Germany," Check added. "Why would VW deal with a small number of investors in the Netherlands and not major institutions in Germany?"

Check pinpointed the key unknown in the future of VW shareholder litigation in Europe: VW. Investors cannot force Volkswagen into negotiations through the Dutch system, which permits global settlements but not global, class action-style litigation.

In the German system, VW will eventually have to defend itself against claims by a court-appointed representative plaintiff. But ultimately, VW has the choice of where and how it settles.

Bernstein Litowitz partner van Kwawegen told me that, for now, he welcomes German litigation by Grant & Eisenhofer, Kessler Topaz, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and any other firm asserting investor claims through the German system. "I need pressure on VW to settle," he said. "It helps me a lot that they're litigating in Germany."

But that alignment of interests could break down if VW tries to circumvent German litigation by negotiating a global settlement under Dutch law, cutting out law firms asserting claims on behalf of German shareholders. "Firms will not want VW to settle their cases out from under them," van Kwawegen said.
Russia's Putin says will meet Israeli PM Netanyahu soon

MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday he had agreed to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu soon to discuss the security situation in the Middle East.

The two leaders met in Moscow and an Israeli official, who declined to be named, said Rivlin had "asked that Russia work to restore UNDOF as part of any long-term arrangement in Syria," referring to a United Nations peacekeeping force.

Personnel from UNDOF, which monitors the Israeli-Syrian frontier on the Golan Heights, have come under fire and even been kidnapped by militants fighting the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, prompting peacekeeping contingents from some participating nations to withdraw from the force.

The official said Rivlin had also reiterated Israel's position that "it will not allow Iran or Hezbollah guerrillas to entrench on the Golan," a veiled threat to take action in the Syrian interior to thwart such a scenario.

Rivlin's remarks may have been aimed at playing on Russia's concerns of ensuring that Syria maintains control over its territory.

Israel deems Assad ally Hezbollah its most potent enemy, and worries that the Iranian-backed guerrillas, who hold sway in southern Lebanon, are also becoming entrenched on its Syrian front and acquiring advanced weaponry from Damascus.

Though formally neutral on the civil war, Israel has carried out occasional air strikes in Syria to foil suspected Hezbollah arms transfers. An Iranian general and two senior Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Syrian strikes attributed to Israel.
From mapping to kidnaps, UN aid workers train for refugee crises

By Kieran Guilbert

THIES, Senegal, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - S urrounded and dragged in all directions by hungry, sick and desperate refugees, the newly arrived aid workers race between pregnant women and small children while negotiating with the military in an attempt to control the chaos.

The soldiers threaten the aid workers and draw their rifles as fighting breaks out among the refugees and several women fall to their knees, crying and pleading for food, until the shrill blast of a whistle brings the training drill to a halt.

"I forgot almost everything we learned when the simulation started - you really feel the pressure and stress," said Elisa Carlaccini, one of several United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) staff gathered at an army base in the Senegalese city of Thies.

Dozens of UNHCR staff from nearly 30 countries round the world are undergoing emergency training as they prepare to be sent to join operations in a range of humanitarian crises.

The refugee agency deployed more than 400 people on emergency missions last year, with unprecedented demand for reinforcements across southeastern Europe as the continent grappled with its worst migration crisis since World War Two.

Since the UNHCR started its emergency training in 1989, most participants have been sent to Asia, Africa, or the Middle East.

But as the number of refugees and migrants arriving in Italy and Greece since the start of 2016 has risen sharply from early 2015 levels, the UNHCR expects to send at least as many emergency aid workers to Europe as elsewhere this year.

"The migration movement in Europe is a major humanitarian concern, but we are also worried about Burundi, Mozambique and South Sudan, as well as Syria, Afghanistan and even Venezuela," UNHCR senior staff development officer Peter Kessler said.

"There is virtually no continent which is untouched by conflict and displacement, which is why we bring together staff from various countries around the world for this training."

FROM MAPPING TO KIDNAPPING

The UNHCR emergency training, which is held three to four times a year and took place in Africa for the first time last year, puts staff through 10 days of lectures and intense drills.

Participants learn first aid, basic negotiating skills and how to map a site using GPS and plan a refugee camp, before using their new knowledge in various roleplay exercises.

In one scenario where Nigerian refugees in a village in Cameroon have gone days without aid, team leader Alexander Novikau defuses a tense standoff between the army and suspected Boko Haram militants before calming the panicked refugees.

"The training is even faster, more intense and extreme than reality," the Azerbaijan-based UNHCR protection officer said, between mouthfuls of lukewarm army rations and instant coffee.

"We make decisions in seconds, when we would normally take our time to prepare for the stress of a crisis," added Novikau, who has worked in Sudan, Afghanistan and Myanmar and hopes to be sent to the front lines of an emergency in the coming months.

The participants, many of whom are normally office workers and have not experienced a crisis, are kept in the dark about what to expect during the three days of roleplays and training drills, which culminate in an ambush and kidnapping scenario.

While being restrained, hooded and dragged along the ground may be an ordeal for the fresh-faced UNHCR staff, many of the more hardened humanitarians have experienced worse in reality.

Dakar-based Karmen Sakhr was working in a refugee camp at the Iraq-Jordan border after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 when Iranian Kurds tried to kidnap her because they felt she was favouring the Palestinian refugees living in the camp.

"I got in a car to escape, but it was quickly surrounded. On one side, Iranian Kurds were pulling me by my legs, while the Palestinians were pulling me by the arms from the other side to try and protect me," Sakhr said, laughing loudly at the memory.

LESSONS LEARNED

In another scenario, participants spot the wreckage of a car crash and rush towards two victims who are screaming and holding their prosthetic wounds at the roadside - failing to notice signs reading 'Danger! Mines!' as they race to their aid.

No explosions or bangs follow, just a wry smile and gentle chiding from UNHCR first aid coordinator Marc Desvilliers.

"Three of you could have died before you even reached the injured," he said, while checking the bandages, tourniquets and splints applied to the victims - played by Senegalese soldiers.

"Splints must be applied tightly, but I was able to move one with just two fingers, and some of the tourniquets are useless."

The post-drill debriefs address a variety of blunders - from forgetting to lock car doors to not showing enough respect to village chiefs and failing to calm tensions between Christian and Muslim refugees.

The 40 humanitarians on the course, whittled down from 400 applicants, will join UNHCR's emergency roster after completing the training, and are likely to be deployed to a crisis for two to three months within a year.

"The training is vital because you learn not only about how to work in a team, but also about yourself," said Mathjis Le Rutte, UNHCR deputy regional representative for West Africa.
Obama's trip aims to make Cuba opening 'irreversible'

By Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plans to lay out his vision for U.S.-Cuba relations in a major speech during next week's historic visit to Havana aimed at making his opening to America's former Cold War foe "irreversible," the White House said on Wednesday.

Previewing Obama's three-day trip, U.S. deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes expressed hope that Tuesday's scheduled "speech to the Cuban people" would be broadcast throughout the island and said Cuba's Communist government had not raised any objections to doing so.

But Rhodes could not confirm whether the event, which will take place at Havana's legendary Gran Teatro, would actually be carried by Cuba's state-run media, saying, "We'll see how that transpires."

Obama, who will be the first U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, arrives on Sunday and holds talks on Monday with Cuban President Raul Castro, followed by what Rhodes described as a joint "press event" and a state dinner.

Obama's meeting with Cuban dissidents on Tuesday will include prominent activists of his own choosing, Rhodes said. Despite Cuban leaders' view of such meetings as interference in the island's internal affairs, Rhodes said there was no reason to believe the government would block any invitees from participating.

"If there are any impediments to that meeting we would be very clear about this," Rhodes said. He declined to name any of those who would attend.

Obama will arrive just days after unveiling sweeping new measures to make it far easier for Americans to visit Cuba and for the island's government to conduct international trade.

Obama's critics have accused him of giving up too much in return for too little from Cuban leaders and of now taking a premature "victory lap."

The Obama administration insists that engagement will benefit the Cuban people and open up the island to U.S. business - though Cuban leaders have been slow to make economic reforms. At the same time, the decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba remains, with little chance Congress will lift it anytime soon.

Rhodes said Obama's speech "will be a very important moment in the president's trip, an opportunity for him to describe the course that we're on, to review the complicated history between our two countries  but also to look forward to the future."

"We very much want to make the process of normalization irreversible," he told reporters on a conference call.

Obama's aides hope that getting more U.S companies invested in Cuba and loosening up travel to the island will make it almost impossible for traditionally pro-business Republicans to roll back the thaw if they win the White House in November.
Australian submarines should be built entirely at home - Germany's TKMS

By Matt Siegel

SYDNEY, March 17 (Reuters) - Australia's new A$50 billion ($38 billion) submarine fleet should be built entirely within Australia, ThyssenKrupp AG's shipbuilding unit said on Thursday, making the German firm the first bidder to publicly endorse domestic construction as the best option.

Germany is up against Japan and France for one of the world's most lucrative defence contracts. Each was required under the terms to provide three proposals for construction - entirely overseas, entirely in Australia and a hybrid of the two.

A decision on the politically sensitive contract is expected within months, ahead of an Australian national election in which the deal and the jobs it will create are expected to be a key issue for the conservative government.

"An all-Australian build is the best option for Australia as it offers the most efficient and lowest-cost approach," TKMS Chairman Hans Atzpodien said in an address in Canberra.

"It has become quite clear to us that Australia has the local engineering and technical skills as well as capacity to help build the new submarine fleet."

Competition for the deal has been narrowing to a race between Japan and France, sources have told Reuters, with Tokyo playing up its strategic support from Washington and Paris emphasising how its proposal would help Australia's slowing economy.

This week, France sent executives from French corporate giants Airbus, BNP Paribas, Thales and dozens more to Canberra to talk up the economic benefits of its bid.

TKMS is proposing to scale up its 2,000-tonne Type 214 class submarine, while Japan is offering a variant of its 4,000-tonne Soryu boats made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

France's state-controlled naval contractor DCNS has proposed a diesel-electric version of its 5,000-tonne Barracuda nuclear-powered submarine.

Tokyo was initially seen as the frontrunner, due to close ties between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who was ousted in a party coup by Malcolm Turnbull last September, and perceived support from Washington to build closer ties between two key Asian allies.
PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - March 17

SOFIA, March 17 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Bulgartabac will halt its sales to the Middle East from April 1 due to alleged "negative media campaign" and in view of "the sensitive situation in that region", the tobacco holding group said (Capital daily, Monitor)

-- Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said Bulgaria should receive financial assistance from the EU to deal with the inflow of refugees and migrants and step up border protection (Trud, 24 Chasa, Standart)

-- Ruling centre-right GERB party proposed to drop a planned total ban on beach camping until changes to the Tourism Act were approved to explicitly regulate camping outside of designated areas (Trud, 24 Chasa, Standart)

-- Bulgarian customs officers seized 2 kg of heroin at the Gyueshevo checkpoint on the border with Macedonia, national customs agency said. A Serbian citizen attempted to smuggle the heroin while travelling in a Turkish-registered bus from Turkey to Kosovo via Bulgaria and Macedonia (Monitor, Telegraf)
PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - March 17

MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- The Finance Ministry plans to raise about 500 billion roubles ($7.3 billion) by increasing social payments of employers, the daily writes adding that the reform could be carried out after the next presidential election in 2018.

- Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog, FAS, has supported a new bill which will allow the state to overcome restrictions of licence for intellectual property rights if necessary, the daily reports.

- Residents of Moscow's south-west have declared formation of a public movement to protest against the construction policy of the city authorities, the daily writes, suggesting that it could unite dozens of thousand of protesters.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- President Vladimir Putin has taken the side of the world's anti-doping watchdog, WADA, in its row with Russian sportsmen, the daily writes, commenting on Putin's remarks made on Wednesday.

- Russia's food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has imposed a temporary ban on imports of pepper and pomegranates from Turkey which will come into force on March 17.

- A Moscow court has ruled to arrest a co-owner of Vneshprombank, Georgy Bedzhamov, charged with an illegal withdrawal of bank assets worth 235 billion roubles ($3.4 billion).

- The State Agriculture University in the Siberian town of Irkutsk will cut its staff by at least 30 percent as a result of smaller financing by the state, the daily reports, adding that the problem of wage arrears has become widespread in higher education institutions across Russia.

IZVESTIA

www.izvestia.ru

- Experts of Russia's Mission Control are fighting for the survival of a new Resours-P 3 commercial observation space satellite designed for remote research of land after one of its solar batteries failed to open. The satellite was launched into orbit on March 13, the daily writes.
South Africa government says committed to avoiding a ratings downgrade

JOHANNESBURG, March 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's government is committed to ensuring that the country works together to avoid a credit rating downgrade, it said on Thursday after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Flow of migrants into Finland from Russia dries up - Helsinki

HELSINKI, March 17 (Reuters) - The flow of migrants from Russia into Finland has halted this month, the Finnish government said on Thursday, following an agreement between the two countries to improve cooperation on their shared border.

Earlier this year Finland criticised its giant eastern neighbour and tsarist-era ruler for allowing increasing numbers of asylum seekers with no Finnish visas to cross their Arctic border, and held high-level meetings with Moscow.

Finland's 833-mile (1,340 km) border with Russia marks an external limit of the European Union's passport-free Schengen area. Helsinki has been worried it could become a more popular route into the EU for migrants as the weather improves and the main Balkan route via Turkey and Greece gets harder to access.

"No asylum seekers have crossed the (Russian) border since Feb. 29," the Finnish interior ministry said in a statement.

Close to 1,000 asylum seekers entered Finland from Russia in the first two months of 2016, up from about 700 in the whole of 2015. The government said many of them were Afghans or Indians and were not escaping war or persecution. Some had lived in Russia a long time, it added.

"Russia is a safe country which can offer international protection," the ministry added.

According to a Kremlin transcript, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Russian security officials to tighten monitoring of refugee flows across the border into Finland.

"I see this as a proof of concept, aimed at Finland and at the European Union," said Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Senior Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

"Russia has now showed that they can transfer people to a place like its northern border with Finland, and fully control the flow of migrants across its borders."

Interior minister Petteri Orpo told Reuters in January that the government feared whether the eastern border could become a new entry point for refugees as routes through the Balkans become harder.

"The numbers are small, but the phenomenon is very worrying," he said.
Syria's Kurds rebuked for seeking autonomous region

By Rodi Said

RMEILAN, Syria, March 17 (Reuters) - Syria's Kurdish-controlled northern regions voted to seek autonomy on Thursday, drawing rebukes from the Damascus government, neighbouring power Turkey and Washington over a move that could complicate U.N.-backed peace talks.

The vote to unite three Kurdish-controlled provinces in a federal system appears aimed at creating a self-run entity within Syria, a status that Kurds have enjoyed in neighbouring Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The proclamation is an open challenge to many of the sides in Syria's five-year-old civil war, as well as their international sponsors, who have mainly been battling for control of what they say must remain a unified state.

The Kurds, who enjoy U.S. military support, have beaten back Islamic State fighters to control swathes of northern Syria, but the main Syrian Kurdish party, the PYD, has so far been excluded from peace talks that began this week in Geneva.

The three Kurdish-controlled regions agreed at a conference in Rmeilan in northeast Syria to establish the self-administered "federal democratic system of Rojava - Northern Syria", officials announced. Rojava is the Kurdish name for north Syria.

Officials said at a news conference they intended to begin preparations for a federal system, including electing a joint leadership and a 31-member organising committee which would prepare a "legal and political vision" for the system within six months.

A document seen by Reuters, issued at the meeting, said the aim was to "establish democratic self-administered regions which run and organise themselves ... in the fields of economy, society, security, healthcare, education, defence and culture."

SWIFT TO DENOUNCE

Both the government of President Bashar al-Assad and Turkey, a regional heavyweight that is one of Assad's strongest enemies, were swift to denounce the declaration.

"Any such announcement has no legal value and will not have any legal, political, social or economic impact as long as it does not reflect the will of the entire Syrian people," state news agency SANA cited a foreign ministry source as saying.

An official in Turkey said: "Syria must remain as one without being weakened and the Syrian people must decide on its future in agreement and with a constitution. Every unilateral initiative will harm Syria's unity."

Even Washington, which has backed Kurdish fighters with air strikes on Islamic State targets, was displeased.

"We don't support self-ruled, semi-autonomous zones inside Syria. We just don't," said State Department spokesman John Kirby.

"What we want to see is a unified, whole Syria that has in place a government that is not led by Bashar al-Assad, that is responsive to the Syrian people. Whole, unified, nonsectarian Syria, that's the goal."

Turkey fears growing Kurdish sway in Syria is fuelling separatism among its own minority Kurds, and considers the main Syrian Kurdish militia to be an ally of the PKK, which has fought an insurgency for Kurdish autonomy in southeast Turkey.

The PYD has consistently said it wants a model of decentralised government for Syria, not partition. The document agreed on Thursday stressed that the federal system would "guarantee the unity of Syrian territory".

Nawaf Khalil, a former PYD official, played down parallels between Kurdish aspirations in Syria and Iraq, saying Thursday's announcement was a joint move taken together with the region's other ethnic communities.

"The experience resulted from discussions with Arabs and Assyrians, Chechens, Armenians, Turkmen. There is a special case in Rojava, it is not like the path taken in Iraq," he said.

KURDISH CONTROL

Syrian Kurds effectively control an uninterrupted stretch of 400 km (250 miles) along the Syrian-Turkish border from the Euphrates river to the frontier with Iraq. They also hold a separate section of the northwestern border in the Afrin area.

The areas are separated by roughly 100 km (60 miles) of territory, much of it still held by Islamic State.

A U.S.-backed force which includes Kurdish YPG fighters has been battling Islamic State and other militants, making some gains in Raqqa, Hasaka and Aleppo provinces. Kurdish official Idris Nassan said those "liberated" areas were included in Thursday's agreement.

On Saturday, Syria's government in Damascus ruled out the idea of a federal system for the country, just days after a Russian official said that could be a possible model. Russia's five-month military intervention in Syria helped turn the tide of Syria's war back in Assad's favour.

President Vladimir Putin, who has announced the withdrawal of most Russian forces, said on Thursday Moscow's intervention had created the conditions for Syria's peace process.

The United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is convening the peace talks in Geneva, suggested last week that a federal model for Syria could be discussed during negotiations.

"All Syrians have rejected division (of Syria) and federalism can be discussed at the negotiations," he told Al Jazeera television.
South Africa's Chamber of Mines says concerned over govt links to the Guptas

JOHANNESBURG, March 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's Chamber of Mines said on Thursday it was concerned by the links between the state and the Gupta family adding that undue political influence on the industry was not in the country's best interests.

"The latest revelations of potential Gupta family involvement in the selection of Cabinet Ministers in South Africa, in processes contrary to the country's Constitution, are of serious concern to the South African mining industry," the chamber body said in a statement.
Morocco demands U.N. cut 84 staff from Western Sahara mission

By Louis Charbonneau and Aziz El Yaakoubi

UNITED NATIONS/RABAT, March 17 (Reuters) - Morocco ordered the United Nations on Thursday to pull 84 international staff from its Western Sahara mission after accusing U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon of no longer being neutral in a conflict over the disputed territory.

The Moroccan government, however, reversed a previously announced decision to withdraw all of its troops from U.N. peacekeeping missions worldwide.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Morocco said the United Nations and the African Union have three days to remove 84 civilian staff from Western Sahara.

Dujarric said, "All of these measures would seriously impede the functioning" of the mission known as MINURSO, or the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.

U.N. political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman briefed the Security Council behind closed doors. He said the Moroccan ambassador had sent him a text message announcing that the 3-day deadline had been extended to "within the days to come," diplomats at the meeting told Reuters.

The staff to be withdrawn includes security personnel, political officers, and de-mining personnel.

Speaking to reporters after the council meeting, Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins of Angola, council president this month, said members had voiced their concern but agreed to individually approach Morocco to ensure the situation is "evolving in a positive manner."

The controversy over Ban's comments is Morocco's worst dispute with the United Nations since 1991, when the U.N. brokered a ceasefire to end a war over the Western Sahara and established the mission.

Rabat accused Ban last week of no longer being neutral in the conflict, criticizing his use of the word "occupation" to describe Morocco's annexation of the region at the center of a struggle since 1975, when it took over from colonial power Spain.

Earlier this month, Ban visited refugee camps in southern Algeria for the Sahrawi people, who say Western Sahara belongs to them and fought a war against Morocco until the 1991 ceasefire.

Their Polisario Front wants a referendum, including over the question of independence, but Rabat says it will only grant semi-autonomy.

Three of the people on the list submitted by the Moroccan mission to be withdrawn from MINURSO are from the African Union while the rest are U.N. staff, the U.N. press department said. The mission currently has 242 military personnel, 85 international civilian staff, 157 national staff and 12 volunteers.

Neither military personnel nor the head of the mission are affected by the cuts.

Speaking to reporters through an interpreter at the Moroccan U.N. mission in Manhattan, Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar complained of Ban's "stubbornness."

After speaking with members of the Security Council, Mezouar said Morocco had "decided not to withdraw its troops" from U.N. peacekeeping missions. He said Rabat was considering other possible actions but did not elaborate.

Ban has said he wants to restart stalled negotiations between Morocco and Polisario Front.
Kenya's market regulator to tighten rules against money laundering

By Duncan Miriri

NAIROBI, March 17 (Reuters) - Kenya's capital markets regulator has published new regulations requiring stock and fixed-income brokers to report suspicious trades and transactions above $10,000 to a government body set up to fight money-laundering.

Kenya has the most active open capital market in East Africa and has gained broader appeal in Sub-Saharan Africa as other previously popular investment destinations, such as Nigeria and South Africa, have been battered by plunging commodity prices.

Paul Muthaura, the acting chief of the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), told Reuters the move to counter money-laundering is part of efforts to improve corporate governance and turn Nairobi into an international financial centre.

Muthaura also said the CMA was working with the Nairobi Securities Exchange to introduce trading of Exchange Traded Funds and derivatives, which could start in the first half of 2016.

Investors are cautious, complaining about widespread corruption in Kenya and saying regulation is not tight enough.

Muthaura said the CMA would penalise brokerages and investment banks that fail to comply, potentially removing their licenses.

He said tighter rules would encourage capital inflows to Kenya.

"It was not that we have identified money laundering and we must combat it ... Kenya has an ambition towards becoming an international financial centre," which demanded "certain minimum best practices".

"The stronger our anti-money laundering laws, the more our markets become accessible for global capital flows," Muthaura said.

Kenya has already progressed, in 2014, out of the "dark gray list" of the global Financial Action Task-force, where its financial system had been monitored closely because lax laws made it susceptible to money laundering.

The CMA also this month published a new code of corporate governance, demanding more regular and stringent reporting, Muthaura said.

The code seeks to limit the time independent directors can serve on a company's board. "You cannot be an independent director for longer than nine years because after that period you are effectively an insider," he said, adding executives would be exempted.

Analyst blame poor governance for losses at several Kenyan firms in recent years, including Mumias Sugar and Uchumi Supermarkets.
Mural in the muck tells story of Rome on riverside wall

ROME, March 17 (Reuters) - Silhouettes of emperors, popes and artists are slowly emerging on the grimy walls of the Tiber River in Rome, part of an epic mural that tells the history of the Eternal City.

Technicians are using power hoses on the dirty stone to stencil the 550-metre-long "Triumphs and Laments", which is based on charcoal drawings by South African artist William Kentridge.

On display are Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the she-wolf who according to legend suckled the city's mythical founders, Romulus and Remus.

Also among the silhouetted figures are the dead bodies of 20th-century filmmaker and writer Pier Paolo Pasolini and murdered former prime minister Aldo Moro.

But organisers say the stencilled shapes will be allowed gradually to fade from view again as the grime slowly reclaims them.

"The idea is to create an ephemeral work of art," the project's technical director Gianfranco Lucchino, said on the riverside path. "The drawings ... will remain very temporary."

Long delayed by bureaucracy, the mural project will be officially unveiled in April.

Up to 10 metres (33 feet) tall, on walls built to protect Rome from floods in the 1800s, the monochrome figures tell a story full of contrasts, Kentridge told Rome's La Repubblica newspaper last month.

"The Tiber is a river swollen with glory and pain. On one side the fortune of the popes, on the other the suffering of the Jewish Ghetto. Above ... a pulsating, splendid city; below, under the bridges, the desperation of the homeless," he said.

Tevereterno, the non-profit group organising the project, hopes the art can help inspire and speed up urban regeneration.

Kentridge said he did not want to give people a history lesson, so the designs were not laid out in chronological order.

"It is bit like putting a stethoscope on the banks of the Tiber and listening to the city tell its story," he said.
Ukrainian parliament votes to seize Yanukovich's offshore assets

By Natalia Zinets

KIEV, March 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament provisionally approved on Thursday a law allowing the government to seize what it says are offshore assets of Kremlin-backed former president Viktor Yanukovich without the need for a court order.

Yanukovich was ousted by the 2013/2014 Maidan street protests and fled to Russia, lighting the fuse for Moscow's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and a separatist uprising in mainly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine.

Since his ouster, Ukrainians have grown increasingly impatient with Ukraine's new leaders for not doing enough to tackle endemic corruption and with the cosy ties between politicians and business that also flourished under Yanukovich.

Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk's party said the law would allow the government to seize as much as 50 billion hryvnia ($1.9 billion) worth of government bonds and use the money for social and defence spending.

The law is "essential for our country, army and pensioners", lawmaker Serhiy Pashinsky told parliament.

Yatseniuk's party says the bonds were bought with money the former president and his cronies had plundered from the state. Yatseniuk said Yanukovich holds the bonds through 42 offshore companies spread across Cyprus, the Seychelles, Britain, Panama and Belize.

"Restoring justice was and is one of the key demands of Maidan and the Ukrainian people. This is $1.5 billion - equivalent to the volume of aid (to Ukraine) from the U.S. government," he told a government meeting on Wednesday.

But the legislation drew criticism from other political parties, who argued it violated international law and could be challenged by Yanukovich in court, meaning Ukraine might be forced to pay back the money and a hefty fine. Lawmakers also warned the law could be abused to pursue political vendettas.

"(It) is not transparent, it's very risky. This law gives Yanukovich and his comrades-in-arms the option to sue later," lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem told journalists.

Yatseniuk's People's Front forced the legislation onto parliament's agenda after disrupting proceedings for two consecutive days, saying it would not allow parliament to function unless the law was discussed.

It was approved on the first reading but needs to be voted on again and then be signed by President Petro Poroshenko in order to come into force. Confident of a positive outcome, Yatseniuk had included the expected windfall in the 2016 budget.
Failure to pass equality bill betrays Nigerian women, activists say

By Kieran Guilbert

DAKAR, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Women's rights activists condemned the Nigerian Senate on Thursday for rejecting a gender and equality law that pledged to eliminate discrimination in politics, education and employment, protect women's land rights and tackle violence against women.

The Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill was thrown out on Tuesday after several lawmakers opposed it on religious grounds.

Some quoted the Bible while others said the bill defied sharia, which is recognised by the constitution in Nigeria - home to the world's largest equal mix of Christians and Muslims.

Activists said the dismissal of the bill demonstrated that the government was ignoring the dangers facing Nigerian women, ranging from sexual assault and abduction to forced marriages.

"Nigeria's Senators showed they simply do not grasp the degrading and discriminatory treatment that many of this country's women face on a daily basis," said Mausi Segun, Nigeria Researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The opposition to the bill for religious and cultural reasons not only denies women their rights, but reinforces attitudes that fuel abuse and discrimination, Segun added.

The bill set out equality for women in marriage and divorce and inheritance rights for girls and widows - stating that they should not face "inhuman, humiliating or degrading treatment".

The rejected bill also called for women to be able to participate in politics without any restrictions or barriers - in a country where only seven of the 109 senators are women.

ActionAid's country director Ojobo Ode Atuluku lamented the "chauvinistic utterances" of some of the male senators.

"Parliamentarians to whom women extended massive electoral support are already reneging from their campaign promises to lift girls and women out of violence and discrimination," said Saudatu Mahdi of the Abuja-based Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative.

Several activists questioned why Nigeria had ratified the Maputo Protocol, an international treaty on women's rights, and the African Union Women's Rights Framework, if the country was not prepared to enshrine women's rights at a national level.
Kuwait security chief to Obama: we're not free-riders

By Sylvia Westall

KUWAIT, March 17 (Reuters) - Kuwait is not a "free-rider" in U.S.-led campaigns against terrorism and other threats, a senior Kuwaiti security official said on Thursday, rejecting comments by President Barack Obama critical of some U.S. allies.

Sheikh Thamer al-Sabah, President of Kuwait's National Security Bureau, was referring to Obama's remarks to The Atlantic magazine last week in which he said some states in the Gulf and Europe were "free-riders" who called for U.S. action without getting involved themselves.

In an interview, Sheikh Thamer said Kuwait, like fellow Gulf state Qatar, had opened up air bases and airspace for the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Aircraft from other Gulf countries had carried out sorties, said Sheikh Thamer, a member of Kuwait's ruling family.

"I am just wondering what a free ride is when we do all of these things," he said, referring to Kuwait's role.

"When we share intelligence, when we open our air, land and sea, when we spend billions of dollars in trying to combat terrorism and trying to help the Syrian refugees, how is it free?" he added.

"I actually looked up 'free ride' in the dictionary and I would like other people to know what a free ride is and see what we are doing here in this part of the world, especially when he mentioned the Gulf."

Sheikh Thamer's comments were unusually critical of the United States for a Kuwaiti official. They echo those on Monday by Saudi Arabia's Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former intelligence chief, who said the American leader had "thrown us a curve ball" in criticising Riyadh's regional role.

HOT SPOT

Kuwait, which borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia and lies across the Gulf from Iran, is working to combat the threat of attacks by Sunni Islamist militants like Islamic State on its own soil, Sheikh Thamer said, as well as Iranian-backed operatives.

In June last year a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shi'ite mosque in Kuwait, killing 27, in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The bomber was previously unknown to authorities in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, where he had been in transit, Sheikh Thamer said.

"He wasn't under their radar, they didn't know him. He was radicalised, to our understanding, through either the internet or through people he might have known," he said.

"This is something that is very serious for us, if you don't know the person, how can you defend yourself or how can you protect yourself?"

He said countries from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council had been compiling blacklists of suspected militants and shared them with Western allies.

He said Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers had not diminished Kuwait's concerns over Iran.

These included militant sleeper cells and spies, involvement in regional conflicts and the safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Kuwait is the closest major population centre to it.

"The security issue from Iran was always there and I think will always continue. It is not something new," he said.

"I salute you for trying your best to work with Iran only on their nuclear programme despite knowing what Iran is doing for Hezbollah in Lebanon, for other places in the world, for bombings, for hijacking of aircraft, for assassinations of people," he added.

"I salute them on how they can actually sit down and talk about only the nuclear programme with the knowledge they have of how Iran is capable of doing all of these things. I can't do it."

He voiced concern about Iraq, where Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias are fighting alongside government forces against Islamic State.
EU says Israeli land seizure threatens peace process

By Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - A seizure of land by Israel in the West Bank raises questions about its commitment to a two-state solution to end the conflict with the Palestinians, the European Union said in a statement on Thursday.

Echoing remarks this week by Germany and France, the EU's foreign policy service issued a rare statement directly criticising Israel for its appropriation of 579 acres (234 hectares) near Jericho.

"Israel's decision ... is a further step that risks undermining the viability of a future Palestinian state and therefore calls into question Israel's commitment to a two-state solution," the EU said in a statement.

"Any decision that could enable further settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace, will only drive the parties to the conflict even further apart," the EU said.

"The European Union remains firmly opposed to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, including demolitions and confiscations, evictions, forced transfers or restrictions on movement and access."

Israel's Peace Now movement, which tracks and opposes Israeli settlement in territory captured in a 1967 war, said the latest seizure represented the largest land confiscation in the West Bank in recent years.

Israel says it intends to keep large settlement blocs in any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. Palestinians, who seek to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, fear settlement expansion will deny them a viable country.
Morocco says resumes contacts with EU after court row

RABAT, March 17 (Reuters) - Morocco said on Thursday it was resuming contacts with European Union institutions after the bloc's senior diplomat promised to resolve a crisis triggered by a European court ruling on a trade deal.

Morocco said last month it had suspended contact with European Union after the court invalidated an EU farm trade accord with Rabat, saying it should exclude the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
New Syria peace talks go-between is a fixer trusted by the Kremlin

By Maria Tsvetkova and Denis Dyomkin

MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - A Russian academic named this week as a mediator in the Syrian peace talks is an acclaimed expert on the Arab world with the trust of the Kremlin, a sign of the influence Moscow has won at the negotiating table after a five-month military campaign.

Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy on Syria, said he had appointed Russia's Vitaly Naumkin, 70, as a new consultant to support him in brokering peace talks in Geneva between the sides in Syria's civil war. De Mistura said he also wants to appoint an American, who has yet to be named.

The posts reflect the roles of the Cold War-era superpowers as co-sponsors of peace talks that began this week in Geneva, with Moscow a leading supporter of President Bashar al-Assad and Washington friendly with many of his enemies.

Naumkin's position is likely to ensure that Moscow retains its clout at peace talks, even as President Vladimir Putin has announced he is pulling out most of his forces after an intervention that tipped the balance of power Assad's way.

Reuters spoke to nine people who know Naumkin, and all described a talented and well-connected scholar who speaks fluent Arabic and has rich experience mediating in conflicts.

He has close working relationships with Russia's leaders, and describes himself as a protege of Yevgeny Primakov, a former Russian spy chief, foreign minister and prime minister who once served as an architect of Soviet policy in the Middle East and later as an informal mentor to President Vladimir Putin.

Naumkin did not reply to a Reuters request for an interview, but acquaintances said his views were likely to reflect Russia's policies.

"He has a political line, it's our good political line," said Alexei Malashenko, a long-standing Naumkin acquaintance and scholar in residence at the Moscow Carnegie Center think tank.

TIES TO OFFICIALS

Another person who knows Naumkin, who gave an assessment of his role on condition of anonymity, described him as a talented academic who would defer to senior Russian officials on policy.

Several of the people who spoke to Reuters said Naumkin was in regular contact with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister and presidential Middle East envoy.

De Mistura nevertheless said Naumkin's job would be to help the U.N. mediation team, not serve Russian interests: "He reports to me, not to his own mother country."

Born in the Ural Mountains, Naumkin studied Arabic language and history at Moscow State University, before serving for two years in the Soviet army teaching Arabic to military interpreters.

He gained a reputation as an outstanding simultaneous interpreter and was called on to translate at high-level meetings between Soviet officials and Arab leaders. It was in this role that he built up a rapport with Primakov, whom he met in Cairo in the 1960s.

Primakov later invited him to work as an academic at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow, according to Naumkin's own account. Naumkin did pioneering research into Socotra, an island between Yemen and Somalia, and spent periods living in Yemen and Egypt.

"He knows the Middle East not by hearsay, not from inside an office, but he's lived within it," said Alexander Knyazev, a Kazakhstan-based analyst who has known Naumkin for years.

In the early 1990s, Naumkin facilitated back-channel negotiations between rival sides in a civil war in the mainly Muslim ex-Soviet state of Tajikistan.

Naumkin arrived in the Tajik capital at the height of the fighting together with Harold Saunders, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State. Unsolicited, they offered their services as mediators to the Tajik leader.

When he accepted, they went to the Tajik foreign minister's house and slaughtered a sheep to celebrate, according to Kamoludin Abdullaev, a Tajik researcher who was present.

Naumkin's role in the talks was to make sure the opposition's views were heard.

"He was very assertive. The ... negotiations ended successfully," said Mars Sariyev, a former Kyrgyz diplomat who took part on the talks.

SYRIA MEDIATION

Naumkin has already played a back-room role in Syria negotiations, coordinating two rounds of talks in Moscow, backed by the Russian foreign ministry, to try to unite some of Syria's disparate opposition.

Those talks produced no major breakthrough, though not through any fault of Naumkin's, according to Nikolai Sukhov, an Arabist scholar and former student of Naumkin.

People who know Naumkin said he would be unflagging in his efforts to broker a solution in Geneva, would be on good terms with both sides and would not let emotion or frustration get in the way, even if the talks falter.

Western diplomats say it may be useful to have Naumkin in the room at the talks. One said it would encourage the Syrian government delegation to stay at the table despite its reluctance to sit down with its opponents.
Failure to pass equality bill betrays Nigerian women, activists say

By Kieran Guilbert

DAKAR, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Women's rights activists condemned the Nigerian Senate on Thursday for rejecting a gender and equality law that pledged to eliminate discrimination in politics, education and employment, protect women's land rights and tackle violence against women.

The Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill was thrown out on Tuesday after several lawmakers opposed it on religious grounds.

Some quoted the Bible while others said the bill defied sharia, which is recognised by the constitution in Nigeria - home to the world's largest equal mix of Christians and Muslims.

Activists said the dismissal of the bill demonstrated that the government was ignoring the dangers facing Nigerian women, ranging from sexual assault and abduction to forced marriages.

"Nigeria's Senators showed they simply do not grasp the degrading and discriminatory treatment that many of this country's women face on a daily basis," said Mausi Segun, Nigeria Researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The opposition to the bill for religious and cultural reasons not only denies women their rights, but reinforces attitudes that fuel abuse and discrimination, Segun added.

The bill set out equality for women in marriage and divorce and inheritance rights for girls and widows - stating that they should not face "inhuman, humiliating or degrading treatment".

The rejected bill also called for women to be able to participate in politics without any restrictions or barriers - in a country where only seven of the 109 senators are women.

ActionAid's country director Ojobo Ode Atuluku lamented the "chauvinistic utterances" of some of the male senators.

One of the senators who opposed the bill was 55-year-old Ahmed Yerima, a former governor of the northern state of Zamfara. Reports of his marriage to an underage Egyptian girl sparked protests in 2010.

"Parliamentarians to whom women extended massive electoral support are already reneging from their campaign promises to lift girls and women out of violence and discrimination," said Saudatu Mahdi of the Abuja-based Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative.

"Politicians recognise the importance of women in Nigeria only during elections," said Helen Okon, founder of the Abuja-based Organised Minds for the Empowerment of Global Gender Initiatives. "They see Nigerian women as people to be used."

Several activists questioned why Nigeria had ratified the Maputo Protocol, an international treaty on women's rights, and the African Union Women's Rights Framework, if the country was not prepared to enshrine women's rights at a national level.
World Court to draw up Nicaragua-Colombia maritime boundary

AMSTERDAM/BOGOTA, March 17 (Reuters) - The International Court of Justice on Thursday said it would consider a claim by Nicaragua to expand its maritime boundaries in a mineral-rich part of the Caribbean Sea toward Colombia, a ruling set to further strain relations between the two countries.

The judgment, separate from a decision earlier on Thursday in which the United Nations court said it would rule on alleged violations of Nicaragua's sovereignty, means a maritime delineation case between the two countries can proceed.

In a televised address soon after the decision, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would not accept a ruling by a "third party" and would not participate in the case.

"Bilateral issues between Nicaragua and Colombia will not be subject to decisions made by third parties and should be handled via direct negotiations in conformity with international law," he said.

Diplomatic relations between the two nations have suffered over the dispute, which intensified after a 2012 ruling by the court that drew a demarcation line in favor of Nicaragua in Caribbean waters, reducing the expanse of sea belonging to Colombia.

The decision increased the size of Nicaragua's continental shelf and economic exclusion zone in the Caribbean, potentially giving it access to underwater oil and gas deposits as well as fishing rights.

Colombia has not accepted that ruling, prompting Nicaragua to seek a judgment from the court to force it to abide by the decision.

In the new case, judges are being asked to settle boundaries beyond the 200 nautical miles that were fixed by the 2012 judgment.

Nicaragua said it was satisfied by the ruling.
Native American tribe to relocate from Louisiana coast as sea levels rise

By Sebastien Malo

NEW YORK, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A small Native American community in coastal Louisiana is to be resettled after losing nearly all its land partly due to rising seas, a first in the United States.

The band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, a Native American tribe living in the Louisiana coastal wetlands, has lost some 98 percent of its land since the 1950s.

This is the first time an entire community has had to be relocated due in part to rising sea levels, said Marion McFadden, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The land loss is also due to factors such as erosion and sediment mismanagement, a Louisiana official said.

The band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw have lived and fished on the Isle de Jean Charles in Louisiana's coastal south since the 1800s, a tribe's spokesman said.

But land loss has caused the island to shrink from some 15,000 acres to a strip of about a quarter-mile wide by a half-mile long, a study by Northern Arizona University shows.

From a peak of some 400 inhabitants, only around 100 remain. The loss of land to the sea and houses to hurricanes have caused families to leave, said Boyo Billiot, the tribe's deputy chief said in a telephone briefing to reporters.

"No one likes to leave an area where they have history, a lot of memories," said Billiot. "We are people of the bayou. Water has played a central role in who we are."

Climate advocacy group Climate Nexus said the relocation of the tribe was creating new "refugees" of climate change.

But Louisiana and federal government officials offered a different interpretation.

"We really don't think of the community as refugees. I think of refugees as being scattered and chaotic retreat. This is a resettlement and we are careful to use that word," said Patrick Forbes, a Louisiana state official.

The relocation would be subsidized by around $48 million in government funds, said Forbes, and would take a few years to complete.

Louisiana's coast has been sinking at a fast pace compared to most U.S. coastal areas, a phenomenon officials attribute to sea levels rise but also erosion, the official said. Sea levels have already risen by some 8 inches in coastal Louisiana over the last 50 years or so.

According to a 2014 U.S. government report, as global sea levels continue to rise, relative sea leave rise will be greater along some coasts such as in Louisiana and Texas.

The continuous decline of the band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw population has been threatening the tribe's ancestral traditions, including those related to fishing such as the weaving of catch nets.

"As the people leave out, culture goes with it," said Billiot.

Reflecting on the tribe's attachment to Isle de Jean Charles, he recalled his late grandfather's prophetic words.
Judge orders Nevada rancher held in jail ahead of trial for standoff

By Alex Dobuzinskis

March 17 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Nevada refused rancher Cliven Bundy's latest request on Thursday to be freed from jail ahead of his trial on conspiracy and other felony charges for his role in a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents, a spokeswoman for prosecutors said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Hoffman Jr. ruled at a hearing in Las Vegas that Bundy, 69, posed a danger to the public if released, U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Natalie Collins said in an email statement.

Bundy has been jailed since his arrest on Feb. 10 at the Portland International Airport after arriving there on his way to show support for anti-government militants who had taken over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon.

He and two of his sons, Ammon and Ryan, who were indicted in connection with leading the Oregon occupation and also face charges with their father in the Nevada standoff, have become popular figures for groups challenging federal control over vast stretches of public land in the West.

Prosecutors have said the elder Bundy trespassed on federal lands for over 20 years, refusing to secure the necessary permits or pay the required fees the government charges ranchers to let their cattle graze on U.S.-owned public property.

In an enforcement action nearly two years ago, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sent armed rangers to Bundy's ranch about 80 miles (129 km) northeast of Las Vegas to confiscate his cattle.

Anti-government groups and other supporters rallied to Bundy's defense. In an armed standoff on April 12, 2014, along Interstate 15, they confronted federal agents, who ultimately backed down and returned the cattle they had seized.

The case against Bundy stems from that clash. He was indicted on charges of conspiracy, assault on a law enforcement officer, carrying a firearm in a crime of violence, obstruction of justice, interference with commerce by extortion and aiding and abetting others in breaking the law.

Defense lawyers in court papers filed on Wednesday sought his pre-trial release, arguing Bundy is peaceable and not a flight risk. But the judge denied their request.
Kuwait security chief to Obama: we're not free-riders

By Sylvia Westall

KUWAIT, March 17 (Reuters) - Kuwait is not a "free-rider" in U.S.-led campaigns against terrorism and other threats, a senior Kuwaiti security official said on Thursday, rejecting comments by President Barack Obama critical of some U.S. allies.

Sheikh Thamer al-Sabah, President of Kuwait's National Security Bureau, was referring to Obama's remarks to The Atlantic magazine last week in which he said some states in the Gulf and Europe were "free-riders" who called for U.S. action without getting involved themselves.

In an interview, Sheikh Thamer said Kuwait, like fellow Gulf state Qatar, had opened up air bases and airspace for the U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Aircraft from other Gulf countries had carried out sorties, said Sheikh Thamer, a member of Kuwait's ruling family.

"I am just wondering what a free ride is when we do all of these things," he said, referring to Kuwait's role.

"When we share intelligence, when we open our air, land and sea, when we spend billions of dollars in trying to combat terrorism and trying to help the Syrian refugees, how is it free?" he added.

"I actually looked up 'free ride' in the dictionary and I would like other people to know what a free ride is and see what we are doing here in this part of the world, especially when he mentioned the Gulf."

Sheikh Thamer's comments were unusually critical of the United States for a Kuwaiti official. They echo those on Monday by Saudi Arabia's Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former intelligence chief, who said the American leader had "thrown us a curve ball" in criticising Riyadh's regional role.

When asked about what Sheikh Thamer said, the White House referred to comments it made on Monday.

Spokesman Josh Earnest said the United States viewed Saudi Arabia and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) "as effective national security partners who can and should do more."

"We're encouraging them to do more to contribute to the security situation in their region of the world."

HOT SPOT

Kuwait, which borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia and lies across the Gulf from Iran, is working to combat the threat of attacks by Sunni Islamist militants like Islamic State on its own soil, Sheikh Thamer said, as well as Iranian-backed operatives.

In June last year a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shi'ite mosque in Kuwait, killing 27, in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

The bomber was previously unknown to authorities in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, where he had been in transit, Sheikh Thamer said.

"He wasn't under their radar, they didn't know him. He was radicalised, to our understanding, through either the Internet or through people he might have known," he said.

"This is something that is very serious for us, if you don't know the person, how can you defend yourself or how can you protect yourself?"

He said countries from the six-nation GCC had been compiling blacklists of suspected militants and shared them with Western allies.

He said Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers had not diminished Kuwait's concerns over Iran.

These included militant sleeper cells and spies, involvement in regional conflicts and the safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Kuwait is the closest major population centre to it.

"The security issue from Iran was always there and I think will always continue. It is not something new," he said.

"I salute you for trying your best to work with Iran only on their nuclear programme despite knowing what Iran is doing for Hezbollah in Lebanon, for other places in the world, for bombings, for hijacking of aircraft, for assassinations of people," he added.

"I salute them on how they can actually sit down and talk about only the nuclear programme with the knowledge they have of how Iran is capable of doing all of these things. I can't do it."

He voiced concern about Iraq, where Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias are fighting alongside government forces against Islamic State.
Iran seen escaping UN sanctions over missiles due to ambiguous resolution

By Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Reuters) - Iran will likely escape new United Nations sanctions, though the U.N. Security Council could issue a public reprimand for recent launches of what Western officials described as ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, diplomats said.

Council diplomats said the case for sanctions was weak, hinging on interpretation of ambiguous language in a resolution adopted by the 15-member body last July, part of an historic deal to curb Iran's nuclear work.

International sanctions on Tehran were lifted in January under the nuclear deal brokered by Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the United States. Diplomats said all six countries agreed the ballistic missile tests do not violate the core agreement.

However, the Security Council resolution "calls upon" Iran to refrain for up to eight years from activity, including launches, related to ballistic missiles designed with the capability of delivering nuclear weapons.

Key powers agree that request is not legally binding and cannot be enforced under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which deals with sanctions and authorization of military force. But Western nations, which view the language as a ban, say there is a political obligation on Iran to comply.

Britain said the missile launches show Iran's "blatant disregard" for the resolution, while France said it was "a case of non-compliance." The United States initially deemed the tests a violation, but has softened that stance, calling Iran "in defiance" of the resolution.

Russia, which has Security Council veto power, says Iran has not violated the resolution. Russia opposes new U.N. sanctions, but acknowledged that if the missiles were proven capable of carrying a nuclear weapon, it could be suggested Tehran has not been "respectful" of the council.

"A call is different from a ban, so legally you cannot violate a call, you can comply with a call or you can ignore the call, but you cannot violate a call," Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Monday. "The legal distinction is there."

Laura Rockwood, former chief of the legal department at the International Atomic Energy Agency and now head of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Nonproliferation, said of the U.N. resolution: "This was probably a classic case of language negotiated with 'constructive ambiguity' in mind."

In a 2010 resolution, the Security Council decided Iran "shall not" carry out activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons - a clear, legal ban.

The United States agreed to soften the language on ballistic missiles in the July resolution, largely because Russia and China insisted, diplomats said.

"When you look at your hand, and you can't even bluff ... you fold," said a U.S. official.

Despite Russia's opposition to new sanctions, the United States has vowed to continue pushing for U.N. Security Council action on the ballistic missile tests. Instead of sanctions, the council could decide to issue a statement rebuking Iran, not only for the missile tests, but for threatening another state.

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' missile battery said the missiles tested were designed to be able to hit U.S. ally Israel. The United States condemned the remarks and Russia said countries should not threaten each other.

Churkin also argued the U.N. resolution required a heavy burden of proof that the ballistic missiles were "designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons." The United States and its European allies are expected to make a technical case to the council about how Iran failed to abide by the U.N. resolution.

"These were designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This merits a council response," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, told reporters on Monday.

According to the International Missile Control Regime, ballistic missiles are considered nuclear capable if they have a range of at least 300 km and can carry a payload of up to 500 kg.

Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said he did not believe Iran's missile launches were a violation of the "ambiguous" resolution because the "missiles in question can't be proven to have been designed to deliver nuclear weapons."

Iranian officials, including pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani, insist Tehran's missile program does not violate the nuclear deal or the U.N. resolution.

"With Russia and China on Iran's side, there will be no resolutions, sanctions or any action against Iran over its missile or aerospace programs," said a senior official in Tehran, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Now that sanctions on Tehran had been lifted, the official said Western countries were keen to do business in Iran.
U.S. to declassify intelligence, military records on Argentina's 'Dirty War'

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The United States government will declassify documents from U.S. military and intelligence agencies related to Argentina's 1976-1983 "Dirty War," the seven-year period when Argentina cracked down on left-wing opponents, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The move coincides with President Barack Obama's visit to Argentina next week on the 40th anniversary of the 1976 coup that installed a military dictatorship, which the United States initially supported. Argentina returned to democracy in 1983.

The declassification effort came at the request of the Argentine government, according to U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice.

"This anniversary and beyond, we're determined to do our part as Argentina continues to heal and move forward as one nation," Rice will say later on Friday, according to prepared remarks seen by Reuters.

An administration official said the declassification effort will include records from U.S. law enforcement agencies, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the presidential libraries at the National Archives.

It follows the declassification in 2002 of more than 4,000 State Department cables and other documents related to human rights abuses from the 1976-1983 period.
Iraq's Sadr spurns calls to drop sit-in over "bastion of corruption"

BAGHDAD, March 17 (Reuters) - Influential Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rejected calls to cancel a planned sit-in on Friday at the gates of Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which he called "a bastion of support for corruption".

He published a statement on his website on Thursday in response to politicians who asked him to drop the protest over concern that it could lead to violence near the sensitive district, which houses government offices and embassies.

Sadr called for the sit-in last week to press Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to replace cabinet ministers with technocrats unaffiliated with political parties in order to counter systemic political patronage that has abetted corruption.

Early on Friday, the Interior Ministry published a statement saying it had not authorised the sit-in but did not indicate how it would deal with any protesters who do show up.

Sadr asked his followers to refrain from any violent reaction should they be stopped by the security forces and instead to await his instructions.

"We have other methods besides the sit-in ... that are no less effective," he said in his statement. "(But) no clashes, no weapons, no cutting off roads, no assaults, no disobedience."

Abadi on March 11 asked political blocs in parliament and "influential social figures" to nominate technocrats but he is also under pressure from political factions not to erode their powerful influence.

Corruption is eating away the central government's resources as it struggles with declining revenues due to rock-bottom oil prices while having to raise spending to fund the war against Islamic State militants.

"It will be a peaceful sit-in in front of the gates of the Green Zone, which is considered a bastion of support for corruption," Sadr said in his website statement.

Sadr, heir to a Shi'ite clerical dynasty in Shi'ite majority Iraq, has threatened a no-confidence vote in parliament unless technocratic ministers are named soon.
U.S. to declassify intelligence, military records on Argentina's 'Dirty War'

By Jeff Mason and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - The United States government will declassify documents from U.S. military and intelligence agencies related to Argentina's 1976-83 "Dirty War," the seven-year period when a military dictatorship cracked down on left-wing opponents, U.S. officials said on Thursday.

The move coincides with President Barack Obama's visit to Argentina next week on the 40th anniversary of the 1976 coup that installed the dictatorship, which the United States initially supported. Argentina returned to democracy in 1983.

The declassification effort will include records from U.S. law enforcement agencies, the Department of Defense, the Department of State and the presidential libraries at the National Archives.

It follows the declassification in 2002 of more than 4,000 State Department cables and other documents related to human rights abuses from the 1976-83 period.

"President Obama, at the request of the Argentine government, will announce a comprehensive effort to declassify additional documents, including for the first time military and intelligence records," U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice said in a speech hosted by the Atlantic Council in Washington.

"On this anniversary and beyond, we're determined to do our part as Argentina continues to heal and move forward as one nation," she said.

It is the latest effort by Obama to reconcile with Latin Americans by addressing Washington's past backing of former military dictatorships in the region, such as he did on previous trips to Chile and Brazil.

The U.S. role in Latin America during previous administrations helped fuel ant-American sentiment, especially on the left.

Obama has declined on previous trips to Latin America to apologize for CIA activities in the region during decades past, but he left open the door to U.S. assistance in investigations of human rights abuses committed by former military governments there.

Argentina welcomed the announcement.

"Anything that helps analyze what happened during this chapter is a positive," an Argentine government spokesman said, declining to comment further on a matter he said Obama and President Mauricio Macri would address.

Obama plans to visit Parque de la Memoria, or Memory Park, to honor the victims of that period.
A few months ago, just after the Paris attacks in November 2015, my beautician Shabana who comes to my home in a burqa and whose care I have been under for more than a decade, told me with fear in her eyes that the head of her Majlis had informed those in her community that the heinous Paris attacks had been carried out by Christians and Hindus disguised as Muslims under their burqas.

"It's a worldwide conspiracy against Islam," she gasped.

I informed her that the ISIS (Islamic State) had itself claimed responsibility for the attacks and it is a matter of public knowledge. The terrorists were not hidden under burqas during the massacre.

Photographs of the attacks and attackers were released worldwide and there were no Hindus, Jews or Christians disguised as Muslim ladies playing "Bang bang you're dead".

"No didi", Shabana said emotionally, "people are trying to spoil the name of Islam. We Muslims are not so violent. This is a conspiracy to ruin the reputation of Muslims."

Now Shabana is a very sweet lady and often chants verses and quotes from the Quran to me when I am in pain or injured. I ask her to do the same for my daughter Kaveri. "There is power in your dua, please recite to me," I have often told her but that day I found myself getting a bit annoyed and told her that if this is the information the head of your Majlis is spreading, he is very ignorant or a deliberate liar and politically motivated to keep vote bank politics alive.

"So if indeed, by any bizarre chance, what the head of your Majlis is saying is true and people are indeed misusing the burqa in this fashion", I asked, wondering if she was even listening to me anymore, "isn't it correct for some countries like France to ban the burqa? I mean men of terrorist organisations dressed as women to gun down innocent people in public places to spread terror is a very dangerous thing, no?"

To this, Shabana answered very simply, "I don't know about that. But I hope they don't ban the burqa in India didi. It's a safety measure against the dirty gaze of men. We feel safer in our locality in a burqa, it's nothing to do with religion."

Yet yesterday, this same sweet lady Shabana on watching Asaduddin Owaisi's inflammatory speech on rather having his throat cut off than being forced to say "Bharat Mata ki jai" reacted with extreme irritation. "What's the harm in an Indian saying 'Bharat Mata ki jai'? It's these politicians who are spoiling the name of Islam."

I couldn't agree more. It is similar to the politicians and rabid spokespersons of political parties and organisations spoiling the name of the Hindus. People like Sadhvi Prachi or Yogi blah blah are as toxic to our national spirit as the likes of the Owaisi brothers who spew venom and hate in the name of religion.

"How is showing loyalty to India anti-Islamic?" Shabana continued. "In fact we feel proud to be Indians because India allows us to practise our religion the way we want. We are not stoned to death for adultery or forced to do namaz like in some other counties like Saudi Arabia."

Yes I agreed again. Showing loyalty to India certainly cannot be unIslamic. But as a corollary to that, how is chanting "Bharat Mata ki jai" or not doing so a sign of patriotism or anti-nationalism respectively? What if I or anyone else wanted to express our love for our country with the choice of other words?

Like "Vande Mataram" or "I love India" or "Jai Bharat" or "Jai Hind"? Why has it suddenly become mandatory to follow the diktat of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat? Why are we becoming increasingly fragmented, divisive, abusive and violent in the name of religion? What ever happened to our ideologies of secularism and democracy? Why is religious identity being placed above national identity? Why are laws in our country so ambiguous and malleable that anyone can impose any puerile personal or political agenda on our lives and get away with blasphemy?

Religious beliefs are a delicate matter. It can be as misinterpreted by the ignorant. Rogues and zealots are welcome to fight their greedy wars amongst themselves under the guise of politics. But please, in the name of all gods - Jesus, Allah, Ram or Buddha - let religion not sweep our streets and terrorise our homes.
With the release of the Key Log study of the Atlantic Coast Pipelines economic impact on four Virginia counties, Dominion Resources has charged that the report lacks factual basis and credibility.

Relying on its prior comparison of the ACP to existing pipelines in Virginia, it fails to acknowledge that the ACP is mammoth in size and pressure in comparison to existing pipelines. And once again, it fails to admit that sufficient capacity to meet energy needs is already in place, with existing gas-fired plants already supplied by other pipelines.

Virginians will be left to digest these conflicting numbers and assess their validity.

Public opinion likely will hinge on the credibility of ACP versus residents along the pipeline route. I suggest that recent news about Dominion speaks volumes.

It is embroiled in controversy over an oil spill into the Potomac (washingtonpost.com/local/about-20-geese-cleaned-following-oil-spill-in-potomac-released-back-to-the-river/2016/02/22/35ffcbca-d987-11e5-925f-1d10062cc82d_story.html)  for which it takes responsibility  and the release of untreated coal ash into Quantico Creek this past spring (insidenova.com/headlines/exclusive-dominion-released-millions-of-gallons-of-coal-ash-water/article_02a2700e-ce8b-11e5-9370-aff33f0f4afb.html).

Last fall, Dominion filed a lawsuit against Kewaunee County, Michigan, in a dispute over the taxable value of a now shuttered nuclear plant, in which it seeks a refund for excessive taxes (jsonline.com/business/a-457-million-difference-of-opinion-over-the-kewaunee-nuclear-plant-b99570612z1-324549561.html). Should the county lose in court, it may have to scramble to recoup substantial losses. Additionally, nuclear waste remains at the site, and under federal regulations Dominion does not have to restore the site for 60 years.

These examples cannot be disputed.

Virginians will surely suffer damages and pay a large part of the construction costs of this pipeline. The benefits will be negligible.

Marilyn Shifflett

Nelson County
The Obama administration has joined House Republicans, including local Congressman Dave Brat, in agreeing that Islamic State extremists are committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria. Culpeper-based Persecution Project Foundation say while the designation is a step in the right direction they are already actively involved in helping the persecuted.

The U.S. House of Representatives Monday unanimously passed a non-binding resolution condemning as genocide the murder, rape, kidnapping and displacement of Christians by Islamic State militants. According to Brat, "Christians have been beheaded, crucified, tortured, sold into slavery, and forced to convert or die.

Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry determined that ISIS is, in fact, committing genocide in Iraq and Syria, outlining a litany of atrocities he said militants had done to people and religious sites.

We know that (ISIS) actions are animated by an extreme and intolerant ideology  and we know that (ISIS) has threatened Christians by saying that it will, quote, conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women, he said.

Kerrys determination marks only the second time a U.S. administration has declared that genocide was happening during an ongoing conflict. The first was in 2004 when former Secretary of State Colin Powell characterized as genocide the atrocities in Sudans Darfur region.

For nearly 20 years, Persecution Project has worked in Sudan and elsewhere with a mission of mobilizing Christians to engage in active compassion for the persecuted. Director Matt Chancey said Thursday a lot of resolutions like the one passed Monday by House Republicans  pertaining to Iraq and Syria  tend to be political theatre.

He added, however, that the reason its important to evoke the term, genocide, is because in 1948 the U.S. signed onto a United Nations Convention anti-genocide treaty. Chancey said the treaty obligated signee nations to intervene, arrest, and punish those engaging in genocide  defined by the U.N. Convention as, acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

In 2004, State Department lawyers advised Powell that the characterization of genocide would not obligate the U.S. to stop it, and that the 1948 treaty did not require countries to prevent it from taking place outside their territory, according to the Associated Press. Kerrys determination followed a similar finding by department lawyers, the AP reported Thursday.

Chancey said the recent congressional resolution is important because it raises awareness of Christian persecution, an unfortunate reality around the world for millions of believers, he said.

Having said this, the Darfur Genocide in Sudan was declared such by pretty much everyone, but nothing substantial has been done by the international community. Treaties mean nothing without the coinciding political will to enforce them, Chancey said. At the Persecution Project Foundation, were not waiting for political solutions. Were engaged now in active compassion for Christians under fire for their faith.

Kerry, in his remarks Thursday, said naming the crimes as genocide is important, but what is essential is to stop it. Doing that will require unity in America and within the countries directly involved, the secretary of state said, and the determination to act against genocide, against ethnic cleansing, against the other crimes against humanity must be pronounced among decent people all across the globe.

Defeating violent extremists once and for all will not happen overnight, Kerry said.

But today, I say to all our fellow citizens and to the international community, we must recognize what (ISIS) is doing to its victims. We must hold the perpetrators accountable. And we must find the resources to help those harmed by these atrocities be able to survive on their ancestral land, he said.
Adam Lee told The Associated Press that he personally went to the home of Linwood Lambert Jr.'s sister and told her the FBI is investigating. The federal inquiry is separate from a local prosecutor's investigation.

Virginia State Police previously looked into the death of Lambert while he was in the custody of officers in South Boston, a town of about 8,000 near the North Carolina border. Their findings were turned over to Halifax County Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Quackenbush Martin, who has been criticized by the Lambert family and civil rights groups for not yet deciding whether the officers should be charged.

Martin, who previously told the AP she expected "a parallel investigation" by federal authorities, did not immediately respond to telephone and email inquiries about the status of her probe Thursday. She previously said she would take as long as necessary to make the right decision.

Lee said the FBI is "working in partnership" with South Boston and state police.

"This is not second-guessing, not looking over their shoulder," he said.

Civil rights leaders requested the federal inquiry because they believe questions remain unanswered, and they are unhappy with the pace of the prosecutor's investigation.

"A black man was killed while in custody of South Boston police," said Jack Gravely, executive director of the NAACP in Virginia. "Why did he die? What did he die of, and why has it taken the commonwealth's attorney more than two years to issue a report on the death of Linwood Lambert Jr.?"

David Heilberg, a defense attorney in Charlottesville who is not involved in Lambert's case, said he has never heard of an investigation of this kind taking so long.

Lee said that in addition to visiting Lambert's sister, Gwendolyn Smalls, he called the NAACP to report the FBI's involvement.

"We want to make sure the families are aware and interest groups are aware that if there's anything to it, it will be borne out by a thorough and complete review," Lee said.

Videos released in November show three officers using stun guns on Lambert multiple times after taking him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. Lambert ran from the officers at the hospital, and instead of taking him to the emergency room, they took Lambert to jail.

An ambulance later brought him back to the same hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy report says Lambert died of "acute cocaine intoxication." Attorneys representing Smalls in a $25 million lawsuit alleging the use of excessive force have argued that the videos cast doubt on that finding.

Linwood Lambert Sr. recently sent a letter urging Gov. Terry McAuliffe to press Martin to conclude her investigation. He wrote that "the manner in which my son died adds to the devastation" and has made it difficult for him and other family members to sleep and focus on day-to-day activities.

"It's been almost three years thus, we are seeking some form of closure," he wrote.

___

Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' of Government of India to boost bilateral trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation with in SAARC.

New Delhi: India on March 17 began exporting diesel via rail to Bangladesh with the rollout of first consignment from Siliguri. A goodwill rail rake consignment carrying diesel from Siliguri marketing terminal of Numaligarh Refineries Ltd (NRL) was flagged off on March 17, an official statement said here.

"The goodwill rail rake consignment for supply of 2200 tons (2700 kilolitre) diesel of BS III (of Euro-III) Grade with 350 PPM sulphur content" will travel by rail from Siliguri to Parbatipur storage depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) in Bangladesh. From Siliguri, the 42 wagons (each with a capacity of 64 kl) rail consignment will travel over 516 km (253 km in India and 263 km in Bangladesh) on the existing railway line via Rangapani, Singabad, Rohanpur to reach Parbatipur on March 19.

"The present consignment is a symbolic gesture of friendship and cooperation that exists between India and Bangladesh," the statement said. During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June last year, NRL and BPC signed a Sale-Purchase Agreement for construction of a pipeline from Siliguri to Parbatipur for supply of diesel to Bangladesh.

It was agreed to jointly work towards implementation of this 'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline', a 135 km pipeline project (5 km in India and 130 km in Bangladesh) with a capacity to carry 1 million tons per annum from Siliguri terminal to Parbatipur depot of BPC. Diesel would be moved through rail till the pipeline is constructed.

"The export of petroleum products from India to Bangladesh is also in line with the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' of Government of India to boost bilateral trade between the two countries and sub-regional cooperation with in SAARC," the statement said. Currently, Bangladesh meets its requirement of petroleum products through imports at Chittagong port.

The products are subsequently transported to the rest of the country using river route. Once the NRL refinery expansion from present 3 to 9 million tons per annum is complete, India will be in a position to export petroleum products on a regular and long term basis to Bangladesh.

"Prior to the construction of the pipeline, the rail rake mode of transportation of product from Siliguri to Parbatipur is also an effective mode of transport with minimum loss and pollution," the statement added.
Even as the search for a new Lokayukta is still on, the government has announced its decision to revive the Anti-Corruption Bureau, making the police wing of the Lokayukta institution redundant.

Thirty years after Karnataka established the institution of Lokayukta, the state government is out to make the police wing of this anti-corruption watchdog jobless by reviving the Anti-Corruption Bureau which was once scrapped for failing to perform satisfactorily.

Even as the search for a new Lokayukta is still on, the government has announced its decision to revive the Anti-Corruption Bureau, making the police wing of the Lokayukta institution redundant.

The move is being seen by most as the final nail in the coffin for the institution of the Lokayukta, which has been headless for several months now. Established to fight corruption, it hit an all time low when an extortion racket within its ranks came to light in May 2015. Later, the arrest of then Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Raos son, Ashwin Yerabati, by the SIT came as a bitter blow to the morale of the Lokayukta staff. But worse was to follow. Not only did Justice Rao resign but Upa Lokayukta, Justice Subhash B. Adi found himself facing an impeachment motion, further hitting the morale of the institution.

While the Lokayukta may have its problems, the delay in appointing its new head and the impeachment of Justice Adi have put the government too in the dock with anti-corruption crusaders accusing it of deliberately trying to curtail its powers.

This is not the first time that the government has faced such criticism. The recent amendment to the Karnataka Lokayukta Bill, which allows for removal of the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta if need be, was seen as a ploy to defeat any move to investigate corruption within the government.

In 2014 the government found itself accused of diluting the powers of the Lokayukta on the pretext of making it conform with the Central Lokpal Bill, which wanted the Karnataka Lokayukta to be empowered to only fight corruption when it is common knowledge that it cannot take on this role under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The latest move therefore is being seen as the culmination of a long drawn out effort to take away any teeth the Lokayukta may have and leave government officers and ministers free to go about their work without fear of being caught in sting operations or the like which could embroil them in charges of corruption.

Role of anti-corruption bureau

States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa and others have both a Lokayukta and an Anti-Corruption Bureau. Even Delhi has both agencies

The state government has set up the ACB, taking shelter under a Supreme Court verdict and recent high court rulings

The ACB will function under the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and be headed by an officer of the ADGP rank. It will have a sanctioned strength of 322 policemen

The Lokayukta has trapped not only government officials, but also MLAs receiving bribes. BJP MLA Y. Sampangi became the first legislator in the state to be convicted on corruption charges after the Lokayukta police caught him accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a businessman, Hussain Moin Farooq in January 2009

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa was also sent to judicial custody for alleged illegal denotification of land based on investigation of the Lokayukta police in October 2011

Deliberate act by govt to weaken Lokayukta: Justice Santosh Hegde

Always forthright in his views, former Lokayutka Justice N. Santosh Hegde makes no bones about his objection to the revival of the Anti-Corruption Bureau. I dont know what made the government think of reviving an old agency, which was scrapped because it did not work well enough. It is a deliberate act by the government to weaken the Lokayukta institution and destroy its police wing, he charges.

Also, when the ACB will function directly under a cabinet minister, how can anyone expect it to function impartially?, he demands, pointing out that once the ACB comes into force, the policemen in the Lokayukta will be jobless. If the ACB handles all cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Lokayukta police cannot conduct raids or lay traps as they normally do. And the ACB, functioning directly under the government, may come under pressure from various quarters at one time or the other, he warns.

Justice Hegde recalls that prior to 1984, the state had a Karnataka Vigilance Commission headed by a judge to investigate wrongdoing by the government and an Anti- Corruption Bureau headed by a senior police officer. But neither performed to the satisfaction of the people of Karnataka and so were merged. This led to the setting up of the Karnataka Lokayukta, which began functioning in 1986, he notes.

The new Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) will be manned by 322 policemen and be headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police.
Gadkari said the pact will enhance trade, business, health, education and tourism between India and the two countries. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: India will sign a trilateral road agreement in the next 15 days with Myanmar and Thailand with a view to promoting trade and tourism in the region, Road Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.

"We will sign a road agreement with Myanmar and Thailand to link the North-East to the two East-Asian countries. The agreement is ready and it will be signed in 15 days," he said at the India Today Conclave here.

The trilateral pact between India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) will provide a seamless vehicular movement between SAARC and ASEAN nations and will enhance trade, business, health, education and tourism between India and the two countries.

Gadkari said the landmark Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Motor Pact has already been inked with identification of 14 routes for passenger services and 7 routes for cargo movement.

To check road accidents, the Minister said government has issued directions to concerned agencies for the rectification of 726 black spots, which cause a high number of accidents in the country. India accounts for about 5 lakh road accidents a year in which 1.5 lakh people die and 3 lakh are crippled.

On ports, Gadkari, who also hold the portfolio for Shipping, said concerted efforts by government has improved the performance of the ports. He added that his ministry expects at least Rs 6,000 crore in cumulative profit for 12 major ports and three flagship organisations.

"For the first time, all our 12 major ports and three flagship bodies, Cochin Shipyard, Shipping Corporation of India and Dredging Corporation of India are poised for over Rs 6,000 crore profit this fiscal," he added.
The accused were handed over to the Assam police for further investigations (Image for representation only)

BENGALURU: The arrest of three suspected Bodo militants by the Central Crime Branch sleuths on Tuesday proves that the city has become a safe haven for members of these separatist outfits.

Based on a tip-off from their Assam counterparts, the officials of the Organised Crime Wing (OCW) of the CCB nabbed Boben Mushai, 43, Jelson Bosemuthorai, 20, and Narswan Narjari, 25, from a makeshift house in Avalahalli on the city outskirts, where they had taken shelter.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Jitendranath said they were part of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDRB) and used to indulge in criminal activities to provide financial assistance to the outfit.

According to the CCB sleuths, the trio along with their associates, Birmol, Fakhom, Jibon, Ansul Mushai and Manam Basumathari had on February 22 kidnapped for ransom a 16-year-old boy, the son a pig farm owner in Bhutan, and his assistant from Bhutan.

The gang took the victims to the Chirang forest area in Indo-Bhutan border and tortured them in captivity for five days. The accused released the duo after getting a ransom of Rs 20 lakh from the boys father and the money was handed over to the militant outfit.

While the Assam police based arrested five of them, the trio managed to escape and came to the city last week and started working as agriculture workers in Avalahalli, Jitendranath said. The accused were handed over to the Assam police for further investigations, he added.

This is not the first time the city police have arrested suspected Bodo militants from the city. At least six of them were nabbed from the city since last year, who had taken shelter and were working as labourers with fake identities, he pointed out.

In June 2015, the officials of the Internal Security Division (ISD) have arrested Sandan Basumatri, Naseen Basumatri, Jibal Nursey and Tomar Basumatri associated with Democractic Font of Bodoland, who are on the run for the past one year and had taken shelter in the city.
"The bomb call turned out to be hoax, a senior airport security official said. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: Two flights bound for Nepal and Bhubaneswar were on Thursday grounded for a few hours and 340 people on board were evacuated following a bomb threat call received at Indira Gandhi International Airport here but it turned out to be hoax.

An all clear was given to both the flights after about four hours of conducting anti-sabotage checks. The bomb call turned out to be hoax, a senior airport security official said.

Officials at the airport said while the Air India flight to Bhubaneswar took off at 5:20 pm, while Nepal Airlines Kath-mandu-bound flight was waiting for operational clearance.

Airport sources said the Nepal Airlines flight was eventually cancelled due to bad weather at Kathmandu. There were also reports that four Members of Parliament were to travel on the AI flight.

The threat was triggered after the airport control room received a call at about 10 am from a person identifying himself as one Abhishek Singh and that he was a CBI officer.

He is reported to have said there is a time bomb in the Nepal-bound flight (RA-206) and that some movement was happening at the terminal area to strike the Delhi-Bhubaneswar flight (AI-705).
Chennai: After the initial suspense, the BJP has said that the party would not name its chief ministerial candidate for the May Assembly elections. However, it was keeping all options open including considering supporting DMDK chief Vijayakanth, if the proposal comes from the actor-politician or decide its CM candidate.

From our side another positive thing is that we have never declared a CM candidate and so it is not an impediment. Anything may happen. We are considering making a decision on CM after the elections. But we are willing to consider, if a proposal comes from Vijayakanth, BJPs national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said on Wednesday evening.

Speaking to reporters here he referred to a clarification issued by Vijayakanths wife Premalatha that like-minded parties (opposed to both ruling AIADMK and DMK) were welcome to hold talks with her party president, and said, we are holding dialogue with Vijayakanth as their objective and ours for 2016 election is the same which is fighting both the AIADMK and DMK.

Nevertheless, the BJP is preparing to contest from all the 234 constituencies. Reiterating that his party would not have any electoral tie-up with either the AIADMK or DMK, he said Tamil Nadu was adversely affected and became a causality to bad governance and corruption.

The rich will not suffer due to corruption, which always affect the poor people. And the corruption cousins  the DMK and its ally the Congress could not hope to benefit by votes exercised against these two parties.
Paedophilia-related crimes carry sentences of up to 20 years in Kazakhstan. (Representational Image, Photo: Pixabay

Astana, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan will now allow chemical castration of convicted paedophiles if there was a court order.

As the amendment to the criminal code was passed by the ex-Soviet Kazakhstans parliament on Thursday, senator Byrganym Aitimova said that castration would be temporary, consisting of a one-time injection based on the necessity of preventing the man from (committing) sexual violence.

Any such decision would be provided by a court in consultation with a medical authority, according to the amendment.

The bill has been sent to the office of President Nursultan Nazarbayev for approval.

Paedophilia-related crimes carry sentences of up to 20 years in Kazakhstan.

Chemical castration is practised in many countries although nations that force sex offenders to accept the medication are in the minority.

Unlike surgical castration, chemical castration does not prevent a person from experiencing sexual urges indefinitely, although sceptics argue it does not necessarily prevent future attacks. Some rights groups oppose the practice.

Last year Kazakhstans state prosecutor said there had been a spike in child rapes with figures doubling to almost 1,000 cases annually between 2010 and 2014.

The authoritarian Central Asian countrys bicameral parliament largely serves to rubber- stamp policies made by the government.
Geneva: Russia's withdrawal of forces from Syria was no surprise to Damascus, Bashar Ja'afari, head of the Syrian government delegation at peace talks in Geneva, said today.

More than five months after they started air strikes to bolster President Bashar al-Assad, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that most Russian forces would leave, and almost half have already left, according to a Reuters calculation.

"The Russian decision to withdraw partially from Syria was taken jointly by a common decision, taken both by President Putin and President Assad. So it wasn't a surprise for us," Ja'afari told reporters.

He said Russia's military involvement in Syria was a matter that would be constantly reviewed by both countries.

"The day they will leave or withdraw or redeploy their forces partially or totally, it will be done again and again and again through a joint Syrian-Russian coordination action."

Ja'afari rejected talk of a federal model for Syria, in response to a move by Syrian Kurds to announce a federal structure of government in Kurdish-controlled northern Syria.

"What were talking about here is how to keep the unity of Syria," he said.

He also rejected a suggestion by the opposition High Negotiations Committee that the Geneva talks should move to a direct format, saying nobody should have a monopoly on representing the opposition.

He described the HNC chief negotiator Mohammad Alloush as a terrorist, saying the rebel group he belongs to, and which controls large swathes of the besieged suburbs of Damascus, was responsible for the death of many innocent people.

"We will not engage with this terrorist in direct talks, with this terrorist in particular, and so there won't be any direct talks unless this terrorist apologises and also shaves off his beard," Ja'afari said.

Ja'afari also said he had "useful and promising" talks with the UN deputy Syria envoy Ramzy Ezzeldin, noting that procedural issues had to be thrashed out before moving to an agenda that tackled divisive issues.

Ramzy said there had been "important progress" in the last few days and the reduction in violence on the ground had been reflected in the attitude of the delegations at the talks.

He noted some common ground in papers submitted by the two parties but said important differences remained to be bridged.
Satraj Aziz, Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, proposed Sial's name during the ongoing 37th Foreign Ministerial Meeting of SAARC countries in this Nepalese resort city. (Representational image)

Pokhara, Nepal: Pakistan on Thursday proposed the name of its career diplomat Amjad Hussain B Sial as the new SAARC Secretary General.

Satraj Aziz, Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, proposed Sial's name during the ongoing 37th Foreign Ministerial Meeting of SAARC countries in this Nepalese resort city.

If Sial's name is confirmed, he will succeed incumbent Secretary General from Nepal, Arjun Bahadur Thapa, whose three years' tenure will end in February 2017, Republica reported.

A career diplomat of Pakistan, Sial had served as a Director of Pakistan in the SAARC Secretariat from 2003 to 2006.
The retired general and former president was banned from leaving the country in 2013 after he returned to the country on an ill-fated mission to contest elections. (Photo: PTI)

Islamabad: Pakistan has given the green light for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to leave the country, a day after the Supreme Court lifted a ban on him travelling abroad, the interior minister said on Thursday.

Musharraf's lawyers said he needed to go abroad for urgent spinal treatment not available in Pakistan.

The retired general and former president was banned from leaving the country in 2013 after he returned to the country on an ill-fated mission to contest elections.

"Today lawyers of General Musharraf filed a proper application and in the light of Supreme Court decision, the government has allowed him to go abroad for medical treatment," the interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, told a press conference.

Khan said that Musharraf's lawyers had given guarantees that he would return to Pakistan after six weeks and that he would appear in court for ongoing cases against him.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the government to lift the travel ban on Musharraf, but the government, headed by his long-time rival Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, appealed the verdict.

In January, Musharraf was acquitted over the 2006 killing of a Baloch rebel leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti.

But there remain four cases against him -- one of treason for imposing emergency rule, as well as those involving the unlawful dismissal of judges, the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and a deadly raid on Islamabad's radical Red Mosque.

Musharraf ousted Sharif from power in 1999 in a bloodless coup and ruled Pakistan until democracy was restored in 2008.
The US would start accepting petitions for popular H-1B work visas for the fiscal year 2017 from the beginning of next month, officials announced today.





H-1B visa, popular with Indians, is used by American companies to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialised knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming.



There is no change in the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 on H-1B visas for FY 2017, beginning October 1.



The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a US Master's degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap.



In a statement, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said this year it expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions during the first five business days of this year's program.



The agency will monitor the number of petitions received and notify the public when the H-1B cap has been met.



"If USCIS receives an excess of petitions during the first five business days, the agency will use a computer-generated lottery system to randomly select the number of petitions required to meet the cap," the official statement said.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and human rights activist Jamshed Alam was allegedly attacked by motorcycle-borne assailants near his house in east Delhis Yamuna Vihar on Wednesday. Alam escaped unhurt, police said.





Alam claims to be the national secretary of BJPs Minority Morcha. He is also the president of International Human Rights Protection Council.



According to police, the incident occurred when Alam was walking towards his car parked outside his house around 8.15 am.



It is alleged that two men riding a motorcycle began firing at Alam. He was not hit in the attack, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East) Ajit Kumar Singla.

Alam told police in his statement that he failed to identify the attackers as they were wearing helmets.



Some locals chased the motorcycle, but they managed to escape, Singla added.

A police team at the spot found a bullet hit Alams Ambassador car.



Alam suspects that he was targeted for taking on human rights issues in Mumbai and Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar district.



Threat to life

Alam had earlier approached Delhi Police claiming threat to his life. He had sought security from local police. After conducting a probe, police had provided two personal security guards to Alam.



On Wednesday, the PSOs were about to report to Alam when the attack occurred.

The PSOs had said that they would be reaching in five minutes. They were delayed due to personal reasons, Alam said. Police said they would investigate the alleged delay.

Alam also claimed that he had received death threats on phone in the past.



I had got a case registered with Bhajanpura police station over one such call six months ago, he added.



A case of attempt to murder under the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act has been filed on the basis of Alams statement. So far, no breakthrough has been made into the identity of the suspects.



We have been unable to find any CCTV footage around the area, an investigating officer said.


A journalist detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday has alleged abuse during questioning. Pushp Sharma of Milli Gazette was questioned for his report claiming that the Central government had been discriminating against Muslims in appointment as yoga instructors in Ministry of AYUSH.





Sharma was questioned again at Kotla Mubarakpur police station on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, he was detained from his house in south east Delhis Lajpat Nagar at around 6.30 pm. He was released at 10.30 pm on Tuesday with the instructions to report back at the police station at 10 am on Wednesday.



I told the SHO of the police station concerned that in media if a group does a story and later any interested group or person updates it and sends facts, then the globally accepted policy is to crosscheck the content and publish or upload it with an apology, Sharma said.



After listening this for a few minutes, I heard just abuses, and shouts and allegations, like who is behind you and what is your motive? I told them that my decision and reason to do any story is always journalistic, he added.



Rumours

Sharma alleges that people in power are trying to spread rumours and linking him with political outfits.



It seems the system is hell-bent to do character assassination, arms-twisting and stoops to the extent of mockery and issuing threats just because of a story, Sharma said.



Sharma faces a case under section 153-A (promoting hatred among communities) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.



An Under Secretary at Ministry of AYUSH had filed a complaint.

Police said Sharma was not arrested.



On Wednesday, Milli Gazette editor Zafarul-Islam Khan said Sharmas questioning is harassment of media and muzzling of free speech.



The ministry should make its enquiries to find out what really happened, Khan added.


It has been more than a month that the Delhi government rolled out its free medicine scheme but nothing much has changed for distressed patients who are still struggling to find medicines.





Under the new scheme, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had announced that from February 1, there will be no shortage of medicines and consumables mentioned in the Essentials Drug List at government hospitals.



At Lok Nayak and G B Pant  two tertiary care hospitals in central Delhi  the patients narrated similar experiences of unavailability of medicines at pharmacies even a month after the scheme was implemented.



Meera Devi, whose husband is undergoing treatment for throat cancer at Lok Nayak Hospital, returns disappointed from the long queue as she did not get one out of two medicines prescribed by the doctor for her husband.



The person at the counter told me to buy it from outside but how can a poor person like me spend so much. I will wait for the medicine to come in stock and will check after some days, she said.



Another woman standing in the queue says, We saw the scheme on TV and hoped that may be the situation will change and we will get relief. But everything is as it was before. The staff at the counter are adopting similar practice of not giving expensive medicines even when they are in stock.



Pooran Singh, an autorickshaw driver complained about not receiving three out of the total number of medicines prescribed for his joint treatment.



The doctor knows which medicines are there and that is why he has written these but the staff here refuses to give, he alleged.



Salahuddin Qureshi did not get a cough syrup mentioned in his prescription. I came here 15 days ago. It was not available then and even today, I did not get it, he said.

The hospital, however, said the scheme is going fine and denied any shortage of medicines.



We have stocked enough and whatever was missing, we are getting from local purchase, said Y K Sarin, medical superintendent, Lok Nayak Hospital.



People had similar grievances at the superspeciality G B Pant Hospital.

The doctor wrote two medicines for my wife but we did not get any one of them. After I approached the doctor again, he changed the medicines but I still got only one, said Nawab Khan.



He added that he will purchase it from outside as his wife is on a course and cannot miss the medicine.


England skipper Eoin Morgan has said Chris Gayle's skill level was "quite up", putting into perspective the onslaught the big-hitting Jamaican unleashed on his bowlers in their opening ICC World T20 fixture here.





Gayle smashed a sensational unbeaten century, studded with 11 towering sixes, to single-handedly take West Indies to a comprehensive six-wicket victory over England last night.



"Yes he certainly did what he does. He was outstanding today in conditions probably that favoured the bat a lot more than the ball. We could have been better by the way we executed our skills I think. But when he got in he didn't give us any chances and took on our bowlers," Morgan told reporters at the post-match media conference.



Chasing a challenging target of 183, the West Indies romped home in 18.1 overs on the back of Gayle's bludgeoning innings during which he brought up the fastest century in World T20 off just 47 balls, to better his own 2007 record of completing a ton in 50 balls.



"I don't think our bowling was outstanding. I certainly think we bowled with little bit of aggression early on, when he (Gayle) did face very little in the power play. But when he did face, the balls were quite attacking. I think he played Adil (Rashid) particularly very well," he added.



When quizzed about their plans to stop Gayle, Morgan said, "There are number of plans to stop him (Gayle). Obviously we bowled short to him for a while, he countered that. He is a very difficult batsman to bowl to like you have mentioned. He plays a couple of dot balls but also has the ability to take any of our bowlers down, just in one over. Tonight his skill level was quite up.



"Our plans were very good and execution of them was all right. But he is a world class player, he played really well tonight."



Morgan said that there were times when England had been successful against Gayle.

"Everybody knows how he plays and he has played for a very long time. And that's just the way he plays. Coming into this game, if he did get himself in, we did expect that. We have played against him before where things worked in our favour but today it was his night," the left-handed batsman added.



England, who were asked to bat first put on 182/6, and their skipper termed the total competitive but at the same time said the side would have like to post 200 on the board.



"We would have liked to post 200 on the board. At no stage we really got going, guys who got in really could not get away from the West Indies. I thought they showed a little bit of experience with the ball in end overs and little bit smarter against us. I think we would have liked 200, but 180 was competitive," he said.



England now play South Africa tomorrow and when asked whether it now becomes a must-win game, Morgan said, "We look at all game as a must-win game. Certainly the next one, given that we played tonight on similar conditions. Probably a little bit rest for the bowlers tonight than was against New Zealand, there was a lot of due in there and the ball got wet. Even at the toss I said that I would chase, it can be a great part in the South Africa game."


In a top-deck reshuffle that ends months of speculation, AirAsia India today said Amar Abrol will take over the reins of CEO from Mittu Chandilya, who has been at the helm of the no-frills airline since inception nearly three years ago.





The exit of Chandilya, whose contract ends this month, also comes at a time when there are concerns in certain quarters about control and ownership at the airline, a three-way joint venture.



Putting to rest speculation over the continuance of Chandilya at the helm, AirAsia, in a release, announced the appointment of Abrol as his successor.



Abrol, who has over 20 years of experience, was most recently the CEO of Tune Money, a start-up that aims to deliver low-cost financial products in South-East Asia.



To ensure a smooth transition (rpt) transition, Chandilya -- who has been with the CEO since June 2013 -- will continue with the carrier till end of April.



AirAsia India has a fleet of six aircraft, covering 12 routes and carrying over 1.8 million passengers.



The carrier, which began operations in June 2014, is a joint venture between Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad, the Tatas and Arun Bhatia's Telestra Tradeplace.



AirAsia India Chairman S Ramadorai said Chandilya led the airline team from the front through its launch and establishment in an intensely competitive market.



"The board deeply appreciates his contribution. In Abrol, we have a strong successor, with years of experience in customer delivery, which will be critical to the airline's future. Together with his senior management team, we are confident that Abrol will lead AirAsia India into its next stage of growth," Ramadorai said.



On Wednesday, AirAsia Berhad Group CEO Tony Fernandes had only said that "his (Chandilya) "contract will be up soon" in response to queries about reports that Chandilya was quitting.



In August 2015, Chandilya was appointed managing director, in addition to the CEO position.



Besides, AirAsia India has announced the appointment of Ankur Khanna as the chief financial officer and Kiran Jain as the head of commercial.



On his appointment, Abrol said, "AirAsia India is poised for strong growth. I look forward to leading the team and together, giving many more Indians the opportunity to access the exciting promise of Indian civil aviation."



Before joining Tune Money in 2013, Abrol spent 19 years with American Express, leading diverse teams across multiple markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, India and Malaysia.



Born and raised in India, Abrol graduated from Delhi University and is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.



Khanna will be joining AirAsia India from Air France/KLM, where he recently headed regional finance for the Middle East/Gulf region based in Dubai.



Jain has over 25 years of aviation-related experience covering airports and airlines. Jain most recently headed the Airport Marketing and Route Development function at the Delhi International Airport.



Chandilya said the past three years have been a rewarding and enriching journey for me and AirAsia India.



"I am delighted that AirAsia India is today a customer-preferred airline in sectors that it operates. I will truly miss each member in our young organisation without whose passion and energy none of this would be possible," he said.



In recent months, concerns have been expressed in certain quarters about control at the start-up carrier. In December last year, Bhatia had expressed unhappiness over the state of affairs at the budget carrier, saying decisions are being taken by its Malaysian parent AirAsia.



In October-December 2015, AirAsia India clocked a 134 per cent growth in passenger traffic as it flew over half-a-million customers and operated 3,376 flights compared with 1,444 flights in the same period of 2014.



The carrier is looking for removal of the 5/20 rule, under which only those airlines having at least five years of operational experience and a minimum of 20 planes can fly overseas.
Two flights bound for Nepal and Bhubaneswar were today grounded just before taking off after security agencies were alerted of a bomb threat call on the two airliners at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here.





Officials said passengers on board the two aircraft-- Royal Nepal Airlines (Delhi-Kathmandu) and Air India (Delhi-Bhubaneswar-- were evacuated and taken to the isolation bay where security agencies carried out anti-sabotage checks after a threat call was received by the airport control room at about 10 AM.



While the Kathmandu flight (RA-206) had 155 passengers and nine crew members, the flight bound for Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar (AI-075) had 178 fliers and seven crew members.



Passengers of both the flights and their baggage were subjected to a second round of checking with the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) at the IGIA monitoring the situation.



Security personnel from the CISF and Delhi Police cordoned off the two planes along with bomb disposal squads, the officials said.



They added the threat was triggered after the airport control room received a call from a person identifying himself as Abhishek Singh, a "CBI officer" and said that while there is a "time bomb" in the Nepal bound flight, some "movement" has happned at the terminal area to hit the AI flight.



Officials said the agencies are trying to track the number and location from where the call was made to the airport call centre.



Anti-sabotage checks are on at the two aircrafts, they said.



Preliminary reports said four Members of Parliament were to travel on the AI flight.



Talking about the menace of hoax calls, Central Industrial Security Force chief Surender Singh had said while 44 such calls were received last year at various airports the force is deployed, 16 such calls have been made till early March this year.
India today pitched for unleashing the "collective strength" of SAARC as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj underlined the need for a South Asian Economic Union with greater connectivity and forward movement on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles.



Swaraj stated that while the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries are doing well individually, they have not been able to unleash their collective strength effectively.



"We have taken some important decisions to integrate our economies through SAFTA and South Asian Trade in Services Agreement. These need to be developed and consolidated further if we are to achieve a South Asian Economic Union," she said in her address at the 37th SAARC Council of Ministers meeting here.



Underlining that the South Asian region is hailed today as having the potential to be the front-runner of growth and prosperity and is one of the fastest growing regions of the world, she pointed out that regional integration is lacking.



"The statistics are telling: our region accounts for merely 2 per cent of world trade and 1.7 per cent of world FDI. Our intra-regional trade is less than 6 per cent of our global trade and intra-regional FDI accounts for only 3 per cent of total FDI inflows," she said.



Swaraj said that despite strong growth and huge advances in education, healthcare and rural development, the SAARC region still has the world's largest number of people living below the poverty line.



"We continue to face significant challenges in delivering food security, health, nutrition and education to our peoples. All this goes to show that while we are doing well individually, we have not been able to unleash our collective strength effectively. We must think innovatively and find solutions so that we may harness our economic complementarities and ensure a conducive environment for rapid growth," she said.



Swaraj said connectivity is central to regional development and will determine how "we meet our goals of growth, employment and prosperity".



"As we seek to overcome basic problems of physical connectivity, it is important for us to move forward quickly on pending agreements on rail and motor vehicles. Economic activities, cultural connections and people to people contacts will flow naturally from such connectivity," she said.



The Minister asserted that the Indian government has shown its commitment to a 'Neighbourhood First' policy from its very first day in office.



"Our vision of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' is for the whole SAARC region and together, we can create a viable ecosystem of regional integration, cooperation and socio-economic development," she said adding that together, "we can unlock the latent talent of South Asia".



Swaraj said India is prepared to work within the SAARC community to realise developmental goals.



"Indian Universities remain open for SAARC citizens. We are committed to supporting campus and infrastructure development of the South Asian University that has been established exclusively for the students of the region.



"We have moved forward on unilateral initiatives that we announced at the last Summit for sharing Indian scientific and technological progress with the SAARC community," she said.



Swaraj said these include among others a dedicated Satellite for SAARC to support applications in health, education, disaster response, weather forecasting and communications for our people, establishment of a supra- national laboratory to combat diseases like TB and AIDS, creation of a SAARC wide Knowledge Network to interlink our students, academic and research communities, and organisation of the first SAARC Annual Disaster Management Exercise.



"Looking ahead, I am confident of your support for a SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Centre in India. Such a Centre can benefit from domain expertise of a large network of specialised Indian institutions experienced in quick response to various natural disasters," she said.



Swaraj said SAARC is about positive synergy that will allow each of its members to achieve their full potential.



"We must recognise that we have common enemies in poverty, illiteracy, terrorism and environmental degradation. We will need to fight these challenges together since we have a shared history, and a shared destiny. Let us reach for it together," she said.



The Minister also paid tribute to Nepalese people's grit and determination in wake of their resolve to rebuild their lives after the devastating earthquake last year.



The SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Nikki Haley, currently the only Indian-American governor in the US, today backed Ted Cruz in the race for the White House, boosting his campaign against Republican front-runner Donald Trump after Marco Rubio bowed out of the contest.





Haley, the 44-year-old South Carolina governor, had earlier endorsed and campaigned for Senator Rubio, who dropped out of the race on Tuesday after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Trump in his home state of Florida.



Haley, who has not yet made an official announcement to endorse 45-year-old Cruz, told reporters that she hoped that the Senator would emerge as the Republican presidential nominee.



"Ask me when the time comes again, but as of now I strongly believe I will support the Republican nominee," Haley was quoted as saying by a local State newspaper.



"The only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that Senator Cruz can come through this. Thats who, privately, I am fighting for," Haley said.



Cruz is currently lagging far behind front runner Trump in the delegate count and unlikely to cross the half way path of 1237 delegates but Haley thinks otherwise.



"I do see a path for (Cruz), because I think he's been solid and strong the entire way. I think that he has been disciplined in the way that he has done it," the popular Indian American Governor said.



Haley is currently the only Indian-American governor in the US after Bobby Jindal, the two-time governor of Louisiana, completed his term in January.




Cash-strapped Islamic State has lost almost a quarter of its territory in the last 15 months and the dreaded terror group is increasingly isolated and on the decline, according to a new study.





Data published by IHS Jane's 360 has shown that since January 2015 the militant group has lost 22 per cent of its territory in Iraq and Syria and 8 per cent of the losses were in the past three months.



"The tide of the war is turning against the Islamic State. Between January 1 and December 15, 2015, the Islamic State lost control of 14 per cent of its territory.



New analysis indicates that in the last 3 months, the Islamic State has lost a further 8 per cent of its territory," the report said.



"In 2016, we have seen major losses in the north-east extend south towards Raqqa and Deir al-Zour as the mixed- sectarian Kurdish and Sunni Syrian Democratic Forces advance under the cover of US and Russian airstrikes," it said.



The monitoring group attributes these defeats to a changing strategic landscape.



The loss of the pivotal Syrian border crossing of Tal Abyad took out one of the Islamic State's chief access points for smuggling in weapons, materiel and new fighters. Tighter Turkish border controls also have thinned out cash flows, as well as the numbers of foreign recruits seeking to join the group, the The Washington Post reported citing the report.



Airstrikes by the US-led campaign and an ongoing Russian mission in Syria have pinned the Islamic State back, it said.



"Isolation and further military defeats will make it harder for the Islamic State to attract new recruits to Syria from the pool of foreign jihadis," writes Columb Strack, a Middle East analyst at IHS.



"The Islamic State is increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline. This plays into the hands of its main rival, al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, which despite sharing the same ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate, has criticised the Islamic State for prematurely declaring it," the IHS report said.



Local smuggling channels still operate, the report said but noted that the risk of detection, and therefore the associated costs have skyrocketed.



"But the demise of the Islamic State is hardly a foregone conclusion. As a separate report from the Institute for the Study of War points out, the threat posed by the extremists is not limited by geography. Even as the group suffered defeats in Iraq and Syria, its proxies carried out brazen attacks from Jakarta to Paris and numerous other places in between," the US daily said.




The Bombay High Court today quashed the death penalty awarded to lone convict Himayat Baig in the 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune due to lack of evidence, but confirmed the life sentence imposed on him for possession of explosives.





A division bench of Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre said Baig is acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, and under some sections of the Explosive Substances Act.



The court, however, confirmed Baig's conviction and life sentence imposed on him under section 5(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, for possession of RDX.



The court also confirmed his conviction under section 474 of IPC, for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards.



The high court further said that it need not pass any order on the applications filed by two witnesses in the case, as it has acquitted Baig of the charges.



Notably, when Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case had also filed an application seeking their evidence to be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.



Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.



Baig, who the police said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58, including some foreign nationals.



In 2013, a sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded capital punishment. Himayat Baig, the lone convict in the case, was arrested in September 2010 from Latur in Maharashtra.



The ATS had recovered 1,200 kgs of RDX from Baig's residence in Latur after his arrest.



There are total eight accused in the case, of whom six are wanted.



Besides Baig, another accused Qateel Siddiqui was also arrested, but he died in Pune's Yerawada jail following a scuffle with other inmates.



The other wanted accused in the case are--IM operatives Yasin Bhatkal, Mohsin Choudhary, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Ismail Bhatkal, Fayyaz Kagzi and Sayyad Zabiuddin Ansari.



According to prosecution, the bomb used in the blast was assembled at Baig's internet cafe. Thereafter, he travelled to Pune by bus with Mohsin Choudhary and planted the bomb.



However, Baig's lawyer Mehmood Pracha had earlier argued that Baig was not even present in Pune at the time of the blast, and that he was attending a wedding in Latur.



According to Pracha, it was Qateel Siddiqui who along with Yasin Bhatkal went to Pune.



When Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case filed an application in HC seeking that their evidence be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.



Former journalist Ashish Khetan had also earlier filed a PIL, alleging that Baig was falsely implicated and the case should be probed afresh by NIA.




Pathankot terror attack figured very high in the over 20-minute meeting between Swaraj and Aziz, the first political-level engagement between the two sides after the January 2 Pathankot terror strike. India has been pressing Pakistan for action over the brazen assault on the key Indian Air Force base.





Swaraj also accepted Pakistan's invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Islamabad for the SAARC Summit to be held on November 9-10 this year.





"We talked on Pathankot also and I am happy to say that the dates of the visit of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) have been fixed. They will reach India on (March) 27th night and will begin their work on 28th," Swaraj said in her joint address to the media with Aziz after the two leaders held discussions on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting in this resort town of Nepal.





She also said it was not possible to not discuss Pathankot during her meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Aziz.





Asked if the JIT would visit the Pathankot air base, government sources said the modalities of the visit will be worked out in the coming days.





Sources said during the meeting between Swaraj and Aziz, Pakistan asked whether March 27 works out for India.





"Calls were made to both capitals and the dates were fixed," a source said.





On his part, Aziz complimented the way the Pathankot issue was handled and the cooperation extended on both sides.





He hoped that this cooperation will pave the way for "good results".





Aziz also hoped that Modi and Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.





"Not sure whether there will be structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.





Complementing the conducive environment in which the SAARC meeting was held, Swaraj said, "Some issues which were unresolved between our two countries (India and Pakistan), we have taken a decision on them in a very positive manner."





However, it was not clear what issues she was referring to.





During his meeting with Swaraj, Aziz recalled the November 30 meeting between Modi and Sharif and said that this was followed up by a meeting between the National Security Advisors of the two countries in Bangkok after six days.





"Three days later, Sushmaji arrived in Islamabad and it was decided that comprehensive bilateral dialogue will restart. Prime Minister Modi had also arrived in Lahore after that to wish Prime Minister Sharif. But the Pathankot attack became a hurdle," he said, complimenting the cooperation on both sides after that.





Swaraj said the main reason for Aziz's meeting with her was to extend the invitation for Prime Minister Modi to visit Islamabad for the SAARC Summit.





Aziz said that the SAARC meeting had happened in a very cooperative atmosphere and decisions have been taken on all pending issues.





"It is hopeful that from now till then (SAARC Summit in November), some issues in which work has to be done, will be done," he said.





Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.





A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced here today after discussions with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz.
Supreme Court today asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to consider the papers dealing with technical aspects of call drops and apprise it of its stand on whether it could consider amending regulations to impose penalty on telecom firms.



"Factually, it appears that nobody has seen technical papers on the day of (framing of) regulation. Please take into account the technical paper and tell us in affidavit whether you consider amending the regulations or you still want to stand by it. Whatever you have to say, tell us with reasons," the bench headed by Justice Kurian Joseph said.



The bench also comprising Justice R F Nariman said that prima facie it appeared that TRAI's technical papers, which cite reasons for call drops, were not taken into account while framing of the 2015 regulation.



Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for TRAI, said such technical papers are "periodically" released by the regulator on various subjects and both the regulations and the technical papers are "inconsistent with each other" and are "stand alone" things.

"You cannot shy away from the fact that exactly one month after the regulation on call drops, you have come out with the technical papers in which you admit that call drops will happen and the reasons can't be attributed to telecom companies alone," the bench said.



It also asked TRAI to explain why the technical papers on the issue was released a month after the regulations came into being.



TRAI's technical paper says that call drops in networks are not only due to the service providers and there could be several "other reasons" for it.



Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for cellular operators association, said the companies are willing to sit with TRAI to chalk out a roadmap to address the problems of call drops.



He said technical papers, released one month after the regulations, is "our response only" to the consultation paper on call drops floated by TRAI before the regulations.



"They (TRAI) did not consider our response at the stage of consultation paper and came out with a zero tolerance on call drops. Now, exactly one month after they come out with technical papers in which they admit what we have been saying that call drops are beyond the control of service providers," Sibal said.

Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), a body of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India and 21 telecom operators, including Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Reliance have challenged the Delhi High Court order upholding TRAI's decision making it mandatory for them to compensate subscribers for call drops from January 1, 2016.



During the hearing, Sibal apprised the court that an affidavit giving details of penalty imposed on service providers for call drops has been filed and there was only one instance of the penalty.



"There is only one instance of penalty imposed by TRAI on call drops but there were several instances where show cause notices were issued to service providers but the response was accepted by the regulator and no penalty was imposed," Sibal said.



The bench then asked the senior advocate to file details about the proceedings of penalty, show cause notices and reasons which were accepted by TRAI.



Sibal said that call drop is not a pan-India feature and limited to selected areas only and "despite the issues being raised by us, they want to penalise us."



He said call drops can happen for various reasons like weather, interference, congestion, shortage of towers, low frequency, shortage of spectrum, radiation and "we have discussed all these with TRAI but still they went ahead with regulations to penalise us."



"It is easy to blame the industry for the problem without recognising that it is performing a job of a very critical nature. The way forward is not the regulation of this nature," he said.



Sibal said telecom service needs to reach customers, for which both TRAI and the industry have to work together.



"This is not a adversarial litigation from our point of view. We want to provide quality service to our customers so that they are satisfied and our customer base increases. There are genuine problems. We are ready to cooperate with TRAI to solve the problems," Sibal said.



On March 10, the apex court had asked the telecom operators to given an undertaking that they have not exceeded the two per cent threshold limit of call drops as mandated in the regulations after the companies claimed helplessness in controlling the situation.

The apex court had also asked the cellular operator associations to inform it whether any penalty was ever levied on them for call drops.



Telecom companies have said there cannot be a perfect world in the world of radio waves and call drops will happen as they have no technology to control it.



The Delhi High Court had, earlier last month upheld the October 16, 2015 decision of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) making it mandatory for cellular operators to pay consumers one rupee per call drop experienced on their networks, subject to a cap of Rs 3 a day.



The court had said the regulation was made by TRAI "keeping in mind the paramount interest of the consumer".



The telecom operators had moved the high court seeking quashing of TRAI's regulation contending that it was a "knee- jerk reaction" which penalised them without proving any wrongdoing.



The telcos had termed the regulation as "arbitrary and whimsical", contending that providing compensation to consumers amounted to interfering with companies' tariff structure which could be done only by order, not regulation.



Earlier, TRAI had told the high court that consumers have a right to get compensated for call drops and this was different from the quality of service guidelines that cellular service providers have to follow under the licence conditions.



TRAI had on December 22, last year told the court that no coercive steps would be taken against telecom firms till January 6 for not complying with the call drop compensation norms.
India will allow a Pakistani probe team to visit wherever necessary in connection with the probe into the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said today.





"We have taken an in-principle decision to facilitate the visit of a Pakistani team to India for furtherance of our case," he told reporters here.



A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack.



Asked whether the Pakistani team will be given access to strategic Pathankot airbase, Rijiju said,"we will allow them to visit wherever necessary" for the investigation.



On reports that New Delhi has given clearance for visas for a six-member Pakistani SIT team, Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home, said no decision has been taken on visa as Islamabad has not yet conveyed about the composition of the probe team.



"When a formal request will come, we will take a decision on visa," he said.



Six Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Muhammed, had attacked the airbase on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed. In the gun-battle, all six terrorists were also killed.
The Finance Ministry has called a meeting of senior officials of public sector banks on Monday to take stock of bad loans in the banks. The meeting is also expected to discuss ways to differentiate between wilful defaulters and sectoral default of loans which are due to slow down in the economy.





Jaitley also said that the government was trying to address the NPA problem in sectors such as steel, construction, and power. He said NPAs due to sectoral slowdown would cease to be NPAs once there was an upturn. At the end of 2015, NPAs of PSBs were Rs 3.61 lakh crore, whereas NPAs of private banks stood at Rs 39,859 crore.
Expanding its probe, the CBI is looking into about six lakh banking transactions, over 60 per cent of them made to foreign countries, related to over Rs 7,000 crore banks loan default case involving liquor baron Vijay Mallya.





The CBI is following substantive leads of money trail to four nations in the case, official sources said today, refusing to divulge the name of the countries as it might affect the probe.



Officials of 17 banks which gave loan to Kingfisher Airlines (now defunct) and UB Group, promoted by Mallya, are also under the agency's scanner for their alleged involvement in the case, they said.



Interestingly, none of the banks has so far reported "fraud" to the CBI in this case despite being approached by the agency.



The CBI had in 2012 and 2014 approached IDBI Bank, which has allegedly sanctioned Rs 900 crore loan in violation of norms, to report the default. Similarly, Union Bank of India was also approached early this year by the CBI to report the alleged fraud. But both these banks, and 15 others, have not come forward with a formal complaint so far, the sources said.



The CBI had recently questioned former Chief Financial Officers-- A Raghunathan and Ravi Nedungadi-- of the erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines and UB Group respectively.



While Raghunathan is a named accused in the CBI's case registered in October last year, Nedungadi had resigned recently from the post of CFO of the UB Group.



CBI had registered a case against the then UB Group Chairman Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines, Raghunathan, and unknown officials of IDBI Bank alleging that the Rs 900 crore loan sanctioned to the airline was in violation of norms.



The agency had alleged that Kingfisher Airlines had diverted a substantial chunk of the loans secured from public sector banks to tax havens for purposes not specified in loan applications.



The 17 banks whose loans have come under the scrutiny of CBI also include UCO bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Bank of India, United Bank of India, State Bank of Mysore and Indian Overseas Bank.



The total default in repayment of loans by Kingfisher Airlines, which stopped its operations in October 2012, is over Rs 7,000 crore. A consortium of banks led by SBI wants to liquidate Mallya's assets to recover the loans.
The Udupi district unit of Akhila Karnataka Jana Jagruthi Vedike staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioners office here on Thursday against the governments proposal to issue licence to 1,500 liquor shops.





Forwarding the memorandum to the DC Dr R Vishal, Vedike secretary Vivek V Pais said the governments decision to collect tax through liquor sale is one of the disgraceful approaches. Accor-ding to a report, the State already has 9,600 liquor licences, including 3,950 wine shops and 362 outlets selling MSIL liquor. Amid demand for banning liquor sale and closing down the liquor shops, the government is taking such a drastic measure, he criticised.



He said the Vedike has helped nearly 60,302 people to come out of their addiction by organising 911 alcohol de-addiction camps in the State. More than 20,000 people, who are part of the Vedike, have been opposing the government decision and it should immediately withdraw its decision, he demanded.
Former governor of West Bengal Gopalakrishna Gandhi said Swacch Bharat scheme should also address the issue of nuclear waste.





He was speaking after inaugurating a seminar on Gandhian Thought is in Tune with Times - Politics is a Sacred Mission organised jointly by Mangalore University, University College, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi (Bengaluru), Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Samshodhana Kendra (Udupi) and Kumbra Jathappa Rai Prathishthana (Kajemar, Puttur) at Ravindra Kalabhavana in University College in Mangaluru on Thursday.



Appreciating the efforts of the Union government in implementing the Swacch Bharat programme, he said it should not be confined to the cleaning of streets and collection of garbage. A wider perspective of the Swacch Bharat programme should deal with nuclear waste. In the wake of possible nuclear pollution, citizens have the right to ask what happens to nuclear waste produced in the country, he observed.



He said that the idea of clean nation needs to be seen through the eyes of Gandhiji. Cleanliness should also imply to the cleaning process which is internal. If Gandhiji were alive, he would have commented saying that we are still in the nursery level as far as Swacch Bharat is concerned whereas he would want the nation to be at the postgraduation level, he felt. He lauded the cleanliness in Mangaluru.



Paying tributes to freedom fighter and social reformer Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Gopalakrishna Gandhi said she was the true daughter of Mangaluru and a true socialist.



Expressing concern over illegal mining of resources and tightening grip of plastic industry lobbies in the country, he said lobbyists have gone to the extent of exerting pressure on the administration to prevent the system of governance from imposing ban on them, even though plastic waste is resulting in the clogging of drains which are in turn creating artificial floods.



It is a matter of high level of intervention by the government of India to stop the monopoly of plastic industries, he said.



Lamenting on the use of money power and muscle power in elections, he said everybody wants to be in the hierarchy of power. With the lure of high office, also comes the power to misuse it, he remarked.



He said India has been family lineage respecting for a long time. But, an individual should be recognised by his actions and not because of the name. Mahatma or great souls do not have lineage. No descendent of Gandhiji can claim of knowing Mahatma more than others do, he said.



Books released



The books On the trail of Gandhijis Footsteps - Odyssey of Jathappa Rai and its Kannada version Gandhi Hejjeya Jaadinalli - Jathappa Rai Jeevanagathe were released by former Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde on the occasion. The book is the compilation of articles written by journalists, writers, poets, judges, bureaucrats, politicians and social workers on freedom fighter Kumbra Jathappa Rai. The book is edited by writer Erya Lakshminarayana Alva and published by Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Samshodhana Kendra, Udupi.



After releasing the book, Santhosh Hegde lamented about the colossal scale of corruption in the country. While money amounting to several lakhs of crores of rupees is swindled in scams starting from Bofors to 2G, poor people are deprived of basic amenities, he regretted.



Mangalore University Vice Chancellor K Byrappa presided over the programme. Writer Erya Lakshminarayana Alva made introductory remarks. Kumbra Jathappa Rais son Elanthaje Pramod Kumar Rai, Rashtrakavi Govinda Pai Samshodhana Kendra (Udupi) Director Heranje Krishna Bhat and University College Principal Uday Kumar M A were present.
Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said there is no lapse in the printing of the invitation of Mahalingeshwara temple car festival in Puttur. The controversy raised over printing of his name in the invitation is a result of intolerance, he remarked.





Reacting to the queries of mediapersons on Thursday, he said that, as per the Hindu Endowment Act, non-Hindus should not take part in religious rituals. But there is no specific rule regarding invitations. This has been conveyed to Puttur MLA Shakuntala Shetty and she too has been convinced, he added.



Ibrahim clarified that he would take suitable action if there is any lapse or if anybody points out the same.



Stating that he has great regard for Mahalingeshwara temple in Puttur, the officer said that it is not correct to discuss the issue on the streets and staging dharnas, thereby hurting the sentiments of devotees. If printing the name on the temple fair invitation is wrong, then a written complaint could have been filed before the Muzrai Department and it would take a decision in this regard, he said. He added that he would not like to take a final decision in this regard.



Mentioning that he had offered his services as a special officer for three years during the Mysuru Dasara, Ibrahim said he had taken part in several of such programmes on earlier occasions. In Dakshina Kannada district too, I have conducted more than 25 meetings with regard to temple security and supervision, he said. To another query, he said he would take part in the prayers and would also receive prasada, if necessary, and it is not right on the part of anybody to question it.



The officer said that a meeting has been called on Friday to discuss the issue. He also said he has already brought the issue to the notice of the Home Department and higher officials in the wake of threat to stage Puttur bandh over the issue.



Recalling the communal harmony in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, he said there was harmony between Hindus and Muslims, be it the adoration of Bappa Beary in Mulki temple or Ali Chamundi Kshetra in Kumble. He criticised those who are trying to disturb the harmony.



Ibrahim clarified that his name was printed because he is the deputy commissioner and also that his permission had not been taken before printing the same.



Although I am pained and saddened over the developments regarding the issue, it is my duty to take everybody along, he said and requested the members of the public to maintain peace and harmony in the district.
Ten days after National Award-winning actor Kalabhavan Mani died of liver and kidney ailments, police questioned a television anchor-actor over his connection with the death.





Police questioned Sabumon Abdusamad aka Sabu, a popular face on television who shot to fame with the candid-camera show Tarikida, in Chalakudy in Thrissur district after a fabricated report suspecting his role in the death started doing rounds on social media platforms including WhatsApp.



Mani died at a private hospital in Kochi on March 6 with preliminary reports suggesting his alcohol consumption could have aggravated existing liver-related complications.



The report shared on WhatsApp on Wednesday and Thursday  suggesting that Sabu had served liquor to Mani and had been absconding since the actors death  was attributed to a television channel, a claim the channel denied. Sabu said he would pursue legal action against people behind the report.



It looks like an organised campaign against me. Ive already requested the police and the cyber cell officials to find the culprits, Sabu told reporters at Chalakudy. He said he had met Mani a day before the actor was shifted from hometown Chalakudy to the hospital in Kochi; he said Mani did not consume liquor in his presence.
Rebel BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday said that unlike Amitabh Bachchan, who quit as Lok Sabha member in 1987, he had no plans to bid adieu to politics.





The four-term MP said: The question of my leaving politics, much like Amitabh Bachchan did in 1987 after winning 1984 elections from Allahabad, does not arise.

I am not being ignored in the BJP, which is like a family. Aur parivar mein man-mutao chalta hai (In a family, there are always disagreements), but that does not mean I will quit politics.



Shatrughan drew an analogy how he was alone in the tinsel town when he went to Maharashtra for the first time in the late 60s.



Even after passing out from FTII, Pune, I struggled a lot a get a foothold in the Hindi film industry. In fact, I was the first person from Bihar who carved a niche for oneself in Bollywood without a godfather. If you go through my book Anything but khamosh, you will realise I am of a different mettle who, if not better than the best, is different from the rest, he said while speaking to Deccan Herald, on the sidelines of a function here in the state capital.



Much like I struggled in the film industry, one has to struggle in politics too. Thats why I tell the new generation to read my biography which would motivate them to swim against the tide, said Shatru, who, of late, had been at loggerheads with his party high command.



Denying that his forthright statements have put the party in an embarrassing situation, Shatrughan refuted that he was being treated like a non-entity within the saffron party.



I joined the BJP when it was a two-MP party. This will be my first and last political party, he put the record straight denying any plans to cross over the fence even if the party fails to utilise his services for campaigning in the ensuing Assembly polls in five states.



Shatru had a word of praise for his friend-cum-rival Amitabh. I think no one in this country has achieved the kind of admiration like Amitabh Bachchan. His acceptability, ability and respectability is such that in 2017, when the presidential election takes place, Amitabh should be the presidential candidate. Amitabh is fit enough, and has all the traits to be Indias president, he said.
With the Budget session of Parliament over, the BJPs focus has now shifted to Assembly elections in five states. The BJP is pinning hope on putting up a better show in North Bengal.





This was the feedback on West Bengals prospects discussed during party Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting held on Thursday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



Of the five states that go to polls this year, the multi-phased polling will begin in West Bengal and Assam on April 4. It will be followed by polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.



The BJP, which failed to open an account in the last 2011 Assembly elections but won two Lok Sabha constituencies in 2014 polls, is trying to make a presence in the state ruled by the TMC which continues to enjoy an upper hand despite the Congress and the Left putting up a formidable alliance.



BJP sources present in the CEC meeting said that an internal survey of the party showed positive outcomes in the Northern part of the state which spreads across districts including those touching Bangladesh border. The communal polarisation is expected to help party in districts having strong minority population as in Malda, said the sources.



After the about three-hour long CEC meeting was over, the party declared a list of 194 candidates to contest for the 294-member state assembly. Former state BJP chief Rahul Sinha and actor Rupa Ganguly, who was cast as Draupadi in 'Mahabharat' teleserial, will be contesting from Jorasanko and Howrah North respectively.



It is learnt that the name of newspaper-proprietor-cum-Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra came up for discussion in the CEC meeting, also attended by BJP chief Amit Shah and other senior leaders. Mitras Rajya Sabha tenure comes to an end in June.



The party top brass also discussed names of probables for Kerala elections and decided to field all its important state leaders. The CEC has approved nominees for several seats but the list will released after completion of certain formalities, said BJP leader and Union minister J P Nadda.



The BJP has formed an alliance that includes Ezhava outfit Bharat Dharma Jana Sena, to take on the ruling Congress-led UDF.
In a move that is likely to leave the Trinamool Congress unhappy, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to send in special teams of central observers to oversee preparations for the upcoming state polls.





With the Assembly elections starting from April 4, the ECI teams will camp in Bengal from mid-March, official sources said.



While the move, unprecedented in the states history, is being seen as the poll panels seriousness towards ensuring free and fair polls for Bengal, the ruling party has been left grumbling in displeasure. Although party chairperson Mamata Banerjee or any senior Trinamool leader did not openly criticise the ECI, insiders said the Trinamool leadership found the measure to be an overkill.



ECI sources said the decision to send the special observer teams was taken after Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi found laxity and lack of neutrality on part of some senior police officials. Zaidi, who led ECIs full panel to Kolkata earlier this week, told reporters after a meeting with the district magistrates and superintendents of police about receiving complaints from various quarters.



He had also reprimanded a number of officials for not doing their duties properly. Weve received complaints of inaction by the police from our sources. Were closely assessing them. Election officers and other police officials are under the direct scanner of the commission and well take appropriate action against them soon, Zaidi had told reporters.
Puthupally in Keralas Kottayam district is likely to host a battle in the May 16 Assembly election as the CPM is considering Jaick C Thomas, state president of the CPM-affiliated SFI, as the candidate for the constituency.





Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who has won a whopping 10 terms from his home constituency could have a challenger 47 years his junior, if opposition CPMs plans are an indication.



The party is considering Jaick C Thomas, state president of the CPM-affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI) as the opposition Left Democratic Front candidate for the constituency.



Jaick, doing his masters in International Relations and Politics, hails from Manarcad in Puthupally constituency. He was an SFI activist during his years at CMS College in Kottayam where he graduated in Communicative English.



The 25-year-old Jaick confirmed that the party, through an unofficial communication, has informed him about his candidature. There is a sense of responsibility as well as the excitement which comes along with any Assembly election. I have mixed feelings, Jaick told Deccan Herald.



The SFI leader has already started receiving messages of encouragement from friends and Left supporters. Jaick, however, chooses to look beyond the general temptation to dub the contest a David-Goliath face-off.



From the way I look at this election as a voter from Puthupally, the chief minister is looking at an 11th term as MLA in conditions vastly different from conditions in which he won the previous 10 terms,  he said.
A few articles recovered from the last box that belonged to Gumnami Baba, a monk, who lived incognito in Uttar Pradeshs Faizabad town deepens the mystery surrounding Netaji.





Five round shaped specs, similar to the ones used by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, pictures of Indian National Army (INA) secret service officer Pavitra Mohan and some family members of Netaji were among other articles recovered from 26th and the last box that belonged to Gumnami Baba, a monk, who lived incognito in Uttar Pradeshs Faizabad town and considered by many to be either Netaji or someone who had some links with him.



The process of opening the boxes, which were kept at the treasury office at Faizabad after Gumnami Babas death in September 1985, began a few days back by the district officials on the direction of the Allahabad High Court. The retrieval of articles from the last box completed on Thursday, according to the sources.



The owner of the house, where Gumnami Baba lived in Faizabad, Shakti Singh, who also was the special invitee during the entire retrieval process, said that a family photograph of Netaji, three watches, including a pocket watch, and a large number of letters were recovered from the 26th box.



Singh, who was the national president of the Subhash Chandra Bose Rashtriya Vichar Kendra, said that a powerful binocular, which bore made in Germany sign, and a few cigar pipes were also found in the box. Some books written in English and Bengali were also found the boxes earlier.



Many other articles which at least proved a deep connection between the Baba and Netaji had been recovered from the boxes. Many, including Singh, believe that Gumnami Baba, whose tomb was situated at Guptar Ghat on the bank of Saryu river in Ayodhya, was in fact Netaji, who lived incognito at Faizabad.



The Mukherjee Commission, which was constituted to probe the circumstances leading to Netaji's death, had opined that there was no clinching evidence to prove that Gumnami Baba was Netaji though it had also examined all these articles.
At a time when businessman-politician Vijay Mallya is under glare for defaulting loan of over Rs 9,000 crore, Congress MP Dr E M Sudarsana Natchiappans private members bill in the Rajya Sabha seeks to prevent not just MPs but public authorities from indulging in acts that raise questions of conflict of interest.





Mallya, whose two-year stint in the Rajya Sabha will end in June, had raised questions in Parliament that had sought answers from different ministries on aviation and liquor industries in which he had business interests.



The private member bill is pending in the Upper House since its introduction towards the end of February which was a few days before Mallya, facing multi-agency probe, fled to London. The proposed bill intends to set up a Conflict of Interest Commission and says that public authority or a consultant discharging public duty can be covered in the proposed bill pending before the Upper House for consideration.



Natchiappan, when asked to comment on the Mallya scandal, told Deccan Herald that conflict of interest brews corruption. The House is still to adopt the bill, he added. Given the uproar on whether politicians be made members of parliamentary panels that deals with issues dear to them, the Rajya Sabha has asked its ethics committee to look into conduct of flamboyant MP who is also a member of standing committee on commerce.



Though both the Houses are supposed to declare their interests and assets, the regulatory mechanism is not very robust to check misuse. The Congresss lawyer MP argues that not only public authorities but consultants and experts, which means even private persons, discharging public duties should be brought into the ambit which is an an attempt to safeguard the duty of the state towards its citizen.
Heineken is likely to ask Vijay Mallya, who owes banks more than Rs 9,000 crore, to step down from the board of United Breweries, three people with direct knowledge of the plan said told.





They said such a move would likely be a prelude to the Dutch drinks firm raising its stake in the maker of Kingfisher beer to above 50%.



Heineken acquired a 37.5% stake in United Breweries in 2008 through its takeover of Scottish & Newcastle and has since increased its holding to 42.4%. With Mallya distracted by debts from a collapsed airline venture, this could be a timely grab by Heineken in a market that is growing much faster than the global average.



The sources said Heineken was considering asking Mallya to step down from the United Breweries board he chairs. Alternatively, it could call a shareholder meeting to vote on his ouster from a company his father built into a family empire.



A Heineken spokesman declined to comment on any move to tighten control over the Indian joint venture, but said India remains an exciting opportunity for growth given its demographics and strong economic fundamentals.



Mallya and a spokesman for UB Group did not respond to emailed requests for comment.
Around 350 fliers of two planes to Kathmandu and Bhubhaneswar had a harrowing time here on Thursday following a bomb threat call at the Indira Gandhi International airport.





The planes of Royal Nepal Airlines headed to Kathmandu and Air India to Bhubhaneswar were grounded just minutes before take off. Passengers were offloaded and the planes taken to the isolation bay for checks by security personnel for explosives.



The fliers of both the flights had to undergo a second round of checking. The pieces of baggage were also checked again by the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) at the IGIA monitoring the situation. The flights left for their destinations later in the evening.
Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) have inked a deal here on Thursday at India Aviation 2016 to set up helicopter MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility for defence and civil helicopters.





Proposed to be set up at Delhis Rohini Heliport, the facility is expected to be operational by June 2016.



PHL and HAL are collaborating to set up the MRO business for defence and civil helicopter industry with the potential to provide efficient, cost effective, better turnaround time for the customers, PHL said in a statement.



Top officials of the companies signed the MoU in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju and Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey and both the Chairmen of HAL and Pawan Hans.



Fleet size of helicopters in Indias Civil segment is estimated to grow up to 800 from 280 in the next 10-15 years. The estimates made by global agencies suggest that the growth would come on two counts- fleet expansion and replacing aging machines.



Defence helicopters in India segment is rapidly growing. Currently there are approximately 1200 helicopters with defence Customers, while 800-1000 new helicopters are required in the next decade.



The governments new Draft Civil Aviation Policy gives the required and emphatic boost to the MRO sector with proposed reforms in MRO taxation, duties, procedures etc. These should result in re-bounce of Indian MRO industry with performance and expansion, the statement said.



The prospect for Helicopter MRO market is encouraging given the number of Helicopters expected to be active over the next ten years and beyond. Besides, there is growing demand in defence and domestic civil segments with the potential to expand the business beyond Indian borders.



With about 50 multi-disciplinary helicopters, PHL, A Mini Ratna PSE under the Civil Aviation Ministry, provides helicopter transport services to Oil & Gas exploration, Hilly and Terrain services and charter to promote Heli tourism.
A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack.





The announcement was made by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after discussions with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting in this resort town of Nepal.



Pathankot terror attack figured very high in the over 20-minute meeting between Sushma and Aziz, the first political-level engagement between the two sides after the January 2 Pathankot terror strike. India has been pressing Pakistan for action over the brazen assault on the key Indian Air Force base.



Sushma also accepted Pakistans invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Islamabad for the SAARC Summit to be held on November 9-10 this year.



We talked on Pathankot also and I am happy to say that the dates of the visit of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) have been fixed. They will reach India on (March) 27 night and will begin their work on 28, Swaraj said in her joint address to the media with Aziz.



Asked if the JIT would visit the Pathankot air base, government sources said the modalities of the visit will be worked out in the coming days.



Sources said during the meeting between Swaraj and Aziz, Pakistan asked whether March 27 works out for India. Calls were made to both capitals and the dates were fixed, a source said.

On his part, Aziz complimented the way the Pathankot issue was handled and the cooperation extended on both sides. He hoped that the cooperation will pave the way for good results.



Aziz also hoped that Modi and Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the United States on March 31 on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.



Not sure whether there will be structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet, Aziz said.



Complementing the conducive environment in which the SAARC meeting was held, Sushma said, Some issues which were unresolved between our two countries (India and Pakistan), we have taken a decision on them in a very positive manner.



During his meeting with Sushma, Aziz recalled the November 30 meeting between Modi and Sharif and said that this was followed by a meeting between the National Security Advisors of the two countries in Bangkok after six days.



Three days later, Sushmaji arrived in Islamabad and it was decided that comprehensive bilateral dialogue will restart. Prime Minister Modi had also arrived in Lahore after that to wish Prime Minister Sharif. But the Pathankot attack became a hurdle, he said, complimenting the cooperation on both sides after that.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed the death sentence awarded to German Bakery blast case convict Mirza Himayat Baig.





However, Baigs conviction on charges of possession of explosives and forging documents was upheld, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment.



The February 13, 2010 blast in Pune on Valentines Day eve was the first big act of terror after the 26/11 terror attacks of Mumbai. Seventeen persons were killed and 56 others injured in the blast at German Bakery located near the Chabad House and Osho Ashram in the Koregaon Park area of Pune.



A division bench comprising Justice Naresh Patil and Justice S B Shukre said Baig was acquitted of all charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, and under some sections of the Explosive Substances Act.



The court, however, confirmed Baigs conviction and life sentence imposed on him under section 5(B) of the Explosive Substances Act, for possession of RDX. The court also confirmed his conviction under section 474 of IPC, for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards.



The court has not proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, the bench told Baig. The period already undergone by Baig in prison from his arrest till date shall be considered as part of the sentence, the bench said.



He has been acquitted of the German Bakery blast. He has been convicted for possession of explosives and forging documents, said senior counsel Mehmood Paracha, who represented Baig.



We will go through the entire order and decide the next course of action, he added.



Baig, 35, an IM operative with links to Lashkar-e-Toiba, was convicted on April 16, 2013 and sentenced to death on April 19, by the Pune Sessions Court. Additional Sessions Judge Neeraj Dhote had passed the conviction order  describing it as a rarest of the rare case which warrants capital punishment.



According to investigations by Maharashtras Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the Indian Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba had come together to trigger blast. Two key witnesses had moved their applications in the matter, saying they were coerced into giving statements against Baig during his trial in Pune court - and made applications in the Bombay High Court.



Not necessary to pass an order on this, the court said. Former journalist Ashish Khetan had also earlier filed a PIL, alleging that Baig was falsely implicated and the case should be probed afresh by National Investigation Agency.
Beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya on Thursday sought time till April to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering case.





Mallyas correspondence with the ED came on a day the bid by SBI to auction the Kingfisher House in Mumbai for recovering dues failed. No prospective bidders turned up due to high reserve price. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asserted that every penny Mallya owes would be recovered.



Facing investigations for defaulting Rs 9,091 crore loan, Mallya, who left India on March 2, is currently in the UK. The ED had told him to present himself on Friday in connection with the money laundering case arising out of Rs 900 crore-loan default of IDBI Bank.



Sources said Mallya informed the investigating officer that he would not be able to come. The ED is studying his response and may allow him to appear before it in the first half of April. The money laundering case registered on March 7 is based on a CBI FIR on allegations that IDBI Bank gave Rs 900 crore loan to Kingfisher Airlines by overlooking negative credit ratings and net worth.



In Mumbai, the SBICAP Trustee Co Ltds efforts to auction the 1586.24 sq mt (built up) Kingfisher House in the posh Andheri did not attract any bidder. Sources said bidders stayed away due to high reserve price of Rs 150 crore.



Right from the day the reserve price was announced, it was clear that there would be very few bids or perhaps no bids coming in as the reserve price was clearly high despite the location of the property, a real estate expert said.



A revised bidding at a price of less than or around Rs 100 crore could see some takers, the expert added.



Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Delhi, Jaitley said, His (Mallyas) facts are very clear. Every government agency, whether it is taxation department or investigative agency, wherever he has violated law, is going to take strong action.



The kind of example has brought a huge bad name to both Indias banking as also to Indias private sector. Its dangerous for the future if we are not able to remedy this, he said.
Miffed over Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwals remarks alluding to Punjab-Haryana dispute on the Satluj Yamuna Link canal, the Haryana government on Thursday told Delhi that it will not be able to provide water to the national capital from its Munak canal.





It drew a sharp reaction from the Delhi government which said that it will move Supreme Court if Haryana obstructs the supply of water to the city. The Munak canal brings almost 60% of the water required by Delhi, and the recent damage to the canal during the Jat agitation had created a severe crisis in the city which lasted for over a week.



In a letter, Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar asked the Delhi government to make its own arrangement for water without giving a time frame. Accusing Kejriwal of not accepting the earlier water distribution arrangement, the Haryana minister said that the AAP national convenor stands against the interests of farmers in Haryana.



Though the national capital is staring at a water crisis, the Delhi government called it Haryanas cheap tactic to divert the attention from the complete lawlessness in the state.



On one hand BJP MLAs in Haryana has put their own government on notice and on the other they don't know how to handle protest... The letter by the Haryana minister is a cheap tactic to divert attention from real issues. Haryana is facing collapse of law and order, tweeted Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra.



During his visit to Punjab, Kejriwal had reportedly said that he was against getting water from Satluj Yamuna Link canal (SYL) as farmers in Punjab hardly get enough water.



To which, Haryana Agriculture Minister replied in Thursdays letter that Haryana can get water for itself and Delhi from Nangal dam, but it doesnt have the means to carry the water to such length. The SYL canal was our only means to carry water, but you (Kejriwal) opposed it for political reasons in Punjab. Despite being the chief minister of Delhi, you stood against the interests of Delhiites, Dhankar said.



The minister advised Kejriwal to take the trouble of building a separate canal to bring water to Delhi from Nangal dam so that the water can reach Delhi according to your efforts.



In the recent crisis when Jat protesters shut down the Munak canal, many localities across Delhi did not get water supply for two or three consecutive days whereas areas like Dwarka continued to suffer water shortage for over 10 days.



While the worst hit areas were north, central and west Delhi, some parts of south and east Delhi were exceptions to the crisis as water is distributed to these areas from Bhagirathi and Sonia Vihar plants, which have their source in UP.
A Parliamentary panel has expressed deep concern over steadily declining child sex ratio in India. The panel has expressed dismay over the substantial decrease in budgetary allocations for child welfare schemes and schemes for women.





In its report tabled this week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development Ministry has said:  So for the society and the nation as a whole to grow and progress, the girl child must be saved, cared, nurtured and loved.



The committee has recommended that the ministry should make all out efforts to check this declining CSR in a mission mode. The committee has expressed its disappointment over the decreasing budgetary allocations for child and women related schemes.



According to the report, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) has witnessed 50% budget cut.



It says that the budgetary allocations for some centrally-sponsored schemes including ICDS have been rationalized in view of the higher devolution of funds to states. The panel has asked the ministry to write to states for ensuring contribution of the state share.



The report has also pointed out that in major schemes, funds have not been utilized to the fullest extent. The scheme of National Nutrition Mission did not utilize the entire fund in 2014-15.



The report says that major schemes like ICDS and SABLA, the funds allocated in 2015-16 has been cut to great extent that the achieving the physical targets of these schemes might have been affected.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised the contribution of Islam, calling it a great religion whose invocation of Allah was itself a call for abjuring violence and upholding peace for mankind.





In an exercise seen as an outreach to the minority community ahead of crucial Assembly elections, the prime minister, while addressing World Sufi Forum here, also called upon the religious leaders to spread this message of Islam to wean away those sections that were falling pray to radicalisation.



Modi, who has often emphasised on the need to give importance to Sufism at world fora in order to counter radical ideas, said any link between terrorism and religion must be rejected.



Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious. When we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence, and that the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem, he said. Modi also sought to convey that his government believed that Islam occupied pride of place among other religions that have existed for a long time in the country.



All our people, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, the micro-minority of Parsis, believers, non-believers, are an integral part of India. This is the spirit of India. This is the strength of our nation, he said.



Sufism became the face of Islam in India, even as it remained deeply rooted in the Holy Quran, and Hadis, he said.
A construction labourer set himself ablaze at his residence on Wednesday night. His mother suffered burn injuries while trying to rescue him.





Elumalai (45), a habitual drinker, and his mother Kuppamma, 75, both natives of Tamil Nadu, were residing in Jambusavari Dinne since the past year. On Wednesday around 10.45 pm, Elumalai came home in an inebriated state and Kuppamma, who noticed this, questioned him. Both of them were involved in a heated argument.



Elumalai went to the kitchen and and set himself ablaze. Hearing his screams, Kuppamma rushed to his rescue and was also engulfed in flames. The neighbours, hearing the commotion, rushed to their house, doused the fire and rushed the duo to Victoria hospital. Kuppamma is in a serious condition as she suffered 60% burns, added the police.


The attacks on a Tanzanian girl by locals a few weeks ago has led to a steady demand for Kannada lessons among African students in the City.





Elonges, an MBA student from Congo, has been in the City for around four years now. Studying at the Indian School of Business and Computing (ISBC), Doddanekundi Cross, he tried learning Kannada while doing his graduation from another City college.



I used to try and learn Kannada from my friends in college then, but it was quite hard so I stopped. I dont mind learning Kannada again. However, I would now prefer Hindi as well, he said.



Elonges added that the natural tendency of a number of African students coming to the city was to try and be friendly with the locals and assimilate their culture and language. We are open to being friendly, however the closed mindset of a few dissuades us, he said.



Just Practicals, a skill training institute that caters to African students in the City for example, has been imparting free Kannada classes during the weekends and has received good participation.



We started this initiative about a month ago following the controversy surrounding the African student, said A V Madhusudhan, founder and CEO of the institute. The institute caters to around 150 students. Nandini Neog is a senior counsellor for another institute that provides training in English. The institute trains a number of international students and has quite a few African students as well.



There are a few African students in our programme who have enquired about Kannada lessons. Sadly, we had to turn them down as we offer only English training, she said.



A few colleges in the City like CMR College of Law Studies that has a sizeable foreign student population had been offering Kannada lessons. Although discontinued two years ago, plans are on to start it in June again.
The Cambridge English Language Assessment, a part of the University of Cambridge, has launched a portal that aims to act as a platform to bring together corporates and educational institutions for better job opportunities.





The Campustowork.org offers corporate organisations free one-click access to a talent pool pre-qualified based on English communication skills that are expressed in terms of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels.



Institutions can prepare for the oncoming campus placement season by registering with Campustowork.org. They can also simplify and accelerate their placement initiatives with easy and direct access to a large network of companies who may not visit all educational institutions for recruitment.



They will also receive job alerts being posted by employers and be able to directly connect with them with suitable student profiles. Campustowork.org offers the perfect solution to simplify the campus recruitment process and augment efficiency.



Angela French, Director of Operations - South Asia, Cambridge English Language Assessment, said, The portal will provide the connection to ensure graduates have the choicest of employment options while recruiters can select from graduates with essential qualifications and communication skills.
The High Court on Thursday pulled up the State government for the inordinate delay in signing the agreement with the Hassan Thermal Power Pvt Ltd to start generating power from their stations.





Justice Raghavendra S Chauhan observed that the State government is organising 'Invest Karnataka' like events asking foreign investors to invest in the State, but they are unable to provide basic infrastructure to industries. If the situation continues, the foreign investors will go to another state.



Justice Chauhan said that Karnataka is blessed with natural resources and the government should ensure they are proactive in development, instead of going behind some 'watch issue'.



The company has approached the Court seeking directions to State to refer the power purchase agreement signed between the company and the State to Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission, and to honour their unequivocal promises, representations and assurances. The petitioner has sought directions to execute the Amended, Revised and Restated Power Purchase Agreement for setting up 660 MW thermal power plant in Hassan.



The government counsel sought time to clarify on the issue as it requires a Cabinet decision. The bench adjourned the next hearing till April 18, 2016.



...And Cabinet scraps approval



The Cabinet on Thursday decided to scrap approval given to Hassan Thermal Power Private Limited for setting up of 660 MW coal-based thermal plant at Hassan and also take back 450 acre land allotted to the company.



Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the company had not taken the project forward even after approval was sanctioned in March 1997. The government allotted 450 acre of land to the company after the proposer deposited Rs 5 crore. The company has been giving excuses and has changed its proposal several times. We have decided to scrap the approval given to the project and take back the land allotted, Jayachandra said.


The Denver Auto Show is rolling into town just as the automotive industry is kicking it into higher gear.

U.S. auto sales set a high last year, and 2016  if the activity shown in the very early stages continues  could prove to be another banner year for the industry.

A blend of high consumer confidence, cheap and plentiful credit, and low gasoline prices have acted like rocket fuel for the industry: People like buying new cars, and they love their creature comforts.

All indicators are looking like the positive economic trends will continue, said Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.

And that could bring a different dynamic to showcases like the annual Denver Auto Show, which runs through Sunday at the Colorado Convention Center, said Jessica Caldwell, executive director of strategic analytics for auto research site Edmunds.com.

Its not necessarily the same old stuff on display  new colors, new designs, she said. Car technology is changing a lot faster than it used to. It almost gets to the point where its hard to keep up with.

Automobiles are moving toward autonomy, and technology is advancing at light-speed. Some of the most popular new technologies include self-parking, crash avoidance and apps, like FordPass, a virtual personal assistant that can help you plot routes on road trips, for example.

But much like the advent of cruise control, the technological advances soon become standard, she said, noting rear back-up cameras are no longer limited to luxury vehicles.

I think that has also helped the sales at retail also, she said. Its not just the basic mode of transportation it was 10 to 15 years ago.

The record 17.5 million new vehicles sold nationwide last year zipped past the previous high of 17.4 million set in 2000, Jackson said. Colorado has had six consecutive years of increasing sales and is tracking toward a seventh.

Colorado residents are buying more light trucks  pickups, vans, sport utility vehicles, and all-wheel drive vehicles, he said. In 2015, light trucks accounted for more than 66 percent of sales in Colorado.

But the boom times havent lifted all vehicle types. The alternative -fuel vehicle market  think hybrid and electric cars  is a laggard, capturing 2.8 percent of sales nationwide last year, down from a 3.7 percent peak in 2013.

Thats been a tough market that has not been doing particularly well, Caldwell said. Its going in reverse right now.

Denver Auto Show details

Tickets to the Denver Auto Show are $12 for adults and $6 for children 6-12.

The show is open 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday; noon to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Info and tickets: denverautoshow.com
Its more useful to pinpoint where Francisco Orvananos is not rather than where he is.

He is not in Vail, although thats where the 45-year-old filmmaker, author and painter lives with his wife and four children.

He is not in Los Angeles, but he flew there last week for the West Coast premiere of his new indie thriller, Backgammon, which previewed at the Denver Film Festival in November and officially debuts at the Sie FilmCenter on March 25.

Nor is he in Maine, where his film was shot, or Park City, Utah or New York City, where he edited it. And hes definitely not in Boston, where he first decided to become a writer and filmmaker, auditing classes at the Harvard Film Archive and diving into the world of literary fiction.

Add to that list Indiana and Missouri (where his parents sent him to military school), San Diego (where he lived with his family for two years) and Mexico City, where he was born and raised  and later studied business administration while writing about democracy for esteemed publications Vuelta and El Economista.

For an interview on a warm March afternoon, Orvananos is seated in the rooftop cafe at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver  a place he likes to visit every couple of months.

Dressed in bunched jeans, work boots and an insulated black vest over a long-sleeved button-down, he is casual but studied. When he stands, as he does during a photo shoot outside the museum, he clasps his hands and affects a serious but cool demeanor, neither vacant nor inviting.

When he talks, he weighs each word carefully, not because English is his second language but because he seems unlikely to let anything careless tumble out of his head.

This film was a learning process, Orvananos said of Backgammon, which, as of last week, was available on demand through iTunes and Amazon Prime. I was kind of in the dark at many times because everything was so new to me, from shooting to editing to actually getting reviews for the first time.

Thats not something Orvananos two previous short films  Ya No Estamos Juntos (We Are No Longer Together, 2003) and No Paso Nada (Nothing Happened, 2006)  had to grapple with, given their humbler ambitions. They won a handful of awards and played at more than 30 international film festivals, but, like Orvananos literary career, attracted little mainstream attention.

Backgammon, however, broadcasts Orvananos intentions of becoming a serious director. The movie follows well-to-do college student Lucian (Noah Silver of The Borgias) as he becomes embroiled in a game of psycho-sexual manipulation during a weekend retreat with friends, seduced by the charismatic, mysterious Miranda (Brittany Allen of All My Children).

The films literary flavor stems from its source material, British writer R.B. Russells 2009 novella Bloody Baudelaire. But the deliciously tense atmosphere is all Orvananos (who co-wrote and produced it) and his filmmaking team.

Reviews have not been great, with the Los Angeles Times saying it tries to be deep but gets bogged down in tiresome booze-soaked mind games, while the Hollywood Reporter called it an uncertain drama full of attitude it cant back up with action.

Still, its a film not often seen these days: smart, dialogue-driven and heavy on atmosphere, neither suffocatingly avant-garde nor desperate for commercial approval.

Orvananos, who hails from a well-to-do background, declined to name its budget, saying only that he financed the film through friends and family. But the rigorous, years-long process of producing it tested him more than any other project of his multi-hyphenate career.

My short films prepared me for working with actors and also the use of color in emphasizing things like character traits or significant moments, he said, noting how Miranda is linked with green, then red, at different points in Backgammon. The part I was completely unprepared for was editing. We had four editors in New York, and it was an arduous process over the last three years of getting the film to where we wanted.

Travel, and the sort of big-picture perspective it affords, is central to the way Orvananos views the world  as well as his career aspirations. He has bounced around the United States, for example, getting Backgammon finished and screened at film festivals.

He is a native of Mexico and an adopted American here on an investors visa. He is as likely to be visiting Madrid with his Spanish-native wife as he is the slopes of Aspen, as he did earlier this season.

January had some of the best snow I can remember, said Orvananos, who has been coming to Colorado since he was a child and feels drawn to the states large swaths of unspoiled wilderness.

With his first feature under his belt, Orvananos is looking at a trio of future projects for his 3:1 Cinema production company  including an untitled film based in Denver (adapted from one of his novels), an art-house horror project and a Western hes considering shooting around the Rifle area.

That part (of Colorado) is incredible for a Western. Its rolling hills and a river and just amazing scenery. There are not big mountains, but its rocky in a way and very interesting, with a lot of hideouts.

Orvananos feels drawn to stories about fairness and struggle, transparency and obfuscation. He loves intellectual classics such as Michelangelo Antonionis LAvventura (his favorite film) and Louis Malles Elevator to the Gallows, but also Larry Clarks stylish, divisive film Kids, a quasi-anthropological feature about New York Citys teenage hipsters.

He admires Raymond Carver, the late author who identified both menace and promise in quotidian living  for example, how a refrigerator can symbolize power struggles in a relationship.

For Orvananos, the mundane is always threatening to mutate into the profound, and vice versa.

Whatever the genre, Im drawn to stories with struggle. Not just fighting, but having something at stake, he said. People are mirrors to each other, reflecting and distorting. I like showing the intensity of that in my work.

John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or @johnwenzel

BACKGAMMON WITH DIRECTOR FRANCISCO ORVANANOS

Denver film premiere from Vail-based director, including an introduction and post-screening Q&A with Orvananos. 7 p.m. March 25-26 at Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets: $8-$11 via 303-595-3456 or denverfilm.org.
Donald Trump won wide support in Florida across income and education levels, claiming the biggest prize of Tuesday nights five Republican primary elections and ending the presidential hopes of Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state, according to early exit-poll results.

Trumps attraction of Floridas educated Republican voters broke from the trends seen in his earlier wins.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton beat Bernie Sanders in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, largely thanks to widespread support from black voters.

On the GOP side in Ohio, Gov. John Kasich won his home state by drawing Republican voters looking for an experienced candidate. He also attracted more moderate Republicans and those who have college degrees.

Highlights from the exit polls:

 TRUMPS BIG FLORIDA WIN

Exit polls in Florida indicate Trump won about half of whites and nearly 3 in 10 Latinos. He was also backed by most voters without a college degree, and about 4 in 10 of those with a college diploma.

Most GOP voters in Florida are looking for a political outsider and three-quarters voted for Trump. Four in 10 are angry with Washington and 6 in 10 of them prefer Trump.

Trump was backed by nearly two-thirds of those who would like to see immigrants who are in the country illegally deported; those who want to give undocumented workers a chance to apply for legal status divided their votes closely between the two.

 BLACK VOTERS SUPPORT CLINTON

In Illinois, Missouri and Ohio, Clinton was supported by about two-thirds of black voters, similar to her level of support among black voters in Michigan last week, where her margin among the key group was not enough to propel her to victory.

In Florida and North Carolina, about 8 in 10 black voters supported her, which is closer to her average margin in previous states. She also was supported by about 7 in 10 Latino voters in Florida.

 KASICHS WIN AT HOME

In Ohio, Kasich was supported by three quarters of those looking for a president with political experience.

The governor also drew moderates and those identified as somewhat conservative. Kasichs supporters were also more likely to be college graduates, while Trump was the favorite of those without a college degree.

Kasich was supported by about 6 in 10 voters saying they most want a candidate who shares their values. And most voters who feel like theyre getting ahead financially supported Kasich.

For Trump, he was drawing voters who feel like theyre falling behind financially and those who say they want a candidate who can bring change. About 8 in 10 of those wanting a candidate who tells it like it is also supported Trump.

 LATE DECIDERS

About 4 in 10 Republicans in Illinois and Missouri decided on their vote choice in the last week, along with a third in Ohio. Nearly 3 in 10 Republicans in Florida and North Carolina primaries made their decision in the last week.

As seen in earlier primaries, voters who made up the minds close to the primary were less inclined to support Trump.
Three medical facilities in Washington state are warning former patients they should be tested for HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B because a surgical technologist with an alleged history of drug theft may have exposed them to infection.

More than 1,300 patients at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, where Rocky Allen worked for about three months ending in March 2012, received a safety notice this week.

Two other medical facilities in the Seattle area where Allen worked also are in the process of notifying patients, but authorities with the Washington Department of Health have not yet identified those facilities.

Allen was fired from Northwest after working there from December 2011 through March 2012.

The warnings in Washington follow the recent indictment on drug theft charges of the former surgical technologist at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood. Allen is carrying a bloodborne pathogen, according to court testimony.

Federal prosecutors allege Allen stole a syringe filled with fentanyl from an operating room while working at Swedish and swapped it with a syringe filled with something else.

Allen had been fired from at least four other hospitals, including Northwest, before his hiring in August at Swedish. He had been court-martialed for fentanyl theft in 2011 while enlisted with the Navy in Afghanistan.

Swedish fired him last month and urged about 2,900 former patients who had surgery while Allen worked there to undergo testing to determine if they were infected. The hospital has not disclosed any test results.

Three other hospitals in Arizona and California also are offering free blood tests to former patients.

Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747, cosher@denverpost.com or @chrisosher
George Brauchler, 18th Judicial District Attorney, told gathered media on Wednesday that marijuana legalization has caused a host of problems  from increased cartel activity to a rising number of school kids using the drug.

But a lack of hard data makes it impossible to prove that legalizing weed has increased crime, made the roads less safe or increased use among youth.

Everything is a feeling or an anecdote, Brauchler said. Anecdotes are like smoke: They tell you that something is there but are not proof.

Brauchler and other law enforcment officials spoke to the media at University of Denver as a conference and training program for peace officers was underway .

Available statistics show that legalizing marijuana has not caused more crime or increased the number of children using it, said Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project.

Brauchler said there is no doubt that Mexican drug cartels are taking advantage of weaknesses in Colorados laws.

But a 2015 study by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration found that that there was a reduction in border smuggling in 2014.

Cops will go out of their way to hold a press conference and say they think there is a problem. We have yet to see any of the doomsday scenarios predicted by opponents come true since legalization, said Tvert.

More than 600 peace officers, a third of them from outside Colorado, are in Denver to learn about challenges that legalization of marijuana has caused law enforcement.

Colorado Two Years Later  Law Enforcement Marijuana Conference , a three-day event began on Wednesday at Denver University. Retail sales of marijuana began in Colorado on Jan. 1, 2014.

The conference, from which the media was barred, offers classes on evidence, seizures, toxicology, felony DUIs and other topics.

Legalization has made things complex for law enforcement, said Andrew Freedman, director of marijuana coordination for Gov. John Hickenlooper.

He said some things about the law may have to be changed, and to assure that the changes are positive, we are going to need more information from law enforcement to determine how to do this.

Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or @dpmcghee

Updated March 16, 2016 at 5:45 p.m. The following corrected information has been added to this article: Because of a reporters error, the organization that Mason Tvert is a spokesman for was misreported. He is with the Marijuana Policy Project.
Katie Leon feels suffocated by her Commerce City home.

Three years after Evan Ebel murdered Leons 27-year-old husband, Nathan, she is forced to confront the memories of her marriage daily  walking by the refrigerator where she and Nate kissed for the last time or staring at the spot where he last hugged their twin girls.

After parolee Ebel murdered Nathan Leon and Colorado prisons chief Tom Clements in March 2013, the Leon family was outraged to learn that Ebel probably was released from prison four years early because of a clerical error.

Ebel lured Leon, who delivered pizzas in addition to his job at IBM in Boulder, to a truck stop by ordering a pizza on March 17, 2013. Authorities have said Ebel used Leons Dominos uniform two days later to disguise himself at the front door of Clements Monument home. Ebel died March 21, 2013, in a shootout with Texas lawmen.

Police found Leons body in a remote stretch of Golden.

RELATED: New details emerge three years after murder of Colorado prisons chief

Katie Leon filed a lawsuit against the state for what she felt was its role in her husbands death, but the case was dismissed.

The familys attorneys, Mark Martens and Angela Ekker, said the state claimed immunity in the case, citing a law that grants immunity to governmental entities barring certain circumstances.

We felt strongly about trying to represent this family to get them some justice, Martens said.

Now, Leon and her family struggle financially and emotionally to continue forward in the face of grief and unanswered questions.

There were so many mistakes made by so many, said Katie Leons mother, Bernadette Alness, in a Denver coffee shop. If anyone else screws up, they are held accountable. What makes the state of Colorado different? Why are they not responsible?

Alness lives with her daughter and 7-year-old twin grandchildren. They have all been in and out of therapy since Nathan Leons death.

Leon says she can no longer hold down a job because of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

Her little girls, Irelynn and Scotlyn, have been on medication to help them sleep despite night terrors. Therapists encouraged the mother to be honest with her twins, so they know all about their fathers murder.

Scotlyn told someone at school, My daddy was shot in the head and killed by Evan Ebel,  Leon said through tears. No little girl should have to ever say that.

Leon hoped someone would be held accountable for her husbands death and that monetary compensation would help the family piece their lives back together.

MORE: Full coverage of murdered Colorado prisons chief Tom Clements

But she said she hasnt received closure on either front.

I wish I could win the lottery and move out of this house, she said. Move somewhere where we can start over,  where we can build new, happy memories.

Now, Leons days are filled with therapy and doctor appointments. She agonizes over what she could have done differently to save her best friend.

Baby, theres nothing you could have done, Alness said. Evan Ebel had hate in his mind and vengeance in his heart.

In her free moments, Leon tries to remind her children of the father they struggle to remember.

Alness eyes sparkled as she recalled Nathan Leons zest for learning and his love of sharing fun facts.

One day it was hot dogs, she said. He talked all about the worlds biggest hot dog.

Katie treasured Nates commitment to family, his good nature and positive outlook on life.

He was the greatest father, she said. The highlight of his day was coming home to see his girls.

He also had a third daughter, Kaydance, from a previous relationship.

I dont know who I feel worse for, Alness said. For Nate, who was such a good person and lost his life at 27 and will never get to see his daughters grow up; or the girls, who will grow up only knowing how their father died; or Katie, who is my broken daughter.

Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or @ehernandez

How to help

If you would like to help the Leon family, please visit the GoFundMe page that has been set up in their name.
Three years after Colorados prisons chief was gunned down on his doorstep, two former top law enforcement officials who investigated the case say the killing was part of a conspiracy involving members of a white supremacist prison gang.

But neither the El Paso County Sheriffs Office nor local prosecutors have yet done what federal officials did: blame the killing on parolee Evan Ebel. He died in a shootout with Texas lawmen two days after Tom Clements murder on March 19, 2013.

The only person charged in the case was the woman who bought the murder weapon for Ebel, who also killed Commerce City resident Nathan Leon on March 17.

Now, for the first time, former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa and former sheriffs Inspector John San Agustin  who led the investigation for the first 19 months  revealed details and shared frustrations in interviews with The Denver Post.

To this day we believe there is no reason not to file. Everyone felt there was enough evidence to charge, said Maketa, who resigned under controversial circumstances. I believe today that the case should be filed or taken before a grand jury.

Maketa and San Agustin said the sheriffs office urged prosecutors to file charges against multiple people they believed were conspirators in the Clements case.

But that never happened.

District Attorney Dan May and Maketas successor, Sheriff Bill Elder, declined to discuss the case with The Post.

San Agustin and Maketa criticized what they called a decision by Elders office to reduce the number of full-time investigators on the case to only one, which they argue is not enough.

San Agustin also criticized Mays decision to pull a key prosecutor off the case after the first three months  a move never previously reported.

San Agustin said the prosecutor joined the case within hours of Clements murder and eventually logged hundreds of hours.

He had intimate knowledge of every facet of the case in the first 90 days, San Agustin said. Are you kidding me? You are going to drag him out of it now when he knows so much of what is going on. Yeah, Id say that was a big hit.

DA spokeswoman Lee Richards identified the prosecutor as Mays chief deputy, Jeff Lindsey. But she said May, who worked the Clements case from the first night he was killed at his Monument home, has always been the lead prosecutor in the case.

May previously has denied that any investigator recommended filing charges against co-conspirators.

Maketa said one of the conspiracy suspects he was referring to was Thomas James Guolee, 34, a member of the 211 Crew, the same gang that Ebel had belonged to.

Goulee and a fellow 211 Crew member, James Lohr, were detained briefly in the weeks after Clements murder as possible suspects. They were sent back to prison.

After completing his sentence, Guolee was arrested again in December after allegedly burglarizing the home of a former corrections officer and shooting at police.

This was a scary situation, Maketa said of the recent shooting. My first thought was he should have been in prison.

Guolee, who recently came to a video screen at the El Paso County jail leaning on a wooden cane, declined to answer a reporters questions. Maketa resigned two weeks before the end of his term in 2014 amid allegations he promoted three women he was having an affair with and punished others in his office.

Within weeks of his new administration in early 2015, Elder vowed a top-to-bottom second investigation into Clements murder.

MORE: Full coverage of murdered Colorado prisons chief Tom Clements

Sheriffs spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby said only one investigator is working the Clements murder investigation full time, but she said the state Department of Corrections staff is assisting.

Elder has said investigators dont have a single person of interest in the case and that only Ebel has been implicated so far.

Such declarations are painful for San Agustin to hear, he said.

He said he wonders what became of thousands of hours of investigative work by scores of investigators sent all over the country and to prisons throughout the state.

The cadre of law enforcement officers include each of the departments 23 detectives and patrol deputies, forensic scientists and agents from numerous other Colorado, Texas, Colorado Springs and federal law enforcement agencies, he said.

The only thing investigators lacked was a full confession by the suspects, Maketa said.

San Agustin said he spoke out now because he wants justice for the families of Clements and Leon.

I dont want the case to die, San Agustin said. It would be easy to say were done with it. Weve got the right guy. Hes dead. (But) I think it would be a bigger injustice to say we are done with it without looking at all the possibilities of who could have played a role in who assassinated Mr. Clements.

The facts contradict the theory that Ebel, who had been institutionalized for eight years in prison, acted by himself, he said.

He gets out on Jan. 28. On March 6, he has a gal who buys a gun for him. On March 14, he cuts his bracelet. On March 15, he buys a Cadillac. On March 17, he kills Nate Leon. On March 19, he assassinates Tom Clements. On March 21, he was shot and killed by the Texas authorities and he shot Deputy (James) Boyd, San Agustin said. Did this guy really do this all by himself? Im just telling you that the way the events unfolded it does not make sense that one person was responsible for the murder of Mr. Clements.

San Agustin said his opinion of a conspiracy is shared by respected investigators within the state prisons department who are not in a position to comment.

RELATED: Nathan Leons family struggles three years after his murder by parolee

Several 211 Crew members including Guolee exchanged texts and cellphone calls in the hours before and after Clements assassination, sheriffs office officials have said.

San Agustin declined to disclose other significant pieces of evidence pointing toward a conspiracy, including source testimony, because he doesnt want to jeopardize any future prosecution.

But he said the assassination is too complicated and far-reaching for just one investigator. It bothers him that no charges have been filed in light of so many pieces of evidence that were gathered.

You have to sit back and wonder what they did with all those pieces, he said.

Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, kmitchell@denverpost.com or @kirkmitchell or denverpost.com/coldcases
At Easter a century ago in Dublin, a poorly organized group of Irish rebels led by poets, journalists, socialists, schoolteachers, trade unionists and dreamers became the latest in a long line of their countrymen to attempt to throw off the yoke of seven centuries of British rule in Ireland.

Like many efforts before it, the Easter Rising of 1916 failed miserably. The rebels, in pockets of several hundred around Dublin and in a few spots across the countryside, held out for less than a week before the initially surprised British troops regrouped, reinforced and crushed the rebellion. Yet its defeat became the catalyst for independent Ireland.

The center of action was the General Post Office, which the rebels seized and made their headquarters. One of their leaders, schoolmaster and Irish language enthusiast Patrick Pearse, read to curious onlookers the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, which declared Ireland a free and independent nation. Like the United States Declaration of Independence, it provided the ideas and language for the freedom being sought by armed rebellion.

Unlike the successful American Revolution, the Irish Rising was initially viewed as a dismal failure. Just over 1,200 Irish men and women took up arms, mostly in the capital. They didnt capture Dublin Castle, the seat of British power, nor did they take armories, key ports or rail stations, allowing British troops to flood Dublin and overwhelm the revolutionaries. The rebels were almost comically disorganized, with confused strategy, poor communication and little direction.

Just six days after the risings start, Pearse agreed to an unconditional surrender to prevent further bloodshed. He and his comrades were arrested and marched through the streets of Dublin to Kilmainham Gaol, the foreboding prison on the citys west side. Along the way, Dubliners angry at the citys disruption and destruction pelted the rebels with trash and insults.

Pearse and the other six signatories of the Proclamation, along with nine more leaders of the rising, were executed by firing squad within two weeks of surrender. In a letter to his mother sent shortly before his execution, he wrote, Our deeds of last week are the most splendid things in Irelands history. People will say hard things of us now, but we shall be remembered by posterity and blessed by unborn generations.

Events proved him right. Irish public opinion, which initially ranged from indifferent to hostile to the rebel cause, soon turned sympathetic, then active. The swift executions of the leaders and the brutality of British suppression of the rising awakened Irelands slumbering nationalist movement. It gained momentum in the coming years through the political process, in tandem with a guerrilla war that forced British negotiation.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 ended British rule in Ireland and led to the Irish Free State, but not without difficulties. The treaty had the unfortunate effect of partitioning six counties in the north of Ireland, which would remain part of the United Kingdom. A civil war followed between treaty supporters and others who held out for a united Ireland. The country was free, but remained a dominion of the British Empire until 1949, when it achieved full nationhood.

In a land where myth and idealism are important ingredients in the brew of national identity, the memory of 1916 remains strong. The doomed, foolhardy, splendid effort galvanized the Irish then and continues to today. It was not a bad weeks work for poets and dreamers who became martyrs to their nations cause, remembered by posterity and blessed by unborn generations.

Ken McConnellogue (kieranmc13@gmail.com) lives in Denver.

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President Obama tried to put Senate Republicans on the spot Wednesday by nominating someone for the Supreme Court who is closer to the center in his judicial philosophy than they could have hoped for under normal circumstances.

But of course these are not normal times. This is the final year of Obamas presidency and Republican senators have insisted they will not hold hearings on any nominee. Yet even if they stick to that pledge  and they likely will  the nomination of Merrick Garland ought to give them pause.

It ought to give them pause if for no other reason than the fact that their party appears headed toward the potentially disastrous choice of Donald Trump as presidential nominee, a candidate who will be a difficult sell to the general electorate. Despite Trumps success in primaries, his unfavorable rating with the overall electorate remains in the 60 percent range  a huge obstacle in November.

The low regard so many Americans hold for Trump apparently exceeds their distaste for Hillary Clinton, who is also viewed unfavorably in many polls by a majority of voters.

Nor are Republicans fully sold, as Trump has yet to garner 50 percent of a primary vote.

The conservative blog Powerline summed up the issue for Republicans this way: Compared to a nominee selected by Hillary Clinton next year, Garland would be good. Compared to a nominee selected by a Republican (even Donald Trump) next year, hed be bad.

Bet on Trump winning? Republicans would be taking a speculative plunge.

By the way, Obama was right when he said at his press conference Wednesday that he was fulfilling his constitutional duty to nominate someone to the seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. But he was off base when insisting that a failure to hold hearings on Garland would be an abdication of the Senates constitutional duty. We happen to believe the Senate should hold hearings rather than ignore the nomination, but the Senate is free to do what it likes.

As legal scholar Jonathan Adler points out, Its hard to argue with a straight face that the Senate has a constitutional obligation to, say, hold a confirmation hearing on a Supreme Court nominee when no such public hearings were held for most of the nations history.

Harvard law professor Noah Feldman is even blunter: Congress could pass a law leaving the number of justices permanently at eight. Or it could expand the number to 23. All the Constitution requires is that there be a Supreme Court. Beyond that, were in the realm of politics.

And high-stakes politics at that. But unless mainstream Republicans can stop the Trump locomotive, they may rue the day they dismissed Merrick Garland.

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
By M.B. Pell and Joshua Schneyer

14 March 2016 (Reuters)  In this town of 2,800 just south of the Canadian border, residents have long worried about the water flowing from their taps. The water in one household is so corrosive it gutted three dishwashers and two washing machines. Another couples water is so salty the homeowners tape the taps when guests visit. Even the communitys welcome center warns travelers, Do Not Drink The Water. So, when the water crisis in Flint, Michigan happened, Stephanie Weiss and husband Andy Greene feared that, as in Flint, their corrosive water was also unleashing lead into their tap water. Weiss scoured water-testing reports in Orleans and discovered the truth: Lead levels in her water  fed by a private well  exceed the threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for public water systems and utilities. The communitys experience is not unique. Across the country, millions of Americans served by private wells drink, bathe and cook with water containing potentially dangerous amounts of lead, Reuters reporting and recent university studies show. Researchers from Penn State Extension and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or Virginia Tech, tested private well systems in their states and found that 12 percent of wells in Pennsylvania and 19 percent in Virginia had lead levels exceeding the maximum EPA threshold for public water systems. Lead poisoning can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, and brain damage. It is especially dangerous to children, as small amounts of exposure can cause irreversible developmental delays. Though most Americans are served by public water utilities, private wells are the main source of drinking water for 15 percent of U.S. households, or 47.8 million people. Typically located in rural areas, private wells serve residents not connected to municipal water lines. Though many wells are found in impoverished communities, some serve wealthy homeowners and those living in urban environments. Little research has examined the lead risk in private well water on a national scale. But if the researchers rate played out nationally, more than 9 million Americans served by private wells would have unsafe levels of lead in their water, according to a paper published in October by some of the same Virginia Tech researchers who found lead in Flints water. [more]
4G expansion has become a focal point for China Mobile, with the operators local units beginning to decommission 3G-only base stations.

The Chinese market leader and worlds largest mobile operator saw 200 million customers join its LTE network over the past year, bringing its total number of 4G customers up to 312 million at the end of 2015  up from 90 million the previous year. Its overall subscriber numbers grew by 2.4% to 826 million.

China Mobiles rapid push towards 4G in 2015 was likely motivated at least in part by the failure of the indigenous TD-SCDMA standard to hold its own against rival 3G technologies. As a result, the operators local units have begun shutting down base stations that use the domestic TD-SCDMA technology. While an anonymous employee has described the move as an irresistible trend, China Mobile has denied that it is part of a wider strategy, with the order not issued by the firms headquarters.

The shutdown is underway in several Chinese provinces, although it is difficult to gauge how many base stations have already been decommissioned. Where possible, these 3G-only base stations are being upgraded to support 4G technology as well. TD-SCDMA was developed as a domestic Chinese standard but was not as widely adopted as initially expected.

As a result, China Mobile has shifted its focus to 4G, with chairman Shang Bing stating that the company has seized opportunities in the 4G sector As the first mover in providing 4G services, we continued to lead innovative business layouts and developments and to focus our efforts on transformation and management efficiency.

While the operators net profit dipped by 0.6% during 2015 to CNY108.5 billion ($16.7 billion), its revenue rose 2.6% to CNY668.3 billion. 4G growth has been strong, with the company noting that data services are now its main driver for revenue  an observation which demonstrates changes in user habits, and will serve as the foundation for future growth and expansion.

Data services generated CNY303.4 billion for China Mobile during 2015, up from with CNY258.5 in 2014, with mobile data traffic up 143.7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, voice revenues went in the opposite direction, down to CNY261.9 billion compared to CNY313.5 billion the previous year.

A company statement noted that due to the downward trend in traditional voice services and SMS, our company has attached high importance to, and actively explored strategic transformation, which have now achieved some initial success.
Hardcore Henry will be released in India on April 8 and is shot exclusively from the point-of-view of the movies protagonist, Henry

Hardcore Henry, a movie touted as the first to be shot almost entirely with GoPro cameras, is set to be released in India on April 8. Unlike other movies, Hardcore Henry is shot exclusively from the point-of-view of the movies protagonist, Henry. As a result, the movie looks a lot like a first-person video game instead of a film. The movie is directed by Russian-born filmmaker, Ilya Naishuller who rose to prominence after his video called Bad Motherf*cker gained recognition after it was posted on YouTube.

To make the movie, the filmmakers got in touch with GoPro for technical assistance. David Newman, the Senior Director of Engineering at GoPro agreed to help out with the technical side of things. The company also provided GoPro HERO3 Black Edition cameras as well as proprietary software that allowed exposure control.

To film the movie, Naisuller and his team had to conduct hundreds of tests using GoPro rigs. The director wished to strike a balance between the fast paced action and the relatively static sections. Naishuller says, Shooting the film exclusively from Henrys POV meant that I couldnt cut away or do a close up on the lead actors face to convey his emotion. So Henry would have to physically do something for the audience to feel his reaction. This led to an interesting process of discovery and a lot of physical humor and lighter moments came from these limitations. Hardcore Henry premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and won the Peoples Choice Award at the festival. Check out the trailers for the movie below.
The app, called SmeshApp, was reportedly being used by Pakistani agencies to spy on the Indian Army by stealing tactical and personal information

Google has removed an Android app called SmeshApp that was reportedly used by Pakistani agencies to spy on the Indian Army. This comes after CNN-IBN had published a report, which said that the app was used to get tactical, as well as personal information of army personnel. The spyware disguised itself has a calling and chat app. Once installed, the app would steal information such as phone calls, text messages, photographs, and even track the users GPS coordinates. This information is then sent over to a server located in Germany that is hosted by a man called Sajid Rama, who is based out of Karachi.

All three services of the Indian armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) along with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were targeted. As per the report, fake Facebook profiles were used to lure officers into honey traps, with more than 10 such fake profiles being used. The handlers would first identify soft targets before trying to lure them in. While field-level officers were the prime targets, retired personnel were targeted as well. The government has since issued new advisories regarding the use of social media in the Army. Personnel are told not to use chat apps like WeChat or Line and are advised not to reveal their designation or posting location on social media. In addition, they are asked not to post pictures in uniform or accept friend requests from strangers.
MX Oil was consolidating its Mexican assets on Thursday, signing a binding agreement to assign its 55% working interest in three of its four Land Contract Areas to local partner Geo Estratos , in return for Geo's share in the remaining area - Tecolutla - plus $1.8m cash.

The AIM-traded oil and gas investing company said that, having carried out further assessment on the four areas, it decided it was best to focus its resources on what it believed had the most attractive investment opportunity.

Its board confirmed Geo would remain the operator of Tecolutla, and would still maintain a significant investment in the asset, allowing MX to benefit from its local knowledge and expertise.

Geo would also fully finance its pro-rata share of the cost of the asset's development going forward, though MX retained the option to become the operator of Tecolutla subject to regulatory approvals and processes.

At the same time, MX Oil confirmed the first $2m payment from GEC Petroleum Development Company, towards the $18m required to acquire MX's Nigerian investment, was now due.

It had been advised by GPDC that they were in the process of finalising $10m in funding to cover both the initial payments to secure the option, and the payment on exercise of the option.

"This is an exciting time for MX Oil. We continue to believe that GPDC is committed to acquire our Nigerian investment and are pleased that they are putting in place funding now to cover both the initial and option exercise payments," said MX Oil chief executive officer Stefan Olivier.

"This, combined with our agreement to assign three out of our four onshore Mexican assets, if completed, will leave us with a strong cash position to advance our preferred investment, Tecolutla in Mexico, where multiple low cost/high impact development opportunities have been identified.

"With this in mind we are looking forward to receiving ERC Equipoise's CPR on the asset, which we believe has the potential to be a company-making investment. I look forward to providing updates on progress," Olivier explained.
OneSavings Banks shares surged on Thursday as Investec reiterated its buy rating and target price of 380p after the company reported a jump in full year profits.

The company reported underlying profit before tax was up 52% to 105.9m in 2015, and loans and advances grew 31% to 5.1bn.

The FTSE 250 firm's cost to income ratio was further reduced during the calendar year, to 26% from 28%, which the board put down to strong income growth and a focus on cost control and efficiency.

Underlying return on equity increased to 32% from 31%, and underlying basic earnings per share were up 43% to 34.8p from 24.4p. Its fully-loaded Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio also strengthened, to 11.6% from 11.4%.

We see OSB as a reassuringly predictable story which delivers extraordinary returns on a consistent basis, said Investec analyst Ian Gordon.

As such, it is something of a mystery to us as to why analysts/investors have been so fickle; the stock fell c.40% in four months ahead of todays numbers!

Gordon said the second half reported earnings per share (EPS) of 19.1p was 1% below Investecs top-of-range forecast of 19.36p but 22% ahead of Bloomberg consensus of 15.7p.

As a reminder, we continue to believe that Aldermore (Buy)  our top pick  offers a more transparent, defensive and diversified story which, on a 12 month view is likely to deliver material outperformance against every UK bank in our coverage.

However, OneSavings has now displaced it as the cheapest, trading on just 7.5x 2015e EPS, or, perhaps more remarkably, just 5.5x 2017e.

HSBC initiated coverage of UK housebuilders saying the sector offers exposure to an area of real undersupply, with the UK government largely pulling out all the stops to help.

It started Barratt Developments, Bellway, Berkeley, Bovis Homes, Crest Nicholson, Galliford Try, McCarthy & Stone, Persimmon, Redrow, and Taylor Wimpey all at buy.

In simple terms, for a sector that we predict in 2016 will be delivering an average 17% post-tax return on invested capital and a 20% return on equity, it instinctively does not seem right for it to be rated on an average 2016e price-to-earnings ratio of just over 10x with a 5% dividend yield.

Indeed, by 2018 we estimate that some shares may offer dividend yields as high as 7%.

HSBC said that in world concerned about oversupplied situations globally, this sector offers the reassurance of the long build-up of an undersupply of UK housing versus new annual household formations.

It expects this situation to persist unless, post a potential Brexit, the UK is unable to come up with sensible working visa arrangements, and the 3 million non-British EU nationals simply become unwelcome and depart en masse.

The banks key calls are Bellway for good value, Crest Nicholson for growth with income and Galliford for self-help.

As far as Redrow is concerned, HSBC said it was more positive than most, as the groups strategy deserves a much higher rating than it is currently being penalised with.

On Bellway and Redrow, it said the current valuations are penalising them for not having as high a dividend payout as the others in the sector and look very overdone given the growth opportunities available.

In addition, HSBC pointed to the UK governments numerous initiatives to help bridge the gap between supply and demand in the housing government, with Help to Buy being one of the key schemes.

It also highlighted the Starter Homes scheme and the Private Rented Sector initiative, which aims to increase investment by institutional investors in the PRS, where all the properties are built for rent, not sale.

InterContinental Hotels Group was under pressure after Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on the stock to equalweight from overweight as the shares approach its 3,050p price target with a more balanced risk-reward.

MS noted the stock has enjoyed a fairly strong performance this year and its 2017 price-to-earnings ratio is now close to its US-listed peer multiples.

Still, it continues to believe the business is attractive.

We have been long-term supporters of IHG. It has an attractive fee-based asset-light model, a large pipeline, strong free cash flow, and scope to continue to generate double-digit EPS growth, the bank said.

It pointed out that IHG will pay a $1.5bn special dividend in May  with a share consolidation, so structured as a 16% share buyback  and with continuing strong free cash flow MS estimates that it could retire an additional 40% of its market capitalisation by 2020.

Morgan Stanley said revenue per available room trends were mixed. US RevPAR is up 2.2% year-todate versus 2016 guidance of 2-5% for the listed US hoteliers, and the bank forecasts US RevPAR +4% in 2016.

However, while we expect an acceleration from here, RevPAR trends disappointed in 2H15, Morgan Stanley economists have been becoming more cautious, and IHG's RevPAR has been underperforming peers.
InterContinental Hotels Group was under pressure after Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on the stock to equalweight from overweight as the shares approach its 3,050p price target with a more balanced risk-reward.

MS noted the stock has enjoyed a fairly strong performance this year and its 2017 price-to-earnings ratio is now close to its US-listed peer multiples.

Still, it continues to believe the business is attractive.

We have been long-term supporters of IHG. It has an attractive fee-based asset-light model, a large pipeline, strong free cash flow, and scope to continue to generate double-digit EPS growth, the bank said.

It pointed out that IHG will pay a $1.5bn special dividend in May  with a share consolidation, so structured as a 16% share buyback  and with continuing strong free cash flow MS estimates that it could retire an additional 40% of its market capitalisation by 2020.

Morgan Stanley said revenue per available room trends were mixed. US RevPAR is up 2.2% year-todate versus 2016 guidance of 2-5% for the listed US hoteliers, and the bank forecasts US RevPAR +4% in 2016.

However, while we expect an acceleration from here, RevPAR trends disappointed in 2H15, Morgan Stanley economists have been becoming more cautious, and IHG's RevPAR has been underperforming peers.

At 0926 GMT, IHG shares were down 2.5% to 2,737p.
Final results from Premier Farnell were largely in line with expectation but reminders of the unrelenting challenges ahead for the refocused electronics distributor left investors disappointed.

In the year to 31 January, adjusted profit before tax slumped 23% to 57.3m on revenue that increased 2% to 982.7m.

Adjusted earnings per share fell 20% to 11.1p and there was a sizeable 40% cut to the total dividend to 6.2p, as had been signalled.

By year end net debt stood at 243m.

But on Wednesday the company completed the sale of industrial products unit Akron Brass for $224.2m, which will reduce net debt further and enable increased focus on the electronics distribution business.

From 11 April, new chief executive Jos Opdeweegh will take the tiller, joining a company that is facing difficult trading conditions in North America and UK markets.

On the outlook, the company said it expected global market conditions to remain variable and was "not anticipating any near-term diminution in the competitive pressures on our businesses".

The focus remains on stabilising gross margin and reducing operating costs, though it was conceded that there will be some gross margin decline in the new financial year as well as the absence of the Akron.

Analysts at Peel Hunt said the new consensus outlook was for a profit range of 60-65m, with currency tailwinds an area to watch, providing around a possible 5% gain at current rates.

Shore Capital said there were few highlights in the results, though they were very close to its forecasts.

"The Premier story is now focused upon remedial action on the operating margin, restructuring the company for better performance and a return to growth. We retain a conviction that structural challenges and disintermediation remain in this market. We fear that material further restructuring charges will potentially be levied over the next two years."

Shares in PFL were down more than 7% to 113.75p not long before noon on Thursday.
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Live OSU updates: Iowa pulls closer with FG | OSU 16, Iowa 10

The Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Iowa Hawkeyes at Ohio Stadium.
Richardson joins Kidder Mathews

Richardson

Kidder Mathews added multifamily investment broker Brian Richardson to the Bellevue team as a vice president. Richardson has worked in the industry since 2004, closing more than $650 million in multifamily transactions. He last worked at Insite Property Solutions in Bothell as an investment broker and asset manager, and completed more than $63 million in transactions and arranged more than $40 million in financing. Kidder Mathews has more than 550 employees in 13 offices in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada.




655th ISRG continues to grow, paves the way for DoD

Since standing up in 2012, the 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group has come a long way in just a short amount of time and continues to pave the way in future Air Force intelligence initiatives.



The 655th ISR Group is an independent group under 10th Air Force that ensures the training and readiness of Air Force Reserve Command intelligence squadrons engaged in diverse and complex intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission sets. The intelligence missions include human intelligence, signals intelligence, geospatial and measurement intelligence, targeting, distributed common ground systems and ISR support to Special Operations Forces and Airborne Linguists.



The 655th supports Air Combat Command; Air Force Materiel Command; Air Force Special Operations Command; National Air and Space Intelligence Center; Defense Intelligence Agency; National Security Agency; and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency with classic associate intelligence squadrons imbedded and working daily with their active duty counterparts to further the intelligence capabilities of the US Air Force.



Stood up in October 2012 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio as Detachment 2 with 38 people, the 655th ISR Group has grown from being a detachment and now consists of 11 classic associate unit intelligence squadrons spanning across six states conducting eight different missions with more than 1,000 people.



Col. Douglas Drakeley, 655th ISRG commander, has been at the helm since the group stood up and says it seems like just yesterday the initiative was only on paper.



During the summer of 2012, we conducted a site activation task force that stood up the units at Wright Patt. At that time, I was assigned to Beale (Air Force Base, California), as the director of intelligence for the 713th Combat Operations Squadron. I was asked to be the project integration officer for standing these units up. On the books we had the ability to eventually build nine new intelligence squadrons and an intelligence group. By September, we got the orders to stand up the operating detachments.



The operating locations for the five new squadrons were two squadrons at Wright-Patt, one at Beale and two squadrons at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.



Drakeley arrived at Wright-Patt in November and became the Detachment 2 commander, reporting to 10th Air Force. Fast forward one year later to September 2013. The orders finally come down to create the group and the squadrons.



We finally got the organizational change request for the 655th ISR Group and five new squadrons stood up. Each squadron had a new name plus we got to take command of the other two intelligence squadrons in the enterprise  the 50th Intelligence Squadron that stood up in 2008, and the 718th Intelligence Squadron that stood up in 2010 respectively. Those squadrons didnt belong to us yet so the order that came down in September 15, 2013 made those part of the 655th, bringing us to seven squadrons.



Drakeley said with the new fiscal year, the group had the ability to stand up four new intelligence squadrons. Those became detachments of the 655th and included a squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, one at Hurlburt Field, Florida, one at Fort Meade, Maryland and one at Wright-Patt. With each new squadron came a new mission area, therefore four new missions were added to the group.



Looking back from just a span of three years, the group stood up with five squadrons then it went to seven squadrons then it went to 11 squadrons. Thats where were at today, obviously a lot of growth over the past couple years.



Drakeley said the 655th isnt done growing yet.



On the books for FY17 are three new squadrons. Two are cyber intelligence squadronsone at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and one at Fort Meadeand another targeting squadron that will stand up at Offutt. Cyber is a growing requirement for the nation to be able to both defend and be able to potentially determine the correct response to a threat in the cyber world. Our new squadrons will focus on intelligence to support the cyber world. Those squadrons will be helping to do that and thats part of the whole investment that the nation is making in the cyber mission force.



With the group expanding, the next focus will be on meeting the requirements and the timelines to become a wing. In 2015, the 655th ISR Group experienced a net growth of 113 percent, 14 new ISR billets and experienced 11 months of positive growth, with only one month of zero net sum growth. The 655th rose from 99 percent manning across the group to 111 percent, with one squadron reaching 165 percent manning.



We went from 38 people when I showed up here, starting off to having more than 1,000 people and with the three new squadrons that will put us at more than 1,300 people.



As an independent group, the 655th is a wing equivalent organization.



We havent grown to a wing yet. Its on the horizon to eventually become a wing. Currently, it hasnt been fully mapped out. Different elements of the command support different timelines. Right now, were shooting for the next year or so to be able to make that work but that will depend on the programmatics, what the command decides programmatically they can do. There are not that many organizations that will have 14 squadrons in one group so its imperative that we grow in size and capability very quickly.



Drakeley is proud of the men and women in his group and the results of their role in the Air Force Reserve that they bring to the table every day.



The great thing about these jobs from a reserve standpoint is that most of these jobs are here in the United States at operations centers so our reservists can do their civilian job during the week then come to work on the weekend and work missions from here. In nine out of our 11 squadrons, that is possible for us to do those types of activities from the U.S. on operations floors that are in the fight here. Its a great role for reservists.



Drakeley said his Airmen make a difference with what they do for national defense. Information that his reservists have worked on have gone not only to combatant commanders, but to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Secretary of the Air Force and to the President himself.



Things that our reservists have touched and worked on as intelligence products have spanned that chain of command. Its impressive when you start looking at the impact that these 1,000 plus Airmen have in being able to support the National Defense.


A woman who left an indelible mark on the community in which she lived was laid to rest yesterday afternoon in Letterkenny.

May McClintock, Glendoon, New Mills, was born on November 9th, 1931 in Convoy. After having had her schooling, she went to Dublin where she studied to become a teacher.

Her enthusiasm, talent and ability soon became exceptionally apparent to those close to her and she found herself an active member of many associations in her locality. She moved to Letterkenny following her marriage to her husband, John, a well known and respected veterinary practitioner.

They had four children, Dearn, Stephanie, Virginia and Jonathon.

She accomplished much during her 84 years. These accomplishments will remain as a reminder of the woman who worked tirelessly towards the betterment of the society in which she lived.

She was a well known and respected historian and an active member of the Donegal Historical Society. May is particularly renowned for her scholarship of the Derryveagh evictions and for raising a wide awareness of that sad and traumatic time. She wrote two wonderful books on the subject.

A wonderful storyteller, she loved to recount the history of Letterkenny and on many occasions told stories of farmers passing her family home on the way to Letterkenny town to the market many decades ago.

An exceptionally social and outgoing woman she was delighted when Letterkenny won the national Tidy Town award last year.

May had been a founding member of the committee and during an interview with the 'Donegal Democrat' at the time, she spoke with earnestness and pride in relation to the award.

Lifetime achievement

In 2013, May was presented with a lifetime achievement award of behalf of An Taisce. The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrated her membership of An Taisce. May was a member of the organisation for over forty years.

May was encouraged to join the local association of An Taisce in 1971 by the late Thomasina Kelly of Kiltoy, Letterkenny. May and Thomasina, as well as the late Antoin Mac Gabhainn, worked together with other members at the time to lay the foundations of one of the most successful and vibrant associations of An Taisce nationally.

May was also recognised for her pioneering work in the Irish Farmer's Association (IFA) and was recognised with honorary life membership.

Many learnt, with great sadness, of her death which took place at the Donegal Hospice, Knocknamona, Letterkenny on Friday last.

Predeceased by her husband, John, and survived by her daughters, Virginia McClintock Fox (Letterkenny) and Stephanie McClintock Jones (Naas, County Kildare); sons Jonathan, (Belfast); and Dearn, (Letterkenny); sisters Rebecca (Ruby) Bonar, Donegal town and Frances Bonar, London; and brother Tommy Bonar, (London); and Shannon Bonar (killygordon); grandchildren and in-laws, relatives, family and a wide circle of friends.

Her Service of Thanksgiving was held yesterday afternoon in Conwal Parish, Church, Letterkenny, conducted by Canon Stewart Wright. She was laid rest in the family plot at Gortlee Cemetery.
The garda sergeant involved in the initial search for Mary Boyle believes she died within one hour of going missing and that she never left the hillside alive.

The garda sergeant involved in the initial search for Mary Boyle believes she died within one hour of going missing and that she never left the hillside alive.

Sgt. Martin Collins, who retired in 1994, spoke to the Sunday World this week as part of their special report on the death of the 6-year-old from Belcruit who went missing on March 18, 1977 while on a family visit to Cashelard. The case is Irelands longest-running missing child investigation.

Mr Collins said: Mary was dead within an hour of going missing and never left the Cashelard hillside alive. That was my view very shortly into the investigation and, 36 years later, that view has not changed.

He continued: Within 48 hours I was convinced that she had died and my view was cemented when an interested party came to me and said that he knew who had killed Mary.

He said the perpetrator had some kind of history. He wouldnt talk after that and to this day that witness has never spoken of it again.

Recalling the massive search, involving thousands of volunteers, that took place over the next four weeks, Mr Collins suggested that it might have been a mistake to keep looking for a missing child for so long, instead of launching a murder investigation.

Maybe we would have made more progress if we were a little more realistic and less hopeful. It is not plausible that she left the hillside under her own steam and that wasnt appreciated soon enough in the investigation.

He also expressed concerns that the initial investigation may have been compromised. There were some members of the public in the meetings [in the incident room] who should not have been there. Today it wouldnt have happened and that may have compromised the investigation.

The Sunday World also reports that it brought a specialist company in to conduct a geophysical survey of what some believe may have been a shallow grave near where Mary was last seen. Cattle dealer John Gallagher was one of three men taking part in the search for Mary who found the site two days after she went missing. The results of the test will be known next week, when they will be handed to gardai.

Meanwhile, Mary Boyles mother Ann said gardai have told her they will excavate the area.

Marys identical twin sister, who is also called Ann, is demanding an inquest. She told the Sunday World: Although there is no direct evidence of her death, there is none pointing to her living and we all know in our hearts that she is gone.

If there is an inquest, then all the surviving witnesses will be interviewed and the investigation into the case starts as if she disappeared yesterday.

I believe the answer to her disappearance is on the hillside. That is uncomfortable for everyone but after 36 years its important for the truth to come out.
William Lies III, a retired pediatrician and founder of Dothan Pediatric Clinic, recently released a science fiction novel, Foundation Earth. Published by AuthorHouse in Bloomington, Indiana, the book is available online at Amazon.com and locally at Barnes & Noble.

Lies will appear for a book signing hosted by Barnes & Noble on Saturday, March 19, from 2-4 p.m. Barnes & Noble is located in the Dothan Pavilion, 4601 Montgomery Highway.

Dr. Lies was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1926. His early years were spent in Brooklyn and Freeport, Long Island. At age 10, the family moved to his grandmother's farm in Southwest Georgia, near Cuthbert, Georgia, where he finished high school. He enrolled in Duke University and Duke University's medical school and received his MD degree at age 21. He began solo practice in pediatrics in May 1953 and was incorporated in Dothan Pediatric Clinic in 1968. He practiced for 50 years, retiring in 2003.

Since and before retirement, he has been involved with many hobbies, including wood and metal work, duplicate bridge, and writing and remains quite active in the community.
dpa ElectionsData

With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc.

The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties.
BMW has officially confirmed it will launch an upgraded version of the i3 in both electric and range extender forms at the Paris motor show in October.

The upgraded i3, which is planned to receive a larger capacity battery to provide it with a longer range than today's model, is one of a number of developments, including a long rumoured third model line, on the drawing board at BMW's two year old i brand confirmed by its chairman, Harald Krueger, in a press conference in Munich, Germany on Wednesday.

In 2018, the i8 Coupe is planned to receive an i8 Roadster sibling, as previewed by the BMW i Vision Future Interaction concept car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early January.

No firm details to the new open-top hybrid have been announced, although BMW insiders suggest the i8 Roadster will closely resemble the earlier concept first revealed at the 2012 Beijing motor show.

Before the i8 Roadster arrives, however, BMW plans to upgrade the i8 Coupe. Included in the planned changes is a reworked driveline featuring more powerful electric motors and larger capacity battery  developments the German car maker is already trialing on the i8 Coupe Safety Car used at Formula E events around the globe.

At the turn of the decade, BMW also plans to launch an all-new i model, a car which Krueger describes as the BMW i NEXT.

Speaking at BMW's annual accounts press conference in Munich on Wednesday, the BMW chairman described the third i model, which is heavily rumoured to be an SUV in the mould of the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron, as a "new spearhead of innovation and technology".

"It will take BMW i to the next level," said Krueger, indicating the production version of the i Next will incorporate all relevant technologies for future mobility, including autonomous driving, digital connectivity, lightweight carbon fibre construction and what he referred to as "the next-generation of electro-mobility".

Commenting on the BMW i brand, Krueger said: "With BMW i, we have managed to quickly create a globally known brand that embodies sustainability. Since its introduction in 2013, we have delivered more than 50,000 BMW i vehicles to customers. BMW i assumes a key role as an enabler for our BMW core brand."

BMW has accelerated its push into electrified drivetrains, having already announced it will offer all BMW models with a plug-in hybrid drive operation in coming years. From mid-2016, the German car maker will offer seven models that are either fully electric or fitted with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
The housing association recently launched its 2011 Annual Report, titled, Cluid is, which highlights Cluids mission and commitment to deliver homes to those in dire need.

The housing association recently launched its 2011 Annual Report, titled, Cluid is, which highlights Cluids mission and commitment to deliver homes to those in dire need.

Cluids Regional Director in Louth, Kath Cottier said: Cluid has delivered 231 homes to individuals and families in Louth and there is a lot more work to do. Despite a challenging environment and a dramatic cutback in public funding, Cluid has found that the key to delivering these homes is through innovative schemes and this is a theme we are eager to continue.

One such project, launched nationally last week was the Mortgage to Rent scheme, which will help people who are facing repossession to stay in their home. Under the scheme, the home is bought by a housing association such as Cluid and the family stays in their home as a tenant, paying an affordable rent to the housing association. Cluid was involved in the design and piloting of Mortgage to Rent and believes that the scheme could rescue up to 3,500 households on the brink of losing their home.

It is pioneering schemes like this that will meet housing need in Ireland. With 935 households on social housing waiting lists in Louth, 1,820 in Drogheda and 2,027 in Dundalk town, many of us know of a family member or a friend in dire need of a home. Despite all the challenges, our staff have never been more determined to deliver good-quality, affordable housing to those who need it.

The Governments Housing Policy Statement, published in June 2011, set housing associations at the heart of the delivery of social housing. Cluid is shares some of the innovative and successful projects that Cluids dedicated staff have been working on in Louth and across the country.

Ms. Cottier added: While Cluid is committed to delivering housing, our tenants will always remain at the centre of our work, no matter what changes lie ahead. A great place to live means more than just bricks and mortar. Our high-quality services enable individuals and families to create homes and thriving communities.

Cluid is heavily involved in community and estate development projects around the country, with the aim of empowering people to create thriving communities.

Cluids Annual Report 2011 can be viewed and downloaded now at www.cluid.ie.

Cluid is an innovative, independent, not-for-profit organisation that develops and provides high-quality, affordable, rented social housing for people off the local authority housing waiting list.

The vision of Cluid is that of a society where everyone has a great place to live. Cluid aims to achieve this by providing quality housing and services to enable people to create homes and thriving communities.

Since its establishment in 1994, Cluid has made available a total of 3,578 houses and apartments, providing housing to low income families and single people, older people, people with a disability and Traveller families all over Ireland. Cluid also delivers housing and tenant services to these properties.
At the present time it looks as if the main contenders for the office of President of the United States next November are going to be Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. If that turns out to be the case, then, surely, the odds will be in favour of Hillary being elected!

This eventuality will be one of great significance to the people of Dundalk because Hillary Clinton was here with her husband Bill who was just completing his eight year term as President on that memorable night in December 2000. It is strange that, even over that relatively short period of time, people tend to forget what happened and importance of that event. I probably do not need to remind my readers the reason why Bill Clinton came here but I have spoken to younger Dundalk folk who ask what that strange monument at the Square side of Earl Street is all about! Some have even thought that it had something to do with Cuchullain, as it appears to have horns like the mythical Brown Bull of Cooley.

That is not the reason, however, that I have been constrained to write again about that historic visit over fifteen years ago. People say that it was the largest gathering in Dundalk since the time of Daniel O'Connell's Repeal of the Act of Union Movement in the 1840s and that could well be true, as it was claimed as many 60,000 thronged the streets in the centre of town to hear President Clinton speak! I think that the numbers present were much less than that but that is unimportant because it certainly was a night to remember for all who witnessed the event!

I believe that Bill Clinton promised to return to Dundalk sometime in the future if the opportunity presented itself; but that never happened and it looks now as if it may never happen!

The moment that remains uppermost in my memory about that night was when Pearse O'Hanrahan, a Chairman of the Dundalk Urban Council greeted Hilary Clinton as 'Madam President'. People have said to me that Pearse did this on purpose because he knew that she was the real 'power behind the office' but I am sure that this is incorrect and that it was just a slip of the tongue. Others have said that it was a moment of prescience on the part of the Chairman who was prompted by some strange power to forecast that some day she would be President in her own right!

Again, I don't think that could be true when you consider that she seemed to have missed her chance when Barrack Obama beat her in the run-up to the nominations on 2008! It is a little strange, however, that she now seems to be in a strong position to win the one of the highest offices on earth, as the first woman to do so, in this present year. If she does manage to become President, I wonder if she will think back to that night in Dundalk, now so long ago, and be urged to fulfil the promise made by her husband. Maybe she might come back to Ireland, even if it is only at the end of her term of office, and include Dundalk in her itinerary!

Should she ever come back to Dundalk, I am sure that she will be welcomed by the vast majority of the people of this town. As will Bill, should he accompany her!
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Jane Corwin



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ALBANY -- Assemblywoman Jane Corwin (R,I,C  Clarence) joined Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) along with the Business Council of New York State, National Federation of Independent Business, Unshackle Upstate, New York Farm Bureau, and NYSARC at a press conference today to discuss the impact of the proposed $15 per hour minimum wage on New York States job market and economic development upstate.While there is no question we are working very hard in Western New York to create real and lasting career opportunities and rebuild our regional economy, increasing the minimum wage at this time would hurt the ability of job creators to expand and grow the businesses that we all need to succeed in order to create other well-paying and lasting jobs for the future, said Corwin. What New Yorkers across the state want and deserve are real career opportunities, and another forced minimum wage hike only compromises that.Supported by a recent study from the Empire Center for New York State Policy and the American Action Forum, that found that the proposed $15 minimum wage could cost the state as many as 588,800 jobs, Corwin, Kolb and their colleagues announced an alternative plan to help get more New Yorkers prepared for some of the leading career paths currently expanding across the state.The Assembly Minority Conferences plan would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to assist those New Yorkers who are living off of minimum wage jobs (A.9102 and A.7486) as well as create a youth apprenticeship program to create opportunities for employment and career development (A.8695 and A.8691). According to a report from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, expanding the EITC could increase employment by as many as 21,363 single mothers and introduce 14,000 individuals into the workforce.In addition to a recent Siena College poll that showed 87 percent of upstate employers oppose the $15 minimum wage proposal, Corwin asked her constituents about the plan in a recent legislative survey. The survey found that just 23 percent of residents believe increasing the minimum wage would create jobs as opposed to 75.7 percent who believe the state should cut taxes on businesses to ensure job creation.




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ALBANY  New York State Bar Association President David P. Miranda Tuesday commended the Senate and Assembly for including language in their one-house budget proposals that recognize the State of New York, not county governments, should bear the cost of providing constitutionally-mandated legal representation of low-income individuals who are accused of crimes."The Senate and Assembly bills acknowledge the state government's responsibility for funding mandated representation of criminal defendants and for overseeing the quality of that representation," Miranda said."We urge legislators to work with Governor Andrew Cuomo to craft a budget that provides that indigent criminal defendants across the state with quality representation," he said.The deadline for passage of the state budget is March 31.
Apple on Tuesday filed a brief arguing that the demands the Department of Justice has made in seeking a backdoor to iPhone encryption would have appalled Americas founding fathers.

The FBI and DoJ want Apple to create new software code that would help government investigators bypass built-in encryption on the iPhone of Syed Farook, who with his wife carried out last years San Bernardino, California, terrorist attack.

The Justice Department and the FBI are seeking an order from this court that would force Apple to create exactly the kind of operating system that Congress has thus far refused to require, reads the brief, which responds to the governments opposition papers filed in federal district court earlier this month.

The new code essentially would allow authorities to unlock the specific iPhone and gain access to any data that was left on the device after the shooting, and use it to pursue other potential terrorist links or future plots.

Widespread Risks

The government demand would put Apple at risk of being forced to engage in similar cooperation in other cases, would put the security of the iPhone at risk, and would risk similar orders being forced upon the company by other governments in countries where it operates, Apple and its supporters have argued in court filings andpublic testimony.

The government is using the All Writs Act to attempt to bypass the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, a wiretapping law signed by President Clinton in 1994. CALEA forbids law enforcement from forcing an electronic communication service from adopting any specific design of equipment, facilities, services, features or system configurations, according to the filing.

The government has acknowledged that FaceTime and iMessage features on the iPhone are electronic communication services but claimed that is irrelevant because the court order does not bear upon the operation of those services, it notes.

The government wants access to iMessages left on the phone.

Balance of Power

Lawyers for the DoJ and Apple are scheduled to appear in court next week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym in Riverside, California, to make oral arguments on the motion to dismiss.

We look forward to responding to Apples arguments before the court on March 22, said Marc Raimondi, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice.

As we have said in our filings, the Constitution and the three branches of the federal government should be entrusted to strike the balance between each citizens right to privacy and all citizens rights to safety and justice, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The Constitution and the laws of the United States do not vest that power in a single corporation, Raimondi added.

Support for Apple

What the FBI is seeking is unprecedented, said Alan Butler, senior counsel at theElectronic Privacy Information Center.

No company has ever been required to produce special software to undermine its own security systems, he told the E-Commerce Times. Apple has a strong legal position in this case.

In a separate case, Federal Magistrate Judge James Orenstein last monthruled that Apple did not have to unlock an encrypted iPhone. The judge in the California case is likely to consider Orensteins decision, Butler said.

In particular, Judge Orenstein found that Congress had already considered  and rejected  a broad decryption requirement for device manufacturers when it passed the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement act back in the mid-1990s, he said.

There really is not a compromise ruling here. Either the judge orders Apple to provide the assistance or she denies the FBIs application, Butler added.

A group that organized protests outside Apple stores and FBI headquarters last month plans to descend on the courthouse next week in a show of support for greater iPhone security. The group, Fight for the Future, is launching an online campaign called #SaveSecurity and awebsite to organize protesters online.

We wanted to  make sure that we educate the public and decision-makers about the fact that this case isnt just about one phone, or even just about iPhones  its about the future of all of our safety and security, said Evan Greer, campaign director ofFight for the Future.

Since launching just a few hours ago, more than 3,400 people have already added their voices to the effort. We expect this number to grow dramatically before Tuesday, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The governments reliance on the All Writs Act is an indication that the case cannot stand on modern case law, said Sophia Cope, staff attorney at theElectronic Frontier Foundation.

The problem is that the AWA has never been applied in this way, and it cant be used for an unconstitutional purpose, she told the E-Commerce Times. In short, the Constitution will always trump a statute.
A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Facebook Regional Vice President Diego Dzodan, one day afterBrazilian police placed him under arrest forWhatsApps failure to produce messages the government believed relevant to a drug ring investigation. Judge Ruy Pinheiro concluded the execs detainment amounted to coercion, according to press reports.

Judge Marcel Maia ordered the arrest on Tuesday, after WhatsApp failed to comply with requests by police and the court to produce messages created in the app.

We are disappointed that law enforcement took this extreme step, WhatsApp said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by spokesperson Matt Steinfeld.

WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have, the company maintained. We cooperated to the full extent of our ability in this case, and while we respect the important job of law enforcement, we strongly disagree with its decision.

Facebook Chagrined

Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, expressed chagrin over the arrest.

Were disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure of having a Facebook executive escorted to a police station in connection with a case involving WhatsApp, which operates separately from Facebook, the company said in a separate statement Steinfeld provided to TechNewsWorld.

Facebook has always been and will be available to address any questions Brazilian authorities may have, it added.

This isnt the first time WhatsApp has been in hot water in Brazil where, according to The Guardian, its been the most popular app download for the past two years, and is used by about half of the countrys 200 million people. In December, the app was shut down for 48 hours for twice failing to comply with court orders for information.

It was brought back online after public outcry and intervention by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg considers Brazil a crucial market for Facebook, according to a New York Times report. He was part of a small group of Silicon Valley executives who met in July at Stanford University with the countrys president, Dilma Rousseff.

No Chilling Effect

Although wrangling with domestic or foreign governments can be unsettling for companies, its unlikely to deter anyone from using their wares.

These cases arent always very high profile, and they tend to blow over very quickly and people have short memories when it comes to this stuff, said Jan Dawson, chief analyst atJackdaw Research.

These things tend to have a fairly minimal effect on how much people change their behavior, he told TechNewsWorld.

Governments strong-arm tactics have not had much impact on the way high-tech companies do business overseas, Dawson said.

It hasnt happened enough for it to be an issue. On rare occasions like China some companies have pulled out, he noted.

Google is not very active in China partly for that reason. Other companies like Facebook havent been very active there either for the same reasons, Dawson continued.

These companies dont participate in those markets where conditions are particularly egregious, he added, but for the most part, they carry on business as usual.

Apple Trap

In one sense, WhatsApp and Facebook find themselves in a situation similar to Apple and its tussle with law enforcement over accessing data on iPhones, noted Jadzia Butler, a privacy, surveillance and security fellow at theCenter for Democracy & Technology.

Much like the Apple case, theyre in a situation where because theyve created such a secure device, they cannot give law enforcement what theyre asking for, she told TechNewsWorld.

Its not even an issue of conflict of laws, Butler said. Its an impossibility.

Conflicts between law enforcement and high-tech companies are going to increase in the future because of encryption, she added.

Even if law enforcement has possession of the information it wants, theyre not going to be able to look at it, Butler said, so law enforcement is going to have to adapt all over the world to changing technology.
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(Fitbit official website)

The Fitbit Alta is expected to be globally released next month, but the company behind the new tracker has started rolling out to a few select markets, particularly the United States.

Fitbit Alta was first unveiled in early February, a month following the launch of Fitbit Blaze at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Talking to Wareable, Fitbit Vice President and General Manager Gareth Jones said, "It was our plan to get these devices out early in the year." "With the Blaze, it was about that time of the year when people are thinking, 'new year, new you'. We used the communication of the Alta four weeks after the announcement of Blaze by using the fashion shows, " Jones added.

This is in line with the company's aim to make the Alta more than just a fitness tracker; they hope that it turns into a fashion statement as well.

This goal is yet intensified again with Alta's appearance on the runway during the New York Fashion Week. They even partnered with a New York fashion label, Public School, to work on the tracker's design. With fashion being the cornerstone of the Alta, Jones said that this will not be the last time they are going to tap designers for possible collaborations.

"There's going to be complimentary partnerships to bring that style to something people want to wear everyday and vice versa. Personally, I would love to have a Paul Smith one, a Gucci one, a whole variety of trendy brands," Jones admitted.

Meanwhile, those who have already gotten their hands on the new device have favorable feedback. PCMag commended the company for delivering the features it had promised for the Alta  that it is not just a cut-and-dried tracker but a fashion statement as well. The industry observer also noted that the Alta shares similar sensors and features with the more budget-friendly Fitbit Charge, except that Alta is a lot more stylish.

Other countries can expect the Fitbit Alta anytime in April.
(Photo: REUTERS / Cathal McNaughton)The "Hands Across The Divide" peace statue by a local sculptor Maurice Harron stands in front of a backdrop of the Waterside area of Derry City, also known as Londonderry, in this October 3, 2013 picture. While cars burned on the streets of Belfast this summer in its worst year of rioting for a decade, Northern Ireland's second city of Londonderry was filled with tourists as its once bitterly divided population celebrated a stunning rejuvenation. Derry is currently the UK City of Culture 2013. Picture taken October 3, 2013.

An imam in Northern Ireland is vowing to go to jail with a pastor if he is convicted for describing Islam as "satanic", and a Catholic priest has branded a pending court case as "absurd".

Pastor James McConnell, aged 78, who retired from Whitewell Tabernacle last year, is preparing to answer charges in court under the 2003 Communications Act on August 6, the Belfast Telegraph reported June 24.

The charges stem from a sermon McConnell gave at the north Belfast Tabernacle in which he said: "Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell".

The sermon was streamed on the internet.

The pastor has said he is prepared to go to jail rather than withdraw his remarks despite not being in good health and he is aging.

"I have no regrets about what I said. I do not hate Muslims but I denounce Islam as a doctrine and I make no apologies for that. I will be pleading 'not guilty' when I stand in the dock in August."

He could go to jail for up to six months if he convicted.

The newspaper reported that a London Muslim academic and cleric has pledged to go to jail with the pastor.

Dr. Al-Hussaini, a Senior Fellow in Islamic Studies at the Westminster Institute, said he has "grave concerns" about the prosecution of Pastor McConnell.

The imam noted he "strongly upholds the moral right" for people of all faiths to debate.

He spoke about, "the flaming backdrop of torched Christian churches, bloody executions and massacres of faith minorities in the Middle East and elsewhere."

"It is therefore a matter of utmost concern that, in this country, we discharge our common duty steadfastly to defend the freedom of citizens to discuss, debate and critique religious ideas and beliefs - restricting only speech which incites to physical violence against others."

"All honest seekers of God's truth are enjoined to inquire, question and challenge the teachings of religious authority, and to speak prophetically to establishment power even when it means overturning the tables in the Temple.

"Moreover, in a free and democratic society, we enter into severe peril when we start to confuse what we perhaps ought or ought not to say, with what in law we are allowed to, or not allowed to say."

"While those of us who hold clerical office as Christian pastors and priests, Jewish rabbis or Muslim imams, should rightly have due care and regard to the leadership role we exercise when we make public speeches, nevertheless our foremost duty remains to express theological ideas in good conscience before God."
(Picture:St. Patrick Parish, cottage Grove, Wisconsin)St. Patrick image on website of St. Patrick Parish, cottage Grove, Wisconsin

Ireland marked St. Patrick's Day on March 17 with its political and church leaders issuing calls to remember the patron saint's experience as a migrant and for a show sympathy for refugees in Europe.

Hundreds of thousands watched a St. Patrick's Day parade through Dublin, but police in Northern Ireland said officers clashed with "a drunken crowd" in Belfast in the early hours of the day, DPA reported.

Archbishop Eamon Martin, head of the Catholic church in Ireland, and President Michael D. Higgins led the calls to remember the plight of refugees on the day that commemorates Ireland's patron saint and that is also celebrated in many part of the world where Irish migrants landed.

"As Irish people, we cannot think of Patrick - the captive, the slave in exile, the undocumented, the migrant - without acknowledging the enormous humanitarian and pastoral challenges facing growing numbers of people who find themselves displaced and without status in our world," Martin said in his message for the special day in Ireland.

."This is so shockingly exemplified by the refugee crisis here in Europe," he said. "I ask you to pray for refugees and for all displaced families at this time."

Like his predecessor, Patrick, the current Archbishop of Armagh called on Irish people to personally befriend Christ and to experience God's mercy.

He said, "I wish to highlight in particular the plight of Irish emigrants throughout the world. This past year, following the tragedies at Berkeley [when six Irish students plunged to their deaths from a California balcony], we have become especially aware of the great work undertaken by Irish emigrant chaplaincies in the United States, Britain and Australia.

"Inspired by the teaching of the Gospel, they provide essential pastoral outreach to many Irish people as they try to establish a foothold in a new society."

President Higgins said Irish people at their best are "a nation defined by a commitment to human rights, creative imagination, and at a global level the upholding of freedom from oppression".

"In this new century, we Irish have a most valuable contribution to make in the global fight against extreme poverty, hunger, and in our response to climate change," he said in a video message.

"Conscious of our history and culture, we can give a lead too in crafting a human response to the ongoing refugee crisis," Higgins said.
Washington, Mar 17 (EFE).- President Barack Obama took advantage of this week's restoration of direct mail service between the U.S. and Cuba to answer a letter from a Cuban woman inviting him to visit her during his trip to the island next week.

Obama, who is set to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba in almost 90 years, responded to Ileana Yarza, 76, ahead of his March 20-22 journey.

Yarza, who has written to Obama several times since he took office in 2009, penned her latest missive to the president on Feb. 18.

"I think there are not many Cubans so eager as I to meet you in person not as an important American personality but as a charming president whose open smile wins hearts," she wrote.

Yarza also invited the U.S. president "to a cup of Cuban coffee at my place in Vedado," a Havana neighborhood.

"Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate your support over the years, and I hope this note - which will reach you by way of the first direct mail flight between the United States and Cuba in over 50 years - serves as a reminder of a bright new chapter in the relationship between our two nations," Obama said.

"I am looking forward to visiting Havana to foster this relationship and highlight our shared values - and, hopefully, I will have time to enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee," he added.

For nearly five decades, mail between Cuba and the United States was routed through third countries.

Last December, months after the restoration of bilateral diplomatic relations, Washington and Havana agree to restore direct postal links.
Panama City, Mar 17 (EFE).- The U.N. International Organization for Migration on Thursday alerted Central American governments that the immigration crisis has not ended and that Cuban migrants intent on getting to the United States are still arriving and gathering in Panama.

"It's very important that the countries sit down, as they did in Mexico and ... twice in Guatemala, to seek a longer-term solution, because the problem of Cuban emigrants has not ended," the IOM's regional director for Central America, North America and the Caribbean, Marcelo Pisani, told EFE on Thursday.

Panama and Costa Rica agreed with Mexico on a special operation to transfer the Cubans on direct flights to assorted Mexican cities, so that from there they could cross into the United States.

It was a solution that Pisani called "exemplary" because it combined the "sovereignty of the different countries" with the obligation to provide humanitarian aid.

"It was an example of how countries can agree to resolve a conflict," said the official at an event to discuss people trafficking held on Thursday in Panama.

On March 12, the special operation's last flight left the Panamanian capital and the government said that the crisis was over.

But the flow of migrants is not stopping and a week after that flight, there are already about 1,000 Cubans once again stranded in the western province of Chiriqui, on the border with Costa Rica, according to what the Catholic Caritas organization told EFE on Thursday.
Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London.

08:11, 22 OCT 2022
Re: Abusive use of groan button Quote: Britething Hello mods,

Just wondering if there is an EF rule regarding the use of the 'groan' button.



For example, is it reasonable for someone to groan at a newbie's very first post. Is that considered acceptable (even if some find it amusing)?



Is it ok for someone to groan continually at a person rather than at content?



If 10 out of the last 16 groans have been specifically directed at one person, would that not start looking a little like some form of harrassment?



What do the mods do (if anything) in cases like these ?



(Don't naughty boys have their sweeties taken away?)

I'm an idiot who have an issue but I can't seem to understand to keep that between relevant parties. I can't refrain myself to post that in public, for everyone to see, but I will be hypocrite enough to pretend it's just between you and me and that I am not looking for supporting people.



Mind you, I probably can not comprehend the use of "private message", since I am technologically retarded. Mind you, I am able to register to a forum, post, understand post limitations, groan others, but for some reason I can't seem to search or use private messaging.



Please do me a favor, revenge for me, and punish the offender, but let's pretend it's all nice and friendly since i'm using "sweet" and other nice references. And ignore the fact that I'm trying to be a manipulative idiot and use you to fulfill my selfish purpose.



Oh, as you probably have noticed before, there is nothing I can do to reflect on my shitty attitude, or even acknowledge that by using stereotypes or being nasty myself, I might also attract negative attitude.



As I said and implied I'm clearly innocent victim, work for me and execute my will.



Thanks Mods for being at my service, don't expect financial reward because I drive a luxury BMW, can afford 5000CHF rent, but i'm too skint to pay for helpful services or even be grateful to others. Oh yes, it was mandatory for me to splash that in everyone's face, but if you have a problem with that, it's ONLY because you are envious.



I fact I don't need to thank you, just do it and we will all live happily ever after, ok? Hello MODS,I'm an idiot who have an issue but I can't seem to understand to keep that between relevant parties. I can't refrain myself to post that in public, for everyone to see, but I will be hypocrite enough to pretend it's just between you and me and that I am not looking for supporting people.Mind you, I probably can not comprehend the use of "private message", since I am technologically retarded. Mind you, I am able to register to a forum, post, understand post limitations, groan others, but for some reason I can't seem to search or use private messaging.Please do me a favor, revenge for me, and punish the offender, but let's pretend it's all nice and friendly since i'm using "sweet" and other nice references. And ignore the fact that I'm trying to be a manipulative idiot and use you to fulfill my selfish purpose.Oh, as you probably have noticed before, there is nothing I can do to reflect on my shitty attitude, or even acknowledge that by using stereotypes or being nasty myself, I might also attract negative attitude.As I said and implied I'm clearly innocent victim, work for me and execute my will.Thanks Mods for being at my service, don't expect financial reward because I drive a luxury BMW, can afford 5000CHF rent, but i'm too skint to pay for helpful services or even be grateful to others. Oh yes, it was mandatory for me to splash that in everyone's face, but if you have a problem with that, it's ONLY because you are envious.I fact I don't need to thank you, just do it and we will all live happily ever after, ok?
Re: HR or other support for mobbing/bullying at Novartis Quote: alemap I am surprised so many people say don't report a bullying boss to HR.



It is in the interests of the company to do the right thing by employees. Believe me, there are true believers left in the profession. Not all are jaded ass coverers who don't make a stand for what is important when they have had a chance to make an objective and balanced assessment.



Encouraging / protecting bad behaviour will do a lot of damage even if the bad boss gets great results by another measure.



Sometimes the boss is just genuinely clueless as to the impact they are having and after getting feedback may be devastated and wants to turn the situation around. A constructive and measured approach, before going for a full throttle complaint, does sometimes work, when handled well.



I have also seen bullying bad tempered executives fired (sometimes after one too many lawsuits against them)



Now in Switzerland the HR folk may not be as well versed and equipped for dealing with this kind of stuff. Granted. And companies don't worry so much about getting sued here for making a person's life hell. So skill and will might be lacking occasionally.



Now as to how well considered it is to publicly name the company you work for. ...

Indeed.





And I too have seen managers fired or at the very least moved to roles with no people responsibilites, as a result of bullying or similar. Granted, it usually takes more than one case and/or a few days or weeks for that to happen, but bullying/mobbing is always a tricky concept. I've seen people abuse it too as a way to push their own agenda.



There won't be a way around HR, whether you like it or not. You need to be able to prove what you're saying in some way or another and I would definitely not come unprepared, but with as much detail as possible.



I would generally not expect too much outcome from reporting bullying/mobbing, not in Switzerland anyway. If you're the only one from a number of team members reporting such behavior, I doubt they will be able to do much. Even if all team members are affected, they all need to come forward and in most cases, that doesn't happen as most are too afraid (unfortunately). I would prepare to look for another job no matter what. If anything, chances are you'll be moved somewhere else rather than your boss, at least immediately. I assume you are aware that a relationship that is obviously broken cannot be restored anyway, so there's probably no interest from your end to continue working with that boss no matter what.



For a number of reasons, they are unlikely to fire you because you report something like that, but I wouldn't exactly expect them to get out of their way to help you. Anyone and anywhere that is. I've also seen managers come back with a vengeance out of such conversations - though to be fair, it was usually only a few months later that they were "mysteriously moved somewhere else" or suddenly "leaving per mutual agreement" as their boss figured out that there was indeed something seriously wrong.



I strongly recommend to remove the company name here. Plenty of expats from [the company] in this forum. Indeed.And I too have seen managers fired or at the very least moved to roles with no people responsibilites, as a result of bullying or similar. Granted, it usually takes more than one case and/or a few days or weeks for that to happen, but bullying/mobbing is always a tricky concept. I've seen people abuse it too as a way to push their own agenda.There won't be a way around HR, whether you like it or not. You need to be able to prove what you're saying in some way or another and I would definitely not come unprepared, but with as much detail as possible.I would generally not expect too much outcome from reporting bullying/mobbing, not in Switzerland anyway. If you're the only one from a number of team members reporting such behavior, I doubt they will be able to do much. Even if all team members are affected, they all need to come forward and in most cases, that doesn't happen as most are too afraid (unfortunately). I would prepare to look for another job no matter what. If anything, chances are you'll be moved somewhere else rather than your boss, at least immediately. I assume you are aware that a relationship that is obviously broken cannot be restored anyway, so there's probably no interest from your end to continue working with that boss no matter what.For a number of reasons, they are unlikely to fire you because you report something like that, but I wouldn't exactly expect them to get out of their way to help you. Anyone and anywhere that is. I've also seen managers come back with a vengeance out of such conversations - though to be fair, it was usually only a few months later that they were "mysteriously moved somewhere else" or suddenly "leaving per mutual agreement" as their boss figured out that there was indeed something seriously wrong.I strongly recommend to remove the company name here. Plenty of expats from [the company] in this forum. Last edited by 3Wishes; 18.03.2016 at 16:21 . Reason: removed company name
After much conjecture and debate, President Barack Obama has finally announced his pick for the next Supreme Court justice. And the selection is... not who anybody suspected, to be honest.

Merrick Garland has been chosen by President Obama to replace the late Antonin Scalia as part of the highest court in the land. But who is he really? Here's what you need to know about Merrick Garland, and what his nomination means for the political climate.

He's Got The Experience

"He is the right man for the job. He deserves to be confirmed." @POTUS on his #SCOTUSnominee Merrick Garland https://t.co/c7xefbX3pc  The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 16, 2016

Merrick Garland has spent 19 years honing his skills and instincts working the DC Circuit, and he has the record to back up this prestigious nomination. He also shares ties with many of the judges already on the Supreme Court, having attended Harvard Law School. Indeed, his resume reads surprisingly like those judges currently occupying the Supreme Court (and even the late Antonin Scalia, who he's been tapped to replace)and that's not an accident.

He's Republican-Friendly



Here's the scenario whereby Republicans decide confirming Garland is their best move: https://t.co/swsbAHgGOq  Paul Waldman (@paulwaldman1) March 16, 2016

Now in these highly contentious times it's hard to imagine anyone President Obama picking for the Supreme Court being welcomed with open arms by his Republican colleagues. But if anyone can do it, the moderate and likable Merrick Garland can. In 1997, he received unprecedented bipartisan support when he was nominated to the appeals court, with many Republicans enthusiastically backing him. President Obama is clearly hoping history will repeat itself, and that Garland's reputation as an ethical and moderate judge will land him a position on the Supreme Court with minimal issues.

He's Old (Well, In A Sense)

If confirmed, Merrick Garland would be the oldest justice to join the court since 1972: https://t.co/EE9oPnxFcI #SCOTUSnominee  USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 16, 2016

If Garland gets the nomination, he will have the auspicious privilege of being the oldest Justice to join the Supreme Court since 1972. At 63 years of age, Garland will be older than half of his more experienced colleagues (including President Obama's other pick, Sonia Sotomayor).

This Isn't His First Rodeo

Don't forget: Merrick Garland was POTUS' second choice for SCOTUS vacancy in 2010. And considered in 2009  Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) March 16, 2016

In fact, the public might have become familiar with the name Merrick Garland back in 2009 when he was first considered for the Supreme Court nominations. Ultimately Sotomayor was selected and eventually confirmed. It seemed that Garland might end up the winner in 2010, following the announced retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens, but the nomination ended up going to Elana Kagan. Reports are circulating that President Obama has been waiting for the right time to bring the bipartisan moderate to the forefront: it looks like 2016 is Garland's year. And considering that numerous Republicans publicly stated they would back Garland's nomination in the past, President Obama's selection could prove a very interesting situation.

He's An Unknown Factor

Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland doesn't have a clear stance on abortion or the death penalty https://t.co/mriSzrlBgC  kate shellnutt (@kateshellnutt) March 16, 2016

Garland's low profile has advantages and disadvantages; namely, people aren't sure what his stance is on a number of hot-button issues. While his previous rulings have been decidedly centrist, he's been murky on topics like abortion and the death penalty. Although he could previously get by without making any sort of statement, the SCOTUS nomination is going to demand he take a standand fast. Additionally, his previous support of gun control could rub some Republicans the wrong way. It's hard to make a prediction on how the GOP will respond to his nomination, but one thing's for sure: Merrick Garland's confirmation is by no means a certainty.
The 2016 St. Patrick's Day Parade is going down in New York City; find out how to watch it live online.

This year's St. Patrick's Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. ET and lasts until 4:30 p.m. ET. NBC 4 New York is slated to broadcast the parade on television.

For those who wish to watch it live in person, the official website for the New York parade states:

"Anywhere along 5th Avenue will give visitors of the Parade a fine location to experience the Parade. If you prefer to stand as close to 5th Avenue as possible, then the earlier you get there, the better."

The parade is slated to begin on 5th Avenue at 44th Street and ultimately end and 5th Avenue at 79th Street.

"The parade is held annually on March 17th at precisely 11:00 AM in honor of St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York," the website reveals. "The parade route goes up Fifth Avenue beginning at East 44th Street and ending at East 79th Street. Approximately 150,000 people march in the parade which draws about 2 million spectators.

"From its earliest days, right up to the present, the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade has been run entirely by volunteers, many of whom come from generations of families dedicated to the organization of the parade. It takes months of preparation and countless hours to run the world's oldest and largest parade. We could not do it without the commitment of these great women and men."

Watch The 2016 St. Patrick's Day Parade Live Online

NBC has a live stream of the event set to begin at 11 a.m. ET - which you can find on the local New York NBC website here.

Keep Up With The 2016 St. Patrick's Day Parade On Social Media

To live tweet the St. Patrick's Day Parade, follow along with what others are saying and get some nice street views, use hashtag #StPatricksDayParade on Twitter.
It's St. Patrick's Day and if you don't have plans or simply want to stay in tonight, here are five great Irish-themed movies to watch in celebration of the holiday.

There are plenty of Christmas and Halloween movies to choose from on those respective holidays, but what about St. Patrick's Day? Unfortunately, there are very few films that center specifically around March 17, but there are many movies with Irish themes, some of which take place specifically in Ireland.

Netflix, Amazon and many other streaming services have Irish movies available in their database for you to check out. Let's narrow it down to the five best movies you can watch in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The Secret of Kells (2009)

Animated fantasy film The Secret of Kells takes place in the legendary Monastery of Kells in Ireland. Young Brendan eavesdrops on monks discussing the unfinished book of Kells, which purports to turn darkness into light. He finds the creator of this book and helps him complete it and "illuminate" it to life. The film, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, is available to stream on Netflix now.

In Bruges (2008)

In Bruges tells the tale of two Irish hitmen, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who are asked to lay low in Bruges, Belgium after an innocent man is killed during their latest hit. The dark comedy, written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, resulted in a Golden Globe win for Farrell. Check out In Bruges on Netflix now.



Waking Ned Devine (1998)

An Irishman named Ned Devine wins the Irish National Lottery and subsequently dies of shock in Waking Ned Devine. Only close friends of his are aware of Ned's sudden death, so as the lottery official come to award him, they scheme to collect the money themselves. Waking Ned Devine is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.

Run & Jump (2014)

Will Forte stars in this small indie drama from 2013, Run & Jump. The film centers on Forte's character, a doctor, traveling to Ireland to observe a 38-year-old man who has a stroke that changes his personality completely. He then forms a bond with the man's wife that goes deeper than it should. Check out Run & Jump on Netflix here.

My Left Foot (1989)

My Left Foot tells the incredible story of Christy Brown, an Irish native born with cerebral palsy who is only able to control his left foot. He then becomes a writer and artist, using only his left foot to make his creations. The film landed Daniel Day-Lewis his first Oscar, in addition to Brenda Fricker for playing his mother. Find My Left Foot on Amazon Prime here.
The attorney for a Montana teacher serving 10 years in prison in a notorious student rape case said her client's pending appeal is frivolous, an unexpected move that could end the defendant's chances for a reduced term.

Assistant Appellate Defender Eileen Larkin filed a request with the state Supreme Court to let her drop the case of Stacey Dean Rambold, a former Billings Senior High School teacher who raped a 14-year-old freshman. The girl later committed suicide.

The request, made public Thursday, marks yet another turn in a case that's dragged on almost a decade.

The high court gave Rambold 30 days to respond.

"After that, generally speaking, the court will issue an order dismissing the case as totally frivolous," Supreme Court Clerk Ed Smith said.

Larkin submitted a brief Wednesday in which she said it was her duty to inform the high court that there were "no non-frivolous issues" in Rambold's appeal. She cited a 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case, Anders versus California, in which justices said in a 6-3 ruling that lawyers don't have to argue a client's defense when they have no grounds to do so.

Rambold was 47 in 2007 when he raped Cherice Moralez, a student in his business class.

Moralez killed herself while charges against Rambold were pending, weakening the prosecution's case and eventually leading a state judge to sentence Rambold initially to just one month in prison. The state Supreme Court overturned that sentence as too lenient in 2014, and another judge resentenced Rambold to 15 years with five suspended.

An attorney for the victim's mother, Auliea Hanlon, said it appears the longer sentence will now stand.

"She's of course pleased and relieved," attorney Shane Colton said. "Auliea has always maintained any appeal would be frivolous, but it's been so hard to put this behind her because it's never gone away."

In the wake of Rambold's resentencing, State District Judge G. Todd Baugh was censured and suspended for 31 days over his handling of the case. Baugh, the son of legendary Washington Redskins quarterback Samuel "Slinging Sammy" Baugh, had suggested Moralez shared some of the blame for her rape.

Under Montana law, children younger than 16 cannot consent to sexual intercourse.

But the judge said Moralez appeared "older than her chronological age" and "was probably as much in control of the situation as the defendant." Rambold's attorneys during his original sentencing also suggested Moralez bore some responsibility, citing interviews of the girl conducted by law enforcement prior to her death. Those videos have never been publicly released.
Gender-specific differences between the levels and structures of proteins present in the white matter and the mitochondria of the brains of men and women suffering from dementia have been revealed for the first time in a study published in the open access journal Molecular Brain.

While previous studies have shown that women exhibit higher risk of dementia than men, the underlying mechanisms of this gender difference have remained elusive. The findings by researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore may advance our understanding of the higher risk of dementia that has been observed in women compared to men, which the researchers suggest could lead to the development of new drugs for dementia treatment.

Associate Professor Sze Siu Kwan one of the co-authors of the study said: "The number of dementia patients is projected to triple by 2050 and there is an urgent need to identify key mechanisms of how dementia develops. Our findings and further study could have direct implications for our knowledge about the progression of dementia that could lead to the development of drugs for treatment of dementia."

The researchers used proteomics - the large-scale study of proteins, including their variations and changes - to analyze the proteins present in post-mortem brain tissues from five male and five female dementia patients and ten healthy controls. The researchers wanted to identify changes in structure and function of the proteins present in the white matter and the mitochondria of the temporal lobe - the part of the brain involved in visual memory and the understanding of language. Proteomics is an unbiased approach as, rather than testing a set of pre-defined, specific proteins, it allowed the researchers to look at thousands of proteins to identify changes associated with dementia.

Degenerative Protein Modifications (DPMs) are changes to proteins that are thought to cause the loss of protein function, similar to the way that steel loses strength when rusting. The protein shown to be most affected by these DPMs in the brains of dementia patients in this study is Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) which is important for the production of a protective myelin layer around the axons of nerve cells. Axons are part of the brain's white matter which transmits signals between different parts of the brain. A process called myelation provides an electrically insulating layer around axons, similar to the insulation around an electrical wire. Damage to that insulating layer can stop electrical impulses from being conducted properly, disrupting communication between different parts of the brain. DPMs that are thought to increase the dysfunction of MBP were found to be more pronounced in women than in men. Sze Siu Kwan said: "As DPMs are likely to critically influence protein function and activity in the central nervous system they can be novel drug targets for treatment of dementia."

The researchers detected changes in the presence of certain proteins in the mitochondria of patients suffering from dementia that indicate mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are responsible for creating energy needed to sustain proper cell function, including brain cell function. Mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to cell injury or even cell death. As with changes to other proteins, disturbance to the proteins in the mitochondria was observed to be more pronounced in women than in men.

Xavier Gallart-Palau, the first author of the paper said: "The findings of this study indicate that proteomics can detect differences between male and female dementia patients on a molecular level which cannot be detected by standard approaches."

The findings also provide new insight into the molecular basis of increased risk and severity in women suffering from dementia. They may be a step towards future clinical interventions targeted at reducing dementia risk in both men and women.

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Media Contact

Anne Korn

Press Officer

BioMed Central

T: +44 (0)20 3192 2744

E: anne.korn@biomedcentral.com

Notes to editor:

1. Gender differences in white matter pathology and mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease with cerebrovascular disease Xavier Gallart-Palau, Benjamin S. T. Lee, Sunil S. Adav, Jingru Qian, Aida Serra, Jung Eun Park, Mitchell K. P. Lai, Christopher P. Chen, Raj N. Kalaria and Siu Kwan Sze

Molecular Brain 2016

DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0205-7

For an embargoed copy of the article, please contact Anne Korn at BioMed Central.

After the embargo lifts, the article will be available at the journal website here:

http://molecularbrain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13041-016-0205-7

Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.

2. Molecular Brain is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers manuscripts on all aspects of studies on the nervous system at the molecular, cellular, and systems level providing a forum for scientists to communicate their findings.

Molecular brain research is a rapidly expanding research field in which integrative approaches at the genetic, molecular, cellular and synaptic levels yield key information about the physiological and pathological brain. These studies involve the use of modern techniques such as approaches of molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, modern electrophysiology and neurobiology.

3. BioMed Central is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Nature, a major new force in scientific, scholarly, professional and educational publishing, created in May 2015 through the combination of Nature Publishing Group, Palgrave Macmillan, Macmillan Education and Springer Science+Business Media. http://www.biomedcentral.com
An international team of scientists using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has combined images taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3 - http://www.spacetelescope.org/about/general/instruments/wfc3/) with the unprecedented ultraviolet spatial resolution of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS - http://www.spacetelescope.org/about/general/instruments/stis/) to successfully dissect the young star cluster R136 in the ultraviolet for the first time [1].

R136 is only a few light-years across and is located in the Tarantula Nebula within the Large Magellanic Cloud, about 170 000 light-years away. The young cluster hosts many extremely massive, hot and luminous stars whose energy is mostly radiated in the ultraviolet [2]. This is why the scientists probed the ultraviolet emission of the cluster.

As well as finding dozens of stars exceeding 50 solar masses, this new study was able to reveal a total number of nine very massive stars in the cluster, all more than 100 times more massive as the Sun. However, the current record holder R136a1 does keep its place as the most massive star known in the Universe, at over 250 solar masses. The detected stars are not only extremely massive, but also extremely bright. Together these nine stars outshine the Sun by a factor of 30 million.

The scientists were also able to investigate outflows from these behemoths, which are most readily studied in the ultraviolet. They eject up to an Earth mass of material per month at a speed approaching one percent of the speed of light, resulting in extreme weight loss throughout their brief lives.

"The ability to distinguish ultraviolet light from such an exceptionally crowded region into its component parts, resolving the signatures of individual stars, was only made possible with the instruments aboard Hubble," explains Paul Crowther from the University of Sheffield, UK, and lead author of the study. "Together with my colleagues, I wouldlike to acknowledge the invaluable work done by astronauts during Hubble's last servicing mission: they restored STIS and put their own lives at risk for the sake of future science!" [3]

In 2010 Crowther and his collaborators showed the existence of four stars within R136, each with over 150 times the mass of the Sun. At that time the extreme properties of these stars came as a surprise as they exceeded the upper-mass limit for stars that was generally accepted at that time. Now, this new census has shown that there are five more stars with more than 100 solar masses in R136. The results gathered from R136 and from other clusters also raise many new questions about the formation of massive stars as the origin of these behemoths remains unclear [4].

Saida Caballero-Nieves, a co-author of the study, explains: "There have been suggestions that these monsters result from the merger of less extreme stars in close binary systems. From what we know about the frequency of massive mergers, this scenario can't account for all the really massive stars that we see in R136, so it would appear that such stars can originate from the star formation process."

In order to find answers about the origin of these stars the team will continue to analyse the gathered datasets. An analysis of new optical STIS observations will also allow them to search for close binary systems in R136, which could produce massive black hole binaries which would ultimately merge, producing gravitational waves.

"Once again, our work demonstrates that, despite being in orbit forover 25 years, there are some areas of science for which Hubble is still uniquely capable," concludes Crowther.

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Notes

1] R136 was originally listed in a catalogue of the brightest stars in the Magellanic Clouds compiled at the Radcliffe Observatory in South Africa. It was separated into three components a, b, c at the European Southern Observatory , with R136a subsequently resolved into a group of eight stars (a1-a8) at ESO, and confirmed as a dense star cluster with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope after the first servicing mission in 1993.

[2] Very massive stars are exclusive to the youngest star clusters because their lifetimes are only 2-3 million years. Only a handful of such stars are known in the entire Milky Way galaxy.

[3] STIS's capabilities were restored in 2009 by astronauts who successfully completed Serving Mission 4 (SM4 - http://hubblesite.org/the_telescope/team_hubble/servicing_missions.php ), one of the Hubble's most challenging and intense servicing missions, involving five spacewalks.

[4] The ultraviolet signatures of even more very massive stars have also been revealed in other clusters -- examples include star clusters inthe dwarf galaxies NGC 3125 and NGC 5253 . However, these clusters are too distant for individual stars to be distinguished even with Hubble.

More information

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

The results were published in the paper "The R136 star cluster dissected with Hubble Space Telescope/STIS. I. Far-ultraviolet spectroscopic census and the origin of Heii 1640 in young star clusters" inthe Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The international team of astronomers in this study consists of Paul A. Crowther (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK), S.M. Caballero-Nieves(Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK), K.A. Bostroem (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA; Department of Physics, University of California, Davis CA, USA), J. Maiz Apellaniz (Centro de Astrobiologia, CSIC/INTA, Madrid, Spain), F.R.N. Schneider (Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Argelanger-Institut fur Astronomie der Universitat Bonn, Bonn, Germany), N.R. Walborn(Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA), C.R. Angus (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK), I. Brott (Institute for Astrophysics, Vienna, Austria), A. Bonanos (Institute of Astronomy & Astrophysics, National Observatory of Athens, P. Penteli, Greece), A. de Koter (Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Institute of Astronomy, Leuven, Belgium), S.E. de Mink (Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands), C.J. Evans (UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK), G. Grafener (Armagh Observatory, Armagh, UK), A. Herrero (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain; Departamento de Astrofisica, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain), I.D. Howarth (Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London, UK), N. Langer (Argelanger-Institut fur Astronomie der Universitat Bonn, Bonn, Germany), D.J. Lennon (European Space Astronomy Centre, ESA, Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid, Spain), J. Puls (Universitats-Sternwarte, Munchen, Germany), H. Sana (Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore MD, USA; Institute of Astronomy, Leuven, Belgium), J.S. Vink (Armagh Observatory, Armagh, UK).

Links

Images of Hubble - http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/category/spacecraft/

Link to science paper - http://www.spacetelescope.org/static/archives/releases/science_papers/heic1605a.pdf

Image of R136 taken in 2009 - http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/opo0932a/

ESO release on the discovery of R136a1 in 2010 - http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1030/

Contacts

Paul Crowther

University of SheffieldUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44-(0)114 222 4291

Email: paul.crowther@sheffield.ac.uk

Saida Caballero-Nieves

University of SheffieldUnited Kingdom

Tel: +1 813 400 3765

Email: s.caballero@shef.ac.uk

Mathias Jager

ESA/Hubble, Public Information Officer

Garching, Germany

Tel: +49 176 62397500

Email: mjaeger@partner.eso.org
Boulder, Colo., USA: The most studied battleground from the American Civil War, from a geological perspective, is the rolling terrain surrounding Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Here, the mixture of harder igneous and softer sedimentary rocks produced famous landform features such as Cemetery Hill and Little Round Top that provided strong defensive positions for the Union Army.

Another even more common type of rock -- carbonates such as limestone -- provided similarly formidable defensive positions at numerous other battlefields in both the eastern and western theaters of conflict.

Limestones and dolostones shaped the terrain of multiple important battle sites, including Antietam, Stones River, Chickamauga, Franklin, Nashville, and Monocacy, and these rock types proved consequential with respect to the tactics employed by both Union and Confederate commanders.

This article by Scott P. Hippensteel of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte describes how carbonate rocks produced rolling terrain that limited the range and effectiveness of both artillery and small arms. Additionally, thin soils above limestone bedrock prevented tillage and the resulting forests provided concealment and cover for advancing troops. From a defensive perspective, on a larger geographic scale carbonates provided natural high ground from chert-enriched limestones. On a smaller scale, erosion of these same rocks produced karrens (or "cutters") that provided natural rock-lined trenches for defending troops.

FEATURED ARTICLE

Carbonate rocks and American Civil War infantry tactics

Scott P. Hippensteel, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, USA. Themed issue: Human Dimensions in Geoscience. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/03/16/GES01266.1.abstract.

All GEOSPHERE articles are available at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of GEOSPHERE articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOSPHERE in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.

Assembling the world's type shallow subduction complex: Detrital zircon geochronologic constraints on the origin of the Nacimiento block, central California Coast Ranges

Alan D. Chapman et al., Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA and Geology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105, USA. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/02/29/GES01257.1.abstract.

This paper aims to evaluate two longstanding models for the origin of the Nacimiento block, an approximately 10,000 square kilometer belt of ~100 to 80 million year old subduction-related rocks exposed in the central California Coast Ranges that is clearly out of place relative to other rocks in central California. These models include: (1) the Nacimiento block originated west of the Mojave Desert and was displaced ~300 km northward from this location when the San Andreas fault became active and (2) the Nacimiento block originated west of the San Francisco Bay Area and moved ~500 km to the south before being displaced to its current position by San Andreas fault activity. To test these models, we compared the abundances of zircon ages (a technique known as detrital zircon geochronology) in rocks of the Nacimiento block, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Mojave Desert to determine if rocks of central or southern California represent a better "match" to rocks found in the Nacimiento block. We conclude that zircon age populations in the Mojave Desert, and not the San Francisco Bay Area, provide a better match to those found in the Nacimiento block. Hence, our results are more compatible with model 1 than 2. This result is helpful for piecing together the tectonic jigsaw puzzle of California and for improving our understanding of how subduction-related processes shaped the western margin of North America.

Composition of sediment records late Quaternary paleogeographic evolution of Santa Clara Valley, California

David W. Andersen et al., Department of Geology, San Jose State University, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, California 95192, USA. Themed issue: A New Three-Dimensional Look at the Geology, Geophysics, and Hydrology of the Santa Clara ("Silicon") Valley. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/02/29/GES01259.1.abstract.

Gravel and sand samples from five wells in the Santa Clara Valley, California, contain minerals showing that sediment from the Santa Cruz Mountains south and west of the valley spread as far northeast as Coyote Creek and the Guadalupe River for at least the last 800,000 years. This information will help constrain the geometry of aquifers and confining layers within the groundwater basin in the valley, and it may suggest that active faults along the northeast side of the valley have contributed to the valley's topographic asymmetry for this entire time.

Sources of volcanic detritus in the basal Chinle Formation, southwestern Laurentia, and implications for the Early Mesozoic magmatic arc N.R. Riggs et al., School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA.

This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/03/09/GES01238.1.abstract

Approximately 270 million years ago, subduction began off the west coast of North America, forming volcanoes and the associated intrusive bodies. Over time these volcanoes eroded, and a large sedimentary basin, called the Chinle Formation, formed to the east of the volcanic arc, in what is now southern Nevada, northern Arizona, and southern Utah, beginning about 230 million years ago. Microscopic zircon crystals that crystallized as part of the erupted materials from the volcanoes are now found in sedimentary rocks in the lowest parts of the Chinle Formation. Dating the zircon crystals by the U-Pb method has allowed us to understand that for perhaps 40 million years, the volcanic arc lay offshore of North America in much the same way that Japan now lies offshore of the Asian continent. The Chinle Formation is the oldest best evidence for when an ancient land bridge was established between the volcanic arc and the continent.

Quartz c-axis orientation patterns in fracture cement as a measure of fracture opening rate and a validation tool for fracture pattern models

Estibalitz Ukar., Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, University Station Box X, Austin, Texas 78713-8924, USA. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/03/09/GES01213.1.abstract

This manuscript presents a novel method to calculate fracture opening rates based on the crystallographic orientation of quartz crystals that span across fracture walls (bridges). Calculating fracture growth rates is important to build process-based basin evolution and fracture development models, yet geologic methods have shown an extremely limited capacity to estimate duration and rates of fracture growth. Given an independent estimate for temperature, our method only requires backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) data, which can be rapidly acquired.

Fine-scale structure of the Precambrian beneath the Illinois Basin

John H. McBride et al., Department of Geological Sciences, P.O. Box 24606, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/03/09/GES01286.1.abstract.

New geophysical exploration data provide unprecedented high-resolution views of the internal structure of Precambrian basement beneath the Illinois Basin. Geological interpretations suggest that the upper crust, locally the Eastern Granite-Rhyolite Province, was intruded by major sequences of mafic igneous (diabase?) sills and plutons. These results hint at a poorly understood episode of Proterozoic rifting and/or magmatism in the central USA Mid-Continent.

Development of a thermokarst lake and its thermal effects on permafrost over nearly 10 yr in the Beiluhe Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Zhanju Lin et al., State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Donggang West Road, Lanzhou, China 730000. This article is online at http://geosphere.gsapubs.org/content/early/2016/03/09/GES01194.1.abstract.

We examined the thermal influence of a thermokarst lake on permafrost over nearly 10 years (2006-2014) in Beiluhe Basin, on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, involving both downward and lateral heat transfers. We also discussed the factors controlling thermokarst initiation and development and its four stages: initiation, development, stabilization, and termination.

http://www.geosociety.org/

Contact:

Kea Giles

1-303-357-1057

kgiles@geosociety.org

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WASHINGTON -- Rapid testing for the Zika virus is a critical need in the recent Ebola-affected countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, says a Georgetown University professor, because of the recent Zika outbreak on nearby Cape Verde and the similarity in symptoms between Zika and early Ebola.

In his Health Security commentary published online today, infectious disease specialist Daniel Lucey, MD, MPH, urges both surveillance for Zika and prospective studies to monitor for microcephaly and other neurologic disorders in West Africa, citing the close travel links with Cape Verde.

"The clinical presentation of ZIKV [Zika virus] infection, although extremely mild compared with typical Ebola virus disease, could cause initial confusion clinically because both can have fever, muscle and joint pain, red eyes, and rash," writes Lucey. "If a patient with ZIKV infection were to raise initial concern about a potential Ebola virus infection, then a cascade of unnecessary medical, public health, societal, and political issues could be triggered."

In February 2016, a World Health Organization risk assessment of the Zika virus in Africa placed Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in either a high or moderate risk category. Lucey points out that critical information learned about Zika in the brief time since the report was issued warrants a change.

He proposes three additions: "(1) an explicit strong recommendation for prospective epidemiologic studies to monitor for microcephaly following every known ZIKV outbreak.... ; (2) explicit discussion of the potential confusion in initial differentiation of the clinical presentations of ZIKV infection and (mild) Ebola virus disease; and (3) making available rapid PCR testing for ZIKV as soon as possible in 2016, especially in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, as well as Guinea-Bissau."

Lucey, an adjunct professor of Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and senior scholar with the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, spent several months in West Africa treating patients with Ebola in 2014.

"Bearing witness to the suffering caused by Ebola has led me to call for early action now for Zika and microcephaly in West Africa, as well as action against the panepidemic in the Americas," Lucey says.

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About Georgetown University Medical Center

Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1TR001409-01) from the National Institutes of Health.
Los Angeles, Calif., USA - Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Fei Liu, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Temple, USA, will present a study titled "Partial Restoration of Irradiation-Damaged Salivary Function Following Shh Gene Delivery." The AADR Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

Irreversible hyposalivation is common in head and neck cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy. In this study, researchers found in a transgenic mouse model that transient activation of Hedgehog (Hh) pathway after irradiation (IR) rescued salivary gland dysfunction by preserving both salivary stem/progenitor cells and parasympathetic innervation. The researchers aimed to evaluate the effect of sonic hedgehog (Shh) gene transfer to murine submandibular glands (SMGs) on IR-induced hyposalivation and to further explore underlying mechanisms.

C57BL/6 mice received 15Gy single-dose IR with or without retrograde ductal instillation of adenoviral vectors encoding GFP or Shh (AdGFP or AdShh) on day 3 or 30 after IR. The progeny of cells responsive to Gli-dependent Hh pathway was traced in Gli1-CreER/Rosa26R mice after IR and/or AdShh treatment. The stimulated saliva flow rates in mice treated with AdShh on Day 60 and 90 were significantly increased compared to IR only or IR+AdGFP groups, but were still significantly lower than that in the non-IR group.

In SMGs collected on Day 90, AdShh significantly preserved the expression of acini marker Aqp5 and parasympathetic innervation marker Gfra2. AdShh also significantly ameliorated the vascular damage in irradiated SMGs as indicated by the expression of endothelial marker Aqp1 and the microvascular density, which is related to Gli-dependent upregulation of Angiopoietin-1/2. However, the progeny of cells responsive to Gli-dependent canonical Hh pathway was not significantly expanded by AdShh treatment after IR, suggesting that these cells might not function as stem/progenitor cells in SMGs after IR. Meanwhile, AdShh might activate some Gli-independent Hh pathways in SMGs that are harmful to the salivary gland function. Shh gene delivery partially restored salivary gland function after IR through preservation of parasympathetic innervation and microvascular endothelium.

This research suggestions that inhibiting harmful responses to Hh activation in salivary gland may improve the efficacy of Hh-mediated rescue of IR-induced hyposalivation.

This is a summary of oral presentation #0289, "Partial Restoration of Irradiation-Damaged Salivary Function Following Shh Gene Delivery," which will be presented on Thursday March 17, 2016, 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center, room #406A.

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About the American Association for Dental Research

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit organization with more than 3,700 members in the United States. Its mission is: (1) to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health; (2) to support and represent the oral health research community; and (3) to facilitate the communication and application of research findings. AADR is the largest Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). To learn more about the AADR, visit http://www.aadr.org.
Los Angeles, Calif., USA - Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Jeffrey Ebersole, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA, will present a study titled "Systemic Antibody Responses to Oral Bacteria with Aging." The AADR Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

Substantial evidence has demonstrated that adaptive immune responses are affected by aging, specifically focused on "newly acquired" responses in naive aged individuals. However, responses to oral bacteria in aging provide a different set of conditions, in which the host has a pre-existing immune response to bacteria that have colonized the individual's oral cavity over many decades. This investigation examined the characteristics of serum antibody in a cohort of human subjects related to age, oral health, and specific bacterial burden in the oral cavity.

Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG )and IgG subclass antibody responses to oral bacteria were evaluated by ELISA from 422 subjects (age range: 21years old to 80 years old): 61 healthy; 65 subjects with gingivitis; and 296 subjects with periodontitis. Subgingival plaque samples were evaluated for specific bacteria using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A significant positive correlation was observed across the population with aging and antibody to Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia, but not to Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. IgG antibody responses to oral pathogens decreased with age in healthy subjects, remained constantly elevated in subjects with periodontitis and increased with age in subjects with gingivitis. Additionally, the level of antibody to P. gingivalis was positively correlated with the specific microbial burden and appeared to be unaffected by aging. Interesting differences were noted in aging related to gender with males showing some increase in antibody levels, not observed in females. Finally, aging effects on IgG subclass antibody distribution was noted, with both IgG2 and IgG3 increasing with aging, with IgG2 levels contributing the largest proportion of total IgG antibody, and IgG4 antibody to P. gingivalis actually increased, particularly in subjects with periodontitis.

These findings suggest that aging alterations in antibody responses to oral bacteria that have "primed" the immune system are different than responses to naive antigens and indicate that the affects related to gender, subclass, and microbial burden may have some role in disease changes with aging.

This is a summary of oral presentation #0189, "Systemic Antibody Responses to Oral Bacteria with Aging," which will be presented on Thursday, March 17, 2016, 8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center, room #408A.

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About the American Association for Dental Research

The American Association for Dental Research (AADR), headquartered in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit organization with more than 3,700 members in the United States. Its mission is: (1) to advance research and increase knowledge for the improvement of oral health; (2) to support and represent the oral health research community; and (3) to facilitate the communication and application of research findings. AADR is the largest Division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). To learn more about the AADR, visit http://www.aadr.org.
In a report on the so-called REMEMBER (Reducing Early Mortality and Early Morbidity by Empiric Tuberculosis Treatment) study -- a 10-nation, randomized clinical trial of adult outpatients -- investigators concluded that there was no added benefit of using four drugs for TB over just using one drug, isoniazid, to save lives in people with advanced HIV/AIDS.

The research team, jointly led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina, says it thought the standard four-drug regimen would improve survival rates over isoniazid-alone therapy to prevent tuberculosis. But the report, published in the March 19 issue of The Lancet, instead validates the World Health Organization guidelines -- established nearly 20 years ago -- for prescribing isoniazid to even the most vulnerable, advanced HIV/AIDS patients as soon as they start antiretroviral therapy for HIV.

"Our results even suggest the four-drug strategy is actually doing more harm than isoniazid-alone therapy because study participants found it less tolerable and stopped using it," says senior study author Amita Gupta, M.D., associate professor of medicine and deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Clinical Global Health Education.

Overall, the researchers report that the low mortality rate they found among all study participants supports systematic TB screening and preventive isoniazid therapy in all outpatients with advanced HIV.

Gupta says recent TB prevention studies enrolled people with less advanced HIV, namely those with higher counts of the protective CD4 T lymphocyte cells. For example, in the 2015 TEMPRANO trial, 41 percent of participants with HIV had a CD4 count greater than 500. A CD4 count less than 200 signals a stage 3 infection (AIDS). In the REMEMBER study, the team enrolled people with CD4 counts of less than 50.

"This was the very patient population we were most concerned about because of the World Health Organization's recommendation to use only one drug," says Gupta. "Some investigators feared that the use of just one drug would inadequately treat undiagnosed, subclinical TB and lead to more rapid drug resistance, which would be deadly."

For the new study, conducted from October 2011 to June 2014, researchers enrolled 850 participants -- 450 male and 400 female -- 13 and older, with a median age of 36, from 18 sites in 10 countries -- Malawi, South Africa, Haiti, Kenya, Zambia, India, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Peru and Uganda. It excluded those with suspected or actual TB.

All participants were started on antiretroviral therapy. Half (424) were randomly assigned to preventive isoniazid therapy and half (426) to the four-drug combination used as the standard treatment for TB, though it was used in this case as a preventive measure. The four-drug cohort received a weight-adjusted, fixed-dose combination of rifampin, isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide daily for eight weeks, followed by a fixed-dose combination of rifampin and isoniazid daily for 16 weeks, beginning within seven days of receiving their initial antiretroviral therapy. The single-drug cohort received 300 milligrams of isoniazid daily for 24 weeks.

After 24 weeks, one in 20 participants from each group died mostly from complications related to HIV/AIDS, including meningitis, cancer and TB. A total of 49 participants developed TB, and drug resistance developed in three participants in each group.

Stage 3 or 4 signs or symptoms, such as weight loss, diarrhea and fever, occurred in approximately one in 10 participants from each group. Stage 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities, such as anemia, neutropenia and abnormal liver enzymes, occurred in one in five participants from each group.

Overall, Gupta says, there was more "disease burden" among the multidrug treatment group over the 24-week trial period. Seventy-two participants from the four-drug cohort either died or had significant progression of their HIV/AIDs, while only 53 participants in the single-drug cohort experienced the same at 24 weeks.

"We went into this trial thinking that using the full, four-drug tuberculosis treatment would be able to prevent more deaths," says Gupta, compared to the isoniazid therapy alone. "We found -- unequivocally -- no difference," she says, with an absolute risk difference between the two treatment groups of 0.06 percent.

Gupta says that in addition to preventing TB and being better tolerated, isoniazid is more affordable than diagnosing and treating TB. This is especially true for poorer countries, where HIV and AIDS -- and co-infections, such as TB -- are undertreated in part because of cost. On average, the cost of isoniazid is pennies per pill, while it can be six times more expensive to try to diagnose and treat TB in each patient.

Gupta emphasizes that antiretroviral therapy by itself reduces the TB risk for most patients, but an estimated one in five in "resource-limited" settings die within six months of starting HIV treatment.

Autopsies often reveal these patients had undiagnosed tuberculosis, which contributed to their deaths. Failure to diagnose TB happens, in part, she says, because the most common test for tuberculosis -- sputum acid-fast bacilli testing -- has low sensitivity in patients with advanced HIV. Results of other TB tests can take as long as eight weeks because tuberculosis cultures grow slowly. Thus, routine preventive therapy makes sense, she adds.

Use of isoniazid alone to prevent TB in patients with HIV has been a World Health Organization guideline since 1998 but has been hampered by noncompliance among health care providers concerned about both the tolerability of the treatment and the promotion of drug resistance, especially among the most vulnerable patients with advanced HIV.

The REMEMBER study researchers found isoniazid was well-tolerated among their participants and that there was no evidence of increased drug resistance. "We actually underestimated the benefit of isoniazid preventive therapy in this highly vulnerable population," says Gupta, "so what this trial found was that you could do a good job of screening for tuberculosis using locally available measures and safely put patients on isoniazid."

The researchers also recommend that providers screen for tuberculosis symptoms at follow-up visits, also a guideline of the World Health Organization. The REMEMBER study is ongoing, with more results to come at 48 and 96 weeks.

Worldwide, HIV and AIDS affect 37 million people. Nearly 1.2 million die each year from the diseases. HIV increases a person's risk of getting TB by 25 times or more; it is the leading cause of death in patients with HIV. In resource-constrained settings, such as sub-Saharan Africa and India, dying of TB is especially common in the first six months of starting antiretroviral therapy. Starting HIV treatment and using a simple drug, such as isoniazid, seems to work, especially in those with very advanced HIV/AIDS, say the investigators.

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Additional authors of the study include Mina C. Hosseinipour, Gregory P. Bisson, Sachiko Miyahara, Xin Sun, Agnes Moses, Cynthia Riviere, K. Kirui, Sharla Badal-Faesen, David Lagat, Mulinda Nyirenda, K. Naidoo, James Hakim, Peter Mugyenyi, German Henostroza, D. Leger, Javier R Lama, Lerato Mohapi, Jorge Alave, V. Mave, Valdilea G. Veloso, Sandy Pillay, N. Kumarasamy, Jing Bao, Evelyn Hogg, Lynne Jones, Andrew Zolopa and Johnstone Kumwenda.

This research was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under grant numbers UM1AI068634, UM1AI068636 and UM1AI106701.
March 17, 2016. West Orange, NJ. Denise Fyffe, PhD, was awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Defense Spinal Cord Injury Research Program to study the care for veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), comparing data for service-connected injuries with non-service-connected injuries. The 590,000 grant funds the project: Spinal Cord Injury Veterans: Disability Benefits, Outcomes, and Healthcare Utilization Patterns. Dr. Fyffe is a senior research scientist in SCI Research at Kessler Foundation.

The VA is the single largest provider of healthcare for SCI, offering rehabilitative services to 26,000 affected veterans, half of whom also receive SCI specialty care. Injuries sustained during combat operations are considered service-connected disabilities for which veterans are eligible for federal benefits, including medical care and disability compensation. Veterans with non-service connected disabilities, however, do not receive the same benefits as those with service-connected disabilities.

"Using qualitative research methods, we will collect data on the characteristics, health, functional outcomes, healthcare usage, benefits and compensation of veterans with SCI," explained Dr. Fyffe, "and compare these factors for service-connected vs non-service-connected disabilities."

This study will further our understanding of the subpopulations of veterans with SCI, their caregivers and family members. Understanding how the care and benefits rendered by the VA healthcare system influence health status, functional outcomes and healthcare usage patterns will contribute to optimal care for all veterans with SCI.

Dr. Fyffe is a co-investigator in the federally funded model system based at Kessler - the Northern New Jersey SCI System - and an assistant professor at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. Her research focuses on reducing disparities in the care and quality of life of medically underserved populations.

This research is supported by funding from the Department of Defense W81XWH-15-1-0278.

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About SCI Research at Kessler Foundation

The Foundation's SCI Research Laboratory is one of the most active SCI laboratories in the country. Under the leadership of Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, and Steven Kirshblum, MD, scientists in SCI and Outcomes Research conduct investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored site-specific and multi-center studies and clinical trials. The Northern New Jersey SCI System (NNJSCIS), one of 14 model systems in the nation, provides a continuum of care and research aimed at improving the lives of people with SCI. Research funding sources include the National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research (NNJSCIS), the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration, the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, the New Jersey Commission for SCI Research, and Kessler Foundation. Foundation scientists have faculty appointments at Rutgers University; selected researchers are affiliated faculty at NJIT.

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, patients are often unable to remember recent experiences. However, a new study from MIT suggests that those memories are still stored in the brain -- they just can't be easily accessed.

The MIT neuroscientists report in Nature that mice in the early stages of Alzheimer's can form new memories just as well as normal mice but cannot recall them a few days later.

Furthermore, the researchers were able to artificially stimulate those memories using a technique known as optogenetics, suggesting that those memories can still be retrieved with a little help. Although optogenetics cannot currently be used in humans, the findings raise the possibility of developing future treatments that might reverse some of the memory loss seen in early-stage Alzheimer's, the researchers say.

"The important point is, this a proof of concept. That is, even if a memory seems to be gone, it is still there. It's a matter of how to retrieve it," says Susumu Tonegawa, the Picower Professor of Biology and Neuroscience and director of the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.

Tonegawa is the senior author of the study, which appears in the March 16 online edition of Nature. Dheeraj Roy, an MIT graduate student, is the paper's lead author.

Lost memories

In recent years, Tonegawa's lab has identified cells in the brain's hippocampus that store specific memories. The researchers have also shown that they can manipulate these memory traces, or engrams, to plant false memories, activate existing memories, or alter a memory's emotional associations.

Last year, Tonegawa, Roy, and colleagues found that mice with retrograde amnesia, which follows traumatic injury or stress, had impaired memory recall but could still form new memories. That led the team to wonder whether this might also be true for the memory loss seen in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, which occurs before characteristic amyloid plaques appear in patients' brains.

To investigate that possibility, the researchers studied two different strains of mice genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer's symptoms, plus a group of healthy mice.

All of these mice, when exposed to a chamber where they received a foot shock, showed fear when placed in the same chamber an hour later. However, when placed in the chamber again several days later, only the normal mice still showed fear. The Alzheimer's mice did not appear to remember the foot shock.

"Short-term memory seems to be normal, on the order of hours. But for long-term memory, these early Alzheimer's mice seem to be impaired," Roy says.

"An access problem"

The researchers then showed that while the mice cannot recall their experiences when prompted by natural cues, those memories are still there.

To demonstrate this, they first tagged the engram cells associated with the fearful experience with a light-sensitive protein called channelrhodopsin, using a technique they developed in 2012. Whenever these tagged engram cells are activated by light, normal mice recall the memory encoded by that group of cells. Likewise, when the researchers placed the Alzheimer's mice in a chamber they had never seen before and shined light on the engram cells encoding the fearful experience, the mice immediately showed fear.

"Directly activating the cells that we believe are holding the memory gets them to retrieve it," Roy says. "This suggests that it is indeed an access problem to the information, not that they're unable to learn or store this memory."

The researchers also showed that the engram cells of Alzheimer's mice had fewer dendritic spines, which are small buds that allow neurons to receive incoming signals from other neurons.

Normally, when a new memory is generated, the engram cells corresponding to that memory grow new dendritic spines, but this did not happen in the Alzheimer's mice. This suggests that the engram cells are not receiving sensory input from another part of the brain called the entorhinal cortex. The natural cue that should reactivate the memory -- being in the chamber again -- has no effect because the sensory information doesn't get into the engram cells.

"If we want to recall a memory, the memory-holding cells have to be reactivated by the correct cue. If the spine density does not go up during learning process, then later, if you give a natural recall cue, it may not be able to reach the nucleus of the engram cells," Tonegawa says.

Long-term connection

The researchers were also able to induce a longer-term reactivation of the "lost" memories by stimulating new connections between the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus.

To achieve this, they used light to optogenetically stimulate entorhinal cortex cells that feed into the hippocampal engram cells encoding the fearful memory. After three hours of this treatment, the researchers waited a week and tested the mice again. This time, the mice could retrieve the memory on their own when placed in the original chamber, and they had many more dendritic spines on their engram cells.

However, this approach does not work if too large a section of the entorhinal cortex is stimulated, suggesting that any potential treatments for human patients would have to be very targeted. Optogenetics is very precise but too invasive to use in humans, and existing methods for deep brain stimulation -- a form of electrical stimulation sometimes used to treat Parkinson's and other diseases -- affect too much of the brain.

"It's possible that in the future some technology will be developed to activate or inactivate cells deep inside the brain, like the hippocampus or entorhinal cortex, with more precision," Tonegawa says. "Basic research as conducted in this study provides information on cell populations to be targeted, which is critical for future treatments and technologies."

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A clinical trial in which volunteers were infected with dengue virus six months after receiving either an experimental dengue vaccine developed by scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a placebo injection yielded starkly contrasting results. All 21 volunteers who received the vaccine, TV003, were protected from infection, while all 20 placebo recipients developed infection. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, underscores the importance of human challenge studies, in which volunteers are exposed to disease-causing pathogens under carefully controlled conditions.

"The findings from this trial are very encouraging to those of us who have spent many years working on vaccine candidates to protect against dengue, a disease that is a significant burden in much of the world and is now endemic in Puerto Rico," said Stephen Whitehead, Ph.D., of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). "In fact, these results informed the recent decision by officials at Brazil's Butantan Institute to advance the TV003 vaccine into a large phase 3 efficacy trial."

Dengue fever, prevalent throughout the tropics and subtropics, is caused by any of four related dengue viruses--called serotypes--that are spread by Aedes mosquitoes, the same mosquitoes that spread Zika virus. Most of the estimated 390 million people who are infected with dengue virus each year develop either no symptoms or a mild illness. However, some people develop serious or life-threatening illness and large outbreaks lead millions to seek care, severely straining health care infrastructure in endemic countries.

The high prevalence of natural dengue infections in endemic areas means that many people have experienced infection at some point in the past and therefore may have immunity to the infecting serotype. A high degree of partial immunity in a population can make it difficult to assess the efficacy of any candidate dengue vaccine. A model of dengue infection in humans is one way to overcome the absence of animal models and the challenge of high background immunity in endemic areas. It is important to note that human challenge studies are conducted according to strict criteria designed to provide meticulous attention to volunteer safety and challenge studies would never be used for certain deadly pathogens, such as Ebola.

The experimental vaccine was developed primarily by Dr. Whitehead and his colleagues at NIAID's Laboratory of Infectious Diseases. Scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also contributed to the vaccine's development. The candidate vaccine is made from a mixture of four live, weakened (attenuated) viruses targeted to each of the four serotypes. A total of 48 healthy adult volunteers enrolled at two trial sites, the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and were randomly assigned to receive either vaccine or placebo injection.

Six months later, 41 people returned for the challenge with dengue virus. Dr. Whitehead and colleagues also developed the challenge virus used in the trial, which is a genetically modified version of a dengue-2 serotype virus isolated in the Kingdom of Tonga in 1974. The original virus was notable for causing only mild illness. In previous human challenge trials with this modified virus, Dr. Whitehead and his coinvestigators established the virus dose that would cause all recipients to develop viremia--the presence of virus in the blood--and most to develop a mild rash.

"This modified dengue virus is very attractive for use as a challenge virus because we can use it to reliably induce dengue infection in a very high percentage of inoculated volunteers without causing serious illness," said Dr. Whitehead. By inducing only rash (without fever) in the majority of recipients, the challenge virus mimics natural dengue virus infection, which often features such a rash, he noted.

A human challenge model of dengue infection--rather than illness--is an important characteristic, explained Anna Durbin, M.D., who led the clinical trial at Johns Hopkins.

"Because there are no specific therapies for dengue fever, it is desirable to have a challenge virus that causes infection, but does not result in significant symptoms of disease," she said. The reliably high percentage of those who develop viremia following exposure to this challenge virus is another advantage--when most or all volunteers develop viremia or other signs of infection, clinical trials can enroll relatively small numbers of people but still achieve answers to such questions as whether a candidate vaccine protects against infection, she noted.

In this study, all 20 placebo recipients developed viremia, 16 (80 percent) developed mild rash and 4 (20 percent) had a temporary drop in white blood cell count following challenge with the virus. None of the 21 TV003 vaccine recipients developed viremia or any other sign of infection after challenge.

"We were pleasantly surprised to see that this candidate vaccine provided complete protection in everyone who received it," said Dr. Durbin. "The dengue-2 serotype is considered the relatively weaker component in this, and other, candidate dengue vaccines, so its ability to confer protection from a challenge with dengue-2 virus was encouraging."

Dr. Whitehead is currently developing a human challenge model using a modified dengue serotype-3 virus. This challenge virus could be used in future clinical trials to test the efficacy of candidate dengue vaccines or therapies.

Dengue virus is in the same virus family as Zika virus, and the NIAID team is now leveraging their experience with the live-attenuated dengue vaccine in efforts to develop a Zika vaccine, Dr. Whitehead noted.

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Additional information about the dengue virus challenge trial is available at ClinicalTrials.gov using the identifier NCT02021968. The research was funded by the NIAID Intramural Research Program contract HHSN272200900010C.

NIAID conducts and supports research--at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide--to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

Reference: BD Kirkpatrick et al. The live attenuated dengue vaccine TV003 elicits complete protection against dengue in a human challenge model. Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf1517 (2016).
Survey instrument is among the first published to specifically evaluate and quantify the long-term nursing care needs of the very young and very ill

Recent medical advances have resulted in increased survival of children with complex medical conditions (CMC), such as cerebral palsy, complex chromosomal anomalies, major congenital heart diseases and respiratory disease.

Healthcare services for this population are complex and include frequent transitions across inpatient, outpatient, subspecialty and community settings with poor coordination of care, contributing to increased hospital use. Quantifying severity of illness and intensity of service needs have typically used taxonomies designed for adult patients.

"There is not a published measure that is being used nationally that is specific for pediatrics," said Ann-Margaret Navarra PhD, CPNP-PC, an assistant professor at New York University College of Nursing (NYUCN). "Children with CMC utilize a lot of health care, yet it's not really clear what their needs are especially with regards to nursing."

Dr. Navarra, a pediatric nurse practitioner with a background in pediatrics and pediatric HIV, while working as a postdoc at Columbia University School of Nursing with Elaine L. Larson RN, PhD, FAAN, CIC, devised a nursing intensity measure that is specific for pediatrics and for use in pediatric long-term care facilities.

Using an unpublished intensity worksheet developed by pediatric nurses at one of the clinical sites as a starting point, the researchers tapped three pediatric care facilities for assistance in designing and testing the N-KICS tool (Nursing-Kids Intensity of Care Survey) to describe the intensity of nursing care for children with CMC. The N-KICS is detailed in a new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing.

Three recursive rounds of testing spanning eighteen months assessed the reliability, validity, feasibility and acceptability of the N-KICS. The survey measures forty factors individually on a scale from one (not relevant to care needs) to four (very relevant to care needs). Amongst the forty items, vital signs, weight, observation, bathing, ambulation/mobility functionality, respiratory support and care, skin care, and behavior were assessed and taken into consideration for calculating nursing intensity.

After the final iterations of revising the N-KICS, the researchers implemented it at a pediatric long-term care facility with 97 beds; six nurse managers participated in the survey. High intensity scores were consistently observed for survey items representing nursing care related to infection control, medication administration, nutritional interventions, elimination (diaper changes), bathing, mouth care, management of seizures, and respiratory care such as chest therapy.

"Infection control was one of the higher intensity ratings, and this makes sense," said Dr. Navarra, "because these kids with chronic illness--they're in these facilities for a long time, interacting with a lot of professionals. Many have in-dwelling devices--whether it's an essential line or catheter, there are a lots of reasons why this could be. There's also, of course, the risk of hospital-acquired infection."

Although Dr. Navarra is a pediatric NP by training, she never worked in a pediatric long-term care facility and admits she was surprised by the level of intensity related to bathing, diaper changes, nutrition, and mouth care. These data contribute to a better understanding of the healthcare needs for this population in long-term care facilities.

"Considering that a large proportion of this population is discharged to home from acute care settings that's a big burden on the parents, especially with reported caregiver burden of 11- 20 hours weekly," says Dr. Navarra, noting a further application of the survey. Future testing of the N-KICS could include evaluation of service needs for families that would be helpful for discharge planning.

Dr. Navarra and the team of researchers also note the feasability and acceptability of the N-KICS.

"The average time to complete the N-KICS is ten minutes, and it was well received by the nursing staff in the facilities in which it was tested," said Dr. Navarra.

Since developing the N-KICS, it has been tested at eleven sites nationally. Those findings have not yet been published, but Dr. Navarra is hopeful that wide-spread adoption will foster more research.

"I think N-KICS represents, really, an initial first step to describe what the needs are for this population because it's a pediatric-specific tool," said Dr. Navarra. "We achieved our intent, which was really to look at what was needed so that there could be allocation of the best, optimal resources for these kids."

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Researcher Affiliations: Ann-Margaret Navarra PhD, CPNP-PCa, Rona Schlau MSN, RNb, Meghan Murray MPHc, Linda Mosiello RN, MSd, Laura Schneider RN, MSMd, Olivia Jackson RNe, Bevin Cohen MPHf, Lisa Saiman MD, MPHg, Elaine L. Larson RN, PhD, FAAN, CIC c.

a. New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY

b. ArchCare at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center, New York, NY

c. Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY

d. Sunshine Children's Home and Rehabilitative Center, Ossining, NY

e. Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, Yonkers, NY

f. Center for Interdisciplinary Research to Prevent Infections (CIRI), Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY

g. Columbia University Medical Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, New York, NY

Acknowledgements: The study was funded in part by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Keep it Clean for Kids (KICK), 1R01HS021470 and research training grant, "Training in Interdisciplinary Research to Prevent Infections (TIRI)," T32 NR013454. We gratefully acknowledge the support and contributions of Edwin Simpser, MD, Gordon Hutcheon, MD, Marianne Pavia, MT (ASCP), CLS, CIC, and Amanda Buet, MPH.

About New York University College of Nursing

NYU College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science with major in Nursing, a Master of Science and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in Research Theory and Development. For more information, visit https://nursing.nyu.edu/
The Montana Attorney Generals office won't prosecute a Carbon County drug case that resulted from Red Lodge police searching a Bearcreek residence.

The Prosecution Services Bureau has elected not to prosecute this case," said Brant Light, assistant attorney general and chief of the bureau. The bureau assists counties.

(Because) this is a case involving (drug) residue and the fact I firmly believe the search to be inappropriate, I do not believe I can justify any further resources or manpower on the matter," Light wrote in a Feb. 23 letter to Carbon County Attorney Alex Nixon.

The case involved a Jan. 23-24 search by the Red Lodge Police Department of 112 N. First St. in Bearcreek, a small incorporated town about six and a half miles east of Red Lodge.

Police officers executed a search warrant obtained from the Carbon County justice of the peace as part of a drug investigation. Two people were arrested. The city attorney later dismissed charges and referred the case to the county attorney for possible felony charges.

'Serious concerns'

The search prompted Nixon and Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan to send city officials a strongly worded letter critical of the police departments actions. They said they had serious concerns regarding the application for and execution of the search warrant, which they said appeared to be based on misrepresentation to the justice of the peace.

Nixon advised that going forward, search warrants originating from city police departments to be served in the county would need approval from either him or the sheriffs office prior to application.

That requirement was needed to protect constitutional rights and to ensure information obtained from a search could be used in court, Nixon said.

Red Lodge City Attorney Joel Todd declined on Wednesday to comment on the attorney generals letter.

Todd and Police Chief Steve Hibler have maintained they did nothing wrong and cited a section of Montana law regarding the authority to issue search warrants. They said earlier that the law places limits on the geographical jurisdiction of the particular court in issuing search warrants but not on the jurisdiction of police officers seeking the warrant.

Bearcreek town officials also weighed in and sent a letter to Attorney General Tim Fox asking whether the Red Lodge Police Department had the authority to enter Bearcreek for a search and whether Red Lodge officers had violated any laws.

Attorney general's position

Nixon said on Wednesday that because of the differing opinions, he asked the attorney generals office to review the case and resolve the matter.

The attorney generals office backed Nixons position.

While the state statute may give peace officers authority to apply for a search warrant, Light said, that phrase must be construed to mean any police officer with power to act.

There is no Montana statute that authorizes a city police officer to serve a search warrant outside of the boundaries of his or her territorial jurisdiction. It is a general rule that a police officers authority cannot extend beyond his jurisdiction, i.e. the city limits, Light said.

In the Bearcreek case, Light continued, the Red Lodge Police Department should have notified the Carbon County attorney or sheriffs office prior to the issuance of the search warrant.

And, upon approval, both the city police department and sheriffs office should have taken part in the execution of the search warrant, he said.

Light also said he recognized the police department made some efforts to advise and include the sheriffs office in the search warrant. The police chief called the sheriff in reference to the search and the sheriff approved having several deputies assist, he said.

But, Light said he thought prior notice was needed before the warrant was issued and that the sheriff needed to be fully advised of the specific search warrant that was being executed.

Those factors might become important if subsequently a motion to suppress or dismiss was filed, Light said.

Nixons administrative requirements for out-of-city search warrants also were appropriate, Light said.

There was clearly a lack of communication between the two law enforcement agencies in this matter, and it is my hope that these new requirements will lead to better communication and cooperation, Light said.

Civil suit

Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit in which a Bearcreek resident is suing the city of Red Lodge over the search is continuing.

Bearcreek resident sues Red Lodge alleging illegal search, false arrest A Bearcreek resident is suing the city of Red Lodge claiming law enforcement officers illega

The lawsuit, filed by Tiffany McKinney, is seeking at least $1 million claiming her civil rights were violated during the search. McKinney alleges law enforcement officers illegally searched her home and arrested her and that she was injured while in police custody by slipping and falling on ice.

The police chief said earlier that McKinney initially was detained until her involvement could be determined and that she was subsequently released. McKinney slipped and fell on ice while being escorted to a patrol car and declined medical attention.
We know calcium is good for our bones, but it might also be the key to a good night sleep. Researchers at the RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC) and the University of Tokyo in Japan have unveiled a new theory for how sleep works. Published in the journal Neuron, the work shows how slow-wave sleep depends on the activity of calcium inside neurons.

"Although sleep is a fundamental physiologic function, its mechanism is still a mystery," according to group director and corresponding author Hiroki Ueda.

A multi-disciplinary research team led by Ueda used a variety of scientific techniques, including computational modeling and studying knockout mice, to search for the fundamental mechanism underlying sleep. Professor Ueda is a medical doctor by training, but as a researcher investigating sleep disorders, he favors a broad and deep approach that relies equally on in silico, in vitro, and in vivo modeling. He explains, "Because our study presents a new theory of sleep, we needed to support it with different methodologies."

In silico, the team created a computational neural model to predict which currents within a neuron are critical for maintaining the type of neural activity associated with slow-wave sleep.

Fumiya Tatsuki, co-first author and undergraduate student at the University of Tokyo explains, "Our model made four predictions, which provided us with four starting points to search for critical genes involved in sleep. Each prediction was tested and proven correct in experiments with knockout mice or by pharmacological inhibition, and we were ultimately able to identify seven genes that work in the same calcium-related pathway to control sleep duration".

Twenty-one knockout mice were created using recently developed CRISPR technology, which Ueda's team has been refining into a highly accurate, highly efficient, in vitro system called triple CRISPR. Results published earlier this year indicated near 100% success rate. Additionally, co-first author Genshiro Sunagawa developed an automated sleep monitoring system for this study that proved invaluable for continuously collecting the necessary behavioral data.

Based on the computer models, triple CRISPR technology, and the new sleep-monitoring system, KO mice lacking target genes were observed in vivo for changes in sleep duration. By identifying mice with abnormal sleep patterns, the team was able to pinpoint seven genes that were critical for increasing or decreasing sleep duration.

All seven genes allow calcium-dependent changes in neurons that make them resist becoming active -- a process called hyperpolarization. As predicted by the model, down-regulating six of these genes reduced sleep duration in KO mice and down-regulating the final gene led to longer bouts of sleep.

As Shoi Shi, co-first author and graduate student at the University of Tokyo, explains, "Our paper revealed that sleep is regulated by calcium-related pathways. One surprise was that contrary to current theories, inhibiting NMDA receptors directly evoked neuronal excitation, which contributed to reduced sleep."

Notes Ueda, "these findings should contribute to the understanding and treatment of sleep disorders and neurologic diseases that have been associated with them. In addition to becoming new molecular targets for sleep drugs, the genes we have identified could also become targets for drugs that treat certain psychiatric disorders that occur with sleep dysfunction."

Sunagawa cautions that much work is still needed. "Although our study reveals a mechanism for sleep regulation, the molecular details of the mechanism are still unknown, as is the real relationship between sleep dysfunction and psychiatric disorders."

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Reference:

Tatsuki F, Sunagawa GA, Shi S, Susaki EA, Yukinaga H, Perrin D, Sumiyama K, Ukai-Tadenuma M, Fujishima H, Ohno R, Tone D, Ode KL, Matsumoto K, Ueda HR (2016). Involvement of Ca2+-dependent hyperpolarization in sleep duration in mammals. Neuron. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.02.032
This news release is available in Spanish.

A team of scientists including a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) research associate announced the discovery of a new species of pale-gold colored frog from the cloud forests of the high Andes in Colombia. Its name, Pristimantis dorado, commemorates both its color (dorado means 'golden' in Spanish) and El Dorado, a mythical city of gold eagerly sought for centuries by Spanish conquistadores in South America.

"The Spaniards assumed Colombia's wealth was its gold, but today we understand that the real riches of the country lie in its biodiversity," said Andrew Crawford, a STRI research associate and faculty member at the Universidad de Los Andes.

The extraordinarily diverse group to which the new species belongs, Pristimantis, includes 465 recognized species, 205 of them from Colombia. The mountainous terrain of the Andes probably led to the evolution of so many different ground-dwelling frogs, in which the eggs develop directly into tiny baby frogs without going through a tadpole phase. At seven-tenths of an inch long, the species is among the smaller species in the group. The largest species grow to be 2 inches in length.

Males of many frog species advertise for females with distinctive calls produced by vocal sacs or vocal slits. Oddly, although the new species lacks these structures, males are still able to produce calls consisting of an irregularly pulsed series of clicks.

The new species was found calling from bushes along a roadside at about 8,700 feet elevation near Chingaza National Park, roughly10 miles east of Bogota, Colombia's capital and largest city. Its discovery so close to a metropolitan area of nearly 10 million inhabitants illustrates how much of the planet's biodiversity remains to be discovered.

"With this new species, Colombia now hosts 800 species of amphibians, second only to Brazil in total diversity," said Crawford. "Every year there are increasing numbers of new species of amphibians discovered and described. At this point we still can't even estimate what the final diversity of amphibians will be."

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The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Institute furthers the understanding of tropical nature and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Website: http://stri.si.edu/

Rivera-Correa, Mauricio, Faride Lamadrid-Feris, and Andrew J. Crawford. 2016. A new small golden frog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) from an Andean cloud forest of Colombia. Amphibia-Reptilia http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003037
WASHINGTON -- It's important to know how microorganisms -- particularly pathogenic microbes -- grow under various conditions. Certain bacteria can cause food poisoning when eaten and bacterial growth in medical blood supplies, while rare, might necessitate discarding the blood.

Now a group of researchers from Zhejiang Normal University in China and Umea University in Sweden report a fast, accurate, and noninvasive technique for monitoring bacterial growth. They report the results in Applied Optics, a journal of The Optical Society (OSA).

Microorganism growth is driven by many factors, which make it far from easy to accurately estimate the amount of bacteria within food containers or blood samples at any given time.

To avoid the risk that any particular packaged food item will go bad and cause illness, it's given an unnecessarily short shelf life. In short, a better understanding of the growth process of microorganisms could reduce food waste and prevent people from being sickened by food poisoning -- or both.

Within the medical realm, it's critical to be able to assess the quality of blood samples quickly and accurately. Without this ability, samples might need to be discarded or, alternatively, result in or worsen illnesses. Although bacterial blood contamination is rare, it does occur and has led to deaths. A rapid screening method could mean that a larger percentage of blood could be directly tested for bacteria.

"Microorganism growth is always associated with the production of carbon dioxide (CO2)," said Jie Shao, associate professor at the Institute of Information Optics, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China. "By assessing the level of CO2 within a given closed compartment -- bottle or bag -- it's possible to assess the microbial growth."

Several detection techniques are currently capable of rapid and accurate measurements of gas compositions. Those based on optical spectrometry are most appealing because they're noninvasive, boast high sensitivity, provide instant responses, and are potentially useful for assessment of bacterial growth.

"A technique referred to as 'tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy' (TDLAS) is particularly suitable because it combines all of these properties with an ease of use and low cost," Shao said.

So the group decided to develop an easy-to-use instrument based on TDLAS to assess bacterial growth of various types of samples under a variety of conditions.

TDLAS is by far the most common laser-based absorption technique for quantitative assessments of species within a gas phase. It can be used to measure the concentration of specific gaseous species -- carbon monoxide, CO2, water, or methane, to name a handful -- within gaseous mixtures by using absorption spectrometry based on tunable diode lasers.

"One major advantage TDLAS offers is its ability to achieve very low detection limits, on the order of parts per billion," Shao said. "Apart from concentration, it's also possible to determine other properties of the gas under observation -- temperature, pressure, velocity and mass flux."

The group's basic setup simply involves a tunable diode laser as the light source, beam shaping optics, a sample to be investigated, receiving optics, and one or more detectors.

"The emission wavelength of the laser is tuned over a characteristic absorption line transition -- of the species within the gas being assessed," Shao explained. "This causes a reduction of the measured signal intensity, which we can use to determine the gas concentration."

When the wavelength is rapidly tuned across the transition in a specific manner, it can be combined with a modulation technique called "wavelength modulation" (WM), which gives the TDLAS technique an enhanced sensitivity. It's referred to as "WM-TDLAS."

By applying the technique to transparent containers of organic substances such as food items or medical samples, bacterial growth can be quickly evaluated. "Although we anticipated that the WM-TDLAS technique would be suitable for assessing bacterial growth, we didn't expect this level of accuracy," Shao noted.

In contrast with conventional and more invasive techniques that require contact with the tested items, the WM-TDLAS method is truly noninvasive, making it ideal for monitoring the status of food and medical supplies, or as a tool to determine under which environmental conditions bacterial growth is expected to be severe. "It can provide real-time analysis," Shao said.

Next, the researchers plan to enhance the technique to "allow for assessments of microbial growth in a large variety of samples -- expanding beyond food items and medical supplies," Shao added.

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Paper: Jie Shao, Jindong Xiang, Ove Axner, and Chaofu Ying, "Wavelength-modulated tunable diode-laser absorption spectrometry for real-time monitoring of microbial growth," Appl. Opt. 55, 2339-2345 (2016).

About Applied Optics

Applied Optics publishes in-depth articles emphasizing applications-centered research in optics. Published three times each month, Applied Optics' articles cover topics such as optical technology, photonics, lasers, information processing, sensing and environmental optics. For more information, visit OSA Publishing.

About The Optical Society

Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and entrepreneurs who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org/100.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- March 17, 2016 -- The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), working with international investigators, have discovered the source of a potential deadly blood infection in more than 50 South American cancer patients.

Using advanced genomic sequencing, TGen was able to track a potentially deadly and therapy-resistant fungus, Sarocladium kiliense, to a tainted anti-nausea medication given to dozens of cancer patients in Chile and Colombia, according to a report in Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Contamination of medical products, particularly with environmental fungi, poses growing concern and a public health threat, especially in vulnerable populations such as cancer patients," said Dr. David Engelthaler, Director of Programs and Operations for TGen's Pathogen Genomics Division in Flagstaff, Ariz.

"Increased vigilance and the use of advanced technologies are needed to rapidly identify the likely sources of infection to efficiently guide epidemiologic investigations and initiate appropriate control measures," said Dr. Engelthaler, Arizona's former State Epidemiologist.

This bloodstream-infection outbreak, from June 2013-January 2014, included a cluster of cases at eight hospitals in Santiago, the capital of Chile. All of the patients received the same four intravenous medications. But only one -- ondansetron, an anti-nausea medication -- was given exclusively to cancer patients.

All of the patients infected with S. kiliense received ondansetron from the same source, a pharmaceutical company in Columbia. Two of three lots of unopened ondansetron, tested by the Chilean Ministry of Health, yielded vials contaminated with S. kiliense, forcing a recall of all ondansetron in Chile made by the Columbian manufacturer.

Subsequently, Colombian officials discovered 14 other cases in which patients, given ondansetron from the same Columbian pharmaceutical firm, were infected with S. kiliense. The source of the contamination was identified only as "pharmaceutical company A" in the CDC report.

Read the full CDC report here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/3/pdfs/15-1193.pdf

S. kiliense has been implicated previously in healthcare-related infections, but the lack of available typing methods has precluded the ability to substantiate sources.

"The use of whole-genome sequence typing (WGST) to investigate fungal outbreaks has become integral to epidemiologic investigations," Dr. Engelthaler said. "Our WGST analysis demonstrated that the patient isolates from Chile and Colombia were nearly genetically indistinguishable from those recovered from the unopened medication vials, indicating the likely presence of a single-source infection."

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About TGen

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen.
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (March 17, 2016): An innovative team of scientists led by the USDA Forest Service was honored on Wednesday for research that is seeking to improve bats' odds of surviving White-nose Syndrome by investigating their migratory patterns, habitat use and ability to fight the disease itself.

USDA Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell presided over the 2016 Wings Across the Americas Conservation Awards ceremony, which was held as part of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., and honored outstanding work in the conservation of birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies. Tidwell presented the research partnership award to a team that includes researchers from the Forest Service's Northern Research Station and Forest Products Laboratory as well as State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry, state natural resource agencies in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, and three national forests. The partnership takes a holistic approach to studying the effects of WNS and aims to find ways to help bats cope with the disease, from studying whether microbes on their wings are helping build immunity to WNS to identifying where land managers might improve habitat so migrating bats are healthier and more resilient to the disease.

"White-nose Syndrome is as complicated as it is devastating," said Deahn Donner, principle investigator for the partnership and a project leader/landscape ecologist with the Northern Research Station in Rhinelander, Wis. "It is a problem that has to be attacked from many angles and on many scales."

The study plan for "Multi-scale Landscape Approach for Studying the Secondary Effects of White-nose Syndrome in Bats of the Upper Midwest" was developed by Donner with co-principle investigators Paula Marquardt, a Northern Research Station population geneticist in Rhinelander, and Brian Heeringa, a wildlife biologist specializing in bats who splits his time between the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and the Northern Research Station in Rhinelander.

"We accomplish more when we join forces, and this research team truly exemplifies the power of collaboration in science and conservation," said Tony Ferguson, Acting Director of the U.S. Forest Service's Northern Research Station and the Forest Products Laboratory.

The research partnership includes: Daniel Lindner, Jon Palmer and Michelle Jusino of the Forest Products Laboratory; Dan Eklund of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest; Tim Catton of the Superior National Forest; Kari Kirshbaum of the Chippewa National Forest; Jacquelyn Frair and Ben Prom of State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry; J. Paul White and Jennifer Redell of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Bill Scullon of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Mike Scafini of the Pennsylvania Game Commission; Alyssa Bennett of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department; and Carl Herzog of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Wings Across the Americas is sponsored by USDA Forest Service programs including the National Forest System, State & Private Forestry, Research & Development and International Programs. Wings Across the Americas works with a wide range of partners in the United States and overseas to conserve habitats and populations of birds, bats, butterflies, and dragonflies. Other awards honor conservation efforts connected to bats, butterflies and dragonflies.

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The mission of the Forest Service's Northern Research Station is to improve people's lives and help sustain the natural resources in the Northeast and Midwest through leading-edge science and effective information delivery.

The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).
A PhD student at the University of Strathclyde is among only 18 worldwide to have been awarded a place on the prestigious Schmidt MacArthur Fellowship.

The year-long Fellowship is an international programme on the circular economy for postgraduates studying Design, Engineering and Business.

Jack Barrie, of Strathclyde's Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, is one of only two students to have joined the programme through its Wild Card competition, for students at universities which are not among the Fellowship's 14 partner institutions.

He joins students from other major institutions in the Fellowship, including Yale University, Imperial College London, Stanford University, University College London, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California Berkeley.

Jack's research explores the role of networks of innovation in the circular economy, an economy that invites businesses to transform their approach to the use of materials and energy.

The Fellowship, created by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in partnership with the Schmidt Family Foundation, is now in its fourth year. It includes a week-long summer school in the UK, an online support programme and a cash bursary, as well as the opportunity to link with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's wider activities and networks.

Jack said: "I am delighted to have received this prestigious fellowship in a highly-competitive international process. I have an insatiable appetite for learning and the Fellowship will provide me with valuable support for my studies and research, and with equally-valuable experience for my future careers.

"I am committed to solving the world's toughest challenges and the transition to the circular economy is the greatest challenge of our time. Innovation sits at the heart of this transition and I aim to shed light on how best we can leverage such innovation to help us move towards a circular economy."

Jack's lead supervisor, Dr Elsa Joao, of Strathclyde's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: "This is a fantastic achievement by Jack. It is a testament to the quality of his research and his dedication to studying the circular economy.

"The circular economy is a rapidly-emerging concept with a major role to play in economic growth worldwide - and the Schmidt McArthur Fellowship is highly-coveted among students in this field. Jack's research is making a significant contribution to its understanding and will be enhanced by his participation in the Fellowship."

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KNOXVILLE--It is often true in life that adversity makes humans more likely to lean on one another.

That theme of interdependence in hard times apparently holds true in the animal kingdom, according to a new study co-authored by a researcher from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Vladimir Dinets, UT assistant professor of psychology, examined the unlikely friendship between striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) and grey wolves (Canis lupus) in the southern Negev, Israel. He suspects that the particularly inhospitable conditions of the extreme desert -- and a need for food -- might have pushed the two enemies into an unusual alliance.

The study was recently published in the journal Zoology in the Middle East. Dinets co-authored the study with Beniamin Eligulashvili, an Israel-based zoologist.

Dinets noted that humans can learn from the hyena-wolf partnership.

"Animal behavior is often more flexible than described in textbooks," he said. "When necessary, animals can abandon their usual strategies and learn something completely new and unexpected. It's a very useful skill for people, too."

Hyenas and wolves are generally not friendly toward other carnivores. Hyenas fight epic battles with lions and African wild dogs, and take over kills that leopards and cheetahs have made. They easily kill domestic dogs, no matter the size, in one-on-one fights. Wolves hunt and kill lynxes, coyotes and even dogs, their closest relatives.

So Dinets and Eligulashvili were surprised when they observed striped hyenas--the little known, mostly solitary relatives of the better-known spotted hyenas of Africa--in the middle of grey wolf packs, moving together through a maze of canyons in the southern part of the Negev desert.

The researchers initially inferred this behavior from animal tracks. The second time, four years later, they observed it directly in the same approximate location. It is unknown if the same animals were involved in both cases. It is also unknown if this was a unique aberrant behavior or something happening regularly but never before recorded.

Dinets theorizes that both predators tolerated each other because they benefit from roaming the desert together. Wolves are more agile and can chase and take down all large animals of the region, while hyenas have an acute sense of smell and can locate carrion from many miles away. Hyenas also are better at digging out buried garbage and cracking open large bones and tin cans.

Both the grey wolf and the striped hyena are found in many geographic areas and overlap in many parts of Asia. But the southern Negev is the most arid place where both species are known to occur.

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CONTACT:

Lola Alapo

865-974-3993

lalapo@utk.edu

Vladimir Dinets

865-974-3328

vdinets@utk.edu
On February 23, President Obama announced plans to close the notorious military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Whether he'll be able to is a hot political question. Now, Joe Roman, a conservation biologist at the University of Vermont, and James Kraska, professor of law at the U.S. Naval War College, are asking the next question: what to do with Gitmo after the detainees are gone?

Their answer: transform the naval base into a marine research center and international peace park.

The new proposal was published in Science, one of the world's top academic journals, on March 17, days before the U.S. President's trip to Cuba.

WOODS HOLE SOUTH

"Guantanamo could become the Woods Hole of the Caribbean," says Roman, referring to the famous U.S. ocean science center. "This could be a powerful way for the Obama administration to achieve the president's 2008 campaign promise to close the prison--while protecting a de facto nature reserve and some of the most important coral reefs in the world."

Kraska sees advantages for the U.S. military as well. "Our view is that the proposal looks down range to what might be possible or beneficial for the natural environment and for the Pentagon," he notes. The Department of Defense faces an "overhang of base infrastructure," Kraska says, meaning that it may need to trim its operations and will likely be exploring which military installations to close. "The naval base at GTMO is a prime candidate" for closure, Kraska notes, "and could generate positive externalities"--like repurposing the navy facility into a research station for the benefit of marine conservation.

"This model, designed to attract both sides, could unite Cuba and the United States in joint management, rather than serve as a wedge between them," the two scholars write, "while helping meet the challenges of climate change, mass extinction and declining coral reefs."

Roman and Kraska's op-ed notes that Cuba has more than three thousand miles of coastline, including some of the most pristine mangrove wetlands, seagrass beds, and tropical forests in the region. Perhaps as "an accidental Eden," Roman says--because of Cuba's years of political and economic isolation-- and mostly from Cuba's determined conservation efforts over the last few decades, the nation's coral reefs, fish diversity, and marine life are "unparalleled in the Caribbean."

"As U.S. involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq winds down," the researchers write, "and detainees are released or subject to criminal trial, perhaps the most compelling raison d'etre for the Pentagon to possess the base disappears." And the base's other missions--like antidrug operations or search-and-rescue work--could move to the naval station at Key West, Florida, only 90 miles away.

A THIRD PATH

Some U.S. politicians have recently called for the prison to remain open indefinitely. In contrast, the Cuban government has considered the U.S. presence in Guantanamo illegal since the 1960s--and has refused to cash the annual rent check of $4,085, part of an agreement that stretches back to the 1903 Cuban-American Treaty of Relations.

Joe Roman--an expert on ocean ecosystems in UVM's Gund Institute for Ecological Economics and Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources--and James Kraska--professor and research director for the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College--call their proposal a third path. "The Obama administration has made it clear that diplomatic relations with Cuba and the transfer of detainees do not mean that it is willing to discuss the return of the Guantanamo base to Cuba anytime soon," they write. But an international peace park and research station on this land would be in both countries' interest, they argue.

Rebooting Gitmo, to become a research center, could give global recognition to Cuba's "conservation efforts and strong stance on climate change," they write, while "providing financial support, up-to-date facilities for environmental work" and an opportunity to train Cuba's upcoming scientists and students--all building scientific dialogue and goodwill between the two nations. "Cuba has great conservation scientists," Roman says. "They just don't have money or equipment."

NOW WHAT?

In February 1903, the United States leased 45 square miles of land and water at Guantanamo Bay for use as a coaling station for its naval ships. Today, more than a half-century after the Cuban Revolution, in an era of newly thawing diplomatic relations, the area contains rare tropical dry forests, as well as mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds--and habitats for many species, from grandillo trees to spiny lobsters. "With a reduced U.S. footprint at Guantanamo," Roman and Kraska write, "most of the land and sea could be given to threatened Cuban manatees and hawksbill sea turtles"--while the existing buildings could be converted to labs and meeting rooms, partly powered by four large wind turbines already in place.

"The future of Cuba is very uncertain," says Roman. The influx of US tourism dollars and business investment, could turn Cuba into another Cancun, Mexico, with "high-rise hotels as far as the eye can see," Roman says. Or the island nation could pursue a more "sustainable, eco-friendly path," he says, building on strong traditions of environmental protection, and complementing its world-leading expertise in urban and low-input agriculture.

Roman and Kraska believe a new purpose for the naval base could help Cuba continue on the green path. "For the next generation," they write, "the name Guantanamo could become associated with redemption and efforts to preserve and repair the environment and international relationships."

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The archaic Denisovan and Neanderthal DNA that persists in modern individuals from the Pacific islands of Melanesia could be a source of new information about early human history, according to a report published this Thursday in the Early Release edition of Science.

Equally as informative, according to Joshua Akey, a UW Medicine expert on human evolutionary genetics, are regions where DNA from extinct, human-like species has vanished from the genome and has been replaced with sequences unique to people.

Denisovans are related to, but distinct from, Neanderthals. This prehistoric species was discovered less than a decade ago through genetic analysis of a finger bone unearthed in northern Siberia. Named for the mountain cave where that fossil, and later, two teeth, were found, Denisovans became a new addition to our ancient cousins on the evolutionary tree.

Substantial amounts of Denisovan DNA have been detected in the genomes of only few present-day human populations so far. They are all living in Oceania, thousands of miles away from that Siberian cave.

"I think that people (and Neanderthals and Denisovans) liked to wander," said Benjamin Vernot, a UW postdoctoral student in genomic sciences who led the project. "And yes, studies like this can help us track where they wandered."

"Denisovans are the only species of archaic humans about whom we know less from fossil evidence and more from where their genes show up in modern humans," Akey said.

Denisovan DNA could make up between 2 percent to 4 percent of the genome of a native Melanesian. Lower levels of Denisovan ancestry, other recent studies suggest, may be more widespread in the world.

Akey, a University of Washington professor of genome sciences, and Svante Paabo, of the Department of Evolutionary Genetics at the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, oversaw the Melanesian genome project. It was a collaboration with researchers in medicine, anthropology, statistics and biotechnology from several other universities.

Many recent studies have tried to understand when and where archaic hominins and our modern ancestors co-existed and interbred. Most of this research has been intent on cataloging Neanderthal gene sequences remaining in the genomes people of European or Asian descent.

According to Vernot, "Different populations of people have slightly different levels of Neanderthal ancestry, which likely means that humans repeatedly ran into Neanderthals as they spread across Europe."

Where the ancestors of modern humans might have had physical contact with Denisovans is debatable. The best guess, Akey said, is that Denisovans may have had a broad geographic range that extended into East Asia. Early humans with both Denisovan and Neanderthal ancestry could have traveled along South East Asia. Eventually, some of their descendants arrived on the islands north of Australia.

"Little is known about the organization and characteristics of Denisovan DNA in modern humans, which is why we wanted to study genome samples from Melanesians," Akey said.

"We developed an approach to identify DNA inherited from multiple archaic hominin [human-like] ancestors, and applied it to whole-genome sequences from 1,523 geographically diverse individuals," the authors wrote in their paper. The analysis included the genomes of 35 individuals from 11 locations in the Bismarck Archipelago of Northern Island Melanesia, Papua, New Guinea.

With this study, Vernot explained, researchers advanced the understanding of archaic DNA in people beyond a single species of hominins. Previously, researchers had located large regions of the genome where no humans carried any Neanderthal sequences.

"We now know that some of those regions are also devoid of Denisovan sequences, " he said. Vernot referred to those regions as "archaic deserts" that strengthen the argument that something there is uniquely human. The size of those regions might mean that selection against archaic sequences -- or other reasons for gene depletion -- was strong, maybe stronger than one might expect, Vernot said.

Those same regions on the modern human genome contain hundreds of genes, many of which have been linked to language, the brain and its development, and brain cells signals.

"These are big, truly interesting regions. It will be a long, hard slog to fully understand the genetic differences between humans, Denisovans and Neanderthals in these regions and the traits they influence," Akey noted.

The research team also identified genes inherited from Neanderthals and Denisovans that conferred advantages to the ancestors of modern Island Melanesians. Five of these regions have immune-function genes that may have protected against local pathogens unfamiliar to recently arrived humans.

This study team also developed new, rigorous methods for labeling which archaic DNA sequences were Neanderthal, Denisovan, or of uncertain origin.

"The classification is tricky and not a trivial exercise," Akey said, "Mislabeling could lead to erroneous conclusions."

The authors also emphasized that no one study can tell a complete story. This project, Akey said, helps realize the influence of hybridization with other species on the trajectory of human evolution.

"Some of the sequences modern humans inherited from Neanderthals and Denisovans helped our ancestors survive and reproduce," Akey said.

This type of study gives perspective on human expansion across Eurasia, and possibly what sort of conditions those humans encountered on their way, Vernot said. He also mentioned that the work "demonstrates how we can learn about human history, and our archaic relatives, by studying ancient and modern DNA."

###

The other institutions participating in this study were the University of Ferrara, Italy; University of Cincinnati, Ohio; Coriell Institute of Medical Research, New Jersey; Binghamton University, New York; Institute for Medical Research, Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua, New Guinea; and Temple University, Pennsylvania.

This research project was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Presidential Fund of the Max Planck Society.
An updated Cochrane Review, published today in the Cochrane Library, says that the benefits of a variety of interventions intended to reduce sitting at work are very uncertain.

Millions of people worldwide sit at a desk all day, and over recent years this has led to increased levels of physical inactivity in the work place. Health experts have warned that long periods of sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. There are a number of different approaches to reduce the amount of time we spend sitting down while at work. One option that is increasing in popularity is the sit-stand desk. These are desks that are designed to allow you to work at your desk sitting down or standing up.

A team of Cochrane researchers updated a systematic review that looked at the effects of different strategies to encourage people to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting at work. They looked at twenty studies with a total of 2,174 participants from the US, the UK and Europe. They included evidence from both randomised and non-randomised studies.

Although sit-stand desks are popular, their potential health benefits are very uncertain. The researchers found very low quality evidence from three non-randomised studies and low quality evidence from three randomised studies, with 218 participants, that people who used them sat between 30 minutes and two hours less, compared to when they used conventional desks during the working day. Sit-stand desks also reduced total sitting time, both at work and outside work, and the durations of sitting episodes that last 30 minutes or longer. Standing more did not produce harmful effects in the studies, such as musculoskeletal pain, varicose veins or a decrease in productivity.

Other interventions aimed at reducing inactivity such as taking a walk during breaks at work didn't change the length of sitting time at work. The authors found low quality evidence that counselling may lead to a modest reduction in sitting time, (around 30 minutes on average). The researchers found a number of limitations in the included studies that reduced their confidence in the validity and applicability of the results from the trials. The quality of evidence was low for most of the interventions looked at, mainly because the studies were poorly designed and recruited small numbers of participants.

The study's lead author, Nipun Shrestha from the Health Research and Social Development Forum, Thapathali, Nepal, commented: "This Cochrane Review shows that, at the moment, there is uncertainty over how big an impact sit-stand desks can make on reducing the time spent sitting at work in the short term. There is also low quality evidence of modest benefits for other types of interventions. Given the popularity of sit-stand desks in particular, we think that people who are considering investing in sit-stand desks and the other interventions covered in this review should be aware of the limitations of the current evidence base in demonstrating health benefits. We need further research to assess the effectiveness of different types of interventions for reducing sitting time in workplaces in both the short and long term. The evidence base would be improved with larger studies, longer follow-up and research from low income countries."

Co-author Jos Verbeek, from the Cochrane Work Review Group, Kuopio, Finland, said, "It is important that workers who sit at a desk all day take an interest in maintaining and improving their well-being both at work and at home. However, at present, there is not enough high quality evidence available to determine whether spending more time standing at work can repair the harms of a sedentary lifestyle. Standing instead of sitting hardly increases energy expenditure, so we should not expect a sit-stand desk to help in losing weight. It's important that workers and employers are aware of this, so that they can make more informed decisions."

###

Full citation: Shrestha N, Kukkonen-Harjula KT, Verbeek JH, Ijaz S, Hermans V, Bhaumik S. Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD010912. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub3

URL Upon publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub3

Media Spokesperson: Nipun Shrestha, Health Research and Social Development Forum, Thapathali, Kathmandu, 24133, Nepal. E-mail: drnipunsth@gmail.com.

Jos H Verbeek: Cochrane Work Review Group, Finnish Institute for Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland: E-mail: Jos.Verbeek@ttl.fi.

For further information please contact: Jo Anthony, Senior Media and Communications Officer, Cochrane at M +440-7582-726-634 or janthony@cochrane.org, pressoffice@cochrane.org.

About Cochrane

Cochrane is a global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health. Cochrane produces reviews which study all of the best available evidence generated through research and make it easier to inform decisions about health. These are called systematic reviews. Cochrane is a not-for profit organisation with collaborators from more than 120 countries working together to produce credible, accessible health information that is free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest. Our work is recognised as representing an international gold standard for high quality, trusted information.

Find out more at http://cochrane.org

Follow us on twitter @cochranecollab

About Wiley

Wiley is a global provider of knowledge and knowledge-enabled services that improve outcomes in areas of research, professional practice and education. Through the Research segment, the Company provides digital and print scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising. The Professional Development segment provides digital and print books, online assessment and training services, and test prep and certification. In Education, Wiley provides education solutions including online program management services for higher education institutions and course management tools for instructors and students, as well as print and digital content. The Company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
Madrid

Vecinos y profesionales uniran fuerzas hoy en una manifestacion en el centro de Madrid por la Sanidad Publica
Editors note: Evolution News is delighted to welcome back Dr. Hunter as a contributor. He is a Fellow with the Center for Science & Culture, Adjunct Professor at Biola University, and author of the award-winning Darwins God: Evolution and the Problem of Evil. He blogs at Darwins God.

It was great to see Professor Michael Ruse again last week in Northern California for our debate on the question, Is Evolution Compelling? He was in good spirits as usual, and his jokes were much better than mine. But I had one big advantage over my erudite opponent: I was not defending the age-old idea that the world of life arose by chance. The main problem, as I explained at the outset, is that the scientific evidence contradicts unguided evolution. That is a very simple point, but it opens new worlds of thought.

I used my time to discuss a range of scientific evidence from biology. On that evidence, unguided evolution simply makes no sense. But I almost hesitate to show you my list simply because there is nothing special about it. One of the difficulties in explaining the problems with evolution to an audience is the plethora of examples from which to choose. I had a long list of fascinating biological designs that refute evolutionary thought. I like every one of them, because they all add a different angle on why evolution fails. But there are far too many to fit into an evenings presentation. I was changing my mind right up to the last day, but as difficult as it is, one must pare back the list to fit the time constraint.

I began with one of my favorites, micro RNA. I then discussed the failure of evolutions nested hierarchy. Later I had fun with echolocation and the DNA code, and I finished with directed adaptation. The obvious and unavoidable truth is that evolution is believed to be a fact not because of the science, but despite the science.

I also punctuated my scientific examples with some philosophy of science concerns. One of them is the problem of parsimony. I explained Occams Razor, and how a sure sign of a failing theory is if it becomes overly complicated. The appeal of heliocentrism over geocentrism was not that of an improvement in accuracy, but in simplicity. Like heliocentrism, Copernicus geocentrism had epicycles. So why make the move? Because Copernicus was able to use fewer epicycles. That is how important simplicity is in science.

Theory complexity is the enemy in science, and it would require volumes to explain all the details in todays theory of evolution. The reason why evolution is so complicated is that with each scientific failure, the theory is adjusted yet again. Today it resembles one of Rube Goldbergs wonderful machines.

For this theory, there is no ray of hope. I think I left the audience convinced that evolution is an utterly failed attempt. Thats not because of any rhetorical skills on my part, but simply because I took the side of science. This isnt at all complicated. What is complicated is the question of why people believe in evolution to begin with. But thats another story.

Image: Self-operating napkin, by Rube Goldberg [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
The annual Pwn2own browser-hacking competition at the CanSecWest conference in Vancouver, Canada, started March 16 with $282,500 awarded in first-day prizes.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Trend Micro are jointly sponsoring this years Pwn2own event. As part of the first day, a group of researchers identified as the 360Vulcan Team were the big winners, walking away with $132,500 in prize money for exploiting Adobe Flash and Google Chrome. The Flash exploit made use of a type confusion bug in Adobe Flash as well as a vulnerability in Microsofts Windows 10.

The [Windows] kernel vulnerability was a use-after-free vulnerability, Christopher Budd, global threat communications manager at Trend Micro, told eWEEK. They successfully chained both of these to compromise the target at the system level.

For the Flash and Windows chained exploit, the 360Vulcan Team received $80,000. The second exploit demonstrated by 360Vulcan Team was against Googles Chrome and made use of four new zero-day vulnerabilities, two use-after-free vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash, one use-after-free vulnerability in the Windows Kernel and an out-of-bounds vulnerability in Google Chrome. For the Chrome exploit, 360Vulcan Team was awarded $52,500.

Independent security researcher JungHoon Lee earned $60,000 on the first day of Pwn2own 2016 by exploiting Apples Safari browser. Lee found four vulnerabilities in total, including issues in Safari as well as Apples OS X desktop operating system.

One of the vulnerabilities was in Safari, the other three were vulnerabilities within Mac OS X, Budd said.

Chinese corporation Tencent is well-represented at Pwn2own 2016, with three teams competingSniper, Shield and Xuanwu. Tencents Team Sniper earned $50,000 on the first day of Pwn2own by successfully demonstrating a new attack against Adobe Flash that exposed a new out-of-bounds vulnerability in Flash and a use-after-free vulnerability in Windows.

Tencents Team Shields attention was on Apples Safari, where the group was able to find three new vulnerabilities. One of the vulnerabilities is a use-after-free memory issue in Safari while the other is in a Mac OS X privileged process. For their efforts in attacking Safari on OS X, Tencents Team Shield was awarded $40,000.

Day Two of Pwn2own 2016 includes Tencents Team Sniper taking another shot at exploiting Apples Safari. JungHoon Lee will be attempting to exploit the Microsoft Edge browser as well as Google Chrome. Tencents Team Shield will use the second day of Pwn2own to attempt to exploit Microsoft Edge as well.

One target that isnt being attempted by security researchers is VMware Workstation. As part of the contest, there is an award for a researcher who is able to execute a hypervisor escape from the VMware Workstation virtual machine on which the Windows-based browsers will be running. Budd isnt surprised that no researcher has decided to try and attack VMware Workstation.

Its a new vector for attack, and one that can be particularly challenging, Budd said. Given the amount of time required for adequate research, its not surprising that no one has signed up this year. However, we do expect to see people sign up for this next year.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.
How is North Dakota perceived as a state? It does make a difference. Many of our best young people leave. They have been elsewhere and have chosen not to live among people caught up in right wing standstill obstructionism. High tech companies dont want to establish themselves in a state obsessed with guns, abortion, and tax cuts for the rich.

Now North Dakota has certified itself as a right wing bastion with the help of Rep. Kevin Cramer and his straw poll that supports Donald Trump. Trump represents the worst in every human. Trump is a greedy, hateful, lying, self serving, vulgar politician that plays to the worst in all of us. When North Dakota welcomes Trump it makes unwelcome the very people North Dakota needs the most. The days of standing still, oppressing women, and minorities are over. The rest of the country has realized it is a time of change and a time to embrace change. Living at a standstill in the past with the Republicans will doom our state to the middle ages.
accbgb said: Social Security has tightened up the disability system over the last 10 years due to the huge numbers of older Americans forced out of the labor market and turning to disability as an attempt to draw payments (however small) prior to their minimum SS retirement age. Click to expand...

Just a factual correction here: the numbers are not "huge." Surely a few people have done that (committed crimes), but statistically it's not many, and it's not a financial problem. Social Security's Inspector General will tell you (and has told Congress) that.A couple things have been happening, though:1. Baby Boomers have been getting older -- the youngest are about 52 as I write this -- and when you have more older people you get more disability claims. That was entirely predicted. (What wasn't predicted is that, if anything, this cohort is healthier than the actuaries thought.)2. Social Security has always seen some increase in disability insurance claims and recipients during periods of unemployment. You don't need to meet a standard of "completely unemployable by every hypothetical employer everywhere" to be eligible for disability benefits, nor should that ever be true. ("Lost your feet to diabetes? Tough luck! You can still type on a keyboard." Ah, no.) As the business cycle fluctuates, even in the "Great Recession," some disabled individuals lose their jobs. This has always happened in past business cycles and always will in any sensible, reasonable definition of "disabled."Insert the word "alleged" in front of "huge" and everything makes sense.
Bev's suggestion should work. Another suggestion that should also work is to obtain your U.S. Social Security earnings history statement from the U.S. Social Security Administration's Web site . Once you get an online account created -- which you might not be able to do completely online and which may require a call or letter to the SSA -- then you can download your full earnings history in an official U.S. SSA statement. (It's quite a nice statement, actually.) The earnings statement will also indicate what your future U.S. Social Security retirement benefit will be -- zero in your case, presumably -- that should satisfy your friends in New Zealand's social insurance agency.By the way, although other countries use the word "pension" to refer to their government social insurance retirement benefits, the United States does not. "Pensions" mean employer-based pensions in the United States, whether the employer is public or private. People instead use the term "Social Security" or, better yet, "Social Security retirement benefits" instead of words like "state pension" or "national pension." U.S. Social Security benefits are funded through payroll taxes paid by both employees and employers. So if you're talking with the U.S. Social Security Administration or somebody else in the United States, I wouldn't use the word "pension" since it'll be confusing. If you want to refer to something you're receiving from New Zealand's government then say "New Zealand social security," and that should be well understood.
This may be of some help to you, do you know any local car dealerships here in the UK? You could order a LHD drive car here from a dealer who may be able to get you a deal if for instance there are uncollected pre-orders or overstock.Then: https://www.gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk/newly-bought-vehicles You are going to have to pay tax when you hit Spain but without knowing what model you are looking at it's difficult to tell what the savings may be.I know someone who has done exactly what I have described and for them they made a saving but of course you will need to sort the papers in Spain or pay someone to do it for you.There are loads of forum posts on other sites just from Google..Maybe good for you, if not no worries!---EDIT---Just seen your flag, if you are in Australia it's probably going to be of now use to you at all
E-Zine

In this weeks Computer Weekly, new figures show that homeworking has more than doubled in the UK due to the pandemic  we look at the regional differences. The pressure is growing on cyber security teams  we analyse the expert advice on how to avoid staff burnout and lost talent. And we examine the important role that tech startups play in the rapid growth of Amazon Web Services. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.  GMO labeling was a hot button issue for Ohio Farm Bureau county presidents who trekked to Capitol Hill to have their voices heard March 15-17.

In 2014, Vermont voters have passed a measure that will require products that contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, to be labeled. It is set to take effect July 1.

Opponents to individual state labeling bills say all 50 states could potentially have different labels, which would make it more expensive to produce food.

The U.S. Senate rejected a bill March 16 that would have prevented each state from requiring GMO labels on food. The bill failed to get the 60 votes needed to move forward, and the cloture motion failed 48-49. The Senate Agriculture Committee had voted 14-6 in favor of the measure March 1.



The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a bill that would supersede the Vermont state measure and would have meant a uniform labeling system. If the Senate bill had passed, the legislation wouldve moved to a conference committee where a uniform bill would have been created between the two.

Clock is ticking

Because the Vermont labeling requirement takes effect July 1, food companies have been watching the Congressional action to know whether to move forward in order to meet that deadline. The hope was to have the bill passed and signed by the President Barack Obama by the Easter holiday. Now, thats not going to happen.

During their lobbying trip, the Ohio Farm Bureau county presidents pressed legislators for a timely resolution.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown told the group prior to the vote that he feels the concern over GMOs is overstated, but feels the consumer deserves to know. He is hopeful legislators can come to an agreement.

A patchwork of state laws wont work. Its too costly. Its too complicated, said Brown.

He said he would like to see a compromise reached, and include a two-year education period where consumers could become educated about GMOs.

The group also had the chance to hear from U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, who is chair of the House Agriculture Committee during a farm forum hosted by Ohio Congressman Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio. Conaway said GMOs is the only way farmers are going to feed the world.

The Senate has to act, he said. Its not a food safety issue. Its a marketing issue, said Conaway.

Conaway didnt hold back about his disdain for the GMO labeling ordeal. He told the group that Vermont exempted many of their homegrown products such as maple and dairy products from having to include such labels. Conaway added that labels are going to not only cost producers more money, they are going to cost families more money. He said estimates are that the labels will cost families an additional $1,000 a year in food costs.

Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minnesota, a ranking member on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, said he represents an area where sugar beets are produced. He said the GMO issue is a big issue because his producers dont have conventional sugar beet seed available in the industry any longer.

He siad the GMO labeling issue needs fixed and it needs fixed fast.

We shouldnt screw up the whole system when there is no science behind these fears, said Peterson.

Legislators remain hopeful that some type of compromise will be worked out soon. So far, Vermont is the only state set to require labeling. Maine and Connecticut have passed similar laws, but those measures dont take effect unless neighboring states follow suit. Several other states could consider labeling bills this year.


March 20 marks the first day of spring. In the coming months, homeowners and renters will scrub walls, clean out closets, organize pantries and tidy up their living spaces. Its an annual ritual instilled in us by our parents and grandparents.

Spring cleaning is a chance for those of us who suffer from allergies and cabin fever to prepare our homes for warmer weather.

Use our checklist and tips to complete your spring cleaning this year. Some tips are adapted from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County and Michigan State University Extension.

Spring cleaning checklist

Floors

Carpet: Move all furniture (beds, couches, tables, bookcases, appliances) to vacuum hidden areas that arent cleaned throughout the year.

Consider using a carpet cleaner, especially on high traffic areas.

Vinyl and ceramic: Use a non-abrasive all-purpose floor cleaner to scrub floors.

Hardwood: Sparingly use a wood cleaner or clean water to scrub hardwood floors. Hardwood floors shouldnt get too wet.

Windows

Wash windows with glass cleaner.

Vacuum screens using attachment.

Remove horizontal aluminum blinds from windows. Combine a small amount of mild all-purpose cleaner in a bucket of warm water. Lay blinds on clean towels and wash each slat of the blinds with a clean rag and the cleaning water. Once dry, return blinds to windows.

Clean fabric and wood blinds by closing blinds so theyre facing away from you. Then use your vacuum cleaners brush attachment and gently go over the blinds to remove dust and other particles. Rotate the blinds and repeat.

Wash curtains and drapes, following individual instructions.

Furniture

Remove cushions and pillows and vacuum underneath for both cloth and leather furniture.

Vacuum all surfaces of furniture.

Clean lamp shades with vacuum brush attachment.

Closets, cupboards, basement, attic

Remove all clothing and other items from closets and storage areas.

Wash or dry clean any clothing before storing again.

Wash walls and woodwork.

Vacuum the floor before moving items back into closets and storage areas.

Remove all items from cupboards. Wash all inside surfaces of cupboards with a solution of water and mild all-purpose cleaner. Allow to dry completely before returning items to cupboards.

Kitchen

Check cupboards and your pantry for expired items to throw away. Do the same in your refrigerator and freezer.

Make sure there is ample airflow in your freezer. This will help to regulate the temperature.

Check to make sure that refrigerator and freezer temperature gauges are safely set.

Arrange your cupboards and pantry by putting items that should be used first to the front.

In your freezer, check foods for freezer burn. If you find anything without a date and youre not sure how old it is, throw it away.

Thoroughly clean the floor, cupboards, walls and spaces behind appliances.

Bathrooms

Use an all-purpose cleaner to wash walls, tub, shower, fixtures and towel racks.

Remove hard water minerals with a mildew remover in the tub and shower, if needed.

Bedrooms

Wash all bedding (mattress cover, sheets, pillows, bed skirts, blankets, comforters).

Vacuum all surfaces of mattresses to get rid of dust mites.

Dust all woodwork, furniture, light fixtures and other surfaces with a clean, microfiber cloth and dusting spray.

Wash walls.

Living and family rooms

Wash walls.

Dust all woodwork, furniture, light fixtures and other surfaces with a clean, microfiber cloth and dusting spray.

5 spring cleaning tips

While youre focused on getting your house in clean order, consider the following tips from Ohio State University Extensions Live Healthy Live Well blog to promote the health and safety of your home and family:

Check damp areas in your home (bathrooms, basement, under kitchen sinks) for mold and mildew. If you notice mold or mildew, clean the area immediately. Spring cleaning is a great time to make an annual habit of checking smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Change batteries and ensure that alarms and detectors are working properly. Round up hazardous wastes in your home and dispose of them at a hazardous drop-off center. Hazardous wastes include: Old batteries

Paint and paint thinners

Solvents

Stains

Toxic household cleaners Clean all ducts and vents for heating and cooling, and clean and replace all filters. Keep up with basic, routine cleaning throughout the year. When its time for spring cleaning next year, you wont be overwhelmed at your list of chores.

Green spring cleaning

Try using natural products for your spring cleaning routine this year. Online columnist Ivory Harlow explains how to make your own natural cleaners:

Laundry detergent

Glass cleaner

Soap scum scouring powder

Septic tank helper

Grimy ring cleaner

Hard water remover

Garbage disposal/drain freshener and cleaner

Harlow also explains how some essential oils  lemon and rosemary  can be used for household cleaners and fresheners.

Recycle, throw away, donate

All of this spring cleaning presents us with options for what to do with our clutter. We can recycle some products, throw away some trash and donate items that others may be able to use.

Recycle

Paper

Cardboard

Magazines

Newspapers

Clean aluminum

Clean plastic bottles, jugs and jars

Certain glass items

You can learn more about items you can and cant recycle on Waste Managements website.

Donate

Do you have any clothing that you havent worn in the past year, or household items that you havent used? Donate them.

Items to donate:

Gently used clothing, shoes and accessories

Gently used kitchen essentials, such as silverware, dishes, cooking utensils, pots and pans, reusable storage containers

Old, gently used furniture

Throw away

If there are any items in your closets, cupboards, attics, basements, garages or sheds that have no functional use, consider throwing them away.

Do you have any other spring cleaning tips? Share them in the comments below.
Safety watchdog issues half-term call to keep kids safe on farms
By Erin Hodgson, Associate Professor, Iowa State University Extension

Corn rootworm is a persistent and economically important pest in Iowa, with yield loss caused primarily by larval feeding on corn roots. Genetically modified corn with Bt traits kills western and northern rootworm larvae, and Bt-rootworm corn has been available since 2003. However, some Iowa farmers have observed severe root injury to Bt hybrids in continuous cornfields, and there has been documented resistance of western corn rootworm in Iowa to Cry3Bb1 corn and mCry3A corn since 2009 and 2011, respectively.

New research updates

Building on previous studies at Iowa State University, the Gassmann Lab was able to show the magnitude of field-evolved resistance to Cry3Bb1 for western corn rootworm increased between 2009 and 2011. This is a common trend for pests that continue to be exposed to the same management tactic once resistance has begun to develop. Recent work with western corn rootworm populations in Iowa has found cross-resistance among three of the four Bt traits CryBb1, mCry3A, and eCry3.1Ab. This means that rootworm populations that are resistant to Cry3Bb1 will likely be resistant to mCry3A and eCry3.1Ab. Most recently, there is evidence of field-evolved resistance of western corn rootworm to Cry34/35Ab1 in Iowa (Photo 1). In 2013, four fields were identified with greater-than-expected root injury to corn hybrids containing the Cry34/35Ab1 trait. Subsequent laboratory bioassays found that this injury was associated with resistance to Cry34/35Ab1. However, this resistance was incomplete (survival on Bt corn was less than non-Bt corn) and thus far appears to be limited in its geographic distribution within Iowa.

In some areas, extended diapause by northern corn rootworms caused root injury to first-year corn. To date, there have not been any cases of Bt resistance by northern corn rootworm to any traits. Normal and extended diapause variants of northern corn rootworm do not lay eggs in soybean.

Photo 1. Severe root injury to Cry34/35Ab1 cornfields sampled in 2013.

Economic thresholds

All cornfields in Iowa are at risk for infestation by corn rootworm and should be evaluated annually. We highly encourage farmers to assess corn root injury on the 0-3 node-injury scale. Learn more about the scale here feeding results in a 15% to 17% reduction in yield. Farmers should adjust their management approaches to keep larval feeding injury below the economic injury level. The US EPA uses the classification of greater-than-expected injury when root injury exceeds 1 node to single-trait Bt corn and 0.5 nodes to pyramided Bt corn. When rootworm feeding typically ranges between 0.25 and 0.5 nodes, and will depend on environmental conditions (e.g., drought), commodity prices, and management costs. In general, every node of roots lost to larval rootworm. When the economic injury level for larval greater-than-expected injury occurs it is reasonable to suspect that resistance may be present, but only follow-up laboratory or field experiments can confirm the presence of resistance.

Additionally, Pherocon AM sticky cards may be used to monitor adult activity (Photo 2). During late July into mid-August, place multiple cards (typically 6) in the interior of the field and replace cards weekly. Count the total number of adult western and northern corn rootworm and then calculate the average rootworms per card per day. If at any week during the summer the average among all sampling cards exceeds 2 adults per card per day, larval management should be used the following season.

Photo 2. Adult corn rootworm on sticky cards.

Management recommendations

The last two summers had below-average corn rootworm populations due to extremely wet spring conditions. Expect rebounding numbers of western and northern corn rootworm if this spring has more moderate temperature and moisture conditions during May and June. Although resistance to all four Bt rootworm traits has been confirmed for western corn rootworm in Iowa, resistance to Cry34/35Ab1 appears to be incomplete and limited in geographic scope. However, cases of Bt resistance demonstrate the potential vulnerability of Bt corn for rootworm management and highlights the importance of using a diversified approach when managing rootworm. Farmers should develop a long-term integrated pest management approach for corn rootworm. Consider the following tactics when developing a rootworm management plan:
Teen daughter of Fayetteville councilwoman killed in shooting Friday evening

The Fayetteville Police Department said in a news release Friday night that the shooting is under investigation by members of the Homicide Unit.
Pope Benedict XVI often ventured into venues historically hostile to the Judeo-Christian tradition. A new collection of essays discusses many of these speeches, probing the relationship of reason to religion, the West, and natural law. Pope Benedict XVIs Legal Thought: A Dialogue on the Foundation of Law, edited by Marta Cartabia and Andrea Simoncini, explores the Pope Emeritus speeches as well as the implications they have for law and democracy.

Writing for Public Discourse, Actons Samuel Gregg discusses this collection of the former Popes essays, arguing the theme seems to be a return to reason:

The contribution of these essays to showing how Benedicts speeches provided pathways for faith and reason to restore coherence to the foundations of Western law and democratic systems is best described as uneven. Among the stronger papers are those of Glendon, the legal scholar J.H.H. Weiler, and the moral theologian Martin Rhonheimer. Each of these authors grapples directly and cogently with Benedicts arguments concerning how religion and full-bodied conceptions of reason must necessarily shape each other, and in the process of doing so, help infuse greater rationality into our legal systems and democratic institutions.

Along with John Witte, these authors stress that by religion Benedict typically has in mind specific traditions of thought and practice, especially the manner in which orthodox Christianity integrated Jewish Biblical wisdom, Greek reason, and Roman law. This argument is similar to that unfolded by the secular German philosopher Jurgen Habermas throughout the 2000s: that to disconnect the West from this specific religious tradition is to uproot Western legal and democratic practices from their primary source of nourishment. While stressing (correctly) that Benedict has never held knee-jerk anti-Enlightenment positions (a perennial temptation that seems in recent years to have gathered steam among many conservative Christians in Europe and America), these authors underline the popes attention to religion as the core of culture.

The logic is remorseless: If you change the cult, then, for better or worse, you change the culture; if you change the culture, then, for better or worse, you change everything elseincluding the foundations of law and politics. Hence, to the extent that significant segments of Judaism and Christianity have abandoned orthodox belief and morphed into pale facsimiles of secular humanism, they actually contribute to the growing dysfunctionalism that marks contemporary Western legal and political thought and institutions.

At the same time, these authors stress that Benedicts speeches are directed to restoring reason to its proper place in religious thought. This is crucial if religion isnt to degenerate into either fundamentalism or sentimental humanitarianismboth of which disdain reason. The same addresses are also about correcting the commonplace assumption that reason and the public square have little to do with religion and vice versa. Rhonheimer and Weilers papers are especially good at elaborating on these significant points.
Brazil descended deeper into political chaos Thursday after a federal judge moved to block the swearing in of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as chief of staff to the current president, Dilma Rousseff.

Lula was sworn into the cabinet-level post Thursday morning, gaining immunity that would shield him from federal corruption charges.

Rioting erupted across the country Wednesday after a prosecutor released about 50 audio recordings gathered as part of the investigation into corruption and political payoffs involving Petrobras, the state-owned oil and gas giant.

A secretly recorded phone call between Lula and Rousseff suggests his appointment to a ministerial position on Wednesday was motivated by a desire to avoid prosecution in Brazils worst-ever corruption scandal, the Guardian reported.

About 700 senior Brazil officials including cabinet ministers enjoy special judicial standing, the New York Times said. They can be tried only by Brazils highest court, the Supreme Federal Tribunal.

But a federal judge Thursday in Brasilia, Itagiba Catta Preta Neto, issued an injunction to preliminarily suspend Lulas swearing-in, CNN reported. The judge said Lulas appointment prevented the free exercise of the Judiciary Power, the operation of the Federal Police, and of the Federal Prosecutors Office.

Brazils attorney general said hell appeal the judges decision, state-run news service Agencia Brasil reported.

Prosecutors were preparing corruption charges against Lula. He was detained for questioning earlier this month after police raided his home and offices. Prosecutors allege he received luxury real estate and big speaking fees from companies involved in the Petrobras scandal.

After Rousseff announced her plan Wednesday night to appoint Lula chief of staff, protesters in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, and other major cities demanded her resignation and Lulas arrest.

Shruti Shah, a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog and the vice president for programs and operations at Transparency International-USA, said Thursday:

Giving a former president a job that may provide a high level of immunity from prosecution just as a corruption investigation into his past picks up speed sends the wrong message.

She called Lula an important leader in Brazil as a former head of state.

He has the power to help his party and country without becoming a minister. Corruption is Brazils biggest problem right now and the most important ingredient needed to make progress in the fight against corruption is to end impunity, Shah said.

Riot police in Brasilia Wednesday night fired tear gas and stun grenades at more than 5,000 demonstrators outside the presidential palace and congress building, according to the Guardian.

______

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here.
There's just a day to go until High-Rise hits the big screen and it is a movie that's not to be missed if you are a fan of Wheatley or leading man Tom Hiddleston.

A Field in England

High-Rise is the first time that we have seen Wheatley direct a feature film since A Field In England back in 2013... and it is that film that is in the spotlight today.

A Field In England is the fourth full-length feature film of Wheatley's career as he returned to the director's chair. The movie also saw him reunite with Amy Jump as she penned the film's screenplay.

A Field In England is set during the Civil War and follows a small group of deserters flee from a raging battle through an overgrown field. They are captured by two men: O'Neil and Cutler. O'Neil (Michael Smiley), an alchemist, forces the group to aid him in his search to find a hidden treasure that he believes is buried in the field.

Crossing a vast mushroom circle, which provides their first meal, the group quickly descend into a chaos of arguments, fighting, and paranoia, and, as it becomes clear that the treasure might be something other than gold, they slowly become victim to the terrifying energies trapped inside the field.

While A Field In England saw Wheatley return to the horror genre, the 17th century setting was something completely different for the filmmaker, as he moved away from a contemporary setting for the first time.

I have to say, A Field In England is a beautiful looking movie that will captivate and mesmerise from the opening moment. I found it to be a film that really drew me in and offered a great twist on the historical horror genre.

Wheatley has brilliantly set up the film's mystery and the story was incredibly compelling and truly fascinating. Wheatley mixes historical drama with some great character study while throwing in some great moments of violence and grisly death.

It is not often that we see films shot in black and white, but Wheatley has bucked that trend with A Field In England and it really does look stunning.

Like most of his other work, A Field In England sees Wheatley balance and mix a range of different genres as he mixes history, horror, comedy, and psychological drama. He finds that balance perfectly and delivers an intriguing and beautiful film.

High-Rise is released in UK cinemas tomorrow.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Daughtry will be back in the UK this May for another tour, returning after a sell-out year in 2014 which saw them play two back-to-back shows at London's Shepherds Bush Empire, followed by another sell-out at The Roundhouse in March 2015.

Credit: Michael Muller

Now though they'll be venturing not only to London, but to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, and they couldn't be more thrilled.

Front man Chris Daughtry comments: "We are hugely excited to come back to the UK. Our fans there have been amazing and we can't wait to spend some more time with them. It's going to be a blast."

The UK tour follows the release of greatest hits record 'It's Not Over... The Hits So Far' via 19 Recordings/RCA Records, which also included brand new track 'Torches' alongside all the classics.

Since their formation, Daughtry have released four studio albums, scored four number one US hits, been nominated for four Grammy awards, won four American Music Awards and have sold over 8.2 million albums and 16 million singles worldwide. It's fair to say their career has been a success.

Their UK tour dates are as follows:

May 21 - Birmingham, O2 Academy

May 22 - Manchester, Academy

May 24 - Glasgow, O2 ABC

May 27 - London, Eventim Apollo

Tickets go on sale from Friday, March 18.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Chancellor George Osborne delivered his Budget to the House of Commons today (March 16), with some key policies being highlighted including sugar tax and options for a 'lifetime ISA'.

George Osborne

Here we break down some of the major announcements and take a look at the effects they may have on the future.

1.5 billion to extend school day and turn all places of education into academies

Ahead of his Budget statement today, Osborne said: "It is simply unacceptable that Britain continues to sit too low down the global league tables for education. So I'm going to get on with finishing the job we started five years ago, to drive up standards and set schools free from the shackles of local bureaucracy."

This means the Government will work on converting all council-run schools to academies by 2020, and Osborne has plans for them to extend school days by an hour with an injection of 1.5 billion.

1.2 billion cut to disability benefits

The disabled community in the UK will face a huge hit as 1.2 billion is cut from their benefits. Though the Chancellor has said the money will be "better targeted" at those who need it the most, Green party politician Caroline Lucas has branded him a hypocrite.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was also left unimpressed and seemed to leave Osborne squirming:

Sugar tax

The soft drinks industry may face a hit when sugar tax is introduced in two years time through two separate bands. One will be for total sugar content above five grams per 100 millilitres, whilst the second higher band for the most sugary drinks will be for those with more than eight grams per 100 millilitres.

Pure fruit juices and milk-based drinks will be excluded from this tax and the Chancellor has promised companies will have enough time to reduce their sugar content before the tax is introduced.

Lifetime ISA

People aged between 18 to 40 will be able to save up to 4,000 per year in a new 'lifetime ISA', with Osborne claiming that for every 4 people claim, the Government will give them 1 up to 1,000 bonus per year.

This may be a move by the Government to cut back on the amount of people using tax-free cash ISAs and will be available from April 2017.

40% tax threshold increases

April 2017 will also see the higher rate tax threshold increased to 45,000 from 42,385. This will lift over 500,000 people who were paying the higher rate out of the higher tax band completely.

Tax-free personal allowance of 11,500

Osborne says that 31 million people will be paying less tax with 1.3 million of the lowest paid being taken out of tax altogether when the tax-free personal allowance is raised to 11,500 next year.

April 1 of this year will see the amount raised to 11,000.

Fuel duty frozen

For the sixth year in a row, fuel duty will be frozen resulting in a saving of 75 per year for the average driver according to Osborne.

Alcohol duties frozen

Beer, cider and spirits are also to have their duties frozen, but cigarettes and wine are to become more expensive as they're not included in the exemption.

Capital Gains Tax to be cut to 20%

The higher rate of Capital Gains Tax will be cut from 28% to 20% this April with the basic rate also cut from 18% to 10%. This tax is on the gain you make when selling something which has gone up on value and is paid at a basic or higher rate depending on your Income Tax rate. It applies only to additional homes rather than to main homes.

Corporation tax cut

By April 2020 the Government is promising to cut the rate of corporation tax to 17% from the 28% it was at the start of the last parliament and the 20% it was at the start of the current session.

New tax allowances for sharing economy earned cash

April next year will see two new tax-free 1,000 allowances added - one for goods you sell or for providing services, with the second for income from property you own.

Those who make 1,000 from occasional jobs will no longer need to pay tax on that income, and those who make their first 1,000 of income from property will also be tax free up until that cap.

Insurance Premium Tax increase to fund flood defences

A second increase to the insurance premium tax in the space of a single year has been announced, with Osborne using the money from this to fund flood defences. He says the amount raised for flood defences should total 700 million.

Growth forecasts downgraded

Revisions were made to growth forecasts for this year. Originally at 2.4%, that percentage has now been downgraded to 2% by the OBR, and is predicted to rise to 2.2% in 2017 and 2.1% in the three years following.

This slowing growth rate is reportedly due to global market concerns around demand from China, lowering the price of oil and badly affecting the returns Scotland's North Sea has seen.

Budget surplus for Britain

Britain's now on course for a budget surplus by the end of this parliament, with the country set for a surplus of 10.4 billion in 2019-20, which will rise to 11 billion the year after.

Small business rate relief increase

Raising the small business rate relief from 6,000 to 15,000 and from 18,000 to 51,000 for the higher rate, Osborne says 600,000 small businesses would go on to pay no business rates at all from April 2017.

This would, he says result in a saving of 6,000.

Government spending cuts

A further 3.5 billion of cuts will be made to Government spending by 2019-20.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Britain's Prince Andrew reportedly "rammed open" a gate to avoid a one mile detour.

Britain's Prince Andrew

The incident is said to have happened when the 56-year-old royal drove down a road restricted by gates in Windsor Great Park. When the sensors didn't work, he allegedly smashed his 80,00 Range Rover into the gates to force them open.

A park worker told The Sun newspaper: "It was a crazy thing to do and we are jokingly calling it 'ParkGate'. But seriously, he has a bit of a reputation for roaring around like Toad of Toad Hall and he seems to think he can do what he likes.

"The gate stops deer roaming and the Prince uses it as a short cut. For some reason the sensors didn't work. Instead of going a mile out of his way, he just decided to ram it open."

The incident has put the gates out of operation for the time being whilst it is fixed and is also said to have caused damage to the car and it is thought it will cost a four figure sum to fix.

Meanwhile, Graham Smith, the chief executive of Republic - an anti-monarchy organisation - has confirmed he has reported the incident to the police.

He said: "I was given a reference number - I'm not sure if that makes it a recorded crime but I've reported it. I expect the police to deal with this matter just as they would if the suspect were another person.

"I cannot believe an ordinary member of the public would not be prosecuted for deliberately damaging these gates with their car. This is a matter of principle: will the royals be treated the same as the rest of us or is there a different law for them?"
Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Mohammad Ziauddin has urged the US government to allow Duty Free and Quota Free (DFQF) access of Bangladeshi products, particularly ready-made garments to the US markets, according to a press release of the Bangladesh embassy in Washington."Bangladesh, the current LDC Chair and the largest apparel exporter to the USA along with other Asian LDCs, do not get Duty Free Quota Free access of their products to the US market although 34 African LDCs are enjoying this facility," he said.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Mohammad Ziauddin has urged the US government to allow Duty Free and Quota Free (DFQF) access of#

He said the US, on the basis of justice and equal treatment, should consider all LDCs to get DFQF access, especially when the EU is providing such facility to all 48 LDCs.The ambassador's remarks came during a meeting with US Congressman Mike Kelly in Washington on Tuesday.Ambassador Ziauddin briefed Kelly, who is the Member of the House Ways and Means Committee dealing with tax, trade and economic growth policies, on various development activities of Bangladesh.Kelly praised the dynamic and robust economy of Bangladesh. He said he would consider the DFQF issue positively. He emphasized on opening a line of communication to exchange further information in this regard.The Ambassador told the Congressman that the present government attaches high priority to women empowerment and education. He said 90 per cent of four million workers in the RMG industry are women who have stepped out of their homes and are contributing to poverty alleviation, literacy, and above all weakening extremism and reinforcing the government efforts to eliminate extremism and terrorism. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
China is pulling out the stops to facilitate cross-border e-commerce. The regulator for Shanghai's pilot free trade zone has been tasked with improving services for cross-border e-commerce by setting up a demonstration area for that effect, the Shanghai Daily has reported.Covering Waigaoqiao, Yangshan port and the Pudong International Airport, the demonstration area is the first of its kind in China after authorities approved 12 cities in January to set up cross-border e-commerce pilot zones.Wang Xinling, Deputy Director of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Administration, said they will join hands up with inspection and quarantine, foreign exchange and taxation departments to boost efficiency and lower the costs of clearance for customers.The regulator will also promote the development of finance, logistics and business consulting services in the area to cultivate an ecosystem of cross-border e-commerce, Wang said.Six trading and logistics companies, including Shanghai Waigaoqiao International Trading Operation Center Co, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Logistics Center Co, Shanghai FTZ United Development Co, will undertake the construction and operation of the demonstration area.Companies like JD.com and Suning Commerce Group Co signed agreements on Tuesday to set up businesses in the area.

Chinese demand for foreign goods has fuelled a boom in cross-border e-commerce.



Kuajingtong, the first platform for online purchasing of imported goods in the FTZ, has attracted more than 400 vendors, with the number of orders reaching 10,000 daily, the report said. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Ajjay Mehrra, a leading designer for Men's Fashion has won the "International Designer of the Year 2016" title in London at the Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards hosted by the House of Commons, British Parliament.The Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Eleanor Laing presented the award to the Ajjay Mehrra, the only Indian designer to have won this award. Also present were several British MPs including Keith Vaz, Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee.

Having dressed various eminent personalities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various Bollywood and Hollywood stars,



Ajjay Mehrra is proud to bring the award home and hopes to continue doing great things with men's fashion, especially in India.



The designer also holds a Guinness World Record from 1995 as the only designer ever to host a fashion show on a moving train.



His strengths are his contemporary cuts, fine silhouettes, comfortable and practical clothing.



Asked about his long term goals, Mehrra told Asian Voice, I'd like to see my label spread across the globe. Long term I hope to see myself competing with others of the same calibre as me, while maintaining a distinct signature line. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The cotton spinning industry in Punjab has welcomed the reduction of VAT on cotton and other yarn from 6.05 per cent to 3.63 per cent in the state budget.The reduction of VAT had been a long standing demand of the cotton spinning industry. Punjab has around 100 spinning mills, of which 10 mills with installed capacity of 1.5 lakh spindles had closed recently due to unfavourable tax regime. Following the reduction of VAT, the industry is hoping to get a level-playing field to compete with the spinning industry in neighbouring states, The Times of India has reported.

The cotton spinning industry in Punjab has welcomed the reduction of VAT on cotton and other yarn from 6.05 per cent to 3.63 per cent in the state#

Ginners feel that although the development though has no direct bearing on cotton ginning factories, it will provide some relief as demand for yarn will increase and spinning mills will increase cotton purchases. Ahead of the government announcing the reduction of VAT, the weaving industry in Punjab preferred to buy yarn from spinners from Himachal, UP and Uttrakhand."The spinning industry was facing tough times in Punjab due to higher VAT. The spinners from neighbouring states used to sell it at 2 per cent VAT but with reduction in tax rates, the spinning industry will be able to compete," said Bathinda-based Indian Cotton Association Limited (ICAL) former president Rakesh Rathi.Barnala-based Trident Group spokesperson Rupinder Gupta said, "Reduction in VAT will prove a big relief to Punjab-based spinning industry. Trident has a spinning unit at Dhaula near Barnala. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Vietnam and India have made significant progress in textile and garment trade last year, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said on Tuesday.He made the statement at the third meeting of the Vietnam-India Joint Sub-Commission on Trade in New Delhi, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Vietnam and India have made significant progress in textile and garment trade last year, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang#

Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia who led the Indian delegation, said the partnership between the two countries has been further developed in multiple fields, including textiles and garments.Teaotia suggested the two sides enhance information exchanges, particularly in trade and commerce, as well as to strengthen connections in air and sea transportation.The Vietnamese deputy minister said that bilateral cooperation has seen notable progress since the second meeting of the Vietnam-India Joint Sub-Commission on Trade in Hanoi last year; the highlight being textiles and garments, followed by energy and industry, footwear and chemicals To further cement economic ties, Do Thang Hai recommended the two nations enhance regional value chains and identify ways to support businesses. He also urged that India's privileged credit package worth $300 million for investments in Vietnam's garment and textile sector, should take effect soon.Hai suggested that India can consider opening a bonded warehouse in Vietnam to reduce costs and increase competitiveness for its products.Hai also met Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar. The two countries could complement each other and tighten their partnership so as to integrate into global value chains more deeply, he noted.Gangwar said the government would try to meet the challenges to stabilise Indo-Vietnam cooperation in textiles and garments,. He also said the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vietnam will give a push to that end. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
A religious organisation today made a contribution to the Prime Ministers Relief Fund with the aim to assist Fijians adversely affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.



Permanent Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office, Yogesh Karan received the cheque of FJD$7062.35 from the members of Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji.



While thanking the group, Mr Karan said, Together we can rebuild Fiji and this time we can build it better.



He said in the phase of rebuilding, those involved will be mindful of the standard of structures.



Mr Karan said he will convey the groups goodwill to the Hon. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama who is currently touring affected areas in the Western Division.



Sabha patron and trustee, Bhuwan Datt said the fund comes from the members who have also given assistance in the form of food and clothes to people in Ba and Rakiraki and they will continue to do so.



The Government has done an impressive job as it was on the ground immediately in the aftermath of TC Winston and provided those affected with food, water and the other basic necessities, he said.



He said they have done their best and though there may be communities that are in need, Government continues to reach out to them.



Meanwhile, some schools run by the Sabha in the Western Division have also sustained damage to its structure.



Mr Datt said they will work with the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts to carry out repairs to the damaged buildings as it is beyond their financial capability to do it alone.



The schools affected include the Vunikavikaloa Primary School, DAV College of Ba and Vatukoula Arya Primary School.


Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Rosy Akbar has urged parents and guardians to encourage children to consider being a social worker as a rewarding and noble career.



This was highlighted by Minister Akbar at the World Social Work Day celebrations held at the University of the South Pacific in Suva this week.



She said the work done by the social workers in the recent aftermath of Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston brought to the forefront the important role they played in all phases of disaster management.



Allow me to pay a special tribute of thanks to the many great individuals, social workers, private and overseas organisations, faith-based organisations, NGOs who displayed noble acts of kindness in the aftermath of TC Winston. There is still much to be done, however, their swift act of kindness has lightened the load of the victims and hastened the recovery process, Minister Akbar said.



We need to involve our young people in this work. They are the future of our country. When we allow them the opportunity to be involved in uplifting the lives of those who are less fortunate than them, we are opening their eyes to a whole new world of self-sacrifice.



Minister Akbar stated the Fijian Government placed great emphasis on the dignity and promoting the worth and parity of all Fijians through social welfare benefit schemes such as Care and Protection Allowance, Poverty Benefit Scheme and Social Pension Scheme.



Government is also supportive of the work done by social workers. Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation works closely with volunteers from various womens organisations to provide them with the training or funding assistance to improve the lives of their members to enable them to participate fully in the community and in their families, she said.



The Department of Social Welfare also worked with USPs School of Social Sciences in the placement of students studying social work to complete their field work within the department.



About 60 individuals, including members of the Fiji Association of Social and Community Workers and USP Social Work Students Association, were part of the celebrations.



The theme for this years celebration is Promoting the dignity and worth of people.


Kangana Ranaut had her share of bad relationships in the past, from dating an abusive Aditya Pancholi to getting secretly engaged to a married (In 2014, Hrithik was still married to Sussanne) actor, Hrithik Roshan.

While each relationship was a bigger disaster than the previous one, we have to say her affair with the Hrithik puts her other relationships to shame in the disaster category.

The latest update obtained by Mumbai Mirror is that Kangana Ranaut was dating another young actor which made Hrithik very unhappy and furious.

As soon aa Hrithik announced to the world that he was getting a divorce from Sussanne, he immediately got engaged to Kangana and planned to marry her. Later, when he could not keep his infidelity under wraps like planned, Hrithik backed off from the engagement and marriage promises and told Kangana that she had misconstrued the entire scenario.

Spotted! Shahrukh Khan, Ranveer Singh At Airport Leaving For TOIFA, Dubai!

This deeply hurt the actress who at the time was riding a success wave in Bollywood owing to the super hit Queen movie. This lead her to meet a young actor at an awards function, in whose arms she found love! Of course, this fact could not be digested by Hrithik Roshan who soon confronted her.

The source quoted, "But Hrithik felt insecure. He confronted her and asked if she wanted to tell him something. She told him not to be insecure about their relationship, but that didn't appease him. Thefinal blow to their on-again, the off-again relationship came in May 2014 at Karan Johar's party. They hadn't spoken for a couple of weeks. When they met at KJo's party, Kangana put her hand on Hrithik's arm. He reacted angrily and asked her how could she have set up a date with another actor for the following Wednesday."

Hrithik Roshan PROPOSED To Kangana Ranaut, Reveals Her Close Friend!

This legal battle has escalated a lot and no one knows how many more secrets will be revealed!
Karan Johar's upcoming film, Kapoor And Sons will be hitting the theaters on March 18th. Along with the hosting of movie screenings for his celebrity friends, the director also hosted a special party at his residence on March 16th night.

The special party was for Alia Bhatt, who spent her birthday in Delhi promoting Kapoor And Sons along with her co-stars, Sidharth Malhotra and Fawad Khan. During the promotions, the actress cut a lot of cakes and gave the first bite to her alleged beau, Sidharth!

Check out the birthday party pics!

Since Alia, who Karan Johar treats like a daughter, was not in Mumbai on her birthday, the director threw a big party for her at his residence and invited a lot of celebs.

The actors who attended the party were, Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Shweta Bachchan, Kunal Kapoor and his wife Naina, Chunky Pandey and his wife, Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, director Shakun Batra, designer Manish Malhotra and many more.

Kangana Ranaut Cheated On Hrithik Roshan With A Younger Actor?

Karan Johar is like a family to Alia Bhatt, not just her, even Sidharth Malhotra has high regards for him, "I have Reshma Shetty from Matrix and Karan (Johar) whom I consult for all stories, ideas and films. Karan is a guy with so much experience and instinct on what stories are working and what are not in the industry. So why not use his expertise," said Sidharth.

When Sidharth, who is largely seen in Dharma projects, was asked for the reason behind it, he said, "We get some good scripts at Dharma. Since we are Dharma talents, we are the first ones to whom these scripts are bounced off. So out of that if I like something I wouldn't want to let go of it. Kapoor and Sons happened like that only."

"They were trying to cast for it for two years. Shagun was trying to get a cast for it and it was getting difficult. I remember I was the first actor to be signed because when I read the story I thought it's a wonderful one. And then later on Rishi sir, Fawad and Alia came onboard. And yes because I have access to Dharma like that and Dharma bounces of scripts to me, I pick it up."
Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar surprised everyone by secretly marrying businessman and model Mohsin Akhtar Mir. Post their wedding, for the first time, the couple was spotted in Kashmir.

In the picture, Urmila Matondkar is dressed in pink suit, and she is seen with her husband Mohsin Akhtar Mir. And it looks like, both of them are engrossed in some conversation. According to recent reports, Urmila is visiting Mohsin's hometown to meet relatives and seek blessings from his parents.



Urmila Matondkar got married to Kashmir-based businessman Mohsin Akhtar Mir at her residence. The couple was keen to keep their wedding simple and intimate. So, only close friends and family members attended the wedding, which was solemnised as per Hindu rituals.

Shocking! Katrina Kaif Was The Reason Why Hrithik Roshan Didn't Marry Kangana Ranaut?

From Bollywood, only designer Manish Malhotra was invited for the marriage. Not many people know that, Urmila Matondkar and Mohsin Akhtar Mir met at Manish's niece's wedding.

Talking about the same, Manish Malhotra told a leading daily, "Urmila is a dear friend and I'm so happy for her. She met Mir Mohsin at my niece Rridhi's wedding in Mumbai in December 2014 and they just hit it off. He used to be a model long back but now does the business of Kashmiri embroidery."

"He's a simple guy from Kashmir, now settled in Mumbai. The wedding was a really private affair and I was the only one from the film industry over there. Urmila made a beautiful bride. She wore a red and pink bespoke lehnga from my Regal Threads Banaras collection. She looked so happy and I hope this happiness lasts forever. "
After the successful completion of 22 Seasons of America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks, 42, is finally stepping down as the host of the show and has turned producer for the same. Now that Tyra Banks is behind the scenes, the executives are looking to replace the host of the show with a new face.

The hunt has been on for months and looks like they may have settled for two of the very famous celebrities on the internet right now, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. We have seen both Kendall and Gigi walk the ramp, may be it's time to see the real personality of both the stars.

Kendall has loads of experience in modelling and facing the camera for years, while Gigi hasn't been much in front of the camera (not that we know off). According to Holywoodlife.com, Kendall Jenner might be the next person to step into the shoes of Tyra Banks.

Sources close to the show's executives revealed exclusively to Hollywoodlife.com that "Producers feel that Kendall has the modelling experience needed for the job and is young enough to attract a hipper audience."

What do you guys think of the possible new host? Will it be Kendall or Gigi, who gets to be the next host?Let us know in the comment section.

Also Read: Selena Misunderstood Kendall! Spills Wrong Info On Live Radio!
It is known that Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain actress Shilpa Shinde, who plays the role of Angoori, has quit the show. The makers had recently sent a legal notice to her abrupt exit.

After her exit, Shilpa had even lashed out at the producer and the channel. She even called the actors of the show insecure and the producer Benaifer Kohli, 'a real terror'! Now, the producer has come out with her revelations on the actress! Read on to know more...



1. Contract: Shilpa was quoted by Spotboye, "The officials of &TV wanted me to sign an exclusive contract, which I refused." But now, the producer has revealed to Tellybuzz that the actress has 'already signed the clause with the channel, when she signed for the show'.

2. Salary Hike: The actress had said that 'they refused to give her a raise in lieu of the exclusivity'. The producer clarifies that Shilpa was given the hike twice. The producer was quoted by Tellybuzz as saying, "She went on to threatening us that she will give a medical reason to the channel if we don't give her a hike. I have the text messages that I have sent to her, telling her that we should maintain self respect, we are all working together. I don't want to say what all she told me because I don't want to stoop to her level."

3. Unprofessional: The actress was upset that she was tagged as 'unprofessional'. The producer clarifies that Shilpa was late on the sets every day. She has a message, where she had advised the actress that 'coming late daily hampers other's work', as they (whoever comes on time) have to wait because of her.

4. Clothes Alteration: Shilpa revealed about the favouritism of the makers to her co-actress Saumya Tandon, who gets a personal fashion designer. But the producer reveals now that the actress 'kept styling her own clothes'. She further said that the look of Angoori was designed by Nisha Bedi Rai, while the jewellery was from Mansi Manoj. The producer further revealed, "She used to say that she brought sarees and jewellery and we used to clear the amount while she never submitted the bills."

Co-actors: The producer was quoted by Tellybuzz as saying, "She is telling that her co-actors are jealous of her... I mean, seriously! Such amazing actors - Rohitsav Gaur and Asif Bhai - how can you even compare yourself with them?"

Further, the producer added that it is Shilpa's character (Angoori) that made her popular!
While everything is in place for Pawan Kalyan's Hindi debut, Sardaar Gabbar Singh, the actor had to face criticism of a Khan from Bollywood. Kamaal R Khan, whose job is perhaps gaining attention by bad-mouthing the top stars of the industry, shifted his focus on to Pawan Kalyan.

Since the release of Sardaar Gabbar Singh is near by, the team has kick-started the film promotions in Bollywood too, and the recently released Interview of the actor with Anupama Chopra, has set the stage right.

Apparently, this attracted the eye of Kamaal R Khan, as he best knows that any comment on the actor would get him the much-needed attention from the South Indian fan-boys.

"If this Lukkha Pawan Kalyan singh is also a hero then anybody in the world can be a super star.", read the first tweet from KRK, which irked Telugu movie lovers.

"What's wrong with South Indian ppl? How can they watch this cartoon in the films as a hero? Really very bad choice!", he further added to bug them.

"I will prefer to watch Rajpal Yadav film instead of the joker, the cartoon, the Maha Sada Huwa hero, Pawan Kalyan", Kamaal R Khan tweeted. But by this time, Pawan Kalyan fans as well the Telugu movie lovers understood his rot trick and hardly reacted.

As his tried-and-tested formula too, has failed, he moved on to something else. Better luck next time Kamaal R Khan!
Bain Capital said on Thursday it had bought a majority stake in a private hospital group in China as the countrys population ages fast and strained public services struggle to offer specialist care.

The Boston-headquartered private equity firm is acquiring about 90% of Asia Pacific Medical Group (APMG) from existing shareholders and will inject fresh capital for expansion across China, a person familiar with the matter said.

In total it is investing around $150 million in the profitable hospital chain. This will be the last investment out of Bains second Asia fund and the first out of its third fund, the person said.

Chinas enormous healthcare market continues to expand rapidly, driven by an aging population, economic growth and an expanding basic health insurance. In 2013, healthcare expenditure in China hit RMB3.2 trillion ($493 billion), maintaining an annual growth rate of 17.2% over the past nine years.

There is overwhelming demand in Chinas healthcare sector, which is exerting a huge amount of pressure on the under-resourced state medical system.

Pressure is building not in terms of number of beds per capita, but in terms of quality and location. The best hospitals are concentrated in larger cities. Bain plans to expand APMG into other tier one cities in China.

The government has been focusing its efforts on ensuring the availability of basic medical services for the whole population, while encouraging private capital investment to improve service quality and meet the publics diverse and complex needs.

Public hospitals are constrained in terms of funding so services are limited in areas such as neurology.

Established in 1992, APMG provides a range of services, with a focus on neurology and oncology. APMG introduced China's first gamma knife machine - a high-tech radiotherapy device that destroys tumours with minimal damage to other tissue.

APMG is able to provide patients with quicker and affordable access to professional treatment, said Jonathan Zhu, a managing director of Bain Capital, in a statement. Zhu co-led the deal with managing director Lihong Wang.

Private hospitals in China have enjoyed rapid growth in recent years. By June 2014, there were 11,737 private hospitals in China, clocking an annual growth rate of 16% from 2008 to 2013. Although private hospitals account for nearly half the total in number, they are generally smaller in scale and less frequented than public counterparts, according to an analysis by consultants at Deloitte.

Other venture capital and private equity funds have been investing in the sector.

Sequoia Capital, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, teamed up in November with Irish medical equipment manufacturer Medtronic to set up a China-focused medical technology investment fund worth $60 million. Olympus Capital Asia recently invested $40 million in China's Tian Jian Hua Xia Medical, or Tendcare Medical, a private hospital management company, to help fund the companys expansion programme.

The fundraising environment is good for healthcare companies in China, as so much capital has been pouring into the sector, Kevin Xie, co-founder of China Renaissance and the head of the banks healthcare team, told FinanceAsia.

The average valuation of Chinese hospitals at the growth-stage is around three to four times revenue. For more mature institutions investors pay two to three times revenue or 30 times P/E.

"There has been a lot of Chinese capital which is also keen to invest in the healthcare sector; international investors will face fierce competition in China," Steven Wang, managing partner and founder of HighLight Capital, a Shanghai-based healthcare investment fund with assets under management of $650 million, told FinanceAsia. "From the government's perspective, it will certainly support domestic companies more than foreign companies," he added.

Also the barrier to entry into hospitals is high due to Chinas state-run insurance scheme, which is more comfortable covering services at public hospitals. Also doctors are considered largely to be state officials and depend on their hospitals for a steady stream of clients so very few go into private practice.

Running a hospital is like running a school. It takes time to build up your reputation, patient cases and then the valuation will follow, added China Renaissance's Xie.

Number of private hospitals in China

Bain has been tracking APMGs progress for about two years and when earlier investors IFC and Cathaya Funds decided to exit it created the chance to gain control on an exclusive basis. IFC invested $30 million in 2012 in loans and equity.

APMG was founded by Dr Michael Choy and a group of US-based physicians and surgeons in 1992. It has five hospitals and a number of clinics in China and Southeast Asia.

Dr Choy will remain as a minority shareholder while Bain is looking to bring in positions such as chief financial officer and will likely exit the investments in Southeast Asia, the person familiar with the matter said.

Bain Capital's investment completed this week.

The Boston-headquartered private equity firm said last year that it saw China's healthcare market, as well as its fintech sector, as one of the most promising areas for investment in the years ahead. It has raised $3 billion for deal making in Asia in its latest fund.

Bain Capital has invested in healthcare companies such as HCA, QuVa Pharma, Quintiles, Warner Chilcott, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Bio Products Laboratory, Beacon Health Options, Physio-Control, CRC Health and Grupo Notre Dame Intermedica, and Air Medical Group Holdings.

Private vs public hospitals in China
LafargeHolcim has agreed to sell its South Korean unit Lafarge Halla to Glenwood and Baring Private Equity Asia in a deal worth W560 billion ($478.48 million), the latest private equity foray into the countrys cement industry.

The Swiss building materials company confirmed the divestment in its annual report, which was released on Thursday. LafargeHolcim said it expects to close the sale of Lafarge Halla, Koreas fifth-largest cement producer, in the second quarter of 2016, subject to final approvals.

The sale follows several other ownership changes among Korean cement companies, which look set to herald a round of consolidation within the fragmented industry. Cement companies in Korea have long struggled with moribund market conditions and several ended up with banks as major shareholders after they failed to repay their debts. But that has been changing as private equity companies buy these distressed companies from creditors.

In August 2015 Sampyo Cement and KDB Private Equity bought a 55% stake in Tongyang Cement & Energy, Koreas fourth-largest cement producer, for W290 billion. The company had been in receivership since December 2013.

Then in December, Korean private equity firm Hahn & Co bought 46.14% of Ssangyong Cement Industrial, the countrys largest  and also bankrupt - cement manufacturer, for around $683 million. It bought the shares from Ssangyongs bank creditors, led by Korea Development Bank.

Hahn previously acquired Daehan Cement in a bankruptcy court-overseen process in 2012.

Hyundai Cement is considered to be the next likely company on the sales block as it fell into receivership in 2010 after also being unable to repay its debts. In 2014 Hana Bank, KDB, Korea Exchange Bank, and Woori Investment & Securities took major shares in the business.

Koreas cement industry has recently been hit by allegations of price-fixing too. In January, the countrys Fair Trade Commission reportedly fined six cement manufacturers W199.4 billion ($167.7 million) for fixing the price of cement, which rose by 43% to W66,000 per tonne in April, 2012 from W46,000 per tonne in March, 2011. The companies fined were Ssangyong, Tongyang Cement & Energy, Hanil Cement, Sungshin Cement, Hyundai Cement, and Asia Cement.

The combination of distressed sales and scandal has led the private equity acquirers to bank on rapid exits by bringing firms together. The companies have a strategy potentially to consolidate in the industry, said a financial expert familiar with LafargeHolcims asset sale. Koreas cement market is much more fragmented than we see in Europe.

Cementing relations

This will not be the first time Baring Private Equity Asia has operated in conjunction with Lafarge.

The Hong Kong-based private equity company bought a 14% stake in Lafarges Indian operation in 2013 for $225 million. It subsequently exited the stake by selling it to Lafarge for around $253.15 million in June 2015, just before the Swiss company merged with Holcim.

Glenwood PE is less widely known than its deal partner. The South Korean company is led by Lee Sang-ho, and has to date been best known for combining with NH Private Equity Fund in 2014 to buy Tongyang Magic, a water purifier company.

A senior executive at Baring Private Equity Asia did not respond to emailed requests for comment about the acquisition. Glenwood PE could not be reached for comment.

The transaction took into account the recent other cement company sales to other companies when valuation was considered, the expert told FinanceAsia. Lafarge Halla is a smaller company than Ssangyong or Tongyang but it is also almost completely debt free, he added.

LafargeHolcims decision to sell its Korean unit is part of a broader group strategy to divest CHF3.5 billion of assets. In its annual report, in which it reported a fourth-quarter loss of CHF2.86 billion, the company said it had so far reached about one-third of this eventual goal.

The companys 2015 annual financial results announcement marked the first set of annual results since the two European building materials companies merged in a $46.46 billion deal last year.

Barclays is the financial adviser for LafargeHolcim on the sale, while Daiwa is believed to be advising Glenwood.
FINRA's CEO Richard Ketchum expressed interest in having FINRA cover unpaid arbitration awards for some of the many investors unable to collect them from the brokers who harmed them.

"Something should be done about it," Ketchum told Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), during testimony March 3 before a Senate subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill. "We are looking at whether, one way or another, there should be a fund to try to at least address the small investors that are terribly harmed."

Ketchum added: "I do believe this is an issue we want to be part of, we want to work with the SEC on and it is a real concern.

Read more: 1 in 3 Awards Go Unpaid to Investors, Study Suggests

After noting areas where she believes FINRA is failing to protect investors, Warren urged Ketchum to take meaningful action.

"Something should be done," Warren said. "These are serious issues. They affect ordinary investors. FINRA is supposed to be looking out for these folks, not for the advisory firms and I hope you will address these issues quickly."

The fund, which would require SEC approval, was proposed in a study last month by the Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association.

$62M UNPAID

The study found that as many as a third of all arbitration awards went unpaid in 2013. That year, it amounted to $62 million that investors never received even after they went to the time and expense of seeking justice through the regulator's troubled arbitration system.

The fact that Ketchum raised the idea of the fund during Senate testimony "suggests that it's getting serious consideration," says Barbara Roper, director of investor protection at the Consumer Federation of America. Roper recently served on a FINRA task force that made recommendations about problems with arbitration.

'I WANT TO HOLD HIM TO IT'

Hugh Berkson, PIABA's president and the author of the study, says he is thrilled by Ketchum's remarks  and frustrated.

"I could also see where [Ketchum] was going to try to minimize the pool," Berkson says, referring to the fact that Ketchum said such a fund could at least address smaller investors. However, "Something is better than nothing," he adds. "I'm glad he said it. I want to hold him to it."

A FINRA spokeswoman declined to respond to questions about Ketchum's remarks.

The testimony came just before PIABA's members descend on Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers this week. Its members have 90 meetings scheduled with members of Congress on Friday.

All of those meetings will focus on the recovery fund as a top priority, Berkson says.

It's incumbent upon the self-regulator to do something about the high number of unpaid awards, some of which will go to restore retirement savings that many brokers were found to have stolen, Roper says.

"The harm to individuals under the current system is devastating," she says. "If you can come up with a way to make a meaningful dent in that problem, why wouldn't you do it?"

Read more:
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan posted a merchandise trade surplus of 242.769 billion yen in February, the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday. That missed forecasts for a surplus of 235.0 billion yen following the 648.8 billion yen deficit in January. Exports were down 4.0 percent on year in February, shy of estimates for a decline of 3.0 percent following the 12.9 percent decline in the previous month. Exports to all of Asia fell 6.1 percent on year to 2.882 trillion yen, while exports to China alone gained 5.1 percent to 933.922 billion yen. Exports to the United States added an annual 0.2 percent to 1.218 trillion yen, while exports to the European Union jumped 9.2 percent to 678.546 billion yen. Imports fell an annual 14.2 percent versus forecasts for 15.8 percent following the 17.8 percent contraction a month earlier. Imports from the rest of Asia fell 15.9 percent on year to 2.705 trillion yen, while imports from just China tumbled 20.8 percent to 1.316 trillion yen. Imports from the United States gained an annual 5.1 percent to 604.054 billion yen, while imports from the European Union jumped an annual 14.2 percent to 711.951 billion yen. The adjusted trade surplus was 166.1 billion yen - missing expectations for 400.2 billion yen but up from the downwardly revised 73.2 billion yen a month earlier (originally 119.4 billion). Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WORTHING, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Allergy Therapeutics (AIM: AGY)

AIM: AGY

17 March 2016

Allergy Therapeutics plc

("Allergy Therapeutics" or the "Company")

Board change

Allergy Therapeutics (AIM: AGY), the fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company specialising in allergy vaccines, announces that Ian Postlethwaite, Finance Director, has resigned from the Company to pursue a new opportunity. Ian will remain as a Director of the Company and Finance Director for up to six months to allow time for a suitable successor to be appointed and for an orderly handover. The Board has commenced a search for his successor and a further announcement will be made in due course.

Peter Jensen, Chairman of Allergy Therapeutics, said: "Ian has been the Finance Director for 14 years and a significant contributor to the success of the Company. During this time Allergy Therapeutics has listed on AIM, achieved a number of financial goals including two fund raisings in 2015 to support the Company's clinical and other development plans, and has growing revenues from products on sale in Europe. Ian leaves the Company in the strongest position it has ever been in, in terms of sales, cash balance and growth potential. We are very positive about the future of Allergy Therapeutics and wish Ian the best for his ongoing career."

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Allergy Therapeutics

+44 (0) 1903 845 820

Manuel Llobet, Chief Executive Officer

Panmure Gordon

+44 (0) 20 7886 2500

Freddy Crossley / Duncan Monteith, Corporate Finance

Tom Salvesen, Corporate Broking

Consilium Strategic Communications

+44 20 3709 5700

Mary-Jane Elliott / Ivar Milligan / Matthew Neal / Laura Thornton

allergytherapeutics@consilium-comms.com

Note to editors:

About Allergy Therapeutics

Allergy Therapeutics is an international specialty pharmaceutical company focussed on the treatment and diagnosis of allergic disorders including immunotherapy vaccines that cure disease. The Company sells proprietary products and third party products from its subsidiaries in nine major European countries and via distribution agreements in an additional ten countries.

Formed in 1999 out of Smith Kline Beecham, Allergy Therapeutics is headquartered in Worthing, UK with MHRA-approved manufacturing facilities. The Company employs c.420 employees and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM: AGY). For more information please see www.allergytherapeutics.com.

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

Contact:

RNS

Customer Services

0044-207797-4400

rns@londonstockexchange.com

http://www.rns.com




Maud Brandely, MD, PhD joins as Chief Medical Officer

John Felitti, JD, LLM joins as General Counsel Corporate Secretary

Regulatory News:

Transgene SA (Paris:TNG) today announced the appointment of two new executives to its leadership team.

Maud Brandely, MD, PhD joins Transgene from Pierre Fabre Oncologie, where she most recently served as Director of Clinical Development. John Felitti, JD, LLM joins from Sanofi, where he was Associate Vice President, Corporate Law, Finance and Securities Law. Both bring many years of industry and leadership experience to their positions.

Philippe Archinard, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Transgene, said: "I am delighted to welcome Maud and John to Transgene. Maud brings extensive oncology clinical and regulatory experience, with a solid track record of successfully bringing drugs through clinical development to marketing approval. John's transatlantic experience as both an external legal advisor and in-house counsel will provide us invaluable expertise as we expand our collaboration activities on both sides of the Atlantic."

Dr. Brandely and Mr. Felitti will be members of Transgene's Executive Committee and both will report to Mr. Archinard.

In her position as Director of Clinical Development at Pierre Fabre Oncologie, Dr. Brandely oversaw all clinical trials (Phase I-Phase III) for the company's cancer programs. She played a key role in the successful registration of Navelbine oral (vinorelbine) for the treatment of both breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer and for vinflunine in transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract. Prior to Pierre Fabre, she was Director of Taxotere Clinical Development at Rhone-Poulenc (now Sanofi), where she was responsible for global registration trials for that product. Dr. Brandely is an MD and has a PhD in immunology from the University of Paris VI.

At Sanofi, Mr. Felitti oversaw legal matters including corporate governance, capital markets, finance, securities litigation and company law. He also headed legal support for a number of major strategic projects, including Sanofi's successful bid for Genzyme. Prior to Sanofi, Mr. Felitti was an attorney at the leading international law firm, Shearman Sterling. He is admitted to practice in New York and is a former member of the Paris Bar. In addition to his legal training at the University of Michigan and the University of Paris II (Pantheon), he holds degrees in economics from Harvard University and the College of Europe as well as a global executive MBA from INSEAD.

Navelbine is a registered trademark of Pierre Fabre Medicament

Taxotere is a registered trademark of Sanofi

About Transgene

Transgene S.A. (Euronext: TNG), part of Institut Merieux, is a publicly traded French biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Transgene's programs utilize viral vector technology with the goal of indirectly or directly killing infected or cancerous cells. The Company's two lead clinical-stage programs are: TG4010 for non-small cell lung cancer and Pexa-Vec for liver cancer. The Company has several other programs in clinical and pre-clinical development. Transgene is based in Strasbourg, France, and has additional operations in Lyon, as well as satellite offices in China and the U.S. Additional information about Transgene is available at www.transgene.fr.

Societe anonyme au capital de 88.195.793,51 - R.C. Strasbourg B 317 540 581

400 boulevard Gonthier d'Andernach Parc d'Innovation CS80166 67405 ILLKIRCH GRAFFENSTADEN CEDEX (France)

Tel : 33 3 88 27 91 00 Fax : 33 3 88 27 91 11

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005085/en/

Contacts:

Transgene:

Elisabetta Castelli, Director IR

+33 (0)3 88 27 91 21

investorrelations@transgene.fr

or

Media contacts:

MC Services

Raimund Gabriel, +49 89 210 228 30

raimund.gabriel@mc-services.eu

or

Shaun Brown, +44 207 148 5998

shaun.brown@mc-services.eu
Guidelines judges currently use when handing down sentences to those found guilty of animal fighting fall way short of adequately dealing with these criminals. Photo by Larry French/AP Images for The HSUS

1.6K shares







During my tenure at The HSUS  as CEO but also prior to that as our chief political advocate  Ive made it a point to work to strengthen the nations legal framework against dogfighting and cockfighting. These are reprehensible, calculated crimes that result in protracted and sustained violence to animals.

Weve upgraded the federal law against animal fighting four times since 2002, with the federal law now making it a felony to fight animals, possess fighting animals, sell fighting implements, or bring a child to an animal fight. Its also a misdemeanor to be a spectator at an animal fight. (Weve also worked to upgrade nearly every state statute against animal fighting, with dogfighting now a felony in every state and cockfighting outlawed in all those states, too.)

But the guidelines judges currently use when handing down sentences to the guilty are not in line with Congresss intent, and fall way short of adequately dealing with these criminals, and weve been working with our friends at the ASPCA to correct this problem.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which establishes the guidelines, is now considering an amendment that would increase penalties for animal fighting. We are extremely pleased that the USSC has proposed an increased baseline for animal fighting crimes, but we are encouraging the commissioners to adopt our recommendations and recognize Congresss intent in upgrading penalties for animal fighters.

Today, Chris Schindler, HSUS director of animal crimes and someone who has personally been involved in dozens of animal fighting rescues, made recommendations to the commission, asking it to consider three specific offense characteristics when handing sentences to animal fighters. We believe implementing these would bring sentencing guidelines more in line with Congresss intent:

-When the offender intentionally and cruelly kills an animal, or subjects them to severe animal abuse.

-When the offender demonstrates an exceptional degree of involvement in the business of animal fighting.

-When the offender possessed a dangerous weapon.

Were proud to be aligned with the ASPCA on this issue. We have had a front-row seat to the havoc animal fighters create for dogs and birds and for the communities in which they conduct their crimes. We have worked with federal and state law enforcement on hundreds of animal fighting cases across the country, including cases that involved not only animal cruelty but a range of other violent crimes. A good share of the people involved are hardened criminals.

Weve worked relentlessly to upgrade the legal framework against animal fighters and to give perpetrators no room to operate. But strong sentencing guidelines are a linchpin in our broader strategy to root out animal fighting where we see it, and we urge the commission to act in a way consistent with the wishes not just of Congress, but of the American people.
Chronix Biomedical, Inc., a developer of blood-based molecular diagnostics, today announces that it will present data relating to its cell-free DNA copy number instability (CNI) diagnostic at the American Association for Cancer Research ('AACR') Annual Meeting 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana on 19 April 2016.

The following abstract will be presented during the poster session:

Changes in tumor cell-free DNA copy number instability (CNI) predict therapeutic response in metastatic cancers (see link

The study was conducted by Dr. Glen Weiss and colleagues at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center in Goodyear, AZ.

The abstract is scheduled to be presented from 08:00-12:00 CDT on Tuesday, 19 April 2016 at the AACR 2016 conference.

AACR 2016 will take place on 16-20 April 2016 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

About AACR Annual Meeting 2016

The AACR Annual Meeting is an event for cancer researchers and the broader cancer community. This year's theme, "Delivering Cures Through Cancer Science," reinforces the inextricable link between research and advances in patient care. The theme will be evident throughout the meeting as the latest, most exciting discoveries are presented in every area of cancer research. There will be a number of presentations that include exciting new data from cutting-edge clinical trials as well as companion presentations that spotlight the science behind the trials and implications for delivering improved care to patients.

This cross-cutting, multidisciplinary program will include an outstanding roster of speakers, hundreds of invited talks, and more than 6,000 proffered papers from researchers around the globe. As always, the diversity of the AACR Annual Meeting program will give presenters a forum to share critical updates in all areas, as well as members of the audience an opportunity to actively participate in discussions with colleagues.

About Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Global, Inc. (CTCA), headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., is a national network of five hospitals that serves adult patients who are fighting cancer. CTCA offers an integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, with evidence-based supportive therapies designed to help patients physically and emotionally by enhancing their quality of life while reducing side effects both during and after treatment. CTCA serves patients from around the world at its hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa. Consistently rated among U.S. hospitals that deliver the highest quality of care and patient experience, CTCA provides patients and their families with comprehensive information about their treatment options and encourages their active participation in treatment decisions. For more information, visit cancercenter.com, Facebook.com/cancercenter and Twitter.com/cancercenter.

About Chronix Biomedical

Chronix Biomedical, Inc. is a US-based molecular diagnostics company developing blood tests primarily for the screening and monitoring of cancer. Chronix already offers prognostic tests based on copy number instability for breast and prostate cancer through its own certified laboratories in Gottingen. The prostate cancer test can discriminate between prostate cancer and other prostate conditions (such as benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostatitis) thereby avoiding invasive needle biopsies. These Chronix supplementary tests assist oncologists in making cancer diagnoses and can reduce costs to healthcare providers by preventing unnecessary procedures such as tissue biopsies. For more information visit www.chronixbiomedical.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005311/en/

Contacts:

Chronix Biomedical, Inc

Dr Howard Urnovitz, CEO, +1 408-960-2307

hbu@chronixbiomedical.de

or

Shard Capital Partners LLP

(Corporate Adviser and Broker)

Dr Wang Chong, +44 20 7186 9948

wang.chong@shardcapital.com

or

FTI Consulting

(PR Advisors)

Brett Pollard Victoria Foster Mitchell Matthew Moss, +44 20 3727 1000
The Cognitive Era, its impact and growth opportunities for businesses will be at the centre of the European summit that returns to London on 30th June

LONDON, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Industries are being flooded with data from millions of connected devices. Autonomous vehicles, real-time cities, connected supply chains, smart clothing, bio-embedded sensors and robotic home assistants are happening here and now. The next step will be the use of artificially intelligent systems to make real-time decisions. This will mark the advent of the Cognitive Era in business.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345054

At Frost & Sullivan we believe that every single company, large and small, should be asking itself how the availability of real-time data and artificial intelligence will change its relationships with customers, partners, and competitors and, crucially, its ability to prosper and grow.

The Cognitive Era and its impact on businesses that will transform the future European economy will be the theme of Frost & Sullivan's Growth, Innovation and Leadership (GIL) 2016: Europe. The GIL congress returns to London for its eighth consecutive year on Thursday, 30 June at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, in London. Over 200 industry leaders are expected to convene from all over Europe to explore how Artificial Intelligence will revolutionise business models; monetise data generated by the Internet of Things; drive operational efficiencies; and exploit the connectivity and convergence of once unrelated industries.

To download the brochure and to attend the conference, please visit http://frost.ly/4c.

With his keynote on "The impact of Mega Trends on Europe's complex environment/A single digital Europe," EIA Senior Partner Sarwant Singh will open the conference. "The Cognitive Era will drive change in business models, products/services and industry ecosystems, stemming from the integration of new artificially intelligent products," explains Senior Partner Sarwant Singh. "Business leaders will need to be attentive to this new mindset to develop proactive and predictive business practices."

The summit will highlight top Mega Trends and new business models with specific industry developments, and will review their direct impact on the success of an enterprise. It will also emphasize the importance of efficiently using a company's current portfolio of digital assets and integrating cognitive technologies to support critical client facing decisions and drive business outcome.

Highlights include:

The Cognitive Era and Implications for the future of your career and our society by Sanjay Brahmawar, Global Head of Sales, Managing Partner, IBM Watson Internet of Things

Future of Business in Europe by Rohit Talwar, Futurologist, Fast Future Research

Opportunities in Connected and Mobile Africa & Emerging Market Opportunities in Iran by Aroop Zutshi, Global President & Managing Partner, Frost & Sullivan

The future of Fintech by Luca Raffellini, Director, Business & Financial Services, Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan's Global GIL Community continues to be the industry's only resource that supports CEOs and their management teams in critical decision-making, offering tools that help industry leaders in achieving the three essential objectives of Growth, Innovation and Leadership.

Schedule:

GIL 2016: Europe

The Jumeirah Carlton Tower - London

30 June, 2016

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.

The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organisation prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

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Contact:

Chiara Carella

Corporate Communications - Europe

P: +44 (0) 20 7343 8314

M: +44 (0) 753 3017689

E: chiara.carella@frost.com

http://www.frost.com
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Spigit, the leading SaaS solution for crowdsourcing innovation, today announced record business growth including a 32% increase in new customers in 2015 and expansion across major industry segments of financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and energy. Spigit is transforming innovation across industries for customers which include: AT&T, Citibank, Duke Energy, MetLife, Pfizer, Southern Company, Sprint, Unilever, UnitedHealth Group and more.

In addition, Spigit's momentum in the financial services industry is also accelerating with global customers that now include Cigna, CSAA Insurance Group, and KBC Bank. The total market cap of the financial services companies that have chosen Spigit exceeds $2 trillion.

Spigit CEO Scott Raskin said, "Our customers want to build a culture of innovation and they need an innovation solution that is smart, secure, and agile to find the most valuable ideas. Spigit provides just that and we're absolutely thrilled that we are mobilizing today's leading companies to drive innovation initiatives in a competitive global arena."

Organizations want to stay a step ahead of disruptive technologies

The rise of the sharing economy and disruptive digital technologies have transformed consumer lifestyles across all traditional sectors such as financial lending or car ownership. As a result, an increasing number of the world's leading organizations have turned to Spigit to drive their innovation initiatives and deliver cutting-edge offerings to their customers.

Sofie Blockx, Head of Corporate Change and Culture, KBC Bank, said, "In the past, the financial sector has been viewed as bureaucratic and sometimes slow to evolve, but that won't work in the 21st century economy. With Spigit, we have been able to unlock the creative potential of our employees to discover new, customer-focused innovations that addresses their priorities and how they prefer to interact with their local bank."

Spigit propels its expansion, adds new executives

Spigit is proud to announce the hiring of Paul Brook as the company's first Chief Customer Officer. Brook brings more than 20 years of experience running world-class customer success and support organizations. At Spigit, he is responsible for Customer Success, SaaS Operations, Professional Services, Technical Support, Customer Education, and Account Management & Renewals.

Spigit is honored to have Larry Freed join as a Member of its Board of Directors. Freed is the CEO and Managing Partner of 2nd Stage Partners. Prior to that, he was the CEO and Founder of ForeSee, a SaaS customer experience analytics company.

Spigit's 32% customer growth is on the heels of a $13 million financing round led by Investor Growth Capital (IGC). Spigit's expansion is increasing globally across industries in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia-Pac.

About Spigit

Spigit is a recognized market leader of innovation management. Spigit's award-winning cloud software for crowdsourcing innovation lets organizations draw on the expertise of their employees, customers, partners, or developers to innovate new ideas for products and services, customer experience and process efficiencies. Spigit's 4.5M users from 150+ countries have generated over $1 billion in increased revenue from their enterprise innovation programs. Spigit's mobile-first SaaS solution offers simultaneous releases in 11 languages. All proprietary information is protected by six global data centers. Spigit is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in the USA, UK, France, Germany, and Australia. Learn more at www.spigit.com.

Media Contact

Mary Ellen Ynes

GMK Communications

650.759.8836

maryellen@gmkcommunications.com




BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Switzerland's producer and import prices declined at the slowest pace in nearly a year during February, but the decrease was less-than-expected, figures from the Federal Statistical Office showed Thursday. The producer and import price index dropped 4.6 percent year-on-year following 5.3 percent fall in January. Economists were looking for a smaller decline of 3.9 percent. The latest decline was the smallest since March last year, when prices fell 3.4 percent. On a month-on-month basis, the producer and import price index decreased 0.6 percent in February after a 0.4 percent drop in the previous month. Economists had forecast a 0.1 percent increase. The producer price index fell 0.5 percent monthly and the import price index decreased 1 percent. The agency attributed the decline mainly to lower prices for chemical and pharmaceutical products as well as petroleum products. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Regulatory News:

PRESS RELASE DATED 2016-03-17

Axactor (OSE:AXAO) has signed an agreement to acquire an NPL portfolio originally generated by a large Spanish consumer finance institution. The portfolio includes unsecured and secured loans with a total Outstanding Balance (OB) of approximately EUR 221 million, with more than twenty-five thousand open accounts of individuals and a solid paying book.

Axactor will pay around 6.9% of the Outstanding Balance. "This is Axactor's 3rd major portfolio acquisition in Spain in less than 50 days, and is an evidence of our competitiveness and strong position in this market. The portfolio will add significant new volumes to our amicable and legal operations in Spain. Axactor's Madrid based Spanish business has more than doubled since November 2015 our Spanish operations is now more than 200 employees. This proves that our business model and strategy is on the right track; acquiring strong local operational platforms with growth potential and providing international industry experience and financial strength", says Endre Rangnes, CEO of Axactor.

"We are now positioning Axactor to gain more business in Spain and other countries in Europe. Our substantial industry insight, proven track record and market offer make Axactor an attractive partner to major European banks, financial institutions and funds", says Rangnes."With this deal, Axactor has acquired NPL portfolios in Spain with a Face Value of approximately EUR 730 million and we have deployed more than EUR 30 million in portfolio acquisitions", says Geir Johansen, CFO of Axactor.

The investments will be financed by Axactor's available cash and the credit facilities with DNB.

About Axactor: Axactor is a newly established company in the market for credit management services. The company has a Nordic base and an ambitious pan-European growth strategy, which targets the market for non-performing loans in Europe. This market is estimated to about 1 500 billion euros, and Axactor's main focus is debt collection and purchase of NPL portfolios. As a first step in the pan-European growth strategy Axactor acquired the company ALD Abogados in December 2015. ALD Abogados is a leading debt collection company in Madrid with 120 employees, and has in addition a call center with 80 employees in Valladolid, Spain.

Cautionary Statement: Statements and assumptions made in this document with respect to Axactor AB's ("Axactor") current plans, estimates, strategies and beliefs, and other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements about the future performance of Axactor. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those using words such as "may", "might", "seeks", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "believes", "projects", "plans", strategy", "forecast" and similar expressions. These statements reflect management's expectations and assumptions in light of currently available information. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, (i) changes in the economic, regulatory and political environments in the countries where Axactor operates; (ii) changes relating to the statistic information available in respect of the various debt collection projects undertaken; (iii) Axactor's continued ability to secure enough financing to carry on its operations as a going concern; (iv) the success of its potential partners, ventures and alliances, if any; (v) currency exchange rate fluctuations between the SEK and the currencies in other countries where Axactor or its subsidiaries operate. In the light of the risks and uncertainties involved in the debt collection business, the actual results could differ materially from those presented and forecast in this document. Axactor assumes no unconditional obligation to immediately update any such statements and/or forecasts.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005432/en/

Contacts:

Axactor

Geir Johansen

CFO Investor Relations

+47 47710451
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.L, GSK) announced Sir Andrew Witty, CEO, has indicated his intention to retire from the company in early 2017. The Board has agreed that he will retire on 31st March 2017. The Board of GlaxoSmithKline said it will now conduct a formal search for a successor and will consider internal and external candidates. The company also announced that Sir Deryck Maughan, Stephanie Burns, Daniel Podolsky and Hans Wijers will not stand for re-election to the Board at Annual General Meeting on 5 May 2016. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2016) - GB Minerals Ltd.(TSXV: GBL) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news release of March 7, 2016, it has closed a private placement of 67,854,547 new common shares ("Placement Shares") in the share capital of the Company ("Share Capital") at a price of C$0.055 per Placement Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$3,732,000 (the "Placement").

A.B. Aterra Resources Ltd., taken together with its related companies (together, "Aterra"), is an existing significant shareholder of the Company and an insider within the meaning of the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). Aterra subscribed for 12,285,455 Placement Shares and, upon completion of the Placement, owns an aggregate of 225,749,097 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") representing 46.47% of the Share Capital. JP Morgan Asset Management UK Limited, a new shareholder of the Company, subscribed for 43,126,364 Placement Shares and, upon completion of the Placement, owns 8.88% of the Share Capital. Sputnick Limited and Conista Holdings Limited, existing shareholders of the Company, though not insiders of the Company within the meaning of the rules of the TSXV, each subscribed for 6,221,364 Placement Shares. Upon completion of the Placement, Sputnick Limited owns an aggregate of 30,577,359 Common Shares representing 6.29% of the Share Capital and Conista Holdings Limited owns 19,731,369 Common Shares representing 4.06% of the Share Capital. The Placement Shares are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance.

The Placement Shares represent an increase of approximately 14% in the enlarged Share Capital and approximately 13.2% of the fully diluted enlarged Share Capital.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Placement for expenses and development of the Company's Farim phosphate mineral property, to meet the Company's financial obligations and operational commitments and to fund litigation involving GBM Minerals Engineering Consultants Limited.

Aterra is a "related party" to the Company under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") by virtue of its existing shareholding being in excess of 10% of the Share Capital. Accordingly, the Placement is a "related party transaction" under MI 61-101. The Placement was approved by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") on February 23, 2016. The Board, acting in good faith, and the independent members of the Board, acting in good faith, determined that the Company is in serious financial difficulty, that the Placement is designed to improve the Company's financial position and that the terms of the Placement are reasonable in the Company's circumstances (the "Financial Hardship Determinations"). The Financial Hardship Determinations were made pursuant to Subsections 5.5(g) and 5.7(e) of MI 61-101 and exempted the Company from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in Subsections 5.4 and 5.6 of MI 61-101, respectively.

The Company anticipates it will file a material change report less than 21 days before the closing of the Placement. This shorter period is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as the Company required the proceeds of the Placement immediately.

Dundee Securities Ltd., an arm's length broker, received a finder's fee equating to 3% of the gross proceeds raised from JP Morgan Asset Management UK Limited.

Three Keys Capital Advisors AG, also an arm's length broker, received a finder's fee of $13,687 in relation to the participation of Conista Holdings Limited and Sputnick Limited in the Placement.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Luis da Silva

President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact:



Luis da Silva

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: + 1 (604) 569-0721



Angel Law

Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Telephone: +1 (604) 569-0721

On September 14, 2015, the Company announced the results of, and filed on SEDAR, a new feasibility study on its Farim phosphate project entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report On the Farim Phosphate Project" (the "2015 Feasibility Study").

The Farim phosphate project is located in the northern part of central Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, approximately 25 kilometres south of the Senegal border, approximately 5 kilometres west of the town of Farim and some 120 kilometres northeast of Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, on a 30.6 km2 mining lease license granted by the Government of Guinea-Bissau to the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, GB Minerals AG, in May 2009. The Company also holds a production license in relation to the Farim phosphate project.

The Farim phosphate project consists of a high grade sedimentary phosphate deposit of one continuous phosphate bed which extends over a known surface area of approximately 40 km2. It is estimated to contain measured and indicated resources of 105.6 million dry tonnes at a grade of 28.4% P 2 O 5 and additional inferred resources of 37.6 million dry tonnes at 27.7% P 2 O 5 . The measured and indicated resources include 44.0 million dry tonnes of reserves based on a 25 year mine plan at 1.75 million tonnes per annum ("mtpa") of mine production at the following run of mine grades: 30.0% P 2 O 5 , 2.6% Al 2 O 3 , 41.0% CaO, 4.7% Fe 2 O 3 , and 10.6% SiO 2 . The phosphate ore will be beneficiated for a final phosphate rock concentrate production of 1.32 mtpa at a 34.0% P 2 O 5 grade at 3% moisture.

The 25 year mine plan also assumes a beneficiation process that involves scrubbing (both drum and attrition) followed by particle sizing to remove the fraction under 20 m. This new beneficiation process will result in a 34.0% P 2 O 5 product grade, mass recovery of 75.5% and 78.4% P 2 O 5 recovery confirmed by a pilot scale test on a one tonne sample that took place in May 2015. After passing through the process plant, the final production of phosphate concentrate, based on 1.75 mtpa of run of mine feed, will be 1.32 mtpa. The life of mine operating costs are approximately US$52.13 per tonne of final concentrate. The initial capital cost for the project is estimated at US$193.8 million and does not include owner's costs which amount to US$11 million and include items such as project insurance, resettlement and owner's team costs. Owner's costs have been included in the financial analysis.

For additional information, please visit us at www.gbminerals.com.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The Company's Qualified Person is Dan Markovic, P. Eng., Project/Study Manager at Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd., who has reviewed and approves the scientific and technical content of this press release. Mr. Markovic is independent from the Company.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information in this news release relating to the Company is forward-looking and related to anticipated events and strategies. When used in this context, words such as "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "intend", "target" and "expect" or similar words suggest future outcomes. Forward-looking information contained in this press release includes, but may not be limited to, the Placement, the Company's financial position, the use of proceeds and the business plans, statements or information relating to the anticipated development activities of the Company, the Farim Project (including the quantity and quality of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates), the potential to upgrade inferred mineral resources, the ability of the Company to develop the Farim Project into a commercially viable mine and the proposed new plans relating thereto regarding operations and mine design, estimates relating to tonnage, grades, recovery rates, future phosphate production, future cash flows, life of mine estimates, expectations regarding production and estimates of capital and operating costs. By their nature, such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as actual results could differ materially from the plans, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or modify such forward-looking information, either as a result of new information, future events or for any other reason.

Disclosure herein of exploration information and of mineral resources and mineral reserves is derived from the 2015 Feasibility Study. Information relating to "mineral resources" and "mineral reserves" is deemed to be forward-looking information as it involves the implied assessment based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral resources and mineral reserves can be profitable in the future. Such estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practices. Valid estimates made at a given time may significantly change when new information becomes available. By their nature, mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates are imprecise and depend, to a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately prove unreliable. If such estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could have a material adverse impact on the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to inferred mineral resources, it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Rio Tinto Plc. (RTPPF.PK, RIO.L, RIO, RTNTF.PK) gained around 6 percent in the morning trading in London after the mining giant announced Thursday the appointment of Copper & Coal unit chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques as the group chief executive. He succeeds Sam Walsh, who will retire from the business on July 1 after 25 years with Rio Tinto.



To ensure a smooth transition, Jacques will join the board and become deputy chief executive with immediate effect. On July 1, Walsh will also retire as a director after almost seven years on the Rio Tinto board.



The company appointed Chris Salisbury as acting chief executive of the Copper & Coal product group and will attend the Rio Tinto Executive Committee in this capacity. The rest of the executive team remains unchanged.



For more than three years, Jacques was on Rio Tinto's executive committee. Prior to joining Rio Tinto, he worked for more than 15 years across Europe, Southeast Asia, India and the United States in a wide range of operational and functional positions in the aluminium, bauxite and steel industries. He served as group strategy director for Tata Steel Group from 2007 to 2011.



Rio Tinto chairman Jan du Plessis said, 'Jean-Sebastien is a very experienced executive with a demonstrated track record and brings a unique blend of strategic and operational expertise. He has run complex operations and projects across five commodities and five continents... The board has decided that J-S is the right person to lead Rio Tinto in an increasingly complex world filled with both challenges and opportunities for our industry.'



The company noted that Walsh was appointed as chief executive at a challenging time, and in the three years of his leadership, his team have transformed the business, removing more than $6 billion of costs, strengthening the balance sheet and returning more than $13 billion to shareholders.



In London, Rio Tinto shares were trading at 2,046.50 pence, up 6.06 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) -The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center is dedicated to making certain that all diagnosed victims of mesothelioma in the United States get the best possible compensation. The Center is now offering to create a customized checklist of actions to protect the diagnosed victim and their family because the last thing they want to see happen is a person with mesothelioma or their family feel like they have to start from scratch on what to do after learning of a confirmed mesothelioma diagnosis.

The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We've been helping victims of mesothelioma obtain compensation for well over a decade. What we've learned in that time is the understanding that many families need input on where to begin after learning of a mesothelioma diagnosis. The first thing we want to do is create a personalized checklist of vital actions the victim and/or family must make.

"Time is of the essence with mesothelioma as it can come on fast and strong. What we want to do is provide victims with the resources they need to make good choices about healthcare facilities and how to get the best possible compensation. For more information, a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma in any US State or their family is welcome to contact the Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center anytime at 800-714-0303." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

Vital checklist of items for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma or their family from the Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center:

Has the family of the diagnosed victim identified the most experienced mesothelioma cancer specialists in their area?

There should be a family meeting with the diagnosed loved one for a discussion on establishing a will that gives power of executor to a trusted family member.

The diagnosed person should sit down and write down a list of how or where they might have been exposed to asbestos; this type of information can be very helpful to the lawyers handling the compensation claim.

It is vital for the diagnosed person with mesothelioma and their family to understand there are about a dozen full time mesothelioma law firms nationwide, and skill as well as experience matter when it comes to a lawyer/law firm obtaining the best possible mesothelioma compensation settlement for their client.

Try and accommodate their loved one by making their home easier to get around. Call 800-714-0303 for a customized checklist aimed at alleviating stress for everyone involved after a confirmed diagnosis of mesothelioma. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com

The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is 72 years old. This year between 2500 and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is attributable to exposure to asbestos.

High risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include Veterans of the US Navy, power plant workers, shipyard workers, steel mill workers, oil refinery workers, factory workers, plumbers, electricians, welders, pipefitters, miners, auto mechanics, machinists, and construction workers. Typically the exposure to asbestos occurred in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s.

According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon.

The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "If you call us at 800-714-0303, we will see to it that you have extremely honest advice about all that is involved in obtaining the best possible mesothelioma compensation. We consistently get the best possible financial compensation results for our clients-nationwide." http://www.belluckfox.com/

For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/21/11G083782/Images/mesothelioma_workers-c82f6c39e097bd8a87e195d0998ee007.jpg

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Contact:

Michael Thomas

Mesothelioma Victims Center

800-714-0303

http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - NexOptic Technology Corp. ("NexOptic") (TSX VENTURE: NXO) and Spectrum Optix Inc. of Calgary, Canada ("Spectrum" and together with NexOptic, the "Companies")are pleased to provide this corporate update on the current phase of their proof of concept ("POC") prototype development program.

The Companies report that phase two of their prototype development program, being assisted by Ruda Cardinal Inc. ("Ruda") of Tucson, Arizona, is on schedule and is progressing well. The Companies recently received draft fabrication drawings of the lenses to be incorporated into their POC prototype; a first of its kind telescope that utilizes Spectrum's patent pending Blade Optics' technology, which contains flat lenses.

Spectrum will be approaching manufacturers for quotes on lens production for the POC prototype with its recently received draft fabrication drawings. Furthermore, through the work completed by Ruda thus far in the current phase, it has been verified that the optics to be incorporated into the lens stack consist of industry standard glass types which are frequently produced for optical technologies. Because the optics for Spectrum's POC prototype lens stack can be manufactured using standard commercial practices, the Companies may demonstrate global sourcing options to potential future commercial partners -- a differentiator from many photonic technologies that use nanotechnology, for example.

John Daugela, President of Spectrum Optix and Director of NexOptic, stated,

"The ability for Blade Optics' to be manufactured by the current optical industry is an attractive element for potential customers. They wouldn't be banking on unproven materials (as can be the case with nanotech) or have scarce access to manufacturers. We believe that reducing the supply chain risk using our COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) approach is attractive for potential customers and could enable them to adopt a global supply chain strategy."

The current phase of the POC prototype development includes completing the final design adjustments to adjust performance capabilities, tolerancing, stray light analysis and fabrication drawings for the optics. The fabrication drawings include full specifications and tolerances. As part of this phase, Spectrum intends to source, and possibly modify, suitable electronic and digital components for its POC prototype, which is anticipated to include image capture and processing pieces intended to enhance and refine image quality.

As announced on February 29, 2016, the initial phase of the Companies' POC prototype development program, which involved modeling and testing several lens stack design iterations, was completed earlier in 2016.

IP Development

Through the development process of its POC prototype, Spectrum has identified additional potential novel techniques and methods that leverage the strengths of its patent pending Blade Optics' lens technology. As such, Spectrum is currently working on preparing and filing additional patent applications with its IP counsel from Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie in Los Angeles, California. The applications will be directed toward form factor features and marrying Spectrum's patent pending Blade Optics' technology with computational features, among others.

The Companies look forward to providing subsequent updates in future joint news releases as Spectrum's POC prototype development process continues.

About Spectrum Optix Inc.

Spectrum is developing technologies relating to imagery and light concentration applications. Utilizing its patent pending Blade Optics' technology, which contains flat lenses, the company aims to disrupt conventional lens and image capture based systems.

Spectrum is currently developing a POC prototype that will utilize its patent pending Blade Optics' technology, other optical elements and electronic components. The prototype is intended to demonstrate the marketable features of Spectrum's Blade Optics' technology and its potential to serve as a platform to be used in various optical applications ranging from telescopes, cameras, surveillance equipment, mobile devices and other imaging verticals.

About NexOptic Technology Corp.

NexOptic has an option to acquire, in the aggregate, 100% of Spectrum Optix. Please see NexOptic's news release dated November 18, 2014 for additional details regarding such option.

Forward Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to expectations concerning the development of the POC prototype and the potential applications of Spectrum's technologies. The reader is cautioned that forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the industry and markets in which the Companies operate and are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations, including, among others, that: the ability of the Companies to complete the POC prototype as currently expected; the risk that the prototype may not achieve results expected by the Companies; they may not have access to financing on acceptable terms or at all in order to exercise the options under NexOptic's formal agreement with Spectrum and its shareholders; it may not receive all necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals; or the conditions to NexOptic's options to acquire Spectrum shares may not be otherwise satisfied; and other risks inherent with the patent process, transactions of this type and development of new technologies or the business of Spectrum and/or NexOptic. Such forward looking statements should therefore be construed in light of such factors. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations, NexOptic is not under any obligation and it expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

On behalf of the Boards of Directors

NexOptic Technology Corp.

Paul McKenzie

President & CEO

Email: Look@NexOptic.com

Tel: +1 604 669 7330



Spectrum Optix Inc.

John Daugela

President & CEO
LONDON, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Annual Pet Population Figures - Released by Pet Food Manufacturers' Association

The Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) has released its well-respected annual Pet Population data. The latest findings are based on interviews with over 8000 UK households and confirm that 11 million households own a pet[i]. Looking at the data since 2011, this represents an average increase of 1% per year. There are around 57m pets in the UK and the top ten most popular are:

Top Ten Pets

15-20 million fish kept in tanks

20 million fish kept in ponds

8.5 million dogs

7.5 million cats

800,000 rabbits

600,000 domestic fowl

700,000 guinea Pigs

600,000 caged birds

400,000 hamsters

300,000 lizards



Whilst nearly half of UK households have a pet this leaves many without (16.8million). PFMA investigated this further and discovered that 95% of these households are actually open to pet ownership as only 5% specifically stated they did not want one. Various reasons were given for not owning a pet and lifestyle factors were the predominant.

Top Five Reasons for no Pets

Lifestyle / Work / Time (36%)

Moved into rented accommodation (13%)

Don't want a pet / not a pet person (5%)

Costs (4%)

Didn't realise what was involved (4%)



Michael Bellingham PFMA Chief Executive concludes: "Pet ownership is a rewarding experience for everyone in the family. With numerous scientifically proven emotional and physical benefits, we would love to increase the possibility of more families benefitting from caring for a pet. With the pet industry welcoming many more companies offering pet care, dog walking, cat feeding services, sophisticated feeders and toys, where there is a will there is often a way! It's also true that many families have discovered the pleasure of owning smaller pets such as birds or hamsters, where space or work does not allow for a larger pet."

Regional Differences

The pet populations vary greatly according to geographical location. With 'lifestyle' the most significant barrier to ownership, it is not surprising to see that London has the lowest pet populations: 9% have dogs, 12% have cats, 1% rabbits, 5% indoor fish, 2% outdoor fish and 1% indoor birds. These compare to the national average of 26% owning dogs, 17% cats, 2% rabbits, 9% indoor fish, 5% outdoor fish and 1% indoor birds.

High populations of pets are found in regions where lifestyle traditionally lends itself more to pet ownership. Northern Ireland, the North East and Wales boast the highest dog populations (44%, 31% and 31% of households respectively). The most popular cat areas are South West (21%) and East of England, South East and Wales (20%). The hottest spot for rabbits is the North East (4%), outdoor fish in the South East (9%) and South West (7%), indoor fish Wales (12%), North East (11%) and West Midlands (10%).

Data expert, Ben Dummer of Soulor Consulting concludes: "Usually market research respondents will over-emphasise the relevance of costs in their responses. This is interesting data with the cost of ownership precluding only 4% of potential owners. This further emphasises the value in investigating lifestyle barriers further. Generally speaking, lifestyle factors are moveable and evolve with time, allowing for potential movement in these figures."

For more information on PFMA's annual data, regional trends and market data please see http://www.pfma.org.uk/statistics.

i. Each year a representative sample of UK adults are interviewed, in face-to-face interviews, regarding their pet ownership. Since 2014, a sample of over 4,000 people have been interviewed. In order to further reduce statistical uncertainty, survey results are averaged over 2 years, giving an effective sample of over 8,000 people.
Strategic alliance will put the world's leading population genomics system on China's leading cloud infrastructure - to support the delivery of China's Precision Medicine Initiative

- Huawei cloud platform serves 50,000 customers across China with data centers in 15 cities

- WuXi NextCODE genomics technology powers the leading population genomics and large-scale precision medicine efforts in the UK, Qatar, US and China

SHENZHEN, China, SHANGHAI, CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts and REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology provider, and WuXi AppTec, the global open-access R&D platform, have announced the signing of a strategic framework agreement to support the China Precision Medicine Initiative (China PMI) through the creation of a state-of the-art precision medicine cloud platform. The agreement builds on Huawei's industry-leading capabilities and reach in cloud infrastructure, and the unrivalled genomics and precision medicine expertise of WuXi NextCODE, the global genomic information and precision medicine subsidiary of WuXi AppTec.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151006/274295LOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345277LOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160316/345278LOGO

Cloud computing is the way genomic big data will be used to drive precision medicine innovation and deliver better healthcare in a cost-efficient manner. WuXi AppTec and Huawei will follow the guidance of the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and work closely with third-party secure life-science cloud providers to develop the data standards and exchange framework required to deliver the China PMI.

"We are excited and honored to be working with Huawei as our key public cloud technology partner to support the China PMI," said Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec. "This partnership aims to deliver the benefits of genomic medicine to patients on an unprecedented scale, and together we have the world-leading technology to achieve that ambition."

"This partnership is a win-win-win - for our companies and for the patients that will benefit from the vision of the China PMI," said Hannes Smarason, COO of WuXi NextCODE. "Our technology underpins genome-driven medicine at Genomics England, the Qatar Genome Project, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and in China at Fudan University. We are thrilled to be deploying it with Huawei across China, a key part of our strategy to advance a global standard for turning the genome into better health."

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovativeenabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei's 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world's population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

About WuXi AppTec

WuXi AppTec is a leading open-access R&D capability and technology platform company serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, with operations in China and the United States. As a research-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi AppTec provides pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies with a broad and integrated portfolio of laboratory and manufacturing services throughout the drug and medical device R&D process. WuXi AppTec is also building a platform to provide clinical diagnostic services directly to physicians and their patients globally. WuXi AppTec's services are designed to help its global partners in shortening the cycle and lowering the cost of drug and medical device R&D.

About WuXi NextCODE

WuXi NextCODE is a genomic information company applying sequence data to deliver better health and precision medicine for people around the world. Our uniquely comprehensive open-access capabilities include CLIA- and CAP-certified sequencing; a novel database architecture that mines and manages more genomes than any other; the world's leading genome interpretation and discovery system, available installed or in the cloud; a pioneering internet of DNA that enables users to query and collaborate using massive genomic datasets online with unrivalled resolution and efficiency; the know-how to apply genomics to optimize drug development; and a growing range of tests and scans to improve rare disease diagnosis, targeted cancer treatment, and wellness. With offices in Shanghai, Cambridge, Massachusetts and Reykjavik, we serve companies and health systems, clinicians and researchers, and people and populations worldwide. WuXi NextCODE is a subsidiary of WuXi AppTec.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Solegear") (TSX VENTURE: SGB) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Ex-Tech Plastics, Inc. ("Ex-Tech"), a leading Illinois-based manufacturer of extruded plastic sheets, to acquire 100% of Ex-Tech's bioplastics division for $1.33 million in common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.20 per share (the "Asset Purchase"). In addition, the Company and Ex-Tech have agreed that the Company will be Ex-Tech's exclusive supplier of bio-based materials and additives and that Ex-Tech will be the Company's exclusive plastics extrusion service provider in North America. Furthermore, Ex-Tech has agreed to provide certain management support services to the Company.

"We're delighted to have the opportunity to welcome Ex-Tech's bioplastic division to the Solegear family," said Paul Antoniadis, CEO of Solegear. "Further to the strategic partnership formed with Ex-Tech in 2015, we believe the amalgamation of Solegear and Ex-Tech's bioplastic expertise, people and commercial efforts under the Solegear brand will further accelerate the commercialization of thermoformed bioplastic packaging in food and non-food applications." Mr. Antoniadis further stated, "This transaction marks a significant milestone in Solegear's strategy to grow its business through targeted acquisitions, joint ventures and organic sales."

The Asset Purchase is expected to provide Solegear with annualized revenues estimated at US$2 million. As consideration, Ex-Tech will receive 6,650,000 common shares in the Company (the "Shares"), subject to a 24-month hold period. Solegear will also provide Ex-Tech with a variable management fee for operational, marketing, production and back office services, which will be directly tied to Solegear's business volumes. Completion of the Asset Purchase remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. It is expected to be accretive during the current fiscal year.

"In completing a strategic review it became clear there was greater value to be achieved by combining our bioplastic business with Solegear," said William Riesbeck, President of Ex-Tech Plastics. "I believe this transaction will put more resources behind our bioplastics business to unlock more revenue potential by combining our knowledge and expertise. Laura Pichon, Ex-Tech's V.P. of Development and Strategic Partnerships, will facilitate Ex-Tech taking these next steps with Solegear. We are excited to be embarking on this venture."

The Ex-Tech team will continue to market and sell bioplastics through the Solegear brand, making the transition seamless for Ex-Tech's existing bioplastic customers and suppliers. Both firms continue to operate as strategic partners for new bioplastics development, processing and commercialization.

About Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc.

Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SGB) is an innovator in the field of next generation bioplastics made from annually renewable plant-based sources. Committed to the principles of Green Chemistry, Solegear is driven by its mission to create healthier, safer and stronger communities by fundamentally changing the way plastics are made.

Solegear's proprietary bioplastic formulations, Polysole and Traverse, are designed to meet today's social and corporate requirements to lower carbon emissions, reduce waste and remove toxicity typically associated with traditional petroleum-based plastics. Together with its partners, Solegear custom engineers, produces and distributes its high-performance bioplastics as resin, sheets and finished goods with some of the highest percentages of renewable, plant-based materials currently available in the industry.

For more information: www.solegear.ca

About Ex-Tech Plastics, Inc.

Ex-Tech Plastics, Inc. was founded in Richmond, Illinois in 1983 as an innovator in recycled plastic sheets. Building on that foundation, Ex-Tech was one of the first extruders to successfully produce and market sheets made from sustainable materials. Ex-Tech delivers a diverse array of sheet solutions in PET, bioplastics, olefins and vinyl to domestic and international customers. www.extechplastics.com

On behalf of the Company:

Paul Antoniadis, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibilities for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities being offered have not been, nor will be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of the estimated revenues to be derived from the Asset Purchase, are assumptions regarding expected performance of the purchased assets in the future. Specifically, we have assumed that the Asset Purchase will be completed and that the revenues that Solegear will be able to earn from the assets purchased from Ex-Tech will be equal to or greater than Ex-Tech's historical revenues from its bioplastics division. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned that actual future operating results and economic performance of the Company are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk that the Asset Purchase will not be completed, that current customers of Ex-Tech's bioplastics division may cease to be customers of Solegear, and that such customers may materially decrease their requirements for bioplastics materials. As such, Solegear's actual revenues relating to the transaction described in this news release could differ materially from what is currently expected as set out above. The estimate of revenues provided above may constitute a "financial outlook" under applicable securities laws. The purpose of the financial outlook is to provide readers with an estimate of the volume of business that Solegear currently expects the Asset Purchase to generate over the 12 months following the closing of the transaction disclosed in this press release. Solegear's management cautions readers that this information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to above will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

Other than as required under securities laws, we do not undertake to update this information at any particular time.

Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on our current estimates, expectations and projections, which we believe are reasonable as of the current date. The reader should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. All forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement.

Contacts:

Solegear Bioplastic Technologies Inc.

Paul Antoniadis

Chief Executive Officer and Director

604-998-4058

www.solegear.ca



Investor Contact:

Kin Communications

Caleb Jeffries

1-866-684-6730

SGB@kincommunications.com



Media Contact:

FleishmanHillard Vancouver

Elisha McCallum

778-668-0185

Elisha.McCallum@fleishman.ca




DUBLIN, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f3km3m/the_africa_2016) has announced the addition of the "The Africa 2016 Wealth Report" report to their offering.

This is the 3rd annual Africa Wealth Report. It provides a comprehensive review of the wealth sector in Africa, including HNWI trends, luxury trends and wealth management trends in each country.

Scope of the report:

- African countries ranked by HNWIs and multi-millionaires. - The top performing African countries for HNWIs. - The top African cities for HNWIs and multi-millionaires. - The fastest growing African cities for HNWIs. - African countries ranked by average wealth per person. - The top luxury markets in Africa by revenue. - Spending review of African HNWIs, including: behavioural mapping, collectables, prime real estate, second homes review, clothing, cars, hotels, watches, liquor, private jets and yachts. - Review of African wealth management sector, including major players by AuM in each country.

Key highlights:

- Mauritians are the wealthiest individuals in Africa with US$21,700 in wealth per person, whilst people in the Zimbabwe are the poorest with US$200 per person. - There are approximately 165,000 HNWIs living in Africa, with combined wealth holdings of US$860 billion. - Approximately US$125 billion of African HNWI wealth is tied up with wealth management companies. - South Africa (mainly Johannesburg) is the hub for African private banking with US$72 billion in AuM. - African HNWIs (outside South Africa) tend to keep their funds in traditional holding centers such as the UK, the Channel Islands and Switzerland. Dubai is another popular destination, especially for North African HNWIs. - It is estimated the African private banking market will grow by 7% per annum over the next 10 years. - The most promising emerging African markets for private banking are Ghana and Kenya. - In Africa, around US$28 billion is tied up in venture capital companies and foundations that are linked to the wealthy. Many HNWIs use these vehicles as a way to transfer money to the next generation.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Country statisitcs

3 City statistics

4 Asset allocations of African HNWIs

5 Luxury sector in Africa

6 Wealth management in Africa

7 Case studies

Companies Mentioned

- ABSA Wealth (Barclays) - Afrasia Bank - Citadel - Credit Suisse - Credo Group - Investec - Maitland - Momentum Group - Nedbank - Old Mutual Wealth - PSG Konsult - RMB - Sanlam - Standard Bank Pvt Clients - Stenham - Stonehage - UBS

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f3km3m/the_africa_2016

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

TOKYO, Mar 17, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it has been selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange as a 2015 Nadeshiko Brand enterprise for its efforts to actively promote women's success.Fujitsu has made promoting female advancement an immediate priority issue in its efforts to promote diversity, and has been actively working to create a supportive working environment compatible with both developing female leaders, and with child rearing and caring for elderly relatives. The entire Fujitsu Group will continue to coordinate its efforts to promote female advancement.About the Nadeshiko Brand ProgramSince the program's inaugural year of 2012, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange have selected companies listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange from each industry that is actively promoting the success of their female employees as "Nadeshiko Brand" enterprises. For 2015, as the number of companies working to promote women's success continues to grow year after year, 45 companies have been selected from among the approximately 3,500 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's First and Second sections, Mothers, as well as JASDAQ.About Fujitsu's Initiatives to Promote Female Advancement- In 2008, on the basis of the Fujitsu Way, the Diversity Promotion Office was established, with a theme of "Diversity-Driven Innovation."- Since fiscal 2011, Fujitsu has made promoting female advancement an immediate priority issue in its efforts to promote diversity. Through such programs as a female leadership development program aimed at female management candidates, and career development seminars for women, including those who are just starting their careers up to mid-career women, Fujitsu provides career support for women in accordance with their management level to continually produce female leaders.- Fujitsu is promoting improvements in the work environment to support a variety of ways of working, such as implementing a work-from-home system and supporting telecommuting, so that all types of employees can utilize their abilities to their full potential.- By participating in the Kanagawa Women's Activity Support Group, which was formed in November 2015 under the leadership of Kanagawa Prefecture and is comprised of companies in the prefecture, Fujitsu is sending a message to those outside the company that now is the time for a movement to promote female advancement.About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702; ADR:FJTSY) reported consolidated revenues of 4.8 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
WATERLOO, ON--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Intellijoint Surgical Inc., a privately held Canadian medical technology company committed to developing and commercializing miniaturized surgical smart tools, announced today the signing of a distribution agreement with Corin Group. The deal gives Corin distribution rights for Intellijoint's flagship product, intellijoint HIP', in Australia and paves the way for broader distribution and co-development between the two companies.

intellijoint HIP provides surgeons with vital intraoperative measurements in real time, enabling proper establishment of cup position, equalization of leg length and restoration of hip offset. These critical measurements enable surgeons and hospitals to improve surgical outcomes by reducing uncertainty and risk, while improving patient outcomes and economics.

Russ Mably, Corin's Chief Operating Officer, commented, "We are delighted to partner with such a progressive company as Intellijoint Surgical, and are excited about our future collaboration. This partnership will further strengthen our market leading position in functional implant positioning with our existing OPS Technology (Optimized Positioning System), and underlines our commitment to continue to invest in Personalized Procedural Innovation."

"We are pleased to partner with Corin to offer intellijoint HIP to surgeons in Australia. The broader capability of Corin's organization and their commitment to innovation will expand access to the latest technology available for 3D surgical measurement to the growing Australian hip replacement market where surgeons currently perform about 45,000 procedures annually. We look forward to the beginning of a meaningful relationship between our two companies and are excited about future opportunities," says Armen Bakirtzian, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Intellijoint Surgical.

About Intellijoint Surgical Inc.

Intellijoint Surgical is a Waterloo-based innovative medical technology company. Founded in 2010, they develop and commercialize miniaturized surgical smart tools that enhance surgeon accuracy, increase hospital economic efficiencies, and improve patient outcomes. The company's R&D team is led by the former co-founder of Medtronic's computer assisted surgery division, and driven by a team of renowned orthopaedic surgeons: Drs. Allan Gross and David Backstein in Toronto, Dr. Wayne Paprosky in Chicago, Dr. Javad Parvizi in Philadelphia and Drs. Michael Cross and Ran Schwarzkopf in New York.

About Corin Group

As a leader in orthopaedic innovation, Corin has pioneered a number of landmark developments since it was founded in 1985. Corin is very proud to have been able to improve the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of patients around the world through the introduction of these groundbreaking products, and believes that this heritage distinguishes Corin within the global orthopaedic market. Corin's talented and dedicated teams share a common commitment -- to deliver quality orthopaedic products, procedural innovation technologies and services to patients, surgeons and healthcare providers, which exceed their expectations and positively impact their lives, through Responsible Innovation.

Armen Bakirtzian

co-founder and CEO

a.bakirtzian@intellijointsurgical.com

519-342-3178
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Select Sands Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SNS)(OTC PINK: CLICF) (the "Company") announces that it is evaluating its options to unlock the value of its non-core gold asset described as the Preview SW Gold Project (the "Project") located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. A special committee of the Company's Board of Directors will be formed to assess how best to create shareholder value from this asset.

The Project is situated in the La Ronge gold belt, about 60 km southwest of the Claude Resources Inc., which is proposed to be taken over for CAD$337MM, and 100 km south of the permitted Jolu Gold Mine and Mill complex. The Project hosts indicated resources containing 158,300 ounces (oz.) of gold (Au) (2.61 million tonnes grading 1.89 grams per tonne (g/t) Au) and inferred resources containing 270,800 ounces (5.70 million tonnes grading 1.48 g/t Au) based on a 0.50 g/t Au cut-off grade (see the Company's October 31, 2013 news release).

The metallurgical test work on the Project returned flotation recoveries ranging from 90% to 93% in the flotation concentrate, and gravity concentrates captured 52% to 72% of the free gold (see the Company's June 3, 2013 news release).

The last drilling on the Project took place in 2013 when 7,000 metres were drilled which tested numerous new targets and extensions of the deposit. The drilling results from the new targets and extensions of the deposit were not included in the October 2013 resource estimate. For more details about the project please visit: http://www.selectsandscorp.com/projects/sk-gold-project/

Selected drilling highlights from the new targets and extensions of the deposit that were not included in the resource estimate include:

- PR13-150 drilled 5.76 g/t Au over 12.59 m starting at 164.90 m, including 12.35 g/t Au over 4.24 m starting at 164.14 m

- PR13-151 drilled 633.61 g/t Au over 4.08 m, including individual assays of 5.14 g/t Au over 0.77 m, 13.03 g/t Au over 0.90 m, and 4,279 g/t Au over 0.60 m

- Drill hole PR13-163, located 2,620 m northeast of the Preview SW gold deposit, intersected the following three new near-surface gold zones (see the Company's April 8, 2013 news release):

-- 17.98 g/t Au over 5.71 m starting at 10 m below surface -- 5.96 g/t Au over 5.66 m starting at 19 m below surface -- 1.88 g/t Au over 21.26 m starting at 29 m below surface

Rasool Mohammad, President and CEO of Select Sands, states, "We remain committed to delivering commercial production and profitability to our shareholders through production at the Sandtown project in Arkansas. This requires that our capital and manpower be focused as such. We also want to unlock the gold asset value for the benefit of our shareholders and our long-term corporate objectives of being a high-purity commercial silica producer."

Recognizing the recent upward movement of gold and gold production, the Board of Directors is of the opinion that the gold assets owned by Select Sands may have a yet to be realized value to the shareholders. A special committee of the Company's Board of Directors will analyze the best economical path forward for the gold asset. The committee will report back to the Board with its findings.

About Select Sands Corp.

Select Sands' Sandtown property, located in northeast Arkansas, USA, is underlain by the Ordovician St. Peter sandstone formation, which is a major source of high-purity commercial silica used as frac sand/industrial sand selling into major US oil and gas basins as well as industrial and speciality end markets. The Sandtown property is located 3.1 miles from Highway 167. The property has an active power line on the property with a nearby gas line and is located approximately 14.7 miles from the nearest rail system (see December 4, 2014 News Release). Compared to competitive sand mines located in Wisconsin owned by the largest US frac sand producers, Sandtown has a competitive location advantage as it is approximately 650 rail miles closer to the Texas/Louisiana oil/gas plays as well as the Houston port and industrial hub.

As per the June 2015 completed PEA report by Tetra Tech of Golden, Colorado, USA and Vancouver, BC, Canada, the Sandtown property has a pre-tax NPV valued at US $160 million and a post-tax NPV valued at US $92 million. The PEA was completed on a portion of the resources comprising approximately 40% of the total property area (see the Company's June 10, 2015 news release). The Company would like to remind investors that mineral resources for the Sandtown Property are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability and there is no certainty that this PEA will be realized. The Sandtown property has a total of 41.98 Million Tons Indicated Resources (see the Company's February 10, 2016 news release).

The Company also owns a high-grade gold deposit in the La Ronge Gold Belt, northern Saskatchewan. The Preview SW Gold Project hosts indicated resources containing 158,300 ounces of gold (2.61 million tonnes grading 1.89 g/t Au) and inferred resources containing 270,800 ounces (5.70 million tonnes grading 1.48 g/t Au) based on a 0.50 g/t Au cut-off grade (See October 31, 2013 News Release).

Cameron Bartsch, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release.

For more information about Select Sands Corp., please visit www.selectsandscorp.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. Information and statements which are not purely historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Such statements include statements regarding the proposed review of the Project by the special committee and the ability of the Company to deliver commercial production and profitability at the Sandtown project. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.

Contacts:

Select Sands Corp.

Rasool Mohammad, B.Sc. (Mining)

President & CEO

604-639-4533

www.selectsandscorp.com



Investor Relations

Arlen Hansen

604-684-6730

SNS@kincommunications.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML)(NYSE MKT: DNN) is pleased to announce the receipt of positive metallurgical test results from the Gryphon deposit, which support high rates of uranium recovery and the amenability of processing Wheeler River mine production at Denison's 22.5% owned McClean Lake mill.

"Having announced a significant increase in the estimated mineral resources at Wheeler River in late 2015, Denison is in the unique position of having a 60% interest in one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin and an ownership interest in a state of the art uranium processing facility that is expected to have excess capacity in future years," said David Cates, President & CEO of Denison. "The preliminary testing results indicate Gryphon mine production will be suitable for processing at McClean Lake and will be incorporated into our upcoming PEA for Wheeler."

The McClean Lake mill is one of the most technologically advanced uranium mills in operation and is uniquely able to safely process the exceptionally high grades of Athabasca Basin ores without dilution. The McClean Lake mill is owned by the McClean Lake Joint Venture ("MLJV"), a joint venture between AREVA Resources Canada Inc. ("AREVA") (70%), Denison (22.5%) and OURD (Canada) Co. Ltd. (7.5%), and is operated by AREVA.

Positive Metallurgical Test Results from Gryphon

The Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC"), under the guidance of Amec Foster Wheeler, completed a preliminary testing program on a composite sample of mineralization provided by Denison from the Gryphon deposit on the Wheeler River property. The objective of the tests carried out by SRC was to determine the preliminary leaching process, leach residue settling, raffinate composition, and purity of the U3O8 product, using test conditions that emulated the McClean Lake mill flowsheet. The 22.8 kilogram composite sample contained 3.36% U3O8 and was composed of drill cores from 10 separate drill holes spatially distributed throughout the Gryphon deposit resulting in 26 individual core assays. A comparison to the geological assay database indicated the composite sample is a fair representation of the Gryphon deposit on key parameters. Key highlights from the test work include:

-- A reasonable grind size of P100 = 300 micrometers achieved good uranium liberation; -- Leaching tests demonstrated from 95.4% to 98.8% of the uranium can be extracted in 8 hours and from 98.6% to 99.2% can be extracted in 12 hours; -- Reasonable reagent consumption levels in line with other Athabasca Basin ores; -- Solvent extraction was effective in selectively extracting and purifying the uranium; and -- No abnormal challenges are expected for effluent treatment based on raffinate composition.

Taken together, the results from the test samples show that a high purity U3O8 product can be produced, that meets all specifications from ASTM C967-13 "Standard Specifications for Uranium Ore Concentrate". Amec Foster Wheeler has reviewed and approved the metallurgical sampling, analytical and test work results on behalf of Denison.

Wheeler River Property

The Wheeler River Property is host to both the Phoenix and Gryphon deposits. The Phoenix deposit is one of the highest grade undeveloped deposits in the world, estimated to include indicated mineral resources of 166,400 tonnes and 70.2 million pounds U3O8 at a grade of 19.1% U3O8. Additionally, the Phoenix deposit is estimated to include an inferred mineral resources of 8,600 tonnes and 1.1 million pounds U3O8 at a grade of 5.8% U3O8. The Gryphon deposit is hosted in basement rock, approximately three kilometres to the northwest of Phoenix, and is estimated to contain inferred mineral resources of 834,000 tonnes and 43.0 million pounds U3O8 at a grade of 2.3% U3O8. The Wheeler River project is a joint venture between Denison (60%), Cameco Corp. (30%), and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%). Denison is the operator and is currently evaluating the economics of co-developing the Gryphon and Phoenix deposits through the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA").

Both the McClean Lake mill and the Wheeler River project are located in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan. A provincial highway and power line run along the eastern edge of the Wheeler River property. This highway is used by other operations in the Athabasca Basin for transportation of uranium ores and similar highways run along the majority of the route between Wheeler River and the McClean Lake mill.

Qualified Person

The disclosure regarding the metallurgical test results contained in this news release was prepared and approved by Peter Longo, P. Eng, MBA, PMP, Denison's Vice-President, Project Development, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101.

The disclosure of a scientific or technical nature regarding the Phoenix and Gryphon deposits contained in this news release was prepared by Dale Verran, MSc, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. For a description of the assay procedures and the quality assurance program and quality control measures applied by Denison, please see Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 5, 2015 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About Denison

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. Including its 60% owned Wheeler River project, which hosts the high grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, Denison's exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering over 390,000 hectares in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture, which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposit and a 61.55% interest in the J Zone deposit on the Waterbury Lake property. Both the Midwest and J Zone deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Internationally, Denison owns 100% of the Mutanga project in Zambia, 100% of the uranium/copper/silver Falea project in Mali, and a 90% interest in the Dome project in Namibia.

Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services division and is the manager of Uranium Participation Corp., a publicly traded company which invests in uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison.

Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or the negatives and / or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: the estimates of Denison's mineral resources; exploration, development and expansion plans and objectives and anticipated results of current activities; the preparation the forward looking implications of the test results; the completion of a PEA; the processing ability and potential for future excess capacity at the McLean Lake mill; and expectations regarding ongoing joint ventures and Denison's share of the same. Statements relating to "mineral resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the "Risk Factors" in Denison's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015 available under its profile at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in its expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

Contacts:

Denison Mines Corp.

David Cates

President and Chief Executive Officer

(416) 979 - 1991 ext. 362



Denison Mines Corp.

Sophia Shane

Investor Relations

(604) 689-7842




Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf meets with medical marijuana advocates

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf meets with medical marijuana advocates in the Governor's Reception Room at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, March 15, 2016. Wolf supports medical marijuana and is encouraging lawmakers to pass medical marijuana legislation. Dan Gleiter, PennLive.com

(Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.)

Good Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

Stop us if you've heard this one before:

The Republican-controlled General Assembly sends Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf legislation it hopes will end Pennsylvania's ages-old budget standoff. The bill sails through the House and Senate, mostly along party lines, and lands with a thud on Wolf's desk.

And that's when it all goes wobbly: Proclaiming it inadequate and not up to the task of righting the state's fiscal ship and closing the deficit, Wolf vetoes it, resetting the clock and starting the drama anew.

That's a scenario that's played itself out at least three times since the Senate GOP sent Wolf a budget bill last June 30. And it seemed likely to play itself out again this week as the chamber teed up yet another spending bill for a swift voyage to Wolf's desk.

But on Wednesday, there were encouraging signs that, at least it as it concerns the current year's budget, Pennsylvanians might be spared an encore performance of the increasingly tedious budget drama.

As ever, Wolf has again promised to veto the roughly $30 billion package that included general appropriations for the still-unfinished fiscal 2015-16 budget and cash for the four, state-related universities.

"As important as structural deficits are... and there is a commitment from this side to continue to work on that issue," Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, told PennLive's Charlie Thompson "it pales in comparison to the decisions parents are going to have to make if their schools are closed. It pales in comparison to the decision that employees are going to have to make - Are they going to work without pay?

Between 13 and 28 House Democrats crossed the aisle to vote with Republicans on Wednesday to approve the funding bills. And GOP leaders are confident that this time, at least, they'll have a veto-proof majority.

House Democratic leaders tried to downplay the possibility of a yet another veto override duel with Wolf. What else could they do but play loyal soldier?

An override would take 134 votes, including a minimum of 16 Democrats, based on the House's current 200-member complement.

On Wednesday, Wolf, referring to Republicans' goal of a no-tax increase budget, told a radio interviewer that the state "can't keep getting something for nothing. We actually have to have a budget that balances."

But that misses the point: Nine months into the 2015-16 fiscal year, Pennsylvanians are getting nothing for nothing at all.

If Wolf gets what he wants, lawmakers will have to pass a retroactive tax increase to balance the books and pay for the administration's programs.

This late in the fiscal year, Senate Republicans say the state won't be able to collect much revenue anyway - but it would still mean an extra hit to taxpayers' wallets.

As much as I'm not a fan of patchwork budgets, and agree with the administration's contention that the state has to base its budgets on something more substantial than accounting gymnastics, there are two things I like less.

One of them is schools closing - which would likely happen if Wolf vetoes this funding package. The other is asking families to cough up the cash to cover Wolf's spending priorities for a budget year that is three-quarters over.

There's a debate to be had about tax increases. But the 15-16 spending plan isn't the venue for it. That ship has long since sailed.

Get this one done. Close the books. And have the fight over taxes in the '16-17 budget, which is also due in three months' time.

And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Iraqi security forces detained 149 Islamic State fighters last week as the terrorists tried to blend in with 35,000 civilians fleeing numerous small villages along the Euphrates River Valley. They are now in Iraqi forces' custody, and will be prosecuted by the Iraqi government, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said Wednesday during his weekly briefing with Pentagon reporters via teleconference from Baghdad. As part of Operation Desert Lynx with help from U.S.-led coalition aircraft, the Iraqi security forces dropped leaflets last week in small villages to communicate with residents while trying to reduce civilian casualties and weaken ISIL morale, he said. The leaflets gave villagers safety instructions and warned ISIL that '[Iraq's Counterterrorism Service] lions are close,' Warren quoted from the leaflet. The leaflet drop likely was one of several factors that got word to villagers, he said, noting that radio and television service remains operational. Separately, Iraqi security forces and coalition air support killed about 50 ISIL fighters in a small town north of Ramadi in a counterattack after ISIL forces briefly seized a police station, Warren said, adding that the Iraqi forces also retook the station. Highlighting the U.S.-led coalition's Iraq train-and-equip program, Warren said ongoing training has produced more than 20,000 trained security members since the effort began. The training provided Iraqi forces with 'skills and equipment to succeed on the battlefield,' Warren said. Particularly noteworthy, he added, is training the coalition has provided Iraqi special operations forces. Along the Mara Line in Syria, where opposition forces continue engaging ISIL along the forward line of troops, Warren said the fighters seized several thousand villages and repelled ISIL attacks in others. And with support from more than 150 coalition airstrikes, Syrian Democratic Forces continue clearing operations in Shaddadi, the colonel said. 'These operations have killed 636 enemy fighters, freed 32 Yazidi women who had been held as slaves by ISIL, and gained 3,217 square kilometers,' Warren said of the counter-ISIL fight in Syria, calling it 'a good and successful operation.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
ATLANTA, GA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Today, McAlister's Deli, a leading fast casual chain known for its Famous Sweet Tea, goes green with the addition of Green Tea and Mango flavored Green Tea to its already irresistible menu of tea varieties. Just like McAlister's fan favorite Sweet Tea, these new varieties are held to the highest standards, made using only Rainforest Alliance Certified green tea leaves, supporting a healthier planet, stronger forests and an improved quality of life for farming communities. In addition to using sustainable tea leaves, the restaurant is also bringing back their famous limited edition reusable tea tumblers in an effort to continue to promote a greener McAlister's and a greener earth, enabling McAlister's tea lovers, aka Tea Freaks, to enjoy their tea anytime, anywhere, without worry of being wasteful.

"We wanted to give our loyal Tea Freaks the option to choose their tea time treat, no matter what flavor they're craving -- so we're thrilled to go green in more ways than one, with the addition of two delicious green tea flavors to our menu," said Carin Stutz, President of Marketing for McAlister's Deli. "With the addition of these flavors, we're proud to support our planet from pick to sip while maintaining the highest quality standards that customers have come to know and love."

The addition of Green Tea to McAlister's menu offers a delicious alternative that is clean, refreshing and loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, which have been shown to improve blood flow and lower cholesterol. For those in the mood for a twist on the traditional Green Tea, McAlister's handcrafted Mango flavored Green Tea is made with a hint of mango for a taste of the tropics that can be enjoyed year-round. Like Sweet Tea, both all Green and Mango Green Tea orders come with unlimited refills.

McAlister's limited edition Tea Tumblers will be available at all store locations for $8.99 (price may vary by location), while supplies last.

To connect with McAlister's Deli, please follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TeaFreaks, and on Twitter and Instagram at @McAlistersDeli and don't forget to tag your posts with TeaFreaksGoGreen!

About McAlister's

Founded in 1989, McAlister's Deli is a fast casual restaurant chain known for its sandwiches, spuds, soups, salads, desserts and McAlister's Famous Sweet Tea. In addition to dine-in and take-out service, McAlister's also offers catering with a selection of sandwich trays, box lunches, desserts, a hot spud bar and more. With numerous industry accolades, the McAlister's brand has 337 restaurants in 24 states. The company is headquartered in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.mcalistersdeli.com.

About FOCUS Brands Inc.

Atlanta-based FOCUS Brands Inc., through its affiliate brands, is the franchisor and operator of more than 5,000 ice cream shoppes, bakeries, restaurants and cafes in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 60 foreign countries under the brand names Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky's, Moe's Southwest Grill, Auntie Anne's and McAlister's Deli, as well as Seattle's Best Coffee on certain military bases and in certain international markets. Please visit www.focusbrands.com to learn more.

CONTACT:

Cheryl Weissman

Allison+Partners

Email Contact




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2016) - NetCents Technology Inc. (CSE: NC) ("NetCents" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Master Purchase Agreement ("Agreement") with DigitalX Limited ("DigitalX") effective March 17, 2016. DigitalX, an ASX listed company (ASX: DCC), is a blockchain-based software solution that develops services to disrupt the payments industry. This Agreement will provide NetCents with the capability to fulfill orders for blockchain-backed digital currencies, anywhere, anytime - regardless of transaction size.

"NetCents has developed a universal platform that is simplifying the way the world moves money. We want to empower the end user," commented Clayton Moore, CEO and Founder of NetCents. "By aligning NetCents with innovative companies such as DigitalX, we provide a seamless connection between consumers to their payment solutions and their currency of choice, worldwide. This Agreement is a great step for NetCents to penetrate the global market with new blockchain solutions and capitalize opportunities around the world."

NetCents offers users the unique opportunity to utilize the DigitalX Direct platform. This software is specifically designed to provide real-time, secure ordering to consumers and merchants, as well as Bitcoin liquidity to market participants. DigitalX is one of the largest repositories of digital currency, and through their fulfillment services, NetCents users can be guaranteed any value of Bitcoin, anytime and anywhere, and not be confined by exchange limitations.

NetCents believes that simplifying the conversion process of fiat to digital conversion will help facilitate consumer acceptance, as well as aid in the uptake of digital currencies in the global market.

About DigitalX

DigitalX is an innovative, software solutions company that develops products and services that leverages Blockchain technology and the secure ledger system to enable payments globally. DigitalXDirect is software for the institutional market, providing Bitcoin liquidity to market participants.

About NetCents

NetCents is an online payments platform, offering consumers and merchants online services for managing electronic payments. NetCents works with its financial partners, mobile operators, exchanges, etc., to streamline the user experience of transacting online. The NetCents technology is integrated into the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") and accepts consumer deposits from 24 countries. This Agreement with DigitalX not only increases our market reach further, it also continues to ensure the consumers security and privacy, as well as enhancing their online experience, always keeping the philosophy for NetCents in mind: the freedom to choose to Pay - Your Way.

The Company has granted incentive stock options under its stock option plan to directors, officers and consultants of the company for the purchase of up to 2,120,000 common shares at a price of $0.25 cents per share for a period of ten years. This is the company's first issuance of stock options.

Further information about the Company it is available under its profile on the SEDAR website, www.sedar.com, on the CSE website www.thecse.com, on our website www.netcents.biz or contact Robert Meister, Capital Markets at Ph: 604.676.5248 or email: Robert.meister@net-cents.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

NetCents Technology Inc.

ClaytonMoore, Founder/CEO

NetCents Technology Inc.

Suite 1500, 885 West Georgia Street

Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3E8

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. (OTC PINK: PNOW), parent Company of the Central American-Caribbean online travel Agency (OTA) Oveedia (www.Oveedia.com), announced today, that the Company has received an exclusive invitation to work with a small focus group, designated by The Secretary of Central American Tourism Integration (SITCA) and Costa Rica's Tourism Chamber, CANATUR.

"It is days like these that make me feel so proud to be a native Costa Rican," stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. "CANATUR and SITCA, who do a lot of wonderful things for the tourism industry in Latin America, have asked me to come and brainstorm with a small focus group, entitled 'Central America, Small Countries... Great Experiences.' The plan is for all of us to meet today (Thursday, March 17th) and brainstorm ways of expanding the group's brand throughout the region. The best part is... Oveedia. I plan to make Oveedia a pivotal part of this discussion, establishing the dual-database as the preferred booking method when traveling; not only to Costa Rica, but all of the Central American-Caribbean region."

SITCA has taken the initiative in building the framework and strategy to expand Central America's tourism capabilities. With the Latin American [LATAM] travel market surpassing $80 Billion this year, management believes that this is the prime time to position Oveedia as the travel hub for all of Central America and the Latin speaking countries of the Caribbean.

Pereira concluded, "It's small, intimate meetings such as these, that produce the most progress for our country and region. For years, I have envisioned putting together a think tank with the most prominent minds in our area, discussing ways to better our country. I am honored and humbled to have been selected by CANATUR, to give valuable input and assist with tourism ventures in our region. I am most excited for the potential this brings to Oveedia, and I look forward to future 'meetings of the minds,' as we continue to grow our database and online travel sales, on a daily basis."

About Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc.

PURE provides proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners. The Company's vision is to build competitive operations in the areas of (i) online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services, (ii) hotel branding and, (iii) own, operate and in some instances develop, boutique hotels under the new, "by PURE" brand. PURE is the creator of Oveedia (www.Oveedia.com), the Central American-Caribbean online travel hub.

Related Links:

Pure Hospitality Solutions Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/purehss/

Pure Hospitality Solutions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PUREnow

Pure Hospitality Solutions Twitter: https://twitter.com/purehss

Pure Hospitality Solutions Google: https://plus.google.com/+PurenowSolutionsplus/

Pure Hospitality Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-hospitality-solution

Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Company's customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:



Team PURE

IR Div.

(800) 889-9509






BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - A global forecasting research group has warned that if Donald Trump is elected US president, it will be a global risk.



The Economist Intelligence Unit Thursday released a list of 10 top risks facing the world. The EIU global risk assessment looks at impact and probability.



Trump has built a strong lead in the Republican party primary, and looks the firm favorite to be the party's candidate in the US presidential election in November.



But EIU says it does not expect the political novice to defeat his most likely Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton.



However, in case the business tycoon is elected President, it poses a risk not only to the United States, but to the world, especially in the event of a terrorist attack on US soil or a sudden economic downturn.



Thus far, Trump has given very few details of his policies, but a few themes have become apparent. First, he has been exceptionally hostile towards free trade, including notably NAFTA, and has repeatedly labeled China as a 'currency manipulator'. He has also taken an exceptionally right-wing stance on the Middle East and jihadi terrorism, including advocating the killing of families of terrorists and launching a land incursion into Syria to wipe out IS and acquire its oil.



In the event of a Trump victory, his hostile attitude to free trade, and alienation of Mexico and China in particular, could escalate rapidly into a trade war, the research firm warns. And the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US and 11 other American and Asian states signed in February will also be at risk, according to EIU. His militaristic tendencies towards the Middle East and ban on all Muslim travel to the US would be a potent recruitment tool for jihadi groups, increasing their threat both within the region and beyond, it says.



Critics of Trump, including President Obama, have raised similar concerns.



EIU said,'the innate hostility within the Republican hierarchy towards Mr Trump, combined with the inevitable virulent Democratic opposition, will see many of his more radical policies blocked in Congress - albeit such internal bickering will also undermine the coherence of domestic and foreign policymaking.'



The prospect of a sharp economic slowdown in China has been assessed as the worst risk scenario.



If China's economy slows by more than what is currently expected, it will further feed the ongoing global commodity price slump (especially in oil and, in particular, metals), with a hugely detrimental impact on those Latin American, Middle Eastern and Sub-Saharan African states that had benefited from the earlier Chinese-driven boom in commodity prices. In addition, a prolonged deceleration in growth there would have a severe knock-on effect across the EU and the US.



Russia's interventions in Ukraine and Syria leading to a new cold war, Currency volatility culminating in an emerging markets corporate debt crisis, disintegration of EU, and 'Grexit', followed by a euro zone break-up, are among the events seen as more dangerous than the Trump presidency.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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ENGLEWOOD, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- WOW! Business, a communications service provider serving businesses in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, is joining forces with MicroCorp, a national distributor of telecom and cloud services, to offer companies affordable, tailored IT and network solutions backed by local technical support and customer service.

"WOW! Business has earned a reputation for being a trustworthy communications service provider that will enable MicroCorp to deliver a comprehensive and reliable suite of solutions to business customers," commented MicroCorp President Phil Keenan. "We provide unrivaled support for our value-added resellers and managed service providers, and with our Nautilus back office system, offer WOW! Business a complete and secure portal that streamlines every step in the sales and support process."

WOW! Business provides IP-based network, data, voice and cloud services for small and medium-sized business (SMB), enterprise, government and wholesale customers. The company owns and operates more than 40,000 miles of local fiber-optic and coaxial networks in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast which, along with its data centers, provide customers with scalable, low-latency access to national carrier backbones.

"With 30 years of experience, MicroCorp has a thorough knowledge of the telecommunications industry and an exceptional grasp of the constantly evolving needs of businesses in the markets we serve," said WOW! Business Channel Chief Ken Worcester. "WOW! Business is a strategic and highly focused customer-driven broadband communications company that MicroCorp will find easy to do business with. Unlike many other telecom service providers, we deliver high-quality sales opportunities that not only will expand our market opportunities, but those for MicroCorp as well."

The WOW! Business Partner Alliance Program has a fast-growing lineup of indirect sales partners that are accelerating the company's growth while meeting increasing customer demand by enabling master agents and other channel partners to offer value-added benefits to customers. To learn more about the WOW! Business Partner Alliance Program please contact Ken Worcester at (303) 600-1895 or ken.worcester@wowinc.com. For more information about WOW! Business SMB, enterprise and wholesale services visit WOW! Business.

About MicroCorp

MicroCorp is the premier value-added distributor of telecom and cloud solutions. Since 1986, we have simplified the purchase and management of telecommunications services for business customers. Today, the MicroCorp People Powered Network is nothing short of the most powerful combination of back office systems, people and support offerings in the industry. MicroCorp can be your whole back office or an extension of your current team, so you can focus on growing your business profitably. With a portfolio of solutions from more than 50 premier telecom and cloud providers combined with our collaborative back office portal, Nautilus, we are the trusted, skilled partner for a national network of agents, MSPs and VARs. For more information about MicroCorp or to become a MicroCorp partner, please visit microcorp.com.

About WOW! Business

WOW! Business provides data, Internet, voice and cloud services to business and wholesale customers in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland and the Southeast. The company is dedicated to delighting customers with friendly, quality service at affordable prices. WOW! is privately held and controlled by Avista Capital Partners and Crestview Partners. For more information, please visit WOW! Business.
BOSTON, MA and BELFAST, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Today Cayan, The Payment Possibilities Company, celebrated the completion of a nearly $8M global renovation of its Boston headquarters and Northern Ireland, United Kingdom offices. Although many companies say employees are their greatest assets, Cayan put its money where its mouth is: embarking upon a radical redesign to reflect and amplify the company's pivoting culture, personality and values -- while also making their office "house" feel more like a "home" for employees, complete with living room-styled meeting spaces and vast employee cafe remodels. The resulting colorful and bright 42,000 square foot Boston and 22,500 square foot Belfast offices promote teamwork and collaboration while complementing individual working styles.

"After 18 years, Cayan's transformed from a sales focused-organization to a technology-first company -- we're building the future of payments in both Boston and Belfast -- and so we wanted every inch of these new offices to reflect our evolving journey," explained Henry Helgeson, CEO and Co-Founder of Cayan. "For example, at the heart of our Boston headquarters we have also designed a small, innovation-centric retail lab to not only practice what we preach but also constantly challenge our employees to improve the retail experience."

The build out of Cayan's Boston location includes "watercooler meeting points" designed to mimic living room enclaves as well as high top tables and bar stools to encourage more eye-to-eye conversation in place of traditional conference room scenarios which can drain creativity. Other renovations include converting the previous tenant's bank vaults into nap rooms and an online gaming area, where employees are encouraged to create across-the-pond comradery by playing one another in the occasional game or two. Included in the investment is also a commitment to improving infrastructure and office systems to not only enable collaboration, but enhance interoperability, reporting and performance.

Following its launch in Northern Ireland in 2013, Cayan has grown its initial headcount of 15 employees to what is now a full-time staff of over 135 employees. The company's new Sci-Fi themed Belfast office occupies two floors and about one-third of the City Quays 1 waterfront building's 84,000 square foot development.

About Cayan

Cayan is the leading provider of payment technologies that give businesses a competitive advantage. From simple and reliable payment processing, to fully integrated, multi-channel customer engagement platforms, Cayan is continuously developing new ways for businesses to unlock the power of payments. Headquartered in Boston, the company has multiple offices in the United States and Belfast, Northern Ireland. Cayan is one of the world's fastest growing payment companies. For more information, visit www.cayan.com.

Cathy Corwin

Senior Account Executive

InkHouse for Cayan

cayan@inkhouse.com




NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Hunt Mortgage Group, a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States, announced today that Stephen Wessler has joined the firm's affordable housing group as Director. He will be based in the Denver office and will report to Paul Weissman, Senior Managing Director.

"As the affordable multifamily housing market continues to grow, Hunt Mortgage Group is well-positioned to offer our clients an extensive variety of financing products to help them expand their businesses," noted Weissman. "In his new role at the firm, Steve will focus on sourcing and originating HUD and FHA lending nationwide."

Hunt Mortgage Group is long-established in the affordable housing debt and equity finance markets, having sourced and originated affordable loans since the 1980s.

Wessler comes to Hunt Mortgage Group from Red Stone Agency Lending, LLC where he was President and National Director focused on HUD/FHA and tax exempt affordable housing. While at Red Stone, he was part of the loan committee that established lending and underwriting practices for the business.

Prior to that he served as Vice President and Co-manager of the Denver Regional Office at PNC Multifamily Capital, Inc. Before that he served in a variety of lending capacities at AMI Capital and Silverstate Financial Corporation.

"Steve is an experienced and highly successful affordable housing and agency lending finance executive with more than 30 years of experience," added Weissman. "We are excited to add someone of his caliber to our team."

Wessler earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Denver.

Hunt Mortgage Group offers debt for both conventional and affordable multifamily properties and is uniquely positioned in the multifamily space with more than four decades of experience. Today, Hunt Mortgage Group is structured to maximize efficiencies with dedicated underwriting teams to support its affordable, conventional, and small balance lending businesses.

About Hunt Mortgage Group

Hunt Mortgage Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hunt Companies, Inc., is a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States. The Company finances all types of commercial real estate: multifamily properties (including small balance), affordable housing, office, retail, manufactured housing, healthcare/senior living, hospitality, industrial, and self-storage facilities. It offers Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD/FHA in addition to its own Proprietary loan products. Since inception, the Company has structured more than $20 billion of loans and today maintains a servicing portfolio of more than $11 billion. Headquartered in New York City, Hunt Mortgage Group is comprised of 158 employees located in 17 locations throughout the United States. To learn more about Hunt Mortgage Group, visit www.huntmortgagegroup.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Brent Feigenbaum

Hunt Mortgage Group

212-317-5730

Email Contact



Pam Flores

773-218-9260

Email Contact




TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- ScribbleLive, a global leader in content marketing, today announced the rollout of ScribbleLive Plan. ScribbleLive Plan guides and supports marketing teams from strategy to execution. The product ensures that every piece of content, whether it's a single tweet or webinar series, is aligned to the same goals, focused on the right personas and working as efficiently as possible to move the needle.

According to a 2016 CMI/MarketingProfs survey, marketers with a documented content strategy are 60 percent more likely to be successful, but only 32 percent of B2B marketing organizations have one. Plan enables marketers to build and document their content marketing strategy and let it guide their marketing planning and execution.

ScribbleLive Plan gives marketing teams a foundation to create, document and execute their marketing strategies. This is done by leveraging the product framework to build personas, set business goals and seamlessly manage project progress. In addition, ScribbleLive Plan helps relieve the burden of team silos, enabling marketers to work together more seamlessly. With stronger collaboration, it becomes easier to execute and achieve their business goals.

"As ScribbleLive continues to deliver on our mission to provide global brand marketers with a complete solution for the most effective content marketing, we are proud to introduce ScribbleLive Plan," said ScribbleLive CEO, Vince Mifsud. "Market demand to take advantage of the key capabilities ScribbleLive Plan offers is very strong, and we are excited to deliver this enhanced solution."

The launch of ScribbleLive Plan continues to strengthen the company's position as a global content marketing leader and advances its mission of revolutionizing the way brands transform content into marketing and business results. This product will allow marketers to further harness the power of the ScribbleLive content marketing platform to plan, create, distribute and measure marketing efforts to drive top of funnel growth and transform marketing effectiveness.

About ScribbleLive

ScribbleLive is the leading global content marketing platform. The company's all-in-one SaaS solution combines data science with content strategy and planning, creation, and distribution technologies to deliver optimized business results. ScribbleLive is used by 1000+ brands including Bank of America, Bayer, Deutsche Telekom, Ferrari, Oracle, Red Bull and Yahoo! For more information, visit www.scribblelive.com

Media Contacts:

Blast PR On Behalf Of ScribbleLive

KristinAnn Janishefski

310-560-6258

Email Contact




EMERYVILLE, CA --(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Six experts from global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm Berkeley Research Group were ranked among the world's foremost forensic accountants and digital forensic experts in the International Who's Who Legal: Investigations2016. Nominee selection is based on comprehensive, independent survey work with both general counsel and private practice lawyers worldwide. Only specialists who have met independent international research criteria are included.

Chicago Managing Director Peggy Daley was highlighted as one of the most highly respected nominees in Who's Who Legal's research overall, and there is "no-one more experienced or better qualified." She has over 25 years of experience in investigations, data analytics, dispute resolution and regulatory compliance for multinational corporations.

Managing Director Michael Bandemer and Director Geoffrey "Geo" Brown, based in BRG's San Diego office, are both very well regarded in California, according to the guide. Bandemer specializes in electronic discovery, digital forensics and investigations. He has qualified in court as an expert in eDiscovery and computer forensics and has provided testimony at deposition, arbitration and in federal and state court. Brown has extensive experience leading highly sensitive and complex computer forensic, eDiscovery and data analytic investigations.

In London, Managing Director Alexander Carte was described as "unbelievably skilled" and a "joy to work with." He has wide experience in electronic disclosure/discovery, electronic evidence and IT systems, IT and cyber security, data modeling and analytics, information governance and computer forensics. Director Michael Jelen is feted for his analytical abilities and his "confident and effective" testimony as an expert witness. He has more than 10 years of experience using various tools and programming languages to manage and analyze large quantities of complex data for clients across many industries.

Daniel Ryan, leader of BRG's London office, is, according to a source, "one of the best expert witnesses I have come across" and one of the most highly rated individuals in the publication's UK forensic accountant research. He is regularly appointed as an expert witness and is experienced in oral testimony, covering matters in the UK High Court, before arbitral tribunals in the UK and internationally, in fiscal courts and before the Copyright Tribunal.

About Berkeley Research Group, LLC

Berkeley Research Group, LLC (www.thinkbrg.com) is a leading global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm that provides independent advice, data analytics, authoritative studies, expert testimony, investigations, and regulatory and dispute consulting to Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, major law firms and regulatory bodies around the world. BRG experts and consultants combine intellectual rigor with practical, real-world experience and an in-depth understanding of industries and markets. Their expertise spans economics and finance, data analytics and statistics, and public policy in many of the major sectors of our economy, including healthcare, banking, information technology, energy, construction and real estate. BRG is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices across the United States and in Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America, and the United Kingdom.

Contact:

Mary Xjimenez

Email contact

510.285.3287
Obama: Republicans must give Supreme Court nominee 'fair hearing' Embed Copy Share Play Video 2:14 While announcing his Supreme Court nominee March 16, President Obama urged Senate Republicans to fulfill their "constitutional duty" and give Merrick Garland a "fair hearing." (Reuters)

THE MORNING PLUM:

Now that President Obama has rolled out a Supreme Court nominee who is being widely described as a centrist who has drawn praise from both parties, some analysts are predicting that it may be harder for GOP Senators to continue to refuse to consider him. But if anything, most signs this morning are that Republicans are only digging in harder behind their stance that only the next president should pick Antonin Scalias replacement.

But there is a scenario worth entertaining here in which Obama has the last laugh  and the GOP posture ends up leaving Republicans with only downsides, and zero upsides.

That scenario goes like this: If Republicans dont give Garland any hearing, and a Democrat (most likely Hillary Clinton) wins the presidential election, Republicans could then move to consider him in the lame duck session, to prevent Clinton from picking a more liberal nominee. But at that point, Obama could withdraw his nominee, to allow his successor to pick the next justice, instead.

The Republican argument for refusing to consider Garland (or anyone Obama nominates) is that the selection of the next justice is so hugely consequential that only the next president should make that choice, so that the American people have a say in it, by choosing who that president will be. Lurking behind this rationale is the understandable fear that if the court is tilted in a more liberal direction, it could deal a serious blow to a number of conservative causes  so better to roll the dice by holding out and hoping a Republican is elected president.

But with Donald Trump tightening his grip on the nomination, and the more electable establishment GOP candidates falling like dominoes, the prospect of Clinton winning the presidency is looking very real, and may continue to look even more likely as the campaign progresses. Republicans themselves fear that a Trump nomination could cost them the Senate, too. If all of that happens, Republicans might see no choice but to try to confirm Garland in the lame duck, before Clinton takes office and picks a nominee, possibly with a Dem-controlled Senate behind her. Some Republicans are already floating this idea .

But Obama could decline to play along with that scenario.

Waiting until a lame duck session to decide whether to act is a high risk strategy, as Obama could always withdraw the nomination, giving a President Clinton the opportunity to swing for the fences, Jonathan Adler, a libertarian-leaning law professor at Case Western Reserve University, tells me. Adler adds that Obama could simply justify this by arguing that voters elected Hillary, that he gave Republicans a compromise offer, and they rejected it.

The amusing thing about this outcome is that, in justifying the decision to allow Clinton to pick a more liberal nominee than he did, Obama would be offering a version of the rationale Republicans offered for not considering his pick at all: the voters have rendered a verdict on what Scalias replacement should look like, by picking the next president, and now we should honor that. And in this scenario, Republicans might end up with only downsides: they might end up sustaining a lot of political damage by refusing to act on Obamas nominee at all, and theyd end up squandering the chance to get a more centrist Justice, rather than a more liberal one. (They would have kept the base happy, of course, but at what price?)

Obviously Republicans might still stick to their current strategy, because  again  its worth taking a big gamble in hopes of electing a Republican president to keep the Court tilted in a conservative direction. And who knows  maybe theyll prove right, and the GOP will take the White House. But if its looking more likely that Clinton is going to win, and if more chatter about the above endgame arises, Republicans might feel more inclined to confirm Obamas nominee before the election. As Adler puts it: It would become a game of chicken.

***************************************************************

UPDATE: It occurs to me that I probably should have argued that in this scenario, Democrats and liberals would be getting the last laugh, as opposed to Obama getting it. After all, Obama by all indications does want Garland confirmed; hed merely be deferring to Hillary after the election. And liberal Dems (some of whom are already disappointed by the Garland pick) would be getting their preferred outcome. Im not predicting this will happen, just floating it as an interesting possibility. You may also see some liberal pressure on Obama to do this, if Democrats secure a big victory in November (though whether Obama would bow to it is anybodys guess), which would also be an interesting scenario to see play out.

At any rate, maybe the headline should have been: How Dems could get last laugh in Supreme Court fight.

****************************************************************

* REPUBLICANS GROPE FOR FAKE MIDDLE GROUND IN COURT FIGHT: The New York Times reports that a handful of Senate Republicans are feeling their way towards a middle ground, saying theyll agree to consider Garland in the lame duck session, but not before :

For those of us who are concerned about the direction of the court and wanting at least a more centrist figure between him and somebody that President Clinton might nominate, I think the choice is clear  in a lame duck, said Senator Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who sits on the Judiciary Committee.He was not alone. Senator Orrin G. Hatch, the senior Utah Republican who also sits on the panel, said he would be open to taking up the nomination after the election, as did a handful of others.

Of course, if the logic here is that only the next president should nominate the next Supreme Court Justice, supposedly so the people can decide, this doesnt really scan with that. And theres the above scenario to worry about, too.

* WHAT WORRIES LIBERALS ABOUT COURT FIGHT: As noted, Republicans could try to push Garland through in the lame duck. James Hohmann explains why this worries liberals :

What worries the smartest people on the left is that McConnell will shepherd Garlands confirmation through during the lame-duck session if Clinton wins, depriving the first woman president of her ability to pick a more progressive alternative. While Garland is 63, which means he has a relatively shorter shelf life on the bench, Hillary could pick someone who is still in her 40s.

Of course, Obama could withdraw that nominee, as explained above. But its possible he might not, of course. Itll be interesting to see if liberals would pressure him to do so in this scenario.

* HOW OBAMA BROKE WITH THE LEFT: Politico reports that liberals are unhappy with Obamas centrist pick, and explains the White Houses rationale this way :

People close to the White Houses discussions saw Obama making the political calculation that Garland was the one potential nominee with so many professional and personal qualifications  and so few potential knocks against him  that any opposition to him will be clearly seen as pure obstructionist Republican politics. He may not have what people believed to have been Obamas perfect choice. But hes who the president and his aides have determined is their best shot.

Of course, trying to appear reasonable doesnt have a history of working against GOP intransigence. So this is another reason we may see liberals pressure Obama to withdraw the nominee if this fails and Republicans move to confirm him in the lame duck.

* DEMS RATCHET UP PRESSURE OVER COURT PICK: Senate Democrats today will escort Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland to Capitol Hill, to increase pressure on Republicans to consider him . Mitch McConnell wont meet with him, though:

McConnellspoke by phone Wednesday with Garland and told him the Senate wont act on his nomination. McConnell opted for the phone conversation, rather than put Judge Garland through more unnecessary political routines orchestrated by the White House, McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said.

Since theres obviously no point in meeting with Garland  Republicans will not consider him no matter what he says  they will graciously spare him the trouble, for his sake.

* WHY REPUBLICANS MAY HOLD FIRM: Paul Kane explains it :

The presidential environment, with front-runner Donald Trump dominating the process, has left many social conservatives fearful that their standard-bearer wont share their values. Republicans think that the Scalia vacancy will at least encourage the religious voters to show up in November  even if its just to save the Senate GOP majority as a check against the possibility that Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton wins and gets the opportunity to appoint more liberals to the Supreme Court.

As my lead item suggests, however, thats a pretty high risk strategy!

* TRUMP CAMPAIGN PREPARES FOR TOUGH CONVENTION FIGHT: The Post has a deep dive into the arcane party rules and delegate selection processes that could determine whether Trump is stopped at a contested convention . Note this:

The Trump campaign is putting a team in place to track the delegates who have already been designated on state ballots, said senior adviser Ed Brookover, and it will coordinate with its state staffs to monitor delegate selection. Brookover, who is managing the process for the Trump campaign, says that skepticism of its ability to compete in this sort of process is wishful thinking on the part of Mr. Trumps opponents.

We may get to see whether Trumps vaunted deal-making skills are made of

* AND A VULNERABLE REPUBLICAN RUNS FROM REPORTERS: CNN reports that a handful of Senators  moderates and those facing tough reelection fights  are leaning towards at least considering Obamas nominee . This is illustrative:

Pennsylvanias [Pat] Toomey, one of the vulnerable Republicans facing a tough re-election in a swing state, dashed from reporters in the Capitol Wednesday, refusing to take questions about Garland and whether he would meet with him. However, in a press release issued by his office, the first-term senator said a confirmation should wait until after the election to give the American people a more direct voice in picking a justice.

Because will you meet with the Presidents nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy? is such a tough question.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, revealed Wednesday that Congress will investigate allegations of rape against a federal judge. In a statement, Chaffetz said an initial review of the allegations against Richard W. Roberts has caused alarm and distress over their serious nature. Roberts was the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia but retired on Wednesday, citing unspecified health issues. A Utah woman has filed a civil lawsuit accusing Roberts of repeatedly raping her when he was a federal prosecutor and she was a 16-year-old witness in a murder trial in 1981. 'The Utah Attorney General recently made the Committee aware of credible evidence of misconduct by a U.S. District Court Judge,' Chaffetz said. He added, 'We will work with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to determine next best steps to ensure justice is served.' A lawyer for Roberts called the allegations in the lawsuit 'categorically false,' claiming Roberts had a consensus relationship with the women only after the trial had concluded. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
CHANTILLY, VA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Conversion Pipeline has worked hard to establish itself as an exceptional digital marketing resource and an integral part of the northern Virginia business community. This dedication has never been more evident as they announce strategic changes to accommodate their explosive growth.

The digital marketing agency has relocated to a larger and more modern office that is better designed to meet the needs of their recently hired digital marketers, account executives and creative professionals -- as they continue to foster the vibrant, family-style culture that has made them successful.

"We're blessed to have a great client base and strategic partnerships that have fueled our rapid growth. Conversion Pipeline is proud to represent a variety of clientele, from local businesses, to companies that operate regionally and nationally," said Sam Collingwood, Conversion Pipeline Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. "These are exciting times for our company and we're looking for the industry's top talent to join our team."

Conversion Pipeline will continue to grow and thrive throughout 2016, and is currently searching for a talented Digital Marketing Sales Executive to join the team. This person must share a passion for Digital Marketing and someone who seeks and thrives on the excitement of closing the deal; interested parties are encouraged to join in on the fun, and apply.

About Conversion Pipeline

Conversion Pipeline is a leading Digital Marketing Agency helping businesses advertise online and increase their search engine rankings. Through search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, pay-per-click (PPC), and online advertising solutions we are able to elevate brand awareness, increase conversion ratios and drive new revenue growth for our clients. For more information, please visit http://www.conversionpipeline.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lia Milgram

Email Contact




LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Naturalist Alfred Culbreth, founder and CEO of American Premium Water Corporation (OTC PINK: HIPH), parent of LALPINA Water, has entered into a long-term strategic alliance with Beverly Hills-based motion picture production company Jeff Rice Films for product placement, branding, and joint venture initiatives.

Having already gained street cred in the music industry with partners like "My House" rapper Flo Rida, Culbreth's LALPINA brand of quality high pH water bottled strictly in glass is quickly gaining props in the famously health-conscious movie capital. "I've been a huge fan of their water for some time," says veteran executive producer Rice, who has produced over eighty films and has raised, by his estimation, several hundred million dollars over the years. "Not only you don't have to worry about the plastic, but with the slightly elevated pH it has," he noted, "once you taste it, suddenly you want it all the time. I brought pallets to the set and the crew just can't get enough."

LALPINA Water will make its screen debut in "American Satan," currently filming in Los Angeles, followed by "The Vault," both executive-produced by Jeff Rice, with LALPINA's James Cook serving as production liaison.

LALPINA WATER is sourced from a high-altitude aquifer deep in two locations, The Blue Ridge and the Blue Mountains. It is currently available in 7.3, 8.0 and 9.5 pH, either natural spring or sparkling, and in both 1-liter and 16 ounce glass bottles.

The Company will also be announcing a merger in the near future.

Safe Harbor Notice

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). American Premium Water Corporation cautions that statements made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. American Premium Water Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. Additional details of the Company's business can be found in its public disclosures as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database.

This press release is issued on behalf of the Board of Directors by Alfred Culbreth, CEO and Director.

Disclaimer Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release, on American Premium Water Corporation's ("APWC") website and other oral and written statements made by APWC from time to time are "forward-looking statements", as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding beliefs, objectives, intentions, goals, plans, strategies, financial projections, any other statements regarding the future and any statements that are not purely historical. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and APWC expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date thereof. All forward-looking statements, whether written or oral and whether made by or on behalf of the APWC, are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. APWC's expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and are believed by the APWC to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections will result or be achieved or accomplished. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond APWC's control affect APWC's operations, performance, business strategy and results and could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of APWC to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For APWC, particular uncertainties arise, amongst others but not limited to and not in any order of importance, from (i) focusing on and allocating more resources on certain target markets (ii) the possibility to raise further equity and debt to fund future growth, (iii) changes in demand for APWC's products, (iv) performance issues with key suppliers, affiliates, agents, advisors or subcontractors, (v) changes in government changes in laws or regulations to which APWC or its suppliers are subject, including environmental laws and regulations relating to water or water sources and (vi) the inability to complete announced acquisitions, difficulty or unanticipated expenses in connection with integrating acquired businesses and the risk that anticipated synergies and opportunities as a result of acquisitions will not be realized or the risk that acquisitions do not perform as planned, including, for example, the risk that acquired businesses will not achieve revenue projections.

THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED BY APWC'S MANAGEMENT, WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS. NO SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. THIS NEWS RELEASE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

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Contact Information:

American Premium Water Corporation

12777 Jefferson Blvd.

Suite 300

Playa Vista, CA 90066-7408

(888)-983-0054

Stock Symbol: HIPH

General Inquiries: info@americanpremiumwater.com

Investor Relations: ir@americanpremiumwater.com

Company Website: www.americanpremiumwater.com

Twitter: @americanpremium

@lalpinawater

lalpinawater




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - First lady Michelle Obama has made it clear that she has no presidential aspirations. Former First lady Hillary Clinton is running for a Democratic ticket ni the presidential election. Responding to a question during her address at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, Michelle said, 'I will not run for president. Nope, nope, not going to do it.' 'There is so much that I can do outside of the White House, and sometimes there is much more that you can do outside the White House without the constraints, and the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship,' she said. 'There is a potential that my voice could be heard by many people who can't hear me now because I'm 'Michelle Obama, the first lady,' she added. The 52-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer has made no secret of her distaste for the glare of political life and has tried to steer clear of controversy, instead focusing on issues such as fighting obesity. She said that she also wanted her daughters, Malia and Sasha, to live elsewhere after what will be eight years in the White House. At South by Southwest event, Michelle released the song This Is For My Girls for charity to support a UN-backed campaign to improve education access for millions of unschooled girls around the world. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors for the global automotive financing marketin their latest research report. This report also lists 10 other prominent vendors who are expected to contribute to this market's growth over the forecast period.

To identify the top vendors, Technavio's market research analysts have considered the top contributors to the overall revenue of this market. To calculate the market size, the report considers the total automotive financing offered for new cars and used cars in G20 countries.

Request sample report: http://bit.ly/1nts4eJ

"Loans ranging between 73-84 months have increased by more than 25%, and it is estimated that these will constitute about 20% of the total new lending during the forecast period. Similarly, long-term loans falling in the 61-72-month duration range are estimated to account for more than 40% of the new-car loans during the forecast period," said Bharath Kanniappan, one of Technavio's lead analysts for ICT research.

"Many top vendors, such as Allianz and Ford are working in collaboration with each other. Such partnerships help individual companies focus on their strengths and contribute their expertise to the joint venture. From the customer's point of view, these alliances offer a one-stop shop to buy a car and secure its financing and insurance. In some cases, the collaboration helps the customer obtain an integrated or personalized cover at an attractive package price. For instance, if a customer's vehicle meets with an accident, Ford will get the vehicle repaired in its partner's repair shop. This will leapfrog over the next four years, with many automobile manufacturers anticipated to emulate this practice," added Bharath.

Five leading vendors in the global automotive financing market:

Ally Financial

Ally Financial provides retail automotive financing for new and used vehicles and leasing for new vehicles. During 2014, it originated 1.5 million automotive loans and leases worth $41 billion.

This company serves the financial needs of almost 17,000 dealers in the US, including 10,000 dealers outside the General Motors and Fiat Chrysler channels and over 4.4 million retail customers. The company has developed strong relationships with many dealers due to its longstanding relationship with GM and Chrysler. It has also increased its focus on the non-GM/Chrysler channel, which has resulted in higher new standard rates, and used and leased vehicle financing volumes.

Chase Auto Finance

Chase Auto Finance is headquartered in New York, US and is a subsidiary of JPMorgan and Chase Company. The firm operates as a bank originator of automotive leases and retail installment contracts in the US. It provides financial services such as small business and commercial banking, asset and wealth management, financial transaction processing, and private equity services. It specializes in securities services, private banking, retail financial services, and treasury and securities services; and credit and debit cards, home, education and small business loans.

Chase Auto Finance offers comprehensive products and services, including prime and non-prime financing, floorplan, personal and commercial financial solutions, and pre-owned vehicle inventory. It offers flat fees and rate buy down programs and electronic contracting through DealerTrack. The company also provides a broad range of loan terms for customers that do not qualify for traditional prime financing.

Ford Motor Credit

Ford Motor Credit was incorporated in 1959 and is headquartered in Michigan, US. The company provides automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers worldwide. The company concentrates on financing Ford and Lincoln Vehicles and supporting dealers of these brands.

The company also extends its credit to franchised dealers selling Ford and Lincoln vehicles primarily through lines of credit to purchase new and used vehicles. Each lending request is evaluated, taking into consideration the borrower's financial condition, supporting security, and other financial and qualitative factors. Asset verification processes are done and these include physical audits of vehicle inventories with increased audit frequency for higher-risk dealers.

Toyota Financial Services

Toyota Financial Services was incorporated in 1982 and is headquartered in California, US. The company mainly offers finance and products to authorized Toyota, including Scion, and Lexus vehicle dealers. It also offers services to other domestic and import franchise dealers and their customers.

The company provides a broad range of retail finance products, including consumer and commercial installment, sales contracts in the US and Puerto Rico and leasing contracts, direct finance leases or operating leases from vehicle and industrial equipment dealers in the US. The firm also provides dealer financing, including wholesale financing (floorplan financing), working capital loans, revolving lines of credit, and real estate financing to automobile and industrial equipment dealers in the US and Puerto Rico.

Wells Fargo Dealer Services

Wells Fargo Dealer Services was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Irvine, California, US. Wells Fargo Dealer Services is a division of Wells Fargo Bank. The company offers integrated financial services solutions for dealers. They provide a wide range of credit services, such as commercial banking services and indirect auto financing, floor plan financing, and real estate services. Commercial services, such as credit services, insurance services, deposit and treasury management solutions, wealth-building strategies, and employee benefits are also provided. The company has relationships with over 14,000 auto dealers. Until December 31, 2014, indirect auto loans of the company stood at close to USD 55.70 billion.

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About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005010/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com

media@technavio.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has not officially endorsed a candidate in the race for the Republican presidential nomination but offered praise for Senator Ted Cruz, R-Tex., in a conference call with a group of Minnesota supporters on Wednesday. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Rubio described Cruz as 'the only conservative left in the race' following his decision to suspend his campaign earlier this week. Rubio noted that he is hoping either Cruz or Ohio Gov. John Kasich is able to prevent real estate tycoon Donald Trump from winning the GOP nomination. The Florida Senator decided to drop out of the race after he failed to win his home state's primary on Tuesday. Minnesota was the only state that Rubio won in his disappointing campaign, although he did also score victories in Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. 'We're always joking the last 24 hours at home that we need to move to Minnesota with a winter home in Puerto Rico and work in D.C.,' Rubio said, according to the Pioneer Press. Rubio reportedly told supporters his campaign message did not match the national mood and suggested the media was partly to blame. 'I really believe we're on the verge of an incredible era in our history,' Rubio said, but added, 'This is not the greatest year for that kind of message.' The Florida Senator previously decided not to run for re-election this year but indicated that he may run for office again in the future. (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (TSX: PTM)(NYSE MKT: PLG) ("Platinum Group" or the "Company") provides a correction to the press release issued earlier today. The example comparisons to a typical Merensky reef are corrected to 3,000 cmg/t. All drill results, assays and other information in the news release are correct.

Qualified Person and Quality Assurance and Control

R. Michael Jones, P.Eng., the Company's President, Chief Executive Officer and a significant shareholder of the Company, is a non-independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is responsible for preparing the technical information contained in this news release. He has verified the data by ensuring experienced qualified personnel are working with the core and data, reviewing selected core, core logs and assay data, visiting the site and drill rigs and ensuring that the Independent Qualified Person is updated in the project progress and plans. Assay results are part of an extensive quality control program including chain of custody, insertion of blanks and standards, carefully reviewing data on company standards and checking accuracy with independent lab checks. The assays have been completed at Bureau Veritas Inspectorate and Set Point accredited laboratories by standard fire assay and ICP finish methods.

On behalf of the Board of Platinum Group Metals Ltd.

R. Michael Jones, CEO and Co-Founder

Disclosure

The Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE MKT LLC have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release, which has been prepared by management. This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes any forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The Company directs readers to the risk factors described in the Company's Form 40-F annual report, annual information form and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com, respectively.

Contacts:

R. Michael Jones, President

Kris Begic, VP, Corporate Development

Platinum Group Metals Ltd., Vancouver

(604) 899-5450 / Toll Free: (866) 899-5450

www.platinumgroupmetals.net




DUBLIN, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6fk5wj/biocides_in) has announced the addition of the "Biocides in Personal Care - 2016 Edition" report to their offering.

The report provides an overview for Biocides for each of the major geographical regions. It provides value and volume data for different Biocides. In addition, the report provides a summary of each of the Biocides that are being used to control microbes. Industry influences on the Biocides market are also discussed.

The scope of the study is worldwide. The overview section provides extended definitions of the Biocides to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the technology involved. In addition, this section provides an analysis of Biocide consumption by application and region. There is a profile of an ideal Biocide as outlined by end users.

The company profiles section includes a discussion of the companies that have pioneered Biocide development and examines how their available products and services are setting the standards for preservation.

In this report more than 30 companies are discussed, and 10 of the most important companies are examined. The base year for this study is 2015. Figures are based on revenue figures at the manufacturers' level and also at the formulated products level and are projected at 2015-U.S. dollar value.

For the future, Biocide companies are expected to continue the introduction of new formulations to address shifts in demand. For example there has been a big increase in the supply of paraben free formulations. In addition, less sensitising biocides are increasing their share of the market such as the substitution of cmit/mit formulations with mit. Also companies must also examine the specific needs of each regional market to adjust their strategies for growth accordingly.

Questions Answered:

What are the future directions of the Biocide industry?

What are the most important Biocides being used in enduser applications today?

What are the most promising Biocides?

What impact will regulations have on Biocides consumption?

Key Topics Covered:

Industry Overview

Biocide comparison and market shares

Evolution and adoption of trends

Leading suppliers and distribution channels

Increased Regulatory Impact on Business and Technology

End-user analysis and what Biocides they are using

Mergers and Acquisitions

Report Structure:

1 INTRODUCTION & METHODOLGY

2 END USER ANALYSIS

3 BIOCIDE COMPARISON

4 BIOCIDE CONSUMPTION

5 BIOCIDE MANUFACTURERS

6 DISTRIBUTION

7 VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

8 REGULATORY ANALYSIS

9 TRENDS

10 FUTURE

TABLE OF TABLES

TABLE OF FIGURES

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6fk5wj/biocides_in

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ABN)(OTCBB: ABNAF)(FRANKFURT: E2L2) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it held its Annual General Meeting on March 15, 2016. The Company reports that Ronald Netolitzky, M.Sc., Timothy Termuende, P.Geo., Donald Huston, James Pettit and Amanda Chow, CPA, CMA, were re-elected directors of the Company. The shareholders of the Company also approved the re-appointment of Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditors for the Company and approved the renewal of the Company's Incentive Stock Option Plan.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BERKELEY, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- FunctionOne, a global provider of Premiere IT services and solutions across all industries, and 1550a, the leading digital technology advisory in the building design and construction industry, today announced their digital partnership. This collaboration provides FunctionOne Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) clients with direct access to 1550a's industry specific CIO level leadership and insight.

"Over the last nine years, FunctionOne has developed an extensive skillset in servicing firms in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) space. We understand the infrastructure required to enable these companies to compete effectively, and we have forged lasting relationships with key AEC-specific software and service vendors," said Joe Markert, Managing Director of FunctionOne. "We have been looking for a CIO partnership to enhance further these capabilities for some time. Given our global footprint as a part of Dynamix Cloud Services, we required a partner with global presence and experience. 1550a is that perfect partner and we are excited as we know this new relationship will elevate our value to our building design and construction clients."

"FunctionOne's ONESolution program combined with 1550a's industry specific CIO Advisory Services will enable building design and construction industry organizations the ability to understand better, align, integrate, and manage digital technology. This partnership ensures our clients have outcomes that better aligned with their organization's strategic and operational goals," said Darren Rizza, 1550a Visionary.

"Today's enterprise networks are complex and ever-changing, making it extremely challenging to identify key points of attack risk on an on-going basis," said Rich Nitzsche, "The Scientist" for 1550a. "The partnership and integration between 1550a and FunctionOne combine two powerful companies that provide clients with a new approach to understanding and negating their risk in a meaningful and efficient way."

"Together," said Russell Genest, "The Connector" for 1550a, "we offer our clients industry specific expertise and guidance in developing digital technology strategies based on the strategic direction of their business coupled with the implementation and ongoing support of the consented approach; a real closed loop solution."

About FunctionOne

FunctionOne is a premier Managed Services Provider based in the San Francisco Bay Area focused on delivering a holistic approach to IT governance handling all aspects of IT management from CIO/CTO guidance to end-user support. Key Service Areas: Managed Services, Business Continuity, VoIP, Cloud Services and Infrastructure design, implementation and management.

Whether it's providing seamless, human-centric, outsourced IT services, comprehensive data protection and business continuity solutions, network and VoIP implementation, or helping you navigate The Cloud -- we get IT done.

About 1550a

We are an executive advisory comprised of visionary, strategic, and digitally informed thought leaders, leaning on sixty-plus combined years of business technology leadership in professional services within the building design and construction industry.

Our expertise and experience guide building industry owners -- building owners, design firm owners, construction firm owners -- on their ongoing growth and success based on an evolving digital strategy for their processes of design, delivery, operations, and management.

About Dynamix

Dynamix is a leading provider of Cloud Based Voice and Data services enabling companies to communicate and collaborate on a global scale. Through our CloudControl platform customers gain the added benefit of a centralized platform to manage all aspects of their IT including valuable insight into the health of their networks.

Fully redundant, geo-diverse, private and compliant, Dynamix's cloud platform is designed to support enterprises of all sizes across all sectors of industry. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fl., Dynamix supports customers worldwide with offices in Berkeley, Amsterdam, and Hyderabad.

Media Contacts



Michael Ammundsen

mammundsen@dynamixcloud.com



Morgan Abbott

mabbott@functiononeit.com



Russ Genest

russ@1550a.com




NEEDHAM, MA--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) and Bio-IT World are pleased to the provide the Bio-IT community with complimentary access to the fifteenth annual Bio-IT World Exhibit Hall & Plenary Keynote Sessions, April 5-7, 2016 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. The 2016 event features keynote presentations by a cross-section of innovators in the field: Partners' Chief Laboratory Director Heidi Rehm, HudsonAlpha's Chief Medical Genomics Officer Howard Jacob, Boston Children's Molecular Genomics Core Manager Catherine Brownstein, IBM Watson's Bill Evans, and Human Longevity's CIO Yaron Turpaz. Together they will cover the breadth of opportunity in building a global network for precision medicine.

"In 2015 we set some big goals for precision medicine, genomics, and the IT infrastructure that will make it all possible. Now we get down to work," states Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director of Bio-IT World. "With over 13 tracks, three days, and 16 pre-conference workshops, the 2016 Bio-IT World Conference & Expo is bigger than ever with more expert content, more industry insights, and more opportunities to build relationships that will drive the bio-IT industry forward."

The complimentary Exhibit Hall & Keynote Pass provides visitors with access to daily plenary keynote sessions, three industry award programs and an expansive hall of 190+ exhibitors, vendor theater presentations and technical posters. Attracting more than 3,000 members of the Bio-IT Community each year, the event equips teams with the latest developments in data management, computing and analysis; IT infrastructure; and informatics for drug discovery and translational research.

Complimentary passes are available until March 25. A full schedule and online registration can be found at http://www.bio-itworldexpo.com/exhibit-hall

To register for conference programs and courses, please visit https://chidb.com/reg/BIT/reg.asp

Members of the media are encouraged to participate. Please contact Lisa Scimemi at lscimemi@healthtech.com to apply for a press pass and to inquire about opportunities for coordinated pre-event interviews with the speaking faculty.

About Bio-IT World (www.Bio-ITWorld.com)

Part of the Healthtech Publishing, Bio-IT World provides outstanding coverage of cutting-edge trends and technologies that impact the management and analysis of life sciences data, including next-generation sequencing, drug discovery, predictive and systems biology, informatics tools, clinical trials, and personalized medicine. Through a variety of sources including, Bio-ITWorld.com, Weekly Update Newsletter and the Bio-IT World News Bulletins, Bio-IT World is a leading source of news and opinion on technology and strategic innovation in the life sciences, including drug discovery and development.

About Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI) (www.Healthtech.com)

Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI), a division of Cambridge Innovation Institute, is the preeminent life science network for leading researchers and business experts from top pharmaceutical, biotech, CROs, academia, and niche service providers. CHI is renowned for its vast conference portfolio held worldwide including PepTalk, Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference, SCOPE Summit, Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, PEGS Summit, Drug Discovery Chemistry, Biomarker World Congress, World Pharmaceutical Congress, Next Generation Dx Summit and Discovery on Target. CHI's portfolio of products include Cambridge Healthtech Institute Conferences, Barnett International, Insight Pharma Reports, Cambridge Marketing Consultants, Cambridge Meeting Planners, Knowledge Foundation, Bio-IT World, Clinical Informatics News and Diagnostics World.

Lisa Scimemi

Corporate Marketing Communications Director

lscimemi@healthtech.com
BASEL, Switzerland, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Baselworld 2016, the show that is universally acknowledged as the unique platform for the watch and jewellery industry, opened its doors today in the presence of Swiss Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga. With 1,500 of the world's most famous and prestigious brands exhibiting, and more than 4,000 journalists representing traditional and new media from around the globe attending, Baselworld 2016 is poised to once again capture the hearts and minds of professionals and consumers around the world. Baselworld 2016 will run from 17 to 24 March 2016.

THE GLOBAL LAUNCHING PAD OF TRENDSETTING INNOVATIONS AND CREATIONS

Baselworld is unequalled and unrivalled in providing a unique platform for global key players from the world of watches and jewellery, diamonds, gemstones, pearls, machines and supplies to convene in one place. It is the annual focal point for around 150,000 professionals from over 100 countries who regroup in Basel to take the pulse of the industry, be inspired by the innovations and creations splendidly showcased across 141,000 m2, discover new trends and acquire the latest collections from 1,500 of the world's most famous and prestigious brands. For eight days a year, Baselworld is the nerve centre of the whole industry. The impact Baselworld creates reverberates around the world as news of the latest creations disseminates to every corner of the planet and the eagerly awaited new collections find their way to their final destinations and populate show windows in the most illustrious locations of the world's metropolises.

A MOMENTOUS MILESTONE IN THE 100 YEAR HISTORY OF THE MCH GROUP

Mr Rene Kamm, CEO of the MCH Group, welcomed Swiss Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga, and said he was honoured to have her open Baselworld 2016. This being a special year for the MCH Group, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first Mustermesse Basel (Muba), Mr Kamm recounted the history of the fair that marked both the start of the group and the birthplace of the modern Swiss exhibition industry. Paying special tribute to Baselworld, he mentioned his pride and delight in how the show had grown from being a small exhibition of Swiss watches within the Muba, to "evolving to its present status as the premier platform for the entire industry." He stressed, however, that "maintaining this leadership role is hard fought for and Baselworld continues to consolidate and strengthen its leadership position year after year - a rare quality that needs to be underlined." He also touched on the troubled economic situation facing the world and the industry, but emphasised his confidence in the industry saying: "Where passion presides, the will to overcome challenges will always succeed. And the watch and jewellery industry has the passion and resilience to deal with these challenges."

A UNIQUE SHOW AT THE NERVE CENTRE OF AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY

"For eight days a year, Baselworld is the nerve centre for an entire industry that unites here to take the pulse of the business and discover trends," said Ms Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director of Baselworld. She went on to demonstrate with some impressive facts and figures what makes Baselworld so unique, stressing why no other show is equal to Baselworld. "No other event in the world brings together so many famous and prestigious brands; no other watch or jewellery presentation attracts 150,000 visitors from over 100 countries, or can claim the media impact of Baselworld. This show generates annually two billion Swiss Francs of economic benefit with some 13,000 jobs directly related to it." Touching on the reality of today's gloomy economic and political situation and its uncertainty, Ms Ritter underlined that taking a tour through the amazing corridors of Baselworld would provide all the evidence one needed to realise that "the sectors of watchmaking and jewellery have an outsized ability to react, to take into account new situations and to adapt. In other words, to maintain the momentum that has never ceased to be their own." It is these very dynamics that have helped the industry reach levels that no one would have predicted 10 years ago.

In the light of the present economic situation, Ms Ritter addressed the uncertainties of some exhibitors, in particular those of the small and medium businesses that unfortunately do not always have the means to cope with a drop in demand in the medium term. Most importantly, however, is the fact that most exhibitors have remained loyal to Baselworld although they may be limiting their presence elsewhere. By way of conclusion, Ms Ritter unequivocally stated that the show will work tirelessly to reflect the needs and wishes of the industry, justifying the faith of its loyal exhibitors, "because they know that we will continue to move forward, continue to invest in the future, further increase the quality and attractiveness of the show to strengthen its leading position."

BASELWORLD'S IMPACT RESONATES AROUND THE GLOBE PUTTING BASEL AT THE FOCAL POINT OF THE WORLD'S EYES

Basel-Stadt Cantonal Council Member, Christoph Brutschin, welcomed the guests and conveyed the best wishes of the governments of Basel-Land and Basel-Stadt. Whilst acknowledging the difficult state the world finds itself in, Mr Brutschin highlighted the opportunities in a world that, with the trend towards digitisation, is currently on the threshold of a new industrial age. With the acquisition of data obtained and used for research purposes, as well as for the development of new consumer products, the optimistic fact is that this development also has the potential to drive the watchmaking industry to new innovations and creations. In honour of the technological wonders of many famous brands, Mr Brutschin was full of praise for the handmade luxury brands that require numerous hours of work, that "mesmerise by their name, their shapes, their precious materials and their harmonious proportions." He called them mechanical wonders that "arouse the enthusiasm and bring a twinkle to the eyes of both specialists as well as amateurs and enthusiasts," adding that he is excited to discover what new processes and products the future has in store for us, knowing that this industry will find whatever tools are necessary to create a successful future. Finally, Mr Brutschin mentioned how proud he and the population of Basel are that the trendsetting show Baselworld has surmounted all the volatile economic times and year after year continued to grow more and more into the one unmissable show for the entire industry.

The opening ceremony of the premier platform for the watch and jewellery industry, Baselworld, was brought to a close by Swiss Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga who honoured the guests with a speech.

BASELWORLD 2016 WILL BE HELD FROM 17 - 24 MARCH 2016.

Picture material for Baselworld is available to download free of charge at: baselworld.com

Press Contact: Loraine Stantzos

Internet: baselworld.com

E-mail: press@baselworld.com

+41-58-206-22-64

Facebook: facebook.com/baselworld

Twitter: twitter.com/baselworld

Weibo: weibo.com/baselworld


Regulatory News:

Euronext (Paris:ENX) (Amsterdam:ENX) (Brussels:ENX) announced today that it will be hosting an Investor Day for analysts and investors on 13 May 2016 at Euronext's Paris headquarters, 14 Place des Reflets, 92054 Paris La Defense Cedex.

Euronext will provide a full overview of its strategic agenda, including presentations from Stephane Boujnah, CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board of Euronext N.V., and from members of the executive management. The event will also include a Q&A session.

The general public will be able to access the conference in real-time via webcast. Presentation slides will be published on the day of the event on Euronext's website. Please note that attendance at the event is by invitation only.

About Euronext

Euronext is the primary exchange in the Euro zone with more than 1 300 listed issuers worth more than 3.0 trillion in market capitalization as of end December 2015, an unmatched blue chip franchise consisting of 25 issuers in the EURO STOXX 50 benchmark and a strong diverse domestic and international client base.

Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets. Its total product offering includes Equities, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. Euronext operates regulated markets, Alternext and the Free Market; in addition it offers EnterNext, which facilitates SMEs' access to capital markets.

Disclaimer

This press release is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities. This press release is provided "as is" without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronext's subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext.

This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is located at www.euronext.com/terms-use.

2016, Euronext N.V. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160317005982/en/

Contacts:

Investor relations

Stephanie Bia, +33 1 70 48 24 17

sbia@euronext.com
An EU summit held in Brussels today and tomorrow is expected to discuss December's Paris Agreement on climate change and the next target for lowering CO2 emissions in the region. Currently Europe is bound to reduce emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. In October 2014, national leaders in the European Council agreed to aim for a 40% emissions cut by 2030. Prior to the forum in Brussels, several European countries including Germany and Luxembourg, called for even more ambitious emissions reduction goals. Other countries, however, believe that the existing targets are already difficult enough ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., delivered a speech Thursday vehemently attacking Republican congressional leaders for enabling the rise of GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Reid argued the rise of Trump should not come as a surprise to the Republican establishment, who he claims drained the oxygen from policy debate by replacing thoughtful engagement with resentment and hatred. 'We're seeing it right now with President Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court,' Reid said. 'A full month before they knew who the nominee would be, Republicans had already pledged to block him and treat him like a pinata.' 'This is exactly the kind of mindless behavior that has hollowed out our political debate and created the conditions for Trump to rise,' he added. 'Republican leaders created the drought conditions. Donald Trump simply struck the match.' Reid specifically targeted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., accusing them of 'moral cowardice.' The Democratic leader pointed to McConnell and Ryan's commitments to support Trump if he is the eventual Republican nominee despite the real estate tycoon's 'detestable' remarks. 'If McConnell and Ryan think that Donald Trump's racist, xenophobic demagoguery is wrong, they should not support him - period,' Reid said. He added, 'If they refuse to revoke their support for Trump, they should both put on 'Make America Great Again' hats, and stand behind Trump at his next press conference.' Speaking at the liberal Center for American Progress, Reid argued progressives need to combat Trump by doubling down on their ideas. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining 17 March 2016 Vast Resources plc ('Vast' or the 'Company')



Exercise of Warrants and Issue of Equity



VAST Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company with operations in Romania and Zimbabwe, announces that, pursuant to the subscription agreements entered into with certain investors (the 'Investors') on 4 March 2016 (the 'Subscription Agreements'), the Investors have elected to convert 50,000,000 warrants issued under the initial subscription ('Warrants'). Notice of exercise of the Warrants was received by VAST on 16 March 2016.



Under the terms of the financing announced on 4 March 2016, the Investors may exercise the Warrants by exchanging them for new ordinary shares of 0.1p each in the Company ('Ordinary Shares'). The number of new Ordinary Shares to be issued to the Investors is calculated by dividing the aggregate Black-Scholes Value of the Warrants (as described below) by the closing bid price of Ordinary Shares on the trading day two days prior to the date on which the Warrant exercise notice is received by the Company, being 0.42p. Accordingly, the Company has today issued 81,535,714 new Ordinary Shares to the Investors.



No net cash is due either to the Company or to the Investors as a result of the exercise of the Warrants.



Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange plc for 81,535,714 new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on the AIM market with admission expected to occur on or around 24 March 2016 ('Admission').



The new Ordinary Shares rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares. There are no Ordinary Shares held in treasury. 2,061,390,080 represents the total number of voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.



**ENDS**



For further information visit www.vastresourcesplc.com or please contact:



Vast Resources plc



Roy Pitchford (Chief Executive Officer) +40 (0) 372 988 988 - Office Romania +40 (0) 741 111 900 - Mobile Romania +44 (0) 7793 909985 - Mobile UK



Roy Tucker (Finance Director) +44 (0) 1622 816918 +44 (0) 7920 189012



Strand Hanson Limited - Financial & www.strandhanson.co.uk Nominated Adviser +44 (0) 20 7409 3494 James Spinney James Bellman



Daniel Stewart and Company plc - Joint www.danielstewart.co.uk Broker +44 (0) 20 7776 6550 Martin Lampshire David Coffman



Dowgate Capital Stockbrokers Ltd - Joint www.dowgatecapitalstockbrokers.co.uk Broker +44 (0)1293 517744 Jason Robertson Neil Badger



St Brides Partners Ltd www.stbridespartners.co.uk Charlotte Heap +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Susie Geliher



'Black-Scholes Value' means the value of a Warrant calculated using the Black- Scholes model as developed in 1973 by Fischer Black, Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, using the Economic Research Institute's Black-Scholes calculator, where the Volatility shall be 135 per cent., the term of the Warrants shall be deemed to be 60 months (regardless of the then actual remaining term of the Warrants), the stock price shall be the subscription price and the option price shall be 130 per cent of the subscription price. In this instance, 'subscription price' means 0.8 pence, being the closing bid price of Ordinary Shares on the trading day prior to the date of issue of the initial subscription shares on 4 March 2016.



This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.



Source: Vast Resources plc via GlobeNewswire [HUG#1995778]



A0J3GBB142P69R66



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senate lawmakers voted unanimously on Thursday to hold Backpage.com and its Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer in contempt of Congress. The 96 to 0 vote comes as Backpage has refused to comply with a senate subcommittee subpoena related to an investigation of the sex trafficking of minors. The subcommittee's investigation previously found that the site changed some of its adult classified ads to hide illegal activity. Passage of the resolution marks the first time in over twenty years that the Senate has issued contempt charges, with the previous incident dating back to an investigation of President Bill Clinton's Whitewater properties. Ahead of the vote, Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., accused Backpage of focusing its energies on stonewalling congressional efforts to protect the most vulnerable in society. 'Backpage claims to be a leading partner in the fight to combat child sex trafficking by screening advertisements for evidence of trafficking and taking deliberate steps to prevent illegal activity from appearing on its website,' McCain said. He added, 'But, the company has refused to produce documents that could verify this claim, and the facts gathered by the subcommittee from other sources indicate this is not the case.' Backpage and its lawyers have argued that the First Amendment limits the subcommittee's activity with respect to the site. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Strongbow Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SBW) is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement whereby Strongbow has the right to acquire, from administration, a 100% interest in the South Crofty Tin Project and associated mineral rights in Cornwall, UK.

Richard Williams, President and CEO of Strongbow states; "Cornwall is a world class tin district with a rich mining history spanning over 400 years, and South Crofty is one of the best known past producing mines in the district. We believe that South Crofty represents one of the best tin opportunities currently available globally. Strong support for new mine development locally, and in the UK in general, is demonstrated by the recent start-up of the Drakelands tungsten-tin mine, owned by Wolf Minerals and located in the neighbouring county of Devon, the development of Dalradian Resources' Curraghinalt gold project in Northern Ireland, and Sirius Minerals' York Potash project in North Yorkshire. We view these developments as extremely positive for the potential future re-development of South Crofty. We are very pleased to announce today's acquisition, which fits into our objective of acquiring high quality mining assets in the strategic metals space."

Highlights

-- South Crofty has an active mine permit valid until 2071, subject to certain planning conditions being addressed. -- The mine permission area includes 26 former producing mines. -- Some of the tin lodes have been mined over a strike length of approximately 4km, and from surface to a depth of 1km. The lodes remain open along strike and to depth. -- Existing mine infrastructure that is potentially useable includes 4 vertical shafts with a combined depth of 2,940m. -- An area has been set aside for construction of a new process plant, if and when required. -- A new National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is pending.

Background

Western United Mines Ltd. (in Administration) and Cornish Minerals Limited (Bermuda) (collectively the "Companies") hold the rights to the South Crofty underground mine permission area, plus an additional mineral rights over a further 7,500 Ha located in various parts of Cornwall, UK. The Companies were placed into administration in 2013 to protect the assets.

An agreement has been signed between Strongbow, Galena Special Situations Fund (the only secured creditor) ("Galena"), and Tin Shield Production Ltd. (a private company that will forego its option with Galena to acquire the project) ("Tin Shield").

The material terms of the agreement are as follows, all references to currency being in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified:

-- Strongbow to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with the administrator managing the affairs of the Companies to acquire the shares of the Companies and to fund the exit of the Companies from administration by settling a proportion of claims owed to unsecured creditors. The exit from administration is budgeted to cost up to $350,000. -- Galena, the only secured creditor, will convert all debt owed to it into common shares of Western United Mines Ltd which shares will be acquired by Strongbow, which will complete the acquisition of 100% of the shares of the Companies. -- Strongbow to reimburse Tin Shield for the operating costs incurred for the project from November 1, 2015 in an amount not to exceed $340,000. In addition, Strongbow will make a payment of US$80,000 to Tin Shield and will assume responsibility for operating costs to a maximum of $85,000 per month until the earlier of: a) Closing, and b) the sixtieth day following the agreement. -- Strongbow to issue 2,000,000 common shares to Galena on TSX Venture Exchange approval of the agreement. -- Strongbow to issue 1,000,000 common shares to Galena upon receipt of a permit to increase water discharge from the old mine workings from 10,000m3 per day to 25,000m3 per day. -- Strongbow to make a payment to Galena totaling $2,000,000 (cash and / or common shares at Strongbow's election) on the second anniversary of the successful exit from administration. -- Strongbow to issue 2,000,000 common shares to Galena on delivery of a positive feasibility study or commencement of commercial production, whichever occurs first. -- Strongbow to make a cash and / or common share payment to Galena equal to 25% of the NPV of the project upon making a decision to go into production. In the event that Strongbow's market capitalization is less than the NPV of the project when a production decision is made, Strongbow will pay the equivalent of 25% of its market value to Galena and the balance (between the 25% of market value and 25% of the NPV of the project) will be paid out as a 5% Net Profits Interest from production. -- In the event that Strongbow transfers any assets, rights, or entitlements to certain mineral rights which are not part of the core mineral rights (the "Other Mineral Rights") to a third party before the agreed consideration has been paid to Galena, then Galena will be entitled to receive a payment equal to 10% of any consideration received for the Other Mineral Rights, to a maximum of $1,000,000. -- Subject to certain conditions, Galena shall direct Strongbow to pay 47.5% of the consideration payments to Tin Shield.

About South Crofty

The South Crofty tin project is located in the towns of Pool, Camborne, and Redruth in the county of Cornwall, SW England, approximately 465km drive west of London.

There has been tin mining in Cornwall since at least 2300 BC. The South Crofty commenced large scale production in the mid 17th century. The mine managed to continue operations until it shut down in 1998 following the tin price collapse of 1984.

Several companies attempted to revive the mine between 2001 and 2013. Significant advances were made, primarily the agreement to secure a site for future mill construction, and the grant of a mining permit which is valid until 2071, subject to certain planning conditions being met. Unfortunately, the timing of the mine permit grant coincided with the current poor market conditions in the resource sector and the assets were put into administration in 2013.

The mine has seen production from near-surface copper mineralization and deeper tin-only mineralization. The focus for Strongbow will be to evaluate the deeper tin-only mineralization that occurs primarily from a depth of 400m below surface.

NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate

Strongbow has commissioned a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate, which is expected to be published within 2 weeks of this news release.

Required Approvals

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including Galena having provided an unconditional and absolute discharge and release of its security, the Companies having exited administration and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Qualified Person

Richard Williams, P.Geo. (BC), President & CEO of Strongbow and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard D. Williams, P.Geo

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" including but not limited to statements with respect to Strongbow's plans to acquire the South Crofty tin project, Strongbow's ability to reach agreement for the settlement of secured and unsecured creditor claims which are a condition to the Companies exiting administration, the timing to complete an updated NI 43-101 technical report for the project, Strongbow's ability to obtain an increase to the water discharge permit for the South Crofty tin project, its ability to deliver a positive feasibility study on the project, the commencement of commercial production from the South Crofty tin project and the estimated future net present value of the South Crofty tin project, the availability of financing for future cash payments, ongoing maintenance costs and future development work at the South Crofty tin project, in addition to the estimation of a mineral resource and the success of exploration activities.

Forward-looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt of regulatory approvals, the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to general economic and market conditions; risks related to the availability of financing; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; actual results of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in mineral resources or grade; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations.

Although Strongbow has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Strongbow undertakes no obligation or responsibility to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Strongbow Exploration Inc.

Richard Williams

(604) 638-8005

(604) 638-8011 (FAX)

rwilliams@strongbowexploration.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Goldstrike Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: GSR)(OTC PINK: APRAF)(FRANKFURT: KCG1) reports that it will be postponing the private placement announced on March 16, 2016 pending ongoing discussions with certain subscribers based in Europe. Those subscribers indicated late yesterday, after the market closed, that they would withdraw orders for an aggregate of $1.7 million of the private placement unless the Company acceded to their request for additional incentives or more favourable financial terms in connection with the financing. The Company has declined to agree.

The Company intends to continue with the private placement. The Company has offers of financing and expressions of interest from other institutions, companies, insiders and accredited investors. If the subscribers which have sought to renegotiate the terms of the offering applicable to them do not confirm their original subscriptions today, the Company plans to cancel their subscriptions and complete the financing with other interested parties.

Further developments will be announced as they occur.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Terrence E. King, President and Chief Executive Officer

For new information from this program, please visit Goldstrike's website at GoldstrikeResources.com. For further information follow the Company's tweets at Twitter.com/GoldstrikeRes.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

King James Capital Corporation

Jeff Stuart

Investor Relations

(604) 210-2150

jstuart@kingjamescapital.com



Goldstrike Resources Ltd.

604 681 1820

IR: 604 210 2150

604 681 1864 (FAX)

www.GoldStrikeResources.com

www.twitter.com/GoldstrikeRes




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Thursday it was 'unacceptable' for Donald Trump to suggest there would be riots at the Republican convention if he is not chosen as the GOP nominee. 'Nobody should say such things in my opinion because to even address or hint to violence is unacceptable,' Ryan told reporters at his weekly press conference. Ryan acknowledged that the possibility of an open convention is 'more likely' but said those involved 'need to respect that.' In an appearance on CNN on Wednesday, Trump predicted there would be riots if he were denied the nomination at an open convention. Ryan has previously criticized Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. as well as his apparent hesitation to distance himself from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. However, Ryan once again declined to 'denounce' Trump's candidacy, saying the Republican primary voters will determine who the nominee is going to be. In a speech on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Ryan of 'moral cowardice' for committing to support Trump if he is the eventual Republican nominee despite the real estate tycoon's 'detestable' remarks. (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
CALGARY, Alberta, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina" or "the Company") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreements to acquire certain sour natural gas processing assets (the "Acquired Assets") from Paramount Resources ("Paramount") for cash consideration of approximately $556 million, subject to customary closing adjustments (the "Transaction").

Transaction Highlights

The Acquired Assets include Paramount's recently constructed Kakwa sour natural gas processing complex and associated infrastructure including gas gathering pipelines, sales gas pipeline and future disposal wells (the "Kakwa Assets"); and Paramount's preliminary engineering studies, licenses and surface rights for the future construction of a sour natural gas processing facility (the "6-18 Facility"). The Transaction will add 250 million cubic feet per day ("mmcf/d") of processing capacity in one of Pembina's core areas. This will increase total processing capacity under Pembina's Gas Services business to over 1.7 billion cubic feet per day ("bcf/d"), inclusive of the Musreau III and the Resthaven expansions which are expected to be on-stream by mid-2016, making Pembina one of the largest third-party gas processors serving the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

Key Transaction highlights include:

Development of a Strategic Asset Base: The combination of the Acquired Assets with Pembina's existing Cutbank Complex will create a strategic asset base with over 1 bcf/d of processing capacity by mid-2016, including 405 mmcf/d of deep cut processing capacity, and approximately 450 kilometres of gathering pipelines. The Kakwa Assets are already physically connected to Pembina's Cutbank Complex via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount.

The combination of the Acquired Assets with existing Cutbank Complex will create a strategic asset base with over 1 bcf/d of processing capacity by mid-2016, including 405 mmcf/d of deep cut processing capacity, and approximately 450 kilometres of gathering pipelines. The Kakwa Assets are already physically connected to Cutbank Complex via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount. Enhances Service Offering: By acquiring sour gas processing, Pembina is expanding the Company's service offering and strengthening its ability to capture future liquids rich sour gas production growth.

By acquiring sour gas processing, is expanding the Company's service offering and strengthening its ability to capture future liquids rich sour gas production growth. Supporting Economic Geology: Situated in the liquids rich and economic Deep Basin, the Acquired Assets serve amongst the most economic resource plays in North America , given their condensate focus. Paramount has established a substantial land base of Montney and Cretaceous rights, which have the potential to support robust throughput levels, for both the Kakwa Assets and the proposed 6-18 Facility, for decades to come, with attractive returns even in a low commodity price environment.

Situated in the liquids rich and economic Deep Basin, the Acquired Assets serve amongst the most economic resource plays in , given their condensate focus. Paramount has established a substantial land base of and Cretaceous rights, which have the potential to support robust throughput levels, for both the Kakwa Assets and the proposed 6-18 Facility, for decades to come, with attractive returns even in a low commodity price environment. Long-Term, Take-or-Pay Volume Commitment: In conjunction with the Transaction, Pembina and Paramount have entered into a 20 year midstream services agreement, which includes a substantial take-or-pay commitment, in support of the Kakwa Assets. Pembina retains the right to contract spare capacity to third-parties.

In conjunction with the Transaction, and Paramount have entered into a 20 year midstream services agreement, which includes a substantial take-or-pay commitment, in support of the Kakwa Assets. retains the right to contract spare capacity to third-parties. Cash Flow per Share Accretion: The Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to cash flow per share.

The Transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to cash flow per share. Platform for Long-Term Growth: The Transaction includes accretive growth potential through the expansion option for the future 6-18 Facility. Pembina has agreed to construct, subject to certain conditions, additional sour natural gas processing assets. The site acquired in conjunction with the Transaction has sufficient scale to support additional processing facilities and in Pembina's view, the 6-18 site is capable of supporting up to 600 mmcf/d of additional sweet or sour gas processing capacity.

"I am very excited to announce our agreement to acquire these assets," said Jaret Sprott, Pembina's Vice President, Gas Services. "The acquisition of these assets strengthens Pembina's strategic positioning in one of our core areas, supported by some of the most economic resource plays in North America. Pembina looks forward to expanding on its long-term relationship with Paramount by broadening its service offering to include sour natural gas processing services, in addition to liquids transportation and natural gas liquids fractionation services. The combination of Pembina's large-scale integrated value chain and Paramount's substantial Montney and Cretaceous land position, creates significant opportunities for future infrastructure development. Furthermore, this transaction builds on a long-term track record of driving significant shareholder value through acquisitions."

Description of the Acquired Assets

Kakwa Assets

The Kakwa Assets are comprised of a recently constructed natural gas processing facility located approximately 15 kilometres from Pembina's existing Cutbank Complex with raw gas processing capacity of 250 mmcf/d, including a 200 mmcf/d deep cut train, a 50 mmcf/d shallow cut train and 22,500 barrels per day ("bbls/d") of condensate stabilization. The Kakwa Assets also include an amine processing train to facilitate sour gas processing at the facility, and is the only sour gas processing facility west of the Smoky River within 50 kilometres. Additionally, the Kakwa Assets include gas gathering pipelines, sales gas transportation pipelines and future disposal wells. The Kakwa Assets are connected to Pembina's conventional pipelines for natural gas liquids and condensate transportation services, as well as connected to Pembina's Cutbank Complex, via an existing pipeline operated by Paramount. The shallow cut and deep cut facilities were placed into service in the first quarter of 2012 and August 2014, respectively.

6-18 Facility

Paramount has secured site licenses and undertaken preliminary engineering work to support the construction of a new sour shallow cut facility to be located approximately seven kilometers from Pembina's Cutbank Complex. As part of the Transaction, Pembina will acquire all of Paramount's preliminary engineering studies, licenses and surface rights for the proposed facility. Upon Paramount's election or sufficient third-party demand, subject to certain conditions, Pembina will construct a sour natural gas processing facility at 6-18. If built, commercial provisions underlying the 6-18 Facility are expected to be similar to the Kakwa Assets and include a substantial take-or-pay commitment.

Additional Transaction Details

Pembina has agreed to fund a debottlenecking initiative supporting the Kakwa Assets, for approximately $35 million. In addition, Pembina has agreed to optimize existing transportation agreements to match Paramount's anticipated production growth but keeps Pembina whole on a net present value basis. The purchase price will be funded by net proceeds from the Company's concurrently announced bought deal common share financing and existing capacity under the Company's $2 billion revolving credit facility. Completion of the Transaction is subject to approval under the Competition Act (Canada) and other customary closing conditions. The Transaction will close following receipt of Competition Act (Canada) approval, which is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2016.

Dividend Increase

In connection with the Transaction, Pembina's Board of Directors has approved a monthly common share dividend increase of $0.0075 per common share, which is an increase of the same amount as announced in 2015. The increase from $0.1525 per common share to $0.16 per common share denotes a 4.9 percent increase, which is expected to start with the dividend payable, subject to applicable laws, on May 13, 2016 to shareholders of record on April 25, 2016. While the decision to increase the dividend by the Board of Directors at this time was a direct result of the Transaction and the expected benefits therefrom, the Board of Directors considers many factors in determining the payment of dividends.

"For the fifth consecutive year, we are pleased to provide our shareholders with an increase in our monthly common share dividend," said Scott Burrows, Pembina's Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer. "The resilience of our business in-spite of a challenging commodity price environment demonstrates the strength of our integrated value chain. Incremental cash flow from the $1.3 billion of new fee-for-service assets placed into service in 2015, along with the contribution from the acquired assets announced today, creates the opportunity for Pembina to confidently increase our dividend. Pembina remains committed to enhancing shareholder value through the development of a large-scale, majority fee-for-service asset base, supporting long-term dividend growth potential."

About Pembina

Calgary-based Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading transportation and midstream service provider that has been serving North America's energy industry for over 60 years. Pembina owns and operates an integrated system of pipelines that transport various products derived from natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids produced in western Canada and North Dakota. The Company also owns and operates gas gathering and processing facilities and an oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics business. Pembina's integrated assets and commercial operations along the entire hydrocarbon value chain allow it to offer a full spectrum of midstream and marketing services to the energy sector. Pembina is committed to working with its community and aboriginal neighbours, while providing value for investors in a safe, environmentally responsible manner. This balanced approach to operating ensures the trust Pembina builds among all of its stakeholders is sustainable over the long-term. Pembina's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under PPL and PBA, respectively. For more information, visit www.pembina.com.

Forward-Looking Statements & Information

This document contains certain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of applicable securities legislation that are based on Pembina's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "expects", "will", "shall", "expand", "would", "plans", "develop", "anticipates" and similar expressions suggesting future events or future performance.

In particular, this document contains forward-looking statements, pertaining to, without limitation, the following: the Transaction, including the expected closing date and the anticipated benefits of the Transaction to Pembina; financial results related to and growth opportunities associated with the assets acquired pursuant to the Transaction; the economics associated with the areas surrounding the Acquired Assets; future dividends which may be declared on Pembina's common shares and any future dividend payment date; the planned use of proceeds of the common share offering; the ongoing utilization and expansions of and additions to Pembina's business and asset base, growth and growth potential.

These forward-looking statements and information are being made by Pembina based on certain assumptions that Pembina has made in respect thereof as at the date of this news release, including: the ability of the parties to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Transaction and the common share offering in a timely manner; that favourable growth parameters continue to exist in respect of current and future growth projects (including the ability to finance such projects on favourable terms); future levels of oil and natural gas development; potential revenue and cash flow enhancement; future cash flows; with respect to Pembina's dividends: prevailing commodity prices, margins and exchange rates; and that Pembina's businesses will continue to achieve sustainable financial results.

Although Pembina believes the expectations and material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date hereof, there can be no assurance that these expectations, factors and assumptions will prove to be correct.

These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: non-performance of agreements in accordance with their terms; the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the Transaction following closing due to integration issues or otherwise; the impact of competitive entities and pricing; reliance on key industry partners, alliances and agreements; the strength and operations of the oil and natural gas production industry and related commodity prices; the continuation or completion of third-party projects; regulatory environment and inability to obtain required regulatory approvals; tax laws and treatment; fluctuations in operating results; lower than anticipated results of operations and accretion from Pembina's business initiatives; reduced amounts of cash available for dividends to shareholders; the ability of Pembina to raise sufficient capital (or to raise capital on favourable terms) to complete future projects and satisfy future commitments and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Pembina's public disclosure documents including, among other things, those detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Pembina's management's discussion and analysis and annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which can be found at www.sedar.com. In addition, the closing of the Transaction and the common share offering may not be completed, or may be delayed if their respective conditions to the closing of the Transaction, including the timely receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, are not satisfied on the anticipated timelines or at all. Accordingly, there is a risk that the Transaction or the common share offering will not be completed within the anticipated time, on the terms currently proposed or at all.

Accordingly, readers are cautioned that events or circumstances could cause results to differ materially from those predicted, forecasted or projected. Such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the above statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date of this document. Pembina does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information contained herein, except as required by applicable laws.

The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Pembina Pipeline is a registered trademark of Pembina Pipeline Corporation.

For further information: Investor Inquiries: Scott Burrows, Vice President, Finance and CFO, (403) 231-3156, 1-855-880-7404, e-mail: investor-relations@Pembina.com, www.pembina.com;Media Inquiries: Tanis Fiss, Supervisor, External Communications, (403) 817-7131, e"mail: media@Pembina.com
Guelph, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2016) - ENPAR Technologies Inc. (TSXV: ENP) ("ENPAR" or "the Company"), announces that it has extended the agreement with the IR Firm Paradox for an additional 2 years.

ENPAR will pay a monthly fee of $6,500CAD (plus applicable taxes). The Board of Directors of the Company will grant to Paradox 800,000 incentive stock options to acquire common shares at an exercise price of CAD 10.125 cents. The options will be vested at six month intervals over a period of eighteen months with an exercise termination date of two years from the date of grant. The grants are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Company currently has an outstanding capital of 110,203,919 common shares with 12,925,000 common shares reserved for issuance on the exercise of outstanding stock options.

About ENPAR Technologies Inc.

ENPAR is a "Technology Company" applying its patented and proprietary "Electrochemical Technologies" to the treatment of waste water, desalination water and drinking water contaminated by metals or nutrients, i.e., nitrate/ammonia associated with the mining, metal processing, chemical, agricultural, municipal and waste management sectors. The common shares trade on Tier ll of the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ENP".

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Gene S. Shelp, Ph.D., P.Geo., President and CEO

70 Southgate Drive, Unit 4

Guelph, ON CANADA N1G 4P5

Tel: (519) 836-6155

Fax: (519) 836-5683

E-mail: gshelp@enpar-tech.com

Web Site: www.enpar-tech.com

A Company Specializing in Environmental Protection and Remediation Technologies

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbour" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause ENPAR Technologies Inc. results to differ materially from expectations. These include risks relating to market fluctuations, property performance and other risks. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof.Certain statements contained in this press release and in certain documents incorporated by reference into this press release constitute forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and "confident" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. ENPAR believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference into, this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. ENPAR undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
MARKHAM, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- MBMI RESOURCES INC. ("MBMI" or the "Company") (NEX: MBR.H) is pleased to provide an update on the progress of certain legal proceedings involving the Company's former affiliates in the Philippines.

On December 9, 2015, the First Division of the Philippine Supreme Court issued a Decision (the "SC Decision") in Narra Nickel Mining and Development Corporation, et al. v. Redmont Consolidated Mines Corporation (SC G.R. No. 202877) declaring null and void the decision of the Philippine Court of Appeals which affirmed the Office of the President's ("OP's") cancellation and/or revocation of such affiliates' Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement (the "FTAA"), "without prejudice to any other appropriate remedy the parties may take against each other."

Background

On November 8, 2006, Redmont Consolidated Mines Corporation ("Redmont") filed an application for an Exploration Permit ("EP") over mining areas located in Palawan. After an inquiry with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ("DENR"), Redmont learned that those areas were already covered by an existing application for a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement ("MPSA") and an EP issued to Narra Nickel Mining and Development Corporation ("Narra Nickel"), Tesoro Mining and Development Corporation ("Tesoro") and McArthur Mining, Inc. ("McArthur"; collectively, the "Operating Companies"). Subsequently, the Operating Companies converted the MPSA into an FTAA application.

The FTAA application of the Operating Companies was approved. Consequently, they executed an FTAA with the Republic of the Philippines (the "Republic") on April 12, 2010.

The Operating Companies were affiliates of MBMI when the MPSA and FTAA were granted. Redmont sought the cancellation and/or revocation of the executed FTAA through a Petition dated May 7, 2010 filed before the OP. The Operating Companies opposed Redmont's Petition.

In a Decision dated April 6, 2011 (the "OP Decision"), the OP granted Redmont's Petition. It declared that: (1) the OP has the authority to cancel the FTAA because the grant of exclusive power to the President of the Philippines to enter into agreements, including FTAAs, under Republic Act No. 7942 ("Philippine Mining Act of 1995") carries with it the authority to cancel that agreement; and (2) the Operating Companies materially misrepresented themselves as Phlippine corporations qualified to engage in mining activities. According to the OP Decision, the Operating Companies' alleged material misrepresentation was a valid ground for termination of the FTAA. The OP cancelled and/or revoked the FTAA and gave due course to Redmont's EP application.

The Operating Companies appealed the OP Decision to the Court of Appeals. As mentioned, the OP Decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. The Operating Companies then appealed to the Supreme Court, through a Petition for Review.

In its Decision dated December 9, 2015 (i.e., the SC Decision), the Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court ruled that the Court of Appeals improperly took cognizance of the case on appeal under Rule 43 of the Rules of Court because the OP's cancellation and/or revocation of the FTAA was not an exercise of quasi-judicial authority. The Supreme Court remarked that Rule 43 was a mode of appeal against a judgment, final order, resolution or award of a "quasi-judicial agency in the exercise of its quasi-judicial functions." However, the OP's cancellation and/or revocation of the FTAA was not "adjudication", but merely an exercise of an administrative function pursuant to the President's authority to invoke the Republic's rights under the FTAA.

In arriving at that conclusion, the Supreme Court reviewed the nature of an FTAA. Under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, an FTAA is expressly characterized as a contract between the government and the mining contractor. Since it is entered into by the President on the State's behalf, and it involves a matter of public concern in that it covers large-scale exploration, development, and utilization of mineral resources, it is a government or public contract, which is, according to jurisprudence, "generally subject to the same laws and regulations which govern the validity and sufficiency of contracts between private individuals." Accordingly, an FTAA involves contract or property rights which merit protection by the due process clause of the Constitution and as such, may not be revoked or cancelled at any time.

The Supreme Court further stated that the OP, being one of the contracting parties to the FTAA, could not have adjudicated on the matter in which it is an interested party. Otherwise, the principle of mutuality of contracts would be violated. Thus, at least with respect to cases affecting an FTAA's validity, the Supreme Court effectively ruled that the OP has no quasi-judicial power to adjudicate the propriety of its cancellation/revocation.

The Supreme Court also ruled that Redmont's recourse to the OP did not adhere to the correct course of procedure. In particular, the filing by a third party of a petition for cancellation or revocation of an FTAA was not mentioned in either the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 or the FTAA itself.

Thus, the Operating Companies' Petition for Review was granted by the Supreme Court. The decision of the Court of Appeals was declared null and void for being rendered without jurisdiction, but without prejudice to any other appropriate remedy the parties may take against each other.

Inasmuch as the SC Decision did not expressly declare the OP Decision null and void (i.e., notwithstanding its statements on Redmont's lack of no standing to apply to the OP and challenge the validity of the FTAA, and on the OP's lack of quasi-judicial power as regards the FTAA), MBMI believes that the next step is to initiate arbitration proceedings against the Republic. This action is meant to challenge the OP Decision's purported termination of the FTAA to, in accordance with the dispute resolution mechanism in the FTAA.

Contacts:

For further information relating to the Company or this release, please refer to MBMI's website at www.mbmiresources.com.

Cautionary Statement:

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

The foregoing information may contain forward-looking statements relating to the future performance of MBMI Resources Inc. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from MBMI's plans and expectations. These plans, expectations, risks and uncertainties are detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by MBMI with the TSX Venture Exchange and securities regulators. MBMI Resources Inc. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

MBMI Resources Inc

Joseph Chan

+1(647)299-9203

mbmi@mail.com

www.mbmiresources.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- Niocan inc. (the "Company" or "Niocan") (TSX VENTURE: NIO) would like to report that, the Municipality of Oka, at the request of Eco-Niobium Resources Inc. ("Eco-Niobium") has forwarded a letter dated March 10, 2016 to the population of the Municipality of Oka inviting the population to attend four information sessions (the "Information Sessions") where Eco-Niobium will present and seek social acceptance of a project for a niobium mine on the old site of the St-Lawrence Columbium mine and the surrounding area in the Municipality of Oka (the "Proposed Mining Project"), for which the mining rights belong to Niocan and for which Niocan has not be consulted.

The Company understands that Eco-Niobium has met with the Municipality of Oka and entered into a purported letter of intent (the "LOI") in blatant disregard to Niocan's own project for a niobium mine and Niocan's mining rights.

In its public statements and in the LOI, Eco-Niobium does not specifically address the fact that it does not hold the applicable mining rights to develop a niobium mine and falsely represents that Niocan's mining rights, as well as the laws and regulations to which it refers to, do not allow Niocan to develop the mining resources subject to its rights. Furthermore, Eco-Niobium draws negative conclusions with respect to Niocan's project for a niobium mine with the clear intent of undermining any development by Niocan of the Company's mining rights.

These statements and the proposed presentation of Eco-Niobium's project to the residents of the Municipality of Oka are false and misleading and are aimed at deceiving the municipality and its population into believing that Eco-Niobium has the mining rights to develop a niobium mine on this site and to support Eco-Niobium's project to the great detriment of Niocan.

Niocan is committed to a responsible partnership with the Municipality of Oka, the aboriginal communities and the Quebec Government to plan, develop and build a first class niobium mine that will serve as a model of constituent cooperation. Niocan has taken steps in the recent years to set a new vision for the Company, including through changes in the management and securing financial backing to be in a position to develop its mining project when the constituent parties are amenable and when market conditions are favorable. Niocan stands ready to discuss this project with all local constituents.

Niocan is concerned about the steps that have undertaken the Municipality of Oka and Eco-Niobium in complete disregard of Niocan's mining rights and the damages that it will cause to it. Eco-Niobium is a newly formed company that possesses no mining rights in the area described publicly for its Proposed Mining Project. Not only does Eco-Niobium not hold the applicable mining rights, Niocan has serious doubts that Eco-Niobium has a viable project technically, after reviewing the plans, and that it has the financial capacity to undertake a project of this magnitude with the current markets.

The management and major shareholders of the Company believe in the potential of its project which is reflected in the significant investments that they have made year after year to protect Niocan's assets.

Accordingly, this attempt to discredit Niocan's mining project, which causes serious damages to Niocan, and to act on the Proposed Mining Project to the exclusion of Niocan is outrageous. Niocan must protect its rights and act on its duties to its shareholders and partners.

As a result, Niocan has sent letters to Eco-Niobium and the Municipality of Oka, asking them to cease and desist from promoting any development project in violation of Niocan's mining rights, to cancel the proposed Information Sessions with the population of the Municipality of Oka and to confirm to Niocan in writing that they have done so by noon today.

Niocan understands from the response received from Eco-Niobium and the lack of official position obtained from the Municipality of Oka at this time that the Information Sessions will proceed. Accordingly, Niocan is currently looking into its rights and remedies.

Niocan finds this turn of event most unfortunate given that the Company should have been contacted first by Eco-Niobium and the Municipality of Oka given that it is the sole owner of the mining rights for this project and that it has always been open to speaking with all constituent parties or potential ones. Niocan reiterates that its door is open for discussion and that it intends to initiate new discussions with the constituent parties in the midst of these new developments but it strongly believes that its role remains essential for the Proposed Mining Project to happen.

Niocan is of the view that its project will eventually bring significant financial returns to the local parties involved and it hopes to work with the community to eventually build a mutually beneficial project.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown. For information identifying known risks and uncertainties, relating to the issuance by the Ministry of Environment of the Certificate of Authorization to build the mine in Oka, financial resources, market prices, exchange rates, politico-social conflicts, competition, regulatory approvals, the purchase of the old St-Lawrence Columbium mine site from the Municipality of Oka should the Certificate of Authorization be issued, and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk and Uncertainties Section of the Corporation's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis, which may be found at www.sedar.com. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in these forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Hubert Marleau

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

514-288-8506

514-843-4809 (FAX)

info@niocan.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/17/16 -- (TSX: CMR) (TSX: CMR.A) BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited ("BlackRock Canada"), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), today announced the final March 2016 cash distributions for the iShares Premium Money Market ETF. Unitholders of record on March 18, 2016 will receive cash distributions payable on March 31, 2016.

Details regarding the final "per unit" distribution amounts are as follows:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fund Name Fund Ticker Cash Distribution Per Unit ($) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- iShares Premium Money Market ETF CMR 0.01313 ------------------------------------------- CMR.A 0.00404 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Further information on the iShares ETFs can be found at www.blackrock.com/ca.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a global leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients. At December 31, 2015, BlackRock's AUM was US$4.645 trillion. BlackRock helps clients around the world meet their goals and overcome challenges with a range of products that include separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares (exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions. As of December 31, 2015, the firm had approximately 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries and a major presence in global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com/ca / Twitter: @BlackRockCA / Blog: www.blackrockblog.com/can

About iShares ETFs

iShares is a global leader in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with more than a decade of expertise and commitment to individual and institutional investors of all sizes. With over 700 funds globally across multiple asset classes and strategies and more than US$1 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2015, iShares helps clients around the world build the core of their portfolios, meet specific investment goals and implement market views. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock, trusted to manage more money than any other investment firm (1).

(1) Based on US$4.645 trillion in AUM as of 12/31/15.

iShares ETFs are managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in iShares ETFs. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing. Fund securities are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurances that the fund will be able to maintain its net asset value per security at a constant amount or that the full amount of your investment in the fund will be returned to you. The fund is not guaranteed, its values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional.

Contacts:

Contact for Media:

Maeve Hannigan

416-643-4058

Maeve.Hannigan@blackrock.com




Asana Yoga, a Berlin, Germany-based yoga app, raised a seed funding round of undisclosed amount.

Backers included High-Tech Grunderfonds, Astutia Ventures, Florian Huber, Jeannette Furstenberg and Sebastian Johnston.

Founded in 2015 by Pascal Klein, CEO, Asana Yoga provides a package including:

 Yoga e-commerce, featuring a product selection of yoga mats, fashion and retrats,

 an online magazine with more than 100,000 monthly readers integrated in a huge community answering questions about the yoga sector and a mobile app (Asana Rebel).

 the Asana Rebel mobile app, which acts as a personal yoga studio bringing to users more than 120 videos in HD quality offering guidance from an experienced yoga teacher  both yoga basics for beginners, as well as new advanced asanas.

All sessions are based on the personal goals of the user: relaxation, health, flexibility, happiness and fitness.

The company participated in the ProSiebenSat1 Accelerator, a three-month startup program of ProSieben and Sat1 in summer 2015.

FinSMEs

17/03/2016
ExactCare Pharmacy, a Cleveland, OH-based pharmacy focused on improving medication adherence for patients with chronic conditions and on multiple medications, received a private equity investment from Nautic Partners, LLC.

In connection with the Nautic investment, Doug Present, former CEO of MHA, was appointed chairman of the ExactCare board of directors and Jim Smith, former CEO of QoL meds, joined the board.

Founded by President and CEO Dale Wollschleger in 2009, ExactCare works with health insurers, home health agencies, and health systems to allow patients on multiple medications to adhere to their daily medication regimens. The company provides a care model, including in-home patient assessments to gather patients medication information, medication reconciliation to ensure effective regimens, communication with patients and prescribers to track patients medication changes, and multi-dose packaging to simplify daily medication adherence.

ExactCare operates two pharmaciesone in Ohio and one in New Jerseyand is licensed across 49 states nationwide.

FinSMEs

17/03/2016
Ever since their rather public break-up, theres been plenty of talk about how Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif would complete the remaining portions of the Anurag Basu-directed Jagga Jasoos. There were several reports that conjectured on how the two stars were avoiding each other on the sets, shooting separately and limiting the number of shots together.

But it would seem that Ranbir certainly believes that Katrina has fulfilled her commitments towards the film in a professional manner. Ranbir was quoted as saying that Katrina had worked whole-heartedly on Jagga Jasoos, in this Times of India report.

The actor had apparently attended a special screening of the Alia Bhatt-Fawad Khan-Sidharth Malhotra starrer Kapoor & Sons on Wednesday night when he was asked about Jagga Jasoos, and when its first look was expected to be out.

There are a few days left, said Ranbir, adding that he was extremely excited. He then went on to praise the efforts of his director and co-star in the film: Anurag, Katrina and I worked on the film whole-heartedly. We are presenting the first look next month. Once you see the trailer and the teaser, I hope everyone likes it.

Jagga Jasoos has been plagued by several delays, with some news reports claiming that it would only be out around August. A June release was previously planned for the film.

Recently, elaborate sets were created in Mumbai for the films shoot, to film major portions of the climax, for which the crew initially planned to fly to Morocco. Instead, the team recreated Morocco in Mumbai, and it is believed that a far shorter schedule  of around 10 days  will now be planned for Morocco.
The stage has been set for Andimuthu Raja, the prime accused in the 2G scandal, to get bail. Raja's counsel has already moved his bail plea in the court of the CBI special judge, and if all goes well, Raja will be a free man this month.

The court will hear the former minister's plea on 11 May.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court granted bail to former Telecom Secretary Siddharth Behura, who was in prison since February 2011 for his alleged involvement in the 2G scam.

The bail was granted against a surety payment of Rs 5 lakh and a Rs 10 lakh bail bond.

With Behura getting bail, there is no reason for Raja to be denied it, since the two are said to be the key conspirators in the 2G scam. In the past, the Supreme Court has held that bail should be the norm once investigations are completed and trial proceedings started.

Behura was Telecom Secretary when Raja was Union Communications Minister.

Raja moved his bail application as soon as Behura got his bail. In his bail application, Raja has requested the CBI special court to release him on the ground of parity.

"Except me, all the other accused have been released on bail," Raja said before Special Judge OP Saini who is trying the 2G cases.

Behura had applied for bail in December 2011 but the Delhi High Court rejected the plea fearing that he might influence investigations in the case. His former boss Raja is still lodged in the high security Tihar prison in the national capital.

Raja went to jail on 2 February, and exactly one year later, the Supreme Court cancelled the 122 telecom licences issued by him.
New Delhi: In a top-deck reshuffle that ends months of speculation, AirAsia India today said Amar Abrol will take over the reins of CEO from Mittu Chandilya, who has been at the helm of the no-frills airline since inception nearly three years ago.

The exit of Chandilya, whose contract ends this month, also comes at a time when there are concerns in certain quarters about control and ownership at the airline, a three-way joint venture.

Putting to rest speculation over the continuance of Chandilya at the helm, AirAsia, in a release, announced the appointment of Abrol as his successor.

Abrol, who has over 20 years of experience, was most recently the CEO of Tune Money, a start-up that aims to deliver low-cost financial products in South-East Asia.

To ensure a smooth transition, Chandilya -- who has been with the CEO since June 2013 -- will continue with the carrier till end of April.

AirAsia India has a fleet of six aircraft, covering 12 routes and carrying over 1.8 million passengers.

The carrier, which began operations in June 2014, is a joint venture between Malaysia's AirAsia Berhad, the Tatas and Arun Bhatia's Telestra Tradeplace.

AirAsia India Chairman S Ramadorai said Chandilya led the airline team from the front through its launch and establishment in an intensely competitive market.

"The board deeply appreciates his contribution. In Abrol, we have a strong successor, with years of experience in customer delivery, which will be critical to the airline's future. Together with his senior management team, we are confident that Abrol will lead AirAsia India into its next stage of growth," Ramadorai said.

On Wednesday, AirAsia Berhad Group CEO Tony Fernandes had only said that "his (Chandilya) "contract will be up soon" in response to queries about reports that Chandilya was quitting.

In August 2015, Chandilya was appointed managing director, in addition to the CEO position.

Besides, AirAsia India has announced the appointment of Ankur Khanna as the chief financial officer and Kiran Jain as the head of commercial.

On his appointment, Abrol said, "AirAsia India is poised for strong growth. I look forward to leading the team and together, giving many more Indians the opportunity to access the exciting promise of Indian civil aviation."

Before joining Tune Money in 2013, Abrol spent 19 years with American Express, leading diverse teams across multiple markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, India and Malaysia.

Born and raised in India, Abrol graduated from Delhi University and is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Khanna will be joining AirAsia India from Air France/KLM, where he recently headed regional finance for the Middle East/Gulf region based in Dubai.

Jain has over 25 years of aviation-related experience covering airports and airlines. Jain most recently headed the Airport Marketing and Route Development function at the Delhi International Airport.

Chandilya said the past three years have been a rewarding and enriching journey for me and AirAsia India.

"I am delighted that AirAsia India is today a customer-preferred airline in sectors that it operates. I will truly miss each member in our young organisation without whose passion and energy none of this would be possible," he said.

In recent months, concerns have been expressed in certain quarters about control at the start-up carrier. In December last year, Bhatia had expressed unhappiness over the state of affairs at the budget carrier, saying decisions are being taken by its Malaysian parent AirAsia.

In October-December 2015, AirAsia India clocked a 134 per cent growth in passenger traffic as it flew over half-a-million customers and operated 3,376 flights compared with 1,444 flights in the same period of 2014.

The carrier is looking for removal of the 5/20 rule, under which only those airlines having at least five years of operational experience and a minimum of 20 planes can fly overseas.

PTI
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday declined specific comment if his government considered industrialist Vijay Mallya an absconder but sought to assure that every penny that is due from him to state-run banks will be recovered.

Answering a specific question at the India Today conclave on Mallya, who is said to owe Rs.9,000 crore to 17 banks, most of them in the state sector, the finance minister said every agency in India, be it for enforcement or investigation, was on the job regarding the case.

"The facts are very clear: Every government agency will take strong action against him. Banks will go all out to recover every single penny," Jaitley said about Mallya who left the country earlier this month amid charges of wilful default on bank loans worth thousands of crores.

Even as Jaitley was speaking, a consortium led by the State Bank of India was preparing for the auction of Mallya's Kingfisher House at Jogeshwari in Mumbai, in a bid to recover a part of the the nearly Rs.7,000 crore debt due from the now grounded Kingfisher Airlines alone.

IANS
Finally, the Aadhaar Bill is a reality. The Bill  Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016  was passed in Lok Sabha on Wednesday evening, rejecting the amendments proposed in the Rajya Sabha. In the first place, no one, not even the most hardcore supporters of the Congress and Left parties, dispute the crucial importance of making a legally-backed Aadhaar available for 1.25 billion Indian citizens.

The whole process of subsidy reforms, kicked off during the UPA days and now pushed aggressively by the NDA government, is built on the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) channel, based on the unique identity number, or Aadhaar awarded to each citizen. It holds particular importance for the Narendra Modi government, and the success of its financial inclusion push under the JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile) trinity.

Leakage in subsidy has been a grave concern for India's exchequer for years. Hence, linking bank accounts to a unique social identity number will help plug the spillage. Despite the opposition from the Congress and Left parties, the passage of the Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 is a done deal now since it was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as a money bill.

There are three major objections raised by the opposition parties in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday-the last day of the first half of budget session:

1) Is Aadhaar mandatory for citizens to avail subsidies and government benefits?

2) Will the bio-metric data shared with the government as part of Aadhaar generation put his/her privacy at risk?

3) Can foreign citizens in the country obtain the number and thus become legitimate Indian citizens and use Aadhaar to gain access to subsidies?

These objections are political in nature and do not stand strong against the Aadhaar Bill on account of the following reasons:

One, 99.21 crore Aadhaar cards have already been issued to almost 97 percent of the country's adult population, so the question of whether the scheme is voluntary or not doesn't really matter in the practical sense. And though the NDA government has clarified that Aadhaar will not be mandatory, banks are likely to insist on the number to implement DBT to skirt problems arising out of duplication. Even now, if one approaches a bank to open a Jan Dhan account, the institution will accept any document (driving licence, PAN card, ration card etc.) but to link it as DBT account, it will insist on an Aadhaar number.

Two, the NDA government's modifications to the UPA's bill has taken care of the privacy concerns of citizens; it lets the government access private information only for issues concerning National Security'. The UIDAI too have repeated that the information will be safe with it as reiterated by former chairman of UIDAI, Nandan Nilekani, in this article in The Indian Express.

Three, the argument that foreign nationals can obtain an Aadhaar number and thus become legitimate citizens of the country is based on a weak premise. Even if someone (say a Bangladeshi migrant) manages to get hold of a number, it doesn't give him or her proof of citizenship but only proof of individual identity.

A legally-backed Aadhaar scheme is crucial for taking ahead the subsidy reforms in the country. A lot is at stake with Aadhaar - a key reform step initiated by the UPA regime and followed by the NDA - given its critical importance as a unique identification tool necessary to manage rollout of various government schemes and financial innovation in a country of 120 crore population.

The fate of Jan Dhan Yojna, Modi government's flagship financial inclusion programme is closely linked to the success of the project. Already, some 21.21 crore accounts have been opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana, under which Rs 34,260 crore deposits have been mobilised. Given the primary purpose of Aadhaar is subsidy roll out through bank accounts, legal backing is critical.

It is very unlikely that sharing biometric data with government for Aadhaar will result in serious privacy issues for anyone. The point one must note here again is that Aadhaar is primarily meant to facilitate targeted deliveries of government benefits and subsidies as the Bill itself suggests. In the last year, the Supreme Court had observed that Aadhaar usage should be restricted to the rollout of certain subsidies. But now that the Aadhaar law is enacted, Supreme Court might consider enhancing its scope

The bottomline is this: A legally-backed Aadhaar is a revolutionary step for Indians that can change the way government transfers benefits to the intended beneficiaries in a large verity of schemes plugging the leakages. Ever since the DBT has been used to channelise LPG subsidies, the government has saved Rs 15,000 crore in the last fiscal year.

With Aadhaar gets legal backing, the government can streamline more subsidies and benefits to the intended beneficiaries. It's a win-win situation for both the government and the citizens. The benefits of a legally-backed Aadhaar far outweigh the currently highlighted concerns by Congress and Left parties.

Kishor Kadam contributed to this story
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Officials of India's drug regulator have been colluding with pharmaceutical firms to speed up approval procedures, allowing some drugs that are not permitted in other countries to go on sale, according to an 18-month investigation by MPs.

The parliamentary panel's 78-page report names a number of major international drug companies and Indian firms.

The report may fuel concerns over lax supervision of the global industry in emerging markets, where Western drug manufacturers are increasingly focusing their sales effort.

The report talks generally of collusion between officials in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), independent medical experts and pharmaceutical companies but does not directly accuse the firms of wrongdoing or name any of the CDSCO officials.

Instead, the panel catalogued a series of procedural failures that it said raised questions about how some of the drugs, including those made by pharmaceutical giants, were allowed to be sold in India.

Thirteen drugs scrutinised by the panel are not allowed to be sold in the United States, Canada, Britain, European Union and Australia, it said.

The Indian pharmaceutical market is the fourth largest in the world in terms of volume, according to the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI). It generates $12 billion in sales every year.

International drug companies whose profits are being squeezed by patent expiries in the developed world are investing heavily in emerging markets, which are expected to account for 29 percent of global pharmaceuticals sales by 2015, up from just 12 percent in 2005, according to IMS Health.

The dash into new markets has brought with it greater scrutiny from U.S. regulators, which are investigating a number of drug companies under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

The union government has come under intense pressure over the past two years over its failure to stem graft that has undermined investor confidence.

"COLLUSIVE NEXUS"

The report by the health committee of the Rajya Sabha painted a chaotic picture of the CDSCO, which oversees the licensing, marketing and trials of drugs in India.

"There is sufficient evidence on record to conclude that there is collusive nexus between drug manufacturers, some functionaries of CDSCO and some medical experts," it said.

The report underlines the difficult relations between international drug companies and India, a country with a long history of making cheap off-patent medicines. Western firms were alarmed by New Delhi's decision in March to effectively end Bayer's (BAYGn.DE) monopoly on cancer drug Nexavar by issuing the country's first-ever compulsory licence.

The panel recommended the government re-examine certain drugs that had been approved, investigate the "gross violation" of Indian laws it had uncovered, and take action against officials alleged to have colluded with the drug companies.

"What we have found is very alarming," Brajesh Pathak, chairman of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare told Reuters. "The Health Ministry should investigate the matter and take urgent action on the report."

The Health Ministry said it was studying the report and would take "appropriate action" if required.

The newly appointed Drug Controller General of India, G.N. Singh, who is head of the CDSCO, said he had not seen the report but that his team was dedicated to making sure "there are no violations".

The OPPI, the main lobby group for foreign drug-makers, said some of the committee's "observations" raised serious concerns.

"We sincerely hope that necessary remedial measures will be taken by the concerned authorities to set the system right, sooner," said Tapan J. Ray, OPPI's director general.

"So far as clinical trials are concerned, OPPI members remain committed to sponsoring clinical trials that fully comply with all legal and regulatory requirements in India," he said.

A spokesman for Danish drugmaker Lundbeck (LUN.CO), whose anti-anxiety drug Deanxit the report described as "unlawfully approved", said the medicine had been approved after undergoing mandatory clinical trials in India.

OPINIONS WRITTEN BY "INVISIBLE HANDS"

The parliamentary report found numerous shortcomings in the CDSCO.

The regulatory body suffered chronic staff shortages and was overwhelmed by its responsibilities in a country where more than 10,500 drug manufacturers were operating and the pharmaceutical industry was growing at a rate of about 10 percent a year.

The report also said the body had for decades neglected the "poor and hapless patient" in favour of the drugs industry.

"The regulatory procedures are not at all stringent in India and there is a general apathy towards human life. We are sitting on a time bomb and it will soon explode if corrective measures are not taken," said Siddhant Khandekar, a healthcare analyst at ICICI Direct in Mumbai.

The parliamentary committee reviewed 39 randomly selected drugs approved by the CDSCO and found that in the case of 11, "mandatory" Phase III trials - the final stage of testing before a drug is approved - had not been conducted as required.

"The basic purpose of Phase III trials is to determine if there are any ethnic differences that can alter the metabolism, efficacy and safety of the drug when administered to patients of different ethnicities living in India," the report said.

These included Novartis' (NOVN.VX) everolimus and aliskiren, and Eli Lilly's (LLY.N) pemetrexed. In the cases of everolimus and pemetrexed, the opinion of independent experts was not sought by the CDSCO, which relied on the judgment of non-medical staff, it said.

Eli Lilly said pemetrexed's approval for lung cancer in multiple markets was based on trials with thousands of patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds - including patients from India.

"Lilly followed all appropriate regulatory processes required by the regulatory agency in India," the company said.

There was no immediate comment from Novartis.

The Health Ministry told the panel that the head of the CDSCO had the power to approve drugs without clinical trials in the "public interest", but the lawmakers were sceptical, saying that the waivers saved the companies the costs of the trials.

"How can approvals given to foreign drugs without testing on Indians be in public interest?" the committee said.

It found that the files of three drugs it wanted to scrutinise had mysteriously disappeared and that the recommendations of independent medical experts promoting certain drugs were similarly worded, to the point of including the same misspellings.

Three opinions from experts on rivaroxaban, a drug for prevention of blood clotting made by Bayer (BAYGn.DE), were copies of each other. Bayer said it had no immediate comment.

The report said in another instance, letters from medical experts recommended approval of the drug Pirfenidone, marketed by pharmaceutical company Cipla (CIPL.NS), which has the second-largest share of the country's domestic drug market. Despite being dated weeks apart, they were all received by the regulator on the same day.

"No company breaks the law," Cipla chairman, Y.K. Hamied, told Reuters, without elaborating.

"There is adequate documentary evidence to come to the conclusion that many opinions were actually written by invisible hands of drug manufacturers and experts merely obliged by putting their signatures," the parliamentary report said.

(Writing by Ross Colvin, additional reporting by Annie Banerji in New Delhi, Kaustubh Kulkarni in Mumbai and Ben Hirschler in London; Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Elaine Hardcastle)
Those aware of the history of Delhi would know that a sobre and assuring voice emanating from revered sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia had kept intolerance and hatred away from religion. To an imperial decree to leave Delhi in 12th century, the sagacious saint loved by many, elites and plebian, had calmly said Hunooz Delhi Door ast (Delhi is far away).

Delhi being one of the most revered places, Sufis will be carrying this tradition of Sufism by hosting a four-day World Sufi Forum from Thursday. This initiative by All India Ulama Masharikh Board (AIUMB), the apex body representing Dargah in India, is being seen as attempt to present an effective antidote to terrorism masked as religious ideology. Thousands of scholars from across the world will attend the conference and speak their mind. The conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to organisers, 'good Muslim/bad Muslim' has essentially became a binary through which Islamic world is often defined of late. Despite serious attempts by scholars to delink religion with terror, dreaded outfits like the Islamic State (IS) used the religion as convenient pretext to propagate its philosophy of hate and intolerance.

Sufism, a variant of Islam largely prevalent in Asia, belies all the notions which Salafi Islam or Wahabbism stand for. Traversing from Central Asia to Pakistan and India, Sufism incorporated various local religious practices and music which are out rightly rejected by radical Islam

Though the conference would make a determined attempt to project various strands of Sufism which spread love and affection across the world, it will make a determined attempt to disabuse people of the false propaganda of the IS and other radical variant of Islam. Most significantly, Prime Minister Modi who took keen interest in hosting the meet, is expected to articulate his views on Indian Islam and secularism in this conference.

This conference comes in the backdrop of a congregation of Bohra Muslims that was held in Delhi recently. Bohras who are recognised as Muslims in Pakistan form a sizeable population in Gujarat and are known for their commercial enterprise across the country. Apparently, the World Sufi Forum is seen as a move by international Islamic scholars to present a most benign and progressive of Islam to counter the narrative weaved by Jihadists.
Jammu: In view of recent terror attacks along the border districts, Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued advisory to schools in Kathua to strengthen security through measures like installing CCTVs, gates and constructing boundary walls.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Neeva Jain asked schools to take extensive measures to strengthen

security of the institutions in border districts particularly along the national highway, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

There have been several terror attacks on vital defence and police installations along the national highway in Samba, Kathua and Pathankot during the past two years.

Jain issued these instructions on Wednesday during a security review meeting with principals of private schools of Kathua town and its adjoining areas, especially institutions on the national highway.

The SSP's recommendations to school managements included construction of a boundary wall with adequate height around the parameter of school premises and walls with concertina wire, he said.

The official also recommended deployment of private security guards on entry points and gates and installation of CCTVs at strategic locations.

She said intercom phone should be installed on both gates/office for effective communication. Other measures

included display of important phone numbers like police/ambulance/fire service at conspicuous places and mock

exercises at their institutions.

She also directed school authorities to give special briefing to staff and students on security issues.

Jain agreed to a request by school authorities regarding self defence training for the girls which has been organised in colleges and other institutions.

PTI
On 14 March, Class XII students who appeared for their CBSE mathematics examination were upset, afraid and worried  why? The mathematics paper was termed one of the toughest in nearly a decade.

Social media has been abuzz with complaints against the difficult mathematics question paper since the day of the exam. The students were so distressed by the paper that a petition was created on Change.org, addressing the chairman of the CBSE, citing that the paper was "unreasonably difficult" and "the lack of direct questions and the papers ridiculous length left many students in tears, despite the hard work that they put in for an entire year." As many has 3,400 people have signed the petition so far. Sahil Jangra commented on the petition saying, "I didn't think that am gonna write IIT JEE paper...It was hell tough (sic)." Vishruta Vijay wrote, "Cbse ruining normal lives. Studying is a process of learning, not torture night and day."

#cbsemaths What taught in class: 1 laddu +1laddu= 2laddu Home work: Find sum of 2laddu & 1Peda In Exam: Find the mass of jalebi??  Bhavya Dixit (@magnificent_dxt) March 17, 2016

#cbsemaths: CBSEs Man ki Baat needed for Acche Din of Future India  arvind_7074 (@mr_7074) March 16, 2016

According to a PTI report, as many as 240 petitions have been posted on Change.org and 25,000 people have signed them in support. The biggest petition, with 12,500 signatures, was started by a student from Guwahati. "CBSE has broken the dreams of several students by setting a paper which was meant for IIT aspirants. This year CBSE Maths Paper was tough as well as long and has made several students cry. CBSE should come out with a statement immediately to take care of their mental agony which will help them to concentrate on their next exam," said the Guwahati petition starter in this Change.org petition. Other petitions were started by students from Kolkata, Chennai and other cities including Thrissur.

The Hindu reported that not many questions were from the NCERT textbooks, but other guides. In India Today's analysis of the question paper, it can be ascertained that the paper was also not set according to the marking scheme, where lengthy, time-consuming Calculus questions were for four marks, instead of six. Matter raised in the Parliament In India, we take exams seriously, very seriously. The matter was also brought up for discussion in the Lok Sabha by KC Venugopal (Alaphuzha, Congress). "Concepts such as Linear Programming and Matrices which have generally got easy questions over the years had tough questions this time. Every question was tricky, as a result of which many of the students found it tough to finish the paper on time. In fact, many students including the top scorers in schools were crying after the examination," he said in the House.

SR Vijay Kumar (Chennai Central) also chimed in with support. Other MPs such as NK Premchandran (RSP) also said that the questions were "very difficult". Venkaiah Naidu, Parliament Affairs Minister said that an inquiry should be made and that CBSE would look into the matter with some remedial measures, reported Economic Times. NDTV quoted the minister as saying, "This is a matter concerning students and their future... It deserves inquiry. I will convey it to HRD minister." The government also favoured a probe into an alleged report claiming that the question paper was leaked. Deputy Chief Minister of New Delhi, Manish Sisodia also penned a letter to Smriti Irani  "Mujhe puri ummeed hai ki bacchon ko is nirasha se nikalne ke liye aap uchit aur shighr kadam uthayengi (I hope that you will find a solution for alleviating students' distress in an appropriate and timely manner)."

CBSE reacts Smriti Irani shared a response from the Press Bureau of CBSE.

You, there, laughing at the plight of the frustrated student, do you think you're smarter than a 12th grader? Take this quiz:

with inputs from PTI
It appears that four students of Rajasthans Mewar University, who were thrashed by a mob over suspicions of having consumed beef, might have been innocent all along.

The students, who are part of a large Kashmiri contingent at the university at Chittorgarh, were beaten up on Monday night, evoking memories of Dadri where a man was lynched last year following rumours that he had eaten beef.

However, samples collected from the students hostel room were laboratory tested, and it appears that it wasnt beef. Initial results have indicated that it wasnt beef. However, we will be sending the samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Labhu Ram, station house officer of the Gangrar police station, told The Hindu newspaper.

The incident took place at the Chittorgarh, located about 300 km south of state capital Jaipur. The university is home to a large Kashmiri student population, numbering about 700-800. Locals have long been alleging that these students cook and eat beef in their hostel rooms, which are, as per rules, completely vegetarian. On Monday night, a large Hindu mob gathered outside the hostel and thrashed the four students. Police had to intervene and collect meat samples, which were later sent to the laboratory.

Chittorgarh SP Prasanna Khamesara said the news spread like wildfire in the area and the entire town was panic-stricken for a few days. Protestors also burnt a meat shop situated on highway from where they alleged that beef was sold. Members of right-wing parties even called for a bandh, following which there was heavy security being deployed at the university and at sensitive places in and around the town.

However, Harish Gurnani, media liaison officer for the university, played down the incident, saying it was an internal feud between two sets of students. It was an internal matter between students, Gurnani told NDTV. Sometimes, these small fights happen because people are from different socio-cultural backgrounds.
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an alleged 'sympathiser' of banned Islamic State terror group from West Bengal.

The agency identified the youth as one Ashiq Ahammed alias Raja, a resident of Hooghly district of the state.

Ahammed, who was arrested on Wednesday, will be produced before a special court in Delhi on Thursday for further custody.

The agency had registered a case in this regard in December last year on charges that the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been "engaged in radicalisation of Indian youths and motivating them to join the terrorist organisation as a result of which some Indian nationals have already joined it or are in the process of joining it for committing terrorist acts in the conflict zone of Iraq, Syria and Libya."

NIA has earlier arrested 14 youths in the case after a nationwide crackdown.

PTI
New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee, the supreme commander of India's armed forces, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the firepower of the Indian Air Force on Friday as 181 aircraft showcase their capability to fight a war at the Pokharan firing range in Rajasthan, a state bordering Pakistan.

The exercise will show India's capacity to "deter aggression", the IAF said.

A major highlight of the exercise will be the display of the IAF's capability to operate day and night as a significant achievement for the force which did not have this ability last time India got into an armed conflict with Pakistan at Kargil.

The exercise will include combat manoeuvres and live firing of air-to-ground and air-to-air precision weapons by fighters, transport aircraft and helicopters.

Tejas, the indigenous fighter jet that won global appreciation at the recent Bahrain air show, will for the first time display its firing capabilities.

Also on public display for the first time will be the Astra air-to-air missile, being developed by DRDO, and the Akash missile.

The event titled Iron Fist 2016 will see the participation of 181 aircraft, 103 of which are fighter planes.

The demonstrations include firing of lethal ordnance, combat and combat support demonstrations.

The last Iron Fist held in 2013 was the IAF's first day-night exercise, and more than 100 aircraft and 30 different weapon platforms were showcased.

The exercise is aimed at displaying network-centric operations capabilities of the IAF.

IANS
Mumbai: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Thursday sought time till April for making a personal appearance before the ED, virtually making it clear he would not present himself before the anti-money laundering agency pursuant to summons issued by it in the IDBI bank loan default case.

Officials said the beleaguered businessman has informed the Enforcement Directorate's investigating officer that he would not be able to keep tomorrow's date and sought time till April.

They said the agency officials are mulling options and "studying the reply and reasons" cited by Mallya in his communication and will take a final decision soon whether to grant his request or not.

ED had earlier issued summonsto Mallya for "personal appearance" on March 18 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED had recently registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on a CBI FIR registered last year. The agency is also investigating the overall financial structure of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and will look into any payment of kickbacks to secure loan.

The CBI had booked Mallya, the Chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, its Directors, former Chief Financial Officer of the airlines A Raghunathan and unknown officials of IDBI Bank in its FIR alleging that the loan was sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits.

The ED is looking into the "proceeds of crime" that would have been generated using the slush funds of the alleged loan fraud. It is also probing if some of this amount was sent abroad illegally.

The agency has also written to the 17-bank consortium, led by SBI, which lent money to the grounded airlines, and later went to the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) for recovery of these dues.

It has also sent official requests seeking details of the probe conducted by the Income Tax and Service Tax departments and the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) against the airline in the past.

Besides, the central agency is looking for details of overseas and domestic assets of Mallya and his company

officials, in coordination with central security agencies and the CBI.

It has already questioned two senior officials in the money laundering case-- Raghunathan and former United Breweries Chief Financial Officer Ravi Nedungadi along with a few other accused.

PTI
Editor's note: Tamil Nadus political parties are fighting each other mainly for one section of the electorate this year. This election is all about how the youth will vote. Over 60 lakh youngsters will ink their fingers in May and with little ideological baggage, an aspirational and determined youth is calling the politicians bluff on a number of issues. In this series, Firstpost compiles what the Tamil youth want, if only the politicians would listen. This is the concluding part of a four-part series on #TN2016: The Anger of the Youth.

K Kanimozhi, 24, refuses to crack a smile. The serious young lady appears older than her years, with a few grey hairs already showing. One understands why only when she begins to open up about her life. Kanimozhi is a Dalit belonging to the Pallar caste and lives in a Dalit slum Solama Nagar near Trichy. She is the eldest of four brothers and two sisters, fatherless and with a stay-at-home mother. Kanimozhi is the sole earning member of the family. She works as a salesgirl for the skin care brand Garnier, taking home Rs 7500 every month.

Kanimozhi is a first generation graduate, with a Bachelors degree in Economics. She was very proud, she says, when she received her degree, but then reality took over, wiping the smile off her face. I got a government job through the first generation graduate scheme, she explained to Firstpost. It was a librarian posting at the Nehru Memorial. But only the night shift was available, so I could not take it up, she said.

With too many mouths to feed and too many little siblings to educate, Kanimozhi says that life runs on debt. What other choice do I have? she asked with a resigned look on her face. I take a loan to pay school fees and repay part of it. Then I take another loan from someone else and repay this loan. I can never completely finish repaying all these loans. I just keep rotating them, she explained.

Kanimozhi says she does not know how she put herself through college, with so many dependents. I worked part-time and studied late at night, she said. Actually I honestly dont know how I did all that. Somehow I had to get my degree and I did everything I could to ensure that happened.

Shes now hoping that her younger brother will begin earning and contributing to the family income once he graduates. That though, is still a year away. I really need more income, she said. I need a government job.

Kanimozhis friend and neighbor 28-year-old A Malathy is in similar straits although her family is not as large as Kanimozhis. Malathy is currently pursuing an MBA course in Bharathidasan University, which she says is taking a toll on the meager income of the family of four. The fees, she says, are too high and the books, way too expensive.

I was working for the past six years in a BPO but ever since mom died, I have been at home, said Malathy. Even there, salaries being offered were very low. I was earning only Rs 5000 a month, she said.

Malathy tells Firstpost eagerly about a discussion that she had with her friends. In Bangalore, there are BPO jobs available for Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 a month I am told, she said. I wish we had such opportunities. I cannot even leave this city, let alone this state, she rued. Malathy too is Dalit, of the Pallar caste, and is a first generation graduate.

A helping hand

In 2014, as per an official release by the Anna University, 54% of new students were first generation learners heading into college. Over 92,000 such students thronged the university that year alone. Successive state governments in Tamil Nadu have tried to give a fillip to the first generation learner.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government introduced a scheme in 2007-08 whereby tuition fees in technical colleges of first generation graduates were waived in toto. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government has continued and expanded upon this scheme, helping large numbers of students gain access to tertiary education.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK, in January this year, outlined her governments achievements in the state Assembly. Stating that the previous DMK government had spent Rs 149 crores on over 78,000 first generation graduates in technical education, she pointed out that in the past five years, the AIADMK government had helped 2.84 lakh students by spending a sum of Rs 2268 crores.

The AIADMK governments decision to abolish the Common Entrance Test (CET) in 2005 too and admitting students into college on the basis of marks scored in standard 12, gave a huge boost to the number of first generation learners heading into college in the state.

The DMK governments manifesto in 2011 promised to give priority in government jobs to first generation graduates. The party received a drubbing on the back of anger over land grabbing allegations across the state.

Feeling the pinch

Although access to education for first generation learners has been improved by successive governments, problems of poverty and lack of jobs continue to plague these youngsters. Those like C Karthik, another first generation graduate from Kavalkara Theru, near Solama Nagar, have managed to arm themselves with degrees but say jobs are scarce and low paying.

Real estate is in a big slump so business is down, said Karthik, 25, son of an auto driver father and a home-maker mother. I am currently roaming around selling wires for a company. I get paid Rs 4000 a month. Everyone talks of farmers facing a tough time and government gives them so many sops. But engineers and small shop owners too are having a tough time, he stated.

Karthik made a key observation that resonates with the youth of Tamil Nadu. No one has money in hand, he said. He gave an example of his classmate, a graduate, working in Chennai as a painter. He earns Rs 8000 a month but because he lives in Chennai, his monthly outgo is Rs 11,000 a month. His father sends him Rs 3000 extra every month. I dont understand where things are going, he said.

Youngsters in Tamil Nadu like Karthik are confused and angry. After battling immense odds to pull themselves out of the cycle of poverty and illiteracy, these first generation graduates hope to finally find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Only to find that the rainbow, in all likelihood, never existed.

It is perhaps time that politicians cutting across party lines put their ears to the ground and listened carefully to what the youth of the state are saying.

The author tweets @sandhyaravishan.

Read parts one, two and three.
Rameswaram: Members of the country boat fishermen's association and their kin on Thursday organised protest in a novel way by distributing porridge at the sea coast near Pamban demanding the release of 28 fishermen arrested recently by the Sri Lankan navy.

The fishermen community leader Sagayam said they had lost their livelihood with the Sri Lankan navy preventing them from fishing even in the traditional areas.

They appealed to the government to ensure their safety and help them fish in the traditional areas of Gulf of Mannar without any hassle.

Porridge distribution demonstration has been organised to highlight the plight of the fishermen in the state, he said.

On March 13, Sri Lankan navy arrested 28 Indian fishermen belonging to Pudukottai, Pamban, and Tuticorin for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and fishing in their territory.

One mechanised boat and two country boats of the fishermen were also seized.

PTI
As MIM's Asaduddin Owaisi stirred a controversy after saying he would not chant 'Bharat Mata ki jai', political reactions have flown thick and fast in Maharashtra as well as outside the state. As would be expected, the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana wrote a strongly-worded editorial on the controversy saying that the citizenship of those who refuse to chant the slogan should be revoked.

"Owaisi has insulted Bharat Mata. Now, Muslims should come out in opposition to Owaisi and hail Bharat Mata," the Sena mouthpiece said, and added,"Bharat Mata ki jai is a matter of inspiration and devotion to the country. Considerations of caste and religion should not matter on such issues."

The Shiv Sena has said voting rights of those who refuse to chant the slogan should be taken away.

The Saamana editorial went to the extent of saying that Owaisi should be 'beheaded' for his remarks."Owaisi has said that even if someone puts a knife to his throat, he would not say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai.'...Such people's heads should be cut off," the editorial said.

Interestingly, the Sena drew a parallel with a case filed against Patidar leader Hardik Patel in Gujarat for insulting the tricolour and said that the incident took place 'inadvertently', and that he was languishing in prison for the offence. "The government and the chief minister in Maharashtra are from the BJP. In such situation, how could Owaisi, after insulting Bharat Mata in Latur, get away?," the Saamana editorial said.

"Indian Muslims like Sir Sayyad Ahmed, Dr Zakir Hussain and Dr Abdul Kalam have become educationists and scientists, but Muslim community has not had social reformers," the Shiv Sena has said.

The Sena's editorial came a day after MIM MLA Waris Pathan was suspended for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata ki jai'. Earlier, BJP members cornered Pathan and asked him to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai, to which he refused. Following this, a ruckus ensued in the Assembly, after which Pathan was suspended.

However, Congress leader Al-Nasser Zakaria alleged that the Sena is only indulging in politics of hypocrisy.

"This is the height of hypocrisy. On one hand the Sena preaches patriotism lessons to others and on the other, indulges in massive corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ruled by it. There are irregularities worth hundreds of crore in awarding contracts for various purposes," he alleged.

"They (the Sena) should understand that they will be taken seriously, even by their own ally (BJP) after they come clean themselves. Merely chanting slogans won't make them nationalists," Zakaria said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said everybody may not agree with the views of the RSS and BJP.

"The RSS and the BJP are portraying 'Bharat Mata' as a 'devi' (goddess) and are expecting all to chant slogans. Everybody may not want to subscribe to this. But, nobody would mind praising mother India," he said.

"They should first clear their stand on whom do they actually want all Indians to praise and then goaround giving certificates of patriotism to others," he added.

With inputs from PTI
The Maharashtra Assembly witnessed high drama on Wednesday as Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Waris Pathan was suspended from the House for refusing to chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'

Earlier, BJP members cornered Pathan and asked him to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai, to which he refused. Following this, a ruckus ensued in the Assembly, after which Pathan was suspended, CNN-IBN reported.

The controversy erupted after MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said, "I don't chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab...I won't utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat." Owaisi had said that the Constitution does not mandate any one to chant the slogan.

Reacting to the suspension, BJP's Shaina NC said, "If a person chooses to behave in an unparliamentary manner, it is well within the jurisdiction of a Speaker to take a stand which would set an example."

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s Jitendra Awhad also hit out at Owaisi, saying that the matter 'is being politicised to make it an issue of vote banks.'

Owaisi's comments had drawn sharp reactions from several political quarters, and had also echoed in Parliament during the ongoing Budget session. Rajya Sabha MP and film lyricist Javed Akhtar said in Parliament, " I don't care to know whether saying 'Bharat mata ki jai' is my duty or not but it is my right."

Responding to Owaisi's comments, Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam had said that Owaisi should go to Pakistan if he does not want to say 'Bharat Mata ki jai.'

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said statements like that made by Owaisi should be "completely avoided".

With inputs from PTI
Cairo: The brother of Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, under investigation for allegedly calling for the creation of a "terrorist group", was released on Thursday from an Egyptian prison, his son and security officials said.

On 23 February, a court had ordered the release of Mohamed al-Zawahiri, 64, while the investigation was still underway.

Security officials said Zawahiri walked out on Thursday from a Cairo prison after having spent more than two-and-a-half years behind bars.

"My father has been released. He reached home early this morning," his son, Abdelrahman Zawahiri, told AFP.

Zawahiri was initially arrested in August 2013, a month after the army's ouster of Egypt's Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and at the height of a crackdown against his supporters.

He and dozens of other defendants were accused of having formed "a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda" and plotting attacks on government installations, security forces and Egypt's Christian minority  all charges which defence lawyers denied.

He stood trial but was acquitted of any wrongdoing in October 2015, although 10 co-defendants were handed death sentences.

The judge, however, kept him in detention and ordered an investigation into remarks made by Zawahiri during the trial in which he allegedly called for the formation of a "terrorist group".

But on 23 February, another court ordered his release.

AFP
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The Chaldean Bishop of Aleppo, Antoine Audo, was in Geneva for two days for a side-event of the UN Human Rights Council. The Mission of the Holy See and Caritas Internationalis a confederation of over 160 Catholic member organisations doing humanitarian work  had invited him on a peace campaign.

The ancient city of Aleppo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. It has seen intense fighting in recent days --parts of the city have been sieged by armed opposition groupsand its possible recapture is of much significance to the Syrian government.

Speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Audo, who is also the head of Caritas Syria, said that in five years of war, the city of Aleppo has been emptied out of Christians with only 40,000 remaining out of the original 1,60,000 Syrian Christians. A total of one million Syrians have left the country out of the original 1.5 million. The Islamic State has killed thousands of Christians. In February, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox church head, Patriarch Kirill, had issued a historic statement where they decried the flushing out of Christians from the Middle Easta region considered the cradle of the faith. The Christians in Aleppo now live mostly in areas under government control.

In a counterview to the mainstream narrative about Syria, Audo, said that the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was not be blamed for the war, that more than 80 percent of the Christians would support Assad if he were to run for re-elections, and more than 50 percent of the overall population, including Sunnis, would vote for Assad.

Even the Sunnis would choose Bashar al-Assad to drive away extremists he said. And the demonisation of Assad was a pure propaganda by the West, he added.

The future of Assad has been a key sticking point at the peace talks in Geneva with the "main" opposition party backed by Saudi Arabia and the West saying that Assad must go before any kind of talks on a transitional government while the Syrian government delegation has said that Assad is a red line that cannot be crossed.

Audo blamed the extremists and external interference for the mess in Syria. He further said that the Russians were fighting extremists and the Islamic State and that the people were in a safe moment during the Russian fight against the armed groups. Speaking to an American journalist, he said that the US must respect the Syrian people and not impose solutions from the outside for economic and strategic interests. "I think... this war is not coming from inside Syria... I think all is organised from outside to destroy Syria," he added.

Audo spoke to Firstpost

How has life changed in the last five years? Could you please tell us something about the daily lives of the people in Aleppo?

We can say that (we were a) normal city with lot of possibilities, lot of rich families, restaurants, universities, schools and we became a poor country with (poverty) everywhere. I (am) used to repeat(ing) that the rich families left Syria for Lebanon, Europe and Canada. The middle class became poor and the poor miserable. I walk on the streets and look to the people and to the faces and discover how they are sick, becoming poor, and tired without desire of living, only to have some vegetables, some bread, just to not die. This is our situation, unfortunately, in Aleppo (and) not only in Aleppo but we can say in all (of) Syria, this is the result of the war.

Our daily life in Aleppo is very paradoxical. As you (can) imagine from far, war, destruction, bombng from time to time is a reality. Where we are living is under the official army the west part of the city. So in one way, (we have) a lot of the difficult (ies) without water, without job, without electricity, without fuelwe had a very hard winter. Terrible, really. This is one reality. The second one, we do all we can to continue (living normal lives)to have organisations (organizing things such as) manifestations (demonstrations), theatre, prayers, scout groupsvery Aleppo mentality, always trying to be together and to fight. There are schools, there are universities, there are exams and at the same time, from time to time (there is) bombing, victims, injured (people). This is our life in Aleppo, more than in Damascus or in other cities.

Was there tension between religious communities, particularly Christians and Muslims, before the civil war started?

No, no. Generally (speaking), in Aleppo, we have the tradition of living together. There is a respect for (the) other. There is an art of living together. Everyone knows who he is (but) at the same time (there is) a lot of friendship between Christians and Muslims. It is a tradition in Syria, even now. Even the armed people tried to put the idea of confessional war, even between Christians and Muslims.

Who are the armed people?

Armed people, extremiststhey are not worth(y) (of) the name of opposition. They are armed people, manipulated to a big project of destruction. They tried a lot to create this ambience of confessional fighting but they didnt succeed because the reality of Syria is different.



Do you think the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad should have a role in post-conflict Syria?

He is ready to implement the Syrian constitution. This kind of demonisation, or as we say in French, diabolisition, is not just. He is a doctor, he is well-educated. We have to put him in a context, in a history. There are a lot of (political) interests and he is in the middle of all those interests. We have to understand the situation to have the right answer. Its propaganda, orchestration. The war is more than 50 percent propagandaa psychological war, it is used a lot by the strong (dominant) media of the world.

What is your evaluation of Mr. Assad?

He was a normal man trying to do the best for the countrylot of effort at the level of education, construction, infrastructure. He was a normal president. But we have to put him in the context of the Middle East (situation). And this big fighting between Shias and Sunnis and they use (d) Syria to destroy, at their level, at the international level. (At the) international level, economic and military interests (were the reasons for the war in Syria).

Not because he is (an) Alwaite so (it means that) he is a demon, he is the devil. This (is) big (false) propaganda in the west he is a dictator, he is killing women.

But the independent UN Commission of Inquiry has said that the government has also committed crimes against humanity? This is not any government saying but a group of independent experts

How to speak about atrocities of the government and not to speak about atrocities of thousands of armed people pushed from outside to destroy Syria. From inside, there is some self-defence. Perhaps, they (the government) use violence and bombing but we have to put it in this context, it is self-defence.

Was there a huge escalation in fighting in Aleppo after the Russians started the airstrikes?

Not in Aleppo. Outside Aleppo, they attacked Daesh (Arabic acronym for the Islamic State), those armed groups to push them far out from Aleppo who were always threatening by attacks.

The writer is a journalist at the UN in Geneva
Washington: The emergence of real estate tycoon Donald Trump as Republican presidential nominee sounded the death-knell for the party establishment, Indian-American former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said. "The GOP establishment is done for. This race shows that," Jindal told MSNBC's Meet the Press on Wednesday.

The 44-year-old was one of 17 Republicans in the race to the White House, but dropped out as he was unable to gain any support. "Voters are angry and frustrated and, in some part, the Republican party deserves some of that frustration. Donald Trump should serve as a wake-up call," Jindal said.

A brokered convention to prevent Trump from becoming the presidential nominee would only further discredit party

leadership, said Jindal, who has been one of the billionaire's

most vocal critics. "When a huge chunk of your base is telling you something, you have to listen to them. Let's let the voters speak," he

said, while opposing the idea of a 'brokered convention'.

"It (brokered convention) makes for a great fiction novel. The reality is, you can do the math. He has done very, very well. It is exactly what is wrong with the GOP establishment and it is ignoring the will of the voters," he said.

Jindal, whose popularity came crashing down after he took on Trump in the early phase of the campaign, said that he would support the frontrunner in the race to the White House against Democratic party's Hillary Clinton.

"If it comes down to Donald Trump and (Democratic presidential frontrunner) Hillary Clinton, I would certainly support Donald Trump as the Republican nominee," he said. "I didn't wake up this morning a big fan of Donald Trump. I hope it's not him (as) he is not my favourite. I think Donald Trump is wrong on a whole host of issues," Jindal said.

PTI
BRUSSELS The European Union warned on Wednesday that a deal with Turkey to curb mass migration to Europe hinges on Ankara acting to support peace talks in EU member Cyprus.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who will chair an EU summit on Thursday and Friday, said much remained to be done to reach a deal with Turkey.

"Work is progressing but there is still a lot to do," he said in a letter to EU leaders. The migration deal needed to be "an opportunity (for Turkey) to support the settlement talks in Cyprus. Only if this is possible can we move forward here."

EU officials offered last-minute tweaks to the draft pact with Turkey in an effort to make it legally watertight, but a standoff with Cyprus could yet scupper any deal this week.

Under a tentative agreement reached last week, Ankara would take back all migrants and refugees who enter the EU from its shores or are detained in its territorial waters, in return for more money, faster visa-free travel for Turks and a speeding up of its slow-moving EU membership negotiations.

For its part, the EU would admit one legal Syrian refugee directly from Turkey for each one trying to reach Europe by boat and taken back by Turkey from the Greek islands in a step meant to wreck the business model of people smugglers.

But Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades has threatened to veto any progress in Turkey's accession talks unless Ankara meets its obligation to open Turkish ports and airports to Cypriot traffic, effectively recognising his state.

A new draft agreement circulated by Tusk to EU states on Wednesday and seen by Reuters gave little concrete away to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who is due to finalise the deal with EU leaders at a breakfast in Brussels on Friday.

It states: "The EU, together with Turkey, will prepare for the decision on the opening of new chapters in the accession negotiations as soon as possible." That final phrase "as soon as possible" did not appear in the shorter draft Davutoglu endorsed last week. Nor did the phrase "together with Turkey".

Cyprus has been insisting that any wording must reflect the fact that Turkey has not yet met EU conditions for opening such new chapters. There was no immediate comment on the draft from Ankara or Nicosia.

National envoys who discussed the draft in Brussels late on Wednesday said there was a broad willingness to accept it but some issues would be addressed by leaders on Thursday, in particular the matter of when deportations will start. Germany pushed for next Monday but Greece said its services might not be ready, one diplomat said.

There may also be discussion at the summit, before Davutoglu arrives, of how fast to provide a second 3 billion euro instalment of EU aid for Syrians in Turkey and of which states are willing to take in resettled Syrian refugees from Turkey.

"NO FREE RIDE"

"We are certainly not giving Turkey a free ride," European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said. Ankara would have to enact a raft of measures within six weeks if Turks were to get visa-free travel to the 26-nation Schengen area in June.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing hardest for the deal after suffering heavy losses in regional elections on Sunday due to public anger over an uncontrolled influx of more than 1 million migrants into Germany last year.

Merkel told parliament in Berlin on the eve of the Brussels summit that no one should be "deceived" by a relative lull in arrivals since Austria and Balkan countries shut their borders.

More than 43,000 migrants and refugees are bottled up in squalid conditions in Greece after Macedonia closed its border, and more are arriving daily despite NATO's Aegean sea patrols.

"The current easing that Germany and some other member states are experiencing is one thing. The situation in Greece is the other, and it must be a big concern to us all because it is not without consequences for us all in Europe," Merkel said.

An agreement with Turkey would need to be followed by a deal among EU countries to accept quotas of refugees, she said, something several central European states have so far rejected.

"TEMPORARY AND EXTRAORDINARY"

"This will be a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order," Tusk's draft accord said.

Migrants arriving on Greek islands would be duly registered and entitled to apply for asylum in Greece, it said, and their applications would be processed in accordance with EU rules.

People returned to Turkey would be protected in line with international standards for refugees, even though Ankara applies the Geneva Convention formally only to people fleeing Europe.

Cyprus and Turkey have been at loggerheads since a 1974 Turkish invasion of the island.

Nicosia could also try to block visa liberalisation for Turks since the EU conditions include the principle of equal treatment of all member states. It does not have a veto on the visa issue, but it could find allies among reluctant countries such as France, Spain and Austria.

Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Wednesday in an interview with Telecinco he was absolutely convinced EU leaders would reach a common position on migration. But he said the deportation of refugees from Greece to Turkey was against international law and any deal must respect the rights of asylum seekers.

EU officials declined to say whether Tusk, a former Polish premier, secured any Turkish commitment on the Cyprus issue in talks in Ankara on Tuesday. But a Turkish minister warned the EU on Wednesday against letting Nicosia hold the bloc to ransom.

"When a step has been taken towards a solution, when agreement has been reached on a package, the whole structure should not be allowed to be ruined just because of the ... caprice of one EU member country," Volkan Bozkir, minister for EU affairs, said in an NTV interview.

(Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald, Tom Koerkemeier and Robin Emmott in Brussels, Tina Bellon and Noah Barkin in Berlin and Daren Butler in Istanbul; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Baghdad: Iraq's only music and ballet school has survived decades of war, sanctions and dictatorship, but now faces a funding crisis due to low oil prices and the costly war against the Islamic State group.

On a recent day, boys and girls in leotards warmed up on a practice bar before a mirror-lined wall, while an orchestra worked its way up scales in the next room, with students tuning cellos and plucking notes on Middle Eastern string instruments known as ouds.

The teachers are still receiving salaries, but funds for instruments and equipment are drying up, leading to the cancellation of performances and raising concerns that the school  which has always recruited based on talent alone  may one day only serve the wealthy or close altogether.

Leezan Salam, 20, who studied ballet at the school as a young girl and is now an instructor, fears for the future of the arts in Iraq. "Our situation is very difficult," she said, referring to the country's seemingly perpetual waves of unrest. "The atmosphere around us is harsh, it makes people tough."

The Music and Ballet School was built in 1969, and was generously funded under Saddam Hussein's secular Ba'ath party until crippling sanctions were imposed on the country following the 1991 Gulf War. The school's fortunes improved after the 2003 US-led invasion, when the economy began to recover, and it remained open during the worst of the sectarian fighting that erupted three years later.

But now Iraq is bogged down in a war against the Islamic State group  which controls much of the country's north and west  and struggling with a refugee crisis. It needs $4 billion a month to pay government employees, but with oil prices near record lows, its income is only half that, and officials predict a budget deficit of more than $30 billion.

As Baghdad struggles to make ends meet, many fear the arts will be the first thing to go. "These governments, all they care about are politics and religion," the school's assistant manager Madeeh Yahya Kassim said.

In recent years, the school has increasingly relied on donations from embassies, cultural institutions and private donors abroad. Kassim said that so far, this year's budget for instruments and equipment is just a quarter of what it was three years ago, and the Culture Ministry has told him to start charging tuition, rather than offering free classes to all those who pass the entrance exams.

Applications, meanwhile, are at an all-time high, and more than 200 students had to be turned away because the school simply didn't have space. "We aren't like a normal kind of school," Kassim said. "Our instruments, costumes and ballet shoes cost more money than just textbooks."

A year's worth of supplies and maintenance for the whole school costs $45,000 dollars, he said. Teachers say they've already had to cancel a handful of performances because they don't have the necessary costumes or instruments.

Salam, the ballet instructor, fears that the costs of losing the arts could be far higher. "Without this school, Iraq would have a whole generation that's less accepting, less open minded," she said. "This school, it helps people learn to accept, it will ensure us a more peaceful future. At least that's what I hope."

AP
Brasilia: Outraged Brazilians protested in Brasilia and Sao Paulo late Wednesday following the release of a taped phone call between President Dilma Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

During the call, recorded earlier Wednesday by police and released by a federal judge, Rousseff called Lula on his bugged phone to tell him she would be sending him the official decree nominating him as her chief of staff so that he could make use of it "if necessary."

That extract was largely seen as confirmation that an aim of Lula's nomination to the post Wednesday was to spare him possible arrest for corruption.

Cabinet ministers can only be tried before the Supreme Court in Brazil and ministerial immunity will now protect Lula from prosecution in criminal court.

The recording was made public by federal judge Sergio Moro, who is heading a probe into Brazil's biggest ever corruption scandal.

Lula vigorously denies involvement in the scandal, in which investigators say construction companies conspired with Petrobras executives to overbill the oil giant to the tune of $2 billion, paying huge bribes to politicians and parties along the way.

The release of the recording caused an uproar in Congress, where furious opposition lawmakers shouted "Resign! Resign!"

Some 2,000 people spontaneously gathered in the capital Brasilia demanding that Lula step down and Rousseff leave office and to show their support Moro.

As night fell, another protest began in Sao Paulo, according to an AFP photographer.

"Resign! Resign!" shouted several thousand protesters at the foot of a highrise housing FIESP, a powerful federation of Sao Paulo industries that was illuminated in green and yellow - Brazil's national colors - in addition to a large inscription that read "Impeach now."

The presidency responded by announcing in a statement that "judicial and administrative measures" would be taken to "repair the flagrant violation of the law and the constitution committed by judge" Moro, without going into specifics.

It said that Rousseff sent the decree to Lula only so that he could sign it and make it official since he had indicated he would not be in Brasilia for the official taking up of the role planned for Thursday.

Lula's appointment is a risky bet for Rousseff, who is battling crises on multiple fronts: an impeachment attempt, a deep recession, mass protests and the fallout of the Petrobras scandal.

The impeachment push against Rousseff is not directly related to the corruption scandal, but has advanced in tandem with it, deepening the crisis engulfing her administration.

On Sunday, an estimated three million Brazilians flooded the streets in nationwide protests calling for Rousseff's departure.

AFP
Washington: Indian-Americans expressed their disappointment over Barack Obama's decision not to nominate "trailblazer" Sri Srinivasan to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court bench, but appreciated the US President for "strongly considering" the Indian-origin judge.

Srinivasan, 48, was among the few judges interviewed for the top judicial post by Obama, who ultimately opted to nominate Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

Encouraged by the fact that Obama nominated a record number of Indian-Americans to senior judiciary positions during his presidency, community leaders from across the country were hoping that Srinivasan would be the pick this time.

"The expectations were high and Sri was eminently qualified. The community was disappointed to say the least. This SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) process could take a while during this political season so let's wait and see what happens," MR Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, told PTI.

"This also indicates that Indian-Americans are not yet punching our weight. We have a long way to go where we are a significant force in the political arena," said Rangaswami, who had organised the first-ever Indian-American presidential inaugural ball after Obama was sworn-in for the second term in 2013. "However, It is gratifying to see so many Indian-Americans run for office in this election cycle. We could actually have an Indian American caucus next year!"

Rangaswami is currently planning for the next Indian-American presidential inaugural ball for the new president to be elected in the November 8 presidential elections.

Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Victory Fund, also expressed his disappointment. "For the first time in American history, the President interviewed an Asian American for the US Supreme Court. While we are disappointed that an AAPI was not selected, we are pleased that President Obama strongly considered Judge Sri

Srinivasan," Narasimhan said.

"The AAPI community wants a seat at the table in every venue and truly believes the bench of qualified AAPI candidates deserve consideration for the very next vacancy," he added.

PTI
Washington: Dreaded terror group Islamic State has lost almost a quarter of its territory in the last 15 months and is increasingly isolated while being on the decline, according to a new study.

As per data published by IHS Jane's 360 since January 2015 the militant group has lost 22 per cent of its territory in Iraq and Syria and 8 per cent of the losses were in the past three months.

"The tide of the war is turning against the Islamic State. Between January 1 and December 15, 2015, the Islamic State lost control of 14 per cent of its territory. New analysis indicates that in the last 3 months, the Islamic State has lost a further 8 per cent of its territory," the report said.

"In 2016, we have seen major losses in the north-east extend south towards Raqqa and Deir al-Zour as the mixed-sectarian Kurdish and Sunni Syrian Democratic Forces advance under the cover of US and Russian airstrikes," it said.

The monitoring group attributes these defeats to a changing strategic landscape.

The loss of the pivotal Syrian border crossing of Tal Abyad took out one of the Islamic State's chief access points for smuggling in weapons, materiel and new fighters. Tighter Turkish border controls also have thinned out cash flows, as well as the numbers of foreign recruits seeking to join the group, the The Washington Post reported citing the report.

Airstrikes by the US-led campaign and an ongoing Russian mission in Syria have pinned the Islamic State back, it said.

"Isolation and further military defeats will make it harder for the Islamic State to attract new recruits to Syria

from the pool of foreign jihadis," wrote Columb Strack, a Middle East analyst at IHS.

"The Islamic State is increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline. This plays into the hands of its main rival, al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, which despite sharing the same ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate, has criticised the Islamic State for prematurely declaring it," the IHS report said.

Local smuggling channels still operate, the report said but noted that the risk of detection, and therefore the

associated costs have skyrocketed.

"But the demise of the Islamic State is hardly a foregone conclusion. As a separate report from the Institute for the Study of War points out, the threat posed by the extremists is not limited by geography. Even as the group suffered defeats in Iraq and Syria, its proxies carried out brazen attacks from

Jakarta to Paris and numerous other places in between," the US daily said.

PTI
United Nations: Highlighting the fate of Iraq's Yazidi women who are raped and slain by Islamic State group jihadists, a French minister called on the United Nations to incorporate 'femicide' in international law.

Young women of the Yazidi minority are often taken by IS fighters as sex slaves, then killed.

"It is because they are women and they are Yazidis that they are sold and murdered" by the IS fighters, said Laurence Rossignol, France's minister for family, children and women's rights, speaking Wednesday at the 60th annual Commission on the Status of Women.

"What they are experiencing is femicide," she emphasised.

While genocide  the killing of a large group of people of a nationality or ethnic group  is part of the international legal vocabulary, femicide  the deliberate and violent killing of women  is not, Rossignol said.

The international military coalition fighting in Iraq and Syria "should say that it is not only at war against the terrorism of the Islamic State group, but it is also there to free the Yazidi women of the femicide that the suffer," Rossignol said.

Rossignol wants to see the term femicide, which is already in use by women's rights groups, become "the basis for prosecution in international courts," and eventually taken up by the International Criminal Court, Rossignol told AFP.

The Hague-based ICC is empowered to try war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In March 2015, a UN report said that attacks in Iraq by the IS group against the Yazidi minority "could constitute genocide."

The femicide concept could also be applied to the kidnapping of young women by the Boko Haram fighters in Nigeria, Rossignol added.

The French minister also urged the UN commission to fully decriminalize abortion around the world, and allow broader access to contraception, especially due to an increased use of rape as a method of warfare.

AFP
Jerusalem: Meir Dagan, a former head of Israeli spy agency Mossad who worked to thwart Iran's nuclear

programme while also opposing a military strike against it, died on Thursday at 71, the government said.

Dagan, who battled liver cancer and had undergone a transplant, led the Mossad from 2002 through 2010.

He was reportedly tasked with sabotaging the nuclear programme of Israel's arch-foe Iran to prevent it from developing atomic weapons.

But while leading that secret war, he also strongly opposed a military strike against Iran, a position shared by

then military chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then defence minister Ehud Barak were reported to have given the order in

2010 for the military to prepare such a strike, which was never carried out.

In 2012, Dagan told US networks that an Israeli attack would have "devastating" consequences for Israel and would be unlikely to put an end to the Iranian nuclear programme.

Under Dagan's leadership, the Mossad is believed to have assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists, caused explosions at nuclear facilities and used computer viruses to damage uranium centrifuges.

The Mossad has never confirmed such operations.

Several other controversial operations were attributed to the Mossad during Dagan's unusually long tenure, including a 2008 car bomb in Damascus that killed top Hezbollah operative Imad Mughniyeh.

Others included a 2008 air raid in Sudan against an alleged Iranian arms convoy said to be destined for

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and a 2007 bombing of a suspected desert nuclear site in Syria.

AFP
Islamabad: Pakistan government on Thursday allowed ailing Pervez Musharraf to go abroad for medical treatment, a day after the Supreme Court lifted a bar on foreign trips of the former military ruler facing trial in a number of cases including for high treason.

Musharraf, 72, is facing treason trial since 2013 and he was barred from leaving the country in 2014 by the government. The order was declared as illegal by the Sindh High Court in the same year.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Sindh high court, rejecting the appeal of the government. But it did not stop the federal government from putting new bars on Musharraf's foreign tours.

Interior minister Nisar Ali Khan told a press briefing that after consultation the government decided to let Musharraf leave the country for treatment.

He said Musharraf's lawyers had formally asked the government to allow him to undertake foreign travels.

"The government has decided to allow Musharraf to travel abroad for treatment. He has also committed he will face all cases against him in court," Khan said.

He was referring to several cases faced by Musharraf including the high treason charged in a special court for suspending the constitution in 2007, which has been declared under Article 6 as being punishable by death.

He was indicted in April, 2014 but since then no progress has been made in the case for various reasons.

Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League said yesterday that Musharraf was having problem in the backbone and he needed to go to the UAE to see a doctor.

It is believed that the decision to let Musharraf go out of the country will help heel a rift between the powerful army and the government, as the former was unhappy over treason trial of the former chief of army staff.

Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, Musharraf was forced to resign as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai.

He is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years in self-exile in Dubai to contest the general election in 2013 which he lost.

PTI
Islamabad: At least five militants were killed in clashes with security forces in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency on Thursday, an army statement said.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of the Pakistani army, said in the statement that the militants attacked a check-post of the security forces in Daroodrab area of Khyber Agency, a semi-autonomous tribal area along Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The troops gave a befitting response and killed five militants in the retaliatory attack, the statement said adding that no casualty was reported among the troops.

The identity of the killed militants was not revealed yet, but outlawed groups Lashkar-e-Islam and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were found involved in such attacks on security forces in the past.

The attack happened at a time when the forces are launching an armed offensive "Operation Zarb-e-Azb" in the neighbouring tribal area of North Waziristan to eradicate militancy from the region.

The operation has broken the backbone of the militants, according to the ISPR, but they still carry out sporadic attacks on forces and general public whenever chance arises for them.

IANS
Bangkok: Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Thursday embarked on a two-day visit to India for talks aimed at expanding bilateral military, security and economic cooperation. Prawit, who is also Thailand's defence minister, is visiting India on the invitation of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

During his visit, Prawit is scheduled to hold talks with the Defence Minister and the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to tighten bilateral relations and expand military, security and economic cooperation.

He will also call upon Vice President Hamid Ansari. Prawit was accompanied by Thailand's deputy commerce minister Suvit Maesincee, permanent secretary for defence Preecha Chan-o-cha, supreme commander Sommai Kaodira, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and secretary-general of the National Security Council Taweep Netniyom, media reports said.

Thailand and India will celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

PTI
United Nations: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that Canada will seek a two-year term on the UN Security Council starting in 2021, citing the country's resettling of Syrian refugees and a desire to take part in peacekeeping efforts as evidence of a renewed commitment to engagement in world affairs.

Trudeau, who took office in November, said Canada's ideals align with many of those dear to the UN, including human rights, gender equality and diversity. Canada last held a seat on the Security Council in 2000.

"It's time for Canada to step up once again," Trudeau said. Canada will compete with Ireland and Norway for two available seats on the council.

Trudeau's announcement at the UN in front of about 300 diplomats, staffers and others came after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to Canada and meeting with Trudeau last month.

Canada has served six times on the Security Council since the late 1940s. In 2010 it lost a seat to Portugal, a defeat blamed on a lackluster attempt by the Conservative government then in charge.

The 15-member council has five permanent members who each have veto power: The United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. Ten additional members are elected for two-year terms.

The 193 members of the UN General Assembly won't vote on the seat Canada is pursuing until autumn of 2020.

The 44-year-old Trudeau said his country has shown it has a role to play on the Security Council. He emphasized Canada's commitment to resettling refugees from the war in Syria.

The country has now accepted more than 25,000, a dramatic change from the previous Conservative government, which declined to resettle more refugees despite the haunting image last year of a drowned 3-year-old Syrian boy washed up on a Turkish beach. The boy's aunt lives in Canada.

Trudeau said the new residents will make Canada stronger. "People have come to Canada seeking a better life and have contributed immensely," he said. "This is about building a stronger economy in five years, in ten years."

Trudeau also said Canada can play an important role in peacekeeping operations, not in terms of quantity but in quality, perhaps in situations where the French language is needed.

Lloyd Axworthy, Canada's foreign affairs minister in the late 1990s, said Canada has lost standing at the UN over the last decade and needs to work hard to regain it. He said Canada had largely abandoned peacekeeping and that Trudeau needs to come up with an agenda that also shows a commitment foreign aid, which has been declining steadily.

Later on Wednesday, Trudeau met separately with Ban. After the meeting, the UN issued and later retracted a statement saying Canada would resume its contributions to the UN relief agency that aids Palestinian refugees.

Canada discontinued the funding in 2010 under Conservative leader Stephen Harper.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said late Wednesday that the initial statement was an early draft sent by mistake "that did not properly reflect" the discussion between Trudeau and Ban.

Trudeau also spoke during the world body's 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. He called himself a feminist and said that every time he makes the claim, the "Twitterverse explodes."

"It simply is saying that I believe in the equality of men and women," said Trudeau, whose Cabinet is 50 percent women.

AP
BRUSSELS European Union leaders met on Thursday seeking agreement with Turkey to stop migrants reaching Greece and voiced a mix of hope for a fix to the crisis and caution that a deal could fall through or prove unworkable.

European Council President Donald Tusk said he was "more cautious than optimistic" before chairing evening summit talks where the 28 EU national leaders aim to forge a common position before meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who first devised the plan with Davutoglu and sprang it on surprised peers at a special summit 10 days ago, said she thought it possible to overcome fellow leaders' lingering concerns over the legality and practicalities of deporting all new migrants back to Turkey in return for political and financial concessions to Ankara.

"These will be complicated negotiations but the basic direction is clear," she told reporters, adding that she shared Tusk's "cautious optimism, with the emphasis on cautious".

A key problem is Turkey's four-decade-old dispute with EU member Cyprus, whose President Nicos Anastasiades insisted there could be no agreement to speed up Turkey's EU membership talks until Ankara stops barring Cyprus from its sea and airports - itself a result of a refusal to recognise the Cypriot state.

"Cyprus is not the obstacle," Anastasiades said.

There is anger in Nicosia at Merkel for appearing to make Davutoglu an offer without consulting Cyprus - especially at a time when talks on reuniting with the Turkish-backed north of the island are at a delicately hopeful stage. And Tusk, a former Polish premier, made clear Cypriot interests must be respected.

"The agreement must be acceptable to all 28 member states, no matter big or small," he told a news conference.

"EDGE OF THE LAW"

Nonetheless, after a year in which more than a million people have arrived in Europe fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, EU countries are looking desperately to Turkey to seal its coastline and stem the flow.

But Tusk forecast difficult talks, saying any agreement must fully comply with European and international law; U.N. agencies and rights groups have been sceptical it will do that and some EU leaders arriving at the summit shared that disquiet.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the package was "very much on the edge of international law" and, even if agreed, appeared over-complicated and hard to implement.

One senior EU official said that a lack of legal clarity in Turkey on the status of refugees from countries other than Syria - notably large numbers of Iraqis and Afghans - was emerging as a serious sticking point to Greece sending such people back.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, facing a build-up of more than 40,000 refugees stranded in Greece by recent border closures in the Balkans, said his economically struggling country needed more help to care for migrants.

EU officials said Greece also needed time to set up legal and administrative structures to carry out the deportations.

In Ankara, a senior official said countries like Cyprus should not be allowed to block progress. Turkey does not intend to make new demands or proposals, the official added, seeming to rule out any goodwill gesture to break the standoff with Cyprus.

A draft agreement circulated by Tusk and debated by EU ambassadors on Wednesday evening watered down two important inducements to Turkey and included new safeguards intended to overcome legal objections to sending back migrants.

Ankara's central objective - visa-free travel for Turks to Europe by June - will depend on Turkey meeting a raft of long-standing EU criteria. That need to meet all 72 conditions was stressed by French President Francois Hollande, whose voters are alarmed by the idea of 75 million Muslim Turks free to travel.

Under the plan, Turkey would take back all those, including Syrian refugees, who cross to Greek islands. The EU would also double an agreed 3 billion-euro fund to help refugees in Turkey.

The draft, seen by Reuters, says the aim is "to break the business model of the (people) smugglers" and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk. It stresses the return is "a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order".

CYPRUS QUESTION

Diplomats said much will depend on how Davutoglu responds to a vague offer to open new "chapters" of Turkey's snail-like negotiations to join the EU in the distant future.

Cyprus has long blocked some chapters over the port dispute. Tusk's draft said only that the EU would work with Turkey to "prepare for a decision" on opening new accession chapters "as soon as possible" - a hazy prospect Davutoglu may not accept.

To satisfy EU and international law, Greece and Turkey will have to modify domestic legislation so that Turkey is regarded as protecting asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, even though Ankara limits its formal commitments to that treaty.

All migrants who reach Greece would have a right to put their case for asylum and to appeal against deportation.

Setting a start date for the scheme is tricky. Some want all those arriving on Greek beaches from Monday to be held for deportation, but Athens fears it needs weeks to prepare. Yet such delay may trigger a rush to cross before Europe shuts down.

(Additional reporting by Orhan Coskun in Ankara, Michele Kambas in Athens and Gabriela Baczynska, Humeyra Pamuk, Robin Emmott, Robert-Jan Bartunek, Philip Blenkinsop and Jan Strupczewski in Brussels; Writing by Alastair Macdonald and Paul Taylor; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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It looks like Apple is pulling away from Amazon and joining hands with Google for its Cloud business. According to a latest report from CRN, Apple has signed a deal with Google Cloud Platform for iCloud and other cloud-based Apple services.

The iPhone and iPad maker has reportedly inked a deal worth between $400 million and $600 million to use Googles Cloud Platform. At present, Apples cloud business is powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. The report says that although Apple is not completely cutting of ties with Amazon it is reducing reliance on AWS by turning to Google. Amir Efrati of The Information said that it will take a year for iCloud to be fully running on the Google Cloud Platform.

Its true, @iCloud to be partially powered by @googlecloud. But will take a year & unlikely to be profitable. @awscloud lost $ from iCloud.  Amir Efrati (@amir) March 16, 2016

Apple is currently spending $3.9 billion for building new data centers in Ireland, Denmark, Reno, and Arizona, plus it is expanding its existing data center in Prineville, Oregon, according to Morgan Stanley. It is also reported that the company spends $1 billion per year on Amazons AWS. The latest news comes after Google signed a deal to provide cloud services for online music streaming platform Spotify. Google also appointed industry veteran Diane Greene to run its cloud business in November last year.

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Cooking is an art that requires practice and perfection. When you have decided to prepare something, you have to make sure to get certain few things right. Though they seem trivial on this list, they can make a massive impact on what you prepare.

1. When you don't read the entire recipe, your preparations can get quite clumsy. It is important to read the entire recipe before you start with the procedure of cooking or baking.

2. Simmering and boiling are definitely not the same. At times, we don't pay heed to the instructions given to us. We boil food items that are meant to be simmered to save time. By doing this we don't realise the huge difference it could make. We don't realise that it can alter the texture and the flavour of food, especially for meat products.

3. You don't take into consideration the exact measurements. While cooking a dish, you might make slight adjustments based on your taste, likes and dislikes. However, while baking you cannot go by your rules. Even the slightest difference in the measurement can be seen in the baked product. When it comes to the quantity of flour, always make sure to get the right amount.

4. Eating food hot is a practice we have been following for quite some time. However, allowing the food to cool down while the heat is redistributed makes a difference in the food as it enhances the flavor of the food. When hot food, especially meat, is cooled down, the juice is properly spread and the food sucks the different ingredients.

5. Didn't you preheat the pan? Preheating the pan can make a huge difference to your food. Especially when it comes to preparing fish, it is important to preheat your pan or else it would turn out to be quite soggy.
Presently, most nations that disallow liquor do as such essentially for religious reasons. The reasoning behind these laws is fundamentally the same to our own particular prohibition period and even to those countries in the United States that still outlaws the offer of liquor today. These regions are generally congregated in the Bible Belt, where the thought of temperance still has a hold.

Afghanistan

There are a lot of spots authorized to offer beverages to foreigners while it's unlawful for local people to buy spirits in Afghanistan.

Bahrain

Liquor is just available in hotels and through private licenses to be purchased to non-Muslims just in Bahrain. Savoring liquor in public is still unlawful and being drunk can really get you tossed in a correctional facility.

Brunei

This oil-rich nation has some amazingly strict laws and really serious punishments like flogging in regards to liquor use. While it's unlawful for the ordinary individuals, the sultan of Brunei's family is known for facilitating extravagant gatherings that don't appear to be dry in the slightest.

Iran

While unlawful for Muslims and cruelly punished, the nation's Christian minorities are permitted to drink and regularly distil arak, moonshine produced using raisins.

Iraq

While alcohol stores might be lawful, that doesn't mean they are acknowledged by everybody, there have been some deadly attacks on different alcohol stores in West Baghdad.

Saudi Arabia

You can't purchase liquor legitimately anyplace in Saudi, however, that doesn't prevent a few individuals from attempting. Detainment, fines, and floggings are viewed as punishments for offering liquor in the nation and foreigners are subject to the local law as any other individual.

United Arab Emirates

While non-Muslim residents might apply for a permit to drink alcohol in their own particular homes and a grant to savor them in authorized establishments, the drinking culture here among non-Muslims or non-religious Muslims is huge. All things considered, the laws are still exceptionally strict in case you're found drinking without a permit or you cause inconvenience while under the influence, don't expect any tolerance.
Betting that the Chinese palate is now ready for something Mexican, Yum! Brands, owner of Pizza Hut and KFC, recently announced that it will open its first Taco Bell restaurant in China later this year according to Reuters.

Greg Creed, Yum! Brands Chief Executive Officer, made the announcement at a conference last Tuesday Reuters reports. The quick service restaurant's first China outlet will be located in Shanghai according to Creed but no definite date has been set yet.

Currently, Yum! Brands operate in 7,000 stores in the Asian country, consisting of Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets. Yum also owns Taco Bell, although the brand is yet to open its first branch in China.

Last October 2015, the company hinted that it is mulling the introduction of Taco Bell to the Chinese market citing "the growth potential for the Mexican brand in China" according to a Restaurant Business Online article.

However, there was much speculation whether or not Yum! Brands really intended to push through with last year's plan given the group's below expectations performance last year in its Chinese division.

Overall global financial performance of the Yum! Brands group was dragged down by its Chinese operations according to Restaurant Business Online. The company's management reacted by creating a totally separate spin-off, a separate publicly-own entity named Yum! China. The new company will be debt-free and will have an exceptional cash flow according to company announced last year as reported by Restaurant Business Online.

Yum! Brands Chinese woes started back in December 2012, when a powerful media outlet reported on local KFC suppliers' liberal use of antibiotics in their chickens according to CNN Money. It took the brand almost a year before it completely recovered from the scandal.

However, an even bigger scandal erupted in 2014 when YUM was accussed of selling tainted meat in its KFC locations. Though the company immediately distanced itself from its supplier, Shanghai Husi, the public was not quick to forgive this mistake. With plummeting sales, the company had to launch an extensive marketing campaign to convince customers that their food is safe.

Perhaps the spin-off strategy that the company adopted last year is now finally bearing its first fruits. With a predominantly Chinese leadership team, YUM! China might just prove itself that it has the required understanding of the local Chinese market and finally succeed in China - YUM! Brands' last frontier.
Reddit is known for having vibrant, niche-specific communities which may come off as abrasive at certain times. It has rightfully earned its reputation: many people would downvote whatever you're posting and people are not scared of posting what they want to say.

However, the online community, dubbed as "the front page of the Internet" is also host to heartwarming subreddits (or sections), and arguably one of the best ones is the Reddit Food Pantry.

What is it?

Basically, this community connects food donors to people who are in need for the short term. Anyone can ask for help - certain people do so may it be because of financial hardships, medical conditions, or when times are tough. However, the subreddit's guidelines clearly state that it's not a long-term solution.

And yes, it works

There are two types of posts in the subreddit, namely "Offer" and "Request". As their namesakes suggest, offer is posted by donors looking to help out those in need, while request is put online by those who need help.

Great examples of such posts inlcude:

Canadian looking for help for wife, 13 month old and myself on moving month. T2B 2K7

So not really used to reddit at all. Was suggested I come and ask for help here along with a few others places. Long story short is my wife has been laid off upon returning to work from maternity leave, I am just getting back to work after an injury and its move month. Dropped all the savings I had to make sure we have a stable place to go to for this month which means little to no food for us. Been rationing what we have left with priority going to her and our son. Any help would be amazing. I can make pretty much any thing spread out for some time so not looking for any junk food or anything thing like that.

[Offer] 93534 Have food I can deliver locally.

Hi so I have a bunch of food in my fridge I will never eat. And instead of throwing it away I figured I can give it to someone who needs it. I live in Lancaster, (Los Angeles County) California. I can drive up to- like an hour and a half if needed. Just google Antelope Valley or Lancaster to see if we are compatible. If you want to meet somewhere public that is like super cool with me and my kid.

The subreddiit works, considering that there are also "thank you" posts from users whose food needs have been fulfilled.

In terms of security, the subreddit's rules had it solved. Uses must include their zip or postal code and they need to be active Redditors. Also note that all transactions are direct, meaning, there is no middle party involved.
The recent settlement between New York and a restaurant operator highlighted a darker side to online ordering according to an article by Peter Romeo in the Restaurant Business Online.

The entry of online ordering businesses such as GrubHub, Seamless and Delivery.com, has been welcomed by New York City's busy population, along with the accompanying delivery services of course. Since payment is cashless, most customers also include their tips in their online payments. Of course, customers were expecting that these tips were to be passed on to the actual employees who delivered the food or other items to the customers' residences.

However, Wallace Lai, a New York City operator, admitted that he kept the tips that were charged to the credit cards of his customers when paying off the delivery of their orders. It was found that Lai actually did not forward any of the tips for deliveries coursed through his two Hong Kong stations for the period of May 2014 to January 2015, according to Eric Schneiderman, a New York Attorney General.

The settlement amount of $15,000 collected from Lai will be used to compensate for the 10 delivery men who did not receive the tip that was rightfully theirs to begin with, along with any wages or overtime pay.

Schneiderman expresses disgust with the practice, saying "It is outrageous that a business would cheat its workers and hoodwink customer by keeping tips that are meant for these hardworking employees."

This reminds one of the practice by UK's most popular restaurants of collecting a percentage out of their worker's tips. According to Simon Neville's article in the Independent, Pizza Express found itself in hot water last year when it was reported that the food company charged an 8 percent "administration fee" from the tips. However, the same article revealed that it was not only Pizza Express taking cuts from the tips of its employees. Big restaurant chains such as Ask Italian, Belgo, Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge, Giraffe, Las Iguanas, Prezzo, Spaghetti House, Strada and Zizzi were reported to ask admin fees as well.
The U.S. Department of Education will not penalize Nevada for failing to meet federal test-participation requirements , according to the Associated Press, after technical problems plagued the states administration of the Smarter Balanced test in the 2014-15 school year.

The state requested a waiver from the federal requirement in January. Failure to meet the testing requirement can lead to funding penalties for states.

In the Education Departments March 11 letter to Nevada granting a waiver for testing requirements, Ann Whalen, who is delegated the duties of assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, noted Nevada officials concerns about the validity of Smarter Balanced scores from the spring that resulted in many students inability to access tests online or, in some cases, complete the tests once accessed. But Whalen also noted that the waiver only covers the 2014-15 school year.

Nevada continues to have an affirmative responsibility to ensure that all students in grades three through eight and once in high school are assessed annually in reading/language arts and mathematics as required in the ESEA, she wrote.

Nevadas problems with the Smarter Balanced tests were relatively severeon April 15 of last year, for example, the state had to halt the exam altogether.

Were pleased with this result. We think its fair, Steve Canavero, Nevadas superintendent, told the AP.

Late last year, the federal department sent 13 states letters indicating that districts, subgroups of students, or students statewide had not tested 95 percent of students. A few of those states had relatively high-profile parental opt-out movements, including Colorado and New York. However, Nevada was not one of the states that received such a letter.

Canavero, who was previously the states deputy superintendent, spoke to Education Week for our story last year about the Smarter Balanced problems in Nevada. The state education department placed the blame at the doorstep of the states testing vendor, Measured Progress. Measured Progress, in turn, said they did not receive some coding on time from the American Institutes for Research, another Smarter Balanced vendor.

Montana , North Dakota , and Wisconsin were three other states to experience problems administering Smarter Balanced last year. (Unlike Nevada, Wisconsin was one of the 13 states to get letters from the federal department last year about low test-participation rates.)

An analysis from Measured Progress published last summer found that just 37 percent of Nevada students completed Smarter Balanced tests , while 76 percent of Montana and 88 percent of North Dakota students did so.

The 2014-15 school year was the first time most states administered tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Smarter Balanced was one of two federally funded consortia that developed common-core-aligned exams, along with the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

Read the Education Departments letter to Nevada below:

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Office workers frantically checking their brackets and NCAA basketball tournament live streams will cost their employers billions of dollars of productivity this year, according to a report. But the effects of March Madness fever on the workplace arent entirely negative.

Estimates vary on how Americans participate in March Madness pools each year. The American Gaming Association says about 40 million people will fill out more than 70 million NCAA Tournament brackets, with an average wager of $29 per bracket.

Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. estimates about 51 million officer workers join office pools during March Madness. Based on the countrys average hourly wage of $25.35, the outplacement consultancy firm estimates employers will lose $1.3 billion in pay to slacking employees per hour of distraction. Between time spent filling out brackets and watching tournament games live, the total loss of productivity could approach $4 billion.

Lets conservatively assume that workers will spend at least one hour putting together their office pool brackets, and then at least two more hours streaming games during the workday on Thursday and Friday, Andrew M. Challenger, vice president at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., said in a press release. Thats about $3.9 billion in lost wages paid to unproductive workers in the first week of the Tournament.

Easy access to live streams has made it that much easier for workers to sneak a peek at the action during office hours. March Madness Live, available on the NCAA and its partners websites, grants subscribers unlimited access to live feeds across a record 12 platforms, including desktops and mainstream mobile devices. Last year, the service generated more than 80 million video streams and nearly 18 million hours of video consumption, according to the NCAA.

With participation in March Madness pools so widespread, Challenger argues that its best for employers to go with the flow. Office competitions, even those without cash prizes, can boost camaraderie and employee happiness. Any attempt to shut down office pools and impromptu tournament viewing parties can have the opposite effect.

Efforts to suppress the Madness would mostly likely result in long-term damage to employee morale, loyalty and engagement that would far outweigh any short-term benefit to productivity, Challenger said. And, with labor markets getting tighter and tighter, employers would be better off embracing March Madness.
It's been a rough past couple of years forGeneral Mills . The company has seen competition from natural, organic, gluten-free products take market share, and its core cereal business has seen people, well, simply stop eating cereal. The result has been declining revenue and earnings. What could turn this company around?

GIS revenue (TTM) data by YCharts.

The organic movement slows downThe trend toward organic, natural, gluten-free products over the last few years has undoubtedly hurt General Mills. The company has tried to adapt by buying brands like Annie's, EPIC, and Cascadian Farm Brands, but these acquisitions are far more expensive than growing organically. Sales of natural and organic products for 2015 would have been just $675 million, out of $18.7 billion worldwide.

Image source: General Mills.

If the movement toward these products slows, General Mills could draw customers back to traditional brands in cereals, yogurts, and baking goods. It's difficult to gauge how this trend will evolve in the future, but one interesting data point is Whole Foods seeing growth slow dramatically over the past five years. Maybe that'll be a good sign for General Mills in the future?

WFM revenue (quarterly YOY growth) data by YCharts.

Small adaptations, like making Cheerios gluten-free, have also seemed to help performance lately, so small changes to adapt to customers' desires are helping the business. But broadly, the movement toward organics and natural products has to slow down for General Mills to return to growth.

International markets gain traction For a company like General Mills to grow, international markets need to play a key role in the business. But General Mills and competitors have found it difficult to crack many key markets.

In China, revenue was down 1% in first half of fiscal 2016, and in Brazil, revenue was down 2% over that time frame. What's proven difficult is translating U.S. brand success to those countries. Unless you're Coca-Cola, it's very challenging to bring a U.S. brand into a new market and immediately have success. The decline in sales in China and Brazil shows that General Mills is having problems with its international strategy, but a turnaround in these efforts would give the stock a boost.

E-Commerce could help growth Another interesting strategy being tested by General Mills is the sale of more products online. Amazon is selling products like Cheerios, Chex, and Cocoa Puffs through Prime Pantry, and the company is working with Wal-Mart and Peapod on e-commerce as well.

If e-commerce can become a growth market for General Mills, it could both increase sales and expand margins by cutting out a distribution layer. The transition of buying products online and picking them up or getting them delivered may be difficult, but it's a worthwhile effort because that's where customers are moving.

Don't expect a lot of growth from General Mills The best-case scenario for General Mills is that it slows the revenue decline and starts to turn positive again. But it'll take time for international sales, online platforms, and even organic demand to change the business dramatically.

In the grocery business, slow and steady wins the race. General Mills just needs some slow-and-steady wins to get investors excited about the stock again.

The article 3 Reasons General Mills Stock Could Rise originally appeared on Fool.com.

Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned.John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Source: Google.

Fraud is a major problem in the work of digital advertising, and Alphabet in February delivered what should be welcome news to companies worried about being hoodwinked.

Google's parent corporation rolled out a new feature that automates traffic coming from three of the Web's biggest and most troublesome botnets, or collections of computers that work together to drive fraudulent traffic across websites.

Botnets are a cancer on digital advertising. The traffic they generate is often indistinguishable from real human traffic, which means they can make it appear as if real people are seeing ads when few -- or significantly fewer than reported -- actually are.

How large a problem is it? To steal a word from this election season's most colorful presidential candidate ... it's yuuuge.

Billions in bogus adsAccording to one study, of every $3 spent on digital advertising each year, $1 goes to fraud. And botnets are responsible for a good portion of that.

In the U.S., fraud was responsible for some $8 billion in lost advertising money on the digital side each year, according to a 2015 report from the Internet Advertising Bureau, or IAB. Bots made up the single biggest area of what the bureau classifies as "corruption" and comprised a majority of the money lost. The estimate for one year of fake botnet traffic: some $4.6 billion, IAB says.

It's unclear how much traffic the three botnets Google has singled out -- Bedep, Beetal, and Changthangi -- have been responsible for, but they reportedly account for more than 500,000 infected computers.

A look at the size of the Bedep botnet as measured over 60 days. Source: Google DoubleClick Advertiser blog.

In any case, Google says its new feature will "significantly protect" against traffic the three generate. What's more, Google called its new technology "resilient to possible changes" the botnet creators make, meaning that it apparently can block traffic coming from newer computers that the botnets infected along the way, not just those originally employed in the scheme.

This bold claim shows the company's confidence in what it recently rolled out.

The latest move marks a "significant milestone in the defense of our advertising ecosystem," Andres Ferrate, chief advocate of ad traffic quality at Google, wrote in a blog post.

Uncertainty remainsFighting fraud is an important endeavor for Google, which earns the lion's share of its revenue from digital advertising and serves up targeted ads on websites through its Google Network member sites, a $15 billion business in 2015. These are the kinds of sites where botnets can thrive.

In brief, fraudsters can set up sites, monetize those sites with ads through a system like Google's, and then generate ad revenue by flooding the site with fake traffic from botnets. The losers in these schemes are the businesses doing the advertising, and the platform they trusted to deliver real traffic.

As you could expect, this activity has been a major concern for advertisers as they look to shift dollars from traditional ad outlets such as TV and print to digital platforms. When rating their misgivings about digital, fraud often hovers near the top of the list.

That demonstrates the importance of having companies such as Alphabet work to clean things up.

Your move, botnetsThis move from Alphabet won't draw many headlines, mostly because it doesn't affect how we use the company's search or other services, such as Google Drive or G+. But it is significant to the company and an important set of customers: advertisers whose revenue helps to pay for all those services we have come to use and rely on.

It won't be the final fight for Google and other companies that make their money selling ads on the Internet. As Google's Ferrate noted in his post, the battle against botnets and other ad fraud is a "game of chess against an opponent that is constantly changing the rules." And we can bet that those who make their money by perpetrating ad fraud are already plotting their next moves.

But this would appear to be a major step toward providing a stronger and better protected digital ad platform where skeptical advertisers can be more confident investing their marketing dollars.

That's important for all companies that rely on digital ad dollars as a significant portion of their revenue, but perhaps none more than Alphabet.

The article Alphabet Just Struck a Major Blow Against Internet Ad Fraud originally appeared on Fool.com.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. John-Erik Koslosky owns shares of Alphabet (A shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Source: EnLink Midstream Partners

One of my favorite things is locating deeply mispriced high-yield income opportunities for our readers. That's because the recent oil crash, which has hammered midstream MLPs such as EnLink Midstream Partners and its general partner, EnLink Midstream LLC , is a great opportunity for buying high-quality income investments at undervalued prices that could result in market thumping outperformance for years to come.

ENLK data by YCharts

Of course, while the severe beating that MLPs such as EnLink have taken over the past year might potentially represent a great buying opportunity, it could just as well be a warning to avoid EnLink Midstream because of major problems with its underlying business model.

To help you learn how to spot the difference, let's look at EnLink Midstream's full 2015 earnings results with a focus on the three most important factors income investors need to pay attention to when deciding whether to invest inthis badly beatenmidstream MLP.

What earnings metrics matter most

Metric 2014 2015 Change Adjusted EBITDA $377.6 million $678.3 million 79.6% Distributable cash flow (DCF) $301.4 million $529.3 million 75.6% Distribution per unit $1.47 $1.545 5.1% Distribution coverage ratio (DCR) NA 1.02 NA

Sources: earnings release, Yahoo! Finance.

Though midstream MLPs report earnings per unit because this is what Wall Street analysts focus on, it's not actually of much importance to investors. That's because the tax structure of MLPs as well as the capital-intensive nature of the industry result in non-cashfactors that cause massive earnings volatility, representing neither an MLP's cash flow-generating abilities nor how much it can sustainably afford to pay out to investors.

Thus, adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow are the two key metrics to focus on. To that end, EnLink Midstream had a fantastic 2015, with phenomenal growth in both, allowingmoderate payout growth. However, note how the distribution coverage ratio for 2015 still came in just above the 1.0 long-term sustainability cutoff. This is despite massive increases in cash flow, which potentially signals a problem with profitable growth in today's low-energy-price environment.

EnLink's DCF growth was mostly fueled by a combinationof $883 million in acquisitions, both dropdowns from its sponsor, Devon Energy , as well asfrom third parties such as Chevron.

For 2016, management is expecting adjusted EBITDA and DCF to grow about 12% and 10.5%, respectively, thanks in large part to its$1.55 billion January acquisition of Oklahoma assets from Tall Oak Midstream LLC.

Does the payout profile agree with Wall Street's bearish valuation?

Yield: 15.3%

2016 DCR guidance: approximately 1.0

5-year analyst annual distribution growth projections: 0%

EnLink Midstream Partners' sky-high yield indicates that Wall Street thinks there's something deeply wrong with this MLP, such as no obvious short-term growth catalysts, and a distribution that balances precariously on the knife's edge of unsustainability.

But as long-term investors know, the key to market-beating returns is to recognize when Wall Street is wrong and badly mispricing an equity. Are current growth and payout concerns about EnLink Midstream justified?

Based on management guidance of 2016 DCF growth, it would initially seem not. However, always remember to take such guidance with a grain of salt, because it's based on assumptions thatcould prove wrong. For example, EnLink needs to generate $524 million in DCF to hit its 2016 per-unit distribution target of $1.56.

Management's DCF guidance range of $545 million to $625 million seems to provide adequate security for this payout plan, but it's predicated on having respective oil and gas pricesremain between $27.50 and $60 per barrel, and $2 and $4 per MMBTU.

While crudecurrently trades in this range, gas prices don't.Should energy prices fall over the next year, EnLink Midstream's DCR could fall short and endanger itsgenerous payout. Of course analyst projections could always prove far too bearish. After all, as EnLink's latest big acquisition shows, the MLP can always buy its way to grow right? Well, not necessarily.

Can liquidity and the balance sheet drive really profitable growth to prove Wall Street wrong? Whether EnLink Midstream is worth buying comes down to just two questions: Is the payout sustainable? And can the MLPprofitably grow it in the long term?

To answer the first question requires checking to make sure that EnLink's cash flows are protected by long-term, fixed-fee contracts that also ensure volume stability.

Source: EnLink Midstream Partners investor presentation.

With 95% of 2016's operating margin derived from fee-based contracts, including substantial volume guarantees from major customers such as Devon Energy, it appears that EnLink's DCF is indeed highly secure.

Meanwhile EnLink Midstream's nearly $1.1 billion in available liquidity under its $1.5 billion credit revolver seems to back up management's claim that it won't need to raise any extremely expensive equity growth capital in the short term.

However, given the 5.0 debt/EBITDA or leverage ratio limit imposed by the debt covenant connected to that facility, it's not certain that this will truly be the case. In that case, investors need to consider that EnLink Midstream's 12-month trailing cost of capitalof 10.28%far exceeds its return on invested capital of 3.5% when adjusted for2015's $1.56 billion impairment charge.

In other words, EnLink Midstream has a history of failing to grow profitably, whichpotentiallyexplains why Wall Street is currently so down on its unit price.

Bottom lineIncome investors need to be aware that Wall Street's apparentridiculous undervaluationof EnLink Midstream represents valid concerns over the MLP's abilityto grow profitably, given today's extremely challenging market conditions.

The article EnLink Midstream Earnings: 3 Things All Dividend Investors Need to Know originally appeared on Fool.com.

Adam Galas has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Devon Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Image source: Masquerade.

Given its impressive string of recent wins, social media titan Facebook enjoys a seeming air of invincibility these days.

And though the world's largest social-media platform remains well-positioned for the future, one company still looms in many investors' minds as a threat to Facebook's profit machine -- Snapchat.

In recent years, the 4-year-old vanishing-video unicorn has snapped up much of Facebook's cool factor, particularly among younger millennials. However, one to never back away from a fight, Facebook recently responded in kind when it purchased the video filter start-up Masquerade.

Facebook's new toy: Masquerade According to a blog post from the start-up CEO's founder, Facebook has officially agreed to terms to purchase Masquerade, which also goes by the handle MSQRD) for an undisclosed amount. Masquerade develops digital video filters that allow users to layer cartoon-esque filters atop smartphone images, a feature that has proved especially popular among Snapchat's surging hordes of youthful users. And while the thought of creating a video of yourself vomiting rainbows might not strike you as serious business, Masquerade's booming growth metrics suggest Facebook might once again have made a prescient and timely acquisition.

Image source: Facebook.

According to Business Insider, data from mobile app tracking service Apptopia tells an impressive story. This January, Masquerade had registered 1.92 million total downloads. However, thanks to the explosion in video layering's popularity, the app's downloads surged to 7.6 million last month. What's more, the data service projects Masquerade's growth will surpass 13 million downloads in March.

This kind of accelerated growth over so short a time suggests the app indeed has tapped into something deeper than the kind of fly by-night growth often seen in the wonky world of mobile apps. As Apptopia COO Jonathan Kay commented to Business Insider:

The best defense... Social-media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat aren't exactly staid areas in the investing world. However, with billions of dollars on the line, Facebook's strategy in acquiring Masquerade appears largely aimed at subverting Snapchat's growing competitive threat.

Image source: Masquerade.

Facebook isn't necessarily the default social-media network among younger generations, thanks largely to a new wave of apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. To combat potential competitors, Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have demonstrated a deft touch in simply purchasing would-be competitors. Case in point: Facebook bought Instagram for a then-appalling $1 billion in 2012. However, given that Instagram's user base now exceeds 400 million users, Facebook's purchase appears prescient in hindsight. The company has followed a similar playbook for several other potential competitors with largely successful results.

Then there was SnapchatUnlike what other potential rivals may do, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel spurned Facebook's $3 billion cash acquisition attempt in 2013, a then-controversial move that has paid off significantly in the years since. Though its user or engagement metrics aren't publicly available, Snapchat is expected to generate revenues of between $300 million and $350 million this year, an impressive feat for a company that didn't exist at the start of the decade. What's more, its budding publishing and advertising platforms suggest that the company could indeed become the next great challenger to Facebook's social-media empire. Its $16 billion private market valuation doesn't hurt, either.

As such, Facebook's purchase of a start-up that produces filters eerily similar to Snapchat's should be largely interpreted as an attempt to steal some of Snapchat's thunder, especially among younger users. To what degree this will work remains far from clear. However, with Snapchat as the only major social-media company posing a legitimate threat to Facebook, this maneuvering is just good business for Zuckerberg & Co.

The article Facebook Goes on the Offensive Against Snapchat originally appeared on Fool.com.

Andrew Tonner has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Twitter. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Echo Voyager surfaces -- as a viable robotic alternative to manned submarines. Image source: Boeing.

For five long years, Boeing has striven to build the Navy a working robotic submarine. We knew they were working on it -- but what's surprising is how much better Boeing's robo-sub has become than our expectations.

Better ... and bigger.

Bigger and betterTo date, Boeing says it has actually developed two robot submarines -- Echo Ranger (18 feet long) and Echo Seeker (32 feet). Both submarines need to be carried to their takeoff point by ship, deployed, and then reloaded for transport back to port, however. Also, neither one can operate away from its mothership for more than two or three days at a time. Accordingly, Boeing considered both "Ranger" and "Seeker" to be test beds for something better to come.

That "something better" appeared last week, when Boeing drew the curtain on its latest iteration of the "Echo" line of robotic submarines -- and it's pretty big news.

The new Echo Voyager is a fully functional 51-foot submarine. That's only one-seventh the length of a Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarine built in tandem by Huntington Ingalls andGeneral Dynamics . But whereas a Los Angeles-class boat requires a crew of 130 sailors to operate, Boeing's robotic Echo Voyager requires a crew of... none.

Truly autonomous In fact, Echo Ranger doesn't even need a crewed "mothership" to support it. Boasting a "hybrid rechargeable power system," Echo Voyager can depart a port under its own power, and operate at sea "for months at a time" before returning to base. While operating thus independently, the craft can surface from time to time to transmit data back to its controllers at home.

According to Boeing, the robotic submarine will be able to conduct a range of missions -- from surveillance to minesweeping to payload deployment to "unmanned aerial vehicle operation" -- all autonomously. This, says Boeing Phantom Works Sea & Land Director Lance Towers: "It is a complete game-changing approach to how autonomous underwater systems will be used in the future."

What does it mean to investors?Boeing hasn't released a price for Echo Voyager yet -- or even confirmed that anyone is interested in buying. (But I think we can guess at one buyer who might be interested). Whatever the price turns out to be, Boeing believes this submarine will find a ready market among military buyers, scientific agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and even international commercial concerns, such as the deep sea oil drilling industry. Because right now, it sounds like Echo Voyager is a robotic submarine like no other on Earth.

Boeing has big plans to exploit this unique product, too, describing Echo Voyager as a "baseline vehicle" which can be reconfigured as buyers demand, and analogizing it to the Boeing 737. Like the 737, which sells a lot of units to airline customers -- but performs double duty as the basis of the P-8A Poseidon military aircraft as well -- Boeing plans to build both commercial and military variants of Echo Voyager.

Will Echo Voyager become as big a success as the Boeing 737, the best-selling airplane in Boeing history? Probably not -- at least not in its prototype form. But with development ongoing, we expect to see Boeing's Echo line of autonomous underwater vehicles continue to evolve, and grow in both size and capability. It should be a fascinating story to watch -- and at the near-11% profit margins Boeing earns on its Defense, Space & Security products, a profitable story as well.

Echo Voyager is scheduled to begin sea trials off the California coast this summer.

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The article Surprise! Boeing Just Built a 51-Foot Robotic Submarine! originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributorRich Smithdoes not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him onMotley Fool CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handleTMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 278 out of more than 75,000 rated members.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The happiest country in the world is famous for its butter cookies, Lego bricks and fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen  it's Denmark, according to the 2016 World Happiness Report.

Denmark's top spot isn't exactly a surprise. The country ranked first in the 2013 World Happiness Report and third in the 2015 report. In fact, most of the top 10 happiest countries have retained their spots from last year, "although there has been some swapping of places," the new report said.

The new report comes out just before World Happiness Day on March 20, and was released at the Bank of Italy during a conference on happiness and subjective well-being today (March 16). [See the Top 20 and Bottom 20 Happiest Countries of 2016]

Denmark scored a happiness rating of 7.526 out of a possible 10 points, with Switzerland (7.509), Iceland (7.501) and Norway (7.498) close on its heels. The United States (7.104) placed 13th  up two spots from last year, when it ranked 15th out of 158 countries.

Promote well-being

In an effort to foster sustainable development, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commissioned the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in 2012, with goals such as ending world hunger and poverty, ensuring healthy lives, and promoting well-being. The network of leaders from academia, governments and the private sector published their first happiness report in 2012 and every year after that except for 2014 because at first the report was published with18-month intervals.

The 2016 Happiness Report includes the rankings of 157 countries based on survey data from 2013 to 2015. Each country had an average sample size of 3,000 people who answered questions pertaining to six variables: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.

The top 10 countries are "all small or medium-sized Western industrial countries, of which seven are in Western Europe," according to the report. Surprisingly, the top 10 countries averaged a happiness score of 7.4  more than double the 3.4 average of the bottom 10 countries, according to the report.

The least-happy countries include Benin (3.484), Afghanistan (3.360), Togo (3.303), Syria (3.069) and Burundi (2.905).

Ministry of happiness

The rankings are telling, as they account for more than just the economics of a country, said Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University and co-editor of the report. [5 Weird Ways to Measure Happiness]

"Measuring self-reported happiness and achieving well-being should be on every nation's agenda as they begin to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals," Sachs said in a statement. "Indeed, the goals themselves embody the very idea that human well-being should be nurtured through a holistic approach that combines economic, social and environmental objectives."

In fact, five governments (Bhutan, Ecuador, Scotland, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela) have appointed "ministers of happiness," according to the report. However, it's unclear how much these ministers have helped to boost happiness. Though Venezuela created the position in 2013, the country dropped from the 20th- to 23rd-happiest country between 2013 and 2015, according to CNN.

Venezuela isn't the only country to move up or down the blissful ladder. The authors of the report compared data from 2005-2007 with that from 2013-2015, and found that out of 126 countries, 55 showed significant increases in happiness while 45 showed significant decreases. The remaining 26 countries had no significant change, the researchers found.

"The rankings show both consistency and change," said study co-editor John Helliwell, a professor emeritus of economics at the University of British Columbia. "The consistency at the top reflects mainly that life evaluations are based on life circumstances that usually evolve slowly, and that are all at high levels in the top countries.

"The year-to-year changes are also moderated by the averaging of data from three years of surveys in order to provide large sample sizes," he added. "However, when there have been long-lasting changes in the quality of life, they have led to large changes in life-evaluation levels and rankings, as shown by the many countries with large gains or losses from 2005-2007 to 2013-2015."

Overall, average happiness worldwide is 5.1, the researchers found. They added that people tend to be happier in societies that have more equal levels of happiness among its people.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Middle aged people whose mothers smoked heavily may be at significantly increased risk for breathing problems according to a new study from Australia.

Based on 50 years of follow-up, researchers found that adults exposed as children to their mother's smoking were nearly three times more likely than those not exposed to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

"Our findings suggest that mothers smoking might be linked to reduced lung function in middle age offspring by influencing lung growth during childhood," said lead author Jennifer Perret of the Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Melbourne.

"A reduction in lung function potential may predispose to lesser lung function in adulthood," Perret told Reuters Health by email.

Current public health messages recommend that no one smokes, especially pregnant women and young mothers, she said.

The researchers used a long-term health study from Tasmania that began in 1968 with more than 8,000 seven-year-old subjects. The children had lung function tests, along with other health assessments, and their parents answered survey questions including about their own smoking habits.

In 1968, almost 40 percent of mothers and almost 60 percent of fathers were current smokers. One-third of smoking fathers and 17 percent of smoking mothers were heavy users, smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. Twelve percent of kids were exposed to smoke from at least 40 cigarettes per day including maternal and paternal smoking.

In 2004, more than 5,500 of the original subjects responded to a follow-up postal survey and more than 1,000 underwent additional lung function testing between 2006 and 2008.

About 9 percent of the middle-aged participants who returned for testing had airflow obstruction, according to lung tests.

There was no link between mothers who smoked less than 20 cigarettes daily in 1968 and lung function in their middle aged children, nor was there a link to fathers who smoked any amount. But those with mothers who had smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day had 2.7 times the risk of airflow obstruction in middle age compared to those not exposed, according to the results published in Respirology.

Men seemed more vulnerable than women, and those with heavy-smoking mothers had 3.9 times the risk of COPD as those without the maternal smoking exposure. For women the maternal heavy smoking was linked to a doubled risk.

An individual's personal smoking history was not linked to additional COPD risk from maternal smoking. But another measure of lung function, the efficiency of oxygen transfer to the blood, was significantly more impaired in smokers with maternal heavy smoking exposure compared to smokers without the maternal exposure.

"We know that smoking during pregnancy results in smaller lungs in the babies and we know that maximally achieved lung function (typically at age 25) is lower if parents smoked," said Dr. Jorgen Vestbo, a professor of respiratory medicine at Manchester University in the U.K.

"However, this study has followed subjects for a very long time and can therefore show that in addition to affecting growth, the parental smoking also leads to actual lung disease later in life," said Vestbo, who was not involved in the study.

In general, all passive smoking, whether during pregnancy or early childhood, is bad for children, Vestbo told Reuters Health by email.

Lungs continue to grow for a few years after birth, the number of alveoli, or terminal lung sacs, increases and smoking exposure limits this growth, he said.

"In addition, secondhand smoke exposure leads to irritation and inflammation in the airways and if this becomes chronic there will be scarring (deposition of connective tissue) in the walls of the airways making them smaller and stiffer," he said. In COPD, airflow is limited due to airway inflammation or emphysema.

"(COPD) is the fourth most common cause of death in the world, causing 2.3 million deaths globally," Vestbo said. "Most patients do not die of COPD but of heart disease and cancer like most others," but the lung condition is disabling and impacts many areas of life, he said.
It seems like only yesterday  and in diplomatic terms it was  that the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress were assuring us the nuclear deal with Iran was something to celebrate, as one might laud the winning of a Nobel Peace Prize.

More sober thinkers, fearing Tehran would never comply with the agreement, envisioned Iran gaining access to $100 billion in frozen assets and using it to underwrite terrorism. When Irans radical leaders believe they get their marching orders directly from Allah, there is no way they would violate those instructions, which include the eradication of Israel and the defeat of the Great Satan, which would be America.

Last week, as part of a military exercise, Irans Revolutionary Guard launched several medium- and short-range missiles capable of reaching Israel.

The Washington Post reported, The longer ends of that range appear to exceed limits that the U.N. Security Council has imposed in connection to resolutions banning Iran from developing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Predictably, Iran denies any of its missiles are designed to carry nuclear weapons. Islamic extremists are permitted by the Koran to lie to infidels in pursuit of their earthly goals.

In another exercise in denial, an Obama administration spokesman claimed to be unaware of any missile launch. He should turn on his TV because the networks have carried video that purports to show them. The spokesman would only say, Its important that Iran live up to its obligations under the (nuclear) deal. Thats not about to strike fear into the Mullahs.

Two of the ballistic missiles reportedly carried messages in Hebrew that said, Israel must be wiped out. Its nice that Iran is not hiding its intentions, though U.S. diplomats and too many politicians refuse to take these gestures seriously.

President Obama assured us that if Iran violated the agreement, sanctions could be re-imposed, but that wont be effective, especially after unfrozen cash has already been transferred to Tehran. Now even Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has seen the light after favoring the Iran deal. Clinton issued this statement following the missile launch: Iran should face sanctions for these activities and the international community must demonstrate that Irans threats toward Israel will not be tolerated.

Contrast that statement with one she made at the time the deal was announced. Last July, Clinton called it an important step in putting the lid on Irans nuclear program, adding that she was part of building the coalition that brought us to the point of this agreement.

Its going to be difficult for her to squirm out of responsibility should Iran reach its goal of creating nukes. Or will she argue that the success or failure of the U.S.-Iran deal depends on the meaning of the word agreement.?
The Georgia legislature has given near-final approval to measure that would revamp testing requirements in the state.

The measure, Senate Bill 364 , has won approval from both houses of the state legislature, but must still go back to the Senate for another vote, since the House version altered the original bill voted on by the Senate, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .

The teacher-evaluation parts of the bill are whats getting the most attention, since it substantially reducesfrom 50 percent to 30 percentthe portion of a teachers evaluation that must be based on student test scores. The first section of the bill is devoted to evaluation provisions. My colleague Stephen Sawchuk has all the details on that for you at Teacher Beat .

But the second part contains significant changes for Georgias assessment program, including introducing new requirements that students demonstrate reading mastery by the end of 3rd grade, and mastery of basic math skills by the end of 5th grade. It would also cut science and social studies testing, requiring them only in grades 5 and 8, instead of 3-8.

Reflecting new opportunities in the Every Student Succeeds Act, the bill allows the state to create a pilot program that would let districts use a series of interim tests, instead of one summative test, to produce overall annual achievement scores. (The Georgia bill refers to these tests as formative tests, even though ESSA describes that option as using a series of interim tests. As weve reported, the interim-testing provision in ESSA has made assessment wonks kind of nervous .)

Senate Bill 364 says that districts should give formative assessments in grades 1 and 2 that have a summative component, even though its comprehensive assessment system covers only grade 3 and higher. It requires the state board to adopt a readiness test for entering 1st grade students, and urges districts to develop system of formative assessments for grades K-5 to track students readiness for 6th grade.

At the high school level, the bill would allow students to use scores on the college-placement test, Accuplacer, or on technical licensing or industry exams, to substitute for end-of-course tests.

If the bill is signed, the state will have to take steps to move testing windows closer to the end of the year in 2017-18. To maximize classroom instruction time, it wants districts to give tests in the last week of first semester, and in the last two weeks of second semester.

After dropping out of the PARCC consortium, Georgia decided to create its own common-core test for 2014-15 . That assessment program, Georgia Milestones , requires students in grades 3-8 to take end-of-grade tests in math, English/language arts, science, and social studies, and high school students to take tests at the end of 10 specified courses. Tests are typically given in April or early May.
Even as she racks up primary wins, Hillary Clinton is proving herself to be more delusionary than visionary. She is the contradiction candidate.

Listening to Clintons victory remarks after the latest round of primaries, it is clearer than ever why in a recent Gallup poll, most voters associate these words with her: dishonest, liar, dont trust her, poor character.

At a rally in Florida, Clinton said, our next president needs to be ready to face three big tasks. First can you make positive differences in people's lives? Second, can you keep us safe? Third, can you bring our country together again?

But consider these Clintonian contradictions:

She says, Ask any parent, you'll hear nothing is more important than making sure their kids have a good school and a good teacher, no matter what zip code they live in. But in a craven caving to teachers unions, Clinton abandoned her previous qualified tolerance of limited school choice and is now an unqualified defender of consigning many minority children and their parents to failed and dangerous public schools. Of course, Clintons daughter, Chelsea, attended private school.

Clinton says that, hard working Americans across our country deserve a president with both the ideas and the know-how to create good jobs with rising incomes right here in our country. Never mind the contradiction that as a U.S. senator, Clinton was a foe of policies helping job creationespecially by small businesses. Never mind the contradiction that Clinton gave President Obama an A for his handling of an economy that has, during his term, resulted in middle class incomes dropping and poverty increasing, especially among Clintons base of minority voters.

Clinton says, We're going to stand up for American workers, and make sure no one takes advantage of us, not China, not Wall Street and not overpaid corporate executives.

Contradicting all this: a CBS News investigation finding that a Chinese company run by a billionaire with close ties to the Chinese government pledged $2-million to the Clinton Foundation while lobbying Congress and the State Department.

Then theres the contradiction that with the average check Clinton collected for just one speech to one Wall Street firm, she made more than the average CEO makes in one year. Here are the numbers: The average CEO, using Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, makes $216,100. Clinton's speaking agent, the Harry Walker Agency Inc., charged about $275,000 a speech and packaged three for Wall Street's Goldman Sachs at $675,000.

Finally, Clinton says, We live in a complex and, yes, a dangerous world. Protecting America's national security can never be an afterthought. Our commander in chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it, engage our allies, not alienate them, defeat our adversaries not embolden them.Clintonian contradictions once again abound.

Clinton recently claimed that the U.S. didnt lose a single person in Libya when she was secretary of state. Considering that four Americans were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya while Clinton was contradicting the facts on the ground, this is worse than a gaffe statement: it is a bald-faced lie and an insult to the families of the slain American heroes.

As for the rest of her statement, with Hillary Clintons complicity, Americas relations with allies like Israel deteriorated to disastrous levels. Her state department opposed sanctions against Iran and she supports President Obamas dangerous nuclear deal with Iran.

Her reset with Russia was a setback and a subsequent scandal, as even the New York Times admitted in a story headlined, Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal. From Poland and the Czech Republic to Syria and North Korea, our foreign policy during Hillary Clintons tenure as secretary of state was to undermine our friends and cater to our enemies, as columnist Thomas Sowell detailed.

Hillary Clinton as commander in chief? Contradiction in chief is more like it.
Air Force fighter pilot-turned-congresswoman Martha McSally is in a dogfight for a generation of female aviators who paved the runway for her, but not even the president can help, according to a top Pentagon official.

The Arizona Republican, who became the first female fighter pilot in U.S. history to fly in combat and command a fighter squadron, is battling to win a place in Arlington National Cemetery for some 1,000 women who flew non-combat missions during World War II. At a House hearing Wednesday, she pressed the acting secretary of the U.S. Army on why President Obama has not taken action on behalf of the heroines known as the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).

At a time when we are opening all positions to women, the Army is closing Arlington to the pioneers who paved the way for pilots like me and all women to serve in uniform."  Rep. Martha McSally, retired Air Force colonel

"You really believe the commander-in-chief does not have the authority right now -- I mean he makes executive orders all the time -- that he can't say the WASPs are allowed or [grant] a group exception to policy?" McSally said.

Patrick Murphy, who is in charge of the branch while the nomination of Eric Fanning is being considered, said Obama is indeed powerless to open up the graveyard of American heroes to the women.

"I know it is not the answer you want to hear, but that is the answer," Murphy said.

Murphy testified that a 1977 law passed by Congress was re-interpreted by the Army last year as not allowing burial of WASP pilots at Arlington, even though they had been admitted previously. Only an act of Congress can change it now, he said.

"I can't change it unilaterally, [the defense secretary] can't change it unilaterally, the commander-in-chief can't," Murphy said.

The development was the latest twist in the controversy that began last year when the Army denied space in the cemetery to the female veterans who trained pilots and ferried combat aircraft from 1942-44. Although they were not considered active-duty military, they have since been honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, as well as veterans benefits.

Thirty-eight WASPs died during their service.

McSally is already working on the legislation Murphy said would be required to make the Army do an about-face. The retired colonel has sponsored the WASP Arlington Inurnment Restoration (WASP AIR) Act, which also has the endorsement of the Military Officers Association of America, the Air Force Association, the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, the Service Women's Action Network, the Women in International Service (WIIS) and the National Womens Law Center.

At a time when we are opening all positions to women, the Army is closing Arlington to the pioneers who paved the way for pilots like me and all women to serve in uniform, McSally said in a statement. These women fought, and died, in service to their country. They trained in the military style: sleeping on metal cots, marching and living under military discipline. They deserve the full honors we give our war heroes, and Ill continue to fight until they get them.

The issue was initially raised by the family of Elaine Harmon, a former WASP, who passed away in April 2015. When the family sought an Arlington burial, it was denied by the Army.

We appreciate Rep. McSally taking the lead on this issue to right this injustice for military trailblazers who were ahead of their time, said Whitney Miller, granddaughter of Elaine Harmon. This was our grandmothers last wish and we want to see this through. Not only was she a national hero, she was our familys hero.

The WASP unit was created in 1942 by Gen. Henry Hap Arnold, when the Air Force was part of the Army. Arnold intended to grant members full military status, though Congress never approved the plan. In 1977, Congress passed legislation retroactively granting active-duty status to WASP pilots for the purposes of all laws administered by Veterans Affairs. In 2009, Congress awarded the WASPs the Congressional Gold Medal.

Arlington National Cemetery, which is run by the Army, in 2002 approved WASP pilots for military honors and inurnment. But in March 2015, then-Secretary of the Army John McHugh reversed the decision based on a re-interpretation of the 1977 law.

McSally, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot who flew combat missions over Iraq, said she will continue to press the Obama administration for a policy change.

Her bill is now supported by 177 fellow lawmakers and was passed by House committee last month, according to Stars and Stripes. Senators Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., have introduced similar legislation.

"We've been in constant discussion with the [House] leadership about plans to bring it to the floor, so we look forward to action on that soon," McSally said.
What do the nomination of Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court, the House Republican budget, a new courtship of House Speaker Paul Ryan to run for president and Washington, D.C., commuters have in common?

They were all going nowhere Wednesday.

The head of Washingtons subway system ordered an historic, system-wide, 29-hour shutdown of the service, citing safety concerns. The alarming closure produced prodigious traffic jams and stranded people all over the metropolitan region.

They were going nowhere. And they werent the only ones.

The same day, President Obama nominated District of Columbia Court of Appeals Chief Judge Merrick Garland to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. But it didnt matter if the president tapped Felix Frankfurter, Warren Burger or the manager of In-N-Out Burger for the high court.

Garlands nomination was going nowhere in the Senate.

The commuting and confirmation snarls also provided a backdrop for a nine-hour House Budget Committee session preparing a spending blueprint for fiscal 2017. House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price, R-Gal., and the GOP leadership wanted the budget finished earlier this month. But fissures among House Republicans over spending and entitlements stymied the plan. After delays and tweaks, the budget panel finally approved the resolution, 20-16. Reps. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and Dave Brat, R-Va., were the two GOP noes.

But this budget faces a dim future on the House floor. Conservatives argue the budget should detonate a spending pact forged between the president and former House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, last fall. This budget fails to do that. As a result, Republican leaders are struggling with their vote count.

This budget is going nowhere in the House.

Finally, theres the latest flirtation with Ryan and the presidency.

Boehner backs his fellow Ohioan, Buckeye State Gov. John Kasich, for president. But the former speaker dropped a bombshell this week.

In an off-the-cuff moment before a trade association conference in Florida, Boehner said the Republican Party should consider choosing Paul Ryan as its presidential nominee. But there was a caveat. Boehner said Ryans name should only be in the mix if Republicans fail to anoint Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, or Kasich as their standard-bearer on the first ballot at the July convention. Of course this put Ryan on the defensive. Ryan asserted on CNBC he made a conscious decision not to run for president. Hes not mulling it. He rejected the idea of a contested convention. And Ryans spokeswoman indicated the speaker wouldnt accept the nomination.

Again, a prospect going nowhere.

But only in Washington would a dead-end roadway serve as a busy interstate. This phenomenon permeates the citys culture. Certain political enterprises look like they are going nowhere. But that rarely means political operators drop those projects immediately.

Merrick Garland visits Capitol Hill Thursday. He huddles with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Several Republican senators signaled a willingness to meet with Garland  even though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, are adamant theyll spike the nomination.

Oh yes. Id meet with anybody, said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. I meet with people. Thats what I do.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was more than happy to accept a courtesy call from Garland.

There should be personal meetings like we usually do, said Collins. The Senate works best when we follow the normal order.

Grassley spoke Wednesday with Garland on the phone. In fact, the call came at 3:19, according to the Iowa Republicans staff. The senator expressed interest in a confab with the nominee  even if its all for naught.

McConnell isnt budging. After his call with Garland, one of McConnells aides told reporters the Kentucky Republican would not be holding a perfunctory meeting, especially since the Senate will not be acting on this nomination.

Going nowhere.

House Republicans still havent resolved their internal schisms to advance the budget on the floor. But that didnt stop Ryan from praising the plan late Wednesday night.

The blueprint also repeals Obamacare, shrinks the EPA, improves Medicare and Medicaid, strengthens our military and calls for tax reform, said the speaker in a statement.

But does the budget achieve those things if its short of votes for passage on the floor?

Going nowhere.

The Ryan for president and brokered convention scenario? Time will tell. But from here on, the Capitol will echo with regular chatter about recruiting Ryan should the convention descend into a politico inferno.

I think a contested convention may be inevitable, proffered Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa. There are going to be hurt feelings no matter what.

Even if the Ryan idea is going nowhere.

(Of course, everyone keeps pointing out that the last time Ryan found himself in such a position, things actually did lead somewhere.)

It is said that all journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware. The political thoroughfares which bore through Washington, D.C., Wednesday seemingly transported its passengers nowhere. Vacant boulevards. Roads to oblivion. Yet, Washingtonians may end up at some outpost they never before anticipated.

Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there.
The Army's top general says military forces on the ground face a high level of risk if the United States gets into a large-scale conflict against a power such as Russia or China.

Testifying Wednesday on Capitol Hill, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley says years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, constrained budgets and troop cuts have had a cumulative effect on the service.

Milley says the Army is ready to fight the Islamic State group and other terrorist organizations.

But what Milley describes as a "great power war" against one or two of four countries  China, Russia, Iran and North Korea  would pose greater challenges.

Milley says the Army's readiness is not at a level that is appropriate for what the American people expect to defend them.
Secretary of State John Kerry declared Thursday that the Islamic State is committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East, after facing heavy pressure from lawmakers and rights groups to make the rare designation.

In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in territory under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims, Kerry said at the State Department, referring to the terror group by an adapted acronym of its Arabic name.

He accused ISIS of crimes against humanity and "ethnic cleansing."

The announcement was a surprise, at least in terms of the timing. A day earlier, a State Department spokesman said they would miss a congressionally mandated March 17 deadline to make a decision. Yet as the department took heat from lawmakers for the expected delay, the department confirmed Thursday morning that Kerry had reached the decision that Christians, Yazidis and Shiite groups are victims of genocide.

It comes after the House this week passed a nonbinding resolution by a 393-0 vote condemning ISIS atrocities as genocide.

Kerry's finding will not obligate the United States to take additional action against ISIS militants and does not prejudge any prosecution against its members, said U.S. officials.

Kerry, though, urged others to join in holding the group accountable; he called for an independent investigation as well as a court or tribunal to take action to that end.

Saying the terror network is genocidal in what it says, believes and does, Kerry recited a litany of documented atrocities including the execution of Christians in Iraq solely because of their faith and of Yazidis.

Lawmakers and others who have advocated for the finding had sharply criticized the department's disclosure Wednesday that the deadline would be missed. The officials said Kerry concluded his review just hours after that announcement and that the criticism had not affected his decision.

Secretary Kerry is finally making the right call, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said in a statement after the announcement Thursday. He added that President Obama should step up and lay out the broad, overarching plan thats needed to actually defeat and destroy ISIS. This administrations long pattern of paralysis and ineffectiveness in combating these radical Islamist terrorists is unacceptable.

The determination marks only the second time a U.S. administration has declared that a genocide was being committed during an ongoing conflict.

The first was in 2004, when then-Secretary of State Colin Powell determined that atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region constituted genocide. Powell reached that determination amid much lobbying from human rights groups, but only after State Department lawyers advised him that it would not -- contrary to legal advice offered to previous administrations -- obligate the United States to act to stop it.

In that case, the lawyers decided that the 1948 U.N. Convention against genocide did not require countries to prevent genocide from taking place outside their territory. Powell instead called for the U.N. Security Council to appoint a commission to investigate and take appropriate legal action if it agreed with the genocide determination.

The officials said Kerry's determination followed a similar finding by department lawyers.

Although the United States is involved in military strikes against ISIS and has helped prevent some incidents of ethnic cleansing, notably of Yazidis, some advocates argue that a genocide determination would require additional U.S. action.

In making his decision, Kerry weighed whether the militants' targeting of Christians and other minorities meets the definition of genocide, according to the U.N. Convention: "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group."

His determination, however, does not carry the legal implication of a verdict of guilt or conviction on genocide charges, the officials said. Such decisions will be left to international or other tribunals.

In a bid to push the review process, several groups released reports last week documenting what they said is clear evidence that the legal standard has been met.

The Knights of Columbus and In Defense of Christians, which had applauded Monday's House resolution, said they hoped the delay would ensure that Kerry makes the determination.

"There is only one legal term for this, and that is genocide," said Knights of Columbus chief Carl Anderson.

The groups' 280-page report identified by name more than 1,100 Christians who they said had been killed by ISIS. It detailed numerous instances of people kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and driven from their homes, along with the destruction of churches.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A key lawmaker who exposed a troubling federal turf battle in the immediate aftermath of Decembers San Bernardino terror attack charged Wednesday that government officials are following a familiar pattern by hunting down the whistleblowers behind the disclosure.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said he learned his sources are being sought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement immediately following a dramatic hearing Tuesday in which ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials acknowledged the disturbing incident on Dec. 3, one day after a terrorist couple gunned down 14 at a county office party.

I am concerned that ICE is attempting to identify and retaliate against whistleblowers who revealed a lack of cooperation between USCIS and ICE in the aftermath of the terror attacks in San Bernardino, Johnson said in a follow-up hearing Wednesday. Those who have the courage to come forward should not be retaliated against.

I am concerned that ICE is attempting to identify and retaliate against whistleblowers who revealed a lack of cooperation between USCIS and ICE in the aftermath of the terror attacks in San Bernardino.  Sen. Ron JOhnson, R- Wisc.

Johnson further expressed his concerns about retaliation in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and DHS Inspector General John Roth.

Johnson did not identify the person or persons who told him that USCIS bureaucrats barred federal investigators from their building when they came to interview Enrique Marquez a day after the terror attack. Marquez was a close friend of Syed Farook, who, with his wife Tashfeen Malik, carried out the bloody rampage. Marquez was later charged with supplying the couple assault rifles used in the attack, as well as other crimes.

Marsha Catron, Department of Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson, told FoxNews.com, DHS will respond directly to the Senator.

"DHS does not tolerate retaliation against employees who bring possible misconduct to light and complies with all whistleblower protection laws. As public servants working for both law enforcement and non-law enforcement components, our employees are held to the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct."



At the Tuesday hearing where Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, first raised the issue, ICE Director Sarah Saldana and USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez blamed poor communication for the fact that a federal agency impeded an investigation into a terror attack that had left 14 dead and 22 injured a day earlier.

How can you explain that they would not let Homeland Security agents in the building when they are saying, Listen you could have a potential terrorist here involved in what just happened yesterday in the slaughter of 14 Americans? Johnson thundered. And they dont even allow them in the office? How could that have possibly happened?

Instead of trying to improve communications, Johnson said, it appears ICE and its parent agency, DHS, are trying to root out his source. Johnson believes the whistleblowers could face retribution for the revelation.

"The federal government has a very poor record of retaliation, Johnson said. Weve held numerous hearings about this. It is really quite shocking how often the federal government retaliates. But I certainly will not stand for it, and I certainly dont think this committee will stand for any retribution against those who had the courage to come forward to reveal this incident."

Federal law expressly protects federal employees who provide information to Congress.

In the Dec. 3 incident, USCIS agents were investigating Marquez for marriage fraud, stemming from his 2014 union with Mariya Chernykh, a Russian national married to Farooks brother.

Rodriguez told Johnsons committee that it was a mistake for his agencys San Bernardino office to refuse entry to ICE investigators.

The guidance was to facilitate what Homeland Security Investigations was trying to accomplish, he said. Unfortunately, it all happened so quickly that it was incorrectly perceived that our folks were trying to obstruct what ICE was trying to do. There was never an actual intent to prevent them from doing what they needed to do.

Saldana testified she was initially concerned when her agents were blocked, but told lawmakers there was confusion and chaos in San Bernardino the day after the attack.

We had immediate conversations when it came to my attention, Saldana said. It was taken care of and clarified immediately. We did get the information we needed.

Both Farook and Malik were killed by law enforcement after their morning attack. Marquez is accused of making false statements in connection with his weapons purchases used in the San Bernardino shooting. Prosecutors also have alleged that Marquez and Farook plotted in 2011 and 2012 to carry out attacks at Riverside City College and on the 91 Freeway.

Marquez, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.

Johnsons committee is already investigating another case of retaliation inside DHS. Homeland Security Investigations Agent Taylor Johnson testified last year about retaliation against her and other whistleblowers who raised concerns about foreigners from countries with terror ties getting green cards under the DHSs E-B5 Visa Program. She testified that high-ranking USCIS officials and operatives of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid threatened her and her team.

Taylor Johnson was fired last month, as part of a possible pattern, according to the senator. She has mounted a fund-raising effort to pay her legal fees.

ICE has a track record of retaliating against whistleblowers, as in the case of Homeland Security Investigations Agent Taylor, Johnson said.
House lawmakers unleashed their frustration Thursday with state and federal leaders they say are trying to spread -- if not unload -- the blame for the Flint water crisis, as its impoverished community remains without clean running water to this day.

There are people in Flint, Michigan who are waking up today who cannot use the water. They cant drink the water, they cant take a shower. I cant imagine my family going through that, said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of House Government Oversight Committee, which held its second hearing on the matter this week.

He spoke as Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, the two officials at the center of the controversy, testified and faced a grilling from both sides of the aisle -- even calls for their resignation.

In his opening statement, Snyder said inefficient and ineffective bureaucrats at the EPA, in part, allowed the Flint water crisis to happen and continue.

In her testimony, McCarthy argued Michigan caused the problem, claiming EPA got confusing and inaccurate information from the state.

Both acknowledged some responsibility on their end as well. But lawmakers voiced frustration with the two witnesses.

Chaffetz went so far as to call for McCarthy to resign.

And he said there must be a full accounting of whether the Environmental Protection Agency at the regional level deliberately forestalled action when they knew the water was poisoned, as growing evidence has suggested.

And after Sydner, a Republican, insisted he could not provide specifics about how quickly he responded to the Flint mayors calls for help in 2015, or whether he knew of the well-publicized health problems there -- including e-coli, Legionnaires disease, and rashes -- Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-PA., appeared to boil over.

You were not in a medically induced coma for a year, he told Synder, the hearing's audience beginning to chuckle. I have had enough of your phony contrition  dripping in guilt, withdrawing your paycheck, hiring lawyers. Doing your dead-level best to spread accountability to others. It isnt appropriate.

Soon we will have husbands beating their wives and saying 'Im sorry, it is a failure at all levels,' said Cartwright. You need to resign, too, governor.

Flint switched its water source from Detroit's water system to the Flint River in 2014 to save money, but the river water was not treated properly and lead from aging pipes leached into Flint homes and businesses. Elevated levels of lead have been found in children's blood. Lead contamination has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems.

Emails, documents and hearings have indicated that the state knew much earlier that there were problems with the water and that pleas from the city that people were getting sick went unanswered. The EPA, which has oversight responsibility under the Clean Water Act, has been cited for not acting sooner and forcing out a whistleblower, EPA Region 5 Manager Miquel Del Toral, who brought the water problems to light as early as February 2015.

Chaffetz displayed, again, a memo by Regional Administrator, Susan Hedman, who resigned amid the growing crisis in January. The memo between EPA officials included one employee saying, "Perhaps she already knows all this but I'm not so sure Flint is the community we want to go out on a limb for." The memo had produced audible gasps from the audience at the earlier hearing this week, and on Tuesday Chaffetz said this was indicative of the callousness with which the people of Flint were being treated.

It one of the most offensive and disconcerting things Ive seen, he said.

Ranking member Elijah Cummings, D-MI, blasted the governor, raising the specter of lead-poisoned, brain-damaged, children.

People all around the governor were sounding the alarms, but he either ignored them or didn't hear them," Cummings said, citing emails showing that Snyder's top legal adviser warned in October 2014 that Flint should "get back on the Detroit (water) system" as soon as possible "before this thing gets too far out of control."



The warning came a year before Snyder says he became aware of the lead contamination on Oct. 1, 2015.

There will be an entire generation of children who suffer from brain damage, learning disabilities and many horrible effects of lead poisoning afflicted upon them by Governor Synders administration, he said. They will be sitting in third grade and not able to read the words see spot run and know what it is because there is lead running in their veins.

Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., used his time to go after McCarthy, putting her on the defensive over not holding more people accountable in Region 5, particularly Hedman, who he said was getting vacation time bonuses while the kids were getting poisoned.

You never fired anyone, he said. Mr. Del Toral should get a congressional gold medal.

They (EPA) didnt act, they gagged Mr. Del Toral, he continued, waving the June 2015 memo Del Toral wrote warning about high lead levels in Flint. A high school student could take his report and determine these kids were being poisoned.

McCarthy said the state Department of Environmental Quality were the ones to push back on the mounting crisis, had assured the federal agency that the memo was not conclusive at the time, and slow-walked everything they needed to do, precluding us from jumping in.

We were strong armed, we were kept at arms length, we could not do our job effectively, she said, noting that the state people bad mouthed Del Toro and told everyone outside he was a rogue employee. Miquel Del Toral is a hero.

For his part, Snyder said he took immediate action after learning that Flint's water was contaminated. He reconnected the city with Detroit's water supply, distributed water filters and began testing residents -- especially children -- for elevated lead levels, Snyder said.

"Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind -- the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded," Snyder said.

A state investigation has "uncovered systemic failures" at the state DEQ, Snyder says. "The fact is, bureaucrats created a culture that valued technical compliance over common sense -- and the result was that lead was leaching into residents' water."

In response to the crisis, the state has approved $67 million in emergency spending, with a request for $165 million more, Snyder said. The governor called for Congress to approve a bipartisan bill that would spend $220 million to fix and replace lead-contaminated pipes in Flint and other cities. Senators from both parties have reached a tentative agreement, but the bill remains on hold amid objections by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Donald Trumps emergence as the big fish in a now-tiny pool of three remaining Republican presidential candidates has touched off a remarkable scramble by political powerbrokers to quickly choose sides, all while talk of a potential independent run isnt going away.

The feverish effort to either boost or block Trump is leading to unexpected alliances as some hitch their name to the GOP front-runner, and others do whatever they can to try and thwart him. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a former candidate who previously had backed Jeb Bush, was the latest surprise, announcing Thursday hes now banking on Ted Cruz.

Graham bluntly acknowledged he prefers Ohio Gov. John Kasich  but said only Texas Sen. Cruz has a path to defeating Trump in the primary.

If we give the banner of the Republican Party to Donald Trump, we tarnish it, maybe, forever. That might be the end of the Republican Party as we know it, warned Graham, who plans to hold a fundraiser for the Texas senator.

On the sidelines, a trio of conservative leaders also held a meeting in Washington Thursday to discuss a stop-Trump strategy. As first reported by Politico, Erick Erickson, the founder of RedState.com, was joined by former adviser to President George. W. Bush Bill Wichterman, and South Dakota businessman Bob Fischer.

Erickson told Fox News on Thursday the meeting was attended by conservative activists who see the Trump candidacy as a threat to the conservative cause. Contrary to what the Trump campaign says, it wasnt the elite.  It was the guys who have been knocking on doors for Republican candidates for decades  people who are actually committed to conservative principles ahead of the party, he said.

This chaotic phase of the primary race is making for some strange bedfellows.

Graham, for instance, previously had taken to trashing Cruz in interviews. He told CNN last month the senator might be worse than President Obama and if the GOP choice is between Trump and Cruz, "it's the difference between poisoned or shot -- you're still dead."

Now, Graham is setting those misgivings aside as the prospect of Trump winning the nomination becomes increasingly likely.

Even Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, while stopping short of an endorsement, reportedly said Wednesday that Cruz is the only conservative left in the race. Back on Capitol Hill Thursday, Rubio said there is still time to stop a Trump presidency. Meanwhile, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who had backed Rubio, says shes now rooting for Cruz.

At the Erickson meeting, among the options reportedly being discussed was sending a last-minute candidate to the convention in Cleveland if no candidate reaches the coveted 1,237 delegates and the convention is deadlocked.

He told Fox News the biggest consensus point was that both Trump and Hillary Clinton are unacceptable candidates for the presidency. Regarding a strategy to defeat Trump, he said the consensus was that everyone would rather settle this on the convention floor at the Republican convention in Cleveland.

Though the main strategy is to use convention rules and delegate math to deny Trump the nomination, Erickson did not rule out a last-minute effort to run an independent candidate if Trump ultimately wins the nomination in Cleveland.

The meeting comes just days after Trump won at least three states, including Floridas 99 delegate winner-take-all contest, and declared victory in a fourth, Missouri.

Before Tuesday, Cruz also had ex-candidates Rick Perry and Carly Fiorina in his corner.

But even as Cruz gains additional support, Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are gaining new backers.

Trump already had the endorsements of former candidates Chris Christie and Ben Carson. He added to that the support this week of Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

Donald Trump is clearly the will of the voters. We need to listen to them, coalesce behind him, Scott told Fox News.

And Kasich has picked up support from Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, as well as from former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt. Utah votes next week, alongside Arizona.

Governor John Kasich had a decisive and critical win in Ohio, Leavitt said in a statement. I trust his temperament and the tone of his campaign. I worked closely with Governor Kasich over many years and I have witnessed his ability to bring people together to get things done. I think he has the best opportunity to beat Hillary Clinton.

While Trump vows he will eventually win the nomination, party leaders are unsure whether he might enter the convention with the requisite 1,237 delegates. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday its becoming more likely that the convention will be open.

But Trump could still emerge the nominee at a contested convention.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich told Fox News on Thursday that the talk of a contested convention is only complicating the process. He said Trump and Cruz have 80 percent of the delegates and any insurgent candidate from the establishment would be taken down by the two.

Its an amusing parlor game, it has no meaning in the real world, Gingrich said. If they want to form the lets elect Hillary Clinton club, fine.

There was yet another reported plot to thwart Trump. Earlier in the month, it was reported that Bush met with Rubio, Cruz, and Kasich individually before last Thursdays debate in Miami. Rubios spokesperson then urged his supporters to vote for Kasich in Ohio, a state he won.

Additionally, Cruz pulled advertising and campaign staffers from both Florida and Ohio.

Trump, meanwhile, continues to face a string of controversies. He was scolded by Ryan on Thursday after saying there could be riots if hes not chosen at the convention. The Daily Caller also reported that a Trump op-ed published in a Guam publication appeared to be partly plagiarized from an op-ed from Carson published in a Northern Mariana Islands publication.
The Obama administration is being accused of stalling a congressional investigation into a purported $1.7 billion taxpayer-funded ransom payment to Iran in exchange for the release of several U.S. prisoners, according to documents and information provided to the Washington Free Beacon by sources familiar with the matter.

The administration initially came under fire from congressional critics in January, when it was announced that the United States had settled a longstanding legal dispute with Iran over the breakdown in a decades-old arms sale.

Under the terms of the settlement, Iran was to be paid a $400 million balance and an additional $1.3 billion in interest from a taxpayer fund maintained by the Treasury Department, a State Department official confirmed to the Free Beacon in January.

The settlement was reached outside of the recently implemented nuclear deal and is separate from the $150 billion in unfrozen cash assets the United States is obligated to give to Iran under that agreement, the official said.

The $1.7 billion payment was announced just prior to the release of five U.S. prisoners who had been held in Iran, leading to accusations that the deal is tantamount to a ransom payment. Iranian officials, at the time, independently described the transaction as a form of ransom.

While the Obama administration immediately denied that the two issues were linked, lawmakers remained skeptical and pushed for more answers.

Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon.
The House Benghazi Committee will interview former CIA Director David Petraeus for a second time this upcoming weekend at the Capitol, Fox News learned exclusively on Thursday.

The second session will take place in a secure area of the Capitol at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Few members of the committee will be there, officials told Fox News. The meeting will be mostly counsel for the committee.

Petraeus appeared for four hours at a closed door session of the Benghazi Committee on Jan. 6 for an initial interview, but the committee wanted more time. Most other major witnesses have spent anywhere from six to ten hours with the Benghazi Committee.

Officials told Fox News in January that there would be an effort to bring Petraeus back for additional questions from investigators, even off-campus or in New York City.

The Saturday meeting will not be the first time the nations former top spy negotiated strange circumstances for his appearance.

The House Intelligence Committee also heard from Petraeus in a bizarre, pre-dawn, clandestine hearing on November 16, 2012, which came barely two months after the Benghazi attack and shortly after Petraeuss dalliances with Paula Broadwell came to light.

The Broadwell affair ended Petraeuss time as Director of Central Intelligence. U.S. Capitol Police and the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms offices covertly squirreled Petraeus into the Capitol through a rabbit warren of nearby tunnels. No one at the Capitol that day ever caught a glimpse of Petraeus until he left in a car with tinted windows later in the day.

When Petraeus spoke to the committee in January, security officials also escorted him to the briefing room through a series of non-public access points.

Fox News Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
In an angry vote Wednesday night, the Fort Wayne school district refused to let its students participate in piloting new tests. The move has reportedly prompted state department of education officials to consult their lawyers about whether districts may refuse to participate.

According to the News-Sentinel, the Fort Wayne Community Schools board unanimously rejected the state board of educations request to have randomly chosen grade levels of students at 39 schools spend between 30 minutes and two hours trying out questions for the states 2016-17 test.

Piloting test items is a standard stage of test development, undertaken to find flaws in questions and test forms so they can be revised before operational testing begins.

But Fort Wayne board members said they didnt want their students using instructional time to help the state develop the next generation of the ISTEP+. Indiana set out to revamp its test by 2017 in response to anger about its length, questions about its accuracy, and trouble with online administration.

This does not help our kids at all, board member Glenna Jehl said about Indianas current request for districts to pilot yet another round of test questions, according to the News-Sentinel. Somebody has to say, Enough is enough.

Participation in the pilot will take away from my sons learning, said another board member, Jordan Lebamoff. Participation in the pilot will not teach my son anything.

This wasnt a board breaking away from its district leadership, either. Fort Wayne Community Schools Superintendent Wendy Robinson had recommended that the board reject the states request, which landed only a week before this years ISTEP+ testing began in late February.

At least one other district in the Fort Wayne area, Northwest Allen County Schools, also plans to hold its students out of pilot testing , the Journal-Gazette said.

The Fort Wayne community schools had its own attorney, and its president, who is also a lawyer, review regulations, and they advised the local board that it has the right to refuse to participate in the pilot, according to the newspaper.

A spokeswoman for the state department of education did not respond to Education Weeks request for comment.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio said Thursday he has no plans to run for governor, or consider being a vice presidential candidate in 2016.

He spoke as he returned to the Senate two days after dropping out of the 2016 presidential race.

Rubio suspended his campaign Tuesday after losing his home states primary to Donald Trump. As he returned back to work, he sidestepped the idea of running in 2020 and did not back a candidate for 2016. He also ruled out running for any other office anytime soon.

Im not interested in being vice president, he told reporters. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way, Im not running for governor of Florida...I will be a private citizen in January.

Rubio had previously promised not to run for re-election to the Senate.

Looking back at his campaign, Rubio said he regretted his verbal spat with Trump and added his campaign was just not what the electorate wanted, conceding that the 2013 immigration reform bill was a factor in the failure of the campaign.

We ran a race Im very proud of, it's just not what the electorate wanted this year, he said.

He also weighed in on Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

I know enough about his record to know I wouldn't be supporting him, Rubio said, but later added that he would be prepared to meet with Garland.

Fox News Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday its looking more likely the Republican Party will face an open convention in July  meaning, a floor fight to pick a nominee  and that Donald Trump and the party might want to accept that reality.

Ryan discussed the possibility with reporters as he noted hes the chairman of the convention and will have to bone up on all the rules. He openly acknowledged that  even as Trump puts away another round of primary victories  a convention where no candidate has reached the necessary 1,237 delegates could actually happen this year.

Nothing has changed other than the perception that this is more likely to become an open convention than we thought before, Ryan said. So, we're getting our minds around the idea that this could very well become a reality, and therefore those of us who are involved in the convention need to respect that.

He said his role as speaker is to be dispassionate and to be Switzerland, and ensure that delegates abide by the rules in making their decisions.

Ryan also tried to tamp down speculation he might be put forward as an eleventh-hour alternative to front-runner Trump. This, after ex-Speaker John Boehner made an off-the-cuff comment that hed back Ryan if Republicans are stymied on choosing one of the three remaining candidates.

Ryan said Thursday hes essentially told Boehner to knock it off.

It's not going to be me. It should be somebody running for president, Ryan told reporters.

Trump, with each set of wins, has tried to look ahead to the general election contest, which he presumes will be against Hillary Clinton. He declared once again Tuesday that he would win the nomination.

But speculation swirls over the possibility that Trump might not clinch the nomination before July.

Meanwhile, Capitol Hill leaders once again found themselves debating Trumps candidacy Thursday.

On the Democratic side, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans of fostering the conditions for years that allowed Trumps candidacy to thrive. Reid said if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wonders where Trump came from, He should take a look in the mirror.

He said the anti-Muslim rhetoric on the right spawned Donald Trump, as did anti-Latino sentiments.

The Republican Party has become without question the party of Trump, Reid said.

Ryan said Thursday he doesnt think hell have to denounce Trumps campaign overall based on his rhetoric.

But he did scold Trump over a comment that there could be riots if he doesnt win at the convention.

Ryan said to hint at violence is unacceptable.
The State Department will miss a congressionally mandated deadline to decide whether to call ISIS atrocities against Christians and other religious minorities a genocide, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The March 17 deadline was set as part of the 2015 omnibus government spending bill. A resolution passed the House Monday with a unanimous vote of 383-0 on Monday saying ISIS is committing genocide. However, the State Department says Secretary John Kerry needs more time.

Determining these kinds of legal definitions such as genocide, crimes against humanity, requires a very detailed, rigorous legal analysis, spokesman Mark Toner said.

He just wants to be able to make or base his decision on the best evidence available and he has requested additional evidence, information in order to [make that decision]," Toner said.

It is not clear what legal recourse Congress may have to enforce the deadline. A spokesman for Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told FoxNews.com that Ryan will address the issue at a press conference Thursday.

Last week, ISIS militants killed 16 people, including four Catholic nuns, at a retirement home in southern Yemen, Ryan said in a statement Monday. This is the latest in a string of brutal attacks committed by ISIS against Christian and other minorities. Yet the administration has still not called this what it is: A genocide.

We want to label what this is so this never happens and should not happen, and someone has to stand up, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told Fox News Bill Hemmer Monday.

"For four months now, the House has been pressing the administration to acknowledge that ISIS is committing acts of genocide. And for four months, weve been told an announcement is coming shortly," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said of the process.

When asked on March 1 why the administration has yet to make the determination, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the word genocide involves a very specific legal determination that has, at this point, not been reached.

A declaration of genocide has been supported by presidential candidates, including Sen. Ted Cruz and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

FoxNews.com's Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
With Marco Rubio dropping out of the Republican presidential race Tuesday, the Florida senator leaves a large cache of delegates behind. So what happens to them, and the delegates of other former candidates, at the convention in Cleveland?

The short answer is: It varies from state to state, but the Republican Party leaves enough wiggle room that the delegates of former candidates could end up being a factor in July.

"An unbound delegate is worth their weight in gold," Rick Wilson, a GOP strategist, told FoxNews.com. "It's hard to speculate and there's a lot going on right now."

Rubio, in suspending his campaign after his home-state Florida loss, leaves 169 delegates behind. Ben Carson accrued eight delegates before he dropped out of the race, while Jeb Bush picked up four. Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul each picked up one in Iowa.

And if either Ted Cruz or John Kasich drop out in the weeks ahead -- and Donald Trump still has not clinched the nomination with the necessary 1,237 delegates -- additional zombie delegates could be in play in Cleveland.

And they could hold sway.

That's because in most states, delegates become "unbound" and are free to support other contenders as soon as their candidate withdraws.

They don't necessarily have to gravitate toward the front-runner at a contested convention, or, in the case of Rubio's delegates, the candidate the Florida senator may ultimately choose to endorse.

They would become essentially free agents, prizes to be wooed by the candidates duking it out in Cleveland.

However some states bind their delegates to the first ballot no matter what.

In Tennessee, delegates are bound for two rounds of voting, while in Iowa, Texas, Virginia, Montana, Nevada, Puerto Rico and Washington, candidates are bound for at least one round of voting whether or not the candidate has withdrawn.

In South Carolina, delegates are bound to the candidate for the first ballot. However, if the winner is not nominated, they are bound to the candidate who finished second or third in the state.

The various state laws mean that while some of the delegates can already peel off to other candidates, many would have to wait until after a first ballot in order to be able to vote for another candidate still in the race.

It remains unclear whether front-runner Trump might be able to reach 1,237 delegates before the convention and avoid this drama. He currently has 661; Ted Cruz has 406; and John Kasich has 142.

Those, such as Kasich, who are banking on the prospect of a contested convention, where the delegates of ex-candidates and other factors could be in play, see a blueprint in past races dating back decades.

Since 1880, there have been eight contested GOP conventions and in five of those, the eventual winner did not go into the convention with a plurality of delegates.

In the 1976 Republican convention, it was the unbound delegates moving toward President Gerald Ford instead of Ronald Reagan that handed Ford the nomination that year. Ford held a slight lead going into the convention, but was shy of an outright majority.

In part by using the power of the White House, with promises of visits and patronage to woo over delegates, Ford won the nomination on the first ballot, by a slim 60 votes.
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Buzz Cut:

 Whats next for Republicans?

 Kingmakers? Its komplicated

 Speaker says No

 Hillary struggles with indies

 Probably trying to get to the other side

WHATS NEXT FOR REPUBLICANS?

March has been a month of rude awakening for the GOP. Although most eyes were initially focused on the early states in February to do the major winnowing of an excessively large Republican field, the delegate-heavy contests of late winter havent yielded hoped for decisive results. Now spring is about to bloom, and the buzzing of brokered conventions and delegate math grows louder, so where do the three remaining candidates go from here?

At this point in 2012, eventual nominee Mitt Romney had pretty much locked it up after Super Tuesday, despite a strong performance by former Sen. Rick Santorum, who knocked down former Speaker Newt Gingrichs chances after winning more of the Southern states Gingrich had been relying on. Both Gingrich and Santorum remained in the race through April, but the choice was clear: Romney would be the nominee.

But this cycle, despite a series of Super Tuesdays and a compressed calendar designed to bring forth a clear cut nominee more quickly, party fracturing has reached unheard of levels and a muddy road looms.

Looking at the math, Donald Trump obviously has the lead but there are still about 40 percent of delegates left on the table in the upcoming contests. In order to clinch the prize Trump needs to win about 60 percent of the remaining delegates to avoid any question of his right to the nomination.

While Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz have notched wins in most of the contests thus far, the remaining states on the map arent a slam dunk for either one of them. Next Tuesdays contests in Arizona and Utah are among the last of the remaining reddest of red states, leaving mostly general election blue states with moderate Republican voters.

Enter John Kasich.

Kasichs chance of winning the majority of delegates is non-existent. He would need more than 100 percent of the remaining delegates to have the nomination outright. His whole strategy is a brokered convention.

To strengthen his cause, Kasich will need to count on splitting voter groups based on the patterns weve seen so far. While Trump will likely continue to dominate downscale, blue-collar, white voters in states like Pennsylvania and New York, Kasich will look to take the moderate, establishment Republicans that Sen. Marco Rubio failed to capture.

The biggest prize dates left to watch will be April 26 where 172 delegates will be awarded, all from East Coast states, and June 7 (the last day of the Republican primaries) where 303 delegates will be awarded with 172 from California alone.

Four years ago, the role of the late season primaries was mainly to fill in the fractures left by early contests and smooth the ride for the presumed nominee. In 2016 however, the road to Cleveland looks cratered indeed, and may get worse. Hold on to your hat.

[GOP delegate count: Trump 673; Cruz 411; Kasich 143 (1,237 needed to win)]

Kasichs plan - WashExs David Drucker says look to the summer: Kasichs strategy rests on the GOP delegates in Cleveland choosing to bypass the likely first and second place vote getters  Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas  and throwing him the nomination

Kingmakers? Its komplicated - Fox News: With Marco Rubio dropping out of the Republican presidential race Tuesday, the Florida senator leaves a large cache of delegates behind. So what happens to them, and the delegates of other former candidates, at the convention in Cleveland? The short answer is: It varies from state to state, but the Republican Party leaves enough wiggle room that the delegates of former candidates could end up being a factor in July [I]n most states, delegates become unbound and are free to support other contenders as soon as their candidate withdrawswhile some of the delegates can already peel off to other candidates, many would have to wait until after a first ballot in order to be able to vote for another candidate still in the race.

Speaker says No - The Hill: [Speaker Paul Ryan] slammed the door shut on speculation that he could be the GOP presidential nominee if front-runner Donald Trump cant secure enough delegates before the partys convention in Cleveland this summer. Asked if there was any scenario in which he could imagine being the Republican nominee, an exasperated Ryan told The Hill: No, there isnt. No is the answer. Definitively.

WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE

Todays celebration of St. Patricks Day likely means youll see some sort of leprechaun decorations cross your path, but the red-haired men dressed in green top hats is not how legend describes these mythical creatures. Mirror: The early bearded fairies wore red jackets, laced with gold, according to ancient tales. They are also believed to have sported red, pointed hats (instead of green top hats adorned with shamrocks) and white or brown beards (not ginger ones). In 1831, Irish novelist Samuel Lover wrote that the Leprechaun was  quite a beau in his dress, notwithstanding, for he wears a red square-cut coat, richly laced with gold, and inexpressible of the same, cocked hat, shoes and buckles.

Got a TIP from the RIGHT or the LEFT? Email FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM

POLL CHECK

Real Clear Politics Averages

National GOP nomination: Trump 36 percent; Cruz 21.8 percent; Kasich 12 percent

National Dem nomination: Clinton 51 percent; Sanders 39.6 percent

General Election: Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +6.3 points

Generic Congressional Vote: Democrats +1

HILLARY STRUGGLES WITH INDIES

WSJ: When the general election rolls around, Mrs. Clinton will also need to attract independentssomething she has struggled to do thus far. In Michigan, for example, Mr. Sanders scored the biggest upset of the race by winning 71% of independent voters, compared with 28% for Mrs. Clinton. The pattern was similar in Missouri, one of the five states that voted on Tuesday and the toughest fight of the night for Mrs. Clinton. The Associated Press deemed the race too close to call as of Wednesday. Had she done better among independents in the state, she likely would have notched a clear win. Independents accounted for about a quarter of the vote in Missouri, and Mrs. Clinton won just one-third of them, exit polls showed.

Trumped in key battleground states - HuffPo: [B]uried within [Clintons Tuesday] victory was a troubling trend for the party front-runner: She is doing a terrible job turning out voters, particularly in the states that will matter most in a November matchup against Donald Trump. More people voted for Trump than for Clinton in two states Tuesday night -- Missouri and Ohio. In Florida, Clinton edged Trump by a nose -- less than 2 percent. Clinton had only one other candidate splitting the Democratic vote in a contested election, while Trump was embroiled in a four-way contest that factionalized Republican voters.

Did the Trump rally violence help Hillary? - The New Yorkers John Cassidy suggests that the violence at Donald Trumps Chicago event last week scared last minute Democratic voters into supporting Clinton out of fear Sanders wouldnt be a strong enough general election candidate against Trump.

The Judges Ruling - Was Donald Trumps cancellation of his Chicago rally an example of the hecklers veto? Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano says while legal issues regarding speakers and hecklers at political rallies are complex and subtle, the law is clear. The First Amendment tolerates the maximum possible public discourse, disagreement and confrontations; and it commands the government to protect the values it embodies. More here.

PROBABLY TRYING TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE

UPI: Police in Tennessee looked to answer the age-old question of why the chicken crossed the road, when they wrangled a loose fowl on Tuesday evening. Franklin police department tweeted that officers were attempting to capture a chicken that had walked onto a local road in the downtown area around 5:15 p.m. local time. Officers are trying to wrangle a *chicken* in the downtown Franklin area, they wrote. Its crossed the road & were working to determine why. True story. About 15 minutes later the police department confirmed that the chicken had been safely captured and expressed some disbelief at the situationNeither the chicken nor any officers or civilians were injured in the capture.

AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLES...

The idea that the president said [Wednesday] this isn't about ideology it's about competence is nonsense. All that was destroyed with the Bork nomination. The most highly competent, qualified nominee probably ever, struck down entirely on ideology and when Obama was in the Senate he filibustered Alito, who he admitted had all the qualifications...It is about ideology, it's about power. The Republicans have the power to say no. They should say no. - Charles Krauthammer on Special Report with Bret Baier Watch here.

Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.
Scans of King Tutankhamuns burial chamber show hidden rooms that could contain metal and organic material, Egypts antiquities minister said Thursday, intensifying speculation that the chambers may contain the remains of Queen Nefertiti.

However, Mamdouh el-Damaty declined to comment on whether treasure or mummies are inside the chambers during a Cairo press conference. The minister explained that analysis of scans made by a Japanese team showed chambers that would be scanned again at the end of the month to get a better idea of what may lay inside.

Related: Is this the face of Tutankhamun?

"It means a rediscovery of Tutankhamun ... for Egypt it is a very big discovery; it could be the discovery of the century," el-Damaty said. "It is very important for Egyptian history and for all of the world." El-Damaty said last year he was convinced a hidden chamber may lie behind King Tut's tomb.

Mystery surrounds the remains of the famous Queen Nefertiti, who was one of the wives of Tutankhamuns father, the Pharaoh Akhenaten.

Related: Ancient 4,500-year-old boat discovered in Egypt

Experts have long discussed the possibility that Nefertitis final resting place is next to Tutankhamuns 3,300-year-old tomb in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor. Last year, for example, Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves wrote an article in which he claimed that Tutankhamuns tomb contains two hidden doorways. The ghosts of the hitherto unrecognized doorways could lead to an unexplored western storage chamber and Nefertitis final resting place behind the chambers northern wall, he said.

Reeves argues that Tut, who died suddenly at the age of 19, may have been rushed into an outer chamber of Nefertiti's original tomb. The archaeologist told the Times of London in 2015 that he discovered the bricked-up doorways after examining digital scans of the walls of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, across the Nile River from Luxor.

Related: Teen illegally climbs Egypt's Great Pyramid

Thursdays announcement sparked plenty of chatter on social media about whether Nefertitis remains are in the hidden chambers.

However, el-Damaty said it was too early to tell what the metal and organic material could be, saying only that he thinks the new chambers could contain the tomb of a member of Tutankhamun's family.

Related: 'Space archaeologists' show spike in looting at Egypt's ancient sites

At the news conference, el-Damaty highlighted radar scans that showed anomalies in the walls of the tomb, indicating a possible hidden door and the chambers, which lay behind walls that were covered up and painted over with hieroglyphics.

The discovery of King Tut's nearly-intact tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 sparked a renewed interest in Egyptology and yielded unprecedented Pharaonic treasures, including the boy king's sarcophagus and iconic golden burial mask.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About 68 million years ago, a pregnant Tyrannosaurus rex died in ancient Montana. Her remains might provide clues about how to identify male and female theropods, or bipedal meat-eating dinosaurs, a new study finds.

The finding is an exciting one  researchers verified that the T. rex was pregnant by looking at the organic components in the dinosaur's bone structure, elements that had survived for tens of millions of years since the predator's death, said study lead researcher Mary Schweitzer, an evolutionary biologist at North Carolina State University.

"We need to quit selling fossils short," Schweitzer told Live Science. "They have a lot more information in them than we would think of [finding in] 65-million-year-old bone." [Image Gallery: The Life of T. Rex]

A paleontologist discovered the T. rex in Hell Creek Formation in 2000. Bob Harmon, of the Museum of the Rockies in Montana, sat down in dinosaur territory one day, and unexpectedly felt a fossil behind his back, Schweitzer said. Harmon shared the good news with his colleagues, and they spent the next three years excavating the enormous specimen.

Afterward, the paleontologists gave the femur, a leg bone, to Schweitzer, who, along with her colleagues, examined the microscopic features of the fossil. In 2005, the team published a study in the journal Science announcing that the fossil contained medullary bone, which is a type of bone with extra calcium deposits that help female egg-laying creatures, such as birds, lay eggs. Medullary bone is present only just before or during the egg-laying process, so its occurrence suggested the T. rex was pregnant, Schweitzer said.

But recently, Schweitzer found herself wondering whether the finding was accurate. New technologies and information had come to light in the intervening years. Schweitzer wondered if she did the experiment again, whether she would still get the same results and find that the dinosaur was pregnant, she said.

"I think good scientists should always be second-guessing themselves," Schweitzer said.

So, she decided to check the chemistry of the T. rex's femur. Such a test would show whether the fossil had medullary bone, or whether it actually had osteopetrosis, a condition that makes bones unusually dense. Under the microscope, medullary bone and bone with osteopetrosis look remarkably similar, Schweitzer said.

However, the two are chemically different. Medullary bone contains the organic compound keratan sulfate, and bone with osteopetrosis does not. Schweitzer and her colleagues tested for the compound using different chemicals, including monoclonal antibodies (immune cells that bind only to a specific agent  in this case, keratan sulfate). The researchers found that the ancient bone still contained some keratan sulfate.

The researchers also used the antibodies to analyze medullary bone from an ostrich and chicken. The results confirmed those from the 2005 study, that the T. rex had medullary bone and was likely pregnant when she died, Schweitzer said.

"This analysis allows us to determine the gender of this fossil, and gives us a window into the evolution of egg laying in modern birds," Schweitzer said in a statement.

Because medullary bone is present only in females during egg-laying periods, it's relatively rare in fossils. Even when present, it can be difficult to identify without cutting off a sample of dinosaur bone and examining it under a microscope or with a chemical test. But the researchers found that doing an initial computed tomography (CT) scan of dinosaur bone can help determine whether a fossil is worth investigating, Schweitzer said. [Gallery: Photos of Tiny Dinosaur Embryos]

This technique could help researchers find more medullary bone, said study co-author Lindsay Zanno, a paleontologist at North Carolina State University. Moreover, once the presence of medullary bone confirms that a dinosaur is a female, researchers can look for other clues that might help determine whether it's a boy or a girl dinosaur.

"It's a dirty secret, but we know next to nothing about sex-linked traits in extinct dinosaurs. Dinosaurs weren't shy about sexual signaling, all those bells and whistles, horns, crests, and frills, and yet we just haven't had a reliable way to tell males from females," Zanno said in the statement. "Just being able to identify a dinosaur definitively as a female opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Now that we can show pregnant dinosaurs have a chemical fingerprint, we need a concerted effort to find more [medullary bone]."

This T. rex isn't the first known example of a pregnant dinosaur. Fossils of both Allosaurus (a Jurassic-period, meat-eating relative of T. rex) and Tenontosaurus (a herbivorous relative of the duck-billed dinosaur) have been found with medullary bone, suggesting that the individuals may have died just before, during or after laying eggs.

The new study was published online March 15 in the journal Scientific Reports.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The world looks to be on pace for another hot year, with global temperatures from December to February shattering records for the second year running.

The average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 2.03 degrees above the 20th century average, breaking the previous record set during the same period last year by 0.52 degrees, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

February was especially mind boggling, with temperatures averaging 56.08 degrees or 2.18 degrees above the 20th century average. It was also an all-time record for a month  beating the one set just two months ago in December.

Related: 2015 was hottest year ever, with records set around the globe

"The departures are what we would consider astronomical," NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden told the Associated Press.

"It's on land. It's in the oceans. It's in the upper atmosphere. It's in the lower atmosphere. The Arctic had record low sea ice, she said. "Everything everywhere is a record this month, except Antarctica. It's insane."

From North America to Australia to Asia, the story was much the same. Many parts of the world saw above average warming while drier conditions were seen in the Pacific Islands, parts of the United States and Australia.

Nowhere, though, saw as dramatic warming as Alaska  which was battered by wildfires last year due to lack of snow and warmer temperatures. According to NOAA, temperatures in Alaska in February were a whopping 12.4 degrees above average and were the warmest since state records began being kept in 1925.

Related: Temperatures spike almost 50 degrees in North Pole

The latest temperature records is part of a long running trend that dates back several decades and is driven by rising emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases as well as El Nino. The warming trends resulted in record hot years in 2014 and 2015 as well as 19 consecutive years in which the annual average temperature exceeded the 20th century average.

Beyond temperatures, Arctic sea ice continued to decline. The average ice for February was 450,000 square miles or 7.54 percent below the 19812010 average. This represents the smallest February extent since records began in 1979 and 77,000 square miles smaller than the previous record of 2005. It was the second month in a row of record low of Arctic sea ice extent, according to analysis by the National Snow and Ice Data Center based on data from NOAA and NASA.

Antarctic sea ice also declined, though not to record levels. The ice was 110,000 square miles or 9.54 percent below the 19812010 average. This was the sixth smallest Antarctic sea ice extent for February in the 38-year period of record and the smallest since 2011.

Related: Rising temperatures could be bad news for male loggerhead turtles

Many places also saw less snow in February. According to data from NOAA analyzed by the Rutgers Global Snow Lab, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during February was 800,000 square miles below the 19812010 average. This was the third smallest February Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent in the 50-year period of record and smallest since 2002.
New bullets for military railguns, which could strike enemy targets traveling at a whopping six times the speed of sound, are being tested.

Electromagnetic railguns and lasers are two technologies the military is harnessing as an alternative to gunpowder. The U.S. Navy is pioneering the futuristic weapons that could play a vital role in future combat.

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems announced Wednesday that its Blitzer railgun hypersonic projectiles successfully passed tests at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground in Utah between 7 and 9 March 2016.

Both General Atomics and BAE Systems have created cutting-edge Electromagnetic Railguns. In 2012, the Office of Naval Research began testing them.

Related: Could you name the new most lethal stealth bomber in the world?

Ultimately, the plan is for railguns to unleash projectiles will strike targets at speeds faster than Mach 6.

To put this into context, the average bullet travels about 1,700 miles per hour. Mach 1 is about 767 miles per hour. A railgun projectile will travel at Mach 6  thats nearly three times faster than the typical bullet.

And the railguns will be able to strike threats more than 100 nautical miles away in approximately six minutes. They could be deployed against a range of threats for precision strikes against land, water surface or air targets.

Research and development continues to provide the U.S. military with even more velocity and further range.

The projectiles

Inside the General Atomics projectile, there are navigation sensors and processors for guidance, navigation and control.

Related: DARPA's unmanned sub-hunter set to revolutionize naval warfare

Within the launcher, the projectiles withstood a multi-Tesla magnetic field, then launched and performed successfully, according to General Atomics.

The three-mega joule Blitzer electromagnetic railgun system fired five test projectiles at accelerations greater than 30,000 times that of gravity.

How does a railgun work?

Railguns launch projectiles using electromagnetic forces. The projectiles harness the kinetic energy from the extreme velocity unleashed by the rail gun.

The muzzle velocity of a railgun can be more than twice that of conventional weapons.

In a naval setting, for example, a ship would generate electricity and store it in a pulsed power system. An electric pulse is sent to it the railgun where an electromagnetic force is created. The force accelerates the projectile and launches it between two conductive rails up to Mach six. By adjusting the electromagnetic pulse, the range can be varied.

Related: High-tech sponge can save lives in less than 20 seconds

Once unleashed, the projectile harvests extreme speed for maximum impact.

Advantage U.S. Navy

In addition to reducing cost and enhancing precision strikes, railguns offer a number of other advantages. The magazine, for example, will only be limited by factors like the ships power and cooling capacity.

Since it reduces the amount of high explosives necessary for gunpowder-based munitions on ships, railguns will also improve safety for sailors and marines. Downrange, rail guns will reduce the amount of unexploded ordnance in the battlespace.

Related: Could the US deploy 'cyborg' troops?

Rather than multi-million-dollar missiles, railgun projectiles can tackle the same threats at the same range but at a tiny fraction of the cost.

Whats next?

The Navy continues to pioneer railguns making the futuristic weapon a reality. Both General Atomics and BAE Systems have been working on next generation prototype EM Railguns.

In September 2014, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) fired a high velocity projectile during a test held at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division.

In a big leap forward railguns development, the Navy will be testing the technology at sea this year.
Apple's kerfuffle with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department appears far from over. In the company's final brief filed on Tuesday ahead of its March 22 court appearance, lawyers for Apple argued that the government's demands regarding the San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's encrypted iPhone would "appall" the Founders of our nation. It said the agencies' portrayal of the All Writs Act, a 200-year-old statute that gives courts substantial autonomy in issues of law enforcement, as an "all-powerful magic wand" was an attempt to "rewrite [the] history" of the statute, and said that the FBI was violating the rights of Apple engineers by proposing they spend "weeks" in a "super-secure facility" on behalf of the agency. And it further accused investigators of infringing on Apple's right to due process of law by forcing it "on a mission that is contrary to [its] values."

It's the most recent rebuttal of the U.S. government in a case with far-reaching implications for electronic security. At stake is investigators' authority to force private tech companies to implement a "backdoor" in secured devices and services. In February, a California court granted the FBI an order to force Apple to rewrite the iPhone's operating system in order to bypass Farook's passcode, an order which if upheld could set a "dangerous precedent," Apple CEO Tim Cook has said. The FBI maintains that the scope of the order is limited to a single iPhone and that it poses no threat to Apple's or any other company's encryption policies.

Related: FBI: Crucial iCloud settings on San Bernardino shooters iPhone are disabled

In Tuesday's filing, Apple attacked the legal foundations of the government's case. Lawyers for the company argued that forcing engineers to rewrite the iPhone's operating system constituted both an overstepping of the investigators' constitutional bounds and a violation of the company's free speech rights. "[The] [w]riting of code requires a choice of (1) language, (2), audience, and (3) syntax and vocabulary, as well as the creation of (4) data structures, (5) algorithms to manipulate and transform data, (6) detailed textual descriptions explaining what code is doing, and (7) methods of communicating information."

In addition, Apple posits that the 1996 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) exempts Apple and other "electronic communication service providers" from having the government "[dictate]  any specific equipment design or software configuration."

At a press conference on Tuesday, Apple's legal team characterized the arguments of the FBI and Justice Department as "reckless" and "uninformed." It called the government's recent assertion that it might have the authority to seek the iPhone operating system's source code and signing key -- tools which would grant law enforcement the ability to unlock virtually any iPhone -- "catastrophic." And it pointed to the government's shifting narrative regarding the iPhone's iCloud password as evidence of a shaky legal foundation.

Farook's account underwent a reset by San Bernardino officials at the request of the FBI, a decision that Apple maintains precluded any possibility of extracting the agency's sought-after data from an iCloud backup rather than the phone itself. The last backup was performed on Oct. 19, roughly six weeks prior to the Dec. 2 terrorist attack on a regional center which left 14 dead and 22 injured.

Related: Department of Justice threatens to take Apples iOS source code in San Bernardino case

"The Justice Department's shifting, contradictory positions on the issue -- first blaming the passcode change on the County, then admitting that the FBI told the County to change the passcode  and now trying to justify the decision in the face of Director Comey's admission that it was a mistake -- discredits any notion that the government properly exhausted all viable investigative alternatives before seeking this extraordinary order from this court," lawyers for Apple said.

The Justice Department and FBI, meanwhile, have called Apple's arguments "desperate" and "misleading." In a February court motion, the Justice Department blamed the company's reluctance to assist with the investigation on "a perceived negative impact on its reputation." Apple has vehemently denied that accusation. "Of [all of Apple's] advertisements, not a single one has ever advertised or promoted the ability of Apple's software to block law enforcement requests to the contents of Apple devices," Apple senior director Robert Ferrini said in a sworn statement.

Related: Boost for Apple as NY judge rules tech firm doesnt have to unlock iPhone for FBI

The government's persistence may push Apple to implement stricter encryption mechanisms in the future. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company's working to beef up its iCloud security so that it won't be able to decrypt backups of iPhone data. Under a legal precedent known as the third-party doctrine, companies such as Apple that store user data are subject to legal requests for that data. Encryption wouldn't exempt the company from purview, but would make the data essentially unusable.

The dispute between Apple and the investigators has drawn support on both sides. Tech companies, human rights groups, privacy advocates, and the United Nations have expressed support for Apple. Law enforcement and government officials, meanwhile, have largely sided with Justice Department and the FBI In a recent speech at SXSW in Austin, Texas, President Obama emphasized the need to strike a balance between "safety" and "security."
Cross-posted from Politics K-12 .

The U.S. Department of Education will not penalize Nevada for failing to meet federal test-participation requirements , according to the Associated Press, after technical problems plagued the states administration of the Smarter Balanced test in the 2014-15 school year.

The state requested a waiver from the federal requirement in January. Failure to meet the testing requirement can lead to funding penalties for states.

In the Education Departments March 11 letter to Nevada granting a waiver for testing requirements, Ann Whalen, who is delegated the duties of assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, noted Nevada officials concerns about the validity of Smarter Balanced scores from the spring that resulted in many students inability to access tests online or, in some cases, complete the tests once accessed. But Whalen also noted that the waiver only covers the 2014-15 school year.

Nevada continues to have an affirmative responsibility to ensure that all students in grades three through eight and once in high school are assessed annually in reading/language arts and mathematics as required in the ESEA, she wrote.

Nevadas problems with the Smarter Balanced tests were relatively severeon April 15 of last year, for example, the state had to halt the exam altogether.

Were pleased with this result. We think its fair, Steve Canavero, Nevadas superintendent, told the AP.

Late last year, the federal department sent 13 states letters indicating that districts, subgroups of students, or students statewide had not tested 95 percent of students. A few of those states had relatively high-profile parental opt-out movements, including Colorado and New York. However, Nevada was not one of the states that received such a letter.

Canavero, who was previously the states deputy superintendent, spoke to Education Week for our story last year about the Smarter Balanced problems in Nevada. The state education department placed the blame at the doorstep of the states testing vendor, Measured Progress. Measured Progress, in turn, said they did not receive some coding on time from the American Institutes for Research, another Smarter Balanced vendor.

Montana , North Dakota , and Wisconsin were three other states to experience problems administering Smarter Balanced last year. (Unlike Nevada, Wisconsin was one of the 13 states to get letters from the federal department last year about low test-participation rates.)

An analysis from Measured Progress published last summer found that just 37 percent of Nevada students completed Smarter Balanced tests , while 76 percent of Montana and 88 percent of North Dakota students did so.

The 2014-15 school year was the first time most states administered tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Smarter Balanced was one of two federally funded consortia that developed common-core-aligned exams, along with the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

Read the Education Departments letter to Nevada below:
Investigators concluded Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl had a psychiatric disorder when he walked away from his Afghanistan post in 2009, according to documents made public late Wednesday.

A document from July 2015 shows that an Army Sanity Board Evaluation determined that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder when he left the post. A Mayo Clinic website says people with the disorder have trouble interpreting social cues and can develop significant distrust of others.

Attorneys for Bergdahl, who faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, acknowledged releasing the documents in the hope of counteracting negative publicity over the case.

"The more Americans know about this case, the better," attorney Eugene Fidell said in an email to the Associated Press. There was no immediate comment from the Army about the newly released documents.

Bergdahl appeared relaxed in photos he gave to a platoon mate five days before walking off the post. The pictures show him posing with a goat and enjoying camaraderie with his platoon mates, as well as an out-of-focus selfie.

He was held for five years by the Taliban and their allies before being released in May 2014 as part of a swap involving five Guantanamo Bay detainees, prompting criticism from some in Congress that the move threatened national security.



Bergdahl told a general who investigated the case that he hoped to cause an alarm by leaving his post, then walk to a larger base in Afghanistan so he could have an audience with a top commander to draw attention to what he saw as bad decisions by officers above him.

"So, the idea was to -- it was-- literally, it was a sacrificial -- it was a self-sacrifice thing," Bergdahl said, according to the transcript of a 2014 interview with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl.

In the interview, Bergdahl expressed misgivings about how he and other soldiers were sent to help retrieve a disabled armored vehicle before encountering explosives and enemy fire that turned a six-hour mission into one lasting several days. None of the men was killed, but Bergdahl said an officer complained they were unshaven upon their return to base.



He said he began to worry that if he didn't say anything, a future bad order could get someone in his platoon killed.



He described coming up with a plan to leave the observation post his platoon was manning: "The only thing that I could see was, I needed to get somebody's attention."



He ruled out going to the media and instead decided to trigger an alarm by sneaking off and then walking to a larger base nearby.

He described his thought process, referring to himself in the third-person: "That guy disappears. No one knows what happened to him. That call goes out. It hits every command. Everybody goes, what has happened?"



Within a couple of days, he planned to show up at the base: "the Soldier shows up ... People recognize him. They ID him. They go, 'What did you just do?' And that Soldier says, 'I am not saying anything about what I did until I am talking to a general."'



Instead, he wound up in enemy captivity.



Bergdahl's military trial had been tentatively scheduled to begin over the summer, but it has been delayed by disagreements over access to classified materials.

Fox News' Catherine Herridge and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


A husband and wife in Arizona spotted a deal when they uncovered a Purple Heart with a $4.99 price tag at a Goodwill store, but they said they had a duty to find the real hero who received the medal, local media reported Wednesday.

At first, the couple in Mesa had just one clue: the name inscribed on the back, Eual H. Whiteman, KNXV reports. Laurie Hardy said she soon learned Private Whiteman died in 1991, but that he may have surviving relatives who could tell his story.

Hardy continued her search on Saturday by posting a photo on Facebook. The post made its way to a group called Veteran Buddy Finder.

Eventually their search led them to the World War II veteran's former sister-in-law Phyllis Lawson in Missouri, KNXV adds.

She wanted to repay me the $4.99! Hardy told the news station describing their phone call. I said no, this is my good deed for the day.

Lawson reportedly said Private Whiteman's father also received a Purple Heart, but never learned his son got one, too.

The veteran "was a very impressive looking man, very tall and muscular," Lawson said, adding that he was a stuntman in the 1967 Kirk Douglas film "The Way West."

Lawson said a relative inherited the medal, and a friend may have donated it by mistake. As for Goodwill, the company reports some items can get overlooked. Its workers helped track down the hero's family.
The California college student who stabbed four people last fall in a campus spree that ended when he was killed by campus police had ISIS propaganda on his laptop and may have been "self-radicalized," the FBI announced Thursday.

Faisal Mohammad, who carried out the attack at the University of California Merced on Nov. 4, 2015, had "pro-ISIL propaganda" on his laptop and "had visited ISIL and other extremist websites in the weeks prior to his attack," according to the FBI's Sacramento office.

"At the time of the stabbings, Mohammad was carrying a backpack which contained a two-page, hand-written plan detailing his intentions to include taking hostages and killing students and police officers. Investigators also found a photocopy of an ISIL flag and a list of items he thought he would need for an attack such as zip ties, glass breaker, and a knife among his belongings," the FBI said in a statement.

During the investigation, officials did not find any evidence showing Mohammad had worked with or been directed by anyone from ISIS.

They did find that he began his preparations for the attack at least one week in advance.

"Every indication is that Mohammad acted on his own; however, it may never be possible to definitively determine why he chose to attack people on the UC Merced campus," the FBI said in a statement.

Mohammad, whose victims all survived, left behind a rambling, two-page manifesto in which he instructed himself to praise Allah as he worked his way through his hit list, a photocopied ISIS flag and at least one shaken roommate who remembers him as a menacing loner, FoxNews.com reported in December.

He was a loner and an extreme Muslim, Ali Tarek Elshekh, Mohammads roommate, told Merced Sheriffs Department Detective Jose Silva in a statement, also noting Mohammad was way out there.

Elshekh, who is Muslim, told sheriffs that a friend of his had asked Mohammad what would happen if he touched the mat he used for praying, and got a chilling response.

I will kill you, Mohammad calmly vowed, in what Elshekh said was not a normal response for a Muslim.

Elshekh, whose statement was included in a warrant obtained by FoxNews.com through a Freedom of Information Act request from the Merced Superior Court in December, said he last saw Mohammad just minutes before the attack, sitting on his bed in their dorm room, dressed in a hooded sweater, hood over his face, with his backpack on his back, staring straight ahead in silence.

The warrant, which authorized detectives to search Mohammad's dorm, car and other possessions, showed investigators found a second copy of the manifesto in Mohammads garbage can, along with several discarded petroleum jelly cans, duct tape wrappers, large zip ties, a package that had contained a knife and sharpener, a red prayer rug and a copy of the Koran.

The manifesto authored by the 18-year-old freshman, copies of which were found both on his body during the autopsy and in the trash can in his dorm, bore names of his targets, a vow to cut someones head off and as many as five reminders to praise Allah.

He detailed how he wanted to behead, stab and shoot his victims, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke told FoxNews.com, in an earlier interview.

No. 27 was to make sure people are tied down, No. 28 was sit down and praise Allah,' Warnke said. I remember seeing four or five times, scribbled on the side of the two-page manifesto, where he wrote something like praise Allah.

There was a gruesome statement he made about wanting to cut someones head off and kill two people with one bullet, and he planned to shoot the police, Warnke said. He did not have a firearm with him and didnt seem to have a lot of experience with firearms because he thought he could kill two people with one bullet. He reminded himself in the list to raise the gun slowly. He scripted everything out in chronological order.

None of Mohammads four victims died in the attack. Two students, a female staff member and Byron Price, a 31-year-old construction worker who was credited with slowing Mohammads onslaught, were injured as the computer science and engineering major slashed away with a 10-inch hunting knife, grinning demonically, according to witnesses.

The rural school is about 120 miles south of Sacramento. The campus in the city of Merced opened a decade ago -- the first new school built in the University of California system since 1965, the university says on its website.

UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland said in statement Thursday the investigation was a "cooperative effort that could not have been as successful without the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

"I am proud of the way our campus community came together in the aftermath of this incident, and the kindness displayed by so many only reinforced what I already knew to be true about UC Merced," she said. "Now, we move to the task of further healing and taking care of the needs of our students, staff and faculty."

FoxNews.com's Hollie McKay and Malia Zimmerman contributed to this report
Federal authorities are seeking to heat up a cold trail to a notorious fugitive who has spent the last 25 years on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted List.

The FBI has increased its reward for information leading to the arrest of Donald Eugene Webb, or the whereabouts of his remains, to $100,000. Webb, if still alive, is believed to be 84.

Webb has been on the run since 1980 after shooting and killing the police chief of a small Pennsylvania town. He specialized in jewelry store robberies and was a career criminal with the mob. He was living in New Bedford, but investigators believe he was in Saxonburg to case a jewelry store.

Saxonburg Police Chief Gregory Adams pulled Webb over on Dec. 4, 1980 after he ran a red light, Gordon Mainhart told the Associated Press. Mainhart was the only other police officer in town at the time. Webb's rental car and Adams' cruiser were seen in the parking lot of an Agway store. A neighbor called 911 after her son heard gunshots.

Adams had been shot twice in the chest and was found lying in some bushes.

"It didn't make any sense," said Mainhart, who rode in the ambulance with Adams. He died on the way to the hospital.

"I was devastated  just a feeling of why? And how could this happen?" Mainhart said.

A fake drivers license was left behind at the scene and authorities figured out his identity from there. The identification was in the name of Stanley Portas, the late husband of Webbs wife, Lillian. It was an alias Webb has been using at the time.

Webb's car was later found abandoned in the parking lot of a Howard Johnson's restaurant in Warwick, Rhode Island. Authorities found Webb's blood on the driver's-side floorboard, confirming suspicion that he'd been wounded during the struggle with Adams.

The last time Webb was scene was in Miami 18 months later. After that, the trail went cold.

The only other leads the FBI had were theories, including that Webb was killed by members of the Patriarca crime family. Webb was a member of a group of criminals in southeastern Massachusetts known as the Fall River Gang. Authorities believe the gang sold stolen jewelry through the Patriarca family. However, key investigators believe Webb is still alive  even at his old age.

"The guy is a career criminal. He knows how the system works. There's a good possibility that he assumed another name and has hidden out there all these years," said James Poydence, a retired detective with the Pennsylvania State Police.

FBI Special Agent Thomas MacDonald said he believes Webb shot Adams because he knew police would learn he was wanted for a burglary in New York and he'd end up back in prison.

Adams' widow, Mary Ann  left with two young sons to raise  remarried and rebuilt her life but still longs to know what happened in the moments before her husband's death.

"If he's dead, fine, then God will deal with him. But if he's not dead, I would like to see him prosecuted," she said.

Webb is considered to be extremely dangerous and a master of assumed identities. The wanted report on him says he is a lover of dogs, a flashy dresser, a big tipper and reportedly allergic to penicillin.

He also may have tattoos that say DON on his right hand and ANN on his chest.

The FBI urges anyone with information about Webb to contact their local FBI field office of American Embassy or Consulate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 90-year-old World War II Royal Air Force veteran who faced a 10-year ban from re-entering the U.S. because he once overstayed a 90-day visa will be reunited with his family in New Jersey after all, FoxNews.com has learned.

John Oliver -- who lives in the Bailiwick of Jersey, the largest of England's Channel Islands -- will be permitted to enter the U.S. as early as June on a "humanitarian parole," according to his family.

Oliver -- a World War II bomber navigator-turned-corporate accountant -- was banned from re-entering the U.S. for the next decade because he overstayed a 90-day visa issued in 2011, when his wife was dying and doctors recommended the couple remain under the care of their 61-year-old son in New Jersey.

Following a Sept. 14 FoxNews.com story on the ordeal, lawmakers -- including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Gov. Chris Christie -- pressured the State Department to make an exception in Oliver's case.

Six months later, the State Department sent a letter dated March 3 to Oliver's son, Robert, an American citizen, in which it said the older Oliver will be granted a conditional parole, renewable every two years.

"We are so happy and relieved," Robert Oliver of Vernon, N.J., told FoxNews.com Thursday.

"What happened to us is not unique by any stretch of the imagination," Oliver said. "Its heartbreaking. Thank goodness English is our first language."

The family's ordeal began in October 2011 when Robert Oliver flew to the Bailiwick of Jersey to bring his father and sickly mother stateside to New Jersey, where he lives with his fiancee, Mary Bradley.

"What happened to us is not unique by any stretch of the imagination."  Robert Oliver

Shortly after the family arrived, the health of Oliver's mother, Betty, rapidly deteriorated, requiring 24-hour care. At the same time, Oliver and his fiancee were working tirelessly to secure green cards for the elderly couple. The Olivers had planned to leave the U.S. at the end of their three-month visa but doctors said Betty -- who was suffering from severe osteoporosis and liver problems -- would not survive the trip home.

"All along, with speaking with immigration [officials], they were assuring me that this was such an easy case. 'Not to worry, not to worry,'" Mary Bradley told FoxNews.com in September. "I just followed the system and filled out the forms they asked for."

When Betty Oliver suffered a stroke in June 2012, Robert Oliver and his fiancee notified immigration officials that the two had overstayed their visa and explained the circumstances.

"At no point did it even cross our mind that this man should leave the country and leave his wife," Bradley said. "She [Betty] was so dependent on him. They were married for nearly 70 years."

In November 2012, Betty Oliver died while in hospice care in New Jersey. At that point, Oliver and Bradley turned their efforts to securing a green card for John Oliver, whose health was also declining. They filed forms with the State Department, Homeland Security and its immigration enforcement arm, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. The applications were denied, the couple said.

The rejections infuriated Oliver and Bradley, who wrote a message to President Obama through the White House website about the family's plight. Bradley said she received a response in January 2014 from the president in the form of a generic-looking letter, with links to the administration's immigration policy as well as to websites for USCIS and ICE, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement."Thank you for writing," Obama's letter began. "Americas immigration system is badly broken, and I know many people are hurting because of it."

The elderly Oliver had paid U.S. taxes on his English pension during his time in the States. He also spent $70,000 of his life savings to pay for his wife's medical expenses, which only increased the couple's anger.

Robert Oliver said he was advised by immigration officials to travel to the U.S. Embassy in London with his father to address the issue in person. Father and son boarded a flight for their appointment on Oct. 25, 2013 -- which proved to be a mistake. At that point the rubber stamp went down and said he was barred from the U.S. for 10 years because he overstayed his visa.

But the family's fortune would soon change.

While driving home from a Christmas party in December, Mary Bradley, on a whim, called in to the New Jersey radio show, "Ask the Governor," never expecting to reach Christie live on the airwaves.

Bradley told Christie of the family's plight, which she said the governor did not believe at first.

"His first instinct was, 'Youre lying to me  theres no way the government would do this to someone who is trying to come here legally,'" Bradley recalled.

"He was absolutely appalled that this was my story," she said.

The next week, Oliver and Bradley met in Trenton with a Christie aide who assisted them in their fight, along with staff members from Booker's office, the couple said. Both Christie and Booker sent letters of support for Oliver to the State Department, according to Bradley.

"Senator Booker was involved throughout the entire ordeal," Bradley said. "We are so grateful."

Cristina Corbin is a reporter for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaCorbin.
Nevada rancher and anti-authority figure Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Hoffman pointed to the violence alleged in an indictment accusing Bundy of inciting the impasse to stop a roundup of cattle from public land near his ranch in April 2014, and to a history of Bundy ignoring federal court orders.

"You say you'll continue to do 'whatever it takes,'" Hoffman said in a Las Vegas courtroom where some Bundy backers wore brown T-shirts emblazoned with the three-word slogan.

"I do not believe, Mr. Bundy, that you will comply with my court orders any more than you have complied with previous court orders," the judge said.

Bundy and four of his adult sons are among 19 people now facing federal charges that could put them in prison for the standoff for the rest of their lives.

The scene pitted a self-styled militia perched on an Interstate 15 overpass, pointing military-style AR-15 and AK-47 weapons at federal Bureau of Land Management agents and contract cowboys herding cattle toward a corral. Dozens were in the possible crossfire, but no shots were fired and no one was injured. The cattle were freed.

Bundy's defense lawyer, Joel Hansen, said his client simply won't acknowledge that federal law applies. That consistent denial led Bundy last week to decline to enter a plea to charges including conspiracy, assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal officer, obstruction and firearms offenses. Hoffman entered a not-guilty plea at that time on Bundy's behalf.

Hansen characterizes the 69-year-old Bundy as a political prisoner being held illegally for challenging authority. Bundy insists he has property rights dating back more than a century, to when his Mormon ancestors settled along the Virgin River, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Prosecutor Steven Myhre fought to prevent Thursday's hearing from taking place. He argued that Bundy already had an Oregon court appearance to decide whether he would stay jailed following his Feb. 10 arrest at Portland International Airport. He wasn't entitled to another, Myhre said.

But Hoffman allowed it, calling 33 letters that Hansen submitted from Bundy supporters new evidence that had come to light in recent weeks.

Hansen said the letters showed Bundy was honest, religious and "a man of integrity, who keeps his word."

"He's not going to hurt anybody," the defense attorney said.

Bundy can appeal his detention order to the U.S. district judge who'll handle the trial. A May 2 court date is likely to be pushed back after co-defendants are brought to Nevada from Utah, Idaho, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and New Hampshire. Five defendants who were arrested in Arizona made initial court appearances in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Several people who face charges with Bundy in the Nevada standoff also have been charged in the occupation of an Oregon nature preserve that aimed to oppose federal land restrictions. A judge on Wednesday prohibited U.S. marshals from transferring Cliven Bundy's sons Ammon and Ryan Bundy and others to Nevada for court hearings.

About a dozen Bundy family members and supporters peacefully demonstrated outside the courthouse before Thursday's hearing. They were watched by almost as many uniformed Las Vegas police and U.S. marshals.
A 29-year-old visiting researcher was taken to a hospital with serious injuries after an explosion at a University of Hawaii laboratory.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokeswoman Shayne Enright said Thursday the woman suffered burns on her face and serious injuries to her arm. She was taken to The Queen's Medical Center in serious condition after the explosion Wednesday evening.

No one else was hurt. The researcher was alone in the lab, which is part of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute on the school's flagship Manoa campus. The lab focuses on renewable energy and degradable bioplastics.

The researcher was growing cells by feeding them a mixture of low-pressure hydrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen, said Brian Taylor, the dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. The same process has been used almost daily and without incident since the project began in 2008, he said.

"Clearly something unexplained happened last night," Taylor said.

Investigators are seeking a cause.

The blast blew out interior walls, damaged ceiling tiles and equipment, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins.

The building was evacuated. Taylor said an engineer assessed the structural integrity of the building and found it to be sound. The university aims to reopen the building on Friday, though the lab where the explosion occurred will remain closed.

The institute has launched a comprehensive safety review of all their lab operations because of the explosion, Taylor said. The Manoa campus will work with national safety experts as they follow up, he said.

The researcher has worked at the lab for the past six months. She took the university's general lab safety course and had training in the specific procedures used at the energy institute lab, said Roy Takekawa, the campus' director of environmental health and safety.


A California fisherman will be reunited with his beloved German shepherd Thursday, five weeks after the dog was believed to have drowned in the Pacific Ocean.

Luna, 1 , was spotted Tuesday by staffers arriving for work at the Naval Auxiliary Landing Field on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego. She had been missing since Feb. 10.

On that day, Luna's owner, Nick Haworth, was working on a boat two miles from the island.

"They were pulling in their (lobster) traps, and one minute Luna was there, and the next minute she was gone," Sandy DeMunnik, spokeswoman for Naval Base Coronado, told the Associated Press. "They looked everywhere for her. They couldn't see her. The water was dark, and she's dark."

Haworth notified Navy personnel.

"He insisted that he was 90 percent sure that she made it to shore because she was such a strong swimmer," DeMunnik said.

Haworth searched the waters for about two days and Navy staff searched the island for about a week but found no sign of Luna.

Until Tuesday morning, when the workers spotted the dog sitting by the side of the road. Domestic animals aren't allowed on the island for environmental reasons.

"She was just sitting there wagging her tail," DeMunnik said. The staff called to Luna, and she came right over.

A biologist then examined the dog and found her a little thin but otherwise healthy.

"It looks like she was surviving on rodents and dead fish that had washed up," DeMunnik said.

The biologist called Haworth, who was working out of state.

"He was overwhelmed. He was so happy and grateful and thrilled," DeMunnik said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Luna was flown to a Navy base on the mainland and handed over to Haworth's best friend, who will care for the dog until her owner returns Thursday night.

Luna, meanwhile, has a souvenir of the experience. Her dog tag was lost but the Navy gave her a new one, DeMunnik said.

Along with her name, it bears a key lesson in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course taught on the island to Navy and Marine personnel. The tag reads: "Keep the Faith."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A would-be burglar was shot and killed Wednesday morning by an off-duty police officer at the cop's California home.

The officer, who has not been identified, told authorities he woke up before 5:30 a.m. to find a man, who also was not named, with a handgun attempting to steal property in the cop's Apple Valley home, according to a statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department.

The officer tried to subdue the man, and after a brief struggle he had the suspect at gunpoint, the statement said. But the man allegedly would not show his hands and lay on the ground and began reaching toward his waistband.

At that point, the officer shot him in the upper torso. The man was pronounced dead at St. Mary/St. Joseph Medical Center.

The officer, an eight-year department veteran, was unharmed, according to The Los Angeles Times.

An investigation is ongoing.
After rounds of budget cuts that slashed the number of school nurses and counselors in the Philadelphia School District, the school system announced Wednesday that it plans to hire 800 teachers, and nearly 60 school nurses and 50 counselors.

The announcement followed a commitment by Superintendent William Hite to have a nurse and counselor in every school.



Also returning critical resources to all schools. Committed to giving all schools a counselor and nurse, but dependent on state revenue. -- Dr. William Hite (@SDPHite) March 10, 2016

Hites plan, disclosed to school principals in early March, relies on the passage of Gov. Tom Wolfs budget. Ongoing disagreements between Gov. Wolf and the Republican-led state legislature have led to a months-long budget standoff.

Even with its reliance on outside forces, Hites earlier pronouncement drew praise from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, which said at the time that it welcomed the news.

For years, the PFT has been at the forefront of a citywide fight to restore the counselors and nurses we lost to budget cuts, union president Jerry Jordan said in a statement then.

Jordan said it seems like the district was finally hearing its concerns.

Our schools are still woefully under-resourced, he said in the March 10th statement. Our fight to restore programs and services for schoolchildren is far from over. But this is a very positive step toward giving our children the schools they deserve.

The topic of school nurses has been a sensitive one in the city. In 2011, the district had 289 school nurses. By the 2013-14 school year that number had dwindled to 179. Two student deaths in the past few years had led many to demand an increase in the number of full-time nurses.

The district is hoping to have new staff in place by the end of June. It is also looking for teachers with experience in grades 4-8, and in math and science in grades 5-12. The district also wants teachers in special education, art, music, foreign language, bilingual education, and those with dual certification in math, science, and special education.

Great teachers and staff are critical to our focus on building a more equitable system of schools across our city, Hite said in a statement Wednesday. We are committed to hiring educators and support staff who believe deeply in the potential of all students.

Starting salaries for teachers without any experience is $45,360. Counselors and nurses start at $45,360 and $51,113, respectively.

Interested in teaching in Philly? You can get more information here.
A New York pizza shop owner who admitted he tried to recruit people for the Islamic State group is facing sentencing.

Prosecutors are expected to recommend a 22 -year prison term for Mufid Elfgeeh (MOO'-fihd ELF'-gee) when he appears Thursday in federal court in Rochester.

Elfgeeh pleaded guilty in December to attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Authorities say he tried to recruit three people to join the Islamic State group to fight in Syria. He was operating a convenience store and pizza shop in Rochester at the time.

Pre-sentencing court filings show that since his 2014 arrest, Elfgeeh has met with the FBI and prosecutors and renounced the Islamic State and its methods.

Elfgeeh was born in Yemen and is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper who was injured in a car crash on the Massachusetts Turnpike has died.

Forty-four-year-old Thomas Clardy died Wednesday.

Police say Clardy had stopped a car for a traffic violation when his cruiser was hit by another vehicle around noon in Charlton.

Clardy was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police say 30-year-old David Njuguna, of Webster, is charged by criminal summons with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. Njuguna was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Clardy joined the state police in 2005. He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

He leaves behind a wife and six children.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement he was saddened to learn of Clardy's death.
An off-duty suburban Dallas police officer who fatally shot a 16-year-old and wounded another juvenile was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder and aggravated assault, authorities said, while a funeral service for the teen was underway.

Farmers Branch officer Ken Johnson was taken into custody Wednesday night by Addison police officers and was being booked into Dallas County Jail.

The shooting happened Sunday evening at a gas station in Addison. Officials have said that Johnson saw a vehicle being burglarized in his apartment complex parking lot and that he gave chase when the suspects fled. After the suspects' vehicle spun out about a half-mile away, an altercation led to the shooting.

Jose Raul Cruz was killed and the other juvenile, who also was shot, was hospitalized. Cruz's family held a funeral Wednesday night.

Johnson's attorney, Chris Livingston, has said he feared for his life. Livingston could not be immediately reached Wednesday to speak on Johnson's behalf.

Authorities have not said whether the juveniles were armed. Johnson was not injured.

Addison police Chief Paul Spencer said in a statement Wednesday that there was "probable cause" to arrest Johnson but that the investigation will likely take several more weeks.

Cruz's cousin, Nora Rubi, said that she was happy that Johnson had been arrested.

"When I first heard about it, I was crying nonstop. I thought it was a joke," she said.

Farmers Branch police spokesman David Laisure declined to comment Wednesday, deferring to Addison police. Spencer previously has said that Johnson had no disciplinary record. He also noted that department policies do not allow off-duty officers to chase suspects in their own vehicles.

According to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Johnson has worked for Farmers Branch police for a year. He worked as a peace officer for Dallas Area Rapid Transit for almost eight years before that.
Meir Dagan, a former Israeli general and longtime director of the country's spy agency, died on Thursday. He was 71.

Dagan directed the Mossad from 2002 until he retired in early 2011. Under his leadership, the Mossad reportedly carried out covert attacks against Iranian nuclear scientists and unleashed cyberattacks, including the Stuxnet virus, developed in cooperation with the United States. That digital weapon reportedly delayed the Iranian nuclear program.

Israel has never publicly confirmed any role in the Stuxnet attacks, but its involvement is widely assumed both inside and outside the country.

Born in 1945 in Ukraine to Holocaust survivors, Dagan reached the rank of general in the Israeli army and was known for innovations in battling terrorism. In the 1970s, he pioneered what became the "Mistaravim" unit, in which Israeli commandoes go undercover as Palestinians to capture militant suspects.

Dagan was appointed to head the Mossad by the late former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and shared his tendency to disregard traditional protocol to achieve military goals, said Ronen Bergman, who covers intelligence affairs for the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth and is working on a history of the Mossad.

Dagan's operations against the Iranian nuclear program restored pride in the Mossad after botched overseas operations, Bergman said. Dagan also cultivated ties with intelligence agencies in other Middle Eastern countries who shared Israel's fear of Iranian nuclear aspirations, he said.

Nevertheless, Dagan's career also had some embarrassments. Under his leadership, the Mossad was believed to have assassinated Hamas operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a brazen operation in his Dubai hotel room in 2010. Hotel CCTV footage captured apparent assassins disguised as tennis players. A number of countries accused the Mossad of forging passports under their citizens' names for the suspected killers to use. Israel has never confirmed or denied involvement.

In recent years Dagan became a fierce opponent of a military strike on Iran. He openly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the recently implemented nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Days before Israel's elections last March, Dagan headlined a Tel Aviv rally and tearfully implored voters to vote out Netanyahu.

"He was concerned that we, the generation that achieved statehood, are leaving our children and grandchildren a state that is not better than the one we had," former Mossad chief Danny Yatom told Israel Radio.

Despite their differences, Netanyahu helped Dagan arrange a liver transplant in Belarus in 2012 after he could not undergo the procedure in Israel due to his age.

Israel Radio reported Thursday that Dagan's corneas would be donated.

Netanyahu remembered Dagan as "a daring fighter and commander."

"A great soldier has passed away. May his memory be a blessing," Netanyahu said.

Dagan was known for carrying a photograph of his grandfather being humiliated by Nazi soldiers shortly before being murdered.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Dagan "symbolized for many the rebirth of the State of Israel from the ashes of the Holocaust."

Dagan is survived by his wife and three children.
The United Nations says Morocco has ordered 84 international staff members in the U.N. peacekeeping mission for Western Sahara to leave within three days, in protest at comments by the U.N. secretary-general about the disputed territory. The U.N. calls Morocco's order "unprecedented."

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Thursday called the order a unilateral action "in clear contradiction" of Morocco's international obligations and a challenge to the U.N. Security Council, which authorized the U.N. mission.

The mission is meant to monitor a 1991 cease-fire and help organize a referendum on Western Sahara's future. That has never taken place.

The council has a closed briefing Thursday on Morocco's actions by the U.N. political chief.

Dujarric says U.N. peacekeeping officials are preparing for a number of options, including ending the mission.
Captain Ds Celebrates Restaurant Opening in Alabama

Fast Casual Brand Opens Tuscaloosa, Al. Location on March 21

March 17, 2016 // Franchising.com // NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Captain Ds, the leading fast casual seafood restaurant, today announced the opening its newest franchised restaurant in Tuscaloosa, Al. on March 21. The restaurant is located at 760 Skyland Boulevard and will celebrate its opening with a ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. on March 21 with members of the Tuscaloosa County Chamber, as well as other officials of the town of Tuscaloosa. This opening marks the brand's 71 location in the state, and marks the seventh location for the franchisee.

The new restaurant is owned and operated by Townsend Foods, Inc., which is owned by Bill and Gloria Townsend and Brian and Tammy Townsend. The Townsends have been with the brand since 2002 and currently own six locations in Alabama, Tennessee and Florida. The area manager for the Tuscaloosa market is a long time 25-year employee in Tuscaloosa, Scott O'Brien.

We are excited to open a new Captain D's and open it in Tuscaloosa! said Bill Townsend, Captain Ds franchisee. And, we have plans to open three additional new locations in the next four to five years. Captain D's is a great brand to grow with and we've made it a great family business! With the way Tuscaloosa loves Captain D's and the way Tuscaloosa County is growing, we could add a fourth store here in the future.

With 515 restaurants in 26 states, Captain Ds is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. Captain Ds recently unveiled a new design featuring a vibrant coastal atmosphere and upgraded the dining experience with new plate ware and silverware. Captain Ds new menu, featuring several new fire-grilled items to satisfy guests desire for lower calorie options, is brought to life with upgraded menu boards and also features several new kids meal offerings. With these efforts, Captain Ds has remained true to what it does best  serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price.

Additionally, Captain Ds experienced the most successful year in the companys rich history by establishing an all-time system-wide AUV record, marking the brands third consecutive year of AUV record growth. Captain Ds also saw a fourth-quarter system-wide same-store sales increase of 4 percent and a 4.3 percent system-wide same-store sales increase for the entire fiscal year, marking the companys seventeenth consecutive quarter and fifth consecutive year of positive growth.

Captain Ds is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brands rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-550-4877.

About Captain Ds

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain Ds has 515 restaurants in 26 states, plus military bases around the world. Captain Ds is the nations leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain Ds has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 45 years. Captain Ds serves a widely variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature hand-battered fish, which is cooked to order to ensure freshness. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled fish, as well as shrimp, chicken, shrimp and beef kabobs, hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.

SOURCE Captain Ds

Media Contact:

Samantha Russo

Account Manager

Fish Consulting, LLC

O: (954) 893-9150

C:(954) 980-5128

srusso@fish-consulting.com

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Home Care Assistance Announces Opening of New Office in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

In-home care leader will provide home care for the growing senior population in Oshkosh, Appleton and the surrounding areas.

March 17, 2016 // Franchising.com // Oshkosh, WI  Home Care Assistance of Oshkosh & the Fox Cities, the premier home care provider, is pleased to announce the opening of its new office, which will serve the greater Oshkosh & Appleton communities. This location is the 120th Home Care Assistance office in North America and is opening during a stage of incredible growth and measured success for Home Care Assistance. The office is located at 1092 South Koeller Street in Oshkosh, WI.

I am excited to share the unique and innovative programs offered by Home Care Assistance as a resource for the communities in Oshkosh, Appleton and the surrounding areas, said Julie Davids, Owner of Home Care Assistance of Oshkosh & the Fox Cities. At Home Care Assistance, our mission is to change the way the world ages through distinct offerings such as our proprietary Balanced Care MethodTM based on the scientifically studied lifestyles of the longest living people on Earth and our Cognitive Therapeutics MethodTM, an activities-based program designed to delay the onset of cognitive decline.

Home Care Assistance hires only the most qualified and compassionate individuals as caregivers to serve the evolving needs of the companys clientele; Home Care Assistance accepts only one out of every 25 caregiver applicants on average. Applicants undergo thorough screening including background checks, reference checks and work authorization. A proprietary Caregiver Personality Screening test assesses each applicants traits, such as kindness, honesty and conscientiousness.

Julie Davids, Owner at Home Care Assistance of Oshkosh & the Fox Cities, upholds these standards in the highly-selective hiring process. Along with her compassion and professional expertise, Julie matches clients with the caregiver best-qualified for his or her unique needs and preferences and treats every client as though he or she were a part of her own family.

Nine out of ten seniors prefer to age in the comfort of their own home, yet thousands of seniors still move to facilities every year. A professionally trained and compassionate caregiver can provide the support to help each senior age safely and independently for as long as possible where they prefer: home. Home Care Assistance caregivers provide the following services to help seniors live well at home: hourly and live-in care, meal preparation, transportation, walking/transferring assistance, medication reminders, companionship and more.

To learn more about what Home Care Assistance has to offer or to schedule a free in-home assessment, please visit www.homecareassistancefoxcities.com or call 920-349-CARE today. Home Care Assistance of of Oshkosh & the Fox Cities is located at 1092 South Koeller Street in Oshkosh, WI 54902.

About Home Care Assistance

Home Care Assistance is the leading provider of home care for seniors across the United States, Canada and Australia. Our mission is to change the way the world ages. We provide older adults with quality care that enables them to live happier, healthier lives at home. Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers, the responsiveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care. We embrace a positive, balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults. A 2016 Franchise500 and Inc. 5000 Company, Home Care Assistance has received numerous industry awards including Entrepreneurs Fastest-Growing Franchises and Franchise Business Reviews Top 50. For more information about Home Care Assistance, our services and franchise opportunities, visithomecareassistance.com.

SOURCE Home Care Assistance

Media Contact:

Kathryn Zakskorn

Director of Franchise Marketing

650-462-9501

kzakskorn@homecareassistance.com

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PrideStaff Las Vegas Awarded Nevada's Veteran Owned Business of the Year for 2016

March 17, 2016 // Franchising.com // PrideStaff, a national staffing organization, is pleased to announce that their Las Vegas office has been named Nevada's Veteran Owned Business of the Year for 2016 by the United States Small Business Administration.

Nominees were judged on a variety of criteria including staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales, financial reports, innovative products or services, response to adversity, evidence of contributions to community-oriented projects and small business advocacy.

When interviewed, Bob Daniel, Owner/Strategic-Partner of PrideStaff Las Vegas, attributed his win to a number of factors, including: developing strategic business relationships; helping clients successfully weather the Great Recession; capitalizing on post-recession business opportunities; and having the support of a great corporate family.

"I'm humbled and honored by this recognition," said Daniel. "I'd like to thank the PrideStaff Family for helping me to win this award. Their support and confidence has fueled my entire team's success, which ultimately made winning possible."

Recipients of the 2016 Nevada Small Business Awards will be honored at the annual SBA Awards Luncheon, scheduled to be held May 4, 2016 at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas.

About PrideStaff

PrideStaff was founded in the 1970s as 100 percent company-owned units and began staffing franchising in 1995. They operate over 74 offices in North America to serve over 5,000 clients. With over 40 years in the staffing business, headquartered in Fresno, CA, PrideStaff offers the resources and expertise of a national firm with the spirit, dedication and personal service of smaller, entrepreneurial firms. PrideStaff is the only commercial staffing firm in the U.S. with over $100 million in revenue to earn Inaveros prestigious Best of Staffing Diamond Award for three years in a row, highlighting exceptional client and talent service quality.

For more information on our services or for staffing franchise information, visit www.pridestaff.com.

SOURCE PrideStaff

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Scooters Coffee Expands Nebraska Locations

Newest Location in Elkhorn Celebrates Grand Opening

March 17, 2016 // Franchising.com // Elkhorn, NE  Scooters Coffee, the Midwest-based coffee franchise that has experienced tremendous growth over the past year, will increase their Nebraska presence with the companys latest Grand Opening in Elkhorn (1515 S 204th St., Suite #101) on Friday, April 1st. To celebrate the opening, the new location will offer $1 medium drinks all day.

We have enjoyed watching the Scooters Coffee brand grow in the state of Nebraska, said Don Eckles, CEO and co-founder of Scooters Coffee.

On April 1st, Grand Opening Day, customers can also expect to receive several fun giveaways; beginning at 9am, the first 100 customers will receive a t-shirt or coffee mug. For the afternoon crowd, there will be $5 gift cards given away for the first 100 customers beginning at 2pm.

Rhonda Newgard will own this location and is her second Elkhorn store. I saw the need for another coffee shop to serve all of our customers needs in the great and growing Elkhorn community, said Newgard.

The Elkhorn grand opening marks the latest move in the companys extraordinary growth. With more than 135 stores in soon-to-be 15 states, Scooters recently signed a large Area Representative Agreement in Phoenix, along with several other Multi-Unit Agreements in Florida, Oklahoma and Arkansas. In late 2015, the company opened its first location in Roswell Georgia (Atlanta metro) and plans to build several more stores in the Atlanta area. At the same time, Scooters will continue to build locations in the Midwest region, with several stores slated to be opened in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota and Missouri.

The company also added depth to its product profile in 2015, with the release of its toasted gouda cheese ciabatta and bagel breakfast sandwiches, along with the Southwest Breakfast Burrito. Scooters, which hand-crafts its pastries and roasts its own 100% shade-grown coffees (sourced through the Arbor Day Foundation), at their Omaha headquarters, will add several innovative items to the menu in 2016, including a comprehensive iced tea program and more breakfast options.

About Scooters Coffee

Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooters Coffee roasts only the finest coffee beans in the world at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. Scooter's success over 17 years of history is simple: Stay committed to the original business principles and company core values. The Scooter's mantra, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees is: "Amazing People, Serving Amazing Drinks, Amazingly Fast. It represents the company's business origins from 1998 and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal customers.

For more information, visit scooterscoffee.com or Facebook.com/ScootersCoffee.

SOURCE Scooters Coffee

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White Spot Limited Is Once Again Named One Of Canadas Best Managed Companies

March 17, 2016 // Franchising.com // White Spot Limited is honoured to be named one of Canadas Best Managed Companies, for the 6th year in a row. They were first honoured with this prestigious award, in 2010 and have continued this commitment which is the countrys leading business awards program, recognizing excellence in Canadian-owned and managed companies.

White Spot continues to strive for excellence year after year, and build on their legendary brand. After 88 successful years in business, the company is still on top of its game. Despite the challenging Canadian economy and competition in the full-service and quick-service industry, White Spot and Triple Os continue to grow.

White Spot has taken an aggressive approach to growing its impressive footprint as a Western Canadian restaurant icon. Along with ongoing expansion in B.C. and Alberta, a continuously evolving menu, and a successful Red Seal chef apprenticeship and certification program, White Spot is also rapidly moving into the Asian market.

White Spot is in the hospitality business, operating the White Spot brand of 65 family casual-dining restaurants, and the Triple Os brand of 68 premium quick-service restaurants. Both concepts are renowned for their unique tasting food, including the award winning Legendary burger with secret Triple O sauce, their warm and friendly service, and their wide appeal to any demographic, any time.

About White Spot

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, White Spot is a B.C. legend. Founded in 1928, when Nat Bailey launched Canadas first drive-in restaurant at Granville and 67th, the 88-year-young chain now sees more than 17 million guests annually at 130 White Spot and Triple Os locations throughout B.C., Alberta and Asia. Baileys original vision was to build a restaurant that served the highest quality, unique tasting food and White Spot remains committed to continuing this tradition in each and every meal. White Spot Limited is proud to be recognized as one of Canadas Best Managed Companies from 2010 to now 2015.

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John King is the newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Education, after surviving a 49-40 confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate. I know King and I like and respect him. But the closeness of the voteespecially for a turn-out-the-lights duty stint at the Department of Educationjust reminds us how must distrust and division there is in Washington and surrounding education reform.

Now, dont get me wrong. I have zero problem with hard-hitting partisan disagreement. It can be healthy, especially when tethered to a sense of responsibility and mutual respect. And some of the debates in education todaysuch as around school vouchers and collective bargainingare inevitably going to be heated, because theyre rooted in self-interest and ideology.

But there is also a lot of division in schooling today that is neither inevitable nor necessary. Much of it is the product of miscalculation, overstepping, arrogance, and dismissiveness on the part of well-meaning reformers and Obama appointees. As a respected reformer and now as a leading light in the Obama firmament, King has a chance to set some important things right. That would allow him to leave the Obama years in a healthier, more constructive place.

Here are five things Id urge King to say and do, the sooner the better:

One, he should follow President Obamas lead and do some apologizing. Early in his tenure, Obama apologized several times on behalf of the U.S. for things done long ago. King did a bit of that when he suggested the other week that it was a mistake for reformers make teachers feel scapegoated or blamed. That was a start. King should similarly acknowledge that it was wrong to casually dismiss Common Core skeptics as tin-foil hat conspiracy theorists; that Race to the Top and ESEA may have raised legitimate concerns about excessive federal control; and that opt-out parents have a point about overlong, excessive, and unhelpful testing. You get the idea. Admissions like these could help start to wipe the slate and let reasonable people on both sides of these divides find a more civil, less bitter way forward.

Two, he should try to redress the bitter distrust that has taken root between Congress and the Department during the Duncan years. Under Duncan, a lack of attention to cultivating relationships with the legislative branch, coupled with the Secretarys own occasional contemptuous outbursts towards Republicans, created a toxic environment. Members of Congress struggled to get meaningful responses to concerns about the activities of the Office of Civil Rights or regarding ESEA waivers. In truth, I dont think Duncan or his team ever quite grasped how much venom they inspired among Capitol Hill Republicans, because they didnt make much effort to find out. Regular efforts to reach out to members, promptly answer their concerns, solicit their views, and share thinking with staff would go a long way when it comes to implementing ESSA, tackling higher ed, and even moving more routine legislation.

Three, he should visibly and aggressively involve educators and local officials in the implementation of ESSA. Foundations are steering funds to the usual suspectsnational nonprofits, advocacy groups, think tanks, and suchto help states devise post-ESSA policies. It can be easy for local superintendents, classroom educators, and even state legislators to feel like theyre on the outside looking in as these things unfold. Duncans Teach to Lead initiative can provide a terrific starting place for doing just this. Providing educators and local officials with the opportunity to put ideas forward can help them connect with important stakeholders while putting the onus on them to devise suggestions that are workable and constructive.

Fourth, King should make it clear that he is interested in listening to and engaging with those in the states whove had concerns about the Obama administrations effortsbut have been afraid to give offense or put their ESEA waiver at risk. A number of state chiefs (and even Democratic governors) tell of feeling cold-shouldered by the Secretary and the Department. King should work to reassure state chiefs and governors that its okay to be honest, especially now that the Secretarys authority has been curtailed. This can leech frustration and venom that otherwise gets channeled in other ways.

Fifth, King can ensure that the Department of Education tackles ESSA implementation with due respect for statute and the intent of Congress. As the Department shapes ESSA for the next administration, King has a chance to see that the legislative branch is consulted, that the work is pursued in a bipartisan and collegial fashion, and that new regulations and guidelines are careful to hew to the letter of the law. If King does this, the law will be off to a strong start and Kings efforts will be much more likely to have a salutary and lasting impact.

King has a lot of freedom at this point. Hes got a short tenure ahead of him, a president with other things on his mind, and a nation more focused on Trump and Clinton than the ins and outs of education policy. He might feel the urge to double-down on favorite policies and give them a little extra nudge, but I think hell be more effective, do more good, and be able to look back on his tenure with more sense of accomplishment if he views these next ten months as a chance to clean up the toxicity that has infused school reform in Washington and across the nation.
WASHINGTON  More than a dozen U.S. military personnel have been disciplined  but face no criminal charges  for mistakes that led to the bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital that killed 42 people in Afghanistan last year, U.S. defense officials say.

The punishments, which have not been publicly announced, are largely administrative. But in some cases the actions, such as letters of reprimand, are tough enough to effectively end chances for further promotion. The military has previously said some personnel were suspended from their duties but has given no further details.

The disciplined include both officers and enlisted personnel, but officials said none are generals.

The officials, who were not authorized to discuss the outcomes publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity, said the disciplinary process is nearly complete. It is derived from a military investigation of the Oct. 3, 2015, attack, the results of which are expected to be made public in a partially redacted form in coming days.

The hospital, run by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders in the northern city of Kunduz, was attacked by a U.S. Air Force special operations AC130 gunship, one of the most lethal in the U.S. arsenal. Doctors Without Borders called the attack relentless and brutal and demanded an international investigation, but none was undertaken.

Army Gen. John Campbell, who was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan at the time but has since relinquished command, has called it a tragic but avoidable accident caused primarily by human error.

The attack was unleashed as U.S. military advisers were helping Afghan forces retake Kunduz, which had fallen to the Taliban on Sept. 28. It was the first major city to fall since the Taliban were expelled from Kabul in 2001.

Afghan officials claimed the hospital had been overrun by the Taliban, but no evidence of that has surfaced. The hospital was destroyed and Doctors Without Borders ceased operations in Kunduz.

President Barack Obama apologized for the attack.
Born April 10, 1954, in Fredericksburg, he was the son of the late Col. Arthur G. and Mildred D. Wholey and the son-in-law of the late Dr. Arthur J. and Frances S. Martin. Mike was fondly remembered as a Jack of all trades and a master of all arts! His various work endeavors started simply, as a paperboy delivering the Free LanceStar, which led to a job filling ice bags at Earls Supermarket. This landed him in front of a judge because he was underage and did not possess the crucial work permit. But Mike kept expanding his expertise by working at Powells Towing, Virginia Electric and Power Company, the National Park Service at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Comfort Homes, Harkins Construction, Federal Emergency Management Agency and his own businesses: Automotive Renovation, Selective Shades and Point Harbor Gulf.
UPDATE: On Monday, March 21, Vice President Joe Biden visited Fred Hutch as part of his National Cancer Moonshot initiative listening tour. You can read about his visit here, see images from the historic day here, and learn more about the moonshot here. Also, we featured Dr. David Maloney in a Facebook Live broadcast on Tuesday, March 22. Maloney discussed his work in cancer immunotherapy. If you missed his live talk, you can see it here.

With Vice President Joe Biden visiting Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Monday as part of his National Cancer Moonshot listening tour, here are five things to know about the moonshot initiative.

Whose idea was this?

During his final State of the Union address in January, President Barack Obama launched a new moonshot to speed up cancer cures. He called on Biden, who both inspired and named the new effort, to take charge of mission control.

Biden already was a man on a mission. In May 2015, his older son, former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, died of brain cancer at age 46. In October, the still-grieving vice president surrendered his dream of running for president and said that instead he would dedicate his time and energy to a moonshot in this country to cure cancer  an absolute national commitment to end cancer as we know it today.

What is the moonshot expected to accomplish?

Cancer is now known to be hundreds of complex diseases, and no one, including Biden, believes in a one-shot cancer cure-all. His stated goal is to double the pace of progress or, in his words, make a decade worth of advances in five years.

In blog posts and speeches since the announcement, Biden has said that to do this, he will focus on:
Los Angeles Baking Supply Shop BakersBodega to Attend San Diego Cake Show

BakersBodega will attend the 33rd Annual San Diego Cake Show March 19 and 20 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Attending events like these is important for the Los Angeles wholesale baking supply shop, president Carlos Lopez says, as the brand looks to expand throughout California.

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The team from Los Angeles wholesale baking supply shop BakersBodega will be attending the 33rd Annual San Diego Cake Show March 19 and 20 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This show, which is in its 33rd year, is an ideal opportunity for the shop to promote not only its products and brand, but also its newly opened franchise.

"The San Diego Cake Show has a rich history of supporting bakers and cake artists and we are glad to be part of that history," BakersBodega president Carlos Lopez said. "This will be a great opportunity for us to shine the spotlight on our newest project, the brand new franchise that we've recently opened in Baldwin Park. Of course, the Cake Show is all about the artistry of baking and decorating, so we will have our very best team members there showcasing our great products and meeting the wonderful people of San Diego."

Attending events like the San Diego Cake Show is important for BakersBodega, which has its main store located in the Los Angeles suburb of Pico Rivera, so the company can increase its brand presence, Lopez says. Now that BakersBodega has opened its first franchise in Baldwin Park, the focus for the company is promoting the new wholesale baking supply shop while also looking forward to further franchise expansion. As the company has its sights set on expanding further in California, attending events like the Cake Show is important for the brand to get more exposure in markets that it will one day be entering, the company president says.

"Right now, with our new franchise having just opened, we want to give it a nice push so we are concentrating on that, but attending premier baking and decorating events like the Cake Show in San Diego serves to lay the foundations for eventual expansion into that market," Lopez said. "When bakers and cake decorating specialists in California think of baking supplies, we want BakersBodega to be the brand they think of. That's why we're going to have an amazing display with our talented team at the Cake Show. It's all about making a good impression and putting our brand out there to prepare for our eventual San Diego expansion."

Presented by the San Diego Cake Club, the theme for this year's show is 'Off to Neverland' and features a bevy of classes and celebrity bakers along with cake decorating competitions that are open to all skill levels from master to beginner and even a children's decorating competition. This year will continue the tradition of the Cake Show, also known as 'Confections for a Cause' according to its website, giving a portion of proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House Charity, something Lopez says BakersBodega fully supports.

For more information about us, please visit https://www.bakersbodega.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Emmanuel Rodriguez

Organization: BakersBodega

Phone: 562-942-2253

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/los-angeles-baking-supply-shop-bakersbodega-to-attend-san-diego-cake-show/107226

Release ID: 107226

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Construction & Design Inc. will serve as 2016 Corporate Sponsor for John Palmer Art

Palmer always seeks and obtains the support of a Corporate Sponsor for his cutting-edge art business. This year, state-of-the-art building company Construction & Design Inc. will serve as Palmer's Houston Art Gallery's Corporate Sponsor.

March 16, 2016 (FPRC) -- Construction & Design Inc., a full-service residential and commercial construction company of Houston, Texas, has partnered with Artist John Ross Palmer to become his Heights Art Gallerys Corporate Sponsor for 2016. The mutually beneficial partnership is the fourth for Palmer and the first for Construction & Design. For Palmer, having his gallery supported by a company that delivers state-of-the-art design services adds tremendous clout to his flourishing career.



I have known John Palmer personally for over 30 years. I was honored to serve as the Builder for his 2008 Art Gallery construction and The Chrysalis addition in 2014, says Owner, Terri Robinson. Signing on as his 2016 Corporate Sponsor was a fantastic opportunity. Our industries go hand-in-hand, and, Im truly inspired to help underwrite his artist journey and evolution. Palmer explains, I never expected my friendship with Terri to expand into booming businessbut thank goodness it did. Her companys construction of my Art Gallery and The Chrysalis made it one of the most unique and exquisite art complexes in the Southwest. I cannot wait to promote her business and innovative skill set in 2016. Robinson, a native Houstonian just like Palmer, is inspired by the Artists 2016 Charity of the Year, Its extremely fitting to sponsor John Palmer Art during this year when hes supporting Houston Habitat for Humanity. Im thrilled were all working to build a better community.



Construction & Design Inc. was established in 2005. At the encouragement of customers and subcontractors, the community needed a company to streamline and coordinate all facets of the construction process. With C & D Inc., you have one contact. Robinson personally oversees all subcontractors to guarantee quality and efficiency. Just like Palmer, Terri Robinsons business is driven by top-notch customer service. For more information, visit CDInctx.com or call 281-766-7722.



For questions about the gallery, Artist John Ross Palmer or the 2016 Corporate Sponsorship by Construction & Design Inc., please contact Art Gallery Owner Ryan Lindsay at 713-861-6726 or Ryan@JohnPalmerArt.com.







Send an email to Ryan Lindsay of r

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NYC Traffic Ticket Lawyer James Medows Launches New Website

The Law Office of James Medows has launched a newly-redesigned website in January 2016 to help clients with traffic violations in New York City, New York.

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New York Traffic Attorney Mr. James Medows has years of experience in dealing with all traffic law violations including speeding, parking, blocking the box and running red lights in the five boroughs of New York City. The website (http://www.ny-defense.com) has been redesigned to help potential clients fight traffic summonses. While paying for traffic tickets may not be a big hassle, the long term consequences might prove to be quite cumbersome.

With every traffic ticket that a driver gets, insurance companies will use the points system to increase rates, which could quickly add up thousands of dollars. For speeding infractions, points can start at two and go as high up as eleven. Even paying a hefty fine every single time for minor traffic infractions can add financial pressure. Fighting traffic tickets may take some time, but the results can be very positive.

Attorney James Medows provides valuable service, representation and advice to clients in New York City on the different types of traffic violations and their respective consequences. Commuters of New York can visit the site - http://www.ny-defense.com/speeding-ticket-lawyer-nyc/ - to learn more about the legal process and how to make a stand and defend themselves against traffic ticket fines.

Sometimes, traffic tickets can be issued because of faulty data collected from traffic surveillance cameras. In such scenarios, drivers need to ask for valid proof instead of just paying up. In these scenarios, contesting a traffic ticket is a no-brainer.

Also, admitting to traffic violations may make a poor impression on the judge. If there are multiple speeding convictions, the judge can immediately take the driver's license away. In the city of New York, earning at least three speeding convictions within 18 months will lead to automatic revocation of a driver's licence.

Not having a license usually turns someone's life upside down, as daily commuting will become infinitely harder while using public modes of transportation. Drivers who make a living from taxi fares (Uber drivers, for example) could face a career crisis if their license is revoked. James Medows will not only investigate traffic violation cases, but will also fight in court, if necessary, to contest a traffic ticket. He is certainly someone you want on your side. His contact details are below.

About the Law Office of James Medows:

James Medows is a second generation Defense Attorney and has extensive experience helping people with traffic violations of all kinds. He has gained a positive reputation by handling cases in all five boroughs of New York City - Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn (http://www.ny-defense.com/brooklyn-traffic-ticket-lawyer-speeding/), Bronx and Queens. Mr. Medows received his law degree from the Howard University School of Law, and his expertise and dedication has made him stand out as a trusted New York City Traffic Ticket Lawyer.

The Law Office of James Medows is always available for free consultations.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.ny-defense.com

Contact Info:

Name: James Medows

Email: jamesmedows@gmail.com

Organization: NYC Traffic Ticket Lawyer James Medows

Address: 306 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone: (917) 856-1247

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/nyc-traffic-ticket-lawyer-james-medows-launches-new-website/107382

Release ID: 107382

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A Kansas state senator hailing from the suburbs of Kansas City is spearheading a charge to require teachers to vote annually on whether they want their unions to continue representing them, reports The Topeka Capital-Journal .

Under the bill, if a local union doesnt get 50 percent of votes in the affirmative, it shall no longer be recognized and the professional employees shall be unrepresented. Teachers could reorganize but it couldnt be with a union that is substantially similar to or affiliated with the one that was voted down.

The bill would result in more than 300 elections across the state, costing more than $340,000 a year , at a time when the state is facing a gaping budget hole. Current state law already allows for this kind of recertification election if 30 percent of teachers sign a petition.

Republican Sen. Jeff Melcher of Leawood says he wants to give new teachers a voice, so they can make their thoughts known as to whether they want to be represented by the [National Education Association] or someone else.

Melcher argues this will make the states teachers unionsthe majority of which are affiliated with the Kansas Education Association and the National Education Associationmore responsive to the concerns of current members:

The way it works right now, we just have perpetual representation. My hope is by having these frequent elections they'll better understand what their members really want."

This isnt a new idea. Wisconsin has been requiring annual recertification votes for public-sector unions since 2013, as part of Gov. Scott Walkers controversial Act 10. In Wisconsin, 51 percent of all workers eligible to be in a union must vote yes for a union to survive , so not voting essentially counts as a no vote. According to the anti-union John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, which has been tracking these elections, the votes have led to the demise of over 100 unions , including the substitute teachers union in Appleton, the teachers union in Elkhorn, and the union representing engineers in Milwaukee Public Schools.

James Sherk, research fellow in labor economics at The Heritage Foundation, made the case for these elections back in 2012 :

Unions represent employees in the workplace, but most workers never chose their union. The overwhelming majority of workers accepted union representation as a condition of being hired at a unionized firm. They inherited the union that their predecessors voted for decades earlier. Just 7 percent of private-sector workers voted for their union. An even smaller portion of government employees chose their union. For instance, virtually all of the teachers who voted to unionize Kansas's largest school districts in 1971 have since retired. The current teachers did not choose their representative. Inherited representation encourages unions to put their interests first--at the expense of the workers they ostensibly represent. Congress and state legislatures should require unions to run for re-election, or allow workers to designate their own bargaining representative. Workers should not be forced to accept a union's services."

Back in Kansas, last week, Melchers bill passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee largely unchanged .
Crowell Law Offices Launches Newly Redesigned Website

Crowell Law Offices has launched a newly redesigned website crowelllawoffices.com in February 2016 to serve clients with Personal Injury and Criminal Defense cases in Sacramento, California.

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Crowell Law Offices has launched a newly redesigned website to serve clients with personal injury and criminal defense cases in and around Sacramento, California - www.crowelllawoffices.com. The firm is headed by owner Hendrick S. Crowell, II and is licensed to practice in all areas related to criminal defense and personal injury law.

Being a local boutique law firm, its services are focused on these two main practice areas, and include cases involving DUI, dog bites, traffic violations, car accidents, slip and fall, expungement and wrongful deaths. Not only are the attorneys of this firm experienced professionals who can gain maximum compensation and relief for their clients, but they are also experienced in taking cases all the way to trial, when necessary, and winning.

Crowell Law Offices is one of the first law firms to publish the results of their past cases, and this information can be verified at the respective courts or the court's online system. In one notable personal injury case, their client was awarded $1.6 million. The reputation this law firm has earned over its years of service is truly commendable.

Attorneys Hendrick Crowell and Robert Darrohn focus on DUI offenses and use their skills to defend clients who have been accused of driving while under the influence. For more info on DUI defense visit http://www.crowelllawoffices.com/sacramento-dui-lawyer/.

Attorney Daniel J. Tenenbaum of Crowell Law Offices focuses his practice on personal injury cases. His experience in this field has allowed him to develop a network of insurance and medical professionals, and his insider knowledge of insurance companies gives him an edge when fighting on behalf of his clients. For more info on personal injury and auto accidents visit http://www.crowelllawoffices.com/personal-injury/auto-accidents/.

The firm also offers free case evaluations, which is a benefit for many clients who are not sure about how to proceed. Crowell's attorneys not only provide information to their clients about the legal procedures that need to be followed, but also assist them in making the right decisions for their case.

Clients have nothing but the best to say about Crowell Law Offices. Julie, one of their recent clients, said;

"Our family has required Mr. Crowell's expertise on several levels from guidance on traffic infractions to a few more serious issues. He is a true professional and has been able to deliver what he expresses he can obtain for us. The firms' entire staff is extremely supportive and caring..."

About Crowell Law Offices

Crowell Law Offices have been practicing Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law for the last 15 years in Sacramento, Woodland and Roseville, California. It is run under the leadership of three bright and skilled attorneys: Hendrick S. Crowell, II, Daniel J. Tenenbaum and Robert Darrohn. Hendrick S. Crowell, II, has been listed in the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 in 2015. The firm has also won an AVVO Client's Choice Award in 2015 and has an AVVO rating of 10.0 Superb.

Crowell Law Offices offers a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.crowelllawoffices.com

Contact Info:

Name: Hendrick Crowell

Email: hendrick@crowelllawoffices.com

Organization: Crowell Law Offices

Address: 1510 J Street, Suite 230 Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 303-2800

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/crowell-law-offices-launches-newly-redesigned-website/107380

Release ID: 107380

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The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock Launches New Family Law Website

The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock has recently launched a newly-redesigned website to help guide clients through all complicated legal aspects of family law and divorce in and around Rancho Cucamonga, California.

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The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock has recently launched a newly-redesigned website - http://www.brocklawfirm.com - to help guide clients through all complicated legal aspects related to family and divorce law in San Bernardino County, Southern California. The firm was founded by Divorce Attorney, Mr. Laurence J. Brock, who has practiced divorce and family law for over 25 years. His firm is responsible for the successful resolution of over 1,000 complex family law cases - included divorce, alimony and child custody (http://www.brocklawfirm.com/rancho-cucamonga-divorce-lawyer/child-custody/) and visitation rights.

With such extensive experience in one area of law, the firm has the skill, knowledge and ability necessary to fairly represent clients and to focus exclusively on helping people through a challenging and difficult period.

The Rancho Cucamonga Law Office of Laurence J. Brock (http://www.brocklawfirm.com/rancho-cucamonga-divorce-lawyer/) helps in valuing cash flow and marital assets, and evaluating child custody and child support claims. They also study the employment potential of their clients and their partners to work through alimony issues. They even educate their clients on the complex legal system that operates behind family and divorce laws. This way, they alleviate fears and confusion that their clients might harbor during the process.

For divorce cases, the attorneys will provide legal details pertaining to the case, while also taking care of other matters like child custody, division of property, establishment of paternity, valuation of businesses, and child and spousal support. The firm also offers a free initial consultation, so prospective clients can understand how the attorneys will be able to best help them.

The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock has received many positive reviews, with clients being happy and relieved for being able to settle their cases and move on. Barbara, a client caught up in the dispute over child custody, said, "Mr. Brock is very straightforward and did a fantastic job of keeping me informed and feeling secure every step of the way. He and his staff were always available to answer questions and guide me through the process. I am very thankful to have had such a competent, hardworking and caring team to support me."

The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock

The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock was started by Divorce and Family Attorney Laurence J. Brock, who has had over 25 years of family law experience since 1992. He has represented husbands, wives, children, fathers, mothers, and grandparents and has successfully handled over 1,000 family law cases. He was also elected in January 2015 as the President of East West Family Law Council for a two-year term.

The Law Office of Laurence J. Brock is always available to answer questions and provide valuable advice.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.brocklawfirm.com

Contact Info:

Name: Larry Brock

Email: info@brocklawfirm.com

Organization: Law Office of Laurence J. Brock

Address: 8241 White Oak Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Phone: (909) 466-7661

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/the-law-office-of-laurence-j-brock-launches-new-family-law-website/107376

Release ID: 107376

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Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet to Stop Identity Theft Launched

Cressida Wallets announced the availability of their new Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet "Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet". More information can be found at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AMJ09YU

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Customers looking for the latest Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet are now able to purchase Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet by Cressida Wallets. Today Anne Evens, spokesperson at Cressida Wallets releases details of Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet's development.

Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet is designed to appeal specifically to security conscious men and includes:

Security of personal data, credit card, ID details - This feature was included because thieves are stealing through the new contact less payment technology chips inserted in the latest generation of cash cards. This is great news for the consumer as it protects against identity and cash theft.

Slim bi-fold design - Research of customer preference carried out by Cressida Wallets revealed that most men prefer a slim wallet which they can slip easily into any pocket, avoiding strain caused by bulkier wallets. Customers who buy Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet should enjoy this feature because there are no more problems with trying to fit a bulky wallet into a pocket or suffering the discomfort of sitting on a large wallet placed in a back pocket.

Lifetime guarantee - Cressida Wallets made sure to make this part of the Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet's development to prove the developers belief that they are supplying a premier product. Customers will likely appreciate this because it gives peace of mind when purchasing. If for any reason the customer is not completely satisfied, they will provide a free replacement or refund their money.

Anne Evens, when asked about Cressida Men's Leather RFID Blocking Wallet said:

"We are proud to announce the launch of this quality genuine leather RFID wallet. It both provides a solution to the increasing threat of fraudulent scanning of personal data and offers a convenient slim design to ensure that the wallet can be carried safely and conveniently"

This is Cressida Wallets first release of a new product and Anne Evens is particularly excited about it. This is because the product was developed due to customer requests and it uses the latest technology to finally solve a growing data theft problem.

Those interested in purchasing can go directly to the product listing, here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AMJ09YU

For more information about us, please visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AMJ09YU

Contact Info:

Name: Anne Evens

Organization: Cressida Wallets



Release ID: 107406

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Chicago Divorce Lawyer Celebrates 45 Years Of Practice

Chicago divorce lawyer firm, Hoffenberg and Block, provides legal representation to clients in Chicago, including, Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will and McHenry Counties in Illinois. They bring extensive knowledge and experience to the legal areas of family law and divorce court.

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Chicago divorce lawyer representation is a crucial part of every dissolution of marriage proceedings. When a marriage is legally terminated, the laws of the State of Illinois apply to all matters concerning property division, spousal and child support, child custody and legal separation. For parties considering a divorce obtaining the services of an experienced, divorce lawyer in Chicago is important. The legal professional will help to protect rights and provide parties with needed legal counsel during the divorce proceedings.

Conflict and emotional trauma are typically part of the divorce proceedings, especially when children are involved. The attorneys at Hoffenberg and Block, LLC provide principals with guidance about decisions and protect the rights of the client. Whether the divorce is contested or uncontested, the process can be complicated. The skills of the attorney ensure that all court actions are accurately filed and that the actions are completed as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

While an uncontested divorce is relatively simple to process through the courts, a contested divorce typically can be expensive and time consuming for both parties. There is often a lasting emotional impact on the spouses and on the children. The process requires an advocate for the parties, in order to reduce some of the emotional and financial issues.

The decisions that are made during divorce proceedings can affect all parties for years to come. An attorney will help to provide information about the consequences of the decisions. The right attorney is a factor that can make a significant difference in the balance of the divorce proceedings.

To learn more about divorce lawyer in Chicago, Please visit:http://chicagofamilylawyer.com/divorce-lawyers-chicago/

For more information about us, please visit http://chicagofamilylawyer.com

Contact Info:

Name: Gloria Block

Organization: Hoffenberg and Block, LLC

Address: 30 N. LaSalle Suite 3250, Chicago, IL; 225 E. Deerpath Rd Suite 134, Lake Forest, IL

Phone: (312) 853-8000; (847) 901-7170; (312) 853-8000

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/chicago-divorce-lawyer-celebrates-45-years-of-practice/107413

Release ID: 107413

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Detroit Funeral Home Celebrate 97th Anniversary

James H. Cole Home for Funerals is celebrating 97 years and four generations of family owned and operated service, dedication and commitment to the families of the Detroit community.

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The prominent fourth generation family owned James H. Cole Home for Funerals, providing elegant, trusted and attentive funeral services to families in the Detroit community, is celebrating its 97th anniversary.

More information is available at http://jameshcole.com.

The funeral home founded in 1919 by James H. Cole established a reputation for hosting and organizing funeral services that accommodate a wide range of families, from different religious, cultural or socio-economic backgrounds, in the Detroit area. The business is currently celebrating 97 years and four generations of family operated service to the community.

The James H. Cole Home for Funerals specializes in hosting and planning a variety of custom-made or pre-need package ceremonies designed to provide a memorable and dignified tribute while accommodating a wide range of requirements, sensitivities and budgets.

Its Main Chapel offers presidential, exclusive, traditional or economy pre-planned services and its Northwest Chapel provides diamond, regal, signature and conventional packages. All of them include a selection of elegant caskets, assistance by its professional staff, removal, embalming, instate, dressing and cosmetizing, hearse, memorial books, and more.

During the ceremony, the funeral home also provides concierge services, by assigning someone to attend the needs of a spouse or child throughout the ceremony, candlelight remembrance services and discretionary white glove first viewing family gatherings with a full light hors d'oeuvres, white glove servers and prayer hour reception.

Additional arrangements like dove releases, memorial video tributes, keepsakes for guests, funeral programs, specialty floral tributes, headstones, monuments, military honors, and others, can also be added to the ceremony and custom-made or specialty services can be pre-planned in person with one of the funeral home directors.

Celebration of life funeral ceremonies, including dove releases, vintage horse drawn carriage or motorcycle hearse for casket procession and military service honor guard, trumpet players or other specialty musicians, and more, are also available.

The merchandise, arrangements and packages available at both James H. Cole Home for Funerals' chapels can be explored and consulted at the company's website provided above along with an online store, testimonials and extensive information on Detroit community events, news and remembrance or grief support providers.

The funeral home has been considered "Business of the Year" and was recently awarded the Business Recognition Heritage Award by the Detroit Tricentennial Committee, Spirit of Detroit Appreciation Award and the 100 Black Women in Funeral Service Presidents' Award.

The H. Cole family explains that "James H. Cole Home for Funerals has been dedicated to building a legacy of professionalism, dedication, compassion and affordability in the Detroit community. Our reputation, history and legacy only strengthens our commitment to continue improving the highest standards of services and products offered to the thousands of families we serve year after year".

For more information about us, please visit http://www.jameshcole.com

Contact Info:

Name: Karla maria Cole

Organization: Cole James H Home For Funerals Inc.

Address: 2624 W Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48208

Phone: 313) 873-0771

Release ID: 107355

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Miami Office Movers now offer additional professionals and 24 hour service

Miami Office Movers has updated its current services to include 24/7 service, and provide expansion services to new customers and old. Further information can be found at www.miamiofficemovers.net.

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Miami Office Movers has implemented a new element to its existing professionalism, adding additional hours of operation to 24/7 service, and increasing their teams due to popular demand. Their goal is to accommodate their clients day and night, 7 days a week, even on holidays, with use of true Professionals. They offer office, warehouse, and industrial moving services, as well as cubicle moving and installation, IT equipment, and packing services. This is all done without a premium.

They also work closely with property and building managers, supplying all insurance to the buildings for compliance. Their goal is to protect the property by applying floor covering and wall protection, so it is left unharmed after the client has relocated. They also take notice of cleaning up after the move.

This update delivers office moving, warehouse moving, inventory control during a move, special handling, cubicle moving and installation, rigging, and heavy machinery moving. It is offered to customers, interested parties and those active within the office relocation, warehouse moving, heavy machinery such as printing presses, drill presses, copiers, rigging, and large items that standard movers do not do. They also handle inventory control during a move! Not to mention cubicle moving and installation expert services! Miami Office Movers has been able grow due to popular demand and an increasing request for these unique services. They are able to expand their training and bring more Professionals to their teams. This allows them to handle more projects, properly staff their existing projects, and have true business Movers that realize the importance of moving timely. They also increased their equipment to support the rapid growth!.

Miami Office Movers is excited to unveil the latest benefit for current and new clients, showing their 24/7 service to customers as it's specifically designed to improve the experience and better fulfill the needs of Business Owners.

When asked to provide greater insight on the subject, Brian McGary of Miami Office Movers said "Being 4 Generations deep in business relocation services helps know what it takes to move a business while eliminating downtime. Deadlines are met or beat! Certified Moving Consultants will train their clients' staff how to prepare for a move, and create a plan of order to move to ensure a smooth transition!"

Miami Office Movers has made a point of listening to its customers and taking feedback wherever possible. They reportedly do this because each customer is different. Understanding their needs is the primary step to create a plan and keep them profitable during a move. They LOVE feedback, whether it is a recommendation or applause. This is a proven method to fine tune their services and learn how to exceed their clients' expectations daily.

Miami Office Movers has made it part of its mission to be branded as the "go to" Company for business relocation. They want their clients to feel at ease when they choose their services, so they can concentrate on other aspects of their move. Specializing in office relocation, warehouse moving, heavy machinery such as printing presses, drill presses, copiers, rigging, and large items the standard movers do not do. They also handle inventory control during a move so items are found immediately. Not to mention cubicle moving and installation experts! The business is known as the preferred business mover to the public eye. This is based on values of being reliable, trustworthy, professional, and cost friendly. This can be seen through the passion placed in what they do. Among fans and customers, which Brian McGary is immensely proud of, with the business being operational now for over 35 years.

Interested parties who would like to be among the first to experience the expanding office moving services with Miami Office Movers are encouraged to visit the website at www.miamiofficemovers.net for full details and to get started.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.miamiofficemovers.net

Contact Info:

Name: Brian McGary

Organization: Miami Office Movers

Phone: 305-501-4460

Release ID: 107228

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Thermalabs Acquires a New Domain Name for Its Upcoming Beach Tents Brand

Thermalabs has revealed that it acquired a new domain that will be used for its beach tents brand.

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Thermalabs today acquired a new top-level domain that it will use for its upcoming sub-brand for beach tent-related products - Tent World. The domain, tent.world, will be a great way for the company to provide essential information to its global audience. The company is apparently very excited about this new brand, which will feature an exotic collection of top-notch beach tents meant for use at the beach, in sports, at home, while camping and just about elsewhere. According to the company's marketing co-coordinator, Mr. Alex Howard, tent.world will be a central source of tent related tips, information, and instructions for the company's growing audience.

Thermalabs is an American startup that's around two and a half years old. The company is headquartered in New York but operates production facilities in Israel and other parts of the world. Thermalabs has managed to attain massive success for a company of its age. To start with, the firm managed to get into the limelight sometimes in late 2014 when its launch product, the original self-tanner, caused a stir in the market. The fact that the product was based on a highly organic and natural formulation made it dear to users, who purchased and shared it widely. Within the no time, the little-known company had made its first one thousand sales barely 24 hours post-launch. Indeed, the original self-tanner, and its record success helped set the stage for the company that Thermalabs is today.

Impressively, Thermalabs subsequent launches were big hits. Glow2Go, the company's pack of tanning wipes, is to date a best seller on major e-commerce marketplaces. The Ultimitt, Thermalabs recommended tan applicator mitt, is also wildly successful and remains on the company's list of all-time bestsellers. It's amazing how Thermalabs has been able to build on its successes to create a truly global brand. Tent World is a major attempt by the firm to expand its' dominance beyond the self-tanning niche. This is not the first time Thermalabs has tried to do so. In late 2015, they revealed a new sub-brand going by the name Supremasea. This was referred to as 'Thermalabs Private Collection of Dead Sea Mineral-based products', and would house the production of the company's new range of cosmetic products. So far, Supremasea has been a success, having introduced a successful pilot product.

With Tent World, Thermalabs is creating a global network and profile that will allow it to bring together customers who are interested in tents. The new brand will see the company cultivate a new market, and perhaps increase its global popularity and profitability as well. The company has revealed that all its upcoming tents will be named after planets in the solar system. This is a fascinating naming convention that'll help domesticate the 'new' products to users. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the market once the company holds that press events launching its new beach tents.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.thermalabs.com

Contact Info:

Name: Jennifer Parker

Organization: Thermalabs



Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0mp9doGM54

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/thermalabs-acquires-a-new-domain-name-for-its-upcoming-beach-tents-brand/107050

Release ID: 107050

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Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance Launches New Website

Financial solutions provider, Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance, owned by Greg Belger, launched a new website.

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Leading financial services company, Safe Harbor Finance and Insurance, owned by Greg Belger, has launched a new and enhanced online platform. This new website aims to provide better user experience and make it easy for site visitors, especially seniors to find what they're looking for. "In order to be competitive and join the bandwagon of newly developed and enhanced sites, we have also decided to remodel our site design to make it look more professional, conservative and easy to navigate. Most of our clients are seniors who aren't savvy enough to navigate their way into an online platform so we want to make things easier for them. The new site will not only serve seniors well but everyone in general as we have also included a number of articles and educational videos" stated Greg Belger from Safe Harbor Finance and Insurance (http://www.safeharborfi.com/ )

In lieu of Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance' thrust to provide quality and hassle free services, a new website was launched. The website will contain a comprehensive list of all the services provided by the company including information on fixed indexed annuities, health insurance, Medicare supplements, and other resources to help educate site visitors. Designed by talented web developers and programmers, the new website was created with the end users in mind. It was designed not only for seniors but for people of all ages aiming to keep their principals protected from risks and help them grow and preserve their assets. "At Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance, our mission is to help our clients achieve financial security using strategies based on the principles of safety security and preservation of assets so they can realize a comfortable retirement. We provide accurate and up-to-date education to our clients and create customized plans focusing on their specific needs and objectives. Overall, we want to make things easier for you" ended the representative.

ABOUT COMPANY

Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance provides customized, quality financial solutions to people of all ages, helping them preserve and enhance their wealth and well-being. They have a team of qualified and experienced financial professionals all of whom have years of experience working with a diverse range of clients to determine the best financial strategy based on client's individual needs and requirements.

Greg Belger, the primary financial advisor, has over 10 years of experience in the finance and insurance industry. Belger has his insurance licenses in 11 states and is proud to be an Approved Member of the National Ethics Association and Better Business Bureau.

Greg Belger offers the following financial services to help clients preserve, protect, and grow their wealth:

 Annuities  Index Universal Life  Retirement Planning  Insurance Services For more information on the services they provide, contact Safe Harbor Finance & Insurance today at (314) 328-1868 or visit their website at (http://www.safeharborfi.com/ )

For more information about us, please visit http://www.safeharborfi.com

Contact Info:

Name: Marketing Manager NetZango

Organization: NetZango

Address: 4607 Lakeview Canyon Rd #201 Westlake Village, CA 91361

Phone: 805-500-3210

Release ID: 107396

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The Nomberg Law Firm Announces Two Attorneys Honored By B-Metro Magazine

The firm is announcing that Bernard D. Nomberg and David P. Nomberg have been selected as top attorneys by the magazine, reports http://www.nomberglaw.com/.

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The Nomberg Law Firm, a top-ranked legal practice serving Birmingham and the surrounding areas, is pleased to announce that two of their attorneys have recently been honored by B-Metro Magazine. Both Bernard D. Nomberg and David P. Nomberg have been selected as 2016 Top Attorneys by the premier Birmingham lifestyle magazine and were featured in their March 2016 publication. Those who would like to learn more about these attorneys and the work they do with The Nomberg Law Firm can visit http://www.nomberglaw.com/.

David Nomberg, one of the attorneys being honored by B-Metro Magazine, commented "We are beyond grateful to the staff at B-Metro Magazine for bestowing such an honor upon our firm. The attorneys and staff members on our team here work hard to obtain successful outcomes for our clients both inside and outside of the courtroom, and we appreciate that such a commitment is evident to others. We consider it a privilege to be able to serve Birmingham in this way and are glad to be a permanent fixture in this community."

Bernard and David Nomberg represent injured workers throughout Alabama in workers'' compensation and personal injury claims. Both attorneys are AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and have been selected as Super Lawyers as well as chosen as Top Attorneys by Birmingham Magazine. The Nomberg Law Firm B-Metro Top Attorneys were selected through a survey of local attorneys, along with a list of highly rated attorneys compiled by Avvo. According to B-Metro, the lawyers were chosen because of their ability to guide clients to successful outcomes.

As Nomberg continues, "Everyone here sincerely appreciates the honor and recognition that we have received. We know that none of this would be possible without our clients allowing us to serve them in excellence. We are dedicated to pursuing that goal and look forward to continuing to fight for justice for those in our local community and throughout Alabama."

About The Nomberg Law Firm:

The Birmingham, Alabama-based Nomberg Law Firm practices law in the following areas: Workers' Compensation, Personal Injury, Automobile Accidents, Car Accidents, Social Security Disability Claims, Work Place Accidents, Workman's Comp, and On the Job Accidents. With a thorough background in the law and an abiding faith in the American system of trial by jury, the firm's attorneys aggressively represent clients in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Huntsville, Talladega, Leeds, Bessemer, Fairfield, Columbiana, Montevallo, Gadsden, Tarrant, Anniston, Clanton, Dothan, Mobile and throughout the State of Alabama.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.nomberglaw.com/

Contact Info:

Name: David Nomberg

Organization: The Nomberg Law Firm

Phone: (205) 930-6900

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/the-nomberg-law-firm-announces-two-attorneys-honored-by-b-metro-magazine/107509

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SEO Organic Details New Introduction to Local SEO Course in Manchester

Course provides everything needed for effective local SEO, from a basic introduction to advanced link-building, social media usage, and site-based optimization, SEO Organic reports

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SEO Organic, one of the United Kingdom's leading search engine optimization (SEO) companies for nearly twenty years, revealed at http://www.seoorganic.co.uk/manchester the details of a new SEO course now available in Manchester. Providing a comprehensive introduction to SEO for locally oriented businesses, the new course covers everything from the absolute basics to the effective use of link building, on-page optimization, and social media activity. With its headquarters in London and branches in Manchester and Edinburgh, SEO Organic has helped hundreds of companies find new customers online, a record of consistent success that has produced a 92% customer retention rate.

"We're happy to report that our new 'Introduction to Local SEO' course is now available in Manchester," SEO Organic Managing Director James Neal said, "There is no more effective way of improving a local business's fortunes than through effective, strategic search engine optimization. Our new course in Manchester will provide students with everything they need to know to get started and produce rewarding results. We think this is going to prove to be one of our most popular offerings yet."

With nearly 5 billion individual web pages now competing for the attention of Internet users, figuring out which of them are most relevant and useful is challenging work. Employing a collection of over a million computer servers for this purpose and others, search engine giant Google relies on sophisticated, ever-evolving algorithms to decide which pages to return in what order when its users enter particular keywords.

For local businesses that end up in the company's good graces, the rewards can be significant. The top two results returned by Google receive, on average, fifty percent of all clicks between them, a share of attention that translates directly to website traffic and thereby into actual customers. Fortunately, there are safe, proven ways of raising the profile of a company's website to better take advantage of this possibility.

The new SEO Organic local course in Manchester provides everything that those new to the field will need to know to do so. As is detailed at https://www.seoorganic.co.uk/#portfolio, SEO Organic is one of the United Kingdom's longest-running and most consistently successful search engine optimization companies, in addition to having a long record of providing related education.

Students who take the course will proceed from the very basics of local SEO to a full range of more advanced topics, acquiring a highly functional base of knowledge and skills as a result. Topics covered in the course include a look at the contemporary local search landscape; the use of site-based optimization to meet local search goals; the most effective and safest local link-building techniques today; and how local social media efforts can be used to improve SEO performance. Those interested in learning more about the new course in Manchester or about SEO Organic can do so at http://www.seoorganic.co.uk.

About SEO Organic:

With one-to-one customer relationships and services tailored to each client's unique goals, SEO Organic has been one of the United Kingdom's leading search engine optimization services and educators since 1997.

For more information about us, please visit https://www.seoorganic.co.uk/#portfolio

Contact Info:

Name: James Neal

Organization: SEO Organic

Address: London, EC1A 2BN United Kingdom

Phone: 0800 994 9170

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/seo-organic-details-new-introduction-to-local-seo-course-in-manchester/107522

Release ID: 107522

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UPDATED

Georgia is poised to reduce the weight placed on student achievement growth in evaluating its teachers, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports .

In the state, such measures count for 50 percent of each teachers evaluation. Theyre based on state standardized tests for some teachers, and on local measures for all other teachers who dont teach in subjects or grades assessed by the state. Under the bill, which has passed both the state House and Senate, tests would count for only 30 percent of each teachers annual review.

Instead, the leftover 20 percent would instead be based on whether teachers achieve what in the bill are rather vaguely called professional growth goals. As before, observations of teachers classroom practice would make up the other 50 percent.

Teachers and their unions have long complained about the weight placed on standardized tests in the state. And earlier this year, state Superintendent Richard Woods signaled his openness to re-examining the state system. But t he changes appear to be at least partly fueled by the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, which did away with the U.S. Department of Educations waiver system, which required that states set up teacher-evaluation systems based in signifcant part on student achievement.

(To be fair, the feds never really defined what in significant part was supposed to mean in the first place. But many states are taking ESSA as a green light to scale back the use of standardized tests, or at least to use them in a less rigid way.)

Other states moving this direction? New York did a major whiplash in policy by freezing its test scores for four years. Oklahoma recently gave its districts much more flexibility on the type of student-growth measures it allowed . Virginias state Superintendent wants to reduce the emphasis on tests , as does South Carolinas . And there are also proposals floating around in other states.

Interestingly, the Georgia bill also removes a reference to the use of student-perception data as part of the teacher-observation measure.

Colleague Catherine Gewertz walks you through the Georgia bills other major changes to the states testing regime, so make sure to check out her blog item, too.

Correction: This item originally misspelled Richard Woods name.

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Weld County Garage won the 2016 Consumer Satisfaction Award from DealerRater

Ryan Green is proud to announce that Weld County Garage won the 2016 Consumer Satisfaction Award from DealerRater. For more information please visit http://www.weldcountygarage.com/ or call 970-352-1313

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Weld County Garage won the 2016 Consumer Satisfaction Award from DealerRater, making it one of the nation's premier car dealerships for customer service. Located in Greeley, CO, Weld County Garage is a locally owned and operated dealership that sells Buicks and GMC vehicles. It is the oldest Buick dealership west of the Mississippi River and is the largest new car store in Weld County. https://youtu.be/QhSYSpkSyQ8

DealerRater annually awards new car dealerships across the United States and Canada for exceptional customer service as indicated through online customer reviews posted on its website. The Consumer Satisfaction Award is an expansion of DealerRater's Dealer of the Year program. It is given to car dealerships that have PowerScores(TM) that are in the top 10% of their brand category at both state and national levels. This score is determined via an algorithm that combines the store's average star rating with the total number of reviews written during a specific calendar year.

To be eligible for the award, a dealer must have at least 25 reviews on DealerRater for the last calendar year with an average minimum star rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 and must have had at least one review during each quarter of 2014. The award also considers used car dealerships that meet the criterion. Additionally, dealers cannot have been blacklisted during 2015.

DealerRater is considered the global standard when it comes to reviews of new and used car buying experiences, having published more than 2 million reviews on sales and service experiences since the website's inception in 2002. The company also provides dealerships with a number of tools to help improve visibility, increase sales and resolve unfavorable experiences.

Weld County Buick has a DealerRater star rating of 4.8 and a 98% recommendation rate with more than 160 lifetime reviews. The dealership's page on the website at http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Weld-County-Garage-Buick-GMC-review-14722/, allows visitors to access all reviews and highlights dealership employees who provide exemplary service.

Donald R. McArthur founded Weld County Garage in 1901 to selling buggies and shoe horses for the residents of Greeley. Buick didn't exist at that time, but when General Motors began business in 1908, Weld County Garage signed on as a dealer to sell Buicks and eventually added Pontiac and other General Motors brands to its lineup. Since its inception, the dealership has prided itself on providing exceptional customer service in all aspects of the car buying experience, built by the dedication of the company's 150 employees. This dedication has resulted in family-like relationships between Weld County Garage and its customers that has resulted in complete customer satisfaction that spans generations.

Today, Weld County Garage has a state-of-the-art 60,000-square-foot facility on more than 12 acres of land at 2699 47th Ave. in Greeley. The complex includes an impressive sales showroom, administrative offices and meeting rooms, main service center, detail center and one of Colorado's largest pre-owned vehicle departments. A second service center, located at 1415 1st Ave., services trucks. Weld County Garage is the winner of numerous car industry honors, including the prestigious GMC Award. http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Weld-County-Garage-Buick-GMC-review-14722/

For more information about us, please visit http://www.weldcountygarage.com/

Contact Info:

Name: Ryan Green

Organization: Weld County Garage

Address: 2699 47th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634

Phone: 970-352-1313

Release ID: 107437

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Can I Be Jailed for Failure to Pay Criminal Fines?

It's a bitter irony but you can be made to pay prosecution costs and the costs for your jail stay in many states. In other words, you fund your conviction and punishment, and that's not necessarily all.

The practice of demanding payment from defendants is increasingly popular as state budgets shrink and courts look for ways to pay for the criminal justice system. It's been fought by some civil rights groups, who have argued in courts and by the press that constitutional protections for the poor have eroded.

The Various Payments

People end up in jail for failure to pay fines associated with a criminal case in a number of ways and there are various costs to cover. A person convicted of a crime can be charged for all kinds of things, including representation by a public defender and court fees, restitution to a victim, and fines as punishment associated with the particular crime.

Technically, a person can't be made to go to jail for failure to pay fees or fines if they are unable to do so. Per the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, fines also must not be excessive.

But actually there are ways that failure to pay can land you in jail. For example, if you are sentenced to probation and payment of court fees, prosecution costs, and restitution are made a condition of successful completion, you can be charged with a violation of probation for failure to pay.

Proving Willlful Failure

Probation violations must be proven and technically the prosecution must show a willful failure to pay -- not inability -- yet the required process is not always strictly adhered to. In fact, last year an Alabama judge got in trouble when the Southern Poverty Law Center exposed the Shakespearean bargain he offered defendants -- they could give blood in lieu of fee payment or go to jail.

In some states warrants may be issued for a defendant who has not paid fees or fines. Problems often get compounded for defendants who don't pay because when they're picked up and go to jail again, there are more fees. It's a vicious cycle that is a concern to many.

It is important to remember, however, that there are rules of criminal procedure and that the law attempts to safeguard against such situations. That's why it can help to have great representation. A criminal defense lawyer, whether public or private, who fights the state and makes them show a willful failure to pay while providing evidence of your actual inability, is invaluable.

Consult With Counsel

If you or someone you know is in trouble for failure to pay fines or charged with a crime now, don't delay. Talk to a lawyer. Many criminal defense attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case.

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Invesco Perpetuals head of emerging market equities Dean Newman has said he has yet to see firm signs of a market bottom for the asset class, despite the bounce seen in recent weeks.

The MSCI Emerging Markets index has risen 15 per cent from its January 2016 lows, and even outperformed many developed markets on the downside at the start of the year. But Mr Newman said revisions to corporate earnings metrics  which show whether sell-side analysts are increasing or decreasing their expectations  were still negative.

Mr Newman said a shift to neutral or even positive revisions was the missing piece of the puzzle for emerging markets.

This, he said, would be a key indicator of when one should be more positive on the asset class.

Should the revisions ratio improve and stabilise, or move to closer to positive territory, it is a very strong signal. It says valuations are cheap and you can believe in the valuations.

Mr Newman said his gut told him that downward corporate earnings revisions, particularly in Latin America and emerging Europe, would continue in the short term.

However, he added: We are in the territory where we are close to the bottom.

The fund manager said that two headwinds to have plagued emerging markets in recent years  dollar strength and commodities weakness  were now petering out.

Recently markets have rallied and a number of commodity prices have rallied and we have to take those signals seriously, he said.

He summarised: I would concur that economic growth is continuing to weaken, which does somewhat undermine the case. The more evidence we have the recovery in the US is stable and on an upward trajectory, and the corporate earnings revisions stabilise, then those would be another two good signs that emerging markets are turning a corner.

The managers 230m Invesco Perpetual Global Emerging Markets fund has been underperforming the MSCI Emerging Markets index thus far in 2016, with the manager putting the blame on stock selection.

Mr Newman said the sharp slump and rebound this year had not served his stocks well. The manager suggested his holdings had been left behind by market rallies but were also not as defensive as the likes of consumer staples, which tend to perform better in down markets.

On balance, the stocks in our portfolio trade on a similar or cheaper valuation to those in the MSCI index but have a higher outlook for earnings growth and return of equity. That is an appropriate blend of a strong valuation discipline and looking at fundamentals, he explained.

The cheapest valuations, he said, were to be found in Russia, South Africa and Turkey. By contrast, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Korea were home to an abundance of fairly valued or over-valued entities.

While he waits for markets to bottom out, the manager said he had structured the fund in a way he hoped would minimise the damage caused by equities gyrations.
Hari Patel has joined the UK wholesale distribution team at Kames Capital as business development consultant.

Mr Patel was an investment sales manager at Jupiter Asset Management. He was responsible for selling the companys single strategy, multi-asset and multi-manager funds to intermediaries and advisers.

Mr Patel will now cover client accounts for Kames across the UK, including wealth managers, financial advisers, fund-of-funds, family offices, fund platforms and banks, and will report to head of UK regional sales Mark Savage.

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The unedifying image of the Chancellor announcing that changes to pension tax relief would now not be announced in the Budget, almost beggars belief. In other words, we are telling you, a week before the Budget, that a major change we might have introduced is now not going to happen.

I cannot recall another instance where a government has initiated and orchestrated such a strong case for reform, and then chickened out at the last minute. Just like the Grand Old Duke of York, he has marched his troops to the top of the hill and he has marched them down again.

However, before we get too carried away by this unexpected reprieve for higher-rate taxpayers, I suggest you look a bit more carefully at the announcement, which states that now is not the right time to be making changes. I believe the key element of the announcement is the emphasis on this not being the right time.

Call me cynical, but roughly translated this means we really would like to have gone ahead with these changes, but we are trying to win the EU referendum so, politically, we cannot afford to upset anybody right now.

Once that is out of the way we will dust off the proposals and make the changes we told you to expect in this Budget.

At a practical level, it means that your higher-rate taxpaying clients are likely to be able to enjoy at least one more year of maximum tax relief on their retirement contributions. Given that you will have advised them to max out their contributions this year, you now have the opportunity to do the same in the next tax year, which should be doubly attractive to them.

It is ironic that the major effect of this pensions tax relief fiasco has been to cause people to accelerate their contributions. This is believed to have cost the Treasury more than 1.5bn in extra pensions tax relief, which will probably be repeated again next year. The major effect of this pensions tax relief fiasco has been to cause people to accelerate their contributions

Turning to the possible reforms themselves, I cannot let this moment pass without highlighting the so-called pension Isa, which I believe would give pension savers the worst of all worlds. Towards the end of the consultation process, the idea that all pension tax relief would be scrapped, in favour of tax-free proceeds on a similar basis to an Isa, appeared to be gathering support.

Frankly, I cannot imagine a worse solution and, if it really was being given serious consideration, then perhaps it is a good job after all that the Chancellor marched his troops to the top of the hill and marched them down again.
George Osbornes hasty retreat from pension reform has been hailed as a great victory for campaigners.

They are right to claim their accolades, because in one almighty collapse the Chancellor retreated from any reform of pension tax relief, including the disastrous idea of a pension Isa.

I am not wholly against reform to create one rate of relief, so long as the money currently allocated to pension tax relief remains roughly unchanged.

That seemed unlikely to happen. In fact the pension Isa looked nothing short of a 20bn-plus tax grab. So let us celebrate and congratulate the campaigners.

Nevertheless, I am uneasy at how little effort it can take to knock the economic plans of this Chancellor  and in fact this Government  off course.

As I write this, he will be putting the finishing touches to his Budget, which will be revealed before this column is published. But there are now frantic efforts by Tory MPs to divert him from raising fuel duty.

In the run-up to the last General Election, we had a series of extraordinary announcements ruling out specific tax rises for a full five-year parliamentary term  each in reaction to newspaper stories.

Hence we were promised no rises in income tax rates, VAT rates or its scope or National Insurance. So Mr Osborne entered the new parliament with one hand effectively tied behind his back and desperately searching for alternative ways to raise revenue.

Yet nearly every time he opens a door, campaigners slam it for him. It is just 10 months since the General Election, yet he has already performed spectacular U-turns over tax credit cuts and pension reform.

The only significant tax rises we have seen are for buy-to-let landlords and on insurance premium tax. The only significant tax rises we have seen are for buy-to-let landlords and on insurance premium tax

Being Chancellor is a tough job that demands unpopular decisions be taken. Yet whenever the going gets tough Mr Osborne ducks and runs.

He is a man with one eye on the great prize, and does not want to risk his popularity within the Tory party. But in so doing he risks making himself look like the wimpiest Chancellor in living memory.

As the tough choices pile up during this parliament, it may require a new incumbent of 11 Downing Street to make the sometimes unpalatable decisions that could be needed.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Life insurance un-covered

The FCAs report, Fair treatment of long-standing customers in the life insurance industry, has shone a light on a can of worms.

I wont say opened, because we all knew it was there and writhing in the dank, dark corners of the financial industry.

Let us leave aside the good practice mentioned in the report  it should go without saying that firms treat their customers fairly and aim to provide them with good outcomes.
The Lifetime Isa could be more attractive to savers than the current pensions system, leading to current retirement options being made redundant, industry figures have warned.

In yesterdays (16 March) Budget, chancellor George Osborne unveiled a new Lifetime Isa for those under 40, which offers a 25 per cent government bonus to savers using their pot to buy their own home or save for retirement.

Savers who invest in the new Isa - which will be introduced in April 2017 - must wait until they are 60 to use it for retirement, or can withdraw the funds at any time to buy a home up to a purchase value of 450,000.

But except under certain circumstances related to ill health, savers who exit early face a 5 per cent charge and lose the bonus and interest accrued.

Ian Dyall, head of estate planning at Towry Financial Planners, said it could be more attractive to certain savers than the existing pensions system, because up to 4,000 a year can be saved tax-free, with the government donating 1 for every 4 saved up to the age of 50.

This is extremely good news for savers as the scheme will offer the equivalent of basic rate tax relief upfront, tax relief for the duration of the Isa, and will be tax-free at retirement.

Alistair Cunningham, financial planning director of Surrey-based Wingate Financial Planning, argued the new scheme trials a savers bonus as a prelude to abolishing tax relief. Its blindingly obvious this is a way to reduce the total tax relief granted to pension savers. Alistair Cunningham

It seems to be blindingly obvious that a way to sweep away these two issues and reduce the total tax relief granted to pension savers, therefore reducing the drain on the Treasurys coffers, is to sweep away the existing regime and replace it with a new one, he commented.

Aon Hewitt partner Lynda Whitney reckoned the chancellors announcements looked like unfinished business and many of the key issues raised in the pensions tax consultation have been deferred rather than decided.

She said the Lifetime Isa could be the Trojan Horse that kills off pensions at a later stage.

However, Old Mutual Wealths retirement planning manager Adrian Walker disputed this, stating pensions are still the best retirement savings vehicle.

The 1 bonus for every 4 is parity with the basic rate relief you currently receive on a pension, but crucially without employer contributions. Younger savers will also have to place faith in future governments not to renege on the promise of a bonus at age 60.

He called the new Isa a gimmick that will only appeal to younger savers looking for help getting on the housing ladder.

Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British Insurers, said for most peoples retirement outcomes, employer contributions paid into a workplace pension will be critical.

The test for success for the Lifetime Isa will be whether it increases overall retirement savings and does not undermine the auto-enrolment programme; this must not be a backdoor to the pensions Isa.
Adviser Alan Lakey, who has repeatedly campaigned for a long-stop, has said he will meet with industry figures to find out whether the FCAs decision not to introduce one can be challenged in the courts.

Hopes of limited liability for intermediaries were dashed as the Financial Advice Market Review final report did not recommend the introduction of a fixed 15-year long-stop .

Mr Lakey, partner at Hertfordshire-based Highclere Financial Services and former Apfa council member, said there would need to be widespread industry support for any legal action.

I dont believe that the caucus of people out there who find the current situation intolerable will accept this decision.

We would have to go through a process which has to start with a judicial review but it is a question of funding and how many people would be willing to go that extra mile.

The first thing we have got to do is to have a consensus on the way forward because unless you get that nothing will happen, he continued, adding that it also comes down to funding and a judicial review can be very expensive.

Mr Lakey said the adviser population has a habit of accepting what is thrown at them. I can understand that, [but] if you take that attitude you have given in, he said.

Two or three insurers have said they would provide some support to a legal challenge, Mr Lakey said, but he declined to say which ones.

He added he would be speaking to Garry Heath of Libertatem, Derek Bradley of Panacea Adviser and Phil Castle, a fellow member of Apfas long-stop working party, about the next steps.

Earlier this week, Apfa director general Chris Hannant said the FCAs decision not to introduce a long-stop was a missed opportunity.

Mr Heath said: You can challenge it through the courts but there is a very significant cost involved. Maybe IFAs could be convinced to put their hands in their pockets but I dont know.

But it is not the silver bullet people might think it is.

According to the FAMR report, a long-stop could limit the protection available to consumers on long-term investment products.
Can I Switch My Criminal Defense Attorney Mid-Case?

So you hired a criminal defense attorney who seemed to suit your style but now you have been working with this person for a bit, and you are not thrilled. You can change lawyers at most stages of your defense, although not all, and not without the court's approval.

But there is a process for this -- you must file a motion with the court to substitute counsel -- and the details will vary from state to state. Before you make the switch, let's consider when and why you might want to change lawyers and the process for doing so.

Plea or Trial?

You are entitled to a trial. If your attorney strongly advises against it but you insist that this is what you want, that may be a good basis for finding another attorney. Your lawyer might know better how cases generally go. But no one knows, apart from you, even if they have wise advice, what is right for you.

Sometimes lawyers and clients clash. Not every disagreement should end with you moving for a substitution of counsel. Still, if something happens that isn't to your taste and causes you to fundamentally distrust your attorney, then by all means work with someone you trust. Note, however, that there may be occasions when -- depending on the facts of the case and where in the prosecution process it stands -- that a judge may deny a motion for substitution of counsel.

Process for Switching to a New Attorney

Whether you are appointed a public defender or hire private counsel, your lawyer will file a document with the court notifying it that you are represented. When you want to switch attorneys, the new lawyer must move to substitute counsel and the court needs evidence that your prior attorney is aware of being replaced.

In many cases, the lawyer being replaced will stipulate to the substitution, meaning agree without argument, and then -- most likely -- a court will approve the substitution. But if you move to substitute counsel on the eve of trial, or at some other advanced stage in the case, then you might face a denial.

The further along you are in a matter, the more likely it is that you will need to really explain a switch to the court. In many cases, changing criminal defense attorneys is not a problem. But neither is it a guarantee that you will be able to switch easily.

Accused?

If you or someone you know has been accused of a crime and you are unhappy with your attorney, take some time to meet with additional lawyers. You may find you are satisfied after all, having heard a few other assessments of your case. Or you may find the lawyer you want now. Regardless, many criminal defense attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case.

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3 Things to Know About Merrick Garland

This morning, President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Garland is currently chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and would fill the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia's death last month.

Most thought Sri Srinivasan, who serves on the same court as Garland, would be the President's pick, even hours before the official announcement. So Garland's nomination did catch some off guard. Who is Merrick Garland, and can we guess what kind of Supreme Court justice he might be?

1. He Comes With Ringing Endorsements

One big question has been whether any Obama nominee could actually be confirmed. Supreme Court nominees must be approved by the Senate, but Senate Republicans have said they will refuse to hold any confirmation hearings until a new president is elected. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reasserted the GOP stance after Garland's nomination today, accusing the president of politicizing the nomination "for the purpose of the election."

But Senator Orrin Hatch, the longest serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has had high praise for the nominee. Back in 2010, when Garland was being considered to fill Justice John Paul Stevens's former seat, Hatch described him as "a consensus nominee" to the Supreme Court and that there was "no question" he could be confirmed.

More recently, Hatch said Obama "could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man. He probably won't do that because this appointment is about the election. So I'm pretty sure he'll name someone the [liberal Democratic base] wants." That didn't happen, so we'll have to see if Republicans follow through with their threat to block any nominee.

2. He's Been Here Before

As we noted above, Garland's name was floated as a Supreme Court nominee following Justice Stevens's retirement. Ultimately, the seat went to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, but Garland had been thoroughly vetted and had support from both parties.

And the court on which he sits is a popular springboard to the highest court in the land. Supreme Court correspondent Jeffrey Toobin called the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit "a Supreme Court farm team," (noting future justices John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg all served there) and that gaining a confirmation to the D.C. Circuit can be a mere precursor to Supreme Court confirmation.

3. He's Been Around the Block

Garland is 63, which makes him the oldest person nominated to the Supreme Court since Justice Lewis Powell in 1971. And while his educational background is strikingly similar to the rest of the Court (Harvard educated, Supreme Court clerkships), he also has eight years of private practice and six years as a federal prosecutor on his resume.

During his time at the Department of Justice, he oversaw the investigation and prosecution of three the biggest domestic terrorism cases in U.S. history: the Oklahoma City bombing investigation and prosecution, the Unabomber prosecution, and the Atlanta Olympics bombings investigation. So Garland might be the most experienced Supreme Court nominee in some time.

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Jan. 22, 1942  Feb. 3, 2016

Jim Mills passed away of natural causes at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center on Feb. 3, 2016.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for their compassionate care of Jim during his last days. His immediate family was able to be at his side much of the time.

He was born to William W. Mills and Anne Reese Mills in Red Wing, Minnesota, on Jan. 22, 1942. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, while his father completed graduate school at the University of Minnesota. Jim was joined 18 months later by his sister, Carolyn Cammie. In 1956, the family moved in their 1949 Chevrolet to Corvallis where his father took a job at OSU as a Doctor of Psychology. Jim and Cammie attended Harding Grade School, Highland Middle School and Corvallis High School. He graduated from CHS in 1962.

Immediately following high school graduation, Jim joined the U.S. Navy. He was stationed in Dugway, Utah, and then as a Project Shad Tech-Staff on the USS Granville S. Hall in the Pacific Ocean. When on shore, he was in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he learned to ride and love motorcycles. Following his discharge from the US Navy in 1964, he returned to Corvallis. He attended OSU part time, achieving sophomore level status. Over the next nine years, he held a variety of employment positions including several employers, each time learning new skills providing a willing and focused employee. Sites included Good Samaritan Hospital, Brand S Plywood Co., R3 Engraving Co., and CH2M Hill. From 1969-73, he served as the administrative assistant for the Benton County Board of Commissioners.

Jim took flying lessons on the GI Bill and earned his pilots license. Flying was his first and lasting passion. He earned flight instructor status and an Airline Transport Flight Certificate. As a pilot, he held several positions as a flight instructor, FFA Pilot Examiner and charter pilot, working his way at some sites into office manager. Locations included Flyways in Albany; Marys Peak Aviation and Bertea Aviation in Corvallis; Advanced Technologies in Portland; and Concept 2000 Inc. in Lebanon. For several years Jim was chief pilot and executive assistant for Frank Ramsey of Coca Cola, Corvallis. Following Mr. Ramseys death, he flew for Horizon Airlines. He worked briefly for Randy Jones Chevrolet-Oldsmobile as a sales consultant and worked for Professional Auto Detailing. In 2001, Jim took a position as office specialist for the Oregon Department of Forestry at their office in Philomath. He remained in that position until his retirement in 2013. He then worked part time for B & G Logging & Construction in Philomath.

In 1967, Jim married Nancy Maxwell of Philomath. They later divorced. On July 28, 1987, Jim married Charlotte Ann (Batey) Allen on the Benton County Courthouse lawn. Their marriage was blessed by the arrival of their son, James Reese Mills, on March 18, 1989. Their family included Charlottes adult two sons, from a previous marriage, Tad and Adam Allen. Jim was an avid Harley-Davidson fan and owned several Harleys over his lifetime. He had many friends and acquaintances in the Harley community. Jim was a loving and loyal husband, father, brother, and friend. His capacity for learning and teaching was phenomenal. He was adept at learning new skills throughout his life and he became quite proficient in computer work.

Jim is survived by his wife of 28 years, Charlotte; son James, Eugene; stepsons Tad Allen (Carol) and Adam Allen (Deri); guardian niece Helen Allen Iliff; and stepgrandchildren Josh and Trenton Allen, and Madeline Allen. Also surviving are his sister, Carolyn Cammie Bella; husband David Bella; and nephews Steve and Jon Bella and David OShaughnessy.

An informal gathering of family and friends will take place later. End of life arrangements were done by DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home and Crematory.

Refugee immunizations : Bonn doctors set up help project PadPat

Bonn Bonn pediatricians have organized an initiative to help ensure that children from refugee families receive their immunizations.

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In August of last year, the first refugee families along with their children started trickling into the medical practice of pediatrician Axel Gerschlauer. The 45-year-old doctor was amazed that so many of the children did not have immunization records. He would have thought they received immunizations at their initial registration and reception. Together with his wife who is a nurse and who had already been volunteering to help refugees in Endenich, they set into action.

More than 20 Bonn pediatricians are now taking part in a program called PadPat (Pediatric sponsorship). The city supports the doctors by giving them information about city refugee shelters and the children living in them. Teams are formed to make visits to the shelters and inform families about the immunization program. Immunizations are not carried out at the shelters themselves but families are allowed to choose from a list of nearby pediatricians where they can go and receive the immunizations. March Hoffman, deputy city spokesperson, praises the volunteer work of the pediatricians and says it is very welcomed. He also adds that it has to be the parents decision to have their children immunized, and they want to support that.

According to Gerschlauer, communication with the families isnt so easy because they seldom have translators but an immunization calendar from the Robert-Koch-Institute is published in many languages and this is very helpful. Only about 18 percent of the refugee children they see have adequate immunizations and only about half of the 600 children in city shelters have an immunization record. The goal is to have all of the children visit a pediatrician and receive their immunizations. They are at risk because they are living in an environment their bodies are not accustomed to.
Hells Angels in the region : Cologne police conduct raid against bikers

Cologne. Police conducted a raid against Rockers (bikers) in Cologne and the region, taking twelve men into custody.

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More than 20 apartments and homes were raided Wednesday morning by Cologne police in connection with their crackdown on Hells Angels Rockers (bikers) in the region. Twelve persons, ages 21 to 42 were taken into police custody. Some are suspected of being involved in a shooting that took place in a Cologne restaurant in November in which one man was killed.

Raids began at 6:00 a.m. in Cologne, Rosrath and Neunkirchen-Seelscheid. Police confiscated a sum of money in the five figures, diverse weapons including shockers, and a car. At a home in Rosrath, authorities came upon a marijuana plantation with 150 plants, and 500 plants in a plantation at a Neunkirchen-Seelscheid home. Lead prosecutor Ulrich Bremer said nine arrest warrants were issued for members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club C-Town. They are accused of forming a criminal group, unlawful dealing in drugs, weapons violations and dangerous assault.

Some of the men are also suspected of being involved in a shooting in June of 2015 in a Cologne-Meschenich building complex. There are three additional arrest warrants as well, according to Bremer, one person being sought internationally. The detained men are to be led before a judge on Thursday.
"Spider in a Bitter 18-day Fight Against Time." This headline reads like Upworthy clickbait, but it's from a 1932 newspaper article about a tiny arachnid in Ohio that became famous for repeatedly attempting to weave a web between the minute hand and the hour hand inside a clock. The web tore every time the hands separated, but the spider would try again. After a little girl named Louise Thompson noticed the Sisyphean spider and told her family about it, word spread around the neighborhood and eventually reached the media.

From Nag on the Lake:

By this time the insect had grown to the size of an ordinary house spider, and the hands of the clock were covered with fine threads. The clock and its eight-legged prisoner were taken to the University of Akron where a biologist attempted to unravel the mystery of how the spider was surviving without a food source.

But there were protests over the fact that the spider was being kept in the clock, instead of being released into the wild, where it could experience its true spider nature. From About:

Not everyone was taken with the spider in the clock. Some were appalled by the entire spectacle. In particular, the members of the Akron Humane Society deplored what they perceived to be a case of arachnid imprisonment (albeit self-imprisonment). On December 10, an agent of the Society, G.W. Dilley, issued an announcement to the press, declaring that he would permit Kraatz one week to study the spider, then he would demand its release. He conceded that the spider would probably die if let out in the cold weather, but he nevertheless insisted that it was cruel to allow the insect to continue to suffer in its "clock-face prison." Kraatz responded that the spider was not suffering because it had "a low type of nervous sensibility." Also, he assured the public that it wasn't starving because its species could survive an entire winter without eating, living on stored-up body tissue. Cyril Thompson, owner of the clock, evidently hoping to avoid being branded as a spider torturer, added that he had always been in favor of freeing the spider, but hadn't done so because it would require taking the entire clock apart.

Image: Shutterstock
Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus [First Impressions]: 7 Things to know before you buy this phone Reviews oi -Harshita

Lenovo's new budget warrior named the Vibe K5 Plus is hitting the smartphone market in India on March 23rd, when it goes on sale exclusively on Flipkart. Knowing that the competition is severe in the budget segment, in particular, the company kept the price of the K5 Plus phone surprisingly low at Rs 8,499.

Rating: 3.0 /5

By launching its new phone at this price, the company seems to have hit the right cord considering that its rivals like Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and LeEco Le 1S among others pack in powerful specs and are priced aggressively.

PROS Swappable Battery

Dual 4G SIM connectivity CONS 2GB of RAM

Lacks fingerprint scanner

Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus packs in quite an interesting set of specifications that would set users back a small amount of money. Another key thing is that unlike many of rival smartphones, the K5 Plus will be selling in an open sale instead of flash sale model. The company mentioned that the decision of choosing to sell this phone in an open sale models has been made because it doesn't want its consumers to feel disappointed on not being able to buy the phone in the limited period flash sale scenario.

We were there at the launch event of the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus phone held in Delhi, and got to check the phone for a brief duration. Here we give our first impressions in the form of seven key things to known about the Lenovo's new budget offering before you invest in the phone.

Design: Light and comfortable on hand



The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is a smartphone that is not exactly gorgeous but it is still good looking for a budget smartphone. It is made predominantly of plastic with a look and texture that blends well with the rest of its body that is made of metal. The phone is pretty light on hand, weighing in at 142grams, and is comfortable to be used single handedly. The back panel is smooth and the curves on sides result in good grip on hand. Another advantage is that the back panel of the phone comes off and you can remove the battery as well. However, the phone doesn't feel sturdy and may get bumps and damaged easily on falling against hard surface.

Display: Vibrant and Crisp

The Vibe K5 Plus dons a 5-inch IPS display with FHD resolution offering 1920x1080pixels, and a peak brightness of 450nits. It looks crisp, reproduces colours well, and offers good viewing angles but is not the best out there. We are yet to test it under bright sun light to know whether the 450nits helps in visibility.

Hardware: Octa-core chipset with 2GB of RAM

The Vibe K5 Plus boasts a Snapdragon 616 octa-core chipset (four Cortex A53 @1.2GHz each, and four Cortex A53 cores @1.5GHz) with 64-bit processing, supported by an Adreno 405 GPU. The chipset is paired with 2GB of RAM and 16 of internal storage, which is not the best combination of storage capacity in this price range, but it seems promising. Considering that the 3GB RAM has now become kind of a standard for smartphones in this price range, we feel higher RAM would have only been an advantage for this phone.

Camera: Good to go!

The Vibe K5 smartphone features a 13MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash. On our brief hands on experience, we found the rear camera nice. The images it clicked were sharp and focused right. The 5MP fixed-focus front-facing snapper was just about fine, with nothing great about it. Both the cameras can shoot videos at 1080p. The camera on this phone seems nice, but we will reserve our final take on the imaging capabilities for our review of the phone.

Better Audio quality, courtesy Dolby Atmos

The phone features Dolby Atmos surround sound, and it does help in enhancing audio experience as we noticed the difference in audio quality even during the brief hands on time with the K5 Plus phone. Though, we will reserve our final take on it for our review of the phone.

Software: Neat and light

The phone runs Android 5.1 Lollipop software with Lenovo skin on top, which has now become standard to the phones in this price range. However, the company could have made a difference by introducing this phone running Android's 6.0 Marshmallow iteration. The skin on the Android is neat and is fairly light.

Connectivity: Dual 4G SIMs

In terms of connectivity, the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus offers 4G LTE support with dual SIMs, which is an advantage of the phone. Also, it supports other standard connectivity options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and more.

Conclusion:

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus makes for a good budget smartphone for its price of Rs 8,499, however, it is cleary not the best in this segment. The phone lacks a fingerprint scanner and USB Type C connectivity port which are present on its competitors like LeEco Le 1S that is priced close to Rs 10,000 in India. Ultimately, the K5 Plus' performance will decide whether it will do well in the market or fail to make any dent.

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'Feels Like Home Season 2' offers something real and tangible to think about; takes home a pertinent point - if your intentions are good, there is nothing in life that isn't achievable.
The UK government has passed rules banning academics who receive public funding from "lobbying" ministers and MPs about their research, meaning that the people whom the government pays to acquire expertise in matters of public policy aren't allowed to speak to policy-makers anymore.



The problem, from the UK government's perspective, is that it wants to do things that scientists understand to be stupid: impose austerity as a means of stimulating the economy, give tax breaks to the rich as a means of stimulating the economy, limit migration as a means of stimulating the economy, and, of course, deny climate change.





In other words: reality has a well-known anti-Tory bias.

As Upton Sinclair said, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it."

Ben Goldacre has written a fantastic essay that states the blindingly obvious: when you give people money to study things and find out their real truths, you should welcome their feedback in policy-setting.

The train journey to London is boring, so I try to pack in whole days at Westminster, as I did last Tuesday. The morning was spent on the new Data and Evidence Board at the Ministry of Justice, manned by a range of academics and Civil Service analysts from many different disciplines. Next I went to see Will Cavendish, director of innovation at the Department of Health. We met to discuss how to improve reporting standards on clinical trials and better ways to get NHS data used impactfully. Did he invite me, or did I badger him? I can't remember: either way, he was interested in the small DataLab I run at Oxford, which has just launched a freely accessible online data explorer that lets you see what every GP in the country is prescribing. I want to see more similar open source tools for the NHS. Did I manipulate him, using taxpayers' money? No. Cavendish is a grown-up who has meetings like this every day. I certainly wanted to change his views and priorities: I advocated for open, competitive funding streams for the kind of open data work we do, because I think it's reasonably novel, useful and sits outside conventional academic funding models. I learned a little about how his corner of the department thinks. Is that lobbying? You decide. Nobody handed anyone a giant cartoon cheque, and government policy won't suddenly change. Will there be any concrete outputs? I can tell you what might happen. He might suggest me for a boring committee where, one month in five, you can help stop something catastrophically stupid happening. One day, in the distant future, he might phone and ask for rapid informal feedback on an idea he's mulling over, and I'll be happy to help. This is the banal working reality of public servants with research grants who go into Whitehall. Is this what the bill is trying to stop? Nobody seems to know.



Ban academics talking to ministers? We should train them to do it

[Ben Goldacre/Times Higher Education]





(Image: Photograph of the Houses of Parliament from London Eye

, Danikauf, CC-BY-SA)
U.S. works with Senegalese military, adds demining capability for West African nation

US Marine Corps News

By Staff Sgt. Bryan Peterson | March 15, 2016

U.S. Marines are in their fifth week working alongside Senegalese armed forces partners, mentoring and advising a demining course for the West African nation.

A group of explosive ordnance disposal technicians with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, began assisting Senegalese engineers as part of the Humanitarian Mine Action Program, Feb. 15, 2016, at Camp Moussa, an engineer training base, in Bargny, Senegal.

The Marines, based out of Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, are in Senegal at the host nation's request and coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Dakar.

The U.S. State Department HMA program, created in 1993, "provides increased humanitarian mine action assistance to countries suffering from the presence of persistent landmines, which maim and kill innocents, obstruct emergency assistance activities, hamper economic development, and impede free movement of citizens."

In 2005, Senegal adopted a law prohibiting anti-personnel mines in the country, according to United Nations Mine Action Services, a UN department involved in 30 countries and three territories responsible for responding to problems of landmines and explosive remnants of wars.

While they're not directly demining, the Marines, along with EOD technicians with Vermont Air National Guard and Austrian Armed Forces, are validating the Senegalese soldiers' previous instruction during the six-week, train-the-trainer course.

The train-the-trainer program initially began in 2014, when EOD Marines from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Vermont Air National Guard EOD technicians began teaching a group of veteran, hand-selected Senegalese soldiers how to be instructors.

Now, in its second phase, the same three Senegalese soldiers, all engineers, are instructing eight junior-level soldiers in an EOD level one class, which teaches students how identify various types of ordnance and landmines and how to properly mark its locations.

In one practical application exercise, the soldiers used a reconnaissance kit, which allowed them to gather all the information and successfully identified various types of ordnance.

During another, the students successfully used a pulley system and rope to remove an inert mortar round from the ground and move it safely to another spot. The intent wasn't to actually move the ordnance, rather to get the students familiar with different types of tools.

The course progression is all coming from the instructors, not the Marines, said Staff Sgt. Mike Hill, the EOD team leader.

"Throughout the past month, all we've been doing is not just listening to the instructors, but observing how well the students are absorbing the knowledge," said Hill. "Part of this train the trainer program is how they effectively teach what they know, how well their command presence looks. What we do at the end of the day is provide constructive criticism and tell them what they could do better. So far, the instructors have been great and the students have done well every time they go outside and get some hands-on training. It really shows how effective the instructors are."

Though Hill believes the students will have the capability and confidence to apply their new skills at the conclusion of the course, the intent is to put the instructors through EOD levels two and three, which will enable the instructors to teach students more hands-on approaches to demining.

"We want to get the instructors trained in all EOD levels, so they can actually have a humanitarian demining school where they can teach students this program on a regular basis," said Hill. "Before the school happens, the United Nations will have to certify the students in peacekeeping demining, which is the ultimate goal."

Since the HMA program began, the number of civilian casualties has dropped to more than 5,000 annually, from 26,000 worldwide, according to a 2008 "To Walk the Earth in Safety," publication from the U.S. State Department.

Senegalese Sgt. Usmann Ka, the lead engineer instructor, is glad to be instructing this program to his soldiers because he feels the more knowledge his country has to demine his country, the more confident his people will be in their military.

"When the last Marines came here to teach us about demining, they were of big help to us to where we can teach our students," said Ka. "Now, we can apply this knowledge if we are sent somewhere so we can keep people safe from the areas they live in. The students come in every day motivated to learn as much as possible and they are eager to be sent to places where demining is needed."

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NATO AWACS increases Assurance Measures to Turkey

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - SHAPE

15 Mar 2016

MONS, Belgium - NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) has been deployed to one of its Forward Operating Bases (FOB) at Konya, Turkey to enhance the recognised Air and Maritime picture as part of the Alliance's tailored assurance measures to its southern Ally.

The AWACS began its series of additional support missions on Saturday, March 12, building a comprehensive Recognised Air and Surface Picture (RASP) for NATO commanders on the ground.

'NATO must remain vigilant in order to maintain a high level of situational awareness,' said General Philip M. Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

The NATO AWACS will use a number of pre-designated orbits in Turkey in order to collect data which is then fed into the NATO Intelligence Assessment channels. This overall increase in AWACS activity will enhance interoperability, responsiveness and effectiveness of the Alliance and reinforce assurance to Turkey and other Alliance members in the area.

'It is important for us to increase stability in the region and we are determined to do what is necessary to address or deter emerging threats,' said General Breedlove.

Within 5 days of receiving SACEUR's initiating order for Tailored Assurance Measures, the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control (NAEW&C) Force coordinated a full simulator rehearsal, completed mission planning, deployed to Turkey and executed its first Tailored Assurance Measure mission. The Force will deploy to Konya each month as part of the new Assurance Measure tasking.

Following a recent increase in cross-border activities with Russia, Turkey requested additional military support to the region. This additional support, approved by NATO, comes in the form of Tailored Assurance Measures and includes an increase in AWACS presence in the region as well as other integrated air, ground, and maritime activities.

NATO operates a fleet of AWACS aircraft, providing the Alliance with highly responsive and adaptable airborne command and control (C2) capability. The NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force is one of the immediate readiness elements of the NATO Response Force (NRF).

Story by SHAPE Public Affairs Office

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NAS Whiting Field Reopens NOLF Summerdale

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160315-27

Release Date: 3/15/2016 3:33:00 PM

By Jay Cope, Naval Air Station Whiting Field Public Affairs

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (NNS) -- With a quick snip of the oversized, ceremonial scissors and a fluttering of red, white, and blue ribbon, Naval Air Station Whiting Field's Navy Outlying Landing Field Summerdale was officially reopened for business March 14.

The outlying field, located in Baldwin County, had been idle for more than 10 years, but a recent military construction project lengthened the runways to enable them to accommodate the installation's fleet of T-6B Texan II aircraft.

Baldwin County Commissioner Chris Elliott joined NAS Whiting Field Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Bahlau in the ceremony and recalled his time as a youth riding a bike near the airfield and seeing the previous training aircraft performing touch and go operations. The sight spurred his interest in aviation, and engendered a true excitement in the military.

'It is absolutely the most patriotic thing we have going here in Baldwin County,' Bahlau said following the ceremony. 'It is an awesome aircraft, and the mission of training NAS Whiting Field performs is incredibly important. We are proud to have you back!'

NAS Whiting Field has not utilized NOLF Summerdale regularly since 2005, but with the recent P-266 construction on the facility completed, training flights can now recommence. Construction was necessitated by the installation's planned replacement of the venerable T-34 Turbomentor aircraft with the T-6B Texan II. The T-6B required longer runways and NOLF Barin and NOLF Summerdale were selected as the airfields best able to accommodate the extensions during a lengthy scoping process in 2010.

The construction effort included the purchase of privately owned land, dwellings and structures necessary for the construction of runway extensions, reestablishing clear zones and realigning nearby roadways. Each runway was extended by 1,150 feet, providing total runway lengths of 4,000 feet. Additionally, 500 foot overruns were provided at the end of each runway to comply with Navy and FAA Safety requirements. The construction at NOLF Summerdale represents one half of a $36.5M Military Construction (MILCON) project to revitalize and extend NOLFs Barin and Summerdale.

'The completion of NOLF Summerdale represents a significant increase in flight safety and scheduling flexibility for Training Air Wing 5 to complete their Primary flight training mission,' Cmdr. Eric Seib, NAS Whiting Field's Operations Officer said. 'With nearly 70 percent of all primary flight training flown out of NAS Whiting Field, the addition of NOLF Summerdale gives a significant increase in airfield training opportunities. The addition of NOLF Summerdale reduces airspace congestion thus increasing flight safety over the other NOLF's that support primary flight training. The completion of P266 represents a major milestone in potential student Naval aviator throughput at NAS Whiting Field.'

NAS Whiting Field's complex is the busiest Naval aviation facility in the world and serves as the 'Backbone of Naval Aviation.' Training Air Wing 5, the major tenant command on the base, regularly accomplishes more than 1.1 million flight operations per year and flies more than 150,000 flight hours. This comprises 14 percent of all Navy and Marine Corps flight hours worldwide.

More than 700 student military aviators completed their primary flight training through Training Air Wing 5 in 2015. This comprises approximately two thirds of all primary Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviators. TRAWING-5 also trains all helicopter pilots for the three maritime services. NOLF Summerdale will be one of five outlying fields that NAS Whiting Field and Training Air Wing 5 use to complete their T-6B aviator training mission.

The others are NOLFs Barin, Evergreen, Brewton, and Choctaw. Bahlau emphasized the need for NOLF Summerdale to augment the other NOLFs.

'The production of pilots for our national defense is just as important now as it was when Outlying Field Summerdale was first constructed in 1943,' NAS Whiting Field Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Bahlau said. 'The completion of the runway extensions at Summerdale reestablishes a key asset for our mission and will help ensure years of safe, productive flight training for our student aviators.'

Navy Outlying Landing Field Summerdale has played an integral part in NAS Whiting Field's military pilot training mission, dating back to its original construction date of 1943. During the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s this airfield supported training flights from both Training Air Wing 5 at NAS Whiting Field and Training Air Wing 6 at NAS Pensacola in support of T-34 touch and goes. The last significant number of operations that occurred at NOLF Summerdale was in 2005, when Training Air Wing 6 at NAS Pensacola began their T-34 to T-6A transition. Since 2005 the airfield has served as a 'Low Approach' only airfield due to the runway length restrictions.

Training Air Wing 5 commenced full-time training flight operations March 14.

'The residents of Baldwin County and Summerdale are tremendous patriots and supporters of the military -- it is a great place to fly, and we are happy to be back,' Bahlau said.

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AFMC strategic plan to help carry Air Force to third offset

By Stacey Geiger, Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs / Published March 16, 2016

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- Agility and innovation are cornerstones of a new Air Force Materiel Command strategic plan that will deliver war-winning capabilities. Those capabilities will propel the Air Force as a key element of the future national defense strategy known as the third offset.

The first offset came in in the 1950s when the United States looked to tactical nuclear weapons to deter, or offset, large, conventional forces in Western Europe. The second offset came in the 1970s when the Soviet Union achieved nuclear parity and the U.S. sought an advantage by turning to precision-guided weapons.

The third offset is the Defense Department strategy to leverage new technologies to offset advances made by adversaries in recent years. It will draw on technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and human-machine networks. A battlespace of the year 2030 could see F-35 Lightning IIs or a next-generation aircraft linked by satellite networks, cyber bugs that infect and take down adversaries' computers and swarms of attack drones converging on enemy targets.

AFMC, with its ability to deliver and support agile war-winning capabilities, is crucial to providing those technologies and connecting them across the Air Force's three domains of air, space and cyberspace. The strategic plan with its four goals, supporting objectives and a list of external and internal commitments will be the command's blueprint for success.

'Our Air Force is in high demand around the globe every minute of every day. While it remains the world's greatest Air Force, it must become more agile to operate effectively in the dynamic, ever-changing worldwide environment today -- and tomorrow,' said Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, the AFMC commander. 'The expertise in our centers and laboratories puts us in the perfect position to deliver third offset capabilities and this strategic plan is the bedrock of our road ahead.'

In the plan, the command's mission statement is short and declarative: 'deliver and support agile war-winning capabilities.'

The command's vision is 'delivering the world's greatest air force... the most trusted and agile provider of innovative and cost-effective war-winning capabilities.' AFMC will constantly strive to attain the vision with a focus on meeting the warfighter's needs.

The heart of the strategic plan is its four goals:

- Increase agility of AFMC support to the Air Force enterprise

- Bolster trust and confidence of those we serve by meeting our commitments

- Drive cost-effectiveness into the capabilities we provide

- Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse, high-performing, and resilient team

To ensure AFMC achieves its goals, its six centers and the headquarters staff developed 11 supporting objectives and 35 commitments that will be measured, tracked and assessed throughout 2016. The commitments will help deliver the requirements of AFMC's warfighter 'customers' across the Air Force as well as enable the command's 80,000-member workforce to do its job better.

The commitments are extensive and diverse. They range from providing assessments of adversary cyber threats to achieving major acquisition milestones to 'people' commitments like improved support to the families of deployed military members.

'These commitments are important to our success,' Pawlikowski said. 'We will track them and ensure our people are accountable for their fulfillment. Without strong commitments, our strategic plan cannot succeed.'

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Goldfein addresses readiness, budget

By Staff Sgt. Whitney Stanfield , Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information / Published March 16, 2016

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Military vice chiefs testified about the current state of readiness of U.S. forces before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support on Capitol Hill March 15.

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein shared concerns about the service's ability to continue to defend against adversaries who continue to improve their capabilities.

The vice chief told the committee that America's adversaries are closing the capability gap in space and cyberspace. According to Goldfein, the strategic capability advantage over competitors is shrinking, and the ability to project strategic deterrence is being challenged.

He stated that the Air Force continues to provide the lion's share of military effort against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the Middle East and is heavily active in Afghanistan. He added that a return of sequestration would impair and delay readiness goals.

"The fiscal year 2017 budget reflects our best efforts to balance capability, capacity and readiness under the top line we receive," Goldfein said. "We've made difficult trades between readiness today and the critical investment required to modernize for the future against potential adversaries who continue to close the technological gap."

The full-spectrum readiness capability is the right amount of Airmen, properly led, trained and equipped, to accomplish the mission in support of the joint force, and this cannot be achieved without investing in total force Airmen, the vice chief said.

Readiness is measured by critical skills availability, weapons system sustainment and training resource availability, as well as the flying hour program and manageable operational tempo. In order for the Air Force to maintain its advantage, sufficient funding, more manpower and better deployment-to-dwell time ratios are needed to balance readiness across the board.

The Army and Marine Corps, Goldfein said, depend on responsive airlift, not less airlift. The Air Force must have the capability to engage anytime, anywhere and complete readiness to provide reliable strategic nuclear deterrent.

"This budget request is an investment in the Air Force our nation needs," he said. "America expects it, combatant commanders require it, and with your support for this budget request, our Airmen will deliver it."

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Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 16, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack aircraft conducted two strikes in Syria near Hawl that struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted nine strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Huwayjah, a strike destroyed an ISIL heavy machine gun.

-- Near Hit, three strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL assembly area, six ISIL rocket rails, two ISIL weapons caches, an ISIL anti-air artillery piece and an ISIL mortar position and denying ISIL access to terrain.

-- Near Kisik, two strikes destroyed four ISIL assembly areas and suppressed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Sinjar, three strikes destroyed three ISIL heavy machine guns and four ISIL fighting positions and suppressed an ISIL heavy machine gun position.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Former Resolute Support Commander: Leaders Heeded Advice

By David Vergun Army News Service

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2016  Congress and President Barack Obama listened to and acted on advice from the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan over the last 18 months, said Army Gen. John F. Campbell, whose posting as commander of NATO's Resolute Support mission and U.S. forces in Afghanistan ended March 2 when Army Gen. John W. "Mick" Nicholson Jr. succeeded him.

Campbell spoke mostly about Afghanistan during a March 11 media farewell event at the Pentagon. He will retire May 1.

Obama's decision to keep 9,800 American forces in Afghanistan into 2016 has resonated through the region Campbell said.

Near the end of 2014, the United States was headed toward 1,000 troops remaining in Afghanistan by the end of 2016. That meant closing all U.S. bases in Afghanistan except in Kabul, Campbell said.

In October 2015, Obama announced that the United States would maintain 9,800 troops in Afghanistan through 2016. That's an example of the president heeding his own counsel, Campbell said. Congress, similarly, was receptive during his testimonies there, he added, the most notable taking place in closed-door hearings.

Campbell said he'd be remiss if he didn't mention the great support he received from the commander of U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III; the commander of U.S. European Command, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove; and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. All had direct or tangential roles in shaping activities in Afghanistan, he said.

Current Status

Now, bases in Afghanistan will remain in Kabul, Jalalabad and Kandahar, Campbell said, noting that's still a lot less presence than during the surge when he was there. The main role of the United States now, he said, is to train, advise and assist the Afghan forces.

Campbell said he sees Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as a willing partner who wants to continue to build Afghan capabilities. Things could have gone south in that respect should the rapid drawdown have proceeded, he told reporters.

Obama's decision was a warning to the Taliban that the United States was committed to Afghanistan's future, the general said, and that the group could not simply wait out the Americans.

For Pakistan, the decision informed them that the United States and NATO are in the fight for the long term, he said, mentioning that he met regularly with Pakistan's Gen. Raheel Sharif and that the two had good relations.

There are still problems, Campbell said, but the Afghan government is willing to confront them, learn and move on. He cited the Taliban attack on Kunduz as an example. The temporary Taliban takeover of the provincial capital was an intelligence failure and an information operation win for the enemy and a wake-up call for the Afghan government, he noted.

Afghan officials understand they have to develop good governance at the lowest levels of the districts to stop similar attacks from occurring, he added.

Afghan security forces are getting better and better every day, he said. They're still a relatively young army, with just eight or nine years since forming, so they shouldn't be compared to the U.S. Army. Areas where there's still room for improvement are logistics, leadership and intelligence, he added.

Insurgencies

The Taliban remain the biggest security threat, Campbell said. There used to be a fighting season, which was when the weather got warmer, he said, but now there's fighting year-round in what's called the winter campaign and the summer campaign. Because they can choose to wait around until the U.S. leaves Afghanistan, the general said, giving them a withdrawal timetable would be a bad idea.

Besides the Taliban, there's an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant offshoot group operating out of Nangahar province's Achin and Deh Bala districts, he said. They'd very much like to attack Europe and the United States, he added, noting that the capability isn't yet there yet, but they bear watching.

Other terrorists groups exist as well, often operating on both sides of the border with Pakistan, he noted. The Haqqani network is a prime example, he said, and they're notable for their vehicle-bomb attacks. Pakistan can put some pressure on them, Campbell said, but they think that if they put too much, they'll turn around and attack Pakistan.

Some of these terrorist groups fight each other, Campbell said, and when they do that, the United States doesn't usually intervene. Iran is providing some aid to terrorist groups fighting ISIL, a group it feels threatened by, he added, saying that's not really helpful to overall security.

Retirement Plans

After '36 years, 10 months and 25 days as of May 1,' Campbell said, it's time to retire and not to look back and regret the decision. 'I'm at peace with it,' he said.

Campbell's said his wife, Ann, has accompanied him around the globe or waited at home while he was deployed, often caring for soldiers and their families, especially those who were wounded. The general said he wants to focus on her now.

Their plan, he said, is to stay in the greater Washington, D.C., area for about a year and then hunt for a place to live and work. That will give him more time to focus on retirement, he added, noting that he's been too focused thinking about other things in Afghanistan.

As for future work, Campbell said, serving others would be a factor in the decision. He added that he was honored to have been offered the command of U.S. Africa Command by the secretary of defense, but turned the offer down to retire. Still serving, however, will be Campbell's son, who is with a Stryker brigade out of Fort Hood, Texas.

Campbell concluded that the thing he regrets most about retiring is no longer having an impact on the younger soldiers, as mentors have had on him.

He added, 'I left Afghanistan, but Afghanistan will always be in my heart. I'm leaving the Army now, but the Army will always be in my heart.'

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An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more.

But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be  and shouldnt be  bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre.

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U.S., Cambodian Forces Partner for Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2016

By Army Master Sgt. Mary Ferguson, 8th Theater Sustainment Command DoD News, Defense Media Activity

KAMPONG SPEU PROVINCE, Cambodia, March 16, 2016  U.S. and Cambodian forces officially opened Angkor Sentinel 2016, an annual bilateral military exercise hosted by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and sponsored by the U.S. Army Pacific during a March 14 ceremony at the Training School for Multinational Peacekeeping Forces here.

This year marks the seventh iteration of the exercise, which officials said is designed to collectively strengthen the two countries' humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities and improve military-to-military cooperation.

"I believe the Angkor Sentinel exercise that begins today showcases some of the best kinds of things militaries accomplish for their nations and citizens," said Julie Chung, charge d'affaires at U.S. Embassy Phnom Penh. "Angkor Sentinel's activities will include training and exchanges covering humanitarian assistance, disaster response, first aid, engineering, explosive ordnance disposal, countering improvised explosive devices, transporting people and supplies, and developing leaders. Any country -- including both Cambodia and the United States -- will be a better, safer place to live with military people who are skilled in these functions."

Forces From Various U.S., Cambodian Units

The two-week exercise brings together Cambodian forces from the Royal Cambodian Army, the National Center for Peacekeeping Forces, Mine and Explosive Remnants of War Clearance, and Gendarmerie Royale Khmer, with U.S. forces from U.S. Army Pacific, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, 130th Theater Engineer Brigade, 8th Military Police Brigade, 303rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, the Idaho Army National Guard, 18th Medical Command, Asia Pacific Counter-IED Fusion Center and 413th Contracting Brigade.

Army Maj. Gen. Edward F. Dorman III, the commander of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, encouraged the more than 150 participants to enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to learn from each other's expertise and absorb each other's rich cultures and traditions.

"Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief are priorities for both of our countries, and as we operate together in this complex, ever-changing region, exercises like this one are critical to our regional stability and security," he said. "When we join together, train together, and grow together now, we ensure that we are prepared together for whatever the future may bring."

The concentrated training agenda includes intense academics, team-building events, and practical exercises intended to foster exchange and opportunities for the two countries' militaries to learn about each other's tactics, techniques and procedures while strengthening relationships and building the foundation for future humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises, officials said. Its expert academic exchanges and training events will culminate in a combined situational training exercise March 25.

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Service Leaders Make Budget Request Case Before House Panel

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2016  Service secretaries from the Army, Navy and Air Force discussed their budget requests for fiscal year 2017 before the House Armed Services Committee today, focusing mainly on readiness and emerging threats.

Testifying were acting Army Secretary Patrick J. Murphy, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James.

Murphy, in his 10th week on the job, said he's visited with soldiers, Defense Department civilians and their families at Fort Hood and Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and also has gone to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Army Budget Request

"Our Army must produce ready units today to deter and defeat our nation's enemies, defend our homeland, project power and win decisively," he told the panel.

Readiness, Murphy said, means units that are fully manned, trained for combat, fully equipped according to their designed structure, and led by competent leaders. Soldiers also must be ready for future fights by investing in modernization and in research and development.

"With our $125.1 billion budget request, our Army will focus its efforts on rebuilding readiness for large-scale, high-end ground combat today," he said. "We do so because we believe that ignoring readiness shortfalls puts our nation at greatest risk."

Readiness prepares the force for potential future conflicts, and the Army must be prepared to face the high-end and advanced combat power of an aggressive Russia, or more likely Russian aggression employed by surrogate actors, Murphy told the panel.

The fiscal 2017 budget request dedicates resources to develop solutions to give the force the space to develop new concepts informed by the recommendations of the National Commission on the Future of the Army, the acting Army secretary said.

"Our formations must first be ready to execute against current and emerging threats," he added," [but] the choice to invest in near-term readiness does come with risk."

Smaller modernization investments risk the Army's ability to fight and win in the future, and no new major modernization programs are planned this decade, Murphy said.

"Smaller investments in end-strength risk the Army's ability to conduct multiple operations for sustained periods of time," he told the committee. "In short, we're mortgaging our future readiness, because we have to ensure success in today's battles against emerging threats. That's why initiatives we asked for, like [the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission] in 2019, need to be implemented now."

Letting the Army manage this investment will result in $500 million a year in savings and return on investment within five years, Murphy said.

Navy Budget Request

In his remarks, Mabus said he's proud of the many steps the Navy has taken and the changes it's made to ensure that the Navy and Marine Corps remain the greatest expeditionary fighting force the world has ever known.

The Navy's proposed $165 billion budget for fiscal 2017 makes key investments in people, platforms, installations and research and development and includes a $45 billion base and overseas contingency operations procurement budget focused on improving high-end capability across all warfare areas, according to a Navy budget fact sheet.

The budget buys seven new ships in fiscal 2017, and it fully funds the Ohio-class replacement ballistic missile submarine and maintains the Ohio Replacement Program as the Navy's top priority in strengthening naval power from the sea.

Mabus said the administration has funded the fleet to grow to 308 ships in fiscal 2021.

The budget also funds 94 aircraft in fiscal 2017, the fact sheet said, and reflects the need to expand capabilities to meet dynamic changes in today's security environment by including $17.3 billion for research and development.

"We continue to provide presence. That unrivaled advantage on, above, beneath and from the seas gives our leaders options in times of crisis, reassures our allies and deters adversaries," Mabus told the panel.

Resourcing that presence depends on people, platforms, power and partnerships, Mabus said.

"When I took this post seven years ago  each of these four P's was under pressure.  Now our people platforms power and partnerships are stronger than they've been in many years, enabling us to provide that invaluable presence," Mabus said.

Air Force Budget Request

In her remarks, James said the Air Force priorities continue to include taking care of people and balancing readiness and modernization.

James said the Air Force is fully engaged in every region of the world, in every mission area and across the full spectrum of operations.

"We have never been busier on such a sustained and global basis, and we are doing all this with roughly 200,000 fewer people and 79 fewer fighter squadrons than we had at the time of Operation Desert Storm," she said.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 gave the Air Force a period of stability and predictability, James said, but leaves the Air Force $3.4 billion short compared to its original fiscal 2017 request.

"This means that once again we had some tough choices to make in this budget," she said.

The Air Force must upsize its force after years of downsizing, James said, and wants to do it to address, among others, critical career fields such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; cyber; maintenance across the Air Force; and battlefield airmen.

James said another priority is getting the readiness-modernization balance right. Less than half of Air Force combat forces are ready for a high-end fight, she said, defining that as "a conflict that might take place in an anti-access/area denial environment  where an adversary could shoot us down, interfere with us in some major way in space or cyberspace."

The Air Force aircraft inventory is the oldest it has ever been, she said, at the same time adversaries are closing the technological gap. After consulting with combatant commanders, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welch and James agreed to rephase the A-10 and the C-130 aircraft retirements.

"The bottom line here is we are not proposing to retire any of these aircraft in [fiscal 2017]," she said. Air Force leaders will continue to look at the mix of aircraft each year, she added, and will be prepared to modify based on the global security situation.

The fiscal 2017 budget request would continue ongoing investments to support nuclear deterrence, space and cyberspace, she said, and will continue with the F-35 joint strike fighter, the KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft, combat rescue helicopters, the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System and the B-21, formerly known as the long range strike bomber.

"This fifth-generation global precision-attack platform will give our country a networked sensor-shooter capability and propel us into the next century of air power dominance," James said.

Tough choices include deferring the fiscal 2017 purchases of five F-35s and three C-130Js, delay some upgrades to fourth-generation systems such as the F-16, and many infrastructure projects, James said.

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Guard, Reserve Leaders Highlight Crucial Role in Defense Operations

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2016  National Guard and Reserve leaders highlighted to Congress today the vital role their components play in defense operations around the world and the importance of equipping and modernizing these forces.

The heads of the National Guard Bureau, the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard, as well as the chiefs of the reserve commands of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps went before the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee to discuss the fiscal year 2017 budget request.

'Your investment has resulted in the finest and most diverse National Guard I've witnessed throughout my career,' Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said.

The passage of the bipartisan budget brought some 'much-needed relief,' he added.

But he warned against returning to sequestered levels of funding, saying that would shrink the National Guard to the smallest it has been since the Korean War at a time of complex security concerns, both at home and abroad.

'The challenge of maintaining a capable, accessible and affordable operational National Guard comes at a pivotal time in our history, where the actions we take now will set the course for future generations,' Grass said in his written statement.

Guard and Reserve members are highly trained, bring unique insights to the job, and work seamlessly with their counterparts in the total force, the leaders noted.

Members have responded when the nation called, deploying around the globe and serving in crucial roles in Afghanistan, Iraq and many other defense and security operations, they said.

Supporting Most Capable Army in World

The chief of the Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, said his force supports the most capable Army the world has ever known. Army Reserve members, he said, provide enduring operational capabilities and strategic depth to the Army and the joint force.

'Because the Army Reserve comprises the majority of the Army's combat support and combat service support, the nation can afford nothing less than a ready, equipped and operational Army Reserve,' he said.

He said his primary concern is maintaining the adequate levels of readiness to meet existing demands.

While the current level of reserve training days is sufficient to provide ready forces to meet identified requirements, Talley said, those resources are not sufficient to build a force capable of responding to unforeseen contingencies.

'This committee's support is crucial to ensuring that we remain ready to provide support to the total force as unique current global requirements, respond to national emergencies and mobilize for contingency operations when our nation needs us most,' he added.

Challenges in Fiscal Environment

The military leaders acknowledged the challenges of addressing security threats and current demands, while operating in a restricted fiscal environment.

The chief of Navy Reserve, Vice Adm. Robin R. Braun, said aircraft recapitalization is her No. 1 equipping priority.

'Fiscal constraints demand that we focus on extending the service life of our hardware,' she said. 'However, each has a finite lifespan.'

The budget request funding for the Guard and Reserve is contained within the budget requests of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, committee chairman Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi noted. The amount for this funding totals $46.6 billion for fiscal year 2017, he said, pointing out that the request is $400 million less than the current level.

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NATO praises dedication of Afghan and Resolute Support Forces

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

16 Mar. 2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg praised the dedication and courage of Afghan forces and Resolute Support troops in Kabul on Wednesday (16 March 2016). He stressed that NATO stands with Afghanistan and will continue to support the country, including through its Resolute Support Mission and financial support.

"Our mission here is no longer a combat mission. But it is no less important. The Afghan Forces are now responsible for this country's security and for the protection of all Afghans. We stand with them and will continue to do so," said the Secretary General in an address to the Kabul Security Forces. He thanked them for their courage and professionalism and paid tribute to the sacrifices made in service of the mission.

Addressing the men and women of the Afghan Air Force, the Secretary General said they played a critical role by providing transport, resupply and engaging the enemy on the battlefield. He welcomed the fact that the Air Force is increasing its capabilities and stepping up operations, including with new aircraft.

The Secretary General has wrapped up a three-day visit to Afghanistan. During his visit, Mr. Stoltenberg met with President Ashraf Ghani; Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah; National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar; NATO Senior Civilian Representative, Ambassador Ismail Aramaz; and Commander of the Resolute Support Mission, General John Nicholson. He also met senior Afghan government officials, representatives of Afghan civil society and of the international community in Afghanistan.

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NATO-Ukraine Regional Airspace Security Program progress

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - NCI Agency

By NCI Agency Team 3/16/2016

Following a successful demonstration, the NATO-Ukraine Regional Airspace Security Programme (RASP) is progressing through its next phase, a feasibility study, with meetings of experts from NATO, EUROCONTROL, Ukraine, Turkey, the United States and Poland in Odessa, Ukraine on 16-17 March 2016.

The project is part of the broader NATO-C4 Trust Fund, which in turn is a contribution to the overall Alliance efforts in assisting Ukraine with the modernisation of its C4 structures and the development of its security and defence capabilities within the framework of Ukraine's defence reform activities.

RASP aims to improve cross-border coordination of civil air security incidents; boost regional airspace cooperation between Ukraine, Turkey, Poland and Norway; and improve civil-military cooperation in Ukraine.

RASP will provide permanent and real-time connectivity with Ukraine's neighbouring countries. It will grant early notification and coordination on security incidents and suspicious aircraft, sharing of the air picture, and facilitate direct voice coordination including joint handling procedures.

Successful conclusion of 'pathfinder' phase

The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency is the Executing Agent of the NATO-Ukraine Command, Control Communications and Computers (C4) Trust Fund. In addition to the C4 Trust Fund Lead Nations, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom, other Allies - Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, and the United States - are contributing to the NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fund.

On 23-25 February 2016 in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force Command, led by Major General Artur Artemenko, First Deputy Commander, hosted a successful demonstration of the capabilities of the first 'pathfinder' phase of the programme. The demonstration was led by specialists from the NCI Agency and EUROCONTROL.

The RASP Pathfinder demonstrated the successful exchange of regional air traffic information and allowed integrated voice coordination between Ukraine and operators from Poland, Turkey and Norway. It showcased the CIMACT system, and provided initial user training involving Ukrainian operators.

The 'pathfinder' phase was funded through the NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fund. It represents the first milestone of a phased implementation approach of RASP. The next step forward is the Feasibility Study, sponsored by the United States. This phase is now progressing and the meetings in Odessa are a significant milestone. They will explore the specifics of the technical solution that will underpin the RASP programme.

NATO-Ukraine C4 Trust Fund

In addition to its role as Executing Agent for the C4 Trust Fund, a Memorandum of Agreement on C4 is in place between Ukraine and the NCI Agency since July 2015, allowing for direct Ukraine-NCI Agency cooperation activities.

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MSC's USNS Stockham, USNS Montford Point perform 'skin-to-skin' maneuver

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160316-04

Release Date: 3/16/2016 10:42:00 AM

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Madailein Abbott, CTF-73 Public Affairs

POHANG, South Korea (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command's maritime prepositioning force ship USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017) and expeditionary transfer dock USNS Montford Point (T-ESD 1) performed a 'skin-to-skin' (S2S) maneuver as part of exercise Ssang Yong 16, March 13.

The operation enabled the two ships to test capabilities as well as practice transferring large cargo, such as vehicles, at sea.

The S2S maneuver is conducted by the two ships connecting side-by-side while the Montford Point acts as a floating pier for a simulated offload. The Stockham can discharge equipment onto the Montford Point through a connecting ramp. The equipment can then be loaded into landing craft air cushion (LCAC) for transfer to shore, further enhancing Marine Corps and naval integration.

The maneuver gained attention throughout the military and Navy Rear Adm. John B. Nowell, commander Expeditionary Strike Group Seven, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Task Force 76; Navy Capt. Robert A. Rochford, commodore, Maritime Prepositioning Ships Three (MPSRON-3); and Republic of Korea military officials all visited the two ships while connected S2S.

'This kind of operation enables us to bring people, equipment, ammunition, to sea and assemble it as necessary to bring it to shore as a full combat power,' said Rochford about the S2S. 'We get closer to that ultimate goal when we have other ships involved and when we successfully execute operations like these.'

The Montford Point is categorized as an expeditionary floating pier-at-sea. The ship is tasked to the Marine Corps to provide a pier-at-sea to move and transfer from large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships onto LCACs to provide seabasing capabilities for the Navy and the Marine Corps. The Montford Point and Stockham are both part of MPSRON-3.

A strong advantage for the pier-at-sea concept includes being able to move at will so as to not become a possible target to unfriendly forces. The makeshift pier can operate 25 miles off shore and still provide support for our military, Rochford explained.

In addition to the S2S, the MPSRON-3 ships also hosted the transfer of a vehicle from one ship to the other and flight operations during the maneuver, which were both the first time these activities were conducted while connected during an exercise.

'These type of exercises are an opportunity for us to look at the way we currently look at amphibious assault operations, then utilize these platforms to see what they can do,' said Rochford. 'This clearly has demonstrated the value of these ships and what they can do for the seabasing concept of the future.'

Ssang Yong 2016 is the largest multilateral amphibious exercise to date. It is a biennial exercise conducted by integrated Marine Expeditionary Brigade/Navy Expeditionary Strike Group, forward-deployed forces with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy and Marine Corps designed to strengthen interoperability and working relationships across a wide range of military operations ranging from disaster relief to complex expeditionary operations.

MSC operates approximately 115 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.

MPSRON 3, operating in the western Pacific, maintains tactical control of the 12 ships carrying afloat prepositioned U.S. military cargo for the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force. The squadron's mission is to enable force from the sea by providing swift and effective transportation of vital equipment and supplies for designated operations.

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Clashes between Taliban, Afghan forces kill 25 in Uruzgan

Iran Press TV

Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:5AM

Afghan security officials say more than two dozen people have been killed and several others injured as government forces and members of the Taliban militant group engaged in fierce clashes in the country's central province of Uruzgan.

Aminullah Khaliqi, governor of Deh Rawood district, said on Wednesday that at least 10 members of security forces as well as 15 Taliban militants have been killed during skirmishes in the area, located 400 kilometers (248 miles) southwest of the capital, Kabul, over the past few days.

He added that there were no civilian casualties as a result of the intense fighting.

Khaliqi further noted that government troops will continue their counter-terrorism operation in Deh Rawood until the entire district is purged of Taliban members.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that 39 Taliban militants were also killed and 18 others injured in a series of operations carried out in the provinces of Helmand, Kunar, Kunduz, Laghman and Parwan.

The statement added that nine Afghan soldiers were also killed during the offensives.

Afghan government forces also confiscated light and heavy weaponry and defused several rounds of improvised explosive devices.

Afghanistan is gripped by insecurity more than 14 years after the United States and its allies attacked the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror.

The war removed the Taliban from power but insecurity is still rampant in the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign troops.

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UN agency launches food voucher scheme for families in Yemen

16 March 2016  The United Nations food relief agency has begun distributing vouchers to assist nearly 120,000 people living in Yemen's capital, Sana'a, with plans to reach one million people across the country by the end of 2016.

Each food voucher provides a family of six with a one-month supply of wheat grain, pulses, vegetable oil, salt and sugar as well as Wheat Soya Blend (WSB)  a protein-rich blended food provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) through the local supplier, the agency said today in a press release.

Oum Ahmed, who moved to Sana'a with her family after her neighbourhood was destroyed by airstrikes eight months ago, now clean people's homes to be able to feed her children. "I was very happy when they gave me this voucher with my name on it," she told WFP.

The voucher scheme will speed up the delivery of food assistance in Yemen, enabling WFP to reach vulnerable people faster through a local retailer who will supply food commodities to families in exchange for vouchers, as well as help revive commercial activities and markets in the country.

"Food vouchers ensure the rapid and regular delivery of assistance across Yemen to families who rely almost entirely on external assistance to secure their essential food needs, and also boost the local economy as we work with local suppliers to provide food to vulnerable people," said WFP Representative and Country Director Purnima Kashyap.

The United Kingdom has contributed 5.9 million ($8.6 million), through its aid agency, to fund the programme.

WFP will gradually replace conventional food distributions with voucher assistance in areas where markets are functioning. By the end of 2016, WFP aims to reach one million with food vouchers.

The conflict has worsened Yemen's already poor food security situation, adding more than three million people to the ranks of the hungry in less than a year. According to the UN's 2016 Humanitarian Needs Overview, 7.6 million people in Yemen are severely food insecure  a level requiring urgent, external, food assistance.

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On visit to Central African Republic, UN rights expert urges support for new Government

16 March 2016  The United Nations independent expert on the human rights situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) today called on the international community to support that country's newly elected President Faustin Archange Touadera, and the government he will form, as he takes measures to meet the high expectations of the population.

These include a return to security, disarming groups, strengthening the rule of law and fighting impunity, encouraging national reconciliation, and providing urgent services, such as education and health.

Speaking from Bangui during her sixth visit to CAR, Marie-Therese Keita-Bocoum, also shared some concerns coming from civil society, which seeks greater protection of civilians, assistance for victims of sexual violence and of violence based on witchcraft accusations.

"All the actors of the civil society I met deplored the absence of the criminal justice system, the lack of access to justice and the lack of measures to protect victims and witnesses," the expert said.

Ms. Keita-Bocoum noted also the challenges from humanitarian needs, which said remain "high", with international aid often being the only way to meet the health, nutritional and sanitation basics for the population.

The country is emerging from nearly three years of fighting between the mainly Muslim Seleka and mainly Christian anti-Balaka groups.

The UN has played a major role in seeking to restore peace in the CAR, with military and police units from the 11,000-strong UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSCA) joining soldiers from the French Sangaris force and local security teams last 30 December at polling stations to ensure a peaceful presidential vote.

After nine months of improved stability in CAR, a new wave of inter-communal violence erupted in September of last year, killing at least 130 people, injuring 430 others, and triggering an 18 per cent increase in the number of internally displaced persons to 447,500.

The election of President Touadera, who won the presidential run-off on 14 February and will be sworn in on 25 March, is being seen as a new chapter in the country's political history  despite numerous significant challenges that remain.

In her comments today, the UN expert noted some improvement in security, especially in the capital city of Bangui, but expressed concern about violence in the regions in the country's centre, east and north-east.

In addition, she cautioned against putting in power any individuals with human rights abuses. She stressed "the importance that elected officials are men and women who truly have willingness to represent the interests of the Central African people, with integrity and respect for human rights."

The UN expert today also thanked the transitional government, led by Prime Minister Catherine Samba-Panza and her transitional government, for their cooperation and expressed her gratitude for their commitments and efforts in the initiatives for peaceful dialogue, national reconciliation and the democratic process, and in particular the holding of the Bangui Forum, the strengthening of women's leadership and the organization of free and peaceful elections.

Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

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South Sudan Rebels Sending 23 Generals to Juba

by James Butty March 16, 2016

South Sudan rebels said 23 of their top generals are expected to arrive in Juba this coming Monday to prepare for the coming of their leader, Riek Machar, who is the designated first vice president in a soon-to-be formed national unity government.

Machar has reportedly said he will only travel to Juba when nearly 3,000 of his troops and police are in the capital, with an additional 1,200 police deployed to Bor, Malakal and Bentiu.

Disagreements between rebels and the government persist

Implementation of the August 2015 peace agreement has been slow as both the rebels and President Salva Kiir's government squabble over such issues as President Kiir's creation of 28 new states.

They have also been trading accusations of cease-fire violations.

Rebels say they are serious about peace

Rebel military spokesman Colonel William Gatjiath Deng said the upcoming arrival of the 23 generals is a further indication the rebels are committed to implementing the August 2015 peace agreement.

Deng said the decision to send in the 23 generals is also influenced by the decision of the troika (United States, United Kingdom, and Norway) that they are ready to transport rebel forces to three areas in Sudan.

Rebels will bring heavy weapons to Juba

The rebels have also been insisting on bringing their heavy weapons into Juba, including tanks.

Deng brushed aside criticism that the heavy weapons would be a provocation for another conflict with government forces. He said the rebels need their heavy weapons because of prior experience with the South Sudan military.

"We are not coming back to Juba to wage another war, but when we are told to go back to Juba, we must take our equipment with us. How could you go back to somebody who fought you using light machine guns. This is will not be possible," Deng said.

He said once the 23 generals arrive and the rest of rebel troops are transported to their various camps, then it would be a matter of a week before leader Machar arrives in Juba. He assured the South Sudanese that the rebels are serious about implementing the August 2015 peace agreement because if they didn't want to they wouldn't be sending their generals.

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Beirut Struggles Under Growing Saudi Pressure

by John Owens March 16, 2016

As Saudi Arabia-led recriminations against Lebanon continue, the country's overseas workers and business leaders are holding their collective breath.

Beirut airport is set to receive the latest in a series of unwelcome arrivals, as another group of Lebanese workers was expelled from the Gulf because of alleged links to Hezbollah. It's the latest of a flurry of hostile moves by Saudi-affiliated countries as relations with Lebanon turn bitter.

In Lebanon, concerns are rising that political sanctions are bleeding into business ones  a dangerous prospect in a country where Gulf ties provide a crucial shot in the arm for an economy beset by challenges.

'This could create a catastrophe,' warned Elie Rizk, the head of the Saudi Lebanese Business Development Commission.

'Saudi-Lebanese relations go back a long way,' he said, 'but business ties could be badly impacted.'

The punishment being doled out to Lebanon began last month when Saudi Arabia canceled a multi-billion-dollar arms package in reaction to Lebanon's failure to condemn an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

However, many regional analysts see it as part of a bigger conflict between Riyadh and Tehran, and evidence of growing Saudi anger at the power of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In the weeks that followed, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League have labeled Hezbollah a 'terrorist group.' Gulf governments have imposed travel bans on some Lebanese, in addition to expelling Lebanese workers, and have placed sanctions on a number of companies and individuals accused of being Hezbollah affiliated.

Rizk says the government hasn't done enough to condemn Hezbollah and placate the GCC countries.

'As the private sector, we are taking the initiative and holding meetings in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC to ensure Lebanon is represented properly, and playing the role of a shadow government,' he said.

'But we're not the government.'

Strong ties

There are strong economic motivations to repair ties.

Political deadlock and instability, accentuated by the Syrian war, have led to barely perceptible growth in Lebanon.

'The GCC has always been a lifeline for the Lebanese economy,' explained Nassib Ghobril, an analyst with Lebanese Byblos Bank. He says the current situation is unprecedented.

Because of declines in other markets and industries, Ghobril says trade with the GCC nations has become even more important.

At a time when other investors are steering clear, the Gulf has provided some economic stability.

Ghobril estimates that three-quarters of foreign investment in Lebanon over the past three years came from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, while the region also plays an important role in the country's tourism sector.

The Gulf also is the main market for many Lebanese exporters.

In Beirut, Mark Acar owns Black Box, an energy industry company with offices in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. 'We try not to worry too much unless something certain does happen, but clearly there's a possibility that we could see a bleed through,' he told VOA.

'People are watching, it's just that they can't really do anything.'

Worker fears

This sense of helplessness extends to the thousands of Lebanese working in the Gulf and their families at home.

For decades, remittances from Lebanese workers overseas have played a vital role in keeping the deeply indebted country afloat.

'There's a lot of nervousness at the moment [among Lebanese migrant workers], there's no doubt about it,' said Akhram Khater, director of the Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies.

He estimated that there are around 180,000 Lebanese nationals in the Gulf, but some experts place the figure at closer to 500,000.

Khater says that in the largely Sunni GCC countries, the fear would be particularly acute among Lebanon's Shia workers, who may fall under suspicion due to Hezbollah's mainly Shia support base.

He downplayed the likelihood of widespread expulsions.

Repairing the damage

With reports indicating that Thursday's regular League of Arab States meeting in Cairo may bring fresh developments, unpredictability is one thing many commentators agree on.

For now, the markets have proved resilient to the recriminations, Byblos Bank's Ghobril said. But he warned that 'there are concerns [about the need] to restore this relationship, to repair what has been damaged.'

How the Lebanese government and business community can placate Saudi wrath, however, remains to be seen.

Aurelie Daher, Middle East specialist and author of an upcoming book on Hezbollah, expects to see more expulsions 'as just another way to put pressure on the Lebanese government for them to take firm moves against Hezbollah.'

But Daher warns that government efforts to minimize the power of Hezbollah  which has a major role and support base in Lebanon  carry risks far greater than a damaged economy.

'Change is not achievable,' she said, 'unless the Beirut government is ready to put the Lebanese politician scene as well as society on fire.'

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Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 17, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack aircraft conducted two strikes in Syria near Hawl that struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 20 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Baghdadi, a strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache.

-- Near Rutbah, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Beiji, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Fallujah, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL staging area and an ISIL mortar position.

-- Near Hit, four strikes struck two ISIL weapon factories and destroyed an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL bomb and an ISIL supply cache.

-- Near Kirkuk, a strike destroyed an ISIL machine gun position.

-- Near Kisik, two strikes destroyed three ISIL beddown locations and four ISIL assembly areas.

-- Near Mosul, nine strikes struck seven ISIL propaganda sites and two ISIL manufacturing factories.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct operations.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Dunford Discusses DoD Budget Request at Senate Hearing

By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2016  There is a coming bow wave of defense procurement that Congress must adequately fund, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee here today.

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. testified on the fiscal year 2017 defense department budget request of $583 billion. That funding will enable the joint force to confront today's threats and plan for the future, the chairman said.

Dunford's expressed his working premise on the budget succinctly.

"I don't believe we ever should send Americans into a fair fight," he said.

The United States has a requirement to maintain joint forces that have the capability and credibility to assure allies and partners, deter aggression, and overmatch any potential adversary, the chairman said. "This requires us to continually improve our joint warfighting capabilities, restore full spectrum readiness and develop the leaders who will serve as the foundation for the future," he said.

Numerous Threats

Dunford, who testified alongside Defense Secretary Ash Carter, said America is confronted with a plethora of threats from state and non-state actors. The five strategic challenges, he said, are Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and defeating extremism.

"Russia, China, Iran and North Korea continue to invest in military capabilities that reduce our competitive advantage," the chairman said. "They are also advancing their interests through competition with a military dimension that falls short of traditional armed conflict and the threshold for a traditional military response."

Russia's actions in annexing Crimea and actions in Eastern Ukraine and China's militarization of the South China Sea are two examples of this, Dunford said, noting that Iran's malign activity across the Middle East is another.

"At the same time, non-state actors such as [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and al-Qaida pose a threat to the homeland, the American people, our partners and our allies," he said. "Given the opportunity, such extremist groups would fundamentally change our way of life."

On top of these threats is the need to modernize the nation's nuclear deterrent, and the need to keep conventional forces capable, ready and agile, the general said.

Space, Cyber Domain

Potential adversaries are also increasingly contesting the United States in space and the cyber domain, the chairman said.

"As the joint force acts to mitigate and respond to challenges, we do so in the context of a fiscal environment that has hampered our ability to plan and allocate resources most effectively," Dunford said. "Despite partial relief by Congress from sequester-level funding, the department has absorbed $800 billion in cuts and faces an additional $100 billion of sequestration-induced risk through fiscal year '21."

The cuts that have already happened have "resulted in our underinvesting in critical capabilities," the general said. "And unless we reverse sequestration, we will be unable to execute the current defense strategy, and specifically unable to address the challenges that Secretary Carter outlined."

The fiscal year 2017 defense budget request begins to address the most critical investments required, he said. "To the extent possible within the resources provided by the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act, it addresses the department's five challenges," he said. "It does so by balancing three major areas: investment in high-end capabilities, the capability and capacity to meet current operational demands, and the need to rebuild readiness after an extended period of war."

Congress must provide adequate, predictable funding for the years ahead for the American military to recover from 15 years of war and plan for the future, the chairman said.

"A bow wave of procurement requirements in the future include the Ohio-class submarine replacement, continued cyber and space investments and the long-range strike bomber," he said. "It will also be several years before we fully restore full spectrum readiness across the services and replenish our stocks of critical precision munitions."

The fiscal year 2017 DoD budget proposal puts the military on the right trajectory, the general said, but it will need continued congressional support to ensure "the joint force has the depth, flexibility, readiness and responsiveness that ensures our men and women never face a fair fight."

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Update: Force of the Future Reforms Move Forward

By Cheryl Pellerin DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2016  Force of the Future reforms are aligning military and civilian personnel rules with the 21st century, one of the program's architects said in a recent interview, noting that some revolutionary changes already are moving into place.

Brad R. Carson, senior advisor to the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told DoD News that one of the new family-friendly rules -- extended maternity leave -- will be effective almost immediately and another, egg freezing, will be covered by TRICARE starting Oct. 1.

Such changes in the personnel systems account for similar employee benefit developments in the private sector and for changing expectations of the millennial generation.

The secretary so far has announced two groups of reforms, Carson said. These are reforming practices to recruit and retain service members, and making changes to appeal more to service members and their families.

"Both [groups] have been wildly popular, we've found, [with] great support from the force, from senior leaders, and whole Facebook page is devoted to  how this is going to revolutionize the experience of service members," Carson said.

Revolutionary Change

The first group of reforms included blended retirement, the establishment of a Defense Digital Service, designating a chief recruiting officer and establishing an Office of People Analytics.

On blended retirement, Carson said today's retirement system works only for those who have served for 20 years -- a number that includes only 10 to 17 percent of service members.

"We've tried to modernize the retirement system so that you take away something no matter how long you've served," he said.

Service members will have a 401K plan that they can invest in immediately on entering the service, and after the third year the department will contribute to those plans.

On the Defense Digital Service, Carson said this is an arm of the U.S. Digital Service. The USDS is made up of software engineers and other experts from across the country who came in at the last minute in December 2013 to shore up the administration's overburdened healthcare.gov website.

At the Defense Department, Carson said, such experts will come in and work for six months or two years and have a high impact.

"That's really our vision for Force of the Future -- we want to have this kind of permeability between the private and public sectors, he added.

Recruiting and Analysis

On the chief recruiting officer and office of people analytics, Carson said the department is moving forward on both reforms.

The department hasn't yet found the right person to serve as chief recruiting officer, he said. But there's a need to recruit executives from the private sector to "come in for a few years to help us," he added.

The office of people analytics will help the department learn more about its service members and civilians and help the services and the Pentagon retain them, Carson said.

"Why do they leave? When do they really join? What do they want over the course of their careers? And what are trends that can be identified?" he said.

"The office of people analytics [will have] three or four PhDs in data science [who will] look at these kinds of trends," Carson said.

Family Flexibility

In the second tranche of family reforms, he said the department is moving rapidly on extending maternity leave, which it already has the authority to do, and asking Congress to help the department extend paternity leave.

Another initiative within the second group of reforms seeks to allow a service member, in exchange for an extra service obligation, to stay on a post longer than usual to stabilize their family or accommodate a spouse's career.

"We're not forcing the services to do this, we're giving them the tools [so that] if they want to use this as an incentive they really can," Carson said.

Another piece, flexible family planning, will make egg-freezing part of the TRICARE program, increase the number of lactation rooms in DoD facilities, and keep every military childcare center open for at least 14 hours a day, he said.

"We hope that we can at least start the implementation of most of these reforms over just the next few months," he added.

"So for example maternity leave will be almost immediate. Egg freezing will be on Oct. 1.  It may take a few months or even a couple of years to fully implement, but we can start immediately and get the ball rolling," Carson said.

The Next Reforms

Carson said the next big group of reforms, which are currently under review by the defense secretary, will include making the up-or-out system governing officer promotions more flexible, allowing lateral entry into the military, establishing technical tracks, and encouraging military departments to send more of their officers and senior enlisted to advanced civil schooling.

After that, he said, the department will announce reforms to the 700,000-employee civilian personnel system.

"The challenges are that the personnel system has been around for a very long time, and so there are a lot of rules and regulations that have been built up. Expectations and careers have been built around these rules," Carson said.

"You have to measure twice and cut once when you think about changing the personnel system," he added, "but we think we're making some real progress by looking at what the needs of the force are -- what families need."

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NATO Secretary General discusses partnership with the King of Jordan

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

17 Mar. 2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (17 March 2016) for talks on the Alliance's partnership with Jordan and regional security challenges. Mr. Stoltenberg underscored NATO's commitment to Jordan and praised the country's role as an active member of NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue.

The Secretary General commended Jordan for its valuable contributions to the NATO Response Force and its participation in NATO-led missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Libya. Calling Jordan a valuable partner, Mr. Stoltenberg expressed the Alliance's appreciation for Jordan's efforts to build its defence capacity and support training for other partners in the region. In particular, the Secretary General thanked the King of Jordan for his country's contribution to the training of Iraqi officers in Jordan, as part of NATO's Defence Capacity Building assistance measures for Iraq.

In their talks, the Secretary General and His Majesty King Abdullah II discussed NATO-Jordan bilateral cooperation and shared security challenges, including the spread of terrorism and extremism.

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NATO Secretary General commends Latvia's role in strengthening shared security

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

17 Mar. 2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the new Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis in his first visit to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (17 March 2016). Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Kucinskis, Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Latvia for its contributions to Allied security and stressed that "NATO is strongly committed to Latvia."

The Secretary General commended Latvia for its contributions to the NATO Response Force and NATO's Resolute Support Mission, as well as its strong political and practical support for Ukraine. He also highlighted Latvia's participation in NATO exercises and its role in hosting the new NATO Force Integration Unit in Riga. "This small headquarters will play a key role in planning and exercising. And to help ensure that our forces can deploy quickly, if needed," said the Secretary General.

Mr. Stoltenberg also underlined NATO's steps to strengthen its defence and deterrence posture with an enhanced forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. He noted that this presence will be multinational, sending a clear signal that an attack on any Ally will be met by all Allies. "These decisions mean that there will be more NATO in Latvia than ever before," said the Secretary General.

In their talks, Prime Minister Kucinskis and the Secretary General addressed key issues on NATO's agenda ahead of the Warsaw Summit, including the Alliance's role in countering hybrid warfare. Mr. Stoltenberg also welcomed Latvia's commitment to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, in line with NATO guidelines.

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NATO Secretary General discusses current security challenges with Portuguese Prime Minister

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

17 Mar. 2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa discussed current security challenges and NATO's response in a meeting on Thursday (17 March 2016). The leaders also focused on the Alliance's agenda in the run-up to the Warsaw Summit in July.

Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Prime Minister Costa for Portugal's strong commitment to the transatlantic link, its active role in political debates, and its concrete contributions to NATO missions and operations.

The Secretary General underlined that threats from the south as well as maritime security will continue to be high on NATO's agenda in the months and years ahead.

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Military expert urges the U.S. not to play tricks over the South China Sea issue

People's Daily Online

By Yuan Can (People's Daily Online) 17:27, March 17, 2016

According to the photos released by U.S. Navy on March 10, USS Blue Rigde and USS Russell are still sailing in the South China Sea.

A Chinese expert on military strategy has criticized the U.S.'s attitude towards the South China Sea in his article.

Peng Guangqian said that the U.S. has no reason to blame China for militarizing the South China Sea. Peng questioned about the intention of the U.S. to deploy nuclear submarines, stealth fighters, large warships and nuclear-powered aircraft carrier battle group in the area. Peng said that it is the U.S. that stirs up disorder in the region. The U.S. not only deploys weapons but also organizes joint military drill in that region.

Peng said in the article that the U.S. not only militarizes the South China Sea but also builds a network of military bases in the West Pacific so that it can militarize almost the entire West Pacific.

Furthermore, the U.S. intrudes into waters near islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and even into China's territorial waters without permission from China. However, the U.S. justifies its acts by saying that they sail in 'international waters.' Peng said that it is ridiculous for the U.S. to do and to say so.

According to Peng, the South China Sea is one of the busiest maritime routes in the world and over 7,000 ships sail in the region every day. Maritime routes in the region are important transportation hinges connecting China and other places in the world. China spares no efforts to protect freedom of navigation in the region.

Peng said the freedom of navigation advocated by the U.S. is the "freedom" to deprive normal navigation of other countries.

Peng said that the U.S. not only stirs up disputes in the region by sending military aircraft and ships to the area but also plotted arbitration of the South China Sea dispute.

According to Peng, the Philippines is playing an active role in the arbitration. The result of the arbitration has not been released yet, but the U.S., along with its allies including Japan, presses China to unconditionally accept the result of the arbitration by whipping up public opinion.

Peng said that China exercises the legitimate right of a sovereign state according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Not participating in nor accepting the result of the arbitration, China safeguards the authority of the convention.

The U.S. is not a country in the region, nor a claimant party for maritime rights in the region. Furthermore, it still refuses to join UNCLOS. In previous disputes with its neighboring countries, the U.S. also rejected arbitration by the International Court of Justice. Peng said that the U.S. has no right to talk about maritime arbitration with China, a member in the UNCLOS.

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Toll from Saudi raids on Yemen market hits 119: UN

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:43PM

A senior UN official says the death toll from recent Saudi airstrikes on a crowded market in the Yemeni province of Hajjah has risen to nearly 120.

Meritxell Relano, deputy representative for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Yemen, on Thursday put the number of people killed in the Tuesday's air attacks on the northern province at 119.

The strikes took place in the northwest of the Yemeni capital Sana'a after two Saudi airstrikes hit al-Khamees market in the district of Mustaba on March 15.

The UN sources say the victims include at least 20 children. Many other Yemenis were injured in the deadly aerial raids in the troubled region.

The UN children's agency in a statement strongly denounced the deadly airstrikes.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also on Wednesday described the Saudi aerial raids as 'one of the deadliest " since Riyadh launched a military campaign against the impoverished Arab country in March last year. The UN chief also demanded a probe into the deadly incident.

The world body has already warned of a 'human catastrophe unfolding in Yemen.'

Meanwhile, General Ahmed al-Asiri, a Saudi military spokesman, said on Thursday that Riyadh will scale down combat operations in Yemen in an apparent bid to divert mounting criticism of the military aggression.

However, al-Asiri stressed that the kingdom will continue to provide air support to Yemen's former regime loyalists battling Houthi Ansarullah fighters and allied army units on the ground.

Riyadh has been under fire by international organizations and rights groups over the rising number of civilian casualties in Yemen.

The Saudi military strikes were launched in a failed effort to undermine the popular Ansarullah movement and bring the former fugitive president back to power.

At least 8,400 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed so far and 16,015 others have sustained injuries.

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European Leaders Meeting To Clinch Migrant Deal With Turkey

March 17, 2016

by RFE/RL

Leaders of the European Union and Turkey are beginning a summit in Brussels on March 17 aimed at finalizing a deal to halt the flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea to Greece.

European Council President Donald Tusk warned there is 'still a lot to do' to reach agreement during the two-day summit.

'There are still complicated talks ahead, but the fundamental direction is clear," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "I share the view of the European Council president, who spoke of cautious optimism, stressing the word cautious.'

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country holds the rotating EU Presidency, said the EU has 'no alternative' but to sign a deal with Turkey. 'If not, the situation in Greece will remain very serious, come to a crisis," he added.

The plan under discussion by EU leaders includes a migrant 'swap' deal first offered by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu 10 days ago, with Turkey taking back all migrants who make it to Greek islands off of Turkey's coast in exchange for the EU taking in more refugees from Turkey.

The idea is 'to break the business model of the smugglers' and offer asylum-seekers an alternative that will not put their lives at risk, officials said.

A draft document is said to describe the plan as 'a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering and restore public order.'

But Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the plan to return people to Turkey was 'on the edge of international law' and difficult to implement.

The whole deal also risks being derailed by disputes over Turkey's negotiations to join the EU, particularly a long-running conflict between Cyprus and Turkey, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot government.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said it could use its veto to block an accord if Ankara did not give Cyprus the same rights as other EU states to access Turkish ports and airports.

Because of these lingering, complicated disputes, the EU is offering only to 'prepare for a decision' on opening new accession chapters for Turkey 'as soon as possible,' a vague offer that may offend Turkey, officials said.

Since the plan would require Turkey to keep all migrants on its territory, the EU is also demanding that Turkey adopt legislation to protect asylum seekers in line with the Geneva Convention, though Ankara has limited its formal commitments to that treaty.

EU officials argue that the alternative to holding people back in Turkey is to see a further build-up of migrants stranded in increasingly dire conditions in Greece. Already an estimated 40,000 people are marooned on the Greek side of the border with Macedonia after Balkan nations slammed their frontiers shut to migrants last week.

While the plan seeks to preserve the rights of asylum-seekers to legal protections, EU officials stress that the overall goal is to quickly deter most people from even trying to cross the Aegean Sea to Greece, putting an end to the stream of thousands of migrants a day seen in the last year.

While Turkey would agree to take back all migrants under the deal, it also gets a guarantee that, for each migrant it takes back, the EU will accept a refugee for resettlement, officials said.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/european-leaders-meet- clinch-migrant-deal-with-turkey/27618396.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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NATO to Boost Presence in Latvia Amid 'Challenging Security Environment'

Sputnik News

17:05 17.03.2016(updated 17:07 17.03.2016)

NATO intends to further increase its presence in the Eastern part of the bloc, its chief Jens Stoltenberg said.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik)  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the bloc was going to discuss sending more international troops to the Baltic region, specifically to Latvia, at the July summit.

'We decided to further increase our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, including in the Baltic region It's going to be a multinational presence, meaning forces from different NATO Allied countries, sending a very clear signal that an attack on one ally will be met by forces from the whole Alliance, that we will stand together. And this is a strong an important signal, not least for Latvia and the other Baltic countries,' Stoltenberg said.

The military bloc is meeting in Warsaw in July, where the 28 member states will lay down a roadmap for the military buildup in the east, including the exact numbers of troops to be deployed there amid what Stoltenberg said was a challenging regional security situation.

He added, however, that the NATO command saw 'no imminent threat to the Baltic states.'

Over the past year, NATO has been increasing military exercises near Russia's border while Washington has increased funding for the NATO Reassurance Initiative to support deploying up to 5,000 troops in Eastern Europe.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that NATO's amassing of troops and equipment on Russian borders is provocative, contrary to previously reached agreements and can destabilize the region.

 Sputnik

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Abkhazia Against Deepening of Georgia-NATO Military Cooperation

Sputnik News

12:04 17.03.2016(updated 12:05 17.03.2016)

Abkhazia has an extremely negative attitude toward the deepening of military cooperation between Georgia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, viewing NATO's willingness to grant Tbilisi membership as a dangerous provocation, the Abkhazian foreign minister said Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  During a September 2014 NATO summit in Wales, a package of measures to advance Georgia's efforts in its preparations for NATO accession was approved.

'This process cannot but concerns us. Having received the appropriate military training, warfare experience, as well as modern high-efficient weaponry, Georgia is immensely increasing its offensive capabilities it is a direct threat to Abkhazia's security. Therefore, we view the deepening of ties between Georgia and NATO very negatively,' Viacheslav Chirikba told RIA Novosti.

He added that NATO's interest in granting Georgia membership is a dangerous provocation that might destabilize the entire region.

In 2008, Georgia launched a military offensive against the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, ending in a five-day war with Russia. Both regions declared their independence from Georgia in the early 1990s and were recognized by Russia following the 2008 conflict.

The 'Georgian dream' ruling coalition that won the parliamentary election in 2012, has repeatedly declared its intention to restore control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia once it has joined the European Union and NATO.

 Sputnik

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Aides to Fugitive Afghan Warlord Take Part in Peace Talks

by Ayaz Gul March 17, 2016

In a major move in efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan, representatives of fugitive Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have held preliminary peace talks with Afghan negotiators in Kabul.

Hekmatyar, 68, leads the Hezb-e-Islami faction that has staged deadly attacks against the U.S.-led international forces and their Afghan counterparts during the 15-year-old conflict. Hezb-e-Islami is Afghanistan's second-largest insurgent group after the Taliban.

Its participation in the reconciliation process comes as a four-nation group comprising Afghan, Pakistan, U.S. and Chinese diplomats has been making efforts to arrange peace talks between Kabul and insurgent groups.

Afghan officials allege Hekmatyar - who has been blacklisted by the United Nations - is hiding in Pakistan along with other commanders, just like Taliban leaders are sheltering in the neighboring country and using it for directing insurgent attacks in Afghanistan.

The U.S. State Department designated Hekmatyar a "global terrorist" in 2003 and last week imposed sanctions on two of Hezb-e-Islami's senior explosives experts for their roles in separate attacks in Kabul that also killed six Americans. Hekmatyar briefly served as prime minister of Afghanistan in the 1990's when the country was in the grip of a deadly civil war.

On Thursday, a three-member delegation of the insurgent group headed by Mohammad Amin Karim met with leaders of the government-appointed High Peace Council, officials said.

Later, addressing a news conference in the Afghan capital, Karim said that Hezb-e-Islami wants to solve its problems with the Afghan government through political means to show the people of Afghanistan that it believes in peace. He also invited other groups to join the peace process.

The Afghan insurgent group also has joined forces with the Taliban in carrying out raids around the country.

The head of the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan ((UNAMA)), Nicholas Haysom, informed the Security Council on Tuesday that he met with members of the Taliban Political Commission last week to again urge them to join peace talks with the Afghan government.

"They however, reiterated that they were not yet ready to engage directly with the government," Haysom said.

Taliban condition

The Taliban has been saying that unless the U.S.-led "occupation of Afghanistan is endedsuch futile, misleading negotiations will not produce any results."

The Taliban has made unprecedented territorial gains over the past year and seized more Afghan territory than at any point since it was ousted from power in 2001.

Fugitive Taliban chief Mullah Mansoor on Thursday urged his fighters to continue their "jihadist activities and prepare for dealing a decisive blow to the enemy." He was apparently referring to the Afghan spring fighting season that lies ahead during the warmer months.

In his Pashto language message posted on the Taliban's official website, Mansoor asserted that after years of fighting, battlefield successes have enabled the insurgents to conduct attacks more effectively.

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UN: 119 Dead, Including Children, in Yemen Strike

by VOA News March 17, 2016

The United Nations says the death toll from Tuesday's airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has risen to 119.

The United Nations children's agency UNHCR said Thursday 22 children are among the dead, while 47 people remain injured.

'We strongly deplore the deadliest attack in Al-Khamees market in Mastaba district of Hajja governorate,' the agency said in a statement.

Tuesday's airstrike on the market northwest of the capital, Sanaa, was the latest in a series of similar bombings by the coalition that have left hundreds of civilians dead. The market serves tens of thousands of people and was struck during the busiest time of day.

Witnesses said there were no military targets nearby.

The conflict between the Saudi-backed government and Iranian-supported Shi'ite Houthi rebels has killed more than 6,000 Yemenis and injured over 35,000 others. More than two million people have been displaced by the fighting.

The U.N. and its partners estimate that 21.2 million people, 82 percent of Yemen's population, require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance.

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Sudan Threatens to Close Border with South Sudan

by John Tanza March 17, 2016

Sudan is threatening to close its border with South Sudan and deport more than 300,000 South Sudanese students on grounds that the South is supporting rebels fighting the government of President Omar al-Bashir.

Ibrahim Mohamud Hamid, a senior assistant to Bashir, aired the accusation and warnings on Thursday.

South Sudan's Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin denied his government is supporting rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, or SPLA North, who are fighting the Sudanese government in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states.

Marial, speaking to VOA's South Sudan in Focus program, said his country is working to bring peace to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.

'President Salva (Kiir) and the government are fully committed to see that there is peace in Sudan and peace in South Sudan,' he said. 'And the president is very clear that we will not support any armed insurgency against the Republic of Sudan.'

Sudan and South Sudan signed a cooperation agreement four years ago to stop supporting rebels in each other's territory, to promote trade and to create two viable states.

But the border was closed until earlier this year, when Sudanese President Bashir ordered it open to help the South cope with its ongoing economic crisis, caused by the country's civil war.

Rabi Adelati, a senior member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party, backed Hamid's accusation and said Juba's support to Sudanese rebels is creating tension between the two countries.

'This will really affect security, affect peace and affect the [South Sudan] government,' Adelati said. 'As you know the situation in South Sudan is vulnerable.... And I think that if the stance of (South Sudan's) government [is] to cooperate with SPLM-North, this will definitely result in negative impact on the two countries,' he said.

Adelati said it is time for the Sudanese government to tighten security along its borders with South Sudan.

South Sudan's Marial said his government can end the conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states if given a chance to do so.

''Some of these problems can actually be resolved by enhancing our trade, encouraging the movement of the people, educating our children together,' he said.

''We have that relationship, whether it is a social relationship, whether we were in one country before. This can be used for the advantage of South Sudan putting pressure on our brothers and sisters in the Sudan so that they can reach a peaceful agreement that will make our region a viable region, politically, economically and even socially and culturally,'' he added.

Sudan and South Sudan have struggled to maintain good relations since the South broke away and won independence in 2011.

South Sudan's foreign minister expressed concern last year about reports that Sudanese President Bashir promised military support to rebel leader Riek Machar to forcefully take power in the world's youngest nation.

VOA fellow Nadia Taha contributed to this report.

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1 Dead, 2 Detained in Belgian Raid Linked to Paris Attacks

by Lisa Bryant March 16, 2016

Belgian authorities say an Algerian man was killed during a shootout near Brussels and a flag of the Islamic State group as well as jihadist literature were found at the scene. Two other suspects were detained as a manhunt continues in an operation linked to the November terrorist attacks in Paris.

Authorities identified the dead man as 35-year-old Algerian Mohamed Belkaid, who was residing illegally in Belgium.

He was killed in a shootout with French and Belgian police during an anti-terror operation Tuesday that included the town of Forest and other Brussels suburbs.

A spokesman for the Belgian prosecutors' office told reporters Belkaid was unknown to authorities except for a theft committed in 2014. He described the events that took place at an apartment building in Forest.

"From the moment the door was opened, at least two persons, armed with [...] and a Kalashnikov opened fire toward them," he said.

Heavy gunfire

Four officers were slightly injured in the shootout that lasted several hours, he said, and two suspects escaped and are being sought. Belkaid had been killed by sniper fire.

"Next to the body was a Kalashnikov, as well as a book on Salafism. Also a flag of ISIS, Daesh, was found in the flat as well as [...] and innumerable shell cases,' said the spokesman.

He said later in the day, a man arrived at a Belgian hospital with an injured colleague, but fled when police arrived. Police are questioning the injured man and another suspect, who have not been identified.

Operation linked to Paris terror attacks

Speaking on Belgium's RTL radio Wednesday, Prime Minister Charles Michel said the anti-terror operations will continue over the next hours and days, and the terror threat remains high.

The police operation is linked to the November 13 terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Authorities believe the attacks were at least partly prepared and coordinated in Brussels.

Police earlier said the raid was not connected to key attack suspect Salah Abdeslam, who is still at large.

Belgian authorities say during the past few months they have arrested 58 people in connection with the Paris attacks.

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US Investigating American Islamic State Member

by Ken Bredemeier March 16, 2016

U.S. law enforcement authorities said Wednesday they have started an investigation into how an American ended up joining Islamic State jihadists in Iraq before he was captured this week by Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

The U.S. military said it does not have the manpower in Iraq to question all the Islamic State fighters who are captured and is not interested in the case of Mohamad Jamal Khweis, a Virginia-born U.S. citizen who says he was with Islamic State for two months before being detained by Kurdish forces near the town of Sinjar in northern Iraq. But U.S. criminal investigators said they are probing Khweis's activities.

The Kurdistan Regional Security Council said the 26-year-old Khweis was apprehended as he attempted to enter Kurdish territory from the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul in Iraq.

Kurdish authorities said Khweis, accompanied by a young Iraqi woman, made numerous stops in European countries en route to the Middle East, eventually traveling through Turkey to Syria in December. Authorities said he arrived in Iraq in late January and told them he later fled to return home.

Kurdish officials said they have contacted U.S. officials about Khweis and that he is being 'questioned by relevant security authorities.' They said he is being 'provided the care afforded to him under international and local law.'

It remains unclear, though, how long Khweis has been in contact with IS or how he was recruited. His family told VOA that Khweis made frequent trips to the Middle East.

Kurdish officials say they obtained his driver's license, credit cards, cell phones and cash when he was captured.

"All we can confirm is that he surrendered to Peshmerga forces and claimed he was an American IS member," Jabar Yawar, the chief of staff for the Kurdistan Regional Government's Peshmerga Ministry, told VOA earlier this week. 'We, according to our counterterrorism law, will investigate the suspect and leave the course of action to the rule of law.'

Khweis initially told Kurdish forces who arrested him that he ran into the Kurdish Peshmerga base by mistake, thinking it was a Turkish border patrol outpost.

"He had no weapons on him, only personal belongings," said one Kurdish commander who was present during the arrest.

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Death Toll Rises in Ivory Coast Terror Attack, Government Reports

by Emilie Iob March 16, 2016

The death toll from Sunday's terror attack in the Ivory Coast is at 19, government officials say.

The victims reportedly came from six different countries. Eleven Ivorians were killed, and four French citizens were among the dead, as well as one German, one Nigerian, one Macedonian and one Lebanese.

The violence spared no group, Bruno Kone, a spokesman for the government of the Ivory Coast, said Wednesday. Among the victims were Ivorians from the north and the south, Africans and westerners, and Muslims and Christians.

Kone announced the government will provide nearly $1 million in financial assistance to the town of Grand Bassam, as well as local hotels and traders.

Earlier Wednesday, President Alassane Ouattara, dressed in black, placed a wreath on the beach next to the hotel where the shooting took place. He said the Ivory Coast will not respond to the attack with exclusion.

The tragic event only reinforces the unity of the brothers and sisters of the Ivory Coast, Ouattara said, adding that the country will continue to be the land of hospitality that it has always been.

Moving forward after attack

Heavily armed gunmen descended on beachfront resorts in Grand Bassam at midday Sunday, opening fire on beachgoers and people in two hotels. The government said all three attackers were killed.

Three days after the attack, almost no traces of the carnage remain, and maintenance men were busy cleaning.

Pulling through and moving on are priorities, the hotel owners said.

The president of the board of the Etoile du Sud hotel said the attack was demoralizing at first, 'but now my colleagues and I are ready to get going again.'

Patrick Kone, owner of the neighboring hotel Nouvelle Paillote, agreed. His establishment was looted after the attack.

'If you come by on Friday,' he said, 'you will see everything will be ready.'

Responding to concerns about safety, Kone said the Ivorian government had pledged its help.

'We have a day guard and a night guard,' the hotel owner said, 'and the government is doing what is necessary.'

The Ivory Coast will hold a tribute Sunday for all the victims. Twenty-four people injured in the attack remain hospitalized.

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Kerry: IS Atrocities Are Genocide

by Nike Ching March 17, 2016

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has determined that atrocities committed by the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria constitute genocide.

"My purpose in appearing before you today is to assert that in my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shi'ite Muslims,' Kerry said Thursday, referring to IS by the Arabic term Daesh.

'Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, in what it believes and what it does," Kerry said. 'Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups, and in some cases also against Sunni Muslims, Kurds and other minorities."

Kerry's declaration met a March 17 congressional deadline for the Obama administration to make a decision about atrocities the Islamic State group has committed against religious and ethnic minorities. Just a day earlier, Kerry had indicated that decision might take longer.

The genocide declaration means the United States would prosecute any Islamic State member in the U.S., but it does not obligate any specific American action against the terror group in Syria or Iraq, where U.S. warplanes have been striking IS targets for months.

Experts on international law and genocide told VOA the U.S. could bring the issue before the United Nations Security Council and human-rights bodies, which could, in turn, ask the International Criminal Court to charge members of the extremist group.

"Ultimately the full facts must be brought to light by an independent investigation and through formal legal determination made by a competent court or tribunal, but the United States would strongly support efforts to collect document, preserve and analyze the evidence of atrocities, " Kerry said.

The top U.S. diplomat said he hopes the U.S. stand "will assure the victims of Daesh's atrocities that the United States recognizes and confirms the despicable nature of the crimes that have been committed against them."

Congressional reaction

The genocide declaration was welcomed by the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Relations. 'Secretary Kerry is finally making the right call,' Congressman Ed Royce said in a statement.

Gregory Stanton, a research professor of genocide studies at George Mason University, outside Washington, is president of a group called Genocide Watch. He told VOA the U.S. is only required to prosecute Islamic State members who are found to be in the United States following the official genocide designation that Kerry made Thursday.

The State Department says acknowledging that genocide or crimes against humanity have taken place in another country would not necessarily result in any legal obligation for the United States. However, a U.S. designation of genocide would have certain policy implications.

'The genocide resolution does have particular meaning when it comes to migration for emergency purposes,' Representative Jeff Fortenberry told VOA. 'For instance, if this is declared by the State Department, you may see more prioritization given to those who are in severe threat of having their life eliminated.'

What is Genocide?

Genocide is defined as the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

Fortenberry represents a district in Nebraska that has a substantial population of Yazidis, a Kurdish religious group whose members in northern Iraq have been attacked and victimized by Islamic State's terror tactics.

'When there is a systematic attempt to exterminate another group of people, Fortenberry told VOA, 'it's not only an injustice, it's an assault on human dignity and therefore a threat to the civilization itself.'

The last State Department designation of genocide was in 2004, by Secretary of State Colin Powell, in response to murders and mass rapes in Sudan's Darfur region.

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Sentinel of space found in Alaskan wilderness

By Dave Smith, 21st Space Wing Public Affairs / Published March 16, 2016

CLEAR AIR FORCE STATION, Alaska (AFNS) -- Among the bears, moose, wolves and wolverines of Alaska's interior is a silent sentinel of space -- Clear Air Force Station. Its personnel keep an eye on things above for the sake of tactical warning of ballistic missile attacks against the U.S. and Canada and space situational awareness.

The 11,500-acre installation sits about 80 miles southwest of Fairbanks. It is one of more than 20 geographically separated units within the 21st Space Wing, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Clear AFS is home to the Air Force's 13th Space Warning Squadron and is the oldest missile warning site in North America.

The station is part of the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, providing early warning of intercontinental ballistic missiles and sea-launched ballistic missiles to North American Aerospace Defense Command. Clear AFS also provides surveillance data to the U.S. Strategic Command concerning objects orbiting in space.

To carry out those missions, the 13th SWS is equipped with a Solid State Phased Array Radar System, an 11-story tall, flat-topped triangular structure with two radiating faces composed of nearly 2,000 active elements each. The system peers about 3,000 miles into space and covers a vast stretch of real estate from the Arctic to the Pacific oceans including the west coast of the continental U.S.

Mission timing is critical. Within 60 seconds personnel are required to respond to potential threats, passing information to the Missile Warning Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for threat assessment. And it has to happen every single time a possible inbound intercontinental or sea-launched ballistic missile directed at North America is detected.

To pull off such a detailed mission with that degree of precision takes a high level of teamwork and skill. At Clear AFS that means a blended group of active-duty Airmen and members of the Alaska Air National Guard from the 213th Space Warning Squadron. Presently there are 13 active duty personnel, six Airmen on temporary duty as firemen, two members of the Royal Canadian Air Force supporting the mission, and 109 from the Air National Guard on station. Additionally there are 35 Defense Department civilians, and more than 150 contractors supporting the mission.

There are benefits and challenges with such close interaction, but the 13th SWS and the 213th SWS handle them almost seamlessly fulfilling the mission of the 21st Space Wing.

'The Air Force owns the mission and installation and the Air National Guard is the force provider for 85 percent of space operators and 100 percent of security forces,' said Lt. Col. Jason Burch, 13th SWS commander. 'The 213th SWS provides continuity and operations and security expertise. The Air National Guard trains and evaluates active duty, Air National Guard and Royal Canadian air forces.'

'The U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard adhere to the same operational standards, but there are slight differences with the administration of forces,' said Lt. Col. John Oberst, 213th SWS commander. 'The benefit to the U.S. Air Force is mission continuity and unparalleled expertise provided by the Air National Guard.'

Having security personnel who are permanent residents of the area are benefits as well. For security forces that means thorough familiarity with typical activities for the area allowing potential threats to be identified quickly, Oberst said.

And there is another benefit to having the two groups working together on a daily basis.

'The U.S. Air Force brings the active-duty perspective, which is difficult for guardsmen to get in a remote geographically separated unit,' Oberst said.

'One challenge working together so closely presents is in the area of total force integration," Burch said. "There are activities that bring guardsmen under federal authority to the Air Force. This involves security forces signing in for shifts at the radar, gate duty and patrol and operations personnel when they sign on to work on the missile warning operations center floor."

Clear AFS is unique in other ways. Temperatures can range from -50 degrees in winter to 90 degrees in summer. The dry and hot climate provides optimal conditions for fires on or near base during summer months, said 1st Lt. Steven Havens, the 213th SWS chief of operations support.

In the coldest times of winter, Havens said there are interesting situations personnel at Clear AFS must deal with.

'Tires develop flat spots from sitting on pavement and take several miles of a jarring ride to smooth back out and become round,' he said.

In the winter, vehicles must also be plugged into outlets to prevent engine blocks, batteries, and oil from freezing solid.

'If and when someone forgets to plug in, or their block heater, oil pan heater or battery heater malfunctions, civil engineers come out and puts a tent over your car and runs a heater to thaw the frozen engine,' he said.

In addition, wildlife thrives in such remote locations. Havens said both black and grizzly bears frequent the area and special public announcements are broadcast, warning people away from the sighting areas until the animals clear out. If it becomes a safety issue, the Fish and Wildlife Department is called in. Base personnel regularly see moose, eagles, fox, coyote, wolverines, lynx, and the occasional caribou on the drive home.

Havens said not many people live at the station full time. About 300 of them have dorms where they live during their duty days, but most people working at the base drive long distances to their jobs each week. Havens said many drive 300 miles one way each week while others drive the 150-mile roundtrip to Fairbanks daily.

A composite area holds most of the base facilities connected under one roof. Facilities like the command section, gym, dining facility, medical clinic, library, dorms, shopette, and recreational activities are all located together for ease of access during times of extreme cold.

'It's all connected, so one who works there never has to go outside,' Havens said.

No matter the challenge, be it weather, wildlife or total force integration, the Airmen and guardsmen of Clear AFS continue to thrive and provide protection and space situational awareness for America and its allies on the North American continent.

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First commercial Chinese rocket company in the works

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 13:30, March 16, 2016

China is set to establish a company that will specialize in commercial rocket launches, Hu Shengyun, chief model designer with the China Sanjiang Space Group, said on Tuesday.

Hu, also a NPC deputy, told Xinhua News Agency on March 15 that the company's first commercial launch is planned for next year. Preparations have already begun, and some of China's biggest Internet companies have expressed interest in a collaboration.

The company will use solid-fuel Kuaizhou rockets, which can send a 1-ton payload to an altitude of 700 kilometers. Prelaunch preparations take just a few hours. What's more, the cost should be within US$10,000 per kilogram of payload, said Hu, recognizing the project for its "promising market prospects."

China launched the first Kuaizhou rocket in 2013 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. That launch put an observation satellite into orbit around Earth. The second rocket, launched in 2014, carried a satellite to monitor natural disasters.

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China, Gambia resume diplomatic ties

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 21:08, March 17, 2016

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Gambian counterpart Neneh MacDouall-Gaye signed a joint communique here Thursday to resume diplomatic relations.

'The Peoples Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of The Gambia, acting in conformity with the interests and desires of the two peoples, desirous of promoting and strengthening ties of friendly relations and cooperation between the two states for the mutual benefit of their peoples in accordance with the principles and purposes of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of international law, have agreed and decided to resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level as of the date of the signing of this Joint Communique,' the communique says.

The two countries also agreed to exchange ambassadors and, in accordance with the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, provide necessary assistance for the establishment of embassies and the performance of their respective duties on a reciprocal basis, it says.

According to the communique, the Chinese government supports the Gambian government in its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and develop the economy.

The Gambian government recognizes that there is only one China in the world and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, it says.

The Gambian government undertakes not to establish any official relations or engage in any official contact with Taiwan, it says.

The Chinese government appreciates this position of the Gambian government, it says.

During the talks between the two foreign ministers earlier on Thursday, Wang dubbed the resumption of the diplomatic ties as an 'historic moment' for the two nations.

'The Chinese people always hold friendly sentiments for the Gambian people,' said Wang, adding that the resumption of the ambassadorial relations reflects common aspirations and are in the fundamental interests of the two nations.

Wang stressed that the one-China policy is a political precondition and foundation for China to establish and develop diplomatic relations with other countries.

'We believe that the Gambian government will strictly adhere to the one-China policy and support China's undertakings for peaceful unification,' Wang said.

Wang said China stands ready to enhance mutual trust, expand cooperation and increase people-to-people exchanges with Gambia and will support the African country's efforts to play a bigger role in international and regional affairs.

The two countries established formal diplomatic links in 1974 but China suspended the relations in 1995 when Gambia resumed the so-called 'diplomatic ties' with Taiwan.

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Statement by the Press Secretary on the Executive Order Entitled 'Blocking Property of the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea, and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to North Korea'

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

March 16, 2016



Today, the President issued an executive order imposing robust new sanctions on North Korea. This E.O. is part of our response to North Korea's January 6 nuclear test and February 7 launch using ballistic missile technology, and it enables U.S. implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2270 and the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016.

These actions are consistent with our longstanding commitment to apply sustained pressure on the North Korean regime. The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations.

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KCNA Commentary Dismisses U.S. Far-fetched Assertion about DPRK's Satellite Launch

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The world public is becoming increasingly assertive about the justice of the satellite launch of the DPRK.

Recently, various international bodies and experts verified the fact that the earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 was launched to use space for peaceful purposes from A to Z.

A doctor at a cosmophysics center of the U.S. on March 10 said that a satellite of north Korea is going round the earth along its orbit, acknowledging the credibility of the assertion that it is an earth observation satellite.

Its orbit is clearly displayed on the website tracking the satellite in real time on the basis of the data sent by the North American Aero-space Defense Command.

Nevertheless, the U.S. is still describing the DPRK's satellite launch as a 'provocative act of escalating tensions', terming it a 'long-range missile' test-fire. This is, indeed, a far-fetched assertion.

The DPRK's activities for developing outer space for peaceful purposes were compelled to cover an untrodden difficult path owing to the U.S. and other forces disturbing them.

The U.S. and other hostile forces, regarding the DPRK, an independent country, as a thorn in their flesh, used to term its satellite liftoff for peaceful purposes a 'long-range missile' launch and force the UN to meet their brigandish demands.

No article of the UN Charter allows the UNSC to deprive any country of its right to peaceful use of outer space stipulated in international law.

Should the DPRK's satellite launch be called into question, all the countries including the U.S. which launched satellites should be taken to task. History records more than 9 000 satellite launches but the UNSC has never adopted a resolution banning them, except for the DPRK's satellite liftoffs.

What merits a serious attention is that the U.S. launched intercontinental ballistic missile Minuteman-3 in its mainland recently.

Reuters reported that the U.S. test-fired Minuteman-3 against the backdrop of the escalating tension in Korea, adding that its test-fire totaled 15 since 2011.

The U.S. should give up its sinister attempt to deprive the sovereign state of its independent and legitimate right and immediately stop its brazen-faced action against satellite launches for peaceful purposes. -0-

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US imposes new sanction against North Korea over nuclear test

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:54AM

US President Barack Obama has signed a new executive order that tightens the US trade embargo on North Korea over the country's nuclear and missile tests.

The Obama administration said Wednesday the new measures block any US trade with the North Korean government and any entities in the country engaged in finance, transportation, mining and energy.

'The US and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations,' White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.

The new set of sanctions also freezes any property belonging to the North Korean government in the US.

"We will work closely with our international partners to continue in a strong and unambiguous way to pressure North Korea to abandon its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs," said Adam Szubin, the US Treasury Department's top sanctions official.

Washington's unilateral measures follow a series of tough sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council on Pyongyang earlier this month.

North Korea carried out a nuclear test in January and a rocket launch in February that sparked global condemnations.

Chinese companies could also be targeted in the crackdown, US officials said. China is North Korea's sole major ally and largest trading partner.

Under legislation passed by Congress in February, the Obama administration must also sanction non-US companies found to be doing business with blacklisted North Korean entities.

On Thursday, China expressed its opposition to the unilateral sanctions, saying they could raise tensions in the region.

'First, as I've said many times before, China always opposes any country imposing unilateral sanctions,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a daily news briefing in Beijing.

'Second, under the present situation where the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex and sensitive, we oppose any moves that may further worsen tensions there,' Kang said.

'Third, we have clearly stressed many times in meetings with the relevant county, any so-called unilateral sanctions imposed by any country should neither affect nor harm China's reasonable interests.'

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Obama Introduces New Sanctions on North Korea, Targets Trade Partners

by VOA News March 17, 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama has signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on North Korea, in response to the authoritarian regime's latest nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

The executive order follows North Korea's nuclear test on January 6 and ballistic missile launch on February 7, in violation of long-standing international efforts aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest announced the president's decision Wednesday.

Earnest said the new unilateral sanctions will allow the U.S. to implement sanctions unanimously agreed to by the U.N. Security Council.

'The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligations,' he said.

The sanctions are designed to freeze the assets of anyone who breaks the international blockade on North Korea, meaning even the few nations that do engage in trade with North Korea, such as China, will be discouraged from doing so.

The order also targets North Korea's human rights abuses, allowing the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze assets of any party found to have engaged in exportation of workers from North Korea. A U.N. report found last year that Pyongyang earns as much a $2.3 billion a year from workers exported to other countries, where they are often abused and exploited.

The report said about 50,000 North Koreans are believed to be working overseas, earning small amounts for themselves while the employers pay a much greater amount to the North Korean government. Workers are forced to labor as long as 20 hours a day, with very few days off, according to the report.

Also Wednesday, the White House appealed to North Korea to pardon an American college student sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for committing crimes against the state.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday that it is 'increasingly clear' that Pyongyang is using U.S. citizens as 'pawns to pursue a political agenda.'

North Korean police arrested 21-year-old Otto Warmbier as he was trying to leave the country after visiting with a tour group in January.

Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, appeared at a news conference in Pyongyang and admitted stealing a banner with a political slogan from an area of his hotel that was off-limits to guests.

Warmbier said a friend's mother offered him a used car worth $10,000 in exchange for the banner. He said she wanted to hang it in her church as a trophy. She allegedly offered Warmbier's mother $200,000 if he was caught.

As in all cases involving Westerners jailed in North Korea, Warmbier's confession likely was coerced and the alleged crimes exaggerated.

Just hours before Warmbier was sentenced, former U.S. ambassador Bill Richardson said he met with two North Korean diplomats at the United Nations in New York and appealed for the student's release.

Richardson has gone to North Korea several times in recent years to secure freedom for jailed Americans.

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Iran missile tests not in breach of JCPOA, UN resolution: Zarif

Iran Press TV

Wed Mar 16, 2016 8:17AM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has once again reiterated that Tehran's ballistic missile tests do not violate the nuclear agreement it reached with the P5+1 group of countries and are not in breach of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

In a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Zarif dismissed the latest allegations against Iran's ballistic missiles, which he said, are not designed to carry nuclear warheads.

"Neither JCPOA nor SC Res prohibits Iran from missiles not designed for nuke warheads," Zarif wrote.

Zarif was referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Tehran and the P5+1 group  Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany  last year and a Security Council Resolution, which endorsed the JCPOA.

Resolution 2231 adopted on July 20, 2015 provides for the termination of the provisions of previous Security Council resolutions on the Iranian nuclear program and establishes specific restrictions that apply to all states without exception.

The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.

The United States claims the tests violate the United Nations resolution and is pushing for UN Security Council action on Iran's recent ballistic missile tests.

The Iranian foreign minister further noted that the Islamic Republic's missiles serve defensive and deterrent purposes, saying "we will not use force except in defense."

"If we had missiles during Saddam's war on us, they may have discouraged or at least reduced his indiscriminate attacks on our civilians," the top Iranian diplomat said in his tweet.

Zarif was referring to the 1980-88 war imposed on Iran by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

"Iran hasn't attacked any country in 250 years. But when Saddam rained missiles on us and gassed our people for 8 yrs, no one helped us," he said.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) successfully test-fired two more ballistic missiles on March 9 as part of military drills to assess the IRGC's capabilities. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired during large-scale drills, code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat.

On March 8, Iran fired another ballistic missile called Qiam from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country.

After Iran and the P5+1 group started to implement the JCPOA on January 16, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

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Russia Supplies Iraqi Kurds With Anti-Aircraft Weaponry

Sputnik News

19:31 16.03.2016(updated 20:36 16.03.2016)

Russia has supplied Iraqi Kurds with five ZU-23-2 twin-barreled anti-aircraft autocannons and 20,000 rounds of ammunition for them, the attache of the Russian Consulate General in Iraq's Erbil said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The shipment was delivered on March 14 and it is aimed to arm Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Artyom Grigoryan told RIA Novosti.

'The weaponry was transferred in the presence of the Russian ambassador and consul general as well as the Peshmerga deputy chief of general staff,' Grigoryan added.

Russia is hoping that arms deliveries to Iraqi Kurds will help Peshmerga forces as well as Iraqi army to succeed in the fight against Islamic State, also known Daesh, terrorists, according to the attache of the Russian Consulate General in Iraq's Erbil.

Russian Ambassador to Iraq Ilya Morgunov discussed arms deliveries to Peshmerga forces with President of Iraqi Kurdistan Masoud Barzani on March 13. The next day, Russia supplied Iraqi Kurds with five ZU-23-2 twin-barreled anti-aircraft autocannons and 20,000 rounds of ammunition for them.

'After the delivery of weapons shipment on March 14, the Russian ambassador said it was not a single delivery,' Artyom Grigoryan told RIA Novosti.

'The ambassador stressed that Russia is hoping that these weapons will help the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Armed forces to defeat Islamic State terrorists,' Grigoryan said, adding that the arms deliveries were coordinated with Iraqi authorities.

 Sputnik

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Kurds, Iranians, Shiite Troops Unite to Take Back Oil-Rich Kirkuk in Iraq

Sputnik News

16:29 16.03.2016

Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Shiite paramilitaries and the Iraqi Army will soon launch a joint operation to drive Daesh terrorists out of the oil-rich province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

Kurdish Peshmerga forces and Shiite paramilitary groups, backed by Iran and the Iraqi Army, are planning an offensive against Daesh terrorists in the province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Sabah.

Al-Sabah reported that during the course of the upcoming military operation, the troops are expected to approach Mosul, the largest Iraqi city to have fallen to Daesh during their previous offensive.

On Tuesday, Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization, an Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia and political party, met with Karim Sinjari, Interior Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government and Iraq Defense Ministry officials in Kirkuk.

During the meeting, they agreed on a plan to win back the territories located between Kirkuk and the Baiji district right down to the al-Shirqat district of Saladin Province in northern Iraq, Reuters reported, referring to local sources.

Al-Shirqat is located about 100 kilometers west of Kirkuk and around 60 kilometers north of Baiji. As for Kirkuk, it is currently controlled by Peshmerga forces, while the Baiji district is controlled by the organization Badr.

The terrorist group Daesh is now believed to be one of the major threats to global security. Daesh terrorists have managed to capture huge areas in Iraq and Syria over the past three years.

In addition, they are trying to spread their influence in North Africa, including Libya. Daesh reportedly numbers between 50,000 and 200,000 terrorists and currently controls about 90,000 kilometers of land.

 Sputnik

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Iraqis advance further into Daesh bastion in Anbar

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 3:5PM

Iraqi military and allied fighters have managed to recapture a key district from Daesh Takfiri militants in the Anbar Province west of the country.

The allied forces on Thursday seized al-Muhammadi neighborhood in the city of Hit, which is located northwest of Anbar's provincial capital of Ramadi.

The operation to retake Muhammadi began earlier in the day, with reports suggesting that members of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Unit hoisted the Iraqi flag on the rooftop of a government building in the area.

The recapture is seen as a prelude to the full liberation of Hit as Iraqi security forces continue to close in on Daesh militants holed up in the city.

Reports say thousands of civilians have been fleeing Hit, located 145 kilometers (90 miles) west of the capital Baghdad along the Euphrates. The city fell to Daesh in 2014.

The United Nations expressed concern on Thursday that around 35,000 people have been affected by Iraq's ongoing offensive in Hit, urging officials to facilitate the humanitarian staff's access to hard-reached areas.

'The UN doesn't have full access and we are very worried that some of the families who are escaping are in areas very close to the front lines," the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, Lise Grande, said in a statement, adding, "The mobile clinics dealt with 1,300 consultations during just their first two days."

The gain in Hit is the latest for Iraq in Anbar after the government managed to recapture Ramadi in late December. A major offensive is also planned for retaking Fallujah, located north of Ramadi.

Military sources say Fallujah's liberation will be followed by the long-anticipated offensive to retake Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province in the north. Nineveh is viewed as the stronghold of Daesh in Iraq.

A major defense and security agency monitoring conflicts in the Middle East said on Wednesday that Daesh has lost around 22 percent of the territory it used to control in Iraq and Syria. IHS Jane's, based in the United States, said between January 1 and December 15, 2015, Daesh lost control of 14 percent of its territory while a new analysis said the group has lost a further eight percent over the last three months, most of it being in the Iraqi territory of Anbar.

Iraq's drive to purge Anbar from Daesh would largely boost security across the country as militants from the sprawling province continue to launch attacks on civilians and security forces.

The UN said in its Thursday statement that more than 50,000 people have been internally displaced in Anbar since the start of 2016 as a result of intense fighting between the government and militants. Also, the International Organization for Migration said more than 1.5 million people were displaced in Anbar since the beginning of 2014.

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Kremlin Unaware of Iraqi Kurds Allegedly Receiving Russian Arms

Sputnik News

13:10 17.03.2016

The Kremlin spokesman said he could not comment on the reports about Russian arms deliveries to Iraqi Kurds.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the presidential office had no comments to make on reports of Kurdish groups in Iraq receiving arms supplies from Russia.

'I would not comment on this topic in any way. I have no information in this regard,' Peskov told reporters.

On Wednesday, Russian Consulate General's attache in Erbil, Artyom Grigoryan, told RIA Novosti that Russia had supplied the Iraqi Kurds with five ZU-23-2 twin-barreled anti-aircraft autocannons and 20,000 rounds of ammunition to help the Peshmerga militia in the fight against Daesh militants, a group banned in Russia.

Aso Talabani, a Moscow representative of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, told the agency on Thursday that an Iraqi Kurdistan delegation was planning a visit to Russia in early April to discuss new deliveries of Russian weapons.

 Sputnik

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Myanmar: UN chief welcomes election of first civilian President in more than 50 years

16 March 2016  Following the historic national polls last 8 November, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Htin Kyaw, who was elected today by the Myanmar Parliament as the first civilian President in more than five decades.

"He welcomes this as a significant achievement towards advancing the democratic reforms ushered in by the outgoing Government," indicated a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General hopes the people of Myanmar will continue steadfastly on the path of democracy and national reconciliation and, at this defining moment of transition, calls upon President-elect U Htin Kyaw, as well as all other significant stakeholders, to work inclusively towards a smooth and peaceful consolidation of unity and stability in the country," it added.

The UN chief also reaffirmed the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support efforts to advance peace, development, human rights and the rule of law for the benefit of all the peoples of Myanmar.

The Organization has long been involved in Myanmar's transition after more than 50 years of military rule, appointing a Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the issue. In 2007 Mr. Ban set up the "Group of Friends of the Secretary-General on Myanmar," a consultative forum of 14 countries to assist him in his efforts to spur change in the South-East Asian nation.

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Myanmar Government Plan Includes New Ethnic Affairs Ministry

by VOA News March 17, 2016

Myanmar's incoming government has released its plan for a new government, including a new ethnic-affairs ministry for the nation scarred by sectarian tensions and repression of some ethnic groups.

New president Htin Kyaw submitted his proposal Thursday, with a parliamentary debate on it scheduled for Friday.

The plan includes the ethnic ministry in a wider civil service reform plan aimed at streamlining the bureaucracy left behind by the military government that ruled Myanmar for decades. A Cabinet of 36 ministries is expected to be slimmed down to 21.

The military government had been accused of cracking down on ethnic Rohingya in northern Rakhine State, in response to riots in 2012 between the primarily Muslim Rohingya and the primarily Buddhist Rakhine. In recent years, Rohingya have been fleeing Myanmar by boat to the neighboring nations of Thailand and Malaysia.

Myanmar is home to a number of other ethnic groups including Shan, Bamar, and Kachin.

First civilian president

On Tuesday 70-year-old Htin Kyaw was chosen to become Myanmar's first civilian president in more than five decades, receiving 360 of the 652 votes cast to defeat two other candidates.

His election was a foregone conclusion. He is a childhood friend and longtime confidant of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy, which took both chambers of parliament in November's historic elections.

Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from becoming president, due to a provision in the constitution that prohibits anyone with a foreign-born spouse or children. Her late husband and two sons are British. But she has vowed to rule the country through a proxy candidate.

Htin Kyaw will assume office on April 1, formally ending more than 50 years of complete or partial military rule.

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Kremlin Refutes Claim That Syrian Operations Cost $536Mln

Sputnik News

12:26 16.03.2016(updated 12:39 16.03.2016)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied media claims that Russia spent $536 million on military operation in Syria.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday denied news reports that Russia's military operations in Syria allegedly cost $536 million.

"No, none has been received," Peskov told journalists when asked whether the Kremlin had received any information on the cost of the Syrian operation.

Earlier, RBC news reported that Russia had spent 38 billion rubles on its mission in Syria.

When asked if the Kremlin's numbers matched that of the news agency's, Peskov said, "No, they don't match. You should probably ask the respected publication where they got these expenses from."

 Sputnik

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Russia Test-Firing New Hypersonic Zircon Cruise Missiles for 5th-Gen Subs

Sputnik News

10:43 17.03.2016(updated 13:29 17.03.2016)

The hypersonic cruise missile's speed is estimated to be 5-6 Mach.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The first tests of the Russian Navy's new hypersonic Zircon cruise missiles have been launched in Russia, a senior defense industry source said Thursday.

'The tests of the hypersonic Zircon missiles have begun using a ground-based launching site,' the source told RIA Novosti.

The weapon is expected to reach the speed of 5-6 Mach.

It will be mounted on Russia's newest fifth-generation Husky-class nuclear submarines which are currently under development.

 Sputnik

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Russia: Turkey's actions undermine Syria peace efforts

Iran Press TV

Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:14PM

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday Turkey's actions in the region reduce the effectiveness of the cessation of hostilities in Syria.

The Russian official made the remarks at a news conference with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Moscow.

Lavrov said Russia was aware of the Turkish army's actions in the Iraqi territory as well as its shelling of Kurdish militants in Syria from the Turkish soil.

'The actions of Turkey in fact undermine these efforts - undertaken with the approval of the United Nations Security Council - both on the ceasefire, and on humanitarian aid deliveries, and on the start of a political process,' the Russian foreign minister stated.

The new round of indirect peace talks on the crisis in Syria is underway between the Damascus government and the foreign-backed opposition in Geneva, Switzerland.

The negotiations are taking place as a ceasefire has stood since February 27. The truce does not apply to the Takfiri Daesh and al-Nusra Front terrorists.

Turkey has been shelling the positions of fighters of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and its affiliate, the Democratic Union Party, also known as the PYD, in the northern parts of Syria over the past few weeks.

Ankara regards the YPG and PYD as allies of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since the 1980s.

The 'creeping expansion' on Syria border

Earlier this week, the Russian foreign minister accused the Turkish government of a 'creeping expansion' on its border with Syria, saying Moscow has evidence that Turkish troops are on the Syrian territory.

'Turkey has started to declare it has a sovereign right to create some safety zones on Syrian territory,' Lavrov stated.

Last December, Turkey deployed dozens of soldiers to the outskirts of Iraq's northern city of Mosul, claiming the deployment was part of a mission to train and equip Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the fight against Daesh.

Baghdad condemned Ankara's uncoordinated act as a violation of Iraq's national sovereignty.

Despite Iraq's call for the withdrawal of Turkish forces, latest reports said between 1,000 and 2,000 Turkish troops are still stationed in the Iraqi town of Bashiqa.

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Damascus' Proposals Rule Out Possibility of Syria's Federalization

Sputnik News

19:31 16.03.2016(updated 19:46 16.03.2016)

Head of the Syrian government's delegation on intra-Syrian talks Bashar Jaafari said that the respect of the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, no divisive approaches politely called federalization are the Basic Elements for a political settlement in Syria.

GENEVA (Sputnik)  The proposals of the Syrian government's delegation on the political settlement in the country exclude any possibility of federalization of Syria, head of the delegation Bashar Jaafari told Sputnik on Wednesday.

'We provided the [UN] Special Envoy [for Syria Staffan de Mistura] with important ideas and opinions. We call them Basic Elements for a political settlement. These elements reflect what is shared by everybody in Syria. For instance, these are the respect of the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, no divisive approaches politely called federalization. One Basic Element is how to keep Syria together for the Syrians without any divisive approach,' Jaafari said.

 Sputnik

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US Will Not Recognize 'Self-Rule' Semi-Autonomous Kurdish Zone in Syria

Sputnik News

17:31 16.03.2016

US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner stated that Washington remains committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States will not recognize a 'self-rule' semi-autonomous Kurdish zone in Syria and remains committed to the country's unity, US Department of State spokesperson Mark Toner told Sputnik on Wednesday.

A representative of the Syrian Kurdistan administration told Sputnik that representatives from various Syrian peoples, including Kurds, will discuss the possibility of Syria's federalization at the Geneva reconciliation talks later on Wednesday.

'We have not and will not recognize any 'self-rule' semi-autonomous zone," Toner stated. "We remain committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria."

The representative explained that a joint commission of about 100 individuals plans to discuss Syria's future, including the federalization of the country.

On Wednesday, the head of the Damascus delegation to the Geneva proximity talks on the Syrian reconciliation Bashar Jaafari said that Syria's partition would lead to 'total failure.'

UN Deputy Special Envoy Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy also said on Wednesday that Syria should maintain its territorial integrity.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and radical Islamic groups. Geneva, Switzerland currently hosts the UN-backed proximity talks between the Syrian opposition and the government to put an end to the deadly conflict.

The discussion of Syria's federalization during the ongoing peace talks has been supported by opposition factions represented in Geneva as well as the Syrian Kurds.

However, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has rejected proposals for both, a federalization and partition of the country.

While the Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in Syria, participants of the peace process, including Russia, have repeatedly stressed that reconciliation talks would fail to reach a political settlement unless they were allowed to participate.

 Sputnik

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Russia's 'Largely Achieved' Syrian Objectives in Facts and Figures

Sputnik News

14:39 16.03.2016(updated 15:00 16.03.2016)

Amid Russia's partial pullout from Syria, Sputnik provides the facts and figures to illustrate what has been accomplished in the five months and fourteen days since the launch of Russia's air campaign.

The military operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces against various terrorist groups operating on the territory of Syria was launched on September 30, 2015. On March 14, 2016 President Putin ordered a partial withdrawal from the country starting March 15, 2016.

Number of Sorties and Achieved Objectives

According to the report of Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin, more than 9,000 sorties were completed; first massed strikes were conducted with various platforms at a range of more than 1,500 kilometers with rockets from air and naval bases.

As a result of these strikes, the supply of resources to the terrorists was seriously disrupted and in some areas even completely stopped by decimating the smuggling of illegal oil to Turkey and cutting off the supply of weapons and ammunition to the fighters.

Russian aviation destroyed 209 oil supply, processing, and pumping locations, and also 2,912 means of moving oil products, or, as they are also called, "liquids."

In the first two months of the operation, Russia struck 32 oil-extracting complexes, 11 plants and 23 transfer facilities.

More than 2,000 illegal mercenaries from Russia, including 17 field commanders, were eliminated on the territory of Syria.

Liberated Territories

With the support of Russian aviation, Syrian troops have liberated 400 populated areas and more than 10,000 kilometers of territory. They have achieved a fundamental turning-point in the fight against terrorism.

The terrorists have been driven from Latakia and communications with Aleppo have been restored. Military operations are now underway to liberate Palymra, which is currently under siege by armed groups.

The greater part of the provinces of Hama and Homs have been cleared, Kuweires airbase has been unblocked after being besieged for more than three years.

Control has been established over oil and gas fields near Palmyra and three large fields, as of now, have returned to stable operations.

Cessation of Hostilities and the Peace Process

The cessation of hostilities, backed by Russia and the US, came into force on February 27, 2016 at 00:00 Damascus time.

All the organizations which signed up to the negotiation process have begun taking active steps to ensure the ceasefire (there are currently 42 organizations in the group); plus, an additional 40 towns that joined the ceasefire.

There is monitoring over the observance of the ceasefire; a fairly large number of unmanned aerial vehicles  over 70  are being used for this purpose, as are all means of gathering intelligence, including electronic intelligence and satellite data.

Warfare Equipment Used in Syria

At the start of the air campaign Russia had 48 aircraft, including combat jets and helicopters. It included SU-30M fighters, SU-35C supermaneuverable multirole fighters, SU-34 fighter-bombers, SU-24M attack aircraft, Su-25 close air support jet and helicopters Mi-8 and Mi-24.

Later they were joined by long-range air force units, strategic bombers Tu-160, Tu-95 and the Tu-22M3strategic and maritime strike bomber, along with Russian warships.

Russian bases were protected by Russia's S-400 and Pantsir-S1 advanced surface-to-air missile defense systems and sea-based S-300.

The strikes were performed with Kh-29L and Kh-25ML air-to-surface missiles, KAB-500C guided bombs, concrete-piercing BETAB-500 air bombs, fragmentation demolition air bombs (OFAB-250), cruise missiles Kh-555 and 3M-14 (Kalibr).

 Sputnik

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Russia to Continue Fight Against Terrorism in Syria

Sputnik News

13:22 16.03.2016(updated 13:53 16.03.2016)

Deputy Secretary General of the Russian Security Council Evgeny Lukyanov said that Russian military presence would remain at Syria's Tartus Naval Base and at the Hmeymim Airbase to continue strikes against terrorists.

HANOI (Sputnik)  Russia is holding a consistent stance on the need to destroy terrorist organizations recognized in the international community that are active in Syria and the fight against terrorism will continue, Deputy Secretary General of the Russian Security Council Evgeny Lukyanov said Wednesday.

"The main goal of the operation by our Aerospace Forces in Syria was the protection of the Russian border from terrorists, including from Russia and other CIS countries, that number to around 5,000 individuals," Lukyanov told RIA Novosti.

He said that approximately 2,000 terrorists had been killed during Russia's operations.

Lukyanov added that Russian military presence would remain at Syria's Tartus Naval Base and at the Hmeymim Airbase to continue strikes against terrorists.

Evgeny Lukyanov also stated that Russia planned that its military operations in Syria would be short-term from the very beginning.

"The operation was planned as short-term and has been completed. The intensity of our operations during this period is incomparable to that which was being done for two years in Syria by the [US-led] international coalition. Thanks to our Aerospace Forces, the military and political bases of the terrorists has been disrupted," Lukyanov said.

 Sputnik

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Russia's Hmeymim, Tartus Facilities in Syria Not Military Bases

Sputnik News

12:56 16.03.2016(updated 13:15 16.03.2016)

Russia's Hmeymim and Tartus facilities cannot be named as 'Russian military bases', Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia's Hmeymim air facility in Syria's Latakia province and a naval facility in the port of Tartus cannot be called bases in the full sense of the word, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.

'I would like to clarify that Hmeymim and Tartus, it is probably not entirely correct to call these sites bases, because a base itself presupposes a capital building, capital construction, and there is no capital construction in either of those [sites],' Peskov told reporters.

According to the spokesman, terminological differences prevent the Russian facilities in Syria from being called bases in the full meaning of the word.

'Facilities are functioning, facilities, as you know, remain [and] are reliably protected from the air, by land and sea,' Peskov added.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of the main part of the country's air and naval forces from Syria as the tasks assigned to them have been broadly fulfilled. Putin said the remaining groupings in Hmeymim and the naval facility in Tartus would play a key role in monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Syrian government and rebel forces, in an effort to settle the ongoing civil war.

 Sputnik

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Smoke on the Euphrates: Syrian Army Decimates Daesh in Deir ez-Zor

Sputnik News

09:17 16.03.2016(updated 14:31 16.03.2016)

The Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Force have reportedly managed to take full control two neighborhoods in Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria's largest city, as well as a strategic route connecting a nearby city with an oilfield.

A key road has been won back by the Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Force (NDF) in eastern Syria's Deir ez-Zor province, where Syrian government forces continue to advance on Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) terrorists, according to the Iranian news agency FARS.

Dozens of terrorists were killed and many more wounded after the Syrian forces fully retook a key route linking the al-Tim oilfield to the city of al-Mayadin in Deir ez-Zor, FARS quoted sources as saying.

The advance came shortly after the Syrian Army and the NDF attacked Daesh strongholds based in two neighborhoods in the city of Deir ez-Zor with the help of the government forces' artillery units, sources said.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with forces loyal to the country's President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups, including Daesh and the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front, which have been blacklisted as terrorist organizations by many countries, including Russia.

In February 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2268, endorsing a Russia-US agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria, shortly before the ceasefire came into force on February 27.

Between September 30, 2015 and March 14, 2016, the Syrian Army's anti-terror efforts were backed by an extensive Russian air campaign. During that period, more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, executed precision airstrikes on Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in Syria at the behest of President Assad.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Aerospace Forces unit had fulfilled their mission in Syria and its withdrawal would begin the following day.

Moscow will, however, maintain a military presence in Syria, although a deadline for a complete pullout has not yet been announced. Putin also indicated that Russian forces will remain at the port of Tartus and Hmeymim Airbase in Latakia.

 Sputnik

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Damascus Unsurprised by Russia's Syria Pullout - Assad's Aide

Sputnik News

08:01 16.03.2016(updated 08:21 16.03.2016)

Moscow's decision to withdraw its air group from Syria has not surprised official Damascus, a political and media adviser to the Syrian President Bashar Assad said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of the main part of the country's forces from Syria as they had fulfilled the task assigned to them. Putin said the remaining groupings in Hmeimim in Syria's Latakia province and the naval base in the port of Tartus would play a key role in monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Syrian government and rebel forces.

'This move was neither surprising, nor disturbing. This is because the Syrian government has not only been informed about the move, but also because the consultations with Syria's government and responsible executives on the ground, the issue was thoroughly considered,' Bouthaina Shaaban said as quoted by Al Mayadeen TV channel.

She added that Moscow had announced from the very beginning of its aerial anti-terror campaign that it would not be permanent.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and radical Islamists. Russia had been conducting an aerial campaign against terrorists in Syria since September 30 at Assad's request.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Kurds Set to Declare Autonomous Federal Region in Syria

by Edward Yeranian, Carla Babb March 16, 2016

Representatives of Syria's largest Kurdish party say they plan to declare an autonomous federal region for the areas they control in the northern part of the country.

Kurdish leaders in Syria said other ethnic and sectarian groups, including Arabs and Turkmen, will be represented in the regional grouping.

However, the United States said Wednesday it will not recognize 'self rule' of a semi-autonomous zone in Syria.

'We remain committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria,' Deputy State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

Toner said the U.S. remains 'focused on advancing a genuine, negotiated political transition towards an inclusive government' in all of Syria.

As Syrian Kurdish militiamen continue to battle other opposition factions in the north of Syria, their political leaders said they are preparing to declare an autonomous federal region.

'Declaration' soon

Idriss Nassan, a top Kurdish foreign affairs representative in the Kurdish-controlled town of Kobani, told Al Jazeera TV that "preparation for the declaration of federalism in north Syria will be soon," and that Kurdish representatives are now "meeting to discuss the declaration.'

Speaking Wednesday from Baghdad, Colonel Steve Warren, the spokesman for the coalition's operation against the Islamic State group, said the announcement was a 'political matter' that would not affect operations against IS terrorists.

Syria's ambassador to the U.N., Bashar al-Jaafari, however, told reporters in Geneva that attempts to sow division among the Syrian people would not work.

'The Syrian Kurds are an important component of the Syrian people,' he said. 'We are proud of them; they are proud of us. We have established our state together for centuries. So, betting on creating any kind of divisions among the Syrians will be a total failure.'

Three Kurdish-controlled autonomous regions would unite under the Kurdish plan being reviewed. The Kurdish PYD militia controls large swaths of northern Syria, after defeating Islamic State militants along the Turkish border.

Turkey, however, is not likely to view the autonomy announcement with much enthusiasm, given the low-level conflict between the Turkish government and its own Kurdish citizens, and the recent spate of bomb attacks which Turkey accuses Kurdish groups of perpetrating.

US State Department

A U.S. State Department spokesman Wednesday issued a statement saying, 'We have not and will not recognize any 'self-rule' semi-autonomous zone' and that, 'We remain committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria.'

Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, tells VOA that he believes the Kurds' autonomy declaration may aggravate the Turkish-Kurdish conflict.

'Needless to say, this move will mightily anger Ankara and the Turks are bound to respond to it. So, whether it flies or not, it causes an escalation in the situation in Syria. Now, we will have to await the Turkish response to it,' said Khashan.

Kurdish political leaders were not invited to the Syria peace talks now taking place in Geneva due to Turkish opposition. Ankara accuses the Syrian-Kurdish PYD party of having ties with the more militant Kurdish PKK, whose leader, Abdullah Ocalan, is imprisoned in Turkey.

VOA State Department correspondent Nike Ching contributed to this report

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Putin lauds Russian military ops in Syria

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:19AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed Russia's military forces returning from Syria, saying their achievements in the militant-riddled Arab country has laid the ground for peace there.

Speaking on the occasion of Russia's military pullout from Syria, Putin said his country succeeded in strengthening Syrian army through months of aerial campaign against militant groups in Syria.

Putin said despite Russia's partial withdrawal, which he said was agreed with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, the battle against terrorism in Syria will continue.

The Russian president said his military forces created conditions for a peace process in Syria.

Putin further vowed that Russia will monitor Syria's situation and will leave its advanced S-400 air defense missile system there as a means of precaution.

He also warned that Russia can ramp up its military presence in Syria within 'several hours' if needed.

'If there's a need, Russia literally within several hours can ramp up its presence in the region to the size required for the unfolding situation,' Putin said in the Kremlin on Thursday.

The comments came as he decorated officers who served in the war-torn country.

On Tuesday, President Putin announced that 'the main part' of the Russian forces would start to withdraw from Syria, and that diplomats had been called upon to increase their efforts for a peaceful solution to the five-year-long conflict.

Russia launched its campaign against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria last September upon a request from the Damascus government. The air raids have expedited the advances of Syrian forces against militants.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country's pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

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Army makes inroads against Daesh in Syria

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:30AM

Syrian army forces have launched fresh successful operations against Daesh Takfiri terrorists in different parts of the country.

The Lebanese Al-Manar television channel reported on Thursday that army forces had clashed with Daesh militants in a southeastern area of Homs Province in western Syria, killing an unknown number of terrorists there.

Al-Manar also said that a Daesh leader had been killed after missile and artillery attacks were carried out by Syrian forces and fighters with the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement near the al-Zamrani crossroads in the town of Jaroud Qara and the western al-Qalamoun region.

Syria's official SANA news agency said that army forces had launched heavy raids against terrorist positions near Jabal al-Tharda, al-Banurma, and Madrasa al-Siyaqa in the southern area of Dayr al-Zawr city.

There were also reports of heavy clashes between Syrian forces and Daesh terrorists in Dayr al-Zawr's western areas near al-Junaynah.

In the operation, Syrian soldiers managed to kill a number of terrorists, while destroying two vehicles equipped with machine guns, as well as a stolen oil tanker on the al-Taim field road near the al-Shoula village. Syrian forces reportedly blockaded the area.

Meanwhile, Syria's popular forces allied with the army countered efforts by Daesh militants to make gains in the southwestern city of Suwayda, while seizing their weapons there.

They also made more gains and killed militants in Palmyra city's western regions.

The latest developments come a day after military analysts at IHS Jane's said in a report that Daesh had lost 22 percent of territory it had gained in Syria and neighboring Iraq since the beginning of 2015.

Columb Strack, senior analyst at IHS, said that Daesh was "increasingly isolated, and being perceived as in decline."

Syria has been grappling with a foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. More than 470,000 people have been killed in the turmoil, according to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research.

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Kurds in Northern Syria to Draft Federalization Document Within 6 Months

Sputnik News

20:39 17.03.2016(updated 20:41 17.03.2016)

The inaugural council of the self-declared Democratic Federal System for Rojava and Northern Syria plans to enact a federalization law within the next six months, a Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) source said on Thursday.

BEIRUT (Sputnik)  The body to draft the federalization document is yet to be elected, the source said, adding that it could comprise 31 members, a number that may be increased.

Earlier on Thursday, members of a Kurdish conference in the Syrian town of Rmeilan announced the creation of a federal region in Syria's north that would remain a part of Syria.

All ethnicities living in northern Syria will be represented in the Kurdish federal region's ruling bodies including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Syrians and Syrian Armenians, Rojava's co-chairman told Sputnik earlier.

The announcement came against the backdrop of a new round of Syrian peace talks in Geneva and strong opposition among all stakeholders to the division and the breakdown of Syrian territorial integrity.

So far, the federalization was rejected by Damascus as unlawful.

 Sputnik

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Russian Pullout From Syria to Solidify Geneva Peace Talks - OIC

Sputnik News

18:25 17.03.2016(updated 18:30 17.03.2016)

The withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria is a positive step that should solidify the ongoing peace negotiations in Geneva, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said in a release on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pullout of the main contingent of Russian forces from Syria, stating they had accomplished their anti-terrorism mission.

Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Col. General Viktor Bondarev said the withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria will be completed within two to three days.

"He [OIC's Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani] deemed the Russian decision a positive development that would solidify the Geneva peace talks, under the auspices of the United Nations, toward a political solution to the Syrian crisis and ending the plight of the Syrian people," the release stated.

Russia had conducted an aerial campaign against terrorists in Syria since September 30, 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The OIC supports the UN efforts to advance the ongoing Syrian peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, the OIC said in a release on Thursday.

"The [OIC] Secretary General [Iyad Ameen Madani] reiterated the OIC's support to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to make progress in the new round of negotiations between the delegations of the Syrian government and the opposition," the release stated.

The Syrian reconciliation negotiations restarted in Geneva on March 14, and are expected to last until March 24.

OIC noted that Madani underscored the organization's firm position to find a political solution in implementation of the Geneva I Communique of 2012.

"He [Madani] called on all parties to the conflict to fully comply with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2254 and 2268 of 18 December 2015 and 26 February 2016, respectively."

 Sputnik

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Syrian National Opposition Coalition Opposes Kurds' Federalization

Sputnik News

14:58 17.03.2016(updated 16:01 17.03.2016)

The National Coalition for Revolutionary and Opposition Forces declared its opposition to the Kurdish groups' declaration of a federal region in northern Syria, Sky News Arabia reported Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Kurds have announced the creation of a federal region in northern Syria.

"Defining Syrian statehood is not the prerogative of one group or a segment of the people. Attempts to form some kind of formation or specific regions take away the Syrian people's will," the outlet quoted the coalition as saying.

It stressed its advocacy toward the territorial integrity of the Arab republic after three regions under Kurdish control declared a federal system in northern Syria earlier in the day.

On Tuesday, reports appeared citing the plans of the Kurds to declare a 'federation' in Northern Syria, which would remain a part of the country.

According to the Agence France-Presse news agency, three Kurdish-controlled regions voted to approve the establishment of a federal system, despite warnings from Syrian and Turkish authorities against such a move.

The Syrian government responded saying that the Kurds' decision had no legal impact.

Syrian Kurds are ready to send their official delegation to Geneva in order to discuss the proposed federalization of Syria, Saleh Muslim, the co-chair of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), told Sputnik on Thursday.

'Yes, of course,' he said asked whether he was ready to come to Geneva to discuss the issue of federalization.

He added that at the moment there was no such invitation.

Syria has been mired in civil war since March 2011, with government forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups.

The new round of the intra-Syrian talks aimed at putting an end to the five-year civil war is underway in Geneva. The negotiations are expected to last until March 24.

 Sputnik

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Putin: Russia Could Boost Syrian Military Presence Again, if Needed

by Ken Bredemeier March 17, 2016

Russian President Vladimir Putin says even with his troop withdrawal from the Syrian warfront he could if necessary, within 'several hours,' ramp up Moscow's military presence there again.

As he decorated officers who served in war-wracked Syria, Putin said he does not want to escalate the conflict again and expressed hope for 'the common sense' of Syrian authorities and opposition groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad to reach a peace accord.

The commander of the Russian air force said the withdrawal of most of its troops in Syria would be completed within two or three days. The United States has estimated that Russia had 3,000 to 6,000 troops in Syria, with Russia saying about 1,000 would remain after the drawdown.

Moscow to keep bases in Syria

At the awards ceremony, Putin emphasized that Moscow would keep its air base and naval facility in Syria and continue its aerial bombardment of Islamic State targets; al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate, al-Nusra Front, and other groups the United Nations considers to be extremists.

The Russian leader said at the Kremlin, 'If there is a need, Russia literally within several hours can ramp up its presence in the region to the size required for the unfolding situation and use the whole arsenal of possibilities we have at our disposal.'

The U.N. is conducting Syrian peace talks in Geneva in hopes of ending the five-year civil war that has left 300,000 or more people dead. Violence in Syria has been sharply reduced during a three-week-old 'cessation of hostilities' calling for an end to fighting except for continued attacks on Islamic State, al-Nusra Front and other extremist groups.

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MAC head hopes institutionalized negotiations with China will continue

ROC Central News Agency

2016/03/16 21:40:11

Taipei, March 16 (CNA) The two sides of the Taiwan Strait should continue their efforts to hold institutionalized negotiations and deepen exchanges in all areas, Taiwan's top China policy planner said Wednesday, while receiving a delegation of U.S. scholars.

Hsia Li-yan (), head of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), reiterated the Taiwan government's policy toward China and said he hoped both sides of the strait would try to maintain their current peaceful, stable relations, according to the MAC.

The two sides should continue the institutionalized cross-strait negotiations, the interactions between officials and their exchanges in all areas, Hsia said in his meeting with the delegation of American academics from various institutions.

The delegation, led by Richard Bush, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institution, also met with Vice President Wu Den-yih () on Wednesday.

Wu said that maintaining the peaceful and stable development in the Taiwan Strait 'is not only in the interest of our country but is also what the United States is expecting.'

'I believe that a smart, reasonable Chinese leader will also want to maintain the status quo,' Wu said.

He said a historic meeting between President Ma Ying-jeou () and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping () last November in Singapore had created a model for the peaceful and stable development of cross-strait ties that were established over the past eight years.

Wu said he hoped the future leaders of Taiwan and China will work to preserve the current peaceful relationship.

(By Chen Chia-lun, Claudia Liu and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/pc

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China to Build Relations, Boost Cooperation With Taiwan - Prime Minister

Sputnik News

14:45 16.03.2016(updated 14:52 16.03.2016)

Premier Li Keqiang said that China will seek to build relations with Taiwan in an effort to improve economic cooperation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The People's Republic of China will seek to build relations with Taiwan in an effort to improve economic cooperation, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.

'A peaceful development of relations between the two shores of the [Taiwan] Strait to the benefit of both sides, of people both sides of the strait. We will adopt more political decisions aimed at enhancing cooperation in the field of business between mainland China and Taiwan,' Li told reporters.

Both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC), widely known as Taiwan, claim sovereignty over Chinese territory. The future of cross-strait relations remains uncertain following The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) victory in Taiwan's January elections. The DPP rejects the PRC's claim over Taiwan, instead supporting Taiwanese independence.

The Chinese prime minister affirmed China's determination to pursue relations in accordance with the 1992 consensus, which stipulates that both sides should follow the 'one China principle' while interpreting the principle on sovereign terms.

The consensus, agreed upon by semi-official representatives from both sides, remains unrecognized by many political forces in Taiwan, including the DPP.

Li added that he is optimistic about the matter of developing cross-strait ties, stressing that economic collaboration would benefit both sides.

Nevertheless, China remains determined to reject Taiwan's independence. In early March, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated China's intention to oppose any action aimed at Taiwan's independence.

The dispute between China and Taiwan arose after nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces retreated to the island of Taiwan as the Communist forces gained control of mainland China, in 1949. The KMT has remained a major party in Taiwan to this day.

 Sputnik

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Ma strongly dissatisfied over resumption of Gambia-China official ties

ROC Central News Agency

2016/03/17 23:03:16

Belize, March 17 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou () expressed strong dissatisfaction Thursday over a decision by The Gambia and China to resume diplomatic ties two years after the African country severed relations with Taiwan.

'It occurred at a time which we see as very inappropriate, and we have to voice our strong dissatisfaction,' Ma told reporters before he went for his regular morning exercise, during a visit to the Central American country of Belize, one of Taiwan's 22 diplomatic allies.

Ma's remarks came after China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Gambia issued a joint statement earlier in the day, indicating that they had reestablished official relations after a suspension of 21 years.

The incident came amid a four-month power transition in Taiwan. President-elect Tsai Ing-wen () of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will take office in May, when the China-friendly Ma will step down as he finishes his second four-year term.

Asked about the latest development, DPP spokesman Ruan Jhao-syong () expressed hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will refrain from engaging in malicious competition in the international community.

After taking power, the DPP government will do its utmost to maintain ties with Taiwan's diplomatic allies and promote peace and prosperity in the region, Ruan said.

The Gambia maintained diplomatic ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan) until 1974, when it broke off ties and established diplomatic ties with Beijing. The Gambia then severed diplomatic ties with China in 1995 and resumed official ties with Taiwan in that same year.

In November 2013, The Gambia unilaterally decided to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

(By Hsieh Chia-chen, Sophia Yeh and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/ke

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Parties mustn't have immunity from prosecution: Turkey PM

Iran Press TV

Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:38PM

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called for stripping all parties of their parliamentary immunity to allow for prosecution in an apparent bid to intensify pressure on pro-Kurdish opposition lawmakers.

"Let's lift all these immunities. There are 506 motions before parliament on lifting immunity," Davutoglu said in Ankara on Thursday.

He further noted that all parliamentary immunities can be removed "right away" by adding a temporary clause to the constitution.

The Turkish parliament could review the issue of immunity next week if other parties throw their weight behind the proposal like the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), he added.

The Turkish premier also emphasized that the necessary steps on the issue would be taken next week if the initiative was accepted.

"In line with that answer, we can take a stand," Davutoglu stated.

In response, Bulent Tezcan, deputy chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said his party supports lifting immunity except for remarks MPs make at the podium in the parliament.

On Wednesday, the prime minister's office filed a request to the Turkish legislature to remove the parliamentary immunity of Tugba Hezer Ozturk, a deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

Last week, similar requests were made for five other HDP figures, including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag as well as deputies Selma Irmak, Sirri Sureyya Onder and Ertugrul Kurkcu.

The motions stemmed from speeches the politicians gave last December, in which they allegedly backed autonomy for parts of southeastern Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly claimed that HDP is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey deems as a terrorist group. The HDP categorically denies any affiliation to the PKK..

Ankara has been engaged in a large-scale campaign against the PKK in its southern border region in the past few months. The Turkish military has been pounding the group's positions in northern Iraq.

The operations began in the wake of a deadly July 2015 bombing in the southern Turkish town of Suruc. More than 30 people died in the attack, which the Turkish government blamed on the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

After the bombing, the PKK militants, who accuse the government in Ankara of supporting Daesh, engaged in a series of reprisal attacks against Turkish police and security forces, prompting the Turkish military operations.

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Top U.S. Official: Ukraine Reforms Endangered By Oligarchs Fighting Back

March 15, 2016

by Mike Eckel

WASHINGTON -- A top U.S. administration official has taken pointed aim at the wealthiest Ukrainian tycoons, known as oligarchs, accusing them of undermining the country's anticorruption reform efforts.

Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European nd Eurasian Affairs, warned on March 15 that, if efforts to liberalize the economy and fight endemic graft fail, Ukraine 'risks sliding backwards once again into corruption, into lawlessness, into vassal statehood.'

'The oligarchs and the kleptocrats who controlled Ukraine for decades know that their business model will be broken if the Maidan reformers succeed in 2016,' she told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in reference to the uprising that pushed out Ukraine's pro-Russia government two years ago.

'So they're fighting back with a vengeance, using all the levers of the old system: their control of the media, state-owned enterprises, [parliamentary] deputies, the courts, and the political machinery,' said Nuland, a leading U.S. official on Ukraine.

The comments by Nuland and those made recently by other officials, including Vice President Joe Biden, signal concerns that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk aren't moving fast enough to overhaul key industries, ministries, and state agencies.

Considered to be among the world's most corrupt countries, Ukraine's economy has long been dominated by businessmen who control valuable assets and enterprises, many acquired under dubious circumstances.

In the months following the Euromaidan revolution that ousted Viktor Yanukovych as president in February 2014, Poroshenko -- himself a wealthy businessman -- turned to oligarchs to help stabilize regions in the country's east, where a Russia-backed separatist movement erupted into full-scale civil war.

'De-Oligarching' The Economy

As Kyiv has embarked on reform efforts, however, many of those oligarchs have maintained control of their holdings despite public sentiment and international pressure for Poroshenko to rein them in.

In recent weeks, the government has been roiled by resignations of several reformist ministers, including Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius, who has accused a well-connected Poroshenko ally of trying to install his supporters as the heads of important state-run industries.

In addition, Western officials pushed for months for the resignation of Prosecutor-General Viktor Shokin, who was accused of being incapable of reforming his office, seen as one of the country's most corrupt.

Shokin stepped down in February on the same day that Ukraine's parliament narrowly defeated a no-confidence vote in Yatsenyuk's government.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the latest installment of its $40 billion aid program, which has been instrumental in stabilizing Ukraine's anemic economy, could be held up unless changes are made.

'Every week that Ukraine drifts internally, that reform is stalled, IMF and international support goes undisbursed, and those in and outside the country who preferred the old Ukraine grow more confident,' Nuland said on March 15.

'We need to see the next stage in 'de-oligarching' the economy,' she added.

Nuland cited some small economic successes in Ukraine over the past year, including a stabilized currency, growth in wheat exports, and the fact that the country managed to avoid using Russian natural gas this winter for the first time -- something she called 'pretty miraculous.'

Russia has traditionally been able to use its gas supplies as leverage against Kyiv, but Ukraine managed to draw on European sources in the past year.

Despite her criticisms, Nuland gave an upbeat assessment of Ukraine's ability to move forward with reforms.

'We continue to believe that 2016 can and should be the year that Ukraine breaks free from the unholy alliance of dirty money and dirty politics that has ripped off Ukrainians for far too long,' she said.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-nuland- oligarchs-corruption/27615366.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine Lists Individuals It Wants EU To Blacklist Over Savchenko Trial

March 17, 2016

by Rikard Jozwiak

BRUSSELS -- Ukraine has identified nearly 50 people it considers responsible for the 'illegal detention and falsified trial' of Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko and has urged the European Union to impose sanctions against them.

The list of 46 names, which Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko handed over to the heads of the European Council and the European Commission in Brussels on March 17, includes 44 Russians and two Ukrainians.

All are 'directly involved in the illegal process against the Ukrainian officer and pilot Nadia Savchenko, who is illegally kept in a Russian prison,' Poroshenko told RFE/RL.

Savchenko is currently awaiting her verdict in a Russian military court trial in which she is accused of complicity in the murder in 2014 of two Russian journalists in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been engaged in a conflict against separatist forces. The pilot's case has been widely condemned as a show trial and has led to calls by U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders for Russia to release Savchenko.

Savchenko, who has defiantly denied the charges and said she will not recognize the court or its ruling, is a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in absentia.

Poroshenko was adamant that the European Union should act quickly to punish individuals who have played a role in Savchenko's case.

'If you are talking about values, neither Ukraine nor the European Union can keep silent and do nothing,' Poroshenko said, arguing that sanctions would be an 'effective reaction against the brutal violation of international law and human rights.'

He said that more names could be added to the list, noting that officials Kyiv believes are involved in the detention of up to 10 other Ukrainian prisoners in Russia should also be punished.

European Council President Donald Tusk, speaking together with Poroshenko and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, addressed what he described as Savchenko's illegal detention in Russia.

'Let me in this context reiterate the call by the EU for her immediate release,' he said, along with 'all other illegally detained Ukrainian citizens.'

The list handed over by Poroshenko includes Russian Investigative Committee chief Aleksandr Bastrykin, Federal Security Service Director Aleksandr Bortnikov, and Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktor Grin.

The two Ukrainian citizens listed are Valeriy Bolotov, who at the time of Savchenko's capture was a separatist leader in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, and Igor Plotnitsky, the region's current separatist leader and commander of the armed group that Kyiv believes captured Savchenko.

Many on the list are also included in a similar list of 29 people that members of the European Parliament handed over to EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini last week. The Ukrainian list, unlike the European Parliament's, does not include Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Several EU foreign ministers brought up the issue of Savchenko during a meeting in Brussels on March 14, but EU sources told RFE/RL that the desire to adopt new restrictive measures in the European Union is low at the moment. The EU recently prolonged by six months asset freezes and visa bans imposed against 146 people and 37 entities from Ukraine and Russia the EU deems responsible for violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The EU might, however, face a struggle to extend economic sanctions against Russia's banking and energy sector that are up for renewal on July 31. With that in mind, an EU source told RFE/RL, imposing new sanctions would be a hard sell, although the source said it was possible that foreign ministers could discuss the possibility of new sanctions when they meet in Luxembourg on April 18.

During his interview with RFE/RL, Poroshenko also discussed Ukraine's desire to obtain visa-free status within Europe's Schengen zone. Following his meeting with Tusk and Juncker, in which the European Commission's intention to propose a visa-free regime with Ukraine in April was confirmed, Ukraine was poised to reach the level of Georgia in its efforts to gain access to the passport-free zone, according to Poroshenko.

"We are now together with Georgia in one boat,' he said. 'We fulfill everything. This is very positive news; this is a great achievement for Ukraine and I am absolutely sure that this is a great achievement for the European Union because this is a win-win situation for both sides."

Georgia and Ukraine were long coupled in the visa-free process, but in February the European Commission decided to separate them due to the lack of progress on key reforms in Ukraine. Earlier this week, however, the Ukrainian parliament passed several laws related to strengthening the rule of law and fighting corruption.

According to RFE/RL sources, the European Commission proposal is expected to come after the Dutch referendum on April 6 on the Ukrainian Association Agreement. Any proposal to allow Ukraine to enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen zone will need to be approved by the European Parliament and the 28 EU member states.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-blacklist-savchenko- trial-poroshenko-visa-free-travel-eu/27619747.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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TUCSON, AZ--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. ("Liberty Star" or the "Company") (OTCBB: LBSR) (OTC PINK: LBSR) is pleased to announce that the Arizona State Land Department ("ASLD") has notified Liberty Star that the Company's Exploration Plan of Operation ("EPO") for the Hay Mountain Project is approved. The approval of the EPO is for Mineral Exploration Permits (MEPs) held by Liberty Star in the Hay Mountain Project Area (southeast of Tombstone) for the period January 26, 2016 to September 29, 2016.

The ASLD concluded a lengthy review of the Company's EPO, which included submission of detailed transportation site access procedures, multiple cultural resources and vegetation surveys, drilling plans for multiple targets, and a project completion program. Additionally, Liberty Star was required to pay plant/vegetation restoration fees prior to ASLD approval.

James Briscoe, Liberty Star's CEO/Chief Geologist, commented, "The approval of the Exploration Plan of Operation is an important early milestone in what we believe will be the development of another important porphyry copper and associated metals center in southeast Arizona. This ASLD action is the culmination of four years of hard work and scientific inquiry, which will lead to more of both in the coming months and years. While we continue to refine the sequence of drilling of the permitted drill holes, we are gratified knowing that we can proceed with actual drilling as soon as funds are raised. Additionally, we plan to permit drill holes on BLM (US Bureau of Land Management) administered land, which we believe to be a straight forward process, and positioning drill holes on Patented (Fee Simple) lands which are also part of the Hay Mountain target. On that front, we continue to work diligently to fund Phase 1 plans and lay the foundation for ongoing exploration and development work at the Hay Mountain Project."

"James A. Briscoe" James A. Briscoe, Professional Geologist, AZ CA

CEO/Chief Geologist

Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp.

About Liberty Star

Liberty Star is an Arizona-based mineral exploration company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Arizona and the southwest USA. Currently, the Company controls properties which are located over what management considers some of North America's richest mineralized regions for copper, gold, silver, molybdenum (moly), and uranium.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on February 24, 2016 and other filings made by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Follow Liberty Star Uranium & Metals Corp. on Agoracom, Facebook , LinkedIn & Twitter@LibertyStarLBSR

View the Hay Mountain Phase 1 Presentation at LibertyStarUranium.com
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA--(Marketwired - Mar 17, 2016) - Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (TSX:PTM)(NYSE MKT:PLG) ("Platinum Group" or the "Company") provides a correction to the press release issued earlier today. The example comparisons to a typical Merensky reef are corrected to 3,000 cmg/t. All drill results, assays and other information in the news release are correct.

Qualified Person and Quality Assurance and Control

R. Michael Jones, P.Eng., the Company's President, Chief Executive Officer and a significant shareholder of the Company, is a non-independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is responsible for preparing the technical information contained in this news release. He has verified the data by ensuring experienced qualified personnel are working with the core and data, reviewing selected core, core logs and assay data, visiting the site and drill rigs and ensuring that the Independent Qualified Person is updated in the project progress and plans. Assay results are part of an extensive quality control program including chain of custody, insertion of blanks and standards, carefully reviewing data on company standards and checking accuracy with independent lab checks. The assays have been completed at Bureau Veritas Inspectorate and Set Point accredited laboratories by standard fire assay and ICP finish methods.

On behalf of the Board of Platinum Group Metals Ltd.

R. Michael Jones, CEO and Co-Founder

Disclosure

The Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE MKT LLC have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release, which has been prepared by management. This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes any forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The Company directs readers to the risk factors described in the Company's Form 40-F annual report, annual information form and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulators, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com, respectively.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Mar 17, 2016) - Strongbow Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SBW) is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement whereby Strongbow has the right to acquire, from administration, a 100% interest in the South Crofty Tin Project and associated mineral rights in Cornwall, UK.

Richard Williams, President and CEO of Strongbow states; "Cornwall is a world class tin district with a rich mining history spanning over 400 years, and South Crofty is one of the best known past producing mines in the district. We believe that South Crofty represents one of the best tin opportunities currently available globally. Strong support for new mine development locally, and in the UK in general, is demonstrated by the recent start-up of the Drakelands tungsten-tin mine, owned by Wolf Minerals and located in the neighbouring county of Devon, the development of Dalradian Resources' Curraghinalt gold project in Northern Ireland, and Sirius Minerals' York Potash project in North Yorkshire. We view these developments as extremely positive for the potential future re-development of South Crofty. We are very pleased to announce today's acquisition, which fits into our objective of acquiring high quality mining assets in the strategic metals space."

Highlights

South Crofty has an active mine permit valid until 2071, subject to certain planning conditions being addressed.

The mine permission area includes 26 former producing mines.

Some of the tin lodes have been mined over a strike length of approximately 4km, and from surface to a depth of 1km. The lodes remain open along strike and to depth.

Existing mine infrastructure that is potentially useable includes 4 vertical shafts with a combined depth of 2,940m.

An area has been set aside for construction of a new process plant, if and when required.

A new National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is pending.

Background

Western United Mines Ltd. (in Administration) and Cornish Minerals Limited (Bermuda) (collectively the "Companies") hold the rights to the South Crofty underground mine permission area, plus an additional mineral rights over a further 7,500 Ha located in various parts of Cornwall, UK. The Companies were placed into administration in 2013 to protect the assets.

An agreement has been signed between Strongbow, Galena Special Situations Fund (the only secured creditor) ("Galena"), and Tin Shield Production Ltd. (a private company that will forego its option with Galena to acquire the project) ("Tin Shield").

The material terms of the agreement are as follows, all references to currency being in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified:

Strongbow to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with the administrator managing the affairs of the Companies to acquire the shares of the Companies and to fund the exit of the Companies from administration by settling a proportion of claims owed to unsecured creditors. The exit from administration is budgeted to cost up to $350,000.

Galena, the only secured creditor, will convert all debt owed to it into common shares of Western United Mines Ltd which shares will be acquired by Strongbow, which will complete the acquisition of 100% of the shares of the Companies.

Strongbow to reimburse Tin Shield for the operating costs incurred for the project from November 1, 2015 in an amount not to exceed $340,000. In addition, Strongbow will make a payment of US$80,000 to Tin Shield and will assume responsibility for operating costs to a maximum of $85,000 per month until the earlier of: a) Closing, and b) the sixtieth day following the agreement.

Strongbow to issue 2,000,000 common shares to Galena on TSX Venture Exchange approval of the agreement.

Strongbow to issue 1,000,000 common shares to Galena upon receipt of a permit to increase water discharge from the old mine workings from 10,000m 3 per day to 25,000m 3 per day.

per day to 25,000m per day. Strongbow to make a payment to Galena totaling $2,000,000 (cash and / or common shares at Strongbow's election) on the second anniversary of the successful exit from administration.

Strongbow to issue 2,000,000 common shares to Galena on delivery of a positive feasibility study or commencement of commercial production, whichever occurs first.

Strongbow to make a cash and / or common share payment to Galena equal to 25% of the NPV of the project upon making a decision to go into production. In the event that Strongbow's market capitalization is less than the NPV of the project when a production decision is made, Strongbow will pay the equivalent of 25% of its market value to Galena and the balance (between the 25% of market value and 25% of the NPV of the project) will be paid out as a 5% Net Profits Interest from production.

In the event that Strongbow transfers any assets, rights, or entitlements to certain mineral rights which are not part of the core mineral rights (the "Other Mineral Rights") to a third party before the agreed consideration has been paid to Galena, then Galena will be entitled to receive a payment equal to 10% of any consideration received for the Other Mineral Rights, to a maximum of $1,000,000.

Subject to certain conditions, Galena shall direct Strongbow to pay 47.5% of the consideration payments to Tin Shield.

About South Crofty

The South Crofty tin project is located in the towns of Pool, Camborne, and Redruth in the county of Cornwall, SW England, approximately 465km drive west of London.

There has been tin mining in Cornwall since at least 2300 BC. The South Crofty commenced large scale production in the mid 17th century. The mine managed to continue operations until it shut down in 1998 following the tin price collapse of 1984.

Several companies attempted to revive the mine between 2001 and 2013. Significant advances were made, primarily the agreement to secure a site for future mill construction, and the grant of a mining permit which is valid until 2071, subject to certain planning conditions being met. Unfortunately, the timing of the mine permit grant coincided with the current poor market conditions in the resource sector and the assets were put into administration in 2013.

The mine has seen production from near-surface copper mineralization and deeper tin-only mineralization. The focus for Strongbow will be to evaluate the deeper tin-only mineralization that occurs primarily from a depth of 400m below surface.

NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate

Strongbow has commissioned a NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate, which is expected to be published within 2 weeks of this news release.

Required Approvals

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including Galena having provided an unconditional and absolute discharge and release of its security, the Companies having exited administration and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Qualified Person

Richard Williams, P.Geo. (BC), President & CEO of Strongbow and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard D. Williams, P.Geo

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" including but not limited to statements with respect to Strongbow's plans to acquire the South Crofty tin project, Strongbow's ability to reach agreement for the settlement of secured and unsecured creditor claims which are a condition to the Companies exiting administration, the timing to complete an updated NI 43-101 technical report for the project, Strongbow's ability to obtain an increase to the water discharge permit for the South Crofty tin project, its ability to deliver a positive feasibility study on the project, the commencement of commercial production from the South Crofty tin project and the estimated future net present value of the South Crofty tin project, the availability of financing for future cash payments, ongoing maintenance costs and future development work at the South Crofty tin project, in addition to the estimation of a mineral resource and the success of exploration activities.

Forward-looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt of regulatory approvals, the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to general economic and market conditions; risks related to the availability of financing; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; actual results of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in mineral resources or grade; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations.

Although Strongbow has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Strongbow undertakes no obligation or responsibility to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
RIGHT: McDonnell's Curry Sauce mix from Ireland is a quick and easy way to prepare authentic Emerald Isle-style curry sauce for fries, chicken or prawns.

SHARE Chef Raul Sanchez of Ri Ra Irish Pub examines beef brisket "corning" in a brine of curing salt, brown sugarand spices. He has 350 pounds of brisket curing in anticipation of St. Patrick's day. Aimee Blume / Special to Scripps Newspapers Put a little twist on your corned beef by serving it with Irish vegetables other than cabbage, such as golden rutabagas, leeks, and sweet parsnips. A side of colcannon with Irish cheddar completes the meal.

Corned variety more American than it is Irish

By Aimee Blume Special To Scripps Newspapers

It is odd to realize that corned beef and cabbage is considered the Irish national dish everywhere in the world ... except in Ireland. The Irish themselves rarely eat it and don't think of it as a native food at all, but rather an American phenomenon.

A bit of history is in order ? from "Irish Corned Beef: A Culinary History" by Mairtin Mac Con Iomaire of the Dublin Institute of Technology.

The Irish climate is ideal for raising pastured animals, but the Irish always kept cattle for milk and farm work, rarely eating the meat.

In the 18th century, British landowners in Ireland took advantage of the pasturage to raise beef for consumption in England, by the English Navy and for export to colonies from New England to the Caribbean to the South Pacific. The beef was both raised and preserved by salting, or "corned," in Ireland, and this product became associated with Ireland the world over; ironically, however, the impoverished Irish themselves couldn't afford it and continued to eat salted pork as they always had.

During the Great Potato Famine of the mid-19th century, over a million Irish emigrated to the United States. Many settled in New York. The Jewish population there did not eat pork, but preferred salted beef brisket, which was sold very cheaply. The Irish, who considered beef a luxury, adopted it with gusto, preparing it with cabbage and potatoes just as they would a corned pork shoulder (which they called bacon) at home.

So, when we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in America, corned beef is what we eat.

At Ri Ra Irish Pub in Evansvile, Ind., Chef Raul Sanchez corns about 60 pounds of fresh beef brisket every week according to his own recipe ? but in preparation for St. Patrick's day, he has 350 pounds soaking away in spicy brine. "We started brining our own fresh beef about two years ago," he said. "We use it for the plates and sandwiches too ? no more deli corned beef."

Beef can be brined with only salt and water, but modern recipes add sugar and spices for a better flavor. In addition, curing salt, or sodium nitrite, is added to further inhibit bacterial growth and give the meat a characteristic pink color. Without it, all cured meat including bacon and ham would be gray.

Sanchez uses cure, brown sugar, salt, and lots of spices in a special blend. "The meat sits in the brine from seven to ten days," he said. "Ten is better. Then we cook it at a simmer for six to seven hours."

During March, Ri Ra is giving you the chance to compare the more American corned beef with the original "bacon," or corned pork, as it is made in Ireland. "The pork is more traditional to Ireland," said Sanchez. "There they have more pork and it is cheaper, but it's basically the same recipe. It's pork butt instead of brisket, and the spices change a little bit."

He explained that traditionally mashed potatoes and cabbage are served with bacon, then the next day the leftovers are mashed together to make the famous Irish dish of Colcannon.

At Ri Ra, both corned beef and bacon are served with mashed potatoes, a side of braised sweet savoy cabbage (if you've never had savoy cabbage, make it a point to try it. The bright green-yellow, wrinkled leaves have an exceptionally tender chew and sweet flavor), and a cream sauce made with onion, garlic and parsley.nnnOne of the more modern Irish favorites also is dish that originates in a place far from Ireland ? curry.

Because of Britain's connection with India (remember England ruled India from 1858 ? 1947), curry is an insanely popular food in all the British Isles. A very typical sweetish, creamy orange curry sauce is served as a dipping condiment, a sandwich topping, and a sauce for chicken, prawns (shrimp), or beef over rice.

A glance at Irish food websites shows that such "American" brands as Knorr and Uncle Ben's sell packaged curry sauce in Ireland.

Ri Ra offers cans of Irish-made McDonnell's Curry sauce mix, a favorite that comes in powder form and is boiled with water to serve.

At the restaurant they mix it with mayonnaise for a burger topping, make hot curry sauce for dipping chips, and have had a chicken curry with vegetables on the menu. It's a good all-purpose seasoning and thickener for everything from soups to meatloaf.

Alton Brown's Home-Brined Corned Beef

Brines 1 4-5 pound brisket

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts water

1 cup kosher salt

A cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons pink curing salt (also called Prague powder #1)(Order online at thesausagemaker.com or other locations.)

1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

8 whole cloves

8 whole allspice berries

12 whole juniper berries

2 bay leaves, crumbled

A teaspoon ground ginger

2 pounds ice

1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed

DIRECTIONS

1 Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, curing salt, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved.

2 Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip-top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

3 After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Cook as desired in simmering water.

Corned Beef with Everything but Cabbage

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 (4-pound) corned beef brisket

4 medium carrots, peeled

2 small onions, coarsely chopped

2 large leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and washed well

3 medium parsnips, peeled & cut in chunks

2 medium rutabagas, peeled & cut in chunks

DIRECTIONS

1 Place meat in Dutch oven, add juices and spices from corned beef package. Add water to cover meat.

2 Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 2 hours until meat is almost tender. Quarter carrots, add to pan with onions, leeks, parsnips and rutabagas. Cover; return to boiling.

3 Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Transfer meat and vegetables to platter. Season with salt and pepper.
Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Under the pressure of new laws and stronger enforcement, many doctors are prescribing less opioid pain medication.

SHARE Hands holding Prescription Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Doug Eakman, a registered pharmacist and owner of Medical Arts Pharmacy in San Angelo, fills a prescription for a customer. The pharmacy is filling fewer prescriptions for opioid pain killers these days. "We have seen a slight reduction of pain medication prescriptions due to the removal of a particular pain medication from the market and the fact that two prescribers are no longer in town," Eakman said. pills

Sufferers jump through hoops in the growing pains of the crackdown on medication

By Becca Nelson Sankey Special To The Standard-Times

Charlie Ribble, an osteoarthritis sufferer, has good days and bad days. Lately, though, the bad days have steadily outnumbered the good ones as the searing pain in his ankles and feet continues unchecked, rendering him a prisoner in his own home.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, affects approximately 27 million Americans, according to the medical website webmd.com. In extreme cases such as Ribble's, joint cartilage deteriorates, causing constant bone-on-bone friction.

For a year, 51-year-old Ribble found relief from the pain with prescription hydrocodone, an oral opioid that targets the central nervous system to alleviate pain but recently became the subject of enhanced scrutiny from federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration.

Authorities are concerned about increasing numbers of fatal prescription drug overdoses and increasing black market activity involving the drugs, which offer a high similar to other opium-based drugs such as heroin, and are addictive.

Hydrocodone comes in several compounds with other drugs and under several brand names, among them Vicodin and Lortab. Compounded with the anti-inflammatory acetaminophen, they are used in relieving a wide range of pain.

Dr. Irvin Zeitler, vice president of medical affairs at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo and president of the Texas Medical Board, wrote in the July TMB bulletin that doctors are torn between treating their patients' chronic pain and adhering to federal guidelines intended to prevent opioid abuse.

The number of prescriptions for opioids such as hydrocodone, lorazepam and carisoprodol ? known as "the unholy trinity" ? has remained the same at Myers Drug, staff at the downtown store reported, but pharmacist Doug Eakman at Medical Arts Pharmacy on Sherwood Way has seen fewer prescriptions for those drugs.

"We're noticing a significant decrease, but there's no way to quantify that number other than the fact we're filling fewer prescriptions for it," Eakman said. "There are two prescribers we had that are not here anymore, so we're seeing a decrease from that standpoint. We're still dispensing but not near the rate" we were.

"I think the truth is that doctors are afraid" to prescribe opioids, Zeitler said. "If someone is prescribing more than other folks in their specialty, DPS looks at them. Physicians have a fear that they're going to get caught up in one of these webs of enforcement or regulatory review, and they don't want to do that."

Michael Hambrick, a family practice doctor at Community Medical Associates, said he sees his fair share of patients who have chronic pain, primarily in the back, knees, hips and joints. He makes the determination of whether to describe opioids after other options ? including physical therapy or alternate drugs ? have been exhausted.

"These medications are dangerous medications; there's no question about it," Hambrick said. "Our state board has always had a pretty big interest in making sure patient harm is minimized, and I think doctors are obviously concerned about board repercussions. They're concerned about being investigated by the DEA and, of course, we're always concerned about somebody being harmed."

DEA Spokeswoman Barbara Carreno said the agency conducted 1,173 regulatory investigations in fiscal year 2009 and 3,731 in 2010. The agency, she said, exists to protect the public against unscrupulous doctors out to make money, and to ensure the availability of controlled substance medications to patients who have a legitimate need.

"Any doctor who is prescribing for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of professional practice is not going to have a problem with us," she said. "The few cases we make relative to 900,000 doctors are generally egregious."

But, Zeitler countered, it's the law's ambiguous wording that's so intimidating to doctors. "The law says that a physician cannot prescribe to someone he knows or should know is improperly using the medications," he said. "If you want a sentence that causes doctors to shy away from treating chronic pain, that's it. If (patients are) diverting (selling the drugs), they're certainly not going to tell you.

" 'Should have known,' well, what does that mean?"

Recent high-profile cases involving prescription drug abuse have compounded doctors' reticence to prescribe opioids, Hambrick said.

"Obviously, anytime anybody famous dies from an opioid, it seems to spur the public's thinking about it, or even sometimes regulators'" thinking, he said. "There have been physicians recently who are on trial either for murder or manslaughter related to prescriptions or narcotics. That gets everybody's attention pretty quick."

The federal government sends the DEA where the problems are, Zeitler said, and beginning in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit, elements of a drug diversion culture forced out of Louisiana moved to East Texas.

"In the meantime, Louisiana passed some real tough laws, so what we got was an infusion of people displaced by the hurricane; some (were) unseemly folks," Zeitler said. "We started seeing ? more deaths from overdose all of a sudden in Texas; it had been fairly flat for years."

In 2009 the Legislature passed the Intractable Pain Treatment Act, which was fully implemented by 2011, and affords some protection to physicians who prescribe pain medications, Zeitler said.

"Chronic pain is probably one of the most difficult of any disease processes to treat," he said. "There aren't any tests we can do to tell how much pain someone's in; it's subjective and varies from one person to another. The Intractable Pain Treatment Act essentially addressed this. (Previously) ? it was very limited as far as patients with true chronic pain, what they could do to get some relief. We're trying to show physicians they can treat chronic pain as long as they stay within the guidelines."

However, some doctors ? the likeliest of whom don't work in pain clinics ? opt not to dispense opioids simply for the sake of saving time, Zeitler said.

"If you look at a busy primary care physician and his practice, to take the time to (dispense opioids) correctly, sometimes that's not something they're willing to do," he said. "There's no increased reimbursement for the physicians to go through this process."

Last month, the DPS' Regulatory Services Division began offering doctors and pharmacists online access to its prescription-monitoring database, Prescription Access in Texas, which provides records of a patient's controlled substance prescription history.

Until recently, a doctor who suspected a patient was at risk for diversion had to wait four to six weeks to access the information from the DPS, Zeitler said.

Now that the system is paperless, "you can see (immediately) if there is a potential for diversion," he said. "This is a huge step for physicians in Texas who are willing to treat chronic pain. You can continue to monitor your patients to see if they're filling the prescription as you prescribed, that they're not doctor shopping. This can only help."

Zeitler said legitimate chronic pain sufferers also may find relief at a pain clinic, where doctors and patients are held to more stringent standards to decrease the risk of diversion.

"The patients want to get their prescriptions and leave, but that's not the way those clinics work," he said. "There's a process and participation by the patients. They even do random drug screens to make sure these patients are taking the medication and not selling it."

Lyndy Stone, director of marketing at Shannon Medical Center, said the clinic's pain management physicians have seen an increase in patient referrals the past year, many of whom travel from outlying areas.

Ribble, of San Angelo, developed osteoarthritis more than a decade ago after suffering untreated ankle injuries while working in the oil field industry. The past five years, his condition worsened to the extent that, a year ago, he qualified to collect disability and could see a pain management doctor in Brownwood who accepted Medicaid.

"He prefers to cure his patients, but if he can't, he wants to keep them out of pain," Ribble said of the doctor. "Since this is in my ankles and not my knees and hips, there are more nerve endings so I'm having more pain than your average osteoarthritic patient would. (He) understood that."

To ease Ribble's discomfort until he could have surgery on his ankles, his doctor prescribed hydrocodone, the only drug that alleviated his symptoms without side effects, he said. But in May, the doctor closed his practice for reasons to which Ribble isn't privy.

"The understanding was there was supposed to be plenty of time to find another doctor," Ribble said. "When I went to get my refills at the end of June, the pharmacy told me his license had been suspended and none of the refills he wrote would be honored."

Since then, Ribble said he's recognized the stark disparity between being treated with empathy and being treated with an indifference bordering on suspicion.

One medical clinic in town was "really hesitant to hook me up with a pain management doctor," Ribble said. "It's almost (like) if you have good insurance you're a high-end person; if you're poor, you're treated like, 'You need to buckle up, camper,' and that what you think is a lot of pain really isn't."

When Ribble finally did see a San Angelo pain management doctor last July, he was "very grudgingly" given a refill for his prescription, he said. The same doctor denied his request for a refill in August, he said.

"The past few weeks I have never felt more alone as far as my experience and who cares," Ribble said. "I'm not a poor me, pitiful type of person, but at the same time I realize the gravity of the situation. I'm in pain so much that it completely rules my life from the time I wake until the time I sleep."

Aside from his hobbies of singing and playing the guitar, Ribble's only distraction is the time and effort he invests to change his situation. He hopes to line up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and a pain management doctor but, as of yet, hasn't found either in his insurance coverage area who accepts Medicaid.

"From what I understand, there are hundreds of thousands of people in the same situation," Ribble said. "Regardless of how much pain they're in, it seems to be a cold medical community out there. Logic would tell me ? they're throwing the baby out with the bath water. There are doctors left and right losing their licenses and even someone who's in as much pain as I am ? whose X-rays clearly show that ? still, that's not enough proof to make a doctor want to take the risk of prescribing pain medication."
Obama

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Justice pick seen as qualified, moderate

By David G. Savage And Del Quentin Wilber, Tribune Washington Bureau (TNS)

WASHINGTON  Merrick Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, can claim to be the American jurist most qualified to move up to the Supreme Court.

In his case the promotion would involve moving just a few blocks away on Capitol Hill.

But both physically and politically, his path to the Supreme Court must now pass through the U.S. Senate building. And whether he can complete the short trip remains unclear.

Garland, 63, is one of the most respected and best-liked judges in Washington, among Republicans as well as Democrats. And he has been seen as a potential Supreme Court nominee since the late 1990s.

President Barack Obama considered Garland for the high court previously but wanted to keep him in reserve in case Democrats lost the Senate majority and Obama needed a nomination that Republicans would have difficulty defeating.

Instead Obama in previous battles nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, younger judges seen as more left-leaning.

In 2014, Republicans took the Senate majority, and Wednesday the president decided that the current tough political climate meant it was time to finally bring out Garland's nomination.

At 63, Garland was seen by some as too old for the high court, because presidents nowadays typically prefer to elevate younger judges who can have an impact for several decades. If confirmed he would be the oldest justice in four decades.

The D.C. circuit court handles mostly regulatory disputes, not controversies such as abortion, the death penalty or gay marriage that divide the Supreme Court.

And in most such cases, Garland can be counted upon to uphold government regulations against industry challenges in areas such as environmental protection, consumer protections or worker's rights. He also usually votes to uphold criminal convictions.

Until recently, Republican appointees held the majority on the D.C. circuit.

Garland, a moderate-to-liberal jurist, found a way to work with them, often by crafting narrow opinions. He asks probing questions of lawyers, but in a courteous manner. And his opinions are careful and moderate in tone.

Previously Garland was a top lawyer in the Justice Department in the Clinton administration, and he led the team that investigated and prosecuted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, arriving on the scene even as first responders were still removing bodies.

In many ways, Garland fits with what Obama said he was looking for to replace the late Antonin Scalia.

"First and foremost, the person I appoint will be eminently qualified," Obama said. "I'm looking for a mastery of the law."

As a prosecutor in Washington, D.C., and later a judge in the 1990s, Garland earned a reputation for being assertive and hands-on but with a friendly demeanor and willingness to pitch in whenever needed.

After leaving the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington to take a position at the Department of Justice, he learned that one of his former prosecutions was being appealed. Since he knew the ins-and-outs of the case so well, he called the prosecutor in charge of the appeal and asked if he could take over the arguments.

"I let him do it, and he was brilliant," said Mary Pat Brown, a former top federal public corruption prosecutor who worked with Garland. "He just really cared about the case."

As a prosecutor and judge, Garland worked hard to build consensus and was always modest. For example, Brown said, Garland often insisted that many lawyers call him by his first name rather than "judge."

"He is charming, funny, smart, very friendly," Brown said. "He definitely is unassuming."

After Garland was tapped to become an appeals judge, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, spoke glowingly in 1997 of the future Supreme Court nominee.

"To my knowledge, no one, absolutely no one disputes the following: Merrick B. Garland is highly qualified to sit on the D.C. circuit. His intelligence and his scholarship cannot be questioned," Hatch said during an executive session of his committee.

"Mr. Garland's experience, legal skills, and handling of the Oklahoma City bombing case have earned him the support of officials who served in the Justice Department during the Reagan and Bush administrations," Hatch added.

Frank Keating, the governor of Oklahoma at the time of 1995 bombing, was among the Republican leaders who endorsed Garland's nomination to the appellate bench: "Merrick Garland is an intelligent, experienced and evenhanded individual," Keating said.

James Cole, a former deputy attorney general who knows Garland well, said the president could not have picked a better nominee to endure what is sure to be a difficult confirmation fight. Garland fights for what he believes in, has a passion for public service and is not the type to take a rough confirmation battle personally, Cole said.

"Just because it's hard, that doesn't mean Merrick isn't going to do it," Cole said. "It's just another one of the hard things he has done in his career. He believes in public service.  He may be one of the few people who can really go through this process with a fair amount of dignity and professionalism and not engage at the base level, and try to keep conversation on a high intellectual level."
Texas DPS fires first officer over Uvalde shooting response

Sgt. Juan Maldonado becomes first member of the state police agency to lose his job in the fallout over the hesitant response to the May attack.
Yfat Yossifor/Standard-Times Megan Beecher, a San Angelo mail carrier, was chosen to be part of a TV advertising campaign for the United States Postal Service.

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By Ngan Ho of the San Angelo Standard-Times

When the United States Postal Service called on its employees to audition for a national TV ad, a tenacious letter carrier from San Angelo delivered.

Megan Beecher, 28, who has worked for the San Angelo post office for almost two years, was chosen to appear in two commercials for the USPS.

Beecher said she decided to apply on a whim with no expectations in late February 2015, with the support of her coworkers.

Character may have been why they choose her, Beecher said. "I'm young and I like to have a lot of fun with what I do."

As part of the application process, Beecher said she submitted a video introducing herself and explaining what it means to be a letter carrier for USPS. Beecher said she had no plan of action, no script and used a cheap camera to present who she is.

"I take my job very seriously. I don't stay stagnant. I like to be moving, going. I'm very fast paced, and I love the people," Beecher said. "I think that they saw that, and they wanted that energy."

A year later, also in late February, she was selected to take part in USPS's latest national advertising campaign, Beecher said. She is one of about 15 postal employees chosen to participate. One commercial will begin airing in late March, the other in July.

The San Angelo postmaster notified her she was chosen, and three days later Beecher flew to Los Angeles. She spent five days filming, saw the sights in West Hollywood and toured Santa Monica Boulevard. She said she didn't know much of what was going to happen, but when the opportunity came she rolled with it.

"When I got to L.A., I was in shock," she said. "Walking in Hollywood and being in Texas the day before it was a little different, but I loved it."

Beecher said she received the star treatment when she landed in L.A. Someone was waiting for her at LAX, holding a sign with her name on it and waiting to drive her to the hotel.

"It was very different for me being in California because I have never been to California," she said. "That was a huge accomplishment for me personally, because I've lived here my whole life. I'm a San Angelo girl,"

Beecher said she met other participants selected from across the country who had different backgrounds and experiences. Some have been working for the USPS for 20 years, while others had just started their career with USPS. Many were also from small-town America, but San Angelo was one of the smallest.

"We were all from different cultures. Some people spoke Spanish," Beecher said. "And that was really important for me. I like that. You got to learn everything."

Beecher said many of the participants knew she was from Texas from the get-go and asked her about the oil fields and Southern culture. She said with a giggle that her Texas accent was probably a dead giveaway of where she was from.

"I had a blast," Beecher said. "I loved doing it and I would definitely do it again."

Beecher said she plans to build her career in San Angelo.

"I saw some mail carriers in L.A. when I was there. They looked very frantic. It was very busy," Beecher said. "I'm a hometown kind of girl. I hope to progress my career in the post office and move (up), absolutely. I still have a lot to learn."
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Although spring doesn't officially start until Sunday, the signs of a lush and promising one are all around thanks to generous rainfall in recent weeks.

Winter wheat fields are progressing well and pasture grasses are greening up, said David Holubec, who operates a stock farm with his sons Cole and Ceth 2 miles south of Melvin in McCulloch County.

"We had 4 inches of showers and drizzle, it never rained very hard," he said. "It is unusual to receive this kind of moisture in March but we will gladly take it."

Holubec said neighbors are getting ready to plant spring crops. He expects farmers in the Central Texas area will plant a diversified mix of cotton, corn and grain sorghum this year.

"Normally we contend with dry times this time of year, but this spring will be different. We have planting moisture and farmers and ranchers in these parts are ready to progress forward," he told me.

In Concho County, Gary Speck reported 4.8 inches at the family ranch 10 miles northwest of Eden. "The stock tanks are full and running over," he said.

In the northwest corner of Concho County, E.H. Brosig measured more than 4 inches of rain south of Lowake.

My brother, Johnny Lackey, who lives at the home place at Buckhollow, 15 miles west of Junction, said his gauge was running over at 4 inches.

"We can almost see the weeds growing and our valley is indeed green," wrote Frederica Wyatt at Junction in her weekly email. "Even with ground-soaked soils, we were fortunate to escape severe flooding in Kimble County."

The fragrance of mountain laurel and small patches of bluebonnets are welcome signs of spring, said Mark White, who ranches in Crockett and Sutton counties.

"We gauged 4 inches of rain at the ranch south of Sonora and between 2 and 3 inches north of Ozona," he told me at church Sunday. "The Rancho Blanco at Pandale only received 1 inch last week, but that goes a long way there."

Pandale is on Howard Draw and Farm-to-Market Road 2083 and 2 miles northeast of the Pecos River. It is at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert  the largest desert in North America, covering more than 200,000 square miles.

Further west in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert around Big Bend, there's no prettier sight in spring than when the yucca and tall bluebonnets are in bloom.

Back to the Hill Country, the bluebonnets are forthcoming, said Danny Bahlman, of San Angelo. On a weekend trip to Houston, he spotted patches of "the blues" around Bryan and Burnet.

Justin DeLoach, with West Texas Rehab in San Angelo, reported bluebonnets around Lampasas and San Saba over the weekend when returning home from Austin.

Even with signs of an early spring, no one I have visited with will predict the end of winter. We always have a late cold front at Easter, which is early this year, said one coffee drinker.

"Everything within the patterns of nature operates in cycles," wrote the late Jerry Mack Johnson in his book "Country Wisdom."

"A few people laugh when you mention doing anything by the 'sign.' They consider it to be the 'old way' and surely couldn't be the 'best way.' Oft times the old way has been tried, tested, and proved by many people over long periods of time," Johnson wrote.

He believed in moon lore and breaking sod to plant seed, to set out plants, to cultivate, etc. must be scheduled by using moon phases and signs.

"When snowdrifts face to the north, spring will arrive early. When thunderstorms that come before seven in the morning in April and May foretell a wet summer," Johnson wrote.

Meanwhile, the current weather forecast warning of threats of killing frost looms to the end of March. For the south and central parts of the nation, late frost averages occur from March 15 to April 1.

Jerry Lackey is the agriculture editor emeritus. Contact him at jlackey@wcc.net or 325-949-2291.
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But officials say campaign accelerating

By Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg News (TNS)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. and its allies last month dropped the fewest bombs on Islamic State group targets in Iraq and Syria since June, even though defense officials say the campaign to defeat the terrorist group has been accelerating.

U.S.-led forces dropped 2,054 munitions last month, down from 2,694 in January and 3,139 in December, according to Air Force data. That's the fewest since 1,683 last June and reflects a continuing decline from a peak of 3,227 weapons dropped in November. A partial cease-fire went into effect in Syria on Feb. 27, but that agreement doesn't cover attacks on Islamic State, or ISIL, targets.

While Defense Secretary Ash Carter has said the drive against Islamic State is gaining momentum, some Republican presidential candidates have been calling for more intensive bombing.

The number of "weapons dropped does not necessarily provide a 1-to-1 correlation for total pressure being applied" against Islamic State, according to Army Maj. Roger Cabiness, a Department of Defense spokesman. Intelligence gathered through reconnaissance sorties "enables the coalition to become increasingly effective at striking strategic targets that put intense pressure on" the militants, he said via email.

The decline in munitions hasn't been mentioned publicly by Pentagon and Air Force officials. They have focused on the more than 55,000 combat sorties flown since the U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State began over Iraq in August 2014, a total that includes reconnaissance and surveillance flights and aerial refueling missions. Nor does U.S. Central Command disclose how many bombs are dropped in its daily summary of targets struck.

While Pentagon officials have said that the U.S. inventory of smart bombs has declined, Cabiness said that hasn't affected the pace of bombing.

"We strike targets when and where we find them," Cabiness said. "There will be periods of time when these numbers vary because of factors such as weather, requirements for strike packages and the number of available targets."

The surge of munitions in November may have reflected air support for Iraq forces as they prepared for the successful campaign to retake Ramadi that began late that month, Chris Harmer, an analyst for the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in an email. "If/when the long-rumored assault on Mosul commences, those numbers will spike again."

The U.S. has dropped fewer munitions per sortie against Islamic State targets than in any operation since the Cold War ended because this campaign "has been extremely difficult to prosecute" Harmer said. Maneuvering in "small groups of dismounted infantry, largely unsupported by artillery, tanks, and fighting vehicles, makes it difficult for U.S. aircraft to accurately acquire targets," he said. That's been compounded by a lack of U.S. ground personnel functioning as target spotters, he said.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz has called for more intensive air attacks on Islamic State. At one point, he called for "carpet-bombing," which U.S. military officials said implies indiscriminate bombing that would kill innocent civilians. Donald Trump has said as president he would "bomb the hell out of ISIS," using an acronym for the terrorist group.
Angry voters are calling Bexar County election officials to complain about slow ballot delivery, sometimes being demanding and demeaning, while staff are scrambling to establish 35 more voting sites before Election Day.
In an effort to highlight the potential impacts of global warming, the nations largest public pension fund is askingcorporations to include climate change experts on their governing boards.On Monday, the investment committee for California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) voted to start requiring the corporations it invests in to include people on their boards who have expertise in climate change risk management strategies. It is the first U.S. pension system to establish such a requirement, which comes months after California experienced the largest gas leak in U.S. history and the state's largest oil spill in decades.Updating our requirements ensures that corporate boards have the expertise and competence to adequately understand and address the challenges and risks imposed by climate change, said California Controller Betty T. Yee in a statement after the vote. Yee is a board member of CalPERS and the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS).As major investors (CalPERS is worth $288 billion), pension systems can -- and do -- leverage the power of their wallets with corporations as a way of influencing policy. For example, the New York State Common Retirement Fund -- the third largest U.S. pension fund -- is among a group of major investors that wants ExxonMobil to start publishing an annual assessment of its impact on public climate change policies. Exxon is trying to block their request.One of the common ways pension funds leverage their clout is through social divestment from companies associated with or in support of controversial issues.The cause has varied over the years. In the 1980s, many pension funds divested from companies that were doing business in South Africa as a reaction to apartheid policies there. CalPERS alone pulled $9.5 billion. In 2013, a number of pension funds, including CalSTRS and the New York City pension funds, divested from gun manufacturers after mass shootings in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn. Climate change and environmental stewardship has been the latest focus.Still, theres no proof social divesting actually works , and there are concerns that it actually hurts investment returns for pension funds.That may partially be why CalPERS and CalSTRS have resisted environmental activists' calls to divest their stocks in fossil fuel companies. Instead, both systems believe they can have a greater impact by playing more of an activist role with the companies in which they invest. Having a voice at the table is far preferable to the most serious step of divesting, the two funds explained last year. Divestment severs our ties with a company and therefore, they said, severs our influence as well.Even credit rating agencies have taken notice of climate change's potential impact. Standard & Poors now regularly evaluates states and localities' environmental risks when looking at their credits.
Changing Families

Case-By-Case

Outcomes

Its been about 40 years since the majority of moms stayed home, and married dads in the 21st century spend twice as much time caring for their children as they did back then.Yet when parents divorce or separate, custody arrangements are more likely to reflect life as it was in 1975, with the mother as the primary caretaker and the father working to help support a child he seldom sees.As fathers become more vocal about what they see as inequities in custody cases  and as more research shows how important it is for fathers to be present in their childrens lives  states are considering changing their custody laws.Five states  Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and Missouri  are looking at proposals that would require judges to presume that its best for children to split their time as evenly as possible between their two parents. Utah enacted a similar law last year.State laws have historically directed judges to determine custody based on what is in a childs best interest, looking at factors such as which arrangement would disturb his or her life the least and be safest. The proposals would instead require judges to presume its best that both parents be awarded a substantial amount of parenting time  often at least a third of the time  and, if they dont award substantial time to both parents, to explain why it wouldnt be in the child's best interest to do so.Fathers rights groups, such as the National Parents Organization, are pushing the proposals, arguing that they will give fathers a better chance at a fair ruling and pointing to new research that shows how joint custody may be better than sole custody for childrens health.But only a fraction of custody cases actually are up to a judge to decide  in Washington state, for example, nine in 10 cases that go to court are settled  and the cases that judges do hear are more likely to be ones in which parents cant communicate or cooperate to make decisions. In those high-conflict situations, some researchers have warned that joint custody may be harmful to a childs well-being.Laws that encourage shared parenting may sound seductive to state lawmakers, but they often force families into bad situations, said Maritza Karmely, a professor at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Bar associations, judges and lawyers have come out against some of the proposals.A presumption is a pretty radical step, Karmely said. That assumes that shared parenting works for most families, and I think that is an enormous assumption.But Ned Holstein, founder of the National Parents Organization, said none of the proposals forces judges to do anything. They would still be able to use discretion and decide whats in the best interest of the child.There havent been sweeping changes to state laws on custody arrangements since 1970, when the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act set the best interest standard.But the dynamics of American families have changed significantly since then. The share of children under 18 living with both parents fell, from 85.2 percent in 1970 to 69.2 percent in 2015. And more fathers are living away from their children, up from 11 percent in 1960 to 27 percent in 2010, a recent Pew study found; the shift is likely due to more children being born to unmarried parents. (Pew also funds Stateline.) At the same time, the amount of time married fathers spend caring for their children has more than doubled, from 2.5 hours a week in 1965 to 7.3 hours in 2010, according to Pew findings.And that may be a good thing. Research shows that children who spend more time with their fathers are more likely to succeed academically and less likely to be delinquent or have substance abuse issues.They will also grow up to be healthier mentally and physically, said William Fabricius, an associate professor of developmental psychology at Arizona State University who has been studying fathers and divorce since 2000.In a yet to be published 10-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, he found that children who felt they mattered to their fathers were less likely to later have mental health problems such as depression or anxiety.There are attributes and benefits that both parents bring to the child, said Missouri state Rep. Kathryn Swan, a Republican who has sponsored shared parenting bills the last two years.The Missouri Bar last year opposed provisions in Swans bill that put limits on judges discretion when deciding child support arrangements in cases where equal parenting time is granted; and that required judicial education on shared parenting. This years bill no longer includes those provisions, but the group has not yet taken a position on it.Some fathers, such as Troy Matson of Jacksonville, Florida, push for shared custody, only to get worn down by the time, the cost and the acrimony of their court battles. Matsons daughter was just a few weeks old when he and his wife started divorce proceedings. He asked to have her half the time. After contentious court hearings, the couple settled; he now sees his 4-year-old daughter 30 percent of the time.Matson, who now chairs Floridas chapter of the National Parents Organization, helped push a Florida bill that would require judges to presume that approximately equal time sharing is best. The bill, which passed the Legislature last week, would also require judges, when they rule differently, to show that equal time sharing is not the best solution. If Republican Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill, Florida would have one of the strongest shared parenting laws in the nation.I grew up without my father, Matson said. When I was a kid, I told myself if Im ever blessed with children, I would do everything I could to be as involved in their lives as possible.Along with Utah, the National Parents Organization lists seven states as having laws most supportive of shared parenting  Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota and South Dakota.While many family law and child psychology specialists agree that shared parenting is best in situations in which both parents are interested, involved and capable, they have concerns about other situations.Domestic violence awareness groups have opposed some of the proposals, arguing that a victim shouldnt have to prove that its not in a childs best interest to live half the time with an abusive ex-partner. And specialists in the field have come to different conclusions about whether separating infants from their mother would be best for the infants well-being.Most agree that each case is unique. It is hard to find fault with examining each case and each child individually, when deciding what works best for their family and them, said Peter Salem, executive director of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, a national trade association for family law professionals.Fathers rights groups are often the ones pushing for the laws, but its not about the parents, said Robert Langlois, a former family court judge in Massachusetts who is now a lawyer there. Its about the kids, and what is in their best interest, not in their parents best interest, he said.When approaching a case, a judge looks at what the situation has been, if that should change, and why, Langlois said. Other factors judges look at include how old the children are, where they go to school, and where the parents live.A bill proposed in Massachusetts would change the law to encourage shared parenting without requiring judges to presume equal time is best. Still, the change would require judges to provide reasoning when deciding a parent should not have significant time with a child.If youre going to separate a child from one of his or her parents for most of their childhood, its only fair to say why, said Holstein of the National Parents Organization, who lives in the state.Proponents of shared parenting argue that current laws treat fathers unfairly. But gender bias in custody cases may be more perception than reality.While mothers are custodial parents 82.5 percent of the time, it may just be because fathers arent asking for that job. A study in Massachusetts found that fathers who actively sought primary or joint custody obtained it more than 70 percent of the time.In at least one state, specialists say recent changes to custody laws have made a difference. The Arizona Legislature passed a policy statement in 2011 in support of shared parenting and, in 2012, changed custody law to mirror the statement. This changed the culture of the court system, at least in Maricopa County, according to both Fabricius of the state university and Annette Burns, a lawyer there who specializes in family law.The perceptions of parents have changed, too, Burns said. Now, both parents know they are likely to get a significant amount of time with their child.
A Democratic congressman from Virginia lashed out at Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder for the role of emergency managers in the Flint water crisis that has forced the city of nearly 100,000 into using bottle water for months under an ongoing state of emergency.Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA, a member of the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform committee, pressed Snyder at a Thursday hearing about the actions of several emergency managers. His staff members held up what Connolly said were more than 8,000 pages of orders by emergency managers overseeing the city. But none of those pages addressed the Flint water crisis, according to Connolly."This is a failure of a philosophy of governance that you advocate," Connolly told Snyder. The congressman said the emergency managers in Flint sought to save $4 million which brought the city "to its knees.""The taint and the stain that state government has put on this country in the form of Flint will be a long time being erased," Connolly said. "At some point, the buck stops at your office."Snyder defended the emergency manager law, which he said had been endorsed by the state Legislature despite a recall by voters.He did under later questioning by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat, say that the emergency management in Flint failed to prevent the city's water crisis."In his particular case, with respect to the water issue, that would be a fair conclusion," Snyder said when asked whether the emergency managers in the city fell down on the job in keeping the city safe from lead contamination of the water supply.Michigan's emergency manager law, already highly controversial because it was rejected by voters in 2012 but reinstated by Republican lawmakers less than six weeks later, has been under fresh scrutiny in light of the lead contamination of Flint's drinking water.Flint was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager when it began drawing water from the Flint River as a cost-saving measure in mid-2014. Tests show the corrosive nature of the river water caused lead in the pipes that deliver it to homes and other structures to leach into the drinking water, causing it to exceed federal limits for lead -- which can cause permanent brain damage in children.There's now universal agreement that the city's switch to Flint River water was a mistake without necessary safeguards, such as adding anti-corrosion materials to the water before it was pumped to homes through the lead pipes, to help prevent leaching.But there's no consensus about whether the bad choice was one that could have been made by elected leaders in any cash-strapped city, or whether the Flint debacle is an indictment of Public Act 436, which Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law in December 2012, just weeks after voters rejected its earlier incarnation, Public Act 4 of 2011.Snyder and other proponents said the revamped law gave financially distressed cities more options, control and financial support. Critics, including the Stand up for Democracy group that worked to repeal the earlier law, has said it was an equally onerous example of state overreach.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is calling on North Korea to release a Cincinnati-area native who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor on Wednesday.Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia student, was detained in North Korea in January for stealing a flag with a political banner from a hotel, which the state considered a "hostile act.""North Korea should immediately release Otto Warmbier and let him return to his family here in Ohio," Kasich said in a news release Wednesday. "His detention was completely unjustified, and the sentence North Korea imposed on him is an affront to concepts of justice. Continuing to hold him only further alienates North Korea from the international community."At a news conference at the end of February organized by North Korean officials, Warmbier said he was trying to disrupt the unity of North Korea and that he had been manipulated to steal the banner by the U.S. government.The court held that he had committed a crime "pursuant to the U.S. government's hostile policy toward (the North), in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist."U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the sentence was "unduly harsh" and urged North Korea to pardon Warmbier and release him on humanitarian grounds.Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said he met with North Korean diplomats in New York on Tuesday to request Warmbier's release after the student's parents and Kasich asked him to intervene. The diplomats said they would relay his request to Pyongyang.Warmbier was arrested as he tried to leave the country in early January. He was in North Korea with a New Year's tour group. U.S. tourism to North Korea is legal, and arrests of tourists are rare, but the State Department strongly advises against such travel.Warmbier also said that he stole the banner on behalf of a congregation member at Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, and as an attempt to get into the University of Virginia's secretive "Z Society."The magazine of the university's alumni association describes the Z Society as a "semi-secret ring society" founded in 1892 that conducts philanthropy, puts on honorary dinners and grants academic awards.Warmbier said before his trial that he was offered a used car worth $10,000 and was also told that if he was detained and didn't return, $200,000 would be paid to his mother.Warmbier said he accepted the offer because his family was "suffering from very severe financial difficulties."On Wednesday, Kasich called for the White House to intervene to bring Warmbier home."I urge the Obama administration to redouble its efforts to secure his release and ask all Ohioans to continue to lift up Otto and his family in prayer in support of his swift, safe return," said Kasich, who is running for president.
Former Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor in connection with an illegal vote the convicted felon filed in the November 2014 election.Cannon voted early with his wife -- an action first reported by the Observer -- two weeks after he was sentenced to 44 months in prison for accepting more than $50,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents.Felons lose their right to vote. Cannon told the judge in his federal corruption case that he voted out of habit. "The light didn't come on that day," he said.U.S. District Judge Frank Whitney ordered Cannon to be placed under house arrest until he reported to prison. He entered a Morganton, W.Va., correctional facility 12 days later.The longtime Democratic officeholder was indicted that February by a Mecklenburg grand jury on felony voting-fraud charges.But in an agreement worked out between Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray and Cannon's defense team, the former mayor pleaded guilty Wednesday to the reduced charge of attempted voter fraud, a misdemeanor.Superior Court Judge Robert Ervin sentenced Cannon to one day, to run concurrently with his existing sentence.Prosecutor discusses Patrick Cannon voter fraud plea dealFormer Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor in connection with an illegal vote the convicted felon filed in the November 2014 election.The prosecutor in court Wednesday is Assistant District Attorney Reed Hunt. He said the decision to accept a guilty plea for a reduced charge had nothing to do with Cannon's stature as former mayor and everything to do with the circumstances of the case.Cannon walked into Courtroom 5350 wearing a gray suit that was brought from his closet at home, and he was accompanied by Charlotte attorneys James Ferguson and Jake Sussman. His lawyers said no family was expected in court; Cannon did wave to an unidentified couple.In the 10-minute hearing, Cannon apologized to the court for having voted, and thanked Ervin for arranging the hearing so he could put this case behind him.Cannon was expected to soon be back on Interstate 77 North for the 500-mile trip back to Federal Correction Institution, Morganton.Questions to the federal Bureau of Prison on what the trip will cost taxpayers were not immediately answered Wednesday.After the indictment by a county grand jury, defense attorney James Ferguson called the voting charges excessive."Patrick Cannon publicly acknowledged voting inadvertently. ... A federal judge who heard the case decided that the appropriate sanction was to place him under house arrest. So what is the purpose of this indictment under these circumstances?" Ferguson said.Cannon's guilty plea is not expected to affect his federal incarceration. He is scheduled to be released from the low-security West Virginia prison in January. However, Cannon could be placed under home detention or in a Mecklenburg halfway house as early as this summer.He arrived in Charlotte Tuesday and spent the night at the Mecklenburg County Jail.Cannon resigned from office after he was arrested two years ago. He lost the right to vote when he pleaded guilty to charges that June.As a result of the Cannon voting case, federal judges in Charlotte now specifically remind defendants pleading guilty that they are losing the right to vote.
After trying, and failing, to execute convicted killer Romell Broom six years ago, Ohio can try again, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.A 4-3 ruling written by Justice Judith Lanzinger said the state would not violate the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment by executing Broom, 59, a Cleveland man convicted and sentenced to death for murdering 14-year-old Tyrna Middleton in 1984.The court sided with the Cuyahoga County prosecutor, who argued that the botched attempt to execute Broom on Sept. 15, 2009, didn't count as a failed execution because, while the process started, deadly chemicals never entered Broom's body during the two hours before it was called off."To be clear, the state must comply with the protocol as amended," Lanzinger wrote. "Strict compliance with the protocol will ensure that executions are carried out in a constitutional manner and can also prevent or reveal an inmate's attempt to interfere with the execution process. We simply are unable to conclude that Broom has established that the state in carrying out a second attempt is likely to violate its protocol and cause severe pain."In a strongly worded dissenting opinion, Justice Judith French said, "The majority's decision to deny Romell Broom an evidentiary hearing on his Eighth Amendment claim is wrong on the law, wrong on the facts, and inconsistent in its reasoning."If the state cannot explain why the Broom execution went wrong, then the state cannot guarantee that the outcome will be different next time."Justice William O'Neill added in his dissent, "Any fair reading of the record of the first execution attempt shows that Broom was actually tortured the first time. Now we embark on the task of doing it again."Adele Shank, Broom's Columbus attorney, said she will "assess the options for further review, both in the state and federal system, especially in the U.S. Supreme Court.""We've always said going through the entire process, including the mental stress and strain and terror of it, is what the U.S. Supreme Court has said in the past is cruel and unusual punishment."Ohio Public Defender Tim Young, whose office filed a supporting brief in the case, said in response to the ruling, "The vast majority of people in America believe you get one bite at this, one try at executing someone. If you went though the process and it fails, that should be the end."Dr. Jon Groner, a local physician who examined Broom at the request of his attorneys days after the execution attempt in 2009, said the failure was clearly human error by Department of Rehabilitation and Correction staff."He had normal veins. I would conclude the people who tried it were not competent."Based on the number of failed attempts to access Broom's veins -- 18 locations in all -- Groner described the effort as "somewhere between malpractice and assault," had it been in a medical setting.It is the first time in recent Ohio history that the state will be allowed a do-over in an execution.Court records show, and both sides agreed, that Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction employees failed to follow several of the agency's execution protocols, including doing the last of three required medical checks on Broom's veins, incomplete execution-team training, lack of a backup execution procedure, and involvement of a contract physician who was not part of the execution team.Broom's case is unique in Ohio's capital-punishment history and is one of only two known cases nationally in which an execution was halted after it began. The other one was Willie Francis, a 17-year-old killer who died in Louisiana's electric chair on May 9, 1947, having survived a botched execution a year earlier.
Historically, there's been an unfortunate and unproductive divide between people who have the same goal of getting government to make more informed and data-driven decisions. On one side, there are those tasked with measuring performance. On the other are program evaluators.You could look at the history of program evaluation and performance measurement as a cautionary tale of two children who were brought up in the same house but were raised by different tribes and arent so friendly with one another, says Don Moynihan, a professor at the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The [split has become] institutionalized in government.Performance measurement adherents hold a variety of positions in state and local government. Many have some kind of training in measurement but dont tend to consider their jobs as part of a singular profession that's required to adhere to a set of standards. Then there's the more academic group of program evaluators. This is a title that has clear, distinct meaning. These men and women are deeply focused on standards and guidelines, have continuing professional development and have expertise in the field for which they're evaluating programs or agencies.Many evaluators have disdain for performance measurement types because they dont think performance measurement is sufficiently rigorous, says Phil Joyce, a professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy.Whats the difference in the products the two groups produce?Performance measurement is a great tool for monitoring purposes, but it doesnt tell people whether the things you are measuring are the right things to measure, and it doesnt tell why something is happening, says Rakesh Mohan, director of the Office of Performance Evaluations in Idaho.As Joyce explains further, A performance measure could tell you that childhood obesity has declined by 5 percent from last year to this year, but it doesnt tell you that the reason is a particular government program or a change in the economy or a private-sector initiative.Program evaluations, as a result, tend to be lengthy documents that include data (often from performance measurement), interviews and analysis to provide a full picture of the changes that should be made to help agencies or programs function most effectively.There are, however, advantages and disadvantages to the two approaches.For one, the fact that program evaluators follow carefully prescribed standards makes it more likely that one evaluation can easily be compared to another. Unlike performance measurement experts, program evaluators are also often independent of the program or agency they're evaluating.But program evaluations can be expensive and often take at least two years to complete. Some people, including legislators, who would be eager to read an evaluation to inform their decision-making, can't wait that long because by the time the evaluation is released, the ground beneath the issue has often shifted. Whats more, evaluations take a snapshot of the status of an agency or program, but they're not useful for seeing what changes have taken place over time.From our perspective as regular users of both evaluations and measurements, any rancor between the two groups defies common sense. In years past, the American Society of Public Administration has reportedly tried to bring the two groups together -- but with little impact. It seems to us that if a state or city doesnt have capacity or time to do an evaluation, then performance measurements can still help them identify efforts that deserve deeper attention. If both sides of the rivalry can agree on nothing else, they certainly agree on this: The more information governments have, the better.
Testing the Concept

Big Privacy Questions

(TNS)  A new technology that allows for the transmission of data free of a centralized authority has drawn the curiosity of the educational technology community, raising questions about whether it could allow for a seamless, digitally based sharing of students' academic experiences.The potential applicability of " blockchain " technology in schools emerged recently with the announcement by Sony Global Education Inc. that it has plans to bring the data-sharing system to education.Generally described as a distributed database through which digital transactions can be securely made and recorded without approval from a central authority, blockchain could have applications for student credentialing, and student data management, proponents believe. Sony also sees possibilities in the world of testing.Blockchain is known today primarily for its use in the world of finance. It is the technology that underpins Bitcoin , a digital currency that allows strangers to directly exchange money without having to rely on a central bank or institution. A growing number of established financial institutions and companies are exploring whether to use blockchain technology to manage a variety of digital transactions.In its announcement, Sony Global Education, a company affiliated with the Japanese electronics corporation, argues that blockchain technology could give students more control over the transmission of their test results, among other applications.In one potential application, a parent or student who takes an exam could tell the vendor giving the test to share the results with a third party, suggested Sony officials. Organizations receiving students' records could then use blockchain technology to calculate scores and assess results in ways that best suit their own interests and needs, the company said.In an email to Education Week, Sony Global Education President Masaaki Isozu said the company wants to provide a "new kind of education platform which includes verified educational records and academic credentials," and that blockchain is "one of our options to help us achieve this goal.""We want to keep life-long learning records ... securely in the cloud forever," Isozu said. "While these records are usually held privately, we want to make it possible for students and educators to securely share verified, trustworthy information with others. Trading these records securely would be an all-new service in the education sector."While the idea behind having shareable records that students can take with them through blockchain is appealing, current fears about data privacy would seem to stand firmly in the way of that vision, said Cameron Evans, the chief technology officer for U.S. education for Microsoft, in an interview.In today's environment, the idea of having mobile student records without a centralized authority responsible for them would likely unnerve parents and K-12 officials, Evans said. He spoke last week during the South by Southwest Education conference, a major educational technology summit held annually in Austin, Texas."The culture is so far behind blockchain today," Evans said. Asking about blockchain is "a good question," put forward "about three years early."Still, Sony sees an array of possibilities. Isozu offered a hypothetical example from higher education. Suppose an individual studied at a state school in China, took a virtual course from a U.S.-based organization, then graduated from a Japanese university, he said. How would a graduate school in Spain verify the myriad records, in weighing that student's application?"In an increasingly global education sector, we believe it's important for students to be able to easily prove that their credentials are correct," Isozu said.Another possibility: An educational blockchain could be used to create a secure academic version of something akin to LinkedIn, housing students' learning records, Isozu added. With students' or parents' consent, data would be shared with different audiences, and made reusable within the blockchain."Individuals and enterprises could anonymously utilize the data to analyze personal learning history," the Sony Global Education executive said.Within a financial system, blockchain can create transactional records that are "unhackable and irrefutable," prominent author and business and tech adviser Don Tapscott said in a recent speech. It eliminates the need for an intermediary, such as a credit card company or bank, he explained. And blockchain's usefulness in finance, he predicted, is "just the tip of the iceberg."Whether Sony's vision for blockchain in education will gain traction remains to be seen. But some say one of the possible uses of the technology centers in digital "badging," by making it far easier for students to create, hold, and distribute a digital academic record that contains details on their academic credits, accomplishments, and experiences.Conceivably, if blockchain were to help students keep track of and share records of their academic experiences  in brick-and-mortar schools, virtual classes, and from other sources  it could add detail and sophistication to efforts to "personalize" education, said Doug Levin, the president of EdTech Strategies LLC , a consulting organization.While the blockchain concept is "pretty nascent and people are just starting to explore it," Levin said,in theory it could "move the control over the transcript from the school to the family. ... The idea is, this could be a much more efficient process."One of the obvious questions about blockchain in the current education environment is whether it would become ensnared in the web of student-data-privacy concerns, which has tripped up many an ed-tech company and put K-12 district officials on edge.While there's little doubt blockchain would face privacy questions, when people ask how secure the technology is, one response is: secure "compared to what?" Levin asked.Schools' current centralized data systems pose security risks, he noted, just as private vendors' safeguards have fallen short.And so far, blockchain has been tested by, and appears to be winning the confidence of, users in the financial sector who presumably have very high demands for data security, in that they want currency protected, Levin said. (It was recently reported by The Wall Street Journal that the bank J.P. Morgan is testing blockchain technology in transfers of U.S. dollars, as it wrestles with competition from online payment and lending systems.)Other uncertainties abound. Blockchain technology isn't well understood in society, noted Levin. And many potential blockchain uses are at this point conceptual  and because it's as broad a concept as something like, say, "cloud computing," it's hard to make predictions about its applications in K-12, he said.Another question stems from the fact that much of the interest in blockchain is based on the Bitcoin experience, or private blockchains, Levin said. Building on a system of Bitcoin's magnitude and user base has advantages, but there's also likely to be technical and political baggage, he said. In addition, it's unclear what incentives would draw a large-enough pool of education users into a blockchain system to make it function efficiently, he added.There are many players "looking to get a quick buck off the Bitcoin ecosystem," Levin said. "It can be difficult to separate hype and future aspirations from current capabilities."Isozu, of Sony Global Education, said the company is confident that education users will buy into a system that is secure and calibrated to their needs.But he agreed with Levin that "incentive is the key to any successful blockchain operation," adding: "This is not a problem only for Sony."
Oregon's most consequential energy bill in decades  a nationally ambitious plan to wean the state off coal and boost renewable sources  has become law.Gov. Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 1547 on Tuesday, handing Democrats a coveted political victory that comes despite lingering concerns the legislation might raise costs for utility customers. Brown's office announced the signature in a statement Thursday.The measure requires Oregon's two largest utilities, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, to stop paying for out-of-state coal power by 2030. It also says utilities must serve half their customers' demand with renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2040.It emerged earlier this year after negotiations between environmental advocates and utility officials. The two sides said they worked to head off a ballot measure this fall that utilities worried would be far more aggressive."Knowing how important it is to Oregonians to act on climate change, a wide range of stakeholders came to the table around Oregonians' investments in coal and renewable energy," Brown said in a statement. "I'm proud to sign a bill that moves Oregon forward, together with the shared values of current and future generations."Though it won bipartisan support in the Oregon House, the measure was a top target for Senate Republicans. They waged a slowdown for much of the short session, including a walkout and refusals to work nights and weekends, in hopes of killing the plan.Democrats turned to parliamentary maneuvers and late amendments to save it, and it passed March 2, the second to last day before lawmakers adjourned for the year.
Automakers making the commitment are Audi; BMW; FCA US LLC; Ford; General Motors; Honda; Hyundai; Jaguar Land Rover; Kia; Maserati; Mazda; Mercedes-Benz; Mitsubishi Motors; Nissan; Porsche; Subaru; Tesla Motors; Toyota; Volkswagen; and Volvo Car USA. The unprecedented commitment means that this important safety technology will be available to more consumers more quickly than would be possible through the regulatory process.

The US Department of Transportations National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the commitment by 20 automakers representing more than 99% of the US. auto market to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) a standard feature on virtually all new cars in the US no later than NHTSAs 2022 reporting year, which begins 1 Sept 2022.

Automatic emergency braking helps prevent crashes or reduce their severity by applying a vehicles brakes automatically. The systems use on-board sensors such as radar, cameras or lasers to detect an imminent crash, warn the driver, and apply the brakes or increase braking effort if the driver does not take sufficient action.

NHTSA hosting public meetings on automated vehicles NHTSA will hold a pair of public meetings this spring to gather input as it develops guidelines for the safe deployment of automated safety technology. The meetings, to be held in Washington, D.C., and California, will gather information on a series of issues related to safe operation of automated vehicles as part of NHTSAs efforts to provide manufacturers with operational guidance. The agency also recently released an initial assessment of current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that identifies key challenges in full deployment of automated vehicles. The report, prepared by USDOTs Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, found that there are few existing federal regulatory hurdles to deployment of automated vehicles with traditional designs and equipment to accommodate a human driver. The report also found that there may be greater obstacles to vehicle designs without controls for human drivers, such as a steering wheel or brake pedals. The Volpe Center produced the report at the request of NHTSA and DOTs Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office.

NHTSA estimates that the agreement will make AEB standard on new cars three years faster than could be achieved through the formal regulatory process. During those three years, according to IIHS estimates, the commitment will prevent 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries.

The commitment will make AEB standard on virtually all light-duty cars and trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 8,500 lbs (3,856 kg) or less beginning no later than 1 Sept. 2022. AEB will be standard on virtually all trucks with a gross vehicle weight between 8,501 lbs. and 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) beginning no later than 1 Sept. 2025.

Participating manufacturers will ensure vehicles have both a forward collision warning system that meets a subset of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's current 5-Star Safety Ratings program requirements on the timing of driver alerts and an automatic braking system that earns at least an advanced rating in the current Insurance Institute for Highway Safety front crash prevention track tests. The baseline performance measures are a speed reduction of at least 10 mph (16 km/h) in either the IIHS 12 or 25 mph (19 or 40 km/h) tests, or a speed reduction of 5 mph (8 km/h) in both of the tests.

As NHTSA continues its regulatory work in this area, NHTSA will track the progress industry is making towards its commitment.

The commitment takes into account the evolution of AEB technology. It requires a level of functionality that is in line with research and crash data demonstrating that such systems are substantially reducing crashes, but does not stand in the way of improved capabilities that are just beginning to emerge. The performance measures are based on real world data showing that vehicles with this level of capability are avoiding crashes.

To encourage further development of AEB technology, NHTSA will accelerate its research on more advanced AEB applications, including systems that reduce the risk of collisions with pedestrians. In December, NHTSA announced plans to rate AEB systems and other advanced technologies under its 5-Star Safety Ratings beginning in model year 2018.

Based on mounting evidence that AEB effectively reduced crashes and injuries in the US and around the world, NHTSA and IIHS issued a challenge to industry in September 2015 to encourage automakers to voluntarily make AEB a standard feature. A series of meetings followed to establish details of the commitment.

NHTSA and IIHS also announced that Consumer Reports will assist in monitoring automaker progress toward meeting the AEB commitment.
To help mark its return to Formula One racing and reach new milestones in efficiency for both race cars and future consumer models, Honda R&D developed a new system to analyze data from the hybrid power units quickly and efficiently to check residual fuel levels and estimate the possibility of mechanical problems. Honda is using the IBM IoT for Automotive solution, based on IBM Watson IoT technology, to deliver data generated from cars, including temperature, pressure and power levels, directly to the cloud for real-time analysis.

Honda R&D is monitoring and analyzing data from more than 160 sensors in Formula One (F1) cars using IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Drivers and crews can apply data and analytics in real-time to help streamline performance and improve fuel efficiency, enabling drivers to make real-time racing decisions based on this data, such as speed adjustments and pit stops.

As a race is taking place, data is streamed to the cloud and shared with the pit crew teams equipped with tablets and mobile technology. The data is analyzed in real-time by researchers at HRD Sakura, Hondas R&D facility in Japan dedicated to automotive motorsports and the McLaren Honda F1 team in the United Kingdom.

Transmitting this analysis using IBM Streams, implemented by IBM Global Business Services, as the race is taking place allows for adjustments to basic metrics such as temperature, pressure and power levels that help improve the vehicle's performance.

IBM Streams is an advanced analytic platform that allows user-developed applications to quickly ingest, analyze and correlate information as it arrives from thousands of data stream sources. The solution can handle very high data throughput rates, up to millions of events or messages per second.

Additionally, the Honda research team can also now build very complex performance models to measure energy recovery of the power unit to ensure its longevity.
Animal control officers received a call of a small dog at large, on Maple Circle. Animal control officers checked the area and were unable to locate the dog.

Officers tagged a vehicle regarding a parking problem on Wind River Drive and Essex Street.

Officers spoke with an individual at the police department, at 375 W. Flaming Gorge Way, who had questions about a previously reported incident.

Officers responded to a report of a larceny, at 68 E. 2nd Street South. It was reported an individual was removing items from outside St. Johns Thrift Store.

Officers completed a report regarding...
Cruz takes 9 of 12 Wyo. delegates

In a single vote, delegates attending the Sweetwater GOP's county convention decided to support Sen. Ted Cruz as their preferred presidential nominee.

With a total of 45 votes, Cruz secured a majority of county delegates. Rock Springs resident Nolan Leatham was selected to support Cruz and be one of 29 Wyoming delegates sent to the Republican National Convention, which takes place in Cleveland, Ohio July 18-21.

According to Sweetwater GOP chairman Bill Hooley, a majority vote of 50 percent, plus one vote was needed, otherwise the delegates would have voted a second time. Out of 89 delegate...
(Editors Note: As part of Sunshine Week, which promotes transparent government, were publishing this guest column)

Government must be held accountable.

The only way for the public to hold government accountable is for all of the actions of government to be out in the open.

That is why open government is part and parcel of democracy.

When government is allowed to operate behind closed doors, it grows out of control, is not responsive to the public and is subject to corruption.

These are some of the reasons the media, watchdog groups  and most importantly the general public ...
On the surface, caucuses appear to be a perfectly democratic process, but we think there are problems.

For the Republicans, people living within each precinct get together and elect representatives to the county convention based on who they support, who then go on to a county convention and again vote for a delegate that best represents that groups vote on who should be the partys Presidential nominee. For Democrats, the process starts at the county level, but follows a similar path.

The inherent problem with caucuses is they seem to mainly attract the die-hard members of the parties...
Rep. Stan Blake meets with Boy Scouts from Troop 312, Green River, at the temporary Capitol on February 29. From L to R, Rep Blake, Brecken Caroon, Daniel Ames, Greg Sherwin, Thomas Whitaker, Sabien Maez, John Makie, Oliver Cruz, Eagle Scout Matthew Winkel, Martin Cruz, Travis Kloepper and Eagle Scout Kyle Thomas.

Boy Scouts from Green River made their report to Gov. Matt Mead at the end of February, national scout month.

Each February, Scouts across the nation present a report to the governor of their state. Select scouts are also picked to present a report to the U.S. President as well. Green River's Boy Scout Troop 312 and eagle scouts recently spent the last day of boy scout month in Cheyenne during Wyoming's recent legislative session.

The report presented to the governor entails the progress of scouting in the state. Boy Scouts is a congressionally charted organization and each year since the...
More than a million children from the Carolinas all the way to Maryland have had a chance to experience live theater and participate in creative workshops and other outreach programs thanks to the efforts of UNC-Greensboros North Carolina Theatre for Young People.

For many of the kids, its their first time attending a performance and an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.

The program, which is part of the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, began in 1962, when UNCG theater professor Herman Middleton collaborated with Marian Smith, then the president of the Junior League of Greensboro, to start a theater group called the Pixie Playhouse. Its debut production was Hans Christian Andersens The Red Shoes.

The group eventually became NCTYP, and for more than 30 years, co-founder and UNCG professor Tom Behm served as artistic director, advising countless graduate students as they staged performances for children in the community.

Today, NCTYP teaches and entertains more than 15,000 elementary- and middle-school students, their teachers and others each year with main-stage performances at UNCGs Taylor Theatre and touring productions that visit schools, museums and other venues.

Artistic director Rachel Briley, now in her 16th year with the program, said that although the mission is to enrich the lives of young people and their families, its also an important way to connect the university to the community.

This is about the collaboration that happens when we go out to these people, Briley said. Some of these schools just dont have the resources to come to us, so the only way these kids are going to ever see live theater is if we go to them. Its just really beautiful and wonderful that we engage with the community in this way.

Each springs touring production requires a tremendous amount of work and time away from school. Briley, who is an associate professor and head of UNCGs Master of Fine Arts program in Theatre for Youth, said shes continually amazed by the devotion of the students who participate.

We tour every Tuesday and Thursday and some Saturdays, throughout February, March and April, maybe visiting 30 venues every spring, she said. With that schedule, some of these students have to leave at 4:30 in the morning on a weekday, and they become an ensemble. They ride in the bus together, they unload and set up the set, they have to bring all of their costumes  its a very work-intensive process. Usually for the tour, its undergraduate students, because of the graduate students schedules.

Several factors are taken into consideration when choosing each years productions, Briley said. Titles need to be somewhat familiar to audiences, because the group relies on ticket sales to pay for its efforts. The set is another important aspect, because it has to fit into a bus that only seats eight people. And each venue is different, she said.

Spatially, you may play in a cafeteria, on a small school stage or in a gymnasium, so you need a set that is going to adapt to all these different environments.

This spring, NCTYP is presenting James and the Giant Peach, based on the 1961 book by Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood and directed by Abigail Van Patter. Its the story of 4-year-old orphan James Trotter, who lives in England with his two dreadful aunts, Spiker and Sponge.

When James accidentally drops a magic potion under a peach tree, a giant peach begins to grow, and he discovers a secret room inside where he meets a motley gang of talking insects. Together, they work to cut the peach loose, roll through the village and plunge into the ocean, where they are surrounded by sharks. After being rescued by hundreds of seagulls that carry them across the Atlantic, they eventually land in New York City, and their adventure continues.

The productions offer more than just entertainment. NCTYP students and staff create classroom study guides for teachers to download that include a synopsis of the play, biographical information about the author and a variety of fun learning activities related to each story, including arts and crafts, character studies, writing exercises and more.

They also conduct professional development workshops for educators and work one-on-one with students in the classroom.

We work directly with children, and its different than presenting a play, Briley said. We do whats called process drama, which is for the development of the child. The kids get to enact things and experience life from the perspective of someone else, like stepping into the shoes of another person. The whole goal is to explore the human condition, so were trying to raise peoples consciousness.

Briley said the response has been phenomenal, with many schools asking NCTYP to come back the next year.

There are certain places that know us and love us, she said. Lindley Elementary has been amazing to us, and The Newcomers School, which is a one-of-a-kind school for refugees here in Greensboro. Its just wonderful, and we get grant funding to go there. We get such beautiful testimonials, the letters they write to us, pictures the kids have drawn. Its really amazing.

Briley said seeing the childrens reactions is especially rewarding for everyone involved, and though the program requires a lot of juggling, its one of the reasons she loves her work.

The opportunity to engage with children in our community is the most joyful and fulfilling aspect, she said. Interacting with young people allows me to see things from a different perspective; their curiosity about the world positions them to experience theater with a deeper commitment than any audience I have ever seen.

To work in Theatre for Young Audiences is an honor. It continues to increase the respect I have for children and young people on a daily basis. And theres the possibility that a live theater experience or process drama in the classroom could change a young persons life forever.
When it comes to finances, one thing is always on the minds of Connecticut residents. Mortgages.

Financial website NerdWallet cites almost 169,000 complaints filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that highlight what U.S. consumers found most annoying in 2015. Debt collection, followed by mortgages, credit reporting, and credit cards were the four top aspects Americans submitted complaints about.
Controversial. Photo: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times

No one can accuse Andy Puzder, the CEO of Carls Jr. and its twin Hardees, of losing too much sleep over the livelihood of his 20,000 employees: If his latest scheme ever becomes reality, his company wont have employees at all, per se. The Obamacare-hating head of Americas probably most sexist chain recently took a trip to Eatsa, the new automat-style restaurant people have raved about in San Francisco, and left realizing hed found how he can avoid paying workers higher minimum wages. As he confides to Business Insider this week, Carls new goal is creating restaurants where you order on a kiosk, you pay with a credit or debit card, your order pops up, and you never see a person.

While Puzder has blamed low-paid workers for a variety of things, he tells the publication theres nothing bad about robots: Theyre always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, theres never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race discrimination case. (He clearly didnt see Ex Machina.) Also, automation will only be more win-win as time goes on, he says, because Millennials like not seeing people. Hes observed lines of young people waiting for kiosks while a worker stands inert behind the register, which does seemingly play right into his dystopian restaurant future.

At least Business Insider reports his employee-free restaurant remains fantasy for now  Hardees is in the middle of a major expansion in the Northeast, and Puzder isnt batting a thousand as a visionary. Still, hes right about a trend toward automating the food and hospitality industries, and he sounds pretty committed to making it happen: This is the problem with Bernie Sanders, and Hillary Clinton, and progressives who push very hard to raise the minimum wage, he explains, adding almost as a quasi-threat: Does it really help if Sally makes $3 more an hour if Suzie has no job?

[BI]
Sure. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

In case you didnt notice the parade or the people with green beards running around, today is St. Patricks Day. A religious holiday that Americans have dutifully turned into a celebration of beer colored with food dye. In other words, its a day that most reasonable people know requires avoiding local pubs and beer halls at all costs. Still, you cant stay just cooped up in your apartment all day. For one, theres work. Maybe you really like corned beef and would like a civilized place to have a sandwich  or you just want a drink that first and foremost was created to taste good. Well, youre in luck because Grub has assembled a handful of reasonable, excellent-sounding specials.

Corned Beef Sandwich

Where: Bunk

Price: $11 or $15 with a Guinness

You dont have to know how to step-dance to get down with corned beef. At this Portland import, theyre serving a special featuring housemade corned beef on marbled rye with bacon-braised cabbage, Gruyere, and mustard aioli.

The Final Say

Where: Le Garage

Price: $12

Green drinks can have their virtues. The Bushwick bistro will stick to its French roots in the kitchen, but the bar has a special cocktail, the Final Say. A riff on the Prohibition-era cocktail the Last Word, their version subs in rye for gin, keeping the Luxardo maraschino liqueur, lime juice, and green Chartreuse for a hot, herbal kick.

Soda Bread

Where: BKLYN Larder

Price: $2.75 each

Irish soda bread is, undoubtedly, one of the Emerald Islands top contributions to the culinary world. At this upscale Park Slope grocery, theyre getting real fancy with theirs, serving it with local flour and real buttermilk, both from upstate New York.

Chocolate Stout Eclair

Where:Dominique Ansel Bakery and Kitchen

Price: $6.50

Dont subject yourself to shamrock-themed cupcakes and mint-whatever cookies. Youll be much happier satisfying your sweet tooth with Dominique Ansel, whos marrying French technique with Irish ingredients. At both of his bakeries, hes serving a twist on the traditional chocolate eclairs, piping in a chocolate ganache accented with stout, and making four-leaf clover macarons ($14.50) filled with Irish whiskey chocolate ganache.

Caribbean Corned Beef Sandwich

Where: Lolos Seafood Shack

Price: $10

The Irish arent known for their love of the sun, but chef-partner Raymond Mohan doesnt mind. Hes giving traditional corned beef a Caribbean touch, serving it on an islands-style Johnny cake, a cornmeal flat bread, with pickled cabbage and traditional green seasoning, a herb-packed condiment given a kick by jalapeno peppers. It comes with a side of sweet potatoes with herbs and honey butter.



Irish Spring

Where: The Gander

Price: $14

Heres the excuse you needed to check out the Ganders new front bar room. For the holiday, theyre offering a special cocktail, Irish Spring, made with Jameson, Fernet Branca, and fresh lime juice. Stay festive by getting yours with a plate of chef Jesse Schenkers corned beef and cabbage ($22).

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Where: The Breslin Bar and Dining Room

Price: $32

April Bloomfield is a Brit, but her restaurant in the Ace Hotel has embraced the holiday. They brined brisket in-house for 15 days, then slow-braised and wrapped it in cabbage leaves for todays special. Its served with Thumbelina carrots, baby potatoes, and Brussels sprouts along with house mustard, Irish soda bread, and  why not?  brown bread with Kerrygold Irish butter.

The Green Green

Where: Piora

Price: $15

At the New American restaurant, bartender Shinya Yamao has debuted a very green-hued but not cheesy highball made with tonic water, fresh mint, sudachi (a type of citrus) juice, and green Chartreuse.
Justin Pehowic died suddenly at 37. Photo: Justin Pehowic/Facebook

Restaurant staff often refer to themselves as a family, but in the case of acclaimed New Jersey restaurant Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen, they actually appear to act like one. A New Jersey kid raised in nearby Madison, sous-chef Justin Pehowic was part of the restaurants staff from its opening in 2014 until this weekend, when he suddenly died at the age of 37. The cook died of an apparent heart attack following a Saturday night shift, which head chef Kevin Sippel says went off without a hitch. Now, to pay tribute to him, the restaurants staff are hanging his chefs whites and mounting a striped bass, in honor of his love of fly-fishing, in the kitchen.

In comments to the Morristown Green, Pehowic was described by his colleagues and owner Chris Cannon, a partner in Allonda, as a pasta wizard who was both a hardworking, serious chef and a lighthearted, consistent prankster  someone who could find humor in the high-stress environment of an intense kitchen. Sadly, he was, Cannon says, three weeks away from a promotion to chef de cuisine, certainly no small achievement at a restaurant that was named one of the countrys best by Esquire. Its a touching tribute to a chef who died too young.

[Morristown Green]
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Yesterday a set of leaked photos surfaced online and they claimed to show the upcoming iPhone 7 and its new antenna design. Today, in an odd twist of events, Li Nan, Vice President of Chinese manufacturer Meizu, made a clarification that the device featured in yesterday's close-up shot is actually the Meizu Pro 6.

The latter, of course, is yet to be unveiled, but in order to back his statement up, Li Nan provided a photo of the back of the device with a visible Meizu logo. We are not quite sure what to call the shot in question, as it is not exactly leaked, considering its source. The development is slightly odd, but we can sympathize with Meizu if the claims of lengthy development work on the company's part for the new antenna design are really true.

However, this whole story does not negate the fact we have seen a number of other traces, pointing to an almost identical antenna design on Cupertino's next handset. The second shot in yesterdays leak, for instance, clearly features an Apple logo on the device. And the same goes for an earlier batch of renders and a shot of what appear to be exact sketches on the back panel, as well as the alleged dual-camera module to go into the iPhone 7 Plus.

Overall, the situation is shaping up as yet another "who copied who" ordeal with Meizu already looking slightly desperate to stand its ground.

Source | Via




Haiti - FLASH : Important fire at a gas station, heavy toll





This Thursday afternoon March 17, 2016, a major fire broke out in a Total service station in downtown Hinche, causing heavy flames and thick smoke, following according to first information, the explosion of a truck carrying petroleum products. Local residents panicked were asked to evacuate the area. Some time later the fire was contained, agents of the Minustah was on site to fight the fire and limit the damage.



The National Police of Haiti (PNH), the Directorate of Civil Protection (DPC) the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP), the Haitian Red Cross and the Scouts of Haiti have intervened, however, more 30 injuries have been reported, 2 of the burned were transferred to Port-au-Prince and 1 to Mirebalais hospital Center, 7 people were burned alive according to a provisional toll. Lhopital Sainte Therese de Hinche est deborde par l'afflux de blesses.







Jovenel Moise, the presidential candidate under the banner PHTK declared  Se avek anpil tristes ak ke sere mwen aprann aksidan ki rive nan yon estasyon gazolin nan vil Ench. Mwen voye kondoleyans bay tout fanmi moun ki pedi lavi yo nan aksidan sa a. Mwen pwofite di tout moun Ench ke mwen ave yo e m'ap toujou rete avek yo nan bon moman tankou nan moman dlo nan je. Mwen mande tout popilasyon an pou lapriye pou victim yo ak pou tout popilasyon Ench la. 



Jude Celestin, the presidential candidate under the banner LAPEH declared "Se gro doule kap ravaje m le m we sak rive fre m ak se m nan vil #Hinche.

Mwen voye senpati m bay chak fanmi ki viktim nan gro aksidan sila. Santiman, doule ak tristes mwen al jwenn nou, mwen la avek nou nan moman tristes sila e map priye pou Haiti ak moun viktim nan vil Hinche. Bondye voye je sou Haiti ak viktim nan vil Hinche"



For the moment the material and human final toll remains unknown... the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.



The Ministry of Interior made a provisional assessment of the fire : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16900-haiti-hinche-the-ministry-of-interior-made-a-provisional-assessment-of-the-fire.html



Message of sympathy from Total Haiti : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16901-icihaiti-fire-hinche-message-of-sympathy-from-total-haiti.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2016/03/17 | Source

"Goodbye Mr. Black" Lee Jin-uk became to learn about Moon Chae-won's tragic past story.

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On MBC's Wednesday & Thursday drama, "Goodbye Mr. Black" episode 2, Cha Ji-won (Lee Jin-uk), who is a commissioned officer of the special warfare unit of Korea Navy, went to Thailand for training. He met Kim Swan (Moon Chae-won) there.

He first thought that Kim Swan was a pickpocket but found out it was his misunderstanding. Cha Ji-won later met Kim Ji-ryoon (Kim Tae-woo), who was a president of an NGO, to do an errand for his father there. He happened to hear a story about what had happened to Kim Swan in the past.

Kim Ji-ryoon explained, "Tsunami swept Thailand. Kaya was found on a pile of garbage then. She could not speak for a while probably because of the trauma and we could not figure out her personal details. She still doesn't know who she really is and who her parents are. So she has become a stateless orphan since then".

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Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby.

20:37, 21 OCT 2022
For HR professionals wanting to move on to bigger and brighter challenges, it can pay to have a job lined up before you quit, however Morris says there are pros and cons to this approach.

For financial reasons most people prefer to have another job lined up before they resign, she says.

In addition, selling your personal brand is easier when youre employed as employers prefer to hire someone who is currently working, as you are in a stronger negotiating position when you are employed,

She says an unemployed candidate will only have an advantage if the position really needs to be filled immediately and he/she has the right skills.

However, Morris notes that some people find it difficult to conduct a job search while in a current role.

After all, when you are at your current job, it should be your primary focus, she says, noting that underperforming in your existing job will harm your reputation.

The best employees always strive to finish strong and leave on a positive note.

Also, all it takes is one inappropriate email or phone call at work to alert others that you're considering leaving.

You also need to be careful about updating your social media profiles  if you update a profile when you havent done so in two years it can signal that you are looking for another job, Morris says.

professionals are old hands at accepting staff resignations  but when it comes to orchestrating ones own resignation and exit strategy, how can HR professionals gracefully exit their organisation?Lisa Morris, Senior Regional Director of Hays Human Resources sits down the HC Online to share her top advice on how to devise a winning exit strategy.When it comes to resigning the most important point to remember is that it is not the time to air grievances, Morris says.After all, its important to resign without burning your bridges.She says thats because your reputation in your current role can play a factor in obtaining subsequent jobs.Even if youve already secured your next job, youll still need good references in the future, Morris says.So you will need to exit gracefully and with professionalism.The first step HR professionals should take is to write their resignation letter, which acts as a legal document stating the date from which you wish your notice period to begin.You may want to add an extra sentence or two thanking your boss for the opportunities you've been given, and expressing your regret. There is no need to elaborate any further, Morris says.Then Morris recommends picking the best time to hand the letter to your manager in person and take the time to discuss with her or him why you are leaving.The best way to steer the conversation is to focus on the opportunity to grow your skills and experience.Your boss may be disappointed to lose a good staff member and acknowledge your hard work during your employment, but explain you now need to focus on your career progression, Morris says.In some organisations, your resignation letter is not received by your line manager. But its still a courtesy to inform your immediate manager in private and in person first.But HR professionals should not treat their resignation as an opportunity to bring up past grudges, and this could undo years of hard work.And dont begrudge a lack of salary increase or bonus  it could be the result of the broader economic environment  and your manager might not have been given one either, Morris says.Let your boss decide how your contacts will be informed of your resignation, she says.Dont assume you can tell everyone immediately. When you can, tell them in a professional manner and with tact.Finally, dont expect your current employer to waive your notice period so you can start your new job earlier. By serving your notice period you can hand-over to the new recruit, which is a big help to a business.Similar stories:
Trying to juggle a professional life while living with the effects of a debilitating condition is a huge struggle faced by an overwhelming number of Australian employees  and their employers.



Australias top killer, chronic disease affects around 50% of all Australians, with one in five people affected by multiple chronic illness, according to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.



Stacey Mount, Senior Account Manager at Hallmark Cards, lives with the debilitating condition Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and says while her life has been dramatically impacted because of her condition, having a supportive employer can make a lot of difference to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) sufferers.



The condition effected my life dramatically for years, Mount told HC Online.



It seemed that whenever there was a big event 'A party, wedding, Xmas day' I would be bed bound in agony.



This continued for years until I moved from the UK to Australia and living a normal life became a constant struggle.



I didn't understand what was happening. This was until Feb 2013 when I was told to go straight to hospital as I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.



She says her employer, Hallmark Cards, was very supportive throughout her diagnosis and subsequent operation.



I had only been with the company 2 months when I was diagnosed and they supported me at every hurdle, Mount says.



This was amazing because the stress of starting a new job and the constant worry of what they thought to begin with made me worse.



But my manager had known someone with IBD and totally understood what I was going through.



Mount says employers need to offer workers greater flexible working arrangements to help employees manage their conditions.



I was very lucky my employers were very understanding but I know this isn't always the case, she says.

If you prove you work hard when you are well, then a company should support you when you aren't at your best.



While many chronic illnesses are associated with the aging population, IBD usually occurs in teenagers or young adults, thereby affecting them in the prime of their personal and professional lives.



Australia has one of the highest rates of IBD in the world, with data showing some 360.5 people per 100,000 are affected by the disorder, characterized debilitating and embarrassing symptoms like the urgent need for a bathroom, loose bloody bowel motions and severe abdominal pain.



These difficult symptoms ensure that Crohns and colitis largely remains undiscussed and unnoticed in the workplace and community.



Misconceptions and lack of education and understanding about IBD can make employment a lot harder for those living with the condition, Mount says, as it is often confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a less serious condition with similar symptoms.



The biggest misconception is that employees/managers think IBD is the same as IBS, but it isn't IBD is far worse, Mount says



They have no understanding what is happening to your body. It is the hidden disease, she says.



I have spoken out at Hallmarks head office about my illness and my story as part of our 'live well, work well' program.



Mount says this was an excellent opportunity to create awareness about the condition.



The company are very open about anyone discussing their issues and are always very supportive. I even received an email from the MD asking if there was anything the company could do, she says.



She advises fellow professionals with IBD to be open with their colleagues and share their condition so people understand what is going on with them.



It would be that it's better to be up front and honest about your condition then you don't have to feel embarrassed if you need to rush to the rest rooms during an important meeting, Mount says.



People totally understand and move on, she says.



I have found that more people are aware of Crohn's disease as more people are diagnosed with the condition. This makes it easier because you don't have to describe what it is or what is happening to your body.



However, she says more HR departments should implement better policies and strategies to ensure employees are able to access healthy and flexible working conditions.



If you treat your staff well they want to work harder, Mount says.



She says her former employer had great flexible working arrangements which allowed her the option of working from home or from the office.



If I have a bad day and I need to stay at home my company have had no issue with that, Mount says.



It makes it stress free and I know I can still get my work completed.



The more stress you put on yourself the more chance of a flare up, so it's worth every employer knowing that, Mount says.



HR professionals can find more information about IBD on the ownyourIBD website: http://ownyouribd.com.au/the-road-to-ownership




Upcoming Programs at Grandfather Mountain State Park

Kites and History Presentation

Fri, 04/01/2016  4:00pm to 5:00pm

Location: Park Office  9872 Hwy 105 S, Suite 6, Banner Elk (Google Map: https://goo.gl/Uq0vrX)

Program length is 45 minutes long  additional time added to make kites if participants want.

In honor of National kite month Ranger Sicard will be presenting a PowerPoint that reveals the many ways kites have had major influences in our Nation and worlds history of events. TRUE OR False; The Niagara Fall Suspension Bridge was created from a kites string? True! Come and learn about the boy named Homan Walsh whos kite was the beginning of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge as well other people and situations where kites paved the way for our future and successes in world which we live in today. For those attending the program and would like to make a kite to take home call the park office to secure the materials which will provided free of charge through the Park.

Camouflage

Fri, 04/15/2016  4:00pm to 5:30pm

Location: Boone Fork Parking Area (Just north of the 300 Milepost on Blue Ridge Parkway) (GPS: 36.120076,-81.781358)http://goo.gl/dEizYH

Appropriate for all ages; children 16 and under must be accompanied by adult. Please leave pets at home.

How many times have you walked passed something and not realized it was there until it was pointed out to you or it moved? Chances are pretty good this has happened to you and if so this program is for you. Join Ranger Sicard to celebrate Take A Child Outside Week and learn the many ways animals use camouflage in the wild and also how to be more attentive when hiking out on the trails to notice more neat things than what is right on the trail. This will be about a 30 minute program consisting of a presentation and an interactive part for attendees to try and locate several staged animals in the area around where the program is held.

100 Mile Hike (Nuwati Trail)

Fri, 04/22/2016  10:00am to 1:00pm

Location: Boone Fork Parking Area (Just north of the 300 Milepost on Blue Ridge Parkway) (GPS: 36.120076,-81.781358)http://goo.gl/dEizYH

Appropriate for ages 8 and up. Children under 16 must be accompanied by adult. Please leave pets at home.

(2-mile hike round trip | Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate)

Celebrate the North Carolina State Parks Centennial with Grandfather Mountains 100 Mile Challenge. Hikers can log more miles for their challenge with our Nuwati Trail Hike. This two mile guided hike will take hikers along the Nuwati Trail, which follows the track of an old logging road. Its an easy but rocky hike, including a spectacular view of the Boone Bowl and Calloway Peak from Storytellers Rock. Dress appropriately for the weather conditions and sturdy hiking shoes or boots are suggested. This will be approximately a 3 hour hike so please bring any water or snacks you will need to complete the hike. Download 100 Mile hiking log at http://www.ncparks.gov/grandfather-mountain-state-park/activities.

Grandfather Mountain 100-Mile Challenge

Fri, 04/22/2016  12:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: Boone Fork Parking Area (Just north of the 300 Milepost on Blue Ridge Parkway) (GPS: 36.120076,-81.781358)

Appropriate for all ages. Children under 16 must be accompanied by adult. Please leave pets at home.

(4-mile hike round trip | Difficulty Level: Moderate to Strenuous)

Celebrate Earth Day with one of our parks Centennial 100-Mile Challenge events. Hikers will join a ranger on a 4-mile hike  hiking the Nuwati Trail to the Cragway Trail, up to Flat Rock View and returning on the Daniel Boone Scout Trail. The hike will be at a slow, but moderately strenuous pace and last about 4 hours. Hikers should dress for current weather conditions and wear sturdy hiking boots. Bring water and snacks. Download 100 Mile hiking log at http://www.ncparks.gov/grandfather-mountain-state-park/activities.

Science Behind Water

Sat, 04/23/2016  2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: Profile Parking Area, Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk (GPS: 36.121990, -81.829993)

In honor of Science week, join Ranger Sicard at the Profile Trail parking lot anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. to learn some interesting tricks and science behind water and its effects on the environment and manmade objects. The activities will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and can be done at any time during the schedule program time of 2:00-4:00pm. http://www.ncsciencefestival.org/2016_event/grandfather-mountain

Emerging Spring Wildflowers at Grandfather Mountain

Sun, 04/24/2016  4:00PM-6:00pm

Location: Profile Parking Area, Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk (Google Map:https://goo.gl/dBX99s)

In honor of Science week, join Ranger Appling in documenting emerging spring wildflowers to add to our bloom calendar. By maintaining this database we can help predict bloom dates, show trends and better understand what effects lead to plant emergence and blooming. http://www.ncsciencefestival.org/2016_event/emerging

This program will be in conjunction with the Wildflower Walk at 4:00PM.

Need Help with Medicare Preventative Benefits?

Your Medicare benefits can do more than help cover the costs of doctor and hospital bills. Medicares preventive benefits help you to be proactive with your health in order to avoid serious illnesses or chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Whether you get a flu vaccine, are screened for diabetes or other illnesses, or want help to quit smoking, Medicare preventive services are covered no matter what kind of

Medicare health plan you have. Preventive services can catch health problems early when treatment works best and can keep you from getting certain diseases or illnesses.

Preventive services include exams, lab tests, screenings, vaccines, monitoring and information to help you take care of your own health.

Medicare covers preventive care whether youre in Original Medicare or a Medicare

Advantage Plan (also known as a private health plan). If you have Original Medicare, you pay no coinsurance or deductible for certain preventive services if you see a provider who participates in Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans must also cover the full cost for preventive services that are free under Original Medicare as long as you follow the plans rules. Call your plan for details.

Keep in mind, you may have costs related to some of these preventive services if your provider makes a diagnosis during the service or performs additional procedures. For example, if your provider removes a polyp during a colonoscopy, the colonoscopy will be considered diagnostic and costs may apply.

The following is a list of preventive services that are covered with no deductible or coinsurance:

Welcome to Medicare Preventive Visit

Annual Wellness Visit

One-time Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening

Alcohol Misuse Screening and Counseling

Mammogram Screening

Breast Examination

Cervical Cancer Screening

Colon Cancer Screening

Depression Screening

Diabetes Screening

Heart Disease Screening

HIV Screening

Medical Nutritional Therapy

Obesity Screening and Counseling

Osteoporosis Screening

Prostate Cancer Screening

Smoking Cessation

Sexual Transmitted Infection Screening

Vaccines

If you have questions about Medicares preventive benefits, contact SHIIP, the North Carolina Seniors Health Insurance Information Program, at 855-408-1212 to speak with a trained counselor or to request a free brochure or you can call your local SHIIP office at 828-265-8090. SHIIP is part of the North Carolina Department of Insurance and assists people who have questions about Medicare, Medicare Part D, Medicare supplement, Medicare Advantage and long term care insurance. SHIIP also helps citizens recognize and prevent Medicare billing errors and possible fraud and abuse through the N.C. Senior Medicare Patrol program.

Trained SHIIP counselors are available for free, unbiased counseling appointments in all 100 North Carolina counties. Learn more at www.ncshiip.com.

Adrian Tait Selected as NC Regional Director for ResCare

(Boone, NC) Adrian Tait, Director of the High Country Workforce Development Board (HCWDB), has been selected as the North Carolina Regional Director for ResCare Workforce Services. He will assume this role next month. Since 2011, Tait has served as director of the HCWDB and has helped the board continue to grow into a dynamic, demand-driven organization. The NCWorks Career Centers  which are overseen by the HCWDB  served 1,090 businesses and more than 15,000 job seekers across its seven-county region last year. Through his leadership and collaborations with business, education, government, and non-profit leaders, the HCWDB has developed innovative solutions for the region such as partnering on unique strategies to re-engage students who have dropped out of school and regional collaborative initiatives to help more regional businesses find the talent they need to compete. The High Country Workforce Development Board is known nationally for our innovative approaches thanks for Adrians vision and leadership, said Sallie Woodring, chair of the workforce development board. He has worked hard for our region and also shared his passion across North Carolina over the past five years. His progressive approach and enthusiasm will be missed. ResCare Workforce Services is a national workforce services provider with operations in 330 locations across 29 states serving more than 1 million job seekers and thousands of employers annually. In his new role with ResCare, Tait will work with its operations throughout North Carolina, in partnership with local workforce boards and the broader NCWorks system, continuing to strengthen NCWorks Career Centers in many parts of the state. ResCare currently operates in five workforce regions in NC with 19 locations and more than 150 ResCare staff. While I am certainly excited to step into this new role, it is also with some sadness that I leave the High Country Workforce Development Board, Tait said. Weve been a part of transforming the workforce system here in the mountains and beyond, and Im proud of our staff and our board members. Woodring stated that the HCWDB will appoint an interim leader while it conducts a national search for Taits replacement. The High Country Workforce Development Board oversees the workforce development system in the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey. Its mission is to help employers meet their workforce needs, help individuals build careers, strengthen the local economy, and meet the challenges of global competition. The HCWDBs work reaches adults seeking more meaningful careers, dislocated workers aiming to regain employment, and young adults focused on getting the right start in life. The HCWDB also represents employers from a broad range of leading industries that need workers with the training, skills, and dedication to produce important products and services for a global marketplace. For both, the HCWDB helps guide the efforts of public and community resources to enhance the workforce capabilities.

Wells Fargos David Carroll to Speak at ASU March 24

David Carroll, executive vice president of wealth and investment management (WIM) will be the speaker for the spring Harlan E. Boyles Distinguished Lecture at Appalachian State University.

The event, sponsored by the Walker College of Business, is Thursday, March 24, at 10 a.m. in Holmes Convocation Center on Appalachians campus and is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828-262-2057.

A financial services veteran with more than 36 years in the industry, Carroll joined Wachovia Bank & Trust Company in 1979 and then Wachovias predecessor, First Union National Bank, in 1981. From 2005 until the merger with Wells Fargo, Carroll served as senior executive vice president and head of Wachovias Capital Management Group, which included retail brokerage, asset management and retirement and investment products. Previously, he was head of corporate services and merger integration, chief of eCommerce and technology, and head of First Unions General Banking Group region in Florida and earlier in Georgia.

Carroll earned his bachelors degree in business administration from UNC Chapel Hill. He is a board member of Trees Charlotte, the UNC Chapel Hill Foundation and the Chapel Hill Investment Fund. He also serves and on the Board of Visitors at UNCs Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Approximately 34,000 team members in the wealth and investment management unit provide a full range of personalized wealth management, investment and retirement products and services to clients across U.S.-based businesses. Through its sub-brands  Wells Fargo Advisors, The Private Bank, Abbot Downing, Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement & Trust, and Wells Fargo Asset Management  WIM delivers financial planning, private banking, credit, investment management and fiduciary services to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families.

It also serves customers brokerage needs, supplies retirement and trust services to institutional clients and provides investment management capabilities to global institutional clients through separate accounts and the Wells Fargo Advantage Funds.

WIM manages and administers $1.6 trillion in client assets, including $178 billion in deposits, and holds $63 billion in loans.

About the Boyles Lecture Series

The Distinguished CEO Lecture Series began in spring 1988. In October 1991 the biannual series was dedicated to Harlan E. Boyles, who served as State Treasurer of North Carolina for 24 years. Boyles died in 2003.

The series provides an opportunity for students, faculty and members of the community to meet outstanding business leaders.

Free Autism Day Camp Set for April 15-17 at Camp Sky Ranch

Camp Crinkleroot, a free day camp April 15-17, is recruiting campers ages 8-14 with autism spectrum disorders. The retreat will be held at the Camp Sky Ranch facility in Blowing Rock. It will be staffed by trained Appalachian State University volunteers.

Camp Crinkleroot is a program sponsored by Appalachians Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services within the Beaver College of Health Sciences. It provides parents and caretakers with free respite care, offers children on the autism spectrum the opportunity to participate in typical camp activities that have been modified for their specific needs and celebrates April as autism awareness month. Siblings of campers are also invited to attend and will participate in all camp activities as well as special camp activities designed for them.

Children will have one-on-one supervision and be encouraged to take part in expressive arts and nature activities, field games, smores making and other camp fun.

Applications are due by April 1. Availability is limited to 15 campers.

Parents and caregivers interested in participating in this program should contact Mary Sheryl Horine at [email protected] to receive a camp application and information or visit http://www.ihhs.appstate.edu/community/crinkleroot.

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High Country Community Health (HCCH) received a $1,000 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation to equip education space for underserved elementary and middle school-aged students to teach about dental health and hygiene.

The educational program, a partnership between HCCH and Avery County School System, will provide valuable information that children will be able to put into practice throughout their childhood and adult lives.

High Country Community Health is extremely grateful to have been awarded one of the Delta Dental Foundations Smiles for Kids Grants, said Alice Salthouse, CEO of High Country Community Health.

Thanks to the generosity of the foundation, we were able to purchase chairs for the community education room within our Newland Dental Office. This room will be used for dental education for school-aged children and community meetings. As an organization, we are proud to provide quality and affordable dental care to the people of Avery County and the surrounding area. The team here at the Newland Dental Office is compassionate, professional, and efficient. Thank you to the Delta Dental Foundation for allowing HCCH to expand its services further into the community through dental education.

The Delta Dental Foundation focuses on ensuring that children and adults in North Carolina receive high-quality oral health education and dental care. The High Country Community Health grant is one of 17 grants totaling $40,000 awarded to North Carolina nonprofits providing oral health programs. Grant recipients were selected based on criteria that included the number of at-risk children served, the uniqueness of the program, the level of community involvement in the program and the ability to measure results.

In 2013, the Avery County Health Department identified access to dental care services as one of its three health priorities and recognized High Country Community Health as meeting this need, Delta Dental of North Carolina CEO Curtis Ladig said. Because early prevention is key to avoiding serious oral health issues, our foundation is proud to support High Country Community Health and its work to provide much-needed oral health education to children in Avery County Schools.

About the Delta Dental Foundation

The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The foundations goals are to support education and research for the advancement of dental science, and to promote the oral health of the public through education and service activities, particularly for those with special needs. For more information, visit www.deltadentalnc.com.

About Delta Dental of North Carolina

Delta Dental of North Carolina is a nonprofit dental service corporation created in 1970 to provide dental benefits throughout the state. Its mission is to improve the oral health of the communities it serves. It does so by providing affordable access to oral health care with the largest network of providers, including two out of every three dentists, in North Carolina.

About High Country Community Health

High Country Community Health is a community health center with locations in Boone and Newland, North Carolina providing primary care, behavioral health and dental services within an integrated medicine model of care that treats the whole person. Patients benefit from the services of a interdisciplinary treatment team that provides individualized care tailored to meet their specific health needs.

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Uusi Suomi reports that an article published on the website of the research centre claims not only that the two countries may organise a referendum on Nato membership in 2018 but also that they reached an agreement of sorts on mutual military assistance with Estonia in late January.

The Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS) has weighed on the position of Finland and Sweden on Nato.

The trilateral agreement is according to RISS an interesting development because it seemingly strengthens the ties of Finland and Sweden with Nato by virtue of the fact that Estonia is already a member of the inter-governmental military alliance.

Arto Luukkanen, an adjunct professor at the University of Helsinki, points out in an interview with Uusi Suomi that the article has been published by a prominent research organisation that provides research data to the Russian Government.

Johan Backman, an adjunct professor known for his pro-Russian statements, is reportedly the representative of RISS in Finland and the Nordics.

Luukkanen also points out, however, that the article has been written by a junior researcher and lacks references to the source materials. He is particularly puzzled by fact that the otherwise seemingly logical article suggests an agreement on military assistance has already been struck between Estonia, Finland and Sweden.

What's the source? Has such an agreement really been struck or has the researcher taken some liberties? he asks.

The author of the article also estimates that the political elite in both Finland Sweden is in favour of Nato membership, while the public is opposed to the membership. He also gauges that public support for the membership is considerably lower in Finland than in Sweden.

He considers it likely that if Finland and Sweden join the military alliance, they will do so concurrently.

A lot will depend on the possible referendums on Nato membership that have been planned for 2018, he writes.

The article also acknowledges that the Government of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) has commissioned an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the membership. The Government of Sipila states in its action plan that the possibility of the membership should not be ruled out but that no active efforts to pursue it should be taken.

The previous government programme stated explicitly that the membership is not topical.

RISS also claims that pro-Nato media campaigns have been launched in Finland and Sweden in an attempt to stir up concerns about Russia.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
WEEKEND TIPOFF: Play festival, train tales, piano

WHEN play festival is Friday

The advanced theatre classes of four public high schools will showcase four 30-minute plays they have created during the seventh annual WHEN performance at 6 p.m. Friday, March 18, at Hendersonville High School.

WHEN, which stands for West Henderson, Hendersonville, East Henderson and North Henderson high schools, connects students and celebrates creativity through a formal production.

Early in the new year, the four county high school theatre teachers come up with a line of dialogue, one prop and one incident the students must use to create a new work of theatre. This year, the teachers also selected a decade from history. This years prompts include a birdcage (prop), the return of a loved one (incident) and Artichokes! (line of dialogue). The play must be set in the 1970s.

The students have five weeks to create, write, design and rehearse their production. Each group has a limited budget of $100. All the energy culminates in a public performance, critiqued by area theatre professionals.

Anything can happen

in comic hypnotism act

Gutbusters Comedy Club presents comic hypnotist Steve Meade in The Comedy

Hypnotism Tour at 8 p.m. Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26.

Meade is a popular hypnotist using the power of hypnotism to get volunteers to act out a variety of hilarious scenarios. The Comedy Hypnotism Tour is a two-hour unscripted performance where anything is possible.

Admission is $15. Soft drinks, beer, wine and mixed drinks and foods are available for purchase. Gutbusters Comedy Club is performed at the Hendersonville Community Theatre at 229 S. Washington St. Reservations may be made by calling 828-692-1082 or on line at Gutbusters.com.

Train Tales tells of depot in the 60s



SALUDA  Billy Shand will share stories of riding passenger trains up and down the Saluda Grade in a talk at 6:30 p.m. at the Saluda Historic Depot on Friday, March 18. Shands great-grandfather built one of the first summer homes in Saluda. Since he was an infant, Billy Shand spent most summers in Saluda and enjoyed visiting the depot under the watchful eye of stationmaster, Doran Fisher. He will share with the audience memories of riding the Carolina Special to and from Saluda from his home in the South Carolina Low Country.

Saluda Train Tales is a free monthly event to educate the community of the importance of Saludas railroad history and the Saluda Grade. The events are at the Saluda Historic Depot, 32 W. Main St. For more information, contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or judyward@charter.net or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or cathy@saludalifestyles.com.

Spring is in the Air at Square Dance Club



The Southern Lights Square and Round Dance Club will hold a Spring is in the Air dance on Saturday, March 19, at the Whitmire Activity Center on Lily Pond Road. An Experienced Clothing Sale will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Advanced dance is at 6 p.m. followed by early rounds at 7 and squares and rounds at 7:30 p.m. Caller: Stan Russell. Cuers: Lou and Al Krech. For information visit southernlights.org or Facebook.

BRCC concert series features classical pianist

The Blue Ridge Community College Concert Series will feature pianist Kirill Gliadkovsky at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, in Thomas Auditorium on the campus. The program will feature works by Bach, Schumann, Liszt and Brahms.

Born in Moscow, Gliadkovsky made his first public appearance at the age of 6, attended the Tchaikovsky Conservatory and earned both masters and doctors degrees in musical arts degrees at the University of Southern California. He has won numerous prizes at international piano competitions, and has performed at such music festivals as Aspen, Ventura, Music in the Mountains and Redlands Bowl in the U.S. and at the Credomatic Festival in Costa Rica.

Admission is $10 payable at the door; student admission is $5. For more information contact Dr. Kevin Ayesh at 828-694-1860 or kevina@blueridge.edu.

Tomfoolery features music and seafood



SALUDA  Saluda is setting the stage for some Tomfoolery on April 1 with an Oyster Roast at the Back Alley Barn behind Thompsons Store/Wards Grill. This is a benefit to raise money for the purchase of the Saluda Historic Depot.

Doug and Bunny Williams of Chapin, S.C., will perform. They will be joined on the Back Alley Barn stage by Dick Goodwin, who has wowed audiences with his Dick Goodwin Bog Band and Dick Goodwin Quintet both nationally and abroad.

A Silent Auction will include numerous items from businesses and other sponsors of the event. Guests are encouraged to dress up in their finest tomfoolery costumes. Tickets are on sale at Thompsons Store or at the Saluda Historic Depot Thursday through Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Reservations may be made by calling 828-749-2321. A ticket is good for a choice of Oysters or Seafood Gumbo and includes a beer and hushpuppies. The Back Alley Barn is at 24 Main Street. For more information, contact Judy Ward at 828-674-5958 or judyward@charter.net or Cathy Jackson at 828-817-2876 or cathy@saludalifestyles.com.
The young girl that jockey Ruby Walsh dedicated his big win to yesterday is little Annie Brennan - who has been given a good prognosis by doctors treating her for leukaemia, her dad has said.

Racing star Ruby won the Champion Hurdle on Day One at the Cheltenham Festival on Annie Power - but took time out to wish her well in an emotional interview afterwards.

"There's a little Annie in Ireland watching this Annie, and she'll be alright too," Ruby said in an interview.

Annie (7) first met the champion jockey when he visited Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin late last year. Her father, Tim Brennan, said that Ruby has kept in touch with the Kilkenny family since.

"Annie was diagnosed with leukaemia a week before Christmas and spent the Christmas period in Crumlin Hospital, and she got home on New Year's Day," Tim told the Herald.

Ruby had been in to visit the children in the hospital and, as he has three daughters of his own, Annie's case struck a chord with him. The little girl is a huge fan of Annie Power and Ruby, according to her dad.

Name

"Annie is very comfortable around horses, because I'm around them all the time with work," he said. "Annie Power is her favourite horse, of course, obviously because they share the same name.

"A while ago, Annie Power won a race and our Annie drew a picture of her. I promised that I'd bring it around to Willie's (Mullins) stables and show it to them, and Willie said I should hang it on her door - which made our Annie very proud.

"Of course, Annie Power ended up eating the picture!"

Mr Brennan said that it was a special moment when Ruby took time out of the biggest day of his year to wish little Annie well.

"We were all watching the race on Tuesday when he won, and we were surprised when he dedicated the win to our Annie," he said. "It was fantastic. Annie was delighted to hear it too.

"Annie is three months into the chemo now, and she goes to school the days she's not getting treatment. Everything is going well and we have been given a good prognosis."
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm spent his first day of freedom in five months signing on at a garda station.

Dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a navy fleece, a black gilet jacket and a pair of Nike runners, Mr Drumm (49) was dropped off at Balbriggan Garda Station in north Co Dublin just after midday by his sister.

He spent less than five minutes inside the station signing on for the first time and left without making any comment to the waiting media.

Mr Drumm arrived in Ireland on Monday morning following his extradition from the US, where he had spent five months in custody.

Freed

He appeared before the Criminal Courts of Justice where he was freed after he lodged 50,000 in cash and his parents-in-law Danny and Georgina O'Farrell put up 100,000 sureties for his bail.

As part of his bail conditions he handed in his passport, agreed to live at an address in Skerries and to sign in twice a day at Balbriggan Garda Station.

He faces 33 charges relating to his time at the failed Anglo Irish Bank, including fraud, forgery and false accounting.

He will appear in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on April 8.

His trial there is not expected to begin until 2017.

The case involves allegations of 7bn back-to-back transactions with Irish Life & Permanent, which the State believes was part of a conspiracy to defraud.

The charges also allege unlawful loans to the so-called "Maple 10" group of investors, as well as members of Sean Quinn's family.

Mr Drumm has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.

The court heard Mr Drumm's own cash bail of 50,000 had been lodged and independent sureties totalling 100,000 were approved.

Frozen

Half of this is in cash, with the remaining 50,000 frozen in Mr and Ms O'Farrell's joint account until the case is completed.

Judge Walsh then gave Mr Drumm the formal warning that he must provide details of any alibis he intends to rely on to the prosecution within 14 days.

The court has heard the case will involve more than 100 witnesses and a "voluminous" amount of evidence involving emails, 400 hours of phone recordings and "millions of documents".
A travel agent who set up a charity that sent terminally-ill children to Lapland has been given a suspended sentence for stealing more than 18,000 from the organisation.

John 'Con' Murphy (66) received the non-custodial sentence despite Judge Patrick McCartan expressing concerns that he was involved with a new charity he set up called the Make it Happen Foundation.

The judge suspended a three-year sentence yesterday after hearing Murphy's family had raised the full amount to compensate for the theft.

The Children to Lapland App- eal has since gone into liquidation. The money will now be split between Crumlin Children's Hospital and Barretstown camp for children, "a charity that is dear to my heart and close to where I reside", the judge said.

Murphy, of Church Road, Killiney, was convicted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after a two-day trial and 42 minutes of jury deliberation. He pleaded not guilty to four counts of theft totalling 18,643.

Misgivings

Judge McCartan said he had "very grave misgivings about this behaviour".

He said it appeared Murphy had wound down one charity and started up another and the concern was he was up to the same thing.

The judge banned Murphy from fundraising for three years as part of the terms of his sentence.
Gardai are on high alert ahead of the release from jail in the coming days of one of Ireland's most notorious gangland figures.

Limerick thug Liam Keane (32) will be back on the streets early next week after serving a 10-year sentence in the high- security Portlaoise prison.

He and another gangster pleaded guilty to the possession of a Glock semi-automatic weapon and 13 rounds of ammunition in Limerick on May 4, 2008.

It is not known if Keane, who is understood to have piled on the pounds in prison, will travel to Spain where his notorious drug-dealing father Christy Keane is understood to be based.

Christy Keane (55) was shot on the grounds of the University of Limerick last June as he parked his car early in the morning.

The attack left him seriously injured.

Detectives last month arrested three criminals in relation to the shooting, but they were released without charge.

Liam Keane's release is expected to increase gangland tensions, with fears that he might attempt to avenge the attempted murder of his father.

The young thug has long- standing links to the Brian Rattigan gang faction that was involved in the deadly Crumlin/Drimnagh feud.

He was also associated with the mob linked to murdered Finglas gangster John Daly.

However, Keane is best-known for his involvement in the notorious Keane/Collopy gang that was involved in a feud with the McCarthy/Dundon outfit for almost a decade in Limerick.

Monitoring

"Gardai will be closely monitoring Keane's movements when he's released from jail. He has connections to a number of serious Dublin criminals as well as his own gang in Limerick," a source told the Herald.

A prison source said Keane has "put on a load of weight" while behind bars but has been "keeping his head down" since 2011.

This is a major change from his behaviour when he first entered the prison system in 2008 when he was classified as "extremely unruly" and caught with illegal mobile phones and other contraband on several occasions.

Keane has been locked up since he and his associate Greg Crawford (29) were arrested during a major operation mounted by the Emergency Response Unit.

The Glock, which was loaded and ready to use, was found in their car.

Keane, who has around 50 previous convictions, walked free from a murder trial in November 2003 after several witnesses denied making statements to gardai identifying him as the killer of Eric Leamy (19) in 2001.
Vogue Williams show Wild Girls will be on TLC in Britain (Alexandria Hall)

Vogue Williams will be hitting UK TV screens next month after her documentary series was picked up by a top British channel.

The Dubliner impressed critics with her hard-hitting documentary series Wild Girls on RTE 2, which saw her meet some of America's toughest female prisoners and attend a sex club.

The 30-year-old model said she was thrilled when the show was picked up by TLC in the UK, as it will help build her profile across the water.

"TLC bought Wild Girls, and I am delighted - because I did want to have stuff on air in the UK," Vogue told the Herald.

"They took another episode, so it is going to be a four-part series and it will air on April 20."

Vogue is also looking forward to filming the second instalment of her Wild Girls series in May, after it was recommissioned by RTE2.

Addiction

This time around, Vogue will be touching on a range of subjects, including homelessness and addiction.

Following the breakdown of her marriage to Brian McFadden last summer, the model is footloose and fancy-free - and has nobody in her life yet, she said.

"I'm in a really good spot and happy to be on my own, which I think weirds people out.

"But I've been in relationships for 11 years now, so it's nice to have a bit of 'me time'."

She will be in New York today to celebrate St Patrick's Day with friends.
A general Election candidate who spent time in jail for trying to prevent the installation of water meters has made a 136,000 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.

Damien O'Neill - who got 1,446 votes in Dublin Bay North - had to pay interest and penalties for under-declaring capital gains tax and income tax.

The anti-water charges campaigner is listed on the Revenue list of tax defaulters as a company director.

Records show that Mr O'Neill - from Greenwood Park, Blunden Drive in Dublin 13 - has been involved in a number of companies in areas such as cleaning, security and wholesale.

He ran as an Independent candidate in the election, citing over 30 years as a community activist as his big selling point.

"I continue to stand with the people in their fight against austerity, and I am committed to giving something back to the community," his election webpage said. He stood as part of the Right2Change platform and finished 16th out of 20 candidates in the so-called "group of death" constituency of Dublin Bay North.

Owed

Contacted yesterday about the Revenue settlement, Mr O'Neill said he had no comment to make about it.

Figures released by the Commissioners show that he owed a tax bill of 84,739 but as part of the settlement he also agreed to pay 25,849 in interest and another 25,849 in penalties. The total debt came to 136,010.

Mr O'Neill previously came to public attention when he was imprisoned for contempt of court orders that restrained interference with water meter installers.

He had been sentenced to 56 days in jail in February of last year but was released, along with three others, after less than a month on a technicality.
When the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising arrived, there were plans to inscribe a violent Patrick Pearse poem called 'Invocation' on the wall of Dublin's new Garden of Remembrance.

Taoiseach Sean Lemass thought that this was a seriously bad idea.

In a note to his civil servants, he described himself as "disturbed by the fierce and vengeful tone of the poem, which was entirely appropriate to the circumstances of 1916 but will be less so to those years after 1966".

Since Lemass (inset, receving his 1916 participant's medal in 1966) had actually fought alongside Pearse in the GPO he could hardly be accused of not being a red-blooded republican himself.

But his caution illustrated a crucial point about the dangers involved in remembering 1916.

Every single commemoration has said more about the time in which it took place than the Rising itself - and that is set to be true of 2016 as well.

Pearse and his fellow rebels fully understood this. After all, the whole point of their 'blood sacrifice' was that it would fail at first but then act as an inspiration for future generations.

Tense

Sadly, however, commemorating the Rising has often been a tense and bad-tempered business - because different political groups have used it to further their own interests.

The warning signs were there from as early as Easter 1917. Some Dubliners wore black armbands, while tricolours were defiantly flown over the GPO and Nelson's Pillar.

A riot broke out on O'Connell Street as youths pelted police with stones from rubble that had still not been cleared up.

By the time Ireland was able to legally celebrate 1916, civil war had poisoned the political atmosphere. In the 1920s it became common for W.T. Cosgrave's Free State government and Eamon de Valera's anti-Treaty forces to organise their own separate events.

After Dev came to power, he showed no shame in turning Rising commemorations into a Fianna Fail-only zone. When he unveiled a statue of Cuchulainn at the GPO in 1935, complete with an open-air mass and parade of 7,000 soldiers, Opposition leaders were kept off the invitation list.

This caused a lot of anger and the Silver Jubilee celebration in 1941 was relatively low-key, partly because it took place in the middle of a world war.

By this stage the standard methods of paying tribute to 1916 had been clearly established.

There were special coins, stamps and medals for the surviving combatants.

Catholic ceremonies were often involved, quietly ignoring the fact that many of the rebel leaders had been agnostic or hostile to the Church.

In keeping with the conservatism of 20th century Ireland, the Rising was remembered as a military revolution rather than a social one.

The Cuchulain statue features just one paragraph from the 1916 Proclamation, focusing on the need to end British rule with no mention of that document's feminist or radical credentials.

For the Golden Jubilee in 1966, everything went into overdrive.

A huge programme of State events was organised, including parades across the country, school essay competitions and a floodlit pageant in Croke Park.

RTE set aside a whole week for programmes about the Rising, including the groundbreaking drama Insurrection by Hugh Leonard, which ran for eight consecutive nights.

Triumphalism

Away from all this triumphalism, however, storm clouds were gathering up north. Sinn Fein attracted a large crowd for their own parade in Belfast, which included a gawky 17-year-old barman called Gerry Adams.

Meanwhile, Ian Paisley organised a loyalist service at the Ulster Hall to give thanks for the Rising's defeat.

Within a few years, the Troubles in Northern Ireland had changed everything.

As Belfast went up in flames, southern politicians were terrified of doing anything that might give comfort to the Provisional IRA.

The annual GPO parade was quietly dropped in 1970 and six years later it actually became illegal under the Offences Against the State Act.

Sinn Fein held a rally of 10,000 people anyway, which led to scuffles with gardai on O'Connell Street.

The State did hold an event at the GPO for the 75th anniversary in 1991, but it was a pitiful affair with no speeches and lasted just 12 minutes.

That year celebrations organised by the artists' group 'Reclaim the Spirit of Easter' were extremely successful - proving that 1916 still had great public appeal.

Gradually, the Northern Peace Process made it respectable to be an Irish nationalist again. Bertie Ahern, who kept a portrait of Patrick Pearse in the Taoiseach's office, restored the GPO parade in 2006.

"I was determined to take 1916 back from both the IRA and the revisionists," he wrote. He also established a Centenary Committee to make the 2016 commemoration bigger and better.

It may not work out that way. The Government's plans have been disappointingly bland, with its promotional video slammed by the historian Diarmaid Ferriter as "embarrassing, unhistorical s**t".

Sinn Fein are organising their own parallel exhibition with a greener tinge at the Ambassador Theatre, while in Belfast the PSNI has warned that dissident republicans might mark the occasion by trying to kill someone.

The Easter Rising will be remembered for a long time to come - but we may never be able to agree about what it meant.
EXHIBITS

THE GALLERY @ BARR PHOTOGRAPHICS: Abingdon, Va., 152 E. Main St. Collection of cross-stitched fabric art, "Magic In The Needle," by Johnson City, Tennessee, artist, Barbara Clemons. 276-628-1486 or http://barrphotographics.com.

EDITH BOLLING WILSON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION AND MUSEUM: Wytheville, Va. Exhibit of The Electric Past and the Future Come Together, Edith Bolling Wilsons Electric Car. 276-223-3484, www.edithbollingwilson.org.

MUSEUM OF THE MIDDLE APPALACHIANS: Saltville, Va. Exhibits in main hall include: Geology, The Ice Age, Native Americans, Pioneer Settlement, Early Salt and Gypsum Industry, War-Between-the-States, Industrialization, Company Town Life and Wetlands. 276-496-3633 or www.museum-mid-app.org.

NYUMBA YA TAUSI-PEACOCK MUSEUM: Bristol, Va., 412 Clinton Ave. Two permanent exhibits: African artifacts, handmade toys, musical instruments, jewelry, etc.; African American collectibles, black memorabilia, i.e., dolls, quilts, photos, etc. $5 adults/$3 for children under 12. Museum hours: 1-5 Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Monday and Wednesday are by appointment, 276-669-4596.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER: Abingdon, Va., Exit 14, I-81, Lobby: On permanent display, works by Kyle Buckland. 276-619-4300.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Richlands, Va., Charles R. King Community Center, Elmes, Gallery. Through March 31.: A Walk on the Wild Side by Suzanne Barrett Justis from Kingsport, Tennessee. Oil paintings depict animals from exotic to domestic and scenic backgrounds from the tropics to the tundra.

WHITES MILL & MERCANTILE: Abingdon, Va.,. Open full time for the summer season with free tours of 1790s grist mill. Donations are appreciated to help with the continuation of the restoration of the mill. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Large groups call in advance for a tour. 276-628-2960 or whitesmill.abingdon@gmail.com.

WILLIAM KING ART MUSEUM OF ART: Abingdon, Va. William King Art Museum, March 3, 6p.m.: Opening reception of Normal: Nazi Germany in Found Photographs in the United-Legard Galleries, runs through June 17. Through June 26: Roadside Attractions: The Weird and Wonderful Worlds of Mark Cline in Price-Strongwell Galleries. March 3: First Thursday, 6-8 p.m. Food, music, Pop Up Shops; March 3, 6-8 p.m. Opening reception for Jeana Eve Klein Exhibit in Panoramic Gallery, runs through April 4; March 3, 6-8 p.m.: Reception for Chilhowie High School artwork in Student Gallery, runs through April 14. 276-628-5005 or visit williamkingmuseum.org.

WASHINGTON LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Bristol, Va.-Tenn. Hayes Furniture Building, 5th Annual Student Art Gallery in Downtown Bristol, through March 31. Showcasing umbrella art from third grade students at Washington Lee Elementary.

CHARLES HARRIS LIBRARY GALLERY: Wise, Va. March 22, 6 p.m.: Reception for the Wise County School Art Exhibit. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.

ETC.

TALES OF THE LONESOME PINE BOOK STORE: Big Stone Gap, Va., 404 Clinton Avenue E. March 18, 7 p.m.: Mountain Music and Medicinals Series. Learn about wild edible and medicinal mushrooms and plants with Eddie Yates of Wise and Willie Dodson of Appalachia. Music at 8 p.m. by Strawberry Jam. March 26, 7 p.m.: The Bloody Irish, DVD to be shown to commemorate 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter uprising in Dublin.

BRISTOL PUBLIC LIBRARY: Bristol, Va. March 19, 2-3 p.m.: How the American Chestnut Acquired and Lost Foundation Species Status by Dr. John Scrivani, Virginia Information Technology Agency, Chester, Virginia. His talk will cover changes in the range and dominance of the chestnut since the last ice age. Info: Ruth Gregory, 828-281-0047, ruth@acf.org.

PTERODACTYLS BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB: Johnson City, Tenn., 2801 Boones Creek Road, 3rd Saturday, 9 a.m. Contact David Robertson, 423-323-2046 or drobertson@btes.tv.

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS: Bristol, Va., 1601 Euclid Ave., Bristol Life Saving Crew, monthly meeting will be the 3rd Monday of each month. Anyone wishing to join and help save history please come by. James Booher, renegade24201@yahoo.com, 276-591-6732.

LEGOS: Johnson City Public Library, Jones Meeting Room, Children in kindergarten through fifth grade invited to attend themed Lego building programs once a month. No registration required. 424-434-4458.

CAVERS: Marion, Va., Main St., Center Square Building, The Walker Mountain Grotto of the NSS meets on the third Tuesday at 7 p.m. Cavers and all others who may be interested are invited to free meetings. 276-228-7357.

KILN RENTAL: Jonesborough, Tenn., McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School is offering the opportunity for local potters to kiln fire their midrange ceramic pieces through a kiln rental process. The kiln will have the ability to fire mid-range green ware to cone 04 and mid-range glazed are at cone 5. Skilled potters and ceramicists with a working knowledge of clay bodies and glaze applications may call Pam Daniels at 423-753-5097 to schedule a meeting and obtain a copy of Kiln Policies, Pricing, Firing Schedule and Rental Agreement.

CALL FOR ARTISTS/VENDORS

JACKSONS MILL JUBILEE: Weston, W.Va., Accepting applications for crafters. Applications and fees turned in by April 1 will be eligible for a $100. Rules: http://www.jacksonsmilljubilee.net.

HUNGRY MOTHER FESTIVAL: Marion, Va., Hungry Mother State Park. Art League of Marion is seeking artists and crafters for the 43rd annual event to be held on July 15-17. Applications are due by Jan. 31. Information and applications for exhibitors to download available at www.hungrymotherfestival.com. Alice Hauver, 276-783-3245, or email dollfashionsbyalice@gmail.com.

HALE SPRINGS INN: Rogersville, Tenn., 110 W. Main Street. Hale Springs Inn & McKinneys Tavern in Rogersville, Tennessee, is looking for local artists - Painters, photographers, writers - to showcase their talents for free. Visual artists may display work for the duration of the arranged month. 423-272-5171 or info@halespringsinn.com

VIRGIE R. FLEENOR ART GALLERY: Bristol, Va., 701 Goode St., Bristol Public Library, invitation to artists to exhibit their works. Each exhibition is scheduled for a two month period and June unavailable. Applications can be obtained by calling 276-821-6148 or stop by the library.

THE ART PLACE: Chilhowie, Va. Offering space for studios, gallery shop, classroom for artists, craft people in Smyth County and neighboring communities. 276-496-3734.

DOWNTOWN KINGSPORT ASSOCIATION: Kingsport, Tenn., Main Arts Center and DKA seeking artists interested in showing work. 423-246-6550.

THE GALLERY @ BARR PHOTOGRAPHICS: Abingdon, Va., 152 E. Main St. Call for artists. Dean at the Gallery, the gallery@barrphotographics.com or 276-628-1486.

GALLERY IN THE GAP: Big Stone Gap, Va., The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State. Accepting applicants for artisans/crafters. Applications accepted through April 8. 276-523-1322. swvamuseum@dcr.virginia.gov
Security personnel evacuated two aircraft at New Delhi's international airport Thursday after receiving an anonymous phone call of explosives being placed on the planes in a third such scare affecting Indian airlines in less than 24 hours.

It was not immediately known if any explosive was found. Passengers and crew were taken off an Air India domestic flight from New Delhi to the eastern city of Bhubaneshwar and their baggage was being checked, Press Trust of India said.

Separately, passengers of a Royal Nepal Airlines jet from New Delhi to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, were also ordered off the plane at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Both aircraft were taken to isolation bays and were being searched.

The airport control room received a call from a man who said there was a bomb on the Nepal-bound plane. He also said there was a "problem" with the Air India aircraft, police said. They did not give any further details.

All 155 passengers and nine crew members of the Kathmandu flight and the 186 passengers and crew of the Air India flight were evacuated.

Late Wednesday, the passengers and crew of an Air India jetliner were evacuated at Bangkok's international airport after an apparent bomb hoax.
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Author, playwright Kiran Nagarkar says the youth is forgetting the freedom struggle. Slams Mumbai for being largely indifferent towards events that affect the rest of India

Speaking about the events at JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University), Delhi, noted author, playwright Kiran Nagarkar said, As a democracy, we have forgotten our national narrative: the freedom struggle. The youth today speaks as if our country lacks history altogether. Take Kanhaiya Kumar, for instance. He spoke of azadi (freedom) in his recent speech at JNU. But he wouldnt have been able to give his speech had it not been for the ultimate azadi that the likes of Mahatma Gandhi fought for.

Born in 1942, Nagarkar witnessed the Independence movement and the Partition first-hand. The influence still shapes his outlook toward the current political scenario.

He blamed the superficial nature of social media for the same, especially the short lifespans of trending topics and their dangerously growing importance.

He also slammed Mumbai for being largely indifferent to the political issues affecting other parts of India: Since 1991, post the economic liberalisation, Mumbai has been materialistic and indifferent to the rest of the country.

Catatonic changes are happening around us: political and climatic. I want young people to take responsibility for everything thats wrong with our society and devise holistic strategies to ensure social inclusion, equality and justice, he said.

The banned play

The drive to change Mumbais outlook is evident in Nagarkars literary works as well. The introduction to his play Bedtime Story (1977) reads: There is no crime greater than apathy or indifference. The play, inspired by the Mahabharata, faced political opposition by the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, and released 17 years after it was first written in 1995.

Nagarkars play is a critique on the Indian society for its casteist and sexist outlook. For instance, his tribal prince Eklavya, Dronacharyas snubbed student, does not sacrifice his thumb. Instead, he creates a mock thumb using soil and spit, and gives it to Dronacharya on a leaf. Like guru. Like gift, says Ekalavya in Nagarkars book.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH KIRAN NAGARKAR: Weve handed Mumbai over to real estate moguls

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Author, playwright and one of the citys most prominent voices says the city has become materialistic

Kiran Nagarkars Breach Candy residence is everything youd expect of an authors house: wooden floors, antique tables, carved lamps, bamboo blinders, a floral carpet framed on the wall, and a rack of books by authors such as Pupul Jayakar and Amartya Sen.

For a 74-year-old, Nagarkar is surprisingly energetic. This, despite a bout of illness for which he blames the pollution in Mumbai. I recently heard a few people talking about how the garbage problem in Mumbai has ended. Has it really? I was hospitalised because I couldnt breathe. This smog is deadly, he says.

It wasnt always like this, though, recalls Nagarkar, who has spent seven decades in the city, and been one of its greatest mouthpieces. We just dont care for our city any more. Weve handed Mumbai over to real estate moguls, politicians and the mafia. They want to beautify it. But they dont understand that Mumbai is not about high-rises and sea faces; its about people like you and me. Who is going to think about them?

This weekend, Nagarkar will do a short reading of Bedtime Story, his extra-legally banned play (by fundamentalist pressure groups) at Kitab Khana.

The cover of Nagarkars extra-legally banned book, Bedtime Story.

Back in time

Born in 1942, Nagarkar grew up in a chawl in Dadar and witnessed the Independence movement and the Partition first-hand. The influence still shapes his outlook toward the current political scenario.

As a democracy, we have completely forgotten our national narrative: the freedom struggle. The youth today speaks as if our country lacks history altogether. Take Kanhaiya Kumar, for instance, who spoke of azadi (freedom) in his most-recent speech at Jawaharlal Nehru University (Delhi). But he wouldnt have been able to give his speech had it not been for the ultimate azadi that the likes of Mahatma Gandhi fought for, he says.

Nagarkar blames the superficial nature of social media for the same, especially the short lifespans of trending topics and their dangerously growing importance.

From time to time, the author stares out of the window and contemplates. He keeps coming back to the same topic: the need to awaken the youth to take a stand. Since 1991, post the economic liberalisation, this city has been materialistic and indifferent to the rest of the country. Catatonic changes are happening around us: political and climatic. I want young people to take responsibility for everything thats wrong with our society and devise holistic strategies to ensure social inclusion, equality and justice, he says.

The power of stories

The drive to change Mumbais outlook is evident in Nagarkars literary works as well. The introduction to his play Bedtime Story (1977) reads: There is no crime greater than apathy or indifference. The play, inspired by the Mahabharata, faced political opposition by the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, and released 17 years after it was first written in 1995.

Also read: Parties took offence to African actors playing Pandavas in Mahabharata: Mallika Sarabhai

Nagarkars play is a critique on the Indian society for its casteist and sexist outlook. For instance, his tribal prince Eklavya, Dronacharyas snubbed student, does not sacrifice his thumb as the traditional token of honour to the teacher. Instead, he creates a mock thumb using soil and spit, and gives it to Dronacharya on a leaf. Like guru. Like gift, says Ekalavya in Nagarkars book.

Even amidst some serious talk on social change, the storyteller within Nagarkar manifests itself. He emphasises that nothing resonates with humankind better than journeys into fiction and mythology. I like to grab the readers and pull them into a magical world that derives its existence from our real one. Im a storyteller at the end of the day. Its what my life revolves around, he says, with a smile.

Not surprisingly, Nagarkar finds himself revisiting Samuel Taylor Coleridges The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Its my favourite piece of literature, and a mental image I often revisit. Imagine a guilt-ridden man who has killed a bird. He takes hold of another man, who is on his way to a wedding, and keeps repeating his guilt over and over again. As readers, we are the man from the wedding. And characters like the Pandavas and Kauravas, or the ones conjured by Homer, hold you on to the story. They consume and liberate you, he says.

Also read: All you need to know about British director Peter Brooks international Mahabharata

Dont miss

Kiran Nagarkar will read a section from his play Bedtime Story as part of Junoon Theatres Mumbai Local on March 18, 5.30pm onward.

Where: Kitab Khana, Flora Fountain, Fort

Entry: Free

Register on mumbailocal@junoontheatre.org

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He joined the Congress during the Quit India movement and contested polls for the first time in 1962 when Jawaharlal Nehru was in power.

The 91-year-old Gyan Singh Sohanpal, the Congress candidate for Kharagpur Sadar in West Bengals West Midnapore district, retains the appetite for more electoral battles  54 years and 10 victories later.

He faced defeat in 1977, when the Left Front swept to power defeating the Congress. There is so much work to do. Many projects are half-done and I have to complete them, Sohanpal said on Wednesday.

Everyone knows me in Kharagpur town and I know them too. They have supported me for years and seen my work, said the sprightly old man popular as Chacha in his constituency and the political arena of Bengal.

Chacha, a former transport minister, was the obvious choice for the Congress in an assembly constituency where the ruling Trinamool Congress has fielded Ramaprasad Tiwari while the BJPs candidate is its firebrand state president Dilip Ghosh.

Whatever the party says I will do. I am a loyal soldier, Sohanpal said. The key to his success is personal contact with the voters through a rigorous door-to-door campaign.

Chacha has cultivated his constituency since losing his first and second polls in 1962 and 1967. But in 1969, he tasted victory. I won in 1971 too but the assembly was dissolved because of the Bangladesh war. I won again in 1972.

Since 1982, he was never defeated in the Kharagpur Sadar seat of the railway town that Nehru once called mini-India. It is also known for the countrys first IIT.

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Ending months of speculations, AirAsia India on Thursday said Amar Abrol will replace Mittu Chandilya as its CEO with effect from next month.

Chandilya would continue with the airline until the end of April to ensure a smooth transition of the CEO role.

Abrol, who has over 20 years of experience, was most recently the CEO of Tune Money, a startup that aims to deliver low-cost financial products in South East Asia. Chandilya has led AirAsia India from June 1, 2013 and under his leadership, the airline has established a fleet of six aircraft, covering 12 routes and carrying over 1.8 million passengers.

In the October-December 2015 quarter of operation, AirAsia India clocked a 134 per cent growth in passenger traffic as it flew over half-a-million customers, and operated 3,376 flights as compared to 1,444 flights in the same period of 2014.

Before joining Tune Money in 2013, Abrol spent 19 years with American Express, leading diverse teams across multiple markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, India and Malaysia.

Born and raised in India, Abrol graduated from Delhi University and is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Commenting on the appointment, AirAsia India Chairman S Ramadorai said, Mittu Chandilya led the airline team from the front through its launch and establishment in an intensely competitive market.

The Board deeply appreciates his contribution. In Abrol, we have a strong successor, with years of experience in customer delivery, which will be critical to the airlines future. Together with his senior management team, we are confident that Abrol will lead AirAsia India into its next stage of growth.

Abrol said: AirAsia India is poised for strong growth. I look forward to leading the team and together, giving many more Indians the opportunity to access the exciting promise of Indian civil aviation.

AirAsia India today also announced the appointment of Ankur Khanna as the Chief Financial Officer and Kiran Jain as the head of Commercial.

Khanna joins from Air France/KLM, where he recently headed Regional Finance for the Middle East/Gulf region based in Dubai.

Jain has over 25 years of aviation-related experience covering airports, airlines and duty free. Jain most recently headed the Airport Marketing and Route Development function at Delhi International Airport. Chandilya said: The past three years has been a rewarding and enriching journey for me and AirAsia India. I am delighted that AirAsia India is today a customer-preferred airline in the sectors that it operates. I will truly miss each member in our young organisation without whose passion and energy none of this would be possible.
Abbott, which moved to high court on Tuesday to challenge the ban on its codeine-based cough syrup, plans to ramp up its participation in the countrys flagship programme, Make In India, and bring its top selling over- the- counter (OTC) nutrition brands to India. According to market analysts, Abbott currently produces almost 70% of its OTC and pharma products in India.

Our focus in India is to manufacture some of our key brands locally. We have also invested $75 million to set up a green-field manufacturing facility in India to increase local procurement, Amal Kelshikar, country head, nutrition, Abbott India told HT.

The companys top OTC brands in nutrition category includes PediaSure, Similac, NeoSure and SimMom among others.

Abbott had in 2015 revealed that it has invested over Rs 25,600 crore in India over the last five years. India is the third largest market for Abbott, behind the US and China, contributing just over $1 billion in sales. Moreover, as many other pharma giants such as Sun Pharma and Glaxo SmithKline are finding, nutrition is among the fastest growing businesses in India.

In the full-year 2015, Abbotts global nutrition sales totalled $6.98 billion against total global sales of $20.41 billion -- or about 35%. Our nutrition business has grown well over the past three years, registering a consistent double-digit growth year-on-year. This growth has come at a time under conditions which led to some slowing down of the market, said Kelshikar. He did not give absolute growth figures.

As it tries to localise product offerings, Abbott India has engaged its nutrition research centre in Bengaluru to work with its manufacturing plant in Gujarat . The centre focuses on product design, development and delivery specifically for the Indian consumer, with emphasis on local tastes and preferences as well as nutritional needs.

According to IMS Health data, the organised nutrition market in India stood at Rs 6,433 crore in 2015 and factors such as increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases, high numbers of premature births, anaemia among pregnant women, toddlers trailing on developmental milestones etc have created a need for specific, clinically proven nutrition products.

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Heineken is likely to ask Vijay Mallya, who owes creditor banks more than $1 billion, to step down from the board of United Breweries, Indias largest brewer, three people with direct knowledge of the plan told Reuters.

They said such a move would likely be a prelude to the Dutch drinks firm raising its stake in the maker of Kingfisher beer to above 50 percent, betting on a small but fast-growing beer market.

Heineken acquired a 37.5 percent stake in United Breweries in 2008 through its takeover of Scottish & Newcastle and has since increased its holding to 42.4 percent. With Mallya distracted by debts from a collapsed airline venture, this could be a timely grab by Heineken in a market that is growing much faster than the global average.

Two-thirds of Indians dont drink alcohol, often for religious or cultural reasons, but rapid urbanisation and a rising middle class are changing consumer habits. India accounts for 13 percent of world beer consumption, and annual volume growth is expected to outpace the global average, and major markets like China, through 2019, according to ratings agency Moodys.

The sources said Heineken was considering asking Mallya to step down from the United Breweries board he chairs. Alternatively, it could call a shareholder meeting to vote on his ouster from a company his father built into a family empire.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A Heineken spokesman declined to comment on any move to tighten control over the Indian joint venture, but said India remains an exciting opportunity for growth given its demographics and strong economic fundamentals.

Mallya and a spokesman for UB Group did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

KING OF GOOD TIMES

Banks, regulators and investigators in India have turned up the heat on Mallya, who inherited United Breweries at the age of 28 and led it on an ambitious expansion.

Creaking under mountains of bad debt banks themselves are under pressure from the government to chase up high profile cases like Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines collapsed in 2013 leaving unpaid wages and angry creditors.

Mallya has already been forced to give up control over United Spirits, part of his UB Group, to Diageo, which now owns about 55 percent of the company. He stepped down from the board last month, receiving a $75 million pay off. On Thursday, lenders to Kingfisher Airlines will auction off the companys Mumbai headquarters.

Mallya left India early this month - as banks sought a court order to confiscate his passport - and has not disclosed his whereabouts, but he has used his Twitter account to say he is not an absconder and would comply with Indian law.

The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and the vast unpaid bank dues are a high-profile illustration of Indias ineffective bankruptcy and debt recovery processes, and highlight the often close ties between politics and business.

A member of Indias upper house of parliament, Mallya is known as the King of Good Times for his party lifestyle. He is often described as Indias answer to British entrepreneur Richard Branson.

Mallya borrowed heavily to expand his airlines network, but a series of missteps, including the ill-conceived acquisition of a rival, saw the carrier grounded, some former senior staff said. They said Mallya micro-managed operations - from the selection of routes to the design of baggage tags - with no previous experience in the aviation industry.

Unlike what he did in his liquor business, which is run by people who have the expertise, he got personally involved in the airline business .... a very, very wrong decision, said Sanjay Bahadur, who worked at the airline as a corporate affairs executive dealing with the government and regulators.

Mallya has blamed the airlines collapse on macro-economic factors and previous government policies.
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who faces charges of loan defaults and suspected money laundering, has sought time till April to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which investigates financial crimes.

Mallya, once dubbed the king of good times and known for his flashy lifestyle, left the country on March 2 after calls for his arrest. The former UB Group chairperson owes more than Rs 9,000 crore to 17 banks.

ED officials are considering options and studying the reply and reasons cited by Mallya in a letter. Soon, they are expected to take a decision on whether to grant his request.

Read: No bidders for Vijay Mallyas Kingfisher House on day 1 of auction

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a Rs 900-crore loan default case involving the 60-year-old Mallya and IDBI Bank. No other bank has approached the central agency.

The ED is also looking into the IDBI case and has issued summons against Mallya. It has asked Mallya for a personal appearance on March 18 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The CBI has alleged that Kingfisher Airlines, which stopped operations in October 2012, diverted a substantial chunk of the loans secured from public sector banks to tax havens for purposes not specified in applications. The domestic airline was promoted by Mallya.

Mallya has said he is an international businessman who travels in and out of the country, asserting he is not an absconder.

The government, facing Opposition pressure for allegedly letting Mallya escape, has assured that every penny that is due to state-run banks will be recovered.

Read: KF house auction: Whats a Rs 150 cr asset compared to Rs 7000 cr debt?

Besides IDBI, the 10 public sector banks whose loans have come under the scrutiny are: State Bank of India (SBI), UCO bank, Punjab National Bank, Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda, Corporation Bank, Bank of India, United Bank of India, State Bank of Mysore and Indian Overseas Bank.

A consortium led by the SBI wants to liquidate Mallyas assets to recover the loans.

A prime Mumbai property of Mallya failed to draw buyers on Thursday in the first few hours after it was put up for auction.

(With agency inputs)

Read: Can India bring Vijay Mallya back? Only time will tell
A highly publicised move by banks to sell Kingfisher House, once the headquarters of Vijay Mallyas defunct airline, drew a blank on Thursday as potential bidders stayed away from the e-auction deterred by a relatively high valuation and possible reluctance to associate with a troubled brand.

Though the auction was conducted by bankers to Kingfisher Airlines, concerns over possible litigation subsequently could also have put off suitors, experts said. They said limited pre-auction time might have cut out large foreign buyers, who typically conduct longer due diligence.

The base price  bids could only be made above it  for the over 2,400-sq metre house was set at Rs 150 crore, which when combined with the cost of reconstruction would value the property at over Rs 30,000 a square feet. The going rate in the area is Rs 17,000-20,000 a square feet. The bid increment amount was Rs 5 lakh.

The e-auction of Kingfisher House failed to get any bidders. I think the higher reserve price was one of the reasons, said an official involved in the process. There will now have to be an alternative process, although nothing is finalised.

Read More | KF house auction: Whats a Rs 150 cr asset compared to Rs 7000 cr debt?

The development came on a day reports emerged that IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore had written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India intimating it about Mallyas resignation from the post of director of Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd.

Mallya left the country on March 2 with unpaid bank loans of about Rs 7,200 crore and tweeted from an unknown location later saying he was not on the run and would abide by the law. His departure came days before a consortium of 17 banks led by SBI approached the Supreme Court to restrain him from leaving India. Finance minister Arun Jaitley reiterated at a media event on Thursday that the banks would recover every penny due.

...his (Mallyas) facts are very clear. Every government agency, whether its taxation department or investigative agency, wherever he has violated law, is going to take strong action. As far as banks are concerned, they are going to recover every penny of the rupee that they can from him, Jaitley said.

Read More | Can India bring Vijay Mallya back? Only time will tell

The e-auction conducted by SBI Caps Trustee on behalf of the bank consortium was prominently advertised in newspapers and had caught public attention as it was widely seen as the start of a banks-initiated corrective action against Mallyas loan defaults.

SBI Caps did not comment on the auction process.

Such kind of deals have limited appetite as they are done by a select group of foreign buyers who would look at a return of more than 10% and a grade A tenant for such a property. But they need time for all of this, which wasnt there, said Amit Bhagat, CEO, ASK Property Investment Advisors.

Read More | Banks will recover every penny of the rupee from Mallya: Jaitley

Located near the domestic airport in Mumbai, Kingfisher House was put on the block on the online property auction platform, AuctionTiger, under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002. The banking consortium had taken possession of the property in February 2015.

Pankaj Kapoor, managing director of consultancy firm Liases Foras, said the property was priced 40% higher than market rates. Real estate is currently a distressed market and you cant have such exuberant pricing, Kapoor said.

SBI and banks have been caught in more than 20 legal disputes related to Kingfisher Airlines, with more than 500 hearings so far. The banking consortium had already sold shares of the defunct airlines for Rs 550 crore in 2013.

Read More | Vijay Mallya files complaint against newspaper over interview
Russias top oil producer Rosneft today said it has reached a preliminary agreement to buy 49 per cent stake in Essar Oil and the deal is likely to be concluded by June.

Rosneft has concluded due diligence of Essar Oil, which operates the countrys second biggest private sector oil refinery at Vadinar in Gujarat.

We had constructive discussions with management of Essar. We achieved preliminary agreement on the terms and procedure, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin told reporters after meeting Essar Directors Prashant Ruia and Ravi Ruia here.

Essar Oil owns Indias second largest single site refinery, having a capacity of 20 million tons per annum and also has a network of petrol pumps as well as coal-bed methane (CBM) blocks.

We have to go to obtain all the permits (for the acquisition), Sechin said speaking through a translator. Transaction will be completed by June 2016.

Prashant Ruia said Rosneft today confirmed its intention to acquire 49 per cent equity interest in Essar Oil Ltd.

Rosneft has completed satisfactory due diligence of Essar Oil, he said. The parties intend to close the transaction by June 2016 following the execution of mutually agreed binding documents and after receipt of necessary approvals.

The Russian firm in a statement said Sechin has held negotiations with the management of Essar.

Preliminary mutual understanding has been achieved on the timing and structure of a deal to buy into the equity of Essar Oil Ltd.

The parties intend to sign and close the transaction by the end of June 2016 upon obtaining all necessary permits, it said.

Also, the Russian firm will also supply 10 million tons a year of crude to Essar Oils 20 million tons per annum Vadinar refinery in Gujarat for 10 years.

In addition an agreement on crude oil deliveries to commence this year has also been achieved, Rosneft said.

Rosneft, the worlds top listed oil producer, and Essar Oil & Gas Ltd/Essar Energy Holdings Ltd, companies incorporated and managed under the laws of Mauritius, had in July last year signed a non-binding Term Sheet.

Promoter Ruia family in July last year held 90.5 per cent of Essar Oil, of which 65.6 per cent is in the form of overseas depository shares. The company has since been delisted through a share buy back.

Rosneft is majority owned by the Russian government with BP Plc holding under 20 per cent stake and public shareholding at around 10 per cent.
Its not the end of the road for the good old SMS, not yet.

WhatsApp and Facebook may have replaced short messaging service (SMS) in personal messaging, but for mobile banking and instant notifications, SMS is still irreplaceable.

Widely adopted by businesses from banks to startups, SMS is the foundation of the application to person (A2P) market -- the business jargon for services such as one-time passwords (OTPs).

And revenues of most of the bulk SMS aggregators  mediators between companies and network operators -- are growing in double-digits.

We are seeing an increased adoption in all segments, including banking, e-commerce, social media, logistics and health care. The government has also adopted SMS as an effective channel to reach out to citizens, says Uday Reddy, CMD of Tanla, a Hyderabad-based telecom products and services provider. Around 60% of Tanlas revenues come from SMS. The revenue growth was 63.51% in the quarter ended December 2015.

Even the over-the-top applications (such as WhatsApp) platforms are indirectly dependent on A2P SMSs, says Rajdip Gupta, CEO of RouteSMS, citing the fact that promotions and verifications in many such applications are done thorugh SMS.

RouteSMS was established in 2004, and started its India operations three years ago after it set-up presence in five countries. Revenue has grown around 50% in the past 5 years.

Universal reach, compatibility with feature phones, and less intrusiveness and low cost compared to voice calls or WhatsApp makes SMS preferable. Unlike e-mails where 70% of the global messages are bogus, SMS is relatively spam-free.

For all their attractiveness, revenue per SMS is very low at 10 paise -- globally it is around Rs 2, says Ananth Prasanth of Bangalore-based Kapsystem, making it a volume-driven market. Tanla says 8 billion A2P messages are sent in India every month. RouteSMS claims to send over a billion in India and 2.6 billion globally.

This also leaves scope for consolidation in the sector.

In May 2015 mGage, a US-based company, acquired Bangalore-based Unicel in a Rs 100 -crore deal, making it one of the largest player in India with a 45% market share. With Rs 150 crore in reserves, Gupta is also on the look out.

Globally, the share of A2P messaging constituted 22.4% of the 7.3 trillion SMSes sent in 2015, nearly doubling from 11.7% five years ago, according to a study by Portio Research. Global revenue is set to reach about $55 billion in 2017 from $ 33.5 billion in 2010. Just to give a comparison, WhatsApp messages total 11 trillion annually.

Network operators are also keen on the segment. Arvind Bali, director and CEO of Videocon telecom, says the company is getting into the aggregators role to deal directly with firms. It is working on SMSes that get deleted once it is read, to add to the convenience.

As an operator our revenues are going up as we charge for sending these SMSes and for receiving them from other operators. As the volumes are high, it can mean good money says Bali.
The Tata Group expects revenue from its defence and aerospace business to touch Rs 2,650 crore for 2015-16 fiscal (up 7.5% from a year ago) with substantial investments going ahead coupled with a strong push on the Make in India initiative.

Already we are seeing revenue grow at a compounded rate of 18% over the last five years . It is a very promising space. Clearly, there will be substantial new investment, expansion of facilities, more jobs been created, said Mukund Rajan, member  group executive council and brand custodian, Tata Sons.

Several Tata Group companies including Tata Motors, Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (SED), Tata Advanced Systems, TAL Manufacturing Solutions, Tata Technologies, Tata Elxi, Tata Consultancy Services and Titans precision manufacturing division have at least some business in the defence and aerospace business.

Many of these companies are working with global defence and aerospace players such as Boeing, Sikorsky, Rolls Royce and Lockheed Martin on various projects.

We would be open to possibilities of strategic acquisitions, particularly in areas where technology can be absorbed, Rajan said.

Some of the group companies that have stepped up investments include Tata Power SED, which is setting up a new factory at Vemagal in Karnataka with an initial investment of Rs 500 crore. The unit is expected to start operations next year. In the second phase it will invest Rs 200 crore more, said Rahul Chaudhry, CEO, Tata Power SED. It has earlier invested Rs 500 crore in its facility in Bangalore.

Defence is one of the 25 thrust areas under the NDA governments Make in India initiative. It has also eased foreign investment norms to 49% through automatic route.

The government has increased its pace of floating request of proposals for defence procurement, said Vernon Noronha, vice-president defence at Tata Motors, adding that the follow-up process behind each project and the field trials of arms and combat vehicles are also being expedited.

Tata Motors, is one of the bidders for the estimated Rs 60,000 crore Future Infantry Combat Vehicle programme (FICV) and has recently roped in Bharat Forge and US-based General Dynamics Land Systems as its partners in the consortium.

The future of Tata Motors is clearly in the combat vehicle range, said Noronha, adding he expects a compounded growth of 10-12% in the defence business.

Tata Motors is likely to get a fresh order to supply 619 high mobility 6X6 multi-axle trucks to Indias armed forces. It had last year won an order to supply 1,239 such trucks to the Army.

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Shunning the media was never Vijay Mallyas style.

From giving colourful copies to even better photo-ops, the former liquor baron remained the apple of every journalists eye for nearly four decades. While CEOs across the board uttered sweet nothings with a focus on the investors calendar, lest they get a notice from market regulators for speaking out of turn, Mallya was an all-season business leader who seldom disappointed the media.

All this changed a week ago.

At a time when everybody from the central government to the market regulator, the enforcement directorate and banks was hounding him to recover over Rs 9,000 crore in dues, Mallya emerged on Twitter and accused the media of launching a witch-hunt. On March 11, he shot off three messages in quick succession.

Once a media witch-hunt starts, it escalates into a raging fire where truth and facts are burnt to ashes.

Read: Banks will recover every penny of the rupee from Mallya, says Jaitley

As an Indian MP (Member of Parliament), I fully respect and will comply with the law of the land. Our judicial system is sound and respected. But no trial by media.

Let media bosses not forget help, favours, accommodation that I have provided over several years which are documented. Now lies to gain TRP?

The businessmans comments on the social media have made communication experts shake their heads in disappointment. This is a PR disaster, said N S Rajan, global partner and managing director of Ketchum Sampark, a leading public relations agency.

The head of another player in the communications field turned a little more poetic, but on the condition of anonymity. Do you know the saying, badd acha badnam bura? he asked.

In English, this would translate as It is better to be bad than being perceived as bad, or as Mark Twain once said: Give a man a reputation as an early riser, and he can sleep 'til noon.

Over the last three weeks, Mallya has maintained a one-way communication with the media. Starting with this first message after resigning as chairman of United Spirits on February 25, he has avoided any direct interaction with reporters. His spokesperson also sticks to the standard no comments line.

Read: KF house auction: Whats a Rs 150 cr asset compared to Rs 7000 cr debt?

More recently, The Sunday Guardian published an email interview with Mallya  something the latter has discredited as an interview he never gave. While the paper followed it up by publishing the complete e-mail trail, Mallya said he has lodged a complaint with the cyber crime cell in Mumbai.

Crisis experts, particularly those involving the media, are now advising Mallya to clear the air by stating his intentions as well as the likely date of return to India. Take stock of the situation and admit that you have a problem. Be logical and sincere about your intention on how you plan to resolve this issue. If you are able to convey this with conviction, people will give time. It has been done before, said Rajan, who recalls helping one of his clients with a similar problem.

However, it wasnt that Mallya did not try. A week after resigning from the United Spirits Limited, he sent his second message to the media that read, Legal proceedings apart, I have been making efforts to reach a one-time settlement with the banks, and to that end, I have had three meetings and follow-up calls in the recent past. My efforts will continue  this settlement will be based on additional payments to the banks. Personally, I am not a borrower or a judgment defaulter.

However, he continued to take combative posture on what was being said by the media. Despite pledging blue chip securities and depositing significant amounts in the court, a successful disinformation campaign has ensured my becoming the poster boy of all Bank NPAs, he said.
A Delhi court will decide on Friday whether to give bail or not to JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, accused of sedition.

They are among six students slapped with sedition charges after a February 9 event at the university, sparking a debate over nationalism and free speech.

The JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar, facing similar charges, was granted interim bail by the Delhi high court. Three others are yet to be arrested.

After hearing extensive arguments in the case, additional sessions judge Reeteesh Singh said he will give his decision the day after.

The advocates for Khalid and Bhattacharya argued that the two were being singled out while co-accused Kanhaiya Kumar was granted interim bail by the high court.

The lawyers said the police had but one piece of evidence against their clients  a pro- Afzal Guru poster with their names on it.

The lawyers said even the videos of the alleged anti-national sloganeering was in dispute at the present stage.

The prosecutor argued that the young men had attempted to incite disaffection towards the nation by organising the pro-Afzal event.

Meanwhile, a Delhi high court judge referred a plea to cancel JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumars interim bail in a sedition case to chief justice G Rohini on Wednesday for allocating it to another bench.
A Delhi court ordered lodging of an FIR against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas on a complaint filed by a party volunteer alleging that he molested her.

The court also gave police the liberty to arrest Vishwas if required during the investigation.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma while pronouncing the order on Wednesday, also said the complaint accuses him of making sexually coloured remarks which requires probe.

The facts of the complaint disclosed commission of cognizable offence. As mentioned in the complaint, accused made sexually coloured remarks and made advances towards the complainant which require police investigation and accordingly concerned SHO is directed to register an FIR on the basis of complaint and investigate the matter, the magistrate said while allowing the complaint filed by the woman.

The court further said that the investigation shall be done uninfluenced and arrest be made when required.

The magistrate asked Delhi Police to file a status report in the case by Thursday.

The court had on February 24 reserved its order on the complaint in which the complainant claimed she had approached the police but no action was taken against the leader.

In its status report filed before the court, Delhi police had said during its probe, nothing was found to substantiate the allegations levelled by the complainant against Vishwas to register any criminal case against him.

The court had on December 21, last year asked the police to file a status report as to whether any FIR has been registered on the complaint.

The woman, in her complaint seeking registration of FIR against Vishwas, alleged that he had molested her in New Delhi.
A doctor of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was found dead in his hostel room on Thursday. The police said he had not eaten for three days and had locked himself in. They found antidepressants and a used syringe in the room and are investigating whether he died of an overdose.

Friends of Kunal Gupta, 34, told the police the third-year junior resident doctor had been unwell and stopped going to the hospital. One friend saw Gupta lying face down on his bed at the off-campus hostel near Masjid Moth on Wednesday. Peering in from the window, he saw Gupta in the same position that evening. The next morning, he sensed something was amiss and informed his colleagues.

We received a call from the hostel at 1030 AM Thursday after his colleagues knocked on his door and got no response. We broke the door open and found him dead, a police officer said.

There were no external injuries on the body.

His colleagues told us he was suffering from depression and being treated for it at the neurology department. He was on medication, the officer said.

A forensic team took samples of medicines, including antidepressants, found in Guptas room.

The police have informed his family in Bihar and the body will be sent for post-mortem.
Delhi Police on Wednesday told a court here that JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya organised the February 9 event on the campus while JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was not its organiser.

Police took the stand while opposing the bail plea of Khalid and Anirban, who are also facing sedition charge, in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh.

Police said their case was different from that of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar.

The court has set March 18 for its order on the bail plea of Khalid and Anirban.

Both have sought bail on the ground of parity, saying that Kanhaiya Kumar was already granted six-month interim bail by the Delhi High court on March 2 in a sedition case.

Anti-national slogans were raised at the controversial event on the campus here.

Both the students surrendered before the police last month outside a university gate.

A case was registered against Khalid and Bhattacharya at the Vasant Kunj police station, soon after Kanhaiya was arrested on the same charge on February 12.

Police told court that the controversial poster for the event was designed by Anirban and finally approved by Khalid. The poster was mailed by Anirban to Khalid, Delhi Police told the court.

Delhi Police also told the court that the controversial poster bore the names of Khalid and Anirban as organisers. Both even went to the university office along with other students on February 8 for getting permission to hold the event.

First, the permission was allowed but when the event posters surfaced, university authority withdrew the permission.

Both the accused still went ahead with the event and led a procession in which anti-national slogans were shouted, police said.

The defence counsel of both questioned the authenticity of a video clip of the event aired on a private news channel.

Delhi Police told the court that besides the visual clip from a private channel, they have a videotape of the event taken by JNU staff member Jaspreet Singh. Both videos have been sent to a forensic science laboratory for tests.

Police said statements of 10 witnesses, including university staff, security personnel and students were recorded, and that support the allegations against the accused.

Citing Supreme Court judgment, defence counsel, however, contended that the case did not come under the sedition charge. The act does not amount to sedition unless there is incitement to violence which did not happen, the defence argued.

Police, however, contested the defence stand and said there was an attempt to incite people to violence as anti-national slogans were raised. It said involvement in violence was not at all required to support the charge.

In its status report filed before the court, Delhi Police said the case investigation was at a delicate stage as some accused people were still on the run.

The larger conspiracy behind the seditious act of the accused is to be unearthed and exposed, police said in their status report.

They argued that if the accused were granted bail at this stage, the very line of investigation would get adversely affected.
We are living through difficult times when every word is torn apart with an Us vs Them attitude or put through dubious tests to define virtue and vice. The controversy raging after Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of the Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), said that he would not utter the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai is unwarranted. The Maharashtra assembly has gone so far as to suspend AIMIM legislator Waris Pathan for endorsing Mr Owaisis views. One BJP youth leader has bayed for Mr Owaisis tongue, while posters outside his Delhi home have branded him a traitor. Mr Pathan said he would proudly say Jai Hind, a slogan coined by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, but that apparently is not enough for his baiters. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has tweeted that the only definition of nationalism for Bharatwasis should be the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Such moral policing of patriotism goes against current practices in mature democracies.

Read | Revoke citizenship of those not chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai: Shiv Sena

Long before it became a modern nation, India encouraged a culture of dissent and debate. From the sexual freedom discussed in the Kamasutra to the eclectic vision of Rig Veda, it has taken in many shades of opinion. Atheism and pantheistic idol worship have co-existed, just as materialistic and ascetic traditions. The Constitution of India only fortified this spirit in embracing freedom of expression, right to worship and equality in a modern package. Patriotism in India should show respect for the Constitution, but that does not require a monochrome slogan or tests that smack of vigilantism. Even patriotism itself is not compulsory, though desirable. Extreme and odd-ball views are best ignored or argued than be subject to unseemly name-calling, legal action or violence. We must laud poet-lawmaker Javed Akhtar for turning his farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha into an opportunity by mocking Owaisi for being narrow-minded and then going on to say that uttering Bharat Mata Ki Jai was not his duty but, in fact, a right. Such nuanced delight apart, India has seen objections to the Vande Mataram song by Muslim politicians, who deem it not a salute to the motherland but obeisance to the Divine Mother as a Hindu idol. Such dissidence is best left aside in street corners than be subject to cultural witch-hunts. Indias civilisation has enough of traditional strength and modern intelligence to mock rather than hound odd-ball dissidents

Jingoism is not the only shade of patriotism, which itself might have 50 shades in a land of diversity. The Constitution exists as the guiding force, with an independent judiciary for supervision, when a cacophony of jingoists drowns out voices of reason.
After receiving notice from the district education officer (DEO), seven schools of Bhopal gave in writing on Wednesday that neither will they influence parents and guardians to buy school uniforms, books from selected vendors nor would they set up personal book stalls on school premises.

DEO Dharmendra Sharma said, We had received complaints against Delhi Public School (DPS) Kolar, The Sanskaar Valley School, Carmel Convent Senior Secondary School B.H.E.L, Vindhyachal Academy, Bonnie Foi School and All Saints School, Gandhinagar.

We sent our team to inspect these schools and made sure that they stop violating the order of the administration. A written undertaking has been taken from them. If we find the school bags or books with logos, we will take action against the school concerned, added Sharma.

The complaints were filed on Whatsapp number 92294-44908, released by the district administration a month ago. Seven complaints had been filed till March 12 .

The school authorities had defied the district administrations order dated December 31, 2015 discouraging involvement in any activity under section 144 and directing to keep their syllabi unchanged for the next three years. On February 29, 2016, the collector ordered all CBSE-affiliated schools and other private schools to submit their booklists, so that parents can decide on shops to buy books. But some school authorities expressed their unawareness about the notice from DEO.

We have submitted the booklist to the collector and parents are free to buy books from wherever they wish. We are not forcing them to buy from a particular vendor, said principal Lalitha Iyer of Bonnie Foi School, marked for allowing sale of books from a particular shop.

Vinita Mallik, principal of DPS, (Kolar), said they do not force regulations on guardians. We are only providing books to those guardians who have transfer cases as they are unaware about the markets of the city. By no means are we pushing parents to buy books from us,said Mallik.

Vindyachal Academys manager, Uday Kumar said, We have instructed guardians to purchase books from outside. We have also told the district education officer that we are not operating any book shop in school or asking parents to buy books from some shop.

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In yet another warning, the Delhi government has asked over 525 private schools to refund the extra fee they took from parents of students within 15 days.

A committee headed by Justice Anil Dev Singh has identified 525 schools to be overcharging parents on the pretext of implementing recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission while not doing it.

The panel was constituted last year following the Delhi high courts order and has so far submitted nine interim reports to be implemented by the schools.

After submission of the eight interim reports, the Directorate of Education (DoE) had directed 472 schools to refund the amount within 15 days. However, till December last, only 43 schools had complied with the order.

525 schools have been identified by the committee in its nine reports to refund excess fee charged. They are hereby directed to comply with the said reports within a period of 15 days and to submit compliance report, a communication by DoE said.

According to the directive, schools that have charged excess fee to implement 6th Pay Commissions recommendations but have not implemented it are supposed to make the payments to their staff as per the commission recommendations, out of excess fee collected, with 9% interest, without further raising any fresh demand from the parents or students.

Read more: Private schools will need approval to hike fees: Delhi HC

And if after implementing the 6th CPC in the school, there still remains excess money charged from the students/parents by such school, it shall be refunded to the concerned person, the circular said.

The committee has so far submitted recommendations on 1,066 schools.
Parliament on Wednesday passed legislation that gives central government agencies access to the worlds biggest biometric database in the interests of national security, raising fears the privacy of a billion people could be compromised.

The move comes as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cracks down on student protests and pushes a Hindu nationalist agenda in assembly elections, steps that some say erode Indias traditions of tolerance and free speech.

It could also usher in surveillance far more intrusive than the US telephone and Internet spying revealed by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden in 2013, some privacy advocates said.

The Aadhaar database scheme, started seven years ago, was set up to streamline payment of benefits and cut down on massive wastage and fraud, and already nearly a billion people have registered their finger prints and iris signatures.

Read more: Lok Sabha passes Aadhaar bill, rejects Rajya Sabha amendments

Now the BJP, which inherited the scheme, has passed new provisions including those on national security, using a loophole to circumvent the opposition in parliament.

It has been showcased as a tool exclusively meant for disbursement of subsidies and we do not realise that it can also be used for mass surveillance, said Tathagata Satpathy, a lawmaker from Odisha, speaking before the legislation was passed.

Can the government ... assure us that this Aadhaar card and the data that will be collected under it - biometric, biological, iris scan, finger print, everything put together - will not be misused as has been done by the NSA in the US?

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has defended the legislation in parliament, saying Aadhaar saved the government an estimated 150 billion rupees in the 2014-15 financial year alone.

A finance ministry spokesman added that the government had taken steps to ensure citizens privacy would be respected and the authority to access data was exercised only in rare cases.

According to another government official, the new law is in fact more limited in scope than the decades-old Indian Telegraph Act, which permits national security agencies and tax authorities to intercept telephone conversations of individuals in the interest of public safety.

POLICE STATE

Those assurances have not satisfied political opponents and people from religious minorities, including Indias sizeable Muslim community, who say the database could be used as a tool to silence them.

We are midwifing a police state, said Asaduddin Owaisi, an opposition MP.

Raman Jit Singh Chima, global policy director at Access, an international digital rights organisation, said the Indian law lacked the transparency and oversight safeguards found in Europe or the United States, which last year reformed its bulk telephone surveillance programme.

He pointed to the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which must approve many surveillance requests made by intelligence agencies, and European data protection authorities as oversight mechanisms not present in the Indian legislation.

The government brought the Aadhaar legislation to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday in a bid to secure passage before lawmakers go into recess.

To get around its lack of a majority, the BJP presented it as a financial bill, which the Rajya Sabha could not reject. It was returned to the Lok Sabha which passed it, as the ruling party has a majority there.

In its assessment of the measure, New Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research said law enforcement agencies could use someones Aadhaar number as a link across various datasets such as telephone and air travel records.

That would allow them to recognise patterns of behaviour and detect potential illegal activities.

But it could also lead to harassment of individuals who are identified incorrectly as potential security threats, PRS said.

Sunil Abraham, executive director of the Bengaluru-based Centre for Internet and Society, said Aaadhaar created a central repository of biometrics for almost every citizen of the worlds most populous democracy that could be compromised.

Maintaining a central database is akin to getting the keys of every house in Delhi and storing them at a central police station, he said.

It is very easy to capture iris data of any individual with the use of next generation cameras. Imagine a situation where the police is secretly capturing the iris data of protesters and then identifying them through their biometric records.
The Aadhaar bill was passed by the Lok Sabha for a second time on Wednesday without any of the amendments suggested by the Rajya Sabha which had returned the bill after a heated discussion.

The Upper House had suggested five amendments that underscored its reservations about provisions in the proposed legislation.

The Lok Sabhas disapproval completed the legislative process for enacting the bill to ensure targeted delivery of subsidies through the Aadhaar platform. The Lower House has the privilege to reject the Rajya Sabhas amendments since the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016, was treated as a money bill.

The proposed law that will come into force after the Presidents assent mandates that people receiving benefits from the government should have the 12-digit unique identification number called Aadhaar.

Read | Lok Sabha passes Aadhaar bill, rejects Rajya Sabha amendments

Heres all you need to know about Aadhaar:

What is Aadhaar?

It is a 12 digit biometric auto-generated unique identity number created after taking ones finger prints and iris scan. The biometric data collected is sent to the Bangalore office of UIDAI for de-duplication, meaning that two persons cannot have same Aadhaar number. There is a detailed protocol for collecting and storing biometric data of each Indian resident.

How to enroll for Aadhaar?

Any person above the age of five is eligible for getting enrolled in Aadhaar. The government has listed number of documents such as drivers licence, passport and electricity bill as proof of residence. Those not having any documents can be introduced by a person having an Aadhaar number. The government considers it as a proof of identity but not of address.

What Aadhaar does?

Aadhaar number is the window to avail government benefits and subsidies. The proposed law clearly states that only those who have Aadhaar will get government benefits. A large number of states now seek Aadhaar number for registration of property, for getting driving license, marriage certificate and even ration card.

What is Aadhaar authentication?

Government agencies can authenticate ones home and demographic details instantly through online Aadhaar authentication system. The system replies only in Yes or No without sharing any details with the agency. However, the bill provides that if needed authorities can seek more information but after taking consent of Aadhaar number holder.

What the Aadhaar bill says?

The bill for the first time defines privacy and says that while enrolling a person should be informed the purpose for which the information was being collected. It also provides for prior consent of a person for sharing his or her personal information and that biometric data not to be shared with anyone. The privacy provision can be exempted only for national security. The bill also provides penalties for theft of data and its misuse.

Aadhaar card not mandatory

Although the government will have the power to make it compulsory for people accessing its services to have the Aadhaar number, finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that Aadhaar card is not mandatory as it was an entitlement in a 2010 law and remains the same even in the new law passed by the Lok Sabha.

Where people dont have it, alternative documents will be prescribed so there are alternative documents and the user would be predominantly through the state government, Jaitley said.
JNU students, who have been served show-cause notice to explain their alleged role in the controversial February 9 event, have decided to not accept the report of a university probe panel and said they will send their reply accordingly.

A decision in this regard was taken at a JNU Students Council meeting which went on till late on Wednesday night in New Delhi.

The inquiry report is based on an unfair probe process and hence, we refused to accept its findings... Our replies to the show-cause notice will be sent accordingly, a member of the council said.

Show-cause notices were issued to 21 students on March 14 asking them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them after the high-level committee of the university found them guilty of violating university norms and discipline rules.

The report has, according to sources, recommended rustication of five students including JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charges.

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme. Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.

Two of the students are in jail while the inquiry was completed. Another student, Aishwarya Adhikari who was earlier suspended and had also been served a show-cause notice, finds no mention of her name in the committee report. It is a highly-biased and undemocratic inquiry, the council member said.

Earlier on Wednesday, JNU authorities extended the deadline for replying to the show-cause notice served to March 18 after the students had sought more time to seek legal opinion on the matter.

The Vice Chancellor has granted an extension till March 18 for students to reply to the show cause notice, a senior university official said.

The final quantum of punishment for the students will be decided on the basis of response to the notices, the deadline for which was till 5 pm on Wednesday.

Read | JNU probe panel says masked outsiders shouted provocative slogans

The report of the five-member panel, which was submitted on March 11, has pointed out lapses on part of the students as well as the administration.

Taking into account the role of outsiders in the controversial event, the university panel has found Umar and Anirban guilty of arousing communal, caste or regional feeling or creating disharmony among students.

While no specific charges have been pointed out against students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is facing sedition charges in connection with the event, the university has found ABVP member Saurabh Sharma guilty of blocking traffic on February 9, the day of the controversial event.

Read | Bail or not? Delhi court to decide Umar, Anirbans fate on Friday
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has sought a CBI inquiry into the suicide of Sadiq Batcha, a key aide of former Union telecom minister A Raja, during the investigation into the 2G spectrum scam five years ago.

Batcha had committed suicide in March 2011 while a probe was being carried out in the high-profile case  in which Raja, a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, was named as the key conspirator. The demand for the probe, which comes in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, was made after Batchas relatives published an advertisement in a Tamil magazine on his fifth death anniversary.

Sources in the AIADMK alleged that though Batcha had served Raja loyally, his family members were left to fend for themselves after his death. Party spokesperson CR Saraswathi quoted the advertisement as saying: To repay a loan, you joined forces (with a party) that you should not have and succumbed to treachery.

Read: No foul play in Batcha death

She claimed this line went to show that Batchas relatives were afraid to say anything against the DMK and the Congress at the time of his death because the two parties were in power at the state and Centre respectively.

There is a fit case for the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the alleged involvement of the DMK in Batchas death, Saraswathi added.

A poem published in the AIADMKs mouthpiece  Dr Namadhu MGR  has also pointed at the DMKs alleged role in the former aides death.

Batcha was the managing director of Green House Promoters, a city-based export firm.
The All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisis statement that he will not say Bharat Mata ki Jai, supported by a Maharashtra MIM legislator, Waris Pathan, has drawn sharp criticism across political lines.

Read more: Posters outside Owaisis Delhi residence brand him traitor

A three-time Member of Parliament representing Hyderabad constituency in the Lok Sabha, Owaisi claimed he would not say Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Hail mother India) even if he had a knife to his throat while addressing a rally in Maharashtra.

Read more: Wont say Bharat Mata Ki Jai: AIMIMs Owaisi dares RSS chief Bhagwat

Reacting to the issue, Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam said Owaisi should go to Pakistan if he had issues with the slogan, and Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said such statements should be completely avoided.

The Nationalist Congress Partys Jitendra Awhad hit out at the Lok Sabha MP, saying that the matter is being politicised to make it an issue of vote banks, as Rajya Sabha MP and film lyricist Javed Akhtar countered Owaisi in the Parliament, saying, I dont care to know whether saying Bharat mata ki jai is my duty or not but it is my right.

Read more: Bharat mata ki jai controversy reflects challenging times: Irani

Read more: Bollywood lauds javed Akhtars speech in Parliament

In Allahabad, regional vice-president of the BJP youth wing Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Shyam Prakash Dwivedi announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to whoever cut off Owaisis tongue, for making the anti-India statement. Shyam Prakash allegedly also drew out a signed blank cheque.

His father, BJPs Allahabad district president Ramraksha Dwivedi however distanced himself from the statement and maintained that if it had been issued, such a statement was wrong.

MIM legislator Waris Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra assembly on Wednesday when he refused to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai in the house, after a Shiv Sena member brought up the issue of Owaisi.

Read more: MLA from Owaisis party suspended after not saying Bharat Mata ki Jai

We will say Jai Hind but not Bharat Mata Ki Jai as there was no compulsion on this nor did the Constitution say it, was Pathans response, leading to assembly members calling for his suspension.

Other MIM legislators were also pressed for an apology, but they rejected the move, demanding that they should be suspended from the house too.

Pathan later commented that slogans such Bharat Mata Ki Jai were a diktat from the RSS and he would not follow them.

Owaisi reacted to the Pathans suspension, stating it set the wrong precedent in the matter.

Here a member is being forced to say something which the Constitution allows him not to say. That is his freedom of expression Parliament and Assemblies are a forum for debates where sloganeering is not allowed, he said.

While the Speaker has discretionary powers, a member can only be suspended if he uses unparliamentary language or indulges in unparliamentary behaviour, he added.

We are heading into an age of darkness. By supporting the suspension motion, Congress and NCP, who call themselves secular, have been completely exposed, he said.
More than a year after the Supreme Court refused to entertain a womans plea to declare marital rape a criminal offence, the focus is back on the contentious issue with the NDA government rejecting demands to criminalise it.

Women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi had said last week that the concept of marital rape cannot be suitably applied in the Indian context due to factors like poverty, illiteracy and religious beliefs.

It is considered that the concept of marital rape, as understood internationally, cannot be suitably applied in the Indian context due to various factors like level of education/illiteracy, poverty, myriad social customs and values, religious beliefs, mindset of the society to treat the marriage as a sacrament, etc, Gandhi had said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Minister of state for home Haribhai Chaudhary also had a similar view. Citing a parliamentary committee report, he told the Lok Sabha earlier this week that if marital rape was made a crime, the entire family system would come under great stress.

Read: It is time for real action on marital rape

As pressure from womens rights activists and UN organisations mount, the debate on the contentious issue is raging in India.

HT examines the pros and cons of it.

What does the law say?

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code defines rape as sexual intercourse without consent and against the will of a woman.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 that was enacted after the December 16, 2012 gang rape case enlarged the definition of rape. Now, any kind of penetration of a male organ or any object into any body part of a woman amounts to rape.

But an exception to the Section 375 says sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, who is 15 or above, is not rape even if it is without her consent.

Demand to criminalise marital rape

Womens rights activists, womens organisations and the National Commission for Women have been demanding that marital rape be made a criminal offence as it is against the dignity of women who are forced to suffer the worst form of sexual violence silently within the four walls of their homes.

Read: Concept of marital rape cannot be suitably applied in India: Govt

DMK MP Kanimozhi had raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha last year. Citing a United Nations Population Fund report, she had said more than 75% of the married women in India were victims of marital rapes and there were no laws in India to deal with the problem.

Chaudhary had then said the concept of marital rape could not be applied as marriages were considered to be sacred in India.

Law commission, parliamentary panel against criminalisation

Most committees and commissions have recommended against criminalising marital rape. In its 172nd report submitted to the government in 2000, the law commission opined against it, saying that may amount to excessive interference with the marital relationship.

The law commission recommended that forced sexual intercourse by a husband be treated as an offence just like any other physical violence by a man against his wife.

Chaudhary had said in the Lok Sabha that the department-related parliamentary standing committee on home affairs that presented its 167th report on the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 in the Rajya Sabha on March 1, 2013 was against criminalising marital rape.

Read: SC rejects plea to make marital rape a criminal offence

While giving its report, the committee considered both the 172nd report on the review of rape laws by the Law Commission and the report of the justice JS Verma Committee. The parliamentary panel has observed that if the issue of marital rape is brought under law, the entire family system will be under great stress.

The panel endorsed the view that marriage presumes consent and criminalising marital rape would weaken traditional family values in India. Making marital rape and offence could lead to practical difficulties, it had said.

Justice Verma Commission report

However, the Verma Committee that examined criminal law provisions from the point of womens safety after the December 16, 2012, gangrape case favoured criminalising marital rape.

Read: When no is not an option: Marital rape denies right over her body

The fact that the accused and victim are married or in another intimate relationship may not be regarded as a mitigating factor justifying lower sentences for rape, Verma Committee said.

Supreme Court on marital rape

In February 2015, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a womans plea to declare marital rape a criminal offence, saying it wasnt possible to order a change in the law for one person.

A Delhi-based MNC executive had told the top court that her husband repeatedly resorted to sexual violence but she was helpless as marital rape was not a crime in India.

You are espousing a personal cause and not a public cause... This is an individual case, a bench of justice AR Dave and justice R Banumathi had said, refusing to take up her plea.

The woman had challenged the validity of an exception to Section 375 of the IPC that says sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, who is 15 or above, is not rape even if it is without consent. The provision, the woman said, violated her fundamental right to life and liberty.

Thereafter, the top court also dismissed a public interest petition, saying it was for the legislature to take a call on it.

Legal position in other countries

According to UN Womens 2011 Progress of the Worlds Women: In Pursuit of Justice report, marital rape is a criminal offence in about 52 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Mauritius, Thailand and neighbouring Bhutan. The report said 127 countries did not explicitly criminalise rape within marriage.

International pressure

Last year, the government had told Parliament the ministry of external affairs and ministry of women and child development had reported that UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women wanted India to criminalise marital rape.

Earlier this week, UNDP chief Helen Clark told the Hindu that the issue is not one of culture, but of consent. If India failed to criminalise marital rape, it would be flouting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), she added.

Should India criminalise marital rape?

Womens right activists argue that forcible sexual intercourse with a woman even by her husband should be treated as a crime as it violates her right to live with dignity which is a part of her right to life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. Marital rape goes against her right to sexual privacy and right to bodily self-determination, they say.

Read: Marriage sacred, concept of marital rape cannot be applied in India: Govt

The position so far has been that nobody has taken a clear position on this issue. Only Verma Committee recommended for criminalising it. No woman should be subjected to sexual intercourse without her consent. This is the civilised position, senior advocate Rajiv Dhavan said.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association secretary Aishwarya Bhati said nobody can justify marital rape. She, however, advocates a cautionary approach.

Read: Delhi high court asks Centre to spell out stand on marital rape

Its definitely wrong. But criminalising is something which has serious repercussions. It can wreak havoc with already strained and fragile matrimonial and family system. It would be wrong to look westward. Its already a wrong - a civil wrong under the domestic violence law and sexual violence against a woman can be a ground for divorce, Bhati said.

But the matter is again under the consideration of the law commission and perhaps the government would prefer to wait for its report before taking the final call.
The BJPs hopes of bettering its chances in the Assam assembly elections could falter with an expected agreement between the Centre and state government stalling over election code of conduct.

A delegation of the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had been camping in the national capital until recently hoping to ink a framework agreement. The team has since gone back to Assam.

The Tarun Gogoi-led dispensation said the state government cannot be a party to the pact as it violates the election code of conduct since polls have already been announced.

The ULFA leadership was invited to New Delhi for a meeting on Monday  close on the heels of a round of talks between an ULFA delegation and Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on February 29.

Read more: With an eye on Assam polls, Centre may sign peace deal with Ulfa

Such a pact would necessarily involve the ULFA, the Centre and the state government.

The agreement would have boosted the BJPs chances in the polls scheduled on April 4 and 11.

A source privy to the ongoing negotiations told Hindustan Times that a final accord is on the verge of being signed as many items in the ULFA charter of demands have already been agreed upon, while differences are being worked upon.

Issues like granting Scheduled Tribe status to six indigenous communities is being handled by a newly-appointed committee headed by a Union home ministry official to recommend the modalities as well as to safeguard the political interests of the indigenous people, the source said.

Granting Scheduled Tribe status to these six communities will render Assam a tribal majority state and would entitle it to special safeguards  and also a way out to resolve the states problems arising out of reported large-scale immigration from Bangladesh which has affected the states demography. The six communities together represent more than 40% of the states population.
Upset over his stand on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the Haryana government has asked Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to get a separate canal constructed to carry Delhis share of river water to the city.

In a letter to Kejriwal on Thursday, irrigation minister Om Prakash Dhankar expressed the inability of his state to carry Delhis share of river water through its canal system in view of the position taken by him against the interests of Haryanas people. You should get your own separate canal constructed from Nangal Dam and Tajewala barrage to carry water of Delhi so that the citys share of river water can reach it due to your efforts, Dhankar wrote.

Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for opposing the construction of the SYL canal, Dhankar reminded him that Haryana was allocated 3.5 million acre feet (MAF) and Delhi 0.2 MAF of Ravi Beas water from Nangal Dam. Haryana carries Delhis share of water through the Bhakra Main Line (BML) canal and delivers it to the national capital through Narwana branch and the Western Yumuna Canal (WYC) system. We are unable to take our 498 cusecs of water because of this load taken for Delhi, he added.

Read | SC says maintain status quo on land meant for Sutlej-Yamuna canal

The irrigation minister said 330 cusecs of additional water from the Yamuna was also delivered to Delhi through the WYC system. We have Ravi Beas water available for Haryana and Delhi at Nangal Dam, but no resources to carry it, he wrote, accusing the AAP leader of opposing the only available option for carrying this water due to his political interests in Punjab.

Dhankar said that by doing this (opposing construction of SYL canal) despite being Delhi Chief Minister, you have stood against the interests of people of Delhi.

Seeing your stand, Haryana will not be able to deliver your share of water to Delhi since you have stood against the interests of farmers and people of Haryana, the minister told Kejriwal.

Dhankar wrote that Kejriwal had worked against the interests of the people of Delhi in doing so. Kejriwal belongs to Haryana while his party has emerged as a strong contender in poll-bound Punjab.

Read | Undeterred by SC order, Punjab farmers continue to fill up SYL canal
The Haryana government has rejected allegations that women were sexually assaulted in Murthal during a protest by Jats demanding government benefits, but said some women travellers were harassed.

In a report submitted to the home ministry, the Haryana government said no eyewitnesses or victims had come forward to lodge complaints of sexual assault.

Murthal is popular for its eateries along a national highway which the protesters had blocked during their agitation.

An official source said a cloth shop in Murthal was looted by the protestors and that could be a possible explanation for the recovery of womens innerwear from fields in the area. The reports had triggered reports of sexual assault.

The Jat protests saw violence and destruction of public and private properties at many places in Haryana. Around 30 people, mostly Jat agitators, had died during the week-long protests.
Haryanas Jat leaders put off a campaign for reservation in jobs and education after the state government called them for talks on Friday to resolve the simmering issue that saw protesters paralyse the state last month.

Authorities deployed thousands of security personnel to stop a repeat of the week-long rioting, looting and arson that engulfed about a dozen districts in February.

The BJP-led state government pledged that a bill to give reservation to the community will be passed during the assemblys budget session that ends on March 31.

The Jat community has called for quotas similar to those provided to disadvantaged castes, saying it is struggling to compete with less-privileged groups for government jobs and university places. However, other caste clans have opposed this demand.

The chief ministers office called protest leaders for consultation on the draft bill that is expected to be taken up by the assembly on Friday. The proposed legislation could not be tabled on Thursday owing to lack of consensus among BJP lawmakers.

Sources said several party MLAs from other communities have concerns about the draft.

The bill aims to grant special Other Backward Classes status to Jats and four other communities to entitle them to reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. But critics say the legislation is likely to be struck down by courts.

There is no justification to grant reservation to Jats and this will breach the 50% limit (for quotas) set by the Supreme Court, said an official. This could infuriate several other castes enjoying reservation in the state.

The Centre rushed 3,000 paramilitary personnel to Haryana on Thursday and deployed another 300 soldiers to guard the Munak canal that supplies water to Delhi.

The development came on a day police arrested a close aide of former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was booked for sedition and criminal conspiracy after allegedly inciting violence during last months demonstrations

Dozens of people were killed in February when Jat protesters clashed with police and other groups, burnt down buildings and vehicles, and damaged the canal, leaving the Capital parched for days.
Professor Virender, a close aide of former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was booked in a sedition case on February 24, surrendered at the superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Anands office on Thursday. He was taken to the court where CJ Ashwani Kumar sent him into police custody for two days.

Before surrendering, Prof Virender said: I am a law abiding citizen. The judge, while denying my anticipatory bail on Wednesday, asked me to join the investigation. I am happy that he ruled out sedition charges against me.

Superintendent of Police Shashank Anand said, The case is very serious and we will try to get to the bottom of the matter.

He also claimed that Virender has been arrested by the police. Surrender happens in courts. Police only arrests.

The Rohtak police had on February 24 booked Prof Virender and a Khap leader Capt Maan Singh in a sedition case made out against them at Civil Lines police station of Rohtak.

The case was registered after a new channel aired the purported telephonic conversation between Prof Virender and Capt Maan Singh just a few days before the Jat quota stir had turned violent.
Prospects of a government formation in Jammu & Kashmir are looking up, with the PDP viewing finance minister Arun Jaitleys statement on Monday, of walking the extra-mile, as a positive step.

The finance minister said in parliament that the Centre was ready to go the extra mile for equitable development of three regions - Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh - of Jammu and Kashmir.

The statement of the union finance minister is a positive development. It does address the sensitivities of the people of the state to an extent, said PDP chief spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar. He declined to comment whether government formation was on the cards.

The PDP has been asking for assurances from the Central government. Arun Jaitleys statement on the floor of the parliament is an important development in that direction. There are many positive signals and government formation can take place soon, said former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh.

Nirmal Singh, along with BJP state unit president Sat Sharma and other senior leaders, are going to New Delhi on Saturday to attend the two-day national executive meeting of the party starting March 19. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is already in the national capital.

Sharma said government formation in the state is likely to be discussed at the meeting. The process and dialogue for government formation is going on in Delhi. We are hopeful of forming the government very soon, he added.

The finance minister in his reply on Monday said the government is committed to setting up IIT, IIM and AIIMS in the state but did not touch upon contentious issues like the return of two power projects to the state, steps for revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and initiating dialogue with the separatists. These issues are part of the agenda-of-alliance.

A senior BJP leader said these issues could be discussed once Mehbooba Mufti took over as Chief Minister.

Mehbooba can discuss these issues with the Centre as a chief minister and not as a president of a political party (PDP). You can bargain more as CM. So, she has to first assume the chair, said a senior BJP leader, wishing not to be named.

The Governor had on Tuesday cancelled the meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC) at the last minute, to approve the budget for the state. Sources said the officers were told only on Monday morning that the meeting would not happen since the Governor was unwell.
The Jat organisations will meet in Rohtak on Thursday to decide on resumption of their agitation after analyzing the bill to provide reservation to the community. The Haryana government is expected to introduce the bill in assembly on Thursday afternoon.

The meeting of Jat leaders would be held under heavy security arrangement as the state government has deployed additional Central security forces in eight sensitive districts, which witnessed arson in February agitation, and have closed colleges for the next three days.

Officials said the state had sent a requisition for more than 80 companies of paramilitary forces.

Paramilitary force has been demanded (through state Home department) from the Centre and we will get the same, IGP, Rohtak Range, Sanjay Kumar said on Thursday.

Haryana minister Anil Vij said that the bill will be brought in the Assembly and asked the Jat community not to threaten about the stir.

Jat Bill zaroor layenge, Jat Bandhuon se kehna chahta hoon ki dhamkiyaan dena bandh karien-Anil Vij,Haryana Min pic.twitter.com/xxaKkLDnSr  ANI (@ANI_news) March 17, 2016

The state government, which failed to contain the violence during the Jat quota agitation last month, has also sent eight police officers of the rank of inspector general and above to Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Panipat, Jind, Kaithal and Bhiwani districts.

These eight districts had witnessed most violence during the February agitation in which 30 people died and hundreds were injured.

Jat organisations led by All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti are demanding quota for the community in jobs and education, withdrawal of cases registered after last months agitation and release of those arrested.

While the government, which is giving touches to the quota bill, has given assurance to these organisations on reservation, it is unlikely to relent on agitation-related cases.

The agitation has been seen at attempt by the dominant Jat community to usurp a non-Jat chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is also facing resistance from within BJP. Khattar, a first time MLA, is considered an RSS appointee and was being blamed for failure to contain violent Jat agitation.
A few Kashmiri students allegedly assaulted a local journalist who went to Mewar University in Rajasthans Chittorgarh district, following rumours that four undergraduates from the northernmost state had cooked beef in their hostel room on Monday night.

Police have registered a case of voluntarily causing hurt and wrongful restraint against unidentified Kashmiri students on the basis of a complaint lodged by the journalist.

Chittorgarh superintendent of police Prasann Khamesara said reports about Kashmiri students being beaten up were false. In fact, a few of them assaulted Manish Porwal, a Rajasthan Patrika reporter, when he went to the hostel to inquire about the beef rumour on Monday night. We have registered a case against unidentified Kashmiri students and are trying to identify them, he told HT.

Police have registered a case (FIR No. 75/16) at Gangrar police station of the district under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 327 (voluntarily causing hurt to extort property or constrain to an illegal act) and 379 (punishment for theft) of the Indian Penal Code.

Rumours arose on Monday night that four accused undergraduate students  Shakib Ashraf, Hilal Farukh, Mohammad Makbool and Shaukat Ali  were cooking beef in their hostel room. A large number of angry local residents assembled at the university gate, but police managed to assuage their tempers. However, in order to prevent the commission of a cognisable offence, the four Kashmiri students  all between 21 and 27 years of age  were taken into preventive custody under Section 151 of the IPC (disturbing the peace) on Tuesday.

Read: No beef found in Mewar University hostel, Kashmiri students get bail

When we summoned the students to the police station to find where they had purchased the meat from, they refused to cooperate and  instead  began behaving aggressively. So we took them into preventive custody, Khamesara said.

After a board of experts confirmed that the meat in question was not beef, the Gangrar sub-division magistrates court released the four on a bail bond of Rs 25,000 on Wednesday.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir director general of police K Rajendra Kumar called up his counterpart in Rajasthan, Manoj Bhatt, to enquire about the incident. He wanted to know if the students from his state were assaulted in any way. I told him that they were not hurt, and that we had prevented a clash between them and the local residents who assembled outside the campus, Bhatt said.

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BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday pitched the name of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan as the next President of India.

It will be a matter of pride if Amitabh Bachchan, a cultural icon, is made president of the country, Sinha told reporters in Patna, a day before the release of a biography on him Anything but Khamosh.

Amitabh Bachchan had favoured Sinhas name as the next President of India recently. Reacting to the comment, the second term BJP Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib, said Its his greatness. But, I will be happy if he graces the chair of President after Pranab Mukherjee.

Amitabh Bachchan has achieved many a milestone in cultural and social fields and if he becomes president, it will fetch a good name for the country, said Sinha, who has worked with the star in many successful movies like Kaala Pathar, Dostana and Shaan. Bachchan had also launched the biography on Sinha in Mumbai few days back.

'Much time for retirement

Sinha also took the occasion to rule out any possibility of his retirement from politics anytime soon and promised to continue raising issues objectively.

I am yet to see many springs in politics ... there is too much time for that (retirement), said Sinha, who was apparently sidelined by the BJP during Bihar election last year.

Asked if wished to withdraw from politics like Bachhan, 70-year-old Sinha said the comparison was not even as I have been member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for four times.

The second term Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib also denied that he was being ignored by the BJP and said he would participate in the party functions in days to come.

He also dismissed chance of leaving BJP. I have said many times and say even today, BJP is my first choice and most probably would be the last choice, he said.

Several leaders in the BJP have been angered previously with Sinhas closeness with the partys rivals like Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

Politics is a mission for me and not a profession, said the BJP MP from Patna Sahib, in his home town on Thursday, ruling out plans of retirement anytime soon. (IANS)

Its all within the family ... you know utensils collide within family, Sinha said on his not so sweet relations with the BJP leaders since eve of Bihar poll.

Sinha, who served as cabinet minister in NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said he joined BJP at the peak of his film career when BJP used to be party of two MPs. My contribution to the party could not be ignored.

Politics is a mission for me and not a profession. I came to politics to do something for common man and would continue to raise issues concerned with them and which are also good for the party, Sinha said.

Talking about the book written by a Mumbai-based journalist Bharti Pradhan, Sinha said it highlights his struggle to success both in film world and politics.

First released in Delhi by Sinhas friend, philosopher and guide L K Advani, the biography was later launched by megastar Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai.

The book would be launched in Patna on Friday at a function likely to be attended by CM Nitish Kumar and acting chief justice of the Patna high court Iqbal Ahmad Ansari. Sinha had recently indicated that many BJP leaders would not be invited for the book release function in Patna which would be a cultural function.
A 19-year-old polytechnic student at West Bengals Durgapur was arrested by the NIA for suspected links with the Islamic State (IS) in the first such incident in the state involving the terror group.

Ashique Ahmed alias Raja, a resident of Hooghlys Dhaniakhali, was arrested on Wednesday in New Delhi after National Investigation Agency officials interrogated him for two weeks.

After an interrogation in Kolkata for five days, Ahmed was flown to the NIAs headquarters in New Delhi for further questioning. After thorough interrogation the NIA sleuths on Wednesday evening arrested him, SK Singh, IG, NIA, said.

The NIA sleuths were initially hesitant to arrest him as he is a teenager and has no criminal record.

NIA had detained Ahmed from Durgapur on February 25 for questioning. Acting on a tip-off, NIA sleuths had reached Durgapur with a team from the state CID and picked up Ahmed. He lived in a rented accommodation with four of his friends in Durgapur and had even changed his name to Raja Das.

Durgapur is also not far from Burdwan where the NIA had unearthed a terror module involving the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen of Bangladesh.

Ahmed was then taken to his ancestral home in Dhaniakhali where the NIA sleuths had seized some documents. Later, he and his father were taken to Kolkata for interrogation.

According to NIA sources, Ahmeds name came up during interrogation of one Abdus Sami Qasmi, who was arrested by the NIA from Uttar Pradesh on February 5.

In the middle of January this year, the agency had received information that a module with IS links was preparing for a strike. This group comprised young boys from different parts of the country.

Several central agencies and state police forces worked together on the information and found certain leads. Based on these leads, simultaneous raids were conducted at 12 places in six cities - Bengaluru, Tumkur, Mangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Lucknow.

The anti-terrorist squad (ATS) of Maharashtra also conducted raids at two other locations on January 22 and January 23. Fourteen people were arrested and incriminating articles, including mobile phones, laptops, jihadi literature and videos were seized.

Subsequent interrogation of those arrested led the NIA to Qasmi which nabbed him with the help of ATS, Uttar Pradesh, from Hardoi district.

Qasmi was arrested for planning terror attacks in the country. He also delivered provocative speeches in the support of IS. After interrogating him, the NIA came to know about Ashique Ahmed, an NIA official said.
The Bihar government on Wednesday suspended Kripa Shankar Pandey, superintendent of Kishanganj sub-divisional jail, for the latters objectionable act with a minor girl on the prison premises.

The order was issued by chief minister Nitish Kumar soon after he returned to Patna from New Delhi. The CM also directed the Kishanganj administration to lodge a case against Pandey and probe the incident by principal home secretary and IG (prison).

I have ordered a probe into the incident and ordered the suspension of the jail superintendent. An FIR will be also lodged against the officer, the CM said.

The incident came to light when a video of the jail superintendent becoming intimate with the girl was uploaded in the social media two days ago.

This is the second time Pandey has been charged with misconduct. Last year, he had faced charges of forcing female inmates to have sex with him. In July 2015, a three-member team visited the jail and probed into the allegations against the official. A section of jail inmates alleged that the jailer used to force them to indulge in sex. Those who defied his diktats were confined to a room and subsequently beaten up.

The prisoners also complained about sub-standard food served to them. The jailer was also accused of making MMS of unnatural sex with some young inmates of the jail. He also used to force some inmates to massage him in his office. The video clips of the jailers acts were uploaded on social networking site. An investigating officer said: In the video that had gone viral, the jailer was shown forcing the inmates to indulge in sex.

According to reports, the jailer used to call some of the inmates to his office on daily basis and used to force them to have unnatural sex. However, Kripa Shankar Pandey denied all the allegations.

Pandey claimed that he treated the minor girl as his daughter. There is a father-daughter relationship between us. There is nothing wrong in it, he said, when asked for his comments over the video.

There are reports that Pandey holds big clout in the local administration and has managed to serve in the same prison for last many years. Last year he was promoted as jail superintendent from jailor despite facing charges of sexually exploiting some inmates.

A probe was also conducted into the allegations, but it was not known whether the prison department took any action against him or not.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Islam as a faith of peace and Sufism as one of its greatest contributions, addressing a global audience on the opening day of the World Sufi Forum here on Thursday.

Terrorism dominated the discussion at the three-day event in which Sufi scholars from around the world are taking part. Modi joined the delegates to denounce terror.

Of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence and the first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and RaheemThose who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious, Modi said.

When the spiritual love of Sufism, not the violent force of terrorism, flows across the border, this region will be the paradise on earth that Amir Khusrau spoke about, Modi said, referring to the 13th century Sufi poet.

Modi has met several Sufi leaders since assuming office and an event to commemorate Sufism had been in the making for months. It was first proposed by the minority affairs ministry.

A participant of the World Sufi Forum clicks a selfie with PM Modi at Vigyan Bhavan on Thursday. (Mohd Zakir/HT Photo)

At the ceremony held in Vigyan Bhawan, Modi received a resounding welcome. Sufi scholars chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai (Long Live Mother India) in the backdrop of a controversy over Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisis stand that the slogan, as endorsed by the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was not the only proof of patriotism.

In an apparent reference to the Islamic State, the PM said, Parents in 100 countries live with the daily pain of their children lost to the battlefields of Syria.

Some Sunni groups have opposed the Sufi event, saying it was attempt to divide Muslims. Why are Sufis aligning with divisive forces? the leader of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Arshad Madni had said at a press conference.

This is the second spiritual-cultural gathering Modi has attended in the span of a week. Last week, he inaugurated the World Culture Festival organised by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankars Art of Living Foundation.

The BJP continues to put the question of culture at the centre of its relationship with the people, said Swagato Sarkar, who teaches at Jindal School of Government and Policy.

The partys militant wings -- with an eye on electoral gains -- were pursuing a strategy of communalisation and polarisation. The government, on the other hand, was embracing the moderate and non-ritualistic religious groups to project India as a spiritual homeland of multiple faiths, a land of religious dialogue to the world, he said.

The contradiction between these two strategies, Sarkar said, is otherwise unraveling as these moderates have themselves used the space opened by the state to gain political clout and become powerful vis-a-vis their peers.

Read | India can be an honest broker in West Asia
The new excise policy, making consumption of liquor in public places a criminal offence, was approved by the Bihar cabinet at its meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday.

If caught, offenders will face a jail term up to 10 years, according to the provisions of the new policy.

The policy will be notified after approval by the state legislature. If the government decides to go ahead with its prohibition plan from April 1, it will have to get the policy endorsed by the state legislature before that.

There is, however, no clarity whether the policy contains provisions for capital punishment to those indulging in production and sale of illicit liquor.

While a senior officer of the excise and liquor prohibition department claimed that the draft policy had provision for capital punishment, sources in the government said death penalty for those indulging in production of liquor in breach of the stipulated policy had been put on hold for now.

Apart from banning consumption of liquor in public places, the new policy provides for fine up to Rs 5 lakh to those found involved in illegal trade of liquor. The policy also envisages stern punitive action against officials found indulging in promotion of the illegal trade, said an official.

The cabinet also approved the proposal to restrict sugar mills from producing spirit. The mills would henceforth produce ethanol instead of spirit, the common byproduct of sugar-making process, the official added.

Read: Bihar intensifies crackdown on drinking liquor, 5,000 arrested so far
A Pakistani team will travel to India on March 27 to investigate the terrorist attack on Pathankot airbase, the first time intelligence and law enforcement operatives from the neighbouring country will conduct such a probe on Indian soil.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced the joint investigation teams (JIT) visit on Thursday after a meeting with Pakistans foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of a SAARC meet in the resort town of Pokhara.

Its not possible that I and the Pakistan foreign affairs adviser meet and the Pathankot issue is not taken up. Yes, it was discussed, Swaraj told reporters during a brief interaction.

The date for the JITs visit has been decided. It will arrive on the night of March 27 and begin its work on March 28.

Pakistan formed the five-member JIT, which includes representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and police, last month after filing a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the attack.

Read | Rajnath says 6 attackers were killed in operation

The FIR was essential for investigators to travel to India to record evidence and interview witnesses.

Though the FIR was filed against unidentified attackers and abettors, India has blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for the January 2 attack that killed seven people.

Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement personnel have never visited India in the past to probe any terrorist attack. Two Pakistani judicial commissions travelled to India to review evidence and interview key witnesses in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

There has been considerable confusion on whether a team with ISI operatives would be allowed entry into Pathankot airbase, but minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday the JIT would be allowed to travel wherever necessary for its probe.

We will allow them to visit wherever necessary, Rijiju said in response to questions from reporters on whether the Pakistani team will be given access to the strategic airbase located near the border.

We have taken an in-principle decision to facilitate the visit of a Pakistani team to India for furtherance of our case.

Read | India pushes UN to corner Pakistan and identify Pak-based terrorists

While in India, the Pakistani JIT is expected to examine the bodies of the six terrorists killed during the attack and inspect other evidence gathered by Indian investigators.

Following the 20-minute meeting with Swaraj, Sartaj Aziz expressed satisfaction at the way the Pathankot attack was handled by both countries.

The way the Pathankot issue has been handled and the cooperation between both sides, including the JITs proposed visit, will hopefully lead to a positive outcome, he said.

He expressed hope that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of a Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by US President Barack Obama on March 31.

It is expected that both prime ministers will meet in Washington. But since Prime Minister Modi will be there just for one day, we cant be sure of a structured dialogue, he said.

Read | Indian government under fire over handling of Pathankot attack

Aziz added a meeting between the prime ministers would take forward the process of dialogue which had got interrupted.

Aziz handed over to Swaraj an invitation for Modi to attend the SAARC summit to be hosted by Pakistan during November 9-10. Swaraj said she had accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister.

The Pathankot attack derailed a meeting of the foreign secretaries scheduled for the middle of January after Aziz and Swaraj had agreed in December to start a comprehensive bilateral dialogue.

Thursdays bilateral meeting was preceded by two informal exchanges between Swaraj and Aziz, the first during a dinner reception on Wednesday evening followed by a discussion over breakfast on Thursday.

Read | Pathankot attack: NIA team visits mortuary, takes pics of militants bodies
The Pathankot airbase attack is likely to figure in a meeting on Thursday between Indias external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the ongoing Saarc conclave in Nepal.

The meeting will be the first high-level interaction between the two countries sides since the Indian Air Force base was attacked in January, leaving Indian security personnel dead.

Six militants, believed to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), were also killed during the 84-hour siege of the airbase.

Read More | India pushes UN to corner Pakistan and identify Pak-based terrorists

Swaraj and Aziz are in the resort town of Pokhara to take part in the foreign ministerial-level meeting of the regional body.

The meeting will be the first thing on Swarajs agenda immediately after conclusion of the Saarc meet, where discussions are underway on progress made since the 2014 summit in Kathmandu.

The main agenda of the meeting is for Aziz to extend invitation for the Saarc summit in Islamabad later this year. But they would obviously talk of other issues including terror attacks, a senior Indian diplomat told HT.

Foreign-secretary level talks between both the warring neighbours have remained suspended since the Pathankot incident.

The two exchanged pleasantries and talked at length on Wednesday evening during a dinner hosted by the Nepal government.

Read More | Sushma, Aziz exchange pleasantries during dinner hosted by Nepal PM

Besides her meeting with Aziz, Swaraj will also meet her counterparts from other Saarc nations.

The external affairs minister held two separate meetings with Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and her Nepali counterpart Kamal Thapa on Wednesday evening where they discussed bilateral issues.

Discussions revolved round on the entire range of bilateral issues, said another Indian diplomat present at the venue.

Implementation of the newly-adopted constitution of Nepal and ways to handle the demands of Madhesi parties, who are seeking fresh demarcation of state boundaries, also figured during the deliberations.

Read More | Rajnath says 6 attackers were killed in operation

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the Ambedkar memorial lecture on Monday. He will also lay the foundation stone for a memorial in the name of the Dalit icon at 26 Alipore Road, Ambedkars last resting place in Delhi.

The move comes in the backdrop of NDA government battling its anti-Dalit image after the death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula at Hyderabad University in January.

Sources at the social justice ministry said the PM may speak on the incident that caused an uproar in the country. The social justice ministry is organising the event.

This is the sixth memorial lecture to be held in memory of the founding father of the Indian constitution. It is also a part of the programmes organised to commemorate his 125th birth anniversary year.

An official at the ministry said it was social justice minister Thawaar Chand Gehlots idea to invite the Prime Minister for the lecture. In the backdrop of the Hyderabad incident, it would help if Modi delivered the lecture as it would assuage the feelings of the community, the minster said.

A week after Vemulas suicide on January 17, the Prime Minister spoke briefly on the suicide of Vemula saying he felt the familys pain. Vemula hanged himself to death 15 days after he was expelled from his hostel along with four other researchers.

Opposition parties had alleged that Union ministers Bandaru Dattatreya and Smriti Irani had driven the scholar to suicide.
Posters branding Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi a traitor and charging him with insulting Bharat Mata appeared at the entrance of his official Ashoka Road residence in New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

The posters, put up by Hindu Sena activists around 7 pm, were removed by police. The posters were stuck by our activists as they were angered by Owaisi openly saying that he will not say Vande Mataram. There should be no place for traitors in this country, said Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta.

What message was Owaisi trying to give to the Muslim of the country by saying that he will not say Bharat Mata ki Jai and Vande Mantram? He was just trying to instigate feeling of anti nationalism within the Muslims by giving out such lessons. He is sitting in the Parliament and is a resident of India, then what is the problem in saying Bharat Mata ki jai? He should go to Pakistan, if he refuses to respect the country, Gupta told HT.

Read: Not shouting a slogan is also part of freedom of expression, says Owaisi

The posters were later removed by the police.

We removed the posters soon after we got to learn about them. Gupta will be called in for clarification, a senior police officer said.

In response to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwats exhortation that patriotism be infused in the younger generation, Owaisi had earlier said that he would not chant Bharat Mata ki Jai even if a knife was held to his thoat. I dont chant that slogan. What are you going to do, Bhagwat sahab? the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad had said at a rally in Udgir tehsil of Maharashtras Latur district on February 13.

Police said they are trying to identify the people who stuck the posters outside Owaisis residence.

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One of the eight protesters, who had consumed poison while demanding cow to be declared as Rashtra Mata (mother of nation), died on Thursday.

Despite deployment of police personnel, the eight activists managed to consume pesticides and were immediately rushed to civil hospital earlier in the day.

One of them, identified as Hindabhai Vambadiya, died at the hospital while undergoing treatment whereas condition of three others is said to be critical, said ACP Kalpesh Chavda.

35-year-old Vambadiya was part of the group that had gathered outside the premises of the collector office in Rajkot demanding that government should declare cow as Rashtra Mata (mother of India).

They managed to consume pesticides even before police personnel could prevent them from doing so.

Former Congress MP from Rajkot, Kunvarji Bavaliya and chairman of Gau Seva Ayog Vallabhbhai Kathiriya rushed to the hospital after the incident but were blocked by protesters from entering the premises of the hospital.

A call for Gujarat bandh has been given by Gau Rakshak Samiti, which had launched the protest for declaring cow as Rashtra Mata, over the death of Vambadiya.

The ACP said they will investigate how the activists managed to consume poison despite presence of police and the tip-off in advance about the impending suicide attempt.

Those in hospital are identified as Kamlesh Rabari (29), Dinesh Loriya (45), Amar Danidharaiya (35), Raghuvirsinh Jadeja (30), Vala Maru (36), Vijay Sindhav (28) and Deepak Vaghela. Police did not disclose the names of the activists whose condition is critical.
Mumbai: The Bombay high court quashed the death penalty of the lone convict in the 2010 German Bakery blast case, but said he would serve out a life sentence awarded to him for possession of explosives.

The court on Thursday acquitted suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Himayat Baig of nine charges in connection with the blast that killed 17 people and injured 58 at the tourist eatery in Pune.

He was arrested in September 2010 and sentenced to death by a Pune court three years later.

The high court said the prosecution had relied on circumstantial evidence and failed to prove Baig had any role in manufacturing the bomb or helping others plant it.

Another arrested accused, Qateel Siddiqui, died in Punes Yerawada jail in 2012 after a scuffle with inmates. Half a dozen other accused are wanted.

The bomb was left in a backpack under a table at the popular restaurant, which is a few metres from an Osho ashram and a Jewish Chabad centre  both allegedly surveyed by Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley, who scouted targets for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Baigs counsel, Mehmood Pracaha, told the court the prosecution had only established parts of the conspiracy and failed to link them.

The judges said the period already spent in prison by the convict will be considered as part of the life sentence.

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External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz held informal talks for the second time in as many days on the sidelines of a breakfast before a meeting of SAARC foreign ministers in Pokhara on Thursday.

The two leaders were seated next to each other at a table during the breakfast hosted by Nepals deputy prime minister Kamal Thapa. They were also seen standing separately and talking animatedly for close to six minutes.

Swaraj and Aziz arrived in the resort town on Wednesday to attend a meeting of the Saarc Council of Ministers to be inaugurated by Prime Minister KPSharma Oli.

They held informal talks during a dinner hosted by Oli on Wednesday night. Swaraj and Aziz sat next to each other during the dinner and were seen exchanging pleasantries and talking at length.

Swaraj and Aziz are scheduled to hold a meeting on Thursday evening and sources said the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase is expected to figure in the talks.

Also Read | Pathankot likely to figure during Swaraj-Aziz meet in Nepal today

The main agenda of the meeting is for Aziz to extend an invitation for the Saarc summit in Islamabad later this year. But they would obviously talk of other issues, including terror attacks, a senior Indian diplomat told Hindustan Times.

The formal meeting will be the first high-level interaction between the two countries since the Indian Air Force base was attacked on January 2. Seven Indian security personnel were killed in the assault, which India blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

A planned meeting of the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan was cancelled after the Pathankot attack.

The Saarc meet is assessing progress made since the 2014 summit of the grouping in Kathmandu.

Also Read | Sushma, Aziz exchange pleasantries during dinner hosted by Nepal PM

Besides her meeting with Aziz, Swaraj will meet her counterparts from other Saarc nations.

Swaraj held two separate meetings with Prime Minister Oli and her Nepali counterpart Kamal Thapa on Wednesday evening and discussed bilateral issues.

Discussions revolved round on the entire range of bilateral issues, said another Indian diplomat.

The implementation of Nepals new Constitution and ways to handle the demands of Madhesi parties, who are seeking fresh demarcation of state boundaries, figured during the deliberations.

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The Shiv Sena wants All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi beheaded for his March 13 comment that he wont chant Bharat Mata ki Jai even if a knife is put to his throat.

Besides, the row over his comment prompted Uttar Pradesh authorities on Thursday to deny the Hyderabad MP permission to hold two events in the state.

The Sena, a partner in the BJP-led NDA government, also sought revocation of citizenship and voting rights of those who refuse to chant the nationalistic slogan. But orthodox Muslims have reservations since the Hindu right wing portrays Bharat Mata or Mother India as a devi or goddess, which goes against the Islamic tenet of worshipping only Allah.

Read | Owaisi faces Sena flak over slogan row, denied event permission in UP

(The Gujarat Patel quota stir leader) Hardik Patel was charged with sedition and is in prison for unintentionally insulting the national flag. And then theres this Owaisi who declines to say Bharat Mata ki Jai even at knifepoint. Why even place a knife at such peoples necks? In fact, they should be beheaded, said an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna.

In Dharamshala, Saamna editor and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said the government should take away such peoples citizenship and disenfranchise them because refusing to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai amounts to sedition.

Activists of Hindu Sena, lesser-known radical group, put up posters branding Owaisi as traitor outside his Ashoka Road residence in New Delhi.

Read | Hyper-patriotism has no place in a modern democracy

The outfits leader, Vishnu Gupta, said: He was trying to instigate Muslims with his anti-nationalistic remarks. He should go to Pakistan if he refuses to respect the country.

Owaisis efforts to hold a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh to start his partys campaign for the 2017 assembly polls were thwarted after the administration denied him permission, forcing him to cancel his March 17 event in Lucknow.

The state government does not want the AIMIM to make inroads into the states Muslim vote base, which the ruling Samajwadi Party considers its stronghold, party leader Mohammed Tauheed Siddiqui said.

After Lucknow, the AIMIM leader was scheduled to leave for Azamgarh, an eastern UP district famous for shaping Muslim politics in the state, and attend Friday namaz at the Jama Masjid on March 18.

On the way, he was scheduled to visit Deva Sharif in Barabanki district. Owaisis itinerary included regions having a sizeable Muslim population.

Read | Owaisi speaks the same language of Hafiz Saeed: BJP

The Samajwadi Party is wary of the AIMIMs design because any split in Muslim votes will help the BJP, which is attempting to wrest power in Uttar Pradesh after winning the states 71 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014.

Owaisis Bharat Mata comment came at an opportune time for the Uttar Pradesh government to keep him away from the state, saying his presence could trigger a law-and-order crisis. The fears were not unfounded as well because a BJP young wing leader had announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to anyone who cuts off Owaisis tongue.

The AIMIM chief made his comment at a rally in Maharashtras Latur district as a riposte to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwats statement that the younger generation must be taught to chant patriotic slogans.

The row escalated when Maharashtra legislative assembly on Wednesday suspended AIMIM legislator Waris Pathan for refusing to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

Read | Harsh or correct? Jury out on Waris suspension

Muslim leaders in parties opposed to the BJP-led coalition stood by Owaisi. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said: The RSS and BJP are portraying Bharat Mata as a goddess. Everybody may not want to subscribe to this idea. But nobody would mind praising mother India.

(With HT correspondents inputs from Dharamshala and New Delhi)
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked the Lok Sabha ethics committee on Wednesday to probe the conduct of Trinamool Congress MPs allegedly caught taking bribes in a sting that has emerged as a political flashpoint ahead of the West Bengal polls.

Trinamool lawmaker Saugata Roy called it a unilateral decision, but Mahajan brushed aside his objections, pointing out that similar complaints have been referred to the panel that oversees the ethical behaviour of the members.

The panel can recommend censure, reprimand or suspension for an MP it finds guilty.

The media group that conducted the sting says top Trinamool Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha lawmakers Roy and Sultan Ahmed, accepted bundles of cash to lobby for a fictitious firm.

It released the tape of the operation, which it says it carried out over the past two years, just days ahead of the elections in West Bengal where the ruling Trinamool Congress will fight a probable Left-Congress combine and a buoyant BJP.

Protesting the speakers decision, Saugata Roy said if every complaint is referred to the ethics committee, anyone can do a sting against members and an inquiry will be ordered based on unverified contents. He, however, added that veteran BJP leader LK Advani, who will head the 15-member panel, will be fair and he has complete respect for him.

When the CPI(M), BJP and Congress raised the issue on Tuesday, Roy termed the sting operation a political controversy. I am sorry that I have to live this day to hear these things in Parliament, he said.

But the NDA government made it clear that it cannot remain a silent spectator and asked the speaker to refer the allegations to the ethics committee. Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu had hinted that the government would probe the charges if the House panel did not.

The issue also rocked the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with CPI(M) members alleging match-fixing between the government and Trinamool Congress while demanding a probe by a panel comprising members of both Houses.

Trinamool MP Derek OBrien, however, rubbished the charges and questioned the credibility of the journalists behind the sting.
The judiciary is witnessing a spike in judges choosing not to hear cases without giving any reasons. This month alone, three judges of the Supreme Court opted out of cases before them. But no one knows why.

In some of these cases, the judges had heard the matters for several months.

On March 10, justice V Gopala Gowda recused himself from hearing the CBIs challenge to a 2010 Allahabad high court verdict dropping criminal conspiracy charges against BJP leaders including LK Advani and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case. In February, he had himself given this date to hear the matter.

This happened two days after Justice J Chelameswar opted out of a case pertaining to Bengaluru blast accused Abdul Nazir Maudany. In the open court, the judge  who had heard the matter for almost two years  simply adjourned the matter but the written order said it would be listed before another bench.

In recent years, there have been many instances from high courts where judges referred cases to the chief justice for sending them to another bench.

Should judges disclose the reasons for recusal? Do citizens have a right to know why a particular judge has opted out of a case?

Being an institution whose hallmark is transparency, it is only proper that the judge discharging high and noble duties, at least broadly indicate the reasons for recusing from the case it is the constitutional duty, as reflected in ones oath, to be transparent and accountable, and hence, a judge is required to indicate reasons for his recusal from a particular case, justice Kurian Joseph said in his verdict on the National Judicial Appointments Commission.

Reasons for recusal must be assigned, whether they are personal or public, says senior advocate Rajiv Dhavan.

In a large number of cases, judges recuse themselves because either they have dealt with it as a judge or as an advocate. The reasons are often explicit without being put to writing. The conflict is recognised by the judge and the lawyer in the case. But in all other cases they must disclose the reasons, says Dhavan.

Former secretary of the Supreme Court bar association Ayshwaria Bhatti says, Now recusals have become quite mysterious. Nobody knows whether its a recusal order. Recusal requests were also never made the way they are being made these days. Judges should disclose reasons.
Its 10.30am on a Sunday. We are at the Mahalaxmi Race Course, a venue synonymous with horse racing. But right now, the horses are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there is the buzzing noise of airplanes flying overhead, and that of helicopter wings chopping through the air. It sounds more like Juhu Airport than Mahalaxmi Race Course, really.

Near Gate 1, at the polo grounds, several cars are lined in a row, all the boots popped open. A dozen or so people are busy staring skyward, radio controls in hand, manoeuvring miniature versions of jets and choppers. They are aeromodellers, people who build and fly model aircrafts as a hobby.

Aeromodeller Jim Desai at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT)

From time to time, you can hear them shouting out instructions: on field and landing. The first signals that a person will enter the flying zone to retrieve a craft; and the second denotes a plane about to land. The aim is to prevent collisions among planes, or with the aeromodellers.

Read: R Madhavan want to be one of those actors who makes headlines for his flings

Brief introduction

Made using a mix of balsa wood, polystyrene and plastic, the RC (radio-controlled) aircraft models are assembled from kits, and are powered by battery or petrol. The cars with the open hoods are the hangars, if you will, for the toy planes, and are also where spare parts  screw drivers, batteries  are stored.

The aeromodellers range from a 70-year-old audio equipment specialist to a 32-year-old entrepreneur. On weekends, they gather not just to fly model planes, but also share tips on flying. Later, they enjoy snacks and soft drinks together. Understandably, age isnt a limitation here. The enthusiasts say anyone between ages of five to 75 can fly these planes once they learn the basics. Apart from the monsoons, every weekend sees aeromodellers flock to the grounds.

Students of DJ Sanghvi College of Engineering building an aircraft at the Indian Aeromodellers Club in Virar (Pratham Gokhale/HT)

Apart from the Race Course, the other popular flying venues include the Vartak Nagar ground in Virar, the IIT campus in Powai, and open spaces in Dahisar, Aksa beach and even Aamby Valley City near Lonavala. While helicopter fliers prefer the Race Course, model jet fliers carry them all the way to Aamby Valleys airport runway, as they require level ground for take-off.

While there are no official figures, aeromodelling group Wings India pegs the number of serious flyers in Mumbai at around a hundred, and home flyers (non-affiliated amateur fliers) to around a thousand.

Jim Desai, 34, is a serious flier. Unlike the others, though, the Borivali resident heads to Mahalaxmi and Aamby Valley on Saturdays to avoid the crowds. I live, eat and breathe aeromodelling. It is the closest you can come to flying. But its also a challenging hobby. A pilot gets to analyse whats in front of him. As an aeromodeller, you can only estimate the conditions from the ground, he says.

He eagerly shows us images on his cell phone of his collection of three helicopters, two jets, two engine-propelled crafts, and a drone. Most of his crafts are imported from the US and the UK, and cost anywhere between Rs40,000 to Rs2.5 lakh.

Desai says he got hooked at age 18 when his father, a former pilot, showed him a magazine with images of airplanes. His father bought him a model soon after, from the UK. I took it apart and reassembled it. I kept moving from model to model and thats how I learned. Desai now runs a flight simulation studio in Thane, and trains people in aeromodelling during his free time.

Darius Engineer (right) at the Indian Academy of Model Aeronauticss workshop in Fort (Aalok Soni/HT)

Fan club

For enthusiasts like Desai, city-based groups such as Wings India Radio Controlled Model Flyers Club (formed in 2004), Academy of Model Aeronautics (formed in 1987) and the Indian Aeromodellers Club (formed in 2002) are great resources. These groups offer guidance on assembling planes, conduct events and workshops and even provide third-party insurance for members.

Unlike the other clubs, though, the Aeromodelling Club at IIT-Bombay, has mostly students members. In 2000, students from IITs aerospace department made and flew RC planes and gliders as a hobby or for projects. The group then got official recognition, says manager Yograj Mandloi, who is also a third year B Tech student. Today, they host talks and competitions related to designing planes, screenings and practice sessions.

There are around 100 aeromodellers in the city and around a thousand non-affiliated ones, as per Wings India (Kunal Patil/HT)

The history of flying

As a hobby, aeromodelling has been in existence in India for almost 50 years. Umesh More, chairman, Wings India, says, It was more active in Kolkata in the early days, before moving to other cities. The models back then were simple chuck gliders (light aircraft that flies without using an engine) and small planes, a far cry from todays jets and drones.

Aeromodelling gained popularity in Mumbai by the 1960s and 70s, recalls Darius Engineer, 61, secretary, Indian Academy of Model Aeronautics. The Colaba resident was introduced to aeromodelling in the 60s as an NCC student. Now, he runs a workshop in Fort to train students in the basics of aeromodelling during the summer holidays.

A drone and radio control at the IIT Powai campus. The aeromodelling club hosts sessions on designing planes. (IIT Bombay )

Get a head start

Models can be bought from websites like RC Dhamaka, RC Bazaar and Hobby Ideas, or from international websites (see box). Most are run by aeromodelling fans who saw a good business proposition in their hobby. Chintal Manek (23), founder, RC Bombay, started his venture in 2014 when he found it tough to get spare parts for planes. When one of my models crashed, it took me a year to rebuild the model again. For spares, I had to depend on people travelling abroad, he says.

While some models cost in lakhs, its also possible to build crafts economically. To build from scratch, all you need is balsa wood and foam. You need to invest in an engine and a remote, but its a one-time investment, says Engineer.

Rakesh Verma, founder, Indian Aeromodellers Club, says, Cheaper models can be made from styrofoam sheets. You can make basic aircrafts for as little as `300.

Internationally, aeromodelling is a lucrative hobby, with air shows and competitions round the year. In India, though, there is a lot of ground to be covered. While there are events like the Aamby Valley International Aeromodellers Meet and the Boeing-IIT National Aeromodelling Competition, enthusiasts hope for a lot more. Here, its not a paying hobby; its something you do in your spare time. We need sponsorship. And the Directorate General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) needs to set rules to allow us to fly at more places, says Engineer.

Join the club: Aeromodelling groups in the city

- IIT-B Aeromodelling Club

Visit: stab-iitb.org/index.php/aeromodelling-club

facebook.com/Aeromodelling-Club-IIT-Bombay

Membership fee: Free

- Indian Aeromodellers Club

Visit: facebook.com/IAC-Virar

Membership fee: R1,000 per year

Call 98223 95039

- Indian Academy of Model Aeronautics

Visit: facebook.com/theiama

Membership fee: R1,500 per year

Call 99305 12729

- Wings India RC Model Flyers Club

Visit: wingindia.com

Email: wingindia@gmail.com

Membership fee: R1,500 per year

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The customs commissionerate recovered 50 gold coins from a passenger at the Shri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport.

The seizure worth Rs 10 lakh was made after the customs that had specific information started the operation led by its commissioner Capt Sanjay Gahlot.

Deputy commissioner customs (Air Intelligence) Amanjit said, There was a specific input and as soon as a flight from Dubai landed on the airport, a passenger named Akash Verma was stopped for search. The passenger had hidden the gold consignment in his rectum.

The customs officer informed that each coin weighed 7.97 grams and total cost of the coins was around Rs 10 lakh.

We are maintaining a very high vigil and this is the reason that regular seizures are made at this airport. We have sensitised the staff and keeping a close eye, he added.

Notably, last month, the customs department had seized 10 gold biscuits smuggled into India by arresting a passenger and his accomplice from this airport. The 10 gold biscuits weighed 1,166 grams and had a market value of Rs 33.23 lakh.

Past seizures

Feb 2016: 10 gold biscuits seized from one person

Jan 2015: 900 grams recovered from two persons

Jan 2014: 5 kg gold recovered, 4 persons detained

April 2013: 41 gold biscuits seized, one held
Aam Aadmi Party Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh on Wednesday said that during his visit to Punjab, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had clearly stated that he was against the construction of the SYL canal since Punjab did not have adequate water for its own consumption and irrigation.

Now, it is up to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make their stand clear on the issue, Sanjay told media here. He said Kejriwal had rightly said that Punjab didnt have adequate water to irrigate its own agricultural fields and the level of the groundwater had also gone down.

When reminded that Kejriwal was speaking against the interests of his own state, Haryana, Sanjay said Kejriwal was not speaking against any state. The AAP is not indulging in politics over the issue like the others, he said.

Sanjay said the people of the state, especially in Malwa, are suffering from water-borne diseases like cancer due to polluted groundwater. In this situation, if Kejriwal had opposed the SYL, then it is out of sheer concern and not politics, he added.

Sanjay said the issue is always brought up near the elections and is ignored after. He said chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who notified the SYL and started the construction work, is now trying to get political mileage by

SEPARATE GOVERNOR FOR PUNJAB

AAP Punjab convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur said it is illogical and funny that while speaking in the Punjab assembly the same governor talks of no additional water, but in Haryana he says that the Punjab governments stand is constitutionally wrong. He said the Centre should immediately appoint a separate governor for Punjab.
A day after acid attack on five girls at Dera Baba Nanak, panic has gripped residents and fellow students, who blamed the laxity of the police administration behind such incidents.

The four girls, who sustained minor injuries in the attack, are still in shock as they hardly have any clue as why they were victimised without having any fault.

Talking to HT at the civil hospital, Dera Baba Nanak, where all the four girls are undergoing treatment, one of the victim Sukhmandeep Kaur, said the accused Sajjan Masih used to follow their group, while returning back from school. On Wednesday, he was accompanied by another youth Lovepreet Singh and the two made numerous rounds around them.

Everyone in our group knew that Sajjan had proposed Ritu (name changed), but every time she had rejected his proposals and even on Monday, Ritus grandfather had scolded Sajjan and threatened him of dire consequences, if he did not stop following her. On Wednesday, Sajjan took umbrage and poured out his resentment by throwing a small can of acid on Ritu, but as we all were together, some of the drops fell on our faces too, she added.

Demanding strict action against all the accused involved in the incidents, 12 activists of ABVP along with representatives of various social organisations on Thursday hold a candle march, which passed through various markets of the town. The activists also submitted a memorandum to the police and sought a complete ban on the sale of acid in the open market. They also appealed to the administration to increase police patrolling around all the educations institutions during their working hours. They also sought a special law to keep a check on the eve-teasing incidents.

Meanwhile, the district administration on Thursday approached the Punjab Legal Services Authority seeking Rs 3 lakh for the cosmetic surgery of 14-year-old girl, whose face has been defaced and is undergoing treatment at Amritsar. The administration had also assured free medical treatment to the family of the four girls, who had sustained minor injuries.

Read: Acid attack on five schoolgirls in Gurdaspur town, one critical
The Punjab Congress on Wednesday jumped into the troubled waters of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) in a race with the Shiromani Akali Dal to fill the canal and take credit for burying the issue with Haryana.

Patiala legislator Preneet Kaur along with two-dozen Congress MLAs arrived with shovels to fill the channel at Kapoori, where a Congress prime minister (Indira Gandhi) had picked up a hoe to break the ground in a contrasting symbolic gesture in 1982. The party sent in farmers to reclaim the SYL land, though Punjab governor Kaptan Singh Solanki is yet to sign the bill to de-notify it.

State Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi and fellow MLAs even skipped the Vidhan Sabha proceedings to come over to Kapoori. Its a historic day; we have snapped the link with Haryana, he said, adding: Anticipating that the governor might not sign the bill, the CLP decided to start filling the canal without waiting for formal notification. When (the CM) Capt Amarinder Singh annulled the water-sharing treaty, it took him just a few hours to secure the signatures of the-then governor, but now for dramas sake, CM Parkash Singh Badal goes to Raj Bhavan without the bill.

The Akalis led by Charanjit Singh Rakhra and Malwa zone Youth Akali Dal (YAD) president Harpal Juenja deployed nearly 200 earth movers on Wednesday to fill the canal at Sirhind, Rajpura, and a few other places. We are here to help farmers get back their land. By filling the SYL, we are going to bury the historical blunders of the Congress, said Juneja.

BADAL GOVT RETURNS ` 192 CR TO HARYANA

in line with the cabinet decision to return all the funds Punjab had received from Haryana for the SYL canal, Punjab government on Wednesday dispatched ` 191.75 crore cheque to the Haryana government.

DONT CLEAR BILL: KHATTAR TO GOVERNOR

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar requested governor Kaptan Singh Solanki to withhold his assent to the Punjab SYL canal land bill passed by the Punjab assembly on March 14. Khattar also asked him to direct the Punjab government to immediately restore the status quo ante.

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Punjab governor Kaptan Singh Solanki on Tuesday tersely told chief minister Parkash Singh Badal that Punjabs Bill on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal would be subjected to tough legal scrutiny before taking a decision on the contentious legislation, it is learnt.

After Punjabs legislative assembly on Monday unanimously approved the Punjab Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal Land (Transfer of Proprietary Rights) Bill-2016, Badal, accompanied by speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, parliamentary affairs minister Madan Mohan Mittal (BJP) and Congress leaders, including Congress Legislature Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi, called on Solanki at Raj Bhawan on Tuesday, urging him to give assent to the bill.

The bill has a bearing on sharing of the Ravi-Beas waters over which Punjab and Haryana have been fighting for decades. The Punjab government has decided to transfer free of cost the entire 5,376-acre land to the owners that was acquired for the canal over three decades ago by giving Rs 35-crore compensation.

Now, all eyes are on Solanki, who holds the dual charge of Punjab and Haryana. Till Monday evening, sources say, Solanki had not taken any official decision on the fate of the bill, though he had begun consulting legal eagles

According to a well-placed source, the governor gave a piece of his mind to the Punjab leaders when Channi asked Badal to hand over the bill to Solanki.

At this, speaker Atwal, a veteran parliamentarian and former deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha, interjected saying the bill would be handed over to the governor following a proper procedure such as routing the bill file through the legal remembrancer.

No sooner did the speaker finish his sentence than the governor bluntly told them that he wouldnt have signed the bill even if they had given it at that meeting. Sources say Solanki told the Punjab leaders that he was fully aware of the political fallout and legal repercussions of the legislation.

According to sources, Solanki gave ample hints that he would not give assent to the bill hurriedly as was done by the then Punjab governor when the Termination of Agreements Act, 2004, was passed by the Vidhan Sabha to annul all inter-state agreements relating to Ravi and Beas waters.

In fact, the governor just kept short of saying that he would not give assent to the bill. Solanki even referred to the fact that the then Punjab governor had to lose his chair soon after giving assent to the 2004 bill. The governor did some plain speaking and hinted that he would deal with the issue legally and carefully, a source present during the meeting told HT.

It is understood that any step the governor will take on the bill will have New Delhis unofficial approval as the issue has already raised political temperatures not only in Punjab but also in Haryana.

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Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said his government has returned the cheque for Rs 191.75 crore in original which Punjab had sent a day before for Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

The Punjab cabinet had on Wednesday decided to return the entire fund received by Punjab from Haryana for the SYL canal. The cheque was dispatched on Wednesday itself. The Haryana government has also moved an application in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on Punjab governments recent move on SYL canal issue.

In a statement in the Haryana assembly, Khattar said, The bill concerning SYL canal has not yet been signed by the governor.

Punjab assembly had on Monday passed the Punjab SYL canal land (transfer of proprietary rights) bill, 2016, which aims to de-notify the land acquired for construction of SYL canal, a lingering dispute between the two neighbouring states.

As hearing on Presidential reference is scheduled for Thursday in the Supreme Court, the government has filed the application linking the latest action of Punjab on SYL canal with the Presidential reference for hearing, he said.

At todays hearing, the Supreme Court has added the states application and its decision would be announced by evening, the chief minister said.

Khattar said he has also spoken to Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and expressed his displeasure over Punjab governments move on the SYL canal.

Noting that Haryana government has shown strong resentment over Punjabs unconstitutional move on SYL canal issue, Khattar said he has returned the cheque to Punjab government.

We are constantly in touch with Centre on SYL issue. I have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All our MPs have also met the Prime Minister on this issue, he said.

Khattar said since Punjab governments move on SYL canal is unconstitutional, he has requested Punjab governor Kaptan Singh Solanki not to give assent to the bill.
In a setback to the Congress, Anu Randhawa, daughter of former Punjab minister and late Congress leader Jasjit Singh Randhawa joined the Aam Aadmi Party in Patiala on Thursday.

She made the move to protest against the decision of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh of backing Madan Lal Jalalpur from Ghanaur assembly constituency. Anu, who had boycotted the March 7 Ghanaur rally by Amarinder, joined the AAP in the presence of partys Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh and state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur.

She was unhappy with Amarinder, who had gone ahead with the rally in favour of Jalalpur despite her objection saying the rally should be held under the banner of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and not to project an individual.

Jalalpur was once loyalist of Jasjit Randhawa, but in the 2007 polls, he contested as a rebel candidate and defeated Randhawa. In 2012, he again got ticket from the Congress, while Randhawa was shifted to Dera Bassi, from where he lost. After Randhawas death in 2015, Anu started nurturing Ghanaur to claim the political legacy of her father. Anu was given prominence by former state Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa, but as Amarinder took over the reins of the state Congress, he projected his loyalist Jalalpur as the candidate from Ghanaur. This led to Anus exit from the Congress.

Anu said she would work as a volunteer with the AAP as the party is giving due respect to all its workers.

Welcoming her into the party fold, Sanjay Singh said Congress leaders are miffed with Amarinder, who had lost connect with the public and was projecting only those with deep pockets. He said the party would give due respect to Anu and her team.

Meanwhile, Jalalpur said the decision would not affect the Congress. He claimed that in the past 10 years neither late Randhawa nor Anu had visited Ghanaur, while he represented the party during all elections.

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A 28-year-old youth was beaten to death at Hardhan village, after he reportedly opened fire on the father of a girl, who the deceased tried to rape, here on Wednesday.

Gurdev Singh, a resident of at Hardhan village under Ranger Nangal police station, lodged a complaint with the police on Wednesday afternoon that when his niece, a Class-9 student, who was alone at her house, the two accused barged into her house and tried to rape her.

Listening to the screams of the girl, neighbours rushed to the spot and caught both the accused. Subsequently, getting information about the incident, girls father Kulwant Singh also reached the spot and tried to assault the accused.

Unable to bear the manhandling, one of the accused, Baljeet Singh Balan, a resident of Manan village took out his pistol and fired three bullets at Kulwant Singh, who was seriously injured and was rushed to the Batala civil hospital.

Seeing Baljeet firing bullets at Kulwant Singh, the agitated neighbours attacked him and beat him to death while Baljeets companion, Taljinder Singh, a resident of Arrian village, was seriously injured and was rushed to a hospital by the police. Giving information, SHO Ranger Nangal police station Rajesh Kakkar said Kulwant Singh was rushed to Amritsar in a serious condition.

Meanwhile, on the statement of Gurdev Singh, the police had registered a case under section 307, 354, 452, 34 of the IPC and 25/54/59 of the Arms Act against Baljeet Singh and Taljinder Singh while they had not recorded the statements of deceaseds relatives, after which a counter case will be registered in this regard.
Local administration has failed to check the sale of adulterated food items  particularly edible oil and ghee  in the district, with over 40 per cent of food samples collected by the health department having failed quality test in the past five months.

Of the eight samples of edible oil collected in the last two months, five have failed the quality test.

Vendors get these products at cheaper rates and sell it at cheaper rates. Adulterated ghee is available at around ` 80-100 per kg and it is later sold at ` 300-400 per kg. We have sent a few samples of these items in the last two months and most of them have failed the quality test, said district health officer Mohan Singh.

He said sesame oil is mixed in edible oil and then sold as ghee.

TWO GHEE BRANDS FOUND UNSAFE

Two ghee brands  Danveer and Keshav  have been found to be unsafe for consumption due to presence of sesame oil in them.

Regular consumption of sesame oil may even lead to cancer and skin-related allergies, say experts. The district health department has not issued any notice to the vendors to stop the sale of these products.

Though poor underground water was seen as the main reason behind the rising cases of cancer, health officials say that adulterated food items also contribute to the disease and other health-related issues.

Despite the fact that RO ( reverse osmosis) systems have been installed in almost all areas across the district, a number of people have been diagnosed with cancer here. It is due to the consumption of adulterated food items, said Anil Middha, a local chemist.

POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

Moreover, collecting food samples proves be an uphill task for health department officials due to alleged political interference.

Food safety officer Charanjeet Singh was recently transferred after he blew the lid off rampant sale of adulterated food items in the district.

If officials are to be believed, he was transferred as some retailers and vendors got him removed through their political masters. He was strict and did not spare the wrongdoers. For obvious reasons, he had to face the wrath of the establishment. He was shifted simply because many retailers were finding it difficult to sell spurious products, said a health department official.

It has been learnt that a senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader from Bathinda allegedly owns a factory which is under the scanner for supplying adulterated edible oil.

Not only this, the district health officer was roughed up by local retailers after he had visited a shop to collect food samples. The police allegedly struck a compromise between the accused and the victim.

Collecting samples is a risky proposition in this district. I have faced resistance from locals several times, informed district health officer Dr Mohan Singh.

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Nine years after the concept was first mooted, the proposal to construct eight underpasses in the city to ease traffic congestion has finally been shelved. Claiming that the project would be a hindrance to the Metro project when it does come up, the UT administration has scrapped the proposal to construct two underpasses  at the Sector 17 ISBT and Aroma light point. This is even as the municipal corporation had allocated ` 25 crore for the construction of underpasses in its 2016-17 budget.

Both the underpasses will be a hindrance to the execution of the Metro project, a senior officer with the UT administration told HT.

City mayor Arun Sood feigned ignorance on the scrapping of the project. I am not aware of the development, but I feel the Metro is also important, but still we will take up the issue with UT administration, said Sood. The city does have an underpass that connects Sector 15 and 11.

BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT

The effort to construct underpasses in the city started in 2007 when the UT administration spent Rs 10 lakh on a tour of three officers  finance secretary SK Sandhu, chief engineer VK Bhardwaj and chief architect Sunita Monga  to Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp) and France (Paris) to understand the concept, construction and maintenance of underpasses.

Since then after several twists and turns (see box), it was in July 2015 that the MC sent a proposal for the construction of eight underpasses to the administration. The administration had then rejected six proposals and kept two pending.

VIEWS ON THE PROJECT

It is unfortunate that after putting in efforts for nearly 10 years, the important project has been rejected. The construction is precisely according to the plan of Le Corbusier and we should go for it. Any specific problem could be easily sorted out, said Surinder Bahga, an architect who is also a nominated councillor in the MC House.

George Kuruvila, a leading Bangalore-based traffic planner, who is now based in Chandigarh, said, Chandigarh should avoid unnecessary flyovers and underpasses. Intelligent traffic planning, including synchronised traffic system, may be far more effective and cost- efficient, as has been done in other cities designed on the same pattern.

He added that cities like Bangalore had spent around Rs 15,000 crore over three years beginning 2009 due to senseless planning, even as the traffic congestion had not been tackled.
After private schools failed to comply with guidelines under the Safe School Vahan scheme, officials of Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights have been visiting various districts and providing training and counselling to members of management bodies of schools, employees and bus drivers about the policy.

Officials of the child rights body are of the view that it is important to hold counselling sessions with the schools to sensitise them about the necessity of following the policy for security of students.

On Tuesday, the officials visited Jalandhar, checked school buses and organised detailed counselling sessions with school managements, principals, bus drivers and conductors on the policy.

The officials visited as many as six schools and checked if they were complying with the policy. They inspected the buses of Mayor World Public School, Delhi Public School, Cambridge International School for Girls, Apeejay School, MGN School, and DIPS School.

Deputy director of Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Rajwinder Singh Gill, was accompanied by deputy director of secondary education Amrik Kumar Shukla and Sukhjeet Singh Virk, inspector of traffic police, SAS Nagar.

Members of the district-level committee formed by the district administration to check school buses under the scheme also visited the schools and they were also sensitised during the counselling sessions.

A few days ago, the child rights body had put on hold the inspections being conducted by the district-level committees and planned to hold counselling sessions.

Gill said it was important to provide training to members of district-level committees about the implementation of the scheme.

The team checked necessary compliance to safety measures like expiry date of fire extinguisher, driving license of bus driver, experience of bus driver, women attendant in bus, availability of emergency door in bus and other important parameters under the scheme.

Gill explained the policy in detail to school principals and said all guidelines were for the betterment of the students and their security. He gave a period of 15 days to every school to follow the norms.

The schools were given the pro forma seeking details regarding registration number, type and model of vehicle, installation of flashing light/buzzer working at the time of boarding and deboarding of bus, seating capacity, speed governor, CCTV cameras, and type of door of bus, availability of lock on doors, emergency exit and first-aid box.

Only filling of the pro forma will not be enough but it is important to let the schools know that it is mandatory to comply with the policy and not merely pay a lip service, he said.

During the checking, Gill found that none of the schools were following the norms under the policy. He added that he was hopeful that the counselling session would prove fruitful.

He said, If the schools do not comply with the policy even now, we will send their names to the high court.
Director Aanand L Rais Nil Battey Sannata is being produced in Tamil by actor-director Dhanush by the name Amma Kanakku. And this is probably the first time that both the versions of the film will release on the same day.

According to a source, Usually, remake of a film is released after a considerable gap . There have also been bi-linguals shot at the same location and time. However, these two films adapt to two different cultures for the same storyline. The original, shot in Agra has the quintessential North flavour, whereas, the Tamil version adapts the storyline into a South India setup and has been shot in Chennai. Yet both Aanand and Dhanush have decided to release both the versions of the film on the same date (April 22), says a source close to the production house.

Read: People said playing mom is career suicide: Swara Bhaskar

While Tamil remake stars Amala and Revathi reprising the roles of Swara Bhaskar and Ratna Pathak Shah,both the films have been directed by the talented Ashwiny Tiwari Iyer.

Nil Battey Sannata is a lighthearted fun-filled exploration of a mother and daughters relationship. Both films will release 22nd April 2016.

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The celebrated Japanese director, Naomi Kawase, will chair the Cinefondation and Short Films Jury at the 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 11.

Kawase is one of those helmers whose career has been closely intertwined with the festival. In 1997, when she was barely 27 years old, she became the youngest winner of the festivals Camera dOr for her movie, Suzaku -- which sketches the despair of a family in the mountainous region of Nara after a railroad project that was to have employed the father is cancelled leaving him and his dependants in economic deprivation.

Read: Cannes Film Festival supremo Thierry Fremaux isnt quitting

A still from Sweet Bean (2015). (Cannes Film Festival)

Kawases early accolade at Cannes led to still greater recognition. Four of her subsequent films went on to compete for the top Palm dOr at the festival: Shara in 2003, The Mourning Forest in 2007, Hanezu in 2011 and Still the Water in 2014.

In 2015, Kawases Sweet Bean (or An in Japanese) opened the A Certain Regard, the most important sidebar of the festival. Here she focusses on those marginalised by society and how they struggle to find a place under the sun. The work is based on Durian Sukegawas novel with the same title and it tells the bitter-sweet story of a 76-year-old woman who finds it difficult to get a job because she once had leprosy. However, one fine day, luck smiles and she is employed by a small eatery that specialises in bean paste goodies, and the old womans recipe is so hot that the shop becomes a great favourite of the locals.

Read: Berlin Film Festival to open with Coens Hail Caesar!

A still from Still the Water (2014). (Cannes Film Festival)

Unlike most of her other movies that were set in Kawases native Nara, Sweet Bean unfolds in Tokyo.

The helmer, who grew up in rural Nara, had an unhappy childhood. Her parents split, her father abandoned her, and she was raised by an aunt with whom she had a love-hate relationship. Two of her documentaries talk about her father and her aunt, who suffered from dementia in her old age.

Even Kawases features are pretty autobiographical and they have been heavily inspired by the rural landscape of the hilly Nara and the attitude of the simple folks there.

Read: Thomas Vinterberg to return to Berlin with The Commune

A still from The Mourning Forest. (Cannes Film Festival)

In 2013, Kawase was part of the Steven Spielberg-chaired international jury at Cannes.

Kawases work goes beyond direction. In 2010, she opened the International Nara Film School, which helps promote the work of young moviemakers -- a commitment that she will be keen to uphold during her presidency of the Cinefondation and Short Films Jury.

As she said in a note soon after she was selected by Cannes this year, short films are exceptionally difficult, facing the question of how much of a story can be experienced in their short duration, while they also contain myriad possibilities yet unseen. And among movies created by students there will be the discovery of hidden brilliance like a gemstone, which makes me very much look forward to participating in this jury, a journey of adventure.

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At least two soldiers and three militants were killed in a clash between Pakistan security forces and rebels in the countrys peaceful northern areas on Thursday.

The clash occurred in Gilgit-Baltistan when troops raided a hideout of militants in Tarel valley in village Gayyal near Chilas at a tip-off, army said.

Three wanted terrorists were killed by security forces in a successful IBO (Intelligence-based Operation), according to the statement.

Two security forces personnel were also killed in exchange of fire, it said.

A search operation is still underway, it added, and security forces have cordoned off the site in Gayal village.

The killed militants were involved in attacks on civil transport, tourists and security forces.

The affiliation of the militants was not known but the area is known haunt of terrorist linked with anti-Shia Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Tehreek-Taliban-Pakistan. Both groups are banned in Pakistan.

The latest killing came after five terrorists were killed on Wednesday night when they attacked a military check post in Khyber Agency, army said.
US Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland has been sympathetic to government regulators in his almost two decades as an appeals court judge, frequently rejecting business-led challenges to federal action.

His overall record, however, suggests he is a moderate who follows Supreme Court precedent and is not eager to spearhead efforts to adopt novel legal theories.

Garland sits on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which hears a large proportion of the legal challenges to major federal regulations in areas such as environment and labor.

They are often brought by business groups like the US Chamber of Commerce. Cases are assigned randomly to three-judge panels. Garland has avoided some of the most contentious cases of recent years, including challenges to government efforts under President Barack Obama to curb carbon emissions and ensure equal access to Internet data via its so called net neutrality rule.

Read: Obamas SC pick is not Srinivasan, Indian-Americans disappointed

Of the cases in which he has participated, some of his opinions and votes in his 19 years on the bench have already attracted criticism from conservative and pro-business groups following his nomination to the high court by Obama on Thursday.

They say he too easily defers to government action.

We have great concerns about this nominees record, said Juanita Duggan, president of the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small business owners.

In this April 27, 1995, file photo, Merrick Garland, associate deputy attorney general, speaks to the media following the hearing of Oklahoma bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh. (AP Photo)

The group cites several cases, including one from 2003 in which the appeals court ruled against a developer challenging a finding the federal government had authority to force it to take measures to protect an endangered toad on the property under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The ruling, written by Garland, was a win for the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, which was defending the actions of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Garland wrote a narrow decision, saying he was merely staying in line with court precedent.

One of the judges on the appeals court who disagreed with the outcome was John Roberts, who Bush appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. Roberts questioned whether the federal government had the authority to issue regulations protecting what he described as a hapless toad. Roberts opinion was questioned by liberals when he was nominated to the high court as a sign that he would limit federal power to issue broad nationwide regulations.

In another case mentioned by the business group, Garland was part of a three-judge panel that in 1998 upheld Environmental Protection Agency emissions limits for nitrogen oxides from electric utility boilers.

More recently, he was on a panel in 2014 that upheld an Obama administration air pollution rule that limits emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants. The court held that the government was not required to consider the cost of compliance before issuing the regulation. The Supreme Court in June 2015 threw out that decision, although the regulation remains in place.

The US Supreme Court building is seen in Washington. (REUTERS)

In another 2014 case, he was part of a panel of 11 judges that ruled 8-3 to reject a food industry challenge to a federal rule concerning labeling requirements for meat. Despite those votes in favor of the government and against business interests, Garland is seen by legal experts as a moderate on the appeals court.

Hes a modest judge in that he really does try to stick to Supreme Court precedent, said Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Adler said Garland was somewhere in the middle of the 17-judge court when it comes to deference to agency action.

Appeals court judges hands are somewhat tied on regulatory cases because they are bound by Supreme Court precedent that favors deference to government agencies. In 1984, the high court ruled that judges should not second-guess agencies if the law is ambiguous.

Neal Katyal, a former Obama administration lawyer now in private practice with the Hogan Lovells law firm, said it is a really tough argument to suggest Garlands rulings on regulations show an ideological leaning. He described Garlands record on such cases as very, very centrist.

The Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, another industry group that regularly fights government regulations, said they would not comment on the merits of Garlands nomination.
The group seeking to overturn the 15-year-old ban on the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) said its campaign for Khalistan had received a massive boost after decks were cleared on Thursday to remove ISYF from the list of proscribed organisations in Britain.

After the House of Commons approved the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2016 on Tuesday, the House of Lords also approved the government motion on Thursday, enabling the lifting of the ban on Friday.

Home secretary Theresa May is expected to sign the order lifting the ban on Friday.

Moving the motion in the House of Lords, minister of state in the home office Michael Bates said: Having reviewed, with other countries, what information is available about the current activities of the ISYF and after careful and appropriate consideration, the Home Secretary concluded that there is not sufficient evidence to support a reasonable belief that the ISYF is currently concerned with terrorism, as defined by section 3(5) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

ISYF, which was previously engaged in attacks against india and Indian interests, was banned in Britain in 2001. The ISYF was launched in 1984 in Britain as the international branch of the All India Sikh Students Federation.

Bhai Amrik Singh, chair of the Sikh Federation (UK) that campaigned to overturn the ban, said after the motion was approved in the House of Lords: We are delighted at the unanimous verdict in the House of Commons and Lords that has resulted in the lifting of the ban.

The Sikh Federation (UK) and the Sikh community has always maintained for the last 15 years that the ISYF as an organisation has never been involved with terrorismWe feel we have been vindicated, there is nothing wrong with peacefully campaigning for an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan.

The ban on the ISYF in the UK alone in 2001 was politically motivated and almost certainly more to do with appeasing the Indian authorities. This is what many UK politicians on all sides have told us, including ministers, Singh said.

The Home Office said: The government does not condone any terrorist activity. Deproscription of a proscribed group should not be interpreted as condoning any previous activities of that group. The British Government has always been clear that the ISYF was a brutal terrorist organisation.

Bates denied in the House of Lords that the ban on ISYF was continued for so long since 2001 due to diplomatic pressure from India. He said other countries were engaged before arriving at the decision to de-proscribe the ISYF.

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A Birmingham-based man who conned several people by narrating fake stories of illness and shortage of funds to travel to India for medical treatment has been jailed for 37 months.

Gurtake Singh, 37, took money ranging from 20 to 350 pounds from several people between June and October last year, the West Midlands police said. The unemployed man reportedly drove pensioners  including an 80-year-old man  to cash points on at least two occasions when they told him that they were short of money.

Singh admitted to 11 counts of fraud, plus one charge of theft, and was jailed for 37 months by the Birmingham Crown Court this week. He was also ordered to pay back 1,552 compensation to his victims, and was made the subject of a criminal behaviour order that bans him from cold-calling addresses and asking people on the street for cash.

Detective constable Estelle Albutt, the investigating officer, said: Singh would knock on doors in a panicked state, sometimes crying, in order to gain entry once inside, he would tell stories of relatives being rushed to the hospital and that he desperately needed taxi money to visit them.

Albutt said the accused would claim to be locked out of his house, or that a cash point had swallowed his bank card. Singh would promise to return the money the following day. His victims described him as friendly and charming, even kissing them on the cheek and accepting drinks while engaging them in conversation. He was very plausible and preyed on elderly, trusting residents he showed no remorse for the people he conned, the officer added.

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The United States declared on Thursday that the Islamic State groups slaughter of Christians, Yazidis and Shias amounted to genocide and vowed to halt it.

US Secretary of State John Kerry made the proclamation after Congress demanded that Washington recognise that the group seeks to exterminate religious minorities.

Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology and by actions, in what it says, what it believes and what it does, Kerry declared.

Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups, he added.

The Islamic State group recruits Sunni extremists and has regularly carried out mass killings of Shiite Muslims, Christians and Yazidis.

Read: IS using birth control to keep supply of sex slaves: NYT report

In June 2014 it seized the formerly cosmopolitan city of Mosul in northern Iraq, placing whole communities under threat of murder, rape or enslavement.

Existential threat

Already in March last year, UN investigators warned the self-proclaimed caliphate was trying to wipe out Yazidis, members of a pre-Islamic religious minority.

A fighter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) holds an ISIL flag and a weapon on a street in the city of Mosul, Iraq. (REUTERS)

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which memorializes past genocides and campaigns against bigotry, welcomed the decision to name Christians and Yazidis as victims.

We reiterate our call that the US put these two groups at the front of the line for consideration for immigration to our country and to redouble our efforts to destroy ISIS, it said.

Read: Yazidi girl talks of ordeal as IS terrorists sex slave

While genocide is a crime under international law, US officials say Kerrys moral statement does not put Washington under any greater legal obligation to act.

Instead, they argue, the United States is already doing its utmost to halt the slaughter by leading a coalition to degrade and destroy the group.

Kerry said the facts must one day be brought before an international tribunal, and that the United States would do all it could to support a prosecution.

He said that through air strikes and support for local forces, the coalition has pushed IS fighters from 40 percent of the territory they once held in Iraq and 20% in Syria.

Read: Islamic State claims beheading of Christians, says will conquer Rome

Weve degraded their leadership, attacked their revenue sources and disrupted their supply lines, and currently we are engaged in a diplomatic initiative aimed at trying to end the war in Syria, he said.

Kerry argues Bashar al-Assads brutal campaign to cling to power in Syria fuels the chaos that allowed the IS group to seize the east of his country.

He vowed to continue pressing for a negotiated settlement to the broader civil war to allow local forces and the international coalition to focus its fire on the extremist threat.

Islamic State militants stand behind what are said to be Ethiopian Christians along a beach in Wilayat Barqa, in this still image from an undated video made available on a social media website. (REUTERS)

In my judgment Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims, he said.

For those communities the stakes in this campaign are utterly existential, he said.

So we must bear in mind after all that the best response to genocide is a reaffirmation of the fundamental right to survive.

The IS groups history of murdering journalists, aid workers and suspected spies has made it difficult to document its crimes in great detail.

Murder and slavery

But the group has itself issued propaganda videos showing the mass killing of prisoners,

And it has issued its own legal rulings pronouncing that captured non-Muslim women slaves may be raped by its fighters.

Read: Two chemical attacks by Islamic State kill child, wound 600

Weve not been able to compile a complete record, I think thats obvious on its face, Kerry admitted.

But over the past months we have conducted a review of the vast amount of information gathered by the State Department, by the intelligence community, by outside groups.

Kerry cited what he said was the 2014 massacre of hundreds of Yazidi men and older women by the IS group, which trapped tens of thousands more on an exposed mountain.

Without our intervention, it is clear those people would have been slaughtered, Kerry said, adding that thousands of women and girls had been sold at auction.

The group has executed Christians in northern Iraq and in Libya, where it also has a growing presence, and had sold Christian girls into sexual slavery.

And Kerry cited the killing of Shia Turkmen in Iraq, accusing the group of a systematic effort to destroy the cultural heritage of ancient communities.
Kazakhstan will now allow chemical castration of convicted paedophiles if there was a court order.

As the amendment to the criminal code was passed by the ex-Soviet Kazakhstans parliament on Thursday, senator Byrganym Aitimova said that castration would be temporary, consisting of a one-time injection based on the necessity of preventing the man from (committing) sexual violence.

Any such decision would be provided by a court in consultation with a medical authority, according to the amendment.

The bill has been sent to the office of President Nursultan Nazarbayev for approval.

Paedophilia-related crimes carry sentences of up to 20 years in Kazakhstan.

Chemical castration is practised in many countries although nations that force sex offenders to accept the medication are in the minority.

Unlike surgical castration, chemical castration does not prevent a person from experiencing sexual urges indefinitely, although sceptics argue it does not necessarily prevent future attacks. Some rights groups oppose the practice.

Last year Kazakhstans state prosecutor said there had been a spike in child rapes with figures doubling to almost 1,000 cases annually between 2010 and 2014.

The authoritarian Central Asian countrys bicameral parliament largely serves to rubber- stamp policies made by the government.
An open online letter urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to resign is the latest criticism of the Communist Party government that triggered ripples before being quickly taken down.

Signed by anonymous loyal Communist Party members, the letter asked Xi to step down because the concept of collective leadership has suffered under him, the economy has become unstable, foreign policy has become weak and media has come to represent the Communist Party of China (CPC) and not the people.

The letter was briefly posted on the website Watching.cn, apparently owned jointly by the Xinjiang government and the Alibaba group, on the morning of March 4, a day before the Chinese Parliaments annual session was to begin.

Though the letter was deleted, a cached version is still being circulated online.

According to the China Digital Times website, which translated the letter, it blames Xi for an atmosphere of political, economic, ideological, and cultural anxiety currently sweeping China, and mentions that the personal safety of the president and his family could be in jeopardy if he does not comply.

The letter did say Xis anti-corruption drive and work towards economic development received some public support and did not go unnoticed.

However, Comrade Xi Jinping, we have no choice but to point out that, precisely due to your gathering of all power into your own hands and making decisions directly, we are now facing unprecedented problems and crises in all political, economic, ideological, and cultural spheres, it added.

What added to the mystery about the letter is the disappearance of prominent journalist Jia Jia before he was to board a flight to Hong Kong.

Jia, according to Hong Kong Free Press, told friends he learned of the letter on WeChat and contacted his friend Ouyang Hongliang, executive director of Watching.cn.

Ouyang told investigators that Jia had told him to take the post down. Soon after, Jias family members in Shaanxi province were questioned by authorities, the Shanghaiist website reported.

The letter is the latest criticism of the government. High-profile businessman Ren Zhiqiang had questioned Xis directive to the media to follow the CPC, asking how the peoples government can become the partys government.
Pakistan on Thursday lifted a foreign travel ban on Pervez Musharraf , paving the way for the former military rulers departure from the country.

Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a news conference the government was removing Musharrafs name from the Exit Control List, which includes all persons barred from travelling abroad, on medical grounds.

This is a one-time permission for the former president, said Khan.

Today we received a formal application from the lawyers of General Musharraf and have formally granted approval to him to travel abroad.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the governments two-year-old appeal against the Sindh high courts decision to remove Musharrafs name from the ECL.

Omitting the former presidents name is a decision taken by the Supreme Court, Khan said.

Musharrafs lawyers have given a commitment that he will return in four to six weeks to face the legal course of law and ongoing cases against him.

The verdict was apparently issued on humanitarian grounds after his (Musharrafs) lawyers presented a medical report while also keeping legal aspects in consideration, Khan said.

Musharraf has faced a raft of civil and criminal cases since he returned to Pakistan from self-exile in 2013. He has been charged with treason for imposing emergency in 2007.
A law enacted by Pakistans largest province of Punjab to protect women from stalking, cyber crimes, sexual violence and emotional abuse has angered right wing groups, which have threatened nationwide protests if it isnt withdrawn.

This week, religious parties warned the PML-N government to repeal the Punjab Protection Of Women Against Violence Act by the end of the month.

The law, passed by the Punjab assembly in February, makes physical violence, abusive language, stalking, sexual violence, and psychological and emotional abuse of women cognizable offences.

Many quarters welcomed the law. This is the best legislation I have seen passed in several years, said womens rights activist Fouzia Saeed.

The act includes remedies for victims of violence, criminalises all forms of violence against women and provides them with special centres that remove bureaucratic hurdles which complicate access to justice.

A toll-free number to receive complaints, district protection committees to investigate complaints and centres for reconciliation and resolution of disputes are also part of the law.

But the religious lobby is furious. A declaration issued after a conference held by religious parties said statements by government officials on the law and the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the assassin of former Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, were against the Shariah, the ideology of Pakistan and the Constitution.

Representatives of more than 35 religious parties huddled at Mansoora in Lahore for the All-Pakistan Ulema Conference organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami. Describing the act as un-Islamic at the conference in Lahore, the religious groups decided to meet again in Islamabad on April 2 to decide their course of action.

Raheela Khadim, chairperson of the Punjab Assemblys standing committee on gender mainstreaming, believes not just the law but the women supporting it are facing criticism.

Women are usually snubbed in society and this attitude is present even in the upper echelons of the society. An example would be the criticism being faced publicly by women supporting the law, she said.

One of the women lawmakers behind the law, Uzma Bukhari, said the act is in no danger despite the growing opposition.

There are so many contradictions in the concerns raised. There is no answer over which clause of the law is un-Islamic, said Bukhari, also chairperson of the standing committee on law and parliamentary affairs.

What is significant is that the law will protect aggrieved women from being forced out of their homes. Instead, the defendant can be made to leave the house for two days.

The law states anyone offering resistance to protection officers will be punished with a prison term of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 500,000. Once a complaint is received, it will be included a database.

Filing a false complaint or levelling false accusations can be punished with up to three months in jail or a fine.

Shelter homes will be built for the protection of aggrieved women, and they will provide board and lodging to the victim and her children.

Religious leaders said it is degrading that defendants can be cuffed with GPS tracking bracelets on the orders of a court. Those attempting to remove or tamper with the bracelets will be jailed for up to a year and fined between Rs 50, 000 to Rs 200, 000.

Also, defendants will not be allowed to apply for an arms license or procure weapons, whereas weapons already registered in their name will have to be surrendered to court.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared his countrys Syria mission a resounding success, but stressed that Russia would continue to support the Syrian government and cautioned that Russia could build up its military presence in the region again within hours if necessary.

Speaking in the Kremlin at a medal ceremony for military personnel who served in Syria, Putin sought to dampen any talk of a rift with Damascus, saying Moscows partial withdrawal from Syria had been agreed with President Bashar al-Assad.

Although he stressed his preference for a negotiated diplomatic solution to the conflict, he made clear Russia could easily scale up its forces again.

If necessary, literally within a few hours, Russia can build up its contingent in the region to a size proportionate to the situation developing there and use the entire arsenal of capabilities at our disposal, said Putin.

The Russian leader on Monday ordered the bulk of the Russian military contingent in Syria to be pulled out after five months of air strikes, saying the Kremlin had achieved most of its objectives.

Russia would finish withdrawing most of its Syria aviation strike force any day now and no later than by the end of this week, Viktor Bondarev, the head of the Russian air force, told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper in an interview published on Thursday.
A suspended deputy United Nations ambassador from the Dominican Republic pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe a former UN General Assembly president.

Francis Lorenzo, 48, admitted in federal court in Manhattan that he engaged in conspiracies to commit bribery and money laundering, as part of an agreement to cooperate in the US investigation.

Lorenzo admitted he facilitated bribe payments from Ng Lap Seng, a billionaire real estate developer in Macau, to John Ashe, a former UN ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda and who served as General Assembly president from 2013 to 2014.

Those bribes, Lorenzo admitted, were paid to Ashe to seek UN support of a UN-sponsored conference center in Macau. Lorenzo, who prosecutors said received bribes himself from Ng, said payments were also made to other unnamed foreign officials.

I understand what I was doing, as I described it, was wrong, he said in court.

Lorenzo is the third defendant to plead guilty to charges arising out of a case US prosecutors announced in October involving a scheme starting in 2011 to pay more than $1.3 million in bribes to Ashe.

Prosecutors said the bribes included more than $500,000 in payments that Ng made through intermediaries including Lorenzo and Jeff Yin, Ngs assistant.

Ashe also received more than $800,000 from Chinese businessmen to support their interests within the United Nations and Antigua, prosecutors said.

Those bribes were arranged through Sheri Yan, who was the Global Sustainability Foundations chief executive, and Heidi Hong Piao, the foundations finance director, prosecutors said. Both women pleaded guilty in January.

Ashe, Ng and Yin have pleaded not guilty. Benjamin Brafman, Ngs lawyer, said outside of court that Lorenzos plea would not affect the billionaires determination to go to trial, saying he maintains he is personally innocent.

Stephane Dujarric, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday that audits the United Nations launched as a result of the bribery case were expected to be completed by the end of the month.

Dujarric also said the case revealed some structural flaws in how the office of the General Assembly president had been organized.

A task force established by Ban looking at the issue will within 10 days publish recommendations on how to strengthen and improve transparency of the office to avoid a repeat of the scandal, Dujarric said.
Half Moon Bay, CA (94019)

Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 61F. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph..

Tonight

Clear. Windy this evening. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
Microsoft made history earlier this week when it announced plans to allow Xbox gamers to play against PS4 and PC players. However, those plans had one small caveat: while the platform would now allow developers to determine whether their future games would support cross-network play, Sony would need to support the move on its PlayStation Network.

All eyes turned to Sony after learning about that small facet, and in a statement, the firm gave an encouraging, yet vague, response to Microsoft's cross-platform play invitation.

"PlayStation has been supporting cross-platform play between PC on several software titles starting with Final Fantasy 11 on PS2 and PC back in 2002," said Sony in a statement. "We would be happy to have the conversation with any publishers or developers who are interested in cross platform play."

As you can see, the response suggests that Sony is open-minded about cross-console play but noticeably stopped short of discussing a deal with Microsoft - in fact, Sony doesn't explicitly mention Xbox or Microsoft at all.

So where does that leave the potential connection of Xbox Live and PlayStation Network? Nowhere, really. Granted, any response short of shutting down the proposition outright is encouraging. It's important to note that from a pure business perspective, Sony doesn't have much to gain from a partnership of any kind. So for the time being, even Sony's apparent willingness to listen to developers interested in cross-network play should be seen as good news.

In a similar vein, it's unclear how many developers will jump on board with Microsoft's cross-network play initiative. Psyonix already announced in a blog post that it plans to expand "Rocket League's" functionality so that Xbox players can connect with PC - a function that had been absent at launch and one PlayStation owners had already been privy to.

"Cross-network play has been the number-one most requested feature our community has asked for since Rocket League was first announced on Xbox One, and now that we are able to pursue complete online unity on all platforms, today's announcement is a dream come true," Psyonix said at the time.

As Sony notes, it's been supporting cross-platform play between the PlayStation and PC for more than a decade now, so while cross-network play itself wouldn't be anything new, having that link be between Xbox and PlayStation would be groundbreaking.

So when can we expect to hear more news? GDC 2016 might be a good place to start. Sony already made waves when it announced an official release date and price for its PlayStation VR, so its not entirely out of reason to expect the firm to make further comments about the subject. However, the most likely time we could expect news would be at E3 in June. Not only is that time when most console related news is revealed, but that would also be the time for game developers to declare which games they intend to feature cross-platform support.

All eyes will be on Sony until then.

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Starbucks is springing forward with a new Frappuccino drink called the Cherry Blossom Frappuccino. The limited edition drink is only being made available in the U.S. and Japan.

The new colorful frozen drink is a nod to the light pink Cherry Blossom trees that bloom in the early spring. The frosty green and pink drink was inspired by the Japanese sakura matsuri, or annual cherry blossom festival, which celebrates rebirth and renewal with parties underneath the delicate pink and white blooms that are Japan's national flower.

While the drink may be new in the States, it has been served in Japan since 2010. Lovers of Starbucks in Japan can also enjoy a Sakura Blossom & Strawberry Latte and the Sakura Blossom & Strawberry Frappuccino Blended Creme this spring. The cherry blossoms are the national flower of Japan and are a symbol of renewal and simplicity.

"Families, friends and colleagues gather under sakura trees and enjoy picnics and parties under the delicate pink blooms, a tradition that dates back at least a thousand years," a press release for the new Cherry Blossom Frappuccino read. "It is also time for new beginnings, marking both the coming of spring and the start of a new school year. Sakura festivals around the world honor the return of the cherry blossoms and celebrate Japanese culture."

The Cherry Blossom Frappuccino does not include either cherries or blossoms, but it is a "sweet strawberries and cream with white chocolate and matcha drizzle, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of matcha."

The new springtime drink will only be available until the first day of spring, which is Sunday, March 20. If you can't get to a Starbucks before Sunday, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., starts on March 20 and goes through April 17. Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates "the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC."

"The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries," the website said.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival has tons of different events that take place on the National Mall, such as a pink tie day party, a blossom kite festival, a parade and fireworks.

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One of Uber's greatest strengths is convenience: it allows users to use the app-based car service in most areas regardless of time or place, something that comes in handy when you're lost and only have your smartphone with you.

Now it looks like Uber is stepping up on the convenience factor in a big way with a new feature called "Family Profiles," allowing up to 10 family members to share one account and pay for rides with a Family Profile rather than their own credit card.

"It's a great way to help loved ones, friends or coworkers get where they want to go while you foot the bill," said Uber in today's announcement about the new feature.

Contrary to its name, Family Profiles, it doesn't apply to family members alone. As the announcement states, friends, co-workers and almost anyone can be added to a group on the app. All that's required is the latest version of the Uber application, then navigate to Settings from the Menu, and scroll down to the new "Add a Family Profile" option. Once the contacts you choose accept the request in their own Uber app, then they're good to go.

The only caveat with this far-reaching deal is that only the organizer whose payment card is on file and associated with the profile, will receive the ride receipts. This means that you'll likely only want those who you can trust to be in the group - potentially omitting quite a few people in your contact list.

Regardless, this feature has a plethora of benefits that outweigh the negatives. For example, families with children in college may no longer have to worry about driving to their location to pick them up. Now they can rely on an Uber driver to take them back instead. Similarly, parents who are unable to pick their child up from school can use the feature to have an Uber driver ferry him or her back home instead (of course that begs the question of whether a parent would be willing to leave their child alone with one in the first place).

This feature mirrors the Business Profile setting that Uber introduced last year, which makes it easier for members of company to charge rides to corporate credit cards, add expense memos and project codes, and get receipts sent to work email accounts.

As for this one, Family Profiles is only available in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix for the time being. There is no ETA for when the feature will roll out to other Uber markets, but the expectation is that it will expand once intial tests are complete.

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Unlike microbes, which were recently discovered to possess less adaptability to climate change than expected, a new study suggests that trees might possess more. The results reveal that forests adapt their carbon dioxide levels with climate change in order to deal with hotter temperatures.

Plants take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release it during the respiration process. This respiration is responsible for six times as much atmospheric carbon dioxide than fossil fuel emissions, and until now, scientists believed that the temperature increases that come with climate change would lead to an increase in this release and thus an increase in warming.

The new study reveals that this may not be true. Plants are able to adapt their respiration process in order to deal with long-term temperature increases, leading to just a 5 percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions during these time periods when compared to normal conditions.

Using data from early studies that studied plant responses to short-term temperature changes, the team predicted that plants would release almost five times as much carbon dioxide under increased temperatures.

The team tested the respiration rates of 10 different boreal and temperature forest tree species located at two different forest-research sites in Minnesota and analyzed how they responded to increases in temperature over a time period of three to five years.

Two conditions were monitored: ambient (53 to 98 degrees Fahrenheit) and 38 degrees warmer than ambient. The scientists examined carbon dioxide release in the ambient condition, warmer condition and during a short period of time - lasting from minutes to hours - in the warmer condition.

The results revealed that the trees adapted to warmer temperatures released 80 percent less carbon dioxide in comparison to trees that were exposed to short-term increases in temperature, suggesting that they have the ability to adapt their respiration during periods of long-term climate change.

Although the findings are hopeful, they are just part of the full-story, according to Pierre Friedlingstein, a climate expert at Exeter University not involved in the current study.

"Global warming will also affect other plant properties -- e.g. photosynthesis, growth, mortality and reproduction -- and we are a long way from a complete understanding of the effects of rising temperatures on any of those processes," he said.

The findings were published in the March 16 issue of Nature.

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When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, women hold onto words for longer than men. Despite showing similar levels of brain shrinkage, new research reveals that women keep their verbal memory skills longer than men.

Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx said the latest findings suggest that women are more protected against loss of verbal memory in Alzheimer's disease.

"One way to interpret the results is that because women have better verbal memory skills than men throughout life, women have a buffer of protection against loss of verbal memory before the effects of Alzheimer's disease kick in. Because verbal memory tests are used to diagnose people with Alzheimer's disease and its precursor, mild cognitive impairment, these tests may fail to detect mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in women until they are further along in the disease," lead researcher Erin E. Sundermann said in a news release.

The latest study involved 235 participants with Alzheimer's disease, 694 participants with mild cognitive impairment, and 379 participants with no memory or cognition problems. All participants were required to take a test on verbal memory and undergo brain scans.

After comparing verbal test scores with the size of the hippocampal brain region, researchers found that women with minimal to moderate hippocampal shrinkage performed significantly better than men on immediate recall and relayed recall verbal memory tests compared to their male counterparts. The same results were found in healthy participants and those with mild cognitive impairment.

However, the study revealed that there was no significant difference in verbal memory scores in participants with high levels of hippocampal shrinkage.

"Women outperformed men among individuals with moderate to larger hippocampal volume/intracranial volume ratio, but not among individuals with smaller hippocampal volume/intracranial volume ratio," researchers wrote in the study.

"Women showed an advantage in verbal memory despite evidence of moderate hippocampal atrophy. This advantage may represent a sex-specific form of cognitive reserve delaying verbal memory decline until more advanced disease stages," they concluded.

"At a public policy level, the potential health care cost for under-detection or delayed diagnosis of women with Alzheimer's disease or its early stages is staggering and should motivate funding in this area," wrote Mary Sano of Icahn School of Medicine in an accompanying editorial.

"If these results are confirmed, then we may need to adjust memory tests to account for the difference between men and women in order to improve our accuracy in diagnosis," said Sundermann.

The findings are published in the journal Neurology.

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It can take years of practice for birds to perfect the melodic songs passed down from their parents. However, it seems some birds get a head start by learning to imitate their parent's calls while they are still inside their eggs.

Learning to mimic their parent's songs is essential to all basic social interactions, including finding a mate, warning neighbors of predators and recognizing relatives. While such advanced learning has previously been observed in Superb Fairywren nestlings, researchers were interested to see if the behavior extends to other species, too. So the recent study, led by researchers from Flinders University, Hunter College, and Cornell University, focused on the birds' close relatives: Red-backed Fairywrens.

While observing the birds, researchers found that all Red-backed Fairywren females called to their eggs while incubating them, and for five to six days after they hatched. As a result, the offspring's calls were found to be more similar to their mother's.

"Fairywrens have become a new model system in which to test new dimensions in the ontogeny of parent-offspring communication in vertebrates," said Mark Hauber, one of the study researchers from Hunter College in New York City.

When nestlings produce calls that resemble those of their mother, parents put more effort into feeding their offspring.

With that in mind, researchers hypothesized that fairywen parents could use early call trainings to identify any alien or unwarranted nestlings, such as parasitic cuckoos. However, their study showed that Red-backed Fairywren mothers did not increase calls to their nestlings when more cuckoos were around.

Furthermore, researchers thought that if a nestling's call was more similar to that of their parent's, it would indicate they were the most vigorous and the best learner out of the bunch. Parents would then invest more resources into the ones that demonstrated they were most likely to thrive.

"Because fairywrens have high predation rates, we originally placed microphones under Superb Fairywren nests to record alarm calls against predators twenty-four seven," explained Diane Colombelli-Negrel, one of the study researchers from Australia's Flinders University. "As a result, we discovered embryonic learning in Superb Fairywrens."

Similar methods were used to record the vocalizations of Red-backed Fairywrens from 67 nests across four breeding seasons in Queensland, Australia. Researchers also played back recordings of begging nestlings to test parents' responses.

"Prenatal vocal learning has rarely been described in any animal, with the exception of humans and Australian Superb Fairywrens," said University of Queensland's Dr. William Feeney, who is an expert on the interactions between cuckoos and host birds. "In this study, the authors present data suggesting that, like the Superb Fairywren, Red-backed Fairywrens also learn their begging calls from their mother. This result is exciting as it opens the door to investigating the taxonomic diversity of this ability, which could provide insights into why it evolves."

Their study was recently published in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances.

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Financial giant Morgan Stanley has previously rated professional networking platform LinkedIn Corp. with a fairly bullish rating, stating that the company's stocks are "overweight." As LinkedIn continues to show slowing growth, however, the bank has finally taken a step back from its initial evaluation, downgrading the platform's stocks to "equal-weight."

During its previous rating, Morgan Stanley gave LinkedIn a pretty hefty $190 price target. With the new valuation, however, the professional social media platform' s price target has been significantly brought down to $125.

For all intents and purposes, Morgan Stanley is telling its clients that they were wrong about LinkedIn. Simply put, the bank is stating that it has overestimated the growth of the professional networking platform.

Brian Nowak, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, stated on Wednesday that recent headwinds have prompted the bank to lower LinkedIn's rating.

"Fourth-quarter results, full-year guidance, decelerating customer growth from large companies and recent management commentary on strategic investments "make us believe we have overestimated LinkedIn's ability to grow its platform and underestimated the investment needed to grow," he wrote.

Immediately after the downgrade, LinkedIn's stocks plunged, falling 3.7 percent to $111.30 in Wednesday's pre-market trading. During the day, the company's shares went down as much as 6.6 percent to $107.99.

It has not been a good year for LinkedIn. Since the start of the year, the professional networking platform's stocks have plunged 51 percent, far worse than other known underperforming stocks such as Yahoo! which was up 2 percent in 2016.

According to Nowak, the primary reason behind LinkedIn's poor performance is its slowing growth in both enterprise and talent solutions. Though the platform's corporate solutions customers have grown through the years, the rate upon which the numbers are growing is far less impressive than what analysts originally thought.

"LinkedIn isn't likely to be as big of a platform as we previously thought," Nowak said.

Despite the setback, however, it is not all over for LinkedIn yet. Though its rating has dropped, analysts believe that it is still a company that might be able to save its future, especially since the firm has only recently breached China, a potentially lucrative market.

Overall, even with its rating being lowered, LinkedIn remains a very solid business. Its investors simply need to accept a reset regarding the company's growth expectations and other related valuation metrics.

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An Australian palaeontologist has discovered a new species of dinosaur in the northwestern region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Dubbed the Boreonykus, this clawed dinosaur would have been around two meters long and the height of a dog.

The remains were unearthed at Pipestone Creek, a vast Pachyrhinosaurus gravesite that can be dated back 73 million years. The extant pieces of the Boreonykus skeleton were located among thousands of bones belonging to the body of another dinosaur.

"The bones we have show [that] it would have had big hand and foot claws, a real killing claw," Phil Bell, lecturer at the School of Environmental and Rural Science at the University of New England in Australia and co-leader of the Northern Alberta Dinosaur Project, explained about his discovery. "The claws would have been used to hunt down prey. We have a handful of teeth that are like serrated steak knives."

"These would have been pretty savage predators," he added, also noting that the Boreonykus was related to the Velociraptor, a species that was made notorious by the "Jurassic Park" films.

In a recent research report, Bell outlines that the new findings shed light on an era when most of the western interior of Canada and the U.S. was covered by the Bearpaw Sea, providing insight into how raptors moved and adjusted to their environments.

"Its closest ancestors were from Mongolia," he outlined, "so this species probably crossed the land bridge from northern Asia to North America."

The first Boreonykus bones were disinterred in 1988 and were left to gather dust for 25 years, unstudied, in an Albertan museum. Then in 2012, Bell and his team began to unearth more bones from the same spot, which generated more interest, especially when the skull bone was discovered, because it solidified what type of creature it actually was.

"Although we don't have the whole skeleton, we know, based on parts of the skeleton, that it belonged to this type of dinosaur," Bell explained. Additionally, "the raptors' skin was probably feathered to keep them warm in the cold, dark winters in north Canada."

The study was published recently in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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University students having a hard time managing tuition fees and cost of living usually apply at part-time jobs to make ends meet. However, some go the other route, by finding a benefactor who would pay their tuition and other school needs.

These students are called "sugar babies" and a growing number of millennial women are signing up to become one. They make arrangements online that matches them with wealthy old men. These men give them cash and gifts in exchange for romance or sex.

San Francisco State University has at least 194 of its students engaging in such practice on a sugar baby site disguised as a dating site. The women sign up and are tagged as "baby" and members are extended free membership if they use their ".edu" email to register.

"It has a lot to do with the cost of living, which is outrageous in San Francisco and the surrounding areas," Brook Urick of Seeking Arrangment said. "Tuition rates just keep rising, scholarships become less and less available, and people have to look to alternative methods to pay for their schooling."

The situation isn't exclusive to San Francisco universities as students in Norfolk and Canada also have a growing number of sugar babies. The women averagely receive $2,500 to $3,000 a month from their sugar daddies.

Some of these men are quite respectful, according to a sugar baby named Jennifer who turned down a sexual proposal. "That kind of separates it from the whole escort business," she said.

"What's going on here is a lot different. Sometimes there isn't sex. Sometimes there isn't money," Urick explained. "Here, it's a relationship and it's a gift. The idea is that these people are generous, they're willing to spoil. They might not have time for traditional relationships, but they're willing to provide something else."

Male university students also sign up on the site to look for their sugar mommies, and as with the women, the benefactors don't get to choose their babies. It's the students who choose them and then they discuss the arrangements on chat, text or Facetime.

However, a relationship expert warns millennials this could become a difficult and dangerous situation. "Those types of power imbalances are unequal unhealthy relationships from the get-co," Haley Raimondi, an expert on domestic violence, said. "They tend to potentially become something more whether it is psychologically or physically violent or damaging."

"Aside from potential sexual assault, I think psychologically going in and into that I think it could have a lot of long lasting detrimental effects to your development of what you understand as a healthy relationship is," Raimondi added.

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A new study underlines the risk of developing psychoses and psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia, among refugees as their lives are marked with the trauma of fleeing persecution, wars and natural disasters.

The study of 1.3 million people in Sweden reveals that refugees are at three times higher risk of experiencing psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, as compared to the native-born residents.

The research was published Tuesday in the journal BMJ.

"The dramatically increased risk among refugees shows that life events are a significant risk factor for schizophrenia and other psychoses," lead author Anna-Clara Hollander, of Sweden's Karolinska Institute, said in a release.

Refugees were also at two-thirds higher risk to develop such psychological disorders as compared to migrants, who migrated from the same regions for other reasons, such as economic factors.

Researchers in the Sweden study said that this was the first study to examine the risk of schizophrenia and other psychoses among refugees.

"Clinicians and service planners in high income settings should be aware of the early signs of psychosis in refugees," the authors wrote. "Just as for the general population, refugees and their families will benefit from timely and early intervention and care, particularly in those exposed to severe psychosocial adversity."

Refugees are already known to be at risk to developing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Previous studies have revealed that being an immigrant is a risk factor for schizophrenia.

For the study, the data researchers analyzed data from Sweden's national registry, which tracks immigration and health status for individuals. The data included 1.3 million people who were born after 1983. The researchers followed them from their 14th birthday until the end of 2011. The researchers found that of the total of this group, 3,704 experienced a psychotic disorder.

"These differences cannot be explained by other, important alternative explanations like differences in age, sex, income or urban residency," said co-senior author James Kirkbride of the University College London.

The refugees in the study included migrants from the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, including Russia.

The study noted that refugees from sub-Saharan Africa had the greatest risk for experiencing schizophrenia.

Sweden grants more asylum applications per capita than any other high-income country. In 2015, Sweden took in 163,000 asylum seekers. However, in 2016, that number decreased drastically after Copenhagen introduced national border controls to control the refugee flow.

Cornelius Katona, medical director of the Helen Bamber Foundation in London, noted in an editorial the researchers' lack of information on racism, discrimination and other post-migration risk factors.

"Consideration also needs to be given to the challenges that asylum seekers face during what is often a prolonged and distressing process," Katona wrote. These factors may include institutional detention, inability to work (and resultant deskilling and loss of self esteem), destitution and difficulty in accessing health and social care."

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Technology developed for solar energy has been adapted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the purpose of removing some of the toughest elements found in nuclear waste. The invention will make the process of storing and transporting nuclear waste safer and non-toxic.

Storing toxic runoff from nuclear energy is a pressing, decades-old problem faced by the nuclear industry. The new technology, however, could provide a vital next step toward the completion of the nuclear fuel cycle.

A series of studies led by Tom Meyer, Arey Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UNC's College of Arts and Sciences, could pave the way for the expansion of nuclear power generation, one of the most efficient sources of energy available on the planet.

"In order to solve the nuclear waste problem, you have to solve the americium problem," Meyer explained.

Although americium is not as easily recognizable as plutonium and uranium, scientists have working for decades to find a way to remove this element from nuclear waste pools and to manage toxic waste disposal. Some attempts appeared to be initially successful, but failed to become long-term solutions.

Now, Meyer and his team, including project lead Chris Dares, have established a method of removing this particular radioactive component  without confronting the same long-term issues that have hampered progress up to this point. They have adapted technology related to Meyer's work at the UNC Energy Frontier Research Center of Solar Fuels, which is capable of splitting electrons from water molecules.

In the case of americium, the researchers made modifications in order to split electrons from americium. This process requires twice as much energy input as splitting water. By extracting the three electrons, americium subsequently acts like plutonium and uranium, which can easily be removed via existing technologies.

The nuclear fuel is first used in the form of small capsules that are loaded into long, narrow rods. In order to reprocess them, the used fuel must be dissolved in acid so that the plutonium and uranium can be separated. Through this procedure, the americium can be separated with either plutonium and uranium, or removed in a second stage.

Meyer, Dares and the team worked jointly with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which offered research provisions as well as technical assistance with handling the nuclear materials. Most of the experiments were conducted in the Idaho laboratories, a secure area for working with radioactive substances.

INL and UNC-Chapel Hill are aiming to expand the research and experimentation, and to further develop the process. "With INL working with us, we have a strong foundation for scaling up this technology," Dares said.

"With a scaled up solution, not only will we no longer have to think about the dangers of storing radioactive waste long-term, but we will have a viable solution to close the nuclear fuel cycle and contribute to solving the world's energy needs," he explained, adding, "That's exciting."

Along with wind and solar power, this process could in turn help to refine and clean the world's energy production into the future.

The study is published in the journal Science.

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American opinions on different types of unions, such as gay marriages and childbearing practices, have generally moved toward a more liberal viewpoint, a new federal report found.

Data taken from the National Survey of Family Growth by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that more Americans accept same-sex marriage and unmarried couples who live together today than they did before. The survey reached more than 45,000 people aged 15 to 44 in 2002, 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2013.

For same-sex relationships, the researchers found that acceptance rates increased from 42 to 60 percent in women and 40 to 49 percent in men most likely due to increased awareness and acceptance of homosexual people. Americans were also more accepting of cohabitation before marriage.

From 2002 to 2011-2013, the percentage of Americans who disapproved of couples living together before marriage fell from 35 percent to 28 percent in women and 32 percent to 25 percent in men. The data suggested that more people in general accepted cohabitation because they believed that it can reduce the risk of divorce. Sixty percent of women and 67 percent of men said that if couples live together before getting married, their chances of getting a divorce down the line will decline.

Wendy Manning, a professor of sociology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who was not involved with the report, said that these findings were not very surprising. Manning explained that since people are choosing to get married at a much later age than before, they are more likely going to test out the strength and longevity of their relationships by cohabiting first. Manning added that since people are testing out their relationships before marriage as a means of preventing divorce, they most likely are viewing marriage as a permanent part of their lives. This reasoning could explain why more Americans are not so keen on divorce.

The researchers found that Americans were less likely to agree with the statement, "Divorce is usually the best solution when a couple can't seem to work out their marriage problems." Thirty-eight percent of the women surveyed in 2011-2013, which is down from 47 percent in 2002, agreed with the statement. In men, 39 percent of them agreed in the most recent survey, as opposed to the 44 percent recorded in 2002.

Other findings from the report included an increase in the acceptance rates of couples who have children out of wedlock, single women who raise children, same-sex couples who want to adopt children, and young unmarried couples who want to have sexual intercourse "if they have strong affection for each other."

The report was released by the National Center for Health Statistics.

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Back in Feburary, Boston Dynamics was on top of the robotics world. It just released a video of a two-legged humanoid robot named Atlas that did many things humans could do; it walked through snow, picked up boxes and could even pick itself up when knocked over. The video had been watched over 14 million times, and the consensus was that BD, along with its parent company Google, were at the leaders in robot technology.

However behind the scenes, more humane events were transpiring and now reports are coming in that Alphabet, owner of Google and thus Boston Dynamics, is looking to sell the robotics firm just three months after purchasing it.

It turns out that despite being perceived as being the forerunners in robot technology, Alphabet saw no way for Boston Dynamics to translate that tech into profitable, commercial products. The reason for this may be due to the very reason it gained its notoriety: innovation. Discussions about robots inevitably lead to discussions about them overthrowing mankind and when coupled with the knowledge that Boston Dynamics has ties with military projects, you get a company that can actually produce that which they fear.

"There's excitement from the tech press, but we're also starting to see some negative threads about it being terrifying, ready to take humans' jobs," wrote Courtney Hohne, a director of communications at Google, after BD's most recent video.

Of course, the lack of foreseen profitability wasn't due to a lack of effort on the robotics company's part. The firm had worked with the U.S. military to develop a Legged Squad Support System, or LS3, that could carry soldiers' equipment and other objects while on the field. The problem? It was too noisy. There is no viability in a massive robot that had no battle capabilities and would only serve to give away a soldier's location, so the project was scrapped.

The business side of things weren't the only parts that plagued Boston Dynamics, it was troubled internally as well. Tensions between Boston Dynamics and the rest of Google's robot engineers in California and Tokyo were made known to the majority of Google when parts of a meeting from Nov. 11 and several e-mails were unwittingly published to an online forum.

The results of this fallout was a clear indicator for what was coming ahead. Whereas other robotics teams were placed into a research group known as Google X, Boston Dynamics was left unplaced. As such, with Alphabet execs looking for a way to trim its portfolio of research and development projects, it seems BD is getting unplugged and going up on the market.

So where does this leave Boston Dynamics? Its not in too bad a spot actually. Possible buyers include the Toyota Resarch Institute, a division of Toyota Motor Corp., as well as Amazon, which in 2012 purchased Kiva Systems for $775.

This is unfortunate news for Google's robotics division, which had been subject to speculation from analysts and media reports about whether Google could create a viable business centered around robotics. On at least one front it has proven them wrong though, with its Deepmind Mind unit and its AlphaGo program defeating world champion Go player Lee Sedol in four games out of a five game set.

Check out Boston Dynamic's Atlas in the video below:



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How to Use Call Tracking to Grow Your Hotel Bookings

Not sure how to track the phone calls your hotel receives? Would you like to learn how to use call tracking to grow your hotel bookings?

Here's the great benefit of online marketing for hoteliers: it's much easier to implement and track than traditional marketing, and it comes with advanced analytics that let you understand what your audience is doing. This information can then be used to both target and expand your current marketing methods, generating more revenue.

Call tracking does the same thing, but for your phones instead of your ads.

Today, we're going to give you a quick primer on call tracking, and then show you how to use call tracking to grow your hotel bookings. Consider this your one-stop shop for learning why call tracking is good for you, and how to make it work for you.

Let's get started.

Is Call Tracking Good For My Hotel?

The answer to that is almost certainly yes. Here's why.

With the huge number of online marketing analytics and tools, phone marketing seemed like a burden  and an old-fashioned one, to some. Hotels had a dilemma. On the one hand, phone marketing generates high quality leads. Phone calls are 10 to 15 times more likely to convert than web leads. In the hotel industry specifically, as recently as 2011 up to 25% of bookings were still placed over the phone, despite the existence of mature ecommerce platforms.

This is because telephone assistance is especially necessary for hotels: booking rooms can costs hundreds or even thousands of euro. For some guests, a website and a booking engine won't always be enough to make them feel secure. Several people will call with questions before they're ready to make a purchase.

Here's the downside. Until recently, you couldn't track which of your approaches over the phone were working or not working. You had no reliable, data-based way to see which of your telemarketing methods were getting you the best results.

This all changed with the introduction of call tracking. By implementing call tracking, business could see which ads got them the most calls, how their sales team and customer service executives were performing on the phone, and many other things. It helped them modify their phone marketing methods and improve ROI.

Call tracking can help your hotel find out which queries come up most often, how customers prefer to be dealt with  based on which calls result in booking  and find out which of their other marketing approaches, online or off, are leading to calls.

What Is Call Tracking?

You like the sound of getting more data from your customer phone calls  but what exactly is call tracking? Call tracking is a relatively new kind of software that lets you see a) where your phone calls are coming from, and b) what's working and what isn't when your staff speaks to customers.

To see where phone calls are coming from, call tracking lets you create and track a different phone number for each campaign you run. This means that whether your ads are on Google, on Facebook or in your local paper, you'll be able to tell who's coming from where  even if they don't click on the ad.

How does it work? When you have call tracking, you can instantly create local or toll-free numbers which will be routed through the software before reaching your phone. The software will automatically record which numbers are getting the most calls, the location of calls, and how long phone calls are lasting.

If you want to get advanced, you can use call tracking in conjunction with a CRM. Doing it this way lets you see exactly how much revenue you're getting from your marketing channels, and lets you align your sales and marketing team with your customer service team.

Call tracking is hugely important when it comes to measuring ROI for your marketing channels. If you get a surge of calls after putting out a new spring offer, call tracking lets you find out which ads are working for you. We'll show exactly how to do that below.

See Which Campaigns are Leading to Calls:

If you want to get the most out of paid advertisements, you need to place them in strong channels, where your target audience will see them. This should include both online and offline places like digital ads (Facebook, Google, Twitter, website ads, etc.), newspaper ads, hoardings, etc. You will only know which method works best if you experiment.

When you create your ads, it's important to give your audience various points of contact. If it's a digital ad, of course people can click on the ad, but it would be wise to also provide other details. Using ad extensions on Google AdWords means you can easily give an email address or your phone number, giving people the option of a detailed conversation. Similarly, if you're advertising in a newspaper, you might need to provide different details like a website address alongside your email address and phone number.

But how do you know if the offline or online ad leads to a phone call? The answer is call tracking.

Use your call tracking software to create multiple phone numbers, and then display different numbers on different ads. When someone calls you, the call is routed through the software before reaching your phone. You get all the data on which ad lead to the call.

You can be as broad or as specific with your phone numbers as you like: you can assign a phone number to each keyword (by assigning just one keyword to an ad), or you can use a phone number for an entire campaign.

Picture this:

Mark's looking for a luxury vacation. So he types in the words 'luxury hotel ireland' into Google.

This leads him to an array of organic results and Google ads.

Mark finds attention caught by the ad for the Powerscourt Hotel in Wicklow. He recollects that his close friend Ben stayed at the hotel a few months ago, and he couldn't stop talking about what a wonderful time he had.

However, instead of clicking on the ad, he calls them after seeing that their phone number is conveniently placed on the ad.

TIP: Make sure you use call extensions to place the numbers on your hotel ads. This lets you use Google's click-to-call feature on your mobile ads, which has been shown to increase click through rate by 6 to 8%.

Marks prefers calling, because he's about to spend a couple of thousand pounds on a couple of luxury rooms for his entire family for a week. He wants to ensure that this is a good investment and is traditional, so for him a visit to the website won't be sufficient.

Your hotel can place different numbers on different ads, sorted by either the text you use, who your ads are targeting, the offer being made, or any other way you like. The opportunities are unlimited.

You'll be able to see which ads are driving the most calls  and the most bookings. You can use call tracking data to determine which ads are driving the most phone calls and highest ROI so you can create more of the ads that work, and get rid of the ones that don't.

Does this work for real companies? Of course!

An example of a company that made the most out of call tracking is Marquis Dental Spa, a spa that offers a range of dentistry services. They wanted to find out which of their ads and marketing campaigns generated the highest ROI. So, they used call tracking to create 250 different phone numbers. These numbers were placed on ads on a variety of digital marketing channels, including Facebook, Linkedin and paid search.

The results helped them cut their cost per acquisition by 50%: they figured out that Facebook was their best performing channel, which let them focus all their best efforts there.

Use Call Tracking to Make Your Website Dazzle:

Call tracking can come in handy on your website as well. If you create landing pages that are geared towards generating phone calls, you can use call tracking software to see which page generated the most calls.

All you need to do is generate different phone numbers for each landing page. That way, when a person calls, you'll know which landing page converted a visitor to a caller. The landing page that gets you the most number of phone calls wins. This technique is a kind of split (A/B) test, measured with call tracking instead of another kind of conversion. It will come in handy for hotels where the conversion rate from phone calls is much higher than online conversions.

A company that made the most of call tracking to optimize their landing page is Ifbyphone (now known as DialogTech), who themselves offer call tracking and other related services. They wanted to increase both the number of calls they received and the quality of those calls.

How did they do that?

They set the number of calls each landing page generated and the quality of the call, as measured by length, as the KPIs. Using call tracking software, they added unique phone numbers to each version of the landing page.

This helped them match the URL of the landing page to the number. The quality of a call was determined using the length of conversation, so they used the Google Analytics integration feature to register a pageview whenever the phone call reached a certain length.

They then diverted traffic to the different versions of the landing page with the help of PPC ads. The call per visit percentage of the redesigned landing page beat the original one by 62% and the call time nearly doubled.

You can view both versions of the landing page below:

As you can see, the new version of the landing page is much clearer, with a call to action at the top. The call to action was also repeated several times throughout the landing page. The photo and the headline at the top give you a clear idea as to what the landing page is about. They also got rid of the big red rectangular box present on the left side of the page  it was a distraction.

They didn't stop with just two landing pages, though. You have the opportunity to constantly improve your landing pages, testing two or three or a dozen until you're happy with your conversion rate. So, they created a 3rd version of the landing page and split tested it against the 2nd. You can see it below.

How to Use Call Tracking to Grow Your Hotel Bookings | By Taylor Smariga Photo by conversionxl.com

In this third one, they added a photo of a woman pointing to the phone number at the top, reduced the amount of clutter, added a video and made many other changes.

This new page performed 2 times better as conversion rose to 9.78% from 4.66%. Furthermore, lead quality remained stable.

When you want to test landing pages for a phone-based or phone-centric offer, consider using call tracking as an alternative or an addition to the way you normally improve your pages.

TIP: Split-testing your landing pages only makes sense if you have large volumes of traffic. Before you start, make sure your hotel's landing pages have enough traffic to make your tests worth the time.

Monitor Calls to Make Your Customer Service Team Stars:

Many call tracking software also have the feature of monitoring. Call monitoring lets you listen to live conversations without disturbing the customer or the employee, and they also let you record calls so that you can listen and analyse them later. Some even have an inbuilt conversion analytics which score calls and tell you if they resulted in a conversion. Your hotel can make the most of this feature to check employee performance and to improve customer service.

An example of a company that used call monitoring to improve employee performance is Gerald's Tires.

Using call tracking, they discovered that their employees didn't do the job of closing calls and booking appointments properly. Only 11% of calls converted to appointments.

Therefore they implemented an internal rewards program and tracked close rates for 4 months. This resulted in the average closing rate rising to 42%.

You can use call monitoring not just to track employee performance, but to also understand caller behaviour. The data will help you close more leads.

Get Rid of the Mystery: Find Out Your Peak Call Hours:

The average hold time of a caller is 56 seconds. After 56 seconds, the odds are good that the caller will hang up and call another hotel. This is why it is important to place more staff on call duty during peak call hours. You want to give yourself the opportunity to take more calls and make more bookings during these time periods, instead of losing them to your competitors.

Peak time is something that shouldn't be guessed, especially in the hotel industry where people call from all over the world. You need to analyse the data provided through call tracking to determine this.

After implementing call tracking, Grand Lucayan, a luxury hotel and resort based in the Bahamas, discovered that they were failing to answer hundreds of calls each month.

So they figured out what their peak and slow call times were, and made staff adjustments accordingly. This improved their revenue hugely. Make sure you read the entire case study: it shows you how the hotel used call tracking to spend their marketing budget efficiently and increased their call conversion rates by 157%.

Another company (a limo service) discovered through call tracking analytics that their campaigns achieved peak performance and lead to phone calls at times of the day when they couldn't be processed. So they scaled back bids at those times of the day. This helped them save money.

Options for Call Tracking Providers:

If you're ready to look into call tracking providers for your hotel, here are 3 of the top providers out there.

Google Call Tracking

Google's Call Tracking is a free tool that lets you track call extensions on your Google ads: you simply set up a Call conversion on your AdWords account to track any ad you like. You set up a separate Call conversion for each separate item (ad, ad group or campaign) you want to track, giving you the opportunity to apply different settings to each.

You can decide how long a call needs to be to count as a conversion, how much a call is worth to you, and how you want AdWords to count it.

This is a great free tool  the major disadvantage is, of course, you can only use it within your Google AdWords account. To track other online channels or any offline marketing, you'll need a different tool.

CallTrackingMetrics

CallTrackingMethods prides itself on being an all in one service, and has a very intuitive reports dashboard  handy for the beginner! Along with all the options for tracking we've gone over in this article, they have a few extras. They offer integration with Google Analytics, AdWords and other services. CallTrackingMetrics also provides you with data on everything from live call monitoring, location, customer service agent skill, and voice analysis.

Their 'Essentials' package starts from just $19/month, so you don't need to worry about overspending before you're sure it works for your hotel.

CallRail

CallRail is also a high-caliber option for sophisticated call tracking. They let you track calls coming even from specific PPC keywords, and automatically shows the same tracked phone number a visitor saw on an ad when they visit your website. This reduces confusion and means you still know where they came from even if they call from your website. You also have the option, as with CallTrackingMetrics, to monitor calls in real time and get analytics on how successful your calls are overall so you can look for patterns.

CallRail gives you a 14-day free trial, meaning you don't need to commit to get started. After that, their packages start at $30/month.

Here's the bottom line: there are a number of great providers out there, and they often offer different features. For your hotel, you should figure out exactly how you want to use call tracking and what you hope to get out of it. Then, look into which providers offer those features and maybe set up a call to discuss what they can do for you to get started.

Conclusion

Testing the efficacy of ad campaigns, optimizing your website, monitoring calls and figuring out peak call hours are only a handful of ways you can use call tracking.

If you put your mind to it, you can brainstorm new and creative ways to use call tracking to grow your bookings. In order to do this, though, you need to make sure you choose the right tool. Different call tracking software will specialise in different features. So spend an ample amount of time comparing tools and picking the one that suits your hotel best.

Do you use call tracking to grow your bookings? How has this influenced your marketing and sales strategies? Please leave your comments below.

Net Affinity is an Independent Digital Agency providing Revenue Generating Solutions for Hotels. Our services include Website Design, Digital Marketing and Booking Engine Technology. Our culture of award winning design and innovation together with a keen eye for emerging trends allows us to deliver services that directly impact on growing revenue for our clients. As experienced hoteliers we have a genuine and wholehearted passion in providing a complete customer centric service to our customers. We pride ourselves on the development of a relationship that allows us to nurture your business and ensure our success is your success.

Taylor Smariga

Copywriter and Content Marketing Executive at Net Affinity

0871804188

Net Affinity

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Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Region Europe is organizing a breakfast meeting and a CRME certification on 5th April as well as a Distribution & Marketing Strategy Conference on 10th November 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden.

On Thursday 10 November 2016 HSMAI Region Europe is holding their first European conference on Distribution and Marketing Strategy at the Operakallaren in Stockholm. The day will consist of presentations from many of the Hospitality Industry's top leaders and other inspirational thinkers as well as interactive discussions and networking.

HSMAI Region Europe will also be in Stockholm on 5th April 2016 for a breakfast meeting to present HSMAI Region Europe and some of our partners. One key topic we will focus on will be disruption in our industry and how the industry needs to manage change.

On the 5th April we will also have the global CRME (Certified Revenue Management Executive) workshop and certification in order to certify a few Revenue Management professionals, and will certify a bigger group on 11th November on both CRME as well as the global Digital Marketing certification CHDM (Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer). The events on 5th April will take place at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm.

"HSMAI has been very active in some parts of the Nordics for many years, and we are excited to expand on this by having our first Distribution & Marketing Strategy Conference in Stockholm this November. We are looking forward to an even stronger presence in Sweden and are thrilled to bring together our European members and the local industry in Sweden," says Ingunn Hofseth, President & CEO of HSMAI Region Europe.

"I am happy that HSMAI Region Europe has chosen Stockholm and the very nice Operakallaren venue for the first Distribution Conference. It is time to show Stockholm to the rest of Europe," says Per-Anders Pettersson, Owner of Benchmarking Alliance and a member of HSMAI Region Europe Revenue Management Advisory Board.

"With Distribution being such an important matter for the industry today, I am thrilled that HSMAI is organizing a Distribution& Marketing Strategy Conference, and I am so pleased that Stockholm will be the first city out. HSMAI is a well established organization with a lot of traction in Europe, and therefore I am also very happy to see that major chains in the Nordics now sign up for the CRME certification too," says Asa Murphy, Owner & CEO of BizStrat AB and a member of HSMAI Region Europe Revenue Management Advisory Board.

See here for our preliminary event calendar

About HSMAI Europe

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Region Europe is committed to growing business for the hotel, event and travel industry and their partners, and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable revenue growth on a local, national and European level. The association provides practical tools, insights, and cutting-edge expertise to enable knowledge sharing and enhance professional development as well as fuel sales, inspire marketing, transform businesses digitally and optimise revenue.

Kaisla Saastamoinen

HSMAI Region Europe

+44 7714 208494

HSMAI Europe
UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai has expressed the confidence of the Organization in the continued growth of the tourism sector in Greece. In 2015, international tourist arrivals to Greece grew by 7% to reach 23.6 million, while exports generated by the sector increased by 6% to euro 14.2 billion.

Meeting Minister of Tourism of Greece Elena Kountoura at the side-lines of ITB to discuss the situation and prospects of tourism in Europe and Greece, Mr Rifai said "we have no doubt that Greece will maintain a powerful image worldwide as a major tourism destination and that the country will consolidate its growth in 2016, as shown by booking trends".

Ms. Kountoura said "the Aegean islands are already showing a positive trend in bookings and are ready to welcome an increased number of tourists for the current season". The diversification of the touristic offer, the development of new destinations and the opening of high-end accommodation facilities and services are some of the measures taken by the Greek government to enhance tourism, as highlighted by the Minister of Tourism of Greece in the meeting.

"Meeting with leading tour operators at ITB, we have received very positive feedback from the German travel market, which has confirmed the increased demand in bookings for Greece", added Ms. Kountoura.

This news is timely for Greece as the country is advancing implementation of its new tourism policy framework, launched in 2015 to enhance international tourism.

About The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations specialized agency fostering tourism as a vehicle for equal, inclusive and sustainable development. Working with its Member States, international organizations and the private sector, UNWTO promotes safe and seamless travel for all. UNWTO also works to make tourism the foundation of trust and international cooperation and a central pillar of recovery. As part of the wider UN system, UNWTO is at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through its ability to create decent jobs, promote equality and preserve natural and cultural heritage.

Follow UNWTO on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.

UNWTO Communications Department

+34 91 567 8100

UNWTO
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In year-over-year comparisons, the countrys occupancy increased 5.2% to 60.6%; average daily rate for the week was up 8.5% to CAD142.32; and revenue per available room grew 14.2% to CAD86.20.

The Canadian hotel industry reported positive results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 6-12 March 2016, according to data from STR.

In year-over-year comparisons, the countrys occupancy increased 5.2% to 60.6%; average daily rate for the week was up 8.5% to CAD142.32; and revenue per available room grew 14.2% to CAD86.20.

Among the provinces, Prince Edward Island experienced the largest increases in occupancy (+58.9% to 40.7%) and RevPAR (+72.6% to CAD41.58). ADR in the province rose 8.6% to CAD102.10.

Ontario posted the largest rise in ADR (+18.4% to CAD147.31) as well as double-digit growth in occupancy (+12.9% to CAD63.6%) and RevPAR (+33.7% to CAD93.71).

British Columbia was the only other province to report double-digit increases across all three key performance metrics: occupancy (+20.3% to 69.3%), ADR (+16.8% to CAD155.82) and RevPAR (+40.4% to CAD108.04).

Alberta reported the largest declines in each of the three key metrics. Occupancy in the province fell 18.1% to 51.3%; ADR was down 7.0% to CAD135.20; and RevPAR dropped 23.8% to CAD69.34.

Two additional provinces experienced a double-digit decrease in both occupancy and RevPAR. In Newfoundland and Labrador, occupancy dipped 13.5% to 52.1% and RevPAR fell 12.9% to CAD69.35. Saskatchewan reported a 12.8% drop in occupancy to 52.8% and an 18.1% decrease in RevPAR to CAD68.78.

About STR

STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com.
Jedediah Smith, famous mountain man, trapper, explorer and map maker, may not have been the first white man to enter the Nevada area  some Spanish conquistadors most likely had crossed the same deserts and mountains before him  but Smith certainly was the first to spend any significant time exploring the region. He made two trips across Southern Nevada and one across sections of the central part of the state when all of it was just a blank area on any maps of the day.
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Job Fair Connects Older Job Seekers with EmployersMature Workers Job & Career Fair to be held April 12, 2016 Provides Valuable Opportunities for Face Time and Interviews

Posted by Press Releases on Thursday, 03-17-2016 10:13 am

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AKRON, OH (PRWEB) MARCH 15, 2016Mature Services Employment & Training Solutions is hosting its 26th Annual Mature Workers Job & Career Fair, an event created to help the 40 and older population find employment. The annual event will be held on April 12th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., at the Akron Fairlawn Hilton, located at 3180 W. Market St. in Akron.Employers get to meet job candidates face-to-face, which is an important part of the hiring process, said Paul Magnus, Vice President of Workforce Development for Mature Services. The Mature Workers Job and Career Fair offers opportunities for mature workers to meet and interview employers specifically interested in recruiting mature workers. It also provides employers the opportunity to recruit mature candidates in person and tap a new pool of applicants with extensive experience, skills and work ethic.In addition to Mature Services, Inc., co-sponsors of the fair include the Akron Beacon Jour...

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Lucas Group Report Surveys Data Of 2,800+ SMBs Over 3 YearsOverall health and stability of U.S. small to mid-sized businesses is up from 2013; SMBs face several significant hiring and economic growth challenges

Posted by Press Releases on Thursday, 03-17-2016 10:11 am

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ATLANTA, GA (PRWEB) MARCH 16, 2016Shifts in the economic and employment outlooks of Americas small to mid-sized business sector have generated a mixed set of market trends, according to a recent report published by executive recruitment firm Lucas Group. Examining over three years of market data from more than 2,800 SMB executives, the Q4 2015 SMB Job Generation Outlook evaluates responses from top decision makers in the small to mid-sized business market.On a positive trend, the Q4 2015 SMB Job Generation Outlook found that an average of 92% of SMB executives surveyed in 2015 reported their companies to be in market positions of growth or stability maintenance, up eight points from 2013. The Outlook report also shows steady year-over-year growth in SMB optimism related to economic and job prospects for the United States, and an overall small increase (from 43% in 2013 to 47% in 2015) in the percentage of SMB executives who report plans to hire in the coming quarter.Despite the ...

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The Internet has become the Great Equalizer of International Talent and Effort

Posted by Faizan Raza on Thursday, 03-17-2016 3:24 pm

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The information superhighway is a truly glorious thing. Because of all those 0s and 1s flying around the world 24/7/365, we have the ability to communicate instantly and share our ideas with the world. The internet is a global stage where anyone with a website can purchase $20 worth of PPC advertising and invite their future customers to experience their brand. The real power that the internet offers is manifesting itself in the way search engines process traffic and queries; directing local traffic to regionalized sites with highly relevant content to their geographic area. For example, a startup in Kenya focused on developing renewable energy resources can get quality press coverage in a regionalized website like African Business Magazine. This attention empowers them to raise funds and achieve market penetration. Small Business Can Reach the Globe For smaller businesses and startups, the power of the internet is breaking down barriers to launching valuable content...

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Traditionally, when we talk about an employees first day we mean when they initially began working for an organization. But a better way to think about it might be that a persons first day with a company comes much sooner than that -- as soon as they interact with your hiring process. The moment a job seeker views your job post, her overall experience, including the information and support she receives, influences how successful shell be. So the question becomes: is your hiring process failing you and your workforce before they even take the job? Here are five common hiring process mistakes and how you can solve them: 1. It Relies too Heavily on Traditional Job Boards Job boards are, and probably always will be, an important way to reach potential employees. The problem lies in relying on old-school job boards, like Indeed, to give job seekers all the information they're seeking. A 2015 CareerBuilder survey found that on average, job seekers turn to 17.7 different resources while researching a new job. They want to know what its like to work for an organization, how it treats employees, and the potential for advancement. However, a traditional job posting rarely paints such a detailed picture. Job seekers are then forced to research information elsewhere and rely on sources that may not convey the most accurate or up-to-date information. How to do better: Seek out solutions that give job seekers more in-de...
If hiring is hard, that makes international hiring next to impossible? It doesnt have to be. Join Beyond, the Career Network, for a world tour of the trends and best practices that will put your company on the path to global hiring domination.



Who is Beyond? Were the Career Network that helps growing companies turn focused professionals into killer new hires. We also happen to be the exclusive international partner for The Network, a global alliance of top job boards in over 130 countries. Its a role that puts Beyond in the uniquely awesome position to see international hiring first-hand, from the job boards that serve international candidates every day  and use their insight and expertise to help US companies hire locally around the globe.



Heres an example  workers in the UK could be required to give anywhere from 1 to 12 weeks notice when leaving their current position. For the average person, thats an interesting fact. But a US company hiring in the UK, its a critical piece of information that can impact your time to fill a position.



In the one-hour webinar, Global Consolidation: Is It Right for Your Company? Beyonds team of international recruitment experts will take a look at key considerations when hiring internationally and share how a consolidated strategy can simplify your global recruitment and save your organization some serious recruitment dollars.



Well explore how to:

 Identify budgets and hiring plans per country

 Manage language barriers, currency and conversion issues, and other regulatory roadblocks

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 Understand individual employment landscapes in various countries

 Manage and monitor the ROI of executing a global recruitment strategy

 Streamline the migration from a local to a global recruitment strategy

By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-16 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/> TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 50/16 16.03.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Fear escalated in the occupied area of Cyprus after the recent bomb attack in Ankara [02] Burcu comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: The negotiations are held between the community leaders [03] Ozgurgun: "Akinci told me he cannot agree with Anastasiades" [04] Tusk met with Davutoglu in Ankara; Tusk: 'We cannot accept terrorism as new normal" [05] "On the way for implementing the Ankara Protocol; The next 48 hours are critical" [06] A "technical committee" of the so-called prime minister due to Turkey to finalize the "economic program" [07] Representatives of the "Turkish Cypriot Hotelier's union" evaluated their participation in ITB Berlin Tourism fair [08] 805,422 registered subscribers of cell phones in the occupied area of Cyprus [09] Erdogan: "Definition of 'terrorists' should be broadened to include 'accomplices'" [10] A British academic detained by Istanbul police over 'PKK propaganda' [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Fear escalated in the occupied area of Cyprus after the recent bomb attack in Ankara Under the title "tension for terror in northern Cyprus", Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.03.16) reports that the "terrorist attacks" in Turkey and the recent bomb attack in Ankara have caused the fear that such attacks could take place in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus as well. Panic was created in the "country", writes Kibris, after the allegation that the British secret services had warned that crowded places in the occupied area of the island should be avoided because danger exists. While bags, packages and similar forgotten things in various places had not been attracting attention in the past, now they are causing doubts regarding the existence of a bomb. Such a fear was created yesterday in occupied Famagusta by a rucksack forgotten behind a trash bin next to a bus stop and in occupied Trikomo by a suitcase left in front of a market. In both cases no bomb was detected after the "police" conducted a search in the area. In occupied Morfou, however, an 81-millimeter mortal projectile was found in a trash bin in the road where self-styled minister of education Kemal Durust is located, something which caused questions and fear. No answer was given to the questions "what would have been done with this mortal projectile and why it had been abandoned in the trash", notes the paper. Meanwhile, the self-styled ministry of interior and labor denied yesterday the information that the British secret services have warned people to avoid crowded places in the occupied area of Cyprus due to the danger of a bomb attack and called on the people not to pay attention to any other information except for the "official statements". Finally, the chairmen of the two "coalition partners", Mehmet Ali Talat (Republican Turkish Party) and Huseyin Ozgurgun (National Unity Party), stated yesterday that measures have been taken at the highest level in the occupied area of Cyprus against "any internal unrest". (I/Ts.) [02] Burcu comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: The negotiations are held between the community leaders Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (16.03.16) reports that Baris Burcu, spokesman of the Turkish Cypriot leader, was called to comment on the recent meeting between President Anastasiades and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels and said that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be produced by the Cypriot leaders. In statements yesterday, Burcu said the following on the issue: "The subjects of the Cyprus problem are the Cypriots and the solution process is being conducted under the guidance of the leaders and by the negotiating teams. It is already conducted within the framework of the principles of the agreement text of the 11th of February and this is the substance of the issue. And this has a natural logic. The solution to be found in Cyprus will interest all sides. Those who will be affected the most are the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots". Burcu pointed out that the lifting of the veto of the Republic of Cyprus on some chapters regarding Turkey's EU accession process has been discussed during the meeting and alleged: "The EU is also sick and tired. When Turkey's negotiating chapters will open, a veto by the Greek Cypriot side is in question". Referring to the meetings between Turkey on the one hand and Greece and Cyprus on the other, Burcu argued that "the indirect elements should never get ahead of the main element" and "the main element is the overall solution of the Cyprus problem". He said that Turkey is the subject of its own accession process to the EU and shares information with the Turkish Cypriots on this issue, but "we may not be informed on every detail regarding every process". Asked whether they had been informed regarding the above-mentioned meeting, Burcu said that it might not be possible for them to be informed regarding "sudden developments", adding that "we also have the opportunity to communicate a few days later". Replying to a question on the influence on the Cyprus problem of the overcoming of what the journalist called as "veto crisis" between Cyprus and Turkey, Burcu argued that their priority is the solution of the Cyprus problem and added that the opening of the ports will positively influence the Cyprus problem. He said: "Turkey opening its ports to the south will benefit to our being opened to the world. If such an environment could be achieved, it will secure benefits to everyone. However, I think that this will not happen, because I know the positions of the sides". Referring to some issues of the Cyprus negotiations, Burcu reiterated that the past history of the "peoples" of the island has not been built on trust and that Turkey's guarantees are important for the Turkish Cypriot community. "With this history of mistrust which we lived, Turkey's guarantees are absolutely necessary for the Turkish Cypriots", he argued. Asked on the point at which the Cyprus talks have come, Burcu said: "I think that we have come close to the light, but the acceleration of our approaching the light has slowed down. We have to consider this to be natural. The needs of the elections process and the solution process are different. I am not dreaming that we could achieve a progress, the solution on the difficult issues in this process. [?] On the issue of governance and power sharing important agreements have been reached except for the rotating presidency and some issues as such related to it. [?] I think that if the rotating presidency comes to a point of being handled in a manner, it will be related to the cross voting. [?] We have not entered into a bargain on the land. The property will be discussed at the final stage. We have achieved an agreement on some criteria on the property. Some definitions should be made. For example what is the 'essential development'? Because devil is hidden in the details. What is the 'user' expression encompassing and how? We need progress on these issues. [?]" Referring to the issue of the "citizenship", Burcu said that the Turkish Cypriot leadership's effort is in the direction of all "TRNC citizens" becoming citizens of the federal Cyprus. Noting that the sides have shared information regarding their "citizens", Burcu argued that "our population is around 220 thousands and their [population] around 800 thousands. The details are not important at all. The principles are important. We are seeking for an arrangement by which all TRNC citizens to become citizens [of federal Cyprus]. This is our promise and we are backing it. [?]" (I/Ts.) [03] Ozgurgun: "Akinci told me he cannot agree with Anastasiades" Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (16.03.16) reports that Huseyin Ozgurgun, leader of the National Unity Party (UBP), has alleged that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci had told him that he could not agree with President Anastasiades on the Cyprus problem. Addressing a meeting of his party in occupied Goneyli last night, Ozgurgun claimed that a solution to the Cyprus problem could not be reached even after another 50 years, because "the Greek Cypriots having this mentality do not intent to make an agreement". He alleged: "I am saying this based on what? I am informed about all the developments both as party chairman and as former minister of foreign affairs. Whoever the president is, not only the Greek Cypriot side has no intention of an agreement, but no one who says 'I am the leader' in the Turkish Cypriot side can sign an agreement with the Greek Cypriot side which has such an approach. A TRNC president who will sign and accept these conditions will only become submissive and will give a kind of a present to the Greek Cypriot side. During the latest meeting at the president's office, Mr Akinci also said that they could not do that. 'I cannot agree with Anastasiades', he said". Claiming that the information coming from the Greek Cypriot side is different, he alleged: "The Turkish army will be withdrawn, they say. During a telephone conversation I had with Mr Akinci, he told me that the withdrawal of the Turkish army from the island is not possible. The Turkish Cypriots will never accept this. Therefore the Greek Cypriots lie, he said. And I asked from him to make this statement. 'You make it', he said to me. Therefore, we can be relaxed on this issue. No Turkish president can sign an agreement which does not include Turkey's active and effective guarantees. First we will not allow it. However, president Akinci also told me that he would not sign it". (I/Ts.) [04] Tusk met with Davutoglu in Ankara; Tusk: 'We cannot accept terrorism as new normal" Ankara Anatolia news agency (15.03.16) reported that the European Council President Donald Tusk emphasized on Tuesday his solidarity with Turkey in the aftermath of the recent Ankara bomb attack that killed 37 people. Speaking at a news conference with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Tusk expressed his condolences to the victims and families affected by another appalling terrorist attack in Ankara and said: "We cannot accept terrorism as the new normal". "No matter how many times it has happened, we will never get used to it and we will always fight it," Tusk said. "Let me reiterate this pledge and stress that we stand together in the fight against terrorism, yesterday, today and tomorrow", he added. Tusk is in Ankara ahead of a second EU-Turkey summit later this week that will focus on migration as Europe seeks to seal an agreement that will stem the flow of refugees from Turkey to Greece. Turkey has also demanded 6 billion euro ($6.66 billion) to help it care for refugees, increased progress on its EU bid and visa-free travel for Turkish nationals in the EU. Tusk said the summit would "put together the elements needed to make this proposal legally sound, in line with EU and international law, practically implementable and, of course, acceptable to all 28 EU member states as well as to Turkey." However, much work remained, he told reporters. "Today we established a catalogue of issues that we need to address together if we are to reach an agreement by Friday." Davutoglu in his turn said that the essence of Turkey's proposal was the "human dimension". "Turkey suggested a proposal, within its moral responsibility, to make more people not die in the Aegean Sea and to decrease illegal crossings and to finish them completely, if possible", stressed Davutoglu, adding: "We have never negotiated about money. We have never regarded this issue as a financial matter. This issue is a humanitarian issue." [05] "On the way for implementing the Ankara Protocol; The next 48 hours are critical" Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (16.03.16) reports that according to some allegations, the possibility of reaching a formula for lifting the veto of the Republic of Cyprus on the opening of negotiating chapters in Turkey's EU accession negotiations is very high while the summit of 17-18 March in Brussels on the refugees' issue is approaching. Citing a "high ranking diplomatic source", the paper writes that Turkey will implement the Ankara Agreement for all 28 EU member states and in return for this the Republic of Cyprus could open the five chapters it had frozen in Turkey's accession negotiations. The source said the following to the paper: "The next 48 hours are very critical. Such a climate had been created ten years ago. We are really experiencing dazzling developments and an unbelievable diplomatic traffic is being conducted. The issue is the refugees issue between Turkey and the EU and as Turkish Cypriot side we are also an important element in this process". The source disagreed with the news published in the press that the Turkish Cypriot side had been by-passed during these developments. The source added: "Lifting the veto in return to ports has been on the agenda for a long time and there have been 4-5 initiatives for its solution but unfortunately these initiatives were not materialized. The possibility of being materialized this time is high, but in such sensitive issues as these anything can happen until the last moment". Meanwhile, according to the paper, after the meeting he had yesterday in Ankara with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, who visited Turkey after holding a meeting with President Anastasiades in Nicosia, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: "Tusk conveyed to us their views after meetings they held with member states. And we also expressed our views". (I/Ts.) [06] A "technical committee" of the so-called prime minister due to Turkey to finalize the "economic program" Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (16.03.16) reports that a "delegation of the technical committee", of the occupied regime, headed by the "undersecretary" of the "prime ministry", will visit today Ankara with the aim to put into final form the "economic protocol" to be signed with Turkey. According to information given by illegal TAK's correspondent, the "delegation" will carry out contacts with the Turkish delegation, in order to put the final touches on the 70-pages draft document of the "economic program". The "delegation" is composed by the "minister of finance", the so-called minister of economy, industry and trade, the so-called minister of agriculture, natural resources and food and bureaucrats from the "state planning organization" ("DPO"). (AK) [07] Representatives of the "Turkish Cypriot Hotelier's union" evaluated their participation in ITB Berlin Tourism fair Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.03.16) reports on statements by several "representatives" of the "Turkish Cypriot Hotelier's union", who attended the ITB Berlin Tourism fair which took place in Germany recently. According to the paper, the "representatives" in the sector exerted efforts during their stay in Germany to turn the negative atmosphere exist in the region in the sector of tourism, as positive and promote the "TRNC" as the right alternative for tourists. In statement on the issue, Esra Celikeri, "director of the office of the union", explained to the paper that within the framework of their participation in the fair, they held contacts with hoteliers and agencies in Germany and signed several agreements. Celikeri referred also to the figures published by the so-called ministry of tourism according to which Germany ranks second on the number of tourists visiting the "TRNC", with Turkey comes first and the UK third. Also speaking, Suleyman Kansu, "director" of Salamis Bay Hotel in the occupied area of Cyprus, stated, inter alia, that they had decided to take radical decision to promote the "country's tourism". Referring to the crisis occurred in Turkey's tourism sector and especially in Antalya as a result of the crisis with Russia, Kansu stressed the need to make long-term plans and promote Cyprus to the European tourists as "the rightest alternative at the right time". He further added that their aim is to give incentives to tourists who will be transferred to the "TRNC" with charter flights. Moreover, Ufak Caga, "general director" of Chato Lambousa hotel, said, inter alia, that they will try to turn the negative atmosphere in the region as an advantage and attract as more tourists they can. (AK) [08] 805,422 registered subscribers of cell phones in the occupied area of Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Bakis newspaper (16.03.16) reports that according to figures given by the "Information technologies and communication organization" on the electronic information sector in the occupied area of Cyprus, the number of registered subscribers of cell phones in the "TRNC" until the end of 2015, was 805, 422. According to the figures, 413, 392 are active subscribers with "north Cyprus Turkcell" mobile operator while 243,002 are active subscribers with Telsim mobile network. The figures have shown also that "Turkcell" holds 61.3% of the market share while Telsim holds 38.7%. Moreover, the total registered mobile subscriptions which are active are 656,394. (AK) [09] Erdogan: "Definition of 'terrorists' should be broadened to include 'accomplices'" Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (15.03.16) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has argued in the aftermath of the third major suicide bomb attack in Ankara in the past five months that the definition of "terrorists" needs to be broadened to include supporters of terrorism, who are equally guilty. "Their titles as an MP, an academic, an author, a journalist do not change the fact that they are actually terrorists. An act of terror is successful because of these supporters, these accomplices," Erdogan told reporters during a dinner to celebrate Doctor's Day on March 14. "It's not only the person who pulls the trigger, but those who made that possible who should also be defined as terrorists", Erdogan added. "Some circles, at home and abroad, are at a junction. They will either side with us, or with terrorists. There is no middle way," Erdogan also said. [10] A British academic detained by Istanbul police over 'PKK propaganda' According to Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (15.03.16) a British academic has been taken into custody on suspicion of making propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), after distributing leaflets inviting people to Nevruz holiday celebrations on March 21. Chris Stephenson, a lecturer in computer science at Istanbul's Bilgi University, was taken into custody in Istanbul on March 15, after he went to the Istanbul Police Department in a show of support for the three Turkish academics detained on March 14. The three academics had been detained in relation to an investigation into signatories of a petition calling for an end to clashes between security forces and PKK militants in January, and they were set to appear at court on March 15. Commenting on the incident, officials from the British Embassy in Ankara told the Hurriyet Daily News that they are aware of the detention of a British national and that they are providing consular assistance. Stephenson was taken to the Istanbul Police Department upon a prosecutor's instruction on accusations of "making propaganda of a terror organization," as the leaflets he distributed included messages and pictures aimed at making PKK propaganda, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The case into the petition was opened after 1,128 academics from 89 different universities - including foreign scholars like Noam Chomsky, David Harvey and Immanuel Wallerstein - signed a declaration titled: "We won't be part of this crime," which called on Ankara to end the "massacre and slaughter" in southeastern Turkey. Universities and prosecutor's offices across the country subsequently opened probes into many of the 1,128 Turkish and foreign academics and intellectuals who fall within the Turkish state's jurisdiction, arguing that the petition exceeded the limits of academic freedom. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (AK/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-17 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/> TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 51/16 17.03.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Bozk?r: "It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter" [02] Colak comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: It is an undesirable situation; We will be disturbed if we are left out [03] Colak met with MUSIAD [04] Denktas: 2016 will be the year of the referendum [05] Turkish Cypriot travel agents say tourism in the occupied area will benefit by the lifting of the ban by Russia on Turkish tour agents [06] Agreements between the breakaway regime and various countries in the field of health tourism [07] There was an 8.5% increase of the breakaway regimes' visitors in 2015 [08] Illegal GAU's general secretary has been re-appointed as President of IACBE for the European Region [09] A motion was submitted at the Turkish Parliament to lift HDP Deputy's immunity over terror propaganda [10] 320 arrested in Turkey-wide police operation against PKK [11] Three more academics arrested on charges of terror propaganda; The British academic detained released [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Bozk?r: "It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter" Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (16.03.16) reported that Turkey's EU Minister and Chief Negotiator, Volkan Bozk?r, in statements during a during a televised interview with Turkish private broadcaster NTV, stated, inter alia, that the "capriciousness" of the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, should not be allowed to block the EU-Turkey deal reached last week in order to curb the migrant influx into the EU, "When the EU's continuity is under threat, it should be out of question that this [the Turkey-EU deal] is being prevented with one country's capriciousness," Bozkir said, adding that "It is out of the question to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus just to open one [EU] chapter". He argued that Turkey has always opposed the idea of including the Cyprus negotiations to be a part of Turkey's EU accession process and has always promoted finding a solution to the conflict. "They can now talk about finding a solution to the Cyprus issue thanks to our determined stance in the past decade," alleged Bozk?r. Bozk?r further added that the deal presented by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on March 7 in Brussels during an extended meeting with the heads of the 28 states of the EU was a "whole package." "Our Prime Minister clearly said that the package was a whole. The package will enter into force if a consensus on all matters will be reached", said Bozk?r. "Here the responsibility falls on the EU. The EU administration should talk the Greek Cypriot administration in southern Cyprus into [the deal]", Bozkir also said. [02] Colak comments on Anastasiades - Davutoglu meeting: It is an undesirable situation; We will be disturbed if we are left out Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Emine Colak, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, has said that the Turkish Cypriots were informed about the meeting held recently between President Anastasiades and Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu, but this is not a "desirable situation". "That is, a sensitive point for us", she said in statements to Ada television and added: "Any context regarding Cyprus should of course be a debate carried out by the Turkish Cypriots. If frankly such contacts and dialogues take place without us or with us being left out, yes these will be disturbing us". Noting that all issues are turning around to be based on the dispute in Cyprus, Colak said that in this sense they will keep their dialogue and coordination with the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Prime Ministry at the highest level. (I/Ts.) [03] Colak met with MUSIAD Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Emine Colak, self-styled foreign minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, met yesterday with Okyay Sadikoglu, chairman of the Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association in the occupied area of Cyprus (MUSIAD Cyprus). According to a statement issued by Colak's office, they exchanged views on how the so-called isolation allegedly implemented on the Turkish Cypriots will be broken. MUSIAD is organized all over the world. (I/Ts.) [04] Denktas: 2016 will be the year of the referendum Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Serdar Denktas, the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) stated that "2016 will be the year of the referendum" in Cyprus. According to a statement issued by DP headquarters, Denktas made these statements during various congresses he held with members of his party at villages in the occupied area of Cyprus, in the framework of the preparations for DP's regular council which will be held on May 10. Denktas said that the recent developments show that the referendum will be held in 2016. He also said that the "people must say no to a solution that would end up without the Turkish guarantees in Cyprus". He went on and added that DP always protects the "state" which, as he said is the guarantee of the "people's future". (CS) [05] Turkish Cypriot travel agents say tourism in the occupied area will benefit by the lifting of the ban by Russia on Turkish tour agents Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (17.03.16) reports that the Russian Federal Tourism Agency (ROSTURIZM) of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Culture has decided to lift the ban implemented on the activities of Turkish travel agents in the country that started after Turkey had brought down a Russian airplane in Syria. After the above decision ROSTURIZM added the Turkish companies on its website again, notes the paper. In statements to Kibris, Orhan Tolun, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot "travel agents' Union" ("KITSAB"), said that in case the flights (between Russia and Turkey) start, the tourism of the occupied area of Cyprus will secure unbelievable benefits. He recalled that the number of Russian tourists in the hotels in Antalya had decreased by 90% because of the embargo imposed by Russia on Turkey and added that with the lifting of this embargo the flow of tourists will begin both to Turkey and to the occupied area of Cyprus. Underlining the necessity of carrying out a "serious" advertising campaign for carrying more tourists to the occupied area of the island, Tolun said that they have lost 2016 and that they should seriously plan what they could do for 2017. Tolun noted that as "KITSAB" they could invite foreign journalists who will write articles about the occupied area of Cyprus when they return to their countries. "Importance should be attached to these, because the salvation of our country is in tourism", he argued. (I/Ts.) [06] Agreements between the breakaway regime and various countries in the field of health tourism Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (17.03.16) reports that Ahmet Savasan, the founding chairman of the "Cyprus Health Tourism Council" participated in the ITB Berlin Tourism Fair in which 10,147 tourism foundations from 189 countries participated. According to the paper, Savasan on the sideline of the Tourism Fair met with various members of the World Health Tourism Council and also with representatives of various countries aiming to find the base to co-operate in the field of health tourism. In addition efforts were exerted so that more persons to travel to the breakaway regime for this purpose. Speaking to the paper, Savasan said that new agreements were made for health services in the fields of cardiology, esthetic, in vitro fertilization treatments and other with the following countries: Holland, Slovakia, Hungary, Denmark and Sweden. Savasan also argued that health tourism could contribute greatly to the breakaway regime's economy. (CS) [07] There was an 8.5% increase of the breakaway regimes' visitors in 2015 Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (17.04.16) reports that there was an 8.5% increase of the breakaway regimes' visitors in 2015, compared to last year. According to data obtained by the "TRNC Central Bank Bulletin", regarding the tourism sector, 1,483,244 persons visited the breakaway regime in 2015 while 1,366,07 persons visited the breakaway regime in 2014. Among the visitors, 1,110,795 were of Turkish citizenship while 372,499 were from third countries. According to the information, 70% of the travelers visited the breakaway regime in August. (CS) [08] Illegal GAU's general secretary has been re-appointed as President of IACBE for the European Region According to Turkish Cypriot daily Ortam newspaper (17.03.16) the "general secretary" of the illegal American University of occupied Keryneia ("GAU"), Assistant Professor Dr. Sualp Davut has been re-appointed as President of the IACBE (The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education USA) for the European Region. The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) is an educational accreditation agency for college and university business programs. More than 1,100 universities until today are accredited to the IACBE. (AK) [09] A motion was submitted at the Turkish Parliament to lift HDP Deputy's immunity over terror propaganda Turkish daily Sabah (16.03.16) reported that a source in the Prime Minister's office said that an official request to remove the parliamentary immunity of the opposition HDP' lawmaker Tugba Hezer Ozturk, was sent to the Turkish Parliament on Wednesday. Prosecutors are seeking to remove the Deputy's immunity, which protects lawmakers from prosecution, over a visit she paid to the home of Salih Necar, the terrorist who carried out last month's suicide car bomb attack that killed 29 mostly military personnel in Ankara. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said that the request was sent after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's office received a summary of proceedings against Ozturk from the Justice Ministry. Last week, similar requests to lift the immunity of five other HDP lawmakers, including the party's two co-leaders, were lodged with the Parliament. A motion to lift HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag and party Deputies Selma Irmak, S?rr? Sureyya Onder, and Ertugrul Kurkcu's immunities was submitted to Parliament. If put to a vote, the motion to lift the HDP MPs' immunity requires an absolute majority, i.e. 276 votes. The prosecutor's office summary was sent last month to the Justice Ministry with a request that the immunity of the HDP Deputies be lifted, so they can face charges of "openly instigating people to hatred and hostility" and "being a member of an armed terrorist organization". Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had previously broached the idea of lifting the immunity of HDP parliamentarians due to the party's alleged support for terrorism. [10] 320 arrested in Turkey-wide police operation against PKK Ankara Anatolia news agency (16.03.16) reported that around 320 suspects, including lawyers, politicians and students, were detained and 41 of them were arrested during country-wide anti-terror operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the three days before March 16, according to data gathered by Anadolu Agency. In operations in Istanbul, with the support of helicopters in 16 districts, 29 suspects, including lawyers, were detained. (?)While the operations mostly took place in southeastern and eastern provinces such as Elaz?g, Gaziantep, Sanl?urfa, Kahramanmaras, Malatya and Batman, police also detained university students in the western province of Bursa for allegedly being members of the Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H), a youth branch of the PKK and the outlawed Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK). In a separate operation in the western province of Manisa against the PKK/KCK, ten people, including the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) provincial heads Hatice Aslan and Sait Ayc?, were detained, while two members of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), a party that is not represented in the Turkish Parliament, were detained in the eastern province of Erzurum. [11] Three more academics arrested on charges of terror propaganda; The British academic detained released Turkish daily Hurriye Daily News (16.03.16) reported that an Istanbul court arrested three Turkish academics late on March 15 for "making terrorist propaganda" when they read out a joint petition signed by more than 1,000 colleagues calling for an end to clashes between security forces and militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in January. The arrest of academics Esra Mungan, Muzaffer Kaya and K?vanc Ersoy came after the three were detained for holding a press conference on March 10 at the Education and Science Workers' Union's (EGITIM-Sen) 6th Office in Istanbul, where they read out a declaration entitled "We won't be part of this crime." The court's verdict said the declaration was in support of the PKK and showed similarities to earlier remarks made by Bese Hozat, a PKK figure. The academics denied the charges, with Kaya and Ersoy saying they had not heard of Hozat before. Mungan is an academic at Bogazici University and Kaya lectures at Nisantas? Univeristy. Ersoy lectures at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. Meanwhile, according to the paper, the British academic Chris Stephenson who was taken into custody on March 15 on suspicion of conducting propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) because of a Nevruz leaflet in his possession, has been released but still faces the prospect of deportation. Stephenson was taken into custody upon a prosecutor's instruction on accusations of "making propaganda for a terror organization" for possessing a Nevruz leaflet printed by the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Stephenson was released on March 16 after being interrogated by a prosecutor. (?) TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (AK/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-17 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras to meet Chancellor Merkel on Thursday [02] Migration min. Mouzalas describes delays in refugee management at LIBE meeting [03] American actress Jolie to visit Mytilene on Thursday [04] Follow-up meetings between ministers and institutions' representatives on Thursday [05] Two ferries with more than 540 refugees arrive at Pireaus on Thursday [01] PM Tsipras to meet Chancellor Merkel on Thursday Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, at 12.15, in Brussels ahead of the critical EU summit on the refugee issue. French President Francois Hollande will likely participate in the meeting. [02] Migration min. Mouzalas describes delays in refugee management at LIBE meeting BRUSSELS (ANA-MPA/M. Aroni) - The responsibilities of Europe as well as Greece for the so far failed attempt to manage the refugee crisis were stressed by Alternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas during a speech at the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in Brussels on Wednesday. "We're here today because Europe didn't act united as Europe," he said, adding that the crisis unfolding in Greece is a European problem. He reminded the committee that since the Summit meeting last September, EU countries have not implemented the decisions taken then and that now the Balkan route closed unilaterally, without informing anyone, causing a serious humanitarian problem in Greece which could turn into a humanitarian crisis. He said the living conditions in Idomeni are "shameful for Greece and for Europe", as people were stranded there following the closure of the borders. Mouzalas also said the initial number of refugees that Greece pledged to keep in the country in September will have to be increased (from 23,000) but that more countries have to do their part in relocation. Mouzalas also spoke of Europe's delay in responding to Greek requests for help. He recalled that Greece had requested 1,400 men to staff FRONTEX last May and received no more than 700, while only 60 men of EASO are in Greece trying to complete asylum applications for 50,000 trapped people. [03] American actress Jolie to visit Mytilene on Thursday American actress and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie will visit Mytilene on Thursday, at 10 am. Jolie will visit the refugee camps at Kara Tepe and Morias. [04] Follow-up meetings between ministers and institutions' representatives on Thursday Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Economy Minister George Stathakis and Labour Minister George Katrougalos will have a series of new meetings with the representatives of the institutions on Thursday in an effort to reach common ground before the creditors depart from Athens. According to their programme, they will discuss justice issues at 12.00, pension reforms at 13.00, fiscal figures at 16.00 and financial issues at 19.00. Despite the convergence achieved, they did not manage to come to an agreement on Wednesday with the tax free threshold being one of the main problems. [05] Two ferries with more than 540 refugees arrive at Pireaus on Thursday The ferry "Blue Star 1" with 544 refugees and migrants from two islands of Eastern Aegean Sea docked at the port of Piraeus on Thursday. More specifically, the ferry carried 182 persons from Chios and another 358 refugees and migrants from Mytilene. Later in the day is expected to arrive the ferry "Diagoras" carrying an unidentified number of refugees and migrants from the Dodecanese Islands. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-17 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] I do not believe that the refugees' drama will end soon, says Angelina Jolie [02] Refugees at Idomeni place their hopes on EU summit [03] Less refugees in the last 24 hours [04] ND leader Mitsotakis in Brussels for EEP meeting [01] I do not believe that the refugees' drama will end soon, says Angelina Jolie "I do not believe that the refugees' drama will end soon," stated American actress and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Pitt leaving the General Secreteriat of the Aegean and Island Policy building in Mytilene on Thursday. Jolie met with members of non-governmental organisation from whom she was briefed on the prevailing condition on Lesvos. According to information, Jolie was positive on the refugees safe crossing of the Aegean while on issues posed by local entities on the repercussions on the island's economy and the need for the promotion of the islands' tourist product, Angelina Jolie promised that she and her family will come for holidays on the island. Currently, Jolie is visiting the hotspot at Moria and later she will depart for London. [02] Refugees at Idomeni place their hopes on EU summit Refugees at Idomeni on Thursday have their eyes turned on the critical EU summit which they hope will give a solution to their problem. "I expect the EU summit to offer us the opportunity to live with dignity and claim the right to a safe living. I have been to the camp for over two weeks and I have not yet applied for the relocation programme because I want to exhaust all possibilities to seek my dream," Omar from Syria said to ANA-MPA. Omar as well as 28 year-old Mohammed from Syria want to go to Germany and have placed their hopes on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's stance in the EU summit. "My siblings, that are already in Germany, told me that Merkel wants us and will do whatever possible in order for the EU to allow us to continue our trip to Germany. Here we have no future. The Greeks are very good people but here there are no jobs. We want to leave, to go somewhere where we will be able to find something to start again our lives." There are others that have not heard anything about the EU summit as Doa from the city Homs in Syria. "I do not know of what summit your are talking about. The only thing I know is that I can't continue living in the mud, without money and without hope. The borders must open. In my city everything is devastated. If we go back, we will die. Europe must open its arms and take us," she said. [03] Less refugees in the last 24 hours The refugees' flows to the northeastern Aegean island continued to be low in the last 24 resulting to the reduction of the number of stranded migrants and refugees on the islands. According to police, 7,304 identified migrants and refugees were on Lesvos, Chios and Samos on Thursday morning. 4,285 identified migrants were on Lesvos while the new arrivals were only 170. On the island of Chios 11 persons were identified in the last 24 hours increasing the number of refugees on the island to 2,489. Finally, no new arrival was recorded on Samos while 530 persons are identified and ready to leave for the port of Piraeus. [04] ND leader Mitsotakis in Brussels for EEP meeting Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be on Thursday in Brussels to participate in the European People's Party (EEP) meeting. The meeting will mostly focus on the refugees issue and the possible agreement between the European Union and Turkey. According to Mitsotakis' associates, ND leader will insist on his position to support the national strategy as it was agreed at the political parties' meeting chaired by Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
A Nova Scotia mom has given birth to one of the biggest babies ever born in Cape Breton, according to Metro News. Brandy MacNeils daughter Quinn was born at Cape Breton Regional Hospital on March 12, weighing a whopping 13.3 pounds.

The Mighty Quinn: Nova Scotia woman gives birth to 13.3-pound baby girl. https://t.co/VFh4qO3fk0pic.twitter.com/0GfymDsTm0  Metro Halifax (@metrohalifax) March 17, 2016

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The 33-year-old mom had no idea her daughter would be so big, despite overhearing the medical team estimate that the baby girls weight was likely around 12 pounds.

I laughed it off, but then I heard the doctor say that her shoulder blades were so big that they needed more hands to pull her out  so it was a quite the surprise, the mom explained.

MacNeil now has three daughters: Oliva, 4, Breagh, 1 and newborn Quinn. According to the mom, Quinns birth size was even more of a surprise since she thought her eldest, Olivia, was big  and she was just 9.8 pounds!

Now that her baby girl is here, MacNeil is still has no clue how her baby girl got so big. Theres no rhyme nor reason  I wasnt diabetic and I had a perfectly healthy pregnancy, she said.

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While babies with heavy birth weights often face health complications, Quinn was born perfectly healthy, too.

According to the latest data Statistics Canada, only 17 of the 185,418 baby girls born during the study period weighed 12 pounds or more.

In fact, 2013 saw the birth of an even heavier baby. That year, Toronto mom Delieta Daneil welcomed a baby boy weighing 14.5 pounds at North York General Hospital.

But while theres no denying that these are some big babies, the heaviest infant ever born actually weighed much more! Canadian mom Anna Bates, known as the Giantess of Nova Scotia for being over 7-feet tall, gave birth to a 22-pound boy in Ohio in 1879. Unfortunately, the infant passed away 11 hours later.

Then, in Italy in 1955, the infant who now holds the Guinness World Record for heaviest birth was born. The baby boy was born to mom Carmelina Fedele and weighed an astonishing 22.8 pounds.

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Finding the perfect pair of jeans is akin to finding your soulmate. So when you finally do, you never want to part with them, wearing them as often as socially acceptable.

But despite doing everything in your power to maintain their condition (like avoiding washing and drying machines at all costs), overtime, all that love takes its toll and the inevitable happens  your precious denim begins to get worn and torn.

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Nevertheless, the thought of tossing or replacing them is unbearable. You've been through so much together; how could you possibly find another pair that's comparable?

Fortunately, thanks to a little help from DIY fashion guru With Wendy, you might be able to hold onto those special jeans a little longer. In the video above, Wendy shows us how to easily mend holes and worn spots on jeans, and it's far easier than you think! She also has a few other DIY solutions for upgrading jeans.

Have an old pair of flared or boot cut jeans, but have grown tired of the style? In the tutorial below, Wendy reveals how to transform them into skinny jeans:

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And if your plain ol' jeans could use a bit of glam, follow Wendy's tutorial below for adding fun fringe and patchwork to your jeans:

Finally, when it does come time for a new pair of jeans, rather than take them to a tailor to be hemmed, follow Wendy's easy DIY hemming tutorial below:

Wendy Liu is a Toronto-based DIY fashion guru. If you love her amazing DIY tutorials as much as we do, head over to her blog With Wendy or subscribe to her YouTube channel.

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Arguably, not since the 1960s has wearing a miniskirt in North America caused such a stir.

Jaden Smith, who's been known to wear dresses and skirts, spoke to British GQ for their Spring/Summer issue (of which he covers) about why he rejects gender norms, especially when it comes to clothes.

GQSTYLE SS16 Out on Thursday || Cover Star #jadensmith @christiaingrey shot by @terrytsiolis and styled by our Editor @luke_jefferson_day wearing #diorhomme || @gqcreative || follow our Editor-in-chief @dylanjonesgq A photo posted by British GQ Style (@thegqstyle) on Mar 14, 2016 at 1:34am PDT

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"I feel like people are kind of confused about gender norms. I feel like people dont really get it," the 17-year-old son of Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith told the magazine. "Im not saying that I get it, Im just saying that Ive never seen any distinction. I dont see man clothes and woman clothes, I just see scared people and comfortable people."

@christiaingrey on the cover of the new issue of @thegqstyle, out now // Follow GQ editor Dylan Jones at @dylanjonesgq A photo posted by British GQ (@britishgq) on Mar 17, 2016 at 10:52am PDT

Smith's gender fluid fashion was apparent when he accompanied actress and friend Amandla Stenberg to her prom in matching dresses last year.

here's to highschool A photo posted by amandla (@amandlastenberg) on May 29, 2015 at 7:01pm PDT

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He has since been named the face of Louis Vuitton's womenswear line; a choice fully supported by his sister, Willow Smith.

A photo posted by = lloW S = (@gweelos) on Jan 4, 2016 at 10:14am PST

Smith's comments come as part of a larger gender fluid movement in fashion. Spanish-retailer, Zara, recently released a gender neutral line called "Ungendered" and model/actress Ruby Rose, who also identifies as gender fluid, gave us primer on what it all means. According to Rose, Smith's new role with Louis Vuitton has large implications. "Its going to let people know theyre not different in a weird way; theyre different in a way that should be celebrated," she told The Cut earlier this year.

Maybe it's just part of growing up a Smith to subvert authority. In an interview with Gulf TV News, the Smith siblings question the origins of "rules."

"Who made all these rules? Who was here and who made all these rules because I'm equally as smart as them and I don't necessarily agree with all the rules that they established before we came into the picture," said Jaden.

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So breaking fashion rules isn't the only thing on his radar:

I Don't Want You Guys To Think Because I Was Born In America That I Speak And Abide By English Grammar. I Speak Jaden, Indefinitely.  Jaden Smith (@officialjaden) November 3, 2014

Fingers crossed Rosetta Stone releases a Jaden language box set soon so we can all follow along.

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A pair of New Yorkers dropped to their knees in a Manhattan deli Thursday, begging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ditch Canada and run for U.S. president.

Stephen Ward uploaded footage of the moment to Twitter on Thursday. Ward told The Huffington Post Canada he was sitting in Mile End Delicatessen when these dudes with earpieces and dark suits came in.

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Ward watched Trudeau brush aside the request. In the video, the prime minister says he cant in light of the very simple logic of him not being American-born.

But answer wasnt satisfactory for the two bros who simultaneously bought up the name of Calgary-born Republican nomination candidate Ted Cruz.

But all our guys are so bad, said one man. Please.

The second man added that the current roster of GOP hopefuls are boring, weird and you have to settle for them.

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And befalling to the traditional act of true desperation, the two men fell to their knees on either side of the prime minister, clasped their hands, and begged Trudeau to reconsider.

Despite the dramatic appeal, Trudeau politely declined.

I dont know if youve noticed, but I actually have a job and its a pretty good one, he said.

As I was leaving and told him Im an Aussie, so were both foreigners in New York.  Stephen Ward

Ward said it was pretty funny and Mr. Trudeau handled it brilliantly! And before he left the deli, he approached the prime minister for a handshake.

As I was leaving and told him Im an Aussie, so were both foreigners in New York, he said. The deli, owned by a former Montrealer, catered their signature smoked meat to a Canadian think tanks Washington, D.C. reception for Trudeau last week.

Earlier in the day, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg praised Trudeau for his youthful energy and optimism, likening his political zest and middle-class appeal to John F. Kennedy.

President Barack Obama honoured Trudeau at a star-studded state dinner last Thursday  a first for a sitting prime minister in 19 years  marking a milestone in bilateral relations.

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The prime minister returned to the U.S. Wednesday for a two-day visit to New York City to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The promotion of gender equality and the Canadian economy were the two top agenda items for Trudeaus trip.

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"I am a badass," might be something you think to yourself after completing a particularly tricky back bend, but it's not usually something that would be kosher to yell in the middle of yoga class.

Enter Rage Yoga, where attendees are invited to do all the yelling, swearing and even burping they like.

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Rage Yoga founder Lindsay Istace invites her students to get "zen as fuck," and enjoy a beer or two while they're at it.

Forget 'om'  Rage Yoga's mantra is 'fuck yeah'

Students at the class warm up to the dulcet tones of the "Jurassic Park" soundtrack  peppered with a few "Star Trek" jokes from Istace  before launching into what Istace calls a "bastardization" of Vinyasa Yoga, complete with a heavy metal soundtrack and the mantra of "fuck yeah."

The soundtrack can vary from class to class, but there's always one constant: Bif Naked's "I Love Myself Today."

"She's a Canadian, an activist, a rocker, and a bad-ass yogi  what's not to love," Istace said with a laugh, in an interview with The Huffington Post Canada.

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If the stretching is a bit too much, yogis can take "hydration breaks" to grab a sip of beer or wine before continuing  the classes take place in a basement pub in downtown Calgary. And, if students find themselves falling over during a tricky pose, laughter is definitely encouraged.

Students follow instructor Lindsay Istace in flipping the bird from a lotus position. (Photo: Brett Rieger)

Istace, 24, created Rage Yoga after going through a painful breakup. She's had her own yoga practice for about five years  she began training as a contortionist at age 19  but noticed that after the end of a long-term relationship her old practice started "changing."

"Suddenly, there were a lot more swear words and a lot more crying," Istace said.

"By allowing myself to have this space where I'm able to be super honest about my emotions... it was incredibly therapeutic."

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After joking about it with a friend, she decided to hold her first Rage Yoga workshop, where it became clear to her the concept was connecting with some people.

"There was something there  it wasn't just a joke."

The classes take place at Dickens Pub in downtown Calgary. (Photo: Brett Rieger)

The classes are held at Dickens Pub twice-weekly, and have been a big hit. Attendees can pay $12 to drop in, and another $2 if they need to rent a mat  the price includes a free beer ticket. Between five and 15 people usually attend each session.

"I think there are a lot of people intimidated by the usual yoga culture... yoga studios are intimidating for people who are just getting into yoga, and for people who are very experienced in yoga they just want something that is a little less serious," Istace said.

"By allowing myself to have this space where I'm able to be super honest about my emotions... it was incredibly therapeutic."

Istace understands that Rage Yoga might not be a hit for everyone, but hopes it connects with people who haven't found a class that is the right fit for them.

"Yoga is a very personal practice."

For those outside of Calgary hoping to check out Rage Yoga, Istace will soon be offering classes online. She's currently raising funds through Kickstarter to film her classes and offer them as online downloads.

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Matthew Madden

Mikmaw spoken word artist Rebecca Thomas will become Halifaxs first aboriginal poet laureate next month  thanks to the path carved by a phenomenal woman who came before her.

I feel like any inroads Ive made here I have to give credit to Rita Joe, Thomas told The Huffington Post Canada of the late renowned Mikmaw poet and residential school survivor.

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The City of Halifax announced the news Tuesday, saying Thomas will be given a position which will empower her to enhance our understanding of our regions unique cultural tapestry through her work, in a statement.

She will succeed outgoing poet laureate El Jones for a two-year term beginning in April.

Were not necessarily heard from all the time, Thomas said of Canadas indigenous peoples. You hear interpretations of our voice, you hear interpretations of our histories  very rarely do you actually hear from us, as indigenous people.

Watch Thomas What am I supposed to think?

She added that as poet laureate, its really important that I dont compromise my indigenous voice.

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Though she cant speak on behalf of all aboriginal people, Thomas said theres a similar experience that binds them  and shes intent on making use of the platform shes been given.

My voice will hopefully resonate and at least give perspective to a non-native world that were still here and were still proud of who we are and were going to be here for a long time, she said.

Joe, regarded as the poet laureate of the Mikmaw, died nine years ago and left a body of work with ambient themes of love and survival. Like Joe, Thomas also finds joy in seeing poetry resonate with young people.

... were still here and were still proud of who we are.

The Nova Scotia Community College aboriginal student service coordinator was at a youth poetry slam when HuffPost Canada spoke to her.

Walking in and just seeing them just be so proud of themselves and have a space where they can speak and feel important and if I can help facilitate that process, thats wonderful, she said, touching on her vision of what she wants to do in the next two years.

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Thats what I want to do. I want to make people feel important and that they matter.

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The beginning of spring not only marks the time for a wardrobe refresh, but also a hair change.

While you're pouring over spring 2016's hottest fashion trends, you'll want to have the hairstyles to match too. And even though there were a wide array of spring hairstyle trends on the runway this season, there are a few key looks that really stood out.

We spoke to Matthew Collins, celebrity hairstylist and co-owner of Brennen Demelo Studio in Toronto, to get the low-down on the hottest spring hairstyles to try for 2016.

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Check them out below:

Grown-out fringe is all the rage this season. Worn with a casual centre part in a soft and textured style, it gives off a '70s vibe that's chic and effortless.

Collins says the shortest point can be anywhere between the eyebrow to the nose and taper down an inch or so at the ends.

To style, he suggests a "rough" dry with your fingers back and forth. "The more natural they look, the better," he tells us. Collins also says the cut looks really good with an all-over tight curl that can be created with a small 1/2 inch barrel with lots of volume on the sides, but flat at the top.

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"This is basically the grown out lob," explains Collins. "Now that it's a few inches longer it's best matched with still that blunt length. But a softer external and internal texture." He suggests asking for these from your stylist.

This look is all about the undone, effortless wave. "Most of the movement is in the mid shaft of the hair," Collins explains. He says the best way to get the look is to divide your hair into three parts: one on each side and one in the back. Add a cream curl enhancer or sea salt spray, such as L'Oreal Professionel's Bouncy and Tender or L'Oreal Professionel's Beach Waves), and make very loose French braids. Pull apart the braids, then sleep on them. In the morning, undo the braids for that "French Girl" wave. If you're strapped for time, Collins suggests running a flat iron over the braid and letting it cool before taking them out.

Congratulations on your nomination and brilliant performance in #carolmovie. Proud of this magical being. #rooneymara attended the Academy Awards Luncheon. Makeup @kateleemakeup #hairbyadir #academyawards #oscarslunch A photo posted by Adir Abergel (@hairbyadir) on Feb 8, 2016 at 1:45pm PST

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Collins says this look is an "almost ballerina-style" updo, as it is very sleek and tight to the head. To get the look, use a light spray to comb your hair back into a sleek, very low ponytail. Then comb through a mixture of gel and serum through your hair until the ends of the pony.

After, braid your ponytail into a regular three strand braid as tightly and cleanly as possible. Once you're finished, tie off the end with a small elastic and spray the braid with a strong hold hairspray. Finally, twist the braid around the base of the ponytail, pinning it as you go. Collins says to make sure to keep it very compressed and close to your head.

"The key is tight and intricate!" he says.

Check out more hairstyles for spring below:

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Siri Stafford via Getty Images Woman throwing sheets of papers in air

There's a huge anchor holding many Canadian firms back from being more competitive. Think of it more as a giant paperweight keeping them down.

Companies are literally being buried in an avalanche of paper. Even though it's become vastly more efficient and effective to digitize work processes over the past few years, they're still stuck in the past, printing off reams of documents. It's unnecessary paper use that wastes resources, undermines productivity, bogs down workflow and prevents companies from realizing competitive advantages derived from becoming digital enterprises.

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For a company that made a name for itself by inventing the photocopier, you may think it's ironic that Xerox is alarmed by the continued overuse of paper in the workplace. But Xerox has a history of innovation that stretches back more than a century, all of it focused on revolutionizing the office and helping companies become more efficient and productive.

A recent study we conducted on the use of digital tools and practices -- Digitization at Work -- found many organizations still have a long way to go to cut their ties with paper.

Our researchers spoke to 600 IT decision-makers and influencers at large U.S., Canadian and Western European organizations.

We found that more than half (55 per cent) of the respondents admit their organizations' processes are still largely or entirely paper-based, and about one third (29 per cent) are still communicating with end customers via paper, rather than email or social channels. Only a small fraction of companies -- 10 per cent -- are essentially paperless across the board today.

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This is despite the fact that 41 per cent agree moving to digital workflows will cut organizational costs, and 87 per cent appear to have the skill sets available to make this happen.

When you break the numbers down by country, the news is slightly more positive for Canadian firms.

The survey showed that Canadian companies are generally ahead of their global counterparts in digitizing processes in the areas of invoicing, contracts, customer engagement, HR on-boarding, new product development, and vertical and operational processes. Approximately 44 per cent of Canadian respondents said they will have all seven areas digitized in two years -- the highest among all countries surveyed.

The findings are fascinating. They show that while most organizations have the desire to become more lean and agile for the digital future, they simply don't have the processes in place to shed their paper ties.

There's a disconnect between an organization's vision and the steps required to achieve successful digital transformation. It's this stumbling block that stalls their ability to capitalize on the competitive benefits of going digital.

How do organizations get over that hurdle? The place to start is print analytics -- understanding why and where employees are using paper.

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Most documents today originate on a computer, a tablet or a smart phone -- digital devices that offer easy sharing and storage. So why would anyone feel the need to print them? Yet, they do. Canadian executives told our researchers they still print documents for hard copy reference (69 percent), signatures (65 per cent) and sharing (48 per cent).

Large organizations typically print hundreds of millions of pages per year. Getting a clear picture of where, when and why all of this printing occurs is key to coming up with digital alternatives.

But we found many organizations are skipping this crucial step in their haste to keep up with the digital crowd. They're trying to digitize before the data is in, which means they're starting off on the wrong foot.

Without the right data in hand on print habits, it's difficult to uncover the hidden opportunities for digitization. You're stuck guessing on what might work, which is never as reliable as well-analyzed data.

Armed with solid print analytics, company executives can then make informed decisions about optimizing or automating key processes. That's how they'll realize the big benefits of digitizing, including cutting costs, becoming more agile, improving document security and providing faster, more effective service.

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It's time we all make a greater effort to make paperweights a thing of the past.

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One of the most pivotal contributions to a company's success is customer feedback. This critical insight gives a company first hand knowledge as to whether it's on the right track, and if not, what can be done to course correct. But often, it can be difficult to understand exactly how a customer is behaving if all you rely on is direct consumer feedback, as the loudest voices heard aren't necessarily satisfied customers, or even customers at all.

That being said, there are several techniques a company can leverage to truly understand their customer base, and get to the heart of what your customers aren't necessarily telling you. Here are four ways you can tap into that knowledge:

Follow the breadcrumbs

Part of knowing your customer is following where they are coming from and how they are using your site. Tracking the incoming lead sources, from external links to Google searches is only the beginning. By following a customer's entire activity timeline, from the pages on your site they visit, to the emails they open, gives you a complete picture of what is engaging them the most. The more comprehensive a profile you develop, the more you'll be able to directly speak to that customer's needs and generate return sales and revenue.

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A/B testing

A critical tool in understanding what is resonating with your customers is A/B testing. By presenting multiple landing pages and tracking what is generating the most interest and lead generation, you gain greater insight into what your customers are actively interested in. One important aspect of A/B testing to remember is that it is just as important to track what isn't working as what is, giving your company an opportunity to pivot where need be.

Listen to the right conversations

Just because a customer isn't talking directly to your company, doesn't mean they aren't talking. Chances are, the first place your customers are turning to with complaints or comments is social media, and not monitoring those discussions can be detrimental. A surprising number of corporate social media accounts lay dormant, allowing the conversations to run wild, rather than addressing legitimate concerns head-on. A strong social media presence will not only boost your brand, but also offer a direct insight into consumer feedback from alternative channels.

Learn from the enemy

If your customers aren't converting with your company, they are likely finding what they want with your competitors. There are a number of free and completely ethical tools available that will help better understand exactly what's gone wrong. From tracking competitor key words, monitoring social and marketing technique, to analyzing the strength of their website, better understanding your competition will help you make improvements in your customer service.

By taking these suggestions into account, you will get a complete picture of your customer's behaviours from start to finish, regardless if they are talking directly to you or not.

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Ali Tajskandar is the CEO of Wishpond, a startup in Vancouver, BC. Wishpond's marketing platform incorporates lead generation software with marketing automation into one easy-to-use complete marketing suite.
Photographed and edited by Janos Csongor Kerekes via Getty Images Mosquito (Theobaldia annulata) sucking blood.

As of March 14, 25 cases of Zika have been reported in Canada. But these have all been travel-related. They are imports. Canadians have travelled somewhere else in the world, somewhere warmer, gotten infected, then been diagnosed upon their return to Canada.

So far, no case of Zika has been contracted in Canada. But some people wonder if that might change.

At first blush, this question seemed silly, especially when asked in the middle of a cold Canadian winter. But winter is receding and some people in Hamilton who know what they are talking about are asking that very question.

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Could Zika come to Canada?

Tropical diseases are "tropical" because they spread only or primarily in the tropics. But we do not know to what extent this is due to how the virus is affected by climate or how the host (the mosquito, in this case) is affected by climate.

For now, the best thing is not to panic. We are learning about Zika, and part of that learning has to focus on protecting Canadians.

There are 3,549 known species of mosquitoes. The one that typically carries the Zika virus is Aedes aegypti. Its range is in the tropics, so it does not wander north to Canada. Nothing to worry about, right?

Wrong.

Although at this point the chances of a Zika epidemic in Canada seem remote, there are six reasons why we need to remain vigilant.

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Canadian mosquitoes could bite infected travellers.

Imagine this scenario: a Canadian gets infected with Zika in Mexico or the Caribbean. He returns to Canada, where he is bitten by a few Canadian mosquitoes. Those mosquitoes are now infected. Each of those mosquitoes goes on to bite several other people, infecting them with the virus.

Fact or fantasy? The truth is, we do not know. That's why the scientists in Hamilton are testing Canadian mosquitoes to determine if they could become carriers.

The range of Aedes aegypti could broaden.

Although the current range of Aedes aegypti is contained to the tropics, it has plenty of room to spread further north within "predicted habitats." Florida and Texas are highly suitable, and much of the southern U.S. is moderately suitable.

A broader range would bring Zika closer to Canada and more Canadian travellers would be visiting Zika zones.

Aedes albopictus is even closer.

There is a second species of mosquito that is known to carry Zika: Aedes albopictus. Predicted habitats for this species include most of the eastern United States right up to Connecticut and Massachusetts. That could put Zika in our backyard and expose many more Canadian travellers to the virus.

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Other species could also be infected and pass on Zika to humans.

Another species has been identified as a potential carrier: Culex quinquefasciatus. This species is 20 times more common than Aedes aegypti. At this time, we know that this species can be infected, but we have no idea if it can transmit the infection to humans.

With 3,549 species to test, now might be a good time to direct your children to a career in micro-biology.

The virus might adapt.

In the movie Jurassic Park, Ian Malcolm famously said that "Life will find a way." Viruses seek to spread, and they often mutate very quickly to do so.

If the virus recognizes the benefits of making itself adaptable to a variety of similar hosts, who knows how many mosquito species it could infect?

If the virus recognizes the benefits of making itself adaptable to a variety of climates, who knows how far north and south it could spread?

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In his thriller novel The Third Pandemic, Pierre Ouellette tells of how two viruses meet up inside a bird in a remote corner of Africa, mutate and become deadly, before spreading through air travel to all corners of the world. In fiction, the author always creates the perfect storm; in the real world, it could happen, too.

Mosquitoes might adapt.

It's hard to imagine Aedes aegypti in the streets of Montreal. But no harder than imagining bananas, pineapples and mangoes on sale at the Atwater Market -- in winter! In fact, Aedes aegypti has been found in Washington, DC, having wintered in sewers.

Mosquitoes are on the move, expanding their territories and hopping continents. Thanks to increased human travel and goods shipments around the world, mankind is spreading mosquitoes everywhere. When they can survive a change of climate or adapt to a new climate, they bring the risk of new diseases with them.

The worry is that diseases like Zika, Yellow Fever, Dengue and Chikungunya could spread with their hosts to previously safe areas, such as Canada.

The climate might adapt.

If the mosquitoes and the Zika don't adapt, Canada's climate might adapt. If climate change raises Canada's temperature by a couple degrees, we open the doors to all sorts of new invasive life forms.

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Predicting the future is always hard. But it is even harder when you don't know the present. Zika has flown under the radar for some time, and the truth is that there is so much about it that we just do not know. Much as nobody wants to hear this, we will have to be patient a little while longer.

For now, the best thing is not to panic. We are learning about Zika, and part of that learning has to focus on protecting Canadians in the event that any of the scenarios above begins to look probable.

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The Donald Trump phenomenon is fascinating to many of us Canadians. We marvel at his chutzpah and outrageous statements and give daily thanks that we do not have to face the possibility of him being our new leader. Some of us even wonder why the rest of us get so exercised about Trump since he's basically America's problem and not ours.

Does it really matter that Trump is (1) a clown, (2) a bully, (3) a demagogue or (4) all of the above? Even if he ends up in The White House, why should we care? He's not our problem. In four years (or eight at the most) he'll be gone and things will be back to normal.

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Yet the more I think about it, the more I'm concerned that we here in Canada may be too complacent. After all, as Pierre Trudeau once said, living next to the United States is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant: "No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast....one is affected by every twitch and grunt."

Sometimes history provides some interesting parallels that can serve as a modern warning sign. In this case, I'm thinking of Austria in the 1930s, a nation that shared much culturally, politically and linguistically with its neighbor Germany but had only one-tenth its population. Sound familiar?

Playing the Hitler card is all too common these days but there may still be some lessons for us to learn. Say Mr. Trump becomes the 45th U. S. President. Surely there are enough checks and balances in the U. S. Constitution to prevent him from becoming America's first true dictator. Or perhaps not.

Armed with all of the executive powers of the office of the president, Trump could easily stir up trouble and create national and international crises. Attempting to build a wall along the Mexican border could inflame relations with that country. Implementing harsher and harsher measures against illegal immigrants could increase anti-immigrant sentiment among the American populace.

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All that could easily lead to draconian measures such as deadly border patrols and prison camps throughout the country to house the increasing numbers of illegal aliens. To think that Congress or the Supreme Court would halt such actions is a bit naive. One has only to look to Franklin Roosevelt's imprisonment of Japanese-Americans in World War II or Eisenhower's Operation Wetback in the 1950s to see how the limits of presidential power can easily be stretched.

The same thing could happen with Muslim immigrants to America. President Trump initiates a temporary embargo on such folks which leads to demonstrations and riots which in turn lead to crackdowns and imprisonments. Some Americans demand even harsher measures and the ill will leads to strained relations with other countries and possible war.

President Trump "bombs the hell" out of ISIS and then takes similar action elsewhere in the Middle East and possibly against Iran and North Korea as well. Americans become scared and stand firm behind their new leader. Canadians, too, fear America's enemies and seek solidarity with the new strongman Donald Trump.

Maybe we decide that we need our own nationalistic populist leader, someone who can take on the establishment and the intellectuals and stand up for the "common man." In short, someone like Trump.

The next thing you know we're experiencing our own version of the German Anschluss of 1938 and American troops are crossing the border into Canada unimpeded. Or maybe we invite the American military in or even unilaterally ask to join the United States.

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As I said, Hitler analogies are all too common and often overplayed. The scenarios I've described are probably farfetched at best but they are within the realm of possibility. But why take a chance on a new American Reich with Canada as its new satellite state?

Best to do whatever we can now to forestall Herr Trump from remaking the North American map. Or maybe we still won't care. After all, it never seemed to be a big problem for Austria.
Photo Credit: Artur Staszewki

Montreal is one of Canada's most beautiful and romantic cities. It features the perfect combination of contemporary North America with old-world European charm. Here are our insider tips on how to spend your first 24 hours in Montreal.

If you're arriving to Montreal by plane, you can get downtown by taking the 747 shuttle bus. The bus runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and takes between 45 minutes and an hour. Tickets are $10 and allow you unlimited bus/metro transportation for 24 hours.

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Fuel Up With Brunch

Start your day by fuelling up at one of Montreal's top breakfast spots. I recommend Universel or Allo Mon Coco. Both places are located centrally. Universel is elegant and classy and has a wide selection of food, from standard breakfast to dessert crepes. Allo Mon Coco has a typical breakfast diner feel with a great selection of waffles.

Experience Europe Without Jet Lag

Photo Credit: Rahul Nair

On a full stomach, head over to Old Montreal. Enjoy the cobblestone alleys and be sure to stop by the Notre-Dame Basilica. Founded in 1642, the Notre-Dame Basilica was the first Gothic Revival style church build in Canada. If you choose to go inside, the admission fee is $5 and includes a 20-minute guided tour.

If you've worked up a thirst, stop for a refreshing rooftop drink at Terrasse Place d'Armes in the summer or for a warm drink and snack at Olive & Gourmando.

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Refuel for Dinner

After a day full of exploring, you deserve a full sit down dinner. My top picks: Lola Rosa, Deville, Kazu, Cinko and Schwartz's. Lola Rosa is a cosy and quirky vegetarian restaurant offering comfort food like nachos, curry and quesadillas. Deville is a step up from the classic American diner. The menu is filled with fun items like mac and cheese wontons and steak spring rolls. Kazu is an authentic Japanese restaurant. It's a hole in the wall restaurant that locals are ranting about. Cinko has a unique concept, exclusively offering tavern dishes for $5. It's the place to go if you're into trying a few different things. If it's your first time to Montreal, you'll want to check out Schwartz's, a renowned deli specializing in Montreal's famous smoked-meat sandwiches.

Catch the Sunset at the City's Best Lookout

Photo Credit: Ivv@Idzenl

Time to work off that big dinner with a hike up Mount Royal. Mount Royal offers a spectacular view of the downtown area and the St. Lawrence River. Montrealers head up to Mount Royal year round, whether to jog, bike, rollerblade, skate, toboggan, bird watch or picnic. If you can catch a sunset, you won't be disappointed no matter what season of the year.

Treat Your Sweet Tooth

End the day with Montreal's world famous dessert. I recommend Juliette et Chocolat, Cacao 70 and Suite 88. After all, if you're going to visit Montreal, you may as well do it right and take advantage of Montreal's best sweets.

This article first appeared on Hello City Girl.

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The history of ice cream is a messy one. No one has been credited with inventing ice cream, but many nations and individuals claim to have. Its origins date back as far as 54-68 A.D. when Emperor Nero of Rome sent people up mountains to collect ice that could then be flavored with fruit and juice. During the same period, Persians also developed a version of the ice cream made of a frozen mixture and rose water flavored with fruit and saffron.

In 618-907A.D., people in China used snow to freeze a mixture of milk and rice. The founder of the dynasty, Emperor T'ang of Shang, kept 94 ice men to mix flour, camphor, buffalo milk with ice. After visiting China, Marco Polo brought back a recipe for ice cream to Italy. The recipe was similar to sherbet and used milk instead of cream and became one of the earliest forerunners of modern ice cream. From there, Italian Duchess, Catherine de' Medici brought the dessert to France when she married King Henry II in 1533. During this time, Royals wanted to keep the ice cream recipe a secret. King Charles I of England paid his chef to keep his ice cream recipe a secret from the public, believing it was solely a royal treat. Rumor has it that the chef was beheaded after the ice cream recipe started to circulate in the public.

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It wasn't until 1660 that ice cream was officially made available to the public. The first Italian cafe in Paris called Cafe Procope open its doors to the public and was the first to serve ice cream. Their ice cream recipe was made from a combination of milk, cream, butter, and eggs.

The first Ice Cream to appear in America was in 1744 when a Scottish colonist visited the house of Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen. It didn't take too long until everyone was craving ice cream.

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Up until the 1800s, ice cream was mostly a treat saved for special occasions, as it couldn't be stored for long due to the lack of insulated freezers. This caused ice cream to be mainly enjoyed by the elite until insulated ice houses were invented.

By 1851, ice cream was becoming an industry due to new technology advancements and insulated ice houses. The wide availability of ice cream in the late 19th century led to new creations. Sundaes were soon enjoyed along with ice cream sodas and prepackaged ice cream bars. Specialty ice cream stores and unique restaurants that feature ice cream dishes began to surged in popularity.

Photo by Kudolife

In 1747 people used cream and fruit as the main ingredients to make ice cream .

In 1769, people added sugar to their ice cream .

In 1769, the first recorded chocolate ice cream recipe was made by Mrs. Raffald.

In 1824, people started boiling vanilla beans in milk to produce a new and richer flavor. They would then mix it with eggs and sugar.

In 1948, Howard Johnson introduced his 28 flavours of ice cream.

Over the years, more sugar was added to ice cream until manufacturers realized that people knew that sugary foods are bad for you. So instead, they cleverly developed "sugar-free" versions of your favourite flavours. But, just because your ice cream has no added sugar doesn't mean it doesn't contain sugar. Instead, your sugar-free ice cream will contain artificial sweeteners.

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You wouldn't expect to find a sugar-free label on vegetables and fruits. Fruit and vegetables are healthy and contain a small amount of sugar. This sugar is real, unprocessed, natural, and can be healthy for you in moderation. Heavily processed high-fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners are the complete opposite.

Now ice cream parlors are returning to natural ingredients and looking for new innovative ways to provide a healthier version of ice cream. Canada's first diary-free, plant-based, micro-creamery, Nice Vice Creamery recently opened its doors and is helping to transform the ice cream industry. The goal is only to use natural products with no added artificial sweeteners. But consumer's expectations are high, and they don't want healthy ice cream from 68 A.D. that contained just ice and juice. They want ice cream that is creamy without the cream, sweet without the added sugar, and organic.

People are becoming more food conscious and want natural and organic foods instead of processed options. That is why Nice Vice Creamery is providing non-GMO and organic ice cream. They use sweet potato, fruit and cane sugar instead to give ice cream that sweet taste. A natural, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant based ice cream is guilt free and will keep your sugar tooth satisfied.
Gerald Herbert/AP FILE - In this March 4, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in New Orleans. They may be on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but Trump and Bernie Sanders appear to be sharing a catchphrase, which is huge. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Many Canadians are looking aghast at the rise of Donald Trump as the Republican Party's front-runner for President of the United States. How can someone so boorish and who espouses such hard ideas that are regularly called fascist-like be leading contender for president of a country that prides itself as being a freedom-loving democracy? So much for the Staue of Liberty and "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses" and all that stuff about breathing free.

In the Democratic race, a self-described socialist is nipping at the heels of the party darling Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders is challenging the hard notion that the USA would only elect true free enterprisers. This is in the land where the National Museum of American History has a permanent exhibit on business in America.

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What the heck is happening? Surely, the USA can't be veering that far right and that far left in some kind of great divide that is challenging the very notions of what it means to be American.

Maybe the USA is not entering the Dark Ages proposed by Trump or the Sanders socialist paradise. While there is no doubt each camp has its share of true believers who are seeking radical change, it is more likely that the political restructuring is not about left and right ideology but symptom of a genuine fatigue with "elites" who run the place from legislatures to board rooms. There is logic to the fact that young people, marginally employed, unemployed and others are looking for different answers and are genuinely angry. It does not matter if the target of anger is justified. It matters that steam has to be released.

Is Canada susceptible to the same phenomena? Well let's be clear before we get too smug, that Canada -- and specifically Toronto -- had its own sideshow-opening act for Trump in the name of Rob Ford. The former mayor raged against minorities and women. He plastered the media with simplistic solutions all the while pretending to be a regular every man as he lived off the wealth of his family. On the other side, many Americans see Canada itself as the opening act for socialism, with our universal health care and all.

Trump and Sanders reflect an anti-elite (never mind that they swim in the elite pool) sentiment that is growing in Canada as well. Just watch the language of our political leaders shift towards the use of terms like grassroots; the people; it's your party as they try to avoid Republican-like gore.

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Speaking of gore, Lesley Gore that is:

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

Cry if I want to, cry if I want to

You would cry too if it happened to you...

If our political parties don't change, there will indeed be tears but it won't be their party anymore.

Recent political developments have proven that the anti elite/establishment mood can result in major upsets. Just ask Alberta Progressive Conservatives who, for years, were seen to be unbeatable and surely as about as establishment as it gets. Today, the NDP rules the province that was once thought to be the last place that would vote for a social democratic party.

Beware political parties and start to open up to new and more open policy development process. Heed the people. That means that the staff that surrounds leaders will have to stop behaving like jealous lovers and share the love by allowing access to their bosses. The current, all-too-common trend of viewing dissenting ideas as being disloyal has to stop.

It also means that government consultation processes need to be more than window dressing. For example, the current system of holding public pre-budget consultations past the point when influencing their content is possible sends a clear message that the "elites" don't want to hear from "the people."

Enter Bernie Sanders: stage left. Enter Donald Trump: stage right.
Easter comes early in 2016 meaning you won't want to get caught out by shop closures and restricted opening times over the bank holiday weekend.

Good Friday will be on 25 March, Easter Sunday on 27 March and Easter Monday on the 28th.

Good Friday and Easter Monday are Bank Holidays, meaning a four day weekend for many of us and most schools will break until 10 April.

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Easter opening times to cater for all your shopping needs

Lidl stores will be closed on Easter Sunday and open as usual on other dates over the bank holiday period. Customers can check their local branch here.

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The majority of Tesco Express stores will be open as normal throughout the Easter weekend.

Almost all the bigger stores will be open as normal on Good Friday, closed on Sunday and will have restricted hours on Bank Holiday Monday.

Tesco customers will be able to check the opening hours for their local stores from the weekend at the store's online locator guide.

The majority of Tesco Express stores will be open as normal

Easter opening hours vary from store to store, with some outlets remaining 24 hours, but customers can check their local branch online at Asda.com.

ALDI stores will be closed on Easter Sunday. Customers can check their local branches here for other days.

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Most Local stores are open as usual over Easter, including Sunday. Use the online finder for store specific information.

Store specific, with the website to provide detailed information on some Sunday closures.

Good Friday - Majority of core branches will open between 8am and 8pm. Convenience stores between 7am and 10pm

Saturday -All branches will trade their normal hours

Easter Sunday: No core and convenience branches will trade

Easter Monday - Majority of core branches will open between 9am and 6pm, with some variations of 8am - 8pm and 10am - 4pm. The majority of convenience branches will trade as usual.

For store specific information, visit the website.

Good Friday - All stores open at usual times, all stores close at 8pm

Easter Saturday - All stores open as usual

Easter Sunday - All stores in England, Wales and Northern Ireland closed. All stores in Scotland and Isle of Man open as usual

Easter Monday - All stores open at 7am, all stores close at 8pm

Further store specific information can be found here.

Good Friday - 6.30am - 9pm

Easter Saturday: 6.30am - 9pm

Easter Sunday: Closed, with Scottish stores opening from 10am - 4pm

Easter Monday: 6.30am - 9pm

Customers can use the chain's online store finder, although outlets will generally be open from 10am - 4pm on Easter Sunday and 8am - 8pm on Easter Monday.

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Boxes of tampons are displayed in a pharmacy, Monday, March 7, 2016, in New York. A group of women has filed a lawsuit accusing New York of unlawfully taxing tampons and other feminine hygiene products. The suit argues that medical items are exempt from sales tax in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Mark Lennihan/AP

The tampon tax is set to be axed completely following a deal with Brussels, George Osborne has signalled.

The Chancellor revealed that he expected the EU to agree in the next few days that the 5% VAT charge on sanitary products could be slashed to zero.

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Faced with the prospect of a cross-party rebellion in a Commons over the issue next week, Mr Osborne said that he was close to the necessary EU-wide agreement to allow individual countries to vary their tax exemptions.

"I said we would get agreement that we could reduce this rate to zero. I think we are going to get that agreement in the next few days, we hope, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

And in a hint that it was better to be in the EU than back Brexit, he added that voters would see the Brussels tax agreement showed "we are a strong voice in the world, we get what we ask for because we are at the top table.

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George Osborne ahead of his Budget

In the Budget, the Chancellor doled out 12m in proceeds from the 5% levy on tampons and other feminine hygiene products, handing the cash to womens charities combatting domestic violence and rape.

"I perfectly understand peoples anger at paying the tampon tax. The first thing Ive done is Ive made sure all the money we raise from the VAT on sanitary products now goes to women charities domestic violence support, he said today.

But many critics have urged the Government to be much tougher in insisting that Brussels allows the tax to be cut completely.

Campaigners have also attacked the idea that women should be paying themselves for services which cope with the damaging effects of mens behaviour, and have demanded that domestic violence cuts should not go ahead anyway.

Axeing the tampon tax has long been a campaign in many countries, as pre-menopausal women object to being taxed on a basic necessity.

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Under EU rules, the UK cant cut the VAT on sanitary products as 5% is the lowest rate permitted. The VAT on most goods in Britain is 20%.
The five things you need to know on Thursday March 17, 2016

1) THE LONG AND UNWINDING ROAD

George Osborne (via a Leeds primary school) and John McDonnell have done the usual tours of the breakfast airwaves. As ever, it was worth watching for hints at U-turns in the face of media and political reaction, and today was no different - on the surplus and on disability cuts.

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Normally, a Budget tends to unravel the following day, as the stuff buried in the Red Book gets dug out by enterprising hacks (see our 8 stinkers), think tank wonks and the Opposition.

But Osborne was unusual yesterday in that even as he spoke the huge flaws in his prospectus were obvious: targets missed, dodgy moves to shift money to meet his surplus in election year - and a massive productivity problem that hes done nothing to tackle in six years. And the George Osbrown trope is more striking than ever today: broken rules, creative accounting, blame placed on others, a raid into areas way outside the Treasurys brief - and bluster on the fundamentals.

In normal times (a phrase Osborne likes to use himself), we wait for the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) to pick through the ifs and buts in its Day 2 slidefest. Today, IFS chief Paul Johnson was up very early to tell the Today prog that the corporation tax shuffle to later in the Parliament was as dodgy as it seemed. Without that shuffle and without the unspecified public spending cuts he wouldnt have met the forecasts..hes changing his behaviour to make sure he meets that target.

Even the OBRs Robert Chote last night said there was onlyabout a 55/45 chance of actually having a surplus in that year. Johnson today added that a small drop in growth could ruin the surplus target: If I were the Chancellor, these things would be keeping me awake at night. He added that another year of austerity was also being visited on us - that long term economic plan feels longer than ever.

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And on the Today prog, Osborne even gave the a glimmer of a hint that his own surplus target could be missed. Twice he said the commitment we made is in normal timesThere is a commitment to reach budget surplus in normal times. And it need not be a recession that ruins it.

As for the sugar tax, the Sun is upset at the assault on its readers and takes the prize for its 'Fizzy Rascal' header, complete with mockup of Osborne emptying a can of cola. I'm just amazed that Dennis Skinner didn't yell out yesterday some gag about George telling others it's time to stop doing coke. There's always Business Questions...

2) TAKING THE PIP

Will the cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) be the new tax credits nightmare for Osborne? And will he have to execute some kind of J-turn if not U-turn sooner rather than later?

Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Owen Smith cannily pounced on this as a central flaw in the Budgets fairness claims. Last night on Newsnight, Sajid Javid struggled as it was pointed out the welfare cap was a gimmick to embarrass Labour that ministers had themselves failed to meet - but was one of the drivers behind the 4.4bn raid on PIP.

There is real unease on the Tory backbenchers about the attack that the Government is taking cash from the disabled and handing it to the better-off. Osbornes main defence yesterday seemed to be well, this is not new, cos IDS announced it last week. Apart from the fact that few had taken it in last week, this is a defence that looked pretty thin today. Relying on claims that disability spending was going up didnt wash either - with such huge sums taken out of planned spending.

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In fact on BBC Breakfast, Osborne gave a clear hint that he may rethink the disability cuts: Im always happy to listen to proposals that others might have on how we can improve on that. Its not just PIP, its the Employment Support Allowance cuts that worry many. And with people like Tory backbencher Heidi Allen already threatening to rebel, its no wonder Osborne sounds like hes shifting. Lifelong Tory and disability campaigner Graham Ellis is just the kind of person who could turn this into a tax credits-style PR disaster. But where will Osborne get the funds to ameliorate the disability cuts?

McDonnell told us in the post-Budget huddle that he would not have any cuts at all. We will invest in growth and we will also have a fairer taxation system  Were not going to come back and say we are supporting cuts. No. He added: To balance the budget there's no need for cuts. How sustainable or credible that will be with the voters remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Shadow Shadow Cabinet has been very noticeable yesterday and today. Chris Leslie, Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna, Shabana Mahmood and Alison McGovern (see her blog for us this morning) have all been very active, attacking the Tories and showing Team Corbyn how it should be done.

3) WE DONT NEED NO EDUCA-SHUN

This was sold as a Budget for the next generation. But it felt like teenageddon for those told they will have to spend longer at school, studying a subject they hate, without sugary stimulants to make it all bearable.

That plan to make it compulsory for all kids to study maths until 18 looked a little less certain last night, amid rumours that the backlash had made the Government think again. Teaching unions and Labour are pointing out that 20% of maths lessons are already taught by teachers without any maths degrees and have real problems filling posts.

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As it happens, the idea of making kids take maths to 18 was in the last Labour manifesto, but Lucy Powell says it needs proper resourcing. One union said some teens would shun sixth form if the plan went ahead as it was. All those hidden cuts to FE colleges may be coming back to bite ministers too.

The longer school day idea may depend on the reception it gets from parents (working parents may like it, but others dont like it). The Times has a story today that Prisons will be run like academies, but the fear is that academies will be run like prisons if kids end up with 8-hour days.

As for academisation (try saying that when youre drunk, the PM had trouble when he was sober), it seems Damian McBride had sniffed it out early. He spotted that Nicky Morgan was first up on the Order Paper in the Budget debate and worked out Tory academy plans were coming. Morgan has teacher qualification reforms due too.

This morning, theres more education trouble. Labour claims theres a 560 million black hole in Chancellors plan for schools - as the 140m wont be enough to cover the 44k conversion costs for 15k schools. To make the money up, it claims the Chancellor will be left with no option but to raid the Budget for much needed new school places.

BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR

Watch one bloke deliberately go off-road to knock down a Trump sign.

4) TIME FOR A BLOODY REFUND

Tampon is famously not a phrase Gordon Brown could even bring himself to use in the Commons (despite cutting the VAT on them). George Osborne is being forced to do so as the tampon tax is firmly back on the agenda. With a Commons vote due, theres a lethal combo of Tory Eurosceps upset at EU rules and Labour MPs who feel its a sexist rip-off (despite all the cash going to groups like the Girl Guides and rape crisis centres). Labours Paula Sherriff has tabled an amendment to strike down the tax on March 22. Will the Speaker allow it?

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Osborne was asked on Today how hed respond. He made plain he thought the tampon tax would indeed by scrapped by Brussels very soon: I think we are going to get that agreement in the next few days. See our story yesterday for details on this.

Speaking of Brussels, the big issue at the EU summit today will be trying to sort this vexed deal with Turkey over migrants. But back here Eurosceptics are still fuming at the Chancellor for what they saw as his spin on the OBRs taken on Brexit. Tory backbencher Stewart Jackson mouthed the words bollocks to the Press Gallery as Osborne spoke, thus guaranteeing the story had legs from the start.

What was curious was why Osborne felt he needed to make any reference at all to the EU referendum, given it had lots of downsides and few upsides. The OBRs Robert Chote made clear on Newsnight it was simply citing others who talked of uncertainty in the years after Brexit. In fact his own document stated: It is not for us to judge at this stage what the impact of Brexit might be on the economy and the public finances.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who is proving to be one of the bravest of the new intake, went on TV to express her dismay at the spin. But like the 1922 Committee last night, she didnt want that to take the shine off what many backbenchers felt was a nice tax-cutting Budget (albeit with jitters over disability cuts). The Telegraph reports that Iain Duncan Smith was one of several Brexiteer Cabinet ministers who immediately raised their concerns privately after the Budget.

5) KILL BILL 3

While many eyes were on the Budget, the Government suffered not just one but three defeats in the Lords last night. The Trade Union Bill amendment losses were on electronic balloting, facility time, and the funds used by unions for political campaigning. In each vote, the government was defeated nearly 2 to 1. Most significantly, several Conservative peers voted against it or abstained.

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Rather shrewdly, the amendments were in the names of two important cross benchers (Lord Burns and Lord Kerslake). The word compromise hangs in the air on e-balloting and possibly facility time. But on the opt-in plan that will slash 8m a year from Labour funding (and general secretary Iain McNicol is in despair about) it may be there is a concession but not as much as the Opposition wants.

Government sources insist they wont back down on their manifesto pledge. After such big defeats in the Lords, though, will Tory MPs in the Commons now risk another rebellion?

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Life on Mars, a cop drama set in the 1970s, displayed a fictional portrayal of a British police station in which racism was endemic. Although fictional the drama was so accurate that it brought back chilling memories of my experience as a police constable at that time. Any black driver who was evasive or uncooperative was routinely arrested for being "a suspected over-stayer", an illegal immigrant. Such was the damage these arrests were causing to police relations with the black community that a policy decision was made that the police would no longer actively seek to enforce immigration law but would assist immigration officers when they needed it. That was decades ago.

This week, after years of progress, the Conservative government's Immigration Bill, currently going through the House of Lords, contains some draconian new powers and new criminal offences. Amongst them is a new criminal offence of driving when unlawfully in the United Kingdom and powers to search an individual, a vehicle and a driver's home address, without warrant, for a driving licence. The police gave-up going out looking for immigration offences decades ago because of the detrimental effect it was having on police community relations. This new legislation puts the police back on the front line in looking for illegal immigrants and the consequences for race relations could be damaging.

Clearly if someone is arrested for a criminal offence and there is a suspicion that they may be illegally in the country, the police should and do inform the Home Office and immigration officers investigate. This new offence puts the police back in the position of having to actively enforce immigration law. Who else but the police are going to arrest people for driving when unlawfully in the UK? Not only that, but if they suspect someone to be an illegal immigrant, they can search them, their car and their home address for a driving licence.

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In a 2014 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary survey of motorists, almost twice as many black drivers said they had been stopped by the police than white drivers. The black drivers were more likely to be given no explanation for being stopped and were less likely to be arrested or prosecuted for any offence. Stops under the Road Traffic Act are not recorded so we only have the survey to go on but 'stop and search' by the police is recorded. Despite an improvement in recent years, you are still over four times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police if you are black than if you are white. How much more disproportionate is it going to be when the police are specifically looking for illegal immigrants under this new legislation?

Fear not, the government say, we have made it very clear that people should not be stopped on the basis of their race or ethnicity and anyway it won't happen because it would be unlawful under the Equalities Act. The Home Secretary has made it abundantly clear to the police that racial profiling is wrong but if you are still 4.2 times more likely stopped and searched, and twice as likely to be stopped in your car if you are black than if you are white, you have to ask how effective ministerial edicts and the Equalities Act have been. The government say the new powers will only be used when the police stop someone for "an objective reason". The HMIC survey suggests the police already stop black drivers for no objective reason.

Liberal Democrats want effective border security to prevent illegal immigrants from coming to the UK in the first place, effective exit checks so we know when someone has overstayed their visa and an effective immigration service that tracks down over-stayers and others who are working in the UK illegally. The police have already suffered significant cuts to their budgets and community policing has been hit hard. They have a frontline role in liaising with communities to build the kind of trust and confidence that leads to vital information about serious crime and terrorism being passed on to them by the public. Anything that is likely to put them into conflict with the public and black and minority ethnic communities in particular, is going to make us all less safe. That is exactly what this legislation is likely to do. After decades of progress the Tories now risk turning the clock back.

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The Sentencing Council has just published new guidelines for courts in England and Wales sentencing people convicted of dangerous dog offences.

These include harsher punishments for owners of dogs that injure or kill someone or that injure an assistance dog, and the new guidelines allow courts more flexibility when it comes to sentencing and dealing effectively with a range of offending behaviour; from the odd 'nip' to more severe biting incidents.

The Kennel Club broadly welcomes this move. With 8.5 million dogs in the UK, according to well-trusted stats from the PFMA, it is crucial that there is a means for courts to dish out appropriate and consistent sentences for those who allow, or even encourage, their dogs to be out of control or aggressive, both to humans and other dogs. Owners need to take responsibility for adequately training and socialising their dogs. Focus is often placed on the wrong end of the lead when we see so-called 'dangerous' dogs.

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The new guidelines should help to further deter irresponsible owners from allowing their dogs to harm people or other dogs if they know their punishment could be severe. Whilst this is a positive step, we also need to consider how we can ensure that incidents of dogs being out of control are avoided in the first place.

The new guidelines allow for harsher punishments for those who own a banned breed of dog. The current law on dangerous dogs bans four specific breeds or types of dog - the Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, the Pit Bull Terrier and their types and the Fila Braziliero. The Kennel Club, along with other dog welfare organisations, does not believe that breed specific legislation is effective in reducing dog bite incidents and the flawed Dangerous Dogs Act has done very little to protect the public and has actively worked against the welfare of dogs.

Over the past few decades, we've seen various breeds unjustly coming under fire for being 'bad' breeds. Breeds such as the Rottweiler and Dobermann have both been flavour of the month for those looking to blame the dog for their owner's anti-social behaviour, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is now experiencing the same thing. No dog is inherently bad and any dog can make a wonderful pet if trained and socialised properly.

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Genetics plays only a small part in the temperament of a dog, with breeding, socialisation and environment having a far greater influence. The majority of dog bite incidents are a result of the irresponsible actions of owners who have either not taken the time and trouble to train their dog properly, or have in fact trained them to behave aggressively.

There is overwhelming evidence that whether a dog is dangerous or well behaved is down to the owner. The priority must be to crack down on irresponsible owners who fail to train, care for and socialise their dogs, rather than wasting already overstretched police resources seizing banned breeds and their lookalikes simply because they are of a certain type.

Furthermore, anyone convicted of allowing their dog to be dangerously out of control should be educated on dog behaviour and how to train and behave around dogs, particularly since they would not necessarily be banned by the courts from keeping dogs in the future, which is a big concern.

We are glad that courts have more power now to sentence owners who allow their dogs to be out of control or aggressive, but we fear that by the time said owner appears in court the damage will have been done, when it could have so easily been avoided.
A dramatic increase in Kurds refused visas for the UK has been revealed in a parliamentary answer. Between April and September last year 1,165 of 1,790, or two-thirds of all applications made in Erbil were turned down.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Chairman, Jason McCartney MP had discovered that the rejection rate for applications from April 2014 to March 2015 was 55%. The latest figures obtained by the Northern Ireland MP Danny Kinahan represent a one-fifth increase in rejections.

The issue of visas has been raised with visiting British parliamentarians on every delegation to Kurdistan since 2008. The APPG has teamed up with three major British trade organisations to urge changes to reduce the rejection rate for legitimate visitors.

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The joint memo from British Expertise International, the Middle East Association and Pathfinder Trade and Invest is also supported by the KRG High Representation in London. It notes the KRG has designated the UK as its "partner of choice" and quality British goods and services are sought by a government with a deep historic affection for the UK and where English is the unofficial second language. It says visas are vital to building business links, to purchase health treatment or tourism.

The groups acknowledge positive changes such as the Visa Application Centre in Erbil, which means applicants no longer need to travel and stay in Amman or Baghdad while their application is processed.

Applications are processed by independent entry clearance officers (ECOs) who only use the information on the form because there is no interview process. Common reasons for rejection include failing to correctly complete the complex form, and omitting sufficient proof of assets or jobs.

ECOs can choose to disbelieve evidence and some with substantial sums to their name have been refused, as have senior government officials and those who have been invited to the UK on official matters. One Kurd who applied for a visa for a three day conference was even questioned why they wanted to stay a few extra days. People understandably take advantage of a work conference to take a break and do some sight-seeing, which increases tourism revenues too.

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The signatories fear Kurds may vote with their feet and go elsewhere. American and other European applications are much easier to complete. The memo cites "very many instances where people who could by any reasonable standard be deemed useful to the British political and commercial interest have been rejected" and argues "it materially jeopardises the export of UK goods and services to the region and undermines bilateral good will."

The groups accept the UK has the right to control and patrol its borders and make sure visitors are genuine and will return but conclude British diplomats and politicians should be able to influence visa decisions in the British national interest.

They also recommend the Government investigates the validity of the reasons for refusing so many applications, which was ruled out in a further answer to Danny Kinahan. They say a checking system prior to acceptance of applications could sift out errors and omissions, and this service could be provided privately, but in close co-operation with the UK authorities. They urge the Government to quantify the cost of staff cover in Erbil for a new post to facilitate interviews, given the importance of building commercial and political links. The forms should also be simplified. The memo to the British government will soon be released alongside the report of the APPG's most recent delegation to Kurdistan in November.

British parliamentarians have also been exercised by changes to the American visa system which stipulate that those who have visited Iraq, Syria and Iran in the last five years are no longer automatically considered for the American visa waiver scheme.

MPs and others who have visited Kurdistan would, unless exempted, have to take time to apply in person for an American visa rather than the online visa waiver system. Members of the Newcastle-Gateshead Medical Volunteers, for instance, have also voluntarily provided vital medical operations.

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They may now all have to spend time and money in securing a visa for American holidays. This may discourage business people from seeking contracts in Kurdistan if they intend to visit America afterwards.
On Monday, Vladimir Putin announced to the world that his mission in Syria had been "accomplished" and that Russian forces will be partly withdrawn from Syria. The extent to which this genuinely represents a "withdrawal" will only become clear in the coming weeks.

If there is one fact we know to be true - it is that Putin should be judged solely on his actions, not on his statements. This is, after all, the Russian President who denied for over a year the presence of Russian forces in Crimea and who told the world his military action in Syria was not intended to help Assad deal with his opposition, but to attack and defeat Daesh. We now know he was lying to us all along.

After thousands of bombing runs and over 2000 civilian deaths later, he declares that the mission has been "accomplished", despite the fact that Daesh still infect vast swaths of Syria and Iraq.

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So what was his real mission? It seems clear that Putin's real objective was to preserve a functioning Syrian state that is friendly to Russia. By all accounts, it seems this has succeeded. The Russian naval base at Tartus, a strategically important Mediterranean outpost, is secure. Putin meanwhile leaves the Daesh terrorists to do what they do best; terrorising civilians in Syria and Iraq and plotting more attacks in the West.

For the first time in many years, Russia has showed that it can operate in the Middle East region. Some Russian forces will of course remain, but Syria will be no quagmire for Putin. This is a pure projection of power. At the same time, his bloody Syrian adventures have strengthened Russian co-operation with Iran, a valued strategic and economic partner.

Putin's indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, in areas like Aleppo, led directly to a surge in the number of refugees leaving Syria. Given the failure of the EU's leaders to act with unity to deal with these influxes, the refugee crisis will continue to destabilise Europe for many months to come. This will please Putin greatly.

The right wing parties who have flourished across Europe, often ones with a penchant for the Kremlin, are now driving Europe's discourse. Even some pro- Brexit British conservative politicians, who should know better, are taking to twitter to praise Putin for his strong intervention in Syria. This is another victory for the Kremlin.

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Of course, Putin's actions haven't solved anything in Syria itself. A political solution is still far away, hindered by the renewed strength of Assad, the complexity of the Kurdish issue and the proxy interests of regional powers. Is the world a safer place because of his intervention? If anything the region is less secure.

So how should the EU react to Putin's Syrian adventures? The biggest mistake we could make now would be to reward Russia for its destructive actions, by entering into a "constructive dialogue" with the Kremlin over the refugee crisis or the situation in Ukraine, as some have suggested. This truly would be the topping on the cake for Putin.

Of course, Putin wants us to spend time and resources analysing and trying to fathom his next moves, as he plans his. As Robert Greene alluded to in his book, The 48 Laws of Power; "People feel superior to the person whose actions they can predict". We can't predict what Putin will do next. Our only option is to adapt to the reality of this and try to re-gain the initiative.

Given the military weakness of the European Union and time-consuming US presidential elections, which will distract the US for many months to come, the reality is the EU must now get its act together and step up its ability to deal with these challenges.

This means that instead of relying on Turkey or Russia, it must quickly put in place its own border and coast guard, to regain control of the refugee crisis. It means progressively building integrated defence forces to strengthen our ability to project power and deter threats to our territory. Vitally, we must become much more pro-active and efficient at combatting Russian dis-information campaigns, which have become a weapon in the Kremlins hybrid war against the neighbours and the rest of Europe.

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EU economic sanctions against Russia must be kept firmly in place. But we should now also work, in cooperation with the US, to prepare harsher sanctions - to make clear to Putin that further violations of international law and of agreed deals will have growing costs. These may be needed if the situation in Ukraine deteriorates further, or if Russia continues to fail to implement the UN Security Council Resolution backing the political process in Syria. The weakness of the Russian economy has always been Putin's Achilles heel.
Yesterday the Chancellor, George Osborne, unveiled his latest budget and Jeremy Corbyn took the Prime Minister to task on his clean energy policies. We are looking at a sugar tax, a new theatre in Merseyside, and more cuts but what did yesterday's parliamentary business tell us about the environment?

With the oil price low, and concern about air pollution on the up, this could have been a good moment to increase fuel duty and join the international charge to develop cutting edge renewable energy industries in the UK. However, we quickly saw those dreams turn to ash as the Chancellor announced supplementary charge for oil and gas producers to be halved from 20% to 10% and Petroleum Revenue Tax essentially abolished. This move would make little sense given our commitment to decarbonisation alone, but seen in the context of the Paris agreement, the government's propping up of the fossil fuel industry really makes no economic or environmental sense. Especially when the UK's home-grown renewable energy industry is about to 'fall off a cliff' due to government cuts. Renewables could power the UK in the future if they were given a sliver of the financial and political backing that is given to the nuclear or fossil industries. Rather than hoping to extract more from North Sea oil and gas, the government should be looking at a transition plan for the communities impacted by a declining industry including expanding offshore wind.

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And then we come to infrastructure. We are a 'nation of builders' apparently. However, simply declaring all infrastructure to be worth pursuing whether or not it is compatible with Government and international policy on climate change is the opposite of protecting future generations. What we need to be asking is whether these projects pass the post Paris agreement climate test - whether they contribute to phasing out fossil fuel use. For example, whilst we would encourage the increase in public transport capacity in London and Northern England - it is clear that road-building our way to economic growth is a backwards step.

Climate and energy were hot topics earlier in the day as well as Jeremy Corbyn grilled the Prime Minister on air pollution and his clean energy policies. Corbyn asked the PM if he could tell the house how many people will die from respiratory disease as a result of air pollution before this country meets its legal obligations on air quality by 2025. Cameron 'didn't have those figures to hand', but Corbyn helpfully provided them. He told Cameron that half a million people could die because of this country's failure to comply with international law on air pollution. That's more people than the population of Liverpool. Not only that but the Royal College of Physicians estimates that air pollution costs our economy costs our economy 20billion per year. The truth is that the Prime Minister is either too afraid of recognizing these statistics or he is truly ignoring them. It is not enough to suggest the government "is taking steps to address air quality", we need strong, concrete, timetabled, tangible measures to face this significant health crisis.

Corbyn then challenged the Prime Minister to offer communities a "veto" on fracking projects in this areas. He asked a question from Angela in Lancaster, that if communities had the right to 'veto' onshore wind projects, why wouldn't that be extended to fracking? Cameron responded by referring to local planning processes and the growth in the number of solar panels in the country. Sadly, not really answering Angela, or Jeremy's question.

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Perhaps as a last ditch attempt to gain the upper hand, the Prime Minister once again recalled the hugely controversial Hinkley Point nuclear power facility (which has been subject to huge delays and financial uncertainty throughout its plagued existence.) However, Hinkley was not mentioned once in the Budget, perhaps unsurprisingly as it becomes an increasingly embarrassing millstone round the Chancellor's neck.
Orvieto first caught my eye whilst scanning our fold-up map of Italy when planning the drive from Florence to Rome. Not being in any particular rush to reach Rome, a few clicks of investigating suggested Orvieto as a wonderful day trip. Orvieto was a 'why not?' destination. Travelling with three young children, I thought, "Why not stay overnight? What some recommend as a day trip, might be worth a little extra time when touristing with three under-sixes."

Sitting high atop the level of a mega-mound of volcanic rock, Orvieto is as commanding as it is charming. Offering stretching vistas out to the verdant undulating Umbrian hills, with vineyards and cypress trees, it also draws your eye in, to the detail and wonder that the cobbled lanes will lead to.

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Our first stop, Pozzo di San Patrizio, an ingenious 16th century, double-helix well, commissioned by Pope Clement VII. Two-hundred and forty-eight steps spiral you down to the bottom of the well shaft, 53m deep. There at the central crossway, between the two staircases, a tilt of the head up towards the skylight, the 70 arched windows cutting their shape into the grand cylinder provided quite the striking sight. There, at the bottom, the lightest raindrops started falling down upon our faces urging us to cross over to the second staircase and wind our way up to the top again.

With the mist of rain looking to have settled in for the afternoon, we jumped into the car for cover and to find our lodging for the night. A short gentle country drive lead us to Locanda Palazzone.

Built in the 13th century, by a cardinal to offer shelter to pilgrims visiting Rome, Locanda Palazzone is considered to be one of Italy's oldests hotels. Having been restored by the current owner, Lodovico, the medieval palazzo stands strong with the weight of its ancient stone facade, buttressed walls and mullioned windows, however, in contrast, the interior offers minimalist contemporary design which is clean-lined, light and allows the guest to focus on what truly makes Locanda Palazzone spectacular, the sweeping views.

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The family suite presented us with breathtaking views in all directions. Hills and forests, valley and vineyards, and of the town, Orvieto, perched high upon its plateau. It was here, from hotel, that I became obsessed with the seemingly ever-changing moods of the character, Orvieto. Flicking through the suggested itineraries offered by the hotel, I was reminded that William Turner had painted Orvieto, and a 2.5 mile easy hike was detailed from the hotel to Turner's observation point. My obsession was in good company.

Unable to resist the pull of Orvieto for too long, we uncovered our umbrellas from the boot of the car and retraced our route back into town. The Duomo di Orvieto, with one of the most dazzling cathedral facades in Italy, offers rainbow-bright frescos to the mesmerised mortal below, not to mention the gothic spires, pillars and delicate reliefs which frame it all. Inside the cold stone edifice, the crowds gather in the Cappella di San Brizio to marvel at and pay homage to Luca Signorelli's vision of 'The Last Judgement', which Michelangelo too stood to admire and perhaps be inspired by it.

From looking up to the heavens we were then drawn deep underground to the vast tunnel network of the Etruscan caves. A 45-minute tour took us through a section of the 440 caves which served the locals for a millennia in various ways, from providing wells, refrigerators and dovecotes to sheltering souls in times of siege.

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Hungry from exploring high and low, we sought out shelter and a porchetta sandwich. A study of the map invited us to more museums, galleries and medieval marvels. It was clear that one night in Orvieto was not nearly enough time to admire half of all that I wished us to see. How did others feel satisfied ogling Orvieto on a daytrip? I did not need any encouragement to extend our stay to two nights. Had we not had a date to keep in Rome, I could happily have spent the whole week there. Observing Orvieto and its evolving weather-filled outline from a divine distance at Locanda Palazzone, before meeting its majesty and admiring its treasure trove of jewels.

Today, as I sit far away from that regal region, almost a year since our visit, I still find myself Obsessing Over Orvieto.

For more information about Locanda Palazzone please visit www.locandapalazzone.it
Dear Baroness Bakewell,

Ever since reading your comments on anorexia being narcissistic (by the way it's anorexia nervosa, not anorexia... anorexia refers to appetite loss, anorexia nervosa refers to the anxiety surrounding appetite. Many people experience appetite loss, even in old age, this is why anorexia nervosa is different) I have felt obligated to respond.

I am a person you are describing in your comments. My eating disorder developed in the onset of adolescence, and at age 26, I am still struggling and fighting hard in recovery. I have spent a lengthy period in an inpatient unit, and since then my family has spent thousands of pounds on my outpatient treatment (because NHS support was unavailable). I have lost out on social opportunities, professional opportunities, academically and financially and as someone who is highly driven and motivated all these things HURT. They are also key motivators in my battle for recovery.

I was highly shocked to read a piece on the front page of a national newspaper from someone who not only holds political power, but previously worked as a journalist basing her entire article on conjecture and no reference to facts. The article was entire opinion, and had there been any research she would know that the earliest documented cases of eating disorders date back to Roman times and in the 13th century. Furthermore she highlights that the illness doesn't exist in the developing world/Global South...actually it does. Mental illness is extremely prevalent and depression is predicated to be the biggest world health programme by 2030. As for eating disorders, it's very hard to diagnose something that you cannot see, it's even harder to diagnose something you cannot see and don't understand. Instead you label it with what you do understand. Until recently, being diagnosed with cancer was attached with stigma and having HIV still attracts comment and negativity. One of the issues in the Global South is the lack of trained psychologists (let alone other mental health professionals). A few years back there were just 3 psychologists in the whole of Ethiopia, so yes eating disorders do exist, we just aren't diagnosing them or treating them in the same way as when she was growing up there wasn't the research to explain what the disorder was.

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Stigma is extraordinarily dangerous, and when you are in a position of power and place an opinion, which is factually incorrect this ends up misleading and puts the public at enormous risk. It is notoriously difficult for sufferers to admit they need help (often this happens at the point when things have got really bad physically). It is even harder for people to get help when they fear the reaction such as "you're only doing it for attention", "why are you worrying about your weight anyway", "there are bigger issues in the world"...actually people might develop eating disorders for a whole manner of reasons. Abuse and rape are commonly associated as triggers with bulimia and there are not only psychological and sociological reasons for a person to develop an eating disorder; biology plays a role too. In my case, I used my eating disorder to speak up for myself when people or circumstances hurt me, because I didn't have the self confidence to defend myself. There are many others whose disorder has nothing to do with the media, model industry, fashion, make-up and so on, it is merely a coping mechanism for another issue.

One of the things I'm currently experiencing is related to body image as I gain weight to achieve a healthy weight. At a low weight your anxiety levels are heightened, you become more obsessed with food and your next meal (see Minnesota experiment) and a biological drive for survival feeds the eating disorder more. When you have undernourished your body for so long, it can take time to adjust to a greater intake (and needs to be done slowly). Learning to tolerate this is part of recovery. As a gain weight I am learning to adjust to a body, which I haven't had for a number of years. It's a bit like re-learning to walk after breaking a bone in the leg. The above becomes easier if the sufferer receives prompt and early treatment into their illness as the symptoms and behaviours have had less time to embed.

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Recovery takes enormous courage, effort and is comprised of many bumps along the way. If eating disorders really were a choice, I would have chosen to give up my eating disorder long ago.

In summary, eating disorders can be caused by all manner of issues. They affect people of all ages and genders, have existed historically and globally and manifest themselves in different forms (anorexia nervosa is the least common of all eating disorders). Whilst sociological factors like the media do contribute, this is not representative of every sufferer and for many the combination of psychological and biological issues are the main root.

I hope anyone reading this will note the references evidencing the argument. Furthermore, as someone in recovery, I really encourage anyone suffering to get help. It isn't a choice, it isn't your fault but you can choose to fight it.

If you think you might be struggling with an eating disorder or know someone who is, then I recommend speaking to your GP or someone you trust.

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You can also contact beat's helplines.

Adult Helpline: 0345 634 1414 or email help@b-eat.co.uk

The Beat Adult Helpline is open to anyone over 18.

Youthline: 0345 634 7650 or email fyp@b-eat.co.uk
If you ever find yourself at the University of Roehampton, be sure to pop into the Hive. It's a lovely cafe and the coffee is delicious. But most importantly of all - and this is what makes it different from the other outlets on campus - it's a student-led social enterprise based on local, sustainable food. And it's incredibly successful, expanding due to popular demand after just one year in business.

This is fantastic work which NUS wants to build on. Today, I'm really excited to be able to announce that we're one of the organisations involved in Our Bright Future. Supported by the Big Lottery Fund, this is a portfolio of projects empowering young people to shape a healthier planet alongside a vibrant economy. Our campaign Student Eats will help set up over 60 new student-led food enterprises, connecting thousands of people with local food, while providing students with vital employability skills.

We know how effective and powerful these projects can be because we've got great examples across the student movement already.

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At the Hive, ingredients for their soups, salads and sandwiches are grown metres away on campus by dozens of student volunteers. They make links with local charities to develop catering skills for young people turning away from gang culture. They even have their own chickens, also tended by student volunteers, providing cruelty free, zero miles eggs for their weekly farmers' market.

That's just one example of the powerful movement for local, sustainable food across our campuses and communities. There's tons more. The University of Newcastle Students' Union has created its own sustainable brewery. The University of Gloucestershire Students' Union has founded its own honey, cider and chilli jam companies with produce grown on campus. And dozens more have their own growing spaces, veg box schemes, and cooperatives.

These projects provide skills, bridge campuses to their wider communities, and bring new groups of students together. This is what we're going to be scaling up over the next five years as part of Our Bright Future.

It's more important than ever that we help young people shape a fairer, more sustainable food system. This isn't just a nice hobby. Food provides the backdrop to some of today's most important fights for social justice. As we face the possibility of trade agreements like TTIP - which will give more power to corporations for the sake of profit over people and planet - taking back control of the food system isn't only good for the environment. It protects our food sovereignty.

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That's not to mention the problems we're seeing here in the UK. Look at the rising spectre of food banks. In 2009, the Trussell Trust - one of our foremost networks of food banks - gave out 25,000 emergency food packages. Last year they helped over a million people. This is a national crisis of food poverty, indicative of a wider problem of people struggling to make ends meet - students included.

Student-led food enterprises can be a vibrant part of the answers to these problems - from food poverty in the local community, to corporate takeover of food production. These projects offer a glimpse of the low-carbon, localised food networks we badly need to see. And we're giving thousands of students the skills they need to build these alternatives, putting our movement at the heart of the sustainable food revolution.
Today Chancellor George Osborne delivered a budget that provided assurance, if more was needed, that this is a government detached from the reality of the lives of many millions of Britons - of entire communities where businesses are struggling, families live in desperation, and the food banks are booming.

This is the Britain where it is a daily struggle to keep food on the table and a roof over your head, to juggle bills, loan repayments, to deal with sudden expenses without recourse to high-cost borrowing.

This is the real Britain, beyond the gilded halls of Westminster, where more than eight million people, one in six adults, are trapped with "problem debt".

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It's a Britain in which zero-hours are at record levels, with more than 800,000 workers uncertain what their income - if any - will be each week. Even if you stash away a little cash one week, you may well need it the next.

It's a Britain where more than 70% of young people face 30 years of payments on student loans they have no hope of paying off - for courses that give them skills and knowledge, while society fails to provide the quality, secure jobs that can utilise them.

The Chancellor used the phrase "next generation" 19 times - with the major focus of this Budget measures to benefit those who can afford to save.

Yet the idea of saving for the future is not even on the horizon for most younger people. One of the Tweeters in my feed used sarcasm to get the point across: "No bother: I'll be sure to fire 4k away every year whilst on a 15,000 a year 6 day a week job."

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Those who can will mostly be those who can benefit from the bank of mum and dad - one way in which the privileged few can ensure further privilege for their offspring, whilst saving themselves some tax along the way.

And for many of their elders the situation is no better. Women hit by the rise in pension age, in their late 50s and early 60s, can find jobs impossible to come by, Job Centres unsympathetic and unrealistic about their needs and capacities. Their savings disappear with redundancy or a bout of ill health. A long retirement of penury and want looms.

For disabled people, this government has been a true disaster. It's a real wonder that Osborne could get out the words "support is better targeted" - that means massive cuts in the Personal Independence Payment and Employment Support allowance.

He's making the disabled and ill pay for budget cuts that even the financial sector, in the form of Mike Amey, managing director of the world's biggest bond trader Pimco, said this morning are unnecessary.

That detachment from reality too is evident in the macro picture. The Chancellor's a man with plenty of cheek, you have to give him that.

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He claimed that this government will "put stability first": this from a man who's see-sawed from astonishing optimism in November with the Autumn statement to "blame the world" pessimism now.

This from a man who's, yet again, missed his targets for debt and deficit reduction, even as he plans to squeeze down the size of the government spending to 36% of GDP - making him the man who's slashing down the size of the state even further than Margaret Thatcher.

"Spin" really isn't a strong enough word for the Chancellor's approach - we really are in a world of delusion, of detachment from reality.

And that's without even getting to another detachment from reality, that of climate change: as stressed by the February temperature figures, which take us into uncharted, fearful territory.

David Cameron was in Paris a few months ago promising action. Today he looked like a marionette as he nodded away behind his Chancellor, as fuel duty remained frozen (despite the cost of motoring being at a historic low), fossil fuel companies were offered even further tax breaks, and more roads were planned in a country in which air pollution takes a fearful toll.

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No one expects total honesty from a Chancellor on Budget day - but what we got today were airy, meaningless promises and naked ideological cruelty.

The Tories have been exposed. They don't have a stable majority, they don't have the country's consent for their approach (having won the support of just 24% of eligible voters).
Next month, the Supreme Court will hear an appeal concerning the government's proposed residence test for civil legal aid, which would (subject to some exceptions) limit public funding in non-criminal cases to people who can prove they are lawfully resident in the UK and have been lawfully resident for a period of at least 12 months.

This restriction on legal aid would mean that where a person who has recently moved to this country is treated unlawfully - for example by their landlord, the police, the NHS or a local authority - they will have no meaningful access to justice unless they are wealthy enough to pay for lawyers to represent them. The case, brought by legal charity the Public Law Project, will be heard by a seven judge panel of the Supreme Court on 18 and 19 April.

We at Young Legal Aid Lawyers have opposed the introduction of the residence test since it was first proposed by the government in 2013; we believe that access to justice and equality before the law are fundamental rights and that restricting legal aid in this way would fatally undermine those principles.

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Public Law Project has rightly described the residence test as an extraordinary attack on access to justice, which "goes to the heart of the proud principle that all those who are subject to English law are equal before it". Opposition has also come from the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Labour Party and 145 Treasury Counsel - the government's own lawyers - who described the residence test as "unconscionable" and "impossible to reconcile with the rule of law".

Even aside from the ethical arguments against it, the residence test would impose a significant logistical burden on legal aid lawyers to provide evidence about every client's immigration status and past residence. Many of our clients are vulnerable people with chaotic lives and, even where they were born in this country and have lived here all of their lives, could be cut off from accessing the legal advice and representation which is vital to protecting their rights.

Legal aid in civil proceedings has always been subject to means and merits tests to ensure that the person receiving public funding is financially eligible and that their case is meritorious and would be pursued by a reasonable private-paying individual. The coalition government made drastic cuts through the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 ('LASPO'), which wholly or partially removed from the scope of legal aid areas of law including housing, family, immigration, debt and welfare benefits. However, LASPO did not provide for discrimination on the grounds of nationality or residence.

The stated aims of LASPO were to "target legal aid to those who need it most" and to "make substantial savings to the cost of the scheme". The former objective is clearly not satisfied by the residence test, as it would inevitably exclude some of those who most need legal aid, while in relation to whether the test could contribute to the latter aim, the High Court noted the "substantial evidence that the extent of the savings is unknown, cannot be assessed and may be illusory".

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The government accepts that the residence test is discriminatory - indeed, that appears to be precisely its purpose - so the question for the Supreme Court will be whether this discrimination on the grounds of nationality can be justified in law. In July 2014, three judges in the High Court unanimously ruled that the residence test amounted to unlawful and unjustifiable discrimination. However, in November 2015, three judges in the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned that ruling, finding that although the test is discriminatory, this was justified as a proportionate measure to achieve the legitimate aim of saving public expenditure.

The court will also have to decide whether the government had the power to introduce the residence test by way of secondary legislation. The question here was whether the primary legislation, LASPO, permitted the Secretary of State for Justice to bring in the residence test through Regulations, which would not be subject to a vote in the House of Commons. Again, the High Court and the Court of Appeal reached different conclusions, with the lower court ruling against the government and the appeal court overturning that judgment.

Following the judgment of the Court of Appeal, David Cameron had indicated that the government would seek to introduce the residence test this summer. However, the decision by the Supreme Court to grant permission to appeal and to list an expedited hearing next month should deter the government from acting to implement the residence test until the highest court in the land has delivered the ultimate verdict on its lawfulness.

We hope the Supreme Court will take this opportunity to affirm that the UK is a country in which everyone is equal before the law and that discrimination will not be tolerated in the context of our fundamental right of access to justice. To paraphrase Martin Luther King, injustice to anyone is a threat to justice for everyone.
Yesterday, 15 people were killed by terrorists whilst travelling on a bus in Peshawar, Pakistan - but you'd be forgiven for not knowing that.

Furthermore on Wednesday, another 22 people were killed at a mosque in Maidugari, Nigeria, and on Tuesday, 19 people were shot and killed on a beach in Grand Bassam, the Ivory Coast. To add to that statistic, on Sunday, a bomb blast near a bus stop in Ankara, Turkey killed 37 people, yet still, the same international news calculus applies.

You'd perhaps be forgiven for not knowing any of that either.

The list of attacks and accompanying casualties could go on and on, but the most important question of all is simply - Why don't we know? What do all these attacks have in common? They were all senseless acts of terrorism committed by extremist groups, but what's more startling is that all of these stories only made the mere footnotes on the mainstream news despite the vast death tolls and injuries, as opposed to the likes of both Paris and Charlie Hebdo last year. Both attacks in Paris were of equal measure, where a significant amount of innocent people lost their lives, including 130 souls in Paris in November 2015. This in turn spurned a tremendous outpouring of support and condemnation worldwide, as it rightfully should.

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However, does the same apply when it comes to countries that are not in The West? For the most part, media conglomerates tend to remain momentarily silent. And to put it simply, this is not due to whether an agenda is newsworthy or localised, but because the majority just do not care enough.

When I first heard about the attack in Pakistan, I thought to myself, why always Peshawar? Peshawar is my father's childhood city, and at the moment it truly feels as if this one half of my motherland (the other being India) always seems to bleed, and Peshawar, of all, is always one of those cities that appears to bleed alone. Having been prone to several acts of terrorism including the school massacre in December 2014 when 141 people, mainly innocent children, unjustly lost their lives, Peshawar has been hit by similar tragedies and mass casualties in recent years, with the only difference being a slightly smaller death toll in comparison. However, Peshawar and all the other aforementioned cities are not civil war zones, where attacks like the above can be expected as a part of normal daily life. Peshawar is just like any other normal city with an air of colourful ambience and sparkling mystery. What makes it any different to Paris?

If I were to ask a bystander in the street whether they had heard of the attacks in Pakistan, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast this week, they most likely wouldn't bat an eyelid. Mentioning Turkey may evoke the slightest sense of reaction considering it is located on the borderline of both Europe and Asia, however, it's still not enough to divert a significant amount of personalised and sustained attention. In fact, it is still not enough to divert an equal amount of media attention, which is all that needs to be given - no more, no less.

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However, when it comes to international crisis and turmoil in anywhere but The West, It's almost as if there is a figurative concept and subjective determination of worthy and unworthy victims within the media. Do these deaths not matter as well? Are those in predominately Muslim majority countries, such Africa, Asia or the Middle East not human beings worthy of our empathy and compassion too? Disproportionate to the high number of victims, attacks as such only tend to receive one fifth of the coverage given to those in The West, often fruitlessly helping to shape the public's perspective of any given crisis and accompanying political policy, it's almost as if by that visceral element and dissemination alone, we have been taught as consumers to only care for tragedies occurring in the local hemisphere.

In addition, the fact that these people are victims of apathy and ignorance due to their location is highly contradictory. Dehumanising people who live in areas of the world that are supposedly "different" to us doesn't make any sense at all, especially when just like Paris, they also didn't ask to be attacked by a bunch of secular, uncivilised, evil bunch and twisted psychopaths that are a complete disgrace to humanity.

I'm still waiting for the likes of Facebook to allow users to show support for this cause just like Paris, but it seems as if vocally supporting victims of further apathy in other continents causes too much heightened distress, despite the fact that they are just as worthy of our compassion. Why are we not saying Je Suis Peshawar or Je Suis Ankara? We prayed for Paris, London and New York - Why can't we pray for Pakistan, Turkey and The Ivory Coast? Terrorism has no religion, ethnicity, nationality, colour or face and it never will, let's not let it divide us when we should be as one.

A life is a life and we are all the same. We all bleed red.

You and I can be Charlie and we can be Paris and rightfully so, but when it comes to all of the other countries that are not in the West, it appears we are all only one thing.

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Behind all the sugary headlines the news is grim. After six years of the Tories, our economy is far weaker than they claimed, public services will be cut some more, inequality is getting worse. And once again women are being harder hit. George Osborne's plan is failing to meet his own targets, failing to deliver for Britain and he's making women pay the price.

The Chancellor had the gall to revive his claim, "we are all in this together". Rubbish. Time and again, as the IFS have shown, those on low pay are hardest hit while top earners get most back.

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Women lose more than men according to analysis by the House of Commons Library. Women will be harder hit by the big cuts to Personal Independence Payments for the disabled, but benefit less from increased allowances for higher rate tax payers.

The 4.3billion cut for disabled people over the next five years is the biggest single revenue raiser in the Budget - and means someone too disabled to dress themselves alone could lose over 100 a week. Yet at the same time those earning over 100,000 a year will see their taxes cut. How can that be fair?

All this comes on top of the cuts to universal credit and child benefit announced since the election which affect women most. Working mums in particular will be squeezed.

At the same time there was no help for women in their fifties hit hardest by his previous pension changes. And for all the Chancellor's warm words about infrastructure, child care has now become a vital part of the infrastructure we need in the modern economy, yet the promised investment there is still delayed. And Paula Sherriff will keep pursuing the Government over their inaction on the tampon tax too.

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Single mums and widows will see their living standards drop by 20% a year by 2020, according to the Women's Budget Group of economists.

It's the same pattern as in the last Parliament where thanks to George Osborne 80% of the burden was borne by women even though women still earn less and own less than men. These figures are a disgrace - another assault on women's equality from a Chancellor and a Prime Minister who just don't get women's lives.

But the failure at the heart of this Budget is not just about the Tories willingness to hit hardest at those with least. One of the reasons the Chancellor keeps failing his targets and coming back for more is because his economic plan has failed.

Wednesday's figures show the economy is much weaker than the Government thought - and much weaker than George Osborne promised it would be. The Chancellor promised us a march of the makers, a big increase in exports, and a plan to boost the productivity of our economy. After six years of George Osborne, this Budget shows falling manufacturing, falling business investment, falling exports.

Most important of all British productivity has been downgraded and the Chancellor can't blame the rest of the world because British productivity already lags behind the countries like the US, France, Germany, Spain, and Ireland.

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The forecasts now show the economy growing more slowly and wages growing more slowly too. That in the end is why George Osborne is going to miss all his own targets - on debt and on the deficit. His public finance plans keep failing because the economy isn't growing enough on his watch.

We're getting trapped in a bleak Tory future where both women and men lose out, where inequality grows, and where we miss out on both the economic opportunities and the public services we need. No plan for the new jobs of the future, no serious skills plan that makes sure women as well as men get the new digital skills our economy needs, no serious plan for women's equality to be at its heart. George Osborne is failing, and he is making women pay the price.

Yvette Cooper is the Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford
Josh Butler/HuffPost Australia

CANBERRA -- The Labor Party has published an encyclopaedia of "Liberal Waste" -- aptly titled the 'Wastepedia' -- to highlight what they see as unnecessary and frivolous government spending.

Labor's self-invented Waste Watch committee launched the 30-page booklet and a comprehensive accompanying website by self-appointed chair Pat Conroy on Thursday. In the documents, Conroy outlined hundreds of millions of dollars of government spending he alleges to be a "waste" since the Coalition came to power, including:

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$20,000 spent by former treasurer Joe Hockey on Budget night parties (here and here);

Bronwyn Bishop's infamous chartered helicopter flights (here);

$20,000 of "drumming workshops" for immigration department staff (here);

Thousands of dollars on fine dining and meals;

Hundreds of thousands of dollars on a table for the G20 (here);

$627,000 on taxis for the G20 (here);

Millions on tablet devices (here and here);

and $1.3 million on medals for the Australian Border Force (here)

Among the most amusing entries on the alphabetical 'Taxpayer's Guide To Liberal Waste' booklet include a total of $400,000 on "events featuring koalas and other marsupials" spent by Julie Bishop and Tony Abbott. The total includes a reported $133,000 to fly four koalas to Singapore Zoo, and a tour of Kangaroo Island with foreign diplomats which included photos with koalas.

Also on the list was a $6000 trip George Brandis took on a Venice water taxi.

You dont need a $16,000 bookshelf to put this book on... Posted by Liberal Waste Watch on Wednesday, 16 March 2016

The claims come from Freedom of Information requests and questions in writing submitted by Conroy, as well as published media reports. A full list of references is provided on the website.

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"Everything the Government does is effectively paid for by the taxpayer, so its reasonable to expect that they should be held account for every decision that they make," Conroy said.

"I produced this material as a bit of a reminder of the decisions these Liberals have made over the last two and a half years."

For the record, Conroy made clear that the booklet "was printed using Printing and Communications Entitlements at a cost of $330 including GST."
This weekend, for the first time in Australia, key players in the domestic and family violence sector will be coming together to focus on creating a real solution to emotional and physical brutality in the home.

The inaugural National Family Violence Summit will bring together emergency workers, government and welfare service providers and educators.

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In a bid to put real faces, situations and stories to the family violence crisis, BaptistCare -- which is hosting the summit with the Tara Costigan Foundation -- has shared the very real and very personal stories of four people affected by this epidemic.

Like that of Leanne, who shares her story in the video above.

Leanne bravely explains the fear and feeling of imprisonment many victims experience.

"They say there are 10 different forms of domestic abuse and my husband was nine of them," she told The Huffington Post Australia.

"He kept me away from my family, wouldn't let my friends visit, and I was working with him as well as living with him.

"He gave me jobs to do during the day. I had to ring up to ask to get money to feed the children, and wait at the shopping centre for him to put it into the bank account.

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BaptistCare General Manager of Community Services Rob Ellis told HuffPost Australia that when a woman left her home, she often left most of her resources behind.

Her income drops, she may be forced to leave her job, so she immediately moves into financial crisis mode, so she loses her ability to sustain a tenancy, and to find an affordable rental for her and her children is compromised," he said.

ANIKE'S STORY

Anike talks about the importance of services like no-interest loans, which helped her get back on her feet after leaving he ex-husband.

Leanne described her life as one of misery and she felt powerless to do anything about it.

For her, the solution came through a combination of police intervention along with housing and support services provided by BaptistCare.

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In the end it was the police coming to my door many times saying you need to get out of this situation, Leanne told HuffPost Australia.

I had two little ones at the time, out of the five, so I went, I left the next morning. And I had nowhere to go. I was homeless. So luckily the police rang BaptistCare, and within two days they had accommodation for myself and my children."

While Ellis emphasised the importance of providing housing in crisis response, he said its not enough to simply say we need to boost housing services, but rather that housing needed to be appropriate as well.

It has to meet their needs, in terms of feeling safe, being in locations where they can access employment, kids can access school, and cost of transport is achievable for them, Ellis said.

Leanne said she was grateful for the police assistance, but felt the policemen she dealt with had their hands tied -- unable to really do anything about the danger they witnessed.

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"With the police, they need more policies so they can intervene. They can only give advice. Their hands are tied. They can't do anything, she said.

"My husband was charged a year before I left with assault, but he kept saying, 'I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it'. And then he actually said he did, so he got an AVO but in the AVO [it] said he could still come home.

"So he'd come home every night, so I had no choice but to let him in the door, because it was his home too.

"See that's where the system is failing, with AVOs, they're very hard to get and when you do get them they've still got pieces missing in them.

Ellis added that while response services were integral to reducing the impact of domestic and family violence, mens behaviour change programs were at the heart of the eventual solution.

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"We're convinced there is a need to work with male perpetrators to break the cycle and to actually see the level of domestic violence significantly dropping," he told HuffPost Australia.

"For the perpetrator to start to realise that when he starts to behave in these patterned ways, it has horrendous impacts on his partners, ex-partners and children."

MICHAELS STORY

Michael talks honestly about perpetrating violence in the home, and overcoming it through a Men's Behaviour Change Program.

Ellis said that although these programs had anecdotally proven to be successful, there were only six accredited programs in Australia.

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"It takes time for the penny to drop. Weeks in, they have this 'ah-ha' moment and it's hugely confronting. They may want to run, literally, but finally comes this part of owning their behaviour.

"One of the startling phrases we hear from men from time to time is, 'I've never seen a functional family, my own is dysfunctional', and they own that in the end.

"They'll say, 'in my background I've never experienced it', not to hide behind it, but to say 'What do I need to do? I don't know how to do it'."

For Leanne, she said that educating young boys and girls on what a healthy relationship looked like would play a large part in ending violence in the home.

"People need to be aware of the first signs, so in their heads they can either say, OK, my partner needs counselling and do it together so it doesn't get any worse. Or say, 'These are alarms bells, this might escalate and I might not be in a safe situation, or my children'.

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"Just like they do stranger danger at school, it should be along those lines, it should be part of their education in the health and safety part of it.

'LISA'S' STORY

These videos were provided exclusively to The Huffington Post by BaptistCare. If you require any additional information about the services they provided you can head here.
Fairfax Media

CANBERRA -- It is madness in the federal Senate this week, with the chamber totally divided and fractured over one issue -- Senate voting reform. As we outlined on Tuesday in our Senate chaos explainer, the changes are supported by the Coalition and Greens, and opposed by Labor and the independents. Thursday is supposed to be the last sitting day for parliament before a seven-week break, but procedural quirks and sheer stubbornness may see the upper house sitting into the early hours of Friday morning, and possibly even into the weekend.

To give an idea how nutty this week has been, the Greens have voted against bringing on a vote on their own marriage equality bill, while the Coalition voted against bringing on their key policy to reinstitute the building industry watchdog. The moves to bring on those two bills came from Independent senators, in tactics that could be seen as attempts to stall the passage of the Senate voting reforms. This stalling is why our 76 senators could be spending a lot longer in Canberra than they hoped to this week.

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The government has added the Senate voting changes to its list of bills that must be resolved, one way or the other, before the chamber can rise for the break. That means the saga will drag on as long as it has to; essentially, until one side folds. Because as we've seen in recent days, Senators looking to stall the vote -- Labor and the Independents -- will seek to bring unexpected bills before the chamber for a vote.

The long, drawn-out Senate procedure means such motions will be proposed, put to an "aye" or "nay" verbal vote as to whether the bill will come for a debate, then usually another vote (a "division") after someone objects to the first vote, then sometimes a repeat of the whole process, then several minutes of objections as each side makes their case as to why the bill should or should not be allowed for debate.

This can go on for many minutes at a time. Rinse and repeat. All those minutes add up.

It's the Australian equivalent of the famous American political tactic of filibustering; but while American politicians can stall votes by simply talking and talking and talking until they drop, often simply reading books aloud, Australian politicians will have to keep proposing motions, bills and endless votes to delay proceedings.

"Bring your pillows. Bring your mattresses. We're not going anywhere," Labor Senator Sam Dastyari said on Thursday morning.

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Politics live from Parliament House. Where people are prepping for a LOOONG day https://t.co/Z0b17shjXR@ABCNews24pic.twitter.com/3sZBW9XBZ1  Anna Henderson (@annajhenderson) March 16, 2016
A species of chameleon small enough to easily perch on a match head has been discovered on a tiny island off Madagascar, a group of scientists has announced.

In addition to the discovery of Brookesia micra, now the tiniest chameleon ever discovered, the researchers also announced the discovery of three additional tiny chameleon species.

Adult males of the B. micra species grow to only just over a half-inch (16 millimeters) from nose to bottom, making them one of the smallest vertebrates ever found on Earth.

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From nose to tail, adults of both sexes grow to only 1 inch (30 mm) in length.

Lead researcher Frank Glaw said the team already had experience finding tiny lizards in Madagascar, "but it was also good luck."

The team searched for the tiny lizards under the cover of darkness, using headlamps and flashlights to seek out the sleeping chameleons. All four species are active during the day, and at night climb up into the branches to sleep.

But for such tiny critters, "up into the branches" means a mere 4 inches (10 centimeters) off the ground, Glaw told OurAmazingPlanet, so finding them is no easy task. However, once spotted, the tiny lizards aren't tough to catch, Glaw said.

"They are sleeping and you can just pick them up. It's like picking a strawberry, so it's easy," Glaw said. "They do not move at all at night."

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The team of scientists found the tiny reptiles in Madagascar's wild northern regions during expeditions between 2003 and 2007. For three of the species, "we immediately identified them as new species," said Glaw, a veteran herpetologist and curator at the Museum of Natural History in Munich.

"In general, these tiny chameleons are so small that it's really hard to see the small differences with the naked eye," he said.

The researchers warn that at least two of the newly-discovered chameleon species are extremely threatened because of habitat loss and deforestation in Madagascar.

Glaw, who has been going to Madagascar to research its ever-expanding list of amphibians and reptiles for a quarter century, said that B. micra may represent the limit of miniaturization possible for a vertebrate with complex eyes, but said it's impossible to know for sure since each time scientists have proclaimed the discovery of the tiniest one yet, another, tinier species appears.

"Maybe there's a potential for a smaller species," Glaw said.

Another group of researchers recently announced the discovery of the world's smallest frog species in Papua New Guinea. The scientists also declared it the world's smallest vertebrate, but others contend that a species of angler fish is the smallest vertebrate yet discovered on Earth.

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Glaw is planning another expedition to the region of Madagascar in November.

"I'm sure there are many surprises awaiting discovery," he said.

The research is published in the Feb. 15 issue of the open access journal PLoS ONE.
Lindsey Graham endorsed Ted Cruz and plans to help the Texas senator by reaching out to pro-Israel activists, touting his conservative bona fides and not murdering Ted Cruz. Democrats appear to be coalescing around a SCOTUS strategy that mostly involves locking eyes with Republicans and intoning, Its not your fault. And today is St. Patricks Day, when 40,000 different guys named Tim vomit all over their finest thermal waffle shirts. It's also when the rest of us start to get a better understanding of Donald Trumps political success. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Thursday, March 17th, 2016:





That kind of day.

OBAMA ACKNOWLEDGES REALITY, LIBERALS STILL BUTTHURT - As Bernie Sanders might put it, the top one percent of the top one percent of the bottom quartile of current U.S. presidents think he's going to lose. Maggie Haberman and Michael D. Shear: "In unusually candid remarks, President Obama privately told a group of Democratic donors last Friday that Senator Bernie Sanders is nearing the point where his campaign against Hillary Clinton will come to an end, and that the party must soon come together to back her. Mr. Obama acknowledged that Mrs. Clinton is perceived to have weaknesses as a candidate, and that some Democrats did not view her as authentic. But he played down the importance of authenticity, noting that President George W. Bush  whose record he ran aggressively against in 2008  was once praised for his authenticity. Mr. Obama made the remarks after reporters had left a fund-raising event in Austin, Tex., for the Democratic National Committee. The comments were described by three people in the room for the event, all of whom were granted anonymity to describe a candid moment with the president. The comments were later confirmed by a White House official." [NYT]

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BAM TO HIT THE TRAIL - I will give you *the White House*. Juliet Eilperin: "Obama and his top aides have been strategizing for weeks about how they can reprise his successful 2008 and 2012 approaches to help elect a Democrat to replace him. And out of concern that a Republican president in 2017 -- either Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) -- would weaken or reverse some of his landmark policies, Obama and his surrogates have started making the case that it is essential for the GOP to be defeated in November. As a result, Obama is poised to be the most active sitting president on the campaign trail in decades. Central to the White House effort to stop Trump -- or, under a less likely scenario, one of his rivals -- is reassembling and energizing the coalition that propelled Obama into office; that means African Americans, Latinos, young voters and women. One big worry for Democrats is the level of enthusiasm among the partys base when Obama is no longer on the ballot  Many Democrats think that if Trump is the GOP nominee, he will help the Democratic Party solve the mobilization problem. They think that Trumps strident anti-immigrant positions and his controversial comments about women and minorities will help Democrats in the fall." [WaPo]



METRO SECTION: MERRICK EDITION - Perry Stein: "When President Obama announced Wednesday that he would nominate Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) held her applause. Norton, the Districts non-voting representative in Congress, has long been one of the citys chief proponents for voting representation in Congress -- and Garland ruled in a landmark case on the issue in 2000 that the residents of the city do not have the constitutional right to such representation.... But perhaps the biggest slice of D.C. history that Garland partook in was the investigation of four-term D.C. Mayor Marion Barry. As an assistant U.S. attorney in the District, he was one of the prosecutors in the case who put the citys mayor in jail on drug charges." Huh. [WaPo]

DELANEY DOWNER - Though Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) admits that his government caused the Flint water crisis, he told Congress on Thursday morning its something that could happen anywhere that has lead pipes. 'The truth is, there are many communities with potentially dangerous lead problems,' Snyder said in his testimony before the House Oversight Committee. If the 'dumb and dangerous' federal regulations of lead pipes dont change, Snyder said, 'then this tragedy will befall other American cities.' Flints water became poisonous in 2014 after Snyders government oversaw a switch to the Flint River as the citys water source but failed to ensure its proper treatment. 'Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesnt weigh on my mind ... the questions I should have asked ... the answers I should have demanded ... how I could have prevented this,' Snyder said in his testimony. For nearly 18 months, Michigan officials dismissed Flint residents complaints that their water looked and tasted bad, while also ignoring red flags raised by state officials. Snyder said he didnt figure it out until October, when the state finally told Flint residents not to drink from their taps because the lead levels in Flint kids blood had shot up. [HuffPost]

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DOUBLE DOWNER - Looks like the Senate can't get past Sen. Mike Lee's hold on its Flint-inspired water infrastructure bill. Sorry, Flint! Here's from Sen. Debbie Stabenow's sad remarks on the Senate floor: "Lead poisoning is a frightening thing. It gets in your body and never leaves. It goes from your blood to your bones. As a woman, when you get pregnant, it goes into your -- into the fetus. It is a frightening form of poisoning. If that's not a national emergency worthy of action by the Senate and the House, the Congress of this country, I don't know what is. And there are a whole lot of people that have lost faith, frankly, in government right now in Flint who are asking us to see them, to care about them, and to help."

Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill

LINDSEY GRAHAM ENDORSES ... *THROWS UP A LITTLE BIT* ... TED CRUZ - Guessing Graham feels like the taste of cilantro to people who can't properly enjoy it. "South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham today pledged to help Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz 'in every way I can,' calling the Texas senator the best alternative to GOP front-runner Donald Trump. 'I'm going to raise money for him in the pro-Israel community,' Graham said in an interview with CNN, adding, 'If I were in one of the states coming up, in terms of voting and I didn't like Trump, I would vote for Cruz.' Graham, who mounted a failed presidential bid, said Trump is neither a Republican nor a conservative. 'I think his campaign is built on xenophobia, race baiting and religious bigotry,' he said, 'and I think Senator Cruz is a conservative who I can support.' Graham plans to host a fundraiser for Cruz Monday, according to the Texas senators presidential campaign." [ABC News]

GOP VOTERS REALLY NOT IN A GREAT PLACE - Rock beats scissors; scissors beat paper; RINOs beat everyone. Ariel Edwards-Levy: "Republicans may be willing to fall in line behind businessman Donald Trump if he wins the nomination, but many would rather not have to make that decision. In exit polls to date, between 43 percent and 60 percent of GOP primary voters have said they would be satisfied to have him as their nominee. While Trumps remaining rivals arent any more broadly popular than he is, thats significantly lower than the 62 percent to 85 percent of Democrats whod be content to see former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lead their ticket. In a new HuffPost/YouGov survey, conducted prior to Tuesdays primaries, fully half of all registered voters who belong to or lean toward the Republican Party still say theyd prefer to see someone besides Trump as the party nominee this year. Among that group of GOP voters, 79 percent believe any of Trumps remaining rivals would make a better nominee. That adds up to nearly 40 percent of the GOP electorate that views Trump as the worst of all possible primary options." [HuffPost]

RUBIO IN AN EVEN WORSE PLACE - "On his first day back on Capitol Hill since exiting the presidential race, Marco Rubio ruled out becoming a vice presidential candidate or running for governor of his state in 2018. The senator who openly admitted he's soured on his day job said he's had no misgivings about vacating his seat to run for president...Rubio ruled out a "unity ticket" as vice president to Cruz  or to anyone else, for that matter: 'I'm not going to be anybodys vice president.'" [Politico]

BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here is an old Irish man to express our feelings about St. Patrick's Day.

GOP SENATORS SCARED OF WHAT'S IN THEIR HEARTS - Mike McAuliff: "Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) pointed to a basic question Thursday to prod Senate Republicans to rethink their opposition to hearings on Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland: What are they afraid of? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) insists that Republicans will not hold hearings on Garland, an assertion he repeated Thursday. McConnell argues that because President Barack Obamas term expires in January 2017, voters should get a say in the nomination by expressing their choice for the next commander in chief. Democrats have repeatedly noted that the Constitution doesnt limit a presidents power in election years, and that the Republicans who want the next president to choose could just vote Garland down.

All of which moved King to suggest Republicans seem especially worried over what might happen to them in the normal course of evaluating a high court nominee. 'I dont understand what people are worried about if they have hearings,' King said at a news conference with Democrats outside the Supreme Court. 'Are they afraid theyll like him? I dont get that. Or that somehow theyll be hypnotized into voting a way they dont want to vote?'" [HuffPost]



COMFORT FOOD

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- History's most extreme drummer.

- A very, very dapper horse.

- The bot that can tell if you're drunk tweeting.

TWITTERAMA

@AlexJamesFitz: Aren't we all just seeking confirmation, really?

@aedwardslevy: Ben Carson is endorsing the guy who called him a child molester.

Lindsey Graham is endorsing the guy he kinda wants to see murdered.

@jialynnyang: If Yale wins, they play Duke. America will be so torn over these two underdogs.
"Protests erupted in Brazilian cities on Wednesday after President Dilma Rousseff named her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva chief of staff and a taped telephone conversation fed opposition claims the appointment was meant to shield Lula from prosecution." [Reuters]

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The theme park announced in a major shift that the company will stop breeding orcas. [Kate Sheppard, HuffPost]

"The Israeli governments priority is clear: to stop the rise of Iran as a regional power following last years nuclear deal and the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran. It is an approach that has increasingly aligned Israel with the anti-Iranian, Sunni Muslim camp led by Saudi Arabia." [WSJ | Paywall]

"The dangerous culture of male entitlement and sexual hostility hiding within America's national parks and forests." [Kathryn Joyce, HuffPost]

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WHATS BREWING

Almost everything lost viewership except for "The 100" -- and if you're not watching it, you should be (we are recent converts ourselves). [Vulture]

"One man partly responsible for hacking the accounts of more than 100 people, including over a dozen celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer." [HuffPost]

If you watch "Two Cathedrals" when you need a pick-me-up, then do we have some good news for you: Josh Malina, who starred on "The West Wing" for four seasons, just launched a podcast about the show. [Vulture]

Pour one out. [Variety]

You want Nike's self-lacing shoe as much as the next guy. [HuffPost]

For more from The Huffington Post, download our app for iOS or Android.

WHAT'S WORKING

"The Senate health committee on Wednesday passed a measure that would dramatically expand access to a key treatment in the effort to slow the heroin epidemic." [HuffPost]

For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter.

BEFORE YOU GO

~ Bowe Bergdahl's defense team just dropped a wealth of information about the sergeant.

~ Donald Trump warns of potential "riots" if he doesn't get the nomination.

~ People would take issue with Hillary Clinton speaking quietly too.

~ Understandng the sheer magnitude of all those Wikipedia edits.

~ The New Republic asks if an Israeli national symbol could be a fake.

~ How to Spring-ify your home.

~ Frank Sinatra Jr. has died. He was 72.

~ You too can be a good runner. This is the mantra we are telling ourselves before the ill-fated 10-miler next month. If The Morning Email suddenly disappears, you all know what happened.

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~ When 800,000 barrels of crude oil go missing.

~ How many people are in this photo?

~ In honor of St. Patrick's Day, the last prevalent remaining Irish slur here in the U.S.

~ Someone answered the question of what Disney princesses would look like in Renaissance paintings.

~ Still reminiscing about "Snow Dogs"? Here's what it's really like to run the Iditarod.

~ Could Greece become a "refugee prison?"

~ An MIT study is lending hope to the idea that Alzheimer's patients could eventually access memories thought to be "lost."
FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2016, file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during a speech at a rally in Oklahoma City. Democrats increasingly view Trump as the likely Republican nominee and are seeking consensus on the best way to challenge the billionaire's unpredictable appeal in a general election. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

The growing possibility that Donald Trump will be the Republican presidential nominee is stirring a debate within the American Jewish community about how to view his candidacy, particularly in the light of his upcoming address to the AIPAC policy conference on Monday.

Trump's candidacy has provoked a visceral and response within the community in a way that no other presidential candidate in recent history has done because some of his positions stand in such contrast to Jewish ethical values developed over many centuries.

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The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) issued a carefully-worded statement in which it said it respected completely AIPAC's decision to invite Trump to speak, but then fiercely attacked his campaign for its "naked appeals to bigotry, especially against Hispanics and Muslims." The URJ said it would find an appropriate way to make its voices heard at the AIPAC conference and beyond.

Trump is certainly within his rights in running his own campaign according to his own lights and views and putting forth his own values. He should not be impeded, blocked or silenced in any way. Our democratic system must be allowed to work. Ultimately, the American electorate will decide whether or not he should lead our nation. But for American Jews, many of us have heard and seen enough already to conclude that this man is singularly unfit to become President of the United States.

Our community is not politically homogenous, although a sizeable majority has traditionally supported Democrats for the White House and found the Democratic Party's messages of social justice more in tune with its values. At the same time, a vocal and passionate minority has supported Republicans.

But Trump is sui generis. His actions and statements are so deeply at odds with our values and our view of American interests in the Middle East, that he cannot be treated the same as other candidates, past or present. His positions are so offensive and so dangerous that they require a special and exceptional response.

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Take for example Trump's campaign pledge to deport or remove some 11 million undocumented immigrants in our nation. As someone who was born and educated in Britain, my mind immediately goes to the 1290 Edict of Expulsion promulgated by King Edward I against the Jews. That was just one of the many, many expulsions our people have suffered. The 1492 expulsion of the Jews of Spain still lives in our collective memory. And within the lifespan of our own parents and grandparents are the expulsions, atrocities and massacres of the 20th century culminating in the Holocaust.

Millions of people throughout the world are being displaced, driven into exile and wandering the globe looking for a safe haven before our horrified eyes. Our hearts break for them. To suggest adding millions of responsible, hardworking, productive people living within our midst to that number is outrageous and appalling.

The Torah is particularly insistent on our responsibility to care for all those who reside with us. Exodus 22:21 says, "Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt." Leviticus 19:34 goes further stating, "The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt."

Trump's call for a total ban on Muslims entering the United States and his statement that "Islam hates us" is equally horrific and disqualifying. When he was asked whether all 1.6 billion Muslims in the world hate America, Trump said a lot of them do. How are the 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States supposed to feel about that? They are an ethnically-diverse population with African-American, Asian and Middle Eastern roots as well as many converts and they are overwhelmingly loyal and patriotic Americans and as much a part of our nation as anyone else.

What about the 205 million Muslims living in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, which has had good and constructive relations with the United States for many years? According to one poll, 62 percent view the United States favorably. I could go on an on with example after example.

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Trump has also demonized refugees fleeing the horrifying humanitarian crisis in Syria in a way that indicates a profoundly dangerous worldview. He is quick to lump billions of people under one label, all undeserving of compassion and understanding. His is a campaign driven by racism and hate -- and it is a tragedy that he is making what used to be unacceptable in mainstream politics in some way acceptable to some.
Social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and the blogs, have triggered an unprecedented event in Florida: people are linking up to express outrage and to organize for the purchase and conversion of massive acreage in sugar cane production south of Lake Okeechobee for water treatment marshes.

Big Sugar's chokehold on public opinion is slipping, in defiance of the fact that the Everglades Agricultural Area -- some 450,000 acres smack dab in the middle of the southern portion of the Florida peninsula -- always served as an effective barrier isolating communities on both Florida coasts.

One indication of Florida's Arab Spring: the unexpected and overwhelming defeat of Marco Rubio in the GOP presidential primary. Although Rubio has long been identified as a staunch defender of Big Sugar, he carried only one of Florida's 67 counties. Republican voters -- thanks in no small part to social media -- got the message that traditional sources of media have been disinclined to broadcast: how Big Sugar's sticky embrace of Marco Rubio harmed Florida.

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The EAA plus surrounding public lands including Everglades National Park comprise a total of about 2 million acres -- historically, natural wetlands -- but Big Sugar's hammerlock on water management infrastructure and flood control practices ensure that the entire state dances to its tune.

Big Sugar gets what it wants, when it wants it. This turns into a problem during times of drought and flood; more the norm than the exception in a rapidly changing world where the state's population growth collides with the impacts of climate change.

The chorus is rising: buy Big Sugar lands, send clean, fresh water south. What this means is taking about 100,000 acres out of sugarcane production to the purpose of storage and cleansing marshes so that Lake Okeechobee stormwater runoff doesn't destroy property values, tourism-dependent businesses, and natural resources around the southern rim of the state.

The refusals from Big Sugar ("We are just ordinary people and good citizens who care" and "we've already done our fair share") cannot stand up to fact and science.

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Big Sugar is about as far from "ordinary people" as Joe the Plumber from Charles Koch. The sugar industry's political influence is locked down by corporate welfare at its most toxic efflorescence. The sugar subsidy in the Farm Bill mainly accrues to the net worth of two billionaire families: the Fanjuls -- of the Flo-Sun and Florida Crystals' empire -- and the descents of Charles Stuart Mott who control US Sugar Corporation. By artificially elevating the price of American sugar above free market prices, hundreds of millions per year in excess profits is guaranteed before a blade of new crop is planted.

Big Sugar's command of the US Farm Bill is exceedingly simple in a very American Way: make the Fanjul and Mott descendants rich as possible. Doing so during times of heavy rainfall and storm water runoff doesn't similarly trouble Congress. Those US Senators and Representatives are thousands of miles away when Lake Okeechobee, a virtual toilet bowl serving the needs of agriculture and dairy farms upstream, turns other people's property and businesses into downstream sacrifice zones.

Ultimately, the Fanjuls and Mott descendants have one objective: for the public to value their hundreds of thousands of acres based on an imaginary value as subdivisions and not agricultural land.

Every move of the Sugar PR juggernaut, including fawning local economic councils, Chambers of Commerce and trade groups, is to make that value less hypothetical, as though there were a thousand homes per acre and not a crop -- sugarcane -- that, in excess, poisons people and is more addictive than cocaine. Sugar's armies of lobbyists, "environmental" land use lawyers, and elected officials have spent decades inching the Everglades Agricultural Area toward its valuation as strip malls and zero lot line subdivisions.

The difference between Big Sugar's imaginary value and a realistic appraisal is a function of political outcomes. There has been no reason at all for Big Sugar to move from its high throne so long as those outcomes remained predictable. That is why Big Sugar spends millions of dollars to influence elections from dog-catcher to the White House. In this light, Marco Rubio's loss requires a reassessment.

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For any "unwilling" property owner in the Everglades watershed, the hint of eminent domain proceedings is like winning the Powerball lottery. This would not be the case for Big Sugar that not only has won the Powerball Lottery, but wins it reliably with every growing season.

Consider the case of another Big Sugar mouthpiece: Florida Agriculture Secretary Adam Putnam. In lieu of a lengthy and costly eminent domain court case, his family farm was purchased by the state for $25 million only a year after being appraised at $5 million. Putnam is expected to run as the Republican candidate for governor in 2018.

For Big Sugar, eminent domain is like the chicken and the egg: which comes first -- its subdivisions with zero lot line housing or a massive taxpayer buyout? This is not a complicated story, but it is an end-game and one that Big Sugar has successfully blocked from telling for decades.

Decades of delays in fixing what is wrong with Florida's capitulation to Big Sugar require the intervention of Florida voters.

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The incrementalism that passes for Everglades restoration or stopping toxic releases to Florida's rivers and estuaries can only be stopped by voters insisting on a change to Big Sugar's "most favored nation status". Marco Rubio didn't pass the litmus test, nor should any other elected official in Florida.

It will take millions of voters to bring the day, closer, when the state's waterways, property and jobs tied to Florida Bay, Sanibel, Fort Myers and Stuart are no longer treated as Big Sugar's collateral damage on the way to a billion dollar taxpayer buyout.

You see: one way or another, Big Sugar will get its price. Florida voters must push that day, closer, because taxpayers and the American public have really run out of time.
KRASNODAR TERRITORY, RUSSIA. MARCH 17, 2016. Russian Aerospace Force Sukhoi Su 25 fighter bombers, which have returned from Syria, pictured at a military installation in the Krasnodar Territory at dusk. The Russian president has announced the withdrawal of the main part of Russia's military contingent from Syria, starting on March 15, 2016. Vadim Grishankin/Russian Defence Ministry Press and Information Office/TASS (Photo by TASS\TASS via Getty Images)

BEIRUT -- Russian President Vladimir Putin caught nearly everyone by surprise with his Syria drawdown announcement. Little wonder: the Syria-led coalition forces had momentum behind them; they were on a roll, gaining ground sometimes even without a fight. Pat Lang, a former U.S. defense intelligence officer, noted that the so-called Islamic State appears to be "collapsing in Syria and Iraq. They are starving to death as the money runs out, lost to R+6 and U.S. air action against oil exports through Turkey. At the same time, equipment and men are not coming down the reciprocal transport route from Turkey."

At this point, with the wind strongly behind him, President Putin calls a drawdown. It is not as if all has been settled militarily. Aleppo remains in limbo: partially encircled by jihadist forces, who themselves are surrounded by coalition forces led by the Syrian government and cut off from their supply lines. The fertile part of Syria that lies to the west of a line drawn from Aleppo in the north to Daraa in the south is yet to be secured. Eastern Syria, mostly desert, which is militarily of less strategic significance, remains largely in the hands of ISIS. And Turkey continues to nibble away at Syrian sovereignty, lobbing artillery shells over the border.

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Why did Russia begin a drawdown now, with so much still to be accomplished? What might it mean for the political future of Syria?

A pilot is greeted after returning from Syria at a Russian air base on March 16. (AP Photo)

Firstly, this is a drawdown but also not a drawdown -- depending how you look at it. Those Russian airplanes that were designated to remain in Syria (and are not a part of the drawdown) are still actively supporting coalition forces on the ground, attacking insurgents who are not included in the ceasefire (principally Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS). As one Russian military journalist told Radio Free Europe, "The fleet remains; antiaircraft systems remain; the tanks remain; all the marines remain; the helicopters remain; some of the aircraft will remain. Only some of the aircraft and their service personnel are being taken out. And they can come back, of course, in the space of three or four hours."

In fact, the drawdown reportedly seems to have coincided with a planned rotation of aircraft and materiel -- necessary for maintenance after an intensive period of sorties. So call Putin's drawdown a rotation of forces if you prefer, a shift in tempo deliberately used to metastasize politics, to shock politics off the rails and onto new paths. It seems the Russian president may have succeeded in this: Secretary of State John Kerry is due in Moscow to meet Putin shortly.

Actually, it may turn out that Putin's aim was never to kick-start negotiations between the different Syrian parties, but instead to corner Washington -- to force the Obama administration into genuine cooperation with Russia -- rather than have it standing on the sidelines, chanting the refrain of a Russia predicted to fall flat on its face in a quagmire. That said, catalyzing a Syrian political process in one form or another is surely a subsidiary objective. Putin, from the outset, has said that the Russian military intervention had limited aims and was designed to "create conditions for a political compromise."

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'And they can come back, of course, in the space of three or four hours.'

Putin's drawdown -- or rotation -- undoubtedly galvanized the political framework in various ways. It puts pressure both on Damascus and on those opposition groups participating in the Geneva talks -- lest all the Russian aircraft are, for some reason, forced to return. More than anything, it puts the onus on the U.S. to stop its allies (Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar) from weaponizing and financing their proxies in this war. But can the U.S. impose this on its allies? Turkey is particularly problematic, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan possibly needs the Syrian conflict to keep his hold on power.

In short, one tangible effect of the drawdown may be that the political negotiations are kicked upstairs, from the (disempowered) participants in Geneva to the external actors who sponsor and finance them.

This is not the first time that Putin has used a military drawback in order to try to galvanize a deadlocked political scene. Recall that in the lead up to the Minsk accords concerning Ukraine, Russia had temporarily turned off the military supply spigot to the Donbas militias in order to concentrate militia minds and perhaps to stop their military ambitions from running ahead of themselves.

A Syrian solder stands near a car covered with photos of Putin and Syrian President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

The common thread running through both the Ukraine and Syria conflicts has been the Russian leadership's overriding concern to deflect any Western or NATO dynamic toward confrontation with Russia. One of Putin's main priorities in launching his war on terrorism has precisely been to tease out some peer-to-peer cooperation with the U.S. as a prelude to resetting the relationship between both powers.

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The Syria drawdown positions Russia well politically as a serious state in search of a political resolution. It may soften European will to maintain sanctions against Russia. And it may also help better position Russia for whomever succeeds Obama in the White House: an America that perceives itself humiliated in Syria by Russia and its allies' military prowess is less likely to participate in any reset, and more likely to do the reverse.

Aside from the question of whether the U.S. will respond, a question is left unanswered: What is it that Putin expects from Assad? In Ukraine, Russia sought loose federalism. But that seems inappropriate for Syria. So-called minorities have never been victims in Syria -- far from it. The Kurds were never treated as they were -- and still are -- in Turkey. Nor were Sunnis ostracized. They comprise the majority of the Syrian army today and have always been preeminent in the business world. Furthermore, Syria wasn't sectarian -- until recently when the creep of various forms of Wahhabism effectively sectarianized politics. Syria, after all, does have an identity. It is a proud and ancient nation.

Syria, after all, does have an identity. It is a proud and ancient nation.

Would Russia wish to see a weakened, loosely bound central government? Probably not. The war against radical jihadism is unlikely to be won through any accord reached in Geneva; it will endure. And Iran, Russia's ally, would certainly wish to see a strong Syria emerge in the end. Perhaps the U.S. would also see some merit in a strong Syria at a time when state structures throughout the Middle East are eroding and giving way to widespread human insecurity. But how to achieve it?

Russia has said repeatedly that it must be the Syrian people who decide for themselves what government they want. This is Iranian policy too. But Putin cannot count on the Saudi-supported Syrian opposition arriving at an agreement with Assad in Geneva -- though he might hope this transpires. It is more likely he is relying on a Plan B.

One aspect of the recent cessation of hostilities that has escaped much attention is how local ceasefires during this period of quiet have been brokered by Russian army officers -- usually quite senior officers. Their efforts have been met with striking successes. More than 40 such ceasefires have been secured. Perhaps, if the Geneva process fails, we shall see a bottom-up process take over instead.

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A lineup of Russian troops is held before withdrawal at Hemeimeem air base in Syria on March 15. (Vadim Grishankin/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

On the basis of these agreements, some of which have been negotiated by the United Nations and others by the Syrian government, local elections will eventually be held. Then regional. Then parliamentary. The constitution will be revised. And finally, presidential elections will be held under international supervision. In short, Syrians -- both at home and in exile -- would ultimately decide on their governance.

But for this outcome to be viable, trust between Russia and America is essential. It must be built. These are the only real political choices now that regime change has been removed from the agenda: a global agreement reached at Geneva or a bottom-up process conducted by the Syrians themselves (accompanied by continued war against the radical jihadists). Putin's surprise drawdown announcement seems intended to expose precisely whether there is indeed any trust available to find a path through to an eventual solution.

A lot rides on the outcome. This is not just about Syria. It will serve to shape the global order, one way or another.

Also on WorldPost:
Hands linked, women in dust-white bonnets snake around the floor, lurking aimlessly. Their monotonous pace -- so in unison that it seems the routine -- counters the twisted smirks painted across their faces. Some have eyes bulging out of sockets, while others smile like they're made of glass, empty and translucent. There's nothing left of these people, save their imaginations, and each must have a story that explains how they got here, to an insane asylum, forgotten and forgetting.

We get to hear one of them -- or see it -- the story of Camille Claudel. A sculptor who was once heralded as "a revolt against nature: a woman genius," when we meet her, she is broken and beaten after 30 years in captivity, devastated by a world that she once loved.

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Though Rodin, Boris Eifman's 2011 ballet, is named for the celebrated French artist, it is truly an ode to his muse and protege. The plot follows Auguste Rodin and Claudel's steamy relationship, one that resulted in extraordinary artistic production but also great emotional turmoil.

Still, the ballet isn't about Claudel, either. Not really. It's about those curious few who have their lights stomped out by the crude forces of everyday life, and about what love takes when it leaves.

No one comes out of heartbreak whole -- something's always missing, and never returns. Perhaps it's lost innocence, or trust, or optimism, or personality, or sanity. For Claudel, it was everything.

These themes are brought to light by St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet, which boasts gorgeous dancers and an especially boisterous male corps, with some standouts who deserve recognition on the international stage. Oleg Gabyshev and Lyubov Andreyeva lead the production as Rodin and Claudel, and while Gabyshev's lines are lovely, it is Andreyeva's emotional presence that steals the show. Though they take time to warm into the choreography (thanks to no fault of their own), the company ends with resilience and dynamism, proving its merit to a global dance community through a tale about what lies beneath art like Eifman's.

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The first act of the ballet represents the manifestations of genius, while the second half reveals their costs. Thus, the second half is much more compelling than the first, as it avoids superficialities and digs deeper into the subconscious of artists, here represented as people with incredible purpose, but also incredible agony. It is when this agony uncoils to consume the stage that Eifman's movement is at its best: when it expresses mortal fragility instead of trying to defy mortality.

For example, in a pas de deux to "Clair de Lune" in the first act, Rodin first uses Claudel as a muse, and Eifman first tries to prove that his work is a classic by setting it to a classic score. But the scene collapses under the pressure that is two-fold: representing a light bulb moment for a frustrated artist and doing justice to one of the most beloved pieces of music in modern times. What follows is a series of impressive but unrepresentative lifts and passionate kisses that feel too cliche at the climax of a song. The musicality is missing, as Eifman hasn't pulled out any of the more beautiful strains from the piano keys. And so the intimacy is corrupted by ambition and doesn't translate to the kind of potency that the duet should hold.

Contrast that with Claudel's solo at the train station in the second act, her body flinging into attitudes and distortions with unperturbed abandon. By then, the music has changed, and screams and chatter intensify the soundtrack to feel more postmodern and ephemeral and less sacrosanct. And when Rodin climbs around his sculptural post, shrinking and expanding to symbolize his psychological stress as an artist and lover, he too feels more real, more possessed and fleshy, than the Rodin who has just found his muse and takes her to bed.

Despite inconsistencies in quality, by the denouement, the work is powerful and draining, an emotional overload for anyone who's ever been in love and been hurt, or for anyone who's sacrificed their personal lives for their craft. Indeed, Rodin seems reflective of the violence enacted to create society's artifice, which can then be abstracted into art. Rodin and Claudel sculpt bodies into abnormal, pained positions, maneuvering them to be unnatural and inhuman. As the curtain closes, the famous sculptor strikes marble as though he means to destroy it, contouring each side and dimension to fit his tastes. This brutality rivals the brutality experienced by the characters throughout the ballet, all of whom have been damaged by a civilization that demands strict adherence to norms.

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And when the world strikes so hard, it's no wonder that some of its victims -- like Claudel -- fall apart.
Far from yielding to the FBI's call to help it gain access to messages stored in a terrorist's cell phone, Apple is doubling down: Apple is working to increase its iCloud encryption, which would inhibit even Apple itself from retrieving password-protected customer data stored in its cloud.

Apple uses many arguments in defense of its position. Prominent among them is one particularly difficult to follow, which states that if Apple granted to the U.S. government a way to decrypt the phones of terrorists, this move will set a precedent, and Apple will be forced to do the same for other governments. In his article in The Guardian, Spencer Ackerman writes that

Authoritarian governments including Russia and China will demand greater access to mobile data should Apple lose a watershed encryption case brought by the FBI, leading technology analysts, privacy experts and legislators have warned.



Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, a leading legislator on privacy and tech issues, "warned the FBI to step back from the brink or risk setting a precedent for authoritarian countries."

China, however, has never shown that it will be resistant to proceeding if it cannot find an American precedent. The very idea that precedence is important is a legalistic, Anglo Saxon notion. Moreover, even American corporations will not hesitate to act, even if there is no precedent. They just figure it will cost them some legal fees to establish one.

Furthermore, should we stop doing what we consider important for our security or other core values, just because the Chinese may use it as a talking point? For instance, should we stop censoring child pornography just because China may point to our limiting the right of free speech in this case and then use it as an excuse to further limit the rights of their citizens? Should we stop prohibiting medical and food marketers from making unproven claims -- just because China may insist it can prevent Chinese corporations from making statements about things China frowns upon?

Some of Apple's defenders hold that if Apple helps the FBI, it will be unable to tell the Chinese government that only the sender and receiver can decrypt communications protected by its new program; that it cannot break it. However, Apple already gave up on this argument when it told a U.S. court that to proceed would cost too much, i.e. admitting that it can be done. The Wall Street Journal noted it would cost only about the same as one engineer's yearly salary.

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Last but not least, Apple is already in effect accommodating Chinese censorship. It designed its News App so that iPhone users have been able to access Apple News abroad -- but not in mainland China. (In a CNN article "Apple News Is Blocked in China," Sophia Yan and Hope King wrote that after changing their iPhone settings to reflect the United States as their region, CNN reporters successfully downloaded the News app in mainland China and Hong Kong. The app functioned normally in Hong Kong while connected to a local mobile network, but in mainland China, previously loaded stories could not be retrieved, and instead an error message appeared.)

Larry Salibra, founder of Pay4Bugs (a software testing service) called Apple's actions "very disconcerting." According to a New York Times article by Paul Mozur and Katie Benner titled "Apple Is Said to Deactivate its New App in China," Salibra posted the following on Reddit:

They're censoring news content that I downloaded and stored on my device purchased in the USA, before I even enter China ...On device censorship is much different than having your server blocked by the Great Firewall or not enabling a feature for customers with certain country iTunes account... That Apple has little choice doesn't make it any less creepy or outrageous.



Apple's defiance is supported by other high-tech companies. None should act as if they are unwilling to cooperate with governments if this may limit the privacy or, for that matter, the free speech of some of their customers. For instance, until 2010 Google self-censored its search engine for Chinese users. Not only did the company filter out results containing China's list of banned terms, it also blocked entire websites and web addresses. Additionally, Google.cn users would get a different list of search results than google.com users in China. The former would not see any results deemed "offensive," whereas the latter would get a list of results that might not load, depending on their content.

Apple and company should stop acting as holier than thou, and abide by laws Congress enacted, by judgment handed down by courts, and by providing by what the FBI, Department of Justice, and the White House show is essential for homeland security and public safety.

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TUNIS, Tunisia -- A group of 30 imams and Islamic scholars, both men and women, recently gathered around a table to do something historic. Our goal is to find a better way forward for women and girls and to inoculate radicalism in a Muslim country that has, for hundreds of years, been a model progressive nation.

Meanwhile, in Burundi, a group of 26 imams -- in an organization called Alliance of Imams of the North Corridor for Humanitarian Development (AICNDH) -- is striving to defend the rights of women and girls in a country now consumed with civil strife. In various mosques across the northern part of the country, these imams recently delivered 12 khutbahs, or speeches, on women's rights in Islam. AICNDH, in partnership with Muslims for Progressive Values, will be hosting a series of conferences at universities and schools in Burundi over the coming months, also on Muslim women's rights.

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Together, these imams are the brave #ImamsForShe: religious and lay leaders, Islamic scholars, men and women. They debunk the misogynistic interpretation of Islam. They fight against the violation of the rights of women and girls in the Muslim world and beyond. These are the imams we need to empower and mobilize.

Hanging out with scholars of Islam in strategy sessions for @mpvusa #ImamsForShe in #Tunisia. 2 more days! pic.twitter.com/ARlGJfnVr1  Ani Zonneveld (@AniZonneveld) February 15, 2016

For many years in our Muslim communities, we have heard from too many hate-mongering imams, whose Wahhabi theology is radical, racist and supremacist. Their interpretation of Islam is based on what "Sharia law" dictates. But Sharia law is a man-made construct. Sharia law is a mash-up of medieval, misogynistic political leaders' extrapolation of the Quran, pre-Islamic norms, cultural norms of the day and hadiths (secondary texts of what Prophet Muhammad supposedly said and did, compiled by men more than 100 years after his death).

Instead of challenging these false "truths," the American mainstream media popularizes them, like when the Islamist imam Anjem Choudary was featured on CBS in a "60 Minutes" episode; he is also a favorite of Fox News. The ex-Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali's propagation of Islamist theology makes her complicit as well, and she is popular on media outlets from the right to left, including NPR.

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Less visible in the public discourse is another set of imams who have an inclusive worldview. Far too often, they are shut out by Muslim communities, slandered for challenging the misogynistic interpretations of the faith and, in some instances, killed by radicals.

Sharia law is a man-made construct.

Muslims for Progressive Values is a grassroots, faith-based human rights organization. For years we have been in search of these inclusive imams. We have been elated to partner with them, but we've also discovered that they recoil in fear at the thought of going public with their views.

Borrowing from the United Nations Women's #HeForShe campaign, promoted by actress Emma Watson, we designed a new campaign called #ImamsForShe. We need to counter the domination of Islamist imams in our societies with #ImamsForShe and to actually improve the lives of all human beings, particularly women.

In March of last year in New York, at the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women session, we launched the campaign to a packed room of diplomats and non-governmental organizations hungry for #ImamsForShe to positively affect real lives on the ground. We reached 125,000 people on social media, were featured on Voices of New York, written up in a Danish newspaper, praised and promoted by the minister for education, culture and science in The Netherlands and, most importantly, endorsed and championed by imams and human rights defenders of Muslim heritage.

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On March 23, we will take this initiative to the next level with a workshop that will pair up imams from various Muslim backgrounds with secular women's rights defenders at the U.N.'s 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

The #ImamsForShe campaign is meant to empower women to educate themselves about their rights in Islam so that no mullah or husband can deprive them or their daughters of their right to decide whom they choose to marry. These imams put forward an uplifting, inclusive and compassionate expression of Islam. They challenge female genital mutilation, child marriages, male "guardianship" and the death sentence of daughters who supposedly dishonor the family name.

Imams in the Muslim world are, for the most part, highly regarded. It is a hierarchical system that is not going to disappear. But with that status of authority comes great responsibility. That is why working within that system is necessary if we are to positively affect people's lives. We need #ImamsForShe to counter radicalism with the same conviction as the hate-mongering imams.

These imams put forward an uplifting, inclusive and compassionate expression of Islam.

A Pew Forum report last year on world religions states that by the year 2050, the world Muslim population will bump up against the Christian world population. What sort of adherents to Islam should we hope for? The Islamist ones who have destroyed historical sites, churches, mosques and have enslaved girls and pushed gays off tall buildings? Or Muslims with an inclusive worldview?

The choice is clear.

High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein put it perfectly: "We must persevere together until we bend the course of humanity's future to a destination more hopeful and enlightened, in which human decency is the only currency of human interaction."

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This month, as college acceptance notices arrive across the country, we will either come closer to achieving more economic equality in the U.S. or we will continue maintaining an inexcusable status quo. Study after study shows a college degree makes a difference. Salaries, reports the National Center for Education Statistics, are 57% higher for those with a college degree versus those with only a high school degree. Clearly, education is the only true equalizer.

For Ricardo, it was a dream come true. He was accepted to New York University. Madison is on her way to Wesleyan University; Clifford is off to Union College; and Jose is going to Gettysburg College. All are students from schools in some of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City whose futures have become a lot brighter.

Yet, the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education and the Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy report that the college gap is widening. Since 1970, bachelor degrees among the nation's most affluent students have catapulted from 40 percent to 77 percent - and barely moved from a scant 6 percent to 9 percent, among the nation's lowest-income students.

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There is a simple, affordable and proven solution to closing the degree divide, and it is currently underway in some of New York City's lowest-income high schools. When local school boards allocate funding to hire full-time, highly trained college counselors in low-income public schools, suddenly students like Ricardo, who may have fallen through the cracks, don't.

College counseling in underserved schools is highly inadequate. Even if there is a college counselor on staff, that person is often untrained, pulled in all directions to fill other gaps, and saddled with an absurd caseload. In fact, in some of New York City public schools, the student to counselor ratio is 449 to 1, even though research shows one-on-one counseling makes a transformative difference.

Fifteen years ago, we created a program that builds a pipeline to college for low-income students. The CollegeBound Initiative (CBI) is an on-site college counseling program funded through public and private partnerships. Through CBI we place full-time, highly trained college counselors, like Ricardo's counselor Zee Santiago, in 27 public schools in New York City. Just as in the best private schools, CBI counselors do it all. Zee helps students with college selection, tours, test prep, financial aid, scholarship resources, applications, essays, and interviews. CBI counselors' sole responsibility is to work with students, as early as sixth grade to create a college going culture.

The numbers show the success. According to an independent evaluation conducted by Policy Studies Associates, students counseled through CBI enroll in four-year and private colleges at nearly double the rate of their peers. And, since the establishment of CBI, counselors have helped secure more than $250 million dollars in financial aid for our students.

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In fact, by working with Zee on financial aid forms, scholarships and grants, Madison received more than $64,000 to attend Wesleyan; Clifford received $61,000 for Union; and Jose is getting $67,000, making it possible to attend Gettysburg. Ricardo is receiving full-tuition for NYU. The financial aid is expected to continue throughout each student's four years.

As our families know, it's a remarkable moment when college acceptance letters and financial aid packages arrive. This is the moment the cycle of poverty begins to end. In an instant, the magnitude of what has happened brings tremendous relief, joy, and pride for parents who may have lost their own shot at the American dream. And for the student, a college acceptance with aid creates a world of possibilities away from the poverty trap.

The U.S. Department of Education describes school counselors as some of the "hardest-working, caring, and critically important adults charged with putting young people on the path to college." We could not agree more and we know firsthand that the power of counseling students and their families through the daunting process of college admissions is not only affordable...it is priceless.
Excited by the connectivity revolution, governments all over the world are trying to find clever uses for the enormous amounts of digital information they now possess. One of the Big Data movements with the most momentum is Open Data -- making this information available to the public. But what good does this actually do? Apolitical spoke to three pioneers in the field in Burkina Faso, Brazil and India, who told us about fighting corruption, ensuring free elections and preventing crime. These real, substantive issues go beyond the inevitably vague buzzwords of transparency and accountability. Here we discover what Open Data can really do about them.

Burkina Faso's first free elections in 30 years

One of the stars of the Open Data movement, Malick Tapsoba helped Burkina Faso to its first fully democratic elections since independence. The problem he addressed was the incendiary wait between the polls closing and the announcement of results. During a recent election in Tanzania, for example, the public had to wait four days for results, inevitably stirring up suspicions of foul play. In Burkina Faso, the situation was particularly tense after a revolution had brought down the strongman Blaise Compaore after nearly 30 years in power. The military also attempted a coup only weeks before the voting at the end of 2015. So Tapsoba's team published all results live online for each province, starting within hours of the polls closing. Despite the numerous technical challenges, the election passed off peacefully -- the first fully free and open vote since independence.

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When did you first encounter Open Data?

I first heard about Open Data in 2013 [before the revolution]. When I discovered Open Data was talking about transparency, accountability, citizen participation, I said: yes, that's what we need for our country. Because at that time, everything was kept secret. A few months after we launched our first Open Data portal, the revolution happened in Burkina. I can't say the revolution happened because of the Open Data portal, but people were asking for more transparency, more democracy. So I think it was the right time.

How pleased were you with the way the election was conducted?

The Open Election was a very big success and very important because it was the first real democratic election since independence in 1960, and it happened after a revolution and at the end of a tumultuous transition marked by a failed military coup in September 2015. No one predicted the success of this open election until it happened. But the election was transparent, peaceful and accepted, we managed it, and since the election, no candidate has complained about the result. Everything went very well. It was unbelievable.

What was the main challenge in making it happen?

The most important part was to convince the politicians and the Electoral Commission. As you may know, the Commission are very independent and they don't want someone to come and mix up with their jobs. But after six or seven months of negotiation and lobbying with the Commission, we finally met their president for a presentation of the project, where we showed him some prototypes and how it would help. Afterwards, he was very excited.

What advice would you give others wanting to create similar systems?

There were a lot of technical issues that needed to be fixed and tested. As you know, elections are very sensitive, especially in the context of revolution. So we needed to be very careful, because a small error could have created a big disaster. But we had a good team, about 20 persons. Some were in charge of monitoring the server, some the network, some the electricity, some the application. And some were testing the application locally. It was a real war machine that we put in place to parry any eventuality. So what I can advise is to start very early.

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Citizens watch the state in Sao Paulo

Fernanda Campagnucci is Head of Integrity in Sao Paulo, the most populous city in the Americas and home to more than 11million people. A former journalist, she is part of the new Controller General's office, which fights corruption in a country that ranks 76th in the world corruption index, on a level with Bosnia, Burkina Faso and Zambia. After beginning to do some data journalism and working in advocacy, she was offered a job in the government. She took it because 'I wanted to know how this big machine works -- and suddenly I loved it.' She spoke to Apolitical about how Open Data both increases trust in what government is already doing, and how it makes things better.

What's the most interesting example of how you're using Open Data?

There are two very important projects: One of them was about the property register; with the name of the proprietor, the area, the design of the block. It's public information, but you had to pay very high fees for it, so it wasn't really publicly available. And people thought it was secrecy on the part of the government.

Who wants access to this information?

We have the business sector, which wants to buy land, or a neighbour who wants to know if the house next door is in a regular situation, or social watchdogs or journalists want to know if some politician has 'forgotten' to declare his properties.

Those are quite specific examples. How else is this kind of data useful?

For example, councillors were voting for a project to permit construction in an environmentally protected area, and people were fighting against that bill, but they didn't have the information. The councillors' main argument was that we need more areas to build in because Sao Paulo is lacking them, so some hackers took the data sets and showed where there was lots of land available in different parts of the city.

You mentioned a second Open Data project.

Yes, it was with traffic fines, speed cameras. People wanted to know how many fines were being made and it started to be a public debate because people thought it wasn't fair. On top of that, mainly journalists, but also the cyclists' movement, who are pressuring for cycle lanes, wanted some data about traffic and accidents. So we opened it up and did some visualisations as well, so you can see the patterns of accidents.

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And what came out of the data?

Only 5 percent of the drivers were getting fined, and in public it felt like everybody was getting fined or knew someone who was getting fined. Even if people don't like the information you give them, it creates trust, because they can see you want to have a discussion. And it turned out the way not to get fined is very simple -- don't speed. You see, the mayor had reduced the speed in order to reduce accidents. In Brazil there's a very conservative, car-centric culture, and people weren't accepting his policies for cycle lanes, so we are supporting his movement for change with some data.

What's the value of close discussion with citizens?

In the Controller General's office, we want people closer so they will help us to watch the government because we know that corruption is still a huge problem. It's something we have very precise measures to combat, but we don't have enough human resources, so we have to count on people to do that as well.

More generally, we're trained to say that you have to consider citizens first of all, but I really believe we don't just have to consider them but to bring them inside to help build policies. It's not only propaganda, it's not only discourse, it makes policies better. After we do a consultation, we can see very clearly where we missed something. So it really gets richer through the involvement of the people. I know that sometimes people use this as propaganda, but I think open government can make processes and policies much better, more efficient, more precise, more objective. It's not only a question of democracy, it's a question of efficiency.

India's cities fixed by residents' demands

Alka Mishra runs what has the potential to become one of the largest data projects in the world -- that of the Indian government. Its citizen engagement aspect, mygov.in, signed up more than 100,000 users in the first fortnight after launch. It allows citizens to make suggestions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to which he responds in radio addresses. It also sets competition-style tasks for any citizens who want to attempt them, such as designing logos, slogans and layouts for government ministries and websites, and has been used to guide the country's $15billion Smart Cities urban improvement programme. The other aspect, data.gov.in, is opening up vast quantities of government information to app developers, NGOs and journalists who can find uses for it.

You're running a project to put as much government data as possible online. What are the best examples?

We have a lot of good data sets in agriculture, so we've got around 2,500 markets in India, selling commodities like rice, wheat, fruits and things like that. Each market has a rate -- the current price for that day -- and that is now reported on data.gov.in. So we have got a very good application developed by a community member. He has made a mobile application that is able to give the price of a commodity within five kilometres. So that is really useful.

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You also created the government's largest crowd-sourcing platform, mygov.in. Why was that done?

This was a directive directly from the Prime Minister. He felt there should be a government platform where people could engage, give him suggestions, actively participate in formulating plans. And it is really picking up very well, much more than what we anticipated two years back. We thought people would not engage so much, but people are engaging and giving a lot of meaningful suggestions. In government, we tend to have our fixed path, we've got our tools, our response duties, but government was not able to tap the talent of artists, developers, researchers -- and now a lot of good, valuable crowdsourcing has been formulated.

What else does mygov.in do?

When they chose 100 cities to be Smart Cities, the entire contest of which cities would be chosen, from about 200, came through mygov. We in government felt Delhi should be chosen because it is the capital of the country, but people felt that Delhi has got quite a good infrastructure already and it doesn't need to come up as much as say Gurgaon needs to come up. So that was a vote, the selection was based on people's choice and Delhi is not one of the cities. And after the choice of the cities, there was a set of prefixed questions: do you think electricity is more important? Do you think this is more important? One city might feel that it really lacks healthcare while another might feel that the hospitals are there, but transport is the crux. So the focus becomes tailor-made depending on the opinion of the people for that city.

What's been the biggest sticking point?

We have got limited resources. So we definitely cannot reach out to all the masses. We can only do technology and enable. The challenge is getting the right sort of people to get involved, whether NGOs or communities or small start-ups. The challenge was to engage with these people and see that we sustain this effort. We have allowed people to come and participate and take it up as proof of concept, and give them small stipends or things like that so they can spread the word.

We feel we need to do lots more with regard to getting value. Because there are only three or four good apps that we can quote, but we would have liked one or two in each sector.

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How much do you think data is changing policy?

I don't think it's yet changed policy as such, because we're only two years old, but definitely it has opened the eyes. Data journalism has come up, especially around crime data, because they are able to tell you if, say, the suicide rate or rapes have gone up in this city. People are aware that this is a safe place or this is not a safe place. And new initiatives have happened as a result of the story. The data has come so the story has come, and once the story has come people have felt there is a need to reform.
Around twenty years ago, a young English journalist by the name of Robert Tewdwr Moss packed his bags and headed to Syria. Much like his colonial forbearers of the previous century, Moss was drawn explicably to the romantic, even Orientalist ideals of this most Arab of nations.

As a journalist, he wanted to unravel the complexities of this largely middle-class, secular, educated, authoritarian state; as a gay man, he thirsted for adventure, and sought to play the role of a post-colonial Englishman whose blonde hair and blue-eyes would open doors to people, and places, few were fortunate enough to penetrate.

Syria in the 1990s was a place tourists rarely visited; as a journalist, Moss was essentially barred without government approval, and since many of his articles in the English press dealt with matters of society, a contemporary Truman Capote if you will, it was doubtful he would be successful in obtaining permission.

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So Moss, not untruthfully, traveled on a tourist visa. And travel he did, across the length and breadth of the country, from the coastal cities of Lattakia and Tartous, to Palmyra and Al-hassake, even crossing precariously into the Iraqi Kurdish boarder (the Gulf War a not too-distant memory).

At each stop along the way he found beautiful doe-eyed boys and eager men who were curious about this handsome dandy. Moss always knew the right questions to ask to get the information he sought, and how to get to where he wanted to go.

For Moss wasn't some depraved Western sex tourist, he would never be so base as that. Rather, Moss was steeped, deeply, in Syrian history.

From the Assassins of the eleventh-century, to the seemingly endless Crusades, and the Victorian ex-pats who flourished in this alien culture (visiting Jane Digby's crumbling mansion a particular highlight), Moss knew the history of Syria better than an academic. Moreover, he was unafraid to go off the beaten path, to places people said were too dangerous and remote even for Syrians to go.

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But, as Moss knew and made apparent, his ability to obtain access to worlds that would generally be closed to most everyone else, was a privilege. He knew his privilege, that tomorrow he could jump on a plane and be back in London (or anywhere for that matter) in a few hours. It was that privilege, which he held as both a blessing and a curse, that gave him courage.

Aleppo and Damascus held the greatest jewels of Syria, each laying claim to being the oldest inhabited cities in existence. It was here that Moss found, perhaps, what he was seeking, even if he did not truly know what that was.

The most beautiful romance of the book is his rather long affair with a Palestinian commando who fought in the Lebanese civil war, during his teenage years no less, named Jihad. Encountering this young man at a coffee shop in Damascus, Moss is immediately drawn to him.



Eventually, after a few encounters, Jihad invites Moss to his ramshackle home. Filled with apprehension, fear, and desire, Moss is nearly overwhelmed with emotion and hesitates at being drawn into this man's life. Yet he is, eventually traveling across the desert together, arriving in Palmyra where they watch the sunrise over the ancient city from atop Palmyra Castle.

Even after leaving Syria and returning to England, Moss cannot get Jihad out of his mind. He unexpectedly travels to Beirut six months later and crosses the border into Syria for two days.

His first stop is Jihad's home, only to find that he is not there, the street deserted; but as he leaves a woman appears, curious. He asks about Jihad and learns that he is away in eastern Syria, working. Moss realizes this is Jihad's mother and thanks her. He places a few mementos on the bed and leaves, never to see Jihad again.

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Before leaving Syria for the last time, Moss stops in an antique shop in Damascus. He mentions to the owner that he plans on writing a book about his travels. The owner replies:

"Be very, very clever with what you write. Or else...' He performed a dismembering motion with his hands. 'They will tear it all up to pieces. Be very, very careful. They have the power. They can destroy everything."

This haunting prophecy, which Moss included as one of the last lines of the book, is much more chilling now, for it came true.

Returning to London, Moss began writing his travel memoir, which would be his first, as well as his last novel. The evening he completed his final edits, before sending them to his editor, Moss went out to celebrate.

Before coming home, he picked up two young men of Arab descent. The next day, Moss was found bound and gagged in his apartment, dead from asphyxiation, his laptop gone.

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The two men were later found, arrested, and convicted of murder. The laptop was recovered, but the edited files were missing, erased from the hard drive.

Over the next few years his editor and close friends painfully reconstructed the narrative from the original drafts Moss submitted, which is now the current book.

Tragedy, torture, pain, and death found Moss not in the dark alleys of Aleppo or the hidden souks of Damascus, but in bustling, Western, liberal London.

This book is his legacy, his final word on a world that now no longer exists. A country that exists in name only, destroyed by the ravages of war, bombs, genocide, and starvation. Moss saw Syria as it was, a troubled, complex, and beautiful country whose people welcomed him into their lives and homes.
The danger is that narcissism can turn unproductive when, lacking self-knowledge and restraining anchors, narcissists become unrealistic dreamers. They nurture grand schemes and harbor the illusion that only circumstances or enemies block their success...

Given the large number of narcissists at the helm of corporations today, the challenge facing organizations is to ensure that such leaders do not self-destruct or lead the company to disaster...

The very adulation that the narcissist demands can have a corrosive effect. As he expands, he listens even less to words of caution and advice... The result is sometimes flagrant risk taking that can lead to catastrophe.
Federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, center, stands with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden after being introduced as Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court during an announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Garland, 63, is the chief judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, a court whose influence over federal policy and national security matters has made it a proving ground for potential Supreme Court justices. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

After more than a month of heated speculation by pundits, President Obama has chosen Merrick Garland, a well-respected but obscure federal judge, to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death last month of Antonin Scalia, the legendary and polarizing conservative firebrand.

In a saner world, Garland's history of receiving strong support from both Republicans and Democrats would mean that the Senate could proceed with a confirmation hearing and an up-or-down vote on his nomination.

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Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen: Garland seems destined for summary rejection, and what I call the court's "death watch" will continue -- with activists and others worrying that at any moment yet another justice's death (three are in their late 70s or their 80s) could intensify the partisan fight over the Supreme Court's future.

As macabre as it may be, the death watch has been underway since at least 2014, when stories began to circulate about possible replacements for the court's oldest member, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, now 83. I covered that controversy in this column back then, and I have since written other articles on the aging of the other justices and their possible retirements.

This death-watch anxiety could end if we lived in a more fair-minded nation -- one in which the judiciary dispensed its duties with impartiality and equity and in which those duties were respected by us all. In such an imaginary polity, we could breathe a collective deep sigh of relief, confident that the chief executive has fulfilled his responsibilities under Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution to see that our most powerful judicial body is fully staffed.

But, of course, we don't live in that kind of land. We live instead in a nation divided by race, class, extreme economic inequality and prejudice as well as by issues like climate change and environmental degradation, immigration and xenophobia, campaign finance and voting rights, gun violence, gay marriage and abortion. And as the meteoric rise of the vulgar billionaire demagogue Donald Trump to the status of GOP presidential front-runner signifies, the fractures over such issues are destined to persist and sharpen, perhaps to the breaking point.

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We're still taught in high school and college civics classes that the Supreme Court is somehow above the fray. We're told that it is, as Alexander Hamilton posited in Federalist Paper No. 78, as "the least dangerous" branch of government because it has "no influence over either the sword or the purse" and because "it may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment."

Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. The Supreme Court has been front and center in nearly every transformative political controversy in our nation's long history.

Sometimes, the court has ruled in favor of democracy and social progress, as in the 1954 landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which helped spell the end of legal segregation, and in last year's 5-4 opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized the constitutional right to marriage equality, regardless of sexual orientation or the sex of one's chosen spouse.

But just as often, the court has sided with the forces of bigotry and power -- as in the Dred Scott opinion of 1857, which upheld the institution of chattel slavery and helped precipitate the Civil War; the Bush v. Gore judicial coup d'etat that determined the outcome of the 2000 presidential race; and the Citizens United decision of 2010, which calcified the oligarchy's hold on the electoral process.

A number of questions arise as Garland steps into the fray: What kind of a judge, politically and ideologically, is he? Can he win confirmation? Would his inclusion on the panel appreciably shift the court's balance of power? Is Garland really the best choice Obama could have made?

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There is no doubt that the 63-year-old Garland is eminently qualified to take his place alongside Chief Justice John Roberts and the other seven members of the court. Garland is a graduate of Harvard Law School and currently serves as the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, considered by many legal observers to be the second-most important court in the country. After serving as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's criminal division, Garland was nominated to the appellate bench by President Bill Clinton and was confirmed by the Senate in 1997 with a vote of 76 to 23.

Since his arrival on the D.C. Circuit, Garland's record has been moderate, and as Tom Goldstein -- the well-known appellate lawyer who founded the influential online court-tracker SCOTUSblog.com--explained in Newsweek, he has issued few controversial rulings as a judge.

When it comes to criminal law, Goldstein noted, Garland is a conservative and has rarely voted to overturn the convictions or sentences of defendants. In 2003, for example, he joined a panel opinion (Al-Odah v. United States) denying legal standing to a Guantanamo Bay prison detainee who was seeking habeas corpus relief. On the other hand, Garland is considered left-leaning when it comes to issues involving the Second Amendment and environmental regulation.

Yet even with his decidedly middle-of-the-road resume, there is little chance that the Republican-controlled Senate will endorse Garland, even if he's given the courtesy of a formal confirmation hearing -- which, according to the latest pronouncements of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., isn't going to happen either.

McConnell and his GOP allies have invoked "the Biden rule" to buttress their position that deliberations on Scalia's successor should be postponed until after the next president takes office in 2017.

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The origin of the so-called Biden rule is a 1992 speech by Vice President Joe Biden, who was then a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the speech, Biden declared that to avoid rancor and controversy in an election year, Supreme Court vacancies should not be filled unless the upper chamber is presented with a consensus nominee. Yet the rule is neither a law nor a settled policy.

A total of 21 justices have been appointed during presidential election years. The court's present swing justice, Anthony Kennedy, was confirmed by the Senate in 1988, the year that George H.W. Bush was elected.

Clearly, what worries McConnell and the right wing is that choosing a moderate to fill the vacant seat once held by a strong conservative would dramatically alter the court's direction for years to come. Any relative departure from the extreme and often incendiary views of Scalia would be of historic importance.

McConnell's outlook is shared by right-wing commentators and pundits. In the March 11 online edition of the conservative National Review magazine, court analyst Carrie Severino blasted Garland (who was then mentioned among Obama's Supreme Court finalists) for being hell-bent on reversing Scalia's Second Amendment opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller.

Thus, there is practically no chance that Garland's appointment will end the Supreme Court's death watch.

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From a progressive standpoint, it's disappointing that Obama settled upon so tepid a choice to supplant Scalia. (In an earlier Truthdig column, I suggested that Elizabeth Warren be tapped to fill the next opening.)

Still, when you consider the fact that Donald Trump has suggested that if elected he would name someone like 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Diane Sykes -- whom I termed in a 2013 column "the worst judge in America" -- we could do far worse than having Merrick Garland become the 113th justice of the Supreme Court. All things considered, he deserves our support.
The promise of Big Data got a little smaller on March 1, 2016. In a decision that barely registered in the mainstream media, the United States Supreme Court's (SCOTUS) ruling in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has (at least temporarily) halted state-mandated all payer claims databases (APCD).

Quick recap: Vermont legislatively mandated health insurers to report their claims data to the state. The law is unremarkable and similar to laws in place or in development in all but seven U.S. states. In Vermont, however, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company instructed its third party administrator, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, to not comply with the law because they were concerned that sharing this proprietary information might disclose details that could be used by competitors.

For health plans operating across multiple states, like the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) effectively exempts health insurers from having to comply with 50 different sets of rules and regulations. With the intent of simplifying operations for companies working in multiple states, ERISA expressly pre-empts "any and all State laws insofar as they... relate to any employee benefit plan."

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Based on its interpretation of ERISA, SCOTUS ruled that the Vermont law could not be applied to ERISA plans. Therefore, Vermont could not compel Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, or any other ERISA plan, to provide the information mandated in the law. With this opinion, as Richard Mann concludes in his opinion analysis on SCOTUSBlog, the justices struck a blow against state health care data collection.

This is unlikely to be the end of this conversation. Others will likely try to come up with ways to get around the opinion. SCOTUS cut off one such avenue by expressly forbidding a potential work-around through public health regulatory authority.

Other avenues exist, however. As Justice Kennedy's opinion recognizes, the Department of Labor might be able to require ERISA plans to report these data, an option that appears even more certain in Justice Breyer's concurring opinion. Congress also has the option to amend ERISA (as it did multiple times as part of the Affordable Care Act) to require this reporting.

The legal jockeying may be only just beginning. In the meantime, an important tool for public health surveillance, healthcare quality improvement, and price transparency has been shelved.



The Gaps in Public Health Data

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Public health surveillance relies on data to assess health outcomes and trends, including:

Population-based surveys

Reportable disease and event data provided by laboratories, providers, and workplaces

Disease registries

Mortality data

Hospital discharge data

Without these data informing our health interventions and policymaking, many of public health's achievements in the past century would not have been possible, and their full impact would not be understood.

Public health data are also rarely local. This is especially true for chronic disease. As disease dynamics have changed and the role of personal behaviors in premature mortality have become more widely recognized, surveys have been implemented to provide state-level data to aid agencies trying to target resources to reduce behavioral risks and their consequent illnesses.

The emergence of these state-level surveys demonstrated an understanding that national data may not be applicable to the conditions found in any given state. A similar argument could justify the need for data within ZIP codes, census tracts, block groups, and neighborhoods. However, for methodologic reasons and cost, our existing surveys rarely provide any data below county levels.

The consequences are significant for public health leaders. Without timely and geographically specific data, it is challenging to make real-time changes in projects and to measure outcomes; to spot new and emerging trends; and to raise awareness and catalyze action, all of which can undermine the credibility of public health leaders.

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For example, as the opioid epidemic was emerging in Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) started looking into opioid overdose deaths only to find that there were no such deaths recorded in the mortality and nothing unusual in the hospital discharge data. Unfortunately, the most recent mortality data were four years old, while the most recent hospital discharge data were three years old. Neither reflected the anecdotal information that public health, healthcare, and public safety leaders had of a fast-developing crisis. Fortunately, the BPHC has authority over Boston's EMS allowing it to access real-time, address-level ambulance dispatch and reporting data and to confirm the problem, pinpoint its sources, and take action.

The Promise of "Big Data" and the APCD

"Big Data" has been an oft prophesized solution to these problems. While a textbook definition would be much more complex, you can think of "Big Data" as the vast quantities of data that have been created by the mass adoption of digitized data of all sorts of information. The promise of "Big Data" is the treasure trove of information that could be discovered when this information is consolidated and analyzed.

APCDs hold this promise. When aggregated across all payers, the information contained in APCDs provide population-based, system-wide clinical, financial, utilization, and demographic data that could be used to improve public health, promote price competition, improve healthcare quality, and more.

For example, Utah used its APCD to investigate the costs of asthma within its population and found, among other things, that the costs of asthma prescriptions exceeded $15M in 2009. Analysis of the New Hampshire APCD in 2005 found that the rate of ED visits for the Medicaid population was more than four times greater than the commercially-insured population.

Another example comes from Camden, New Jersey. The Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers developed a citywide, all-payer, hospital claims database used to produce powerful information. They found that 1 percent of all patients accounted for 30 percent of all costs and the identification of six city blocks that accounted for 18 percent of the population but 37 percent of all receipts. Without an APCD, this information would remain unknown and not actionable.

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The "Some Payer" Claims Database?

Despite all of its promise, unlocking the potential of "Big Data" has proven challenging.

"Big Data" is like your dad's Corvette -- you can see it, you know it would be fun to drive, but there's no way you're ever getting the keys.

In the case of APCDs, we had the keys and were even learning to drive, only to have SCOTUS pull us over, take the keys, and leave us on the side of the road. For now, we're walking and waiting to see if there's a way to get the keys back.

It is possible that states can maintain their APCDs on a voluntary basis, but a "some payer" claims database just doesn't have the same ring (or impact) as an "all payer" claims database.



###
Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders ' emergence into the political scene has potentially irreversibly altered the political landscape as we know it. Both candidates represent a form of their respective party's ideological populism taken to their logical extreme. On the right, Donald Trump has galvanized a faction of the Republican Party that is more interested in protectionist trade and immigration policies than in party orthodoxy on free markets and low taxes. On the left, Bernie Sanders has satiated the Democratic Party base's yearning for an unabashed economic socialism to confiscate wealth from the rich to redistribute to the middle and lower classes. The success of both candidates has exposed deep ideological rifts in their respective party's governing coalition that has the potential to undo a generation-old political order. The previous political dividing line of liberals vs. conservatives is no longer sufficient to describe the fault line in contemporary politics; instead, the major difference fracturing both parties is one of populism vs. neoliberalism. The last major political realignment occurred with Ronald Reagan's ascendance to the presidency in 1980. Reagan built a Republican coalition built on the three-legged stool of conservatism: fiscal conservatism, social conservatism and neoconservatism. In this political realignment, Reagan seized disaffected working class voters and foreign policy hawks from the Democrats to form, respectively, the social conservative and neoconservative legs of the three-legged stool. This conservative coalition has been the foundation of the Republican Party ever since. The emergence of Donald Trump as the frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary, however, is an existential threat to the Reagan coalition. Donald Trump has dismantled the GOP's reverence for free markets and global trade with his support for single-payer health care and the Obamacare individual mandate , and his proposals for increased taxes on hedge fund managers . On foreign policy, Trump has bashed the neoconservative assumptions underlying the GOP's interventionist instincts in favor of an inward-focused foreign policy. Donald Trump has shown little to no interest in the social conservative culture wars of abortion and gay marriage politics. On the left, Bernie Sanders' policies closely resemble that of Donald Trump's. Neither expresses much interest in litigating old culture wars and both prefer a noninterventionist foreign policy. More importantly, however, on economic issues Sanders merely expounds upon Donald Trump's government-controlled economy by calling for even higher tax rates and expanded government benefits to the lower class. The policy similarities between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders reveals that their bases of support have more ideological commonality with each other than with their respective parties establishment candidates, Secretary Hillary Clinton and Senator Marco Rubio, consequently revealing the new populist vs. neoliberal fault line in American politics.

In this realignment, the populists would represent what Walter Russell Mead describes as a Jacksonian American political tradition. Jacksonians believe that American foreign policy should pursue strictly national interests and that government should actively use its powers as a check to corporate influence. The populists would not only embrace the contemporary welfare state but seek to expand it. These are the voters who support expanded Medicare and Social Security, pro-union labor policies, higher taxes on the wealthy and adamantly oppose free trade agreements. The populists are motivated by nationalist appeals to restrict immigrant labor from competing with American workers and reverse decades of globalization that has decimated America's manufacturing industry. Internally, the populists would test the limits, if any, of expansive government powers. As heirs to the old Irish-Scot constituency, the populists would have strongholds in Appalachia and other rural areas of country.



On the contrary, neoliberals would comprise Mead's Jeffersonian American political tradition. Jeffersonians believe that the U.S. should actively participate in international relations and pursue a more business-friendly domestic economic policy. The neoliberals represent the business elites who favor global trade agreements, interventionist foreign policy to protect American interests abroad and pro-business economic policies. The neoliberals would support subsidies to business, liberal immigration policies, industry deregulation and a generally light tax burden. The neoliberal's base of support would exist primarily in the coast and urban centers.



Along with Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, current politicians from both parties who would identify with the populists include Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Joe Manchin and, for Republicans, Representative Steve King and former Senator Rick Santorum.



Neoliberal contemporaries, along with Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio, would include Democrats Senator Ron Wyden and Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Governor Jon Huntsman.



Of course, this projection is not perfect; however, it is still arguably more representative of today's ideological divide than the status quo. Even within this realignment, however, internal divisions and seeming ideological inconsistencies will persist.



For example, the populists would express a streak of libertarianism in regards to stronger Second Amendment protections, whereas the neoliberals would be amenable towards stricter gun control laws. On counterterrorism and surveillance issues, however, civil libertarians would side with the neoliberals, who are skeptical of government force, whereas the populists support unrestrained government powers to counter terrorism. Furthermore, though conservative populists would now have a party to unabashedly advocate their economic interests, free market libertarians would again be without a natural political party, eschewing both the neoliberals' corporatist inclinations and the populists' fervor for an expansive welfare state. Evangelicals as a monolithic voting block will probably be excluded from both parties, but judging by their embrace of Donald Trump, it can be surmised that evangelical voters are no longer animated about the morality issues that defined them in the Reagan coalition.



As the insurgencies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have shown, the current political parties do not adequately represent the ideological composition of their constituents. The current left-right political coalitions no longer apply and soon enough voters will sort themselves into more mutually beneficial ideological alliances. Shifting coalitions has long been a part of the American two-party tradition; it was only a matter of time before the liberal-conservative axis went the way of the federalists, Whigs, radicals, Know Nothings, silverites and New Dealers. In this emerging political realignment, neoliberals will unify to defend the neoliberal world order that has served them so well for the past 30 years. In contrast, the populists who have been borne the economic burdens of globalism will seek to regain the economic benefits lost to the status quo. Hopefully, the next political realignment suffers a less ignominious breakup than the current internecine battles afflicting the Republican and Democratic parties.
Every single sensational sound bite and polarizing press release showcasing Donald Trump's latest racist, homophobic, xenophobic or sexist remark highlights how his beliefs cut right down through the core of the social work perspective. At times it appears that Trump may even be going so far as to carry a copy of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and a pen in his back pocket, ensuring that he can scribble a check mark next to all of ethical principles and core values of the social work profession he has stomped on and violated for the day. With March being nationally recognized as Social Work Month, there is no time like the present to look at how some of Trump's rhetoric lines up with a few of the ethical principles that every one of the over 650,000 social workers in this country have pledged to uphold.

NASW Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Trump: "I think the institution of marriage should be between a man and a woman."

NASW Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.



Trump: "I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."

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NASW Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.



Trump: "I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."

NASW Ethical Principle: ALL of the above mentioned Ethical Principles.



Trump: "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States..."

"Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living." - NASW Code of Ethics

As I prepare to march down the aisle in May to join the ranks of over 650,000 social workers across the nation, I can't help but find myself thinking about the responsibility that comes with that title. I think about the commitment to social justice that our profession has held near and dear in this country since the days of Jane Addams in the late 1800's. I think about the magnificent impact that all of us upholding this commitment could have in the current political climate.

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You know you have to have an online presence in order to survive in today's noisy, competitive business world. No matter how fantastic your service or product is, you won't make any money if people don't know you. The more channels of exposure you can get, the bigger the audience you will reach. So, what are some ways you can begin building your online presence? Below, seven founders share their feedback.

A. Through Expert Content

One thing that's really effective is providing expert content for an industry-related article. People will immediately see you as an authority and spread that content across multiple platforms, giving you wide and long-lasting exposure. - Thomas Edwards, The Professional Wingman

A. With Unpublished Facebook Ads

Facebook has powerful tools that not only get you online exposure for your business, but can harness said exposure from the exact customers that would pay for your product. Social media gurus like Gary V. have unlocked the secrets of targeted ads so that you can literally post your content to 25-35-year-old female professionals in the Greater Boston Area who like small dogs and own a Fitbit. - Zimin Hang, Ultradia

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A. Through the Power of Social Hustle

Don't forget the power of hustling on social media. Engage in conversations with customers, aspirational organizations, and industry specific groups. I often use the term "invite yourself to their party" -- do that. Be proactive in your approach and authentic in your message. The goal is to build a relationship, not sell to someone. Be curious, make them feel important, and be interesting. - Steven Picanza, Latin&Code

A. By Guest Writing

Although it's gotten a bad rap from Google lately (thanks to the high volume of extremely low-quality guest blogs on the web), they're actually a highlyeffective marketing tool. Share your expertise with the right people and get articles published on the right websites, and you'll have clients coming to you in droves. - Steven Buchwald, Buchwald & Associates

A. By Reaching Out Online

I spend about 30 percent of my time either reaching out to reporters or writing interesting content for The Huffington Post and other outlets. The media is a huge validator, and getting great press drives a ton of online sales. - Lisa Curtis, Kuli Kuli

A. By Having Good SEO

We are an SEO agency and built our own site from the ground up (several years ago). SEO has provided us with some of the best leads imaginable. When you rank first in Google, people tend to have a trust in you as a business and seem more "ready to buy" than prospects from other sources. We have built our whole company on SEO, and client referrals and continue to grow each year. - Christopher Rodgers, Colorado SEO Pros

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A. Through Testimonials and Word of Mouth

Nothing speaks louder than genuine testimonials and someone recommending your brand or services to a friend or colleague. Once you've received a few testimonials from clients, it's time to build out a section of your site to show your client success. Seventy-two percent of people online trust reviews and testimonials. Now is the best time to start using them in your business and branding as well. - Zac Johnson, How To Start A Blog
"Empathy is the quintessential skill for the 21st century workplace."

-- Roman Krznaric

***

Gray skies filled with the black noxious waves of smokestacks. Compact factory assembly lines of human and metal, of sweat and dust. The heartbeat and whistle of the steamboat. Textile machines whirring like hard rain on tin roofs. These are the images that shape our history textbooks. These are the sounds that fill our documentaries. This is the industrial revolution. Before this, we're told, everything was made by hand. After this, we're told, many things were made by machines.

But this didn't paint a full picture then, and it doesn't paint one now.

The industrial revolution, as we've come to know it, erupted during the late 18th century when people in England learned how to harness the power of rivers and streams in order to generate the power needed to mechanize the textile industry. It's at this point that Samuel Slater, often referred to as "the industrial spy," memorized all that he saw in the mills, boarded a ship, and in 1789 brought his knowledge to the U.S. where he would become known as the "father of the American factory system." The U.S. would go on to mass produce not only textiles, but furniture and all sorts of household goods.

By the late 19th century, farmers were leaving their difficult jobs under the blue skies to find what would come to be perhaps even more difficult jobs inside the factories of American cities. Think standing in one place for 10 hours at an assembly line, think of lifelong farmers now needing to ask permission to piss, think feeling pressured to give your child opiates so they would sleep and you could work, think major increases in productivity but people (and children) often being seen as merely a means to the finished product.

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So while the shift from agrarian to industrial certainly built the modern societies we're now part of, it also broke certain habits of our empathy.

What empathy looks like

One way to understand empathy is to juxtapose it with sympathy -- a word we often use as though it's synonymous. RSA put together this 3-minute animated film (based on a talk by research professorBrene Brown), to highlight how drastically different these words are:

As mentioned in the video, empathy is often described in the context of the four qualities found by nursing scholar Theresa Wiseman. She published an article in 2007 in which she described them as such: empathy as an incident, empathy as a way of knowing, empathy as a process, and empathy as a way of being. They're frequently interpreted to mean:

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(1) Perspective taking: a willingness and ability to try to see situations/experience as others may see them. "Stepping into another person's shoes."

(2) Bearing witness: to step into that situation/experience without judgement or otherwise dismissive behavior.

(3) Understanding feelings: this of course means we've spent time feeling our own feelings so that, in the moment, we can put them aside while being guided by what they taught us.

(4) Communicate accordingly: based on our "read" of those feelings, we're able to go beyond recognition, and toward mindfully communicating our understanding.





The Machinery of Mind



What they told us stands true: many things

were

made by machines. These machines would lead to greater machines that would eventually lead to whatever machine you're reading this on. These machines, of course, forever changed the way we work, and they promoted all sorts of positive human progress. But the part rarely told is how our fascination with them changed how we thought about work and how we treated each other at work. Our machine fascination meant that we learned to see immense stability as normal, and that we viewed workers as merely part of a machine that made a part of a machine.

Whereas we once depended on the land and felt an empathic connection to it, industrial work in factories often disconnected us with our environment. The result was that land (and our work on it) went from something that was carefully balanced to something "out there" that should be conquered and capitalized on. For many, the environment -- that place and sense of place that shapes our stories and ways of being -- was replaced by one entirely different. Holli Elliott, in her piece for the

, described the agrarian-industrial shift like this:

"It divides not just two nearly opposite concepts of agriculture and land use, but also two nearly opposite ways of understanding our fellow creatures, our world, and ourselves."

This new way of working during the industrial revolution was jarring on a variety of fronts. Work moved from hand to machine; people accustomed to the close relationships formed in small communities felt trapped in chaotic cities; and a capitalistic system began to emerge that leveraged the intense work ethic of the farmer while layering in an obsession with scale. Elliott, again:

"The agrarian sense of abundance comes from the experienced possibility of frugality and renewal within limits. This is exactly the opposite of the industrial idea that abundance comes from the violation of limits: by personal mobility, extractive machinery, long-distance transport, and scientific or technological breakthroughs. If we use up the good possibilities in this place, we will import goods from some other place, or we will go to some other place. If nature releases her wealth too slowly, we will take it by force. In the industrial society, if we make the world too toxic for honeybees, some specialized corporation will invent tiny robots that will fly about pollinating flowers and making honey."

This mindset shift, fueled by the new way of work, also meant that neighbors could go from people we have deep relationships with to people who simply live next door. The result was that empathy for those next door no longer had quite the same need to be. And when this was coupled by a new system of work (where days were determined not by sun but by someone else's idea of "done"), a new level of competition arose.

This competition was often posited as the only means for innovation and progress, and in many ways it rewarded the dog-eat-dog mentality. After all, with less empathy for our neighbors, the people around us could more likely become the less-cared-for "others." And so the impossibility of infinite economic growth, even if it meant harming countless others in the process, became the cherished ideology. It could at once be the carrot and the stick.

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As businesses scaled, and more workers poured into factories, huge industrial organizations formed in ways the world had never seen. To maintain it all and steer it toward productivity would be an immense challenge -- the answer to that challenge would create the field that we now know as "management."



The Three Eras of Management



In her piece at

Harvard Business Review

, Rita McGrath, a professor at Columbia Business School , refers to there being

, and this first era was all about

execution

. This included "mass production, and managerial solutions such as specialization of labor, standardized processes, quality control, workflow planning, and rudimentary accounting."

This revolution was primarily top-down; those thinking about management were typically doing so in a way that didn't take into account employee insights, even though they were coming up with ways to streamline employee labor for maximum productivity. Also growing during this period was a realization that the complexities of management deserved dedicated periods of study, not just learning on the fly. From that grew the first business school at a university.

The second era of management, according to McGrath, was all about expertise. By the late 20th century, the field of management was growing and even splintering off into sub-categories as new theories prevailed. Companies would claim their success was a result of one theory or the other, and books exploring various theories of management were being published in response to other books on the topic. The field of management had entered an enlightenment.

But there was one problem. As the ways we worked kept changing, the mindset and metaphors through which we came to understand management stayed the same. Our new machine mindset was now troubling for a variety of reasons, not least of which was because a new kind of work and worker was beginning to blossom.

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Peter Drucker, a management guru of the expertise era, coined the term "knowledge work." He saw there was something missing in the ways people were discussing the changing nature of work--nobody seemed to be charting the changing nature of workers. For Drucker, the stories we'd been telling ourselves about how best to produce goods weren't taking into account the value of a worker's knowledge or their ability to use such knowledge.

Though Drucker's thoughts were a glimpse into the future, an article at Knowledge@Wharton titled, Productivity in the Modern Office: A Matter of Impact, said this about our ability to implement them:

"More than 50 years after management guru Peter Drucker first wrote about the difficulty of defining and measuring the productivity of knowledge workers, management experts say many companies still do a poor job of it. 'In general, organizations have not truly come to grips with how to think about productivity in a knowledge economy, let alone how best to manage it,' says Jordan Cohen, a productivity expert with PA Consulting Group."

With economic inequality getting worse in so many parts of the world, with the new

new

"knowledge work" where change is the new normal, and with modern teams increasingly valuing employees holistically, it's time to let go of our antiquated mindsets and metaphors. We've entered a new era. In McGrath's words:

"Today, we are in the midst of another fundamental rethinking of what organizations are and for what purpose they exist. If organizations existed in the execution era to create scale and in the expertise era to provide advanced services, today many are looking to organizations to create complete and meaningful experiences. I would argue that management has entered a new era of empathy."

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Management in the era of empathy

When I asked Roman Krznaric, author of

"Empathy in the modern workplace is not just being able to see things from another's perspective--it's the cornerstone of good teamwork, smart leadership and innovative design. With increasing automation, the real comparative advantage of the human worker will be their capacity to create relationships, both inside and outside firms--and that means empathy will count more than ever. Let's forget recruiting employees simply on the basis of their professional qualifications or their Myers-Briggs scores: give them an empathy test and fill your organization with emotional intelligence."

Krznaric's words got me thinking....

The history books during my time in school (may it not be so today!) taught the industrial revolution primarily through the lens of Henry Ford's perceived genius and subsequent impact. But perhaps the truer story, the truer force of impact, is that while Mr. Ford certainly wielded tremendous influence, the millions of courageous workers who put their lives on the line to protest for safe working conditions and fair wages carved history far more than a single man ever could.

They fought and died for their own rights, but it was their collective buzz and wanting to better the conditions for future workers that makes me realize that empathy was their torch. It's a torch I saw burning in the eyes of the protesting Bangladesh factory workers I met a few years ago, and it's a torch that should continue to guide management professionals whether they are professors teaching the next generation or are deep in the world of business.

In a variety of sectors, empathy is often viewed as a "soft skill"; it's perceived as that unnecessary attribute just as likely to be a weakness as a stength. But there is perhaps no greater attribute for a "third era of management" professional to have than empathy.

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The alternative means stale imagery trying to make sense of new realities. It means companies failing to reach their goals because they didn't tap their own or their employee's empathic resources. It means damaged or underdeveloped employee relationships. It means talent walking out the door. It means accepting the status quo of not seeing our own privilege and therefore the full extent of inequality. In a recent article titled, Is empathy the hidden motor of human history, Krznaric put it this way:

"...empathy and reason typically operate in conjunction to create the foundations of human rights and social justice. They are not polar opposites but are in fact the best of friends, a democratic double act. Like knife and fork, ball and socket, Fred and Ginger, they work best when they work together... The task we face is to create a generational shift, rebalancing the focus on individualist values with a greater emphasis on collective values."

We can either be part of that shift, or get swept away by holding onto an unstable foundation from a bygone era.

Has management entered a new era of empathy? How does empathy play a role in your company's management style or policies?

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About the featured photo:

Michael Summers' "Love Bots" is our feature painting this week. Artist statement: "Each painting hints at a story of self-realization and gently pokes fun at our pre-conceived notions of reality and the extraordinary. By taking everyday objects and imagery and putting them in a new context, I encourage people to take another look at the world around them... I can create art for myself, but it is simply incomplete until I can make someone else happy in the process. Please, feel welcome, and enjoy!"

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-Carrot photo: Boardman Robinson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
After graduating from college, I decided to skip out on finding a full-time job, and instead applied to teach English abroad in Spain. I think a lot of people view what I'm doing abroad as a huge "vacation," a giant long trip to Europe, or may even romanticize the idea of living abroad and being abroad. I've been here for two years now, and I know that before I moved over here, I definitely romanticized the idea that I'd be taking vacations to exotic areas, participating in super cultural festivals and meeting a bunch of different people from all over the world.

I had this idea of always having my cafe con leche, sitting on my terrace with the Spanish sun warming my skin. Then, I'd go out with friends for tapas, dine on Spanish ham and delicious cheese while drinking wine by the glass for only 2. While I have to admit some of these things are true, my life is not a fairy tale European getaway.

Y'all, there's something that is called work. I carry on with my normal "day-to-day" life just like the rest of my family and friends do back in the States. I wake up, go to work, come home, do house chores, go to my private lessons, prepare dinner, prepare for my next day and try to work on my blog. In actuality, I'm doing a lot of normal things that everyone else does, but the difference is that I'm in a different country. Besides asking in English where I can find the eggs in the grocery store, I'm asking in Spanish and hoping that I understand the reply!

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On the weekends, I'm traveling or even staying home and doing MORE house chores, grocery shopping, or even find myself getting to the point where I'm bored out of my mind!

As a second-year expat teaching English, I've been asked by a lot of people when I'm coming home to really get started on "my life." After talking to a few other expats about their conversations with family and friends from home, I noticed that I am not alone with these nagging questions. What usually ensues in conversations like these are:

- "When are you coming back to get a real job?"

- "What about being an adult?"

- "You can't travel forever and think you can make money like that."

- "You need to find a job with a high paying salary."

- "You can't avoid adult life forever."

- "What about finding a job with health care, your retirement fund, buying a house?"

While all of these are very casual reminders that I'm not going about the "American Dream" the normal way, they also leave me feeling stressed and extremely confused with what I'm doing.

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I'm not the only expat who feels this way! Did our "adult lives" all of a sudden stop after picking up our bags and moving abroad? Mm, no. Sadly, we are not all here gallivanting through Europe and taking pictures for Instagram all day. Although, that would be ideal! The truth is the bills need to be paid, plane tickets don't pay for themselves, and food doesn't magically appear without money. Us being an "adult" didn't not happen, it's happening, but it's happening across the Atlantic Ocean, in a different language and in a different culture!

Here's a little secret for everyone: my life, and the lives of many expats, aren't vacation getaways, they're our real lives made with real experiences and real work. Really, try teaching English all day long. It takes a special talent to be THAT patient.

So, to all of the other expats who have continuously received this question, and to the family and friends who continue to ask when we're coming home to get started with "real life"/join the "adult world" and let go of this traveling escapade abroad, I tell you:

"MY REAL LIFE IS HAPPENING! I'M BEING A RESPONSIBLE ADULT!"

I wake up every day with responsibilities and obligations to go to work, pay my bills and try to create more of a life here abroad. I find it personally insulting when people tell me that this is just a "stint" abroad to avoid working in corporate America; when I work really hard at what I'm doing over here. I don't have my parents to fall back on if I were to ever need help, I don't have my family here to help me figure out the foreign bureaucracy, I don't have many friends here, and I certainly don't have English to fall back on when I am trying to deal with legal documents, landlords, doctors, etc. I had to teach myself the language and the culture to get started!

When you start paying bills, paying for rent, and budgeting your own income to pay for vacations, purchases or a night out, I think this counts as being an "adult." You're right, I make less money than I would back in the United States, I don't have my own car and am not making car payments (do I really want to make car payments?), and I have the luxury of choosing to hop on a plane to visit Portugal for 80 if I wanted to. I have my own apartment, where my landlord comes the beginning of every month to collect rent, which I pay for with money that I've earned. I have water, electricity and gas bills that I need to take into account. I have health insurance from my job. Where exactly am I NOT part of the "adult world"?

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I have more rants, funny stories, cultural confusions and life in general as an expat in Spain on my blog TheQuirkyPineapple.com. And to be honest, I know I can't teach English forever, but that isn't to say this isn't a real job, either! Living abroad doesn't mean that your life magically stops and it's a giant vacation. It's hard starting over and creating a life in a foreign city or country. Not to mention, even harder in a different language. Cut your expat friends or family some slack, because what they're doing is not easy!

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The "wearing of the green" is a customary part of the celebration of St Patrick's Day. A look around your workplace today will likely reveal many of your co-workers sporting green clothing and accessories. Both the clothing and accessories are likely to include shamrocks, one of the national symbols of Ireland.

St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved young sprig of clover, to explain the concept of the Christian "Holy Trinity" to the (then) pagan Irish.

The shamrock is also useful in understanding how your credit score works. Your credit score is actually a "trinity" of credit scores, reported by a trinity of credit bureaus; Transunion, Equifax and Experian. (It's a little-known fact that one of those bureaus, Experian, is actually an Irish Company, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.)

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Each of the three "leaves" of your credit score is different. This is because not all creditors report to all three of the bureaus, along with the fact that each of the three bureaus uses their own unique formula, or algorithm, to calculate your credit score. When it comes to applying for a loan, the leaf of your credit score which is most important is the middle one. Lending institutions throw out your high score and your low score and focus on the one in the middle. This mid-score is a major factor in determining whether you obtain financing or not.

Why do lenders single out the middle score? You would think that all three credit scores, even if different, would be very close to each other. Guess what? They're not! It is not uncommon for us to see credit reports with huge differences in the scores that are reported by the three credit bureaus; sometimes the differences are as high as 75 to 80 points! It is also not uncommon for us to see derogatory items on a credit report like a tax lien or an unpaid court judgment being reported by one of the credit bureaus, but not the other two.

Lenders know that the information that is being reported by the bureaus contains inaccuracies and deficiencies. By using the middle score, they get rid of the report (the high score) that has likely missed something which could be negatively impacting your credit, and they get rid of the report (the low score) which has likely included a negative item that is inaccurate or doesn't belong to you.

Sad, but true. They don't use an average or a mean to determine your true credit score because throwing out the high score and the low score provides a method for weeding out inaccurate information -- inaccurate information on the one hand that may boost your score, and inaccurate information on the other hand that may depress your score. Seems like a lot of "blarney" doesn't it?!

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As they say in Ireland's native Gaelic language, "Beannachtai na Feile Padraig oraibh!" ("Saint Patrick's Day blessing upon you!")
By the CheapTickets Blog Editors for the CheapTickets Blog

Sure, St. Patrick's Day is meant to honor Ireland's patron saint but in reality, the holiday also delivers tons of parades, green beer and unbridled revelry of every stripe in cities across the country. Scroll down and you'll find this year's top St. Patrick's Day celebration destinations, including ways to save if you decide to make the trip.

But first, take this quiz that finally answers the age-old question, What's your pub name?

CHEAPTICKETS.COM EDITORS' TOP PICKS FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATIONS

Chicago, Ill.

Spectators from around the world gather in Chicago on March 12 to watch the Chicago River dyed green, followed by the Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade (featuring bagpipers, dancers and marchers galore) that steps off at Grant Park -- rain or shine. Parties citywide are not to be missed.

San Francisco, Calif.

One of the largest celebrations of its kind on the West Coast, the 165th San Francisco St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 12 features over 100 floats, Irish dance troupes and marching bands as well as an all-day festival in Civic Center Plaza.

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Atlanta, Ga.

Proudly claiming the spot as Atlanta's longest running event, the 134th Atlanta St. Patrick's Parade on March 12 will consist of nearly 750 musicians and dancers -- only one part of the expected 2,300 total participants - and a special appearance by the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.

Las Vegas, Nev.

While Las Vegas is "Party Central" 24/7, 365 days a year, St. Patrick's Day-themed events and parties abound up and down the strip. While most take place on March 17 itself, several events continue through the weekend.

New York, N.Y.

The first New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade was held in 1762, 14 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed! This year, the largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the United States will be broadcast live to Ireland and the U.K. for the first time ever on March 17. Over two million spectators are expected.

Boston, Mass.

Touted as the "most Irish" city in the United States, Boston is home to some of the best Irish pubs in the world outside of Ireland. Aside from parties and celebrations across the city, the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade takes place on March 20.

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HOW TO SAVE

According to CheapTickets.com data, about one-third of Americans have traveled for St. Patrick's Day or would consider making the trek for a celebration worthy of shaking their shamrocks. Nearly 60 percent of consumers would consider booking a last-minute room after a night of partying and drinking, so this year, CheapTickets.com is offering revelers the chance to save some green with 20 percent off last-minute hotel mobile bookings using promo code CLOVER20.

Also on HuffPost:
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to speak to supporters at his primary election night event at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, March 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Although at the present time it's kind of hard to believe, there is a faction of the Republican Party which looks towards the future and sees some very problematic demographic shifts awaiting it. These forward-looking types tried to educate the rest of their party after they got shellacked in the 2012 presidential race, dissecting the festering corpse of Mitt Romney's campaign in an autopsy, and then issuing a post-mortem document pleading Republicans to begin instituting some basic changes. Mostly, these changes can be boiled down to: "Don't badmouth minorities so blatantly, because if you do so it is very hard to convince them to vote Republican." Also pointed out was the fact that young Americans are much more inclusive than the Republican Party as a whole, and losing an entire generation of voters is going to hurt for decades to come.

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Of course, almost none of this advice was followed. A quick overview of the Republican presidential nomination race proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt. The big problem for Republicans now is that they certainly didn't learn their lesson the last time around, and it is almost impossible to believe that they will this time, either. The dynamics of the race pretty much guarantee that there will be a built-in excuse for the faithful to latch onto, should the Democrats win in November.

In the most recent losing presidential contests on the Republican side, staunch conservatives always fall back on the same excuse: "If only we had nominated a true conservative, we'd have won." The "establishment" candidate always seemed to win the nomination, which was the heart of the problem (for true conservatives). It wasn't that Mitt Romney couldn't reach out to independent voters, it was that he didn't do enough to excite the base. If only a real conservative had won the nomination, this thinking goes, they would have won in a landslide.

This time around, however, the built-in excuse will be: "Donald Trump upset the apple cart, so no real lessons can be drawn because it was such an abnormal election." If Trump hadn't run, and if someone like Ted Cruz had become the nominee, then it really would have put the "nominate a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and you'll win in November" theory to the test. If, in this alternate universe, the Democrat had beaten Cruz badly, then the establishment could have put the theory to rest once and for all. "See?" they'd say, "That was as bad as Barry Goldwater -- next time, you'll nominate a good establishment figure and we might win."

But Trump did run. And then he won. And won and won and won. He's now headed straight for the nomination, in fact. This guarantees that absolutely no lessons will be learned by Republicans in the aftermath. Play out every possible ending, and they all wind up at the same place: Republicans bickering about what happened, and putting all blame on Trump himself.

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If Trump wins the nomination outright and then goes on to lose to Hillary Clinton, the response will be: "Trump was not a true conservative -- heck, he wasn't even a true Republican." If Trump is denied the nomination at the convention, the candidate who does get the nod will be seen as flawed by roughly half the party, and the built-in excuse if he loses will be: "Trump caused all this mess, next time around will be different." If there is a third-party candidate (either Trump, after being denied the nomination at the convention, or a third-party conservative who runs against Trump in the general election), then the excuse for losing will be obvious: "It was the third party's fault!" If Trump actually beats Hillary to win the general election, then there will be no post-mortem and the party will instead learn a very dangerous lesson indeed: demagoguery works.

In none of these scenarios is it possible to see the Republican Party doing serious self-examination afterwards. Donald Trump is his own faction. He's leading a cult of personality, not an ideological crusade. Because of this, no firm conclusions will even be possible afterwards. Oh, sure, the Republicans might overhaul their primary process to avoid this ever happening again (maybe they'll even take a page from the Democrats' playbook and introduce the superdelegate idea?), but this won't be the election to bury the "let's nominate a real conservative" idea. Far from it. In fact, things are so bizarre with Trump in the race that Ted Cruz is now the reasonable alternative for establishment Republicans. Having Ted Cruz be the "reasonable alternative" to anything or anyone just shows how bizarre things stand in the GOP right now. Absent Trump, Cruz would be the one party bigwigs were running ads against, desperately trying to stop him. Instead, he's now the last chance they have to stop Trump.

If Donald Trump becomes the GOP nominee and goes on to lose to Hillary Clinton, the post-mortem afterwards will be nothing more than the establishment Republicans loudly telling their own base voters: "We told you so!" Trump is so far out of the usual divide between the establishment and conservative wings of the party that no real lessons will be learned -- or even possible.

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Democrats, to be fair, seem like they're going to postpone a similar reckoning in their party as well. If Bernie Sanders falls short of his goal, then the counter-argument from the left ("Let's nominate a true progressive and we'll surely win!") will continue into the next election cycle. If Bernie had won, Democrats would have had a chance to test the proposition this year, but after last night that doesn't seem very likely. This argument has been raised multiple times in recent years (by supporters of Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich, and John Edwards), and its appeal appears to be growing stronger. Bernie might lose, but he'll lose by a lot smaller margin than Dean, Kucinich, and Edwards lost. This shows the growing dissatisfaction within Democratic ranks with their own establishment, and next time around the progressives might actually win the nomination (when Hillary Clinton is not on the ballot, perhaps in 2024 after her second term). So it's an argument that will take place in a future year among Democrats, as well.

Getting back to the Republicans, though, while it might not seem like it now, the party is fully capable of evolving when it sees its best interests threatened. Case in point this time around would be how they talk about gay marriage. Mostly, they don't. This is a monumental shift from the past two decades, when Republicans would eagerly attempt to use gay rights as a wedge issue among voters (which they were wildly successful at, it must be admitted). But since the Supreme Court has effectively ended the argument, Republicans this time around realized that the fight was lost and the more they brought it up the more damage they did to their chances of winning over young voters.

This evolution isn't complete, of course, and it wasn't prompted by a change in heart in any way. Republicans just realized it was a losing issue for them, and dropped it. No post-mortem from a previous election convinced them to do so, instead it was the Supreme Court. Still, it was a blow to those within the party who had been fighting gay rights for years.

Perhaps Trump losing will cause a similar movement within the party on issues such as immigration (perhaps after watching 80 percent or more of the Latino vote go to the Democrat). There may not be ideological shifts, but instead tactical ones. Whatever the issue, Republicans might realize "our position is losing us voters and any chance at the Oval Office," and start ignoring the issue rather than demagoguing it. Perhaps not. Either way, this is more of a tactical response than a fundamental lesson learned by the party at large. But this is really the only type of lesson it will even be possible for Republicans to learn. "Don't be like Trump," though, does not really show all that high a degree of self-examination. Maybe if Trump loses and then the party nominates Ted Cruz in 2020, real lessons can be drawn. But with Trump in the mix, any lesson learned (as with everything else about the Republican nominating process this year) will be entirely about Donald Trump -- and not about fixing the demographic problem the Republican Party still faces in the near future.

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Chris Weigant blogs at:
Hang knot on American flag. Death penalty gallows,

Not so long ago, the few groups working to achieve criminal justice reform were almost entirely traditional representatives of civil liberties or of prisoners' families. Conservative political groups were solidly in the "tough on crime" camp, and the only disagreement came on which of them most merited that label.

Times have changed, however, and now some of the rhetoric and positions issuing from some of the most conservative groups and political activists have started on some criminal justice issues to sound a lot like what you might expect from the ACLU.

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Consider a recent blog entry for the libertarian Reason magazine on the latest Conservative Political Action Conference, held earlier this month outside Washington, D.C. The annual event draws a wide range of conservative activists, organizations and politicians (Donald Trump drew headlines this year by being the only Republican presidential contender to skip it).

Prominent at the 2016 CPAC conference were such conservative pro-criminal justice reform groups as Right on Crime, which dates from late 2010, and Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, which debuted at the 2013 CPAC conference. The foundation of the sponsoring organization, the American Conservative Union, also challenges traditional law-and-order approaches to sentencing and imprisonment through its Center for Criminal Justice Reform.

Many of the conservative advocates for criminal justice reform argue that policy in the area needs to be not just tough, but "tough and smart." Besides sticking with core conservative values like the value of protecting public order and life, they urge adoption of pragmatic lessons learned as to what works and what doesn't in preserving those values, and urge reforms they see as in line with further conservative goals, such as responsible budgeting and limiting the size of government.

In one of two criminal justice reform sessions at CPAC 2016, two conservative activists debated the hardline law-and-order sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The conservatives expressed admiration for the police official's record in fighting street crime, but also argued that changes such as channeling more drug offenders away from prison and towards rehabilitation would be both less expensive and more effective.

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Pointing to recent statistics, they also noted many states -- often led by conservative governors and legislatures -- have achieved reductions in both crime and incarceration rates after revising the harshness of their sentencing laws. Texas, for one, has been able to close three state prisons and avoid $2 billion in new prison construction costs by spending less than $300 million to expand rehabilitation programs and limiting mandatory sentences to just the most violent or repeat offenders. One criminal reform activist noted the value of local flexibility on crime policy, pointing out the government which sets policy for federal prisons also runs the postal system.

At the federal level, Senators backing a sentencing reform bill (S. 2123) intended to reduce current levels of incarceration by, among other things, reducing some mandatory minimums to set lighter penalties and afford judges greater leeway in sentencing for lower-level drug crimes, includes both liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Its lead sponsor, Judiciary Committee chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA), noted the bill was based on reforms made in Texas, which increased rehabilitation, cut crime rates and lowered public spending on corrections.
Today I am visiting Ukraine for the third time since I started my mandate as European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management well over a year ago. My trip to eastern Ukraine comes at a time when the ongoing human suffering in the region is out of the spotlight of the international media.

We cannot allow Ukraine to become a forgotten crisis.

The humanitarian situation remains serious. Over 3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. One year after the signing of the Minsk Agreements, peace and stability are still not restored in the east of the country and hundreds of thousands of people are suffering because of the conflict.

The beginning of the year has witnessed an increase in the number of ceasefire violations. Only a strictly observed ceasefire will be conducive to creating the conditions for advancing the political resolution of the conflict. Progress on the political and security track come together.

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I want to reaffirm the EU's full solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and those affected by the conflict on both sides of the contact line. The EU is committed to keep Ukraine on the international agenda. We are boosting our assistance to the affected populations by a further 20 million bringing the total humanitarian aid by the EU and its Member states to over 143 million since the beginning of the crisis.

Humanitarian needs are greatest near the line of contact and in the non-governmental controlled areas (NGCA).

The EU reiterates its call on all parties to allow unimpeded access of humanitarian partners to operate freely in all areas, and to facilitate the free movement of civilians between the NGCA and the rest of Ukraine. Although some humanitarian organisations have recently been granted a permission to resume activities in the NGCA, they do not have the capacity to cover all the needs. As a priority, the "de-facto" authorities have a responsibility to ensure the basic assistance to the populations in question. In this regard, the work of the Minsk humanitarian working group is crucial; access of and to humanitarian assistance should be the top priority of the group.

As always, the most affected by the armed conflict are children. Over half a million of Ukrainian children have been deeply affected, especially the ones living in non-government controlled areas and close to the front line. Some have lost their lives, other were injured. Many have lost their loved ones, many more cannot attend school. Thousands have seen things that no child should ever see. One childhood lost is one too many.

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This is why I pay special attention to the needs of children in any conflict. I will visit one of the EU-funded projects that supports education in emergencies for the children affected by the crisis. The project gives children access to learning and offers psychosocial support to overcome the trauma of war. Education is a shield for vulnerable children.

But humanitarian assistance alone will not be enough. Additional measures will be needed to help the 1.5 million displaced people in the long term, to promote social and economic development, to preserve the hope for better prospects. Ukrainian political forces must maintain the focus on the reform process to ensure continued support from Ukrainian citizens and the international community.
"MORE POWERFUL THAN THE MARCH OF MIGHTY ARMIES IS AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME... (Victor Hugo)

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In the spring of 1968, less than four months before his death, in a speech at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about the importance of remaining awake through a revolution and the dangers of neglecting socio-political movements of great importance. He said:

"One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change."

Six years earlier President John F. Kennedy reminded us that:

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - (March 13th, 1962, Speech, First Anniversary of The Alliance For Progress.)



During this year of Presidential election primaries, the Republican and Democratic Party "Establishments" should reflect on the advice of Dr. King and President Kennedy. There are major political, economic, social, cultural and foreign policy issues confronting both parties now and in November 2016.

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If, for example, the "Establishment," leadership of the Republican Party is able to successfully prevent Donald Trump from being selected as their nominee, after winning the most votes during its primaries, this will undoubtedly provoke a major riotous push back from Trump supporters.

If Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Party presidential nominee, the Democratic party "Establishment," through its National Committee, after rigging the primary voting selection process so patently in favor of Secretary Clinton, will face the daunting task of persuading supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders to vote for her in the general election.

If Trump is the Republican nominee, (in the absence a VP choice that would be worst than John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin in 2008), it is my belief that Trump will defeat Hillary Clinton next November.

The toxic mix of anger and disillusionment among a large number of Trump supporters and the likely "holding your nose" syndrome on the part of Sanders supporters who vote, several of whom may not vote, will insure Hillary Clinton's defeat.

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I can hear the responsive arguments dismissing my belief: "Hillary Clinton will join together a coalition of women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, etc. who "will never vote for Trump", thus, assuring her of victory".

Underlying my thesis is the belief that the percentage of the demographic groups who will actually go to the polls and vote for Hillary Clinton will be insufficient to offset the voter base of Donald Trump, many of whom will be firs time voters. Moreover, Hillary's African-American leader-advisors, based on what I have read and listened to, believe, contrary to the reality I hear as I travel to different places across the country, that a large segment of African-Americans WILL NOT vote for Donald Trump. At best, this is wishful thinking.

Re-read my quotes above from Dr. King and Pres. JFK. Both the Democratic and Republican party "Establishments" have underestimated the impact that illegal immigration has had on the domestic employment of African-American men, between the ages of 18-34 and the consequential impact of a racial biased criminal justice system upon the African-American community.

For those who read this blog and doubt what I say about the impact of our racist criminal justice system upon the African-American community, I recommend they read Michelle Alexander's book "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness". Professor Alexander writes:

More African Americans are under the control of the criminal justice system today - in prison or jail, on probation or parole - than were enslaved in 1850. Discrimination in housing, education, employment, and voting rights, which many Americans thought was wiped out by the civil rights laws of the 1960s, is now perfectly legal against anyone labeled a "felon."

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Until the "Black Lives Matter" movement confronted both Clinton and Sanders campaigns about this issue, neither of them made it an important part of their respective campaign speeches or Policy Statements.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, pauses while speaking during a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. In Democratic forums, Sanders and Hillary Clinton argue that deportations are ripping apart hard-working undocumented people who are merely trying to make a good life for their families, and that the president must show them mercy, even if it means stretching the limits of the law. Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

After Super Tuesday 3.0, it's clear now that the window for Senator Bernie Sanders to become the Democratic Party's presidential nominee has essentially closed.

The week-by-week guerrilla warfare with individual battles over states and delegates is over.

With two-thirds of the needed delegates already locked up for the Party's nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has built an insurmountable lead in the race for the nomination. Short of Sanders deploying some wizard-like magical powers we haven't yet seen, the political headwinds will continue to blow Clinton's way.

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And that's OK-- because even though he's lost the delegate battle, Sanders has nonetheless won the narrative war.

As the left-of-Clinton candidate, he's driven the dialogue and successfully forced the frontrunner to engage with him on an expansive series of left-of-center issues throughout this Democratic Primary.

In no way was the Clinton machine planning to run a primary race that centered its discourse around issues like taking on Wall Street, the big banks or the billionaire class. Nor did she plan on making income inequality the dominant issue of the early voting states.

Clinton's campaign also probably didn't anticipate that in the primary they would need a response formula and strategy to push back against attacks for her past support of her husband, President Bill Clinton's, free trade policies. The same goes with the death penalty where Clinton likely didn't ever envision having to defend her pro-death penalty stance against a candidate who adamantly opposes the policy.

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Far from the perfect candidate himself, Sanders has represented the manifestation of what so many liberals, young people and Independent voters have been salivating for. They've wanted an authentic figure who they perceive doesn't just blow smoke like many of those in Washington, but rather someone who tells it like it is. At the same time, they've wanted a candidate who is willing to stand up against Washington and fight for a smorgasbord set of populist ideals that reflect more of a socialistic agenda than the capitalism-immersed Democratic Party platform.

These are just a select few topics that, without a Sanders candidacy, there wouldn't have been a conversation around. Had he not ran, Clinton would have been a general election candidate with a center-focused message from the get-go. Sanders changed all that and will no doubt leave a lasting impression on a possible Hillary Clinton Presidency, the Democratic Party as well as its agenda for years to come.

Plus, Sanders isn't done.

In spite of the extreme improbably that he'll ever be in a position to catch up to Clinton on the delegate front, Sanders' campaign is still very much alive and can continue to compete from a message perspective. Given that he's out-resourced Clinton in this campaign, the odds are that he'll stay in this race until the California primary on June 7th. Such a move will help to further anchor Clinton to the left and force her campaign headfirst into the Democratic Party's convention talking about these same populist issues.

Accomplishing this feat will effectively superglue Sanders' populist agenda to much of the Party's platform at convention. It may also bleed into the Clinton campaign's calculus as they determine who to pick as a Vice Presidential nominee. Rather than solely focusing on choosing a purple state candidate, finding someone who also possesses similar liberal leanings and screams authenticity may very well become part of Clinton's V.P. selection strategy. Such a tactical move for the Democratic Party's ticket could help bolster Clinton's appeal and help her tap into the Sanders base as she heads into November.

While the cold hard reality may not have fully set in yet, even though Sanders' campaign is claiming that his performance last night blew away recent polling which showed him far behind Clinton, the fact remains that she won all states that voted yesterday. As a result, this latest setback puts Sanders too far behind to catch up in the delegate battle. Despite losing this battle, however, both Sanders and his supporters have served as a meaningful vehicle for change this cycle, and they will continue to do so in the months ahead. Their effort has transformed this election, and should Clinton prevail in November, Sanders and his groundswell of supporters will have changed the course of history forever.
Linda was a successful pharmaceutical and medical device sales representative with her MBA when I met her at a business conference I was the keynote speaker at, talking about scaling companies.

Tired of working for other companies, Linda wanted to build her own business helping small pharmaceutical companies and medical manufacturers tap into an outsourced sales force of highly skilled and professionally managed sales reps to sell their pharmaceuticals or medical devices. On their own, these companies would never be able to afford this caliber of sales force due to their smaller size and limited budget.

Linda's choice for her business wasn't an accident. She applied a simple yet powerful formula that proved to exponentially increase the chances of her new business succeeding. Looking closely at this formula, see if you can spot how Linda applied it. If you've already started a business, see if you intuitively followed this formula or if you strayed from it.

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After observing thousands of startups and watching which ones thrived and which ones struggled, here is the bottom-line formula that I've distilled as to which business you should start. Essentially what it says is that you'll find your highest likelihood of business success when your new venture falls within the overlap of three factors:

Your passions

Your talents

Your advantages

Your Passions: What are you passionate about? What do you love to do? What things do you find absorbing? Engaging? Engrossing?

To build a successful business requires focusing on your business long after the blush of the initial excitement has faded. Your passion keeps you in your business and enjoying it even when you're faced with the inevitable challenges.

For Linda, her passion was to help people--that is, she loved selling a product she believed in to people who could use that product to make a real difference in the lives of those they served.

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You're business doesn't need to be just about what you love, but for you to increase your odds of staying the course, it should directly or indirectly and meaningfully tap into one or more of your deep passions.

Your Talents: What are you great at doing? What skills come easily and naturally for you? What do other people say looks easy when you do it? In what area are you consistently improving?

For Linda, her talents included a wonderful ease in meeting new people, the ability to build solid relationships, an infectious way of getting other people excited, and a dogged persistence that kept her focused on her goals, even when it looked like things might never work out.

Your Advantages: What are the resources, both financial and non-financial, that you can bring to your new business venture? What life experiences have you earned and want to apply? What relationships have you built that you can tap into? What skill sets and proficiencies have you invested the time and money to cultivate? What financial resources can you access? What symbolic capital have you earned?

In Linda's case, she spent 20 years in the medical sales arena. She had gained an intimate knowledge of how the industry worked, both from the standpoint of those selling in the field to the pharmaceutical or medical device companies that strive to make a profit. She had also developed relationships with hundreds of doctors, hospital administrators, medical staff members, sales reps, and medical companies. To all that, she brought a network of other business owners and advisors from the Maui community to give her feedback, help her fine-tune her plan, and support her in executing that plan.

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The most successful start-ups live in the overlap of these three areas: your passions, your talents, and your advantages.
Lawyer Jamie Gorelick, who served in the Bill Clinton Administration as general counsel of the Department of Defense and later as Deputy Attorney General, this year successfully pressed the Pentagon on behalf of the nation's biggest for-profit college, the University of Phoenix, to lift a suspension of the school for alleged recruiting abuses directed at U.S. military service members.

The University of Phoenix, which has been getting $2 billion to nearly $4 billion a year in taxpayer funds, has a troubling record of spending too little on instruction, charging high prices, and leaving many students worse off than when they enrolled.

The lawyer who helped rid the suspect school of a Pentagon penalty is a major power player in Washington. Having been the number two official in the last Clinton Justice Department, Jamie Gorelick is surely a possibility for the Attorney General job if Hillary Clinton is elected. Indeed, although Gorelick supported Clinton for president in 2008, she was considered a candidate for Attorney General in President Obama's administration, until she reportedly took herself out of the running. Gorelick also is a close friend and former boss of new Obama Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

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Gorelick has consistently contributed to Hillary Clinton's Senate and presidential campaigns. And last year, Gorelick, now a partner at the powerhouse law firm WilmerHale, represented the Clinton Foundation in a federal lawsuit.

Hillary Clinton has made clear that as president she would be tough on abuses by for-profit colleges, telling the audience at her first campaign event last year, an April 14 education roundtable discussion in Monticello, Iowa:

Some of the for-profit schools, some of the scandals that have arisen in these places where they take all this money and put all these young people and their families into debt. Even if they graduate they don't have credentials that are going to get them those jobs. Or they can't graduate because the other costs are just too great and they can't continue to incur debt, so they drop out, but they still have the debt, but they don't have the degree or the credential. So we have to sort this out, and we have to take on those interests that want to keep the system the way it is because it generates a lot of money and a lot of interest payments for them....

But Jamie Gorelick and her law firm have recently fought on behalf of such "interests that want to keep the system the way it is," arguing at the Pentagon, and in a separate federal lawsuit, against efforts by the Obama Administration to hold these institutions accountable for bad behavior.

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Clinton's strong stance in favor of protecting students sharply contrasts with GOP candidate Donald Trump, who ran the fraudulent, unlicensed, unaccredited Trump University. But however bad that phony Trump school was, in some respects the harms caused by accredited for-profit colleges like the University of Phoenix are worse: Student debt levels can be much higher than from Trump's school, and, because accredited schools are eligible for federal student grants and loans, American taxpayers can be left with much of the bill.

Gorelick and her firm's representation of for-profit college interests

After an investigative media report last June highlighted troubling, potentially unlawful recruiting practices by the University of Phoenix directed at service members, the Defense Department in October put the school on probation, kicking the school's recruiters off bases and suspending student tuition assistance to the company.

The investigative report, in Reveal, a publication of the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting, found that the University of Phoenix, which is owned by Apollo Education Group, paid the military for exclusive access to bases through sponsoring concerts and other events, sidestepping a 2012 Obama executive order whose aims included preventing for-profit colleges from gaining preferential access to U.S. troops. The school also reportedly held "resume workshops" for troops that seemed to serve as recruiting sessions, and it handed out "challenge coins" that included University of Phoenix logos on one side and, without the required permission, military branch insignias on the other side.

On October 7, a Pentagon official, Dawn Bilodeau, sent a letter to the University of Phoenix imposing the suspension. She cited the Reveal report and wrote that a Department review "revealed several violations" of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Pentagon and the school including "transgression of Defense Department policies regarding use of its official seals or other trademark insignia and failure to go through the responsible education advisor for each business related activity requiring access to the DoD installations" at Fort Worth, TX, Fort Bragg, NC, Fort Carson, CO, Fort Hood, TX, and Fort Campbell, KY.

Bilodeau wrote that the school had "responded to these infractions with appropriate corrective action at this time," but she concluded, "the frequency and scope of these previous violations of the DoD MOU is disconcerting." She also noted that the company was being investigated for deceptive practices by both the Federal Trade Commission and California's Attorney General.

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But in January, following an aggressive public push to lift this ban by Arizona's senior senator, armed services committee chairman John McCain (R), along with Senate education and labor committee chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the Pentagon on January 15 reversed course, ending the probation, and simply put the school on "heightened compliance review" for a year.

In ending the suspension on January 15, the Pentagon issued a statement offering little information:

The department determined that the removal of probationary status was warranted based on the department's internal review, the university's response to the department's concerns as set forth in multiple potential non-compliance notifications including the department's letter dated Oct. 7, 2015, the active engagement and cooperation by representatives of the University of Phoenix, and other relevant materials.

What has not been disclosed until now is that Gorelick, according to government officials, served as the attorney for the University of Phoenix as it managed, behind the scenes, to free itself from penalties imposed by the Department where she once was the top lawyer.

A Pentagon spokesman, Matthew Allen, citing DoD policy, declined to provide me with information regarding meetings and communications between DoD and the University of Phoenix related to DoD's decision to end the suspension. He even declined to confirm what I already knew: that Gorelick served as Phoenix's lawyer in the matter. (While federal law requires lobbyists to file regular disclosure forms identifying clients and payments with respect to activities aimed at affecting legislation or regulation, attorneys engaged in an adjudication don't have to make such disclosures.)

After several requests for an interview, Gorelick emailed me to ask for written questions, but she has not yet responded to them. The Apollo Education Group did not respond to requests for an interview.

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In January, the University of Phoenix president, Timothy B. Slottow, issued a statement in response to the lifting of the ban that said, in part, "we are grateful to leaders at the Department of Defense and in Congress for supporting a clear process and high standards from all educational institutions, and for ensuring military students are able to use their educational benefits for career-relevant programs at University of Phoenix."

Gorelick's successful work to end the Pentagon punishment was not her law firm's only recent effort to prevent executive branch measures to hold for-profit colleges accountable for abuses. WilmerHale recently represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is subsidized by for-profit colleges, in a lawsuit brought by the industry trade group APSCU to overturn the Obama Administration's "gainful employment" rule. This rule, a cornerstone of the Administration's effort to protect students from predatory practices, penalizes career education programs that consistently leave graduates without sufficient income to pay down their student loans.

The amicus brief submitted by Gorelick's firm argued that the appeals court was required to strike down the Obama rule as "irrational" because many for-profit college students "come from traditionally underserved and underprivileged communities" and the result of the rule would be that "the individuals perhaps most in need of these higher education programs will be deprived of the chance to matriculate and graduate, and in turn will lose the opportunity for social mobility that postsecondary education provides." On March 8, a federal appeals court panel, in a four-page opinion, summarily and soundly rejected the challenge to the rule and the industry's offensive arguments; the court wrote, "It would be a perverse system that, by design, wasted taxpayer money in order to impose crippling, credit-destroying debt on lower-income students and graduates." The three-judge panel included Gorelick's friend Judge Merrick Garland.

Gorelick as Democratic power player

Garland worked for Gorelick when she held her powerful post at the Clinton Justice Department. (She has described Garland, a Harvard college and law school classmate, as "one of my closest friends.")

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After leaving the Clinton Administration, Gorelick served as vice chair of Fannie Mae, the giant mortgage lender, from 1998 to 2003, and received some $26.4 million in total compensation, including bonuses. (In 2006, DC-based Fannie Mae was fined $400 million for accounting manipulation tied to executives' bonuses that occurred from 1998 to 2004; Gorelick was not charged with any wrongdoing.) In that period, Gorelick also served as a Democratic appointee on the 9/11 Commission.

At WilmerHale, Gorelick has represented a wide range of major corporate clients. Federal disclosure forms show she has lobbied for Google, JPMorgan Chase, Lazard Freres, and others. She lobbied for BP in the face of government efforts to hold the energy giant responsible for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Of interest to students, Gorelick lobbied on behalf of student loan giant Sallie Mae regarding, according to disclosure forms, "Student loan issues as they relate to reform of the Federal Family Education Loan Program" in the years 2009 to 2010. As media reports confirm, Gorelick was part of the intense lobbying campaign by Sallie Mae and big banks to block the Obama Administration's effort to reform the student loan system by eliminating nonsensical, wasteful loan subsidies to private lenders. The Obama Administration ultimately prevailed over Gorelick and the other special interest lobbyists, and the reform has saved billions for students and taxpayers.

Gorelick's well-paid effort to undermine this signature Obama education initiative was just part of the Washington game, though -- apparently no hard feelings. She was rumored to be a candidate for FBI Director in early 2011, and later that year she was appointed by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board.

Last August Gorelick visited the White House, visitor logs show, and dined at the mess with Neil Eggelston, the White House Counsel -- President Obama's top in-house lawyer.

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Federal Election Commission records show that Gorelick has donated more than $165,000 to federal candidates or committees since 1997, mostly to Democrats but also, when she worked at Fannie Mae, to Republican Senators Orrin Hatch (UT). Richard Shelby (AL), and Phil Gramm (TX), members of the finance and banking committees. Gorelick has, since 1999, donated more than $11,000 to Hillary Clinton's campaigns, including the maximum $2700 contribution last year.

Gorelick also represented the Clinton Foundation in its defense of an absurd lawsuit filed last year in Miami by conservative activist Larry Klayman of Judicial Watch against Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and long-time Clinton associates Cheryl Mills and Sidney Blumenthal, as well as the foundation. The suit alleged that Hillary Clinton used her position as Secretary of State to pressure various people for speaking fees and contributions to the family's foundation -- and that she used her private email server to shield this alleged scheme from the Freedom of Information Act. Gorelick and her colleagues filed a motion last June to dismiss the case, which they called "a politically motivated effort to sidestep FOIA." The presiding federal district judge sensibly dismissed the case last August. (Klayman has appealed.)

The University of Phoenix's troubling record

Government officials tell me they were not surprised when the Pentagon lifted the suspension of the University of Phoenix, in light of the aggressive effort on behalf of Apollo led by powerful Armed Services chair McCain, who attacked the Administration and charged that DoD had relied on "overly technical violations" of the agreement. GOP senators also threatened to block confirmation of presidential appointees until Apollo was let off the hook.

Senator McCain, Senator Alexander, and Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who joined in the effort to end Phoenix's suspension, all have received campaign contributions from the company. Indeed, Apollo is the largest donor in the 2016 election cycle to both Flake and Alexander.

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Government officials also said that the three-month suspension did punish Apollo with loss of revenue and bad publicity and might deter bad behavior going forward, and they noted that the Pentagon office overseeing education is too small to conduct an adequate investigation that could have sustained a longer punishment.

But the abuses alleged in the Reveal report and confirmed by the October Pentagon review were not some aberration on an otherwise clean record by Jamie Gorelick's client.

For-profit colleges have received as much as $32 billion a year in federal student aid, but government and media investigations have revealed that many schools have deceived and coerced prospective students, misled regulators, charged sky-high prices, and left many dropouts and graduates alike buried in debt and without improved job outlooks. I've spoken with, and written about, scores of students who were misled and ripped off, and many more employees and even owners in this industry who have recounted brazen, cynical efforts to deceive students and overseers alike.

Some major industry players have now collapsed or are in peril, as such disclosures have sent enrollments and share prices plummeting, regulators have pressed for greater accountability measures, and many companies face mounting federal and state law enforcement probes. Billions of dollars in education loans are already in default, and for-profit college students across the country are now demanding that the Department of Education, having vouched for fraudulent schools, forgive their debts.

Taxpayers have been giving the University of Phoenix / Apollo Education as much as $3.8 billion dollars a year in federal student aid, more than 80 percent of the company's total revenue. Even after the recent sharp declines, that amount exceeded $2 billion last year. Most of that money -- $1.99 billion-- came from the Department of Education, but amounts that the University of Phoenix has been getting from the Department of Veterans Affairs ($272 million in 2013 -- by far the top recipient of any school) and the Pentagon ($28 million in 2011) are also enormous and have helped the school meet the federal requirement that it receive at least 10 percent of its revenue from sources other than the Education Department.

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While some students do well at the University of Phoenix, and the school has some fine instructors, the institution, especially in the past fifteen years, has left many other students worse off. As John Murphy, co-founder of the company, explained in a 2013 book, the University of Phoenix lost its way when it moved beyond its mission of training and credentialing working adults. Instead, lured by too-easy federal aid money, the company joined other predatory companies in seeking to enroll recent high school graduates, low-income single parents, and young service members and veterans, into programs that often were not strong enough to help those students succeed.

The 2012 comprehensive report on for-profit colleges by then-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) found that the University of Phoenix spent $892 per student on instruction in 2009, compared to $2,225 per student on marketing, and $2,535 per student on profit. "This," the report found "is one of the lowest amounts spent on instruction per student of any company analyzed."

Department of Education data has shown that the University of Phoenix's graduation rate for first-time, full-time students is about 16 percent, and that graduation rate for the school's online programs is about 4 percent.

Around 25 percent of University of Phoenix students default on their loans within three years of leaving school.

Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, has said that the University of Phoenix has been the "worst by far" for-profit college in terms of taking advantage of the vets who are members of his organization. A letter sent last fall to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter from more than 30 veterans, civil rights, and consumer organizations supported the Pentagon's investigation and cited, as support, the complaints of hundreds service members and veterans "who experienced deceptive recruiting" by the University of Phoenix.

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At the time of the Pentagon suspension action last fall, three other state attorneys general in addition to California's, along with Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Securities and Exchange Commission were all already investigating or suing the University of Phoenix for fraud and other misconduct.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a strong advocate for students, in October had praised the Pentagon decision to suspend the school: "This is a decisive action by the Department of Defense to protect servicemembers and taxpayers from a company that offers degrees of questionable value. With below-average graduation rates and a student loan default rate almost forty percent higher than the national average, the University of Phoenix is going to have a hard time explaining why students should continue to enroll in this institution."

Phoenix and other for-profit colleges employ Democrats

Faced since 2010 with a sustained effort by the Obama Administration to deter and penalize predatory practices in the industry, for-profit colleges have hired a number of prominent Democrats to defend them before the White House, the Congress, and the public. These Democrats have included revolving door players like former Obama communications director Anita Dunn (advisor to Kaplan), former Clinton White House lawyer Lanny Davis (head of the trade group the Coalition for Educational Success), and former Representative Richard Gephardt (MO) (lobbyist for Corinthian Colleges).

Indeed, some major Hillary Clinton campaign donors have been long-time lobbyists for the University of Phoenix as it has battled Obama Administration reforms. Clinton bundler and advisor Steve Elmendorf, who runs the lobby firm Subject Matter, has been a registered lobbyist for Apollo since 2011, getting $200,000 a year from the company, according to federal lobbying disclosure forms. Another Clinton bundler, Alfred Mottur, was a registered lobbyist for the University of Phoenix from 2012 until late 2015, with his firm, Brownstein Hyatt, getting $320,000 a year from Apollo.

In February, Apollo Education Group announced a deal to sell the public company to a group of private equity firms, led by (the no-relation) Apollo Global Management and including Vistria, a firm founded by Marty Nesbitt, one of President Obama's closest friends, and former Obama Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller. When word of this potential deal surfaced, Reuters reported that sources said that "[b]ringing in Vistria was a strategic decision ... to smooth relations with government regulators once a deal is completed."

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These new investors have promised a fresh start for the University of Phoenix, but it remains to be seen what that means. Greg Cappelli, who has been CEO or co-CEO of Apollo Education Group since 2009 and with the company since 2007 -- the man who oversaw the record described above -- apparently will remain the company's CEO. And the lead acquirer, Apollo Global Management, is associated with its own questionable behavior.

*******

Everyone is entitled to a lawyer, and no doubt the University of Phoenix, facing long-term suspension, had facts and arguments it wanted to present to the Pentagon through a skilled advocate like Jamie Gorelick.

Except this: A key reason why predatory for-profit colleges have been able to receive billions annually in taxpayer dollars while ruining the lives of students across the country is that Washington power players -- politicians, lawyers, lobbyists, spinmeisters, analysts, even journalists -- have been willing to take some of this money to vouch for these companies and use their talents and connections to free them from accountability. These paid advocates either don't take the time to find out how badly these companies behave, and how much harm these companies cause -- or else they just don't care.

Hillary Clinton (despite a prior connection to for-profit Laureate Education) has now taken a strong, principled stand against predatory for-profit college companies. That's good news for our country. I hope she will keep listening to students who have been deceived, and not to people, even well-connected campaign supporters, whose work helps shield and enrich such bad actors.
I study the population dynamics of weeds and herbicide-resistant weed species in agronomic crops (i.e., corn, cotton, rice, soybean). So basically, I set up field and greenhouse experiments to test how a weed species will react to a proposed treatment, which could be the use of herbicides, competition with other weed species, or an environmental stressor (fire, drought, flooding) for example.

My days vary between the growing season and the off season. The growing season is essentially from planting to harvesting (typically late spring to early fall). During those days, we are planting fields, setting up our field trials, collecting data, maintaining our research areas, or harvesting. I tend to get up early, so that we can beat the heat in the summer, when we are working outside. I work in four different cropping systems: corn, cotton, rice and soybean. Usually, I am either conducting my own research or helping out another person in the lab with their research. Each day is spent in the field, working on various research experiments.

During the "off season" I conduct experiments in the greenhouse, analyze data, and write manuscripts/reports on the experiments that we conducted that season in the field. I also help teach a class each semester and help mentor the graduate students in my lab. There are a lot of moving parts to my job.

I love working with a large group of people with mixed backgrounds in STEM and collaborating on a daily basis. Each person brings something to the table that allows us to develop and carry out unique and exciting research goals. Field research is definitely one of my favorite things.

It drives me every day to realize that I will never know everything that there is to know in my field. There is always going to be something new to learn or do. Working on the front lines of my field is exciting, and I want to try and learn as much as I can while trying to conduct research that will help others learn something new.
Facial hair history was made last week during a rousing International Mustache Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Pittsburgh City Hall, as the hallowed hall's second class was introduced by the leadership of the American Mustache Institute (AMI).

Canonizing the superior attractiveness of people of facial hair, the Mustache Hall of Fame's newly elected class features mustache luminaries ranging from U.S. President Chester A. Arthur to legendary actor Carl Weathers, best known for his work as Apollo Creed in the Rocky films, and now clean-shaven "Weird" Al Yankovic.

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"With our newly elected class, we commemorate the passing of our last American president of Mustached American heritage - William Howard Taft," noted Dr. Adam Paul Causgrove, AMI chief executive. "We also offer a hearty 'you're welcome' to the global facial hair community, reminding all that enshrinement into this hall of fame is perhaps the most arduous yet ruggedly attractive achievement among its peer organizations, and we hope it sets the tone for handsomeness moving forward."

The Hall celebrates the rugged attractiveness of the global people of facial hair and works to combat the long-standing discrimination against those who embrace the lifestyle.

The second class of inductees -- which can be seen at MustacheHall.com -- features facial hair luminaries from the following categories:

Politics & Leadership - Chester A. Arthur

Historical Figures - Wyatt Earp

Film & Television - Carl Weathers

Sports - Steve Prefontaine

Music & Arts - "Weird" Al Yankovic

Animation - Mario & Luigi

"There was some hearty debate regarding Mr. Yankovic due to his recent status as a bare-faced mortal," noted Dr. Causgrove. "But he's done so much for the Mustached American community, as well as for floral-pattern shirts, that in examining his entire body of work it was an easy choice."

While the International Mustache Hall of Fame remains virtual, a search for a physical location is underway in Pittsburgh in partnership with city officials and local dignitaries.

Enshrinement into the Hall follows a deeply scientific process overseen through a partnership among the Dept. of Nuclear Mustacheology at the American Mustache Institute, the German-based Bertelsmann Foundation, the British-based Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, and Wahl Trimmers, the Official Sponsor of Facial Hair and inventor of arguably the most significant invention to mankind, the consumer electric trimmer.

Dr. Causgrove said the physical location should be finalized and complete by 2020 at the latest.
In a development that may someday help men facing infertility, Chinese scientists have just announced they were able to create sperm in a lab petri dish using embryonic stem cells from mice. The sperm was used to fertilize mouse eggs using in vitro fertilization (IVF), creating healthy babies that went on to have their own offspring. That's promising.

Embryonic stem cells can actually develop into any type of cell in the body and have previously been used to create sperm. However, in the past, transforming such cells into sperm required the cells to be transplanted into the testicles of mice. The new technique represents an advance as the sperm was able to develop in a lab dish containing testicle cells.

According to study results in the journal Cell Stem Cell, mouse sperm was used to fertilize mouse eggs and of 379 eggs injected, nine babies resulted. After 15 months, all mice appear healthy, and they're having their own offspring.

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While the sperm developed in the lab is a primitive type, not fully mature, known as spermatids, they still contained their full genetic component and were sufficient to fertilize eggs. Spermatids have been used to create healthy human babies in Japan, while some countries have outlawed the procedure.

A number of scientists interviewed about the study results expressed excitement for how the work -- making sperm outside the body -- could aid research into basic sperm development and eventually help infertile men. Some Japanese researchers questioned the results suggesting that others have "struggled to replicate similar claims."

For all mammals, making sperm in the testes is one of the longest and most complicated processes in the body, taking more than a month. In this research, an embryonic stem cell was used and "guided towards becoming sperm with a cocktail of chemicals, hormones and testicular tissue." To accomplish this, the cell must first go through a process called meiosis that involves rearrangement of DNA. Sperm, like eggs, must lose half of their DNA so a fertilized egg has the right amount. Chinese scientists say they followed the international research gold standard established in 2014 for reproducing meiosis in the lab. Properly replicating meiosis is critical for genetically healthy offspring.

If this technique can be adapted to work for humans, doctors might be able to help infertile men by using their own skin cells or other cells to create stem cells and ultimately, sperm. For those men unable to produce sperm due to infection, cancer treatment or a physical problem, the new approach would allow a man to pass his DNA on to his children.

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One major challenge to pursuing the work with humans is that embryonic stem cells are not found in adults. Chinese researchers believe this problem may be solved by converting skin cells into stem cells which can be done now.

Other issues include ethical concerns and differences in embryo and sperm development between mice and humans. According to Harvard Medical School geneticist Yi Zhang, this "may not be as straightforward as people hope." The study authors have begun research with monkeys. And, Azim Surani, a developmental biologist at the University of Cambridge, UK who finds the results encouraging, cautions that it's hard to know whether the artificial spermatids behave exactly like their natural counterparts.

Still, "the fact that the resulting cell could be injected into an egg and produce a viable animal is a stringent test," states Allan Spradling, a reproductive biologist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Baltimore, Maryland. However, he added mice that resulted "might still contain defects or problems that do not manifest themselves until later."

Reaction to the new research is best described as excitement mixed with caution and rightly so. Using this new technique with humans is likely years away assuming the issues cited can be addressed. For infertility specialists and our patients, we continue to be encouraged by the pace of scientific discovery and its application to infertility treatment. It seems as if there's something new to report almost every week in the global search to solve infertility and create healthy babies.
March 17, 2016

Chicago Public Library System (CPL), a Wonder of the World for Children

Chicago Public Library, Rudy Lozano Branch

I am overwhelmed with admiration and something else which is inexplicable this morning. My visit to Chicago this week where I was privileged to visit the main public library and some other local branches has made me longing this morning. Hard to gather my feelings all up in a blog post, but I will try.

Liz Tertell, a member of the Worldwide Orphans Element of Play curriculum team in Chicago (Laura Forster-Maheshwary and Melissa Wilhelm team members) introduced me to a best kept secret in the world....the Chicago Public Library. I met with Elizabeth McChesney, Director of Children's Services for CPL and Brian Bannon, the Commissioner of CPL, on Wednesday and many of the staff who make this library and its branches so productive and available to the children.

I left feeling as if I wanted to work there and be part of the amazing vision that they have for children all over Chicago. The Thomas Hughes library which is lovely and serviceable is now the beneficiary of Gensler's architectural smarts designing the best space for children of all ages to explore reading and play on their own terms. Liz McChesney shared some of the spatial ideas and then we went to the current space. The new children's library sounds like it will be configured by how children live developmentally.

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Stepped out to drop my kids at school this morning and suddenly had this feeling of missing. I kept seeing all the cubicles where industrious and creative staff at the Harold Washington main library are planning programs for kids in libraries all over the city. I met librarians ie Maria at Thomas Hughes, Greg and Yasmin at Hiram Kelly in Englewood in South Chicago and Hector and Daylily at Rudy Lozano in Pilsen. I could have spent days going from branch to branch, but there are 80 and I would need more time....let me see, if I went to 10 each day I could finish in two weeks, but then I might not have enough time to meet and know the librarians. And I want to know them all! The ones I met were awesome.

YouthMedia



I still see Liz McChesney's framed first library card in her bookshelves along with Carrots who is a lovely soft sort of white bunny who was there when she arrived at CPL many years ago. Each staff cubicle was adorned with "kid stuff"....decorating their spaces because these are their "homes at work".

I now recall the YouthMedia tour at the CPL and how I felt when I looked at the Apple computers and the stage demarcated on the tile floor where young people can perform music or do poetry slams. There was a white board covered with mathematical formulas clearly from homework done one afternoon. There is a high school a few blocks away and the place is packed when school lets out. I also saw a smaller version of this program at the Rudy Lozano branch in Pilsen. There was emotion in those spaces....the kids created that feeling of home and now they can go there and be expressive.

Then the Maker lab drew me in and the schedule posted on the easel outside was so enticing that I wanted to spend the rest of the day there. I was whisked away to see the 57,000 dog tags hanging over an escalator from soldiers killed in the Vietnam War...that broke my heart, but the installation was brilliant and compelling. The tags move and you can photograph them and then zoom in and read them. I was transfixed. A man approached us at a moment under the tags and announced that he was a carpenter who had built the library in the 80s...he was proud as he should be.

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57,000 dog tags

The puppet show in the puppet theater at the main library was dedicated to a librarian, Laura, who passed away; this theater is very popular with the children. A young boy was starting a show and we all just stopped in our tracks; the curtain opened and he had a camel, a cat, and a dog and they were duking it out...he was working out some feelings for sure and we were present and enthralled.

I think that I visited "Library Mecca" this week and I want more. Librarians, are right when they say that they come to this profession to serve and they do just that. I met a few incredibly heroic librarians in Hiram Kelly, Rudy Lozano and the Harold Washington main branch on State Street. The librarians were truly people of service and I felt their eagerness to be kind, supportive, and learned. What a perfect way to shepherd and scaffold at-risk children; take them to the library to learn and explore...and hopefully in the near future, play.
ACEH, INDONESIA-FEBRUARY 28: People pray for the world peace in front of Aceh police office yard in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on February 28, 2016. Thousands of Indonesian Muslims has been prayed for no more groups that perpetrate acts of terror in the so-called name of Islam both in Indonesia and around the world. (Photo by Junaidi Hanafiah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

"ISIS's efforts to recruit women are alarming. The terror network's intense, and often flashy recruitment videos prey on vulnerable women luring them to the fight to pick up guns or to willingly become ISIS brides and support the male ISIS fighters. What kinds of women are susceptible to such recruitment? Why are some women choosing to join ISIS when it is clear that they will become sex slaves, and often killed? How can the West counter the intense recruitment efforts of these terror groups?"

This was the description of a roundtable sponsored by the Homeland Security Committee titled "Women and Terrorism." The panel included a range of speakers who sought to contextualize the purported seriousness of Muslim women fighters. Though the content of the roundtable itself is worthy of discussion, this piece will focus on many of the underlying and problematic assumptions about Islam and Muslims in addition to Orientalist tropes that were perpetuated. This piece will also address the scope of the roundtable distinctly through the lens of the foreign policy of the United States that lead to the existence and growth of ISIS.

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Where is this conflict happening?

Iraq and Syria. Remember this. Iraq and Syria. What countries is the United States repeatedly intervening in? You guessed it. Iraq and Syria. How is the threat reaching us in the United States? Purportedly through incidents such as the San Bernardino shootings, though there seems to be a dearth of data to support the link to the shooters and ISIS.

Why do we care? Because for as long as the United States has existed, it has waged war and oppressed people domestically and abroad. The situation in Iraq and Syria is in line with this reality, though they represent a new brand of neo-colonialism where power and security of the other and intentionally conflated. That is to say, the United States is saving the Middle East from its own destructive tendencies.

Muslim Women:

Powerless. How else can you describe Muslim women? What other group of individuals would join a group knowing they were going to be ripe for exploitation? That was the underlying premise of this roundtable; that is that Muslim women cannot understand a life outside of oppression, which is why they crave it and even go after it. Those who become terrorists and transition from victim to perpetrator are explained away as being brainwashed and adhering to the inherent patriarchy of Islam; in other words another side of the same coin of oppression.

The possibility of Muslim women being empowered is non-existent; after all Muslim women accordingly only have agency in recreating their victim lives, not in making positive change that challenges the status quo of Muslim communities. The narrative of the Muslim woman is also viewed through the lens of orientalism; that is everything that the "orient" is, is everything that the West is. That's why we can talk about Muslim women being disempowered as victims and not recognize the multifaceted ways that happened across all parts of the globe, including the West.

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Data Matters:

Many claims were made at the roundtable; that 1/3 of teenage recruits were women, that women are recruited online, and that over 500 Westerners have joined the ranks of ISIS to fight. Of course many other statistics were cited, however, like the others, no credible data sources were made nor were any offered in the form of handouts. In other words, the mere suggestion that data exists was equivalent to data existing. This is unsurprising in a context where "data" on Muslim extremism, radicalization, etc. is often anecdotal and based on racist assumptions about the unfounded correlation between religiosity and propensity to commit acts of violence. Anecdotes thrive well here.

Ideology:

Ideology was used in this case (as many others) as a catch all phrase. What is the terrorist ideology? Can anyone answer this question? An ideology is not simply a description of behaviors and/or assumptions about the intent, goal, focus, etc., it is a system of beliefs and behaviors that are coherently connected; an idea that panelists using the assumption of this "known" ideology failed to consider. Thus, when talking about the "terrorist ideology," it is imperative to study not only behaviors, but speeches, written statements, and any other content that actually illuminates a system of beliefs. Anything outside of a systematic analysis is mere conjecture which is dangerous when ideology supports state violence by the United States.

State violence is especially dangerous when illegal acts become legal and where the rule of law becomes moot. This is precisely what we have seen happen; that is the state using law to evade accountability and to perpetrate egregious acts of violence because the illegal becomes legal and the immoral becomes justified.

Collective Responsibility as Collateral Damage:

Whenever one speaks of violence perpetrated by Muslims, there is often the disclaimer that the perpetrators reflect a distorted ideology of Islam. It could stop there, but it doesn't. And it didn't at this roundtable. This was especially the case as one of the speakers, Asra Nomani pulled out book after book that she believed represented what she portrayed as the inherent violence and patriarchy of Islam.

Given the constant demonization of Islam and Muslims, it is unclear and even nonsensical to assume that the average American can really differentiate between Muslim terrorists and the average law-abiding Muslim. The end result is that Muslims are held collectively responsible and thus become collateral damage of War.

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The Vacuum Effect:

Correlation does not equal causation. But neither does cause and effect bear any relationship on the stories the US tells us about Muslims and the sources of their "unreasonable anger." Or at least that's how the narrative works. Muslims exist outside of spatial notions of time where nothing past, present, or current has any bearing to their reactions. While the transition from victim to perpetrator might be explained by Western imperialism and neo-colonialism this fact is ignored and grievances are explained away as individual.

In other words, it is impossible that detention, torture, drones, and extrajudicial killings could conceivably and rationally represent the victim to perpetrator trajectory. It is also impossible to consider this type of violence as systemic no matter how many times it happens or no matter if it keeps being inflicted on the same group of people.

While terrorism is a real problem in the world, it is also one that is socially constructed as perpetrated by Muslims and Muslims alone. This, as illustrated above, represents dangerous and problematic stereotypes and tropes of Islam and Muslims. Challenges to this narrative are usually dismissed and disregarded, thus we become incapable of seeing Islam and Muslims as fluid, dynamic, and affected by circumstances.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a press conference following his victory in the Florida state primary on March 15, 2016 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The win in Florida for Trump sent rival Marco Rubio, the US senator from the Sunshine State, crashing out of the campaign. The 69-year-old billionaire also won in Illinois and North Carolina. / AFP / RHONA WISE (Photo credit should read RHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images)

Donald Trump is a businessman with no political experience, yet he is currently the front-runner of the Republican Party. Much has been said about him and his appeal to voters. I would argue that too much is actually being said of Trump. Any presidential candidate whose policies include banning members of an entire religion from entering the country and forcing the Mexican government to finance a wall on the Mexican-American border should never be taken seriously enough to be reported on, but that is all part of Trump's appeal. The media seems drawn to his often ridiculous and grandiose claims. The more ridiculous Trump becomes is the more the media seems to report on him.

When Trump first launched his campaign I did not take him seriously as a candidate and up until this point I still have not taken him seriously, but perhaps that was a mistake. Perhaps the best way to truly explain why Trump is not the best candidate for the presidency is by seriously assessing him. He probably deserves that much. After all, according to Sarah Palin, Donald Trump is a "revolutionary." That's right. The man who once fired Dennis Rodman and Terrell Owens on celebrity apprentice is a revolutionary. There's George Washington, the general of the American Revolutionary War, which led America to achieving its independence from Britain. There's Toussaint L'Ouverture, another military general who led Haiti to achieving its independence from France. And then there's Donald Trump, the man who once fought Vince McMahon at Wrestlemania. The revolution in Grenada toppled the repressive government of Eric Gairy. The revolution in France toppled an exploitative monarchy. I am not sure which repressive political system Trump is revolting against, but he seems to have Palin convinced.

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Whereas Hillary Clinton brings actual foreign policy experience from her time as Secretary of State, Trump assures us that he will get tough on China and get tough on Mexico. What are his qualifications? Aside from being a great negotiator, which Trump wrote a book on, I suppose we are left to assume that his bitter feud with Rosie O'Donell has perhaps prepared him to deal with the likes of Vladimir Putin, Li Keqiang, and Enrique Pena Nieto. Maybe he will force Mexico into paying for the wall that Trump wants to build by using insults or perhaps getting into disputes over Twitter.

"Many of the great scholars" agree with Trump's position on "anchor babies." In fact, the number of scholars that agree with Trump on this issue is so large he apparently is unable to actually name any of them. Trump perhaps has to rely on this "scholars" because for as much as he boasts about the fact that he went to Wharton, he only spent two of his four years of undergraduate study at Wharton. The same Trump who pressed Obama to release his Harvard transcripts, was apparently not a particularly outstanding student at Wharton. I am not one who thinks a person's college grades should necessarily be scrutinized as a means of assessing how prepared one is for leadership--after all there are former presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Harry Truman, and William McKinley that never graduated from college at all--but Trump boasts about what a great school Wharton is as if his merely going there represents some sort of achievement. And if one's formal education should be used as qualification for the presidency then doesn't Hilary Clinton's postgraduate degree from Yale make her more qualified than Trump?

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Trump's main qualification (actually his only qualification) is that he's a billionaire, and even then he isn't among the richest in the country. Warren Buffet and Bill Gates have more money than he does, so wouldn't that make them more qualified to help America to win again? In fact, there are many people that are more successful businessmen than Trump is from a financial standpoint.

What exactly is Trump's track-record with winning. He's a billionaire and successful businessman, but like I said he is not the richest. He's also filed for bankruptcy multiple times. He didn't win his his lawsuit against Timothy O'Brien, and he didn't even bother following up with his lawsuit against Bill Maher. Trump questioned President Obama's citizenship, and it is very clear who got the best of that affair. But Trump did manage to defeat Vince McMahon at Wrestlemania, so perhaps that counts for something.

This is where we are now in politics. Trump couldn't properly manage Trump "University," yet he has convinced enough people that he will singlehandedly make America great again by taking on China, Mexico, ISIS, and other threats to America's greatness. As difficult as I find it to take Trump seriously as a presidential candidate, I find that once his qualifications for the position are seriously assessed it only reveals just how underwhelming Trump is as a candidate. He boasts of how he will make America great again and how he will make America win again, but based on his record America on under Trump will probably either go bankrupt or simply fade out of existence like Trump University did.
Like father, like daughter: I grew up close to my father, a professional violinist who had bipolar disorder. In this photo I was eight months pregnant, and I never suspected that childbirth would trigger my bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis have recently made media headlines. Katie Holmes stars as a lovestruck poet with bipolar disorder in the film Touched With Fire. The British hit television show EastEnders featured a postpartum psychosis storyline that gained national attention. Last January in a landmark decision, the U.S. Preventative Task Force called for screening for depression during and after pregnancy.

While the greater awareness of postpartum mood disorders is promising, postpartum bipolar disorder, the mood disorder I was diagnosed with, is virtually unheard of. Postpartum bipolar is also known as bipolar, peripartum onset, and it's arguably the least known of the six postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.

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It might seem unimportant to publicize an obscure mood disorder, but every mom's postpartum experience counts. Many medical professionals are unaware that postpartum bipolar exists. Some of the largest postpartum and bipolar organizations don't know about this mood disorder or they're unclear about its definition.

When I was pregnant, my obstetrician didn't question me about my mental health or my family's mental health history. My father had bipolar disorder, but before and during my pregnancy I didn't show any signs of mental illness.

When I went into labor, my life changed overnight.

We went to the hospital and I stayed up all night in pain. When my daughter Marilla was born the next day, I became hypomanic. I was exuberant and talkative (both signs of hypomania), but I appeared relatively normal. My baby attracted most of the attention, and no one noticed that I was in trouble. Exhausted, I sensed something was off, but I kept my fearful feelings inside.

Within forty-eight hours I had hypergraphia, a rare condition in which one compulsively writes. I wrote at every opportunity, even during breastfeeding, when I should've been resting and focusing on my baby. I could barely sleep as my mania escalated, and poor Marilla didn't gain enough weight because I didn't breastfeed her sufficiently.

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A month postpartum, I knew I was manic; after all, I had witnessed mania in my Dad. I frantically searched the internet about postpartum mania, but my search only yielded postpartum psychosis statistics.

During Marilla's six-week checkup, her observant pediatrician heard my racing voice and pressurized speech (symptoms of bipolar) and blurted out "Dyane, I think you're manic!"

I burst into tears. While I felt ashamed, I was relieved that he realized what was happening. It was clear I needed hospitalization, but leaving my newborn was agonizing. I admitted myself into a hospital's psychiatric unit where I was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar disorder.



My daughters Avonlea, Marilla and husband Craig stood by me through the roughest times.

After years of hospitalizations, medication trials, and electroconvulsive (ECT) therapy, I'm stable and doing well. While bipolar disorder ravages many relationships, my husband and I have stayed together, in part, thanks to the guidance of counselors and psychiatrists. Life will always be a challenge, but my two daughters inspire me to take care of myself.

While chances of postpartum bipolar are low, it can affect any mother. Obstetrician and Perinatal Mental Health Lead Dr. Raja Gangopadhyay of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, explains,

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The risk of developing new-onset severe mental illness is higher in early post-childbirth period than any other time in women's life. Family history, pre-existing mental health conditions, traumatic birth experience and sleep deprivation could be potential risk factors. Bipolar illness can present for the first time during this period. Accurate diagnosis is the key to the recovery.'

Many women I've worked with had been previously misdiagnosed with postpartum depression. I always make a point of discussing this during my presentations. In addition, postpartum bipolar disorder deserves its own category separate from postpartum psychosis.

Mental health screening during pregnancy would be of immense value to every mom. Women with a family history of bipolar disorder could be observed postpartum, and if symptoms manifested they'd be treated immediately. It's imperative that doctors and other caregivers assess women not only for postpartum depression but also bipolar symptoms.

Everyone who lives with a stigmatized illness deserves a chance to find support and empathy from others who understand her experience. Through connecting with those who can relate to our mood disorder, we may not find a magic cure, but virtual support can be profoundly helpful. Postpartum Support International recently created online support groups in English and Spanish led by trained facilitators, while the Postpartum Progresswebsite offers moms a private forum to interact with one another. I've never personally met another mom who has postpartum bipolar and I yearn to do so. If you or someone you know is or might be suffering with postpartum bipolar disorder, please reach out -- I'd love to hear from you!

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If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of postpartum bipolar, please contact your doctor.
For just a day, it looked like a liberal Russian's nightmare: the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) was proposing the removal of classic stories by Anton Chekhov, Alexander Kuprin and Ivan Bunin from the school curriculum, because they allegedly promoted "free love." "Free love," for those of you under 60, basically covers adultery, "hooking up," and serial monogamy ("You call it sin; we call it college.")

Naturally, there was an uproar. Some ironically suggested that the proposed ban should start with the lower grades, removing fairy tales that set a bad example. The writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya condemned the "yahoos" () who seem to be waging a non-stop campaign to bring back the Dark Ages.

And, to be perfectly honest, this is the sort of story that gives someone like me an illicit thrill, the sense of satisfaction that comes when an institution you distrust once again behaves like a parody of itself. Fortunately for the country (if not for my dark side), an ROC spokesman walked this one back the very next day. Case closed. There's nothing to see here.

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Or is there?

Here is what actually happened: on March 14, Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov, a member of the Patriarch's Committee on the Family and the Defense of Mothers and Children, announced that Chekhov's "About Love," Kuprin's "The Lilac Bush," and Bunin's "The Caucasus" do not belong in the school curriculum, since they all "sing the praises of free love." Calling such works of literature a "landmine for our children," Vladimirov insisted that his Committee contact Russia's Department of Education to push for a change.

The next day, ROC Spokesman Vladimir Legoida told the press that this was Vladimirov's "personal opinion," and that the Church "has no plans to try to have any authors excluded from the school curriculum." In other words, people were overreacting to one man's opinion and acting as though it were policy.

Legoida's words were perfectly reasonable, but they miss the point: how did the story get as big as it did? If we discount the usual blather about "Russophobes" in the liberal media, we need to consider why the story seemed credible. And that is because of Russia's local and central governments constantly putting out calls to ban this or that offensive phenomenon while decrying the pernicious influence of the Western Enemy and the Fifth Column on the country's impressionable youth. When you add in the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church in a country whose constitution proclaims the separation of church and state, nearly any call for a ban in order to protect public morality looks believable.

And, yes, this was just one person's word. But that one person is on a committee examining, among other things, education policy. And in the current political climate, we grow accustomed to seeing individual public statements by powerful people (or representatives of powerful institutions) as either a dog whistle or a trial balloon. Not to mention the fact that a call for this sort of ban had happened before.

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When I posted the original story to Facebook, I was reminded that the high horse I'm riding might not have much ground to stand on. After all, school boards, churches, and parents groups throughout the United States repeatedly call for this or that book to be pulled from school libraries, and sometimes they are successful. Even Harry Potter is not safe from the wrath of small-minded American Muggles.

The difference, though, gets back to the power and scope of the individual statement. In the US, a successful book ban only affects a particular community or school district (though it is true that any pressure on Texas exerts an outsized influence on textbooks throughout the country). In a country with a centralized school curriculum, the result would cover the entire country.
Iraqi Christians, who fled the violence in the northern city of Mosul after Islamic State (IS) group militants took control of the area, attend a weekly prayer at the Ashti camp in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, on March 4, 2016. / AFP / SAFIN HAMED (Photo credit should read SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images)

When we hear the term "cultural genocide," devastating images typically spring to mind: the destruction of "degenerate" art in Nazi Germany, the burning of the Sarajevo Library, the tear-down of the Buddhas at Bamiyan. Last September, UNESCO condemned ISIS for destroying the Temple of Baalshamin and the Temple of Bel in Palmyra, describing these monstrous acts as "new war crimes."

As the Syrian civil war rages into its 6th year, cultural criminality continues.

Beneath the headlines, however, ISIS is claiming yet another cultural victim: Kurdish literature and with it, the multi-dialectal Kurdish language.

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In this particular case, there will be no shocking visuals, nor is it even clear that ISIS has identified Kurdish literature among its intended targets. Instead, linguicide lurks as one of the hidden cultural costs of this war, just as it has in so many previous conflicts.

Languages never die in dramatic, explosive events like Palmyra. Linguicide happens incrementally, like the slow burn of a famine.

The modern chapter in Kurdish linguistic suppression can be traced to 1924, when Turkey passed legislation forbidding Kurdish publications, schools and libraries. Even writing the words "Kurd" or "Kurdistan" -- in any language -- was declared illegal by the nation where the vast majority of Kurds live.

Despite this censorship, as well as bans on Kurdish literature in Syria and Iran, an international, clandestine network of Kurdish intellectuals and activists never stopped publishing -- even when they were subjected to imprisonment, torture and assassination. Sometimes they printed books illegally and published them under fake imprint names. At other times they photocopied books, bound them and distributed them in secret.

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One of these activists is Abdullah Keskin, founder of Avesta Publishing in Istanbul, which is now the world's largest Kurdish publishing house. "We worked under the shadow of death," he says, recalling business conditions in the 1990s, "and apart from the security problems, we were publishing books in a language that almost no one could read."

In Turkey, the immense pressure on Kurdish writers and publishers finally began to lift in 2000 -- when the government relaxed bans on public speech, publishing and broadcasting in an effort to curry favor with the European Union. Meanwhile, in Syria under the Assad regime, Kurdish literature was still officially forbidden, but a robust trade in black market books evolved. And in Iraq, Kurdish made significant gains when it was declared one of two official languages by a new national constitution in 2003; a proliferation of print and broadcast media were soon to follow.

The Syrian crisis effectively ended this Kurdish literary surge and put the publishing industry back into a chokehold -- by scattering Kurdish communities, destroying the livelihoods of millions of families, and interrupting the education of an estimated 2.7 million children, many of them Kurds.

At the Erbil International Book Fair last August, most vendors reported declining sales figures, citing the conflict in Syria and the widespread sense of economic insecurity that it has engendered across the region.

With the bottom has falling out from underneath the international market for Kurdish literature, children's books -- which are the lifeblood of every written language -- were among the war's first literary casualties.

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Avesta stopped publishing children's books altogether because colorful imagery is very expensive to reproduce. Apec Forlag, the leading Kurdish publisher of children's books in Europe, currently has plans to publish no more than 10 children's titles this year.

From a linguist's perspective, the Kurdish language is currently in critical condition, and publishing houses in Istanbul, Stockholm and Sulaymaniyah are functioning like emergency wards in a hospital. The fate of the Kirmancki dialect (also known as Zazaki) is of particular concern; Kirmancki was listed by UNESCO in its 2010 Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger.

Without the ongoing creation of new literature - particularly children's literature - the Kurdish language has little hope of survival. Although the Syrian war's chilling effect on Kurdish publishing doesn't lend itself to grotesque visuals, the cultural consequences - disappearing dialects and a generation of Kurdish children who are deprived of education in their mother tongue - are no less egregious than a smashed sculpture or an exploding temple.
Plato grew up in an Athens at war. A few years after Athens completed the Parthenon, it started its fight against Sparta. The deadly and destructive Peloponnesian War consumed almost the last twenty-five years of the fifth century, the century we know as the golden age of Greece.

When that war was over in 404 BCE, Athens was defeated and humiliated. The victorious Spartans smashed Athens' walls and installed a group of tyrants to govern Athens on their behalf. Two of the tyrants were Plato's relatives. However, Plato had nothing to do with them.

Tyranny did not last for long in Athens. Athenians returned back to their democracy. But this was bitter times for Athens. And in that climate of recrimination, Athenians put Socrates to death because, his accusers said, Socrates was corrupting the young and did not respect the gods.

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Plato watched these events with disappointment and anger. He witnessed the Greeks slaughter each other for several years, and, in 399 BCE, the citizens of Athens condemning his teacher, Socrates, to death.

It's this story of war and divisiveness that partly explains Plato. He idealized Socrates because the old stonemason was a virtuous man of great courage. He burned with the desire of seeing Athenians living examined lives. He kept asking Athenians questions on how to be virtuous.

But instead of praising Socrates, Athenians executed him. This reversal of values in a democratic Athens demanded an explanation, and Plato devoted his life to that goal.

Was democracy better than aristocracy, oligarchy, tyranny or plutocracy? Was there an ideal form of government? After all, could citizens, as the Athenians believed, be entrusted to govern?

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Plato was not so sure citizens were qualified in governing a just state of free and equal citizens. He predicted democracy almost always degenerates into tyranny. So he proposed his own version of government where the rulers are philosophers.

Is Plato's assessment relevant to the United States, especially now, in 2016, when the looming elections are bringing to light so many fissures in our politics?

Like late fifth-century Athens defeated in war and full of despair, America in 2016 is an aging empire in perpetual war. Yet, America has been losing war after war for several decades. This military weakness strikes at the heart of a military-industrial complex of gigantic proportions and wasteful spending of trillions of dollars.

The combination of an extremely expensive but ineffective military power and a gaping hole in America's social fabric explains the often meaningless and insulting rhetoric among presidential candidates, especially of the Republican variety.

The Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are at least raising important concerns for the lives of Americans. Clinton, a politician touched by Wall Street money and ideology, makes some effort to say Americans deserve better than their present rotten deal. And Bernie Sanders, a politician that openly defies Wall Street, promises a "political revolution": taxing the rich and Wall Street, offering tuition-free public colleges and universities, lessening the debt of college students, supporting universal health care, and fighting global warming.

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But the Republican candidates, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, and John Kasich, appear un-American. Their priorities include doing more violence abroad, and probably at home, with a fat military. They also plan to eliminate environmental protection and let businesses return to their destructive practices of oppressing workers and poisoning the natural world.

The Republican front-runner, Trump, is borrowing from the violent politics of early twentieth-century Europe. Trump is showing tyrannical tendencies. He urges his followers to be violent towards opponents. He is contemptible of minorities. He also demonizes foreigners for America's ills like unemployment and poverty. He says he will bring jobs back from China and make America great again, but fails to explain how.

Trump's behavior is symptomatic of disappearing democratic norms in America. How can democracy survive in politics drenched with corporate money purchasing politicians to do their bidding? And with the exception of Bernie Sanders, the remaining presidential candidates are competing millionaires. In fact, Trump is a billionaire.

Sanders keeps repeating that 0.1 of one percent of Americans own as much as 90 percent of the population.

This extreme inequality gave rise to Trump. This billionaire politician poses a threat to America. Presidents have so much power that it would be dangerous to mix that power with the hubris overflowing from Trump.

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Plato was right. Left to conventional politics, democracy leads to the troubled reality we are now facing in America. Democracy demands virtuous politicians. We don't have virtuous politicians in America.

Even Bernie's political revolution fails to undo the harm of concentrated power in the presidency and the 0.1 percent of America's oligarchs. This also happens to be a country with thousands of nuclear bombs. The president is in charge of this potential holocaust.

None of the presidential candidates, least of all Trump, is good enough to preside over America. But, at least, with Bernie Sanders, you know he is solid citizen who, like Socrates, is dreaming of a livable and better country and world.
There is no evidence in the bible or church history to suggest that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.

Yet this tarnished picture is perpetuated through films like Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), The Passion of the Christ (2004), The Da Vinci Code (2006) and most recently, Risen (2016), a new Columbia Pictures film starring Joseph Fiennes.

Since Mary is not around to defend herself, I'd like to set the record straight.

1. Why She is Called "The Magdalene"

The most likely reason Mary is called "The Magdalene" is that she was from Magdala, a thriving fishing town on the coast of Galilee. Magdala is within walking distance of Capernaum, where Jesus was based at the start of his ministry. Recent archaeological findings in the current day Israeli town of Migdal support this explanation.

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There are other theories about the title Magdalene (explained well here). Whatever the origin, this "nickname" distinguishes her from the half dozen Marys mentioned in the bible. Of course, the most distinguishing characteristic is that Jesus cast seven demons out of this Mary (Luke 8:2-3).

2. How She Became Known as a "Repentant Prostitute"

The characterization of Mary as a prostitute shows up several hundred years after the time of Christ when her identity was merged with that of the sinful woman who anoints Jesus' feet (Luke 7:36-50). This "composite Magdalene" was popularized by Pope Gregory I around 591 AD:

"She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark. And what did these seven devils signify, if not all the vices? It is clear, brothers, that the woman previously used the unguent to perfume her flesh in forbidden acts" -- Pope Gregory the Great (homily XXXIII)

Conflating the stories of biblical characters was not uncommon in those days, so we cannot assume malicious intent. But Mary Magdalene is named 12 times in the gospels, and not one of those references indicates that she was a prostitute.

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3. She Traveled with Jesus

These falsehoods distract us from what we should be focusing on; Mary's devotion to Jesus. The gospel writers are specific in noting that Mary had followed Jesus from Galilee (Matthew 27:55). The first mention of her is in Luke 8:2-3, so we know that she was with Jesus at the start of his ministry. The last mention is in John 20, when Jesus appears to her at the empty tomb.

Mary left home and followed Jesus for most of his three year public ministry. The film "Magdalena: Released from Shame" imagines this experience for us.

4. She Funded Jesus's Ministry

In Luke 8:1-3 we read that at the start of Jesus' ministry "The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means."

Most scholars agree that this was financial rather than domestic support, although the women probably did that as well. The same term is used in Matthew 19:21 when Jesus tells the rich young ruler to go and sell his possessions.

5. She is Called "Apostle to the Apostles"

After reporting that Jesus had risen, Mary Magdalene disappears from the New Testament. But we find some clues about her later life in extra-biblical texts. Several early church writers portray her as a leader in the early church movement.

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In light of recent conversations about the role of women in the Catholic Church it is interesting that Pope Benedict XVI had this to say about Mary in a 2007 address:

"St. Thomas Aquinas reserved the special title, "Apostle of the Apostles" (apostolorum apostola), dedicating to [Mary Magdalene] this beautiful comment: 'Just as a woman had announced the words of death to the first man, so also a woman was the first to announce to the Apostles the words of life' (Super Ioannem, ed. Cai,  2519).

Restoring Mary's Reputation

In recent years efforts have been made to restore Mary Magdalene's reputation and to help her take her rightful place as a devoted disciple and respected early church leader. Groups like FutureChurch promote observances of Mary Magdalene's feast day (July 22) to make current biblical scholarship known. A new church built on the archaeological site at Magdala gives tribute to Mary as a model disciple, and honors other notable women in the bible.

As New Testament professor Barbara Bowe rightly observes, "Women looking to the Bible for inspiration already have limited choices of female role models. When we suddenly cut Mary Magdalene off at the knees and turn her into some kind of evil sex pervert, we deprive men and women, but especially women, of a figure with whom they can identify".

Even though Mary was not a prostitute, people would have known about her previous life, whether that was literal demon possession or a myriad of physical and mental illnesses, as some scholars believe. There would also have been a social stigma related to being a woman traveling with a group of men in those days. But Mary did not let this get in the way of following Jesus.

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This is a valuable lesson for all of us, but especially for women experiencing marginalization and discrimination. I once heard someone say that "Mary owed much, gave much, loved much, served much".

The truth is, we would be hard-pressed to find a better role model in the bible to follow than Mary Magdalene.

Read more about women in the bible at The Junia Project.

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"Some months ago, as you know, when we were out on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor, everybody counted us out. We have come a very long way in that time. (APPLAUSE) Today we have weapons that empower our religious rights and godly way of life. And let me assure you that we are going to take our fight for justice - economic justice and social justice - and create a just world for everyone in the Seven Kingdoms. Now, the Lannisters and the Tyrells may be against us, but you know why we're going to win? Because our message is resonating and the people - when we stand together - will be victorious. (APPLAUSE) Our campaign was and is about transforming Westeros. It is about making our great country a nation that we know it has the potential to be. It is about dealing with some unpleasant truths that exist in Westeros today and having the guts to confront those truths. And I know all of us agree that we're going to not allow the noble class and their knights to destroy Westeros. (APPLAUSE)

Let's understand something here. This is the wealthiest country since the doom of Valyria. But, in our city many thousands of King's Landingers are working longer hours for lower wages. Or even no wages.

And you all know that while our people are working so hard, almost all of the new wealth and income generated in Westeros is going to the top 1 percent. And at the same time, 100% of the lands are owned by the top 0.01%.

(BOOING)

Well, together, what we are going to do is create an economy that works for all of us, not just for the people on top.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, I know many of the members of the noble class think that the Seven Pointed Star is a hoax.

(BOOING)

Well, you don't develop real public policy unless you listen to the septons, and the Seven Pointed Star is clear.

Now, I know that Cersei Lannister and many of the people in the establishment think that I am looking and thinking too big. I don't think so.

(BOOING)

But you have to know that no one man can remake the Seven Kingdoms. Not the High Septon or anybody else. What we need is to create a political revolution. Only when The Queen of Thorns sees millions of people out of her window in the Red Keep with a clear message that if you don't give us what we want she will have to look for a different job. Or a different head.

(APPLAUSE)

What this political revolution is about is bringing millions of people into the political process. Low born people who have become disillusioned under a feudal system whose greed and recklessness have destroyed our economy. A feudal system that has fraud as a business model.

(BOOING)

What the political revolution is about is bringing our people together. From The Reach or The Rock, from The Stormlands or the Riverlands.

People born in King's Landing, people who have immigrated to King's Landing. When we bring our people together, when we do not allow the King Joffreys of the world to divide us up.

(APPLAUSE)

When we bring our people together and when we have the courage to stand up to the high born and tell them they can't have it all.

(APPLAUSE)

Tell them that our government belongs to all of us, not just kings and queens and wealthy lords. Then we will win. Thank you and see you in New Hampshire"!
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Imagine this scenario. As expected, Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic Party's nomination for president, and Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination. However, disaffected Republicans run a third-party candidate. In the presidential election Clinton wins a plurality but not a majority of the popular vote. (A third-party candidate would likely hurt Trump more than Clinton.) Clinton likewise wins a plurality but not a majority of votes in the Electoral College. According to the Constitution, the House of Representatives then selects the president, with each state delegation possessing one vote. In this scenario the House of Representatives is the same heavily Republican body that now sits. The third party candidate, who finished second or even third in the popular vote, becomes president of the United States. Imagine the uproar, hopefully not a violent one, that would ensue such a subversion of the popular will.

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Right now groups of Republicans are planning to bring about precisely this turn of events. Refusing to support Donald Trump, they want to make sure a Trump nomination does not destroy the Republican Party. Erick Erickson, founder of the conservative website "The Resurgent," laid out a framework for such a plan in an NPR interview this week. A Trump nomination, Erickson reasons, would discourage many Republicans from voting, harming other GOP candidates all the way down the ballot. Not only would a third-party candidate bring out Republican voters, she or he just might win a controversial election.

Ordinarily third-party and independent candidates do not heavily disrupt presidential elections. They may influence the final outcome by pulling more votes from one candidate than from another. People still debate whether Ralph Nader's 2000 candidacy pulled the election away from Al Gore to George W. Bush. Hanging chads aside, however, no third party candidate has turned the election over to the heavily partisan House of Representatives. That could happen this year.

The only thing voters can do to prevent such an outcome is to mobilize. They could mobilize to protect one another by rejecting third-party candidates. No such effort would eliminate support for such candidates, but it could prevent a third-party candidate from winning Electoral College votes. Alternatively, voters could prevail upon their House representatives to honor the plurality of electoral votes, should things come to that. I highly doubt such an effort would be successful.

If you find a House election of a candidate who finishes second or third in the Electoral College vote an ugly prospect, it has happened before. The 1824 election featured four candidates, all from the same party. With no Electoral College majority, the House elected second place finisher John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson, who had won a plurality of votes. Representative Henry Clay, who finished fourth in electoral votes himself, turned over his support to Adams. In what came to known as the "Corrupt Bargain," Adams appointed Clay as secretary of state.

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Many of us on this planet have forgotten what hope is, some never had it, and others want it back. Join citizens of the world as we demand hope return.

If you forgot - Hope is - the expectancy that something good is going to happen, a feeling of Trust that what you want or desire could indeed happen.

As I walk my life it makes me sad to see that for many hope is not a daily state of life. In fact, at a recent event I heard many, many Americas talking about moving to another country in 2017 after the election if Trump is voted in. For international readers I am sure you have experiences with hope, or lack of hope as well. This one comment about moving away from America makes me sad about the state of hope in our world today. What happened to positive engagement, and hope?

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Where do you score yourself on the hope scale? If 1 was no hope at all and 10 was everything is going exactly as you hope it to be, where would you be? Via this link here you can take the hope scale test.

I put a little whisper to the universe a while back. Maybe it was a little seed of hope. I whispered it might be fun to be a part of a team that sets a Guinness Book of World Records. Little did I know, and I should have known. I set in motion my thoughts into the Universal Mind they become my experience as set into Law. Blah blah holly-isms... I told the Universe what I wanted and I made it happen.

If you are looking for a little hope and, a lot of fun join me and, a few of my friends in making an attempt at a Guinness Book of World Records attempt for the longest live-streamed audio webcast providing messages of hope to the world from a round the world. The broadcast is complimentary beginning on Thursday March 17-19, 2016. For more information and to register visit www.worldhopecast.com

I'll be talking Rebooting Hope Business - Friday March 18th in the 11:00 am MST hour. See the full list of speakers here.

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Deja vu all over again. Well, almost.



Recently, like many Americans I've had an itch to exercise my constitutional right to express my opinion by protesting at one of Donald Trump's rallies, but I live in Ojai, California where movie stars, artists, writers, hippies, corporate and studio execs, retirees and farmers all reside peacefully together. Yup, all twelve of us. Consequently, there are no Trump rallies here to protest. Hell, there isn't even a Trump office I could picket. In fact, there's not much protesting here about anything. Well... except on Friday night. Every Friday night without fail since I moved to Ojai from Los Angeles (a.k.a. "protest city" or "riot city" depending on your POV, but I digress), there have been a few conscious-raising Ojaians who hit our main street carrying peace signs, standing vigil as they protest our never-ending wars in the Middle East. OK, it's not a protest against Trump, or even Cruz, but a protest for peace is always a good thing, right? Cars honk at the "vigilers" in acknowledgment as they pass by. Well, their drivers actually do the honking.



So, at the designated time last Friday evening (before daylight savings time kicked in), I found myself scratching that itch, along with about six (maybe ten) 21st-century peaceniks in front of Libbey Park, across the street from the "Arcade," candle and matches in hand even though no one else had candles (I didn't have a sign). However, I was a little rusty at this peace vigil thing. Less than thirty seconds after lighting my candle, the wind blew it out. I had forgotten about a candle in the wind (sorry, Elton). I had also forgotten a paper cup. Why a paper cup, for those of you who have never vigiled? Because the cup shields the lighted candle and gives off a wonderful glow. Fortunately, a nearby garbage can donated a paper cup and a fellow vigiler shared his "punching a hole in the bottom of the cup with his car key to slide the candle in" expertise.... it takes a village to vigil.

Soon after reclaiming old skills like singing (well, in my head) "Let There Be Peace on Earth" and the cup thing, it dawned on me that this peace vigil, though equally sincere, was much different from the ones I remembered from my youth.

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First: No drugs, though I did catch the label of a lovely merlot being sipped bya nearby couple on the patio of the restaurant bordering the park. They didn't share. In the '60's we shared -- joints, wine, germs...

Second: No one had a guitar.



Third: A rumpled writer-type joined us for a few minutes. That is, until he saw a movie-exec-looking passerby and hurried off to try and network himself into a two-picture deal.



Fourth: No drugs. (Did I mention that?)

Fifth: No police monitoring our every move. Well, one sheriff car did drive slowly by (all cars drive slowly - it's Ojai after all) without so much as a raised night stick.

Sixth: As the sheriff's car made its way down Ojai Avenue no one yelled, "Kill the pigs!" In this small town, the sheriff is most likely related to one or more of the protesters.

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Seventh: No one was yelling, "Hell, no. We won't go!" because the only draft left is beer. However, all of them know how to pull a lever or push a stylus through a chad (this is California, not Florida, after all).



Eighth: No news media. Well, they've been doing this protest/vigil thing for years now, so it's lost its immediacy.

And, last but not least:

Hummers do not honk for peace.



Hondas driving by honked for peace. Jeep Cherokees honked for peace. PT Cruisers honked for peace. Explorers honked for peace. Priuses honked for peace (no surprise there). Pick up trucks honked for peace. Miatas and a Mercedes honked for peace. A Lexus SUV honked for peace (well, it was a hybrid). Various Fords and Chevys honked for peace. Even the Harley Hogs honked for peace, though it was hard to tell over the Harley Hog engines.
Co-written by Douglas Morgan, director of Latin America sites in the Vanderbilt University Institute for Global Health

"Where you live shouldn't determine whether you live," is a quotation often heard in global health circles, often espoused by the Irish rock star, Bono and his ONE Campaign. But the mantra is especially poignant in countries such as El Salvador.

The Central America Four (CA-4) region (El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua), with a population of 37 million, and additional 5 million immigrants in the U.S., is one of the principal low/middle income regions in the western hemisphere. El Salvador is representative, as one of the most difficult countries to live in worldwide, suffering from the violence of poverty, gang warfare, and the recent civil wars. In fact, for adolescents, reminiscent of the civil war years, there are stark choices: join a gang, face daily intimidation and violence, or emigrate.

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Over 30 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.25 per day. These conditions have serious consequences including a lack of access to sufficient nutrition, water, and sanitation services. Alongside the endemic poverty, the homicide rate is among the highest in the world, with astronomical murder rates, over 18 per day. Although most of this is "gang on gang" violence, the entire population is trapped in the daily crossfire. Nelson Mandela commented, "Freedom would be meaningless without security in the home and in the streets."

To add to these challenges, El Salvador is now grappling with the epidemic of the Zika virus. To date, the Zika virus has been associated with over 4,000 cases of microcephaly in Brazil and Latin America. Over 4 million people are expected to contract the virus within the next year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have issued advisories for the Americas calling for postponing travel to the region, mosquito bite avoidance, and safe sex practices. In El Salvador and other countries, the Ministries of Health have advised women to consider delaying pregnancy for the next two years, in anticipation of mosquito control programs and potential population immunity.

In El Salvador, how can women take an active role in safe sex practices and delaying a pregnancy over the next two years? Currently, over half the pregnancies in El Salvador are unintended. Because of the high rates of sexual violence, in February, El Salvador created a specialized court system for violence against women. Moreover, there is limited access to contraceptives due to "gatekeepers" limiting access to contraceptives to women, and documented "stock outs" where modern methods of contraceptives are simply unavailable.

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For young girls who bear the brunt of much of this poverty and violence, the need for education and assistance with access to contraceptives is critical, timely, and compassionate. One out of every 12 girls in El Salvador is a mother by the time she is 15, and in the rural areas, the number is one in five. By age 18, over 30 percent of girls have had at least one pregnancy, which accounts for nearly a third of the pregnancies in the country, one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Latin America.

In recent years, suicide rates have skyrocketed for young, pregnant women in El Salvador. Over 57 percent of the deaths of pregnant females aged 10 to 19 in El Salvador are attributed to suicide and likely subject to under-reporting.

One response would be to facilitate access to counseling and contraception to prevent an unwanted, unintended pregnancy in the face of violence, shame, and now, the effects of the Zika virus epidemic. Women in El Salvador currently have great difficulty accessing contraceptives, including birth control pills and condoms. Although legal in El Salvador, birth control can only be given to women with a prescription and the pills themselves are only sold in some pharmacies. There is a limited availability of condoms, which are expensive. Recent evidence suggests that Zika can be transmitted through sex, such that condoms may be the most important contraceptive for consideration.

Having access to contraception for all girls, women, and partners in El Salvador would be life-saving and compassionate. Women who postpone the debut of her first pregnancy until she is 20 years of age are exponentially more likely to survive the complications and birth, as is the newborn child. And if she can time her children just three years apart, her child is twice as likely to survive, especially in settings of extreme poverty.

For women in El Salvador, the prescription for abstinence either before or during marriage is an impractical one, perhaps a naive wish. The possibility for education on natural family planning, or fertility awareness is a viable component, but the access to modern contraceptives, as supported by Pope Francis as a means to prevent the devastation of the Zika virus, would be a compassionate step forward to uplift this extremely vulnerable population of young women.

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Currently, our U.S. government does not fund international, voluntary family planning efforts in El Salvador. We can urge our members of Congress to reconsider funding in El Salvador, exclusive of abortion prohibited by the Helms Amendment, to save the lives of women and children across the nation. We ask you to join us in this effort.



For many, the El Salvadoran martyr, Monsenor Oscar Romero embodied the visions of Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King in the Latin America context during the civil wars in El Salvador. He commented, "There are not two categories of people. There are not some who were born to have everything and leave others with nothing ... God wants a Christian society, one in which we share the good things that God has given for all of us."
The agreement that rolled back Iran's nuclear program has been praised by America's leading policy experts, nuclear scientists, editorial boards, and our key allies. But not by Donald Trump. It is "disastrous... horrible," he thunders. "I've never seen something so incompetently negotiated."

Really? Before he repeats his claims at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference next week, maybe he should talk to some people who know a good security deal when they see one: Israel's military and intelligence leaders.

There is a strong consensus among those charged with defending Israel that the Iran agreement improves Israel's security.

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The Israel Atomic Energy Commission, for example, advises the government on nuclear policy. They strongly endorse the deal. A panel of experts from the commission concluded that the agreement would halt Iran's technical ability to build a bomb and that inspectors would be able to effectively enforce all the limits on Iran's program imposed by the accord.

For those interested in fact-checking Mr. Trump, here is a summary of what Israel's top current and former military and intelligence officials say about the Iran deal.

Let's start at the top. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot criticized the Prime Minister's office for only citing the risks and not seeing the opportunity from this "major strategic shift." Israel's top general said, "At the end of 2005 the main threat was Iran. The agreement is a significant change of course for Iran. There are many risks but also opportunities... I would estimate that over the next five years Iran will make considerable efforts to fulfill its part and get the benefits from that."

Benny Gantz, who was chief of staff before Eisenkot, also praises the deal. "I see the achievement of keeping away the Iranians for ten, fifteen years into the future," he said, "and postponing their capabilities of having a nuclear capability--and with the right price."

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Efraim Halevy, former director of Mossad (Israel's national intelligence agency) and former head of the National Security Council, said, "The United States scored a great success in creating this international coalition to face down the nuclear threat which threatens the world at large."

Ami Ayalon, former head of Shin Bet (Israel's internal security service), said the deal is "the best possible alternative from Israel's point of view, given the other available alternatives...I don't believe that 10 or 15 years from now the world will stand by and watch Iran acquire nuclear weapons."

Amram Mitzna, a former Major General and former head of Army planning, was equally forceful in his support. "I must state loud and clear," he wrote, "This agreement is better than no agreement and must not be rejected."

Shlomo Ben-Ami, former minister of foreign affairs and internal security, has argued that deal "creates a solid framework to prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons for the next 10-15 years -- and that is a very positive development."

Uzi Eilam, former director general of the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission told CNN, "Personally, I am in favor of the deal and I think that there is more promise in it than anything else and it was even much better than I thought."

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Chuck Freilich, former deputy national security advisor, wrote, "For at least the next decade, Israel will not have to live under the threat of a nuclear Iran and will not face the danger of annihilation. For Israel, that is a major achievement."

Yitzhak Ben-Israel, chairman of the Israel Space Agency and chairman of the National Council for Research and Development in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, wrote, "In terms of the narrow nuclear issue, it removes the danger for a long time, and prevents a nuclear bomb for the next fifteen years. And it's not bad at all."

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Last August, 67 former generals and defense experts petitioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to accept the agreement as "an accomplished fact," and asking the Israeli government to focus on implementation of the agreement and to look toward future cooperation with the United States.



Unlike Trump's hyperbole, Israel's military takes a more sober view. The agreement "has many risks, but also presents many opportunities," says General Eisenkot, "Our role is to look at the risk prism and the capability prism and to judge from that--not to assume that the worst-case scenario will take place, because that is as dangerous as the best-case scenario. Therefore, we are now revisiting our strategy."

What worries Eisenkot? Not Iran's nuclear program. The IDF's new strategy that he crafted doesn't even list Iran as one of Israel's top threats. Their 2015 threat assessments focus on the conflict with the Palestinians, threats from Islamist militias on Israel's northern and southern borders, and cyber attacks.

So the next time Trump - or anyone else - slanders the agreement, don't fall for the con. Get the facts. This is a very good deal. America is safer for it.

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President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, is considered by Democrats and Republicans as brilliant and eminently qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. In making his announcement, President Obama described Garland as, "someone who brings to his work a spirit of decency, modesty, integrity, even-handedness and excellence." Unfortunately, Garland's superb qualifications will not matter.

Garland is currently the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Court. He is a native Chicagoan, and was the valedictorian of his high school class. In 1974, he was valedictorian of his Harvard class, where he graduated with an A.B. summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in social studies. He then attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1977 with a J.D. magna cum laude. He was also a member of the Harvard Law Review. Garland served as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice William Brennan, and took a job as a federal prosecutor during President George H. W. Bush's administration.

In 1993, Garland joined the Clinton administration as deputy assistant attorney general in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Subsequently, he did an outstanding job supervising the Oklahoma City bombing prosecutions, the UNABOM prosecution, and the Atlanta Olympics bombing investigation. President Bill Clinton nominated Garland to the D.C. Circuit Court in 1997, and the Senate confirmed him by a 76-23 vote. The 23 no votes were cast by Republicans who were opposed to an eleventh seat on the D.C. Circuit. They included Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, who at the time said, "I have nothing against the nominee. Mr. Garland seems well qualified, and would probably make a good judge -- in some other court."

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Judge Garland is generally viewed as "essentially the model, neutral judge" in his time on the D.C. Circuit. He has twice before been a finalist for open Supreme Court seats, earning praise from Republicans and Democrats. The law has been a lifelong commitment for Garland, who emotionally accepted his nomination as "the greatest honor in my life, other than Lynn agreeing to marry me 28 years ago."

In selecting Judge Garland, the president fulfilled his constitutional duty: "he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ... judges of the Supreme Court." The Constitution does not say a president cannot nominate a justice if he has less than a year left in his or her presidency. Nor does it say that the Senate must consider the president's nominee. However, a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll showed that 63 percent of Americans believe that the Senate should hold hearings on the president's nominee.

Shortly following the death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia Senate, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly declared, "this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president." In an unprecedented move, McConnell said the Senate would not consider a nominee. In a letter published in USA Today Wednesday, McConnell wrote, "As Vice President Biden said when he was Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, 'Once the political season is under way, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over.'"

Then Senator Joe Biden's remarks were delivered on the Senate floor in June of 1992, after several fierce Supreme Court fights. Biden also said he would support a future President George Bush nominee. Last month, Biden said in a statement, "Some critics say that one excerpt of my speech is evidence that I oppose filling a Supreme Court vacancy in an election year... This is not an accurate description of my views on the subject."

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Nonetheless, the president, a constitutional lawyer, spent one month reviewing candidates prior to his announcement Wednesday. "At a time when our politics are so polarized," the president said Wednesday, "this is precisely the time we should play it straight." Republican Senator Orrin Hatch may have been pleasantly surprised with the president's announcement. Last week, Hatch told Newsmax, "(Obama) could easily name Merrick Garland, who is a fine man." He then added, "He probably won't do that because this appointment is about the election. So I'm pretty sure he'll name someone the [liberal Democratic base] wants." Hatch is among a handful of Republican Senators who say they will extend Garland the courtesy of a meeting.

Because Scalia was such a powerful conservative voice in this nation, Republicans are determined to block Obama from filling the position. Of course, since Obama's first day in office in 2009, Senator McConnell and Congressional Republicans have done all they can to block the president's agenda. They have exacerbated the divisions within this country, and regularly played on people's worst fears instead of their hopes and dreams. They have demonized and often disrespected President Obama. They have consistently put their political party ahead of their country. Their tactics have led to the emergence of Donald Trump. In fact, if Garland is not confirmed, the appointment could be filled by President Trump or President Hillary Clinton.
Teenager (16-18) smoking hand rolled cigarette

There's no subject in our culture where the conversation is dominated by myths and misconceptions so much as drugs. We are frightened to talk about it. We are tempted to fall back on stock-phrases and mental spasms -- Just Say No, and all its more modern twists.

I have always been sympathetic to more compassionate drug policies, and I thought of myself as pretty enlightened. But when I spent over three years researching my book Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, I was startled to discover -- time and again -- that I too had fallen for a shelf-load of myths.

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Here are seven facts I learned along the way that startled me -- and I think force us to think differently about the drug war we have been waging now for one hundred and one years.

Fact One: 85 percent to 90 percent of people who use even heroin, crack or meth don't become addicted.

If you go into a crowded bar tonight and look around you, you might see some alcoholics (who need our love and support) -- but we all know they're a small minority.

But this isn't true of most other drugs, is it? We all know that most people who use heroin or crack or meth become addicts.

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This question has been carefully studied by leading social scientists -- and it turns out this belief is a myth. As I learned from Professor Carl Hart at Columbia University, it turns out 85-90 percent of people who use any drug do not become addicted.

Even the UN Office of Drug Control -- the main drug war body in the world -- admitted that 90 percent of all currently banned drug use doesn't harm the user -- although they've pulled the link from their site.

Fact Two: Portugal decriminalized all drugs -- and injecting drug use fell by 50 percent.

By the year 2000, Portugal had a massive drug crisis, with 1 percent of the population addicted to heroin. They set up a panel of scientists to look at the evidence. They came back and said -- decriminalize all drugs, and transfer all the money they used to spend on making addicts' lives worse, to making their lives better.

They set up a huge program of job creation for addicts, and extensive wrap-around care.

The result? Injecting drug use fell by 50 percent; overdose deaths fell significantly; and very few people in Portugal want to go back.

Fact Three: Switzerland legalized heroin for addicts over a decade ago. Nobody has ever died on an overdose there on legal heroin.

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Switzerland also had a huge heroin crisis. Under a visionary president -- Ruth Dreifus -- they decided to try an experiment. If you are a heroin addict, you are assigned to a clinic, and you are given your heroin there, for free, where you use it supervised by a doctor or nurse. You are given support to turn your life around, and find a job, and housing.

The result? Nobody has died of an overdose on legal heroin -- literally nobody. Street crime fell significantly. The heroin epidemic ended. Most legal heroin users choose to reduce their dose and come off the program over time, because as they find work, and no longer feel stigmatized, they want to be present in their lives again.



"When it comes to drugs, we can continue to live in a fantasy-world if we want -- and we will keep getting the results we've got."



Fact Four: A Harvard Professor calculates the murder rate would fall by at least 25 percent after legalization.

When you ban drugs, they don't vanish. They are transferred from legal businesses to criminals. If you try to steal from a legal business, they can go to the police. If you try to steal from a criminal gang, they can't go to the police. Illegal businesses can only survive through violence and the threat of violence. As the writer Charles Bowden said, the war on drugs creates a war for drugs. The Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman calculated this dynamic kills 10,000 people every year in the US.

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Professor Jeffrey Miron has carefully studied the very significant fall in the murder rate following the end of alcohol prohibition. Using these figures, he has calculated that when the war on drugs ends, there will be a fall in the murder rate of between 25 percent and 75 percent as the war for drugs ends. Under prohibition, everyone feared Al Capone; nobody fears the head of Corr's.

Fact Five: Kids find it much easier to get hold of illegal drugs than legal drugs.

In a major survey, American kids said it was easier to get hold of cannabis than to get hold of beer or cigarettes. In fact, kids were more than twice as likely to say they could easily get cannabis than beer.

Why? Drug dealers don't check ID. A legal, licensed trade has a lot to lose if they sell to teens. An illegal trade has nothing to lose -- a 13-year-old is as good a customer as a 35-year-old. Most legalization campaigners see it as a way to restrict access from younger people, who we all agree need to be protected.

Fact Six: Addiction is not caused primarily by the drug you take; it's caused by distress.

If 85-90 percent of people who use drugs don't become addicted, what's happening with the 10-15 percent who do? We now know it's not primarily the drug. Think about gambling addicts. They're just as addicted as any alcoholic or heroin addict you'll meet -- but nobody thinks you inject a roulette wheel, or drink a pack of cards.

So what does cause addiction? This short animation explains:

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Fact Seven: When people see drug reform in practice, few want to go back.

When people first hear about the idea of decriminalizing or legalizing drugs, they understandably think it sounds really risky. But everywhere it has been tried, support went up significantly.

For example, a year after marijuana was put on sale in licensed stores in Colorado, 58 percent supported the legalization, and only 38 percent opposed it. When Switzerland -- a really conservative country -- was asked to vote on whether to reverse the legalization of heroin for addicts, 70 percent of citizens voted to keep it legal -- because they had seen such remarkable results.

When it comes to drugs, we can continue to live in a fantasy-world if we want -- and we will keep getting the results we've got: a catastrophic heroin addiction epidemic across the U.S., spiraling overdose deaths, and teens finding it easier than ever to get the drug.

Or we can do something really original -- something few of us have done for a century now. We can start to look at the facts.

Johann Hari's New York Times best-selling book 'Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs' is now available in paperback in the U.S. This article draws on the book, and these ideas have also appeared in other extracts. You can find out what people as varied as Elton John, Glenn Greenwald, Bill Maher, Dan Savage, B.J. Novak, Sam Harris and Naomi Klein have said about the book here.
The shadow of the U.S. medical industry is shockingly apparent in the names of the priorities its reformers declare.

Most recently this dark matter was outed in the Journal of the American Medical Association by the physician and change agent Donald Berwick, MD. Berwick, something of a personal hero, called on the industry to enter a new "Moral Era." But can we right the industry's rapacious course by simply asking people to put their best foot forward?

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Berwick is the former recess appointee by President Obama to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Given his penchant for single payer, the Republicans wouldn't have him any other way. He may be comfortably considered the Chief Conscience Officer for U.S. medicine. He is known for continuously attempting to lasso the galloping horses of the $3-trillion industry with memory's lariat: a presumed service mission that originally got everyone involved in health care in the first place.

The shocking shadow lurking in Berwick's "moral era" made me recall the names of the cascade of reform activities on the way to this reckoning - and of the shadow each holds. Can this call to purpose rein in the beast?

Patient-centered care Such a campaign would hardly have been necessary were not relationships between patients and practitioners set to one side and fractured by medical technology, haste, and the thriving industry's assembly-line focus on production. Even federal funding incentives to propel good intentions toward enhancing patient experience don't seem to be making much of a dent in the disaffection.

Evidence-based medicine A next big reform drive was for "evidence-based medicine." Medicine knows that beneath the cover of a nominally scientific endeavor is a reality closer to Mr. Hyde than the good Dr. Jekyll. The medical director for the nation's largest medical delivery organization, the $12-billion/year University of Pittsburgh Medical Center once put it this way in June 2014 to a plenary audience at an international conference: "Only 25% of what we do has quality evidence, and we only do that half the time." (See Useful Data Points.) For those falling asleep to the lullabye of science, this is a rude awakening. The shadow knows.

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Value-based medicine Recent years opened a third catch-all: "value based medicine." The dark matter here is the competitive drive for "volume" and the churning focus on production of services. It's called profit seeking in the straight capitalist sector. Hospital CFOs do their best to emulate efficiencies that made Henry Ford's name. Office visits are managed toward short visits that drive the most revenue per minute. (This doesn't help in the patient-centered arena.) And even as Ford's industry favors the margins on an SUV, so the hospital balance sheet leans hard toward high-end surgeries and the specialists who do the cutting.

Berwick dubbed this value-based movement The Triple Aim. The trio of favored outcomes replacing raw production - patient experience, cost reductions, and bettering population health - seek to light a great darkness. The industry is 30%-40% waste - more, in rough dollars, than the annual U.S. military budget. Most horrifying, if one allows the data in, is that a 2013 paper in the Journal of Patient Safety estimated that between 210,000 and 440,000 per year die from preventable medical deaths.

Nor is that the end of the harm. As Berwick graphically described in a remarkable December 2015 speech he called A Report from Xanadu, the industry voraciously sucks-up social capital. Depleted are opportunities for education, infrastructure, jobs, alleviating poverty, limiting incarceration, embracing renewable practices, and creating sustainable energy. This damage to the public health overshadows the industry's red badge as the nation's third leading cause of death.

From sick care to health creation In late 2013, Berwick took a new tack. He urged captains of the industry into a 30-year process to move from the remunerative focus on sick care toward "salutogenesis" or health creation, as he called it. Perhaps purpose could be wedded to a big, affirmative mission, after the apparent failure to bind the best in the industry to these successive campaigns to clean up the mess.

To support the direction, Berwick and a group of colleagues stole an echo from Rules for Radicals, the enduring guide from the dean of community organizing, Saul Alinsky. They declared 10 "New Rules for Radical Re-Design of Health Care." Co-produce health. Promote well-being. Create joy in work. Continuously reduce waste.They highlighted the public health benefit: "Return the money from healthcare savings to other public and private purposes." They used suasion to urge delivery organization leaders to, of their own free will, join a new IHI Leadership Alliance that would lead the charge into the new world.



The Moral Era Then came the JAMA commentary. The question begged: what is the nature of behavior that is the shadow to what is moral? To make his broadside actionable, Berwick offered 9 steps to complement the 10 rules. Shift the business focus from revenue to quality. End professional prerogative. Practice complete transparency. Reject greed. The radical themes continued.

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Berwick is a sort of modern Paul Revere. Only its not the British coming. Rather, apparently, shame and ignominy, to go with responsibility for the deaths and relative decline, through depletion of other social investment, in the population health. In the JAMA piece, he described an Era 1 of utter dominance and unquestioned authority for medical doctors. Era 2 is that described in this attempted list of remedial action. He adds: "Let era 3 be the moral era." He knows this framing will not be easily adopted: "Era 1 enthusiasts will find that prescription abrasive." No doubt. "Era 2 devotees will find it naive." I do. "But the discord is not helping clinicians, communities, or patients. Without a new moral ethos, there will be no winners."

Berwick rolled out the idea for Era 3 and its 9 steps in a February 18, 2016 "Why Morality Matters" webinar in which I participated with over 750 others. In the boisterous chat room, I chose to share something I'd written before on the topic: "Overall, the tone [of the steps] feels hurried and frustrated. It is as though Berwick is a practitioner of change agency whose patient is already shuffling off to exit the office call. He hurriedly rattles off recommendations that will make or break the treatment plan: stop smoking, reduce meat, walk more, add fiber, find a hobby, start yoga, spend less time at work, try non-violent communication, love yourself - just do those things and we'll converge on health."

Berwick called out my comment in his closing remarks, considering whether there is hope for real change. "This is hard," he said. "I'm arguing to move to a new mind set. It's hard."

Then he closed with a suggestion that it is only our generation shuffling off toward the door: "I think the sell is a lot easier when the young get the steering wheel." He referenced his daughter, a young internist who shared the webinar with him, and her colleagues: "I think a lot of us can focus on the young people that are honoring this [transformative effort], who are coming into it, and give them a chance to really do what they know is right. They will guide us to the 3rd Era faster than the way I know."

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It's only Thursday but police in New York city have been on a rampage this week.

Four well-known activists and copwatchers were arrested in a span of three days for filming the police, which is not illegal. The NYPD had gone so arrest crazy by Wednesday that someone from the mayor's office, perhaps weary over bad publicity, allegedly called 1 Police Plaza to arrange for one person's release.

Monday night, cops with the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, a new unit reportedly created for the dual tasks of policing protests and responding to terrorism, arrested Dennis Flores during a protest in the Bronx. Flores, founder of El Grito de Sunset Park, a long-time police watchdog group based in Brooklyn, was filming SRG officers as they followed a group of activists marching with the weekly "People's Monday" protests that have been going strong for over a year. Led by groups like NYC Shut It Down and Copwatch Patrol Unit, the monday protests highlight a victim of police brutality and publicly read the facts around their case. That night they were protesting the heart-wrenching death of Barbara Dawson, a black Florida woman who died in police custody in December after cops arrested her for not leaving a hospital where she had been seeking care.

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The night of the protest here in the city, NYPD Deputy Inspector Andrew Lombardo, noted for his role in a US military detainment camp during the infamous Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in Iraq, was leading the policing of the march, which was making its way through the South Bronx. Lombardo and the SRG tried to break up the march several times, as they have often tried doing, by threatening demonstrators with arrest if they crossed a street without the light. They arrested Flores, who has been copwatching for years, allegedly for jaywalking when he stopped at a pedestrian island, some posted videos show. He was released after being held at the 40th precinct for about an hour.

The next night, cops from Manhattan's 18th precinct arrested Five Mualimm-ak and Jazz Hayden, who had both just left an event in midtown that was promoting a book that Five had helped put together. Five, co-founder of Incarated Nation, an organization that works to build alternatives to incarceration, is a well respected prison rights activist who spent years in New York prisons, five of them in the torture chamber known as solitary confinement. Jazz Hayden is a Harlem living legend and someone that I have an immense amount of respect for. He is former Attica prisoner who earned his master's degree (in prison) and went on to become the director of the Campaign to End the New Jim Crow, as well as launch a grassroots multi-media production company, Still Here Harlem, which often publishes videos of police misconduct online.

Five and Jazz were walking down the street with a group of friends when they encountered cops forcibly removing a homeless man from the street and into an ambulance. Jazz was filming the cops, as he does, when another squad car pulled up and police officers charged at him, knocking him to the ground. The police arrested both he and Five, who objected, for obstruction of government administration. When their friends showed up at the precinct to inquire about their status, five of them were arrested and eventually released. Jazz was hit with the more serious resisting arrest charges. As he fell, Jazz, who is in his 70's, tried holding on to the police officer's arms at which point the cop claimed Jazz assaulted him, he says. Both he and Five were transferred to central booking and held overnight. The Manhattan District Attorney's office tried to set bail at $1,500 but they were released of their own recognizance Wednesday evening to a crowd of supporters. They return to court next month.

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Then, if that wasn't enough, last night at about 7 o'clock, cops again arrested Ramsey Orta, the young man who famously filmed the 2014 police chokehold killing of Eric Garner in Staten Island. The video went viral across the globe as it set off massive protests both in and outside the city. Orta has been repeatedly targeted, harassed and arrested by the NYPD ever since. Now working with WeCopwatch, a national cop watching collective, he was filming the arrest of a man who had been pulled over in his car by police near the Baruch Houses in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Orta says he was not obstructing but was arrested by cops from the 7th precinct anyway.

Orta says he was held at the 7th precinct until, to his surprise, an NYPD Captain showed up to arrange for him to receive a desk appearance ticket and be let go. He says he overheard police say that the mayor's office had pressed police officials at 1PP to come down to precinct and secure his release. In 2014 Mayor Bill de Blasio was criticized for similarly leaning on the police department to have one of his political friends, Bishop Orlando Findlayter from Brooklyn, released from custody after he'd been arrested on outstanding warrants following a car stop for not signaling while making a turn. Orta says the cops in the stationhouse were upset that the mayor's office had become involved.

But why would the mayor be concerned about Orta? De Blasio has essentially blessed the increased aggression of the NYPD towards activists and protesters. He's seemingly petrified of the police department, the police unions and the hysterical conservative drudgery that spews out of the New York Post. He is no friend of the police brutality movement. Helping out an activist who's been at the crosshairs of the police department wouldn't seem to make much sense.

One possibility is that the mayor's office recognized that the arrests of Jazz and Five, a member of an advisory board for the mayor, was already a brewing scandal as a feature story on NY1 last night. Video of the incident is said to be released sometime soon, possibly adding even more outrage to the story. Another arrest of Orta, himself a high profile figure, might be too much unwanted publicity for a mayor yearning to turn the page on media coverage of police misconduct. The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the city's largest police union, is also gearing up for a fight in 2017, hiring the same PR firm that represented the app company Uber, which kicked de Blasio's political ass last year.

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Image: Associated Press

Donald Trump recently threw some more people out of his rally with the wave of his hand, and the headlines and tweets were again impressed. He does his own thing! He is different from everyone else!

He wants to be president of this country, and a lot of people seem to think he could be.

As social scientists we could spend our lifetime explaining this phenomenon, but one puzzle piece might be that in the United States the concept of the rugged individual is primal to our way of thinking. In our most popular stories, one hero (usually a man) sweeps in and individually succeeds at the most complex of tasks. He is a self-defined paradigm of independence, different from and even counter to everyone else. We love movies like that: They said it couldn't be done! HE PROVED THEM WRONG (cue to the footage of this man running through a lot of mayhem and emerging triumphant.) Even our advertising tropes celebrate the individual achiever -- think back to Apple's 1984 ad, with the solo shot-putter hurling a missile at conformist messages. Think of the cowboy, the vigilante cop, all the characters Bruce Willis always plays.

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Western culture is crazily interested in individuality, and it is the mythical lens we see the world through, even in the face of obvious conflict with it. Hazel Markus, a Stanford psychologist, has spent much of her career studying this tendency. She has even found that Americans believe that what we think is completely individual. Instead of recognizing that our environments shape us, we constantly worry that other people and our environment are hindering us. These findings help explain why Trump and his supporters get so violently furious at any dissent.

What's wrong with thinking this way? Doesn't an individualistic approach to running for president best reflect our culture? Maybe, but only in the shallowest and most deluded way, for four reasons.

1. It's a lie. Framed positively, in the Trump phenomenon aggrieved individuals have found one another. The size and norms of the group are powerful magnets for new supporters. In a less sanguine light, a mob mentality requires a mob to persist. The Trump phenomenon is not individualistic. It is defined by in- and outgroups, insults and belonging.

2. It's unstable. Constant opposition to the norm means the maverick is continually shifting attitudes. After all, all an opponent has to do is say, "Only outsiders wear green shirts," and tomorrow, Trump's supporters will be in line to buy the now stigmatized color. Do they like green? Doesn't matter. Being defined by individuation means bring defined by opposition and opposition results in the same kinds of puppet strings as does being defined by any external force.

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3. It's irrelevant. Trump is interviewing for the chance to represent everyone in a job that requires a lot of intellect, social savvy and cooperation. Nothing about this hyperindividualism makes a person qualified to run a country.

4. Worst of all, it's dangerous. Trump will fight to preserve the idea that he is free from all external influence; even that of his supporters. This brand of individualistic leadership means that he will not feel responsible for his supporters' suffering, unless it directly impacts him. Yes, he might pay a sucker-puncher's legal bills, but that's more a show of financial bravado than actual concern.

Mr. Trump is the nightmare of our dearest individualist hero dreams come true. He doesn't care what wreckage he leaves behind and does and says what he wants. And we have no novelist or script-writer in the background making sure this attitude works. In real life it can't work. Think of what a real coworker or boss like this would be like.
This new unfair IRS tax is just another example of how those on Main Street continue to lose. Despite being part of one of the fastest growing small business sectors, sole proprietors and businesses with nine or fewer employees are treated unfairly and unequally. Offering crucial, yet minor financial assistance to cover health care costs to employees may seem like a small feat, but it could make a big difference in the lives on these workers.

The threat of IRS penalties has become real. For example, a small business owner who is currently offering an HRA to his employees will owe the IRS on average a whopping $182,000 as of July. This price tag will increase to more than $366,000 by the end of the year. Small employers cannot afford these outlandish fines and will ultimately be forced to stop offering HRAs.




Photo:  UNICEF/INDA2014-00385/Altaf Qadri

With the situation in Syria now the worst refugee crisis since World War II, it should come as no surprise that education for children in emergencies is a critical problem. More than 2.8 million Syrian children inside and outside Syria are currently out of school, putting them at greater risk for serious forms of exploitation like child labour and child marriage. But the educational crisis goes far beyond Syria, impacting millions of other children around the world who have also been forced out of school by emergencies. In fact, globally the state of education for children in emergency and crisis environments is much worse than even I initially imagined.

This week, A World at School released a new scorecard on education in emergencies, providing a quick outline of the educational situation in 28 countries in emergency situations and the growing funding gap exacerbating the education crisis. Our scorecard reveals that 80 million children and adolescents around the globe have had their education directly affected by emergencies and 37 million have been completely forced out of school. Syrian children make up only a portion of this enormous number, leaving more than 30 million others excluded from school due to less-visible crises.

I've said this before, but the new scorecard proves its worth repeating: despite the obviously immense need, education in emergencies is continually underfunded and under prioritised, receiving less than 2% of all humanitarian funding every year since 2010. Last year, only 12% of the children and youth in need of education were reached through humanitarian appeals, leaving millions living through crises without the life-saving benefits school can offer. And although the need for funding has grown year after year, rising 21% since 2010, donor funding has dropped 41% in the same period. We now have an annual $9 BILLION funding gap in humanitarian funding for education!

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Funding for education in emergencies is also extremely uneven, leaving some countries - and too many children -- completely unsupported. 133 education appeals have been made since 2010, but just SIX received almost half of the total funding. Four of those were directly related to the crisis in Syria. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, only got 13.6% of its requested education funds in 2015, reaching a mere 78,000 of the 3.2 million children and youth in need. Another four education appeals received absolutely zero funding this year, abandoning thousands of children to the dangerous alternatives to education. This is clearly unacceptable.

We know that education in emergencies is a life-saving measure for children both in the short and the long term, but this knowledge has so far failed to transform into sufficient action. If we ever hope to achieve the goal of universal quality education for all, we cannot afford to continue underfunding education appeals and ignoring millions of children in need. A World At School is now calling on the global leaders meeting at the World Humanitarian Summit in May to do three things:

Launch the new Common Platform for Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises with an ambitious commitment of at least 2 billion and a plan to reach all children by 2030

Urgently publish the schedule and scale of donors' humanitarian commitments to education so countries can plan accordingly

Above all, prioritise education for children and youth in all emergency and conflict settings
By Algis V. Urbaitis, Engineer

If you haven't had an MRI before, chances are you know someone who has. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is widely used to create pictures of soft tissues in the body -- allowing doctors to identify anything from a torn knee ligament to a concussion. MRIs provide critical early diagnosis of potentially life-threatening injuries, yet their size and cost make them difficult to deploy to hard-to-reach places.

That's changing. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, we've developed a portable MRI, also called Battlefield MRI (bMRI), that uses ultra-low-field magnetic resonance imaging to create images of the brain that can be used in field hospitals for wounded soldiers or in remote villages in developing countries.

Conventional MRI machines use very large magnetic fields that align the protons in water molecules to create magnetic resonance signals, which are detected by the machine and turned into images. The large magnetic fields create exceptionally detailed images, but they are difficult and expensive to make.

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Our team wanted to see if images of sufficient quality could be made with ultra-low-magnetic fields, similar in strength to the Earth's magnetic field. To achieve images at such low fields, we use exquisitely sensitive detectors called Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices, or SQUIDs.

Want to learn more about portable MRI? Watch this video.

This approach has several advantages: It does not require a huge, powerful, potentially dangerous, and expensive magnet in a specially built, heavily shielded facility. Nor does it require extensive safety precautions to prevent any piece of iron-based metal from hurtling toward the magnet as a deadly projectile. And while the images created by ultra-low-field MRI lack the clarity of regular MRI, they still provide medically usable images of the brain.

Why, you might ask, is Los Alamos--a national nuclear security laboratory--investigating brain imaging? It's partly because the Lab has unique capabilities in imaging technology stemming from our research in ultrasensitive detection. Weak-field SQUID-based magnetic measurements excel at nondestructive testing--finding cracks and voids in materials used in weapons, for instance. That work supports our nuclear mission and applies to other national security problems, like bombs smuggled onto airplanes.

That's why the Department of Homeland Security called Los Alamos in 2006, after British police foiled a terror plot to sneak liquid explosives onto airplanes and blow them up. The police caught the terrorists long before they boarded a flight to New York, but the plot exposed a dangerous gap in detection. Airport-security x-ray machines easily spot dense objects, but liquids slip through and are difficult to distinguish from each other because they're all about the same density. DHS thought Los Alamos might have a solution.

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We did. Making a few modifications to our portable, low-field MRI device, called MagViz, we tested it at Albuquerque International Sunport. It worked. It even won an R & D 100 award in 2009 from R & D Magazine.

Given our brain-imaging background, while we worked on MagViz we kept thinking about its healthcare applications. Here we had invented this little MRI machine you can pick up and move around, even in hostile locations. How cool! If it works in an airport, a web of interference coming from thousands of cell phones, radios, and microwave broadcasts, it will work anywhere--like in battlefield hospitals for the military or in poor countries that lack the funding or expertise to install and operate a full-bore MRI.

So far, so good. But the Achilles heel of weak-field MRI is interference. Lots of common things like cars, high-voltage power lines, and even Earth itself create magnetic fields. So the sensitivity of MagViz creates a challenge. We're now working on the simplest, lightest ways to shield the device from outside magnetic fields.

We'll soon overcome the remaining minor technical problems so we can get our low-field system out there where it's needed. For instance, soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered many more traumatic brain injuries than those in past conflicts, yet field hospitals lack MRI because it's too big and difficult to shield in a portable building. And if a soldier has shrapnel in a wound, you can't put him under an MRI--the machine will rip the metal from his body. Those aren't problems with our portable low-field system. We joke it's the Ikea MRI machine--designed for easy on-site assembly.

The technology has peacetime uses, too. We've spoken with colleagues in Uganda who treat children for hydrocephalus--fluid buildup in the brain. MRI provides the best diagnostic tool and helps guide treatment. Unfortunately, Uganda doesn't have a single MRI machine or the expertise to maintain one. Instead, radiologists use x-ray-based computed tomography, which exposes children to way too much radiation. With low-field MRI, Ugandan doctors could obtain a sharp enough image to effectively treat these kids.

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Simon Panek is the cofounder and director of the People In Need humanitarian organization, the largest nongovernmental organization in Central Europe.

After cofounding People In Need in 1992, Panek has worked worldwide to ease the suffering of people in times of crisis, be it war, famine, or flood, and has become highly respected in both the Czech Republic and abroad. People In Need is also the organizer of the One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, currently the world's largest documentary film festival focusing on human rights. By extension, the One World in Schools programme, which uses films and interactive lessons to discuss complicated topics with children and that has recently expanded its educational aid offerings, is currently used by thousands of teachers in nearly 2,000 schools. Panek has also received many prestigious awards, including the Czech State Medal of Merit and European of the Year Award.

Lan Anh Vu sat down with Panek to hear more about his journey, the challenges that he has faced along the way, and his advice for young people across the world.

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As told to Lan Anh Vu

Why I Pursued a Career in Non-profit Management

Basically, I was brought up in the tradition of the scouts, part of which is to help others. Serving others in society is the principle part of the scouting movement. Some people have strong feelings about society, while others don't. I've always had quite strong feelings about society, even during the communism of the 1980s, when I was part of the pro-environment movement in the Czechoslovakia.

In 1988, a strong earthquake hit Armenia, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time, and my friends and I spontaneously organized informal and unofficial humanitarian assistance. We collected various warm articles of clothing, sleeping bags, and other things to help people affected by the earthquake. We felt that, if we could, then we should help others in crisis.

Based on that experience, I learned that things should be right and good and that, if you can, then you should contribute to making things that way. Part of setting things right is helping people who are in need. So, in 1992, my friends and I cofounded a humanitarian organization to mitigate the suffering of people during times of crisis.

Challenges

In 2001-2002, just after the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, in the northern part of the country, there were around 500,000 people in IDPs camps. They were there partially because of insecurity and the difficult socioeconomic situation, partly due to severe ongoing droughts.

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It was very challenging. There were only a few organizations to assist the half-million people in the camps. Plus, we were newcomers. I spent hours and hours sitting with elders in the tribes and families in the IDPs camps discussing how we could help them. In the beginning, they just repeated that they needed more fuel to heat and to cook and more tents. But I realized that those things weren't really what they needed, so I asked them how I could truly help them, what they truly needed. One of the elders answered that they needed to go back to their villages: to their homeland. And that was the answer.

We were newcomers and came to the NGO coordination meeting with the proposal to return the IDP refugees to their homes. We were challenged, because everyone was preoccupied with the number of nutrients people were getting and the metrics of rice land and other things. But then the UN supported us. With its support, we piloted the first return: a convoy of 50 trucks with families and everything that went back to the mountains on a two-day trip. First, it was 1,000 people, but within six months, tens of thousands of people had returned home. Once we changed our thinking about how we could help, all that remained were technical and financial issues about doing it.

Lessons Learned

I've learned as a leader that it is difficult to have a hand in everything. So I've learned to delegate things to my team members. I always try to inspire and encourage people to work independently and to judge how much they are willing to do on their own. Top-down leaders are not always the best. I appreciate proactivity and reward people who step up and take ownership.

I am fortunate to work with strong, dedicated, and driven people on my team, all of whom share the same vision as I do. As you grow from three to 1,500 people, you cannot orchestrate growth. You need to make sure that you work with people who value what you value, are better than you at what they do, and try to achieve the same goal.

Global Humanitarian Situation

From a humanitarian point of view, the current global humanitarian situation is bad. Just take a look at the number of people on the move--the refugees. It's the highest number since World War II. The Middle East is in a very bad shape, and climate change is visibly affecting huge areas in Africa and more places in Asia as well. Plus, this year, El Nino is coming again, which will hit Africa. From a humanitarian point of view, the situation is more difficult than it was 20 years ago.

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Advice for Young People

It is more important to live than to have. A meaningful life connects people to a larger sense of purpose and value, by making positive contributions, not only to their personal and spiritual growth, but also to society and human civilization as a whole. So, it is important to live a meaningful life, to do interesting things, and to be surrounded by people who live for something, not just wages. Do something that really gives you strong, positive feedback that makes you feel that you are useful, that you are not just a number in the system that can be replaced by another number. I think that is a very important thing. Life should be full of purpose.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Isn't it rather odd that America's largest single public expenditure scheduled for the coming decades has received no attention in the 2015-2016 presidential debates?

The expenditure is for a thirty-year program to "modernize" the U.S. nuclear arsenal and production facilities. Although President Obama began his administration with a dramatic public commitment to build a nuclear weapons-free world, that commitment has long ago dwindled and died. It has been replaced by an administration plan to build a new generation of U.S. nuclear weapons and nuclear production facilities to last the nation well into the second half of the twenty-first century. This plan, which has been largely ignored by the mass media, includes redesigned nuclear warheads, as well as new nuclear bombers, submarines, land-based missiles, weapons labs, and production plants. The estimated cost? $1,000,000,000,000.00 -- or, for those readers unfamiliar with such lofty figures, $1 trillion.

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Critics charge that the expenditure of this staggering sum will either bankrupt the country or, at the least, require massive cutbacks in funding for other federal government programs. "We're . . . wondering how the heck we're going to pay for it," admitted Brian McKeon, an undersecretary of defense. And we're "probably thanking our stars we won't be here to have to have to answer the question," he added with a chuckle.

Of course, this nuclear "modernization" plan violates the terms of the 1968 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires the nuclear powers to engage in nuclear disarmament. The plan is also moving forward despite the fact that the U.S. government already possesses roughly 7,000 nuclear weapons that can easily destroy the world. Although climate change might end up accomplishing much the same thing, a nuclear war does have the advantage of terminating life on earth more rapidly.

This trillion dollar nuclear weapons buildup has yet to inspire any questions about it by the moderators during the numerous presidential debates. Even so, in the course of the campaign, the presidential candidates have begun to reveal their attitudes toward it.

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On the Republican side, the candidates -- despite their professed distaste for federal expenditures and "big government" -- have been enthusiastic supporters of this great leap forward in the nuclear arms race. Donald Trump, the frontrunner, contended in his presidential announcement speech that "our nuclear arsenal doesn't work," insisting that it is out of date. Although he didn't mention the $1 trillion price tag for "modernization," the program is clearly something he favors, especially given his campaign's focus on building a U.S. military machine "so big, powerful, and strong that no one will mess with us."

His Republican rivals have adopted a similar approach. Marco Rubio, asked while campaigning in Iowa about whether he supported the trillion dollar investment in new nuclear weapons, replied that "we have to have them. No country in the world faces the threats America faces." When a peace activist questioned Ted Cruz on the campaign trail about whether he agreed with Ronald Reagan on the need to eliminate nuclear weapons, the Texas senator replied: "I think we're a long way from that and, in the meantime, we need to be prepared to defend ourselves. The best way to avoid war is to be strong enough that no one wants to mess with the United States." Apparently, Republican candidates are particularly worried about being "messed with."

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton has been more ambiguous about her stance toward a dramatic expansion of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Asked by a peace activist about the trillion dollar nuclear plan, she replied that she would "look into that," adding: "It doesn't make sense to me." Even so, like other issues that the former secretary of state has promised to "look into," this one remains unresolved. Moreover, the "National Security" section of her campaign website promises that she will maintain the "strongest military the world has ever known" -- not a propitious sign for critics of nuclear weapons.

Only Bernie Sanders has adopted a position of outright rejection. In May 2015, shortly after declaring his candidacy, Sanders was asked at a public meeting about the trillion dollar nuclear weapons program. He replied: "What all of this is about is our national priorities. Who are we as a people? Does Congress listen to the military-industrial complex" that "has never seen a war that they didn't like? Or do we listen to the people of this country who are hurting?" In fact, Sanders is one of only three U.S. Senators who support the SANE Act, legislation that would significantly reduce U.S. government spending on nuclear weapons. In addition, on the campaign trail, Sanders has not only called for cuts in spending on nuclear weapons, but has affirmed his support for their total abolition.

Nevertheless, given the failure of the presidential debate moderators to raise the issue of nuclear weapons "modernization," the American people have been left largely uninformed about the candidates' opinions on this subject. So, if Americans would like more light shed on their future president's response to this enormously expensive surge in the nuclear arms race, it looks like they are the ones who are going to have to ask the candidates the trillion dollar question.

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One of the leading concerns for employers is how to keep and retain top talent. Companies invest time, energy and resources into hiring talent, spending thousands to onboard a new employee. When the company hires the wrong talent or the employee decides the job just isn't for them then the company is faced with spending thousands more to find a replacement. The market is competitive with employers offering higher salaries, better benefits and more vacation to lure talent away, making the reduction of turnover a serious challenge for employers.

CareerBuilder conducted a survey of employees and human resource professionals to determine the reasons behind why employees stay with a company. The survey found that a majority of employees stay if their salary is increased. Better benefits came in at a close second and flexible schedules third. Yet the practices of bumping salaries, offering a flex spending account or flexible schedules, still leaves companies with a shortfall of talent coming and going through their revolving doors. Implementing these best practices to retain employees cost employers more money and at the end of the day, employers are still left without talent. The grass always tends to be greener on the other side of the fence and so employees jump. Employers spend thousands to attract top talent and yet the talent doesn't stay because tomorrow the grass is greener somewhere else.

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For military spouses we don't have the luxury of being able to say how long we can stay with a company because of our mobile lifestyle. Our spouses are part of a long forgotten culture where you work for an institution for a period of years and you earn a retirement. This loyalty and dedication is part of the military family unit and they are important traits employers often overlook when considering hiring a military spouse. There are a number of institutions, organizations and groups trying to promote the hiring of military spouses. Yet why are we still unemployed? We continue to remain unemployed because the jobs offered are traditional jobs and our lifestyles are anything but traditional.
This is a picture that my roommate snapped last night. It was ten o'clock. I had spent the past two days home with sick children and was determined to get midterm grades in before bed -- so determined, in fact, that my laptop dying in the middle of the process wasn't going to slow me down. I grabbed my cord from upstairs, found the last available plugin and went to work on the floor. And then I heard the whimpering.

My daughter was awake.

Not only was she awake, she was aware that she was in her bed and mama wasn't with her. The horror. This is basically a code red situation. Knowing the busy day we had and the fact that she missed her nap, I hoped and prayed that her soft cries might fade out and she would go back to sleep on her own. I vowed to wait her out. My strong-willed toddler wasn't having it. It was Mommy or bust. I heard her little feet as they climbed out of bed and made her way down the stairs.

"Mama, hold you."

The little manipulator knows my soft spot, and it's the magic word "Mama." I wasn't ready to retire to bed and give up on midterm grading just yet, though, so I struck a bargain. I asked her if she wanted to help me do my work. This seemed to appease her. She sat next to me for roughly 27 seconds before she climbed into my lap, wanting to be held like an infant. Cue the picture.

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I finished the midterm grades, hauled my daughter upstairs to my bed, and then looked at the picture my friend snapped of the two of us. I began pondering the idea of work/home life balance and decided that it didn't apply to me. To be fair, it is partly due to the nature of my job -- everyone knows that teachers bring work home with them (and if you didn't -- they do. Lots of it.). Part of it, though, is due to my status as a single parent.

For the past couple years, I have gushed about the luxuries my profession affords me -- I work a three day schedule and get to spend the other days at home with my kids. I have the option to take the summer off, and, man, did we enjoy that last year between trips to the park, pool, library, and a vacation to Florida. My job is perfect, not just because I'm passionate about my work, but because it works so well with my primary occupation -- parenting. As far as work/home life balance goes, though, I've learned that it's simply a myth. It doesn't exist.

Consider a balance for a second, if you will. A balance weighs one object on each side. Sometimes the weights are equal, sometimes there is an imbalance, but there are always two distinct masses. There is separation.
If you're Scythian, a Celtic rock band known for bringing legions of MerleFest fans to their feet since 2007, St. Patrick's Day is your Super Bowl.

And this one's big.

Huge.

It's not a well-paid gig at a club in Manhattan or Washington, D.C., from where the band members mostly hail.

It's much bigger than that.

The band will no doubt play to an audience of adoring fans -- possibly its biggest, but these fans won't be paying a dime.

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This one is on Scythian, and the band wouldn't have it any other way.

This one is special. Super special.

Thursday, March 17, Scythian will perform two private shows at Melmark, a not-for-profit organization providing residential, educational and therapeutic services for children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, brain injuries and other neurological and genetic diagnoses with service divisions outside Philadelphia and Boston.

For free.

"We are so excited that we will be playing at a grand place called Melmark for St. Patrick's Day," said Danylo "Dan" Fedoryka. "This is going to be so different than any other St. Patrick's Day."

Some of the students have Down Syndrome, others cerebral palsy. Others face challenges caused by traumatic brain injuries or are diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. All have a physical or developmental disability. More important, they all LOVE Scythian.

Melmark is also home to the Joybells, the incredible bell choir that has recently played for the World Congress of Families and on the "Today" show.

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Over the past year Fedoryka and his brother Alexander, co-founders of Scythian, have formed a bond with Melmark's Pennsylvania students, especially the members of the Joybells, who performed for the Pope's recent visit to Philadelphia.

Dan met them there for the first time.

"I made it back stage to hang out with the Joybells and they were so incredibly excited. They were more excited about meeting Scythian than the Pope," Dan says still incredulous at the memory. "They dance to our music after their program and they just love us. They are so awesome."

Scythian, which means "nomad" in Ukranian (where the Fedorykas have their roots), has been described as fusing Celtic and Americana music with thunderous energy into what the band's members call "immigrant rock."

Alexander plays fiddle, mandolin and bass and Dan plays on rhythm guitar and accordion. Rounding out the band are their sister, Larissa, and Josef "Joe" Crosby fiddle and bass and Tim Hepburn on drums and percussion.

The Melmark show came together after the band decided to forego a gig it was planning for St. Patty's Day in Manhattan.

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"Everything panned out for the routing for us because we're playing Harrah's Casino in Chester (Pennsylvania) on the 18th. Alex said let's do a show at Melmark. The other guys said yes, please, let's do it."

Catie Parker, music therapist for the adult day program and assistant director of the Joybells, says the Melmark students were beyond thrilled when they learned their favorite band was coming to play for them. "I've heard about it every day," she said with a laugh. "They are so excited!"

Full disclosure, Parker, who is a musician in her own right, is the reason the members of Scythian met the Joybells in the first place. Parker has been on three call backs for the NBC competition, "The Voice," and her band, Little Hill Trio, performed at Scythian's debut festival, Appaloosa Roots, over Labor Day Weekend 2015 and is scheduled to perform at the festival again this year.

"She loves our music," Dan said. "It was through her that (Melmark) happened,"

The feeling is mutual. "Donating their Super Bowl is so incredibly generous," Parker says. "They are the nicest guys. Alexander surprised all the Joybells with Scythian lunch boxes at Christmas."

For the individuals with whom she works, Parker says music transcends all boundaries. She thinks they respond to Scythian's unique sound because their music has been around for hundreds of years.

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"It's folk music that is part of a lot of different cultures," she said. "For example, the drum beats have roots in Africa. Music has a powerful effect on the brain and that is true for people with developmental disabilities."

Scythian is as excited to perform for the residents and students of Melmark as its audience.
Let me tell you about a community who woke up one day to learn their drinking water had been contaminated with toxic chemicals. Families who have been suffering from mysterious illnesses learn that the water they've been drinking day in and day out may be laced with poison. They plead with their Republican governor to do something about the contaminated water, but due to the governor's business ties he finds it easier to simply ignore the public health crisis in their community. Months go by, and these families are still living off bottled water rather than turn on the faucet and risk lasting harm to their families. Meanwhile, instead of holding anyone accountable, the governor's Department of Environmental Quality is simply trying to downplay the water contamination.

You probably think I'm referring to Flint, Michigan, but the community I'm talking about is actually in North Carolina. In fact, hundreds of families in more than a dozen communities across the state received "Do Not Drink" notices last year telling them their groundwater has been contaminated by toxic chemicals found in leaking Duke Energy coal ash pits nearby. These families have been living off bottled water for nearly a year, but Gov. Pat McCrory -- himself a former Duke Energy employee of nearly 30 years -- has refused to publicly acknowledge the public health crisis. Instead, the McCrory administration decided to simply dilute the water quality standards -- claiming the previously-unsafe levels of contamination are suddenly safe again.

Amy Brown is a mother of two young boys living in Belmont, a small town just west of Charlotte. After receiving a Do Not Drink notice in the spring of 2015 informing her that her groundwater was laced with cancer-causing industrial chemicals such as hexavalent chromium, it didn't take long for Amy to connect the dots to the Duke Energy coal ash pond less than 1,000 feet from her home.

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"When we turn on the faucet, we turn on fear," said Amy, who was told not to drink or cook with the contaminated water -- but given no information about when the problem would be fixed or what to do in the meantime. After begging, pleading and finally even threatening Duke Energy, the company finally agreed to provide her family with bottled water. But nearly a year later, Amy's family is still living off bottled water for drinking, cooking, and even brushing their teeth. And in the meantime, her repeated letters to Gov. McCrory about the situation have gone unanswered.

What has the governor been doing instead? Well, last summer he held a secret dinner meeting at his mansion in Raleigh with Duke Energy executives, their attorneys, and state environmental officials. Neither McCrory nor Duke Energy will say what was discussed at the secret meeting -- but it just so happens that a short time later, the state reduced Duke Energy's fine over leaking coal ash pits throughout North Carolina from $25 million for just one site, to $7 million for all 14 sites across the state. Meanwhile, the leaking coal ash pit next to Amy's house was classified as "low priority" -- an accurate description, Amy says, of how Gov. McCrory views her family.

You can see more of Amy's story here:

Deb Baker is another Belmont resident who has been living off bottled water for nearly a year. Deb's husband died in 2008 of a mysterious lung disease at the age of 46, despite being a non-smoker who had been perfectly healthy before they moved to Belmont. As her husband's condition deteriorated, doctors told her the cause had to be environmental -- but the source remained unknown until Deb received her own Do Not Drink notice years later.

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"I definitely believe the coal ash had something to do with my husband's lung disease," said Deb, adding that some of her neighbors are showing the same symptoms as her husband.

As a registered Republican who voted for McCrory in 2012, Deb thought her governor would be willing to help clean up the coal ash pollution she believes contributed to her husband's early death. But after her repeated attempts to contact the governor's office were ignored, Deb is starting to regret helping McCrory become governor.

"I just don't feel like he's being very honest," Deb said about Gov. McCrory's secret dinner meeting with Duke Energy. "I really don't feel like he's on our side."

Unfortunately, Amy and Deb's stories are by no means unique. Over 400 families in more than a dozen communities across North Carolina have received these Do Not Drink notices, yet Gov. McCrory still refuses to publicly acknowledge their plight. Just like the tragic situation in Flint, North Carolina's coal ash crisis is yet another example of a Republican governor putting business over people -- and choosing a coverup over a cleanup.
The ax is falling fast on Lebanese journalists as word of newspapers going fully online or facing shutdown spread this week amid a sea of political, financial and social turmoil in the country.

"Some colleagues were issued warnings through the Labor Ministry to ease their ouster," said a staffer at the one-time paper of record Annahar (The Day), adding that the ploy would save the daily from paying any compensation to those laid off.



Annahar building in downtown Beirut (Abu-Fadil)

According to the source who declined to be identified, the warnings about not maintaining working hours or refusing to write for the website were unjustified and arbitrary, notably since most staffers hadn't been paid in at least seven months.

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After three official warnings, an employer can easily issue pink slips to avoid costly indemnities and potential litigation.

Annahar, founded in 1933, has been on a roller coaster ride since its former publisher Gebran Tueni was assassinated in 2005. His eldest daughter Nayla took the helm, after a brief return from retirement by her grandfather Ghassan, but has been unable to yank it out of piling debts, snowballing layoffs and unrest within the ranks.



Nayla Tueni in her assassinated father Gebran's office (Abu-Fadil)

Even monetization attempts to turn its website into a sometimes funky platform of news and titillating infotainment akin to Buzzfeed or the Huffington Post with the addition of English and French online versions haven't yielded the requisite funds and audiences, industry insiders said.

When I asked who was on the chopping block, the source replied, "Who knows? We hear 60 more names to come," noting that the management was making it difficult and unpleasant for staffers, to push them into resigning.

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My emailed questions to the management about the latest downturn and reports the paper may even close went unanswered.

Assafir (The Ambassador) also has a grim future.

Editor-in-chief Talal Salman circulated an internal memo saying on the eve of its 43rd anniversary the paper faced exceptionally difficult circumstances brought on by the information revolution (social media), instability in the Arab world as well as political and social conditions in Lebanon that were reflected in the media.



Screen shot of Assafir's editor-in-chief's notice

"To face this difficult reality that will become more difficult in the coming stretch, it was natural for Assafir's board to raise all possibilities, including the option to stop publishing," he said.

Salman assured his workers their rights would be protected, but skeptics wondered how if the money isn't there.



Assafir's Talal Salman (Abu-Fadil)

Besides sharp drops in advertising revenue, competition from newer local print and online media (not to mention social media and citizen journalists), rising production costs, measly subscriptions, and readers who would rather get their news in snippets on the move, Lebanese media have also been heavily dependent on political patronage and outside funding over the decades.

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With a bigger margin of press freedom than most Arab countries, Lebanon's ideal geography at the crossroads of continents and cultures, and its highly educated cosmopolitan and multilingual population has also been the launching pad for media acting as mouthpieces for various regional and international paymasters.

In another part of Beirut, the editor-in-chief of Al Liwa (The Banner), Salah Salam, sent his staffers an "administrative memo" offering them the option of resigning starting March 15 in light of belt-tightening measures and unforeseen added hardships at the paper that is over 60 years old.



Screen shot of Al Liwa's editor-in-chief's notice

"This crisis was exacerbated over time by the loss of international support for the media and a decrease in resources from subscriptions and advertising, as well a loss of Arab interest in Lebanese media," he said in a Sky News Arabia interview.

All papers have online versions, he added, but the big question is whether the paper editions would survive.



Screen shot of Al Liwa editor-in-chief Salah Salam

Online editions of Lebanese papers have varied from mediocre and amateurish to relatively good but most newsrooms have been unable to merge their editorial operations into a seamless integrated multimedia digital presence, and training the required human resources to run them still leaves much to be desired.

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Al Mustaqbal (The Future) is a daily owned by the family of former prime minister Saad Hariri, whose father, ex-premier Rafic Hariri was murdered in a car bomb in 2005.

The paper, part of a media group that includes a TV station by the same name, a radio station and several websites, has seen severe budget cuts and staff downsizing, but is struggling to stay afloat.



Al Mustaqbal (Future) TV (Abu-Fadil)

"We were not informed that there will be any layoffs," said one senior manager who spoke on background, noting that releasing staff would also be costly given the size of indemnities to old timers and newer operatives alike who still want six months of back pay.

When Saad Hariri visited the TV newsroom recently, he assured the journalists, editors and producers their rights would be safeguarded, but it wasn't clear when the needed infusion of funds would be forthcoming, the source added.

Lebanon's cabinet was expected to raise the issue of the media crisis at a meeting Thursday with the Labor minister calling for the establishment of an emergency fund to help the faltering organizations and the specter of hundreds of workers losing their jobs.

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Will Lebanese papers become extinct? (Abu-Fadil)

In a tight and extremely volatile job market, any additional loss of revenue is a serious blow to the economy and to media workers who, if they had the choice, would seek employment abroad.

Meanwhile, the board of the Lebanese Journalists Union, whose president's election to the post is contested on charges of fraud and irregularities, held an emergency meeting with its lawyer on Wednesday to mitigate the impending doom at several key newspapers.



Screen shot of Lebanese Journalists' Union board meeting
Mustafa Kamal,44, has revolted from one of Pakistan's most feared political parties, the MQM. What next? (Photo source: Dawn, Pakistan)

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), an influential, controversial yet persistently relevant political party which has simultaneously controlled Pakistan's business capital city of Karachi for several years through bullet and ballot, is in the brink of crumbling as a forty-four year old charismatic former mayor of Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal, is now spearheading an internal revolt. The ex-MQM senator is challenging the hitherto undisputed authority of Altaf Hussain, 62, the party's London-based exiled founder.

Until a few years ago, even Hussain's opponents feared him so much that they would think twice before publicly criticizing him because his diehard supporters like Kamal would, ironically, go to any extent to punish the critics of their 'bahi' [brother]. The American journalist, Steve Inskeep, in his book on Karachi, Instant City, says many people in the city of nine million people look at the MQM "as a group of thugs, or fascists--although some looked about them to check who might be listening before they said things like this." Murder, torture and intimidation against its rivals and defectors alike have remained the hallmark of the MQM. A leader among the MQM's fresh rebels said, their minds and hearts had finally come on one page and spoken up: It is the time for us to disassociate ourselves from all obnoxious attributes linked to the MQM "for the sake of our future generations."

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Kamal has announced a new political party for which he has still not decided a name. He intends to use Pakistan's national flag as his new party's flag while he strives to convince senior MQM leaders to abandon their old party and join his.

The MQM, founded in 1984, aggressively and oftentimes violently guards the rights of the Mohajirs, the local word used for the millions of the Urdu-speaking immigrants who left India in 1947 at the time of the Partition to come to the fledgling Muslim country of Pakistan. The Mohajirs, on their arrival, felt unwelcomed by the local Sindhi and Pashtun populations as the latter looked at this influx skeptically fearing that the newcomers would outnumber them, grab their lands, employment and educational opportunities. That is precisely what followed.

According to an International Crisis Group report, during the 1941 population census, the three largest ethnic groups in Karachi were the Sindhis (60%), Mohajirs (6%) and the Pashtuns (3%). However, the exodus of the immigrants caused a dramatic demographic imbalance against the indigenous population as the Mohajirs (51%) outnumbered the Sindhis (14%) and the Pashtuns (3) in the population census of 1951. This demographic gap further widened in the subsequent years as the 1981 census showed the Mohajir population increase to 54 per cent. This triggered severe ethnic strife and violent clashes. The Mohajirs formed the MQM to guard their interests but soon got distracted from their original mission or simply got corrupted by opting for a dangerous path.

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"The MQM built up a powerful armed wing, which targeted not only Sindhi and Pathan militants but journalists and others who dared to criticize the MQM in public," writes Anatol Lieven, the British author in his book, Pakistan: A Hard Country, "Torture chambers were established for the interrogation of captured enemies. Every morning would see its harvest dumped by the roadside: murdered activists from the various sides, or unlucky passers-by."

Hussain, who left Pakistan in January 1992 to go to London for medical treatment, never returned. He has remotely yet effectively controlled the MQM from London. The party emerged as the voice of the middle class Urdu-speakers, gained recognition as a disciplined party that treated all its activists with respect and offered extraordinary opportunities of career advancement. Even someone like Kamal, with no rich or politically powerful family background, could climb to become the mayor of Karachi because of the MQM's culture of empowering the middle class. There has only been one precondition to availing all these privileges offered by the MQM: Extending unconditional loyalty to Hussain, the party chief. Within the MQM circles, disloyalty to Hussain is deemed as big a sin as committing incest or punishable with murder, according to a report in the Herald magazine.

The MQM has had a love and hate relationship with the Pakistani military establishment, which is dominated by the ethnic Punjabis. The Sindhis and the Pashtuns believe that the military establishment pitted the Mohajirs against them. The left-wing Pakistan People's Party as well as the right-wing Jammat-e-Islami both view the MQM as a project of the big brother---a reference to the country's military establishment---in order to rob them of their vote bank.

The MQM, on the contrary, continuously presents itself as the victim whose activists have faced military operations, arrests and, above all, denied treatment as equal patriotic Pakistanis. Six decades after leaving behind everything in India and coming to Pakistan, the Mohajir patriotism is still questioned by rival political parties and sections of the army and the media. The establishment often humiliates the Mohajirs by blaming them of having ties with the Indian intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and even accuses it of plotting with the Indians to disintegrate Pakistan.

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No political or military leader in Pakistan has ever had such a long and persistent public following as Hussain although he has lived away from his people for more than two decades. While this uncommon popularity has made Hussain profoundly arrogant, authoritarian and controversial, it has also made his opponents envious. Television networks, for instance, would broadcast his telephonic speeches live for several hours. In London, he has been under investigation for charges as serious as murder and money laundering. In 1990s, the generals in the Pakistani army tried to shatter Hussain's influence by sponsoring a breakaway faction of the MQM called the MQM Haqqiqi (or the real MQM). The spilt hardly weakened Hussain's influence as he instead got a new lifeline during the time of General Musharraf, himself a Mohajir, when Hussain smartly controlled damage by supporting the then military dictator.

Given the history of failed attempts by the military establishment to destroy Hussain's ubiquitous popularity, the refresh revolt led by Kamal cannot escape tough questions. Stability in Karachi, which generates 70 per cent of Pakistan's GDP, is extremely essential for national growth and prosperity. This political earthquake will impact Pakistan's internal politics as well as its foreign policy. If the Pakistan army is behind Kamal, the Friday Times editor Najam Sethi recalls, "such interventions have proved disastrous for state and society. They end up distorting the political system and polluting the political environment by creating monsters in the form of non-state actors."

While Pakistan's democratic system needs strengthening institutions instead of individuals by dismantling the power of godlike figures like Hussain, the script Kamal is following sounds very similar to the ones the army had used in the past. For instance, Kamal accuses Hussain of having connections with the Indian intelligence agencies, an allegation the establishment has used for decades to discredit and tarnish the public image of almost all of its political opponents in the past. Given the army's preoccupation with India, anti-Indianism is no longer a very appealing reason to weaken a leader's authority. By using the India card to settle scores on the domestic political front, Pakistan would take the already bumpy India-Pakistan diplomatic ties from bad to worse.

In addition, the MQM under Hussain has vocally criticized the presence of the Taliban leadership in Karachi. The military establishment, on its part, has remained in a state of denial about the presence of the Taliban and perhaps foreign fighters, including those supportive of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). If Kamal, backed by the military, succeeds, it might temporarily weaken the MQM, but in the long-run it remains unclear if Kamal can provide the kind of leadership Hussain provided to the Mohajirs of Karachi two decades ago. When Hussain led them, the desperate and unorganized Mohajirs were eagerly looking for a leader who could provide them an identity, hope for a better future, stable employment and raise their voice in the parliament. He accomplished all of the above. Two decades later, the Mohajirs no longer feel vulnerable. They have come a long way as more educated, wealthy and politically and socially powerful. The biggest challenge now for Kamal is to keep so many ambitious Mohajirs together.

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President Barack Obama makes a statement on the Keystone Pipeline from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 6, 2015. The Obama administration has rejected Canadian energy giant TransCanada's application to build the Keystone XL pipeline. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

A few short blocks from the White House, our new film Dear President Obama: The Clean Energy Revolution is Now (directed by Jon Bowermaster, narrated and produced by Mark Ruffalo) will premiere this week at National Geographic's headquarters as part of the 24th Annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital.

At issue: President Obama's environmental tenure and legacy, which has included both substantial steps forward and backward. He enacted the automobile fuel efficiency standard, has invested in renewable energy like solar and wind, has taken a strong stance against climate deniers and saw through the Paris climate agreement. At the same time, he oversaw a massive expansion of oil and natural gas drilling, much of it by more and more dangerous and extreme methods, chiefly fracking.

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Dear President Obama addresses these contradictions, but more importantly it gives voice to some of the many Americans who have become the non-consenting victims of the president's "all of the above" energy policy that has so often meant everything belowground, no matter the costs of extraction. In many cases that has meant poisoned drinking water, polluted air, sick families, and communities torn apart. More than 17 million Americans now live within one mile of an oil or gas well, and more still are affected by associated infrastructure such as pipelines, air-pollutant spewing compressor stations and bomb trains.

Most importantly, the film is about the future. It serves as a call to President Obama, in the remainder of his term, to help the Americans who have been harmed, and to get us on a swift path to the clean energy future starting today.

There's still a lot President Obama can do before he leaves the White House in January. He can finally meet in person with Americans, who have been harmed by oil and gas drilling and fracking, and hear their stories firsthand. He can direct his EPA to investigate the many cases of reported water contamination across this country with the same emergency powers that EPA used in investigating Flint, Michigan. And he can stop all drilling on federal lands, which would prevent harm and do a great deal to truly address climate change by keeping fossil fuels in the ground as climate scientists agree we must.

Ultimately the standard for environmental leadership at this crucial juncture in time is whether the challenge we face is met and whether people are protected. We no longer have time for stepping-stones, and many people ill-affected by extreme fossil fuel extraction are already bearing the tragic costs of inaction and half measures. Countless have been impacted by severe storms, droughts, floods, and fires wrought by climate change, while others living near drilling consistently cite headaches, nausea, asthma and breathing problems, rashes, and nosebleeds, symptoms which only get worse as time goes by.

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The United States could lead the world by committing to a clean energy economy. Fossil fuels are the dirty energy of the past. They are on the way out, and everyone knows it. We have the ability to build the renewable energy future now, powered by wind, water, and the sun -- a better future for the country, with the added benefit of energy security, jobs and savings for all Americans. The question is how long we allow the special interests of the fossil fuel industry to hold us hostage to a dirty past, and how many more people will be harmed.

Dear President Obama calls for a vision, a plan, and bold leadership to create the clean energy future. It's a message to President Obama, but also to all elected leaders and the next president.

The film is also continuing to build the powerful grassroots movement that can counter the money and influence of the fossil fuel industry. The movement is the catalyst for change, providing the political backup to make the clean energy transition a real possibility. We've seen the growing movement accomplish incredible things, and we've seen President Obama respond and change policy positions, as a leader should. We hope it's President Obama's back that we can have.

Following the premiere in Washington, D.C., the film will tour across the United States this spring and summer. Advocates at the screenings will organize participants to ask President Obama to use his executive powers to stop drilling and fracking and help those who have already been harmed on his watch. They will organize around local fights to stop oil and gas drilling and its dangerous infrastructure, and to promote clean energy. Advocates will also recruit for a major rally and march outside of the Democratic National Convention on July 24 in Philadelphia, the March for a Clean Energy Revolution -- demanding an end to dirty fossil fuels and a quick and just transition to 100 percent renewable energy.

The open question is what President Obama will do during his final months in office: continue listening to the special interests of big oil and gas corporations or act boldly to meet the challenge of our time?

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Mark Ruffalo is an actor, director, and advisory board member of Americans Against Fracking.
My mother embraced all things Irish: shamrocks, soda bread and fishermen's sweaters. She chose St. Patrick's Day for my father's funeral and, the night before, she mended the old green, white and orange flag so we could fly it at the house during a reception following the service. My mom could tell you the names of the villages in Cork, Kerry and Limerick where her grandparents were born, and I knew my dad's people were from County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

I'd always been told I was 100 percent Irish and I believed it every St. Patrick's Day of my life -- until now. I recently ran my DNA and the surprising results, which estimate I'm 94 percent Irish, indicate the percentage could even be as low as 81. Surprisingly, I have DNA from Finland/Northwest Russia, but I have a feeling those ancestors go so far back I'll never find them.

Maybe that Nordic trace is what kept my father from being the flag-waving, leprechauns and Erin go bragh type of person my mother was. He loved the Irish playwrights Sean O'Casey and George Bernard Shaw, displayed a family coat of arms with the motto spectemur agendo (let us be judged by our deeds), and had even kissed the Blarney Stone as young man, but he never seemed to care that much about his heritage.

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Long before he met my mom, my father was a monk. He wore a long, black habit and a large cross around his neck. He lived in the company of other religious men, prayed morning, noon and night, and taught in Catholic boys schools. After 16 years of piety, he walked away -- or rather sailed away, leaving a French monastery and landing at the port of New York just as his parents had when they arrived in the United States from Ireland in the early 20th Century.

As a member of a religious order, Dad had taken a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience -- maybe a vow of silence, too, because he never revealed much in the way of family secrets. Or perhaps, because of his own parents' silence, he simply never knew the tragic stories I've unearthed by exploring our family history.

My paternal grandparents are a mystery to me. I have a strand of pearls that belonged to my grandmother who, my dad once said, fixed rice pudding on washday. All I knew of my grandfather stemmed from one meager recollection -- a passing comment that his father had been an angry, unhappy man from whom my dad had once hidden under the kitchen table to avoid a beating.

Oh, how I wish I'd been curious enough at the time to ask for more! Instead, when my interest was piqued years later, my dad and his siblings were gone and it was too late to beg for details.

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Angry and unhappy. Possibly violent. That was all I had to go on, and once my research started turning up ships' manifests, census data and death certificates, I began to figure out why.

My grandfather's journey to America from Northern Ireland began with a forbidden affair that took a tragic turn. Charles was 18 when he climbed out the bedroom window of a County Tyrone farmhouse to elope with his neighbor, Mary, who was five years older. I learned this when my phone rang at 6 o'clock one morning. An Irish cousin I didn't know existed was on the line.

"My granny and your granddad were brother and sister!" he announced in his thick brogue.

He'd tracked me down after seeing my profile on Ancestry.com. My cousin told me our family and Mary's had been feuding for years. My great grandmother had forbidden Charles' and Mary's romance, but they defied her and sailed to New York to be married. When he came through Ellis Island, my grandfather had just $10 in his pocket and an admonition: "Don't bother coming back as long as you're married to her."

Charles and Mary's fairytale was short-lived. Through census and death records, I learned that within five years, they had four children. Only two survived, then Mary succumbed to a chronic kidney ailment, leaving Charles a 23-year-old widower with two young children. He had an 8th grade education and was frequently unemployed.

After Mary's death, Charles left his 3-year-old son in America with a relative and sailed back to Ireland with his 4-year-old daughter, Rose. I found them on the ship's manifest and wondered what an eight-day trip across the choppy Atlantic would have been like for a little girl. Was she frightened? Missing her mother? Was she warm enough?

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Months later, Charles returned to New York without Rose, leaving her at the family homestead in Tyrone to be raised by an aunt. My grandfather married again -- my grandmother, another Mary. Finding her roots has been challenging. She fudged her age on documents, claiming she was two years younger than my grandfather when, in fact, she was two years older. I'd been told she was Irish. She was, but British census documents prove she was actually born in London and was just 8-years-old when her mother died. Her father was a Constable for Scotland Yard during Queen Victoria's reign. Funny, no one ever mentioned there was a policeman in the family!

When poor Rose finally came back to New York from Northern Ireland at age 19, the little brother she'd barely known had died of a heart condition. Charles and my grandmother had five more children including my father, the youngest. Before he was born, they lost a son at age 2 to scarlet fever.

I doubt my father ever knew about his dead siblings, but I wonder if he somehow carried a sense of intrinsic grief. I'd uncovered the deaths accidentally and one at a time, but even a generation removed, the loss of those children stings me. Each one was a shock, pricking my heart with sadness and awakening my compassion for a mysterious grandfather who came to this country like millions of others in search of an ideal and the promise of a better life. Instead, he outlived four of his children, abandoned one for 15 years, and lost the love of his life. That's enough to break anyone's Irish heart.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
Protesters mark the fifth anniversary of the Syrian revolution in Kafranbel, Syria. Source: Occupied Kafranbel's Banners Facebook Page

For five years, I have made a point of talking about Syria whenever the occasion arises, with people I know well and with many I barely know at all. I love being asked why I chose to become a lawyer so I can share stories of inspirational Syrian protesters who remain steadfast in the face of egregious human rights abuses. Politics and civil society, war crimes and acts of compassion, human suffering and absolute resilience - each of these topics has made for provocative and compelling discussion.

In the recesses of my internal psyche, Syria has become the axis of my world and the metric I use to gauge events around me; my belief that the Syrian street's demands are undeniably legitimate has not wavered. But in the media and the political sphere, as well as in my informal conversations, I have noticed the tone of conversation shift. The change in the narrative is especially important in the Syrian context because, since day one, there have been various competing versions of events: the Syrian people's narrative has been of a movement seeking freedom and dignity, the Assad regime's rhetoric has been of terrorists, infiltrators, and foreign conspirators, and the initial U.S. discourse was of support for the people.

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On March 15, 2011, the first organized group of protesters took to the streets of Damascus calling for minor reform and chanting "the Syrian people are one" and "peaceful," indicating that their movement was wholly nonviolent. Three days later, the Syrian Army responded by killing protesters in Daraa. Over the next few weeks, Syrians organized peaceful protests throughout the country, making demands for essential reform that resembled the basic demands of Arab Spring protesters throughout the region: the release of political prisoners, a repeal of the emergency law, and the freedom of assembly and speech. Just like that, al-thawra al-sooriyyeh, thawret al-karameh: the Syrian revolution, the revolution of dignity, was born. And when I spoke of Syria, I spoke of revolution.

It was black and white: peaceful protesters seeking to live with basic human rights were being shot in the streets by the government and its mercenaries. Still, they were not deterred: "Death but not humiliation," they chanted. In 2012, even as the Syrian opposition began to take up arms, it was abundantly clear that the government, propped up by Iran and Russia, was the unlawful aggressor, and the defenseless people were desperately trying to protect themselves and their communities. Through the lens of Western media that seemed to echo the revolutionaries' narrative of nonviolent opposition turned reluctantly armed, the Syrian protesters were sympathetic.

Gradually though, the narrative in mainstream media and among policymakers shifted. Conflict or civil war, not revolution or popular uprising. Rebels or insurgents, not revolutionaries or freedom fighters. Al Qaeda's Syrian branch, Jabhat al-Nusra--an enemy of the revolution--somehow became synonymous with it. ISIS, which waged war on anti-Assad Syrians nearly a year before it began threatening the West, took center stage and became a primary global concern, eclipsing any discussion of the Assad regime's ongoing wholesale slaughter of the Syrian people.

And as the black and white merged into gray, this narrative being touted by Western journalists and diplomats permeated into my personal discussions. I grew tired of explaining to anti-interventionists that my people deserved to live without constant fear of barrel bombs, and that either a no-fly zone or anti-aircraft weaponry (or both) was necessary to accomplish that. I no longer wanted to explain that President Barack Obama's August 2011 call for Assad's departure did not transform the "revolution" into a U.S. ploy to effectuate regime change reminiscent of Iraq; that a popular revolution born in the streets of Syria was invariably different from a foreign occupation planned in the White House and Pentagon; and that President Obama's policies (especially his appeasement of Iran and his chemical weapons "red line") breathed life into Assad's killing machine.

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It exasperated me that I had to justify the demands of the Syrian revolution to people who robbed Syrians of their agency, who dismissed the revolution without ever speaking to anyone from Syria because leftist "intellectuals" who barely spoke a word of Arabic convinced them it was a conspiracy. While I had grown accustomed to policymakers' simplistic reduction of the revolution to a foreign plot, I boiled with frustration when I had such discussions with educated individuals, many of whom are generally wary of imperialist overtures and firmly believe in a people's right to self-determination in every context but Syria.

I became more cynical, angry, and jaded than I ever could have imagined, and I knew that if I spoke of al-thawra al-sooriyyeh to anyone watching mainstream media in 2015, I would come off as a lunatic. So I too began referring to Syria as a conflict, not a revolution.

Late last month, the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) negotiated a shaky (and extremely flawed) "cessation of hostilities" in Syria. Although the Assad regime, its Russian ally, and opposition fighters violated the agreement (to varying degrees), the decrease in violence was tremendous. Most notably, the barrel bombing all but stopped, and Syrians felt free to protest en masse for the first time in years. On March 4, a Friday named "The Revolution Continues," Syrians held 104 peaceful protests throughout the country, renewing their basic demand for Assad's departure. On March 11, protesters once again came out to "Renew Their Vows" to the Syrian revolution. And on March 15, Syrians celebrated the fifth anniversary of the start of the protests.

The people of Kafranbel, a town in northern Syria renowned for its witty posters, sent a very clear message: "It is the 5th anniversary of the Revolution, stupid." While the English-language message was very much directed at Western commentators and journalists (who wrote about the anniversary of the "civil war" and "conflict"), it may as well have had my name written all over it.

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OPINION

The house phone last weekend rang off the hook with robocalls from candidates in Tuesday's primary. This included one Sunday from Gov. Bruce Rauner, who was "askin'" me to vote for Bryce Benton in his Republican state Senate primary bid against two-term incumbent Sen. Sam McCann.

I needed to vote for Benton, the governor said, to prevent the race from being stolen by "Mike Madigan and the Chicago Machine."

I suspect the call I received was paid for with some small part of the $3.1 million that Liberty Principles PAC spent on this race on Benton's behalf. Benton, a state trooper from Springfield, also had raised $108,000 himself, though $50,000 of it came from Rauner. Ultimately, though, McCann prevailed with a 5.4-point victory over Benton.

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Obviously, this race meant a lot to Rauner, and not just for the obvious reason of punishing McCann for voting with unions on a controversial arbitration bill last summer.

Rauner needed to oust McCann to show other Republican lawmakers that it's better for them to withstand pressure from constituents and stay with him than to give in to constituents and incur his wrath.

For McCann, the pressure came from constituents in a district heavily populated with unionized state employees. But virtually every Republican in the legislature has some issue that makes him or her especially vulnerable to pressure from back home.

For example, Republicans whose districts include state universities will be in a tough spot in November if no state funding has arrived. To this point, all House and Senate Republicans have stood firm with Rauner and voted against Democrat-sponsored bills that would have brought instant relief to college campuses while compounding the state's horrid long-term fiscal trouble.

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Now that they've seen that even a $3 million blitz couldn't unseat McCann for his union bill sin, will these members stay loyal to Rauner with a general election on the line? With each passing week without a budget, the situation at the universities becomes more dire and, by extension, the constituent pressure increases.

Republicans already have been burned once by Rauner, who insisted last May that they vote against the Democrats' budget bills only to then sign the bill that funded elementary and secondary education. Now every Republican on the November ballot will have to explain to constituents why he or she voted against school funding when even the governor supported it. I don't think, "The governor told me to vote that way, then changed his mind" will be an effective answer.

On a related note, Rauner may want to stop invoking all those unnamed Democrats he says would love to side with him but are too afraid of Madigan to do so. The lone Democrat who crossed over to the Rauner camp, Rep. Ken Dunkin of Chicago, was routed Tuesday night by Juliana Stratton, the primary challenger Madigan had backed. Even with $4.2 million in protection money from Rauner allies, the seven-term incumbent Dunkin was defeated by a margin of more than 2-to-1.

I can't say either Rauner or Madigan was particularly magnanimous in their post-primary statements.

Rauner's office didn't issue a direct reaction to the McCann victory when I asked for one.

"Even in a Democratic primary, the Speaker needed to call in the President of the United States to defeat one legislator who dared to show a hint of independent thinking," said Rauner spokesman Lance Trover in an emailed statement that referred to President Obama's endorsement of Stratton. "But the primary elections are over and rather than issuing partisan press releases, the Speaker needs to end his month long vacation and begin working with the Governor to enact a balanced budget alongside structural reforms that grow our economy."

Madigan issued a statement that attributed Dunkin's loss to "how he turned his back on the elderly, children and families struggling to make ends meet, his failure to follow through on promises he made, and his association with Bruce Rauner and the governor's allies."

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"...(T)he gridlock that we are experiencing stems not from a difference in political parties, but from the governor's insistence that we focus on his agenda attacking middle-class families, rather than making the budget deficit his priority," Madigan said.

I'm taking it as a good sign that Rauner's statement on Wednesday, unlike the robocall I received on Sunday, didn't contain any allegation of Madigan stealing the 50th Senate District primary from Bryce Benton. Except for McCann, the Republicans have stood solid with Rauner throughout the past year as the governor engaged in a political muscle-flexing match with Speaker Madigan and state government became a shambles.
I am an unabashed supporter of Bernie Sanders. This is not something I hide.

That being said, the issue facing the Democrats that will be an even larger issue in November is low voter turn out. After the primary in Ohio, the race shows a glaring issue facing the Democrats: Donald Trump turned out more voters than Hillary Clinton. In South Carolina, extremely low voter turnout hovering around 13% gave Clinton the primary win in that state. This should be extremely alarming to the Democratic Party, that admittedly is broke at a time when: 1. Their coronated frontrunner is desperately tapping out her donors and, 2. the most financially supportive base of the party, (the progressives) has thrown its financial support behind Senator Sanders and have consistently outperformed the establishment and their big money donors.

Given the media's now ever constant drumbeat that it self diagnoses as "media malpractice" in extending coverage to Trump's maniacal campaign that should have self destructed months ago, instead wall-to-wall media coverage enabled him to morph into an indestructible Frankencandidate. The Democratic establishment is not prepared or equipped to deal with this monster, and it has alienated its most active bases; among those, the millenials and progressives.

I point the finger squarely at establishment Democrats. This scenario has been years in the making. The point being made here is the vanquishment of the grassroots, as I have said so many times before, from the Obama years inclusivity, to the outer reaches of party inclusion and participation, has created its own kind of voter suppression. The establishment has engaged a circle-the-wagons mentality that took root in the Clinton years. The party cynically moved right of center in its dealings with big money and helped open the floodgates that allowed both parties unlimited ability to engage in cronyism, and the building of a capitalist facist state, and oligarchy.

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Beginning in 2010, after Obama crafted the ARRA which blighted minority communities pleaded for but did not receive direct engagement or support from Obama's administration toward their own problem solving, the grassroots had already begun to turn off and tune out. The level of disengagement of minorities in particular, has been profound given the history making Obama presidency. The party has not recovered. The kind of stimulus economically depressed communities of color appealed to Obama and Congress to no avail. This is what Jesse Jackson said in 2009 in an NPR interview:

What matters is, I submit to you, 49 million Americans, food insecure, lending to small businesses is a good thing, but you will not address the 49 million food insecure with small business loans. That requires government intervention. The government intervened to bail out Wall Street. It must intervene to bail out the poor. It must intervene to break up patterns of race and gender discrimination. That was a war on poverty. One need not make the issue of overcoming poverty race specific. Most poor people are not black. They're white, they're female, they're young. Whether white, black or brown, hunger hurts. But even with that, the patterns of discrimination based on race or gender simply requires vigorous enforcement of the law. That means that when those banks get stimulus moneys, they must, in fact, lend in some fair and equitable way. If the big automotive companies got bailed out, and they're now basically government-owned, that means that in their employment, they must reflect the America that invested in them.



THE PARTY PIPELINE STILL FUELS A LACK OF DIVERSITY

The party has fueled racial selection within its established heirarchy of power and lacks a diversity of leadership, and has practiced a long held policy of tokenism. In 1963 Malcolm X asked "What gains? All you have gotten is tokenism -- one or two Negroes in a job, or at a lunch counter, so the rest of you will be quiet." This observation is not far off in terms of the racial engineering that has gone on in the Democratic Party today, they seek the token minority that will affirm their view, not have their own view. The Democratic party is just as guilty of the political neutralizing of Obama as the Republicans are.

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Those minorities who are "good, educated, well speaking, proper mannered" win acceptance, in other words, those that white people perceive that they can control. Look at the threats made to Nina Turner, a pivotal supporter to Senator Sanders, and Tulsi Gabbard. Their loyalty to the idea of democracy, that there should be a contested primary, was met with threats and coercion by party elites.

Obama himself is a victim of political tokenism, there are not enough minorities in the halls of power in DC for him to have been effective. This is the operation of tokenism. When the party that coerces our vote is the very practitioner of selective racial political engineering, how is social progress to be made? This is not some accidental, random outcome. This is social and political engineering to achieve a specific outsome and in this case, a status quo.

The Democratic party may not desire a high voter turn out just yet, they have certainly worked to support Hillary Clinton in her sometimes tenuous effort to maintain frontrunner status. They know a low voter turn out helps her tremendously in the primary. They are slacking on efforts, it seems to be a graveyard where the party normally works non-stop to get out the vote. This was not the case in 2008, when the party was everywhere. Minorities did turn out, handing the party a congressional super majority, a rarity. What did the establishment Democrats do with this super-majority?

Squandered may be a fitting description. The party choose a disastrous multi-year battle for a contentious health care law that even today, fuels the right's now impressive voter mobilization. When leaders like Jackson were pleading for those economic dollars to address the depression communities of color dealt with, perhaps they should have listened.

Is it any surprise the dark horse candidate Sanders has made income inequality a top campaign issue, an issue he proudly proclaims: saving the middle class is his single issue? This in response to Clinton chiding him as a single issue candidate. Did Clinton mean to overlook the economic depression conditions most of the voting communities she claims to care about, and marginalize our economic distress? In the mean time, the Democrats have engaged in massive media fraud and malpractice to prop up a failing candidate, one whom voters overwhelmingly distrust. There has been an ever present media blackout of Sanders in this contested primary.

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VISIBLE TOKENISM PRODUCES VOTER DISENGAGEMENT

It is on Sanders, to continue to mobilize the millenial voters, and Latinos. It is my sincere hope the African American vote, will awaken in support of his endeavors. He is not responsible for the past betrayals of people of color, it is the party establishment. In fact, it is Sanders who has fought the tough legislative battles that have often benefited people of color. He is known as the amendment king.



The Democratic party establishment is so predictable. President Obama has no interest in helping with a high voter turn out in the primary, as this does not benefit Clinton. He (and Biden) did endorse her proxy in the Florida contest, he lost to Rep. Alan Grayson. It would be bad form to speak in praise of Clinton, since she is under investigation by several federal agencies, and her former IT specialist has been granted immunity by the FBI in her email scandal. It is very likely party strategy to attempt to engage the African American vote post primary, some 30 million strong, and will look to a lame duck, token President to shore up their needs as they look to the general, I am assuming, after Sanders has been defeated. I am guessing but this is likely spot on, I know how the elites think. They are purely and cynically utilitarian when it comes to the votes of people of color.

I hope this does not happen and Sanders supporters are holding on until June. Over half of the delegates remain, and Primary 1.0, as it was described by Florida Rep. Grayson, is over. Now the real fight begins. It is not too late for the African American voters to engage where their support is needed. I acknowledge are not a monolithic block. I ask them to acknowledge the wisdom of the youth, and follow their millenials who overwhelmingly support Senator Sanders.

I really do not believe the Democratic establishment has the interests of communities of color in this election cycle. The depth the party establishment is beholden to the 1% is stunning in its callous cynicism and disregard for their historic and loyal constituencies. If our millenials lose the future, it is a sad win, indeed, for the establishment and the 1%.

If this scenario plays out, as it is a cynical reality the party elites have allowed to play out so far: they must have one hell of a Plan B to defeat Frankencandidate Trump that does not rely on millenials, progressives, Latinos, independents, a growing number of African Americans who are feeling the bern, and the disengaged that the party has yet to win back. These groups have demonstrated a vehement disdain for the candidate of the elites, former Sec. Clinton.
Gallons of ink (both actual and cyber) have been spilled trying to explain the sources of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's support. Voter anger lies at the center of most explanations. No one climbs on a limb when they say that a sizable portion of the American electorate is angry. Some voters are angry about immigration, the size of government, the national economy, and congressional dysfunction. Others can't understand why gays can marry and that Obamacare has been upheld, among other issues. While these are real and fundamental contributors to the angry electorate that is the wind beneath Trump's wings, there is a far worse factor driving his support: civic ignorance.

The American electorate is shot through with voters who don't know the basics on how the political process works. That ignorance opens them to all manner of ill-conceived, unconstitutional, or otherwise dead on arrival proposals masquerading as serious policy ideas. The marriage of illogical ideas and an angry electorate leads us to where we are now: a major party candidate -- in this case the one most likely to win his party's presidential nomination -- completely absent of reasonable ideas and winning by tapping visceral public ignorance.

He can't undo media shields without amending the Constitution, a long and arduous process to people who paid even the slightest attention to their middle school civics teacher. Or how about the one where he rips up existing trade agreements and negotiates new and better ones? His supporters seem to think that he can just snap his fingers and things will happen. That's not how our system works. But in a nod to hyper-cynicism, his strategy is to keep pushing voter buttons on items he knows will never happen. He's able to do it because he knows his voters don't know how the system works.

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There are so many examples of Trump's policy positions that reveal this ignorance that it's hard to pick just one. Here are three of my favorites.



The Great Wall of Mexico. Trump supporters clearly want the wall. They seem to actually believe not only that Trump will build a wall, but also that a sovereign nation that is the target of this xenophobic policy will pay for it. It doesn't appear that many, if any, of his supporters have bothered to ask the following (admittedly unsexy) questions: How much will it cost? How long will it take? How, exactly, will Congress approve funding? The answer to the first two questions, based on conservative estimates, seems to be in the neighborhood of $20 billion (wall only, not labor) and four years. A government estimate says it could take $750 million annually to maintain. Basic knowledge of the legislative process shows that there are hurdles too numerous to list here that make clear there is no chance this wall will ever be built. Ignorant voters, however, continue to provide grist for the Trump mill. And he keeps playing them like a violin.

Ban Syrian Refugees. Trump generated some heat with his call to ban all Syrian refugees from entering the United States. That heat shed little light on the issue. He provided no real plan for actually doing what he wants to do. He never told the country how U.S. immigration authorities were to look at someone and guess whether they were Muslim. There are Christians from the Middle East that look like Muslims. And if they are refugees, it's quite likely that they won't have a passport to give you a hint. According to exit polling data following the South Carolina primary, and analysis published by The New York Times, Trump won twice as many votes from those who supported the ban than any other candidate.

Make iPhones in America. This is among the most reckless of his promises. It ignores decades of tax policy and overseas labor market changes that made it more profitable to offshore all sorts of American jobs and suggests that undoing that damage is pretty easy. Congressional Republicans in particular, sometimes aided and abetted by Wall Street Democrats, crushed the labor intensive, smoke stack industries in America and off-shored most of the remaining to cheaper labor markets in Asia. Rather than tell voters that those jobs are gone and won't ever return, presidential candidates often float the idea that those jobs will return if the circumstances change. But they won't change because Big Technology, Big Textile, Big Steel, and related industries prefer the current status quo: offshore jobs for less cost and more profit without fear of policy punishment. It's the best of both worlds. Trump knows this but promises otherwise.

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What Trump is doing isn't new. Many politicians knowingly make promises on which they could never deliver. Trump is simply extending what has been happening in the GOP for years (examples like proposals to amend the Constitution to outlaw abortion, define marriage only as a union between a man and a woman, and limit congressional terms in office; tax cuts to spur the economy; and opposing Obamacare arguing that it will doom the economy come to mind pretty easily). The problem is that the lack of action on illogical policies only breeds more anger that things aren't getting done. A sizable chunk of American voters believe the country is going to hell because congressional Republicans won't stand up to President Obama. This is ridiculous. But ignorant voters believe it anyway.

The civic ignorance that has pushed Trump to the top of the charts can no longer be ignored. His supporters need to know that his promises are no more plausible than the other illogical ones they have bought over the years from other candidates. Their anger that "nothing gets done" is largely a function of the civic ignorance of wanting things to be done that can't. Or shouldn't.

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( Harry Fisher along with his sister, Heather, during a happier time. )

"[I] Just wanted to post a picture of Harry and I when we were...happy. Harry died alone, having never had any relationship of any kind as far as I know. He believed in the Mormon religion wholeheartedly and...I can only imagine how lonely he must've been and how much inner struggle he must've gone through to try to change himself before accepting a life of solitude & then choosing no life at all."

Those were the words written by Heather Fisher, sister of Harry Fisher, on a Facebook page that serve as a memorial to Harry's life. Harry, a 28-year-old openly gay active Latter-day Saint from Salt Lake City, ended his life on February 13. While Harry had been out to close friends and family for some time, he had come out publicly on social media only a month prior to his death.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's recent assault on its LGBT members provides a problematic backdrop to the tragedy of Harry's story.

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Last November, the church enacted a worldwide policy that mandates church discipline (the process that precedes excommunication) for all LGBT members married to someone of their same gender; it also bans children of LGBT individuals from certain saving rites, including baptism, until those children turn 18 years old -- and only then if they publicly disavow the relationship of their LGBT parents.

Although the new policy provoked thousands of straight and LGBT Mormons to officially resign from the church and untold others to walk away or diminish their involvement, the leadership of the church has persistently doubled down.

While many Mormons obediently (if quietly and little grudgingly) support church leaders, some vulnerable LGBT members are seeing no other way out than to take their own lives. In late January, church-owned Deseret News reported that there were claims of 32 LGBT Mormon youth taking their own lives; the group Mama Dragons (an organization of LDS mothers of young LGBT members) now report that figure may be as high as 43.

Well-informed initial reports suggested that the essence of the policy had been dictated by the seriously ailing prophet Thomas S. Monson and imposed, unvetted, on the governing quorums of the church, and could be "adjusted" as it was incorporated in the Handbook of Instructions for local leaders. Such hopes were dashed in January when Elder Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and next in line to be president of the entire church, pronounced it a revelation from God, which gave it almost doctrinal status.

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The doubling-down continued a month later as Apostle David A. Bednar declared, "There are no homosexual members of the church. We are not defined by sexual attraction. We are not defined by sexual behavior. We are sons and daughters of God. And all of us have different challenges in the flesh." Bednar, just 63-years-old, will likely someday be the president and prophet of the church, a calling that is currently based on seniority and endures until death.

Just a week earlier Elder Dallin Oaks, a senior apostle and respected jurist, responded pointedly to accusations from the distraught parents of suicide victims that only God can judge whether the church policy and its leaders should be held accountable for the suicides.

While it's difficult to know exactly what triggered the deaths, the tragic circumstantial linkages between the hastily formed policy and intemperate endorsements are easy enough to see. They merge to create a kind of toxic soup for vulnerable LGBT Mormon youth -- one that increases despair and risk for potential negative health and mental health outcomes.

What dismays many is that Mormon leadership have had the opportunity to become informed and educated about the risk factors for LGBT youth -- and they have chosen not to act. Latter-day Saint officials were given access to rigorous research done by the Family Acceptance Project as early as 2008.

This evidence based research is the only research of its kind to be listed as a best practice by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and clearly outlines the behaviors that put LGBT youth at high risk for negative health and mental health outcomes, including depression and suicide. Rejection (such as denying LGBT individuals exist) ranks high on the list of behaviors that increase risk for youth.

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In 2012 the Family Acceptance Project released an LDS version of their research booklet that helps Mormon parents understand and apply the life-saving research to their LGBT kids in a way that aligns with Mormon doctrine. This booklet, available for download at no cost -- like the preceding research in 2008 -- was largely ignored by both LDS leaders and those who work at the highest levels of the church's social services organizations.

The one exception is a short article that appeared in the Deseret News in January, on the heels of the reported suicides.

That has not prevented rank and file Mormons from reaching out to at-risk LGBT members. Responding to Elder Bednar's remarks that LGBT people don't exist. One group is planning a protest gathering at the church semi-annual general conference in April to underscore the fact that LGBT Mormons do exist and that careless language can cause real harm.

Chatrooms and online groups supporting LGBT Mormons and their families have sprung to life. Others are posting personal messages: "If you are struggling because of the LDS Church position on LGBT members, you can call me anytime. You are loved. You are needed."

Prominent Mormon blogs are abuzz. Rational Faiths dedicated a portal on its homepage to the "LGBTQ Mormon Crisis." It includes scholarly articles aimed at helping local leaders understand the severity of the suicide crisis.

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Many are predicting that the church's latest attack on the LGBT community will, just like the misguided involvement in Proposition 8, do more to create understanding and inclusion of LGBT members than any grass roots initiative that could be organized. There is a growing sentiment that leadership is clinging desperately to notions that, in the eyes of many Mormons, are not only inaccurate, but un-Christlike.

As optimistic as all that is, it doesn't do much for Harry Fisher or those like him.

"Harry and those like him feel like there is something wrong with them," Heather Fisher told me in a conversation. "They try to change themselves to please the Church... We need to remind people to love their kids for who they are...and we need to love one another unconditionally, like Christ commanded. I think we've forgotten that."
Gender is so hot right now -- well, the dismantling of "traditional" gender norms across the fashion world to be exact. The evidence is everywhere, from Jaden Smith defying traditional dress codes for Louis Vuitton's latest catalogue, to designers like Andre Landeros Michel and Marc Jacobs blurring the binary in their latest "genderless" and "gender fluid" collections for New York Fashion Week. In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, Landeros Michel stated that "Genderless/agender/unisex clothing is a direct response to the feminist and LGBT rights movements," adding that genderless fashion works to usher in gender equality.

Genderless and gender fluid fashion is certainly nothing new, but with each spring or fall collection images or statements that I come across, I notice more and more of a push for the normalization of the "unisex" or "androgynous" (read: wealthy, white, skinny, cisgender-hetero, able-bodied) body in (extremely expensive) gender fluid, genderless or unisex clothing on a runway, in a way that also completely negates and erases the lived experiences of those who lie outside of the binary.

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And although I want to applaud the undoing of gender in every which way, these images leave me, along with plenty of other folks who identify as gender non-conforming, non-binary trans, genderqueer, androgynous and everyone in between, asking a lot of questions -- What audiences are these designers trying to reach out to, and at whose expense -- i.e., who is this sense of normalization and 'visibility' really for? Where do gender nonconforming, trans and non-binary folks fit in this illusion of a progressive, post-gender fashion world when many, especially those of us who are also people of color, regularly experience violence and harassment? Rather than push for the normalization and visibility of non-binary bodies in a way that is coopted by the fashion world, there needs to be a recognition and celebration of identities and presentations that fall both outside of the binary and across spectrum, for and by folks that lie outside of the binary and across spectrum, in a way that doesn't tokenize and make a spectacle out of us.

Along with this push for normalization, the fashion industry stresses the desire to promote the visibility and the "respectability" of those whose dress and expression defies socially constructed gender roles. However, the subject of 'visibility' is very complex and difficult to assess when your non-binary or non-conforming gender presentation, gender expression and/or gender identity make you more vulnerable to physical danger and verbal harassment on a day-to-day basis. In some instances -- yes, you do want people to notice your blazer ensemble finished off with a new pair of wingtips, or your shimmery, sequin button down, or even just your freshly painted nails and dress. But there is a tremendous difference between the sense of visibility that comes with walking down the street and having people admiringly study your outfit, and the endangering sense of visibility that comes from having someone trying to "figure you out," which can lead to harassment. Many of the images we see on runways depoliticize the non-binary and gender non-conforming body, and as much as I'd like to believe that this rise in high-end genderless fashion is reflective of our "evolving" views on gender as a society, I don't. Especially when trans-femme identified folks are frequently excluded from this conversation, and since 2015 saw the highest report of trans murders in U.S. history (we also have to take into account the number of murders that weren't reported, as well as the number of trans people who are often misgendered, even after their death).

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The reality is that as a person living outside of the gender binary in everyday life, one has to navigate their body through an actively phobic public sphere that denies you social agency and penalizes you for your presentation and/or identity, and oftentimes (lack of) visibility can determine the level of one's safety. Complete visibility without having the fear of being attacked is a privilege many of us do not have, but this is especially true for gender non-conforming, non-binary and trans women of color.


Photo credit: Hudson Link

Fishkill Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in the Hudson Valley about 90 minutes north of New York City, is home to a unique though perhaps prescient housing program - the 30-bed Unit for the Cognitively Impaired, established to meet the needs of people who are incarcerated in New York State while managing dementia, Alzheimer's disease and similar end-of-life experiences.



A similar housing program exists in California, and the issue has become central for Corrections leaders nationwide: what to do with a rapidly growing elderly prison population housed in facilities designed for the young and able-bodied and governed by policies that fundamentally conflict with human and constitutional rights when employed in the context of the elderly.



Due in large part to the harsh sentencing laws of the past half-century - mandatory minimums, three-strike laws, the expansion of life without parole - senior citizens make up one of the fastest rising prison demographics.



In state and federal prisons combined, there are more than 246,000 people aged 50 and above; 26,000 people over 65. Between 1995 and 2010 this population grew by 282 percent and now comprises roughly 10 percent of various state and federal systems. In New York State alone there are 4,000 people aged 55 and above incarcerated, the vast majority of whom entered prison much younger. One in six people incarcerated in the state are serving a life sentence. According to Human Rights Watch, about a third of incarcerated people in New York State aged 60-plus have already served more than 20 years behind bars.



This number is unlikely to budge anytime soon. While grassroots mobilizations have forced Governor Andrew Cuomo into rhetorical nuance on the topic, he appears unwilling to put up the resources - financial, personnel and political - that would be required to really make a dent in the elderly prison population.



At the end of 2015, after significant public pressure, Cuomo, for the first time, released through clemency a senior citizen from prison. Seventy-year-old Lydia Ortiz, was serving a 20-25-year sentence for drug possession. According to the Cuomo administration she had an "excellent prison disciplinary history" and is "unable to walk without assistance." At the same time, Cuomo also launched a program to provide free legal assistance to clemency applicants. According to the administration, they've involved the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, the New York City Bar Association, the Legal Aid Society of New York, the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and several white-shoe law firms in the project.



So far that program has not yielded a single release. A Cuomo spokesman told me this week that the administration has produced a webinar on completing clemency petitions that has been shared with pro bono attorneys and that incarcerated people around the state have continued to send in applications for review. The state also has a website through which incarcerated people can apply for clemency on-line though few have access to the Internet.



Allen Roskoff, who runs the advocacy group Candles for Clemency, described the Governor's program as welcomed, but overly burdened by bureaucracy.



Sara Bennett, an attorney who has worked on three clemency applications over the past 17 years in New York State, explained that each petition takes several months to put together and that the administration may need to tap thousands of pro bono attorneys in order to make a significant difference in the population.



"I think there was a good intention behind it, but they might be overwhelmed by what it will really take," Bennett said of the Governor's executive clemency project.



"What's there doesn't seem to be funded and if he has the will do it, he can do this himself," Roskoff said. "There are so many people who obviously don't belong in prison and it comes down to does he have the will to do what's right. The ball's in his court."



***

Victor Pate of RAPP



Overall, there are approximately 2.3 million people incarcerated in federal and state prisons and jails. Every year an additional 444,000 people land in immigration detention. When polled, public support is overwhelmingly in favor of reducing these populations. But the issue of aging remains outside the mainstream conversation.



"People just aren't aware that there's this large aging population, people sentenced to 25 years to life who 40 years later are still in prison," says Victor Pate, an organizer with the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign. "They might be blind, in a wheelchair, on dialysis, have a Master's Degree - when are you going to let them out?"



According to Human Rights Watch, this elderly demographic has unique needs, although, of course, age alone is not indicative of disability.

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"Life in prison can challenge anyone, but it can be particularly hard for people whose bodies and minds are being whittled away by age. Prisons in the United States contain an ever growing number of aging men and women who cannot readily climb stairs, haul themselves to the top bunk, or walk long distances to meals or the pill line; whose old bones suffer from thin mattresses and winter's cold; who need wheelchairs, walkers, canes, portable oxygen, and hearing aids; who cannot get dressed, go to the bathroom, or bathe without help; and who are incontinent, forgetful, suffering chronic illnesses, extremely ill, and dying."

There are other practical issues. Should people with dementia be placed in lockdown when they misbehave if they won't remember the incident five minutes later? Some people might need more time than is commonly allotted for meals, showers and recreation due to hampered mobility. Eighty-two percent of incarcerated men over the age of 65 have a chronic health problem.



While units like UCI at Fishkill may be necessary for now, the people housed there just shouldn't be in prison, according to many advocates.



"Think about what you are saying. Putting a nursing home in a prison? It's absurd," says Evie Litwok, director of the advocacy group, Witness to Mass Incarceration.



The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) insists that all incarcerated people have a right to be treated with respect and human dignity, have reasonable accommodations for disabilities and programming to support rehabilitation. Many prisons simply cannot comply with these requirements for elderly residents, some of whom might have already completed every possible rehabilitation program available to them.

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***

A prison hospital bed



Across the country, advocates have gone directly to state governors and the President, for some measure of relief. Last year, President Obama initiated the release of 6,000 people from federal custody, a historically large expression of this singular type of

mercy.



Federal clemency efforts have run into some snags, with a back-log at the Department of Justice 9,000 petitions deep despite 570 law firms and 30 law schools pitching in on the effort.



Obama, however, only holds sway over the Federal system, and thus can be of little comfort to those languishing for decades in state facilities, such as those in New York. Cuomo, who lives just an hour from Fishkill in the tony suburb of Mount Kisco, NY, ranks among the most miserly of all state leaders with regards to clemency.



"I've been with him in his office on this issue, and I've asked him every holiday season to use his clemency powers to give people a break," said Tony Papa, of the Drug Policy Alliance and himself a recipient of clemency under George Pataki in 1997. "He just won't do it. There are a lot of people stuck in there."

Cuomo with Papa and Credico in happier times



According to Pate, and others, a major hurdle in New York State is the parole board, which has become notoriously stingy with release recommendations and over which Cuomo also exerts some control.

P.S. Ruckman, editor of the blog Pardon Power, says he views Cuomo is part of a national trend of state executives using their power to grant clemency less and less. Starting in the 1960s, the law and order campaign rhetoric of Richard Nixon and others drove politics and public sentiment towards retribution, Ruckman says.



"In the aftermath of prohibition, presidents set records for pardons for people who broke prohibition laws, but times have changed," Ruckman said. "After Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s, they've sort of fallen off all across the map. There are exceptions of course, like Arkansas where governors have granted pardons consistently all along." Some people point to Willie Horton as a reason for the recent skittishness, and executives are generally erring on the side of caution and doing nothing, he said. (Horton, of course, was not even a clemency case.) Generally speaking, most pardons from presidents or governors are employed only after a person has been out of prison for several years.



"It's a crude, political calculus," Ruckman said.



Even in this context, however, Cuomo remains, historically, among the least likely to use these powers, having granted just nine pardons over his two terms; four of which came at the end of 2015. For example, Gov. David Patterson pardoned 35 people in his last year of office alone. Gov. George Pataki commuted 33 sentences; the elder Cuomo 37; and Hugh Carey 155 over two terms.



The financial price of this is significant.



"It costs the state anywhere between $35,000 and $55, 000 per adult to incarcerate them, but when you add the costs of the person aging, it can go up to $115,000, $120,000 per person every year," according to Pate. "It's draining on the economy; it's just a waste. How is that good for the taxpayers?"



Although many people aging in prison were convicted of violent crimes, senior citizens represent, statistically, the group of people least likely to recidivate. Public safety does not require them to be behind bars; in New York State, between 2000 and 2006, about 5 percent of people 55 and older who were released were rearrested within three years, the vast majority for technical violations of their parole (like failing a drug test, missing curfew or failing to report an address change) rather than the commission of other crimes.



Some advocates praised Cuomo's year-end-2015 programs - which also included a move to clear up, through pardons, criminal records of people convicted of some non-violent crimes as teenagers - as signaling a fundamental policy shift from the governor, but others were less impressed, describing the changes as more public relations than a true change of heart by the Governor.



"[Cuomo] doesn't have any feelings at all," said Randy Credico, a long-time criminal justice reform activist and former gubernatorial candidate. "Everything is calculating; if he doesn't think it will help his career, he won't do it."



2015 Candles for Clemency Vigil

Roskoff has held vigils outside the Governor's home, and said Cuomo's program has left him "cautiously optimistic," but added that he continues to monitor the progress.
United States Supreme Court building, Washington,DC

Co-authored by Tova Wang, author of the book "The Politics of Voter Suppression: Defending and Expanding Americans' Right to Vote"

With so much at stake, it's little surprise that the Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia's sudden passing became a political battle even before Scalia's body had lain in state. While President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell battle over whether the Senate should fulfill its constitutional responsibility and consider judge Merrick Garland's nomination to replace Scalia--and it should--we must look at the role the Supreme Court has played as part of a systematic assault on our democracy.

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A small number of powerful actors are driving a takeover of our political system at every level of power--giving power to the wealthiest among us while silencing the voices of everyone else through coordinated attacks on unions and the right to organize, restrictions on voting, and the elimination of restraints on the most affluent Americans' election spending. The result has been a shift in power from the many to the money, giving a very tiny minority of citizens the greatest say on issues ranging from taxation to the environment, from wages to trade policy.

The narrow, Roberts-led 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court repeatedly reinforced this trend while ruling in favor of the richest and most powerful at the expense of the rights of the rest of us. While the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC--that along with a lower court ruling, paved the way for super PACs and the "Wild West" of campaign finance we see now--has become iconic, it was only one of several that has encouraged an unprecedented new wave of billionaire political spending.

In 2013, the Court took the heart out of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, allowing states with a history of discrimination in the voting process to more easily enact unfair barriers to casting a ballot. Before Scalia's death, the Court heard arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association and was poised to sharply curtail the power of small political donations by unionized workers. Recently, the Court has repeatedly been on the side of corporate interests so much that studies show it is the most pro-business court in the last 70 years.

But the Court is just one of the battle lines in what should be seen as a multifaceted program to weaken the voices of everyday people in favor of the powerful that is also taking place in statehouses and in Congress.

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In the states, lawmakers have again and again passed laws to disenfranchise voters--especially communities of color and working people--while at the same time driving up limits on big-dollar donations and disempowering organized employees. Since 2010 states across the country have been passing laws making it more difficult for everyday Americans to vote through cuts to early voting, eliminating programs for youth registration, and voter ID laws. Between 2010 and 2014, 24 states weakened their campaign finance laws, in ways that made lawmakers' dependence on big-check writers greater while allowing greater secrecy on the identity of the key money movers.

The political rights of employees in the workplaces fared no better. In just one single legislative term, from 2011 and 2012, 15 state legislatures passed laws restricting public employees' collective bargaining rights, while states like Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, and West Virginia enacted so-called "right to work" acts which do nothing to help workers but do serve to undermine the ability of unions to represent the voices of working people.

And back in Washington, steps from the Supreme Court, Congress has been no ally of everyday people by refusing to consider voting rights legislation, undermining the pro-worker movement, and allowing a new wave of billionaire donors to easily hide their role while failing to enact policies that would increase the clout of small donations.

Across the board, these assaults are systematically silencing our voices and threaten a full dismantlement of our democracy.

But there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. Last November, citizens in Maine and Seattle voted by landslide margins to enact new laws that enable candidates to rely on small donations to win local elections. Just recently in Maryland, legislators overrode the governor's veto to allow people with convictions who had served their time to be able to vote--bringing some 40,000 state residents back into the fold--and registration is being simplified in a number of states. Across the country, in cities and states workers are uniting to fight for an increase in the minimum wage they are winning.

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In order to ensure we continue down the path of progress, we need a Supreme Court that is focused on protecting the rights of everyday people to be heard in our democracy, not just the wealthy and corporations. The Senate must agree to consider Merrick Garland and vet him to ensure he is someone who wants America to live up to basic ideals of equal voice and fairness within the electoral and policy process, not another justice who would reserve political clout for an elite few instead of the many.
A career change. Relationship turmoil. A move. Having children. Not having children. A mountain of bills. An empty college fund. Weight loss. Saying no. Saying yes. Finding faith. Seeking balance. Do any of these words trigger you? Did your heart thump at the mention of any of them? Do they twist in your gut and torment your mind? Are you having trouble finding "the answer?"

I was in my typical Saturday morning yoga class going through the sun salutation sequence when the teacher said something profound. A Gumby-like girl was presently in a complicated inversion when he said,

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"None of you need to do this to be fulfilled. In life, we may not get everything we want but we will have everything we need. But can you see past your own resistance?"

Most people went back to saluting the sun but his question was ringing in my mind. Can you see past your own resistance, can you see beyond your own limitation? I can see where I limit myself in my mind. I am aware of creating complications or self-imposed boulders to be climbed before a particular change can occur. But why? Is it about the need for control? The need to anticipate to the point that we prevent the positive outcome for fear we might miss the "preventable" negative one? Why do we make situations insurmountable?

My mother passed away this summer and in the aftermath of her sudden death there was one thought that paralyzed me. How is my dad going to survive without her? They were married for almost 40 years. How can he live in Florida alone while I am in New York? Will he succumb to depression? Will I need to leave my life and take care of him? It was almost as if I had imagined losing two parents. I created my own morbid reality and a problem to solve that wasn't even a true issue. I could not fathom a positive possibility, although I prayed for it. I could not see past the idea of him being alone, to notice the new opportunities in his life. I never imagined him doing his own laundry, taking care of the dogs alone, traveling the world, meeting new people or finding love again. I never allowed these visions to take hold, for fear of being too optimistic, and missing the reality of the situation. But the truth is my dad is actually doing great and the dark reality I imagined was just a new mountain of resistance created in my mind.

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I know so many of us struggle with the chatter in our minds. We tend to block our own positive progress by being a prisoner of our thoughts. Recently, I was working with a client with digestive issues. We had worked on this issue from a physical perspective and he felt somewhat better, but I knew there was more. When we explored the core issues, it seemed his gut was the source of a feeling of being stuck. His job was draining, and his marriage was stagnant and disconnected. He felt like his life was on auto-pilot and he had relinquished all control. He could not digest his current situation, but he was attached to the notion that every step forward could be a step backward. He could make the "wrong" choice just by making a new decision, and that could lead to something dire. If he got a new job and it still was not what he wanted then what? If he talked to his wife about some of his concerns she could leave him. As a result, he was existing, but not really living. His battle to transform was his expectation that change is always negative; that it is better to be trapped in what is known, rather than explore the unknown and the possible. When I posed it to him this way it helped him to see that he was his own resistance.

There are many areas where we have to climb a mountain in our mind. For me, yoga has been Mount Kilimanjaro. About two years ago my teacher was gently pushing me to try more inversions, beginning with headstand. It terrified me beyond words. I had fears of falling and crashing into other students. I had visions of damaging my cervical spine. Then I feared not being able to do it at all. Every Saturday the fist would return to my gut and I would consider skipping class. But I forced myself to show up and I secretly prayed he would skip headstand that day. But it never failed, that pose he would always remember. I would try to push myself up, I would wobble and then I would never allow myself to really stay up. I survived but I would leave disappointed. It wasn't until one day that I decided to try a different approach. I actually heard a message in my head, "Tell yourself you can do it before you get into the pose." It was then that I realized the pose itself was not the challenge; my mind was the roadblock.

The next class I spoke to myself as if I was cheering from the sidelines, "You can do this. You are strong. You have balance. You have courage." I reassured myself the whole way into the pose. As I hung upside down I finally realized how upside down my thoughts had really been.

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2000 Joe Breen,Robert Carlyle, Emily Watson, Sean/Oisin Carney Daly and Shane Murray Corcoran star in 'Angela's Ashes.' Photo Universal Pictures

St. Patrick's Day is a time to honor Irish heritage and culture, whether that means attending a performance of Irish music or dancing, wearing green and searching for four-leafed shamrocks, or sampling some fine Irish whiskey. We at Off the Shelf will be taking the opportunity to revisit some incredible books by Irish authors, from enduring classics to powerful memoirs to contemporary novels that are taking the literary world by storm. So take your pick and spend this March 17th celebrating Ireland through the written word.



Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Angela's Ashes is Frank McCourt's Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir of his childhood in the slums of Limerick, Ireland, during the Depression era. Frank endures poverty, near-starvation, and the casual cruelty of relatives and neighbors -- yet lives to tell his tale with eloquence, exuberance, and remarkable forgiveness.

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Read the review here



The Dead by James Joyce

This story about a married couple attending a Christmas-season party ends with a shocking confession. This admission showcases the power of Joyce's greatest innovation: the epiphany, that moment when everything, for character and reader alike, suddenly becomes clear.





In The Woods by Tana French

As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, three children enter the woods and do not return. When the police arrive, they find only one, Rob Ryan. Twenty years later, Rob is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and finds himself investigating a twelve-year-old girl's murder in the same woods.





Nora Webster by Colm Toibin

Set in Wexford, Ireland, Nora Webster follows a fiercely compelling young widow navigating grief, fear, and longing, and ultimately finding her own voice. This one is for fans of Brooklyn.





Dracula by Bram Stoker

Young solicitor Jonathan Harker travels to the Carpathian Mountains to finalize the sale of an English abbey to Transylvanian noble Count Dracula. Little does he realize that Dracula is a centuries-old vampire who may have evil intentions for Jonathan's beloved wife Mina.



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TransAtlantic by Colum McCann

A soaring novel that spans continents, leaps centuries, and unites a cast of deftly rendered characters, both real and imagined. This is the story of three iconic trans-Atlantic crossings, connected by a series of remarkable women whose personal stories are caught up in the swells of history.





Love and Summer by William Trevor

Ellie, a shy orphan girl married to a man whose life has been blighted by an unspeakable tragedy, lives a quiet life in an Irish village until she meets a young photographer preparing to leave Ireland and his past forever. The chance intersection of these two lost souls sets in motion a haunting love story about the choices of the heart.





The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

This classic fantasy tale follows four adventurous siblings who step through a wardrobe door and into Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch.





The Wolf in Winter by John Connolly

The community of Prosperous, Maine, has always thrived when others have suffered--its future is secure and it shuns outsiders. But the death of a homeless man and the disappearance of his daughter draw private investigator Charlie Parker, who will encounter a most vicious opponent.





A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know each other. Resident Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea. The resulting unlikely group shares their secrets and even sees their dreams come true.



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The Long-Winded Lady by Maeve Brennan

From 1954 to 1981, Maeve Brennan wrote for The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section under the pen name "The Long-Winded Lady." These are her unforgettable sketches -- prose snapshots of life in small restaurants, cheap hotels, and the crowded streets of Times Square -- form a timeless, bittersweet tribute to New York City.

Read the review here



Are You Somebody? by Nuala O'Faolain

One of nine children born into a penniless North Dublin family, Nuala O'Faolain was saved from a harrowing childhood by her love of books and reading. She ultimately became one of Ireland's best-known columnists and Are You Somebody? distills her experiences into a wisdom that can only come from an obstinate refusal to shrink from life.





Room by Emma Donoghue

A tale at once shocking, riveting, and exhilarating, the titular room is the only home Jack has ever known, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space.

Read the review here
I broke the law. While appearing on a local public radio show, I compared Republican Presidential frontrunner Donald J. Trump to Hitler and fascism. Thereby I violated Godwin's Law (an internet adage), which states that thou shall not invoke Hitler or fascism in a civil conversation. I am loath to invoke such loaded terms. But Trump makes it both easy and difficult to see the obvious.

I am not alone. Famed journalist Carl Bernstein called Trump a neo-fascist pointing out, "I think the word neo is crucial because it means new and it's a peculiarly American kind of fascism." While there are important historical divergences between Trump and Hitler, the parallels in their policy choices and their extolling of authoritarianism ought to be concerning enough to venture where political discourse seldom should go. The Economist's Intelligence Unit, which provides risk assessment and business intelligence to corporations around the world, recently ranked Trump presidency as a top 10 risk facing the world. They cited three major concerns - disruption to the world economy, political chaos in the U.S., and heightened security threat to America and American interests around the world.

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Trump being fascistic was based on my understanding of the broad strokes of history. Authoritarian leaders inevitably bring chaos all the while promising utopian fixes. While the U.S. is not the dominant world power it once was, mostly due to the inevitable rise of other countries, it still remains a nation with formidable hard and soft power. Perhaps one of the best places to look will be U.N.'s Human Development Index (HDI) that measures, "richness of human life, rather than simply the richness of the economy." In 2015, the U.S. ranked #8. Countries outranking America are those whom Bernie Sanders hold out as models, such as Norway and Switzerland, and whom Trump dismisses as socialists. From 1990 to 2015, America's HDI score improved by 6.5 percent, despite encountering several economic recessions along the way.

The area where U.S. performs worst is something that Trump never talks about - income inequality. After taking taxes into account, U.S. has the second highest level of income inequality, behind only Chile. According to a report from Pew Research, "U.S. tax and spending policy does relatively little, compared with its peers in the developed world, to reduce inequality." Trump's supporter are ostensibly angry because of economic sufferings, but the most important factor behind that suffering is virtually non-existent in Trump's platitude of making America great again. The headline from Fortune magazine says it all, "Donald Trump's Tax Plan Would Make the Rich Richer, Uncle Sam Poorer." Debt will explode as the government takes-in less revenue. The economic populism that is supposedly behind Trump's rise is mostly smokes and mirrors.

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So what is fueling his rise? A study by Vox.com showed that people who favor conformity and are wary of outsiders correlate well with Trump supporters. Social scientists call such people authoritarians. Trump supporters may not view him as a dictator but his aggressive tone and polices resonate with their fears and anxieties. Trump's odious views do not necessarily rise to fascism unless coupled with Trump's incitement of violence. When he threatens to punch protestors or alludes to riots if the Republican Party does not coronate him, he is using the playbook of bullies. And when his supporters beat up Mexicans and Muslims, his threat is not protected free speech but akin to yelling fire in a crowded theatre.

If you are not a Mexican, you may not be impacted by Trump's characterization of Mexican immigrants as "rapists". But those who are Mexican or perceived to be Mexican are already facing violent backlash at schools. If you are not Muslim, you may not care about imposing a ban of undefined length on all Muslims entering the U.S. But for those with family, social, and business ties to one-fifth of humanity, such ideas represent a clear and present danger. If you care not about international laws and treaties, you may turn a blind eye to Trump advocating torture and illegal killings of civilians. But those American service women and men, whose safety depends upon reciprocity, are undoubtedly at risk if Trump indeed follows through on his bluster. Recently when asked about his foreign policy advisors, Trump said he talks to himself. In other words, his is a cult of personality not a movement of ideas. If this is not fascistic, tell me what is?
Reprinted With Permission of Real Clear Defense

Can China's anti-ship ballistic missile really hit an American aircraft carrier zigzagging at 30 knots in the Taiwan Strait? That remains unclear as there is no record of China successfully testing its growing suite of "carrier killer" missiles on a moving target at sea.

This uncertainty leaves the door open to the possibility that Beijing's ASBM hype is merely a Sun Tzu ruse to prod America into spending countless billions on new weapons to defend against a chimera.

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Ruse or not, the theoretical beauty of China's ASBM lies in at least three dimensions:

A relatively low "asymmetric warfare" cost to the carriers it targets

An ability to "outrange" America's carriers with their current air wings

Mach 10 speed, verticality, and maneuverability as it approaches its target

In reality, there are four basic ways to neutralize China's ASBM threat, and these "four corners" of an American ASBM defense are not mutually exclusive.



Strategy #1: Interceptor Missiles

The US and its allies have been rapidly moving ahead in the development of interceptor missiles. Some poster children for the interceptor missile response are growing up in the "Standard Missile" series being fathered by Raytheon.

For example, the SM-3 is geared towards "mid-course defense" - hitting an ASBM early in its trajectory at longer distances and higher altitudes and possibly even in space. In contrast, the SM-6 Dual specializes more in "terminal defense" should an ASBM break through the SM-3 perimeter - and it is equally potent against incoming cruise missiles.

While each of these missiles have been successfully tested against isolated missile threats, the Achilles Heel of a missile interceptor strategy is its possible inability to counter the kinds of swarming cruise and ballistic missile attacks that China's Second Artillery Corps is likely to launch. Such "salvoing" does indeed present both economic and operational problems.

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Economically, missile interceptor missiles are costly, e.g., about $10 million a pop for the SM-3 and $4 million for the SM-6. Operationally, the question arises to whether you can even fit enough missiles into a strike group's magazines to shoot down all of the missiles in repeated Chinese swarms - much less fire these missile interceptors fast enough to prevent a mission kill.



Strategy #2: Outranging China's Carrier Killer

In a seminal report published by the Center for a New American Security in October of 2015, Dr. Jerry Hendrix documented the deadly decline in the range of American aircraft carrier strike groups since the end of World War II. The problem here is not with the carriers themselves but rather with their air wings, which now feature shorter-range fighters.

To see the historical problem framed by Hendrix, consider that the average unrefueled combat range of an American carrier has shrunk from over 1,200 nautical miles in 1958 and over 900 nautical miles in 1986 to less than 500 nautical miles today. In contrast, the range of China's DF21-D antiship ballistic missile is between 800 and 1,000 nautical miles.

The obvious strategy here to save aircraft carriers as a viable fighting platform is to focus once again on range. To Hendrix, one way to work this problem is to develop "a new long-range, deep strike asset in line with the A-3 Skywarrior and A-6 Intruder of the past that could take off from a carrier, fly more than 1,500 nm, penetrate a dense anti-air network of sensors and missiles, deliver multiple weapons on target, and then return to the carrier."

In Hendrix's vision, the most logical means to do this is through "an unmanned platform" along the lines of the X-47B that was cancelled in 2006. The plane remains on life support as a test vehicle that has successfully completed carrier landings, but it is literally "waiting in the wings."



Caption: An American Carrier Struck By A Chinese ASBM

Strategy #3: Destroy China ASBMs On Their Launch Pads

This option immediately brings to mind the contentious AirSea Battle vs. Offshore Control debate that has raged for years over whether it is prudent to strike the Chinese mainland should China launch an attack on American carriers or forward bases. Suffice it to say that any strike on the Chinese mainland would invite possible strikes on the American homeland, possibly nuclear strikes.

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There is also the logistical "whack a mole" matter of whether it is even possible to accurately target Chinese ASBMs moving randomly about on camouflaged mobile missile launchers and on rail tracks beneath the Great Underground Wall of China.

That said, this strategy should not be ruled out publicly for one obvious strategic reason: Any American promise to never strike the Chinese mainland would establish that mainland as a sanctuary and turn American carriers and forward bases into sitting ducks for the Second Artillery Corps.

Strategy #4: Force Restructuring

The most common form of the force restructuring argument goes like this: "If China's ASBMs can sink our carriers, we should rely more on submarines."

Here's one problem: No amount of newly constructed Virginia attack class submarines can make up for the ability of an aircraft carrier to establish air dominance in critical theaters of war. Thus, while building more submarines to control the chokepoints of the First Island Chain should China attack the US or its treaty allies is an essential part of any true "pivot" to Asia, it is no panacea.

*******

At the end of the day, China's ASBM threat needs to be addressed using all four corners of an American defense. Even if these missiles don't yet fully deliver on their promise, the technology certainly exists and sooner or later our carriers will be at risk.

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Five Questions That Weren't Asked During the 2012 Presidential Debates and Are Unlikely to Be Asked in 2016

The nuances of foreign policy do not feature heavily in the ongoing presidential campaign. Every candidate intends to destroy the Islamic State; each has concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea, and China; every one of them will defend Israel; and no one wants to talk much about anything else -- except, in the case of the Republicans, who rattle their sabers against Iran.

In that light, heres a little trip down memory lane: in October 2012, I considered five critical foreign policy questions -- they form the section headings below -- that were not being discussed by then-candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Romney today is a sideshow act for the current Republican circus, and Obama has started packing up his tent at the White House and producing his own foreign policy obituary.

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And sadly, those five questions of 2012 remain as pertinent and unraised today as they were four years ago. Unlike then, however, answers may be at hand, and believe me, that's not good news. Now, lets consider them four years later, one by one.

Is there an endgame for the global war on terror?

That was the first question I asked back in 2012. In the ensuing years, no such endgame has either been proposed or found, and these days no ones even talking about looking for one. Instead, a state of perpetual conflict in the Greater Middle East and Africa has become so much the norm that most of us dont even notice.

In 2012, I wrote, The current president, elected on the promise of change, altered very little when it came to George W. Bushs Global War on Terror (other than dropping the name). That jewel-in-the-crown of Bush-era offshore imprisonment, Guantanamo, still houses over 160 prisoners held without trial. While the U.S. pulled its troops out of Iraq... the war in Afghanistan stumbles on. Drone strikes and other forms of conflict continue in the same places Bush tormented: Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan (and its clear that northern Mali is heading our way).

Well, candidates of 2016? Guantanamo remains open for business, with 91 men still left. Five others were expeditiously traded away by executive decision to retrieve runaway American soldier Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan, but somehow President Obama feels he cant release most of the others without lots of approvals by... well, someone. The Republicans running for president are howling to expand Gitmo, and the two Democratic candidates are in favor of whatever sort of not-a-plan plan Obama has been pushing around his plate for eight years.

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Iraq took a bad bounce when the same president who withdrew U.S. troops in 2011 let loose the planes and drones and started putting those boots back on that same old ground in 2014. It didnt take long for the U.S. to morph that conflict from a rescue mission to a training mission to bombing to Special Operations forces in ongoing contact with the enemy, and not just in Iraq, but Syria, too. No candidate has said that s/he will pull out.

As for the war in Afghanistan, it now features an indefinite, generational American troop commitment. Think of that country as the third rail of campaign 2016 -- no candidate dares touch it for fear of instant electrocution, though (since the American public seems to have forgotten the place) by whom exactly is unclear. There's still plenty of fighting going on in Yemen -- albeit now mostly via America's well-armed proxies the Saudis -- and Africa is more militarized than ever.

As for the most common American someone in what used to be called the third world is likely to encounter, its no longer a diplomat, a missionary, a tourist, or even a soldier -- it's a drone. The United States claims the right to fly into any nation's airspace and kill anyone it wishes. Add it all together and when it comes to that war on terror across significant parts of the globe, the once-reluctant heir to the Bush legacy leaves behind a twenty-first century mechanism for perpetual war and eternal assassination missions. And no candidate in either party is willing to even suggest that such a situation needs to end.

In 2012, I also wrote, Washington seems able to come up with nothing more than a whack-a-mole strategy for ridding itself of the scourge of terror, an endless succession of killings of 'al-Qaeda Number 3' guys. Counterterrorism tsar John Brennan, Obamas drone-meister, has put it this way: 'We're not going to rest until al-Qaeda the organization is destroyed and is eliminated from areas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Africa, and other areas.'

Four years later, whack-a-mole seems to still be as polite a way as possible of categorizing America's strategy. In 2013, the top whacker John Brennan got an upgrade to director of the CIA, but strangely -- despite so many drones sent off, Special Operations teams sent in, and bombers let loose -- the moles keep burrowing and hes gotten none of the rest he was seeking in 2012. Al-Qaeda is still around, but more significantly, the Islamic State (IS) has replaced that outfit as the signature terrorist organization for the 2016 election.

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And speaking of IS, the 2011 war in Libya, midwifed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, led to the elimination of autocrat Muammar Qaddafi, which in turn led to chaos, which in turn led to the spread of IS there big time, which appears on its way to leading to a new American war in Libya seeking the kind of stability that, for all his terrors, Qaddafi had indeed brought to that country during his 34 years in power and the U.S. military will never find.

So an end to the Global War on Terror? Nope.

Do todays foreign policy challenges mean that its time to retire the Constitution?

In 2012 I wrote, Starting on September 12, 2001, challenges, threats, and risks abroad have been used to justify abandoning core beliefs enshrined in the Bill of Rights. That bill, we are told, cant accommodate terror threats to the Homeland.

At the time, however, our concerns about unconstitutionality were mostly based on limited information from early whistleblowers like Tom Drake and Bill Binney, and what some then called conspiracy theories. That was before National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden confirmed our worst nightmares in June 2013 by leaking a trove of NSA documents about the overwhelming American surveillance state. Snowden summed it up this way: "You see programs and policies that were publicly justified on the basis of preventing terrorism -- which we all want -- in fact being used for very different purposes."

Now, heres the strange thing: since Rand Paul dropped out of the 2016 presidential race, no candidate seems to find it worth his or her while to discuss protecting the Bill of Rights or the Constitution from the national security state. (Only the Second Amendment, it turns out, is still sacred.) And speaking of rights, things had already grown so extreme by 2013 that Attorney General Eric Holder felt forced to publicly insist that the government did not plan to torture or kill Edward Snowden, should he end up in its hands. Given the tone of this election, someone may want to update that promise.

In 2012, of course, the Obama administration had only managed to put two whistleblowers in jail for violating the Espionage Act. Since then, such prosecutions have grown almost commonplace, with five more convictions (including that of Chelsea Manning) and with whatever penalties short of torture and murder are planned for Edward Snowden still pending. No one then mentioned the use of the draconian World War I-era Espionage Act, but that wasnt surprising. Its moment was still coming.

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Four years later, still not a peep out of any candidate about the uses of that act, once aimed at spying for foreign powers in wartime, or a serious discussion of government surveillance and the loss of privacy in American life. (And we just learned that the Pentagons spy drones have been released over the homeland, too, but dont expect to hear anything about that or its implications either.) Of course, Snowden has come up in the debates of both parties. He has been labeled a traitor as part of the blood sport that the Republican debates have devolved into, and denounced as a thief by Hillary Clinton, while Bernie Sanders gave him credit for educating the American people but still thought he deserved prison time.

If the question in 2012 was: Candidates, have we walked away from the Constitution? If so, shouldnt we publish some sort of notice or bulletin? In 2016, the answer seems to be: Yes, weve walked away, and accept that or else... you traitor!

What do we want from the Middle East?

In 2012, considering the wreckage of the post-9/11 policies of two administrations in the Middle East, I wondered what the goal of America's presence there could possibly be. Washington had just ended its war in Iraq, walked away from the chaos in Libya, and yet continued to launch a seemingly never-ending series of drone strikes in the region. Is it all about oil? I asked. Israel? Old-fashioned hegemony and containment? History suggests that we should make up our mind on what Americas goals in the Middle East might actually be. No cheating now -- having no policy is a policy of its own.

Four years later, Washington is desperately trying to destroy an Islamic State caliphate that wasnt even on its radar in 2012. Of course, that brings up the question of whether IS can be militarily destroyed at all, as we watch its spread to places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya. And then theres the question no one would have thought to ask back then: If we destroy that movement in Iraq and Syria, will another even more brutish group simply take its place, as the Islamic State did with al-Qaeda in Iraq? No candidate this time around even seems to grasp that these groups arent just problems in themselves, but symptoms of a broader Sunni-Shi'ite problem.

In the meantime, the one broad policy consensus to emerge is that we shouldnt hesitate to unleash our air power and Special Operations forces and, with the help of local proxies, wreck as much stuff as possible. America has welcomed all comers to take their best shots in Syria and Iraq in the name of fighting the Islamic State. The ongoing effort to bomb it away has resulted in the destruction of cities that were still in decent shape in 2012, like Ramadi, Kobane, Homs, and evidently at some future moment Iraqs second largest city, Mosul, in order to save them. Four American presidents have made war in the region without success, and whoever follows Obama into the Oval Office will be number five. No questions asked.

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What is your plan to right-size our military and what about downsizing the global mission?

Plan? Right-size? Heres the reality four years after I asked that question: Absolutely no candidate, including the most progressive one, is talking about cutting or in any way seriously curtailing the U.S. military.

Not surprisingly, in response to the ongoing question of the year, So how will you pay for that? (in other words, any project being discussed from massive border security and mass deportations to free public college tuition), no candidate has said: Let's spend less than 54% of our discretionary budget on defense.

Call me sentimental, but as I wrote in 2012, Id still like to know from the candidates, What will you do to right-size the military and downsize its global mission? Secondly, did this countrys founders really intend for the president to have unchecked personal war-making powers?

Such questions would at least provide a little comic relief, as all the candidates except Bernie Sanders lock horns to see who will be the one to increase the defense budget the most.

Since no one outside our borders buys American exceptionalism anymore, whats next? What is Americas point these days?

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In 2012, I laid out the reality of twenty-first-century America this way: We keep the old myth alive that America is a special, good place, the most 'exceptional' of places in fact, but in our foreign policy we're more like some mean old man, reduced to feeling good about himself by yelling at the kids to get off the lawn (or simply taking potshots at them). Now, who we are and what we are abroad seems so much grimmer... America the Exceptional, has, it seems, run its course. Saber rattling... feels angry, unproductive, and without any doubt unbelievably expensive.

Yet in 2016 most of the candidates are still barking about America the Exceptional despite another four years of rust on the chrome. Donald Trump may be the exceptional exception in that he appears to think Americas exceptional greatness is still to come, though quite soon under his guidance.

The question for the candidates in 2012 was and in 2016 remains Who exactly are we in the world and who do you want us to be? Are you ready to promote a policy of fighting to be planetary top dog -- and we all know where that leads -- or can we find a place in the global community? Without resorting to the usual 'shining city on a hill' metaphors, can you tell us your vision for America in the world?

The answer is a resounding no.

See You Again in 2020

The candidates have made it clear that the struggle against terror is a forever war, the U.S. military can never be big enough, bombing and missiling the Greater Middle East is now the American Way of Life, and the Constitution is indeed a pain and should get the hell out of the way.

Above all, no politician dares or cares to tell us anything but what they think we want to hear: America is exceptional, military power can solve problems, the U.S. military isnt big enough, and it is necessary to give up our freedoms to protect our freedoms. Are we, in the perhaps slightly exaggerated words of one foreign commentator, now just a nation of idiots, incapable of doing anything except conducting military operations against primitive countries?

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Young Man Reading from the Torah at a Bar Mitzvah

The language of "sacrifice" suggests an act of self-deprivation. We give up something of value for the sake of something greater; we may sacrifice a holiday to save some money, or our free time to work for a worthy cause. We regret that we have to make these sacrifices, though we see the need for them; if we could attain what we want without the sacrifice, we would do so.

None of this is not what the ancient Israelites understood as sacrifices. To them, offering a sacrifice --a korban, from the root K-V-R, to come near -- was a joyous religious obligation. The offering was the most precious item of the offerer, given willingly and in joy. It could simply be an expression of reverence or thanksgiving. It often had no perceivable ends, but was a means to come close to God.

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Biblical sacrifices were both communal and individual. Communal sacrifices were usually at fixed times in the morning and afternoon, but many of the individual sacrifices were voluntary brought to the altar by the people. There were, of course, those who severely criticized the outward show of devotion of the sacrificial cult. The prophet Amos railed against the people for finding absolution in sacrifices without any inner conviction, and the biblical prophets in general condemned the use of sacrifices as an attempted substitute for moral action or atonement.

This week's Torah reading, Parshat Vayikra, starkly reminds us that religious practice in biblical times is not the same as the Judaism practiced anywhere today. We think of our religion as being thousands of years old, but in truth Judaism today hardly resembles biblical religion. The sacrificial cult is one reminder that we have not only transformed our religion from its biblical roots, but have also completely abandoned central ancient practices.

In these detailed passages elaborating the sacrificial cult, it is not clear which period of Israelite history is being described. Are these actually recalling the sacrifices of the people in the wilderness, or the origins of -- or justifications for -- the sacrifices held in the first Temple in Jerusalem or even the second Temple?

From the very beginnings of Reform Judaism in the nineteenth century, adaptation of the liturgy included omitting sacrificial references, viewing them as outmoded and primitive. Language referring to sacrifices was eliminated from prayer books, including the additional service on Shabbat, the musaf service, since this was purely a place holder for the extra sacrificial offering on Shabbat in the Temple. For many liberal Jews, the only remaining significant reference to sacrifice in our liturgy is the Avodah service on Yom Kippur, when remembrance of the annual ritual of the High Priest is intertwined with the theme of repentance.

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All Jews recognize that a radical transformation of Judaism occurred as Judaism transformed itself from a Temple cult to a Judaism based on Torah study, "the service of the heart" (prayer), and doing good deeds. True, the Roman destruction of the Temple sealed the fate of the sacrificial cult, but this transformation had started earlier within the circles of the Pharisees, providing alternative modes of prayer and gatherings through the institutions of the new synagogue and home study groups led by scribes and Pharisees (and eventually, rabbis).

Only through remembrance can we connect to an earlier Israelite religion of burnt offerings and atonement for sins vicariously offered on the altar. We can only call to mind through our literature a priestly class with levitical servants and a theocracy headed by a divinely ordained High Priest. Other such cults in Greece and Turkey and Syria have all died out without adaptation; all we know of them, we learn in museums. It was the genius of the early rabbis to make that adaptation and cement a new understanding of worship of the monotheistic God for a new generation and a new reality. The Shabbat table replaced the Temple altar, the prayer book replaced levitical chanting, and ethical and ritual mitzvot provided opportunities for repentance and thanksgiving to God.

On one hand, we can be grateful that we have responded to God's call (vayikra means "and God called") very differently in a post-biblical world; on the other hand, we can still recall with wonder and mystery the ancient cult as described in our parasha. To study it each year in the Torah is to remind ourselves of both our ancient foundations and the long evolutions and radical transformations that have taken place since then.

Were the House still standing Would we bring live lambs to slaughter? Would we share our surplus as much with priests as with the poor. We were driven from the House too soon to find the answer History has robbed us of the choice. Let then our offering be from our lips of memories of Sweetness of new wheat Oils pressed from ancient olives Gifts we would have brought Had we but lived In offering distance of the sacred House. (Rabbi Richard Levy, On Wings of Awe)

Seventy Faces of Torah is a pluralistic Jewish scriptural commentary, produced by The Center for Global Judaism at Hebrew College, in which thought leaders from around the world offer insights into the weekly Torah portion and contemporary social, political, and spiritual life.
This year, you have a choice. Though International Day of Happiness is a great excuse to celebrate happiness one day a year, why not use the day to kick-start your happiest year ever?

Sounds good so far, but the question is how? Well, the truth is that happiness looks different for everyone, both locally and globally. The Project Happiness team was recently invited by ReThink, Trinidad, to visit Guyana to hold a training on happiness and emotional resiliency. With Her Excellence, Sandra Grainger (the first lady of Guyana)'s support and attendance, the training was held in the Ministry of Education with 70+ teachers, public health personnel, social workers, and national administration. Having recently been identified as the country with the highest suicide rate per capita in the world, the Guyanese we met welcomed tools to create a positive impact and seed hope in their community. At the end of our time together, the participants reported feeling uplifted, energized and excited to implement what they had discovered.

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Here are some inspirations from that trip to help you get your happiness in gear:

1.Start with Respect: Emotions are like a boomerang; what you send out comes back to you. If you treat others with respect, chances are they will respond in kind. When we first got to the country, it was unclear if we were going to be regarded as just another organization trying to impose our "solutions." When they understood that we were there to share ideas and actually learn from one another, it changed the tone to one of sincere communication. Self-respect was another aspect. In these all-too-busy times, we shared that it's important to respect yourself too! This includes your time, your energy, and even your inner voice. It all matters.

2.Walk in Someone Else's Shoes: In order to have a real conversation with anyone, it helps to know what they are dealing with now and what challenges they have faced. In Georgetown, Guyana's capital, there had just been a riot in the local prison, and it was burnt to the ground. Many people were enraged. Yet, the First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Grainger, who attended part of the training, spoke of empathy. "These men were someone's son, or brother or friend. You never know what had happened to put them in that place, or what hardships they had to deal with." Everyone was touched. The takeaway: even though we may come from different experiences, it is important to consider what lies beneath the surface. Empathy can go a long way.

3.Adults Like to Play Too: Who said fun was limited to children? Research has shown that play is one of the best ways to recharge, restore and jumpstart creativity. Especially when times are tough, find ways to lift one another up and laugh. Music and dance are universal elixirs. When we asked the group to get up and break out into a happy dance, the enthusiasm was palpable. One of the fastest ways to shift out of a bad mood is to shake it! Music crosses all boundaries - let it be your fuel.

4.The Power of a Circle: A highly effective strategy to bounce back from stress is to show and receive gratitude or appreciation. In Guyana, we had participants form appreciation circles of about 10 people each. They had to tell the person on their right, one thing that they appreciated about them: something that involved their character rather than their clothes. It was one of the most popular activities, so much so that we did another one at the end. People were laughing, crying, hugging... and opening up to their strengths. If you are interested in knowing more about the power of circles or starting one yourself, learn more here.

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5.To Feel Good, Do Good: There have been many studies that show that people who give to others end up being happier. Not only do we feel a greater sense of meaning, but this actually promotes long term happiness. Connecting to others is also something we are wired to do - we all seek to be part of something greater. When we offered the participants the chance to become a Happiness Ambassador, to help bridge the latest in the science of happiness for people in all walks of life, you could have heard a pin drop. The idea of working with them, to tailor our programs to be sensitive to the specific needs within the community, was much appreciated - it's back to that respect thing... If this strikes an "AHA" chord in you, you can also learn more about bringing this movement for global well-being to your corner of the globe.
It's St. Patrick's Day and Illinois could use a little luck o' the Irish. That might not be too hard to find -- according to the U.S. Census, more than 33 million people in the U.S. claimed Irish ancestry in 2013. That's seven times higher than the population of Ireland itself!

And Illinois has plenty of Irish heritage too. In 2010, 1.6 million people in Illinois said they had some Irish background.

Where do all those people live in the state and which county has the most? Using 2010 U.S. Census data, we figured out the top 25 most Irish Illinois counties.

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Below is a map showing the percentage of Illinoisans in each county who reported Irish ancestry to the U.S. Census; darker green counties have more, while lighter green have less. There's also a list of the top 25 counties by percentage, including the actual number of people in each county who claimed Irish heritage. If you aren't able to see the map, scroll down for a text version of the Top 25 list.

Top 25 most Irish Illinois counties

25) Edgar County, IL 16.05%

24) Massac County, IL 16.14%

23) Monroe County, IL 16.19%

22) Scott County, IL 16.27%

21) Coles County, IL 16.28%

20) Macoupin County, IL 16.32%

19) DuPage County, IL 16.44%

18) Putnam County, IL 16.65%

17) Marshall County, IL 16.86%

16) Williamson County, IL 17.08%

15) Livingston County, IL 17.25%

14) DeKalb County, IL 17.32%

13) Saline County, IL 17.98%

12) Will County, IL 18.30%

11) Mercer County, IL 18.35%

10) Franklin County, IL 18.50%

9) McHenry County, IL 18.57%

8) Lee County, IL 18.79%

7) LaSalle County, IL 18.94%

6) Pope County, IL 18.95%

5) Jo Daviess County, IL 19.70%

4) Hamilton County, IL 20.66%

3) Grundy County, IL 22.36%

2) Gallatin County, IL 23.67%
The patron saint of smart New York women, Nora Ephron is sorely missed. We have not seen her like since 2012 when she died at age 71 of pneumonia and leukemia. Not that you could refashion her particular savvy, audacity, and wit. Now her son Jacob Bernstein has made a film about her, Everything is Copy: Nora Ephron Scripted & Unscripted to air on March 21 on HBO, and it is so full of memorable interviews with her on Charlie Rose and Dick Cavett, you can feel her presence in our midst.

The film's title, Everything is Copy, was a mantra she learned at her parents' knee. Screenwriters, they would wipe away her tears as a little girl growing up in Hollywood, and say them, words a writer can live by. When her second husband Carl Bernstein was having an affair during her pregnancy, she dumped him and wrote the novel, Heartburn. The book was so popular, even Paul Bowles living in Tangier wrote to me about how it made him laugh. And then it was made into a movie with Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, directed by Mike Nichols.

The documentary features a trip down memory lane with the movies she scripted or directed: Silkwood, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, Julie and Julia, and When Harry Met Sally, highlighting the scene in the deli when Meg Ryan as Sally fakes an orgasm. Jacob Bernstein interviews his father who seems surprised to learn how much he and his brother Max were affected by his infidelity and their parents' divorce.

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Nora Ephron loved dinner parties and loved to cook. At her memorial service in 2012, each program included a recipe: mine was for Potatoes Anna. In Heartburn, she abandons Anna for mashed, the ultimate comfort food. On Monday night, MoMA's ample lobby was transformed for a swank dinner party, featuring Danny Meyer's interpretation of her favorites: including mashed potatoes, salad with bacon bits, and lots of butter.

Her husbands Nick Pileggi, and ex, Carl Bernstein, Meg Ryan, Tyne Daly, Fran Lebowitz, Heather Burns, Carol Kane, Paul Haggis, Norah O'Donnell, Mort Zuckerman, Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker were some attending, joining filmmakers, producer Graydon Carter and HBO's Richard Plepler.

As if the many essays she wrote, and movies we can all recite by heart didn't give enough of Nora Ephron's worldview, the documentary offers life-changing advice she gave everyone from Nora's sisters Delia, Amy, and Halley, to friends Richard Cohen, Gay Talese, and others. Most bewildering to everyone was how she kept her illness to herself. Whatever, Nora was always right.
The presidential primary season presents a lot of important angles for understanding electoral rules, as detailed in our primary focus series -- particularly involving the impact of using a plurality voting system instead of ranked choice voting and using winner-take-all delegate rules instead of proportional representation ones.

The primaries also help demonstrates the limitations of the Top Two primary system as compared to the improvement provided by the Top Four Primary with ranked choice voting. Top Two has benefits like allowing all voters to participate on an equal basis in primaries and creating incentives for winners to reach out to more voters than they would under the status quo in order to win, but it can be an awkward instrument. As we sometimes see happen in actual Top Two elections, vote fractures can result in unrepresentative outcomes -- ones that, if translated into a Top Two primary, can deny one major party a place in the general election even when its candidates collectively earn the most votes.

Take recent presidential primaries in Michigan and North Carolina. The Republican and Democratic primaries took place on the same day, with -- as explained at FairVote's useful resource on primary rules in states -- a fully open primary in Michigan in which any registered voter could choose either party's ballot, and a semi-open primary ballot in North Carolina where unaffiliated voters could take either major party ballot. Although the presidential candidates weren't running against one another across party lines, the results are still reasonably indicative of what might have happened if they were.

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In both primaries, a majority of voters chose to participate in the Republican contest, but the Democratic candidates were the two highest vote-getters. Here are the results, as reported in the New York Times, and with independent Bernie Sanders listed as a Democrat given his choice to participate in its primary.

North Carolina

Total votes for Republicans - 1,138,718

Total votes for Democrats - 1,129,241

Hillary Clinton (D) - 616,383

Bernie Sanders (D - 460,316

Donald Trump (R) - 458,151

Ted Cruz (R) - 418,740

John Kasich (R) - 144,299

Marco Rubio (R) - 87,858

Other (D) - 52,542

Other (R) - 29,670





Michigan

Total votes for Republicans - 1,324,621

Total votes for Democrats - 1,194,643

Bernie Sanders (D) -595,222

Hillary Clinton (D) - 576,795

Donald Trump (R) - 483,751

Ted Cruz (R) - 330,015

John Kasich (R) - 321,655

Marco Rubio (R) -123,673

Other (D) - 22,626

Other (R) - 65,527



In other words, voters in the general election in November in two battleground states (with Michigan leaning toward Democrats and North Carolina toward Republicans) would have only had Democrats to choose using Top Two. Clinton and Sanders also would have been the only candidates to advance under Top Two in primaries that took place in Massachusetts and Illinois, states where they also collectively won more votes than Republicans. Clinton and Sanders nearly would have done so in two battleground states where Republicans won the most primary votes and the Democratic contests were too lopsided to take advantage of the split votes among Republicans -- New Hampshire and Virginia.

Although Republicans generally have earned more votes than Democrats in primaries held on the same day, their fracturing of the vote has meant that they only would have shut out Democrats from the general election in the swing state of Ohio.

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Top Two still is fairer than a one-round plurality vote election where the single candidate on the top of the heap is the winner, however. For example, in Hawaiian congressional vacancy elections, all candidates for office appear on the same ballot (so all Democrats and all Republicans and all others), and the candidate with the most votes wins. If this were used in the presidential primaries, it would have some truly bizarre results. Not only would Sanders have won Michigan and Clinton won in North Carolina -- despite Republicans collectively earning the most votes -- but Clinton would have carried South Carolina despite Republican candidates winning nearly twice as many votes as Democrats.
One of the worst things about having an itchy vagina is that you can't really complain about it.

If you have a bad headache, or your back goes out, you can kvetch and get sympathy.

"How are you?" a co-worker will ask.

To say "I have a terrible headache" or "My back is killing me" is perfectly acceptable.

But "My vagina has been itching for weeks now and it's driving me crazy?"

Not so much.

I'm not complaining about my own vagina. My own vagina, for the moment, is okay. But my dear pal Sophie has had a terribly itchy vagina for months and months and nothing seems to help and she's absolutely miserable.

Her doc has tried everything. And when nothing that her doctor suggested or prescribed had any impact, Sophie consulted natural healing books and tried a variety of folk remedies recommended by Dr. Internet.

None of it worked, although in conducting this research she did learn some interesting things, including the fact that this problem can be caused by allergic reactions to everything from changing your laundry detergent to a new boyfriend's sperm. And then there was the violinist who experienced a severe allergic reaction to the rosin she was using on her bow.

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I told my sister, who is a violinist, about this.

"My vagina is just fine, thanks," she said. "But I'll keep that in mind."

So what is it like to be Sophie? It feels like the world's worst yeast infection. Day in, day out. But since it isn't a yeast infection, it won't respond to any known remedies.

It's a medical mystery and it just won't stop, and as a result, Sophie is desperately unhappy. She's gone from being a cheerful, upbeat librarian to a sad, bleak blue librarian.

And her usually wonderful sex life? On hold indefinitely.

After testing and trying and testing and trying, Sophie's doc recently gave up and referred her to the area's best Itchy Vagina specialist.

When's the soonest he can see her?

August! That's seven months from now. Apparently, there are a hell of a lot of stubbornly itchy vaginas in the Delaware Valley. Who knew?

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Of course, why would anyone know? It's not as if women are shouting about this problem from the rooftops.

When I feel awful, I've always found that complaining helps. If I were Sophie, I'd feel tempted to throw social niceties to the wind and kvetch about it. To everyone.

When casual friends, co-workers or even patrons at the library where I work greet me with a pleasant "How are you?" I could respond "My vagina is killing me. And you?"

Of course, I'd shock a bunch of people and make them very uncomfortable. A few library patrons might even drop a note to my boss about over-sharing.

On the other hand, if just one of the hundreds of people I told about the problem knew of a remedy that actually worked, it would all be worthwhile.

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Does your vagina (or the vagina of a loved one) itch? I invite you to grouse about it in the Comments Section. If enough of us complain, maybe we can find a cure.


One of the advertisements created by comedians Dean Obeidallah and Negin Farsad

It is becoming increasingly common in anti-Muslim rhetoric to claim Islam as a political ideology, instead of a Muslim faith. The increase in suspicion and fear towards Muslims fuels this idea as people begin to immediately associate Islam with violence.

As a religion based on justice and peace, Islam is a guide of living by creating respect and kindness to ourselves and others. Therefore, it is irrevocably offensive to accuse Islam of prescribing to political beliefs and systems that are implicitly harmful.

The first step to understanding the complex and multidimensional religion is by making sense of the context of Islamophobia. Embedding terrorism in the Islamic faith is very detrimental. This false use of rhetoric has serious repercussions for Muslim Americans -- one consequence resulting in the overwhelming rise of intolerance towards those of the Muslim faith.

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Reducing the Islamic faith to a political ideology betrays the spiritual teachings and practices in Islam that promote knowledge and open-heartedness. Shortly put, it is not Islam that is the problem, but the lack of awareness of how the religion functions, that is.

It's deeply upsetting seeing a religion that has historically made significant contributions towards progress and civilization being equated to the acts of ISIS and other violent extremists.

If we think broadly about the trueness of our American values, free expression and open-mindedness has its limits, especially for Muslim Americans.

Though many people have a taste for satire such as the Onion and the Daily Show, some perceive critical satire on Islamophobia as a political statement. Nonetheless, Muslim Americans are unable to freely express their faith without experiencing fear and hatred towards them.

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With the mission to expand the minds of regular Americans, comedians Dean Obeidallah and Negin Farsad co-directed the 2013 documentary The Muslims Are Coming!, which focuses on Islamophobia through the medium of comedic prose. The documentary features interviews with citizens, celebrities, and religious leaders in various areas around the nation. Comedy icons like Jon Stewart and Janeane Garofalo also give social commentary on the power of comedy as well as the prominence of bigotry in America. With the intention to bring awareness on a wide range of perspectives on Islam, Obeidallah and Farsad decided to advertise their documentary with subway posters in New York City.

The comedy duo believes that humor is an underrated yet effective mechanism to dispel common myths about Muslims; a light-hearted, but inspiring way to shed awareness on the persistence of problematic Islamophobic remarks being made by public figures, including Bill O'Reilly, Donald Trump and others. Is is for precisely this reason that the comedians decided to start their ad campaign in the densely-populated and diverse New York City.

Ironically enough, they would find their advertising to be a 'violation' of the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority's (MTA) rules. MTA accused Farsad and Obeidallah of disputed "political speech". They never expected that subway commuters would have to wait five months to laugh at some of their jokes.

The banning of these posters speaks volumes as to how anti-Muslim ideology has permeated into every facet of American society. Muslim Americans are continuously put in a position of social isolation and marginalization. The censorship of these posters only hinders the opportunity for open discourse to understanding the underlying causes of violence and internalized fear towards Muslims.

In response to the ban, the comedians filed a federal lawsuit in June 2015, with the argument that it was a violation of their First and Fourteenth Amendments. Recently, the court ruled that their advertisements actually did not amount to political speech. Farsad and Obeidallah were thrilled to be able to shed a critical light on how Americans wrongly perceive Muslims, while simultaneously posing as vocal representatives of the Muslim faith.

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Although disarming, the ads are lighthearted and witty in a way that upholds the project's goal of sharing humor and stories about the average American Muslim experience; combatting prejudice and bigotry in both casual and explicit instances. As the satirical ads begin to appear in all 144 subway stations, Farsad and Obeidallah hope that they will serve as a wake-up call to the preposterous nature of Islamophobia.

The comedians are adamantly showing how crucial it is for people to respond effectively to anti-Muslim rhetoric in order to stop the vilification of Islam. Americans need to start asking more questions, while back-pocketing their assumptions. The easiest mode of doing this is through direct interaction with Muslims who practice their faith. Understanding that Islam is not a radical political ideology can start with a small anti-Islamophobic joke on a subway poster. And the open discourse it prompts will only carry the discussion further.

It's time for Americans to provide space for Muslim Americans of all professions and experiences to express themselves. In doing so, we can better educate ourselves on what "Islam" really means. It is with great importance that we strive for a society that acknowledges that violence is not motivated by Muslim values, but instead by greed and power.

What matters right now is dissecting the true American Muslim narrative beyond the violence wrongly instigated by 'Muslims' who fail to practice the true form of the Islamic faith.

And thus, we can flourish together in the true spirit of Islam:

"Behold, We have created you all...and have made you into tribes and families so that you may know one another (and so build mutuality and co-operative relationships, not so that you may take pride in your differences of race or social rank, and breed enmities)." [Qur'an 49:13]



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Reformists did not win Iran's elections in February, but they certainly dominated the headlines. Judging by the coverage in major U.S. news outlets, the Islamic Republic's first elections since last summer's nuclear deal resulted in a resounding victory for the forces of democracy, moderation and closer ties with the outside world.



The truth is starkly different. In the Assembly of Experts - a body of Muslim clerics that chooses Iran's supreme leader - hardliners won 75 percent of the seats, while independents and relatively more pragmatic revolutionaries won the rest. In parliament, the pragmatists - though not "moderates" in any meaningful sense - scored better, gaining about 28 percent of seats, while its harder-line rivals won 27 percent, independents took 22 percent and the remaining 23 percent will be decided in an April runoff election.



So what caused the impression in Western media of a reformist victory in parliament, and the notion that the Assembly of Experts results mean its members could select a "moderate" as the next supreme leader? It's this: an astounding 80 percent of candidates for the Assembly and 50 percent for parliament were disqualified by the Guardian Council - the body that vets candidates for their ideological commitment to Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.



Consequently, non-hardliners did not have enough candidates with relatively "moderate" credentials for their list, and had to rely on hardliners to fill it. These include Ali Movahedi-Kermani, the supreme leader's former representative to the ultra-hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

A week after signing the nuclear deal he delivered his Friday prayer behind a podium bearing the words, "We will trample upon America." They also include Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi - a former intelligence minister responsible for a string of assassinations against intellectuals in the 1990s - as well as Mohammad Reyshahri, another ex-intel minister who oversaw the murder of thousands of political prisoners in the 1980s, and Yousef Tabatabaee-Nejad, who slammed opponents of the headscarf as "infidels" and encouraged violence against women who don't adopt strict Islamic dress.



In Tehran, longtime hardliner Kazem Jalali had an overnight epiphany and ran on the more pragmatic ticket, despite his previous demand for imposing harsh punishment on the jailed leaders of the reformist Green Movement. Others on the putatively moderate list include Mustafa Kavakebian, who has described Israelis as "not human."

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The so-called reformists even supported parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, who co-led the hardliners' counterattack against the reform movement during the late 1990s and early 2000s.



As a result, neither Khamenei nor the Revolutionary Guard was threatened by February's ballot. They have successfully neutralized the reform movement, including the Green Movement of 2009, which was quashed by regime brute force in fraudulent elections that saw the return of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency. Today, most reformist leaders are either in jail or under house arrest. To make it clear that the results do not alter Iran's behavior, the Revolutionary Guards launched a several ballistic missiles, including the long-range Ghadr H missile with a specific message written on it in Hebrew: "Israel should be wiped off the Earth"



Why should Americans care about Iran's elections?



What happened this February was hardly an election in the way that Americans understand the word. Voters were allowed to choose only candidates who adhere to Iran's official ideology, who even once elected, have their power strictly limited by unelected institutions.



With the unelected officials and hardliners firmly entrenched, last summer's deal allows the worst elements in Iran to build an industrial-size nuclear program over the course of just 15 years. The likelihood that Iran will use its nuclear program for nefarious purposes - including threatening the West - significantly increases.



Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic has not concealed its determination to develop more powerful ballistic and cruise missiles. A violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, these missiles threaten both the United States and its allies.

These hardline elements also just received a windfall of $100 billion in sanctions relief thanks to the nuclear deal. It will be the hardliners and the Revolutionary Guards that receive the lion's share of these dollars. They will, in turn, destabilize the already volatile Middle East, support Syria's regime in its brutal crackdown on civilians, and further bankroll its terrorist proxies from Baghdad to Beirut.



Finally, by all credible accounts, Iran's human rights abuses have increased since President Rouhani - a purported moderate - took office. With the hardliners and pragmatists who support the hardliners more fully embedded in the regime's power structure, these violations will continue unabated.



Don't believe the media hype. This election changes little in the Islamic Republic.
FILE - In this March 3, 2015 file photo, Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer, talks about the family's lawsuit against the city in Cleveland. aI have not yet received an apology from the police department or the city of Cleveland in regards to the killing of my son,a she said. aAnd it hurts.a (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)

Reflections from a Mom of the Movement

Over the past few weeks, I had been approached by many people all with the same question: Who will I endorse for President of the United States? I have heard this even more since the launch of the Justice For Tamir Speak Out Tour.

I have watched as my fellow mothers that have lost children have chosen a candidate to invest their faith in, and I support them in their pursuits of justice for their children, and the people want to know where I stand.

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For over a year, I have been fighting for justice for my son, Tamir, who was killed by Cleveland police officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback. For over a year, I've waited to see if any candidate or official, including my state's governor, would release a plan of action that addressed the failures and inhumane decisions responsible for my son's death. While I've waited, I've been speaking out for true action, with changes that would help prevent another tragedy like Tamir's murder -- changes that truly hold these police accountable and give people power in the communities we live in.

As a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, my local and state governments have not only failed my family, they've caused us severe trauma. After shooting Tamir, Cleveland police neglected to call aid for my son and handcuffed my daughter, who was trying help her brother. Then the city of Cleveland later tried to charge me for the ambulance ride that was too late to save my son's life. They said it was a mistake, and no one was held responsible for any of pain they caused my family.



"The loss of Tamir has made it clear to me that Cleveland is deeply invested in a system of injustice."



After Tamir's death, the county prosecutor, Timothy McGinty, an elected official, responsible for seeking justice for Tamir, instead blamed my 12-year-old boy for his own death. All of this happened under the administration of Ohio governor, John Kasich, a 2016 presidential nominee.

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Ohio's state government has shown me repeatedly that the people elected to serve have no interest in justice. The loss of Tamir has made it clear to me that Cleveland is deeply invested in a system of injustice. No one has been held responsible for any part of this entire traumatic experience. No one has at least apologized for killing my son. Not a single politician has offered me some substantial support.



Credit: AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File.

While I've continued to push my state's officials towards real changes, several presidential candidates have said my son's name in their mouth, using his death as an example of what shouldn't happen in America. Twelve-year-old children should never be killed for playing in a park. But not a single politician -- local, state or federal -- has taken action to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Instead of plans for justice and accountability, I have been shown several plans for criminal justice reform, none that address my experience of the entire system being guilty. Those plans don't address the many ways elected officials become exempt to accountability and the legal flaws that allow them to extend that exemption to cops who kill. These plans do not get rid of the trauma of knowing that my tax dollars help pay the salaries of the police officers that killed my son.



"The people should be the ones determining what accountability looks like, not prosecutors who work closely with police to deny the people justice. "



As one of the Mothers of the Movement, I know the death of Tamir has shown many just how important police accountability is. I also know it must be a piece of a larger plan to address the deep corruptions that exist in America. The people should be the ones determining what accountability looks like, not prosecutors who work closely with police to deny the people justice. County prosecutors, whose job requires them to believe the police the majority of the time, should not be the same people prosecuting them. Police officers may often lie about fearing for their life.

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True community oversight of the police is one that evens the balance of power and allows the communities police serve to judge how well they are doing their job. My experience has let me know that the system is working just the way the people in power want it to. That is why I refuse to accept plans or support politicians that offer what they propose as solutions, not informed by us, the community.

It's why I won't accept plans for more "community police" as positive solutions when it was the police that killed my son. I cannot settle for partial solutions and lip service. I know we need real action, and I refuse to endorse any candidate that offers less.
Once upon a time a "test" assessed a student's comprehension of a subject, or perhaps a student's relative degree of comprehension compared with his classmate's; even occasionally a teacher's professional realization of her intended curriculum. Even this last variant was ultimately grounded in the student's goals as a learner. The student was the object.

No longer. There has been a quiet transformation of student as object to subject of test taking. The essence of Education eform has been to transform students from the object to which pedagogy is directed, into the subject that is scrutinized as a proxy measure for institutional effect.

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That means our children have been transformed from learners developing an inherent birth right, into the instruments of an external operation. They have become Accessories To Education.

We've all heard about the danger of "teaching to the test" but the ultimate consequence of this is more nuanced than a simple loss of instructional time and alteration of the curriculum. It is this transformation of the student into the instrument for measuring teacher value and school worth. The student becomes responsible for the teacher's welfare and livelihood and as if that were not enough, for their very school's reputation and viability as well.

Thus our students in very short order have now come to be forcibly compelled to take Common Core "State Standard" (which they are not), "CCSS" tests under penalty of a veritable mash of threatened and actualized onerous consequences: grade loss, school honors disqualification, personal guilt, personal pressure and explicit, authoritarian threat.

Imagine the pressure of this. In addition to the nervousness of controlling one's own performance and fate, is the child's responsibility of personally shouldering the professional assessment of an adult known only slightly in passing, who may or may not have influenced one's own learning significantly never mind one's performance on a test, and with whom there is unlikely ever to be interaction in the future but who holds the current power to affect your own future permanently.

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Reciprocal pressure arises from yet another quarter when school administrators insist a student is personally "accountable" for achieving the same proxy name and reputation achieved merely via reflection for an individual teacher above, this time additionally now for the school entity itself - which is therefore functioning in essence as a corporation. Should a child refuse these tests despite the right codified by CA Ed Code: 60615*, the child is essentially disowned by the school, disqualified from the community's accolades and perhaps from recognition, ostracized and shunned from the community.

That is, the community has conveyed the message to its constituent, the student, that his/er value exists only inasmuch as the constituent is willing to support the corporation. That student has become an accessory to the institution of the school.

This is actually thoroughly shocking. It is nothing shy of unconscionable that our children's inalienable right to education, be transformed into a commodity subject to coercion and reducible to a quid pro quo. By force of threat our children are made to sit tests of questionable value to them personally, which are nevertheless a source of indisputable stress and considerable instructional loss, and which all the while are complacently accepted in proxy status as the reflection of a derivative value of their sovereign, corporatized, proprietary school.

How can we affirm a school's right to condition practice of its mission on its student's performance when that performance is its mission? In addition to being circular, this logic is simply unfair and oppressive.

Our children must be allowed to opt out of standardized tests guilt- and consequence-free. They are not beholden to the provider of their education for its success. They may be personally grateful to individuals for contributions to their personal achievement but they are not emissaries of the corporations'. A school is not the sum product of individual students, even presuming their progress could be measured - and attributed - adequately and accurately to begin with.

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Never should our students and parents feel bullied by administrators or teachers to supporting a corrupt system of facile metrics; corruption should find no purchase in a place of learning.

LAUSD should protect its students, teachers and administrators from retribution and blowback for refusing these tests as is happening across the country, and is every student's right in California by law. With one voice we must opt for our children's intellectual good health and encourage them to opt out of common core testing individually, collectively.

For more information, arguments and support as to why the CCSS, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests should be refused, please visit the national website, United Opt Out.
There's an up and coming trend in the business world: Certified B Corporations (also called B Corps). B Corps are for-profit companies certified by B Lab -- a nonprofit organization that inspires and encourages businesses to do good -- that commit to being beneficial to stakeholders (employees, communities and the environment) along with hitting their financial targets.



Becoming a B Corp is parallel to a farm becoming certified organic or a coffee company becoming fair trade certified. It shows that the company is following a set of standards and taking steps to be more socially and environmentally responsible.



B Corps certified brands like Etsy prove that shareholder friendly and stakeholder-centric qualities can coexist within a company. Many companies have followed suit in becoming a B Corp because of its surprising competitive advantages.



It Makes Your Company Better

Becoming a B Corp means your company is assessed in five areas of impact: Workers, community, environment, long term and core. To become a B Corp, your company must get a B Score of at least 80 out of 200 on your overall assessment, or your B Impact Assessment (BIA). Your assessment in these areas not only shows how well you're currently performing, but where you can improve your B Corp strategy. It provides you with the opportunity to become a better, more ethical company overall.

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"Becoming a B Corp shifted the focus away from being the best company in our community to being the best for our community," explains Timothy Lara, CEO of Maui's only B Corp, Hawaiian Paddle Sports. "We strongly believe this is our kuleana (responsibility), to give back and strengthen our local community, which is why we became a Certified B Corp."



It's A Great Marketing Tactic

You don't become a B Corp just for the sake of becoming a B Corp. You become certified to show your stakeholders that you're dedicated to improving your brand. You're letting the world know that improving your community and the environment plays an integral role in your company's mission.



B Corps in the business to consumer (B2C) market benefit from certification because of its positive branding effects. According to a study by Nielsen, 66% of global consumers will pay more to support companies committed to making a social and environmental impact. Just like coffee drinkers feel better about drinking fairly traded coffee, so will your customers feel better about supporting a B Corp brand.





It's Leads To More Attractive Investment Propositions

Becoming a B Corp will also make your company more attractive to potential investors. Leading investors like Kleiner Perkins, Catterton Partners, New Enterprise Associates and American Express have all invested in B Corps. Because of the rigorous BIA B Corps have to pass, and the community of support they have, B Corps are generally more resilient in times of financial hardship, which makes them more trustworthy as a company and a less risky investment. The BIA also serves as a benchmark against other "profit with purpose" companies, allowing investors to identify and address areas of weaknesses.



Because younger people search for jobs that make them feel a greater sense of purpose, B Corps tend to attract and keep young talent--something investors take into account. Investors also take into account the fact that customers are more likely to purchase from a brand whose values align with their own, giving B Corps the upper hand. B Corps also have an advantage because they are less likely to experience "mission drift," which is when a company's operations drift away from its mission and towards its financial goals.



You're Part of a Community

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Becoming a B Corp means you're joining a community of like-minded individuals who share your passion for creating a more sustainable economy and environment. B Corps are a part of the "profit with purpose" movement that's making waves in the business landscape and disrupting traditional industries. It places you among younger people who are more vocal about their personal values and more inclined to embody those values in everything they do.
"Do not follow a person, follow that person's dreams". Simonetta Lein

I am in Los Angeles, the air is warm, the sun is shining and I'm feeling really excited to continue my celebrity interview series. As per usual, I have absolutely no idea who I am meeting next, as my publicist loves to keep that a secret. I am staying at the historic Hotel Figueroa in DTLA, my publicist picks me up, and we head to the Valley to meet an actor friend for lunch.

"Do you remember the movie Napoleon Dynamite? You know, 'Vote for Pedro'?", she says while driving. Of course I know that film; it's a cult classic after all. I saw it while I was still living in Italy, dubbed unfortunately, as that's how foreign films are usually presented. I was specifically drawn to the character of Pedro. "Please tell me I am going to meet Pedro". She turns to look at me and smiles.

"He is in the process of getting ready for a new film." she says. "He normally crawls into a deep hole when developing a new character, and doesn't emerge until the film is wrapped. But he decided he would meet up with us for lunch, as he'd an old friend of mine, and he's interested in learning about the work you do with The Wishwall Foundation."

We arrive at this little Korean rice bowl restaurant, we sit down, and a minute later, in walks Efren. Tracie makes the introductions, we order some food- chicken and cabbage rice bowls and, while waiting for our lunch to arrive, he asks me to tell him about my foundation. He listens intently, and seems to really understand and respect the mission; that brings me more joy than I can truly express. We drink some hot tea and I start with the first question.

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When you were a child, did you wish for the career and for the life that you have manifested today?

I was the kind of kid who lived in the now, I wasn't thinking about the future. All I know was that I wanted to live my life as an adventure, and I think I manifested it.

Name a wish that you had for your life or for humanity that finally came true.



To make a difference. To be a positive influence on people makes me fulfilled. I have the opportunity to speak in front of kids, to be their mentor, and that philosophy of "pass it on" makes me passionate about life. Whatever profession you are in or whatever you do, I think that is the main reason to do something, to pass it on.

**Goosebumps...I knew something about him was really special. I try and do the very same thing each and every day of my life. It's all about influencing and inspiring people in a positive and active way so that they can be involved in paying it forward. That is my life's work and it's so awesome to meet someone who shares the same values; he could really be a perfect ambassador for the Wishwall Foundation... maybe I'll ask him some day.

If you were granted one wish for humanity or for our planet, what would it be?

I wish that each person could have the opportunity to witness that they are all capable of becoming who they really are.

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**Goosebumps again. In life, there is an infinite number of different philosophies and ways of thinking; as long as they do not hurt others, I believe that they are all worthy of respect. My personal philosophy is Buddhism, and the core of everything I believe is that every human being has the potential to achieve Buddhahood. In other words, we have the capacity to achieve our maximum potential and happiness in this lifetime. If someone is sad or not self-realized, it impacts not only their life, but the lives of everyone around them. When you see someone happy, that happiness is infectious. I wish, with all my heart, that we could be committed to bringing happiness and support to those who continue to struggle with self-realization. If we could all just encourage one life, and that life encourages another, then we've made tremendous strides towards making this planet a better and more peaceful place to be.

If you could go back in time and ask one question from anyone from history, who would you want to meet and what question would you ask?

I really would like to meet Carl Jung and ask him why he fought all the time with Freud.

**This makes me laugh. I hold three separate degrees, including one in counselling. I studied both Freud and Jung at University, and found it quite fascinating how Freud's most distinguished disciples felt the need to stand up for themselves and criticize their master. My message is this: never blindly believe what they tell you. Listen and try to learn from those who are wiser than you, but then create and develop your own ideology. Perhaps those continued fights allowed Jung to become the great philosopher and thinker he was.

Please tell me what influences your unique sense of style?

Steampunk.

**For those who are unfamiliar with Steampunk, here's how it's described in Wikipedia; I was unfamiliar with the terminology myself, and needed to look it up.. "Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power."

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Who is your favorite fashion designer or brand right now and why?

Above everyone else, I must say Alexander McQueen. I had the good fortune to meet him personally. They invited me to New York to see his work, I saw his designs, the effort, the creativity. I have a poster of his work in my house. He is inspiring to me; the feeling of necessity through his creations makes him a real artist.

** I love Alexander McQueen so much, I think he is a true artist, he is one of the reasons I love fashion because fashion to me is a walking art and so it should be.

His lines are always unique and yet elegant, he is one of my favorites too.

What is your fashion mantra?

Do not just follow the designer, follow his dreams.

**I would add: "Do not follow a person, follow that person's dreams".

Our interview is almost complete, I thank and I hug him and then ask my final last question.

Do you have a final message for our readers?

However old you are, go out there and think for yourself, form your own opinions and ideas.

Thank you Efren, and I hope to see you again; this was very important for me and, I hope, inspiring for all our readers. As always, make your dreams come true.

From Philadelphia, Simonetta Lein The Wishmaker.
There are over 8,000 accelerators around the world. Most of them fail. Before you decide to join one, you should try to understand why they fail, so that you do not end up failing with them.

The first business accelerator in the U.S. opened in 1959 and is still operating. In the last five years, we have seen a renaissance in the accelerator business. Pioneered by YCombinator, Silicon Valley's flagship accelerator led by Paul Graham, accelerators have come back with a vengeance. YCombinator has seen some significant successes, including Airbnb, Dropbox, and Heroku. It has fueled a bit of an accelerator bubble, in fact. Accelerators are now a global phenomenon, and there isn't a major city in the world where an accelerator isn't cropping up.

For accelerators to live up to their full economic potential, they need to overcome two pitfalls: they need to provide real value, not just office space, and they need to measure success in more than just outside funding.

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Adding Real Value

During the dot-com era, every law and accounting firm decided they were going to become accelerators. Many of those efforts failed. Charles D'Agostino, executive director of the Louisiana Business & Technology Center at Louisiana State University, offers some analysis: "Accelerators do work, but they must be more than a real estate entity offering executive suite services. Effective accelerators provide business counseling and management assistance to their client firms. The value-added business services differentiate them from an office suite."

Indeed, as I investigated why accelerators fail, I was astounded to find that many accelerators assume that cheap real estate, co-working spaces, used furniture, plus a phone and Internet connection equate with business incubation. Jim Flowers, president of the Virginia Business Incubation Association, says, "They mistake cheap floor space for meaningful program content."

Well, it isn't. Neither are discounted legal services, accounting, or other kinds of commodity services.

Two things determine whether a business can get off the ground successfully and sustainably: a validated market opportunity with customers willing to pay for a product or a service; and a product or service that addresses such an opportunity. The only accelerators I consider "real" are the ones that help entrepreneurs achieve these two goals.

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Adds D'Agostino, "Accelerators must evaluate the management capability of the entrepreneurs and assist in finding management for these companies. Especially when the entrepreneur is a technologist lacking business skills, it is critical that the accelerator assists the owner in finding managers that have the skills necessary to manage a successful entity and take it to the next level."

My take is that technologists can, actually, be taught these skills. Hiring managers may often be expensive, but high IQ engineers have historically been very good at picking up business skills with the right mentoring. So getting to the next level is well within their capacity, and the role an accelerator ought to play is to guide them in that process.

The only "next level" worth getting to for a start-up is a validated business idea that has the endorsement of reference customers, and a product that caters to their needs. The rest -- an office, legal documents, QuickBook files -- don't build valuation or business value. The benchmark accelerators should be measuring themselves against is simply their success in helping clients validate businesses, gain reference customers, and complete at least a minimum viable product.

Success is More Than Funding

Most accelerators use funding as a success metric, which is a somewhat flawed criterion. Over 99% of companies should operate as organically grown, self-sustaining businesses -- bootstrapped, without external financing. For them the goal is to achieve customer validation, not financing. Yet if the accelerator uses financing as its success metric, it will try to force inexperienced entrepreneurs into an unnecessary financing round. And more often than not, they will fail.

Of course, where funding is appropriate and relevant, helping entrepreneurs connect with angel investors and venture capitalists is an important service. Equally important is to provide education on what is and isn't fundable.

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My primary conclusion is that accelerators need to be decoupled from financing. While they need to continue to act as a bridge to capital, predicating their success on getting businesses funded will keep them focused on trying to find the less than 1% of start-ups that are fundable. In other words, coming to the rescue of victory!

So, should you join an accelerator?

If you have already achieved $100k in revenue, and are looking to get to $1M, you already have validation. You are now looking for two things: First, how to grow your revenue, and second, advice on should you raise money.

If you join an accelerator, you need to verify that it has core competency in both areas of your key concerns.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a Republican primary night celebration rally at Florida International University in Miami, Fla., Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Rubio is ending his campaign for the Republican nomination for president after a humiliating loss in his home state of Florida. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The suspension of Marco Rubio's campaign is not something to be overlooked. It is not a minor, 'we all saw this coming' event. Rubio's failure to run a successful campaign, highlighted by his loss in his own state and culminating in the suspension announcement on Tuesday evening, signals the failure of the national Republican strategy.

After Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election, the Republican Party put together the "Growth and Opportunity Project," commonly referred to as "the Republican autopsy report", which detailed the party's mistakes in the election and what they needed to do to perform better in 2016. The report contained ideas apparently not previously considered by conservatives, including awkwardly phrased novelties like "If we want ethnic minority voters to support Republicans, we have to engage them, and show our sincerity."

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The key directive in that report, however, was aimed at reaching out to Hispanic voters, emphasized through the need to "embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform," noting that "If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence."

Marco Rubio's campaign was built on the recommendations of this report. Rubio's own story, that of a Cuban immigrant family finding the American Dream and enabling the success of their children, was the story this report sought to sell to Latino voters in an attempt to convince them that Republicans understood and cared about their concerns.

On Tuesday night, Marco Rubio suspended his campaign after losing his home state of Florida, a state with a 23 percent Latino population, to a man who launched his presidential campaign by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and drug-dealers.

The subsequent autopsy report of the Rubio campaign does not need to be as complicated and insincere as the national party's report; it only needs to acknowledge the facts that the national report missed. Primarily, that the most powerful Republican constituency is not concerned with the needs and aspirations of Latino immigrants. Frightened white people don't want the son of Cuban immigrants as their next President, and they certainly don't want a man who appeals to the needs of Latino voters.

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The national Republican Party either doesn't grasp or willingly ignores the effects of their own rhetoric. They cannot convince voters overnight that they suddenly care about minorities when they've spent so many years implying otherwise. And when they put forth a candidate who has the ability to appeal to Latino voters, the white voting bloc fires back and undermines the facade of compassion by nominating a man who "says what's really on everyone's mind."

Which, as anyone paying attention understands, is that the Republican Party is not the party for minority voters.
It's amazing how much power elected officials have over our day-to-day lives. The cost of public college. The supply of affordable housing. Access to public transportation. How much to spend and where, and which laws should exist.



Are your elected officials living up to your expectations?



In New York State you can vote if you have a misdemeanor, if you were convicted of a felony and have finished your parole, or if you are homeless. You can vote using your dorm room address. But you have to register to vote first, twenty-five days before the election you want to vote in.



Remarkably, only a handful of New Yorkers turn out to vote. Many of our city and state elected officials were voted into office by a fraction of registered voters. In the 2014 mid-term elections, New York State ranked fourth-lowest in the nation in voter turnout, despite having the Governor, twenty-seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and several other elected officials on the ballot. The 2013 election for the Mayor and all New York City Council Members had the lowest voter turnout in the City since the 1950s.



New Yorkers are not voting in presidential elections either. In the 2012 and 2008 presidential elections, New York State ranked in the bottom ten in voter turnout.



Last March our three organizations -- NYC Votes, the Office of Council Member Helen Rosenthal, and the New York Immigration Coalition -- coordinated a pilot program, Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD), which brought civic education to roughly 3,000 students and registered over 2,000 students to vote in twenty-five schools across the City.



On Friday, March 18, SVRD will reach over 20,000 high school seniors. Community-based organizations will speak to students at fifty-six schools about the importance of voting and civic engagement. They'll highlight the issues that impact student's daily lives that are determined by city- and state-level elected officials, like getting resources for their schools, finding a decent paying job, or affording a college education.



Once people start voting, they are very likely to become regular voters. That's good news for young voters in New York City, since we will be voting four times in 2016. For students who have recently become U.S citizens, it is even more vital that we encourage them to register to vote for themselvse and for their families.



We owe it to our young adults to do more to prepare them for life as engaged citizens. That is why this day of student outreach is so important. And it's not just for U.S citizens; with a large percentage of immigrant students in New York City's schools, SVRD also engages young people beyond the voting booth, urging them to get involved in their communities, join community boards, and have a say in participatory budgeting processes.



Programs like Student Voter Registration Day should happen every year in every school across the city and the state. Every year is an election year. Our schools offer the best opportunity to prepare young voters to be fully engaged citizens. Indeed, building responsible citizens was the original driving force behind the creation of our public schools.
Theft has become a lot more complicated in the 21st century. In fact, I dare say victims are far more vulnerable than any time in history. These days, nefarious folks can get access to our email, bank accounts, credit cards -- heck, they can even steal our identities. All from the comfort of any given keyboard or touchscreen. And hoo boy can it ever be expensive.

In olden times -- a.k.a. when I was in high school -- theft was a physical, tangible act. It was harder to pull off, and the repercussions could be far more immediate and severe. Back in 1987, this was something my 11th grade cohorts and I knew all too well.

You see, during gym period one early afternoon, a classmate's watch went missing. Normally this would be quite the 'so what?' scenario, but what raised the stakes was A) the victim was a spoiled brat whose parents had sway with the school board, and B) it was a $5000 Rolex. To protect the guy's privacy, let's call him 'Gavin.' (Which is much nicer sounding than his real name, 'Sean.')



In lieu of chastising Gavin for bringing the watch to school and leaving it unattended, the faculty's higher-ups took a more measured stance: they rounded up all 22 gym class boys and stuck us in a room.

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And there we sat in silence: sweaty, hungry, and kinda smelly. (We weren't afforded post-gym class showers.) The hope was that one of us would eventually confess, or we'd turn on each other and hand over the sticky-fingered watch bandit. (I'm surprised John Hughes never optioned the rights to any of this.)

Did we know who stole it? We had our suspicions but kept them to ourselves. Instead, we defiantly sat in the little room, minute after minute, hour after hour. Failing to break us, the higher-ups resorted to plan B: divide and conquer.

One by one, each of us was carted into a separate interrogation room, where we sat on an uncomfortable chair across from two stern faculty members. When it was my turn in the hot seat, the exchange went like this:

INTERROGATOR: Did you steal Gavin's watch?

ME: Nope.

INTERROGATOR: Do you know who did?

ME: Nope.

INTERROGATOR: Are you sure you didn't steal it?

ME: Yeah, it's not ringing a bell.

INTERROGATOR: You can go back to the other room now.

ME: I'd love to urinate at some point.

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More time passed. Realizing they were crossing the threshold from 'detaining' into 'group kidnapping,' the school let us go home. And although the perpetrator was eventually caught (some Aryan-looking kid from Belgium), it wasn't on account of the 11th grade gym class crew. The interrogators never broke us.

Why? My theory is that when innocent people are treated like common crooks, they become less cooperative with authority figures and display heightened empathy toward actual criminals. So although Aryan-Looking Belgian Kid was the one who nabbed the watch, from another perspective, we all kind of did. And given the chance, we'd likely do it again. So suck on that, Gavin, you nouveau riche little turd.



Of course, the bigger takeaway here is that theft has become far easier -- and way more anonymous -- in our digital age. And that's an unsettling combination. It's harder (well, for most of us) to take things from people we know. Even stealing from a stranger is more difficult when you know their face. Meatspace humanizes people, and humanity is the enemy when you're attempting to rip somebody off.

Unfortunately, humanity doesn't need to factor into the equation when you're jacking people's stuff online. The process is clinical, impersonal, and faceless. And this puts us all at greater risk.
"I'm sorry. It is too late. Your father passed away."

As I hear those words on the other end of the line, I am more than 9000 km away from my home country and I'm trying hard not to faint. After a long pause, I tell the person on the phone that I will book a flight and travel back to Europe immediately. I didn't expect saying this. Nor did I think I would actually go through with my intention. There are situations in life you think you are prepared for. But when they occur, despite your darnest efforts to convince yourself that you know exactly how you would react, the unexpected happens: you do what you least anticipated.

What surprised me the most was to be struck with symptoms of grief from the very first moment I heard these words. It did not make sense. My father and I were estranged. Why did I even care?

I cried all the way back to Europe: in the taxi, in the queue, in the duty-free shop where I bought a little clay angel to place on his grave, in the plane... I was going to bury my father. Even worse, I was going to bury what I yearned for all my life: the hope that we would ever have a normal father-daughter relationship. This hit me hard!

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When I set off to travel the world 8 months earlier, I did not envisage that my father would come back into my life in this way. Just 24 hours before, when I flew from New Zealand to Guatemala, all I could feel was the excitement of doing this yoga retreat I had booked and travel Central- and South America as planned. I saved so many years to fulfil my dream of travelling the world. Now this? Life happens while you are busy making other plans, I guess.

But somehow travelling all these months before this happened, had taught me some important lessons. Without realizing it, travelling made me grow in a way that actually helped me prepare for this situation and gave me the tools I needed to cope better:

Travelling toughened me up.

I learnt that things go wrong and you just have to deal with it. It also taught me that everything always somehow works out in the end. If life gives you lemons, you indeed make the best tasting lemonade out of them! Travelling turns your anxieties into determination and confidence. So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I pushed through this. I flew back, I confronted my past and I got closure. Sometimes things are not meant to be in life. I know in my heart that I have done everything I could all these years - the ball had been in his corner for more than ten years. Actually probably all his life. The only thing I could do now, is forgive and let go.

Perhaps, this was the greatest lesson of all: it does not matter how far you travel, you always take yourself and your past with you!

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Travelling made me more patient.

Cutting ties with my father meant that I did not have a place to call my home any longer. In fact, I lost my home already when my mother passed away a decade earlier. My father had not only estranged me but everyone else in his family. And as a result, I was left to deal with this situation on my own. In essence, I was travelling to the country I was born in, but to check-in to a hotel made it feel as if I was going there on holiday. As if it was another stop on my world trip. But not a good one. Everything felt so incredibly surreal.

In the past, I would have freaked. I would have cursed for having to organize a funeral from a hotel room. I would have felt like a victim. But instead, I coped remarkably well. My experiences on my travels taught me to approach difficult situations with a mindset of acceptance. Most of all, it taught me that it could always be worse!

Travelling taught me to be more social.

Before I set off to travel the world, I sometimes felt uncomfortable around people. As an introvert, i often chose solitude over socialising. This was something I wanted to challenge. So, I did. I plucked up my courage and pushed myself to meeting new people. It was fate, that one day, I met a girl while couchsurfing in Australia that happened to know someone in my father's city who was looking for a housesitter! How big are the odds? I now had a much-needed refuge for a few weeks! If it wasn't for putting myself in unknown (social) situations, this would have never happened.

Travelling the world means you are constantly exposed to the generosity of people. You never know who you might meet next and how one encounter could turn out to be the biggest blessing in disguise!

Travelling made me appreciate the littlest things.

If you travel on a budget, like me, you have to rough it sometimes. I once woke up with a cockroach in my t-shirt in a bungalow in Thailand. In Nepal, I didn't have a proper hot shower for nearly two weeks. These experiences make you see the richness of all that we take for granted. You become so incredibly thankful for basically...everything. When I travelled back to Europe to say goodbye to my father, I was mindfully in tune with life around me and I tried to focus on all that is good. I was thankful for the evenings spent by the waterfront drinking an ice-cold beverage or dangling my feet into the lake while watching the sunset. I was overjoyed to eat all the familiar dishes that I had not tasted for so long. I could still see the light amongst the darkness I felt inside.

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Had I not gone travelling and undergone a major personal development prior to this incident, I would have probably been so preoccupied with my anxious thoughts that I would have missed to be in the moment and not realised, that despite what life throws at you sometimes, you are still surrounded by so much wonder and beauty.

Above all else, travelling taught me that every experience in life is always what you make of it!

This article first appeared on alifefullofserendipity.com.
He lay alone in a shallow grave at the base of a cliff for hundreds of years. Then, in 2008, patrol staff at a game lodge stumbled across the man's remains - and he became the first mummy ever found in Botswana. Now a team of scientists from Botswana, South Africa and Switzerland has used computerised tomography (CT) scanning and ancient DNA analysis to uncover some of the Tuli mummy's secrets. The Conversation Africa's science and technology editor Natasha Joseph asked two of the study's authors, Maryna Steyn and Frank Ruhli, to explain what they found.

The Tuli mummy is one of a kind, so mummification obviously wasn't a common practise in Botswana. Was it common elsewhere in southern Africa?

Mummification was not common in southern Africa, but it did happen. This is the first mummy found in Botswana. A few have been found in neighbouring South Africa, like the 2000 year old Kouga mummy.

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Ethnographic literature, particularly focusing on Zimbabwe, suggests that after a leader died, his body was not immediately interred but may have been treated byusually slowly drying it over a low fire. This may have assisted in the preservation of such a body. The body would then be wrapped in a cloth or bull hide and buried at the same time that the leader's successor came to power.

The Tuli remains were not intentionally mummified - they mummified by accident. The dry conditions led to the drying out, or dessication, of the remains. This contributed to the mummification or preservation of soft tissues such as skin and tendons. So the remains were naturally mummified.

How does one perform a CT scan on a mummy? It must be quite risky, given the fragile condition of the remains. Is it a common procedure elsewhere in the world where mummies are found more frequently?

Modern imaging techniques have opened up a whole new world when it comes to mummy studies. CT scans are frequently used, though it can be a risky process - the mummy can be damaged during transportation and scanning. The scientists involved usually wrap the mummy and wear gloves as much as possible so that the mummy isn't physically damaged.

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SA Journal of Science

Also, as these mummies are not in the same position a living patient would be - supine, straight or on their back - it is sometimes difficult to fit them into the scanner. The Tuli mummy, for instance, was found curled up into a foetal position. These unusual body positions sometimes make it difficult to interpret the scans' findings.

But CT scans give us the chance to get really important medical and archaeological information through non-invasive examinations.

What did the CT scans and DNA analysis tell you about the Tuli mummy? Who was he?

In the initial study his age was estimated to be between 40 and 55, but the new information from our scans suggests that the Tuli mummy was definitely older than 50. He lived during the Iron Age or, more specifically, the Late Iron Age, and suffered from degenerative disease, especially of the spine. We could tell this because of the osteophytes along his spine. These are bony projections that suggest degeneration of the joints.

The scans didn't reveal any preserved organs, which means they either degenerated after death or were removed before burial. The second is unlikely, since it would be unusual practice in the area.

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We also did aDNA analysis, which stands for ancient DNA. It is old, and therefore difficult to extract. One has to do this in a specialised aDNA laboratory. One of the co-authors on our paper in the SA Journal of Science was Molebogeng Bodiba, who travelled to Switzerland to work in a dedicated aDNA lab.

The Tuli mummy marks the first time that ancient DNA has been extracted from a southern African mummy. Generally speaking, this helps scientists to get a better understanding of things like local population genetics.

His aDNA revealed that Tuli was related to modern day Sotho-Tswana and Khoesan people. This is what we would have expected, but it's great to have it confirmed and to see that the technology works.

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If you have both a child and the Internet, then you've probably seen the list of 49 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child come across your feed. Forty-what-now? Who's got time for that? Everyone knows one of the biggest sources of anxiety in a parent's life is another long list. So, for the good of stressed-out parents everywhere, The Second City would like to offer up this abridged-for-your-pleasure 33 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Parent.

1. "Can you sip it through one of those teeny cocktail straws?"

"Or do I need a regularly-circumferenced one?" Sipping, quaffing or chugging in reaction to anxiety provides parents with an outlet for their feelings when they can't always just eat them. But really, sometimes eating works just fine.

2. "I love you. You are safely in a different time zone. Alone."

Remember, anxiety makes parents feel as if their mind and body are in danger. Because they literally are. But not when they're holed up in a hotel in Miami solo for the weekend.



3. "I will say something and I want you to say it exactly as I do: 'I can do without this Nate Berkus Square Gold Accent Table with Marble Top." Do this 10 times at variable volume inside Target.

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Who are you kidding? Get dat table in dat cart.

4. "Whatever happens next can't be as bad as what Nicole's kid did."

If a parent is anxious about their miscreant's latest caper, help remind them that people are really all still talking about Nicole's kid, Jack P. Maybe text Nicole to see if she's doing okay.

5. Have a battle cry: "I am a suburban warrior!" or "Look out, 'RHOBH,' here I come!"

Yell this really loud while wearing a Korean sheet mask oozing with snail goo.



6. "If how you feel was a monster, would it look more Gavin Rossdale-y or Ben Affleck-ish?"

Giving anxiety a characterization means picturing men who allegedly cheated on their hard-working, butt-kicking wives with the nanny.



7. "I can't wait until my kids call me in 29 years at 2 a.m. because their kid won't sleep."

(And.... click.) Excitement about payback is downright infectious.

8. "Let's put your worry in the washing machine, and while it's there, I might as well do that load of towels for you. And move the whites into the dryer. Say what? There's a little more worry I can go grab for you off the bathroom floor? Okay, I guess."

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Instead of just talking about it, set aside a parent's anxiety by physically doing something for once to remove a literal mountain of damp, terry cloth stress.

9. "Just take one more step than before. To the front door of hot yoga."

Anxious parents sometimes need to be literally pushed--or at least escorted in a Honda CR-V--into trying a fitness trend that isn't so much a trend anymore as it is a punchline in a lazy comedy writer's joke about what moms like to do.

10. "Let's learn more about...the family that just moved in three houses down."

Let parents explore their anxiety by asking as many questions as they need to and by doing as much Googling as it takes to find out how much the Randalls paid for their 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath Cape Cod. After all, snooping is power.

11. "Let's count ______."

Most parents will fill in the blank with "how many f*#&s I give." This particular distraction work every single--huh. That was fast.

12. "I need you to tell me when two years have gone by."

Time is a powerful tool when it comes to growing out bangs and children. By picturing the moment when kids can clean up after their own bowel movements, a parent has a focus point other than what is happening. WHAT. IS. HAPPENING???

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13. "Close your eyes. Take a nap."

Bye. Zzz.

14. "I get anxious sometimes too, baby. It's no fun. Wanna talk about it over a drink?"

This is the quickest way to remind the co-worker whose bad day you're trying to take advantage of that what they've got at home, stress and all, is pretty damn great. Move along.

15. "Let's pull out our 'What Would Michelle Obama Do?' checklist."

Do everything amazing. Check. Advocate for the 62 million girls around the world who do not attend school. Check. Have the cast of "Hamilton" perform in your living room. Triple-check.

16. "You are not alone in how many times you have have had to be Princess Anna."

Not getting to be Elsa is universal.

17. "Tell me the worst thing that could possibly happen."

Really, this won't help anything. It's just kind of amazing to let a parent verbalize the complex, multi-layered and probably emergency room-related scenario that has been playing on repeat inside their head for the last three to fifty-seven nights.

18. "Worrying is helpful, sometimes."

Say that to the parent referenced above in #17 just to give their cranium permission to actually explode.

19. "What does your Facebook news feed say?"

By replying to comments about their worries with acquaintances from junior high who moved away after 7th grade or, even more helpful, friends of friends of friends, parents can be appropriately judged. And by judged, I mean receive a constipated-looking little angry face, as there is no reaction button that signifies passive-aggressiveness. Yet.

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20. "Let's find your iPhone."

The source of 99.99999999999% of a parent's anxiety.

21. "Let's not have a debate."

Just let the parent have their way. Just this once. Just for this one Monday, cause no drama right before Samantha Bee is on. Please. That show is so good.

22. "Let's list all of the people who look older than you."

It's so shallow, but it helps sometimes.



23. "We're going for a walk. Without you."

The anxious parent stays at home, ass firmly planted on the grass-green accent chair, so that sorta counts as going outside. Bye. Zzz.

24. "Let's not watch your career pass by."

Guess what? You can be a parent and continue take over the universe. Just ask Chrissy Teigen, because even though she's not technically a mom yet, you know she's gonna be so damn good at it. Your kids are the most important thing, sure. But don't forget they're not the only people who need to grow.

25. "I'm going to help you by __________."

Often phrased as a question, help is best when it's just straight-up delivered. Would it kill you to shovel Mark's driveway, too? (If it actually would, don't do it.) Or tell Alicia to send her kid over to your house after school for a couple hours so she can catch up on her emails. When in doubt, send pie.

26. "Sniff this baby's head."

Just once can't make you addicted, can it? Better get one more hit just to see....Can you vape baby smell?

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27. "Let's go to your happy place, as long as it's not one of those places where you paint a picture of a sunflower while drinking bad Chablis."

Support has its limits.

28. "This feeling will pass."

Remind this particular laboring parent that relief is on the way... as soon as the damn epidural guy gets here. I mean, Chrissy Teigen isn't going to have to wait this long. Someone call the nurse again.

29. "I know making homemade playdough is hard."

No matter how many Pinterest posts claim to be the super-duper easiest, it's an impossible feat. It's sticky. Or crumbly. And why does it always come out the color of ground poultry/human tongue no matter how much red food coloring you add?

30. "You are so brave for bringing your six-week-old on a nonstop flight to New Zealand!"

Affirm this parent's choice. Give them one moment of strength. Because one second later, they will remember they left all the diapers in that cute monogramed holder-thing on the changing table in the international terminal's family restroom.



31. "Which calming strategy would you like to use right now?"

If you are the one asking this question, there's a better-than-good chance the answer involves you not using the phrase "calming strategy."

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32. "We'll get through these next 32 years together."

Remember when raising a kid meant sticking it out for only 18 years? Stuff has really changed. Can you set a calendar reminder on your phone for the year 2048?

33. "Let me hold your butt."
In a move that could help the United States and Canada meet pledges they made at last year's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a plan to cut oil and gas industry methane emissions 40-45 percent, compared to 2012 levels, by 2025.

In Canada, the environment ministry will work with provinces and other parties to implement national regulations by 2017; in the United States, the plan calls for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop regulations "immediately" (subscription). Although the EPA issued a methane rule for new oil and gas sources last year, some experts and Obama administration officials believe that a regulation for existing sources is needed to meet the new reduction pledge.

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EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the EPA will begin tackling the issue by requiring oil and gas companies to report certain data about methane output in April.

"I'm confident the end result of this effort will be a common-sense, reasonable standard to reduce methane emissions that are contributing to climate change," she said.

New data suggests that annual releases of methane in the United States total nine million tons--much higher than previously thought.

The commitments to reduce emissions of methane by the United States and Canada were part of a joint statement in which Obama and Trudeau announced a range of environmental initiatives to combat climate change, expand renewable energy, and protect the Arctic region and in which they promised that their two countries would "play a leadership role internationally in the low carbon global economy over the coming decades." According to the statement, Obama and Trudeau consider the agreement reached in Paris a "turning point" in global efforts to combat climate change, and they will cooperate in implementing it, committing to signing it "as soon as feasible."

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Among the announced actions, it was the plan to reduce methane--a chemical that is many more times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide--that drew the most praise and criticism, reported the Los Angeles Times. Some representatives of the oil and gas industry said they were already taking steps to reduce methane leaks, and some environmental groups said a better solution would be to reduce fossil fuels and hydraulic fracturing, which is linked to those leaks. Other environmental groups said methane reduction delivers a nearer-term climate payoff than cutting carbon dioxide from power plants.

Sea Level Rise Big, Underestimated

"Projections are up to three times larger than current estimates, which significantly underestimate the effect of sea-level rise in the United States," said study co-author Mathew Hauer of the University of Georgia. Why? Earlier studies don't account for population growth.

A second study in the journal Earth System Dynamics explores the feasibility of delaying the problem of rising seas by pumping vast quantities of ocean water onto the continent of Antarctica to thicken the ice sheet by freezing the water.

"This is not a proposition," said Anders Levermann of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and one of the study's co-authors. "It's a discussion. It's supposed to initiate the discussion on how big the sea level problem really is."

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The researchers find that it would take more than 7 percent of the global energy supply just to power the pumps needed to get the water at least 435 miles inland to the Antarctic ice sheet so it could freeze--preventing the heavy, newly formed ice sheets from sliding into the ocean. That's just one of the many hurdles to engineering, much less financing such a project, according to the Earth System Dynamics study.

"When we stop the pumping one day, additional discharge from Antarctica will increase the rate of sea-level rise even beyond the warming-induced rate," Levermann said. "The magnitude of sea-level rise is so enormous, it turns out it is unlikely that any engineering approach imaginable can mitigate it."

Study Finds Connection to Climate Change for Some Extreme Weather Events

A newly released report by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine makes it easier to connect climate change with some extreme weather events. Published in the National Academies Press, the report indicates that we can now say more about the extent to which weather events have been intensified or weakened as a result of climate change.

"In the past, a typical climate scientist's response to questions about climate change's role in any given weather event was 'we cannot attribute any single event to climate change,'" the report said. "The science has advanced to the point that this is no longer true as an unqualified blanket statement. In many cases, it is now often possible to make and defend quantitative statements about the extent to which human-induced climate change (or another casual factor, such as a specific mode of natural variability) has influenced either the magnitude or the probability of occurrence of specific types of events or event classes."

Technology and the length of human climatic records have made "attribution science" possible, but it is still new. The Washington Post reports that temperature-related events allow for the strongest attribution statement since the "chain of causality from global warming to the event is shortest and simplest."

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"We're going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business..." so said Hillary Clinton at a town hall meeting in Columbus, Ohio, Sunday night, 13 March -- creating an uproar amongst conservative Republicans, adding fuel to the raging fire Donald Trump was already fanning. And despite pledging to generate clean energy jobs to replace them, and reaffirming her plan to invest $30 billion in protecting coal miners' benefits and pensions, one could argue she put her presidential aspirations on the line with this kind of realistic honesty.

Abraham Lincoln took the same risk, nay, an even greater risk, in his historic Cooper Union speech in New York City in February, 1860, when he was a low-odds candidate for the Republican presidential nomination against Stephen Douglas who, three months earlier, had already soundly defeated Lincoln in their run for the Illinois senate. He took a controversial stand against the "immorality of slavery," and posed a direct challenge to the 40 percent of US voters who resided in the 15 slave-owning states, along with many others who favored expanding it to the territories: "... you have a specific and well-understood allusion to an assumed Constitutional right of yours, to take slaves into the federal territories, and to hold them there as property. But no such right is specifically written in the Constitution."

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These are the kind of courageous, honest stands that make America what it is today, rare as they are. Lincoln was putting a divided nation at risk, and risking his opportunity to become president, with his position. But he prevailed, although at a dear cost: a mere five weeks after he took office the first shots were fired at Ft. Sumpter, igniting the Civil War, which led 650,000 Americans to their death before the north prevailed, and Lincoln was able to sign the Emancipation Proclamation.

But he was right, wasn't he? Yes, he was. At the end of the Civil War nearly four million fellow humans held in bondage, were eligible for freedom.

But it was even more complicated than that -- and even more like the scenario Clinton has immersed herself in.

Lincoln's candidacy was embroiled in similar kinds of economic issues facing our country today -- rooted in essentially the same politically ignited geography. The South was victim to an industrial revolution largely centered in the North, where early on paved roads, and then railroads, the telegraph, the high-speed printing press, Fulton's invention of the steam boat, et al, had a dramatic impact on the cost of moving goods and services -- and information -- making "possible a division of labor and specialization of production for ever larger and more distant markets," wrote James McPherson in Battle Cry of Freedom. So by 1850, factories were making many types of craftsmen obsolete, department stores were driving local shops to close, and people found themselves losing jobs to someone far away."

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To the North, that is. Meanwhile, the South was anchored in an agricultural economy -- which depended on slave labor.

Much like today, eg., Silicon Valley, and markets like Seattle, NY, Boston and D.C., where high tech proliferates, money and jobs flow to more progressive markets -- the new economy, if you will -- and away from the old economy, the South, making it possible, again, for manufacturers to serve a much broader market more efficiently. Before the industrial revolution virtually all business in America was local, and much of it centered on agriculture. Like today, money flowed to the new economy, and away from the old. Northern capitalists who owned the production got richer, and laborers, and the people who owned them, lost power, and jobs.

Like today, the gap between the rich and poor widened.

As Kevin Maney writes in "Trumps Rebel Yell: How the Tech Revolution is Setting up Another Civil War" (Tech and Science, 3/12/16), " ... our software-eats-the-world whirlwind drives everything that's cleaving the country and throwing its politics into chaos."

In general terms, it's the red states that are feeling today's economic squeeze the most, and fulminating the revolution. A squeeze made more complicated by the influx of lower paid immigrants and migrant workers. Today's revolution is cracking the Republican Party wide open, and stands to obliterate the GOP as we once knew it, just like the 1860 election split the Whigs, and ultimately brought it to an end.

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Coal companies and their laborers are suffering the same economic threat as the Southern slave owners did -- all of which has poured gasoline on the fires of Trump's followers, and their angry protests. It's no coincidence that the geographical roots of these objectionists to clean energy alternatives - the coal companies -- are generally consistent with the US economy's growth, and lack thereof. And while we can empathize with the job losers -- the pointed insistence on long-term coal mining is, in all candor, short sighted.

The coal mining business is already at an historic low. The number of US coal workers -- 57,000 -- is at a record low. Coal employment declined every month last year, and is now dramatically lower than it was in the mid '80's, when there were 175,000 coal jobs. By contrast, the solar energy workforce -- one of the several alternative clean energy segments available -- has doubled in five years to 209,000, and is already four times the size of the coal mining industry.

In fact, as Patrick Gillespie writes for CNN Money (March 14, 2016; ibid), " ... the war might already be over. Clinton won't have much coal to put out of business; the industry is already gutted."

More to the point: the coal mining industry is wreaking havoc on our environment, contributing dramatically to climate change, a change that ultimately will be the end of the earth as we know it unless something dramatic is done to address it. And Hillary knows this, just like Lincoln knew that slavery, and its threatened expansion into US territories, would mark the end of the United States of America described in the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

And just like Lincoln's position on slavery, Hillary's stand on energy needs to be taken in the full context of what she said, and the real world we live in: " I'm the only candidate who has a policy about how to bring economic opportunity using clean renewable energy as the key into coal country." Clinton went on to make it clear that, " ...we have to take proactive steps to make sure coal workers, their families and their communities get not just the benefits they've earned, but also the future they deserve (ibid)."

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She's facing reality, with compassion. The truth. She's confronting the inevitable, and she's determined to do something about it. It may take a generation, or more, for clean energy to fully transition, along with the jobs it will create, and replace fossil fuel producers and the jobs they represent. But, like it or not, it will come to being, sooner or later. It must. And the US, and the world, will be better off for it.

Conservative Republicans obstructionists are demonstrating an incredibly shortsighted point of view, at an inevitably great cost for future generations. Clinton's stance is well nigh revolutionary in today's politics, especially in conservative corners. Just as it was in Lincoln's day, and here's what he had to say about that : "But you say you are conservative--eminently conservative--while we are revolutionary, destructive, or something of the sort. What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?"

What is this stubborn, myopic adherence to the coal industry, in today's world, and lack of support for an aggressive investment in alternative energy -- and our future livelihood -- if not adherence to the old and tried, and against the new (and the untried alternatives sure to come)?

Lincoln, with unabashed sarcasm, predicted the same argument he faced that Trump represents today: that they would lean on their "gur-reat (think huge ...) pur-rinciple" that "if one man would enslave another, no third man should object,"

Most historians argue that Lincoln's Cooper Union speech against slavery was responsible for his victory - against all odds - in the presidential election later that year.

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The odds are against any substantial positive effect Hillary's remarks will have, at least to that degree. The uninformed rage Trump has ignited, and the ability for it to spread well, like wildfire, across high tech social media, is going to make that difficult, if not impossible. (The equally innovative telegraph, on the other hand, and the high speed printing press, helped spread Lincoln's courageous position just as fast, relatively speaking).

But she's right, just like Lincoln was, and he knew the power of being right when he concluded his historic Cooper Union speech: "So, Republicans, (who are today's Democrats), I say: Do not give in! Do not compromise! Do not seek some middle ground between right and wrong. "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it."

Like Maney writes: "The parallels to the dynamics of the 1850's are a little scary. After all, the Whigs self-destruction was a prelude to the Civil War."

Some would say today's destruction of the Republican party is damned near as scary: it's going to make it possible for people to cast a vote for Donald Trump for president. The 1860 election still ranks as the second highest in American history for voter turnout (81.2%). This one begs to top it - for all the right reasons.
Give a group of 21 Republican and Democratic Florida mayors credit. When it comes to sea level rise, they live at what might be considered Ground Zero for climate change in the U.S. As Philip Levine, the mayor of Miami Beach, put it, "Some people get swept into office. I floated into office." The group wrote to the moderators of the recent Republican and Democratic debates in Miami asking that the candidates be questioned on the subject. Amazingly enough, though previous debates often didn't even hint that the warming of the planet might be an issue of importance, the questions were indeed asked. It was a rare moment in which the media people leading the debates in this endless primary season bothered to address what could be history's deal-breaker. In the Republican debate, only Marco Rubio and John Kasich got to respond and Rubio offered a classic version of what is now the Republican establishment position on the subject. (On Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, of course, we know from statements elsewhere that they are deniers of the first order -- wildly so.) As it happened, Rubio did forthrightly accept the reality of a changing climate since, as he put it, "the climate has always changed." Doh! And his answer only went downhill from there.

Of course, in the race to do us all in, it's no news that, Kasich aside, the Republicans are so out of step with what the burning of fossil fuels is doing to this planet that it should make your head spin. In recent weeks, for instance, here are a few of the transformations reported or predicted: in February, we learned that January had been the ninth-straight "hottest" month ever experienced and that it was a particular record-setter, being "above normal by the highest margin of any month on record." Then, when the February numbers came in, they, too, were jaw-dropping. And if that wasn't cheery enough news, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere "exploded" to levels not seen in at least 11,000 years and possibly not in millions of years, while across the northern hemisphere the temperature briefly hit 2 degrees Celsius more than the pre-industrial revolution norm for the first time in history, even if only for a few hours. Meanwhile, the vast Greenland ice sheet is melting ever faster in a self-feeding loop of destruction, and that is anything but good news, since a recent study revealed that, even if temperature rises were capped at that two-degree mark, "20% of the world's population will eventually have to migrate away from coasts swamped by rising oceans." And given how long carbon remains in the atmosphere, any such sea level rise will hang in there for at least another 10,000 years.

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So it went in the early months of 2016 and that -- though given the pace of melting on this planet, it's a metaphor we might have to abandon one of these days -- is just the tip of the iceberg.

There may only be one area where the present crew of media interrogators and presidential candidates are more out of touch when it comes to asking or answering crucial questions, and that's foreign policy and the national security state. In a piece posted four years ago, during the last set of presidential debates, State Department whistleblower and TomDispatch regular Peter Van Buren laid out a series of such questions on foreign and military policy that no one then showed the slightest interest in asking or answering. Like so many things one says (and writes), that was then and this is now and who even remembers? Recently, however, he and I went back and reread that piece, and I must admit that the experience was a heart-sinking one. But let him explain in his latest post, "Back to the Future."
Our stories of escape can be told in many ways with both their speed and randomness. Despite the fact that many people live the same stories, their beginnings and ends ultimately vary from one person to the other.

I found out recently that each one of us -- me, my mother, my middle sister Sana and my little sister Ghena -- did the exact same thing for two and a half years.

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Every night, we slept in different beds we never got used to. We each got to know the strange roof over our heads as a space to rearrange the pieces of our story together.

We have to be familiar with our stories so we can tell them without fear and with the most neutrality possible -- which is what I am trying to do here.

If you're looking for the shared beginning of all our stories, it was one morning in July 2013. My mother left our house in Masyaf, our little mountain town, to travel to the capital, Damascus, where I lived with my father.

A few days earlier, he had sent me to a doctor in Masyaf to be examined; I wanted to know if I had anxiety and depression. I had been feeling down for about three months after rockets from the Syrian regime killed one of my closest friends.

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We switched places. I stayed in Masyaf with my younger sister, Ghena, while my mother traveled to Damascus. She had with her only a few clothes and a lot of my father's favorite food. The security forces chasing my father made his visits to the family house rare and almost secretive.

I woke up to the phone ringing. I can still hear it in my ears. It's my mother! Her voice was shaking, checking with me about my father and asking me to call him. I couldn't understand everything. I could hear the noise from our street in Damascus in the background and thought, "If my mother is there, where is my father? And why she is asking me to call him?"

She felt my confusion so she started to explain, "I called him a while ago and said I'd be 15 minutes late. He said he'd wait for me in the house. I arrived and tried to call him so he could help with the bags, but he didn't answer. I tried to call him again on his cell phone. It rang a few times and then his phone was out of service."

My mother knows better than to say all this on the phone. It's really dangerous to mention things like that, but there was no time to wait for safe communication.

My mother found out through our inquisitive neighbor on the first floor that men in military uniforms had come to the house. They had a lot of weapons and they were with someone who didn't look like them. There were sounds of someone being hit, items being smashed and screams heard in the building. Then they came down with my father and someone else, his close friend Hossam. Hossam's family was later told that he died in the regime prisons.

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We didn't have enough time to think about the situation, its danger or its consequences. We didn't even have time to be sad and think about being a mother and two daughters who just lost a brave father and a husband in one moment. Ghena and I had to leave our house in Masyaf immediately and go to Hama. We had to get far away to stop the regime from finding and using us as tools to put pressure on my father in his prison.

"We didn't even have time to be sad and think about being a mother and two daughters who just lost a brave father and a husband in one moment."

We didn't have anything other than our clothes. Hama was full of regime checkpoints. Any of them could stop us at any time; our travel bags looked suspicious enough. We finally arrived at my father's friend house. We had never known him before this. His sweet wife and three kids welcomed us. My mother had to take the longer route from Damascus to Masyaf then to Hama. I can't imagine the fear, the worry and the sadness she had to carry with her or how she didn't show it.

We met in Hama and stayed in that house for a week. We agreed, under pressure from my father's friend, to leave Syria for Turkey. My father told us the plan before, always worrying more about us than he worried about himself.

This was the hardest moment of my life. I had made a promise to myself at the start of the revolution never to leave Syria under any circumstances. I made this promise after I was expelled from my university, forced to stop my studies in journalism and media; I made it when friends, colleagues and the nameless faces I met in Damascus's many protests started to disappear.

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To leave the country, we had to move from one car to another. We started in Hama, which is controlled by the regime, and drove to its countryside. We continued to the countryside of Idlib, which is not under its control, all the way to the Turkish borders. The road was full of unknowns.

"I had made a promise to never to leave Syria. I made it when friends and the nameless faces I met in Damascus's many protests started to disappear."

We refused to feed our fears so my mother began praying while we sang and listened to music. We became distant from the songs we knew and loved. Instead we listened to songs we had heard only one time before, songs we didn't like or know the lyrics to. We did this so we could forget our father's image and his voice when he would sing along to Fairuz, Abdel Halim and Umm Kalthoum songs.

We reached Turkey at night. The borders were closed, but we got in and were welcomed by a young man who was sent by a friend of our father to take us to the coastal city, Mersin. It was a place we had always dreamed of visiting before the revolution because of what friends had told us. They used to organize trips and would come back and tell us about its beauty and weird language.

Years before, a Turkish TV drama series invaded our simple world with images of its architecture, its love stories and its characters' faces. It created imaginary relationships between us and them. We didn't know that a hard reality would ruin it later.

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Our first house was in Mersin across from the seaside; it was at a higher sea level, cold and moderately clean. We stayed there around three months without knowing why we were crying. Every time we tried, we couldn't identify exactly why. There were a lot of reasons, but the result was always the same: a father we didn't know anything about, a house and a family we left without even saying goodbye, a collective memory full of pictures, voices and dreams -- and a foreignness that stole our ability to live.

We carried a few things into Mersin that we bought. They were bare necessities; we tried to create a relationship between us, the city, the house and the people. We moved to another house in the same area. It was warmer and less depressing. We made new friends. They had moved here before us to seek asylum. They took away some of our worries and pushed us a step closer to feeling alive again.

We thought our stay in Turkey would be temporary. My father would get out of prison. We'd go back to our house and our country to continue the revolution we started two years ago. But it wasn't that simple. I had to find a job to keep us safe from danger, knowing I had never had a job before and that I didn't have the chance to complete my degree.

"We thought our stay in Turkey would be temporary. My father would get out of prison. We'd go back to our house. But it wasn't that simple."

A family friend helped me find a job at one of the Syrian radio channels that opposed the regime. It was under construction at that time. That meant I had to leave my mother and sister and move to another city, Gaziantep. I stayed there for three months trying to prove myself while working and securing a deposit for a small house. I had to do all this before my mother and Ghena could join me. After that, a whole new experience of worries, challenges and waiting would come.

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Now we've been in Gaziantep for two years. We're three women who live in a small house. Our first year was hard, tiring and full of pain. The second year is better somehow. My mother is dealing with her new experience in work. Ghena is trying to adapt to the constant change of her school and friends, but is still stubborn about going back to Syria.

My mother and I have tried, from our first day in Turkey, to convince her of how impossible this is. We tried to make her understand the importance of searching and waiting for other options -- like being accepted into asylum in the United States, which would mean going through the UN Refugee Agency.

Some people tell me I'm over-sensitive to words, maybe I am when it comes to being described as "refugees." This has nothing to do with feeling injustice or not being recognized. If you asked someone about it or looked up the definition of "refugee" on Google, you would get a lot of answers -- realistically, legally or sometimes from a human rights point of view.

But none of them define what we go through as Syrians. Especially when we see the different and dramatic ways people have become refugees. Not just what international laws and human rights organizations defined them as before the revolution.

The crimes of the Syrian regime and its allies are not the only reasons people are leaving for other towns, cities and countries. This belief has created weird images and stigmas about the Syrian people, its culture and thinking. The regime has ruined its image and the way the rest of the world sees us. It's given the Syrian people very few possibilities. The best of these possibilities will be to escape their hell.

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I can't say everything here. I'm still trying to organize my story and its details; it's not finished right now and will not be finished soon. I still think that no story, no matter how raw and emotional, can tell everything that's happened.

We hung a lot of pictures on the wall of our house last Christmas. We made it in the shape of a tree. Its roots are photos of my father in his younger days and its branches are pictures that remind us of our voices, laughs, dreams and childhood. They are pictures of the many faces with whom we shared our happiest moments.
Visitors queue to have closer look at a static display of a Lockheed Martin F-35 at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore on February 18, 2016. Asia's largest aerospace and defence event is taking place from February 16 to 21. AFP PHOTO / ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP / ROSLAN RAHMAN (Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Lockheed Martin held its annual media day this week, and CEO Marillyn Hewson assured those attending that the company was financially sound and poised to lead the industry in developing the next generation of military technology, from military lasers to hypersonic weapons. But the bulk of the company's revenues rely on old-fashioned techniques -- buying up other companies, profiting from the sale of big-ticket weapons systems, and pushing foreign sales.

The news of the year was the company's purchase of Sikorsky from United Technologies, a move that will make Lockheed Martin the primary source of helicopters for the U.S. military. It was the company's largest acquisition since the 1990s, when Lockheed and Martin Marietta merged, aided by hundreds of millions in taxpayer subsidies to pay for such questionable items as golden parachutes for executives impacted by the merger.

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Lockheed Martin wasn't the only company to grow through merger during that era -- Boeing bought McDonnell Douglas, Northrop and Grumman merged, and dozens of other deals were made. At the time, the argument for allowing -- and subsidizing -- these combinations was that it would reduce overhead and result in better weapons prices for the U.S. government. But as former Pentagon official Lawrence Korb noted at the time, "past history indicates that these mergers end up costing rather than saving the government money." And so it has been, as Lockheed Martin has racked up multi-billion dollar cost overruns on major programs like the F-35 combat aircraft and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).

Rather than saving money, the mergers created industrial behemoths with greater leverage over the Pentagon. With only a handful of major firms to turn to in the procurement of major weapons systems, the Department of Defense's ability to keep a lid on mushrooming weapons costs has been diminished. And a company like Lockheed Martin, which has $46 billion in revenues and claims to have a presence in every state in the union, has enormous financial and political clout. This gives Lockheed Martin the ability to prolong programs that serve its corporate interests whether or not they are in the national interest.

A case in point is the F-35 program. If it goes forward as planned, Lockheed Martin will end up being the only supplier of fighter aircraft to the U.S. government, leaving the taxpayers in a "take it or leave it" position with regard to the company's product. A recent analysis by the Project on Government Oversight has catalogued the myriad performance problems with the F-35. Most importantly, even as the Pentagon accelerates spending on F-35s and assures us that the plane is ready for prime time, the Pentagon's office of independent testing has noted that it won't even be known whether the aircraft will be sustainable in combat until 2022. Thus far, test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base have only been able to fly about six sorties per month due to excessive down time for maintenance. The high tech testing simulator that is supposed to assess the F-35s capabilities has itself had serious development problems. And the aircraft coming off the assembly line now have even more problems than the ones that came before.

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Given this reality, entrusting the entire future of this segment of the combat aircraft industry to this one company makes no sense. This is particularly true when one considers that, as a 2015 report by the National Security Network has shown, the F-35 is destined to be inferior to the aircraft it is replacing.

Despite all of the above, the Pentagon wants to push forward a 400-plane "block buy" of F-35s that would put billions of dollars in Lockheed Martin's coffers without providing evidence to suggest that the aircraft being purchased will perform as advertised. Over the next few years, Lockheed Martin will almost certainly put more effort into securing this funding bonanza than it will to creating innovative new products.

Rather than throwing all of its eggs in one basket, the Pentagon should scale back the F-35 program and fill in any gaps in fighter numbers with upgraded versions of current generation F-16s and F-18s. Not only would this save billions of dollars per year, but it would dilute Lockheed Martin's emerging monopoly over the fighter aircraft market and provide an insurance policy in case the F-35 continues to have debilitating problems that raise questions about its ability to serve as the aircraft of the future for the Air Force, Navy and Marines. Expect Lockheed Martin to fight any movement in this direction tooth and nail. Instead, the company will lobby get even more F-35s funded than the Pentagon is requesting. One of Marillyn Hewson's proud proclamations at this week's media day was that fact that Congress appropriated funds for 11 more F-35s last year than the number called for in the president's original budget request. Expect more of the same this year.

Defense companies thrive when global conflicts drive up military expenditures, and Lockheed Martin is no exception. The company has made increasing its exports a top priority. In her media day speech, Hewson pointed to turbulence in Europe, the Middle East and Asia as good signs for Lockheed's export prospects. She wasn't so crass as to point out that war is good for business. Instead, she said that "It's clearly a complex threat environment our customers are facing, and we want to remain well-positioned to help them address these unprecedented challenges."

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One step in helping its customers cope with "a complex threat environment" has been the expansion of production facilities for the company's Hellfire missile system, which is used on Predator and Reaper drones as well as on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Lockheed Martin has no expectation that peace will break out and undercut this burgeoning market. As company vice-president Frank St. John put it in an interview with Defense One, "I don't see events in the world changing dramatically over the next couple of years . . . [T]he conflicts that are requiring the use of our systems are lingering, so anticipate that we'll be producing at a pretty high level for some period of time."

The Hellfires are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Lockheed Martin's foreign sales. Attack helicopters and combat ships for Saudi Arabia and missile defense systems for European allies are the biggest moneymakers on the horizon.

Pushing costly, untested weapons systems and profiting from foreign conflicts is hardly innovative. If we are going to realign Pentagon spending with the realities of current challenges and rein in dangerous arms transfers to regions of conflict, Lockheed Martin will have to adjust its financial strategies accordingly. Explaining how it will do so would be an excellent topic for one of the company's future media days.
Is it betrayal if I want to go beyond being transgender anymore?

Almost two millennia ago the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations, "Look how tiring it is -- this cacophony we live in. Enough to make you say to death, 'Come quickly. Before I start to forget myself, like them.'"

The noise continues, as everything, and nothing, continue to change into the same all over again.

Journalist, former professor and filmmaker Elinor Burkett began her controversial New York Times Op-Ed "What Makes a Woman?" with an interrelated question: "Do women and men have different brains?" She recounted the story of Lawrence H. Summers, a former president of Harvard who was excoriated when he suggested that male and female brains were indeed different. Then the piece turned to Caitlyn Jenner, who, Burkett wrote, was "lionized" for bravery, and even for progressivism, because she defined her femininity based on that very assumption: "My brain is much more female than it is male," Jenner told interviewer Diane Sawyer.

Such certainty eludes me. I lay no claim on knowing how a woman thinks, since "a woman" is an abstraction, and, in any event, I believe one may never know oneself in totality, let alone the mind of another.

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Awareness of limitations opens up the possibilities they contain, however. Another observation from Aurelius makes the point: "Not to know what the world is is to be ignorant of where you are. Not to know why it's here is to be ignorant of who you are. And what is."

When I say that I only knew that I felt like a woman through the prism of being with men, what I mean is: that sensation is how the feeling began.

Austrian author Hermann Broch's description of a young woman losing her virginity in his novel The Guiltless springs to mind: "And there follows (after a little awkwardness and a little pain, but with the gravity of the self-evident) the primordial surprise, the eternal surprise which -- even when it does not, as now, occur for the first time, but has become usual and customary -- is always irradiated with the shine of the first time and must always, invariably, come as a surprise: the sinking, the fitting, of two human bodies into one another."

I've quoted this passage elsewhere, and there is no hiding why. For me, Broch's unity mirrors Plato's ideal of love, in which the two halves of our souls search the world for each other, and both philosophies reflect the reality of being human: we experience ourselves in relation to others.

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In my own life, the promise land on the other side of changing sex lay beyond dictates about my identity, my gender, and any ideas, thoughts or feelings I wished to impose. Being myself means acceptance from friends, family, and society -- for who any of us can be is just one human being among humanity.

Our history reveals that whatever seems new under the sun may amount to no more than a happenstance of perception at any moment. As Burkett observed, "Women like me are not lost in false paradoxes; we were smashing binary views of male and female well before most Americans had ever heard the word 'transgender' or used the word 'binary' as an adjective."

She is right: other women did come first. And we are all of us their children.

Still, identifying as transgender can make a demand on people that distinguishes this identity from others. Even though I present myself to a potential intimate partner as I am right now, I nevertheless recognize that he could view me otherwise in light of my past. Attraction between us might, for him, spark a question about manhood -- or even the nature of his own sexuality. Intimacy asks for patience in receptivity to the sinking, the fitting, of two human souls into a moment together.

Now, could it be that -- in such an instant of union -- maleness and femaleness unfeather into their essence, somewhere in between both genders and any others, a merging of gender expression as in the undifferentiated body we all once had?

It's all relative.

"Don't ever forget these things: The nature of the world. My nature. How I relate to the world. What proportion of it I make up. That you are part of nature, and no one can prevent you from speaking and acting in harmony with it, always," Aurelius said.

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I may be a woman of men, but I am a woman still -- and distilled -- as we vanish into one.

The feeling then is transgender no more.

***
sb-borg via Getty Images Conceptual view about checkouts or payments over Internet and mobile devices.

Freecharge, India's top digital wallet, has launched 'Chat and Pay' -- a service that allows friends pay each other from the app with the simple touch of a button.

Apart from easy peer-to-peer transfers, payment for services to local merchants such as the grocer, taxi and auto drivers and other small vendors can now be done through the app. The person-to-merchant service will help users pay easily and cashless.

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"Chat is easiest to use for most of the smartphone users. Also, when we go out somewhere it is harder to split and pay everyone as you have to get each others' bank account details and add them. Freecharge chat and pay will allow you to acknowledge the good time you had and will make the payments less awkward and fast," Freecharge's COO Govind Rajan told HuffPost India.

"It is also easy for merchants to get more customers through this. There are many places where cash and card won't work. So people can pay through their freecharge account too. A lot of local vendors today chat on whatsapp with customers, so they won't feel that the interface is very different," he said.

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Merchants have to register themselves on the app to receive payments. The company claims that the onboarding process will be very easy. The merchant can get up to 10000 per month in their wallet without any proof. If they want a bigger cap they can submit their KYC documents and we will extend the wallet limit till 100000.

If the merchant submits the bank details to Freecharge, they can also transfer the money to the bank accounts. "Initially the transfer to the bank if free for the merchants but later on, we might introduce some charges", said Rajan.

He was confident about the adoption of the feature. "As we endeavour to build the Payment OS for digital India, we seek to solve the challenge of merchant acceptance. We have introduced Chat and Pay and it is not just a way to pay but an engaging way for commerce," he said.

Freecharge is also giving benefits to customers of finding the stores nearby which accepts chat and pay. You can search for the merchants using #paytag in your area. The merchant will geotag his store while signing up so that customers can easily search for it.

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Snapdeal owned company recently surpassed one million transactions on their Freecharge Go card. According to Nielsen Freecharge is the second most used payment service in India. The digital payment market is getting hotter in India as Flipkart and Amazon have recently launched their own payment services.In other news, PayTM has tied up with cinema houses such as INOX and PVR for movie ticket payments.

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Contact HuffPost India
bigapple via Getty Images Mumbai High Court previously known as the Bombay High Court

In a reprieve to the lone convict Himayat Baig in 2010 Pune German Bakery blast, the Bombay High Court on Thursday quashed the death sentence awarded to him due to lack of evidence and the prosecution's failure to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

A division bench of Justices N H Patil and S B Shukre while pronouncing the judgement in the blast case that came as an embarassment to the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), however, confirmed 35-year-old Baig's conviction and life sentence imposed on him for possession of explosives (RDX).

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According to the prosecution, the investigating agency had recovered around 1,200 kg of RDX from Baig's Latur residence after his arrest in September 2010.

The High Court quashed and set aside Baig's conviction under various sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC, and under some sections of the Explosive Substances Act.

Baig's conviction under section 5 (b) of the Explosive Substances Act for possession of explosives was confirmed by the high court today. He was sentenced to life under this section by the trial court in Pune.

The High Court also confirmed Baig's conviction under section 474 of IPC, for submitting forged documents while procuring mobile phone SIM cards. He was awarded a seven-year sentence by the trial court under this section.

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The High Court also confirmed his conviction under sections 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of IPC.

Dressed in a black shirt and blue jeans, Baig was present in the court when the judgement was pronounced.

The court said the period already undergone by Baig in prison from his arrest till date shall be considered as part of the sentence.

The High Court further said that it need not pass any order on the applications filed by two witnesses in the case, as it has acquitted Baig of the charges.

When Baig filed his appeal in the High Court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case had also filed an application seeking for their evidence to be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

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Baig, who the ATS said was a member of the terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen, was arrested in September 2010 for involvement in the blast at German Bakery, a popular eatery in Pune's Koregaon Park area, which killed 17 persons and injured 58, including some foreign nationals.

In 2013, a sessions court in Pune convicted him and awarded him the capital punishment. .

Under UAPA, Baig has been acquitted under sections 16(1)(a) (terrorist act which results in death of persons), 10(a) (member of unlawful association), 10 (b) (committing act to promote unlawful association), 20 (punishment for being member of terrorist gang), 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 13(1)(b) (abetting unlawful activity) and 13(2) (assisting unlawful activity).

Under IPC, Baig has been acquitted under section 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 453 (punishment for trespassing) and section 153 (a) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race).

Under Explosive Substances Act, Baig has been acquitted under sections 3(b) (unlawfully causing explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to a person) and section 4 (a) (b) (attempt to cause explosion).

There are total eight accused in the case, of whom six are wanted.

Besides Baig, another accused Qateel Siddiqui was also arrested, but he died in Pune's Yerawada jail following a scuffle with other inmates.

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The other wanted accused in the case are--IM operatives Yasin Bhatkal, Mohsin Choudhary, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Ismail Bhatkal, Fayyaz Kagzi and Sayyad Zabiuddin Ansari.

According to prosecution, the bomb used in the blast was assembled at Baig's internet cafe. Thereafter, he travelled to Pune by bus with Mohsin Choudhary and planted the bomb.

However, Baig's lawyer Mehmood Pracha had earlier argued that Baig was not even present in Pune at the time of the blast, and that he was attending a wedding in Latur.

According to Pracha, it was Qateel Siddiqui who along with Yasin Bhatkal went to Pune.

When Baig filed his appeal in the high court challenging the death penalty, two witnesses in the case filed an application in HC seeking that their evidence be recorded again as their statement was taken under duress.

Former journalist Ashish Khetan had also earlier filed a PIL, alleging that Baig was falsely implicated and the case should be probed afresh by NIA.

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Until now, it was just the NehruGandhi family among the Indians that featured in the world famous wax museum Madame Tussauds. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the ranks of prominent global leaders at the museum in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok next month.

Describing him as a "hugely important figure in world politics", the museum said the Indian Prime Minister had given the museum's team of artists and experts a sitting at his residence in New Delhi earlier this year.

Indian Prime Minister, @narendramodi will be joining the ranks of world leaders here at @MadameTussauds#Londonpic.twitter.com/Bok9nT9LXT  Madame Tussauds (@MadameTussauds) March 16, 2016

"Madame Tussauds has crafted figures of very distinguished dignitaries from around the world - how could I regard myself worthy of being alongside them? But when I was informed that your decision had emanated from public opinion and public sentiment, I was comforted," Modi said in a statement to the museum.

"During my sitting, I observed the team carefully and was deeply impressed by its dedication, professionalism and skill.

I have visited Madame Tussauds three or four times and had the pleasure of getting myself photographed standing next to the figures of various dignitaries," he said.

The wax figures at each of the museum's locations around Europe and Asia will be dressed in Modi's "signature kurta" in cream with a jacket and he will be featured in a traditional pose "making a namaste gesture".

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"Prime Minister Modi is a hugely important figure in world politics, a position supported by his place in the top 10 of Time Magazine's Person of the Year List 2015," said museum spokesperson Kieran Lancini.

"His massive social media presence - he is currently the second most followed politician on twitter after President Obama also confirms the intense interest the public have in him, a fact supported by the requests our guests have made for us to create his figure.

We are delighted to be including the Prime Minister's figure in our attractions in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok," he said.

Each figure took a team of Madame Tussauds' artists four months and cost around 150,000 pounds to create.

"Guests will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder and measure up to one of the most powerful men in the world and even grab a selfie when the figures arrive in their locations," the museum said.

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The launch in London and all other centres is expected around late April and it is yet to be confirmed if Modi would be personally unveiling himself in wax at any of the four locations.

A new branch of Madame Tussauds is also set to open in New Delhi as part of the India-UK Year of Culture in 2017, announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK last November.

(With inputs from PTI)

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ASSOCIATED PRESS In this Thursday, April 25, 2013 photo, Christopher L. Eisgruber, Princeton University's provost for the past nine years, speaks during an interview, in Princeton, N.J. Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman has announced that Eisgruber will be her replacement, becoming the University's 20th president, effective July 1. Eisgruber succeeds Tilghman, who last fall announced her intention to step down at the end of this academic year after completing 12 years in office. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

NEW DELHI -- A question which frequently popped up during the Jawaharlal Nehru University row was whether an event to commemorate Osama Bin Laden, who claimed responsibility for carrying out the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, would be allowed on an American university campus.

The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 claimed the lives of 2,977 people in New York City, Washington, DC, and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Bin Laden was killed by a team of U.S. Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011 in Pakistan.

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In an interview with The Indian Express, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber said that he would allow an event commemorating Bin Laden, and he would not discipline students who organized such a program.

We would and should tolerate that. It would be very disruptive. People would be very angry about the statement. But we would not discipline somebody for making statements of that nature, Eisgruber told the newspaper.

We at Princeton believe that it is a fundamental advantage for a university to be able to tolerate even offensive kinds of speech and to respond to bad arguments when they are made with more speech rather than with disciplinary actions, he said.

Eisgruber, a constitutional scholar, was elected Princeton University's 20th president on April 21, 2013,

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In JNU, 21 students are facing disciplinary action for allegedly organizing an event to mark the third anniversary of Afzal Guru's hanging on Feb 9, this year, and three students Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were arrested in a sedition case in connection with the event. Kumar is now out on bail.

Afzal Guru was convicted for plotting the 2001 parliament attack, which left 14 people dead. He was secretly hanged and buried in Tihar Jail in Delhi by the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance government on Feb 9, 2013.

Bin Laden vs. Afzal Guru

While Bin Laden claimed responsibility for carrying out the terrorist attack in the U.S. on September 11, Afzal Guru's conviction and execution has always been a subject of controversy because there are those who believe his role in the attack did not merit the death penalty.

Others argue that he was given a fair trial by the Indian judiciary.

The incident, which resulted in heavy casualties, had shaken the entire nation and the collective conscience of the society will only be satisfied if the capital punishment is awarded to the offender," said the Supreme Court judgment which upheld his death sentence.

Former Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said that there were "grave doubts about the extent of his involvement" in the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.

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"There were grave doubts about his involvement in the conspiracy behind the attack on Parliament, and even if he was involved, there were grave doubts about the extent of his involvement. He could have been imprisoned for life without parole for rest of his natural life," he told The Economic Times, last month.

The Congress Party-led government was criticized for pulling Afzal Guru out of the death-row queue and executing him out of turn, in the run up to the national election.

Asked And Answered

The U.S. Constitution has an almost absolute allegiance to freedom of speech.

It is legal to burn the American flag. In 2012, neither the courts nor the U.S. government could stop Pastor Terry Jones from burning a Koran.

During the JNU row, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had asked whether the U.S. would allow a campus meeting to mark Osama Bin Laden martyrdom anniversary." Retired Major General G.D. Bakshi had asked the same question.

Eisgruber told The Indian Express that he might have to issue a statement disagreeing with the students, who organized such an event, but he would not discipline them.

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We would permit that (event) and there would be no disciplinary action of any kind against those students. Thats unambiguous. It could be very offensive. I might be called upon depending on what the students said or did. Under some circumstances, I might have to speak out and indicate my disagreement as the President (of Princeton) and say that what the students were expressing was not consistent with the views of the university. I expect in the circumstances you are describing, there would be a number of people who would call on me to take action. I get people writing to me saying you must discipline a speaker. We dont do it even when the views are very offensive," Eisgruber told the newspaper.

We think that the university, as we conceive at Princeton, is founded on the idea that overall you are better off letting offensive ideas be stated even when they are very offensive. And responding to them and letting truth come out of the discussion rather than stepping in and censoring speech in one way or another, he said.

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INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images Indian right wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) volunteers give a traditional salute at a rally in Pune some 135 kms from Mumbai on January 3, 2016. Over 150,000 RSS voluntreers are attending a day long congregation'Shivashakti Sangam', the largest in recent years. AFP PHOTO/ INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE (Photo credit should read INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)

With the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on a makeover mode to keep up with the changing times, one of its top leaders said on Thursday that homosexuality should not be treated as a crime in India.

Why should RSS have an opinion on homosexuality? We dont discuss sexual preferences of individuals... RSS is changing according to the needs of time, RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at the India Today Conclave. The leaders comment assumes importance as it comes only days after the Lok Sabha rejected a bill, presented by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, to decriminalise homosexuality in the country.

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Hosabale said homosexuality should not be considered a crime as long as it did not 'affect the lives of others,' adding that sexual preferences are personal issues.

India, with a maximum punishment of ten years in jail, is one among the 70 countries in the world where homosexuality is illegal. Tharoor had accused the BJP, whose ideological parent is the RSS, of using its brute force to reject his bill.

The right wing organisation had last week singalled a major shift in its stance by supporting the entry of women into the sanctum sanctorum of various Hindu temples in India.

Hosabale said on Thursday that women are free to participate in RSS run Shakhas.

Reacting to the widespread criticism that being the BJPs ideological parent, the RSS controls the party, Hosabale said the organisation did not interfere in the matters of the party.

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We dont remote control the BJP, he said.

Referring to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the incumbent PM Narendra Modi, Hosabale said, We are proud we gave two successful PMs.

Slamming AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi for his recent statement that he will not chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai even at knifepoint, Hosabale said that the Hyderabad MPs action was anti-national.

A few days after Owaisis comment, his partys MLA Waris Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for refusing to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

Reiterating the RSSs longstanding goal of building a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and pointing out that BJP government had three more years remaining in its term at the centre, Hosabale said, The Ram temple is our dream.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2014 file photo, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives a speech during a reception by the Indian community in honor of his visit to the United States at Madison Square Garden in New York. Modi announced a series of labor reforms on Thursday, Oct. 16 aimed at transforming Asia's third-largest economy into an international manufacturing hub. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

NEW DELHI -- While addressing a gathering of Sufi leaders and scholars from at least 20 countries in the national capital today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Islam is a religion of peace, which had nothing to do with terrorism.

"When we think of the 99 names of Allah, none stand for force and violence. The first two names denote compassionate and merciful. Allah is Rahman and Raheem," Modi said.

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Inaugurating the three-day World Sufi Forum, Modi gave his most detailed speech about Islam and Muslims in India since taking charge as Prime Minister, and very likely in his entire political career.

As if he was responding to months of criticism about the threat to religious minorities under his leadership, and his painful silence at the onslaught of offensive remarks by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Modi today exhorted the virtues of Islam and the teachings of Sufism.

"You represent the rich diversity of the Islamic civilization that stands on the solid bedrock of a great religion," Modi told the audience at Vigyan Bhavan. "It is a civilization that reached great heights by the 15th century in science, medicine, literature, art, architecture and commerce."

Earlier this month, Ananth Kumar Hegde, a BJP lawmaker from Karnataka, called for the end of Islam.

Reaching out to "Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, the micro-minority of Parsis, believers, non-believers," Modi credited India's progress "to every member of every faith."

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"Now, India is moving forward on the strength of the struggles, the sacrifices, the bravery, the knowledge, the skill, the art and the pride of every member of every faith in our diverse and yet united nation," he said.

On Friday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be the chief guest at the World Sufi Forum, which, over the next two days, will discuss the teachings of Sufism, widely regarded as the spiritual dimension of Islam, and how to counter extremism and terrorism.

"Terrorists distort a religion whose cause they profess to support. They kill and destroy more in their own land and among their own people than they do elsewhere," said Modi. "Those who spread terror in the name of religion are anti-religious."

"We must advance the message of Sufism that stands for the principles of Islam and the highest human values," he said.

The event, organised by the Delhi-based All India Ulama & Mashaikh Board, will end of Sunday at the Ram Leela Maidan, where Sufi leaders will read a declaration committing to keeping the country and Islam out of the clutches of Wahhabism and extremism.

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In his speech today, Modi said that Muslims in India are defined by the "spirit of Sufism, the love for their country and the pride in their nation," and "shaped by the values of the Islamic heritage of India."

"They are steeped in the democratic tradition of India, confident of their place in the country and invested in the future of their nation," he said.

While borrowing verses from Sufi scholars and saints such as Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, and extolling the virtues of different faiths, Modi ended his speech by chanting "Om Shanti; Shanti; Shanti: Peace, Peace, Peace."

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Reno County sees a spike in drug and alcohol overdoses during October

The 27 overdoses through Oct. 21 is an average of more than one a day, the highet average since officials began tracking the data real time.
A controversial lawsuit filed by a nonprofit insurer against the Obama administration could end up reverting up to $5 billion of taxpayer money to participating carriers, legal experts say.Executives with Health Republic Insurance of Oregon, one of the 23 original insurance cooperatives established under the Affordable Care Act, charged the White House with failing to pay out through the risk corridor program despite the laws requirements. It has sued on behalf of all insurers participating in the program, and seeks $5 billion in restitution.According to Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, if the Obama administration settles, the money would come from the Judgment Fund  an indefinite appropriation established by Congress and administered by the Treasury Department.In this case, the argument is the statute requires the government to put for the risk corridors, but Congress refused to appropriate the money to do that and therefore the court is going to have to award a judgment since the administration, under the direction of Congress, is violating the law, Jost told The Daily Signal.And therefore the money has to come out of the Judgment Fund that the Court of Claims has to award a judgment against the federal government, which is appropriated money.The suit comes after Congress failed to deliver on promises of billions of dollars of support to the co-ops, which many had counted on in order to remain financially solvent. Absent of that funding, several co-op CEOs said they had no other choice but to fold.Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, have criticized the risk corridor program as an insurer bailout and several believe the suit may end up providing the White House with a way to bypass the funding restriction imposed by Congress.What the insurers are doing is tricky. Its an end run, Seth Chandler, a law professor at the University of Houston, told the newspaper. Its an end run around congressional prohibition. Its saying, Okay, you said the Treasury couldnt spend money. Youve broken your promise, and because you broke your promise, were going to sue you for breach of contract.The Obama administration has not signaled an official position with regard to the case, but both Chandler and Jost agreed that the Justice Department may end up settling the case with insurers.
A 37-year industry veteran who held senior executive roles at AIG has joined major insurer Nationwide to lead the companys workers compensation division.Larry Corsi joined Nationwide on March 14 as vice president of workers compensation and will oversee a $460 million book of business.We are thrilled to have Larry join the Nationwide family, said Mike Lex, senior vice president of commercial lines. He brings a wealth of expertise to our workers compensation business.Corsi was previously a senior vice president at Patriot Underwriters, where he assisted in the acquisition of workers compensation carrier partners, their profitability and growth.He spent most of his career at AIG, where he led multiple segments and functions within the companys mono-line workers compensation division and was the executive vice president for commercial insurance and senior vice president and executive vice president for specialty workers compensation.Corsi also worked at Cigna and held top roles including vice president of underwriting for property and casualty insurance.His experience at AIG and previous companies includes both strategic and hands-on execution in all aspects of underwriting, marketing, policyholder service, loss control, claims and premium audit.
Economic promise has never shined so brightly on the insurance industrythe Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a growth of 200,000 new jobs by 2022 and unemployment within the sector was less than half that of the national average.Companies within the industry are having a hard time meeting that new demand, however. The average insurance professional is 45 years old, and just under 4% of students in the millennial generation describe themselves as very interested in working in the insurance industry, according to a 2012 study from the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation. The push for new technology has made hiring young millennials even more vital.In a similar study, College for America took a closer look at these trends and identified six positions most likely to be affected by the advent of new technology and the anticipated skills gap.Were thinking through career paths that an individual might take in the insurance industry, and it was very interesting to me to see that for all but one [of these six], we observed a fair amount of growth in demand, Melissa Goldberg, lead author on the study, told Insurance Business. These kinds of occupations are not going away, but there is a large investment of money and time being made to make significant changes to them.2012 demand: 289,000A critical piece to a companys infrastructure, modern CSRs must be adaptable to new communication forums like email, online chat and social media. Writing and communication skills will become even more paramount, as will the ability to manipulate big data in the form of customer information filtered in through the internet.2012 demand: 346,000As lead generation migrates from cold calling to the use of predictive analytics and customer segmenting technologies, insurance agents and brokers will need to adapt to analytics technology to identify prospective clients.Independents may also require more business savvy than captive agents, suggests Goldberg.2012 demand: 42,300As insurance companies look to bring on more employees, the need for qualified business analysts to serve as a link between end users and professionals becomes greater. The advent of technology is also driving the increased need for business analysts as businesses begin to shift their platforms from legacy systems to new, paperless environments.2012 demand: 208,000New mobile technology that allows for roadside claims reporting makes it easier for clients to do everything from report losses to estimate damages. That brand of self-service has taken some of the grunt work out of the claims adjuster position, but it also puts more pressure on adjusters to get claims settled quickly. The adjuster of the future must be able to develop and manipulate the necessary automation in order to meet customer expectations.2012 demand: 95,300The automation of many underwriting tasks has led to a continued decrease in the number of employed underwriters. To stay competitive, underwriters must learn responsibilities of other insurance positions and pursue higher education to move laterally or upward in the insurance industry, College for America recommends.2012 demand: 13,000Insurance actuaries are already making bold strides in the use of predictive analytics and manipulation of big data to improve risk assessment and policy rates. However, CfA suggests actuaries must be prepared to work with more complex data dashboard in the future as data from telematics and other programs continues to grow and consolidate.Goldberg warns that there isnt just one solution to satisfying the demands both of the talent gap and the increased need for tech comfort. Both training and recruiting are necessary parts of the solution.There are a lot of people of all ages in the insurance industry, and there are people coming up the ranks right now who may not have the technological skills as more traditional providers switch over from legacy systems, Goldberg said. There is a need for training and education of those incumbent workers so theyre able to function with a new way of interacting with clients and facilitating lead generation.In terms of recruiting people, there is a need for IT professionals to come in as well as people who are very comfortable working with technology in order to take advantage of the new systems available.
North Adams Airport Admin Building Will include Restaurant

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Plans for a new administrative building at Harriman & West Airport include a restaurant.

Commissioner Trevor Gilman told the Airport Commission on Tuesday that the floor plans for the 4,500 square foot building are 95 percent complete and should be ready to send out to bid by June 30.

He said the new design encompasses airport needs while setting aside 1,100 square feet of the building for a restaurant that he hopes will attract the public.

"The whole design and the goal with this building was to be able to help provide services that have been missing at the airport, to make it functional for transients and users of the airport," Gilman said. "Also we wanted it to provide a space for the restaurant that will help bring the community out to the airport."

The city initially put the $4 million project on hold because it could not fund the its 5 percent share. In January, real estate developer and Turboprop East director Harry S. Patten Jr. agreed to fund the city's portion of $200,000.

Gilman along with Chairman Jeff Naughton and Airport Manager Bill Greenwald have been working on the floor plan with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division.

The building itself will be a "cookie cutter" design because the state uses the same "shell" design for all of its administrative building projects, Gilman said.

The state considers the building "medium sized" and the remaining square footage will be used for administrative space. It will have two patios: one for the public area and one for the restaurant.

Greenwald said the current draft is the fourth iteration of the floor plan. He said he and the commissioners fought for certain design options, such as the elimination of a shower "which has only been used to store a mop and a bucket."

"We have come a very long way and I think every bit of this space is going to get traffic and going to get used," he said. "So it was an interesting battle."

He added that one of the engineers said the floor plan was one of the nicest ones he had seen and anticipates it being copied throughout the state.

Naughton agreed.

"Its going to be a nice building when this is up, and I think the public is really going to like it," he said. "It is going to be a very attractive building, a very functional building with a restaurant, and it will be a really good addition to the airport and for the city."

After wrapping up the administrative building update, Greenwald told the commission that he recently received a call from Google asking permission to photograph the airport for Google Maps Street View.

Google Street View provides panoramic views from positions along streets throughout world that can be viewed online.

The commission granted Greenwald the ability to give Google permission to take the photos, but asked that plane tail numbers be treated like license plates and blurred out.

He added that Google wanted to take interior shots but he asked them to hold off 18 months until the new administrative building is done.

In other business, Gale Associates representative Nick Ippolito said MassDOT authorized another 2 percent in funding for Phase II of the apron project after Gale drafted a letter explaining the need for the extra funds.

Last year, the commission cut back on design plans because of a $70,000 gap the city had to contribute to state and federal funds to complete the project. The extra 2 percent will provide near $48,000.

Ippolito told the commission that when the city secures its share, the commission must sign construction contracts that will be sent to MassDOT for approval.
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We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
Edward Price Non-Resident Senior Fellow NYU Center for Global Affairs Contact email

linkedin

Edward Price, a former British economic official, teaches international political economy, financial systems and international relations at NYUas Center for Global Affairs. He is also an economic advisor for BritishAmerican Business (BAB). Educated at the London School of Economics (LSE), Edward holds an MSc in Finance and Economic Policy and an MA in German History. He has worked in both the British and European parliaments, was Americas editor at IFLR and has worked in the City of London. He speaks German, gets by in Italian and is a member of the Economic Club of New York (ECNY).
IMF Survey : IMF Launches Debate on Future of International Monetary System

Major structural shifts are posing challenges to the global economy

Study to examine adequacy of the global safety net, how to make capital flows safer

IMF to work with others to identifyand correctsystems shortcomings

The IMF is embarking on a study to understand the challenges facing the international monetary system, identify the systems shortcomings, and lay the basis for reform.

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY SYSTEM

The international monetary system is the framework that facilitates the exchange of goods, services, and capital among countries and sustains sound economic growth. To be effective, this framework must balance the needs of individual economies and the system as a wholeand do this over time, as economic and financial relationships change.

In an interview, Siddharth Tiwari, Director of the IMFs Policy, Strategy, and Review Department, discusses the new study, the main challenges facing the international monetary system today, and how he sees the IMFs role going forward.

IMF Survey: Why has the IMF decided to undertake this work now?

Tiwari: The IMF is at the center of the international monetary systemmany people see the Fund as the systems guardian. The last regular review was done in 2011, and a lot has happened at the IMFand in the worldin the intervening years. At the Fund, financial sector surveillance has been strengthened, integrated surveillance decision was introduced, spillover analysis was broadened along with other work on interconnectedness, and weve overhauled our lending toolkit and sharpened our focus on risks and vulnerabilities.

The IMFs firepower has also increased, to about $1 trillion. Quotas were increased, the New Arrangements to Borrow were brought on stream, and bilateral borrowings were undertaken. So it is time to review the system again.

IMF Survey: What is your diagnosis of the international monetary system today? Is it working?

Tiwari: A series of structural shifts is taking place in the global economy, and the confluence of these shifts is raising tensions and risk. First, although current account imbalances have shrunk in the post-crisis period, this phenomenon mainly reflects the compression of demand in advanced economies. So the problem of current account imbalances is still with us.

Second, the central role of one or two major reserve currencies means that developments in one economy can have significant impact on others, constraining domestic policy choices.

Third, as economies become more interconnected, episodes of capital flow volatility are becoming a permanent part of the landscape.

Fourth, while a lot of work has been done on the financial sector sideespecially on financial institutions and the transmission of risknonbank financial institutions have become significant players, and that needs to be taken into account.

And finally, three reserve currency areasthe United States, the euro area, and Japanwill need, over time, to transition out of unconventional monetary policy, which will create a period of volatility for emerging markets. The global financial safety net will thus need to be strengthened.

IMF Survey: What emerging challenges do you see on the horizon for the international monetary system?

Tiwari: A key challenge is that post-crisis growth in advanced economies needs to be raised. When we were at the epicenter of the crisis, emerging markets managed to remain anchored by using their buffers, and it was expected that there would be a handoff of sorts from emerging markets to advanced economies in a few years. But that handoff is not happening.

A related issue is to ensure that the dream of globalizationthat living standards in emerging markets and developing countries would, over time, converge to those in advanced countriesis not lost.

A further challenge is China's rebalancing, which needs to happen. Growth will be lower, but likely safer (although this will inevitably have consequences for other economies).

Then there is the historic commodity price decline that necessitates adjustment for oil-producing countries in the Middle East and other commodity exporters, which need to find a new business model.

Finally, there are differences in monetary conditions in the worlds major economies. This asynchronous monetary policy among the United States, Europe, and Japan signals continued volatility. I would see these as the major issues ahead of us.

IMF Survey: What role should the IMF play in the international monetary system going forward?

Tiwari: The Fund remains at the center of the system. As we monitor our member countries economies, we must ensure that imbalances do not emerge in different parts of the worldespecially the buildup of financial imbalances. We also need to ensure that emerging markets integrate into the international monetary system so that they achieve higher living standards. Financial development and deepening will be important for many member countries, especially in periods of greater market volatility.

Markets can be unforgiving for emerging markets right now. The process of convergence will involve emerging markets running small current account deficits over a period of time and making use of capital inflows to finance those deficits. So inflows need to be more stable for a longer period of time, and we should look at how to make them safer. Part of the solution lies with macroprudential policy; part will lie in the balance between debt and equity.

The IMF's contribution will also include the provision of an adequate global financial safety net. This safety net, or lending framework, has to respond to three needs for the global economy: encourage better policy making, finance adjustment at a reasonable pace, and provide insurance to innocent bystanders who may be affected. Another level of the safety net is regional financing arrangements, such as the Chiang Mai Initiative, and the IMF needs to find a way to work more closely with them.

So while the Fund is at the center of the international monetary system, we are part of a larger system with central banks and other standard-setting agencies. Our role is to provide analysis and a shared understanding, but the onus will lie on the membership to take reform forward.

IMF Survey: What are the next steps for the IMFs work in this area?

Tiwari: We just had an initial discussion at the IMF Executive Board on the role of the IMF in the international monetary system. Three work areas were identified that were already in the work program: how to make capital flows safer, a strengthened global financial safety net, and the role of the SDR.

The first issue will comprise different phases. The first phase is to take stock of capital flowstheir volatility and direction. The second phase, to take place mid-year, will involve taking stock of country experiences in dealing with capital flows in the context of the IMFs institutional view. And the third phase, to start toward the years end, will examine what we've learned from country experience and whether the institutional view needs to be revisited.

On the global financial safety net, there will be a stocktaking paper to be discussed in the coming weeks, followed by a paper on the size of the IMF. Both papers will be the backdrop to the subsequent quota discussions. In this stream of work, we will consider whether our safety net is adequate to protect every segment of the membership during periods of crisis.

Lastly, with the addition of the Chinese renminbi to the SDR, our membership is asking us to examine the broader use of the SDR in the international monetary system, and that's something that we will do in the months ahead.

IMF Survey: What do you expect the most difficult issues to be in terms of political buy-in and support?

Tiwari: Having countries agree on a framework to make capital flows safer will be among the issues that will require a lot of work. But this is essential and goes hand in hand with a stronger global financial safety net.
Imperial Valley News Center

On The Occasion of St. Patrick's Day in Ireland

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On St. Patricks Day, we celebrate Ireland for its rich history and culture, and the works of St. Patrick. Each year on this day, the people of the United States celebrate the especially deep cultural connections between the United States and Ireland. For centuries, Irish immigrants have shaped United States. From Dublin, California, to Shamrock, Texas, and of course my hometown of Boston, deep community connections to Ireland span coast to coast. St. Patricks Day is an opportunity to appreciate our unique shared history.

"As Ireland prepares to commemorate the centennial of the events that led to the establishment of an independent Ireland, we can all look forward to celebrating Irelands bright future. Relations between the United States, Ireland, and Northern Ireland are as close as ever. We are forging new connections through educational and cultural exchange, entrepreneurship, scientific research, trade, and investment. Just as St. Patrick fostered community in Ireland, our two countries will continue to build upon our strong foundation and work together to make the world a better place.

"I wish all the Irish, at home and abroad, a Happy St. Patricks Day and many years of strong Irish-American cooperation to come."
Imperial Valley News Center

First Lady Announces Additional Commitments To Let Girls Learn As Part Of Visit To South By Southwest

Washington, DC - Announcements for Let Girls Learn are part of the First Ladys visit to South by Southwest. These commitments complement private sector commitments announced by the First Lady on International Womens Day.

APPLE, AOL, IHEARTMEDIA, FULL PICTURE & MOTOWN RECORDS have teamed up to record and distribute This Is For My Girls, a song written by Grammy winner and 8-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren, that features vocal performances from Kelly Clarkson, Chloe x Halle, Missy Elliott, Jadagrace, Lea Michele, Janelle Monae, Kelly Rowland and Zendaya.

APPLE, AOL, & MOTOWN RECORDS have pledged to donate 100% of the proceeds from purchases of This Is For My Girls through iTunes to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. All partners on the song including Diane Warren, the artists and their respective labels, have also pledged to donate their royalty fees to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

AOL MAKERS will be live streaming the First Lady's SXSW event today at 8:30am PST/10:30am CST/11:30pm EST via MAKERS.com. AOL Makers is the Executive Producer of This Is For My Girls and has coordinated amplification efforts for the launch of the song as well as released a new PSA to raise awareness for 62MillionGirls.com. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

IHEARTMEDIA world premiered This Is For My Girls on Tuesday morning on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio digital music and streaming radio app. Following the exclusive world premiere, iHeartMedia stations encouraged listeners to download the song exclusively on iTunes. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

FULL PICTURE is supporting the production of This Is For My Girls, by initiating and managing relationships between the artists, producers, and record companies who donated their time and talent including AOL MAKERS, Diane Warren, and iTunes. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

GIRL RISING, CHANGE.ORG & EDELMAN are supporting the second phase of the #62MillionGirls campaign  first launched by the First Lady last September at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City  to call on the public to take action at 62MillionGirls.com to help break down barriers that deny 62 million girls from getting the education they deserve. CHANGE.ORG is supporting the campaign by mobilizing supporters and rallying together a community of action-takers, primed for long-term engagement, to take the pledge in support of adolescent girls education around the world. Over the course of the year, 62MillionGirls.com will use the campaign as a central organizing space for additional calls to action - from spreading the word over social media, to calling on supporters to start their own campaigns about improving girls education in their communities. For more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and visit 62MillionGirls.com.

Private Sector Commitments Announced

On International Womens Day For Let Girls Learn:

JOHNSON & JOHNSON will support global fundraising efforts in support of girls education through Global Moms Relay and Donate a Photo App, totaling more than $200,000 over two years. In addition, Johnson & Johnson will contribute $50,000 to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

PROCTER & GAMBLE is making a $100,000 donation to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund to enable adolescent girls education programming with a focus on Africa and Asia. For International Womens Day, Always will promote Let Girls Learn by proposing girls education-emojis, including a Mrs. Obama Let Girls Learn emoji. In addition, P&G and Peace Corps will explore expanding Always Confidence Teaching Curriculum to help more girls build and maintain confidence through education. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC. will produce original promotional video content to run on SPG TV, an in-hotel TV network reaching upwards of 12 million consumers a month, as well as distribution across its many social media channels. Starwood will also designate Let Girls Learn as an official SPG charity partner, designing a promotion which allows members to donate Starpoints to benefit Let Girls Learn. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

JETBLUE will produce an original seatback video about Let Girls Learn for all flights during a key amplification month, raising awareness and inspiring all around international girls education. Additionally, JetBlue will provide a financial donation to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LYFT will drive donations to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund through their tip-matching program, which will match funds when passengers tip their drivers. Lyft will identify key moments to activate this collaboration throughout the year. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

J.CREW will support Let Girls Learn through their Garments for Good initiative and will design specific items to be released later this year. Garments for Good is a J.Crew initiative to lend support by selling items in their stores and online, with all profits being donated to the selected charity. For more information please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CSOFT INTERNATIONAL will translate Let Girls Learn materials, including the Peace Corps training literature, from English into multiple languages. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

THE GIRLS LOUNGE is helping raise awareness around Let Girls Learn, commissioning a Let Girls Learn mural at Union Market and bringing a Let Girls Learn bus to Washington, DC to celebrate International Womens Day. The Girls Lounge, in collaboration with partner Rubicon Project will also provide digital media campaigns to drive awareness and messaging for Let Girls Learn throughout 2016. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Announced Public Sector and NGO Commitments to Let Girls Learn:

DINING FOR WOMEN is a global giving circle dedicated to transforming lives and eradicating poverty among women and girls in the developing world. They will support the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund with a $100,000 grant to fund community projects that address barriers to girls education and promote empowerment. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

SALESFORCE.ORG will financially support Room to Reads expansion of girls education in Cambodia and Sri Lanka. This commitment will support the work the First Lady has done to shed light on the importance of girls education in Cambodia, where she visited Room to Reads work as part of the Let Girls Learn launch. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

RTI INTERNATIONAL, a nonprofit institute that provides research, development and technical services worldwide, will donate to the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Fund. For more information please contact RTI.

CONNECTHER is raising awareness about access to education and schooling in the developing world through Girls Impact the World (GITW) Film Festival. Connecther is launching the GITW Global Chapters to screen short films from the Film Festival about the education of girls, economic independence for girls, redefining beauty and other critical issues. Each screening will include a session about girls education. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

AMY POEHLERS SMART GIRLS, along with the Peace Corps, will share educational resources such as video and classroom correspondence activities to give Smart Girls" the opportunity to learn about the world and connect with other Smart Girls eager to engage and support girls education. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Secretary of State John Kerry's Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

Washington, DC - Secretary Kerry spoke today via phone with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, following up on the phone call between President Obama and President Putin, and in advance of the Secretarys upcoming visit to Moscow.

The Secretary stressed the urgent need for progress toward a political transition in Syria. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the cessation of hostilities and expanding and improving humanitarian access, including access to medical supplies, to all Syrians in need.
President Barack Obamas Travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom

Washington, DC - President Obama, in the context of the previously announced travel to Germany, will visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 21. While there, he will participate in a Summit with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Hosted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abd alAziz Al-Saud, the gathering will be an opportunity for leaders to review progress in strengthening U.S.-GCC security cooperation since the productive Camp David Summit hosted by President Obama in May 2015. It will also provide an opportunity for leaders to discuss additional steps to intensify pressure on ISIL, address regional conflicts, and de-escalate regional and sectarian tensions.

The President will then travel to the United Kingdom, where he will be received by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle for a private lunch. He also will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron at Number 10 Downing Street for a bilateral meeting and joint press conference. The visit will allow the President to offer his gratitude to the British Government and people for their stalwart partnership with his Administration and the American people throughout his Presidency.

The President will conclude his travel by visiting Germany, where, as previously announced, he will participate in the Hannover Messe  the worlds largest trade show for industrial technology  and meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Presidents participation in the Hannover Messe  a first for a sitting U.S. President  presents an unique opportunity to showcase American innovation and ingenuity and to highlight the United States as a prime investment destination. This visit, which will be the Presidents fifth to Germany, underscores the enduring political and economic ties between Americans and Germans and highlights the U.S. commitment to trade and investment as drivers of job creation and economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
Inflatable Halloween Pumpkin Twice the Size of a House Rings in Spooky Season
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Laura Hughes' We're Going on an Egg Hunt (Bloomsbury, 6.99) pictures beaming Easter bunnies searching out brightly coloured eggs hidden under lift-up flaps. But what's behind this blue egg, twice the size of all the other talking animals so far encountered? A bushy tail not quite hidden provides a clue, but the wolf who jumps out when his flap is lifted can't quite catch the startled bunnies. They quickly repair home while he ends up with some of the eggs spilled along the way. Deservedly so, having provided valuable oomph to an otherwise deceptively placid little story.

Michelle Robinson's Elephant's Pyjamas (Harpercollins, 6.99) starts with a general email invitation sent on Zoogle to attend a sleep-over. While all the other animals have abundant and colourful nightwear, poor Elephant can find nothing that fits. Resigned to missing out, he is finally rescued by his friends who cobble all their spares together into a multi-coloured patchwork garment providing a perfect fit. Emily Fox's expressive illustrations show Elephant in deep despair on one page and bopping away as the picture of happiness on the next. Told in simple rhyming verse, this is good stuff.

Daisy Hirst's Alphonse, That Is Not OK To Do! (Walker, 11.99) is a delightfully original work, worth every penny. Picture books often feature sibling rivalry, but this one has the ring of close domestic truth. Natalie usually gets on well with her younger brother Alphonse, but not when he chews on her favourite book. Her revenge is to draw a savage picture of him where everything else goes terribly wrong. Guilt soon takes over after Alphonse turns unnaturally quiet  could the picture be turning out for real? But all is affectionately resolved in a story where the two main characters look like junior monsters but behave as humans.

Culture news in pictures Show all 33 1 /33 Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures 30 September 2016 An employee hangs works of art with "Grand Teatro" by Marino Marini (R) and bronze sculpture "Sfera N.3" by Arnaldo Pomodoro seen ahead of a Contemporary Art auction on 7 October, at Sotheby's in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 29 September 2016 Street art by Portuguese artist Odeith is seen in Dresden, during an exhibition "Magic City - art of the streets" AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 Dancers attend a photocall for the new "THE ONE Grand Show" at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, Germany REUTERS Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 With an array of thrift store china, humorous souvenirs and handmade tile adorning its walls and floors, the Mosaic Tile House in Venice stands as a monument to two decades of artistic collaboration between Cheri Pann and husband Gonzalo Duran REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A gallery assistant poses amongst work by Anthea Hamilton from her nominated show "Lichen! Libido!(London!) Chastity!" at a preview of the Turner Prize in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A technician wearing virtual reality glasses checks his installation in three British public telephone booths, set up outside the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. The installation allows visitors a 3-D look into the museum which has twenty-two paintings belonging to the British Royal Collection, on loan for an exhibit from 29 September 2016 till 8 January 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 An Indian artist dressed as Hindu god Shiva performs on a chariot as he participates in a religious procession 'Ravan ki Barat' held to mark the forthcoming Dussehra festival in Allahabad AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Air Power', 1984, is displayed at the Bowie/Collector media preview at Sotheby's in New York AFP/Getty Culture news in pictures 25 September 2016 A woman looks at an untitled painting by Albert Oehlen during the opening of an exhibition of works by German artists Georg Baselitz and Albert Oehlen in Reutlingen, Germany. The exhibition runs at the Kunstverein (art society) Reutlingen until 15 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 24 September 2016 Fan BingBing (C) attends the closing ceremony of the 64th San Sebastian Film Festival at Kursaal in San Sebastian, Spain Getty Images Culture news in pictures 23 September 2016 A view of the artwork 'You Are Metamorphosing' (1964) as part of the exhibition 'Retrospektive' of Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo at Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany. The exhibition runs from 25 September 2016 to 1 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 22 September 2016 Jo Applin from the Courtauld Institute of Art looks at Green Tilework in Live Flesh by Adriana Vareja, which features in a new exhibition, Flesh, at York Art Gallery. The new exhibition features works by Degas, Chardin, Francis Bacon and Sarah Lucas, showing how flesh has been portrayed by artists over the last 600 years PA Culture news in pictures 21 September 2016 Performers Sean Atkins and Sally Miller standing in for the characters played by Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell during a photocall for Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children" at Potters Field Park in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A detail from the blanket 'Alpine Cattle Drive' from 1926 by artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is displayed at the 'Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum for Contemporary Arts' in Berlin. The exhibition named 'Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Hieroglyphen' showing the complete collection of Berlin's Nationalgallerie works of the German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and will run from 23 September 2016 until 26 February 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A man looks at portrait photos by US photographer Bruce Gilden in the exhibition 'Masters of Photography' at the photokina in Cologne, Germany. The trade fair on photography, photokina, schowcases some 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries and runs from 20 to 25 September. The event also features various photo exhibitions EPA Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A woman looks at 'Blue Poles', 1952 by Jackson Pollock during a photocall at the Royal Academy of Arts, London PA Culture news in pictures 19 September 2016 Art installation The Refusal of Time, a collaboration with Philip Miller, Catherine Meyburgh and Peter Galison, which features as part of the William Kentridge exhibition Thick Time, showing from 21 September to 15 January at the Whitechapel Gallery in London PA Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Artists creating one off designs at the Mm6 Maison Margiela presentation during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections 2017 in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Bethenny Frankel attends the special screening of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Edition release on Blu-Ray and DVD in New York City Getty Images for Walt Disney Stu Culture news in pictures 17 September 2016 Visitors attend the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival at Theresienwiese in Munich, Germany Getty Images Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Visitors looks at British artist Damien Hirst work of art 'The Incomplete Truth', during the 13th Yalta Annual Meeting entitled 'The World, Europe and Ukraine: storms of changes', organised by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at the Mystetsky Arsenal Art Center in Kiev AP Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Tracey Emin's "My Bed" is exhibited at the Tate Liverpool as part of the exhibition Tracey Emin And William Blake In Focus, which highlights surprising links between the two artists Getty Images Culture news in pictures 15 September 2016 Musician Dave Grohl (L) joins musician Tom Morello of Prophets of Rage onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California Getty Images Culture news in pictures 14 September 2016 Model feebee poses as part of art installation "Narcissism : Dazzle room" made by artist Shigeki Matsuyama at rooms33 fashion and design exhibition in Tokyo. Matsuyama's installation features a strong contrast of black and white, which he learned from dazzle camouflage used mainly in World War I AP Culture news in pictures 13 September 2016 Visitors look at artworks by Chinese painter Cui Ruzhuo during the exhibition 'Glossiness of Uncarved Jade' held at the exhibition hall 'Manezh' in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 200 paintings by the Chinese artist are presented until 25 September EPA Culture news in pictures 12 September 2016 A visitor looks at Raphael's painting 'Extase de Sainte Cecile', 1515, from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence during the opening of a Raphael exhibition at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia. The first Russian exhibition of the works of the Italian Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino includes eight paintings and three drawings which come from Italy. Th exhibit opens to the public from 13 September to 11 December EPA Culture news in pictures 11 September 2016 Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd perform during Otis Redding 75th Birthday Celebration - Rehearsals at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia Getty Images for Otis Redding 75 Culture news in pictures 10 September 2016 Sakari Oramo conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Singers at the Last Night of the Proms 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall in London PA Culture news in pictures 9 September 2016 A visitor walks past a piece entitled "Fruitcake" by Joana Vasconcelo, during the Beyond Limits selling exhibition at Chatsworth House near Bakewell REUTERS Culture news in pictures 8 September 2016 A sculpture of a crescent standing on the 2,140 meters high mountain 'Freiheit' (German for 'freedom'), in the Alpstein region of the Appenzell alps, eastern Switzerland. The sculpture is lighted during the nights by means of solar panels. The 38-year-old Swiss artist and atheist Christian Meier set the crescent on the peak to start a debate on the meaning of religious symbols - as summit crosses - on mountains. 'Because so many peaks have crosses on them, it struck me as a great idea to put up an equally absurd contrast'. 'Naturally I wanted to provoke in a fun way. But it goes beyond that. The actions of an artist should be food for thought, both visually and in content' EPA Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures

Also refreshingly original, not to say subversive, is Will Mabbitt's This is NOT a Bedtime Story (Puffin, 6.99). Dad starts out by reading to daughter Sophie from an all-too-convincingly boring imaginary picture book where Pink Kitten hosts a birthday party. Sophie soon starts coming in with her own anarchic suggestions for upping the pace, allotting some of her bedroom toys increasingly heroic roles as she warms to her theme. Each version then struggles for ascendancy on the page, all hilariously pictured by Fred Blunt in cartoon mode. Dad certainly needs his quiet sit-down and a glass of wine by the end, but young audiences will probably want to watch him going through his story-telling ordeal again and again, each time picking out more comic detail.

Try to find room too for Fabi Santiago's Tiger in a Tutu (Orchard, 11.99). This Brazilian-born illustrator, now working in London, tells the story of a tiger coming out as a ballet dancer. Set in Paris, the saga of Max and his determination to get on the stage reads something like a fun version of Billy Elliot. Replete with ballet terms and packed with incidental detail, this engagingly romantic story also stars Celeste, a little ballerina offering valuable support when it is most needed.

Michael Foreman has been enriching children's imagination for years, and his latest picture book is well up to his super-high standards. Tufty: the Little Lost Duck who Found Love (Andersen, 11.99) has a needlessly sentimental title but this story has its tough side too. Living on a lake opposite what looks suspiciously like Buckingham Palace, Tufty admires those whom he calls the Duck and Duckess who walk by him in the day and party in the evening. Left behind after he fails to keep up with his family emigrating for winter, he finds himself lost in an alien city. But care is on hand from a homeless man who lives in a hollowed-out tree trunk opposite a smaller lake. Gentle colours and constantly shifting perspectives make this a book to treasure.
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The cliche with celebrity deaths  remembering exactly where you were when you heard about them  does not, I don't think, apply to books. For Ayrton Senna's sudden end, I can locate myself in the kitchen of my parent's house in Dundalk, Ireland, recalling the stunned silence that surrounded us. Not so with books, which for me seem never to be anchored in time and place. Of all the ones I've read, I struggle to name the country, year, maybe even decade I was in at the time, much less any specific situation or locale.

The exception being Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson. March 2009. Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle, Washington DC, where I killed time before meeting a friend for dinner. I'd moved there four months previously to work at the National Cancer Institute. My friend arrived in Kramers and asked me what was wrong. I struggled to recognise her, I could barely speak, Johnson's short masterpiece in my hands. The first story where a drug addict hitches a lift and is caught in a car crash in torrential biblical rain. The writing masterly, a narrative voice from down low but also on high, relating stories of junkies, something religious about them, like lost prophets, shorn of God itself.

Culture news in pictures Show all 33 1 /33 Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures 30 September 2016 An employee hangs works of art with "Grand Teatro" by Marino Marini (R) and bronze sculpture "Sfera N.3" by Arnaldo Pomodoro seen ahead of a Contemporary Art auction on 7 October, at Sotheby's in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 29 September 2016 Street art by Portuguese artist Odeith is seen in Dresden, during an exhibition "Magic City - art of the streets" AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 Dancers attend a photocall for the new "THE ONE Grand Show" at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, Germany REUTERS Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 With an array of thrift store china, humorous souvenirs and handmade tile adorning its walls and floors, the Mosaic Tile House in Venice stands as a monument to two decades of artistic collaboration between Cheri Pann and husband Gonzalo Duran REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A gallery assistant poses amongst work by Anthea Hamilton from her nominated show "Lichen! Libido!(London!) Chastity!" at a preview of the Turner Prize in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A technician wearing virtual reality glasses checks his installation in three British public telephone booths, set up outside the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. The installation allows visitors a 3-D look into the museum which has twenty-two paintings belonging to the British Royal Collection, on loan for an exhibit from 29 September 2016 till 8 January 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 An Indian artist dressed as Hindu god Shiva performs on a chariot as he participates in a religious procession 'Ravan ki Barat' held to mark the forthcoming Dussehra festival in Allahabad AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Air Power', 1984, is displayed at the Bowie/Collector media preview at Sotheby's in New York AFP/Getty Culture news in pictures 25 September 2016 A woman looks at an untitled painting by Albert Oehlen during the opening of an exhibition of works by German artists Georg Baselitz and Albert Oehlen in Reutlingen, Germany. The exhibition runs at the Kunstverein (art society) Reutlingen until 15 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 24 September 2016 Fan BingBing (C) attends the closing ceremony of the 64th San Sebastian Film Festival at Kursaal in San Sebastian, Spain Getty Images Culture news in pictures 23 September 2016 A view of the artwork 'You Are Metamorphosing' (1964) as part of the exhibition 'Retrospektive' of Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo at Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany. The exhibition runs from 25 September 2016 to 1 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 22 September 2016 Jo Applin from the Courtauld Institute of Art looks at Green Tilework in Live Flesh by Adriana Vareja, which features in a new exhibition, Flesh, at York Art Gallery. The new exhibition features works by Degas, Chardin, Francis Bacon and Sarah Lucas, showing how flesh has been portrayed by artists over the last 600 years PA Culture news in pictures 21 September 2016 Performers Sean Atkins and Sally Miller standing in for the characters played by Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell during a photocall for Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children" at Potters Field Park in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A detail from the blanket 'Alpine Cattle Drive' from 1926 by artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is displayed at the 'Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum for Contemporary Arts' in Berlin. The exhibition named 'Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Hieroglyphen' showing the complete collection of Berlin's Nationalgallerie works of the German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and will run from 23 September 2016 until 26 February 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A man looks at portrait photos by US photographer Bruce Gilden in the exhibition 'Masters of Photography' at the photokina in Cologne, Germany. The trade fair on photography, photokina, schowcases some 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries and runs from 20 to 25 September. The event also features various photo exhibitions EPA Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A woman looks at 'Blue Poles', 1952 by Jackson Pollock during a photocall at the Royal Academy of Arts, London PA Culture news in pictures 19 September 2016 Art installation The Refusal of Time, a collaboration with Philip Miller, Catherine Meyburgh and Peter Galison, which features as part of the William Kentridge exhibition Thick Time, showing from 21 September to 15 January at the Whitechapel Gallery in London PA Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Artists creating one off designs at the Mm6 Maison Margiela presentation during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections 2017 in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Bethenny Frankel attends the special screening of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Edition release on Blu-Ray and DVD in New York City Getty Images for Walt Disney Stu Culture news in pictures 17 September 2016 Visitors attend the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival at Theresienwiese in Munich, Germany Getty Images Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Visitors looks at British artist Damien Hirst work of art 'The Incomplete Truth', during the 13th Yalta Annual Meeting entitled 'The World, Europe and Ukraine: storms of changes', organised by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at the Mystetsky Arsenal Art Center in Kiev AP Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Tracey Emin's "My Bed" is exhibited at the Tate Liverpool as part of the exhibition Tracey Emin And William Blake In Focus, which highlights surprising links between the two artists Getty Images Culture news in pictures 15 September 2016 Musician Dave Grohl (L) joins musician Tom Morello of Prophets of Rage onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California Getty Images Culture news in pictures 14 September 2016 Model feebee poses as part of art installation "Narcissism : Dazzle room" made by artist Shigeki Matsuyama at rooms33 fashion and design exhibition in Tokyo. Matsuyama's installation features a strong contrast of black and white, which he learned from dazzle camouflage used mainly in World War I AP Culture news in pictures 13 September 2016 Visitors look at artworks by Chinese painter Cui Ruzhuo during the exhibition 'Glossiness of Uncarved Jade' held at the exhibition hall 'Manezh' in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 200 paintings by the Chinese artist are presented until 25 September EPA Culture news in pictures 12 September 2016 A visitor looks at Raphael's painting 'Extase de Sainte Cecile', 1515, from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence during the opening of a Raphael exhibition at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia. The first Russian exhibition of the works of the Italian Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino includes eight paintings and three drawings which come from Italy. Th exhibit opens to the public from 13 September to 11 December EPA Culture news in pictures 11 September 2016 Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd perform during Otis Redding 75th Birthday Celebration - Rehearsals at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia Getty Images for Otis Redding 75 Culture news in pictures 10 September 2016 Sakari Oramo conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Singers at the Last Night of the Proms 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall in London PA Culture news in pictures 9 September 2016 A visitor walks past a piece entitled "Fruitcake" by Joana Vasconcelo, during the Beyond Limits selling exhibition at Chatsworth House near Bakewell REUTERS Culture news in pictures 8 September 2016 A sculpture of a crescent standing on the 2,140 meters high mountain 'Freiheit' (German for 'freedom'), in the Alpstein region of the Appenzell alps, eastern Switzerland. The sculpture is lighted during the nights by means of solar panels. The 38-year-old Swiss artist and atheist Christian Meier set the crescent on the peak to start a debate on the meaning of religious symbols - as summit crosses - on mountains. 'Because so many peaks have crosses on them, it struck me as a great idea to put up an equally absurd contrast'. 'Naturally I wanted to provoke in a fun way. But it goes beyond that. The actions of an artist should be food for thought, both visually and in content' EPA Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures

At the time, I was in the early stages of considering myself a writer. Johnson's book begged to differ, called out my vanity, and none too politely. He was playing a different sport and playing it for keeps, it seemed to me like a mortal sort of combat, screaming at me that what I myself was writing was a total waste of time.

Dinner afterwards has not stayed with me, but I'm sure my friend did all the talking. I walked home disheartened, but the next morning got to it, earlier, merciless with myself, bloodyminded. I carry a copy of it around. Six months ago, I was on an internal flight in the States. A man who sold commercial real estate chatted amiably to me as we taxied. His tone changed when I produced my crumpled Jesus' Son. He looked at the title and turned away from me, shaking his head. "Is that what they're saying now," he said, "that He had one?" He didn't say another word for the rest of the flight. There are, I take it, different ways to be shook. He had his and I had mine.

Austin Duffy's novel, 'This Living and Immortal Thing' is published by Granta
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Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston, was released in 1959. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, all of which it went on to win (the first film to achieve such a feat, repeated only twice since by Titanic and The Return of the King).

But it turns out not even an esteemed classic such as this can evade the Hollywood remake - you can watch the trailer for it below.



What's strangest of all is how unheralded the whole thing feels: with this year's blockbuster talk focusing on Batman v Superman, Finding Dory and Star Wars prequel Rogue One, it almost seems a shame that a new Ben-Hur film has slipped under the radar as just another swords and sandal classic getting the Digital 3D once-over.

In a somewhat savvy manner, however, the film isn't being billed as a remake but as an adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.

Jack Huston will star in Heston's role as the titular protagonist who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him.

Also starring is Morgan Freeman, Toby Kebbell and Nazanin Boniadi while Rodrigo Santoro will play Jesus. On directing duties we have Timur Bekmambetov, the man behind the enjoyable thrillers Night Watch and Wanted.

Of course, we'll reserve judgement until the film is released on 26 August but we can't help but shudder at the thought of a chariot race in 3D. Who knows, maybe it'll be this year's Mad Max: Fury Road.
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A new spin-off comic has been released tracking Tony Stark's search to uncover the truth behind his legacy.

Titled International Iron Man #1, the story goes back 20 years into the future philanthropist's past - something that seems to have confused writer Brian Michael Bendis.

Bleeding Cool is the one that first noticed the discrepancies; alarm bells began ringing when a scene in the comic contained a crowd of West Ham fans singing club anthem "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" - at Cambridge University.

International Iron Man #1 (Alex Maleev)

Now, it's not too much of a stretch to assume that, with students attending from all over the UK, Stark may have happened upon a group of friends who had Hammers fandom in common. Or perhaps back then, for whatever reason, West Ham were playing Cambridge at an away game.

But this is where things get a little cloudier.

It's suggested that the confusion may have stemmed from the established Stark biography that states he went to university in Cambridge, Massachusetts and not the UK city. However, in issue one of the comic, the Cambridge University attended by Stark is, in fact, based in the UK - but in London, not Cambridge.

International Iron Man #1 (Alex Maleev)

That explains the West Ham fans, at least.

Geography isn't the only sketchy subject featured in the comic, either; Bleeding Cool has noticed how historical accuracy is thrown into question also.

There are allusions to Google, as well as drawings of characters casually using sleek mobile phones, which would be fine if the story's not supposed to be set in 1996 (Google was created in 1998 while mobile phones were basically bricks back then).

Still, in a universe that features armoured suits and Norse gods, we're sure readers can overlook a little inaccuracy. Maybe.
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There is a wonderful moment midway through High-Rise that sums up perfectly its savage satirical thrust. The towering apartment building in which the entire film is set is in a state of festering decay. The aristocratic types near the top are grumbling that the cleaner from down below hasn't put in an appearance for some time, simply because she hasn't been paid. Like all poor people, she is obsessed with money, someone sneers, making it clear that poverty is regarded as an affectation in the worst possible taste.

In adapting JG Ballard's novel, the director Ben Wheatley and screenwriter Amy Jump provide an inspired and very British exercise in grotesquerie. In its own warped way, the film is a lament for the merrie England of the mid- 1970s, just pre-Thatcher.

The production and costume design evoke the era in loving and fetishistic detail. Everything from the Alan Whicker-like blazer and whiskers of the TV presenter Cosgrove to the hairstyles and the flowing floral dresses of the women is lovingly detailed. Wheatley relishes the extreme contrasts found within the building  and between its floors. The film opens with scenes of entropy and extreme decay. The residents are shown living like savages amid the rubble. We are then whisked back in time to the moment that Laing (Tom Hiddleston) first takes up residence. In its stark, modernist way, the skyscraper as he first experiences it is very beautiful but it is rotting from within.

With its ensemble of very British oddballs fighting and fornicating, the film at times resembles Lindsay Anderson's Britannia Hospital, likewise a portrait of a class-ridden, dysfunctional Britain in microcosm, falling apart at the seams. What is impressive here is the way Wheatley combines the comedic elements with moments that are brutal and very disturbing. Amid the mounting chaos, the performances are generally understated. In the face of Armageddon and of corridors filled with garbage bags, all the characters keep their very British sangfroid. Hiddleston is excellent as the young professional who always maintains his poise, whether he is being humiliated at a party on the top floors or making small talk with his upstairs neighbour Charlotte (Sienna Miller) while they have sex.

Luke Evans brings panache and pathos to his role as the lecherous documentary filmmaker, Wilder. As the visionary but demented creator of the building, Jeremy Irons looks as if he's on leave from a David Cronenberg movie.

In its own scattergun way, the film deals with everything from celebrity narcissism (the actress giving out autographs) to class warfare, from voyeurism to the excesses of consumer culture and even a twisted utopianism.

Sometimes, the storytelling is a little crude. The orgy scenes have a whiff of Tinto Brass about them, and some of the jokes seem as if they've been culled from a surrealist sitcom.

This, though, is visionary film-making, wildly ambitious, very caustic and hitting the bull's eye of almost every target in its sights.
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Patricio Guzman's essay-style documentary is a deceptive but very moving affair. It starts in mystical fashion with reflections on a block of quartz discovered in the Chilean desert that is 3,000 years old and contains a drop of water within it. The voice-over meditates on this water as being the source of all life. The film celebrates the beauty of the Chilean landscapes.

Then, the politics kick in. The film provides a grim account of how the indigenous people (the Fuegians) were hunted down by settlers. Next, Guzman moves on to the toppling of President Allende and the Pinochet years, during which opponents of the regime were incarcerated, tortured, murdered and thrown from helicopters into the sea.

Then reflections on the cosmos are forgotten as the director deals in very direct fashion with atrocities that many Chileans would rather forget. "There's no limit to the cruelty. They didn't even have the grace, the compassion, to return the dead," one old timer remembers of this period.
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Unfortunately, even with well over 50,000 fans having put their name to a petition asking NBC to order a fourth series of Hannibal, it isnt looking very likely.

So who is to blame? After all, the series was critically well received and has an excitable fan base of many thousands.

Executive producer Martha De Laurentiis has said that at least part of the blame falls on online pirates - those who download the show illegally.

"When NBC decided not to renew Hannibal for a fourth season - a show on which I served as executive producer - it wasnt much of a leap to connect its fate with the fact that the show was ranked as the fifth-most illegally downloaded show in 2013," wrote De Laurentiis in an open letter for The Hill.

Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression Show all 4 1 /4 Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression 5347103.jpg Mark Long Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression 5347101.jpg Mark Long Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression 5347102.jpg Mark Long Woody Allen, Hannibal Lecter & me: The Best Picture Oscar winners that left a lasting impression 5347100.jpg Mark Long

"Did pirates kill Hannibal? Unfortunately, that is a cliffhanger that might last for a while. With more than two million viewers watching our show illegally, its hard not to think online pirates were, at the very least, partly responsible for hundreds of crew members losing their jobs and millions of fans  who watched the show legitimately  mourning the loss of a beloved program."

While this makes sense - that if those two million people had watched the show legally it would still be on the air - it may not actually hold true. Why? Because many of the most illegally downloaded shows in the world are still going very strong, Game of Thrones being the obvious example.

In actuality, Hannibal hasnt been illegally downloaded that much in the past year. According to TorrentFreak, last year it didnt fall in the top ten illegally downloaded shows, falling behind the likes of The Walking Dead, Big Bang Theory, The Flash, Mr. Robot and Suits.
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Every year, when Easter comes arounds, it feels like weve turned a corner. Its the epitome of springtime, signalling new life and a welcome change in the weather (cya winter).

From hot cross buns slathered in butter to a fruity slice of simnel cake or a delicious leg of lamb, theres plenty associated with this time of year when it comes to festive food. Of course, were not forgetting the Easter eggs  theyre any chocoholics favourite treat. From egg hunts for the kids, to a treat for yourself, theyre something everyone can get on board with.

Easter eggs usually come with a lot of packaging, though. Since 2019, weve seen the tide turning on this, with plenty of brands going the extra mile to reduce it, after it was reported in 2018 that up to a third of the weight of some Easter eggs could be attributed to the cardboard and plastic.

Since then, many brands have shunned plastic and have instead sought to protect eggs with clever hexagonal packaging or simpler cardboard boxes and tissue paper, which can easily be recycled. Weve featured plenty here.

From giant honeycomb-flavoured spheres to hidden moreish truffles and hand-painted eggs, to creations that are well outside of the norm (Heston, were looking at you), weve found the eggs to buy if youre looking for something a little more extravagant than a Cadburys classic.

Read more:

How we tested

We were looking for a well-made and excellent-tasting egg that was also a lovely luxury. Whats inside the egg was also taken into consideration, plus how eco-friendly the packaging was, and whether it was good value for money.

The best luxury Easter eggs for 2022 are:

Best honeycomb egg  Chococo giant milk chocolate honeycomb studded Easter egg: 27.50, Chococo.co.uk

 Chococo giant milk chocolate honeycomb studded Easter egg: 27.50, Chococo.co.uk Best white chocolate egg  Rococo Chocolates blonde chocolate egg: 35.95, Rococochocolates.com

 Rococo Chocolates blonde chocolate egg: 35.95, Rococochocolates.com Best mini eggs  Coco Easter duck eggs with praline centre: 7.95, Cocochocolatier.com

 Coco Easter duck eggs with praline centre: 7.95, Cocochocolatier.com Best half and half egg  Love Coca half and half Easter egg: 25, Lovecocoa.com

 Love Coca half and half Easter egg: 25, Lovecocoa.com Best brownie Easter egg  Blushing Cook floral brownie mini Easter eggs, set of six: 45, Blushingcook.com

 Blushing Cook floral brownie mini Easter eggs, set of six: 45, Blushingcook.com Best egg for gifting  Charbonnel et Walker fine dark chocolate Easter egg with truffles: 29.95, Harveynichols.com

 Charbonnel et Walker fine dark chocolate Easter egg with truffles: 29.95, Harveynichols.com Best for looks  Daylesford meadow Easter egg: 20, Daylesford.com

 Daylesford meadow Easter egg: 20, Daylesford.com Best non-egg-shaped egg  Waitrose Heston the golden apple: 15, Waitrose.com

 Waitrose Heston the golden apple: 15, Waitrose.com Best truffles  Prestat creamy milk chocolate Easter egg with Marc de champagne truffles: 28.80, Prestat.com

 Prestat creamy milk chocolate Easter egg with Marc de champagne truffles: 28.80, Prestat.com Best packaging  Chocolarder gola 60% toasted oat milk chocolate egg: 24.99, Selfridges.com

 Chocolarder gola 60% toasted oat milk chocolate egg: 24.99, Selfridges.com Best flavoured egg  Majani white chocolate with hazelnut and pistachio flat egg: 23.50, Thefoodmarket.com

Chococo giant milk chocolate honeycomb studded Easter egg Best: Honeycomb egg Rating: 9.5/10 Weight: 400g Calling all crunchie-lovers, this is the egg for you. Its an entire 400g of deliciousness and comes in entirely plastic-free packaging too. The exterior of the pointy egg is splattered with orange flecks, and inside the shell of the egg is the real treat; huge chunks of wonderfully crunchy and chewy honeycomb. Dont imagine small bits though: these are basically like funsize bars, and theres lots of them. The honeycomb comes from a local producer in Dorset, while the rest of the egg is made with 45 per cent milk chocolate of Venezuelan origin. Its a darker style of milk thats still creamy, but with an added coca depth that we love. Buy now 27.50 Chococo.co.uk {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Rococo Chocolates blonde chocolate egg Best: White chocolate egg Rating: 9/10 Weight: 360g As Londons oldest chocolatier, Rococo is one of our favourite chocolate makers at IndyBest. It consistently makes excellent quality chocolate, whether thats bars, boxes for gifting or little treats. The brands Seagull eggs were also featured in our guide to the best gifts for foodies, where we said they were mini bites of actual heaven, that are worth every bit of the 12 price tag. And this Easter egg, which is new for this year, is no different. This is the thickest and one of the sweetest eggs weve tested. The white chocolate has a sweet butterscotch flavour, with a hint of biscuit too. Best of all, inside is a little packet of popcorn, coated in a thick layer of the blondie chocolate. The boxes are also gorgeous  we cant bear to recycle it, so were keeping it to use for storage. Buy now 35.95 Rococochocolates.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Coco Easter duck eggs with praline centre Best: Mini eggs Rating: 8/10 Weight: 130g Were big fans of this brand, not only for its chocolate (of course) but also for its ever-so-cool packaging designs. This years Easter theme by artist Marco Oggian features ducks. But dont think pretty yellow fluffy things; this design is reminiscent of American artist Keith Harings drawings. Coming in classic springy pastel shades of yellow, pale pink and mint green sugary hard shells, these eggs are bigger than your average Cadburys mini egg, and, more importantly, have a decedent praline centre. The interior is creamy, but not super soft, and has that nutty tang praline is known for. Theres only a handful in the packet, but theyre mighty in taste. Buy now 7.95 Cocochocolatier.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Love Cocoa half and half Easter egg Best: Half and half egg Rating: 8.5/10 Weight: 300g Some chocoholics just cant choose between milk or dark  Love Coca hears your plight and has answered it with this half and half egg. One side features 70 per cent Peruvian single origin dark chocolate, which we really love as its still slightly creamy and not too bitter, as chocolate at this percentage sometimes can be. The other side is made up of 41 per cent milk chocolate, which is deliciously milky. Inside, meanwhile, is a little bag of decadent salted caramel truffles. Love Coca works with small family-run cocoa producers in Colombia who have been in business for more than 100 years, so they really know what theyre doing. This also means that it knows each step of its supply chain, ensuring no one is exploited and that every stage actively benefits from the production. We also really like this brand for its eco-credentials; its plastic-free, does not include palm oil and, for every bar bought, it plants mango trees in eastern Kenya, which provide ecosystems and protect against flooding. To date, it has planted more than a million trees. Buy now 25 Lovecocoa.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Blushing Cook floral brownie mini Easter eggs, set of six Best: Brownie Easter egg Rating: 9/10 These are without doubt the most beautiful eggs we came across. Decorated with real edible flowers, its hard for them not to catch your eye. Once you bite into the half eggs, you realise theres even more to them than meets the eye, as theyre actually brownies, encased in a layer of delicious milk chocolate. These are serious business for the real brownie lover in your life. Each box contains six, from dark, white to milk, and even for us its too hard to choose our favourite, so we suggest going for the mix. Theyre handmade and make a really super present that will no doubt bring a smile to your giftees face. Lets just hope they open them when youre there too. Buy now 45 Blushingcook.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Charbonnel et Walker fine dark chocolate Easter egg with truffles Best: Egg for gifting Rating: 8.5/10 Weight: 230g You will no doubt recognise Charbonnel et Walker for its round boxes of luxurious truffles (we love the champagne ones the most). For Easter its had a festive makeover, with this gorgeous cardboard tube decorated with bunnies, birds and pink, yellow and blue spring flowers. Its so adorable were working out how we can reuse it. Pull off the outer lid and at the top is an array of different dark truffles. Theres no little menu like in a box of chocolates, but we promise that if youre brave, youll get no nasty surprises. Unless you hate a strawberry creme, that is. Were big fans though. The rest are a mix of truffles. Then, youll notice theres a little gold ribbon tab at the bottom, and underneath is the main event. Nested in shredded paper is a small Easter egg, wrapped and finished with ribbon. Its all pretty extravagant, but makes for a great egg to give to someone really special (or yourself, no judgement). The dark chocolate has a rough texture on the outside, and is nicely thick. Its also available in milk chocolate. Buy now 29.95 Harveynichols.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Daylesford meadow Easter egg Best: For looks Rating: 8/10 Weight: 200g This egg was too pretty to eat... almost. Of course, we had to eat it, but that doesnt mean breaking the glistening blue shell wasnt a little bit heartbreaking. The hand-painted design was inspired by a beautiful spring meadow. With its hues of grass green and bright blue sky dotted with flowers, this egg is double layered. The exterior is white chocolate thats been hand-painted, while the inside layer is milk. Its deliciously creamy chocolate is of Daylesfords usual high quality. Due to the fragility of the egg, it still does come in a plastic box, but its made from 60 per cent recycled materials, and the entirety of the packaging can also be recycled easily. Buy now 20 Daylesford.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Waitrose Heston the golden apple Best: Non-egg-shaped egg Rating: 8.5/10 Weight: 260g True to Hestons style, this egg is non-conforming, with unexpected flavour combinations, although these arent as wild as some of his previous creations. And were ok with that. Resisting a traditional egg shape (or really, anything spring-like at all), apparently the inspiration here comes from Newton discovering gravity through the apple dropping from the tree. It certainly looks good thanks to its shimmery gold coating. The hollow apple, which is bigger than a large fist, is made up of one layer of chocolate, which is actually white and flavoured with caramelised sugar, while the inside layer is dark. The two of them work in tandem to create a deliciously pleasing creamy treat. As you break into the apple, they do come apart, so you can eat them separately if you fancy the full sugary hit, or the more bitter dark layer, on its own. It also comes with six little apples, which are actually little semicircle praline truffles that are shimmering red. All of the chocolate is made using Fairtrade cacao. Sadly, theres still a decent amount of plastic packaging, although it can be recycled. Buy now 15 Waitrose.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Prestat creamy milk chocolate Easter egg with Marc de champagne truffles Best: Truffles Rating: 8.5/10 Weight: 170g Mixing booze and chocolate often gets a bad rep thanks to the use of very questionable liquors  and quite rightly so. But, of course, Prestat has not made that mistake. This small but impressive egg is beautifully presented. The milk egg is, as it says, creamy and of a decent thickness. Inside the egg is a handful of delicious tuffles that are filled with silky smooth champagne ganache thats oh-so moreish and decadent. Theyre made using the same grapes used for the champagne of the same name. It is small but perfectly formed and makes another superb gift. Buy now 28.80 Prestat.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Chocolarder gola 60% toasted oat milk chocolate egg Best: Packaging Rating: 8/10 Weight: 210g Headed up by pastry chef Mike Longman since 2012, this bean-to-bar brand has really shaken things up with its packaging. Shunning traditional plastic moulds to protect its precious shells, it uses hexagonal cardboard. Made by master chocolatiers in Falmouth, the cacao comes from the Gola rainforest in Sierra Leone, where charities work with local farmers to ensure it is produced sustainably and has been fairly traded. The brand even claims that its slavery-free, as well as its products being free from palm oil and refined sugars. Instead of the latter, the brand uses toasted whole oats and unrefined sugars to give the chocolate a creaminess without the need for dairy. We really loved the taste of this delectable egg which is well balanced with hints of oats and hazelnuts, making it a great one for both milk and dark chocolate lovers. Buy now 24.99 Selfridges.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}

Majani white chocolate with hazelnut and pistachio flat egg Best: Flavoured egg Rating: 7.5/10 Weight: 250g White chocolate is much more than just Milky Bar for adults... and Easter eggs are not always chocolate eggshells either. Coming from Italys oldest chocolate-making family, dating back to 1796, this large, egg-shaped slab is coated with a chunky, diagonal splattering of tiny grains of hazelnut and pistachio to give it a more grown-up appeal. Its the perfect gift for a white-chocolate-loving adult. Its creamy and crunchy and a welcome change from the norm. Buy now 23.50 Thefoodmarket.com {{#hasItems}} Price comparison {{#items}} {{ merchant }} {{ price }} Buy now {{/items}}
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France is planning to usurp Scotlands reputation as the home of the worlds best whisky, fired by a growing national obsession with the drink.

According to a study by retail consultants Bonial, the French drink more whisky than any other country  an average of 2.15 litres a year, compared to 1.8 litres in second-placed Uruguay and the US in third on 1.4 litres, The Times reported.

The French Federation of Spirits has also found that whisky accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the spirits market in France, compared to 25 per cent for pastis and just 0.5 per cent for cognac.

While 90 per cent of the whisky sold in France is from Scotland, the surge in popularity of the drink in recent years means experts who once worked on grape-derived alcohol are switching to the fledgling French whisky trade.

Nicolas Julhes, head of the Distillerie de Paris, said: Within 15 years the worlds best whiskies will be French.

Food and drink news Show all 35 1 /35 Food and drink news Food and drink news Healthy living makes us more inclined to binge, research suggests Gluten-free breads, dairy-free milks and other plant-based products have been some of the most favoured foods in British supermarkets this year. However, while were busy filling our shopping trolleys with gluten-free goodness, were also jamming it with junk food and alcohol, new research suggests Getty/iStock Food and drink news Growing list of Vegan celebs Making the switch to veganism is a major lifestyle choice, one that many claim can improve energy levels, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and clear up any skin issues. Beyonce, Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain are among the growing list of Hollywood stars who have eschewed animal products from their diets in recent years. Theres also been an increasing number of professional athletes who have gone vegan, such as boxing champions Mike Tyson and David Haye, thus debunking the myth that following a plant-based diet will leave you feeling weak and malnourished. AFP/Getty/NARAS/iHeartMedia Food and drink news McDonald's has announced the launch of a new vegan burger on its menu in Germany This will mark the first time the German franchise of the fast food chain has offered a vegan burger to its customers. The Big Vegan TS burger consists of a patty made from soy and wheat. It is served in a classic sesame seed bun, and contains salad, tomato, pickles and red onion. McDonald's Germany Food and drink news Drinking too many protein shakes could lead to an increased risk of obesity and a reduced lifespan, a new study has claimed Researchers from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre carried out an investigation to determine the impact excessive consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) has on the body. BCAA supplements are often consumed in the form of powder, which is then added to water to make a shake. Published in journal Nature Metabolism, the study found that while BCAAs help to build muscle, they can also negatively impact an individual's temperament, cause weight gain and lead to a shortened lifespan Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Britain consumes more chocolate than any other country Most people love chocolate but it turns out no one does more than the Brits  with the average Brit found to have consumed 8.4 kg of chocolate in 2017, according to new data. Chocolate consumption around the world is on the rise, according to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), which found that in the past year alone, Easter chocolate production has risen by 23 per cent Food and drink news 'Easter eggs should be banned for children under four' Dr Becky Spelman, chief psychologist at Harley Streets Private Therapy Clinic, is calling for Easter eggs to be banned for consumption for children under the age of four, claiming that giving them the opportunity to binge on chocolate so young will give them an unhealthy relationship with food later on. "This is a nightmare situation for parents of this generation as they have no idea how to teach their children to delay their response to cravings, she said, explaining that too many young kids binge on these chocolates because their parents dont know how to stop them. "Once a child starts overeating behaviour at a young age its very hard to turn things around for them in terms of food and their eating habits moving forward, leading to obesity from at very young age," she added PA Food and drink news Pineapple overtakes avocado as the UK's fastest-selling fruit According to Tesco, pineapple has overtaken avocado as the UKs fastest-selling fruit, with sales increasing by 15 per cent in 2017. In comparison, avocado sales rose by just under 10 per cent last year. The popular supermarket says the surge in popularity comes as shoppers buying the versatile fruit are beginning to use it as a main ingredient in everything from curries and barbecues, to juices and cocktails Getty Food and drink news Marks & Spencers launches stoneless avocados Rather than the result of genetic modification, the avocados are formed by an unpollinated avocado blossom. The fruit develops without a seed which in turns stops the growth, creating a small, seedless fruit. Whats more, the skin is actually edible, unlike a regular avocado. The flesh is much like that of a normal avocado - smooth and creamy, pale in colour and rich in flavour M&S Food and drink news Office teabags contain 17 times more germs than a toilet seat, reveals study The average bacterial reading of an office teabag was 3,785, in comparison to only 220 for a toilet seat. Other pieces of kitchen equipment also stacked up highly in their findings, with the bacterial readings averaging at 2,483 on kettle handles, 1,746 on the rim of a used mug and 1,592 on a fridge door handle Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news New study shows drinking more coffee leads to a longer life There is good news and a final hope for coffee addicts and lovers. You will now be able to drink coffee for longer as new study shows its can lead to a prolonged life. Scientists showed that those who drank between two and four cups of coffee a day had 18% lower risk of death compared to non-coffee drinkers. PA Food and drink news Coke Zero is replaced with Coke Zero Sugar Coca-Cola is pulling the plug on its Coke Zero. The much loved drink will be replaced with a new improved taste. The move, backed with a 10 million campaign, is said to come from Coca-Cola supporting people to reduce their sugar intake. Coca-Cola want people make this move while not sacrificing sugary taste of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola Food and drink news Starbucks introduce new avocado spread The avocado craze has grown from hipster brunch restaurants to Starbucks. Starbucks have introduced their new avocado spread earlier this year and it has the internet in debate. Some argue that it not a spread but guacamole while others question if there is any avocado in there at all. When buying the new spread you can also buy an optional toasted bagel. It is a must try for all avocado connoisseurs. Starbucks Food and drink news New Mars chocolate bar The iconic British chocolate bar is about to get its partner in crime. The new bar, named Goodness Knows, will replace the gooey caramel goodness of the mars bar with oats. It is said to be more like a Florentine biscuit with a thin dark chocolate bottom. While being moderately healthy Mars says that is has good intentions. One pack has 154 calories and will sell for about 90p. Mars Food and drink news Wine prices could increase because of Brexit Wine lovers across the UK might soon have to shell out close to a quarter more for their favourite tipple after Brexit, as a weaker pound and sluggish economy takes its toll, a new study shows Rex Food and drink news Chocolate may be good for the heart A new study, published in the British Medical Journal: Heart, found that moderate chocolate intake can be positively associated with lessening the risk of the heart arrhythmia condition Atrial Fibrillation Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Brits throw away 1.4 million bananas each year British families are throwing away 1.4 million bananas that are perfectly good to eat every day at cost of 80m a year, new figures have shown PA/Armin Weigel Food and drink news Rosemary sales spike over exam time There has been a surge a surge in sales of the herb rosemary after a recent study found it helps improve memory. According to high street health food chain Holland & Barrett, sales of the herb have increased by 187 per cent compared to the same time last year Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Gluten-free diets 'not recommended' for people without coeliac disease Avoiding wheat, barley and rye in the belief that a gluten-free diet brings health benefits may do more harm than good, according to a team of US nutrition and medicine experts Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Starbucks launches two new coffee-based drinks Starbucks is launching two new coffee-based drinks in the UK, as it strives to tap into consumers growing appetite for healthy beverages. The Cold Brew Vanilla sweet cream and the Cappuccino Freddo, will both be available in stores throughout the UK from the start of May Twitter/@SbuxCountyHall Food and drink news Cadburys Dairy Milk Tiffin is making a permanent comeback after 80 years The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. The raisin and biscuit-filled chocolate bar is being launched after a successful trial last summer saw 3 million chocolate treats  at the cost of 1.49 for each 95g bar- purchased by nostalgic customers Cadburys Food and drink news Pizza restaurant makes worlds cheesiest 'Scottie's Pizza Parlor' in Portland Oregon has created the worlds cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Facebook/Scottie's Pizza Parlor Food and drink news A pizza joint in Portland Oregon has created the worlds cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Why not eating before a workout could be better for your health A study published in the American Journal of Physiology by researchers at the University of Bath found you might be likely to burn more fat if you have not eaten first Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news New York restaurant named best in the world A New York restaurant where an average meal for two will cost $700 has been named the best in the world. Eleven Madison Park won the accolade for the first time after debuting on the list at number 50 in 2010. The restaurant was praised for a fun sense of fine-dining, blurring the line between the kitchen and the dining room Getty Images Food and drink news Why you crave bad food when youre tired Researchers at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University in Chicago recently presented their results of a study looking into the effects of sleep deprivation upon high-calorific food consumption. Researchers found that those who were sleep-deprived had specifically enhanced brain activity to the food smells compared to when they had a good nights sleep Shutterstock Food and drink news Drinking wine engages more of your brain than solving maths problems Drinking wine is the ideal workout for your brain, engaging more parts of our grey matter than any other human behaviour, according to a leading neuroscientist. Dr Gordon Shepherd, from the Yale School of Medicine, said sniffing and analysing a wine before drinking it requires exquisite control of one of the biggest muscles in the body Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news British dessert eating surges after people ditch healthy eating in February : In heartening news for anyone feeling guilty about quitting their New Year diet, it seems lots of us have given in to our sweet tooths once again. New data from nationwide food-delivery service Deliveroo reveals there was a surge in Brits ordering desserts in February compared to the first month of 2017 Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news US congress debates definition of milk alternatives A new bill has been created that seeks to ban dairy alternatives from using the term milk. Titled the DAIRY PRIDE Act, the name is a tenuous acronym for defending against imitations and replacements of yogurt, milk, and cheese to promote regular intake of dairy every day. It argues that the dairy industry is struggling as a result of all the dairy-free alternatives on the market and the public are being duped too Getty Images Food and drink news Cadburys launches two new chocolate bars UK confectionary giant Cadbury has launched two new chocolate bars, hoping to lure those with a sweet tooth and perhaps help combat some of the challenges it faces from rising commodity prices and a post-Brexit slump in the value of the pound.The companys new products will be peanut butter and mint flavoured. They will be available in most major super markets as 120g bars, priced at 1.49, according to the company Cadburys Food and drink news You can now get a job as a professional chocolate eater The company responsible for some of your favourite chocolate brands  think Cadbury, Milks, Prince and Oreo  have officially announced an opening to join their team as a professional chocolate taster. The successful candidate will help them to test, perfect and launch new products all over the world. Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news MSG additive used in Chinese food is actually good for you, scientist claims For years, weve been told MSG (the sodium salt of glutamic acid) - often associated with cheap Chinese takeaways - is awful for our health and to be avoided at all costs. But one scientist argues it should be used as a supersalt and encourages adding it to food. Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Lettuce prices are rising Not only are lettuces becoming an increasingly rare commodity in supermarkets, but prices for the leafy vegetables seem to be rising too. According to the weekly report from the Governments Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a pair of Little Gem lettuces had an average market price of 0.86 in the week that ended on Friday, up from an average of 0.56 in the previous week  thats an almost 54 per cent increase. Getty Images Food and drink news Do-It-Yourself restaurant To encourage more people to cook and eat together, IKEA has launched The Dining Club in Shoreditch  a fully immersive Do-It-Yourself restaurant . Members of the public can book to host a brunch, lunch or dinner party for up to 20 friends and family. Supported by their very own sous chef and maitre de, the host and their guests will orchestrate an intimate dining experience where cooking together is celebrated and eating together is inspirational Mikael Buck / IKEA Food and drink news Ping Pong menu with a twist Gatwick Airport has teamed up with London dim sum restaurant Ping Pong to create a limited edition menu with a distinctly British twist; including a Full English Bao and Beef Wellington Puff, to celebrate the launch of the airports new route to Hong Kong Food and drink news Zizzi unveil the Maamgharita Unique pizza art has been created by Zizzi in celebration of the Queens 90th birthday. The pizza features the queen in an iconic pose illustrated with fresh and tasty Italian ingredients on a backdrop of the Union Jack Food and drink news Blue potatoes make a comeback Blue potatoes, once a staple part of British potato crops, are back on the menu thanks to a Cambridge scientist turned-organic farmer and Farmdrop, an online marketplace that lets people buy direct from local farms. Cambridge PhD graduate-turned farmer, Adrian Izzard has used traditional growing techniques at Wild Country Organics to produce the colourful spuds, packed with healthy cell-protecting anthocyanin, which had previously disappeared from UK plates when post-war farmers were pushed towards higher-yielding varieties

We will be able to stop copying the Scots to bring a real French style. We have the greatest specialists on the ageing [of alcohol] who have always worked in wine and cognac.

The rest of the top 10 whisky drinking nations, according to the Bonial study, were: Australia (1.3 litres), Spain (1.29 litres), United Arab Emirates (1.27 litres), the UK (1.25 litres), Ireland (1.24 litres) and India (1.24 litres).
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A plane that can fly six times as fast as sound is just years away, according to its manufacturers.

The new military plane would be able to fly around 4,500 miles per hour, according to defence firm Lockheed Martin.

Companies have long struggled to develop such quick aircraft. But new engineering developments might finally make it possible to break through those records.

The company hopes that the new plane is just one step on the way towards its ultimate aim of planes that can fly as much as 20 times the speed of sound, according to CNBC.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The new technology allows the planes to harness a stream of air that would be compressed as the plane flies forward. Usually, planes work by using fan blades to compress that air  but the new changes will allow it to do so much more quickly.

The technology means that the SR-72 might come into service in the 2030s.

As well as the engine systems, some previous planes have been held back by the materials theyre made of. The Concorde, for instance, could only fly around twice the speed of sound.

The new plane will avoid those problems by being coated in ceramic tiles, of the same kind that were on the Space Shuttle.
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Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, has said he's 'worried' about the direction the Apple Watch is taking the company.

65-year-old Wozniak, the man who created the revolutionary Apple I home computer and led the design of the Apple II, gave his opinions on the smartwatch during a question-and-answer session on Reddit.

When asked to appraise how chief executive Tim Cook is doing at the company, Wozniak said: "I worry a little bit about - I mean I love my Apple Watch, but - it's taken us into a jewelry market where you're going to buy a watch between $500 and $1,199 based on how important you think you are as a person."

"The only difference is the band in all those watches. Twenty watches from $500 to $1,100. The band's the only difference? Well this isn't the company that Apple was originally, or the company that really changed the world a lot."

Pricing for the Apple Watch begins at 299 for the smallest basic Sport version, going up to around 800 for an identical model with a stainless steel band, before peaking at 13,500 for an 18-carat gold version. Despite the changes in pricing, the watches are the same on the inside, apart from a few variations in size and battery life.

Wozniak said: "So it might be moving, but you've got to follow, you know. You've got to follow the paths of where the markets are."

Despite his concerns about the Apple Watch, Wozniak "approves very strongly" of Cook's leadership, saying he is "continuing a strong tradition" of creating good products that late co-founder Steve Jobs began, and adding: "I love the software, I love the hardware, and nothing's letting me down."

In a wide-ranging 'Ask Me Anything' (AMA) session, Wozniak also spoke about the ongoing battle between the FBI and Apple over the unlocking of an iPhone which belonged to one of the San Bernadino shooters, who killed 14 people in California in a December 2015 attack.

Expressing his commitment to "personal liberties" and the Bill of Rights, which protects Americans from spying and seizure of property without a warrant, Wozniak called computer viruses "dangerous, dangerous things."

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Speaking about a 'backdoor' in Apple devices which would allow authorities to access the data on them, he said: "If some code gets written in an Apple product that lets people in, bad people are going to find their way to it, very likely."

He also wrote about the modern obsession with technology, which the company he co-founded partially helped bring about.

Claiming that he tries to avoid carrying around his phone and answering every text immediately, he said: "I really see a lot of people that are dragged into [technology], but you know, I don't criticise them. When you have change, it's not that the change in how people are behaving different to you is bad or good, it's just different."

However, he did acknowledge how much smartphones have taken over our lives, writing: "When we started Apple, Steve Jobs and I talked about how we wanted to make blind people as equal and capable as sighted people, and you'd have to say we succeeded when you look at all the people walking down the sidewalk looking down at something in their hands and totally oblivious to everything around them!"
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One of Britains biggest care agencies has paid out a settlement to a former employee after she sued them for refusing to reimburse her for travel time between home visits - paving the way for thousands of workers in the sector to make similar claims.

Caroline Barlow, 56, claimed she was effectively paid below the minimum wage per hour by MiHomecare because she was not compensated for attending an average of eight appointments per day at various locations in the South West of England in her own car.

Ms Barlow, a mother-of-two, said she in fact often worked 12-hour days for just seven hours pay because travel and overtime were not paid.

MiHomecare, which markets itself under the slogan We care about care, settled out of court in the employment tribunal.

But the case has raised the possibility that thousands of other care workers working for different agencies could make similar claims against their current or former employers.

The landmark case could pave the way for as many as 500,000 care workers to take action.

Leigh Day, the law firm which represented Ms Barlow, is now asking for people who feel they may have similar complaints to contact them to discuss the possibility of class action.

In Ms Barlow's case, it argued that lack of payment for travel time constituted an unlawful deduction of wages.

Jasmine Patel, the lawyer representing Ms Barlow in this case, said in a statement: We are very pleased to have settled this case. Ms Barlows travel to and from appointments was a necessary part of her job and as such, she should have been paid for it.

We believe there are potentially thousands more care workers who are being paid less than the National Minimum Wage.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

In February 2016, MiHomeCare agreed to pay Ms Barlow 1,250 in compensation.

The home care organisation, which cares for people who need help and support due to old age, illness, disability or infirmity, told the BBC that following a review in June last year they had revised all pay rates that required adjustment and amended care rosters to ensure that they complied with relevant legislation.

A spokesman told The Independent: When this came up a year ago we said that if our carers pay was wrong we would correct it and this is exactly what we have done. We have corrected all the errors that we have found and have paid or are in the process of paying any money due to our carers. Therefore any suggestion that MiHomecare could face a class action in respect of unpaid travel time is nonsense.

"In June 2015, after our payroll compliance review, we revised all pay rates that required adjustment immediately and amended care rosters to ensure that we are complying with relevant legislation. We conduct regular ongoing payroll checks for all our care workers to ensure compliance and continue to work closely with HMRC to ensure the interpretation of minimum wage legislation is correct."

It is estimated that around 883,000 people receive domiciliary care in the UK.
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Introducing a sugar tax on its own will fail to combat childhood obesity, according to the Governments own department responsible for the nations health.

In its Sugar Reduction report published last October, Public Health England said although price increases on specific high sugar products like sugar sweetened drinks, through fiscal measures like a tax or levy, would reduce purchasing in the short term if set high enough, other factors also needed to be implemented to combat obesity.

It is unlikely that a single action would be effective in reducing sugar intakes, the PHE report said. The evidence broadly suggests that a structured approach, involving restrictions on price promotions and marketing, product reformulation, portion size reduction and price increase on unhealthy products, implemented in parallel is likely to have a more universal effect.

As sugar intakes are higher in lower income groups, reducing levels of sugar in foods through reformulation may have the biggest effect on this group.

The report made eight recommendations it said should be brought about to reduce sugar consumption, including the reduction of opportunities to market and advertise high sugar food and drink products to children and adults across all media, and the reduction of supermarket price promotions involving food with a high sugar content.

The new sugar tax will mean a charge of about 18p a litre for drinks containing 5 to 8 grams of sugar per 100ml, such as a can of Sprite, and a higher rate charge of 24p a litre for drinks like cans of Coca Cola with more than 8g per 100ml. However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said that the design of the levy left a lot to be desired.

Analyst Kate Smith said the policy may simply encourage consumers who were very keen on sugar to move away from soft drinks to other products which were not hit by the tax such as fruit juices, milk shakes, chocolate and other confectionery.

Ms Smith said: It may very well be the case that a tax on sugary soft drinks might be a good starting point at reducing excess sugar consumption. But the effects of this tax are incredibly uncertain and depend crucially on how people respond to the tax both on the consumer and on the food industry side.

Indeed the effect of the tax on total sugar consumption might be offset if people switch to fruit juices or other high sugary products.

Professor Graham MacGregor, Chair of Action on Sugar said: The country is still eagerly awaiting for David Cameron to announce his long overdue childhood obesity strategy and he now has a unique opportunity to produce a coherent, structured evidence-based plan based on our six key recommendations, which includes food and drink reformulation, to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: We know there is no silver bullet to solve our childhood obesity problem, but this is a fantastic start and our obesity strategy will build on this solid foundation.
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Having high standards in a marriage where there are already severe problems can further break down the relationship, according to a new study.

Research published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed that by expecting too much in terms of how caring or supportive a spouse is expected to be only improved marriage satisfaction among people in strong relationships.

The conclusions were reached after researchers collected data from 135 newlywed couples over four years.

Each spouse was asked to fill in a survey to determine information about their standards, their marital satisfaction and whether there were any marital problems on multiple occasions during the study.

Dr James McNulty, a professor of psychology at Florida State University who conducted the study called 'Should Spouses Be Demanding Less From Marriage?', found that the couples who had the highest levels of marriage satisfaction had low levels of indirect hostility.

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This indicated that they had a stronger marriage and were therefore more able to meet the higher standards expected of one another.

Commenting on the standards, he said: Some people demand too much from their marriage because they are requiring that their marriages fulfil needs that they are not capable of achieving, either because they have limited time, energy, effort, or skills to apply to their marriage.

But other people demand too little from their marriages, he said. Their marriage is a potential source of personal fulfilment that they are not exploiting.

He added: "Ultimately, spouses appear to be best off to the extent that they ask of their marriages as much as, but not more than, their marriages are able to give them."

Dr McNulty also found that indirect hostility was harmful for all couples and more destructive than direct hostility, where a spouse openly blames their partner for a problem.

Direct hostility was more positive because it communicated to spouses that something in their marriage needed to change.

Dr McNulty concluded: This research suggests people need to have some idea of what they can get from marriage before they get it.

That is obviously difficult, which may explain why couples experience a mismatch between what they demand and what they can actually attain.
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George Osborne has had his last chance at delivering a budget surplus by the end of this parliament without imposing huge tax rises or spending cuts.

Thats the view of Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The IFS gives its much anticipated response to the Budget on Thursday, which is now widely regarded as the ultimate authority on the Chancellors spending plans.

In a preview of the analysis to come, Johnson told the Today programme that genuinely big tax rises or spending cuts would be needed to cut the deficit by 2020 if there was any further downgrade in the public finances.

Osborne is struggling to meet his target of cutting the deficit - or the difference between what the Government earns in taxes and the amount that it spends - because of lower income tax receipts from weaker earnings. Resolution Foundation analysis shows that wages are not set to return to their pre-crisis peak before the end of parliament, in 2020/21.

Osborne has about a 50/50 chance cutting the deficit by 2020

(Resolution Foundation)

Johnson said there was only a 50/50 chance that Osborne would reach his target, echoing analysis from the Resolution Foundation.

"If things change again, if the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] downgrades its forecasts again, I don't think he will be able to get away with anything like this. I think he will be forced to put some proper tax increases in or possibly find some yet further proper spending cuts, Johnson said.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

"I think this is going to be the last chance he gets to move things around like this without doing anything genuinely big to the public finances, Johnson added.

Andrew Sentance, senior economic adviser at PWC, earlier told the BBC that the OBR had downgraded its forecasts for UK economic growth because of the financial crisis.

In my view this is realistic. Were in a new normal for economic growth after the crisis. But it does mean the UK economy wont grow as fast as Osborne was expecting in his Autumn Statement, Sentance said.
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The European Commission will be obliged to consult with US authorities before adopting new legislative proposals following passage of a controversial series of trade negotiations being carried out mostly in secret.

A leaked document obtained by campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and the Independent from the ongoing EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations reveals the unelected Commission will have authority to decide in which areas there should be cooperation with the US  leaving EU member states and the European Parliament further sidelined.

The main objective of TTIP is to harmonise transatlantic rules in a range of areas  including food and consumer product safety, environmental protection, financial services and banking.

 What is TTIP?

The leaked document concerns the regulatory cooperation chapter of the talks, which the European Union says will result in cutting red tape for EU firms without cutting corners. It shows a labyrinth of procedures that could tie up any EU proposals that go against US interests, according to analysis by CEO.

The campaign group said the document also reveals the extent to which major corporations and industry groups will be able to influence the development of regulatory cooperation by making what is referred to as a substantial proposal to the working agenda of the Commission and US agencies.

The plans revealed by the document will give the US regulatory authorities a questionable role in Brussels lawmaking and weaken the European Parliament, CEO argues.

Kenneth Haar, researcher for CEO, said: EU and US determination to put big business at the heart of decision-making is a direct threat to democratic principles. This document shows how TTIPs regulatory cooperation will facilitate big business influence  and US influence  on lawmaking before a proposal is even presented to parliaments.

Nick Dearden, director of the Global Justice Now campaign group, said: The leak absolutely confirms our fears about TTIP. Its all about giving big business more power over a very wide range of laws and regulations. In fact, business lobbies are on record as saying they want to co-write laws with governments  this gets them a step closer. This isnt an add on or a small part of TTIP  its absolutely central.

Mr Dearden said it was scary that the US could get the power to challenge and amend European regulations before elected European politicians have had the chance to debate them.

Referring to the imminent EU referendum, he said: Were talking about sovereignty at the moment in this country  its difficult to imagine a more serious threat to our sovereignty than this trade deal.

CEO says greater regulatory cooperation between the EU and the US has already led to public health concerns  such as the EU failing to regulate hormone-disrupting chemicals and the recent Glyphosate relicensing controversy.

CEO claims that on both issues the Commission listened closely to US authorities and big business despite the health threats posed by these chemicals to EU citizens.

A spokesman for the European Commission said: These accusations are unfounded and are not reflected in the EU proposal for simplifying rules for EU exporters. The text on regulatory cooperation will be published soon for everyone to see that this so-called analysis is completely false, presents a biased view of the European Commissions work and ignores the reality of EU texts. Regulators  not trade negotiators  will continue to lead regulatory cooperation initiatives  both in the EU and the US.

Explainer: The TTIP

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed trade agreement between the EU and the US, with the aim of promoting trade and multilateral economic growth.

The EU says that the aim of TTIP is to help people and businesses by opening up the US to firms in the bloc, helping cut red tape that firms face when exporting and setting new rules to make it easier and fairer to export, import and invest overseas.

Anti-TTIP campaigners say the deal will increase the power of multinationals at the expense of democracy and the general good.

One of the main issues around the negotiations is that so many of the talks have been carried out in secret, with media leaks the only way the public is being informed as to what is happening.

The European Commission says that the TTIP would boost the EUs economy by 120bn, the US economy by 90bn and the rest of the world by 100bn. The trade deal is opposed by unions, charities, NGOs and environmentalists, particularly in Europe, with critics previously telling The Independent that negative impacts include reducing the regulatory barriers to trade for big business, things like food safety law, environmental and banking regulations and the sovereign powers of individual nations, or more critically as an assault on European and US societies by transnational corporations.

The European Commission says once a final text has been agreed it will be up to member state governments and MEPs to decide on the implementation of the deal.

Leaked document highlights serious threat to democracy

By Kenneth Haar, CEO researcher

So-called regulatory cooperation in the ongoing EU-US TTIP talks seeks to bring legislation on both sides of the Atlantic into line. This chapter of the negotiations means razing those regulatory barriers already in place and preventing new ones from emerging.

Lengthy procedures, including vetting by business for possible economic impacts, are thus envisaged for new regulations. Such measures have already been used informally to weaken EU ambition on financial sector supervision in the years leading up to the 2008 collapse, to offer a free pass to US companies on personal data protection, and to delay or water down EU proposals on animal testing and aviation emissions.

More recently, in the case of toxic hormone disrupting chemicals, we've seen the European Commission siding closely with US authorities and big business in refusing to take action to restrict the use of these substances despite the well-documented health threats posed to EU citizens.

Enshrining such procedures into legislation under TTIP will lead to intensified attacks on laws that protect public health, workers rights and environmental standards.

This leaked document from the negotiations confirms fears that the Commission will be obliged to consult with US authorities before adopting new legislative proposals while EU Member States and the European Parliament are sidelined. The leak also offers a glimpse at the proposed bureaucratic labyrinth of impact assessments, dialogues, consultations and reviews that could tie up any proposals that go against US business interests.

All in all, the extent to which big business will be able to influence regulations under these proposals is a serious threat to democracy as we know it.
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Justin Trudeau has said there is "still much work to be done" to achieve gender quality and that men need to be comfortable calling themselves feminists.

The Canadian Prime Minister walked on to the stage at the Waldorf Astoria New York hotel hand in hand with his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, to receive a special commendation at an awards ceremony on gender equality.

As many of you know Im a feminist and am proud to call myself one, he said to loud applause.

Men need to speak out in support of gender equality. And men, we need to get comfortable with identifying ourselves as feminists, he added.

The youngest ever Canadian Prime Minister was the man to establish the countrys first ever 50 per cent female cabinet since he was voted into power last October.

Recommended Read more Justin Trudeau urges men to embrace the term feminist

'Trudeaumania' has since taken hold. He pulled Canadian air strikes from Syria, has welcomed refugees, is reputedly a good dancer and has called himself a feminist. This week, in front of a group of 1,600 of the most powerful business leaders and executives in North America, he used the opportunity at the annual Catalyst conference on gender equality to praise his wife.

Sophie inspires me every day to be better. I wouldnt be here tonight if it werent for her leadership and her example, he said. Merci mon amour.

Flanked by Canadian Ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and Patricia Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women, Mr Trudeau spoke of the hard work and dedication that took place every year since 2012  the year he first ran for leadership of his Liberal Party  to establish a gender balanced cabinet.

When we ask a man: Do you want to run for office? his first question is: When do I start? The woman would ask: Why me? Are you serious? Why am I qualified for the job?

The 44-year-old added that there is a tremendous amount of work to be done to establish pay equality, equal representation in parliament as well as the cabinet, access to quality childcare and to stamp out violence against women.

Its a massive mountain to climb. But we are determined to make significant steps towards that, he said. For anyone who says there isnt much more to do, just tell them to ask any women they know.

His comments come the same week that Phumzile Mlambo, executive director of UN Women, awarded Mr Trudeau the status of HeForShe, an ambassador for womens equality, the same campaign that actress Emma Watson has supported.
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The magician Paul Daniels has died today aged 77, his publicist has said, just a few weeks after it was announced he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The TV star and entertainer left hospital 10 days ago in order to spend his final days at home with his family, his son Martin Daniels said at the time.

Britain's most famous magician, Daniels rose to international fame through his long-running BBC programme The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran from 1979 to 1994. He famously married his long-time assistant, Debbie McGee, in 1988.

In a statement, Daniels' agent said he had died in his sleep in the early hours of Thursday morning, "at home with Debbie at his side".

"Debbie and the family would like to thank everyone for their support and asks that their privacy be respected at this sad time," the statement read.

Born Newton Edwards Daniels in Middlesbrough in 1938, Daniels later said he became interested in magic as a young child - but only turned professional in 1969 with a summer season in Newquay.

Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels pictured holds playing cards, in London, 1977 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels in the 'Fall In, The Stars', 1977 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures British magician and entertainer Paul Daniels with a white rabbit in a hat, 1982 Getty Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels with his award and the magician's traditional top hat after being named Show Business Personality of 1981 by the Variety Club of Great Britain, 1982 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels with his girl dancers from his award-winning Montreux Show, 1985 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels conjuring up a festive pantomime for Boxing Day when he presents the fairy tale 'Snow White & the Seven Dwarves', 1985 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee on their wedding day in 1988 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels adopting the Marlene Dietrich look for an episode of his 'The Paul Daniels Magic Show' on BBC One, 1990 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels in 1993 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Magician Paul Daniels at a charity golf game in 1998 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels and wife Debbie McGee in 2007 PA Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels in London, 2010 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels, Debbie McGee and Donna Air at the Virgin Media Tivo Halloween horror quiz in London, 2011 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniles, Debbie McGee and Bradley Walsh in 'The Alan Titchmarsh Show' in 2013 7 Oct 2013 Paul Daniels: Life in pictures Paul Daniels in the 'Lorraine Live', 2014

The following year Daniels came second in talent show Opportunity Knocks, which led to him being offered a regular slot on the ITV variety show The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.

Famous for his self-deprecating humour, his catchphrase was: "You'll like this... not a lot, but you'll like it."

In his later years, Daniels and his wife toured the country with magic and comedy shows, entertaining old fans and new generations alike with his skills.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Campaigners are calling for the British government to follow the example of the Dutch parliament and halt the country's arms trade with Saudi Arabia.

Politicians in the Netherlands have passed a bill calling for the government to end weapons exports to the Middle Eastern country.

It follows a European Parliament decision to impose an embargo on selling arms to the strict conservative theocracy over its role in the Yemen conflict.

The Saudi-led coalition bombing of Yemen has been condemned by the UN for carrying out widespread and systematic attacks on civilian targets in violation of international law.

But Britain, along with France, remains one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia.

Britain has come under increasing pressure from international bodies to halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia, as it continues its bombing campaign in Yemen. (MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) is currently pursuing legal action against the British government for its role selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

Andrew Smith, spokesman for CAAT, told the Independent: "It has been almost a year since the bombing of Yemen began.

In that time thousands of civilians have been killed and vital infrastructure has been destroyed.

Dutch politicians have joined the European Parliament in calling for an end to arms sales, and yet the response of the UK has been to keep arming the Saudi regime.

What more will it take for the UK government to say that enough is enough?"

Oxfam also applauded the Dutch decision.

Tim Holmes, Oxfams Regional Director, said to the Independent: Oxfam welcomes the Dutch governments decision and urges the UK government to follow suit in banning the export of arms which continue to fuel the conflict in Yemen and may be used to target civilians.

"The government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the growing evidence that UK weapons may be being used in violation of international humanitarian law in Yemen.

"The UK government needs to stop brokering arms and start brokering peace, and help end this conflict."

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Amnesty International, which is due to hold a demonstration on Downing Street on Friday to protest on-going weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, also condemned government policy.

Oliver Sprague, Arms Programme Director for Amnesty International UK, told the Independent: The Dutch Parliament has sent the right signal to its government in calling for a ban of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia at a time when they may be used to commit grievous rights abuses in Yemen.

The UK must do the same. MPs need to make the same call to the UK Government. This past year, the UK has sold billions of pounds worth of war planes, bombs and missiles to Saudi Arabia.

Its hardly a matter of pride that misery in Yemen is Made in Britain.

Despite this, David Cameron recently said the Eurofighter jets which are exported to Saudi Arabia are brilliant things, telling a room of BAE Systems workers weve got more work to do in Saudi Arabia.

Fifty-eight Eurofighter jets and 2,400 500lb Pathway-IV guided missiles have been sold by Britain to Saudi Arabia in the past year.

In his tenure, David Cameron has overseen the sale of 6.7 billion worth of weaponry to Saudi Arabia, including 2.8 billion since airstrikes on Yemen began, according to CAAT.

The conflict is believed to have killed over 2,800 civilians, including at least 700 children, many of them in air strikes.

Nearly 6,000 civilians have been wounded.

The Saudi-led coalition is also accused of using cluster bombs, a destructive form of explosive which spreads smaller bomblets over a wide area.

These may detonate indiscriminately or fail to explode and act as a land mine.

The Netherlands are not the first European nation to question their relationship with Saudi Arabia.

In January, Germany was also reported to be looking into the possibility of reviewing its arms exports to Saudi Arabia, following mass executions carried out by the country earlier this year.
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A doctor from a Liverpool hospital has admitted misconduct after he accidentally gave a vasectomy to the wrong patient. A medical tribunal has heard that Dr Nanikram Vaswani was meant to be performing an operation to remove scar tissue from the patient however a series of failures meant that he performed the life changing operation instead.

Evidence submitted to the tribunal suggested that the error had occurred when patients complained about waiting times, The Liverpool Echo reports. It is alleged that the patient at the centre of the inquiry, known as Patient A, had arrived at Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool, at 07:30 on the morning of the intended procedure in February 2014 and was placed in a waiting area with men due to have vasectomies. Further patients arrived at 11:00 and were attended to first, despite the earlier group of men waiting considerably longer. Frustrations were expressed among the first group about waiting longer and a certain amount of anger was displayed by patients on that day.

As a result, the order list for operations was changed. However, the operating staff were not informed of the alteration.

Christopher Dawson, consultant urological surgeon told the tribunal: There was some disquiet among patients as to the order in which they were being seen. Patients who arrived at 07:30 were up in arms that patients who arrived at 11:00 were being seen first.

It is my understanding Patient A was brought into theatre outside of sequence for these reasons.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Dr Vaswani reportedly admitted to the tribunal that he had failed to confirm the patients identity before conducting the procedure. He also reportedly admitted other errors, including not following surgical checklists, not reviewing the patients medical notes and not keeping records of his communications with the patient once he realised the mistake.

In addition, once the error came to light, he tried to reverse the vasectomy by performing another operation, despite General Medical Council guidance that he should not do so because he had not conducted such a procedure for several years.

The panel will now review whether Dr Vaswani should be allowed to continue practising medicine in light of the incident.
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One of Britains best-loved national parks is on the verge of being industrialised after a fertiliser company unveiled details of its plan to sink a huge potash mine, rural campaigners have warned.

Sirius Minerals says it will plough 2.4bn into the York Potash Project to build the mine to the south of Whitby in the North York Moors National Park in a move that will create more than 1,000 jobs.

Business leaders say the mine will be the biggest private investment project in the North of England by a billion miles and the firms economic forecasters say it will make an annual contribution to Britains economy of 2.3bn.

Recommended Read more Fracking for fossil fuels to be allowed under national parks

But the scheme is hugely controversial and has drawn fire from environmental groups, including the National Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

It will see a 4,900ft mine shaft sunk at Doves Nest Farm, Sneaton, with a tunnel pumping polyhalite, a mineral fertiliser, 23 miles underground to Teesside, where it will be processed.

Katie Atkinson, a CPRE spokeswoman, said: We are very concerned about any impact on the national park. This landscape is protected for the benefit of this generation and future generations to come. This mine is huge. With the structures that are being built, people will see an industrialisation of the landscape.

Potash is used to describe a range of minerals containing potassium. The mine is expected to produce 10 million tonnes of fertiliser a year, rising to 20 million tonnes subject to approval.

Production is expected to start in 2020/21. Sirius said it will create more than 1,000 direct jobs and a further 1,500 jobs indirectly. Details of the plan have been revealed six months after Britains last deep coal mine closed at Kellingley in North Yorkshire in December. Teesside has also been hit hard in recent months by the closure of the Redcar steelworks.

Plans for the potash mine were approved by the North York Moors National Park Authority last summer with stringent conditions for its construction and working. Andy Wilson, the authoritys chief executive, said at the time that the mines economic impact outweighed the environmental harm.

Nearly 30 groups, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Campaign for National Parks (CNP), had urged the authority to reject the proposals.

The CNP said the mine was completely incompatible with national park purposes and the economic benefits would never justify the huge damage to the parks landscape, wildlife and tourism.

Early building preparation work is expected to take place shortly. Sirius chief executive Chris Fraser said: The business from this project will sit as a world leader in the fertiliser industry based here in the UK. It is expected to have a low operating cost structure, high margins and a very long asset life in one of the most business-friendly, stable and dynamic economies in the world.

We can create thousands of jobs, deliver billions of pounds of investment to the UK and put the country at the forefront of the multi-nutrient fertiliser industry.
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Britain may have talent, but much of it is going to waste with many workers doing jobs beneath their education level, according to a new report.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest that one of the reasons Britain lags behind its economic rivals in terms of productivity is that one in six workers are overeducated for their jobs.

This is especially true of younger workers. In the last three months of 2015, 22.5 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 were overeducated for their jobs compared with a national average of 16.1 per cent. Previous studies from the ONS have emphasised the high number of recent graduates stuck in non-graduate jobs such as bartending.

Dr John Philpott, director of the Jobs Economist think-tank, said: Its clear from these estimates that the UK is underusing a lot of talent, with women and part-time [workers] in particular employed in occupations for which they are overeducated.

While such a waste of available skill was understandable during the recession, the generally upward trend toward increased overeducation since 2012 is worrying.

The response to evidence of growing competition for higher-skilled jobs and a surplus of qualified candidates should be intensified policy efforts to increase demand for skills and promote better-quality jobs.

However, the report also showed that one in six workers are undereducated, working in roles for which they lack the average education level.

The UK had the fifth-highest level of skills mismatch of the 24 nations studied, including the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Estonia, the research found.

The statistics showed that the proportion of workers matched to their job has dropped in recent years. The latest figures show a rise in the proportion of people overeducated for their job to 16.1 per cent, up from 15.3 per cent two years earlier. The proportion of people undereducated for their job, also a potential blow to productivity, rose to 15.1 per cent from 14.8 per cent.

However, statisticians concluded that young people are unlikely to remain overeducated as the rate for workers aged 35 to 49 was in line with the national average over the period studied, 2002 to 2015.

They suggested the high rate of overeducated 25- to 34-year-olds may be a reflection of the relationship between this age group, their occupation in these years and their position in their careers.

The figures also showed a steady rise in the number of overeducated part-time workers. Statisticians suggested this could be linked to a similar rise in women with much higher education levels than their job required, noting that 78 per cent of part-time workers are women.

This makes sense, they concluded, given that many women return to work part-time after leaving the labour market to start a family.
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The HS3 high-speed line from Manchester to Leeds has been given the green light as part of a 300m transport infrastructure package the Chancellor hopes will further his Northern Powerhouse plans.

George Osborne also said Londons Crossrail 2 scheme would be commissioned in a Budget Mayor Boris Johnson described as fantastic.

Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the news, but said it was nowhere near the investment needed. Leeds West Labour MP Rachel Reeves said the Chancellor had a poor track record in delivering... for the Northern Poorhouse.
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After weeks of frenzied rumours of further major changes to the UKs pension system, the Chancellor decided to leave well alone in the Budget. But the retirement industry fears the surprise new lifetime Isa signals the death knell for pensions.

George Osbornes only reference to the leaking of potential pensions policy to the press to gauge reaction  the majority of which was negative  was to say in his speech: Weve consulted widely on compulsory changes to the pension tax system. But it was clear there is no consensus.

But while there will be no compulsory changes, retirement experts warn of change by stealth. Many insiders say it has been clear for a number of years that the Government was laying the ground for an effective abolition of pension plans in their current form, with Isas to be the replacement.

The new lifetime Isa looks like a backdoor policy designed to attract younger people towards Isas over pensions, said Rebecca OKeeffe, head of investment at Interactive Investor.

Lynda Whitney, partner at Aon Hewitt, added: The Chancellors announcements on pension issues look like unfinished business. The new lifetime Isa could well be the Trojan horse that kills off pensions at a later stage.

Michelle McGrade, chief investment officer at TD Direct Investing, said: Mr Osborne has today had a first stab at pension simplification. Rather than tinkering with the old regime, he is dreaming up a new one.

Part of the problem is because pensions remain a tainted brand, shrouded in complexity and mistrust, according to Holly Mackay, managing director of website Boring Money. She predicted that: UK pensions companies will be huddled in the boardroom today, feeling beaten up and digesting what this means for the future of the pension.

But its been clear for a number of years that the Government was laying the ground for an effective abolition of pension plans in their current form, with Isas to be the replacement, said Brian Dennehy of FundExpert.

Over-40 pension savers should not expect the current tax attractions of pension plans to persist for more than another year, perhaps two, he warned.
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The Scottish Government has said the Budget contains a hidden 1bn cut to spending north of the border, despite providing support for Scotlands oil industry, armed forces, cities and regions.

George Osborne said his Budget demonstrates we are better together in one United Kingdom and is backed by the most radical devolution of power in British history.

Announcing negotiations were opening with Edinburgh for additional city funding, the Chancellor also lauded the Governments backing for a V&A Museum in Dundee and two new community facilities. Meanwhile, duty on whisky, one of Scotlands major exports, was frozen.

Mr Osborne said none of this spending would have been remotely affordable if, in just eight days time, Scotland had broken away from the rest of the UK, as the nationalists had wanted. He said the Scottish Governments own audit of public finances confirms that they would have struggled from the start with a fiscal crisis, under the burden of the highest deficit in the western world.

Scotlands Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, said the Budget conceals a cut of 3.5bn in public spending across the UK and will see a real-terms reduction of 1bn in Scotlands budget.

Mr Swinney said the spending cut was buried in the detail of the Treasury Budget document.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said the Budget shows the UK Government has listened and delivered.

PA
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Sajid Javid has denied the Government plans to cut spending on disability benefits which could affect more than 640,000 people.

When asked about George Osborne's latest budget by Evan Davis on BBC Newsnight, the Business Secretary said: "I don't accept for a second that we've cut spending on disability payments."

He added: "It's actually a recognition that you have a welfare system that looks after the most vulnerable in society.

"And of course I put disabled people at the top of the list, that's why spending has increased. That even during the life of this Parliament it's projected it's going to rise by a billion.

"So I don't accept for a second that we've cut spending on disability payments."

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) help people aged 16 to 64 with some of the extra costs incurred by long term ill-health or disability.

Reforming PIP is expected to save 1.2 billion from the welfare bill, by reducing the number of "points" given to people who need help with tasks such as washing and clothing themselves, or going to the toilet unaided.

Mr Davis said after failed welfare reforms, the Business Secretary now had to take "more than a billion quid away from people on Personal Independence Payments to try and get welfare under the cap".

He added: "In effect, you are asking people with disabilities to be poorer because you have failed to deliver the welfare reforms that you said you were going to."

 Osborne announces more cuts

However, Mr Javid made assurances the welfare reform was "delivering results".

He said: "Also, on Personal Independence Payments, and its predecessor the DLA, they're up 3 billion pounds in real terms since 2010.

"It's actually a recognition that you have a welfare system that looks after the most vulnerable in society.

"Of course I put disabled people at the top of the list, that's why spending has increased. That even during the life of this Parliament it's projected it's going to rise by a billion.

"So I don't accept for a second that we've cut spending on disability payments."

7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Show all 7 1 /7 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Closing Remploy factories The Work and Pensions Secretary called time on Britains system of Remploy factories, which provided subsidised and sheltered employment to disabled people. People employed at the factories protested against their closure and said they provided gainful work. Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? Mr Duncan Smith said at the time, defending the decision. I promise you this is better. The Remploy organisation was privatised and sold to American workfare provider Maximus, with the majority of the organisations factories closed. The future of the remaining sites is unclear 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Scrapping the Independent Living Fund The 320m Independent Living Fund was established in 1988 to give financial support to people with disabilities. It was scrapped on July 1 2015, with 18,000 often severely disabled people losing out by an average of 300 a week. The money was generally used to help pay for carers so people could live in communities rather than institutions. Councils will get a boost in funding to compensate but it will not cover the whole cost of the fund. This new cash also doesnt have to be spent on the disabled 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut payments for the disabled Access To Work scheme Iain Duncan Smith is bringing forward a policy that will reduce payments to some disabled people from a scheme designed to help them into work. The 108m scheme, which helps 35,540 people, will be capped on a per-used basis, potentially hitting those with the more serious disabilities who currently receive the most help. The single biggest users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and hearing. The cut will come in from October 2015. The charity Disability UK says the scheme actually makes the Government money because the people who gain access to work tend pay tax that more than covers its cost. The DWP does not describe the reduction as a cut and says it will be able to spread the money more thinly and cover more people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut Employment and Support Allowance The latest Budget included a 30 a week cut in disability benefits for some new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Government says it is equalising the rate of disability benefits with Jobseekers Allowance because giving disabled people more help is a perverse incentive. The people affected by this cut are those assessed as having a limited capability for work but as being capable of some work-related activity. A group of prominent Catholics wrote to Mr Duncan Smith to say there was no justification for this cut. Mental health charity Mind, said the cut was insulting and misguided 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Risk homelessness with a sharp increase disability benefit sanctions Official figures in the first quarter of 2014 found a huge increase in sanctions against people reliant on ESA sickness benefit. The 15,955 sanctions were handed out in that period compared to 3,574 in the same period the year before, 2013  a 4.5 times increase. The homelessness charity Crisis warned at the time that the sharp rise in temporary benefit cuts was cruel and can leave people utterly destitute  without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work, Matt Downie, director of policy at the charity added 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Sending sick people to work because of broken fitness to work tests In 2012 a government advisor appointed to review the Governments Work Capability Assessment said the tests causing suffering by sending sick people back to work inappropriately. There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement, Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded. The tests are said to have improved since then, but as recently as this summer they are still coming in for criticism. In June the British Psychological Society said there was now significant body of evidence that the WCA is failing to assess peoples fitness for work accurately and appropriately. It called for a full overhaul of the way the tests are carried out. The WCA appeals system has also been fraught with controversy with a very high rate of overturns and delays lasting months and blamed for hardship 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people The bedroom tax The Governments benefit cut for people who it says are under-occupying their homes disproportionately affects disabled people. Statistics released last year show that around two-thirds of those affected by the under-occupancy penalty, widely known as the bedroom tax, are disabled. There have been a number of high profile cases of disabled people being moved out of specially adapted homes by the policy. In one case publicised by the Sunday People last week, a 48 year old man with cerebral palsy was forced to bathe in a paddling pool after the tax moved him out of his home with a walk-in shower. The Government says it has provided councils with a discretionary fund to help reduce the policys impact on disabled people, but cases continue to arise

Mr Davis then plays a video of disability activist Graeme Davis, who said he had left the Conservative disability group at the news that 200,000 people would be out of benefits and others would have their eligibility lowered, while the tax threshold for higher rate earners was raised.

"Immediately it just hit me that it was a case of robbing the vulnerable to pay the rich.

"They're saying they need to make savings and yet they can make tax cuts. I'm sure people in this country would rather see people looked after than see huge tax cuts."

Mr Javid replied: "What I'd say to Graeme is: please don't believe all the misinformation that's out there.

"I would not be part of a government that cuts benefits for disabled people."
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George Osborne was accused of delivering a climate-wrecking Budget after announcing plans to give the ageing North Sea oil and gas industry 1bn of tax breaks  while promising just 730m to the fledgling renewable energy projects.

The rate of supplementary tax for Britains offshore explorers will be halved to 10 per cent, while Petroleum Revenue Tax is being scrapped altogether as the Chancellor seeks to boost an industry that has been hit hard by plummeting oil prices.

The move was condemned by opponents to fossil fuels. This climate-wrecking Budget shows that the Governments talk of putting the next generation first is nothing short of sheer hypocrisy. If the Government was serious about creating a decent society for our children and grandchildren then they would be pulling out all the stops to keep fossil fuels in the ground, said Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas.

Once again the Chancellor is taking the country down a dangerous path by ignoring the threat of climate change, she added.

Greenpeace UK policy director Doug Parr said: It makes no economic or environmental sense to cut support for renewable energy whilst seeking to prop up a North Sea oil and gas sector.

Campaigners were angered by a separate announcement of plans to scrap the Carbon Reduction Commitment, a tax on emissions for Britains biggest companies.

Although the Chancellor said he would make up the revenue loss by increasing another measure to cut carbon emissions, campaigners said the move represented a setback for green power because it would hit renewable energy companies in the process.

The measure  known as the Climate Change Levy  works by taxing companies for energy they use in the hope that it will encourage them to use less power. When the scheme launched in 2001 businesses were not taxed on their renewable energy use, but that changed last year when that incentive for companies to use clean electricity was removed.

While Mr Osbornes oil and gas tax cuts were strongly condemned in some quarters yesterday, they received a mixed reception from the industry.

Ian McLelland, an analyst at the City firm Edison Investment Research, said: With so many companies running in the red, tax reductions are not likely to do much to stimulate investment in themselves.

Alistair Mackie, a partner at the law firm Holman Fenwick Willan, added: All the talk ahead of the Budget was on the need for a major cut in corporation tax  but the Government has gone even further in what amounts to an overhaul of the tax system for the North Sea.

This should go some way to levelling the playing field with other UK industries and potentially incentivise investment, he said.
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George Osborne was asked on Thursday morning if his failure to meet two out of three economic commitments meant he should be sacked as the UK Chancellor.

Appearing on the Today programme to defend his Budget for 2016, Mr Osborne was forced to admit that pledges to cut debt as a proportion of GDP and cap welfare spending  enshrined in law  had been missed.

When pressed repeatedly by presenter John Humphreys, Mr Osborne accepted that by our own measurements, and the tests weve set ourselves, independently assessed, we have got more to do, refusing to accept personal blame.

I do not hide from telling the British people the challenges we face and then I set out the action to deliver it, he said. And people can see increased security in our country as a result.

Humphreys responded: Or they could take another view. They could say heres a bloke who made three firm non-negotiable commitments to the nation, these three targets that had to be set.

George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Show all 8 1 /8 George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Debt forecasts up, growth forecasts down The OBRs new forecasts have downgraded growth in all of the next five years to 2020. The watchdog says the economy will only grow by 2 per cent in 2016, as opposed to the anticipated 2.4 per cent. Borrowing and productivity growth are also down  with forecast borrowing in 2018-198 16 billion higher George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance New tax on sugary drinks The Chancellor announced a new tax on sugary soft drinks, which is projected to raise 520 million. At least some of the money will be spent on doubling funding for school sport, the Chancellor says. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the levy George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Tax cut for higher earners paying the 40p rate The Chancellor has raised the threshold for paying the higher rate of income tax to 45,000. The higher rate is paid by roughly the richest 15 per cent, currently people earning over 42,386 George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Increase in tax-free income tax threshold The tax-free allowance increase to 11,500 in April 2017  up from 10,600 now. The Chancellor previously raised the allowance from 6,475 in coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative manifesto pledges to put the allowance up to 12,500 by the end of the Parliament George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance New devolution for counties and powers for London and Manchester The West of England, the East of England and Greater Lincolnshire will all get elected mayor-led combined authorities with new powers. The Chancellor says they are backed by 1 billion new funding. Greater Manchester will get new powers of criminal justice while London will keep its business rates  giving whoever is elected Mayor a lot more spending power George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Fuel duty frozen for sixth year running The Chancellor had planned to end the fuel duty freeze he had put in place for the whole previous parliament. In the event, he has announced a freeze for another year George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance All schools to become academies As reported yesterday the Chancellor unveiled legislation to turn all schools into academies. He said all schools would either be academies or on their way to being academies by 2020, and that funding had been set aside to fund the change George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Lifetime ISA The Chancellor announced a new savings account to encourage under-40s to save for retirement  for every 4 saved, the Government will top this up by 1 up to the value of 4,000 a year. Tax-free ISAs will also be increased from 15,000 to 20,000

Nobody made you do this, you chose to do it for yourself. You said these are the three things were going to do because the nation needs it.

You have failed to achieve two of them, its looking pretty unlikely according to most people that you will achieve the third.

So I suppose, what Im suggesting to you, what Im asking you really, is whats a bloke gotta do in your job to get the sack?

Mr Osborne struggled to respond, before suggesting British people can chuck out governments if they dont like them.

Earlier, Mr Osborne had a similarly difficult time on Sky News, when he was confronted on the impact of his disability cuts.
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The Government based the justification for its latest disability benefit cuts on untested anecdotal evidence  according to the very report cited by George Osborne to justify them.

Cuts to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) confirmed by the Chancellor yesterday will raise 4.4 billion by 2020, by stripping people who use specially adapted appliances of payments.

Mr Osborne said this morning the policy had been recommended by an independent report  which a Government spokesperson later confirmed was the Gray Review, published at the end of 2014.

The actual text of the Gray Review however says its findings on adapted appliances are completely untested  and are in fact based on anecdotes repeated by the DWPs own staff.

Anecdotally, the Review heard from some case managers who felt they saw a higher than expected number of assessment reports where aids and appliances were used in justifications, the brief half-page section of the report used to justify the policy says.

Due to limitations in available published data, the Review has not been able to test this. 

Despite having no formal data to base its assessment on, the review recommended that the DWP should review how aids and appliances are taken into account in PIP assessments against original policy intent, and make any necessary adjustments to guidance and training.

Minister for disabled people Justin Tomlinson also said earlier this month that the Gray Review showed the assessment criteria for aids and appliances are not working as planned when he announced the cuts.

Mr Osborne and the Department for Work and Pensions have described the review as being independent of the Department for Work and Pensions. It was carried out by civil servant Paul Gray, who chairs the statutory and independently-appointed Social Security Advisory Committee.

 Jeremy Corbyn attacks George Osborne's budget

Mr Gray used to partly run the DWP, when he served as its second permanent secretary. He also served as Margaret Thatchers private secretary for economic affairs.

The senior civil servant, who has served under both Labour and Conservative governments, stepped down as permanent secretary of HMRC in 2007 following that departments loss of personal data for 25 million people.

The revelation about the lack of evidence in support of the PIP cuts comes the same month as one of the countrys foremost disability experts said she was left speechless by how poor ministers arguments for cutting another disability benefit was.

Baroness Campbell, a former Commissioner for Disability Rights and a crossbench peer, said she was lost for words when she heard Conservative justifications for cutting Employment Support Allowance.

That cut, which took 30-a-week from disabled people in the so-called work related activity group, comes in addition to the latest cuts to PIP.

The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also been accused by doctors and academics of playing fast-and-loose with academic evidence to justify a new contract for junior doctors.

Iain Duncan Smith said this week he was 'proud' of the Government's record on disability benefits (House of Commons)

Mr Osborne said in his Budget speech on Wednesday that the new PIP cuts would make sure support was targeted at people who need it most.

On welfare, last week the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions set out changes that will ensure that within the rising disability budget, support is better targeted at those who need it most, he said.

Let me confirm that this means the disability budget will still rise by more than 1 billion, and well be spending more in real terms supporting disabled people than at any point under the last government.

Labour has however accused the Conservatives of using the money raised from the PIP cuts to fund tax cuts for the richest  which cost roughly the same amount.

Yesterday we made the point that austerity is not an economic necessity  its a political choice and yesterday the Chancellor made his political choices, the shadow chancellor John McDonnell told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

He cut capital gains tax to the richest five per cent of our country and he cut the disability benefits to some of the most vulnerable.

7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Show all 7 1 /7 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Closing Remploy factories The Work and Pensions Secretary called time on Britains system of Remploy factories, which provided subsidised and sheltered employment to disabled people. People employed at the factories protested against their closure and said they provided gainful work. Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? Mr Duncan Smith said at the time, defending the decision. I promise you this is better. The Remploy organisation was privatised and sold to American workfare provider Maximus, with the majority of the organisations factories closed. The future of the remaining sites is unclear 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Scrapping the Independent Living Fund The 320m Independent Living Fund was established in 1988 to give financial support to people with disabilities. It was scrapped on July 1 2015, with 18,000 often severely disabled people losing out by an average of 300 a week. The money was generally used to help pay for carers so people could live in communities rather than institutions. Councils will get a boost in funding to compensate but it will not cover the whole cost of the fund. This new cash also doesnt have to be spent on the disabled 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut payments for the disabled Access To Work scheme Iain Duncan Smith is bringing forward a policy that will reduce payments to some disabled people from a scheme designed to help them into work. The 108m scheme, which helps 35,540 people, will be capped on a per-used basis, potentially hitting those with the more serious disabilities who currently receive the most help. The single biggest users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and hearing. The cut will come in from October 2015. The charity Disability UK says the scheme actually makes the Government money because the people who gain access to work tend pay tax that more than covers its cost. The DWP does not describe the reduction as a cut and says it will be able to spread the money more thinly and cover more people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut Employment and Support Allowance The latest Budget included a 30 a week cut in disability benefits for some new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Government says it is equalising the rate of disability benefits with Jobseekers Allowance because giving disabled people more help is a perverse incentive. The people affected by this cut are those assessed as having a limited capability for work but as being capable of some work-related activity. A group of prominent Catholics wrote to Mr Duncan Smith to say there was no justification for this cut. Mental health charity Mind, said the cut was insulting and misguided 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Risk homelessness with a sharp increase disability benefit sanctions Official figures in the first quarter of 2014 found a huge increase in sanctions against people reliant on ESA sickness benefit. The 15,955 sanctions were handed out in that period compared to 3,574 in the same period the year before, 2013  a 4.5 times increase. The homelessness charity Crisis warned at the time that the sharp rise in temporary benefit cuts was cruel and can leave people utterly destitute  without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work, Matt Downie, director of policy at the charity added 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Sending sick people to work because of broken fitness to work tests In 2012 a government advisor appointed to review the Governments Work Capability Assessment said the tests causing suffering by sending sick people back to work inappropriately. There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement, Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded. The tests are said to have improved since then, but as recently as this summer they are still coming in for criticism. In June the British Psychological Society said there was now significant body of evidence that the WCA is failing to assess peoples fitness for work accurately and appropriately. It called for a full overhaul of the way the tests are carried out. The WCA appeals system has also been fraught with controversy with a very high rate of overturns and delays lasting months and blamed for hardship 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people The bedroom tax The Governments benefit cut for people who it says are under-occupying their homes disproportionately affects disabled people. Statistics released last year show that around two-thirds of those affected by the under-occupancy penalty, widely known as the bedroom tax, are disabled. There have been a number of high profile cases of disabled people being moved out of specially adapted homes by the policy. In one case publicised by the Sunday People last week, a 48 year old man with cerebral palsy was forced to bathe in a paddling pool after the tax moved him out of his home with a walk-in shower. The Government says it has provided councils with a discretionary fund to help reduce the policys impact on disabled people, but cases continue to arise

We would reverse them, its unacceptable that people with disabilities have to pay for the tax cuts for the rich.

Charities have also criticised the cuts. A coalition of 25 disability charities wrote to the Government last week to warn that the cuts would have a severe impact on peoples security and make it harder for them to find work.

This decision could have a devastating impact on the lives of people with MS. In the worst cases, they could lose up to 150 a week, said Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society.

PIP is an essential benefit which goes towards the extra cost of being disabled. The new plans will fail some of the most vulnerable people in society and we have serious concerns about the future health and welfare of those affected.

A DWP spokesperson said: The changes to PIP are based on robust information. Following Paul Grays initial review, health professionals reviewed 400 cases and found that in 96% of them people using aids or appliances were likely to have low to nil on-going extra daily living costs. We consulted widely to ensure we get this right so that the support is targeted at those who need it most.


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The tampon tax will be scrapped after European Union leaders agreed to allow a zero VAT rating on sanitary products.

Despite George Osborne indicating in the autumn that he wanted to drop the 5 per cent VAT rate charged on tampons and other such goods, the Government is currently restricted by EU tax law.

But with Eurosceptic Tories threatening to join forces with Labour to embarrass the Government by calling for a zero-VAT rating, David Cameron raised the issue at an EU summit and swiftly won agreement.

Recommended Read more Osborne gives strongest hint yet that tampon tax will be scrapped

The 28 EU leaders agreed unanimously to a statement welcoming the intention of the [European] Commission to include proposals for increased flexibility for member states with respect to reduced rates of VAT, which will provide the option to member states of VAT zero-rating sanitary products.

The Chancellor said that the Government had heard peoples anger over paying the tampon tax loud and clear.

We said wed fight for agreement to reduce the VAT rate to zero and tonight all European leaders have welcomed our plan to do just that, Mr Osborne said.

Weve achieved what no British government has even tried to achieve. It just shows how Britain can make a case for a reform that will benefit millions as a powerful voice inside a reformed EU.

However the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, said Britain had been reduced to pleading for permission from unelected bureaucrats to remove the tax.

We have begged for crumbs from the table and for once we have got some, he told ITV News. Its pathetic for our country to have sunk to this level.

In his Budget, Mr Osborne had sought to appease critics by announcing that 12m in revenue from the tax would go to charities supporting causes that benefit women.

However, Labour MP Paula Sherriff tabled an amendment calling for zero rating which was expected to be supported by at least 25 Eurosceptic Tories. With SNP support, this would have been enough to defeat the Government on the issue.

Ms Sheriff said she now hoped the Chancellor would accept her amendment, adding: There is no excuse not to act now, and reform is long overdue. In the meantime, the Chancellor should guarantee that essential womens services wont depend on a tax on essential womens products.

A similar clash between the Government and Eurosceptic Conservatives is likely to arise over EU rules that restrict the UKs ability to cut VAT on energy-saving products such as solar panels and insulation.

Steve Baker, the Wycombe MP who co-chairs the Eurosceptic Conservatives for Britain group, told The Independent: Neither vote is about the Chancellors Budget, they are both about whether our Parliament can determine these tax rates. Unless we take back control we will continue we will continue to be forced to go in supplication to the EU to ask to set particular rates for particular products.
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The problem with running a one-party state is that it can breed complacency. With only Jeremy Corbyn and the SNP to deal with every week, its clear George Osborne had allowed himself to become blindsided to the challenges posed by a visit to St Benedicts Catholic Primary School in Leeds.

It was a big risk. When youve just stuck 8p on a can of Tizer, primary-school children are the last people who are going to want to see you. Studies show that many seven- to nine-year-olds in Leeds are forced to survive on just 1 pocket money a week. Analysts forecast the hike will precipitate a total collapse in living standards. In like-for-like terms, thats the equivalent of a typical Chancellor, earning 134,565 per annum, suddenly having to find 206.96 each time he wants a can of Blackcurrant Tango. Childrens rights groups warn that, already, thousands are turning to Fruit Pastilles.

First, in a stunt contrived solely for the TV cameras, the pupils refused to pass the netball to him. Come on! Come on! the Chancellor bleated. It was as if he wasnt there, although he is clearly visible now and for all posterity in glorious technicolor.

Recommended Read more Thank God our schools have finally been set free by George Osborne

The working breakfast afterwards could hardly have been more frosty, even if there had been Frosties. So, weve got your favourite cereals here, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Osborne pleaded. They just stared down into their milky bowls.

Fortunately, after lunch it was back to the Commons, to listen to Labour trying to clear the smoke and crack the mirrors of his Budget. This Chancellor is borrowing to fund cuts in public services, John McDonnell told the House. (Nope, me neither).

Osborne just sat there, laughing at something on his phone (in a red case, of course). It was hard to tell what, but given the rest of the nation was laughing at the footage of his school visit, that cant be ruled out.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was there too, again commending the plan to academise all schools. Whether these academies will teach the verb to academise, we can but hope not. Although once all schools have converted, all school prize-givings could become known as the Academy Awards. We await the lines of paparazzi three-deep outside pavements up and down the land, desperate to know what designer little Hayley Truscott is wearing as she picks up the Year Nine Academy Award for Geography, before staggering off to Elton Johns for a night on the top-price Apple Mirinda.
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The Conservative candidate for Mayor of London has been dropped as a patron of his local disability charity after voting for disability benefit cuts.

Zac Goldsmith was criticised by Richmond AID earlier this month when he backed slashing 30-a-week from disabled people claiming Employment Support Allowance  despite warnings from charities that the benefit already barely covers basic living costs.

The Daily Mirror newspaper now reports that the Richmond MP has been dropped as a patron of the charity  which provides support to disabled people in his constituency.

Lucy Byrne, the charity's chief executive, told the newspaper: We are shocked and disappointed to find that both our local MPs here in the borough of Richmond voted for this cut, one of whom is patron of our organisation.

Having voted for this brutal cut we believe that Zac Goldsmiths' position as patron is no longer tenable.

The cuts Mr Goldsmith voted for apply to new claimants in the work-related activity group (WRAG) track of ESA from April 2017.

Mr Goldsmiths party yesterday also confirmed it would go ahead with cuts to another disability benefit  Personal Independence Payment.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the cut to people who use specially adapted equipment will affect 370,000 disabled people, who will each lose an average of 3,500 a year.

Disability charities have warned that the ESA cut will seriously impact disabled people, while the Government argues it will incentivise them to find work. It says the PIP cut will resolve a situation where too many people are getting support for adapted equipment.

Previous research by the Disability Benefits Consortium of 60+ charities suggests that 28 per cent of people on the current, higher ESA WRAG rate have been unable to afford to eat, while 38 per cent have been unable to heat their homes.

7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Show all 7 1 /7 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Closing Remploy factories The Work and Pensions Secretary called time on Britains system of Remploy factories, which provided subsidised and sheltered employment to disabled people. People employed at the factories protested against their closure and said they provided gainful work. Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? Mr Duncan Smith said at the time, defending the decision. I promise you this is better. The Remploy organisation was privatised and sold to American workfare provider Maximus, with the majority of the organisations factories closed. The future of the remaining sites is unclear 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Scrapping the Independent Living Fund The 320m Independent Living Fund was established in 1988 to give financial support to people with disabilities. It was scrapped on July 1 2015, with 18,000 often severely disabled people losing out by an average of 300 a week. The money was generally used to help pay for carers so people could live in communities rather than institutions. Councils will get a boost in funding to compensate but it will not cover the whole cost of the fund. This new cash also doesnt have to be spent on the disabled 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut payments for the disabled Access To Work scheme Iain Duncan Smith is bringing forward a policy that will reduce payments to some disabled people from a scheme designed to help them into work. The 108m scheme, which helps 35,540 people, will be capped on a per-used basis, potentially hitting those with the more serious disabilities who currently receive the most help. The single biggest users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and hearing. The cut will come in from October 2015. The charity Disability UK says the scheme actually makes the Government money because the people who gain access to work tend pay tax that more than covers its cost. The DWP does not describe the reduction as a cut and says it will be able to spread the money more thinly and cover more people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut Employment and Support Allowance The latest Budget included a 30 a week cut in disability benefits for some new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Government says it is equalising the rate of disability benefits with Jobseekers Allowance because giving disabled people more help is a perverse incentive. The people affected by this cut are those assessed as having a limited capability for work but as being capable of some work-related activity. A group of prominent Catholics wrote to Mr Duncan Smith to say there was no justification for this cut. Mental health charity Mind, said the cut was insulting and misguided 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Risk homelessness with a sharp increase disability benefit sanctions Official figures in the first quarter of 2014 found a huge increase in sanctions against people reliant on ESA sickness benefit. The 15,955 sanctions were handed out in that period compared to 3,574 in the same period the year before, 2013  a 4.5 times increase. The homelessness charity Crisis warned at the time that the sharp rise in temporary benefit cuts was cruel and can leave people utterly destitute  without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work, Matt Downie, director of policy at the charity added 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Sending sick people to work because of broken fitness to work tests In 2012 a government advisor appointed to review the Governments Work Capability Assessment said the tests causing suffering by sending sick people back to work inappropriately. There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement, Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded. The tests are said to have improved since then, but as recently as this summer they are still coming in for criticism. In June the British Psychological Society said there was now significant body of evidence that the WCA is failing to assess peoples fitness for work accurately and appropriately. It called for a full overhaul of the way the tests are carried out. The WCA appeals system has also been fraught with controversy with a very high rate of overturns and delays lasting months and blamed for hardship 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people The bedroom tax The Governments benefit cut for people who it says are under-occupying their homes disproportionately affects disabled people. Statistics released last year show that around two-thirds of those affected by the under-occupancy penalty, widely known as the bedroom tax, are disabled. There have been a number of high profile cases of disabled people being moved out of specially adapted homes by the policy. In one case publicised by the Sunday People last week, a 48 year old man with cerebral palsy was forced to bathe in a paddling pool after the tax moved him out of his home with a walk-in shower. The Government says it has provided councils with a discretionary fund to help reduce the policys impact on disabled people, but cases continue to arise

Figures reported by the Independent last week showed that more than half of people who appeal fit to work decisions by the DWP on their ESA are found to actually be too ill to work.

 Protest outside Department of Work and Pensions

Owen Smith, Labours shadow work and pensions secretary, argued Mr Goldsmiths position on the disability cuts meant he was not an appropriate choice for Mayor of London.

It is shocking that someone who wants to be Mayor of London voted to take 30 a week away from half a million disabled people - at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet. Zac Goldsmith is not fit to be Mayor of London, he said.

Mr Goldsmith is facing Labour candidate Sadiq Khan, Green Candidate Sian Berry, Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Pidgeon, and Ukip candidate Peter Whittle, amongst others. The election will take place this May.
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Increasingly pugnacious, Jacob Zuma wanted there to be no doubt. I appoint the ministers here, he declared, attempting to address claims that the South African state has effectively been captured by Indian billionaires. Shortly after, the chamber of the National Assembly emptied.

Mr Zuma, leader of a nation racked by drought and economic crisis, is fighting for his political future as millions of South Africans march to demand his resignation. Unseen at the National Assembly in Cape Town were members of the Gupta family, three brothers alleged to have had a hand in Mr Zumas decisions for almost a decade.

Mr Zuma, the leader of an African National Congress (ANC) subject to infighting, has survived two votes of no confidence in the past year. But now even his allies are distancing themselves. Hes not untouchable, hes the President, the ANC general secretary, Gwede Mantashe, told Reuters. Why should we see this as a crisis instead of a positive? It will embolden people to come to the fore... so we can find the business people who are tampering within the ANC.

Those business people, it is alleged, are brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Tony Gupta, who reportedly arrived in South Africa from Uttar Pradesh in 1993, at the end of apartheid, as South African was, again, a land of opportunity. Their company, the Sahara Group, has interests in mining, air travel and the media. They are said to have met Mr Zuma a decade ago. They are said to have remained close since.

Recommended Read more South Africa is a failed state under Zuma the illiterate clansman

The scandal that threatens Mr Zumas future began with the decision to sack the widely respected Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene in December as South Africas economy suffered. Whether the decision was taken by Mr Zuma, or the Gupta brothers, is at the heart of the crisis.

Mcebisi Jonas (Reuters)

On Wednesday, Mr Nenes deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, broke his silence. I have hesitated to speak out publicly on this matter until now, but I feel it is no longer possible to remain quiet, he said. I was approached by non-governmental individuals in respect of the position of Minister of Finance. Members of the Gupta family offered me the position of minister of finance to replace then Minister Nene. I rejected this out of hand.

Recommended Read more Murder trial highlights racial divisions still haunting South Africa

The opposition has called for Mr Zuma to resign. The Guptas, rarely seen, are said to maintain a heavily guarded estate in Saxonwold an affluent Johannesburg suburb. It was there that the hitherto little-known former ANC member and MP, Vytjie Mentor, said that she was offered the key post of public enterprise minister, in 2010. She claimed that Mr Zuma was also at the mansion at the time and she rejected the offer. The Guptas denied this took place.

Commenting on Mr Jonas claims, a Gupta family spokesperson said they were merely political point-scoring between rival factions within the ANC. Any suggestion that a member of the Gupta clan, or one of their representatives, offered anyone a job in government is totally false.

Despite this, the protests continue. Mr Zuma denies any improper relationship with the Guptas, who were at the centre of a scandal in 2013 when it emerged that they were allowed to use a military base to land a private plane for a family wedding.

Mr Zuma survived that scandal and others since. Last month he admitted that he had unduly benefited from millions of pounds of public money spent on security upgrades to his country home  including an amphitheatre, swimming pool and cattle enclosure.

The turmoil is worsening a stricken economy. Markets opened on Wednesday with the currency at 16 rand to $1, a low not seen since December when Mr Nene was sacked.

The rotten forces are on the back foot, Barbara Hogan, a former cabinet minister said yesterday. To those people who believe they still need to defend Zuma and have benefited from a close relationship with the Guptas, I appeal to them now to stand back.
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Nigeria has rejected a gender and equality opportunities bill because it is an attack on its relegious beliefs.

The bill looked to protect Nigerian women from the violence and provide them with the same marital rights as their male counterparts including the rights of widows to inherit their husband's property.

The bill was introduced by Senator Abiodun Olujimi but did not pass a second reading as opponents rejected it as an attack on religious beliefs and the Nigerian constitution, reports Quartz.

Overtly incorporating parts of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the bill declared that women "shall not be subjected to inhuman, humiliating or degrading treatment" and "shall have the right to an equitable share in the inheritance of the property of her husband."

It detailed how women should have the right to fully participate in political activities including the right to vote and be eligible for all publicly elected offices without any restrictions.

One Senate opponent quoted the Bible in a speech declaring his aversion.

A Muslim senator told the BBC that in Islam, women get a half of men's share in inheritance and it is unacceptable to change this.

The countries with anti-women laws Show all 5 1 /5 The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws The countries with anti-women laws

Other Muslim senators declared their opposition due to the fact the bill contravenes Sharia law which the Nigerian constitution recognises.

Had it been enacted, the bill would have introduced 18 as the minimum legal age to get married (Stars/Kristian Buus)

The rejection of the bill by a Senate with only 7 of the 109 members being women has been criticised widely across Nigeria.

Only last year, a Twitter hashtag #BeingFemaleInNigeria which highlighted gender inequality gained wide support among young Nigerians keen on changing the status quo.

A key tenet of this bill was to introduce 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage as according to 43 per cent of Nigerian girls are married before they reach 18.
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In a testy congressional hearing, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder spread blame around for the Flint water crisis, condemning bureaucracy throughout all levels of government. This did not please many of the lawmakers on the panel and the governor was asked to resign during the hearing.

Governor Snyder was testifying before the US House Government Oversight and Reform Committee about the lead contamination that has devastated Flint, poisoning many children.

Recommended Read more Resigned EPA official defends actions in Flint water crisis

Environmental Protection Agency official Susan Hedman resigned over the crisis and many have called for the governor to do the same. On Thursday, those calls came from federal lawmakers.

Representative Matt Cartwright, Democrat from Pennsylvania, said Mr Snyder should resign over the crisis.

"I've had about enough of your false contrition and your phony apologies," Mr Cartwright said to the governor. "Governor Snyder, plausible deniability only works when it's plausible, and I'm not buying that you didn't know about any of this until October 2015. You were not in a medically induced coma for a year."

Mr Snyder maintained that while his office deserves plenty of blame, there is plenty more to go around. He said that each time there were warning about Flint's water, "career bureaucrats" said the water was safe and "these people that made these terrible decisions that showed a clear lack of common sense."

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, also called for Mr Snyder's resignation during the hearing. The two congress members join Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and thousands of others across the country in calling for the governor to step down.

Follow @PaytonGuion on Twitter.
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Did you know the word period is extremely difficult to get on an advert in New York City?

Miki Agrawal didnt either. When the 37-year-old Canadian started out to create THINX, a company selling stylish period-proof underwear for women, she hadnt anticipated the enormous backlash from boards of white, middle-aged men who would have problems with even mentioning womens monthly flows.

But the Cornell University graduate and entrepreneur, alongside her twin sister Radha and Antonia Dunbar, continued to fight. Now their underwear company has been named one of the best inventions of 2015 by TIME magazine, revenue has grown 23 times since 2014 - after first raising over $130,000 from crowdfunding sites and competitions - and THINX now employs 30 people.

Recommended Read more 6 ways that attitudes towards periods are a problem around the world

The first attempt to get their adverts out there in autumn last year, however, was arguably disastrous.

The proposed advert tagline: Underwear for women with periods was rejected. Outfront Media, the third party that manages ads for the subway's Metropolitan Transport Authority, demanded they change the wording.

The same agency, Ms Agrawal noted, allowed adverts for breast surgery, adverts for the Museum of Sex, and a man choking a woman in film 50 Shades of Grey.

Ms Agrawal threatened to go to the press. The story went viral. A week later, the advertising agency was pressured to back down.

Now, the adverts feature on one out of every 10 subway carriages in New York City and are plastered all over Grand Central Station.

New Yorkers would not have failed to notice them. The ingenious and artistic pictures of a grapefruit - a vagina - and an egg - representing a womans menstrual cycle - were also initially shot down by Outfront Media, who claimed the items were suggestive and offensive to riders.

They said the egg looked like male ejaculation, said Ms Agrawal, shaking her head as she cradled a mug of Chai tea in her Williamsburg apartment. And to think that the exact same fruit - a grapefruit - was used to depict a womans augmented breasts in adverts on the subway. How is that OK?

The egg looked like "male ejaculation", according to the advertising agency (THINX)

There is no doubt that periods are becoming increasingly political. The Tampon Tax has enraged women across the US and the world. Petitions have raised the plight of homeless women trying to go through their periods with dignity. Schools are providing free tampons and pads in their nurses office so children dont have to go home and rummage the cupboards.

But the fight is far from over. The Ms Agrawals were not allowed to get their products advertised on the NYC yellow taxi TVs, talk shows believe talking about periods is crass and the sisters still struggle to find modeling agencies who allow their models to feature in period ads.

We might take sanitary pads and tampons for granted in the developed world, but Ms Agrawal said countless women suffer one week of shame for every month of their menstruating lives. In India, women are banned from their kitchens and in Nepal, women are sent to sleep in the cowshed.

That is why the language of THINX adverts is all the more revolutionary, even in the US. They read more like you are texting a girlfriend than discussing a biological process.

No, theyre not like diapers, and you dont have to sit in ur blood all day. Boom," one advert reads.

Author of Do Cool Sh*t Miki Agrawal is totally tapped into her target market. She uses an app called Clue to monitor when shes ovulating - people try to put the fear of God in you [about getting pregnant] - and she rarely stops to sit down during the interview, sorting vitamins into her daily capsules, tapping at her phone and getting ready for her day at her Chelsea-based office.

Her company also has an altruistic agenda - they send a portion of money from their sales to supply women in Uganda with reusable menstrual pads. Ms Agrawal said that as a result of THINX, 40,000 girls can stay at school during their periods.

Yet some media commentators have said its time to stop talking about periods. Its been done already. Its a bit gross, right?

Ms Agrawal responded that periods are still a taboo and that the conversation around menstruation has just started.

Look at the Suffragette movement which gave women the right to vote - that was less than 100 years ago," she said. "We are now in the fourth wave of feminism when women are really starting to be independent and have their voices heard.

The business has expanded into other areas, including an affordable and easy-to-install bidet called "Tushy Me" - you dont have to smear poo up your butt with paper anymore - and pee-proof underwear for women, particularly post pregnancy - One in three women will suffer from leakage at some point in their lives.

Future plans from THINX promise to disrupt the tampon market and Ms Agrawal is about to embark on an 11-city tour alongside sportswear company Lulu Lemon to promote her range of underwear. The entrepreneur has not had a day off for almost two months.

As a serial entrepreneur, obstacles in business are not an alien concept to Ms Agrawal. She also owns two organic and gluten-free pizza restaurants in Williamsburg and in the West Village. Her sister is also the founder of Daybreaker, a movement of early morning dance parties without alcohol or drugs.

But periods were a new business concept, and very personal. She found she was dealing with blood leakages on a monthly basis as she dashed around from restaurant to restaurant. This inconvenience served as an inspiration to launch THINX.

Asked to give advice for other aspirational women entrepreneurs, she responded simply: Its easy to talk and say: I wanna, I wanna. Talk is cheap. Its about taking positive action every day."
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Bernie Sanders has said calls for him to drop out of the presidential race are "absurd" following reports President Barack Obama had called for Democrats to unite behind Hillary Clinton.

Mr Obama reportedly told Democratic donors that it is time for the party to unite behind Hillary Clinton - saying it was essential they came together to defeat the soaring candidacy of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

The president has been very careful not to be seen to favour either Ms Clinton, or her Democratic rival Mr Sanders as they have sought the nomination.

But as Ms Clinton has increasingly cemented her position and Mr Sanders dream of winning looks ever more likely, the New York Times said the president had urged donors to get ready for the general election.

Bernie Sanders has vowed to continue his campaign (AP)

The paper said that in unusually candid remarks, Mr Obama privately told a group of Democratic donors last Friday that Mr Sanders was nearing the point where his campaign would come to an end.

It said he acknowledged that Ms Clinton is perceived to have weaknesses as a candidate, and that some Democrats did not view her as authentic. But he is said to have played down the importance of authenticity, saying that President George Bush was once praised for his authenticity.

Mr Obama made the remarks after reporters had left a fund-raising event in Austin, Texas, for the Democratic National Committee, the newspaper said. Asked about this at the daily press briefing, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Mr Obama has said the party needed to unite behind a candidate, but denied that he had said that should be Ms Clinton

His intervention in the nomination battle has come at a critical time for Mr Sanders. After the Vermont senator failed to win a single state in last Tuesdays primary contests - Ms Clinton scooping all five states - his path to the nomination looks ever more difficult.

While he has vowed to fight on, insisting he still has a path to the presidency, he would need to win the remaining 70 per cent of remaining delegates.

Mr Sanders campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, and his senior campaign adviser, Tad Devine, told reporters on Wednesday that they believed he could catch Ms Clinton. They added that Mr Sanders expected to do very well in coming contests in Arizona, Wisconsin, Idaho, Utah, Washington and New York.

We are literally about halfway through, Mr Weaver said.

Mr Sanders said in a statement earlier this week: With more than half the delegates yet to be chosen and a calendar that favours us in the weeks and months to come, we remain confident that our campaign is on a path to win the nomination.
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A spate of student suicides in Hong Kong has sparked angry protests over what is seen as a highly-stressful exam system - with politicians using gory blood-stained props to make their point.

Hong Kongs education minister was pelted with exam papers splattered with fake blood on Wednesday as he left a government meeting held to discuss the suicides.

Angry politicians who had been in the chamber with the education chief Eddie Ng followed him outside, shouting accusations and calling him a heartless minister, the South China Morning Post reported.

Twenty-two young people have killed themselves in Hong Kong since the start of the academic year, with the four most recent deaths taking place over five days. The youngest was 11-years-old.

Between 2010-2014, 23 young people took their own lives each year, and this years increase has alarmed parents and the government alike.

During the mornings session, Ng was quizzed by lawmakers on the possible links between these tragedies and Hong Kongs notoriously tough school system.

With the increased numbers of suicides among students, have you ever looked into whether it has anything to do with your new secondary school system, with the school-based assessment and coursework? asked lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee in the meeting, according to the South China Morning Post.

The exam papers doused in blood thrown by three ministers after the meeting was a standard assessment for primary-school pupils, a test often prepared for with repetitive drills which has been criticised by parents as a source of stress.

The education minister responded to the protest in a social media post, calling it unnecessary and pointing out that the fake blood could cause real distress to students. He said that suicide was a complicated matter and that students in fact had fewer public exams than before.

40 per cent of students in Hong Kong say they feel anxious at the start of a new term, according to a recent poll by the Hong Kong-based Federation of Youth Groups.

In the UK, rising numbers of university students are seeking counselling, according to a report by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which found that mental health problems on campus had increased from around 8,000 to 18,000 in four years to 2012-3.
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Operation Foal Eagle 2016, which runs from March 7 to April 30, is a massive joint US-South Korean military exercise held in North Korea's backyard.

The operation runs contemporaneously as another US military exercise in South Korea, Operation Key Resolve, which starts March 7 and ends March 18.

The operations in total involve about 17,000 US troops, along with an astonishing 300,000 of their South Korean counterparts.

North Korea views the drills as aggressive and denounces them each year.

Pyongyang has ratcheted up the rhetoric and warned that its armed forces holding tightly the arms to annihilate the enemies with towering hatred for them are waiting for the dignified Supreme Command to issue an order to launch a preemptive strike of justice.

On March 9, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. And on Monday, Pyongyang claimed it could wipe out Manhattan with a nuclear bomb. These photos highlight the exercises going on in South Korea:

Operation Foal Eagle is carried out in the spirit of the 1953 South Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty, which obligates the US to intervene if the north ever invaded South Korea again.

(Reuters)

The bilateral exercise is conducted by South Korea and the US. It allows the two nations to practice land, air, and naval operations.

(Reuters)

The drill features the use of smoke screens during an amphibious invasion ...

A South Korean and a US Marine take positions as amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps fire smoke bombs during a US-South Korea joint landing operation drill in Pohang, South Korea, March 12, 2016. (Reuters)

... and beachhead assaults once the soldiers make landfall.

 (Reuters)

Korean marines spearheaded the landing operations.

 (Reuters)

On the beach, US forces join their South Korean counterparts.

 (Reuters)

The drill aims to foster interoperability and prepare for a hypothetical assault by North Korea.

 (Reuters)

North Korea accuses the US of using the exercises as a practice run for an invasion.

 (Reuters)

South Korea and the US maintain that Foal Eagle is a strictly defensive exercise.



The exercises allow American Marines to run through the full spectrum of amphibious operations.



Simultaneously, the US and South Korean militaries are holding exercises inland as part of Operation Key Resolve.

 (Reuters)

Key Resolve and Foal Eagle mark the largest exercises the two countries have held together since 2010.



Key Resolve is also reported to test, for the first time ever, Operations Plan 5015.

 (Reuters)

Plan 5015 is aimed at using preemptive strikes to deter any possible North Korean use of weapons of mass destruction.



Additionally, the exercise makes use of special operations forces from both countries.

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 19 things successful people do in the first 10 minutes of the workday

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A piece of seemingly innocuous insurance legislation could be a step towards gender equality in Iran.

The top legislative body of the strictly conservative Shia Islamic state has ratified a bill which will rule that female victims of car accidents should receive the same compensation as male victims.

The Guardian Council, a 12-member committee which ensures legislation conforms to Sharia law, gave the green light to the Third Party Insurance Bill.

In Iranian Sharia law, insurance is covered by the concept of blood money. This is a form of compensation which is paid to the victim of a crime or accident, or to their family in the case of death.

The amount paid varies from case to case depending on the circumstances and extent of injuries caused.

Muslim women are usually only entitled to half of what a Muslim man would get for the same case.

The decision to change this could signal initial groundwork for further gender equality in Iran, according to Dr Ziba Mir-Hosseini, a, Iranian legal anthropologist working at SOAS.

"Once they accept that men and women are equa in terms of blood money when there is a car accident, that means they have accepted the principle, so that can set a precedent, she said.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. 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Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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The law has already been passed in the Iranian parliament, known as the Maljis.

The legislation aims to ensure the financial well-being of the family members who have a senior female member who is hurt in an accident.

Rahim Zare, spokesman for the Majlis Economic Committee said: Our justification for equality of blood money for men and women was based on the fact that some women are the heads of their households, Iranian media outlet Press TV reported.

However, women will remain unequal in other cases, such as murder, assault or property damage, where blood money may be used.

Blood money rates for non-Muslims vary from 1/16th to half of that of a Muslim for an equivalent case.

Atheists and other sects such as Bahais, unrecognised as religious minorities by the Iranian government, are not entitled to blood money payments.
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US officials have demanded the immediate release of the American student who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for stealing a propaganda banner from his Pyongyang hotel.

The US State Department condemned 21-year-old Otto Warmbiers sentence as unduly harsh and White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it was politically motivated.

Mr Earnest said it was increasingly clear that North Korea sought to use American citizens as pawns in their political agenda.

North Korea's highest court sentenced Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia undergraduate student, from Wyoming, Ohio, to 15 years in prison with hard labour (Associated Press)

The University of Virginia student was arrested at the end of a five-day New Years group tour of North Korea when he delayed at airport immigration and taken away by officials, according to the tour operator who organised the trip.

He was convicted on charges of subversion in a secretive trial that reportedly lasted less than an hour.

The trial was reportedly witnessed by a representative of the Swedish embassy which looks after US affairs in the country as America does not have formal diplomatic relations with North Korea.

The countries are still technically at war after the conflict between North and South Korea in 1950-1953 ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: "We're going to remain in very close coordination with the Swedes on this matter. It's my understanding that he was in reasonable health".

He called for Warmbier to be immediately pardoned and released on humanitarian grounds.

The state-controlled KCNA news agency said: "The accused confessed to the serious offense against [the country] he had committed, pursuant to the US government's hostile policy toward it, in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist.

His defence lawyer reportedly said the gravity of his crime was so severe that he would not be able to pay even with his death but managed to reduce the sentence from the prosecutions request of a life sentence, according to KCNA.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has defiantly ramped up tensions by promising more nuclear tests (Rex Features)

In a televised press conference last month, Warmbier tearfully admitted to removing the political slogan from the staff holding area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel.

He said: I apologise to each and every one of the millions of the Korean people, and I beg that you see how I was used and manipulated.

He claimed he had been lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country.

It comes as relations between the so-called Hermit kingdom and the West have are increasingly tense following its renewed nuclear tests.

In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test A lab employee from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety's regional office in Gangneung, east of Seoul, checks for radioactive traces in the air, in Gangneung, soon after North Korea announced it successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test. The office in Gangneung is the closest one to the site of the North's claimed test. Officials said it will take three to four days to analyze air samples in detail for any traces of radioactivity, the Yonhap news agency reported EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un signing a document of a hydrogen bomb test in Pyongyang In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test People watch a TV news program showing North Korea's special announcement at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test South Korean people watch TV news at Seoul station EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Japan's meteorological agency officer Yohei Hasegawa displays a chart showing seismic activity, after a North Korean nuclear test, at the agency in Tokyo Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Ko Yun-Hwa, administrator of Korea Meteorological Administration, briefs reporters showing seismic waves from the site of North Korea's hydrogen bomb test, at his office in Seoul Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korea's border county of Kaepoong is seen from a South Korean observation post in Paju near the Demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas as North Korea announced it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test Getty Images

President Barack Obama has issued an executive order imposing "robust new sanctions" on North Korea after its Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 rocket launch that used ballistic missile technology.

But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country would soon test a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, in what would be a direct violation of U.N. resolutions.

North Korea is currently holding a Korean-Canadian Christian pastor it sentenced to hard labour for life in December for subversion, a Korean-American and three South Koreans.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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An amateur metal detector has made a discovery that experts think could change our understanding of Christianity in Denmark.

Dennis Fabricius Holm was enjoying an afternoon off work when he found a Birka crucifix pendant in a field near the town of Aunslev, stfyn.

I got off early on Friday, so I took just a few hours, I went around with my metal detector and then I came suddenly on something, Mr Holm told DK.

Since I cleared the mud and saw the jewellery, I have not been able to think of anything else.

On posting the find to social media, other users encouraged him to take it to a museum.

Malene Refshauge Beck, curator and archaeologist at stfyns Museum said: It is an absolutely sensational discovery that is from the first half of the 900s [10th century].

There is found an almost identical figure in Sweden, which has been dated to just this period.

However, this specimen is in especially good condition and one of the most well preserved Christian artefacts found in Denmark.

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Weighing just 13.2 grams and 4.1cm in length, the figure is made of finely articulated goldthreads and tiny fillagree pellets.

It is smooth on the reverse side but has a small eye at the top for a chain.

It was probably worn by a Viking woman.

The dating of the crucifix, estimated at being from 900  950AD, is significant because it would indicate Danes embraced Christianity earlier than previously thought.

At the moment, the Jelling Stones - two large runestones erected in 965AD in Jutland - are thought to be the oldest known representation of Jesus on a cross in Denmark.

One of the rune stones at Jelling, Jutland. A figure with arms outstretched as if on a crucifix can be seen. (Richard Harrington/Three Lions/Getty Images)

The stones, in the town of Jelling, commemorate Harald Bluetooths conversion of the Danes to Christianity.

Christian missionaries had been present in the country for around two hundred years before then, but had failed to convert the Vikings.

 Is this proof Chimps believe in God?

However, pressures from Christian trade partners to convert, and in particular, influence from the Kingdom of Germany to the south, meant that most Danes were Christian by the end of the Viking period in 1050.

The figure can therefore help to advance the time when one considers that the Danes really were Christians, said Ms Beck.

Simply because one can say that the person who carried it here no doubt embraced the Christian faith.

The impact of the find is such that the historical record of the country will need to be adjusted.

This is a subject that certainly will have to appear in the history books in the future, said Ms Beck.

In recent years there has been more and more signs that Christianity was widespread earlier than previously thought - and here the clearest evidence so far.

And as for the amateur archaeologist?

Ive hardly slept! Mr Holm said to TV2 / Fyn.

It has been very overwhelming. I have not yet grasped that finds influence on Denmark's history.

It is hard to comprehend.
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A former German intelligence employee has been sentenced to eight years in jail after it was revealed he was working as a triple agent for German, American and Russian spy agencies.

Markus Reichel admitted to attempting to deliver classified documents to the Russian Secret Service and handing over, to the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the names and addresses of agents employed by Germanys Federal Intelligence Service (BND).

He was reported to have received 95,000, around 75,000, for the exchange.

The 32-year old had been employed at the BND since 2007, working in the mail room where he had access to classified documents. Some 200 of the documents sent to the US spy agency were deemed very sensitive, and even included papers detailing the BNDs counter-espionage strategies.

Convicting Reichel on two counts of treason and breach of official secrets, as well as five counts of corruption, the court said his actions risked "serious detriment to Germany's external security".

Although the prosecution had sought 10 years, the court said Reichel's lack of previous criminal records as well as his confession were mitigating factors.

According to AFP news agency, Mr Reichel admitted he had spied for foreign services out of dissatisfaction with his job at the BND. "No one trusted me with anything at the BND. At the CIA it was different," he told the court at the opening of his trial in November.

Not only did the CIA offer "adventure", the Americans also gave him what he craved - recognition.

"I would be lying if I said that I didn't like that," he told the court. "I wanted something new, to experience something exciting.
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Germany has closed its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul because of the threat of a possible imminent attack, the foreign ministry has said.

The ministry said the German school in Istanbul has also been shut due to an "unconfirmed warning".

The consulate said in an email seen by Die Welt that the facilities had been shut as a precaution but warned German citizens to stay away from the areas.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters in Berlin that they were responding to "concrete" evidence of an attack.

He said: "Yesterday evening, our security authorities received several concrete and very serious leads that terror attacks against our German representations in Turkey were being prepared".

On Tuesday, Germany had issued an alert to its citizens in Ankara warning of an "imminent attack".

It comes as a car bomb attack killed 37 people and injured at least 125 more in the capital on Sunday.

The Kurdish militant group TAK claimed responsiblity for the deadly suicide attack in which two of its own were killed.

In pictures: Ankara bombing Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Family members and relatives grieve for victims of a car bombing outside the forensic morgue in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Men hold Turkish flags over the coffin of a car bombing victim during a commemoration ceremony in a mosque in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of Feyza Acisu one of the victims who was killed in an explosion cries during the funeral in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of Murat Gul one of the victims who was killed in an explosion pray near the coffin covered with Turkish flags during the funeral in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion the day after a suicide car bomb ripped through a busy square in central Ankara killing at least 34 people and wounding 125, officials said, the latest in a spate of deadly attacks to hit Turkey In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion, the day after a suicide car bomb ripped through a busy square in central Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Turkish police secure the area as scenes of crime officers search the area after an explosion in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of victims who were killed in an explosion mourn in front of forensic medicine institution in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing People carry an injured person on a stretcher at the scene of a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of people wounded in an explosion in Ankara, Turkey, react as they arrive at a hospital to see their loved ones In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers are seen on a bus at the explosion site in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing A burning car after a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency services attend the scene in central Ankara's Kizilay Square In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Dogan Asik, 28, who was blown away from inside a bus by a powerful explosion speaks at the explosion site in the busy center of Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency services help an injured person following after an explosion in Ankara's central Kizilay district in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing The wreckage of a bus and a car are pictured at the scene of a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic services and firemen work around burnt out taxi vehicles after a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing At least 27 people were killed and 75 wounded in an explosion in the Turkish capital Ankara in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack according to Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar Getty In pictures: Ankara bombing Medics carry an injured person at the explosion site in the busy center of Turkish capital, Ankara AP In pictures: Ankara bombing The bomb exploded close to bus stops near a park at Ankara's main square, Kizilay. The news channel said the explosion occurred as a car slammed into a bus, suggesting that the blast may have been caused by a car bomb AP In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara Reuters In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara, Turkey Reuters In pictures: Ankara bombing A destroyed bus is seen in the street after an explosion in Ankara EPA In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara, Turkey Reuters

The group said the attack had been aimed at security forces and they did not mean to kill civilians.

Ankara has now been hit by three bombings in a space of five months, ratcheting up security fears across the city and Turkey.

Recommended Read more Renewal of conflict with Kurdish militants is accompanied by a highly toxic political and media climate

In a statement posted online, the group described the car bombing, which occurred on Sunday, as revenge for security operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast that have been under way since July, in which hundreds of civilians, security forces and militants have been killed.

The Turkish armed forces carried out air strikes against Kurdish rebel strongholds in northern Iraq hours after the attack.

The state run Anadolu news agency said nine F-16s and two F-4 jets raided 18 positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, including the Qandil mountains where the group's leadership is based.

Police detained at least 11 people in connection with the attack on Monday.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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Italy has passed a law which will make supermarkets donate more of their waste food to charities.

The country is now the second in Europe to pass such a law, after a bill was introduced in France in February which fines retailers who throw away unsold food.

The bill received strong support from all parties, and was passed by the Italian parliament's lower house on Thursday. It is expected to get approval from the Senate this week.

Recommended Read more Italy to become second European country to pass food waste laws

Rather than penalising retailers who throw away food, the new law makes it easier for them to give it away, through the reform of certain tax laws which previously made it difficult to donate unsold produce.

The law also allows businesses to give away food which is past its 'sell by' date, if it is not spoiled.

Italian agriculture minister Maruizio Martina told La Repubblica: "We are making it more convenient for companies to donate than to waste."

Food peak production Show all 12 1 /12 Food peak production Food peak production Maize: reached its peak-rate in 1985 Getty Food peak production Rice: reached its peak-rate in 1988 Getty Food peak production Fish (caught): reached its peak-rate in 1988 Getty Food peak production Dairy: reached its peak-rate in 1989 Getty Food peak production Eggs: reached its peak-rate in 1993 Getty Images Food peak production Meat: reached its peak-rate in 1996 Getty Food peak production Vegetables: reached its peak-rate in 2000 Getty Food peak production Wheat: reached its peak-rate in 2004 Getty Food peak production Milk: reached its peak-rate in 2004 Getty Food peak production Poultry: reached its peak-rate in 2006 AFP/Getty Images Food peak production Sugacane: reached its peak-rate in 2007 Getty Food peak production Soybeans: reached its peak-rate in 2009 Getty

"We currently recover 550 million tonnes of excess food each year, but we want to arrive at one billion in 2016."

According to food producers' organisation Coldiretti, the equivalent of 76kg of food for each person in the country is thrown away every year.

With the passing of the new bill, it is hoped that some of this food will be passed on to the six million Italians who rely on donations from charities to eat.

The anti-waste movement has been gathering momentum across Europe recently - French politician Arash Derambarsh, who is trying to pass EU-wide food donation legislation, has previously told The Independent: "The problem is simple - we have food going to waste and poor people who are going hungry."

The UK is the most wasteful country in Europe when it comes to food. A 2014 inquiry found that the UK throws out 14 million tonnes of food a year, twice the EU average. Half of this amount comes from British households.



Some major chains have made changes - Asda recently became one of the first British supermarkets to sell 'wonky' vegetables, which are often thrown away, at discounted prices in 128 of its shops.

However, campaigners would like to see the government taking more direct action against food waste on the high street.
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Theyre known as the Mafias grey panthers, the pensioners who are still calling the shots among the most powerful clans of the Sicilian Mob.

Authorities have this week alleged that these Cosa Nostra figures in their seventies and eighties have continued to run the groups nefarious activities and are determined to defend the ailing crime syndicate to their last breaths.

Police arrested 62 people on Wednesday and dealt severe blows against two of Palermos oldest clans  the Villagrazia-Santa Maria di Gesu and San Giuseppe Jato families  and seized businesses and property. Those arrested are accused of familiar-sounding-charges, including Mafia association, extortion, and weapons offences.

But it was the structure of the clans  and in particular, the identity of those said to be in charge  that showed the battle of the generations within Italys oldest Mafia group is still going on and, if anything, the grey panthers are coming out on top.

The two alleged godfathers arrested this week were Mariano Marchese and Gregorio Agrigento, aged 77 and 81, respectively. Prosecutors said their continued top jobs after lives spent in and out of prison, suggested tradition has not bowed to attempts by flashy young guns to take over. The organisation continues to observe the time-honoured rules, according to the prosecutor, Francesco Lo Voi, who oversaw the 62 arrests.

Mafia experts and prosecutors say these contemporaries of the jailed and notorious 1990s super boss, Toto Riina, still dream of the old-style Cosa Nostra structure, with a boss of bosses and a measure of decorum.

The future of Cosa Nostra is in the hands of octogenarians, the author and Mafia expert Attilio Bolzoni said in La Repubblica. He added if it were not for the grey panthers, what is left of Cosa Nostra would already be drunk on mojitos, or stoned on cocaine, whizzing around Mondello Bay on jet skis, in displays of vulgarity. He said the older bosses would continue until theyd given their last breaths.

Mariano Marchese, 77, was arrested on extortion and arms charges

Two years ago extensive video surveillance by Sicilian law enforcement agencies showed how the sons of jailed Cosa Nostra leaders were trying to reform la Cupola  the regular gathering of Mafia families from across Sicily to discuss business plans.

With Cosa Nostra weakened by a succession of arrests, the growth of rival crime syndicates and the lack of a boss of bosses of the stature of Bernardo Provenzano or Riina, young clan figures appeared to be trying to regroup and strengthen the organisation  and enjoy themselves at the same time, during extravagant dinners with lobster and Dom Perignon.

But it was not clear to what extent the crime syndicate was benefiting from the activity or whether the Mafias young guns were just playing at being gangsters.

This weeks developments suggest that it was more show than substance. Mr Bolzani said that instead Mr Marchese and Mr Agrigento had stepped in and reorganised the districts to give a little order to the families and some criminal decorum to the crime syndicate.

The resilience of older Cosa Nostra figures was demonstrated in January this year by the centenarian mobster Procopio di Maggio, who celebrated his 100th birthday in style, with a noisy fireworks display  despite attempts by authorities to ban the festivities. The white-haired Mafioso, who survived some of the most violent years in the history of Cosa Nostra, lived it up on the big day, greeting locals and visitors from the US, to the anger of local authorities in his home town of Cinisi, near Palermo.

Recommended Read more Mafia chauffeur who became a supergrass dares to return home

Mafia pundits said the survival of Cosa Nostras octogenarian bosses, chimed with the famous comments by the Mafia boss Giuseppe Bonanno, known in the US as Joey Bananas, who said: I was born into a world that had its own tradition and this tradition is the flower of our culture ... it guides the youth in their journey towards maturity our tradition shows us the way to live.

The author and criminologist Corrado De Rosa said: What Joe Bananas said was the essence of the Mafioso. It dictates the thoughts of its affiliates; for those inside, nothing else counts.
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Parisian cat owners have been left horrified after at least five cats were found with serious acid burns in the eastern suburb of Bagnolet.

The first feline victim of the attacks was discovered screaming in agony, with half its skin burned away and its bones exposed, on 28 February by a resident named Maria.

Due to the severity of its injuries, the cat was put down. "The location of the burns lead us to believe that they were caused by splashes of acid," wrote local vet Sebastien Marti in a veterinary report, according to Le Parisien.

Recommended Read more Fears grow as Croydon cat killer casts net more widely

Since then three more cats have been found in a similar state, and there may be more, the Bagnolet stray cat association LEcole Du Chat told The Independent.

I hope that the person is arrested, said the president of the association, who preferred not to give her name. Ive lodged a complaint with the police. I have all the photos of the cats who were burned - its not a pretty sight, she said.

Warning: Some readers may find the below image distressing

A brown male tabby cat called Moustache, belonging to an 11-year-old boy, was found with third-degree burns to 40 per cent of its body. It is now in recovery after two operations.

The third cat to be attacked with acid was a female kitten, which was discovered on 10 March and operated on for over an hour. One more pet has been seen in a similar state of distress.

Some cats were badly burned but survived the attacks

We hope that will be the last. The perpetrator hasnt yet been found, but we have a description, said the president of LEcole Du Chat. Weve put leaflets with photos through letterboxes, urging people to look out for their cats and those of their neighbours.

On this side of the channel, a recent spate of violent cat deaths in south London has sparked a search for the culprit, known as the Croydon cat killer. More than 50 pet cats had reportedly been found dead in suspicious circumstances.
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Refugees landing on Greek islands will be deported within days under a "decisive" draft deal with Turkey.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said the deal gives [the EU] a chance to get a sustainable, pan-European solution to the refugee issue".

She was speaking on the eve of a summit to sign the deal which will fast rack Turkeys application to join the EU in exchange for readmitting refugees who have already crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece.

Ms Merkel, who drafted the deal with other EU leaders, said: "What is at stake tomorrow and the day after tomorrow is whether we can get a deal that, for the first time, gives us a chance to get a sustainable, pan-European solution to the refugee issue".

She warned other leaders not to be "deceived" by the current drop-off in the numbers of people arriving in Germany caused by Austria shutting its borders.

She said: "The current easing that Germany and some other member states is experiencing is one thing. The situation in Greece is the other and it must be a big concern to us all because it is not without consequences for us all in Europe".

Angela Merkel warns the crisis has not been solved by closing Austrian borders (Corbis)

The border closures across the continent have created a bottleneck in financially strapped Greece which local officials say is untenable.

What does the deal mean?

The deal will mean Turkey will exchange refugees who cross the Aegean Sea with asylum seekers living in their camps on a one-to-one basis to encourage asylum seekers to use legal challenges.

They will also receive 6bn (4.7bn) in aid and visa-free travel for their citizens from June.

Reception centres on the holiday islands of Lesbos, Chios and Leros will be turned into detention camps and all refugees will undergo face-to-face interviews with EU asylum officials before having any appeals decided upon before Greek judges in fast-tracked hearings.

Why is it so controversial?

Turkey is not a signatory of the Geneva convention on refugee rights and currently deports some asylum seekers from Iraq and Afghanistan to war zones - which is forbidden under EU law.

The deal has been watered down - with the interview process in Greece being included after the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said mass deportation was a violation of international law - and the EU will only start deporting refugees if Greek judges agree conditions and legal processes in Turkey are up to same standard as theirs.

Many EU leaders are uncomfortable about making a deal to remove restrictions on Turkish citizens travel and the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily.

Over the past few weeks the government took over one of the countrys most popular newspapers, Zaman, and has carried out an ongoing military crackdown on Kurdish militants.

There is also the unresolved question of Cyprus - an EU member state which wants Turkey to recognise its sovereignty over the island and withdraw from the north of the country which it invaded in 1974 and declared as an independent state in 1983.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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The European Unions planned refugee deal with Turkey is hanging by a thread as leaders meeting in Brussels struggled to agree on how it would work.

The draft scheme aims to reduce the flow of refugees from war zones such as Syria by sending back to Turkey anyone landing illegally in Greece. But it has come under fire from EU leaders and aid agencies for being potentially illegal and impractical. I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, said before the two-day summit began.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, who helped strike last weeks Turkish deal, admitted there were many things to resolve, but expressed cautious optimism.

Recommended Read more Cameron must veto this poisonous deal with Turkey

The 28 EU leaders are hoping to settle their negotiating stance before meeting Turkeys Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, over breakfast this morning. Ms Merkel says Turkey holds the key to resolving the crisis as it can seal the main route used by the 1.4 million asylum seekers who have landed in the bloc since January last year.

David Cameron said he welcomed the plans to send migrants back to Turkey, as it would foil people smugglers. He added that because Britain is not in Europes passport-free Schengen area, it will not offer visa-free travel to Turks. We maintain our own immigration policy, he said.

The deal would mean Turkey takes back all migrants arriving illegally in Greece, while the EU resettles one Syrian refugee for every Syrian readmitted to Turkey. The aim is to break the business model of the people smugglers and offer refugees an alternative to risking their lives. The one-for-one plan is a temporary and extraordinary measure, to be capped at 72,000 migrants.

At the same time, the EU would double an agreed 3bn fund to help refugees in Turkey and would hasten visa-free travel for Turks in Europe.

Mark Rutte, the Netherlands Prime Minister, claimed the deal could cut the flow of migrants within three or four weeks.

But Dalia Grybauskaite, the Lithuanian President, said the deal risked breaching the EUs international obligations to accept refugees. The proposed package is very complicated, will be very difficult to implement and is on the edge of international law, she said.

She was echoed by Luxembourgs Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, who said he had fears over the legal issues...you cant just put aside the Geneva Convention.

There are also concerns that Turkey is holding Europe to ransom, knowing how desperate leaders are to strike a deal before the spring weather entices more refugees to cross over. I cant accept negotiations which sometimes look like they are a form of blackmail, said Belgiums Prime Minister, Charles Michel.

Nicos Anastasiades, the Cypriot President, softened his stance on reopening Ankaras EU membership talks, having threatened to veto the entire deal over Turkeys occupation of northern Cyprus. There are obstacles, but I do hope thatthere is going to be a compromise, he said.

The United Nations said that since the last EU-Turkey summit on 7 March, almost 11,000 people have reached Greece, bringing the total on that route to 144,000 so far this year; at least 96 have died trying.

Q&A: The Turkey deal

European leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron, are meeting in Brussels to thrash out a refugee swap with Turkey. The deal is fraught with potential pitfalls, with critics lambasting it as immoral, illegal and unworkable. Even European Council President Donald Tusk  who hosts the summit  admitted gloomily the catalogue of issues to be resolved is long. Here are some of the questions that could derail the deal:

Q. Is sending refugees back to Turkey illegal?

A. European Union countries are bound by the United Nations 1951 Convention on Refugees, which says all applications have to be properly reviewed, and asylum seekers cannot be returned to a country that does not offer proper protection. This is reiterated in the EUs Charter of Fundamental Rights, which also bans collective expulsions. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo says the blanket return of refugees to Turkey is illegal under international law.

Q. Can Turkey be considered a safe country?

A. Only Europeans are currently guaranteed refugee status in Turkey: the EUs own rules say this does not meet its criteria as a safe third country for refugees. While Turkey currently hosts around 2.5 million Syrian refugees, human rights groups say Syrians are often sent back over the border into the war zone. While EU officials say Turkey will offer proper protection to all applicants, there is little evidence that Ankara will actually do it.

Q. Why are the Cypriots blocking the deal?

A. Cyprus President Nikos Anastasiades has pledged to veto the opening of five new chapters in Ankaras EU membership negotiations unless Turkey recognises the island as a single country. Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, and the island is still partitioned. Today, Turkey is the only country in the world to officially recognise Northern Cyprus as a sovereign state. This is especially sensitive for Cyprus, which is currently engaged in sensitive reunification talks with Northern Cyprus.

Q. What is in it for the Turks?

A. Turkey wants the EU to grant full visa-free travel for its citizens by the end of June. There is already resistance from EU leaders, wary of headlines suggesting 75 million Turks can visit any time. There cannot be any concessions on the matter of human rights or the criteria for visa liberalization French President Francois Hollande said. There are also technical demands: Turkey has to meet 72 benchmarks for visa-free access. It currently meets 35.

Q. How long can Greece be expected to cope?

A. European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans says all asylum seekers on Greek islands will get proper hearings, but that assumes Greeces asylum system is upgraded to cope with thousands of arrivals a week  an questionable scenario. Athens might need hundreds more judges and translators to process the applications. Greece also faces the challenge of removing 8,000 people from the islands in a matter of days.

Q. What if resettlement fails?

A. Last year, the EU agreed to resettle only 22,000 Syrian refugees over two years, a figure the UN called very low given that 4.8 million Syrians have fled their homes. Even so, only about 3,400 people have been found homes in 10 European countries. The swap model with Turkey is a non-scalable fantasy, says Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, from the Peterson Institute for International Economics. It defies belief that EU member states will be more willing to accept refugees directly from Turkey.
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For decades, the war on drugs has been fought on fronts from the jungles of Latin America to the classroom. But now the struggle to understand the use of illegal substances has reached a new low - the nations urinals.

Scientists in charge of tracking drug use across Europe, in particular the booming use of so-called legal highs, have put forward proposals to use samples from pissoirs in locations such as nightclubs and music festivals to try to work out which illicit substances are being consumed.

A technique which looks for minute traces of established recreational drugs in wastewater taken from the sewage system has been developed to gauge the level of use of better-known narcotics such as cocaine or cannabis in Britain and elsewhere.

But research published by the European Union body which monitors trends in drug consumption has found that tracking the use of legal highs - synthetic substances whose chemical formula has been tweaked to avoid automatic classification as a banned substance - requires a more targeted, if not exactly fragrant, sampling technique.

A report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), based in part on a pilot study in London, said the best way to track the popularity of these New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) was to collect samples from areas in which their use might be expected such as nightclubs and music festivals. The body now wants routine, anonymised sampling from urinals to be considered as part of its early warning system for drug use across Europe.

Legal highs have risen rapidly in popularity in recent years with the authorities playing a constant game of catch up as shady chemists produce a steady stream of NPS to be marketed in shops and on websites before they are formally banned.

A total of 101 legal highs were detected in 2014 alone, bringing with them warnings of dangerous side-effects.

But despite rising demand, NPS still represent only a small proportion of overall drug use and their shifting formulae mean samples from general wastewater are too dilute to effectively trace them and judge which products are in use.

Liesbeth Vandam, a scientific analyst with EMCDDA, told The Independent: The market is challenging for a number of reasons, including the increasing number of NPS entering the market, the rapidity of their appearance and the fact that many users are often unaware of the actual substances they are using.

The report shows that samples from pooled urine collected at nightclubs and music festivals can provide timely data on which new psychoactive substances are being used and where.

The recommendation by Norwegian researchers follows a study in London which took samples from 12 temporary weekend urinals set up in Londons West End. The project, led by Guys and St Thomass NHS Trust, found traces of six legal highs as well as seven established recreational drugs, including ketamine and Ecstasy.

The move towards urine sampling comes as Britain prepares to brings into force a new law which seeks to ban NPS in their entirety for the first time.

The Psychoactive Substances Act, which comes into effect on 6 April, seeks to close the loophole exploited by legal highs by effectively banning any substance used to get high with the exception of nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and medications. Government advisers said this week that poppers, widely used in the gay community, should also be excluded from the ban.
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It may be 1,500 years since Saint Patrick died, but people are still making the mistake of calling his annual celebration 'St. Patty's Day'.

If you want a nickname for Ireland's patron saint, the 5th-century British missionary who bought Christianity to Ireland and (supposedly) booted out the snakes, then use Paddy.

This originates from from the Irish Padraig, and is an acceptable nickname for any Patricks in your life.

Patty, on the other hand, isn't short for anything, apart from maybe 'Patricia'. Unless you're talking about a burger, it shouldn't be used.

As Marcus Campbell, the one-man crusade behind the Paddy not Patty website and the Twitter feed of the same name, says: There isnt a sinner in Ireland that would refer to a Patrick as Patty. Its as simple as that.

St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world Show all 10 1 /10 St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world Revellers take part in the St Patrick's Day parade through central London Getty Images St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world A kayaker floats on the Chicago River after it is dyed green for the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration Rex St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world People take part in the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Chicago Rex St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world Performers take part in the Mayor of London's St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival in London PA St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world A woman dressed in colours of the Irish flag takes part in the St Patrick's Day parade through central London Getty Images St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, waves at spectators as he marches in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Rockaways neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York AP St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world People dressed in historical costumes from the 1916 Easter Rising take part in the St Patrick's Day parade through central London Getty Images St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world Members of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) holds placards saying 'Go Green-Go Vegan' and wearing green body paint duo urges people to eat green on the eve of St Patrick's Day, during a demonstration outside Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, in Bangalore, India EPA St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world People gather in Dublin's city centre for a street party in support of the undocumented migrants in Ireland and the US held by Migrant Rights Centre Ireland PA St Patrick's Day 2016: Celebrations around the world The fountain on the South Lawn of the White House is colored green in Washington Getty Images

Its not quite clear when the Patty mistake came about, but its probably some mixture of the fact that the Patty and Paddy sound nearly identical in an American accent; because Patrick, the anglicised version of Padraig, can be shortened to Pat; and because Paddy has been used as a slur for the Irish and people are trying to be polite.

The use of Paddy as a slur most likely emerged during the 19th century when anti-Irish racism was rampant in both Britain and the US. The Irish were demonised as violent alcoholics, with Irish immigrants accused of stealing natives jobs. For this reason it is definitely not okay to call a random Irish person Paddy  unless, of course, it is their name, and they like you.

Other points of St Patricks day etiquette include avoiding cocktails named Irish Car Bombs. These are made from stout, whiskey and Baileys and although the name is popular in the US, dont use it in the UK and dont even joke about it in Ireland. If youre at all confused as to why this is a bad idea, you should remind yourself of what happened on Bloody Friday.

Similarly (but not so obviously in bad taste) is a Black and Tan  a beer cocktail made from half pale beer and half dark beer. In Ireland this is called a Half and Half as the Black and Tans was the name given to the brutal, torturing and straightforwardly murderous auxiliary police force created by Winston Churchill to maintain British rule in Ireland.

With these historical notes in mind, getting Patty and Paddy confused is probably not the worst mistake you could make (especially considering how prone to mispronunciation we Brits apparently are) but all the same, if youre going to turn a day of national celebration into an excuse for drinking green-tinged beer, then at least get the name right.

A version of this article appeared in 2014
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Caroline O'Donoghue, 25

"When I was younger, St Paddy's Day was a big deal. It was an excuse to grab a ridiculous stereotype with two big hands, and just run with it. In my home Cork, we would run as fast and as far as we could: big, velvet shamrock hats, enormous tricolours, and green eye-shadow up to our eyebrows. It was less about patriotism and more about going on the piss.

"As I've grown older however, both my attitude and my drinking habits have sobered a little. I live in London, and only have one or two Irish friends, so the fact that so few people in my circle are excited for Paddy's does make you feel a little lonely for home. What strikes me the most though, is how little my British friends know about Irish history. It's to be expected, I guess: you can't have an encyclopedic knowledge of every country your empire used to have a stranglehold on. But so many people here don't know about Ireland's struggle for independence, have no idea why the IRA exists and don't understand why some Irish people still resent England. It seems that there are so many of us Irish over here (along with so many other former colonies) that it would be cool to use the day (in schools, at least) to talk about Ireland in a more educational way."

Caroline works at The Pool. Follow her on Twitter: @Czaroline

James Nolan, 29

"As a child, St Patrick's Day was a day to be endured. Marching in the local parade often came at the cost of cold weather and rain. Then, getting older, it becomes about alcohol: street-drinking graduating to pubs, where the behaviour is more or less the samedebauchery and excess. It's a day for amateurs, basically, to rub up on each other while drunk. Foreigners like it because it lets them don the Irish cap for a day and let loose, but it's a cap we have to wear 24/7we just hide it a little better the rest of the year. Ultimately, any Irish person over the thrill of soiling themselves in public will tell you: as an adult, St Patrick's Day is a day to be avoided."

Follow James: @0jnolan

Suzie McCracken, 24

"For me, St Patricks day is an excuse to proclaim my Irishness in the most obnoxious ways possible  shouting Keep er lit from the rooftops, making a bother of myself in novelty shamrock sunglasses and toasting soda bread in the office kitchen until I set off the fire alarm. However, its only really been important (rather than just craic) to me since I moved to London. Im from a protestant, Northern Irish family, so it was never a huge celebration in my household growing up. But now Im in England and have my own household, where I choose to be be Irish, Northern Irish and British, and to celebrate them all as enthusiastically as possible."

Follow Suzie: @_suziemccracken

Caroline Magennis, 33

"From Country Armagh originally, I teach modern and contemporary literature at the University of Salford with lots of courses in Irish writing. Literature plays a huge part in my relationship with my country, and will be something I'll be celebrating. Today we were looking at writing from and about Irish political women such as Alice Milligan, Maud Gonne, Countess Markievicz and Margaret Skinnider. Ive been in England for four years and the Dubliners cover of Ewan MacColls Dirty Old Town was first on my stereo this morning for the Salford-Irish connection. Im now going to stroll along to some Manchester Irish Festival events after work and hopefully catch a live-music session, avoiding the more lairy nights in town!"

Follow Caroline: @DrMagennis
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A Kurdish militant group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack which killed 37 people in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

In a statement on their website, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) described Sunday's attack as "vengeful action" for continuing Turkish security operations against Kurdish militants in the southeast, which human rights groups say have killed hundreds of civilians.

It said the attack was aimed at security forces and was not intended to kill civilians, but said further civilian losses in its attacks were "inevitable".

The group also warned of future attacks on authorities behind the security operations in southeast Turkey.

The attack came hours after the Turkish government announced a curfew in the Kurdistan region as part of escalating operations against Kurdish militants.

The TAK has previously claimed responsibility for a car bombing attack on a military convoy in Ankara which killed 28 people.

It also claimed responsibility for a mortar attack at Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen International Airport last December.

The group presents itself as a splinter group from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

In pictures: Ankara bombing Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Family members and relatives grieve for victims of a car bombing outside the forensic morgue in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Men hold Turkish flags over the coffin of a car bombing victim during a commemoration ceremony in a mosque in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of Feyza Acisu one of the victims who was killed in an explosion cries during the funeral in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of Murat Gul one of the victims who was killed in an explosion pray near the coffin covered with Turkish flags during the funeral in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion the day after a suicide car bomb ripped through a busy square in central Ankara killing at least 34 people and wounding 125, officials said, the latest in a spate of deadly attacks to hit Turkey In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion, the day after a suicide car bomb ripped through a busy square in central Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Turkish police secure the area as scenes of crime officers search the area after an explosion in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of victims who were killed in an explosion mourn in front of forensic medicine institution in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing People carry an injured person on a stretcher at the scene of a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Relatives of people wounded in an explosion in Ankara, Turkey, react as they arrive at a hospital to see their loved ones In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers are seen on a bus at the explosion site in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic experts investigate the scene of an explosion in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing A burning car after a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency services attend the scene in central Ankara's Kizilay Square In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing Dogan Asik, 28, who was blown away from inside a bus by a powerful explosion speaks at the explosion site in the busy center of Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency services help an injured person following after an explosion in Ankara's central Kizilay district in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing The wreckage of a bus and a car are pictured at the scene of a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing Forensic services and firemen work around burnt out taxi vehicles after a blast in Ankara In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing In pictures: Ankara bombing At least 27 people were killed and 75 wounded in an explosion in the Turkish capital Ankara in what appeared to have been a car bomb attack according to Ankara governor Mehmet Kiliclar Getty In pictures: Ankara bombing Medics carry an injured person at the explosion site in the busy center of Turkish capital, Ankara AP In pictures: Ankara bombing The bomb exploded close to bus stops near a park at Ankara's main square, Kizilay. The news channel said the explosion occurred as a car slammed into a bus, suggesting that the blast may have been caused by a car bomb AP In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara Reuters In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara, Turkey Reuters In pictures: Ankara bombing A destroyed bus is seen in the street after an explosion in Ankara EPA In pictures: Ankara bombing Emergency workers work at the explosion site in Ankara, Turkey Reuters

Separately, the German foreign ministry said it has shut its embassy in Ankara, due to indications of a possible imminent attack.

The ministry said the German school in Istanbul had also been shut due to an "unconfirmed warning".

On Tuesday, Germany issued an alert to its citizens in Ankara warning of an "imminent attack".

Additional reporting by agencies
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One of the worlds largest advertising agencies has been accused of helping Saudi Arabia whitewash its record on human rights following the kingdoms largest mass execution for more than 30 years.

A US subsidiary of Publicis Groupe, the French media conglomerate that owns UK brands such as Saatchi & Saatchi, distributed an article in which the kingdoms foreign minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir implicitly attempted to justify the execution of 47 people.

A number of political protesters and at least four juveniles are believed to have been among those killed in January. Human rights groups are increasingly worried that three more juveniles  including Ali al-Nimr, who was sentenced to death aged 17 for taking part in a pro-democracy protest  are due to be executed imminently.

Recommended Read more Saudi Arabia issues extraordinary speech defending human rights record

But in an opinion piece published by the US magazine Newsweek a month after the killings, Mr Al-Jubeir argued that they were part of Saudi Arabias fight against terrorism. The kingdom had arrested extremists within its borders, tried them before specialised courts and imposed the ultimate penalties on those convicted, he wrote. The article  entitled The Saudis Are Fighting Terrorism, Dont Believe Otherwise  was distributed by Qorvis MSLGroup, a subsidiary of Publicis that has been working with Saudi Arabia for more than a decade.

On its website, the company stated that its work for the kingdom included media relations, advertising, government relations, grass-roots action and online communications.

However, shortly after the UK-based human rights group Reprieve wrote to Publicis raising concerns about the Newsweek article last month, the section about Saudi Arabia disappeared from the Qorvis website.

A cached version, seen by The Independent, said the firms work has effectively served to strengthen the 80-year relationship between the Saudi and American people and governments.

Ali al-Nimr, 17, is due to be executed for taking part in a pro-democracy protest

In its letter to Publicis CEO Maurice Levy, Reprieve accused Qorvis of helping the Saudis whitewash serious human rights abuses by distributing Mr Al-Jubeirs article, warning that the firm was dangerously close to helping the Saudi Government defend the execution of non-violent political opponents.

Reprieve also pointed out that the actions of Qorvis appeared to undermine Publiciss public statements on corporate social responsibility. The firm has pledged to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights and ensure it is not complicit in human rights abuses.

Donald Campbell, director of communications at the human rights group, said: It is hard to square Publiciss claim that it is committed to human rights principles with its work for the Saudi Arabian government. The Saudi authorities have a record of torturing and executing those that attend political protests  even children. Yet one of Publiciss subsidiary companies is helping to defend the countrys supposed reforms in the media, as well as the Saudi governments use of the ultimate penalty against those convicted in its deeply unfair courts.

He continued: Publiciss response to questions over this work seems to have been to bury its head in the sand  it is notable that nearly all mentions of their subsidiary Qorviss work for the kingdom have disappeared from its website since these concerns were raised. Instead of trying to sweep all this under the carpet, Publicis must carry out a comprehensive review of whether its work for the Saudis is compatible with its publicly stated human rights principles.

In response to Reprieve, Publicis general counsel Joseph LaSala said: As a general matter, it is our policy not to publicly comment on work we perform for our clients, except to the extent the law requires us to do so. I respectfully suggest that you address your specific concerns regarding the behaviour of Saudi Arabia to that government.

In a statement, Qorvis MSLGroup said: As a matter of policy, MSLGroup does not comment publicly on the specific work we do for our clients. We stand by our ethics and integrity and the work we do with all of our clients.

Spin machine: The Saudi PR offensive

Last summer, Saudi Arabias US embassy launched the website Arabia Now, which it described in a press release as an online hub for news related to the Kingdom. The site carries positive articles and blogs about Saudi culture, its fight against terrorism  and economic development.

Saudi Arabia is also active on Twitter. In the wake of the mass executions in January, one of its government-run accounts on the social network released an English-language video and infographic describing the Shia political dissident Nimr al-Nimr  one of those killed  as a sedition instigator.

Last month, Saudi ministers mounted a lobbying campaign ahead of a European Parliament vote calling for an arms embargo to be imposed against the Kingdom in light of its involvement in the conflict in Yemen. Despite many MEPs receiving a four-page letter from the Saudi ambassador to Brussels making the case for military intervention, the amendment was passed.

Chris Green
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The explosions were so intense it was impossible to identify some of the dead. Seven of the bodies were clearly those of children, caught up by another brutal day in the Middle Easts forgotten war.

The dead and the injured were shown in graphic detail on Yemens Al-Masirah television, operated by the Shia Houthi rebels whose advance from their mountain strongholds a year ago next week triggered the onset of the brutal bombing of the regions poorest nation.

Today, as Saudi Arabia begins a claimed scaling back of its attacks in Yemen, the Houthis still hold much of the west of the country, where they have been fighting forces loyal to Yemens recognised, Saudi-backed, government.

The coalition strikes on a market in the northern town of Mustaba this week killed at least 119 people, most of them civilians. More than 100 were injured when two missiles hit the centre of the market, made up of a number of traders selling a variety of goods. A third bomb hit the gates at the entrance, killing more people as they attempted to escape.

It was the peak of the day when missiles hit, most people get their stuff from there and it was a khat time, Mustaba resident Mohammed Hamel, 42, who lost his brother in the strikes, told The Independent. I was approaching the market on foot. My elder brother was buying khat there.

Mr Hamel last saw his brother buying the mild stimulant plant that many Yemenis chew. Two missiles hit the market, dozens of bodies were scattered and charred everywhere on the ground, he said. We could hardly identify the body of my brother; eventually we found it in the evening, 20 metres away.

The Saudi coalition of Sunni Muslim countries in the Middle East and north Africa began bombing targets in March last year after the Shia Houthis took ground from the government and forced it to flee the capital.

Children put their palm prints on a Yemeni flag as a symbol of protest against Saudi-led operations in Sanaa (EPA)

The missile strikes in Mustaba were the second time in the space of a fortnight that the Saudis and their partners have been accused of bombing a civilian market.

A spokesman for the coalition responded to the Al-Masirah footage by pointing out that there was nothing to prove that the pictures were from the aftermath of a coalition attack. What is proven is the catastrophe that has befallen Yemen.

Recommended Read more MPs to investigate use of British weapons by Saudi Arabia in Yemen

Since the Saudis began their campaign to oust the Houthis, who have had support from Riyadhs arch regional enemy, Iran, more than 3,000 civilians have been killed. Among that number is at least 700 children. As well as the violence, the coalition has imposed a blockade on Yemen, preventing much needed humanitarian relief getting in.

Yemenis face starvation and an acute lack of medical supplies, food and water. The UN estimates that half of the countrys 26.5 million people are at risk of famine.

Yet, despite Sanaa still being in the hands of the Houthis, the Saudis suggested that an end to the war is in sight. A spokesman for the coalition, Brigadier General Ahmed al-Asiri, said that combat operations were coming to an end and that the focus was now long-term plans to bring stability to Yemen. The aim of the coalition is to create a strong cohesive government with a strong national army and security forces that can combat terrorism and impose law and order across the country, he said.

It is a public relations stunt that is more or less in reaction to the mounting public criticism of the war, said Hisham al-Omeisy, a Yemen-based political analyst. And a weak one at that too. The suggestion that major military operations are near to an end was vague, while the fact that the coalition will continue to back the Yemeni government until peace and security is restored was stressed.

While the Houthis have been accused of shelling civilian areas, there is overwhelming evidence of the Saudis dropping outlawed US-made cluster bombs. As well as the US, the UK is also tacitly supporting the Saudi operation. The UK has now sold more than 6.7bn worth of weapons to the Saudi government since 2010. Earlier this week the Dutch parliament voted to ban arms exports to Saudi Arabia in protest against Riyadhs record in Yemen.

Recommended Read more Saudi Arabia accused of deploying illegal cluster bombs in Yemen

But where the weapons come from is of little concern to those caught up in the war, which has brought acute suffering and poverty. Ali Mohammed and his wife, Safa, were displaced by the bombing of Taiz, besieged by the Houthis for almost a year. They fled to the Wadi al-Quba camp for displaced people on the outskirts of the city.

During the first month of displacement, we managed to buy firewood from a trader in the market but later he raised the price as more people came to the camp, said Mr Mohammed. We stopped buying firewood since we have little money and lost our jobs because of the conflict. Its difficult for us to get bread and water.

His wife, Safa, cooks on a small piece of iron, over a fire of plastic bottles and small pieces of clothes. She says she always has a cough after cooking. I have gone several times to a hospital and they always tell me that I have a chronic disease and must stay away from the fumes but its out of my hands, I have to cook for my family, she said.

Their story is an example of the difficulties facing millions. While international aid groups, including Oxfam, have been helping them, severe shortages have made the job almost impossible. About 70 per cent of food comes in from outside, while shortages have led to surges in prices  the price of cooking gas alone is up 100 per cent  and even when you can get supplies there are still the negotiations with various people to get permission to move them around, Oxfams director in Yemen, Sajjad Mohammad Sajid told The Independent. The situation is bad  there is a complete lack of supplies.

Others agree and fear that the international community is not doing enough to help. Its a catastrophic situation in every sense of the word. The humanitarian crisis is at incomprehensible levels, says Mr Omeisy. If there is no serious push for peace talks towards a political solution soon, the future for Yemen is grim.
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Green wasnt St Patricks colour

Despite the green hats, green clothes, green face paint and green pints, St Patrick did not wear green himself. His vestments were blue, though a green shamrock or ribbon is understood to have been worn on St Patricks day since the 1680s.

The shamrock is still a significant symbol for St Patrick, however, as he used it to explain the Holy Trinity to his converts, with one leaf each symbolising the father, the son and the holy spirit.

Ireland isnt the biggest consumer of Guinness

The Emerald Isle is not the biggest consumer of Guinness, and neither is America; its Nigeria. Of the total worldwide consumption of Guinness, 40 per cent of it is in Africa, where three of the five Guinness-owned breweries are stationed.

Not everyone celebrates it the same way

Corned beef? Everyone eats that on St Patricks Day, right? Not really. Thats more of a US thing where corned beef and cabbage (multiple ways) is the dish of choice on 17 March.

In Ireland, well, its pretty much Guinness.

St Patrick wasnt Irish

Thats right, the Emerald Isles patron saint was not actually from Ireland. He was born either in England, Scotland or Wales, but not Ireland. Despite this, it is not possible to call St Patrick British either, as the British Isles was under Roman occupation at the time of his birth, thought to be around 390 AD.

A marching band celebrates at a London parade for Saint Patrick's Day (Getty)

It is unknown as to whether St Patricks parents were Celtic or Roman  some accounts claim he was from Roman aristocracy  but he is believed to have been captured at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped, but later returned to Ireland to convert the Celtic Pagans to Christianity.

Its unlikely St Patrick rid Ireland of its snakes

mainly because there were no snakes in Ireland in the first place.

St Patrick is supposed to have delivered a dramatic sermon while stood on a hilltop, causing all the snakes on the island to be driven into the sea. But snakes are not thought to have naturally existed in Ireland  the story is instead thought to have been created to symbolise St Patricks driving out of Pagan practices from the country.

The first St Patricks Day parade was not held in Ireland

The first St Patricks Day parade was held in Boston in 1737, the result of Irish immigrants celebrating their home country, culture and pride in their heritage, an event which has now been transformed into annual parades in New York, Boston and Dublin.

A version of this article was originally published on 12 March 2015
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Embroiled in the worst of the multiple scandals of his presidency, it is time for South Africas President Jacob Zuma to quit. But only a congenital optimist would imagine that merely removing this fascinating but dangerous figure from the political scene will cure the numerous problems that will be his sorry legacy.

The latest crisis exploded when the Deputy Finance Minister, Mcebisi Jonas, claimed that the Guptas, three Indian-born brothers whose South African business empire has boomed under Mr Zumas benign watch, offered Mr Jonas the job of finance minister  and, when he threatened to make the offer public, a prominent businessman sent him a menacing text, in effect a death threat, which read: Please keep your own counsel. Martyrdom is best left to Christ.

Both Mr Zuma and the Guptas have denied Mr Jonass story. But it feeds into the long, troubling narrative of Mr Zumas rule which has overseen the intertwining of private and public interests, the abuse of public funds, high-level public appointments based on patronage and pliability, and the frequent use of veiled threats of blackmail to obtain political goals.

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Mr Zumas political persona is that of a flamboyant, even clownish populist, whose cheerful excesses  the swimming pool and amphitheatre he added to his home at a cost to the public purse of 12.9m, the charge of rape of which he was cleared, the three wives and the child born out of wedlock, the song Mshini Wami or Bring me my machine gun, which he likes to revive on stage  only tightened his bond with the black masses who have kept the ANC in power since the end of apartheid.

But the real clue to his grip on power is the fact that, during the struggle against apartheid, he was the head of the partys internal spy agency, Mbokhodo, and mastered the dark arts of surveillance and intelligence, which enabled the party to survive. He has brought those skills and strategies to bear on the task of remaining in power, to such good effect that both he and his party seemed for many years to be immune to challenges from the opposition, blessed with near impunity.

But this method of retaining control has proved disastrously corrosive to the party, with the result that today it is riven with factionalism, fear and loathing, as well as institutionalised corruption. If Mr Jonas is to be believed, this has extended to the point of allowing the Guptas, who are in business with Mr Zumas son Duduzane, to mount a takeover bid on the ministry of finance, with the goal, one would infer, of making state policy subservient to their personal business interests. No wonder the rand plummeted when the allegations first emerged. Something very similar happened back in December, when Mr Zuma replaced his respected Finance Minister with an MP with no financial experience. After investors expressed grave concern and the rand tumbled, the President was forced to backtrack a few days later and appoint a more suitable candidate.

If, as many wish, Mr Zuma is forced out by the present crisis, he will leave South Africa in a far more frail and perilous state than when he was elected. If the ANC is ever to fulfil its historic remit and lead a revolution  now long overdue  in the living and educational standards of the mass of the population, a robust state in which the rule of law functions and the constitution is respected is a basic requirement. Mr Zuma has made the task of recovery as urgent as it is difficult.
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George Osborne tried to make his Budget as boring as possible so that it wouldnt cause him any trouble while he has a referendum campaign to fight and a leadership bid to craft. He even tried to sweeten sour economic figures with a 520m sugar tax. Clever thinking: even if it provokes a furious row, its better to be having an argument about that than the state of the public finances.

But behind the sugarwork, this Budget was featured hefty reforms that will have much bigger implications than a levy on soft drinks and a freeze on beer duty. Osborne this week announced, to little commentary, that he will be handing new powers over the criminal justice system to Greater Manchester. This, he argued, was the kind of progressive social policy that this Government is proud to pioneer. Just a few lines in a 9,330 word speech  but a new devolution of powers that moves Osbornes favourite group of local councils that little bit closer to becoming an independent city state.

The Chancellor has long been a fan of the canny way that local authorities in Greater Manchester operate. In 2013, he started working more closely with Manchester Council  one of the more creative local authorities  on pilots to get more people off sickness benefits and into work. Being exclusively Labour, Manchesters political leaders werent natural Osbornites, but they realised that tribal animosity wouldnt serve them well. Instead, working constructively with the Tories and showing a willingness to take on more powers enabled Greater Manchester to become both the centrepiece and poster child of Osbornes now famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) Northern Powerhouse project.

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It also meant that the 10 local authorities in the Greater Manchester group were more than happy to throw their lot in with Osborne and sign up to a deal proffered by the Chancellor for the devolution of 6bn of health and social care spending, just months before the 2015 general election. The deal suggested that the Greater Manchester authorities either didnt have all that much faith in Labour to offer them anything better, or that they were wise enough to guess that Labour wouldnt get into power in May 2015 anyway.

It isnt just striking that Osborne has developed his devolution plans  since exported around the country with a variety of strange, nightclub-esque names such as the West Midlands Engine  with a group of mostly Labour councils. It is also interesting that he has bothered to develop these plans while in government.

Handing over powers to local authorities is the sort of thing that political leaders usually pontificate about in opposition, only to get into office, panic about the quality of the local politicians who might be taking on those powers, and suddenly fall back in love with centralised policymaking and spending. His allies insist that Osborne is serious about the different models of devolution for different regions  and working out what works best, too. Of course, his critics argue that Osborne is merely trying to shift the blame for cuts to local government spending away from the Treasury and onto councils. It is convenient that as the cuts start to worry even rather dry Conservative MPs who are generally in favour of cutting the size of the state, local government is being asked to do more for itself.

But Osbornes latest handover of powers is something that the Greater Manchester Combined Authority wanted. It also makes sense as a policy: the change will see the roles of police and crime commissioner (PCC) and elected mayor merged, and the combined authority will take over the commissioning of offender management services, and be given more powers over probation and education provision in prisons too. The region will also get a new prison as part of the agreement. This means that the PCC, previously only really responsible for policing, now has powers over dealing with the management of criminals in the area too.

But doesnt it also mean that the independent city of Manchester will be helping to introduce a whole new postcode lottery on a serious policy area  so serious, in fact, that it shouldnt be allowed to become patchy across the country?

The argument that supporters of devolution make is that giving local authorities powers to use as they see fit, based on their knowledge of their local areas, will lead to better public services than those based on the decisions of a faceless official sitting in Whitehall. Even if some regions dont manage their services particularly well, this principle of power exercised by those who know each regions best means that, when assessed overall, the standards of those services will rise on average.

But it is worth pointing out that there remains considerable concern in Westminster about other, less well-functioning groups of local authorities, outside the North-west, taking on more powers.

Perhaps sensing this awkwardness, some in the regions are feeling left out. The Chancellor provoked the fury of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) this week by not mentioning the so-called West Midlands Engine in his Budget speech. The GBCCs director of policy and strategic relationships, Henrietta Brealey, fumed that while the Northern Powerhouse was clearly front of mind, the Midlands Engine was not mentioned a single time.

Other Conservatives worry that, while cities like Manchester might have very effective local leaders, there will be little real local accountability in place. If the mayor of Greater Manchester ends up doing a terrible job, his local electorate is highly unlikely to boot him out and replace him with a Tory, given the partys lack of support in the area.

As well as creating an independent state, Osborne risks reducing his own partys influence in large areas of public service. And that is a far bolder move than taxing soft drinks.
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At last our schools will be set free by George Osborne. Theyll be free from local bureaucracy, no longer run by councils but governed instead by academies, such as the one set up by carpet millionaire Lord Harris. It seems incredible that up until now, no one has taken the obvious step of handing over our entire education system to carpet millionaires.

To start with, carpet millionaires are so much more accountable than local councils. At least we get to vote for carpet millionaires in the annual carpet millionaire elections, in which Lord Harris stands against John Lewis and Ted who goes door-to-door selling rolled up mats he swiped from a warehouse in Luton.

Up until now, the law has stated that parents should be consulted about a school becoming an academy. Now that consultation has been done away with, ridding us of another layer of bureaucracy, because theres nothing more annoying when someone wants to make a massive change to your childs life than some bureaucrat who wastes time asking for your opinion. You dont see child traffickers faffing around like that; thats why they get things done.

Once a school becomes an academy, its free to run as it pleases, setting rates of pay, employing non-qualified teachers or  as some academies have proposed  inviting businesses such as Apple to set up a store inside the school. This makes a school truly free, because instead of being stifled by a local council, your childs life will be controlled by a kindly, multinational, predatory global corporation.

And theres never a hint of bureaucracy with Apple, who sometimes wait as long as four days before bringing out a new model with new sockets that render everything you bought last week obsolete and useless. Thats because they care.

George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Show all 8 1 /8 George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Debt forecasts up, growth forecasts down The OBRs new forecasts have downgraded growth in all of the next five years to 2020. The watchdog says the economy will only grow by 2 per cent in 2016, as opposed to the anticipated 2.4 per cent. Borrowing and productivity growth are also down  with forecast borrowing in 2018-198 16 billion higher George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance New tax on sugary drinks The Chancellor announced a new tax on sugary soft drinks, which is projected to raise 520 million. At least some of the money will be spent on doubling funding for school sport, the Chancellor says. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the levy George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Tax cut for higher earners paying the 40p rate The Chancellor has raised the threshold for paying the higher rate of income tax to 45,000. The higher rate is paid by roughly the richest 15 per cent, currently people earning over 42,386 George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Increase in tax-free income tax threshold The tax-free allowance increase to 11,500 in April 2017  up from 10,600 now. The Chancellor previously raised the allowance from 6,475 in coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative manifesto pledges to put the allowance up to 12,500 by the end of the Parliament George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance New devolution for counties and powers for London and Manchester The West of England, the East of England and Greater Lincolnshire will all get elected mayor-led combined authorities with new powers. The Chancellor says they are backed by 1 billion new funding. Greater Manchester will get new powers of criminal justice while London will keep its business rates  giving whoever is elected Mayor a lot more spending power George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Fuel duty frozen for sixth year running The Chancellor had planned to end the fuel duty freeze he had put in place for the whole previous parliament. In the event, he has announced a freeze for another year George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance All schools to become academies As reported yesterday the Chancellor unveiled legislation to turn all schools into academies. He said all schools would either be academies or on their way to being academies by 2020, and that funding had been set aside to fund the change George Osborne 2016 budget at a glance Lifetime ISA The Chancellor announced a new savings account to encourage under-40s to save for retirement  for every 4 saved, the Government will top this up by 1 up to the value of 4,000 a year. Tax-free ISAs will also be increased from 15,000 to 20,000

Another way the academy system can fight bureaucracy is by paying consultants. For example, the Griffin Schools Trust paid 800,000 to an education consulting company, because its important to take advice on how to eliminate expensive bureaucracy. And to make absolutely certain the Griffin Schools Trust was receiving the best possible advice, 700,000 of the money was paid to a company owned by the same people that ran the Griffin Schools Trust. The money was apparently initially to repay work done by those people to set up the school and later in lieu of their salaries, but all the same, its best to take advice off someone you trust  and who do you trust better than yourself? You dont get innovative measures like that taken in schools run by a stodgy old local authority.

Academies, it is claimed, produce higher exam results, but schools that have been compelled to become academies have a worse record than schools that have remained as part of the local authority. More than 1,000 teachers working at the Harris chain of schools left within three years, resulting in some students being left for entire lessons without teachers, even in their GCSE years. This shows how far the Government is committed to its brave, hippie vision of setting kids free from bureaucracy.

Soon Osborne will announce the next stage, yelling: Dont let maths teachers control your thoughts by telling you what numbers to write down, man, set yourself free of their bureaucracy with our teacherless academies, where you can think of whatever number turns you on.

Then the Government can get on with reducing bureaucracy everywhere. They can shut down cardiac units in hospitals, setting victims of heart attacks free of the health authority, so instead of being forced to be stretchered around by a paramedic theyll receive a 30 voucher to spend however they like, on a non-qualified doctor or a priest, or if they prefer on a giant bucket of chicken nuggets if they manage to pull through by themselves. At last theyll have the choice.

The last dribbles of social housing can be sold to developers, setting tenants free from local bureaucracy, giving them the choice of which park to sleep in, rather than be constrained by the red tape of owning a key.

 English State schools to become academies by 2022

The Chancellor has become such a free spirit that, when asked why hes missed all the economic targets he set himself, he answered: The important thing is we set out to achieve those targets. Thats a beautiful, non-elitist, inclusive attitude  it doesnt matter if any of us achieve our targets, as long as we set out to achieve them.

Maybe this loving vibe will be adopted at the Olympics and, instead of only the winner getting a gold medal, everyone who set out to do well gets one, including Mr Tidbury from Worthing who set himself a target of winning the 200m butterfly but never learned to swim, as he popped in the bookies on the way to the pool instead.

When Osborne was asked again about the missing his targets, he said: Im the first Chancellor to be independently assessed. You cant tie Osborne down with the bureaucracy of an answer that vaguely pertains to the question. Hes set himself free and answers whatever question he likes. When he was asked again, I thought hed say Alpha Centauri or Sir Stanley Matthews.

Instead he settled for: Im the first Chancellor to look at what we spend on welfare. What a revelation, that supposedly when Denis Healey was Chancellor he used to say, I havent got time to bother with what we spend on welfare, Im the Chancellor.

But this is a Chancellor whos opened his mind, so every aspect of our lives  even schools  is no longer run with the old bureaucratic sense of co-operation (such as the NHS, which nobody likes), but with the free market business model, such as the banks. In recent years they have proved to be so much more reliable, efficient and free.
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When Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince, Defence Minister and favoured younger son of King Salman, launched Operation Decisive Storm on 26 March last year, it must have seemed like a slam dunk: a quick, efficient bombing campaign to put Yemens rebel Houthis in their place.

Victory would sweep his older rival, the kingdoms Interior Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, into the shadows. And it would establish MbS, as he is known, as a forceful leader of a new generation of Arabs, a young warrior prepared to initiate sweeping change rather than follow the expectations of America and the strictures of ageing Al Saud family members.

Now, nearly a year on, much of Yemen lies in ruins and the civilian death toll has risen above 3,000.

The Saudis may claim to have accomplished their aims but it is hard to fathom how. The Houthis still control the capital Sanaa and much of north Yemen. In the south, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap) has made startling gains and now controls the oil rich province of Hadramaut and its port city of Mukalla. And Isis, no stranger to taking advantage of chaos, has established a menacing presence.

Aden, recaptured from the Houthis last August, has been the scene of numerous terror attacks and though the putative president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has been reinstalled, several of his key officials have been assassinated, some by Aqap, others by Isis. The situation in the city has become so insecure that a coalition ally, the United Arab Emirates, has reportedly pulled its troops from street patrols to minimise casualties.

The Saudis are talking about the combat phase coming to an end and are promising reconstruction. We have been here before. Last April they said the same thing and then kept on bombing. Now, though, the popularity of the war in Saudi Arabia is waning as military casualties grow. Officially 300 are said to have died but reliable sources have told The Independent the figure is at least 10 times higher.

So MbS has begun to look for a way out. So, too, have the Americans, who have woken up al-Qaeda being the real threat. They are piling pressure on the Saudis to call time. That, however, is not going to be easy.

The Houthis are prepared to deal but on their terms which means that the woeful Mr Hadi, the internationally recognised president, will likely be thrown to the wolves. Former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, pushed out by the Saudis in 2012 has been fighting alongside the Houthis. Mr Saleh still commands a sizable remnant of the Yemeni regular army. The Saudis see him as a renegade and will want no part of him. If the Houthis cut him loose Mr Saleh will be left with only one option: to play the spoiler to any peace talks.

The Emiratis went into the war hoping to secure Aden and the south as a sphere of influence. They will want a say. As will Saudi Arabias regional foe Iran, which backs the Houthis, and remains a potent behind-the-scenes player.

Then there is Aqap. To remove them from Hadramaut would require a whole new war. Add Isis to the mix and, in a neighbourhood already seething with violence, you have a lethal cocktail set brewing by the actions of Mohammed bin Salman, a reckless young prince in a terrible hurry.

It is, in short, a situation that is rapidly becoming as complicated and messy as that in Syria.
Mr Ryan said the money was paid to his personal account until a Switzerland-based company was formerly established.

Irish property developer Thomas Ryan - who was catapulted into the limelight in 2013 when he announced plans to build a 1bn (1.3bn) skyscraper in London - is being sued for 25m (32m) by a Saudi Arabian Ambassador who has accused him of deceit and false and fraudulent representation. He's also suing Mr Ryan's London-based company, Ryan Corp.

Mr Ryan, whose address is listed in Dublin, has denied the allegations and said they are "completely untrue".

The Saudi Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates - Mohammed Albesher - had entered into a joint partnership with Mr Ryan and his Ryan Corp business to buy a 100m (130m) property in Canary Wharf where the luxury residential skyscraper was to be developed.

It had been expected that when built, the skyscraper could have generated a 300m profit, that would have been split between the two investors.

The effort to buy the property - Hertsmere House - ultimately unravelled, but not before, it's claimed, Mr Albesher had handed over a total of 20m in deposits to Mr Ryan that were designed to help seal the acquisition of the building.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr Albesher was the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Morocco.

At a 2013 meeting in Casablanca, Mr Ryan allegedly told Mr Albesher that the Ambassador needed to pay 15m into Mr Ryan's personal account with Credit Suisse.

Mr Ryan, it is claimed by Mr Albesher, said he would also deposit the same amount into the account. The money was to be used as a down payment for Hertsmere House.

Mr Ryan said the money was paid to his personal account until a Switzerland-based company was formerly established.

The company was to be equally owned by him and Mr Albesher, and the funds would eventually be transferred to that Swiss firm's bank account.

Mr Ryan has also claimed he never told Mr Albesher that he would match the 15m deposit to the Credit Suisse account. "That simply is untrue," Mr Ryan has told the London High Court.

"All of my funding was to be provided through debt finance and I made that clear to the claimant from the very beginning."

Mr Albesher transferred the money as requested in September 2013, it's claimed.

Two days later, contracts were exchanged between Ryan Corp and the vendor for the purchase of the property, with Ryan Corp having paid a 10m deposit.

The completion date was set for October 29, 2013.

It has been claimed that Mr Ryan was unable to secure finance for the remaining 90m from Credit Suisse or any other party.

On November 7, 2013, Mr Ryan allegedly represented to Mr Albesher that he required an additional loan of 10.4m from the Ambassador to extend the contract for the purchase of the property. Mr Albesher provided the funds, it's claimed, and Ryan Corp paid a further 10m to the vendor, as well as an "interest payment" of 400,000. The completion date was then set for 23 December, 2013. But Ryan Corp was unable to complete the purchase, and the 20m down payment was forfeited. The property was then sold to a Chinese buyer.

Mr Albesher claimed that he had also transferred the money to Mr Ryan after relying on certain guarantees allegedly given by Credit Suisse. Mr Albesher is also suing the bank in the case. Credit Suisse has denied any liability to Mr Albesher.

A default judgment was entered by a UK High Court judge against Ryan Corp in June last year. But Ryan Corp has now successfully had that default judgment overturned, having argued that it has a real prospect of successfully defending the claim against it.
A former employee of Larry Goodman's Parma Developments "knowingly misappropriated" documents with a view to "extorting or blackmailing" Parma into settling a dispute, the High Court has heard.

Parma claims its former director Andrew Griffith is wrongly in possession of sensitive documents relating to Parma's tax arrangements, the court heard.

In a letter to Parma's solicitors, Griffith's solicitors said that after reviewing information he had retained after leaving the company, Mr Griffith discovered he was in possession of information relating to the company's structures, financial affairs and tax arrangements, the court heard.

The letter said that the information's nature "may give rise to a public interest exception to our client's (Griffith) confidentiality obligations."

Counsel for Parma Rossa Fanning told the court that his client was "exceptionally dismayed" at the turn events had taken and was seeking to have the information returned.

He said the remark about potentially releasing the information was "a thinly veiled way of saying: 'we reserve the right to release this information to the world'".

He said the implication of the remark was that there was something untoward and improper about Parma's affairs.

Mr Fanning said all the information in question had been made available to the Revenue Commissioners and that there was nothing improper in the information.

Copied

He said Mr Griffith's possession of the information was "tantamount to theft" and that it appeared Mr Griffith had copied the information on to a hard drive in addition to files directly connected with his own work.

Counsel for Mr Griffith, Stephen Moran, said his client had come in possession of the information "entirely legally and appropriately".

Mr Griffith has filed suit saying he is entitled to a 7.5pc share of the former Bank of Ireland site on Dublin's Baggot Street, which is being disputed by Parma.

The matter is back before the courts next month.
The IMF has warned that high public and private debt, bad loans and high unemployment leaves Ireland's banking sector particularly vulnerable.

The Washington-based fund also said the Central Bank's mortgage deposit rules seems to have stabilised house prices, but said more information was needed before any changes could be considered.

An IMF mission visited Ireland during December and March focusing on the financial sector and held talks with the Central Bank, the Department of Finance as well as representatives of the European Central Bank, European Banking Authority, and the European Systemic Risk Board.

"The context is of an Irish economy that is clearly rebounding. Since the crisis that began in 2008, the banking system has consolidated and shrunk," the fund said.

"The internationally-oriented funds management sector has grown significantly. The regulatory and supervisory environment has been transformed by post-crisis reforms, notably the establishment of the European Banking Union."

The fund said the vulnerabilities of the Irish financial system reflect in large part the significant openness of the sector and the economy in general.

"Recent indicators of economic slowdown in some major countries must be of concern to a country such as Ireland that is dependent on trade in goods and services, and foreign direct investment. In particular, the tight linkages with the UK financial system warrant the ongoing attention of the authorities," it said.

The IMF added that the crisis legacies of heavy private and public debt burdens, a persistent stock of impaired loans, and high, albeit, declining unemployment mean that a large negative external shock could have a significant impact on the financial system.

"Purely domestic risks are, for the moment, contained, but there may be pockets of vulnerabilities: commercial real estate prices have been rising rapidly, though the prevalence of funding by foreign investors reduces domestic financial linkages," it said. "Domestic risks could regain importance if an economic boom accelerates."

The IMF said it worked with the Central Bank to study aspects of the Irish funds management industry, which it said was not closely linked with the rest of the Irish financial system.

"But interconnections with the rest of the global financial system pose reputational risk," it added.

Money market and bond funds, it said, have sufficient liquidity to enable them to meet a sharp increase in redemptions without disrupting underlying markets, it noted. The fund also said the Central Bank has increased its resources and deployed them in on- and off-site supervision "that is more pro-active than in the past."
Nama is racing towards the finish line. Yesterday, it paid off another 2.5bn of its debts, leaving it with just 6bn of senior debt left to be paid back to bondholders. It has accelerated the pace at which it is selling off large chunks of assets and now lining up a massive offload of 4.76bn worth of loans in the coming weeks.

The speed at which it is selling assets and paying down its own debts has been a source of controversy. Michael Noonan would argue that it has reduced the potential risk to the State of having such borrowing in a State agency. It owed over 30bn a few years ago, now it is down to just a few billion.

Critics would argue that it has sold too much good stuff, too quickly and that it could have got more money for the State by hanging on.

The agency has also been criticised for not doing more to alleviate the housing crisis, particularly in Dublin. Nama will argue that is has helped deliver 2,000 residential homes in the capital and says it is on the way to helping to deliver 20,000 more by 2020. We will have to wait and see.

We don't know who the next Minister for Finance will be or how long he/she might be in the job, especially if we end up with a minority government.

The more Nama sells quickly, the less will be left to work with if any new minister wants to advocate a change of policy.

However, it is only when you examine Nama's figures closely that you can see just how much work still has to be done in cleaning up the mess of the commercial property crash.

The agency paid 31.8bn to buy 74bn worth of loans back in 2009. It borrowed the money to buy those assets and it has already paid back 81pc of its senior debt.

Despite repaying 81pc of its debts, Nama still had loans that were originally made for 50bn sitting on its balance sheet at the end of September 2015.

Of course many of these are shot to pieces and Nama valued them at about 9.6bn. But for all its sell-offs, it still has a huge amount of mainly bad loans on its books. At the end of September it had 11,232 non-performing loans sitting there, which had an original face value of 46bn.

Incredibly, 29bn of these loans were delinquent by more than 120 days. Nama reckons those loans are worth just 4.8bn. But it also had 2.3bn of loans which were generating no cash or interest payments at all. Nama reckons these are actually worth about 300m.

Between 2013 and 2015 Nama sold off billions of euro worth of assets. But to suggest they were the better assets or low hanging fruit would be an understatement. In September 2013 it had 10,553 non-performing loans. Two years later it had nearly six hundred more (11,232).

Back in September 2013 Nama estimated that it could get back around 27pc of the money that was originally owed on its loans that were delinquent by more than 120 days. Two years later it reckoned loans in that category were worth about 16pc of their original face value.

This highlights the extent to which the better stuff has been flogged off while the worst loans are all still sitting there in their thousands.

When Nama began its top 12 client developers owed 21bn.

The problem with the agency from the start was that it was too big. One option for the agency might have been for it to morph into a giant new private sector property investment fund. But with 74bn of loans, that it estimated were worth around 30bn, the entity would have been too big, cumbersome and too concentrated on the Irish market.

It could have morphed into five or six listed private sector property entities. Nama has dabbled in this a little by taking small stakes in investment funds linked to some of its assets. For example it owns 15pc of the Kennedy Wilson Real Estate Fund VIII. But it is small beer.

From the point of view of getting cash in quickly and reducing the State's potential downside risk, it has done the right thing. Sell off the good stuff quickly and pay down your debt in a hurry.

The shocking thing is that it gives the impression the agency's work is nearly done or that the mess has been all but tidied up. The exchequer's position is greatly improved but the clean-up is only just beginning.

With thousands of loans which originally represented tens of billions of euro still out there, most of it delinquent, Nama will have to flog it off very cheaply. Based on previous experience you would think its new owners would be more international investment funds but they might not want the hassle that will go with cleaning up so many smaller property loans.

For those borrowers, caught in the property collapse, the last seven years have been tortuous. It looks like they have been completely stuck - unable to get out and unable to move on. This might explain why so many of them are not building houses where they are needed. They cannot progress the financing and are still bogged in Nama with delinquent loans.

Either Nama sticks around for another decade or more to work with borrowers through these loans - and who wants that - or it sells them off to whomever.

New owners will decide who they want to work with and who they want to foreclose. Those decisions await hundreds of Nama clients and they could drag on for several more years.

If Nama moves to wrap it up by 2018, what happens to the 1bn it has lent out for development projects? Presumably those loans could be sold on. What will happen to its 20,000 new houses by 2020 plan?

A new finance minister or minister for housing may have very different views about what should happen with the assets left in Nama. He/she might want a change of emphasis given the extent of the housing crisis.

Unfortunately, a lot of the good stuff is gone.
Johnnie Foxs pub, which has hosted heads of state, prime ministers, and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Profits at one of the best known pubs in the country, Johnnie Fox's in the Dublin mountains reached new heights last year when they increased by 231,507.

This followed Fox's Pub Ltd, which operates the self-styled highest pub in Dublin, recording pre-tax profits of 226,801 in 2014.

The firm's accumulated profits at the end of last March totalled 328,393, compared to 96,886 in accumulated profits in March 2014.

Numbers employed by the business last year reduced from 55 to 48. Only 420 people live within a radius of 2.5 miles of the pub that is situated 12 miles from Dublin, but the pub manages to attract large crowds to the venue all year round.

Over the years, the pub has provided hospitality to seven heads of state, six prime ministers along with celebrities that include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, while Brian Keenan enjoyed his first pint in Ireland at Johnny Fox's after his release.

The business is owned by Limerick man Tony McMahon who has run it for 30 years.

The firm's cash pile last year declined marginally going from 182,820 to 180,912.

Mr McMahon was not available for comment yesterday but in a previous interview, he said that coming to Johnnie Fox's is an adventure for people and that the key to the success of the pub is great music and great food along with a very friendly staff.

The firm's staff costs last year increased from 1.656m to 1.747m.
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, holds up his budget case for the cameras as he stands outside number 11 Downing Street

Britain dramatically slashed business and personal taxes yesterday, throwing down an unprecedented challenge to efforts here to attract foreign direct investment and business start-ups.

The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will cut his country's headline rate of corporation tax to 17pc by 2020, from the current 20pc, he said in a Budget speech at Westminster yesterday.

Capital gains tax (CGT), paid when business owners sell assets, was cut to 20pc from 28pc. That compares to a standard 33pc CGT rate here.

The moves pose a direct challenge to Ireland's attractions as a business base.

"Under David Cameron, the UK Government has rolled out the red carpet for entrepreneurs. At that same time in Ireland, there has been slow progress on a pro-entrepreneurial policies which has meant that Irish entrepreneurs have been enticed to Northern Ireland or the UK by the relatively lower cost base and more attractive tax regime," Dublin Chamber of Commerce said, reacting to the cuts.

"The importance of supporting entrepreneurs is still not fully appreciated in Ireland. Small changes made to CGT in the last Budget were a step in the right direction, but many startup owners were left disillusioned by a lack of other pro-enterprise changes," it said.

When George Osborne took over as Britain's finance minister in 2010 the UK corporation tax was 28pc, well over double the 12.5pc rate here.

Yesterday's business friendly budget also set out higher thresholds for business rates for small companies that will effectively scrap local rates for more than half a million British small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The moves emphasize his Conservative Party's image as the champion of enterprise, though Osborne also tightened loopholes that allow corporations operating in countries to minimise their UK tax bills, including some multinationals based in Ireland.

"This is a budget which gets rid of loopholes for multinationals and gets rid of tax for small businesses," George Osborne said in his budget speech.

"A 7bn tax cut for our nation of shopkeepers. A tax system that says to the world: We're open for business. This is a government that's on your side."

The UK cut taxes for business and vowed to balance its budget despite official forecasts showing a slow down in the economy there, where growth is now tipped to be 2pc this year.

Addressing concerns over rising obesity rates, Mr Osborne introduced a new "sugar tax" on soft drinks that hit shares of Associated British Foods, Tate & Lyle, Britvic and AG Barr.

In a nod to the challenges facing oil and gas explorers the tax on North Sea oil is being effectively abolished, and this change will be backdated, effective from the start of the year.

In an appeal to voters ahead of the June Brexit ballot, Mr Osborne increased the income threshold where people start paying a higher 40pc tax rate to 45,000 (57,000). (Additional reporting Bloomberg)
UK coffee chain Caffe Nero is to open an outlet on Dublin's O'Connell Street.

It has just secured permission to open the premises in a building that was at one time owned by Quinn Insurance.

The building at 9 O'Connell Street was put up for sale in 2013 by administrators. It was expected to fetch about 600,000. The building is now owned by a Dublin businessman involved in the fashion and clothing trade.

The premises will be the sixth Caffe Nero in the capital. It also has a premises in Drogheda.

Last year, Caffe Nero announced that it intends to spend 20m opening 40 outlets in Ireland over the next five years. It expects the plan to create about 350 jobs.

The founder and majority shareholder of the group, Gerry Ford, said last year that the announcement underscored his faith in the strength of the Irish economy.

He said that the plan will see up to 10 outlets open every year here.

The chain bills itself as a European-style coffee house, with food, free water, free wi-fi and newspapers.

It opened its first outlet in Ireland last year, and is also eyeing suburban locations. John Mulligan
As chairman of Ireland's telecoms regulator, Jeremy Godfrey has a pivotal role in making sure that citizens and businesses get access to modern broadband and mobile technology. Right now, the former CIO of Hong Kong has a few big issues on his plate. The Londoner spoke to our Technology Editor about some of them.

Adrian Weckler (AW): There is considerable disquiet among Eir's rivals about what they say is an abuse of its dominant position in the market. What is your response to that?

Jeremy Godfrey (JG): I think we've got some concerns. I wouldn't say we have reached any conclusions. We have seen a number of breaches of regulatory obligations. We have seen quite a slow pace of response to requests. That has created some concern about whether or not compliance with regulatory obligations is sufficiently institutionalised within Eir. There are rules that require Eir to be transparent in the way it deals with other operators. Those rules say that Eir should not treat its own retail arm any more favourably than other operators or not to discriminate between other operators in its retail arm.

Any regulated industry needs to institutionalise compliance. You shouldn't have an attitude that says 'I'll try and get away with doing as little as possible and hope I never get caught'. It should be part of the way you run your business to make sure you comply with the regulatory obligations. That said, Eir has had its own programme of wholesale reform. So you wouldn't say that there has been nothing happening. Recently, Eir published its own internal audit looking at its compliance and identifying places where it hadn't complied. That is unprecedented. Almost nowhere in Europe has that degree of transparency occurred. I don't think anybody believes that incumbents across Europe are all squeaky clean and that it's only in Ireland where you get problems of non-compliance.

So we haven't got a view on the extent to which what Eir has done is fit for purpose. But we think it's really important that we should now get that view. Eir has been at it long enough that it's sensible to take a look.

AW: So what are you doing to get that view?

JG: We need to base things on evidence. Maybe what we need to do is tighten up the way we write some of the regulatory obligations. Ot it may be that we need to go down the route of looking at what they call structural remedies.

AW: Structural remedies?

JG: There are separation-type remedies which are more intrusive and require a higher burden of evidence before we could conclude they were necessary. And they actually require the specific approval of the European Commission. Those are all things we can look at once we have done the study.

AW: How are you collecting that evidence?

JG: We are going to recruit a consultant or a contractor to help us do that study.

AW: Why is all of this taking so long?

JG: Well, like any other public body, we had to reduce our staff numbers in response to the financial crisis. Inevitably that means you have to make some choices and you can't do everything as quickly as you'd want to.

We would much prefer to be able to do these things more quickly, but we have a very wide range of responsibility. We uphold consumer rights, we get spectrum out there, we have to write the rules and keep them up to date and we have to enforce the rules.

AW: You were heavily criticised at a recent Oireachtas Committee over lack of mobile coverage in rural areas. How do you respond to public representatives' anger on this issue?

JG: It's quite clear that there is an information gap about the experience that consumers are getting particularly in more remote areas. We have good information about the coverage where most of the population lives.

ComReg, public representatives, local government and central government all need better information so they can make better choices about the things they do that affect mobile coverage. We are looking at how we might be able to provide, collect and disseminate that better information.

AW: How do you propose to do that?

JG: There are different techniques that can be used, including propagation modelling and engineering models of the networks, including verification of that through ground testing. That's something we'll work out over the next few months.

AW: But does Comreg actually know what rural coverage levels are?

JG: The mobile operators have produced their coverage maps but we haven't verified those maps. It's clear the public representatives aren't willing to rely on those maps and it's clear that there is now a need. These are places where a very significant minority of people live. When you look at maps, it's a much bigger proportion of the land area of Ireland. There's a need for better quality information.

It's not exactly a regulatory obligation, it's not related to existing regulatory obligations.

We have two sources of information about coverage. One is the measurements we do, the other is what the operators tell us about their coverage.

Every operator publishes their own coverage map, but of course those are being used for their own marketing purposes. So people maybe are a bit sceptical about how accurate those maps are. There is maybe something we can do to help people sort out reliable information and I think that would be a useful thing to have.

AW: Do you understand the anger about mobile coverage?

JG: There's an issue with people's expectations about what mobile networks can and can't deliver. With a radio network, you can never get the same degree of certainty about where the service is going to be delivered as you can with a fixed network. It's affected by the weather, it's affected by reflections from buildings, it's affected by trees. You can get a great signal in one place and if you move 10 metres to the side and for some reason you don't get a signal.

AW: Do you plan to change your understanding of rural mobile coverage?

JG: Having heard from the Joint Oireachtas Committee and having reflected on it, we think it's necessary to provide better quality information. And to provide it both to consumers and policy makers.

There's a number of different techniques that can be used. We are looking at what the best approach would be so I can't tell you today. But this is what we're going to do. I think the need to provide better quality information about mobile coverage not just for the 90pc of the population but whole of the State.

AW: Part of this problem is down to mobile licence obligations that only specify 70pc, 80pc or 85pc population coverage. Should a higher percentage of the population be stipulated for future mobile licences?

JG: Sorry, but I'm going to give you a very cautious answer to that. Obviously, we are the decision maker about what to put in those licences. So we can't prejudge future decisions. But we have to look at what the real constraints of coverage are. Is it that the licence conditions are not onerous enough? Or is it actually a combination of the practical difficulties in deploying the extra masts? Obviously, in some of the very remote areas, it's just not economic to deploy a mast.

Licence coverage obligations are just one part of the picture and not necessarily the most important part of the picture of what drives coverage.

For us, I think the issue is is about the good use of spectrum. If the [licence] conditions are too onerous, maybe nobody will take on the licences at all. What we find is that the amount of coverage you get is largely driven by the competition between the operators. They go well beyond the licence conditions and mean they have to have a national network. Once they've got the national network then they inevitably have a competitive incentive to make it as good as possible.

AW: At least one major political party is talking about future mobile licenses being imbued with a universal service obligation, where operators are obliged to cover the entire population in the same way as Eir is with landlines. What is your view on that?

JG: That's a policy issue. That's for the government to decide whether or not that's a right it wants to give everybody. If it decided it wanted to give that right it wouldn't be economic. And so money would need to be found to fund the gap between what's economic and what's not economic. But that's obviously a matter of priorities. Does the government regard that as a priority for spending money compared to all the other priorities it has? If that were to be explored, then of course ComReg could provide expert technical input to the decision makers but, really, it would be a policy decision. It's not a decision for a regulator to make.

AW: Is 28k (0.03Mbs) an acceptable speed for Comreg and the state to classify as "functional internet access"?

JG: No, it is time to look again at whether that can be described as functional internet access. And it's something that over the next few months we'll start a dialogue with the public and the industry about.

AW: Surely anything under two or three megabits couldn't now be considered functional?

JG: Yeah, I don't want to anticipate what we're going to say but obviously what you look at is what speed is required to do things like download a modern web page, send an email, watch a video or be able to work from home. We'll be looking at what that should be.

AW: Does Comreg intend to regulate rural areas covered by the proposed state-subsidised National Broadband Plan, which will make up 30pc of broabband subscribers, or will it leave that to the government?

JG: No we regulate the market as we find it. One important piece of regulation we have is wholesale regulation. That applies to operators who we found to have significant market power. The other form of regulation we do is consumer protection regulation. That applies to everybody, whether or not they have significant market power. So we regulate everybody from that point of view. Once the National Broadband Plan is set up, the contractors there will have various obligations under the contract with the government. They are in principle subject to our regulation as well. Whether they have been funded with government money or private money is not a concern of ours when it comes to regulation. Under the current regulatory regime we have to look at significant market power, we are obliged to do that. So I wouldn't say the 30pc is none of our concern.

AW: During the election we saw anti-mast protestors in leafy areas of Dublin claiming that radiation was dangerous to nearby schools and dwellings. Comreg regulates radiation levels and claims these masts are safe. What is your view on this?

JG: In all the monitoring we have never found a mast that was not complying with the emissions standards.

AW: Doesn't that mean that the protestors are simply wrong?

JG: It's probably not my job to tell them they're wrong. But one of the things we can say to people is that you can't have a mobile phone service without masts. For the people who make the decisions about where masts are, if your decision is based on the science about the safety of masts and you permit them whenever the science tells you they're safe, you're likely to get a better mobile phone service. But I'm not an elected representative. It's really up to the elected representatives to make the decisions about the concerns that their constituents have and to judge between genuinely felt concerns against what the science is telling them.

AW: When do you think we will see 5G services in Ireland?

JG: It's still quite a few years away, I think. It's all still in the labs.

AW: The big market players are talking about operator testing and rollout between 2018 and 2020.

JG: I'm sure we'll start to see things within the timeframes you talk about. Of course the licences people have now are technology and service neutral, so nobody really needs to come to ComReg for that. Even the 3.6 gigahertz spectrum that we're hopefully going to auction later this year will be technology and service neutral. Maybe some people will buy that for denser areas with a view to using it for 5G type services. Our job is to get the spectrum out there but we don't tell people how to use it. They can make the commercial decisions about when it's best to deploy different technologies. With 5G you're really talking about the internet of things. You can talk about driverless cars or smart thermostats.

AW: Speaking of spectrum bands, when will the 2.6Ghz band [redesignated from Virgin Media MMDS customers] be reassigned?

JG: We had originally intended to do the 2.6Ghz band now but then the operators all told us that it was much more important that we do 3.6Ghz first. We can kind only do one at a time so we prioritised 3.6Ghz. With 2.6Ghz, it may well turn out to be usefully done at the same time as 700Mhz. A lot of the experience is that actually it's quite good to assign coverage bands and capacity bands like 2.6 at the same time so one of the things we're looking at is whether or not we will be able to do that and save time. These are all decision we have yet to make.

AW: Do you think we are getting close to a post copper telecoms infrastructure in Ireland?

JG: I think we are getting to the point where we need to contemplate a post copper telecoms infrastructure. People are beginning to talk about it. So, as a regulator, we need to start thinking about how that transition might happen.
Christopher Roche, Winner, Ireland, National Award, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards' 'The great prayer festival of Monlam takes place in eastern Tibet during the heart of winter. Tens of thousands of pilgrims join the monks in celebrating the event. Here the monks of Taktsang Lhamo are performing the ritual known as the Turning of the Buddha where a statue of the Maitreya Buddha is carried around the four corners of the village. Maitreya is a Buddha who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment and then teach the dharma. This ceremony is to ensure that the earthly realm will be ready for his arrival.'

A photo of monks in Tibet has won the Ireland National Award at the worlds biggest photography competition, the Sony World Photography Awards.

The photo was taken by Limerick-based photographer Christopher Roche.

Mr Roches winning image Monlam, Taktsang Lhamo was chosen as the single best photograph taken by an Irish photographer entered into any of the awards ten Open categories.

Mr Roche is a filmmaker and photographer born in Canada who is based between Limerick and London.

Expand Close Norma Gleeson, 3rd Place, Ireland, National Award, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards' 'The shot was taken last Summer at my local beach Ballynamona, East Cork. I set up a hide to photograph the Little Egrets fishing. As the weeks went on I became fascinated by the different water patterns created at that split second the bird enters the water to catch its prey' / Facebook

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Whatsapp Norma Gleeson, 3rd Place, Ireland, National Award, 2016 Sony World Photography Awards' 'The shot was taken last Summer at my local beach Ballynamona, East Cork. I set up a hide to photograph the Little Egrets fishing. As the weeks went on I became fascinated by the different water patterns created at that split second the bird enters the water to catch its prey'

Last year I was second, so persistence pays off and it looks like Im heading in the right direction. It is wonderful to receive recognition and it makes the memory of standing in the freezing cold of a Tibetan winter, sometimes at altitude, now seem well worth it. Photographing different faith traditions across the world, I try to tell stories rather than create pretty images. Im grateful that theres an audience for it."

Roche took the photo at the prayer festival of Monlam in Eastern Tibet during the winter.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims join the monks in celebrating the event, he said. Here, the monks of Taktsang Lhamo are performing the ritual known as the Turning of the Buddha where a statue of the Maitreya Buddha is carried around the four corners of the village. Maitreya is a Buddha who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment and then teach the dharma. This ceremony is to ensure that the earthly realm will be ready for his arrival."

In addition to being published in a new Sony book of the worlds best photos, Mr Roche won a Sony A7 Mark 2 camera worth almost 2,000.

Two Irish runner-up awards were given to Jason McGroarty and Norma Gleeson.
To Irish business mobile phone customers, who through artificially high bills are subsidising the rest of us, thank you.

Thank you very, very much.

For a while, I was wondering how it was that mobile operators here could afford to keep investing hundreds of millions into new networks and licences.

Now I know. Because last week, Ireland's telecoms regulator confirmed that business mobile users are paying the highest monthly mobile bills in Europe.

And they're doing this while non-business Irish mobile users now pay the lowest monthly bills in Europe.

That's right. You, the gullible business user, are subsidising the rest of us.

Don't take my word for it. The latest figures from the telecoms regulator show that Irish businesses are paying a whopping 110pc more per month than UK businesses using (largely) the same mobile operators.

According to Comreg, the average mobile contract account taken by Irish business users costs 38.33 per month. This compares to 18.23 per month borne by UK business customers using the same networks.

It's not just British business mobile customers we're paying more than, either. According to Comreg, Irish business bills are now 33pc more expensive than the average European business mobile contract.

But in case you're tempted to shriek "rip off!", stay a while. This appears to be no stereotypical 'rip-off Ireland' tale.

The very same Comreg figures show that Ireland is now one of the cheapest places in Europe to run a personal mobile phone.

The watchdog's statistics show that an average prepaid account in Ireland now costs 7.86 per month, making us the least expensive country - a full 44pc cheaper than the European norm. Similarly, the average consumer postpaid contract with an Irish operator now stands at 15.93 per month, 31pc cheaper than the EU norm.

To recap: that's 15.93 for an 'ordinary' monthly mobile contract versus 38.33 for a 'business' one.

Does the 'business' customer get much more than the 'consumer'? On the face of it, not really: in Comreg's model, there were 200 more calls but 1GB less data (a full half of the average Irish person's data usage).

So why the huge disparity in price?

The answer is an uncomfortable one. It is the business billpayers' blithe attitude to giving away their money.

Yes, you are to blame. It's not the operator's fault.

If you're wondering whether this sounds perverse, ask yourself the following questions.

(i) Am I used to paying around 60, 70 or 80 a month for my "work mobile" bill?

(ii) Is "the main thing" that I get calls and texts with a "reasonable bit" of data "to cover email and a bit of browsing"?

(iii) Am I pretty sure that "they're all basically the same" when it comes to pricing and features, "sort of like electricity companies"?

If you answer 'yes' to two out of three of these questions, you're giving away your money to me and others like me.

You're like the person who will pay 1,500 for car insurance on a Nissan Micra with a 10-year no-claims bonus, purely because you've been paying that for the last 20 years. And it's never occurred to you to move.

You are what the operators are increasingly relying on to make money. In a phone market increasingly known for its fierce competition and falling prices, your company's cash is subsidising all of the punters who now get better deals than you for less money per month.

True, there are one or two possible qualifications to the EU-topping prices here. It's possible that Irish businesses may put more of a premium on free handsets than UK businesses (although this is not clear). Similarly, there may be some allowance for currency conversions (although not 110pc of a difference).

And it is also possible that, despite the increased competition in the Irish mobile landscape, that the great majority of Irish businesses (large and small) still opt for one of Vodafone or "O2" (now transferred to Three). Both of those companies have traditionally operated high cost legacy operations for business customers, with monthly tariffs of 90 or 100 not unusual.

So let us be very clear here: it is no longer correct to say that mobile operators here are fleecing you. You have very obvious competitive alternatives to the provider you're currently paying 65 per month to. You just can't be bothered to learn about them.

So on behalf of the non-business mobile users in Ireland, thank you once again.

And we'd appreciate it if you kindly don't cop on to your overcharged plight. Because frankly, we deserve your money more than you do.
Germany's Deutsche Boerse and London Stock Exchange agreed to combine in a $30bn deal to create a European trading powerhouse better able to compete with US rivals encroaching on their turf.

But the deal, which marks a third attempt to link the Frankfurt and London exchanges, may prompt a takeover war after New York Stock Exchange owner Intercontinental Exchange said it may bid for the British group.

Nearly 16 years after Deutsche Boerse first tried to take over LSE, the exchanges said last month they were discussing an all-share merger, which they confirmed yesterday would give Deutsche Boerse shareholders 54.4pc and LSE investors 45.6pc of a new company.

This offers a unique opportunity for Frankfurt which has always played second fiddle to London as a global financial centre, something recognised by the German government which said it would welcome the deal if it strengthened Frankfurt.

If it goes ahead, the combination would create the world's biggest exchange by revenue, forecast at 4.7bn this year from stock, bond and derivatives trading, indices, market data, and clearing and settlement.

The exchanges sought to sell the deal to investors with the lure of annual cost savings of 450m.

They also promised users - the banks and fund managers who pay fees to trade and companies who pay to be listed - "substantial benefits", but gave no figures.

And in a clear effort to win over Europe's politicians to the benefits of a dominant pan-European exchange, Deutsche Boerse chief executive Carsten Kengeter said it would enable Europe to enhance its capital markets.

This chimes with European Union plans for a "Capital Markets Union" to compete better with the United States and Asia.

Kengeter said Germany's Bundesbank and Frankfurt-based European Central Bank will "really appreciate" the boost to Frankfurt as a financial centre.

"With this transaction Deutsche Boerse is halting its decline in market share that has been on the cards for a number of years," Kengeter said.

He shrugged off concerns over the impact of Britain, Europe's biggest financial centre, voting to leave the EU.

Deutsche Boerse has been under constant pressure because Europe was the "natural space" for expansion for North American and Asian rivals, with the deal providing the critical mass needed for Germany and Europe overall to fight back, he added.

Despite these incentives, the deal faces questions over Britain's EU referendum in June and whether regulators including in Brussels will approve a huge presence in derivatives clearing. (Reuters)
Every year, Kerry boasts the first St Patricks Day parade of the day as the Dingle Fife and Drum Band take to the streets at 6am.

This year, in a special effort to commemorate 2016, Dingle managed to get off to an even earlier start with the first parade of the day beginning at midnight in the small village of Ballydavid.

It took place this morning as a sizeable group marched between two pubs with each member holding a blazing pitchfork topped with a piece of burning turf.

At dawn, the Dingle Fife and Drum Band picked up the long tradition that sees enthusiastic revellers marching around the town to bring a rollicking start to the day.

The musical parade reaches St Marys Church at 6.30am, where the local parish priest offers mass for the band, who in turn play a number of tunes.

It finishes up around 7.30am with a group rendition of Amhran na bhFiann.

The Kingdom's largest parade is set to kick off this afternoon at 1pm from Ashmount Terrace, Dingle.
St Patrick climbs the steps of the Mansion House, pictured with John Kearns from the Clondalkin Marching Band as the Saint arrived in Dublin. Pic. Robbie Reynolds

The creation by early Christians of legends surrounding St Patrick inadvertently helped preserve knowledge of ancient pagan Ireland.

Much of what academics now know about the traditions of pre-Christian Ireland have been gleaned from the myths built up around St Patrick.

A University College Cork (UCC) study has found that many of the legends surrounding the Welsh-born missionary and his conversion of Ireland to Christianity offer fascinating glimpses of the pagan culture he helped supplant.

UCC Department of Religion Studies academic, Dr Jenny Butler, pointed out that the lore surrounding St Patrick including the legend of him banishing snakes, chasing monsters into lakes, being tormented by a black bird on Croagh Patrick and preaching the Gospel near holy wells and groves offer an insight into ancient pagan traditions.

There is much emphasis on the notion that he individually converted so many people and even baptised whole tribes or clans, eventually Christianizing the whole of Ireland," she said.

"As such, St Patrick is the archetypal missionary saint, whose appearance is equivalent with Christianitys arrival: as a mythic figure, St Patrick is synonymous with Christianity.

But she stressed that interwoven into the myths surrounding St Patrick are clues as to the traditions and values of the pagan Ireland that was being dismantled.

She explained that the famous story of the saint ridding the island of Ireland of snakes can be interpreted as symbolic of the new religion of Christianity superseding the older pagan religion

Snakes and serpents are found in many indigenous cultures as symbols of ancient pagan deities, for example the Sumerian god Enki and the 'feathered serpent' deity of the Mesoamerican religions, called Quetzalcoatl by the Aztecs.

One of the serpents that St Patrick is supposed to have defeated is the 'Caoranach', a female creature that the saint is described as pursuing from Croagh Patrick, a mountain in Co Mayo, as far as Lough Derg in Co Donegal.

She explained that these two locations, the mountain in Mayo and the lake in Donegal, may have been sacred in the indigenous religion. Both became the two biggest pilgrimage sites connected with devotions to St Patrick right up to the current day.

The legend of St Patrick climbing of Croagh Patrick also contain the motif of his torment by black birds as he tried to pray.

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In fact, the black bird or crow refers to the form taken by the shape-shifting Celtic war-goddess 'the Morrigan' in Irish mythology.

In the centuries following St Patrick's death, the myths surrounding him grew more elaborate and reflected local holy sites whose religious connections dated back centuries, some between 500BC and 800BC.

"The local legends place St Patrick, and consequently Christian traditions, in the local landscape," she said.

"This process is one of blending of two religious cosmologies in thegeo-physical space of the land of Ireland itself.

St Patrick is connected, through name and story, to various rocks,trees and wells throughout the Irish countryside.

"Visual marks are said to have been left by the saint on his travels through the countryside, with impressions of his knees or footprints left in the shape of stones or as indentations in bullaun stones.

"The word bullaun is an anglicised version of the Irish word bollan,which refers to a large round stone or boulder.

"It is said that the saint kneeled down to pray and was praying so long or so devoutly that he imprinted the hollows in the stones.

Similar connections are made to springs and wells - all of which played a vital role in the ancient pagan religion which had beensupplanted.

"A prevalent explanation for the existence of holy wells is that they sprang up when the staff of a saint touched, or stuck into, the ground," she said.

"This kind of legend, for example, is attached to St Patricks Well inRoscommon. Again, these legends would suggest a re-contextualization of tradition; the place remains sacred but within an entirely new religious framework.

Hawthorn trees are traditionally associated with the sidhe (fairies)in Irish tradition, sometimes called fairy thorns, but are also commonly associated with St Patrick.

There are various Patricks trees or Patricks bushes of hawthorn located throughout the country at places with some connection to him, for example at Kilmogg, Co Kilkenny and Milltown, Co Carlow.

Downpatrick, which is supposedly the burial place of the saint, has a St Patricks Well with a white thorn bush growing beside it.
The Duke of Cambridge meets Guardsman Kenny Devon, his wife Rhiannon and Sofia after the Irish Guard regiment's St Patrick's Day parade during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London

The Duke of Cambridge poses for the Officer's Mess group photo with the Irish Guards during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London

The Duke of Cambridge attaches a sprig of shamrock to his hat as he presents the Irish Guards with shamrocks during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London, for the regiment's St Patrick's Day Parade

The Duchess of Cambridge broke with tradition today by staying at home with her children, leaving her husband to hand out shamrock to troops during a St Patrick's Day parade.

Usually a female member of the Royal Family presents the Irish Guards with their traditional honour, but Kate, 34, was at home in Norfolk with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Instead the Duke, who is Colonel of the regiment, led the parade at Hounslow Cavalry Barracks in west London.

Since 1901, when the regiment was first founded by order of Queen Victoria, the regiment's parade has traditionally been presided over by a woman.

For the last five years, Kate has presented soldiers with their St Patrick's Day shamrock, but this year decided to put family first, as she and William prepare for lengthy state visits to India and Bhutan later next month.

Although the soldiers were disappointed that the Duchess was unable to attend, Company Sergeant Major Carl Laverty said they were "conscious that she has family commitments", adding that the "lads were ecstatic" to have their Colonel present the honours instead.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close The Duke of Cambridge poses for the Officer's Mess group photo with the Irish Guards during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London The Duke of Cambridge meets Guardsman Kenny Devon, his wife Rhiannon and Sofia after the Irish Guard regiment's St Patrick's Day parade during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London / Facebook

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Whatsapp The Duke of Cambridge poses for the Officer's Mess group photo with the Irish Guards during a visit to Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, west London

The day's celebrations began at dawn, as the Irish Guards Pipes and Drums contingent performed Reveille, followed by a round of gunfire.

After arriving at the barracks, William led a private ceremony for the family of Major Harry Shapland, who was killed in operations in northern Iraq in 1994.

Inside the barracks' Mess Hall, the Duke presented Major Shapland's mother with the Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll, created in 2009 to recognise the families of armed forces personnel who have died in conflict or as a result of acts of terrorism.

After the private ceremony, William, dressed in an Irish Guards frock coat and wearing a ceremonial sword, was welcomed on to the central parade ground with a regimental royal salute, followed by the National Anthem played by the regiment's bagpipes and drum divisions.

The Duke began the parade by handing out baskets of shamrock to warrant officers, who then distributed the sprigs down and along the ranks.

William appeared in good spirits throughout the parade, joking with officers and wishing them a happy St Patrick's Day.

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Presenting the shamrock to the regiment's mascot, four-year-old Irish wolfhound Domhnall, the Duke passed the duties on to the dog's handler, having observed his wife's failed attempts to fix the shamrock to Domhnall's collar last year.

For many of the soldiers present, the parade was the first St Patrick's Day celebration in recent memory where the entire regiment has been in attendance. It was also the first time that the parade has been held at Hounslow, which became the new barracks for the regiment in 2015.

In recent years the parade has been much smaller, due to the Irish Guards' commitments to frontline duties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more recently in operations in Bosnia, Oman and Kenya.

After the ceremony, William met soldiers and their families, and sat for group photographs with the Officers' and Sergeants' Mess.

The Duke spoke with John Patrick Keneally, whose wife, Maryam, was wearing his father's Victoria Cross medal.

"The Prince talked to us about my father, who I'm named after," John said.

"We talked about my father's service in Tunisia during World War Two.

"He was interested to hear how he had been part of the Tunisia operations in 1943, a crucial theatre that helped to turn the tide of the war."

William also spoke with Army cadets attending the parade, including Lance Sergeant Alex Hullme, 16, of Crosby, Liverpool.

"He was very pleased to hear that I've signed up to join the Irish Guards," Alex said.

"We talked about my detachment from Crosby, and he was pleased to hear that we had won the Mini Micks competition, held in Ireland.

"It was great to have him present our shamrock to us."

The Duke also demonstrated a touch of his paternal side, when he was shocked to learn from one officer and his wife, who was heavily pregnant, that she was in fact expecting later in the day.

"You're expecting today? Wow, you must sit down," he joked.
Michael Flatley was honoured with an Arts and Humanities Award from a philanthropic organisation last night.

The Lord of the Dance star received the accolade from the American Ireland Fund at a gala in Washington.

Mr Flatley said his body has taken a severe beating as he prepares to retire from dancing today.

Speaking as he received the award, Mr Flatley said he has given every last drop of what he has to dancing ahead of his final performance in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas tonight.

It has been a great 20 years, I finish tomorrow. I would like to think the good times have outweighed the bad time but sometimes I wonder. My body has taken a severe beating, he said.

Mr Flatley, 58, said he had both his shoulders replaced and his knees, while he also needs a lot of work on his spine.

It's been severe but I wouldn't trade it for the world, he added.

He also paid tribute to his parents who he said he would be nothing without.

I think its maybe the greatest honour that anyone could have to be thought of so highly by their own. For me to be thought of so highly by all of you, it means the world to me.

I wish my father could be here tonight, he was a Sligo man. Sadly he passed away a year ago last Sunday. My mother just turned 80 and she could not make the trip.

My mother is from Carlow and they came to the United States from Ireland in 1947 with nothing, and they worked so hard. Two Irish people in America, they worked day and night for us. I would have nothing, I would be nothing without my parents, and whatever award I get in my lifetime, in particular this one, its for them.

The Riverdance star said it was a great honour to bring his tours to the four corners of the globe.

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We have sold out every major venue from Tokyo to Texas and from Mexico to Moscow, he added

We have entertained people from all over the world and I'm proud to say I brought the tricolour with me everywhere.

As I finish tomorrow night in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas I can honestly say hand on heart in front of God I have given every last drop of what I have to my art and to Ireland.

Also on the night, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan presented his predecessor John Boehner with a Leadership Award.

Senator Tim Kaine and US union chief Terry OSullivan also received awards.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was scheduled to speak at the event but could not attend due to European Union meetings.
The photograph of Patrick Fetherston taken shortly before he was shot and killed during the 1916 Rising

Sean Hogan, principal in the Department of Environment at the Custom House. Picture: Caroline Quinn

Not even allowed a drink of water, food or to have any wounds attended to, up to 200 people were imprisoned in the courtyard at the Custom House in Dublin during the 1916 Rising - in a forgotten chapter in the life of one of the capital's architectural gems.

The James Gandon masterpiece, completed in 1791, served as one of the strongholds of the British Army during the events of that Easter week and was subsequently razed during the War of Independence.

Closed to the public for many years, the Visitor Centre at the landmark will reopen today until April 3 as part of the 1916 Commemorations.

Not on view to the public, however, is one startling and little-known feature of the iconic building - the murky prison cells with heavy iron doors which served a purpose now long forgotten.

John McCarthy, secretary general of the Department, said they were delighted to be able to make the building accessible to the public once again in this centenary year, with an exhibition exploring a number of themes of 1916 - including the weather of Easter Week.

Mairead Treanor, librarian at Met Eireann, revealed that conditions had been unusually warm for the time of year, with temperatures hitting 17.8C.

This gave rise to the term "rebellion weather".

A poignant photograph in the exhibition shows a child, Patrick Fetherston, playing in the rubble of 1916. Subsequently shot and killed in the Rising, his grand-nephew, Larry Fetherston now works at the Department of the Environment at the Custom House.

Further links are also established - such as the keeping of 200 prisoners in the courtyard, whose ordeal improved after the Royal Irish Rifles from Belfast were relieved by an Australian Unit - which "acted in quite a decent fashion".

Another portion of the exhibition deals with the notorious fire of 1921 and the extensive rebuilding programme undertaken by the fledgling State.

Sean Hogan, principal adviser at the Department of the Environment, explained that some of the firefighters sent in to tackle the blaze were members of the IRA and acted covertly in getting men and weapons out of the building as well as actively spreading the fire.

The dome, destroyed in the blaze, was originally built with limestone from Dorset in England was patriotically replaced with slightly darker limestone from Co Meath in order to keep the jobs in Ireland, which explains the marked difference in colour which endures even today.
Martyrs are supposed to line up neatly in our version of history. Those who died for Ireland become something other than themselves, something other than people, loved ones who died violently, writes historian John Dorney.

The Republican dead are supposed to represent something  unswerving principle, wisdom, bravery; standards that are impossible for most people to have ever lived up to. Martyrs deaths are supposed to give truth to the cause they served. If so many died for the Republic from 1916 to 1923  for the record the IRA roll of honour The Last Post records about 1,000 names of fallen Volunteers  then the cause itself must be justified.

The reality though, like so many of our own lives, is much more complicated as a look at the family history of the defenders of Mount Street Bridge in 1916 can tell us.

The Mount Street battle

At that battle, probably the fiercest of the Easter Rising, a mere 17 Volunteers, armed only with antiquated rifles and a few handguns, almost miraculously held off a battalion of British troops from the Sherwood Foresters regiment for the better part of two days, killing 4 officers and 24 other ranks along with over 220 wounded, some of whom died later. Four civilians also died in the area. That the Foresters themselves were green troops just out of a training depot and led by officers who ordered repeated futile frontal assaults dies not take away from the bravery and tenacity of the small insurgent outpost.

The head of the Volunteer detachment was Mick Malone, a 28 year old carpenter of Ringsend, Dublin, Lieutenant in the Volunteers Dublin Brigades Third Battalion and also a member of St Patricks confraternity in Ringsend. Malone is thought to have killed and wounded many British troops during the battle  he was noted as a crack shot, before being killed by rifle fire trying to escape from 25 Northumberland Road.

At the top of the street in Clanwilliam House was a detachment of five men including one Patrick Doyle, of Milltown, south Dublin - a 36 year old labourer with five children, who was a devout Catholic and an Irish language activist.

Inside Clanwilliam House, Volunteer Tom Walsh heard Paddy Doyle shouting over the noise of battle, Isnt this a great day for Ireland? Isnt it that?, Did I ever think Id see a fight like this? Shouldnt we all be grateful to the good God that he has allowed us to take part in a fight like this?. Not long afterwards, Walsh recalled, they noticed Doyle had stopped speaking, when they checked him, he was dead, shot in the head. Clanwilliam House was eventually stormed and burned down.

Two other Volunteers George Reynolds and Richard Murphy were also killed at Clanwilliam House. Reynolds and Murphys bodies, along with Patrick Doyles were incinerated in the blaze that destroyed the building and were never recovered. The rest of the section got away.

Malone and Doyle are not among the most famous insurgent dead of the Rising but as Republican martyrs, their credential are impeccable. They died bravely in battle, fighting huge odds.

Complications

A look at their own families, however gives us a much more complicated picture of the choices facing Irish people at the time. Take Malone first, his older brother William had already died violently by Easter 1916  killed by shrapnel while serving with the British Army at Ypres almost exactly a year before. The elder Malone had joined the British Army as a 19 year old in 1901, at a time when it was probably simply an apolitical choice of career. Before the first world war was over he had served in Sudan Egypt and Malta.

As for Patrick Doyle, he was survived by his wife Sarah and five children. His son, also Patrick was only 12 at the time of his fathers death was no doubt inspired by his fathers example and later joined the Fianna  the republican youth organisation that acted as an auxiliary to the IRA during the War of Independence. Like many of his comrades in the IRA Dublin Brigade, young Patrick accepted the Treaty of 1921 and joined new National Army of the Irish Free State.

At the time of the outbreak of the Civil War, he was attached to National Army transport and ended up being sent to dislodge the anti-Treaty IRA from the Crooksling, near Brittas, County Dublin. He was killed in a fire fight, aged 18, on July 7th 1922.

Today a memorial stands at the side of the Church in Patrick Doyles native Milltown. It reads pray for the soul of Patrick Doyle, killed at Clanwilliam House During Easter Week 1916.

Similarly, The Last Post records reverently the deaths of Mick Malone and Patrick Doyle in 1916, but Patrick junior  son of an Easter Rising hero and Fianna activist himself  is absent, having taken the wrong side of the Treaty split. It should also be said that another survivor of the Mount Street battle, Seamus Grace, served in the IRA in the War of Independence and the anti-Treaty side on the Civil War and as a result of the wounds he sustained therein, was never able to work again.

One hundred years ago Irish people had to make many painful and difficult choices about where their allegiances lay. We are much more fortunate in having no such life or death decisions to make today. To remember all the dead is not necessarily to agree with all the choices they made.

But we owe it to them to acknowledge that they made their decisions in good faith and that their deaths in whatever cause do not distil them as symbols rather than as living people.

John Dorney is a historian, author of 'Peace After the Final Battle the Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924 (2014)' and editor of ' The Irish Story' website.
The poetry of 1916 engages in fundamental ways with the ideals of independence and with the feelings and experiences that helped to shape the modern nation. Perceived as a poets revolution, the Easter Rising is often linked to the Irish Revival that flourished at the turn of the century, suggesting a close relationship between artistic expression and political activism.

The Revivalist movement, which was well under way by the 1890s, sought to forge a distinctive Irish literature through the use of native materials and writing styles. These aims, expressed in journals such as the Irish Review, had a performance counterpart on the stage of the Abbey Theatre. However, though the artistic achievements of this time, both in performance and print, signalled an intense engagement with ideas of national identity, the political and cultural wings of the nationalist movement remained distinct.

So the poems of 1916 are drawn from a wide range of sources  some are written by the rebel leaders themselves and some by major Irish poets; others are widely circulated texts that catch the popular feeling of the years following the Rising.

Patrick Pearse joined the Gaelic League in 1896 and was, for a time, the editor of its newspaper An Claidheamh Soluis. Convinced of the significance of the Irish language, and keen both to modernise it and to expand its use, he wrote poetry in both Irish and English. Ideas of suffering and sacrifice lay at the heart of the work, which was strongly influenced by Christian imagery and idealism. Fornocht Do Chonac Thu (Naked I Saw Thee) is perhaps the best known of his Irish language poems; its single-minded perspective underpins much of Pearses verse in English too, reinforcing the visionary character of many poems of the Rising. In The Mother, Pearse chooses a female voice to bring the combined pride and suffering of the bereaved to life. Grief is assuaged here by an awareness of the heroism of the mens actions. Yet in spite of Pearses reputation as a fervent nationalist, his writings as a whole reveal the range of his political thought, and his capacity for reflection and change.

Christian iconography was an important feature of much of the work by rebel poets. Joseph Mary Plunkett shared Pearses commitment to this symbolism but his work is the more mystical of the two. His poems grapple with the challenges of human imperfection: I See His Blood Upon the Rose reads the presence of the divine in nature as a way of transcending this limitation.

Though they learned much from the Irish emphasis of Revivalist writing, these poets were also influenced by the English tradition, both in form and tone. Thomas MacDonagh, who taught with Pearse at St Endas, and later lectured at University College Dublin, was a literary scholar and both his poetry and criticism reflect his familiarity with cultural histories beyond Ireland. The title of his first volume of poetry, Songs of Myself, testifies to the importance of self-reflection and personal relationships in his work, however. It is through direct experience that MacDonagh understands his aspirations as an Irishman.

Arguably, the most famous representation of the Easter Rising was not by a rebel poet but by WB Yeats. Easter, 1916 remains one of the 20th centurys iconic poems but its popular reception in the decades that followed the Rising somewhat obscures the complexity of the feelings it expresses. The changing perspective on the rebels here, from casual dismissal to formal memorialisation, suggests both the poets ambivalence towards the events and his growing sense of their significance. In another poem, Sixteen Dead Men, Yeats reflects on how the execution of the rebel leaders has altered the sympathies of the Irish people.

Already an established poet by the time of the Rising, Yeatss involvement in the Irish Revival, and his close relationship with Maud Gonne, brought him into the revolutionaries orbit, though he never espoused the use of violence for political ends. Yeats was once a friend of rebel leader Constance Markievicz and of her sister  the poet, Eva Gore-Booth.

Both women gave up lives of privilege for political and social activism and, though ideologically at odds with one another, they retained a strong emotional bond as Gore-Booths poem Comrades indicates. As a pacifist, Gore-Booth opposed all forms of violence, and was sensitive to the involvement of Irish soldiers in the First World War, as well as in revolution at home.

The tension between these positions can be traced in the poetry of the time: Tom Kettle and Francis Ledwidge both enlisted in the British Army but Ledwidges most famous poem would be an elegy for his executed friend Thomas MacDonagh. Poems about the revolutionaries, whether they were reflective lyrics or popular ballads, became an important part of the memorialisation of 1916. The Foggy Dew, by Canon Charles ONeill, uses the Irish song tradition to appeal to popular consciousness, while Liam MacGabhanns Connolly  one of a number of poems on the labour leader  emphasises the recognition of this figure within his own lifetime.

Irish poets continue to engage imaginatively with the Easter Rising, often in ways that offer new or challenging perspectives on previous views. Vona Groarkes Imperial Measure offers a perspective on the role of women in the GPO, which subtly addresses the neglect of female participants in the received narratives of the period.

Other poets such as Paul Durcan and Paula Meehan use witty and provocative observations to challenge the act of commemoration itself. The enduring importance of the 1916 Rising as an inspiration for poetry reveals its power to address our shared understanding of the past, as well as our individual responses to this moment in history.

Dr Lucy Collins is a lecturer in English at University College Dublin (UCD).

Vote for your favourite poem inspired by the 1916 Rising

Some magnificent poetry has emerged from the Easter Rising, from participants, onlookers and others writing over the century since 1916.

Dr Lucy Collins of University College Dublin has written about ten key poems, read her commentary in the links below and vote for your favourite poem in our poll:

Read: The Mother, by Patrick Pearse

Read: I See His Blood Upon the Rose, by Joseph Plunkett

Read: The Foggy Dew, by Canon Charles ONeill

Read: The Wayfarer, by Patrick Pearse

Read: Easter 1916, by WB Yeats

Read: Connolly, by Liam Mac Gabhann

Read: Wishes for my Son, by Thomas MacDonagh

Read: Comrades, by Eva Gore-Booth

Read: Sixteen Dead Men, by WB Yeats

Read: Imperial Measure, by Vona Groarke
The six students who lost their lives in the tragic accident, top left to bottom right: Lorcan Miller, Eoghan Culligan, Nick Schuster, Ashley Donohoe, Eimear Walsh and Olivia Burke

Members of the Berkeley Police and Fire departments march in the 2016 Dublin St Patricks Day Parade

First responders to the Berkeley balcony collapse should get a heroes' welcome when they march in the Dublin St Patrick's Day Parade, according to Diaspora Minister Jimmy Deenihan.

A delegation of more than a dozen members of the Berkeley police and fire departments are in Dublin this week, less than nine months since the tragedy which saw six students lose their lives and another seven injured.

The second person on the scene on the night, police officer Jitendra Singh, told the Irish Independent that the scene of devastation was like "something you only see in movies".

"You would never normally see that - it looked very unreal," Mr Singh said.

Firefighter Ashley Bacher said the sight of the victims' friends by their sides sticks out in her memory.

"Normally, you'd try to clear the scene, but in this situation we let a few stay to try and comfort their friends while we were treating others," she said.

Expand Close Members of the Berkeley, Oakland and Fremont police and fire departments at the garda memorial in Dublin Castle. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of the Berkeley, Oakland and Fremont police and fire departments at the garda memorial in Dublin Castle. Photo: Tom Burke

The delegation met with the surviving victims and the families of the deceased at a reception at Iveagh House on Tuesday.

Ms Bacher said that marching in the Dublin parade is a great honour and meeting the families was one of the main reasons she came over.

Mr Deenihan said the reception was a "very poignant occasion", but added that it was "good that they [the families] met with the first responders".
Matt Miller from Texas proposes to girlfriend Sarah Conn, Ballinteer at the St Patrick's Day festivities in Temple Bar, Dublin. Photo: Arthur Carron

The Irish-American connection became even stronger late into St Patrick's night - as one American flew back from the States to propose to his Irish girlfriend in the centre of Temple Bar Square.

Sarah Conn, from Ballinteer, Dublin was ecstatic when boyfriend, Matt Miller got down on one knee and produced a ring in front of more than a dozen friends and thousands more onlookers in the Dublin party hub.

Friends of the couple jumped around the cobbled streets singing and dancing in delight.

The pair met last year, when Matt was living in Ireland on a visa scheme, but when his visa expired he had to return to Texas.

"We've known each other for six months, and I came to Ireland so we could be together, so I proposed to her," Matt said.

Sarah told the Irish Independent that they initially tried having a long distance relationship.

"We met when he came over for a year and I was so devastated when he had to go back home," Sarah said.

"We tried long distance for a while, and he decided to surprise me by coming over for St Patrick's Day and now we're engaged.

"I'm going to move to America now," she added.
Britain is targeting Ireland's ability to attract jobs by slashing its key business tax rates.

And the income tax regime for middle-income earners has also been made more attractive in Britain.

In Ireland, workers start paying the higher rate at just under 34,000, but in Britain, that threshold will now rise to 57,000.

The move hands an effective personal tax cut to 31 million workers in Britain - but also makes the country far more competitive when trying to attract foreign executives who bring jobs.

The developments will pile pressure on Irish efforts to retain and attract international investment.

Britain's headline rate of corporation tax will be cut to 17pc by 2020, closing the gap substantially on our low 12.5pc rate - once in a league of its own among developed nations.

The budget tax sweeteners may help shore up support for Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a June referendum on European Union membership.

The other big change that will have implications for Ireland is cutting capital gains tax (CGT), which is paid when business owners sell assets, to 20pc from 28pc. That compares to a standard 33pc CGT rate here and poses a direct challenge to Ireland's attractiveness as a business base, according to business leaders here.

Meanwhile, talks on the formation of a government are progressing slowly. Fianna Fail is trying to poach the Labour Party from Fine Gael in the hope of Micheal Martin beating Enda Kenny in the next Taoiseach vote.
A little boy fighting cancer has his torch and whistle at the ready because he is joining the gardai at the St Patrick's Day parade in Drogheda today.

Ceejay McArdle is only three but is adamant he will join the force when he grows up.

Ceejay, from Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, is receiving chemotherapy for leukaemia at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

His mother Susan Brown said: "He has told the nurses and staff of the paediatric unit in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital that he will be directing the traffic at the parade, and told his oncology team to keep an eye out for him as he wants to wave from the Garda Jeep."

Ceejay has also been getting messages of support as well as photographs and videos from police across the world.

She said that his love of the gardai had helped him cope.

"The messages and support from the gardai and police officers from around the world are really helping Ceejay escape from the harsh realities of childhood cancer," she added.
Outside consultants are being brought in to give bosses at the Central Bank lessons to make them better able to "let go of the past" and they will also be offered courses in "emotional and mental strength" as part of a new leadership programme.

Starting with senior managers, staff at the banking regulator will be offered the new courses in "physical intelligence for leaders" in order to provide them with skills to cope with the "unprecedented level of change" at the organisation, according to a document seeking bids for the work posted on the State's official tenders website yesterday.

Recent changes at the Central Bank include a 50pc increase in staff numbers, the introduction of secret bonus payments for some senior officials and a planned move to a new 140m headquarters in Dublin's fashionable Docklands area next year.

The proposed classes will run up to eight times a year, once a contract is awarded.

"Latest research in the area of neuroscience shows it is possible to actively manage your physiology to achieve a differentiated level of performance," according to the tender document.

Skills

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Human physiology is the study of the human body. It is understood that the Central Bank is not seeking medical help, however.

Qualified experts are asked to bid for the work, and companies tendering for the contract must provide details of the skills and experience of their staff, as well as a sample training programme including lesson plans.

The new courses will be offered as part of the Central Bank's ongoing leadership programme. The idea is to help participants develop skills. Such skills involve learning "how to manage their physiology to sustain the emotional and mental strength required to lead others.

"Develop the flexibility required to let go of the past and demonstrate willingness to explore new approaches.

"Understand and apply resilience techniques and processes to remain positive and optimistic, yet realistic about the future.

"Prepare and rehearse endurance strategies to focus on the vision and achieve long-term commitment to the organisations (sic) strategy."

The Central Bank presided over the banking collapse that left taxpayers picking up a 64bn tab for losses.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumm spent his first day of freedom in five months signing on at a garda station.

Dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a navy fleece, a black gilet jacket and a pair of Nike runners, Mr Drumm (49) was dropped off at Balbriggan Garda Station in north Co Dublin just after midday by his sister.

He spent less than five minutes inside the station signing on for the first time and left without making any comment to the waiting media.

Mr Drumm arrived in Ireland on Monday morning following his extradition from the US, where he had spent five months in custody. He appeared before the Criminal Courts of Justice where he was freed after he lodged 50,000 in cash and his parents-in-law Danny and Georgina O'Farrell put up 100,000 sureties for his bail.

As part of his bail conditions he handed in his passport, agreed to live at an address in Skerries and to sign twice a day at Balbriggan Garda Station.

He faces 33 charges relating to his time at the failed Anglo Irish Bank, including fraud, forgery and false accounting.

He will appear in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on April 8.
Two of Dublin's most feared convicted criminals have been jailed for a combined 22 years after they were caught "red-handed" with fully loaded guns and a can of petrol.

Superintendent Tony Howard said the sentencing of Paul Zambra to 10 years and Anthony Callaghan to 12 years is "one of the most significant convictions in quite some time".

"These are two very dangerous criminals who have been removed from society for a number of years," he said outside the Criminal Courts of Justice yesterday.

Callaghan (45), of Millrace Road, Phoenix Park Racecourse, Dublin, and Zambra (39), of Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of a Ruger Revolver and semi-automatic pistol with intent to endanger life at Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock on May 29, 2015.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard they were caught following a three-day surveillance operation by gardai. Inside their BMW, gardai recovered a full five-litre petrol container, a semi-automatic pistol wrapped in newspapers and a revolver wrapped in a neck warmer. The semi-automatic pistol had a silencer attached and its safety catch was off.

The Ruger Revolver was loaded with five rounds and had its serial numbers drilled off.

Supt Howard said the car also had false number plates.

"This was a professional operation and there is no doubt that somebody's life was in imminent danger," he added.

Judge Melanie Greally said the men were caught "red-handed". She said Zambra was a man with "a history of violent crime" and Callaghan had previously been jailed for firearm offences connected with a robbery.

The guns were at "optimal readiness for use" and their capacity to endanger life was "considerable", she added.

Zambra and his gang are linked to a series of murders and attempted murders in a campaign of terror that has lasted for over a decade.

It was never stated in court who was the intended target, but it is believed they were hired by a north inner city gang to murder Dean Russell (44), the brother of Anthony Russell who was shot dead in an Artane pub in 2008.
Senior Fianna Fail figures believe securing Labours support ahead of the April 6 vote represents the only realistic prospect of Mr Martin defeating Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny. Photo: Frank Mc Grath

Fianna Fail is to approach the Labour Party with an offer of Cabinet positions in return for its support for Micheal Martin's nomination for Taoiseach, the Irish Independent has learned.

Senior Fianna Fail figures believe securing Labour's support ahead of the April 6 vote represents the only realistic prospect of Mr Martin defeating Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny.

And the party is willing to offer a number of ministries in a bold bid to persuade Labour to do a deal.

During the general election campaign, several members of Mr Martin's frontbench suggested that Fianna Fail and Labour would be suitable partners in any future coalition.

While Fianna Fail sources acknowledge it would be difficult for Labour to bring their supporters on board, they suspect some, such as Environment Minister Alan Kelly, will see a return to power as a more palatable option than a second election.

"They have seven seats so they can't ignore the fact they have the potential to influence the make-up of the next government," said a senior source.

A separate Fianna Fail figure suggested that by approaching Labour, the party was sending a message to Mr Kenny that it was serious about entering government. The Acting Taoiseach said on Tuesday that Fianna Fail needed to "act responsibly".

Fine Gael has 51 votes guaranteed - the party's 50 TDs and the support of Independent TD Michael Lowry. Fianna Fail has 43 seats, due to the loss of the Ceann Comhairle's vote. This means Mr Martin has an eight vote margin to close.

Both parties have been holding talks with smaller parties and Independents. But these negotiations have proved insignificant, according to strategists in both parties.

There is now a realisation that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will have to speak about government formation in the coming days - unless Labour can be persuaded to support either party.

While Labour supported Mr Kenny in the initial vote for Taoiseach, the party has said it will not do so again next month.

"All bets are off now," said one Labour source.

This has given new impetus to the idea of Fianna Fail securing the support of Tanaiste Joan Burton's party.

Fianna Fail also believes its manifesto is closer to the Labour ideology than Fine Gael's.

"Micheal Martin has taken the party to the centre-left which is much closer to Labour. If they would work with anybody, it would make sense if it was us," said a source.

In relation to Cabinet posts, the source suggested that such an offer would prove particularly attractive to Mr Kelly and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin.

"Do you really think Kelly and Howlin want to go back to twiddling their thumbs on the opposition backbenches, especially with an election on the cards if we can't form a government?" the source said.
A General Election candidate who spent time in jail for trying to prevent the installation of water meters has made a 136,000 settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.

Damien O'Neill, who got 1,446 votes in Dublin Bay North, had to pay interest and penalties for under-declaring of capital gains tax and income tax.

The anti-water charges campaigner is listed on the Revenue list of tax defaulters as a company director.

Records show that Mr O'Neill, from Greenwood Park, Blunden Drive, Dublin 13, has been involved in a number of companies in areas such as cleaning, security and wholesale. He ran as an independent candidate in the election, citing over 30 years as a community activist as his big selling point.

"I continue to stand with the people in their fight against austerity, and I am committed to giving something back to the community," his election website said.

He stood as part of the Right2Change platform and finished 16th out of 20 in the so-called 'group of death' constituency of Dublin Bay North.

Contacted yesterday about the Revenue settlement, Mr O'Neill said he had no comment to make on it.

Figures released by the Commissioners show that he owed a tax bill of 84,739 but as part of the settlement he also agreed to pay 25,849 in interest and another 25,849 in penalties. The total debt came to 136,010.

Mr O'Neill previously came to public attention when he was imprisoned for contempt of court orders that restrained interference with water meter installers.

He had been sentenced to 56 days in jail in February of last year but was released after less than a month on a technicality.

The President of the High Court said he was obliged to free Mr O'Neill and three other protesters but was "most unhappy at the idea of a procedural technicality trumping substantive justice".

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said he had no discretion but to release him early due to errors in the committal warrant grounding his detention.

A previous court hearing was told that lawyers for GMC Sierra, the company with the contract to install water meters around the country, had secured injunctions preventing a number of individuals from assaulting, intimidating or interfering with workers installing the meters.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan said the protests linked to Mr O'Neill were being carefully organised and carried out by persons "whom I have found to have been in contempt" and were "designed to provoke civil disobedience".

He distinguished their actions from the "many people in the country" who have carried out peaceful protests to the imposition of water charges.

In a statement posted on his Facebook page after the election, Mr O'Neill said that he had been overwhelmed and humbled by the support he received.

"In the last 18 months, standing with the community against austerity in all its guises, I have met the most amazing people and formed lifelong friendships," he said.

"Now the election is over, the issues we face in our communities still remain. The fight goes on."
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been courting the Green Party in his bid to form a government.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels today, he waxed lyrical about the Greens following a meeting with the partys two TDs on Wednesday and hinted that there might be a deal in the offing.

He said the meeting was very good, very constructive and very straightforward and called the Greens a recognised, strong political party.

I had a very good meeting with Eamon Ryan and the new Deputy Martin, Mr Kenny told reporters on his way into an EU summit in Brussels.

Obviously we were talking about policy issues in so far as the Green Party is concerned, he said. And obviously, they are looking forward, I think, to seeing issues that are of importance to the Green Party.

The party will make a decision by Monday on whether to back a Fine Gael-led government.

Mr Kenny refused to be drawn on whether he would resume talks with Fianna Fail, whose support he is likely to need even if Fine Gael manages to win round the Greens and other smaller parties and independents.

The Taoiseach was in Brussels for a summit of EU leaders to discuss a controversial deal to stem the flow of migrants from Turkey to Europe.

The deal, which was drafted at an emergency summit last week, offers Turkey more money, visa-free access to the EU and speedier membership talks in exchange for Ankara taking back Syrians that enter the bloc illegally via the Greek islands.

It includes an EU pledge to take one legal refugee from Turkey for every illegal migrant Ankara takes back.

But it now looks to be unravelling over opposition from Cyprus to opening up new chapters in Turkeys EU accession talks.

It now appears as if the elements of the deal that were going to be on the table will not be able to be completed because theres a realisation obviously in respect of Cyprus being a member of the European Union for a long time and this problem in Northern Cyprus, so therefore it's unlikely that the accession chapters will be expedited, he said.

The meeting is expected to last well into the night before EU leaders reconvene tomorrow for a breakfast with the Turkish prime minister to discuss the deal.
A hospital has apologised to the partner of a woman who died after being discharged without her condition being reviewed by a medical team.

Laurence Collins said Maura McCourt had been "the love of my life".

Ms McCourt (68) died at her home in Dundalk, Co Louth, on March 1, 2014,

An inquest into her death, at Drogheda Coroner's Court, heard she felt unwell and developed breathing problems on February 26, 2014. She was admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogehda and she was told she had a bad chest infection.

Mr Collins was told by a nurse the next day that it was decided Ms McCourt should be discharged.

Mr Collins said Ms McCourt still felt weak and could barely walk.

A nurse told them the only option was to return to A&E with her, but he said she could not face that and he brought her home on February 28.

The next day, March 1, she began frothing at the mouth and he rang an ambulance. Despite paramedics' efforts, she died a short time later.

A post-mortem found her death was due to acute cardio-respiratory failure secondary to bronchial pneumonia.

The inquest heard Ms McCourt was under the shared care in hospital of a medical and surgical team.

Two nurses gave evidence that they had not carried out hourly observations on Ms McCourt in accordance with the Early Warning Score system.

Roger Murray, solicitor for Mr Collins, told Coroner Ronan Maguire that it was agreed between the parties that Ms McCourt had been discharged without a review by the medical team.

The discharge was completed by members of the surgical team but lawyer for the HSE, Simon Mills, said that it was clear that if the doctor in question had known there was no medical review, he would not have discharged her.

Risk manager at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Irene O'Hanlon, said: "We believe Maura should not have been discharged and we apologise sincerely."

A narrative verdict was recorded.
A new Humans of Dublin story offers a reflection on the importance of letting yourself grieve after the death of a loved one.

The Facebook page Humans of Dublin is a treasure trove of inspiring and heartrending stories.

One recent post detailed a young womans journey from suffering to resilience following the loss of her beloved aunt.

After her aunt died of breast cancer when she was just 11 years old, she didnt allow herself to grieve, and felt as though she had to hide her sadness.

But being strong takes its toll, and she described how months later, her grief caught up with her.

I was very close to her, she was like another mum. Months after her death I began to get sick, constantly vomiting and developing new pains and symptoms.

"My auntie died of breast cancer when I was 11. I was very close to her, she was like another mum. Months after her... Posted by Humans of Dublin on Wednesday, 16 March 2016

After many visits to the doctors I was told I just had a bug. Every few weeks I would be vomiting for at least three days and would spend a lot of my time in bed.

It hurt to move as my stomach muscles had become so sore from vomiting.

She succumbed to an illness that made the next 10 years a lonely struggle as she was never properly diagnosed or treated.

Food and weight became an issue as I was afraid to eat in case I got sick. My life stopped and everyone else's continued.

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I watched family and friends grow and change from my bedside. I missed out on my teenage years.

The young woman recalled grappling through particularly dark times when she was alone with no one to speak to.

At night I would pray that I would die because I didn't want to go through another day of being so sick.

I remember sitting crying one day because I got so frustrated not knowing or understanding what was wrong that I wished I had cancer because then I would know what it was.

After visiting many doctors over the year, she learned what was wrong.

When my auntie died I never cried because I didn't want to upset anyone else. I never grieved. I bottled everything up and never accepted her death.

Having realised she couldnt outrun her grief, the young woman began Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) treatment to help her deal with the pain of her aunts death.

The hardest part of everything was changing my thinking and accepting the fact that she was gone. Those nights that I used to cry myself to sleep I held onto one thing; I held onto hope.

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Now, 10 years on, she is a volunteer with the Andy Morgan Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness.

Ive seen the devastating effects that suicide has on families left behind but I also understand when someone is in so much pain, mind and body, that letting go seems like the only way things will get better.

I'm grateful for my life and I wouldn't change a thing because it made me who I am today.

She also had a message of hope and encouragement for Humans of Dublin readers who may be suffering through a difficult time.

To those reading this I hope you take my story as a sign to keep going no matter how hard things seem, it gets better.

I'm living proof. I held onto hope and you can too.
Thousands of gardai have been drafted into the capital to deal with the traditional St Patricks day party.

Officers have been placed at key points across Dublin while a private security firm has been recruited to act as bouncers at entrances to Temple Bar.

Up to half a million people are expected in the city's pubs and nightclubs this evening.

The massive police operation in the city is being led by Assistant Commissioner for Dublin Jack Nolan, Chief Superintendent Pat Leahy and Chief Superintendent Francis Clerkin.

Gardai being paraded at Dublin Castle this morning as part of St Patrick's day policing operation. pic.twitter.com/FDEkrwXizB  An Garda Siochana (@GardaTraffic) March 17, 2016

The garda Mounted Unit and Dog Unit are providing vital support on the ground while the Air Support Unit is getting a bird's eye view of the events as they unfold.

Gardai were paraded at Dublin Castle this morning as part of the St Patricks Day policing operation.

And following the meeting a spokesman issued a series of pleas for people to behave responsibly this evening.

A spokesman said: This year, An Garda Siochana and Dublin City Council are implementing a number of additional safety measures on Saint Patricks Day in the Temple bar area.

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These measures will include barrier controls at access and egress points for both pedestrian and vehicles, strict enforcement of illegal drinking in public areas.

There will be an enhanced Garda presence on the streets in and around the Temple Bar area from early morning until late.

These measures are being introduced to enhance and improve the experience of visitors, residents and businesses from both a safety and enjoyment point of view.

Revellers have been reminded not to drink on the streets while Brendan Kenny, Deputy Chief Executive of Dublin City Council warned people not to bring crates of beer into Temple Bar for a street party.

A private security firm has been drafted in to help man Temple Bar and the surrounds.

Accompanied by gardai these workers will act as bouncers at the 38 entrances to the citys main party thoroughfare.

Once gardai determine that Temple Bar is at peak capacity then access will be blocked and no more people will be allowed in.
Travellers hoping to make it to the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade were left disappointed after their Ryanair flight was forced to turn back not long after beginning its journey this morning.

Flght FR5771 from Glasgow to Dublin airport began the short trip over the Irish Sea shortly before 9am on Thursday but a mid-air emergency forced the aircraft to make a 180-degree turn over the Scottish coast.

A spokesman for the airline explained that one of the passengers became ill on board the Boeing 737-800 aicraft, causing the pilot to return to its starting point.

Crew contacted emergency services and an ambulance met the ill traveller at the Scottish airport.

Travellers who were planning to land in the capital by 10.00am for St Patricks Day festivities found themselves back in Glasgow a lot sooner than expected, according to the Express.

The Boeing 737-800 landed safely back in the Scottish city before 9.30am this morning.

Pilots declare mid-air emergencies through filing a Squawk 7700, which can include emergencies ranging from engine failure, to fire, to smoke, to passenger illness.

The plane took off to Dublin once the emergency had been dealt with.

A spokesman for the airline confirmed: This flight from Glasgow to Dublin (17 Mar) returned to Glasgow shortly after take-off after a customer became ill on board.

"The crew called ahead to request medical assistance, the aircraft landed normally and the customer was met by medics upon arrival. The aircraft departed to Dublin a short time later.

"Ryanair apologised to all customers affected by this short delay.

The spokesman claimed that the total delay time was 45 minutes.
This photo shows the remains of a dishwasher that sparked a massive fire in a family kitchen.

The incident, which took place in Beaumont on Dublin city's northside yesterday morning, resulted from an electrical fault.

Three units of Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene shortly after 11am, as well as the fire crew's Breathing Apparatus (BA) team.

A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed that all persons in the house were accounted for during the incident.

"Units from North Strand, Kilbarrack and Finglas attended the fire, as well as our BA team to gain access to the kitchen," he told Independent.ie.

The dishwasher was placed on the house's driveway after it was extinguished, where the visibly charred appliance was photographed.

Some of the family's cups and ware were still visible inside.

Dublin Fire Brigade have since issued advice to dishwasher-users and said fires sparked by the appliance are generally the result of a faulty dishwasher and not the owner's fault.

"Remember, closing a door on a fire starves it of oxygen and prevents smoke from damaging the rest of the house," they added.

It is also recommended to opt for a longer-running, environmentally-friendly programme on the washer.

Meanwhile, four units of the Dublin Fire Brigade attended a domestic fire at a popular pub in Skerries, north Dublin.

The fire, at Nealon's pub on Church street, was attended to in the early hours of this morning by units from Balbriggan, Skerries, Swords and Phibsborough.

Finglas District Officer also attended the scene. There were no reported injuries.
Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne holds up his budget case for the cameras on Downing Street yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Dramatic cuts to Britain's business and personal taxes announced yesterday will pile pressure on Irish efforts to retain and attract international investment.

British Chancellor George Osborne will slash his country's headline rate of corporation tax to 17pc by 2020, from the current 20pc, he said in a budget speech at Westminster.

The UK finance minister introduced a range of tax sweeteners that may help shore up support for Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a June referendum on European Union membership.

A saving scheme introduced in the budget will make it easier for Britons to save a deposit to buy a home, while widening of income tax bands is "a tax cut for 31 million people", Mr Osborne said.

Major changes in the UK budget that have big implications for Ireland include cutting capital gains tax, paid when business owners sell assets, to 20pc from 28pc. That compares with a standard 33pc CGT rate here and poses a direct challenge to Ireland's attractiveness as a business base, according to business leaders here.

"The UK government has rolled out the red carpet for entrepreneurs," Dublin Chamber of Commerce said, reacting to the cuts.

The move means investors and company founders are now more likely to look at setting up in Northern Ireland or Britain, the business group warned.

Ireland's prized 12.5pc corporation tax rate has long been the cornerstone of our successful effort to attract major employers such as Apple, Pfizer and Intel.

But the UK has radically closed the tax gap in recent years. In 2008, the UK corporation tax was 30pc, well over double ours, and it will now fall to 17pc.

Yesterday's business-friendly budget also set out higher thresholds for business rates for small companies that will effectively scrap commercial rates for more than half a million British small and medium enterprises.

However, Mr Osborne also tightened loopholes that had allowed multinationals to minimise their UK tax bills by booking profits abroad, including many based in Ireland.

"This is a budget which gets rid of loopholes for multinationals and gets rid of tax for small businesses," Mr Osborne said in his budget speech.

"A 7bn tax cut for our nation of shopkeepers. A tax system that says to the world: 'We're open for business.' This is a government that's on your side."

In another move that will be closely watched here, the budget introduced a new life-time savings scheme designed for people under the age of 40 to save for a pension or a to buy home.

The new special savings accounts (ISA) will see the UK government put in 1,000 for every 4,000 saved.

Its similar to the special savings incentive account (SSIA) that operated here at the start of the century which proved hugely popular, but the UK scheme puts strict limits on how the cash can be spent.

Under the new scheme, Britons between the ages 18 and 40 will be able to open an account and save up to 4,000 a year until age 50.

Contributions into the lifetime ISA will receive a bonus of 25pc - up to 1,000 a year.

Funds from a lifetime ISA can be used to save for a pension, or to buy a first home at any time from 12 months after the account is opened.

Mr Osborne said the savings and bonus can be used towards a deposit on a first home worth up to 450,000 across the country.

Mr Osborne said: "With the new lifetime ISA, you don't have to choose between saving for your first home or saving for your retirement."

The average home-buyer deposit in Dublin is now 51,000, which has prompted calls for similar action here.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has called for a review of US arrangements for Sinn Fein after he was refused entry to a St Patrick's Day event hosted by US President Barack Obama and fellow party member Martin Ferris was detained for several hours in Boston.

Speaking before walking in the New York St Patrick's Day parade, the Sinn Fein President revealed Kerry TD Martin Ferris was detained by US officials yesterday for "several hours" and had to get a later flight to Boston.

This comes after the Sinn Fein President was accused of "narcissism" after he compared being refused entry to a St Patrick's Day event hosted by US President Barack Obama to the case of civil rights campaigner Rosa Parks.

Today, before walking in the St Patrick's Day parade in the New York Patrick's Day march, he called for the the full normalisation of relations between Sinn Fein and the White House, and a review of the U.S. security arrangements for Sinn Fein representatives visiting the country.

Expand Close Martin Ferris. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook

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Mr Adams was at the centre of an embarrassing row with the White House after he was forced to undergo a security check before attending the prestigious Shamrock Ceremony.

He accused the US government of treating Sinn Fein "differently" to other political parties.

In a scathing attack on the White House, Mr Adams said Sinn Fein would "not sit at the back of the bus for anyone", in a reference to US civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

However his comparison of his experience at the White House - where he was reportedly detained by security offices for up to 90 minutes before deciding to leave - to the courageous stand taken by the late Ms Parks has been derided by politicians at home.

Last night, Fine Gael Wexford TD Michael D'Arcy hit back at Mr Adams, saying he was "a long way from Rosa Parks".

"He's not the first or last politician to go through security checks in the White House.

"Gerry expects preferential treatment wherever he goes but you don't get much preferential treatment in the White House," said Mr D'Arcy. Fine Gael Meath East TD Regina Doherty said Mr Adams' "narcissism has reached dizzying heights".

"The distinction between Rosa Parks, the first lady of civil rights, and Gerry Adams is unparalleled," she said.

However Mr Adams defended his reference to Ms Parks.

"I mean I was invited to the place. I was there at least 30 times in the last 20 years at different events and for talks and meetings as well as for these more ceremonial celebrations of St Patrick's Day. So you know we aren't going to sit at the back of the bus," he said.

"It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently."

The Sinn Fein leader was invited to the White House event along with his deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald and Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

However, on arrival Mr Adams was told by staff there was a security issue which needed to be addressed before he was granted entry.

Last night, the US Secret Service released a statement saying the delay in processing Mr Adams was due to an "administrative input error".

"The Secret Service would like to express our regret that the issue involving Mr Gerry Adams' entry into the St Patrick's Day reception could not be resolved in a more timely manner.

"Unfortunately, an administrative input error received by the Secret Service was not able to be rectified promptly," said the statement.

After the White House event, Mr McGuinness and Ms McDonald attended an Irish Embassy function in Washington. Mr Adams was not seen at the event.

At the reception in the Wilward Hotel, Mr Kenny joked that his day in Washington had "gone very well", before adding: "Bejaysus, I wish I didn't have to go back and face what I have to face but c'est la vie."

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan defended Mr Kenny's unguarded comments which has become a major talking point of his State visit.

Mr Flanagan said: "I was present when the Taoiseach made a light-hearted comment and I'm disappointed that his comment has been misinterpreted (and) misunderstood."
Environment Minister Alan Kelly has come under pressure from Dublin politicians who believe his department can help more than 60 renting families facing eviction.

Residents in Cruise Park, Tyrrelstown, were told they would be forced to leave their homes after their housing estate was bought by a so-called vulture fund.

However, Mr Kelly's department said it could not help these families find houses as it is a provider of "policy, not housing". A department spokesman instead pointed to local authorities as the provider of housing.

Fianna Fail's Jack Chambers suggested Mr Kelly could lead the way as he gives funding to councils to build such houses.

"This caretaker government hasn't prioritised public housing enough," he said.

"They turned the tap on capital investment for building houses over the past few years.

"The Department of the Environment should act because they provide funding for construction."

Anti-Austerity Alliance's Ruth Coppinger agreed with Mr Chambers, suggesting the State could buy the homes from the fund.

She proposed an "affordable-mortgage scheme" whereby residents could then buy back the houses from the State.

"Why wouldn't they (the State) buy the houses? I don't know how much these homes cost but they're not expensive houses," she said.

"There is a real worry here. There soon won't be hotels left to put people in. We could literally have tent city in Dublin West."

Homeless charities have called on government departments to tackle the vulture funds - investment funds which buy up undervalued assets.

"These funds are legal. But the Department of Finance needs to come in here to advise on best practice," said Niamh Randall of the Simon Community.

Ms Randall advised following the Private Rented Tenancies Board code of conduct, which aims to protect tenants. "Never mind the stress, trauma and devastation that goes with someone losing a home, putting up homeless families in hotels is not cost-effective," she said.
The situation was brought under control at around 4.30am. March 2016. Picture: BBC

Around 300 people gathered in the Holylands. March 2016. Picture: BBC

A naked man is pictured wearing a Tricolour in the Holylands. Picture: BBC reporter Claire Graham @JournoClaire

A police officer has been injured after a drunken crowd of around 300 gathered in the Holyland area blocking roads, throwing missiles and reportedly singing "pro-IRA songs".

Shortly after 2am in the early hours of St Patrick's Day police received the report to the Agincourt Avenue area of south Belfast.

The disturbance lasted for over two hours as police attempted to disperse the drunken crowd who were damaging property.

One police officer told the BBC that some people in the crowd had been singing "pro-IRA songs".

It ended at around 4.30am and police remained in the area.

Three males were arrested on suspicion of a number of public order offences and an officer was injured when he was struck on the shoulder by a bottle.

Expand Close Around 300 people gathered in the Holylands. March 2016. Picture: BBC / Facebook

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The males arrested are aged 19, 20 and 21 and all three remain in custody at this time.

Police will maintain a visible presence in the coming days.

Expand Close The situation was brought under control at around 4.30am. March 2016. Picture: BBC / Facebook

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Superintendent Darrin Jones said: Police will continue to have a highly visible presence in the area over the coming days. I want everyone to enjoy the St. Patricks Day celebrations but I would strongly encourage people to consider the long term consequences of engaging in drunken or anti-social behaviour.

"Police will deal robustly with any offences to bring people before the courts, and this may lead to career limiting sanctions. Police will be on the streets of Belfast throughout the day to ensure anyone wishing to travel, work or socialise in Belfast can do so safely.
A Dublin man has designed the worlds most expensive house which is expected to be placed on the market with an asking price of 500m.

Dublin architect Paul McClean is behind the Bel-Air mansion dubbed The One , which if its sold will become the most expensive home on earth.

McClean is a graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology, but has now established himself in Hollywood as the key designer in the mega-mansion trade.

The Dubliners firm, McClean Design, has grown from strength throughout the architects four years in Los Angeles where he began working out of his garage in the city.

The architects relationship with developer Paddy McKillen has helped him on the path to designing some of the citys most lusted after homes, including a house which was sold to Calvin Klein for 25m last year.

According to Bloomberg News, Developer Nile Niami said: The asking price will be $500m.

The 104,000sqft home will sit on more than four acres of land in Bel air and will be twice the size of The White House.

The home will have five swimming pools, a casino, a nightclub and also a room lined with jellyfish tanks.

According to Hollywood Reporter, McClean said he was shocked that despite the size of the builds, many clients complain that the homes are still too small.

These are buyers who arent going to be spending much time in these homes. They start with a house in London, then New York, then they realise the weather is bad in both, so they get a home here. But its more about collecting homes rather than living in them, he said.

No matter what we build, theres always one complaint. Theyre too small.
Brendan Keenan: 'Better laws and foreign money needed to overcome worrying homes shortage'

There is a district in Belfast known as the Holy Land. Not because of its religiosity, but because the streets - Jerusalem Street, Damascus Street and so on - are called after places in that region. Once, there were others; Little Crimea, India, and so on. Seemingly, houses were built so quickly for the city's huge expansion in the 19th century that it was too much trouble to think up original names. They eventually gave up altogether, so far as names were concerned. The Shankill area got First Street, Second Street etc, all the way up to Tenth.
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George Osborne has charmed the UK's small business community and entrepreneurs in a way that Michael Noonan has been unable to here.

And Irish business chiefs have been taking notice.

Slashing corporation tax and unveiling sweeteners for small firms - in terms of commercial rates, capital gains tax and stamp duty - won the UK chancellor plaudits as he unveiled his eighth budget yesterday.

"This is very clearly the chancellor listening to what small business wants," said Mike Cherry, policy director with Britain's Federation of Small Businesses. Oh how Mr Noonan would have loved that level of support.

Instead, Dublin Chamber of Commerce accused the outgoing government of being slow to grasp the importance of supporting entrepreneurs.

We might have a lower corporation tax rate, but the incoming government is facing criticisms that Ireland is increasingly out of step with the UK in terms of our overall competitive tax offering. And with each Budget, London is ensuring that trend continues.

Corporation tax has been progressively cut by both Osborne and his Labour predecessors, with the rate currently at 20pc and plans in place to cut it to 18pc. By April 2020, that will have fallen to 17pc. In 2010, it was 28pc.

Yes, we still have the advantage of our 12.5pc rate, but the gap is narrowing, and businesses argue that it's not simply about corporation tax. The high marginal rate of income tax here is a particular gripe, while the UK also has the advantage on capital gains tax.

Last year, the President of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland argued that entrepreneurs here could be better off starting business in the UK or the US. Dublin Chamber of Commerce claims companies are already opting to base themselves either in Northern Ireland or Britain.

Changes to Ireland's capital gains tax rate in the last Budget were welcome, they argue, but start-ups remain "disillusioned" by the absence of other policies. The UK's competitive offering may be eroded if it votes to leave the EU, but the knock-on effect on Ireland of a departure would likely wipe out any competitive gains for us. The economic risks of a so-called Brexit are, of course, stark.

But business groups feel the risk posed to us by an increasingly competitive UK within the EU is also concerning. Osborne is heaping on the pressure. Will the new Government be up to the challenge?
The complainant will never admit that she consented, and counsel must seek to show, that at the time of the offence, her character and behaviour were such that she would be likely to have consented, or that she has invented the evidence which she is giving."

This is not a quotation from a 19th-century novel. These are the words of an Irish Supreme Court judge in 1978.

At the time, courtroom evidence of a woman's 'sexual experience' was admissible in order to prove that her allegation of rape or sexual assault was unreliable.

For centuries, jurisprudence in this area has been predicated on a tacit belief that women cannot be trusted. Most of us would not remember there was a time when women were contemplated in that light. Because, of course, women - and Irish judges - had sex only after they were married.

I wonder what that judge would think if he was alive today? His boss would be the Chief Justice, Susan Denham. His paymaster would be the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald (albeit a 'caretaker paymaster'). The Attorney General, Maire Whelan, the chief law officer in the State, would advise the government on his decisions. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Claire Loftus, would bring challenging decisions before him. Chief Prosecution Solicitor Helena Kiely and Chief State Solicitor Eileen Creedon complete the Chiefs of State.

Back in 1978, it was rare to s ee a female barrister in the courtroom. The legal profession now attracts more women than men: 60-70pc of solicitors are female. Half of the Law Library's members are women.

That Supreme Court judge would have fallen off his bench on hearing that our Garda Commissioner was a woman - Noirin O'Sullivan, the first woman to lead the force in its 92-year history.

Add to that a woman Chief State Pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, and several women as professors of law in our universities - including the Dean of Law at UCC and at King's Inns - well, he might think he had drunk far too much port after dinner and was having a nightmare.

However, despite the extraordinary number of women in our top public service legal positions, we are far from being equal citizens. Much of that is due to the fact that government, rather than all of our elected representatives, has too much control in stemming law reform and too little input into real reform.

The two main political parties have adamantly resisted a major women's issue, that of reproductive choice. My personal opinion on the matter is irrelevant, but I do know that I have no right to adjudicate on another woman's life choice, nor should a majority male government continue to do so.

No amount of female representation in our legal system, our judiciary and our parliament has changed the fact that women are still mistrusted by male public representatives.

Irish women can be leaders in any profession, but when it comes to issues that directly affect us, we are ultimately controlled by a male majority.

Instead of enabling disadvantaged women, the last government's slashing of the lone-parent allowance was extraordinarily regressive - all the more disappointing that it was introduced by Labour TD Joan Burton.

Now, left to rear her children alone, a mother will not receive lone-parent support after her children reach the age of seven. According to the State, seven is OK to be home alone.

Forcing a mother out to work, most likely in a job that would pay less than childcare rates, will have a negative long-term impact, socially and economically.

Providing security in the form of a home, education, healthcare and resources to help lone mothers (or lone fathers) with children in disadvantaged situations is a smart economic move that will reduce crime and the cost of crime and drug addiction to society, the courts and the taxpayer.

Strangely, the success of the women mentioned above is not reflected in private practice. Perhaps this is because women fare better in the administrative structure of the public service, where childcare planning may be more supported.

Private law firms demand all-night meetings to get deals over the line, making childcare an unfeasibly difficult prospect for young women.

Supporting mothers with appropriate childcare, whether in the home or workplace, is the keystone of a better society.

Only one of the women mentioned above has been elected as a public representative. Her party (like all the others, large, small, new and obscure) still does not have a mandate to govern. It would be a triumph of civil rights if the election outcome resulted in a national consensus government that would properly reflect our vote.

I won't change my vote if another election is called. I don't care if Fine Gael and Fianna Fail coalesce, nor should Fianna Fail keep repeating that its supporters did not vote for a coalition, the truth is that they did not vote for a Fianna Fail majority.

The government we want is one that will legislate for a just and fair society, where children are cherished, and are not shamed by homelessness.

One hundred years on from the Proclamation, remember that: "The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities of all its citizens, and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally."
Demolition work has started at the world-famous hotel which inspired Fawlty Towers after developers secured permission to convert the site into a retirement home.

John Cleese based the iconic sitcom on the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, Devon, after staying there with the Monty Python team in 1973.

Former owner Donald Sinclair unwittingly became the inspiration for Cleese's neurotic character Basil Fawlty.

The 41-bedroom hotel ceased trading early last year and Churchill Retirement Living applied to use the site for 36 retirement apartments.

Torbay Council's development management committee initially denied the application as they felt it was "too large and unsympathetic to the area".

But in November, the authority announced that the second scheme to be submitted by Churchill Retirement Living had been successful.

It involves knocking down the three-star hotel and building 21 one-bed and 11 two-bedroom apartments, with a guest suite and two communal lounges.

In the committee report, case officer Matt Diamond wrote: "The application is for the change of use and redevelopment of the currently vacant, three star Gleneagles Hotel, Asheldon Road, Torquay, into a block of 32 retirement apartments for the elderly, with 12 car parking spaces.

"The existing building on the site will be demolished.

"The hotel was the inspiration for the BBC Fawlty Towers TV series."

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The development, featuring self-contained apartments for the over 60s, will not have any care or assisted living element to it.

It will be scheduled for completion in early 2017, with owners benefiting from a lodge manager, 24-hour careline, owner's lounge, guest suite and laundry room.

Andrew Burgess, planning director of Churchill Retirement Living, said: "The original hotel will be demolished, but in its place will be 32 apartments, for those aged 60 and above, built to our high design and quality.

"Like its former guests, we're sure new owners of the apartments will appreciate the development's brilliant location and perhaps have a laugh at its quirky history.

"We know how much the site means to people, and once construction starts we'll be sure to produce something that Basil would be proud of."

In Fawlty Towers, Basil's escapades included trying to hide a rat from a hygiene inspector and pretending that his wife Sybil was ill during their anniversary party when she had left him.

Andrew Sachs's character, well-meaning but dim waiter Manuel, suffered verbal assaults from Basil on a regular basis.

The show, voted number one in the British Film Institute's 100 Greatest Television Programmes in 2000, ran for just 12 episodes.
A bus damaged after a crash carrying Palestinian pilgrims en route to Saudi Arabia, on the outskirts of Maan, Jordan (AP)

Sixteen Palestinian pilgrims have been killed in a bus crash in Jordan.

More than 30 others were injured in the accident close to the border with Saudi Arabia.

Nine of the dead were pinned underneath the vehicle when it veered off the road and overturned, a spokesman for Jordan's Civil Defence department told the Voice of Palestine radio station.

Injured passenger Azzah Ibrahim said he remembered the bus overturning.

"Some of us were beneath the bus, and some of us were inside the bus, between the chairs," he said from his hospital bed in the southern city of Maan, about 45 miles (70km) from the scene of the accident.

Heavy equipment was used to lift the bus and pull nine bodies from underneath.

The windows of the mud-smeared bus were shattered. Glass shards, passengers' crumpled clothing and empty water bottles were strewn on the floor of the vehicle.

The passengers, all from the West Bank, had been on their way to a Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Jordan's state news agency Petra initially reported late on Wednesday that 14 passengers had been killed and 36 injured. It said the driver had apparently lost control of the vehicle.

Overnight, the death toll rose to 16, including two children, said Dr Walid Ruwad, the manager of Maan hospital.

Bassam Hijawi, an official at the Palestinian embassy in Jordan, said five critically injured passengers were flown by helicopter to the Jordanian capital of Amman.

Three others, who were in a serious condition, were evacuated to a hospital in the Red Sea port of Aqaba, he told the Voice of Palestine.
Argentina's coastguard has sunk the Chinese fishing trawler that was operating illegally within it's territorial waters

Argentina's navy says it has used gunfire to sink a Chinese-flagged boat that was fishing illegally in national waters.

China's government said it had expressed its serious concern to Argentina and called for an investigation

The navy statement said the boat was intercepted off the coast of Puerto Madryn, adding that it did not heed warning calls and tried to ram an Argentine naval vessel.

Sailors then shot holes in different parts of the fishing boat, causing it to sink, the navy said.

Four people on board were rescued and arrested. They remain in custody and are to go before a federal judge in southern Chubut province, the statement said.

The navy said it had been 15 years since one of its vessels sank a foreign vessel fishing illegally in Argentina's waters.

In Beijing, Lu Kang, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said the boat had been fishing in Argentine waters and was chased for several hours before Argentine naval fire holed the vessel. It said four Chinese were picked up by the Argentines and 28 more were rescued by a nearby Chinese vessel.

The statement did not directly address the question of whether the boat was fishing illegally or tried to ram the Argentine navy vessel.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy to Argentina have lodged urgent representations with Argentina, expressing serious concern, urging Argentina to carry out a full investigation immediately and to inform China of the details," the statement said.
Michelle Obama has disappointed her supporters by declaring that she is not going to follow in Hillary Clintons footsteps, and has no intention of running for the presidency.

Mrs Obama has enjoyed almost record approval ratings throughout her husbands eight years in office.

Among Americans, 79 per cent said when asked in 2014 that they approved of the way she is handling the job of first lady. Only eight per cent disapproved.

But, speaking at the South by Southwest festival in Texas on Wednesday, Mrs Obama said she would not seek to run the White House herself.

"No, no. Not going to do it," she told the convention centre in Austin, during a question session with rappers Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott to talk about girls' education.

She mentioned her teenage daughters, Malia and Sasha, as two of the main reasons.

"The daughters of a president. Just think about it. Come on, young people. Not so easy," she said.

"They've handled it with grace and with poise, but enough. Enough."

Mrs Obama's approval rating is not a new record for a president's wife, but it is not far short.

The highest approval rating for a first lady in modern times was Laura Bush's approval rating of 85 per cent in January 2005. Mrs Clinton scored an approval rating of 80 per cent in February 1999.

However, Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter and Pat Nixon never got as high as 60 per cent, and Eleanor Roosevelt  seen as perhaps the most loved of all first ladies  only reached 68 per cent, in February 1940.

Mrs Obama said she'll miss interacting with people as first lady  but has said she is looking forward to regaining her familys privacy.

President Barack Obama opened the festival last week with a talk about civic engagement, becoming the first sitting president to attend SXSW in the festival's 30-year history. He weighed in on Apple's legal fight against the federal government over encryption, and told a crowd of tech enthusiasts that Republican politicians in Texas are not interested in making voting easier.

Mrs Obama steered clear of political topics.

She instead promoted her "Let Girls Learn" initiative, which encourages world leaders to provide education opportunities to an estimated 62 million girls globally who do not attend school.

She also said she does not plan to disappear from public view or slow down once she leaves the White House next year.

"Sometimes there's much more you can do outside the White House without the constraints, the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship," she said.

"There's a potential that my voice can be heard by people who can't hear me now because I'm Michelle Obama, the first lady. I want to be able to impact as many people as possible in an unbiased way to try to keep reaching people. I think I can do that just as well by not being president of the United States."
Marco Rubio hugs his family after he announced in Miami he is suspending his presidential campaign.

Donald Trump warned yesterday that "riots" may break out across America if he is denied the Republican presidential nomination, despite having won most of the party's primary and caucus elections.

Buoyant from victories in three more important voting states, Mr Trump warned against a Republican campaign to prevent him from becoming the nominee.

"We're way ahead of everybody. I don't think you can say that we don't get it automatically," Mr Trump said. "I think you would have riots," he added. "You know, I'm representing many, many millions of people."

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On Tuesday, Mr Trump won Illinois, North Carolina and, most crucially, Florida, dealing a fatal blow to Marco Rubio in his home state. It marked a historic moment in what is proving to be a primary quite unlike anything that has gone before it.

Maverick politicians have been a staple feature of presidential races, but rarely has one made it so far.

Party elites and top financiers had put their hopes in Mr Rubio, feted as their saviour, in the belief that the public's fascination with Mr Trump would dwindle, and that, ultimately, they would settle for the establishment man.

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But when Mr Trump beat Mr Rubio - the son of Cuban immigrants and the youngest in the field at 44 - by almost double digits in Florida, a state with a large Latino population, the state senator had no choice but to resign from the race. In an emotional concession speech, Mr Rubio said he was bowing out because this was not the year for a campaign run on "hope".

"After tonight, it is clear that while we are on the right side, this year we will not be on the winning side," Mr Rubio told supporters.

He blamed the political establishment for his loss, saying: "America is in the midst of a big political storm - a tsunami - and we should have seen it coming."

He attacked Mr Trump for taking the "easy route" by playing on people's concerns about the American economy.

"The politics of resentment against other people will not just leave us a fractured party - they're going to leave us a fractured nation."

With their candidate gone, and John Kasich - the only remaining centre-Right choice remaining in the race - barely clinging on, the Republican establishment must decide whether to back Mr Trump.

Mr Trump now needs to win about 55pc of the roughly 1,100 delegates still up for grabs in state-by-state nominating contests to guarantee the nomination.

In a round of interviews yesterday morning, Mr Trump suggested that top Republican figures, including Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House of Representatives, were starting to fall in line behind him.

But the claim was quickly dismissed by Mr Ryan.

It was a good Super Tuesday too for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, who moved a step closer to cementing the nomination with convincing wins in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Illinois. In her victory speech Ms Clinton looked beyond the primaries to a national race against Mr Trump.

"Our commander-in-chief has to be able to defend our country, not embarrass it," she said. "Engage our allies, not alienate them. Defeat our enemies, not embolden them." ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Global temperatures for February were the highest on record

Earth got so hot last month that scientists described the temperatures as "astronomical", ''staggering" and "strange".

And the US experts warned that Earth's climate may have moved into a new, hotter neighbourhood.

This was not just another of the drumbeat of 10 straight broken monthly global heat records, triggered by a super El Nino and man-made global warming.

February 2016 obliterated old marks by such a margin that it was the most above-normal month since meteorologists started keeping track in 1880.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Earth averaged 56.08 degrees in February, 2.18 degrees above average - beating the old record for February set in 2015 by nearly six-tenths of a degree.

NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden said records were smashed on the land, the oceans, and the lower and middle atmosphere.
Germany has closed its embassy in Ankara and its general consulate in Istanbul because of the threat of a possible imminent attack, the foreign ministry has said.

The ministry said the German school in Istanbul has also been shut due to an "unconfirmed warning".

The consulate said in an email seen by Die Welle that the facilities had been shut as a precaution but warned German citizens to stay away from the areas.

On Tuesday, Germany had issued an alert to its citizens in Ankara warning of an "imminent attack".

It comes as a car bomb attack killed 37 people and injured at least 125 more in the capital on Sunday.

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The Kurdish militant group TAK claimed responsiblity for the deadly suicide attack in which two of its own were killed.

The group said the attack had been aimed at security forces and they did not mean to kill civilians.

Ankara has now been hit by three bombings in a space of five months, ratcheting up security fears across the city and Turkey.

In a statement posted online, the group described the car bombing, which occurred on Sunday, as revenge for security operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast that have been under way since July, in which hundreds of civilians, security forces and militants have been killed.

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The Turkish armed forces carried out air strikes against Kurdish rebel strongholds in northern Iraq hours after the attack.

The state run Anadolu news agency said nine F-16s and two F-4 jets raided 18 positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, including the Qandil mountains where the group's leadership is based.

Police detained at least 11 people in connection with the attack on Monday.
A multimillionaire's son who left a baby girl paralysed and brain damaged following a horror car crash could be facing fresh charges after a post-mortem revealed he was responsible for causing her death.

Antonio Boparan-Singh, 28, left Cerys Edwards with devastating injuries after he ploughed his Range Rover Sport into the family's Jeep while overtaking at 70mph in a 30mph zone.

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Cerys, who had just celebrated her first birthday, was thrown from her baby seat and broke her spine in the crash, leaving her paralysed.

She was unable to speak and required round-the-clock care and was permanently dependent on a ventilator following the crash in November 2006.

She underwent dozens of major operations over the following years but tragically died at Birmingham Children's Hospital on October 17 last year, just a month before her tenth birthday.

Yesterday, West Midlands Police revealed it handed a file to the CPS confirming the little girl died as a direct result of injuries caused by Boparan.

Expand Close Cerys Edwards after she was left paralysed and brain damaged Photo: PA / Facebook

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A spokeswoman for the force said: "The post mortem has concluded that Cerys died as a result of the collision. We are now consulting with CPS."

The CPS confirmed the case will now be reviewed by a specialist prosecutor.

Her father Gareth Edwards, 51, said: "I cannot turn the clock back - my daughter is gone and is six feet under - all I can do is fight for justice for that little girl.

"He has torn a family apart. Me and Tracey are currently going through divorce proceedings, she even held a separate service for Cerys, we were not even at her funeral together.

"Almost 10 years on things have got worse, not better. I live and breathe this every single day. I just want justice for that little girl."

Cerys was awarded 5million compensation in 2012, along with a guaranteed annual payout of 450,000 to help pay for her annual care bill.

At the time Judge Martin McKenna, sitting at Birmingham County Court, described it as the "saddest and most tragic case" he had ever come across.

Boparan, from Little Aston, West Midlands, was just 19 when he caused Cerys's injuries while speeding in his powerful 57,000 Range Rover in Sutton Coldfield.

The Edwards family were returning home from delivering Christmas presents when the millionaire's son crashed into them after driving on the wrong side of the road on the evening of November 11, 2006.

He could have faced 14 years in prison if Cerys had died at the time but instead served just six months in prison.

The outrage over the sentence sparked a national campaign demanding Government action.

More than 13,000 campaigners supported tougher sentences and a petition was also delivered to Westminster by Cerys's parents in July 2009.

Labour's former Justice Minister Jack Straw called the Edwards family himself to give them the news about what became known as 'Cerys's Law'.

As a result of the changes anyone convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving now faces up to five years in prison instead of the previous maximum of two.

The Range Rover Boparan was driving in 2006 was owned by his wealthy parents, Ranjit and Baljinder Boparan, who run the 2 Sisters Food Group - the third largest food company in the UK by turnover with an annual revenue of 3.4billion.

His family went on to set up the Boparan Charitable Trust in 2009, which is fronted by Boparan and his mother.

But Boparan was jailed again last year for his involvement in a bar brawl which left one victim blind.

He pleaded guilty to violent disorder and inflicting actual bodily harm after the incident in the VIP room of the Nuvo Bar in Birmingham on April 6, 2014.

Boparan was jailed for 12 months after a court heard he threw one victim to the floor and kicked him in the head.
The withdrawal of the bulk of Russian forces from Syria should be complete in two to three days, t he commander of the Russian air force has said.

Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily on Thursday that the air force aims to meet President Vladimir Putin's deadline and pull out in the next two to three days.

Mr Putin on Monday announced the withdrawal of most of the Russian forces from Syria to end a five-and-a-half-month campaign there.

The first group of bombers left for Russia on Tuesday.

Moscow did not specify how many aircraft and troops would be withdrawn. It has not revealed how many soldiers it has deployed to Syria, but US estimates of the number of Russian military personnel vary from 3,000 to 6,000.

President Vladimir Putin later said that Russia can again build up its forces in Syria "in a few hours" if necessary, and will continue striking extremist groups.

Mr Putin made the statement in the Kremlin while honouring Russian military officers who have taken part in the Syrian campaign.

Mr Putin emphasised that the Russian air base and a naval facility in Syria will remain and Russia will keep enough forces there to protect them and to continue the fight against the Islamic State group, al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, and other groups considered extremist by the United Nations.
In a tumultuous session of Parliament, South Africa's president has rejected allegations that he is influenced by a wealthy business family, saying that he is in charge of the government and the appointment of Cabinet ministers.

President Jacob Zuma was responding to a question from an opposition leader about an allegation by the country's deputy finance minister that the wealthy, politically connected Gupta family directly offered him the finance minister job, replacing Nhlanhla Nene, who was sacked in December.

Mr Zuma said it is he who appoints ministers, in line with the Constitution.

Politicians from the main opposition group, the Democratic Alliance, walked out of Parliament to protest the alleged influence of the Gupta family over Mr Zuma, which they describe as a threat to the integrity of the government.
Live updates: Clemson football score vs. Syracuse in historic ACC game

Live updates from Clemson football vs. Syracuse in matchup of undefeated teams with an ACC record on the line for the Tigers, Dabo Swinney.
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By Mike Ellis of the Independent Mail

A judge said Wednesday that he would not lower the bond for a man who was charged with kidnapping and assault while out on bond for a child sex offense.

Rico Hunter and his attorney, Wendy Hallford, asked for a reduction in his $75,000 bond at a court hearing in Anderson.

Hunter was accused of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor in August 2015. He was given a $30,000 bond and posted that. The details of that case were not mentioned in court Wednesday.

Less than two weeks after being charged and being released on bond in that case, Hunter was arrested again on unrelated charges of kidnapping and assault and battery. A $75,000 bond was set for him on those charges.

He was accused in that case of waiting for his girlfriend, pointing a gun at her, pulling her by her hair, and threatening to shoot her if she called police.

Prosecutors said he hit the woman with a handgun several times.

Hallford said while the woman had injuries, the injuries were not as severe as they would have been if she had been pistol-whipped.

Hallford said the incident with his girlfriend was a relationship problem.

She said the woman may have inflated the charges sought against Hunter because Hunter "had been showing interest in other women."

The bond request was made to allow Hunter to care for his ailing mother, who needs round-the-clock assistance and is fighting cancer, Hallford said.

Circuit Court Judge Lawton McIntosh said he would have set a higher bond than $75,000 in the first place because of the short amount of time between the two incidents and the violent allegations in the second case.

"With all due respect," McIntosh said, "based on the prior charges, especially since he was out on bond, I find this reasonable under the circumstances."

Follow Mike Ellis on Twitter @MikeEllis_AIM
By Charmaine Smith-Miles of the Independent Mail

CLEMSON  Imam Mohammad Mustafa invited the community into the mosque on Old Stone Church Road on Wednesday night to help "remove the distorting" ideas people have about Islam.

For those who attended, he did that.

Gary Gaulin, a resident of Seneca, went to the meeting in Clemson looking for more in-depth information about Islam.

He said he is Christian and was raised in the Catholic church. He said he is searching for more peace in his own life, and that search has led him to learn about other religions.

He said he was surprised to learn at the meeting Wednesday that there is an entire chapter in the Quran  the holy writings of Islam  about Mary, the mother of Jesus.

"I didn't know that before I came tonight," Gaulin said. "And the more I can learn, the more I can help bring about a greater understanding of other religions."

If he learns about Muslims, he "an be a better ambassador for them in the community and in my church," he said.

Mustafa said, "We need to be closer. We need to build bridges so we can coexist."

About 20 people attended the first of eight community meetings that Mustafa and the Islamic Society of Clemson will host at the mosque.

At the meetings, Mustafa, who has been the leader of the mosque since 2013, plans to talk about Islam and the Quran. He said he will also address some of the social aspects of the faith, what the Quran says about Jesus and the role of women in Islamic society.

Mustafa on Wednesday addressed some of the central tenants of Islam, and its common message of peace that is shared by Christians and Jews.

"The whole of the message is the same for the Jew, the Christian and the Muslim," he said. "We are to live in peace."

He referred to a prayer in the Quran, which every Muslim prays in the mosque together with other people. A line of the prayer reads: "Master of the Day of Judgement, you do we worship, and your aid do we seek."

"With every prayer, we ask God to guide us," Mustafa said.

"We have to pray for everybody. It is not just about us individually," said Nedal Mefleh, an Islamic Society of Clemson member. "God wants us to be part of the group, part of the community."

Some in the audience asked about terrorist organizations such as ISIS, and whether such groups are practicing Islam.

Mustafa and Mefleh, who has lived in the United States since 1977 and is retired from the U.S. Air Force, said such groups are criminals and are using religion for their own selfish interests.

"What you see in ISIS and on CNN is not Islam," Mefleh said. "The members of ISIS are criminals, not just for the European and the American, but also for the Muslim."

Marti Usher, a Seneca Presbyterian Church member, went to the meeting to hear for herself about Islam and its holy writings. She said she knows little about the faith apart from what she has seen and heard in the news.

She said she plans to go to more of the weekly meetings.

"I came because it has to start somewhere," Usher said. "We have to be willing to share and to learn about our neighbor if we are going to live together. Now is the time to learn."

Follow Charmaine Smith-Miles on Twitter @Charmaine_AIM

If you go



What: Meet your Muslim Neighbors: An eight-week series of community meetings about Islam and the Quran

When: Each Thursday from March 24 until May 5, from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

Where: Islamic Society of Clemson, 1009 Old Stone Church Road, Clemson

Contact: clemsonmasjid.org, 864-654-4514
By: Tracie Frost

In an effort to infuse cash into Indias economy and jump start the Make in India and Smart Cities initiatives, Indias Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) last year codified guidelines for special international financial services centers (IFSC). In the 2016 budget, the Modi government took the move further by providing tax incentives aimed at attracting billions of dollars in financial services investment from global hubs like Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. By some estimates, as much as US $30 billion per year worth of trading in rupee derivatives goes to locations outside India.

The idea of an international foreign services center in India has been a long time coming. IFSCs serve customers outside the domestic economy and handle cross-border financial products and services. Nearly a decade ago, the Ministry of Finance commissioned a report on making Mumbai an international foreign services center. However, the global financial crisis dampened those early plans. Now India is again looking at the benefits of opening the financial sector to greater foreign investment.

In 2015 SEBI paved the way for Indias first international financial services center when the body introduced relaxed rules for establishing stock exchanges and other capital market infrastructure. The new regulations treat any financial institution set up in the IFSC as a non-resident located outside India. Foreign companies may procure funds in foreign currencies by issuing and listing shares on the stock exchanges housed in the IFSC. In addition, capital requirements for IFSCs were also relaxed. Following the development, a special economic zone in the Gujarat International Finance Tec City, commonly referred to as GIFT, was created to house the nations first IFSC. In response, YES Bank and Federal Bank were quick to open IFSC banking units while other banks are in the planning stages of their own units.

In order to create more interest in the IFSC, the 2016 budget contains a slew of tax incentives:

Exemption from long term capital gains tax on foreign currency transactions made on a stock exchange in IFSC.

Minimum alternative tax rate reduced to nine percent on branches in IFSC that derive all their income from convertible foreign exchange.

Tax exemption for the company paying the dividend and the payee on dividends distributed by branches located in IFSC that derive all their income from convertible foreign exchange.

Exemption from securities transaction tax and commodities transaction tax on transactions undertaken in a foreign currency on recognized stock exchange in IFSC.

RELATED: Accounting and Reporting Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

Some have wondered if these incentives are enough to bring significant foreign investment to India, given the scale of Indias infrastructural deficiencies and the problematic regulatory environment. Other global financial centers offer a rational legal regulatory framework, developed infrastructure, strategic location, and better tax benefits. Dubais IFSC has a zero tax rate while Malaysias is three per cent. Further, many global hubs have special regulations and an independent judicial system especially for IFSCs. Nevertheless, the Modi governments attempts to create an environment that will lure global financial players to India is a noble one that may yet yield benefits. For one thing, in Indias restricted financial sector, an IFSC could serve as a trial run for Indian financial sector reform.

About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email india@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight.

Managing Your Accounting and Bookkeeping in India

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we spotlight three issues that financial management teams for India should monitor. Firstly, we examine the new Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) system, which is expected to be a boon for foreign companies in India. We then highlight common filing dates for most companies with operations in India, and lastly examine procedures and regulations for remitting profits from India.

Tax, Accounting, and Audit in India 2014-2015

Tax, Accounting, and Audit in India 2014-2015 offers a comprehensive overview of the major taxes foreign investors are likely to encounter when establishing or operating a business in India. This concise, detailed, yet pragmatic guide is ideal for CFOs, compliance officers and heads of accounting who need to be able to navigate the complex tax and accounting landscape in India in order to effectively manage and strategically plan their India-based operations.

An Introduction to Indias Audit Process

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we provide readers with an overview of Indias annual audit process and offer important tips for the smooth navigation of the countrys audit regulations and accounting standards. We begin by first explaining the two most common types of audit in India, statutory and internal audits, and then outline the standard steps and procedures an Indian auditor will follow in each.
What is your outlook on the steel industry in FY16?

Brief us about your international operations?

What is your Budget overview?

Are you looking at any acquisition plans?

What is your current debt?

Do you see any impact on your domestic business?

USA has imposed duty on import from China, Your Views?

Give us the over view on the financials?

What will be your focus area going forward?

What is your revenue mix?

What are the challenges do you face in the industry?

What is your message to the shareholders?

has more than 30 years of experience of Refractory Industry and has been involved in various capacities in Indian Refractories Makers Association. He has been Director & Chief Executive of erstwhile Indo Flogates Ltd.is a manufacturer of Specialised Refractories and requisite Operating Systems for Iron and Steel Industry. IFGL has a large pool of trained engineers and application specialists to offer customers Total Solution for Refractory for flow control in Steel Teeming and Continuous Casting of Steel.Speaking withandof, "IFGL has made the right investments in products and capacities in India and abroad. With our presence in over 50% of the steel producing countries in the world, a stabilized world economy would be beneficial to us."Indian Steel production is expected to increase in 2016 on back of increased infrastructure demand and commissioning of new capacities by steel majors.Despite challenging growth environments in World economy, international operations have continued to sustain and gain market share.USA continues to be slow on back of low steel production, however Q3 reported the best profitability in the last 3 quarters, while Germany was impacted by a seasonally weak quarter.The govt's thrust on infrastructure, roads will result in increased steel consumption. This will be beneficial for us.Monocon Group & Hoffman Ceramics have grown at 3% CAGR since acquisition, while EI Ceramics has grown at 9% CAGR since acquisition in 2010. All international acquisitions are profitable and generate sufficient cash flow to manage debt servicing and fund capacity expansions. We are not looking for any new acquisitions.The net debt to equity ratio stands at ~0.2x. We are repaying all obligated debts on time including overseas subsidiaries.The domestic business is impacted by slowing domestic production and the margins will remain under pressure. However the infra push by the Indian Government should improve domestic production of steel having a positive impact on refractory makers.Import duty of 266% has been imposed on cold rolled steel from China. The large imports were hurting the domestic manufacturers in USA thereby affecting our business. With the import duty in place we believe the local steel production should pick up which will have a positive bearing on our business in USA.The total consolidated income for 9M FY16 was Rs. 544.1 crore. Normalized EBITDA came in at Rs. 68.0 Cr with margin of 12.5%.Profit after tax stood at 31.3 Cr with margin of 5.76%. Consolidated Earnings per share was recorded at Rs. 9.05/- per equity share.Our focus on sale of high value added products and association with relatively strong integrated steel mills has led to stable performance. The recent measures of GoI will improve the situation of domestic steel producers thereby benefiting our performance.Of our total business, about 20-22% comes from India while the rest is all international business.Demand uptick remains weak given the international slowdown. Sentiment is mild in all sectors as well. We believe steel industry's fundamentals are improving going forward as predicted by World Steel Association and this should benefit us going forward.IFGL has made the right investments in products and capacities in India and abroad. With our presence in over 50% of the steel producing countries in the world, a stabilized world economy would be beneficial to us. Our balance sheet is well capitalized and with no significant Capex required to capture demand improvements, we believe significant operating leverage to play in the times to come.
Federal Bank has partnered with Oman UAE Exchange for FLASHremit, a real-time account credit facility. The partnership enables the non-resident Indian (NRI) customers residing in Oman to transfer money directly to their beneficiary having account with Federal Bank in India.The advantage of this instant money transfer service is that the moment the account is credited, both the sender and the beneficiary receives SMS notification, thus minimizing the follow-ups and travel time to bank or exchange house.Commenting on the partnership, Antu Joseph, General Manager (Business & Products), Federal Bank said: Our partnership with Oman UAE Exchange facilitated providing instant fund transfer facility to NRIs in Oman. We share a similar passion with Oman UAE Exchange in offering seamless remittance options and thereby ensuring customer delight. I am sure that Flash Remit option will bring more value and convenience to customers.Speaking on the occasion, Boban MP, CEO, Oman UAE Exchange said: Our endeavour has always been to make money transfer a convenient and seamless experience for the customers. FLASHremit is one of them. We are glad to integrate the services of Federal Bank within our bouquet of services. It has not only enabled the customers with an instant and convenient channel to remit back home but has also strengthened our relationship with the partner.
Biocons CMD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw recently spoke about her companys market share in the US as well as the PISA agreement during a recent interview with CNBC-TV18.Following are some key takeaways from the interaction:Shaw stated that the agreement with PISA presents a significant opportunity for Biocon because the insulin market in the US contributes 40% of the global insulin demand. The global market is currently worth $5 billion, meaning $2 billion is in the US and thus the potentially large benefits to been accrued in the US market. It is also an important market for the company because it is characterized by attractive prices, thus the need to develop its insulin assets for the US.The CMD also noted that the company has a strong relationship with PISA and Biocon has a dominant market share in Mexico thanks to the partnership. Biocon offers the insulin drug substance and PISA in turn produces the drug in Mexico. Biocon plans to employ the same strategy in the US by partnering up with other firms for co-development. The CMD believes that the strategy allows the firm to optimize efficiency in the supply chain and also advantages from membership in the North American Free Trade Agreement.Shaw did not reveal the revenue between her firm and PiSA, but she mentioned that it is enough to attract partnership interest from Biocon. She also stated that it is too early to make a forecast about the market share of her company in the US. However, Biocon is planning to focus on the global insulin market, and it will try to acquire as much market share as possible especially in the US.Shaw also stated that the insulin market has very few players, but Biocon is among the few that also include Sanofi, Lilly and Novo among others. The company thus has very good opportunity to strengthen its position both in the US and on a global scale. She also mentioned that the company's biosimilar insulin is currently sold in more than 40 countries, and it has thus been designed to follow different regulatory guidelines presented by these markets.
Peabody Energy Corp., the worlds largest private coal mining company, on Wednesday warned that it could go bankrupt due to weak energy prices, cheaper alternatives like natural gas and economic slowdown in China.Peabody announced in New York that it is facing the prospect of filing for bankruptcy protection after failing to make a routine interest payment on its debts.The company said that it failed to make a US$71mn interest payment due on Tuesday and had a 30-day deadline to come up with the funds or there was a substantial doubt that it could continue as a going concern.The company's stock price nose-dived 43% on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning. It closed the day lower by 2.3% at US$2.19 after being as low as US$2.00.Peabody shares have already lost half their value in the last three months and 97% over the past one year.The stock had previously hit a high of US$299 per share in the first quarter of 2014.A chapter 11 filing by St. Louis-based Peabody would be the latest in a wave of bankruptcies to hit top US coal producers.US coal miners are facing a slew of problems, such as high debt levels, low energy prices, new environmental regulations, the decline of steel production and the conversion of coal-fired power plants to natural gas.Peabody reportedly employs 7,600 people and owns mines or stakes in mining operations across the mid and western US and in Australia, including the worlds largest mine in Wyoming.
The Reserve Bank of India signed a SAARC Currency Swap Agreement with the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan (RMBA). Under the arrangement, the RMBA can make drawals of US dollar, Euro or Indian Rupee in multiple tranches up to a maximum of US$ 100 million or its equivalent. This is expected to further economic co-operation between the two countries. The agreement is valid for a period of three years from the date of signing.It may be recalled that with the concurrence of the Government of India, it was decided to extend the SAARC Currency Swap Arrangement for two more years till November 2017. Under this arrangement, RBI offers an aggregate amount of US$ 2 billion both in foreign currency (USD and Euro) and Indian Rupee to the SAARC member countries, viz., Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.The swap arrangement is intended to provide a backstop line of funding for the SAARC member countries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity mismatches till longer term arrangements are made or if there is need for short-term liquidity due to market turbulence. The arrangement will further financial stability in the region.
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www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
Delhi High Court has postponed the hearing of Vodafone tax case to Monday, March 21, according to reports. Delhi HC has, reportedly, sought reply from Income Tax department with regards to the Vodafone tax issue.During the next hearing on March 21, the high court is expected to hear tax department's plea on the issue. I-T department had issued notice to Vodafone on March 11 seeking a 'Special Audit' in the matter.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during his Budget 2016-2017 speech, had offered telecom companies a proposal to settle their tax disputes, which could account to paying principal amount and get waiver on interest and penalty. The proposal was said to be directed towards Vodafone who has been in a tax dispute with the government since long time.Jaitley had said, "In order to give an opportunity to the past cases which are ongoing under the retrospective amendment, I propose a one-time scheme of Dispute Resolution for them."After the announcement, Vodafone spokesperson was quoted as saying, "We will of course study the details of what the Finance Minister has proposed, while continuing to seek resolution of this matter through international arbitration."
VST Tillers Tractors gained 2.2% to Rs.1,515.50 after the company entered into an agreement with Karnataka government to establish 92 custom hire services centres (CHSC) in nine districts.The scrip opened at Rs. 1501 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 1539.75 and Rs. 1500 respectively. So far 1656(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 1281.03 crore.The BSE group 'B' stock of face value Rs. 10 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 1660 on 07-Jul-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 1221 on 27-Mar-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 1504 and Rs. 1430.5 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 53.99 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 18.85 % and 27.17 % respectively.The stock is currently trading below its 50 DMA.
Now in its eighth season, the Indy Winter Farmers Market (IWFM), an initiative of Growing Places Indy, has provided thousands of residents in the downtown area fresh produce, meats and dairy, but its latest venture has led it into an area of the city experiencing the hardships of a so-called food desert.

Recently IWFM has migrated from The Platform near City Market to the Circle City Industrial Complex (CCIC) in the Near Eastside neighborhood.

The 500,000-square-foot former manufacturing site, now home to a wide variety of artists, industrial and office tenants, has welcomed the market with open arms and has ultimately helped it expand its reach.

The new location at CCIC places us in a thriving downtown neighborhood and provides plenty of space to grow the market, said Sarah Adams, IWFMs market manager.

In the new space, the market will use 14,000 square feet to welcome 13 new vendors, for a total of 65. Visitors can expect food trucks and ample parking options, said Adams, who mentioned the latter was an influence on the markets move.

When we outgrew The Platform, mainly the parking problems were affecting vendors sales, and we couldnt expand our vendors because we were limited to 41 stalls. When we lost the two parking lots last spring, we began talking to Larry Jones, president of Teagen Development, said Adams.

Those at IWFM are also excited about the new customers they have the potential to reach, especially those who participate in the state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The market was awarded a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase its SNAP usage. Liz Wertz, of Growing Places Indy, serves as the coordinator for this new initiative.

Being recently declared a food desert and federal Promise Zone, were excited to help increase access to fresh, healthy and seasonal produce on the Near Eastside, Wertz said. Not only are SNAP benefits accepted at IWFM, we also have two SNAP-matching programs. These programs enable a SNAP user to double their purchasing power, dollar-for-dollar, on up to $40 a week. For example, debit $40 from your EBT card, and well give you $80 worth of tokens to spend. We are thankful for the help from the Indy Hunger Network and other sponsors for making these programs possible.

Those tokens can be used on SNAP-eligible products such as eggs, meat, cheeses, dairy and others.

Although the wintertime doesnt provide as many fresh, local produce options as other seasons, the IWFM offers another special program for SNAP called Eat Well Bucks to encourage users to choose healthy items. Customers swipe their Hoosier Works cards and receive vouchers to spend at the IWFM. Vendors that accept Eat Well Bucks display a yellow sign indicating such.

Within the first two weeks of the markets move, the IWFM staff and vendors have welcomed more than 1,000 new and returning customers. Wertz said the market sees about 600 to 1,000 weekly visitors, about 20 people utilize the SNAP program per month and more than 50 vendors accept SNAP. She said one of the big goals is to continue to increase the number of SNAP shoppers.

The market is currently working with neighborhood organizations to target more SNAP-specific locations, such as some of the Indianapolis Public Schools on 10th Street, where they provide non-perishable items at their food pantries.

Although healthy food access is important, preparing those items once bought is just as important, mentioned Wertz, who said the market encourages healthy habits.

Our biggest way we do that is through visual things such as taste tests and cooking demos. Some of these winter vegetables can seem intimidating, she said.

Despite the recent incorrect news release published by local media outlets stating the market no longer existed after leaving The Platform, Adams wants the community to know IWFM is here to stay and is looking to add a variety of new vendors in the future, such as wineries and more natural cleaning products.

The IWFM operates Saturdays 9 a.m.12:30 p.m. November through April at Circle City Industrial Complex, 1125 E. Brookside Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46202, Door G10. For more information, visit Indywinterfarmersmarket.org.

Get involved with the Indy Winter Farmers Market

Volunteer opportunities

The farmers market has a variety of volunteer opportunities. Those volunteering at the market have the option of working the first shift (7:309:30 a.m.) or the second shift (noon2 p.m.) Each shift includes 30 minutes of personal shopping time, as volunteers receive $5 in tokens for the market as well as a $5 Sun King gift card. Sign up for the newsletter at Indywinterfarmersmarket.org.

The Power of One Challenge

Each week at the IWFM, shoppers will have the opportunity to put $1 or any spare change they have in the IWFM Power of One collection jar at the Market Information Table. One hundred percent of these funds will be used for the Eat Well Initiative to provide individuals using EBT/SNAP who shop at the IWFM with additional Eat Well tokens. The goal is to provide every individual who uses EBT at the IWFM with an additional $5 to $10 in Eat Well Initiative tokens to enhance their purchasing power of the good produce, meats and dairy for sale at the IWFM.
Have you ever wanted the opportunity to talk with business professionals without the suit and tie? The Indiana Professional Associations (IPA) informal networking luncheon offers that chance.

IPA will hold the 2016 Spring Organizational Networking Luncheon titled, Networking at The District Tap, April 3 from 1:304:30 p.m. The luncheon will be held at Clearwater Crossing at 3720 E. 82nd St.

Community members will have the opportunity to meet and interact with diverse organizational representatives, professionals and businesspersons. Keynote speaker Toni Y. Hickey, deputy general counsel and chief IP counsel for transaction and strategy at Cummins, will highlight the impact and benefits of diversity in employment. The event will include door prizes, music, food and a raffle. Presale tickets are $30 through March 21. Tickets will be $35 after. Table sponsorships seating six people are available for $500.

For more information visit ipaindy.org.
Faith Presbyterian Church and Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Indiana will host a free community forum to fight fear and Islamophobia with knowledge.

Title: What Every American Needs to Know About ISIS/ISIL

Speaker: Dr. David Carlson, professor of religious studies, Franklin College

Date: March 19

Time: 10 a.m.noon

Where: Faith Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, 8170 Hague Road

For more details about the event and to register to attend, visit eventbrite.com and type fight fear with knowledge in the search bar.
In a city where old gas-run vehicles have been replaced by electric ones and millions of dollars have been invested in biking and walking trails, ask anyone in the Indianapolis community about the changes that have occurred and are continuing to occur within the city, and they are more than likely to rattle off a list of new buildings and amenities previously not available.

With new development comes upticks in the housing market and increasing property taxes. While some residents see development as a way to spruce up area eyesores, others dont feel welcome in communities their families have resided in for decades. Most of all, some of these residents feel they are slowly being forced out of their area by way of gentrification used to attract the young, white and educated.

The Recorder checked out four historic downtown neighborhoods bustling with development to discover how longtime residents and newcomers to the area feel about the rapid changes of the ever-evolving city.

Herron-Morton Place

Thinking of the Herron-Morton neighborhood may conjure mental images of a few physical pillars of the community, such as The Oaks Academy, the constantly busy Foundry Provisions eatery and Tinker Street restaurant. Given each mentioned landmark is quite new to the area, what did the neighborhood look like 10 to 15 years ago? One can still find traces of history on Alabama Street, but only after glancing past a handful of newly built custom homes.

The few blocks surrounding this street are in similar condition: many old homes and many new homes, and several residents asking, What happens when the new homes begin to outnumber the older homes? Will the neighborhood dynamic and demographic alter?

Area resident James Washington, who lives in an older home, said yes.

When friends and family come to visit from out of town, they constantly compliment the new homes on my block, and I have to admit, they are stunning and give our community a fresh glow. But development is happening so fast; Im trying to protect my own property, said Washington. I dont want to one day lose my home because these new homes are going up and increasing property values.

He mentioned if the development continues, he knows the demographic will change.

Im not saying Black people cant afford these homes, because many of us can, however those who are buying them dont look like me. They are white people in their 30s and 40s who can afford the finer things. Im sure this home and this home vary in price range by at least $500,000, Washington said, pointing to two homes in the area.

Despite Washingtons concern, Josh Dubach, vice president of The Re-Development Group, the developer responsible for the majority of the custom homes built in the area, said he doesnt see this occurring.

We havent seen any examples of that happening through our efforts, and I cant imagine a scenario of when that could occur. Having a nicer home next to you doesnt make it any more expensive for you to maintain your home and shouldnt have any effect on cost, said Dubach.

He mentioned The Re-Development Group continues to work with area neighborhood associations to help paint homes, clean up backyards and organize cleanup days for the community. Dubach also mentioned the company has helped improve the value of a residents home from $45,000 to over $100,000 by assisting with renovations. The companys goal is to transform vacant lots that have been eyesores to the community, said Dubach.

Were actively involved in getting our hands dirty to work with neighbors, he stated.

Homes featured on the company website range from $285,000 to $950,000, but Dubach said it has been fairly difficult to construct their custom-built homes for less than $350,000 due to the increase in the housing market and construction materials. He finds many of the groups marketable homes are 3,000 square feet with three bedrooms, a full basement and three and a half bathrooms. He said a semi-custom home could be built for the amount mentioned, but there may need to be some concessions in home size and finishes.

At 1709 N. Alabama St., a pending sale for a 2,692-square-foot home built in 1990 rests at $269,000 for three bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to Zillow, a leading real estate and rental marketplace company. Just around the corner on New Jersey Street are a variety of newer homes as well as a lot under construction where a basement is being carved out. At 1528 Carrollton Ave., a 2,610-square-foot home built in 1902 with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms is for sale at $310,000.

Herron-Morton resident Kate Johnson said neighbors in her area dont mind the development and looks forward to the facelift.

Over the past 10 years, this area has really developed. You can clearly tell some of the homes are newer than others, as many of the old vacant lots were purchased and built on, but Im excited to see what this area could turn into. Maybe it will mimic a Fountain Square or Broad Ripple.

Ransom Place

Paula Brooks, longtime resident of Ransom Place  a historic African-American community northwest of Monument Circle that was once home to the elite of the time  fears for her neighborhood. In September 2015, development of the 10th and MLK area caught the attention of Bloomington, Indiana, developer Olaf Lava LLC. The talk of constructing an apartment building and single- and multi-family homes deeply angered several residents, who felt as if the project only met the needs of a preferred demographic.

While Brooks is unsure if the project will continue, she believes investors of large-scale projects have no interest in learning the needs of current residents, as it does not fit existing structures.

For years there has been no investment on MLK; the city just didnt have any interest. Interstate access roads sprang up, and the current sidewalks are not passable for the population. We have a lot of senior citizens and disabled individuals, and people would walk MLK when it was safe, but now you cant navigate it because of the heavy traffic, said Brooks, who noted large-scale developments would only bring in more traffic to an already high-density area while also snatching limited parking away.

It comes with a lack of respect for the heritage for the people who have always lived there. Its almost like our needs are disposable and we arent there, because they are trying to get a preferred demographic in and our needs arent the same, she said. Once that new demographic is attracted, they will improve the roadways and sidewalks for them, but not for us.

The Recorder reached out to Olaf Lava LLC and Indianapolis-based Studio 3 Design Inc., designers of the project, but as of press time, those calls had not been returned.

When asked how the city and potential investors should approach revitalizing a community without disturbing current residents, Brooks mentioned the areas long-established conservation plan thats being blatantly ignored.

Visitors to RansomPlaceMatters.org will find a similar statement: Historic Ransom Place is facing the loss of its physical, historic and spiritual character to a precedent-setting development that could eventually lead to the loss of this irreplaceable cultural asset.

Rather than follow the long-established Conservation Plan calling for like structures  small dwellings on small, narrow lots  respecting what has been lost and mourned for by many, an out-of-town developer wants to build two huge fortress-like buildings that turn their backs to Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Street.

A call to action button follows with options such as contacting Mayor Joe Hogsett and donating to the community. Brooks said the Hogsett administration has not been in office long enough for her to assess their level of care for Ransom Place, but she does think they arent being aggressive enough to ensure current residents arent being displaced.

Old timers are those who actually keep the neighborhoods going, and if they attract this demographic, who is going to be invested enough to keep the history going? asked Brooks. Thats a huge question for us.

16 Tech

Some may ask, What is Indy missing? Betsy McCaw, president of 16 Tech Community Corporation, may respond with an answer along the lines of a tech hub. That is exactly what she is spearheading along Indiana Avenue between 10th Street and 16th Street, spanning 500 acres. The area is purpose-built to attract the best talent to collaborate, innovate and commercialize new ideas across a spectrum of advanced industries, including life sciences, technology and advanced manufacturing.

While McCaw sees the area attracting dozens of tomorrows technology companies, nearby residents expressed concern, especially when it comes to the development of Indiana Avenue.

From a technical standpoint, we dont touch any residential properties, which is really important to us, said McCaw, who previously spoke with one neighbor who saw a news article about the development and said, I was wondering where my house is on this map and when youre going to come rolling over it.

I had to explain to her this isnt that kind of activity. Based on the people weve spoken to in the variety of neighborhoods, they see this as an opportunity to help with the development of their neighborhoods. At the same time, they are very wary of the people who want to come in and develop, for understandable reasons, as they have seen that go poorly in the past.

Topics such as these have increased the conversation on gentrification and long-term intrusion.

Pam Hunter, who is new to living in the area but has spent much of her life growing up in the city with her grandmother, said she hopes the historic Indiana Avenue will not become a place of the past.

My grandmother has told me numerous stories about The Avenue and today, I look around and can hardly see any traces of it. Its sad the city and developers havent attempted to save an area they call historic, said Hunter.

McCaw noted she has connected with residents in the Ransom Place area and others to really get a feel for their community. She said she made it clear her project will not have any direct activity happening on the avenue south of 10th Street, where she is aware a project residents arent a fan of is in development.

They dont want taxes to go up or to be moved out of their homes, whether they cant afford it or someone drops a townhouse next door. I respect all of those issues, and Im hopeful the neighbors of the area have the strength to work well with developers and voice their concerns. When I do hear of housing development plans, I tend to shift folks back to neighborhood leaders and counselors in the area, because housing isnt our area. Were pretty enthusiastic about working with neighborhood leaders and residents, she said.

Sam McCall, a longtime resident of the area, said after researching the 16 Tech development and knowing his home isnt in jeopardy, he hopes to see a smooth transition.

We need to retain more of our talent, and building a mini Silicon Valley in Indianapolis seems like a good idea as long as people can stay in their neighborhoods, he said.

Fountain Square

Big Car, a nonprofit arts organization and collective of artists, was born in the Fountain Square neighborhood, a place filled today with what many people like to call hipsters, trendy artists and craft breweries. But Jim Walker, founder of the organization, said this wasnt always the case. In its early development, Walkers organization found a home in the then-empty Murphy Art Center, where they paid about $600 per month in rent. As time went on, the neighborhood transformed from one of the poorest areas of town to welcoming ample number of people who visit several of its amenities, such as the Cultural Trail.

After leaving the Fountain Square area, Big Car moved to the Lafayette Square area and is currently located near Garfield Park.

We learned Fountain Square was doing just fine, and we decided to move out. We then began looking at other neighborhoods where we could make a difference. Part of why we moved out was because we werent needed as much, but the area really did start to change. Many of the artists who were there before were leaving. I know rent had gone up in many places, both on the commercial and residential side, he mentioned.

Walker said while he cant confirm, hes sure the previous rented space where Big Car began now rents for double what Walker paid years ago and mimics the atmosphere of Broad Ripple.

The transition in the Murphy has been pretty major. I wouldnt say its all bad, just different, he said. Its really important to keep the residents who have been in the neighborhood, because they keep the history. But its a two-way street; if there are offers of development in the area, residents should investigate to see whats going on.

Walker said there are many businesses that have sustained in the area and have been able to enjoy the success of the neighborhood, but some of the very small businesses werent able to keep up with the rent increases.
Despite opposition by local activists, national womens health organizations and even anti-abortion Republicans within Indianas own Statehouse, a bill that would ban certain abortions in the Hoosier state still looms.

The measure would forbid women from terminating a pregnancy due to genetic abnormality (such as Down syndrome), gender, race or ancestry. Doctors who performed such services could be sued or disciplined professionally. The measure includes other provisions regulating the handling of miscarried or aborted fetuses, requiring abortion providers to cremate or bury fetuses, and it would make it a felony to transfer fetal tissue.

North Dakota is the only other state to ban abortions due to genetic abnormalities.

The bill, which passed the Senate 3713 and the House 6040, awaits a signature from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who hasnt said outright whether he plans to sign it. The governor did speak publicly about his anti-abortion beliefs two days after the bill passed the legislature.

Im pro-life, Pence said. I do bring my belief in the sanctity of life to that, and that will inform the way that I evaluate that ultimately.

Mike Fichter, CEO of anti-abortion group Indiana Right to Life, told the Associated Press he is convinced Pence will sign the measure into law.

He has a rock-solid record on pro-life issues, Fichter said, adding that Pence earned a perfect score from the anti-abortion organization during his 12-year tenure in Congress.

The bill faced opposition on the legislative floor from typically anti-abortion lawmakers  both men and women  who said the bill goes too far.

Rep. Sean Eberhart, RShelbyville, says his wife is as pro-life as they come, but after a long discussion with her, he decided he had to speak up.

Today is a perfect example of a bunch of middle-aged guys sitting in this room making decisions about what we think is best for women, Eberhart said. We need to quit pretending we know whats best for women and their health care needs.

Rep. Sharon Negele, RAttica, sponsored a bill last year that would have tightened restrictions for Planned Parenthood clinics, yet she opposed this most recent anti-abortion measure.

The bill does nothing to save innocent lives, she said. Theres no education, theres no funding. Its just penalties.

Another Republican, Rep. Wendy McNamara, from Evansville, said she was sick to her stomach over the bill.

Its bills like these that make people like me really hate the system, she said.

Medical professionals have also been outspoken against the bill, saying it puts women at risk. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement after the bill was passed, stressing the medical importance of abortion access.

By forcing women to carry pregnancies to term, regardless of their reasons for needing an abortion, these bans will compel high-risk women to endanger their lives, increasing maternal mortality. At a time when maternal mortality is already on the rise in the United States, we should be working together to improve womens health  not to attack it, the statement says. Abortion is health care. Its a medical procedure that is essential for the health and well-being of women across the country. Targeting and restricting any medical procedures in this way is simply bad medicine.

House Speaker Brian Bosma has voiced support for the measure, saying, Those unborn children are Hoosiers and they have constitutional rights. Were not making a determination about womens health. We are trying to protect the right of the unborn. They cannot speak for themselves. Yet Bosma said he expects a court challenge if the bill becomes law.
Residents of the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood continue to resist plans by Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) Chief Ernest Malone to consolidate their closest fire station with the station in nearby Broad Ripple.

Malones proposed plan would close Station 16 at 5555 N. Illinois St. and merge it with Station 32 at 6330 Guilford Ave., about 1.6 miles away.

The consolidation is part of Malones 2016 Redeployment Effort, which involves reviewing the utilization of IFDs personnel and equipment to ensure efficiency and proper placement in the community. In other words, Malone wants to be sure IFDs resources are allocated in a way that will maximize their impact and make the best use of tax dollars.

Malone presented his plan and took questions at the March 14 Butler-Tarkington Neighborhood Association (BTNA) meeting, showing a series of maps illustrating where Station 16s coverage area currently overlaps areas covered by Stations 12, 31 and 32.

Malone also touched on the potential for increased demand for IFD services in Broad Ripple, saying the communitys development plan calls for an increased number of buildings, which could mean an increased number of fire events.

The presentation did not win the favor of the BTNA, which voted unanimously to oppose the plan after universal opposition was expressed by neighbors and board members at the meeting, according to BTNAs website.

The BTNA has since sent a letter and petition to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett expressing concerns about the consolidation proposal.

Butler-Tarkington had a number of public safety issues last summer, and the police department has recently expanded one of its focus areas to include more of it, the letter, dated March 15, says. We have been diligent in working to promote public safety in the neighborhood. Accordingly, we believe it is a significant setback for our closest first responders, whose presence we cherish, to vacate the area.

According to Malones presentation, Butler-Tarkingtons Station 16 had 1,336 runs in 2015, compared to 1,548 by Station 32 in Broad Ripple.

Other aspects of Malones plan include consolidating Stations 52 (11224 House St.) and 54 (8025 S. Combs Road) into a centralized station  repurposing Station 54 into an IFD fitness facility and selling Station 52  in addition to changes at IFD headquarters and relocation of one of IFDs battalions.

To see Malones presentation and other information, visit BTNA.org.
In response to public outrage over multiple recent instances of police brutality, many cities nationwide have implemented use of police body cameras and dashboard footage in attempt to maintain transparency and accountability, and hopefully prevent future instances of unnecessary force.

The passage in Indiana of HEA 1019, authored by former sheriff Kevin Mahan, R-Hartford City, means law enforcement agencies will have the right to withhold all police body and dash cam video recordings from the public for at least 30 days until a court determines whether the requestor should be allowed a copy of the footage.

The state Senate voted unanimously in favor of the bill after hearing from law enforcement agencies and open-records and transparency advocates alike. Senate sponsor of the bill Sen. Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, said in a statement that both sides gave their blessing on the final bill language after compromise and working together.

An early version of the bill required video to be released if a victim claimed the video proved excessive force was used or that civil rights violations occurred. However, that language was stripped from the final version of the bill.

After Gov. Mike Pence signs the bill into law, police will be able to withhold any surveillance or body camera footage from the public, even if the person requesting the footage is featured in the video. A requestor who has been denied access to video must challenge the law enforcement agencys decision in a court of law. Then, the police have 30 days to justify why they should not have to release footage, such as if the release might interfere with an investigation. A judge must then view the video in question and decide whether the requestor should be granted copies of the footage. To be clear, a person who is a victim or a family member of a victim is allowed to view the video two times, in the presence of an attorney, just not obtain copies or downloads of the footage.

While the language isnt perfect, and I would have liked to see more direct access, the bill does help put procedures into place where there werent any before, and is a step in the right direction, said Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis. Taylor said if police departments show a trend of adopting a policy of denial going forward, the legislature would need to come back and revisit the issue.

Once signed by Pence, the law will go into effect July 1.
While vocal activists nationwide work to impart the truth that Black lives matter, research continues to justify the need for such movements.

A new study published this month by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) puts Indiana in an unfortunate top spot in the nation with the highest rate of Black homicide victimization. Nationally, the picture is grim.

Big picture, the report concludes Black people are disproportionately victims of homicide. Though Blacks make up only 13 percent of the nations population, they account for half of all homicide victims.

The study uses data submitted to the FBI by local law enforcement agencies; the data used in this years report comes from 2013 and is the most recent data available.

According to the report, 6,217 homicide victims in the United States in 2013 were Black, which translates to a Black homicide victimization rate of 16.91 per 100,000. This means that almost 17 of every 100,000 Black people were victims of homicide in the U.S. in 2013.

The overall national homicide rate was 4.27 per 100,000, while the rate for white victims was 2.54 per 100,000.

In Indiana, the Black homicide victimization rate in 2013 was 34.15 per 100,000, the highest of all U.S. states and more than double the national average.

Rev. Charles Harrison, senior pastor of Barnes United Methodist Church in Indianapolis and leader of the anti-violence group the Ten Point Coalition, said the report wasnt entirely surprising.

I am a little surprised that (Indiana is) leading the nation, but Im not surprised (the rate) was that high, Harrison said. I know there is a lot going on in Indianapolis and in certain areas of our state  Lake County, Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, St. Joseph. I dont think we have done a good job as a state and local government in addressing the problem.

Josh Sugarmann, the founder and executive director of the VPC, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., said the annual study is in its 10th year, and the results are consistently deeply disturbing and disappointing.

Perhaps what is most striking and most disturbing about each year is the disproportionate impact of homicides not just on Black men, but on both Black men and Black women, and the role played by firearms.

In Indiana, the weapon used in homicides of Black victims could be identified in 210 of the 213 cases in 2013. Of those 210 homicides, 90 percent were carried out with firearms. Nationally, that number was 84 percent.

Harrison said he has seen a dangerous pattern locally tied to guns.

These young people no longer fight with their fists. Now theyre settling conflicts with their guns, he said. Thats what is concerning, particularly among teens. Were seeing kids as young as 11 and 12 years old with guns.

Sugarmann said the goal of the study is to give fuel to organizations working to reduce violence.

Its one more tool to show the impact of what they do on a daily basis, he said. The reason we do this report every year is to draw attention to a crisis that is rarely acknowledged, let alone addressed. Our goal is to give those who are working to reduce violence one more tool to help public education regarding the impact of homicides on Black male and female victims.

This issue does not receive the attention it deserves outside communities affected.

Sugarmann said one reason the public turns a blind eye to high homicide rates in minority communities is the tendency to dismiss the homicides as being related to crime or gang activity. But the data in the study shows that stereotype does not hold up.

In Indiana, when the circumstances of the homicide of a Black person could be determined, more than half the time (55 percent), the homicide was not related to the commission of any other felony. So while some may dismiss Black homicides as the result of a drug deal gone bad or a break-in thwarted in self-defense, that is incorrect in the majority of cases.

Nationwide, 68 percent of the homicides of Black victims were not related to the commission of another felony.

Sugarmann admits the VPC report could have a broader focus, and the organization is working toward that.

One thing we have started to focus more on and draw more attention to is the impact on female Black homicide victims, he said. I think often because of the scale of the problem as it affects male Black homicide victims, the impact on female Black homicide victims is all-too-often ignored.
Hidden along the east coast of Sardinia, the Kingdom of Tavolara is known to be the Mediterraneans best-kept secret and the worlds smallest kingdom. Tavolara is a tiny island spread across 5 kms and is ruled by an 83-year-old former fisherman named Tonino.

Image Credit: Eliot Stein/BBC

It was in 1807 that Toninos great-great-grandfather Giuseppe Bertoleoni came to the island and became its first settler. Currently, Tavolara is celebrating its 180th anniversary. An interesting fact states that Queen Victoria sent a British naval vessel to stop by the island and get pictures of Tavolaras royal family. The picture still lies in the Buckingham Palace with the tag worlds smallest kingdom.

King Tonino. Image Credit: Riccardo Finelli/BBC

The kingdoms GDP is strong, thanks to growing tourism on the island. Tavolara is becoming Italys top diving destination and visitors are also flocking to see the rare mountain goats that inhabit the island. With just 11 residents, the elections here take place after every six years by a vote of, both, males and females. Tavolara also opens its gates for cinema lovers, as its home to a film festival, which showcases the best of Italian films every year.

Image Credit: Alamy

If youre a tourist, King Tonino will personally greet you and welcome you to the island. He will also insist that you eat at his own (and only) restaurant on the island called Da Tonino.

The small island looks exactly like a kingdom from a fairy tale - where the king is a smiling old man and the people are happy and satisfied with their lives :)
Martin Luther King once very famously said, "The silence of the good people is more dangerous than the brutality of the bad people".

Realising what man could achieve if corruption was to be completely eliminated from our day-to-day lives, Vijay Anand founded the 5th Pillar back in 2006 - an NGO with the sole purpose of fighting corruption in the country. Beyond the four pillars of democracy (legislature, executive, judiciary and press), the 5th Pillar was formed for the citizens hoping and working towards a better society and a corruption-free governance system. In 2007, Vijay returned to his home in Tamil Nadu with a rather brilliant plan to fight a corrupt society - The Zero Rupee Note.

theglobalpanorama.com

The Zero Rupee notes were printed to empower the common man - those who suffer the most, those who are often oppressed by corrupt officials. The idea of the note was to tell people that they no longer needed to be afraid of those in power, and to make them realise that they had nothing to lose - and that for the first time, they were not alone in the fight.

Distribution

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The 5th Pillar, with the help of volunteers, started distributing the Zero Rupee notes at local market places, bus depots and railway stations to raise awareness about the campaign and reminding common folk of their rights as citizens of the country. They set up information desks at various places distributing the notes along with pamphlets.

Getting the youth on board

vimeo

Huge Zero Rupee Note banners were carried to more than 1200 schools, colleges and other public gatherings. In the course of the next five years, they managed more than 5 lakh signatures on the note as a sign of their endorsement, and as a sign of a pledge against corruption in the country.

The pledge can be seen printed at the bottom of the note.

5th pillar

But could it be put to use?

5th Pillar

5th Pillar's website is full of stories where the Zero Rupee Note has been successfully put to use. This is Vijay's experience at the Chennai domestic airport.

"On 22 April 2011, I took an auto to Chennai Domestic Airport to board a flight at 10:40 AM. The auto I was traveling on was stopped at the entrance of the Airport and I was asked to walk with my luggage all the way to the domestic airport. It was a long walk from the entrance and as I had my luggage, I asked the policeman the reason for him to stop all the vehicles at the entrance. I got a very "standoffish" reply from him saying that he is not the person to be questioned and he is simply following the instructions given to him by the Airport manager. I got out from the auto and handed over a Zero Rupee Note to him explaining that he can use it when someone asks him for a bribe when he needs to get an electricity or water connection for his residence.

He looked intrigued by the note and I went on to tell him that when he hands this Zero Rupee Note to any authority he would get his services without having to pay the bribe and if there is some resistance or unwarranted delay he can contact the address indicated at the back of the Zero Rupee Note and action would be taken right away. I told him that we have chapters in all the districts of Tamil Nadu and also in major cities in India, and we would inform the vigilance department if we receive the complaint from the public and follow up on the action.

The policeman said that the auto can go inside and drop the passenger in the Domestic Airport entrance. This is a victory for the Zero Rupee Note and I feel happy to know that we are able to get our rights without having to indulge in confrontation and by just handing over a Zero Rupee Note and creating awareness that we have an organization to back up against corruption and bribery."



The perfect way to say "no" to corrupt officials in the country

5th pillar

The 5th Pillar plans to keep expanding, to make sure that the Zero Rupee note reaches every oppressed Indian and corrupt official in the country. Over 3 million of these notes have been distributed across the country. It's the perfect non-violent weapon of non-cooperation, the perfect way to make the corrupt self-introspect. Empowering the voiceless and the powerless of the country.

100Voices: Vijay Anand from 100Reporters on Vimeo.

You can get a print out of the Zero Rupee Note from 5th Pillar's website.
As if the legal tussle between Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut was less bizarre that now there is another twist in the tale! From calling each other mentally unstable and insane to passing sly comments about each other on social media platforms, we indeed have never seen such an ugly side of a break-up.

After publically declaring their hatred and dislike for each other by slapping legal notices at each other, some more bizarre details of their love affair have emerged! A close friend of Kangana revealed that Kangana and Hrithik were all set to marry each other. It was after Hrithik announced his divorce in 2014 that he proposed to Kangana in Paris! Yes. Like a dreamy proposal.

After meeting his parents in London, Hrithik flew over to meet Kangana in the French capital along with the ring, this was the proposal:

Twitter

"You may think this is coming out of a rebound. But I have no doubts about our future happiness because you are the only person who has never judged me. And I have felt a strong connection with you from day one."

And then things turned ugly. The source added that: She was on top of the world as he also told her he wanted to marry her after the divorce. In the first week of February, soon after he resumed shooting for Bang Bang, Hrithik stopped communicating with her. Kangana took off for a vacation in New York where she heard rumours about his growing closeness to his Bang Bang co-star Katrina Kaif. On February 14, she confronted him about the rumours when Hrithik called her and asked him, to be honest with her. He only wanted to know if anyone was aware of the engagement. When Kangana told him that she had informed her family about it, he said that she had misunderstood his intentions."
Angelina Jolie warmly greeted refugees in Greece on Wednesday. The Hollywood actress visited the temporary offices of U.N. refugee agency UNHCR near Athens, which has become a makeshift camp for some 4,000 refugees and migrants fleeing violence in Africa and the Middle East, who are now sleeping in tents on the docks. As a U.N. special envoy, she visited Greece to highlight the plight of war-fleeing families stuck there. Her trip raised enough excitement among the people too. Jolie was even mobbed by thousands of displaced people facing an uncertain future. But acting in her capacity, the Hollywood star did not shy away from walking among the crowd, bringing smiles on the faces of the refugees. She greeted children and asked the reporters and photographers to be more "thoughtful".

" I am here to reinforce efforts by UNHCR and the Greek government to step up the emergency response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation. I look forward to meeting authorities, partners and volunteers working on the ground to improve conditions and ensure the vulnerable are protected." - Angelina Jolie

Tens of thousands of refugees and migrants are stuck in makeshift camps or reception centres in Greece, which has been struggling with the mass influx of migrants from the Middle East.

Here are some of the pictures from her visit.
The fact that youre always late undoubtedly annoys the people around you, but it may not be such a bad thing after all! Here are some scientifically-proven benefits of being a late-lateef.

Being late could mean that youre more optimistic, but bad at estimating time.

collegeokplease.com

Research has shown that people who are habitually late are more optimistic, because they think they can accomplish many more tasks in a shorter period of time. Overall, optimism is a good thing, because several studies have shown that being positive and optimistic is good for mental and physical health. The downside is that people who are habitually late are bad at estimating time, but thats pretty much a given.

Being late also implies that youre a more relaxed and easygoing person.

popkey.co

A study conducted by researchers at San Diego State University found that people with Type A personalities were more likely to be punctual, whereas people with Type B personalities were more likely to be late. Type A personalities are thought to be more competitive, ambitious and impatient, whereas Type B personalities are thought to be more relaxed and easy-going.

Procrastinating could mean greater creativity!

whatliesneartheheart.wordpress.com

A study conducted by researchers at Wharton Business School surveyed employees at two companies. They analysed how often the employees procrastinated and then asked the bosses to rate their projects for creativity and innovation. The researchers found that those who procrastinated were often the most creative.

Adam Grant, a professor at the Wharton Business School, said he was first alerted to the theory when one of his "most creative students" told him she had her most original ideas after she procrastinated.

Cover image via venturebeat.com
It was just a flight for survival for the Dalai Lama, spiritual ruler of Tibet, world's last surviving "Buddhocracy". In 1959, Chairman Mao had decided that China must invade, and they did so ferociously. Today, Tibet is a democratic government in exile, not formally recognised anywhere in the world, yet fighting to retain its identity.

Finding Azadi in India

reuters

India intervened in its own way, attempting to persuade Beijing to give autonomy to Tibet, and providing covert arms shipments to the Tibetan rebellion.

We had Tibet at stake, an important buffer for Chinese forces in the Himalayas, but Chairman Mao saw through the act.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, erstwhile PM assumed that China wouldn't be able to maintain troops in Tibet, or consider attack into India - both of which were false. Yet, Nehru attempted the Hindi-Chini friendship act, but Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, in as John Garver, international foreign affairs specialist described "clearly the linkage between Tibet and what would become the crux of the border/territorial issue."

It was 1960 when India became more definitive on what to do with Tibet

Zhou Enlai presented a package proposal in which China gave up claims over the region now known as Arunachal Pradesh - in exchange, India had to recognize Chinas control in Aksai Chin. Nehru refused. After he escaped to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against the Chinese on March 10, the Dalai Lama was advised by PM Jawaharlal Nehru to think calmly and work on a plan for refugees.

The Monk Who Wants A Ferrari. Dalai Lama's Successor Arrested For Money Laundering

"I realized that our stay in India could be longer than we imagined," writes the Dalai Lama in My Land, My People. Soon the Dalai Lama started putting together constitution of a free Tibet that included an elected parliament, welfare government and free media. The constitution was adopted by the leaders in 1959, and they started work on elections and government. The Dalai Lama, who is based in India, says he is working for greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.

"This Earth belongs to humanity, and the People's Republic of China belongs to 1.3 billion citizens, who have the right to know the truth"

Despite China's history of violent atrocities in Tibet, the nation followed the non-violent agenda set by the Dalai Lama, fighting for human rights through peaceful protest.

At least 117 Tibetans have set themselves alight in protest against Chinese rule since 2009, mostly in heavily Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces rather than in what China terms the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Also read: 18 Dalai Lama Quotes That Will Inspire You To Be A Better Person
Four Kashmiri students were beaten up by a mob and later arrested over allegations of consuming "beef" in their hostel room of Mewar University, a private campus that bars non-vegetarian food. They were released on bail on Wednesday with a warning that they would remain "under watch" for six months.

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The animal husbandry department of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, where the campus is located, later said the meat was goat's, not beef.

University vice-chancellor Ashok Gadiya said, "The students violated rules that prevent eating non-vegetarian food on campus. If found guilty, they will face action."

The four were attacked by a mob on Tuesday after rumours swirled of their cooking and eating beef. Angry members of right-wing groups gathered outside campus at Gangrar town in Chittorgarh district and threw stones, blocking the Ajmer-Udaipur highway.

A crowd of students and residents then set fire to a meat shop that supplied the goat meat and called for a bandh. The police arrested the four students charging them with disturbing public peace, but later said the meat they had cooked and eaten was goat's and not beef.

safarindia/ representative image

Those arrested and granted bail are Shakib Ashraf, Hilal Farukh, Mohammad Makbool and Shaukat Ali. They have returned to the campus which continues to be guarded by a heavy contingent of police. The university has over 700 students from Jammu & Kashmir, and has over 8,000 students from different parts of the country.

What we ate was mutton. I regret the damage to our hostel and the roadside meat shop that the mob burnt." said one of the students. While an FIR was lodged against the violence, the police have made no arrests for stone-throwing and assault on the Kashmiri students.

A journalist had filed an FIR against the students alleging that they beat him up and snatched his mobile and camera. "We are investigating this," said Chittorgarh SP PK Khamesra. "Beef is banned, students should not violate the law, We are against it and demand action against them," said Radhe Shyam of VHP's Chittorgrah unit.
Heineken is likely to ask Vijay Mallya, who owes Indian banks more than Rs 7000 crores to step down from the board of United Breweries, India's largest brewer.

reuters

They said such a move would likely be a prelude to the Dutch drinks firm raising its stake in the maker of Kingfisher beer to above 50 percent, betting on a small but fast-growing beer market.

Heineken acquired a 37.5 percent stake in United Breweries in 2008 through its takeover of Scottish & Newcastle and has since increased its holding to 42.4 percent. With Mallya distracted by debts from a collapsed airline venture, this could be a timely grab by Heineken in a market that is growing much faster than the global average.

Two-thirds of Indians don't drink alcohol, often for religious or cultural reasons, but rapid urbanisation and a rising middle class are changing consumer habits.

India accounts for 13 percent of world beer consumption, and annual volume growth is expected to outpace the global average, and major markets like China, through 2019, according to ratings agency Moody's.

The sources said Heineken was considering asking Mallya to step down from the United Breweries board he chairs. Alternatively, it could call a shareholder meeting to vote on his ouster from a company his father built into a family empire.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

reuters

A Heineken spokesman declined to comment on any move to tighten control over the Indian joint venture, but said India remains an "exciting opportunity" for growth given its demographics and strong economic fundamentals.

Mallya and a spokesman for UB Group did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

KING OF GOOD TIMES

Banks, regulators and investigators in India have turned up the heat on Mallya, who inherited United Breweries at the age of 28 and led it on an ambitious expansion.

Creaking under mountains of bad debt banks themselves are under pressure from the government to chase up high profile cases like Mallya, whose Kingfisher Airlines collapsed in 2013 leaving unpaid wages and angry creditors.

Mallya has already been forced to give up control over United Spirits, part of his UB Group, to Diageo, which now owns about 55 percent of the company. He stepped down from the board last month, receiving a $75 million pay off. On Thursday, creditors auctioning off Kingfisher Airlines' Mumbai headquarters did not receive a single bid, according to a banker with direct knowledge of the process.

Mallya left India early this month - as banks sought a court order to confiscate his passport - and has not disclosed his whereabouts, but he has used his Twitter account to say he is not an "absconder" and would comply with Indian law.

reuters

The collapse of Kingfisher Airlines and the vast unpaid bank dues are a high-profile illustration of India's ineffective bankruptcy and debt recovery processes, and highlight the often close ties between politics and business.

A member of India's upper house of parliament, Mallya is known as the "King of Good Times" for his party lifestyle. He is often described as India's answer to British entrepreneur Richard Branson.

Mallya borrowed heavily to expand his airline's network, but a series of missteps, including the ill-conceived acquisition of a rival, saw the carrier grounded, some former senior staff said. They said Mallya micro-managed operations - from the selection of routes to the design of baggage tags - with no previous experience in the aviation industry.

"Unlike what he did in his liquor business, which is run by people who have the expertise, he got personally involved in the airline business .... a very, very wrong decision," said Sanjay Bahadur, who worked at the airline as a corporate affairs executive dealing with the government and regulators.

Mallya has blamed the airline's collapse on macro-economic factors and previous government policies.
After TKG Nair was bitten by a rat aboard the Mangalore Express this Monday, he expected the famed quick response from railway authorities - at least a first aid box.

But instead, Suresh Prabhu, who had responded to a tweet from a fellow passenger to take care of the matter, couldn't get anything done.

@sureshprabhu rat infested trains in kerala poses a big problem. Bites a passenger at midnight.  Ameer (@ameertweet) March 14, 2016

Rat bites on trains are nothing new - experienced train passengers have seen (or heard) rats across railway lines.

#SureshPrabhu dear sir. Just have look what rat has done to my bag pic.twitter.com/IiwtWXkvww  sakir hazra (@sakir0) January 11, 2016

The Railways is talking about big things like bullet train and Gatiman Express. What about (the) existing ones? As a regular traveller, I feel the situation is going from bad to worse. Nair, 64, a manager with a petro-chemical company told the Hindustan Times.

My toe was bleeding and it was painful. (The) TTE made many calls and told me that a medical team would examine me at Ernakulam junction. But nobody turned up there. Then I was told a doctor would attend me in Thrissur. But the situation remained same, he said. The train ticket examiners (TTE) left when his "area of jurisdiction" ended. The next morning, he didn't get an anti-tetanus injection, simply because there was no doctor or paramedical staff available. He's now planning to move the consumer forum seeking compensation.
It all began with a retired engineers desire to educate his domestic helps son. Now three decades later the dream has turned into a school, which today teaches over 400 children with the help of professional volunteers.

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Seventy-year-old J D Khurana and his wife, who founded the government approved NGO, Guru Nanak Sewa Sansthan say that it pained them to see young children work as domestic servants and rag-pickers at an age when they should be going to schools and thus took upon themselves the responsibility of building them a bright future.

During my days of service, my wife and I would feel uncomfortable seeing small children help as maids or rag-pickers rather than going to school. We both started keeping a part of our salary separately to help the needy, says Khurana.

While it began with individual stories of the couple funding the education, first of their drivers son and then of a blind girl student of the college where his wife was a principal, it soon took shape of a school called Nai Kiran Universal School.

Nai Kiran Universal School.

The school, which initially started with four children in the parking area of Ardee City has now grown into a full-fledged institution, where classes from pre-nursery to the ninth grade are held in makeshift tents.

indianexpress

We provide books, textbooks, mid-day meals and a winter and summer uniform free of cost. We instruct our students in English and follow the Delhi Public School curriculum. There is also a weekly visit by a physician and the children have been immunised, says the retired engineer.

According to Hardeep Malhotra, a retired principal and a key member of the school, the tents are dismantled regularly after school due to previous incidents of destruction when a concrete room that was used for teaching was raised to the ground after the land was sold.

We had constructed a concrete room with electricity, drinking water and a toilet. Later the land was sold to the Haryana Urban Development Authority and the room was demolished without notifying us, says Malhotra. The school was rebuilt by the then district commissioner who said that the demolition was done mistakenly.

However, after the commissioners term ended, the rooms walls came crashing down yet again under the new authorities. Since then it has been running under tents.

indianexpress

One of the government officials asked us to participate in the auction for the land. That is indeed sad to hear when you are doing some selfless work, he says. Malhotra says that they have written to various dignitaries including the chief minister and the education minister to get a space for the school.

We also provided compulsory free computer education from nursery onwards but due to lack of proper space it has been discontinued for more than a year, says Khurana.

Braving the harsh weather conditions, children are always present in full strength in their school. They start their day with a couple of exercises and prayer. If you talk to them youll know how bright they are. Some of them are extremely good in art. Others are good with numbers. But all are so dedicated and have a hunger to learn something new every day, says Dr Renu Singh, a dentist by profession but who volunteers to teach the children every morning.

Students of Nai Kiran have been recognised as MENSA Scholars by MENSA an international organisation that has a system to check the IQ of students.

indianexpress

Around 200 students of the school have cleared the tests of some reputed schools of Gurgaon and are continuing their education after class 9 from these schools.

40 of our students have got admission in Delhi Public School run Shiksha Kendra, 55 of them are in Shalom Hills International School, 6 in Atul Memorial School and some others in other renowned schools, says Khurana. Sharing a story about one of his students, Malhotra says in 1977 he saw a girl begging at the Jammu railway station and convinced her parents to let her study and promised to take care of her meals. That girl was so bright that later she became one of the toppers of class 10 board exams.

She then went to complete her studies in England through sheer hard work and dedication. After that she came back to India, purchased a land and gave her parents a roof to stay it. The girl is now married and a mother of two, he says. Urging others to join similar causes, Malhotra says if everyone does the same, India can eradicate poverty because education is key to most of the social evils. While International Federation of Social Workers is celebrating March 15 as World Social Work Day, an effort by Guru Nanak Sewa Sansthan promotes dignity of individual through right to education.
While some are willing to kill animals for their love for selfies, others are keeping them caged under inhumane conditions to earn some cash.

New images of a dugong kept in an underwater cage in Indonesia recently found their way onto the internet. Kept as a tourist attraction by local fishermen, a group of divers found the mother dugong in chains, with scars on her body and wounds on her tail. The mammal had been separated from her calf which was being kept in a nearby enclosure.

Delon Lim

The cage was located near the remote island of Kokoya, off North Maluku.

Shackled by the tail, the video here shows the dugong struggling to swim around the enclosed space, unable to meet her child or break free of her cage.

Dugongs are considered vulnerable species by fishermen who were keeping them caged in hopes to earn money by showing them off to tourists for photos.

Delon Lim

The divers said that it was heartbreaking to see the dugongs in such pain. When they asked the fishermen to release the animals, surprisingly their requested was accepted.

Delon Lim

"When we left the island, the fisherman agreed to release them. But since we were not so convinced he would, I posted the video to social media," said Delon Lim, one of the divers, to The Dodo.

Delon Lim

Thanks to the group's social media campaign - which included tweeting to Susi Pudjiasti, Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries - the authorities were alerted and the animals were released from their prison on March 14.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), dugongs - also known as sea cows - are mainly found grazing on sea grasses in shallow waters near the coastal areas of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
North Korea - you can love them, you can loathe them, but you cannot ignore them.

In their latest attempt to attract the attention of the world (for all the wrong reasons, of course), North Korea has sentenced an American national to 15 years of hard labour for apparently stealing a propaganda sign from a hotel. The USA has responded to the news, demanding the immediate release of the student convicted in Pyongyang.

Reuters

Otto Frederick Warmbier, a 21-year-old student from the University of Virginia, was convicted of subversive activities and sentenced by North Korea's Supreme Court, the North's official KCNA news agency said. On the other side of the globe, White House spokesman Josh Earnest charged that North Korea was using US citizens as "pawns to pursue a political agenda" and urged it to free him. "We strongly encourage the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," said Earnest. "The allegations for which this individual was arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in just about any other country in the world."

Reuters

Observers claim that the harsh sentence was likely a reflection of soaring military tensions on the divided Korean peninsula following the North's nuclear test in January this year and long-range rocket launch a month later. The United States took a leading role in securing the resulting sanctions that the UN Security Council imposed on the North earlier this month. Off late, Pyongyang has maintained a daily barrage of nuclear strike threats against both Seoul and Washington, ostensibly over ongoing large-scale South Korea-US military drills that the North sees as provocative rehearsals for invasion. In announcing the jail sentence, KCNA said Warmbier had committed his offence "pursuant to the US government's hostile policy" towards North Korea.

Reuters

Student charged with "hostile acts"

Warmbier had initially been arrested in early January on charges of "hostile acts" against the state. KCNA said he was convicted under an article of the criminal code dealing with subversion."In the course of the inquiry, the accused confessed to the serious offence," it said. Warmbier was arrested as he was leaving the country with a tour group. He later said he had removed a political banner from the staff-only area of the Pyongyang hotel where the group had stayed. The sentence came just hours after veteran US diplomat Bill Richardson reportedly met two diplomats from North Korea's UN office in New York to press for Warmbier's release. He is one of three North Americans currently detained in North Korea, which recently sentenced a 60-year-old Canadian pastor to life imprisonment with hard labour on sedition charges.

Reuters

North Korea loves attention from the US

In the past, North Korea has used the detention of US citizens to obtain high-profile visits from the likes of former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in order to secure their release. The US State Department "strongly recommends against all travel" to North Korea and specifically warns of the risk of arrest.

Reuters

Too harsh a punishment for a college prank

Human Rights Watch said the severe sentence was shocking given that Warmbier's alleged offence amounted to little more than a "college-style prank". "Pyongyang should recognise this student's self-admitted mistake as a misdemeanour ... release him on humanitarian grounds, and send him home," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the rights watchdog's Asia Division.

Detained foreigners are often required to make a public, officially-scripted acknowledgement of wrongdoing, and Warmbier was paraded in front of reporters and diplomats in Pyongyang last month. Footage of the carefully orchestrated event showed a sobbing Warmbier pleading to be released and saying he had made "the worst mistake of my life".

All for a ride

Warmbier said he had been tasked with stealing the banner by a member of the Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, who wanted it "as a trophy" and offered him a used car worth $10,000 if he succeeded.

North Korea sentences an American student to 15 years of hard labor. Posted by Mashable on Wednesday, 16 March 2016

North Korea is seriously a bizarre nation.

With inputs from AFP.
Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets.

Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials.

If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details.
Watch: Bernie Sanders: 'We Are Doing Something Very Radical in American Politics'

Video - [FULL SPEECH]



After Bernie Sanders was projected to lose the first three of the five Mini Super Tuesday states to Hillary Clinton, he turned the focus to his own campaign in an hour-long speech to supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, tonight, saying his campaign has "defied all expectations. March 16/17, 2016 Bernie Sanders Had a Phenomenal Night  Heres Why By Tom Cahill March 17, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " U.S.Uncut "- Despite Bernie Sanders losing all five states in last nights primary contests, hes within striking distance of Hillary Clinton. And if Sanders wins the upcoming Western primaries, he could erase Clintons lead and become the new front-runner for the nomination. At the end of the night, Hillary Clinton increased her delegate lead by about 100, still leaving Sanders plenty of room to eliminate her advantage in the 24 remaining states. A candidate needs 2,383 delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination, and as of March 16, Clinton only has 1,139 delegates to Sanders 825. Less than half of the pledged delegates have been selected thus far. All of the states most favorable to Clinton have already voted, including the entire deep south, and the states most favorable to Sanders are still on the calendar. If anyone should be worried about their chances at the nomination waning over time, its Hillary Clinton. Furthermore, its most important to note that going into these favorable states, Bernie Sanders only needs 58% of the remaining pledged delegates. And considering he picked up 67.7% of the vote in Kansas, 64.3% in Maine, and a thundering 86.1% in his home state of Vermont  shutting out Clinton entirely from the 15% delegate threshold  this is not as impossible as the doomsayers predict. He also squeaked above the 58% figure with 59% of the vote in Colorado and 61.6% in Minnesota, and he scored a respectable 57.1% in Nebraska. He received 60% back in New Hampshire and has come in virtual ties in many other states outside of the South thus far, meaning hes beaten the target a total of six times. Sanders also continued to bolster his argument for electability in the general in tonights contests. Among groups that hold special significance in general elections, like young voters and independents, Sanders performed particularly well. For example, 70 percent of independents in Illinois voted for Sanders over Clinton. And despite Clinton pulling out a narrow win in Illinois, Sanders still won the under-45 bloc by a vast margin: What all this means is that Bernie Sanders is still well within striking distance of the nomination as more Sanders-friendly states take to the polls throughout the Spring. The primary season is only halfway over, and the remaining states are overwhelmingly favorable to Sanders in that theyre blue states with large populations of Democratic-leaning independents and voters under 45. In fact, out of the 17 states Sanders has lost, its important to remember that Barack Obama still beat Hillary Clinton in 2008 despite losing 21 states. Florida and Ohio, which Clinton won last night, also went for Clinton in 2008. According to New York Times election results, Clinton beat Obama in Florida by 17 points. She also beat Obama in Ohio by a 10-point margin in 2008. Sanders loss in those states isnt that devastating in context. Nationally-renowned pollster Nate Silver carved out a path for Sanders to win the nomination, showing which states the Vermont senator had to win, and by what margins, to remain competitive. Silver doesnt list Delaware and Maryland as must-win states for Sanders, meaning he could theoretically lose those states and two others while still remaining competitive throughout the remainder of the primary season. If Sanders and Clinton are neck-and-neck in national polls, Sanders can still win the nomination if he wins the upcoming Western contests by comfortable margins. Many of the Western states are caucuses, where Sanders traditionally does well. Three of Sanders last four landslide victories  Kansas, Maine, and Nebraska  are caucus states. While Western states are traditionally polling deserts at this stage, donations from certain geographical regions help shine a light on how favorable the West is for Sanders. it should be noted that six of the top 10 cities that donate the most money per capita to the Sanders campaign are in Western states that have yet to vote: U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a Florida superdelegate who has endorsed Sanders, explained in a recent Huffington Post blog that the second half of this primary season  after March 15  could be referred to as Presidential Primary Version 2.0. Grayson agrees that Sanders best states are in the months to come: Democratic presidential primary 2.0 elects a total of 2033 pledged delegates. If Bernie Sanders wins those races (and delegates) by the same 60-40 margin that he has amassed in primaries and caucuses outside the Old South to date, then that will give him an advantage of 407 pledged delegates. That is more  far more  than the current Clinton margin of 223. [Ed. Note  Margin is now 314, but the math still works out. Again, Sanders target is about 58%.] Almost 700 pledged delegates are chosen on June 7 alone. It seems unlikely that either candidate will accumulate a margin of 700 pledged delegates before then. So this one may come down to the wire. Fasten your seat belts. Its going to be a wild ride. Tom Cahill is a writer for US Uncut based in the Pacific Northwest. He specializes in coverage of political, economic, and environmental news. You can contact Tom via email at tom.v.cahill@gmail.com.
Syria: Things They Just Made Up

By Kit

March 17, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Off Guardian "- The Western MSM are all a flutter: Russia are pulling out of Syria (sort of). They cant quite decide if its a victory, or a defeat. They dont know if its because they ran out of money, are giving up, or its all a big lie  but they all agree on two things: 1) Russia have not achieved anything and 2) This is a massive a surprise.

Such a surprise that Putin announced the plan five months ago, in a story printed in the Telegraph. This is what the Western world has come to, I suppose, if a politician SAYS hes going to do something and then actually DOES IT, this issurprising. How sad.

The Guardian are firmly of the belief that this is A Bad Thing  in fact they are so against Russia leaving Syria, that one almost forgets they were just as strongly against Russia entering Syria in the first place. Because Russia and reasons.

Whether in the petulant and childish summation written by Shaun Walker, or this one of their ridiculous Guardian view editorials (written anonymously, of course), the battle lines are being drawn: The fight is with reality.

The Walker piece is standard Walker-fare. Long on snide one-liners, short on content. Long on narrative, short on evidence. He describes the withdrawal as a move analysts never saw coming  presumably because none of them read the Telegraph. Its threaded throughout with dishonest and inappropriate things:

the end forever of the burgeoning bromance between the Turkish and Russian presidents

A less creative reporter, one with a sense of shame perhaps, would have used the phrase worsening of Russia-Turkish relations. Walker is above such things  there is nothing so serious it cant be livened up with mockery and snarkiness. Not even war. He continues:

Not to mention the repeated insistence that the Syria bombing has not resulted in any civilian casualties, despite ever-mounting evidence to the contrary.

The link to this mounting evidence? Its a Guardian aticle from 4 months ago  about a family who got bombed. The rebel commanders and American experts (the only sources quoted) know it was the Russians because it happened at night.

Oh and then this:

But if there is indeed now a withdrawal, it will prevent the Syria mission from turning into a long, drawn-out affair with rising Russian casualties.

Risingfrom three. Who were all killed by Turkey.

For while it is true the mission of defeating Isis has not been accomplished

And here, here we come to the most insidious and important lie. Its a theme that is repeated in The Guardian View... The headline proclaims:

Russias Syria U-turn: no kind of victory

Which is, literally, as factually incorrect as a statement can be. It is not a U-Turn, observe the Telegraph link above, and it is certainly a kind of victory.

If there is one thing that Mr Putins announcement makes plain, it is that Russias claim that it was moving into Syria to combat Islamic State

This has been a favorite line in the press since the Russian operation began  it is a lie. Russia never made such a claim. Sergey Lavrov, on fighting terrorism in Syria, famously said:

If it looks like a terrorist, walks like a terrorist, acts like a terroristits a terrorist

The stated aim of the Russian intervention was assisting their ally in combating terrorism and bringing a negotiated settlement to the region  as they have been trying to do since 2012. Additionally, the Russian air force is continuing to bomb ISIS and provide air support for the SAA advance on Palmyra, and then Raqqa. To deny this  when evidence abounds  is to be insane.

More and more we see the Western, neocon narrative being propped up with utterly baseless statements. From Obamas foolish description of a Syrian quagmire, to the ridiculous idea Russia were trying to unseat Merkel by flooding Europe with refugees. The collapse of analysis and rhetoric into hysteria betrays the inherent dishonesty of the position. As a friend of mine is fond of saying: If they honestly believed the truth to be on their side, they would not feel the need to lie.

Maybe, with Vietnam and Afghanistan and Iraq, western journalists have forgotten that wars are not meant to last  maybe years of reporting on American interventions, designed to prolong conflict for the sake of profit margins, have scrubbed out of our collective mind the idea that an action can be brief, decisive and efficient.

The following are a list of facts totally ommitted from the Guardian articles on Syria the last few days:
The Nuclear Near East!



While the West was applying pressure on Iran to abandon its civilian nuclear programme, the Saudis were buying the atomic bomb from Israel or Pakistan.



By Thierry Meyssan

March 17, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Voltaire "- In 1979, Israel completed the final adjustments to its atomic bomb, in collaboration with the apartheid regime of South Africa. The Hebrew state has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and has always avoided answering questions about its nuclear programme.

Every year since 1980, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a consensual resolution to make the Near East a region free from all nuclear weapon. This resolution was aimed at encouraging Israel to give up its bomb and to ensure that other states would not enter into an arms race.

Under the Shah, Iran also had a military nuclear programme, but it was pursued only marginally after the revolution of 1979, because of the war started by Iraq (1980-88). However, it was only after the end of war that ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini opposed weapons of mass destruction, and consequently prohibited the fabrication, possession and the use of atomic weapons.

Negotiations then began for the restitution of the 1,180 billion dollars of Iranian investment in the Eurodif complex for the enrichment of uranium at Tricastin. However, the question was never resolved. As a result, during the dissolution of Eurodif in 2010, the Islamic Republic of Iran still owned 10% of the capital. It is probable that it still holds a part of the company for uranium enrichment at Tricastin.

From 2003 to 2005, the negotiations relative to the nuclear litigation were presided for Iran by Sheikh Hassan Rohani, a religious leader close to Presidents Rafsandjani and Khatami. The Europeans demanded the introduction of a passage stipulating that Iran dismantle its system for the teaching of nuclear physics, so as to ensure that they would be unable to relaunch their military programme.

However, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  a partisan for the relaunching of the Khomeinist Revolution  came to power, he rejected the agreement negotiated by Sheikh Rohani and dismissed him. He restarted the teaching of nuclear physics, and launched a research programme which was aimed, in particular, at finding a way of producing electricity from atomic fusion and not nuclear fission, which is currently used by the United States, Russia, France, China and Japan.

Accusing President Ahmadinejad of preparing the Apocalypse to hasten the return of the Mahdi (sic), Israel launched an international Press campaign intended to isolate Iran. In reality, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad does not share the Jewish vision of an evil world which has to be destroyed and then rebuilt, but that of a progressive maturation of collective awareness until Parousia, the return of the Mahdi and the prophets. At the same time, Mossad busied itself with the assassination, one by one, of a number of Iranian nuclear scientists. From their side, the Western powers and the UN Security Council adopted ever more restrictive sanctions until they had completely isolated Iran at the economic and financial level.

In 2013, the Guide of the Revolution, ayatollah Ali Khameinei, agreed to a round of secret discussions with Washington, in Oman. Persuaded that he had to loosen the constraints which were suffocating his country, he considered a provisional ten-year agreement. After a preliminary agreement, Ahmadinejads candidacy for the Presidential election was not authorised, and Sheikh Hassan Rohani was elected. He restarted the negotiations that he had abandoned in 2005, and accepted the Western conditions, including the ban on enriching uranium at 20%, which put an end to the research on nuclear fusion.

In November 2013, Saudi Arabia organised a secret summit which brought together members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the friendly Muslim states [1]. In the presence of delegates from the UN General Secretariat, Israeli President Shimon Peres joined them by video-conference. The participants concluded that the danger was not the Israeli bomb, but the bomb that Iran might one day possess. The Saudis assured their interlocutors that they would take the necessary initiatives.

Military cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia is a new phenomenon, but the two countries have been working together since 2008, when Riyadh financed Israels punitive expedition in Gaza, known as Operation Cast Lead [2].

The 5+1 agreement was not made public until mid-2015. During the negotiations, Saudi Arabia multiplied its declarations that it would launch an arms race if the international community did not manage to force Iran to dismantle its nuclear programme [3].

On the 6th February 2015, President Obama published his new National Security Strategy. He wrote - Long-term stability [in the Middle East and North Africa] requires more than the use and presence of US military forces. It demands partners who are capable of defending themselves by themselves. This is why we invest in the capacity of Israel, Jordan and our Gulf partners to discourage aggression, while maintaining our unwavering support for the security of Israel, including the continued improvement of its military capacities [4].

On the 25th March 2015, Saudi Arabia began its operation Decisive Tempest in Yemen, officially aimed at re-instating the Yemeni President, who had been overthrown by a popular revolution. In fact, the operation was the implementation of the secret agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia for the exploitation of the Rubal-Khali oil fields [5].

On the 26th March 2015, Adel Al-Jubeir, then the Saudi ambassador to the United States, refused to answer a question from CNN concerning the project for a Saudi atomic bomb.

On the 30th March 2015, a joint military Staff was set up by Israel in Somaliland, a non-recognised state. From the first day, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan participated under Israel command.

Two days later, on the 1st April 2015, during the Charm el-Cheick summit, the Arab League adopted the principle of a Joint Arab Force [6]. Officially, this was to implement the Arab Defence Treaty of 1950 to fight against terrorism. De facto, the League had validated the new Arab military alliance under Israeli command.

In May 2015, the Joint Arab Force, under Israeli command, used a tactical atomic bomb in Yemen. It may have been used in an attempt to penetrate an underground bunker.

On the 16th July 2015, intelligence specialist Duane Clarridge affirmed on Fox Business that Saudi Arabia had bought the atomic bomb from Pakistan.

On the 18th January 2016, Secretary of State John Kerry affirmed on CNN that atomic weaponry can not be bought and transferred. He warned Saudi Arabia that this would constitute a violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On the 15th February 2016, Saudi analyst Dahham Al-Anzi affirmed in Arabic on Russia Today that his country has been in possession of an atomic weapon for two years, in order to protect Arabs, and that the major powers know this.

The declarations of Saudi analyst Dahham Al-Anzi, on the 15th February 2016 on Russia Today  which were immediately translated and broadcast by the Israeli service Memri  raised a considerable echo in the Arab world. However, no international political leader, not even Saudi, made any comment. And Russia Today has erased them from its Internet site.

The declarations of Dahham Al-Anzi - an intellectual close to Prince Mohamed ben Salman  lead us to think that he was not speaking of a strategic atomic weapon (A-bomb or H-bomb), but a tactical bomb (N-bomb). Indeed, its difficult to imagine how Saudi Arabia could protect Arabs from the Syrian dictatorship by using a strategic nuclear bomb. Moreover, this corresponds to what has already been observed in Yemen. However, nothing is certain.

It is obviously unlikely that Saudi Arabia had built this kind of weapon itself, since it is absolutely bereft of scientific knowledge in the matter. On the other hand, it is possible that it bought the weapon from a state which has not signed the NPT, Israel or Pakistan. If we are to believe Duane Clarridge, it would have been Islamabad which sold its technology, but in this case, the weapon could not be a neutron bomb.

Since Saudi Arabia signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (TNP), it did not have the right acquire the weapon, whether it be a tactical or a strategic bomb. But it would be enough for King Salman to declare that he bought the bomb in his own name to avoid being concerned by the Treaty. We know that the state of Saudi Arabia is the Kings private property, and that his budget only represents a part of the royal coffers. This would mean that we have entered a phase of the privatisation of nuclear weapons - a scenario which until now had been unthinkable. This evolution must be taken most seriously.
Syrian Kurds Risk Their Gains With New Federalization Demands By Moon Of Alabama March 17, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Moon Of Alabama "- Everyone seems to agree that the recent Russian surprise move in Syria is to its advantage. The Russian government declared that it had achieved most of its aims in Syria and decided to continue its operations there with a smaller forces. As the current ceasefire seem to hold the necessity of further air attacks is much diminished. About half of its planes in Syria were ordered to fly back home. Significant forces will stay deployed and the planes could be back within 24 hours should the need arise. A Russian source on the ground explains how this fits into a larger plan: Russia has managed to turn the balance of power up side down in six months of its intervention in Syria. Regardless the control of a vast strategic land to the regime in Damascus, the Kremlin forces all parties to sit with Assad representative around the Geneva table when these were rejecting the idea for the last four years of war. Russia is pushing for a free election, within the area under the regime and the rebels control, under the supervision of the United Nations.

...

Russia, according to high-ranking sources, informed Washington, Damascus and Tehran of its step of reducing forces in Syria. The Kremlin expects from the United States to exert its promises to impose on regional parties, i.e. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, to stop all sorts of weapons and financial supply to all rebels without exception. The USA is confident to obtain from its regional allies in the Middle East this commitment at the cost of joining the bombing, with Russia, of all those willing to continue fighting and violate the open-date Cease-fire in Syria. Saudi Arabia and Turkey see no longer Syria as a possibility to implement their old plans and agreed to act accordingly. We will see if the U.S. is really committed to this plan. Will it stop arming al-Qaeda or will it launch another crazy attempt to achieve "regime change" in Syria. It would be out of character for Washington to just let go and to let Russia win the cause. That is why I suspect that the U.S. somehow arranged the following scheme. The Syrian Kurds have no place at the table in Geneva. Russia has pushed for their inclusion but failed. Still the Kurds are in a decent position. They have military support from the U.S. as well as Russia and the Syrian government has agreed to give them some form of autonomy. It would have been smart of the Kurds, led by the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), to bag these achievements and to stay out of the way of the further process. The Russians can be trusted to take care of the Kurdish interests in Geneva. But in typical Kurdish fashion they try to go for more and overreach: A powerful Syrian Kurdish political party announced plans Wednesday to declare a federal region in northern Syria, a model it hopes can be applied to the entire country. The idea was promptly dismissed by Turkey and also the Syrian government team at U.N.-brokered peace talks underway in Geneva. The declaration was expected to be made at the end of a Kurdish conference that began Wednesday in the town of Rmeilan in Syria's northern Hassakeh province. The Kurds already have autonomy and there were only few, if any, clashes with the Syrian government. There is no need for them to unilaterally federalize some parts of Syria. There is nothing to win with a federalization that no one else will recognize. To demand federalization now is like opening a can of nasty worms just the moment everyone set down to have a nice meal. Even worse: Tensions are high in the Al-Qamishli District today, as the Kurdish Assayish forces surround the National Defense Forces (NDF) at the Al-Qamishli security box. Reports from the Al-Qamishli District claim that the Assayish forces have arrested several NDF fighters in what is expected to be their expulsion from northern Syria.

...

The Al-Qamishli District is ethnically diverse, with Kurds, Assyrians, Armenians, and Arabs all living in this densely populated region. The Assayish Forces will have their hands full if they attempt to seize all of the government-controlled area because the Assyrian Gozarto Protection Forces (GPF) are heavily armed and make-up one of the largest militias in the Al-Hasakah Governorate. So just as everyone is calming down and working on a political solution the Kurds throw a wrench in the works and start a new fight with Syrian government forces. I do not understand such thinking. Whatever the future political situation in Syria will be, the Kurds will not gain a viable independent state. The Turks hate them and are instigating new schemes against them by supporting their own splinter Kurdish proxy group. The Barzani mafia in north Iraq does not like the PKK/YPK Kurds at all. Neither Russia nor the U.S. will promise them any long term (financial) support. Whatever they try, the Kurds will continue to depend on the capabilities and monies of a Syrian nation state with the capitol in Damascus. They do not have any income source. Attempts to export oil would be blocked by its neighbors and their borders can not be secured without heavy weapons. Why upset the Syrian government and its armed forces when the gains made so far are still reversible? I can think of no sound reason for the Syrian YPG Kurds to do this now. But it may well be that someone in Washington (or elsewhere?) thought that it would be funny to upset the playing board by pushing the Kurds to take these self-defeating steps. But why would the Kurds agree to do this?
The 2016 budget will not be passed today as promised by the National Assembly with its passage now postponed to Tuesday, the Senate leader, Ali Ndume has said.

The Appropriation Committees of the House of Representatives and Senate at a press briefing last week assured that the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 22, 2015, will be passed today.

The initial date of February 25 to pass the budget was not met after various discrepancies were discovered during the budget defence.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that the budget will be laid today.

Abdullahi, who is also a member of the Appropriation Committee, noted that after laying the budget, only administrative work will be needed.

The budget was supposed to have been laid before the Senate yesterday by the Appropriation Committee but there was no mention of the document budget during plenary.

But Abdullahi said: God willing, we are laying the budget tomorrow (today). I can assure Nigerians that the budget will be laid tomorrow (today). That tells you that a lot of work has been done on the budget.

The Senate spokesman noted that Nigerians are aware of the back and front of the budget saying that by scheduling March 17 to pass the budget, they merely set a target for themselves.

Abdullahi said: All is almost set for the laying of the 2016 budget tomorrow (today) in the senate chamber as we have promised Nigerians and with that, one or two processes that are required will take place and we will have our budget as promised.

Ndume said after passage on March 22, a clean copy will be transmitted to President Buhari on, March 23 for assent.
Reports indicate that 89 members of the Boko Haram terrorist group have been sentenced to death for terrorism.

According to a BBC report, a military court tried the insurgents for their roles in several attacks in the northern part of the country which borders Nigeria. Since 2009 when Boko Haram launched its campaign of violence, Cameroon has been its next target after Nigeria.

In January 2015, Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, threatened to attack Paul Biya, president of Cameroon, over his countrys role in the regional force set up to fight insurgency. Oh Paul Biya, if you dont stop this your evil plot, you will taste what has befallen Nigeria, Shekau had said in a video.

If you do not repent, you will see the dire consequences. Your troops cannot do anything to us. I advise you to desist from following your constitution and democracy, which is unIslamic. The only language of peace is to repent and follow Allah, but if you do not, then we will communicate it to you through the language of violence.

On his part, Biya vowed to wipe out Boko Haram. About 850 members of the sect are currently in detention over alleged involvement in insurgency in Cameroon. This is the first time that people have been sentenced to death since a new anti-terror law was passed in 2014.

Source: Thisday
A member of the House of Representatives representing Sagbama/Ekeremor, Bayelsa State, yesterday, said that President Muhammadu Buhari was insincere in his actions concerning the violence in Rivers State.

According to him, President Buhari kept mum on the killings by Fulani herdsmen in Agatu, Benue State, as well as the violence which took place in Bayelsa State during the last governorship election, adding that what happened in Rivers State was a lesser evil.

Better still, does it not show an emotional bias that Mr President chose to ignore the wanton, criminal ethnic cleansing going on in Benue State and rather spoke about a lesser evil?

I must say that not many Nigerians are happy that the President kept quiet over the Agatu and Nasarawa killings that have reached genocide heights but chose to internationalize a local political heat in Rivers State. Until Mr President speaks on the killings perpetrated by herdsmen in Benue and Nasarawa States, I do not consider him a sincere leader. Mr President must speak out, said Fred Agbedi.
Following the public outcry that greeted reports that it secretly recruited 909 staff between June 2014 and February 2015, in violation of due process and federal character, the Central Bank of Nigeria has denied any wrongdoing.

Two newspapers had this week published reports that the apex bank dubiously and secretly hired the aforementioned number of staff, prominent among them children and relatives of influential Nigerians including a nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakars daughter.

The move suggests the apex bank used the secret appointments as a form of political patronage to some of these influential personalities.

But the acting Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Isaac Okoroafor, insisted that the bank did nothing illegal or wrong in hiring without advertising, saying the apex bank opted for a secret process of hiring new staff in the past two years because it was doing what he termed targeted recruitment.

Mr. Okorafor, told PREMIUM TIMES: In the last two years, we have had cause to recruit specialists, and what the law says is that if we are going for that kind of recruitment we should apply for waiver, so that we can do targeted recruitment.

He said the bank obtained waiver from the Federal Character Commission.

This position appears to be in tandem with the statement credited to the acting chairman of the FCC, Dr. Shettima Bukar Abba, who told Daily Trust, one of the newspapers that exposed the recruitment scandal that the commission is investigating the recent recruitments by the CBN.

Since I came, they have not written anything to me, but I was made to clearly understand that they have some discussions, some approvals from the previous Chairman of the Commission.

I have now asked them to let me see the nominal roll for the whole year and then those they intend to recruit and those that they have already recruited and the letter that gave them permission not to advertise, Mr. Abba said.

On allegations that the recruitments were lopsided in favour of certain sections of the country, the CBN spokesperson said: The other issue is that there are states that are not well represented (in the CBN), and in this case we focus on those states to recruit people of certain classes that we used to cover the shortfall in those states.

Mr. Okoroafor, however, said he was not ready to confirm or deny the names on the list.

Is there any qualified Nigerian who does not have the right to work in the CBN? he asked.

Details of the recruitment carried out between June 2014 and February 2015 and obtained by Daily Trust showed that out of the 909 staff engaged, 213 of them are from the South-South region, the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefieles geo-political zone.

Others are North Central, 178; South West, 176; South East, 158; North West, 104 and North East 80.

The five executive positions (Assistant Directors) come from Edo, Abia, Anambra, Oyo and Benue states.

About 411 others occupy senior positions from the rank of senior supervisors and principal managers.

A total of 491 staff were employed to fill junior positions over the period with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) accounting for 11 slots.

State by state breakdown of the beneficiaries showed that Delta State had the highest number with 78, followed by Oyo, Imo and Edo States with 48, 42 and 41 respectively.
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday sentenced a 19-year old secondary school leaver, Tobechukwu Igbokwe, to 37 years imprisonment for defrauding an American of $40 million.

Master Igbokwe was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 12-count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses.

The presiding judge, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, found in his ruling, found him guilty and sentenced him to 7 years on counts 1-8; 8 years on count 9; 7 years on count 10, 8 years on count 11 and 7 years on count 12, bringing the cumulative sentence to 37 years.

In the statement of judgment by the head of Media and Publicity at EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Justice Akapo indicated that Igbokwes cumulative sentence is to run concurrently with effect from October 28, 2013.

The court also ordered the convict to return the $40 million as a restitution to the victim and forfeit a Toyota Corolla car, which is a proceed of the crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Igbokwe was arraigned on October 28, 2013 when he pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charges levelled against him. He later changed his plea and was convicted by Justice Akapo accordingly.

Igbokwe (Alias David Prince) and his accomplice, Ifeanyi Obi duped the American, M. Silva, the sum of $40 million in an inheritance scam.

The victim was made to believe that Igbokwe and his accomplice had a huge inheritance which they wanted to move to a foreign account for safe-keeping.

The victim wired $40m in several instalments through Western Union to Igbokwe to process the transfer.

Igbokwe also confessed that he had duped other foreigners, including T. Bedwell $6,000 and R. Hunt $15,000.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, yesterday, faulted what he described as President Muhammadu Buharis double faced reaction to violence in the country, saying that the President was quick to react to the situation in Rivers State, a far cry from the violent exploits of Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.

Fayose, while also condemning the spate of violence in Rivers State said: Only a president with ulterior political motives will elevate political violence above the kind of genocide carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said that it was strange that the same President Buhari who did not utter a word until over 400 Agatu people of Benue State were murdered, swiftly reacted to the reported political violence in Rivers State from faraway Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

In Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed over 400 people, including children and pregnant women, destroyed more than 10 villages. President Buhari did not raise his voice against this genocide until I condemned his silence.

Also in Mile 12, Lagos, when 15 persons, including two children, were killed with property worth several millions of naira destroyed during a clash between Hausa and Yoruba traders, President Buhari did not give the security services any clear directives to deal decisively with anyone. Even though one is not against any action of the government aimed at curbing violence in whatever form, it is pertinent to ask the President whether or not killing of Nigerians should only attract his attention when it involves elections.

From all indications, the Presidents reaction to the reported violence in Rivers State is part of the grand plot to rig the re-run elections holding in the state on Saturday, but the President must know that the people of Rivers State will not be cowed into allowing Abuja to impose leaders on them.

Buhari and his APC should be reminded of the level of violence they unleashed on PDP members and supporters during the governorship election in Bayelsa State, in which several souls were lost. Yet, PDP still won and Rivers State will not be an exception.

Most importantly, if the President is serious about dealing with perpetrators of violence, he should first deal with those Fulani herdsmen who admitted that they murdered children and pregnant women in Agatu villages of Benue State because 10,000 of their cattle were allegedly killed by people of the area, Fayose said.
A Delta State High Court sitting in Warri has sentenced two armed robbers: 27 year-old-Monday Godwin and 33-year-old Ochuko Ego to death by hanging for robbing a bankers wife of her Toyota Corolla Salon Car at gun point.

The convicted robbers said to be indigenes of Abraka and Eku respectively and welders by profession were pronounced guilty by the trial judge (name withheld) and sentenced to death by hanging for the offence.

The court also found them guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and the substantive offence of kidnapping and were sentenced to five and eight years imprisonment each for both offences.

The prosecuting counsel from Delta State Ministry of Justice had told the court that the two accused persons with two others identified as Bestman and couple, still at large, on or around October 8, 2012 at Ohio within the Orerokpe Judicial Division, conspired amongst themselves and executed the act by robbing one Mrs Romelia Esangbedo while on her farm of one Toyota Corolla Salon Car belonging to her bankers husband on gun point.

He told the court that after being robbed of her car, the armed bandits also held Mrs Esangbedo hostage and demanded for an undisclosed amount from her husband before she was could be released.

She was, however, rescued the next day from Aghalokpe where the stolen vehicle was also recovered through the prompt intervention of security agents.

The court, while delivering its death verdict, said prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt ingredients of the four count charge against the accused persons as evidence before the court including their confessional statements to secure convictions against the accused.
At least 14 Palestinians have died and 36 were injured in a bus crash in southern Jordan, local media and medics reported, citing security officials. Petra news agency said the death toll of the accident, which occurred near the Mudawara border crossing to Saudi Arabia late on Wednesday, was likely to rise.

Some of the injured were in critical condition, Jordans Civil Defence Department (CDD) said. The driver of the bus may have lost control, the CDD said, after which the bus overturned. It added that the passengers were headed to Mecca to perform the Umra rituals.

The injured, whose condition ranged from medium to critical, were transferred to two public hospitals, CDD said. Palestinian pilgrims from the occupied-West Bank usually travel to Saudi Arabia by land through Jordan in an over 1,200km trip.

Source: AJ Agencies.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State yesterday drew the battle line with politicians in the state who want to undermine the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor, who reacted for the first time to recent political developments in the state, said his administration believed in the change agenda of President Buhari and would resist any attempt to ridicule him.

Ganduje spoke when he inspected a feeder road built at Zango-Bela in Nassarawa Local Government, barely one week after his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, paid him a condolence visit on the death of his mother, Hajiya Fatima.

The condolence visit reportedly ended up in violence with accusations and counter-accusations traded between Senator Kwankwaso and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which vowed to sanction the former governor.

Continuing, Gov. Ganduje said his administration is at war with anyone claiming Kano indigeneship but fighting Buhari behind the scene.

According to him, his administration was ready to confront anyone who dared to challenge the president on Kano soil.

Ganduje said his administration did not believe in brandishing weapons to achieve its goals, adding that the only way to win the goodwill of the people was by treading the path of diplomacy.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday heard the testimony of a prosecution witness, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau (retd.), who narrated how former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) converted the sum of N558 million to dollars monthly for purchase of properties.

According to the witness, a retired director of Finance of the Nigerian Air Force, the sum of N4 billion was released to the Force as statutory monthly allocation for personnel salaries and allowances between September 2012 and December 2013.

Yushau, however, disclosed that out of this amount, only N2.3 billion is actually used for the emoluments.

He said that of the N1.7 billion outstanding, N558 million was usually earmarked for the office of Badeh, who was then Chief of Air Staff, for general administration while the rest was disbursed to the various commands and units for priority projects and training.

The retired Air Force Finance Director said each month, he alongside one Group Captain M. A. Sini would convert the amount controlled by the Air Chief to dollars and take it to his house at Niger Barracks, Abuja.

He said the transactions are usually done without written instructions or acknowledgment by Mr. Badeh.

The only instruction he gives in writing are those requests forwarded in writing from branches and units for approval, he said.

Where such approvals are given, they are forwarded to my office for necessary payments, Mr. Yushau added.

The witness further narrated how Badeh directed him to buy personal mansion for him at No 6 Ogun River Crescent in Maitama at the cost of N1.1bn; land for a shopping plaza in Asokoro.

The witness said Badeh also bought a personal land in Yola and developed it with funds from the force.

He further said that N120 million was at one time allotted for his office on a monthly basis, but that he rejected the offer, since he did not see any need for the money.

The witness said another building which Mr. Badeh said he would use as his office, was purchased at N650 million, and under the name of a certain engineer, Mustafa Yarima.

Another building was purchased for his the former Air Chiefs son, Alex Junior, at N260 million and renovated at N60 million, while N90 million was used for the purchase of furniture.

A fourth building was purchased at N330 million for Mr. Badehs second son, identified merely as Kam after a previous property was purchased for Mr. Kam at N240 million which he did not approve of.

Two other houses were also purchased in Kaduna, both of whom were uncompleted building.

All the houses were bought under the name of a third party, and mostly paid for, from the sum of N558 million remitted to Mr. Badeh monthly.

After the prosecution concluded its examination of the witness, the defence counsel sought the approval of the court to adjourn the case because some of the information contained in the witness evidence were not in the stated proof of evidence.

Counsel to the accused, Samuel Zibiri, asked the court to give him time to prepare the necessary questions for cross examination in the interest of fair hearing, giving the fact that new details had emerged that he would need time to properly analyse.

The counsel to the second defendant, Simon Olugunorsiha, also asked that he be given time to see to his health.

After listening to their submissions, the trial judge, Okon Abang, adjourned the case to March 23, for cross examination of the first Prosecution Witness.
A 20-year-old student, Miss Chioma Rita Clement, was reportedly kidnapped by some unidentified persons on her way to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Exams in Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos state.



According to her guardian, Mrs. Orazulike Njideka, the victim with JAMB registration number 65061660GJ had lived with her since she was 5 years old at Gboyega Kilo Street in the Ojodu Berger area of the state.

Njideka said the girl left home as early as 6.30am on the day of the examination (March 10) for her centre at Agidingbi Secondary School  International office, on Plot B, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja, but had never returned afterward.

She also added that Chioma had hurriedly sent a distress text message to her that day which reads:

I dont know where I am now. Mummy please, save me.

Mummy, they took my phone and beat me up inside the bus. Mummy, I dont know where they took me to. They made me sleep and said they will kill me if I ran.

Someone gave me my phone, saying I must return it before they came back. Mummy, please save me, please.

Her guardian said that was the last contact she had with Chioma as her phone had been switched off since then and nobody had come up to give any information about her. She said the abductors had not in any way communicated the family.

She has been with me for 15 years since she was five years old. Her mother is in Enugu, but I have been catering and training her in school here in Lagos, she added.

We want to reunite with her. I know God will do it.

As for the abductors, I dont know what they want from such a small girl. None of her friends had been able to see her since then too, the trader stated.

Her uncle, Emeka Orazulike, who worked as a pharmacist, said it was through the text message that the family got to know that Chioma was not missing, but abducted.

He told The Punch, Chioma finished from a college on Aina Street in the Ojodu area. She just concluded her SSCE; we then enrolled her for the JAMB. Her father lives in Enugu.

The examinations board gave her that Thursday, by 6.30am, to sit for her exam. She was to sit at a centre in the Agidingbi area. On that day, as I was preparing for work around 6am, she met and told me that she was set to leave for the venue.

I gave her N1, 000 when she told me the centre was at Agidingbi. She would use only N100 for transport. I then left for work. As I was coming back around 6.30pm, her mother called that she forwarded a message to my telephone. I then checked my phone and saw the scary message.

I first went to the Area F Command, Ikeja, and was about making a statement when the Area Commander directed me to the Ojodu Police Division.

We reported the matter on Friday at Ojodu and Ikeja Police Stations, and the police there radioed other stations, Orazulike said, adding that when they called the girls phone, it rang out on Thursday and it was switched off by Friday.

She did sit for that exam. The abductors might have whisked her away in the bus she boarded on that morning.

She was used to going out. When she wrote her WAEC, her centre was at Giwa Oke Aro, Agbado. She went there with her friends.

That was why when she mentioned that she was going to Agidingbi for the JAMB, I did not nurse any fear because it was just two bus stops from our area. If we knew that anything would happen, I would have taken her there myself, the uncle added.

The state police spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, is however yet to respond to the report on the abduction.

Source:Dailypost
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has drawn the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the bill seeking to license religious preachers in Kaduna State.

In a statement yesterday in Enugu, Chairman of the PFN in Enugu State, Rev. Dr. Godwin Madu, urged the president to call Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to order as such move was capable of throwing the country into chaos.

According to Madu, the situation in Kaduna State today calls for caution because this religious issue may bring problem in other states if not properly checked.

The licensing of preachers is not in the best interest of the nation and it is contrary to the constitution of the country.

Are we being forced to have two countries in Nigeria or two constitutions? Mr. President should intervene in this matter. Let there be caution and proper understanding between government, leaders and religious leaders; let us stop anything that will not make for peace.

On the plan by the federal government to establish grazing reserves across the 36 States of the federation, the Enugu PFN said it was a veiled plan to Islamize the country.

We frown at the impending doom that may befall the nation if Mr. President fails to check the incessant attempts to Islamize the states, the PFN chair said. We request the National Assembly not to consider such bill; let the sponsors of such bill desist from it.

The Enugu PFN chairman noted that the nature of attacks by Fulani herdsmen on the host communities is so damaging and wondered how establishing grazing field could be the solution when it is the alleged cause of crisis in several cities across the country.

The Christian group while decrying the cases of rape, murder and arson linked to herdsmen, called on security agencies to rise in defence of helpless citizens, whose farms are being damaged, their wives and daughters raped and murdered.
Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja has directed that the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, will open its defence by 12pm on Thursday in his ongoing trial for corruption the despite absence of the defence lawyers.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, yesterday, faulted what he described as President Muhammadu Buharis double faced reaction to violence in the country, saying that the President was quick to react to the situation in Rivers State, a far cry from the violent exploits of Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.

THE Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Capital of Ekiti State, yesterday ordered the Department of the State Security Services, (DSS) to immediately release Hon Afolabi Akanni, allegedly whisked away by the security agency during the alleged invasion of the State Assembly on March 4.

Thisday

The Nigerian Trade and Investment Minister Okechukwu Enelamah and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele are discussing ways to ensure supplies of foreign exchange to manufacturers in the West African nation as the plunge in oil prices constricts dollar inflows.

Daily Times

As the relationship between the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his predecessor, and present Senator representing Kano Central constituency, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso continue to get sour, majority of political officials belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano, have dumped the red cap which was introduced by the former governor of the state as the symbol for the kwankwasiya movement.

Guardian

There is no going back on Nigerias quest for 4,800MW from nuclear technology by the year 2035, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has reassured.

Daily Trust

The Sokoto State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday carpeted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its allegations that the March 12 local government elections in the state were rigged.

National Mirror

A witness brought by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday to testify in the ongoing trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, yesterday told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how the accused defrauded the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, of N3.7bn.

Leadership

The Nation

It was bloody yesterday when a suicide bomber entered a mosque during the subh (early morning prayer) and detonated her bomb, killing all the people at prayer, except the Imam, who was seriously injured.

Tribune

IN line with the countrys economic diversification policy, a $750 million farm with an initial investment of $300 million targeted at creating 25,000 direct and 60,000 indirect jobs, was, on Wednesday, unveiled in Benin, the Edo State capital.
The immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has described Nigerian politicians as the most difficult to deal with in the world.

The professor of political science made the remarks at Chatham House in London yesterday in an interactive session after delivering a lecture titled: Challenges of Modernising Election Processes: the Nigerian Experience.

Mr. Jega was Nigerias electoral commissions chairman from 2010-2015, overseeing two historic general elections, which were widely acknowledged as one of the freest and fairest on the continent.

When I was vice-chancellor, I thought students were the most difficult to deal with, he said, adding that perception changed when he got to INEC as he was soon to discover that the most difficult set of people to relate with are Nigerian politicians.

He said despite efforts aimed at carrying the politicians along by keeping them abreast with INEC activities and initiatives, they (politicians) would later turn round to reject what they approved or accused the commission of trying to favour rival parties if things were not going the way they envisaged.

The former INEC chairman noted that both the former government and the National Assembly approved funds for smart card readers and permanent voters cards, among others, after being convinced of their necessity in ensuring credible elections, but when it dawned on them that they would not be able to manipulate elections as they did in the past, they strongly opposed the initiatives.

Describing Nigerian politicians as dogged and adept at pursuing their interests by hook or crook, Prof. Jega said the politicians could easily change tunes and cry foul when they realise that issues do not favour them or they could not manipulate the system for their personal gains.

He attributed the huge gains of the 2015 general elections to the adoption of technology in both the planning, management and conduct of the elections, and expressed optimism that transparent and credible elections have come to stay in Nigeria.

He, however, listed funding, peoples suspicion of technology and aversion to changes by politicians, security of data, qualified manpower, among others, as some of the challenges of using technology in the conduct of transparent and acceptable elections.

The former INEC boss, now pro-chancellor of the Plateau State University, therefore, recommended partnerships between nascent African democracies with donor and development partners to make the necessary technological tools affordable, ICT capacity building, quality assurance, specification and standardisation of facilities to make them adaptable by electoral bodies in Africa.
The All Progressives Congress-led federal government will create three million jobs in the next three years, starting from 2016, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has disclosed.

The jobs are to be created in the Technology, Wholesale and Retail, Construction and Agro-allied sectors of the Nigerian economy, the vice president added.

Making the disclosure in a Facebook post on his wall Wednesday, Mr. Osinbajo further stated that this year alone, over 700,000 private sector jobs will be created, majority of which will be in the Agro-allied sector.

Giving an insight into the mindset of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, which he said is accountable to the Nigerian people, the vice president said whenever a policy is proposed, the number of jobs it would create for Nigerians is always the focus.

The central focus of President Buharis administration is the creation of jobs. Every proposed policy begins with how many jobs can this policy create?, he said.

The Facebook post read:

Today, I received the Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan on job creation and youth employment in Nigeria jointly packaged by the Job creation Unit of the Presidency, and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG.

Three million jobs would be created in the country within three years starting in 2016 especially in Technology, Wholesale & Retail, Construction and Agro-allied sectors of the Nigerian economy.

This year alone, over 700,000 private sector jobs will be created, majority of which will be in the Agro-allied sector.

This private sector-led job creation plan is different from the direct government jobs planned by the Buhari presidency which includes the 500,000 teaching jobs for unemployed graduates.

We are not unaware that this process of job creation is slow but President Muhammadu Buharis administration is addressing the constraints of regulatory and institutional delays in the business sector.

The Job Creation Unit was constituted at the behest of President Buhari to initiate the job creation plan. The National Economic Summit Group, private sector players, validated the plan and will be working together with the government to implement the job creation plans.

Together, we will get this right.

Together, Nigeria will prevail.
Four people have been arrested in the Paris area as part of a wider investigation into a possible plot to attack France, officials say. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said police had information to suggest one of those arrested could undertake violent actions in France. But he played down French media reports that an attack was imminent. France remains on high alert after the jihadist attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people.

More than 100 people were killed and many wounded in a series of shootings and suicide bombings that targeted a concert hall, major stadium, restaurants and bars over the course of a Friday evening. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attacks.

French media reported that three men and a woman were detained at dawn in the 18th arrondissement of Paris and the nearby northern department of Seine-Saint-Denis. They said at least one of those arrested had a prior conviction and had been under house arrest since last month, under new rules imposed after the November attacks.

Mr Cazeneuve said: We have information about one person that suggests that he could undertake violent actions in France. This man could have been in contact with people in Syria and members of Islamic State. This person was arrested this morning along with three persons linked with him, and checks are underway.

BBC.
Policemen attached to the Dolphin Police Division in Ikoyi have arrested a 30-year-old man, Ugo Madugba, for marrying his 28-year-old wife without the express approval of her parents.

Madugbas wife, Nono Orji, who is a medical doctor, said in a Facebook post on Thursday that there were plans by the police to poison her husband.

She said her husband was arrested on the orders of her parents who have been against their marriage from day one.

She said, The Nigerian Police in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi just arrested an innocent 30-year-old man called Ugo Madugba for an offence of marriage. Marriage has become a crime in Nigeria according to Dolphin police station in Ikoyi. Mr. Ugo got married to Dr. Nono a 28-year-old medical Doctor.

Her father has been very distraught about it and has used the police to threaten the young couple to the extent of arresting all those who acted as witnesses to the marriage who are now in custody.

He has been denied access to his family and friends and information reaching us has it that his lawyer was also denied access to him. There is a belief that a plan to poison ugo is being hatched. Please, forward this message to as many people as possible lets save Ugos life.

Orji said in another Facebook post that her parents were trying to force her to marry another man but when she refused, they accused her husband of hypnotising her.

However, a police source told our correspondent that they believed that the wife was hypnotised and abducted by her husband.

The source said the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, today.

Source: Punch
Ahead of this Saturdays rerun elections in Rivers State, a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday gave an interim order restraining the Chief of Defence Staff, the Brigade Commander of Amphibious Brigade and the Chief of Army Staff, from deploying the military for the civic exercise.

The court gave the order in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairman in the state, Felix Obuha and the PDP.

In a ruling delivered by Justice George Omereji, the Court ordered: That an order of interim order be made and is hereby made restraining , Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, whether by themselves, their agents, servants, officers and operatives or privies from interfering with the applicants right to freely participate in the government of Nigeria either directly or through free chosen representatives, threatens to arrest, harass, intimidate, torture, incarcerate the applicants and their members during the rerun elections for the State and National Assembly on 19th March, 2016.

The Court arrived at its judgment based on a previous ruling by the Appeal Court in the case between the All Progressives Congress versus others in 2015 detailing the non-involvement of the Army and the Armed Forces in elections.

Justice Omereji also ordered that the PDP has the responsibility to serve the judgment on the Military for them to comply.

That Leave be and is hereby granted the applicants to issue and serve the originating motion of the jurisdiction of this Honorable court for service on the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Brigade Commander of Second Amphibious Brigade and INEC at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, he said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday called on security agents to move in to halt what it described as the madness going on in Rivers State, accusing Governor Nyesom Wike of inciting the people against the Nigerian Army and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Wike had while speaking at the grand finale of the Rivers East Senatorial District Campaign Rally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at Elele in Ikwerre LGA, on Tuesday, claimed to have uncovered an alleged plot by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and national commissioner of INEC, Mrs Amina Zakari to swap authentic results from polling units during this Saturdays legislative rerun elections with fake results.

All those who plan to swap result sheets, may their souls rest in peace. Nobody will rig in Rivers State, he said.

Anybody who thinks Amaechi will give them result sheets to swap, should be ready to swap their dead bodies. I have told the REC, you were here before, you cant play games with me.

In its reaction, the APC, in a statement issued last night by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, expressed concern over the death threat issued by the governor on INEC officials coming to conduct the Saturdays rerun election.

The party said it was compiling evidence of the politically-motivated killings in Rivers State which have taken genocidal dimensions under Nyesom Wikes watch, adding that it will present evidence to national and international law enforcement agencies.

The statement reads: In the lead up to the March 19, 2016 Rivers State rerun elections, the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is worried by the fresh reckless and irresponsible statements including death threats issued by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) especially on the person of Mrs. Amina Zakari, a National INEC Commissioner who has a record of supervising some of the most credible, free and fair elections by INEC in the past.

The Rivers State governor has also issued dangerous threats on the Nigerian Army. The Party also views Nyesom Wikes petition to the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Africa Union (AU) and the governments of about 50 countries demanding global surveillance for the Rivers rerun election as an affront on the 1999 Constitution (as amended), INEC and sovereignty of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Nyesom Wike has been in the forefront of inciting the people of Rivers State against INEC and the Nigerian Army.

On Tuesday, Nyesom Wike accused INEC Commissioner Mrs. Amina Zakari of an unsubstantiated and cooked up plot to swap election result sheets in the yet-to-be-conducted election.

He went ahead to issue a death threat on the INEC Commissioner over the unsubstantiated and cooked up plot. The APC takes Nyesom Wikes death threats and campaign of calumny against critical national institutions including the Nigerian Army very seriously.

Under Nyesom Wikes watch, the country and indeed the international community has been traumatised by the daily lynching, maiming, killing and beheading of APC members and supporters in Rivers State.

The APC believes that Nyesom Wikes repeated threats to INEC to write their will before coming to conduct elections in the state is real and must be looked into by relevant security agencies.

The APC calls on relevant security agencies to hold Nyesom Wike responsible for any breakdown of law and order before, during and after the March 19, 2016 Rivers State rerun elections.

The party also welcomes President Muhammadu Buharis directive to security services to deal decisively with sponsors and perpetuators of political violence in Rivers State. The Police and other security agencies must ensure that the murderers and their sponsors are brought to book and must face the full wrath of the law.
Suspected Muslim Fulani herdsmen disguised as soldiers butchered and then burned nearly a dozen Christians, mostly women and children, in the Riyom region of Plateau State close to the site of a recent sectarian massacre

Most of the victims of the raid on a village in the Riyom region of Plateau state were women and children, state radio reported, as locals accused the security forces of failing to act quickly enough to prevent the slaughter.

A reporter at the scene of the carnage in Byei village said that he had counted 12 bodies which bore deep machete cuts and had been partially burned. The state information commissioner put the overall toll at 13.Those wounded were now being treated at a missionary hospital in Vom, near the state capital Jos, he added.

Half a dozen homes were also been torched by the killers, said the reporter. Surviving residents could be seen crying and wailing in grief.
A woman in China who sealed her eyes shut when she mistook super glue for eye drops avoided damage to her eyes thanks to her contact lenses, doctors said. Zhao Xing Nvzi, 20, arrived at the Shenzhen Eye Hospital March 10 and told doctors she had accidentally super-glued her eyes closed when she confused the adhesive for her contact lens re-wetting drops.

The hospitals chief physician, Dr. Zhanhang Kai, said the woman did not want her eyelashes to be cut off, so he instead spent more than an hour carefully separating the womans lashes and eye lids. The doctor said the patients eyes were not harmed because her contact lensesprevented the adhesive from making direct contact.

A similar incident took place in October of last year, when Katherine Gaydos of Florida mistook super glue for eye drops and sealed her right eye shut. A doctor pried her eye open after it had been sealed for several days and determined she had avoided any serious injuries from the incident.

UPI.
In the wake Dells record-shattering, $67 billion bid for EMC last October, Western Digital made some big waves of its own. Later that same month, Western Digital announced plans to acquire SanDisk for $19 billion.

This week, the companies announced a major new development.

Shareholders on both sides of the Western Digital-SanDisk transaction have approved the acquisition, with 98 percent of the votes in favor of the deal on SanDisks side. Ninety percent of the votes cast by Western Digitals shareholders supported the acquisition.

We are pleased to receive the support of both our shareholders and SanDisks, marking another milestone on our journey to transform Western Digital into the leading storage solutions company, said Steve Milligan, CEO of Western Digital, in a March 15 announcement. In a separate statement, Sanjay Mehrotra, president and CEO of SanDisk, said that merging the hard disk drive (HDD) maker with the flash storage provider will enable the combined company to offer the broadest portfolio of industry-leading, innovative storage solutions to customers across a wide range of markets and applications.

Its not a done deal quite yet, the companies said.

Western Digital and SanDisk are still awaiting regulatory approval in China. The United States, European Union, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey have already given the deal the go-ahead.

Snapping up SanDisk marks a major turning point for Western Digital.

Following the $4.3 billion acquisition of HGST, a rival hard drive manufacturer, Western Digital has been increasingly turning its attention to the growing market for flash-based storage solutions.

In the summer of 2013, Western Digital bought VeloBit, Lincoln, Mass.-based software company that specialized in solid-state drive (SSD) caching and virtual desktop infrastructure acceleration. In December 2014, through its enterprise data storage subsidiary, HGST, the company acquired Skyera, a San Jose, Calif.-based producer of all-flash storage systems.

Now with SanDisks portfolio of SSDs, all-flash storage arrays and acceleration software within its grasp, Western Digital continues to hasten its transformation from an HDD company into a full-fledged enterprise storage solutions provider.

This transformational acquisition aligns with our long-term strategy to be an innovative leader in the storage industry by providing compelling, high-quality products with leading technology. The combined company will be ideally positioned to capture the growth opportunities created by the rapidly evolving storage industry, stated Milligan when the deal was first announced.
Triple Digit Hog Rally Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Lean hogs extended their rally into the weekend with another $0.20 to $2.10 gains in the front months. December was up the most on Friday, but is still a $1.40 discount to Feb. Through the week, December... HEZ22 : 89.125s (+2.41%) HEJ23 : 93.850s (+0.78%) KMZ22 : 98.000s (+1.16%)

Cotton Limits the Weeks Pullback with Friday Strength Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cotton futures traded in a wide 413 point range from +253 to -160 (Dec). At the close the front months were 32 to 173 points in the black. December closed the week at a net 402 point loss, having spent... CTZ22 : 79.13s (+2.24%) CTH23 : 78.55s (+1.67%) CTK23 : 78.15s (+1.44%)

Wheats Closed Mixed on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT CBT SRW futures ended the last trade day of the week with 1 to 1 1/2 cent gains. For the December contract that meant a net 9 cent loss for the week. KC futures pulled back by 1/2 a cent to 2 cents on... ZWZ22 : 850-6s (+0.18%) ZWH23 : 869-4s (+0.17%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.8533 (+0.24%) KEZ22 : 948-2s (-0.16%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0581 (-0.16%) MWZ22 : 961-4s (-0.10%)

Nov Beans Held under $14 Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT The Friday session ended with soybean futures 3 1/4 to 4 cents higher with November options having expired. Nov soybeans spent the week in a 41 1/2 cent trading range and ended 11 3/4 cents higher from... ZSX22 : 1395-4s (+0.29%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.5026 (+0.29%) ZSF23 : 1404-4s (+0.32%) ZSH23 : 1411-6s (+0.28%)

New Contract High for Dec Cattle Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cattle added another 62 to 75 cents to the upside on Friday, with December printing a new life of contract high of $152.50. Dec gained a net $4.65 for the week. The weeks cash trade picked up on Thursday... LEV22 : 150.475s (+0.47%) LEZ22 : 152.425s (+0.49%) LEG23 : 155.525s (+0.44%) GFV22 : 175.275s (-0.17%) GFX22 : 178.350s (+0.45%)
Conventional wisdom suggests that these are trying times for small-town arts organizations.

After all, the money's usually concentrated in the big cities. And where there's money, there's talenta recent report from the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland suggests that big city organizations tend to poach professional expertise, including dancers and directors, from smaller regions. Then there's the issue of evaporating gifts, compounded by an uneven economic recovery and ongoing turbulence in the stock market.

News out of Louisville, however, suggests a refreshing alternative to this narrative.

The Speed Art Museumdubbed by the Art Newspaper as an "an under-the-radar institution" far from a major art capitalpulled off a $60 million renovation without a cent of public funding. In fact, it exceeded its initial goal by a cool $10 million. How did they do it?

Strangely enough, the answer lies approximately 970 miles to the east, in Massachusetts. Back in October, we looked at Worcester Art Museum's impressive fundraising prowess, noting:

The museum, faced with a shrinking donor base and changing economy, knew a fundamental strategic shift was in order. The temptation to emulate their big-city competitors had always been strong, but as a long-term financial strategy, it simply wasn't feasible. [Director Matthias] Wascheck noted that the museum's mission moving forward would be to resist the urge to imitate heavyweights like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

And so figuratively speaking, the Speed Art Museum took a page out of Worcester's handbook. As the oldest museum in Kentucky, Speed resisted the urge to "Keep up with the Joneses" in Chicago or New York and doubled down on celebrating 250 years of fine and decorative arts in the commonwealth. It's also tackling present-day issues. According to Art Newspaper, site-specific commissions include a work addressing a Confederate monument opposite the museum.

Then there's the museum's fundraising strategy. It may not be the most elegant analogy, but the Speed Art Museum's approach is a three-legged stool composed of major donors, corporations, and crowd funding. Regarding the former, the museum pulled from Louisville's long history of homegrown philanthropy. Members of the Brown family, who own the Brown-Forman Corporation (which produces Jack Daniels whiskey), contributed $18 million to the project. Meanwhile, local physicians Elizabeth Pahk Cressman and Frederick Cressman gave $10 million for the art park and plaza.

On the corporate front, the museum leaned heavily on the state's bourbon industry, receiving support from Heaven Hill Distilleries as well as Louisville Gas and Electric Company.

Lastly, anonymous donors have challenged the community to match a $500,000 gift with the Speed 365 campaign. So far, $125,000, or an average of $50 per giftwe call it the "Bernie Sanders Effect"has been raised online and through text-message donations.

On a related note, IP recently spoke with Worcester Art Museum's director of philanthropy, Nora Maroulis. Click here for an in-depth look into their successful fundraising strategy.
When you think of dead-end jobs, America's largest private employer, Walmart, is likely to come mind. For decades, the company has been infamous for taking the low road on employment, offering near-poverty wages and scant benefits, with the effect of pulling other employers downward, too, in order to compete with the giant retailer.

Yet after years of hounding by labor activists, as well as lawsuits and loads of negative publicity, Walmart has lately changed course, most notably by hiking pay for its workers.

We've been watching the emergence of a new Walmart, if you can really call it that, as the company's philanthropy has become more interesting and it explicitly addresses some of the past critiques. For example, Walmart's launch of a big women's empowerment effort in 2011 might have had something to do with a major lawsuit for discriminating against women.

Related: Teach a Woman to Fish: The Walmart Foundation and Women's Empowerment

The company's philanthropy is also engaging the familiar charge that retail jobs are dead-end positions that don't raise workers into the middle class. Walmart has said for years that this isn't true, that retail workers can indeed move upward. Lately, it's been giving more grants to make that to happen and, perhaps, improve the image of the retail sector as a wholeone of the top targets of the new labor activists who are calling for raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Last year, Walmart provided $16 million in grants to seven nonprofits for training, education and career pathways for retail workers.

Related: Guess Who's Becoming a Major Grantmaker for Workforce Development? Walmart

That's the context for the recent news that the foundation gave $10.9 million to a Chicago workforce agency. This grant supports the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and funds education and employment services for retail workers.

Formed in 2012, the organization has provided free services to job seekers and businesses. Its grown into one of the largest of its kind in the entire country, with a budget of around $60 million, administering funding to at least 53 institutions.

According to the Chicago Tribune, about one-third of Walmarts new $10.9 million commitment funds local programs like a new training center for retail workers. The location has yet to be determined. Walmarts target demographic is new workers looking for their first jobs as well as current employees who want to move up in the retail field. Although most retail workers havent heard of it, theres actually a National Retail Federation certification program offered to employees, and the new centers courses can certify employees to get a leg up on the competition.

"Despite the fact that there's this stigma around low-wage jobs, the reality is that one in four American jobs are in the retail industry," said Karin Norington-Reaves, CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. "Our job is to ensure people are going into the retail sector space with a rich understanding of the opportunities that await them, and that there are quicker opportunities to advance within retail than any other sector."

Norington-Reaves also said that her agency works with companies to train and hire Chicago employees, and that they have helped Walmart hire about 350 people. So this really seems to be a mutually beneficial relationship between the workforce group and Walmart, and a win-win situation for the Walmart Foundation. However, the city of Chicago has to share this funding with 10 other locations, as grants will also be distributed to workforce development boards across the country.

"Engaged, thriving associates provide much better service to customers," said Kathleen McLaughlin, the Walmart Foundation's president and Walmarts chief sustainability officer. "We are trying to improve the way the sector as a whole works so the talent pool in retail is enriched. It's good for us in the long term as well."

The Walmart Foundation says more about its workforce funding on its Opportunity page. State Giving Program grants, for example, range from $25,000 to $200,000, and priority is given to programs that serve women and veterans regarding job training and placement.

Related:
Last fall, Comic Relief, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and the Association of Charitable Foundations brought together more than 30 U.K.-based groups to discuss a funding priority list pertaining to the growing refugee crisis in Europe. What resulted from the meeting was not only increased public interest and media coverage, but the establishment of the New Beginnings Fund.

The New Beginnings Fund is a collaborative, pooled fund specifically for the support of refuges and refugee communities. So far, six NGOs have chipped in to create the 500,000 fund including Barrow Cadbury Trust, Comic Relief, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Pears Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation and the Rayne Foundation.

The sum of 500,000, or around $720,000, may seem like a pittance relative to the droves of refugees who continue to land on the shores of Europe. As we've reported, the shortfall in funding needed to address the global refugee crisis is in the billions. Still, every bit makes a difference, and New Beginnings has chosen a very specific niche. It isnt targeting the international NGOs working with refugees on a global scale; its targeting local U.K. groups welcoming refugees and asylum seekers into their communities.

New Beginnings is offering grants to frontline refugee organizations that are working to get their local communities involved in volunteering and supporting their work to promote integration and welcome new arrivals. Grants are currently being administered by the U.K. Community Foundations.

Related: UPS Turns Its Attentions to Europes Growing Refugee Population

In the grand scheme of things, the creation of the New Beginnings Fund can be counted as a win for refugee funding, which has been gaining more traction around the globe in recent months. Particularly as it applies to local, boots-on-the-ground outfits that are often understaffed and underfunded.

That said, unless more NGOs hop on New Beginnings collaborative bandwagon, it wont be able to provide refugee-related funding for more than seven regions in the U.K. Not to mention that as of right now, the fund can only offer one-year grants, which will address some of the more immediate and emergent needs of refugees that end up in that seven-region spread, but does nothing for their long-term needs.

Related: How Do Chromebooks Help Refugees? Google.org Has an Answer to That

As the global refugee crisis drags on with no end in sight, the long-term needs of refugees are coming into sharper focus. It certainly stands to reason that if there isnt enough money to address their short-term needs, there is going to be even less to help refugees rebuild their lives a year from now. And given the massive funding shortfalls herethe U.N. puts the number at $15 billionno single entity or group alone can fill the cavernous gap.

But one way for smaller funders to engage, here, is through collaborations such as New Beginnings, in which a bunch of likeminded funders get together, pool their money, spread their risk, and work collaboratively to assist refugees.
Update 3/24/16  The city council approved the Advantage Advisors rezoning request on Monday. The amendment to the planned development district standards for Lakeside Ranch Business Park will now include mini-warehouse as a land use through a special-use permit.

Advantage Self Storage Advisors, which operates 15 facilities in Texas, is seeking approval to build a new property in Flower Mound, Texas. The planning and zoning commission this week recommended the town council support an amendment to allow self-storage on the site in the Lakeside Business District, a large-scale commercial and light-industrial park.

Advantage has a tract under contract at the northeast intersection of Gerault Road and Lakeside Parkway. The storage facility would be built on 2.1 acres of the land and include 650 units, according to Rick Jones, founder and president.

Most of the adjacent property owners support the project, Jones told the board. Only one person has opposed it, citing traffic concerns. He assured board members the facility would have minimal traffic. Maybe 50 cars per day. This will give the community an opportunity for self-storage, he said.

The propertys design will blend with the existing area, Jones said. Comparable facilities exist in similar areas, including Craig Ranch, a master-planned community in McKinney, Texas, and The Shops at Legacy, a shopping mall in Plano, Texas, according to the source.

Flower Mound has one existing storage facility and a second under construction. Both are near Farm to Market Road 407.

Advantage Storage developed its first facility in Sherman, Texas, in 1996. To date, the company has acquired, developed, managed and sold more than 30 facilities comprising more than 15,000 storage units and 2 million square feet of rentable space. Its management arm is Advantage Self Storage Property Management LLC.
A man was kidnapped from a self-storage facility in Austin, Texas, last month, held captive for about three hours, robbed of cash and later robbed of possessions from his home. According to police, Jacob Vasquez, 31, approached the victim on Feb. 25 at 12:30 a.m. outside Ben White Mini Storage at 405 E. Ben White Blvd. and asked him for a cigarette. When the victim said he didnt smoke, Vasquez told the man he had a gun and forced him to leave the property, visiting ATM machines where he was made to withdraw cash.

The pair first went to a nearby convenience store to withdraw $800, according to the source. The victim told investigators a police officer was in the store while he withdrew the money, but Vasquez told him that if he said anything, he would kill the victim, the officer and the store clerk.

Vasquez then forced the victim to return to the storage facility where they met up with a woman, later identified as Priscilla Lynn Garcia, who appeared to be living in a storage unit. The trio got into a cab, drove to a nearby Walmart, and the victim was asked to withdraw more money from an ATM. The group then traveled to the victims home in South Austin where the alleged kidnappers stole electronics including cellphones, laptops and printers before calling another cab and leaving, the source reported.

Surveillance video from the stores support the victims story, investigators told the source. The victim claims he wasnt harmed and never saw a gun. He said Vasquez reached inside his jacket and said several times he would kill him if he tried to alert police or escape.

Two days after the alleged kidnapping, Vasquez reportedly approached two men in a Walmart parking lot, flashed a gun held in his waistband, and forced them to drive him around, police said.

Vasquez has been charged with aggravated kidnapping for the Feb. 25 incident and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon for the second crime.
Bids by jurisdictions such as New York City and California to create private sector savings plans offer little in the way of lifetime income.

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James worries about the fate of retirees in one of the worlds richest cities. Without bold action on retirement security, more than half of working New Yorkers will be forced to retire on a food budget of $5 a day, she warns.

In February 2015 James introduced a bill before the City Council to create a review board to study offering a 401(k) plan for private sector workers who lack one. New York Mayor and board member Bill de Blasio, who made the pension effort official in his State of the City speech last month, has adopted much of Jamess plan for his own proposal to set up such a retirement savings system.

These moves stem from a growing sense among municipal and state policymakers that, without urgent action, Social Security and other earned benefits may be the only retirement income for many Americans. Vehicles like 401(k)-style savings accounts are emerging as an option to help people save, but they wont solve the problem of retirement insecurity.

New York State  for which Governor Andrew Cuomo has also proposed a private sector savings plan  shows how big that problem is. Sixty percent of [working] people in New York City have no access to a retirement plan, says Beth Finkel, AARPs New York State director. In New York State, 52 percent of people do not have access to a retirement plan. Ten thousand people turn 65 every day, and many of them are retiring into poverty. In New York City that number equates to about 3.5 million people without access to a retirement plan. If residents have been able to sock something away, its often only a few thousand dollars, Finkel adds.

Thats why we are creating an infrastructure for New Yorkers to save for retirement and prepare for the future, James says. Our legislation will ensure that a comfortable retirement is not simply a luxury for the already wealthy but a reality for every individual in our city.

For de Blasio, creating a city savings program will require Washington to make an exception to the 1974 ERISA, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Traditionally, civil servants have had state-sponsored pension plans that oblige governments to assume a fiduciary duty. Local and state governments would like to offer 401(k)-style plans to private sector workers without having to play that role. Rather than manage the money like a defined benefit pension, they want to give individual savers a choice of retail vehicles such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.

The road ahead for Cuomo looks easier. Last fall the DoL issued an ERISA exemption for state governments that want to offer 401(k) plans without fiduciary obligations. Final rules governing the exemption have yet to be released, but the initial guidance spurred several state efforts to offer these plans. If de Blasio wins a similar exemption for his city, private sector workers could see a wealth of new retirement options spring up at the civic level, even if their state government doesnt act.

De Blasios push comes as the window to help older generations is closing. The most senior baby boomers are already eligible for Social Security, and thousands more reach that milestone each day. Generation X is nearing retirement too: Its oldest members are 51. Average retirement income on Social Security varies based on age and contributions, but most people end up living at or below the poverty line when Social Security is their only source of funds.

Were running out of time to give people enough years to save anything, AARPs Finkel says. And if they dont, theyre going to need public assistance that may not be available.

Individuals are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they have access to a plan, according to data from AARP. California was the first mover on the idea that states could step in to fill the gap if employers dont offer pensions. In 2012 the state passed a law setting up California Secure Choice, a retirement planning board and trust. What emerged was a policy framework that would allow employees to opt into an automatic payroll deduction, just like most standard 401(k)s. Several states quickly picked up the idea, and now 27 have approved or are considering similar measures. For those that have passed legislation, the first plans could be offered as early as 2017.

Arizona State Senator Martin Quezada introduced one such bill. The measure hasnt gone forward yet, but Quezada says retirement security became an crucial issue for him after he learned how little Arizonans have saved. When I was researching this and going through the process, it became really clear to me how big of a problem this is, he explains. I plan to keep pushing for ways to help savers in Arizona.

Long considered supplements to a defined benefit pension and Social Security, 401(k)s and IRAs are now often the only source of retirement savings for private sector workers. Although policymakers acknowledge the new reality by stumping for these investment options, delivering real retirement security is another matter.

New research from the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank, shows that recessions are most damaging to workers near retirement because 401(k) balances can plummet or vanish in a downturn like that in 2008. Most state policies that would offer a 401(k) dont address the lack of income security after retirement.

Connecticut is one state that is considering a plan design to provide participants with the greater likelihood that their savings can last their lifetime, but most states have not fully taken this important step into consideration, says Angela Antonelli, executive director of the Center for Retirement Initiatives at Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy. Antonelli, who is also research professor, says the next push will be to address lifetime income.

The goal is more than savings for savings sake, she asserts. We need to engage individuals and policymakers in a discussion about how to improve retirement planning. Were in the midst of a silver tsunami, and that could result in a big demand for public assistance unless we act.

Get more on pensions.
When the going gets tough, companies embrace the use of pro forma earnings to cast their results in the best possible light. As a result, the gap between pro forma earnings and earnings from generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) has reached its highest level since the financial crisis year of 2008.

Earnings definitely arent as strong as they are being portrayed, says Andrew Lapthorne, head of quantitative equity research for Societe Generale in London. This is symptomatic of the end of the business cycle. Its an attempt to maintain an illusion by removing things from earnings to make them better.

Companies are legally required to report GAAP earnings. But in their earnings releases, they will often first cite pro forma earnings that exclude items such as asset write-downs or legal expenses, justifying the omissions as one-time items or not indicative of the companys underlying operations.

Not surprisingly, the gap between pro forma and GAAP earnings widens when companies face more problems. Last year GAAP profits for the Standard & Poors 500 index totaled only 74 percent of pro forma profits, the lowest ratio in seven years. Companies have a natural bias to paint the best picture possible, says Dan Suzuki, senior U.S. equities strategist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York.

Companies with big gaps between pro forma and GAAP earnings tend to underperform the market, since the factors causing them to write down assets or incur large expenses frequently persist, he says. As for the stock market as a whole, a rising gap between pro forma and GAAP earnings tends to be a coincident or lagging indicator of weakness, analysts say. Items like write-downs generally reflect news that investors already know.

Among the industries reporting the biggest gaps are energy, where companies are excluding asset write-downs caused by plunging oil prices; health care, where companies are leaving out acquisition costs; financial services, where banks are excluding large legal fees; and technology, where companies are ignoring stock-based compensation.

For example, Oklahoma Citybased Chesapeake Energy Corp. reported a loss of $14.9 billion last year under GAAP. But the company said it lost only $329 million after dropping items typically excluded by securities analysts in their earnings estimates. The primary items were losses in the value of Chesapeakes oil and gas holdings.

Dublin-based pharmaceuticals company Allergan reported pro forma earnings per diluted share of $3.48 for the third quarter, compared with a GAAP loss from continuing operations per diluted share of $2.35. The discrepancy came from leaving out amortization and acquisition-related expenses,

Meanwhile, Twitters stock-based compensation totaled 247 percent of its pro forma earnings last year. And the San Francisco social media company is increasing that form of pay this year to avoid defections by employees. So that percentage figure will almost certainly rise. Warren Buffett has railed against companies for leaving stock-based compensation out of their pro forma earnings statements, and Bill Stone, chief investment strategist for PNC Wealth Management, agrees. Compensation is compensation, whether you pay people in stock or cash, he says. It may be worth it, but it should be considered an expense.

To be sure, given that companies report GAAP earnings alongside the pro forma earnings and offer an explanation of what adjustments have been made, investors and analysts generally have all the information they need to evaluate a company, experts say. You can add adjustments back to the earnings if you think they are recurring, Suzuki says. As long as companies are giving transparency, thats all you can ask. Most companies do a good job giving you visibility on whats driving the adjustments.

But the gap between GAAP and pro forma earnings is ringing an alarm bell among some equity investors, because the last time it grew this large coincided with the 200809 financial crisis, Stone says. Hes not too concerned now, however. The energy industry is a mess and will probably endure further pain, but thats unlikely to spill over into the rest of corporate America, he maintains. Lower fuel prices will probably be a net help for the rest of the economy.

So just because the GAAP and pro forma earnings gap is widening doesnt necessarily mean a bear market is at the door.
Tony Weeresinghe often told his friends and colleagues that when he turned 50 he would leave the corporate world behind and become a philanthropist. Some may have laughed, but the serial financial technology entrepreneur wasnt joking. In 2014, after overhauling the trading platform at the London Stock Exchange, Weeresinghe resigned from his post and was cryptic about his next move. In January he reemerged to launch Ustocktrade, billed as the first retail equityfocused alternative trading system, with a dual mission: to democratize trading and wealth creation and to raise money to build schools in developing countries.

Weeresinghe, 53, grew up in Sri Lanka, where he attended the prestigious S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia. He helped U.S. tech giant Oracle Corp. enter his homeland as country manager in the 1990s and served as CEO of IT products and services firm Open Systems Technologies there before founding MillenniumIT, a trading and billing automation services provider based in the outskirts of Colombo, in 1996.

The LSE bought MillenniumIT in 2009 for $30 million and enlisted Weeresinghe to transform its own trading platform structure. In the span of a year, he and his team brought the exchanges trading time down from 6 milliseconds to 100 microseconds and cut the number of machines from some 600 to about 45. Those changes reduced costs by roughly 75 percent and boosted performance dramatically. As he went about his work, Weeresinghe decided that he had to start giving back.

During my time going around the world and automating capital markets, I saw the disparity between the haves and have-nots and thought, Its not fair when people dont have enough to eat, but we in the capital markets make so much money, he tells Institutional Investor. The best way to tackle this unfairness, in Weeresinghes view, is to educate those in poor areas so they can contribute to the economy and reap its benefits. Im a firm believer in capitalism  I think thats the best way to get poverty out, he says.

To that end, Newton, Massachusettsbased Ustocktrade is creating a cheap, transparent space where U.S. retail investors can trade, and using profits from that operation to build schools in developing countries through the Cainan Foundation, a nonprofit established by Weeresinghe and his wife, Cindy.

For $1 per month and $1 per trade, Ustocktrade users have access to a platform that shows the national best bid and offer at the time of execution and settles trades on the same day they are made. Shortening the settlement period from the typical three days reduces market volatility risks for retail investors, Weeresinghe says.

When he was building the platform, Weeresinghe fielded several offers of venture capital but turned them all down. I said, I would be happy to take the money, but I cant give it back because everything is going to build schools and sustain them, he recalls.

The Cainan Foundation is awaiting government approval for its first school, a prekindergarten facility in Sri Lanka. The goal is to construct 100 boarding schools in Sri Lanka, India, Africa and other emerging markets and educate students with curricula that reflect international standards as well as the requirements of each country. To supplement in-house instruction, Cainan has struck a deal with online course provider edX and is in talks with video-based nonprofit educational group Khan Academy. Students who win acceptance to universities will have their tuition paid by the foundation.

Weeresinghe expects to announce official plans for the first school this spring. Were trying to create systemic change, he says.

Follow Kaitlin Ugolik on Twitter at @kaitlinugolik.

Get more on emerging markets.
The leader of global reinsurer Aon Benfields Australian business has called on the industry to use data and analytics a little bit faster, in a big to help communities that struggle with natural disasters.Robert De Souza, chief executive of Aon Benfield Australia and New Zealand, told The Australian that the insurance industry could benefit itself and consumers by utilising data and analytics in better ways.The majority of insurers now price risk at address level, and the availability of high-resolution hazard data allows rates to be calculated specific to each property, de Souza told The Australian.The industry is all over this issue. Its happening, but it could happen a little bit faster and in a more considered fashion.De Souza stressed that the use of data and analytics is not strictly for their own benefit as it will also help communities improve their own resilience by working alongside government.Of course theres the commercial benefit for a company that can price premiums better than their competitors, de Souza said. But the whole community benefits if its fixed through prevention.De Souzas comments follow the Northern Australia Insurance Premium Taskforce which backed mitigation as the best way to help residents of at-risk communities. Suncorp also recently announced that consumers in Northern Australia will receive premium reductions of up to 20% for strengthening their homes against cyclones.
Cyclists given access to insurance products and services and other benefits
The soft market is set to continue for the medium-term as the majority of brokers still think the market is yet to reach its bottom.The latest Insurance Business survey found that 46% of brokers believe the market has nearly reached its bottom but is not quite there, whilst 27% backed the market to be at its nadir. Chris Colahan , president of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance in Australasia, told Insurance Business that it is difficult to see any changes in the local market in the medium-term.While we see some withdrawal of capacity in some lines of business, overall we dont think that anything structural has changed in the Australian market that would lead to a meaningful hardening of the market, Colahan said.Globally, it would appear that capacity in the insurance industry has probably increased over the last 12 months, which is leading to continued pricing pressure.It has hard to see any meaningful hardening in the Australian market over the medium-term.Anita Lane, director of Solution Underwriting , noted that an extremely competitive market, alongside an oversupply of capacity driven by the lack of extreme claims environment, makes the Australian market difficult to predict.I think we need to look at the global markets to see how they are performing before we start to see a hardening trend in Australia. At the moment global insurers remain extremely competitive, Lane told Insurance Business.Until we see a slowdown in the influx of new players in the Australian market we will not see an improvement. Insurers also need to adhere to their underwriting philosophies and write for profit, not just market share.Different insurance markets remain at different stages of the cycle, account executive at Teamcare John Usher noted, as certain lines are faring better than others.I think that for commercial property the market is close to the bottom, Usher told Insurance Business.For negligence risks such as professional indemnity and public liability there has been a flood of new underwriting agencies that continue to drive down prices.I think that this market could still fall further because it is still profitable & still attractive to new capital even with lower premiums. It is also less susceptible to large cumulative risk than property and whilst claims frequency and quantum has increased in recent years this is a gradual process.Facing a market that may not yet have reached the bottom, what can brokers do to help boost their business? Lane stressed that it all comes back to the client.Understand your clients business inside and out, Lane continued.Educate them about the risk surrounding their business and offer viable solutions to their needs.Educate yourself about the products in the market  get to know your underwriters and their appetite for new and exciting products and work with them to create new opportunities.Colahan agreed and noted whether the market is good or bad, the focus needs to remain on the customer.As always, our industrys focus needs to be on really understanding the risk needs of our customers and working hard to tailor solutions for them, Colahan said.Whether we are facing headwinds or tailwinds, being an important partner for our customers will serve us well.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives took up a proposal this week to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes, a potential breakthrough for supporters who have worked for several years to get legalization through the Republican-controlled Legislature.

The debate began with passage of an elaborate amendment, crafted by a bipartisan task force, laying out rules for how the program would work, including eligibility and regulations. It was approved by a 152-38 vote, but the measure still requires a final House vote.

The amended bill would limit medical marijuana to those who have been certified by a medical practitioner to have one of a list of qualifying conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, glaucoma and chronic or intractable pain.

Patients could take the drug as pills, oils and liquids but not in smokeable form. Dispensaries could not sell edible types of marijuana, but patients would be allowed to incorporate it into food themselves. The grower-processors would pay a 5 percent tax on gross receipts from dispensaries.

The bill envisions 25 growers and 50 dispensaries, and each dispensary could have up to three locations. Marijuana could only be grown in indoor, secure facilities within the state.

Rep. Matt Baker, R-Tioga, warned that medical marijuana legalization would hurt a lot of people, comparing it to the states opioid problem.

I find it amazing that while we recognize were in the midst of one of the worst drug crises in history, were now looking to legalize the most illicit drug in America and Pennsylvania  marijuana, said Baker, who as chairman of the Health Committee had helped keep the measure bottled up.

But Rep. Joe Petrarca, D-Westmoreland, said the goal would be to give doctors a tool to help people.

Look at prescription painkillers, and as theyre used, Petrarca said. I believe we have people dying every day nationwide from prescription painkillers. No one has overdosed on marijuana.

Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Westmoreland, said there still are concerns about the use of marijuana by people who then drive on highways or work with heavy equipment.

If the bill passes it will go back to the Senate, which voted 40-7 for a similar approach in May. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf supports legalized medical marijuana.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 23 states have comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs. Seventeen also permit the use of low THC, high cannabidiol products under limited conditions. California passed the first legal medical marijuana measure in the country 20 years ago.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Cannabis Pennsylvania Drugs
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller hailed a recent vote by the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee approving the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act (H.R. 2901).

Miller said this legislation encourages more private insurers to write flood insurance. She said the bill also fits with current efforts by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs administration to increase consumer protection by raising awareness about growing options in the private flood insurance market that could result in substantial savings for many Pennsylvania homeowners.

Protecting consumers and homeowners is the Insurance Departments top priority. In Pennsylvania, we are working with insurers to make affordable, private flood coverage more available for our consumers, Miller said.

We are encouraged by the unanimous, bipartisan passage of this bill out of committee and are urging the full House of Representatives to consider this legislation soon, and the Senate to follow suit, Miller said. We need our partners in the federal government to take this important step to make sure mortgages are available to homeowners with private flood insurance.

In January, Miller testified before the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. During her testimony, Miller stressed that one of the obstacles to increasing the availability of private flood insurance is that many lenders are unsure if private coverage meets the requirements of the federal government. This leads to reluctance among lenders to issue mortgages for homes with private flood coverage.

Miller said the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act (H.R. 2901) would remove that obstacle by requiring lenders to accept private flood insurance if it complies with state laws and regulations and includes the required limits of coverage.

Mortgages backed by the federal government require flood insurance for homes in designated flood zones. Prior to the last three years, almost all residential flood insurance was sold through the federal government run National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Miller said recent premium increases for many homeowners with NFIP policies, and re-mapping of many other properties into flood zones by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has made the flood insurance market more attractive to private insurers.

Providing options for homeowners when it comes to flood insurance is important to help consumers who need or want this coverage find it at more affordable prices, Miller said.

Last month, Miller announced creation of a one-stop shop for consumers to find information about private flood insurance in Pennsylvania. The information is available on the Insurance Department homepage, www.insurance.pa.gov, by clicking on the Flood icon under Top Pages.

Miller said the legislation approved by the House committee would define as acceptable a policy issued by a private insurance company that is licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved in the state in which the insured property is located. A policy issued by a non-admitted insurer, also known as a surplus lines policy, would also qualify.

She said including surplus lines policies is important, as most private coverage now sold in Pennsylvania is through the surplus lines market. At least five surplus lines carriers sold flood insurance to homeowners in Pennsylvania in 2015, and have written nearly 1,000 policies.

Topics Legislation Flood Homeowners Market Pennsylvania
IronPro, Ironshores financial and professional lines unit, is introducing a suite of enhanced cyber and Technology E&O products customized for the Canadian marketplace. IronPros cyber and tech products will also provide eligible Ironshore Highly Protected Information (HPI) policyholders with cyber monitoring and alert services (CMAS) during the policy period.

IronPro has engaged the information security firm, BorderHawk, to offer CMAS services that detects potential threat indicators and extrapolates such knowledge into a proactive indication and warning process for IronPro Insureds.

CMAS generates and transmits a cyber risk warning alert to a predetermined point of contact at the insured for immediate action in the event of a potential risk.

Cyber risk warning alerts signal potential vulnerabilities or threats associated with a specific IP address, thereby indicating heightened risk exposure to the client entity.

We recognize that while alerting systems can be a critical component of cyber security programs, most organizations depend on accidental discovery to initiate investigations of malicious cyber threats, said Steve Akridge, president of BorderHawk. IronPro clients will be notified when questionable activity occurs, providing a more responsive investigation when primary security tools do not recognize a potential threat.

David Tran, senior vice president, IronPro Canada said the IronPros risk management offering complements it specific asset-class PrivaProtector policy form to address risk exposures for critical infrastructure insureds within the healthcare, financial services, professional services, manufacturing and commercial facilities sectors.

Akridge noted that CMAS is becoming a critical component of an organizations overall security infrastructure as it addresses recent reports that some malware solutions demonstrate an estimated recognition effectiveness of only 60 percent and malware dwell times of nearly twenty-four months before discovery is the norm in detecting potential threats.

Ironshore provides broker-sourced specialty property and casualty insurance coverages for varying risks located throughout the world. Select specialty coverages are underwritten at Lloyds through Ironshores Pembroke Syndicate 4000.

BorderHawk is a cybersecurity firm composed of information security professionals with offices in Atlanta and Anchorage, Alaska.

Topics Cyber InsurTech Tech Canada
Its not just computers and mobile phones that are vulnerable to cyber attack, according to software firm Trend Micro. As more devices are hooked up to the internet, it could be anything from medical equipment to industrial machinery  and even sex toys.

To illustrate the point, Trend Micro spokesman Udo Schneider surprised journalists at a news conference this week by placing a large, neon-pink vibrator on the desk in front of him and then bringing it to life by typing out a few lines of code on his laptop.

While the stunt provoked sheepish giggles, the message was sobering. As the number of smart, interactive devices connected to the Internet explodes, concern is mounting about insufficient safeguards and a lack of consumer and employee awareness.

If I hack a vibrator, its just fun, Raimund Genes, chief technology officer at Tokyo-listed Trend Micro, told reporters at the CeBIT technology fair in Hanover.

But if I can get to the back-end, I can blackmail the manufacturer, he added, referring to the programming system behind a devices interface.

Germany, host of CeBIT and home to world champion manufacturers, offers rich pickings for hackers, and attacks on industrial production sites are rising, according to the governments latest IT Security Report.

Massive Damage

In 2014, a German steel mill suffered massive damage following a cyber attack on the plants network. In recent weeks, several German hospitals have come under attack from Ransomware, a virus that encrypts data on infected machines and demands that users pay to get an electronic key to unlock it.

The German government got its own wake-up call last year, when hackers attacked the lower house of parliaments computer network, forcing it to shut down the system for several days and compromising large amounts of data.

If someone decided to start shooting with a pistol from the roof of the Reichstag [parliament], security guards would be all over them. But when data are siphoned off for months, no one bats an eyelid, said Dirk Arendt, director of public affairs at Israeli cyber security firm Check Point Software Technologies. There is a lack of awareness.

Responding to the growing cyber threat, Germany approved an IT security law last July that orders 2,000 providers of critical infrastructure to implement minimum security standards and report serious breaches or face penalties.

Fifty-one percent of companies have been victims of digital espionage, data theft or sabotage in the past two years, according to IT lobby group Bitkom.

The threat is more acute among Germanys small-to-medium-sized manufacturers, known as the Mittelstand, where two-thirds of firms registered attacks. As companies move to connect machinery to the internet to enable it to collect and exchange data and make it easier to control remotely, 84 percent of managers expect the risks to rise, according to Deutsche Telekoms Cyber Security Report.

While Germans are vigilant about data protection because of their experience of state surveillance by the Stasi secret police in East Germany and the Gestapo under the Nazis, Arendt said more attention needed to be paid to data security.

Employees need to be made aware of the dangers of opening suspicious-looking PDFs in the same way that motorists are warned by giant roadside signs not to speed, he added.

We only wake up when the damage is done, he said. There are enough examples of successful hacking cases. Now the next steps need to be taken to get back into a secure area.

($1 = 0.9002 euros) (Reporting by Caroline Copley; editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Topics Cyber InsurTech Tech Manufacturing
Arthur J. Gallagher International announced that Andrew Agnew, managing director of specialty and member of its executive committee, has been appointed chairman of the London & International Insurance Brokers Association (LIIBA).

He succeeds Steve Hearn of CGSC and takes up the position with immediate effect. Agnew has served as deputy chairman of the association for the past two years.

Agnew joined Arthur J. Gallagher, the international division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., in May 2011 from Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) where he had served as chairman of its London market specialty arm since 2007. He has spent the past four years building a strong London market business of distinct specialisms, offering depth of expertise in all chosen areas, said Gallagher in a statement.

Grahame Chilton, CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher International, said: It is fantastic news that Andrew has been appointed as chairman of LIIBA. He has the perfect blend of experience, knowledge and candor to successfully represent and promote the voice of the wider London market community and we are proud to have one of our Leadership team in such an important role.

I am delighted to take up the position of chairman; it is a privilege to lead this important association and to build on the accomplishments achieved so far, Agnew said.

Further change is necessary for the London market to succeed and prevail among fast maturing global competition. I look forward to working closely with our members and other market bodies to champion modernization initiatives that support our members during this pivotal time in the markets history, he said.

Source: Arthur J. Gallagher International

Topics Agencies London A.J. Gallagher
A truck used to deliver feed to a business where cattle are fattened hit a train track and shifted it at least a foot before an Amtrak train derailed in southwest Kansas and injured at least 32 people, an investigator said.

National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener did not say if the feed truck was the cause of the Amtrak Southwest Chiefs accident the day earlier.

But he said the impact of the truck from the Cimarron Crossing Feeders LLC shifted the train tracks 12 to 14 inches. The train was traveling 60 mph when the engineer applied the emergency brake, stopping 18 seconds later after traveling another 919 feet.

Amtraks Southwest Chief was carrying 131 passengers and 14 crew members when it derailed early Monday, moments after an engineer noticed a significant bend in a rail and applied the emergency brakes, authorities said. At least 32 people were hurt, two of them critically.

Dave Gibbs, a passenger from Pueblo, Colo., who was on the train, said after learning of the NTSB finding that there should be some repercussion for whoever damaged the tracks because a lot of lives were affected by the derailment.

I would probably be willing to travel on the train again because, you know, it definitely puts my mind a little more at ease that it wasnt an issue with Amtrak  that it was actually not their fault, Gibbs said.

The railroad tracks run alongside the south side of a paved highway, and are not fenced off from it. Fresh tire tracks were found on both sides of the highway near the derailment, and investigators put up crime scene tape to preserve the evidence. Cimarron Crossing is located north of the highway, and there is a gap in the fence separating that land from the highway where the tire tracks were found. The tire tracks were not located at a designated rail crossing.

Investigators reviewed data from cameras and recorders on the train as well as the condition of the rails and crew performance.

Cimarron Crossing has been very cooperative and granted investigators access to the truck, Weener said. NTSB posted photos of the vehicle on its Twitter feed. The business is licensed to feed up to 20,000 head of cattle. Huge grain bins were visible on the property from the site of the derailment.

Cimarron Crossing declined comment.

Weener said that forward facing video from the lead locomotive allowed investigators to identify a localized distortion in the track in the area of the impact. The track had last been inspected on March 10.

The train was making a 43-hour journey from Los Angeles to Chicago when it derailed shortly after midnight along a straight stretch of tracks in flat farmland near Cimarron, a small community about 160 miles west of Wichita. Eight cars derailed, and four of them ended up on their sides.

Four of them remained hospitalized on March 16, including two people still in critical condition who were airlifted to Amarillo, Texas. The rest had been released.

BNSF Railway, which owns the track, has asked the public to contact their emergency number posted at railroad crossings and on their website about any incident involving railroad tracks in the wake of Amtrak derailment. The company repaired about 1,000 feet of track at the site on Tuesday, allowing freight and passenger service to resume over the route.

Amtrak said in a statement Tuesday that BNSF has restored the route and normal Southwest Chief service is returning in western Kansas.

The future of the Southwest Chief service  the only Amtrak route through Kansas, with stops at six cities  had been uncertain in recent years. Amtrak had warned it might stop or reroute the line because of disputes over who would pay to install safety technology, but officials reached a deal last year.

Tens of millions of dollars were invested in improving parts of the rail line in Colorado and Kansas.

NTSB said it generally takes a year before it issues a final report on the cause of an accident.

Associated Press writers Maria Fisher and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Mo., also contributed to this report.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto Kansas
The Hartford has agreed to purchase Northern Homelands Co., the holding company of excess and surplus lines insurer Maxum Specialty Insurance Group, for $170 million in cash.

According to the announcement, Maxum will maintain its brand and wholesale distribution model and will be managed as a separate unit within The Hartfords Small Commercial business. The parties said that all Maxum employees will be offered continued employment at close and Maxum will remain headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia and maintain its regional offices in Chicago and Philadelphia.

Maxum Specialty Insurance Group, founded in 2003, is comprised of Maxum Indemnity Co. and Maxum Casualty Insurance Co. Maxum Indemnity is an authorized non-admitted excess and surplus lines insurer in 49 states; the District of Columbia; and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maxum Casualty is an approved admitted carrier in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Both companies are domiciled in Delaware.

Maxum wrote $157 million in premium in 2015, up from $152 million in 2014. For 2015, it reported a combined ratio of 95.5, improved from 105.4 in 2014.

Its biggest states for business include California (12 percent), Texas (12 percent), Florida (11 percent) and New York (10 percent).

Its products include excess and umbrella, general liability, directors and officers liability, fiduciary liability, employment liability, lawyers, allied medical, architects and engineers, miscellaneous errors and omissions, auto physical damage and motor truck cargo.

Maxum writes business through a select group of primarily independent wholesale brokers and general agents. The group is rated A-VIII by A.M. Best. Its statutory surplus exceeds $114.6 million. The purchase price represent 1.5 times Maxums 2015 surplus and 21 times Maxums 2015 statutory earnings of $8 million.

Todays acquisition supports The Hartfords strategy to profitably grow our business by investing in the product, underwriting and distribution capabilities that are making us a broader and deeper risk player, said The Hartfords President Doug Elliot. The addition of Maxum, a well-respected excess and surplus lines company, accelerates our efforts to build upon our market-leading position in Small Commercial by expanding our product offerings and capabilities.

The Hartford said Maxum will help it penetrate larger risks within the small commercial segment by providing more general liability and property coverages.

Last July, Hartford CEO Christopher Swift told analysts said that any acquisition The Hartford might entertain would be one that adds to its product lines and helps it capture more market share in the U.S. as opposed to internationally. He said then that the company has flexibility to finance an acquisition should it find a deal that makes sense.

The deal will be structured as a merger between Northern Homelands and Hartford Fire. The Hartford said it does not expect any restructuring costs in the deal.

The transaction, which The Hartford said will not have a material impact on its financial results, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2016.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Excess Surplus
Residents were evacuating their homes in Southeast Texas on March 15 as rivers swollen by days of heavy rain displaced thousands of people, forced the temporary closure of a major interstate and overwhelmed small towns along the Louisiana border.

People rushed to fill sand bags to place around their houses as authorities warned of record flooding not seen since 1884 along the Sabine River, which serves as a long border between Texas and Louisiana. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who was scheduled to tour the area on March 16, has issued a disaster declaration across much of the region.

Livestock was being moved to higher ground and residents were trying to salvage equipment in some areas, including by using small boats to move equipment out of flooded buildings. Officials warned people using boats to escape floodwaters to be careful of fast-moving waters and of poisonous snakes and other wildlife that could pose threats.

In the town of Orange, Mayor Jimmy Sims said hed never seen the kind of flooding that has hit the area about 100 miles east of Houston over the last week. He asked people to stay away from the downtown area on Tuesday amid its evacuation.

Hopefully well be out of the woods soon, he said, noting that much of the floodwater is moving toward marshland in Louisiana that can better absorb the water.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported in the region, which was slammed by as much as 20 inches of rain over four days last week. Steadily rising waters along rivers prompted evacuations beginning last weekend.

Although the rain has mostly subsided, the water is moving south along several waterways, including the Sabine, Neches and Trinity rivers, heading to Galveston Bay  but not before inundating several riverside towns.

The heavy rains also prompted authorities to release massive amounts of water from the Toledo Bend Reservoir, including at a rate of 207,000 cubic feet per second  similar to the flow rate over Niagara Falls  according to National Weather Service meteorologist Tim Humphrey.

Nine spillway gates were open early Tuesday releasing 67,000 cubic feet per second at the reservoir, which at 284 square miles is one of the largest man-made bodies of water in the South. The draining has contributed to the flooding.

The flooding forced intermittent closures of Interstate 10, one of the countrys major transportation arteries.

The Texas Department of Transportation at one point closed the eastbound lanes and motorists as far away as El Paso, in another time zone, were warned to find alternative routes. The interstate was reopened by early Tuesday afternoon. Then Orange County officials said late Tuesday night that eastbound lanes near the Louisiana border had been closed due to high water.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Texas Louisiana Flood
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak has requested that the Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) no longer receive appropriated funds from the state.

He said his office as the has the ability to function on the licensing fees it collects. With the state facing a budget crisis, Doak said it only makes sense for our appropriation to go elsewhere.

Since Doak took office in 2011, the OID has received a total of $9,047,632 in appropriated funds. In that same time period, the Legislature has taken $28,500,000 from the OIDs revolving account.

Im very proud of the fact that we have been well below budget every year Ive been in office, said Doak. Due to efficiency and conservative spending, our unspent funds went to the other agencies and programs that desperately needed it. We will continue to do all we can to help Oklahoma weather this financial storm.

The OID also is on track to spend less this fiscal year than any other year of Doaks tenure, despite new responsibilities. Since 2011, the OID has taken on the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers, the Oklahoma Option and new captive insurance statutes.

Doaks request was made in a letter to Gov. Mary Fallin and the Legislature, which is posted below.

Topics Oklahoma
Citizens Property Insurance Corp.s board of governors has approved a slate of recommendations aimed at reducing the impact of what it calls skyrocketing water-loss claims that could reverse progress made in returning Citizens to the states insurer of last resort.

Included in a handful of recommendations approved by the board, according to a statement from Citizens, is offering premium discounts to policyholders who choose managed repair agreements so that repairs can be completed by a Citizens-vetted qualified contractor. The board also approved placing sublimits on water loss claims if other incentives are not sufficient to reduce claims costs. Any changes would have to be approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

Citizens said the changes are needed following recent unsuccessful attempts to pass significant legislative reforms aimed at curbing abuses involving assignment of benefits (AOB), under which policyholders give third party vendors the ability to control their claims following a loss. Florida legislators failed to pass legislation that would have addressed the issue before the 2016 session ended.

Citizens said water-loss trends connected to runaway AOB-based litigation threaten to reverse Citizens depopulation efforts as private insurance companies will begin raising rates or dropping policyholders, forcing them to return to Citizens.

The unfortunate impact on Citizens policyholders will be premium increases in affected regions in 2017 and beyond, as well as potentially fewer private-market insurance options as private carriers reduce their exposure in the hardest hit areas, said Barry Gilway, Citizens president, CEO and executive director.

Citizens said due largely to water-related losses, its policyholders in South Florida can expect to see annual rate hikes approaching 10 percent in 2017 and years to come. Estimated rates in those counties would have to nearly triple to pay for non-wind related losses. Under the 10 percent glide path, Miami-Dade policyholders could see average premiums climb from $2,800 to $4,000 in just five years.

Policyholders in other parts of the state, who were expected to have rate decreases in 2017, also may be subjected to higher rates based on higher water claims and increased AOB-related litigation, Citizens said.

2017 Indicated Rates

Using rates approved by the OIR for 2015, Citizens actuaries calculated current non-wind loss trends and determined the indicated rate need for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties along with an overall figure for the rest of the state.

Region Indication Broward 186.5% Palm Beach 165.8% Miami Dade 189.6% Rest of state -10.1%

Citizens said it is working with OIR to identify and implement policy changes that would improve the claims process and avoid the need for across-the-board sublimits.

For the past four years, we have worked hard to return Citizens to its role as a true residual insurer, said Chris Gardner, chairman of Citizens Board of Governors. Citizens remains committed to protecting surplus for the benefit of its policyholders when they need it. These loss trends, however, raise serious concerns.

Citizens launched a campaign earlier this year to encourage homeowners to report a loss as soon as they know there might be damage. Call Citizens First, the insurer said, ensures it can promptly inspect any damages before permanent repairs are made. Currently, however, Citizens said it is receiving first notice of loss for non-weather water losses an average of more than 30 days after the loss occurs and, in many cases, is not informed of the loss until after repairs have been made. This delay is accelerating litigation, according to Citizens, which says it now receives an average of 620 new lawsuits a month.

Citizens said it supports keeping policyholders in charge of their claims by limiting the ability of third parties to assume control and promote litigation, and will support legislative initiatives to ensure this occurs in the future.

Related:

Topics Trends Florida Legislation Claims Profit Loss
A federal judge threw out a lawsuit accusing Procter & Gamble Co. of misleading consumers by guaranteeing that Duracell batteries would not fail for 10 years, when in fact the batteries might leak when used or stored normally.

In a decision late on March 15, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, Calif., rejected claims in the proposed class-action lawsuit that P&G and its Gillette unit defrauded consumers in ads and packaging for Coppertop batteries containing Duralock Power Preserve technology.

Koh said reasonable consumers would understand that P&Gs representation that the batteries were guaranteed for 10 years in storage was a warranty to repair, replace or refund batteries that failed within that timeframe, and not a promise that the batteries have no potential to leak.

She also said in her 33-page decision that the complaint did not identify any cause, including any design or manufacturing defect, as to why the batteries might leak.

Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. bought the Duracell business from Cincinnati-based P&G on Feb. 29.

Six law firms filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiff Renee Punian of San Jose, who said she would not have paid a premium price for the batteries had she known they might leak.

Lawyers for Punian could not immediately be reached for comment on March 16. P&G had no immediate comment.

The case is Punian v Gillette Co et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 14-05028.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, editing by G Crosse.)

Topics Lawsuits California Legislation
Join ITR and TMF Groups tax experts at 2pm CET (1pm GMT) on November 15 as they discuss how finance leaders are increasingly faced with doing more with less, and how CFOs should adapt.
As described in an article dated July 1 2015, CA 87/15 introduced new collection rules on inter-state sales to end consumers, non-taxpayers of the state-level VAT (ICMS).

The new rule sets forth that, when inter-state sales are intended for an end consumer that is a non-taxpayer of ICMS, the ICMS due on the transaction will be paid to both states involved in the transaction  the states of origin and destination. Before CA 87/15, when the inter-state sales were intended for an end consumer (non-taxpayer), the ICMS was paid in full to the origin state.

Considering the new rule, such inter-state sales will be subject to an inter-state ICMS tax rate (4%, 7% or 12%, depending on the nature of the transaction) plus the differential tax rate between the ICMS tax rate of the destination state and the inter-state rate (the DIFAL). While the ICMS derived from the interstate rate is paid to the state of origin, the DIFAL is due to the state of destination (CA 87/15 establishes that the DIFAL will be divided between the states of origin and destination, up to 2018; from 2019 henceforth, the DIFAL will be due in full to the state of destination).

The new payment rule aims to balance the division of ICMS revenues between Brazilian states. Its original purpose was to allow all states to obtain a portion of the ICMS generated from e-commerce, because most of the ICMS derived from these transactions was bound predominantly for Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where most online businesses are established. Nevertheless, CA 87/15 did not distinguish between regular or e-commerce sales, enforcing the new rules regardless of the nature of the sales process.

In view of the above, the practical application of CA 87/15 has brought some controversial issues, such as:

The difficulty to define the concept of intra-state transaction, or, in other words, what should be the criterion to define which sales will be characterised as performed within the state and thus not subject to the CA 87/15 rule.

Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro already signalled that, if the sale and delivery of the goods (act of traditio) occurs within the state, the transaction is deemed an intra-state transaction, regardless of the fact that the end consumer is domiciled in another state. Conversely, the Federal District (jurisdiction equivalent to a state) has defined that a sale should be deemed an inter-state sale solely based on the domicile of the end consumer, irrespective of the place where the transfer of property has occurred.

Therefore, if a consensus criterion is not reached between states or defined at the federal level, we foresee a new chapter in the tax war between Brazilian states, whereby each state may try to impose its concept by using physical cross-state tax barriers.

The possibility of companies accumulating ICMS credits on inter-state sales to non-taxpayer end consumer, as the ICMS credits generated by the inbound shipments can only be offset with the ICMS debits determined by the inter-state tax rate, as set forth in Clause 3 of ICMS Agreement 93/15.

Before ICMS Agreement 93/15 was enacted, the shipping companies were entitled to offset the ICMS credits with the full amount of ICMS debit on inter-state sales to a non-taxpayer end consumer. Based on the restriction imposed by Clause 3 of ICMS Agreement 93/15, companies may, in practice, face an accumulation of ICMS credits.

The accumulation of ICMS credits may be an issue, as each state has its own rules to allow its use. In general, companies face time-consuming procedures to recover said credits, leading to a balance sheet with considerable pending long-term assets (recoverable ICMS).

In conclusion, although the implementation of CA 87/15 should be neutral to the taxpayers (as its purpose was to solely redirect ICMS revenues to the consumer states), in practice, it tends to lead to further discussions between states, and maltreats the real-economy actors, which are the taxpayers.

Julio M. de Oliveira*

joliveira@machadoassociados.com.br Fernando Telles da Silva*

fsilva@machadoassociados.com.br
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Planning your future often requires turning to a financial adviser whom you can trust as a fiduciary for guidance on personal investing, college trusts, income tax preparation, insurance, retirement planning, or estate planning.

Most financial advisers strive to help their clients invest their money in areas that generate rich returns because they themselves tend to accrue commission on the positive returns. The more money financial advisers can make for their clients, the more money they are able to make for themselves.

However, there are certain practices that some financial advisers may partake in that can effectively cheat their clients. If you are worried that your financial advisor may be ripping you off, here are some warning signs to look for when trusting your financial adviser with your money.

Key Takeaways Planning your future often requires turning to a financial adviser whom you can trust as a fiduciary for guidance on personal investing, college trusts, income tax preparation, insurance, retirement planning, or estate planning.

If you are worried that your financial advisor may be ripping you off, there are some warning signs to look for when trusting your financial adviser with your money.

Ensure all the statements you receive from the custodian have only your name appearing on the account.

If your financial adviser tells you of an investment that offers you a high return with low risk, and you instead notice your returns are staying pretty consistent, your investment could be tied into a Ponzi scheme, which generates returns for former investors by using the funds from newer investors.

Commingling Names on the Title of the Account

If your financial adviser commingles or adjoins his name, alongside yours, on the title of your investment account, it grants them unrestricted authority to use the funds at their discretion.

Ensure all the statements you receive from the custodian have only your name appearing on the account. The code of ethics for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards, Inc. outlines commingling as a violation of the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Code and Practice Standards, whereby any violation warrants disciplinary action such as potential revocation for the certificate holder to use the CFP certification marks after his name.

Churning on Your Account

If on your statement, you notice a large number of trades occurring or an increase in transactions on your account without any substantial increase in value, your financial adviser could be churning on your account.

A financial adviser, or specifically a broker, does this to increase their own commissions as they are usually paid whenever they buy and sell a security. A way to avoid churning on your account is to open a wrap account where a flat fee is charged periodically instead of one based on trade transactions.

Scamming

If your financial adviser tells you of an investment that offers you a high return with low risk, and you instead notice your returns are staying pretty consistent, your investment could be tied into a Ponzi scheme, which generates returns for former investors by using the funds from newer investors.

Moreover, Ponzi schemes are often a part of affinity fraud, which entails inflicting the scam upon members of certain groups, such as an ethnic community, religious community, or the elderly. To avoid this, confirm that your investments and financial advisers and their respective firms are registered with the SEC (since the majority of Ponzi scheme investments involve unregistered firms).

Embezzling

If your financial adviser insists you play a minimal role in your investments and let them deal with the "burden" of your account, since it is their job, they likely want to obtain from you a power of attorney to act on your behalf for decisions involving your investments. This opens up great risk for the safety of your assets since your financial adviser is then able to legally trade upon your securities and move the return or the security itself into any account they choose. To your greater detriment, your adviser could also transfer your money into their personal accounts, and although this act is illegal, it is costly and timely for you to pursue after the fact.

To avoid this happening, never grant power of attorney to your adviser. If you must, however, stipulate in a power of attorney agreement that upon granting power of attorney, your financial adviser is only permitted to trade your securities without notifying you but never permitted to draw upon returns or move assets from their original accounts. To protect your investments, be cautious when entrusting your money to others. Always validate your financial adviser's credentials, background and ethics record.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is a global financial services holding company and the largest U.S. bank by total assets. The company traces its origins back as far as 1799, when the Manhattan Co. was founded in New York City. The bank's current form is built on the foundations of more than 1,200 predecessor institutions, including J.P. Morgan & Co., the Chase Manhattan Bank, Bank One, and many others. Today, JPMorgan provides consumer banking, investment banking, commercial banking, asset management, and other services. It operates through four reported business segments, including Consumer & Community Banking; Corporate & Investment Bank; Commercial Banking; and Asset & Wealth Management. In 2020, the firm generated $29.1 billion in net income on $119.5 billion in net revenue. Its market cap was $471.6 billion as of July 10, 2021.

More than 200 years after the founding of the Manhattan Co., JPMorgan continues to evolve and expand. Its current name is the result of a merger between two banks in 2000. Acquisitions over the next decade added to the bank's total assets, helping to make it the largest commercial bank in America. Some of those acquisitions took place amid the 2008 financial crisis. At the prodding of the U.S. government, JPMorgan executed two major acquisitions during that period to help the U.S financial industry avoid a system-wide collapse. Others have helped to expand the bank's global operations.

Below, we look in more detail at seven of JPMorgans most important acquisitions. The company does not provide a breakdown of how much profit or revenue that each acquisition currently contributes.

1. JPMorgan & Co. Inc./The Chase Manhattan Corp.

Type of Business: Banking and Financial Services

Acquisition Price: $30.9 to $38.58 billion

Acquisition Date: Sept. 13, 2000 (announced)

The banks current name of JPMorgan Chase & Co. originated with a merger between JPMorgan & Co. Inc. and the Chase Manhattan Corp. in 2000. JPMorgan & Co. was first founded in New York in 1871. The Chase Manhattan Corp. traces its origins back to Chase National Bank, which was first established in Manhattan in 1877. Published estimates of the dollar value of the merger range from $30.9 billion to $38.58 billion.

The merger, nonetheless, resulted in a company with total assets of about $660 billion, making it the third-largest U.S. bank behind Citigroup, Inc. (C), with $800 billion, and Bank of America Corp. (BAC), with $680 billion. The deal also linked Chases syndicated-lending franchise and venture-capital division with JPMorgan Chases profitable private-banking division with $400 billion in assets under management (AUM). Since that time, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has become the largest bank in the U.S. with approximately $3.2 trillion in total assets.

2. Bank One Corp.

Type of Business: Banking and Financial Services

Acquisition Price: Approximately $58 billion

Acquisition Date: July 1, 2004 (completed)

Bank One traces its origins to the formation of the First Banc Group of Ohio in 1968. First Banc Group expanded through acquisitions of other banks, first in Ohio and then in several other states, including Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. The company later renamed itself Bank One Corp. before being acquired by JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2004. The merger, first announced in January 2004, made JPMorgan Chase the second-largest bank in the U.S. with $1.1 trillion in total assets, just shy of Citigroups $1.2 trillion.

Acquiring Bank One helped bolster JPMorgans consumer retail banking and gave it the scale to compete more aggressively with Citigroup. The details of the deal made it clear who would soon lead the giant bank. The agreement stipulated that Bank One's chair and chief executive officer (CEO), Jamie Dimon, would become president and chief operating officer (COO) of the combined entity, and eventually succeed JPMorgans then-CEO William Harrison Jr. in 2006. Mr. Dimon assumed the role of CEO on Dec. 31, 2005, and chair of the board a year later. Regarded as the nations preeminent banking executive, he remains in those positions today.

3. The Bear Stearns Companies Inc.

Type of Business: Investment Banking

Acquisition Price: $1.4 billion

Acquisition Date: May 31, 2008

The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. was founded in 1923. It survived the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed. By the early 2000s, Bear Stearns had become one of the largest and most respected investment banks on Wall Street. But that prestige quickly vanished due to the securitization of risky debt instruments and heavily leveraged positions that blew up during the subprime mortgage meltdown and global financial crisis of 2008. On the brink of bankruptcy in the spring of 2008, Bear Stearns was forced to choose between financial collapse or accepting JPMorgans takeover offer.

The U.S. government, concerned about a possible collapse of the entire U.S. financial sector, played a major role in facilitating JPMorgan's takeover of Bear Stearns. The takeover was facilitated by a $30 billion bailout loan from the Federal Reserve to finance Bears less-liquid assets, such as mortgage securities that the bank was unable to sell. That unusual Fed loan ensured that JPMorgan would suffer no losses if the value of those specific assets declined. However, the fire-sale deal may not have paid off as well as expected. In 2015, CEO Jamie Dimon said that the bank already had to pay out $19 billion to settle lawsuits related to the crisis, with 70% of those costs attributable to Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, another distressed financial institution acquired by JPMorgan during the crisis.

4. Washington Mutual Bank

Type of Business: Savings and Loan Association

Acquisition Price: $1.9 billion

Acquisition Date: Sept. 25, 2008

Washington Mutual was first established in Seattle in 1889 under the name Washington National Building Loan and Investment Association. The savings and loan bank, which offered checking and savings accounts, residential mortgages, and other loans, became Washington Mutual Savings Bank in 1917. It expanded during the 20th century by acquiring other financial institutions and had become the largest U.S. savings and loan bank by 2008.

Like Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual succumbed to the stresses of the financial crisis, suffering a wave of deposit withdrawals that ended in its takeover by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). It marked the biggest banking collapse in U.S. history. In September 2008, JPMorgan acquired Washington Mutuals banking operations from the FDIC for $1.9 billion. The deal made JPMorgan the largest depository institution in the country. However, as with the Bear Stearns acquisition, JPMorgan was subsequently forced to shoulder unexpected charges and costs related to major lawsuits.

5. Cazenove Group

Type of Business: Stockbroker and Investment Bank

Acquisition Price: $1.7 billion

Acquisition Date: Nov. 19, 2009 (announced)

U.K.-based Cazenove traces its origins to 1819 and is the corporate broker for some of that nations largest companies, as well as the Queen of England. Cazenove first joined forces with JPMorgan in late 2004 when the latter purchased a 50% stake in the U.K. company, creating a 50/50 joint venture between the two firms. The deal included an option for JPMorgan to buy the rest of the company. JPMorgan exercised that option in November 2009 and agreed to pay $1.7 billion for the remaining stake. Though Cazenoves investment banking unit had already been operating closely with JPMorgans activities following the initial joint venture, the transaction resulted in a combination of other parts of the banks businesses, such as equities and research, to be operated under the name JPMorgan Cazenove.

Today, JPMorgan Cazenove operates three core businesses: Corporate Finance, which offers a full range of investment banking services to U.K.-based companies; Cash Equities, which provides corporate, institutional, and hedge fund clients with cash equities services throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and Equity Research, which offers equity research services to clients in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

6. InstaMed

Type of Business: Healthcare Payments

Acquisition Price: Over $500 million

Acquisition Date: July 24, 2019

InstaMed was founded in 2004 in an effort to streamline the healthcare payments system. The company expanded quickly, adding Visa and Mastercard certification in 2007 and Apple Pay capabilities in 2015. In the year prior to its acquisition by JPMorgan, InstaMed processed roughly $94 billion in transactions. InstaMed continues to operate as a subsidiary of JPMorgan. With the acquisition, JPMorgan expanded its suite of payment services to enhance efficiency for healthcare consumers, providers, and payers. It also represented a key expansion for the bank into different aspects of the payment processing business. U.S. healthcare spending as of the time of the acquisition was more than $3 trillion.

7. WePay

Type of Business: Payment Processing Technology

Acquisition Price: More than $220 million and up to $400 million including retention bonuses and earnouts upon hitting specified growth targets

and up to $400 million including retention bonuses and earnouts upon hitting specified growth targets Acquisition Date: December 2017

JPMorgan's acquisition of WePay in 2017 was an important milestone for the bank, representing its first major fintech acquisition. WePay launched in 2008, piloting an interface that could be used by any organization requiring a payments infrastructure, including popular crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe. By moving into the payment processing space, JPMorgan was expanding into new areas of finance opened up by a younger generation of fintech companies. Following the acquisition, JPMorgan offered WePay technology and services to its 4 million small business clients.

CorrectionMay 27, 2022: A previous version of this article misstated Washington Mutual's trade name.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires two separate forms of identification in order to access something. The first factor is typically a password while the second can be a code sent to the users phone or tablet or biometrics using their fingerprint, face, or retina 2FA combines two of the following: something you know (password), something you are (your fingerprint, face, or retina), and something you have (a phone or tablet).
Eliminating the U.S. government's debt is a Herculean task that could take decades. In addition to obvious steps, such as simply hiking taxes and slashing spending, the government could take a number of other approaches, some of them unorthodox and even controversial. Below are some things it could do.

Opening the Borders

This would be highly controversial considering the growing opposition to illegal and even legal immigration. However, immigrants start businesses at twice the rate of native-born U.S. citizens. So it has been argued that opening the borders to willing workers and would-be entrepreneurs from all over the world would accelerate the creation of businesses that pay the taxes that are desperately needed to reduce the national debt.

A faster-growing population from immigration would also create more demand for everything from housing to cars to dishwashers, creating a stronger economy that will help pay down the debt. Also, more individual taxpayers would help finance Social Security and other safety-net programs for decades to come.

Key Takeaways There are a number of methods to reduce the U.S. national debt that go beyond simply raising taxes and cutting discretionary spending.

One of the most controversial would be to open the nation's borders to immigration, kick-starting entrepreneurship and consumption.

Raising the Social Security retirement age is frequently suggested.

A national sales tax such as seen in Canada and Japan could also help.

Raising the Retirement AgeAgain

Having Americans attain full Social Security retirement benefits in their 70s instead of their 60s could help reduce the national debt by increasing the amount that people pay into Social Security and reducing the time they rely on payments from the program.

The original Social Security retirement age was 65, but due to advances in health care and lifestyle, people are able to work and live much longer than when the program was founded. The retirement age has already risen to 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Some have argued it should be raised again to 70 or even higher.

Implement a National Sales Tax

Lots of other countries have found ways to reduce their debt, and some of their methods could help the U.S. Canada, for example, has a 5% national sales tax on most goods and servicesa consumption levy that some economists prefer to higher taxes on income or investments since those discourage work and saving. Heavily indebted Japan is another country that turned to a sales tax. It recently raised its national sales tax to 10%and the International Monetary Fund urged the Japanese government to double it to 20%.

Revamp the Tax Code

There has been a lot of talk over the years about fully revamping the U.S. tax code. In 2011, a group of six Democratic and Republican senators who were dubbed "the gang of six" looked at options during a standoff over the U.S. debt ceiling. They came close to reaching an agreement on a deficit-reduction plan that would have saved $3.7 trillion over 10 years. This included slashing discretionary spending as well as reforming the tax code to eliminate loopholes. But negotiations broke down.


When commodity prices rise, there is an impact on how people travel, how goods are shipped, and how people formulate their budgets. In comparing the rise of natural gas vs. oil prices, both have an impact on the consumer. For instance, when home heating prices climb, people have to decide whether or not they can afford to turn up their thermostats. Furthermore, when various goods have become more expensive because their components also cost more, people have to make difficult choices on what to buy.

The price of oil affects individual spending choices as well as the budgets of corporations and governments. It forces companies to make difficult decisions. It can even change relations between countries. Oil is perhaps the world's most important natural resource and impacts the daily lives of people worldwide.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that forms beneath the earth's surface, containing many different compounds. It's used as a fuel and to make materials and chemicals. Natural gas is found in spaces between layers of overlying rock, in spaces within formations of sedimentary rock, and with deposits of crude oil. It is often a byproduct of drilling for crude oil. Sometimes the prices of natural gas and crude oil are positively correlated, and move together, but they are often moving in response to different fundamental forces.

Key Takeaways Crude oil and natural gas are two of the most important energy commodities in the world.

Both are found deep underground and extracted through a variety of capital-intensive methods.

When oil and gas prices rise, consumers tend to cut back on certain forms of spending such as travel.

Despite their similarities, research shows that there is actually very little correlation in the price changes between these two products.

Crude Oil

Origins

No one knows for sure how oil was created, but there are two theories that explain how the substance may have originated. The prevailing theory is that oil is a fossil fuel, meaning it is composed of dead plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. After decomposing over the eons, the chemical compounds of the remains broke down and formed what we now call oil.

Twentieth-century Russian scientists proposed another, "abiotic" theory, which suggests that oil comes from near the earth's core, where it eventually flows, much like lava, into puddles underneath the earth's crust.

Finding Crude Oil Reserves

Oil can be found on all of the earth's continents. Some places, like Australia, have very little, but countries that have large reservoirs of oil are key players on the world stage. After all, they are sitting on top of pools of one of the most important global resources.

Oil is traditionally measured in barrels, where 1 barrel equals 42 gallons. Despite the world's massive energy usage, experts think that there are still around 1.43 trillion barrels of oil reserves left in the ground as of mid-2022.

The nations that have the most oil reserves include Venezuela (300 billion bl), Saudi Arabia (266.5 billion bl), and Canada (170.8 billion bl). Middle Eastern nations round out the top 10 all with sizable quantities, but have about one-half of what Saudi Arabia has in reserves. These nations include Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. In total, the region's vast supplies of oil make them an integral part of the world economy.

Canada, which has close to 171 billion barrels within its borders, has the third-largest amount of proven oil reserves in the world. However, nearly all of these reserves are located in Alberta's "sandpits," a terrain that makes the oil harder to extract from the earth than it is in other countries. However, technological innovations are expected to make extracting oil located in this kind of terrain easier. Other nations with large reservoirs of oil include Russia, Libya, the United States, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan.

Refining Crude Oil

Before oil can be used, it has to be broken down in a process known as "refining." After being purchased, oil is shipped to various refineries around the world. In America, many (but certainly not all) of the oil refineries are located in the Gulf Coast region, with about 43% of America's oil being produced in Texas. This is a reason why oil costs tend to fluctuate during storm season. A large hurricane, for example, puts oil supplied at the refineries at risk of destruction.

Refining oil works in a relatively easy way. Crude oil is put into a boiler and turned into a vapor. From there, the vapor moves into a distillation chamber, where it is turned back into a liquid. Different types of oil are formed depending on the temperature they were distilled at. Gasoline, for example, is distilled at cooler temperatures than residual oils that are used to make products, such as asphalt and tar. After the many substances made from oil are processed, they arrive in various products to do a little bit of everything, from heating homes to powering cars.

Oil Uses

It makes sense that the world's biggest economies would use the most oil. America, which has the world's biggest gross domestic product (GDP), also consumes more oil than any other nation. The U.S. uses over 20% of the estimated 100 million barrels of oil produced around the world every day.

The phrase "America's dependence on foreign oil" is mentioned often in the media, particularly in reference to American imports from the Middle East. However, this statement doesn't accurately tell who supplies the U.S. with oil. About one-third of all of the oil America uses comes from reserves found domestically in the 50 states. The country that exports the most oil to America is Canada, with Saudi Arabia in second.

The European Union (EU) also uses a large percentage of the world's reserves, going through approximately 14.5 million barrels per day during the 2010s. Other nations that have large, established economiesJapan, Canada, and South Koreaalso rank high on the list of the world's biggest oil consumers.

China is one country that may play the biggest role in world oil consumption. China currently ranks as the second-biggest oil consumer on the planet. But with its dynamic and fast-growing economy, China's usage of oil is forecasted to grow exponentially. Analysts have said that China's demand for oil grows by approximately 7.5% a year.

This increased demandalong with the growing energy needs of countries like India and Brazilhas been a contributing factor in the rise of oil prices over the past few years. These countries act as the demand for the world's oil supplies. However, the way oil is priced does not reflect that of the free market.

OPEC's Impact on Oil

One body has great influence over the worldwide price of oil. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, more commonly known as OPEC, is a cartel made up of 13 of the world's biggest oil-producing nations, including all of the major Middle Eastern states, Venezuela, and Nigeria. According to OPEC, this cartel controls more than three-quarters of the world's known oil reserves. The major oil producers not in OPEC include Russia, Canada, and the U.S.

Since the OPEC nations produce so much of the world's oil supply, they can manipulate the price per barrel depending on how many barrels per day the group will sell on the world oil market. If the group wants the price to rise in order to make more money, they can reduce the amount of oil contributed to the world market. And if they want the price to diphigh energy prices drive down demand from OPEC's consumersthey can release more barrels to the market.

While Canada, Russia, America, and other producers can also increase supply, they cannot yet affect world prices nearly as much as OPEC.

Types of Oil and Pricing

One might assume there is only one type of oil, but that's far from the truth: There are 161 different types, each with its own consistency, chemical breakdown, and potential for use.

Even though there are so many forms of oil, we typically cite only one price for a barrel. This is because oil traders have selected the most widely used types of oil to determine the price per barrel. For instance, one common type of oil found and used in America is called West Texas Intermediate (WTI). West Texas Intermediate's popularity is due to it being a "light and sweet" oil, which is easy to break down in the refining process. Since this oil is purchased quite frequently, it is used as an industry standard.

Other price benchmarks are used globally. Most European nations use the Brent Blend, found in the North Sea, as their benchmark price. Another heavily used benchmark is the OPEC basket, which combines the prices of several other popular types of oil from around the world into a "price basket."

And while oil can be purchased directly (in what is called the spot market), the commonly cited price per barrel does not reflect what a customer pays. Instead, the price bandied about has been sold on the futures market. In America, WTI crude oil futures are traded through the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). European oil futures are sold through Intercontinental Exchange's London branch. Globex is another popular commodities market where oil futures change hands.

The Correlation Between Oil and Natural Gas

There is a limited positive correlation between crude oil and natural gas prices. It seems logical there would be a positive correlation between the commodities, especially since natural gas is often a byproduct of drilling for crude oil. While at times crude oil and natural gas have had a positive correlation, the markets for each commodity are substantially different and subject to different fundamental forces.

Statistical analysis shows there are periods of positive correlation, but generally, the two have limited correlation.

The correlation coefficient is a statistical measure of the extent to which the price of natural gas and crude oil move together. It is also a measure of the degree to which the prices move together. The correlation coefficient is measured on a scale of -1 to +1. A measure of +1 indicates a perfect positive correlation between two asset prices, meaning the prices of the assets move together in the same direction to the same degree proportionally all of the time.

A measure of -1 indicates a perfect negative correlation. This means the asset prices move in the opposite direction of each other in the same proportion all of the time. If the correlation coefficient is zero, it means there is no relationship between the two prices. The correlation coefficient is often used in the construction of portfolios by providing a statistical measure of the diversification of the assets in the portfolio.

Oil and Gas Data Sources

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides historical data for the daily correlation between commodities on a quarterly basis. This information indicates the correlation between crude oil and natural gas is falling. For example, in 2004, the average quarterly correlation between the two prices was around 0.45. This is a moderate positive correlation.

In 2010, this correlation average fell to -0.006, showing there was very little relationship between the prices. In 2014, the average correlation was 0.075. This also indicates very little correlation. However, the first two quarters of 2015 show an average correlation of 0.195, which is slightly positive. Prices for both commodities generally fell during this period. However, the data shows very little correlation during the decade between 2009 and 2020, apart from some irregular quarters.

The highest correlation was in the third quarter of 2005 with a measure of +0.69. The lowest correlation was in the third quarter of 2010 with a negative correlation of -0.21. In general, the correlation has been falling over time. The EIA notes this is due to the increase in shale oil natural gas production in North America and elsewhere.

Natural Gas Production

Natural gas production has increased dramatically with the discovery of new shale drilling technologies. Between 2007 and 2012, natural gas production from shale drilling rose by a whopping 417% and overall production increased by around 20% during the same period. Natural gas prices have shown greater volatility historically than crude oil prices, while low natural gas prices have led sectors such as the transportation industry to use more natural gas over crude oil.

Production then remained stable, rising slightly year-over-year from 2012 through 2019. In 2020, amid the COVID19 pandemic, however, crude production dropped to 2013 levels. However, it quickly rebounded in 2021 into 2022.

Prices and Oil Production

Shale drilling technologies have also led to expanded crude oil production in North America. Daily crude oil production increased from 5.35 million barrels per day in 2009 to 6.5 million barrels in 2012. Production in 2014 grew even more to 8.7 million barrels a day. In 2019, production rose to a record 12.3 million barrels per day, with a slight decrease in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased production can lead to a dip in oil prices given steady demand. Since oil is sold on a global market, even concerted efforts by groups like OPEC can only influence the price modestly, and only for short periods.

How Can Investors Trade Oil? Oil trades on global commodities and commodities futures markets, which are generally less accessible for individual investors. Instead, investors can invest in ETFs and ETNs that track the price of crude oil (e.g., USO) or companies that occupy the oil sector (e.g., OIH).

How Can Investors Trade Natural Gas? Like oil, natural gas trades in commodities markets and often in derivative products like futures and options. Ordinary investors can instead look to ETFs and ETNs that track natural gas (e.g., UNG) or energy companies that specialize in natural gas production.

Is Gasoline Produced From Crude Oil or Natural Gas? Gasoline, the fuel used in most vehicles today, is a refined product made from crude oil. Despite the shortened "gas" being used for when you're at the pump, it is different from natural gas, which you may use to heat your home, dryer, or stovetop.

The Bottom Line

Oil is one of the world's most important commodities. As a result, the nations that control the bulk of the world's supply have (and exercise) a great deal of power over its availability. The supply of oil in the world market has an impact on its price, and the fluctuations are passed on to consumers, especially in nations that use a lot of oil, such as the U.S.

Oil prices are also determined by the quality and ease of refining. Investors have the option of investing in oil futures, which themselves have an influence on the price of oil that is reported. The oil market is quite complex, and a better understanding of how oil gets to you from the ground in all its forms will help you to understand and deal with fluctuating prices.
(Note: The author of this fundamental analysis is a financial writer and portfolio manager.)

Under Armour, Inc.'s (UAA) stock has already fallen by 24% from its 2018 highs but now the stock appears poised to drop by another 12% from its current price of around $18.25 based on technical analysis. The bearish technical charts come ahead of what analysts expect to be a weak third quarter. (For more, see also: Under Armour May Drop 10% on Weaker Results.)

The shares of the athletic apparel maker are not even cheap at current levels. Under Armours stock is trading at a valuation which is well above competitors such as Nike Inc.'s (NKE) or Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU). (For more, see also: Under Armour's 30% Stock Rebound May Fizzle.)

UAA data by YCharts

Breaking Technical Support

The technical chart shows that the stock has been trending lower since peaking in June. The stock is now trading below technical support of $18.70. Additionally, the downtrend and support create a bearish technical pattern called a descending triangle. Should the stock stay below that level of support, it is likely to fall further towards its next support level around $16. The relative strength index is also trending lower, and that suggests that momentum is leaving the stock.

Weak Forecasts

Analysts are looking for the company to report weak third-quarter results. They are forecasting earnings to decline by more than 43% to $0.12 per share. They are looking for revenue to be up by 1% to $1.42 billion.

The forecasts for the balance of 2018 arent much better because analysts see earnings falling by about 12% to $0.17 per share. That is down from prior estimates in January when analysts were looking for a profit of $0.23.

Not Cheap

UAA PE Ratio (Forward 1y) data by YCharts

Making things more difficult is that the shares are trading at a 2019 PE ratio of 58. That is almost double Nikes one-year forward PE ratio of 24. Even Lululemon, whose shares have more than doubled this year due to strong earnings and revenue growth, has a PE ratio of 33. The stock is also on the upper end of its historical valuation since 2015 between 35 and 70.

With earnings around the corner, investors will need to see better than expected results and strong forward guidance to turn the negative trends. It is likely to mean that until investors have something to be more excited about, the stock may continue to struggle.

Michael Kramer is the Founder of Mott Capital Management LLC, a registered investment adviser, and the manager of the company's actively managed, long-only Thematic Growth Portfolio. Kramer typically buys and holds stocks for a duration of three to five years. Click here for Kramer's bio and his portfolio's holdings. Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to first consult with a qualified financial adviser and/or tax professional before implementing any strategy discussed herein. Upon request, the advisor will provide a list of all recommendations made during the past twelve months. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
Vanguard Mutual Funds vs. Vanguard ETFs: An Overview

Vanguard is one of the worlds largest asset management firms, with about $7.2 trillion in assets under management (AUM) as of Jan. 31, 2021. It has become a popular choice for investors thanks to its long list of low-cost mutual funds. The Vanguard Group has also added a full menu of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to its lineup, making the company one of the leading providers for both investment products.

Most Vanguard index mutual funds have a corresponding ETF. Both products are similar in management style and returns, but there are differences that can make each product more appropriate to different investors. Vanguard's products also have expense ratio differences between mutual fund/ETF pairs that must be examined to make the best choice.

Key Takeaways Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offered by Vanguard are similar in management style and returns, but there are differences that can make each product more appropriate to different investors.

ETFs carry more flexibility; they trade like stocks and can be bought and sold throughout the day.

Mutual fund shares price only once per day, at the end of the trading day, but may benefit from economies of scale.

While Vanguard fees are low in many of its products, ETFs tend to be more tax-efficient.

Vanguard Mutual Funds

The mutual-fund-vs.-ETF debate for Vanguard products comes down in part to how much is being invested. Moreover, for many of its mutual funds, Vanguard offers up to three classes of sharesInvestor Shares, Admiral Shares, and Institutional Shareswith each class offering progressively lower expense ratios, and thus better performance, in return for higher minimum investments.

Investor Shares in most Vanguard mutual funds require a $3,000 minimum initial investment, but some allow a $1,000 opening investment. For lower-cost Admiral Shares, the typical minimums are $3,000 for index funds, $50,000 for actively managed funds, and $100,000 for certain sector-specific index funds. Institutional Shares are designed for institutional investors, and they typically have a $5 million minimum.

Some funds with high transaction costs may have redemption fees ranging from 0.25% to 1.00% of the transaction amount, to discourage short-term speculative trading. Apart from this exception, Vanguard does not charge front-end or back-end sales loads or commissions.

Vanguard ETFs

ETFs carry more flexibility; they trade like stocks and can be bought and sold throughout the day, in transaction amounts as little as one share. As of Feb. 15, 2022, Vanguard offered 76 ETFs, with market prices per share ranging approximately from $49 to $406. In many cases, ETFs carry lower expense ratios than their mutual fund counterparts, but they must be traded in a brokerage account. ETF trades could come with brokerage commission fees.

When choosing between a mutual fund and an ETF, investors must consider a number of factors. One is whether the investor wants to pursue a buy-and-hold strategy or a trading strategy to help determine which product may be more advantageous. In general, ETFs may be more suitable than mutual funds for investors who seek lower minimum investment amounts and who want more control over transaction prices. However, investors who want to make regularly scheduled automatic investments or withdrawals can do so with mutual funds, but not with ETFs.

Key Differences

The most significant difference between mutual funds and ETFs is how tradable the shares are. Mutual fund shares price only once per day, at the end of the trading day. Investors can place trade orders throughout the day, but the transaction is only completed at the end of the trading day.

The popular Vanguard 500 Index Fund and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF provide good examples of the cost and trading differences that come with mutual funds and ETFs. Most mutual funds and ETFs in the Vanguard lineup follow a similar pattern.

Both ETFs and mutual funds are treated the same by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in that investors pay capital gains taxes and taxes on dividend income. Even with the same portfolios, the way that taxable events are treated in ETFs vs. mutual funds means that your tax liability typically will be lower. ETF expense ratios are also typically lower than mutual fund fees. Although there are some options for mutual funds that dont require you to invest a lot of money at once, many mutual funds have higher initial investment requirements than ETFs.

Fee Comparison: Vanguard Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

The Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX), requiring a minimum investment of $3,000, had an annual expense ratio of 0.04% as of April 29, 2021. The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), which does not have a minimum investment, had an expense ratio of 0.03% as of the same date.

Overall, Vanguard reports that the average expense ratio for all of its mutual funds and ETFs in 2020 was 0.09%, or $9 annually for every $10,000 invested. By comparison, the average figure for the rest of the mutual fund and ETF industry was 0.54%, or $54 annually for every $10,000 invested.



The decision between a Vanguard mutual fund or a Vanguard ETF comes down to trading flexibility and the amount to be invested.

The Vanguard portfolio of investment choices as a whole is generally considered among the lowest-costing and highest-rated in the investment marketplace, and these products can make ideal choices for long- and short-term investors.

What is the difference between Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs? While both types of products offered by Vanguard are similar in management style and returns, there are distinctions that can make each product more appropriate for different investors. ETFs carry more flexibility, as they can be bought and sold throughout the day. Mutual fund shares price only once per day but may benefit from economies of scale.



What should investors consider when choosing between mutual funds and ETFs? Investors should determine whether they want to pursue a buy-and-hold strategy or a trading strategy. ETFs may be more suitable than mutual funds for those who seek lower minimum investment amounts and want more control over transaction prices. Meanwhile, investors who want to make regularly scheduled automatic investments or withdrawals can do so with mutual funds but not ETFs.

What are the tax implications of the mutual fund-vs.-ETF decision? Investors pay capital gains taxes and taxes on dividend income for both mutual funds and ETFs. However, the way that taxable events are treated in ETFs vs. mutual funds means that your tax liability will typically be lower with ETFs. Expense ratios for ETFs are also generally lower than mutual fund fees.

The Bottom Line

Most Vanguard index mutual funds have a corresponding ETF. The most significant difference between mutual funds and ETFs is how tradable the shares are. ETFs can be bought and sold throughout the day, whereas mutual fund shares price only once per day. In general, ETFs may be more suitable than mutual funds for investors who seek lower minimum investment amounts and who want more control over transaction prices. However, investors who want to make regularly scheduled automatic investments or withdrawals can do so with mutual funds but not ETFs.
An important debate among investors is whether the stock market is efficientthat is, whether it reflects all the information made available to market participants at any given time. The efficient market hypothesis (EMH) maintains that all stocks are perfectly priced according to their inherent investment properties, the knowledge of which all market participants possess equally.

Financial theories are subjective. In other words, there are no proven laws in finance. Instead, ideas try to explain how the market works. Here, we take a look at where the efficient market hypothesis has fallen short in terms of explaining the stock market's behavior. While it may be easy to see a number of deficiencies in the theory, it's important to explore its relevance in the modern investing environment.

Key Takeaways The Efficient Market Hypothesis assumes all stocks trade at their fair value.

The weak tenet implies stock prices reflect all available information, the semi-strong implies stock prices are factored into all publicly available information, and the strong tenet implies all information is already factored into the stock prices.

The theory assumes it would be impossible to outperform the market and that all investors interpret available information the same way.

Although most decisions are still made by humans, the use of computers to analyze information may be making the theory more relevant.

Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) Tenets and Variations

There are three tenets to the efficient market hypothesis: the weak, the semi-strong, and the strong.

The weak make the assumption that current stock prices reflect all available information. It goes further to say past performance is irrelevant to what the future holds for the stock. Therefore, it assumes that technical analysis can't be used to achieve returns.

The semi-strong form of the theory contends stock prices are factored into all information that is publicly available. Therefore, investors can't use fundamental analysis to beat the market and make significant gains.

In the strong form of the theory, all informationboth public and privateare already factored into the stock prices. So it assumes no one has an advantage to the information available, whether that's someone on the inside or out. Therefore, it implies the market is perfect, and making excessive profits from the market is next to impossible.

The EMH was developed from economist Eugene Fama's Ph.D. dissertation in the 1960s.

Problems of EMH

While it may sound great, this theory doesn't come without criticism. 

First, the efficient market hypothesis assumes all investors perceive all available information in precisely the same manner. The different methods for analyzing and valuing stocks pose some problems for the validity of the EMH. If one investor looks for undervalued market opportunities while another evaluates a stock on the basis of its growth potential, these two investors will already have arrived at a different assessment of the stock's fair market value. Therefore, one argument against the EMH points out that, since investors value stocks differently, it is impossible to determine what a stock should be worth under an efficient market.

Proponents of the EMH conclude investors may profit from investing in a low-cost, passive portfolio.

Secondly, no single investor is ever able to attain greater profitability than another with the same amount of invested funds under the efficient market hypothesis. Since they both have the same information, they can only achieve identical returns. But consider the wide range of investment returns attained by the entire universe of investors, investment funds, and so forth. If no investor had any clear advantage over another, would there be a range of yearly returns in the mutual fund industry, from significant losses to 50% profits or more? According to the EMH, if one investor is profitable, it means every investor is profitable. But this is far from true.

Thirdly (and closely related to the second point), under the efficient market hypothesis, no investor should ever be able to beat the market or the average annual returns that all investors and funds are able to achieve using their best efforts. This would naturally imply, as many market experts often maintain, the absolute best investment strategy is simply to place all of one's investment funds into an index fund. This would increase or decrease according to the overall level of corporate profitability or losses. But there are many investors who have consistently beaten the market. Warren Buffett is one of those who's managed to outpace the averages year after year.

Qualifying the EMH

Eugene Fama never imagined that his efficient market would be 100% efficient all the time. That would be impossible, as it takes time for stock prices to respond to new information. The efficient hypothesis, however, doesn't give a strict definition of how much time prices need to revert to fair value. Moreover, under an efficient market, random events are entirely acceptable, but will always be ironed out as prices revert to the norm.

But it's important to ask whether EMH undermines itself by allowing random occurrences or environmental eventualities. There is no doubt that such eventualities must be considered under market efficiency but, by definition, true efficiency accounts for those factors immediately. In other words, prices should respond nearly instantaneously with the release of new information that can be expected to affect a stock's investment characteristics. So, if the EMH allows for inefficiencies, it may have to admit that absolute market efficiency is impossible.

Increasing Market Efficiency?

Although it's relatively easy to pour cold water on the efficient market hypothesis, its relevance may actually be growing. With the rise of computerized systems to analyze stock investments, trades, and corporations, investments are becoming increasingly automated on the basis of strict mathematical or fundamental analytical methods. Given the right power and speed, some computers can immediately process any and all available information, and even translate such analysis into an immediate trade execution.

Despite the increasing use of computers, most decision-making is still done by human beings and is therefore subject to human error. Even at an institutional level, the use of analytical machines is anything but universal. While the success of stock market investing is based mostly on the skill of individual or institutional investors, people will continually search for the surefire method of achieving greater returns than the market averages.

The Bottom Line

It's safe to say the market is not going to achieve perfect efficiency anytime soon. For greater efficiency to occur, all of these things must happen:

Universal access to high-speed and advanced systems of pricing analysis.

A universally accepted analysis system of pricing stocks.

An absolute absence of human emotion in investment decision-making.

The willingness of all investors to accept that their returns or losses will be exactly identical to all other market participants.

It is hard to imagine even one of these criteria of market efficiency ever being met.
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Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Continues Acquisition Path With Purchase of ELMS Assets Including Factory in Mishawaka, IN., Enabling EV Production for Retail and Commercial Vehicle Lines

BREA, Calif. - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces the US Bankruptcy Court approval on Oct. 13th, 2022 of its acquisition of electric vehicle company ELMS's (Electric Last Mile Solutions) assets in an all cash purchase.

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Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: $MULN) Taps Former GM Executive John Schwegman as Chief Commercial Officer for Next Phase of EV Growth

BREA, Calif. - October 21, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today the hiring of John Schwegman as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for Mullen's line of commercial vehicles.

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EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F)

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Here are my selections - in no pecking order - for the five best Irish and Irish American books that will teach you more about Irish history.

IrishCentral Book Club Looking for Irish book recommendations or to meet with others who share your love for Irish literature? Join IrishCentrals Book Club on Facebook and enjoy our book-loving community.

From the National Book Awardwinner Timothy Egan comes the epic story of the most fascinating Irishman in 19th-century America.

A dashing young orator during the Great Famine of the 1840s, Thomas Francis Meagher led a failed uprising against British rule for which he was banished to a Tasmanian prison colony. He escaped and six months later was feted on the streets of New York  the revolutionary hero, back from the dead.

He led the newly formed Irish Brigade from New York in many of the fiercest battles of the Civil War. Meaghers dream was that Irish-American troops would return to Ireland and liberate their homeland.

After the Civil War, he became territorial governor of Montana and his death there makes for some sad reading and an unsolved mystery that Egan sheds light on.

Read more: 20 classic Irish books to read in 2019

A gripping and compelling look at the forces behind the Easter Rising in America by Professor Robert Schmuhl of the University of Notre Dame, an outstanding historian.

Schmuhl illuminates a central period in Irish American history: how President Woodrow Wilson hoodwinked Irish Americans into believing he took their side; how the mainstream American media, The New York Times etc. supported the execution of the leaders; how poet Joyce Kilmer became one of the most unlikely voices of The Rising in America.

Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Subscribe to IrishCentral

"Children of the Rising" is the first-ever account of the young lives violently lost during the week of the 1916 Rising: long-forgotten and never commemorated, until now.

We forget that Dublin had some of the worst slums in Europe. Kids, who were drawn to the spectacular violence and the opportunity to sample candy and other never-to-be-forgotten treats, flooded the streets. The British gunners and IRA volunteers killed many in the crossfire.

Boys, girls, rich, poor, Catholic, Protestant  no child was guaranteed immunity from the bullet and bomb that week, in a place where teeming tenement life existed side by side with immense wealth.

This gripping story of Dublin and its people in 1916 will add immeasurably to our understanding of the Easter Rising.

A gripping story about former Congressman Bruce Morrison, who was part of the Irish American delegation that played a key behind-the-scenes role in bringing peace to Ireland in the 1990s.

The introduction by President Clinton makes clear how important the delegation and Morrisons role were. Amazing stuff.

What would the Easter Rising 100th anniversary have been without a Tim Pat Coogan title? A different angle, taking events in Ireland after the Rising and debating how the modern Ireland that grew up was greatly at odds with the 1916 vision. Provocative and plain written as always, Coogan pulls no punches.

Looking for more recommendations? Be sure to join the IrishCentral Book Club group here.

Do you have any recommendations for Irish history books? Let us know in the comments section, below.

* Originally published in 2016.
Prince William alone handed out St Patricks Day shamrocks to the Irish Guards earlier today, the first time a male royal has undertaken the traditional ceremony since 1901.

William was forced to step in after his wife Kate Middleton opted out of the St. Patricks Day celebrations and the 115-year old tradition in order to stay home with her children, George, aged two, and Charlotte, aged ten months.

Missing her first St. Patricks celebrations in five years, the Duchess of Cambridge has handed out the shamrocks every year since 2011 when she took over from Princess Margaret. The tradition has been carried out by a female royal every year since 1901 when the tradition was started by Queen Alexandra, just a year after the Irish Guards were formed.

This year, however, the Duchess stayed at her home at the Anmer Hall estate in Norfolk in order to focus on the family before an upcoming week-long trip to India and Bhutan with Prince William.

The Duke of Cambridge, 33, continued with the appearance, attending the Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow and presenting shamrock to more than 600 soldiers.

Allowing shamrock to be pinned to his hat, the Duke led a private ceremony for the family of Major Harry Shapland, a soldier killed in operations in northern Iraq in 1994, and presented Major Shaplands mother with the Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll.

Following the ceremony, Prince William, dressed in an Irish Guards frock coat and wearing a ceremonial sword, handed out baskets of shamrock on the central parade ground, also presenting a sprig of the plant to the regiment's mascot, the four-year-old Irish wolfhound Domhnall.

According to a spokesperson from Kensington Palace: "The Duchess has very much enjoyed the occasions when she has been able to attend, but the Duke is the Colonel of the Regiment and is looking forward to presenting the Irish Guards with their Shamrock.

"The Duchess looks forward to marking St. Patrick's Day with the Irish Guards many times in the future."

Kensington Palace have also pointed out that although the Duchess has followed tradition in handing out the shamrock for the past five years, it is officially the Duke of Cambridge, as Colonel of the Regiment, who has the formal role.

Prince William hands out St Patrick's Day shamrocks to Irish Guards as Kate is a no-show https://t.co/mFIeiqEMUE pic.twitter.com/EucS5rT7TO  Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) March 17, 2016

The Duchess absence is also not the first time that only a male member of the Royal family has been present either, they noted.

There has been some anger at the Duchess of Cambridges decision with the Daily Mail reporting that the Irish Guards were deflated by her absence.

Her decision comes as the young royals are defending themselves from accusations that they are workshy and are not undertaking the same workload as their much older relatives.

Although aged 94, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, clocked up 250 official duties at home and abroad last year while William, Kate and Prince Harry combined only conducted 198.

The Duke of Cambridge, however, has stated that being labeled workshy was all part of the job. Just in the past week, Prince William took on 11 public engagement in four days, although the Palace insist it was a coincidence and not a direct result of complaints about their workload.

Speaking after the St. Patricks Day event, Company Sergeant Major Carl Laverty said the guards were conscious that she [Kate] has family commitments and all were pleased that their Colonel could attend the ceremony.

The Irish Guards, who recruits mainly from Northern Ireland, was founded by Queen Victoria in April 1900 to commemorate the Irishmen who died fighting during the Boer War.

More recently, the battalion were also among the last units to be deployed to Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Colonel Sean Flynn, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, will mark his last day in command of the First Battalion of the 69th Infantry, the legendary Fighting 69th, by blowing the ceremonial whistle which officially starts the 255th New York City St. Patricks Day parade March 17.

On Flynns signal at 11 a.m. sharp, the Fighting 69th will step off from 44th Street and Fifth Avenue, first in the line of march as it has been in every parade since 1853.

At the conclusion of the parade, Flynn will turn over command of the Fighting 69th, a post he has held for two years, to Lieutenant Colonel Don Makay.

Signaling the start of the parade this anniversary year is a distinct honor for me as both an Irish American and the commander of the 69th Infantry. It reminds us of the obligation that free societies must pursue to preserve the basic human rights and dignity of all men and women, said Flynn, who is from Delmar, New York.

More than 200,000 people are expected to follow the Fighting 69th up Fifth Avenue.

This years grand marshal is Senator George Mitchell, who negotiated the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. The parade commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising.

All of the traditional Irish organizations, including 49 Ancient Order of Hibernians groups, have signed up to march.

There will be more than 300 marching groups, including 150 bands, featuring the New York Police Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums and the Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, as well as pipers from Galicia, Spain.

Units from Oglaigh na hEireann, the Irish Defense Forces, and An Garda Siochana, Irelands National Police Service, also will march.

The parade will be broadcast live on WNBC-TV 4, Thursday, March 17, and live-streamed on nbcnewyork.com. For the first time ever, the parade will be broadcast live in Ireland and the United Kingdom by IRISH TV.

Flynn is the latest member of his Family to serve with the Fighting 69th in combat. Since the regiment was formed in 1851, one or more of Flynns ancestors has served with the Fighting 69th in each theater of war it has deployed.
Acting Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny visited President Obama in the Oval Office on Tuesday morning and Vice President Joe Biden at his official residence to mark a day-long program of events in honor of St. Patricks Day.

Noting that Kennys Fine Gael party had suffered major losses in the recent general election, Biden said, I can assure you if you ran in America, you would get 80 percent of the vote.

The audience had gathered at Bidens residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. He is still the most popular guy in the state, in his country and he lost, said Biden. He lost seats in the last election.

Kenny said that Ireland had seen the rise of anti-austerity and populist politics and added that he believed that the current instability would be resolved soon.

My belief is in the short period ahead we will be able to put together a stable government that will last the time ahead in the best interests of the country, he said.

Guests at the breakfast included Secretary of State John Kerry, and Senators Pat Leahy of Vermont and Ed Markey of Massachusetts.

Biden noted it would be the final St. Patricks Day breakfast hell host, calling it one of the real privileges of his eight years in the office.

Other than having Air Force Two, he quipped. He said he hoped his successor continued the tradition.

Kenny later traveled to the White House where he met with President Obama, where the president celebrated his eighth and last St. Patricks Day reception as president, and spoke of the incredible friendship between U.S. and Ireland.

We had a chance to discuss immigration, an issue that is near and dear to the hearts of the Irish people because they understand how important its been for Irish Americans, and it has given them a sense of compassion and sympathy and understanding about these issues generally.

And I indicated to the taoiseach that we are going to continue to work as hard as we can to find opportunities to make sure that the United States of America continues to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

The president also spoke of the discussion the two leaders had about the peace efforts in the North.

We had a chance to discuss the progress thats been made in Northern Ireland with the Fresh Start Agreement, building on the previous agreements that have been made so that we can solidify the peace that is going to be so important for the people of Northern Ireland, Obama said.

And Im very proud of the work that the United States  most recently through our envoy, Gary Hart  has done to help partner in that process. And Ill have an opportunity to stop in and discuss some of these issues with the Northern Ireland leaders later today.

Kenny cut short his original two-day program of U.S. events because he was eager to return to Ireland for potential discussions on forming a new government.

The decision to fly home a day early means Kenny was not present at the American Ireland Fund dinner on Tuesday evening, traditionally a key part of the St. Patricks Day program.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan stepped in for Kenny at events in Washington before traveling on to New York.

Flanagan told the press that it was crucial that Irish ministers still availed of the unique opportunity to promote Ireland.

Kenny was also guest on Tuesday at the annual luncheon hosted by the Speaker of the House, this year Paul Ryan. Obama made the trip to Capitol Hill for the lunch, as several other leaders including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sinn Feins Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and the actor Richard Gere, who was spotted by Irish Times Washington correspondent Simon Carswell.

Obama hosted his annual party for the Irish American community at the White House at 3:30 in the afternoon.
The US Secret Service apologized to Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams yesterday for denying him entry to the annual official St. Patricks Day celebration at the White House. The story was first reported by Irish Central.

A spokesman for the Secret Service, Robert K.Hobak, apologized during an interview with The New York Times saying it was an unfortunate administrative error.

Sinn Fein personnel however suspected there were other forces involved in blocking Adams entering the White House which he has visited 22 times. Leaders in Congress penned an angry letter to White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough over the incident.

Adams had earlier declared the delays in allowing him into Tuesdays St. Patricks Day celebrations as an unacceptable development.

The Irish political leader commented on the events of Tuesday evening which saw him left waiting for 90 minutes, awaiting entry into the annual event hosted by President Obama. In an official statement on Sinn Fein's website Adams voiced his disappointment in the manner in which he was treated by White House staff.

I had received my usual invitation to attend the St. Patricks Day celebrations in the White House and was pleased to accept, Adams said.

When I arrived the staff at the White House informed me that there was an issue of security.

After two decades of travelling back and forth to the USA and countless meetings in the White House with successive US Presidents, this is an unacceptable development.

The US Security Service has since apologized for the delays, stating that an administrative error caused the issue.

The Secret Service would like to express our regret that the issue involving Mr Gerry Adams entry into the St. Patricks Day reception could not be resolved in a more timely manner, a spokesperson said.

Unfortunately, an administrative input error received by the Secret Service was not able to be rectified promptly.

Adams' exclusion from the event left many Irish American leaders baffled. Members of the Friends of Ireland caucus in the House of Representatives addressed a letter to Chief of Staff Denis McDonough expressing their outrage that Adams was denied entry to the reception.

Signed by members of congress including Richard E. Neal, Peter King, Brendan Boyle, Joe Crowley, and James P. McGovern, the letter stated: For more than three decades, the United States government has continuously encouraged the political parties in Northern Ireland to take risks for peace. But instead of being rewarded for their efforts, many members of Sinn Fein are now being punished. This unfortunate behavior seems to be happening with increasing regularity.

Irish-American Democratic congressman Brendan Boyle, who also signed the letter, told The Irish Times that the incident was greatly discussed when the Friends of Ireland caucus met with Adams on Wednesday morning.

A group of us were anywhere from annoyed about it to pretty angry about it, and we intend to raise it with the White House, he said.

Boyle believed that the delay was either a very embarrassing bureaucratic snafu or is there something more sinister going on.

The official letter from the Friends of Ireland reinforced this belief that Sinn Fein politicians, in particular, are being isolated because of their political affiliations.

After years of conflict, Northern Ireland is now seen as a society in transformation, and the negotiations that led to the power sharing institutions in Belfast are now seen as a model of successful conflict resolution across the globe, the letter continued.

Despite this progress, representatives of Sinn Fein continue to experience extraordinary difficulties when travelling to the United States, and we believe that many of these individuals are being victimized because of their party affiliation. While raised with administration officials repeatedly, the situation is going from bad to worse.

He [Adams] was invited to his [Obamas] home and all of a sudden was excluded and frankly I cant understand it, commented celebrated Irish American lawyer and lobbyist for immigration rights, Brian ODwyer.

Im outraged in a sense that Gerry Adams has for years and years worked diligently for peace in Northern Ireland and the intentionality of reversing the hard work a number of Irish Americans have put into the peace process in terms of ensuring that all parties were welcomed and play a part in the process so that a process that's always fragile could be sustained, can only be described as an intense act of incompetence.

Adams, a newly re-elected TD for County Louth, planned to attend the annual presentation of the shamrock to the US President in Washington D.C., held two days early this year on March 15 as caretaker Taoiseach Enda Kenny must attend a meeting in Brussels on March 17, along with North Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Sinn Fein Vice-President Mary-Lou McDonald, both of whom were allowed into the event.

Some pics from yesterday's engagements with @POTUS at the White House & Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill. pic.twitter.com/2pslY6Kjf0  Martin McGuinness (@M_ McGuinness _SF) March 16, 2016

Adams, however, was halted as he tried to gain entry and forced to wait for almost an hour and a half because of apparent security concerns. Whereas McGuinness and McDonald continued into the party, Adams was asked to step aside by security personnel as they inspected his documents.

On hearing that Obama had begun to speak at the event, Adams made the decision to wait no longer and left.

The Sinn Fein President stated yesterday he believes the refusal to allow him entry to one of the most important events in the Irish calendar in the US was an attempt to set Sinn Fein aside from other Irish political parties.

It is obvious that there remain some within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently, he said.

Some of our political representatives have been denied access to the USA while others, including myself, have to regularly go through additional searches and scrutiny when we travel to and from the USA.

Irish American lawyer Brian ODwyer also believes that the slight showed a lack of respect for Adams. It makes no sense. I can't understand. Hes the leader of an Irish political party and its insulting, he said.

Obviously somebody needs to apologize. If someone was invited into my home and was treated that way I would pick up the phone and apologize to them.

Hes a politician and the leader of the second largest party in Northern Ireland and the third largest party in the South and deserves to be treated with great respect.

Adams yesterday tweeted images of his White House invitation and the letter confirming his attendance before releasing his official statement.

My invite 2

The White House. Just saying. pic.twitter.com/0fGax1LMhB  Gerry Adams (@ GerryAdamsSF ) March 16, 2016

Confirmation of my invite 2 White House Reception. From the White House. pic.twitter.com/lMTVXp05MP  Gerry Adams (@ GerryAdamsSF ) March 16, 2016

He also stated that the refusal tactic had been previously used in the US in an attempt to influence Sinn Fein, in particular, during the Stormont crisis last year when the State Department initially refused to meet with him.

Last year the State Department initially refused to meet me as part of a transparent effort to pressurise Sinn Fein during negotiations at Stormont, Adams continued.

That meeting did take place after protests from US political leaders. Efforts to pressurise us in the negotiations failed.

Congressman Boyle also agrees that the State Department has become harsher in recent years in their dealings with the Sinn Fein leader.

It is odd that here is this wonderful event  very inclusive, everyones welcome, a chance to celebrate everything thats been achieved over the last two decades, he told The Irish Times, and now you are going to have Gerry Adams who is invited as a guest, to stand outside for an hour and a half because security wont let him in. Its embarrassing.

Adams has not met with any further delays in the US following Tuesday evening. On Tuesday morning he attended a lunch with Speaker Paul Ryan, following an appearance at the Brehon Law Society Dinner in New York on Monday evening.

Cold wet day in New York. Gerry speaking 2 Brehon Law Society 2nite. Praising their efforts for justice & equality. pic.twitter.com/bxXDeuXmlj  Richard G McAuley (@ richardgmcauley ) March 15, 2016

Adams said: This morning [Wednesday, March 16] Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald and I met with the Congressional Friends of Ireland. They too shared our grave disappointment at the White House situation and expressed their determination to have this issue resolved.

Sinn Fein will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone, he concluded. We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this. I am hopeful that the controversy around my White House invitation will help lead to a resolution of all these matters.

Enjoying his last St. Patricks Day in office, Obama once again referenced his own Irish heritage in his St. Patricks Day address.

This, of course, is one of my favorite events, Obama said. I get to welcome my people and the Obamas of Leinster are nothing if not welcoming.

Of course, for the Irish, home is everywhere and nowhere in the world is more everywhere than the United States. We are braided together in so many ways, America and Ireland.

We have been for centuries, through history, through bloodline. Weve waged war side by side, weve waged peace side by side.

We are family and we are friends.
Judging by a poll of IrishCentral readers, it appears that Donald Trump, now the presumptive Republican presidential candidate after the Super Tuesday primaries, has a slight edge over Hillary Clinton among the Irish diaspora.

Out of the 6,798 people who participated in the poll, 3,039, or 45%, said they would vote for Trump. Keen for team Hillary were 41% of the participants (2,768), and 991 of the voters, or 15%, said they would not support either candidate.

The majority of those who took the poll  5,389  were based in the US. This group of voters, Irish America, were mostly in favor of Donald Trump, who secured 52% of their votes. Hillary got 34% of the votes in the US, while 13% replied that they wouldnt vote for either candidate.

Perhaps most surprising was New York state, where Hillary Clinton served as Senator for New York form 2001 to 2009. Eighty per-cent of the 1,845 readers who voted from New York said they would support Donald Trump, while only 15% said Clinton would have their vote.

Trump also won handily in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma. Clinton got the majority of votes in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, Washington, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois. Only in Oregon, Utah, Alaska, Alabama, Mississippi, and Bernie Sanders state of Vermont did the majority of voters say they would not back either candidate.

Outside of the US, in the nearly 60 countries from which readers participated in the poll, Clinton was the winner. This was especially the case in Ireland, where she snagged 75% of the 499 votes, in the UK where she got 74%, and in Canada where she won 53%. Trumps most supportive countries outside of the US were Thailand and Mexcio  the latter especially surprising given his campaign promise to make Mexico pay for a border wall and his insulting comments about Mexican immigrants.

When it came to age, Trump earned most of his support from readers ages 55  64 and 65+, and also scored some major points from the seven 13  17-year-olds who participated. Clinton was backed by readers ages 25  34, 35  44, and 18  24, though a sizable proportion of this last group said they would not choose Clinton or Trump.

The participants were close to evenly split between male and female, with women supporting Clinton more and men slightly more skewed towards Trump.

The comment sections, both on the poll article itself and on social media, were full of attacks against and passionate remarks in favor of the candidates  some, as you might imagine, less respectful and cogent than others.

Im not from USA but from where I am, I see that Trump is the laughing stock of the world right now. He is crude, racial, nasty and it would be a sad day to see a proud country like the USA to have him as their leader. The world would be laughing at them as well, said Jeanette Young on Facebook.

I think we need a change in America from the same old same old, business as usual politicians, wrote one commenter under the moniker Tip McConnell. Donald Trump is clearly not part of the club.

I would vote for Hillary Clinton because I think that she has the best chance to defeat the Donald and I think that she can stabilize the country better, commented Les Redding.

A Bernie Sanders supporter, Benji Kauth, shared his long-term views: If we don't elect Bernie, we deserve Trump. Lack of political participation and turning a blind eye to greed and cronyism created the opportunity for someone like Trump to get elected. We might need a wake-up call to get people to actually do something about it. Don't do it this election? Maybe the pain of a Trump presidency would get more people to actually vote out these greed-mongers.

Another reader who was foremost a Sanders supporter, Kathleen Jones, wrote that for her thered be no question between Hillary and Trump. She is a brilliant and tough woman with much experience. Trump is a narcissistic ego maniac who is spreading hatred and endangering our relationships with other countries.

Will the same statistics hold come November if Clinton and Trump earn their parties nominations? Well conduct another poll close to then to find out. In the meantime, its a very close race.
Whats the very best thing about being Irish? IrishCentral's global Irish community shares what it means to Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

At the start of St Patrick's Day week in 2016, we asked our readers: whats the very best thing about being Irish?

Hundreds of you from all around the world sent in answers, ranging from a few brief nail-on-the-head insights to longer personal stories about what being Irish has meant to you or to your families at various points in life.

A few of our favorite comments and stories are below. Dont see yours here or didnt get a chance to submit? Tell us the best thing about being Irish in the comment section at the bottom of the page.

Read more: Top awkward situations to avoid this St Patrick's Day





The fact that we are a small country but our national day is celebrated worldwide. We are known for our friendliness, our humor, and our never-give-up-attitude.

- Siobhan Burke

A profound sense of the ridiculous.

I was born and raised in Ireland and in 1966, at the tender age of 16, like thousands of other Irish people who could not find work at home, traveled to England to find employment. That was 50 years ago. I brought with me a huge sense of pride in my national identity and whilst I am very grateful to England for giving me a good job, my wife of 45 years and three wonderful children, I will always wear my Irish identity like a proud badge of honor. The music, song, poetry, and dancing of Ireland are instantly recognizable throughout the world and I firmly believe that we are the friendliest and most honest people on Earth. There are 5 million people in Ireland yet 70 million people call it home. An old friend of mine once told me that you don't have to be back in Ireland in order to back Ireland and that is exactly what millions of the Irish diaspora do every day of their lives simply by the way they conduct themselves. So whats the best thing about being Irish? Just being Irish of course."

- Chris Dalton, 66, writing from Northampton England

The things I love most about being Irish: Being part of a rich culture based so strong on family and heritage. The Irish are some of the most fun people I've ever met. The Irish are strong, brave, hardworking and I am proud to have inherited those traits. My father was born in Kerry and came to the USA in 1920 after a roundabout way from London and Canada and finally to New York, so he has shown us courage, determination, and perseverance. I have taught my children the same values of family, fun/laughter, bravery, courage, and hard work."

- Patricia O'Connor Heitz

The privilege of living in the most beautiful surroundings you can imagine amongst friendly people."

- Silvio Borny

My parents were Irish immigrants who met in Los Angeles, married and had 7 of us. Growing up Irish in America was always unique. A bit different than my American friends. My mother's easy "oh well" attitude about difficulties in life and my father's insanely quick wit and musical talents. Being in Ireland many times now, just experiencing the drop-dead gorgeous landscape, the over-the-top friendly natives, their love of a good joke and a neighborly pub. The ancestry of the Irish, full of determination, the strength of character, fierce pride of their own and not allowing ANYONE to completely enslave them even though they fought the bastards for centuries. Our love of music, dance, poetry, and deep spiritual contemplation that keep us very human, sassy and yet still humble.

- Enda Veres, 59, Southern California

#BeingIrish is drinking 10 cups of tea a day  Aine O'Brien (@Aine_OB) March 15, 2016

The charm and wit.

Our witty sense of humor, our strength, our glorious green landscape, our lively spirit, our happy music, our loyalty, our fun-loving attitudes, our gift of storytelling and our beautiful people!

- Shannon Wellnitz Ryan

Learning our rich Irish history.

The innate ability to travel psychically whenever we choose. Very few cultures have this ability. We see the magic that exists. We are truly blessed.

We adapt to everyone's society  and conquer hearts, not land  he Irish empire is made up of laughter and the "craic"  helping hands and giving spirits  Sure, what would you expect from the best people on the planet?........ Slainte!!!

- John D. Lupton

Living far away!

I have a wonderful history which gives me a great sense of belonging. I have roots that keep me strong when ill winds blow.

I have a German last name but am actually three-quarters Irish (OK, I know I'm 100% American, you know what I mean). The best thing about being Irish is the stories of sacrifice all of my ancestors made so that I might live a good life here in the US. The stories are told over and over again and on St Paddy's Day, the embellishments become historic. March 17th is a day we all look forward to worldwide. A time to celebrate our Irish ancestry and ancestors, for the craic, dance, sing, listen to trad. and remember my mother Therese Ann Quinlan Huerter. That's the best thing about being Irish.

- Bob Huerter, 55, Omaha, Nebraska

The love of music and the singing and dancing that go along with it. While we tend to stress out too often, we love to laugh and most of us can talk to anybody.

The history of the people, being strong, being survivors, the beauty of the people inside and out.

Irish music and dance touches the soul and fills the heart like no others can.

- Brigid Flaherty, 18, USA

We have a good reputation, all over the world. We give importance to family and we keep or try to maintain our traditions. Thats my impression from Buenos Aires, Argentina and being 3rd generation Irish.

Realizing that I carry the hopes and dreams of my ancestors in my soul. I came to realize how true this is when listening to Irish music. Or when reading Irish history or seeing pictures of Ireland. Tears will well up in my eyes. It is then that I realize that my eyes are a window used by my ancestors too.

- Patrick Finn - 2nd generation Irish-American now living in Reno, NV

Our revolutionary past.

The best thing about being Irish is the warmth, wit, and music in the speech, writing, and song of our people. And our dark misery is beloved like no other on earth.

- Molly Brauer, Tampa, FL

I am not even Irish but my wife has Irish heritage, and we have been there four times and visited her relatives. Perhaps I am better positioned to offer an unbiased opinion. If I have to pick one word to describe the many fine qualities of a country with history, heritage, and a smaller charming enduring people and way of life, it is spirit."

We're the best of friends and the worst of enemies!

What's best? Hard to narrow it down but there are highlights. It's being able to explore 10,000 years and more of heritage in the landscape and culture. It's everything from the farming traditions of my childhood home in Co Tyrone to the Kilnaruane standing stone near our house in Co. Cork. It's the traditions of saga and literature, from the evening craic to the Long Room. Although I have had a wonderful life after moving to Canada, the annual journey home (always a totally non-commercial group visit) for two to three weeks of exploration is the highlight of every year.

Read more: St Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage spring roll recipe

- Vanessa

Our fight and determination to make good of ourselves, our resilience, and our generosity of spirit. Our beautiful country. I could go on, I feel blessed to be Irish.

-Breda J. Bergin

The wonderful sense of humor and finding some joy and fun in everyday situations.

I am South African with an Irish grandfather, whom I never met! My daughter lives in West Cork, Republic of Ireland, having met and married an Irish fellow a few years ago. Therefore, I visit often, have strong ties to the country and love it and the Irish people dearly!

Our pub culture!

To be Irish, it's in your heart and soul. You can take the girl out of Ireland but you can never take Ireland out of the girl. I was born in Kildare in 1958 and moved to Canada in 1965. I left a piece of my heart in Ireland, that I can't get back and I don't want it back because it belongs there.

- Geri Branton, Canada

The best thing about being Irish. Being part of the worldwide Irish 'tribe' with our strong links to home and to our ancestors, who fought against all the odds to survive and preserve our customs and traditions.

- Mike Moloney, Manchester, England

I have great pride in the contributions the Irish have made to the U.S. Considering it's such a small country- it's quite extraordinary. I love that we have such pride in our heritage and are known for our strength, kindness, and humor!

- Ann, New York

The heritage of undaunted courage, the knowledge that my progenitors have passed on the strength and determination to endure and overcome deep adversity, and the traditions of love of music, literature, philosophy, science and, most of all, love of God and fellow man. So what's the best thing about being Irish? The genes.

You never get a straight answer when you ask an Irish person for directions. #beingIrish #IrishWeek2016 https://t.co/ouX3tRv8Rf  The Irish House Pub (@IrishHouseNOLA) March 14, 2016

The best thing about being Irish would include being a nation of people who like to laugh and of course have a bit of Craic.

The best thing about being Irish is our tenacity. It's what made my family and what I am most grateful for. Telling us "you can't do this" only made us tighten our belts, spit on our palms and charge out there to prove them wrong  time after time after time. Thank God I'm Irish, I couldn't have survived without it!

- Kate McLaney

My dad was Irish through and through. He made many trips to Ireland, took Irish history classes at the local community college. He was in an Irish heritage group and took Gaelic language classes. I grew up listening to Tom Clancy and others before we went to church on Sundays. That was the connection my Dad instilled in me. He wanted to take me to Ireland this month but passed away in Jan. Love you, dad.

@IrishCentral We think the best thing about #BeingIrish is the #Music! But we may be a bit biased!  #IrishMusic #irishmusicparty  Music Generation SD (@MusicGenSD) March 14, 2016

The deep appreciation of music, story, family, friends, laughter, and right to decide our own destiny.

Visiting family in Co. Kildare. Great Irish friends and Irish organizations celebration St. Patrick's Day alone with marching in our two parades here in Buffalo, New York. My wife's great-grandfather Michael Quinn from Tralee, Co. Kerry started the first St. Patrick's Day Parade here in Buffalo, New York.

- Norm Hamilton, Lancaster, New York

The best thing about being Irish is the strong familial bonds, the stubbornness that I get from my ancestors has seen me through the worst of times. If I wasn't Irish then I would not be me. Being Irish defines who I am. And I LOVE who I am.

The best thing about being Irish is there are only two kinds of people in the world: Irish and those who wish they were.

- Janie McAndrew

The best thing about being Irish, to me, has to be my constant stubbornness, determination, generosity, resilience, my free spirit, and pride in my beautiful country and its people.

- Kerri O'Reilly





We are a spirited, loyal, generous of spirit, hard-working society. I'm so very proud to be Irish for my son's and future grandchildren's heritage is safe. God has blessed us with hearts full of grace and courage.

- Regina Maguire

Our generosity of spirit and high ideals, our heroism, our poetry, music, literary, sporting, business, environmental and scientific achievements for such a small country, our pilgrims, scholars, and explorers. Our beliefs and imagination and ability to dream and achieve those dreams, our ability to overcome Famine and War and place ourselves high on the world stage.

- Linda Dolan





We don't take ourselves too seriously. The Irish are a super friendly nation. We have great accents. We are the land of saints & scholars. We are hugely creative. We have the craic... the list goes on and on and on.

- Rebecca Carroll

A fighting spirit! Never ever give up! A true love of family & a deep connection to where you come from.

- Linda Macmillan

For me, it's patriotism. It's pride in the place that made me. I'm not just Irish. I am Ireland. I'm a walking, talking, living piece of land, culture, and rich history. As is every other person with a strong connection to their mother-country.

- Aaron Beck

* Originally published in 2016.
But the deal, which marks a third attempt to link the Frankfurt and London exchanges, may prompt a takeover war after New York Stock Exchange owner Intercontinental Exchange said it may bid for the British group.

Nearly 16 years after Deutsche Boerse first tried to take over LSE, the exchanges said last month they were discussing an all-share merger, which they confirmed yesterday would give Deutsche Boerse shareholders 54.4% and LSE investors 45.6% of a new company.

This offers a unique opportunity for Frankfurt which has always played second fiddle to London as a global financial centre, something recognised by the German government which said it would welcome the deal if it strengthened Frankfurt.

If it goes ahead, the combination would create the worlds biggest exchange by revenue, forecast at 4.7bn this year from stock, bond and derivatives trading, indices, market data, and clearing and settlement.

The exchanges sought to sell the deal to investors with the lure of annual cost savings of 450 million.

They also promised users  the banks and fund managers who pay fees to trade and companies who pay to be listed  substantial benefits, but gave no figures.

And in a clear effort to win over Europes politicians to the benefits of a dominant pan-European exchange, Deutsche Boerse chief executive Carsten Kengeter said it would enable Europe to enhance its capital markets.

This chimes with EU plans for a Capital Markets Union to compete better with the US and Asia.

Deutsche Boerse has been under pressure because Europe was the natural space for expansion for North American and Asian rivals. Despite these incentives, the deal faces questions over Britains EU referendum and whether regulators will approve a huge presence in derivatives clearing.

The major test lies in the regulatory hurdle which, combined with added scrutiny in the context of Brexit, places the onus on the two companies to make a compelling case for the deal over the coming months, said Peter Gray, a lawyer at Cavendish Corporate Finance.
The company will distribute 50% of annual net income to investors, Carlsberg said yesterday, exceeding the current payout ratio of 31%.

The Danish brewer also reaffirmed its commitment to Russia, where its the biggest beermaker and has closed plants in response to falling consumption.
Opec and non-Opec producers will meet in Doha on April 17, said Qatari energy minister Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, following a February agreement between Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela, and non-Opec Russia to stabilise output.

To date, around 15 Opec and non-Opec producers, accounting for about 73% of global oil output, are supporting this initiative, Mr Sada said in a statement.

Qatar holds the Opec presidency in 2016 and has been organising the effort.

Oil prices rose yesterday, supported by the announcement and on growing signs of a decline in US crude production.

Brent crude was trading near $40 a barrel, up from a 12-year low of $27.10 reached in January.

The reluctance of Iran, which is boosting its oil exports to recover market share after the lifting of Western sanctions in January, to join such an accord had been cited by Opec sources as a potential roadblock to a wider agreement.

But on Monday, Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said after talks in Tehran that a deal could be signed in April and exclude Iran. An exemption for Iran is not a deal breaker, Opec sources said.

Its a setback but it will not necessarily change the positive atmosphere that has already started, said one Opec source, referring to Iran saying it will not join any freeze accord.

Qatari minister Mr Novak was due to call Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi yesterday to brief him on his trip to Tehran.

A freeze in output would at least stop adding to the excess supply that has caused prices to collapse from levels above $100 a barrel seen in June 2014.

Opec delegates have said that further action including a supply cut could follow by the end of the year, depending on Russias commitment to the freeze and how much oil Iran adds to the market.

A second delegate from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said a pact that failed to include Iran was not the worst possible outcome.

However, if the others freeze and the Iranians are outside the agreement, it will not help the market unless the demand is very large, this delegate said.

January output is already at high levels.

Reuters
Worse still, they were threatening a rolling set of strikes to inconvenience the general public when it hurt most.

But its not as simple as the headlines imply.

For instance, while Luas employees salaries are close to those of Dublin Bus drivers, they are out of kilter with those of DART and Irish Rail.

So, whilst Luas workers can earn up to 42,000 per annum, Irish Rail drivers can earn up to 60,000.

You might say that they have a case.

However, the Luas operating company, Transdev, has announced that it will make a loss this year, possibly more so after any strike.

A resolution of the dispute begs the question as to who will pay for any settlement.

So, what is it thats getting the unions annoyed, as they start to look for a payback after all of the years of austerity?

Politicians have much to answer for.

They want the electorate to see how well they have managed the economy.

But government  as an employer of public sector workers  needs to manage expectations, or else the country will be right back in the hole from which it has just emerged.

The State is still in deep debt and is not in a position to increase costs.

Politicians have implied that they would reverse at least some of the cuts that were imposed on the public sector during the financial crisis.

This has heightened expectations among the Governments own employees.

Unfortunately, there are many more waiting, in the public-sector wings, for a payback.

The one thing such folk have in common is that they have steady jobs and ones that pay enough to live.

There is another group of people who also suffered during austerity.

The concept of zero-hours contracts, or similar, low-pay and low-security contracts, has been allowed to grow over the last decade, partly because of the shortage of full-time jobs.

Companies have needed to keep costs down, while employees have been desperate to earn any honest money.

It was reported last week that 100,000 people are tied into such contracts, which is one in 20 workers. Such low-security contracts are one-sided.

The employee has to be permanently available and has no idea how many hours, if any, he or she will work in the coming weeks.

The person has no way of planning his or her life, given the total absence of any knowledge of projected income.

We can only imagine what it must be like to run your life with such uncertainty.

Raising a family, buying a home, or even getting a bank loan are impossible. Paying the minimum wage exacerbates the problem even further.

A few years ago, there may have been some contrived rationale for such contracts, but with 8% growth in the economy and a sizeable drop in unemployment, there surely cannot be an imperative any longer.

Government was meant to bring in legislation to limit the abuses prevalent in such contracts.

But it has been slow to do so, given the election, lethargy, and, no doubt, the fear of alienating the support of certain, large business sectors.

New Zealand has taken the brave step, as they have in many other things, to ban zero-hour contracts.

Indeed, it has dramatically increased the fines for those who are found guilty of exploiting workers in general.

It has been suggested that we should tighten up the rules, instead of outlawing the practice.

It has been argued that zero-hours contracts suit a lot of people who need money, and that any ban would only penalise them.

A total ban would make more sense.

It might make more sense for companies to drop the contracts.

Indeed, the whole economy would be better-served.

Perhaps unions, such as Siptu, would be better employed trying to eliminate so-called zero-hours contracts than trying to squeeze more from an economy that is still trying to get up off its knees.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told that Robert Bolton, almost five years later, is still in a coma, cannot speak or communicate, and has no reaction to the presence of family members.

Wife Angela Bolton, who has blogged about their life since her husband went in to a coma, welcomed the settlement but said nothing would compensate for the condition of her husband. Thirty years being with the same man and I go home on my own. Nothing really compensates for that but weve done our best,she said.

All we wanted was to find out was what happened and I think we found that out as much as we could. Robert was an incredible gentleman. A musician for life, a bass player, He got his degree from Trinity as a mature student. He was an incredibly fit, well person, and the apple of my eye, and hes been an inspiration to me all years. The one who kept me going. Hes an incredible man.

Robert Bolton, aged 71, had though Mrs Bolton, of Aungier St, Dublin, sued St James Hospital for alleged negligence arising from his treatment in October 2011 when he underwent surgery to the oesophagus and was transferred to ICU, where it was claimed over 24 hours he deteriorated.

His counsel, Desmond ONeill, said Mr Bolton developed respiratory failure and early sepsis, and had a heart attack on October 4, 2011, suffered a hypoxic ischaemic brain injury, and has since been in a coma.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to have regard to the fact that, from the morning of October 4, Mr Boltons condition met generally accepted criteria for a systemic inflammatory response and sepsis, and there was an alleged failure to have regard to the fact that Mr Bolton was developing early sepsis-related organ failures.

The claims were denied by the defendant but the court heard there was a partial admission of liability over a certain aspect of the case.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said it was a good settlement. He said Mrs Bolton could be happy in the knowledge that the best possible arrangement had been made on behalf of Mr Bolton.

The case will come back before the court in two years when Mr Boltons future care needs will be reviewed.
Alcohol Action Ireland made the comments following the issuing of a report commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland which states that alcohol consumption per adult decreased by 0.7% in 2015 compared with 2014.

The study, carried out by economist Anthony Foley of Dublin City Universitys Business School, found the average Irish adult consumed 11.086 litres per annum (lpa) last year compared to 11.013 lpa in 2014. The level recorded in 2015 is still higher than the 10.6 lpa noted in 2013.

Mr Foley used the CSO population and migration estimates and Revenue Commissioners alcohol clearances to reach his findings.

Conor Cullen of Alcohol Action Ireland said the charity welcomed the slight reduction in alcohol consumption, but warned that a further, significant reduction was required.

Though our consumption is down from its all-time high of over 14 litres per capita, the trend is not moving steadily downwards and our alcohol consumption remains higher now than in 2013, as this report points out, he said.

At our current level of 11 litres, we not only retain very high levels of alcohol consumption, but our culture of binge drinking exacerbates the harm.

Mr Cullen said three people die every day in Ireland due to alcohol, and that it is responsible for taking up 1,500 hospital beds every night.

Mr Cullen said the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill will tackle Irelands harmful relationship with alcohol.

The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill aims to reduce Irelands per capita alcohol consumption to the OECD average of 9.1 litres for every person aged 15 and over by 2020.

However, Mr Foley said that using the OECD average as a target is not appropriate.

The OECD database includes far distant and culturally specific countries such as Turkey and Israel with very low alcohol consumption around 2.6 and 1.4 lpa respectively and several other countries with low-ish consumption such as Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, and USA, said Mr Foley.

The non EU countries in the database have an average consumption of 7.1 lpa.

The 21 EU members included in the OECD database have an average consumption of 9.9 compared to the 10.6 recorded in the database for Ireland. Ireland is not widely out of line with this..
John, also known as Con Murphy, 66, received the non-custodial sentence despite Judge Patrick McCartan expressing concerns that Murphy is involved in similar behaviour with a new charity he set up called the Make it Happen Foundation.

Judge McCartan suspended a three-year sentence yesterday after hearing Murphys family had raised the full amount to compensate for the theft.
Speaking in Washington, DC, Mr Flanagan was speaking after acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny cut short his trip to the US for St Patricks Day to return to Dublin to assess discussions with Independents and small parties.

Speaking at a Science Foundation Ireland St Patricks Day event in the US capital, Mr Flanagan said Fianna Fail is behaving like it won the general election, which he says they clearly havent.

He said he respects the will of the people through the ballot box  the result being inconclusive.

Mr Flanagan accused Fianna Fail of acting in a swashbuckling way as if they had won the election.

Fianna Fail are currently engaged in game playing and their swashbuckling approach suggests that they have won the election which clearly they have not.

I respect the will of the people through the ballot box, the result being inconclusive. However, the fact remains Fine Gael, with 50 seats, is the largest party and every effort will be made on behalf of Enda Kenny and Fine Gael to form a stable government, Mr Flanagan said.

The election is over, the votes have been counted, the seats have been distributed, but it is important now that the Dail gets down to the serious business of electing a government.

That is what the Taoiseach is engaged in. I believe any prolonged period of uncertainty will give rise to instability and put at risk much of the hard-won economic successes of recent years, and it is important that all parties engage in a process and a government be elected.

It is expected that at some point in the next week or ten days, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will have to begin talks on either a minority government or grand coalition.

Mr Flanagan also criticised what he called a misinterpretation of Mr Kennys bejaysus remarks at an Irish embassy event on Tuesday night.

Mr Kenny joked he wished he didnt have to go home and face forming a government after having such a good time in Washington, DC.

Having been introduced by ambassador Anne Anderson, Mr Kenny said hed rather not go home. Bejaysus, I wish I didnt have to go back and face what I have to face, he said.

Mr Kenny described the recent verdict of the electorate as a complex one but said he respected it.

Mr Flanagan, meanwhile, said: I was present when the Taoiseach made a light-hearted comment and Im disappointed that his comment has been misinterpreted [and] misunderstood.

He also highlighted the risks to Ireland of a British exit from the EU. From an Irish perspective, amongst the risks is that of Brexit, he said.

Ireland has worked hard within the EU over many months to ensure agreement on a new settlement for the UK. This has been one of the main priorities for the Taoiseach and me in our engagement with the British government and our EU partners.
PJ Looney had his arms and legs tied up with cable wire.

One accused, on bail at the time for assault, had 28 previous convictions.

The victim was described by a detective garda as a small farmer with limited means.

In a victim impact report, read out at Ennis Circuit Court, Mr Looney said: I live on my own and ever since the break-in, every time I hear strange noises on the side of my house I always remember the attack on me and I get worried and stressed for a minute until I know I am safe.

Evidence was given that Dean OConnor, 24, from Ferndale, Ennis Rd, Limerick and an accomplice broke into Mr Looneys isolated home near the west Clare village of Kilmihil.

The assault occurred around 6pm on August 10, 2014.

Thomas Rice BL, prosecuting, said the purpose of the very well-planned operation was to steal anything from Mr Looneys house that was valuable.

However, OConnor, on bail at that time for an assault charge, and his accomplice were disturbed by a neighbour and brother-in-law of Mr Looney, Tom OSullivan.

He had been alarmed at seeing two strangers in the area and drove his tractor up Mr Looneys avenue.

OConnor and his accomplice fled.

Mr OSullivan, described in court as a man of considerable courage, was able to free Mr Looney and raise the alarm.

In a victim impact statement read out in court by Det Garda Donal Corkery, Mr Looney said that he was tied up and badly attacked.

I remember when I was being attacked, I was so scared I could have been killed when they tied me up.

I had injuries to my face and I was badly bruised.

Mr Looney said he has put in place enhanced security measures around his house.

Before this incident I felt safe in my house, but now I am always on edge.

OConnor pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, burglary, and assault.

Mr Rice said OConnor and his accomplice rendered Mr Looney completely immobile after tying him up.

Det Corkery said gardai found a hold-all bag containing a can of petrol and cable ties near Mr Looneys house.

A motorist, not knowing what had occurred, gave the two offenders a lift into Kilmihil.

OConnor borrowed a mobile phone, rang his mothers number, and his stepfather collected the pair.

Det Corkery told Judge Gerald Keys no one else had been charged. OConnors previous convictions include four for theft, two for burglary and one for assault.

OConnors counsel Pat Whyms BL told the court: My client is absolutely appalled by his own behaviour and apologises profusely through me to the victim.

He is very disappointed and disgusted with himself.

He said OConnor could have contested the case in court but the reason he pleaded guilty was his own disgust over his behaviour.

OConnor was remanded in custody to April 14 for sentencing.
By the time he took to the podium at the swanky Willard Hotel at the Irish embassy reception, he was running on empty.

Whether it was deliberate or merely a case of the mask slipping, Mr Kenny quipped that given how well he was treated here in Washington DC, he wasnt that keen to go home.

Bejaysus, I wish I didnt have to go back and face what I have to face, he said.

Speaking about his recent losing of the election, Mr Kenny said the verdict of the electorate was complex but he said he respected it.

The crowd of several hundred people responded warmly to what appeared to be an honest statement from a political leader. It has caught attention for several reasons.

Firstly, it has echoes of his whingers comments in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on the weekend before the election, which he eventually had to disown. It had a ring of woe is me about it which never goes down well in politics.

Secondly, Kenny is outrageously controlled by his team and such comments are rare, because they tend to get him into trouble.

It was in one way a welcome example of how personable and engaging Mr Kenny can be.

An honest man speaking honestly, free of jargon or complicated economic gobbledygook.

The toll of the election loss certainly showed in his demeanour throughout his visit, despite his best efforts to look spry.

With Mr Kenny safely departed for home, it was left to Charlie Flanagan to carry the flag for Ireland. What did he think of his the comments of his boss?

I was present when the Taoiseach made a lighthearted comment and Im disappointed that his comment has [been] misinterpreted [and] misunderstood, he told reporters.

While he was disappointed about one story, Mr Flanagan was not willing to share his views on the failure of the White House to admit the West Belfast One to the Shamrock ceremony.

Gerry Adams was in full outrage mode yesterday over the embarrassing episode which saw him blocked from entering the building, while Mary Lou McDonald and Martin McGuinness were allowed to join the party.

In a statement, describing the episode as a controversy, Mr Adams accused some in the Obama administration of wanting to treat Sinn Fein differently to other political parties.

Mr Adams went as far as to invoke civil rights icon Rosa Parks, by saying that he and Sinn Fein will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone.

We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this. I am hopeful that the controversy around my White House invitation will help lead to a resolution of all these matters, he said.
Owen Roche, aged 31, of 2 Hanover House, Fermoy, Co Cork, was given a four-year jail term with the last 18 months suspended. He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register.

Roche denied the sexual assault, but last month at Cork Circuit Criminal Court a jury found him guilty of the crime which took place on May 1 last year.

The victim was asleep in bed at her home in North Cork after a drinks party which had been attended by a number of people. Roche had been allowed to stay and sleep on the couch.

The woman, in her mid-20s, woke to find there was a man in the bed lying behind her. He had his hand on her vagina. She turned to find it was not her partner but Roche. She told him to get out of the room.

He embarked on a stealthy sexual assault on a sleeping woman. It is a sneaky, despicable crime. He knew full well she was asleep. There was not the slightest shred of consent or encouragement, Judge Donagh McDonagh said.

The judge said he was distinctly unimpressed by the tone taken by the accused when he was interviewed by gardai. Roche referred to the victim as a lying c***. It was unnecessary, gratuitous, meant to be demeaning and insulting of her, it showed the mental attitude he had, he simply did not care. There is no remorse shown, no meaningful remorse, said the judge.

Defence barrister Seamus Roche said Roche was formerly a boxer and had to give it up due to a hand injury. Regarding the disputed incident, the barrister said the accused appeared to have been under a misapprehension his moves were being accepted. He thought he did no wrong. The jury found otherwise and he accepts the verdict of the jury.

The victim said in her impact statement the sexual assault had a terrible effect on her.

I was put on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication by my GP. I could not sleep at night and I began drinking heavily to block out what happened and to numb myself. I stopped going of the house unless I had to and I never went out alone. I no longer visit my housebound mother because I was too frightened to leave the house, she said.

Owen Roche continued to deny he sexually assaulted me. Some people called me a liar when Id walk down the street. Some of my friends no longer made contact with me. I thought nobody except my family and a small amount of friends believed me. I found the wait for the court case and the prospect of the trial took my life from me.

The sexual assault has had a profound impact on my life. I continue to get flashbacks and nightmares and continue to suffer from depression and anxiety. I am currently attending counselling and will need to for some time to come.

Now that Owen Roche has been found guilty I hope I can begin to get my life back on track. I no longer drink to forget and numb myself and believe that I am improving day by day.

She thanked her family for supporting her through it. She also thanked the gardai who dealt with the case and the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork.
A High Court judge had been asked to decide whether a dispute, centred on the 8 Miles private equity firm, of which Geldof is the chairman, should proceed to a trial.

Businessman Miten Dutia claimed that he was a member of a partnership, along with Geldof and three other businessmen, behind the creation of 8 Miles. They disputed the claim.

Mr Dutia said his claim should be analysed at a trial.

Geldof, and the other businessmen, said Mr Dutias partnership claim was without merit.

They said there was no good reason for a trial.

A less senior judge had already ruled against Mr Dutia.

Chief master, Matthew Marsh, granted summary judgment in favour of Geldof, and the three other businessmen.

He said Mr Dutias prospects of success at a trial were fanciful.

Mr Dutia then asked a High Court judge to overturn that ruling.

But Mr Justice Nugee, on Wednesday, ruled against Mr Dutia and dismissed his appeal. He said in a written ruling: I am entirely satisfied that the chief master was right to conclude that the partnership claim was unsustainable.

Mr Justice Nugee had analysed the appeal at a High Court hearing in London, in December.

Bob Geldof, the driving force behind the 1980s Band Aid and Live Aid projects, had not been at that hearing.

A company website said 8 Miles was a private equity firm, focused exclusively on making private equity investments in Africa.

We invest in consumer-driven businesses and service providers with strong growth prospects, said a website summary.

A core part of our strategy is active ownership  actively participating in transforming businesses in which we invest. We are hands-on investors in Africa.

It said Geldof was the chairman of 8 Miles and advises the team on political and strategic issues.

Mr Justice Nugee said Mr Dutia had made other claims, and legal action would continue in relation to those.
Mr Adams was reportedly refused entry to the White House for the St Patricks Day reception hosted by President Barack Obama.

In a statement, Mr Adams said there are forces within the US administration who seek to treat Sinn Fein differently. He then compared himself and his party to Ms Parks by saying: Sinn Fein will not sit at the back of the bus for anyone. We are elected to represent citizens and we will do this. I am hopeful that the controversy around my White House invitation will help lead to a resolution of all these matters.

But last night, Mr Adams comments were branded as absolutely ridiculous by Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary who said the priority given to Ireland by the Obama White House makes a mockery of Mr Adams comments. They are ridiculous, especially when his own deputy leader and Martin McGuinness were allowed enter. This was probably some administrative mix-up, but to compare himself to Rosa Parks is absurd, he said.

Mr Adams was refused entry to the event which saw acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny present Mr Obama with a bowl of shamrock.

Mr Adams arrived with other Sinn Fein personnel including the partys vice president Mary Lou McDonald and Martin McGuinness. Mr Adams was pulled aside from the other Sinn Fein members as the White House security personnel examined his documents.

After waiting 90 minutes and seeing no movement in the effort to gain him entrance, Mr Adams decided to leave, while Ms McDonald and Mr McGuinness proceeded into the event.

Mr Adams is on a list which requires him to pass through additional security checks.

He is known to face what is called secondary inspection when boarding planes for North America and he usually arrives very early for flights, but problems at White House level are highly unusual.

That is because anyone attending the event is known to have been screened by the FBI and Secret Service before being issued with the official invite.

Even in cases where, for instance, an Irish passport holder may have his passport in Irish, as happened to a TD recently, usually a way around the issue is found.

In a statement, the US Secret Service said: We would like to express our regret that the issue involving Gerry Adams entry into the St Patricks Day reception could not be resolved in a more timely manner. Unfortunately, an administrative input error received by the Secret Service was not able to be rectified promptly.

My invite 2

The White House. Just saying. pic.twitter.com/0fGax1LMhB  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) March 16, 2016

Confirmation of my invite 2 White House Reception. From the White House. pic.twitter.com/lMTVXp05MP  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) March 16, 2016

There was no comment from the White House in relation to this matter.

Meanwhile, a senior Fine Gael source yesterday said that the Independent Alliance and a group of rural Independent TDs could be offered a ministry each if they support the party in government. He said individual deals and local funding offers such as those that were done with Independents in previous administrations were not on the cards.
The partys two TDs yesterday met Fine Gael negotiators as attempts continue to form a government.

Green leader Eamon Ryan has not ruled out voting for a taoiseach when the next vote takes place on April 6. However, he says he wants to see a programme for government from Fine Gael as well as from Fianna Fail before any decisions are made.

Speaking after talks with Fine Gael, Mr Ryan said: I dont think anyone wants another election. It behoves everyone to try and put a government together. Talks will continue.

Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny arrived back from Washington yesterday and was scheduled to hold a meeting with his Fine Gael ministers, following several days of talks with smaller parties and Independent TDs in his absence.

Mr Kenny is attempting to garner the most support for the April 6 vote for taoiseach. However, he has as of yet not opened any talks with Fianna Fail, despite suggestions from his own party that this would be necessary.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said this week that some arrangement would be necessary with Fianna Fail. Health Minister Leo Varadkar said, while talks are ongoing with smaller parties, that it was premature to talk to Fianna Fail.

Fine Gaels executive council last night was also scheduled to decide on who should be put forward as party nominees for the Seanad elections.

Meanwhile, the Greens launched their Dail reform proposals yesterday, following the setting up of a new all-party committee to consider changes to how the parliament works. The committee will hold its first meeting next week when the Dail sits for one day on the Tuesday. Mr Ryan said there should be a referendum to ensure each Dail term would last five years. It would take two thirds of TDs to break up this fixed-term parliament and agree to an early election.

The party also wants a new constitutional convention to decide on referendums as well as Seanad reform and improved answers from ministers in the Dail.
National housing charity Threshold said the legislation, which came into force at the beginning of the year, is not a cure-all for the current difficulties faced by tenants. It said the State needs to accept responsibility for the reality of tenants situations by addressing soaring market rents, higher than those seen during boom times, and inadequate rent-supplement limits.

It was reported earlier this week that property websites are still featuring adverts which discriminate against tenants in receipt of rent allowance  despite this being outlawed under the Equality Act 2015.

However, chairperson of Threshold, Senator Aideen Hayden said the Government needs to do more to protect vulnerable tenants.

While the new equality legislation in relation to those in receipt of housing support and assistance is welcomed, it is simply not good enough. The State cant pat itself on the back and claim it has addressed the issue through legislation when the reality on the ground is quite different.

Market rents are surpassing the maximum rent supplement limits, making it almost impossible for tenants to secure adequate accommodation and remain in their homes, resulting in increasing numbers of individuals and families becoming homeless, she said.

Ms Hayden called on the Government to reform the seriously flawed rent- supplement scheme which it said was contributing to rising levels of homelessness. In Thresholds experience, landlords are reluctant to engage with the rent supplement scheme for a wide variety of reasons, including the inadequacy of rent supplement limits, payment in arrears and bureaucratic delays.

The rent-supplement scheme is seriously flawed: Rent supplement tenants are not pre-approved, and payments are made in arrears not in advance. This means landlords can be left waiting for their rent payment, she said. Threshold said the new Government must reform how the scheme operates and provide a lasting solution for rent-supplement tenants, ensuring landlords feel secure in accepting rent supplement.

It said this can be done by increasing rent supplement limits to bring them in line with market rents, introducing a pre-approval mechanism for rent supplement claimants similar to mortgage pre-approval and ensuring payments are made directly to landlords in advance. The Threshold chairperson said the charity received calls daily from tenants who face discrimination because they rely on rent supplement.

However, there is no point pretending that landlords will take less than market rent because someone is on rent supplement, she said. The new Government must increase rent-supplement limits to bring them into line with market rents and remove the administrative flaws and payment delays inherent in the scheme.
Photo credit: The editor of RollingNews.ie, Eamonn Farrell, left, hands over a disk containg over 300 images after a warrant presented by garda Inspector Des McTiernan, of Store St Station. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

On Tuesday, a garda inspector from Store St station arrived at the offices of RollingNews.ie with a warrant for the seizure of images which one of its photojournalists had taken during a protest at OConnell St on February 6 relating to the international refugee crisis.

Over 300 images from the journalists digital notebook were handed over by RollingNews.ie editor Eamonn Farrell, under protest.

Commenting on the incident, Mr Farrell said it was the fifth time images have been requested by the gardai over the last few years and the second time it had handed over images, under protest, subject to the presentation of a warrant.

Our objection is based on our belief that the increasing demand by the gardai for access to journalists media content, is interfering with the freedom of the press and putting the safety and lives of journalists at risk by turning them into the eyes and ears of the State, he said.

In his response to the request, Mr Farrell said despite death threats against journalists here and the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, the gardai put the safety of journalists at risk by demanding images.

I find it strange there was such professional, intellectual, and institutional outrage both nationally and internationally regarding the killing of the Charlie Hebdo journalists in France by terrorists, and the death threats against two journalists in Independent News and Media by a criminal gang, yet you continue to pursue a course of action which is putting our journalists safety and lives at risk, he said.

Irish secretary of the NUJ Seamus Dooley said it was the latest alarming incident in a series of incidents in which journalists had been faced with demands to hand over images taken at public events.

There is a strong constitutional and legal basis for the protection of confidential sources of information. Journalists should not be compelled to act as agents of the State and that applies to the supply of photographic images of public events.

Last week the NUJ made a detailed submission to the Murray Review and the principles outlined in that submission are directly relevant in this case, he said.

Last month, Photocall Ireland (which is now RollingNews.ie) was also forced to hand over images of a protest outside the Department of Justice in Dublin. Its offices were visited by gardai who served a summons on two staff, a photographer who had photographed the protest, and the office manager. Photocall had refused to voluntarily hand over the images and were forced to do so on foot of a warrant.

At the time, the NUJ labelled the actions part of a worrying trend.
He claims the alleged disclosure arose from a document Revenue provided to certain news organisations during a case arising out of his tax liability for 1999/ 2000 relating to the sale of his shares in Esat Telecom to BT Hawthorn Ltd. Revenue denies his claims and says almost all the information came from a public High Court hearing.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott yesterday ordered Revenue, in advance of the main case, to provide discovery of certain categories of information. The judge said the case arose out of an appeal by Mr OBrien against a tax assessment raised by Revenue.
Anthony Callaghan, 45, and Paul Zambra, 39, were caught following a three-day surveillance operation by specialist gardai.

Callaghan, of Millrace Road, Phoenix Park Racecourse, Dublin and Zambra, of Inagh Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin both pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a Ruger revolver and semi-automatic pistol with intent to endanger life at Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock on May 29, 2015.

The men were stopped by gardai who mounted a surveillance operation in the Coolock area and a search of the BMW driven by Zambra yielded two firearms and a full petrol can.

Callaghans previous convictions include attempted robbery and possession of a firearm. Zambra has convictions for robbery, larceny and road traffic offences Judge Melanie Greally said the men were caught red handed and although she accepted that they pleaded guilty, she described the evidence against the men as overwhelming.

She said Zambra was a man with a history of violent crime and that Callaghan has previously been jailed for firearm offences connected with a robbery.

Judge Greally said guns when discovered by gardai were optimal readiness for use and their capacity to endanger life was considerable. She accepted there was no evidence as to why the men had the weapons but said the venture for their intended use was imminent.

Judge Greally sentenced Callaghan to 12 years in prison and Zambra to 10 years after commenting that there was a significant public interest in deterring firearm offences.

Detective Garda Glen Somers told Vincent Heneghan BL, prosecuting, that gardai acting on confidential information mounted a surveillance operation over several days on the movements and activities surrounding a number of vehicles driven variously by Callaghan and Zambra.

On May 29, 2015 gardai became aware that a white Nissan van driven by Callaghan with Zambra as a front seat passenger was on its way to Coolock. Zambra was dropped off at Clonshaugh Crescent where a blue BMW estate was parked.

Zambra got into the BMW and drove onto Clonshaugh Avenue, in a direction which was in close proximity to the Riverside Estate. Callaghan drove off onto Clonshaugh Road. Gardai made tactical stops of both vehicles at about 12.15pm and arrested the men.

Zambra had attempted to drive off after being directed to get out of the car but was boxed in by a squad car. Inside the BMW gardai recovered a full 5 litre petrol container, a semi-automatic pistol wrapped in newspapers and a revolver wrapped inside a neck warmer.
The decision by the authority was made at its second monthly meeting on February 24, a couple of weeks after the double gangland murders in Dublin.

Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan and other senior garda bosses were questioned at the time regarding garda intelligence over the paramilitary-style attack on the Regency Hotel targeting members of the Kinahan crime cartel, one of which, David Byrne, was shot dead.

Four days later, in a revenge attack, Edward Hutch was shot dead at his home in the north inner city, amid a heavy garda presence. The commissioner rejected suggestions that there should have been a garda presence at the hotel given the known tensions between the Kinahan cartel and the Hutch gang.

Answering questions to the media on the matter, the commissioner said gardai had no specific intelligence of a threat.

The minutes of the authority said it intended to raise the issue of organised crime and garda intelligence with Ms OSullivan.

The authority discussed the nature of the discussion it wished to hold with the garda commissioner in relation to organised criminal activity and the model or approach to intelligence management in relation to such criminal activity and, in this context, deputy commissioner [Donal] O Cualains letter regarding the scope of the discussion was noted.

The authority accepted that it would not be appropriate to discuss the details of any individual cases. However, the minutes added: However, into the future there may on occasion be a need to understand a certain level of operational detail in order to fulfil the authoritys role in overseeing the performance of the Garda Siochana of its functions relating to policing services.

In its meeting with Ms OSullivan later that day, the minutes said she told the authority there were certain sensitive operational matters that she would not be in a position to discuss.

The minutes noted: The garda commissioner provided an outline of the level of resourcing involved in policing the recent events linked to organised crime, as well as the longer term resources put in place to respond to the threat of organised crime.

The minutes also detailed a meeting with Department of Justice general secretary Noel Waters.

The minutes said: It was agreed that it is appropriate that the chairperson of the authority [Josephine Feehily] be advised without delay and included in briefings on policing matters arising from certain events and in particular events which have the potential to damage community confidence.
Cork County Council confirmed yesterday Spike Island Development Company, a fully owned subsidiary of the local authority, has awarded the interpretive and exhibition fit-out contract to Hadley Interiors Ltd, a specialist company.

A spokesperson for the development company said it was confident a planned completion date of June 2016 for phase 1 will be achieved.

If follows a year of research, public consultation and design development by Cork-based interpretive designers JANVS who worked closely with the council, academic specialists, and former residents to create a visitor experience that interprets fully the islands complex and fascinating history.

Hadley and their creative specialists, including scenic artists, media producers and installation specialists, will now combine traditional heritage interpretation techniques with graphics, scenic works, audio tours, dramatic films, exploractives and smartphone apps to bring the visitor experience vision to life.

The interpretive centre will focus on the islands military and penal history, the enforced transportation of its inmates, and the social history of its residents.

Spike Island

The contract marks a major milestone in delivering the first phase of the 5.5m Fortress Spike Island development which is being funded by both the county council and Failte Ireland.

The overall aim of the entire project is to develop the island and its buildings into a world class visitor attraction, and to link it to set of projects covering the defence architecture of Cork city and the wider harbour area.

Spike Island was handed over to the council by the Department of Justice in July 2010 to facilitate its redevelopment as a tourist attraction.

The council identified 14 key projects to kick-start the first phase of development, including the provision of a pontoon and pier upgrades, the development of a new gun park and military exhibition, the upgrade and extension of a cafe, the upgrade of a heating system in the former prisons B block, the development of access to three bastions and to two gun bastions, the refurbishment of the old gaol and shell store, the development of interpretive panels, signage, lighting, and the development of a mobile app called Virtual Spike.

Cumnor Construction Ltd started work last August on the conservation and infrastructural development on the island.

Marine Transport Ltd will provide a passenger ferry service from Cobh to Spike Island for this summer season.

The 104-acre Spike Island occupies a key position in lower Cork Harbour. It has, over the course its history, hosted a monastery, a military fortress and prisons. Its redevelopment as a tourist attraction is one of the most ambitious tourism projects of its kind in Ireland.
Brendan OGorman, the councils senior executive engineer, raised concerns about lifebuoys being stolen at a stocked reservoir at Knockanannig, Fermoy.

The council, he advised may have no choice but to close off the leisure site which features a number of walkways.

The amenity is used for picnics and walking, and is also a significant draw for anglers. Fishing enthusiasts arrive from all over the country and from abroad. The amenity is especially popular with British coarse anglers who use it when the nearby River Blackwater is in flood.

In the last few weeks, council officials discovered life rings and ropes were being regularly stolen.

One councillor said he would not like to see the loss of such an amenity due to the actions of an irresponsible few.

Mr OGorman, meanwhile, described the trend as very worrying. He said the council did not have the staff to monitor the facility and gardai could not patrol the amenity round-the-clock. He said there was only one solution if thefts continued.

Cllr Frank OFlynn (FF) was told by officials it was not possible to install temporary CCTV cameras at the site.

Cllr Noel McCarthy (FG), who lives in Fermoy, said the solution was people who saw anybody stealing or vandalising safety equipment should immediately contact gardai. They should remember a life could be lost and we dont want that to happen. And we also dont want such a great facility lost to so many people because of the irresponsible actions of a few, he added.

The closure warning was issued at a meeting of the county councils Mitchelstown/Fermoy municipal committee. Committee chairman Cllr Ian Doyle (FF) said the public had to help catch those responsible.

The lifebuoys were installed some years ago amid fears swimmers could drown in the deep reservoir. Despite warning signs prohibiting swimming, youngsters regularly dive off a jetty during the summer. The jetty is to be blocked off.
The first national report gathering together information from all 19 maternity units has also shown that epidurals were used in almost 41% of births and that just under 30% of labours were induced.

Professor Michael Turner, lead of the National Clinical Programme in Obstetrics & Gynaecology, said the report showed that Irelands figures across the various sections were in line with international averages, adding: There are no alarms bells going off.

As for the growing rate of caesarean section births, he said the later ages at which women were having their first child was a factor pushing up the c-section rate.

What I can say is that it is not because babies are getting bigger, he said. It would appear to be related to women delaying having their first baby.

According to the Central Statistics Office the average age of first-time mothers in 2014 was 30.5 years, up 0.3 years from 2013 in what has been a continuing trend. In the first quarter of last year the average age of first-time mothers was 30.6.

Having a c-section has also become much safer but Prof Turner dismissed any notion of more women simply electing to have a c-section as exaggerated.

Women in Ireland are very focussed on the safety of their baby, he said, adding that Irelands c-section rate was the closest to the OECD average of all countries included in a 2013 report.

The figures are contained in the first Irish Maternity Indicator System National report, which gathered data from all maternity units around the country for 2014.

The report  the first of its kind in the world  shows that in 2014 there were 67,263 births involving 65,987 mothers, with the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street recording the highest number of births and South Tipperary General Hospital the lowest number.

The figures show the larger hospitals have higher rates of multiple deliveries and that there has been a downward trend nationally in the number of live births in Ireland, from 71,986 in 2009 to 69,267 in 2013  a drop in the live birth rate from 16.7 to 15.0 per 1,000 population.

As for multiple births, six units display incidence of multiple births above the national average and five of these have an IVF unit or clinic.

First-time mothers tend to be at greater risk than other women of adverse birth outcomes, but the national maternal death rate is very low at 10.61 per 100,000 mothers delivered, while the perinatal death rate is 6.05 per 1,000 births, although those behind the report stressed that some of these figures should be approached with caution.

Meanwhile, 40.83% of births in 2014 involved the administering of an epidural, while the rate of instrumental delivery, including forceps delivery and vacuum extraction, was 15.48%.

Prof Turner said that women used other forms of pain relief or have short labours, reducing the likely need for any epidural. The report shows just under 30% of labours were induced, with first-time mothers more likely to be induced.

The report does not detail how individual hospitals compare across the 30 different categories although each hospital has been provided with its individual data. Prof Turner said: The outcomes are being monitored very closely.

He said the fact that none of the figures were out of step with international comparators was reassuring and that a report for 2015 is likely within the next three or four months.

The general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Liam Doran, said the system needed around 475 more midwives and that existing staff work miracles.

He said the report was fair, and that the image of maternity care had been affected by some bad incidents in recent years which did not reflect the overall level of service.
THE gowns have been returned to designers, the statuettes engraved and the red carpets rolled up... awards season is over for another year, but the fun doesnt stop there, because now weve got mountains of spring beauty inspiration to peruse and perfect.

And its not just guesswork, either  weve got the inside scoop from the make-up artists and hair stylists who made it happen for our leading ladies.

Read on for all the tips, techniques, and products you need to transform yourself into an award-worthy goddess...

IN THE PINK

The inspiration was Bombay Deco meets Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface, explains make-up artist Romy Soleimani of Maggie Gyllenhaals bold fuchsia lip at the Golden Globes, which contrasted beautifully with the muted gold tone of her floral dress.

Soleimani matched the Audacious Lipstick in Michiyo with a swirl of hot pink from the Dual Intensity Blush in Panic.

* Dual Intensity Blush in Panic, 39, Nars ( www.brownthomas.ie )

* Audacious Lipstick in Michiyo, 30, Nars ( www.brownthomas.ie )

MAKING WAVES

There was barely a pair of straighteners in sight this season, as gentle waves were the by far the most popular choice in the hair department, as seen on Cinderella herself  Lily James  at the Golden Globes.

Stylist Ashley Streicher created the look  described as 1970s French Riviera, elegant and glamorous with an edge  using Show Beauty products. She explains how:

Start by spraying Show Beauty Sheer Thermal Protect on clean, dry hair to prepare for heat styling, then use Show Beauty Divine Thickening Mist at the roots to add some volume.

"Create a centre parting, then use a 1.5-inch curling iron to curl in sections, securing each row with a setting pin.

"The trick is to curl the first layer in one direction, the next layer in the opposite direction, and so on, to create a tousled wave.

"Finally, unpin the curls and brush out, finishing with a spritz of dry shampoo and hair spray to set the look.

* Show Beauty Sheer Thermal Protect, 46.95, lookfantastic (www.lookfantastic.com, free p&p)

* Show Beauty Divine Thickening Mist, 46.95 lookfantastic ( www.lookfantastic.com , free p&p)

GOLDEN EYES

The golden girl of awards season, best supporting actress Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, chose a suitably molten eye make-up look to pick up another best supporting actress gong at the SAG Awards.

Make-up legend Charlotte Tilbury explains how she did it: I applied a cream shadow, Eyes to Mesmerise in Bette, on the lids and softly blended upwards and underneath the waterline.

"I then applied the pop shade from my Luxury Palette in The Vintage Vamp to the inner corners of the eyes and to the middle of the lids.

"To add definition and length, Charlotte Tilbury Rock N Kohl in Barbarella Brown was applied to the outer corners of the top lashline, then I finished the look with Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes on top and bottom lashes.

* Eyes to Mesmerise in Bette, 26, CharlotteTilbury ( www.brownthomas.com )

* Luxury Palette The Vintage Vamp, 50 CharlotteTilbury ( www.brownthomas.com )

PERSONALISED POUT

Effortless, young and fresh was how make-up artist Stephanie Brooke Barnes described the look she created for Priyanka Chopra at the Academy Awards, the Bollywood beauty whos now starring in US hit TV drama Quantico.

Starting with a clean matte complexion and subtle smokey eye, Barnes says her favourite element of this look is the unique lipstick shade she created by mixing Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colours in Cocoa Pout and Seduction.

The latter isnt available in Ireland until July, but raspberry pink Coquette is the next best thing.

* Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour in Cocoa Pout and Coquette, 30 each, Brown Thomas ( www.brownthomas.com )

GET KNOTTED

Fussy updos took a back seat this season, as relaxed, slightly undone styles, like Annabelle Wallis knotted chignon at the Baftas, came to the fore.

Kieron Fowles, creative director at Regis, demonstrates how to re-create the do:

Start by applying Sebastian Shaper Zero Gravity to wet hair to create a solid foundation and shine before blow drying, then use a curling wand to tong through the hair before brushing out with a paddle brush to create texture.

Create an irregular side parting in the hair, leaving softer strands to fall around the face, then split the hair into two sections and cross one over the other and bring underneath to create a knot.

"Repeat the step, adding a second knot and secure with elastic. Take the knot and roll the hair under, pinning into place to create a chignon.

* Sebastian Shaper Zero Gravity, 14.45, save 9 ( www.lookfantastic.com , free p&p)

GOING GOTH

It was a bit of a snoozefest nails-wise at the Oscars, with a sea of nude and beige manis, but we love the way Jennifer Lawrence and Kerry Washington contrasted their black and white dresses with gothic nails.

Try Chanels Le Vernis in Black Satin, for shiny, long-lasting, pitch black perfection.

* Chanel Les Vernis Nail Colour, Black Satin, 23.50, Debenhams ( www.debenhams.ie )

FELINE FEEL

Saoirse Ronan picked up a heap of acting nominations this year - and the 21-year-old looked super-confident on the red carpet too.

Showcasing the power of simplicity, make-up artist Karen Alder designed Ronans Baftas look, saying: We went for a fresh look and focused on the classic feline flick.

The precise line was painted on with Lancome Artliner and followed by lashings of Hypnose Doll Eyes.

* Lancome Artliner 01 Black, 28.50, Boots ( www.boots.ie )

* Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara So Black!, 28, Debenhams ( www.debenhams.ie )
Then, the line that led to the chimps and us separated from with the one which produced the gorillas. A million years later, the great-ape family tree split again; the chimp branch parted company from the one which would lead to humans. Hominid species have come and gone over the millennia since then. The Neanderthals and Denisovans survived until very recently as did Flores Man, a much more distant cousin. Now, we are the only humans still standing. Our nearest living relatives are the two species of chimpanzee. About a quarter of million pairs of forebears separate us from them.

The bonobo, only recognised as a distinct species in 1929, is said to be gentler and more civilised than the common chimpanzee. It uses sex and love, rather than brute force and violence, to resolve disputes. We like to think, therefore, that its the closer of our two cousins. However, the bonobo line had yet to evolve in the days when our ancestors and theirs parted company, so both chimp species are equally related to us.

The gorilla, being further away on the great-ape family tree, should share fewer genetic traits with us. However, in a paper just published on line in the journal Genome Research, scientists argue that men are closer to male gorillas than was previously thought.

The Y chromosome is found only in males; indeed it is responsible for their maleness. This tiny chromosome is difficult to study, but Kateryna Makova and a team at Pensilvania State University have developed a faster, more efficient, way to unlock its secrets. Its important to do so if male infertility problems are to be addressed.

The Y carries less than 2% of a mans genetic material. Unlike all the other chromosomes, it does not undergo genetic shuffling with DNA from the other parent when new chromosomes are being created. Instead, it is passed on unchanged from father to son. All men alive today have the same Y chromosome. Copying errors occur, however, and the extent of these is an indication of the number of generations which separate any two individuals.

Makovas team examined the Y chromosomes of gorillas chimps and humans. Since humans and chimps have a more recent common ancestor, the Y chromosome of chimps should resemble the human one most closely. The test results showed, however, that it doesnt. The researchers found that, in many ways, the gorilla Y chromosome is more similar to the human Y chromosome than either is to the chimpanzee Y chromosome. The chimps Y has undergone more changes down through the millennia, and has more repetitive elements in it, than either the human or the gorilla Ys. Men, it seems, are closer to gorillas than we thought.

These findings dont mean, however, that our nearest and dearest are the gorillas or that our current version of the great-ape family tree is wrong. In 2008, scientists sampled the DNA of a western lowland gorilla in San Diego Zoo and published the species genome four years later. Around 70% of our DNA was found to be closer to that of the chimpanzee, while 15% was more gorilla-like. The chimp Y underwent many changes during the seven million years since their line diverged from ours, but the human Y and the gorilla Y did not change as much. Markova suggests that our similarity to the gorilla may be driven by similar mating patterns. Like humans, female gorillas tend to bestow their favours on only one male, whereas female chimps have multiple partners.

The finding is an important one. If the Y chromosome genes are, at least partly, responsible for infertility, the sources of this condition may predate the split between humans and gorillas all those millions of years ago. Dublin Zoo has gorillas and chimps. The new gorilla island there has become famous worldwide. Why not pay you cousins a visit?
THERE were as many as 183 kings in Ireland when St Patrick arrived sometime around 460 AD, according to the archaeologist, Michael Gibbons. He has compared them to Afghan warlords.

Thats close to the number deputies in the Dail, commented my husband. The symbolism of relative order coming to relative chaos struck me this week as we began to celebrate the coming of Christianity to Ireland.

We now know there were probably two St Patricks and possibly three. We know Patrick was far from the first missionary who came to Ireland from Roman, Christian Britain. But what is sure is that some catalyst was applied to elements which were ready to transform in Ireland in the late 400s AD.

What happened was a revolution with staggering implications. With Christianity, Ireland changed in ways which makes the Easter Rising look totally insignificant. For Ryan Tubridy to assert, as he did on his radio show this week, that we should have a Proclamation Day every year because such a day would be more historical than St Patricks Day is just bonkers.

With Christianity, the modern world came to Ireland. Christians, the inheritors of Judaism, organised themselves into well-instructed, well-ordered and uniformly observant communities, as described by historian of Christianity, Diarmuid MacCulloch.

With Roman Christianity, came dairying, which transformed our social order, our relationship with land, our very relationship with time. It could even be  this is me, not Gibbons  that our superb climate for dairy was one of the main reasons we embraced Christianity, the religion which came with it. The coming of Patrick also coincided with much better weather, which gave his message a competitive advantage.

Perhaps the Irish liked the ancient allure of the old empire which, fast disappearing from mainland Europe, captured the spiritual imagination of a people living on the continents margins, suggests Gibbons.

But there had to be more to it than that and this is where Gibbons is really interesting. Christianity may have appealed to Irish men and women because it offered them more freedom than they had at the time. Irish society was, as he describes it, obnoxious. It was very highly caste-based and socially restrictive.

Patricks religion offered the hope of throwing off these shackles and may have appealed to Irish people for the same reason it appealed to lower caste Hindus, he says: The majority of the population were getting nowhere within a hide-bound society.

We know relatively little about the period of conversion in Ireland  Gibbons explains this is often the case with such phases. What we tend to hear instead are success stories written after the fact. There is one such success story written in the 700s AD when one holy man says there are no pagan priests left on the Hill of Tara, only Christian churches.

The Hill of Tara was a point of contention for Patrick, as the legend goes, for although King Loegaire had decreed that no fire should be lit within sight of it, the saint went ahead and lit one on the Hill of Slane. It was in the ensuing showdown  involving Patrick killing a druidic priest and summoning an earthquake  that he did his magic trick with the three-leaved shamrock.

This may have been a symbol of fertility, as well as of the Trinity. It always strikes us, in our house, that St Patricks Day marks the point in the Irish calendar when you finally stop fearing the weather. We often spend the afternoon feverishly planting spuds and seedlings.

But the day is relatively unimportant in the story of St Patrick. It only began to be celebrated in the 1600s and I reckon it was the Anglicans who spied a ready opportunity to peg their saints day to a traditional feast celebrating sowing and planting.

What is really important in the legacy of St Patrick today is the coming of relative civilisation to Ireland: the beginnings of the wider social organisation and co-operation which fosters peace.

Go at it, you warring 166 deputies. Go at it, more specifically, you High Chieftains, Kenny and Martin. Your responsibility is not just to the legacy of the men who died in 1916, it is to at least 1,800 years of slow social progress.

That social progress reached an important stage in the last century with universal franchise and a democratically elected Dail. Dont mess with it.

Fianna Fails protestations that the people did not elect them to put Fine Gael back in Government dont add up. People voted for lots of reasons but many definitely voted for the Grand Coalition between the parties because it was not credible that FF would be in the driving seat after the election.

Enda Kenny is not an inspiring speaker and he has presided over a relative failure in this election. But for FF to ask for his head on a plate would be a bit rich from a party whose most recent Taoiseach but one said he won his money on the horses.

We will be heading back towards warlord territory if were not careful. I would like to remind Micheal Martin and Enda Kenny of an extraordinary speech which President Mary Mc Aleese made to a battered cabinet in Aras an Uachtarain in 2009 when she invoked the legacy of St Patrick to drive the Government forward.

Mary Mc Aleese

It was a private speech and not reported at the time but I think that, from this distance, it should be. I was in the room when it was delivered and I will never forget it, as Im sure nobody who heard it will.

The banking crash which hit the developed world in 2008 had hit Ireland with particular brutality bringing the economy, as Brian Lenihan said, to a shuddering halt. The shock sustained by experienced FF Cabinet members was clearly severe. Some were visibly shaken, none more so than an ashen-faced Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Addressing the Taoiseach directly, McAleese said that what was needed was the spirit of St Patrick in the words of his Breastplate: I arise today with a mighty strength. Nothing short of a mighty strength would do, she inferred; a strength grounded in the conviction that doing right by your people was all that mattered.

The Breastplate is surely one of the Christian worlds greatest prayers, invoking the light of the sun, the radiance of the moon and the stability of the earth as well as the strength of heaven. It probably wasnt written by St Patrick at all. It doesnt matter. What matters is that the two leaders whose parties got the most votes nearly three weeks ago ponder its message today, St Patricks Day, and arise tomorrow with a mighty strength to give us the stable government we have worked towards for more than 1,800 years.
The 37-year-old has sued the government, insisting that his prison conditions are inhuman and violate the European Convention on Human Rights.

The government disagrees, noting that Breivik has access to three cells and the right to receive visitors and communication with the outside world  except for other extremists, who could be inspired by his poisonous ideology.

It would have been more humane to shoot me than to treat me like an animal, Breivik told a court hearing in the gym of Skien prison, where the trial is being held for security reasons.

Breivik was convicted of terrorism and mass murder for his attacks on July 22, 2011. He killed eight people with a car bomb in Oslos government district and shot 69 others, mostly teenagers, dead in a massacre at a summer camp for left-wing youth activists on Utoya island.

He was sentenced to a 21-year term, Norways maximum sentence, which can be extended for as long as hes considered a danger to society, most likely for the rest of his life.

In court he described himself as a die-hard national socialist.

Reading from a prepared statement, he accused the government of trying to drive him to suicide by keeping him isolated. He said he drew strength from principles he had learned from Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf.

Those principles are the only reasons that I am alive today, Breivik said.

I dont think most people would have survived as long as I have.

Prison psychiatrist Randi Rosenqvist testified that she found no signs that Breivik had suffered serious mental health problems due to his isolation.

Everyone has headaches from time to time, she said, adding that could be remedied with painkillers and water.
Four officers were wounded in the joint French-Belgian raid in a Brussels neighbourhood and related searches.

Officials said the hunt is on for two more suspects who have not been identified. Two people were in custody.
Chair of the colleges policy group on obesity, Prof Donal OShea, called on the new government to follow suit to protect children.

This is a very important step in tackling obesity, he said. I am encouraged by the commitment of the four main political parties to introducing a sugar tax in their recent election manifestos. It cant come a moment too soon as we continue to battle high rates of obesity in Ireland. One in four children in Ireland is overweight or obese.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver also welcomed the measure in Britain saying it is a profound move that will ripple around the world.

Health campaigners joined those praising chancellor George Osborne for the surprise move, which goes against previous thinking from prime minister David Cameron.

Shares in listed drinks firms dropped sharply on the London stock market after the announcement in the British budget.

The tax will be levied against firms that produce sugar-sweetened drinks and brought in in two years time to give them a chance to drive down their sugar content.

It is part of a wider strategy from the government to tackle Britains childhood obesity problem.

Oliver took to Twitter and Instagram to praise the plan, saying on Instagram: We did it guys!! we did it!!! A sugar levy on sugary sweetened drinks ...... A profound move that will ripple around the world ....business can not come between our Kids health!!

Our kids health comes first ..... Bold, brave, logical and supported by all the right people....now bring on the whole strategy soon to come ... Amazing news.

The tax is expected to raise 520m which will be used to double the amount of funding for sport in every primary school, with secondary schools encouraged to offer more sport as part of longer school days.

Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons health committee, said on Twitter: Delighted to see action on sugary drinks in #Budget2016 in a way which encourages reformulation & boosts Childrens sport funding. Drinks like Coke & Pepsi contain 10.6g sugar/100ml so now a clear incentive to reduce below 8g.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: This bold and welcome action will send a powerful signal and incentivise soft drinks companies to act on the health consequences of their products.

Obesity now affects one in five children, causes one in five cancer deaths, and already costs the NHS 5bn a year  so obesity is the new smoking.

Business: 16
Asia Mumbai Dance Bars to Reopen Amid Worries Trafficking of Women May Rise

After a 10-year hiatus, dance bars in Mumbai reopen despite activists warning women and girls could be trafficked and abused in these venues.

MUMBAI  After a 10-year hiatus, dance bars are set to reopen in Mumbai and Maharashtra state with activists warning women and girls could be trafficked and abused in these venues but bar owners arguing this is legitimate, needed work.

In 2005, Western Maharashtra state suspended the licenses of hundreds of bars and hotels that featured skimpily dressed women dancing to Bollywood tunes on a small stage for male customers.

But after several appeals over the years against the ban, Indias highest court ordered the state to issue licenses from March 15 on condition that certain rules are adhered to.

When the bars were shut in 2005, about 75,000 women were estimated to be working there and bar owners said the women were earning a legitimate living.

But activists and charities feared the women were victims of trafficking and the bars were fronts for brothels.

Its not as if shutting them down stopped trafficking, but reopening them would legitimize it and give traffickers another reason to dupe and abuse women and girls, said Suparna Gupta, founder of Aangan Trust, which works with victims of trafficking.

A majority of dance bars were doubling up as brothels, and we established a clear link between many rescued minor girls and these establishments.

State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said last week the government was not in favor of reopening dance bars and will draft legislation to find a way around the Supreme Court ruling.

About 150 bars and hotels in Mumbai and about 1,200 in the state are applying for licenses, according to an industry lobby.

South Asia, with India at its center, is the worlds fastest-growing and second-biggest region for human trafficking after Southeast Asia, according to the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime.

Mumbai, Indias financial hub, is one of the biggest destinations for trafficked women and children.

Most of them are brought from other states and neighboring countries, including Nepal and Bangladesh, under the guise of securing a well-paid job in a home or shop but are sold into sex work or forced into manual labor.

The Maharashtra government, which opposes dance bars on the grounds of obscenity, had proposed more than two dozen conditions for new licenses but the Supreme Court rejected some of them, including requiring a live stream to police stations.

Instead, closed-circuit televisions will be installed at the entrance, with a limit of four dancers per bar, a railing around the performance area, and a distance of at least 5 feet between the stage and customers.

Women wont be permitted to dance in an obscene manner and customers cannot fling money at the dancers, the rules state.

Hotel and bar owners have lobbied against some of these conditions, calling them unreasonable.

What has the state done in the last 10 years for the rehabilitation of the thousands of women who lost their livelihood overnight? said Adarsh Shetty, head of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association in Mumbai.

Many women who found themselves without a job then were forced into prostitution or trafficked to Gulf nations, said Bharat Thakur, president of the Dance Bars Association in Mumbai, which has criticized the states moral policing.
Burma China Premier Declares Confidence in Hong Kong Government

Chinas Premier Li Keqiang says he is confident Hong Kong can deal with whatever issues it faces, though he avoided direct mention of recent turmoil.

BEIJING  Chinas Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that he was confident the government and people of Hong Kong have the ability to deal with whatever issues they face, though avoided direct mention of the territorys recent political turmoil.

Beijings refusal to grant the former British colony full democracy has embittered a younger generation of activists, culminating in massive protests in 2014, and political tensions and unrest remain, with Hong Kong rocked by a riot in February.

We believe that the Hong Kong government has the ability and the Hong Kong people have the wisdom to properly handle the complex issues in Hong Kong, Li said at a news conference at the end of the annual meeting of parliament.

Hong Kong is set to hold a full legislative council poll later in the year, pitting a pro-democracy camp that now enjoys a slender one-third veto bloc against pro-Beijing and pro-establishment parties.

A legislative council by-election in February saw strong voter support for an activist leader who placed third.

Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997 under a one country, two systems formula that gives it a high degree of autonomy.

Li said that policy had not changed and would not change.

Beijing has said it understands the frustrations of Hong Kongs youths amid the citys sluggish economic growth, where median income has barely risen in the past two decades and property prices have surged, and Li said the central government would help support Hong Kongs economic growth.

The development of Hong Kong is needed by Hong Kong itself and the country as a whole. Hong Kongs development ultimately comes down to the efforts of the people of Hong Kong, Li added.

The central government will give full support to any proposal from the special administration regions government that helps maintains Hong Kongs long-term prosperity and stability and contributes to the well-being of the people of Hong Kong.
Burma Indonesia Security Forces Kill Two Chinese Uighur Militants in Sulawesi Shootout

Indonesian security forces kill two ethnic Uighur Chinese belonging to a militant network led by the countrys most wanted man, police say.

JAKARTA  Indonesian security forces have killed two ethnic Uighur Chinese belonging to a militant network led by the countrys most wanted man, police said on Wednesday.

Indonesia has launched an aggressive, military-backed security campaign in the jungles of Sulawesi island as it battles the threat from growing domestic support for the Islamic State militant group.

Police said the men, part of Chinas Uighur Muslim minority, had joined Santoso, a militant in Poso in central Sulawesi, who is Indonesias most high-profile backer of Islamic State, and has been on the run for more than three years.

Tuesdays shootout followed a challenge by security forces to a group of unknown men to identify themselves, during an operation to comb through a forested area of Poso, which is more than 1,600 km (994 miles) northeast of Jakarta, the capital.

Based on testimony from another suspect we had arrested, those two were identified as Uighurs, said Central Sulawesi police spokesman Hari Suprapto, adding that authorities had notified the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta.

A Chinese Embassy press official told Reuters no information had yet been received on the deaths, however.

Four other Uighur men were jailed last year for attempting to join the same militant network, whose leader authorities say they have cornered, after a hunt that lasted more than a year and involved hundreds of troops.

We have been successful in surrounding them. Their supplies have started to dwindle, the chief security minister, Luhut Pandjaitan, told reporters last week. We hope Santoso will surrender, but we are prepared for the worst-case scenario.

Asked for an expected timeframe, he gave no details.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Uighurs keen to escape unrest in their far western Chinese homeland of Xinjiang have travelled clandestinely via Southeast Asia to Turkey.

China says they often end up crossing into Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State militants.

Hundreds of people have been killed over the past few years in resource-rich Xinjiang, strategically located on the borders of central Asia, in violence between Uighurs and ethnic majority Han Chinese.

Beijing has blamed the unrest on Islamist militants, though rights groups and exiles say anger at Chinese controls on the religion and culture of the Uighurs is more to blame. China denies any repression in Xinjiang.
Burma ANP and NLD Remain in Tussle Over Chief Minister Position

At an upcoming meeting, the NLD central executive committee will decide whether to appoint one of its own party members as Arakan States chief minister.

RANGOON  According to Arakan States National League for Democracy (NLD) chairman, decisions regarding the appointment of state and division ministers will be decided at the partys central executive committee (CEC) meeting on March 20.

Since the NLD itself will retain authority over the selection of Arakan States chief minister, The Irrawaddy asked NLD chairman Nyi Pu on Wednesday whether the winning party intends to allocate other state-level ministerial positions to the Arakan National Party (ANP). Nyi Pu said all outcomes hinge on CEC decisions.

As weve said before, we [the NLD] will lead the state government. I cant say right now what our party will have to offer to the ANP, said Nyi Pu.

The Union Parliament on Tuesday elected NLD nominee Htin Kyaw to be the next president, with the transfer of power scheduled to take place on April 1. Meanwhile, more than 100 Arakanese civil society organizations have demanded that the states chief minister position go an ANP member.

The ANP won 44 out of 77 contested seats in the Arakanese regional parliament the November election, while the NLD won the vast majority of seats in the national legislature.

The ANP has also created a team of leaders whose aim is to foster political dialogue with the NLD. Tun Aung Kyaw, ANP general secretary and a team member, said that the ANP had once expressed the possibility of a party member being appointed as the Arakan State state chief minister, but in reality, this decision rests with the NLD, which will form the majority of Burmas new government.

We [the ANP] are awaiting their [the NLDs] offer, but weve heard nothing from them, said Tun Aung Kyaw, who added that collaboration with the NLD would be dependent on the outcome of the dialogue between the two parties. He did not comment on what the ANPs response might be if they were allocated other state-level ministerial positions, rather than that of the chief minister.

The Irrawaddy attempted to reach ANP chairman Aye Maung by phone on Wednesday, but he was not available to comment for this article.
Burma NCA Signatories, Abstainers Welcome New Leadership

Both signatories and non-signatories of Burmas so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement have welcomed the countrys new president- and vice presidents-elect.

RANGOON  Both signatories and non-signatories of Burmas so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement have welcomed the countrys new president- and vice presidents-elect.

The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of nine ethnic groups that have opted out of signing the accord with the outgoing government, described the election as a harbinger of positive developments to come as Burma moves toward peace.

I am happy that a genuine civilian has become president. He is also the representative of the NLD [National League for Democracy], which won the election with the peoples support. And we view this as a positive sign. We believe it will contribute to democratization and bringing national unity, said UNFC vice chairman Naing Hong Sar.

On Tuesday, NLD nominee Htin Kyaw was elected president by the Union Parliament, winning 360 votes. Myint Swe, nominated by the military, received 213 votes, and Henry Van Thio, also an NLD nominee, received 79 votes, making them vice president Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.

While a large portion of the population has welcomed Burmas new president, there has been some criticism over the two vice presidents, both of whom have military service experience.

Naing Hong Sar said the UNFC had no comment about the two men and that it accepts the decision of the voting parliamentarians. He also said he believed that a truly nationwide ceasefire agreement could be achieved with the NLD at the helm. About a dozen ethnic armed groups have opted out of signing or been excluded from the ceasefire by the outgoing government.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said before that she will focus on national unity and try to include all [ethnic armed groups] in the NCA [nationwide ceasefire agreement]. I believe this will come true, he said.

The Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN), which is comprised of the leaders of the nine UNFC member groups, met on Wednesday in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to discuss future peace talks with the incoming NLD government.

Kwe Htoo Win, general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), told The Irrawaddy that NCA signatories, of which the KNU is one of the largest, also welcomed the recent election of the president and vice presidents.

Selecting the president should not be about who he is, but about what he can do and his capabilities. It seems that the NLD has chosen [the president and vice president] with consideration to national reconciliation. We accept anyone who has goodwill for the country and who is able to serve the interests of the country, Kwe Htoo Win said.

Kwe Htoo Win added that while the new government is responsible for convincing non-signatories to sign a ceasefire agreement, President Thein Seins outgoing government as well as current NCA signatories must continue taking part in the peace process.
Business Money-Laundering Highlighted as Priority for Burma's New Govt

The UK-based GovRisk group has encouraged Burmas new government to continue the countrys financial intelligence unit in order to clean up financial crime.

RANGOON  The UK-based International Governance and Risk Institute (GovRisk) has highlighted financial crime as a priority for Burma as a new government prepares to take power next month.

In a statement released on Thursday, GovRisk, a provider of training and consultancy services in financial crime prevention, noted that Burma is on the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist for money laundering, but that it can be removed from the list if it can install sufficient policies to combat money laundering by the next FATF site visit.

This is a complex subject. We want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to understand whats going on regarding financial crimes prevention, Nicolas Le Moignan, director of training and consultancy at GovRisk, told The Irrawaddy.

GovRisk noted that in 2017 Burma will undergo an independent assessment of its adherence to the international standards set to combat the financing of terrorism and money laundering, defined as turning money generated from illegal activity into seemingly legitimate funds.

We hope to continue work with the new government [in the field of] anti-money laundering. Weve worked with the financial intelligence unit for three years now, Le Moignan said.

Burmas financial intelligence unit works with police officials to investigate and report any suspicious business activity that might be linked to money laundering.

According to Marcus Stewart, who worked for years with Britains FIU, anti-money laundering measures such as the 2014 Anti-Money Laundering Law require the private sector to identify where criminal money may have entered the financial system or other sectors such as real estate, law firms and accountants.

Burmas FIU has made investigations into the real estate industry since 2014. Police Col. Kyaw Win Thein, the FIUs deputy chief, encouraged real estate agents and bankers to report transactions involving large sums of cash, a response to suspicions that money laundering was rife within Burmas property market and financial institutions. Banks were also asked to report clients with cash savings over a certain amount, though this figure was never released.

GovRisk noted that if Burma were to be removed from the FATF list, it would signal that some of the key building blocks needed to combat money laundering are in place.
Burma The Price of Peace

Western policy shifts lead to decreased support for ethnic opposition and increased aid and investment for military and government interests in Burma.

Since the initiation of Burmas reforms in 2010, major policy shifts have emerged among Western nations that had long supported opposition forces and ethnic organizations committed to the democracy movement.

As aid to these groups has decreased, funds fulfilling the aspirations of the outgoing quasi-civilian government have increased.

Critics and observers point out that many within Western governments believe economic development will end Burmas political stalemate and resolve decades of armed conflict. This has led to hundreds of millions of dollars in both aid and investment being filtered through Naypyidaw, the government capital, instead of through long-established community-based infrastructure networks.

Myanmar Peace Center

The Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), a four-year-old Burmese government affiliate in Rangoon, is one institution that has benefitted from these funding shifts.

Hla Maung Shwe, an advisor within the MPC, would not elaborate on the organizations foreign monies; the Myanmar Peace Monitor has reported that the MPC has received around US$2.5 million in funds from Japan, the EU and the United Nations in its first year of operation. Hla Maung Shwe pointed out that hundreds of foreigner-led groups receive funds for peace-building as well.

But has it worked? The MPC advisor said that his organization has played a major role in shaping the perspectives of military generals in dealing with ethnic armed groupsof which there are more than 20 nationwidein the peace process. But the MPC-brokered signing of a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) by only eight of the armed groups and the state military last year has not ended civil war in Burma. Instead, critics say it is has served as a divide and rule tactic by the government.

The MPC may be well funded, but it lacks legitimate decision-making power and the trust of many ethnic armed groups, who, Hla Maung Shwe said, think in black and white, when it comes to peace, rather than a more desirable grey.

Yet Hla Maung Shwe also admitted that despite many outward changes, the former military regime remains a driving force in Burmas political scene, which continues to attract international interest to the peace process.

It is true, he said. Reforms [came] from a transition initiated by the government regime, and it is the elites who began this transition. But, he insisted that throughout the process, government and Tatmadaw [Burma Army] officials have accepted many demands from ethnic groups.

Supporting Government Policy

At a development forum in Naypyidaw in January 2013 attended by around 600 delegates from 55 countries, foreign donors committed to actively supporting Burmese government structures in ceasefire and conflict-affected areas in ethnic regions. In 2014, international aid for health care began increasingly coming through the governments centralized structure.

Donors are just supporting the Burmese governments policy and not listening to other voices, said Bertil Lintner, a veteran journalist focused on ethnic affairs in Burma, who also lamented the prioritizing of shortsighted economic interests by investors.

One long-time Burma watcher, who spoke to The Irrawaddy on the condition of anonymity, said that this foreign aid policy fuelled local resentment and continues to push long-standing ethnic health and education structures under the control of the central government rather than integrating them into a devolved federal system.

It seems business interests have become the first priority. Human rights and democracy is secondary, she said regarding donor priorities.

The source highlighted Norwegian action in Burma as an illustration of this phenomenon.

In 2013, Telenor, a largely state-owned Norwegian telecommunications firm, signed a lucrative deal with Burmas government; its telecommunication services now operate widely throughout Burma.

Yet Katja Nordgaard, who served as the companys executive vice president, had previous political ties to Burma: she was formerly Norways ambassador to Burma, a role from which she resigned and then joined Telenor. Nordgaard reportedly introduced Telenor to Burmese government officials in 2012, while she was acting as Ambassador.

US Engagement

As interests change, increasing commercial engagement with Burma can be expected from other countries that once firmly supported the political and ethnic opposition. There is increasing pressure on the US government by business associations not to renew sanctions on Burma in May of this year, when the policy will go under review.

The United States eased sanctions in December 2015 against Burmas largest conglomerate, Asia World Company, by extending a six-month waiver for use of Rangoons Asia World Port by American companies. Asia Worlds owner is Burmese tycoon Steven Law (also known as Htun Myint Naing), who is linked to illicit drug trade through his father, Lo Hsing Han, a notorious drug kingpin.

Relief from US sanctions in Myanmar is challenging, said Kristine Gould, the head of PACRIM Research Associates, an American research firm that studies Burma. In the case of Steven Law and the Asia World Port terminal, the United States had to balance sanctions policies regarding a Specially Designated National against pressure from the international business community for access to his port facilities.

Decisions on sanctions, Gould said, involve striking a delicate balance between US national interests, pressure from American and international business communities and National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyis wishes.

On Tuesday, a president selected by the NLD was voted in by the Union Parliament, since Suu Kyi herself is barred from holding the position due to constitutional restrictions based on her sons British citizenship. The incoming president Htin Kyaw, a relatively unknown political player, is joined by two vice presidents, Henry Van Thio, also of the NLD, and Myint Swe, a former lieutenant-general selected for the post by the military. He remains on the USs Specially Designated Nationals list, due to his role in crushing the 2007 Saffron Revolutiona series of protests for political change led by Buddhist monks.

The nomination of U Myint Swe to the Vice Presidency will further compound sanctions decisions, explained Gould. This will certainly pose challenges to the US government.

In an interview with The Irrawaddy last month, Derek Mitchell, the former American ambassador to Burma, said he anticipates further engagement between Burma and international communities, but that there was also a need to acknowledge the countrys turbulent history.

There must be respect for the past. The younger generations are just outstanding. There is tremendous potential, said Mitchell. We need to invest in that even though we deal with the pain of the past.
Asia Treatment of Burma Refugees Spotlighted Ahead of Thai Rights Review

Seven international human rights groups urge the Thai government to better protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and human trafficking victims, many being Burmese.

Seven international human rights groups on Wednesday urged the Thai government to better protect the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and victims of human trafficking in the Southeast Asian country, which has for years been dogged by criticism for its handling of these populations, including many Burmese.

A joint statement from the organizations released in Bangkok on Wednesday said the Thai government should commit to concrete actions to respect, protect, and promote the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and survivors of human trafficking during its upcoming Universal Periodic Review [UPR] at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In May, Thailand will undergo its second Universal Periodic Reviewa process in which the UN Human Rights Council reviews the human rights record of member states every four years. The seven groups also published a joint submission for the review on Wednesday, recommending several of these concrete actions, including signing the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, relating to the Status of Refugees and their rights and legal obligations of states.

Thailands non-signatory status is frequently cited as one reason that refugees, asylum seekers and human trafficking victims in the country are vulnerable to arbitrary arrest, extortion, torture and forced repatriations to countries where they have often fled persecution. It also lacks domestic legislation protecting the rights of these populations, Wednesdays statement said, referring to more than 100,000 Burmese refugees who have lived in camps along the Thai-Burma border for more than two decades.

Since 2011, Thailand has effectively denied at least tens of thousands of camp-based asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar access to asylum procedures, the statement said.

Amy Smith, executive director of the Thailand-based human rights advocacy group Fortify Rights, said in the statement: Thailand has an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to human rights and improve its international reputation by ensuring asylum seekers and refugees have access to legal protections.

A key to minimizing the abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking of displaced populations in Thailand is recognition and protection, she added.

Julia Mayerhofer, interim executive director of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network, said in the statement that although the Thai government has made commitments to ending the immigration detention of children, the practice continues, another blight on the countrys human rights record.

Children should not be detained, and we urge the Thai government to actively explore alternatives to detention in partnership with civil society, Mayerhofer said.

The rights groups also accused Thai authorities of implementing a push-back policy to asylum seekers who arrive by boats.

In 2015, the plight of asylum seekers from Burmas Rohingya Muslim minority and economic migrants from Bangladesh gained international media attention after Thai authorities pushed them out to sea, putting them at risk of death.

The other five organizations signing on to the release were Asylum Access; the Human Rights Development Foundation; the Jesuit Refugee Service; the Migrant Working Group; and the Peoples Empowerment Foundation.
Weighing Suu Kyis Role in a New Political Order

With a proposed restructuring of ministerial protocol, another look at why Burma might be looking at a future Foreign Affairs Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.

When the National League for Democracy (NLD) unveiled its plan on Thursday for a reduction in the number of executive branch ministries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ranked at the top of the 21-portfolio roster, in notable contrast to the ministerial protocol of the outgoing government, which placed it below three security ministries at fourth in importance.

Where once was the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs, now sits the Foreign Affairs Ministry atop the protocol hierarchy. The change-up is likely to further fuel speculation that NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi has her eye on the foreign affairs minister post, where she would have an official say on the powerful National Defense and Security Council, in lieu of the presidency that she has been denied.

In light of this, The Irrawaddy republishes a Commentary from Jan. 22, 2016, in which English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe laid out the case for why it is that Suu Kyi might want the position.

Its one of several unanswered questions in what looms as a new era in Burmese politics.

With Aung San Suu Kyi constitutionally barred from assuming the countrys highest office, what formal political position, if any, will the ever popular pro-democracy leader seek when her party takes power in late March?

Undoubtedly, the National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwomans ultimate aim is the presidency. However, Suu Kyi remains ineligible for the position due to Article 59(f) of Burmas military-drafted 2008 Constitution, which rules out individuals whose parents, children or spouse are foreign citizens.

Suu Kyis two children are British nationals, as was her late husband.

There has been speculation that the offending article may be suspended to allow Suu Kyi to assume the role. However, the likelihood of the military agreeing to such a proposition ahead of the impending transition of power appears remote.

With that in mind, some analysts have turned their attention to what official role Suu Kyi, 70, may take on in an NLD-government. The Lower House speaker of Burmas Parliament was one plausible suggestion.

But that notion seemed off the mark after recent reports the NLD had nominated Win Myint and ethnic Karen Win Khaing Than, both NLD members, as speakers for the Lower and Upper House, respectivelynotwithstanding the partys subsequent refusal to confirm the reported nominations.

Other analysts contend Suu Kyi may remain as party leader, without taking any official position in the Parliament or the executive.

She would certainly still be The Lady in charge regardless of her formal political role. The NLD leader has made one point abundantly clear: Whoever officially leads the country, she will rule from above the president in the forthcoming government.

However, Suu Kyi may feel that assuming an official position is the best way to drive the government. There are also important points to consider regarding her influence over key decision-making bodies, perhaps most importantly, the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC).

The 11-member body is empowered by the Constitution to devise policy on certain military and security issues, including the right to petition the president to declare a nationwide state of emergency.

The council includes the president, two vice presidents, both Union Parliament speakers, the commander-in-chief and deputy commander of the Burma Armed Forces, and respective heads of the Foreign, Home, Defense and Border affairs ministriesthe latter three of whom are military appointed.

A position on the powerful council, of which the military commands a majority (considering one vice president is selected by military lawmakers), will be a key concern of Suu Kyi.

In light of thatand with the presidency currently off-limitsSuu Kyi may opt to assume the role of foreign minister. In that role, whenever the council is held, Suu Kyi would retain a constitutional right to be there, alongside the Burma Army chief and other powerful military figures.

Of course, her president would be there too.

The role of foreign minister would not allow the NLD chairwoman to spend as much time on the coalface in Parliament, as she has done since winning a seat in April 2012 by-elections. However, in the new legislative chamber, the NLD will command a powerful majority and both speakers. Suu Kyi may deem it wise to focus her efforts on managing the executive arm of government.

Soon after the November general election, the Washington Post newspaper asked the leader of the victorious party: When there is a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nationsor another gathering of heads of statethey are going to want you there. They are not going to want someone else.

Suu Kyis answer was unequivocal: Ill go there. Ill go along with the president, and he can sit beside me.

To fulfill that vow, The Lady, despite her already distinguished standing around the world, may be aided by formally commanding a ministerial position. The position of foreign minister would seem an ideal choice.

No other person within the NLD is more qualified to grace the stage of international diplomacy and, even if she wasnt foreign minister, it is Suu Kyi that world leaders will want to meet.

As for the Burmese people, most will be satisfied regardless of the 70-year-olds official positionas long as she is the lady in charge.
Burma Victims Families Demand Burma Army Punish Alleged Murderer

The families of two dead civilians from Mon State call for the Burma Army to charge a captain in its ranks with the murder.

RANGOON  The families of two men from Mon States Ye Township have accused the Burma Army of failing to take action against an army captain who allegedly killed their loved ones.

The two ethnic Mon civilians, 48-year-old Nai Moe and 23-year-old Nai Chit Oo, from Kawzar sub-township, were allegedly shot and killed by Capt. Zaw Myo Thet from Light Infantry Battalion No. 280 on March 8.

We do not know whether [the army] took action or not, said Ashin Janaka, an ethnic Mon Buddhist monk, who is close to Nai Moes family. [The army] took the captain back already. He is not here anymore.

The local community wants the army to administer proper punishment. In cases where soldiers are accused of crimes, the army applies its own disciplinary process, which can be both opaque and lenient.

If anyone with a gun can commit murder and get away with it, they could oppress us all, said Ashin Janaka. This was a human rights abuse.

After the deaths, army generals donated money and rice, and forced the families to sign papers saying they had received the donations, he said.

The incident happened around midnight on March 8, when the two men walked to the Andaman Sea to go fishing. Nai Moe was shot first, five feet from the captain, accordin to Ashin Janaka, who added that when he collapsed, Nai Chit Oo attempted to run and was shot as well. He didnt die immediately, and the captain proceeded to beat him and break his ribs, said the monk.

The captain threatened villagers by shooting his gun and wouldnt allow family members to take Nai Chit Oo to the hospital, for fear of being charged, said Ashin Janaka. He later died on the way to the hospital.

The family told Nai Sawor Mon, program coordinator from the Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM), that before Nai Chit Oo died, he told his family the captain beat him despite his innocence.

Kyaw Myint, a police officer from Kawzar sub-township, told The Irrawaddy the police couldnt take action since the captain was under the armys jurisdiction.

We could charge him with Article 302 [of the Burmese Penal Code, covering murder], if [the army] brought him back, said Kyaw Myint.

Kyaw Myint said the shooting may have been a mistake, because the captain had received a tip that there were gang members nearby, and he mistook the civilians for attackers.

The family members maintain it was no mistake.

Crimes committed by the Burma army in ethnic areas arent unusual. Human rights groups repeatedly press the army to try the cases in civilian, rather than military, courts. Civilians have no rights to information about charges, findings, or sentences in the military judicial system, which has led to a history of impunity.
Thursday, March 17th, 2016 (11:57 am) - Score 2,149

Rural ISP Gigaclear has confirmed that their ultrafast 5Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP/H) broadband network will soon have reached a total of 10,000 homes and businesses in Oxfordshire (England) when their local roll-out completes with the final few communities.

Apparently the only communities left to finish are Warborough & Shillingford and Shipton on Cherwell, including Enslow. So far Gigaclears network spans more than 40 villages across Oxfordshire and those within their coverage can now order broadband speeds of up to 1Gbps (1000Mbps), with the option of taking a trial 5Gbps package (details).

The deployment in Oxfordshire has been on-going for the past few years and is an entirely commercial project. The first location to go live was Appleton in 2012, followed by Beckley in 2014 and, most recently, Warborough and Shillingford, which went live this year.

Matthew Hare, Gigaclears CEO, said: Oxfordshire homes and businesses have dived head first into the information revolution. New ways of working, of doing business, learning, communicating and playing are now available to over 10,000 homes and businesses through the Gigaclear Ultrafast fibre network, where the customer can choose the speed they want and it is as fast to upload a file as it is to download it. From our first network build in Appleton in 2012 to our most recent in Shillingford, the FTTP technology means our customers have a broadband infrastructure that will not need updating for the foreseeable future. The countys homes and businesses on the Gigaclear network benefit from a future-proof world-class Internet connection.

Meanwhile Gigaclear are continuing to roll-out to tens of thousands of premises elsewhere in England and in keeping with that they also have a number of major Broadband Delivery UK projects too, all of which are helping to bring ultrafast speeds to some of the countrys most remote communities. Good work.

So far Gigaclear claims to have delivered its network to a total of over 20,000 properties in Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and of course Rutland. Theyre now aiming for around 40,000 and beyond.
Thursday, March 17th, 2016 (7:54 am) - Score 3,383

Customers of Virgin Media, specifically those who pay their bills by non-Direct Debit methods (e.g. debit / credit cards) will be pleased to know that the somewhat hefty 5 payment handling charge (quite a bit higher than some other ISPs) is being slashed to just 45p from 1st April 2016.

At present some of the providers contracts already apply a 45p instead of 5 charge for such payments, but it is not yet universal among all subscribers; unless you agree a new minimum period of at least 12 months with Virgin Media. However those who still pay the 5 charge are now being advised that the 45p rate will shortly be applied to all subscribers.

A Virgin Media Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk: The reduction in handling charges reflects the Payment Surcharges Regulations. We are emailing eligible customers about the reduction in charges. Any customers who want to discuss their charges should contact us direct. We want to make it as convenient as possible for customers to pay their bills and most prefer the simplicity of Direct Debit. We are ready to help our customers make the best choice for them.

The Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 were introduced several years ago in an effort to ban traders from charging consumers more than the direct cost borne by them as a result of the consumer using a given means of payment, although some telecoms and broadband providers have been quicker than others to adapt.

Interestingly the rules also entitle consumers to receive a refund if the charge is deemed to have been excessive and therefore in breach of the rules, although we do not know if this has been tested with an ISP before.
According to Frost and Sullivan, eight elements make a city smart: smart buildings, smart energy, smart mobility, smart health care, smart infrastructure, smart technology, smart governance and smart education, and smart citizens. Increasingly, city leaders are looking to the Internet of Things (IoT) and advances in technology to make their cities  and their citizens  work more efficiently and cost effectively. Smart building technology and sensor data analytics are being instituted in everything from lowering energy consumption to rethinking traffic flow to ordinary infrastructure maintenance.

Businesses, too, are adopting smart technology and sensor data analytics as a way to create better workspaces and improve employee productivity.

Dallas Innovation Alliances Smart City Technology

Because large, metropolitan cities like Dallas continue to grow in population, they are limited on how much their current infrastructure can expand. As a result, city leaders have to rethink, re-engineer and rework how cities are using their current infrastructures. This consideration led Dallas to create the Dallas Innovation Alliance, which will require a cooperative effort from the citys industrial, commercial and municipal leadership to build a pilot smart city project that will result in a case study for the future of smart city rollouts across the city and region.

This smart city project will focus several of the elements required for smart-city designation, including smart energy, smart buildings, smart infrastructure, smart technology and smart education. Although the project is still in its early stages and budget issues are being worked out, Trey Bowles, founder and CEO of The Dallas Entrepreneur Center, said the goals are efficiencies, cost savings and revenue growth.

Smart energy will help reduce costs by effective use of energy distribution, Bowles said. Smart infrastructure, such as sensors, small cells, and kiosks, can help by capturing data points, which can be analyzed and turned into new revenue opportunities or cost savings. For example, more effectively directing traffic will cut down on CO2 emissions, or smart parking solutions will let people more quickly reserve, find and park their vehicles.

Smart Building: San Francisco Office of DPR Construction

When designing its new San Francisco office, DPR Construction wanted a building that was not only highly efficient and sustainable, but also took advantage of the latest smart building technologies. The ultimate goal was to create a work space that was a certified zero-net-energy building. To do this, according to Eric Lamb, executive VP with DPR Construction, DPRs San Francisco office design incorporated efficient HVAC and electrical systems, and it took steps to offset energy consumption with the installation of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems on the roof.

To help further optimize operations and building efficiency, DPR Construction also uses the Honeywell Command Wall, part of the Honeywell Command and Control Suite, to easily visualize building operations and boost performance, said Lamb. The Command Wall, a sci-fi-like operator interface built with the intuitive, consumer-friendly simplicity of tablets and smartphones, integrates with Honeywell EBI, and features map-based visualization and navigation, along with integrated workflows. Pulling data from EBI, it presents information in an easy-to understand way while providing context for more informed decision making. Users can access an enterprise-wide view and also easily zoom into specific areas to quickly understand and react to issues and opportunities as they arise  empowering DPR Construction to continuously optimize building strategies to drive toward its zero-net-energy goal.

The overall project was completed in 2014 and met Net Zero Certification in December 2015. The ongoing goal is to meet this certification on a yearly basis.

DPR Constructions San Francisco office is the first commercial building in the city of San Francisco to be net-zero energy certified by the International Living Future Institute through its Living Building Challenge program, said Lamb. Thanks to its highly sustainable design and its use of the most innovative technologies to ensure optimal energy performance, DPRs San Francisco office produced 17 percent more energy than it used in its first year of operation.

City of Ottawas Smart City Technology Services

Community leaders in Canadas capital city looked at what others major cities were doing to become smart cities. What they discovered was that most cities use a top-down digital approach: Digital initiatives and smart technology services begin by purchasing very expensive infrastructure, putting it into place, and then pushing out smaller, use case implementations downstream. Ottawas leaders wanted to take an opposite approach and employ a bottom-up approach. Working with the team at Flybits, the initial goal of the project was to utilize existing infrastructure to communicate relevant traveler information based on a motorists location and situation, in a safe, reliable and convenient fashion. The ultimate goal is to become a fully connected smart city.

The smart city project focuses on travel management and traffic with the goal of developing a crowd-sourced digital ecosystem that citizens and city entities such as retailers, museums, transportation hubs, and law enforcement, etc. could use to connect and share information. As part of its larger plan to build a connected city, Ottawa built a contextually aware mobile app with the Flybits context-as-a-service solution, called Ottawa Nav, and launched it in 2013. The app is a free commuting tool that delivers up-to-the-minute, customized road information to commuters for iOS and Android devices.

The Ottawa Nav application maps the city into zones, associating contextual data with every location. As commuters move throughout the city, they receive useful and relevant information in real time based on their location, travel preferences, and other contextual inputs, explained Hossein Rahnama, the founder of Flybits.

This smart city project, and the citys bottom-up approach, was much more cost-effective because it did not require them to purchase expensive infrastructure, Rahnama added. They were able to start small, test it, and then increase the use cases and investment once it proved its worth.

So far the smart city project has been a success. There has been considerable adoption by citizens as well as by other city entities that have connected their services to the ecosystem, making the city more connected and smart. According to Rahnama, the technology is now being introduced to cities in Europe.

Smart Energy: The Presence Pro Energy Pilot Program for Oahu

Electricity is expensive in Hawaii. It costs two to three times more than on the U.S. mainland because the state imports oil and coal for 90 percent of its power generation, according to the Energy Information Administration. To help customers save money on electric bills while cutting down overall energy use, The Presence Pro Energy Pilot Program for Oahu was launched in 2014.

The program was open to Oahu residents who owned a smartphone or tablet, had home Internet and had more than six months of energy history at the same residence, says Gene Wang, CEO of People Power, the company that was awarded the contract to develop the program. Program participants received two Monster 100MC Power Plugs and the Presence Pro Energy appa $300 valueat no cost for the one-year energy conservation engagement program.

A unique function built into the Presence app provides residents with electric usage information to promote energy conservation and efficiency efforts and help residents save money and energy on their electric bills. The app provided participants with their historical energy data so they could see how their lifestyle changes were affecting their bill at the end of month, creating a gamification effect that motivated users to compete with themselves to save more money each month, says Wang. Throughout this engaging process, residents began to see the effects of their diminishing power use on their energy bills and became interested  even passionate  about managing their home energy for the first time.

This Energy Efficiency Program was a $1 million 50/50 matching grant, so People Power received $500,000 while providing $500,000 in labor, hardware and other expenses. The project was completed in spring of 2015, and highly engaged participants are seeing energy savings of up to 10 percent, while high energy consuming homes saved even more.

Manhattan Beer Distributors Smart Building Technology

Manhattan Beer Distributors (formerly Phoenix Beverages) is one of New Yorks largest beer distributors. But when it moved into an old Brooklyn warehouse, it was discovered that the existing electrical lines were inadequate for the level of power needed. The company decided that the necessary electrical upgrade should be a cost-effective solution that could provide the massive power requirements the company needed to keep individual storage rooms climate-controlled for optimal beverage temperature, a large forklift recharging station, and the ability to keep the building heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. Manhattan Beer Distributors turned to Tecogen and its InVerde (CHP) units, which achieve efficiency by recovering the waste heat from the natural-gas powered generator and repurposing it for the buildings heating and cooling needs  saving money for the customer while providing a complete smart building on-site energy solution.

Typically, Tecogen customers are not entirely grid-independent, according to Bob Panora, president and CEO, but this particular project gave Manhattan Beer Distributors independence from the local grid utility by using an on-site 600kW CHP plant featuring six Tecogen InVerde CHP modules.

The six units operate via interconnected smart Microgrid, allowing for robust system redundancy, explained Panora. This Microgrid capability means the building has a consistent and reliable source of power and heating and cooling, ensuring building resilience. In addition, when compared with a more traditional energy solution, the incredible efficiency of the CHP units helps cut the buildings carbon footprint in half.

The project, which was completed in 2010, is expected to save over a million dollars and reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,100 tons annually.

Next page: Smart Savings with Smart Technology
Must-See Robotics at RoboBusiness 2015

In 2011, IBM Watson beat Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings. That started the clock for the distributed, natural language processing platform. Big Blue has aggressively harnessed Watson. It is now a main part of the companys business portfolio and marketing strategy.

It remains to be seen if AlphaGo will play the same role for Googles DeepMind. The artificial intelligence (AI) platform celebrated a similar dramatic victory this week: It beat grandmaster Lee Sedol in a Go tournament in South Korea.

Go is a very popular chess-like game in South Korea, where this was a big deal. The silver lining to the loss was that it led to the best quote ever:

Last night was very gloomy, said Jeong Ahram, lead Go correspondent for the Joongang Ilbo, one of South Koreas biggest daily newspapers, speaking the morning after Lees first loss. Many people drank alcohol.

After what the victory means for DeepMind, the question is whether AI is real intelligence or just extreme number crunching. The story at New Scientist and the commentary by experts suggest that the machine displayed intuition and made moves that were beautiful. The thinking clearly is that DeepMind is far more than a calculator on steroids.

Far from public spectacles that lead people to drink, AI is already having an impact. Network Worlds Paul Rubens outlines the ways in which AI is already being used in business. Its more subtle than it is portrayed in movies and books. He quotes an Accenture executive as saying that AI is but another tool in the toolbox. Its bundled into existing products.

The story deals with the issue of whether or not AI systems have intelligence  and takes a stance that would likely be argued by those who had witnessed the Go challenge:

[I]ts important to be clear about what AI can and cannot do. Scientists have so far made little progress in developing machines that can reason, but over the last 20 years, huge advances have been made in the AI fields of pattern recognition and machine learning.

The uses that Rubens cites are mundane, but important. Essentially, AI can detect patterns that people cant see and dig down more quickly and accurately to learn something useful from those patterns.

Techradar Pro echoes the point that AI is very much a part of business life today. The piece, which features an interview with Sean Owen, director of Data Science at Cloudera, highlights the Amelia platform. Amelia was developed by IPsoft and, according to the story, understands context, applies logic, infers applications and learns through experience and even senses emotions.

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
Apple is refusing to unlock the computer of a user who has been locked out by a hacker who has apparently gained access to her iCloud account, according to Malwarebytes, a company that makes software to combat malware.

The user, a woman named Ericka, contacted one of the company's bloggers, Thomas Reed, and told him her Mac had been locked by ransomware. Reed did not specify what kind of Mac she was using.

She told him that her Mac was asking for a six-digit code and a Russian hacker was demanding money in exchange for the code.

Reed wrote that from the screenshots he received from this woman it became clear that the hacker in question had gained access to her iCloud account and remotely locked her computer using the Find My Mac feature available in iCloud.

For some reason that he could not fathom, Reed says her iPhone was not locked but displayed the same message, which read: "Contact me: hblackhat(at)mail.ru All your conversation sms+mail, bank, computer files, contacts, photos. I will public + send to your contacts."

The woman also got a message in similar English from her own iCloud address, saying the hacker had access to all her bank accounts and personal information and would publish it if she did not respond in 24 hours.

Reed did not specify in his blog post, dated March 16 California time, if the hacker had made good on his threat, but judging from the date on a screenshot on his blog, the hacker has not yet acted.

The Mac in question is six years old and since Ericka had not retained her receipt of purchase she has no proof of ownership. Reed wrote that Apple was unwilling to help her unlock it without such proof.

He mentioned that a similar occurrence had taken place in Australia in 2014, when users found their iOS devices locked and displaying a message from "Oleg Pliss" who demanded US$100 to unlock them.

However, in that case, as the number of people involved was high, Apple helped affected users unlock their devices.
There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Thus spake the Bard. And Swiss company ProtonMail has done just this, launching an encrypted email service at a time when encryption is very much at the top of the tech agenda.

ProtonMail was in beta testing and available by invitation only but on Thursday the company decided to launch the service for all and sundry. It was started by a group of engineers who met at CERN and MIT and the beta service was launched in 2014, in the wake of the revelations of mass surveillance by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

The product does not offer any more security than if one were using PGP or GnuPG but makes it easier for anyone to use encryption by default.

A media release quoted ProtonMail chief executive Dr Andy Yeo as saying: "Strong encryption and privacy are a social and economic necessity. Not only does this technology protect activists and dissidents, it is also key to securing the worlds digital infrastructure. This is why all things considered, strong encryption is absolutely necessary for the greater good."

Mobile apps for ProtonMail for iOS and Android are available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store, the release said.

Soon after it opened its doors, ProtonMail claims that it was receiving more than 10,000 sign-ups a day and was forced to create a waiting list for would-be users.

"For the past two years, ProtonMail has been invite-only and today has over 1 million users participating in its closed beta, including businesses, journalists, activists, and private individuals," the media release said.

The company has in the past joined other organisations to protest against Swiss surveillance laws passed last year, resulting in the government agreeing to put the laws to a referendum at the next election.
Panasonic has launched an optical disk-based data archival solution which extends the lifespan of stored data by up to 40 years, dramatically lowering costs.

Panasonic said its Blu-ray data archiver will provide reliable data storage that lasts five to ten times longer than either tape or HDD archives.

This longer lifespan is said to reduce electronic waste, and when combined with lower cooling needs and energy requirements, makes Blu-ray archival more environmentally friendly than alternative storage solutions.

Key features include:

More energy efficient  Blu-ray archival systems require less power and run cooler.

Lower per bit cost  Cheaper high-capacity storage that lasts longer, removing the need for costly data migration.

Greater reliability  No physical wear on the storage medium means fewer failures, while still supporting best-in-class practices such as RAID 5, 6 and WORM.

Longevity with a life span of more than 50 years  Eliminates wastage and landfill required to get rid of alternative storage mediums.

Most data archives are currently stored on either hard disk drive (HDD) or tape-based solutions. As these are technologies that tend to have relatively short lifespans and high energy requirements, Panasonic naturally notes this leads to increased operating costs.

So, it should come as no surprise to see Panasonic state that more reliable and efficient storage systems will be required to manage the enormous volumes of data being generated by organisations globally.

With big data increasing the need for companies to store and archive data in the safest and most sustainable way, and the information assets of companies and public agencies are globally on the increase year by year, Panasonic clearly believes its solution is coming at the right time.

This is especially so with Pansonic stating that analysts are predicting digital data generated worldwide is expected to reach around 45 zettabytes (ZB) in the next four years.

Hideo Yonenaga, GM of Panasonics Asia-Pac Storage Business Division said: The growing demands for active, and long-term, archival storage present a number of challenges that can strain existing archival systems. Panasonics blu-ray data archiver is uniquely positioned to address these challenges  from reliability, data integrity, cost and environmental footprint  as compared to existing solutions.

Panasonic explains its blu-ray data archivers large storage capacity caters to organisations that deal with high data volumes. Blu-ray archival storage is also a WORM (Write Once Read Many) medium, which makes it tamper proof and ideal for compliance.

In addition, Panasonic states its Blu-ray data archiver is also ideal for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Many SMEs who may not have the resources or data volume to justify investing in on-premise archival solutions, can greatly benefit from blu-ray archival technology.

More below, please read on.

Plan B, a New Zealand-based provider of hosted infrastructure and business continuity services, recently launched the worlds first cloud-based archive-as-a-service technology, which is built on Panasonics blu-ray data archiver.

Ian Forrester, Managing Director, Plan B Ltd, said, Our new service makes blu-ray archival technology accessible to businesses of all sizes and allows them to securely access and manage their archive data in the cloud. Our as-a-service model eliminates capital expenditure while providing easy access, lower costs, scalability and reliable data storage now and into the future. This service model will not just be available in New Zealand but in Asia and Australia as well.

Plan Bs Cloud Data Archive service, hosted on Panasonics blu-ray archival technology, is available directly from Plan B. More information is here.
Former racing driver, and Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team, is in Australia and spoke with iTWire.

Torger "Toto" Wolff is an Austrian investor and former racing car driver. He is currently a 30% owner and Executive Director of the award-winning Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team.

Wolff is in Australia for the F1 events in Melbourne this week and weekend, and took a few minutes from his busy schedule to speak with iTWire.

Providing advice to managers and leaders in general, Wolff made the insightful comments he entered all his races with the intention to win, and further "to finish first you first have to finish." This drive (if you will pardon the pun) motivates he and his team to use innovative technology to eke out continuous improvements in his vehicles.

At this time racing simulators are useful and give a lot of data - in fact, Mercedes AMG Petronas uses 1,000 sensors in its racing simulators to provide valuable information - but a simulator can only do so much. It can't simulate wind conditions or other factors that affect a driver on the day.

Even so, "you can't stop technology," Wolff said. "The more technology develops, the closer the correlation [between simulators and the track]."

On the track Wolff stated his vehicles use 200 sensors - just one fifth of those in the simulators, but with the greater emphasis on reducing the weight of the vehicle while still gathering vital data.

Wolff spoke about the valuable contribution of Epson's sponsorship of the Mercedes AMG Petronas team, with Epson's smart glasses being used for training and educational purposes, along with a range of other Epson devices. Wolff himself sees his own office Epson printer as a vital tool for keeping up-to-date on F1 regulations.

Wolff also spoke about racing games, stating while fun they aren't really reflective of the sport. "Computer race games are a completely different ball game to a real race car," he said, adding "with the emphasis on 'ball' - the risks are completely different in a game."

David M Williams attended the Australian Grand Prix as a guest of Epson Australia.
StartupAUS, Australia's peak advocacy group for start-ups, welcomed the Federal Governments early-stage investor tax incentives introduced to Parliament this week, saying the measures were arguably the most generous start-up investor scheme in the world.

StartupAUS is a not-for-profit entity with a mission to transform Australia through technology entrepreneurship. It believes a strong home-grown tech sector is vital to future Australian jobs and wealth. But getting there will require a national imperative to create the right environment, with a supportive culture and more entrepreneurs with the right skills.

StartupAUS has been a key driver in the development of early-stage investor tax incentives. A scheme such as this was listed as an action item in StartupAUSs April 2015 Crossroads report. It has long been an advocate for the measures, which include up-front tax incentives and CGT exemptions for early-stage investors. The incentives are aimed at encouraging further investment in early-stage start-up ventures and are expected to have an immediate, positive impact.

CEO of StartupAUS, Alex McCauley, said: This is a huge win for start-ups in Australia. Weve been working towards this for a long time, based on the needs of start-ups around the country to access early stage capital  and now we have one of the most generous tax incentives in the world. The new tax incentives will allow innovative, high-growth Australian companies to grow and scale locally and the flow-on effects of this will be substantial.

This incentive does it all - upfront income tax offsets will encourage investment, and CGT exemption will keep investors motivated to help entrepreneurs succeed. The UK has had a similar scheme for some years, and it has been a huge success. This has been our number one priority for some time - it could be a real game changer for Australias start-up sector, he added.

The increased funding flowing from these incentives will attract more entrepreneurial talent, both local and international. Faster growing companies will lead to speedy, large scale job creation and economic growth. We will also likely see an increase and diversification in seed investment, ultimately leading to a more experienced, sophisticated pool of Australian angel investors, which will, in turn, lead to a proliferation of experienced mentors for start-ups, Mr McCauley said.

StartupAUS board of directors presented their recommendations to The Hon. Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, in a special board meeting in Adelaide on Friday 9 October. At the top of the list was a tax incentive for early stage start-up investors. Since then the organisation has been working closely to help the government implement the measures.

Comment

Not all are happy and say that the restrictions are so bad that most investors and most startups will simply not qualify. One astute reader has passed on a link to an article by Alexis Kokkinos, a Partner in the Tax Consulting Division at Pitcher Partners, with over 19 years of experience in providing taxation advice and the lead in its National Tax Technical Division.

The bill is here.
Fibre to the Distribution Point involves placing a Distribution Point Unit (DPU) a small box the size of a hardback book in a pit outside premises with long driveways in rural areas.



FttdP, unike FttN, solves the problem of supplying affordable power to the node in rural areas as it enables reverse power to be fed to the DPU via twisted copper pair from the home.



The three-month trial for 30 homes in Melbourne and Sydeney will deploy pit-based DPUs connecting trial users with VDSL based services to assess how FTTdP performs in the field.



Once nbn has assessed the results of the FTTdP trial it will evaluate the prospects for a launch of FTTdP services, but it does not envisage this being until well into 2017.





nbn CEO Bill Morrow told a media briefing during the announcement that the national broadband provider was committed to delivering a multi-technology mix because the unique geographical circumstances in Australia.Everybody thinks that were against FttP but in fact were technology agnostic, said Morrow.If we want to get it done quickly then its going to be done with with a mix of different technologies.That mix will include the current FttP, FttN, HFC an satellite networking technologies, while trialling and deploying new technologies such as FttdP and Skinny Fibre.Anyone that took the time out to watch Senate Estimates this week would know that it is fascinating to see the different opinions being expressed, Morrow said.I can tell you that the rollout is accelerating - we are on track and on budget. Everything is going better than we expected.Im two years into this job and this thing is enormously complex, he said.We would literally have to walk into every single home to determine what is the best technology to get in.Technology is moving so fast that what we started out in 2009 is different than what we have today.Why would users be happy with FttN rather than FttP? Because they dont need the speed today. 80% of users need 25Mbps or less.
Today's Senate subcommittee hearing on immigration began with a warning from chairman Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) about current rates of immigration.

Sessions believes the influx in the number of immigrants is too large, and "has created great stress on the job prospects and wages of Americans." That group includes immigrants seeking permanent residency as well as those now in the U.S. on guest worker visas.

"The plain truth is that technology and robotics advance the quality of our lives and lowers the cost of products, but they eliminate many good jobs," said Sessions. "At this point in time, our economy cannot sustain the current lawful rate of immigration, much less the illegal flow."

Gary Cameron/Reuters U.S. Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), left, and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) chat before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in January 2014. The two men are at odds over increasing the number of H-1B visas.

Sessions has endorsed Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman running for the GOP presidential nomination who favors reduced levels of immigration.

Sessions has in the past held hearings on the H-1B visa and its impact on the technology workforce, and has criticized the use of visa workers in the wholesale replacement of IT department workers.

At Wednesday's hearing, the committee focused on the broader spectrum of immigration, from permanent residency to guest workers.

Sessions cited Pew Research Center data that found -- after the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 -- the nation's foreign-born population increased from 9.6 million, or 5% of the population, to 45 million in 2015, or 14%.

"In general, when immigrants come in, those who compete with immigrant workers will tend to do a little worse off, and those who use immigrant workers or compliment immigrant workers tend to do better off," said George Borjas, a professor of economics and social policy at Harvard, who testified at the hearing.

"Somebody's lower wage is somebody's else's higher profit," said Borjas, who said that what immigration really does is redistribute wealth.

Also testifying was Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization that favors lower immigration rates. He said there is no question that immigration leads to a larger economy, but a larger economy, by itself, is not a benefit to Americans, "in the same way that Mexico has a larger economy than Norway."

There is no research indicating that immigration significantly increases the income of native born residents, said Camarota.

Benjamin Johnson, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, also testified and argued in support of immigration. Johnson said immigrants "helped build and invent the industrial era, the atomic age, and now the computer age."

Despite the "overwhelming evidence" that immigration has helped the U.S., Johnson argued that our history "has been repeatedly sullied by periods of fear and anger" and blame toward immigrants over social and economic challenges.
Here, the Euro-centric map-making company founded by Nokia, yesterday said it is withdrawing from the Windows 10 ecosystem in two weeks and would limit changes to its Windows 8 apps to critical bug fixes.

The announcement triggered despair from long-standing Windows followers who have relied on Here's mapping, public transit and direction apps on Microsoft's mobile operating systems.

"There's just no way to sugarcoat it: This is a huge loss," wrote Paul Thurrott, a popular blogger who focuses on Microsoft and Windows.

Consumers who preferred Here's Windows Mobile apps over Microsoft's own were more outspoken, and at times stooped to playground taunts. "Here, you suck!" raged someone identified as "rakker91" in a comment appended yesterday to Here's announcement.

"Way to kick your loyal fans in the face," said another commenter, "a5678," today.

"This is a very short-sighted decision," echoed "Peribanu" Wednesday. "Your most loyal ambassador customers are on the Windows platform. It's suicide for a business to cut off their fan base in one fell swoop. Whoever took this decision should be fired. It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face."

Here, which Nokia sold to a group of German auto makers for about $3.1 billion last year, said it was yanking its Windows 10 apps from Microsoft's mart on March 29. Those for Windows 8 will be updated only to patch critical bugs.

The Windows 10 apps -- Here Maps, Transit and Drive -- will continue to work on Windows 10 through June 30, at which time they will go dark.

"We made the Here apps compatible with Windows 10 by using a workaround that will no longer be effective after June 30, 2016," the company claimed. "To continue offering the Here apps for Windows 10 would require us to redevelop the apps from the ground up, a scenario that led to the business decision to remove our apps from the Windows 10 store."

Some users were skeptical of that explanation, attributing the move to everything from Windows Mobile's small market share to laziness, even betrayal, on Here's part.

But the move should not have come as a surprise.

"Windows Mobile hasn't gone anywhere," said Jan Dawson, principal analyst at Jackdaw Research, in an interview. "Here doesn't get any benefit from [the platform]. It can get far more scale from iOS and Android."

Here released apps for Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems in March 2015 and December 2014, respectively, both dates following the closing of the sale of Nokia's handset business to Microsoft in April 2014 for approximately $7.9 billion. Last summer, Microsoft scratched $7.6 billion of that deal from its books, conceding that the acquisition was a bust.

Separate from that transaction, Microsoft signed a four-year license for Here's mapping data; the Redmond, Wash. company has used -- and will continue to use -- that data for its own Windows 10 Maps app. Microsoft is currently testing a refreshed "universal" mapping app that will run on both desktop and mobile versions of its newest OS.

Although some opined last year that Microsoft should buy Here when Nokia put it on the block -- and yesterday argued that by passing, Microsoft missed the bus -- Dawson said Microsoft did the smart thing.

"They're picking their battles," Dawson said of Microsoft and its Windows Mobile. According to researcher IDC, Windows powered just 2.2% of 1.4 billion smartphones shipped last year worldwide. "They recognize that they can't be best in class [in maps] on their own. So their focus is not trying to compete on data by themselves."

In fact, Microsoft sold some of its home-brewed mapping technology and assets -- including a transfer of about 100 employees -- to the Uber ride-sharing service last summer. In effect, Microsoft called it quits on collecting its own mapping data and images.

As Dawson put Here's move in perspective, he rejected the idea that losing the firm's apps is a sign that Microsoft is on the verge of pulling the plug on Windows Mobile.

"Microsoft has been backing off on its own maps for a while," said Dawson. "Microsoft knew some time ago that they needed to have maps on [Windows Phone], but that they didn't have to do it themselves. Maps can't be a huge differentiator for [Windows], but they knew they could license [data] from Here."
SANTA CLARA  In a convincing example of the viability of open source networking, cloud provider DreamHost saved 70% in capital and 40% in operational costs by replacing VMwares NSX SDN with open source alternatives.

In a presentation at the Open Networking Summit here, suppliers Cumulus Networks and Akanda  a DreamHost spin-out NFV business -- said the cloud provider replaced NSX due to scaling and Layer 3 support issues. DreamHost did not speak and was not present during the presentation, but posted a blog entry on the project here last Friday.

+MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: DreamHost report shows common types of government requests for information+

The project involved DreamHosts DreamCompute public cloud compute service, which is based on OpenStack and Ceph object store and file system. The core networking requirements for DreamCompute are Layer 2 tenant isolation, IPv6 and 10G+ everywhere.

DreamHost has about 400,000 customers. The provider was all in on NSX less than three years ago.

The first generation of the DreamCompute networking infrastructure included Niciras NVP network virtualization software for Layer 2 isolation, and Cumulus Linux as the network operating system running on white box switches. Layer 3 requirements were not met by Nicira NVP nor by software routing vendors who did not understand cloud, said Mark McClain, Akanda CTO.

The second generation of the DreamCompute network include Layer 3 capabilities in VMware NSX, which acquired Nicira, renamed the NVP product and enhanced it. But in a bake-off with the Astara open source network orchestration service for OpenStack  which was developed by DreamHost -- Astara comes out on top and, with some enhancements, allows DreamCompute to scale to over 1,000 customers and thousands of VMs.

Honestly, we expected Astara to lose this challenge, states Jonathan LaCour, DreamHost vice president of cloud and development, in his blog. However, Astara absolutely came out victorious, offering a significantly better experience and more reliability.

In the third generation of the DreamCompute infrastructure, NSX was found to have scale limitations of 1,250 tenants. Open vSwitch was slow and unstable, and the software was difficult to debug and operate, the presenters said. As a result, NSX was replaced for Layer 2 isolation by hardware accelerated VXLAN in the switch and hypervisor, and by Astara for Layer 3-7 service orchestration.

Cumulus Linux remained as the physical underlay for the DreamCompute network.

Astara virtual network appliances allowed for easy scale, while VXLAN tunnels scaled massively, presenters said. Astara also simplified OpenStack Neutron networking deployments by requiring fewer Layer 2, DHCP and advanced services agents, and is generally easier to operate because it, VXLAN and the Linux networking stack on DreamCompute switches are open and familiar, presenters said.

As far as performance and scale, DreamCompute is breaking through those limits we met with VMWare NSX, LaCour states in his blog. This is largely due to reductions in complexity, thanks to management and automation through OpenStack and Astara.

VMware wouldnt comment specifically on the DreamHost project but through a spokesperson said it is very happy with the success NSX has had in some of the largest OpenStack environments in the world, as well as our track record in open networking through things like the Open vSwitch project.

DreamHosts project mirrors that of other cloud and Webscale providers, like Google and Facebook, that have opted to develop their own networking solutions to overcome the limitations of commercial offerings, and reduce capex and opex. That open source provides such a significant capex improvement over commercial products should perhaps come as no surprise.

But the opex reduction might be the proof point that familiar open source code, customized for specific operator requirements, is just as capable  if not more so  than commercially available, vendor-integrated products.

AT&T is also considering open sourcing its internally developed service orchestration software.
Today

Sunny with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 88F. WSW winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tonight

Clear skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 64F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tomorrow

Mainly sunny. High near 80F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Beckenham site manager Stephen Murray said: "Local businesses are likely to need storage space. However, everyone gathers clutter and doesn't know what to do with it. We can help make homes and offices clutter-free."

The 53,000 sq ft facility in Beckenham and the 49,000 sq ft facility in Woolwich are two of 20 new self-storage centres acquired by Access Space in 1999, which are being opened across the country this year.
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Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience  the local community.

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Library bond unanimously approved Voters waited in line for 45 minutes Tuesday to participate in an eight-minute meeting that resulted in the unanimous approval of a $600,000 bond to help renovate the North Road...

Ferryboat business told to halt operations The ferryboat company operating from the municipally owned docks at East Ferry is illegally using that space, according to correspondence mailed to business owner Bill Munger. Town Administrator Jamie Hainsworth...

A DOGGONE NEW BUSINESS A former business that used to clean peoples clothes is reopening as a groomer to tidy up the fur of those peoples four-legged companions. The defunct laundromat at the McQuades...
President Barack Obama and the United Nations Security Council strengthen sanctions on North Korea for continuing to develop its nuclear weapons program and call on Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program "in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner" and refrain from ballistic missile tests.

The measures were announced shortly after President Obama signed an executive order authorizing tighter sanctions. They "reflect the United States' commitment to holding North Korea accountable for its destabilizing actions," said Adam J. Szubin, acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department.

Josh Earnest, White House spokesman said: "The U.S. and the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and we will continue to impose costs on North Korea until it comes into compliance with its international obligation."

The legislation also authorizes $50m over the next five years to transmit radio broadcasts into North Korea, purchase communications equipment and support humanitarian assistance programs.

"This is an authoritarian regime. It's provocative. It has repeatedly violated UN resolutions, tested and produced nuclear weapons, and now they are trying to perfect their missile launch system," Obama said in an interview broadcast on CBS the morning after North Korea launched the long-range rocket.

North Korea is prohibited from such launches under previous UN Security Council Resolutions because the technology in a satellite launch vehicle has potential dual-use applications to ballistic missile development.

UN has since had adopted five major resolutions since 2006 that impose where The first two resolutions were passed shortly after North Korean nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. The third came a month after North Korea successfully launched a satellite in December 2012. The new U.S. sanctions name two government officials and 15 government-affiliated organizations, including the "propaganda and agitation department" of the Korean Workers' Party, several banks used to evade U.N. sanctions and shipping agencies used to transport illicit materials.

In a separate development, the North's human rights record once again came into question as a UN expert on Monday called for leader Kim to be prosecuted for human rights abuses, including starvation and "slave-like conditions" in the country.
Following the premiere of the Duggars' latest television series, "Jill & Jessa: Counting On" season 1, disgraced family member Josh Duggar is reportedly planning to return under the spotlight. The reason? It's all because of money!

Josh Duggar and his conservative family have been under fire ever since the molestation, porn addiction and infidelity scandals broke out. And while he had sought treatment in a faith-based center, the 28-year-old "19 Kids and Counting" star has recently reunited with his family in Arkansas.

After exiting the rehab, Josh Duggar is now planning to tell his own version of the story. However, he would only do it if the price is right, Inquisitr revealed.

"He's considering going on a public speaking circuit," a source told Life & Style (via Hollywood Life). "He has to make money and this could be very lucrative for him. It's likely Josh will travel the world to talk at Christian fundamentalist events this year."

The insider also hinted the possibility that Josh Duggar would make an appearance in his sister's show, "Jill & Jessa: Counting On." The source further claimed that Josh's appearance will surely boost the show's ratings.

"Everyone is certain Josh will be making an appearance on 'Counting On,' he'll bring the show even more viewers," the insider added.

As Josh Duggar becomes eager to return on television so he can start earning his fortune, he is reportedly avoiding the "public's wrath." As a matter of fact, he won't leave his home even for a couples' therapy.

Fortunately, Josh and his wife Anna have found a therapist who's willing to meet them in their home. According to an insider, the couple is optimistic that the therapy will save their failing marriage.

"Josh and Anna are working on their relationship and are having the help of a couples' therapist," an insider told Hollywood Life. "[They] more than spiritual guidance if they have a shot at keeping their marriage together."

Meanwhile, a Duggar family relative has broken his silence about Josh's return from rehab. Duggar cousin Amy's husband Dillon King revealed that it would be hard for the family to trust Josh again.

"It's not ever going to be the same," Dillon explained, as per In Touch Weekly. "It's not ever going to be what it was."

And while the Duggars have publicly announced their support to Josh, a source close to the family confessed that not everyone in his family are happy for his return. In fact, some in the extended family feared to bring their children near Josh.

"There are people in the extended family who definitely won't bring their children near Josh," a Duggar family member confessed. "Who would want their kids around him after all he's done?"

So, what do you think will happen to Josh Duggar now? Do you think he is really desperate for money?
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Al Anderson and Deanna Lock toast St. Patricks Day at Mos Irish Pub in 2014. Credit: Mike De Sisti

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There's a little bit of everything happening around town today.

For the musically inclined, Chicago's Ezra Fruman will perform at Company Brewing with Living Statues and Sleepy Kitty. The show starts at 10 p.m. and costs $8.

If you're looking to raise a glass, Bennos Genuine Bar and Grill in West Aliis is hosting a tap takeover featuring Raised Grain Brewing.

And if you're looking for a bit of culture, you could head to the Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival. The fest is screening "Journey Into Europe," a documentary that traces the role of Islam in Europe's history. Admission is $8, but it's free to an University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students.

Cheers to Thursday, Milwaukee.
All Politics Blog From Milwaukee, Madison and beyond, a daily dose of political news and glimpses behind the scenes SHARE

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It was a day of dueling endorsements in the Milwaukee mayor's race.

First, longtime former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl endorsed Mayor Tom Barrett on Wednesday, saying the third-term mayor is "always here when we need him."

"On the job, every day, always here when we need him. Doing the things that are important for our community and being our best advocate," said Kohl, a Democrat who served as Wisconsin's senator for 24 years. "I think we're very lucky to have him."

Then Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke endorsed Barrett's challenger, Ald. Bob Donovan, at an evening event, insisting that the City of Milwaukee needs new leadership.

"Milwaukee cannot afford even one more month, much less four more years, of Tom Barrett," Clarke said. "Folks, it's time for change at the top of city government. We need a mayor who won't referred to as a 'nice guy,' but as a fighter for all Milwaukee ans."

Kohl, a businessman who also owned the Milwaukee Bucks until he sold the team in 2014, and Barrett made a joint appearance at Jake's Deli on W. North Avenue in Milwaukee, where they greeted diners and employees before holding a news conference.

"I'm honored. I think every one of us realizes what an icon Sen. Kohl is, and in my mind he embodies what's great about this community. He's grown up here, he's worked here, he's built his business here, and then he's given back to this community," Barrett said. "To have someone who loves our community this much appreciate the work that I'm trying to do as mayor means a lot to me personally."

Donovan and Clarke spoke at the headquarters of the Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 215 union on W. Wisconsin Avenue. The union initially endorsed Ald. Joe Davis, but switched its support to Donovan after Davis was eliminated in the primary.

"I deeply appreciate his endorsement today. I have had the opportunity to work closely with Sheriff Clarke over the years. Him and I have sat down on numerous occasions to talk about Milwaukee's challenges," Donovan said. "Every single time I have reached out to Sheriff Clarke, he's been there for me and my constituents."

Barrett and Donovan will face off in the April 5 election.
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A man who used to dress up as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny for community events in Northern Wisconsin decided to punch out former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle in federal prison, according to news reports.

Fogle is serving 15 years for child pornography and other charges at Englewood Federal Correctional Institution, a low-security facility in Colorado, where, heavy.com began reporting this week, he was assaulted in January by one Stephen Nigg, 60, formerly of of Oconto County.

Nigg's nephew has told news sites that Nigg attacked Fogle, 38, "for the victims and their families" and because he felt Fogle was flaunting his wealth in prison by buying extra food and protection (not very good, apparently) from bodyguards.

Nigg is serving 15 years for being a felon in possession of firearms, guns his later father owned that Nigg was selling from a shop in Lakewood, in Oconto County.

According to court records, Nigg had moved to Wisconsin after a previous prison stint in Arizona, from 1976 to 1990, for armed robberies he committed in Arizona when he was 21.

Nigg cared for his mother and father till they died, but his father's second wife became suspicious that he was depleting his father's estate by selling some of the more than 100 guns the father had owned when he died. The stepmother hired a private investigator, who later contacted federal authorities which led to Nigg's federal charge in 2010.

He pleaded guilty, but appealed the issue of whether he should have been subjected to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years based on being an "armed career criminal." He suggested his three armed robberies should really be considered the same offense, for the purpose of determining that status.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that, though Nigg did appear to travel a much straighter and narrower path during his life in Wisconsin -- noting his community involvement, including volunteering annually to be Santa and the Easter Bunny -- the law was clear.

"Relief from any unfairness flowing from minimum mandatory sentences must come from the legislature, not the judiciary," the court wrote.
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The planned conversion of downtown Milwaukee's vacant Germania Building from offices to apartments would receive $1.5 million in city funds under a proposal endorsed Thursday by city officials.

Developers Cardinal Capital Management Inc., Vangard Group LLC and Endeavour Corp. want to create 46 market-rate apartments and 44 units for people with low and moderate incomes, along with street-level retail space, at the eight-story building, 135 W. Wells St.

The developers hope to begin the $22 million development this spring. The work would take 12 to 14 months to complete, said Kalan Haywood, Vangard owner.

The city funding proposal, approved by the Redevelopment Authority board, would help pay for the building's exterior renovations, including restoring its four copper domes, said Dan Casanova, of the Department of City Development.

The city would provide the funds to the developers through new property taxes generated by the building's improvements.

The building, now assessed at $3 million, is expected to have a $7.5 million assessed value once the work is done, Casanova told authority board members.

The city financing proposal also needs approval from the Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett.

The affordable units would be rented at below-market rates, starting at $560 a month, to people earning no more than 60% of the local median income, Haywood said.

That restriction is required because the developers are receiving around $11.9 million in financing from the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.

The remaining one- and two-bedroom apartments would have monthly rents starting at around $900, Haywood said.

The conversion work will retain the 110-year-old building's marble lobby and stairways, and other interior historic features. Financing for the development includes state and federal historic preservation tax credits.

The Germania is the latest in a series of apartment conversions on downtown's west side.

The other developments include February's completion of The Buckler, which created 207 higher-end apartments at the former Blue Cross headquarters, 401 W. Michigan St.; last fall's conversion of the Posner Building into 105-unit MKE Lofts Downtown, 152 W. Wisconsin Ave., and the 49-unit 700 Lofts, 700 W. Michigan St.

Also, developer Cal Schultz wants to create 50 affordable apartments on four upper floors of the eight-story Century Building, 808 N. Old World Third St.

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The headquarters for MillerCoors will remain in Chicago if the brewing company becomes the U.S. division of Molson Coors, it was announced Thursday.

MillerCoors, a joint venture of Molson Coors and SABMiller, has a brewery and offices in Milwaukee. The U.S. Department of Justice has already approved in principal the Molson Coors purchase of the remaining stake in MillerCoors.

After the sale, which is still pending, the Molson Coors headquarters will remain in Denver, Colo., MillerCoors said.

"While this is an exciting time for both organizations, we know the excitement comes with some anxiety and questions. As we have said from the outset, we will share decisions as they are made in order to alleviate uncertainty as quickly as possible," MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley said in an email to employees.

Hattersley added: "First, our organization will keep the MillerCoors name. The name reflects our proud heritage here in the U.S. and has strong recognition and brand equity with our customers. As such, we will be 'MillerCoors, a Molson Coors company.' This is consistent with other Molson Coors businesses, where they lead with the established brand name in that market.

"Second, based on a thorough cost and benefits analysis, our MillerCoors headquarters will remain in Chicago, and the Molson Coors headquarters will remain in Colorado. We remain confident we will achieve the synergy targets we announced in November, largely from opportunities within our combined procurement, supply chain and shared services operations."
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Here's what's showing at alternative movie venues this week.

UWM Union Cinema

Unless otherwise noted, admission is $5, free for UWM students and Union Cinema members.

Eyeworks Festival of Experimental Animation: The Chicago-based celebration of animation shows in two programs, with festival co-director Alexander Stewart in attendance. Showing at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Free.

"Censored Voices": Documentary draws from interviews of Israeli soldiers after the Six-Day War in 1967, many of which had been kept under wraps since then. 7p.m. Wednesday.

2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.;cinema.uwm.edu

JCC Film Series

"Wonderful Women": Excerpts from a project looking at 16 Israeli women  eight secular women and eight Orthodox Jewish women  who come together to improve community relations. The screening includes a discussion. 7 p.m. Tuesday. Free.

Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay; jccmilwaukee.org/jewishfilm

Movie Time / Charles Allis Art Museum

"Titanic": No, not that movie  this is the first-rate 1953 epic recounting of the sinking of the unsinkable ship, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb. 7:30p.m. Wednesday. $7, $5 for students and seniors; free for museum members.

1801 N. Prospect Ave.; charlesallis.org

Milwaukee Muslim Film Festival

"Journey Into Europe": Documentary in which Islamic scholar and former Pakistani ambassador Akbar Ahmed traces the role of Islam in Europe's history. 7 p.m. Thursday. UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. $8, free for UWM students.

mmfilmfestival.com

 Chris Foran
Working alongside his father, Matthew Devan learned the art of butchery back in East London, South Africa. After his father sold the family shop, Devan headed to Ireland for work. He picked up a few new skills and met his wife, Wendi, a Wisconsin native.

He moved to the States, and settling in to life here, Devan couldn't give up one of his favorite South African traditions: the braai. A social gathering packed with all sorts of deliciousness and lots of meats, that's also where he got the name for his growing business, SA Braai.

After nearly a decade of trying, in 2013 Wendi convinced him to make and sell traditional South African-style sausage.

They started at the Wauwatosa Farmers Market, and when it sold out, he thought it was a fluke. But when he sold even more the following week, he knew he was on to something.

The couple has since added chutneys to their product lineup. Made with unsulfured fruits, the vinegar-based condiments are available at local retailers including Metcalfe's Sentry on State St. in Wauwatosa and Outpost Natural Foods. The chutneys now outsell the sausage, and soon they'll be on shelves at local Whole Foods stores.

Devan works as a butcher for Engine Company No. 3 and La Merenda. He and Wendi live in Wauwatosa with their son. They rent out the kitchen at La Merenda on Sundays to make their SA Braai products.

Plans change

My dad owned a butcher shop in South Africa, when I was still a teenager. I would help out in the summertime there. I really didn't know what I wanted to do after school. My dad said if I learn and become a trained butcher, he'd leave the shop to me. I was like, sweet, this is a good business.

He didn't allow me to cut any of the expensive cuts or anything like that for probably about a year. Eventually I took over and managed the place. Then my parents got divorced, and he sold the shop.

I was still young and decided to go to Ireland on a two-year working visa. That's where I met my wife, Wendi, and that's what brought me here. I've been living in the States going on to 12 years.

Chefs as co-workers

I'm definitely not a chef. I will never call myself a chef. I work with them.

What he won't eat

The one thing I won't eat is blood sausage. I'm iffy on black pudding. I've tried it.

I wasn't a big fan. I don't discriminate. I will try everything once. You can't say you don't like something if you don't try it.

Perks of the job (and meeting the president)

We were allowed to meet President Obama (when he visited Engine Company). After he ate they allowed us to do a group photo with him. One of our co-workers said "Oh, Mr. President. Matthew has something special to tell you."

He looked at me and said "So, what do you have?"

Well, I just became a citizen a few months ago. He said congratulations, asked me where I was from. We spoke about South Africa. He knew a lot about where I was from and he said welcome to the States. I was a little taken aback though, because he is the president. When we were told the president was coming, we didn't believe it until the Secret Service showed up.

Memorable meal

The president ate the patacon, a Colombian dish. It is vegetarian, no meat involved, but I always throw a sausage with it when I make it.

Crazy for chutney

Where I'm from in South Africa, chutney is big. We put chutney on everything we eat. I put it on homemade macaroni and cheese, my fried eggs in the morning.

My wife made lasagna the other day. I put some chutney on it. She gave me a frown, but I said it tastes better with it, try it!

You know how ketchup is so big in the States and people put it on everything? Chutney is maybe something like that in South Africa.

Old school style

I normally get in at work before 6 a.m. We get in whole animals. How I'm doing it right now is pretty old school.

I don't have a band saw. I have a boning knife, steak knife, a grinder, a hand stuffer to make sausages and a hacksaw. That's all I really need.

Favorite cut of meat

Definitely rib-eye, and it has to be from the chuck end with the kernel of fat. I like a steak with a little bit of fat on it.

Behind the braai

Our company name comes from South Africa. Instead of come over to our house for a cookout or barbecue, we'd say "Come to our house for a braai." You have lamb, pork, beef, chicken, sausage, quail. It is something totally different.

Last year we did a braii at La Merenda on the patio. We're going to do it again this year.

Meat pie is a must

I really like to make homemade meat pies. You can make it with ground beef, and you make it big enough for an individual serving.

Right now, Engine Company is actually making meat pies to go. I mentioned it, they thought it was pretty cool. They have a meat and vegetarian version.

Art on the side

They wanted to repaint at La Merenda. One of the ladies there asked me if I'd be willing to do a mural.

They are known for international tapas, so they wanted a mural of the world. We decided to do pins so when they change the menu we can put pins in and map the menu.

First food he eats back in South Africa

Definitely a sausage roll, something you can't get here that I miss. But I don't miss that much, because I can make the sausage here. I make most of the things for myself, dry sausage, droewors, biltong.

Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email nstohs@journalsentinel.com.
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Rescue workers continued a search Wednesday night for a man reported missing while kayaking on Lake Michigan off Port Washington, WITI-TV in Milwaukee reported.

Marcus Beilman, 27, of West Bend and his brother Kevin Beilman, 24, had launched their kayaks from South Beach before their kayaks overturned, according to a post on the station's website.

Rescue workers were called about 4:30 p.m. and found Kevin Beilman on shore and began the search for his brother, according to the station.

The U.S. Coast Guard was assisting with the search, the station reported.
Haley Orlowski, a Wauwatosa West High School junior, has a coin drive going at her school to raise money for military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Her cousin, who was a Marine, committed suicide in 2013 after a long struggle with PTSD. Credit: Mike De Sisti

Jim Stingl In My Opinion SHARE Stephen Keyes, a Marine, took his own life in 2013. He was 26. Family photo Sean ODell served in the Army and died in 2014 after returning to civilian life. ODell suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Family photo

One coin and crumpled dollar bill at a time, high school student Haley Orlowski is trying to help returning soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder.

It's personal for the Wauwatosa West High School junior. She lost two cousins who struggled to cope after returning to civilian life.

All this week  except for the day she lost to the bomb scare evacuation at West  she has placed a jar or bag in 48 homerooms with a goal of filling each one with $22, which is the often-quoted average number of military veterans who take their own lives every day. That number is for all veterans, not just those who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Haley's cousin, Stephen Keyes, committed suicide. After a few deployments, including to Afghanistan, the Marine shot himself at his parents' home in Ham Lake, Minn., in 2013. He was 26. The funny cousin Haley came to love and admire had become more withdrawn, but the help he needed for his PTSD never came.

"He wasn't very open, which is a problem that many soldiers with PTSD suffer from. They think people might see them as being weak. So they suffer by themselves," Haley told me as we talked in the classroom of her American public policy teacher, Chris Benes, where this project began as an assignment to investigate a thorny issue.

Haley embodies turning the possibility of positive change into a reality, Benes said.

"This is why we give the assignment. We want our students to be active and engaged citizens and understand the impact one person can have, rather than assuming I'm just a high school kid so what am I supposed to do," the teacher said.

West Principal Frank Calarco said he frequently turns down poorly considered student fundraisers.

"This is a really cool deal that Haley is doing, all on her own," he said.

The money being raised will go to Project Welcome Home Troops, which uses alternative methods to help returning veterans, including meditation and controlled breathing workshops.

Haley thinks this could have helped her other cousin, Sean O'Dell, who turned to pharmaceutical drugs and alcohol to tame his PTSD demons. The Army veteran from Waukesha died in 2014 at age 39. His death was not a suicide.

In an attempt to spread her message further, Haley contacted me. She and I had met before. In August of 2011, I wrote about her and her 12-year-old friends who put together a bucket list of goals  not to race death but to accomplish before summer vacation ended. They ranged from serious, like baking cookies for a neighbor who needed cheering up, to silly, like pranking a boy on the phone and licking mud.

"I believe I have matured," Haley, now 17, wrote in an email to me, "and so have my ideas for getting involved in the community."

She presented her case to fellow students with help from a slide show and video. If people are going to donate money, they need to understand the issue and how these veterans can be helped.

"Everybody keeps giving me change so that my homeroom wins. Everybody is super supportive of this. They're taking it seriously," Haley said.

If you don't happen to have a homeroom at Wauwatosa West, you still can donate to her cause through her crowdfunding website, GoFundMe.com/KeepingVetsAlive.

Call Jim Stingl at (414) 224-2017 or email at jstingl@jrn.com
Trade has become a central issue in the U.S. Senate race between Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (left) and former Sen. Russ Feingold (right), a Democrat. Credit: AP

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What did they read and when did they read it?

That's becoming a big question around the big issue of trade in the race between Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Russ Feingold.

Specifically, the two campaigns are squabbling over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade deal negotiated by President Barack Obama's administration with 11 Pacific-Rim nations.

After reading a 61-page summary of the agreement posted on the Internet by WikiLeaks last March, Feingold came out in opposition to the deal in May.

Feingold, who as a U.S. senator voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement, has said TPP "will only do more damage to Wisconsin communities." He has called on Johnson to follow his lead and oppose the trade deal.

Johnson said he hasn't made up his mind on TPP and noted that a Senate vote has not yet been scheduled. He said he and his staff are now making their way through the more than 6,000 page agreement, which was released in November.

How much of the agreement has he read?

"More than I've enjoyed," Johnson said.

But that hasn't stopped Democrats from trying to push Johnson on making a decision over the politically charged agreement. Johnson has backed three trade agreements  South Korea, Panama and Colombia  and has expressed support for free trade in general because "it lifts all boats."

Three presidential candidates oppose the TPP deal as written: Republican Donald Trump and Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Democrats also claim that Johnson didn't read any of the agreement's draft chapters, even as he voted to give Obama fast-track authority to negotiate TPP. A Democratic group filed a freedom of information request with the U.S. Trade Representative asking if Johnson or his staff viewed draft chapters over a period of several years.

"I've got far higher priorities," Johnson said about not reading the drafts. Johnson said it was a matter of prioritizing his time as he juggled a busy work schedule that included various committee assignments, as well as being chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

He said the vote on fast-track authority was "just a process. That had nothing to do with whether or not in the end I was going to support whatever the outcome of that negotiation was."

Johnson said the Democratic attack was "ridiculous."

"The truth is, he should be careful," Johnson said of Feingold. "What it's exposing is his own uninformed, ill-informed, knee-jerk, jump-to-conclusion reaction to this thing without going through the hard work of actually getting input, listening to constituents. All the constituents, not just his buddies in unions who have the knee-jerk reaction that they're against free trade regardless."

"There's one person running for the U.S. Senate in this race that is doing the hard work, the careful consideration, reaching out, getting input, listening to people," Johnson said. "And there's one who came to a quick conclusion. ... Do you think Senator Feingold read the over 6,000 pages of this complex deal? Do you think Senator Feingold even understands the private sector much less the individual industry groups that are being affected by this deal? Of course he doesn't."

A Feingold campaign spokesman criticized Johnson's stance.

"What could possibly be more of a priority than protecting Wisconsin jobs?" said Michael Tyler. "If Senator Johnson had been doing his own job, he'd have reviewed this thing and known it's nothing more than a raw deal written for corporate interests at the expense of Wisconsin jobs."

Tyler said, "The bottom line is that Senator Johnson blindly voted to fast track this deal and believes that when corporations ship Wisconsin jobs overseas, it's 'creative destruction.' Senator Johnson has voted for every trade deal that's come across his desk while in Washington. Johnson is now just hiding the ball with his re-election in mind."
Inflation is a top issue for voters, but politicians' solutions could make things worse

Voters have shifted their top priority from abortion to their wallets, but candidates are limited in what they can do about rising prices.
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A cognitively impaired Sheboygan man reported missing Wednesday was found safe in Oconomowoc.

Kenneth Wachal, 69, of Sheboygan was visiting his daughter in Delafield and had not been seen by his family since shortly after 12:30 p.m., according to a Silver Alert issued by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Wachal was buying gas at a gas station when his photo popped up on a lottery terminal and he was recognized by a clerk, according to the DOJ.
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The former chief of staff at the troubled U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Tomah  called the "Candy Man" for his propensity to dispense narcotic painkillers  had his medical license suspended Wednesday, WKOW-TV in Madison reported.

The Wisconsin Medical Examining Board took the action against psychiatrist David Houlihan after an attorney for the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services called his practice of medicine "downright dangerous" at a hearing Wednesday morning, according to a story posted on the station's website.

Houlihan was suspended from his job at the Tomah VA Medical Center in January 2015 and then fired in November after an investigation found rampant over-prescription of opiates under his direction that resulted in the death of a 35-year-old man, the station reported.

The suspension came after Houlihan was hired to work in a private psychiatric practice at Counseling Associates in La Crosse.

In January, Republican party officials released audio of an interview in which a top official with the union that represents medical and support staff at the Tomah hospital told a detective that she believed members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation were aware of "unreported, unexpected deaths" at the hospital.
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TeleSur |  

Since the beginning of the presidential campaign Bernie Sanders has received little coverage and has been counted out of having any possibility of winning the Democratic nomination. Though the candidate has gained momentum as he continues his campaign, after Tuesdays loss, mainstream media outlets counted Sanders out completely, claiming it is basically impossible to reach the number of delegates needed for the nomination. If we examine the numbers closely Hillary Clinton is ahead of Sanders by 314 pledged delegates and there are still 2,308 delegates up for grabs in the upcoming months.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders upset Hillary Clinton in Michigan

Greg Guma, the author of The Peoples Republic: Vermont and the Sanders Revolution, told teleSUR that the path to the nomination is far from over. Over the next three months, we have the states of California, we have New York, we have the Midwest and the Atlantic coast. Even though Hillary Clinton has won certain states in the South, the South is not the key to either the primary or the election as many of the people in the leadership of the Democratic Party understand the key to winning the Democratic primary and the election is to win the coasts, to win the East coast and the West coast, that has not yet been decided and Bernie has just as good a chance, Guma said.

Another aspect of the Sanders campaign that is often overlooked is the reasons that have driven the campaign to gain momentum. There has been an overwhelming number of young people, between the ages of 18 and 29 who have been supporting Sanders with very high percentages. According to Richard Wolff, a professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, this is evidence of a shift in the future of American politics that is breaking the standards of the traditional old establishment Democratic Party.

You have a generation of people who have been fundamentally disappointed.

To understand the phenomena of Bernie Sanders is to understand that he proves a fundamental shift in American politics is underway. I know from my own direct experience that the Democratic Party leadership expected Mr. Sanders to get between 1 and 3 percent of the vote in this election, period. The fact that he has done as well as he has done, getting an excess of 40 percent or even closer to half the votes in so many states and winning as many states as he has is an unspeakable change in American politics and will have enormous ramifications for the future, Wolff said.

Wolff also explained that this movement of young people is driven by their disappointment. Prior generations were able to make the so called American Dream come true, but the current generation feels that a change is needed in order to get that promise back, they see in Sanders that change that they are seeking. Wolff told teleSUR, You have a generation of people who have been fundamentally disappointed, thats the minimum word to use, the maximum word is betrayed.

They have been promised an American Dream that is not available to them anymore. He added, This is the first generation in American history to be told that the only way to get a decent job is to have a college degree and at the same time that the only way to get a college degree is to take on tens of thousands of dollars in debt. This is not a viable arrangement and it betrays the promise that their parents made to them.

With all of these factors in mind, there is still a path for Bernie Sanders to win the nomination, but beyond that, the candidate is helping to shift the political spectrum in the United States. The Sanders campaign is still confident that moving forward they will be able to obtain the nomination. In a press release statement, Senator Sanders congratulated Hillary Clinton on her victories, but highlighted that he intends to continue all the way to the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. With more than half the delegates yet to be chosen and a calendar that favors us in the weeks and months to come, we remain confident that our campaign is on a path to win the nomination, Sanders said.

Via TeleSur

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related video added by Juan Cole:

The Young Turks: Is There Still Hope For Bernie Sanders?
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Syrias Kurds have decided to declare a federal province in the northeast of the country and along the northern border with Turkey.

Many Arab states are unitary rather than federal and for the most part provincial governors are appointed by the central government and the central state controls local education and other policy. The Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov recently suggested that one resolution of the Syrian civil war might be to move the country to a US- or Canada-style federal state where the provinces retain substantial powers and prerogatives.

Some pundits are interpreting the Kurdish move as a form of separatism, but so far it seems more like a demand for states rights, Alabama-style. The Kurds are frustrated that they have been excluded from the Geneva peace talks, and are in part making the point that with 10% of the Syrian territory in their control, they are too important to snub.

Kurds are the major non-Arabic-speaking population in Syria, accounting for roughly 2.2 million out of 22 million, though their proportion has likely increased because over 4 million people have fled the country. Most Syrians speak Arabic, a Semitic language related to Hebrew and Amharic. Kurds speak an Indo-European language ultimately related to English. The Arab nationalist Baath party that took over Syria in the 1960s tended to racialize Arabness (it is a language, not a race), and the government withdrew citizenship from large numbers of Kurds, leaving them stateless. At the beginning of the 2011 Syrian youth revolt, dictator Bashar al-Assad went to the Kurdish regions and told them he would reinstate their Syrian citizenship, but that was rather late in the day.

In 2013, as the Syrian state was collapsing, the Kurds there, largely ruled by the leftist Kurdish Democratic Union Party, declared self-rule and established three cantons, Jazeera, Kobane and Afrin, strung out along the northeast portion of the border with Turkey. The military conquests of the KDUPs paramilitary, the YPG or Self-Protection Units have allowed the Kurds to join Jazeera to Kobane, and recently they have made moves to hook up with Afrin. They call the whole proposed province Rojava. In 2014 the Kurdish project was threatened by the expansionist Daesh caliphate, which hates the leftist Kurds. But the YPG, with American aerial help and some help on the ground from Arab allies and from the Peshmerga paramilitary of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Turkish government of Tayyip Erdogan strenuously objects to the idea of a Kurdish province in Syria. Erdogan sees that Democratic Union Party as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party, a terrorist organization based in eastern Turkey and in Iraq that specializes in dirty war tactics and both attacks on Turkish troops and on civilian soft targets (the latter being terrorism). The case for the Syrian Kurds engaging in terrorism, however, is weak. In any case, Russia seems to have given the Syrian Kurds a green light, and the US Pentagon is also strongly backing them, and Turkey may just be faced with a local/ Great Power fait accompli.

The idea of Syria as a Federal state has virtues, since even once Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) has been defeated in rural Sunni provinces like al-Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, the Sunni populations there are not going to want to go back under Baath rule. If provinces can have their own prerogatives and are less dictated to by Damascus, it might make it easier for Syria to come back together (it will be fragile in any case).



Related video:

CCTV: Kurds plan to declare federal system in northern Syria
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By Alexander Titov | (The Conversation) |  

Back in September 30 2015, when Vladimir Putin unexpectedly announced the deployment of the Russian air force in Syria, the consensus was that this would prove to be a costly mistake. Critics argued that airstrikes alone would not make any tangible difference to the facts on the ground.

The seemingly endless US-led air campaign against Islamic State (IS) was often cited as proof of this fact  US president, Barack Obama, reiterated this belief in a recent interview The Atlantic, when he said that Russia had overextended  Theyre bleeding. And their economy has contracted for three years in a row, drastically.

No doubt Americas traumatic experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan were weighing heavily on Obamas mind when he made this assessment.

Yet, as if to prove his critics wrong, on March 14, Putin abruptly announced his decision to withdraw the main military force from Syria, claiming to have achieved his main objectives there.

Aiming high

From the start, the Kremlin had a minimal set of aims and a maximum one. Minimal objectives were to stabilise the Assad regime which was losing badly at the time. The Kremlin also angled to be recognised as a pivotal player in the Middle East and a global power equal to the US.

Putins maximum objective was, however, to transform Russias relations with the West after they had been destroyed by the Ukraine crisis. The Kremlin hoped that the common danger from IS would prompt the West to overcome its scruples at dealing with the invader of Ukraine and form a new anti-IS alliance. This was the subject of Putins speech to the United Nations on the eve of the opening of Russias air campaign in Syria in which he drew a parallel with the anti-Nazi coalition during World War II.

Working relationship

Militarily, Russia closely coordinated its air campaign with the Syrian Army and its allies  including Iran and Hezbollah. The decades-long links between the Russian and Syrian militaries helped  up to 10,000 Syrian officers had trained at Russian and even Soviet-era military academies.

Military progress was at first slow, but the Russians settled on the longer-term objective of disrupting supply routes, storage depots and other rebel infrastructure.

After several months of intense bombing this bore results. Even the weakened and undermanned Syrian Army, along with its Iranian allies and Hezbollah, was able to take advantage and launch a series of successful offensives. In February 2016 they cut off Aleppo rebels from direct supplies in Turkey. They enjoyed similar successes around Homs, in the south towards Darrea (where the anti-Assad rebellion started in 2011) and in Latakia, where the Russians established an air base.

Russian intervention to date has stabilised the Syrian regime militarily and entrenched its position over the core populated areas in western Syria. Its intervention there also dispelled any illusions among opposition groups in Syria and the watching foreign powers that the Assad regime could be removed by military means.

Talking shop

At the same time, a diplomatic process was restarted, aimed at splitting the opposition into two large camps  those admitted to the negotiation table, and those (including IS and al-Qaeda) who werent.

A great deal of preliminary negotiation with the US was devoted to drawing up a list of opposition groups and their locations. When the cessation of hostilities was finally announced, both Russians and Americans had a clear idea of who was covered by the ceasefire and where they were.

The final piece of the jigsaw was for Putin to decide how to deal with Bashar al-Assad. Even as the Russian and American diplomats negotiated the ceasefire deal in February 2016, Assad went off message by restating in an interview his intention to reconquer the whole of Syria. This prompted a polite rebuke from Russian diplomats. The announcement of Russias military withdrawal from Syria will help to drive home the Kremlins point that Assad doesnt have a blank cheque from the Russians and will have to take the peace talks seriously.

A broader perspective

By formally quitting during a ceasefire he himself masterminded  and on the back of significant military gains  Putin can leave with his head held high. Having proven his critics wrong and demonstrated the capability of Russias military (and its new weapons  a splendid advert to any buyers of Russian arms), Putin can now concentrate on the diplomatic aspect of the peace process, something at which Moscow usually excels.

At the same time, Moscow has made clear it is keeping its old naval facility in Tartous, to the west of Homs, and the new air base at Khmeimim, which would allow it a quick redeployment if necessary. The Russians are also leaving the Syrian Army with new weapons (including anti-aircraft missiles and new battle tanks such as the formidable T90s) as well as numerous military advisers.

Russias intervention in Syria has helped with its goal of making the peace talks meaningfully international. From Moscows point of view, Western interventionism in the Middle East only destabilises, because it is based on a misguided view that Western values are global values. Instead, it would contend, Russia promotes a pluralist view of international society, the key to which is preservation of the state, any state, as the principal sovereign unit. This is particularly important in the Middle East, where regime change often brings state collapse  as it did in Libya or Iraq.

Russia has not won much love by getting involved in Syria. The intense military campaign led to repeated accusations of non-combatant deaths and destruction of vital civilian infrastructure.

But thus far, Russia has emerged from the Syrian adventure in a stronger role. It is now a pivotal power in the Middle East and has put to rest the notion, popular in Washington, that Russia can be diplomatically isolated in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

Alexander Titov, Lecturer in Modern European History, Queens University Belfast

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

AFP: Russia jets return from Syria in boost for peace talks
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 17, 2016) - Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (the "Company" or "Purepoint") (TSX VENTURE:PTU) today released an updated drill hole section and plan map of the Spitfire Zone providing investors with a clearer picture of the mineralized setting as it is understood to this point. These new diagrams can be found at http://www.purepoint.ca/uraniumprojects/hooklake.php . Purepoint is the operator of the Hook Lake project on behalf of its Joint Venture partners Cameco Corp. and AREVA Resources Canada Inc.

The final two holes of this year's program are currently in progress and results and updates to today's material will be released over the coming weeks.

Hook Lake JV Project

The Hook Lake JV project is owned jointly by Cameco Corp. (39.5%), AREVA Resources Canada Inc. (39.5%) and Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (21%) and consists of nine claims totaling 28,683 hectares situated in the southwestern Athabasca Basin. The Hook Lake JV is considered one of the highest quality uranium exploration projects in the Athabasca Basin due to its location along the prospective Patterson Lake trend and the relatively shallow depth to the unconformity.

Current exploration is targeting the Patterson Lake Corridor that hosts Fission's Triple R Deposit (indicated mineral resource 79,610,000 lbs U 3 O 8 at an average grade of 1.58% U 3 O 8 ), NexGen Energy's Arrow Deposit (inferred mineral resource 201,900,000 lbs U 3 O 8 at an average grade of 2.63% U 3 O 8 ) and the Spitfire Discovery by the Hook Lake JV.

About Purepoint

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. is focused on the precision exploration of its seven projects in the Canadian Athabasca Basin. Purepoint proudly maintains project ventures in the Basin with two of the largest uranium producers in the world, Cameco Corporation and AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Established in the Athabasca Basin well before the initial resurgence in uranium earlier last decade. Purepoint is actively advancing a large portfolio of multiple drill targets in the world's richest uranium region.

Scott Frostad BSc, MASc, PGeo, Purepoint's Vice President, Exploration, is the Qualified Person responsible for technical content of this release.

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
by Evangelos Areteos

Together with the photographer Eleni Papadopoulou, we spent six days following refugees from Turkey to Idomeni, northern Greece, through Lesvos, Piraeus and Athens for the cypriot daily POLITIS. (All photos are courtesy of Eleni Papadopoulou)

What we lived and what we saw was a great lesson of humanity and strength but also a painful experience of suffering. The texts and the photos are just one small part of what is really happening

WILL OF STEEL

The fate of thousands of refugees trapped in Greece and not only in Greece, but also the political and moral heritage of the EU will be decided by the Summit starting tomorrow in Brussels.

What we witness is a great bazaar where the politicians of the EU member States try to defend their national positions, to ensure the interests of their countries and to ensure their political survival as the refugee crisis is now an atomic time bomb ticking in the foundations of the systemic parties and politicians across the Old Continent.

A key issue for almost all member States, is to keep the refugees away from Europe and to ensure that those who eventually will come to the Old Continent will be the ones chosen by the Sates with their own criteria, ie the most educated, the youngest, the most healthy, the most integrational.

Few of those who take part in this big bazaar and who are shaping developments in Brussels are fully aware of the horrific conditions under which refugees live nor of the reasons why they have taken the road of the great escape.

Some politicians and high European officials went yesterday only for the first time in Idomeni.

European politicians and officials have simply forgotten that refugees are people, that behind this refugees are human lives, human suffering, human hopes. That the EU has forgotten that behind the refugees there are people is indicative of the dramatic moral decline to which the European project has come. The refugee crisis may actually turn to be the death certificate of the European Union a system of human values and principles.

At the same time, the fact that the EU considers that an agreement with a third country, which now happens to be the Tayyip Erdogans Turkey, will be able to hold the largest number of refugees outside European territory or ultimately that the sealing of the borders of the Balkan countries will keep refugees in Greece shows how far from reality are the European bureaucracies.

Most refugees fleeing their countries because if they stay there not only they face certain death, but many of them face a horrible death. Because in many cases how one dies makes a great difference.

All our fellow human beings, those who happened to be born in Syria of the Assads or Saddams Iraq or Talibans Afghanistan and not only these places, have no hope today than to get into Europe.

What the European diplomatic and political bureaucracies fail to see (or just refuse to see) is that for the refugees, the borders between Greece and Skopje or the rest of the borders towards central and western Europe, are obstacles that can be circumvented just as all the other obstacles-borders up to Greece. The power of these people is inexhaustible and their will is of steel.

And unfortunately, together with the strength and the will, there are networks of smugglers who dont lose the opportunity to take advantage of new situations, new routes.

As Amnesty International warned, the agreement that the European Union wants to strike with Turkey is inhumane. Among other things, any border closure will provide new opportunities for smugglers, notes Amnesty International and stresses that the new routes that smugglers will propose to refugees will be even more dangerous and much more expensive.

Among the dozens of refugees that we met during our journey from Turkey to Idomeni, through Lesvos, Piraeus and Athens, people with chronic health problems and disabilities are among the most representative examples of this will of steel. Those people who have left their countries and were of limited mobility or who should have access to treatment almost every day will not stop in Idomeni. They will not stop anywhere.

In the mud of Idomeni we saw many wheelchairs outside tents. And the last day before we left, we met Bashir. A Kurd from Hasakah in northern Syria where particularly harsh battles are still ongoing between Kurds and the jihadists of the Islamic State, Bashir was born without legs.

He left, together with two parents and siblings and their family from Hasakah a month ago. In the hazardous Turkish-Syrian border, Bashir was carried on the shoulders by the other family men. They fell, picked him up, dragged themselves on earth and stones, Bashirs hands had become a large wound.

Then by bus from the border to Izmir. And there, Bashir boarded with the help of family men in one of the rubber dinghies that smugglers are pushing into the dark and dangerous waters of the Aegean sea, towards Lesvos.

I was a little bit scared in this boat but I had a life jacket and I was with my family, he says with his broken Turkish. When borders in Idomeni closed for good, Bashir was blocked on the Greek side with his oldest sister and her family, the other family members and their parents manage to cross to Macedonia and from there to Germany.

I stay here, perhaps the border will open even for a moment and I can cross it. Maybe theres another way, he said and he went to his tent, spinning the wheels of his wheelchair.

Bashir was among the refugees tried to cross the Axios river to FYROM, two days ago.

Dalal is talking without much comfort in English but we talk without problem. We are in the kidney dialyses unit in the state hospital of Kilkis, about half an hour by car from Idomeni.

I need to make three dialyses per week, I do dialysis for the past four years.

Dalal is from Latakia, she was a nurse there. She left with her husband and their children and grandchildren before nearly a month. From Latakia to Izmir, passing the dangerous Turkish-Syrian border, she stayed five days without dialysis.

When I arrived in Izmir my body was very weak, I wanted to vomit and I could not stand on my feet. She had made a dialysis in Izmir, entered a rubber dinghies of the smugglers, fortunately we made it with the first attempt, she had two dialyses in Lesvos, one in Athens and she came to Idomeni.

I will wait here. Something might come up and we might somehow cross the borders to Europe and we ll move on. 

Next to Dalal, Hassan, a pharmacist from Damascus. He began to do dialysis two months ago in Syria. Yet he too followed with his family the road of the great escape.

And he does the roundtrip with the van of the Doctors without Borders from the mud of Idomeni to the hospital of Kilkis to do the dialysis.

Waiting for the decisions of the Unions leaders 

This article by Evangelos Areteos was originally published, along with the photos by Eleni Papadopoulou, on the Roving Correspondents blog on 16 March 2016. It is reproduced here with the authors permission. Other parts have been subsequently published (click on the links): Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.
Udi Alonis new feature film, the winner of this years Berlinale Panorama Audience Award, is one of two Israeli films at the festival having the word junction in their title. Can one see this as a sign that Israel is standing at an important crossroads in its history? Katoikos.eu spoke to the director and the Palestinian leading actor, Samar Qupty.

Im not political.

Ana mish politi (Im not political), sings Kareem, a young Palestinian rapper from a stage, improvised on the ruins of his friends house, which Israeli bulldozers flattened down to make space for the planned Museum of Coexistence.

The story of Junction 48 takes us to Lod  or Ludd, as its pronounced in Arabic  a small town with a mixed Jewish-Arab population just a few kilometres away from Tel-Aviv, in Israel proper. Kareem (played by Tamer Nafar, who is a rapper himself and the co-author of the script) and his girlfriend, Manar (played by Samar Qupty) use their songs to fight both the discrimination by the State of Israel and the violent patriarchal conservatism in their own community.

However, Junction 48 is a political film, which does not content itself simply with pointing fingers. Obviously, you cannot make a film about Palestinians without it being political, says Qupty. But you dont have to put politics in the foreground. Instead, we tried to show politics as an integral part of our daily life.

Kareems outcry Im not political is about the unaccomplishable wish not to be political, adds Aloni. I dont want to be political but they just destroyed my friends house with a bulldozer because hes an Arab. Im not political but my girlfriends conservative family doesnt let me see her. It is the longing for the impossible normality. And it is also what makes this film so universal.

The Arab society is very conservative, it sees powerful women as a threat, says Qupty. Hence, as an Arab and a Palestinian woman living in the State of Israel, you face multiple levels of oppression at once. Thats hard, but it also makes your will to change things stronger. This is who Manar is. But she is not the kind of rebel that simply abandons tradition. In fact, she appreciates the good things about her society. Instead, she uses her art, her songs, and her love for Kareem as a particular way of struggle from within.

Its very easy to express struggle pathetically, adds Qupty. Struggle is usually associated with demands, protests and demonstrations. But thats only a small part of the struggle. Weve been occupied since 1948. It has been 68 years now and the new generation is tired of being pessimistic. Instead, it transforms the powers that push it down into art, into music. Thats our new struggle, our new revolution. Its our new revolutionary way of life, if you want.

The Spectre of Binationalism

Aloni (born 1959) is by all means a habitue of Berlinale. Junction 48 is his sixth film at the festival. A son of the late Israeli politician Shulamit Aloni (1928-2014), who was the leader of the progressive Meretz party and a Minister of Education under Yitzhak Rabin, Aloni is a filmmaker, writer, and visual artist known for his radical interpretations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Katoikos.eu: You often speak of binationalism. Do you see it as alternative to the lasting stalemate between the aspired two-states solution and the one-state reality? Is it at all realistic?

Udi Aloni: Israel is indeed the only true democracy in the Middle East  for the Jews, that is. [laughs]

For me, binationalism is primarily a cultural notion. It means keeping ones particularity  whether Jewish or Palestinian. It is based on the concept of community and of difference both between communities and within them. My friend and teacher, [the Palestinian poet], Mahmoud Darwish expressed this idea well. He wrote:

Let us go together in two separate paths.

Let us go together

and let us be kind.

In fact, Ill jump on any solution that will end the current atrocities. If anybody made the two-states solution possible, I might support it. But, for now, it is the two-states solution that is the most unrealistic dream.

Katoikos.eu: Can Europe do anything to help solve the conflict?

Aloni: First, Europe should abandon creating this fiction of two states. The European leaders seem reluctant to understand how we [the Israelis and the Palestinians] are entangled with each other. My recommendation is thus: First of all, see it as it is! See, for example, what it is to be a Palestinian citizen of Israel!

In all my meetings with the Europeans, they would tell me: Bring us one Palestinian and one Israeli. I say: Okay, but only if the Palestinian is a citizen of Israel. I will not bring you one who is under full occupation and let you celebrate normality. Im against normalization. They say: But this is an Israeli Arab! I say: No, his family is in Gaza, in Ramallah, in Sabra and Shatila.

In my opinion, the binational opportunity is the only way to survive this place. The flip-side is Bibi Netanyahus paranoia and an ever-tighter enclosure. Gaza is already the biggest ghetto in the Middle East. Soon enough, Israel itself might become an even bigger ghetto.

However, I also dont think the solution will come from the West. Of course, Europe, including Germany, should stop giving weapons to Israel. Europe and America must stop supporting the colonialist powers in Israel. But binationalism has to be a Middle-Eastern thing. Maybe, in that regard, Europe should move aside.

Katoikos.eu: What is the role of art in this? And how do you see your political role as a filmmaker?

Aloni: What is art? Art is a possibility to open possibilities. Unfortunately or, maybe, luckily so, were not going to change the world through art. But we offer a different possibility to see it. The statement of the film lies in its performative act. After all, it was an opportunity for Tamer, myself, and the entire crew  a mix of Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs  to function together.

We created our Noahs Ark. At some point, the Flood in the region will be over: the craziness of the Israeli government with its hyper-vanity, ISIS fundamentalism in the void left by colonialism, etc. All this cannot continue for too long; it will fail. The question is: When it ends, what will be waiting there? My hope is that it will be a community similar to our ark.

For now, the situation can be described by a well-known line from the Communist Manifesto: A spectre is haunting the region  the spectre of binationalism. And all the powers there have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre.

Katoikos.eu: The most refreshing thing about your film is, perhaps, that it couldnt care less about political correctness.

Aloni: We have the most racist jokes about each other, Tamer and myself. What could be more fun than that? After all, we know that it comes from our universality, from our common fight both against the occupation and against honour killings of Palestinian women by their own community.

People often find this complexity hard to handle. When I say I fight for Palestinians, people say: Heres a self-hating Jew. But for me, the only way I can practice my Jewishness is to be in total solidarity with the Palestinians. One should leave the narrative of the Other and be Br-other! It is an entirely different stance. Curiously, this otherbrother thing works even better in Hebrew, where other (akher) has brother (akh) in it.

Katoikos.eu: Was it a conscious decision not to try to present the complexity of the political situation and not to underline the fundamental victimhood of Palestinians?

Aloni: In the big fight between Noam Chomsky and Slavoj Zizek, I take Zizeks side. Chomsky thinks that if you just show people the truth, they will choose the right way. Its a typical American understanding. According to Zizek, trauma or ideology will always block your view. When you look at the sun, you become blind. Hence, it would be futile to simply show the truth of occupation. I feel I can only change something by deconstructing the ideology that prevents people from seeing the truth. In a way, Id be happy if your readers didnt focus only on my radical political statements but let the film speak for itself, go under their skin, see its dream.

Katoikos.eu: Both Zizek and the French philosopher Alain Badiou are mentioned in special thanks. What was their role in the film?

Aloni: These were just my personal thanks. I feel I owe them a lot. Both of them adored the film, which was a bit of a surprise to me, actually. I thought that I finally made a film that says Fuck you, philosophers!

People often make a distinction between intellectual films and films about life. But, in Judaism for example, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge have the same roots. And this is perhaps my first film, in which I could finally put the two together.

Both the philosophical ideas and the ruling ideology are there  they function in the film without being seen. If I did well as a director, the viewer will not feel either, while being in the very midst of it. A good film is like a homoeopathic medicine. It remembers its active ingredients without actually containing them.
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The United States far outspends peer countries on health care. When American politicians complain about these high health care costs, they often vilify pharmaceutical and insurance companies for profiting at the expense of the general public. As I wrote earlier, such vilification is misguided, pushing too much of the blame on individual actors rather than on the system that incentivizes individuals to act those ways.

So what it is about the system that politicians believe is to blame for the staggering cost of medical care in the United States? To get a sense, I asked a team of research assistants to scour presidential candidate speeches and websites, to see what or who they say is responsible for high health care costs. Our methodology was admittedly unscientific. We didnt have access to every speech that each candidate made, for instance, or every television interview that each candidate conducted. And we made arbitrary judgments about which issues candidates mentioned versus which ones they emphasized, when they discussed health care costs. Those caveats aside, we got a pretty solid picture of how candidates, past and former, portray Americas health care costs problem.

Not surprisingly, these portrayals vary dramatically across party lines:

Who presidential candidates blame for health care costs

Here is what strikes me about this picture, in no particular order.

1. Wow, there used to be a lot of presidential candidates!

2. Republicans are universal in blaming Obamacare for high health care costs.

This blame is largely misguided. It is true that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) increases health care spending in several ways. It gives more people access to health insurance, which is known to drive up demand for health care services. In addition, it requires insurance companies to cover services that many used to leave uncovered, things like preventive colonoscopies that improve public health but that also cost money.

But Obamacare cannot hold the brunt of blame for high health care costs in the U.S. for the simple reason that those high costs long preceded the law. In fact, since the ACA became law, health care costs have risen more slowly than expected in the U.S. Much of this slowdown has nothing to do with the law. Spending has slowed because of the recession and because of the movement toward high-deductible health insurance plans, for example. But the ACA also created an innovation center within Medicare that has been experimenting with ways of bending the cost curve.

So love Obamacare or hate it, you should not blame it for the lions share of our health care spending problem.

3. Democrats largely blame pharmaceutical companies, insurers, and large corporations.

This, too, strikes me as way off the mark. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, cannot bear the majority of the blame for high health care expenditures because medications do not make up the majority of health care expenses. Pharmaceutical companies make an easy target for politicians, of course, because many Americans pay out-of-pocket for a significant portion of their drug costs. But is a drug company really to blame for charging legally allowed prices for its product? Why arent we blaming lawmakers who, on the one hand, require Medicare to pay for certain drugs while, on the other hand, giving the program no ability to negotiate prices (negotiations they, of course, have undermined by requiring Medicare to cover the drugs in the first place)?

As for insurance companies and large corporations? For the most part, these organizations have strong incentives to lower health care spending, not raise it. Do you think insurers enjoy paying the high price of, say, American hospital care? Do you think employers enjoy spending so much of their money on employee health care benefits? It simply doesnt make sense to blame insurance companies and large corporations for high health care costs.

The U.S. health care system is insanely complex. There is lots of blame to go around for our staggeringly high health care expenditures. Hopefully, our presidential candidates will soon hone in on a better set of diagnoses for our spending problem, so we can get a better idea of what, if anything, they plan to do to cure what ails our health care system.

Peter Ubel is a physician and behavioral scientist who blogs at his self-titled site, Peter Ubel and can be reached on Twitter @PeterUbel. He is the author of Critical Decisions: How You and Your Doctor Can Make the Right Medical Choices Together. This article originally appeared in Forbes.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Submission to the state is a time-honoured tradition, a concept supported by governing bodies since time immemorial.

In days of yore, men submitted to whichever member of the tribe was the mightiest in battle. By doing so, they stood a better chance of succeeding in battle, thereby diminishing the likelihood of their own death or enslavement.

Later on, as tribes became more tied to the land and communities sprang up, the idea of a strong leader still made sense. Not only might he do the best job of leading the protection of the town or village, he might also travel outside the community to attack other communities, bringing back spoils for all to benefit from. (Not too civilised, maybe, but still, the reasoning behind submission to the leader made sense.)

Later, settlements grew larger and, increasingly, many villages and towns would find themselves joined together collectively, under a national banner, with a single army to protect them. And, again, the leader would most likely be a fierce and formidable warrior. But a significant change was taking place. Whilst the warrior leader was away (sometimes for years), invading other communities, it was necessary to have leadership at home  administrative leadership. Predictably, this leadership also sought the loyalty and submission of the people.

There was a new wrinkle at this juncture as the administrative leadership did not have to prove itself repeatedly in battle to gain submission. It was expected merely due to the fact that the leaders held power over the people.

The expectation of loyalty and submission to a government simply because it is the government is an unnatural and invalid one.

Today, most leaders are primarily political rather than military, and even those who wear a military uniform almost never take part in actual battle, let alone lead the charge. For this reason, the original reason for loyalty and submission should be outmoded.

Why, then, does it persist? Well, in fact, it generally persists as long as there is prosperity and a people are prepared to tolerate dominance. However, should prosperity diminish dramatically, obeisance tends to diminish accordingly. At some point, the leaders conclude that they may be losing the submission of the people and need to reinforce it. This is done by one of two methods and, on occasion, both at the same time.

The first is force. An increased police state can create a greater assurance of submission through fear of those in uniform.

The second is inspiration. A condition of warfare often succeeds as a method of inspiring people to give up some of their rights and fall in behind a leader. Although, in the modern world, we never see a national leader actually suiting up for battle, the mere fact that hes in charge of the fight from a safe distance often works to inspire people to be more submissive to an administrative government.

Following the English Revolution of 1688, we Britons found that our political leaders made the decision for us as to what our relationship should be to our new leaders at the time. They declared to the new joint monarchs, William and Mary, We do most humbly and faithfully submit ourselves, our heirs and posterities, forever.

Quite a mouthful. It certainly left no doubt as to the intent of Parliament  that the people of England were never again to question their rulers and, further, that regardless of the many possible changes in policies, laws, and edicts by future kings, the people swore submission  permanently.

This did not sit well with all Englishmen  not surprisingly since they hadnt been asked whether they wished to make such a declaration of submission. In 1774, an Englishman named Thomas Paine (on the advice of his American friend Benjamin Franklin) emigrated to the Pennsylvania colony and began writing pamphlets that dealt directly with the concept of unquestioned loyalty and submission, a concept with which he heartedly disagreed. Perhaps he stated it best in his book, The Rights of Man, first published in 1791:

Submission is wholly a vassalage term, repugnant to the dignity of freedom.

Mister Paines pamphleteering in the late eighteenth century did not actually create the consciousness that brought on the American Revolution, but his phrasings did provide focus for the colonists in stating their grievances against King and Parliament.

Although Mister Paines pamphlets served as guidebooks to liberty and his input contributed to the framing of the US Constitution, hes not remembered today as one of the seven founders of the United States. But one of those who is recognised today as a founder, Thomas Jefferson, took a very similar view to that of Thomas Paine:

When the Government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

Both men believed that it was (and is) essential to assure that any government be reminded continually that it exists to represent the people who pay for its existence. They each echoed a view taken 2,100 years earlier by Aristotle, who commented,

[G]overnment should govern for the good of the people, not for the good of those in power.

Although these words were not quoted in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, Aristotles principles were well-known to all of the Founding Fathers and were frequently the basis of clauses written in each of The USs founding documents.

Another quote from Jefferson suggests that its entirely predictable that any government is likely to continually work toward increasing its own power over a people. That being the case, from time to time, any government needs to be slapped down and reminded that its task is to serve the people, not to subjugate them:

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government.

Heres a final thought to consider:

The concept of government is that the people grant to a small group of individuals the ability to establish and maintain controls over them. The inherent flaw in such a concept is that any government will invariably and continually expand upon its controls, resulting in the ever-diminishing freedom of those who granted them the power.

In reviewing all of the above, it should be clear that its the nature of all governments to seek to increase their power over those that they are sworn to represent. It should also be understood that they will not give up this power willingly. At some point, they become successful enough in establishing submission that the populace must either toss out the people in the government, toss out the governmental system, or take exit from the system. The last of these may be chosen in order to more peacefully regain liberty.

Each of these possible choices requires dramatic change, although the last of these entails less upheaval or danger to the individual.

The alternative to making such a choice, and the one that the great majority of people in any culture, in any era, choose, is to humbly accept submission. Only a very small minority will actually take positive action to attain freedom over tyranny through internationalisation.

Jeff Thomas

Feature Writer for Doug Casey's International Man

email: jeff.thomas1066@gmail.com

Jeff Thomas is British and resides in the Caribbean. The son of an economist and historian, he learned early to be distrustful of governments as a general principle. Although he spent his career creating and developing businesses, for eight years, he penned a weekly newspaper column on the theme of limiting government. He began his study of economics around 1990, learning initially from Sir John Templeton, then Harry Schulz and Doug Casey and later others of an Austrian persuasion. He is now a regular feature writer for Casey Researchs International Man and Strategic Wealth Preservation in the Cayman Islands.
(Kitco News) - Twenty of the worlds wealthiest countries are facing a $78 trillion pension loss, Citi said in a report on Wednesday.

The bank found that for 20 countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the total value of unfunded government pension liabilities, money owed to public sector workers, is $78 trillion. The number is almost double government debts for these same nations of around $44 trillion.

[I]f the liabilities of social security and public sector worker underfunding are added as a form of contingent debt, total global government debt may be three times as large as people currently think it is. Whatever the calculation used, the numbers are staggering, the bank said.

The world faces a retirement crisis, Citi added. However, solutions - and opportunities - are available if governments and corporations take steps to begin addressing the issues. These conversations and actions need to happen now.

Countries in the study include the U.S., Canada and Australia but it is the European countries facing the biggest challenge, the bank noted. Germany, France, Italy, the U.K., Portugal and Spain have an estimated public debt-to-GDP ratio of over 300 percent.

"Government services, corporate profits, or retirement benefits themselves will have to be reduced to make any part of the system work. This poses an enormous challenge to employers, employees, and policymakers all over the world," the bank said in the report.

Citi listed raising the retirement age for these countries as one of many recommendations to avoid a fiscal disaster.

By Kitco News; newsfeedback@kitco.com

Follow us on Twitter @KitcoNewsNOW
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By Clarence Page

During a weekend of violence at some of Donald Trump's rallies, I received a flurry of angry emails, all playing the same game of "How would you feel?"

How would you feel, I was asked in one note, if a group of Ku Klux Klansmen broke up a Bernie Sanders rally?

That's a roundabout way of referring to the violence that erupted at Trump rallies, particularly in Chicago, where the Republican front-runner's rally was called off after crowds of protesters grew exceptionally large.

Early announcements that police had called off the event were withdrawn after police denied it. Some protest organizers insisted they were intent on making noise, not shutting down the event, although they joined the cheering after the event was shut down.

I could argue against false equivalencies here. You may disagree, but I don't see the potpourri of blacks, whites, Hispanics, Arab-Americans and others who gathered to peacefully protest as the moral equivalent of organized Klansmen.

Still I won't deny that some young pseudo-anarchists and other hotheads would delight at shutting down Trump's events and those of anyone else with whom they disagree.

So, make no mistake: Muzzling your opposition makes you no better than Trump, a guy who likes free speech as long as it's his own.

Sure, he cries out for free speech when his own is threatened. But even on the same weekend as the Chicago event, he promised earlier in Fort Worth to "open up" libel laws if he is elected, so that when journalists write "purposely negative horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money."

Since libel laws already hold journalists accountable when they publish false and defamatory information, whether it is out of negligence or intent, one wonders with dismay what Trump has in mind. Free speech for him, perhaps, but not for me?

Adding apparent injury to insult, Trump disputed charges filed by Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields against his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, with police in Jupiter, Fla. In the incident, witnessed by another reporter, Lewandowski allegedly grabbed her roughly by the arm.

It is more than enough for Trump to corral reporters in the back of the room and mock them in his speeches. His staff members don't need to manhandle them, too.

Free speech is not entirely free. Even Trump must avoid sounding too provocative or he could be charged with incitement to riot. As a result, he denies condoning violence even as he justifies and encourages it.

"I'd like to punch him in the face, I'll tell you."

"In the good old days this doesn't happen, because they used to treat them very, very rough."

"I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks."

"If you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would ya?" He said at one rally. "Seriously. Just knock the hell out of them,"

After he promised to "pay for the legal fees" of anyone who did that, he would "take a look at" paying the legal fees of an elderly white man who sucker-punched a black protester who was being escorted out of a North Carolina rally.

When you have offered to pay the legal fees of those who "knock the hell out of" protesters, it's pretty hard to argue that you are blameless when riots break out. Yet Trump plays the victim with complete indifference to contrary evidence, including his own words.

Unbowed at a Boca Raton rally on Sunday night, Trump boasted about "how well we handled" those earlier confrontations. Surrounded by police, Secret Service agents and other security, Trump taunted: "Do we have a protester, anyone?" and "Is there a disrupter in the house?"

Yes, as much as I deplore much of what Donald Trump has to say, as a famous old saying goes, I will defend to the death his right to say it.

But if you poke a stick at a grizzly, you should not be surprised that the grizzly strikes back.
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By Jay Ambrose

Congrats, Donald Trump. You've done really, really well in this presidential campaign of yours. You don't know much of anything. You have been guilty of almost everything you rant against. You have advocated breaking the law by torturing enemies and killing their families and have come close to promoting violence against protesters. You have scared our allies to death. Yet here you are.

Just this past not-so-Super Tuesday, you whipped Sen. Marco Rubio in his home state of Florida, lost without much hurt to John Kasich in Ohio, had a virtual tie with Ted Cruz in Missouri, but also won North Carolina and Illinois. You're the leader of the pack as the race goes on. It's conceivable you won't have enough delegates to automatically win at the GOP convention, but denying you the nomination might make the party go poof more quickly than giving it to you.

In other words, D.T., you are in a place even more impressive than when you were the host of "The Apprentice" TV series, but hardly got here on your own. So whom do you thank? How about starting with the left, and particularly President Barack Obama? While you have supporters from a broad demographic swath, a major portion of them are members of a working class that has been up against it and are more than a little angry. Obama had a lot to do with that.

He brags about creating jobs, but if he wants to take credit for what's happening in the economy, it's asked, how about the miserably slow growth rate in which businesses go plop, plop, plop, wage stagnation, the rise in poverty rates, and the decline in median income? How about a crisis-threatening debt Obama has addressed with the gusto of a slug caught in glue?

On top of all of this, as Rubio said in his concession speech, the elites look down on working class folks, who if they say they're concerned about illegal immigrants competing with them for jobs, are called bigots. That's the leftist style of argument these days  call people names.

It gets worse when Obama decides to ignore Congress through a constitutionally suspect executive order to grant legality to millions of illegal immigrants. Your contrary, populist promise of mass deportation could be downright cruel if it were actually doable, but what better tit-for-tat way to rouse cheers from supporters being spat upon?

Leftists also fired up your supporters recently when unruly protesters got a speech of yours canceled. But it's not just leftists who have lent you a hand. Some of your Republican opponents have crucified each other with negative ads, and your foremost GOP opponent, Cruz, is seen by some as more a self-serving, simplistic and strident opportunist than someone who could ever get anything done.

To be sure, Donald, you have also helped yourself, especially through marketing savvy with some dents, such as sending out Mussolini quotes on Twitter  but, hey, did any of your supporters care? Your braggadocio actually works for you. The incoherence of your speaking style helps keep people comfortably unsure of what you are saying. And, because of the widespread disgust with prissy political correctness, you are serving your cause with an incorrectness that is finally nothing less than repulsive.

Help from outside is still on the way, Donald, because your probable opponent in a general election would be Hillary Clinton, and while most figure she would beat you handily, she has a plethora of problems from klutziness on stage to foolish stands on issues to a past of deceptions more politically dangerous than yours. Even this email thing could get hot and heavy.

At the same time, there are lots and lots of people who would not vote for either of you. There's talk of a conservative third-party candidate if needed. Sorry, but there are still people who care first and foremost about this country's future.
The UK is introducing a sugar tax:

HOW WILL THE SUGAR LEVY WORK?

Britains sugar-levy will begin in 2018 which the government hopes will give manufacturers time to reduce the amount of sugar in their drinks.

Drinks will more than 8 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres will be taxed at a higher rate than drinks with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres.

Pure fruit juices and milkshakes will not be subject to the sugar-levy.

ISNT THAT UNFAIR?

Expect the soft-drink industry to argue this point given thickshakes, milkshakes, smoothies and juices can all contain a lot of sugar but wont be taxed under this measure.
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By Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service (TNS)

In recent years, there's been a mini trend of faith-based films concerned with proving the existence of heaven. Based on true stories, films such as "Heaven is For Real" and "90 Minutes in Heaven" take up this task. Ostensibly following on their heels is the Jennifer Garner-starring "Miracles From Heaven," based on an amazing  and weird  true story. But while the film is centered on Christian-based faith, it argues for the powers of miracles that are of the more terrestrial and quotidian.

Garner is Christy Beam, mother to Anna (Kylie Rogers), who suffers from a debilitating, incurable intestinal disorder. After months in the hospital, one day Anna climbs a tree, and she falls, headfirst, 30 feet inside the dead tree trunk. When firefighters pull her out, not only is she unharmed, but she's cured. That premise is the one presented in all of the film's marketing. But "Miracles From Heaven" manages to be more.

Directed by Patricia Riggen, who also directed last year's "The 33," it brings to life the despair felt by the family during Anna's illness. Much of the film is focused on Christy's tireless search for a cure for Anna, who suffers greatly.

Losing her faith, Christy has a hard time recognizing the small miracles that occur every day during their ordeal  the small kindnesses of a receptionist who helps her, or a friendly waitress, Angela (Queen Latifah), who offers friendship when Christy and Anna need it most. Even the love shown by their specialist, Dr. Nurco (Eugenio Derbez), is in itself a small miracle. Riggen creates a sense of how intimidating hospitals and medical procedures are for a young kid, shooting many things from Anna's perspective. The emphasis on Anna and Christy's experience of these trials is a smart choice, as both Garner and Rogers are strong, charismatic performers.

In terms of religion, Riggen, and writer Randy Brown, who adapted Beam's book, emphasize the power of community offered by the Beams' church, but there are ups and downs to this tight-knit group, especially when some question Anna's ordeal.

While the film runs a bit too long, and the heartstring tugging becomes overwrought, overall, this family melodrama about a devastating illness and the freak accident that cured it is surprisingly effective, even for those of little faith.

There are those who can choose to see it as unassailable evidence that heaven exists, but the film reaches beyond that audience and provides confirmation of the more human miracles that exist in everyday life, if you choose to see them.
<p>Main entrance to Oak Ridge National Laboratory. (ORNL photo)</p>

As I noted recently in my annual wrap-up of foreign national visits to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, China again headed the list.

In fact, the 1,859 visits by citizens of China represented about a fourth of the total. That's not unusual. China has topped the visitation list every year since 2007, when ORNL began keeping the statistics by nation.

Anyway, this year  as in past years  I received questions from readers about foreign visits, ranging from security restrictions at ORNL to treatment of U.S. scientists when they visit institutions in other countries.

As a follow-up, I asked ORNL how many lab scientists and engineers visited China in 2015 for business purposes. It took a little while to gather data, but an ORNL spokesman said there were a total of 138 trips to China by lab staff.

Among the places visited were the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics; Institute of Modern Physics in Lanzhou; Institute of Computing Technology (Chinese Academy of Science); Nuclear Power Institute of China, in Chengdu; China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute in Shenzhen, and the Nuclear Power Research Institute in Shanghai.

Oak Ridge staff members also visited China for a number of scientific conferences, including the 8th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics that was held in Beijing in August.

The number of ORNL scientists visiting China, of course, pales in comparison with the number of Chinese visiting Oak Ridge.

There are probably many reasons for that, but one big one is the number of Chinese scientists already living in the U.S. and working or studying at U.S. research institutions. Also, the U.S. is home to some of the world's top research attractions, including various open-science facilities at Oak Ridge.

Jeff Smith, ORNL's deputy lab director for operations, said China undoubtedly has a number of sensitive facilities that are off-limits to foreign visitors, just as the U.S. does. But he said he doesn't think China's research facilities are generally difficult to visit.

Foreign travel by ORNL staff members is controlled by the U.S. Department of Energy, and research visits to China must be approved in advance by the pertinent office within the DOE, Smith said.

However, he said he can't recall a time when a visit request was turned down.

The ORNL official said scientific collaborations are a critical part of staying on the cutting edge of research, and that sometimes requires visits to other sites that offer unique opportunities for experiments or study.

"I think the collaborations go forward fairly well in terms of access," he said.

Senior Writer Frank Munger may be reached at 865-342-6329 or frank.munger@knoxnews.com.

Read more from Frank Munger at "Atomic City Underground:"
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By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel

After a 15-year battle to prove his innocence in the killing of a woman who could neither hear nor speak, a Blount County man is suing the lead detective who an appellate court ruled withheld crucial evidence in the case.

Attorneys Gena Lewis and Michael Bernard this week filed a civil-rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Douglas F. Jordan Jr. against the Blount County Sheriff's Office and former Investigator Scott Carpenter.

PDF: Civil-rights lawsuit filed by Douglas Jordan in U.S. District Court

Jordan was convicted of second-degree murder in 2002 in the March 1998 killing of Jennifer Byerley. Eight years later, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals overturned the conviction.

In its ruling, the appellate court found Carpenter withheld crucial evidence in the case that created doubt about Jordan's conviction. By then, Carpenter had left the agency.

BCSO spokeswoman Marian O'Briant said Carpenter resigned at least a decade ago. The agency, she said, had no comment on the lawsuit.

Jordan was tried again in Blount County Criminal Court last year. This time, his defense attorney had benefit of the withheld evidence, which suggested the possibility of at least two others' involvement. A jury acquitted Jordan.

In the lawsuit, Jordan's attorneys contend Carpenter violated Jordan's constitutional rights by withholding evidence and accuse the BCSO of ineffective training and lax policies.

"Because of defendant Blount County's policies, defendant Carpenter believed his actions in suppressing evidence would not be monitored or investigated and indeed would be tolerated and approved," the lawsuit stated.

Byerley's body was found dumped alongside Wheeler Road in Blount County. Her throat had been cut. She also had been stabbed and strangled.

Carpenter had cause to suspect Jordan, court transcripts and rulings show. Jordan left the End Zone bar with Byerley on the night of her death. The pair went to Jordan's room at the nearby Airport Inn, where they argued via handwritten notes about her desire for a relationship with Jordan and his insistence on casual sex. His blood was later found on her bra strap and overalls, and his DNA was under her fingernails.

But, just three months after the killing, a woman phoned authorities and said a Mexican national who also was living at the Airport Inn not only confessed to killing Byerley but showed her the knife he used. Carpenter found that knife in the room and interviewed the man, who denied being in Tennessee at the time, but did not tell prosecutors or the defense.

Another knife was later discovered near where Byerley's body was found. Carpenter did not have it tested, nor did he disclose its discovery to prosecutors.

Witnesses at Jordan's original trial said Byerley often was in the company of Spanish-speaking men at the End Zone and had once been assaulted by one of them. Another Airport Inn resident testified he heard Byerley arguing with a Spanish-speaking man at the motel after she left Jordan's room. Carpenter found a second, independent witness also living in the motel who heard the same argument but did not disclose that information, according to the appellate court record.

The lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages sought, stating only Jordan seeks "nominal" damages to which he may be entitled. The legal action chiefly seeks a change in BCSO policy to prevent the suppressing of evidence.
Tennessee football score vs UT Martin: Live updates

Undefeated Tennessee faces UT Martin in its homecoming game. Can the Vols continue their high-scoring streak? Check here for updates from the game.
Luis and Loida Velazquez are pictured in 2013 with their dog Chavo. Luis Velasquez, 78, a native of Puerto Rico and the founder of the East Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, died Wednesday. (GEORGIANA VINES/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL)

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By Gerald Witt of the Knoxville News Sentinel

Luis Enrique Velazquez was known for helping Hispanics in the Knoxville area get involved in the community.

Through his role at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee, he was called "gracious," "wonderful," and "a Renaissance man," by those who remembered him after his death this week.

"Luis' gift of relationship-building was huge," said Patricia Robledo, Knoxville's business liaiso. "He had a way of connecting."

Velazquez, 78, a native of Puerto Rico, died Wednesday.

"Our community has lost a great leader," Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said in a statement. "Luis was a great man, a pioneer and a friend to many, including me. We are grateful for his many contributions. My heart goes out to his loving wife Loida and all of his family. Luis will be missed and long remembered."

Velazquez and his wife came to the continental U.S. in 1971 when they moved to Chicago, where he worked as a civil engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers for six years. He took a job with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge, and the family, including four children, moved to the West Knox County subdivision where they lived for more than 30 years.

Velazquez founded the East Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2004 and then became its first executive director in 2009.

Robledo succeeded Velazquez as executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2011 before she joined the city administration.

"From a personal standpoint, we owe both Luis and his wife," Robledo said. "In the community, they have opened a lot of doors for us. They were the first Hispanics in the area to serve on many nonprofit organizations."

Robledo said Velazquez would ask other Hispanic people in the community to "take a role and be involved."

Phyllis Nichols, president & CEO of the Knoxville Area Urban League, called him a "champion of entrepreneurship."

He also served on an Urban League advisory board for small business, she said, and worked as a translator often.

"In 2007 he joined the Urban League as a volunteer member of our empowerment zones," Nichols said. "He was on the loan committee that helped to make decisions on loans for folks."

After Velazquez retired from his post at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he took up painting. Nichols also remembered him as a good dancer with his wife.

"We're going to miss him and his great contributions here," Nichols said. "He was an artist too, He was a Renaissance man."
By Joel Ebert, The Tennessean

Speaking on behalf of a bill centered on free speech, a Knoxville-based lawmaker on Wednesday said a terrorist organization should be allowed to recruit on college campuses in Tennessee.

While presenting a billed dubbed the Tennessee Student Free Speech Protection Act, Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, fielded a question from Rep. John DeBerry Jr., D-Memphis, about whether he believed ISIS should be able to stand in the middle of university campuses and recruit for ISIS.

UPDATED: Free speech bill withdrawn after Islamic State comments

Yes, Daniel replied. So long as it doesnt disrupt the proceedings on that campus. Yes sir. They can recruit people for any other organization or any other cause. I think its just part of being exposed to differing viewpoints.

The remarks came after a debate about the bill, which Daniel said would direct schools to observe freedom of speech on campus.

While introducing the legislation, Daniel said students free speech on Tennessee college campuses has been diminished in recent years because of unfair policies.

He pointed to a requirement at Middle Tennessee State University, which he said forces students interested in handing out literature on the schools property to fill out an application five days in advance. He added that Tennessee State University had a policy that prohibits disruption in any form on its campus.

DeBerry and Daniel engaged in a brief discussion about the merits of the bill, which the Democrat challenged.

DeBerry argued that the world has changed from the days of the 1960s, which he said was an era of protest and time of change, while asking Daniel if he considered the fact that the world has changed since then.

There are young people who are not ready yet  they're half-baked, half-cooked  who are recruited to work against their own parents, their own nation, and I would be concerned as a parent and as a citizen, DeBerry said. Free speech is one thing; being stupid is another."

Our schools are tending towards shielding students away from objectionable speech, Daniel said.

Immediately after Daniel argued that ISIS should be allowed to recruit on college campuses, House Education Administration and Planning Subcommittee Chairman Mark White, R-Germantown, recommended the bill be taken off notice. Before that, Daniel said he hoped the committee would send the bill to summer study.

Reach Joel Ebert at 615-772-1681.
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I'm a mother, a wife, a lifelong Southerner, a registered Republican and a Tennessean. I spend my time attending PTA meetings, rescuing hound dogs and trying to teach my two young sons to be responsible citizens and decent human beings.

On Saturdays, I'd rather head to the shooting range than a Pride Parade  yet here I am, appealing to you, my fellow Tennesseans, to help defeat a bill being considered by our state legislators that targets transgender children and young people.

The bill's not only cruel and unnecessary, it's also a colossal waste of our state's resources and an affront to basic human decency.

House Bill 2414, like its companion bill in the Senate, seeks to prevent transgender students from using the public school restrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. This hurts transgender children and young people in Tennessee  from those in kindergarten to students attending our public universities.

Around the world, transgender children and adults face discrimination and harassment. In some places, including right here in America, they are being killed simply because of who they are. According to the Human Rights Campaign, there were at least 21 transgender people killed violently last year.

If passed, this bill would not only endanger transgender students and expose them to more ridicule and harassment, it would also tell these Tennessee children and young people that they are not recognized, respected or supported for who they are in their own schools and communities. That's an awful price to pay for legislation no school district in this state asked for or needs.

I don't know what it's like to be transgender or to be the parent of a transgender child  no one can who has not walked in their shoes. What I do know with great certainty, however, is that we have the ability to work together as a community of caring and gracious citizens, creating a world where transgender children and adults are respected and affirmed.

I don't know who my sons will become as they get older, but as a parent, I want to make sure they know that they have my unconditional love and acceptance. And that, my fellow Tennesseans, is something that every child deserves. Period.

I also want to make sure that my sons treat people with respect and empathy, no matter what their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Children and youth face enough uncertainty in the regular course of growing up and coming into themselves. Here in Tennessee, we have children who are going hungry. We have children who are being bullied in school and whose basic needs aren't being met. As parents and caregivers, we should be passing laws addressing those needs, not passing needless and discriminatory measures that amount to legislated bullying, waste taxpayer money and distract us from the real issues our state faces.

To my fellow Tennesseans and to the lawmakers who represent us: I sincerely ask that you oppose this bill and work to steer the Legislature's focus to more positive and uplifting legislation that will truly improve Tennessee's future, ensure the well-being of all our children and reflect the real and honest values of the Volunteer State.

Lindsay Shaw lives in Norris.
Popular Actor Song Joong-ki consumes a red ginseng tonic, produced by Korea Ginseng Corp. (KGC), in this image captured from the KBS TV drama, "Descendants of the Sun." / Courtesy of KGC



By Lee Hyo-sik



Red ginseng products are once again attracting keen public attention after popular actor Song Joong-ki was seen drinking a red ginseng tonic, produced by the Korea Ginseng Corp. (KGC), in an episode of the KBS TV drama "Descendants of the Sun."

KGC expects that the sales of its red ginseng extract and other products will surge both at home and abroad on the back of Song and other cast members who will continue to be seen consuming the firm's products in the remaining episodes.

According to the company, Song, who plays a leading role in the drama, is the most searched entertainer on Chinese websites. The drama has been a sensation in China, which could be largely attributable to Song's presence.

The Wednesday/Thursday drama series airs simultaneously in Korea and China. With six out of 16 episodes having gone to air, the episodes have been played more than 256 million times on China's video on-demand websites.



"We expect the popular TV drama will spark interests in red ginseng and its health-boosting effects," a KGC spokesman said. "Hongsam Jeong Everytime, the tube-shaped, easy-to-carry product that contains red ginseng tonic, has been featured in the drama as product placement advertisement. The product is really popular in Korea and its popularity has begun spreading to China."

He said an increasing number of Chinese tourists are visiting KGC retailers at department stores and duty free stores, adding that more and more Chinese consumers visit the firm's website to order Hongsam Jeong Everytime and other red ginseng products.

"With 10 more remaining episodes, Descendent of the Sun will attract the growing number of viewers both in Korea and China," the spokesman said. "We expect Song will be seen with Hongsam Jeong Everytime in upcoming episodes, which will prompt more people to turn their eyes to our red ginseng products."

According to many research studies, red ginseng's main remedial effects include strengthening the immune system, stamina and blood circulation. Ginseng's saponin component is known to invigorate the body.
By Lee Hyo-sik





Ham Jong-ho

Deloitte Anjin, CEO

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) will not renew its audit contract with Deloitte Anjin, headed by CEO Ham Jong-ho, this year as the struggling shipbuilder seeks to put last year's accounting fiasco behind and start again with a new auditor.

The state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), which holds a controlling stake in DSME, has also reportedly decided not to hire the accounting firm as an auditor for other entities that it owns.

This is widely expected to wreak havoc at Deloitte Anjin, which has been fiercely competing with Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers, EY Hanyoung and Samjung KPMG to secure auditing and corporate consulting deals.

"We will change our auditor after holding our annual shareholders' meeting on March 30," a DSME official said. "Since 2010, Deloitte has been auditing our accounting books. We think it has been doing the job for too long. We cannot deny that last year's accounting disaster also has something to do with our decision. I also heard KDB does not want to work with Deloitte either."

According to the official, the state-run bank will abandon Deloitte as its auditor and consultant when it acquires or disposes of corporate entities.

In July last year, DSME was accused of orchestrating an alleged accounting fraud to hide billions of dollars in losses, possibly in "collusion" with Deloitte.

The shipbuilder unexpectedly announced a 3.2 trillion won ($2.67 billion) operating loss in the second quarter of 2015, sending its shares into freefall.

Deloitte also faced intense criticism from regulators, lawmakers and DSME shareholders for its lax accounting supervision of the cash-strapped shipbuilder.

In 2014, DSME was the only major domestic shipbuilder that posted an operating profit, despite the global industry slump. Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries lost 3.2 trillion won and 500 billion won, respectively, in 2014, while Daewoo posted a 471 billion won operating profit.

This raised suspicions that DSME may have cooked its books to conceal the loss by conspiring with Deloitte. But at the time, both companies denied the allegations, saying only that they did not know about the losses.

Following the accounting debacle, a group of DSME minority shareholders filed a lawsuit against the shipbuilder, Deloitte and former DSME CEO Ko Jae-ho, demanding compensation.

"We will soon begin contacting several leading accounting firms and ask them to submit a proposal," the official said. "The new auditor will prepare our first-quarter audit report."

In 2015, DSME paid Deloitte 546 million won for its accounting service. The firm received the same amount in 2014 and 470 million won in 2013.

Deloitte Anjin declined to comment to The Korea Times, citing compliance rules.
Hyundai Motor on Thursday urged its labor union to agree on the early adoption of the wage peak system to help tackle the youth unemployment problem.

The wage peak system calls for an extension of the retirement age in return for lower wages just before retirement, while money saved from the agreement will be used to hire new employees in a kind of work-sharing arrangement.

Hyundai Motor and its labor union last year agreed to discuss the issue during the collective bargaining sessions slated for later this year, but the management called for the adoption of the system as soon as possible.

Hyundai has proposed freezing wages for 59-year-old employees and cutting 10 percent of the pay for those aged 60.

"The management and labor union need to make concerted efforts to tackle tough business conditions," Yoon Gap-han, CEO of Hyundai Motor, said during a meeting with the labor union. "It's hard to ignore growing calls for the expansion of the wage peak system as high youth unemployment has emerged as a serious social problem."

The latest move comes as South Korea's youth jobless rate surged to an all-time high of 12.5 percent in February, according to the government report released Wednesday.

The high youth unemployment has emerged as a major social problem as the business sector has been reluctant to hire new employees amid a protracted economic slump stemming from faltering exports. (Yonhap)
By Jhoo Dong-chan

The government has fined Mercedes Benz Korea, a local subsidiary of the German premium automaker, 168 million won ($143,100) for selling unregistered vehicles.

According to the Ministry of Environment, Wednesday, Mercedes Benz violated the Air Environmental Conservation Act by selling four S350 diesel models with a nine-speed transmission without registering them with the authorities.

The models that were incorrectly registered are the S350 d, S350 d 4Matic, S350 d L and S350 d 4Matic L. A total of 98 vehicles with the nine-speed transmission have been reportedly sold.

However, the company had reported that it was only importing and selling the cars equipped with a seven-speed transmission called the 7G-Tronic.

The total price of those 98 vehicles was 11.2 billion won, and the ministry decided to impose a penalty of 1.5 percent of that price as a penalty.

Also, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) separately plans to report the case to the prosecution.

All carmakers are required by law to register all vehicles sold here with MOLIT. Violators could face a 10 million won ($8,000) fine or a maximum one-year prison sentence.

Separate from the government's move, Mercedes Benz Korea reportedly plans to provide monetary compensation for the 98 vehicles' owners, saying it was a "minor mistake," but has not announced any official apologies.
AB Volvo President and Volvo Group CEO Martin Lundstetd, speaks during a press conference at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, southwestern Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Volvo Group



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Swedish-based Volvo Group will sell 4,000 trucks annually in Korea by 2020, said the global automaker's CEO and President Martin Lundstedt during a press conference at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, southwestern Seoul, Thursday.

"Korea has been one of Volvo's most important markets since the company established its local subsidiary, Volvo Truck Korea, here in 1996," said Lundstedt.

"Entering into the 20th anniversary this year of the company's operations in Korea, we have set up an annual sales target of 4,000 trucks by the year of 2020."

Among the 143 countries where the group operates, Korea reportedly took fifth place in sales volume last year.

Lundstedt said such success is attributed to the company's efforts to satisfy customers' needs for the last 20 years.

Volvo Truck Korea has a total of 27 service centers across the country, including at its headquarters in Dongtan, Gyeonggi Province, and three direct service centers in Incheon and Gimhae, the largest number among the commercial vehicle sector.

"Of a number of Volvo Group's business operations, Volvo Truck has been the most rapidly growing business in sales. Without this success in the commercial vehicle market in Korea, the group wouldn't be able to grow this much in such a short period of time," said Lundstedt.

"Such knowhow and experiences over the last 20 years in Korea are valuable assets to the group. The success model in Korea is an example to the group's other operations in emerging markets."

In 2014, Volvo launched a full heavy-duty truck lineup of the FH16, FH, FM and the FMX here, while the group unveiled the FL mid-size truck and the Euro 6 model in Korea for the first time in the Asian market last year.

Lundstedt was appointed group president last October and chose Korea for his first overseas trip outside Europe.

Volvo Group sold 1,600 vehicles in Korea last year, including double-decker buses running between Gyeonggi Province and downtown Seoul.
Yun Jero

By Kim Jae-heun



HONG KONG  Korean filmmaker Yun Jae-ho, better known as Yun Jero, is one of two Korean candidates shortlisted at the Hong Kong  Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) for his documentary film "Letters."

HAF is an established film financing platform in Asia which connects filmmakers in the region with top film financiers, producers, distributors and buyers.

Yun's project movie stars his co-director Marte Vold and himself, depicting a story of a woman from Oslo and a man from Seoul taking the time to send messages and videos to each other undertaking their daily routines. Yun will send Vold a video of himself eating breakfast with his cat and Vold will shoot herself brushing her teeth and playing with her children and send it to Yun.

"It's a personal story and we feature our actual families and pets," said Yun during an interview with The Korea Times at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, Wednesday. "The movie can be entertaining and at the same time touching. I am often touched by watching movies about ordinary life. I think a small movie about our daily lives shows empathy better than movies which pursue extremes."

Yun first met Vold in Copenhagen, Denmark, last November, at a workshop sponsored by CPH:DOX, a Scandinavian film talent development and training program. CPH:DOX provided financial support for 10 teams including Yun and Vold to make their films.

"We were talking about our lives and came up with this idea that we are from different cultures and we could be different but we should be more alike in some sense, and we wanted to show that part of being human, regardless of culture, which naturally turned the film into a documentary," said Yun.

Yun's main interest has always been in family stories, especially mother-and-son relationships.

His previous films includes "Promise" and "Mrs. B, A North Korean Woman." The latter work is a Korean-French co-production, depicting the story of a woman who arranges the sojourns of North Korean defectors to China. His movie will be screened at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May.

The Korean director studied filmmaking in France for nine years, earning a bachelor's degree and master's. Yun had no interest in making films at first, but after watching movies directed by French directors Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffault, he was greatly inspired by their unique and distinguished stories.

"First they were boring and I couldn't understand them but very soon I learned that each film has a strong color in it," Yun said.

Yun can be reached at jeroyun@hotmail.com or Facebook.com/jeroyun.
Quantum of the Seas, a luxury cruise ship, arrives at Incheon with a large number of Chinese tourists on March 4. / Courtesy of KTO



By Chung Ah-young



Cruises are becoming even more popular around the world, particularly among Chinese travelers and elderly people.



The domestic demand for cruises is still low, so the government is rolling up its sleeves to attract foreign cruise passengers and boost the underdeveloped industry.



At 7 a.m. on March 4, more than 4,000 Chinese tourists arrived via Quantum of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International, a large-capacity luxury cruise ship at Hanjin Terminal in Songdo, Incheon. The Chinese tourists traveled and shopped around Seoul before returning to Shanghai at 9 p.m. on the same day. The 167,000-ton, 6,100-passenger ship will travel to Korea from Shanghai, China, 44 more times this year.



"More than 80,000 tourists visited Korea in January alone. This year, some 1.5 million cruise tourists are expected to come to Korea," Park I-rak, director of the marine tourism division of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), said.



The number of cruise tourists stood at 9,040 in January last year and surged to 80,280 in January this year. The government is making various efforts to sustain this momentum. For example, the KTO have taken part in Seatrade Cruise Global, the world's largest cruise industry fair, on March 14-17 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the United States.





Jung Chang-soo, second from right, CEO of the KTO, greets Chinese passengers from the cruise ship Skysea

Golden Era at Donghae Port in Gangwon Province in January. / Courtesy of KTO



At the event, the KTO had a booth to promote Korean tourism, with the help of 30 tourism representatives from Busan, Incheon, Gangwon Province, South Jeolla Province and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, all of which have dedicated cruise ports. They promoted various tourism products and services, such as "hallyu" (Korean wave) or Korean cultural content, medical tourism and beauty treatment services.



The KTO has diversified the country's cruise destinations, from the current popular port cities such as Incheon, Jeju and Busan, to new ones such as Yeosu in South Jeolla Province, Sokcho and Donghae in Gangwon Province and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province.



The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has also recently announced a plan to boost the cruise industry. It aims to attract more than 2 million foreign cruise tourists next year by hosting the world's leading cruise vessels and expanding local ports, to help Korea become a key destination for cruise passengers from around the world.



The ministry also said it will strengthen its overseas marketing strategy to lure more cruise visitors to Korea. It will also build four new cruise docks on Jeju Island and in Incheon and Sokcho by 2017 to cater to the growing number of travelers to the country.



"The government will step up its efforts to promote the cruise industry by launching Korean cruise liners and upgrading the infrastructure," the ministry said.

Under the plan, the ministry will attract more international cruise ships by next year and train 2,000 crewmembers by 2020.



This year, some 908 cruise vessels are expected to enter Korea, a surge from last year's 409 vessels. This year, the Ovation, which is as big as the Quantum of the Seas, will enter the Busan port 23 times and Incheon port eight times.



According to a survey by Cruise Market Watch, the number of cruise passengers

worldwide rose from 19 million in 2011 to 22 million in 2015. The figure is expected to grow to 24 million in 2018.



The cruise industries in Asia, among others, are rapidly growing owing to Chinese travelers' rising demand for cruises in the past few years. The number of Chinese cruise passengers is expected to reach 2.3 million this year, up from 1 million last year.



"As the cruise markets in the U.S. and European regions become saturated, cruise ship operators are turning their eyes to China," an industry watcher said, declining to be named for this article.



According to a survey released by the KTO in 2014, a foreign cruise passenger who stops over at a Korean port spends an average of $1,068 during his or her stay.



The Korean cruise industry still has a long way to go, however, owing to an insufficient legal system, as well as infrastructure. Opposition against casinos on ships remains an obstacle to the development of the industry. Under Korean law, locals are not allowed in casinos, except for Kangwon Land in Gangwon Province.



Also, to ease the entry of international cruise passengers to Korea, immigration procedures need to be relaxed.



The ministry said pilot cruise ship Costa Victoria, jointly operated by Lotte Tour, Hana Tour and Costa Cruises, will set sail in May; it will travel twice from Donghae and 13 times from Busan. From these Korean cities, it will to either Japan or Vladivostok in Russia before returning to Korea. The ministry estimates that some 30,000 travelers will board the cruise ship.




Korean traditional ginseng chicken soup has made an aggressive foray into the United States since its first shipment in late 2014, boosting stagnant overseas sales from a slump in Japan, data showed Monday.



South Korea first exported "samgyetang," a famous local dish consumed to better endure summer heat, to the U.S. in August 2014 after 10 years of efforts to enter one of the world's biggest poultry export markets.



Outbound shipments of samgyetang stood at 2,196 tons worth US$9.85 million in 2015, up 27.8 percent from a year ago, data by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed.



The figure turned to growth for the first time in four years thanks to increased shipments to the U.S.



Overseas samgyetang sales peaked at 2,888 tons in 2011 before steadily decreasing from 2012 to 2014 due to slipping sales in Japan, the biggest export market, the KITA said.













Market watchers expected samgyetang sales to take off this year on the back of strong demand among 14 million Asian consumers in the U.S.



Overseas shipments are expected to further gain momentum as a free trade agreement with China, South Korea's largest trading partner, took effect in December to lower tariffs and other trade barriers.



The two nations have agreed to set customs measures to allow the South's exports of ginseng chicken soup to Beijing.



Samgyetang is considered to be one of the healthiest dishes as it contains Korean ginseng. It is also considered a favorite summertime dish among the vast majority of Koreans who believe in the timeless principle of fighting heat with heat. (Yonhap)
An appeals court on Thursday sentenced a 34-year-old man to one year in prison for threatening to blow up a plane that took South Korea's former first lady took to Pyongyang.

Upholding a lower court's decision, the Seoul High Court suspended the sentence for the man, identified only by his surname Park, for two years.

He was accused of sending a one-page letter to local journalists, threatening to blow up the plane of Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, when she traveled to North Korea in August 2015.

The appeals court said he is guilty of obstructing official duties. Over 100 officers were mobilized to inspect the airport and planes for about five days before and after Lee's departure.

"The suspect seems to have been aware that his action could interfere police's normal execution of duties," the court said.

Lee, a symbolic figure for inter-Korean reconciliation due to her late husband's accomplishments, returned home on Aug. 8, after a four-day trip to the North.

President Kim, who died in 2009, was the architect of the "sunshine" policy that actively pushed for cross-border exchanges and reconciliation. He held the first inter-Korean summit with then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000. At that time, Lee accompanied her husband to Pyongyang. (Yonhap)
The government said Thursday it will install a thermographic camera on South Korea's main railway bridge, a move to counter possible terror attacks by North Korea on its key transportation infrastructure.

The North has attempted to hack into email accounts of the South's railroad workers, according to the National Intelligence Service.

The government believes the Hangang (Han River) Railway Bridge, which crosses the river in Seoul, is among the potential targets of a North Korea terror attack, along with the railway traffic control system.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held an emergency meeting with Korea Railroad Corp., railway police and other relevant authorities earlier this week to review preventive measures.

The ministry decided to install a thermal imaging camera on the oldest Han River bridge, adding to the existing CCTVs.

Infrared detectors and an unmanned security system will be also established at train depots.

It will also tighten security at the railway traffic control center through various measures including the installment of X-ray scanners at its gates.

The number of railway police aboard KTX high-speed trains will be doubled to 40, said the ministry. (Yonhap)
Lee Kyung-joo, third-generation owner of the century-old Chong Ro Tailor, shows fabric in his shop in central Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Kim Bo-eun



This is the third in a series of articles featuring Seoul City-designated Future Heritages, modern-time assets that have not been designated as state cultural properties but have enough value to be handed down to future generations.  ED.



By Kim Bo-eun



Continuing tradition is not only about preserving the old, but also about adapting to the new, according to the third-generation owner of a century-old tailor shop in central Seoul.

When this reporter pushed open the door of Chong Ro Tailor, a tidy, cozy shop, its sharply dressed owner Lee Kyung-joo, 72, came into view.

He had been flipping through Leon, a trendy men's fashion magazine, with a young man who had come in for a suit for his wedding.

After the customer left, Lee, clad in a pressed shirt, tie and pants, sat at a table with his iPad in front of him.

After a comment on the unexpected modernity of the shop and its owner, Lee said the only old element of the tailor shop is its name.

"This is fashion we're talking about," he said. "If we continued things the old style just because the shop is old, then we would have closed long ago."

He inherited the shop from his late father Lee Hye-joo, the second owner.

"He always wore a suit and tie. He did not let me wear slippers in the shop," Lee recalled. "His belief was that it was important to look presentable when greeting customers."

The late Lee was very serious about his tailor business. The promise that he showed made his father, the current owner's grandfather Lee Doo-yong, select him among his nine sons as the successor of the shop.

"My father had a strong work ethic and always put his customers first," Lee said.

Lee remembers going out for lunch and ordering jajangmyeon (Chinese black bean sauce noodles) and then being told by his father to come back to the store because a customer had arrived.

"By the time we were done, I would go back to see the noodles have gone mushy from having soaked up all the sauce," Lee said, laughing.

This mindset is what kept the tailor shop open to this day, he said.





Lee shows a 50-year-old pair of scissors at his tailor shop.



Lee's grandfather opened the shop in Jongno, central Seoul, in 1916, after learning tailoring skills as a trainee at a Japanese-owned shop and also later in Japan.

Lee's father took over the store in 1945, when Korea was liberated from Japanese occupation. The tailor remembered going through the 1950-1953 Korean War.

"I remember our family getting on the train to Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, with a sewing machine and fabric," Lee said.

The family set up shop there in the middle of the war, mending soldiers' uniforms. They returned to Seoul when the war was over and reopened the shop in Jongno.

In the 1980s and 90s, the shop struggled as Cheil Industries introduced ready-made suits. Tailors promoted a boycott of off-the-rack suits, but they inevitably lost customers.

Even now, old tailor shops in Myeong-dong continue to struggle, although the situation is better for the renowned Chong Ro Tailor, Lee said.

However, he is concerned about the shop's future: he hasn't found the right person to succeed him in the store.

"I have two children, but my son is a painter," he said pointing to a landscape painting on the wall of the shop.

Lee's daughter once said she would continue the tailor business, but at that time he said no.

"It was because I thought she as a woman would have trouble dealing with male customers," Lee said. But women today are everything, from fighter pilots to President. I regret declining her offer."

For now, though, he will continue to run the shop.

"I will do my best until I am unable," he said. "I have pride in the shop and its 100-year history and will do what I can in order not to disappoint customers."
By Kim Se-jeong



The future late-night call bus service will have its test run expanded from southern Seoul to central parts of the city.



Taxi company representatives and Park Byung-jong, the head of Callbus LAB, a call bus service application, said they would start pilot services in the middle of April with 13-seat minivans.



The announcement comes after the government decided to allow partnerships for a more convenient mode of transport for passengers after public services shut down for the night.



The service will start in the Seocho, Gangnam and Songpo, where Callbus LAB has conducted test services since December, and be expanded to Jongno, Hongdae and Dongdaemun areas soon, according to Park.



Operating hours will be sometime between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., and the companies and Park are discussing this with the Seoul Metropolitan Government.



Fares will also be decided soon. "The goal is to make it half the taxi rate," Park said _ about 2,000 won as a basic fare for the first 4 kilometers and 600-700 won for every additional kilometer.



Anticipation for the service is high, as Korea's late-night drinking culture is common and public transportation services are not available. Park's test service was well-received with 80 to 90 passengers per night.



The service first drew strong opposition from taxi companies, which argued it would drive them out of business. The government then offered a compromise by allowing them to have partnerships, such that any taxi company can participate if they have 13-passenger minivans.



Those who want the service should download the Callbus LAB application on their smartphones so they can notify the company of their locations. Vans will come to pick them up and will take them home.



"I am happy that we have come up with a compromise. I hope this partnership will deliver quality services to customers," Park said.




By Chung Ah-young



Various kinds of draught and craft beers will be available at the Daegu Chicken and Beer Festival this year.



Daegu City said Thursday that local beer brewers will be allowed to sell their products during the festival which will be held from July 27 to 31.



This will be the first time for beers on tap and brewed by small breweries to be sold at a local festival.



Under the current law, sales of draught and craft beers are not allowed at festivals.



So the Chicken and Beer  nicknamed Chimaek  Festival and other festivals here have offered only canned beer, except for small-scale sampling events.



To amend the regulation on alcohol, the city has discussed the issue with relevant authorities including the National Tax Service and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.



The authorities recently decided to grant temporary permission to participating brewers to sell such beers at the festival. Ten brewers plan to participate this year.



"With the reforming of the regulation on beers, we hope the festival will emulate Germany's Oktoberfest," Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin said.



"This year marks the fourth festival and we will reinvigorate the regional economy and help the city become a popular tourist destination," he said.



The city government said that the festival's economic effect will increase by some 10 percent thanks to the inclusion of draught beer sales.



The combination of chicken and beer has become especially popular after actress Jun Ji-hyun mentioned it in the 2013-2014 drama "My Love from the Star" starring her and Kim Su-hyun.



At the festival, participants can enjoy chicken and beer along with diverse cultural events at Duryu Park. The city expects some 1 million participants to visit this year.

During last year's festival, 880,000 people visited the venue, consuming 700,000 cans of beer.




President Park Geun-hye attends a policy coordination meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Her recent visits to Daegu and Busan are creating a controversy over alleged meddling in the general election. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye's recent visits to Daegu and Busan, strongholds of the ruling Saenuri Party, are creating a controversy over alleged meddling in the April 13 general election.

Critics say her visits at this sensitive time could be interpreted as rallying support for her loyalists who are running or seeking to run in the cities, although she made no controversial remarks there.

Cheong Wa Dae denied the suspicion that she is exerting influence on the ruling party's primaries and the election, saying her trips were related to economic issues, not politics.

Park inspected the achievements of the Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation in the cities.

But she also visited three districts in Busan, where her loyalists, including former Maritime Minister Yoo Ki-june, are participating in the party's primaries to win tickets.

She earlier called on people to choose "sincere people," widely seen as encouragement for her loyalists, as she needs her aides to win parliamentary seats for a stable administration of state affairs during her remaining tenure.












By Jun Ji-hye

Rep. Kim Han-gil

Rep. Kim Han-gil, a political heavyweight and a member of the minority opposition People's Party, declared Thursday that he will not run in the April 13 general elections.

He made the decision to take responsibility for his failure to persuade the party's founder and co-Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo to join forces with the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) ahead of the elections, he said.

"I have been raising the need for an alliance of the opposition bloc to win more parliamentary seats in the capital area as well as blocking the overwhelming victory of the ruling party in the elections," Kim announced in a statement. "I will hold myself responsible for failing to realize such an alliance."

The four-term lawmaker, who co-founded the MPK's predecessor, New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), in March 2014 with Ahn, has been seeking to form an alliance with the MPK after its interim leader Kim Chong-in made such a proposal on March 2.

But his effort was of little avail as Rep. Ahn strongly rejected the demand to the end.

Amid a deepening row with Ahn over the alliance proposal, Kim Han-gil stepped down as head of the election planning committee of the People's Party on March 11.

It was expected that Kim may quit the party as well due to deepening conflicts with Ahn, but Kim did not mention his departure when announcing his decision not to run in the elections.

Observers say that Kim will be unable to help, but will lose ground further in the party as his push for the opposition alliance ended in failure. What's worse, People's Party co-chairman Chun Jung-bae, who led the discussion about forming the alliance, along with with Kim, apparently made a retreat on March 15, saying "Forming an alliance between opposition candidates in the capital area would be impossible."

When asked about Kim's future plans, one of his aides told reporters, "Kim will play a given role as a party member," without elaborating on details.

Kim was initially planning to run in the Gwangjin A district in Seoul.

Following Kim's resignation from candidacy, Jeon Hae-sook, a former lawmaker and the MPK's candidate for the constituency, expressed her expectation that Kim may declare his support for her for the sake of the opposition bloc.

"Kim made a bold decision. I truly appreciate it," Jeon told reporters.

Kim quit the MPK in early January and joined hands with Ahn, who at the time was preparing to launch the People's Party.

Ahn quit the MPK in mid-December last year after a leadership struggle with then-Chairman Moon Jae-in.

Currently, the governing Saenuri Party has 156 seats in the 293-member National Assembly, compared with the MPK's 105 seats.

The People's Party controls only 20 seats.





Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
Reporters surround Rep. Lee Hahn-koo, left, head of the ruling Saenuri Party's nominations committee, in an elevator at the party's headquarters on Yeouido, southern Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap



Party leader clashes with Park loyalists



By Kim Hyo-jin

The ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung and lawmakers loyal to President Park Geun-hye collided head-on Thursday over nominations for the April 13 general election.

Rep. Won Yoo-chul, the party's floor leader and a Park loyalist, called on Kim to apologize for postponing the approval of the candidates list and criticized him for harming the independence of the nominations committee. Kim struck back, saying he will seek measures to curb the committee's power.

With Kim trading barbs with Park loyalists over what he claims were unfair decisions, speculation is rising that current lawmakers excluded from the nominations will quit and form an alliance to run in the elections as independents.

"It is regretful that Kim is harming the impartiality of the nominations committee," Won said. "He should apologize for publicly expressing his opposition to the candidates list while discussions were still ongoing in the Supreme Council."

The remarks came a day after Kim raised questions over the latest candidate selections that ruled out some heavyweights from the non-Park faction, and accused the nominations committee of violating party rules.

The party leadership was supposed to approve the list in a Supreme Council meeting Wednesday, but Kim put the meeting on hold, causing a backlash from other council members, mostly Park loyalists.

"It's not a mature attitude as a leader of the party," Rep. Kim Tae-ho, a council member, said, denouncing Kim's "intervention" in the nominations procedure.

Kim dismissed the criticism, saying "There is nothing to apologize for."
By Lee Kyung-min



A group of Korea University School of Law students are helping Myanmarese citizens file a compensation suit here against POSCO Daewoo involving the construction of an onshore gas terminal (OGT) there in 2009.



The school's Clinical Legal Education Center (CLEC) said Tuesday that its 20 members would file the suit soon with the Seoul Central District Court representing 20 Kyauk Phyu residents seeking 10 million won ($8,500) each in compensation, alongside local law firm Yi Gong Lawyers, jointly representing the case.



This is the first time for a Korean law firm to represent clients in a foreign country who have allegedly suffered damage by a Korean company, CLEC said.



According to CLEC, POSCO Daewoo, formerly known as Daewoo International, paid a combined 800 million won in compensation to 126 residents to purchase land from them to build the terminal there.



The group claims the amount was insufficient, given the subsequent environmental damage directly caused by the OGT and other facilities, including contaminated water and industrial waste.



It said the deal between the company and the residents was heavily influenced by a group of former high-ranking military officials, who had de facto control over the land ownership.



"The company also failed to seek the residents' full understanding as it provided land purchase contract details in English, not in Burmese, and only a handful of residents attended the project information session," said one of the 20 members.



The 20 students of the law school have collected information about the deal since 2010, interviewing the residents and obtaining power of attorney from them.



The student said they are confident that a Korean court can make a decision over the dispute between a Korean firm and citizens of a foreign country in accordance with an international law clause which allows Korean courts to have legal jurisdiction over parties or matters of disputes that have a substantial relationship with Korea.



"POSCO Daewoo's office is in Korea, and the Seoul-based company earns profits from the business in Myanmar, which is more than enough to prove the substantial relationship," the student said.



POSCO Daewoo said the deal was sealed without violating any local regulations. The company said many of the contracts were written both in English and Burmese. It also said it had held several information sessions about the land purchase and received signatures from the residents in their own handwriting.



"We completed the deal with proper procedures according to the guideline given to us," the official said without clarifying details about the guidelines.



The suit follows a landmark precedent in 1996, in which 14 Myanmarese filed a civil suit with a U.S. federal court against U.S. oil giant Unocal, claiming the firm aided and abetted human rights abuses of the residents by the Myanmar military during construction of the Yadana gas pipeline including forced labor, murder, rape and torture.



The firm offered a settlement in 2005 with the terms of the deal remaining confidential.




The White House urged North Korea on Wednesday to release a detained U.S. college student after Pyongyang's highest court sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor for allegedly stealing a political propaganda sign.



White House press secretary Josh Earnest issued the appeal, accusing the North of using detained Americans as "pawns to pursue a political agenda." The verdict came as Pyongyang has been ramping up bellicose threats against the U.S. and South Korea.



The North's Supreme Court handed down the harsh verdict to the 21-year-old University of Virginia student, Otto Warmbier, on conviction of charges of state subversion. Warmbier has been detained in the communist nation since early January after getting caught stealing the sign from a hotel.



"Now that Mr. Warmbier has gone through this criminal process, we strongly urge the North Korean government to pardon him and grant him special amnesty and immediate release," Earnest said at a press briefing.



Earnest said that the allegations on which Warmbier was arrested and imprisoned "would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in just about any other country in the world."



"Despite official claims that U.S. citizens arrested in North Korea are not used for political purposes, it is increasingly clear that the North Korean government seeks to use these U.S. citizens as pawns to pursue a political agenda," he said.



Earnest also reiterated that there is no greater priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad.



"This underscores the risks associated with traveling to North Korea. And the Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea. And there's additional information about that on the State Department website," he said.



American visitors have often been detained in North Korea on charges of anti-state and other unspecified crimes. Widespread views are that the communist nation has used the detentions as bargaining chips in its negotiations with Washington.



Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary, served two years of detention in the North before being released in November 2014, when U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper made a secret trip to Pyongyang to win his release and that of another U.S. detainee.



Wednesday's sentencing came as tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been running high since the North's nuclear and missile tests. Pyongyang has also made a series of bellicose threats as the U.S. and South Korea conducted annual joint military exercises that the North has branded as a rehearsal for invasion.



State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner also called for an immediate release of the detainee.



"The department believes that the sentence is unduly harsh for the actions Mr. Warmbier allegedly took," he said. "Despite official claims that U.S. citizens arrested in the DPRK are not used for political purposes, it's increasingly clear from its very public treatment of these cases that the DPRK does exactly that."



The case only underscores the risks associated with travel to North Korea, he said.



"The Department of State strongly recommends against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea. Let me just repeat that again. The United States and the Department of State strongly recommend against all travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea," Toner said.



Meanwhile, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was quoted as saying he held a face-to-face meeting in New York on Tuesday with two North Korean diplomats stationed at Pyongyang's mission to the United Nations and called for an immediate release of the detained student.



Richardson, known for his roles in past dealings with Pyongyang, told The New York Times that he held the meeting with Jang Il-hun, deputy chief of the North's mission to the U.S. at the request of Republican presidential runner and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.



"I urged the humanitarian release of Otto, and they agreed to convey our request," Richardson was quoted as saying. He also said that Warmbier has been seen by a Swedish diplomat in Pyongyang. Sweden serves as protecting power for U.S. interests in the North. (Yonhap)




By Yi Whan-woo



U.S. President Barack Obama's latest executive order concerning North Korea's exploitation of "slave workers" abroad will squeeze the Kim Jong-un regime further.



Officials here say up to 100,000 North Korean workers are believed to be forcibly mobilized by their authoritarian regime to toil in over 20 countries.



An estimated $300 million or 90 percent of the combined wages earned annually by the North Korean migrant workers are directly funneled into Pyongyang's leadership for development of weapons of mass destruction.



Analysts said the executive order was made in a timely manner because the regime is threatening to conduct more nuclear and missile tests.



"The history of the North Korean workers abroad has gone on for decades and their jobs have been expanded to various industries over the period," said Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector-turned-activist in Seoul.



"It's possible that the Kim regime may try to send another 100,000 workers overseas in the future.



"Under such circumstances, Washington is beginning to understand that hard currency earned by North Korean workers can pose a great threat to the U.S."



Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, voiced a similar view. He speculated that North Korea may try to send 53,000 factory workers formerly working at plants in the Gaeseong Industrial Complex to China to earn cash after the inter-Korean industrial park shut down on Feb. 11.



"I'd say the White House has taken such a possibility into account to some extent and is trying to prevent it from happening," Yang said.



An Chan-il, a defector-turned-scholar in Seoul, said Obama's executive order is expected to deal a blow to North Korean restaurants in addition to the U.N. Security Council's latest resolution against Pyongyang.



He said the number of guests at seven North Korean restaurants in Dandong, a Chinese border city, has "dramatically decreased" since March 2 when the UNSC approved the sanctions aimed at tightening trade with Pyongyang.



A group of young women work at an estimated 130 North Korean restaurants in 12 countries, such as China, Cambodia as well as the Netherlands. They usually serve as waitresses but also sing, play instruments and dance to entertain guests.



The restaurants are operated by Office 39, a secretive branch of the repressive regime that reports to Kim Jong-un concerning its use of money.



"Coupled with the U.N. resolution, I believe the White House's new measure will force people to feel guilty about eating at those restaurants," he said.



China accounts for 60 percent of the North Korean laborers, while the rest are in Russia and other countries in the Middle East and Africa.



Some 50,000 North Korean citizens work on construction sites in China, Mongolia, Poland, Kuwait, Qatar and other countries, while other laborers work as lumberjacks in Siberia.



Other migrant laborers work at industrial plants in China's northeastern provinces that border North Korea.



They toil for over 12 hours a day under harsh condition, including severe weather. And the repressive regime has pocketed 90 percent of their total monthly earnings, according to Database Center for North Korean Human Rights.



For instance, the North Korean authorities only spare $100 or less each for 1,800 manual laborers in Mongolia out their monthly salary of around $650.



North Korea has exported over 4,000 artists from its state-run Mansudae Art Studio to produce propaganda-themed projects in states such as Benin, Botswana, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Namibia and Zimbabwe.



They have been producing murals, mausoleums, statues, sculpture and other special artworks that are aimed at propagandizing the regime and its despots in a host of countries.




By Yi Whan-woo

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) is expected to seek an additional resolution against North Korea automatically if it carries out another nuclear test and related activities, South Korean ambassador to the United Nations Oh Joon said Thursday.

"I believe the UNSC will almost automatically go for another resolution aimed at toughening measures against North Korea if it conducts a nuclear test, fires a long-range ballistic missile or makes similar provocations again," he said during a press meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in downtown Seoul.

"The automatic trigger mechanism will enable the USNC to convene a related discussion immediately."

Oh cited the U.N.'s trigger mechanism under which the UNSC would be forced to respond if a country subject to U.N. sanctions violated them.

The UNSC imposed new sanctions against North Korea on March 2 in response to its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and a long-range rocket launch using ballistic missile technology. The U.N. had already adopted three resolutions against Pyongyang between 2006 and 2013.

Oh's comment came after Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that its leader Kim Jong-un had ordered a further test of a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying such a warhead..

"It would be early to predict how the UNSC will toughen its measures against North Korea, but it's possible to enhance certain parts of the UNSC Resolution 2270," Oh said, referring to the latest U.N. sanctions.

He said North Korea was believed to have spent $4 billion so far for its nuclear and missile programs.

He said it was a sound argument that North Koreans' human rights and living conditions would improve if the country stopped developing nuclear weapons and missiles.

Oh assessed that U.S. President Barack Obama's executive order issued on Wednesday was expected to help implement UNSC Resolution 2270.

Oh is temporarily back in Seoul to attend an annual meeting of the heads of South Korea's diplomatic missions abroad. A total of 176 heads of missions in 161 countries, including 115 ambassadors, are participating in the meeting, which will run through Friday.
By Casey Lartigue, Jr.

My previous column was about celebrating every day I am alive. Later that day, my grandaunt passed away in Texas and the grandmother of a North Korean refugee friend passed away in North Korea.

I last saw my grandaunt two years ago when I flew from Seoul to Texas to attend my paternal grandmother's funeral. The people who were already adults when I was born, probably changed my diapers when I was baby, and celebrated my achievements during my formative years are passing from the scene.

While grieving for my grandaunt passing away, I got the bad news from my North Korean refugee friend. She later said her mother and aunt, who also escaped from North Korea, cried non-stop for days.

Even in death, your country of birth can determine your freedom to "seize the day." Two years ago before she became a leading spokesperson about North Korea, Yeonmi Park said to me, in anger and disgust: "I have the right to see my family. Why does Kim Jong-Un have the right to block me from seeing my family?"

I think about that whenever I hear people talk about the "good" allegedly done by Kim Jong-Un and his dirty regime. They are kidnappers blocking people from the freedom to enjoy their lives as they wish, to see their family in good or bad times, to find their way in the world.

My North Korean refugee friend and her family could not return to North Korea to attend the funeral of her grandmother. Certainly they are happy to have escaped from North Korea, but who could blame them if they reflected on their choice to escape from North Korea?

I hesitate to say this because people are shocked to hear North Korean refugees say they miss being in North Korea. Some friends (South Korean as well as Westerners) who started paying attention to the stories of North Koreans rather than just headlines sometimes express outrage or bewilderment about refugees saying they want to return to or miss North Korea. I tell them to slow down about judging people who had to make life-or-death, all-or-nothing decisions to escape from a regime determined to keep them from escaping.

Unlike my North Korean friend who could not hop on a plane or even make a phone call to North Korea without being cautious, I dropped everything to fly to Texas to attend my grandaunt's funeral. I thought back to last year when I didn't attend an aunt's funeral _ I still can't remember what those important activities were that kept me in Seoul then. I see the Facebook posts by my cousins still grieving about their mom and brother passing away within weeks of one another. She was a sweet lady who had a tough life. When I was young she would threaten to "whoop" us when we were bad, but thankfully her threats never became reality.

I am sure that next year I won't remember which activities I skipped this time in order to attend my grandaunt's funeral. I reasoned that good colleagues wouldn't mind postponing a bit ("Those who matter, don't mind; those who mind, don't matter"). We can seize the moment among many choices, in this case, family over work.

One of my uncles picked me up at the airport. When I told him I would be attending the funeral, he let me know that he couldn't wait to give me a "big bear hug." He calls me "son" and tells me that he loves me every time we message or call.

It isn't just him. One of his burly sons will give you a bear hug, while he is trash talking how he should finish you off. The other burly son will give you a bear hug, telling you how much he loves and misses you. You are still trying to catch your breath from the tag team of life-draining bear hugs, and dad is already ready for round two of bear hugs.

I knew it would mean a lot to my aunts and uncles for me to attend the funeral because my own father abandoned the family more than two decades ago. He was not there to say a final goodbye to his aunt, but his oldest son was. For a few days, I was "Casey Jr." My relatives are happy about my activities helping North Korean refugees, but I know they are first of all concerned with my happiness. They would be as thrilled if I were saving whales or collecting stamps.

Before I left Seoul for Texas, I made sure to give a big bear hug to my North Korean refugee friend, lifting her off the ground, mixing both trash talk and words of praise. She didn't quite understand why I did that, but that's fine with me.
Tong Kim Leon Sigal

By Tong Kim



Washington  The only possible way out of the current deadlock with North Korea is to negotiate and see if the North is prepared to suspend arming in return for satisfying some of its security concerns, a well-known American expert said.



Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Science Research Council in New York said pressure will not work and it will not knuckle under and accept allied preconditions to take unilateral steps to denuclearize.



He said that if President Park Geun-hye opposes efforts to open the way to a peace process in parallel with negotiations on further denuclearization and political and economic normalization, South Korea's security will be in much greater jeopardy.



A full text of the interview follows:



Question: Given the continuing confrontation between the North Korea and the U.S. and its allies, what exit strategy would you advice for those policymakers concerned to consider, if they want to avert an apparent security crisis in Korea?



Answer: Pressure on Pyongyang has never worked in the past and there is no reason to think it will work now. It will only lead Pyongyang to conduct more nuclear tests and missile test-launches and to continue generating fissile material. Stopping those efforts is urgent, before North Korea develops a nuclear device that it can deliver by missile and makes many more of them. The only possible way out is to negotiate - the sooner the better - and see if the North is prepared to suspend arming in return for satisfying some of its security concerns. Such steps could then open the way to a peace process in parallel with negotiations on further denuclearization and political and economic normalization, as envisioned in the September 2005 six-party joint statement. If President Park opposes such efforts, South Korea's security will be in much greater jeopardy.



Q: Would the sanctions succeed to bring the North Koreans to negotiation?



A: North Korea is ready to negotiate now and possibly accept reciprocal steps to address both sides' security concerns. What they will not do is knuckle under and accept allied preconditions to take unilateral steps to denuclearize. So sanctions will only delay the start of talks.



Q: Do you believe that Washington is genuinely interested in seeking a negotiated settlement of the North Korean nuclear issue? (The Obama administration is under no pressure from domestic politics or from its allies to engage the North Koreans.) China is the only country that advocates for a stable Korean peninsula and has proposed a two-track discussion of denuclearization and a peace agreement in a flexible format of talks even outside the six-party talks. Can this be a starting point? Why is Washington not responding to this idea?



A: After meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Secretary of State John Kerry clearly stated that the Obama administration did not expect sanctions to succeed without negotiation. If Washington does not follow through on that commitment, it might put in doubt China's implementation of U.N. sanctions. The Chinese proposal is a useful way forward, but only after North Korea suspends arming and the allies take some reciprocal steps to address its security concerns, like the size and scope of joint US-ROK exercises.



Q: What's your view on the collapse theory that North Korea will collapse eventually? Could you discuss the impact of sanctions on the collapsibility? Would a North Korean collapse lead to "peaceful unification through absorption" by the South?



A: Collapse is utterly unrealistic. There no sign that the Kim regime is in peril. The economy has been growing for over a decade and internal security remains tight. Sanctions, along with slower growth in China, may retard growth in the North somewhat, but not enough to cause collapse. As former defense secretary William Perry put it, "We must deal with North Korea as it is, not as we wish it to be."



Q: If the U.S. supports Korean unification, as it says it does, why does it not take any measures or any action in support of such goal? In your view, would China and/or the U.S. accept a neutralized unification formula of the Korean peninsula, with no foreign troops there?



A: Korean unification, as President Park now defines it, is synonymous with the collapse of a nuclear-armed North Korean regime, which poses very grave risks for allied security. Washington has long favored peaceful unification, which would have to require a gradual process of engagement and reconciliation. The United States would unquestionably accept a neutral Korea without foreign troops if that is what the people of South Korea want.



Q: Time is ticking off on the remainder of Obama's term in office; many observers doubt that he would take a radical departure on North Korea and resolve the nuclear issue. What would it take to make him think out of the box and set forth a fundamental direction toward the resolution of the North Korean issues, as he did with the Iranian nuclear program and with opening to Cuba and Myanmar?



A: Obama is the only president the US has for the next ten months - plenty of time for negotiation to make headway. That would leave his successor in a less difficult position, given all the other security and economic problems he or she would face. As he has shown in negotiating with Iran, Cuba, and Myanmar, he has the wisdom and courage to stand up to the conventional wisdom around Washington and do what is best for U.S. and allied security.
Disputes are heating up over the government's latest move to overhaul the nation's duty free system. People's confidence in government policies has crashed as it is considering changing the system even before newly licensed duty free operators open for business.



At a public hearing Wednesday, Choi Nak-gyoon, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, proposed issuing new duty free licenses and extending their term to 10 years from the current five.



The government plans to unveil its final plan by the end of this month, and those proposals are expected to be included. In that case, Lotte and SK might win back the licenses they lost in November.



The government's review of the duty free system only months after it was revamped stems from the fact that new duty free operators were required to have their licenses renewed every five years under the revised customs law.



All this was the consequence of the ruling camp's failure to put the brakes on a revision bill put forward  without much consideration  by Rep. Hong Jong-hak of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea.



The fact is that new duty free shops that opened late last year are suffering from sluggish sales because of their failure to attract luxury brands under the five-year requirement.



Massive investment is necessary to operate duty free stores properly, but luxury brands may well hesitate to enter Korean shops, given that their fates could be uncertain five years later.



New duty free operators have reacted angrily to the government's move, saying the duty free industry could be plunged into a total crisis.



While the government's duty free policy has been adding to the confusion, China and Japan have been chasing Korea by opening big duty free shops.



By contrast, Korea's duty free industry, which is rated the world's No. 1, is staggering due to the nonsensical customs law. The global duty free market amounted to about 67 trillion won in 2014, and Korea took 10.5 percent.



It is undeniable that the duty free business can emerge as a growth industry that could provide a ray of hope amid the general economic gloom. So the government should come up with the best way to boost it.



And it might be wrong for the government to insist on a license system in the duty free industry. Allowing all aspiring companies that meet the minimum requirement would be worth consideration.




U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Tuesday the U.S. is working hard to make sure that the new U.N. sanctions on North Korea are implemented, saying such measures would only be "theory until you implement them."



Speaking at a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Lew said the U.S. has been holding discussions with China on sanctions implementation. Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam Szubin is on a visit to China for such discussions, he said.



He also said China's support of the tough sanctions is a "very significant development."



"I was in China the week after the U.N. Security Council at the G-20 meetings, and I had conversations at the highest levels in China, and I can tell you that they don't view this as something they're doing for us," the secretary told the hearing.



"They look across their border and it makes them very nervous that they can't explain some of the actions that are reckless and that are destabilizing," he said. "They have certainly indicated a high level of concern ... That's why they supported the resolution. They've indicated an intention to implement it."



Implementing the sanctions takes sustained efforts, he said.



"We know from these sanctions programs that it's grueling day-to-day work. You've got to identify the entities, act against the entities," he said. "I think it is a very significant statement to North Korea that China is part of this international effort."



The new U.N. sanctions, the toughest ever to be imposed on Pyongyang, require mandatory inspection of all cargo going in and out of the North and ban its exports of coal, iron and other mineral resources, a key source of hard currency that accounts for nearly half of the country's total exports.



It also prohibits all small arms and other conventional weapons from being sold to the North, bans jet and rocket fuel supplies to the country, grounds North Korean flights suspected of carrying contraband and denies vessels carrying illicit items access to ports.



The Treasury Department is in the final stage of putting together a package of unilateral sanctions against the North to carry out the Security Council sanctions and the recent congressional legislation tightening the screws on Pyongyang. (Yonhap)




By Kim Yoo-chul





Seon Doo-hoon, CEO of Instec

The oldest son-in-law of Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo has signed a contract with unnamed European companies to sell direct metal tooling (DMT) 3D equipment through his own firm.

According to industry sources, Seon Doo-hoon, husband of Chung's oldest daughter Seon-yi, clinched a "multimillion-dollar" deal for the equipment.

Seon is the CEO of Instec, a local medium-sized business, and the equipment was developed using Instec-owned patents. Instec is the first medium-sized Korean company to export products manufactured with in-house technology.

"Hyundai Motor Group didn't provide any support to Seon for the development of the equipment," said an official. "Only a few U.S. and European companies could produce DMT 3D equipment commercially, given the high tech barrier. But Instec made it."

The latest agreement will help Instec find new clients in the United States, though the official declined to specify the names of potential clients in the United States that it has been in talks with.

Also known as additive printing technology, 3D printing allows manufacturers to make an objects using a digital file and printing materials.

The global 3D printing market was valued at $2.3 billion in 2013 and is anticipated to reach $8.6 billion by 2020.

Instec said it was approached for technology collaborations by companies in Germany and Japan. Last December, Instec was added as a top supplier within the ecosystem of Tesla Motors.

"I am thrilled to export Instec-developed products in Europe, as Europe is the frontrunner in adopting 3D printing," Seon said. "This will make us proud. We plan to expand our business coverage beyond Europe for qualitative corporate growth."
LG Electronics mobile business chief Cho Juno delivers a welcoming speech at a developer conference at the Nurikkum Square in Digital Media City, western Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of LG Electronics



By Lee Min-hyung

LG Electronics said Thursday that it will bolster partnerships with developers as a core business strategy to halt the years-long sagging performance of its mobile unit.

The move came as the Android handset manufacturer held a developer conference for its much-hyped G5 flagship smartphone. The world's first modular handset has gained favorable responses for innovation, which critics say its rivals failed to bring to this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona last month.

Under the theme of "Play with Friends," the company unveiled a series of business blueprints to build what it calls a symbiotic ecosystem with small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and startups for the development of modular devices. The company highlighted its LG Friends, a series of modular companion devices that can plug into the G5, will be at the forefront to change the current smartphone landscape, helping the company bounce back from the relatively weak profile of its mobile business.

"We are going to open the LG Friends online store on Apr. 18 in a move to build a co-existing partnership model with developers," LG Electronics mobile chief Cho Juno said during the developer conference. "The online marketplace will serve as a venue where both sides can actually make profits and continue to extend partnerships."

The event came about two weeks ahead of the official launch of the new handset. The move is interpreted as an effort to take advantage of the market infancy for modular device industry. LG Electronics, however, has yet to disclose the exact launch date.

The company said it will also unveil its software development kit (SDK) and hardware development kit (HDK) next month to provide more concrete guidelines for developers.

LG Electronics Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Ahn Seung-kwon said, "The ecosystem for smart devices should be conducted in a mid- to long-term initiative." He said the company will continue to use the modular-based development ecosystem for its future devices to build a mutual growth model between developers and handset makers.

More than 400 developers and industry insiders packed the event to discuss the new hardware ecosystem. The modular devices are gaining the spotlight from global information and communication technology (ICT) giants such as Google and Lenovo, as one of their differentiation strategies amid narrowing technology gaps among handset makers.

Google previously hinted at unleashing its Project Ara smartphone which uses interchangeable modules. Lenovo also recently unveiled its modular tablet X1. But the modular devices have yet to be commercialized, due to such barriers as costs and concerns over practical use.

Last month, LG Electronics unveiled a series of modules offering such features as an improved camera and audio system. In particular, the company has formed a partnership with Danish premium audio system manufacturer Bang & Olufsen.

The electronics giant is also planning to expand the developing ecosystem globally by launching the second round of its developer conference in San Francisco next month.
By Lee Min-hyung

SK Telecom said Thursday that it has teamed up with Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) to showcase key technologies for electric vehicles (EV) at the upcoming international EV expo.

The announcement came as both companies formed a partnership in January for the construction of a nationwide EV infrastructure and to make enormous investments in developing core technologies for EV-related network systems.

The partnership will help both companies find new growth areas and seek new revenue sources in untapped markets, SK Telecom said in a statement.

The nation's largest mobile carrier plans to introduce its key information and communication technologies (ICT) such as infotainment systems and virtual reality (VR) for EVs at the International Jeju Electric Vehicle Expo, which kicks off on Friday.

In particular, the company will highlight its driverless tech at its booth, offering various experiences such as EVs equipped with fifth-generation (5G) network technology.

"We expect SK Telecom's ICT technologies will help vitalize the local EV industry, thereby helping us expand our presence into overseas markets," said Kwon Song, the company's Internet of Things (IoT) business chief, in a statement.

The EV expo will take place until Mar. 24, with more than 120 automakers and parts manufacturers joining the event to discuss the future of EVs. SK Telecom is the only local telecom operator participating in the expo.
The United States government would continue to assist Sri Lanka with their negotiations with the IMF and the debt restructuring

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The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

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Orange County Register.

Update: Department of Justice files suit to block sale to Tribune

New Tribune Publishing boss Michael Ferro wasn't going to be out-bid for Freedom Communications and its two newspapers, the Orange County Register and the Press-Enterprise in Riverside. Tribune bid $56 million to acquire the company, outbidding Digital First Media and a group led by Register executives.

What happens now is unclear. Yesterday's auction results go before a bankruptcy court judge on Monday, with some talk of a protest over the proceedings. Then there is the threat of antitrust objections from the U.S. Justice Department over Tribune becoming the sole newspaper owner in Orange County, especially when it also owns the Los Angeles Times and, to the south, the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The auction process itself sounded raucous, not getting started until after 7 p.m. following back and forth negotiations. "Local investors walk out as auction for OC Register, Press-Enterprise erupts into all-day battle," reads the headline in the Register.

A three-way bankruptcy auction for The Orange County Register and The Press-Enterprise turned into a major legal tussle on Wednesday, with an investor group led by Freedom Communications CEO Rich Mirman leaving the bidding after all-day negotiations stalled the auctions start.

As the bidding was to start  after lengthy delays  Mirmans investor group was told it had to add $5 million in cash for creditors to waive the right to sue the groups principal players  Mirman, Freedom Chairman Eric Spitz and Santa Ana developer Michael Harrah, according to Shulman. It was an irregular and unreasonable request over bogus claims, Shulman said.



For Tribune, the winner, it's a chance to dominate Southern California news publishing and save money at the Register by consolidating some functions with the Times (and possibly the U-T.)

The successful bid for the business of Freedom Communications will allow the Orange County Register and the Press-Enterprise to continue providing a distinct local voice in their communities and deliver premium news and information to consumers across Southern California, said Justin Dearborn, CEO of Tribune Publishing, in a press release from the company.

From the LA Times story:
This article appears in the March 18, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

Th e Deat h o f th e Tran s- Atlanti c World

by Robert Ingraham

[PDF version of this article]

Prologue

Dumbed-down Americans of today usually demand immediate, simple and practical solutions to the problems that the nation is facing. Serious political discourse has been replaced by Hollywood-style manipulation of the citizenry, resulting in a situation where a shallow-minded people are led around by the nose, with little thought or consideration given to the deeper issues of the day. Almost everything that most people think about the political process is a mere opinion, created for them by the media and their masters on Wall Streetand then swallowed by a gullible public.

Eight years ago it was the media hype and hysteria around the new hope personified by Barack Obama which swept the country. Today it is the macho anti-establishment rhetoric of Donald Trump that has seemingly come out of nowhere to galvanize the population. Neither of these represent actual political phenomena; rather, todays trans-Atlantic culture is an Orwellian society, driven by manufactured popular opinion and contentless media posturing, all aimed at a malleable electorate which has lost the ability to think historically.

As a result, the critically important historical moment which America and the rest of the world now finds itself at is lost on the people of America. They simply have no idea of what is actually going on. They have no understanding of the profound importance of the choices now facing the nation; nay, they do not even know that such choices exist.

I. The British Empire

On Nov. 14, 1716 the great historical fighter and genius Gottfried Leibniz died. With him died all hope of reversing the process of the transformation of England into a stratified oligarchical stateinto the headquarters for a new global empire.

For more than forty years, since his arrival in Paris in 1672, the towering personality of Leibniz had provided the leadership in Europe to resurrect the outlook of the fifteenth-century Florentine Renaissance. In science, philosophy, economics and diplomacy it was the mind of Leibniz which terrified the oligarchical rulers of Europe. It was Leibniz who revived and deepened the approach of Nicholas of Cusa, Filippo Brunelleschi, and Johannes Kepler, and who uncompromisingly defended and promulgated the true creative nature of the human species.

Between his arrival in Hannover in 1679 up until his death in 1716 Leibniz led a fight to establish England as a new center for republican and Renaissance values. This battle took on greater urgency after the Dutch invasion of 1688 and the subsequent efforts of the oligarchical Whig Junto to establish an oligarchical state and to clone the monetary and financial practices of Amsterdam onto London.

By no later than 1696 Leibniz was joined in this fight by Jonathan Swift, and after Leibniz helped sponsor the career of George Frideric Handel in England in 1710, that composer too became a leading ally in the fight against the growing ascendency of oligarchic culture and imperial practices in England.

The death of Queen Anne in 1714, followed two years later by the passing of Gottfried Leibniz, doomed these efforts within the British isles. The decisive victory of Britain in the Seven Years War and the provisions of the 1763 Treaty of Paris would establish the global hegemony of the British Empire as well as the relegation of continental Europe into a permanent subservience to that system of empire. Leibnizs efforts would live on, however, and be partially realized in 1776 and 1789 with the founding of the United States of America, a nation whose historic mission, as defined from the very beginning by Alexander Hamilton, was one of overthrowing the oligarchical power of Britain and promulgating a true human culture of progress and creativity. That mission, a sacred trust upon which the rest of humanity placed its hope, was never fully realized. By the Twentieth Century it was in retreat, and, as of 2016, it is a hairs-breadth away from vanishing forever.

Unless sufficient numbers of Americans, including those more intelligent individuals who inhabit influential positions within certain leading institutions, begin to recognize the true nature and the danger of the current crisis, the historic legacy of America is likely to be written for future generations as one of a great Shakespearean tragedyof what might have been, of an unrealized potential for human developmenta failure of the people of the nation to rise to the necessary level of culture and moral courage. The story of America will become only one more example of an unsuccessful attempt to establish republican culture and one more defeated effort to resist British imperial power.

Destroying the Human Identity

In a public discussion with the LaRouche PAC Policy Committee on March 7, 2016, Lyndon LaRouche stated the following:

Go back to the early Nineteenth Century, or into the Nineteenth Century, as such, before Bertrand Russell, and the Bertrand Russell effect is the thing that has destroyed the trans-Atlantic community. But Russell was evil. He was successfully evil. And so, therefore, you see the possibility and the implications. The development of the minds of the people, since the beginning of Bertrand Russells appearance on the screen, has been one of continuing, not even evil, but that kind of force of destruction. People are becoming more and more stupid, more and more insane.

In his Four Reports, particularly in his 1791 Report on the Subject of Manufactures, Alexander Hamilton defined not merely an economic policy for the United States, but a cultural outlook. For Hamilton, George Washington, and their allies, the concept of the nature of mankind was the Leibnizian view. The creative potential which exists within each human individualthis is what lies at the core of Hamiltons economics. A future orientation of progress, scientific advancement, and the potential for an increasing perfectibility of human society defined Americas mission in the eyes of Hamilton and his friends.

This was also the outlook of Gottfried Leibniz, and, as Leibniz fully understood, it is in the realm of defining the true nature of the human species that the actual warfare against the oligarchical system takes place.

As both Jason Ross of the LaRouche Basement team and Dr. Ernie Shapiro of the Manhattan Project have recently demonstrated, the crucial point of attack taken by Leibniz in his fight with Isaac Newton is the nature of the human identity. For Leibniz, man is made in the image of the Creator, and the human mind possesses wondrous qualities of reason and creativity. For Newton, an employee of the ascendent empire faction in London, man is a beast, a wretchincapable of understanding universal processes or unleashing the secrets of the universe through actual human discovery.

Through the efforts of the British Royal Society and individuals such as Jeremy Bentham, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Charles Darwin, and Thomas Huxley, Newtons oligarchical view of human nature spread through both the Anglo-American world as well as into continental Europe during the entirety of the Nineteenth Century. This became the cultureas well as the hegemonic scientific methodof the entire trans-Atlantic world.

Library of Congress

In 1903, less than two years after the murder of U.S. President William McKinley, the British aristocrat Lord Bertrand Russell published The Principles of Mathematics. It is in this early work that Russell first argued his thesis that mathematics and logic are identical, and since, according to Russell, simple logic is the highest form of mental activity that the human species is capable of, it follows that all human mental processes can be defined in mathematical terms. With this one writing, further developed in many subsequent works, Russell denies that human creativity exists. He denies the very essence of the human identity.

Russells 1903 work was only the opening salvo. This oligarchical onslaught reached a crescendo with the assault against Einstein at the 1927 Fifth Solvay Conference and then escalated after World War II. The development of modern-day Information Theory is but one of the many effects of the supremacy of Russells views within the scientific establishment. Russell denies true human discovery and the Renaissance method of hypothesis. The twentieth-century dominance of Russells views within the scientific establishment and the intelligentsia of the trans-Atlantic world has led to a twenty-first-century culture of despair, pessimism, and hedonism.

This has been the intent of the degenerate oligarchy since the time of Leibniz. In the Twentieth Century this anti-human outlook came to dominate the trans-Atlantic world, corrupting all national cultures in Europe and the Americas. Despite sporadic resistence and counter-measures, trans-Atlantic culture is now fully subservient to the bestial outlook of Russell and his imperial friends.

II. The Impending Tragedy of the United States

For the entirety of its existence the United States has existed within a global environment dominated by the British Empire. America never fully succeeded in fulfilling its raison detreto destroy the power and outlook of the British Empire. Victories have been won, but the power and control of the British Empire has never been broken. The death of Hamilton shattered the initial American effort, and after the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800, the vision and intent of the first Washington Administration became a minority view throughout most of the subsequent history of America. The ever-weakening republican impulse was fighting within a global environment controlled by Britain.

The number of truly great U.S. PresidentsWashington, Quincy Adams, Lincoln, Franklin Rooseveltcan be counted on the fingers of one hand. A small handful of others, including Grant, McKinley, Kennedy, and Reagan also demonstrated admirable courage in fighting for the American republican outlook. Almost all of the rest have been worthless, and more than a few outright scoundrels and traitors.

After 1900 things became much worse, as the culture of America was perverted and degraded and the true American identity began to vanish. Since then there have been four crucial turning points, each of which greatly worsened the situation inside the United States:

 1901The assassination of William McKinley. This act brought to a sudden end the 1861-1901 Lincoln Era. The Teddy Roosevelt presidency, combined with the early twentieth-century role of Bertrand Russell, initiated the process of assimilating the United States into the practices, culture, philosophy and scientific methodology of the British Empire.

 The 1944-1945 turning point in the United States, including the FBI-orchestrated right-wing turn in America, the death of Franklin Roosevelt, and the social and strategic counter-revolution carried out under Harry Truman. These developments resulted in the full integration of the United States into the British-controlled trans-Atlantic systemculturally, economically, and geopolitically.

National Law Enforcement Museum

 The defeat of the 1980-86 collaboration between Lyndon LaRouche and Ronald Reagan around the Strategic Defense Initiative and the subsequent imprisonment of LaRouche in 1989. This destroyed the last significant opportunity to reverse the post-1945 pro-imperial trend within the United States.

EIRNS/Stuart Lewis

 The period from 2001 to the present, inclusive of the entirety of the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. These 15 years have witnessed an unprecedented destruction of Americas productive capabilities, combined with a devastating intellectual, cultural and moral degeneracy, which now poses the question of whether the nation can continue to exist in its current form.

White House/Pete Souza

The current trans-Atlantic reality was not always so. John Quincy Adams actions on behalf of a Community of Principle among nations, Abraham Lincolns battle with the British-sponsored slave system of the Confederacy and the late nineteenth-century initiatives of James Blaine and William McKinley against the British Empire are all representative of the positive thread that runs through American history. But McKinley was murdered one hundred fifteen years ago, and except for the twelve-year presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, this recent era of more than one century has been characterized by the steady absorption of the United States into the policies and cultural outlook of the trans-Atlantic world.

We now find ourselves in a situation where the once-productive economy of the United States is a rubble heap. Our space program has been almost eliminated. The banking and financial system only continues to exist through outlandish and unsustainable gambling methods, ready to come crashing down at any moment. Most Americans have now joined with the residents of Britain and continental Europe in hysterical opposition to the development of nuclear power, perhaps the clearest example of the breakdown of cognitive abilities within the population. The educational system no longer works, and tens of millions, particular among the youth, clamor for the legalization of recreational drugs. A bestial view of mankind has become the dominant cultural matrix.

This is not sustainable. This is the death of our national culture. This is a tragedy on the real-world stage, as everything which was established in 1775-1789 is about to be lost.

III. The End of the trans-Atlantic World

One of the more despicable features of current trans-Atlantic culture is a Euro-centric or Western-centric view of the world. Many Europeans like to pride themselves that they are not as stupid as Americans, that they are more knowledgeable about world affairs, but the issue here is not knowledge but chauvinism. Almost all Americans and Europeans have an ingrained cultural outlook of a trans-Atlantic-centered world view. European culture, of which the United States is an offshoot, is accepted as the most advanced in human history. Lip service is paid to the equality of all human beings, but it is quietly understood that Europe and America were the creators of modern art, science, and music. All other cultures, all other nations, although perhaps interesting, are inferior.

This outlook goes beyond the cultural realm into the arena of geopolitics and power. Beginning with the sixteenth-century colonial expeditions of Spain and Portugal, and continuing up to the present day, the trans-Atlantic nations have insisted that it is their right to run the world. Particularly, beginning with the establishment of the British Empire in 1763, and continuing through all of the Nineteenth Century and into World War II, the vast majority of the peoples of the world were reduced to the status of colonial subjects of the European powers. This lasted for centuries.

That legacy, ingrained into trans-Atlantic culture, has led to a type of arrogance which one sees today in Barack Obama or in the reactions of Angela Merkel and other European leaders to the recent rational measures taken by Vladimir Putin. The attitude is simply, We must be obeyed. This arrogance of power is now disintegrating, and it is soon to be gone with the wind. The way in which the world has operated for the past three centuries is about to undergo a radical transformation. A seismic realignment of human affairs, as unstoppable as the self-destruction of the fifth-century Roman Empire, is already underway. The reality is that in the decades ahead Europe will increasingly be relegated to the fringes of the economic and scientific power emerging out of Asia.

A Dying Society

Every single nation in Western and Central Europe has a birth rate below replacement levels. As a people they are willing themselves out of existence. In order for a society to reproduce itself it is necessary for every woman of child-bearing age to bear, on average, 2.1 children. Every European nation, with the singular exception of Putins Russia, is below that. Germany, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland are among the lowest in the world in birth rates. In southern and eastern Europe, where the effects of economic looting by the European Union have been the most brutal, birth rates have dropped below 1.3 per adult woman. If this continues the population there will be cut in half in just 45 years. In Italy, many cities, such as Milan and Bologna recorded rates lower than 1.0, which are the lowest birthrates in the entire world.

This process of societal suicide has been accompanied by a dramatic collapse of culture.

Europeans, even 20 to 30 years ago, prided themselves on a vibrant classical music tradition, including not just premier orchestra and opera houses, but, far more important, a classical tradition in families, neighborhoods, the churches, and the schools. The German phenomenon of musikabends is paradigmatic of this tradition. Today, much of this is gone, vanished, and only sustained by a dwindling number of participants. And for many of the opera and concert-goers in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Milanthey have lost the ability to morally distinguish classical culture from the hegemonic bestial pop musical culture. What the music of Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven tells us about the true nature of the human mind, the human soul and the human identity is struggling to survive.

The United States has not been immune to the effects of this deep cultural pessimism. Six years into the presidency of George W. Bush, in 2007, U.S. births dropped below replacement level for the first time in the nations history. By 2014 a study by the Centers for Disease Control reported that an American woman will give birth to an average of 1.88 children over her lifetime, a record low in American history

A Sudden Change

During the same discussion with the LaRouche PAC Policy Committee cited above, Lyndon LaRouche had the following to say:

Everything has changed. Everything that was understood beforehand, is no longer true. And we get intimations of that, as well as direct observations. And this is really something. We are at the point where the entire U.S. system is on the verge of a general collapse. Thats whats on now. Thats the situation. Thats the reality. And theres no hope, theres no hope that under the present programs, that the U.S. system will able to continue to operate in its customary way. Its about ready to collapse. And thats what the general condition is.

And so what theyre trying to do is cover up this fact, that there is no solution available for the entire economy. The entire economy is vulnerable. It could disintegrate very rapidly. And the warnings were given beforehand, even years beforehand. And weve come to a point, theyre still doing the same old stupid thing. And its worse than ever before.

So, youre in a situation where we cannot be secure in any assumption about what the next situation is going to be, because there can be different kinds of reactions to what this crisis, which is coming down on us. It can be, some people can handle it, some people can deal with it, Some people could respond in a rational way. . . .

So, were working on an enigma, of which we have certain signs of possibility. Thats what we have.

On the surface we can say that the errors of the United States, its characteristic, you could talk about various parts of Europe, their follies, and characteristics, they are all there. But the question is, where are the solutions found?

The solutions are found in Putin, whos a leader, China, a leader, and other nations which are being teased into that category. Theyre not into it. I mean, India is not into that category, its on the edge of it. Its on the edge of the possibility of it. And other parts of the area, there are some that could become something.

Its the end of the old system. It needs to be replaced. It can be done. Its dangerous. Dont lose your nerve.

The British imperial system has reached the terminus of its quarter-millennium existence. It is bankrupt, economically ruined, and morally degenerate. If America remains locked into the axioms of the trans-Atlantic world, it will go down with it. Nothing can prevent that.

What is required is a shift. Everything doesnt have to happen at once. The Florentine Renaissance wasnt created in one day. But any hope for the future does depend an a decision being made, and that decision must be made by a growing number of Americans as well as leaders within the nations establishment. America must ally with Russia and China against the interests of London and Wall Street. We must cut the trans-Atlantic system loose. This means shutting down the practices of Wall Street, permanently closing all of the hedge funds and other speculative institutions, and initiating economic reconstruction.

Again, none of this can be fully realized in one day or one week, but the decision to act can be instantaneous. As Lyndon LaRouche stated above, we live in a very dangerous world. The shift required to see our way through this danger is to simply offer a hand of friendship to Russia and Chinato say, We no longer are bound by our traditional ties with Britain and Europe. We want to work with you to build a better world. An obvious place to start would be in full collaboration on a crash space program. That decision will change everything.
This article appears in the March 18, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

ACADEMICIA N MIKHAI L TITARENK O I N MEMORIAM

Visionary of Eurasian Cooperation

by Rachel Douglas

[PDF version of this article]

March 10A man passed away on Feb. 25, 2016, whose name the reader likely has never heard, although he changed your life. Academician Mikhail Titarenko, who died at the age of 81 after a lengthy illness, headed the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IFES RAS) from 1985 until last year.

Founder of the Schiller Institutes, Helga Zepp-LaRouche wrote in a message of condolence to the late academicians colleagues, If the world is pulled back from the abyss and a new paradigm brings about a new chapter in human history, it will be thanks to the strategic alliance between Russia and China, and Mikhail Titarenko has probably contributed more than anyone else for it to come into being.

Titarenko was, Zepp-LaRouche continued, the perfect example of why the study and knowledge of other cultures is the basis for peace. He was one of the foremost intellectual authors of what has become the Eurasian development perspective of the New Silk Road, the Eurasian Land-bridge, and the BRICS (the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa group of countries).

IGNAT SOLOVEY/STRF.RU

Academician Titarenko became one of Russias leading Sinologists during years when Chinese-Russian relations were rocky, to say the least. As a young graduate of Moscow State University in philosophy, he went in 1957 to study for two years at Beijing University, earning qualifications in Chinese language and philosophy. He studied not only socialist teachings, but also philosophy as taught by scholars of an older generation, such as Feng Youlan (1895-1990), who had reintroduced the study of all schools of ancient Chinese thought, and, in particular, the neo-Confucianism of Zhu Xi (1130-1200AD).

Following his studies, Titarenkos career coincided with the Sino-Soviet split, beginning in 1960. Despite intense economic cooperation in the 1950s, relations between the two countries deteriorated to the point of armed clashes on the Ussuri River in 1969. During these years, Titarenko was in the diplomatic service at the Soviet Consulate in Shanghai (1961-62) and the Embassy in Beijing (1963-65). He then worked for twenty years as a China expert at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, all the while pursuing his studies of China and earning advanced degrees.

He later supervised the production of a Russian encyclopedic dictionary of Chinese philosophy, and the five-volume Encyclopedia of the Spiritual and Intellectual Culture of China. In one of his last writings, the 2014 book Russia and China: Strategic Partnership and the Challenges of Today, Academician Titarenko termed the Russia-China strategic partnership in the Twenty-first Century a tectonic shift in the world.

The Strategic Triangle

Titarenko assumed leadership of the IFES RAS in 1985, on the eve of the beginnings of a turnaround in Chinese-Russian Relations. Though Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachov visited Beijing in 1989 and met with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, ending three decades of hostility, diplomatic contacts between the countries were sporadic in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

A visit to Russia by then-President Jiang Zemin in 1998 served as a keynote for coming changes. Arriving three months after the August 1998 financial crash in Russia, Jiang not only visited Moscow, but stopped at the science center of Akademgorodok in Novosibirsk. There Jiang spoke to the real Russia, pointing to Russian prowess in science and technology as a shining beacon of the inexhaustible human wisdom that makes possible the progress of mankind.

One month later while visiting New Delhi, Russian Prime Minister Yevgeni Primakov announced his initiative for the formation of a Russia-India-China strategic triangle in Eurasia. This step opened the door to greatly intensified bilateral and trilateral diplomacy among the great powers of the Eurasian continent, and to the formalization of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2001 and, ultimately, of BRICS. As the 2014 EIR Special Report The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge put it, the collaboration of the Eurasian powers, proposed by Primakov, came to life through a years-long sequence of three-way academic and diplomatic meetings; after many turns in the road, the RIC combination today is the core of the alliance called the BRICS.

Pages and pages of condolence messages on the IFES RAS website, in Chinese, English, and Russian, make clear that Mikhail Titarenko was a prime mover of this process. They can be read here: Perusing these messages from prominent scholars around the world provides a unique window into current history.

Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty of the Indian Institute of Chinese Studies wrote to the acting director of the IFES RAS, Dr. Sergei Luzyanin:

The birth of the RIC (Russia-India-China) academic forum largely was the outcome of Professor Titarenkos initiative. It was he who had proposed the idea of cooperation among scholars and governments of India, China, and Russia in 1998 to the Institute of Chinese Studies, after which we took it up with the Chinese scholars who warmly responded to the proposal. That academic forum had inspired the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of RIC, leading to many high-level initiatives. On its efforts today BRICS has emerged as a globally significant force, playing a major role in restructuring of the international political economy. The RIC Academic Forum continues to meet alternately in the three countries, taking up crucial matters of peace, security and sustainable development. Having closely worked with Academician Titarenko on this multilateral initiative, I particularly remember his contribution to this process, his research-based writing on the subject and critical interventions on policy issues, his vision for creating a just and equitable world, in the making of which our three countries can play a significant role.

There are scores of such tributes on the IFES RAS site, from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the Russian Ambassadors to China and India; from dozens of Chinese government officials and university scholars, the Chinese-Russian Friendship Society, Chinas national Anti-Terrorism Committee, and leading Chinese publications; from Korea, Vietnam, more from India, from institutes of the RAS and regional Russian universities, and a handful of American and European scholars.

Ambassador A.M. Kadakin, currently representing Russia in India, called Titarenko a wise mentor to several generations of Russian diplomats. Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church hailed his work on promoting the study of Chinas ancient culture in Russia, developing Chinese-Russian relations, and helping to revive the Orthodox Church in China, where it had a historical presence especially in the northeast.

My colleague Ramtanu Maitra of EIR wrote to the IFES that he had the good fortune of meeting [Academician Titarenko] once in New Delhi in the late 1990s after Prime Minister Primakov had initiated the concept of developing the Russia-China-India triangle to stabilize the world in the post-Cold War days. Academician Titarenko was speaking at a conference which I, along with a few Indian friends, some of whom he knew, attended. On the side, discussing the world affairs, I was impressed not only about his understanding of the region, but his sincere goodwill about us all. I found him a man of great integrity, deeply opposed to geopolitics and conflicts.

Academician Titarenkos acquaintance with the Schiller Institute and Helga Zepp-LaRouches campaign for the Eurasian Land-Bridge dates back to the mid-1990s, when his IFES colleagues were inspired by and publicized the Eurasian Land-Bridge concept and map, published in the EIR Special Report The Eurasian Land-Bridge: The New Silk Road Locomotive for Worldwide Economic Development. That report contained Zepp-LaRouches address to the May 1996 Beijing International Symposium on Economic Development of the Regions along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge. In 1998, both she and Titarenko took part in the mobile Beijing International Symposium on Economic Development of the Regions along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge, in which, as participant Mary Burdman reported in EIR at the time, delegates from eight nations toured four Chinese cities to inspect the actual conditions in the land-bridge region, and discuss its future development with national and regional Chinese leaders.

Titarenko fought for many years to overcome the prejudice of some in Russia who believed that Chinese continental bridge routes would be developed to the detriment of Russias Trans-Siberian Railway. In 2011 he welcomed Chinese interest in creating a transcontinental transport corridor from Southeast Asia to Europe through Russia. While noting that China recognizes this corridor through Russia, and is even offering certain efforts to develop this project, Titarenko admonished Russian officials that the corridor would function only if Russias own railways, including the Trans-Sib, were drastically modernized to handle fast container shipping.

The meeting of minds between Academician Titarenko and the Schiller Institute is well expressed by his 30th anniversary greeting to the institute in October 2014, and Zepp-LaRouches condolence letter to Prof. Luzyanin.

Titarenkos Message

To the Schiller Institute

Dear Professor [Lyndon] LaRouche, Dear Helga:

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Schiller Institute, please accept congratulations and best wishes from me personally, as well as from the many scholars at our Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Far East Studies who know your work and activity.

For many years, you and your Institute have been doing exceptionally important work to shape a new international economic order and improve the world climate. The projects of the Schiller Institute, particularly those related to the Economic Belt of the Great Silk Road, the railway bridge in Eurasia, and the rehabilitation of the world financial system, are testimony to your profound insight, scientific honesty, and genuine civic and human courage.

In these current difficult times, we wish the Schiller Institute success in bringing your initiatives to fruition, as well as even more widespread recognition. To you personally, and all your colleagues: good health, redoubled creative energy, spiritual and intellectual well-being, and complete happiness!

Helga Zepp-LaRouches Letter

Dear Professor Luzyanin,

From myself, my husband Lyndon LaRouche, and in the name of the international Schiller Institute, I would like to extend to you and all your colleagues at the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Far Eastern Studies deepest condolences on the death of Academician Mikhail Titarenko.

I have been privileged to know Academician Titarenko personally and to see him act as one of the intellectual fathers and most energetic organizers of the prospect of productive collaboration between Russia and China on the project of the New Silk Road and the Eurasian Land-bridge. Today, the development of that cooperation, with its further extension through the strategic triangle China-India-Russia and then BRICS, gives mankind hope for a new, optimistic era of civilization, despite the tremendous danger of a new world war and economic collapse. If the world is pulled back from the abyss and a new paradigm brings about a new chapter in human history, it will be thanks to the strategic alliance between Russia and China, and Mikhail Titarenko has probably contributed more than anyone else for it to come into being.

During our 1998 travel symposium on the Eurasian Land-bridge, in which I had the honor and pleasure to participate with Academician Titarenko and Academician Dmitri Lvov, when we visited Beijing, Nanjing, Lianyungang, and Qinhuangdao, I came to appreciate what a powerful gift Mikhail Titarenko was giving to his own country and the world by using his profound knowledge of China to promote Chinese-Russian cooperation and build support for the Eurasian development perspective. He is the perfect example of why the study and knowledge of other cultures is the basis for peace. This journey will remain one of the outstanding memories of my life.

You have my best wishes for success in carrying forward the great work of Academician Titarenko. Please convey our deep sympathy to his family.
This article appears in the March 18, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

EDITORIAL

To Save the U.S. Economy,

Revive the Space Program!

by Kesha Rogers of Texas, a Leader of the LaRouche PAC Policy Committee

[PDF version of this article]

Its in the DNA of our country to explore, and we must never stop doing this;

we must lead, we must learn, and we must discover. Astronaut Scott Kelly

Scott Kelly is absolutely right! It is in our cultural DNA to explore! It is in the DNA of every human being to explore. This is the creative nature that is unique only to the human species, the only species that can create new scientific breakthroughs, the only species that can conquer space.

Now the United States faces a critical decision which will determine the future of our nation. Will we continue to go along with the dying policy of the trans-Atlantic system, which is a policy of death for our U.S. economy at the hands of the bankrupt Wall Street financial institutions and the destructive policies of the last four terms of the Bush and Obama Administrations? Or, will we restore a national mission and vision for the future of our nation, to once again lead the world in scientific and economic progress? We have to lift our nation once more out of the depths of despair. It is urgent that we revive a scientific mission, if we are to restart the economic progress of our nation again. This must be done in cooperation with the effort being led by the nations of Russia and China, as leaders of the BRICS nations, to bring about a new win-win paradigm for the direction of mankind on the planet. The greatest tool that we have in the United States for bringing about that renewed mission and renewed optimism for our nation, is fully launching a revival of our national space program, with all its irreplaceable contributions to scientific and economic progress.

In a discussion with activists on March 10, Lyndon LaRouche declared, The space program has been the basis for all competent economic policy. It is something that Obama shut down, and destroyed the possibility to organize the economy. He elaborated further, We need a scientific program based on scientifically qualified principles. The only way to save the U.S. economy is with the space program. Put the people back to work. Get rid of Obama and the Bush family, and lets get back to rebuilding the United States.

This fight and mission, to revive our space program, is one in which I have continued to lead. In 2010, I launched a national campaign for U.S. Congress to denounce the egregious attacks on our space program, the cuts to manned space program, and the canceling of Constellation by President Obama. This was one of the greatest wrongs done to our nation by any President, because he shut down the basis of our ability to improve our relationship with our solar system.

This is a policy that must now be reversed, or the United States may never recover again. Today, faced with a worse than useless slate of Presidential pre-election candidates, I have re-launched that initiative on an even broader level, to change the subject of policy discussion and debate, and restore a national mission centered around putting our space program at the forefront of our national agenda.

Over the last few weeks, in expanding on these efforts, I have held events and attended meetings to organize some of the best scientific and most-skilled minds of our nation, who have been instrumental in the building of our manned space program at Johnson Space Center, to recognize that what we are fighting for is nothing less than the future of our nation. Through these interventions, a growing cadre of qualified scientists, engineers, and astronauts are beginning to do more than reminisce on the old glory days, or lament todays lack of leadership and budgets; they are beginning to use their scientific authority to define what our future must be. With this, we have witnessed a renewed optimism, and new willingness to speak up.

Visionary Leadership

It has always been the creative nature of mankind to explore new horizons and to create new frontiers. But the cause of exploring and conquering space, presents to man a whole new set of questions and new challenges that must be solved. The first step to solving the challenges of understanding man as man in the universe, starts with vision. Our space program would not have witnessed the great breakthroughs it has afforded to us, increasing the progress of mankind, if it had not been for the creative imagination of great visionaries and pioneers of space. Yet the pioneers of rocketry and space flight knew that their ideas would never even come close to being realized without a leader with vision. Our nations leaders who had vision, who understood that human progress starts by removing all limitation to growth, have been few and far between. Great visionaries understood that where there was no vision, the people would perish.

President John F. Kennedy was a brilliant example of true leadership with vision. President Kennedy was inspired by the efforts of great leaders like President Franklin Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, whose American system tradition he adhered to. It was under the leadership of Lincoln with the development of the trans-continental railway system, and Franklin Roosevelts Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), that our nation saw some of its greatest economic progress. Now Kennedy had a unique opportunity to put the United States back on the map toward greatness, and lead the world in the drive for developing space. The vision for the space program that Kennedy set out for the nation was one that would transform our economic progress in virtually every field. This did not happen without a fight, but what Kennedy showed, like Lincoln and FDR, was that we could take the most desperate and economically-collapsed areas of our nation and turn them into productive machines. This is why President Kennedys announcement that we would land a man on the Moon and return him safely to earth before the end of the decade, was not just a short term thrill or merely the effort to come in first in a space race, but would prove instrumental to the economic progress of the nation.

Kennedy understood that it was not just the destiny our nation to go to the Moon, but, as all the great pioneers of space have taught us, it was our destiny to conquer and terraform all of space for the progress of all mankind.

These words expressed by President Kennedy in his famous Rice University speech, given in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 12, 1962, make clear Kennedys promotion of the true cause of mankind in conquering space.

We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people.

We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Today, our nation is left void of a real vision, and of competent leadership acting for the future. We, the American people, must demand a return to sanity now. The space program once again stands as the only viable solution for pulling the United States out of the depths of death and despair, and reviving the greatest talents and minds of our nation. We must take these great resources of mind and put them to work again in restoring the physical and economic progress of the country, just as we did under the leadership of Presidents Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and Kennedy. We require a vision and true leadership, to inspire the people of our nation, and to once again inspire the world. This effort will not be achieved by the United States alone, but only through abandoning the dead corpse of the trans-Atlantic system, run by a ruinous British empire and its destructive puppet in the White house, Obama. We must join with nations like Russia, India, and especially China, to bring about a renewed mission, putting an end to the political and economic strife by turning our eyes to the common aims of mankind, by developing mankinds understanding of the universe in which we live, through the development of space. Where shall we take our minds? The Chinese are leading the charge. . . to the far side of the Moon!
PRESS RELEASE

Chinas First Female Astronaut Describes the Coming Breakthroughs in Space Technology

March 16, 2017 (EIRNS)China Central Television (CCTV) runs an interview today with Liu Yang, Chinas first female astronaut. She is a National Peoples Congress Deputy, and is attending the annual legislative conference as part of the PLA delegation. Liu flew on the Shenzhou-9 mission in 2012, which was the first manned mission to dock with the Tiangong-1 module.

The interviewer asked for her reaction to President Xis emphasis on innovation in the military. Liu says they are developing "cutting-edge" technology, and cites the advancements in human spaceflight over the course of the Shenzhou missions. Asked about the reforms in the military, she says that there will be 300,000 fewer troops, and she hopes that when they take off their uniforms, there will be plans to "resettle" her colleagues.

For the next mission later this year, Shenzhou-11, she said that the next module, Tiangong-2, will "truly be a space lab," with a 30-day stay for the two-man crew, and technical support breakthroughs, making a "great leap." Asked if she plans to fly again, she did not respond directly, but said that in the future, people will make "multiple journeys," and astronauts are still in training. She explains that it took thousands of hours of practice on the ground, in the operation of the spacecraft and the scientific experiments, to prepare for her mission.
PRESS RELEASE

Brazil Fights Back Against Bankers Coup: Former President Lula Named to Cabinet; Brits Go Wild

March 16, 2016 (EIRNS)President Dilma Rousseff announced this afternoon that former President Lula da Silva will be sworn in next week (March 23) as her Chief of Staff, defying the obituaries being written of an end to her presidency. The audacious move signalled an intention to fight back against an "anti-corruption" campaign which has wrecked the economy, would hand the countrys politics over to Wall Street and the City of London, and pull Brazil out of the BRICS.

Brazils British/Wall Street enemies who thought to oust Rousseff quickly, have gone into flight forward, fearing that economic changes could accompany this appointment, which could move in the direction of the BRICS-oriented growth policies proposed by Rousseff and Lulas Workers Party in a "National Emergency Plan" released in February.

Within hours of the announcement, Judge Sergio Moro, the would-be king-maker running the anti-corruption operation, released to the press recordings from Federal Police tapping of Lulas phone in recent daysincluding one of his conversations with President Rousseff today.

This "arbitrary act," involving the tapping of the telephone of the President of the Nation, aims at stimulating "social convulsion," Lula da Silvas defense lawyer, Cristiano Zanin Martins, rightly charged. Furthermore, he pointed out, criminal charges have not been brought against former President Lula, nor does Judge Moro have jurisdiction over a case against Lula.

Moro models his "anti-corruption" operation, point for point, on British intelligences "Mani Pulite" (Clean Hands) operation which tore apart Italys political system in the 1990s and handed the country over to the financiers, and their agents such as Mario Draghi.

In his 2004 study, "Thoughts on Operation Mani Pulite," Judge Moro describes how Clean Hands "redrew" the Italian political map, collapsing the parties which had dominated the country since the end of World War II. Ten suspects committed suicide under the pressure, he wrote there, but "the presumption of innocence, invoked most times as an obstacle to pre-trial imprisonment, is not absolute," and should not be used as a "moral obstacle to imprisonment by decree." Italys Clean Hands operation could not have succeeded without ample use of pre-trial detention of suspects to gain "confessions" in exchange for reduced sentences and leaking of those confessions to the press before any charges or trial! in order to delegitimize the political class as a whole, and thus turn "public opinion" into the battering ram for operation, he wrote.
PRESS RELEASE

Russia Successfully Uses Accelerator-Based Neutron Source for Cancer Therapy

March 16, 2016 (EIRNS)An accelerator-based neutron source has been used for successful cancer treatment, Alexei Khadayev of the Russia & India Report (RIR) reported today. An accelerator-based neutron source at Novosibirsk was used by researchers belonging to Russias Institute of Nuclear Physics, and Japanese neurosurgeons from the University of Tsukuba in early March. The scientists say the targeted therapy method could be used even for tumor types that do not respond to other treatment; for example, glioblastoma, a common form of brain tumor, with an average life-expectancy after diagnosis of just over a year, Khadayev wrote.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a binary radiation treatment modality based on nuclear reactions between thermal neutrons and stable isotope boron-10 concentrated primarily in cancer cells. The modus operandi for the delivery of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation (particles and lithium-7) to tumors at the cellular level, while avoiding unnecessary dose deposits to healthy tissue, was known. However, as of now, most BNCT studies and clinical treatments have been performed by using research reactors that have always produced various neutrons from a nuclear fission chain reaction. Since these reactors are difficult to install in hospitals, and have other logistical difficulties, researchers are seeking a compact way to use the BNCT in hospitals and clinics.

The article said the Japanese brought new, more efficient boron-containing drugs for therapy to Siberia. The promising agents were added to the culture of tumor cells. After that, the Siberian physicists irradiated them with neutrons in their installation. The use of an accelerator was a success. However, neurosurgeon Dr. Kei Nakai, at the University of Tsukuba, told RIR that a requirement for making the method a success, would be development of compact and safe accelerators.
Award-winning author Jamaica Kincaid began her talk at ALOUDs program Empire of Words: An Unsentimental Journey to the Birth of the OED on Tuesday night with a story about her childhood in the Caribbean island of Antigua. As punishment for acting out during class, a 10-year old Kincaid was forced to read John Miltons Paradise Lost.

I fell in love with Lucifer, the author joked at the sold-out event. She continued that the reason she writes long sentences, as critics seem to complain, was because she read three books at a young age: Paradise Lost, the King James Bible, and the Oxford English Dictionary.

My mother gave me a concise copy of the Oxford English Dictionary and I read it like a book, she said.

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As she spoke, Kincaids phone went off.

Digging through her purse to turn it off, she joked: See, this is why I was getting in trouble.

Thus began the evening conversation that paired Kincaid with Sarah Ogilvie, Stanford Universitys Lecturer of Linguistics and author of Words of The World: A Global History of the Oxford English Dictionary with Cambridge University Press. The discussion is part of a month-long celebration of the Oxford English Dictionary presented by the Library Foundations ALOUD literary series and the Los Angeles Public Library.

Ogilvie shared stories of her stint as chief editor of Oxford Dictionaries, where she had access to the archives that showed the very start of how the dictionary was conceived. As Ogilvie explained, volunteer readers were asked to go through their reading libraries and mail in slips of paper with English words they had selected to be included in the dictionary.

It was very interesting for me to see how men and women responded differently to the words they selected, Ogilvie said.

One example she cited was when two volunteers were both reading a journal of an African journey. The male volunteer submitted words such as table and chair, whereas the woman reading the same book selected more exciting words.

Kincaid concluded that because womens lives were much more confined at that time, it made sense for them to be attracted to the more exotic, adventurous words. She recalled being attracted to the word gloaming in a copy of Jane Eyre when she was 10 years old.

It was such a foreign concept. Gloaming, she said. There is no gloaming in the Caribbean. Its just night or day. Thats it. She found a way to incorporate the word in her writing when she was 28 years old.

According to Ogilvie, Kincaid is quoted in the latest version of the Oxford English Dictionary 14 times for the use of words that are particular to the Caribbean such as soursop, and antiquated British words, such as wanton, in reference to music or color. Even the word sublime has a different connotation for Kincaid.

Sublime was something awful, even terrifying. Not the way people use it now, Kincaid said, with her hands in fists. The audience laughed when she expressed how much she couldnt stand the word.

The conversation ended with Ogilvie explaining how the American influence has taken over the dictionary, and with Kincaid telling the audience the story of how she came to travel to New York city when she was 17 years old and eventually ended up working at the New Yorker.

I happened to do things that I probably should not have done, she joked without going into specific details.

The OED celebration continues this weekend with A Very L.A. Spelling Bee, where participants of all ages will be able to compete in a dual language English and Spanish spelling bee.
Nearly every American car would be equipped with automatic emergency braking within six years under an unprecedented pact announced Thursday between federal regulators and the auto industry.

The agreement was reached between the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and 20 automakers that represent nearly the entire U.S. auto market.

The so-called AEB systems are part of the technological march toward an age of autonomous vehicles. They use on-car sensors such as cameras, lasers and radar to detect an imminent crash and apply the brakes if the driver doesnt act quickly enough.

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They would be standard on all cars and light trucks by 2022. A record 17.5 million cars and light trucks were sold in the United States last year.

The unprecedented commitment means that this important safety technology will be available to more consumers more quickly than would be possible through the regulatory process, the NHTSA said.

The automakers include Ford, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Kia and Tesla Motors.

Having vehicles with automatic braking can reduce rear-end crashes by about 40%, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates.

But the pact came under renewed attack from some consumer-safety groups, which want to see strict regulations instead.

And some analysts said the agreement might simply prove to formalize the automakers existing advancements in driver-assisted safety features.

AEB systems already are available as an option on many vehicles, including mid-priced cars, and often are bundled with other safety features. Those systems can range from several hundred dollars to more than $2,000, depending on the vehicle and the included features.

Its become a more ubiquitous feature across most price ranges in just the last couple of years, said Karl Brauer, an analyst with Kelley Blue Book.

Its nice that theyre making this official commitment, but you wouldnt be competitive as an automaker if you didnt have automatic emergency

braking by 2022 anyway, he said.

Regardless, bypassing the regulatory process would save three years in making the automatic braking systems standard equipment, according to the NHTSA, which is part of the U.S. Transportation Department.

During that three-year span, having AEB systems built into cars would prevent 28,000 crashes and 12,000 injuries nationwide, according to IIHS estimates.

By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

But the consumer-safety groups want mandatory regulations on the grounds that the government-industry pact for AEB systems would not require public hearings or be enforceable.

Consumer Watchdog, Ralph Naders Center for Auto Safety and former NHTSA administrator Joan Claybrook filed a joint petition with the NHTSA in January seeking such regulations.

History shows that when car companies dont comply with federal safety regulations, Americans die, Consumer Watchdog founder Harvey Rosenfield said in a statement Thursday.

After the faulty GM ignition-switch and Toyota brake problems that took so many lives, after the Hyundai and VW fuel-economy scandals, youd think NHTSA would have learned that allowing the automobile industry to regulate itself through secret agreements is a threat to the public health and safety, Rosenfield said.

The NHTSA said the automakers progress in meeting their commitment to install the AEB systems would be monitored by Consumer Reports magazine.

Jake Fisher, director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said in a statement that the magazine would hold automakers accountable for their commitments to making the braking systems as standard equipment.

Initially an option for luxury cars, AEB systems are now also available on such mid-priced models as the Honda Accord and Hyundai Elantra.

The braking systems are one of many safety features now available on cars, including rearview cameras for backing up, alarms that warn drivers when theyre drifting out of their lanes and sensors that detect cars in a drivers blind spot.

But equipping nearly all cars with braking systems that automatically engage is absolutely a step toward autonomous vehicles, said Ed Kim, a vice president at the research firm AutoPacific Inc. in Tustin.

In the very near future were going to see additions to the AEB feature such as taking evasive action, where the vehicle not only will brake if necessary but also steer itself around an obstacle, Kim said.

Brauer cautioned that theres still a long way to go before autonomous driving becomes reality. Besides having in-car safety technology, vehicles will need to be able to talk to one another and with roadway infrastructures in order to move about efficiently and safely, he said.

For example, a self-driving car would still be limited by the fact that it wont know that a stoplight is out at an upcoming intersection, he said.

Nonetheless, another benefit of widespread AEB systems is that its getting consumers aware of how there is new and different technology out there that can help them, whether its for convenience or safety-related, said Jeremy Carlson, a senior analyst with the research firm IHS Automotive.

Its starting to get them warmed up for more and more autonomous driving in the future, Carlson said.

james.peltz@latimes.com

Twitter: @PeltzLATimes
Tired of sterile hotels, Brooklyn resident Kelly Dwyer turned to home-sharing site Airbnb three years ago when planning a Southern California trip, finding a Silver Lake apartment that came with two roommates: a dog and a cat.

It was such a good experience that it sort of pulled me in, said Duncan, 40, a pet owner and musician. I cant remember the last time I stayed in a hotel.

Hotel executives have long shrugged off Airbnb and other short-term rental websites. The home-sharing businesses werent considered a threat to the $176-billion hotel industry because they were believed to primarily serve penny-pinching millennials.

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But eight years after Airbnb launched with a single air mattress for rent in a San Francisco loft, the hotel industry is starting to worry that short-term rental sites may pose a serious problem. Not only is the company expanding, there is evidence that competition from rental sites is holding down hotel rates in some areas.

Airbnb, the most popular of the home-sharing sites, has an estimated 2 million listings worldwide, with revenue of about $2.4 billion in the U.S. last year. The business has been valued at $24 billion, higher than the $21-billion valuation of hotel giant Marriott International.

Even more concerning for hotel managers is Airbnbs torrid growth. In Los Angeles County, Airbnb listings increased 42% in the seven months ended in January, a Times review found. In some neighborhoods, the increase was much larger.

Hotel companies are going to start paying a lot more attention to Airbnb now that their numbers are as big as they are, said Jamie Lane, a senior economist for the hotel research arm of real estate firm CBRE.

The industry came out firing recently with a study contending that a growing number of Airbnb landlords are really running illegal hotels in major cities, including Los Angeles, which lets them avoid taxes and regulations that hoteliers pay.

If Airbnb is impacting hotels in any way, its in the ability to raise rates.  Brandon J. Feighner, director, CBRE hotel valuation and advisory services

That study, by the Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management, concluded that nearly 30% of Airbnbs revenue in 12 big cities comes from people who rent out their properties at least 360 days a year, drawing an average of more than $140,000 annually.

Traditional hotels welcome competition, said Vanessa Sinders, a spokeswoman for the American Hotel & Lodging Assn., the trade group for the nations 53,000 hotels, which commissioned the study. But she added that the growing number of Airbnb properties operating year-round arent required to meet the health, safety and cleanliness standards that hotels must maintain.

Competition in our industry thrives because everyone plays by the same set of rules designed to protect homeowners, guests and communities, she said.

Airbnb rejects such contentions, saying most of their hosts live in the homes they rent.

In Los Angeles, 82% of Airbnb hosts in L.A. share the home in which they live, and furthermore, 80% of entire home listings in L.A. are rented for less than 90 days a year, Airbnb spokeswoman Alison Schumer said.

Nationwide, Airbnb lists about 173,000 units, equal to about 3.5% of the more than 5 million rooms rented out by traditional hotels  not enough to pose a serious threat to the hospitality industry, according to a study by CBREs hotel research arm. The study analyzed Airbnbs operations from October 2014 to September 2015.

The study goes on to say that Airbnb properties have started to pressure hotels to keep rates low in a handful of cities where home-sharing units are plentiful, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New Yorks.

In Southern California, Airbnb may be keeping hotel rates from skyrocketing in areas such as Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Marina del Rey, according to CBRE.

For example, hotel room rates around Los Angeles International Airport rose nearly 13% in 2015 over the previous year while rates in the Santa Monica and Marina del Rey area increased only 5.6%, CBRE found.

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In Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, Airbnb has one bedroom listed for every two hotel rooms, the report said. Around the airport, Airbnb has one room listed for every 4.4 hotel rooms.

In addition, Airbnbs rates around Santa Monica and Marina del Rey are nearly 30% lower than the hotel rates in the same area, according to the CBRE report. Around LAX, the Airbnb rates are 8% cheaper than hotel rates.

If Airbnb is impacting hotels in any way, its in the ability to raise rates, said Brandon J. Feighner, director of CBRE hotel valuation and advisory services.

Another area in Southern California where hotel rates may be held in check by Airbnb is Venice, where the home-sharing site had 1,741 listings in early January, according to data collected by Inside Airbnb, a site that tracks the companys short-term rentals.

That figure was 25% higher than the number of listings in May 2015, a Times analysis shows. The tourist-friendly area leads all Los Angeles County neighborhoods for Airbnb listings, ahead of Hollywood and Santa Monica.

Mark Sokol, an owner of the 120-room Hotel Erwin in Venice, said he feels pressure to keep his rates low because too many short-term rentals in Venice have turned into illegal hotels that operate year-round and dont pay the fees and workers salaries of traditional hotels.

When you have that much supply, it definitely has price pressure, he said.

Some hotel owners say they dont worry about competition from Airbnb because only hotels can offer guests the assurance of a clean room, with amenities such as a coffee maker, a television and a comfortable bed.

Hotels are going to provide a standard hotel experience whereas Airbnb can be an adventure or a nightmare, said Ken Pressberg, owner of the Orlando, a 95-room boutique hotel near the Beverly Center.

As young travelers advance in their careers and earn more money, he said he believes they will eventually abandon Airbnb for traditional hotels.

A survey of 1,650 adults by the travel search site Hipmunk found that 74% of millennials have stayed in a home-sharing property for a business trip, compared with just 38% for Gen Xers and 20% for baby boomers.

To lure young people away from short-term rentals, many hotel owners are investing in their properties, such as upgrading Wi-Fi speeds in the lobby, adding electronic tablets in the rooms and offering meals and drinks that are unique to their hotels.

Airbnb is just another competitor that you have to keep your eyes on, said Phil Anderson, general manager of the DusitD2 Constance Hotel in Pasadena.

But for many young travelers, the quirky extras found at Airbnb properties are what attract them  extras they wont find at traditional hotels.

Tasmin Lofthouse, a 22-year-old marketing assistant from Blackpool, England, said she has booked an Airbnb property for her trip to Los Angeles in June because she wants to avoid the commercialized and touristy setting of a hotel.

From what Ive seen so far, Airbnb hosts are willing to go the extra mile, and some even let you help yourself to any homegrown vegetables or fruit they may have, she said. I doubt youd see that at a hotel.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

Twitter: @hugomartin

Staff writer Ben Poston contributed to this report.

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Americans increasing discomfort with animal performances has forced SeaWorld to map out a future without Shamu.

SeaWorld will stop its orca breeding program, the company said Thursday, after years of controversy over keeping killer whales in captivity and expensive declines in theme-park attendance and stock value.

The 29 captive killer whales in the current generation are to live out their lives in SeaWorld enclosures, but they will not be replaced.

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The sweeping change to SeaWorld Entertainment Inc.'s business model also will include ending theatrical shows nationwide and replacing them with exhibits that highlight the orcas natural behaviors. That shift for the San Diego park, where attendance suffered the most, was announced in November; on Thursday, the company said parks in Orlando, Fla., and San Antonio would make the change in 2019.

Ive struggled with this decision more than any other decision Ive made in business, Chief Executive Joel Manby said Thursday. I feel relieved. I think the company now can double down on growing the business and focus on positive, energetic, inspirational and creative things again.

For decades, SeaWorld has been beset by criticism from animal advocates, and it has never fully recovered from the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which accused the company of neglecting and abusing the orcas.

SeaWorld dismissed the criticism and disputed the documentarys allegations. But eventually it became clear that change was inevitable.

They had to evolve because they wanted to continue to make money, said Wendy Patrick, a business ethics lecturer at San Diego State.

Since the release of Blackfish, SeaWorld shares have lost more than half their value.

It was only last year, after saying park attendance dropped 4% in 2014, that SeaWorld began to acknowledge public perception was hurting its bottom line. The company launched a $15-million campaign to repair its image and pledged to spend up to $100 million to double the size of its San Diego orca enclosure.

Attendance rebounded slightly but has not grown as fast as the attendance at other theme parks, such as Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood.

No company, no matter how great, could withstand such a withering, prolonged and well-funded assault without sustaining damage to its reputation and bottom line, said Kathleen Dezio, president of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums, a trade group.

Still, until Thursday, SeaWorld stood firm about continuing to breed the animals. As recently as late December, its San Diego park sued the California Coastal Commission for including a no-breeding condition on its approval of the larger orca enclosure.

Investors cheered the companys decision to stop its breeding program. Its stock jumped $1.60, or 9.4%, to $18.72 a share.

SeaWorlds decision means the company is forcing itself to envision its parks without orcas, their most popular attraction, said Martin Lewison, a theme parks expert and assistant business professor at Farmingdale State College in New York. He called the move brave.

But SeaWorld wont need to immediately decide on a future course: The 29 orcas it already has  including one that became pregnant last year  could live several more decades. And Manby said he expects that SeaWorld will continue to display other animals, such as dolphins and beluga whales.

After Manby became CEO of SeaWorld last year, he began moving the company toward emphasizing its animal conservation and rescue work. Manby said SeaWorlds decision reflects societys changing views about animals in performances and captivity.

 The company announced Thursday morning that the breeding program would end immediately. The company also announced a partnership with the Humane Society.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is ending elephant performances in May. Universal Studios stopped using orangutans in its Animal Actors shows. Some aquariums have eliminated or scaled back dolphin shows.

Thursdays move should satisfy a very large portion of SeaWorlds audience, Bob Boyd, leisure analyst at Pacific Asset Management, said in an email. Management should also have many years to promote their killer whales in a see them before they go away forever program that should help fund their transition.

As SeaWorld moves forward, it has the backing of a longtime adversary, the Humane Society of the United States. The two announced a partnership Thursday morning.

Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) said Thursday he is introducing legislation that will permanently codify the changes announced by SeaWorld.

Noticeably absent from the bill is any reference to releasing the orcas to sea pens, which was a part of his failed 2014 bill seeking to ban breeding.

The main underpinning of our bill in 2014 was that we end captive breeding, so were pleased were able to make that happen here, he said.

Still, some SeaWorld analysts, while praising the companys latest move, are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Not everyone was satisfied by SeaWorlds announcement.

The companys most vocal opponent, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said in a statement that SeaWorld must open its tanks to the oceans to allow the orcas it now holds captive to have some semblance of a life outside these prison tanks.

Manby said SeaWorld does not think releasing whales to sea pens is the answer  but he didnt completely rule it out in the long-term future either.

It sounds nice, but we are very concerned for the animals health. Were the ones responsible for them. If we did that and it failed ... it would be on us, and then we would be criticized for that, he said.

SeaWorld and some outside marine biologists have said that most of the companys whales have spent most or all of their lives in captivity and could not survive outside the parks without constant human care.

PETA has suggested that the orcas be kept in enclosed areas of the ocean known as sea pens.

No sea pens exist that could hold all 29 of the companys orcas, either as a group or individually. Experts say the cost of building such pens could reach $5 million each, with staffing costs of up to $500,000 a year for each pen. SeaWorlds net income last year was $49.1 million.

The most often cited example of a captive orca released to a sea pen is Keiko, the whale featured in the 1993 Warner Bros. movie Free Willy.

Keiko was captured off Iceland in 1979 and trained to perform at theme parks. After several years at a theme park in Mexico City, the whale was transported to a sea pen in Iceland in 1998.

During a short swim outside the pen, accompanied by caretakers on a ship, Keiko swam away and turned up in a Norway inlet, cavorting with children and fishermen along the shore. He died a few months later of acute pneumonia.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

Sandra Pedicini in Orlando, Fla., and Lori Weisberg in San Diego contributed to this report.
As SeaWorld moves to end its orca breeding program and phase out its killer whale shows, don't expect the company's orcas to swim off into the sunset.

In an op-ed published Thursday, company Chief Executive Joel Manby said releasing the orcas into the wild, as animal rights activists have demanded, is "not a wise option."

"Most of our orcas were born at SeaWorld, and those that were born in the wild have been in our parks for the majority of their lives," he wrote. "If we release them into the ocean, they will likely die."

Animal rights groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have called for SeaWorld to release its 29 orcas to sea pens.

But SeaWorld and other marine biologists have said the whales could not survive outside the park without human care because they have lived all or most of their lives in captivity. Critics have said the idea was dismissed because SeaWorld does not want to consider an alternative to captivity.

Read on to find out more about why the orcas likely will never be released.

The Keiko example

The killer whale featured in the 1993 film "Free Willy" is often cited in the debate over sea pens.

Keiko was captured off the coast of Iceland in 1979 and trained to perform at theme parks. Many years later, the orca was transported to a sea pen in Iceland in 1998 after spending several years at a Mexico City theme park.

Keiko swam away during a short cavort outside of the pen while accompanied by caretakers on a ship. He later turned up in a deep inlet in Norway and was found playing with children and fishermen. The whale died a few months later of acute pneumonia.

SeaWorld trainers have said the experience showed that sea pens were not a safe environment for orcas. Others countered this view, saying the experience with Keiko taught experts how to build a better sea pen.

The expense

No enclosed sea pens exist to hold all 29 of the companys orcas, either as a group or individually. And the cost of building such pens could reach $5 million each, with staffing costs of up to $500,000 a year for each pen, according to experts.

Potential ocean toxins

SeaWorld's chief veterinarian, Chris Dold, and other SeaWorld supporters have said sea pens can expose the orcas to viruses and harsh weather that they say the captive whales can't endure.

On Thursday, SeaWorld reiterated its previous stance, saying, These orcas could not survive in oceans that include environmental concerns such as pollution and other man-made threats.

Breeding problems

Experts have said captive whales would not be allowed to breed in sea pens to eliminate the need to care for offspring. But because no long-term contraception for orcas exists, male and female whales likely would have to be separated, at least during some times.

Times staff writer Hugo Martin contributed to this report.

For more business news, follow @smasunaga.

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Uber is offering a new way to visit Mexico.

On Friday, it will launch Passport, its first cross-border service, offering one-way transportation from San Diego to anywhere in the northern Baja California region.

Destinations can be as far south as Ensenada and as far east as Mexicali. The service is poised to be an alternative to buses, commercial cabs or walking.

Its very exciting for us because there are a lot of places where we could have launched a cross-border product, but we recognize the importance of the largest border crossing in the world and the unique relationship between San Diego and Tijuana, said Christopher Ballard, general manager for Uber in Southern California. These are cities whose families, cultures and economies are closely linked.

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The cross-border trips are available only through Ubers black-car option, which costs more than UberX rides but all participating drivers will be commercially licensed and properly insured.

Passport riders can expect to pay a $20 convenience fee on top of per-mile and per-minute rates, in part to make the trek worthwhile for drivers. A trip from downtown San Diego to the Tijuana airport, for instance, will cost around $100, whereas a ride from Pacific Beach to Rosarito might run about $160. Fares can be split among up to four passengers.

The program is designed to ease transportation for a swath of locals already commuting between the two nations. Approximately 50,000 people have taken an Uber ride from the San Diego area to the border.

We saw that over the course of a month that there were multiple trips beginning and ending on both sides of the border, Ballard said. People were organically choosing Uber to go from San Diego to the Tijuana border and vice versa.

Before Passport, an Uber passenger coming from San Diego would need to end the ride in the U.S., cross the border on foot and then hail a new Uber ride in Tijuana, where the company also operates.

And, in fact, the stop-and-get-out process must still be repeated in reverse. Passport may offer commuters a potentially easier way to get to Mexico -- but it does not do northbound crossings, so it offers no uninterrupted way to get back.

Riders will need appropriate documentation, such as a passport for U.S. citizens.

Although the service wont remove border-crossing obstacles, city leaders are optimistic that Passport can strengthen the ties between San Diego and Tijuana, already considered sister cities.

Our economies are linked. Our businesses are linked. Yet our infrastructure isnt, said Paola Avila, vice president of international business affairs for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

We depend on a reliable workforce that can get to work every day, she said. This is an affordable option that increases efficiency and reduces commute time. And companies might look at including [Passport] as an employee benefit.

Beyond assisting the more than 70,000 workers already crossing between San Diego and Tijuana each day, Avila expects Passport to serve as a boon for tourism. San Diegans, she said, may be more inclined to shop and dine in Tijuana or visit destinations such as the Valle de Guadalupe wine country if they know they can rely on Uber to get around.

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Visitors to Baja California can continue to electronically hail rides in and around the region just as they would stateside, despite questions of legality.

App-enabled transportation is not contemplated in current regulations in either the city of Tijuana or Baja California, Ballard said. The team is working with government authorities on modern regulations.

The company also recently launched a new option in Tijuana to connect English-speaking riders with English-speaking UberX drivers, which should help ease the transition for Americans.

There is at least one potential downside to the program. If overly successful in boosting cross-border travel, Ubers Passport service could contribute to already lengthy northbound wait times, which have been on the rise despite the ongoing expansion of San Ysidros Port of Entry.

Presumably, more people entering Mexico would mean more people returning to the U.S., where wait times range from a few minutes to several hours depending on the time of day and the day of week. General pedestrians and vehicles not approved for either the expedited Sentri or Ready Lane programs typically endure the longest delays.

If we look at current patterns, these people are already going to Mexico, Ballard said. Were just facilitating a way where its easier.

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com

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This week: A classic Roman tale gets a Mexican-melodrama makeover, the Bards tragedy of the Moor of Venice is revisted, and Mad Men"-era men slip into something a little more comfortable in a new comedy from Harvey Fierstein.

Audition! The Musical Tenth-anniversary revival of this sendup based on true-life tales of Tinseltown. Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 4th St., Santa Monica. Sun., next Sun., 3:30 p.m.; Sat., 7:30 p.m.; ends April 24. $24.50, $29.50. (310) 394-9779.

Casa Valentina West Coast premiere of Harvey Fiersteins 1960s-set comedy about a private retreat in the Catskills where straight men could vacation as their female alter-egos. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Sun., 5 p.m.; Tue.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; ends April 10. $25-$125. (626) 356-7529.

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Dirt West Coast premiere of Bryony Laverys drama about life, death and environmental degradation. The Raven Playhouse, 5233 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Sun., next Sun., 2 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends April 17. $25. (800) 838-3006.

Shine The storytelling series presents true-life tales of overcoming adversity. Promenade Playhouse, 1404 3rd St., Santa Monica. Sun., 7 p.m. $10; discounts available. (310) 452-2321.

Wanting Miss Julie New musical, set in the Hamptons and inspired Strindbergs classic tale of loneliness and desire; for mature audiences. Loft Ensemble, 929 E. 2nd St., L.A. Mon., 8 p.m.; Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends May 8. $10, $25. (213) 680-0392.

The Book of Mormon Tony-winning musical comedy about a mismatched pair of missionaries in Africa; contains explicit language. Segerstrom Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Tue.-Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 7:30 p.m.; next Sun., 1 and 6:30 p.m.; ends April 3. $36 and up. (714) 556-2787.

Gershwin Sings Gershwin Alexis Gershwin, niece of George and Ira Gershwin, performs some of the songwriting duos classic tunes in this cabaret show. Catalina Bar & Grill, 6725 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. Tue., 8:30 p.m. $20, plus dinner or a two-drink minimum. (323) 466-2210.

A Gentlemans Guide to Love & Murder The potential heir to a sizable family fortune seeks to eliminate his competition in this Tony-winning musical. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A. Wed.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 1 and 6:30 p.m.; ends May 1. $25-$130. (213) 972-4400.

Stopping By The Echo Theater Company presents Barbara Tarbucks new solo show about attending the annual Burning Man festival. Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., L.A. Wed., 8 p.m.; ends April 13. $10. (310) 307-3753.

Los Angeles Womens Theatre Festival 23rd annual showcase for female solo performers. Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Ave., Venice. Thu., 7 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m. Sat., 3 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 3 p.m.; ends March 27. $10-$50. (818) 760-0408.

Ragtime Tony-winning musical based on E.L. Doctorows bestseller about life in turn-of-the-last-century New York City. Fred Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Thu., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; ends March 27. $29 and up. (800) 745-3000.

Waiting for Johnny Depp West Coast premiere of this one-woman musical about an actress desperately seeking a movie role. The Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Fri., 8 p.m.; ends June 10. $25; opening night only, $50. (800) 838-3006.

Dreamgirls Tony-winning musical about the rise of a 1960s R&B group. La Mirada Theatre, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends April 17. $20-$70. (562) 944-9801.

Its Magic Magic and variety acts from around the world. Lewis Family Playhouse, 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga. Sat., 8 p.m. $28-$36. (909) 477-2752.

La Olla The Latino Theater Company presents the world premiere of Evelina Fernandezs comedy with music, based on a tale by the Roman playwright Plautus and set in a 1950s Mexican nightclub; in English with some Spanish. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., L.A. Sat. 8 p.m.; ends April 24. $15-$42. (866) 811-4111.

Othello Independent Shakespeare Co. presents a new adaptation of Shakespeares tragic tale of the Moor of Venice. Independent Studio, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168, L.A. Sat., 7:30 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends May 7. $20, $35; limited number of free tickets available for each performance. (818) 710-6306.

Red Velvet West Coast premiere of Lolita Chakrabartis drama about an African American actor playing Shakespeares Othello in 19th century London. Atwater Theatre Village, 3191 Casitas Ave., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 5 p.m.; ends April 30 $20, $25. (800) 838-3006.

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For the Record

March 18, 11:00 a.m.: An earlier version of this post said Red Velvet is playing at the Atwater Village Theatre at 3269 Casitas Ave. It is at the Atwater Playhouse at 3191 Casitas Ave.

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A Singular They World premiere of Aliza Goldsteins drama about a high school student who is not biologically male or female. The Blanks 2nd Stage Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends May 1. $30. (323) 661-9827.

Stand Up! A Night of Comedy With Tony Baker (NBCs Last Comic Standing) and others. Malibu Playhouse, 29243 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu. Sat., 8:30 p.m. $15, $20. www.malibuplayhouse.org.
A sex farce with gender politics on its mind, Caryl Churchills Cloud 9" is a feminist classic that still bowls theatergoers over with its breathtaking theatrical daring.

Its a sprawling play thats tonally tricky to work out. Churchill divides the work into two time periods (the first half is set in Victorian Africa, the second in late-1970s London) and prescribes a variety of unorthodox casting maneuvers that go well beyond cross-gender performance.

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But the Antaeus Theatre Company, under the direction of Casey Stangl (an experienced hand with Churchills work), honors both the laughter and the contemplativeness, even if the balance between the two is still being worked out in places.

Churchill once remarked that as the relationships in Cloud 9" become more painful, the play gets funnier. Thats a sign of a farce evolving into a more character-centered comedy.

This is evident here as the action leaps a hundred years from a British colonial outpost, where a patriarch holds sway and the drums of restive natives can be heard in the distance, to a London park, where characters (in the throes of the sexual revolution) are permitted the freedom to question the assumptions theyve inherited about their lives. If the emotional depth is less apparent as disappointment mars the festivities in the longish first half, the increasingly aggressive antics, the musical interludes and the neo-Wildean wit tickle us into thought.

This isnt a play that Antaeus practice of partner casting is ideally suited for. (Rehearsals are complicated enough with a single set of actors jumping from one role to another.) But the artful physical production provides solid ground for the players.

Stephanie Kerley Schwartzs scenic design creates playful backdrops that helpfully organize the high jinks for a small stage. Leigh Allens lighting facilitates the rapid shifts in mood, and A. Jeffrey Schoenbergs costumes have fun with the fads from two eras that couldnt be further apart in their gender dress codes.

Bill Brochtrup, part of the Blighters lineup (the ensemble I saw), is outstanding both as Betty, wife of tyrannical, hypocritical, randy Clive (a gamely booming Bo Foxworth), and adult Edward, gay brother of Victoria (a touching Liza de Weerd). To call Brochtrups Betty a drag performance would be underselling his accomplishment.

His understated theatricality lends poignancy to the ludicrousness of Bettys marital situation. (Submissive as she is, shes desperately in love with David DeSantos sharply outlined Harry, a homosexual with a taste for the forbidden.) This note of quiet humanity also infuses Brochtrups portrayal of Edward, making it possible for us to feel sympathetic toward a character who ventures out of an unsatisfying gay relationship into an incestuous menage a trois. (Churchill can never resist looking under the hood of taboos.)

Abigail Marks, who was so memorable in Antaeus 2014 production of Top Girls (a slightly more manageable Churchill play), has her hands full in Act 1, switching roles between a lovelorn lesbian governess and an independent firecracker of a neighbor who has orgasms while fending off Clives advances. She adroitly handles the dizzying demands, but she brings a gritty reality to Lin, a chaotic lesbian who, while looking after her unruly child Cathy (played with boisterous abandon by a mustachioed Foxworth), falls in love with all-grown-up Victoria (who in the first act was played by doll).

Whew! Are you getting all this?

As required by the text, a white actor (Chad Borden) plays a black servant (Joshua) in a play that throws into relief the role-playing aspect of identity. Borden makes a more vivid impression as Gerry, Edwards proudly promiscuous, noncommittal boyfriend, especially when this rake momentarily stops cruising and goes into full disco mode.

But then Cloud 9" speaks most profoundly to a modern audience, baffled by too many choices and facing perhaps more formidable internal obstacles than external ones. Churchills comedy is distinctly of an era, but the keen intelligence and playwriting boldness have preserved the works freshness for 21st century theatergoers still bouncing between oppression and liberation.

------------------------

Cloud Nine

Where: Antaeus Theatre Company, 5112 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. (Call for exceptions.) Ends April 24.

Tickets: $30-$34

Info: (818) 506-1983, www.Antaeus.org

Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Viacom has ended the intrigue surrounding a key question: Will Chief Operating Officer Thomas E. Dooley stick around?

On Thursday, the media company that owns cable channels MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET and Paramount Pictures film studio extended Dooleys employment contract through Dec. 31, 2018.

His pact was set to expire at the end of this year.

Dooley, 59, is an important figure at the media company and, thus, his contract situation was being watched by Wall Street. Viacom shares gained $1.22, or 3%, to $41.48 -- perhaps enjoying a Dooley bounce.

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He joined Viacom in 1980 and continues to be a favorite among rank-and-file employees as well as some investors. He also has worked closely with Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman for 30 years and serves on the Viacom board.

In fact, Dooleys compensation illustrates his importance in the food chain. He was paid $29.4 million in the last fiscal year -- more than most CEOs in the U.S.

Dooley last fall became an alternate proxy for Viacom founder Sumner Redstones advance healthcare directive, in the second position behind Dauman. The move demonstrated the fondness that Redstone, the 92-year-old company founder, has for Dooley.

He has done an excellent job in helping to reorient Viacoms operations to succeed in the changing media environment, spearheading the creation of the industrys best-in-class data-focused advertising products, and driving effectiveness and efficiency throughout the company, Dauman said Thursday in a statement announcing the new agreement.

Dooley did not receive a signing bonus and his compensation structure will not change in the new employment agreement, Viacom said.

The media company did not provide a copy of Dooleys new employment agreement to the Securities & Exchange Commission, but said that it plans to do so in a few weeks.

Viacom has been under pressure from shareholders to improve its corporate governance, particularly after it became public that Redstone was in poor health and largely confined to his mansion overlooking Beverly Hills.

Redstone last month stepped down as executive chairman of the two companies that he controls, Viacom and CBS Corp., several days after an examination by an outside psychiatrist.

The doctor was called in to examine Redstone as part of a lawsuit by a former female companion.

Viacom this week held its annual shareholders meeting in Florida. It also said that Frederic V. Salerno was elected as the lead independent director to represent the interests of shareholders outside the Redstone family, which controls 80% of the voting stock.

The addition of a lead independent director will enhance Viacoms corporate governance practices, which already include a majority of independent directors and board committees that are comprised solely of independent directors, Viacom said Wednesday in a statement.

Salerno, however, received the smallest vote totals of any Viacom board member up for reelection. Advisory group Institutional Shareholder Services had recommended that investors withhold their votes, in large part, because Salerno serves on Viacoms compensation and corporate governance committees.

Viacom has been criticized for the huge compensation it lavishes on top executives. Last year, Daumans compensation package was valued at $37.1 million.

Salerno, retired vice chairman of phone company Verizon Communications, received the votes of 76% of the non-Redstone shares.

Sumner Redstone, meanwhile, was also up for reelection. He received nearly 95% of the votes of the non-Redstone shareholders.

Viacoms share price is down 40% in the last 12 months.

meg.james@latimes.com

Twitter: @MegJamesLAT
Olivia Wilde was too old to be cast as Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend in "The Wolf of Wall Street," she says  but ageism wasn't the point she was trying to make when she told Howard Stern about that on Wednesday.

She was making a point about possibilities.

First, the background: Stern asked the "Vinyl" actress whether she'd ever been told she was too beautiful for a role, which is a perfectly legit question, if you've ever seen Otis Sudeikis' mom in person. When she's going casual, she's a hottie; dressed up, she pretty much glows.

"The funniest thing I heard recently was, I had heard for a part that I was 'too sophisticated,' and I was like, 'Oh, that sounds nice. I like that feedback. I didn't get that part, but I'm a very sophisticated person,'" the 32-year-old said with a chuckle. "Then I found out later that they actually said 'old.'"

Wilde, whose birthday was a week ago, would have been just turning 28 when "Wolf" pre-production started in March 2012. DiCaprio's not quite a decade her senior; Margot Robbie, who got the part, is about six years younger than the "House" alum.

But there were no hard feelings  "I watched it and I was like, 'Oh, she's perfect!'"  thanks to Wilde's self-professed ability to emotionally disconnect from the audition process. "The second I don't get a role, it's dead to me," she said.

But it turned out this one wasn't all the way dead: That movie was a Martin Scorsese project, as is HBO's newish series "Vinyl," so off the strength of her "Wolf" audition she got her current gig without having to read for it.

"It shows that if you don't get something, job interview, whatever you do for a living," Wilde said, "it might lead to something else." And she reiterated that point Wednesday on Twitter.

However, she also told Stern and his crew, "I want to make a translation sheet for Hollywood that's like, all the feedback your agents give you, and what it really means."

Ouch. Not sure we  or Hollywood  can handle that much truth ...

Anyway, here's another quick hit from the superficial-preconceptions arena: Ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, which is March 21, Wilde is the star of an thought-provoking PSA. Take a peek at it, below. We dare you not to tear up by the end.

Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. Follow the Ministry of Gossip @LATcelebs.

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The announcement of Michelle Obama as a music keynote panelist at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, might have seemed strange. But in hindsight, it made perfect sense: She had a song to release.

On Wednesday morning, the first lady joined actress Sophia Bush, songwriter Diane Warren and rappers Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah onstage in the Austin Convention Center for a conversation about women in the arts, education and society.

After speaking at length about the doubters who either implicitly or explicitly told her she would not succeed because she was a black girl, Obama worked in an early mention of education for young women, echoing a letter she posted earlier that day. Millions of girls across the globe are unable to attend school due to violence, discrimination or lack of proper healthcare, she said.

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FULL COVERAGE: SXSW 2016

For me, 62 million girls not getting an education, thats personal, she said.

In contrast to her husbands keynote four days prior, in which President Obama cautiously defended his stance on privacy and encryption, the panel Michelle Obama was a part of was a more casual conversation. Each of the panelists touched on women who had influenced their lives, and the importance of music in providing positive role models for young girls.

Elliott spoke about the pressures of being a female artist in the mainstream, recalling being told she wasnt the right size because of her weight at the start of her career. She said she was inspired to push harder because of women in the hip-hop culture who had come before her, such as MC Lyte, Salt and Pepa, and Latifah (who also happened to be the moderator of the panel). A standout song, she said, was Latifahs U.N.I.T.Y.

Another point of conversation was the release of a song called This Is for My Girls, which would also be performed at SXSW. The song, which was written by Warren and features Elliott as well as Janelle Monae, Kelly Clarkson and a handful of other female artists, is a bouncy, uplifting pop tune with straightforward, positive lyrics. From the chorus:

This is for my girls all around the world

Stand up, put your head up

Dont take nothing from nobody

This is for my girls stand up and be heard

Elliott compared it to Latifahs Ladies First and 702s Where My Girls At, saying that those songs made women feel empowered, and that more were needed. Obama is not actually featured on the track (I cant even carry a tune, she joked in a post about the song), instead limiting her contribution to support and promotion of the song. The proceeds, Obama said, would go to her Let Girls Learn initiative.

1 / 72 Kelly Rowland speaks during her Chasing Destiny SXSW interview at the Austin Convention Center on March 19. (Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for BET) 2 / 72 DJ Steve Aoki poses with a fan at the Pandora Discovery Den on March 19. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for Pandora) 3 / 72 The Roots brought their legendary Jam Sessions to the festival for the first time during an exclusive performance at the Bud Light Factory on March 19. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Bud Light) 4 / 72 Rapper Tory Lanez performs at the Pandora Discovery Den on March 18. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for Pandora) 5 / 72 Actor Paul Reubens answers questions at the premiere of Pee-wees Big Holiday at the Paramount Theatre on March 17. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 6 / 72 Actors Joe Manganiello and Sofia Vergara attend the premiere of Pee-wees Big Holiday at the Paramount Theatre on March 17. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 7 / 72 Wynonna Judd, center, with her band the Big Noise attend the Pandora Discovery Den on March 17. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for Pandora) 8 / 72 DNCE perform at Music Is Universal Styld.by Gap presented by Marriott Rewards and Universal Music Group at the JW Marriott Austin on March 17. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images for Universal Music) 9 / 72 Rae Sremmurd take the stage at the Bud Light Factory during the Interscope Showcase on March 17. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Bud Light) 10 / 72 Har Mar Superstar performs on a table at the McDonalds Loft on March 17. (Jay Janner / Associated Press) 11 / 72 The Cactus Blossoms perform onstage during the Pandora Discovery Den on March 17. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for Pandora) 12 / 72 Iggy Pop performs at ACL Live the Moody Theater on March 16. (Rich Fury / Invision/Associated Press) 13 / 72 Chvrches Lauren Mayberry performs at the MTV Woodies/10 for 16 taping on March 16. (Jack Plunkett / Invision/Associated Press) 14 / 72 Anderson.Paak performs at the MTV Woodies/10 for 16 taping on March 16. (Jack Plunkett / Invision/Associated Press) 15 / 72 Ryan Adams performs at Music Is Universal on March 16. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images) 16 / 72 John Legend headlines the AXE Collective + Crew on March 17. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for AXE) 17 / 72 Musicians Thao Nguyen, center, and the Avett Brothers attend a screening of A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story on March 17. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 18 / 72 Actor-director Don Cheadle attends the screening of Miles Ahead on March 16, (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 19 / 72 First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the South by Southwest festival on March 16. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images for SXSW) 20 / 72 Big Boi performs at South by Southwest Interactives closing party at Stubbs on March 15. (Jack Plunkett / Invision / Associated Press) 21 / 72 Actor Don Cheadle poses in the Samsung Studio at the South by Southwest festival on March 15. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 22 / 72 Aluna Francis of AlunaGeorge performs at Spotify House during the South by Southwest festival on March 15. (Anna Webber / Getty Images for Spotify) 23 / 72 From left, recording artists Sleepy Brown, Ray Murray and Rico Wade of Organized Noize attend a screening of The Art of Organized Noize at the Paramount Theatre during the South by Southwest festival on March 15. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 24 / 72 Texas meets Hollywood near the Paramount Theatre as the South by Southwest festival kicks off in Austin, Texas. (Larry W. Smith / EPA) 25 / 72 A general view of The Powerpuff Girls parade and screening at SXSW on March 14. (Robin Marchant / Getty Images for Cartoon Network) 26 / 72 Seth Rogen, left, and Evan Goldberg answer questions at the premiere of the work-in-progress Sausage Party at the Paramount Theatre on March 14. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 27 / 72 Actor Greg Poehler, from left, actress Rachel Blanchard, You Me Her creator John Scott Shepherd and actresses Priscilla Faia and Melanie Papalia attend the SXSW premiere of AT&Ts Audience Networks You Me Her on March 15. (Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for DIRECTV/AT&T) 28 / 72 Actors Melanie Papalia, from left, Priscilla Faia and Greg Poehler attend a brunch celebrating the premiere of AT&Ts Audience Networks You Me Her on March 15. (Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for DIRECTV/AT&T) 29 / 72 Bella Thorne, a Shovel Buddies cast member, attends the movies South by Southwest screening on Monday. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images for SXSW) 30 / 72 Motivational speaker Tony Robbins attends the screening of the documentary Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru on Monday. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 31 / 72 Andrew Jarecki, director of the documentary The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, speaks at SXSW on Monday. (Rich Fury / Invision / AP) 32 / 72 Actor Craig Robinson, at SXSW with the movie Morris From America, poses for photos in the Samsung Studio on Monday. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 33 / 72 Comedian Hannibal Buress serves as host at the Spotify House on Monday. (Anna Webber / Getty Images for Spotify) 34 / 72 Rapper Tory Lanez performs at the Spotify House on Monday. (Anna Webber / Getty Images for Spotify) 35 / 72 Actors Dominic Cooper, from left, Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun attend the screening of Preacher at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas on Monday during the South By Southwest festival. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 36 / 72 Directors Evan Goldberg, left, and Seth Rogen attend the screening of Preacher at Paramount Theatre during SXSW on Monday. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 37 / 72 Director J.J. Abrams speaks after the screening of Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey at the Paramount Theatre during SXSW on Monday. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 38 / 72 R2-D2 attends the screening of Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey at the Paramount Theatre during SXSW. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 39 / 72 Sia performs at Samsung Galaxy Life Fest at SXSW on March 13. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Samsung) 40 / 72 Sia, background, and dancers perform at Samsung Galaxy Life Fest. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Samsung) 41 / 72 Willie Nelson performs at the Spotify House during SXSW on March 13. (Anna Webber / Getty Images for Spotify) 42 / 72 James Caan attends a screening of his new film The Waiting at the Paramount Theatre on March 13. (Jack Plunkett / Invision/Associated Press) 43 / 72 Andrei Dementiev, wearing the GoPro camera setup, attends a screening of Hardcore Henry at the Paramount Theatre on March 13. (Jack Plunkett / Invision/Associated Press) 44 / 72 Singer Elle King performs onstage at Samsung Galaxy Life Fest at SXSW on March 13. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 45 / 72 Actor Johnny Galecki experiences Samsung Gear VR at the Samsung Studio at SXSW. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 46 / 72 Actresses Kate Micucci, left, Alia Shawkat and Gillian Jacobs at the Samsung Studio on March 13. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 47 / 72 Director Mike Birbiglia attends a screening of Dont Think Twice at the Paramount Theatre on March 13. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 48 / 72 Scandal actress Kerry Washington speaks during South by Southwest at the Austin Convention Center. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 49 / 72 Mr. Robot actor Rami Malek speaks during South by Southwest. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 50 / 72 Mr. Robot actor Christian Slater speaks during South by Southwest. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 51 / 72 Anthony Bourdain speaks during South by Southwest at the Austin Convention Center. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 52 / 72 Jake Gyllenhaal, left, Jean-Marc Vallee and Bryan Sipe arrive at the screening of Demolition during South by Southwest at the Paramount Theatre. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 53 / 72 Actor Alexander Skarsgard, left, director John Michael McDonagh and actor Michael Pena at a screening of their new movie War on Everyone during the South by Southwest Film Festival. (Jack Plunkett / Invision / Associated Press) 54 / 72 Actors Jordan Peele, left, and Keegan-Michael Key attend the screening of Keanu during the 2016 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival in Austin. (Mike Windle / Getty Images for SXSW) 55 / 72 Miguel performs as part of the SteelHouse Concert Series during the South by Southwest Interactive Festival. (Gary Miller/Getty Images for SteelHouse) 56 / 72 Burt Reynolds sits on a 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am at the world premiere of The Bandit during the South by Southwest Film Festival. (Jack Plunkett / Invision / Associated Press) 57 / 72 Ellen Page speaks at a panel discussion during South by Southwest. (Rich Fury / Invision / Associated Press) 58 / 72 Vice Principals Georgia King, left, David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Danny McBride and Walton Goggins gather during the South by Southwest Film Festival. (Jack Plunkett / Invision / Associated Press) 59 / 72 Zoey Deutch arrives at the premiere of Everybody Wants Some at the Paramount Theatre. (Rich Fury / Invision/Associated Press) 60 / 72 Director Richard Linklater at the premiere of Everybody Wants Some at the Paramount Theatre. (Rich Fury / Invision/Associated Press) 61 / 72 Actors Glen Powell, left, Juston Street, Austin Amelio and Wyatt Russell at the Samsung Studio at SXSW. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 62 / 72 Dallas Mavericks wwner Mark Cuban speaks during Sports and VR, presented by Gear VR, at the Samsung Studio at SXSW. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Samsung) 63 / 72 Festival goers experience Samsung Gear VR at the Samsung Studio at SXSW. (Rick Kern / Getty Images for Samsung) 64 / 72 Actors Nathan Parsons and Ksenia Solo at the Samsung Studio at SXSW. (Jonathan Leibson / Getty Images for Samsung) 65 / 72 President Barack Obama, right, talks with Texas Tribune Editor in Chief/CEO Evan Smith at the Center for Performing Arts in Austin as part of the South by Southwest Festival. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) 66 / 72 President Barack Obama waves upon his arrival on Air Force One at Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Hell speak at SXSW and attend two Democratic National Committee fundraisers. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) 67 / 72 The First Order, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has landed at SXSW. (Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios) 68 / 72 The Austin Convention Center is ready for the publics arrival on the first day of South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, on Friday. (Larry W. Smith / EPA) 69 / 72 A state trooper and a volunteer walk through the hall inside the Austin Convention Center before the public was let in on the first day of the South by Southwest festival. (Larry W. Smith / EPA) 70 / 72 People line up inside the Austin Convention Center to register on the first day of SXSW. (Larry W. Smith / EPA) 71 / 72 People wait in line to see President Obama participate in a South by Southwest interactive panel on March 11 in Austin, Texas. (Erich Schlegel / Getty Images) 72 / 72 Visitors look over movie posters inside the Austin Convention Center at SXSW. (Larry W. Smith / EPA)

As diversity is an increasingly prominent topic in the national conversation, from the Oscars to the technology industry, it was no surprise that it came up at SXSW. Latifah invited a question from a man that asked how men could be more supportive allies for women and womens equality.

Bush said she wanted men to get involved with organizations focused on equality, but also to hear what women were saying. First things first, she said, Listen to a woman you care about tell her story so that you can hear what its like on our end.

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Obama said men should also think about their own positions of power. The question you can ask yourselves is, is there diversity around the table? she said. If youre a man at the table and you look around and there are only men at the table, then you should ask yourselves how can I do better.

Latifah took it further and talked about women in the arts. She said shed started out rapping in a group dominated by men, but they respected her as an individual artist and pushed her to get better. But without more voices, the art form would suffer.

Her answer to what was missing in hip-hop: Women.

Its why youre not getting as rich, as diverse a sound in the music as you should, she said. Whenever you remove a womans voice from anything, you are lacking.

In the final minutes of the session, Latifah asked two questions just about everyone in the audience was wondering: What would Obama miss most about being in the White House, and would she run for president?

Obama said she would miss the young people she interacts with as first lady. But, she said, she would not let the end of her husbands term stop her: Im going to continue to work with our young people all over the world.

But not as president. I will not run for president, she said, pausing for a moment as sighs spread across the audience. Part of the reason for not wanting to run, she said, was because she had two daughters, and theyd already dealt with the pressures of being the children of a president.

Instead, she said, she was looking forward to doing work that shed been unable to do while in the White House.

She then took a similar tone to that of her husband, who three days earlier had said he was at SXSW to recruit more digital entrepreneurs to think about how they could make an impact on the world. I hope theres some people in the audience that want to be president of the United States, she said.

We need good, smart, decent people with strong values and strong morals that want to go into politics. So I would encourage all of you to consider a life in public service.

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As Los Angeles many and varied fashion weeks were stumbling into the starting gate, hometown brand Rodarte celebrated its collaboration with Swedish label & Other Stories with a downtown L.A. dinner party attended by a fashion show front rows worth of celebrities, including Katy Perry, Dakota Fanning, Zoey Deutch, Bella Heathcote and Riley Keough.

Held in the art-filled Lincoln Heights apartment of artist Elliot Hundley -- a longtime friend of Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy -- the dinners other guests included Catherine Opie, Gia Coppola, Langley Fox, Kim Gordon, Vogue magazine West Coast Editor Lisa Love, Vanity Fair magazine West Coast Editor Krista Smith as well as designers and a handful of other folks from the 2-year-old H&M-owned & Other Stories brand. (Yes, the brands full -- and sometimes confusing -- name includes the ampersand.)

------------

For the Record

March 22, 2:08 p.m.: This article misspells artist Elliott Hundleys first name as Elliot.

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Weve collaborated with West Coast brands in the past, including Clare Vivier -- twice, said & Other Stories public relations manager Elke Kieft, and Rodarte has always been high on our list. Weve been working on making this happen for the last year and a half.

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The result of those efforts is a patchwork-heavy, easy-to-wear range of womens apparel, jewelry and shoes with a through line of texture (think suede, ribbed knits, silk and crushed velvet), and sparkles of light (thanks to crystals, rhinestones, metallic leathers and Lurex knits), some 49 pieces in all.

The ready-to-wear prices range from $65 for chiffon tops and crushed velvet shorts to $325 for a sequined dress. Shoe offerings include sparkly leather sandals ($175) and patchwork-patterned metallic leather and suede boots ($425). The jewelry -- themed around the kind of heart and star shapes one might find in bowl of Lucky Charms -- runs from $29 rings and earrings to $60 necklaces.

Many of the notable names in attendance were wearing pieces from the collection, including dinner co-host Fanning, who wore a black merino wool dress sprinkled with rhinestones; actress (and Elvis Presleys granddaughter) Keough, who paired a pajama-inspired silk top with red, crushed velvet shorts; actress Heathcote, who went with one of the patchworked leather skirts; and Finnish model Suvi Koponen, who opted for a striped, long-sleeved Lurex sweater. (Perry appeared to be wearing a straight-up Rodarte dress.)

Soon, collaborative collections such as the ones with Rodarte and Clare Vivier may not be the only SoCal connection for the label, since, according to Kieft, design ateliers in Paris and Stockholm may soon be joined by one in the City of Angels. Weve also heard rumors that a SoCal retail store may also be in the works for sometime in the fall. For now, the labels physical presence in the United States is limited to two New York City stores.

And its in those stores -- as well as the stories.com website -- where the Rodarte & Other Stories collection can be purchased.

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Since Arne Duncan left his job as U.S. secretary of Education in December, a problem has been nagging him: the high numbers of kids dropping out of school, joining gangs and getting killed in his city, Chicago.

So hes taken on a new job, he said Thursday, that will help him find opportunities for those kids.

As managing partner at the Emerson Collective, Duncan will be looking for ways to help disconnected youth, ages 17 to 24, who arent in school and dont have jobs. Many have criminal records and havent graduated from high school.

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According to a study from the Social Science Research Council, one in seven young people in Americas largest metropolitan areas fall into that category. Duncan, whose mother ran an after-school program for similar children decades ago in Chicago, says he wants to examine the factors that cause them to be disconnected and to help them get back on track.

On the one hand, it felt great to come home to Chicago, Duncan said. On the other hand, its a really, really hard time here in the city. ... I just couldnt come home and watch this, stay on the sidelines.

During Duncans tenure, the nation witnessed multiple school shootings, events that often left the Obama Cabinet member teary-eyed. In his final speech as secretary, Duncan noted that during his first six years in office, at least 1,600 youths were killed by gun violence.

The problem is particularly pronounced in Chicago, where violent crime is wounding and killing record numbers of young African Americans. Im trying to work to create real jobs in the legal economy, he said.

The Emerson Collective is an education group based in Palo Alto, and funded and led by Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs widow. Also prominent in the organization is managing director for education Russlynn Ali, who led the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights under Duncan. The group pays for initiatives around school and immigration reform.

Duncan said he hopes to open a Chicago office for Emerson and said he is hiring.

He wants to create training programs that lead to jobs and help deal with socio-emotional issues, he said. Many of these young men have been through horrific trauma.

Duncan realizes, he said, that to lure away potential gang members, he needs to provide them with an alternative source of revenue. If kids have hope, they dont pick up guns, he said.

He said he will raise money to start a venture fund that can support trainees who want to create their own businesses.

Among his biggest challenges: finding employers willing to take on young people with no high school diplomas and criminal records.

Follow the Times education initiative to inform parents, educators and students across California >>

As secretary of Education, Duncan had an outsized influence on education policy as Congress was gridlocked around a major education law, the No Child Left Behind Act. He used Recession-era stimulus money to incentivize states to take on his preferred reforms, such as encouraging the growth of charter schools and grading teachers somewhat in accordance with their students test scores. Many states, though not California, followed along.

But along the way, Duncan faced the ire of national teachers unions more than once.

Before he retired, Congress passed a No Child Left Behind replacement called the Every Student Succeeds Act. Since Duncan has stepped down, he has adjusted to civilian life by creating his own Twitter account and joining a Knight Foundation commission charged with investigating how college athletes can get sufficient time for their schoolwork.

You can reach Joy Resmovits on Twitter @Joy_Resmovits and by email at joy.resmovits@latimes.com.

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Every day teachers nationwide balance the tension between instructing attentive students and dealing fairly with those who disrupt classes.

A study released late Wednesday reports that charter schools across the country suspended students at a higher rate than traditional public schools. But the results reflect data thats a few years old, and between then and now, much has changed in the ways schools discipline their students.

Produced by UCLAs Civil Rights Project, the report relies on a survey that required every public and charter school in America to submit information including its suspension rates to the federal government.

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In the 2011-12 school year, charter schools had an average out-of-school suspension rate of 7.8%, as opposed to 6.7% in traditional public schools  meaning the rate in charter schools was 16% higher.

But a lot has changed since the survey was administered, in part because the topic of school discipline has become a flash point in the debate about racial equity after videos of students being physically or verbally punished in classrooms attracted media attention.

Federal data have shown that minority students and students with disabilities are suspended at higher rates than their peers. The new federal Every Student Succeeds Act requires that states review schools to reduce an overuse of suspension.

Still, school administrators havent settled on a clear answer to what constitutes good, positive school discipline.

The UCLA report chose out-of-school suspensions as its metric for defining discipline. In 2013, the Los Angeles Unified School District voted to ban suspensions for students engaged in willful defiance. Instead, teachers are supposed to try other means, such as conflict resolution, to get their classrooms in line.

Teachers across the district have said that they havent been adequately trained in these new methods -- which makes the suspension ban all the more difficult to enforce.

Still, the ban caused L.A. Unifieds suspension rate to fall from 8% in 2007-08 to 0.55% last school year.

The study comes as L.A. Unified considers a major push to expand the number of charter schools in the nations second-biggest district.

Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, said the report does not reflect recent efforts to reduce suspensions in the charter school sectors of Washington, D.C., and New Orleans.

Dan Losen, the new studys author, suggested using the information as a baseline for comparing results against more recent state-level studies and as a way of measuring future progress.

You can look at the school-level results by clicking here to access a spreadsheet produced by the UCLA researchers.

You can reach Joy Resmovits on Twitter @Joy_Resmovits and by email at Joy.Resmovits@latimes.com.

Editors Note: The Times receives funding for its Education Matters digital initiative from several groups that support the charter school movement. The California Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles administer grants from the Baxter Family Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the California Endowment and the Wasserman Foundation to support this effort. Under terms of the grants, The Times retains complete control over editorial content.

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Serial bank robber Anthony Leonard Hathaway, 46, was arrested in Seattle and recently sentenced to almost nine years in prison after committing 30 holdups in the span of about a year. He was known as both the Cyborg Bandit and the Elephant Man Bandit because he wore a textured metallic fabric over his face, then switched to covering his head with a heavy shirt, cutting out two holes to see through.

Interesting nicknames for bank robbers are nothing new, especially in Los Angeles, once thought to be the bank robbery capital of the U.S. Here are some of our favorites from over the years:

(Santa Cruz Police Department)

Mrs. Doubtfire Bandit

Active: 2015

Got his name: He was a cross-dressing man who held a purse and wore a long, curly, blond wig and a set of medical scrubs and was suspected of robbing at least one bank in Santa Cruz.

(FBI)

Bad Breath Bandit

Active: 2014

Got his name: He favored wearing a white surgical mask, but it was unknown whether he actually suffered from bad breath. He was suspected of robbing three banks in Northern California.

(FBI)

Bombshell Bandit

Active: 2014

Got her name: She passed a note to the teller during a Valencia bank robbery and threatened to detonate a bomb if her demands were not met. She also wore what the FBI called a "glamorous disguise," including a brown or auburn wig and large sunglasses.

(FBI)

Hypnotist Bandit

Active: 2014

Got his name: This man would gaze into people's eyes. A suspect was arrested, and authorities said he had robbed four banks in L.A. County.

Butterfingers Bandit

Active: Early 2000s

Got his name: The crook dropped his loot on two occasions and a demand note during a third robbery before his arrest in 2002. During a couple of heists, bank customers would help him pick up his scattered cash.

Cockadoodledoo Bandit

Active: Unknown

Got his name: He showed up early in the day  usually before the bankers had arrived for work.

The Naughty Girl Bandit

Active: 2003

Got her name: This woman earned the provocative name after a series of Southland bank robberies in which she wore a T-shirt that said "naughty."

Wally Walrus

Active: 1995

Got his name: The robber was known for his drooping mustache.

The Penguin

Active: 1995

Got his name: The clean-shaven young man suspected in three Fountain Valley bank robberies wore a Pittsburgh Penguins cap.

Snappy

Active: 1993-1995

Got his name: The middle-aged man was known for his one-liner to tellers: "Gimme the money, and make it snappy."

Some runners-up:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected part of a smog-reduction plan by Southern California air quality regulators, saying it has failed to cut pollution from oil refineries and other big emissions sources as required by federal law.

The EPA says an emissions-trading program administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District has been ineffective in reducing smog-forming pollutants and has allowed some of the regions largest-emitting facilities to avoid installing pollution control equipment.

An excess of pollution credits trading at artificially depressed prices has resulted in a cap-and-trade program for smog-forming emissions that does not satisfy emissions control requirements under the federal Clean Air Act, according to a letter from Deborah Jordan, air division director for the U.S. EPA regional office in San Francisco.

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In its decision, the EPA faulted part of a 2012 air district plan that seeks to reduce soot, or fine particle pollution, across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties through the Regional Clean Air Incentives Market, or Reclaim, program.

Air district counsel Barbara Baird said changes to the program approved recently by the agencys governing board would address the EPAs criticisms.

In December, the air quality board adopted an oil industry-backed proposal to lower the cap on nitrogen oxide emissions from refineries, power plants and other facilities under the Reclaim program by 12 tons per day over the next seven years instead of a staff proposal for a steeper, faster cut of 14 tons.

The decision has come under attack from the California Air Resources Board, state legislators and environmental groups, who say it violates the law and will harm public health.

The U.S. EPA had strongly supported the 14-ton staff proposal rejected by the air board as critically needed for the region to reduce smog and soot to federal health standards, according to a letter from the agency before the December vote.

In a major shift, Republicans gained a majority of seats on the air districts governing board in February as part of a campaign to make pollution regulations easier on businesses. Earlier this month the board fired longtime Executive Officer Barry Wallerstein  who had supported the 14-ton-per-day overhaul of the Reclaim program  and voted against reconsidering the weaker Western States Petroleum Assn. proposal adopted in December.

In a statement, the Western States Petroleum Assn. agreed with the air quality board and said the 12-ton-per-day cut will require new emission controls at refineries and other manufacturing facilities, costing billions of dollars.

It is in no way a free giveaway to the refineries, the industry group said.

The EPA plans to review the air boards changes to the Reclaim program once it receives them as part of a new air quality plan due later this year.

The program is designed to help reduce some of the nations worst smog, including fine particles that are emitted directly and formed in the atmosphere from the emissions of vehicles, power plants, oil refineries and other combustion sources. The tiny pollutants can reach deep into the lungs and are linked to thousands of premature deaths a year in California, primarily from heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.

In recent years the Reclaim program has not delivered the air quality improvements promised by Southland regulators. An oversupply of emission credits has made it cheaper for refineries and other large facilities to buy up rights to pollute than to invest in better control technology.

The air district missed a 2015 deadline to meet a federal health standard for fine particle pollution, resulting in a downgrade of the regions status from moderate to serious.

The air district has blamed its failure to meet the deadline on a surge in bad air days caused by a lack of pollution-cleansing storms during the drought. Agency staff said this week that wetter, windier weather this winter has brought cleaner air and put the region on track to meet a new 2019 deadline.

tony.barboza@latimes.com

Twitter: @tonybarboza

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A Los Angeles-based cyclist has pleaded guilty to procuring performance-enhancing drugs from Europe and China and selling them online to professional and amateur athletes, according to court papers.

Nicholas Brandt-Sorenson entered his plea Wednesday in a downtown federal courtroom, admitting to a misdemeanor count of introducing a misbranded drug into interstate commerce, according to court records.

In his plea agreement, Brandt-Sorenson admitted to selling a vial of erythropoietin, or EPO, to an athlete in Boulder, Colo., for $631.

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EPO, which is on the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, is a hormone that stimulates bone marrow to produce red blood cells. It is clinically prescribed for kidney disease and anemia, but some athletes use the drug to increase their red blood cell production.

His defense attorney, Marilyn Bednarski, did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Brandt-Sorenson gained customers through a website he ran, Anemia Patient Group, which claimed to offer information about various performance-enhancing drugs, according to court papers.

The Anemia Patient Group website advertised substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, such as EPO and chorionic gonadotropin, according to his plea agreement.

Also on the site was Actovegin, a derivative of calfs blood that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The website claimed the substances were for research purposes, according to court papers.

Under the pseudonym of Eric Horowitz, Brandt-Sorenson would conduct business for the blog and sell the drugs, his plea agreement stated. He admitted to having the drugs shipped from overseas to his L.A. home, then mailing them to several athletes, according to court papers.

None of the athletes was identified in his plea agreement, which was filed Feb. 16.

At least three athletes have been sanctioned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in connection with a probe into the Anemia Patient Group site. Its unclear if any of the three knew of or had any connection to Brandt-Sorenson. The sanctions were announced in June 2015 by the USADA:

The Wisconsin-based cyclist Kyle Schmidt and Palm Springs-based triathlon athlete Brook Radcliffe each accepted a two-year sanction for the use, attempted use and possession of synthetic EPO.

Robert Radcliffe of Salt Lake City accepted an 18-month sanction for the use, attempted use and possession of synthetic EPO and human growth hormone. His sentence was reduced because he provided substantial assistance during the probe, according to the USADA.

The USADA previously suspended Brandt-Sorenson for two years beginning Sept. 4, 2011, after he tested positive for Efaproxiral, which artificially enhances delivery of oxygen to the tissues.

Brandt-Sorenson now runs an eponymous clothing line for cyclists, according to a biography published on the clothing lines website.

He is scheduled to return to court on July 20 for sentencing. Prosecutors have agreed to ask a judge to sentence him to three years of probation, 300 hours of community service and a fine of $5,000.

The charge to which he pleaded carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 or more, depending on the financial impact associated with a crime.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.

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It will soon be a very tail-wagging moment when a dog lost at sea and presumed dead is reunited with her owner. The canine moved one paw closer to that goal recently after being flown to Naval Air Station North Island, in San Diego Bay, and picked up by a family friend.

Luna, a 1-year-old, blue-eyed German shepherd/husky mix, fell overboard from a fishing boat off the coast of San Clemente Island in February and was missing for five weeks before she turned up near a naval facility on the island, said Sandy DeMunnik, a spokeswoman for Naval Base Coronado.

Conner Lamb picked up the dog after she was flown to North Island on Wednesday because owner Nick Haworth was out of town.

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Haworth and his one-man crew were two miles offshore of the island on the 45-foot boat Elizabeth H. before dawn on Feb. 10 when they noticed that the 40-pound dog was missing.

One moment Luna was there, and the next, she was gone, Haworth told Navy officials at the time.

Lamb said no one is sure how she came to slip off the boat.

Haworth called for help, and a search for the missing dog was launched.

Lamb said that Haworth, a commercial fisherman, stayed in the area for two days looking for his beloved pet, but she was never spotted.

He was devastated, Lamb said of his friend.

Meanwhile, on the island, Navy crews searched for the dog from the land and from above but never spotted her. She blended right in, Navy wildlife biologist Melissa Booker said about the tan-and-black dog.

Then, on Tuesday morning, some five weeks after the canine disappeared and after had everyone lost hope that she would be found, Luna reappeared.

Booker said that crew members driving along the islands main road found her sitting by the side of the roadway. They literally opened up the car door, whistled and she jumped right in, Booker said.

The determined dog had apparently swum to shore and survived on her own for five weeks. She was found to be a bit malnourished but otherwise healthy and uninjured. It appeared she had eaten small rodents to survive, Booker said.

And she soon became the hit of the island, where no domestic animals are allowed.

Everybody loved her, Booker said.

Luna was flown to the Coronado base Wednesday and given to Lamb. On Thursday, she is to be reunited with Haworth, a 20-year-old San Diego State University student, when he returns from a trip to Arizona.

Hes ecstatic, Lamb said about the coming reunion.

In the meantime, Naval Air Base Cmdr. Stephen Barnett bestowed upon the pet a special dog tag. It read For Luna, keep the faith.

Baker writes for the San Diego Union Tribune.

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The photograph screened in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom revealed a gruesome image: the face of a woman with a long-sleeve white shirt stuffed down her throat.

Henrietta Wrights nearly nude body was found under a mattress in a South Los Angeles alley in 1986. It would be more than 25 years before police found the man they believe killed her and at least nine other women.

On Wednesday, Rochell Johnson walked through the courtroom where for weeks she has attended the trial of Lonnie Franklin Jr., the man prosecutors allege is the so-called Grim Sleeper serial killer. Johnson took a seat on the witness stand and gazed up at the image on the wall.

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Do you recognize the person in this photo? asked Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman.

My mother, she said without a flinch.

Johnsons testimony concluded a procession of relatives who took the stand Wednesday to identify their loved ones, all believed to be victims of the Grim Sleeper.

Franklin, 63, is charged with 10 counts of murder in the deaths of nine women and a 15-year-old girl, and one count of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

Many relatives were asked to view grisly autopsy photos of the victims.

Porter Alexander Jr., who has attended nearly every day of the trial and pretrial hearings spanning years, was asked whether he knew Alicia Monique Alexander.

Thats my  thats my baby daughter, he said.

After the identifications, the prosecution concluded its case, which relied heavily on DNA and ballistics evidence that prosecutors say connects Franklin to all the women.

Police began investigating Franklin in 2007 after the body of Janecia Peters was discovered in a garbage bag at the bottom of a dumpster.

DNA at the scene matched that from two earlier slayings, prompting investigators to begin matching the DNA with unsolved killings from the 1980s and more recent deaths in the early 2000s, according to previous testimony.

Investigators eventually found a partial match with Franklins son, whose DNA had been taken when he was arrested in 2008 and charged with firearm and drug offenses.

Investigators focused on the elder Franklin and launched a surveillance operation, which culminated in an undercover team retrieving a discarded slice of pizza and other items that would be used to match Franklins DNA to the killings, according to earlier testimony.

During a three-day search of his home that followed his arrest, investigators found a .25-caliber semiautomatic handgun, which two criminalists have testified was the gun used to shoot Janecia Peters, who is believed to be the Grim Sleepers final victim.

A criminalist also testified that bullets retrieved from the bodies of seven women  six of whom were killed and one of whom survived  were fired by a different .25-caliber handgun, not used in Peters death.

Franklins DNA, though, was found on at least two of those bodies, according to testimony.

Jurors also heard testimony from Enietra Washington, who is believed to be the lone survivor of the serial killer, who identified Franklin in court as the man who shot her in 1988.

Defense attorney Seymour Amster is scheduled to begin his case on Monday with an opening statement.

For more on the Grim Sleeper trial, follow @sjceasar

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The family of a mentally disabled man shot and killed by Long Beach police last year claims officers used excessive force during the deadly clash in an arcade, according to a legal claim filed Thursday.

Mharloun Saycon, 39, was seated in a chair when Long Beach police officers used an electric stun weapon and hit him with batons before ultimately shooting him inside Looffs Lite-A-Line on Dec. 14, according to a notice of claim filed by Saycons relatives. A legal claim is usually a precursor to a lawsuit.

The family also called on the Los Angeles County district attorneys office to prosecute the officers involved in Saycons death, according to the document. Officers knew that Saycon suffered from a mental disability, the document said.

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There was absolutely no need for this use of lethal force, the notice of claim read. Neither the officer nor anyone else was in danger.

The day after the shooting, Long Beach police said in a statement that two officers were responding to reports of a knife-wielding man at the arcade and that several customers had left the store in fear for their safety.

Saycon ignored several orders to drop the knife, according to police, and attempts to subdue him with a Taser and batons failed. One of the officers opened fire, and Saycon was pronounced dead at the scene.

The family, however, contends in the legal claim that there was no panic inside the arcade, and said the staff was familiar with Saycon. They also claimed the officers were told Saycon suffered from a mental disability but failed to de-escalate the situation.

Mharloun was a good son, a gentle person, his mother, Anna Luz Saycon, said in a statement. He lived at home, and he took care of me. Hed call me at work and say Mom, you rest, Ill cook dinner. I love him so much. I cant believe hes gone.

Asked whether Saycon disobeyed police orders on the day of the shooting, an attorney representing the family said Saycon was seated and confused when police arrived.

The attorney, Dan Stormer, called Saycons death a police-created killing. Several witnesses who called 911 from the arcade told police that Saycon was not a threat, according to Stormer, who said police have refused to release 911 recordings related to the case.

Saycon emigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in 1985. He was an athlete and honor student at Santa Monica High School and attended Santa Monica College before he was diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia in his early 20s, his family said during a Thursday news conference outside the Long Beach Police Departments headquarters.

According to the notice of claim, the incident began when an arcade employee noticed Saycon was scratching a three-inch knife against a table. The employee asked Saycon to put the blade away, and he complied, according to the claim.

Saycon remained in the building, and another employee eventually called police and asked for help escorting the 39-year-old from the premises.

In the claim, the family alleges that officers used a Taser against Saycon as soon as they arrived, without giving him any verbal commands. The family claims that an officer then struck Saycon with a baton, even though he wasnt resisting.

Seconds later, the family said, an officer immediately opened fire on Saycon. He was struck eight times in the arm, chest and abdomen, according to the claim.

During this whole incident, Mharloun never waved the knife around, did not point it at anyone, and never threatened anyone with it, the notice of claim said.

The claim did not specify whether Saycon was holding the knife when police arrived.

A Long Beach police spokesman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. The officer involved in Saycons death has not been identified, and the spokesman declined to release the name without the filing of a public records request.

It was not clear whether the officer who shot Saycon has returned to active duty.

The agency drew criticism and protests last year following two other fatal police shootings.

In April 2015, a police officer responding to a report about vandalism shot and killed 19-year-old Hector Morejon. Police said the officer believed Morejon was pointing a gun at him, but no weapons were recovered at the scene.

Several weeks later, an officer shot and killed Feras Morad, a Moorpark College student who had competed nationally in high school speech and debate contests. Morad, 20, had an adverse reaction after taking hallucinogenic mushrooms, according to a cousin, and either fell or leapt through a plate-glass window.

An officer found Morad covered in blood and offered to help him, but Morad advanced and fought with the officer, police said. The officer tried to subdue Morad, who was not armed, by using a stun gun and striking him with a flashlight, before firing the fatal shot, the department said at the time.

Morads family filed a wrongful death suit against the city late last year, days after Saycon was killed.

Prosecutors are reviewing the shooting deaths of both Morad and Morejon. A spokeswoman for the district attorneys office said the agency has not received information about Saycons death.

The officers involved in Morad and Morejons shootings have both returned to active duty, according to a Long Beach police spokesman.

Nine people were shot by Long Beach police officers last year. Four of them died.

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in Southern California.
A 33-year-old woman was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in state prison for abandoning her newborn daughter under slabs of asphalt near a Compton bike path, prosecutors said.

A judge sentenced Porche Laronda Washington after she pleaded no contest to attempted murder, according to Sarah Ardalani, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Washington admitted to causing great bodily injury to a child under the age of 6. As part of her plea deal, the charge of child endangerment was dropped.

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Sheriffs deputies found Washingtons 4-day-old baby Nov. 27 after neighbors reported hearing the cries of a child. The baby was swaddled in a blanket and tucked in a crevice near a riverbed.

Washington, a Compton resident, had concealed her pregnancy from friends and gave birth at a hospital, sheriffs officials said. After being released from the hospital on Thanksgiving, authorities said, she disposed of the newborn the next day.

Basically, she was stressed. She did not want to deliver the baby at first, Sheriffs Sgt. Richard Ruiz said in December.

Investigators combed through hospital records to track down Washington. The Sheriffs Department also relied on tips from the public to identify the mother, Deputy Dist. Atty. Adrian Roxas said in a statement.

Washington was arrested Dec. 3.

The newborn was hospitalized after deputies found her. The baby was expected to be placed in a home through the Department of Children and Family Services. A spokesperson for DCFS did not immediately respond to inquiries about the childs whereabouts.

For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno.

Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.

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Flares burned overnight Thursday at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance after a Mylar balloon disrupted power in the area.

The Mylar balloon came in contact with a subtransmission power line about 5:43 p.m. Wednesday and caused a system disruption, but did not trigger a power outage, said Paul Griffo, spokesman of Southern California Edison.

The power interruption triggered an unplanned flaring event at the refinery in the 3700 block of West 190th Street, ExxonMobil spokesman Todd Spitler said. The flare system is activated during an unplanned operational interruption.

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No workers were injured during the flaring event.

The power has since been restored, and personnel continue to diligently work to safely restore operations, he said.

ExxonMobil officials do not expect the flaring to have an impact on operations at the refinery, Spitler said.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District received eight complaints about smoke and odors, spokesman Sam Atwood said. Three of those complaints reported health symptoms, he said.

The flaring event comes more than a year after a large blast at the Torrance refinery injured four workers.

Inspectors took air samples Wednesday night to be analyzed at the districts lab in Diamond Bar. The test results could take up to two days.

Investigators concluded the Feb. 18, 2015, explosion was the result of a hydrocarbon release from the fluid catalytic cracker unit into the electrostatic precipitator  a filtration device that removes fine particulates. The hydrocarbon release caused the electrostatic precipitator to explode.

Eight workers had to be decontaminated, and four suffered minor injuries and were sent to hospitals.

After the blast, Cal/OSHA ordered ExxonMobil to shut down the unit until it could demonstrate safe operation.

In August, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued 19 citations, most of which were classified as serious, for workplace safety and health violations at the refinery. ExxonMobil was fined $566,600 in penalties for the explosion.

For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA
The Los Angeles Zoo is taking steps to protect its animals from a mountain lion suspected of killing a koala last week but does not want the predator relocated or euthanized, zoo officials said Wednesday.

Instead of asking for the mountain lion known as P22 to be captured and relocated outside of Griffith Park, or worse, the zoo says it is moving its vulnerable animals indoors at night to protect them should the young male lion find a way through the perimeter fences again.

It is the zoos hope that P22 remains in Griffith Park, zoo spokeswoman April Spurlock said. This is a natural park and home to many species of wildlife. We will continue to adapt to P22 as he has adapted to us.

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The killing of the Australia-born koala, Killarney, gave the zoo the right to have P22 removed or euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which has jurisdiction over the estimated 6,000 mountain lions in the state.

The zoo could ask for a depredation permit and under state law and department policy and we would have granted that permit for the lion to be captured and euthanized, said Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for the state agency. They did not ask for the permit.

Hughan said the agency believes the lion poses no harm at this point but will be monitored closely.

The attack on the koala, although sad, is normal predatory behavior  essentially a lion being a lion and eating, Hughan said. But the mountain lion is a wild animal, so there may come a point in the near or far future where we have to revisit that determination.

 On March 3, one of the Los Angeles Zoos koalas was killed. Though the attack wasnt recorded, they did find still photos of the likely perpetrator: P-22, Griffith Parks most famous mountain lion.

Belief that P22 may have killed and eaten the koala kicked up a fury of headline news, social media traffic and calls to have the big cat removed from the 4,000-acre park where it has become a formidable living emblem of urban wilderness.

The evidence linking P22 to the attack was circumstantial. Black-and-white photos and video taken by zoo surveillance cameras placed him near the scene the night before the small and elderly koala was discovered missing.

A zoo curator discovered Killarneys mutilated remains on a hillside, 400 yards from the koala exhibit. Most of her face was missing.

The zoos koalas have been taken off public display and moved to enclosed areas.

Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch OFarrell, chairman of the citys Arts, Parks, and Los Angeles River Committee, which oversees the city zoo, initially suggested that P22 should be moved to a safer, more remote wild area where he has adequate space to roam without the possibility of human interaction.

The idea generated intense public backlash. It went viral, OFarrells spokesman Tony Arranaga said. People misunderstood what he said to mean that we must relocate P22. What he said, in fact, was that we should consider relocating P22.

P22 was born in the Santa Monica Mountains and crossed the 405 and 101 freeways in 2012 to settle in the rugged, chaparral-cloaked slopes of one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. He has remained there since then, hunting mule deer and other animals for food in the natural areas of the park.

California mountain lions are a specially protected species. Killing a mountain lion without a depredation permit is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one years imprisonment in the county jail or a fine of up to $10,000.

P22 is the focus of research led by federal biologists trying to better understand how mountain lions are surviving in increasingly urbanized and fragmented habitat, said Kate Kuykendall, acting deputy superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area.

Weve seen no indication from P22 that anyone has cause for concern, Kuykendall said.

Local wildlife advocates could not be happier about that.

Wed really hate to see P22 go unless there was good reason for it, said Gerry Hans, president of the nonprofit group Friends of Griffith Park.

I know of nothing that would indicate that theres a tendency for any type of harm to people who use the park, he said. It has settled back into ancestral habitat, sharing the trails day and night with hikers, equestrians and nature lovers.

Of course, he added, all that may change.

Twitter: @LouisSahagun

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When he was discovered in his barracks, Bowe Bergdahl was hunched up on the floor, his nose bloodied, his spirits seemingly undone by a panic attack.

Diagnosed as suffering from adjustment disorder with depression, Bergdahl later washed out of basic training with the U.S. Coast Guard, two years before he joined the Army and landed in Afghanistan.

He told an investigator he was convinced that if he had been called on to rescue people at sea, he would fail.

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I cant save these people, Bergdahl said he told a psychiatrist  a fear he said was worsened by his fathers message that he cant succeed in anything.

In newly released documents, Bergdahl, 29, of Hailey, Idaho, is portrayed as a deeply troubled and idealistic soldier who meditated and idolized Bruce Lee and the French Foreign Legion, but was critical of his mission in Afghanistan, where he hatched a fantastic plan to get a general to address his grievances.

1 / 13 Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel testifies Wednesday before the House Armed Services Committee. (Michael Reynolds / EPA) 2 / 13 An image from a Taliban video shows U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl while in captivity in Afghanistan in December 2009. (AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 13 Col. Bradley Poppen, left, Maj. Gen. Joseph P. DiSalvo and Col. Ronald Wool discuss the condition of Sgt Bowe Bergdahl at a news conference at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio. (Drew Anthony Smith / Getty Images) 4 / 13 A frame grab from a Taliban propaganda video purportedly showing U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in 2009. (IntelCenter / Associated Press) 5 / 13 U.S. soldier Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, seen in an undated Army photo, was taken prisoner in Afghanistan in 2009. (U.S. Army / Associated Press) 6 / 13 Diane Walker takes a picture of a sign celebrating U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahls release in front of Zaneys coffee shop in Hailey, Idaho. (Kyle Green / Associated Press) 7 / 13 Bowe Bergdahls mother, Jani Bergdahl, with Bob Bergdahl and President Obama, speaks at the White House on May 31. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/ Getty Images) 8 / 13 New signs hang at Zaneys coffee house in Hailey, Idaho, after the announcement that U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl had been released from captivity. (Drew Nash / Associated Press) 9 / 13 Rachel Malone, 17, ties balloons along Main Street in Hailey, Idaho after the announcement that U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl had been released from captivity. (Drew Nash / Associated Press) 10 / 13 An image of Bowe Bergdahl is worn by an attendee at the annual Rolling Thunder rally for POW/MIA awareness in Washington. (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press) 11 / 13 A yellow ribbon honoring captive U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is tied to a tree in Hailey, Idaho. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) 12 / 13 Bob Bergdahl, father of then captive Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, speaks at the annual Rolling Thunder rally for POW/MIA awareness in 2012. (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press) 13 / 13 A month after he was captured, Bowe Bergdahl said in a video released by Afghan militants that he was scared he might never again see his family. (IntelCenter / Associated Press)

I was seeing things heading in a very dangerous direction. So I had to do something. It had to be me doing it ... from a young mans mind and my imagination, I came up with a fantastic plan, Army Sgt. Bergdahl told an investigator in an interview months after his release in 2014, calling the plan a self-sacrifice.

Bergdahl planned to abandon his remote base in June 2009 and walk 20 miles to see a general at the nearest military command post. He had learned the military radio signal DUSTWUN, broadcast when a soldier goes missing in combat, and figured that was what he needed to do to get the generals attention.

I knew that if DUSTWUN was called from a soldier disappearing, that call goes not [only] all the way up to Army command, it goes to Air Force, it goes to Marines. It goes all the way back to the states. It goes to every high point and everybody finds out about it.

Bergdahls conversations with a screenwriter after his release became the basis for the latest season of the podcast Serial, and echo the plan he explains in the interview, at times referring to himself in the third person.

That guy disappears. No one knows what happened to him. That call goes out. It hits every command. Everybody goes, what has happened? Bergdahl said of his plan.

While the interview sheds light on Bergdahls mind-set, it also deepens the mystery surrounding the most serious charge he faces.

Bergdahl has been accused of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. If convicted of the most serious accusation  putting those who searched for him at risk  he faces a potential life sentence.

I was seeing things heading in a very dangerous direction. So I had to do something. It had to be me doing it ... from a young mans mind and my imagination, I came up with a fantastic plan, Army Sgt. Bergdahl told an investigator in an interview months after his release in 2014, calling the plan a self-sacrifice.

Bergdahl planned to abandon his remote base in June 2009 and walk 20 miles to see a general at the nearest military command post. He had learned the military radio signal DUSTWUN, broadcast when a soldier goes missing in combat, and figured that was what he needed to do to get the generals attention.

I knew that if DUSTWUN was called from a soldier disappearing, that call goes not [only] all the way up to Army command, it goes to Air Force, it goes to Marines. It goes all the way back to the states. It goes to every high point and everybody finds out about it.

Bergdahls conversations with a screenwriter after his release became the basis for the latest season of the podcast Serial, and echo the plan he explains in the interview, at times referring to himself in the third person.

That guy disappears. No one knows what happened to him. That call goes out. It hits every command. Everybody goes, what has happened? Bergdahl said of his plan.

While the interview sheds light on Bergdahls mind-set, it also deepens the mystery surrounding the most serious charge he faces.

Bergdahl has been accused of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. If convicted of the most serious accusation  putting those who searched for him at risk  he faces a potential life sentence.

I cant succeed at anything.  Bowe Bergdahl, on the message he got from his father

After Bergdahl walked away from his unit, he was captured by the Taliban and held for five years by members of the militant Haqqani network based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was freed after President Obama agreed to release five Taliban detainees from Guantanamo Bay.

The newly released documents include Bergdahls sanity board evaluation, which concludes that he suffered from schizotypal personality disorder  characterized by eccentric beliefs and behavior and problems forming close relationships  but was able to appreciate the nature and quality and wrongfulness of his conduct.

Also released was a 371-page transcript of Bergdahls interview with then-Maj. Gen. Kenneth R. Dahl, who led the Armys investigation and testified at a preliminary hearing that sending Bergdahl to jail would be inappropriate.

The interview indicates that the investigative team never proposed the misbehavior before the enemy charge, which military legal experts have described as unusual and Bergdahls lead defense attorney, Eugene Fidell, has suggested was politically driven.

In portions of the interview, Bergdahl comes across as a naive loner who went to Paris in hopes of joining the French Foreign Legion.

It was an adventurous-sounding idea. I have always wanted to travel and I have always wanted to learn languages, he said of that plan. Unfortunately, I went all the way to Paris. I went to the fort and I tried to check in. They did a physical on me and they told me because of my eyes they wouldnt take me, which was honestly, kind of, a little bit of relief because by the time I got over there it was way overwhelming. I was there. I didnt speak any French or anything like that.

The interview underscores the defenses argument that Army officials were aware of Bergdahls mental health problems when he received a waiver allowing him to enlist.

Fidell said he decided to post the documents online Wednesday after prosecutors attached portions to a court filing.

Fidell said he also posted them because of the continued campaign of vilification of Bergdahl by Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly called Bergdahl a traitor, at times saying he should have been executed.

According to the transcript of Dahls interview, he gave Bergdahl a form listing the three offenses he was suspected of: being absent without leave, desertion and fraudulent enlistment. Dahl did not suggest any additional charges, according to the transcript.

The generals tone in the transcript is conversational, as it was during Bergdahls initial military hearing. As at the hearing, he praised Bergdahls service and character, telling him that before his fantastic plan to leave the post, he was one of the best soldiers, arguably the best soldier in [his] platoon.

I think all of that deserves to be considered, Dahl said.

Bergdahl remains on administrative duty at Joint Base San Antonio-Ft. Sam Houston and is expected to face court-martial at Ft. Bragg, N.C., in August.

Follow @mollyhf on Twitter.

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Against the advice of its own panel of outside experts, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is forgoing tests meant to ensure that a critical component of the nations homeland missile defense system will work as intended.

The tests that are being skipped would evaluate the reliability of small motors designed to help keep rocket interceptors on course as they fly toward incoming warheads.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Editor Davan Maharaj >>

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The components, called alternate divert thrusters, are vital to the high-precision guidance required to intercept and destroy an enemy warhead traveling at supersonic speed  a feat likened to hitting one speeding bullet with another.

The interceptors, deployed in underground silos at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County and at Ft. Greely, Alaska, are the backbone of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD)  the nations main defense against a sneak attack by North Korea or Iran.

The interceptors are multi-stage rockets, each with a 5-foot-long kill vehicle at its tip. The 150-pound kill vehicle is designed to separate from its rocket in space, fly independently at 4 miles per second and crash into an enemy warhead, destroying it.

The performance of the divert thrusters, which are supposed to keep the kill vehicles on course during their final approach to their targets, has been a source of concern for several years. In response, the Missile Defense Agency oversaw development of a new and supposedly better version, the alternate divert thruster.

An outside panel of experts privately advised the agency to put the alternate divert thrusters through hot fire testing, in which they would be revved up on the ground to see whether they burned smoothly and delivered adequate propulsion.

But in order to stay on schedule for a planned expansion of the GMD system, none of the 40 thrusters that are being installed on 10 new interceptors will undergo hot-fire testing, government officials told the Los Angeles Times.

Forgoing the tests increases the risk for reliability issues going undetected, according to a newly released report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The report says that such testing verifies proper performance and workmanship.

Based on a commitment made three years ago by the Obama administration, the missile agency is moving to expand the number of interceptors from 30 to 44 by the end of 2017.

See the most-read stories this hour >>

There are now four at Vandenberg Air Force Base and 26 at Ft. Greely. According to a Missile Defense Agency spokesman, the total will reach 37 by the end of this year and 44 by the end of 2017. All of the new interceptors are going to Ft. Greely.

The GAO report, dated Feb. 17 and prepared for members of Congress, says the missile agency has made progress toward fielding more interceptors. But the report says the agency is relying on a highly optimistic, aggressive schedule that overlaps development and testing with production activities, compromises reliability [and] extends risk to the warfighter.

The missile agency commissioned the panel of outside experts in 2013 to identify design, reliability, manufacturing [and] test process improvements to enhance the reliability of the interceptors, according to agency documents.

The experts recommended in March 2014 that the agency conduct hot-fire testing on each of the alternate thrusters  or on a sample of those that were to be deployed, according to officials familiar with the matter.

The experts recommendation regarding the thrusters is mentioned in the GAO report. Their complete assessment of the interceptor fleet has not been made public.

The missile agency, in written comments to The Times, said it does not agree with the GAOs conclusion that forgoing the hot-fire testing compromises the systems reliability. The agency said it has assessed it is not necessary to hot fire each thruster prior to emplacement.

The agency said a very thorough series of hot-fire tests was completed in May 2015 on 14 experimental thrusters components made for design purposes that will not be put into the arsenal.

The agency also said that alternate divert thrusters were used on a test rocket fired in January, and that technicians are reviewing data from that flight to determine how the components performed.

The thrusters will be evaluated again in an exercise later this year in which a rocket will attempt to intercept a mock warhead, the agency said.

But the agency acknowledged that none of the thrusters it has subjected to hot-fire testing will be installed on fleet interceptors deployed as part of the GMD system.

GAO analyst Cristina Chaplain, author of the recent report, underlined the point:

Theres not going to be any hot-fire testing of the individual thrusters that are being produced for integration into the kill vehicles, she said in an interview.

Chaplain said the hot-fire testing of experimental models does not give you much insight into whether the thrusters produced for integration into the nations arsenal will be free from workmanship or quality problems.

The GMD system is designed to repel a limited missile attack by a non-superpower adversary such as Iran or North Korea. The nations defense against a massive nuclear assault by Russia or China still relies on mutually assured destruction, the Cold War notion that neither country would strike first for fear of a devastating counterattack.

GMDs roots go back to the Clinton administration, when concern began to mount over the spread of missile technology. In 2002, President Bush ordered an initial set of missile defense capabilities to be put in place within two years.

To accelerate deployment, then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld exempted the missile agency from the Pentagons standard procurement rules and testing standards.

Engineers trace the GMD systems difficulties to the breakneck pace at which components were produced and fielded. In precisely scripted flight tests above the Pacific, interceptors have failed to hit mock enemy warheads about half the time.

The new GAO report concludes that the missile agencys flight testing has been insufficient to demonstrate that an operationally useful defense capability exists.

The system has cost taxpayers more than $40 billion to date.

Some serious problems have been traced to the kill vehicles and their intricate electronic components.

In a December 2010 flight test, technicians concluded that vibrations within the kill vehicle disrupted its sensitive guidance system, preventing it from hitting the target missile. In three other tests, most recently in July 2013, the kill vehicle failed to separate from its boost rocket.

The undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, Frank Kendall III, has attributed the problems largely to the hurried schedule.

The root cause was a desire to field these things very quickly and very cheaply, Kendall told a defense conference in early 2014, adding, We are seeing a lot of bad engineering, frankly, and it was because there was a rush.

Divert thrusters were developed to help address problems observed during flight tests. But performance issues emerged in ground testing of the first thrusters, prompting development of the alternate thrusters.

A GAO report last May revealed that the missile agency  to keep pace with the scheduled expansion of the interceptor fleet  chose to equip eight new kill vehicles with the earlier, deficient thrusters.

The GAO recommended then that the agency delay putting those eight kill vehicles in the silos until the alternate divert thrusters were ready. The missile agency did not follow the advice.

In written remarks last June to some members of Congress and their staffs, Vice Adm. James D. Syring, director of the missile agency, defended the decision. He said technicians installed software to mitigate performance issues identified with the original thruster.

Syring added: Delivering the eight new interceptors provides the warfighter with significant additional capability  earlier than waiting for the alternate divert thrusters.

Philip E. Coyle III, an engineer who formerly headed the Pentagons operational testing office, said that the missile agency is inviting unnecessary risk by scrapping the recommended hot-fire testing.

The approach, Coyle said, conjures the old saying, Why is there never enough time to do it rightbut always enough time to do it over?

Twitter: DWillmanNews

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An off-duty suburban Dallas police officer who fatally shot a 16-year-old and wounded another juvenile was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder and aggravated assault, authorities said.

Farmers Branch Officer Ken Johnson was taken into custody Wednesday night by Addison police officers and was being booked into Dallas County Jail.

The shooting happened Sunday evening at a gas station in Addison. Officials have said that Johnson saw a vehicle being burglarized in his apartment complex parking lot and that he gave chase when the suspects fled. After the suspects vehicle spun out about a half-mile away, an altercation led to the shooting.

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Jose Raul Cruz was killed and the other juvenile, who also was shot, was hospitalized.

Johnsons attorney has said he feared for his life. Johnson was not injured.

Authorities have not said whether the juveniles were armed.

Addison Police Chief Paul Spencer said in a statement Wednesday that there was probable cause to arrest Johnson but that the investigation will likely take several more weeks.

Farmers Branch Police spokesman David Laisure declined to comment Wednesday, deferring to Addison police. Addison Police Chief Paul Spencer previously has said that Johnson had no disciplinary record. He also noted that department policies do not allow off-duty officers to chase suspects in their own vehicles.

According to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Johnson has worked for Farmers Branch police for a year. He worked as a peace officer for Dallas Area Rapid Transit for almost eight years before that.

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The Los Angeles City Council recently unveiled an ambitious plan to help and house the citys nearly 26,000 homeless people and pledged to set aside millions  billions if it can find that  to fund it. But thats not the only far-reaching effort the city has made in response to the rise in homelessness. Over the last year, city workers and Los Angeles police have descended on encampments of tents and cardboard and bedding, dismantling hundreds of them and carting away 1,355 tons of material.

A lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court contends that those sweeps violate the rights of homeless people by seizing their valuables, and it asks the court to halt these practices. The city has a right to confiscate belongings that endanger public health and safety. But its also under a 2011 injunction that prohibits it from destroying the nonhazardous belongings confiscated from homeless people without first storing them for 90 days for the owners to reclaim.

The homelessness crisis cannot be fixed by shooing people off the streets and snatching away their belongings.

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The lawsuit says the city has not only seized property, it has destroyed much of it  a point the city disputes. The plaintiffs also claim that the city has charged some homeless people with misdemeanor offenses which generally stem from the condition of being homeless. Plaintiff Carl Mitchell, a man living on skid row, allegedly had two shopping carts of belongings dumped out and then thrown in the back of a truck. The possessions included his medications. He was then arrested for possession of a stolen shopping cart (a third cart he allegedly told police was not his) and jailed for 18 hours. Another plaintiff in the suit  also arrested for possession of a stolen shopping cart  claims she was given a receipt indicating where her belongings were being stored, but she has struggled to get them back. And city workers clearing property, according to the lawsuit, treat it as if it is presumptively trash, using knives to rip open tents, destroying them in the process.

Its difficult for the city to balance the conflicting needs to clear the streets of the blight of encampments and to respect the rights of the desperate people who live there. But the homelessness crisis cannot be fixed by shooing people off the streets and snatching away their belongings. Nor is arresting homeless people for minor violations related to their being homeless  and either starting or lengthening their criminal records  anything but counterproductive to getting them into housing and jobs.

And what happened to the municipal code amendment Councilman Mike Bonin proposed last November that would outlaw the confiscation of belongings that homeless people were attending to if the city could not provide storage facilities nearby? Nothing good. That measure has been sliced and diced and whittled down to a proposal for an airline-baggage-style rule allowing each homeless person to carry a backpacks worth of goods and store the rest if there is space available within two miles. If there isnt, a homeless person would be allowed to cart around up to one 60-gallon containers worth of items. Four months after Bonins announcement, the proposal was still winding a tortured route through two council committees.

Now, council members say they will take up the storage measure on Thursday in the Homelessness and Poverty Committee and get it to the full council right away. Bonin and Councilman Gil Cedillo, both of whom sit on the homelessness committee, had already called for the city to locate more storage space around town for homeless people. The citys new homeless plan incorporates that directive, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority is supposed to be identifying more storage space.

The city should not be confiscating belongings unless it can offer nearby storage facilities to homeless people. The City Council should make that clear  and then line up adequate space. Thats the least the city can do while it figures out how to get people housed.

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A Department of Justice immigration judge recently made headlines for testifying that 3- and 4-year-old migrant children could be taught immigration law and could competently represent themselves in court.

You can do a fair hearing, said Judge Jack H. Weil. [Children] get it. Its not the most efficient, but it can be done. He was testifying in a deposition for a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU and other legal organizations to challenge the governments failure to appoint counsel for children facing deportation.

Deportation hearings in which children must defend themselves are not right, but they will continue.

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Weils bosses promptly disavowed his comments, and he claimed his words had been taken out of context. But dont be fooled. Weil is an assistant chief immigration judge responsible for training other judges on cases involving children. He is not just knowledgeable about how young people are treated in immigration court, he facilitates the process. His deposition unmasks the governments deplorable position: Deportation hearings in which children must defend themselves are not right, but they will continue.

As it stands, a patchwork of federal and state programs fund counsel for some migrant children through grants to nonprofit legal organizations. Others get pro bono assistance from private attorneys or the childrens relatives pay for representation. But many children simply arent represented at all, even in cases where they may be deported to countries where they could face violence and even death.

The results are what you would expect. Children without lawyers were five times more likely to be ordered deported in the nearly 53,000 cases completed between October 2012 and August 2015.

In those cases, 19,804 were not represented and ordered deported while 4,769 who had lawyers were also ordered to leave the country. Of those children with lawyers, 24,933 were allowed to remain in this country, and 3,345 who were unrepresented were also allowed to stay. Nationwide, 64,000 childrens cases are still pending.

When U.S. Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch was asked about Weils comments at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing March 9, she said, In no way does the Department of Justice feel that children [3 or 4 years old] or, frankly, children who are older, can or should represent themselves individually.

And yet, when she was asked directly if counsel should be required, Lynch replied that current law does not provide the right to counsel. In other words, the government will continue to put children through deportation proceedings without a lawyer. If the government were honest about the constitutional requirements of due process, it would acknowledge its legal obligation to provide unrepresented children with legal counsel. If due process doesnt support this obligation, the concept is meaningless.

The government has pointed to the cost of providing counsel in these cases. But due process is about doing whats necessary to protect the rights at stake, not whats the most inexpensive or expedient. And when it comes to expense, we must also ask how the government can spend the money to hire a trained prosecutor to appear against the child in every case, but then claim that its too expensive to level the playing field?

The most appropriate resolution to ensure that we arent deporting those who would otherwise qualify to remain in the U.S. would be legislation that requires counsel for migrant children. Until that happens, the Justice Department could at least prioritize its deportation cases by moving those children who are represented to the front of the line and those who arent to the back. This would give those who are currently unrepresented additional time to seek out a pro bono attorney or funds for representation, and it would mean that the cases would proceed only against those children who have counsel.

But even this step toward justice would first require the government to admit something it has so far resisted: The United States can, and must, do better than putting any child through deportation proceedings without a lawyer.

Hector Villagra is executive director of the ACLU of Southern California.

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To the editor: While I sympathize with the violent loss of Santa Monica Mountains rancher Natalie Riggs two sheep because of a mountain lion attack, the larger scene of almost incomprehensible violence is really humanitys growing insistence that wildlife must be culled for our convenience. (Is P-22 mountain lion too dangerous for Griffith Park? Koala death sparks debate, March 11)

Endangered wildlife is in accelerating free fall from every corner of the Earth. It is the responsibility of zoo keepers, ranchers and pet owners to make certain that their animals are safely protected with appropriate enclosures and fencing. We humans, after all, continue to move into what was once wild animal domain. It is we who are the invasive species as we insist on claiming every square inch of Earths surface as our own.

Wildlife is part of our natural heritage. We gun it down at our own peril.

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Linda Nicholes, Huntington Beach

..

To the editor: Mountain lions are ferocious, wild animals. They are not pets. What are we waiting for? Do children have to be killed before we take action?

The Griffith Park mountain lion known as P-22 has apparently killed a koala at the L.A. Zoo. Next up will be more zoo animals, area residents pets and possibly even worse.

So far, mountain lions have invaded human habitats and killed livestock and pets. As the article notes, one even tried to kill a child before it was stopped. It may seem fun to have a wild cat roaming in Griffith Park, but it isnt wise. Spending tax dollars to encourage such animals to live here is an act of stupidity.

Mountain lions should be discouraged from living in close proximity to the city. They should be transported to wilderness far from the Santa Monica Mountains and prevented from coming back.

M.B. Nachman, Venice

..

To the editor: Southern California residents have demonstrated a willingness to coexist with wildlife in the incomparably beautiful habitat we share with coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions. Many have gone further, embracing the responsibility to care for our lions by working to eradicate rodenticides and by pledging money and support for what will be the worlds largest wildlife crossing at Liberty Canyon.

Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, the National Wildlife Federations California director, speaks often of the vanishingly small risks and incalculable rewards of coexisting with wildlife. I was surprised and disappointed that this article, instead of quoting her, included an inflammatory and flatly wrong statement from an official with Gardiner, Montanas Chamber of Commerce, who said it always [ends] badly when people and predators come into contact.

Encounters between humans and predators do not always end badly. Ask those of us who hike the Santa Monica Mountains with reverence and no fear.

Lauren Gill, Newbury Park

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Donald Trump pushed back Wednesday at the threat by Republican adversaries to override the will of GOP voters and name someone else as the partys presidential nominee regardless of his lead in acquiring delegates.

With his victories in the Illinois, North Carolina and Florida primaries on Tuesday, the New York real estate tycoon widened his delegate lead over his two remaining rivals, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Trump will extend his lead still further if hes ultimately declared the winner of Tuesdays too-close-to-call primary in Missouri, where the initial count put him fewer than 1,800 votes ahead of Cruz.

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With 673 delegates, Trump is already more than halfway to the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the nomination before the partys national convention in Cleveland in July.

Trump is the only candidate with a realistic shot of getting there, even if his loss to Kasich in Ohio on Tuesday will make it harder. But Cruz and Kasich are counting on keeping Trump just shy of 1,237, forcing a contested convention that delegates could resolve by crowning a nominee of their choice.

Former House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio suggested Wednesday that party insiders bypass Trump should he fall short. He recommended Rep. Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, his successor as speaker.

If we dont have a nominee who can win on the first ballot, Im for none of the above, Boehner said. They all had a chance to win. None of them won. So Im for none of the above. Im for Paul Ryan to be our nominee.

Ryan, the GOP nominee for vice president in 2012, has been coy. You know, I havent given any thought to this stuff, he told CNBC on Tuesday. People say, What about the contested convention? I say, well, there are a lot of people running for president. Well see. Who knows?

Trump tried to shut down such talk Wednesday morning, telling CNN that riots could break out if he is denied the nomination after winning more delegates than any of his rivals.

I wouldnt lead it, he said of the potential unrest. But I think bad things would happen.

Trumps remarks came less than a week after racially tinged violence erupted at his rallies in Chicago and Fayetteville, N.C., with his white supporters clashing with black and Latino protesters. Several dozen demonstrators were arrested outside Trump rallies last week in Missouri; police pepper-sprayed some in Kansas City.

Cruz has 411 delegates, making it close to impossible for him to reach 1,237, according to the Associated Press. He would need to win 78% of the remaining delegates. So far, he has won 29%.

For Kasich, who has 143 delegates, its already mathematically impossible to reach 1,237 before the convention; too few delegates remain up for grabs, according to AP.

I think well win before we get to the convention, Trump told CNN. But I can tell you, if we didnt, and if were 20 votes short, or if were 100 short, and were at 1,100, and somebody else is at 500 or 400  because were way ahead of everybody  I dont think you can say that we dont get it automatically. I think youd have riots.

Trump mentioned the millions of Americans who have voted for him, including many who typically sit out elections because they never believed in the system.

If you disenfranchise those people, he said, and you say, Well, Im sorry, but youre 100 votes short, even though the next one is 500 votes short, I think you would have problems like youve never seen before. I think bad things would happen. I really do.

Major Republican donors reportedly spent more than $20 million on ads attacking Trump in Florida and Illinois, to no avail. Its not yet clear whether they will keep pouring money into their stop-Trump efforts.

GOP Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged party leaders Wednesday to accept and respect the will of the voters and coalesce behind Donald Trump.

If we spend another four months tearing each other apart, we will damage our ability to win in November, Scott wrote on Facebook in his endorsement of Trump. Its time for an end to the Republican on Republican violence.

Trump also declined Wednesday to participate in a Fox News debate scheduled Monday in Salt Lake City, as did Kasich, leading the network to cancel it.

I think weve had enough debates, Trump told Fox News. How many times can the same people ask you the same question?

Trump said he would instead make a speech in Washington at a conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT
In coming weeks, the United States Census will launch a pilot program in Los Angeles, taking advantage of a large multi-ethnic population, varying levels of Internet access and a high number of vacant homes to test a new data-collection system in English, Spanish, Korean and Chinese.

The test  which will play out for the first time online and through phone surveys  is designed to save money and time when the government counts the estimated 330 million people in the country four years from now.

Over the next six weeks, the U.S. Census Bureau will mail several notices to 225,000 homes in the Los Angeles area asking people to go online and answer questions about how many people live in their home, how they are related and who owns the property.

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Lisa Blumerman, associate director of the decennial census, said she expects about 60,000 of the 225,000 Southern California test homes wont respond to the mailed reminders. Those who dont might get a knock on their door from a census worker, who, unlike in previous years, wont be carrying a clipboard and pencil.

Instead, workers will use a phone and tablet application called Compass to immediately collect responses from the doorstep. The application notes that a response has been made from that address, meaning workers would need to make fewer unnecessary follow-up visits, Blumerman said. The application is being tested on both iPhone and Samsung devices.

In the past ... it was all paper and pencil. Theyd have a stack of questionnaires, theyd go out and fill it out, theyd have a stack of paper maps, theyd have to figure out where to go. Now, were doing all of that with automation, Blumerman said.

It will also be the first time people can answer census workers questions in English, Spanish, simplified Chinese or Korean.

We want to make sure when we conduct the census that we can reach all communities, and part of being able to reach all communities to ensure an accurate and fair census is providing them ways that they can respond that make them feel comfortable, Blumerman said.

The Los Angeles County test is a chance to see if the new systems recognize Chinese and Korean letters properly.

Were moving into the use of non-Roman characters, she said.

A similar test focused on Spanish responses is being held in the Houston area at the same time.

(Also new in 2020 will be the chance to respond to the census by phone in languages including Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic and French.)

For Lydia Lee, the changes mean no more suspicious looks from people who struggled to answer the forms because they were in only English.

I encountered many reluctant households concerned about why the government needed that information. They were concerned about privacy, said Lee, 55, of Los Angeles.

Lee, who worked with the census in 2000 and 2010, expects this test, and the 2020 census overall, to be easier for people who dont easily speak English.

Its going to be a totally different scenario, she said. If we have the Chinese form for someone that speaks Chinese, they are going to be helped.

The census is even streamlining how it knocks on doors. Census officials asked FedEx and UPS about choosing best routes for workers to walk and what times people are more likely to be home to answer the door, Blumerman said.

They are trying to get packages to your door and they have to get a lot of packages to your door, Blumerman said. We really wanted to learn from them, how their routing and their algorithms worked, because what were trying to do is get [workers] to peoples doors efficiently.

Using more technology to conduct the test could shave $5 billion off what would otherwise be a more than $17-billion price tag for the census and prep work, Blumerman said.

Just comparing aerial photos of neighborhoods to look for changes will save $1 billion that would have been spent sending out workers to walk every block in America, Blumerman said.

That allows us to do the vast majority of address canvassing in an office, where we have clerks at our national processing center in Jeffersonville, Ind., looking at two pictures, two vintages of imagery of a block, and looking to see if growth has occurred, she said.

The census also plans to use existing federal public data, such as post office delivery information or tax filings, to determine whether anyone might live in a home before they send a worker to the residence to knock on the door. Eventually that will expand to using data collected by each state, such as which residences house a food stamp recipient, she said.

There is no need for us to send a field worker to a vacant housing unit, she said.

It may seem obvious, but its a big leap for the census, which wasnt doing these things in 2010.

We are bringing the census into the 21st century. Were bringing modern technology, modern data, new information and using it in a holistic way for the entirety of the census that hasnt been done before, Blumerman said.

Getting it right matters, Blumerman said. The data collected during the constitutionally required count of the nations population taken every decade is used to draw congressional districts and divvy up more than $400 billion in annual federal spending.

The number of residents on a particular street can determine where fire stations or schools are built.

We want to make sure we count everyone once and only once and in the right place, and to do that requires a lot of effort on our part, Blumerman said.

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter

Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics

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When Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says something incendiary about immigrants, its personal for their children.

The coalition of black, Latino and Muslim student activists that shut down a Trump rally last Friday night at the University of Illinois at Chicago is a sign of a growing national emotional reaction, said Cristina Jimenez, managing director of the immigrant youth-led advocacy group United We Dream.

Since its looking like he will be a nominee, theres a high level of anxiety about what that will mean for families of the people he has attacked through his rhetoric, Jimenez said, noting that her group has found that young people are mobilizing online and in person in a way they never did to past engagement drives.

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For young people who came of age in the era of President Obama, the idea of not being considered fully American is often surprising as well as unsettling. Were having a national debate about what we are as a country and what is defined as American, she said.

TRAIL GUIDE: All the latest news on the 2016 presidential campaign >>

More than 17 million children in the United States are growing up in a home with an immigrant parent. On a recent morning at California State University, Northridge, where more than three-quarters of students are minorities, many students expressed anger and frustration, saying they felt their parents were being disrespected.

CSUN students Francisco Sanchez and Stephany Rodas could almost cite word-for-word -- and refute -- some of the common accusations that Trump has made about Mexican immigrants.

When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending the best  theyre sending people that have lots of problems and theyre bringing those problems, Trump said in his June campaign kickoff speech. Theyre bringing drugs, theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and theyre telling us what were getting.

Sanchez cannot imagine a description further from his parents. My parents are both from Mexico, theyre born and raised in Michoacan, and they came to America for the American Dream, he said. His parents are not involved with drugs or crime. Mostly, he said, they work.

Rodas, a psychology student, describes her family in classic immigrant saga terms. Her parents struggled for education and basic necessities in Guatemala, bathing in rivers and walking hours to school. A housecleaner and truck driver, they are the hardest working people I know, Rodas said.

So when Donald Trump says when Mexicans, or you could even include Latinos in that, arent sending the best, hes wrong, she said. Because my parents are the best.

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Accounting student Stephanie Gutierrez, who volunteers helping low-income people with their taxes, took issue with Trumps allegation that undocumented immigrants are a burden on the economy. His campaign website states that the annual cost of free tax credits alone paid to illegal immigrants quadrupled to $4.2 billion. (According to Politifact, this statement is a half-truth as it does not include the more than three times that amount, $12 billion in payroll taxes, that undocumented immigrants pay into the system.)

Gutierrez said she helps her parents, who are originally from Oaxaca, prepare their taxes  and she knows they do not get the same benefits as a U.S. citizen. One thing I would love everyone to know is that my parents do pay taxes just like everybody else, she said. The only difference is they dont get earned income credit because of their lack of Social Security.

Students with parents from elsewhere in the world also said they wanted to make sure Trump understood their motives and challenges. Eric Licas said his parents left behind their baby daughter in the Philippines and gave up careers in construction and engineering. Initially undocumented, they worked essentially minimum-wage jobs, he said, so that their children could have a better future and to earn our right and contribute to America.

And Marina Shenouda, a microbiology student who moved with her Egyptian-born parents to the United States via Greece four years ago, watched her father give up a career in construction as an electrical engineer to provide opportunities for her to be able to study the topic of her choosing. Working at a gas station and as a bagger at Super King, she says, they really struggled very hard to help us succeed here in America.

And then she adds another element that is fueling this emotional youth reaction. When its about your parents, its personal.

Shenoudas other message for Trump about her parents: I love them so much.

Are you a first-generation American? Share your parents immigrant story in the comments.

daniela.gerson@latimes.com

Twitter: @dhgerson

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Im Christina Bellantoni, this is Essential Politics, and Californias June 7 primary is suddenly a lot more interesting.

We were wondering if it could happen, and the reality has come to be.

Californias primary delegates became the pot at the end of the rainbow for the campaigns, Ben Ginsberg, a veteran GOP lawyer who has long been involved in the nomination process, told The Times.

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Seema Mehta and Cathleen Decker report on Californias 172 delegates  14% of the 1,237 required to win the nomination  and how the GOP appears ready to seize a deciding role at the end of the election cycle.

And my favorite nugget is how Republican delegates are awarded in California.

The process creates the potential for a tactically complicated campaign. The vast majority of delegates are awarded, three at a time, to the winner of each of the states 53 congressional districts.

A GOP candidate could get three delegates by winning House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis liberal San Francisco district, which contains 30,000 Republicans  the same number he would capture for winning the sprawling northern California district of Elk Grove conservative stalwart Rep. Tom McClintock, home to 175,000 Republicans.

That could mean 53 separate fights, in theory, although in practice much of the warring will be conducted via the states dozen or so media markets.

The deadline to register to vote is May 23, and youre going to be hearing a lot more from us on this in coming weeks. Well also be hosting events. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to be the first to hear about whats coming.

THE DAILY TRUMP

And what of the Republican front-runner, who warned Wednesday riots could break out this summer if he wins more delegates than any of his rivals but is denied the Republican Party nomination for president?

Mostly people were saying not-so-nice things about him.

In his Thursday column, George Skelton cautions political junkies against comparing Donald Trump to the likes of Pete Wilson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, writing that the brash businessmans showmanship is in a league all its own.

Alice Walton reports that L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson says Trump is preying on voters fears.

CLINTON COMING TO CALI FOR CASH

Get ready for a whole bunch of Hillary Clinton and friends in Los Angeles.

A series of fundraising events kick off today at lunch when campaign Chairman John Podesta hosts a conversation at the home of Dr. Asif Mahmood in Bradbury. Contributors can give up to $2,700 and attend a host reception, according to a copy of an invitation obtained by The Times.

On Sunday, Chelsea Clinton will host a conversation at the Los Angeles home of Elsa and Jarron Collins.

Next Thursday, the candidate herself will appear at the Avalon Hollywood alongside performing artists Ben Harper, Estelle and Russell Simmons, who is emcee. One invitation, from former L.A. councilwoman and city controller Wendy Greuel, shows the lowest-priced ticket is $250. A separate invitation obtained by The Times from a fundraising bundler has the lowest price as $500. And $1,000 gives the ticket-holder preferred viewing. Event chairs can raise $50,000 and attend a host reception with Clinton and the performers.

WE HAVE A NOMINEE. NOW WHAT?

President Obama nominated D.C. Circuit Court Judge Merrick Garland, a former colleague of Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., only to have Senate Republicans offer a firm thanks but no thanks.

(Our editorial board calls that a no-win situation.)

Will the GOP relent? A political industrial complex primed for the fight had archived quotes about Garlands qualifications and previous nomination battles at the ready, with each side suggesting words said over the course of history should  or shouldnt  take precedence at this particular moment. And the attacks came from all sides, especially as Democrats pushed a #doyourjob social media campaign going after Senate Republicans.

Whats next? Action seems pretty unlikely, and all the timeline data from nominations past  it took Clarence Thomas 99 days to be confirmed and Roberts just 23  is moot.

Because no matter Garlands qualifications, in a political environment that the president labeled even noisier and more volatile than usual it is difficult to get anything done, let alone something of such consequence.

Still, Obama had to try: At a time when our politics are so polarized, at a time when norms and customs of political rhetoric and courtesy and comity are so often treated like theyre disposable  this is precisely the time when we should play it straight, and treat the process of appointing a Supreme Court justice with the seriousness and care it deserves. Because our Supreme Court really is unique. Its supposed to be above politics. It has to be. And it should stay that way.

WILL TRUMP TURN STEVE KNIGHTS SEAT BLUE?

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico thinks the rise of Donald Trump can help flip at least one California seat this year: Californias 25th Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale).

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Lujan said that although the seat maybe wasnt on everyones original map, it is on our battlefield now in a very aggressive way.

Knights political consultant declined to comment but noted that the congressman has not endorsed in the presidential race. In January, Knight told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal that he didnt think Trump could win the general [election] in a million years.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

 While Congress is deadlocked over a proposal to study gun violence, California lawmakers are making moves to establish a University of California campus as a state-funded national center on the issue.

 Sarah Wire has the latest on the Army policy that keeps female World War II pilots out of Arlington National Cemetery: Only Congress can change it.

 We detail the return of Ron Unz  this time with a Senate bid.

 An association representing Los Angeles County prosecutors is set to become the second criminal justice group in a week to oppose a ballot measure by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom that would further restrict guns and ammunition in California.

 Theres another proposal to slow the revolving door between lawmakers and the people trying to influence legislation.

 Decker finds that the recent Trump campaign rally violence may have boosted Clinton. In Ohio, two-thirds of voters said Clinton was the strongest candidate to defeat Trump, and they went for her by a factor of 4 to 1.

 Clinton may have a trump card, so to speak, in the large and growing coalition of independent and moderate Republican women who dont like her but are so repulsed by Trump that they are already preparing to vote for the Democrat if thats what it takes to keep him out of office.

 Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and his wife, Amy Wakeland, have sold their house in the Echo Park area for $1.705 million  above the asking price.

 Obama has Kansas winning his March Madness bracket.

LOGISTICS

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Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.
With Congress deadlocked over a proposal to fund gun violence prevention research, California lawmakers are making moves to establish a state-funded national center on the issue at a university campus.

The proposal has once again put California at the forefront of gun issues, drawing national attention to the state after a Dec. 2 mass shooting in San Bernardino that left 14 people dead and 22 others wounded at the hands of two terrorists.

Our researchers at the University of California are tops in the nation, and if Congress refuses to act responsibly, we need to step up and fill the void, said state Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis), who introduced a bill to create the facility.

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In 1996, the National Rifle Assn. lobbied to halt the use of federal money for gun violence research, arguing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was using the funds to advocate for gun control. As a result, the CDC put a self-imposed ban in place on such research.

Legislation in Congress to lift the prohibition has stalled, so Wolk and 17 other California lawmakers, including Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) are supporting the state bill.

The measure would establish a Firearm Violence Research Center at the University of California to provide the scientific evidence on which sound firearm violence prevention policies and programs can be based.

The bill is opposed by the NRA, which sees the measure as a way for gun control advocates in the Legislature to try to provide scientific support for their positions, according to Amy Hunter, an NRA spokeswoman.

We dont think taxpayers should be paying for research that advocates for a political agenda, Hunter said. I have no doubt that if this center is created this research will end up backing up their political agenda. The people proposing this are very much anti-gun politicians.

De Leon has tried unsuccessfully for years to propose background checks for those buying ammunition, but the measures have stalled under opposition.

The NRA would like to see research that looks at the effectiveness of existing gun control laws, Hunter said.

We see that all these mass shootings happen in gun-free zones, Hunter said. Is there scientifically a reason why that happens?

Wolk said the proposed center would look at the effectiveness of existing policies.

We want to have research being the basis for making good policy, and once bills are enacted in the area of firearms we want to make sure they are effective, Wolk said.

Her bill does not include the $5 million in funding proposed for the centers first five years of operation, which Wolk hopes to secure during the separate budget process from the general fund. Gov. Jerry Brown has not taken a public position on the proposal.

The measure would also allow the center to accept grants and other funding from foundations and other nonprofits. A UC campus would be selected to host the research center based on competitive proposals, Wolk said.

SB 1006 was approved Wednesday by the Senate Education Committee on a vote of 7 to 2 after physicians testified to the panel about how gun violence has hurt many young people.

The research center is important for the lives of the youth in California, said Dean Blumberg of the American Academy of Pediatrics. California Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) called gun violence a public health crisis.

Republican Sen. Robert Huff of Diamond Bar noted there is already a research program on violence at UC Davis, but Wolk said it is a small operation that is privately funded.

This is something that can and should be done at the federal level, Huff said.

The proposal has drawn the national spotlight.

Supporters include former Rep. Jay Dickey (R-Arkansas), who wrote the 1996 amendment restricting the federal research, and Mark Rosenberg, former director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC. Dickey and Rosenberg wrote a letter on behalf of the measure, which also has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

California has the opportunity to once again lead the nation on reforming policy, this time by supporting much-needed research on the causes and impacts of gun violence, Feinstein wrote in support of the bill.

Supporters envision a California research center that is a leading authority on the issue of gun violence prevention nationally. Research is also taking place at other institutions including the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, which has received funding from former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a leading gun control advocate.

Last week, Boston University researchers issued a report saying shootings would significantly decline with background checks for those buying firearms and ammunition and a requirement that gun owners get their firearms microchipped or fingerprinted for identification purposes.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Follow @mcgreevy99 on Twitter

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Two of Southern Californias most active faults could rupture together in a magnitude-7.5 earthquake, according to a new study, raising a grim seismic scenario for communities east of Los Angeles.

The study established how a major earthquake could begin on the San Jacinto fault and continue on the San Andreas, which is Californias longest and one of its most dangerous faults.

The San Andreas historically has produced stronger earthquakes than the San Jacinto. But its farther away from major development than the San Jacinto fault, which runs through San Bernardino, Colton, Moreno Valley, Redlands, Loma Linda, Hemet and San Jacinto, as well as near Riverside, Rialto and Fontana.

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Because the San Jacinto fault cuts into the middle of the Inland Empire  instead of the edge of the desert  it cuts through a lot more people. Theres just more people directly living on this fault, said Julian Lozos, a Cal State Northridge professor of geophysics, who wrote the study while working on post-doctoral research at Stanford University and at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The faults also cut through freeways that connect Southern California to Nevada and Arizona, as well as lifelines that bring in electricity, fuel and water.

The earthquake envisioned in Lozos scenario is not the biggest earthquake that could strike Southern California. The San Andreas alone could produce a magnitude-8 earthquake.

But the study shows its not just the San Andreas that should worry Southern California. There are, in fact, multiple pathways to get to a Big One, the kind of earthquake that could cause more than 1,000 deaths, ignite hundreds of fires, collapse buildings and leave lasting scars that take a generation from which to recover.

Theres a growing recognition that the fault network is more complex  and you can have the participation of multiple faults in a single rupture, said U.S. Geological Survey research geologist Katherine Scharer, an expert on the San Andreas fault who wasnt affiliated with the study.

I think this study reflects the general agreement that the San Jacinto plays an almost-equal role to the San Andreas in terms of direct hazards to Southern California, Scharer said. The San Jacinto goes right through downtown San Bernardino.

For the larger Los Angeles region, a rupture on this fault could produce equivalent amounts of damage as the San Andreas, she said.

San Bernardino has no law requiring owners to retrofit brick buildings, which have collapsed catastrophically in previous earthquakes and are a known killer. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

The reality could not be worse for San Bernardino  a city of 215,000 people that fell into bankruptcy in 2012 and suffers from one of the highest poverty rates among the nations largest urban areas. San Bernardino has one of the largest concentrations of earthquake-vulnerable brick buildings in a location with a high risk of intense shaking.

San Bernardino has no law requiring owners to retrofit brick buildings, which have collapsed catastrophically in previous earthquakes and are a known killer. As of two years ago, there were more than 100 brick structures that havent been retrofitted in the city.

Despite its lower profile, the San Jacinto fault has been a known risk for some time. It stretches for 130 miles, from the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County southeast toward the Mexican border. The 1987 Superstition Hills earthquakes, which hit about 90 miles east of San Diego, topped out at magnitudes 6.5 and 6.7, and caused $3 million in damage in Imperial County.

The idea behind the study, funded by the National Science Foundation and published last week in the journal Science Advances, resulted from the scientific mystery of the great 1812 earthquake.

The quake was so extensive that the missions of San Gabriel, San Fernando Rey and San Buenaventura in Ventura reported damage. The quake sent the masonry of the Great Stone Church at Mission San Juan Capistrano tumbling, killing more than 40 people attending Mass; its ruins still remain to this day.

A classic explanation has been that it was the San Andreas fault alone that caused that earthquake.

But concrete evidence indicated only that the fault ruptured in 1812 on a 40-mile segment of the fault, between the Cajon Pass and Palmdale, Lozos said. The problem? That segment was too short to make an earthquake of that size.

Lozos began exploring a relatively new idea based on newly published paleoseismology reports generated by scientists investigating evidence of ancient earthquakes along the San Jacinto fault. These other scientists discovered evidence of a mystery earthquake in the early 1800s.

Lozos then posed a hypothesis: What if the 1812 earthquake was caused by the San Jacinto and San Andreas faults?

To test the idea, Lozos created a computer model. He gathered information on the shape of the faults, how seismic waves work with the local geology, and the suspected seismic stress on the faults.

The computer model showed that both the San Jacinto and San Andreas needed to rupture to produce the movement observed by the paleoseismologists, Lozos said.

Scharer said further study should occur to determine if the studys conclusions stand up to more scrutiny. But she said the approach was interesting: Its using state-of-the-art computer models to ask if what has been observed in geology is possible, given the physics of the earth.

It reminds people  just because they dont live on the San Andreas, that doesnt mean they arent near an active earthquake fault, Scharer said.

There have been several examples of earthquakes jumping faults.

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Earthquakes ruptured across multiple faults simultaneously in two earthquakes in the Mojave Desert: the 1992 magnitude-7.3 Landers earthquake and the 1999 magnitude-7.2 Hector Mine earthquake.

In Alaska, the magnitude-7.9 Denali earthquake ruptured across three different faults totaling more than 200 miles in length in 2002.

It happened again during the Easter Sunday earthquake of 2010, when a 7.2 earthquake and its aftershocks along the California-Mexico border triggered movement on at least six faults. One of the largest aftershocks, a magnitude 5.4, occurred about three months later from the main shock, and struck on the San Jacinto fault, Lozos said.

Other Big One scenarios rely on multiple faults rupturing at once. One is a theoretical magnitude 7.7 to 8.1 earthquake if faults rupture offshore of Santa Barbara and then continue east through Ventura, the San Fernando Valley, Altadena, Azusa and eventually to Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County.

ron.lin@latimes.com

Twitter: @ronlin

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Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in Virginia in the 1850s. When he was about 9 years old, U.S. troops came into the area to read the Emancipation Proclamation, which announced that the slaves were now free!

His mother cried tears of joy, as she gathered her children and prepared them for the journey to West Virginia to join her husband, who had escaped North earlier during the Civil War.

Washington immediately set about to teach himself to read because he knew it was his path to a better future. Educating slaves in the South had been forbidden after a series of uprisings in which the families of slave owners had been murdered. Southerners feared it would happen again, so slaves faced more restrictions on their lives, and learning to read and write was prohibited.

Washington found work that was tough in the coal mines of West Virginia. When he had saved enough money, he traveled to Hampton Institute to expand his education. Many schools were opened by whites and blacks to teach reading and other skills to the former slaves after the Civil War. Washington continued to work at the school to help pay for his studies.

When a new normal school (teachers college) was opened in Alabama, Washingtons mentor recommended that he become the first leader of this school, the Tuskegee Institute. Today, Tuskegee is a famous African American college and is especially famous for the black airmen who trained there during World War II.

This is where Washington lived as the president of the school and worked to spread his vision for uplifting the former slaves. This became a training school for teachers and for industrial education. Washingtons goal was to help the former slaves gain full participation in society as responsible citizens who slowly gained more economic self-reliance on their way to becoming honorable citizens in their communities.

He encouraged industry, thrift, intelligence and property. Washington believed these were the keys for improving the condition of the former slaves, many of whom worked as sharecroppers after the Civil War in the cash-poor society. In this system, a farmer would pay his workers with part of the harvested crops instead of cash. Because they were not independent, sharecroppers were economically trapped in this system.

Washington called for progress through education and entrepreneurship. He focused on self-help and schooling.

W.E.B. DuBois, an activist leader of the time, thought that a more radical and demanding approach for the equal treatment of the black community was necessary. He was scornful of Washingtons more accommodating approach.

But Washington was firm in his beliefs. He raised money for education and for the right to vote. He became friends with President Theodore Roosevelt and was invited to the White House to share his ideas with the president and with the nation.

Washington died in 1915. He was mourned by all. A postage stamp was issued in his honor in 1940. A U.S. half dollar was minted from 1951 to 1954 with his likeness.

A monument to his fame and greatness stands at Tuskegee Institute bearing the inscription:

He lifted the veil of ignorance from his people and pointed the way to progress through education and industry.

Newport Beach resident SHERRY NORD MARRON taught History at Orange Coast College and the University of Connecticut.
Ten Years Ago

The La Canada Flintridge Educational Foundation was putting the finishing touches on its spring 2006 black-tie gala, which that year carried the theme The Disco Ball. The sold-out event was held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles and featured not only a dinner and auctions, but a stage show by the Funky Hippeez. Event co-chairs Lisa Singelyn, Vicki Schwartz and Amy Heidemann said their goal was to raise more than $375,000 that night.

Twenty Years Ago

The Fiesta Days Parade Committee of the La Canada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Community Assn. came up with what they thought was a winning idea for the 1996 Memorial Day parade  to have it run in the opposite direction that year. They proposed starting the parade on Foothill near Gould Avenue and traveling westbound (and uphill) to Memorial Park.

Thirty Years Ago

Witness for the Prosecution, based on a short story by Agatha Christie, was the spring 1986 stage offering of the La Canada Players.

Forty Years Ago

Moving into high gear, the La Canada-Flintridge Cityhood Action Committee, which had been laboring to bring the two distinct sections of the La Canada Valley, La Canada and Flintridge, into cityhood, named 52 precinct workers for a monthlong drive starting April 13, 1976. The goal of the drive was to convince at least 700 residents to attend a May hearing of the Local Agency Formation Commission where they would urge commissioners to allow a community vote on incorporation. A kickoff for the endeavor was a rally held at the Youth House (today known as the Community Center).

Fifty Years Ago

La Canada Unified School District, in its weekly elementary school menu printed in the newspaper for parents reference, reported that on St. Patricks Day 1966 the local school cafeterias would be serving students Meat loaf frosted with fluffy Irish potatoes, Shillelaghs, St. Pats Jewels, Emerald Isle cake, Irish bread and milk.

Sixty Years Ago

The La Canada school board told Supt. Richard Farmer that he had the green light to offer at least $4,000 per year in starting salaries to prospective teachers he was interviewing for the 1956-57 school year.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci
Angels 6, Cleveland 3

AT THE PLATE: Gregorio Petit hit two home runs. Petit, 31, is a nonroster infielder with two home runs in 193 major league at-bats.  Right fielder Kole Calhoun doubled and drove in two runs. ... The spring averages for the Angels starting outfield: Daniel Nava .565, Mike Trout .440, Calhoun .357.

ON THE MOUND: Nick Tropeano started and gave up three runs and four hits in four innings; four relievers combined to give up no runs and one hit in the final five innings. Tropeano, who could fit into the back end of the starting rotation, gave up two home runs  one to Mike Napoli, the former Angel who has a 1.126 career on-base-plus-slugging percentage against his original team.

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EXTRA BASES: Jered Weaver, pitching with diminished velocity and what he says is a bulging disk, had wanted to start in a Cactus League game Saturday. Instead, hell throw Sunday in a minor league game, where the Angels can monitor his pitch count by starting and stopping innings as they please. He has faced 22 batters this spring, giving up three home runs and striking out three.

UP NEXT: Rockies on Thursday; 1 p.m. at Salt River Fields. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.
European Union leaders arrived in Belgium again Thursday hoping to secure a crucial deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants arriving on Europes shores.

The pressure to create a binding agreement was high going into the two-day summit in Brussels after repeated failed attempts to forge a way forward.

European Council President Donald Tusk warned that more late nights and difficult negotiations lay ahead.

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I am cautiously optimistic, but frankly more cautious than optimistic, he said in a statement Thursday morning, hours before the leaders were due to arrive for the talks.

A stream of refugees has arrived on European shores in the last year, the majority fleeing their homes in war-torn Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Turkey has become a key route into Europe, and more than 1 million people have crossed from there by boat into Greece since January 2015, according to United Nations figures.

More than 143,000 have made that journey this year alone.

Unable to control the migrant crisis, the EU is increasingly eager to come to an agreement with Turkey.

A proposed deal centers around Turkey working to prevent migrants from leaving its shores and agreeing to take back any new arrivals who land in Greece. For every person sent back, EU countries could relocate one Syrian refugee from Turkey, up to a total of 70,000.

As he arrived at the summit, British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was committed to busting the people smugglers and breaking the link between getting in a boat and getting settlement in Europe.

However, the so-called one in, one out system has been widely renounced by human rights groups and United Nations agencies that say it violates the fundamental principle of asylum and may be illegal.

In return for Turkeys cooperation, the countrys prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, asked for the resumption of its long-stalled EU membership talks and the easing of EU visa restrictions for Turkish citizens.

Turkey has also asked for a doubling in aid  from 3 billion euros to 6 billion euros (more than $6.5 billion)  to enable Turkey to assist the 2.7 million Syrian refugees currently living there.

This weeks summit is the latest attempt by the 28-member EU bloc to deal with the flow of men, women and children. Thousands of migrants have died making the journey.

The crisis has exposed deep divisions between European countries with conflicting interests, financial pressures and sensibilities towards migrants.

Some countries along the Balkan route have taken to imposing their own ad hoc border controls.

As a result, an estimated 40,000 migrants have been stranded in Greece after passage north through Macedonia was blocked.

Plans to resettle 160,000 refugees throughout EU nations has also largely failed, with only 937 actually being relocated from Greece and Italy.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz said he thought it was relatively hypocritical that some member states were critical of the European Commissions negotiations with Turkey.

There is a lot to do, and I hope that we can agree today with Turkey on the one hand and also the member states among themselves, Schulz told reporters as he arrived at the summit.

EU leaders started to arrive in Brussels in the late afternoon. The migrant crisis will be debated over a working dinner that is expected to run late into the evening.

Davutoglu has been invited to meet the EU leaders Friday to try to formalize an agreement between the European Union and Turkey.

In an open letter to members of the European Council, Tusk warned that the catalogue of issues to be resolved before we can conclude an agreement is long.

He also said that any deal struck must meet international and European law, and be agreeable to all member states.

That final point could prove difficult, as Cyprus has threatened to block any agreement over a long-standing feud with Turkey, which refuses to recognize the island state.

Boyle is a special correspondent.
The prayer room in the 12th century mosque had the feel of a bachelor pad  cups of tea and coffee and half-full ashtrays covered most surfaces. A lanky teenager named Hussein Mansour plopped himself down and placed a grenade and a small bag of pretzels on the table.

He picked up the grenade again and pretended to pull the ring, looking around for a reaction. A fellow rebel fighter, Abu Musab, paused from sucking on a hookah pipe and gave the 16-year-old a disapproving look.

I mean, hes carrying a grenade and a 3-cent bag of chips, he said, shaking his head. It doesnt fit. Hes too young.

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Hussein plunked down a can of iced coffee on the table and looked over at Abu Musab expectantly, as if to tip the opinion scale with a caffeinated drink.

As hundreds of fatigued rebel fighters desert the ranks of the opposition and many others are killed daily in battles in the Syrian civil war, their positions are increasingly filled by teenagers like Hussein, a boy with an easy grin and light peach fuzz spread along his chin.

Thirteen of his uncles and cousins have been killed fighting government forces. Now Hussein, whose father was one of the founders of Al Tawheed Brigade, carries the Kalashnikov used by one of his late cousins. He picks it up often, taking it apart and reassembling it, as if playing with a new toy.

Hussein took a break from fiddling with the rifle and motioned to the gun rack beside him. What do you think these are, antiaircraft weapons? These are just rifles my 6-year-old brother could shoot.

::

In a war that has already claimed more than 190,000 lives and each day brings new civilian casualties, boys like Hussein are resigned to a morbid fate one way or another. Most seem to live by the ominous creed often heard in rebel areas: Its all one death.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimates there are about 5,300 child fighters among the opposition, not including extremist groups such as Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front or Islamic State, and 2,000 with pro-government forces, most between the ages of 14 and 17.

In June, Human Rights Watch released a report on the use of child soldiers, accusing Syrian armed groups of violating international law by enlisting vulnerable children whose families have been killed.

Al Nusra Front and Islamic State have enlisted children through free schooling campaigns that include weapons training and even recruited them to become suicide bombers, according to Human Rights Watch.

Many worry that as teenagers increasingly join the front lines, violence will become institutionalized in Syrian society to a degree beyond what more than three years of civil war has wrought.

The horrors of Syrias armed conflict are only made worse by throwing children into the front lines, said Priyanka Motaparthy, a Human Rights Watch researcher and report author.

Mainstream rebel groups such as the Western-backed Free Syrian Army and the Islamic Front have policies that prohibit enlisting fighters younger than 18. But in reality the situation is one of such desperation that no willing fighter is turned away.

Hassan Suwaas is stationed on the same front line as his 14-year-old son, Omar.

Suwaas, who fights with the Islamic Front, reasoned that it was better than having his son join one of the extremist Islamist groups.

The kid that grows up and sees a shell fall on him or on his neighbor, he said, is going to grow up and want to fight.

::

The stone walls and pillars of the prayer-room-turned-headquarters at the Umayyad Mosque  gutted and marred by months of clashes  are hidden under tarps and thick carpets, the festive red and gold threads now dulled by dust.

A corner of the room is separated by an Islamic Front flag for sleep and prayers. Nearby sits an Orange Crush refrigerated display case, which was dragged in and set up next to a small coffee and tea stand, which seems to take up the bulk of the young rebels duties.

Here at the Umayyad front line, there are only sparse clashes; the line between rebels and government forces hasnt changed for more than a year. Government soldiers stationed at the centuries-old citadel a few hundred feet away last tried to storm the mosque more than six months ago.

All the fighters are dressed in civilian clothes and most are in flip-flops, since they expect to spend their days lounging on worn and deflated sofas. They rotate four-hour shifts of watching 10 security TVs that monitor the perimeter of the mosque.

As others around him chatted and smoked, 16-year-old Majid, in jeans a few sizes too small that ended inches above his ankles, stared at the TVs as if engrossed in a plotless and character-less show featuring little more than rubble, destroyed antiquities and an overturned tank.

His father, who is stationed at another battle line in the city, was reluctant to allow his son to join the rebels. Only when his fathers friend, a commander in Aleppos Old City, pleaded on Majids behalf did he relent. His mother still does not approve.

I lied to her and told her that there are no [government] soldiers nearby, Majid said. She thinks Im far away from the front line.

Majid had just finished seventh grade when his school, near the citadel, was shuttered as the fighting took hold in the city. With his skinny arms folded across his chest, he insisted he would finish his education when the war was over.

Aamir Mansour, five years older and twice his size, turned to Majid, Why, you think youre going to live?

No, Majid said quietly, knowing that was the answer expected.

::

At night, 14-year-old Omar Suwaas sat at the open window of the prayer room listening to bits of chatter from government soldiers over the walkie-talkie in his hands. Still too shy to speak loudly, he would periodically relay the news to his father sitting nearby, who then passed on the information to the headquarters commander.

Omar is a miniature version of his father, with a chubby build, oval face and sweet demeanor.

There is nothing more valuable than the child, said his father, a textile merchant. But we have to do this because what we are witnessing is worse than putting our children on the front line.

When shelling intensifies or brief clashes break out, Suwaas said, he sends his son home along with the other young fighters.

Omars mother, Mahasin, initially objected to her husband and son joining the armed opposition but eventually changed her mind after President Bashar Assads forces unleashed a relentless campaign of aerial bombardments that have left large parts of the city in ruins.

At their home just a few blocks from the front line, decorated with ornate marquetry and inlaid-wood furniture, Mahasin Suwaas, her mother-in-law and the other children spend their days listening to crackly battle news from a walkie-talkie: which side is on the offensive, who has been injured, who has been killed.

When I come home, my 7-year-old says, Baba, I want a DShK. Where did he learn about DShKs? Hassan Suwaas said, referring to an antiaircraft machine gun common in the rebels arsenal. My son asks, Whats the situation at the front line? I mean, what does he understand about front lines?

The rest of the family rarely leaves the house, and before Omar joined the rebels a few months ago, his mother was afraid to send him out on even the shortest errands. When the sound of clashes gets too loud, Mahasin Suwaas pulls her mother-in-law and five children, including Omar, into an inner room for safety.

Occasionally Hassan Suwaas, who still likes to think of it as a revolution and not a war, wonders whether the conflict will persist so long that his 5- and 7-year-old sons might end up fighting too. It is not a thought he likes to entertain, instead hoping that even Omars childhood is salvageable.

If he remains with us, we can return him to his childhood just as long as he doesnt enlist with the Islamist extremists, he said. And, perhaps considering his options aloud, he added, Take him out to Turkey and soon hell be going to amusement parks and forget everything about war.

raja.abdulrahim@latimes.com
President Obama has authorized a limited new plan to train and arm rebel fighters to confront Islamic State militants in Syria, relaunching a Pentagon program that was suspended last fall after a series of embarrassing setbacks.

The renewed effort, which was recommended by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, appears far less ambitious than the original program, which aimed to train and arm 5,400 fighters a year but never achieved that goal.

This is part of our adjustments to the train and equip program built on prior lessons learned, said Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for the U.S.-led military coalition in Baghdad.

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He said training will be focused on select individuals in key capabilities, and support for them will be measured against their performance against Islamic State.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>

Warren declined to say how many fighters would be trained, where the training would occur, when it would start or other details, citing operational security. The program is separate from a covert CIA-run training operation.

Warren said the new effort would leverage the new relationships we have developed on the ground, and our approach to focus on existing groups currently active in fighting Islamic State.

The Pentagon has struggled to find a reliable proxy force inside Syria, restricting its ability to gather intelligence and to target Islamic State leaders amid the countrys civil war.

Based in its self-declared capital of Raqqa, the Sunni Muslim extremist group continues to lure recruits and maintain strongholds despite daily airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition since September 2014.

After the first Pentagon train and equip program was suspended in October, up to 50 special operations forces were sent to Kurdish-held areas in northeast Syria to work with local militias and identify other potential partners.

Gen. Lloyd Austin III, commander of U.S. armed forces in the Middle East, told Congress last week that the new program will use a different approach than the previous effort.

We were being effective but we were slow in getting started, in generating the numbers that we needed to generate, he told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 8.

The original plan involved selecting fighters from moderate Syrian rebel groups, taking them to Arab military bases outside Syria, and providing arms, equipment and six weeks of training. They then would sent back to Syria to help take on Islamic State.

It was deemed a thorough failure by U.S. lawmakers and military officials.

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The first 54 recruits were ambushed in July by Nusra Front, an Al Qaeda affiliate, after they crossed back into Syria.

The second class of 71 surrendered much of their U.S.-issued ammunition and trucks to Nusra Front fighters in September in exchange for safe passage through northern Syria.

The program initially was envisioned as a $500-million, three-year plan to recruit, train and equip fighters at bases in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Thousands of rebels applied, but each had to be vetted in a process that often took months. Many were underage or had militant backgrounds, which made them ineligible.

In addition, the prospective host countries and many of the fighters disagreed with the U.S. emphasis on fighting Islamic State, saying the training should focus on ousting Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Pentagon shut the program down in less than a year.

In its place, the Pentagon began providing communications equipment, weapons and ammunition to rebel commanders who had already gone through vetting and been approved.

The equipment was dropped into Syria by U.S. aircraft and distributed among the units as they pushed into territory controlled by Islamic State.

Follow @wjhenn for military and defense info.

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A powerful Syrian Kurdish group Thursday declared the creation of an autonomous federation in northern Syria, further complicating United Nations-sponsored peace negotiations aimed at forging a political solution for the war-torn nation.

Dubbed Rojava  northern Syria, the autonomous, Kurdish-led federation encompasses a more than 250-mile land corridor in northern Syria, south of the Turkish border.

The zone extends from the northeastern tip of Syria, known as the Jazira region or canton in Hassakeh province, to Kobani and Afrin cantons in Aleppo province to the west. Much of the population in the area is ethnic Kurdish, but not all.

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The area would be made contiguous by including areas with predominantly Arab and ethnic Turkish populations. Syrian Kurdish militiamen recently wrested those zones from the control of Islamic State, the Al Qaeda breakaway faction that is an arch-enemy of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, known as the PYD for its initials in Kurdish.

The PYDs armed wing is among the most effective fighting forces in Syria and has received support from the United States and Russia. The United States has acted as a kind of air force for the Kurdish militia as it has advanced against Islamic State in the Kobani region and elsewhere.

The formal declaration of a federal zone seemed unlikely to have any immediate effect, since much of the region is already under de facto Kurdish control. However, any long-term drive for Kurdish autonomy along the Syrian-Turkish border is anathema to a number of regional players.

Arrayed against the push for Kurdish-led federalism in the north are the governments in Damascus and Ankara  bitter enemies on most every other issue  and the predominantly Arab rebels fighting to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Turkey regards the main Syrian Kurdish militia as a terrorist organization and the Syrian branch of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which has waged a three-decade war against the Turkish state. Hostilities between the PKK and Ankara have recently boiled over anew in southeastern Turkey, where much of the population is of Kurdish descent.

The Kurdish party was kept out of ongoing, U.N-backed Syrian peace talks in Geneva because of Ankaras objections. Their exclusion from the Geneva talks angered Kurdish representatives.

In Geneva, George Sabra, a negotiator for the High Negotiations Committee opposition bloc, labeled the Kurds push toward federalism illegitimate and unacceptable.

Kurdish officials emphasized that the federalism effort was not a move aimed at separating Kurdish-dominated territories from Syria. Their plan is to remain part of a new, federalized Syria, the Kurdish officials say.

We will cooperate with all the institutions and factions that are present in this country because we are brothers and our makeup is one, Mansour Saloum, a Kurdish political official, said Thursday in an interview broadcast by local media outlet Adar Press.

In Damascus, the Syrian government said that the Kurdish declaration would have no legal value nor would it have any legal or political or social or economic effect, according to state media.

We warn any party that aims to undermine the unity of the land and the people of the Syrian Arab Republic under any title, a Syrian Foreign Ministry official told state media.

The Syrian central government largely withdrew from the Kurdish zones in the north more than three years ago, as Assads forces concentrated on protecting the capital and other heavily populated areas. The Kurdish fighters and government forces have generally cooperated and have not been hostile to each other.

The Kurds and Assad government forces  both representing secular authorities  have attacked Islamic State and other hard-core Islamist rebel factions. But the Kurds have also clashed on occasion with western-backed rebel factions fighting to oust Assad.

An opposition umbrella group representing factions backed by the United States, Saudi Arabia and Turkey also rejected the Kurdish federalism push and warned against any attempt to form regions that confiscate the will of the Syrian people, according to a statement by the Syrian National Coalition.

The move toward federalism comes as Kurdish forces have made significant gains in recent weeks. In February, Kurdish militiamen took advantage of the chaos afflicting rebels during a wide-scale government offensive to wrest control of a number of strategic villages close to the northern city of Aleppo.

McDonnell is a Times staff writer. Bulos is a special correspondent.

Twitter: @mcdneville.
Trump was sent to us by God, said Michael Yigal Mimon, a former intelligence officer in the Israeli army who proudly counts himself among a growing number of Donald Trump supporters in Israel.

Like the United States, Mimon said, Israel longs for a return to a purist conservative politics  one characterized by individualism, strong national defense policies, and the conviction that Israel is a key buffer against a Muslim takeover in the West.

Obama decided to destroy Americas credibility in order to help his Muslim friends, but now we are witnessing a rebellion of the masses, people who feel they are being dominated or shut up by the radical left elite, said Mimon. And though Trump has not revealed his strategy for the Middle East, he added, he has expressed a healthy fear of Islam.

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61% of Israelis see Trump as moderately or very friendly to Israel, according to an Israel Democracy Institute study released this month. 34% said that a Republican candidate would be pro-Israel, as opposed to 28% who said the same about a Democratic candidate.

People in Israel, given the choice of the wild card Trump or the known quantity of Hillary Clinton, would choose Trump, said Abe Katsman, an American immigrant to Israel who works with Republicans Abroad Israel. While Bill Clinton had a favorable reputation in Israel, he said, Hillary is seen as responsible for Obamas unpopular policies.

Israelis have a more negative view of Obama than most people around the world, according to a WIN/Gallup poll conducted last year. Of the 65 countries surveyed, only four had a dimmer view of Obama than Israel. Even Iranians held Obama in slightly higher regard, giving him a net favorability score of -21%, compared to Israels -22%.

Israelis who support Trump claim that Obama has turned his back on the war on terror, leaving a power vacuum that has bred an emboldened Iran, a tumultuous Syria and Iraq, and a wave of radicalism throughout Israels Arab neighbors. And they decry what they see as Americas lack of support for Israel during the knife intifada  the wave of attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers over the past six months, largely carried out by young Palestinians.

Trumps campaign coincides with a period of growing political polarization among Jewish Israelis, as the far-right grows in popularity due to the ongoing attacks. His brash colloquial style and chutzpah resonate with an Israeli public, said Nimrod Zuta, a 24-year-old security guard and activist with the youth department of Netanyahus Likud party who manages a Facebook page for Israeli Trump supporters.

But while Trump has said he would bomb the hell out of the Islamic State, he has said little about his foreign policy plans for Israel -- only that he would be neutral in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Zuta is not worried. I believe that [Trump] will take a live and let live policy in regard to our expansion in Judea and Samaria, said Zuta, referring to the biblical name for the disputed territory where increasing Jewish presence has been condemned by Obama and the international community -- but which 42% of Jewish Israelis believe is crucial to Israels security, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

Trumps Israeli critics fear him for the same reasons his followers love him: he is impulsive and liable to turn the political landscape on its head. Many find his rhetoric unnerving, regardless of the target group. When we hear him talk about the Syrian refugee crisis, who to the Jews of Israel represent a mirror image to our own grandparents fleeing war, we cant accept it, said Tal Schneider, a political commentator.

Some in the Israeli right-wing establishment, too, are unnerved by Trumps penchant for provocation and borderline racism, Likud party member Amir Witeman said. We do distinguish between his seeing foreigners, like Chinese or Mexicans, as the enemy -- which makes us very uncomfortable -- and [Trumps] stance against immigrants from the Middle East, who are potential extremists who can, like in Cologne on New Years, bring violence into the countries, he said, referring to the sexual assaults reported outside Cologne, Germanys central train station on New Years eve. Police initially said the perpetrators were of North African descent, though German newspaper Welt am Sonntag later reported that police had determined many of them were Syrian refugees.

Israels most widely-read newspaper, Israel Hayom, backed by American GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson, is already throwing its weight behind Trump. The conservative tabloid ran multiple front page stories this week touting Trumps victories and presenting him as a friend of Israel.

My win is great news for Israel, Trump told Boaz Bismuth, the papers foreign editor who is currently covering Trump in Florda. Your friend is leading the primaries. Ive always been your friend, even in the most difficult moments, and thats not about to change.

It doesnt hurt that Trumps daughter Ivanka converted to Orthodox Judaism before marrying real estate mogul Jared Kushner. Trump is better than a Jew because he doesnt have any of the complexes of Jewish guilt, said Andrew Hamilton, an Australian immigrant to Israel and Jewish convert. Ironically enough, a White Anglo Saxon Protestant with Jewish grandchildren is doing the most to protect the future of the Jewish people.

Rubin is a special correspondent.

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On 15 March the US Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (Ofac) and the US Department of Commerces Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced significant amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). An official US press release notes that these regulations expand Cuba and Cuban nationals access to U.S. financial institutions and the U.S. dollar from Cuba, and will expand the ability for Cubans legally present in the United States to earn stipends and salaries beyond living expenses. Major elements of the changes include: 1) Travel and Related Transactions  where, among other changes, individuals will be authorised to travel to Cuba for individual people-to-people educational travel; 2) Banking and financial services which includes things like U-turn payments through the US financial system; 3) Trade and commerce  where for example Ofac will expand the existing authorisation for physical presence (such as an office, retail outlet, or warehouse) to include entities that engage in authorised humanitarian projects, entities that engage in authorised non-commercial activities intended to provide support for the Cuban people, among other things; and 4) Grants and awards  where Ofac will authorise the provision of educational grants and awards, and clarify that an existing authorisation applies to the provision of grants and awards for the humanitarian projects authorized in Ofacs regulations.

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Latino lawmakers, advocates and legal groups have welcomed President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland and called on Congress for a fair nomination process.

Latinos in Congress React to Garland

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the only Latino Democrat serving in the Senate, said Garland was a worthy nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. He said the Senate should consider the nominee, a process that includes a hearing, debate and vote.

"The American people expect us to do our job, without delay and politically-motivated excuses. I take this responsibility seriously and I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about Judge Garland's credentials, to study his record and to meet with him personally. I urge Republican leaders to now respect both the words of the Constitution and the voices of the American people," said Menendez. "Let's get to work. Democracy must not stop at the Capitol steps."

Although members in the House of Representatives do not vote on judicial nominees, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, has asked Senate Republicans to avoid politicizing the nomination process and provide Garland with a fair hearing a vote.

"Today President Obama fulfilled his constitutional duty and announced a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. ... Now it's time for the Senate to do its job and provide the President's nominee with a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. By refusing to consider Garland, Senate Republicans are yet again putting party before country," said Castro in a statement.

The congressman for Texas' 20th Congressional District said it would be a disservice to Americans and democracy if the Supreme Court were held hostage for political gain.

"The Senate has already confirmed Garland to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, a court that considers a greater percentage of high-profile, complex cases involving the federal government than any other appeals court in the nation. Senate Republicans should put politics aside, follow decades of precedent, and swiftly provide Garland with the consideration he deserves," added Castro.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), said the CHC urged a "swift and thoughtful consideration" of Garland's nomination.

"I would also like to remind my Senate Republican colleagues that the American people -- including 11.2 million Latinos who voted in the 2012 election -- do have a voice in this nomination. The American people expressed their will when they overwhelmingly reelected President Obama to a second full term -- with the understanding that if a vacancy occurred, it is part of the President's duty to nominate a Supreme Court Justice," said Sanchez.

The CHC chairwoman said if Senate Republicans fail conduct a hearing on Garland's nomination, it would disenfranchise the voices of millions of Americans.

"The vacancy before us is one that is critically important for Latinos living in the United States. There are several cases before the Supreme Court this year and without a ninth Justice, the Latino community has so much to lose. The President has fulfilled his obligation, now all eyes are on the Senate to do the same," said Sanchez.

Civil Rights, Legal Advocates Respond too

Robert T. Maldonado, president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), congratulated Garland and said he looks forward to reviewing his record. Maldonado added that the HNBA will make issue recommendations in regards to his nomination.

"We call on the Senate to fulfill, in a timely fashion, its own judicial review process, as outlined in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States. This means giving Chief Judge Garland a fair hearing in the Judiciary Committee and an up-or-down vote on whether to proceed on his nomination. Should they refuse or fail to do so, Senate leaders will not only be abdicating their constitutional duty; they will be thwarting the will of the American people and denying millions the full relief that only the highest court in the land provides," continued Maldonado.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the largest and oldest Latino-based civil rights organization, recognized Garland as a qualified nominee for the Supreme Court. LULAC President Roger Rocha, Jr. also called on the Senate to meet their "advice and consent" duties and allow a confirmation vote. He said Americans deserve a full nine-member Supreme Court that will decide on matters affecting the Latino community, such as the legality of Obama's November 2014 immigration executive actions.

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, board member of the progressive organization People For the American Way (PFAW), commended Obama for moving forward with the nomination process despite Republicans' previous calls and statements to block any nominee.

"Latinos have a huge amount at stake at the Supreme Court. Whether it's the fate of undocumented immigrants, or a woman's right to choose, or the ability of workers to demand fair treatment in the workplace, the issues that matter to our community are going to be decided by the Supreme Court," said Huerta in statement. "It's critical that we have someone who understands the impact that the Court's rulings have in the real world, and it's critical that we stand up to Republicans who want to play politics with the Constitution."

Hector Sanchez, chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) and executive director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), also acknowledged the impact the Supreme Court has on the Latino community. On Tuesday, the NHLA conducted a press call urging senators to commit to a fair nomination process. On Wednesday, Sanchez reiterated the message.

"Decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court have a profound effect on Latinos. From rulings on immigration policy to voting rights to labor law, the impact of the court is deep and lasting, and it plays a vital role in our democracy. With the integrity of our judiciary at stake, it would be deeply irresponsible for senators to obstruct a nominee to the court," said Sanchez, noting the NHLA will carefully review Garland's qualifications and record.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.
Donald Trump has a less favorable image among Hispanic Republicans than either 2016 Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.

A new Gallup Poll finds the Republican front-runner has a major image problem with Hispanics, with 60 percent of Latino GOP voters saying they have a negative view of him, compared to just 50 and 37 percent who see Clinton and Sanders in the same dim light, respectively.

Overall, 77 percent of Hispanic voters view Trump unfavorably, as opposed to just 12 percent who have a positive image of him, for a negative net rating of -65.

Trump's Image With Latinos Gets Worse?

Such ratings handicap Trump with by far the most unpopular rating of all the remaining GOP candidates in the eyes of Latinos, and the image they have of him appears to only be getting worse.

When the outspoken New York real estate mogul and political neophyte first announced his intention to seek the Oval Office last summer, he was viewed negatively by 66 percent of Hispanics. Almost immediately after announcing his candidacy, Trump attacked Mexican-Americans as drug traffickers and rapists and vowed to erect a massive wall along the Mexican border to keep out all immigrants.

The Gallup poll also reveals a staggering 89 percent of all Hispanics now know of Trump and have formed an opinion about him. By contrast, on average, remaining GOP candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich have a net +13 rating among Latino Republicans.

As if those numbers weren't reason enough to be concerned, billionaire Democratic donor George Soros recently announced a multimillion dollar campaign to motivate Hispanic voters to turn out in large numbers against Trump, provided he officially emerges as the GOP's general election candidate.

Trump Could Face Latino Backlash

Several media outlets have reported droves of Hispanics now living in the U.S. have recently sought citizenship in order to vote against Trump.

Speculation is Trump may not even match the dismal 27 percent of Hispanic support Mitt Romney got in his 2012 failed run against President Obama. Gallup polling back then showed Romney's image among Latinos was much more favorable than Trump's is now.

Overall, both Clinton and Sanders have net positive ratings among Latinos. Clinton is viewed favorably by 59 percent of Hispanics, compared to 26 percent who view her unfavorably, while Sanders has ratings of 35 percent favorable and 16 percent unfavorable.

If elected, Clinton has already vowed to tackle the issue of immigration reform within the first 100 days of her administration. She has also pledged to go beyond the executive actions Obama has proposed that could free millions of immigrants from deportation proceedings.

"I will go further if it's at all legally possible," she said during a recent town hall discussion in Nevada. "I will make this a big political issue."
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump cruised to Super Tuesday II victories in at least three of five primary states this week, and he could add one more depending on whether Sen. Ted Cruz asks for a recount in Missouri.

In Florida, the Republican presidential front-runner swept every pertinent voter category -- gender, income bracket and education level -- en route to collecting all 99 delegates. However, Hispanic voters weren't swayed. A majority of Latinos, including two-thirds of Cubans, voted for Sen. Marco Rubio amid warning signs that his campaign may not endure beyond the primary.

According to an Associated Press and Edison Research exit poll, Trump won over half of white voters but only 30 percent of Latinos. Hispanics only made up about 20 percent of the GOP primary electorate on Tuesday, but half of those that participated sided with Rubio.

Latino support wasn't enough for Rubio to win the primary, though. He didn't even wait for a final tally before cancelling his campaign.

"While it is not God's plan that I be president in 2016 or maybe ever, and while today my campaign is suspended, the fact that I have even come this far is evidence of how special America truly is, and all the reason more why we must do all we can to ensure that this nation remains a special place," Rubio said in his concession speech.

It was a humiliating loss for the Sunshine State's homegrown senator. His presidential aspirations lived and died with Floridians, especially the ever-growing Latino population, who believed he could defeat leading Democrat Hillary Clinton in a general election. His Cuban-American roots and softened immigration stance weren't enough to draw a bigger Hispanic turnout. Neither was a Puerto Rico primary win two weeks ago that saw a record number of voters give him overwhelming support.

With Rubio out, conservative and Independent Latinos have one less option.

Conservative Latinos Are Crucial to Battleground State

Over a million Puerto Ricans live in Florida, up 110 percent from 2000. Cubans remain the state's largest Hispanic group with 1.4 million residents. Of those, 610,000 are unaffiliated registered voters and 479,000 are registered Republicans.

Latino voter turnout for presidential elections tripled between 1996 and 2012, from 510,000 to nearly 1.4 million, according to the National Directory of Latino Elected Officials. Hispanics have played crucial roles in each of the last four elections, first by giving Gov. George W. Bush unanimous support in his 2000 and 2004 campaigns -- the former was crucial in winning a recount over Al Gore -- then by electing Barack Obama twice.

The common factor is that Latinos' growing participation in primary and presidential contests usually favors the winning candidate.

"Florida's Hispanics account for 12% of the state's registered Republican voters, and they are poised to have a significant impact on the outcome of the Republican primary," read the NALEO's 2016 Primary Election Profile for Florida.

"In the 2008 Presidential primary, [John] McCain received more than half of the Hispanic Republican vote, which helped him gain a critical victory over [Mitt] Romney," the report added. "McCain's Florida victory helped sustain the momentum of his candidacy and stall Romney's campaign."

Contempt for Donald Trump Runs High

A Gallup poll found 77 percent of Hispanics view Donald Trump unfavorably, compared to 12 percent with a favorable opinion. The Republican front-runner holds the most negative image among all remaining presidential candidates and is "significantly" less popular with conservative Latinos than Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

"[Trump] is the only one of the four GOP candidates with a negative image among Hispanic Republican, with a net favorable rating of -29," said Frank Newport, study author and Gallup editor-in-chief. "By contrast, [Marco] Rubio, [Ted] Cruz, and [John] Kasich all have net positive images among Hispanic Republicans, with Rubio's +34 the best of the group."

While respondents didn't say whether they were registered voters, dislike for Trump appears to cross party lines.

The sample of 311 conservative Hispanics gave Trump a 60 percent unfavorable rating. Clinton received 50 percent; Sanders had 37 percent; Cruz had 22 percent; and Rubio and Kasich each earned 19 percent of the unfavorable vote.

Trump's immigration reform views have been clear since announcing his candidacy last summer. He's repeatedly insulted Mexicans and doubled down on plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, despite warnings from former and current Mexican officials that they would never pay for it, as Trump has claimed.

It's hard distinguishing what role his rhetoric played in the Florida primary win. Only one-fifth of conservative Latinos voted for Trump on Super Tuesday II, far fewer than for Rubio and only a fraction of anticipated voters in the fall.

If history serves as a precursor, Latino opinion of Trump may decide who fills Obama's seat.
Bolivia has allocated $2.56 billion to boost its electricity reserves, increase transmission lines and start exporting power to Argentina.

According to officials, the Central Bank of Bolivia provided the funds from international reserves that proved to be beneficial to the country in the last decade.

Eduardo Paz, president of Bolivia's state-owned utility, said that three thermoelectric plants are operational this year: Icona, Ragweed and Santa Barbara located in central Bolivia's Cochabamba region, Power Engineering International reported.

Paz added that technical studies will be conducted this year for the construction of hydroelectric plants.

"One of the plants will be in southwestern Bolivia and in operation in two years," he noted, as quoted by PEi.

Electricity Agreement

Argentina and Bolivia both agreed to construct a 500 kW transmission line connecting the Bolivian town of Yacuiba and Argentina's Tartagal. The second part of the deal aims to expand the transmission line to Argentina's Jujuy province.

Luis Alberto Sanchez, Bolivia's Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energy, announced that they are planning to export around 9 GW of electricity to Argentina and Brazil. In July 2015, Bolivia agreed to create a bi-national technical committee to export 8 GW of electricity to Brazil.

Argentina will get 1 GW of electricity from Bolivia, generated by thermal power from the Gran Chaco. Bolivia consumes around 1300 MW domestically, with the surplus retailed to its neighboring countries.

Bolivia is also behind the construction of the El Bala hydroelectric plants located in the northern region of La Paz, Argentina. Italian company Geodata was employed in July 2015 to develop the final design for hydroelectric waters from the La Paz and Beni rivers. Once completed, the plant is expected to generate between 1600 MW and 4 GW.

This month, Bolivia's Plurinational Legislative Assembly said that it has officially approved state-owned utility Empresa Nacional de Energia's 50-MW photovoltaic (PV) project located in the western department of Oruro, SeeNews Renewables reported.

Other LatAm Countries Not Advancing in Energy Sector

Bolivia is showing advancements in its energy sector, but not all Latin American countries can say the same.

The Central American nations have slowed down because the infrastructure supporting the Regional Electricity Market is staggering. A solution to the problem is expected to be done in at least three more years.

In 2011, many countries -- including Guatemala and Panama -- have pledged to build a market with an efficient infrastructure. However, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua have failed to deliver electricity to their people and are inferior compared to Costa Rica's 96 percent electrification.
House lawmakers were battling on Thursday morning over House Speaker Paul Ryan's, R-Wisc., resolution against President Barack Obama's immigration executive actions.

Ryan Introduces House Resolution

On March 14, Ryan introduced a House resolution to authorize him to appear in an amicus curiae on behalf of the House of Representatives ahead of the Supreme Court's review of United States, et al. v. Texas, et al. The resolution, H.Res.639, would support the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who have moved to block the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program and the extended guidelines of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DAPA and DACA's expansion would grant approximately 4.9 million eligible undocumented immigrants temporary protection from deportation.

By early Thursday afternoon, the House voted mostly along party lines to pass the resolution, 234 in favor and 186 against. Seven Republicans and seven Democrats did not vote. Five Republicans did not vote with the rest of the GOP, including Florida Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart and Illeana Ros-Lehtinen.

According to Ryan, during a House speech on Thursday morning, the resolution would allow the House to go on the record as an institution.

"I recognize that this is a very extraordinary step. I feel that it is very necessary though, in fact, I believe this is vital. This is not a question of whether or not we are for or against any certain policy," said Ryan, adding lawmakers speaking against the resolution were missing the point: "the integrity of our Constitution."

Ryan later said, "The Supreme Court has recognized the severity of this threat. In United States v. Texas, the Court has asked whether the president's overreach violates his duty to faithfully execute the laws. This House is uniquely qualified -- and I would argue, obligated -- to respond."

Resolution Is Political Stunt?

Prior to the vote, during a press call, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., said Ryan and House Republicans "forced" the House to vote on the resolution. Becerra explained the difference between Ryan's amicus brief and the brief he and more than 220 congressional Democrats filed last week, saying the Republican brief injects the House in its official capacity into the litigation.

"It seems that this Republican Congress is completely out of touch with the interests and expectations of the American people and it's time for us to legislate, not litigate," Becerra said.

"What I find is that the Latino community is being used for political purposes," said Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif. "We are being demonized, we are being marginalized and we see a frightening level of hateful rhetoric and vile hate speech aimed at our community and nobody is standing up within the Republican Party to say that this is unacceptable."

Sanchez said she finds it ironic that House Republicans moved forward with the resolution on St. Patrick's Day, a day that has symbolized the contributions of Irish immigrants.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., a fellow CHC member, also addressed the House before the vote.

"The vote is a political stunt disguised as a legal brief ... the Republican majority sees a crass political opportunity to stand with the anti-immigration wing of their party," said Gutierrez. "I guess the Speaker thinks, hey, why play it straight when you can force a purely political vote on immigration designed to deepen the partisan lines and validate the very angry people that go around showing their hatred, their bigotry and the prejudice in the political process in America."

Lawsuit Challenges DAPA, DACA+

Former Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, who now serves as the Lone Star State's governor, launched the lawsuit against Obama's November 2014 executive actions. Abbott claimed Obama breached his executive authority and didn't consider financial impacts affecting U.S. states.

After appeals, the Obama administration encountered setbacks in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which provided the temporary injunction preventing the federal government from implementing the programs.

The U.S. Department of Justice has since requested the Supreme Court review the case. The Supreme Court accepted and will hear oral arguments in April, but a decision may not come until June.

Abbott's lawsuit has since received support from other Republican governors and attorneys general from Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.
Rao Geping, a Beijing legal expert, poked the bear when he suggested that stationing Mainland Officers on the Hong Kong end of a new railway connecting Mainland China and the City will not require changing the Basic Law.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council is feared to be removed from the equation on the issue of co-location if Mainland Officers are positioned in Hong Kong without legislative procedure. However, Transport Minister Anthony Cheung Bing-leung assured that such proposal will go through the nose of the Legislative Committee (Legco).

This offer also raised concern on more implications if it goes through and put into act. The concern is, if mainland officers are to be stationed in Hong Kong, they can and might implement Mainland Laws on the city. As stated in Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the mainland law can only be imposed on the city if it is included in the Annex III of the Basic Law, which contains legislations that are beyond the control of Autonomous Hong Kong such as national defence or security.

The idea of "one country, two systems" is also feared to be thrown out the window if immigration checkpoint of both Hong Kong and Mainland China is deployed at the West Kowloon terminus. Asia Pacific Daily published that Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying affirmed that Hong Kong is part of China and such fact will nevr change. He let go of the words in front of the Press during a meeting among the executive council.

Another angle was brought by a Barrister and former Lawmaker in the name of Ronny Tong Ka-wah when he said that, "Hong Kong's jurisdiction will be jeopardised if officers are allowed to enforce the mainland's criminal law in the city ... and in this case, Legco must not be bypassed."

In a report by South China Morning Post, Rao defended that the Mainland Law "will only be adopted in a specific zone in the terminus, so it is different from the procedure for the Annex III." He said that "It only concerns legislation on departure checks," and it does not imply that an entire Mainland Law will be implemented in Hong Kong.

The issue circling the controversial railway was already brought up by New People's Party lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun, who pointed out that the government has to explain, sooner or later, the arrangement for the immigration and the joint checkpoints, in a report by South China Morning Post.

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen link is a proposed railway that sparked tension when a HK$19.6 Billion extra funding for it was abruptly approved by the Legislature's Finance Committee through a raised-hand vote. According to South China Morning Post, committee Chairman Chan Kam-lam called for a vote while the Pan-democrats, the opposition, left their seats.

After the vote, activists and Social Democrats who refused to recognize the vote tried to break into the chamber where the vote happened.
Despite hesitations and fears that the reform might bankrupt the city, Ferguson City Council, on Tuesday, unanimously agreed for the implementation of a Police Reform Plan proposed by U.S. Justice Department.

The reform was brought to the table amidst the growing racial unrest in Ferguson that caught the international eye. Ferguson has been struggling through rallies and protests after Michael Brown, an 18-yr-old African-American citizen, was shot by Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Wilson allegedly shot Brown even after the African-American teenager raised his hands as an act of surrender. However, Wilson defended that he shot Brown after the teenager charged towards him through gunfire "like I wasn't even there," Independent reports.

The U.S. Justice Department, prior to the agreement, released a report of their investigation after the death of Brown. According to the investigations on the Ferguson Police Department, the reports states, "many officers appear to see some residents, especially those who live in Ferguson's predominantly African-American neighborhoods, less as constituents to be protected than as potential offenders and sources of revenue." The text also states, "Officers expect and demand compliance even when they lack legal authority."

This investigation prompted the Justice Department to propose the terms of the Police Reform Plan.

The city council accepted the terms of the reform after being assured that it will not cripple the city's treasury. In a report released by Reuters, the council requested for revisions in the agreement such as changing the pay levels for police officers and staff in the jail. They also asked for more time to comply with the said reform.

Before the acceptance of the said reform, the Justice Department sued the city council in Ferbruary. This is after the council refused to honor the agreement that they and the agency reached late January.

According CTV News, the council was hesitant due to cost concerns. According to an analysis by the city, $4 million will be spent in the first year alone of implementing the reform. On February, the Ferguson council amended the agreement with seven provisions that are mostly in regards with cost concerns.

Reuters wrote that, the agreement compels the police department to organize bias-awareness trainings and implement an accountability system. The city is also compelled to change sections in its municipal code which imposes prison time for a citizen who fails to pay fines. Ferguson also agreed, under the agreement that it will be ensured that police officers will not discriminate on the basis of race when they enact stop, search and arrest procedures.
Samsung Galaxy S7 has just received root support from Chainfire for Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow stock firmware using its very own CF-Auto-root utility. Amid rooting problems nowadays, Chainfire offers an easier support to root device on Marshmallow.

Chainfire brought CF-Auto-root support for Samsung Galaxy S7 with model number G930F on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. In spite of the usual sluggish claims of rooting, CF-Auto-root is designed to put an end to this problem, making root procedures and workarounds more user-friendly. However, eligible for rooting are only those Samsung Galaxy S7 with Exynos chipset and unlocked bootloader. CF-Auto-root is also available to Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

Take note of the following reminders before rooting Samsung Galaxy S7 on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow:

1. Use only Samsung Galaxy S7 with model number G930F as prescribed. Using other variant may cause severe damage to phone.

2. Back up all necessary data here.

3. This root guide applies to future Android updates.

4. Use Samsung Galaxy S7 device not yet installed with any custom ROM.

To finally root Samsung Galaxy S7 G930F on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow using CF-Auto-root, follow the step-by-step guide provided below:

1. Download CF-Auto-root package on PC for Samsung Galaxy S7 and extract the zip file.

2. Download Odin v3.09 here.

3. Turn off phone.

4. Go to Download mode by press holding volume down and home buttons together.

5. Press the power button twice.

6. Open Odin on the PC.

7. Once connected, wait for the ID:COM boxes to turn into yellow with the COM port number.

8. Select the files to be flashed or installed on the phone.

9. In Odin, check the Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options.

10. Click the Start button for begin installation.

11. Wait until the installation is completed.

To check the software versions, go to Settings > About phone.
Former member of Black Panther is filing a civil lawsuit regarding his solitary confinement for over four decades after his released last month. The pending lawsuit states that his long term solitary confinement was inhuman and unusual.

According to the Guardian, Albert Woodfox, who finally walks out from the prison after his long standing solitary confinement for 43 years in the state penitentiary in Louisiana, determines to pushe a pending legal battle. Woodfox filed a civil lawsuit that argues his isolation was "cruel and unusual". However, US magistrate judge Cynthia Reed Eddy is still making decisions on whether the said lawsuit will be given a jury trial.

On February 19, Woodfox, celebrated his 69th birthday as well as his freedom after his confinement for more than four decades, New Yorker reported. He was kept in solitary following the 1972 murder of a prison guard at the Louisiana State Prison, known as Angola, along with fellow prisoner, Herman Wallace.

The prisoner's release came after the state of Louisiana agreed to drop Woodfox in turn pleaded no contest to lesser charges of manslaughter and aggravated burglary, according to New York Times. His confinement cell measures 50-square-foot. His confinement also has the record with longest time spent inside a solitary confinement in the history of the America.

Upon his released, he stayed on a hotel suite, with his brothers and the legal team who helped him to be grant his released. "I don't think I ever felt that I would die in prison. As the years passed, it became more difficult to feel that way," Woodfox said.

His murder conviction was overturned twice. The first conviction was on grounds that he had received ineffective defense representation in 1992. The second was in 2008, because of racial discrimination in setting up the grand jury that indicted him. In 2014, a federal judge barred the state for the third time, since all the key witnesses to the killing have since died.

Last month, US President Barack Obama used his executive powers to ban solitary confinement for juveniles in all federal prisons. He has also commissioned a review into the use of solitary in the US.
Nigeria and Equitorial Guinea has formalized their efforts for more peaceful trades, as the countries' presidents met last Tuesday in Malabo, capital of Equitorial Guinea, and signed a joint agreement on Maritime security patrols.

The joint agreement called "Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea Joint Commission," has sealed the coordinated plans of the two countries in securing the waters in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean The agreement approves of the establisment of a combined Maritime Policing and Security Patrol Committee.

The Premium Times reported that this will not only enhance the security of trading ships passing through the Gulf of Guinea, it will also alleviate maritime crimes such as piracy, crude oil theft, sabotage of oil rigs, militant unrest, and arms smuggling.

The Gulf of Guinea, being in the middle of the two countries' boundaries, is the main trading route of Nigeria. Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer and pumps almost all of its crude from the gulf and the neighboring Niger River delta. Shipments could experience o a two-year low amid rising pipeline shutdowns because of the ever-increasing sabotages, as reported by Bloomberg.

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and President of Equitorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, led concluding talks, both had expressed satisfaction with the atmosphere of trust and solidarity that existed between their countries. All Africa reported that the agreement opened further discussions on issues regarding sub-regional, regional and international including terrorism, violent extremism and the state of the global economy, especially as it affected Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

Aside from that, the presidents mentioned the crises in some African countries and efforts by the African Union to achieve peace, stability and progress across the continent.
There is a brewing call for the United Nations to recognize Hong Kong as a separate country in 2047. The issue started in an article in a university newspaper.

When the UK handed over Hong Kong to China in 1997, there were certain rights that were preserved in its mini-constitution known as the basic law. This law provides for one country with two constitutions which is applicable for 50 years.

After the mass pro-democracy protest in 2014, there are now small but growing number of supporters in Hong Kong that wants its independence from China. This is known as the localist movement. Their latest cry for freedom was published on Undergrad, a student magazine of the University of Hong Kong as per BBC.

The article entitled "Our 2047" discusses the recognition of the United Nations to give them sovereign rights, establish their own democratic government and have their own constitution.

The head of China's parliamentary law committee, Qiao Xiaoyang, said it is impossible when asked for his thoughts of Hong Kong's independence. As reported by South China Morning Post, Rimsky Yuen Kwok-Keung, the Secretary for Justice who is an HKU law graduate, also said that he can't see reason why one country with two systems needs any changes.

But Arthur LI, the council chairman of HKU, firmly said that they need to talk about these issues because they are being given with ideas that don't make sense. He added that people of Hong Kong are being warned of certain unmentionable issues that will provoke Beijing yet they are told of the freedom of speech they have in their country, according to EJ Insight.

It has been criticized that the Hong Kong government is the puppet of the mainland. The opposition pan-democrat lawmakers are also seen as weak in responding to the increasing call of the localist movement. Beijing, however, declined to give in to the demands of the protesters in allowing them to have the freedom to pick their leaders, most importantly their president in the upcoming 2017 elections.
Expectations and tensions are high that the Kurdish parties in Northern Syria will asset the establishment of a federal system. The three territories taken back by the Kurds will be its foundation and the seat of power will be at Damascus. Sources on the ground say that the Kurdish leaders seek to establish an autonomous state granting equal rights to its citizens.

The RT report says that the new territory will take on the name, the Northern Federation of Syria. It will cover a 400-mile stretch of land along the borders of Syria and Turkey, stretching from Iraq to the Euphrates River. Idris Nassan, a spokesman for the autonomous border of Kobani, says that the federal system will protect the "legitimate rights" of the people, and all the ethnic communities in the region will be represented.

Nassan adds that federalism means autonomy, and not separatism. It will also help to end the war that has devastated the country and caused the exile of millions of its citizens. He believes that these factors will gain the support of world powers like the U.S. and Russia for the movement.

BBC News adds that even before the formal declaration of a federal system, three regions have already enjoyed autonomy for some time: Afrin and Kobane in Aleppo province and Jazira in Hassakeh. Arab and Turkmen areas taken from the Islamic State will also be placed under the new federal system. Kurds constitute seven to ten percent of the 24.5 million-strong Syrian population.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said that the peace talks in Geneva, which involve Syria and Turkey, will inevitably bring up the topic of federalism.

However, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad continues to reject any political change that will happen to his country. One of his senior advisers is openly advocating putting an end to the idea of federalism.
Mar 16, 2016, 4:22pm ET

Audi, MINI top JD Power customer service study; FCA worst

Customer satisfaction dropped overall this year, following a record number of recalls.

Audi and MINI have received top honors in JD Power's latest customer-service index.

Audi received an award for highest customer satisfaction with dealer service in the luxury segment, while MINI led the mainstream brands.

"This is a milestone for the Audi brand in the U.S. and one that we've been actively striving for," said Audi of America's VP of after sales, Peter Donnellan.

The German brand ranked highest among all automotive brands, with a score of 874. Lexus and Cadillac held the second and third positions, receiving respective scores of 869 and 863. MINI landed 858 points, ahead of Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln and Jaguar.

The study found an overall drop in satisfaction, following a record number of recalls last year. Higher scores were associated with wait times of an hour or less, and brands that greet customers within two minutes of their arrival.

JD Power suggests automakers should strive to engage younger customers via text messaging or e-mail. "Even 22 percent of Boomer customers prefer text or email communication," the study found, though such methods are only used for two percent of current communications.

"There is a need for consistency in the service experience, regardless of the reason for the visit," says JD Power VP of automotive retail practice Chris Sutton. "A lack of consistency, particularly for recall work, can damage customers' perceptions of the brand and negatively impact their likelihood to recommend and repurchase the brand."

The study marks another bruise for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' reputation, as the bottom five positions were held by Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram. Acura was ranked at the bottom of the luxury rankings, behind Land Rover, Volvo, BMW and Porsche.
Mar 17, 2016, 10:09am ET

VW to create pollution remediation funds for TDI settlement?

Two funds will reportedly be established, one administered by the EPA and another run by California.

Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to establish two environmental remediation funds related to the diesel emissions scandal.

The automaker is said to be considering the funds as settlement negotiations move forward with the US Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board, unnamed sources have told Bloomberg.

The company is reportedly mulling two separate funds, one administered by the EPA and a second for California. Both are said to be focused on promoting clean transportation, such as electric vehicles and other zero-emissions technologies.

Potential fines could soar higher than $40 billion, though regulators have been under pressure to consider alternative settlements not solely focused on financial penalties. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other clean-energy executives last year asked government officials to demand commitments involving zero-emissions vehicles.

Separate reports have claimed government officials may have asked VW to consider a settlement involving EV production in the US. The latest allegations point to a broader program that would be managed by government officials, providing funds for industry-wide zero-emissions initiatives rather than affecting just VW production.

VW, the EPA and CARB have not yet publicly disclosed details of the ongoing settlement negotiations.
A highly regarded and valuable member of Eamon Dunnes criminal gang has been sentenced to 14 years at the Circuit Criminal Court for conspiracy to steal from a cash-in-transit van at Tesco in Celbridge in 2007, and possession of ammunition.

A highly regarded and valuable member of Eamon Dunnes criminal gang has been sentenced to 14 years at the Circuit Criminal Court for conspiracy to steal from a cash-in-transit van at Tesco in Celbridge in 2007, and possession of ammunition.

Joseph Warren (30), a qualified brick layer and former solider, said he joined the gang because he missed the camaraderie of the army.

He claimed he was acting under duress from Dunne and told that he would be on top of Marlo or going to Gods house if he didnt open the Nissan Patrol jeep with a consaw to allow his accomplice access to it.

Warren also claimed that he had been directed to wrap the 31 rounds of ammunition, that were found at the base of a tree in a public park, in a plastic wrap to stop them getting wet.

Warren had pleaded guilty to the ammunition charge on the morning of his trial after previously looking for phone records which he claimed showed communication between him and gardai leading up to his arrest in July 2009.

The gardai dont accept that such communication existed and Warren told the court today,Wednesday, that he had been directed by someone else to cover the ammunition. He said he didnt know what it was to be used for.

Judge Patrick McCartan commended members of the gardai in the professional and effective way they pursued Mr Warren and associates, a gang which he described as being involved in drug dealing, armed robbery and contract killings as necessary.

The garda investigation led by Detective Superintendent Dominic Hayes involved months of surveillance prior to the attempted heist and included members from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Special Detective Unit and the Crime and Investigation Unit.

Warren of Belclare Crescent, Ballymun, had been convicted of conspiracy by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury last week following a three week trial. A jury in March had failed to reach a verdict on the same charge.

Warren had pleaded not guilty to conspiring to steal cash from Chubb Ireland at Tesco supermarket on the Shackleton Road in Celbridge on Nov 2, 2007.

He pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of the ammunition at Poppintree Park, Ballymun on July 19, 2009.

The attempted heist gang including Eamonn Dunne, Alan and Wayne Bradley, Jeffrey Morrow, Michael Ryan and Warren, had followed a Chubb Ireland Nissan Patrol jeep for a number of hours in the hope of stealing over 880,000 from the safe in it.

Detective Garda James McGovern told Ms Murphy that Warren was a trusted associate of the group of individuals who carried out this crime and was a valuable member of the organisation.

Warren was arrested in the Tesco carpark that morning after he was observed by gardai approaching the jeep with a running consaw. Ryan had just tried unsuccessfully to open both the passengers and drivers door of the vehicle.

The other four men were arrested in the vicinity, as was Chubb worker Daryl Caffrey, who had been the passenger in the jeep that day. He was considered the inside man and had had provided information to the gang.

The court heard that there were 193 phone calls exchanged between all six men that day and Warren called all of the others, apart from Ryan whom he was travelling with and Wayne Bradley.

Judge McCartan said the evidence at the sentence hearing was that Warren was an active and trusted member of the gang and highly regarded which he said did not entitle him in law or otherwise to suggest that he was acting under duress.

I have little or no doubt that the jury had the same jaundiced view of his testimony, Judge McCartan said.

He said Warrens association continued to minding this cache of ammunition, arriving at the scene of Dunnes murder grieving for him and carrying the mans coffin.

He said Warren had suggested that he was working in cahoots with members of gardai in relation to the ammunition charge but then later stated he was acting under duress from another person.

This ammunition could have been used to dispatch someone else or to be used in another robbery, Judge McCartan commented.

He sentenced Warren to eight years for the conspiracy and a consecutive term of six years for the ammunition charge before he suspended the final three years on strict conditions.

Judge McCartan said he was moved by a letter from Warrens partner, Jennifer Hyland, and how he had cared for her and her two children.

He said he had also taken into account a letter from Warrens mother and his brother Andre, about how they are ashamed and stunned by his behaviour.
Carrick-on-Shannons St Patricks Day Parade will be held on Tuesday, 17th March starting at 12.45pm.

Carrick-on-Shannons St Patricks Day Parade will be held on Tuesday, 17th March starting at 12.45pm.

The Chamber is asking all businesses, local groups, schools, sporting organizations to come out and take part in our Parade with eye catching, colourful, unique floats to celebrate our national holiday.

We would appeal to all shops, pubs and hotels along the parade route to decorate their premises adding some extra colour to the festivities and be in with a chance to win the prize for Best Window Display

Parade Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:-

1. Best Overall Entry

2. Most Creative Entry

3. Best Childrens Entry

4. Best Youth Entry

5. Best Club Entry

Assembly from 12 noon at the Circular Road for floats and vehicles. Marching entries please assemble at the Girls School, on the old Dublin Road.

Parade entry fees are nominal:- non commercial groups and floats are free.

Commercial entries are 30 for the first vehicle and 25 for each subsequent entry. Chamber members get one free entry.

Please inform the Chamber Office of your intention to enter a float into the parade and send a short description of your business/community group/school/sports organization/local group to info@carrickonshannon.ie

Any queries please email or call Monica or Geraldine at the Chamber Office 071 9622245  Monday to Friday.
Brexit would weaken NATO says a senior US general.

Alan Johnson says the Leave campaign is Project Fantasy:

Project Fantasy goes like this. Diminish Britains standing by suggesting that Europe is somehow something that is done to us; ignore the ways in which, from terrorism to climate change, we are far more effective working with our partners; label all workers protections red tape and say the economy would be better off if we could scrap them; ignore the huge economic benefits our EU membership has brought us and try to convince people that there is a land of milk and honey waiting outside the EU without spelling out how to get there. But the biggest fantasy of all is to deny the huge damage that leaving the largest single market in the world would do to our economy. Look at the facts. Almost half of our exports go to EU countries. Over 200,000 British companies export to the EU. We receive an average of 26.5bn of investment every year from other EU countries. So its little wonder that the message from businesses of all sizes across the country is so resounding  a poll published today by the CBI shows 80% of their members think being in the EU is best for their business.

The Guardian hosted a lively debate with Alan Johnson and Nick Clegg for IN and Nigel Farage and Andrea Leadsom for OUT.

A large majority of firms in the CBI want to stay IN, reports the BBC.

The Telegraph has examined what IN/OUT would mean for the car industry.

ABTA says Brexit would be a disaster for the tourism industry. The body that represents travel companies has published a comprehensive report on its own website.

One of the worlds best election strategists, Lynton Crosby has released research and given his views on the campaign:

His research finds that nearly a third (28%) of remain voters who could change their mind are worried about the impact on immigration. While a similar number (30%) of voters who are undecided are hesitant about voting to leave because of the damage to the UK economy. Those who advocate Brexit are significantly more likely to vote, according to Crosbys figures, but could be deterred if they think there is little chance of victory. The risk on the other side of the debate is complacency, he said, because more than three-quarters of remain voters expect the country to stay in.

A legal challenge is being brought on behalf of British citizens who have lived overseas for more than 15 years, reports the Daily Mail.

A radio debate between Boris Johnson and Chuka Umunna descended into rather disappointing personal remarks.

The Prime Minister commented on Boris Johnsons claim that the UK could be like Canada by saying Johnson was making things up.

Pro-Brexit campaigners are arguing that Avon moving its HQ from the US to the UK is somehow an endorsement of Brexit. Prepare yourself for some tortured logic in the article.

They are also very tetchy about friendly leaders giving us their advice, reports the Belfast Telegraph.

William Hill say more bets are being put on Brexit but most of the money bet is for Remain. WH have Remain at 1/3 favourite currently.

Sky have a map of the most and least euro-sceptic areas. Brexit support is strongest on the coast.

A look at views from leading figures in Bristol, and from Peterborough.

* Antony Hook was #2 on the South East European list in 2014, is the English Party's representative on the Federal Executive and produces this sites EU Referendum Roundup.
SHANNON Airport and group chair Rose Hynes was feted at a reception at American Vice President Joe Bidens private residence this week.

Ms Hynes was leading a delegation from Shannon, attending high profile St Patricks Day events with both Mr Biden and President Barack Obama.

At a breakfast in Mr Bidens residence, the politician remarked on his refuelling stops at Shannon, one of the great, great advantages of his travel as Vice President, he said.

He had invited Ms Hynes to join him and return the hospitality. She had arranged for Mr Biden to attend private Mass services and Mr Biden praised the airport for its connectivity, calling for a round of applause for Ms Hynes.

Ms Hynes also attended the official St Patricks Day Reception in the White House and the New York Stock Exchange St Patricks Day Bell Ringing event with a host of Irish and US business leaders.

We are attending some of these key festivities to promote the Airport, Shannon Commercial Properties, Shannon Heritage, IASC and, indeed, the wider region, she said.

Vice-President Joe Bidens breakfast was a really good example of just how deeply Shannon Airport resonates at the top level in the US. We have built a very strong relationship with him and his team over recent years and made a very special effort each time he transited the airport to make him feel welcome. It was a proud moment for all the team in Shannon.

There was a proud moment also for Castletroy band The Corrigans, who were mentioned by President Obama in his speech at the Friends of Ireland lunch, attended by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Now, its true that its not technically St Patricks Day, but that's okay. Most folks who celebrate it arent Irish either. I can talk about them because I am Irish, as I have been prone to mention on this occasion.

Back in 2008, the Corrigan Brothers even penned a song called There is No One as Irish as Barack Obama. This is true. As the lyrics go: From Kerry to Cork, lets hear it for Barack from old Moneygall. And somehow that line did not result in cries for my birth certificate on the campaign trail, he said, to much laughter.

Meanwhile, there was more good news for Shannon this Wednesday, with the resumption of the Stobart Air operated Aer Lingus Regional flight to Edinburgh. It will operate six times weekly and will result in an additional 35,000 seats this year.

The route was one of several axed in January of last year and now former Shannon Group CEO Neil Pakey had targeted the return of the UK regional services in the past year, with the Scottish capital at the top of the list.

Mr Pakey will now see out the remainder of his contract  which expires in June  on leave. Company secretary Mary Considine has been named acting CEO in the interim period.
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TENS of thousands of people are preparing to celebrate St Patricks Day in style across Limerick.

Pop duo Jedward are likely to be one of the highlights in the city parade, which begins at 12midday.

Edward and John, who have strong family ties to Limerick, said they are "honoured" to be taking part in the city parade during the centenary year of the 1916 Rising, after receiving an invitation from Limerick City and County Council.

Limerick is a beautiful city, which is full of history and I hope it becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2020," said Edward. "I enjoy visiting Limerick because we can reconnect with our relatives and our heritage. It is an exciting, vibrant city with lots to see and do.

An estimated 80,000 people are expected to line the streets of Limerick City to watch more than 4,000 parade participants from 100 different groups, and bands.

Elsewhere, with the commemoration of the 1916 Rising moving onto a new level, communities across Limerick have pulled out all the stops to ensure their St Patricks Day parades are the best yet.

Towns and villages hosting parades in the county this year include Abbeyfeale, Askeaton, Bruff, Ballylanders, Castleconnell, Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Newcastle West and Rathkeale.

Events will kick off in Rathkeale at 12.30pm for what is always a very lively parade. This years parade will celebrate the centenary of 1916 and will feature a variety of local organisations as well as rally cars and the local motorcycle club. People are being urged to arrive in plenty of time and there will be parking in the grounds of the Rathkeale House Hotel and at the top of the town.

In Askeaton, the parade gets underway at 2pm and will be led by the 70-piece Limerick City Rhythm Band. It will also feature the Foynes Search and Rescue group, Limerick motorcycle club and West Limerick Vintage Club, as well as a host of local organisations. Well-known cartoon characters will also be taking part. The parade will also feature an intriguing input from Norwegian artists Anders Kjellesvik and Andreas Siqueland, aka aiPotu, in collaboration with Askeaton Contemporary Arts.

The other big parade in West Limerick will be in Abbeyfeale, getting underway at 4pm. The parade will be led by the Rathkeale Brass Band and there will be prizes for best float and best-dressed window as well as best youth entry. "We wanted to encourage as many young people as possible," Cllr Francis Foley, a member of the organising committee said.

The parade in Newcastle West will take place on Sunday, March 20 at 3pm, led by the Garda Band and the Artane Band. The theme of the parade will be the Centenary of 1916.

In the east of the county, Bruffs parade will will get underway at 2.30pm, starting at the national school. The theme is Ireland through the Ages and it will feature a pipe band and County Limerick Youth Theatre, as well as ceramics displays. Also taking place as part of the festivities will be a duck race in the river and a washerwoman demonstration.

Kilmallocks St Patricks Day parade will start from the church following morning mass, with a start time of 1pm. It will finish at the reviewing stand at the Peoples Hall. Individuals and groups are welcome to take part.

In Kilfinane, the parade will start at 2pm with participants asked to assemble at 1.30pm in Henry McCarthys Yard. It will proceed down Main Street and finish at the Church of Ireland with treats for the children and plenty of live music at the Fountain.

In Castleconnell, this is a special year as it marks the 90th anniversary of the famous Ahane GAA club and the parade, which starts at 12pm, is expected to include a large representation from the club as well as its new mascot for the underage players, Spud Og. Following the parade the new heritage centre will be officially opened in the ACM.

For updates on the festivities throughout the day, stay with limerickleader.ie or follow the Limerick Leader on Twitter or like us on Facebook.
A PROSPECT man who was previously jailed for charges relating to a city murder, has admitted threatening to shoot and burn down the home of an elderly woman and her family.

Ian Flanagan, aged 27, who has addresses at Lenihan Avenue and in Caherconlish pleaded guilty to three charges relating to an incident on September 23, last.

Previously, Limerick District Court was told the incident - at Byrne Avenue, Prospect - was witnessed by a detective garda.

During a bail application, Detective Garda Brian OConnor said he approached the defendant at around 3.15pm after he observed him carrying a length of timber, which was around 3 feet long.

He said Flanagan was extremely agitated and told him is was in dispute with members of a named family, who live in the area.

Det Garda OConnor said the defendant then crossed a green area and began shouting threats at a woman, who is aged in her 60s.

He shouted Im going to shoot ye and burn ye f****** out of it, said the detective who added that Flanagan continued to make threats in venomous fashion while he was present.

Judge Marian OLeary was told the dispute was connected to the murder of Gerard McMahon who was stabbed to death in Prospect in January 2012.

A brother and an uncle of the defendant were subsequently convicted of murdering the 43-year-old while Flanagan was sentenced to two years imprisonment after he was convicted, by a jury at the Central Criminal Court, of two counts of assisting an offender.

Flanagan, who has been in custody since last Septembers incident, pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared before Limerick Circuit Court on Tuesday.

Judge Tom ODonnell remanded him in continuing custody until May 3, next when he will hear details of the offences during a sentencing hearing.
Pressemitteilung: Silvia Kuhn startet YouTube-Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi Die Tochter der Honorarberater und Stiftung Warentest Autoren Stefanie und Markus Kuhn startete Mitte Mai mit ihrem neuen YouTube Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi. Ziel ist es, jungen Menschen alles Wissenswerte rund um Geld und Finanzen auf einfache Art und Weise nahe zu bringen. Die Idee zu einem YouTube Kanal ist aus einem Schulerpraktikum in 2019 entstanden. Silvia Kuhn hat

[mehr] Die Tochter der Honorarberater und Stiftung Warentest Autoren Stefanie und Markus Kuhn startete Mitte Mai mit ihrem neuen YouTube Kanal Clever Money mit Silvi. Ziel ist es, jungen Menschen alles Wissenswerte rund um Geld und Finanzen auf einfache Art und Weise nahe zu bringen. Die Idee zu einem YouTube Kanal ist aus einem Schulerpraktikum in 2019 entstanden. Silvia Kuhn hat

Pressemitteilung: Buntes Wachstum: Ceresana untersucht den Markt fur Farben Farben und Lacke verschonern nicht nur, sie konnen auch schutzen. Die Wande von Krankenhausern zum Beispiel werden zunehmend mit antibakteriellen Eigenschaften versehen. Hauchdunne, aber sehr haltbare Lackschichten bewahren Fahrzeuge vor Rost. Ceresana hat bereits zum vierten Mal den gesamten europaischen Markt fur Farben und Lacke untersucht: Im Jahr 2019 wurden 9,1 Millionen Tonnen dieser Beschichtungen verbraucht. Farbenfrohe Hauser und Autos Bautenfarben sind

[mehr] Farben und Lacke verschonern nicht nur, sie konnen auch schutzen. Die Wande von Krankenhausern zum Beispiel werden zunehmend mit antibakteriellen Eigenschaften versehen. Hauchdunne, aber sehr haltbare Lackschichten bewahren Fahrzeuge vor Rost. Ceresana hat bereits zum vierten Mal den gesamten europaischen Markt fur Farben und Lacke untersucht: Im Jahr 2019 wurden 9,1 Millionen Tonnen dieser Beschichtungen verbraucht. Farbenfrohe Hauser und Autos Bautenfarben sind

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Pressemitteilung: 16. Juni und 18. Juni um 15 Uhr CEST europaischer Zeit Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur den europaischen Markt. Hier geht es um die Themen Konnektivitat von Elektrofahrzeugen sowie Landfahrzeugplattformen in Kombination mit Software-Systemen und DDS. Sie finden zu europaischer Zeit um 15 Uhr CEST statt und sind im Anschluss on Demand verfugbar. Sunnyvale (USA)/Munchen, Mai 2020 - Real-Time Innovations (RTI) organisiert zwei neue Webinare speziell fur

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Pressemitteilung: Thomas May ist neuer Chefredakteur fur Perfect Eagle Thomas May ubernimmt mit 1. Juni 2020 die redaktionelle Leitung der fuhrenden multimedialen Golf-Lifestyle-Plattform im deutschsprachigen Raum. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  Mato Johannik https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/Es4aLP2m5bhHtlEPowWj1SEB5hhgDDEv96D9i9Z_Ok9ajA?e=Xi0L1x Wien (LCG)  Perfect Eagle hat heuer allen Grund zum Feiern. Nachdem das Golf-Lifestyle-Magazin mit der Marz-Ausgabe seine erste Dekade feierte, begrut Herausgeber Thomas Wasserburger nun Thomas May als neuen Chefredakteur fur das multimediale Golf-

[mehr] Thomas May ubernimmt mit 1. Juni 2020 die redaktionelle Leitung der fuhrenden multimedialen Golf-Lifestyle-Plattform im deutschsprachigen Raum. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  Mato Johannik https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/Es4aLP2m5bhHtlEPowWj1SEB5hhgDDEv96D9i9Z_Ok9ajA?e=Xi0L1x Wien (LCG)  Perfect Eagle hat heuer allen Grund zum Feiern. Nachdem das Golf-Lifestyle-Magazin mit der Marz-Ausgabe seine erste Dekade feierte, begrut Herausgeber Thomas Wasserburger nun Thomas May als neuen Chefredakteur fur das multimediale Golf-

Pressemitteilung: Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA Kalksandstein Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA KalksandsteinFur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die Sonne. Aber nicht jeder mag hohe Temperaturen, schon gar nicht in den eigenen vier Wanden. ... Fur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die

[mehr] Frische fur den Sommer mit UNIKA KalksandsteinFur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die Sonne. Aber nicht jeder mag hohe Temperaturen, schon gar nicht in den eigenen vier Wanden. ... Fur die einen ist es eine Wohltat, fur die anderen eine Herausforderung: sommerliche Warme. Keine Frage, Menschen lieben die

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Humor und Lachen - ein ernstes Thema Humor und Corona Rechtzeitig zu einer Zeit, in der vielen das Lachen vergangen ist, mit oder ohne Corona, erscheint das 14. Buch von Jurgen W. Goldfu. Wahrend sich die bisherigen Werke des Autors mit Themen der Fuhrung (von sich und anderen) sowie Wirtschaftsthemen beschaftigten, geht es nun ums Lachen, die Welt und sich selbst mit lachenden Augen zu betrachten. Auf

Pressemitteilung: ...einfach, schnell und effizient ...einfach, schnell und effizientUberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. ... Uberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. Eine, die alle relevanten Marktplatze unterstutzt

[mehr] ...einfach, schnell und effizientUberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. ... Uberall da verkaufen, wo die Kunden sind, ist das Ziel aller Handler. plentymarkets bietet als Softwarehersteller eine E-Commerce-Losung, die genau diese Philosophie im Markenkern tragt. Eine, die alle relevanten Marktplatze unterstutzt

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Neuer Corona-Mitarbeiterschutz - digitaler Abstandshalter Auch nach den Lockerungen beeinflusst die Corona-Pandemie die Weltwirtschaft tiefgreifend. Die Betriebe sollen wieder sicher anlaufen. Die Schlusselrolle spielen dabei die Einhaltung der Hygieneregeln und des Mindestabstands fur Mitarbeitende. Auch nach den Lockerungen beeinflusst die Corona-Pandemie die Weltwirtschaft tiefgreifend. Die Betriebe sollen wieder sicher anlaufen. Die Schlusselrolle spielen dabei die Einhaltung der Hygieneregeln und des Mindestabstands fur Mitarbeitende. Dazu

Pressemitteilung: HUP aktiviert neuen Geschaftsbereich ready2boxx my-buddy-app  die HUP Reminder App. Schutzt vor Verlust des iPhones. Mit den ersehnten Lockerungsmanahmen rund um die Coronavirus-Pandemie steigt ein ganz anderes Risiko: der Verlust des iPhones auf Geschaftsreise, beim Einkauf oder etwa dem Besuch von Oma und Opa. Einfach, weil man das mittlerweile nahezu unverzichtbare Device schlicht und einfach liegen lasst. Das Braunschweiger Software-Entwicklungsunternehmen HUP hat fur Apple

[mehr] my-buddy-app  die HUP Reminder App. Schutzt vor Verlust des iPhones. Mit den ersehnten Lockerungsmanahmen rund um die Coronavirus-Pandemie steigt ein ganz anderes Risiko: der Verlust des iPhones auf Geschaftsreise, beim Einkauf oder etwa dem Besuch von Oma und Opa. Einfach, weil man das mittlerweile nahezu unverzichtbare Device schlicht und einfach liegen lasst. Das Braunschweiger Software-Entwicklungsunternehmen HUP hat fur Apple

Pressemitteilung: Das Lernen, wie wir es kennen, andert sich immer mehr. Online ist die neue Ara der Weiterbildung, die Freude macht und die viel leichter in den eigenen Lebens-Zyklus integrierbar ist! Ayurveda-Seminare und Ayurveda-Ausbildungen fordern ein gesundes Leben und geben viel Sinn-Erfullung. Viele Menschen sind wissbegieriger geworden und wollen ihr volles Potenzial durch Bewusstseinsveranderungen ausschopfen. Durch die digitale Welt ist es einfacher und schneller denn je geworden an Informationen zu kommen. Ich stelle

[mehr] Online ist die neue Ara der Weiterbildung, die Freude macht und die viel leichter in den eigenen Lebens-Zyklus integrierbar ist! Ayurveda-Seminare und Ayurveda-Ausbildungen fordern ein gesundes Leben und geben viel Sinn-Erfullung. Viele Menschen sind wissbegieriger geworden und wollen ihr volles Potenzial durch Bewusstseinsveranderungen ausschopfen. Durch die digitale Welt ist es einfacher und schneller denn je geworden an Informationen zu kommen. Ich stelle

Pressemitteilung:

[mehr] Gasnetz Hamburg pruft monatlich 1.200 Hausanschlusse  Arbeiten unter umfassenden Schutzmanahmen  Haushalte erhalten detaillierte Informationen zum Corona-Schutz  Sichere Gasanschlusse stehen im Mittelpunkt Hamburg. Ab sofort klingelt an vielen Hamburger Hausturen wieder der Gasanlagen-Prufer. Die turnusgemae Inspektion der Anschlusse in Kellern oder Wirtschaftsraumen von Ein- und Mehrfamilienhausern ist alle zwolf Jahre vorgeschrieben. Seit Marz hatte Gasnetz Hamburg die Hausbesuche unterbrochen. Nun schickt das Unternehmen wieder seine Fachleute zu den Anschlusskunden

Pressemitteilung: Wie COVID-19 unsere Kommunikation verandert Sprachexpertin Tatjana Lackner von Die Schule des Sprechens analysiert, wie sich das Kommunikationsverhalten in der COVID-19-Zeit verandert und welche Kommunikations-Trends daraus entstehen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EuP2VeRtjsdPpxlLUzBimIsB-GcG-m5aFr4de0hEQ_WCPw?e=s2GwN1 Wien (LCG)  Die Manahmen zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung verandern durch Physical Distancing und zahlreiche neue Verhaltensregeln den personlichen Umgang miteinander. Korpersprache, Social Codes und Rituale bekommen eine wichtig Bedeutung in der neuen

[mehr] Sprachexpertin Tatjana Lackner von Die Schule des Sprechens analysiert, wie sich das Kommunikationsverhalten in der COVID-19-Zeit verandert und welche Kommunikations-Trends daraus entstehen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EuP2VeRtjsdPpxlLUzBimIsB-GcG-m5aFr4de0hEQ_WCPw?e=s2GwN1 Wien (LCG)  Die Manahmen zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung verandern durch Physical Distancing und zahlreiche neue Verhaltensregeln den personlichen Umgang miteinander. Korpersprache, Social Codes und Rituale bekommen eine wichtig Bedeutung in der neuen

Pressemitteilung: Facebook diskutiert Strategie in der COVID-19-Pandemie Beim Moving Forward-Round-Table sprechen Facebook-Manager uber die Zusammenarbeit mit der WHO, die Intensivnutzung in Italien und andere Strategien gegen Falschmeldungen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  JMC https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EsGAMdDUM2lNt4Jo2RfF_R4BhwzfZ8LXK305xeAAjGcAdw?e=EyC94A Video zur Meldung auf Facebook https://www.facebook.com/movingforwardconference/videos/973105823109354 Dublin/Wien (LCG)  Die Verbreitungsgeschwindigkeit der sozialen Medien war in den letzten Wochen essenziell, um Informationen zu COVID-19 zu streuen. Auch Fake News fanden in diesem Umfeld einen fruchtbaren

[mehr] Beim Moving Forward-Round-Table sprechen Facebook-Manager uber die Zusammenarbeit mit der WHO, die Intensivnutzung in Italien und andere Strategien gegen Falschmeldungen. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank:  JMC https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EsGAMdDUM2lNt4Jo2RfF_R4BhwzfZ8LXK305xeAAjGcAdw?e=EyC94A Video zur Meldung auf Facebook https://www.facebook.com/movingforwardconference/videos/973105823109354 Dublin/Wien (LCG)  Die Verbreitungsgeschwindigkeit der sozialen Medien war in den letzten Wochen essenziell, um Informationen zu COVID-19 zu streuen. Auch Fake News fanden in diesem Umfeld einen fruchtbaren

Pressemitteilung: Musikfestival Steyr: Kulturgenuss trotz Pandemie Als kultureller Impulsgeber fur die Region ermoglicht das Musikfestival Steyr auch heuer Kulturgenuss und wartet mit einem neuen Programm auf. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EnbiYHVH3KNOg_ZakCqco3wBz529TPFExmEgRThtSEHHQA?e=fAzk1G Steyr (LCG)  In den vergangenen Wochen und Monaten haben die Manahmen der osterreichischen Bundesregierung zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung die Kulturnation Osterreich in einen regelrechten Stillstand versetzt. Seit Anfang Mai 2020 setzt die neue Normalitat

[mehr] Als kultureller Impulsgeber fur die Region ermoglicht das Musikfestival Steyr auch heuer Kulturgenuss und wartet mit einem neuen Programm auf. Bilder zur Meldung in der Mediendatenbank https://leisure-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/office_leisure_at/EnbiYHVH3KNOg_ZakCqco3wBz529TPFExmEgRThtSEHHQA?e=fAzk1G Steyr (LCG)  In den vergangenen Wochen und Monaten haben die Manahmen der osterreichischen Bundesregierung zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Verbreitung die Kulturnation Osterreich in einen regelrechten Stillstand versetzt. Seit Anfang Mai 2020 setzt die neue Normalitat

Pressemitteilung: OstseeResort Olpenitz bei Kappeln/ Schlei Private Vermietung von ausgefallenen Ferienobjekten an der Ostsee - "Nie mitten drin, aber immer ganz nah dran!" ist hierbei die Devise. Auch wenn die Corona-Pandemie Urlaub und Ferienvermietung weltweit lahm gelegt hat  das Leben im OstseeResort Olpenitz ist trotzdem weitergegangen, und Ferienobjekte in diesem neuen Ferienresort bei Kappeln/ Schlei verkaufen sich weiterhin gut. Oder aber jetzt erst Recht? Das

[mehr] Private Vermietung von ausgefallenen Ferienobjekten an der Ostsee - "Nie mitten drin, aber immer ganz nah dran!" ist hierbei die Devise. Auch wenn die Corona-Pandemie Urlaub und Ferienvermietung weltweit lahm gelegt hat  das Leben im OstseeResort Olpenitz ist trotzdem weitergegangen, und Ferienobjekte in diesem neuen Ferienresort bei Kappeln/ Schlei verkaufen sich weiterhin gut. Oder aber jetzt erst Recht? Das

Pressemitteilung: Gut vernetzt: Ceresana-Report zum Markt fur Kunststoff-Rohre Die Nachfrage nach Kunststoffrohren steigt in vielen europaischen Landern. Besonders in Ballungsraumen werden derzeit neue Wohnungen gebaut. Allerdings boomt die Bauwirtschaft nicht uberall: Ausgelastete Kapazitaten, steigende Preise, Fachkraftemangel, fehlendes Bauland und zunehmende wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit bremsen die Dynamik. Dabei konnen sich Hochbau, Tiefbau und Infrastrukturbau sehr unterschiedlich entwickeln: Die verschiedenen Bausegmente sind in hohem Mae von den offentlichen Investitionen im jeweiligen

[mehr] Die Nachfrage nach Kunststoffrohren steigt in vielen europaischen Landern. Besonders in Ballungsraumen werden derzeit neue Wohnungen gebaut. Allerdings boomt die Bauwirtschaft nicht uberall: Ausgelastete Kapazitaten, steigende Preise, Fachkraftemangel, fehlendes Bauland und zunehmende wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit bremsen die Dynamik. Dabei konnen sich Hochbau, Tiefbau und Infrastrukturbau sehr unterschiedlich entwickeln: Die verschiedenen Bausegmente sind in hohem Mae von den offentlichen Investitionen im jeweiligen
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Why do straight men devote so much headspace to those big, bulbous bags of fat drooping from women's chests? Scientists have never satisfactorily explained men's curious breast fixation, but theorists are gonna theorize. So let's take a tour of the sexy speculation surrounding the human bosom  with a few stops to explain why it's so hard to figure out just why breasts hold such allure.

Mammary glands are a defining feature of mammals, but humans seem unique in granting mammaries a large sexual role. That's not to say interest in nipples is entirely unheard of elsewhere in the animal kingdom: In the book "Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity" (Stonewall Inn Editions, 1999), Canadian biologist Bruce Bagemihl notes that a couple of primate species, including humanity's close relative the bonobo, have been seen stimulating their own nipples while masturbating. Still, few mammals other than humans mate face-to-face (the behavior makes headlines when seen in the wild), so nipple stimulation isn't generally part of the script.

Researchers have long speculated that humans evolved the fatty deposits around the female mammary glands for sexual reasons. Anthropologist Owen Lovejoy argued that evolution put a bull's-eye around both female and male reproductive organs in order to promote pair bonding. In this hypothesis, it wasn't just the female breast that got a lift; men acquired relatively large penises for their body size, too. [Why Do Women Have Breasts?]

Another long-standing theory holds that breasts evolved as a way to signal to men that the woman attached to them was nutritionally advantaged and youthful  and thus, a promising mate. Studies finding that men prefer large breasts and a high waist-to-hip ratio bolster the notion that an hourglass shape communicates youth and fertility. A 2004 study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B even found that women with large breasts have higher levels of the hormone estradiol mid-cycle, which could increase fertility.

Nature or nurture?

But there are pitfalls to this line of work. For one thing, it's not actually clear that breasts are universally adored. In a 1951 study of 191 cultures, anthropologist Clellan Ford and ethologist Frank Beach reported that breasts were considered sexually important to men in 13 of those cultures. Of those, nine cultures preferred large breasts. Two  the Azande and Ganda of Africa  found long, pendulous breasts most attractive. Another two  the Maasai of Africa and Manus of the South Pacific  liked breasts that were upright and "hemispherical," but not necessarily large. Thirteen cultures also reported breast simulation during sex, but only three of those overlapped with the societies where men reported finding breasts important for sexual attraction.

In a chapter in the book "Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives" (Aldine de Gruyter, 1995), cultural anthropologist Katherine Dettwyler describes telling friends in Mali about sexual foreplay involving breasts and getting responses ranging from "bemused to horrified."

"In any case, they regarded it as unnatural, perverted behavior, and found it difficult to believe that men would become sexually aroused by women's breasts, or that women would find such activities pleasurable," Dettwyler wrote.

In the cultural view, men aren't so much biologically drawn to breasts as trained from an early age to find them erotic.

"Obviously, humans can learn to view breasts as sexually attractive. We can learn to prefer long, pendulous breasts, or upright, hemispherical breasts. We can learn to prefer large breasts," Dettwyler wrote. [The 7 Biggest Mysteries of the Human Body]

Even if there is some biological underpinning for an interest in bosoms, it might vary by culture. A 2011 study compared men's preferences for breast size, symmetry, and areola size and color in Papua New Guina, Samoa and New Zealand and found that men from Papua New Guinea preferred larger breasts than men from the other two islands. Because the men surveyed from Papua New Guinea hailed from more of a subsistence culture than the men in Samoa or New Zealand, the results support the idea that in places of scarcity, padded bustlines could signal a well-fed woman with reserves for pregnancy and childrearing, the researchers wrote. Areola size and color preferences were highly idiosyncratic between cultures.

Sexual sideshow?

The main job of breasts, of course, is to feed offspring. Some researchers think that sexual interest in breasts simply hijacks the breastfeeding circuitry and uses it for another purpose.

Larry Young, a professor of psychiatry at Emory University who studies the neurological basis of complex social behaviors, thinks human evolution has harnessed an ancient neural circuit that originally evolved to strengthen the mother-infant bond during breastfeeding, and now uses this brain circuitry to strengthen the bond between couples as well. The result? Men, like babies, love breasts.

When a woman's nipples are stimulated during breastfeeding, the neurochemical oxytocin, otherwise known as the "love drug," floods her brain, helping to focus her attention and affection on her baby. But research over the past few years has shown that in humans, this circuitry isn't reserved exclusively for infants. [The Cleavage Countdown: 8 Facts About Breasts]

Recent studies have found that nipple stimulation enhances sexual arousal in the great majority of women, and it activates the same brain areas as vaginal and clitoral stimulation. When a sexual partner touches, massages or nibbles a woman's breasts, Young said, this triggers the release of oxytocin in the woman's brain, just like what happens when a baby nurses. But in this context, the oxytocin focuses the woman's attention on her sexual partner, strengthening her desire to bond with this person.

In other words, men can make themselves more desirable by stimulating a woman's breasts during foreplay and sex. Evolution has, in a sense, made men want to do this. According to Young, the theory "just makes a lot of sense." Young elaborated on the theory in his book, "The Chemistry Between Us" (Current Hardcover, 2012), co-authored by Brian Alexander.

Attraction to breasts "is a brain organization effect that occurs in straight males when they go through puberty," Young told Live Science. "Evolution has selected for this brain organization in men that makes them attracted to the breasts in a sexual context, because the outcome is that it activates the female bonding circuit, making women feel more bonded with him. It's a behavior that males have evolved in order to stimulate the female's maternal bonding circuitry." [Why Do Men Have Nipples]

So, why did this evolutionary change happen in humans, and not in other breastfeeding mammals? Young thinks it's because we form monogamous relationships, whereas 97 percent of mammals do not. "Secondly, it might have to do with the fact that we are upright and have face-to-face sex, which provides more opportunity for nipple stimulation during sex. In monogamous voles, for example, the nipples are hanging toward the ground and the voles mate from behind, so this didn't evolve," he said. "So, maybe the nature of our sexuality has allowed greater access to the breasts."

Young said competing theories of men's breast fixation don't stand up to scrutiny. For example, the argument that men tend to select full-breasted women because they think these women's breast fat will make them better at nourishing babies falls short when one considers that "sperm is cheap" compared with eggs, and men don't need to be choosy.

But like any evolutionary explanation for breasts, Young's theory runs into cultural controversy.

"Always important whenever evolutionary biologists suggest a universal reason for a behavior and emotion: how about the cultural differences?" Rutgers University anthropologist Fran Mascia-Lees wrote in an email to Live Science.

Young responded that there are not enough studies looking at breast stimulation during foreplay across cultures to rule out the importance of the nipple-oxytocin bonding loop. Notably, men often like nipple stimulation, too. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that in a sample of undergraduate men in the United Kingdom, 51.7 percent found nipple stimulation arousing. About 82 percent of women said the same. Male nipples are a vestige of prenatal development in men, but they are hooked up to nerves and blood vessels, just like female nipples.

However, less is known about the innervation of nipples in men, studies on how nipple stimulation contributes to their sexual arousal are lacking, the researchers wrote. Perhaps the real quandary isn't why the female breast is so fetishized, but why we don't ask more questions about what's on men's chests.

Editor's Note: This article was first published on Sept. 26, 2012; it was updated to include more research and information on theories behind men's love of breasts.

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Now called Amarna, the city of Akhetaten was a short-lived Egyptian capital built by Akhenaten a pharaoh who tried to focus Egypt's religion around the worship of the sun disc, the "Aten." He was also likely the father of Tutankhamun. Here, the first ever facial reconstructions of King Tut using CT scans of his mummified remains. The pharaoh's reconstructed facial composition turned out to be strikingly similar to ancient portraits of Tut.

Mummy case

(Image credit: Horemweb | Wikimedia.)

Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh who lived between roughly 1343 B.C. and 1323 B.C. Often called the "boy-king," he ascended the throne at around the age of 10. Today he's most famous for his tomb, which was discovered largely intact in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by a team led by archaeologist Howard Carter.

"As my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist. Strange animals, statues of gold " wrote Carter about his experience as he entered the tomb.

The tomb continues to deliver in the way of archaeological mysteries. For instance, archaeologists think there may be hidden chambers behind walls of the tomb and that at least one of those cavities may hold the remains of Queen Nefertiti, King Tut's stepmom and wife of Tut's father, Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. Ongoing radar scans of the tomb could uncover whether or not such cavities do exist.

Akhenaten statue

(Image credit: Public domain | Wikimedia.)

Tutankhamun's father is believed to be the pharaoh Akhenaten. He unleashed a religious revolution that resulted in the Aten, the sun disc, becoming Egypt's main deity. Akhenaten went so far as to destroy images of other gods. Tutankhamun tried to undo his father's changes, turning Egypt's religion back to its traditional focus on multiple gods.

Tutankhamun bust

(Image credit: Jean-Pierre Dalbera, CC Attribution 2.0 Generic.)

Now a new study, detailed in 2013 in the journal Etudes et Travaux, suggests that as part of this program of religious normalization Tutankhamun's mummy was prepared so that it literally appeared as the god Osiris. His penis was mummified at a 90-degree angle (recalling Osiris' fertility); his body and coffins were covered with a black goolike liquid that changed the color of the pharaoh's skin; and his heart was removed, recalling the tale of Osiris being cut apart by his brother Seth.

Tutankhamun's tomb

(Image credit: R.F.Morgan, CC Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 Unported | Wikimedia.)

After Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered, it was given the name KV 62, following a system of naming in the Valley of the Kings. It is a relatively small four-chambered tomb that originally may not have been meant for Tutankhamun, but rather for another important royal figure named "Ay," who would later become pharaoh.

Goods for the afterlife

(Image credit: Dmitry Denisenkov, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic)

A wide range of goods were placed in Tutankhamun's tomb for the afterlife. They include this finely preserved "Senet" board with pieces. Senet means "game of passing," and was a popular two-player board game played throughout much of Egypt's history.

Leopard head

(Image credit: Dmitry Denisenkov, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic.)

While performing the opening of the mouth ceremony, priests may have attached a small leopard head like this to their robes while doing so. The head, which is often shown in international exhibitions, is made of gilded wood, rock crystal and colored glass.

King Tut's shrines

(Image credit: Gerard Ducher, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.5 Generic.)

Tutankhamun's burial was extremely complex and included four shrines (the outermost seen here) with his sarcophagus located within.

Nested sarcophagus

(Image credit: Hotepibre | Wikimedia, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.5 Generic.)

A diagram showing the shrines and nested sarcophagus of Tutankhamun. Gradually the containers get smaller and smaller until you reach the mummy itself.

A unique lid

(Image credit: Dmitry Denisenkov, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic.)

Here, one of four stoppers, each of which is in the form of Tutankhamun's head. They were used on a large canopic jar, which was used to hold the pharaoh's inner organs. Recent DNA analysis suggested the pharaoh suffered from a number of illnesses that left him crippled and forced him to use a walking stick. The cause of his death is unknown, though some say he died from a fracture possibly caused by a fall from a chariot.

A well-known figure

(Image credit: Dmitry Denisenkov, CC Attribution Share-Alike 2.0 Generic.)

Although Tut did not have a long reign, and his tomb was relatively small, the fact that it was found intact with magnificent treasures inside means that he is now one of the most widely known figures from the ancient world. This image shows a tiny canopic coffinette; there were also four of them and they each held one of Tut's internal organs.

King Tut

(Image credit: Supreme Council of Antiquities)

Forensic scientists and artists completed in 2005 the first ever facial reconstructions of King Tut using CT scans of his mummifiedremains. The pharaoh's reconstructed facial composition turned out to bestrikingly similar to ancient portraits of Tut.
Americans are more likely to accept the idea of living together out of wedlock and having children out of wedlock than they were a decade ago, according to a new report of the nation's attitudes toward marriage, childbearing and sexual behavior.

Americans are less likely, however, to accept the idea of divorce than they were a decade ago, according to the report, released today (March 17) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the report, the researchers used data from the National Survey of Family Growth collected in 2002, 2006 to 2010, and in 2011 to 2013. Over 45,000 people ages 15 to 44 were included in the surveys.

The survey reflects changes in behavior that have been going on for some time, said Paula England, a professor of sociology at New York University. [13 Facts on the History of Marriage]

Wendy Manning, a professor of sociology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, agreed.

These results are not entirely surprising, because they're following general trends, Manning told Live Science.

Living together

The percentage of Americans who agreed with the statement, "A young couple should not live together unless they are married" decreased, according to the report. In 2002, 35 percent of women agreed with the statement, compared with 28 percent in 2011 to 2013; for men, 32 percent agreed with the statement in 2002, compared with 25 percent in 2011 to 2013, according to the report.

Manning attributed this trend in positive attitudes toward living together out of wedlock to what she calls the "cohabitation revolution."

More and more Americans are serially cohabiting, Manning told Live Science. This increase is driven in part by the fact that the average age of marriage is going up, Manning said. People see living together as a path toward marriage, and it gives them a chance to help test out their relationships, she said. People also think living together is a good thing, because they think it will help prevent divorce, she added.

Indeed, 60 percent of women and 67 percent of men agreed that living together before marriage may help prevent divorce, according to the report. (The researchers collected data on this only in 2006 to 2010 and 2011 to 2013, and the results did not change.)

Similar to the shifts in attitudes toward cohabitation, there has also been an increase in the percentage of Americans who agreed that it is okay for unmarried women to have and raise children. In 2002, 70 percent of women agreed with this sentiment, compared with 78 percent in 2011 to 2013, and for men, 59 percent agreed in 2002, compared with 69 percent in 2011 to 2013, according to the report.

This appears to fall in line with the increase in the number of Americans living together before getting married, Manning said. People may be having children during this time, she said.

Same-sex relations

The percentage of Americans who agreed with the right of gay and lesbian adults to adopt children increased. The percentage of women who agreed increased from 55 percent in 2002 to 75 percent in 2011 to 2013, and the percentage of men who agreed increased from 47 percent in 2002 to 68 percent in 2011 to 2013, according to the report.

There was also an increase in the percentage of Americans who agreed with the right of people to have same-sex sexual relations. The percentage of women who agreed increased from 42 percent in 2002 to 60 percent in 2011 to 2013, and the percentage of men who agreed increased from 40 percent in 2006 to 2010 to 49 percent in 2011 to 2013, according to the report. (Data was not available on this question for men in 2002.)

The data on sex-same relations is not surprising, England told Live Science. Since about 1990, Americans from a number of groups, including men, women, those from all socioeconomic levels, and blacks and whites, have been becoming steadily more liberal on this issue, she said. "It's really consistent with what we find from other surveys," she said. [Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Effects of the Supreme Court's Decision]

Manning agreed.

The changing attitudes have a lot to do with people being more accepting overall of gay and lesbian couples and families, she said. More Americans today think of gay and lesbian couples as families than in the past, she added.

Divorce

While the percentage of Americans who had positive attitudes toward living together, having children out of wedlock and same-sex relations has increased, the percentage of Americans who had positive attitudes toward divorce decreased, according to the report.

The percentage of women who agreed with the statement, "Divorce is usually the best solution when a couple can't seem to work out their marriage problems," decreased from 47 percent in 2002 to 38 percent in 2011 to 2013, and the percentage of men who agreed decreased from 44 percent in 2002 to 39 percent in 2011 to 2013, according to the report.

This finding is very different from the others, England said. While the other findings indicate that trends are going in a more liberal direction, the attitudes toward divorce are moving in a more conservative direction, she said.

England noted that it can be difficult to obtain answers concerning attitudes about divorce. For example, if you ask couples about it when they get married, it's unlikely you'll find people who say they think they will get divorced in the future, she said.

Divorce rates were higher in the 1960s and 1970s, and then leveled off from 1980 on, England said. Some people speculate that the shift away from divorce could be because parents may think that divorce could put their children at a disadvantage, she said.

Another potential explanation for the more negative attitude toward divorce could be because of how Americans think of marriage.

We think so highly of marriage, so it may be that the fear of divorce looms large, Manning said.

Follow Sara G. Miller on Twitter @SaraGMiller. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.
Just about every topic, from eminent domain to hand size, has scuttled onto the debate stage this election cycle. But the presidential candidates have uttered little about science policy

Its been conspicuous by its absence, says Dr. Peter J. Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

Nonetheless, the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump, has made public remarks that give voters a glimpse into what some of his scientific policies might be. We asked some science and policy experts to discuss Trumps stances, and what that could mean for Americans in the future.

Go slow on climate action: Trump has tweeted that climate change is a Chinese-driven hoax, though he later called the Tweet a joke. In aninterview with Fox and Friends, he called climate change just a very, very expensive form of tax and very hard on business.

Sizing up the science: Theres been a misperception that either you get a good economy or you protect the environment, says Peter LaPuma, an associate professor in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

LaPuma, who worked as a sustainable energy consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton before joining George Washington, says many companies have found that sustainable practices actually boost their bottom lines. For example, IT companies like Apple have begun using renewable energy to power their data centers, a switch that often saves money because the cost of energy sources like solar has dropped so much.

Immediate action to combat climate change has immediate benefits, according to LaPuma. Climate change is not just polar bears 100 years from now, he says. Replacing a coal-fired power plant with a solar farm can benefit health immediately, as well as clearing the air for better views of the countrys natural landscape.

Cut the EPA: Trump has said he would cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and return environmental protection responsibilities to the states. He claims the agency hurts business, and in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, called the EPA the laughingstock of the world.

Sizing up the science: There would be serious repercussions by 2020 if the EPA were severely downsized or abolished, according to Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy professor Neal F. Lane, who directed the National Science Foundation and later the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Clinton.

Lane says the EPA plays a critical role in protecting clean air and drinking water, and that its regulations have helped rehabilitate polluted water bodies like Lake Erie, which was pronounced dead in the 1960s. This is not just a bunch of regulators hugging trees, he adds. Though states do have a part to play in regulation, the country needs a federal regulating body, according to Lane, because contaminated water and air can cross state borders.

Thats not to say citizens shouldnt weigh in on the agencys proposed rules. There will always be a healthy debate between the private sector and the federal government on these regulations, says Lane. For this reason, he said, the EPA solicits public comment before making new rules.

If Congress supported Trump in slashing funds for the EPA or changing the law to remove the agencys power to regulate, Lane predicts there would be an outcry from overwhelmed governors and reasonable people who care about their families, their children and their life style.

Alter vaccination schedules to avoid autism: Trump says he favors vaccines, but giving children smaller doses over a longer period of time. He has blamed vaccines for causing autism in children.

Sizing up the science: I remember wanting to throw something at the TV when I heard it, Hotez says of Trumps debate statement linking vaccinations and autism.

Hotez, who develops vaccinations and also has a daughter with autism, says studies have found no link between autism and vaccination. The anti-vaxxers keep moving the goalposts, he says. After scientific studies debunked accusations against specific vaccinations, Hotez says those against vaccinations started a different fad: arguing to change the vaccination schedule to protect children.

But infants immune systems face up to hundreds of new antigens every day, according to Hotez. Adding a few more in the form of a vaccination does not harm infants. He says changing the FDAs approved vaccination schedule without clinical testing about immune response could decrease vaccines efficacy.

To imagine what a future with fewer or less effective vaccines might look like, Hotez suggests voters think of Californias recent outbreak of measles, a true threat to childrens health. Its one of the great killers of children in the world, he says. One hundred thousand children die every year of measles.

Defund Planned Parenthood: Although Trump says Planned Parenthood does a lot of good for womens health, he says he would defund its clinics because of their abortion services.

Sizing up the science: The good thing is that he doesnt think [Planned Parenthood] is evil, says Amy Tsui, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But, she says, no federal funding has gone to abortion since the Hyde Amendment of 1976 (though Medicaid can fund abortion in the case of rape, incest, or endangerment of the mothers life).

If Trump defunds all Planned Parenthood clinics, even those that dont perform abortions, then hell be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, according to Tsui. She says Planned Parenthoods low-cost care and urban clinic locations, helps low-income women in particular.

In fact, Leighton Ku, Director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University, says that decreased access to Planned Parenthoods contraception services could increase the rate of unwanted pregnancies and possibly cause a spike in abortions.

Abolish and replace the Affordable Care Act: Trump recently released his healthcare plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Highlights include promises to lower American healthcare cost by allowing insurer bids across state lines, make health insurance tax deductible, and remove barriers to prescription drugs entering from outside the country.

Sizing up the science: George Washingtons Ku says the number of Americans without health insurance is at its lowest in recent recorded history, and has reached that point without ballooning healthcare costs. He says hes concerned that repealing the Affordable Care Act might leave 13 million people insured under the plan without coverage.

Allowing insurers to compete across state lines could potentially lower cost, but Ku points out that state insurance standards differ, and Trump has not clarified which states rules would apply in interstate deals. Ku also views tax deductibility as a red herring: Low-income Americans, who struggle the most to get insured, already pay little to no taxes on care.

Lowering barriers to imported medicine could decrease prices, but Ku warns that pharmaceutical manufacturers will likely try to raise prices outside the U.S. if imports grow more common. This might cut into some of Americans savings. Restrictions on some countries, like China, should continue, he says, because of issues with counterfeited pharmaceuticals. Even so, the FDA would need more resources to monitor imports. Regardless, Ku doubts a Republican Congress would go along with Trumps proposal.

In summary, Trumps proposals have not won over the scientists we consulted. Hotez expressed hope that Trump will bring experts onboard to make more informed proposals if he becomes the Republican nominee. But Lane says hes skeptical even of that.

Who would he recruit to his science team? asks Lane. How capable would they be of providing advice? Of course, I dont have the answer to that. But its a question voters should have in their minds.

This article was first published at ScientificAmerican.com.  ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
The existence of hidden chambers in King Tutankhamun's burial chamber may be more likely, as new radar scans have found empty cavities behind the tomb's north and west walls, Egypt's antiquities ministry announced this morning (March 17).

Some archaeologists even think Queen Nefertiti, King Tut's stepmom, could be lurking in one of those spaces.

Scans carried out by Japanese radar technologist Hirokatsu Watanabe "suggest the presence of two empty spaces or cavities beyond the decorated North and West walls of the Burial Chamber," officials at Egypt's antiquities ministry said in a statement released to media. The scans also suggest the "presence of metallic and organic substances," and show what could be door lintels that indicate the presence of doorways, they said. [See Photos of King Tut's Burial and Radar Scans]

Archaeologists will conduct the next series of radar scans at the end of March to try to confirm the existence of the chambers and get a better idea of their dimensions.

Radar scans released today suggest that the north and west walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber have hidden chambers behind them that hold organic and metal artifacts. Note north faces down in this image. (Image credit: Image courtesy of Egypt Ministry of Antiquities )

Last year, Nicholas Reeves, a professor at the University of Arizona, published findings that suggested the existence of these mysterious chambers. In that research, he said the chambers could hold the burial of Queen Nefertiti, the wife of the pharaoh Akhenaten (King Tut's father). Reeves said he found evidence that Nefertiti's name had been carefully erased in some cases and replaced with that of the boy king, suggesting that some of Tutankhamun's burial equipment was originally made for Nefertiti.

Radar scans

Researchers believe that this radar scan of the west wall of King Tut's tomb indicates the presence of a chamber and what may be an organic substance. (Image credit: Image courtesy of Egypt Ministry of Antiquities)

The radar images showed anomalies that the scientists interpreted as artifacts within two chambers. However, it can be a challenging task to distinguish a human-made chamber or artifact from a natural feature.

The Valley of the Kings, where King Tut's tomb resides, has a variety of geological features that often pop up on radar. Researchers have noted in the past that it is difficult to avoid false positives in the Valley of the Kings. There are "many faults and natural features that can look like walls and tombs," Afifi Ghonim, the field director of one of the most extensive explorations of the Valley, told Live Science in 2013.

"There are a lot of things, like chert nodules, that populate the bedrock of the Valley," Glen Dash, who conducted radar work on an expedition in the Valley by former Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass, wrote in a working paper he published online last year, before the radar results came out. "There are fissures, seams of chert and gypsum, and voids in the bedrock known as karsts. They are so common that there was really no place in the Valley that we did not encounter them."

Because the radar images have just been released, it will take time for radar experts not involved with the project to analyze the results. Dash has not commented publicly on these new results.

Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
The existence of this archaic human group came to light in 2010 when DNA from a piece of a finger bone and two molars that were excavated at Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia was studied. Shown here, the entrance to the cave.

Genetic mutations from extinct human relatives called the Denisovans might have influenced modern human immune systems, as well as fat and blood sugar levels, researchers say.

Very little is known about the Denisovans. The first evidence of them was discovered in Denisova Cave in Siberia in 2008, and DNA from their fossils suggests they shared an origin with Neanderthals but were nearly as genetically distinct from Neanderthals as Neanderthals were from modern humans.

Previous work found that any modern humans with ancestry outside of Africa inherited about 1.5 to 2.1 percent of their DNA from Neanderthals. In contrast, prior research suggested that substantial levels of Denisovan ancestry are found only in the Pacific islands of Melanesia.Scientists are increasingly uncovering the effects of Neanderthal ancestry on modern humans, from potential immune boosts to increased risks for depression, obesity, heart attacks, nicotine addiction. However, relatively little was known about the effects of Denisovan ancestry.

"We knew there was Denisovan ancestry in Melanesians, but we didn't have a map of where those Denisovan sequences were located in the genome and what they might do," Akey said. "Now we've mapped where those sequences are."In the new study, scientists analyzed the genomes of 1,523 people from around the world, looking for archaic genetic information from Neanderthals or Denisovans. (Research has suggested that early modern humans interbred with both groups.) As expected, the populations outside Africa that the researchers surveyed inherited about 1.5 to 4 percentof their genomes from Neanderthals.

Akey and his colleagues discovered there were at least three distinct instances of Neanderthal gene flow into modern human populations. However, there was likely just one such instance of gene flow when it came to Denisovans. The researchers found that the people in the study who lived in the southern Pacific islands of Melanesia were the only population that had significant levels of Denisovan genetic ancestry. Whereas about 1.7 percent of the genomes of the Melanesians came from Neanderthals, between about 1.9 and 3.4 percent of their genomes came from Denisovans, according to the study.

"That's pretty strange," said Joshua Akey, a senior author of the study and a population geneticist at the University of Washington in Seattle. "What we know of Denisovans comes from a pinky bone from a cave in northern Siberia, yet the only modern human population with appreciable levels of Denisovan ancestry is a couple of thousand miles away from that cave, in Melanesia." [Denisovan Gallery: Tracing the Genetics of Human Ancestors]

The finding suggests that the range of the Denisovans was much larger than that of the Neanderthals, extending all the way from Siberia down to Southeast Asia, Akey said. "It's unclear why Melanesians are the only modern human population now that has an appreciable percentage of Denisovan ancestry," he told Live Science.

The researchers also discovered that Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA was not scattered evenly in the modern human genome. Rather, it was concentrated more heavily in some regions than others, they said. This may be because, in certain sections of the DNA, mixing sequences from Neanderthals or Denisovans with those of modern humans was detrimental in some way to the individuals who had those mixtures, the researchers said. Thus, over time, evolution purged those deleterious mixes from the modern genome, they added.

Akey and his colleagues also discovered that there were at least three distinct instances of Neanderthal genes flowing into modern human populations. However, there was likely just one such instance of Denisovan genes flowing into modern human populations.

Intriguingly, the areas of the modern human genome that were generally devoid of Neanderthal or Denisovan genetic sequences are areas rich in genes linked to the brain, particularly the developing cortex and the adult striatum. The cortex is the center of higher mental function in humans, while the striatum is linked to responses to rewards.

In contrast, there were a handful of spots in the Melanesian genome where archaic genetic sequences made up 50 to 70 percent of those regions. For these areas of the genome, the Neanderthal or Denisovan genetic information likely held advantages "that helped modern humans survive and reproduce," Akey said. [Human Origins: How Hominids Evolved (Infographic)]

In these regions of the genome, there are genes involved in blood sugar levels, fat metabolism and the immune system, Akey said. "The immune system is a pretty frequent target of evolution," Akey said. "As our ancestors were spreading to new environments all over the world, hybridization would have provided an efficient way to pick up copies of genes adapted to local environmental conditions, and immune-related genes probably helped our ancestors handle new pathogens they were exposed to."

Future research can investigate the imprints of Denisovan ancestry in other modern human populations, Akey said. "We want to understand what it means to be a modern human," Akey said  and, by that light, what it might have meant to be a Neanderthal or a Denisovan.

The scientists detailed their findings online today (March 17) in the journal Science.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original on Live Science.
Traffic was brought to a standstill in Longford town last Thursday as more than 300 demonstrators vented their ire at cuts to the number of special needs assistants at St Christophers Special National School.

Parents and service users were joined by local politicians and members of the public for the lunchtime protest which started from the facilitys Battery Road headquarters and ended at the towns Market Square.

A number of demonstrators could be seen brandishing placards carrying the slogan Save our SNAs while others sported t-shirts in opposition to the decision.

The protest is a result of a decision by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to cut the the Schools SNA posts from 14 to 12. The decision was announced last October.

An organiser of the rally, David Carrig said his 14-year-old son Brandon was one of many service users that were likely to be affected by the decision.

People dont realise that the services and the school are two different bodies, he said.

My own lad goes here. He is non verbal, has autism, ADHD and he has seizures on top of that but since they cut these SNAs it is very dangerous for him. He needs two assistants, not one.

Mr Carrig said prior to last Octobers announcement, parents had in fact been hoping to increase the schools present compliment of SNAs.

They (staff) are pretty stretched. Every day is a different day in St Christophers, you could have a calm day and then you can have a day where there is meltdown.

Attempts to reverse the reduction have so far fallen on deaf ears despite an appeal made by the schools board of management.

Mr Carrig said it was hoped Thursday afternoons protest could go a long way towards strengthening those overtures as the Dail returns from General Election 2016.

The appeal has failed but we are hoping this (protest) will make a difference, he added.

This is a health and safety issue because if you havent the correct staff the school is undermanned and cant look after all those that it should be looking after.

Local woman Ann Ireland also took part in the protest.

She said her brother in law, Paul has been an almost permanent fixture at the school for the past four decades .

I am here for him (Paul), she said.

He has been coming here for the last 40 years and while the cuts wont affect him as much as the younger crowd this doesnt help the school at all.

They were sentiments supported by fellow demonstrator Maggie Grogan.

Its a wonderful facility here in the town and if its let go it will be an absolute disgrace.

There should be an awful lot more people here today to support whats going on.

With the help of God it will be overturned. We cant let this happen.

We cant let the facilities here be affected. It affects everbody in the town in some way or another.

At the Market Square, Ann O'Leary thanked people for taking part while Cllr Gerry Warnock and parent Natasha Kelly spoke out against the SNA cuts.
Local News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 17 2016

All seven chapters of the NYS Alzheimers Association sign on to the Strong Families, Strong New York campaign and urge passage of Governors proposal for nations most robust paid family leave policy.

March 17, 2016 - New York, NY - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Coalition of New York State Alzheimers Association Chapters has endorsed his proposal for paid family leave. The proposal, which would be funded with nominal employee contributions, would help New Yorkers maintain their financial security while caring for a loved one with Alzheimers disease or related dementias. By providing up to 12 weeks of benefits, it would be the most robust policy in the nation.

Alzheimers is a progressive, fatal disease without an effective prevention, treatment or cure. Today, there are approximately 380,000 New Yorkers with Alzheimers disease or related dementias. By 2025, approximately 460,000 New Yorkers will suffer from this disease  a 21 percent increase. Alzheimers can wreak havoc on a family as it presents countless physical, emotional, and financial challenges. With the support of paid family leave, working caregivers can take the time they need to help their loved ones get their legal, financial and health care plans in order.

Alzheimers can have a devastating impact on patients and caregivers alike, but access to paid leave can dramatically improve a familys quality of life when a loved one is faced with this terrible disease, said Governor Cuomo. Im proud to be fighting for the nations strongest paid family leave policy, because working families deserve to be able to support their loved ones during times of great need without sacrificing their financial stability. Its time for New York to set an example for the country and pass a strong, 12-week paid family leave policy this year.

Elizabeth Smith-Boivin, Coalition President and Executive Director of the Alzheimers Association of Northeastern New York said: A strong paid family leave program would make a positive difference to people throughout across New York State and in New York City. As more New Yorkers continue to provide care for aging parents and loved ones with Alzheimers disease, we must act to ensure that they can take the time they need to plan for the future, and support those they love without putting themselves at financial risk. Thats why we support Governor Cuomos proposal for paid family leave, and I urge state lawmakers to pass it this year.

While Alzheimers is often cited as our nations most under-recognized health crisis, the Coalition is the leader in providing support and education to New York families facing Alzheimers disease and related dementias. The Coalition is comprised of seven regional Alzheimers Association chapters, which provide support, education and safety services to individuals with Alzheimers and their families and a 24 hour Helpline: 1-800-272-3900. Chapters include: Western New York, Rochester and Finger Lakes, Central New York, Northeastern New York, Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.

In addition to the significant health care issues associated with dementia, individuals with Alzheimers disease experience three times as many hospitalizationsas those without Alzheimers.

Leilani Pelletier, Executive Director of the Alzheimers Association, Western New York Chapter, and Vice President of the Coalition, citing the relief that working family caregivers will be afforded so they may take the time they need to arrange for their loved ones needs, said, This proposal ensures family members can help get their loved ones legal, financial, and health care planning in order to avoid crises down the road.

Teresa Galbier, Executive Director of the Alzheimers Association, Rochester/Finger Lakes Chapter, and Coalition Treasurer said: Alzheimers disease affects all people, without regard to ethnicity, socioeconomic class or geography. This proposal supports caregivers across the working spectrum  from the 68 year old grocery store clerk to the 25 year old trainer. The Alzheimers Association encourages care consultations for families of those newly diagnosed in every circumstance. Paid family leave enable families to take the time to plan without fearing potential job loss.

Cathy James, CEO of Alzheimers Association, Central New York, said: Our constituents often face the heartbreaking choice to either leave their job for several weeks or months on end to care for their loved one with dementia or leave their ailing family member at home to go to work. Our work at the Alzheimers Association is focused on care and support to avoid crisis situations. Paid family leave offers another critical tool to properly plan for the Alzheimers journey with information, resources and peace of mind.

Doug Davidson, Executive Director of the Alzheimers Association, Long Island, said: When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimers, their closest loved ones can instantly be faced with seemingly impossible, and innumerable, choices for the future. The burden that caregivers shoulder in order to support parents of other relatives facing this disease can be devastating  physically, emotionally, and financially. Paid family leave is a crucial and much-needed tool to help those people support their loved ones throughout this journey, and I am proud to see Governor Cuomo fighting for a policy would help remove the stigma that too many caregivers bear. Enacting paid family leave will put New York at the front of the nation in terms of supporting working families and be tremendously beneficial to family caregivers across Long Island.

Jane Ginsburg, Executive Director for the Coalition of New York State Alzheimers Association Chapters, said: We are proud to partner with Governor Cuomo on this important initiative. Hes a true caregiver advocate.

87 percent of American workers do not have access to paid family leave. The 13 percent who have access through their employers are more likely to have well-paying jobs. Federal law provides only for unpaid family leave for approximately 60 percent of workers, but many who are covered by FMLA live paycheck to paycheck and cant afford to take unpaid leave: our system is failing poor working families.

The Governors twelve week proposed paid leave program will be the most robust program in the nation, because it provides double the length of paid leave than provided by any other State program, as well as a high benefit amount. Specifically, after a short ramp-up period, workers will be entitled to 67 percent of their average weekly wage, with a maximum of 67 percent of the States average weekly wage, which is estimated to be in excess of $1,000 per week by 2021. This program will ensure that workers will be able to afford to take the time they need to provide care to sick relatives.

Paid family leave helps women, minorities, and low-income workers

For families living paycheck to paycheck, taking extended periods of unpaid leave is often unfeasible. Statewide, more than 39 percent of single mothers with at least one child under the age of 18 lived below the poverty line. Additionally, women and minorities are each overrepresented in both state and national poverty rates.

It is well established that paid family leave leads to healthier babies. An expansion of family leave has been found to increase birth weight, decrease premature birth, and lead to a substantial decrease in infant mortality. This is particularly important to reducing racial and ethnic disparities. In 2012, the mortality rate for white infants was just 3.7 for every thousand live births  but it was 5.27 for Hispanic infants and 8.96 for black infants.

Californias paid family leave program more than doubled the overall use of maternity leave  increasing it from around three to six or seven weeks for the typical new mother. The program significantly reduced disparities in who could take advantage of family leave, leading to an increase (in leave taking) of threefold for non-college educated mothers, fivefold for single mothers, and sevenfold for racial minorities.

Paid family leave helps reduce demands on public assistance

Loss of income for New Yorkers who have to care for a sick family member or a new baby can lead to serious hardship, which can lead to increased demand for state support, funded by taxpayers. Enacting paid family funded by nominal employee payroll deductions is smart policy because it can help more working families make ends meet without public assistance.

Paid family leave helps businesses

Providing paid family leave also has numerous benefits for employers. Research from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that paid family leave helps businesses retain workers and avoid turnover  which ultimately helps reduce recruitment and training costs. Having access to paid family leave can also boost productivity, engagement, and loyalty among a business employees.

Paid family leave strengthens the economy

Increasing access to paid family leave will result in a stronger economy and workforce. When working parents or caregivers are able to remain in the workforce while tending to children or sick loved ones, they are also more likely to continue progressing in their careers and increasing their wages over time. This in turn yields greater support for their families, greater economy activity in their communities, and a more vibrant workforce overall. Additionally, paid family leave helps address the gaps in opportunity faced by low-income, minority and less educated workers.

Paid family leave has widespread public support

In a recent poll conducted by the Siena Institute, the vast majority  80 percent  of New Yorkers polled supported providing 12 weeks of paid family leave. That support crossed party lines, with 87 percent of Democrats, 69 percent of Republicans, and 74 percent of Independents voicing support. The policy is also received broad geographic support, winning the approval of 85 percent of New York City respondents, 77 percent of those in the downstate suburbs, and 76 percent of those in Upstate New York. Additionally, in a business survey after Californias paid family leave policy had been in effect for five years, 91 percent of employers reported the effect of the policy was either not noticeable or positive.
Local News, National & World News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 17 2016

Zika Action Plan Proactively Limits Potential Outbreak if Local Mosquitoes Begin Transmitting Virus.

New York, NY - March 17, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a comprehensive six-step action plan to combat potential transmission of the Zika Virus in communities across New York State. The Governor's plan targets the virus at its source  Aedes mosquitoes  with enhanced trapping and testing throughout the entire downstate region. Key components of the plan include distributing larvicide tablets to residents in the potentially Zika affected area, providing Zika protection kits to pregnant women, launching a statewide public awareness campaign, and assembling a rapid response team in the event of confirmed infection by an Aedes mosquito.

The type of Aedes mosquito that is active in New York is not yet confirmed to be able to transmit the Zika virus, but the possibility remains. The Governor's action plan proactively limits the potential for an outbreak if the Aedes mosquito begins transmitting Zika. Mosquito season is set to begin in April.

The state is taking aggressive action to reduce the risk of Zika transmission in New York, Governor Cuomo said. We have put in place a first-in-the-nation action plan that will work to eliminate Zika at its source, reduce potential transmissions and safeguard expectant mothers against this dangerous disease. The state is monitoring the situation closely, and continues to work with all partners to protect the public health.

Graphic by New York State Zika Action Plan



The Governor announced the plan earlier today at a press conference in New York City. More information on the Six-Point NYS Zika Action Plan is available here

Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker said: Until we learn more, the best way to prevent microcephaly is to keep pregnant women from being exposed to Zika by not traveling to affected regions, using personal mosquito protection, and doing environmental mosquito control. Pregnant women should also use condoms or practice abstinence during pregnancy if their partner is at risk for Zika.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in South and Central America. The virus may also be sexually transmitted. Although Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are not present in New York, a related species named Aedes albopictus is active in the downstate region. Scientists have not yet determined if Aedes albopictus  the type in New York  transmits Zika. There are 70 different species of mosquitoes in New York State; Aedes mosquitoes make up just three to five percent and may transmit Zika. Mosquito season in New York runs from April through September.

The greatest danger facing those who contract Zika is a birth defect known as microcephaly. This disease occurs in babies of mothers who are infected with the Zika Virus while pregnant. Zika may also cause a rare disorder called Guillain Barre Syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis. The World Health Organization declared Zika a public health emergency of international concern in February.

The Governor's action plan is designed to specifically target the type of Aedes mosquito active in New York, which has a lifespan of approximately 3 weeks; stays within 200 yards of its birthplace; breeds in small containers of clean water; and exhibits unique habits that help the Aedes mosquito avoid traditional mosquito traps.

Six-Step New York State Zika Action Plan

A map of the plan's target region from NYS Zika Action Plan

1. Eliminate Zika at its Source

To eliminate mosquito breeding sites, the state will distribute 100,000 larvicide tablets throughout the target region. Local municipalities, residents and business owners will be challenged to host clean-up days that effectively eliminate standing water. Residents can request tablets by calling 1-888-364-4723. One larvicide tablet lasts two to three months.

Aedes mosquitoes breed in containers with clean water. New Yorkers are encouraged to do their part by distributing larvicide tablets in permanent places of standing water, such as flower pots, and removing sources of standing water of all sizes, such as old tires, children's toys, plastic containers and even clogged gutters  especially after it rains.

2. Aggressively Monitor the Aedes Mosquito with Special Trapping and Testing

The state will aggressively monitor the mosquito population by deploying special mosquito traps to collect and test mosquitoes across the region to identify and respond to potential Zika transmission. The state will deploy traps in 1,000 locations per month.

Wadsworth Laboratory  already a national leader in Zika testing  will expand its testing capacity to accommodate the additional trapping. The State Department of Health will test 60,000 Aedes mosquitoes per month at Wadsworth in Albany.

A Zika prevention kit.

3. Provide Free Zika Protection Kits to Pregnant Women

The state will distribute free Zika protection kits to pregnant women in the target region. The Zika protection kits contain educational materials, insect repellent, condoms and larvicide tablets to treat standing water. A total 20,000 kits will initially be distributed to healthcare providers throughout the region. A photo of a Zika protection kit is available here

The Zika protection kits complement the state's offering of free Zika testing to all pregnant women who recently traveled to a country with active Zika transmission or have had unprotected sex with a partner who recently traveled to or resides in a country with active Zika transmission. Men who recently traveled or reside in an area with active Zika transmission and have a pregnant partner should use condoms consistently and correctly or abstain from sex throughout the pregnancy.

The State Department of Health continues to offer webinars for health care providers on the Zika virus and the care of pregnant women with possible exposure to Zika. Based on current information, infection with Zika at any point in the pregnancy could place the developing fetus at risk. The effect of Zika exposure at different stages of pregnancy on birth defects is not known.

4. Deploy Rapid Response Teams Wherever Local Transmission is Confirmed

The state will deploy rapid response teams wherever a case of Zika transmission by an Aedes mosquito is confirmed. The rapid response team will be composed of officials from the State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Emergency Management to inspect surrounding areas, perform additional treatment and develop a local action plan.

5. Issue Emergency Regulations Requiring Local Zika Control Plans Upon Zika Confirmation

The Commissioner of DOH will issue emergency regulations requiring all local health departments to submit Zika action plans with updated protocols for trapping, testing and control.

6. Launch Aggressive Public Awareness Campaign

A major public awareness campaign will be targeted to New Yorkers across the state, as well as international travelers from Zika-affected areas.

The public awareness campaign includes:

Multi-lingual posters, brochures and fact sheets to educate travelers about Zika;

The Zika Information Helpline: 1-888-364-4723; and

A website dedicated to the Zika Virus: ny.gov/Zika

To ensure travelers take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against Zika, the state will work with airports in the target region and across New York State to disseminate print materials and broadcast public service announcements to passengers.

Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites

Mosquito bites have the potential to transmit diseases, such as West Nile Virus.

When going outside, you should protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites by covering up with sleeves and shirts and by using an EPA-registered mosquito repellent.
Freeport, NY - March 17, 2016 - To help save lives and combat the Heroin epidemic, To help save lives and combat the Heroin epidemic, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano , State Senator Michael Venditto and State Assemblyman Brian Curran will partner with the Freeport Memorial Library to host a free Overdose Prevention Seminar on Wednesday, March 30th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the library, located at 144 West Merrick Road.

Residents will learn how to administer Narcan - the lifesaving antidote that can reverse the fatal effects of an Opiate overdose  and, learn the warning signs of drug addiction, treatment options, personal stories of recovery, and more.

Through education, awareness enforcement and treatment, my administration and the Heroin Prevention Task Force are diligently combatting heroin and opioid abuse throughout Nassau, said County Executive Mangano. These free Overdose Prevention Seminars continue to help save lives and keep families whole.

At least 180 Nassau County residents died from heroin and prescription painkillers last year. Narcan has been used by paramedics and emergency room doctors for decades, to save lives. A 2006 State law allows citizens to administer Narcan in an attempt to save a life, without fear of liability. Nassau County has already provided Narcan training for about 6,200 people since 2012. At least two dozen trainees have used that knowledge and the Narcan kit they were provided to revive someone overdosing on heroin or painkillers, and save their lives. Narcan is administered through a nasal spray, and is provided at no charge to trainees over the age of 18.

Social Work and OASAS Continuing Education Credits are available for the training, as the Nassau County Office of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency - and the Mental Health Association of Nassau County - are recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers.
Local News, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 17 2016

Amir Sagie coordinates the political work of the Consulate in the tri-state area.

March 17, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island hosted Israeli Deputy Consul General Amir Sagie on March 16, 2016 in the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building.

I was pleased to join my fellow colleagues in government to host Israeli Deputy Consul General Amir Sagie here in Nassau County, said County Executive Mangano. I thank the Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island and the Consulate General of Israel in New York, for organizing such an informative presentation concerning Israel.

On behalf of the Nassau Legislature and the Jewish residents of our County, I am grateful to host Deputy Consul General to Israel Amir Sagie as he discusses international security, which is a topic of great concern for all of our residents, said Presiding Officer Norma L. Gonsalves.

Amir Sagie is the Deputy Consul General of Israel in New York. As Deputy Consul General in New York, Israels largest mission in the world, he coordinates the political work of the Consulate in the tri-state area, developing relations with national, state and local officials. He maintains regular contact with experts involved in major foreign policy and strategic issues at think tanks and universities across the region.

He also acts as the liaison for the Foreign Ministry with the national and local leadership of the Jewish Community based in New York. In addition, he coordinates interfaith dialogue and outreach nationally for the Foreign Ministry and its missions in the United States.
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

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Luxury Insights Report Released by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

This inaugural volume reveals the vital importance of emotional fulfillment, place identity (the psychological connection to a destination) and cultural immersion in the decision-making process of luxury travelers worldwide. Fairmont's first Luxury Insights Report explores the role of architecture, property development, and thoughtful preservation and restoration as emotional drivers that influence purchase decision."Luxury guests are not only looking for warm and engaging service when traveling to world-class destinations, they are also following their hearts," said Jane Mackie, vice president, Fairmont Brand. "The emotional connection guests feel to each of our hotels is unique  whether it's finally crossing off a bucket list trip, exploring a new destination, or celebrating a milestone event. This industry-leading research demonstrates that the choice of a Fairmont hotel, be it historic or newly developed, often provides the sense of place and personal connection luxury travelers crave."Fairmont's Luxury Insights Report, which incorporates research and insights from multiple sources, including a brand-first ethnographic study conducted by Weinman Schnee Morais Inc. and data from market research firm YouGov, shows that guests choose a historic destination to make an emotional connection. In fact, many feel that historic hotels offer unique and ownable emotional benefits due to their ability to evoke "place identity".Additional report highlights include: Place Identity: the psychological merging with the past; hotels with rich histories enable guests to feel like they are part of something meaningful, important and enduring. Experience over Commodity: aligning social status with the consumption of experiences rather than material goods  luxury redefined; transforming "luxurious" travel from simply being pampered to creating unforgettable memories. Cultural Immersion: a new type of cache amongst travelers; "I stayed at the Fairmont" is a clear demonstration of immersing oneself in culture, experience and history. History Lovers Repeatedly Choose Fairmont: in 2015, 38,000 "history lovers" stayed at more than one of Fairmont's historic properties.With more than 70 hotels in key markets globally and even more in development, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has a distinctive collection of unrivaled heritage properties in its luxury portfolio. With a global commitment to the careful restoration and preservation of historic buildings, along with the integration of the latest guest amenities and advanced technologies, Fairmont is uniquely positioned within the luxury travel industry. This value pillar was the impetus for the research study, which was designed to investigate key motivators for travelers today, and how these drivers relate back to iconic and historic properties."Our Luxury Insights Report reveals a decisive link between travelers and their emotional connection to historic and iconic hotels and the destinations in which they reside," added Mackie. "As a globally recognized leader in the stewardship of these landmarks, as well as the luxury operator of many new hotels that have already established themselves as the icons of tomorrow, it is our mandate to not only understand the experiences our guests desire, but to preserve and develop the properties that act as a catalyst for so many unforgettable moments."Fairmont has made it a focus to restore many of its grand buildings worldwide, and in partnership with its committed hotel owners, the luxury brand has managed to help renovate or restore more than 80% of its North American portfolio over the last few years. Notable projects range from a multi-million dollar makeover of the Claremont Club & Spa in Berkeley, CA to a top-to-bottom restoration of Quebec City's castle-like Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac.In addition to the preservation of these influential historic properties, Fairmont is extending its commitment to being the leading operator of iconic properties worldwide with more than 40 new developments underway in key gateway cities and sought after resort locales across Europe, North America, the Middle East and China."As we search for new ways to bring our brands to life, we continue to develop deeper insights around the importance of our guest expectations and experiences," said Alexandra Blum, vice president, public relations and partnerships. "The Luxury Insights Report findings are a tangible way to demonstrate this knowledge and help to guide our overall product, positioning and communications narrative."Visit website:
Ritz-Carlton Reserve to Open in Bermuda in 2018

The third Ritz-Carlton Reserve property in the world will open in Bermuda at a site that offers over 2.5 miles of shoreline and includes an expansive peninsula extending into the Great Sound.Ritz-Carlton Reserve was created for guests who measure wealth by the richness of their experiences and yearn for true escape. Ritz-Carlton Reserve is currently represented by Phulay Bay in the village of Krabi, Thailand, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico, and this past September celebrated the opening of the highly anticipated Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, Bali.We have watched Bermuda as a destination closely for many years and believe the timing has never been better to introduce what will be a one of a kind, luxury experience to the island, said Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton. We are delighted to work with such an esteemed partner as George's Bay Hotel Ltd. and we are confident that this resort will offer the most sophisticated travelers an exciting new destination to experience through the eyes of Ritz-Carlton Reserve."Visit website:
Rosewood Papagayo, Costa Rica to Open in 2019

Located just 20 minutes' drive from Liberia International Airport, the resort will be nestled into the hillside which gently cascades down to a golden-sand beach and the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean. Guests will enjoy panoramic views over the surrounding jungle canopy and the Gulf of Papagayo.Situated within a forested setting, the resort will offer 180 accommodations including 130 guestrooms and suites in addition to 50 residences. The accommodations are designed to make the most of the natural surroundings, with features such as open-air living rooms, large terraces and plunge pools. The suites will include seven two-story treehouses whose striking, contemporary design will bring a sense of delight and romance.The resort will have direct beach access and two swimming pools in addition to a fitness center and the brand's signature Sense, A Rosewood Spa. Dining options will include a poolside bar and grill, a restaurant offering informal all-day dining, a bar and a specialty restaurant. The resort will also offer a total of nearly 11,840 square feet of event space including a ballroom with a large outdoor terrace.Visit website:
People have been buzzing about the Online Harassment Summit during South by Southwest Interactive since it was announced back in October. The day-long series of discussions on Saturday was put together after a panel on harassment and online gaming scheduled for Interactive was canceled due to threats of violence. The ensuing controversy prompted SXSW organizers to schedule a more formal discussion of online harassment, and everyone remained on guard. We were reminded of the events code of conduct at every corner, and we experienced more thorough bag checks at the summit entrance than at most TSA security checkpoints.

But for all the talk of the Harassment Summit in the months leading up to SXSW, the event was sparsely attended, and the panelists were largely preaching to the choir. People who deal in harassment and threats on the Internet are not the audience for an event like this, and representatives from the networks where that harassment happens werent in attendance, either. The participating panelists brought thought-provoking ideas and the conversations were lively and informative, but at the end of the day, we had more questions than answers. Was SXSW the right festival for this summit? Was the decision to put the summit across the river from the Austin Convention Center a good one? Why didnt companies like Twitter and Reddit send any representatives to take part in the discussions?

Here were our biggest takeaways from the SXSW Online Harassment Summit, which ended on a somewhat hopeful note despite the lack of resolution.

Its the platforms, not the people

You cant force people to be nice, especially not on the Internet. Not even Facebook, which requires people to use their real names, is immune to problems of harassment and bullying. Panelists agreed that its not people who will change, but the platforms they use.

I think one of the most toxic things tech companies have done is seeing their users as customers, said CUNY Graduate Center sociologist Katherine Cross, who spoke on a panel about harassment and online gaming. Whether they like it or not, they were creating communities. By not having a community development level focus, theyve allowed the most toxic tendencies to flourish.

Social media companies intend for their communities to harbor positive interactions, but many of the panelists agreed that these good intentions are just not cutting it anymoreespecially platforms like Reddit and the location-based Yik Yak, which have a level of anonymity around them.

I cant say this clearly enoughReddit is failing women in every marginalized community spectacularly, said Giant Spacekat cofounder and game developer Brianna Wu, who spoke on a summit panel about online harassment against women. Reddit largely stays out of monitoring content, encouraging users to monitor themselves and each other instead. This has left some users feeling threatened and unsafe, with little or no support from platform leaders.

The Disneyland Yik Yak is almost always a safe space, but its an exception to the rule.

Like Reddit, Yik Yaks policy is to take a step back from playing content police, shifting responsibility to their user base. Communities dont always know they have this power in their hands to take care of these things, said Yik Yak cofounder Tyler Droll during a SXSW panel held separately from the Harassment Summit. A part of that may be on us, but a part of that may be on the community too, of not knowing they can take care of this quickly, of standing by idly and letting that happen.

But despite the constant name-dropping of Twitter, Reddit, and other platforms where harassment regularly occurs, those companies werent part of the conversationnot even Yik Yak, who didnt participate in the summit even though both founders were in Austin that weekend. The panels were loaded with prominent academics, activists, policy makers, and others experienced dealing with or studying online harassment, but only Facebook sent a representative.

Whats the solution?

While the people from the companies who can actually make changes werent around to hear suggestions, panelists floated a few ideas to curb online harassment.

Online Abuse Prevention Center founder Randi Lee Harper said during the gaming and harassment panel that shes currently working with tech companies, who have to be convinced that harassment is a quality of content problem that will send users fleeing and affect their bottom line. Harper said shes under non-disclosure agreements and couldnt talk much about the improvements being made, but hinted that the companies shes working with understand that harassment is a huge problem. She also pointed to the work of Civil Comments, which uses crowdsourced comment moderation, as a model for other platforms.

Leah Yamshon The participants of the Online Harassment Summits Is a safer, saner, and civil Internet possible? panel focused on harassment against women, but pitched ideas on how to crack down on all sorts of online harassment.

Platforms need more moderation, panelists suggested.

Pay community managers well, Cross said. Hire lots of them.

They need more granular privacy settings, too.

Caroline Sinders, an interaction designer for IBM Watson, had a few ideas for Twitter: What if in moments of harassment you could turn off the comments? What if there was a way to flag a tweet so it couldnt be embedded?

Brianna Wu praised Twitter for making strides in the past year to improve harassment crackdowns, most recently in launching Twitters Trust & Safety Council to help the company strike the right balance between fighting abuse and speaking truth to power.

Shireen Mitchell, founder of educational nonprofit Digital Sisters, which is geared towards helping women and children from underserved communities, suggested that including a broader spectrum of people on these harassment councils will open up the conversation. We dont see much intersection of gender and race at these tables, so were not hearing an equal representation of voices, she said.

For Dr. Mary Anne Franks, a professor at the University of Miami School of Law who advocates against revenge porn, its not just about seeing reform at the social level, but at a wider legislative level, too. We need to be able to say, This isnt freedom of speech, she said during the harassment against women panel. We need to be able to say, This is abuse, this is harassment this is affecting my mental health, my lifestyle, and my career prospects.

One such proposal made news: Representative Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, announced the Cybercrime Enforcement Training Assistance Act during one of the panels. The legislation would establish a $20 million federal grant to train state and local law enforcement agencies on how to handle cybercrime investigations.
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12 of our favourite A-listers just launched a signature lipstick...

Makeup artist Charlotte Tilburys celebrity client list reads like a whos who of the Hollywood elite. Theres Kim Kardashian-West, of course, theres Cindy Crawford, there's Penelope Cruz... And now the beauty guru is collaborating with not one, but ALL of her A-list friends to create a new range of lipsticks  with each lending their name and their signature colour to the cosmetics queen.

Thats right, were talking about the first official Kim Kardashian-West lipstick (a caramel-y nude simply called Kim K.W.), plus other hues developed by Salma Hayeck, Emily Ratajkowski, Helena Bonham-Carter, Poppy Delevingne, Kate Bosworth, Miranda Kerr, Nicole Kidman and Sienna Miller, to name just a few.

Launching on 4th July, there are 16 celebrity collaborators in total for Charlottes Hot Lips range with each star giving a quirky name to their colour (we love Kidman's Kiss, which is a rose pink, Electric Poppy, a fuchsia, and Sexy Sienna, a hot tomato).

Priced at 23 each, the lipsticks will be available to buy in Charlottes flagship store and on her website. 1 from the profits of each sale will go to Women For Women International, plus there will be a hashtag #lipstickconfidence to raise awareness for the charity.

'Lipstick is powerful,' says Charlotte Tilbury of what inspired the idea. 'It has the ability to completely change your state of mind: It can boost your confidence, pick you up when youre feeling down, re-energise you, add instant glamour to any outfit and immediately enhance your beauty  theres happiness in every tube!'

'With Hot Lips I want to celebrate the mood-enhancing power of lipstick by creating a shade that captures the personality of each of the 12 incredible women that I admire, and in so doing raise awareness for an amazing charity, Women For Women.'

So we can all feel a little better about our lipstick addiction, then?
The International Court of Justice on Thursday said it would consider a claim by Nicaragua to expand its maritime boundaries in a mineral-rich part of the Caribbean Sea toward Colombia, a ruling set to further strain relations between the two countries.



The judgment, separate from a decision earlier on Thursday in which the United Nations court said it would rule on alleged violations of Nicaragua's sovereignty, means a maritime delineation case between the two countries can proceed.



In a televised address soon after the decision, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would not accept a ruling by a "third party" and would not participate in the case.



"Bilateral issues between Nicaragua and Colombia will not be subject to decisions made by third parties and should be handled via direct negotiations in conformity with international law," he said.



Diplomatic relations between the two nations have suffered over the dispute, which intensified after a 2012 ruling by the court that drew a demarcation line in favor of Nicaragua in Caribbean waters, reducing the expanse of sea belonging to Colombia.



The decision increased the size of Nicaragua's continental shelf and economic exclusion zone in the Caribbean, potentially giving it access to underwater oil and gas deposits as well as fishing rights.



Colombia has not accepted that ruling, prompting Nicaragua to seek a judgment from the court to force it to abide by the decision.



In the new case, judges are being asked to settle boundaries beyond the 200 nautical miles that were fixed by the 2012 judgment.



Nicaragua said it was satisfied by the ruling.



"This is a total victory for Nicaragua," said Carlos Arguello, Nicaragua's representative at the Hague. "This sends a clear message that the court's rulings need to be respected."





Reporting by Helen Murphy, Thomas Escritt and Ivan Castro
Press Release: Crowley Marine Services will not be providing oil spill prevention and response services in Valdez and Prince William Sound when its contract expires June 30, 2018. Crowley has provided marine services in Prince William Sound since 1990.



Despite bidding aggressively for the SERVS contract extension, Crowley was not chosen by Alyeska to retain the entire scope of the current contract.



Crowley is fully committed to continued professional service and full compliance as the marine service provider until the end of June 2018, and will be engaged in any transition process. Participants in the bidding process are restricted from disclosing details. Alyeska may be able to provide more information when the new contract is finalized.



"We bid this contract very aggressively and are extremely disappointed that we were not selected to retain this business," said Tom Crowley, company chairman and CEO. "We have been assured that this outcome is the result of a very competitive landscape and is not a reflection of Crowleys qualifications or record. We will continue to work constructively with Alyeska through the duration of our contract. Crowley and Alyeska agree that there is nothing more important than the continued protection of Prince William Sound."



While it is difficult to fully convey our disappointment, we remain completely committed to upholding the tremendous responsibility we have to protect Valdez and Prince William Sound, said Rocky Smith, Crowley senior vice president and general manager, petroleum distribution and marine services. Over the next couple of years, we will look for opportunities to redeploy our Valdez personnel and marine assets in new endeavors when our contract expires.



Crowley has been under contract with Alyeska since the inception of SERVS in 1990. Even before SERVS was formed, Crowley provided tanker docking services in Valdez beginning with the startup of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in 1977.



There are currently 17 vessels, 230 highly trained mariners and 17 shore side administrative personnel working together to provide world-class service to Alyeska in Valdez.
Transocean Ltd on Thursday won the dismissal of an appeal by shareholders accusing the owner of the doomed Deepwater Horizon drilling rig of deceiving them about its safety practices prior to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.



The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the lead plaintiff waited two months too long to sue over alleged misstatements in an Oct. 2, 2007, proxy statement for the offshore drilling company's merger with GlobalSantaFe Corp.



Shares of Transocean rose 3 percent after the decision was issued.



Geoffrey Johnson, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, declined to comment. Transocean and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.



Former GlobalSantaFe shareholders, who received Transocean shares in the merger, said the proxy statement contained false and misleading statements about the company's compliance with environmental laws.



Led by the DeKalb County Pension Fund in Decatur, Georgia, the shareholders sought to hold the Swiss company liable for their losses after the April 20, 2010, explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and blowout of BP Plc's Macondo well.



The disaster caused Transocean shares to lose more than half their value within seven weeks.



Writing for the appeals court, however, Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes said the Georgia fund did not join the case until Dec. 3, 2010, missing the three-year deadline to sue over the proxy statement.



He said it did not matter that the lawsuit was originally filed before the deadline, but by another shareholder that was later dismissed from the case because it lacked standing.



The plaintiff "through minimal diligence" could have saved its case by getting involved sooner and offered no justification for its lateness, Cabranes wrote.



The Georgia fund had argued that the three-year clock began to tick when the Deepwater Horizon exploded, bring Transocean's prior misstatements to light.



Thursday's decision upheld a March 2014 dismissal of the lawsuit by U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in Manhattan.



Transocean agreed in January 2013 to pay $1.4 billion in civil and criminal fines and penalties to settle U.S. government claims over the spill.



BP has incurred $55.5 billion of costs for the spill. It faces its own U.S. shareholder lawsuit in Houston federal court.



In early afternoon trading, Transocean's American depositary receipts were up 3 percent at $11.56. Its shares in Switzerland were up 3 percent at 11.11 Swiss francs.



The case is DeKalb County Pension Fund v. Transocean Ltd et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 14-0894.





Reporting by Jonathan Stempel
UK Chancellor George Osborne and his Treasury cohorts practice moving in formation before delivering 2016's Budget. Photo by Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images.

As always, our political commentary is non-partisan and non-ideological by design, and our analysis aims to assess policies' market impact only. We favor no political party or politician and believe partisan bias invites investment errors.

While pundits were busy dissecting the fallout from Super Tuesday 2.0[i], an altogether different political spectacle caught our eye: The UK's annual Budget, announced by Chancellor George Osborne Wednesday. Like all Budgets, it was crammed full of giveaways and pie-in-the-sky pledges to boost growth, with a few digs at the opposition. Economically it creates winners and losers, as all fiscal tweaks do, and there are political implications as well. Nothing here much changes our outlook for UK stocks, which remains quite bullish, but it's always good for investors to have the lay of the land.

Most of Osborne's speech was theater, starting with the 18 references to this being a Budget for "the next generation."[ii] Much was made of the Office for Budget Responsibility's GDP forecasts, which Osborne bragged projected growth through the end of this Parliamentary term-no shock, considering nonpartisan governmental agencies tend to extrapolate the recent past forward and have pretty much never penciled in a recession for a few years down the line just because. (And if they started now, we are quite sure it would be decried as partisan.) Osborne also included some obligatory swipes at the opposition Labour Party (over debt, deficits and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's infamous gaffe about ending boom and bust) and the Scottish National Party (over their likely inability to support the North Sea oil industry if Scotland voted for independence)-as well as some shout-outs and giveaways to constituencies that flipped their allegiance to the Conservatives last May. This is all just political spin, which markets tune out. We suggest investors do the same.

Now, then, to the actual budgetary stuff-spending and deficits. Osborne stuck to his long-running pledge to run a surplus by 2020, promising (or warning of, depending on your viewpoint) another 3.4 billion in public spending cuts by then. Underpinning this were the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) updated economic estimates, which revised the national debt and nominal GDP lower, resulting in a slightly higher debt-to-GDP ratio. We've long found the UK government's "austerity" push unnecessary and odd, as debt service costs were never problematic and, for all the talk, Osborne has never cut spending. Not once. He cut projected spending, but that is just fancy talk for making public spending rise more slowly. This newly promised "cut" is more of the same: Spending remains set to increase every year through fiscal 2020-2021. Cuts or no, though, the UK's fiscal footing remains firm: Debt service costs were just 7.2% of total tax revenues last year, even cheaper than America's.

As for the specific policies, here's the rundown:

Exhibit 1: Major Provisions of the 2016-2017 Budget

Source: Her Majesty's Treasury, as of 3/16/2016.

There are winners and losers galore. Rumors of another round of wholesale pension reform proved false, and the tax-free lump sum distribution lived to see another year. Pension saving did get a shakeup, however, with the introduction of new Lifetime ISAs intended to encourage younger folks to save. Savers, investors and workers win, mostly. So do small businesses, kitchen-table entrepreneurs and the self-employed. Beer drinkers win, but soda drinkers and smokers lose. Corporation tax cuts should benefit firms across the board, though some of that will no doubt be eaten up by measures to clamp down on "tax avoidance," which is populist-speak for "closing loopholes companies used legally and legitimately to reduce their tax burden." We'd call the North Sea oil industry a winner, too, but the abolished tax has raised practically no revenue lately.

Overall and on average, these tax tweaks, however nice for the winners, are likely immaterial to stocks. Historically, stocks and taxes have no set relationship. Tax cuts aren't automatically positive or negative. Nor are tax hikes. Taxes are but one variable impacting growth in individual countries. For global markets, their relative importance is about a fraction of a peanut-and changes to that fraction of a peanut are unveiled under bright media spotlights, rendering them largely devoid of surprise power.

Devolution also got a push. Another chunk of local spending and investment was shifted from Westminster to cities and counties throughout England, and the much-ballyhooed "Northern Powerhouse"-a lofty attempt to boost heavy industry in North England-got some extra oomph. Wales got some budgetary love, too, with a 1.2 billion investment deal for Cardiff, negotiations for a similar "city deal" for Swansea, and 50 million for a "Compound Semiconductor Catapult" (jargon for an incubator/research cluster). The Severn Bridge toll reduction was even couched as Welsh economic stimulus, which is a bit like saying cutting the Bay Bridge toll would kickstart growth in Oakland, CA, but that's politics for you, we guess. These and the many other local investment provisions are no doubt nice for the recipients, but they're also just window dressing as far as the broader UK economy is concerned. "Let there be growth" as a development strategy in free-market economies has a success rate of about zero.

So why bother? Apologies for the cynicism, but the answer is likely politics. One, the Tories won a slim majority last May and are anxious to keep it. Doing so requires keeping constituents new and old happy-giveaways and platitudes can be successful in that department. Two, Prime Minister David Cameron plans to step down before 2020's election, and Osborne's ambitions to succeed him are well-known. His chief rival is London Mayor Boris Johnson, who happens to be on the opposite side in the EU referendum campaign. If "Leave" wins, Johnson's stock will likely soar and Osborne's will plunge. Why not take advantage of the last Budget before the referendum to grandstand a bit and curry some favor in advance?

Speaking of which, the "Brexit" debate was front and center in the Budget. Osborne used his speech to bolster the "Remain" case, stressing that all the forecasts are based on EU membership, and leaving will probably cause some painful downward revisions. As we've written before, that isn't necessarily true, but the real question is: How will all this land with voters? Some reports indicate "Project Fear," as some have colorfully dubbed the "Remain" campaign's economic arguments, isn't much swaying people. Polls have narrowed considerably in recent weeks. Whether Cameron, Osborne and the rest of the "Remain" crew stick with the dour, fear-based campaign-or instead highlight the many positive economic and sociological aspects of EU membership-might have a large influence on June 23's vote. For now, if the Budget is any indication, fear remains central to the campaign, but the world will have to wait and see.

For UK stocks, it doesn't much matter that the budget was heavy on symbolism and light on economically significant policies. The UK is already one of the world's freest, most competitive economies. Economic growth there is fine and likely continues, judging from the high and rising Leading Economic Index. A do-little government might frustrate some, but when markets like the status quo, they like governments that preserve it. UK stocks had plenty to like before Wednesday, and they still do.

[i] Codename "Super Twosday," trademark pending.
After 65 years, Raymond McMillian is finally coming home.

In an interview with the Bulletin, several of McMillians family members spoke about their late cousin, who enlisted in the U.S. Army shortly before the start of the Korean War.

According to cousin Ronnie Ashby, McMillian   born Sept. 14, 1930, to Viola and Clarence McMillian  went into the service on Nov. 1, 1948. He was a medic with the Medical Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, eventually rising to the rank of Sergeant First Class.

Ashby said that McMillian found himself on the battlefield during the Battle of Hoengsong, which took place Feb. 11-15, 1951. On Feb. 12 of that year, he stayed behind at Hoengsong to tend to wounded comrades and went missing in action.

On Feb. 19, 1954, he was presumed dead, and his remains were not recovered  at least, not then.

In 2007, Ronnie Ashby said, he saw an item in the Martinsville Bulletin that Pat Ross of the Bassett Historical Center was seeking family members of Raymond McMillian. Several family members reached out to Ross, and she connected them with what later became the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, an agency within the U.S. Department of Defense tasked with recovering missing personnel from all past wars and conflicts worldwide.

Ashby and cousin Patsy Roach submitted cheek swabs to the agency to be used in DNA matching. When the agency recovers remains, it can match the DNA of those remains against a bank of DNA from POW/MIA family members to try and establish a match.

Ashby said that in October 2007, he received confirmation that the agency had received the DNA.

And then, on Feb. 3 of this year, the family finally received the big news: 65 years to the month after he went missing, Raymond McMillians remains had been identified, and he was coming home.

I never gave up hope and faith that they would find him, Ronnie Ashby said. It has been one of the highlights of my life.

McMillians remains are scheduled to arrive in the U.S. on March 24, and his burial is scheduled for March 26 at Roselawn Burial Park. According to Ashby, the flag at the state capitol in Richmond will be flown at half-mast that day.

Another cousin, Robbie Ashby, remembers McMillian as a soft-spoken young man.

At the age of 14 and 15, I would go from school and spend the night with my grandmother, Robbie Ashby said. Raymond and his family lived nearby, and at times, I would spend the night with them. I can remember Raymond as being a very quiet-natured young man. He was not rowdy or rambunctious.  He told his mother that if she would sign for him (so he could enlist at 17), he would go in the military and he would be able to send his money back to her to help support the family. Back then, people didnt have a lot as compared to todays standards.

Cousin Patsy Roach said that the joy of Raymonds homecoming has been overwhelming, adding that she hopes their story can give hope to other families with a loved one missing overseas.

Robbie Ashby said hes comforted by the fact that his cousin did not die in vain.

When you look at South Korea now and the prosperity of those people as compared to the prosperity and the situation and living conditions in North Korea, you see that he didnt die in vain, Robbie Ashby said. The South Korean people have enjoyed a freedom in that part of the world that no doubt has been precious to them, and they have excelled.

McMillians name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Medical Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
A local Democratic leader said she thinks Tuesdays Democratic presidential primaries increased Hillary Clintons momentum and that might have slowed Bernie Sanders down a bit.

Wanda Green, president of the Piedmont Democratic Womens Club, also said she thinks Donald Trumps strong performance in Tuesdays Republican primaries increases Clintons chances of being elected president if she is the Democratic nominee, which Green thinks is likely.

Green used the word scary several times when discussing the possibility of Trump being the Republican presidential nominee and the possibility of Trump being elected president. Even some in the GOP seem desperate to try to stop Trump, Green said.

With the Republican front-runner (Trump) still being the front-runner has caused a shake-up in the GOP, Green said.

Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio announced Tuesday night that he was suspending his campaign  after Trump soundly defeated Rubio in Rubios home state of Florida.

(Kathryn Williams, the new chairperson of the Henry County Republican Committee, said Rubios campaign manager is urging Rubio supporters to back presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.)

Green said, I cannot see Trump being our president.

For one thing, with Trumps brashness, I cannot see him dealing with other world leaders, Green said.

She also cited what she described as Trumps tone of divisiveness.

We need someone who can work with other world leaders for the common good. Green said.

U.S. News and World Report published an online article Monday with the headline and sub-headline: In Trump, the World Sees The Ugly American  The GOP front-runner has drawn condemnation across the world, including from close U.S. allies.

Trump seems to be on a roll, Green said.

She considered it scary Trump winning Florida and Rubio throwing in the towel.

Green has said she believes and hopes Clinton is on a path to be the Democratic nominee. However, You never want to take people (voters) for granted.

Green has said she favors Clinton over Sanders because Green thinks what Clinton wants to do is a little more realistic and is what the average working person needs. Green also feels Clinton has more experience in government and that she would be a better representative of the United States.

Dwayne Waller, chair of Martinsville-Henry County Democratic Committee, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Kathryn Williams said she feels that if Trump continues winning in the manner he has been, he may secure the Republican nomination.

However, she believes from this point, as time goes on, the difference in the delegate counts for Trump and Cruz will narrow.

Williams said she supports Cruz.

She said the choice is clear between Cruz and Trump. She describes Trump as a populist who has in the past supported democratic candidates, campaigns and ideologies. She said he supports single-payer health care, opposes free trade and increasing tariffs, and has supported eminent domain.

Williams describes Cruz as the only constitutionalist in the race and a bulldog constitutionalist.

It is critical to have a nominee who understands and defends the Constitution of the United States and will respect the office of the president. We are nearly $20 trillion in debt and theres no opportunity for future generations to recoup that. Our immigration system is failing. Our national security is threatened  due to disastrous policies of President Obama, Williams said.

Geoffrey Skelley, associate editor, Sabatos Crystal Ball, University of Virginia Center of Politics, said to a large extent, Tuesdays primaries solidified the positions of Clinton and Trump as their parties front-runners.

From a practical standpoint, it will basically be impossible for Bernie Sanders to catch Hillary Clinton in the pledged delegate count  not even factoring in her advantage among Democratic superdelegates, Skelley said in an email. At this point, Sanders campaign is about influencing the issue platform and the future of the Democratic Party itself, not winning the nomination.

Skelley added: On the GOP side, Donald Trump embarrassed Marco Rubio in Florida, driving the senator from the race. Trump easily won the most delegates on the night, and to some extent lessened the blow of his Ohio loss by winning most of the delegates in Illinois and Missouri. But he did lose Ohio to John Kasich, a result that has increased the chances that the Republican Party will have a contested convention in July to decide its presidential nominee. Trump will almost certainly lead the final delegate count, but he will have to win 60% of the delegates in the remaining contests to get to a majority and the nomination, an increase over the 47% he has won so far.

If anti-Trump forces want to stop him, however, they will have to win as many delegates as possible, Skelley said. The closer Trump is to 1,237 delegates, the harder it will be to make a case for blocking him from the nomination. And even if they do manage to impede his progress to some extent, to actually prevent Trump from being the nominee would risk causing a serious divide in the party that could cost them in November.

W.C. Fowlkes, immediate past chairman of the Henry County Republican Committee, said he believes Trumps strong showing in Tuesdays primaries and Rubios dropping out further solidify the chance of Trump getting the nomination. At Trumps current trajectory it appears he will have the minimum delegates needed or be close to that amount when the Republican National Convention convenes in July in Cleveland, according to Fowlkes.

Fowlkes feels if Trump is close to having enough delegates to win the nomination when the convention convenes but is denied the nomination, you could see a big walkout. I hope it doesnt get to that.

Fowlkes considers the GOP presidential race at this point being between Trump and Cruz. Though Kasich won his home state of Ohio on Tuesday, Fowlkes thinks there is no way numerically Kasich could secure enough delegates to win the nomination going into the convention. Kasich is banking on being the governor of Ohio to garner support when the convention is held in Cleveland, in Fowlkes opinion.

On the Democratic side, Tuesdays primaries clearly show Hillary Clinton is going to be the one (the Democratic nominee), in Fowlkes view.

I hate it the Democrats have no more to choose from than a socialist and an almost socialist, Fowlkes said of Sanders and Clinton.

Fowlkes said he believes Clinton and Trump likely will be their parties nominees and that in the general election that Trump would defeat Clinton. He said both of them have skeletons in their closets but Trump has global business acumen and that Clinton lacks the demeanor and leadership to be president.

However, Williams said polls show that Trump would lose to Clinton but that Cruz would defeat Clinton.

Jim Enniss, Martinsville Republican Committee chairman, said, Im kind of surprised in Florida that Rubio lost his own state and Trump prevailed pretty strongly there Then he (Rubio) dropped out.

Enniss said he believes Kasich is so far behind that he could never catch up in the delegate count unless Trump and Cruz pull out.

If some of Rubios votes now go to Cruz and Kasich, that may keep Trump from having the required number of delegates to get the nomination going into the convention, and if that happens, who knows what will happen at the convention, Enniss said.

On the Democratic side, Enniss said, I dont think anybody can stop Hillary.
Although the eventual Republican nominee for Virginias Fifth Congressional District will be chosen by party convention in May, the public had its first chance Wednesday to see the five GOP candidates make their case for the nomination.

Hosted by the University of Virginias Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, the seven total candidates currently vying to succeed retiring Rep. Robert Hurt were invited to participate in the public forum.

Democrat Jane Dittmar, the former Albemarle County Board of Supervisors chairwoman who is expected to earn her partys nomination, and independent candidate Mitchell P. Bupp were unable to attend.

All five Republican candidates  Sen. Tom Garrett Jr., R-Buckingham; businessman Jim McKelvey; technology executive Michael Del Rosso; former congressional intern Andrew Griffin; and congressional intelligence adviser Joseph Whited  participated in the forum.

We feel its important for members of the community to hear directly from people who have an opportunity to represent us, panel moderator Gerald Warburg, a UVa professor, said. This promises to be one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime. The House, the Senate, the presidency and the majority on the Supreme Court seem to be at stake.

Moderated by Warburg and Batten School Dean Allan C. Stam, the questions focused on foreign and domestic policy.

Most of the panel discussion delved into defense spending, international relations, federal entitlements and agencies and other hot-button issues  areas most of the candidates had similar viewpoints rooted in fiscal conservatism and constitutional preservation.

Answering the questions posed to them, the candidates drew upon their professional and personal experiences to emphasize their political philosophies and merits.

Garrett, an armed forces veteran and former prosecutor who has served in the General Assembly since 2012, applauded his colleagues on the panel but distinguished himself as an established statesman.

Theres one primary difference: theres only one person on this stage that has won an election, beaten a Democrat, passed a bill [and] repealed a bill, he said. I believe Im the most qualified and ready to serve again.

Whited, who is also a veteran, played up similar qualities, particularly from his experience working for the House Armed Services Committee as an intelligence adviser.

I am the one person on the stage who has written legislation on Capitol Hill. Ive seen bills pass the House and the Senate and then get signed into law by the president, Whited said. The simple matter of fact is Im the only one in this race who will be ready on Day One and will be a highly effective congressman.

Del Rosso, who is also a national security analyst, said hed work to improve national security by holding Democrats and Republicans accountable and shining a light on the nations foreign policy.

There are people who dont understand weve changed sides in the War on Terror, Del Rosso said. The media and Congress didnt notice, but I sure did. And I want to do something about it.

McKelvey, a Bedford County real estate developer who is making his second run for Congress, said he plans to retire soon but hopes to become a representative who will reduce the size of government.

My wife and I have decided that we are going to Washington, D.C., because we are fed up with with the Senate and the Republicans and the Democrats in Congress, he said. I want to see sovereignty returned to the states.

Griffin, who at 28 is the youngest candidate in election, said he is running in hopes of representing younger citizens who are starting to participate in the economy and will inherit the legacy of contemporary political decisions.

The Republican Party is so fragmented  it used to be inclusive, Griffin said. It was Republicans who abolished slavery, pushed the idea for womens suffrage and achieved civil rights in the 60s.

Ive worked on Capitol Hill and on political campaigns, he added. A lot of the issues that are most important right now, Im going through, too.

Chris Suarez can be reached at csuarez@dailyprogress.com or (434) 978-7274.
BRADY

Elsie Jones Coleman

Elsie Jones Coleman Brady, 83, passed away Saturday, March 12, 2016, at Forsyth Medical Center, Winston Salem, N.C. She was born in Franklin County, on June 9, 1932, to the late Eva Potter Jones and the late Walter Herbert Jones.

Those left to share memories of Elsie are her husband, Charles Brady; four sisters/cousins, Barbra Bleecker, of Verona, N.J., Gladys Carter (Nathaniel), Sally Mahan, and Dorothy Jones (Jesse) all of Martinsville; and a host of dear cousins, nieces, nephews, and loving friends.

Elsie became a member of Mount Sinai Church at an early age and attended Mount Zion Tabernacle in New York City. She was a part of the first graduating class from Albert Harris High School.

The family will receive friends at the church one half hour prior the service. The service will be held Saturday, March 19, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Mount Sinai Apostle Church. Bishop J.C. Richardson, Jr. officiating.

Interment will be in the True Vine Baptist Church cemetery.

Arrangements entrusted to Hairston Funeral Home.
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The 2016 presidential election is not like most recent US electionsit is actually interesting and exciting! For the first time in US history, a mainstream candidate who calls himself a socialist and says we need a political revolution against the billionaire class is having a major impact.

Tens of thousands around the country have attended events to hear Bernie speak and he has received millions of votes. So far, he has won primaries and caucuses in 9 states, including Michigan, and he almost won Massachusetts and Iowa. Just one electoral cycle ago, this would have been out of the question. He has thousands of volunteers and has received more than 5 million individual contributions from ordinary workers, with an average contribution below $30. He has tapped into the pent-up anger of millions of Americans who are sick and tired of the system. Had Trump not been running as a right populist, Sanderss left-populist message would have almost certainly received even more support. As a result of his campaign, millions of people have been awakened to socialist ideas and are engaged with the electoral process for the first time.

Headed into the primary elections on the Ides of March, Sanders faced a steep climb to catch up to Hillary Clinton, the preferred candidate of the Democratic Party establishment. The results are now in and Clinton won by a solid margin in Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina, by a narrow margin in Illinois, and is ahead in Missouri, though the final result is still too close to call. In order to win a majority of the remaining pledged delegates, and assuming the superdelegates accept the results, Sanders would need to win by more than 58% in the remaining contests. This means he would need to win by 16 points or more in delegate-rich states such as New York, Pennsylvania, California, and New Jersey.

Though it still remains mathematically possible that he could pull off the upset, his chances of winning the nomination are much slimmer after the results of March 15. We believe its time for his supporters to take a sober and serious look at how the momentum and enthusiasm his campaign has generated can be carried forward.

The system is rigged!

The Democratic and Republican Parties are not real political parties in the traditional sense. Rather, they are electoral machines connected to big business and the state. Candidates for most elected offices are chosen in primaries and caucuses organized by state and local governments and the political parties themselves. Three very powerful forces influence these elections: the media, big money, and the parties apparatuses and elected officials.

Just six media companies in control 90% of the radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. There are some exceptions. The Washington Post, for example, is not owned by one of the big sixbut by billionaire Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com! Essentially, the media is not owned by the 99%, but by the top 1%.

The bulk of the media packages political coverage, not on the basis of the issues that most affect working Americans, but as a sensationalist horse race. If more of their coverage were geared to the real issues, Sanders would have almost certainly done even better, but they have no intention of doing this. In the general elections, they do not even allow third party candidates to debate and in the past had the Green Party candidate arrested for the crime of trying to attend a presidential debate! Though they have been forced to cover his speeches and the enthusiasm around his campaign, their mantra from the beginning has been that Sanders cant win. Sometimes subtly and sometimes not so subtly, they have worked to ensure this prophecy is fulfilled.

The second factor is big moneythe mothers milk of politics under capitalism. If you look at the candidates other than Sanders, 159 wealthy families and businesses have given half the money raised this cycle. In addition, big business funnels enormous amounts of money into unaccountable super PACs.

The last factor is the Democratic Party establishment: members of Congress and other elected officials who are in their positions precisely because of the media and money from the super rich. Take, for example, the left wing of the party, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown. Warren has stayed neutral in the race between Clinton and Sanders, and Brown endorsed Clinton. In the House of Representatives, there are 188 Democrats, with the left organized into the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), which has about 71 members. Of these 71, only 4 endorsed Sanders, less than 6% of the CPC and just 2% of the House Democrats overall. Among Democratic Party unelected superdelegates, Clinton has 95% and Sanders only 5%.

This is a party that is clearly stacked against him. We think Bernie made a mistake by supporting Obama and running as a Democrat. The Democrats and Republicans are both controlled by big business and the billionaires who own and control the economy. To make a real revolution, the majority needs to take control over society away from these individuals and institutions. To do this, we need to break with capitalism and the parties that defend it. For this, we need a party of our own: a mass socialist party based on the working class.

Build a new party!

Sanders campaign, with its money and infrastructure, could begin to establish such a party, starting this year, with Bernie as its first presidential candidate. Instead of the next few months being about beating Hillary Clinton, it could be about taking on capitalism and fighting for socialism. With the armies of volunteers it has it could easily get on the ballot line in every state.

Exit polls show that concerns about the economy are number one for both Democratic and Republican voters. Supporters of both parties feel betrayed by the establishment, but see no viable alternative outside these institutions. In addition, Sanders has done best in those states where independents can vote in the Democratic Party elections. These people are voting for him because he calls himself a socialist, and despite his running as a Democrat. The youth of all demographics are overwhelmingly in favor of Sanders. Furthermore, 56.5% of young people aged 1835 consider themselves to be working class, far higher than any other age group, and the highest number since records began. This is the organic basis for a mass working class partys future success.

Calling on the labor unions to join a real workers party to fight for socialism would have to be one of the partys top priorities. Labor for Bernie, which calls for a president who will listen to the 99%, is just one indication of the support such a party would receive within organized labor. Unions representing nearly 1.4 million workers have already endorsed Sanders, including the Communication Workers of America, the American Postal Workers Union, the Amalgamated Transit Union, and the National Nurses United. Their leaders may not go along with endorsing Sanders as an independent socialist, but this is a battle that would have to be fought by the rank and file in every union in the country. By combining the electoral struggle for socialist policies with trade union organizing drives, the labor movement would be revitalized and rapidly reverse decades of declines. If the current leadership isnt up to the task of defending the interests of the workers by fighting capitalism, then new leaders will be needed!

A mass socialist party would be truly democratic, with its policies and leaders elected and controlled by the membership. It would have its own press, television, and radio, to combat the lies of the capitalist media. Such a party would not only run for elections at all levels of government, it would organize protests against racist police murders, support workers on strike, and help organize the unorganized to raise wages and improve working conditions. It would fight for the nationalization of the top 500 corporations, to be run on the basis of democratic workers and public control, not by an unelected bureaucracy, like the management of the US Postal Service. It would fight for a mass program of useful public works to rebuild the countrys crumbling infrastructure, guaranteeing well-paid jobs and protections or a place in education for all, not to mention universal socialized health care and the writing off of student debt. All of this would energize millions of people who are still not convinced that it is worth getting involved in politics.

The dead end of lesser evilism

Some will argue that Bernie should fight to the bitter end for the Democratic Party nomination, and that he should keep his commitment to support Clinton if he loses fair and square, since she would be the lesser evil to Donald Trump or whoever the Republicans put up. But Sanders has correctly said many times that Hillary Clinton is funded by Wall Street. Big business super PACs have been set up to support Hillary Clinton and to attack Sanders. Hillary was on the board of directors of Wal-Mart, the nations largest private employer, from 1986 to 1992. This is a company that is infamously anti-union and is known for paying its workers poverty wages. On top of this, both of the Clintons have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for speeches to big Wall Street firms.

Does anyone really believe that as president, Hillary Clinton, would not be a servant of big business? How can Sanders say the things he has said about Clinton on the campaign trailwhich is a big part of why people are attracted to his candidacyonly to back her in the end?

Eight years ago, we were told that electing President Obama and the Democrats to Congress would make things betterit did not! The instability and decline in living standards of the working class is due to the ongoing the crisis of capitalism. The Democrats have no answer to this as they support the system. After his first two years in office, many Obama supporters felt betrayed. The dissatisfaction led some to sit out the 2010 midterm elections, and others to vote Republican, as a protest against the Democrats who were in power.

In 2008, there were 257 Democrats in the House of Representatives, 57 in the Senate, and they controlled the governorships of 29 states. The Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives in 2010, and of the Senate in 2014. As of today, there are only 188 Democrats in Congress, 44 in the Senate, and 18 Democratic governors. The Democrats have also lost control over many state legislative houses.

The labor leaders and the lesser of two evils crowd should examine the results of their strategy. How can they explain the fact that that both major parties have moved steadily to the right over the last few decades? Why have conditions for the majority worsened dramatically, while the rich are richer than ever? How can any of this be considered a success?

Time to break the vicious circle!

The ruling class is worried that Sanders is awakening forces they cannot control. They desperately want him and his supporters to remain within the Democratic Party. Though they say his candidacy is at a dead end, they nonetheless urge him to continue running to the convention. Their reasoning could not be expressed more clearly: Hes done a real service, for the party he only recently joined, and for the country. Clinton is a far better candidate because of him. More than that, the Democratic Party is paying attention to the angry millions in the margins, those who may be tempted by the demagogue who wants to make America white again. Thank Sanders for that  His ideas will shape every part of the party platform, which will give Clinton what she lacks: a clear message. Eventually, hell endorse the woman he influenced, and Democrats will be the better for it.

The New York Times editorial board itself is urging his supporters to make a political revolutionby running as Democratic Party candidates and working their way up through the system to positions of power and influence. This is the voice of the serious bourgeois, who seeks to keep the anger and enthusiasm Sanders campaign has unleashed within safe channels.

Sanders will be under intense pressure not to end up as a spoiler like Ralph Nader. His supporters will be told that if he runs as an independent, this could lead to the election of Donald Trump. Lets be clear: if Trump wins the presidency, the blame would rest entirely with the Democratic Party, and with the labor leaders for not building a mass working class alternative. If Trump wins, we could not simply wait around for the the Democrats to try to oust him out in a future election. The working class would have to organize, mobilize, strike, protest, and occupy our workplaces, campuses, and streets to kick him out of the White Houseall while building a mass socialist labor party to replace him and both the parties of big business.

So how do we get out of the vicious circle of lesser evilism? We break the circle! It wont happen smoothly and it wont happen overnight, but it will surely never happen on the basis the basis of one of the evils. The only way to fight all forms of evil is with a mass socialist party and revolution against capitalism!

Join the revolution!

If Sanders breaks with the Democrats and runs as an independent, it is not guaranteed that he would win. But if the Republicans run both Trump and another candidate, then things would certainly get interesting. Even if Sanders were to win as a Democrat, he would be trapped in a hostile party, confronted by a hostile Congress and government bureaucracy. Most people would agree that it will take more than one election to bring about the kind of revolutionary change we need to fundamentally transform society. Sanders himself says that one person alone cannot do it alone. By laying the foundations for a new party, real change could come to the US in the near future, even if Sanders doesnt win this year.

There is therefore no reason for anyone who supports Bernie Sanders to feel down or despondent after Tuesdays results. Just a few years ago, even the word socialism was seen with suspicion by most Americans. Now it is part of the mainstream political discourse, as millions of people seek to learn more. Capitalism cant deliver for the majority. On the basis of the experience of the next few years, millions of people will be even more politically radicalized. Support for socialism and a deepening understanding of what will be required to achieve it will grow exponentially.

But the longer Sanders plays by the Democratic Partys rules, the harder it will be for him to break with them if and when Clinton sews up the nomination. This is the dead end the New York Times referred to. But the momentum around Sanders need not end up in a dead end. Thousands of his supporters should indeed run for officenot as Democratsbut as members of a new and vibrant party independent of big business and for the working class. Instead of facing the possibility of a potentially demoralizing slog over the next few months, the enormous energy could be harnessed to establish the foundations for something truly historic and transformative. The times are changing quickly. A new party of, by, and for the working class, based on organized labor and the youth, and armed with a socialist program could rapidly rise to the top.

Clintons supporters say that Sanders progressive proposals are unrealistic. In a way they are rightthey are unrealistic and unrealizable within the limits of capitalism. If Sanders and his supporters break with both the system and its parties, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. Its not too late to change course. The time is now and there is no time to waste. Far from being over, we are only at the beginning of the beginning of the revolution. But the revolution wont be successful if we dont start preparing for it today. This is what we in the IMT are doing in the US and around the world. Join us in the struggle for a better worlda world of socialism and revolution!
EAST LONGMEADOW  Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters general manager Annie Lytle-Rich splits her time between its six Western Massachusetts locations. But traveling around for work is nothing new at a coffee shop that started out in a van.

In the mid-1980s, Annie's parents and Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters owners Curtis Rich and Kathy Lytle moved from Maine to Shelburne Falls, a small village in Franklin County populated by less than 2,000 people, Lytle-Rich said. The couple settled down after a decade Rich had spent as a professional rock musician. He gave up the rock and roll lifestyle to work as an English teacher, while Lytle took a nursing job at Baystate Medical Center.

But soon after their move, a new friend complained to Rich and Lytle that not one of the vendors at the Big E festival sold decent espresso.

The seed was planted.

Rich and Lytle immediately bought an espresso machine, and after fiddling around, they concocted brews they felt confident could beat the competition. They quit their jobs, bought a van and hit the festival and fair circuit, traveling around the country to sell their espresso and coffee at any event at which they could secure a space.

"We did the Topsfield Fair, the Florida State Fair, the Big E; whatever fair would have us," Lytle-Rich recalls of the early days of the business when she was a small child. "We would just sleep in the van."

In time, they became successful enough to open their first brick and mortar location; a tiny shop in Shelburne Falls. Absent a kitchen, baked goods the new Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters sold had to be schlepped into the shop with wheelbarrows each morning, Lytle-Rich said.

Now, 23 years since they established the first store -which was lost in a 2008 fire-, Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters shops are located in the town of Shelburne, Greenfield, Easthampton, Northampton, Hadley and East Longmeadow.

Baked goods are made in their commercial bakery in Greenfield each day, Lytle-Rich said. Many of them are the product of recipes passed down generations in their family.

"The biscotti is my great-grandmother's recipe," Lytle-Rich said. "They're all family recipes."

The business employs about 85 people and typically sees about 2,000 customers per day.

Although the family always has its eyes on growth for the business, they make sure not to stray away from quality, a cornerstone to their mission when the business started, Lytle-Rich said. Seeing the currently booming business progress from the time it was just her and her parents selling espresso from a van has made her appreciate the success all the more.

"Growing up in the family business, you really appreciate the constant risk that you have to take when you run a small business," Lytle-Rich said.
SPRINGFIELD -

David S. Bailey

was sentenced Thursday to 2 years in state prison after pleading guilty to a charge of

driving under the influence of alcohol

, third offense.

That charge reflects a reduction from the crime for which he was indicted in Hampden Superior Court. As part of a plea agreement Bailey was allowed to plead guilty as a third offender instead of a fifth offender.

Defense lawyer Jennifer E. Cox told Judge Constance M. Sweeney the state Registry of Motor Vehicles will most likely count this conviction as a fifth offense.

"He will have a lifetime loss of license. He accepts that as a consequence of his actions but this is a huge loss for him," Cox said.

Bailey was arrested when a St. James Avenue resident called police on April 17, 2015, to report a man sleeping in a car outside her house.

Cox asked Sweeney to sentence the 55-year-old Bailey, of Springfield, to time he has already served in jail awaiting trial, which is 335 days.

Assistant District Attorney Robert A. Schmidt wanted a sentence of three years in state prison.

Sweeney said it may be 14 years since Bailey's last drunken driving conviction, but there have been other charges and sentences served in the ensuing years. She noted convictions for assault and battery, larceny, receiving stolen property and breaking and entering in the nighttime.

"The record is just too deep. It's too deep. It's too serious," Sweeney said of her decision not to sentence Bailey to time served.

The crime to which Bailey pleaded guilty has two options under the law. If a state prison sentence is given, the minimum mandatory sentence is 2 years. If a county jail term is given, the minimum mandatory sentence is 180 days.

When people plead guilty in Massachusetts, the colloquy given by the judge asks if the defendant has ever been diagnosed with a mental illness.

Bailey told Sweeney he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1986.

Schmidt said the case against Bailey is strong. He did say the policy of the Springfield police department is to videotape all bookings, but there was no videotape of Bailey's booking because the machine malfunctioned. He said that was a problem at the police department in April 2015.

Schmidt said when police responded to the resident's call on St. James Avenue Bailey was found with his car running and his headlights on. His eyes were closed and when an officer woke him up Bailey slurred his words.

He dropped a number of cards on the ground and picked up an ATM card and gave it to the officer instead of his license.

Bailey was uncooperative with police and told them "not to f--- with him," Schmidt said.

Sweeney said she would make a recommendation to the state Department of Corrections Bailey be allowed to serve his sentence in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow.

Judges can make that recommendation but it is up to the state corrections department to determine placement. When an inmate is allowed to serve a state prison sentence in a house of corrections he or she must still serve the entire state prison sentence and not have the same opportunity for parole house of corrections prisoners do.
EAST LONGMEADOW  A newly declared Eagle Scout in East Longmeadow achieved the rank on Sunday, after having completed a project that protects local dog owners and their pets from the elements.

Richard Holden along with

Daniel Tennegren

were officially recognized as

Eagle Scouts

in the

Boy Scouts

of America during a ceremony at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Elm Street.

Between October and November, Holden, a 17-year-old senior at East Longmeadow High School, organized and built a wind shelter at the East Longmeadow Bark Park at Heritage Park.

"I wanted to do something that would help my community and something I would enjoy," said Holden, a dog owner who frequents the park.

Fenced off right next to a parking lot, the dog park is often very windy due to a lack of trees, Holden said. This exacerbates cold or rainy weather.

After spending about 10 months seeking approval from Town Hall, and soliciting donations of supplies from local businesses, Holden was ready to assemble a crew and carry out his plan.

Holden drew up plans for a seven-foot structure made of lumber, which would stand next to the parking lot at a 45-degree angle, he said. Building and erecting the wind guard took several weekends. Once finished, officials who oversee the park immediately expressed their gratitude.

"I received a letter from the dog park saying that they received many compliments about it," Holden said. "People said they enjoy it and it's needed."

At Sunday's ceremony, Holden was added to the select list of Boy Scouts who reach the rank of Eagle Scout. About 7 percent of Boy Scouts complete the tasks necessary for the achievement, according to the Boy Scouts of America.

Next fall, Holden will start his college career at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. Scouting, he said, has provided him with a number of skills he expects will help him through college and life.

"I think it taught me good leadership skills, skills to survive on my own and to help other people," Holden said.
PITTSFIELD - A 62-year-old Pittsfield woman is charged with having sex with an inmate while she was employed at the Berkshire County House of Correction, according to the office of District Attorney David Capeless.

The woman, Valerie L. Soules is facing a single count of sexual relations with inmates. She was arraigned Wednesday in Berkshire Superior Court and denied the charge.

Judge John Agostini ordered her released on her own recognizance pending her next court appearance on July 21.

According to the district attorney, Soules is charged with having a sexual relationship with an inmate for nearly a year. The relationship is reported to have occurred between Oct. 1, 2014 and Sept. 17, 2015.

The name of the inmate was not disclosed.

The investigation was conducted by state police officers assigned to the Capeless' office and members of the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department.

According to the Berkshire Eagle, Soules was a 12-year employee with at the jail as a mental health clinician. She was initially suspended with the relationship came to light and officials launched an investigation. She has since been fired.

According to Massachusetts General Laws, any corrections employee who has sexual relations with an inmate may be punished by up to 5 years in prison or a $10,000 fine.

Even though Soules and the inmate are both adults, under state law inmates are "deemed incapable of giving consent to sexual activity" with a corrections employee.
lobstah.jpg

The Maine-ly Lobstah food truck was reported stolen.

(Sharon Police Department)

SHARON -- A food truck painted with an enormous red lobster and promising "Wicked Good Seafood" has been stolen.

Sharon, Massachusetts Police said Wednesday that the Maine-ly Lobstah food truck was reported stolen.

Police shared a photo of it on the department Facebook page and asked anyone who has seen it or has information about the theft to contact Detective Anthony Lucie at (781) 784-1588.

According to the truck's website, it was run by Boston's Baddest Burger and Sandwich Company, a catering and food truck company based in Canton. It's Facebook page said the Maine-ly Lobstah truck part of the business is closed.

Police confirmed the truck was still missing Thursday morning, but a message left seeking additional information on how the truck disappeared had not been returned Thursday morning.

Related: How does the McDonald's lobster roll compare to a Cape Cod lobster roll?
The MAPS Media Institute is a free-of charge, after school media arts program in Hamilton, Montana. We are an independent non-profit that has been educating Montanas youth since 2004.

MAPS is dedicated to empowering young minds through creativity, communication skills, confidence and inspiration. We offer 5 courses of study throughout the school year in Filmmaking, Technology, Music, Design and Entrepreneur to all Ravalli County public high school, home-schooled and faith-based students, grades 8  12.

Store: http://mapsmediainstitute.com/store.html
A new website http://nrex.wyo.gov/ that contains a wealth of information on Wyomings natural resources and other attributes could help to speed up energy and infrastructure projects in the state.

Gov. Matt Mead announced Monday that the Natural Resource and Energy Explorer is now live and can be accessed by government officials, energy firms and the public.

Trevor Brown Wyoming Tribune Eagle

Full Story: http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/new-data-mapping-website-goes-live/article_b280716a-f670-599f-b8b2-691ec657e6a2.html

***

Wyoming suffers nations largest unemployment rate jump

The figures demonstrate the effect of the downturn in coal, oil and natural gas  the resources that drive a big portion of the states economy.

http://www.matr.net/article-70792.html
What are you concerned about for the area in the coming year?

Besides a potential downturn in the ag economy, the other concern is the imbalance we have with the Canadian dollar. The American dollar is so strong its really thwarted the ongoing flow of Canadian shoppers to Montana. This is a national issue, in Seattle, Detroit and Havre youre seeing fewer and fewer Canadians coming to the US to purchase goods and services.

Paul Tuss has been director of the Bear Paw Development http://www.bearpaw.org/ in Havre since 2000. The economic development corporation covers two reservations and Blaine, Liberty, Hill, Chouteau and Phillips counties.

Kristen Inbody, [email protected]

Full Story: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/money/2016/03/15/strong-us-dollar-concerns-hi-line/81827130/
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
Nemaura Medical, a company out of Loughborough, UK, won European regulatory approval to introduce its sugarBEAT continuous glucose monitoring system. The package includes a daily disposable skin patch and an adhesive sensor that sticks over it, and a smartphone running the sugarBEAT app or a standalone sugarBEAT reader.

The patch sticks painlessly to the skin, whether to the arm, leg, or abdomen. It does require an old-fashioned finger prick test to calibrate it once its stuck on. The electronic sensor powers the sensing every five minutes, gathering readings and passing them on to the smartphone or sugarBEAT reader. From there the results can be shared with ones doctor, family members, or caretakers.

The firm expects to release the system toward the end of this year in Europe.

Product page: SugarBEAT

Source: Nemaura Medical
by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, March 17, 2016

Taboola on Thursday launched Taboola Native, a native ad server that it hopes will help publishers monetize Facebook-like branded content.

The new offering is the content discovery platforms response to the success of in-feed native advertising on Facebook and Twitter.

The free, white-labeled version of Taboolas predictive technology aims to help publishers monetize premium native placements, open new direct sales channels and guarantee 100% fill rates from the companys sponsored content marketplace for any unsold inventory.

Taboola Native is an alternative to Facebook Instant Articles, said Adam Singolda, founder and CEO, Taboola. We see this as an opportunity for publishers to unlock the full monetization potential of native advertising. Think of it as a DoubleClick 2.0, he said.

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Taboola Native will serve native content that can live on a publishers own site or anywhere on the Web. Until now, only Facebook and Twitter could do that, Singolda noted. This is Facebook-like technology. Using Taboola Native, a publisher can approach a brand and say 'give us a thousand pieces of your content and well match the content to the right people.'"

For example, say an auto brand wants to be on the home page of an auto publisher. The brand has already created the content. Taboola Native can recommend the right content to the right readers.

Publishers using the product include: American Media, Inc. (publisher of Radar Online, OK! magazine, and Mens Fitness), New York Daily News, and Trusted Media Brands, Inc. (publisher of Readers Digest and Taste of Home) in the U.S.; Daily Mail, ESI Media (publisher of The Independent and London Evening Standard); and Bhaskar, Jagran, NDTV and OneIndia in Asia-Pacific.

Every publisher is thinking about how to grapple with the shift toward mobile, where consumers are spending more and more of their time, and where it is increasingly difficult to monetize with older digital ad formats like display. 'Native' presents us with a way to seamlessly integrate promoted content into the user experience and provide real value to readers," said Rich Sutton, chief revenue officer at Trusted Media Brands, via email.

"But in order to maximize the full potential that this new channel can offer, publishers will have to think about how to effectively leverage off-site branded content, in addition to the bespoke content they may already be creating for advertiser partners," Sutton added.

Theres a world of branded content thats already out there," Singolda explained. Its on YouTube, on social platforms, on company blogs -- and brands want to promote it and get the right people to discover it. In contrast to traditional native advertising servers, Taboola Native positions itself as a platform for publishers to directly sell and promote not only custom content, but all the other off-site branded content from across the Web.

The product uses predictive technology to index and recommend thousands of branded content pieces, matching each consumer with the most relevant piece of content at the right time.
Appealing to Windows 10 users, Twitter just updated its app for Microsofts operating system.

Now, it should be easier for this growing constituency to use group direct messaging, GIFs, and Moments on their phones.

When bringing the app to mobile phones we carefully considered each section of Twitter, Angela Lam, product designer at Twitter, notes in a new blog post.

Lam and her team have also made some changes to Windows 10 for PCs and tablets, including the migration of the mobile apps popular dark theme.

Weve heard that one of [users] favorite things about Twitter for Windows phone is the dark theme, Lam said. Since this is also one of the most requested features for Twitter for Windows 10 on desktop and tablets, were bringing the dark theme there too.

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Designed specifically for Windows 10 for PCs and tablets, Twitter launched a new Twitter for Windows, last year.

At the beginning of the year, Windows 10 had not quite passed 10% market share, according to data from Net Applications. Microsoft is reportedly aiming for 1 billion devices running Windows 10 in two to three years.

More broadly, Microsoft continues to play catch-up in the mobile arena.

Among other moves, the company recently agreed to acquire Xamarin, a platform provider for mobile app development. Microsoft also recently dropped $250 million on keyboard app maker SwiftKey.

With the deal, Microsoft was apparently after SwiftKeys artificial intelligence assets -- which supported the recent launch of an Android keyboard that uses a neural network in place of standard algorithms to predict ones word selection.

Late last year, Microsoft bought Talko, a Boston-based startup that specializes in helping groups of people -- in business, family or other settings -- collaborate using their smartphones.
by Thom Forbes @tforbes, March 17, 2016

The U.S. Senate yesterday sent packing a bill that would have prevented states such as Vermont from enacting legislation that requires food labels that indicate if ingredients contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Dubbed the DARK Act by opponents  Deny Americans the Right to Know  the procedural vote to close debate on the controversial legislation, which provided no federal alternative for mandatory on-package GMO designation, fell short of the 60 votes needed to move the bill to an approval vote, Jim Spencer reports for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Vermonts Act 120, which requires that any food offered for sale must be labeled a GMO if it is entirely or partially produced with genetic engineering, passed in 2014 and goes into effect July 1. Connecticut and Maine have also passed GMO-labeling laws but neither will take effect unless states they border do the same.

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The 48-to-49 vote on the bill sponsored by Sen. Pat Roberts (RKan.) was a defeat for the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the major food and biotech companies that are its members, which have spent hundreds of millions of dollars fighting labeling requirements, writes Stephanie Strom for the New York Times.

Despite todays vote, there continues to be a strong bipartisan consensus to protect American consumers from the increased food costs and confusion of a 50-state patchwork of labeling laws, says GMA president and CEO Pamela G. Bailey in a statement cited by Strom.

The food industry maintains that there are at least two major First Amendment problems with mandatory GMO labeling that must be taken seriously: compelled speech and vagueness, as Andrew Kloster, a legal fellow at Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, outlines in a November 2015 memorandum.

What happens next? We cant be sure, but we hope that the Senate will do the right thing and move toward passing legislation to ensure federally mandated GMO labeling, Environmental Working Group president Ken Cook wrote in an email to labeling supporters. This vote is a HUGE win for our grassroots movement. We went up against millions of dollars from Monsanto and Big Food and stopped them in their tracks.

Consumers should have the right to choose, says Scott Faber, executive director of Just Label It, in applauding the Senate vote. They should have the right to know what's in their food and be trusted to make their own choices.

Although the Food and Drug Administration says that GMO foods are safe to consume, advocates for labeling say not enough is known about their risks. Among supporters of labeling are many organic companies that are barred by law from using modified ingredients in their foods, the AP reports.

Consumers have indicated that non-GMO labeling is even more important than organic in their brand choice/purchase intent, as Marketing Dailys Karlene Lukovitz reported. And advocates maintain that labels just provide information, not guidance.

That argument  consumers' right to know  holds sway among many legislators, reports Maria Godoy for NPR in an article that points out that the battle has made for strange bedfellows and that it will continue to be waged.

Now, another GMO labeling bill is waiting in committee. This alternative bill calls for mandatory GMO labeling but offers companies four options for how to situate the label, none of which require the information to be on the front of the packaging, writes Carolyn Heneghan for FoodDive. Supporters argue that companies already change labels all the time as they make ingredient changes.

Meanwhile, a Washington Superior Court judge ruled Friday that the Grocery Manufacturers Association broke the law by hiding the donors of $11 million  namely, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, General Mills, ConAgra, Nestle and other food giants  for a campaign to kill a 2013 GMO-labeling initiative, Tamar Haspel reports for Fortune. Initiative 522 was narrowly defeated.

The GMA said the ruling will hurt the constitutionally protected right of trade associations to engage in political debate. It had maintained they the law was vague and it had been singled out. But meeting notes, memos, and other internal GMA documents clearly show that shielding member identities was one of the primary purposes of the fund, Haspel writes of Judge Anne Hirschs findings.

A trial will determine whether the violation was intentional and, of so, what the penalty will be.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 17, 2016

Google's climb to support enterprise cloud storage for some of the largest companies may have become stronger Thursday with reports that it added Apple to its list of customers, with at least one analyst confirming the relationship through sources and tech users admitting to seeing signs that the two companies have some sort of working relationship.

Trip Chowdhry, managing director at Global Equities Research -- which confirmed the relationship -- said Apple will use Google's cloud services for "serverless" applications, meaning those that run for a very short time such as when someone logs in or logs out of an application or to authenticate a user.

"It's really common knowledge in the industry," Chowdhry said, especially as the drum beats louder the closer the industry comes to Google's cloud conference next week.

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Most of Apple's reliance on cloud services still resides with Amazon Web Services (AWS), but several sources told CRN, which first reported the news, that Apple would add Google to the mix.

A white paper on iOS security for iCloud released in 2014 confirms Apple's work with Amazon and Microsoft, respectively. "The encrypted chunks of the file are stored, without any user-identifying information, using third-party storage services, such as Amazon S3 and Windows Azure," according to the white paper.

One person commenting on the 9To5Mac blog suggests Apple iCloud began using the Google Cloud Platform in mid-February. Another -- Michael Kummer, a blogger about Apple and Information technology -- explains that Google already partially powers Apple's iCloud otherwise photos on OS X wouldnt need to connect to content-storage download that directs to Google.

"Unrelated to Apples cloud storage choices I started monitoring network access of all applications running on my Mac and noticed that most iCloud apps are connecting to Amazon AWS and Akamai resources," Kummer told Search Marketing Daily. "Lately, I started noticing that especially the Photos app now also connects to Googles cloud infrastructure."

Kummer said that doesnt necessarily imply that Apple will move away from any given provider in favor of another, but it does mean Apple is working with Google to store its content.

"Only time will tell if Apple will move in fact away from a certain provider," Kummer said.

Apple's deal made last year with Google will cost the company between $400 million to $600 million, though it's not clear if the amount represents total or annualize spending, reports CRN, citing sources.

Streaming music giant Spotify in February began shifting its streaming service to Google Cloud. In November, Google hired VMware co-founder Diane Green to run its cloud services division.

The fact that Apple announced building three data centers doesn't necessary mean the company will break its reliance on other cloud services completely.
by Ari Rosenberg , Op-Ed Contributor, March 17, 2016

A reader of this column invited me as his guest to a digital conference for local publishers two weeks ago in New York, hosted by Borrell Associates. Interactive Advertising Bureau CEO Randall Rothenberg was giving a speech on Adblock Plus, and my reader (thank you, Lubin) thought I would enjoy hearing it.

We settled into the large ballroom filled with 500-plus attendees just as Rothenberg took the stage. His first slide made me throw up a little in my mouth. It started with IAB: Putting users first.

In the about section of the IAB Web site, there is an elegant 125-word description where the word consumer is used zero times.

Rothenberg then shared and sourced IAB research on the top reason consumers are choosing to download ad blockers. He called it the hundredth monkey phenomenon. The number-one reason consumers are blocking ads is because of a herd mentality in which Web site users do something because others are doing it, he explained.

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The IAB CEO describes the consumers the IAB puts first as monkeys who cant think for themselves.

I found this reason for ad-block use puzzling. I also found it strange that the IAB research study Rothenberg sourced to support this claim is from September of 2014. The data is almost two years old. The number of people who have downloaded ad blockers has grown by 64% since that study.

I suspect the reasons why may have changed. Industry experts I speak to say the number-one reason people download an ad blocker is simple: speed. Imagine boarding a plane where no one has carry-on luggage. Thats how much faster the Web experience feels when the weight of a Web page is reduced by blocking ads and the coding attached to them.

On slide 11 of his presentation, Rothenberg then shared the top-five reasons he and the IAB believe ad blockers hurt marketers, publishers and consumers. The first four reasons are related to how advertisers and publishers are negatively affected, and the fifth reason addresses consumers.

The IAB says it puts the consumer first  except in this case, where the consumer is fifth.

The reason ad blocker use negatively impact consumers, according to Rothenberg, is that it reduces choice and increases costs. His first sub point read, Media diversity is threatened. His second sub point was Subscription fees replace ad-supported content.

Really?

The Internet is nothing if it not bloated with choices. If a few hundred thousand Web sites disappeared tomorrow, no one would notice. Consumer choice isnt taking a meaningful hit with the rise of ad blockers.

Rothenberg also contends consumers will have to pay for content they currently get for free. On what planet are consumers paying for run-of-the-mill Web content?

His speech ended with the IABs new acronym on how publishers should battle ad blocking because, Rothenberg said to the crowd, thats what youll remember. He quickly revisited the old acronym of L.E.A.N introduced two months ago, and then jumped to his new one: D.E.A.L.

This acronym starts with the word Detection that ad blocking is occurring. Rothenberg proudly announced that the IAB has written a script publishers can load onto their pages to find out how much ad blocking is occurring.

The consumer the IAB puts first is frustrated with the speed in which Web pages download  and the IAB is encouraging publishers to add more weight to their pages.

The IAB CEO closed by telling the crowd he couldn't stick around for questions because he had to catch a flight to Paris to give this same speech. The room groaned with mock sympathy.

I wish the IAB took on companies that flood our ecosystem with fraud the way the association's CEO battles one company that challenges his beliefs. I wish the IAB looked at ad blocking as an opportunity to set policies that helped stop obvious bad ad practices. I wish the IAB approached fixing the problems plaguing our industry by believing what its CEO shared on his first slide.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 17, 2016

A federal judge has tentatively approved Yahoo's settlement of a lawsuit accusing it of violating a California privacy law by scanning email messages for ad-targeting purposes.

The deal requires Yahoo to add new language to its privacy policy, and to make some technical changes to the way it scans emails, but doesn't require the company to otherwise change its ad-targeting efforts. The agreement doesn't call for Yahoo to pay monetary damages to Web users whose privacy allegedly was violated, but provides for payments of up to $4 million to the attorneys who brought the case.

"The settlement agreement appears to be the result of serious, informed, non-collusive negotiations conducted at arms length by the parties," U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh wrote Wednesday in a ruling granting the deal preliminary approval.

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If finalized, the deal will resolve a lawsuit filed in 2013 by a group of Web users who alleged that Yahoo violated several statutes, including a California privacy law, by scanning messages in order to surround them with ads, without first obtaining all parties' consent. California requires that senders as well as recipients consent to the interception of electronic communications.

Yahoo's terms of service provided that the company analyzes email in order to display ads, but the people who are suing alleged that they didn't have Yahoo email accounts, and therefore never agreed to the company's terms of service.

As part of the settlement, Yahoo says it will add the following paragraph to its Privacy Center page: Yahoo analyzes and stores all communications content, including email content from incoming and outgoing mail.

The company's Yahoo Mail page also will include a new bullet point stating: "Yahoo may share keywords, package tracking and product identification numbers with third parties in order to enhance your user experience and provide targeted ads.

The engineering changes that Yahoo promised to make appear to relate solely on Yahoo's technical operations. The court papers say that the company will now retrieve incoming email from the servers only after Yahoo Mail users can access the emails in their inboxes. Outgoing emails will only be retrieved from servers when the messages are accessible by Yahoo Mail users.

News of the settlement will be communicated to Web users via banner ads, which Advertising.com will display on "a collection of popular websites," Koh wrote in the preliminary approval order.

"Advertising.com represents that it will ensure these ads will make 75,000,000 unique impressions upon Internet users, with no single user receiving more than three impressions," Koh wrote, adding that the banners will contain links to a website that offers details about the settlement, including how to object to it.

Koh will hold a hearing in August about whether to grant the deal final approval.

Google is facing a similar lawsuit, filed in September by San Francisco resident Daniel Matera. Koh has delayed that lawsuit until after the Supreme Court decides whether consumers can sue in federal court without proving they suffered an economic injury.
by Sara Guaglione , March 17, 2016

Pet magazine publisher i-5 Publishing announced Wednesday that it is changing its name and rebranding as Lumina Media.

Lumina better represents the energy of our new company direction, stated Lumina Media Chairman David Fry.

Their new logo and tagline -- Youll Love This -- highlights the tight relationship between author and reader in todays media world, Fry added.

Content and conversation come together to create a unique value for our consumers, our business audience and our corporate partners, he continued.

The company also launched a new corporate Web site, LuminaMedia.com. The changes are effective immediately and the company will conduct all future business under the new name and brand.

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All of the companys magazine titles and other digital media properties will now be part of the Lumina Media portfolio.

The company officially introduced the new brand to the industry March 16, during Global Pet Expo at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

The previously-named i-5 Publishing network reaches a combined audience of approximately 10 million monthly visitors and social reach of over 5 million followers. They specialize in pet-related titles, like Dog World, Dogster, Cat Fancy and Horse Illustrated.

In November, Publishers Daily reported the launch of their newest publication, Lucky Puppy, a lifestyle brand for owners of adopted pets. Its first issue is scheduled for spring 2016.
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, March 17, 2016

Last October, the Center for Democracy & Technology called attention to SilverPush -- a tracking software that can monitor people's television use by embedding "audio beacons" in TV ads.

Those beacons are inaudible to people, but can be detected by the software, which comes bundled with mobile apps. The software activates microphones in the phones, which then pick up the beacons and can compile a log of TV programs viewed while the smartphone was turned on.

News of this technology understandably alarmed privacy advocates, who point out that people never imagine they will be subject to this kind of surveillance while watching TV in their living rooms.

"This tracking crosses all kinds of lines, Alvaro M Bedoya, founding executive director of the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law, told Forbes last year. People simply do not expect that while theyre watching TV with their families, their phones will be silently listening for sounds inaudible to human ears -- that will then allow a company theyve never heard of to track them more effectively."

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SilverPush reportedly has said the technology is in use in India, but not in the U.S. But even if the tracking technology is not currently used in this country, it's available and has been incorporated into at least a dozen apps offered on Google Play, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Today, the agency made clear to developers of those apps that they should not use this technology without people's knowledge.

"Upon downloading and installing your mobile application that embeds SilverPush, we received no disclosures about the included audio beacon functionality -- either contextually as part of the setup flow, in a dedicated standalone privacy policy, or anywhere else," Maneesha Mithal, associate director at the agency's privacy division, wrote in warning letters sent to 12 developers. "If your application enabled third parties to monitor television-viewing habits of U.S. consumers and your statements or user interface stated or implied otherwise, this could constitute a violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act."

Mithal points out in the warning letter that the software can access devices' microphones even when the app isn't in use. "Moreover," the letter continues, "your application requires permission to access the mobile devices microphone prior to install, despite no evident functionality in the application that would require such access."

The FTC did not name the companies it warned today.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 17, 2016

LiveWorld is piloting the next generation of social tools that will move customer service from streams on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites to mobile messaging apps. It creates a Web chat function on a smartphone.

Peter Friedman, LiveWorld's chairman and CEO, calls the movement "social customer service in the palm of your hand."

Brands like American Express, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble and Walmart will have an option to license LiveWorld tools and integrate them through a series of APIs to social messaging apps. It takes the public conversation private.

The software as a service (SaaS) tools support moderation and engagement, case management, analytics, as well as the ability to manage customer profiles.

Friedman told Social Media & Marketing Daily at South By Southwest Interactive that the messaging model brings brands closer to consumers on the go, and each interaction will cost less. A lot less.

"If the brand offshores customer service it costs about $10 per inquiry, compared with onshore at $23," he says, noting that messaging will cost brands between $2 and $5 depending on the time it takes to complete the inquiry. "Email and Chat cost about $5 for each customer service inquiry."

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Consumers take to social sites to get quick answers from brands, especially during a customer service problem, but getting answers isn't easy. Sometimes it's a matter of learning how to use the tools. Brands such as American Airlines, which have similar tools like Conversocial, know how to acknowledge disputes, but do not know how to resolve customer service request on social sites.

Monitoring resolutions at American Airlines prompts consumers to other forms of communication such as email, which takes a minimum of two weeks for a response. A company spokesperson says the Department of Transportation (DOT) mandates that formal complaints are handled by Customer Relations via the company's Web site.

The combination of cost and time will force most call and customer service centers to "close within five to 10 years," Friedman boldly predicts. Friedman, who spent more than 10 years at Apple working with Steve Jobs, says: "The entire industry will be gone, along with the offshore call-center model because more chaotic conversations happen on social media."

Conversocial, which supports companies like Sprint, offers a similar customer service messaging model to LiveWorld, and Tencent-owned WeChat based in China. Josh March, Conversocial CEO, says when it comes to real service issues, companies will use public areas on the social sites. Often, however, they will move it to a private forum like messaging, which provides one-on-one communication.
by Barbara Lippert , Featured Columnist, March 17, 2016

J. Walter Thompson

SoCEO Gustavo Martinez, whos enmeshed in an ongoing harassment suit, has resigned. The news was announced Thursday, March 17, by WPP. Hell be replaced by Tamara Ingram, most recently chief client team officer at WPP.

Hallelujah. In showing Martinez to the nearest exit, the holding company has come a long way, baby  maybe about 60 years in 24 hours?

Its initial reaction was chillingly sexist and straight out of the Sterling Cooper playbook: After JWTs chief communications officer Erin Johnsons lawsuit was filed on Feb. 25, she was sent home on leave and hung out to dry. As for Martinez, JWT was quick to circle the wagons once Johnsons suit went viral, with the CEO aggressively denying the outrageous claims and looking forward to his day in court.

Indeed, I hadnt seen such vintage-style stonewalling since Richard Nixon denied a certain break-in.

And even though the stonewall lasted less than a week (and that changed only because Johnsons lawyers filed an amendment, a smoking gun, on March 14) it was still a kick in the gut for women.

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The message seemed to be Sexism is alive and well, you will never be heard, so shut your mouths!

Certainly, none of the professional women I knew could even bear reading past the first page of the 28-page legal brief without wanting to barf. (And, with sinking hearts, immediately knowing that Martinez was guilty as sin.)

Thats because it all felt so sickeningly familiar. Getting into the specific complaints dredged up so much trauma that ad women started flooding my mailbox with their own excruciating harassment stories from the 1980s and 1990s.

But its 2016, for God's sake. After Anita Hill, werent companies forced to put systems and protocols in place to deal with harassment?

Even by Mad Men-era standards, Martinez's actions, as spelled out in the suit, were deplorable. The stories of his joking phrases like, Come here, I want to rape you in the bathroom, uttered in front of Johnsons entire team, have been widely disseminated. As were his frequent outbursts about the too many Jews in Westchester and black monkeys and apes at airport customs.

When he called Johnson too bossy, it was almost funny. Bossy has by now become such a cliche in the arena of female putdowns that Facebooks Sheryl Sandberg started a whole campaign last year about banning the word.

Less-commented-on, though even more repulsive, were Martinez's sick, entitled power moves, designed to be psychologically crippling. Twice, as reported in the suit, when Johnson was eating an apple in the office, he grabbed the fruit from her hand and took a big bite, and then returned it to her. Symbolism much? She offered him his own apple, but he wouldnt take it. He needed to mark his territory.

According to the suit, Johnson had gone through all the proper channels to report the behavior, and even suggested sensitivity training for the CEO, (and in so doing, was trying to save the agency from what she could see would be a ticking time-bomb.) Still, nothing was done.

The final straw was that JWT sent around a form for all employees to sign, agreeing that theyd never witnessed illegal activity taking place at the agency. This forced Johnsons hand. She could not sign in good faith, and unleashed the suit.

But by the 14, when Johnsons lawyers amended the suit with a copy of a tape of Martinezs reportedly racist speech in Miami, WPP changed its tune and hired outside legal and PR counsel. Obviously, the case at that point came down less as He said/she said, than, He said, and then endlessly repeated all of this heinous shit, so it can all easily be corroborated. There wasnt much for the outside firm to investigate.

This is such a disaster!" Kat Gordon, the founder of the 3 Percent Conference, told me in a conversation we had before news of Martinezs exit broke.

The ironies add up: Gordon, whose conference aims to raise the woefully low (now 11%) number of female creative directors in the industry, said that when she was invited to be on a JWT Panel about female creatives at the Cannes Lions Festival, Martinez was in the front row of the audience, smiling, along with JWTs chief talent officer, Laura Agostini (whom Johnson had emailed repeatedly with her harassment complaints, to no avail).

For its 150th anniversary, JWT developed a scholarship program for deserving women in third-world countries, in the name of Helen Landsdowne Resor, the agencys  and industrysfirst female copywriter.

I dont have a problem that it happened, Gordon said. It happens all the time in banks and law firms. What poisons the company is the lack of follow-through on stated policy for the handling of such cases.

She also added that her company had done research among creative women last year, that showed that 23% had seen or experienced sexual harassment, and only 8% said the responsible party was punished.

The plot thickens with the announcement of Martinez' resignation. Is this merely damage control, scapegoating Martinez (an obvious outlier) when the entire culture that propped him up and allowed it to happen is still in place?

Cindy Gallop, founder/CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, and former chairman of BBH New York, also saw this coming. She told me before the resignation that If WPP and JWT continue down this path, where they are setting out to destroy Erin Johnson in court, they are going to destroy themselves along with her.

Now that Martinez has left the building, Gallop told me, WPP and JWT -- and obviously, by that I mean Martin Sorrell -- need to do something that won't come easily to them, or rather, to him. They/he need to show genuine remorse, shame, humility and self-awareness, and to be willing to learn from this, and accept help and advice to completely transform the culture and the leadership that allowed the appalling details of that lawsuit to happen.

I also spoke to Nancy Vonk, who started her own feminist firestorm when she outed the ghastly, anti-woman ravings of industry legend Neil French 10 years ago after he spoke in Toronto. She had a slightly more hopeful outlook. She agreed that while the system is broken in businesses of all kinds, it can absolutely be changed. Now seems like a good time for company leaders to reflect on what that will take."

The suit is still active, with JWT, WPP, and Gustavo Martinezs attorneys still working together versus Johnson. But with Martinezs exit, at least in the short term, the industry dodged an apocalypse. Perhaps now is the time to help the female talent become undead.
The field of cryonics is small, dedicated, shrouded in half-truths and almost unanimously lambasted. In this article, we take a brief stroll to the back of the freezer and attempt to partially defrost the obscure science of reanimation. Share on Pinterest Cryonics is almost universally panned by scientists. Could there be any light at the end of the tunnel? Cryonics, in short, is the freezing of a patient who can no longer be sustained by current medical technology in the hope that future medical advances will allow them to be reanimated. The theory sounds like science fiction, and, at this stage, it is. The science of cryonics is met by staunch skepticism and a strong dose of derision. But is it really so far-fetched? Although the idea of freezing and reanimating humans after death has been in popular culture for some time, it was not until the 1960s when a physics teacher  Robert Ettinger  first presented cryonics as a genuine possibility. Ettingers book, The Prospect of Immortality, published in 1962, argues that diseases and conditions that are fatal today, might not be in the future. If we could freeze and store a recently (or almost) dead person, we might be able to fix their ailment further down the line and bring them spluttering back to life.

Cryonics in 2016 There are a small number of cryonics companies who take this area of investigation incredibly seriously. They will happily freeze you (or your pet) for a not-so-small fee. One of the largest cryonics companies charges upward of $200,000, plus a yearly subscription fee. Globally, there are only four facilities set up to freeze bodies  three in the US and one in Russia; an estimated 250 humans have been cryogenically preserved as of 2015 and another 1,500 have signed up. How does it work? In an ideal world, the cryonics company is able to reach the patient just after the heart has stopped beating but before the brain has died. This allows them to restart the heart and lungs, although the patient is clinically dead. Initially, the body is dropped to 0C in an ice bath while respiration and heartbeat are mechanically maintained; heparin is injected to prevent the blood from coagulating, along with a host of other chemicals. Next, the blood is removed and replaced by cryoprotectants that defend cells from the damage caused by ice crystals developing between cells. This process leads to a state called vitrification, in other words, crystallization during freezing is prevented and, instead, a solid liquid or glassy state is produced. The body is eventually dropped to temperatures of -130C and below using nitrogen gas. And there you will remain. Indefinitely. The technology of freezing without damaging tissue has been the main thrust of cryonics research over the decades. But, of course, that is less than half of the battle; reversing the freezing and restoring life are the real stumbling blocks.

Anti-cryonic rhetoric Cryonics has never enjoyed any popularity among the scientific populace, and, in the 1970s, its reputation took a substantial kick. The Cryonics Society of California, led by a former TV repairman  Robert Nelson  made it into the news for all of the wrong reasons. Nelsons organization ran out of money and could no longer fund the preservation of the chilled cadavers it was storing. He was sued for leaving nine bodies to unceremoniously decompose. The majority of mainstream scientists and medical professionals do not give cryonics researchers much favor. Some scientists simply mumble their dissent under their breath, others are vibrantly venomous, including neuroscientist Michael Hendricks, who refers to cryonics as: An abjectly false hope that is beyond the promise of technology and is certainly impossible with the frozen, dead tissue offered by the cryonics industry. Those who profit from this hope deserve our anger and contempt. Science does not seem to hold out much hope for the possibility of cryonics. It certainly has an incredibly long path ahead of it, and there is no telling whether that path leads to a pot of gold or a brick wall. However, there are some reasons to pass a sympathetic gaze over the field.

The shifting sands of death The statement a dead person cannot be revived seems so obvious that it is hardly worth writing down, but when you look a little deeper, it is not so clear cut. Share on Pinterest Could a dead person ever be revived? A few decades ago, someone who suffered a cardiac arrest was considered irreversibly dead. Move forward to today, and we routinely bring those people back from the brink. So, in some regards, our definition of what constitutes dead has shifted. It is this kind of stance that cryonics researchers often take when faced with dissenters. Their argument, whether you are prepared to run with it or not, is that death has already had its goal posts moved, so who is to say that they cannot be moved again? Lazarus rats Today, brain death, rather than cardiac death, is considered the stamp of finality. But even this, it might be argued, is not entirely infallible. For instance, in 1955, James Lovelock cooled a rat to just above 0C. Its brain completely stopped its normal business. However, Lovelock managed to reanimate the rodent by warming it back up. Frozen pigs More recently, pigs were given the same freeze-to-death-warm-to-life treatment with an impressive degree of success. Even after having their blood almost entirely removed and their internal temperatures dropped to 10C for 60 minutes, the majority survived . In a similar experiment , pigs were also found to be neurologically normal after their ordeal. Their ability to learn new tasks was still intact, as was their ability to remember tasks learned prior to their death. Ice bath trauma care Even more recently, in 2015, UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, began a groundbreaking new treatment for victims of severe traumas, such as gunshot wounds and knife attacks. The medical team replaces the patients blood with a cold saline solution that rapidly cools the body and stops almost all cellular activity, including brain activity. Cells at cooler temperatures need less oxygen, so a significant drop means that brain tissue can survive longer. This state of induced hypothermia gives surgeons more time to treat the injuries before returning the blood back to the system. Miraculous survival Even in a real life situation  cold water drowning  similar findings have been described. A young girl was resuscitated after an astonishing 66 minutes of total submersion in freezing water . After an hour under water, most people would consider the individual irreversibly dead. We now know this is not always the case. Importantly, her memories and personality were still intact. This is not the only case of people surviving clinical death. In 1999, 29-year-old Anna Bagenholm spent 80 minutes trapped in ice after a skiing accident; she survived and fully recovered from a core body temperature of 13.7 C. Cases like these have spawned a saying in some emergency rooms: Nobody is dead until warm and dead. Frozen rabbits brain In early 2016, a company called 21CM managed to freeze a rabbits brain to -135C using a process called aldehyde-stabilized cryopreservation. This was nothing new, but, for the first time, the organ was unfrozen without damage. Share on Pinterest For the first time, a mammal brain has been frozen and thawed intact. The team brought the brain back to room temperature and, under electron microscope investigation, the cellular structure of the brain was fully intact. All of a sudden, cryonics seems less like sci-fi and much more like a (very) distant possibility. There is evidently a great deal of distance to travel before the reanimation of a long-dead frozen body becomes a regular process, but it is not such a leap of imagination to consider it as, at the very least, a remarkably far-flung possibility. Additionally, when you consider that healthy human cells  sperm, eggs, blood  are routinely frozen and work perfectly well once reheated and reused, the concept is given another dose of reality. But, before we get too carried away and sign up at our nearest cryonics lab, it is important to realize we are still incredibly far from making this a viable intervention.

Whats in a name? At this point, it seems relevant to briefly mention the importance of the nomenclature of cryonics. In reality, what name we assign to a medical procedure or discipline should not matter, but in some cases, where discrepancies arise, it is important to know your terminology. In common usage, the freezing of a body with a plan to reanimate him or her in the future is often referred to as cryogenics. This is incorrect. Cryonics is the science of freezing and reanimation; cryogenics is the physics behind the production and effects of very low temperatures. The tone and capitalization in the following statement, taken from the Cryogenic Society of Americas website, gives us an idea of the general mood: Body Freezing is NOT Cryogenics. Its cryonics, and cryonics is NOT the same as cryogenics. We wish to clarify that cryogenics, which deals with extremely low temperatures, has no connection with cryonics, the belief that a persons body or body parts can be frozen at death, stored in a cryogenic vessel, and later brought back to life. We do NOT endorse this belief, and indeed, find it untenable. One of the scientists involved in the trauma research at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, mentioned above, makes the following insightful remark in an interview with New Scientist: We are suspending life, but we dont like to call it suspended animation because it sounds like science fiction. So we call it emergency preservation and resuscitation. The company 21CM  of frozen rabbit brain fame  develop the cryoprotectants for one of the major players in the cryonics industry  Alcor. But, on 21CMs website, they are swift to distance themselves from the potential furore. They do mention suspended animation in passing, but they are clearly not overly keen on being tarred with the weird science stick. No one, it seems, wants to be associated with the cryonics guys.
A clinical trial in which volunteers were infected with dengue virus six months after receiving either an experimental dengue vaccine developed by scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a placebo injection yielded starkly contrasting results. All 21 volunteers who received the vaccine, TV003, were protected from infection, while all 20 placebo recipients developed infection. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, underscores the importance of human challenge studies, in which volunteers are exposed to disease-causing pathogens under carefully controlled conditions.

Share on Pinterest This is a female Aedes mosquito, which spreads dengue virus.

Credit: NIAID

"The findings from this trial are very encouraging to those of us who have spent many years working on vaccine candidates to protect against dengue, a disease that is a significant burden in much of the world and is now endemic in Puerto Rico," said Stephen Whitehead, Ph.D., of NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). "In fact, these results informed the recent decision by officials at Brazil's Butantan Institute to advance the TV003 vaccine into a large phase 3 efficacy trial."

Dengue fever, prevalent throughout the tropics and subtropics, is caused by any of four related dengue viruses--called serotypes--that are spread by Aedes mosquitoes, the same mosquitoes that spread Zika virus. Most of the estimated 390 million people who are infected with dengue virus each year develop either no symptoms or a mild illness. However, some people develop serious or life-threatening illness and large outbreaks lead millions to seek care, severely straining health care infrastructure in endemic countries.

The high prevalence of natural dengue infections in endemic areas means that many people have experienced infection at some point in the past and therefore may have immunity to the infecting serotype. A high degree of partial immunity in a population can make it difficult to assess the efficacy of any candidate dengue vaccine. A model of dengue infection in humans is one way to overcome the absence of animal models and the challenge of high background immunity in endemic areas. It is important to note that human challenge studies are conducted according to strict criteria designed to provide meticulous attention to volunteer safety and challenge studies would never be used for certain deadly pathogens, such as Ebola.

The experimental vaccine was developed primarily by Dr. Whitehead and his colleagues at NIAID's Laboratory of Infectious Diseases. Scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also contributed to the vaccine's development. The candidate vaccine is made from a mixture of four live, weakened (attenuated) viruses targeted to each of the four serotypes. A total of 48 healthy adult volunteers enrolled at two trial sites, the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, and were randomly assigned to receive either vaccine or placebo injection.

Six months later, 41 people returned for the challenge with dengue virus. Dr. Whitehead and colleagues also developed the challenge virus used in the trial, which is a genetically modified version of a dengue-2 serotype virus isolated in the Kingdom of Tonga in 1974. The original virus was notable for causing only mild illness. In previous human challenge trials with this modified virus, Dr. Whitehead and his coinvestigators established the virus dose that would cause all recipients to develop viremia--the presence of virus in the blood--and most to develop a mild rash.

"This modified dengue virus is very attractive for use as a challenge virus because we can use it to reliably induce dengue infection in a very high percentage of inoculated volunteers without causing serious illness," said Dr. Whitehead. By inducing only rash (without fever) in the majority of recipients, the challenge virus mimics natural dengue virus infection, which often features such a rash, he noted.

A human challenge model of dengue infection--rather than illness--is an important characteristic, explained Anna Durbin, M.D., who led the clinical trial at Johns Hopkins.

"Because there are no specific therapies for dengue fever, it is desirable to have a challenge virus that causes infection, but does not result in significant symptoms of disease," she said. The reliably high percentage of those who develop viremia following exposure to this challenge virus is another advantage--when most or all volunteers develop viremia or other signs of infection, clinical trials can enroll relatively small numbers of people but still achieve answers to such questions as whether a candidate vaccine protects against infection, she noted.

In this study, all 20 placebo recipients developed viremia, 16 (80 percent) developed mild rash and 4 (20 percent) had a temporary drop in white blood cell count following challenge with the virus. None of the 21 TV003 vaccine recipients developed viremia or any other sign of infection after challenge.

"We were pleasantly surprised to see that this candidate vaccine provided complete protection in everyone who received it," said Dr. Durbin. "The dengue-2 serotype is considered the relatively weaker component in this, and other, candidate dengue vaccines, so its ability to confer protection from a challenge with dengue-2 virus was encouraging."

Dr. Whitehead is currently developing a human challenge model using a modified dengue serotype-3 virus. This challenge virus could be used in future clinical trials to test the efficacy of candidate dengue vaccines or therapies.

Dengue virus is in the same virus family as Zika virus, and the NIAID team is now leveraging their experience with the live-attenuated dengue vaccine in efforts to develop a Zika vaccine, Dr. Whitehead noted.
The head of The Innovation Group, Professor Rene Amalberti, has advised that healthcare systems must adapt in order to cope with our ageing populations. His editorial on the topic is published today in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care.

Professor Amalberti was speaking in anticipation of the publication of the editorial which discusses the impact of the current and escalating tsunami of ageing populations, which will present significant planning and budgetary challenges for global healthcare systems.

Since 1960, the global population has more than doubled to 7.2 billion. In developed countries, people aged over 60 make up more than 20% of the population and by the 2030s this will reach 40%. The paper warns that, given the chronic conditions associated with ageing and complex medical histories, these older cohorts present a significant planning and budgetary challenge for health systems across acute, primary and aged care.

At a symposium in Doha, Qatar in October, 2015, the Innovation Group of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) invited representatives from 16 countries who collectively shared visions, diagnoses and solutions on this issue.

Professor Amalberti commented that, "many developed countries are taking steps to organize and provide care and services differently. That being said, significant reforms have not yet been realised. A perception that change will be costly may be one factor that is inhibiting progress."

The paper examines countries with rapidly ageing populations (such as Japan, Canada and Switzerland) which are already adapting, and so offer some valuable insights. Steps such as a reduction of hospital beds and the consequent reallocation of acute care budgets to other areas such as day care and community healthcare and reforms in primary healthcare have begun, including reorganisation into communities of physicians for better coordination and coverage, and to help rein in costs.

Countries not ageing as rapidly (such as France, Denmark, Norway, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom) are following in the footsteps of the pacesetters, according to the paper.,Given that their ageing trends are a decade behind, their politicians and healthcare leaders seem slower to respond.

Professor Amalberti went on to say that, "in low and middle income countries there is a growing awareness of the impact of ageing on healthcare. However, this is seen as a longer term issue when considered against the current priorities of expanding access to care and paying for costly new treatments within limited budgets."

In rich and poor countries alike, the real challenge is to balance the needs of the present with those of preparing for the future.
Lack of a natural acid that keeps skin healthy could explain why some people are more likely to develop eczema, research suggests.

The study suggests that a shortage of the acid could affect how well immune system cells in the skin work. The acid appears to regulate immune cells and in its absence the skin could become inflamed, researchers say.

Scientists studied the acid - known as cis-urocanic acid - which is made from a protein that helps to build a protective barrier in the outer layers of skin.

An altered version of the gene that produces the protein - called filaggrin - is known to be found in up to half of people of European descent who have eczema. The altered gene could affect their ability to make cis-urocanic acid, the team says.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh made the discovery using blood and skin donated by patients, students and staff volunteers in hospitals in Edinburgh and Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh.

Cis-urocanic acid is made by the skin in response to sunlight. Researchers believe this could explain why some people find their eczema gets better in sunshine.

The study is published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Skin specialist Dr Claire Leitch, who took part in the research by the University's Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, said: "Our study suggests the filaggrin protein, and the cis-urocanic acid it forms, are important for building protective barriers in the skin. This helps to stop the skin over-reacting to dust, detergents and other irritants."

The research has been funded by the Foundation for Skin Research, the British Skin Foundation, the Edinburgh Dermatology Research Fund, the Medical Research Council, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the Wellcome Trust.
RINVOQ is now approved as the first and only oral JAK inhibitor for adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) RINVOQ is the first and only JAK inhibitor approved for both active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and ...


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You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.
On March 8, 2016, during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, an American tourist was killed and 14 Israelis and tourists were wounded in three terrorist attacks that took place in Jaffa, Jerusalem and Petah Tikva. Rajab Abu Suraya, a columnist for the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, praised the attacks in his March 11 column. He wrote that the attacks were important because they took place not in the occupied territories but rather inside Israel proper; thus, they brought the fight to Israel's home front, and conveyed the message that "the Palestinian people will not die and will not rest until it removes the Israeli occupation with its bare hands." Abu Suraya also criticized VP Biden for condemning the attacks, saying that he had condemned the victims rather than Israel, the occupier and the executor. He added that the U.S. has never supported the oppressed in the world and always acts in the service of Israel.

The following are excerpts from the article.[1]



Rajab Abu Suraya (image: Shasha.ps, February 12, 2016)

The Attacks Were Important Because They Took Place Inside The Green Line

"Following the three attacks that took place last Tuesday [March 8], Israel's Minister of Public Security, Gilad Erdan, its police chief and the heads of its security apparatuses held an emergency meeting to assess the situation. [After the meeting] they announced that the three attacks had been uncoordinated and had probably been [private] initiatives of individuals. This is not a new conclusion of the Israeli security forces, but the importance of these attacks lies in the fact that they came after a long period in which there was no [event of] three attacks occurring on the same day. Even more importantly, all three occurred inside the Green Line: in Jerusalem, Petah Tikva and Jaffa. This is very important, because Israel has made a habit of turning the Arab and Palestinian territories into the battle zone, so that the economic damage be sustained by the other side [and not by Israel itself].

"...[These attacks come] almost six months after the start of the Jerusalem Awakening [i.e., the current wave of attacks], even though there are restraining elements on both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides that prevent this awakening from becoming a comprehensive intifada. So far, the clashes have not spread to all the [Palestinian] cities and villages, and apart from young men and women, no other sectors are taking part in them] The means, too, have not been expanded to include firearms, as happened in the second intifada, for example.

"Shifting the battle zone into [the region] inside the Green Line means that the fire has reached Israel's fingers, [the fingers] that are burning everything in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and that [Israel's] field executions[2] - by now over 200 of them - cannot continue without having repercussions [for Israel itself]..."

The Attacks Convey A Message: There Will Be No Security Inside Israel As Long As There Is No Security In The Territories

"The common denominator of the three attacks that the Israeli authorities discussed [was that all three took place during] the visit to the region by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who met that evening with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Out of their awareness [to the importance of] resistance, the attackers tried to send a clear message to the U.S. administration, that the continued Israeli occupation in Palestine is a keg of gunpowder that could set the entire region on fire, and that Israel will not be secure as long as Palestine is not safe and secure.

"Surely, the death of the American tourist was not what caused Biden to demand an end to what he called 'terror' so that the political process could be renewed. [By 'terror'] he obviously meant the ongoing Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation - and this is a reversal of the correct picture and a travesty of human justice, [for] all the monotheistic religions, as well as the UN, sanction resistance against occupation by all possible means, including through armed struggle."

The U.S. Is Condemning The Victim Instead Of The Occupier

"The U.S. has never supported the oppressed or the liberation movements [in the world]. It supports some of the peoples in the region in toppling some of the regimes, and does not hesitate to do so despite hundreds of thousands of fatalities. Why [then] would it condemn the death of a handful of [Palestinians], or even dozens of them, on the altar of liberation from occupation by the most terrible tyrannical regime in the entire world[?]

"Since the Americans are accustomed to selling empty words to the Palestinians, in Ramallah Joe Biden repeated [the call for] a two-state solution, strengthening Netanyahu's occupying and murdering hands. He condemned neither the occupation nor the settlements nor the field executions - only the victims' resistance and the mosquito's attempts to annoy the lion.

"Biden's visit would not have been important or worth writing an article about if it hadn't been for the three simultaneous attacks. The important point is that the attacks occurred inside the Green Line, and thus conveyed a message that the Palestinian people will not die and will not rest until it removes the Israeli occupation with its bare hands, and imposes justice and equality among the residents of the region. Biden and Obama will continue to throw dust in some people's eyes, and will continue to spew many empty words in order to continue serving Israel by [helping it to] curb the French initiative [for the establishment of a Palestinian state] and perhaps even in order to promote [the campaigns of] the Democratic presidential candidates [in the U.S.]..."

Endnotes:
On March 12, 2016, the Fatah movement held a ceremony marking the 38th anniversary of the death of female terrorist Dalal Al-Mughrabi in Fatah's March 11, 1978 Coastal Road terror attack, in which 35 Israeli civilians, among them 13 children, were killed and 71 were wounded. She had been deputy commander of the attack. The ceremony was held at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) center in Al-Bireh, in the Ramallah governorate.[1]

Fatah's Mobilization and Organization Commission tweeted posters commemorating Dalal Al-Mughrabi on the anniversary of her death, as well as an official notice inviting the public to attend the memorial ceremony at the PRCS center.[2]



Fatah poster commemorating Dalal Al-Mughrabi



Public invitation to ceremony

Ramallah Governor: Palestinian Women Are Proud To Be Called "Dalal's Sisters"

Ceremony participants included Ramallah and Al-Bireh governor Laila Ghanam, as well as members of the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah's Central Committee. Ghanam praised Al-Mughrabi and said: "The nickname 'Dalal's Sisters' is the pride of all Palestinian women. Dalal insisted on bearing arms alongside her male counterparts and be with them in the field."[3]

PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef said: "Our people will not abandon the option of struggle and resistance until we can realize our national project... Blessings to all the martyrs who gave their most precious possessions - their souls - for the homeland."[4]



Ramallah governor Laila Ghanam at the memorial ceremony (Facebook.com/Dr.Laila.ghanam, March 12, 2016)

Fatah Official: Israel Forces Our Children To Carry Out Knife Attacks

Fatah Central Committee member General Sultan Abu Al-'Einen said: "Our people has wearied of chasing false peace. Israel and its extremist government must stop [their] incitement and stop spilling Palestinian blood, so that our children and young people will stop responding [to this]. Israel bears the full responsibility for the escalation we are witnessing in the Palestinian territories, following the operations of the terrorist settlers. We can either live on our soil in honor and pride, or the soil will embrace us [as we die] with honor.

"It is Israel that forces our children to carry out stabbing operations against soldiers and settlers. We have no honor in the presence of the mothers of the martyrs unless we act to establish our independent state. The popular resistance is not just a slogan. It is being put into practice, much to the displeasure of the occupation. Today, more than ever, we need national unity and unity in the ranks."[5]



At the ceremony. In the front are Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki , Governor Laila Ghanam, PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef, and Dalal Al-Mughrabi's sister Rashida (Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate, March 13, 2016)

Dalal Al-Mughrabi's sister Rashida, who also participated in the ceremony, called on the Palestinian Authority to retrieve the body of Dalal, who is buried in Israel. She added: "Dalal's blood courses through the veins of all Palestinians. Dalal loved the Palestinian people and Palestine before even setting eyes on Palestine."[6]

During the artistic part of the ceremony, a little girl named Majd Abu Rmeileh recited a poem, and a Scout troop gave a musical performance.[7]



Governor Laila Ghanam and a Scout troop, at the ceremony (Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate, March 12, 2016)

PA Papers Present Coastal Road Attack In Positive Light

The Palestinian press also marked the anniversary of Al-Mughrabi's death, and presented the Coastal Road massacre that she helped lead in a positive light. For example, the March 11, 2016 front page of the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida featured an article calling the attack "an operation of sacrifice and heroism."

Additionally, on International Women's Day (March 8, 2016), the East Jerusalem daily Al-Quds published an article featuring the stories of Al-Mughrabi and other Palestinian women, some of whom had carried out terrorist attacks, and said that they "took part in making history." The article presented Al-Mughrabi as "one of the most famous Palestinian fighters."[8]



Al-Quds article on International Women's Day

Endnotes:
Known to never mince her words, Kangana Ranaut recently spilled some beans when she referred to Hrithik Roshan as her ex. Eyebrows were raised and questions were asked. Hrithik Roshan struck back by saying hed rather be with the Pope than Kangana Ranaut and ever since then, skeletons are being dragged out of the closet and nobody really knows what had been going on between these celebrities all this while. But, a close friend of Kangana Ranaut has revealed some very murky details of their alleged affair to Mumbai Mirror and it sounds really, really messy. Heres a timeline of all that happened between Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan.

1. Hrithik and Kangana found solace in each others company - Year 2009

Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan met on the sets of the show Tere Mere Beach Mein and hit it off. She had just ended her relationship with Adhyayan Suman while Hrithik was still married.

It started out as a friendship between two people who were both going through a rough patch, during the shooting of Kites in 2009. His marriage was in trouble and his relationship with his Kites co-star, Mexican model-actress Barbara Mori, wasn't working out. Kangana was going through troubles of her own and they found solace in each other's company and became good friends, the friend revealed.

 Facebook

2. Hrithik Roshan offered Kangana Ranaut a role in Krrish 3

"Even though Kangana's career was not exactly shining at the time, she said no to Hrithik. She felt rather uncomfortable with the attention he was showing.

3. Six months later, Hrithik-Kangana started dating

He pursued her for 6 more months, and she finally gave in. That's when they got into a relationship after he confided in her that he and his wife (Sussanne) slept in separate bedrooms.

4. Hrithik wasnt ready to divorce Susaanne

They kept their relationships under wraps. However, Kangana could never talk about the relationship openly as Hrithik had told her categorically that he would never divorce Sussanne

5. Hrithik told Kangana he would divorce Sussanne  December 2013

Kangana Ranaut was holidaying in Switzerland alone after the shooting of Krrish 3 when Hrithik Roshan called her to tell her he was going to divorce Sussanne. "She was on top of the world as he also told her he wanted to marry her after the divorce. But doubts cropped up in her mind. She didn't know whether Hrithik was serious or not. She kept saying that maybe he wanted to be with her on the rebound.

 Facebook

6. Hrithik Roshan divorced Sussanne in December 2013

The duo finally made their split public in December 2013.

7. Hrithik flew to Paris to propose to Kangana  January 2014

"You may think this is coming out of a rebound. But I have no doubts about our future happiness because you are the only person who has never judged me. And I have felt a strong connection with you from Day One." This was the proposal.

8. Hrithik started avoiding Kangana Ranaut soon after  February 2014

"In the first week of February, soon after he resumed shooting for Bang Bang, Hrithik stopped communicating with her. Kangana took off for a vacation in New York where she heard rumours about his growing closeness to his Bang Bang co-star Katrina Kaif. On February 14, she confronted him about the rumours when Hrithik called her and asked him to be honest with her. He only wanted to know if anyone was aware of the engagement. When Kangana told him that she had informed her family about it, he said that she had misunderstood his intentions.

9. Kangana moved on.

Realizing he had bailed out on her, Kangana prepared herself to move on.

10. Hrithik asked for forgiveness  March 2014

"But Hrithik wasn't done yet. Soon after Kangana won the National Award for Queen in March 2014, he called, begging her to forgive him and take him back.

 Filmkraft

11. Kangana allegedly started seeing another actor  April 2014

Kangana hit it off with another actor at an awards function. "But Hrithik felt insecure. He confronted her and asked if she wanted to tell him something. She told him not to be insecure about their relationship, but that didn't appease him," the friend said.

12. Hrithik and Kangana had an ugly spat at Karan Johars Party  May 2014

"The final blow to their on-again, off-again relationship came in May 2014 at Karan Johar's party. They hadn't spoken for a couple of weeks. When they met at KJo's party, Kangana put her hand on Hrithik's arm. He reacted angrily and asked her how could she have set up a date with another actor for the following Wednesday," the friend said. "Kangana didn't know what had hit her. Had the two been gossiping behind her back? How else could Hrithik have known about the meeting, she kept asking as she took the elevator."

13. Hrithik hacked into Kanganas account

Kangana then realised that the young actor had shared his email address with her. She realised that Hrithik could have hacked into her email account and may have been impersonating him. Two days later, her fears came true when she met the young superstar again and he asked her out for coffeehe was clueless about the episode with Hrithik which meant that he was obviously not gossiping behind her back. She then pointed out to Rangoli (Kangana's sister and manager) that some of her mails had disappeared. She always knew that Hrithik was very tech-savvy.

Shaken up by that, she called up Rakesh Roshan and told him that if her suspicions were true, Hrithik could land into a lot of trouble for cybercrime. Papa Roshan was really shaken by the conversation and told her that he would speak to Hrithik about it. She deleted the account and decided to wash her hands of the affair," the friend said.

14. Hrithik and Kangana got back together

"But Hrithik finally managed to get his way. He and Kangana were back together. This time she gave him the password to her new account so he could check on her mails officially, but that didn't make things any better between them. Even though industry friends believed them to be in an intense relationship, referring to her as "bhabhi" in private, Hrithik preferred to project a Casanova image after his divorce came through.

15. Hrithik became too possessive

"Kangana was also upset that while Hrithik wished everybody on Twitter before the big release, he never bucked her up for Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Katti Batti. Obviously, Hrithik had gone back to his secretive ways. Hrithik had also started keeping an eye on her. He had a man posted outside her apartment to report on Kangana's movements, knew who she interacted with, which flight she was taking, where she was going, etc. She knew that she was in a downward spiral. She was emotionally attached to Hrithik, having been in a two-year relationship. At the same time, she wanted to date a man who was unencumbered; somebody with whom she could go out and not be confined behind closed doors. She wanted to end it. But Hrithik was not ready to let her go. He made things ugly," the friend said.

 Filmkraft

16. Hrithik Roshan threw her out of Aashiqui 3  January 2016

There were blind items appearing in gossip columns, stories put out that he had her thrown out of the race of contenders for Aashiqui 3 when he was in talks with Bhushan Kumar and Mohit Suri for the musical. There were also murmurs of her sending him erotic texts and nude pictures of hers and his co-stars messages to stay away from him. The duo allegedly broke up soon after that.

17. Kangana Ranaut made their affair public  January 2016

Kangana Ranaut spilled the beans in an interview with Pinkvilla where she referred to Hrithik Roshan as her ex. I dont know why exes do silly things to get your attention. For me that chapter is over and I dont dig graves. Shots were fired.

Hrithik responded to Kanganas statement with a tweet saying hed rather be with the Pope than her. No, Im not hurt. I respect the other persons opinion also. Its very likely that a person can have a different perspective on the same situation or rather the past. But then, stick to your stand. Dont slyly pursue people and spy on them, chase them. So we sign and seal the deal and then move on, Kangana Ranaut retorted in an interview with NDTV.

19. They sent each other legal notices  March 2016

Hrithik Roshan filed a defamation case against Kangana Ranaut for referring to him as her ex. The notice claimed that he had received 1439 senseless, personal and absurd emails from her. It also alleged that Kangana Ranaut was suffering from Aspergers Syndrome. Kangana Ranaut slapped him with a legal notice too, charging him for threat and intimidation and taking advantage of his impending divorce to play with her emotions.

With every passing day, the story is only getting more complicated. The Hrithik-Kangana chaos is going to float around for a while, it seems.
Jail-breaks are always glamorized in the movies but they are nothing like the real ones. However, these two Canadian dudes begged to differ and literally pulled off a Hollywood-esque prison-break. The two prisoners, Hudon Barbeau and Danny Provencal, were captured on tape in the middle of a very, very dramatic jailbreak in 2013. Though the footage is pretty old, it recently blew up on the internet because the prisoners had escaped using a rope and a helicopter!

 YouTube

The men first try to rope-climb to the rooftop where a helicopter is waiting for them but fail miserably. After struggling for about 4 minutes, the men give up and decide to just cling to the rope as the helicopter pulls them away just like in the movies. Well, if you are wondering where the hell were the guards, reports say that the guards had no weapons to confront the fleeing inmates.
Hacker activist group Anonymous has declared Total War on Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump. A video released by the group explains why it has become necessary to sabotage Trumps campaign and reveal the real agenda behind his various policy ideas.

Donald Trump is leading the Republic Nomination race ahead of Ted Cruz. Marco Rubio, who lost his home state Florida to Trump dropped out after a disappointing campaign.

One contributor to Anonymous headquarter website named Righteous had a warning for all those members who want to contribute to the cause. This is what he said:

As a contributor for Anonymous news I feel it would be unethical for me not to place a warning in with this type of posting. Usually when an attack occurs people do not go out and announce the exact date and time to the public weeks in advance. Make no mistake Donald Trump will be aware of this event now and you can bet the NSA and the Secret Service will be particularly interested in monitoring all the internet activity on these sites April 1st. Understand, the group of Anonymous who took out Turkey are the elite of the elite hackers. If you do not know what you are doing, do not know how to hide your IP or cover your tracks and you participate in this attack you will be caught.

The group has already released a data file with Trumps social security number, date of birth and private cell-phone number.

 Reuters

Trumps position on cyber-security has been vague from the start wherein he believes we need to shut down internet to combat ISIS. Well, we guess his stance on some core issues will change if Anonymous handicaps his businesses this April Fools Day.
Business / Companies

by Staff Reporter



For further details contact:

Maestro Restro Lounge & Bar of 146 Enterprise Road, Highlands, Zimbabwe has won the prestigious INTERNATIONAL STAR for LEADERSHIP in QUALITY (ISLQ) in the GOLD category. The award is of a result of research and analysis carried out on Maestro Restaurant by Quality Hunters and experts in quality and the process was directed by Business Initiative Directions (BID) which recognized Maestro's contribution in leadership, quality, innovation and excellence.In May 2016, Maestro will join other world leaders to celebrate this achievement and receive the award in Paris, France. The ceremony will be attended by companies from 74 countries, together with leaders from different business fields, professionals from the worlds of economics, the arts and corporate image, quality experts, as well as academic personalities and representatives from the diplomatic corps."The goal of BID is to provide a forum to establish the standards of excellence for quality development and to honour the people and organizations responsible for developing the most effective actions that exemplify that excellence," says Jose E. Prieto, President of BID. "The BID Quality Award provides companies of all sizes and market segments an opportunity to earn a reputable seal of approval that come with winning an award."Maestro is only the 4th Zimbabwean company to have been given this award since its inception in 1986. This has seen Maestro; a Zimbabwean brand competing with internationally franchised businesses from all over the world and walking away with Gold."The award will further highlight Harare as a 'must visit' tourist destination and lifts the Zimbabwean flag even higher on this internationally respected platform", said Mr Ben Nyaumwe the Director of Maestro. "This award will again remind the world that Zimbabwe is alive and is producing world class tourism establishments", he added.Maestro has other remarkable achievements and awards which include hosting some of Zimbabwe's high level events and functions such as welcome dinners for Toni Braxton, BabyFace and Anne Kansiime. Maestro won the best cocktail venue award in 2014. It is the first lounge to introduce to the local market the very popular Arabic Hookah pipe commonly known. 'Shisha' or 'Hubbly Bubbly'.Maestro also boasts a beautiful glass house for conferencing and events catering for up to 300 people and continues to live up to its theme of 'Food. People. Music.'Victor Chiduku - Maestro Manager +263 772 374 832Norah Spie - Maestro Public Relations +263 772 392 669
News / Africa

by AFP

Abuja - Nigeria's former chief of defence staff bought property including a $5.5m mansion with air force money, passing off his fraudulent withdrawals as staff salaries, a court heard on Wednesday.Retired air chief marshal Alex Badeh is on trial at a federal high court in Abuja, accused of diverting $19.8m, for his own use.The 59-year-old, arrested as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign by President Muhammadu Buhari, denies 10 counts of fraud, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.The finance director under Badeh when he was chief of air staff at the time of the alleged offences in 2013 said he exchanged 558.2 million naira for dollars every month on his boss' instructions.The money was part of some four billion naira set aside for monthly salaries for air force personnel, retired air commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau told the court in evidence.The withdrawals were accounted for "as salaries because the disbursement was done along with salaries", he said.Yushau, who retired in December 2013, said he bought properties with the money for Badeh and his son, including a mansion in the upmarket Maitama district of Abuja worth 1.1 billion naira.Former president Goodluck Jonathan appointed Badeh chief of defence staff in January 2014 at a time of growing dissatisfaction at the military's handling of the Boko Haram insurgency.Badeh vowed a swift end to the conflict but his time in office saw the Islamist militants run riot in three northeast states, seizing swathes of territory.Nigerian troops seemed unable, and were often unwilling to fight back, with complaints about a lack of weapons and even bullets compared to the better armed militants.On Badeh's watch, Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from their school in Chibok, in Borno state, northeast Nigeria.Former national security advisor Sambo Dasuki is currently facing a separate trial over his alleged diversion of billions of dollars in weapons procurement cash using fictitious defence contracts.Trial judge Okon Abang adjourned Badeh's case and remanded him in custody until March 23 to allow the defence time to prepare cross-examination.
The Deputy Foreign Minister for International Economic Cooperation, Dimitris Mardas, today completed a two-day working visit to Sarajevo, where a high-level meeting took place between the co-chairs of the Greece-Bosnia and Herzegovina Joint Interministerial Committee (JIC). In their capacity as co-chairs of the JIC, Mr. Mardas and the Bosnia-Herzegovina Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Mr. Sarovic, reaffirmed the excellent level of bilateral political relations, while emphasizing the further strengthening of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.



In the framework of his visit, Mr. Mardas also met with the President of the Cabinet, the Presidia of the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples, the Foreign Minister and the Deputy Transport Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Mr. Mardas also addressed a business forum that took place yesterday, with the participation of entrepreneurs from the two countries. Finally, on the margins of the business forum, a memorandum of cooperation was signed by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
News / Local

by Staff Reporter

Prominent human rights defender and Masvingo Residents Trust president, Prosper Tiringindi (27) was severely assaulted by Police and had to be admitted at Masvingo General Hospital for two days from last Thursday evening.Masvingo Mirror reported that Tiringindi had allegedly intervened in a matter where officers on patrol were harassing commuter drivers at PicknPay Supermarket in Masvingo.Tiringindi spent two days admitted at Masvingo General Hospital receiving treatment for the wounds he sustained at the hands of the Police who took turns to beat him up for intervening in what he felt was an unfair arrest on a motorist.He was examined by a Dr Zihove from the general hospital who ascertained that Tiringindi sustained, "injuries consistent with having been caused by a blunt object," read the report from the Doctor.He is set to appear in court for disorderly conduct and his appearance would be by way of summons.He was accompanied by a colleague Ephraim Mtombeni.The assault happened in full view of elected councillors for the city, Cllr Godfrey Kurauone Ward 4 and Cllr Richard Musekiwa Ward 7
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Right has assisted Cynthia Muhenyeri to obtained her Ordinary level certificate which the school was refusing to released because he owed it some money.This was revealed by ZLHR communications officer Kumbirai Mafunda who said ZLHR on Tuesday 15 March 2016 ensured that 20 year-old Cynthia Muhenyeri can now progress and pursue her dreams after the lawyer Blessing Nyamaropa handed her, her Ordinary Level examination results certificate in Chivhu in which she passed 11 subjects and obtained 3As, 6Bs and 2Cs."Cynthia, who completed her Ordinary Level education at Mukaro Mission in Gutu, in Masvingo province in 2012, had not accessed her examination results because she owed some outstanding school fees/levies. But school authorities at Mukaro Mission School released the results after holding a meeting with Nyamaropa representing Cynthia, who convinced the school authorities to release her results and advised them to recover their outstanding fees from Cynthia's parents rather holding back her life," Mafunda said."ZLHR comments Mukaro Mission School for assisting Cynthia through her financial difficulties which she encountered during her studies."
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Mthwakazi Republic Party has claimed that the land reform programme that was introduced by President Robert Mugabe in 2000 brought more disadvantages to people in Matabeleland when most of the people who benefited were from outside the provinces.In a statement party, secretary general Hloniphani Ncube said Mthwakazi Republic Party appreciates that, the land crisis dates back from the colonial era up to the present day due to the unplanned self centred unpleasantly Mugabe led government land reform policy."Whilst the colonial land policies were quite unfair to the majority Mthwakazi people, the Mugabe policy doubled, because issues around land reform were not only unfair, but rather it became ruthless and more aggressive full of racism, tribalism and degradation of the Mthwakazi economy," he said."The land reform undertaken by Zanu PF government did not reform the imbalances that existed due to colonial policies, but instead imbalances became more tribal and intensively racial. Land particularly in Mthwakazi is now owned largely by the Shona cronies at the expense of the local Mthwakazi people and the friends of the Mugabe regime from the East."He said for example in Ntabazinduna Obert Mpofu settled the Shona settlers from the grazing lands of the local Mthwakazi people without the consultation and approval of the local people."Our policy as a party is simple, we will distribute land equally among our citizens beyond colour, tribe and race. Both Whites and Blacks we believe can applying the principles of humanity solve this crisis, that would permanently address the wrong doings of the past," he said."As Mthwakazi Republic Party we believe land is key if properly dealt with to rebuild Bulawayo and Mthwakazi at large as an industrial hub of Africa and the world at large. Mthwakazi is blessed with rich lands with abundant mineral resources that are currently looted by the Zimbabwean government."Ncube said it is on record that since 1980 the Mugabe led government have worked tirelessly to completely destroy Mthwakazi agricultural production which subsequently led to the collapse of the Mthwakazi agricultural."We believe in allocating commercial land to able people in spite of their race or tribe to revive the lost glory of Mthwakazi nation, which the Zanu PF government have worked tirelessly to disgrace it. Our expects in these areas have proven that since, it does not take more than six months to get Mthwakazi working again if the political administration is in proper hands," he said."Land crisis have not only been experienced in the agricultural sector and rural areas alone, but this under the influence of the 1979 grand plan have been implemented in Mthwakazi cities like Bulawayo, Gwanda, Plumtree and Lupane among others. Our teams on ground have established that the government of Zimbabwe through the ministry currently led by Kasukwere have worked tirelessly to distribute houses and stands to their fellow Shona people at the expense of the Mthwakazi people."Ncube said there exist a high level of imbalances between the Shona people from Zimbabwe and other tribes including Sotho, Ndebele, Khalanga, Swati, Tonga among the hosts of others predominately Mthwakazi."We believe as a party that land reform is an urgent issue that does not need to wait until we have been granted independence to solve it. As a party we will start to work on addressing this matter very soon. With the people of Mthwakazi united, our vision is possible. We shall be free and very soon," Ncube said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A police officer, who allegedly said President Robert Mugabe was "too old to rule and married to a prostitute", was actually canvassing support for former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First party, the court heard yesterday.Thompson Joseph Mloyi (44) is being charged with insulting the President or Office of the President by allegedly uttering the words denigrating Mugabe and his wife, First Lady Grace Mugabe, while at Cranborne Police Station on March 5.Mloyi's trial opened yesterday just after magistrate, Tendai Mahwe threw out his application for referral to the Constitutional Court.Mloyi is attached to the Police Reaction Group based at Cranborne Police Station.
OLIVER TOWNSHIP  Exelon Wind Generation says it has sent materials to an independent lab for analysis from the site where a 400-foot wind turbine fell.

Crews continue to inspect the site near Berne and Gagetown roads where the 485,000-pound, $1.5 million turbine fell on a farm field on Feb. 25. The Vestas V82 turbine was one of 2,500 installed in the U.S. and 7,000 worldwide and only the second failure ever, according to Jeff Smith, the countys building and zoning director.

I guess we have to wait to see if theyre going to abandon the site or replace it, we dont know yet, Oliver Township Supervisor Larry Krohn said.

Probably within the next week or two we should be able to get a report from them.

Exelon says it is looking into the turbines pitch system, which controls how the blades move back and forth.

The full investigation will take at least a few months, Kristen Otterness of Exelon said in an email.

Smith, who visited the site with township officials days after the incident, said Exelon hired third party investigators to join its own team and crews from Denmark-based Vestas. The township also had an engineer from Spicer Group come out, Krohn said.

Exelon says it believes the event at Harvest 1 was an isolated, turbine-specific event and not a larger fleet-wide issue.

There are no concerns, not yet, for the potential for falls, breaks or other malfunctions at nearby turbines, according to Krohn. There are 52 turbines in Oliver and 79 in bordering Chandler Township. Winsor and McKinley townships to the east and northeast have 47.

Brion Dickens chairs Oliver Townships planning commission, which reviews developers plans to build in the township and decides permits.

I was appointed by Oliver Township to take the lead on that investigation, Dickens told county commissioners Tuesday, as they interviewed him for a position on the countys planning commission.

Dickens did not return a call Wednesday seeking comment.

Earlier during the interview, Commissioner Rich Swartzendruber asked whether Dickens had a pro-wind bias. Dickens said he fully appreciate(s) the fact that yes, I have a pro-wind bias.

If you wanted to interview my supervisor, you would see that I really have not pulled any punches. I am going after them and they will be held accountable, Dickens said, alluding to the fallen turbine in Oliver Township. Im not biased in that regard.

The township did ask if a certain part of other turbines would need replacement, similar to a recall on a vehicle, according to Krohn.

So far I know theyve cleaned up what they can, Krohn said. Theyre waiting for the frost laws (to lift) so they can get in there.

Exelon says it hasnt made a decision on whether the turbine will be replaced. If the company decides to build a new one, it would have to go through the entire process again of site plan review, Krohn said, and eventually special use permit consideration.

The turbine also spilled 25 gallons of greases, oil and coolant, according to the Department of Environmental Quality, which said the spill was contained. There is no imminent drinking water or environmental health threat, a DEQ official later told the Tribune. According to Exelon, the turbine held about 400 gallons of oil. (Full story here: http://bit.ly/1TVboJD.)

Turbine manufacturer Vestas did not return a message seeking comment.

The fall marked the second time a turbine had failed during a six-day stretch in February.

Crews are still investigating how a 160-foot, 7-ton wind turbine blade broke in eastern Huron County on Feb. 19, leaving it dangling like a shoelace and torqued around the structure (http://bit.ly/1Lg43TJ).

DTE Energy owns the turbine. Per Huron Countys ordinance, the utility will have to fix the turbine or remove it from that location. Smith says DTE will replace the broken blade and resume operation once the turbine is re-commissioned.
LANSING  The Joint Committee on the Flint Water Public Health Emergency had its first meeting Tuesday. Rep. Ed Canfield says it went fine.

Canfield, a Sebewaing physician and first-term state representative for Huron and Tuscola counties, is among two Democrats and four Republicans on the panel, which the Legislature formed to review findings from the Flint water crisis.

The goal of the committee is not to assign blame, but to look at how this occurred (and) where the breakdowns were  and there were many, Canfield said.

They spent a little over an hour adopting ground rules and reviewing a report from the states Auditor General, Canfield said. The report found that staffers in the Department of Environmental Qualitys drinking water office failed to order the city to treat its water with anti-corrosion chemicals as it switched to the Flint River in April 2014, but also said the rules they failed to heed may not be strong enough to protect the public, according to the Associated Press.

It indicated the Department did not hold up their end of the bargain, Canfield said.

Tuesdays discussion brought them no closer to a consensus regarding Flint water crisis findings, according to Canfield.

The report spoke of problems mostly that we already knew about, he said.

In February, after Canfield was chosen to be on the panel, he told the Tribune legislators want to answer burning questions from the public on how the crisis happened, and ensure it doesnt again.

The answers will come out, but its premature for me to speak from my perspective on it, he said.

He said his concern is thousands of Flint-area families believe they are being poisoned by lead.

Not to be mistaken that this is a tragic situation and it should have never happened  but I am not sure that we are going to find the effects of lead poisoning is going to be severe as what is discussed in the media at this point in time, Canfield said in February, adding its going to be less of a concern than what the media will have you consider.

Still its a real crisis, Canfield said, adding he hopes the end result will be improved policy.

If this occurred in Bad Axe, wed be afraid, he said. We would want folks paying attention to us.

He says he finds it very interesting to be on the panel. The physician says he can be subjective, having dealt with people who have had lead in their systems my whole career, and that hes aware of treatment options.

But politics throws the curve ball.

The green representative says the election year has been a factor and that the Flint water crisis has been very politicized.

Politics always gets in the way, he said. There will be lots of people assigning blame.

Canfield said he recently watched a video on lead poisoning that occurred in Washington, D.C., eight or 10 years ago that was worse than the crisis in Flint, because there was more exposure.

This is not the first time its happened, and we want to make sure its the last time it happens in Michigan, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof and House Speaker Kevin Cotter announced Feb. 23 the creation of the Joint Committee on the Flint Water Public Health Emergency, chaired by Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland.

It will get fiery next week, Canfield said, when the committee takes a look at DEQ reports.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said the Obama administration denied a request for money to help Flint households, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency earlier approved an emergency declaration to bring up to $5 million in direct funding to Flint. Federal officials denied declaring a disaster, which could have brought millions more.

RELATED:

Ex-officials point fingers at hearing on Flint water crisis: http://bit.ly/1poAXr3

Former EPA official defends actions on Flint water crisis: http://bit.ly/1TONlhf

Board OKs $1.5M for Michigan AGs Flint probe: http://bit.ly/1Lr3s1V
Saturday, March 19

 Bad Axe Free Methodist Church wil host Easter Egg Hunts at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. All three hunts will be the same, including drawings for Easter baskets and bikes for all ages. For more info, call the church, which is located at 165 Pigeon Road, at 989-269-8664.

 Harbor Beach Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Lions Club in the K-8 gym at Harbor Beach Community Schools. A breakfast with the Easter Bunny is planned from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Als Restaurant. The egg hunt is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 26

 Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. at Pigeon Recreational Park-Ball Diamonds, sponsored by the Pigeon Chamber of Commerce. Age groups are 2 to 4 years, 5 to 7 and 8 to 11. The Easter Bunny has scheduled a visit and there will be an Easter Basket Giveaway as well.

 Easter Egg Helicopter Drop at 11 a.m. at Community Wesleyan Church of Elkton. There will be 2,500 eggs for three age groups  0 to 3 4 to 7 and age 8 and up.

 Caseville Kiwanis Club Easter Egg Hunt on the Caseville School grounds at 11 a.m. Egg gatherers are to meet at the east end of the parking lot prior to the event. There will be three age groups: 0-4 years, 5-8 years, and 9-12 years. Each child will receive a bag of candy, and prizes will be awarded in the three age categories. The egg hunt is scheduled to take place rain or shine. For more details, call 989-856-2247.

 Easter Egg Hunt and Carnival/Cake Walk at the Huron Youth Center in Elkton, starting at 10:30 a.m. for the cake walk and carnival, and 11 a.m. for the egg hunt. There will be egg hunts in four age groups for children up to fifth grade.

 Bay Port Easter Egg Hunt at 11 a.m. at the local fire hall.

 Port Austin Chamber Easter Egg Hunt at noon at Gallup Park for children age 10 and under. There will be three age groups: 4 years and under, 5 to 7 and 8 to 10. For more info, call 989-738-7600 or visit www.portaustinarea.com.

 Easter Egg Hunt at the Sebewaing Village Park. Visit sebewaingchamber.com, email cdeming@sebewaingchamber.comor call 989-551-2739 for more information.
John Prich, 89, a lifelong Gagetown area farmer, passed away on March 15, 2016, at Courtney Manor in Bad Axe while under Hospice Care, his family celebrating his life at his side.

He was born Dec. 27, 1926, near Bach, to George and Martha (Haag) Prich.

He attended school at St. Peters Lutheran School in Bach for his primary education, and later was granted a GED from Sebewaing Schools following his time in the military. He assisted on the family farm near Bach, and in September of 1950, purchased 80 acres in Brookfield Township. He would later add 40 more acres in a lifetime of farming, retiring in 2000 to care for his wife, Helen. In his lifetime, he worked with horses, twin cylinder tractors and eventually larger machinery. He was intrigued by modern technology and enjoyed playing with many new things.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army in November of 1952, finishing his initial training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and in March of 1953 traveled by train to New York City and reported to Ft. Totten, eventually training at Montauk firing range on 90 mm anti-aircraft guns. He was discharged in November of 1954, at the rank of corporal.

John married Helen Lenora Herman of Unionville on April 16, 1955, in Unionville after corresponding during his military service, building his own home with the assistance of his brother, George, and making room for his soon to be three children. During the winter seasons, he would work at the Sebewaing Sugar Factory, assist his brother George in carpentry, or his brother-in-law Kenneth Herman in his dynamiting business. He assisted in wiring many commercial chicken coops in the Sebewaing, Pigeon and Bay Port areas. He and his brother, George, also did custom combining for dozens of area farmers for many years.

He was an avid and dedicated weather observer for more than 40 years, reporting temperature and rainfall to the local MSU Extension office, Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin. He was also a phenology observer for the USA National Phenology Network, reporting on springtime plant phenomena observations.

He was a lifelong member of St. Peters Lutheran Church in Bach where he also assisted in construction of the current church building.

John is survived by his sons, Gerry (Suzanne) Prich of Bad Axe and Harold (Janet) Prich of Gagetown; his daughter, Karen Zeitler of Eaton Rapids; his grandchildren, Brandon (Jandi) Prich, Rebecca Prich, Charles Prich, Cordell Prich, Jonathon Zeitler and Joshua Zeitler. He is also survived by a brother, Albert (Marilyn) Prich of Owendale and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen in 2002; parents, George and Martha Prich; his brother, George Prich, Jr. and sisters, Florence Haag and Meta Menzel.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 18, 2016 at Juengel & Mellendorf Funeral Home in Sebewaing. Burial will be at St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery in Bach.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, 2016 and from 10 a.m. until the time of service Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to St. Peters Lutheran Church in Bach, the American Cancer Society or Hospice Advantage (Compassus) in Cass City.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to his physician, Dr. Laurey Hanselman, the staff of Scheurer Hospital, the staff from Hospice Advantage and the staff that provided care while a resident at Courtney Manor in Bad Axe. We are extremely grateful to all of these wonderful people who tended to John and his family during the final days.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Former Vice President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) is open to the idea of working together with disaffected supporters of embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, if this will help dislodge President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF from power in the 2018 national elections.ZPF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo told the Daily News yesterday that their party was inviting all Zimbabweans, including those still in Zanu-PF who genuinely believed that the ruling party was now a lost cause, to join hands with Mujuru and confront the country's "dictatorship" for the good of all.Gumbo was speaking in the wake of Tuesday's hard-hitting pronouncements by prominent war veteran and one of Mnangagwa's most loyal supporters, Victor Matemadanda, who said bluntly that Mujuru's ruthless purge from Zanu-PF in late 2014 had been "a grave mistake".Gumbo warmly welcomed this growing realisation by many war veterans that Zanu-PF had become a "predatory piranha party", further calling on "all those other comrades who have realised that Zanu-PF is no more" to work with ZPF to get rid of "this totalitarian regime".He also said Matemadanda's "accurate observations" vindicated what he and other former Zanu-PF bigwigs, who were booted out of the former liberation movement, had been saying all along that Mugabe was now running the party and the country on the basis of rumours and lies."We have been fully vindicated. Those who were at the forefront of pushing us out (of Zanu-PF) are the ones admitting that they were wrong."We are now inviting all in Zanu-PF who genuinely believe that the party has lost the way and that we need to confront this dictatorship for the good of the nation to join hands with us. We welcome all democratic forces to this noble endeavour," Gumbo said.He commended Matemadanda and other war veterans, saying their open admission of their mistakes was "what is expected of human beings"."We welcome that and urge all democratic forces with whom we share the same values and aspirations to put their hands up and join us. The fact is, Zimbabweans need to work hard to restore confidence in the country," Gumbo said.Mujuru's olive branch to her erstwhile Zanu-PF comrades is being extended at a time when she is also mulling reaching an electoral pact with other opposition parties, including former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC.Analysts say should the mooted grand coalition of opposition parties materialise, Mugabe's 36 years in power would almost certainly come to a screeching halt in 2018.To make matters worse for the increasingly-frail nonagenarian and Zanu-PF, Mnangagwa's allies are ramping up their assault on him, claiming that he is being held hostage by the ruling party's ambitious Young Turks known as the G40  who are rabidly opposed to the Midlands godfather succeeding Mugabe.The Daily News  which has consistently and accurately reported on Zanu-PF's ugly goings-on over the past five years  carried a story yesterday which said, as the ruling party's deadly infighting was getting more intractable by the day, miffed war veterans were becoming increasingly critical of Mugabe.Matemadanda told the country's leading daily newspaper that Mujuru's ruthless purge from Zanu-PF in 2014 had been "a grave mistake" which had opened the door for "opportunists, cultists and rumour-mongers" to lie and manipulate their way in the warring former liberation movement  to the extent that today the party and its leaders "do not know where they are coming from or going"."All of us in Zanu-PF then reacted to what those people were saying about Mujuru. There were a lot of allegations against Mujuru and because it was coming from high offices, we believed the allegations."But we now see these people for who they truly are," Matemadanda said.He added that it was not just Mujuru who had been "hard done" by the party when she was hounded out of Zanu-PF on untested allegations of plotting to oust and kill Mugabe, but also all her supporters as well who had similarly been kicked out of the party."This is why every person who worked with Mujuru is now being approached and asked to return. They (opportunists) have not proved the allegations, yet they want the people back in the party, and it makes us wonder."These (opportunists) are the same people who suspended (former senior Cabinet minister and politburo heavyweight) Nicholas Goche, but all of a sudden now want to work with him."They must apologise to the nation for soiling all these people's names. And because of all this, one can conclude that all is not well in the party," the aggrieved Matemadanda said, adding that it was clear that Mugabe and his wife Grace were being misled by these opportunists."It is now up to the First Family to disassociate themselves from these malicious behaviours. Zimbabwe is being run based on rumour mongers," he thundered.Matemadanda said the fact that former war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda had been approached to become minister responsible for the former freedom fighters' welfare, before he had been exonerated on the untested charges that his Zanu-PF enemies had brought against him, showed that their allegations were baseless in the first place."They may think that they have fired us (from Zanu-PF, and as leaders of war veterans), but they don't have the capacity. No one holds the title deeds of the party. We didn't go to war to follow anyone. We went to war to free Zimbabwe, we won the freedom and now must enjoy the fruits," he said.Matemadanda said people such as former War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and others who had been expelled from Zanu-PF "are still part of the party, no matter how much other people will want to wish them away"."What is important is not to be in the politburo, but to be in the revolution. People who freed this country had no positions. We are above factions as war veterans. We didn't fight for a particular individual and we don't want to build dictators or cultists."We know one day (president) Mugabe is going to go and we don't want a cult leader to take over."We want a simple thinking comrade to takeover. This business of making other people cults is what makes other people think that this country belongs to them," he charged.Matemadanda had also previously roundly slated the Zanu-PF politburo at a meeting in Bulawayo  saying the party's top decision-making structure outside congress had become a "disciplinary politburo", while Zanu-PF itself was now a "party for firing not hiring".
Almost 100 people mostly from Haiti who were rescued from an overcrowded boat off the Florida coast had no food or water for...
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Thursday that the U.S. response to Iran's capture of two Navy small boats and the humiliation of the crews would likely be limited to expressions of disapproval.

Pressed repeatedly for a "specific response" by Sen. John McCain, Carter suggested that the U.S. initially was readying a rescue attempt.

"At the time of the incident, we prepared to protect our people," he said, but "it turns out they were released in time" before a rescue could be mounted.

Since then, the U.S. has "made very clear that that's the kind of behavior we wouldn't want" to see happen again, Carter said.

Earlier, in his prepared remarks for testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Carter said that "given this Committee's particular interest in this, I want to say a few words about Iran's treatment of our sailors on Farsi Island back in January."

"As I've made clear, Iran's actions were outrageous, unprofessional, and inconsistent with international law -- and nothing we've learned since then about the circumstances of this incident changes that fact," Carter said.

McCain, an Arizona Republican and the committee's chairman, said that Iran was "exploiting the humiliation of American service members" and asked "what action you have recommended that we take in response to this?"

Carter said that the proposed defense budget was supporting thousands of U.S. troops and sailors in the region, as well as improvements to ballistic missile defenses.

McCain cut off Carter: "I wonder if you had planned on any specific action that the Iranians would know is the result of the humiliation of our service members. You've made it quite clear that you're outraged and all that."

Iran's official media has continued to trumpet the capture of the two boats, which had strayed into Iran's territorial waters off Farsi island in the Persian Gulf on Jan. 12, as a victory against U.S. aggression

On Tuesday, Gen. Ali Razmjou, a commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, claimed that Iran had retrieved thousands of pages of information from GPS devices, phones and maps confiscated from the U.S. sailors.

At the time of the incident, the U.S. Navy said that two digital SIM cards in satellite phones appeared to be the only devices that were missing when the crews were released.

The two 50-foot Riverine Command Boats were on a routine mission to move from Kuwait to the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain when a near-farcical series of errors by the crews and their command sent them close to Farsi island, where they were boarded and seized.

The incident occurred as President Obama was preparing to make his State of the Union address and the U.S. was seeking to finalize the deal to rein in Iran's nuclear programs. The crews and the boats were released after about 16 hours following back-channel diplomacy by Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Navy has said that the boats went astray because of a "navigational error," but several reports by Foreign Policy and others, which have not been contested by the Navy, have detailed a series of problems that went beyond navigation.

One of the two boats had mechanical problems, and the crews had to cannibalize parts from a third boat, delaying their departure. The boats were off course and the crews failed to notice. Neither did the command in Bahrain, even when the boats failed to rendezvous with a refueling ship.

One of the two boats broke down, and both boats drifted into Iranian waters as the crews scrambled to make repairs. Small craft from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard then boarded and seized the U.S. boats and the crews at gunpoint.

The U.S. sailors were forced to kneel on deck. Iranians in uniform searched the boats and lined up confiscated automatic weapons and belts of ammunition.

Vice President Joe Biden denied that any apology was made to gain the release of the two boats and the crews, but the video from Iran's official Fars news agency showed a U.S. sailor saying, "It was a mistake. That was our fault, and we apologize for our mistake. We did not mean to go into Iranian territorial water."

"The Iranian behavior was fantastic while we were here. We thank you very much for your hospitality and your assistance," said the sailor.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com.
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) learder Morgan Tsvangirai heads for Mashonaland East province for the next three days where he will meet with party structures and ordinary Zimbabweans to assess the national situation and to engage the people in preparation of the watershed election in 2008.The MDC-T leader kicks off his visit tomorrow at Kotwa growth point at 1200 hours and then holds his second meeting of the day at Mutoko growth point at 1400hrs.Saturday will see President Tsvangirai engage ordinary Zimbabweans in the morning at the open space near Rudhaka stadium in Marondera after which he will proceed to Zaire business centre in Hwedza for his afternoon engagement.He rounds off his Mash East tour on Sunday with meetings at Sadza business centre in Chikomba at 12pm and then proceed to have an afternoon engagement at Garwe stadium in Chivhu town.President Tsvangirai has visited several provinces in the country in the past few weeks, where he has witnessed for himself the solid and unshaken spirit of ordinary Zimbabweans who vowed to vote for the MDC in 2018.The people he is meeting across the provinces have openly told him that despite the violence, the rigging, the brutality and the starvation gripping the country, they still retain their unstinting commitment to vote for real change in the next election. They have said they cannot wait to see the back of a clueless government that has dismally failed to steer the country to growth and prosperity, let alone deliver on the promises they made to the people ahead of the great fraud of July 2013.Zimbabweans across the country say they miss the former Prime Minister's competent hand in government and they will certainly bring him back in 2018 to complete his national recovery mission that he began in 2009.
SAN DIEGO  The Marine Corps is best known for fighting and winning battles. Yet, although the motto: Every Marine a Rifleman, illustrates the Corps martial tradition, some Marines may also excel at playing a musical instrument.

The Musician Enlistment Option Program is not only an opportunity for talented musicians to become U.S. Marines, but also a chance for musicians to have a full-time job performing music all over the world. Marine musicians have the opportunity to become part of one of 10 renowned Marine Corps bands or to become a member of "The Commandant's Own" Marine Drum and Bugle Corps based in Washington, D.C.

The MEOP is an opportunity for Marines to travel around the world while playing various styles of music such as classical, jazz, rock, pop and military marches for large crowds in prominent venues.

You will definitely get the opportunity to perform here. You can find challenges for yourself within the program, and this is really a worthwhile experience, said Marine Corps Cpl. Nathaniel Hawkins, a University of Northern Iowa graduate with a bachelors degree in percussion performance and a musician with Marine Corps Band San Diego.

You can travel around the world performing music for crowds upwards of 100,000 people, 300 to 400 times a year, Pellon said. This is what every musician considers the dream.

Warfighter-Musicians

The Marine Corps is known for fighting battles, said Marine Corps Staff Sgt Mark Pellon, the musician technical assistant for the 12th Marine Corps District here. Thats what we do best; we win wars. Its hard to impress upon someone that this is an extremely high-quality musical organization as well.

Many Marine musicians are recruited through social media, from established bands, or from universities and educationally sponsored organizations that honor particularly talented musicians, Pellon said.

I think everything is surrounded at the education level. All of the musicians who are trying to be better are getting some type of education, he said.

High school students looking to pursue a degree in music or performance know how much time and commitment it takes to get their next level of education. College graduates know how much dedication and devotion it takes to reach their highest potential and have their dream of playing music fulltime become reality. This is what the Marine Corps asks for in their musicians.

The caliber of what we do has a reputation of being a Marine first and a musician second, but to be a great Marine, we have to be great musicians, so there is an artistic drive in each and every one of us, said Marine Corps Sgt. Justin Grunes, a University of Delaware graduate with a bachelors degree in music and performance, and a musician with Marine Corps Band San Diego.

Classically trained students who obtain a degree in music performance aspire to become part of one of the nations most renowned orchestras, but the professional music industry is one of the most competitive fields to work in. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times about the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the life of a musician looking for steady work and a reliable paycheck is not an easy one. Musicians looking for work fly across the country at their own expense for the chance to audition among a vast number of other talented players for just one seat.

Those players who find themselves unable to gain a seat in an orchestra or band typically find themselves looking for temporary jobs or gigs, which can lead to stress and a lack of financial stability.

Instead of having the worries and insecurities a musician on the outside would have about trying to get a gig or a group together, we are taken care of by the Marine Corps, Grunes said.

Good Benefits

The MEOP offers a way for musicians to earn a secure paycheck and provide for themselves and their families. Junior Marines can even earn as much as a beginning musician in a national orchestra. Marines also have the benefits of full medical and dental care for themselves and their families. They also have a chance to further their education and improve their leadership skills.

Were able to provide the lifestyle of a high-level musician traveling and performing, and thats just an actual tangible thing, Pellon said. The fact you get to earn the title of Marine, and people see you wearing our uniform and representing the United States, thats something you cant put a dollar sign on.
Everything You Need to Know About the Amazon Military Discount, Tips and Tricks

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Dear Ms. Vicki,

My husband is broken. Knees, back, migraines, torn shoulder, sleep problems ... he is a mess. He is still on active duty for nine more months. He has been in to see his doctors over and over again, and the appointments just keep getting shorter and shorter.

No one is helping him. It is now a fight just for him to get Motrin, let alone anything else.

What can I do? What can he do? With him getting out, he is easily 30 percent disabled, but I'm worried the Army will screw him over, just like it has for 10 years now.

I'm still in college, we have four kids and we're about halfway out of financial disaster. I'm worried he is going to get his DD214 and a swift kick in the butt, and our family will be on the streets.

-- Broken Wife

Dear Broken Wife,

Let's pray this doesn't happen to him. Here's the deal: He has to keep going to see his doctor. He may not like going to the doctor. Perhaps he feels like he is complaining or is viewed as being weak, but he has to go. He needs everything to be well-documented in his medical records.

Your husband is nervous because he is leaving military service physically different than he was when he joined. He's had 10 years on active duty and now he's transitioning. I'm sure he wonders what he will do to support his family and what his next career will be.

I also know this is causing a lot of anxiety for you because you are concerned about your entire family. It's great that you are in college, and from your report, you are halfway out of debt. Those are great accomplishments.

During your husband's exit from the military he will have to attend briefs with the Transition Assistance Program. You can, and should, attend those briefings, too. You will find out about which benefits your family will retain and for how long.

Your husband will also meet with VA counselors to discuss medical and monetary benefits. Again, it's important for you to attend as many briefings and meetings as possible so you know how to help your husband and your family.

I hope your transition to civilian life is as smooth and stress-free as possible. Please keep in touch with me.

-- Ms. Vicki

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News / National

by Thobekile Zhou

*HON. CHINOTIMBA: My question is directed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and in his absence, I will direct it to the leader of the House, Honourable Vice President Mnangagwa. United States of America is on record that if there is violence here in Zimbabwe, they call our Ambassador and ask for clarification on what is happening or even threaten him with expulsion. Today, America's political opponents such as Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Ben Sanders and others are fighting each other. We want to know that as a country, have we summoned the Ambassador of United States to come and explain what is happening in his country because they claim to be the pioneers of human rights. I thank you.



What we should look at is our law which is according to SADC and AU Protocols that we do not interfere with internal affairs of other nations. The Americans think that they are the world police. That is the reason why when we are doing our things, we do not allow them to come here because they want to interfere in our affairs. We do not interfere in their issues because that is their business. That is how things are. Thank you.



"HON. CHINOTIMBA: Hon Vice President, we have heard what you said but as a nation, are we going to condemn the Americans so that they know that we are not happy with what is happening although we are not interfering with what they are doing? I know that those on the left side of the Speaker are - [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] - As a country, what are we going to do about it so that, especially their friends on your left, know that even those who support them are the biggest culprits?

Zimbabwean MP Joseph Chinotimba wants government to summon the US ambassador to explain political violence in America.Republican front-runner Donald Trump on Wednesday warned of riots if he is denied the party's presidential nomination after a string of primary election victories, raising the temperature even more in a heated White House race.In an interview with CNN , Trump said the party could not deny him the nomination should he fail to win enough delegates."I don't think you can say that we don't get it automatically. I think you'd have riots. I think you'd have riots. I'm representing many, many millions of people."Below is Chinotimba's submission to parliament on Wednesday :
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

ZimFirst leader Maxwell Shumba has said since the formation of his party they have made significant progress surpassing their expectations thereby proving some prophets of doom wrong.Shumba said such questions as to what progress his party has made arose from many sections of the society."We have made good progress, in fact we have surpassed our own expectations and in the process we have managed to prove wrong some prophets of doom who never gave us a chance in the first place," he said."First and foremost people have responded well to our manifesto. Our name which is well reflected in our manifesto resonates with the people. Zimfirst wants to give back power to the people. The leadership is there to facilitate and endorse decisions made by the people for the people. We are revolutionary in that we have come up with an ideology everyone agree with/ Country First, People First, Zimbabwe First. Even Joice Mujuru agrees with hence her picking our name to launch her political outfit."He said their brick by brick recruiting strategy has ensured they have an intact and impenetrable foundation."Forces of evil have tried to infiltrate and divide us but we have remained resolute and united to keep the foundation of our party intact. Opportunists have fallen by the wayside allowing us the ability to plan without any distractions. The results of such resilience are there for everyone to see because our brand continue to grow as people begin to understand our methodology towards 2018," he said."Our silent revolution is spreading steadily to all corners of Zimbabwe. We have a national presence behind the scenes. 2018 will be won on the back of proper planning and this is what we are good at. Our strategies are being adjusted to the realities of the political environment but largely we are on track on our goal to be the next government in 2018."Shumba said they were people first party meaning they believe in investing in their people first."To demonstrate our commitment to what we believe in we launched our party I the neglected dusty fields of rural Murewa. Our launch on 26 September 2015, which was attended by nearly thousand people could easily have been held at Gwanzura stadium but was strategically held in the heart of rural Murehwa as an indication of the importance the party's ties to the voters in rural areas. The launch itself showcased not only the arrival of Zimfirst but the potential the party has to form the next government," he said."The attention we are currently experiencing from security agents and assigned infiltrators from fellow opposition parties is testimony that we have suddenly become a threat. Our members have been questioned and some harassed. In some places our party members have been denied permission to hold meetings."He said as a party using social media and person to person interaction, we continue to educate each other on party history, party philosophy and party policies. He said armed with a good understanding of the party, everyone in Zimfirst has become a disciple and the word continues to spread to guarantee sustainable, slow but sure organic growth."Students from High Schools several Colleges and Universities have begun to take a lead role in mobilizing the youth on their campuses and it's a very welcome development at a critical time when many opposition political party are struggling to build or are in disintegration mode," Shumba said."Outside Zimbabwe, Zimfirst has managed to attract some of Zimbabwe's best brains. Our policy development activities are led by technocrats who care less about politics but have a sole desire to see Zimbabwe again. The result has been four districts in SA and a steady but critical following in the UK, USA and Botswana."Shumba said they were very much taking advantage of the bad policies of Zanu PF that have seen professionals and a good number of technocrats leave Zimbabwe."They make the pool of experts who are now in the process of building the ZimFirst shadow government and are actively preaching and spreading Zimfirst ideas in the diaspora. Think Tanks which reflect our small government philosophy are fully constituted and have been responsible for developing our policies for a ZimFirst government. Each Think Tank has proven technocrats," he said."We have managed to garner explicit support from then addition we various civil society stakeholders and as part of our sworn oath to a silent revolution these Friends of ZimFirst will remain behind the scenes until the time we are ready for a public event when they will come in the open. For example we have Pastors Forum which lead prayers for ZimFirst and Zimbabwe and we boast the explicit support of traditional leaders whose wisdom continue to guide us thus adding a lot of value to the growth and stability of our party."Shumba said when the time comes ZimFirst will hold its first rally whose timing will be announced to the public at an opportune time."The Rally whose theme is 'Together The Future is Bright Rally" will be aimed at serving notice to Zanu PF that the people of Zimbabwe cannot be defeated when then they are united. ZimFirst was formed as a national convergence concept therefore, the Together The Future is Bright Rally is expected to prove that," he said.Shumba said for now the organic growth of the Silent Revolution has proven that it is very possible to lead a party from the Diaspora, if the message is right, planning is methodical, meticulous, thorough and expectations are properly communicated."Even ZAPU and Zanu successfully executed the Chimurenga revolution from the Diaspora. Our Silent Revolution to bring back Zimbabwe will not be any different. It is strategically important that at this point in time I be here where I am, once I complete the tasks I am working on right now on behalf of the party I will headI home to lead from the front," he said. "Elections are not today and 2026 is our year to plan and plan carefully for 2018. Zimbabwe needs to know that is important work for the party I have to do between now and the day I return home. Most important, all Zimbabweans should know that I said 'Yes' to the calling from the elders in our society that I should come back home and lead the masses from the yoke of poverty."He said the elders who made the call emphasized that the children of Zimbabwe have cried enough and that their loud cries of distress have been heard and I have to come back home."I am not turning back in that commitment. I am coming home and Zimbabwe should be prepared for that day. ZimFirst is not a fly by night political party. It is an ordained mission to bring Zimbabwe back to working again and as such so many people will be involved in carrying the burden," he said. "After 36 years of Mugabe misrule, the burden to dislodge Zanu PF will be heavy but not insurmountable. I am heartened though by the promise I got from the elders that I will not shoulder the burden alone."Shumba said as a fresh voice and greats of fresh air ZimFirsters in Zimbabwe and across the globe have put themselves up for the mission.He said to illustrate their utmost commitment to this cause of a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe, the people who are with him in the Diaspora are coming home to join those already on the frontline of Silent Revolution to provide solid leadership."That time will come and it will be soon and Zimbabwe needs to brace for our future is bright campaign which we call The Final Voice 2018. Let me reiterate this important point, as a Party we plan methodically, meticulously and thoroughly. Those who are eager to be part of a platform of fresh ideas and fresh legs should know that I will be home and that the future is bright. In fact I am coming home to unite our people and lead them to victory of good over bad governance."He said through their 'Together the Future is Bright' rallies, our Brick by Brick engagements, and other unity building activities they will build a coalition to win the elections whenever they will be held.When asked that former MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai loyalists who formed their own parties came and never made on impact, or Welshman Ncube, now they have Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma all struggling to attract more people, how do he distinguish himself and will he make it?, he said "I am a Fresh Voice who did not voluntarily put himself forward. Rather, respected Traditional and Church leaders separately carried the message that I had to come home, that time was nigh and I was being called to come and help lead to emancipation of our people."Shumba said they clearly stated that he will not be alone on this mission."They went on to say that they too will be involved in the background during the entire process until Zimbabweans achieve peace and justice for all and prosperity. Indeed, today, little more than ten months after they made the initial call the respected elders have been true to their words," he said. "Their support on the background has been unequivocal and through their support the response to ZimFirst's message of Country and People First from Zimbabweans from all walks of life is overwhelming. The Silent Revolution under ZimFirst is a unique wave underpinning the good will of the Elders and ZimFirst foot soldiers who are part of this mission."Shumba said the ZimFirst mission, its message, and the strategy to carve a 2018 win is very different from those whose names you mentioned."Ours is an ordained mission through which all forces of good are converging and I am proud of being part of it and so are all other ZimFirsters who are the bricks in our solid foundation. As a matter of fact our behind the scenes growth is phenomenal. We are a party where many Zimbabwean citizens are coming forward to share the little they have to help meet the needs of our Silent Revolution," he said."Our fundraising under the noble theme of 'Drop of Sweat to Wet our Flag of our revolution initiative is testimony to what Zimbabweans can do for a good cause they believe in. One thing to note is that I moved out of my former party as an individual and provided a new vision on a new platform without dragging my former party into my activities and this is a fact that separates me from those individuals you mentioned. I have gained a lot of respect from many quarters for going on this route. So as a party we are very confident of our ability to prosecute this mission together with the Zimbabwean people""I have not given up on national convergence but the strategy is different this time around. To clarify a bit here I was the brains behind The Zimbabwe First National Convergence Platform but not the one fronted by Bakare. We made attempts to merge. The ZimFirst National Convergence is the platform that gave birth to the concept of People First and Zimbabwe People First now stolen and used to launch Joice Mujuru.'s party," he added.Shumba said on unity, he was very confident that Zimbabweans are capable of forging meaningful unity beyond sharing political posts. He said Zimbabweans do not want simply a regime change but want a promise of a better future and a guarantee that they will never return to the abuses of Zanu PF."ZimFirst is a unifying concept which calls all Zimbabweans to love their country first before their political entities. Zimfirst has worked diligently to put in place the necessary systems to guarantee a better future. The country comes first concept is unifying and I am sure every Zimbabwean agrees with me on that one. Our Together The Future is Bright Rallies which are in the pipeline will provide the real platform for national convergence," he said. "All Zimbabweans will be invited to these rallies to hear or speak about what we can do together. It's all about together as we come to these unifying rallies . We will be victors together and we will prosper together in peace and harmony. We will preach to all Zimbabweans and many stakeholders are already part of this initiative of fresh ideas and fresh legs."Shumba said he encourage Zimbabweans from all walks of life to keep their ears on the ground for the announcement and brace for these unique together the future is bright rallies."I know there are people out there whose sole existence in politics is for political power and I hope they will not be disappointed by our approach because our focus is to build a future together and in doing so we say everyone matters. But first things first, through our brick by brick method we will build a formidable body mass to overcome the dictatorship that has made the Zimbabwe into a basket case," he said."Our launch in a rural set up had no financial considerations at all. We actually spent twice as we would have if we had launched at a more central place like Harare. We also wanted to tell the world that a unique party has arrived which respects the areas where the majority of the citizens live. We are a down to earth party which is not moved by glamour or material things . In similar ways as in the Chimurenga war, the people in the rural areas will play a significant role in this mission."Shumba said the bigger population of Zimbabwe lives in rural area and they have been largely neglected, bludgeoned into submitting themselves to forced Zanu PF rule and abused by Zanu PF politicians whenever they need their votes."We converged in Rural Murewa to send a message that we are Together with the majority of the suffering masses on this mission. A clear message that we will not only come when it's election time. We are the Final Voice to end their misery and so in Murehwa we took the first step together. For starters, behind the launch gathering lie graves of 29 villagers who were massacred in 1979 at the height of the Chimurenga war," he said. "Nine of the victims where Freedom Fighters who lie in graves of unknown soldiers and gad been neglected until recently when toms tombs were erected from the efforts of the philanthropic effort of one if the village!s sons. My own sister Ketai perished on that sad day."He said despite the traumatic tragic loss and sacrifice, the village has been neglected by the Zanu PF Government."To put salt into the villagers wounds in each election cycle the villagers have been terrorized to stop them from supporting the opposition . In fact in 2008 a torture base was set up at the local township where villagers perceived to be opposition activists were tortured. The story of this village is not unique. Every village in Zimbabwe has its own similar story of abuse at the hands of the Zanu PF government and party. We converged in that rural set up to say that we will walk together on this journey and that when we become the government we will not neglect them," he said. "Those who came from across the nation took the message of hope back home. Encouraged by the fact that finally the party of the people has arrived."Shumba said his relationship with Tsvangirai was very good and respectful and there were structural differences on strategy to move forward."I made a decision to leave. My primary focus was to create a platform to bring in fresh ideas and fresh legs and in particular technocrats and to rejuvenate the party after the disappointment of 2013," he said."A coalition should not solely be focused on removing Zanu PF from Power but it should have the entire set of principles which should be the mission after Mugabe regime is gone. I will not be interested in joining big tents to partition political positions but genuine need to guarantee a prosperous Zimbabwe after Mugabe is gone."Shumba said personally he will not join any coalition which excludes the majority of Zimbabweans who because they are deemed political noneties."I will join a platform which puts aside focus on political brand names but that which puts the best team forward regardless of name recognition. The existence of ZimFirst has received the the best brains that have been sitting outside politics but are eager to participate given the right platform. I will not join a platform that seeks to advance the wishes of political brand names at the expense of Zimbabweans who have the expertise to provide a lasting solution to problems bedeviling our country at the moment. I will only join a platform a which puts country and people first and not Self- First platform," he said.
Opinion / Columnist

President Robert Mugabe during his 92nd annually birthday interview expressed dismay over the saddening matter that, the nation lost a whooping $15 billion dollars to fraudulent subversive activities in the diamond mining sector. The state cannot afford to let such rot left unpunished as this cash is needed dearly to develop the nation. Hence, no stone should be left unturned in search of justice to bring the culprits to book.The merciless and illogical looting of diamonds proceeds amounts to gross violation of state interests. This makes it imperative for any citizen to have insatiable desire for due diligence to ensure the meticulous tracing, and the ultimate reimbursement of such cash for public good, as opposed to serving and/or protecting selfish personal interests by rowdy and greedy citizens that are involved. No-one is above the law, and so the state is urged to take stern measures in investigating the perpetrators and bring them to book.In the face of the obtaining facts on the ground, it is compulsory to affirm that Zimbabwe cannot afford to lose such a life-time fortune to corruption and such thievery go unchecked. Justice should prevail and send the correct message to the public for would-be perpetrators of such crimes to desist from committing similar cases.However, it is refreshing to note that the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Professor Francis Gudyanga, and the Minister Walter Chidhakwa, made a pronouncement that thorough investigations will be instituted soon to establish the real facts obtaining on the ground in this case in order to facilitate possible arrests and prosecutions.Forensic audits should be done meticulously and expeditiously in order to establish the real facts which will lead to leveling strong charges against the criminals. In addition the state can also open the Government toll-free lines which allow members of the public to furnish relevant information which lead to possible arrests of the criminals that are involved.The reality of issues is that all crimes are committed in the same society in which ordinary citizens are found. Therefore, they can have full knowledge of how these crimes were committed and by whom at what point. The full chain of those involved can be revealed through this whistle-blowing strategy for the good of the nation.Protecting and defending Zimbabwe's economic interests within and outside this country is every citizen's responsibility. Therefore, every citizen that possesses any grain of information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any of these perpetrators is urged to supply such information to authorities for further actioning sooner than later.It's really sad to realize people that are endowed with special national duty to safeguard its interests at the diamond fields were busy sleeping on duty and/or abusing trust enthroned on them, while full scale looting taking a toll on the most critical national resource upon which the whole nation was pinning all its hopes.The President, Robert Mugabe, appoints some people on national strategic points, to protect specific economic national interests. It is bedeviling to realize that, in spite of their existence, the nation sustained this amazing loss of US15 billion dollars which could have been invested to transform by rescuing the economy over-night to serve the entire population that is engrossed in abject poverty.The multi-billion dollar question is; where were these responsible authorities when the diamonds were being looted? This is a typical real case of duty negligence, incompetency, recklessness and inefficiency. This cannot be allowed to pass unnoticed. Those who contributed in this way should answer for their omissions and commissions now, as well as their agents that took part in swindling the nation of the most needed funds for national development.Certainly a special commission of enquiry should be set-up to probe this vexatious case which is threatening the public's trust to authorities. Every Zimbabwean should be driven by the impetus to cleanse and exorcise our society of the gnawing bug of corruption that is spreading its wings to all sectors of our society.To avert this devastating effect of looting of this precious national resource, the government should proceed swiftly to set-up the diamond mining consortium to exploit the diamonds on behalf of the nation. In this new dispensation, suitable air-tight measures should be taken to avert a possible replication of the same criminality that befell the nation.
Opinion / Columnist

On 16 March 2016, this writer gave lift to two young men from Kamfinsa to town. The two were so consumed in a heated debate on a headline in the Daily News of that day, so much consumed that they didn't even care to greet the Good Samaritan."Mujuru purge was a mistake," screamed the headline that sparked the debate. Unfortunately, the mind of the Good Samaritan was also seized with personal issues that he didn't even bother to join the debate, let alone listen to their heads of arguments. One statement still vivid in memory though is "Matemadanda azoona kukosha kwechikorobho arasa mvura."Going through the story in question, the Good Samaritan was left with a conviction that Cde Matemadanda would be in the media the following day refuting, in the usual 'I was misquoted style,' what was ascribed to him by the Daily News. That was not to be.In the story, Cde Matemadanda bemoaned the ouster of former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru from both government and ZANU PF, saying the allegations were manufactured. He went on to demand an apology to the nation for the perceived soiling of the names of the expelled people. Only God knows where that apology must come from.With all due respect for the vital contributions that Cde Matemadanda made in the liberation of this country, his statements are outlandish. He seems to be hiding behind a finger. One does not need to be clever to see that all this vitriol is targeted at the president and head of this state, Cde Robert Mugabe. We have seen this method used in the Shona worldview. Kupondera musaga, the elders would call it. A pet, especially dogs are ingeniously given pejorative or hate-laden names which are suggestive of the nature of relationship between the owner of the pet and his relations and rivals in the village.That tactic provides a means to indirect comment where direct confrontation is not feasible. You cannot directly challenge your in-laws. In the same vein, Cde Matemadanda cannot directly confront President Mugabe. In political parlance, this is called 'dog-whistle politics' which is a type of a political speech using code words that appear to mean one thing to the general population but have a different meaning for a targeted part of the audience.After the president received information about the nefarious activities of his then deputy, it was in his wisdom to relieve her of her duties. Cde Matemadenda must not forget that President Mugabe receives such information from various sources and he would not act in the manner he did if the sources were not collaborating.It is an indirect indictment on the president for Cde Matemadanda to suggest that Mujuru purge was a mistake. Cde Matemadanda is authoritatively telling the nation that President Mugabe manufactured these allegations against Mujuru. He would do well if he tells the nation the source of his information that has led him to refute what President Mugabe said.We saw Cde Matemadanda playing a key role in the ouster of Mujuru. If he was convinced that the charges were contrived, why did he take part? Is it not a case of grapes turning sour? Like what the one of the Good Samaritan's passengers said, is it not the case of appreciating the import of a mop when you have spilt water?The fact that Mujuru has not yet appeared before the courts of law does not mean she has no case to answer. The judges cannot haul an accused to court without a complainant and it is up to the later to either make litigation or just ignore. We know for sure that if Mujuru had appeared before the court, she was going to be found guilty one way or the other. It's certain that her arrest would have caused international outcry. So at times it is prudent to solve some issues politically like what happened on the Mujuru case.If someone is falsely accused, ordinarily he or she files a lawsuit against the accuser for defamation. Mujuru did not do that. If we are to go by the logic informing Cde Matemadanda's argument, does that then mean she didn't approach the courts because she had a case to answer. There are many people whom you have wronged Cde but they have just decided not to go to court. After all, who told Cde Matemadanda that the Zimbabwe People First leader is now off the hook?Cde Matemadanda appears like one who is preparing a soft landing ground. If he thinks Mujuru was mistakenly purged, he must just join her without making silly statements in the media and act like a double-edged sword. We know some cunning politicians play both sides of the fence so that whatever outcome they will not lose. According to the Guardian, George Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush who was a shareholder of many companies, financed both Hitler and Russia for the same reason. It is high time that Cde Matemadanda come in the open and declare where his allegiance lies.He said: "We didn't go to war to follow anyone." This pregnant statement hints at rebellion against President Mugabe's leadership. If he does not want to follow Cde Mugabe as the First Secretary of his party, patron of his war veteran association and president of his country, who then does he want to follow? In any case, Cde Matemadanda must not pluralize everything. He must speak for himself because no sane war veteran would share his warped view.The war veteran leader also said that "nobody holds the title deeds of the party." He must as well remember that by the same token, nobody also holds the title deeds of the war veterans' association. He is not sacred and can be fired any time.Cde Matemadanda is advised to advance the socio-economic interests of the war veterans. He must stay clear of factional politics because war veterans do not survive on politics alone. The freedom fighters need to be economically empowered. Cde Matemadanda would do well if he redirects his exuberance towards the empowerment of the freedom fighters.
The Ministry of Mines has set its affairs in order and is ready to serve under the incoming government, director general U Win Htein told The Myanmar Times.





All government departments are now preparing to receive the new ministers of the National League for Democracy government that will take over on March 31. At the political level, several meetings have already taken place between existing Union ministers and NLD representatives to ensure a smooth handover of power.

The ministrys departments, such as the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration, No 1 and No 2 Mining Enterprise, Myanma Gems Enterprise and Myanma Pearl Enterprise, are all set for the changeover, said U Win Htein earlier this week. He said he had verified that records in all departments in the ministry were in order.

All the details are there  to whom we granted permits for mining operations or mineral exploration, where we permitted mining sites, what we are doing now and what is left to be done, he said.

The ministry is still drafting operational guidelines for the implementation of amendments to the Myanmar Mines Law enacted on December 24 and the Myanmar Gemstone Law, amended in early 2016, and has issued an invitation for comment through state-run media.

Ministry officials said the general public, experts, entrepreneurs and stakeholders in related fields have been invited to submit recommendations to the mining ministrys Department of Mines and to Myanma Gems Enterprise.

The amended Myanmar Mines Law covers three categories of minerals  metallic mineral, industrial mineral and stone. It removes all references to gemstones, which are now covered solely by the Myanmar Gemstone Law.

The changes are material and provide for an improved platform for foreign investors to explore new opportunities in relation to mining or joint-ventures with existing local permit holders, said law firm Kelvin Chia Yangon in a client note yesterday.





Foreign investors remain prohibited from investing in prospecting, exploring and producing gemstones.

U Win Htein said the by-laws would be finalised under the authority of the incoming government.

Once the handover is complete, attention will shift to the new governments plans for merging or abolishing some government ministries.

Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Two Kachin brothers present the harrowing realities of life amid the civil war in Kachin State as part of Yangon Photo Festivals Give Peace a Chance, which runs through March 31 at the French Institute.





The 29-year-old documentary photographer Hkun Lis photo essay Silent Lives and younger brother Hkun Latts photo essay The Fog of War are on display.

One of Hkun Lis photographs depicts a Kachin Independence Army soldier with a Santa Claus hat on at Christmas-time looking at snow-capped mountains and villages from above.

In winter, their lives are harder. Streams freeze, said Hkun Li of Silent Lives.

In another, two Kachin children sit on the doorstep of their bullet-hole-riddled house while a child cries. The images evoke tragedy and an urgent need for peace.

Hkun Lis reasons for pursuing photography have always been clear.

I attended a series of workshops that have enabled me to create different photo essays that reflect my homeland struggling for peace, he

Behind the Frontlines, one of his earlier works, shows the refugee crisis in Kachin State from a youthful perspective. The photo essay won third place at the Yangon Photo Festival in 2014.





The people who lived on the area of land where natural minerals were found were forced to relocate to a different place when the civil war broke out, he said. The rich natural resources caused them harm.

When Hkun Li was just one year old, his own family was forced to abandon their village home and flee to the town due to the civil war.

Before the machines came to dig for natural resources, there were not many troubles in the state, he said. But when the machines arrived, some people lost their jobs or became addicted to drugs.

He now works as an instructor at the Documentary Arts Asia satellite centre in Kachin State and hopes to continue to inspire others to document the harsh realities of their homeland.

Hkun Lis younger brother, 20-year-old Hkun Latt  now a regular contributor to Associated Press (AP)  was one of the first to follow in his footsteps. Hkun Latt decided to join the documentary workshop conducted by Yangon Photo Festival in Myitkyina for the first time in 2013.

At the age of 19, he had already established a distinguished career in photography with his images appearing in The New York Times, Washington Times and The Guardian. One of his most impressive works is about the funeral procession of two Kachin volunteer teachers in Myitkyina.

Hkun Latts works focus on the difficult living and working conditions of Myanmars jade and gold miners and the frontline of the Kachin/Bamar conflict in his homeland in Kachin State.

When I documented what was happening around the jade land, I found that I had to be extremely careful about where I stepped because the place was littered with hundreds of used syringes, he said.

His documentary photograph essay Fog of War, which features the civil war, armed conflict, war victims and the poppy fields, won second place at the Yangon Photo Festival in 2015.

As a Kachin native, it is sad to see our peoples great suffering. They are longing for peace. Parents are wishing their children could go back to school, he said.

These images need to be seen.
Menswear, typically the less exciting of the wears, is getting a much-needed dose of love from rising design star Sandar Aung.





She initially received attention for her mens designs in early 2012 from Idea magazine.

At that time, there werent many menswear designers  and even fewer were featured in magazines, she said. So when the editor-in-chief from Idea contacted me, I was thrilled.

He noticed her work after she began airing television commercials for her own fashion brand earlier that year and her designs have been popping up in magazines ever since.

Though better known for her mens designs, she has always had an affinity for the entire industry.

Ive been interested in fashion since I was very young, she said. My mom, aunt and other relatives were all great tailors, so Ive been learning for as long as I can remember.

After graduating with a bachelors degree in Commerce, she decided to become a fashion designer.





Commerce wasnt interesting ... I didnt want to be someone elses employee, she said. Thats why I pursued the best fashion program I could find to hone my skills and

She attended Raffles Design Institute in Singapore from 2007 to 2011 and began working as soon as she arrived back in Yangon. Sparing no time, her family helped her launch her brand Sandar by Sandar Aung, which helped her earn a strong following.

Her attention to detail and range of ability helped as

I like to create designs for both genders and for all ages, she said. And I always insist on cutting the fabric myself, even though I have six employees to help

I want to make sure my designs always fit my clients as perfectly as

Though her designs are European-inspired and boast her signature cool, chic style, she admits that the fashion industry in Myanmar poses its own unique challenges.

Fashion designers in other countries use runway shows to promote and sell their collections, which people excitedly buy, she said. Here, however, people see the shows but then request that we make changes to the designs or give them discounted prices.
A number 48 bus was speeding along Pyay Road. It was in the afternoon; there werent many passengers onboard. Those around her were keeping quiet, and seemed to be deep in thought. But Ma Maw Maw Than, who had the window seat of a two-seated bench, was the exception. She was sweating all over, and her heart was beating so quickly she felt like her chest was about to explode.





She hadnt been like this when she got on the bus. But a man had sat down next to her, in the aisle seat. Like the other passengers, Ma Maw Maw Than had been lost in her own thoughts. But then she felt the man grow restless, and when she glanced at him to see what was happening, she saw he was playing with his penis inside his longyi.

Shocked and speechless, shy and scared, Ma Maw Maw Than was afraid to ask for help from those around her. She didnt move in her seat, or even acknowledge what she had seen. But her brain went into overdrive, trying to figure out how to escape from this situation, even as she tried to remain as still and calm as possible so as not to draw the mans attention.

After sitting like a statue for two stops, I decided to get off the bus as soon as possible. But I dared not move right away, because he was blocking my way. After another stop, I pushed that man and ran out of the bus as soon as it stopped.

That was 10 years ago. Ma Maw Maw Than was then in her early 20s, a university student. She was too shy to tell others about what happened, and kept it a secret for many years.

Now, a decade later, with more knowledge and confidence, and exposure to other cultures, she feels like a different person. Ma Maw Maw Than works as an executive at a company. She no longer thinks sharing her experience will damage her dignity or image  nor that it should.

I am not the one who should be shy. He has to be shy for his bad behaviour, Ma Maw Maw Than said. If somebody does something like that to me again, I will give him a lesson very smartly. I will twist and break his penis, she added with a laugh.

According to the 2014 census, 5 million people live in the YCDC-administered area of Yangon. Most rely on public buses for their daily activities. However, the buses are a hot spot for sexual harassment: Being overcrowded, women are packed in tightly next to men, and some abusers take advantage of that vulnerable state in their victims.





One time, I was on the No 50 bus which runs from Botahtaung to Insein, said Ma Ye Ye Nwe, 34. At the time, the bus seats did not have the full cover at the back but had gaps. An old man rubbed my hip from the back seat. At first I thought it was an accident. But he did it again. Only when I turned my head and gave him a cross look did he stop.

Like Ma Maw Maw Than, Ma Ye Ye Nwe said the groping happened when she was in her early 20s. Sadly, it wasnt her only experience with such abuse on public transportation.

Ma Maw Maw Than said that a lack of sexual education at schools and the experience of growing up under the influence of traditional culture makes Myanmar women, especially younger ones, shy and afraid to speak openly about the harassment they have been facing.

We did not get sexual education from schools, and our mothers dont talk about it with us. We never talked about sex between girl friends because we thought it wasnt a suitable topic to discuss. So I did not have any knowledge about it until I was at university.

When I was harassed by that man in the bus, I was so sad, and even asked myself, Why did I have to face that kind of situation? On the other hand, I was afraid to tell anyone that story because I was worried they would think I was not a virgin anymore, Ma Maw Maw Than, now 35, said.

She added the main problem for her was lack of knowledge, due to the cloistered upbringing and culture in Myanmar.

I started working at about 25. I have had opportunities to deal with educated people. I went overseas for training. I realised that sex doesnt mean only two people having sex together. Everyone should know what sex is and sex means many more things, said Ma Maw Maw Than.

Tips to handle sexual harassment on buses

Do not try to solve the problem alone. Do not stay quiet. Get the attention of those around you and let them know what is happening. For example, ask the bus conductor for help or shout at the perpetrator loudly. Stay calm and try to move away from the attacker. If possible, ask bus driver to drive to the nearest polite station and submit a complaint. Consider taking photos of the attacker to use as evidence.

Like Ma Maw Maw Than, middle-aged and educated Ma Sann Nu Htun (not her real name) thought herself a confident and brave woman. She works in a senior level at a media company, and is very interested in womens issues.

But after being harassed by a taxi driver, she confessed she was so shocked she couldnt think how to handle the situation when she experienced it face to face.

I have to stay late at office on deadline nights. One night, one of my colleagues and I hired a taxi together from the office. After dropping her on Bogyoke Road, I was alone with the taxi driver. I was sitting in the back seat, on the opposite side of him. A while later, I felt like the drivers body was shaking and I looked at him. Oh my god, he was holding his penis and playing with it while driving, and also he was looking at me through the mirror, Ma Sann Nu Htun said.

My head was so blocked and I did not know what to do. All I knew was I wanted to get out of the car, she added.

Her maturity and experience helped her calm down. Then she remembered she had a small knife.

I always keep a little knife in my shoulder bag to protect myself. I showed it to the driver and yelled at him, What are you doing now? What do you think of me? Stop the car right now.

He apologised to me straight away and said that it happened because of his disease.

Since then, Ma Sann Nu Htun has decided to take the bus instead of taxis. But fortune hasnt favoured her there either. Or, to put it another way, men continued to act in obscene ways.

It was night-time when I was in the bus, but there were some people around. I was sitting alone on my bench and a man was sitting in front of me. Actually he was drunk, but I did not know until he turned his face to me. He stared at my whole body. When I gave him a piercing look, he turned back. Then he looked at me again and signalled to me with his tongue.

I told him not to do that. But he did not care at all and did it again. That time, I lost control and yelled at him loudly.

After she yelled, the conductor eventually moved the man to another seat, further away from her. But before that, the conductor first asked me to move to another place. She held her ground and refused to move, however, since the fault was not her own. It is not fair if I have to change my seat for a bad person. Actually, he should have been kicked off.

Now, the situation is that we women have to try to escape by ourselves. I am sad and embittered to live in this kind of society.

Ma Sann Nu Htun said most women face similar stories. But despite the widespread nature of the abuse, she has no idea who she should complain to or who can solve those problems.

If I had called 199 [the phone number for police] for my two cases, I dont think anyone would have answered the phone. And would they have come to me and solved the problem even if somebody answered? I dont trust it, Ma Sann Nu Htun said.

Currently, some womens organisations are trying to improve womens development, safety and standards of living. But Ma Sann Nu Htun said she did not believe these organisations would be able to resolve such complaints after an act of abuse has already been committed.

Ma Htar Htar Myint, a Myanmar-language technologist who have been living in the United States for seven years, said, Myanmar is not a safe place for women.

She pointed out that there are laws in Myanmar to protect women. But they are not useful because they are not actively enforced.

Both my parents and myself had to take responsibility for my security since I became a teenager. I lived in the outskirts, in North Dagon. So I dared not stay late downtown, not even for work. My family members had to wait for me at the bus station near our home to collect me, because there are lots of attackers or drunk men at night-time.

She said she found some men would make harassing comments as soon as they recognised a person was female, even if they cannot see the face clearly.

The same, she said, is not true in her new home abroad.

In America, when working for a radio station, I would get home at midnight. Sometimes I was travelling alongside men. But nobody dared tease me. It is not because they are afraid of me but because of the law. If they teased me and I complained to the police, the police would arrive straight away and would take action against them. That crime would be recorded for his whole life. That is why nobody touches women there.

Expert opinions

To escape violence, you cant just cover up your body or stay locked indoors. Women are being abused in their houses too. Girls who dress properly are being abused as well. Children under 18 are being abused too. That shows that our society isnt polite. Women are being abused because we are living in a non-polite and unsafe society. Not only society but also the government has a responsibility to create a safe environment to protect the women from being violated. Effective investigations and actions are needed to prevent and punish abuse.

Ma May Sabei Phyu

Gender Equality Network

Both men and women need to be aware of laws enacted in Myanmar. For example, men tease women on the streets or abuse them by saying something or showing dirty behaviour. Men think it is okay behaving like that to women. Actually, they can be charged under penal code section 509, with either one year in prison or a fine or both. Also men need to know they can be sentenced to two years in prison or a fine or both under the penal code 354 if they assault women. We women also need to know that we can submit complaints under the protection of the law.

Ma Hla Hla Yee

Youth Legal Clinic

 Lei Phyu Pyar, NOW! magazine

Ma Shwe Zin, 25, an office worker, said, I never think to go out late at night-time. Security for women is never secure, even in the evening.

She too had stories to share. After work, I was walking along Kan Pat Street and turned onto Kabar Aye Pagoda Road to go to Shwe Kaung Hot Pot to meet friends. It was about 6pm and not too dark yet. An expensive car drove slowly near me and the man in the car asked how much he had to pay for me to spend the night with him. I did not expect it and crossed the road straight away.

Ma Shwe Zin said she had also been harassed while taking the bus, as well as multiple other incidents while walking on the street. But she too said she had no idea where to turn for help, being distrustful of the authorities response just as Ma Sann Nu Htun was.

When Ma Sann Nu Htun discovered her ex-boyfriend had being spreading private photos they had taken together before the break-up, the police offered no help.

The police officer asked me why I had taken that kind of photo. Dont you know that can happen? As soon as I heard his response, I realised that I was wasting my time there and I wont have any help from them, Ma Sann Nu Htun said.

Ma Htar Htar Myint agreed that law enforcement officers, predominantly male, are failing to protect women in need, and are instead protecting the criminals.

Punishment should really go to the man who committed the abuse, she said. We have laws in Myanmar. They are very good. But they are not much different from a piece of paper, as they are not actively enforced.

Instead of making new laws, we need to use current laws effectively. For example, in America, we have a hotline number to call when we face sexual harassment in the trains. As soon as you call that number, the police turn up and catch the attacker. We could do that in Myanmar. But now, when men know they will not get any punishment, they are out of control.

Schoolteacher Ma Thi Thi Aye, 27, said laws arent enough to protect women, not when they arent being enforced. She urges other women to protect themselves when they go outside.

One day I was on my way back home from school in the afternoon. I was walking on the other side of Yuzana Plaza. Suddenly an old man rubbed my crotch and walked away. I wasnt able to protect myself at all as I did not expect that kind of situation. I didnt know who I should report it to. And I did not know if I should run after him or not.

Whenever I think about it, I feel really sad and frustrated.
Tatmadaw soldiers have been accused of shooting a 17-year-old girl in Namkham township, where government forces are battling the Taang National Liberation Army.





Ma Ei Kham from Sain Lane village was rushed to Muse hospital for treatment on March 14. She is alive but her condition is unclear, with hospital officials saying they were forbidden from providing information.

The girls condition is not so good. The bullet crossed from her back to her chest, said U Myint Kyaw, chair of the Taang Literature and Culture Organisation branch in Namkham.

He said the girl was shot during a three-hour gun battle between Tatmadaw and TNLA troops near the edge of the village.

Ma Ei Kham was in the area when shooting broke out. Tatmadaw soldiers ordered her to stop, but she tried to run back into the village and was shot, U Myint Kyaw said. She was sent to hospital by the head of the village and another resident.

An official from the Tatmadaw true news release unit, Colonel Myat Min Oo, said he could not comment because he had no information on the case.

I dont know about it. But there are laws. If it is true then action can be taken against them [the soldiers responsible] according to the law, he said.

The same day, another Sain Lane villager, U Yein Lwan, 30, stepped on a landmine laid by an armed group. While he was injured in the blast, his condition is not life-threatening.





According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 1000 people have been displaced in the past week following the latest outbreak of fighting north of Kutkai between government forces and the TNLA.

About 650 displaced people have arrived at Nam Hpet Kar village, while a further 440 people fled to Mong Yu Lay village, OCHA said.

Recent outbreaks of violence and small displacements have also occurred in Kyaukme, Namkham, Mong Shu and Mansi townships.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been named chair of a parliamentary team, the National League for Democracy announced today, fuelling expectations that the NLD leader does not intend to take a formal position in the new government.





The NLD posted a statement on its Facebook page noting that the party leader had been appointed chair of the Hluttaw Development Coordination Team, which met today with representatives of international organisations and embassies in parliament.

The statement immediately prompted a flurry of posts on social media over whether this indicated Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had decided not to become a member of the executive. Government ministers are to take office on April 1 under U Htin Kyaw, who was confirmed by parliament as president-elect this week, serving as proxy for the NLD leader because of the constitutional provision that bars her from the presidency.

Parliamentary officials and MPs confirmed that membership of the Hluttaw team excluded the possibility of also serving in government. However they noted it was still possible that the NLD leader could decide to leave the team and become a minister. One senior NLD official told The Myanmar Times today that he believed she would appoint herself foreign minister.

The statement said the team was formed by the lower house in accordance with parliamentary law and by-law.

The team, which MPs specified did not have the same status as a committee, comprises five MPs, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and three senior parliamentary officials.

Read more: NLD rallies behind its leaders proxy choice

Phyo Zayar Thaw, MP of Zabuthiri township who is also a member, described it as an ad hoc team with the purpose of capacity building for MPs and parliamentary staff.

A similar body existed in the previous parliament called the Joint Coordination Committee on Hluttaw Development, chaired by U Hla Myint Oo of the Union Solidarity and Development Party.





Last September he said capacity development programs had begun in 2014 coordinated with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. As a result parliament was able to sign collaborative projects with Germany and the Inter-Parliamentary Union as well as the UNDP.
More than 20 newborns remain hospitalised in intensive care units but appear to be improving nearly two weeks after showing signs of blood poisoning following a hepatitis B vaccine.





Health officials are still struggling to determine and explain what led to the severe reactions and the deaths of three newborns at Bago Region General Hospital. But parents of seven infants medevacked to Yankin Childrens Hospital in Yangon are convinced of the culprit that has their sons and daughters struggling for life.

It was the vaccine. What else could it be? said Ko Aung Soe.

The infants tribulations, which began just hours after their birth, have underscored the countrys underfunded and ailing health system, revealing the toll of medical shortages and doctors ill-appraised of national policies.

I feel hopeless, Ko Aung Soe Myint said. So far, no doctor has even explained why my daughter is sick.

At first, Ko Aung Soe Myint thought his daughter was the only one affected with seizures and difficulty breathing. She was born in the morning on March 7. Around noon a nurse came to administer a hepatitis B vaccine. Within four hours something appeared to have gone wrong.

Her skin colour started turning blue. Doctors came and they took her to a special ward. They wouldnt say why, he said. He added that he had not seen his daughter receive any other medication or injections.





In the evening, other babies in a similar condition arrived at the special treatment ward. After midnight the doctors called all the parents, and said, your children are not well. But they didnt explain what was happening, he said.

In all, between March 4 and March 7, some 28 newborns were given the hepatitis B vaccine at Bago Hospital, according to the Ministry of Health. By March 7, two had died, and 14 were receiving emergency care.

Its very hard to watch your baby struggle to survive, said another father.

Hepatitis B vaccines are a routine procedure. In many countries it is recommended, if not required, to administer the vaccine within 12 hours of birth, especially if the mothers hepatitis B status is unknown.

This is to prevent mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, which through national surveys has proven to be prevalent among the adult population [in Myanmar], said Dr Jorge Luna, country director for the World Health Organization.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection transmitted through contact with blood or other bodily fluids, and attacks the liver causing both acute and chronic disease.

According to the World Health Organization, vaccination of infants is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention, a disease which kills over 600,000 people each year.

But the vaccine administered at Bago Hospital was not part of a national immunisation program, and parents said they werent given an option for their children to not receive the vaccine, nor were they told what it was the newborns were being injected with.

As the public hospital did not stock a government sponsored version of the vaccine, at the discretion of a nurse a relative was dispatched to a private pharmacy.

The doctor asked one of the parents to go out and buy the medication from a pharmacy, Ko Aung Soe Myint said.

The father came back with packages of Hepavax Gene and Engerix B, which the health ministry says are recognised by the WHO. Its unclear however whether infant appropriate dosages were purchased, and which pharmacy they even came from.

Hospitals have long been plagued by medication shortfalls. The problem in the perennially underfunded public health sector is further exacerbated by a centralised system that often fails to tailor medications to disease prevalence at each location. Health officials say drug shortages are so prevalent that it has become not only admissible but also necessary and standard practice to fill the vacuum by allowing patients or patients relatives to buy their own pharmaceuticals and bring them back to the public health centres.

Family members of patients can buy medicines at the pharmacy as needed with a doctors recommendation, said a public health director from the Ministry of Health who asked not to be named.

But for hepatitis B medication there is also the question of proper storage. The vaccines purchased and administered to the 28 infants, Hepavax Gene and Engerix B, both must be shipped and stored in conditions from 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.

The parents all said when the vaccine was given to their children it appeared to be room temperature.

If the vaccines are not refrigerated, the efficacy can be decreased, said Dr Ba Shwe, a former medical superintendant at Meiktila Hospital. Its less clear if improper storage could result in fatal illness.

The Bago Hospital switched off its phone, and would not comment.

The Ministry of Health has admitted that it is still grappling with many variables, and cannot conclude whether the inoculations are to blame while testing is under way.

According to the current investigation, all that is known is that the infants are suffering from blood poisoning because of viral infections, a statement said.

Manufacturers of Hepavax Gene and Engerix B have confirmed they are working with health officials to determine what went wrong.

No safety issue has been observed to date in children vaccinated with the batches of HEPAVAX Gene TF available in Myanmar, said a spokesperson from Janssen, the manufacturer.

Hepavax notes in its information leaflet that the vaccine is very well tolerated and adverse reactions such as severe anaphylactic reactions are very rare. Engerix notes that in clinical trials, less than 0.1 percent of patients experienced severe side effects.

Dr Ba Shwe, the former medical superintendent, said that for any newborns, vaccinations pose a risk to fragile immune systems. He added that he has experienced cases where inoculations of infants are followed by severe adverse reactions and even death, but never in so many newborns at once.

The Ministry of Healths investigation team said their efforts to test the substance injected into the infants has been complicated by the fact that little remains of the initial sample.

When I was at Bago, I saw a health official and medical superintendent have a disagreement. The official told the superintendent that they must hand over the needles and bottles used. But the superintendent said they had already thrown it all away. The official demanded they find it, said Ko Lynn Naing, a father of one of the infants at Yankin Childrens Hospital.

Health officials could not even agree on when the national immunisation policy shifted from providing doses of hepatitis B to babies at birth to a pentavalent vaccine schedule that protects against five diseases, including hepatitis B, and is administered when an infant is two months old.

GAVI Alliance, formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, supplied the government hospitals and clinics with the hepatitis B vaccine until 2009 when the program stopped. In its stead, the government struggled to supply hospital and clinics with the vaccine. In 2012, GAVI began funding the pentavalent program.

A media spokesperson for GAVI said the rollout has covered 75pc of the country so far, so clearly there are some children who are not being reached by the routine system. It is not clear if Bago is included yet, but the Department of Health said the government does not have a separate budget for immunising newborns. Parents who want the hepatitis B vaccine administered shortly after birth, or whose doctors insist on the inoculation, must fund it themselves.

Lucky are the parents who couldnt afford to vaccinate their babies, said Ko Lynn Naing. He was able to see and hold his daughter for the first time on March 15, and his wife had just returned from breastfeeding the infant, also for the first time.

Dr Phyu Phyu Oo, a pediatrician at Yankin Hospital, said the infants conditition is stable but could not provide a prognosis.

Parents said they have not been informed of how long they will need to stay at the hospital, and fear if their children live they will still suffer long-term consequences.

I am very sad, and very worried for the future of my daughter, said Ma Thin Thin Mar, Ko Lynn Naings wife. All the staff at Bago Hospital should be responsible for what has happened to her.
The reign of Henry VIII set a high bar for nasty brazen skullduggery, but Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is now giving him a run for his money.





The PM, an old acquaintance of mine, has lovely skin. It was just never apparent during all my interviews with him that it was so thick. The man would make a rhinoceros turn pink with envy.

Why? Well, consider that in the forum of public opinion, Najib is suspected of being an accomplice to murder. He has also come close to being formally charged with stealing US$680 million in state funds.

There are numerous other allegations against him ranging from wanton philandering to compromising the nations security. He also has a widely hated, shopaholic wife.

Even his own family has turned against him, not to mention senior members of the government and his own party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

But the real story is that he will survive. It seems unbelievable, but the chances are that barring some unforeseen calamity he will lead his UMNO-led National Front government into the next election in 2018.

Whether the Front will win is not quite so clear, but the chances are that it will and that Najib will continue to lead his country for many more years, just as former PM Mahathir Mohamad did for 22 years.





And just as Lee Kuan Yew did for 31 years in Singapore and as Hun Sen still does after 30 years in the top job in Cambodia. The region appears to favour strongmen and to overlook their occasional transgressions.

For Najib, however, it has been more than an occasional transgression.

As Yang Razali Kassim, a journalist now turned think-tank commentator, recently wrote, The unthinkable is happening in Malaysian politics. It is triggered by the deepest political crisis the country has ever known.

Well, yes, up to a point thats true, but actually Malaysia has been through similar crises before, notably in 1969, 1987 and 1998, and despite the doomsday headlines, it will certainly surmount this one.

What is often missed in the reporting of this latest sordid tale is the real underlying reason of why Najib has survived.

He has done so by becoming nasty.

His change from a congenial nice guy to a ruthless hardman has been one of the most amazing personal transformations ever seen in a politician in this region.

When Najib was climbing the ladder to the highest position in the land, he was always ultra-careful to try to be nice to everyone.

It was a good strategy. After all, you never know who is going to rise or fall until, well, they rise or fall.

So, for instance, back in the late 1980s, when then-PM Mahathir faced a similar crisis and was challenged by other UMNO leaders, Najib sat on the fence.

In those days, he admired Mahathir, but he was also very close to the challengers, and he was not sure who was going to prevail in that intra-party tussle.

So he was nice to both sides, and only when he sensed that the wind was slightly shifting toward Mahathir did he commit himself to the PM and desert the challengers.

That set the pattern for his political life: In any battle, sit on the fence and be nice to both sides until it becomes clear which side is going to win.

Then, and only then, jump to the winning side.

Najib stuck to this formula several years later when UMNOs rising star, Anwar Ibrahim, decided to make an early run for the deputy leadership of UMNO against Mahathirs wishes.

The still-nice Najib professed love for both sides. But once it became clear that with his surging support Anwar was going to win and win massively, Najib jumped to his side.

Contesting in party polls as part of Anwars Dream Team, Najib himself was elected as one of UMNOs vice presidents. He was on his way.

Later, Najib followed the same tactic when Anwar turned against Mahathir in 1998, and again when Mahathir moved against his successor Abdullah Badawi.

Each time the peaches-and-cream Najib came out on the winning side and always retained his Mr Nice Guy image.

When he replaced Abdullah as PM, he continued to project that image in his first years in office.

Oh, what wonderful reformist ideas he floated. He was going to open up Malaysian society, free the press, scrap colonial-era sedition laws that were used to silence dissent and so on. His popularity soared.

Then came the twin disasters.

First, two of Najibs security guards were convicted of the murder of a Mongolian model who was sleeping with the PMs key political adviser. Najib himself was also rumoured to have been involved with her.

Then, less tacky but more serious, was his role as head of 1MDB, a state investment fund that has squandered billions and somehow led to Najibs own bank account being boosted by $680 million.

Between the assassination of the model and the grotesque financial debacle, Najib turned into a very nasty and dangerous animal.

Opponents in and out of the UMNO have been dispatched, legal and financial investigators scorned, and media outlets strangled  like the demise this week of The Malaysian Insider, whose 1MDB exposes hurt the PM.

Parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said the cause of Malaysias unnecessary international scandal was Najibs incorrigible refusal to come clean and fully answer the multiplying questions about his alleged misbehaviour.

But the new nasty Najib is not going to come clean, for heavens sake. It is the last thing he will do.

No, from now on, during the many remaining years of his premiership, whether covered in offal or smelling like a hyena, Najib will fight on and he will survive.
American Arrested For Indiana Jones-Style Cave Heist

Trending News: Someone Needs To Tell This Cave Looter He's Not Indiana Jones

Why Is This Important?

Because this guy is lucky he didn't set off any deadly traps.

Long Story Short

A 19-year-old American tourist got arrested after hours of a cave in Jerusalem's Old City. It remains a mystery as to what the Indiana Jones imitator could have been searching for.

Long Story

Sure, I know you're excited about Harrison Ford making a comeback for Indiana Jones 5, but it's probably best to leave your whips and hats at home, especially in thousands of years old historical sites.

A 19-year-old American tourist got caught doing his best Indiana Jones impression in Zedekiah's Cave in Jerusalem's Old City last Thursday, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz (via Mashable). The guy reportedly entered the cave, also known as Solomon's Quarries, as a tourist and hid from guards in a crevice when the cave closed for the night.

Normally, the cave stays closed on Fridays for the Sabbath, but workers entered the cave for routine maintenance and encountered the Indiana Jones wannabe covered in mud after searching for treasure.

"The workers found the tourist in the cave covered with mud, his backpack full of stones and shards that hed dug up from the floor of the cave," reported Haaretz. "He was handed over to police and his findings were confiscated."

Investigators know he was looking for something  but they wouldn't say what. He has now been released and reportedly left the country.

Considering that someone just found a 2,000-year-old gold coin in Israel recently, it's probably not a bad place to find some valuable treasure. The only problem is, unlike the hiker who fund the coin in the desert, Zedekiah's Cave is a historical site and thus illegal for any old Joe off the street to hunt for treasure. Lucky for this American tourist, he made it out alive  and without triggering any traps that would send off a huge boulder.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Is this teenager delusional or does he know something's down there?

Disrupt Your Feed

Surely if he'd have brought a whip he'd have found what he was looking for.

Drop This Fact

The gold coin found by hikers in Israel dates back to sometime around 107 AD, according to CNN's story. It was made by Emperor Trajan who minted a series of coins to honor the Roman emperors who ruled before him. The specific coin the hikers found shows the face of Emperor Augustus, Caesar's heir and the founder of the Roman Empire, who ruled when Jesus was around.
John Dumelo and Fred Nuamah

17.03.2016 LISTEN

CEO of Ghana Movie Awards Fred Nuamah has advised actor John Dumelo to let go of his political dream of becoming president of the Republic of Ghana.

Instead, he asked him to look at leading the Ghana Actors' Guild (GAG) which currently has no president.

Fred's admonition follows last week's reports that John Dumelo announced his interest to become president of Ghana.

According to the reports, John said this while addressing party faithful and some bigwigs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Hohoe when he joined them for the 'Walk for Mahama' health walk.

But questions were posed about whether his drive for the presidency was just to feed into the assertion that only persons with the name John would head Ghana as president.

However, Fred Nuamah thinks he should rather be occupying the vacuum at GAG.

 I think we should make him the president of the Actors' Guild first to see his leadership skills, Fred said in a comment on Instagram.

Currently, it is unclear how the GAG has been faring since it lost its president, Reverend Eddie Coffie, late last year.

.

Also, Vice President Vivian Achor has been missing in action as reports claim she is currently in the USA.

One of its leaders, Solomon Sampah, also gave up the ghost. The association is currently without a president as no election has been held to elect one.

By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee500 Email: [email protected])






17.03.2016 LISTEN

This year's edition of the much-awaited Ghana DJ Awards will take place tomorrow at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), according to the organisers, Merqury Republic Events.

A number of hiplife and dancehall artistes have been invited by the organisers to perform at the event, the organisers mentioned.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Merqury Republic Events, Merqury Quaye, told BEATWAVES that this year's edition of the awards is expected to attract all the stakeholders in the creative industry in Ghana, Nigeria, among others.

He stressed that the awards scheme since its inception has won the hearts of stakeholders in the showbiz industry, adding, This year, we have invited a number of DJs, radio personalities, musicians and producers to celebrate the event with music fans. A number of measures have also been put in place to make the event a memorable one.

The Ghana DJ Awards is being organised to honour the country's most hardworking and dedicated DJs who promoted Ghanaian culture through music and skilfully played music to entertain music lovers in Ghana and other parts of the world.

By George Clifford Owusu


Bishop Daniel Obinim

17.03.2016 LISTEN

The Leader of God's Way International Church, Daniel Obinim, has denied media reports that he said he could resurrect the late popular comedian, Bob Okala.

Obinim has never said anywhere that he can resurrect Bob Okala. The media houses making such reports should bring the evidence or apologise to him. We first saw the report on a satirical online page and we laughed it off but it is sad that some mainstream media houses are also publishing without verifying and when we complain, they will say Obinim is controversial, a member of Bishop Obinim's communication team told NEWS-ONE on Wednesday.

Bishop Obinim has in recent times had cause to complain about what he described as provocative and untrue media reports about him.

The most recent of such untrue media reports was that Obinim's vehicle had on Tuesday morning killed a young school girl.

Though the report turned out to be false, Obinim is yet to get an apology or a retraction from the media houses which put out the report.

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The Bishop made reference to a recent media report which went viral alleging that he had said it was his special prayers that enhanced the body shape of Peace Hyde, a popular television presenter whose body shape cannot be avoided by the eyes of any right thinking male adult.

Obinim complained that though he had never set eyes on Peace Hyde and had never claimed to have prayed for her, there were media houses reporting that he had made such a claim.

The controversial Bishop also expressed misgivings about yet another media report which alleged that he had claimed he was the one who prayed to make young actor Abraham Attah gain international recognition.

Again, Obinim said he never made such statements and expressed surprise that a section of the media fabricated such stories and reported same as news.
Sonnie Badu

17.03.2016 LISTEN

International act, Minister Sonnie Badu has cleared the air about his intentions to help hip-life turned preacher Yaw Siki.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on live FM, he noted that his intention was to help Yaw Siki and rally his fans to also support him. According to him, he did not have any intentions of embarrassing Yaw Siki, but the aim was to also send a message to any circular artiste who wants to give their life to Christ that there is hope in giving ones life to Christ.

Sonnie Badu added that he was touched and he just wanted to help and mentor him as well. Sonnie disclosed that his motive was not for fame, but a reminder to him of his past life when he was not yet a minister of the word.

My aim was to rally my people, my friends and my fans to show Yaw so much love that those who are outside in the world would know that there is much love in getting into Christ. I was every emotional to watch a young man to have the courage to preach in commercial vehicles, he reiterated.

Sonnie disclosed in his interview that he did not even reveal to Yaw Siki the kind of help he wanted to support him with or even talk to him on phone because the issue is not about myself but about supporting Yaw Siki.

I never called him or granted any interview to anyone on the help I wanted to support him with. I only wanted to help and guide him, he added.

Sonnie in a sober mood apologized to Yaw Siki if his post on social media made him embarrassed. He further revealed that he and his ministry are ever ready to support and mentor Yaw Siki, if he is ever ready to receive the support. He noted that he respects Yaws decisions but there is still hope in Christ for all who wants to give their life to Christ because that is what being a Christian is all about.

I still love him. I will support him and if I will advise him I will say that you still need to think about the future. Yaw Siki has made a great move and God is a right way. I am ever ready to help. If there is anything to support him, I am ever ready to do that. It is all about Christ, he stressed.

Readers are reminded that Sonnie Badu pledged support to help Yaw Siki after a video interview of Yaw Siki video went viral that he had turned into a preacher and dwells on charity. Yaw rejected the help on reasons that Sonnies help to him was for fame.

Sonnie Badu is a multiple award winner based in the UK. He was recently honored with a National award for helping to promote peace and unity with his ministry.
By societal expectation, starting a family almost immediately after marriage is the norm, but for actress/TV presenter, Selly Galley-Fiawoo, having babies, almost one year into marriage, is not on her priority list.

Although she would have babies sometime, the former Ghanan Big Brother Africa (BBA) representative who tied the knot with musician, Praye Tietia last September says for now, shed rather focus on her fledging career as an actress and TV presenter.

I know how the African culture puts pressure on the woman to give birth immediately after marriage but I dont intend to fall to that at all. Im a young lady who has a lot of aspirations for my life and career and so I need to plan before I start making babies.

As the only child of my mother, I know this is quite a difficult decision to make but I have explained it to those who matter and they are very supportive, she told Showbiz in an interview on Tuesday.

According to the host of The Premieres on Joy TV, her desire is not just to give birth and leave the child for a nanny to take care of.

No, this is what I dread most and that is why Ive decided to hold on for now to build my young career and when I know I will have time for my children, I bring them into the world.

I want to play a crucial role in my childrens lives just as my mummy did for me and it would be unfair to deprive my children of motherly love, attention and care because of work.

 My children will always come first. They should be my priority when they arrive and that is why I want to lay a good foundation before they do. I believe that making a family should be planned because its a journey and not a destination, she stated.

Selly, who won the Best Supporting actress at the City Peoples Awards last year refuted claims that it was healthier for her to give birth early.

I hear that always but Im yet to hit my 30s. I think I have many years ahead of me so theres no need to rush into anything that Im not prepared for now, she defended her decision.

In addition to hosting her show on Joy TV, Selly also plies her trade as an actress. She has featured in a number of movies some of which are yet to be released.

At the Pan African Awards held in Togo last year, Selly won the Best Supporting Actress for her role in In Six Months Time. However, her favourite movie is African Child in which she played the role of an orphan.

I love that movie very much because it depicts the suffering orphans and the less privileged in our society go through. That movie inspired me to set up my African Child Foundation to raise funds to support the needs of such vulnerable people in the society. I am happy that by Gods grace, I can also put smiles on the faces of people, she said.
India, Noida  War has been a constant threat to mankind, especially the young generations who were and are forced to become involved in armed disputes. Along with many NGOs, charitable organizations, and individuals educating people to protect the lives of youth, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is at the forefront of preventing and ceasing conflicts through its various peace initiatives. These initiatives include implementing peace education courses throughout the world.

Its valuable efforts are essential to the security of mankind and future peace. A peace advocate and international peace lecturer, Chairman Man Hee Lee of HWPL, has conducted many peace agreements to solve political and religious conflicts as well as educated youths through a practical program of peace education.

Ramagya School, one of the top ten educational institutes in the city of Noida, India, was designated as a HWPL Peace Academy on December 21st. The school announced to integrate peace education into their curriculum by establishing the HWPL Peace Education Courses. The school also appointed Chairman Lee as a honorary Chairman of the Advisory Board and Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim of the International Womens Peace Group (IWPG) as a honorary Chairwoman of the Advisory Board. Notably, along with Ramagya School, four other well-known schools in the region - Samsara School, Jaypee School, Ahlcon Public School, and Noida International University- were designated as HWPL Peace Academies.

As its name indicates, Ra  Me, Ma  Light, Gya  Inner Voice, the Ramagya School values and ensures to create a peaceful and creative atmosphere to foster youths social, emotional, and intellectual growth. Recognizing its dedication and commitment, Chairman Lee said, While visiting many universities and faith-based educational institutions around the world and meeting with countless students and faculty, my message to them has been the same. As the new generation of leaders, we must become active proponents of world peace. The voice of youth, the essential element to realize peace, is resonating throughout the world, guaranteeing peace for humanity.

Chairwoman Kim said, I firmly believe that the non-violence movement started by Gandhi can be fulfilled through the HWPL peace initiatives. As the Ramagya School became a Peace Academy, we will support and educate students to become the leading figures not only in India but also throughout the world. I sincerely congratulate you. This innovative approach to teach students the practical steps of peace through peace education is catching on and being adopted by many prestigious institutions.

Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Chairman of Ramagya School and President of Purusharth Charitable Society, recalled his meeting with Chairman Lee exactly a year ago and eagerly contributed to implementing the peace course. The two Chairpersons discussed to design programs and courses to enhance the peacemaking capacities of the students and highlight HWPLs most recent peacemaking efforts.

HWPL is in the process of developing a comprehensive peace program which provides an educational framework for conflict analysis and resolution, interfaith peace dialogue sessions, and explains how they were able to build alliances between religions through their World Alliance of Religions Peace (WARP) Offices.

Recognizing the efforts of the HWPL Peace Delegation in many parts of the world and celebrating the designation ceremony, the school also unveiled the Monument to commemorate the Declaration of World Peace. The Declaration was presented by Chairman Lee in 2013 on behalf of women and youth of the world at the Peace Gate in Seoul. The Monument is now an emblem of world peace in Noida.
16.03.2016 LISTEN

Dungu (N/R), March 16, GNA - The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress has launched a project to expose farmers in the Northern and Volta Regions to modern farming technologies to boost crop yield.

Under this, they are being taught to use mobile phones to share knowledge and information among themselves.

Mr. Karim Saagbul, Coordinator of the Project, addressing a farmers' forum held at Dungu, a suburb of Tamale, said Commonwealth of Learning (COL), an intergovernmental organization of the Commonwealth of Nations, was providing support.

He said so far 11 farmer groups had been formed in the Northern Region to benefit from the technology transfer project, dubbed 'Lifelong for Farmers (L3F)'.

The goal, he stated, was essentially to build their capacity to increase agricultural productivity and to assure the nation of food security.

Mr. Saagbul highlighted the need to provide the farmer with access to new information, training and financing, pointing out that this was the way forward to transform their livelihood.

He underlined the determination of GAWU empower farmers, particularly the women, with appropriate farming techniques to achieve optimal returns.

They had targeted to reach out to 1,000 farmers by the end of the year, he said, adding that, many of the beneficiaries would be aided with access to credit.

He said marketing their produce at competitive prices was another area, they were focusing on.

Mr. Wumbeei Abdulai, the Northern Regional Officer of GAWU, said the project was being implemented in the Central Gonja and the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality and hinted of plans to extend the activity to other districts to benefit more people.

He encouraged women farmers to take advantage of the project to lift themselves out of poverty and strengthen family incomes.

Mr. Mohammed Dawa, a beneficiary farmer, said his farm size had increased and crop yield tripled through the project.

GNA
16.03.2016 LISTEN

Accra , March 16, GNA - Parliament has approved Ghana's subscription of an additional 677 shares to the Capital Stock of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), of the World Bank Group (WBG).

The shares, comprising 213 Selective Capital Increase shares and 464 General Capital Shares, have a total value of US$81,669,895.

Out of the total, US$78,311,416.60 is callable and US$3,358,478.40 is purchase expected with cash.

The Capital Share Increase is part of the ongoing reforms at the Bank, which seeks to enhance the voice, participation and increase the voting power of Developing and Transition countries from 42.6 per cent to 47.19 per cent.

This is also aimed at reducing the share and dominant voting power of developed countries from 57.40 percent to 52.81 percent.

The IBRD is the arm of the World Bank that lends to developing countries.

Mr James Kluste Avedzi, the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, told the House that Ghana's subscription to the IBRD capital share would increase the country's voting power and current standing from 0.10 per cent to 0.12 per cent.

He said the move would raise Ghana from its current ranking of 91st position to the 88th position and consolidate her permanent position as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of Ghana's Constituency within the Bank Group.

The total value of the shares has been fully incorporated in the 2016 Budget Statement and the Economic Policy of Government that was approved by the House, in 2015, as part of subscription payments.

Paapa Owusu Ankomah, the MP for Sekondi, who seconded the adoption of the report of the Finance Committee for the approval of the subscription, said the Government should make it a priority to set Ghanaian citizens at the World Bank to take up high positions.

This, he said, would enable Ghana to influence decisions to the advantage of the country.

GNA
16.03.2016 LISTEN

New York, March 16, GNA - Mr Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General has called on governments, businesses and others to step up for gender equality which demands nothing less than full respect for the human rights of women and girls everywhere.

'In clinics and labs, schools and courthouses, farms and boardrooms, women leaders insist on equality and show its value. In the face of grave threats and attacks, women human rights defenders stand for freedom and women journalists speak out for the truth.

'As long as one woman's human rights are violated, our struggle is not over.

The world is full of inequalities and injustices for women and girls but after nearly ten years as Secretary-General, I know those are no match for our resolve to create a future of full equality.

'I did my best to promote women at the United Nations,' the Secretary-General stated at the on-going 60th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60).

Mr Ban Ki-moon recounted: 'As Secretary-General, I have appointed more than 150 distinguished women as Assistant Secretary-General or Under-Secretary-General.

'When I took office, there were no women special representatives often known as SRSGs in the field. Today, nearly a quarter of UN missions are headed by women.

'That is not nearly enough but it is a major step in realizing the Security Council's historic resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

'We are now shattering glass ceilings, and this commitment will continue. The deeply rooted prejudice that women are not capable of dealing with security matters; that is completely untrue'.

Mr Ban Ki-moon: 'Everywhere I travelled, I tried to understand women's concerns. I was angered by their political exclusion. I was dismayed by the slow progress on maternal health.

'And I knew it was long past time to end the pandemic of violence against women and girls'.

He expressed concern that violent extremists are striking at UN values waging battles on the bodies of women and girls.

He said the new UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism sets out specific proposals to give women more influence in the global response.

The Plan calls for ensuring that efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism never violate any human rights.

'When we stay true to our principles, we stay on the right side of history and the winning side on this issue,' he said.

Making a case for Africa, Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection; said Africa has made substantial progress towards the achievement of universal primary education, high primary enrolment rate, improved girls' enrolment and gender parity.

She said Africa is leading the world in terms of women's representation in national Parliaments.

'These successes could not have been attained without high level political commitment considering the socio-economic factors that operate against women and girls in a traditional African society.

'The success story is proof of the fact that change is possible with more commitment and sustained efforts'.

Nana Oye Lithur explained that Africa has all the resources it needed to galvanise development and African women and girls will not be left behind as 'we strive for global sustainable development'.

This calls for innovation, a more strategic use of technology and increased targeted resources that address the root causes of under development in Africa.

She however noted that Africa need to adopt a gender sensitive integrated approach towards addressing the continent's socio-economic challenges and climate change.

'Within our African socio-cultural context, let us not forget the drivers of social behaviour; our culture, traditions and beliefs. Africa will make more progressive gains if we address the socio-cultural and traditional challenges that impede the development of women.

'Our traditional, religious and community opinion leaders as well as the ordinary African man and boy on the streets of Nairobi, the Western Cape and Accra are important partners we should consciously cultivate. We must also reduce the risk of reversing gains we have made,' the Gender Minister stated.

Nana Oye Lithur, is the leader of the Ghanaian delegation made up of Members of Parliament, representatives from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Gender Technocrats.

The priority theme for CSW60: 'Women's Empowerment and Its link to Sustainable Development'.

The CSW was established in June 1946 as a mechanism to promote, report and monitor issues relating to the political, economic, civil, social and educational rights of women.

It holds annual sessions in March to evaluate progress made in protecting and enforcing the rights of women globally.

By Francis Ameyibor, GNA Special Correspondent, UN, New York
A public policy research centre , Danquah Institute has put together ten frequently asked questions about the voter validation exercise.

This comes after a Committee set up by the Electoral Commission to oversee concerns over the credibility of the voters register recommended voter validation as one of the ways to clean the voters register.

The Danquah Institute has also repeated calls for the validation exercise and limited registration exercise to be done as part of measures to clean the voters register.

Below are some frequently asked questions about the voter validation compiled by the Danquah Institute.

1. WHAT IS THE STORY WITH VOTER VALIDATION?

Voter Validation is an exercise aimed at cleaning up the voter register, and is considered to be the only feasible solution at this stage, as a lesser alternative to compiling a whole new register. The Electoral Commissions Panel of Experts, the team tasked with making recommendations to Mrs Charlotte Osei and the EC leadership on how to get a credible register for 2016, has told the EC to carry out Validation, as the most viable, credible option. The voters register has been the single most controversial election issue in Ghana this time. Going into the 2016 elections with a register that does not command majority public confidence can create a platform for disturbing the peace and stability of the country, post-elections. Validation is an acceptable middle way for the two extremes: those for a new register and those for a clean-up of the existing one. If done well, it is likely to help restore public confidence in the EC and give Ghana an election results all Ghanaians will easily accept.

2. WHAT IS VALIDATION?

Validation means to simply clean up the register. You, as a registered voter in Ghana, must, at a period set by the EC, go to your local registration centre to be validated in order for your name to rename on the list. Like compiling a new register, if you do not show up to be validated your name will be removed from the list, just like it happened with the 2012 biometric registration exercise.

3. IS VALIDATION DONE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY?

Yes. Voter Validation is not a new concept. Its done successfully in democracies around the world. The United Kingdom, for example, carries out an annual canvass to validate voters every year . The practice is designed to avoid duplicate entries and to ensure the accuracy of the register. The UK asserts that this annual Validation process is the most reliable way of ensuring the accuracy of the UKs electoral register.

Also, for the last 4-5 months before Nigerias general elections in 2015, INEC introduced a form of Validation by simply issuing a new voter ID, called Permanent Voters Card (PVC). Every registered voter had to go to their respective registration centre to have their fingerprints verified, facial image matched and exchange their old card for the PVC. Those who did not bother to get the PVC could not vote. The Validation process in Nigeria, carried out against political pressure from the ruling government from whom Prof. Jega received countless attacks, led to a substantial decrease in voter fraud. And in so doing, the INEC head succeeded in delivering the most credible elections in Nigerias history.

4. WHAT WOULD VOTER VALIDATION ACHIEVE?

It enables all Ghanaians to validate the inclusion of their names on the voters register  to confirm their national identity and residency, and ensure they are eligible to vote on election day. This includes those who registered using NHIS cards being given the opportunity to regularise their inclusion after the Supreme Court ruling against the use of NHIS cards to register. A bloated register allows election results to be rigged by adding up numbers illegally, according to the ECs own Panel Report.

If conducted effectively and professionally, Validation would rid the register of invalid names, such as:

-Deceased voters (estimated to be at least 600,000)

-The estimated millions of Ghanaian voters whose registration is in dispute since the Supreme Court ruling against the use of NHIS to establish eligibility as a citizen.

-Those who have emigrated since 2012 and are no longer residence of an electoral area in Ghana in a specific constituency as the law demands.

-Foreigners whose names are illegally on the register and may either be no longer available to be validated or may be afraid to come forward to commit the crime again because of all the public uproar against non-nationals being unlawfully registered.

5. WHAT WOULD VOTER VALIDATION ENTAIL?

1)Every registered voter will go to their local registration centre to be validated, or their names will be removed from the voter register.

2)If Validation is done simultaneously with Limited Registration, there will be two main designated areas at the registration centre: one for those who are there for Validation, and the other for those who are there for Limited Registration (registration for first-time voters).

3)Biometric data (fingerprints) will be verified, using the Biometric Verification device (BVD), facial image will be crosschecked, so as personal details (such as home address) and updated if need be.

4)In line with the Supreme Court decision outlawing the use of NHIS cards to prove eligibility, all voters to be validated must come with an acceptable ID, such as a passport, National ID card or a Drivers Licence. Those without any of the IDs above may have two voters who have been successfully validated to vouch for their eligibility.

5)Once successfully validated, the registered voter should be given a new voters ID card, rendering the old card defunct. This is necessary to differentiate those validated from those who are not.

6)After Validation and Limited Registration are completed, the two registers will be processed and purged of multiple registrations. Then the two registers will be merged into one accurate register.

7)An exhibition period will be initiated, allowing communities across Ghana to view the cleaned up, comprehensive voter register.

6. IS IT NOT TOO LATE TO DO VALIDATION?

No. A Validation process is more straightforward and will take less than 30 per cent of the time required for new registration to be processed because no forms are filled, no photos or fingerprints are taken. But, the best time to do Validation will be at the same time as the Limited Registration exercise.

7. WHY THE URGENCY FOR VALIDATION AND LIMITED REGISTRATION TO BE DONE AT THE SAME TIME?

The clock is ticking. The delays caused by the EC have now made building a brand new, clean voter register impractical, given the short amount of time before the November 2016 presidential election. The EC must conduct Validation in tandem with the Limited Registration they plan to carry out. The process for Validation must happen immediately, in order for it to be carried out in conjunction with Limited Registration. It would be neither effective nor efficient to waste the Ghanaian people's money and time by conducting these exercises separately. Thus, the EC must move forward with both exercises without delay.

1)It will save cost; publicity and operations for the two exercises will be merged and done cost-effectively. It will be cheaper for the EC, and cheaper for the political parties to also mobilise their agents, and easier for civil society and the media to monitor just that one major registration exercise.

2)The combined publicity for all eligible voters, both first time voters and registered voters for Validation, will ensure a greater voter participation than doing them separately.

3)It saves time, because both exercises are about the voters register which must be done and processed before the 2012 polls.

4)It will mean that one exhibition can be done to cover both exercises.

It would be a waste of resources to first conduct Limited Registration and then do the Validation. It may mean delaying the Limited Registration for 2-5 weeks. It is better to get it right than to give Ghana a wrong election.

The EC must act quickly to restore public confidence in their intent and ability to conduct an honest, credible election.

8. IS THE EC FOR OR AGAINST VALIDATION?

It is difficult to say now. The EC has avoided giving a straight answer and timelines for undertaking even stakeholder consultations towards Validation. The implication of the Supreme Court ruling is that millions of Ghanaians risk being disenfranchised for using an unconstitutional identification source (NHIS card), to register in 2012. Currently pending is a Supreme Court case to enforce just that. However, contrary to the urgings of its own Panel of Experts, the EC had said it was planning to only carry out an Exhibition period as the only window to challenge those who registered using NHIS cards.

But, the exhibition-focused solution has been blasted by both the Supreme Court and the ECs own Panel of Experts as not effective toward solving the voter register problem. The Panel issued a report outlining the reasons why exhibition-only is not a viable solution:

1.The [voter register] list is not ordered in a way that would make it possible to spot invalid records (alphabetic order and not following residential address system; too many names for anyone to manage the task).

2.Not enough time given for the exercise.

3.There is the assumption that people are known in their communities.

4.The potential for several persons having the same name.

5.The setup is potentially confrontational.

9. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS TO FACILITATE VOTER VALIDATION?

To make it happen, the current date for Limited Registration (28th April to 8th May) must be postponed by between 2-5 weeks, to allow the Validation and Limited Registration to be conducted in tandem. The postponement is necessary in order to allow for:

1.The stakeholders to agree on the modalities

2.The budget to be agreed upon and funding to be released

3. A law to be drafted and enacted for Validation. This can be by an amendment to the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) regulations, 2016 (CI 91) or by passing an entirely new law, which will take 21 days to come into force.

4.To allow for the Biometric Voting Device machines that are dispersed across the various districts to be brought to Accra and serviced, then re-distributed for use in Validation/Limited Registration

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO PREPARE FOR VOTER VALIDATION?
17.03.2016 LISTEN

WOLE SOYINKA ON RELIGION

If religion was to be taken away from the world completely, including the one I grew up with, Id be one of the happiest people in the world. My only fear is that maybe something more terrible would be invented to replace it, so wed better just get along with what there is right now and keep it under control.

PASTOR KOBI, BISHOP OBINIM, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS

A 2013 video circulating on social media shows Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobis visit to Bishop Obinims Tema-based church, where, he, without mincing words, laid down a patronizing framework of prophetic foundation for the latters bishopric mandate, claiming among others that, his host, Bishop Obinim, will eventually soar higher and higher in the competitive fields of pastoral evangelism and continuationism, deliverance ministry and sanctification, and miracle ministryto a series of standing ovation. The question then becomes, What exactly did Prophet Badu Kobi say in Bishop Obinims and his [the latters] congregations presence to elicit such an enviable degree of sycophantic cacophony?

He simply said that, Bishop Obinim is a gift to the body of Christ! This straightforward statement captures the subtext of his message to Bishop Obinims dazed congregation. Here is what he also reportedly said: As I came into the ministry, it is about some few months that I was able to raise someone from the dead. But Obinim has been consistently raising the dead. It is not all men of God who have this gift from God. This man is not just Bishop Obinim, he is a gift to the body of Christ. It pains me to hear people talking against men of God. How many Pastors have been able to do what Obinim is doing here in Ghana?"

Did Prophet Kobi really mean that Obinim has been consistently raising the dead? Which dead bodies did he consistently raise? Where? When? How? Well, Dag Heward-Mills, the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Lighthouse Chapel International, presided over a conference this author attended in New Jersey, USA, where he said he, too, has raised a dead body in one distant South American country. Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare also claims to have resurrected a dead woman in Koforidua. We are yet to learn about Pastor Mensah Otabils prowess in the miracle and deliverance ministry insofar as resurrecting dead bodies, after his having recently debunked the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Evolution with no contrary scientific evidence of his own, while also probably forgetting that, Georges Lemaitre, the man behind the so-called Big Bang Theory, was himself a believer just like him, Pastor Otabil!

Pastor Otabil, who knows next to nothing about political economy, is now a science communicator in the anti-likeness of Americas celebrated Neil deGrasse Tyson, a cosmologist and astrophysicist. In other words, Pastor Otabil in one fell swoop of evangelical rhetoric flourish and Pentecostal brashness murders the Big Bang Theory together with the Theory of Evolution without so much as bothering to raise them from the dead, as Bishop Obinim, Okomfo Yaw Appiahs mentee, is believed to have confidently petitioned Ghanaians to allow him to do in the special case of the late Bob Okala, one of Ghanas foremost celebrated comedians.

On the other hand, there is no need belaboring Archbishop Duncan-Williams, possibly because his prayers successfully resurrected the falling Cedi from clinical death, much the same way Isaac Newton managed the death-fall of the proverbial apple! What is up with these pastors raising the dead? The simple fact is that Prophet Kobi, Founder and Leader of Glorious Wave Chapel International, is one slimy opportunistic charlatan trying desperately to defend and patronize another slimy opportunistic charlatan and demagogue, Bishop Obinim, Founder and Head Pastor of the International Godsway Ministries. This is all business and they have to defend and sell each others products in order to harness their followers goodwill and to remain relevant in the field.

It is all about birds-of-the-feather-flock-together cabal of evangelical and pastoral charlatans patting each others back. And yes, rather interestingly, too, it is this same Prophet Emmanuel Kobi who reportedly cured Daddy Lumba. The latter declared after his alleged healing: For the past 22 years, I have been swallowing 48 tablets daily. I visited Glorious Wave Church International at Sakumono last week Sunday and Prophet Kobi prophesied about my ill health. He asked me to come to church with all my medicationsThe next Sunday morning, the man of God prayed for and asked my Personal Assistant, Roman Father, to set the medications ablazeI have met Prophet Kobi, the man of God for my life and forever will I follow him.

To the point, Daddy Lumba somehow patronizingly advertized Prophet Kobi in the same Prophet Kobi did for Bishop Obinim, the world-famous nocturnal snake-vampire. But the question of the evangelical thievery of the human mind is not as simple as it appears on the surface, though. For one thing, both Prophet Kobi and Daddy Lumba were tactically engaging themselves in self-advertizing activities and for another, Daddy Lumba may have probably been looking for a wider commercial patronage of his gospel (and highlife) corpus of songs while Prophet Kobi may probably have been using Bishop Obinim and Daddy Lumba to enlarge the niche of his followers and his tithing and offertory coffers. Namely, each could have been using the other as a useful idiot. Importantly, the modern miracle and deliverance ministries and prosperity theology are all about business and economics as usual.

On the other hand Bishop Obinim, the Donald Trump of radical evangelical gangsterism, too, may have been using Prophet Kobi for his own selfish ends. Here is what Prophet Kobi further said about the prospective meteoric greatness of Bishop Obinim, notwithstanding all that we have said above thus far: I am standing here today to prophecy that God is going to use Obinim seriously from next year. People from across the world will chase him here in Ghana. People will look for him like they troop to Nigeria to look for TB Joshua. God is coming to use him in such a way that people will speak evil about him. Some will say he is not from God. Others will say he is using black powers but that cannot discourage us. Because no one curse who God has blessed."

Why then is Prophet Obinim now running away from his grandstanded prophetic vision about Bishop Obinims meteoric greatness? According to him, he said he never prophesized that Bishop Obinim could transform himself into a snake and bite his enemies, while, Jesus, his friend and godfather, could also change into a tiger or a lion. But why should Jesus change into a tiger or a lion? What for? Why should God change into a tiger or a lion to accompany a mentally deranged android, a Machiavellian therianthrope? Yet, having that level of spiritual flexibility to change into all sorts of animals with Jesus also turning into a lion or tiger is a sign that the person in possession of that level of spiritual flexibility is, indeed, great! Thus Bishop Obinim has arrived!

In other words, Prophet Kobis prophetic sayings about Bishop Obinims meteoric greatness are bearing fruit or materializing in both spiritual and material abundance. There is also the possibility, farfetched though, that Prophet Kobi may just be beginning to acknowledge Bishop Obinims evangelical and prophetic charlatanry and therefore his entertaining of the possibility of that charlatanry to boomerang on his own evangelical and prophetic integrity and credibility, hence a need for him to tactically distance himself publicly from any statement that somehow tends to analogize his 2013 prophetic grandstanding to Bishop Obinims nonpareil supernatural prowess.

Still, one looks at Bishop Obinim and one is compelled to think one is looking at Kenyas Rev. Njohi, a pastor of the Lords Propeller Redemption Church who is reported to have told his female church members to stop wearing undergarments (panties and braziers) because people need to be free in body and spirit in order to receive Chris. The article continues: In true fashion, the churchs female population reportedly did come to church sans their undies, the Post reports, in order to prepare for their spiritual taking. Quite surprisingly, Rev. Njohi has declared undergarments ungodly.

This Naked I Came, Naked I shall Return church is a dubious one in that the edict was, and still is, misogynistic in its entirety and even more so, ironic at best, with Rev. Njohi totally ignoring and leaving the sartorial flashiness of men intact while, ironically, refusing or failing to ask the women to go rather completely naked. Where is the double standard in all these? Yet again unless, of course, Rev. Njohis church is strictly a womens or lesbian church and if so, what is his business pastoring a church meant exclusively for women? Further, how is it that Jesus Christ can enter the bodies of women only through their genitals, more specifically the topography of their pelvic anatomies, and their breasts? Which anatomic ingresses does Jesus Christ make use of if he wants to enter mens bodies? And oh, what is really wrong with us, Africans?

Everything aside, Ghanaians are now making Bishop Obinim the butt of expensive sarcastic jokes in which they are asking him to resurrect the person his car, a Range Rover, allegedly ran over recently and killed in the process, before ever daring to resurrect Bob Okala with Ghanaians permission. We can only hope this sensational story is not true, for if it were otherwise, then, Bishop Obinim had better listen to his detractors and enemies and resurrect this person, a feat that will no doubt give credence to Prophet Kobis questionable prophecies about Bishop Obinims meteoric greatness and accordingly, a feat that will certainly cap his nonpareil achievements in the competitive fields of miracle and deliverance ministries and continuationism. However it is highly possible he was not behind the wheel that eventful or uneventful day in question. It could have been his driver or someone else.

All things being equal and considered, this is not a matter the nation should take lightly at all. But let Ghanaians get a trusted pathologist to confirm this persons clinical death first, by, among other preemptive measures, ensuring and guaranteeing that this emotional counterfeit of an evangelist does not go behind the public to bribe any pathologist the public decides on for this task. Bishop Obinim is a funny character, a man of many dangerous colors with a Machiavellian and devious village mentality, who allegedly will not even drink Milo or eat any cocoa product including chocolates because he believes Tetteh Quarshie was a thief who stole the first cocoa seeds from Spanish colony Fernando Po (now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea).

Yet the same righteously hypocritical Bishop Obinim did not see anything theologically and doctrinally wrong screwing or humping one of his junior pastors wives, thus also cursing the innocent seed of that adulterous scarlet sin and rendering the child mentally challenged and paralyzed! That is, stealing someone elses wife and cursing an innocent child are not theologically or doctrinally problematic in Bishop Obinims constrictive psychology. Again this so-called Man of God is a funny if comical character of Machiavellian disposition. Unfortunately he is not alone in this regard. Some of these evangelical aficionados of prosperity theology have turned themselves into spiritual medical scientists and clinicians. Prophet Kobi is one.

For instance, we recall one of our closest childhood friends, whose mother, bitten by a deadly poisonous snake, was discouraged by the leadership of the Apostolic Faith Church from seeking medical attention because the church believed God will cure her. That did not happen. She died from the snake bite leaving our friend, an orphan, largely to fend for himself thereon. The Church of God Holiness in the Appalachian Mountains in the United States and others in parts of the American South, for instance, have allowed snake handling to kill some of their followers, a doctrinal of theological belief based on two Synoptic Gospels, Luke 10: 19 and Mark 16: 17-18.

OUR FINAL THOUGHTS

Let us make it clear lest we are not misunderstood. We will want to add for emphasis that, like every human institution, religion too has its positive and negative sides. And thus, we shall not make any attempt to condemn religion (and religious, spiritual persons) in its entirety. No human institution for that matter is perfect. In other words this perception is true of all human institutions.

Here we agree with Wole Soyinka, All religions accept that there is something called criminality. And criminality cannot be excused by religious fervourThe first thing to say is that we do not welcome any attempt to ravage religious sensibilities. That can be taken for granted. But you cannot hold the world to ransom simply because some idiot chose to insult a religion in some far off place which most of the world has never even heard of. This for me is a kind of fundamentalist tyranny that should be totally unacceptable. So a group calls itself the Boko Haram, literally: Book is taboo, the book is anathema, the book is a product of Western civilisation, therefore it must be rejected.

Soyinka continuous quite authoritatively: You go from the rejection of books to the rejection of institutions which utilise the book, and that means virtually all institutions. You attack universities, you kill professors, then you butcher students, you close down primary schools, you try and create a religious Maginot Line through which nothing should penetrate. Thats not religion; thats lunacy.

Now, its true that freedom of expression carries with it an immense responsibility. Well that is why laws of libel existthat when you carry things too far, you can be hauled up before the community, and judged to see whether you are right to call somebody a thief, or a hypocrite, and damage his reputation. But unless you establish that principle of freedom of expression, we might all just go around with a padlock on our lips.

He concludes in part: The unrest which is taking place as a result of Boko Haram, in my view, has attained critical mass. When a movement reaches that state of total contempt even for universal norms, it is sending a message to the rest of the world, and to the rest of that nation, that this is a war to the endTheres too much pussyfooting, theres too much false intellectualisation of what is going on, such as this is the result of corruption, this is the result of poverty, this is the result of marginalisation. Yes, of course, all these negativities have to do with what is happening right now.

Boom! Yes, one of the great outspoken and daring oracles of Nigerian and African letters has spoken the truth like no one else. In Ghana for instance, speaking truth to power is an expendable luxury many politicians dare not touch for fear of losing votes. It is probably why our duopoly is also gradually turning into a political theology, the same way therianthrope Bishop Abinim and his fabricated Jesus Christ, his friend and godfather, can turn into animals when he [Bishop Obinim] goes on the sacred mission of sting-biting his enemies and detractors in the corridors of transcendental darkness.

What happened to Jesus But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you! It is our submission that the likes of Bishop Obinim fundamentally see the Bible more as a grimoire than as an inspired book. Once again this Machiavellian character is not unique in this regard. As a matter of fact, there are many non-believers who think or see the Bible the same Bishop Obinim sees it. But that is not our concern here. American rapper GZA featured Killah Priest on a popular track called B.I.B.L.E., an acronym for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. We encourage our readers to make time for this instructive rap track for their edification.

Still we dare not overlook what Soyinka has referred to as critical mass. The concept of critical mass was what actually led to Jim Jones, of Peoples Temple, to poison his followers and himself in Guyana and to Branch Davidians David Koreshs and his followers mass deaths in Texas. Outside these immediate examples, Al-Shabab, Boko Haram, and Joseph Konys the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), to name but three, all had a humble beginning until they attained a critical mass with time. In America we also have anti-abortion terrorism, a subtle form of political terrorism mostly carried out by some persons on the religious or Christian right!

Thus, in the end even if Prophet Kobi has a problem with Bishop Obinims theriantnropic Machiavellianism and from which he is now distancing himself, the fact nonetheless remains that his controversial remark, that, Bishop Obinim is a gift to the body of Christ, does finally vindicate Bishop Obinim and his fraudulent assertion that he transforms into animals with Jesus accompanying him in his therianthropic acts. Why then does Prophet Owusu Bempah want to chase Bishop Obinim from the Body of Christ when the latter is a gift to the Body of Christ? Something is seriously amiss here. How come that Prophet Kobi cannot locate the individual who mischievously posted the video, Prophet Kobi Dissociates Himself From Obinims Snake Saga online, even as he made all those laughable auguries about Bishop Obinims meteoric rise in the Body of Christ?

Thus, Prophet Kobis general statements: I have heard a lot. I dont want to wade into religious rivalry but would like to clear my name on this. I want to state that I have never said anywhere that Obinim can turn into snake or any other thingif he says he can do that its between him and GodThe truth is that in 2013, I went to his church and I prophesied that he will be a great person not only in Ghana but worldwideBut, with is current issue about turning into a snake, I know nothing about it as people are circulating, become suspect, for Bishop Obinims therianthropic Machiavellianism is implied in his prophetic inundation of the latters [Bishop Obinims] church that day in 2013!

What is more, the therianthropic controversy is not between Bishop Obinim and his God, as Prophet Kobi would have us believe, since the latter is already a gift to the body of Christ, in the prophetic words of Prophet Kobi. Thus Prophet Kobi need not fret over the mischievous person who posted the incriminating video online. He should be able to unravel the identity of this mischievous character since he, Prophet Kobi, is also a trusted member of the Body of Christ. Yet these are the men who will go all out and call Kweku Bonsam, fake. Ironically, Kweku Bonsam also asked Ghanaians to help him unravel the mysterious identity of Ana Aremeyaw Anas so that he could perform some protective rituals for him, and this, coming in the wake of the latters highly sensational exposure of judicial corruption in Ghana. Again, Kweku Bonsam went on national radio to ask Ghanaians to assist him to find the kind of model-looking ladies he has always wanted for a wife? Where are the powers of Prophet Kobi and Kweku Bonsam?

In the final analysis, though, Ghanaians need to come together to deal effectively with this encroaching religious menace before it attains what Soyinka calls critical mass, by which time it may have been too late to nip the menace in the bud just as it has happened in the cases of Boko Haram, Al-Shabab, the Lords Resistance Army, and other terrorists on the continent. We have already alluded to Max Romes Stealing in the Name of the Lord as a serious indictment of blatant evangelical and pastoral corruption and thievery. Kweku Bonsam went on radio and whilst there challenged these latter-day Machiavellian and devious prosperity theologians to search the Book of Malachi for doctrinal and theological guidelines on how to properly take care of their followers and generally, the poor in society.

We can only that Kweku Bonsam is also making good use of the Book of Malachi unless, of course, he does not see himself bound to biblical injunctions of any sort given that he belongs to a different religion.

CONCLUSION

Bootylicious and voluptuous actress Lydia Forson said the following as part of her eulogy to Bob Okala: Sad dayComedians and artist give us so much and get very little in return. They make us laugh, cry and take us through tough periods of our lives with their art. Its easy to assume we have it all, after all how will you know we dont. To bring you the best we often have to suppress our own challenges and discomfort just to entertain and live up to the standards youve set for us

Questions that immediately pop up in our minds after reading Lydias eulogistic comments are these: Why is it that some Ghanaians are wont to pay exorbitant fees to infamous evangelical comedians such as Bishop Obinims and his magical exhibitionism, call it snake oil if you like, an aberrant behavior that feeds the mans evangelical legerdemain? Why do some Ghanaians pay evangelical frauds such as Prophet Kobi? Kweku Bonsam? Prophet Owusu Bempah? Prophet Kumchacha? Are these evangelical and pastoral frauds not better Machiavellian comics than Bob Okala?

Until Ghanaians see these Machiavellian frauds as comedians, we shall never, never, and never make any headway in fighting or resting religious fraud which has been growing in the body politic as metastatic cells. Let us therefore honor Bob Okalas legacy by not putting him in the same class as those of Bishop Obinim, Prophet Owusu Bempah, Prophet Kumchacha, Prophet Kobi, Kweku BonsamThese shady characters we need to arrest and commit to an insane asylum!

Bob Okalas only known fraudulent disposition was displayed when he stole the sadness of individuals via his creative jokes. We should take note of this difference as we celebrate the man and his legacy! And finally, if Prophet Kobi says Bishop Obinim is a gift to the body of Christ, what will we expect the Devil to say of Jesus Christ? Let him raise the person his car allegedly ran over and killed and let us also see what happens thereafter! Bishop Obinim is a gift to the body of Christ indeed! Watch out Ghana!

References

Peter Godwin. Wole Soyinka: If Religion Was Taken Away Id Be Happy. The Telegraph. October 12, 2012.

Ghanaweb. I Took 48 Tablets Daily For 22 YearsDaddy Lumba. November 15, 2015.

Ghanaweb. Obinim Is A Gift To The Body Of ChristProphet Badu Kobi. February 29, 2016.

NewsOne Staff. Pastor Orders Female Members To Remove Underwear So God Can Enter Their Bodies. The Kenyan Daily Post.

Ghanaweb. UPDATE: Obinims Range Rover Involved In Accident. March 15, 2016.

ScrewLife Staff. Bishop Obinim Says Its A SIN To Drink Milo Or Eat Any Cocoa Product Because Tetteh Quarshie Was A Thief Who Stole The First Cocoa Seeds. Screwlife.com. December 12, 2015.

Ghanaweb. Comedians Give Much But Get Very Little In ReturnLydia Forson. Ghanareporter.com. March 15, 2016.

Ghanaweb. Video: Prophet Kobi Disassociates Himself From Obinim's Snake Saga. March 15, 2016.
UK-based University of Aberdeen will on Friday hold a special convocation to confer an honorary degree of Doctors of Laws (LLD) on President John Mahama.

The convocation, according to a statement issued by the Flagstaff House Communications Bureau, will take place at the Universitys Kings College.

The honorary award will form part of the Presidents working visit to Scotland, the statement said.

President Mahama left Accra Wednesday for Glasgow to meet with the First Minister of Scotland and visit the Scottish Parliament where he will observe First Ministers Question Time and address a meeting of Parliamentarians.

The President is accompanied, by the First Lady, Lordina Dramani Mahama, Foreign Minister Hanna S. Tetteh (MP), Communications Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah and the Education Minister, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman.

Mahama and his entourage are also expected meet leaders of Scotlands political parties.

With this visit, President Mahama becomes the second Ghanaian President to visit Scotland after President Jerry John Rawlings.

The visit provides an opportunity for the two countries to strengthen political and economic relations, the statement said.

President Mahama will also interact with the Ghanaian community and address a Business Forum.

With the Vice President on an official visit to India, the Speaker of Parliament Mr Edward Doe Adjaho has been sworn in as President, in accordance with Article 60 (11) of the 1992 Constitution.
Charlotte Osei, Chairperson for the Electoral Commission

17.03.2016 LISTEN

The Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG) writes with the intense annoyance after reading an irresponsible statement that was put in the media by a group calling itself LET MY VOTE COUNT ALLIANCE (LMVCA) that craves to give directives to the incredibly proficient COMMISSIONERS of our noble and effective Electoral Commission of Ghana. This Mephistophelian act is a bane to the advancement of our democracy.

It is exceedingly noticeable from all indications that the LET MY VOTE COUNT ALLIANCE (LMVCA)in recent communique on electoral matters seems not to know anything as far as elections are concerned. It is also evident that the group does not have any idea as to what the law i.e. the constitution of Ghana states about the ELECTORAL COMMISSION hence our desire to point out, as a reminder to them, some dictates of the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451).

The section three (3) of the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451) that talks about the INDEPENDENCE OF THE COMMISSION unambiguously states Except as provided in the Constitution or in any other law not inconsistent with the Constitution, in the performance of its functions, the Electoral Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority.

Despite the aforementioned the framers of the constitution in their WISDOM gave the commission some form of option to be able to create a committee to help in the discharge of the COMMISSIONs functions.

The section 7 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451) states that (1) The Commission may appoint such committees, as it considers necessary for the discharge of its functions. (2) A committee appointed by the Commission may include non-members of the Commission but shall be chaired by a member of the Commission.

The ELECTORAL COMMISSION in respect of the constitution has set up a committee of the commission called the INTER PARTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (IPAC) whose main duty is to counsel the commission on the fulfillment of its functions as prescribed in the section 2 of this Act. It is worth mentioning that even this Committee has no legal right to direct the Commission as far as its functions are concerned let alone to obstruct its job.

The Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG) wishes to categorically state that the Mephistophelian act by the LET MY Vote count alliance (LMVCA) is frowned upon by the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451).

The section 13 of the Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451) which talks about Offence unequivocally affirmed that Any person who willfully obstructs the Commission or otherwise interferes with the Commission in the discharge of its functions under this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 500,000.00 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.

We are on this note sending a strong warning to the LET MY VOTE COUNT ALLIANCE (LMVCA) to desist from their diabolical mischief to obstruct the commission from doing its independent work since the electoral commission does not work on any person or group of persons directives or dictates.

We wish to encourage the Electoral Commission to also;

Be FOCUSED on their work to deliver free, fair and transparent elections and not allow any lawless groups such as LMVCA to unlawfully dictate to them.

on their work to deliver free, fair and transparent elections and not allow any lawless groups such as LMVCA to unlawfully dictate to them. Be DEPENDABLE with their own laws as put in Electoral Commission Act, 1993 (Act 451) especially in the section 3 of this Act.

The Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG) is looking forward to seeing a peaceful and successful election this year.

LONG LIVE GHANA!! LONG LIVE OUR DEMOCRACY!!!

..

LISTOWELL NANA KUSI-POKU

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

GOOD GOVERNANCE ADVOCACY GROUP GHANA (GGAGG)

(DIVERSITY IN UNITY)
17.03.2016 LISTEN

Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College Junior Division is on a 4 day fact finding mission to Eastern Region as part of their environmental tour studies. In attendance are 50 GAF students on this research tour together with their directing staffs.

This was Just finding facts expose on endangering of our environments in the region and to make the necessary recommendations to higher authority.

Below are the four thematic areas they are researching on:

1. Effect of Galamsey on the security of Eastern Region

2. Youth Unemployment in eastern region and it's implication on security

3. Fulani activities and it's security implications in Eastern Region

4. Effectiveness of the REGSEC & DISEC in handling dispute resolution in E/R

The team's visit covers Kibi, Abetifi, New Abirew and Nkawkaw. On 16 Mar 16 they visited the East Akim municipal assembly. At the Municipal Assembly, the DCE Hon Simon Peter Asirifi and his DISEC team briefed the team on how the galamsey has endangered the their water bodies, natural forest, food production and economic activities such as cocoa farming. One can confidently say it has also become a threat on national security.

The team visited towns like Kyebi, Asikam, Pano, Apapam and other surrounding towns in East Akim municipal Assembly.

Galamsey is endangering our environments and this is posing a serious security threats to food , Most farmers have given up their land for illegal mining . Economic wise, cocoa farmers are moving into galamsey .

It's more attitudinal, poverty, lack of knowledge & lack of value system.

Especially as indigenes are willingly to sell their lands and even houses to be dug for galamsey.

ABUSCO's compound and other residential areas are facing a serious challenge as the galamsey operators have started to dug their vicinities.

The team again paid a courtesy call on the Kyebi Abontendom hene Kyeretwie Boakye Dankwah and he stated that " they should allow institutions mandated to see to our areas work independently without any intimidations from above"

Vexaplus News can confidently say the state of our water bodies which is known to be sources of drinking water to the nation has been endangered. Treated water from the Birim still looks brownish .

However the Team would continue with their research to other parts of the region.
Kasoa, the town which means Market, in the Hausa language, was formerly a small settlement where traders meet to transact business.

Itinerant cattle traders changed things dramatically when they moved in and start to sell goats, fowls and sheep. This increase the popularity of the settlement which was located on the strategically important highway between Accra and the Western corridor of the country. The Western Region is the richest region in Ghana, and it produces the bulk of the countrys mineral and agricultural products.

Kasoa is about twenty kilometers from the nations capital, Accra. Traders from the interior find it more convenient to discharge their cargoes in Kasoa instead of risking the heavy traffic of the capital. Accra traders also find it easier to stop at Kasoa rather than to travel the long distance to the Western Region. So, Kasoa benefitted immensely from serving as the interface between the two most important parts of the country.

The highway that cut through Kasoa is believe to be the busiest section on the ECOWAS Transnational Highway. This also help to boost the population as it attracts settlers from the West African sub-region.

Over the years, Kasoa grew to become one of the largest towns in Ghana.

The original name of the town is Odupong-Kpehe. Kasoa land belongs to the Awutu people, who traced their ancestry to one of Ghanas larger tribes or, to be politically correct, national groups, Ga.

The native language of Kasoa is Awutu, but so many foreigners have settled in the town that the native language has become a minority language. One hardly hears Awutu spoken on the streets of Kasoa. With a sizable number of non-Ghanaians, Kasoa is a truly metropolitan town. So many African languages are spoken on the streets of Kasoa that the joke is that the town is a mini-ECOWAS, a true melting pot of diverse African nationalities.

On the Eastern side of Kasoa near Amanfro-Inglesi is a settlement for the Gau Gau people from Niger Republic. They trade mostly in goats and sheep. On the Western side of town, which is on the Kasoa to Cape Coast road, is the large Buduburam Refugee Camp. As the story goes, the camp was originally a prayer camp on the outer fringe of town, before the government set a refugee camp there, to receive Liberians who fled the civil war in their country. After the Liberians came the Sierra Leoneans, who also fled a war in their country.

Today, most of the foreigners have left for their home countries and other destinations, and many Ghanaians have moved in to settle there. There remains a sizable number of foreigners, but the settlement has lost its once-bustling allure.

Buduburam is unlike any Ghanaian town as one hardly hear a Ghanaian language used in business transaction there. Even the Ghanaians who live there speak a form of Liberian dialect of the English language.

Buduburam has such a ferocious reputation that many Ghanaians are afraid to go there. To many native Ghanaians, Buduburam is the modern version of Sodom and Gomorrah where every vice is present and openly encouraged. Many parents advised their children never to venture there as scary stories of cannibalism, prostitution, armed robbery, witchcraft and human sacrifices are peddled to scare the hell out of little children.

Many Ghanaians dread traveling to or even passing through Kasoa, simply because of the citys legendary traffic jam.

Like most of Ghanas urban centers, little thought was given to city planning as Kasoa blossomed from a rural settlement into a thriving metropole within a decade. The only memorable road in town remains the ECOWAS Transnational Highway, which dissect the town. To add to the utter mayhem, the most prominent industry in town, which is the famed Kasoa market, is located right beside the highway. Daredevil traders play Russian roulette with their lives as they run on and off what is supposed to be an International Highway.

Efforts by many governments to move stubborn traders to the brand-new market along the Bawjiase road have proved abortive. The almost impeccable logic of the traders: Trading is carried out where the buyers are - the buyers are those that ply the Highway, so the traders stubbornly refused to bulge. And governments, afraid of the electoral power of the market women, play safe and pretend not to notice the menace they continue to pose.

For many years, Kasoa was neglected in terms of the provision of basic amenities for citizens.

But it looks like the government of President John Dramani Mahama has finally turn its attention to attending to some of the problems besetting what many believe to be the fastest growing metropolis in West Africa.

The contract to build an overhead pass at Kasoa was on the drawing board for a long time. After much speechifying in parliament, approval was gained for a loan to finance the project. Work started on the project in late 2015. It went into higher gear this year, and on 3 February the president, John Dramani Mahama, came to town with pomp and pageantry and officially commissioned the project.

To the joy of the citizens of Kasoa, the Flyover is not the only game in town. The perennial traffic bottleneck is somewhat eased by a new road from the Barrier to the Buduburam area on the Winneba road, totally bypassing Kasoa township. In several parts of town, several other road construction projects are ongoing, much to the delight of the inhabitants of the city.

Finally, Kasoans have reason to cheer after long years of neglect. They will no longer be the butts of jokes from their compatriots, who look down on them because of their lack of good access road.

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17.03.2016 LISTEN

A United States official has stressed that the two Guantanamo Bay detainees currently being hosted by Ghana pose no threat at all to Ghanas security and its people as both the US and Ghanaian governments are in control of the situation.

Making this remark in a press briefing to foreign reporters in the United States last week, Mr. Mark Toner, who is the deputy spokesperson of the United States Department of State, additionally expressed the US gratitude to Ghana and other countries for accepting the detainees.

As part of President Barack Obamas decision to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba before he leaves office in 2017, the United States are distributing some of the detainees to some other countries, for which reason two of them - Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby who were held since 2002  were transferred to Ghana in January.

But the decision of the Ghanaian government to accept these two detainees of Yemeni nationality has become a big issue in Ghana in the last two months and raised wild criticisms from especially the opposition concerning the risk involved in accepting theses persons seen as terrorists and security threat.

This prompted the intervention of President John Mahama and his government to come out to strongly defend Ghanas decision to accept the detainees, a move which has still not satisfied most people.

In support of Mahamas defense, Mr. Toner pointed out that the US made sure the two detainees are risk-free before deciding to transfer them to Ghana.

In terms of how these countries, these governments, or law enforcement within these governments are able to track these individuals, keep eyes and ears, if you will, on them, first of all, all of the individuals who are repatriated or sent to other countries overseas have gone through a very, very rigorous exercise, screening process, to  in order to be deemed fit to be able to  or fit for resettlement overseas, he said, And that screening process determines that these individuals are no longer the threat that they may have once posed as terrorists or would-be terrorists in the battlefield.

He also revealed that the US is keeping tabs on all of the detainees sent to Ghana and other countries.

But without getting into too many specifics in a public setting, we obviously always try to monitor all of these detainees as they resettle abroad  monitor their progress. Obviously, we want to see them resettle successfully, but we work with those governments generous enough to host them in order to ensure that their security concerns are addressed.

The US department of state deputy spokesperson observed that the decision to transfer some of the Guantanamo detainees to some countries is a collaborative effort in Obamas desire to see the end of the detention centre before his term expires next year, and as such expressed the USs gratefulness to countries such as Ghana for their support in this case.

First of all, we work with a number of countries around the world as weve sought to accomplish, frankly, one of the core objectives of this Administration. Once President Obama came into office, he said he wanted to close the Guantanamo detention center there because he felt like it was a  it had become an image of the United States that was, frankly, counterproductive to the kind of image we want to present around the world.

"Part of that effort, and we have relied greatly on the  on countries like Ghana, but other countries around the world. Albania is another leader in accepting some of these detainees. We have managed to find homes for many of these detainees.

And again, were extremely grateful to countries like Ghana and, as I said, many other countries around the world who have helped us or are helping us achieve, as I said, our goal of closing down Guantanamo. (We) appreciate it.
Suhum (E/R), March 16, GNA - A 10-member district taskforce assigned the job of ensuring fair and transparent distribution of cocoa inputs including chemicals and fertilizers, has been inaugurated with a call to it to demonstrate integrity.

Mr. James Kofi Kutsoati, Deputy Chief Executive, Operations, Ghana Cocobod, asked that it acted to prevent stealing and diversion of the items meant to aid the farmer to increase crop yield.

Again, it should assist farmers through education, to safely and properly apply the chemicals on their farms to achieve optimal results.

He spoke of the need to make sure that nobody was discriminated against or denied their fair share of the inputs.

Dr. Francis Baah, Executive Director, Cocoa Health and Extension Division, cautioned anybody with the evil agenda to divert any of the inputs to have a change of heart in their own interest.

He warned of the prosecution of offenders, adding that, the Ghanaian farmer would not be shortchanged.

Mr. Jonathan Kwao-Sarbah, an official of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and a member of the task force, gave the assurance that they were not going to disappoint.

The taskforce would work diligently to serve the farmers' interest to help raise the nation's cocoa production level.

GNA
Accra March 16, GNA - A 13 year old girl has told an Accra Circuit Court that she saw Queenie Akuffo insert artificial penis into her sister's vagina after making her drunk.

Queenie Akuffo, a student is alleged to have inserted into a co- tenant's vagina a doodle after making her drunk.

Queenie who had been charged with unnatural carnal knowledge, has pleaded not guilty.

The Court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku admitted Queenie to bail in the sum of GHa40,000.00 cedis with three sureties.

Led in evidence by Detective Inspector Judith B. Asante, the teenage witness name withheld said on the day of the incident, Queenie asked her to look for an object for her in her room.

According to the victim she thought the object was 'pomade'.

After she found it, she saw that the said object had a protruding mouth. According to her, the victim was then incapacitated hence Queenie inserted her two fingers and the object into the victim's vagina.

Witness said on the day of the incident, she was in the room of the accused person dancing with one Pearl and Nana Appiah when the accused person offered the victim some drink.

According to the witness, when the victim who is her sister drank a bottle of beer she became tipsy and fell as she walked.

Witness said Queenie also asked her to clean up her sister who had then vomited in the room.

Soon after cleaning the vomit, Queenie asked her to take the victim's baby out to bathe her which she obliged.

She said her mother known as Comfort Sam came to Queenie's house and she informed her about her sister's ordeal.

Answering questions under cross examination by Mr Andrew Vortia, the Defence Counsel the witness said she bought three bottles of beer on the request of Queenie.

When asked whether she knew Queenie, witness said she knew her but did not know her character.

Witness said she could not tell whether or not Queenie forced the victim to drink so much on the day of the incident.

Hearing continues of March 29.

Prosecuting Detective Inspector Judith B. Asante told the Court that Comfort Sam is the complainant and mother of the victim.

The victim is Janet Amoakwah.

Prosecution said accused person and the victim reside at Ablekuma and were tenants in the same house.

On January 25, at about 18:00 hours, Queenie sent the victim's younger sister, a witness in the case to go and call the victim and the witness obliged.

Detective Inspector Asante said when the victim arrived, Queenie offered her a Vodka beer and other varieties of beer to drink after which the victim got intoxicated. Queenie then lured her into her bedroom.

The prosecution said Queenie asked other witnesses around to leave and she locked her bedroom.

Detective Inspector Asante said a 13 year old witness went to peep through the window of the accused and saw Queenie inserting the artificial penis into the victim's vagina.

The witness informed the victim's brother known as Nana Sasu and he also alerted her mother (the complainant).

The prosecution said the witnesses rushed to the aid of the victim and saw her lying naked in the accused person bedroom with vomit all over her.

Prosecution said as the victim was unconscious she was rushed to the hospital after obtaining a medical report form from the Police station.

The Police proceeded to the scene and apprehended Queenie and a search in her room revealed an empty container of Vodka beer, star beer bottles, and bottles of Orijin alcoholic beverages.

According to the prosecutor, the artificial penis was found on top of the accused person's wardrobe and a video recording of the act was on Queenie's '[email protected] mobile phone.

Prosecution said Queenie in her caution statement to the Police admitted the offence.

GNA
Accra, Mar 15, GNA - Lily Oye, a middle-aged woman, suspected to have swindled a number of people of their moneys totaling of US$204,690.00 to secure them entry Visas to the united States of America (USA), is being sought after by the Documents and Visa Fraud Section (DVS) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Accra.

Also known as Nana Oye Cohan and thought to be in her fifties, the woman suspected to be hiding in Kumasi and Accra, succeeded in convincing her victims that she worked at the US Embassy in Accra.

An undisclosed reward has been posted on her by the police for those who would offer leads to facilitate her arrest.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Seth Sewornu, officer in charge of the DSV, told the Ghana News Agency that after all attempts to get their visa documents or hear from the woman proved futile, they became apprehensive they had fallen for the bait and then reported the case to the Police.

The victims are said to be from Koforidua, Kumasi, Accra, Kasoa, and Tema and were mainly unemployed graduates who had just completed tertiary institutions while others were businessmen who borrowed to pay for the transactions.

GNA
Bolgatanga, March 16, GNA - The Inspector - General of Police (IGP), John Kudalor, has cautioned police personnel against taking partisan positions, particularly, towards the general elections, scheduled for November 7.

The IGP gave the caution in Bolgatanga during his maiden visit to the region as part of measures towards ensuring peace during the political season.

He told the personnel, drawn from the various units and the districts in the Upper East Region that the Police Administration had to be fair and firm in the dispensation of their duties during the period.

'Any personnel found culpable shall be severely disciplined by the Police Administration; Professionalism should be our watch word,' the IGP warned.

He said from all indications, the 2016 elections was going to be keenly and fiercely contested and as an institution mandated by the Constitution to maintain law and order, it was incumbent on the Police Administration to provide an atmosphere of security to enable all the political parties to campaign without any problem.

He explained that peace and security could only be achieved through the collaboration of multiple actors spearheaded by the Police Administration.

'It was against that background that the Police Administration has instituted the IGP series dialogue targeting all election actors, including the youth groups, the political parties, traditional, religious and opinion leaders across the 10 regions of the country,' he explained.

'The first dialogue was on 10th March 2016 with the Youth Groups of all the Political Parties, where together we had healthy discussions on how the Youth Groups and the Police can work towards peaceful elections in November 2016.

'We also met leaders of the National Democratic Congress Party on 11th March 2016 and held discussions on how the party can work towards peaceful election. We will also be meeting leaders of the other political parties in the next few weeks,' the IGP said.

Whilst commending the Upper East Regional Police Command for working hard to maintain relative peace in the Region, the IGP urged all the Regional and District Commanders throughout the country to replicate the IGP series dialogue.

He gave the assurance that the Police Administration would provide all the necessary personnel and logistics towards ensuring peaceful elections.

The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Simon Yaw Afeku, said chieftaincy and land issues were some of the major problems in the Region.

He, however, said his outfit, in collaboration with the Regional Security Council, was working tirelessly to ensure that the disputes did not take a political twist.

He said the Police had also re-strategised to combat crimes such as armed robbery, motorbike stealing and motor accidents, which were reducing.

The DCOP appealed to the IGP to assist the Police in the area with accommodation and logistics.

Earlier, some of the Police officers undertook a Mock Riot Control Exercise, as part of the preparation towards the elections.

They were advised not to resort to the use of lethal force in controlling aggrieved crowd in demonstration but to use diplomacy to calm the crowd and to arrest the ring leaders.

The IGP was accompanied by the Director General in-charge of Services, Commissioner of Police Oppong Boanu, the Director General of Operations, CO P Christian Tetteh Yohuno and other Unit Commanders.

GNA
Accra, March 16, GNA - The National Security Council has met to review the security situation in the country in the wake of the upsurge of terrorist attacks in the sub-region.

The meeting which was chaired by His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, was attended by Service Chiefs and all other members of the Council.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Communications and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday, said the Council reviewed the recent attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire and current intelligence on extremist activities in West Africa.

It said the National Security Council on the basis of briefings by the intelligence agencies and partners, has determined that there was a credible terrorist's threat to all countries in the sub-region.

The Council therefore reviewed its anti-terrorism preparedness, joint service operations and other measures to ensure the safety of the citizenry.

The statement said in view of the conventional wisdom that security was a shared responsibility, the Council had advised that the general public be vigilant, cautious and curious, and report any unusual circumstances to the law enforcement agencies.

The Council further urged all Ghanaians and other nationals resident in Ghana to bear with security measures that may be enforced at various locations from time to time for the purpose of public safety, and gave the assurance that it would review the situation on a continuous basis. GNA
Cairo (AFP) - Radar scans of the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun in the ancient necropolis of Luxor showed a "90 percent" chance of two hidden chambers, possibly containing organic material, Egypt's antiquities minister said Thursday.

Experts had scanned the tomb to find what a renowned British archaeologist believes could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary beauty and wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found.

Preliminary scans of Tutankhamun tomb reveal "two hidden rooms behind the burial chamber" of the boy king, Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Damati told reporters.

"Yes, we have some empty space, but not total empty, including some organic and metal material," Damati said in English.

When asked how certain he was, he said there was a "90 percent" chance.

A study by renowned British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves has said that Nefertiti's tomb could be in a secret chamber adjoining Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings in Luxor in southern Egypt.

Reeves, professor of archaeology at the University of Arizona, believes one door of Tutankhamun's tomb could conceal the burial place of Nefertiti.

According to him, Tutankhamun, who died unexpectedly, was buried hurriedly in an underground chamber probably not intended for him.

His death would have forced priests to reopen Nefertiti's tomb 10 years after her death because the young pharaoh's own mausoleum had not yet been built.

Nefertiti played a major political and religious role in the 14th century BC.

She actively supported her husband Akhenaten -- Tutankhamun's father -- who temporarily converted ancient Egypt to monotheism by imposing the cult of sun god Aton.

Tutankhamun died aged 19 in 1324 BC after just nine years on the throne. His final resting place was discovered by another British Egyptologist, Howard Carter, in 1922.
Mr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson,Deputy Minister for Finance

17.03.2016 LISTEN

The Ghana Deposit Protection Bill, 2015 was read for the second time on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson on behalf of the Finance Minister.

The bill was presented to Parliament and read the first time on behalf of the Minister of Finance by the Hon. Deputy Minister of Finance on Tuesday, 12th May, 2015 and the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho referred the Bill to the Finance committee of Parliament for consideration and report in accordance with Article 174(1) of the 1992 constitution and Order 169 of the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.

The Article 174(1) says that no taxation shall be imposed otherwise by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament. Also the Order 169 of the Standing Orders of Parliament states that the committee of Finance shall be composed of twenty-five Members, to which shall be referred Bills, inquiries and economy generally.

According to the report of the Finance Committee on The Ghana Deposit Protection Bill, 2015, The objective of the Bill is to establish a Deposit Protection Scheme to protect a small depositor from loss incurred by the depositor as a result of the occurrence of an insured event and to support the development of a safe, sound, efficient and stable market-based financial system in Ghana; to establish the Deposit Protection Fund which constitutes the assets of the Scheme and the Deposit Protection Corporation to manage the Scheme efficiently and effectively towards the attainment of the objects of the Scheme, amongst others.

As part of the observations of the Committee on the Bill on coverage limit, an insured depositor who deposits with a bank would recover up to five thousand Ghana Cedis. But a depositor of a specialized deposit-taking institution would recover up to one thousand Ghana Cedis.

However, on the financing of the scheme, a total seed of capital of cedi equivalent of twenty million Euros (20,000,000.00) is envisaged to be equally contributed by the Government of Ghana and the Bank of Ghana.

The report furthered that, to ensure the continuous flow of fund into the scheme, members of the scheme (Banks and deposit-taking institutions) would be expected to contribute an initial one-off premium amounting to 0.1% of the required minimum paid-up capital and annual premium. The scheme would also be permitted under the Act to invest its funds.

However, to guarantee the managers of the funds do not deviate from the core object of the Act, provision has been made to ensure that the schemes investment policy adhere to the principles of safety and liquidity over returns, the report added.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu North constituency and the chairman of the finance committee, Hon. James Klutse Avedzi, in seconding the motion moved by the Hon. Deputy minister of finance on the Bill, said the committee has thoroughly examined the Bill and is of the view that the passage the Bill into an Act will help ensure a sound, stable and efficient financial system and further boost public confidence in the banking system. The committee therefore recommends to the House to adopt its report and pass the Ghana Deposit Protection Bill, 2015 into law, he beseeched.

MP for Manhyia South, Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh sought to find out whether passing this bill into law would prevent what happened recently in the case of some microfinance institutions in the country.

He said If we had passed this bill earlier, will this bill have prevented what happened in the case of DKM? I dont think so. These things happen and I havent seen the Bank of Ghana do anything to prevent it from happening. All we would know, next week it will happen again. Lets ask Bank of Ghana what powers they will need to prevent such things from happening. I believe even when we pass this law, they will go to sleep. They will say that small depositor cant have insurance so why should we even go after the banks. Let them bring things that will prevent banks from collapsing, financial institutions from collapsing, savings and loans companies from collapsing, that will help boost the economy of Ghana than to pass a law that will let it go to sleep and then we will be having all these things, he opined.

Meanwhile, MP for Ketu Central, Hon. Benjamin Kpodo was hopeful the passage the Ghana Deposit Protection Bill, 2015 will go a long way to protect the small depositors in the country.

MP for Sekondi, Hon. Papa Owusu-Ankomah also said the bill should be coupled with aggressive public education of depositor to improve upon the confidence that relatively small depositors have in the banking system and therefore increase the size of bankable population.
Lagos is a beautiful city and owing to the large number of residents, there are so many apartments on lease, most of them small but functional. With many options available and so many decisions to make regarding moving in and decorating, its hard not to feel overwhelmed. The good thing, however, is that though the apartment may be short on space, it doesnt mean it has to be short on style.

Whether you are starting out or starting over, Jovago.com, Africas No.1 online hotel booking service offers tips to help you navigate the difficult process of decorating an apartment in Lagos.

Have a budget

The moment you find your apartment and pay for it, you become obsessed with the idea of making beautiful as well as functional in the best way possible without losing your personal style. Controlled by that strong desire, you find that you might be tempted to spend a lot of money acquiring new decorative items and building new pieces for the apartment, and you end up broke at the end of the day, possibly without money to feed yourself for a while afterward. To avoid falling into this trap, draw up a specific budget for budgeting. The budget helps you figure out how much you can spend and know what to prioritize. Basically, they budget lets you know where to draw the line and actually forces you to get creative with improvising.

Sketch out a plan

Before you start decorating, it is important that you have a plan. Make a sketch of what you want the apartment to look like. Where you want each furniture to be and how you would like each corner to be arranged. The sketch does not have to be professional; you just have to be able to understand it. Fortunately, the internet has a lot of ideas and samples for inspiration. You can also even find floor plan programs online. The sketch also helps you know how well to coordinate your colors.

Go for functional furniture pieces

Of course, you would prefer new furniture, new gadgets and everything fresh, but you need to realize that you would be doing yourself a disservice by giving into that lurethat is if you can afford to. Ensure your largest pieces of furniture are second hand. You can find very good second-hand furniture at Westminster market, Apapa or Alaba market. Also -in the bid to make the apartment pretty- do not clog it with furniture that will not be of actual use.

Hire an interior decorator

If you are totally clueless as to what to do as regard decorating your apartment, hire an interior decorator as a consult to do the entire job for you. Luckily in Lagos, most interior decorators are flexible and willing to work for different budgets. The designer will help you simplify your style, give you tips to acquire the right furnishings and assist in the carrying out your decoration plan.

Take it easy

Before you set out to decorate, remind yourself that Rome was not built in one day. It is okay if your decoration does not come out looking picture-perfect. You can start with decorating one room or space at a time and slowly work your way through the entire house. Your taste might change with time and you maybe not live in that apartment forever. Give yourself time to learn what you like to live with, not just what you like in a picture.
Cairo (AFP) - Radar scans of the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun in the ancient necropolis of Luxor showed a "90 percent" chance of two hidden chambers, possibly containing organic material, Egypt's antiquities minister said Thursday.

Experts had scanned the tomb to find what a British archaeologist believes could be the resting place of Queen Nefertiti, the legendary beauty and wife of Tutankhamun's father whose mummy has never been found.

Preliminary scans of Tutankhamun's tomb reveal "two hidden rooms behind the burial chamber" of the boy king, Antiquities Minister Mamduh al-Damati told reporters.

"Yes, we have some empty space, but not total empty, including some organic and metal material," Damati said in English.

When asked how certain he was, he said there was a "90 percent" chance.

A study by renowned British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves has said that Nefertiti's tomb could be in a secret chamber adjoining Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of Kings in Luxor in southern Egypt.

Reeves, professor of archaeology at the University of Arizona, believes one door of Tutankhamun's tomb could conceal the burial place of Nefertiti.

According to him, Tutankhamun, who died unexpectedly, was buried hurriedly in an underground chamber probably not intended for him.

- New test planned -

His death would have forced priests to reopen Nefertiti's tomb 10 years after her death because the young pharaoh's own mausoleum had not yet been built.

Damati said the two hidden chambers were behind the northern and the western walls of Tutankhamun's burial chamber.

"What it means, we have two extensions" behind Tutankhamun's burial chamber, he said.

When asked if the organic material could be a mummy, Damati said: "I cannot say. I can only say we have here some organic materials."

Damati and Reeves differ on whose mummy they expect to find, with the minister previously saying that Tutankhamun's tomb may contain the mummy of Kiya, a wife of Akhenaten.

On Thursday, he said a new radar test would be conducted on March 31.

"Another radar, more improved, will check and measure for the dimensions of the wall behind and the thickness of the walls," Damati said, adding that the result of the new test would be announced in Luxor on April 1.

Nefertiti played a major political and religious role in the 14th century BC.

She actively supported her husband Akhenaten -- Tutankhamun's father -- who temporarily converted ancient Egypt to monotheism by imposing the cult of sun god Aton.

Tutankhamun died aged 19 in 1324 BC after just nine years on the throne. His final resting place was discovered by another British Egyptologist, Howard Carter, in 1922.

Experts are also scanning four pyramids to unravel the mysteries of the ancient monuments.

Using infrared technology, a team of researchers have been scanning the pyramids of Khufu, also known as the Great Pyramid, and Khafre at Giza and the Bent and Red pyramids in Dahshur, all south of Cairo.

Operation ScanPyramids, which aims to search for hidden rooms inside those four monuments, is expected to continue until the end of 2016.
17.03.2016 LISTEN

Ghanas second Karpowership could arrive in the country by September, this year, Zeynep Harezi, Executive Director for Business Development at Karpower, has said.

Ms Harezi, speaking to journalists recently, said the second Karpower, which is 70 percent complete, would contribute 225 megawatts to the national grid.

The second Karpowership was expected to arrive in Ghana by January this year.

The first Karpowership, Aysegul Sultan, which arrived in the country last year, started producing power on December 17, 2015.

It is now produces 225 megawatts power. The two ships are expected to contribute 450 megawatts power to the national grid.

Ms Harezi said: As per our contract, the second powership is to be delivered 365 days from the financial guarantee. So the financial guarantee was put in place during the second half of 2015.

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The company requested $50 million guarantee to bring each powership to Ghana.

The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has taken responsibility for the payment of the guarantees since it would be the main supplier of fuel to the barges. Also, GNPC needs to find use for the Sankofa gas else Ghana would pay penalties to ENI, which is expected to produce the gas.

The contract says the powerships should be run on HFO for the first five years before they can be moved to gas, but Harezi said the company will negotiate if gas becomes available before the deadline to save Ghana about $120 million annually.

According to Alex Mould, CEO of GNPC, one of the conditions of ENI for the Sankofa project to continue was that GNPC would ensure it takes the gas.

So that is why GNPC entered into this. We have to make sure we have the capacity to take the gas. If not, then we start paying penalties to ENI for not being able to take the gas. It is a take or pay contract. So far as the gas is available, we are supposed to take it. If there is nowhere for us to dispose of the gas, it becomes a financial loss to the country, he explained.

By Samuel Boadi


17.03.2016 LISTEN

A group of disgruntled Voltarians have intensified their efforts to see the exit of President Mahama and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) come November 7.

As part of their efforts, the 'Volta for Change' (V4C), as they are called, have decided to embark on a health stroke peace walk dubbed, March for Change 2016, to garner support for their activities and operations.

The group has as its slogan, 'Mi Dez Na Ttrto', literally translated as movement for change.

The police have since given them the green light to go ahead with the event which is scheduled for Saturday, March 26, 2016 in the Ho Municipality.

Ho District Police Commander Benedicta Abboah Offei confirmed the planned event to DAILY GUIDE, indicating that the police had given them clearance.

In a statement, leading members of the group, Eyram Doe and Abraham Futukpor, said for far too long, the NDC has relied on the Volta Region as a bedrock of support  referring to it as its world bank.

According to them, it is a support that the NDC has taken for granted which, given the neglect and decay in the region, is no longer justified.

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It is for this reason they have decided to embark on the walk to highlight these matters of supreme importance and accelerate them up the political agenda.

That, they said, was because our region's patent lack of development, in addition to infrastructural dilapidation, is stark; and yet election after election we continue to elect a party that has failed to deliver to our people.

Leadership of V4C believes the Volta Region has the potential to be one of the leading regions in the country instead of the laggard it currently is under John Mahama and the NDC, highlighting high unemployment rate, withering farming sector, decrepit roads and poor health care provision as some of the region's challenges.

Aside that, they noted that corrupt, money-grabbing officials have consistently failed to deliver on promised projects and that the paltry projects that have been delivered have been hugely inflated and are of poor quality.

They have therefore extended an invitation to all peace and development-loving Ghanaians, especially those from the Volta Region (Voltarians), to join them come Saturday, March 26, 2016 for the march which would start in front of Coca Cola depot at 6am and end at Dome at 10:00 am.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu


17.03.2016 LISTEN

Fifty nine years ago, on the 6th of March, 1957, Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah declared that our independence was meaningless unless it was linked up with the total liberation of the African Continent. Prophetically, the Continent has been liberated but has the independence of African nations been meaningful? Not that our independence has been totally useless but when compared to Singapore and Malaysia, who had less resources than most African nations at the time of their independence, then our situation is very pathetic indeed. The reason is that our independence has not been linked with SELFLESS leadership. Whilst those nations progressed because their leaders placed the interest of their nations above themselves, families and cronies, in our country today there is no sense of patriotism and the people into whose hands we have entrusted our destiny, have reduced us to paupers waiting for the crumbs from their (politicians') table. The institutions of government have been rendered ineffective through corruption, incompetence and indiscipline.

Today most African leaders, as if by a curse, continue to demonstrate common behaviour patterns of greed, vindictiveness, hypocrisy, indiscipline, stealing, corruption, nepotism, lies and deceit, incompetence, abuse of office, tribalism, lack of knowledge and leadership qualities to lead. All these attributes have been detrimental to our development and unless Africans rise to confront their leaders, they will continue to remain poor because they have proved over the years to be GREEDY, INSENSITIVE and UNPATRIOTIC.

As we sang the National Anthem in church on Sunday 6th March, line six of the first verse (MAKE US CHERISH FEARLESS HONESTY) caused a nasty shudder to run down my spine and momentarily caused me to stop singing and ponder over the words and asked myself whether all those leaders who gathered at the Black Star Square to celebrate our independence cherish FEARLESS HONESTY? I mentioned ALL LEADERS (small, medium and big) because many Ghanaians in various positions of authority are simply corrupt and dishonest. The recent water shortage in Nsawam brought to the fore how insensitive our leaders are because this is not the first time water shortage has hit Nsawam and it takes only the cost of ONE- LANDCRUISER ($150,000 or GH600,000) being driven around by Ministers to provide 30 bore holes to the people. Similarly, the cost of flying some Ministers to Kintampo in a chopper to visit accident victims could have provided the much needed oxygen, bandages, surgical blades etc. required by the medical staff to save their lives but for propaganda sake they arrived at the scene empty handed. We blame the leadership because as the Fantis say the decomposition of the fish starts from the head and when leadership fails to protect lives and are also seen as part of the problem, whom do we blame, President Kenyatta?

Selflessness has not been an attribute that is highly celebrated amongst African leaders as more often they demonstrate greed and concentrate on the size of their egos, families, and the personality cults that surround them. They spend their energies focusing on their personal rewards and status, corruption and nepotism rather than focusing on the greater needs of those they are supposed to serve. The sad thing is that citizens who must condemn such acts applaud and shower them with accolades in churches, social events etc. The emergence of selfless leadership begins by embracing the fundamental principle that people must be empowered and not corrupted and selfless leaders make it possible not by promoting themselves but by promoting others. Selfless leaders build bridges, listen to ideas, suggestions and subordinate their personal feelings, needs and ego to the greater good of the people they lead. They abhor the concepts of dead goat syndrome or yentie obiara. They are disciplined, not insulting, lead exemplary lives, do not enrich themselves, families and members of their own party at the expense of the people. They don't create, loot and share as happened in Woyome (GHS52.8m), Waterville ($30m), Isofoton ($1m), SADA ($27m), SUBA ($32m), Smarttys bus branding ($1.2m), Gyeeda ($100m) etc.

Most religious traditions extol the virtue of selflessness and their leaders lead for the benefit of their followers based on the religious writings in their holy books such as the Bible, Torah, Koran, Bhagavad Gita, and many others. When we think of selfless leaders, many great names come to mind: Jesus, Gandhi, King, Lee Kuan Yew, Lincoln, Mandela, Stockdale etc. History is full of stories of selfless leaders who did the right thing because it was the right thing to do and those who did the wrong things because they were moved by their ego and greed. Those who do the right things do not seek personal gain or reward but those who do the wrong things reward themselves abundantly.

To demonstrate selfless leadership the leader must empathise and literally put his feet into the shoes of his people and feel where they are hurting, identify the problems and provide lasting solutions. It is insensitive to impose punitive taxes on the people knowing too well that the root causes of the economic predicament are traceable to the opulence life styles, misappropriation and misapplication of the state's financial resources by Government Ministers and appointees. The insensitivity of the Government is the cause of the numerous industrial strikes and those embarking on them see strikes as the only way to compel a moribund Government to act.

How do we search for a selfless leader? In the US and other developed countries leaders are nurtured and the system of electing them has no room for mediocrity. Presidential campaigns, television coverage of debates, speeches and other presentations by candidates are subjected to critical analysis to confirm facts and figures and compared with the track records of those leaders to ascertain whether they are telling the truth or manipulating facts and figures to their advantage. By such processes, fakes, jokers and liars are exposed and eliminated by the electorate thorough the electoral process.

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In Ghana the selection of selfless leaders depend on political parties, the human resources available to them and potential leaders who are prepared to face the challenges of dirty politics. The development of a democratic culture in our environment is so infantile that the methodology applied in the Western political culture will take some time to gain a foothold. Meanwhile the search for our leaders will be characterised by illiteracy, tribalism, favouritism, insults and other unconventional means.

Take the issue of free SHS education proposed by Nana Addo and the comments of NDC gurus made at the time and you will appreciate how good intentions of potential leaders could be ridiculed. Ghana does not need free SHS (J. Asiedu Nketia -18/12/2012), Free SHS is a scam and sham (Dr Omane Boamah  1/6/2012), We need jobs not free SHS (Peter Otukunor- 3/6/2012), Nana Addo does not understand free SHS (Felix Ofosu Kwakye  3/7/2012), anything free is not quality (Samuel Okudzeto  14/07/2012), where is Nana Addo going to get the money from for the free SHS (Kwesi Pratt- 15/10/2012), free SHS can only be achieved in 20 years' time (Lee Ocran- 21/11/2012), we need quality education now not free SHS (President Mahama- 8/11/2012), Nana Addo is promising everything free and he will soon promise even free air (President Mahama  30/11/2012), nobody can implement free SHS in Ghana now so Nana Addo should stop deceiving Ghanaians (Murtala Mohammed  15/10/2012) and more from other NDC quarters. Three years down the lane the magicians' juju and tricks are back promising free education without apologies or shame or explanations as to how they intend to fund the free SHS. Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you cant help them, at least dont hurt them.  Dalai Lama XIV.

It is therefore important that our political parties develop effective mechanisms to select selfless leaders who will lead the country to bring about the much needed prosperity. Factors such as beauty, youth, deceit/insults etc. must give way to intelligence, maturity, political experience and other good attributes especially, selflessness.

Today we are told to scale ladders and escalators to see monumental developments of filling stations. We have seen young men who just left school become billionaires without any working capitals or experience and nobody dares question the source of their riches. The elderly in our society have been insulted and castigated on daily basis because the country belongs to the youth. We have been overtaxed, harassed, threatened by arrogant young men whose source of power is politics and docile Ghanaians look on.

Our National Anthem calls on all Ghanaians to TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH TRUE HUMILITY, CHERISH FEARLESS HONESTY and to resist oppressor's rule with all our will and might. Let's heed the clarion call and massively vote out this incompetent Government on 7th November, 2016. The world suffers a lot not because of the VIOLENCE of bad people but because of the SILENCE of good people (Napoleon).

By Brig-Gen J. Odei


17.03.2016 LISTEN

The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, was yesterday sworn in by the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, as acting president of the country in the absence of President John Dramani Mahama and his vice, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur.

The president is on a visit to Scotland where he is expected to address the Scottish Parliament and receive an honorary degree at the University of Aberdeen, while the veep is in India on another official assignment.

Speaker Doe Adjaho aroused national controversy last year when he refused to be sworn in as the acting president when President Mahama and Vice President Amissah-Arthur were out of the country. He claimed that an earlier oath he took in a similar capacity was enough for him to act as the president of the nation.

The Chief Justice had on two occasions in November last year gone to Parliament with intent to swear in Mr Adjaho as acting president but on both occasions, the speaker refused to be sworn in but accepted to act as president.

This controversy incensed Samuel Atta Mensah, Chief Executive of Citi Fm and a US-based Ghanaian law lecturer, Prof Stephen Kwaku Asare, who sent the matter to the Supreme Court seeking constitutional interpretation of the law. They claimed the speaker violated the Constitution by not allowing the Chief Justice to swear him in again as the acting president of the Republic.

The ruling on the matter makes it a constitutional obligation for the speaker to take the Presidential Oath and assume responsibilities of the president if he (president) and the vice are out of the country.

The Supreme Court on December 3, 2015 ruled that Mr Doe Adjaho violated the Constitution by refusing to take the oath of office as president in the absence of both the president and his vice.

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A nine-member panel of the court, presided over by Justice Sophia Akuffo, ruled that the speaker was obliged to take the oath of office whenever both leaders were outside.

He was therefore sworn in this time by the Chief Justice in accordance with Article 60 (12) of the 1992 Constitution and elated MPs could not help showering the accolade Presidoo on him.

Article 60 (11) and (12) of the 1992 Constitution states that: (11) Where the President and the Vice President are both unable to perform the functions of the President, the Speaker of Parliament shall perform those functions until the President or the Vice President is able to perform those functions or a new President assumes office, as the case may be. (12) The Speaker shall, before commencing to perform the functions of the President under clause (11) of this article, take and subscribe the oath set out in relation to the office of President.

President Mahama left Accra yesterday for Glasgow to meet with the First Minister of Scotland and visit the Scottish Parliament where he will observe the First Minister's Question Time and address a meeting of parliamentarians.

He was accompanied by the first lady, Lordina Mahama, Foreign Affairs Minister Hanna SerwaaTetteh, Communications Minister Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and the Education Minister, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr


17.03.2016 LISTEN

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Victims of police brutalities during last year's demonstration by the Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA) have finally gone to court to seek redress for the brutalities they suffered on that fateful day.

They include 36-year-old Justice Adjakumah, who was shot in an eye during the said demonstration to press home LMVCA's demand for a new voter register for the 2016 general election.

Organisers of the demonstration wanted to picket at the premises of the Electoral Commission (EC), in spite of a court injunction barring them from going to the premises of the electoral body.

Midway through the protest march, confusion broke out when the police opened fire and tear gas and shot rubber bullets and water cannons, saying some of the protestors attempted to veer off the so-called approved routes.

It was during this fracas that Justice met the tragedy and may have to live with one eye for the rest of his life.

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Several others also suffered various degrees of injury when the police turned their wrath on them in the middle of the demonstration on September 16, 2015.

They have therefore sued the Inspector General of Police (IGP) together with the Attorney General, for damages.

The police on that fateful day were accused of visiting brute force on unarmed non-violent protesters.

The victims who filed the suit on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, want damages for unlawful harm and breach of fundamental human rights to personal safety, the right to demonstrate peacefully and wrongfully interfering with their rights to earn a living.

A leading member of the LMVCA, Ibrahim Adjei, who spoke to this paper said, We have confidence in the judiciary and the court to deliver justice. Our activities and principal focus as a group are to work for the consolidation of Ghanas democracy through credible, free, fair, open and transparent elections. This is what we stand for and no amount of intimidations will kick us off this track, we shall continue to work in this regard.

Justice is what we seek on this day for our colleagues and Ghanaians who fell on the wrong side of some brutish police personnel in our quest to contribute towards deepening Ghanas democracy. We shall not relent in our collective efforts to make sure the Election 2016 and beyond sees Ghana as a beacon of democracy in Africa. We hope the laws of the land will protect us in our pursuit, Gifty Oware, another leading member of LMVCA, said.
17.03.2016 LISTEN

It is emerging that family members of the two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees brought to Ghana on the orders of the United States government, are fighting hard to come into the country to visit them.

They are desperately pushing to enter Ghana at a time the security apparatus has issued a high alert over a possible terrorist attack following the attacks in Grand Bassam in neighbouring Ivory Coast that left about 22 people dead on March 14, 2016.

The arrival of the two Al-Qaeda suspected terrorists  Muhammad Bin Atef, 36, and Khalid Muhammad Salih al-Dhuby, 34  from the US Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, has sparked unending and heated debate in the country.

Some security experts have said that the acceptance of the Gitmo 2 ex-detainees which Foreign Affairs Minister, Hanna Tetteh described as Al-Qaeda foot-soldiers by the NDC government is making Ghana susceptible to terrorist attacks.



Security Alert

President John Mahama, who chaired the National Security Council meeting on Tuesday which reviewed the security situation in the country following the rising insurgency by Al-Qaeda militants in the West African sub-region, especially Mali, Burkina Faso and lately, La Cote dIvoire, later emplaned to Scotland.

Saudi Mission

DAILY GUIDE is reliably informed that the Ghana Mission in Saudi Arabia which has oversight responsibility over Yemen where the Gitmo 2 are citizens, had received visa applications from family members of the two men but was said to have referred them to the Foreign Ministry in Accra for clearance.

It is also emerging that the four Yemenis who were arrested for arriving in Ghana with fake visas appeared to have hands in the arrival of the Gitmo 2 former detainees in Ghana.



Government Sources

Government officials have been tightlipped on the issue; however, Deputy Minister of the Interior, James Agalga, recently said on radio that the NDC government could not prevent families of the two former Guantanamo Bay detainees from visiting them in Ghana.

The decision that was taken was for the two to be admitted into this country. Family members, whether they are Yemenis or whatever, if they have to come to Ghana, there are laid down procedures for the entry of foreigners into the country, he underscored.

He said that the two would not be denied their freedom of movement such as visiting the mosques, among others, although they would be closely monitored.



US Senators' Threat

Even though the Mahama-led NDC government had variously insisted that there were no strings  whether financial or otherwise  attached to the deal for Ghana to host the two suspected terrorists, four US senators called on their Appropriations Committee to cut foreign aid to Ghana if the West African country failed to hold and monitor the two former-detainees.

The Senators, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Roy Blunt of Missouri, James Lankford of Oklahoma and Steve Daines of Montana, stated this in a letter to State and Foreign Operations and Related Programs Chairman Lindsay Graham and the Appropriations Committee Chairman, Thad Cochran.

A statement on the US Senate website said the Senators requested for a reduction in assistance to Ghana by $10 million per detainee in the event either of these detainees escapes from confinement or re-engages in terrorism while in Ghana's custody.

Their basis was that about 30% of terrorists released from Guantanamo Bay were known or suspected to have returned to their terrorist-related activities.



Fake Visas

The four Yemenis who allegedly arrived with fake French passports as well as fake visas, have already been remanded into the custody of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) by an Accra circuit court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh.

They are Esmail Yahya Zey aka Evra Allerson, Gaafar Eissa Yahya Amer aka Ciro Carlos, Waleed Ahmed Yahya aka Debuchya Allard  all students  and Eissa Yahya Airier, a businessman.

By William Yaw Owusu
17.03.2016 LISTEN

The Vice President of the Italian Business Association of Ghana (IBAG), Mr. Nii Amaa Ollennu has reiterated that the Italian business association is committed to the economic developmental goals of the country.

According to him, his chamber will champion formidable and business oriented ideas and projects aimed at creating the platform for cultural, economic and trading opportunities between Italy and Ghana.

He added that with the influx of competent and industrious Italian companies in the Ghana who are adding great value to the socio-economic growth of the country, he is confident that the association will continue to empower, train and network with all sectors of the country to help boost the economy of Ghana.

Mr. Ollennu made these assertions during the official launch of the Italian Business Association held last night at the La Villa Boutique Hotel Osu, Accra.

The association is open to companies and individuals without nationality restrictions will herald business oriented programmes such as organizing focus interviews, events, workshops and seminars on specific sectors of the economy by bringing experts to the table, Facilitate business-oriented capacity building programs for members to enable them advance in their various business endeavours he stressed.

We are also focused on Advisory services for Ghanaian companies with business interest in Italy as well as Italian companies that are planning to invest in Ghana by sharing local knowledge of the territory acquired over the years to help new investors understand the Ghanaian/Italian market.; Creating cultural exchanges between Italy and Ghana; Undertaking various projects/activities as part of IBAG's social responsibilities.

Mr. Ollennu further called on all companies and individuals, who desire to invest, build and strengthen business relationships with Italian companies in Ghana and Italy to join the association to help attain strong business connections.

On her part, the Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Mrs. Laura Carpini, in her message congratulated the association for their commitment of bringing together all business associates in Ghana under a common umbrella targeted at strengthening business tides of both countries.

She assured that her office will continue to collaborate with IBAG in their quest to bridging a common business vision of both countries.

The Vice President of the National House of Chiefs Awulea Attibrukusu III commended the Italian Business Association of Ghana and encouraged members of IBAG to use the appropriate avenues when acquiring lands especially the chiefs who are custodians of lands.

The association is a non-profit, non-political and non-religious association and supports free expression of views and opinions will collaborate with other associations/Chambers of commerce; to become the voice of the business community in dealing with government institutions and bodies as well as networking and lobbying.
17.03.2016 LISTEN

Two brothers aged 32 and 27 respectively, have been banished from Gurugu a suburb in the Sagnarigu District of the Northern Region for allegedly defiling their 15-year-old step-sister.

Strangely, both suspects are married.

Amin Alabani is married with two wives and Mashud Alabani married with one and they have subsequently been disowned by their farther-Mba Alabani for their dastardly act.

The matter has since been reported to Katariga Kamo Naa who superintends spiritually over the area whose palace both confessed to committing the sacrilege.

The community was thrown into a state of shock at the weekend when the suspects were caught in the act in Mashud's room.

Narrating her ordeal to a journalist with Tamale-based Zaa Radio, the victim said, she went to her step-brother's (Amin's) room a week ago to watch television when she was first defiled.

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According to her, she fell asleep and her brothers forcefully had carnal knowledge of her in turns and later threatened her not to tell anyone about it.

But the victim later told her mother about the incident who doubted her claim accusing her of trying to peddle falsehood about her step-brothers to tarnish their reputation.

However, on March 12, 2016, Mashud sent the victim to buy fried yam for him at a close food joint with the intent of defiling her.

The victim indicated that on entering her brother's room, she was once again pushed down and forcibly raped despite her screams for help.

The mother of the victim who is yet to come to terms with the incident said, she pounced on the suspect right in the act and broke down in tears.

The matter has not been reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, according to the Kamo Naa.
Charlotte Osei

17.03.2016 LISTEN

Women in the Brong Ahafo Region have asked the chairperson of Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei to honour Ghanaian women by organizing free and fair general elections.

The women made the call when they marked the International Women's Day in Sunyani.

Drawn from all over the Brong Ahafo Region under the auspices of Redemption of Strong Tower Ministries, a Christian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the women observed the day with prayers and pleaded with God to ensure peaceful elections in the country.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the group, Nana Yaa Abrafi, addressing the women, said Ghanaian women are lucky to have Ms Osei as the Electoral Commissioner.

We have to help her organize free and fair elections to prove the world that whatever a man can do woman can do better.

She asked women to work diligently so that society would not look down on them.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES

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Ms Abrafi said as part of the International Women's Day, her group decided to pray and fast to ensure peaceful elections on November 7.

Speaking under the theme, 'When Sleeping Women Wake, Mountains Move,' the CEO said even though a lot of factors militate against the development of women, they should rise above the challenges and occupy their rightful place in society.

Some dignitaries, who graced the event, included Nana Asantewaa Kubi, queen mother of Dormaa who chaired the occasion and Rev Paul Amankwa of Action.

[email protected]

From Daniel Yao Dayee, Sunyani


17.03.2016 LISTEN

President John Mahama with former President Jerry John Rawlings and Kufuor

Government will continue to partner all stakeholders in the socio-economic development of the country, President John Mahama has announced.

He said such partnerships had become necessary because of the growing population and limited facilities, especially in the health and educational training institutions throughout the country.

President Mahama said this when he addressed the maiden matriculation of the Family Health Medical School, the only private medical school in the country.

The 16 matriculants were made up of 10 ladies and six men.

The Family Health Group started in a garage at 51 Guggisburg Street, Korle-Bu, Korle Gonno, Mamprobi, in 1997 as a diagnostic centre and later moved to a rented premises on the Zoti road, and now to its permanent location at Teshie.

The group now comprises a hospital, nursing and midwifery school and the newly-established modern medical school.

The programme was also attended by former presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and other dignitaries.

President Mahama said although Ghana was having a doctor patient ratio of one doctor to over 10,000 patients, plans were afoot to expand medical facilities to increase the intake of more medical students throughout the country.

He said the establishment of a private medical school was in conformity with governments transformation agenda.

President John Mahama said the establishment of medical training schools was capital intensive and called on all stakeholders to support government and the private sector to establish more of such institutions to reduce the high rate of infant and maternal mortality in the country.

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He said government would continue to play a leading role in the provision of infrastructure and facilities that would ensure the smooth implementation of such projects.

On the matriculants, President Mahama advised them to strictly adhere to the oaths and tenets of the profession by remaining resolute to their core duty of taking care of patients even in times of disagreements.

He said disagreements in the course of their duties were bound to occur, but always remember that a little smile and reassurance to your patients can make a miracle in bringing the lives of patients back.

Prof Enyonam Yao Kwawukume, president of the Holy Family Group, said the vision of the school is to make it the prime centre for professional medical education and training in the advancement of human health.

He said the school which is affiliated to the University of Ghana and accredited by the National Accreditation Board has national and international lecturers and professors from medical schools in the United States of America.

Family Health Medical School has modern facilities such as the Tim Johnson library complex, telemedicine facilities, an E-Library, spacious hall of anatomy for the dissection of cadavers and computerised facilities to view different parts of human body.

Prof Kwawukume eulogised former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor for their support that enabled them to begin the school since 1997.

Minister of Education Prof Jane Nana Agyemen Opoku commended the staff and management of the school for establishing the first-ever private medical school in the country.

She said Ghana has the leaders and expertise to lead those specialised schools to blossom, and gave the assurance that her outfit would continue to offer all technical advice that would make them stand out as one of the best medical schools in the continent.

GNA


17.03.2016 LISTEN

Outside there is singing, singing round a fire. It is Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika that they sing. God save AfricaOh, lie quietly, little one

Cry the Beloved Country.

Alan Paton

Idiosyncracy and vicissitude had combined to stamp Sergeant Troy as an exceptional being

Far From the Madding Crowd

Thomas Hardy

GOLD COAST BOY, the title of a book authored by Dr Kwame Addo  Kufour, described by Professor Mike Oquaye as an illustrious Ghanaian whose life is worthy of emulation by young Ghanaians . is at once stimulating and enchanting.

It reminds those born before independence, their experiences in governance and their personal experiences in the colonial days, running through the struggle for independence and the eventual achievement of independence. These run in contrast with the experiences of those, like President John Dramani Mahama, who were begotten of their parents after independence.

In the Legislative Assemblies of the past, one could recall the oratorical sagacity of the members. Fast forward to 2016 and on Thursday, 3rd March, the Speaker had drawn MPs attention to the need to use appropriate language and the avoidance of un-parliamentary language in the House.

When Kennedy Agyapong, Assin North MP told the house that he had received a letter from a school asking him to help pay school fees for some students of the school, another MP retorted that Kennedy Agyapong was a liar. The mention of the word liar gored the speaker like a spear. In a tone, uncharacteristic of a Speaker, he railed at the Parliamentarians: It is un-parliamentary to refer to a member on the floor that he is lying.

Jenkin Lloyd has noted: A speech is a solemn responsibility, and to ensure the dignity of the august house, the members are expected to eschew insults, insinuation, epithets and allegations. The Speaker uses his discretion to determine what constitutes un-parliamentary language, and although Parliamentarians enjoy immunity from prosecution and civil action, words or phrases are expected to be so crafted as not to abuse this parliamentary immunity. Name  calling and insulting language do pose ethical problems in public speaking when they are used to silence opposing views.

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Sir Winston Churchill is rated as a master craftsman. A most notable speech he made in May, 1940 was: I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this Government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. In November, 1942, he delivered a speech in which he stated coyly: Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

When Nancy Astor, the first British MP told Sir Winston Churchill that: If I were your wife I would put poison in your coffee. Churchill retorted: If I were your husband, I would drink it. Churchills witticism did not end in Parliament. He told a priggish civil servant who objected to the use of prepositions at the end of sentences: This is the kind of English up with which I will not put . Churchill remarked after the second World War: I could not live without Champagne. In victory I deserve it; in defeat I need it. In the House of Commons in June, 1940, Winston Churchill addressed the House, after British and French armies had been routed by the Germans in Dunkirk: We shall not flag or fail. we shall go on to the end  we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing  ground, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!

Ghanaian Parliamentarians enjoy freedom of speech and Alban Bagbin quotes Order 47 of the Standing Orders of Parliament and states that: Proceedings of Parliament shall ordinarily be conducted in the English Language except that a member may exercise the option to address the house in Akan or Nzema, Ga, Ewe, Hausa, Dagbani, Dagari or any other local language provided the facilities exist in the House for its interpretation.

There was some confusion when Afenyo Markin requested the Chair to speak Fanti, but the Speaker did not allow him  the reason being that the facilities for translation were not available. The term honourable is being abused in Ghana. Every law  maker wants to be called honourable and these include Assembly  men of the District Assemblies. These accolades are showered on people, sometimes to the extent of their own names being lost  outside of Parliament.

What is honourable about a person who talks about trees under schools? What is honourable about MPs who cover their inadequacies by resorting to insults?

Richard Dowis in his book The Lost Art of the Great Speech identifies six basic purposes of a speech: to entertain; to inform; to inspire; to motivate; to advocate and to convince or persuade. These six purposes could overlap, and a speech could have more than one purpose. Winston Churchills speeches were intended to inspire and motivate the British. What a President does in his State of the Nation Address is to inform the countrymen about the progressive nature of his administration, and to convince them that his policies are the best for the country. Great speeches do not need to take long hours  a two -hour speech may be precise and emphatic.

I have heard MPs who, instead of criticising a statement as a lie, would express this in a flowery language as : a terminological inexactitude'; not factually correct'; the contributor must come again'; he was economical with the truth. Also to be avoided are some of the terms considered un-parliamentary in other jurisdictions: Parliamentary pugilist, coming into the world by accident, lacking in intelligence, dim-witted saboteur, hypocrite, evil genius, pompous ass, bag of shit, brat, coward, buffoon, hooligan, idle vapourings of a mind diseased, energy of a tired snail returning home from a funeral, slimy, wart, swine.

One MP wanting to criticise another for being intoxicated, referred to him euphemistically as tired and emotional. Clare Short, an MP, who wanted to accuse the U.K. Employment Minister of being drunk rather said the Minister was incapable and when Labour MP Dennis Skinner was asked to apologise for saying:  half the Tory members are crooks, he replied : OK, half the Tory members are not crooks.

Many black South Africans saw Nelson Mandela as a combination ( potpourri, hotchpotch, medley, melange) of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jnr ( all rolled into one) . After being imprisoned on Robben Island in 1962 and released in 1990, he rose to become the first black South African President at the age of 72. In his speech in May, 1992, he noted: . Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long must be born a society of which all humanity must be proudWe, the people of South Africa feel fulfilled that humanity has taken us back into its bosom, that we, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare opportunity to be host to the nations of the world on our own soil .We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans both black and white, will be able to walk tall without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity  a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world Let there be justice for all, let there be peace for all, let there be work, bread, water and salt for all Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indiginity of being the skunk of the world. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement! Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!

A tantrum is an outburst of anger or petulance. It is not a healthy sign for a Speaker to fall into a tantrum, but it is equally not helpful for MPs to tempt the Speaker to do so.

For a nation struggling so hard after 59 years of independence, it gives cold comfort for our President, John Dramani Mahama, to tell us that Uhuru Kenyatta did not notice the grammatical errors in the brochure for the celebration, nor the fact that he had been made President of Ghana. The situation is worsened by the fact of insouciance on the part of the Executive (the babies with sharp teeth) and the un-parliamentary stance of the Legislature. Ghana is tottering into an abyss. It is in the doldrumsso argue some of the Gold Coast boys. Alan Paton named his book: Cry, the beloved Country. A veteran, philosophical political analyst bemoans: Bleed, bleed, poor country, and if I pity the correspondent who thought that the intelligent Ghanaians are all dead, what do I say for Ayikwei Armah who thought The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born in the sixties?

AFRICANUS OWUSU  ANSAH

[email protected] .com


17.03.2016 LISTEN

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Mponua and a Member of the Committee on Mines and Energy in Parliament has warned of dire consequences for the country's economy if the government goes ahead to privatise Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

He disclosed this while making a contribution to the report of the Finance Committee on the Treaty to the Second Challenge Compact between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the government, which has given the green light for private sector participation in the operations of ECG.

The issue was brought before Parliament yesterday for approval.

The MP strongly argued that it did not make economic sense for the government to go for a grant of $498.2 million and invest in ECG in order to position it for a private take-over, adding that if government goes ahead to privatise ECG, only a small percentage of Ghanaians could afford electricity.

When ECG is privatized, electricity tariffs will be so high that many Ghanaians will not be able to buy electricity even though electricity will be available and many companies may also collapse, he said, adding that the NDC government must not take away the little comfort Ghanaians were enjoying by privatizing ECG.

The government says it is a social democratic government but it is selling all state assets to private people, he said.

He added that the re-tooling or re-positioning of ECG by investing more money into its operation before privatization was one of the conditionalities of the IMF and the World Bank.

According to the Atwima Mponua MP, the present astronomical increases in electricity tariffs by the government was part of the road map outlined by the IMF and World Bank for the government to privatise ECG.

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He said governments argument that ECG would need capital injection of about $3 billion to make its operations more effective and efficient cannot be sound.

According to him, the NDC government has superintended over waste and corruption in GYEEDA and judgment debts, which could have been injected into the operations of the ECG to make it more efficient and avoid privatizing it.

In GYEEDA alone, he said an amount of GH1.5 billion, which is equivalent to $800 million, was misappropriated, adding that that could have helped the ECG.

Dubious judgment debts alone have cost the nation $648 million, he said.

This government is dishonest and very insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians and it is time Ghanaians rise up to fight for their interests by voting them out of power in November, this year and install a government that will be more sensitive to their plight, the Atwima Mponua MP stressed.

He said government has already appointed a transaction advisor in the deal.

The report said the implementation of the quarterly tariff adjustments was on track.

The report also said substantial progress has been made with respect to the Electricity Company of Ghana restructuring and that Cabinet on February 11, 2016 approved the transaction structure for the company's private sector partnership.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr


Some of the seized cigarette being destroyed

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Five containers fully loaded with Vaquero cigarettes have been destroyed by the Tema Sector Command of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday at the Kpone landfill site near Tema for not meeting international market requirement.

The 40-footer containers, loaded with nine different flavours of 35,000 cartons valued at GH329,225.75, were imported by a certain Peter Nana Kwesi Yeboah Asumani of the Atakora Wild Trade from Canada en route to Burkina Faso on transit in Ghana.

The importer was said to have made some attempts to change the manifest of the goods which was brought into the country in 2012 to be sold in Anglophone countries, although it was manufactured for Francophone countries.

However, no punishment would be slapped on the importer for alleged breach of the regulation. Although the company is registered with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), it has not been licensed to import cigarette into the country.

Currently in Ghana, only four companies have been approved to import tobacco into the country, namely British American Tobacco Limited, Target Link Limited, Lease Tobacco and Commodities Limited and Rafimes Company.

Samuel Arthur, head of collection in-charge of investigations at Customs, briefing a section of the media at the destruction site, mentioned that though the consignment was declared wholesome to Burkina Faso, no action was taken to clear it since it was imported as a result of attempts to change the description on the brand to home consumption which is illegal.

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Although they were manifested for transit, ironically the marks were in English so since that time IMSS mounted surveillance on the consignment and customs were alerted that there were indications to change manifest to read home consumption.

The only problem is that every cigarette on transit to Burkina Faso has a trade marking in French but this was manifested in English, indicating that it was manifested for home consumption, he explained.

Mr Arthur disclosed that although the importer somewhere on September 29, 2015 requested to return the goods to Canada, Customs ignored such request because some of the goods have gone bad and he has breached the law.

The head of investigations at Customs said the destruction of the items was to serve as a deterrent to others who may be anticipating bringing in goods not meant for Ghana to be sold here.

The destruction was witnessed by personnel and officials of the FDA, Customs, Ghana Health Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

From Vincent Kubi, Kpone


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Apart from those who witnessed the Mallam Muhammadu Maitasine riots in the 80, many would have beaten their chests that terrorism cannot be an issue in Nigeria as we know it today. These people have obvious reasons to support their optimism. It is no longer news that terrorism is now an, if not the main, issue in African politics. The terrorists did their very worst in early 2015 attacking Garrissa University in Kenya leaving 148 innocent students dead in the process.

The al-Shabab has since claimed responsibility for the attack and has grown even bolder and more daring that ever. The Boko Haram has constituted itself into a regular menace in Nigerias north eastern region gaining notoriety for the death of tens of thousands and injuring more others. The Islamic State (ISIS) activities has gotten it world attention good enough to convince the most ridiculous doubting Thomas of the reality of the threat pose by these groups on us as a people. The question then is how to fight it!

The threat of terrorism is one that transcends what any conventional solution. The military alone cannot, just as I have posited in the past, win the war against terror, in this case Boko Haram. Supply of Western arms has proven to be useless as the rise of ISIS attests to. Improved budgetary allocations to the military and joint military actions against terror without corresponding support of the Civilian sector will just be as futile as pouring water into the basket.

As hard as this may sound, it is true. What we must understand is that funds allocated to fight against terror more often than not find their way into private pockets as the #DasukiGate has proven in Nigeria. If they are not syphoned, they often turn out not to be enough, no matter the face value of the currency. If it were for huge allocations, the United States will not be spending millions maintaining their soldiers in Afghanistan fighting a lost war against the Talibans. What about the Vietnam debacle in the 60s?

If we are truly serious about winning or sustaining the victory against Boko Haram and other terrorists, there is need for a strong civilian component in the fight. By civilian component, I mean thoroughly-oriented, organized and systematic efforts at integrating the public in the fight against insurgency while in the process improving Civil-Military relations. Improved image of the Nigerian Army and its Civil-Military relations will do a lot of good in the fight against Boko Haram. This is where, I think, the media is going to play a key role.

Presently, there seem to be a major disconnect between the Army on one hand and the public on the other hand. My best guess is that this gap is what insurgents are taking advantage of. Even in conventional wars, the Army still needs the civilians. This may be why there are often militias who are themselves not professional soldiers but trained by the military during conventional wars. If the military needs civilians during war; why then the disconnection in the fight against insurgency? The truth of the matter is that it is cheaper to engage the civilians in our efforts at sustaining momentum and hopefully the total eradication of terror in our land!

During one of his visits to the Theatre Command of the Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri, Bama, Konduga, and other areas affected by the crisis, Nigerias Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, recognizing the need to civil engagement, spoke about the need to have his ministry to inaugurate a national security campaign against insurgency to sensitize Nigerians to the need for active participation of individuals in security matters.

In the ministers own words, he said, No nation succeeds in the fight against insurgency without the civilian component; so, we will let Nigerians know that the fight against insurgency is a national issue Before I proceed, let me be clear that I am not a fan of Lai Muhammed as Information Minister, though I once applauded him as APC spokesman and in that capacity alone. But even if I dont agree with his appointment in that portfolio, I have to on this matter.

Many people tend to have forgotten the fact that Britain once had the challenge of terrorism like Nigeria. Northern Ireland used to be a troubled spot thanks to the violent activities of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and its affiliates. The group terrorizes people in the region with reckless abandon in the 20th century. This is where I propose Attrition by Charm launched by the Royal Irish Regiment to seek a permanent solution the Irish problem in the late 90s.

What did they get right? First, the British anti-terrorism strategists understood the fact that the regiment, which is an amalgam of the Royal Irish Rangers and the Ulster Defence Regiment, had a particularly poor image among nationalists making them vulnerable to attacks in spots with strong Dublin or Catholic attachments. Second, the fact that the soldiers were largely seen as foreigners which reminded the locals of colonialism (which most Irish resent) led to a decision by a number of soldiers to take lessons in the Irish language and the Gaelic culture to improve their image in the nationalist community.

If we adapt this into our own fight against terror, we can achieve similar result with minimal budget. What we need to do are the simple, minutest things. Our soldiers fighting in the northeastern part of the country should be made to take lessons in Kanuri language. I say this because it is spoken by about 500,000 people who use it as a second language. Since the most troubled areas are Borno and Yobe, speaking the language of the locals, other than simply Hausa will make the soldiers no longer look like strangers who the locals should not trust. When this is done, our anti-terror strategists should consider seeking the support of local opinion leaders and farmers and make them see feel being part of the solutions to the challenge of Boko Haram. The support of media platforms like Aboki News and the likes may also be sought on behalf of the military.

As useless as dirty water is compared to tea, so is media without a message. The message in this regard should be simple, easy to understand and ruthlessly effective. We can have a message as simple as making the locals and civilians to be part of the solution, not the problem.

Civilian engagement can help the military in identifying insurgents, providing critical intelligence reports and spotting supplies and logistics to the insurgents. This is why many nations during war engage is powerful propaganda just to mobilize their people to support the military efforts. They do this because they know the military alone cannot win the war. War can be costly in terms of human and material resources, but if we adopt the right tactics and strategies- two key elements of any successful war- we can see the end of terrorism in our nation.

NOTE OF CORRECTION: I quoted Matthew 34: 10 instead of Matthew 10:34 which is the correct quote in my last piece, Why Should I Cover My Hair? Error regretted and great appreciation to those who wrote me on the matter.

Olalekan Waheed Adigun is a political risk analyst and independent political strategist for wide range of individuals, organisations and campaigns based in Lagos, Nigeria. Email: [email protected], [email protected] Follow me on

twitter: @adgorwell
The US military has restricted the travel of its officers to five West African countries including Ghana over fears of terror attacks, Reuters has reported.

The directive, according to the media agency, limits informal travel by the military personnel to Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Ghana.

"It's just increased vigilance given the recent events that have happened in that area of the world," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command.

Suspected terrorists last Sunday shot and killed 19 people at a beachside resort in Ivory Coast. The terror group al Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the action.

The order against traveling to Ghana and the other countries suspected to be susceptible to terror attacks is expected to be in force till June 30, this year. It however does not include official travels.

"Given the recent attacks in western Africa, we felt it prudent to make this decision at this time in an effort to ensure the safety of our personnel," U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said.

U.S. Africa Command has between 1,000 and 1,200 forces on the continent at any one time, mostly in training and support roles to help local security forces combat militants.
Some 88 former national security operatives are angry at a High Court ruling dismissing their demand for end of service benefits following what they describe as unlawful termination by the state.

The former security operatives had worked for the state between 2001 and 2009, providing services to foreign high commissioners who were posted to Ghana.

But the High Court presided over by Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Dennis Adjei dismissed their application.

The former security operatives were appointed on 13 August, 2001 and their appointments were terminated on 20th July, 2009.

They claim they were only paid three months salary with no other benefits.

However, Justice Adjei said the three months salary paid them is enough.

He said under the Labour Law and the National Security Act, they are not entitled to any end of service benefit in view of the fact that they did not retire from the service.
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Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has advised the Chief Prosecutor, of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda to end the court's selective prosecution of Black African leaders.

He said the act of targeting Africans in the attempt to seek justice goes against the standard permitted under any constitutional Justice system which calls for fairness in the prosecution of offenders.

According to him, there are equally good cases of injustice and mass murder perpetrated in other parts of the world but the court has failed to pursue them.

The perception of biases against Africa in the selection of cases to investigate and prosecute has arisen substantially as a result of the non-pursuit of cases elsewhere in the world which by any standards of criminal justice ought to have been investigated and prosecuted, he said.

Speaking at the first international forum on the ICC at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra, Dr. Ayine said even though the guilt of crimes committed by Africans cannot be measured against the ones committed in other parts of the, the perception of unfairness by Africans have worsen the feeling of disaffection against the Court.

The International Criminal Court was established on July 17, 1988 when 120 states adopted the Rome Statue, the legal basis for establishing the permanent International Criminal Court.

Over the years, the Court has received over 9000 complaints about alleged crimes from 139 countries; however, it has indicted 36 Africans in eight countries.

On October 1, 2013 the African Union (AU) threatened to withdraw after the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy, William Ruto were indicted by the Court for the riots that flared up after disputed elections at the end of 2007 which left hundreds dead. The Kenyan parliament voted in favor of withdrawing from the ICC.

Dr Ayine said it is in the interest of the Prosecutor to address the perception about the Court and to ensure that fairness is seen in the discharge of her prosecutorial duties.

Supreme Court Judge, Sophia Akuffo said the public should be educated about the jurisdiction of the Court to prevent the situation where citizens often threaten to refer domestic cases to it.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Austin Brako-Powers|Email: [email protected]
My 10-year-old son, Daasebre Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, III, did not want me to write about this incident in which a Korean pizzeria owner in Accra was reported to have slapped his female Ghanaian employee with a slice, or perhaps a pie, of pizza which Ms. Cecilia Ampadu had allegedly allowed to burn beyond edibility (See Korean Charged for Slapping Ghanaian Worker with Hot Pizza Citifmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 3/12/16). My son found this story to be rather absurd and downright pedestrian.

The very badly wrought Ghanaweb.com Daily Cartoon graphics did not help matters. Nevertheless, Nana Kwame also did not understand why Ghanaians would sit in their own country and allow foreign entrepreneurial cutthroats to slap them around and rough them up like some nineteenth-century enslaved Africans in the United States.

I must confess that I also have a problem with this demeaning state of affairs and squarely blame our governments, past and present and irrespective of ideological suasion or insignia, for setting this tone of abject disrespect for their own citizens from which these grubby Asian immigrants and settler-refugees have taken a cue. The news report, even as my son perspicuously observed, was characteristically too sketchy for the reader to make much sense of, let alone be able to fairly and objectively draw the relevant and appropriate conclusions, especially since the side or account of the alleged assailant of Ms. Ampadu is not provided the reader by the reporter. In other words, we are not provided with a complete picture of the exact nature of the circumstances under which the alleged pizza-slapping assault took place.

I, however, suspect that my sons attention was readily piqued by the fact that he has a great appetite for pepperoni pizza and Coca-Cola as a wash down of choice. Nana Kwame also thought that the Daily Cartoon section of the Ghanaweb.com website had depicted Mr. Young Gyu Lee, the Korean proprietor of the Peterpan Restaurant as a woman, rather than a man, which, at any rate, would not have mitigated the gravity of the alleged assault on the female Ghanaian victim. Not by any measure or stretch of even the most poetic imagination. For the gendering of the illegal application of force, or violence, does not apply as a mitigating factor where any such act of patent criminality is concerned. In other words, even if the owner of the Peterpan Restaurant were of the same gender as his alleged victim of assault, this striking fact of nature would in of itself not make the crime allegedly committed any less of what it indubitably is, a heinous crime of the first order.

What is clear here is that if it is true that, indeed, his employee, Ms. Ampadu, caused a slice, or even an entire pie of pizza, to burn beyond edibility, the first line of disciplinary measure definitely ought not to have been physical assault. To be certain, corporal punishment ought not to under any circumstances have entered into the equation. The first line of employee discipline ought to have been a reduction in the wages of the allegedly negligent worker/employee commensurate with the retail value of the burnt pizza. Ms. Ampadu could also have been suspended from work without pay commensurate with the amount of loss involved.

And based on the employees general work habit or professional track-record, Mr. Gyu Lee could also have promptly fired Ms. Ampadu. Violently putting his hand on the worker went beyond the terms of his authority as an employer or proprietor of the Peterpan Restaurant. This is where Labor Minister Haruna Iddrisu could make himself more worthy of the portfolio which he has been misguidedly using to get the University of Development Studies (UDS) named after the indelibly bloody Chairman Jerry John Rawlings.

I also have a problem with the way and manner in which the Airport Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Yaw Tetegah, reportedly handled the case. First of all, CSP Tetegah ought to have rushed the assault victim to the hospital in order to have Ms. Ampadu examined by a qualified medical practitioner and her report of hot-pizza slap/assault either confirmed or disproved. Calling for more witnesses does not promptly remedy the immediate medical assistance which the victim was likely in dire need of; it would also have provided a far more forensically objective evidence upon which police prosecutors could build their case.

Knowing what I have known almost from birth about the general caliber of Ghanaian witnesses, especially where the accuser of a criminal offense is a rich personality, particularly a non-African, this line of criminal investigation is unlikely to yield much that is helpful or meaningful towards the securing of justice for the victim and the necessary exaction of discipline from the alleged culprit.

There is still an intolerably high level of inferiority complex, a pathological state of collective self-alienation that was partly engendered by Europes slavo-colonial domination of Africans. This postcolonial trauma may be aptly envisaged to have worsened over the years, as successive post-independence governments and their leaders have proven time and time again that the average African politician is scarcely the coequal of his/her European counterpart, in terms of managerial competence and leadership and/or social responsibility. As a people, our level of self-respect leaves much to be desired, and it is this geo-cultural anomaly into which the worst behavioral traits of predators like Mr. Gyu Lee find wanton expression.

In other words, my unmistaken contention here is that Mr. Gyu Lee behaved in the boorishly intemperate manner that he did not because he was a Korean and Asian by race and/or citizenship, but largely because Ghanaians have yet to adequately demonstrate to most of the non-African foreigners who live and conduct business among us that we place a high premium or value on the worth of our African humanity.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
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Accra, March 17, GNA - Mr Adib Saani, Foreign Policy and Security Analyst, has described the Ivorian beach resort attacks by Islamic militants as a rude awakening to Ghana.

The attacks by six al-Qaeda in the Maghreb gunmen on the L'Etoile du Sud in the Ivorian coastal town of Grand Bassam left about 20 dead.

Mr Saani indicated in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra that terrorists attacks on African soil is not a new trend.

He cited a number of attacks on the continent including the simultaneous bombing of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August, 1998, al- Qaeda attack on Israeli owned hotel in Mombasa in 2002 and most recently Garissa University attack by al Shabab that left about 150 students dead.

Mr Saani said: 'But it becomes more worrying and distressing when these attacks gets closer to you by the day,' he said.

He noted that terrorism gained prominence in West Africa with the advent of Boko Haram, which staged 305 attacks in 2012 and 137 in 2013.

In 2014, the number of deaths caused by the group is reported to be more than 6,644. The militants slaughtered 6,073 that same year, hence making Boko Haram the most deadly terrorist group in the world, according to the Global Terrorism Index from the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Mr Saani added that, the recent attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote d' Ivoire should be a major source of worry to Ghanaians because most of the factors that creates the conducive or fertile environment for terror attacks are present in Ghana.

'The menace of terrorism emerged from complex and deep rooted political, economic, social and developmental deficits.

'While religion, especially political Islam, is often cited as a primary cause of terrorism, it is not so since religious groups in West Africa have co-existed peacefully for centuries.

'Economic distress, ethnic and religious fissures, fragile governance, weak democracy, and rampant human rights abuses create an environment in which terrorists thrive,' Mr Saani observed.

He said the Bush administration acknowledged this link in its 2002 National Security Strategy, which argued that 'poverty, weak institutions, and corruption can make weak states vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders."

Mr Saani said counter-terrorism programmes for the region are consistently underfinanced and responsibilities are divided along old-fashioned bureaucratic lines.

He noted that, Article 3 of the ECOWAS Protocol for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (1999) stipulates that combating international terrorism is an objective of the regional body.

He said Ghana should enhance cooperation with regional and international partners to achieve outcomes through the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Strategy.

'Ghana must show solid commitment towards operationalising national counter-terrorism measures by providing the needed financial, human and technical resources in specially areas of intelligence gathering.

'The capacity of law enforcement and criminal justice officials in the region should be boosted through special training to enforce counter-terrorism measures in accordance with national and international human rights conventions.

'Fighting terrorism should also include fighting poverty as many of the youth are lured into such acts with money,' he said.
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Takoradi, Mar. 16, GNA - Mr Steve Opoku-Mensah, the Western Regional Electoral Director, has said the pilot biometric registration process was successful.

He said two polling centres were selected for the exercise in the Region with one each at Mpohor Police Station and Kwesimintsim Catholic Junior High School in the Kwesimintsim constituency.

Mr Opoku-Mensah told the Ghana News Agency that a total of 101 persons were registered with 50 in Mpohor and 51 in Kwesimintsim constituencies.

The pilot registration process which was organised last Saturday March 12, was meant to test the readiness and effectiveness of the EC's biometric machines and other registration kits for the November elections.

He said the representatives of the National Democratic Congress, the New Patriotic Party and the Progressive People's Party were at the two polling centres to observe the exercise while the police provided security.

GNA
Accra, March 16, GNA - Mr Haris Broumidis, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vodafone Ghana, is leaving the country for Greece to take on a new role within the Vodafone Group.

Mr Broumidis, who was appointed CEO of Vodafone Ghana in July 2013, is to become the Chief Executive and Chairman of the Board of Vodafone Greece effective April 1, 2016.

A statement issued by Vodafone Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said "Haris' time at Vodafone Ghana coincided with a very competitive telecommunications market, when operators needed to innovate and be creative to produce growth.

'But he led the business excellently through this period and was instrumental in leading the business to achieve high levels of growth, through a relentless focus on execution and delivering unmatched customer experience.'

According to the statement, Haris also launched a number of transformational initiatives, including the very successful Vodafone X and the mobile money platform, Vodafone Cash.

'Haris also championed a number of IT and Network transformation projects including the introduction of a new Billing System and numerous initiatives focused on driving the network leadership.

'He also drove a strong people agenda, increasing Employee Net Promoter Score from 49 per cent to 78 per cent over the period, while advocating and improving the ratio of internal senior promotions,' the statement said.

It said Vodafone Ghana would announce Haris' replacement in due course, adding that he would however remain with Vodafone Ghana until the end of the financial year to ensure a smooth transition to the new CEO.

The statement said Dr Kobina Quansah, the Board Chairman of Vodafone Ghana, commenting on the exit of the CEO, said Haris presided over a very fruitful period of the company which was worth commending.

He added 'It is sad to see Haris go after presiding over a very fruitful period for the company, but we are determined to ensure that the successful growth story established under his leadership is maintained and the company continues to thrive.'

Mr Haris Broumidis who joined Vodafone in 2002, has held various senior roles including Marketing Director and EBU Director in Vodafone Greece, CEO of Vodafone Albania and Commercial Director, Europe, for Vodafone Group.

GNA
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Accra, March 16, GNA - Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the Leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP), has called for transparency, probity and accountability in the country to ensure that the economy provides meaningful prospects for graduates.

She said instead of transparency, probity and accountability, what prevailed in the country were corruption, graft, looting and wanton dissipation of public funds.

She was addressing students of the Methodist University College, Ghana, in Accra, during their 'Political Week' on the theme: 'The economy and the prospects of the University graduate'.

Mrs Rawlings said Ghana's constitution made provisions to safeguard the collective rights, freedoms and opportunities of all.

The former First Lady stated that there was also the need for open governance and participatory democracy, if the economy was to provide meaningful prospects for young people.

She therefore pledged the NDP's readiness and commitment to open and participatory governance through decentralization, should it win power in 2016.

'The NDP therefore envisages the creation of community organisation bureaus as appropriate extension of leadership,' she stated. GNA
Sunyani, March 16, GNA - The Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission has called for the Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to act decisively to stop the activities of an illegal timber taskforce operating at Yamfo in the Tano North District.

It warned that the continued harassment and unlawful confiscation of lumber by the group could trigger trouble.

Mr. Nicholas Awuku, Bechem District Manager of the FSD, said they found it deeply worrying that any group of people should decide to do things outside the law with impunity - intercept and impound trucks loaded with both legal and illegally sawn lumber and refuse to account for the seized lumber to the Division.

The taskforce claims to draw its power from the Omanhene of Yamfo, Nana Ansah Adu Baah II, but he flatly denies having anything to do with it.

Mr. Awuku who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the presence of his two Deputies, Charles Nketiah and Raymond Ayepah, insisted that everybody must get right with the law.

The disturbing operation of the taskforce,he noted was heightening tension in the area after one of the members shot to deflate the front tyre of a KIA truck carrying beams from Bomaa to Sunyani, causing it to crash.

This happened on February 10, and its owner, Anthony Ansah from Chiraa, had formally reported the incident to FSD and the police.

Mr. Awuku said it was the second time that a vehicle had been shot at by the group at Yamfo.

He cited an instance, last year, where the FSD had to call in the military before it could carry away Odum beams and planks seized from the Yamfo community.

He stated that the nation should not be deprived of revenue by the unlawful activities of any group of people.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Stephen Awuah, the Tano North District Commander, said they were investigating the case involving the crashed KIA truck.

The proper thing to do by anybody was to report those found to be engaged in illegal timber operation to the appropriate state institutions but not to take the law into their own hands, he added.

Nana Adu Baah told the GNA that he was unaware of the activities of the timber taskforce and was not connected to it in anyway.

GNA
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New York, March 16, GNA - Ghana has affirmed its commitment to the advancement of women's empowerment and gender equality at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) at the UN headquarters in New York.

In view of the government's quest to advance women's empowerment; President John Dramani Mahama has appointed the highest number of women into public office.

'Currently, 20 per cent of Cabinet Ministers are women. We need to work harder increasing the numbers of women in Parliament which is 10.9 per cent and women in local government which is under five per cent,' Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, stated in New York.

Nana Oye Lithur said in pursuit of President Mahama's gender empowerment agenda, Cabinet accordingly approved in 2015 the National Gender Policy, Social Protection Policy, Child and Family Welfare Policy and the Justice for Children Policy.

She said the government was also pushing forward for the passage of the affirmative action bill which seeks to provide for not less than 40 per cent of women's representation in both the private and public sectors.

Nana Oye Lithur noted that Ghana has also implemented laws to protect inheritance rights of women for the past 30 years.

'The Intestate Succession Law, PNDC Law 111, was promulgated in 1985; The Intestate Succession and the Property Rights of Spouses Bills have also been introduced by Government to secure women's property and inheritance rights and access to credit facilities.

Parliament last year approved ratification of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption. Government is also amending the Children's Act of 1998 to make it Hague compliant and have finalised drafting of the Adoption and Foster Care Regulations,' she added.

The Gender Minister said as part of efforts to strengthen the implementation of existing laws on sexual and gender based violence, government passed the Human Trafficking Regulations in 2015.

The Domestic Violence Regulations bill will be passed by Parliament this year; 'We are implementing and enforcing the Domestic Violence Act of 2008. Our specialised Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service have 102 units throughout the country.

'To strengthen protection of extremely vulnerable populations, we have created three Gender Based Violence Response centres in markets for porter girls 'kayayei' and market women to provide social and other services to women and out of school adolescent girls.

'Three government shelters are currently operational. One for missing children, survivors of gender based violence and the last for trafficked persons'.

Nana Oye Lithur said Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has also set up a Child Assault Centre...'We will be supported by the UK Government this year to create three more in all our tertiary hospitals'.

Speaking on the theme: 'Women's empowerment and its link to sustainable development,' Nana Oye Lithur, called for a common course to sustain and build on progress made in gender equality and empowerment.

'I commend the United Nations for making a stand-alone goal for gender (goal 5) as part of the 17 ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, through this, we renew and strengthen our commitment towards women's empowerment,' she said.

Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), accredited non-governmental organisations from all regions of the world are attending CSW60 session.

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection is the leader of the Ghanaian delegation made up of Members of Parliament, representatives from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Gender Technocrats.

The CSW was established in June 1946 as a mechanism to promote, report on and monitor issues relating to the political, economic, civil, social and educational rights of women.

It holds annual sessions in March to evaluate progress made in protecting and enforcing the rights of women globally.

By Francis Ameyibor, GNA Special Correspondent, UN, New York
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Accra, March 17, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has made an urgent call to Parliament to compel the Ministry of Finance to release funds for the Limited Voters Registration Exercise, scheduled for the last week of April.

The Commission warned that if the release of funds delayed further, it may have to reschedule the date of the exercise, which would in turn affect this year's elections timetable.

Ghanaians are to go to the polls in November for Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Sources close to the Special Budget Committee of Parliament, on Wednesday, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency that the EC made an emergency move to the House for the Committee to intervene to ensure timely release of the funds in order not to put the electoral timetable into disarray.

The EC Chairperson Mrs Charlotte Osei, according to the sources, led the delegation from the Commission to the meeting.

The sources indicated that the meeting was inconclusive and would continue on Thursday, March 18, with a proposed meeting with officials from the Ministry of Finance.

Following the request for an overhaul of the Voters register, the Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe Committee recommended a limited voters' registration, which the EC initially fixed for March, but had to be postponed due to the lack of legal backing documentation.

The exercise is to enable eligible voters who have since turned 18 years after the last general election in 2012 to have their names on the roll.

Parliament, last December, approved GH 800 million for the entire elections, which the EC has said was inadequate for the conduct of the polls.

GNA
Accra, March 17, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina, have arrived in Glasgow, Scotland for an official visit, which will include a meeting with the First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, Mr Nicola Sturgeon.

A statement from Flagstaff House Communications Bureau copied to the Ghana News Agency, said ahead of Thursday afternoon's meeting, President Mahama will be the guest of the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and will observe the 'First Minister's Question Time'.

He will also address a group of parliamentarians in the company of the Presiding Officer.

It said Ghana and Scotland have had years of fruitful political and economic relations, with a number of Scottish oil and gas firms expressing interest in Ghana's new energy sector.

Educational collaboration has also been enhanced lately with many Ghanaian students enrolling in universities in Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeen for their higher degrees.

President Mahama will tomorrow, Friday, be honoured with an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree by the University of Aberdeen after which he will meet and interact with a group of UK business executives before returning home, the statement added.

GNA
Accra, March 16, GNA - Three former students of the Wesley Girls' Senior High School, Cape Coast have been awarded the 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) International Excellence Awards.

Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye, Ruth Ewura-Ama Awadzi and Danielle Amo-Mensah, all former students of Wesley Girls' Senior High School, Cape Coast won the first, second and third prizes respectively.

They were the topmost performers in the 1,824,979 candidates who sat the May/June 2015 WASSCE in Ghana, Nigeria and the Gambia.

A certificate and an undisclosed amount of money were presented to each of them as their reward.

For a candidate to win such awards he or she must obtain a minimum of eight grade A1s and candidates who qualified for the awards competed at two levels - national and international.

Ghana, Nigeria, and the Gambia participated in the 2015 West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination. Liberia and Sierra Leone, the two other WAEC countries, did not participate in the 2015 examinations due to the Ebola pandemic and a change in those countries' educational system.

The award ceremony, organised in Accra on Tuesday, was part of activities of the WAEC's 64th Annual Council meeting in Ghana and was sponsored by the WAEC Endowment Fund.

Ms Jessica Ayeley Quaye, who also won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, is currently a level 100 student of the Ashesi University College, while the other two candidates are also level 100 students of the University of Ghana Medical School, reading Medicine.

Ms Ayele in an interview with the Ghana News Agency encouraged all students to keep working hard to achieve greater heights saying 'it is not easy but with prayers, determination and perseverance one can make it'.

She urged students to consult teachers on difficult subjects for clarification and also read consistently to achieve success.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, the Minister of Education, congratulated the awardees for their outstanding performance and said their achievements must encourage other students to spend more time with their books, rather than allowing themselves to be attracted to other unprofitable things.

The Minister said Ghanaian WASSCE students for the past four years had continuously topped in the International Examinations and urged other students to emulate their outstanding performance.

GNA
Sunyani, March 17, GNA - Mr Joseph Yere, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of Mental Health, on Tuesday said the DKM investment crisis was contributing to rife in depression cases in the Region.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Sunyani that new cases of depression were being recorded among most customers of the defunct DKM micro-finance company whose monies were locked up.

Mr Yere who could not immediately provide statistics on the cases, said the situation was assuming alarming proportion and something ought to be done to control it.

He said since June 2015, depression cases had jumped to the top in all mental health illness in the Region.

Mr Yere indicated that his outfit had intensified supervision in ensuring that patients strictly adhered to drugs for their quick recovery.

GNA
Accra, March 16, GNA - Mr Moumina ChAriff Sy, a former Speaker of the Transition Parliament of Burkina Faso, has called for greater press freedom in Africa.

He said: 'The promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of the press is the necessary and sufficient condition for the citizens of the various countries participating in governance and demand audit as well as efficient public services from those in authority.

'In this respect, the media is an essential tool not only for the preservation of peace, but also for good governance.'

Mr Sy said this in Accra on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day West African Conference on the Media and Participatory Governance.

The Conference, on the theme: 'Promoting Professional Journalism for Good Governance in West Africa,' was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), with funding from The Open Society Initiative for West Africa, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the United States Embassy, and the Global Partners Digital.

It brought together leading free expression and media development organisations from all 16 countries in West Africa.

Mr Sy said without the participation of citizens in decision-making, without strengthening the capacity of citizens to access information to freely express their views on how they are governed, institutions would always be threatened with instability.

'It is to avoid this situation which unfortunately still persists in our region that we have to redouble our efforts in promoting a more professional journalism for good governance in our region, and also strengthen partnerships between social forces and the media,' he said.

He said as a means that allowed conveying messages to the greatest number of the citizenry, the media constituted a space that allowed the national and regional communities to consolidate and unite its members behind a truly shared development and peace ideals.

Mr Sy, however, cautioned that those ideals could thrive if the radio, television and newspapers provided only information on community life.

He said in the West African context, marked by the persistence of not always favourable political regimes to freedom of expression, it remained important to encourage the media fraternity to be more professional.

'As has been the experience in Burkina Faso, the media played an important role in the advent of the recent political changes in the country.

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of Communications, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the media to be more circumspect in their reportage and to be mindful of their crucial role in democratic governance, as Ghana prepared towards the November elections.

Mr Edetaen Ojo, the Board Chairman, MFWA, said media freedom and the freedom of expression landscape had been complicated by the emergence of terrorism.

'Over the last several years, Nigeria, Mali and Niger have been blighted by terrorism, and this has spilled into Nigeria's neighbours to the East, Chad and Cameroon.

'In very recent times, we have also experienced terrorist acts in Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire,' Mr Ojo said.

He noted that these incidents had implications for media freedom, freedom of expression and governance.

Ms Sara Veldhuizen Stealy, Press Attache, United States Embassy, said the US valued press freedom as a key component of democratic governance and would, therefore, continue to support journalists in their line of duty.

Mr Eyesan Okorodudu, Principal Programme Officer, Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission, urged media practitioners to be more proactive to strengthen good governance in the sub-region.

Mr Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director, MFWA, told the Ghana News Agency that a critical requirement for ensuring good governance and peace in the sub-region was the empowerment of citizens to access information and express themselves through the media; hence the need for the workshop.

GNA
17.03.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Mar. 16, GNA - The Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) Accra has said there is the need for a robust competitive regime for developing countries like Ghana to protect its consumers.

A study conducted by the organisation under its Competition Reforms in Key Markets for Enhancing Social and Economic Welfare in Developing Countries (CREW) project in two sectors: Maize Stable Food and transport sectors found that though there was some competition in those sectors, there was the need for some policy reforms to engender competition.

Miss Edayatu Lamptey, Programme Associate, CUTS Accra, who presented the findings of the project, said in the staple food sector, initiatives such as the establishment of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) as well as the deregulation of the fertiliser and seed procurement sector had helped to stabilise the price of maize in the country.

Speaking at a national orientation workshop on the CREW Project in Accra, she said another finding of the project was that although the involvement of market queens in procurement of maize had benefited farmers, there is the need for their activities to be regulated to prevent monopolies.

Miss Lamptey said the study suggested that market queens do not use their dominant position to depress prices and other benefits paid to farmers.

It also suggested the creation of a platform for market queens to demand institutional support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and facilitate government actions to deal with anti-competitive practices.

The CREW programme recommended that the Ministry developed a more extensive network of private fertiliser firms, improve availability of good quality seeds for maize farmers and the establishment of national laws to regulate the activities of market queens.

In the transport sector, the CREW project found that the Metro Mass Transit only had about five percent of the transport market share while 75 percent of consumers preferred informal private buses (trotro).

There was also cherry picking of profitable routes with high commuter demands by transport unions due to the lack of route rationalisation.

'Fare setting process is based on negotiations between government and the unions with no representatives of passenger welfare associations or consumer associations', the report said.

It said there was also no regulatory body in the road transport sector unlike other transport sectors.

The project proposed the establishment of a road transport authority by government to regulate activities in the sector and also undertake a study to understand the lack of route rationalisation.

The report also recommended route allocation reforms be made to give incentives to operators who operate in poorly -served areas, supervision of transport unions and attract foreign investors to set up bus manufacturing or assembling plants locally.

Mr Rudolph Berkeley, Technical Advisor on Road Transport at the Ministry of Transport, who represented the Chief Director, said the transport sector was a key enabler for economic and social growth, thus the Ministry has implemented several reforms, including the adoption of a national transport policy as well as procurement of new buses for the metro mass transit company to replenish its aging fleet.

He said there is the need for a national regulator in the transport sector adding that the Ministry was working on a policy document that would be presented to cabinet.

GNA
17.03.2016 LISTEN

The flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has urged President John Mahama to own up and take full responsibilities for the 59TH Independent day brochure gaffe.

The blunder caused Ghana serious embarrassment within the international community. Dr. Nduom wants Mahama to render an unqualified apology to the nation and pledge to ensure that such problems do not reoccur.

In an interview with TV3, President Mahama described the errors as contained in the Independence Day anniversary brochure as unfortunate, stressing that the errors were avoidable and should not have happened.

He told TV 3 that although the matter has become a major issue in Ghana, the Kenyan President Kenyatta did not make a big deal of it, declaring we actually went through the brochure, he (Uhuru Kenyatta,) didnt show he had noticed those mistakes.

The Independence Day brochure contained very serious diplomatic misrepresentation that Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, who was the Special Guest of Honour, was designated as the President of the Republic of Ghana. It also had some incomprehensible grammatical expressions and a host of others.

Reacting to the Presidents interview, Dr Nduom said, as the Head of State of Ghana, the President must be held responsible because on the day of the anniversary, he became the very embodiment of Ghana to the outside world.

Indeed he assumed full constitutional duty as the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, inspecting the guard of honour mounted by the Security Agencies and others at the special anniversary parade.

The responsibility goes with one person; the leader of the land. President John Dramani Mahama, he takes all credit, he takes all blame and this is one important huge error... he is the one we must hold accountable...he is the one who appointed all ministers who served or had anything to do with the Independence Day celebration...he is the one who appointed the staff at the Flagstaff House who supervised this work, Dr Nduom declared.

According to Dr Nduom, the responsibility goes with one person, the leader of the land, President Mahama, stressing that he takes all the blame and this is one important huge error that he (President) should be held responsible for.

Dr Nduom said the dismissal of the acting Director of the Information Services Department, Francis Kwarteng Arthur has been used as a scapegoat from the main unit and that indicates incompetence on the part of the Ghanaian leadership.

When an organization is not about leadership, when an organization is not about accountability and taking responsibility for leadership that is what happens. It sacrifices the little people and leaves those who really have power, who have authority to sit there and continue to do the things that take the organisation backwards, Dr Nduom stated.

He added that it is this negative attitude that brings dumsor, unemployment, cholera, meningitis, illiteracy and poverty in the midst of plenty.
Yaw Opoku, a legal practitioner and a former Deputy Registrar of the Ghana School of Law, has described the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an organ of coercion aimed at individuals that work to oppose the interest of Western countries.

He said that like the prisons and police services that operate at the level of the state as organs of coercion, the primary objective of the court at the international level is also to protect the interest of foreign finance capital in Africa and to ensure that a particular class of people continued to hold power on behalf of their masters in North America and in Europe.

Yaw Opoku was speaking at a well attended public forum organized by the Socialist Forum at the Freedom Centre in Accra.

There are two major reasons why Africa is targeted he said, firstly the gold, diamond, crude oil and several other resources including the cheap labour accounted for this focus on the continent. Cobalt is a key mineral in the telecommunication industry and the largest deposit can be found in The Congo, with the largest deposit of Uranium in Mali and Niger which the multinational corporations from Europe need. 

The highly respected legal practitioner made reference to former US Vice President, Dick Cheneys report to the US Congress that stated that more than 15 percent of the US crude oil need will come from West Africa and to ensure a constant supply, the West needs to plant Heads of State in West Africa to gain access to these resources.

The other reason for this onslaught on Africa, he revealed, has been described as the resuscitation of the Berlin Conference in the division of Africa for control by the neo-colonial governments.

Acccording to him, it is not enough to talk about the ICC without talking about how the West supply arms and ammunition to all sorts of rebel groups to fight amongst themselves and to weaken progressive governments towards the partitioning of Africa.

He admitted that there are some African heads of state who go beyond bounds often using tribal and religious reasons but the answer he said, is not the ICC.

He considers the cases sent to the ICC from Africa as a shroud that covers a struggle for power for the control of African resources and explained that Africa today is the most pillaged continent because her resources are attractive to international finance capital.

According to him, international finance corporations like banks and companies who have made super profits and seek to accumulate more wealth, manage to enter into politics using their surrogates and once they capture power, completely take over the management and the policies of the state.

He revealed that in La Cote DIvoire, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation were instrumental in the coup that deposed the regime of President Laurent Gbagbo because Gbagbos policies were nationalistic and was trying to capture economic power for Ivory Coast.

The charge being brought against Ivorian President Gbagbo at the Hague is simply hogwash, disgusting and most unacceptable because long before the coup, President Gbagbo had been resisting France and other foreign companies over their attempts to loot the natural resources of that country.

These forces were behind the disturbances that led to the division of the country between the North and the South and supported Alassane Quattara and his gang of rebels that terrified, tortured and killed innocent people in their thousands and yet he has been left free he said.

In Libya, Yaw Opoku held the view that the invasion of that prosperous country was for the purposes of controlling her oil resources adding that the same thing happened in Iraq and its now happening in Syria where millions of lives have been lost.

In the Sudan, the quest of the ICC to prosecute President Omar Al Bashir, according to Yaw Opoku, is because the country has two strategic importance as it holds millions of oil and also forms a strategic link between Africa and the Middle East.

Throughout history, Sudan has served as the only transit point for people moving from Africa to Mecca and also trading in the Middle East. They settled there before they crossed to Mecca. So Sudan plays a very key strategic link between Africa and the Middle East which is a key resource place for the West he said.

Apart from the geographical importance of Sudan to trade in Africa, merchant ships that travelled to the far East also passed through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea that bounded Sudan.

Mr Opoku therefore elucidated that the West needed somebody who can be submissive to their dictates and that must inform the reason why they needed to oust the democratically elected President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir, from power and install a person who they can control to control the sea way to Africa.

ICC and the Impunity and Immunity of the West

The former Deputy Registrar of the Ghana School of Law has also challenged the assertion that the set up of the ICC by the Rome Statute was for the need of a court at the international level that could deal with the impunity of individual governments and soldiers who took the law into their own hands in Africa and elsewhere and said it was also repugnant.

He has called for deeper interrogation of the ICC approach to the solution of impunity. According to him, it was an act of impunity when the United States of America arrested President Manuel Noriega of Panama on 3rd January 1990 and subsequently gaoled him on US soil.

He challenged that although it is known that Israel, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are behind the war in Syria and Yemen, he doubted if the ICC will drag anybody from these countries to the ICC.

Many human rights activists and advocates the world over have called for the prosecution of Tony Blair and George Bush, former Prime Minister of UK and President of the US respectively by the ICC, for the huge numbers of people killed in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan but that ICC has argued that the two countries are not signatories to the Rome Statute, a stance Yaw Opoku considers as an incapacity of the ICC because of the Veto power wielded by the US, France and Britain.

Structure of the ICC

The Security Council of the United Nations determines who and which cases can be sent to the International Criminal Court.

Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor of the ICC is not in charge of the court. She is hea of Prosecution. The overall administration of justices of the ICC is handled by The Presidency composed of three judges who preside over trails and appeals.

The Judicial Divisions composed of eighteen judges deal with the Pre-trial Divisions, the trial and the appeals. In the case of the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Pre-trial of the ICC could not marshal enough evidence it needed to put the case for a full trial by the office of the prosecutor.

But why the choice of a black African, Fatou Bensouda from Gambia, as the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court as a successor to Ocampo?

Personally, if you asked my opinion, I think it is one of the things the imperialists do by placing coloured people in some sensitive positions who will do all the dirty work for them and then turn round and say it is not us oh, it is your own black fellow who is prosecuting you Yaw Opoku said.

According to him, just as Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian and former UN Secretary-General, has been put in the front of the campaign to push patented seeds and Genetically Modified food producing companies into agricultural systems of Africa, the selection of Fatou Bensouda was strategic because the majority of the cases under trial at the ICC are from Africa- Uganda, DRC, Sudan and the Central African Republic, Libya, La Cote dIvore, Mali and Kenya- and that informed the choice if more of African leaders who are rebellious of the dictates of the West can be successfully kept away".
The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana has asked his counterparts in West Africa to be committed to efforts aimed at dealing with terrorism in the sub-region.

His comment comes as he meets with other security personnel and their counterparts in Burkina Faso following attacks on that country and Cote dIvoire.

Last weekend, Al Queda terrorists killed about 16 people in a gun attack on a beach resort in southern Cote dIvoire.

The attackers fired on revellers in Grand Bassam, about 40km (25 miles) from the commercial capital Abidjan.

The resort is popular with both locals and foreigners and according to officials, four of the dead were Westerners, including a French and a German national.

Joy News correspondent, Rafiq Salam, reports that the minister said only collaborative efforts between countries in the region will help deal with the issue.

Our regions share not only common borders but also common security issues which pose a danger to lives and properties in our respective regions. Crimes such as armed robbery and smuggling of goods are commonly committed along our border towns and villages.

Alhaji Sulemana said, These crimes call for bulk concerted action and collaboration between our security agencies. Our security agencies need to share intelligent information to help keep us safe from all forms of security threats.

He said since the prevention of crime has taken a global dimension due to the sophisticated nature it has assumed, both Burkina Faso and Ghana must strengthen the collaborative efforts of their security forces and share intelligence for the mutual benefit of all.

The regional minister who is also the head of the Upper West regional Security Council also condemned the terror attacks on Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire.

These attacks on our neighbours are regrettable and we stand we them in these trying times. This gathering is a clear demonstration of our individual and collective commitment to maintaining peace and security in our respective regions.

Governor of the South West Province of Burkina Faso, Diarra Ambruise Amoduo expressed joy over the meeting between the two countries.

He said it will help put a stop to border crimes between the two countries.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | [email protected]
Johannesburg (AFP) - Political drama, mining deals and even wedding party controversies -- an immigrant family that is one of South Africa's wealthiest has long been accused of undue influence behind the scenes.

Now the Gupta family is at the centre of attention after they were alleged to have offered key government jobs to those who might help their business interests.

Deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas revealed this week that the Guptas had offered him the post of finance minister, providing the first public testimony of their alleged involvement in cabinet appointments.

The corruption scandal has renewed scrutiny on President Jacob Zuma's ties with Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta, three brothers from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Led by Atul, they arrived in South Africa in 1993 as white-minority apartheid rule crumbled and a year before Nelson Mandela won the country's first democratic elections.

As the country opened up to foreign investment, the Guptas -- previously small-scale businessmen in India -- built a sprawling empire with interests in computers, mining, media, technology and engineering.

They also developed close links with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, and particularly with Zuma, well before he became president in 2009.

Zuma's son Duduzane is a director of the Gupta's Sahara Computers, which is named after their hometown of Saharanpur.

Zuma's third wife Bongi Ngema and one of his daughters have also been Gupta employees.

"The Guptas are smart and shrewd business people and this can't be a normal relationship," political analyst Prince Mashele told AFP.

"There appears to be a Gupta hand in every business sector."

- Public anger -

Now in their 40s, the Guptas hold court at their residential and business headquarters in a huge high-security compound in Saxonwold, an upmarket district of Johannesburg.

It has a helicopter pad and they reportedly travel with their own chefs and bodyguards.

Public anger towards the family soared in 2013, when a jet carrying 217 foreign guests to a Gupta wedding landed at Waterkloof Air Force base, outside Pretoria.

The airport is a military facility normally used to receive heads of state.

The wedding party did not go through immigration checks, and were given a police escort to the marriage at a casino resort.

The fact that some ministers attended the week-long ceremonies fuelled further antagonism towards the Guptas.

Exploring the tangled web of ties, Bloomberg News recently reported that a firm partly-owned by Duduzane Zuma obtained shares last year in Tegeta Exploration, a company founded by the Guptas.

Soon after, Mines Minister Mosebenzi Zwane joined a Tegeta delegation that visited Switzerland to negotiate the purchase of Glencore's Optimum coal complex.

As with several other ministers, Zwane's appointment was widely seen to have been due to the Guptas.

"There is a feeling that the Guptas are almost running the state," Adriaan Basson, author of the book "Zuma Exposed", told AFP.

"I can't see President Zuma turning his back on the Gupta family."

High-profile holdings in their portfolio include the New Age, a pro-government newspaper launched in 2010, and the 24-hour news channel ANN7, broadcasting since 2013.

After years of silence, the Guptas have started to fight back against their critics and this week they strongly denied the latest raft of allegations.

"We employ more than 4,500 people and reinvest all profits in our South African businesses," they said in a statement to AFP last month.

"We have been in South Africa since 1993 and are a proudly South African family."
Members of Scotlands opposition MSPs and campaigners call on Scottish government to confront John Dramani Mahama over gay rights abuses.

An invitation to the president of Ghana to address MSPs undermines the safety of the Scottish parliament for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, according to opposition MSPs.

The MSPs are joining with human rights campaigners to call on the Scottish government to confront President John Dramani Mahama about his countrys abuses of its lesbian and gay citizens.

Mahama received muted applause from the Holyrood chamber as he listened to FMQs on Thursday morning, but a meeting with opposition leaders was cancelled.

After the Scottish parliaments presiding officer, Tricia Marwick, said she would extend the hand of friendship to Mahama, members of the Scottish Greens, including their co-convenor Patrick Harvie, who is gay, wrote to her on Wednesday to urge caution.

They said: We believe that the Scottish parliament should be a place where everyone can feel safe. Yet the invitation to President John Dramani Mahama to address MSPs can only undermine this, given his full support for the horrific discriminatory laws towards the LGBT community in his country.

Ghana is one of 75 countries around the world where it is still illegal to be gay, carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison.

While the director of Stonewall Scotland, Colin Macfarlane, acknowledged some promising statements from President Mahama criticising violence against LGBT communities, he went on to call for the Scottish government to recognise its important responsibility to help advance the protection of LGBT rights across the world.

Responding to calls from opposition leaders, a Scottish government spokesperson confirmed that the first minister would share her strong view that the Commonwealth values of humanity, equality and tolerance are universal values during the presidents visit.

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty Internationals programme director in Scotland, said her organisation received regular reports that LGBT people faced police harassment, while repressive attitudes towards LGBT Ghanaians meant they were vulnerable to discrimination and physical attacks. This was against a background of the use of torture and ill-treatment by police and intelligence services, alongside widespread violence against women and girls.

McAuliffe said: We understand opposition leaders and MSPs choosing not to meet President Mahama during his visit to the Scottish parliament as Ghanas human rights record has serious failings. However, we are not calling for a boycott of the visit as we view this as an opportunity to raise our concerns about LGBTI discrimination, violence against women and girls, and the use of torture. Nicola Sturgeons commitment to raising values of humanity, equality and tolerance is welcome and we look forward to hearing about any positive interventions.

Mahamas visit to Scotland will also entail him receiving an honorary degree from the University of Aberdeen on Friday.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Morocco threatened Thursday to take further measures in retaliation for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's description of Moroccan rule over Western Sahara as an "occupation".

Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar told reporters that "decisions will be announced" but said this would depend on the outcome of a Security Council meeting called for later in the day.

Morocco decided to cut $3 million in funding for the UN mission in Western Sahara and presented a list of 84 staffers that are to leave MINURSO in the coming days.

"Morocco has taken decisions. These are irreversible," said Mezouar.

"There are other decisions that have been left outstanding and others are under review," he added. "All of this will depend on the Security Council."

The foreign minister said however that Morocco had decided against withdrawing peacekeeping troops from UN missions, dropping an initial threat.

A major dispute has broken out between Rabat and the UN chief over his use of the word "occupation" to describe the status of Western Sahara, during a recent tour of north Africa.

Morocco considers the territory as part of the kingdom and insists its sovereignty cannot be challenged.

The United Nations has been trying to broker a Western Sahara settlement since 1991 after a ceasefire was reached to end a war that broke out when Morocco deployed its military in the former Spanish territory in 1975.

Hundreds of thousands of people carrying banners denouncing Ban's "lack of neutrality" on the Western Sahara issue took to the streets of Rabat on Sunday.

- Cuts to UN mission -

The Moroccan foreign minister said the Security Council must weigh in to remind the secretary-general of the agreed "parameters" for dealing with the Western Sahara conflict.

Angolan Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins, who chairs the council this month said "there is a slight misunderstanding" with Morocco and said the 15 council members "must find some kind of rapprochement."

Morocco's decision to remove 84 people from the 500-strong MINURSO was described as a crippling blow to the mission, affecting drivers, technicians and communications experts.

"It hits the mission across the board," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, describing the decision as unprecedented and in violation of Morocco's agreement with the United Nations as host-country of the mission.

The cuts would present a "logistical challenge" that "goes to the heart of the missions' ability to pursue its mandate," he said.

Mezouar singled out Ban and stressed that Morocco's dispute was with him and not with the United Nations or the Security Council.

The foreign minister recalled that Morocco was cooperating in international efforts to combat extremist groups and address the problem of foreign fighters joining groups such as the Islamic State.

"How can we accept these roles played by Morocco in the UN and stab Morocco in the back? This is not coming from a responsible approach, this is adventurism," he said.
Kinshasa (AFP) - DR Congo's Supreme Court denied bail Thursday to two civil society activists arrested a year ago during a pro-democracy workshop, their lawyers said.

"The Supreme Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo did not grant ... bail to Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala. They will remain in prison. We are disappointed," defence lawyer Venance Kalenga told AFP.

The arrest of Bauma, 26, and Makwambala, 33, on March 15 last year was part of a growing government crackdown on those speaking out against President Joseph Kabila's bid to extend his stay in power beyond a constitutional two-term limit, ending December 19.

The pair were arrested along with at least two dozen other people -- including Senegalese and Burkinabe activists and an American diplomat -- during a workshop on good governance in Africa.

Congolese authorities then accused them of planning terrorist activities and a violent insurrection. They were held without charge for weeks and then transferred to Kinshasa's main prison where they remain.

In June last year they were charged with belonging to an association formed to attack people and property, plotting a conspiracy against the head of state, and attempting to either destroy or change the constitutional regime or incite violence against the state.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Morocco on Thursday said it planned to cut 84 staffers from the UN mission in Western Sahara and threatened further measures in an escalating row with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon over the disputed territory.

The UN Security Council was meeting to defuse the crisis over Ban's description of Moroccan rule over Western Sahara as an "occupation".

Morocco decided to cut $3 million in funding for the UN mission in Western Sahara and presented a list of 84 staffers that are to leave MINURSO in three days.

"Morocco has taken decisions. These are irreversible," Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar told reporters.

"There are other decisions that have been left outstanding and others are under review," he added. "All of this will depend on the Security Council."

The threat added to tensions with Ban, who angered Rabat when he used the word "occupation" during a recent north Africa tour to describe the status of Western Sahara.

Hundreds of thousands of people carrying banners denouncing Ban's "lack of neutrality" on the Western Sahara issue took to the streets of Rabat on Sunday.

During a sharp exchange with the foreign minister on Monday, Ban said the protests were an attack on him and the United Nations.

Morocco considers the territory as part of the kingdom and insists its sovereignty cannot be challenged.

Morocco's decision to remove 84 people from the 500-strong MINURSO was described as a crippling blow to the mission, affecting drivers, technicians and communications experts.

- Threat of renewed war -

"It hits the mission across the board," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, describing the decision as unprecedented and in violation of Morocco's agreement with the United Nations as host-country of the mission.

The cuts would present a "logistical challenge" that "goes to the heart of the mission's ability to pursue its mandate," he said.

The United Nations has been trying to broker a Western Sahara settlement since 1991 after a ceasefire was reached to end a war that broke out when Morocco deployed its military in the former Spanish territory in 1975.

"What Morocco is proposing is to put an end to the mission," said Ahmed Boukhari, the representative at the United Nations of the Polisario Front, which is campaigning for independence for Western Sahara.

"That would mean the shortest way to the resumption of war," he said.

Boukhari said the Security Council must weigh in and defend the UN presence in Western Sahara.

"If there is no mission, there is a vacuum and an invitation to war," he said.

Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara has been one of the most sensitive issues on the UN agenda, with Rabat sparing no effort to enlist support from council members Egypt, France, Spain and Russia for its stance.

The foreign minister recalled that Morocco was cooperating in international efforts to combat extremist groups and address the problem of foreign fighters joining groups such as the Islamic State group.

"How can we accept these roles played by Morocco in the UN and stab Morocco in the back? This is not coming from a responsible approach, this is adventurism," he said.

Mezouar said however that Morocco had decided against withdrawing its 2,100 peacekeeping troops from UN missions, dropping an initial threat.
Ghanas deputy High Commissioner to Canada Abi Adatsi says Ghanaians need to re-dedicate themselves to the core principles on which the countrys forbearers founded the country. She said it is the hope of every Ghanaian to see the nation progress and develop.

To translate these expectations into reality we all have to re-dedicate ourselves to the patriotic values of selfless honesty, hardwork, discipline and sacrifice for the common good Adatsi said in Ottawa Canada, at a dinner to mark Ghanas 59th independence day celebration.

She said Ghanas belief in its capabilities to manage its own affairs for the good of the citizens motivated the struggle for independence.

Adatsi said many years after attaining independence, Ghanaians need to pause and ponder about what they can do to help the nation achieve its development goals.

Today, as we celebrate, 59 years of independence, we are at a watershed, where those that are over 50 years old, have to ask some tough questions about the dreams we had for our beloved Ghana, she said.

Those that are young, need to envision and work towards the hopes and aspirations for the next fifty years.

Adatsi reaffirmed the Ghana High Commissions belief in Ghanaians living in Canada that they can help in the development process back home regardless of the distance.

She said Ghanaians in Canada are strategically positioned to contribute to the socio economic transformation the nation requires given their professional expertise and experiences.

Adatsi said the body of knowledge and experience they have gained in multi-faceted socio-economic matters could accelerate the national development transformation of Ghana if they are plowed into the national development agenda.

She commended executives of the Ghana Association of Ottawa for helping to strengthen the relationship between the Ghanaian community in Ottawa and the high commission.

Vice president of the association Dr. Dina Boadi said the associations new leadership has lined up initiatives and programs to help the Ghanaian community in Ottawa.

One of our main programs is the reintroduction of the scholarship scheme to needy but brilliant Ghanaian students in the community, Boadi said.

The scholarship scheme used to be the flagship program of the association but was abandoned. The new executives have reintroduced this to support Ghanaian students in Ottawa. She urged Ghanaian students to take advantage of the offer and apply for the scholarship.

She encouraged Ghanaian businesses in Ottawa to take advantage of the Diaspora section of the high commission and do business back home.

Boadi said series of meetings and workshops have been lined up in the year to help businesses get the best from the office.

Awards were given to Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians who have helped champion the cause of Ghana over the years in Ottawa. Among the recipients were Kathy Armstrong, a Canadian who has established a dance group in Ottawa that specializes solely in Ghanaian dances.
Accra, March 17, GNA - The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has established a Desk devoted specifically to the production and dissemination of news on China and its relations with Ghana and the rest of Africa.

The Desk would gather and disseminate news on issues including socio-cultural, economic, educational/literary, political and environmental events affecting China and Africa.

Dr. Bernard Otabil, the Chief Executive Officer of GNA, said it was crucial that the people of Ghana and Africa in particular, understood China and took more initiatives to deepen the existing bond of cooperation and also, consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries, adding that it was in this context that the GNA deemed it important to set up the China-Africa Desk

'Trade between Ghana and China would be one of the key areas of focus of the desk", he said.

Dr. Otabil said the area of diplomacy and international relations, agriculture, industry and other fields of endeavor that would promote the existing friendship between the two sides in the spirit of a win-win partnership, were also of equal importance.

He said beyond just news coverage, the GNA would extend the frontiers of this cooperation to include the exchange of journalists between the Agency and news organisations in China.

'This is to enhance the prevailing friendship between the Chinese professionals and their Ghanaian counterparts.'

The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Sun Baohong, said the media could play a vital role in creating better understanding between the two countries, for mutual gain and progress.

'The reports concerning China in Ghana generally speaking, are neither sufficient nor in-depth, and sometimes even deviates from the truth, far from reflecting the whole picture of exciting happenings in China and its external relations.'

Ambassador Baohong stressed the need to step up efforts to ensure good information flow and foster understanding between China and Ghana, as well as China and Africa as a whole.

'Honestly, China's bashing is more popular in Western media. It seems to me that Western reporters have never visited China, or simply enjoy watching China through coloured glasses,' she said.

The Chinese Ambassador therefore urged journalists to play a more constructive role, spread positive energy, and avoid negative news reportage which while on the one hand destroyed good relations, often lacked objectivity due to the lack of indepth knowledge on the subject matter.

'I firmly believe that the establishment of the China-Africa Desk at GNA would call on more people to walk in the direction of promoting friendship and understanding, and create even further openings for mutual gain and progress,' she said.

The Supervising Chief Editor of the GNA, Mr Mohammed Nurudeen Issahaq who highlighted on the mode of operation of the newly created China Desk said it would, among other functions, also take up the singular responsibility of tracking projects funded by the Chinese Government through its Embassy in Ghana in the rural areas.

He said the GNA's wide network of Reporters and Stringers in its regional offices across the country would be brought in whenever there was the need to cover China-related events in the regions, to ensure the effective and successful discharge of the Desk's mandate.

The event was sponsored by ECOBANK Ghana.

GNA
Akim Oda (E/R), March 17, GNA - Madam Philomena Ndede, Headmistress of the Ridge Experimental School at Akim Oda, has appealed to Ghanaians and organisations to support the school with a fence wall.

She said some unpatriotic persons had taken advantage of the unfenced compound and had turned the school's premises into a dumping site and a round-about for vehicles.

They also carry out other unpleasant activities on the compound such as smoking of cigarette and marijuana which did not augur well for the health of the children as well as affecting effective teaching and learning.

Madam Ndede made the appeal when the school celebrated its second 'Open Day and Home Coming' of old students at Akim Oda in the Eastern Region.

The celebration was on the theme: 'A Serene Environment - Effective Academic Work.'

Madam Ndede pleaded for assistance to construct staff common room, computer laboratory and the provision of computers.

She said in the Basic Education Certificate Examination among 103 private and public junior high school students in the Akim Oda Municipality, the Ridge Experimental School placed fifth.

The school, which has a kindergarten, primary and junior high school, was established in 1966 by the late Mr Kwegyirime with some few pupils, but now has 970 children with 35 teachers.

'The school's kindergarten and primary won the 2015 first ever best Kindergarten and Primary Schools Awards of the Eastern Region held in Tamale.'

Mr William Agyapong Quaittoo, the Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, who graced the occasion, pledged 1,500 cement blocks to support the construction of the fence wall and gave the assurance of making provision of some computers to the school.

Mr Fred Herbert Kpoor, the Birim Central Municipal Education Director, who was the guest speaker, appealed to teachers to teach the children with patience.

Twenty-one pupils were awarded with text books for their excellent academic performance.

GNA
Accra, March 17, GNA - A four-day capacity building programme to share ideas and experiences in the management of low value minerals within the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACEP) Group of States has opened in Accra.

Limestone, granite, sand, salt, and clay are among low value minerals, which are very useful in the building of infrastructural projects in most countries.

However, because their values are not as high as gold, bauxite, manganese and other precious minerals, they are given less attention in society, leaving their productions to people with little or no expertise to manage.

Dubbed: 'The Regional Training Workshop on Environment, Community, Health and Safety', it was attended by participants from ACEP countries to equip them with the knowledge and skills in harnessing the low value minerals.

The training workshop fall under the three-year ACEP-European Union (EU) Development Minerals Programme that has a 13.1 million Euro Capacity Building Programme.

It is aimed at building the profile and improving the management of neglected development minerals, which include industrial minerals, construction materials, dimension stones, and semi-precious stones.

That programme is an initiative of the ACEP Group of States, financed by the EU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which is also implementing it.

Mr William Baidoo-Ansah, a Representative of the ECOWAS Commission, said the initiative should be able to help harness potentials from such resources to build the countries.

He expressed the hope that the training workshop would help deepen the understanding in the management of the resources.

Mr Jan van der Ploeg, the Representative of the EU, said the world saw Africa as an important player in minerals production and development and that was why the initiative was introduced to help sustain that sector.

He said neglecting the development of the minerals had closer link with the local economy, because they had the potential to generate more local jobs thus reducing poverty.

Mr Mulugeta Adebe, the Acting Country Director of UNDP, said the ACEP-EU Initiative was being implemented at both the regional and country levels, saying, at the regional level the programme involved training workshops, field trips, the production of guidance products and knowledge sharing.

He said the aim of the capacity building activities was to increase the sectors' productivity, better manage mining operations and adhere to national and international environmental and health standards, while preventing conflict through effective community relations.

Nii Osah Mills, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, said Africa, particularly, West Africa, played a significant role in the production of mineral resources with Guinea, Mali, Ghana and many others leading in the production of the various resources.

He said since such low value minerals helped in the production of various infrastructure, in the areas of transportation, energy and others, many countries were working to ensure that they were properly mined and managed for their benefits.

GNA
Accra, Mar. 16, GNA - The Coalition for Pan Africanists (CPA) has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to desist from its discriminatory act of prosecuting African.

According to the Coalition, the entire international justice system of the ICC was laddened with unfairness and a secret agenda to prosecute African leaders who are not in the good books of the Western powers.

Addressing the press on the ICC's bias towards African leaders, Mr Ayuure Kapin, a member of CPA, wondered why the ICC would always call for the persecution of only African leaders purported to have committed crime against humanity while leaving out Western leaders who have also commit similar offences.

He said why was the ICC after Mr Omar Al Bashir, President of Sudan, for human right abuses while they had refused to arrest American soldiers for their human rights abuses in Iraq (the Abu Ghraib Prison Camp, affair), and Afghanistan among others.

'Throughout the brutal and inhuman military campaign by the West in Afghanistan against innocent civilians, not a single case was brought against them even when our television beamed unto our homes the horrendous bombardment of hospitals manned by Doctors without Borders', he said.

Mr Kapin said why did the ICC fail to deal with the US and NATO troops after the UN reported in 2008 that they had murdered 828 non-combatants in Afghanistan.

He praised President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for opposing the recommendation by the ICC, to put the Lord's Resistant Army rebels on trial, as he deemed the ICC system to be retributive and opposing to our African system but rather called for the use of home grown or traditional justice.

Mr Kapin said the African race had come under yet another form of colonialism which was using the ICC as it tool to oppress the people on the continent.

He said although the Coalition would not condone war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by some African leaders, they did not have much faith in the type of justice system delivered by the ICC.

'We, therefore, call on the AU to strengthen the African Court on Human and People's Rights, as well as the isolation and sanctioning of human right violators and leaders who come to power through coups'.

He praised the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for playing host to an African conference on of the how the continent could deal with related issues and biases of the ICC against Africans.

GNA
business Australian mine to yield 60 MTPA post full ramp up: Adani Mining Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Jeyakumar Janakraj, CEO of the company says the mine will yield 60 million tonne of coal per year post the full ramp-up.
you are here:
business Under new head, Tata Motors to undergo transformation exercise Tata Motors' newly appointed chief Guenter Butschek today said the company will undertake a transformation exercise, which would include a relook at brand positioning, revamping products and increasing its global footprint, in order to be "future ready".
Today Myers released their half yearly results for FY16. Total sales were up 1.8% to $1,794.8 million. And sales growth was at its strongest, 5.6%.

Many companies didnt start off the year well, and Myer Holdings is no different. Share prices dipped aggressively in mid-January. But since then, theyve recovered. Myers still isnt in positive territory for the year as of yet. Shares are down 8.33%. But this figure might turn around soon.

Today Myers released their half yearly results for FY16. Total sales were up 1.8% to $1,794.8 million. And sales growth was at its strongest, 5.6%. But Myer could convert these figures into profit.

Net profit was down 4% to $56.7 million. But even though net profits fell, it was still better than expectations of around $54 million. It seems Myers is ahead of schedule. And as a result their profit guidance has been increased.

Myers now expected full year 2016 profits to be in the range of $66 to $72 million, up from a previous range of $64 to $72 million.

Myer CEO, Richard Umbers commented on the groups performance, stating:

Only months into the first year of our five year strategy, we are pleased with the early progress and positive customer response to initiatives delivered under the New Myer strategy, particularly in our Flagship and Premium stores.

The five year plan Umbers is talking about was updated last year in September. The key elements include:

Enhanced customer led offers,

Wonderful experiences,

Omni-channel shopping,

Productivity step change and;

Organisational capability.

You can tell straight away Myers five year plan has a lot to do with the customer. Hundreds of millions will be spent to improve the customers experience. Just some of the enhancements will include store layout changes, upgraded fitting rooms and a rolling out of digital hubs for Wi-Fi access.

During the second half of financial year 2016 Myer will continue to accelerate the roll out of new Myer initiatives. But will it be enough to stop shoppers from moving to cheaper online stores?

Online retailers are winning the battle

In our busy lives theres almost no time to work, see friends and family while also spending half of your weekend at department stores. Everyone wants to look good in what they buy, and now we can get things cheaper and at the click of a button.

Online shopping makes things so easy for shoppers I almost wonder why anyone goes to the store anymore. Of course the advantage of physically shopping is the experience. Youre able to try clothes on to see if the size is right. And you dont have to wait days or weeks for your items to come in the mail.

Plus returning an item seems much easier in store than shipping your items back to the manufacturer. But the IBM 2005 Global Smarter Consumer Study shows that more consumers than ever are actually more comfortable with online shopping.

The study surveyed 1800 Australians about their spending habits and brand loyalty. One fifth (20%) of those survey said their last purchase had been online. In 2014 this number was only 15%. The study also found that brand loyalty declined from 13% in 2014 to 10% in 2015.

It seems we increasingly dont really care about how we get what we want, we just want it cheaper. So how will this affect Myer? Theyve already been losing sales to online retailers. But while Myer does cater to online shoppers, there needs to be a lot more money invested in line with consumers spending habits.

Harje Ronngard,

Junior Analyst, Money Morning

PS: Investing doesnt always have to be within the stock market. There are other things such as property or bonds that can cater to different investment types. Yet the stock market is the one place most new investors go. Im not saying this is a bad thing, but widening your horizon isnt a bad thing either.

According to Money Mornings publisher Kris Sayce there are three key investments for 2015 and beyond. In Kriss report The Three Best Investments in Australia for 2015 and Beyond hell tell you exactly where to look for investments. Kris will show you why its time to load up on one of the most hated sectors. And theres a great opportunity to buy property on the Aussie stock market.

To get a free copy of Kriss report, click here.
Despite Fortescue Metals Groups [ASX:FMG] dramatic drop over the last few days, the stock recovered all of its weekly losses in early trade today.

What happened to the FMG share price?

Despite Fortescue Metals Groups [ASX:FMG] dramatic drop over the last few days, the stock recovered all of its weekly losses in early trade today. It should be apparent to investors that the resources sector is extremely sensitive to the macro environment right now.

Why did FMG shares do this?

Yesterday, BHP Billiton [ASX:BHP] expressed a view that they see further downsides in iron ore prices on the horizon. This was a hit to the already-fragile sentiments surrounding commodities. Nevertheless, commodities have actually done much better than before. We are finally seeing oil at a much higher price than the mid-US$20 a barrel level. We are now close to US$40 a barrel, with many analysts calling it a bottom.

Iron ore has a positive correlation with both energy prices and the Aussie dollar. It is no surprise that the sharp recovery in oil has led to a rally in iron ore prices, which also boosted the Aussie dollar.

However, the reasons behind the rally are largely unknown. We can speculate on the factors that led to this recovery, such as Chinas pledge to a soft landing. Monetary stimulus, via the Bank of Japan and ECB, could have also played its part in this.

Overnight, we saw a dovish tone from the Federal Reserve, which left its benchmark rate unchanged.

I want to remind investors that not much has changed fundamentally. However, it is also true that fundamentals change subtly and we are, no doubt, in a period of rebalancing. It is only price-discovery that occurs more abruptly. I believe the recent recovery was a realisation of the oversold situation we have been in. The market has quickly adjusted its pricing to a less-bearish level. Now, less-bearish doesnt mean bullish, it just means not as bearish as before.

What now for FMG?

I have been running FMG in my own trading portfolio (more than one asset) for the last two weeks. I have had a long position, which hasnt produced many gains. The reason for selecting FMG in the first place was due to its strong recent momentum. Fundamentally, I speculate that commodity stocks are oversold relative to their long term values.

In terms of modelling the trade, a quant-based algorithm should have had a long signal for FMG in the last six months, generating close to 29%. The current month is a long position. Based on yesterdays closing data, next month should be another long position. Should pricing in the rest of this month change substantially, a change in signal direction could occur.

Ken Wangdong+

Emerging Market Analyst, New Frontier Investor
Read more on ethical and sustainable investing in Morningstar's Ethical Investing Week 2013.

This article is part of Morningstar's "Perspectives" series, written by third-party contributors. Here, Manuela Froehlich, Managing Director, of Alceda UK Limited, explains the importance of ESG analysis to investors.

Incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis into investment decision-making can build long-term value and reduce the risk of loss within a portfolio. As Milton Friedman said: The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.

So why is it that so many investment managers are failing to integrate ESG factors fully into the management of their portfolios?

Studies show that firms embracing environmental and social ethics often perform better than their industry peers. Incorporating ESG analysis in the investment process can fulfill two objectives for investors: to achieve long-term competitive returns through managing risks; and to invest in a way thats globally sustainable.

Luan Steinhilber, Director of Operations and ESG Analyst, Miller/Howard Investments, Inc. explains: Risk mitigation is one of the key reasons we engage with companies in which we invest. We consider multiple factors for ESG investing including a companys governance and ethics; environmental record; workplace policies; human rights record, especially regarding international operations; and the sustainability of their products and services for future generations.

By identifying companies whose business strategy is non-sustainable (e.g. because they are overexploiting the environment or not taking into account employees rights) and by limiting the exposure to such companies in a timely manner, an investor can limit the downside risk to the portfolio.

For example, in August 2013 JPMorgan was subject to sanctions and investigations, including a probe about its hiring practices in Hong Kong and a request to pay more than $6 billion in penalties to settle allegations that it had mis-sold mortgage securities in the USA before the financial crisis. As a result, the equity value of JPMorgan dropped 11% from 56.54 (1/8/2013) to 50.53 USD (30/08/2013) in August 2013.

Luan Steinhilber maintains, Building-in a clear interpretation of reputational or regulatory risk, along with analysis of the risk management practices adopted to mitigate threats, is essential to anticipating potential market failures.

A series of studies performed by Nomura Securities and based on ECPI Groups ESG data (September 2005  July 2012) supports this view and confirms that theres a correlation between ESG rating downgrades and falls in share prices.

Aldo Bonati, Head of Research Department, ECPI Group says, As ESG integration is still not yet standard market practice, early adoption could offer investors a competitive edge against the market, both in terms of reputation and risk-adjusted performance.

Luan Steinhilber of Miller/Howard Investments concludes: We believe that the most effective approach is when ESG teams communicate directly with company management about problems and issues of concern. In our experience, investors want their companies to have policies that mitigate risk and ensure sustainability of the business model.

Asset owners and investment managers are slowly starting to shift their attention to ESG risk. Whilst we believe that there is a growing desire among investors for ESG issues to be considered, there remains some way to go before investment managers integrate ESG factors fully into their management systems.
Amid speculations that the growing prominence of foreign capital in Canadian real estate is heating up housing prices to record-breaking levels, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) is reporting significant hurdles in gathering reliable data on overseas investors.



The CMHC is looking at closer collaborations with provincial land registries to collate information about properties owned by foreigners (starting in Ontario). However, the agency said that its meetings with real estate industry movers to include residency status questions to its regular surveys of condo transactions have proved less than successful.



Some [condo] developers are willing to provide the information while others are not willing to provide it, the organization said in documents quoted by The Globe and Mail.



The CMHC also ran into the issue of deciding whether the nearly 212,000 international students staying in the country as of 2014 should be considered as foreign investors. Currently, the definition includes Canadian citizens with permanent residences in other nations, visitors, temporary foreign workers, and individuals with no legal ties to Canada.



There was no unanimous agreement on whether foreign student buyers should be counted as foreign buyers or not, the CMHC noted, adding that some officials have proposed filing international students in a unique category separate from other non-permanent residents.



The large majority of students actually do not become permanent residents. This would justify classifying student buyers as foreign buyers, the documents stated. We feel some people, like students, are buying properties instead of renting with money mainly coming from outside Canada.



Another proposed study would attempt to probe the effects of non-permanent residents on housing demand, although the CMHC has yet to finalize the details of the joint research with HSBC and the Canada Revenue Agency.
A controversial profile in CMP stoked the fire of indignation for one broker who argues buydowns cheapen the industry.(When) selling low rates, the advice isnt there and the only thing the client gets is a low rate? What is a lower rate if, say the client bought it two years ago at 2.79% and we can now do 2.49%? Nick Bachusky, an Ottawa-based broker, told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. He gave the lower rates then but it wont benefit the client now because they arent getting any advice. Ron Butler , one of the industrys most successful brokers, was recently featured as an Industry Icon in the latest issue of CMP. And in the article, he claimed the future of the industry was a higher prevalence of bought-down rates.Wouldnt it be nicer if the client just got the best possible deal and didnt have to meet anybody to do it? Someone online or on the phone could meet with them  something that is efficient and easy to do, Butler told CMP. Nine out of 10 brokers are so wedded to their model of earning 125 basis points on every file.If you want to give better rates than (another) broker is offering, you cant cling to legacy models.Its a future Bachusky and, indeed, thousands of brokers across the country want to avoid.When I picked up the issue and I read that, I just shake my head. That is backwards; thats where quality suffers and thats when we lose our jobs and thats when robots take over, Bachusky said. Thats not why we became mortgage brokers; buydowns are not why we became mortgage brokers.We love our clients, we want to be in communities, were viewed as people who can do the best job and we care about clients debt ratios.Which side of the debate do you fall on? Have your say in the comments section.
The latest Teranet house price index revealed that February saw a record-high number of real estate transactions in Toronto, with Vancouver experiencing the tightest home resale market in 12 years.According to the National Bank , these developments have come about in spite of recent regulatory changes that have been intended to cool down the national housing market. The new rules ask for higher down payments on homes valued above $500,000.The price spikes are expected to last throughout most of the year, said National Bank economist Marc Pinsonneault. He noted that the revised rules do not apply to those who bought homes before February 15, who have until July 1 to finalize their purchases.So sales in these expensive cities can be stimulated over the coming months as well, Pinsonneault stated in his report, as quoted by HuffPost Business Canada.However, the National Bank emphasized that while house prices nationwide increased by an average of 6.5 per cent over the past year, this rise can be attributed solely to the red-hot performance of the most active cities.The last monthly increase in the composite index, the largest for a month of February since the recession, is totally due to the price jump in Vancouver, Pinsonneault said.Elsewhere in the country, real estate prices plunged in five other major citiesnamely, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, and Ottawa. The economys slow recovery from the oil shock would make Vancouver and Toronto the tent-poles of the Canadian housing sector for some time to come, the National Bank added.
Federal officials ordered the nations largest bank to reinstate a whistleblower who raised concerns over the handling of loans.



The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has ordered JPMorgan Chase to give an unnamed New Jersey employee his job back and pay him more than $200,000 in back pay and damages, according to an ABC News report. The employee, a loan delivery operations manager, was fired after he raised concerns about the banks failure to properly record loans, OSHA said. The employee also refused to lie about the bank failing a compliance test, according to ABC News.



The employee raised concerns about the way the bank was handling loans between November of 2013 and May of 2014, according to a Business Insurance report. OSHA said that Chase retaliated by removing his responsibilities, eliminating his position, and firing him in July of 2014.



But OSHA found that the employee engaged in protected activity when he questioned Chases handling of loans, Business Insurance reported. The bank has been ordered to reinstate him, pay more than $203,000 in back wages, compensatory damages and medical expenses, and expunge his personnel record. Chase has also been ordered to post a notice informing employees of whistleblower rights under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Consumer Financial Protection Act, Business Insurance reported.



These laws expressly protect employees rights to raise reasonable concerns about what they believe to be potential violations without fear of retaliation by their employers, said OSHA regional administrator Robert Kulick. If employees are afraid to come forward for fear of punishment, financial wrongdoing could be masked, with consequences for employees, the employers and consumers.


The director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wouldnt give a definite answer on the TRID grace period, according to areport. He also said the agencys regulations arent hurting the financial industry, pointing to credit unions increased market share in the mortgage sector. Unfortunately, credit unions dont agree.CFPB Director Richard Cordray testified before the House Financial Services Committee Wednesday, defending the agency from lawmakers assertion that its regulations were hurting business. But leaders in the financial services industry beg to differ.Wednesday morning  before Cordray had even testified  the National Association of Credit Unions released a letter from President and CEO Dan Berger to Financial Services Committee Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas).Unfortunately, many of our concerns about the increased regulatory burdens that credit unions would face under the CFPB have proven true, Berger wrote. As expected, the breadth and pace of the CFPBs rulemaking is troublesome, and the unprecedented compliance burden placed on credit unions has been immense.Cordray, however, dismissed Bergers claims, saying that press releases from trade groups often dont reflect economic fact.Credit Union membership is at an all-time high, Cordray told the committee. He said that credit unions are currently gaining market share  especially in the mortgage space  from the big banks. That fact is not consistent with killing the credit unions, Cordray said, according to HousingWire.But Berger hit back, claiming that Cordray wasnt being accurate.The assertion that credit unions are not being negatively affected by the tidal wave of overregulation arising from CFPB and Dodd-Frank could not be more wrong, he said. Director Cordrays denial that the tide of regulation is not contributing to the continued trend of credit unions being forced to cut back on member services, merge or go out of business flies in the face of facts.During the hearing, Rep. Bradley Sherman (D-Calif.) also asked Cordray to extend the grace period on TRID. Cordray would not agree or disagree to do so, according to the HousingWire report. He said that the conversation with the mortgage industry over TRID remains ongoing.
McKINNEY, Texas (AP)  A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a wealthy supporter of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that claimed taxpayers are paying too much to prosecute the Republican on securities fraud charges.

The order signed Thursday by Judge Mark Greenberg is the latest turn over how much the high-powered attorneys involved in Paxton's criminal case should make  and who can foot the bill.
LM Otero

EULESS, Texas (AP)  Statements reveal that a Dallas-area police officer killed earlier this month was telling a suspect in a creek to show his hands when the man fatally shot the officer mid-sentence.

WFAA-TV (http://bit.ly/1Ujzv6s ) reports Euless officers involved the March 1 shooting in which Officer David Hofer was killed have filed their first written accounts. The suspect, Jorge Gonzalez, was killed by police.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  It sounds like a pitch for a far-fetched movie: "Cast Away," but with a dog instead of Tom Hanks. Only this sea tale is true.

A California fisherman's beloved German shepherd fell overboard and was presumed drowned. More than a month later, she was found.

The 1 -year-old dog named Luna was spotted this week on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training base 70 miles off San Diego.

The blue-eyed pup disappeared Feb. 10 as Nick Haworth, a commercial fisherman from San Diego, worked on a boat 2 miles from the island.

"They were pulling in their traps, and one minute Luna was there, and the next minute she was gone," said Sandy DeMunnik, spokeswoman for Naval Base Coronado. "They looked everywhere for her. They couldn't see her. The water was dark, and she's dark."

Haworth notified Navy personnel.

"He insisted that he was 90 percent sure that she made it to shore because she was such a strong swimmer," DeMunnik said.

Haworth searched the waters for about two days and Navy staff searched the island for about a week but found no sign of Luna.

She was presumed lost at sea. Until Tuesday, that is, when staff arriving for work at the island's Naval Auxiliary Landing Field spotted something unusual  a dog sitting by the side of the road. Domestic animals aren't allowed on the island for environmental reasons.

It was Luna.

"She was just sitting there wagging her tail," DeMunnik said. The staff called to Luna, and she came right over.

A biologist then examined the dog and found her a little thin but otherwise healthy.

"It looks like she was surviving on rodents and dead fish that had washed up," DeMunnik said.

Officials called Haworth, who was out of state, working in the middle of a lake.

"He was overwhelmed. He was so happy and grateful and thrilled," DeMunnik said.

Luna was flown to a Navy base on the mainland Wednesday and handed over to Haworth's best friend, who will care for the dog until Haworth returns Thursday night.

Luna, meanwhile, has a souvenir of the experience. Her dog tag was lost but the Navy gave her a new one, DeMunnik said.

Along with her name, it bears a key lesson in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape course taught on the island to Navy and Marine personnel. The tag reads: "Keep the Faith."
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  The sister of one of the New Mexico convicts who escaped from a prison transport van last week and spurred a dayslong manhunt was arrested Thursday.

New Mexico State Police agents served the arrest warrant for Olivia Cruz, 38, at the Sandoval County jail, where she was being held on unrelated charges. She was arrested on the separate charges after authorities questioned her last week in the wake of the escape.

Cruz is accused of concealing and sheltering her brother, Joseph Cruz, and fellow convict Lionel Clah at a friend's apartment in Albuquerque. The convicts had found their way to the city after slipping out of their shackles and fleeing the transport van in a remote part of southeastern New Mexico on March 9.

Police arrested two other women Wednesday and charged them with aiding and harboring the convicts.

New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas had promised that anyone who helped Cruz and Clah elude capture would faces charges.

Despite the arrests, authorities have yet to say how Cruz and Clah were able to escape without two guards noticing.

Investigators believe the men picked their handcuffs, but it's still not known how they broke free from their leg irons, ditched their white prison jumpsuits and changed clothes, then got a ride north to Albuquerque_a roughly three-hour drive.

Authorities believe the escape, which has raised concerns about security within the state's financially strapped corrections system, happened during a fuel stop in the small community of Artesia. The two guards had already put in significant overtime by the time they stopped for gas that night.

Cruz, 32, had been serving a life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction since 2007 for killing a man over drugs in northern New Mexico. Clah, 29, was serving time for armed robbery and other crimes.

The other women arrested Wednesday were identified as Michelle Abeyta, 40, of Albuquerque, and Patricia Petrushkin, 51, of Humble, Texas. Petrushkin was taken into custody at a Houston airport and is awaiting extradition.

Abeyta turned in Clah after she allowed him to stay at her apartment for two nights. A public defender argued Thursday during a hearing before a Metropolitan Court judge in Albuquerque that Abeyta probably feared for her well-being, but prosecutors pointed to Abeyta's own criminal history.

The judge imposed a $5,000 bond.

Petrushkin is accused of harboring Clah and Cruz in her Albuquerque hotel room and of giving them money and clothing following the escape.

Cruz was taken into custody in Albuquerque after a brief foot chase after two days on the run. Clah surrendered to police Saturday at an Albuquerque apartment.
ODESSA (AP)  A former officer at an Odessa juvenile detention facility must serve two years in prison for having sex with one of the underage inmates.

Amber Mendoza was sentenced Tuesday in Odessa.

Mendoza pleaded guilty Monday to having an improper sexual relationship with a person in custody and to sexual assault of a child. The 27-year-old Mendoza received two years of probation for the sex assault count.

Investigators say Mendoza in 2014 had sex with a 16-year-old boy who was an inmate at the Ector County Youth Detention Center. Authorities say both encounters happened outside the lockup, when the boy had day or weekend passes to leave the facility.

Mendoza resigned as an officer last year amid the investigation of a cellphone smuggled into the center.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Earth got so hot last month that federal scientists struggled to find words, describing temperatures as "astronomical," ''staggering" and "strange." They warned that the climate may have moved into a new and hotter neighborhood.

This was not just another of the drumbeat of 10 straight broken monthly global heat records, triggered by a super El Nino and man-made global warming. February 2016 obliterated old marks by such a margin that it was the most above-normal month since meteorologists started keeping track in 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The old record was set just last December and the last three months have been the most above-normal months on record, said NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden. And it's not just NOAA. NASA, which uses different statistical techniques, as well as a University of Alabama Huntsville team and the private Remote Sensing System team, which measure using satellites, also said February 2016 had the biggest departure from normal on record.

NOAA said Earth averaged 56.08 degrees (13.38 degrees Celsius) in February, 2.18 degrees (1.21 degrees Celsius) above average, beating the old record for February set in 2015 by nearly six-tenths of a degree (one-third of a degree Celsius). These were figures that had federal scientists grasping for superlatives.

"The departures are what we would consider astronomical," Blunden said. "It's on land. It's in the oceans. It's in the upper atmosphere. It's in the lower atmosphere. The Arctic had record low sea ice."

"Everything everywhere is a record this month, except Antarctica," Blunden said. "It's insane."

In the Arctic, where sea ice reached a record low for February, land temperatures averaged 8 degrees above normal (4.5 degrees Celsius), Blunden said. That's after January, when Arctic land temperatures were 10.4 degrees above normal (5.8 degrees Celsius).

Worldwide, February 2016 was warmer than about 125 of the last 136 Marches.

It was also the warmest winter  December through February  on record, beating the previous year's record by more than half a degree (0.29 degrees Celsius).

Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb said she normally doesn't concern herself much with the new high temperature records that are broken regularly.

"However," she added in a Thursday email," when I look at the new February 2016 temperatures, I feel like I'm looking at something out of a sci-fi movie. In a way we are: it's like someone plucked a value off a graph from 2030 and stuck it on a graph of present temperatures. It is a portent of things to come, and it is sobering that such temperature extremes are already on our doorstep."

Scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina, were astonished by the "staggering" numbers, said Deke Arndt, the centers' global monitoring chief.

"Usually these are monthly reminders that things are changing," Arndt said. "The last six months have been more than a reminder, it's been like a punch in the nose."

NASA's chief climate scientist Gavin Schmidt usually discounts the importance of individual record hot months, but said this month was different, calling it "obviously strange."

This was due to the long-term warming from heat-trapping gases and the powerful El Nino, so these types of records will continue for a few more months, but probably will not be a permanent situation, Schmidt said in an email.

But other were not so sure, including Arndt, who compared it to moving into a new hotter neighborhood.

"We are in a new era," Arndt said. "We have started a new piece of modern history for this climate."

Jason Furtado, a meteorology professor at the University of Oklahoma who wasn't part of any of the government teams, simply wrote in an email: "Welcome to the new normal."

___

Online:

NOAA: www.ncdc.noaa.gov

___
Pentatonix is well on their way to becoming one of the biggest pop groups in the world, and their upcoming summer tour may help to solidify their spot at the top.

The five-piece acapella group, who first achieved worldwide popularity through their YouTube videos in 2011, will hit the road in the U.S. on April 13 and tour the country until May 12. Major arena stops include the BOK Center in Tulsa, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Pentatonix has enlisted folk-pop Vine stars Us The Duo to accompany them on all scheduled performances. Tickets for Pentatonix went on sale earlier this month, and have risen in price quickly on the resale market. In most markets, tickets are averaging well over the $100 mark.

The rise in price for Pentatonix comes in part, from their epic Grammy Awards appearance on Feb. 15. The group, which is comprised of members Avi Kaplan, Scott Hoying, Kirstie Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Mitch Grassi, honored the legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire's Maurice White with a performance of "That's the Way of the World" alongside Stevie Wonder. The group also took home an award for "Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella" for their rendition of "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."



(Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for T.J Martell Foundation)

Currently, tickets to see Pentatonix are averaging $143 across all of their performances. Their most expensive show is slated to be the group's May 12 stop at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland where tickets are averaging $184, with the cheapest ticket priced at $64. Conversely, the group will play their cheapest date on April 30 at The Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, California, where tickets are averaging just $97, with the cheapest ticket available for $63, according to data provided by ticket aggregator TiqIQ.

Pentatonix made a big splash on tour when they opened up for Kelly Clarkson last summer on her Piece By Piece Tour, which ran from July 11 until Sept. 10. Tickets for that tour averaged $135 across all 36 performances. Michael and Carissa Alvarado of Us The Duo first garnered fame after posting six-second video clips of cover songs on Vine. Since then, the group has quickly amassed over 5 million followers as well as a recording deal with Republic Records.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Despite two big diamond rings on her finger, Nicki Minaj says that she is still not engaged to her boyfriend Meek Mill, but if they do get married, she wants to have a baby.

"I'm not engaged yet," Minaj said in an interview with Nylon magazine, according to ETOnline. "He said that my third ring would be my engagement ring. But sometimes he calls me his fiancee, and I'm always trying to stop him, like, 'Nope! I ain't got that third ring yet!'"

The musician received a huge diamond ring from the "All Eyes on You" rapper on her birthday and another heart-shaped ring last April. Minaj and 28-year-old Mill started dating last year after she broke up with longtime boyfriend, Safaree Samuels.

The "Anaconda" rapper added that they are just taking things slowly, one step at a time and she also expressed her excitement to have a child saying, "If I get married, then I'll have a child, and that'll be fun, because I can't wait to hold my baby."

Minaj also said that she is happy with her relationship and even praised Mill as "a secure-enough man," who is turned on by her strong personality and her being outspoken.

She shared that before they entered a relationship, they started as friends and Mill always tells her that she reminds him of his mother and that he likes that she shows her tough side.

"So I always got the sense that me being tough and bossy was a turn-on for him. And it's important for me to keep my voice. Being in a relationship shouldn't mean that you lose your voice. Being in a relationship should mean that you've met a secure-enough man to allow you, in a sense, to remain a queen," Minaj said, showing how Mill accepted her personality, People reported.

The "Truffle Butter" rapper appears on the cover of Nylon magazine for its April 2016 issue wearing her blonde locks in a bowl cut. The issue includes an interview with the 33-year-old Trinidad born rapper, who is one of the most successful female rappers of all time.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day, Music Times readers! In honor of this festive holiday, check out these fun facts about Irish performance and folk tradition. Enjoy!

- The top five biggest selling Irish actos of all time are U2, Enya, Van Morrison, The Cranberries, and Westlife.

- A ceilidh (pronounced "kay-lee") is a traditional Irish or Scottish social gathering that generally involves Gaelic music and dancing.

- In modern Irish, the fiddle is called fidil or veidhlin.

- Queen Elizabeth was very fond of Harp music and always kept the famous Irish harpist Donogh in her court.

- The conservation of music is so important to the people of Ireland, an Irish harp is pictured on their euro coins. It's also the only country to have a musical instrument as their national emblem.

- Because it's inexpensive (like the soprano recorder in America), most Irish schoolchildren learn the simple basics of the tin whistle, which was first produced by the Clarke Company in Manchester, England.

- The Celtic Triangular Harp was known as the instrument of the Bards and was typically used to accompany the reciting of poetry.

- The four-string tenor banjo actually originated when African slaves traveled to America, but found it's way back to Ireland with the return of emigrants. The instrument is now fully accepted in Irish folk music.

- Although the beloved tune "Danny Boy" was penned by an Englishman in 1913, it was originally based on the very old Irish melody "Londonderry Air."

- The body of a fiddle is made of about seventy wooden components and the bow is wound with horse hair.

- Shakespeare refers to eleven Irish tunes including the famous "Callino Casturame."

- Lilting is a form of traditional Gaelic singing in which rhythm and tone dominate and the words are nonsensical. Therefore, it closely resembles scat music.

Get even more interesting info over at SoundScapingSource, The Emerald Isle, and OUPblog. Enjoy!

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nightclubs, especially in New York City, have always had a somewhat sketchy reputation. Centers of hedonism, drug use, sex and good times, they are the play places for adults looking to get away from the stresses of life and enjoy music. Most are good and clean at the top, but others are rotten at varying degrees. Brooklyn nightclub Verboten stands accused of a variety of different charges that started with fraud and mismanagement in January and now on top of that one can add sexual assault and racism.

In a new report by the New York Daily News, 16 current and former employees of the club have filed a sexual harassment complaint against Verboten in Brooklyn Federal Court, accusing co-owner Jen Schiffer, 40, of spear-heading the unlawful conduct.

According to the papers, Schiffer, "discusses her sex life - including her favorite sexual positions and sexual encounters with her husband, John Perez, and other women," with other employees.

One worker, Dylan Schwartz, 24, described as Schiffer's boyfriend in the documents, also allegedly made some lude propositions to other employees.

He allegedly said to a female employee, "Are you having a bad day? You should let me f--- you."

Schwartz is not named in the class action suit and Schiffer denies the affair.

There are more damaging accusations in the suit though. It alleges that Schiffer got angry when an employee booked a party attended by black people.

"What are all these black people doing here? You cannot book a black-people party!" she allegedly said.

This new suit makes for a pretty terrible year for the club that opened up to fanfare and rave reviews in 2014. It is also being accused by former partners and investors of fraud and mismanaging funds since they opened the club according to documents obtained by Thump. The owners deny all of the claims.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Lil Wayne recently revealed his desire to become an advertising star following his Super Bowl debut, but hes also making note of potential in others, particularly those currently enrolled in college. In an article penned for Huffington Post, the New Orleans rapper named the University of Louisiana - Lafayette the winner of a college philanthropy project hes been working on with TIDAL.

Wayne opened the piece by reflecting on his time spent at the University of Houston. He noted the great amount of potential among the students, but also observed that with so many responsibilities, students rarely have an opportunity to give back to their communities.

"Having gone to the University of Houston for a bit, I saw firsthand how much potential and energy college students have," the Mirror rapper wrote. "They have so many opportunities to make the world a better place, but they have a lot on their plates with the books, parties and jobs at the same time. They have the world at their fingertips but the weight of the world on their shoulders. It's hard to find time for themselves; let alone time to give back."

Elsewhere in the article, he wrote about his partnership with TIDAL, which garnered nationwide responses from various colleges and universities.

"That's why I partnered with Tidal on a college-focused philanthropy project," he wrote. "I feel blessed to be part of this project initiative with an outstanding amount of responses- nearly 50 schools across the country entered a contest for a chance to see me perform at their school for free."

The projects participants covered a wide range of initiatives from organizing a bottled water drive for Flint, Michigan to distributing food to the homeless to raising money for the Special Olympics. Ultimately, he sided with a school from his home state.

Lil Wayne's concert at the University of Louisiana - Lafayette is scheduled to take place next month, and will be live streamed on TIDAL.com.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Tuolumne County Chamber Of Commerce View Photos

The state of commerce in Tuolumne County is moving forward but things are still tough, according to Mike Ayala, the Executive Director of the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce.

Ayala was Thursdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day.

When asked if the economy in Tuolumne County is growing, Ayala replied, The state of business in Tuolumne County continues to remain a little rough. We are growing, but slowly. The rapid growth found in the bay area has not reached the Mother Lode.

According to Ayala, The Chamber is here to help local business and we have continued to offer programs, plans and personal face-to-face conversations to help our members stay in business.

Ayala emphasizes shopping locally and he makes sure that the Chamber backs those words with direct action.

The TC Chamber reminds Mother Lode residents to remember the importance of shopping locally.

Support Tuolumne County, shop local and do business here, says Ayala. The Chamber is about local business and local jobs.

A constant theme is Shop Local, Buy Local, Think Local.

The Chambers position is that internet shopping hurts local business just as much as shopping out-of-town.

There will be an event celebrating and honoring our local vets next week.

Vietnam Veterans Chapter #391 along with the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce and Black Oak Casino will be celebrating Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day and Honoring Those Who Help Veterans Heal with a special benefit event to be held at the Four Tradewinds Conference Center inside of the Black Oak Casino Resort on Friday, March 25, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

This benefits proceeds provide support for both the Vietnam Veterans Post # 391 and the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce.

The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Program was the brainchild of Vietnam Veterans Chapter #391. Their program started with the hugely successful Welcome Home parade in 2010.

Tickets information is available by contacting the Tuolumne County Chamber offices at 209-532-4212.

Mother Lode residents are encouraged to look at the chamber website. The information can be found at http://www.tcchamber.com.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM.
Sacramento, CA  Californias Fair Political Practices Commission has revised its rules related to former lawmakers lobbying at the state capitol.

Since the 1970s, former lawmakers have been able to testify on issues as experts and were not required to register as a recognized state lobbyist. We first reported on the issue last week. It has allowed lawmakers to skirt the rule that requires lawmakers to be out of office for at least one-year before lobbying. The states political watchdog group voted 3-1 this morning to require people to start registering as lobbyists, and fill out quarterly reports, if they are paid more than $2,000 in a month to influence state officials, or spend 1/3 of their work time trying to sway politicians on state legislation.

The Associated Press reports that opponents of the change argued that the new rules are too vague, and would be difficult to monitor and enforce.
A Seminole County lake remains off-limits for fishing and swimming after sewage spilled into it over the weekend when a manhole at a nearby living complex leaked.

Environmental officials continue to investigate how much sewage spilled into Lake Orienta on Saturday after the system backed up at the Royal Arms Condominiums complex in Altamonte Springs.



Eliza Partida's family lives on the lake, and she enjoys tubing. Right now, however, she said she'll pass on any water adventures.

"Not until I hear 100 percent the water's clean, it's good and there's nothing wrong with it," Partida said.

The community association manager at the condominium complex on Wednesday said the sewage system got backed up Saturday because of built-up grease in the system. The manager blamed the blockage on residents pouring too much cooking grease down their drains.

Environmental officials said the backup in the complex's private sewage system caused the sewage to leak out of a manhole that's in Lake Orienta.

"We can't really avoid it now, and it's kind of gross," Partida said.

Red signs are now posted along the lake, including at one gate to a dock near the Partida family's home.

Altamonte Springs officials also sent letters to everyone who lives along the lake to warn them not to fish, wade or swim in the water until further notice.

"It's a pretty gross situation," Partida said. "But I hope it gets resolved quickly."

Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials said water tests since Saturday's leak show high levels of bacteria that can be harmful.

The complex representative said the problem is fixed. DEP officials said once it confirms the problem is fixed, they will evaluate the long-term effect on the leak. The complex could face fines, officials said.
Some major projects slated for funding from Florida's 2016-2017 budget made it unscathed through the Governors Office, but hundreds of others didn't.

One that had previously been rejected was funding for the University of Central Florida's new downtown campus. The state will now grant $20 million in funding for new campus.

In Osceola County, a sensor manufacturing facility  a potential big job generator  is expected to receive $15 million in funding once Gov. Rick Scott signs off on the budget.

A big funding request that was rejected was from Eastern Florida State College in Brevard County. They asked for $15 million to fund their innovation technology education center, which would train students in aviation, digital technology and advanced manufacturing.

Although their budget was rejected, they told us they will continue to pursue state funding because its crucial that their students have access to that education.

Funding for the emergency operations center in Brevard, a $3 million request, was also vetoed, along with funding requests for the Wells Built Museum in Orlando's Parramore neighborhood and the Eatonville Hungerford Amphitheater.

Heres the full list of Florida projects whose funding was vetoed: http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Veto2016.pdf
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Fire investigators are still working to determine what caused an iconic Cocoa Beach mansion to burn to the ground.

Investigators continue to scour what's left of the 10,000-square-foot home called The Pumpkin Center. They still consider it a crime scene, and it's still undetermined what started the fire.



Area residents speak of The Pumpkin Center as a place of countless parties, benefits and philanthropic events over the years.

Its former owner, Al Neuharth, was well-known himself, building a newspaper empire that sprang from ideas at the home years ago.

It didn't take long for flames to devour the home on Third Avenue. Made mostly of wood, it provided more than enough fuel for the fire to spread and level the mansion.

Firefighters from Cocoa Beach and three other departments battled to keep it from spreading to nearby houses.

"Over the years, literally thousands of Brevardians have gone through that house, whether it was holidays or special events," former Florida Today publisher Frank Vega said.

Vega worked with Neuharth, founder of the paper in the mid-1960's, to form USA Today, the flagship paper for Gannett, which became the largest newspaper company in the United States.

Neuharth died in 2013, and the property was sold a year later. It was being renovated when it burned.

"He talked all the time about walking the beach, being involved in the Space Coast, and thinking about developing USA Today here," Vega said.

Rick Orahood was property manager of the estate in the late 1980s to mid-90s and knew every part of Neuharth's mansion.

"That was his home, that was his life, that was his getaway," Orahood said.

The State Fire Marshal's Office has been on scene. Cocoa Beach firefighters have remained there dousing hot spots.



The 10,000-square-foot home known as 'The Pumpkin Center' burned to the ground Tuesday, March 15, 2016. (Sorensen Real Estate)

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The 10,000-square-foot home known as 'The Pumpkin Center' burned to the ground Tuesday, March 15, 2016. (Sorensen Real Estate)
Senator David Perdue (R-GA), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Obama announced his nomination of Merrick Garland to the

Supreme Court:

The Constitution is clear: the President shall nominate judges to the Supreme Court, but the power to grant, or withhold, consent of such nominees rests exclusively with the United States Senate. Whats at stake here is the balance of our nation's highest court and the direction of our country for decades. I remain firm in my decision to exercise my Constitutional authority and withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court submitted by President Obama.

In February, Senator Perdue joined Chairman Chuck Grassley and Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in notifying Majority Leader McConnell that the committee will not hold any hearings or votes on any nominee until the next President is sworn in.

Senator Lamar Alexander said, This debate is not about Judge Garland. Its about whether to give the American people a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said several weeks ago that the Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.

I believe it is reasonable to give the American people a voice by allowing the next president to fill this lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Under our Constitution, the president has the right to nominate, but the Senate has the right to decide whether to consent at this point in a presidential election year. Sen. McConnell is only doing what the Senate majority has the right to do and what Senate Democrat leaders have said they would do in similar circumstances.

Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Ryan Haynes said, "Article II of the United States Constitution gives the President the authority to make a nomination to the Supreme Court and gives the U.S. Senate the equal authority to provide consent. Liberals with blinders on will demand this nominee be confirmed, but that is not what the Constitution requires nor is it what will happen. Instead, the American people should get to weigh in on this matter in November. It's a simple question: Should President Obama have the opportunity to handpick yet another Supreme Court Justice or should we wait? Republicans believe we should wait.

"While many on the political Left favor unfettered executive power, there is a very clear procedural framework providing a legislative check laid out in our Founding Document.

"Here is the bottom line: Consent is not forthcoming from this Senate. This eleventh hour nomination will not go forward. Democrats should not be in the position of denying the American people a voice in this decision."
Clay Taylor, chief executive officer at Covenant Health Plainview, will soon be moving to Lubbock to become chief operations officer for Covenant Womens and Childrens Hospital.

That appointment is one of two key changes taking place at the Lubbock hospital beginning in May.

Richard Parks, CEO of Covenant Health, announced Taylors promotion along with news that Dr. Amy Thompson will be moving from chief medical officer at CWC to chief executive officer.

Thompson has been CMO for the past three years at CWC and has been serving as interim CEO since last summer while Chris Dougherty was on medical leave, according to Parks. Dougherty now serves in the role of chief culture and experience officer for Covenant Health.

In late February, Taylor announced his resignation at CEO in Plainview after about 2 1/2 to take an administrative role within Covenant Health System in Lubbock. His last day at the Plainview hospital is April 15.

Taylor has been part of the administrative staff at Covenant Plainview for the past five years, initially serving as chief operations officer and chief financial officer. He replaced former CEO Alan King, who is now serving as Covenant's vice president of regional hospital administration, in 2013.

"Taylor has truly done an excellent job in helping to improve the quality of healthcare in the Plainview community," said Plainview hospital board chairman Jeffrey Snyder. "I am excited about the direction our hospital is headed and this can be contributed to part of his leadership. I appreciate the service he has provided to the hospital and he will be missed."

In announcing Taylors resignation on Feb. 25, Snyder said the board was working to appoint an interim CEO at the hospital. That appointment has not been announced.

Currently, Covenant Health Plainview is undergoing a $40 million renovation and expansion.

Prior to making the move to Plainview, Taylor was CFO for the Brownfield Regional Medical Center and worked eight years in Denver City as CEO for the Yoakum County Hospital. Taylor also worked as CFO of the Yoakum hospital.

Growing up in Eastland, Taylor earned a bachelors degree in accounting from Lubbock Christian University and is completing an MBA from Wayland Baptist University. He and his wife Christi have four daughters.

Thompson was born in Dumas and has spent most of her life in West Texas. She graduated from Texas Tech University in 1995 with a degree in cell and molecular biology. She earned a Masters Degree in biology at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, before entering Texas Tech Health Sciences Center Medical School in 1999.

After completing the pediatric residency training program at TTUHSC where she was chief resident, Thompson served the Department of Pediatrics as a pediatric hospitalist and became chief of the Division of Inpatient Medicine in 2009. She become CMO at Covenant Childrens in 2013.

Thompson has been married to Dusty Thompson for 20 years and has two children.
March 17, 1946: E.H. Clark was re-elected commander, Roy J. Lippert, re-elected senior vice commander and C.W. Keniston was returned as junior vice commander of the Wilson Bros. Post of the VFW on Tuesday. Other new officers are Fred Shelton, quartermaster; Jack Gamel, advocate; Oliver Bier, chaplain; Harold D. Autry, surgeon; and J.B. Wheeler, trustee.

--Pvt. Joseph King of Plainview was discharged from the Army on March 10 at Fort Sam Houston.

--Bobbie Heath, daughter of Mrs. Mabel Heath, was discharged from the Waves at Clear Field, Utah, on March 2. She was in the Waves for 28 months. Before entering the service she was employed at the Firestone store.

March 17, 1956: Plainviews supply of polio vaccine has been practically nil for the past several weeks. Druggists Tuesday said it has been three to four weeks since they received any vaccine. Dr. L.C. Wayland, county health officer, on Tuesday received only enough for 150 injections which will go to patients who are unable to pay for the vaccine.

--John Q. Long Jr. of Plainview, junior at the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston, has been elected president of the Alpha Psi chapter of Xi Psi Phi national dental fraternity.

--Virgil Chambers is convalescing at home after more than two weeks treatment at the Plainview Hospital and Clinic.

March 17, 1966: Donis Clanton of Plainview has been named to the Deans Honor Roll for the fall semester at Bethany Nazarene College, Bethany, Okla.

--Local twirlers attending the seventh annual National Baton Twirlers contest in Amarillo this weekend are Glenda Ramage, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Ramage; Nelda Bramlet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Bramlet; and Judi Usher, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Usher.

--Beverly Blaine and Mary Jo Adams, who are both twirlers in the West Texas State University Band, were runners-up for Band Queen at an election during the annual band banquet in Amarillo on Saturday. Jerilyn Laramore of Pampa won the contest. Beverly, first runner-up, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Blaine. Mary Jo, second runner-up, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Adams.

March 17, 1986: Lori Guy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pat Guy, has been selected Girl of the Month by the Plainview Business and Professional Womens Club. A PHS senior, she is a cheerleader, member of the A Cappella Choir and member of Garland Street Church of Christ. She plans to attend Angelo State University this fall, majoring in computer science.

--The Plains Art Associations Artist of the Month is Billie Jameson, who will have a display of her paintings at the Fine Arts Center, 410 W. 11th, through April 30.

--Buddys Pharmacy is moving and changing its name. As of March 31, it will have a new name, McClure Pharmacy, and a new location, 3322 Olton Rd. in the Village Shopping Center.

Compiled by Doug McDonough
Lee hosted the second annual regional Science Olympiad Tournament. Each team, comprising up to 15 students in middle or high school, competed in 23 events based on the subjects of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology.

I am so proud of everyone involved in our Regional Tournament, said Dr. Lori West, tournament director and associate professor of biology at Lee. We had overwhelming support from the entire campus, especially the faculty, staff, and students within the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Our goal for the participants was to first and foremost have fun but to also realize how exciting science can be. We were amazed at what they were able to accomplish.

The participating middle schools were Athens City Middle, Christs Legacy Academy and Ocoee Middle. High school teams included Cleveland High, Christs Legacy Academy, Ooltewah High, STEM Co-Op, The Kings Academy and Walker Valley High.

In the middle school division, Athens City Middle placed first. In the high school division, Cleveland High placed first and STEM Co-Op placed second. All three teams received a trophy and will advance to the state tournament in April.

Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education; increasing male, female and minority interest in science; creating a technologically-literate workforce; and providing recognition for outstanding achievement by both students and teachers. These goals are achieved by participating in Science Olympiad tournaments and non-competitive events, incorporating Science Olympiad into classroom curriculum and attending teacher training institutes.

Dr. Lori West, a native of East Tennessee, joined the Lee University faculty in the department of Natural Science and Mathematics in the fall of 2006. While at Lee, she has taught courses such as Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Biotechnology. Along with her involvement in Science Olympiad, West has been actively involved in science education at the secondary and elementary level through several grants (MIB, MIB 2.0, and E=MC2) funded by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

For more information on Science Olympiad visit www.soinc.org or contact Dr. Lori West at lwest@leeuniversity.edu.






The U.S. Army wants a new drone. And not a bigger drone -- but smaller.

Thousands of drones are already in service throughout the Army, from medium-altitude, long-endurance warbots such as General Atomics' Grey Eagle, to shorter-range tactical UAVs like Textron's Shadow -- and all the way down to platoon-level platforms such as AeroVironment's RQ-11B Raven -- too small to carry a missile, but still the most widely used drone in the world.

And that's fine so far as it goes. But what if you're a soldier caught in a tight spot, maybe all alone and lost in the streets of Mogadishu, and want to know what awaits you farther down the block?

That's one small hole in military drone coverage that the Army would like to plug.

Calling all dronemakers

Earlier this month, the Army's Program Executive Office-Soldier issued a new Request For Proposals to plug that gap, seeking ideas from corporate America on how to outfit individual soldiers with small, personal-use drones dubbed "Soldier Borne Sensors." According to the RFP, the Army is looking for an all-inclusive drone system that does the following:

Fits "all necessary hardware, software, radio equipment, batteries" into a single "tactical carrying pouch."

Features a drone weighing less than 6 ounces.

Weighs less than 3 pounds, including all equipment.

Can see in the dark as well as the daytime and transmit video and telemetry data back to its user "in near real time."

Can fly in the rain and endure wind gusts up to 17 mph.

Has an operating range out to half a kilometer and the ability to fly 15 minutes before recharging.

And that's only the first half of the Army's wish list.

Sounds like a pretty tall order, right? But here's the thing: AeroVironment -- the same company that already makes the Army's ubiquitous Raven UAV -- already has a UAV that fulfills many of these requirements.

AeroVironment's tiny "Nano Hummingbird," first developed for the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency more than five years ago, can hover in wind gusts of 5 mph, and has an endurance of eight minutes. Hummingbird is exceptionally small, with a wingspan of just six inches, and a weight similar to that of a AA battery -- less than an ounce. Stick another battery in there, and I'll bet Hummingbird can do 15 minutes, easy.

All of which is to say that, if the Army is flexible on its requirements for its new soldier-sized drone, AeroVironment probably has a product ready to go to war today. And if the Army is not flexible, then AV can scale up Hummingbird to whatever size the Army wants, and probably pretty quickly, too.

What does it mean to investors?

The Army will be holding an "Industry Day" on April 12, at which companies will be invited to submit their ideas for its hoped-for new drone. I fully expect AeroVironment to participate in the event, and it would not surprise me in the least to see AeroVironment win.

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The article This Army Contract Is AeroVironment's to Lose originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith does not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him on Motley Fool CAPS , publicly pontificating under the handle TMFDitty , where he's currently ranked No. 278 out of more than 75,000 rated members.The Motley Fool recommends AeroVironment. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy

Copyright  1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Its the superhero showdown everyone has been waiting for  at least, everyone who considers Batman a superhero. Picking up where The Man of Steel left off in 2013 (with much of Metropolis leveled by that films climactic brawl), Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) are set against each other by Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), whos also building a mutant Frankenstein called Doomsday. This $250 million film is billed as carrying the weight of the DC Comics universe on its heroes shoulders. No pressure there.

Eye in the Sky: Based on the early reviews, Alan Rickmans last movie appears to be a moving epitaph for the gifted actor, who died of cancer at 69 in January. His character, a British lieutenant general, is part of this shoot/dont shoot drone drama in which a strike could take out Somali terrorists  and a 9-year-old girl selling bread in the line of fire. Helen Mirren is the army colonel ready to order the strike; Aaron Paul is the American drone operator. This debuted in some markets last week to rave reviews (93 Tomatometer score).
The Department of Language and Literature at Lee University announced the addition of a chapter of Phi Sigma Iota, the international foreign language honor society, to honor the achievements of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages students.

We believe that this honor society will provide us with an additional means of acknowledging excellence among our TESOL students, said Dr. David Broersma, associate professor of TESOL and linguistics and sponsor for Lees PSI chapter. It will also give us a student organization vehicle for serving Lee and the Cleveland community.

The TESOL major, started in 2014, offers two tracks: a bachelor of arts degree, which prepares students for a career in teaching English in a context outside of U.S. public schools, and a bachelor of arts degree with teaching certification, which prepares students for a career in teaching English as a second language in grades PreK-12. Since the programs inception, it has grown to include 50 majors and 61 minors.

According to Dr. Broersma, in the fall of 2015, he, Dr. Christopher Blake, and Dr. Carolyn Dirksen had discussed the benefits of an honor society for the TESOL and applied linguistics programs. Three TESOL majors, Hayden Croxall, Brennan Zagami and Selah Meyer decided to take initiative, and after another meeting with faculty, the students initiated the process of applications and approvals to start a Phi Sigma Iota chapter. As of Feb. 17, the Chi Epsilon #271 chapter of Phi Sigma Iota was officially approved by the national society.

According to Croxall, who is currently chapter president, the key was collaboration among the officers and support from Drs. Broersma, Eledge, Blake, and Dirksen.

There is certainly a feeling of pride in having accomplished this, but it isnt pride in only my effortsBrennan and Selah were just as instrumental in the formation of this chapter, said Croxall. We all taught in Lees English Language Center during the spring of 2015, so we were already used to working with each other, which made it a smooth process.

Currently within the chapter, Zagami serves as vice president, and Meyer as secretary. The officers are in the process of extending invitations to eligible students. Later, they will take orders for T-shirts which will be handed out at the PSI initiation ceremony at the end of this month. Even though Croxall is graduating in May, he has concrete goals for his remaining time in, and the future of, the chapter.

In the two months I have left, I want to establish a firm foundation regarding who we are as an honor society, said Croxall. My goal for us is to be a community that encourages excellence in the field of TESOL, academics in general, and all of life. The TESOL program is a unique group of students who have a heart for helping others, so I would love to see that manifested in how we encourage one another and in the ways we serve the community.

Phi Sigma Iota recognizes outstanding accomplishment in the study or teaching of any of the academic fields related to foreign language, literature, or culture. Phi Sigma Iota is the highest academic honor in the field of foreign languages. The society has inducted over 50,000 members since its founding in 1917, and there are approximately 250 chapters of Phi Sigma Iota in the U.S., Mexico and France.

For more information about Phi Sigma Iota, visit phisigmaiota.org. For information about Lees chapter, contact Dr. Broersma at dbroersma@leeuniversity.edu.
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- Warning: Graphic photos -

Carrie May walked through the animal shelter - stepping on broken glass from busted bulbs - and into a room with blackened cages.

"If I had stayed a little bit longer..." said May, who is the shelter manager at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, where smoke from a Tuesday night fire killed at least 74 dogs.

The fire, which started in the shelter's laundry room around 8:30 p.m., originated from built-up dryer lint, said Beaumont Fire and Rescue Capt. Brad Penisson.

Firefighters were notified by a person who lives at a nearby apartment complex who saw the smoke, he said.

All of the surviving animals, including 11 dogs, were checked out by veterinarians and placed with fosters or kept for more treatments.

Black soot covered more than half of the Spindletop Avenue building and broken glass littered the wet floor.

As May walked around on Tuesday, she pointed to a melted thermostat.

"You can see how hot it got in here," she said.

The Humane Society is still assessing the total damage, but the group is asking for monetary donations, rather than pet supplies, since the animals are no longer in their immediate care.

Beaumont firefighters battled the blaze about three and half hours Tuesday night, Penisson said.

Shelter personnel and volunteers waited outside, putting surviving animals into spare kennels as they were rescued from smoking building.

May left work with several others at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. She said the dryer was off, but was told by fire officials that the dryer lint might have been smoldering for hours before the fire started.

May was en route to pick up her sister who was stranded in Silsbee with car trouble.

She got a call from a shelter worker about the time she hit Lumberton.

"I didn't even go get my sister," she said. "I turned around and hauled ass here."

Any shrivel of optimism May had was shattered when she received a second, hysterical call from the same worker.

"She was screaming, I knew it was bad," May said.

The shelter's puppy room is right next to the laundry room.

None of the puppies survived and Penisson believes the dogs died of smoke inhalation.

Charred stuffed toys and water bowls were still in cages on Wednesday morning.

Soot outlines showed where two dogs, Chip and Dale, had been sitting when they died in their shared kennel.

The tragedy created an outpouring of community support, with numerous business owners offering to accept donations or volunteering proceeds from their sales. Even a Dallas restaurant owner pledged to donate 100 percent of his Monday night pizza sales.

Big and small operations offered what they had, including two girls out of school on spring break who set up a lemonade stand in Beaumont's West End to raise money for the shelter.

Amy Manders, a senior volunteer, sat outside of Steinhagen Oil Company on Wednesday morning, where bags of dog and cat food piled up alongside litter boxes, blankets and towels.

Manders got to the shelter at about 9:30 p.m. with her dad, Steve, a Humane Society board member.

None of the animals had been removed from the shelter when they arrived.

Like May, they wanted to help bring the animals out, but were told they had to stay behind the yellow tape.

"I thought, 'how many could we have saved if they had let us in?'" May said. "But I know (the firefighters) had a job to do."

All of the shelter's cats survived the fire.

A memorial service is being planned for the dogs who died in the fire, May said.

See photos of the damage in the gallery above. (Warning: Graphic photos)

MHeath@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/mheath31
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College students are reaching deeper into their pockets as more schools approve tuition hikes nationwide.

Rice University , the highest ranked college in Texas, announced a 3.2 percent ($1,660) tuition increase this week, bringing the total cost for a year at the school to $57,668. The University of Texas also approved a tuition hike, which was the school's first increase in five years.

RELATED: The most selective colleges in America

Startclass examined data from the National Center for Education Statistics to find the public schools with the highest tuition increases over the past 10 years. Of those schools, 16 saw in-state tuition double. Many of the schools with the biggest increases are located in Colorado and California, along with one in Texas, according to Startclass.

>> Click the gallery above to see the colleges with the biggest tuition hikes over the past 10 years

The list includes schools with at least 5,000 undergraduate students. All tuition amounts were inflation-adjusted for 2015.

Rising tuition costs have moved state leaders in Texas to look for solutions in regulating college costs. Learn what options are on the table in this story on HoustonChronicle.com.
SAN ANTONIO  An arrest warrant has been issued for a second suspect accused in a shooting that left a teen dead in Alamo Heights on Monday morning.

Alamo Heights Police Department spokesman Sgt. Tom Vitacco said AHPD investigators are working with the U.S. Marshals Service to run down 18-year-old Dayne Spivey, wanted on a charge of capital murder.
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Corpus Christi police arrested a 21-year-old woman Tuesday after she allegedly rammed her Chevrolet Impala into a Mercedes-Benz containing her husband and two young children.

RELATED: Police: Whataburger security guard in North Texas fatally shot 19-year-old man who tried to rob him

Kayla Lerma, also known as Kayla Leighan Good, has been charged with aggravated assault in the incident.

Lerma's husband, 23, told police that he and Lerma had been fighting and he decided to leave and take the two children, ages 2 and 5, with him, police said in a news release.

The 21-year-old woman then rammed her husband's vehicle from behind as he was trying to back out.

RELATED: Fugitive Gulf cartel boss nicknamed 'Ewok' arrested in Mexico after years of trafficking in Texas

Neither of the children were injured in the crash, police said. The couple had the two-year-old daughter together while Lerma had the five-year-old son with another man.

The husband also was not injured in the crash, according to police.

RELATED: East Texas judge accused of sexting woman he met on Facebook while serving on judicial conduct board

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported that Lerma has been released from Nueces County Jail on a $30,000 bond.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports
String Theory, in partnership with Lee University and the Hunter Museum of American Art, will continue its seventh season with a concert on Thursday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m., featuring Colin Carr, cello; Alexander Sitkovetsky, violin; and Gloria Chien, piano.

Founded in 2009 by Artistic Director Chien, String Theory brings acclaimed chamber musicians from around the world to perform in the intimate setting of the Hunter Museum.

The evenings program will feature Ravels Tzigane, Sonata for Violin and Cello, and Piano Trio.

Prior to the performance, Art Connection will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Hunter Museum gallery. Art Connection gives attendees the opportunity to hear Ellen Simak, former Hunter Museum chief curator, and Maestro Robert Bernhardt discuss works from the Hunter collection that relate to the music featured in the concert.

Mr. Carr, who first began playing cello at the age of five, has served as a professor at the Royal Academy of Music and on the faculty of the New England Conservatory, St. Johns College of Oxford, and Stony Brook University. He regularly appears throughout the world as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and teacher, playing with major orchestras worldwide. He has been a regular guest at the BBC Proms and has twice toured Australia.

As a member of the Golub-Kaplan-Carr Trio, he recorded and toured extensively for 20 years. He is a frequent visitor to international chamber music festivals worldwide and has appeared often as a guest with the Guarneri and Emerson string quartets and with New Yorks Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He is the winner of many prestigious international awards, including First Prize in the Naumburg Competition, the Gregor Piatigorsky Memorial Award, Second Prize in the Rostropovich International Cello Competition and the Young Concert Artists competition.

Mr. Sitkovetsky made his concerto debut at the age of eight, going on to perform with the Netherlands Philharmonic, the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St. Martins in the Fields, and the BBC Concert Orchestra, among others. Together with Wu Qian and cellist Leonard Elschenbroich, Mr. Sitkovetsky performs in the Sitkovetsky Piano Trio, regularly giving performances in England at the Wigmore Hall and across Europe in halls such as Amsterdams Concertgebouw and the Frankfurt Alte Oper.

Dr. Chien, who currently serves as an artist-in-residence at Lee University, is a prize winner of the World Piano Competition and the San Antonio International Piano Competition. She is a Steinway Artist.

She was appointed the director of the Chamber Music Institute at Music@Menlo, a chamber music festival and institute in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2012 and frequently plays at Alice Tully Hall in New York, as well as other venues around the country with CMS on Tour.

Lee University will host a masterclass with Mr. Carr and Mr. Sitkovetsky on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. in Squires Recital Hall, located in Lee Humanities Center. The masterclass will include performances by String Theory Initiative students Harper Beeland and Allen Liu, who will play a piano and violin duet, and Chattanooga Symphony and Opera Youth Orchestra students Lori Bazter, Brandon McGrath, and Juliette Blais, who will play a violin, viola, and cello trio. Lee students Yo-You Lo, Kristiana McCombs, Yiran Zhao, and Duo Zhang will also perform in the masterclass.

Individual tickets for the concert are $30 for Hunter members, $40 for non-members, $10 for students with a valid student ID and $25 for groups of 20 or more people.

The masterclass is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 267-0968 or visit stringtheorymusic.org




Posted on 03/17/2016, 11:00 am, by mySteinbach

The Steinbach Credit Union has announced that it is giving back five million dollars in true co-operative style.

The Steinbach Credit Union Board of Directors announced the bonus at the SCU Annual General Meeting Tuesday night in recognition of a solid year in 2015. The bonus will be shared with members who hold both deposit and lending accounts. The breakdown of this allocation is equal, 50% to deposit holders and 50% to credit holders. Eligible products include: Consumer, Commercial, Agricultural, Charity and Community accounts, with the only exceptions being RESP, AgriInvest and Lawyer Trust accounts.

The Bonus is calculated on interest earned and paid on qualifying products for the calendar year 2015 and equates to an additional 3.66% on interest already earned and 2.03% on interest already paid. Bonus deposits will be made by direct deposit to qualifying accounts by March 18, 2016.

Giving back to the members is not only what SCU is all about but it is also a testament to the loyalty and trust our members have in us. said Reg Penner, Chairman of the Board. Penner added that combined with SCUs history of unparalleled service, excellent products and competitive rates, this bonus is yet another reason why member satisfaction continues to remain one of the highest of any financial institution.

CEO Glenn Friesen announced that SCU has surpassed $4.75 Billion in total assets. Were small enough to give the one-on-one service members crave and large enough to take on what the market can muster. Its our formula for success, said Friesen.

Friesen added, We have a very efficient business model and we deliver on those efficiencies by offering extremely competitive rates every day. You wont find minimum balance requirements at SCU, and we pay interest from dollar one. Were focused on each and every member and were as friendly as weve been since day one.

Also at the AGM, the membership re-elected board members Reg Penner and Rob Penner. Amanda Peters was newly elected as Sieg Peters did not let his name stand for re-election. In thanking Sieg for his 15 years of service  Penner stated, Sieg has been a vital contributing member of the SCU Board of Directors for the past 15 years. His contribution will be missed, especially as Chair of the Nominating Committee and his role on the Member Relations Committee.

Following the AGM, the Board of Directors re-elected, Reg Penner as Chairman, Russ Fast as 1st Vice-Chair, Henry Van de Velde as 2nd Vice-Chair.
Posted on 03/17/2016, 9:45 am, by mySteinbach

Steinbach RCMP are asking the public for any information connected to a recent gas station robbery that occurred in La Broquerie, Manitoba.

At approximately 4am on March 14, 2016, three males broke into the Shell gas station located at the intersection of Rue Principale and Highway 52 in La Broquerie. Police say that the three suspects mostly stole lottery tickets and cigarette packs with a total estimated value of $10,000.

RCMP report that the suspects were last seen heading north on Rue Principale in a Dodge Caravan. The suspects were captured on surveillance video and police are seeking any tips that may lead to the identity of the suspects.

If you have any information in regards to this incident, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204-326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. You can also submit a tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES(274637).
HAVERTOWN, Pa.  An administrative judge found that Chipotles social media policy violated federal labor laws while ruling in favor of a Philadelphia-area employee who was fired after criticizing the company on Twitter last year, reports Philly.com.

James Kennedy was fired from a Havertown, Pennsylvania, Chipotle after he tweeted about wages and circulated a petition asking managers to allow workers to take their breaks. Now Chipotle must offer to hire him back, pay him back wages, and post signs that some of its employee communication policies, including its former social guidelines, violated labor law, writes the news source.

The former Chipotle workers case became part of a sweep of lawsuits before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on which types of social media communications were covered under federal labor laws and protect the rights of workers acting together to improve wages and conditions.

In January 2015, after a customer tweeted a thank you message for a freebie at Chipotle, Kennedy tweeted back, "@ChipotleTweets, nothing is free, only cheap #labor. Crew members only make $8.50hr how much is that steak bowl really?" Kennedys supervisor showed him the companys social media policy, which prohibits employees from making disparaging, falsestatements aboutChipotle, notes Philly.com. Kennedy was asked to remove the tweet, which he did, but was fired two weeks later on Feb. 17, 2015, after he circulated a petition about employees being unable to take their breaks.

Kennedy was represented by the Pennsylvania Workers Organizing Committee, and the NLRB agreed with complaints filed by the group that Kennedy was unfairly treated.

Kennedy told the news source that hed happily accept his back wages in the form of food vouchers. You cannot deny that their food is delicious, but their labor policies were atrocious, he said.

For more on top labor issues facing convenience retailers, be on the lookout for the upcoming April issue of NACS Magazine.
The Georgia-based convenience store chain is investing more than $500,000 to become a best workplace in the retail industry.

SAVANNAH, Ga.  Enmarket (formerly Enmark) announced it is investing more than $500,000 per year to increase the starting salaries of its convenience store employees and has raised its senior general manager earnings potential to a minimum of $55,000, with a profit sharing bonus. This decision underscores the companys commitment to building the best workplace in the retail industry.

We want to offer the freshest experience for our customers, and were starting with how we better support our store-level team to lead the industry, said Ryan Chandler, vice president of business development at Colonial Group Inc., the parent company of enmarket. To get there, we have to set ourselves up to develop, retain and attract the best people. Thats precisely why we have established an industry-leading career path, compensation program and benefits structure. Training, development and recruiting are key priorities. At the same time, we will have industry leading responsibility and accountability.

The Savannah-based company is offering starting salaries well above the national federal minimum wage rate of $7.25. This strategy is expected to attract new talent to the company and aligns with enmarkets Enriching Life campaign. Its more than a campaign; its our mission, said Chandler. The campaign strives to foster the personal and professional growth of team members, now called Chief Enrichment Officers, or CEOs. According to Chandler, Enriching life starts with our team because we know that investment leads to the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

The employment requirements for managers and senior general managers were also strengthened to attract candidates with higher levels of education, experience, proficiencies and management skills. The salary for a senior general manager was increased to a midrange of $55,000 a year, while the midrange of the average management salary rose to around $45,000 a year. Enmarket managers will additionally have the opportunity to earn a 5% bonus of their stores net income.

Enmarkets commitment in increasing employee compensation and benefits underscores its position as a market leader and aligns with the companys 2015 rebranding and name change, which also added new healthy snack products, fresh foods and take-home meal solutions to more than 60 store locations throughout Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Theres so much happening to enrich the lives of our customers and employees, said Matt Clements, director of marketing. Enmarket is recognized as a brand of friendly employees, fresh offerings and quality fuels. Were now pleased to be leading the way again by making a substantial investment in building the greatest retail team in the industry.

Founded as Interstate Stations in 1963, enmarket operates 61 stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Yves here. Beverly Mann is angry about Obamas Supreme Court nomination so you dont have to be (as much).

By Beverly Mann. Originally published at Angry Bear

Dan Crawford gave me the news this morning before Id already learned of it. He emailed me with the subject title: Merrick Garlandhere we go! He linked, without comment, to the NYT article on the announcement.

I responded:

UGH. I guess the idea is that there just arent enough super-establishment Supreme Court justices already. We definitely need one more. And Krugman is just so, so mystified that so many progressives support Sanders. I WANT TO SCREAM. Beverly

Ill post at more length later today; I dont have time right now. But at the risk of drawing attention to the attention of the Secret Service, in an unpleasant way, I will take the time right now to say to Obama: Drop dead.*

And Ill take the time to note this: The title of the NYT article is Obama Chooses Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court. Its subtitle? Appeals Court Judge Is Respected by G.O.P. Well, the G.O.P. that the Washington in-crowd hasnt noticed isnt all that popular right now with, um, some of the G.O.P.

_____

*Na-na-no; this is said facetiously. The drop-dead part, that is. Please, Secret Service. Really. I dont like Joe Biden all that much, either.

____

UPDATE: This blog post in Slate by someone named Michael Gerhardt, whom Id never heard of before and who is not identified there by anything other than his name, makes me cringe.

This guys bottom line: Yup, cant be a merit nominee to the Supreme Court unless youve been an intrinsic part of the Centrist Establishment in Washington for, say, several decades.

And interestingly narrow definition of merit, wouldnt you say?

Okay, well, actually he is identified by more than his name. Hes a Centrist Establishment person. Just an educated guess, but still .

Fittingly, the post title is, Merrick Garland deserves to be on the Supreme Court. Because what matters is what Merrick Garland deserves, not what the multitude millions of people whom the Supreme Court pretends dont exist. Or just arent worth the time of such an august group. Or even a moments thought.

Then again, there is this hopeful note, also from Slate. Its by Jim Newell, Slates main political analyst.

Added 3/16 at 6:32 p.m.

____

UPDATE TO UPDATE: Calmer now. Reread Jim Newells awesome article and agree with every word of it. Including why Obama almost nominated Garland to fill John Paul Stevens seat for real. Which pretty much sums up why I cant stand Obama and dont want a third Obama term in the person of a chameleon.

Added 3/16 at 7:10 p.m.

____

PS: Greg Sargent writes:

Ill bet that a big part of his selection was that Garland was willing to go through the process knowing he probably wont get to actually serve on the court, while a younger judge who could have another chance later might not want to.

In thinking about it more, Im betting that that was a very big part. As in, none of the others would accept the nomination, and told Obama so.

Repubs apparently now think they can have the last laugh. Senate Repubs reportedly now are considering whether to confirm during the lame duck session after the election if Clinton wins. But of course, then Garland would be expected to withdraw if Obama does not withdraw his name saying that Clinton and the new (Democratic-controlled) Senate should handle it.

This post is starting to feel not like a blog post but like a blog.

Added 3/16 at 8:36 p.m.

____

PS TO PS: Yup. Its been officially confirmed by go-to-Centrist Ruth Marcus: Garland resoundingly (her word) deserves to be confirmed, and what really matters is what Garland deserves.

Her piece is titled A Supreme Court nominee too good for the GOP to ignore. Im not kidding. Thats its title. You really have to read this thing. The whole thing; you dont want to miss the part about her running into him on the street after she became a well-known Washington Post journalist. Her piece apparently is not intended as a parody of a Washington insiders view, although it does double duty as that.

Yup. This post is a blog unto itself.

Added 3/16 at 9:02 p.m.
Ive been asked by a colleague to feature this Change.Org petition against persecution of academics in Turkey. Below is the full text with a link to where you can click to add your name. The deadline is March 17 at 6 PM Greenwich Mean Time, so please act soon! And thanks for your help and support.

If you are an academic or member of the media, please mention your affiliation when you sign the petition.

__________

The Turkish government and the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continue to oppress political dissent violently and illegally in Turkey. On January 11, President Erdogan accused 1128 academics of treason for signing a call for peace in Turkey. In the call, the signatories stated that they would not be party either to the massacre against the Kurds or to Turkishs states ongoing violation of its own laws and international treaties. Following Erdogans speech, hundreds of academics who signed the petition were subject to disciplinary and criminal investigations, detentions and suspensions.

In response to this witch-hunt, we had signed a letter in support of academic freedom in Turkey and asked for ending the prosecution of Academics for Peace. The letter was submitted to MPs and MEPs in Europe and published in the media in January.

Yet the Turkish government did not heed the call for academic freedom and had intensified the witch-hunt against the Academics for Peace. As of 10 March 2016, the toll was as follows:



Public Universities Private Universities

Disciplinary investigations 464 43

Criminal investigations 153

Detentions 33

Suspensions 27

Contract termination 9 21

Forced resignations 5 1



Furthermore, on 15 March 2016 three academics were incarcerated for signing the original call of Academics for Peace and announcing that they will start an Academic Vigil. The arrested academics are: Esra Mungan of Bogazici University, Kvanc Ersoy of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, and Muzaffer Kaya, formerly of Nisantas University.

A fourth academic and a UK citizen, Chris Stephenson of Bilgi University, was detained for holding a vigil outside the court in support of the three academics and for carrying a Newroz (Kurdish New Year) invitation from a parliamentary party  the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP). On 16 March 2016, the case of Chris Stephenson, who has been resident in Turkey since 1991, was transferred to another court with the demand of being deported, and he had to leave the country.

We ask the international community and elected representatives to call on the Turkish government to stop the witch hunt against Academics for Peace, respect academic freedoms, free the arrested academics, and re-instate all the academics suspended or expelled during the persecution campaign with compensation.

Please click here to add your name.
By Abdul Alasaad, Communications Reseracher, Skidmore College. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website

As Syrian refugees started to reach the European continent, discussions about the influx of migrants dominated media outlets, with very little attention paid to the

crisis of the refugees instead of the refugees crisis.

Some cite national security concerns to justify closing the borders in the face of desperate refugees, while others, citing economic reasons, say: we cannot afford to open our borders

I am not going present a moralistic argument about our ethical responsibility to accept refugees (since anyone who cites economic reasons to justify limiting asylum seekers is not likely to be convinced by moral reasoning in the first place). Rather, I am going to talk about the economics of refugees in general, focusing on Syrians as a case study.

Although the Syrian refugee crisis is the worst since World War II, history is full of examples where people risked their lives sailing on boats in search for peace and security. Thankfully, economists have studied a handful of these examples.

After Saigons pro-Western regime fell in 1976, the United States resettled more than half a million Vietnamese boat people who had made the dangerous trip from Vietnamese coastlines. Americans were, just like today, concerned that these refugees would take advantage of the social security system in the United States. That they would take but not give. Today, the unemployment rate among Vietnamese Americans, most of whom are second-generation refugees, is lower than the national unemployment rate, and Vietnamese American income is higher than the average American income.

In May 1980, as the Cuban economy sharply declined amide tensions between Castro and the United States, 125,000 Cuban refugees arrived in Miami on small boats. This influx of refugees added 7% percent to Miamis labor force. Yet, economists found virtually no effect on wages or unemployment rates in Miami. The refugees and migrants not only enlarged to the labor force, they boosted the consumer base as well.

On April 28th 1994, when the Rwandan genocide was triggered by the crash of a plane carrying the President of Rwanda and Burundi, approximately half a million Rwandan migrated to Tanzania within a week. Economists who studied the impact of this flood of refugees found that the hosting country, Tanzania, did not suffer. In fact, there was a net economic benefit, due to the flow of money that entered the local economy via these refugees and their savings. The researchers also noticed, that when a sufficient mass of refugees enter a country, new branches of the economy begin to develop as aggregate demand widens.

Today, with the instability in Syria, Lebanon is facing a similar influx. Sheltering approximately 2 million Syrians, 25% of Lebanons population is now comprised of refugees. Adding insult to injury, the Syrian conflict has also resulted in a sharp decline in tourism, a leading Lebanese industry. Yet in the face of all this turmoil, the World Bank estimates that Lebanon will grow by 2.5% in 2016, the countrys highest growth rates since 2010.

Jordan, the host of almost a million Syrian refugees, is also on the path to growth.

According to the IMF, the Jordanian economy is also estimated to grow by 2.6%. The same is true for Turkey, the host of more than 2 million Syrian refugees. The Deputy Director at the Turkish Central Bank has reported that wages and employment are rising as more refugees enter the country.

Even the European Commission has predicted that the Syrian refugees will bring a net gain equal to a quarter of one percent to the European economy in 2016, as a consequence of government spending (Germany predicts to spend around $20 billion dollars in 2016 on refugees). A quarter of a one percent net economic benefit might not sound like a lot; but at least the Syrian refugees are boosting growth in Europe rather than hindering it as commonly believed. It is a potential indicator that Europe might benefit from accepting even more refugees.

The positive economic impact of refugees, whether they were Vietnamese, Cubans, Rwandans, or Syrians is not surprising. Its simple Keynesian economics. Welcoming refugees increases government spending and widens aggregate demand. Unlike most moral choices, accepting Syrian refugees today should be an easy one- as it fulfills our moral obligation, and maintains our economic interest.

___________________

The author is fully aware that objections to accepting more Syrian refugees include national security interests and integration concerns. The purpose of this blog is not to minimize those concerns, but rather to simply isolate and clarify some of the misconceptions about the impact of accepting refugees on economic growth.
Again we are back to the matter of replacing our school superintendent. Some want retired military officers, some want businessmen.

Anyone is free to express their opinion. That's why John has the forum. So please consider my opinion.

The military is voluntary. Results there are not the same as a public school. Recruits also wash out. That's not a choice with students. If that is applied to teachers, you may wind up with a shortage or a majority of rookie teachers. I know, rookies follow orders, but they lack experience.

Business leaders can be successful in their field as well but don't understand that schools have no quality control engineer to throw out the raw material that don't meet standards. And in public education, the state and County Commission set the price not the free market like in business.

So, school board members, please consider a current staff member at the Central Office as an acting director of schools and begin your own search for an educator who has a proven record of success, not a client of a expensive headhunter firm who pays them a fee to find them a job.

Nashville paid $40,000 to a headhunter firm only to have the man chosen for the superintendent job to decline the offer. The board did not pick one of the other two finalists presented to them by the expensive firm. Instead they chose another firm to start another search.

Ralph Miller



* * *

I believe that for the last several superintendents of our schools, we have had "educators". Where did that get us? We now have some of the worse schools in the state.

When someone does the same thing over, and over, with the same results, that is not learning from your past mistakes.

Why not try something different? How much worse could we really get?

Michael Martin
By Robert Berke, an energy financial analyst with experience as a government consultant to the State of Alaska. Originally published at OilPrice

As reported around the world, Russias decision to greatly reduce its military presence in Syria, coming as it did with little warning, has left the world struggling for explanations.

After having rescued the Syrian Governments position in Syria from certain defeat and securing a partial truce along with the onset of an imminent peace conference, the partial withdrawal is seen by many as a message to the Assad government to not take Russias military aid for granted, and to be more flexible in the upcoming peace negotiations.

If we assume that all wars are essentially trade wars grown large, and in the Middle East, they almost always involve energy, then the Russian gambit in Syria can be viewed from a different perspective. Russias economy is currently in recession, partly as a result of western sanctions, but much more seriously hurt by the crashing of energy prices.

Russias warming relations with Saudi Arabia has helped to bring about an OPEC-Russian sponsored freeze in oil production, with only Iran refusing to comply. With the Syrian withdrawal, Russia has tempered a major political feud with the Saudis over Russias support for Assad, a move that at once increases the prospects for a Russian-Saudi agreement on oil production cutbacks.

There are also many who think that Russia is also increasing pressure on its allies to be more flexible, not only in peace talks but also oil production cuts. With the withdrawal of the Russian protective air shield, Iran and Hezbollahs ground forces in Syria are suddenly exposed to the threat of Saudi and Turkish air attacks. Will the threat of a looming military catastrophe in Syria force Iran to comply with production cuts?

Many oil insiders believe that after decades of punishing western sanctions, Irans oil industry is in no condition to meet its avowed quota for production, so that an agreement on cuts might cause little sacrifice.

Russias actions may well have staved off other threats to its business. Recall that Robert Kennedy Jr., the nephew of the slain U.S. President, recently published an article in Sputnik, claiming that the major reason for the wests attempt to overthrow the Assad government was to build a natural gas pipeline from Qatar that traversed Syria, capturing its newly discovered offshore reserves, and continued on through Turkey to the EU, as a major competitor to Russias Gazprom.

By re-establishing the Assad government in Syria, and permanently placing its forces at Syrian bases, the Russians have placed an impenetrable obstacle to the development of the Qatar gas pipeline. Russia has also placed itself at the nexus point of other new offshore gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.

Its not hard to imagine a new Russian pipeline to Europe serving these new partners. Could easing of sanctions also lead to the implementation of the long-stalled plans of Gazprom for a second pipeline under the Baltic Sea to Germany for Russia and its partners, Royal Dutch Shell, Germanys E.ON, and Austrias OMV?

If so, we can be assured that the U.S. will be in fierce opposition to any such plans. As George Friedman, founder of Stratfor has stated, the Americans worst European nightmare is an alliance between Germany and Russia.

The timing of the Russian withdrawal could not be more fortuitous, as it occurs at the very pinnacle of the European refugee crisis, a crisis that was caused by Europes backing of the Saudi-Turkish attempt to overthrow Assad. For the first time in four years, the truce in Syria offers respite for Syrian refugees, fleeing from constant bombardment and attacks, and raises prospects for increasing security within their homeland.

Is this part of the Russian Syrian gambit? Is Russia gambling on receiving some modicum of European gratitude for helping to stem the flight of refugees to its borders, with the pay-off in terms of easing sanction and enabling its long stalled pipeline projects to be completed.

No, Putin could not possibly be so calculating, could he?
Bonita Springs city councilman and newly elected Bonita Springs Mayor Peter Simmons celebrates with his supporters after he wins the mayoral election at Backwater Jack's restaurant Monday, March 14, 2016 in Bonita Springs. (Luke Franke/Staff)

Professionally produced fliers arriving in Bonita residents' mailboxes in the days leading to Tuesday's mayoral vote extolled the virtues of candidate Peter Simmons.

He's a friend to law enforcement, a family man, a small-business owner and an advocate for education.

Focus-group favorite phrases such as "budget cutter," "conservative" and "trustworthy" frame the centerpiece, "LEADER" over a backdrop photo of a family enjoying the beach.

The flip side lists Simmons' priorities for Bonita Springs, among them, clean water, lower taxes and a business-friendly environment.

In just a few words and pictures, it expertly encapsulates the Simmons candidacy.

And the people who put it together never met or spoke with the man.

The flier was part of an effort by the Tallahassee-based Committee for Effective Representation on Simmons' behalf.

Campaign finance documents indicate the committee spent at least $20,000 promoting Simmons.

In a race where the city charter limits campaign spending by candidates to a little over $2 per registered voter and where Simmons and his chief rival, Steve McIntosh, both raised and spent close to the limit, the extra push from the political action committee might have made the difference.

Simmons ended up winning with 51 percent of the total, beating McIntosh by 806 votes.

Federal election law prohibits PACs from coordinating their activities with candidates.

Simmons said he was pleasantly surprised when the mailers started showing up. The information in them could be gleaned from his website, campaign appearances and news reports, he said.

"I never personally spoke with them at all," Simmons said. "They must have done their research."

After he learned he had the committee's support, Simmons did a bit of research on his own, into the committee.

"To my understanding, they are a conservative business group that looks to support known conservatives around the state," Simmons said.

According to state records, the Committee for Effective Representation has been around since 2012.

In that time, it has taken in about $784,000 in donations. Its chairman is Tom Feeney, a former state legislator and U.S. representative from the Orlando area.

Its chief contributor is Associated Industries of Florida, another Feeney creation, a lobbying group that bills itself as the "Voice of Business."

It also reports contributions of $104,000 from Florida Crystals Sugar and $5,000 from U.S. Sugar.

It's those donations that most concern John Spear, a former Bonita Springs City Council member who supported McIntosh for mayor.

"Has Simmons made promises to U.S. Sugar to be their 'Effective Representative?' How can Simmons fight for cleaner water on our beaches while his old friends at U.S. Sugar pump their dirty polluted water straight to our beaches and estuaries?" Spear asked in a letter submitted to the Bonita Banner earlier this month.

The $20,000 expenditure for mailers and telemarketing was made Feb. 24.

Spear suspects more money went to support Simmons after that date, but finance reports for that later time period won't be due until April 11.

Simmons says he won't be influenced by the support of the PAC and U.S. Sugar.

He lists working with other area mayors to stop discharges of water from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River as one of his top priorities.

That entails sending more water south of the lake through the area farmed by the sugar companies. Simmons says he supports that approach.

"Let the water flow south," he said.

As unseemly as Tallahassee PAC money in a local election might seem, it's perfectly legal for committees to get involved. In politics, money equates to free speech, and the freedom to sing the praises of a candidate isn't limited by geography.

The best antidote for whatever problems outside money poses is transparency. Knowing where a candidate's support is coming from and judging their performance accordingly is the public's best way of holding their officials accountable.

Connect with Brent Batten at brent.batten@naplesnews.com, on Twitter@NDN_BrentBatten and at facebook.com/ndnbrentbatten.
Reisha Perlmutter works primarily in oil and excels in large-scale paintings. Her show "Origin" will be presented at the Sea Salt restaurant 6-8 p.m. March 23 and 24.

SHARE "Dancing at the El Malecon," oil on canvas, 48-by-36 inches by Sharon Erbe. The exhibit will open at 6 p.m. Friday at the Sweet Art Gallery.

Rosen Gallery & Studios: "Tracy Magen Rosen: Family Series" featuring recent works in assemblage and collage depicting family themes through historical photographs. Free. Exhibit will be open through April 5 at the Rosen Gallery & Studios, Naples Art District, North Line Plaza, 2172 J&C Blvd., Naples. 239-821-1061

Art Reach: The Collier County Sheriff's Office will host an admission-free art reception as part of its Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships, which educates youths on the signs of human trafficking and empowers them to be agents of change. Reception starts at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Sheriff's Office at 3319 U.S. 41 E., Naples. 239-793-9210

"Havana Nights": The Sweet Art Gallery will host a reception for artist Sharon Erbe from 6-8 p.m. Friday. The Naples artist will present her one-woman show "Havana Nights." 2054 Trade Center Way, Naples. 239-597-2110. thesweetartgallery.com

"Third Weekend Art Alive": 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Visit more than 20 galleries and working art studios in the Naples Art District. Free. 239-580-7999.

Art Bazaar: The Fort Myers Beach Art Association invites visitors and residents to support their local student scholarship program through Art Bazaar and Student Exhibit from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Santini Marina Plaza, 7205 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. FMBAA Members will have original artwork for sale including framed and unframed work. The FMBAA presents the scholarships and cash awards in April to future college students who will be studying the arts and have submitted an artwork entry to the FMBAA Gallery.

"Museum as Muse": Harmon-Meek Gallery presents Richard Haas solo exhibition: "Museum as Muse" on display Monday to April 1. A series of paintings, drawings and prints Haas created detailing the architecture of museums from around the world. This exhibition is just coming off a museum touring schedule. Harmon-Meek Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and by appointment. 599 U.S. 41 N., No. 309, Naples. 239-261-2637

Reisha Perlmutter's "Origin": Sea Salt restaurant on Third Street South will host an exhibit of paintings by Naples-raised artist Reisha Perlmutter from 6-8 p.m. March 23 and 24. The two-night show, called "Origin," opens with a wine and canape reception March 23. Twenty percent of proceeds from the sale of paintings will benefit The Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Each night is free, and the public is invited. Reisha Perlmutter has exhibited in New York City, Chicago, Miami and Naples. Her self-portraits in the series represent a connection to childhood in Naples as well as the ongoing journey of self-discovery. 1186 Third St. S., Naples. 207-332-4050

Left Bank Art Fest: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Easter Sunday, March 27, at The Esplanade 740 Collier Blvd., Marco Island. This event showcases juried fine art. Art includes paintings, jewelry, pottery, photography, glass, sculptures, wood, bronze, stone and more. Free admission and parking. 239-537-5921

Piano and Singing: Vocal Point Singing and Piano Studio offers piano and singing lessons. Madeline Kelly, director and founder, is the first one to bring "The Free Voice" method to Southwest Florida. Kelly studied this method with the well-known vocal pedagogue Cornelius L. Reid in New York City. She majored in voice and music with a minor in dance at Temple University and has performed most of her life, including on and off Broadway. She has been teaching the performing arts for over 15 years. 239-234-5461. vocalpointsingingandpianostudio.com

Watercolor classes: The Michaela & Leigh Art LLC, Studio & Gallery, 6240 Shirley St., Suite 103, Naples, offers classes in watercolor and batik painting. 239-272-6383 or 603-686-2187 for more details.

Sebastian.Gonzalez@Naplesnews.com; 239-435-3432
SHARE Anitha Patibandla of Naples, center, directs performers during a rehearsal for Naples India Fest at Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Naples India Fest will be held on March 19. (Dorothy Edwards/Staff) Young boys practice a dance routine during a rehearsal for Naples India Fest at Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Naples India Fest will be held on March 19. (Dorothy Edwards/Staff) Prerana Patibandla, 12, left, talks with Ananya Gurajapu, 11, both of Naples, during a rehearsal for Naples India Fest at Fleischmann Park on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Naples India Fest will be held on March 19. (Dorothy Edwards/Staff) Janani Kovainatarajan of Naples holds her daughter Sruthi Thirupurasundari, 5, center, during a rehearsal for Naples India Fest at Fleischmann Park in Naples on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Naples India Fest will be held on March 19. (Dorothy Edwards/Staff)

By Lance Shearer, Daily News Correspondent

The colors of India are many and bright.

"Colors of India" is the theme of this year's Naples India Fest on Saturday at Fleischmann Park, and the performers bear out the name. Dancers' costumes glow in shrieking hues of purple, gold, magenta, sky blue, red, yellow and green, while their eyes and hair are close to black.

Last Saturday, many of the 100 or so dancers who will stage the Indian dance numbers that are the focus of India Fest gathered in the dance studio at Fleischmann Park for rehearsal.

The festival will feature some 20 dance numbers, said cultural coordinator Manjusha Padmesh, covering a vast range of styles, provinces and eras within the Indian subcontinent.

"We have classical dance from all over India, as well as modern dancing influenced by the movies," she said. "One of the big numbers will be '100 Years of Bollywood,' a salute to the Indian film industry."

Another dance being practiced last week was "BharatnatyamKathak," a fusion of two classical dance forms "from a very old era," said Padmesh. Another, the Sanskrit song "Eka Dantaya Vakrathundaya," is a hymn of praise to the Lord Ganesha, who has an elephant's face and is the son of Gowri-Mother Parvathi.

Indian names tend to be difficult for Westerners to reproduce or spell, and to some extent, they are difficult for the Indian natives as well. While the dancers rehearsed, the festival's steering committee met in an adjoining room to work out final details, led by Dr. Nalin Master, a cosmetic surgeon and president of the India Association of Naples Inc.

Although by a show of hands, all of the people around a table had a first language other than English, our own local tongue was the "lingua franca" in which they could all communicate.

"Most of us are Hindu, and many speak Hindi, but there are more than 15 official languages in India," Master said. "It's more like Europe," and with the immense size and diversity of India's population, second only to China in the number of inhabitants.

You won't need to know Hindi, or the names of the particular dances, to soak up a greater understanding of this vast and vital country at India Fest. In addition to the continuous live dancing and singing, Indian costumes, foods and handicrafts will be featured. Indian cuisine is renowned, and 11 different food vendors will offer staples of the varieties of the subcontinent including chicken tika masala, chicken bryani, goat curry with rice, fritters, curried green peas, samosa, and sooji halwa. Sugar cane juice is another favorite, made on the spot by crushing sugar cane, and as a local product, highlights some of the commonality between India and Florida.

Siam Thai restaurant will even be on hand, offering food from Thailand, related to but distinct from Indian dishes. Additional vendors will give (temporary) henna tattoos, sell jewelry, silk, statuettes depicting Hindu gods including Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and Indian music CDs, crafts and souvenirs.

Back in the dance studio, the young girls rehearsing, perhaps more interested than the boys in dressing up in their finery, mostly wore their performance outfits, looking like a lineup of Disney princesses, while the boys  some of whom appeared quite accomplished  tended to rehearse in T-shirts and shorts.

For both girls and boys, bare feet were the norm. Come Saturday's dance routines, they will all be dressed in the part, creating a multi-hued, whirling diorama  the "Colors of India."

Master stressed that while most of the organizers are Hindu, the festival is all-inclusive.

"This is a pan-Indian festival, a celebration of the diversity of India," he said. "India has a lot of Hindus, and also Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Jains."

In fact, four major world religions originated in India, and the country is a melting pot to rival the United States.

And on Saturday at Fleischmann Park, everyone is welcome.

IF YOU GO

NAPLES INDIA FEST 2016

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: Fleischmann Park, 1600 Fleischmann Blvd., Naples

Cost: $5. Children younger than 5 are free

naplesindiafest.com

Email: naplesindia@gmail.com
Courtesy of Tom Ravana

SHARE Campaign signs showing support for Donald Trump were stolen from a home in the Vineyards community Wednesday, and two windows where more signs were placed were spray painted, according to an incident report from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, (Photo courtesy CCSO)

By Kristine Gill and Ryan Mills

Tom Ravana didn't think much of it when he took his dog for a walk Wednesday and noticed his Donald Trump for president sign missing from his front yard. He's got cases and cases of them, he said, so he put up another.

But when he returned later to his gated Vineyards home, the day after Trump's landslide victory in Florida's Republican primary, his wife pointed out the real damage  someone had spray painted the front window where they had another sign hanging, essentially blacking it out.

"I wasn't angry," Ravana said. "I just said, 'It was a Trump hater and they're upset that he won."

Still, he notified the Collier County sheriff's deputies, who are investigating petty theft and criminal mischief allegations, according to an incident report.

Ravana said his wife, JoAnn Debartolo, is the chairwoman of Trump's Collier County campaign and he is a campaign volunteer. Despite the controversies surrounding Trump's campaign, their experiences campaigning for Trump have been "nothing but positive" in Collier County and across the state, he said.

"We can't even keep the bumper stickers and the signs in the Republican headquarters," Ravana said. "Every day I'm having to bring at least three dozen. It's all been positive, except this incident yesterday."

Because he lives in a gated community, Ravana suspects a neighbor is responsible for the vandalism. He said he's also battled with his homeowners association about his right to display political signs in his yard.

A deputy canvassed the neighborhood Wednesday, but did not gather any more information about the theft, reports said. There were no attempts to gain entry to Ravana's home.

In the sheriff's report, Ravana estimated the damage to his home at about $1,200. The sign was worth about $8. The true cost of the damage will depend on if he can get the black paint off the window frame.

The theft and vandalism will not deter Ravana from proudly displaying his Trump signs.

"If anything," he said, "I'll put up more."
SHARE Melissa Sellers, Chief of Staff for Gov. Rick Scott. Handout photo December 5, 2014. Tim Cerio

By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News

TALLAHASSEE  Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday announced his chief of staff and top attorney will step down April 1.

Their replacements will be announced soon.

Chief of Staff Melissa Sellers will open her own consulting business in Tallahassee and General Counsel Tim Cerio will head back to a private law firm.

Sellers "managed our successful re-election efforts in 2014 and has been a loyal adviser who furthered our mission to make Florida first in the world for families to live their dreams," Scott said in a written news release. "She has been an invaluable member of my team since the fall of 2012 and Ann and I look forward to watching her triumph in her next endeavor."

Scott also said in the release that he would name the replacements for Sellers and Cerio "in the coming days."

Scott hired Sellers as his communications director in 2012 after she served as the director of regional media for the Republican National Convention in Tampa. She also served as spokeswoman for Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in his gubernatorial campaign in 2007, and she continued the same role in his executive office.

Sellers quickly ascended the ranks of the Florida governor's office and became Scott's chief of staff in 2014. She briefly left the state's executive office that same year to manage his campaign, and she subsequently returned.

Scott hired Cerio in January 2015 from a job he held at the GrayRobinson law firm. He currently is the president of the University of Florida Alumni Association.

"Tim has been a trusted adviser and an outstanding general counsel," Scott said. "His abilities as a lawyer and a consensus builder have helped advance the goals of my administration. He has also helped me appoint qualified judges to the bench who will faithfully serve Florida families. Tim has been a major asset throughout my second term and an excellent leader on our team."

Cerio served as chief of staff and general counsel at the Florida Department of Health from 2005 to 2007. He was appointed in 2013 by Scott to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the First District Court of Appeal.
Gulf Coast Medical Center. Courtesy of Lee Memorial Health System

By Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News

Lee Memorial Health officials are developing new procedures to get Gulf Coast Medical Center off probation for safety lapses with its kidney transplant program involving living donors.

Hospital officials were scheduled Wednesday to go before the membership and professional standards committee for the United Network of Organ Sharing, hospital spokeswoman Mary Briggs said.

The committee meets this week in Chicago and will make a recommendation to UNOS, a private nonprofit organization that manages the nation's transplant program under contract with the federal government.

"Lee Memorial Health System has been working closely with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) in a comprehensive review of our transplant related procedures to build a stronger transplant program," Briggs said in a statement. "We have been responsive to their recommendations for improving processes, including hiring a full time transplant surgeon, who joined our staff last week, and recruiting a new staff nephrologist."

The earliest the UNOS board can consider a recommendation from the committee about Gulf Coast's program is at its June meeting in Richmond, Virginia, UNOS spokeswoman Anne Paschke said.

Lee Memorial voluntarily consented to probation in early December after the death in April of John "Jamie" Donaldson, 40, of Cape Coral, who was donating a kidney to his ailing father.

Donaldson bled to death because a clamp or staple failed to seal the renal artery stump after his left kidney was removed, according to an autopsy by the Lee County Medical Examiner's Office.

There was a small cut to the aorta just below the left renal artery, but that cut had been closed by a staple. His death was ruled accidental.

Gulf Coast, a 349-bed hospital near Metro and Daniels parkways run by Lee Memorial, voluntarily suspended kidney transplants with living donors on April 21, five days after Donaldson's death. The suspension remains in place.

Gulf Coast canceled four scheduled transplants with living donors after the voluntary suspension, and two patients went elsewhere.

The professional standards committee for UNOS is a peer-reviewed body, and portions of the meetings where the status of hospital transplant programs are discussed are not open to the public, Paschke said.

Correspondence from hospitals is confidential, she added.

UNOS releases information about a transplant program status when a program is removed or placed on probation, or becomes "not in good standing," she said.

The UNOS body next meets June 6 and 7 in Richmond.
By Joseph Cranney of the Naples Daily News

Bill Barnett, elected mayor of Naples for a fourth term Tuesday, is praising another decision made by the city's voters  their choice of the three new City Council members who he calls the dream team.

Voters elected Reg Buxton, Michelle McLeod and Ellen Seigel to the council. McLeod was the top vote-getter, with 5,298 votes, or 26 percent. Seigel got 23 percent, or 4,578 votes. Buxton got 17 percent, or 3,487 votes.

Along with Barnett's win against Mayor John Sorey, the three new members of the council represent the largest turnover at City Hall in more than a decade.

Barnett and the new members will be sworn in during a meeting on April 6 and will get to work right away. In the two months before summer recess, the council could decide the next steps of some major city projects.

The city's stormwater department will soon present a master plan, and the council will also review the city's plans to redo the drainage pipes on city beaches.

There's also Baker Park, which came up frequently during the campaign, and issues with the city's fire department, whose chief was terminated Tuesday.

But noting their experience in business and serving on city boards, Barnett said the new council members are ready for the job.

"I'm very optimistic about the new council," Barnett said. "They're all rock solid."

Buxton, 71, and Seigel, 67, have served on the city's planning board since 2014. McLeod, 52, is the chair of the Community Services Advisory Board.

The new council members agreed Wednesday that Baker Park and the Naples Fire Rescue-Department are priorities.

Last month, the council agreed on a new $16.7 million design for Baker Park, but didn't decide how the city will pay for it. As it stands, the park will cost about $5 million more than the available funding.

And there are standing issues with the fire department, as outlined in a consultant's report last August that recommended more than 130 changes. In October, the local firefighters union sent a letter notifying the city of their lack of confidence in their chief, Steve McInerny. City Manager Bill Moss hired a lawyer to investigate the union's claims, then fired McInerny on Tuesday before he said the investigation was completed.

Seigel, whose campaign for the council listed safety as one of her Top 3 issues, said improving the fire department was a question of efficiency. He said he wants "to continue to provide the emergency services to the city of Naples in a very efficient way," Seigel said. "I think there are opportunities for efficiency."

Barnett also ran on a platform of public safety, but on Wednesday he didn't outline a next step for the fire department. He said he wants to see the results of Moss' investigation.

During the mayoral campaign, Barnett made a promise to try to improve traffic conditions in downtown Naples. He said Wednesday he plans to ask staff to analyze the issue and reach out to county and state officials for help.

Traffic is the one issue everyone, including the three new council members, agree on, Barnett said.

"There isn't one person who comes through Naples, Florida, and doesn't say (traffic) is horrible," he said.

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A lioness named Rapunzel rescued by Animal Defenders International from a circus in Peru. Photo courtesy of Animal Defenders International.

SHARE Two lions rescued from a Colombia circus. Photo courtesy of Animal Defenders International. A lion named Joseph rescued from a circus. Photo courtesy of Animal Defenders International. Kiara is reunited with cubs Scarc and Mahla. Photo courtesy of Animal Defenders International.

By Daily News staff

A Naples womans Facebook group is raising money for Animal Defenders International to send 33 ex-circus lions from Peru and Colombia to a sanctuary in South Africa.

Next month, ADI plans to charter a cargo aircraft to fly the 33 lions to South Africa at $10,000 per lion. The lions wont be able to be released into the wild; almost all have had their front toes cut off to remove their claws and many have had their teeth smashed. They will instead be taken care of for life at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa.

Diane Miller, of Naples, raised $26,000 for ADI through her Facebook group Lion Lovers.

I started my own Facebook group, Lion Lovers, several years ago, Miller said in a press release. My love for lions started by watching BBCs Big Cat Diary and following the lions of Maasai Mara. I had raised $1,000 for the Global March for Lions and was asked if I could raise money for ADI lions and I said I would give it a go, never dreaming we would raise $26,000!

The 7,432 members of Lion Lovers followed the rescue of each lion and adopted a male named Rey from a circus in Cuzco, Peru.

The Lion Lovers group can be found at facebook.com/groups/lionlovers1.
SHARE 2016 honoree and retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey speaks during the annual Honor the Free Press luncheon at the Naples Hilton Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Naples. McCaffrey was the most highly decorated four star general at the time of his retirement from active duty and would later serve under the Clinton administration as director of Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Luke Franke/Staff) The Naples Marine Corps League firing detail take to their positions for a 21 gun salute during the conclusion of the Honor the Free Press luncheon at the Naples Hilton Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Naples. (Luke Franke/Staff) Retired Army Air Force Sergeant Bob McDonald plays the bugle to mark the conclusion of the Honor the Free Press luncheon at the Naples Hilton Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Naples. The 2016 honoree, retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, was the most highly decorated four star general at the time of his retirement from active duty and would later serve under the Clinton administration as director of Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Luke Franke/Staff) 2016 honoree and retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey speaks with the Naples Marine Corps league firing squad prior to the 21 gun salute to mark the conclusion of the Honor the Free Press luncheon at the Naples Hilton Wednesday, March 16, 2016 in Naples. McCaffrey was the most highly decorated four star general at the time of his retirement from active duty and would later serve under the Clinton administration as director of Office of National Drug Control Policy. (Luke Franke/Staff)

By David Silverberg, Daily News Correspondent

Taking issue with the positions of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey warned a Naples audience in a speech Wednesday that mass deportation of illegal aliens in the United States would deliver a massive blow to the U.S. economy and he called for a legal path to citizenship for both legal immigrants and undocumented aliens.

"We have to remind ourselves periodically  pick a number you believe  there's probably 14 million illegals in this country right now," said McCaffrey. "They grow our food, they do our construction industry, they take care of our children, increasingly they're getting green cards, they're going to vote  they're helping build America. If we wrapped up and duct-taped the 12, 14 or 16 million illegals and sent them home, the country would be bankrupt within 90 days. It's simply outrageous."

McCaffrey was in Naples to address the "Honor the Free Press" event hosted by the Marine Corps League of Naples, a veterans organization, and the Naples Press Club. He spoke to more than 200 attendees at a luncheon at the Naples Hilton, held annually to honor a member of the media.

McCaffrey serves as a commentator and military and security analyst for the NBC and MSNBC television networks as well as running his own consulting business. In 1996, he retired as a four-star general, the youngest person to attain that rank, following a 32-year career in the Army. The same year, he was appointed the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, popularly known as the "drug czar." The recipient of numerous awards and honors, he holds three Purple Hearts, two Distinguished Service medals and a Silver Star.

Having dealt extensively with border enforcement and security, McCaffrey allowed that "half of what Trump says is correct. Should we protect the nation's borders? Of course. Should we preserve a manufacturing base in the United States? Of course. So I wouldn't tie my viewpoint necessarily to one of these political parties." Nonetheless, he said, "I don't know what this anti-immigrant thing is all about."

He also offered a personal observation based on his own family's history: "All our people came from Ireland, through Ellis Island. We were all drunk when we got here and we did OK."

Asked specifically about Trump's proposal for a wall along the U.S. southern border, McCaffrey stated, "I do believe in a barrier system but I also believe that you have to allow our legal migrants or the illegals who are here to have a path to legally defined residence. They're going to need to send their money home by wire instead of being shaken down at the border by Mexican authorities. We have to have the equivalence of a 'bracero' program so people can come back and forth through the ports of entry much more rationally than they do now."

McCaffrey recounted that as drug czar he was responsible for installing border fencing and barriers that significantly reduced illegal crossings, particularly in the San Diego-Tijuana area.

"I personally got part of that built and it's changed everything for the better. San Diego-Tijuana used to be a nightmare; gang rapes, 70 murders a year. We put in that fencing and it totally changed the situation overnight," he said.

Known for his direct talk and unvarnished opinions, McCaffrey had a blunt description of the current political landscape: "I must admit that 10 years ago, if you tried to describe the situation with an aging socialist, with a possibly indicted competent Democrat, against someone who can be kindly characterized as a braggart and buffoon, it would be hard to believe that this would be the situation." Being personally familiar with numerous public figures and politicians, he stated that "generally speaking I am very empathetic to political leaders. We get better than we deserve for the most part," and he added, "I know Hillary Clinton quite well and she is very competent."

In his prepared remarks on the media, McCaffrey noted that as Americans "we should remember that we are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world" and "we have never been safer as an American people in our country's history." Nonetheless, he observed, Americans have never been more distrustful of their institutions, including the media, than today.

He lauded members of the media for trying to keep their word, pursuing accuracy and providing a balanced picture of events. He also noted that news reporting is undergoing a technological revolution that has transformed it and made it much more current and timely.

At the same time he deplored an ethos that has developed in journalism schools to teach journalism as a predatory endeavor focused on assumptions of incompetence, stupidity, corruption and sexual misconduct by public officials. He also charged that news reporting has been warped by a divisive and corrosive political culture.

In the future, despite the flood of online content, he called for better pay for journalists and a financially healthy media establishment.

"We have to find a model that allows the media to make a profit," he said. Without strong media institutions, the public would be at the mercy of disparate and irresponsible voices on the Internet.

"Somehow we have created a culture and government that sees an adversarial  as opposed to skeptical  relationship between the press and government and we're not well served by it. We're going to have to sort that out," he stated.

Ultimately, McCaffrey praised media coverage in general. "I actually think we ought to be grateful for the American media. You absolutely can understand what is going on in issues of the world if are sort of Catholic in your consumption of information from various sources. It will be timely, you'll know the facts and you'll be able to make an informed decision," he said.

In addition to hearing from their guest speaker and other honorees, the Marine Corps League also used the event to unveil a new award to a local veteran. Tim Tumrod was presented with a "special patriotism" award, along with a hand-painted portrait of himself as a young man by a local artist.
The Tennessee Supreme Court has reinstated convictions for especially aggravated kidnapping charges and affirmed multiple other convictions arising out of a home invasion in Memphis.



In July 1999, two armed men forced their way into a residence and demanded money and other property from those inside, forced the victims to remove their clothing, and bound them on the kitchen floor. Rashe Moore and another man ransacked the house, took items of personal property, and raped two women inside the home. At trial, multiple witnesses identified Mr. Moore as one of the men who entered the house, but he claimed at trial that he was at a club at the time of the crimes.



At the conclusion of the trial, Mr. Moores attorney orally asked the trial judge to instruct the jury on the lesser-included offense of aggravated rape. Lesser-included offenses are crimes that are similar and carry some of the same elements of the crime charged, but are somewhat less serious and carry lighter penalties. The trial court declined to instruct the jury on any lesser-included offenses. Mr. Moore was convicted of one count of aggravated burglary, five counts of aggravated robbery, seven counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, and three counts of aggravated rape. He received a 99-year sentence.



Shortly before Mr. Moores trial in 2002, a new law went into effect that required counsel to request lesser-included offense jury instructions in writing. Based on this new law, the Court of Criminal Appeals declined to address Mr. Moores claim on direct appeal that the trial court erred in failing to issue lesser-included offense instructions.



Tennessee law provides an avenue to file a petition for post-conviction relief to request a new trial if a defendant believes he was denied constitutionally guaranteed rights. These rights include the right to effective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment. In order to prove ineffective assistance of counsel and receive a new trial, a defendant must show that trial counsels representation was deficient; and that the outcome of the trial would have been different if the legal representation had been adequate. Mr. Moore alleged that he received ineffective assistance of counsel due to his trial counsels failure to file written requests for lesser-included offense instructions at trial.



The post-conviction court denied Mr. Moore relief because Mr. Moore failed to show that the result of his trial would have been different if his counsel had filed a written request for jury instructions on the lesser-included offenses. The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the denial of post-conviction relief as to all of Mr. Moores convictions except the especially aggravated kidnapping convictions, for which the court granted a new trial. The Court determined that the trial courts failure to issue lesser-included offense instructions for especially aggravated kidnapping would have been reversible error on direct appeal had trial counsel adequately presented the issue at trial.



In a unanimous opinion authored by Chief Justice Sharon G. Lee, the Supreme Court agreed in part with the Court of Criminal Appeals and denied Mr. Moore post-conviction relief on his aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and aggravated rape convictions. However, the Court reversed the Court of Criminal Appeals grant of relief on Mr. Moores especially aggravated kidnapping convictions. The Supreme Court explained that the counsels failure to appropriately request lesser-included offense instructions requires reviewing courts to conduct a thorough examination of the record, including evidence presented at trial, a defendants theory of defense, and the verdict returned by the jury.



Employing this analysis, the Supreme Court determined that there was no reasonable probability that a jury would have convicted Mr. Moore of any lesser offense if given the chance. Accordingly, the Supreme Court concluded that Mr. Moore was not prejudiced by his counsels performance and was not entitled to relief on any of his convictions.



To read the opinion in Rashe Moore v. State, authored by Chief Justice Lee, visit the opinions section of TNCourts.gov.
Where to give, get supplies, help in Collier County after Hurricane Ian
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Depending on how you parse the numbers, either 63.7 percent of Collier County voters on Tuesday supported a flawed straw ballot on emergency services, or 23.6 percent did.

Either way, a faulty vote is a faulty vote.

Instead of following the November 2010 directive of voters when about 70 percent favored consolidating fire districts, the Greater Naples fire board decided the question needed modified and revisited Tuesday. This time, they changed the question by adding in the idea of turning the county Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance system and non-city fire departments over to a board that would be elected from the unincorporated area.

Never mind that the taxpayer-supported ambulance service is responsible for people inside the cities of Naples and Marco Island, and those property owners cover a substantial share of the tax revenue contributed to Collier County government.

About 63.7 percent of those who voted on Tuesday's nonbinding straw ballot supported it. The vote was 44,047 to 25,120. However, there were 186,237 total eligible voters who could have been asked the question. That means only 23.6 percent weighed in favorably. Notably, about 14,500 Naples voters and 12,200 in Marco weren't even allowed to address the future of EMS.

Collaborative approach

Greater Naples fire board members unilaterally decided to take this question to Collier County commissioners who mistakenly agreed in January to put it on Tuesday's presidential preference ballot.

A collaborative approach by the Greater Naples board would have been preferable. It could have asked elected fire boards in Immokalee and North Collier if they thought it was time for such a vote. A teamwork approach also would have reached out to city councils in Naples and Marco Island to see what they thought.

On their end, Collier commissioners have a Public Safety Authority that is to advise them on "issues affecting pre-hospital emergency medical services within all of Collier County." There was no recommendation from that board included in materials presented to commissioners when they approved the straw ballot. So why does that board even exist?

Significantly to us, during candidate interviews in 2014 for elections to seats on four fire boards that were merging into two, we asked what would be the next logical step if voters in 2014 supported mergers of Golden Gate and East Naples districts into Greater Naples fire, along with North Naples and Big Corkscrew districts into North Collier. The common answer from candidates was merging Greater Naples and North Collier was the likely next step. So what changed?

Unaffiliated voters

Besides for disenfranchising Naples and Marco Island voters regarding their EMS, we also considered it bad timing to hold this straw ballot in March.

As a closed primary state, only Republicans could vote for that presidential field and the same was true on the Democratic side. About a fourth of the registered voters in Collier aren't Republicans or Democrats, so they couldn't make a presidential choice Tuesday. This nonbinding straw ballot became the only question before them and we feared many would just not vote.

A random analysis of 10 various-sized precincts that voted Tuesday suggests this is what happened. In seven of the 10, more presidential preference votes were cast than straw ballot votes. So some people who took the time to vote for their party nominee didn't bother with the straw ballot.

First things first

Leadership in Marco Island, North Collier and Immokalee aren't in lockstep with county commissioners and Greater Naples fire board members on how firefighter-paramedics should interact with EMS. Two differing philosophies on deploying paramedics vs. emergency medical technicians is unresolved.

That needs to be publicly debated. Cities need to be heard from. In the meantime, voters clearly said in 2014 they want fire districts combined. Get on with it.
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E.L. "Bud" Ruff, Naples

Democratic facts

Republican letter writers like J.N. Miranda have to be drinking something stronger than Kool-Aid, as they appear to be hallucinating.

His recent letter stated that almost 100 million Americans have left the workforce because they can't find a job.

That's an untrue and misleading statement. Whatever the numbers are, the numbers are basically meaningless. Why? Because they are counting at least 37.5 million retirees, the majority of whom are baby boomers. Tens of millions are stay-at-home moms and dads; 14 million are disabled Americans. Also, there are about 12 million students age 16 to 19.

Who knows what else they are counting. You could apply these type statistics to all past administrations. Republicans love half-truths and misleading the American public.

Democratic administrations have created many millions more jobs than Republican administrations, according to politco.com. From 1961-2012 (51 years), Republican presidents served 28 years; Democrats 23 years. During that period, Democrats created 42.3 million jobs; Republicans 23.9 million. Add another 7-8 million jobs for 2013-16, bringing the Democrats' jobs total to more than 50 million, more than twice the number for Republicans.

The letter stated President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney did not start the Iraq War, that terrorist did. False, the only terrorist in Iraq at the time was Saddam Hussein.

Anyone with a brain knows who started that war. You remember that war of "no weapons of mass destruction."

Many Democrats fell for the Bush administration's false statements, but Obama did not. Bush signed the "US-Iraq status forces agreement" in 2008. Leaving Obama no choice but to withdraw all American troops by 2011. Check the agreement for the truth.
Bonita Springs Utilities customers re-elected Bob Bachman, Hank Hochstetler and Robert Sharkey to its board of directors. Election Monitor Jim Kerr announced the results during the utilitys annual meeting.



Six candidates ran for the three board seats. BSU mailed 23,773 ballots, and volunteers from the League of Women Voters counted 4,218 valid ballots. Bachman received 2,891 votes, Hochstetler earned 2,620, and Sharkey garnered 2,319.



Bachman has served on the board since November 2000, including six years as president, three as vice president and one as treasurer. A Bonita Springs resident since 1986, he is owner and president of WBG SW Florida, operating as a general contractor and Realtor since 1994.



Hochstetler was elected to the BSU board in 1990, after chairing the utilitys Wastewater Feasibility Study Committee. He has served as board president, vice president and treasurer, and is now secretary. A Bonita Springs resident since 1979, he retired as president of Hochstetler Realty.



Sharkey was elected to the BSU board in 2009. A Bonita Springs resident since 1985, he retired as a lieutenant after 16 years with the Florida Department of Corrections.



BSU member-customers elect three fellow members each year for a three-year term on the utilitys nine-member board of directors. Other board members are Paul Attwood, Frank Liles, Mike Malloy, John Mathes, Dave McKee and James Strecansky. The board of directors meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In addition, each board member serves on various subcommittees and work groups.



During the annual meeting, Attwood was recognized for reaching his 15th anniversary on the board, and Liles was honored for 30 years of service.



Bonita Springs Utilities is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility founded by local citizens in 1971. The member-owned utility provides service in the City of Bonita Springs, The Village of Estero and unincorporated South Lee County. The utility is recognized as an industry leader with awards from the American Water Works Association, Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association and Florida Water Environment Association. For more information, visit the BSU website at www.BSU.us.
John Mastrocinque, aviation manager for The Hertz Corporation, has been appointed to the Naples Municipal Airport Noise Compatibility Committee for a four-year term. He replaces Naples Realtor Bill Goddard, who served on the committee since 2006 and represented the geographic area southeast of the airport.



Mastrocinque has 35 years of experience in aviation as maintenance technician, pilot and manager. Before joining Hertz in 2012, he held positions in the corporate flight departments of IBM, The Home Depot and Xerox. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mastrocinque maintains an airframe and power plant license and nine certificates for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. He has been a Naples resident since 2013.



John already has made significant contributions to our work. The committee recognized him in January for making us aware of how pilots can use idle-reverse thrust to make landings quieter, said Ernest Linneman, committee chair. Johns experience and practical approach make him a welcome addition to the committee.



The Noise Compatibility Committee helps monitor the impact of aircraft noise and makes recommendations about noise-mitigation procedures for consideration by the Airport Authority Board of Commissioners.



In addition to Linneman, the committee includes Vice Chair Bruce Bickelmann, Bruce Byerly, City Council Member Doug Finlay, Justin Lobb, Richard Mellon, Robert Metzler and Gary Revall.



To learn more about airport noise and the challenges faced in making the airport quieter, log onto www.FlyNaples.com, and click on the Noise Abatement tab. The public is invited to attend Noise Compatibility Committee meetings; the next is scheduled for March 31 at 9 a.m. at the Airport Office Building conference room.



Naples Municipal Airport welcomed the return of scheduled airline service on Feb. 27 when Elite Airways began flights to Newark, New Jersey, and Portland, Maine. The airport is home to flight schools, air charter operators, car rental agencies and corporate aviation and nonaviation businesses, as well as fire/rescue services, mosquito control, the Collier County Sheriffs Aviation Unit and other community services. During the 2014-15 fiscal year, the airport accommodated 99,569 takeoffs and landings.



All funds used for the airports operation, maintenance and improvements are generated from activities at the airport or from federal and state grants; the airport receives no property tax dollars. The Florida Department of Transportation values the airports annual economic impact to the community at $283.5 million.



For more information or to subscribe for email updates about the airport, visit www.FlyNaples.com.
ech4Good SWFL will hold its monthly meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5 at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd., Naples, for staff and volunteers at non-profit organizations.

The topic will be using digital media as a storytelling tool, to raise brand awareness, engage current and potential supporters, and highlight the mission and work of a non-profit organization.

Meeting admission and membership are free, and a light dinner is provided by Nicos Catering for RSVPs received by April 5 to organizers@tech4goodswfl.org. Walk-ins to attend the meeting only are welcome. Learn more at http://tech4goodswfl.org.
Chattanooga Police arrested multiple known gang members in possession of firearms overnight.

There were three incidents resulting in five arrests and the seizure of four firearms.

Police said all of those taken into custody are validated gang members, except for Greg Trice.

In the first incident around 11 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a shots fired call at 2300 Windsor St. Upon arrival, he searched the area and found five 40 caliber bullet shell casings on the south side of building 100 near the breezeway. An anonymous person advised they observed several black males run into a vacant apartment after they heard the shots. Other officers on the scene advised that they could see several males peering through the windows on the north side of the vacant apartment.



At that time, with permission of the apartment complex, all on duty Swat Team Officers, K9, and HNT were notified to respond to the scene due to possible armed barricaded suspects. As the units arrived, police officers on the scene were attempting to make contact with the suspects inside. Police made successful contact with them, and the suspects opened the door. Upon entry, there were seven black males in the front living room area of the apartment lying on the floor. Police detained the suspects and cleared the rest of the apartment.

All suspects were brought outside of the apartment. Police conducted a search of the apartment, and found a bag of cocaine and marijuana inside an air vent in the hallway, crack cocaine in the bathroom toilet, and marijuana in the bathtub. A secondary search was conducted. Police located a Glock 30 .45 caliber pistol loaded with seven rounds, and a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber.

Marvin Cartwright advised that the Glock 30 was his. Greg Trice advised that the Smith and Wesson 40ve was his.

All others besides Cartwright and Trice were released at that time.

Cartwright and Trice were charged with possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, marijuana for resale, crack for resale, and cocaine possession. In the second incident, an officer conducted a routine traffic stop on a white Jeep Patriot occupied by three juveniles. A search of the vehicle yielded a Glock with a 30 round magazine. One juvenile was arrested for possession of the firearm, while a second was arrested for driving without a license. In the third incident, a city police officer responded to W. 38th Street on a call concerning three males shooting at each other. On arrival, several witnesses gave descriptions of the suspects and one of the guns. The witnesses said that one of the suspects was shooting a semi-automatic handgun with a laser on it and that it was in a black bag.

The officer drove around the corner and cut him off. The officer exited his patrol car and told the suspect to stop. The suspect looked at the officer and ran away at full stride. The officer and other responding officers chased and located him on a porch trying to catch his breath.

The suspect was taken into custody and the black bag was recovered. The bag contained a green and black 9mm handgun with a laser sight attached to it. Thomas Robbins was charged with evading arrest and possessing a firearm with the intent to go armed.
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Maine Savings Federal Credit Union in Hampden has introduced a program to give homebuyers up to $15,000 in down payment and closing costs.

The $304 million-asset Maine Savings is offering the financial assistance through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston's Equity Builder Program. The money is available to homebuyers with incomes 80% of lower than the median income of the area where the property is located.

Rents are increasing and the dream of home-ownership seems out of reach for many. But this program will help bridge the gap for some who are close to being able to buy a home, John Reed, chief executive of Maine Savings, said in a news release.

Those who qualify can combine the financial assistance with Maine Savings' 10% down payment CU Promise loan.
The Republican Partys house is on fire and Mitch McConnell has asked for more gasoline. In the face of an election that is coming dangerously close to sending an incompetent, egomaniacal* man to the highest office in the land. Mr. McConnell informs us the Senate will not even consider a nomination for the Supreme Court justice. He says the people need to decide. It may have escaped his notice that the people did elect the President of the United States  twice - and there is ample time for a nominee to be considered and confirmed by the people.

I realize that facts are of no particular value to many in the Republican Party or they would realize this obstruction is unconstitutional.

I know there are reasonable Republicans who have become speechless in the face of the insanity that has overtaken the Party. When they embraced people like Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, the Tea Party was born; when they did not stop the Tea Party it morphed into the radical wing of the GOP and now the radical wing of the GOP invites the world to embrace Donald Trump.

When will any reasonable Republican politician decide to speak truth to stupid and stop the insanity? The world does not want Donald Trump. In fact, the truthful members of the GOP do not want Donald Trump. However, while Donald Trump is burning down the house, Mitch McConnell is asking for more gas.

Egomania is also known as an obsessive preoccupation with one's self and applies to someone who follows their own ungoverned impulses and is possessed by delusions of personal greatness and feels a lack of appreciation. Someone suffering from this extreme egocentric focus is an egomaniac.

Cecilia Lewis

* * *

While the Republicans house is on fire guess what? The Democrats pants are on fire. You have a candidate in Hillary Clinton who has a consistent record of scandal after scandal, lie after lie and a socialist Bernie Sanders who is out of touch with reality. Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have embraced Al Sharpton, Black Lives Matter and completely spit in the face of law enforcement. We have not seen racial division in our country like this in decades and the Democrat Party, including the president, is to blame. Ferguson burned, Baltimore burned, nearly 100 shootings a week in Chicago and one big thing in common, all are controlled by the Democrat Party. Tell me again how its the Republicans house that is on fire?



The Republican-controlled Senate refuses to acknowledge, vote or confirm a nomination to the Supreme Court that a liberal president has put up and somehow that equates to gas throwing and the house on fire. Seems like the pot calling the kettle black if you ask me. These are the very same tactics that then Senator Obama and Democrats used over and over. Your glass house is falling apart, so stop throwing stones.



So as a reasonable Republican voter I decided to speak the truth. The Washington system is broken, Hillary Clinton is a lying, cheating, race baiting, law enforcement hater and Bernie Sanders is a socialist. The Senate and House are up to their usual games of partisan politics and no one in either party will vote the same old do nothings out. So until we, the people, demand change and make that change with our votes nothing will ever change.



So let me correct you by saying, the entire Washington system is on fire and no one will call 911.



The dreaded potential Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has the Washington elitists on both sides running scared and maybe thats just what we need.

Mike Cox

* * *

I agree with Cecilia Lewis about the obstruction of the Supreme Court nominee. It is the job of the Senate to hold confirmation hearings. The extremists of the GOP want to take away or stop equality for everyone.

Discrimination based on "religious freedom" is still discrimination and based in hatred.

Donald Trump's hatred is being embraced by many Americans. Love, respect and dignity for everyone is the best way for this country to move forward. If we move backwards, it will take even longer for us to recover.





Dale R. Souders

USN RET

* * *

Ms. Lewis,

Your egomania description applies to 95 percent of all politicians, preachers, and CEOs. It goes double for any politician, preacher, or CEO who says it doesn't apply to them.

Stephen Greenfield

* * *

We can love rattlesnakes. That doesn't mean we play kiss-kiss, smoochie-smoochie with them.

We can love rats, with all the diseases they carry and the harm they present to our families, children, and grandchildren. That doesn't mean we don't put up barriers against them coming into our homes, and do everything possible to run them off or eradicate them when they invade.

We can love rapists and murders. That doesn't mean we allow them to be near our wives, mothers, or daughters... or children... or turn them out of our jails because they're illegal aliens.

We can love thieves, cheats, and liars. That doesn't mean we must elect them to the highest offices in the land.

We can love socialists. That doesn't mean we give them free rein to spend money that neither belongs to them nor have they earned.

We can love greenies. Until they quit breathing, what right do they have to complain about carbon dioxide and other noxious gases about which they complain?

We can love those who practice lifestyles we find abhorrent, but still legal. That doesn't mean the rest if us must participate in them too.

We can love those who cannot read. That doesn't mean everyone else must allow themselves to become prey to their ignorance.

We can love those who cite only partial statements of others, either from ignorance or, perhaps, to present those others as something they are not. That doesn't mean everyone else must follow in lock-step without learning for themselves what was truly stated, including context.

We can love those who besmirch those about whom they know little... or nothing. That doesn't mean we shouldn't pity their aggressive ignorance.

We can love those who wish to destroy our society. That doesn't mean we must allow them control, or continue to have control.

We can love those who seek undeserved power and glory. That doesn't mean we must hand it over to them.

We can love those who enjoy '60s and '70s music. That doesn't mean we must stand there and listen if we don't want to. I'm sure Dino Valenti wouldn't mind.

Come on people now

Smile on your brother

Everybody get together

Try to love one another

Right now

We live in the greatest nation ever to grace the face of Planet Terra, these United States of America. Every day lately, or so it seems, those of us who get up and go to work every day to support those who will not become ever more weary of being told what we're going to do in our personal lives and how to do it. Those who've been doing the tellin' are learning some valuable lessons, aren't they.

And they don't like it.

Come on everyone. Group hug... group hug...

Royce Burrage, Jr.

Royce@Officially Chapped.org
Police on Wednesday arrested 18-year-old Horatio Houston after officers said he led them on a chase while driving a black Ford Expedition believed to have been involved in multiple drive-by shootings.

Houston, of 3825 Hixson Pike, is charged with evading arrest, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of tampering with evidence, reckless driving, driving without a driver's license and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Houston and another person in the vehicle, a 15-year-old, were identified as validated members of the Gangster Disciples.



Officers said they were on routine patrol "working on an enforcement action team in order to target and reduce the number of gang-related shootings throughout areas of Chattanooga."

Police were at the intersection of Tunnel Boulevard and Shallowford Road when the black Ford Expedition drove by. Officers got within one vehicle of the Ford Expedition, then turned on blue lights. The Expedition sped away, turning sharply onto Ridgeside Road, then onto N. Germantown Road.

Officers saw a shiny object being thrown from the driver's side of the vehicle in the 300 block of N. Germantown.

The vehicle stopped at a gated driveway at 31 N. Germantown.

Occupants included Houston, the 15-year-old validated gang member, two 16-year-olds, and another 15-year-old.

Officers checking for what had been thrown from the vehicle located a small Swisher Sweet wrapper with a small amount of marijuana in it and a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.

A .45 caliber shell casing was found in the back of the Expedition.

All of the individuals were questioned. No one admitted tossing the marijuana or gun.

Police said it is believed that the black Ford Expedition was at the scene of a shooting on Sunday at 2658 Glass St. where a house was shot several times with a .45 caliber weapon.


NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the new Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis in his first visit to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (17 March 2016). Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Kucinskis, Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Latvia for its contributions to Allied security and stressed that NATO is strongly committed to Latvia.

The Secretary General commended Latvia for its contributions to the NATO Response Force and NATOs Resolute Support Mission, as well as its strong political and practical support for Ukraine. He also highlighted Latvias participation in NATO exercises and its role in hosting the new NATO Force Integration Unit in Riga. This small headquarters will play a key role in planning and exercising. And to help ensure that our forces can deploy quickly, if needed, said the Secretary General.

Mr. Stoltenberg also underlined NATOs steps to strengthen its defence and deterrence posture with an enhanced forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. He noted that this presence will be multinational, sending a clear signal that an attack on any Ally will be met by all Allies. These decisions mean that there will be more NATO in Latvia than ever before, said the Secretary General.

In their talks, Prime Minister Kucinskis and the Secretary General addressed key issues on NATOs agenda ahead of the Warsaw Summit, including the Alliances role in countering hybrid warfare. Mr. Stoltenberg also welcomed Latvias commitment to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP, in line with NATO guidelines.
(As delivered)

Prime Minister Kucinskis, very much welcome to NATO headquarters. It is a great pleasure to have you here and to meet with you here at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

And let me also congratulate you on your appointment as Prime Minister, Im looking forward to cooperate with you in your new capacity.

You are taking office at a challenging time for European security.

And NATO is adapting to keep all Allies safe.

Latvia is strongly committed to NATO.

And NATO is strongly committed to Latvia.

You contribute to NATO in many different ways. You contribute to our Response Force. And to our exercises on land, at sea and in the air.

Your troops help make a difference in Afghanistan.

And you provide strong support for our partner Ukraine, both politically and practically.

You, Latvia, host one of our new Force Integration Units in Riga.

This small headquarters will play a key role in planning and exercising.

And to help ensure that our forces can deploy quickly, if needed.

We recently decided to enhance our forward presence in the eastern part of our Alliance.

We also agreed that this presence will be multinational.

This sends a very clear signal. An attack on any Ally will be met not just by national forces, but by all Allies.

Our military authorities will provide advice on the size and composition in the coming weeks.

These decisions mean that there will be more NATO in Latvia than ever before.

In July, we will meet again at the Warsaw Summit.

The decisions we take there will ensure that our Alliance is even stronger and more flexible, to adapt to threats from any direction.

But what will never change is our steadfast determination to keep our people safe.

So Prime Minister, once again welcome to NATO headquarters, Im looking forward to our cooperation.

Please.

MODERATOR: Latvian radio.

Q: Hello radio Latvia. My first question to Secretary General how would you rate overall security situation in the Baltics and in Latvia particularly and if I may Latvian for Prime Minister Kucinskis.

INTERPRETER: Question asked in foreign language. Prime Minister what are the questions that youve discussed? What does Latvia have to do to until the Warsaw Summit when receiving assurance that there will be a continuous presence, a NATO presence in Latvia.

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): When it comes the security situation in the Baltic Region we see a changed and more challenging security environment. We dont see any imminent threat against any NATO ally including the Baltic allied members of NATO but we see a more assertive Russia with a significant military buildup in the region and thats also the reason why NATO is responding and NATO has responded by increased presence in the Baltic Region with air policing, with naval presence in the Baltic Sea and also with more exercises of troops on the ground on a rotational basis. And we decided to further increase our presence in the Eastern part of the alliance including the Baltic region. We made that decision at our Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Now we are working on how this decision is going to be implemented and I expect decisions to be taken at our Summit in Warsaw deciding more on the numbers and how we are going to follow up. What we can already say is that the increased presence of NATO in the Baltic region is going to be a multi-national presence meaning forces from different NATO allied countries sending a very clear signal about that an attack on one ally will be met by forces from the whole alliance that we stand together. And this is a strong and important signal not least for Latvia and for the other Baltic countries. Moreover we have also increased the readiness and responsiveness of our forces. We have tripled the size of the NATO Response Force so we can deploy forces quickly if needed. So NATO together with Latvia we are responding to a more challenging security environment in the Baltic Region.

INTERPRETOR (Translator for Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis): And at NATO Summit it will speak about works to be done, till that time, in fact we speak about how its important that Latvia shows that we step by step increase our defence budget. Regarding long term rotational forces we should be prepared and should prepare to host them. And of course Latvia should discuss and make a common position with Lithuania and Estonia, thats very important to us because unity of Baltic States is important and co-operation between our countries, all three countries too.

Q: A couple of days ago there were two Russian military ships and a submarine in Latvian economic (sic) zone waters, how would you interpret that and would you say that relationship with Russia is growing more intense, there is more tension? And the second question for the Latvian Prime Minister.

INTERPRETOR: Question asked in foreign language. Dear Mr. Kucinskis there are asylum seekers are looking for the ways to go through Russia too have you

JENS STOLTENBERG: We have seen a significant Russian buildup, military buildup in also the Baltic region with more planes, with more naval presence and also with more troops and thats the reason why NATO is responding both with increased military presence and with increased readiness and preparedness of forces to deploy if needed. At the same time I think its important to also underline that everything NATO does is defensive, it is proportionate and it is absolutely in line with our national commitments. And we do not seek confrontation with Russia. We dont want a new cold war so therefore we also convey a message of that there has to be a balance between military strength and political dialogue and engagement and I discussed with the Prime Minister the importance of both pursuing the path of strengthening our military capabilities, our defences but at the same time pursuing political engagement with Russia because Russia is going to be our biggest neighbour. Russia is going to continue to be our biggest neighbour so therefore we also need to continue to strive for a more constructive and cooperative relationship with Russia. But that has to be based on some fundamental rules and values and one of the most important values is of course the importance of respecting the borders of your neighbour because thats a pre-condition for a constructive relationship.

INTERPRETOR: The question about asylum seekers is on the agenda of European Union and the context with the cooperation with Turkey. This question of cooperation with Turkey, NATOs presence in the Aegean Sea is very important its one of the points to be discussed and the point will be discussed if the results of this plan may bring other ways then we also as a member of European Union we must stress that these questions will be kept on agenda, therefore two, two possible ways one through one through Baltic countries and Balkans.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much this concludes this press point. Thank you.
Millions affected before action was finally taken

'We lost sight'

(NaturalNews) For once, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to do the right thing. But unfortunately, the agency doesn't have the mettle to see it through.As reported by, recently, the CDC, in a bid to curb what a number of experts consider to be the worst public health crisis in years, published the first national standards aimed at prescription painkillers . Included in the standards were recommendations to doctors that they try over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen before giving out prescriptions for the highly addictive pain pills, and that at most they only give patients a few days' worth at a time.What the CDC's recommendationscontain are references to natural pain control remedies Asnotes further, the release of the guidelines "ends months of arguments with pain doctors and drug industry groups, which had bitterly opposed the recommendations on the grounds that they would create unfair hurdles for patients who legitimately have long-term pain." But no one, apparently, brought up natural remedies  as usual.In the end, however, the CDC toned down its recommendations, but only somewhat, mindful of a painkiller epidemic that is claiming and ruining the lives of millions of Americans.Opioid deaths  including from heroin, which some have turned to after they began with prescription painkillers  have reached record numbers (28,647 in 2014, according to the most recent federal statistics )."It would be hard for me to overstate how thrilling it is to read these guidelines after all these years," Dr. Carl R. Sullivan III, director of the addictions program at West Virginia University  whose state is the epicenter of the epidemic  told. "This is a very big deal. These prescribing practices have been an embarrassment for so long."reported further:"The guidelines are part of a growing backlash against practices developed two decades ago, when doctors across the country began prescribing opioids for routine pain amid claims by pharmaceutical companies and some medical experts that they could be used to treat common conditions like back pain and arthritis without addiction. Those claims ended up in court and were found to be false."Since that time, opioid-based painkillers like Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin have risen to become the most widely prescribed medications in the country, with sales topping $2 billion a year (which says a lot about why they are being pushed by Big Pharma and the medical industry), says IMS Health, a research company that tracks prescription data.Finally, though, the way the drugs are viewed is changing, and the CDC's guidelines do at least reflect that."It has become increasingly clear that opioids carry substantial risk but only uncertain benefits  especially compared with other treatments for chronic pain," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the CDC , told reporters in a conference call."We lose sight of the fact that the prescription opioids are just as addictive as heroin," he said. "Prescribing opioids is really a momentous decision, and I think that has been lost."Unsurprisingly, Congress and the federal bureaucracy have lagged behind states in dealing with the opioid epidemic. A number of states, for example, have laid out rules that doctors must follow regarding the prescribing of opioids, and so have several medical societies. Now, these proponents of tighter rules are happy that the CDC has finally got on board."This is the first time the federal government is communicating clearly to the medical community that long-term use for common conditions is inappropriate," Dr. Andrew Kolodny, the head of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, told. "It's one of the most significant interventions by the federal government."Still, the CDC could have hit a home run if only it had included natural painkilling remedies in its recommendation.
How citizen scientists first got their wings

Holding government agencies accountable with citizen science



The future of citizen science

(NaturalNews) You don't have to be an academic to be a scientist. Citizen science is growing globally. Communities with an amateur interest in science have helped classify galaxies, detect signs of disease, and unearth toxic metals in our food . But why is citizen science on the rise? To answer that question, no single answer will suffice.Although there is no definitive term to describe "citizen science," simply put, citizen science includes a vast range of projects involving volunteer participation. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, citizen science is "a project in which volunteers partner with scientists to answer real-world questions."Citizen scientists tend to lack the credentials of a university professor, but that doesn't mean becoming a citizen scientist is easy. "To be a citizen scientist, a person must possess an extraordinary ability to learn analytical techniques while possessing a solid foundation in physics, chemistry and mathematics," said Mike Adams, a pioneering citizen scientist who runs his own forensic food lab. "The search for scientific truth as an independent scientist is by no means an easy path, but it is an infinitely honorable and fulfilling one nonetheless."Although citizen science has grown in popularity in recent years, it isn't exactly new. One of the first citizen science projects involved bird watchers with the National Audubon Society. Members documented the date, time, location, environmental conditions and nesting behaviors of birds. The data collected by citizen scientists was essential in determining if a species of bird was common in a designated area, as well as if there were changes in home range or a shift in bird population.Since the early days of bird watching, citizen science has made rapid progress. In 2015, professional citizen science organizations were created in Australia, Europe and the United States. That same year, the first Citizen Science Association Conference was held, with another scheduled for February 2017. Furthermore, in the United States, the Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2015 was proposed to encourage federal agencies to use citizen scientists.Government agencies need to be held accountable by citizen scientists more so than ever before, especially the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . "As science is the search for truth, only citizen scientists who are free from the corruption and financial influence of unethical corporations have the unique qualifications to pursue that search for truth without being compromised," explained Adams.This sentiment is particularly true with respect to the EPA's handling of the Animas River. In August 2015, EPA contractors accidentally breached a dam, which flooded the Animas River with deadly toxins . The contaminants spread all the way to New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.The EPA tried to cover up the spill, hoping that no one would notice that the river's water had taken on a mustard orange color from the toxic slew. Once the incident became manifestly apparent, the EPA intentionally underestimated the severity of the disaster. In particular, the EPA was forced to acknowledge that 3 million gallons of noxious sludge had been released into the river, which was three times greater than the initial estimates the agency provided.It is precisely because of the chicanery tactics of the EPA and other government agencies that citizen scientists are most needed. The EPA knew that the water was contaminated, but refused to tell the public. Once the public knew, the agency fudged the numbers. If the actions of the EPA were made by an oil company, environmental activists would demand the imprisonment of the institution's CEO. Since the EPA is a government funded agency, however, a blind eye is cast at these lies and cover-ups.Citizens with the scientific training and means can no longer passively watch as the EPA allows the children of America to be poisoned. Fortunately, this is becoming easier in wake of the cyber era. The internet has breathed new life into the citizen science community. Now, anyone with a library card and internet access has the world's best education at their fingertips. Alternative media outlets likehave lifted the public's health consciousness to new heights. People want to know what goes into their food and how it is made, which requires independent citizen scientists.The future of citizen science is bright. As technologies develop and the internet becomes more accessible, citizen scientists will be able to participate in a broader range of projects. Based on current trends, an unprecedented number of articles published in 2016 will have to acknowledge the pivotal role citizen scientists played in conducting that research.The most common field of study that citizen scientists contribute to is biology. Approximately 72 percent of all articles which citizen scientists contribute to fall within the realm of biology. Citizen science articles related to biology are being published at a faster clip than any other scientific discipline.Critics of citizen science insist that real science cannot be conducted outside of a university. Fortunately, science is universal, meaning no one has a monopoly on its truth. "The work of citizen scientists like myself can be replicated and confirmed by any other competent laboratory in the world, if only they had any interest in doing so," Adams insists. The scientific methods and instrumentation used in Adams' lab pump out a steady stream of work that meets and beats university standards. Refusing to acknowledge scientific work just because it falls outside the towers of academia isn't just arrogant; it's anti-intellectual.Socrates said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." For centuries, however, the examined life was a luxury reserved for the peaks of society. Fortunately, thanks to the internet, the peaks of society have come crumbling down. Citizen scientists aren't just part of the scientific community; they hold the community accountable for bias and errors. And when you think about it, isn't that what science has always been about?
(NaturalNews) How much do you really know about Monsanto beyond the fact that the corporation is extremely evil? Most people's knowledge of Monsanto barely scratches the surface. Monsanto is far more than just a dangerous threat to humanity that profits from weedkiller chemicals linked to cancer; it's also the same entity that gave rise to, saccharin, aspartame, deadly PCBs and pesticides with dioxins.The entire history of Monsanto has been one of creating deadly, toxic chemicals that devastate human populations and then lying about their toxicity (while profiting from their widespread use that poisons the planet). There is no single greater chemical threat to humanity that exists on this planet right now than the Monsanto corporation , and its chemical poisons are faithfully mirrored by the poisonous personalities and sleaze tactics of its attack dogs who troll the internet to discredit all scientists and activists that oppose Monsanto's "chemical domination" agenda. (Much of Wikipedia is now run by biotech trolls, by the way, who specialize in internet disinfo terrorism tactics like the hit piece recently waged against GM Watch .)A website called The Last American Vagabond has published a comprehensive history of Monsanto, and it's so good that I'm reprinting some of it here (while encouraging you to see the full article there).Here's the beginning of it:Of all the mega-corps running amok, Monsanto has consistently outperformed its rivals, earning the crown as "most evil corporation on Earth!" Not content to simply rest upon its throne of destruction, it remains focused on newer, more scientifically innovative ways to harm the planet and its people.As true champions of evil , they won't stop until well, until they're stopped! But what is Monsanto and how did they get to be so obscenely evil in the first place? I think that's the best place to start this journey, so grab a few non-GMO snacks or beverages and let's go for a ride into the deep, murky sewers of their dark past.1901: The company is founded by John Francis Queeny, a member of the Knights of Malta, a thirty year pharmaceutical veteran married to Olga Mendez Monsanto, for which Monsanto Chemical Works is named. The company's first product is chemical saccharin, sold to Coca-Cola as an artificial sweetener.Even then, the government knew saccharin was poisonous and sued to stop its manufacture but lost in court, thus opening the Monsanto Pandora's Box to begin poisoning the world through the soft drink.1920s: Monsanto expands into industrial chemicals and drugs, becoming the world's largest maker of aspirin, acetylsalicyclic acid, (toxic of course). This is also the time when things began to go horribly wrong for the planet in a hurry with the introduction of their polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).Even though PCBs were eventually banned after fifty years for causing such devastation, it is still present in just about all animal and human blood and tissue cells across the globe. Documents introduced in court later showed Monsanto was fully aware of the deadly effects, but criminally hid them from the public to keep the PCB gravy-train going full speed!1930s: Created its first hybrid seed corn and expands into detergents, soaps, industrial cleaning products, synthetic rubbers and plastics. Oh yes, all toxic of course!1940s: They begin research on uranium to be used for the Manhattan Project's first atomic bomb, which would later be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of Japanese, Korean and US Military servicemen and poisoning millions more.The company continues its unabated killing spree by creating pesticides for agriculture containing deadly dioxin, which poisons the food and water supplies. It was later discovered Monsanto failed to disclose that dioxin was used in a wide range of their products because doing so would force them to acknowledge that it had created an environmental Hell on Earth.1950s: Closely aligned with The Walt Disney Company, Monsanto creates several attractions at Disney's Tomorrowland, espousing the glories of chemicals and plastics. Their "House of the Future" is constructed entirely of toxic plastic that is not biodegradable as they had asserted. What, Monsanto lied? I'm shocked!1960s: Monsanto, along with chemical partner-in-crime DOW Chemical, produces dioxin-laced Agent Orange for use in the U.S.'s Vietnam invasion. The results? Over 3 million people contaminated, a half-million Vietnamese civilians dead, a half-million Vietnamese babies born with birth defects and thousands of U.S. military veterans suffering or dying from its effects to this day!Monsanto is hauled into court again and internal memos show they knew the deadly effects of dioxin in Agent Orange when they sold it to the government. Outrageously though, Monsanto is allowed to present their own "research" that concluded dioxin was safe and posed no negative health concerns whatsoever. Satisfied, the bought and paid for courts side with Monsanto and throws the case out. Afterwards, it comes to light that Monsanto lied about the findings and their real research concluded that dioxin kills very effectively.Monsanto partners with I.G. Farben, makers of Bayer aspirin and the Third Reich's go-to chemical manufacturer producing deadly Zyklon-B gas during World War II. Together, the companies use their collective expertise to introduce aspartame, another extremely deadly neurotoxin, into the food supply. When questions surface regarding the toxicity of saccharin, Monsanto exploits this opportunity to introduce yet another of its deadly poisons onto an unsuspecting public.Continue reading the full article at The Last American Vagabond
In an effort to support local schools, Jasper Highlands is announcing that all elementary schools in Marion, Grundy and Sequatchie counties will have the chance to name the three new firetrucks that will be serving the Jasper Highlands community by the expertly-trained volunteers of the newly formed Jasper Highlands Fire Department. Awards of $10,000, $7,500 and $2,500 will be donated to the schools that come up with the top three names as voted on by the public through www.livejasper.com/vote/.

We understand the importance of supporting our neighboring schools and providing funding to help educate the youth of our community, said John Thunder Thornton, owner and developer of Jasper Highlands and CEO of Thunder Enterprises. We hope to see some fun and creative names from the students for these unique firetrucks.

The top prize will be paired with the newest and largest truck in the fleet, which was most recently stationed in Fort Hood, Tx. This massive truck that drives up to 60 miles per hour features a 6,100 gallon tank with a turret that shoots out a six-inch diameter cannon of water, as well as a 500 gallon foam tank. If necessary, it will quickly draw water into its tank from an adjacent pond or stream. With its considerable power, the truck could clean the windows of a 40-story building.



"It's wonderful to see Jasper Highlands giving back to the local schools through involvement with this fun competition to name Jasper Highlands new firetrucks," said Janet Layne, principal, Monteagle Elementary. "Monteagle Elementary is thrilled for the opportunity to potentially receive additional funds to put back into the school for the materials we use every day. May the best name win!"



Jasper Highlands has worked diligently to build its newly minted fire department which will employ community volunteers to ensure developers and homeowners receive the safety and security they need and expect. Jasper Highlands growing community resides over 8,893 acres of mountaintop landscape and has 26 homes completed and/or under construction currently, with more breaking ground this month. People from 26 U.S. states  and even other countries  have purchased lots in the development.



Building the Jasper Highlands Fire Department and providing the best trucks and equipment available has been our number one priority, and we are so proud of our terrific volunteer firefighters for stepping up to help us provide safety for our community, Mr. Thornton said.

Local schools participating in the firetruck naming contest include: Jasper Elementary, Monteagle Elementary, South Pittsburg Elementary, Whitwell Elementary, Coalmont Elementary, North Elementary, Palmer Elementary, Pelham Elementary, Swiss Memorial Elementary, Tracy City Elementary and Griffith Elementary.

Voting begins on Thursday, March 24, and is open to the public  please visit http://www.livejasper.com/ vote/ to vote. The Jasper Highlands office will be open for community members without internet access to go in and vote on Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Jasper Highlands is at 104 Battlecreek Road Kimball, Tn. 37380 (at the base of Jasper Mountain)

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, March 30.
The former foster mother of a medically fragile girl in the Santa Clara County foster system is questioning why the child was removed from her care and placed in a transitional home for men with her father. Two months later, she was found unresponsive in her crib and later died at the hospital.

San Jose police responded to the halfway house in the 500 block of Glenburry Way after receiving a call that 2-year-old Kelly Nguyen wasnt breathing at 1:15 a.m. on Feb. 28. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The coroner has not released the cause of death and the San Jose Police Department has not launched a criminal investigation.

Now, Kellys former foster mom is speaking out, saying she thinks her death could have been prevented. Shellie Nichol says she expressed serious concerns to the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Childrens about the agencys decision to place the girl with her biological father, who Nichol said has a history of drug use.

We were gravely concerned you would take a non-verbal girl to a mens halfway house overnight to begin with, Nichol said. We didnt understand how that was being allowed. It seemed crazy to us.

Nichol has been a foster parent for 15 years and says she and her husband were asked by social workers if they would be willing to adopt Kelly because it appeared she was unlikely to be reunited with her parents. They agreed.

"She was a ray of light," Nichol said. The mother of six said she's dedicated her life to being a foster parent and had become incredibly close to the girl who lived in her home for six months.

She couldnt be angry, Nichol said. She was always kissing and hugging and smiling and giggling.

But Nichol said her familys life was turned upside down last December when the agency informed her they would be removing Kelly from their home. Nichol said she never got a straight answer from social workers and was given conflicting reasons for Kellys removal, from not providing adequate medical care to taking too much control over the childs medical care.

Yet a December 2015 letter obtained by NBC Bay Area from Kellys doctor to the social worker in charge of Kellys case expressed concerns about the girls placement with her father. The doctor also informed the agency that Kellys foster parents were providing "diligent" care for the girl.

"As you know, Kelly is a 1-year old little girl in foster care, who has been shown to have an unusual genetic abnormality, the letter stated. As it is planned that she return to her fathers care, I wanted to provide you with this medical summary of her condition and the concerns held by her medical providers. She is a complicated little girl who will require intense attention from her caregivers to achieve her best outcome.

Nichol said she was never given notice of Kellys removal or the opportunity to fight the removal in person.

There was absolutely no reason to remove Kiki [Nichols nickname for Kelly] from our home, Nichol said. She was illegally removed. We are supposed to be given a seven day written notice. We are supposed to have a meeting and discuss the removal of this child.

The Santa Clara County Department of Social Services provided a statement regarding Kellys death, but said they could not provide answers to specific questions from NBC Bay Area by deadline, such as why the child was placed in a transitional home for men or if that was a common practice for the agency.

We grieve the passing of a child at such a young age, the agency said in a written statement. Our thoughts are with the childs family. Confidentiality laws prevent us from commenting about a specific child or case. Information regarding the cause of death will be released through the Medical Examiner-Coroners Office.

Nichol said Kellys removal devastated the family and they worried about her safety.

My kids didnt get to say goodbye, Nichol said. We didnt know that would be the last time wed see her alive. Theres this agony inside of us. Unless youve lost someone you love you wouldnt understand. We lay in bed at night and we cannot sleep.

Nichol said she fought the agencys decision as hard as she could, even writing the director of the Department of Family and Childrens Services Lori Medina. Medina wrote back saying their primary focus was on Kelly.

I have been meeting with a variety of the staff involved with Kelly, Medinas email said. I really regret that you feel you and Kelly do not matter, and nothing could be further from the truth. At this point, our primary focus is on Kelly, and I will have the manager follow-up with her new caregiver regarding her transition. Thank you for all that you have done, and take care.

In fact, Nichol first contacted NBC Bay Area before Kelly died, after she saw these reports in October about the foster system in Santa Clara County. At the time, Nichol said the girl had been removed illegally from her home and she was worried about the agencys decision to place Kelly with her father.

After Kellys death, Nichol wrote Medina again. Medina responded in an email saying, We are actively reviewing this and are saddened by her passing.

Despite her dedication to helping kids in the foster system, Nichol said she turned in her foster license to the county after Kelly was removed from her home. But Nichol says she will fight for reforms at the agency, such as reducing the heavy caseloads burdening social workers.

If youre going to allow something this outrageous and disgusting to happen, we cant hang our hat with you, Nichol said.
The high cost of living in San Francisco isnt lost on anyone, especially millennials, who are struggling to make ends meet every day.

Amid claims young adults are living on rice and water and can't afford rent, some are striking up questionable escort-like relationships, hoping "sugar daddies" will help pay their bills.

In an article titled "Daddy Dating at SF State," San Francisco State Universitys student newspaper, the Xpress, reported that at least 194 students are currently sugar babies on the dating site SeekingArrangement.com. The data comes directly from the site, which describes itself as a place "where beautiful, successful people fuel mutually beneficial relationships."

One self-identified "sugar baby" told the Xpress, "I needed money." The student described going on a date with a "sugar daddy" at an Italian restaurant.

"He called me a car, and as I was leaving, he gave me $600. He was like, 'I know you need to get your nails done as well as pay your rent.' That was my allowance," the student told the Xpress.

SF State isnt the only Bay Area school with sugar babies  UC Berkeley made the list of 2016's fastest growing "sugar baby schools," with 67 new sign ups last year, as did its sister school, UC Davis, according to SeekingArrangement. New York University tops the list.

Living expenses for the 2015-16 academic year at SF State are around $18,172, not including tuition, according to the university. Data from The Institute of College Access and Success shows the average 2014 SF State graduate left school $22,741 in debt.

"There are a lot of students who cant afford the outrageous cost of living in San Francisco who find relationships that help them pay for tuition and living expenses  sometimes it also helps with networking and finding a job after graduating," said SeekingArrangement.com spokesperson Brook Urick.

A report from SeekingArrangement.com shows that nearly two million students seek financial aid from sugar daddies. New estimates show the average debt of college students rose to $30,867 this year.

"Some see this as a controversial solution. However, SeekingArrangement.com has helped facilitate hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of arrangements that have helped students graduate debt-free, the sites CEO and founder, Brandon Wade, an MIT graduate, said in a statement earlier this year. Thats more than anyone can say of a particular president or Congress.

The site's "Sugar Baby University" page touts how SeekingArrangement has helped students "discover the new way to avoid student loan debt" by connecting them with wealthy benefactors.

"Attending college means you have a choice.Take out loans and eat ramen, or get a sugar daddy and live the life you've always wanted," a promo video for the site says.

In an interview with the Xpress, Urick emphasized the difference between prostitutes and sugar babies, saying "escorts or prostitutes are paid for sex," while sugar babies receive "gifts" of money or goods.

Ads for SeekingArangement.com and interviews in the Xpress article allude to the lavish treatment of sugar babies, referencing gifts of jewelry, fancy hotels, Michelin Star restaurants and expensive wines.

"Whats going on here is a lot different. Sometimes there isnt sex. Sometimes there isnt money," Urick told the paper. "Here, its a relationship and its a gift. The idea is that these people are generous, theyre willing to spoil. They might not have time for traditional relationships, but theyre willing to provide something else."

Urick said SeekingArrangement.com, which launched in 2006, decided to track the number of students registering in 2010.

"We saw a lot of students joining that year," she said.

There are currently 1.134 million student sugar babies in the U.S., most of them between 21 and 27 years old, according to Urick. She said 82 percent are undergrads, while 18 percent are graduate students.

On an average, sugar babies receive an allowance of $3,000 per month, which they spend on tuition (36 percent), rent (23 percent), books (20 percent), transportation (9 percent) and clothing (5 percent), according to Urick.

San Francisco is among the top 10 cities in which to find a sugar daddy, according to SeekingArrangement.com. One in 70 adult men in the city is registered on the site as a "daddy."

The typical "daddy" is 45 years old, with a net worth of $5.2 million, working in technology, business, finance or law. There's a 34 percent chance he's married, according to a report by SeekingArrangement.com.

"We invite (daddies) to be open and honest about the fact that theyre married," Urick told the Xpress. "I would like to hope that a lot of these relationships are sort of a dont-ask-dont-tell thing. I feel like thats what a lot of long-term marriages turn into, where its OK to stray extramaritally as long as youre safe."

Students can also come to the site looking for sugar "mommies."

Those who register with .edu email addresses receive free premium memberships, according to the site, which uses email addresses to track student signups. Students can then create their profiles, add photos and list their expectations, Urick said.

"Its just like any other dating site  everyone finds a relationship on their own terms," she said.

Deborah Cohlar, SF State's chair of women and gender studies, was candid about students seeking out sugar dating websites as an alternative method to fund college.

"[San Francisco] is an extraordinarily expensive place to live," she told the Xpress. "So we have all kinds of working students on campus."

"In a time of rising costs of living, we know students all over the country are forced to work multiple jobs or be entrepreneurial in order to make ends meet," said Luoluo Hong, Title IX coordinator and vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at SF State. "Our hope is that students are safe and free of coercion in these situations, and we will look at this issue more closely, in dialogue with our students, from the perspective of Title IX."

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.

Bay Area college students become sugar babies to pay for tuition: Report https://t.co/RL4chINttu pic.twitter.com/yxJSBySUnv  NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) March 17, 2016

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A non-profit is offering free heart screenings to student athletes at a Pleasanton middle school this Sunday.

The non-invasive tests start with taking a family history and are designed to detect heart conditions that regular pediatric exams and pre-participation sports physicals cant spot. Pediatric cardiologist Andrew Maxwell says children can suffer from sudden cardiac arrest too.

Certain sports are higher risk, basketball being one of the highest, he said. Football too, but any sport thats taken seriously and practiced by a young athlete carries some risk of sudden heart arrest with these conditions.

With an echocardiogram, Maxwell can see deep into the heart of his patient and examine the valves and walls for abnormalities. An EKG lets him listen to a patient's heart.

Seventh-grader Zieren Clark knows the routine, because his heart murmur was diagnosed when he was a small child and he gets regular cardiac tests. He want other teenagers to get screened for cardiac problems, especially if theyre playing sports.

His mother, Patricia Clark of Pleasanton, lost her husband Spencer to a massive heart attack when Zieren was only 4-years-old.

At first you dont want to know, that a child has the same genetic heart problems as a family member who died young, she said. But Ive learned that its better to know, so you know how to take care of them.

Clark says she gets comfort by volunteering her time to organize cardiac screenings for the non-profit Via Heart Project.

She also works to get Automated External Defibrillators, or AEDs, in schools and businesses. She says an AED might have saved her husbands life.

While the teens wait for their screenings at Sundays event, theyll learn basic CPR and how and when to use an AED.

In every screening my only hope is to be able to help one family, to be able to spare them from what our family had to endure through prevention and education, she said.

She worries about her son, but has learned to talk with him about his condition, assess risk and let him play sports and live his life.

Recent screenings held in Danville were attended by only a handful of families, Clark said. But one tragic story about a young person falling down on an athletic field because of an unknown heart condition, and the screening would be packed with people.

When it happens to a community, when an athlete does die suddenly playing their sport, it is devastating, Dr. Maxwell said. You say, is there anything that could have been done? Yes, there is: this screening.

Current recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics do not call for specialized cardiac testing unless a careful family history indicates a higher risk.

The AAP says 2,000 people under the age of 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest in the United States every year, with the risk for student athletes three times higher than for sedentary youth.

The screening event will be held Sunday, March 20, 9am-3pm at Thomas S. Hart Middle School, 4433 Willow Road in Pleasanton. Parents can pre-register at viaheartproject.org.
Crime statistics released by San Francisco police Wednesday show property crimes increased more than 17 percent in 2015 over the previous year, while violent crimes remained flat and gun violence declined.

The increase in property crimes was driven largely by a 21.31 percent increase in larceny and theft, and in particular by theft from vehicles, which saw a 30.62 percent increase over the previous year, police said.

Police officials on Wednesday said that many major cities in California have experienced similar increases in theft from vehicles.

In response, police say they have launched targeted patrols in high-crime areas during the times when break-ins were most likely to occur.

At a hearing before the Board of Supervisors' Public Safety and Neighborhood Service Committee last week called to discuss the rise in vehicle break-ins, police also said they had improved coordination with the district attorney's office in the prosecution of thefts from vehicles.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association, along with many other law enforcement organizations, has blamed the increase in property crimes on Proposition 47, a 2014 state measure that reduces some nonviolent crimes to misdemeanors. Reform advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Stanford Justice Advocacy Project have rejected the claim, saying the data does not support it.

The union has used the issue in an ongoing political battle with Gascon, releasing a public service announcement claming the district attorney, who backed the measure, is "handing out get out of jail free cards" for property crimes.

The crime statistics released Wednesday are from figures reported by San Francisco to the FBI as part of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, which tracks major crimes including homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft and arson.
The Farmers Branch police officer involved in an off-duty shooting is free on bond after being arrested Wednesday on one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault, according to Addison police.

Farmers Branch Police Officer Ken Johnson was taken into custody at 5:55 p.m., according to a statement from the Addison Police Department. The chiefs of both the Addison and Farmers Branch departments said Johnson was cooperating fully with their investigations.

Johnson said he was off-duty when he followed and shot two people he said he saw breaking into his personal vehicle. One of those two, 16-year-old Jose Cruz, died at the scene. The other burglary suspect, identified by family members as 16-year-old Edgar Rodriguez, was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

"Based on our investigation thus far we had probable cause to make the arrest this evening," Addison Police Chief Paul Spencer said in a news release. "But this is a rapidly-evolving situation and it remains an active investigation. Therefore, we are refraining at this time from discussing the evidence collected thus far or about the specifics of this case."

The Farmers Branch police officer involved in an off-duty shooting has been arrested on one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault, according to Addison police.

Spencer said he expected the investigation to continue for several weeks. The Addison Police Department is working with the Dallas County District Attorney's office on the case as well as the county's public integrity unit.

Documents obtained by NBC 5 show Johnson's recommended bond amount was $250,000. He was later released after posting $150,000 bond -- a lower amount approved by a magistrate judge.

Jose Cruz's Family Reacts to Arrest

The family of Jose Cruz reacted to the arrest of Farmers Branch police officer Ken Johnsons arrest.

News of Johnson's arrest was met with applause by hundreds of mourners attending a celebration of life service for Jose Cruz.

Although Johnson was not charged with capital murder, Cruz' mother had been pleading for answers and said she believes he deserves the death penalty. She spoke to the media through a translator.

"They're asking for the death penalty. We believe it's capital murder and that justice would be served by him having the same kind of punishment that he provided to her son," said family spokesman Carlos Quintanilla.

Family and friends of murdered teen, Jose Cruz, held a press conference about the arrest of Farmers Branch Police Officer Ken Johnson.

Family members said they were stunned that Johnson was arrested so quickly.

"We didn't think he was going to be arrested because he's a police officer and they have the power," said Cruz' cousin, Nora Rubi. "He should pay for what he did."

The family is working with a civil rights attorney, but Quintanilla said no decision has been made on whether they will file a lawsuit against Farmers Branch. Quintanilla also pointed out that Johnson was directly charged instead of the case being taken to a grand jury.

"Being so fast shows that the evidence was so overwhelming, and in many of the conversations that we had we basically said the evidence is so overwhelming that there's nothing that could be done except an indictment or an immediate arrest," Quintanilla said. "To bypass the grand jury and directly charge him with murder and aggravated assault, that speaks volumes for the case."

Ken Johnson's Attorney Responds to Arrest

By phone on Wednesday, Livingston called the arrest disturbing.

"The Addison Police Department has gone against decades of precedent in Dallas County of presenting these cases to the grand jury," Livingston said.

Livingston said Johnson was arrested at the Farmers Branch Police Department while being interviewed for the internal investigation. Livingston said he'd previously offered to turn Johnson in, if necessary. He questions why he was notified of the arrest after the fact.

"The only explanation for Addison's conduct and rush to judgment in this matter is that my client is a black police officer, Livingston said.

Johnson, who was not injured, has been on paid administrative leave pending the results of the investigation. Fuller said Johnson and his attorney are cooperating fully in the investigations.

According to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Johnson has worked for Farmers Branch police for a year. He worked as a peace officer for Dallas Area Rapid Transit for almost eight years before that.

Livingston previously told NBC 5 the shooting was justified because Johnson "felt that he was in fear of his life."

The Shooting in Addison

The chiefs for the Addison and Farmers Branch police departments say the investigations into a deadly shooting involving an off-duty officer are moving forward with the full cooperation of the officer and his attorney.

Johnson was off-duty when he fired his service weapon, killing 16-year-old burglary suspect Jose Raul Cruz Sunday night.

Officials said after Johnson saw his vehicle being burglarized in his Farmers Branch apartment complex parking lot, he got into his vehicle and chased the pair to the intersection of Marsh Lane and Spring Valley Road in Addison, where they spun out. An altercation took place, shots were fired and both of the men were hit.

Cruz was killed at the scene while the second person was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital with injuries that were not life threatening. While police have not identified the second teen shot, his family has identified him as 16-year-old Edgar Rodriguez, a friend of Cruz.

Addison police are investigating the shooting, while Farmers Branch police are investigating the initial encounter as well as personnel issues.

The Farmers Branch and Addison police chiefs said at a news conference Tuesday that many details won't be revealed until their investigations are complete, including whether either juvenile had a weapon.

Farmers Branch Police Chief Sid Fuller noted department policies do not allow off-duty officers to chase suspects in their own vehicles.

Farmers Branch Police Pledge Thorough Investigation

The Farmers Branch Police Department continues an internal investigation into a deadly shooting involving an off-duty officer.

The fallout from Sunday's fatal shooting has hit the Farmers Branch Police Department hard.

"It's a bad situation for everybody involved. It's a tragic situation, but we have great men and women that work here as police officers for the city of Farmers Branch that continue to do their job," said Det. David Laisure.

While officers work their normal patrols the department continues its own internal investigation into Johnson's actions. Laisure promised a thorough and fair review of the case.

"We want to take our time to not rush it, to make sure all the evidence is presented and we have a complete investigation," he said.

While the incident is casting a shadow over the department Laisure said the incident is not a reflection of the work Farmers Branch officers do every day.

"Bad things happen, you know. It's how you deal with them. We have a small department and we work very well together. We have a great relationship, we're all brothers and sisters. They have their dedication. Their dedication is to the citizens of Farmers Branch and to this community. We all share that mentality," he said.

Johnson joined the department last year. Laisure has gotten to know him during that time, but would only say that he has not had any disciplinary issues.

Laisure said there is not a timeline for how long the internal investigation will take. The Addison Police Department continues to conduct its criminal investigation into the fatal shooting.

Ken Dewayne Johnson Warrant of Arrest and Detention

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NBC 5's Jocelyn Lockwood, Noelle Walker, Cory Smith and Meredith Yeomans contributed to this report.
Two armed robbery suspects, wanted in South Carolina, were arrested in Whitfield County.

A Whitfield County Deputy received information on Tuesday that an inmate in the Whitfield County Jail had been involved in a robbery in South Carolina. Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that authorities in Anderson County, S.C., were in the process of taking charges on four suspects involved in a February armed robbery of a 7-eleven store where the store clerk was shot with a shotgun by one of the suspects.

Donkevius Euquon Martin, 19, of South Carolina, had been identified as one of the suspects. Martin had been arrested a couple of days earlier by the city police for misdemeanor marijuana.

Investigators also determined a woman had traveled from South Carolina to Dalton with Martin, and she was staying with relatives on Goodwill Drive. The South Carolina investigation also revealed this woman was involved in the robbery. On Wednesday, deputies traveled to Goodwill Drive and took her into custody without incident. She was identified as Amanda Rose Harrison, 17, of Pelzer, S.C.

Both are being held in the Whitfield County Jail on fugitive from justice charges. Both are wanted for armed robbery and attempted murder in Anderson County. They will be held until extradited back to the state of South Carolina.
Rampant teen sexting has left politicians and law enforcement authorities around the country struggling to find some kind of legal middle ground between prosecuting students for child porn and letting them off the hook.

Most states consider sexually explicit images of minors to be child pornography, meaning even teenagers who share nude selfies among themselves can, in theory at least, be hit with felony charges that can carry heavy prison sentences and require lifetime registration as a sex offender.

Many authorities consider that overkill, however, and at least 20 states have adopted sexting laws with less-serious penalties, mostly within the past five years. Eleven states have made sexting between teens a misdemeanor; in some of those places, prosecutors can require youngsters to take courses on the dangers of social media instead of charging them with a crime.

Hawaii passed a 2012 law saying youths can escape conviction if they take steps to delete explicit photos. Arkansas adopted a 2013 law sentencing first-time youth sexters to eight hours of community service. New Mexico last month removed criminal penalties altogether in such cases.

At least 12 other states are considering sexting laws this year, many to create new a category of crime that would apply to young people.

But one such proposal in Colorado has revealed deep divisions about how to treat the phenomenon. Though prosecutors and researchers agree that felony sex crimes shouldn't apply to a pair of 16-year-olds sending each other selfies, they disagree about whether sexting should be a crime at all.

Colorado lawmakers this week delayed a vote on creating a new misdemeanor crime of "misuse of electronic images" by teens.

Colorado's bill was prompted by a scandal last year at a Canon City high school where more than 100 students were found with explicit images of other teens. The news sent shockwaves through the city of 16,000. Dozens of students were suspended, and the football team forfeited the final game of the season.

Fremont County prosecutors ultimately decided against filing any criminal charges, saying Colorado law doesn't properly distinguish between adult sexual predators and misbehaving teenagers.

In a similar case last year out Fayetteville, North Carolina, two dating teens who exchanged nude selfies at age 16 were charged as adults with a felony  sexual exploitation of a minor. After an uproar, the charges were reduced to misdemeanors.

Colorado currently classifies sexting as felony child exploitation, punishable by up to 12 years in prison and lifetime registration as a sex offender.

"What we want to do is get away from the life-altering and devastating effect of a felony charge ... by having lower-level crimes," said Republican Rep. Yeulin Willett of Grand Junction, who sponsored the new bill.

But the legislation sparked a fiery backlash from teens and researchers who told lawmakers that sexting is so prevalent that even a misdemeanor, punishable by a year in jail, is too harsh.

"All different types of youth do it," said Samantha Dehart, a 19-year-old college student who testified against the bill. "I can count on one hand the number of teens I know that have not practiced sexting."

Amy Hasinoff, a communications professor at the University of Colorado-Denver who wrote a book on sexting last year, called the practice the modern version of a love letter or sexy Polaroid picture.

"Sexting is often portrayed as something that's harmful, but we're not seeing a lot of evidence of that," she told lawmakers. She pointed out that it's legal for two 17-year-olds to have sex, but not to consensually take pictures of themselves doing it.

Several prosecutors who argued in favor of the bill countered that minors aren't capable of consensual sexting.

"Juveniles, left to their own devices ... will do things that potentially hurt themselves," said Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler. "We don't let them own guns. We don't let them rent cars. We don't even let them vote, because we don't trust their judgment."

A Colorado House committee put off a decision on the bill Tuesday. Willett said he would amend his proposal to make teen sexting a petty crime, punishable by up to six months.

Hasinoff warned lawmakers that they will need to address the question soon: "Sexting is very common, and it's not going away."
Uber unveiled a new feature of its popular ride service in San Diego Thursday: the company will offer one-way rides across the U.S.-Mexico border, from San Diego to Tijuana.

The service is called UberPASSPORT and promises to make that trip to Mexico hassle-free.

The company says it chose to launch the service in San Diego due to the citys proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border and the frequent use of the border crossing.

The service officially launches on Friday, March 18.

While the Passport service is not round-trip and doesn't offer direct rides from Tijuana back into San Diego, those visiting Tijuana can use Uber to get a ride to the international border, where they can walk across the pedestrian lane and back into the United States.

Ubers Head of Global Operations, San Diego native Ryan Graves, talked about the product launch Thursday in San Diego at a waterfront press conference. He was joined by Christopher Ballard, general manager for Uber Southern California, as well as San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and representatives from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

"This is the first time an Uber trip will cross an international border," Graves said. "That's an amazing thing to experience."

"At Uber we celebrate cities," Graves added. "Today, we have the opportunity to bring two amazing cities together in San Diego and Tijuana together, even closer."

UberPassport is a new way to facilitate cross-border opportunities by providing reliable and accessible transportation from San Diego to Tijuana, Ballard said. Heading to Baja has never been more attainable.

Ballard noted that since Uber launched in San Diego four years ago, there are now 450,000 riders using the service across San Diego County, and 12,000 driver partners locally.

The company says Passport works via the Uber app. Customers can open the Uber app, select Passport within the vehicle menu and tap to request the ride. Riders must bring all required documentation to cross the border, including a U.S. passport.

UberPASSPORT vehicles seat up to four passengers. The company says the base fare is $4, plus $0.30 per minute and $2.35 per mile. There is an additional $20 border crossing fee for passengers.

That means a trip from North Park to central Tijuana runs about $90, while a trip from downtown San Diego to the TIJ Airport runs about $100. A ride from Pacific Beach to Rosarito would ring in at around $160.

To avoid a language barrier, riders can request to be paired up with an English-speaking driver within Tijuana via the companys UberENGLISH feature.

Passport service is one-way only, so the return trip from Tijuana to San Diego is not included. Asked why the service doesn't return to San Diego, an Uber representative noted that this is a pilot launch and that the company hopes to develop the product further to perhaps include a round-trip option in the future.

Instead, to return to the U.S., riders can request an Uber to the international border via the companys local service in Tijuana. Riders can request a ride from their location in Tijuana, and then enter TJ Border Pickup as the drop-off destination in their request.

The Uber will drop the rider off at the San Ysidro International Border Crossing. From there, travelers can use the pedestrian lane to cross back into the U.S. on foot. Once on the U.S. side, riders can request an Uber in San Diego to travel to their final destination, the company says.

There are obvious logistical challenges in crossing to San Diego from Mexico that don't present themselves when going southbound, according to spokeswoman Tatiana Winograd.

Uber said Passport riders should remember that certain items cant be brought into Mexico, including alcohol, drugs, firearms, fireworks, fish and wildlife, prepared food products, meat, fruits and vegetables, gold and plants. There are also some restrictions on the value of purchased goods that passengers are allowed to bring into Mexico, as seen in this Customs Declarations form.



The company plans to make further announcements on its Passport service on social media via its Twitter accounts @uber_SD and @uber_tijuana.

Faulconer said San Diego is excited to be the first-ever cross-border Uber city.



I think the launch of this new option is going to pay tremendous dividends to San Diegans and for our families and for our economy," he said. "This highlights the best of what San Diego has to offer by using one the worlds most innovative apps to bridge countries, businesses and families in a way that has never been done before."

Graves says Uber operates in nearly 400 cities and 70 countries worldwide.
Police officers at the University of Illinois at Chicago complain they were left outmanned and underequipped at last Fridays chaotic rally where protesters and supporters of Donald Trump faced off in noisy and often violent confrontations.



And NBC5 Investigates has learned it is not the first time the union has raised issues about safety, and manpower.



What we, your officers needed to perform our job safely, and to the best of our abilities, was disregarded and ignored, union president Anthony Robinson wrote to Police Chief Kevin Booker. It also placed each and every attendee, student, and VIP in unnecessary danger.



Members of the police department declined NBC5s request for an interview, saying they lacked authorization to comment on the record. But a copy of the letter, obtained by NBC5 Investigates, shows a litany of complaints.



In that letter, which was sent Monday, Robinson complains that officers were told to leave pepper spray behind, not to wear protective gloves, and not to place their hands on anyone.



We were given specific instructions on how to arrest someone, he said. We were told to have the hired security company ask troublemakers to leave first.



After that, he said, officers were told to have Trump staffers ask the individuals to leave, then they were to ask twice more, and inform protesters that refusal would constitute criminal trespass and expose them to arrest.



This was the only plan given to us, and we followed these instructions given, he said. As a result, we arrested three individuals. Unfortunately, you later decided that you wanted no arrests and ordered that we release any and all arrestees.



As a result, the Robinson said, his officers were now exposed to possible legal action by the arrestees, for doing exactly what they were told to do.



The officers also complained that Booker, the chief, stayed far away from the actual event.



The University refused a request for an interview. But in a written statement, they disputed the officers claims.



Our officers had all appropriate training, authorized use of force, and protective equipment available to them at all times, they wrote. The UIC Police were fully prepared to handle security during the Trump event and coordinated extensive meetings in advance with appropriate law enforcement agencies including the Chicago Police, the Illinois State Police and Secret Service as well as campaign and protest organizers.



UIC insisted in that statement, that officers could not have used their pepper spray in the confined area, that they were only told not to wear dark gloves, which look aggressive, and that chief Booker was on site and in charge throughout the evening.



The posture and tactics employed by UIC Police resulted in no injuries and few arrests inside the Pavilion and an orderly exit of large crowds following the abrupt cancellation of the event, the statement said. The UIC Police Department was not consulted before the cancellation and UICPD did not recommend that the campaign cancel the event.



The University insists officers were never told not to place their hands on anyone, that those instructions were only given to private security officers and the Trump campaigns own security.

Student trustee Jauwan Hall, said he was not concerned about the officers' charges.

"I'm pretty sure the UIC police department has a pretty big budget," he said. "I think it's a little bit overblown."

Hall said he had personally seen chief Booker in front of the Pavilion the night of the demonstration. "I talked to him," he said.

"These officers don't seem to have low morale when I see them on campus," he said. "They look fine to me."

Still, NBC5 Investigates has learned that last August, the union raised other safety concerns, about cutbacks in manpower imposed by Booker shortly after his arrival as the new chief.



In a letter to UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis August 16, the union complained that staff cuts would mean only two officers, instead of four, would be available to respond to any police calls, which they called a dangerously low number.



Each group deserves to be as safe and secure as possible, they said. We are surrendering our campus to the criminal element who will benefit from a significant increase in the amount of time it takes before the first police officer will arrive on scene.
The jail inmate accused of beating former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle, who is imprisoned after he admitted to sex crimes against minors, couldnt help himself and doesnt like child molesters," the inmates family said Thursday.

The alleged attack, first reported by TMZ, took place on Jan. 29 at Englewood Prison in Colorado, where 60-year-old Steven Nigg is accused of knocking Fogle to the ground and hitting him in the face multiple times in the prison recreation yard, according to a document provided by Niggs family.

He stopped and let him have a couple, James Nigg, Steven Niggs brother, told NBC Chicago. He said, I couldnt help it Jim. He couldnt help it.

The document, an incident report purportedly from the prison, details the assault at the low-security federal prison, where Fogle is serving a more than 15-year sentence.

According to the report, Fogle suffered a bloody nose, scratches to his neck and redness and swelling to his face. Nigg also suffered a cut to his hand and an abrasion to his left knee during the assault.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons said it could not comment and information on the attack was not being released "in order to ensure safety and security in our institutions and in accordance with legal requirements." A search of the prison database shows Nigg and Fogle are both inmates at the Englewood facility.

Fogles attorney, Ronald Elberger, has not responded to NBC Chicagos numerous requests for comment on the alleged attack.

James Nigg told NBC Chicago his brother doesnt like child molesters," a sentiment he has shared in numerous letters to the family before the alleged attack.

Basically, he said you know, I hope it makes the family happy, Nigg said. Im sure theres a dad or mom or a brother or an uncle that would have liked to have done what he did.

James Nigg said his brother has been in the hole since the attack.

He doesnt regret it at all, thats why they wont let him back in the yard, he said. He would do it again.

Fogle pleaded guilty in November to one count each of distributing and receiving child porn and traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a child. He was sentenced to 188 months in prison.

Last month, he asked a federal appeals court to shorten his sentence, arguing a district court judge in Indianapolis abused her authority when she handed down a sentence three years longer than the maximum term prosecutors pursued.

Fogle admitted that he paid for sex at New York City hotels with girls who were 16 or 17 years old and that he had received some child pornography produced by the one-time head of his anti-obesity charity, Russell Taylor. Fogle also paid a total of $1.4 million to his 14 victims, with each getting $100,000.

Taylor was sentenced in December to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 12 counts of child exploitation and one count of distributing child pornography.
It was Day One for the traditional courtesy calls to senators, but there's not much about Merrick Garland's Supreme Court nomination that has adhered to tradition  or courtesy.

A day after his selection set the battle lines in a major fight over the court, President Barack Obama's choice to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia met only with Democratic leaders on Thursday  steering clear of the Republican leader who has vowed the Senate will ignore Garland's nomination and wait for the next president to fill the seat.

For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the Capitol visit was a stunt "orchestrated" by the White House, his spokesman said. But for Democrats, it was just the opening salvo in a public campaign to make Garland the best-known victim of Republican obstruction and a household name in every election battleground state.

Garland met separately with Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. After the meeting with Leahy, the mild mannered jurist faced a throng of reporters and clicking cameras, but said nothing.

Said Leahy: "I talked to him about where the hurdles are, and I talked to him about what I thought would happen if we actually follow the oath that we've all taken to uphold the Constitution."

Reid also said he braced the judge for the bombardment ahead.

"I just told him to be himself," Reid said. "I think he's willing to take whatever they can throw at him."

More than a dozen Senate Democrats stood in front of the Supreme Court, using the telegenic backdrop to underscore their calls for Republicans to give Garland a hearing. Democrats cited polling showing public support for Senate consideration of the nomination, and eagerly linked the court fight to Donald Trump  the volatile front-runner for the GOP nomination and a source of embarrassment for the Republican establishment.

"If Republicans stand in the way and refuse to do their job, it will only be because they want Donald Trump to pick the next nominee," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The success of the Democrats' plans hinge in part on rallying their grass roots to the cause  a task complicated by Obama's nomination of a moderate with little public record on many issues valued by the progressive wing of the party.

In an interview with NPR, the president said he found the Republicans' argument that the electorate should weigh in "puzzling."

"Well, in fact the American people did decide  back in 2012 when they elected me president of the United States with sufficient electoral votes," Obama said.

Liberal and labor groups planned events next week, when the Senate is out of session and senators are back home, pressuring Republicans on their home turf. The events include teachers holding rallies in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Lima, Ohio, aimed at Sen. Rob Portman; union members mobilizing in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and targeting Sen. Patrick Toomey, and activists attending town hall and other Iowa re-election events staged by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.

Republicans prepared their defense.

One Nation  run by Steven Law, a former McConnell chief of staff and the head the GOP-aligned American Crossroads super PAC  was beginning 10 days of television advertising on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa, aimed at supporting Grassley, a key opponent of confirming an Obama nominee.

The ad says an Obama appointment to the court could "radically transform" laws governing land ownership, gun rights and religious freedom and says, "Tell Senator Grassley, keep fighting for the right of Iowans to decide the Supreme Court's future."

The conservative Judicial Crisis Network said it will begin a two-week, $2 million TV ad campaign on Monday supporting GOP senators in Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio and pressuring Democrats from Colorado, North Dakota and West Virginia.

Also, groups including the Tea Party Patriots and the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List were planning to send members to town hall meetings in states like Iowa and New Hampshire to show their backing for blocking consideration of Garland and were organizing phone calls to lawmakers' offices to register support.

Still, Republicans were mindful of the risks of closing their doors to this nominee, while past Supreme Court candidates had paid visits shortly after their nomination with little controversy.

McConnell tried to pre-empt the spectacle by talking with Garland by phone Wednesday. He wished him well, his office said. Grassley, who also talked to Garland, agreed to meet with him  just not immediately.

A growing group of senators took that approach, including Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona.

"I meet with anybody, and that would include him," Flake said.

Flake said if a Democrat such as Hillary Clinton were elected president in November, he would want the Senate to consider Garland's nomination during a postelection, lame duck session because "between him and somebody that a President Clinton might nominate, I think the choice is clear."


A 60-year-old Milford woman has filed a lawsuit against Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale University and two physicians, claiming she was forced to go through two surgeries in one day after her surgeon-in-training removed the wrong rib and then lied about why the surgical team needed to operate again.

Deborah Craven was admitted to Yale-New Haven Hospital on May 18 for doctors to remove a painful and potentially cancerous lesion on her eighth rib, according to the lawsuit.

A Yale attending physician and other members of Yale-New Haven Hospital staff were supposed to perform the surgery, but a resident was added to the surgery for training purposes without Cravens knowledge, the suit says.

Before the surgery, radiologists marked the rib to be removed by placing metallic coils onto it and injecting a marking dye into her skin and the surrounding tissue, lawyers said, but the wrong rib was removed.

When Craven woke up, she was in pain and it continued into the night, so hospital staff ordered an X-ray.

It showed the metal markers were still in Cravens rib and the surgery had been performed on the seventh rib, rather than the eighth, according to the lawsuit, which goes on to claim the resident tried to cover up the mistake and said not enough rib was removed.

Then Craven was told she needed immediate surgery.

The fact that the surgical team operated on the wrong rib despite a clear indication of the proper site is, of course, negligent, Cravens attorney, Joel Faxon, of Faxon Law Group in New Haven, said in a statement. But the fact that a cardiothoracic surgeon in training would make the outrageous claim that not enough rib had been taken really takes this to another level of culpability. Making the patient undergo another surgery the same day, without owning up to the real medical reason for the repeat surgery is just plain deceitful. Absent the lying my client never would have instituted a lawsuit. As the old adage goes the cover up is worse than the crime.

The lawsuit claims negligence and unfair trade practices.

NBC Connecticut reached out to Yale-New Haven Hospital, which said it "recognized that an error was made."

In a statement, it said:

Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale Medical Group are committed to providing the safest and highest quality of care possible. However, even in the best organizations medical errors may occur. When they do, our goal is to acknowledge them, learn from them, and ensure that we minimize any chance that they ever occur again. With respect to the case of Ms. Craven, we recognized that an error was made, we informed and apologized to the patient, and we immediately reported it to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
If youve ever shipped an item of value, listen up. You pay for those services and have a reasonable expectation your package will get delivered to its final destination. But a Burlington man tells NBC Connecticut; his package was stolen from the FedEx Ground shipping facility in South Windsor last December.

Stanley Solkowski tells Troubleshooter Jill Konopka someone working inside the facility at the time took his package. Police in South Windsor confirm those same details to NBC Connecticut.

While Solkowski hopes investigators can track down his stolen, sentimental high-end Italian Perazzi shotgun, he blames the shipping company and wants FedEx Ground to make him whole again.

Stanley Solkowski has a message for the package thief, "Please return my shotgun. I have 25,000 registered targets with it. And it fits me very well. Its one of a kind, I can't replace it."

Solkowski's gun disappeared from the South Windsor FedEx facility in mid-December and police believe its an inside job. Stolen by a man, investigators say was a sub-contractor for FedEx Ground. Investigators are currently trying to track that suspect down, and find Stanleys stolen gun.

Deputy Chief of Police, Scott Custer told the Troubleshooters, It may have been sold to someone without their knowledge or perhaps someone bought it, knowing it's a stolen weapon. May have been hidden or discarded, but we're very interested in getting any firearm off the street that shouldn't be there and to certainly get justice for this victim."

According to investigators, the suspect admitted to his employer he took Stanley Solkowskis package, and a second separate package he was questioned about by another police department.

But denied knowing there was a firearm in one of them. And while that may be true, we're looking to speak to him, said Deputy Police Chief Scott Custer.

Solkowski initially sent his single-shot trap gun worth $4,000 to $5,000 to "MoneyMaker GunCraft" in Omaha, Nebraska for upgrades, last October.

MoneyMaker Guncraft shipped it back two months later.

Solkowski told the Troubleshooters, I had it polished, and a custom rib put on, and everything was progressing normally until December 12, 2016.

That is when Stanley's gun arrived at FedEx Ground South Windsor, confirmed by this tracking receipt, but then vanished.

South Windsor Police tell the Troubleshooters they requested surveillance video from FedEx Ground.

Deputy Chief Custer added, "That's important to us, to make the criminal case, obviously. I think we have enough without it. But we certainly are looking for two packages that were stolen. He says that's the only two, but there may be others. And video evidence will confirm or deny that.

Solkowski believes FedEx Ground should make him whole.

The package wasn't mislabeled, it's not damaged on a conveyor belt, it wasn't left on a stoop in someone's home. So, I filed a claim immediately with Fed Ex and it comes back denied," he said.

Konopka questioned Solkowski, And they only want to give you $100?

Solkowski responded, It could be, but it happened inside their facility. It wasn't a damaged good or a box that fell off their truck. It was a box that was stolen inside their building and now they don't want to take responsibility for that act. It is absolutely ridiculous."

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for FedEx Ground told NBC Connecticut, FedEx Ground takes these matters very seriously, and the individual involved in this incident is no longer providing services on behalf of the company, according to Nikki Mendicino.

Mendicino also referred NBC Connecticut to its companywide tariff outlining terms and conditions for declared value on items they ship.

Plus, how claims are paid out. Noting, "In this case, the shipper declined to declare an increased value and pay the associated fees, added Mendicino.

"MoneyMaker" Guncraft shipped the gun back, but for reasons they can't explain, Stan's package was not insured on their end.

"We've been in business well over 50 years and this is the first gun we've had stolen and we ship thousands of guns every year and we've never had a problem, Mike Bruening, manager of MoneyMaker Guncraft, said.

Police are adamant about speaking to the man in question , because they know he has the answers they need.

Chief Custer stated, "And hear his side, perhaps he can aid us in retrieving that weapon. Certainly, if this is an unforeseen theft from their facility, I would think any corporation would certainly want to go the extra mile to help out, and certainly to help a customer who seemed to do everything right."

The Troubleshooters tried asking FedEx Ground specifics about Stanley's and the police departments questions with no response.

They also declined to tell NBC Connecticut what contracted company the employee in question once worked for.

State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are also investigating.

Tips for anyone shipping items going forward:

Read the fine print before sending your items on their way, no matter what shipper you use.

Double check the value of default insurance and declare and-or insure your valuables for more if they're worth it.
The new scam targeting W-2 information claims thousands more victims as LAZ Parking company now says its employees were targeted.

A LAZ spokesperson tells us W-2 information, including the social security numbers of 14,000 LAZ parking employees were stolen.

With the W-2 phishing scam, the thief sends an encrypted email to a human resources employee. The email appears to be from a company CEO., and requests the W-2s of all employees. Since the order appears to come from the boss, the HR person sends the details. The information ends up right the hands of identity thieves.

We spoke to an a LAZ employee off-camera who said she was afraid because she doesnt know who has her information, or what they plan to do with it.

Department of Revenue Commissioner Kevin Sullivan said Connecticut and other states are bracing for a possible flood of fraudulent tax returns, because the new scam that's now made victims out of both LAZ and Affinion, specifically targets w-2 statements.

Because what we do is we compare what you say your income is to what the employer says your income is, said Sullivan. And if it matches, thats a verification that you are the tax payer.

Sullivan said the DRS does use other information to verify identity for tax payers, but adds having actual W-2 information makes it much easier for thieves.

FBI Special Agent Martin McBride said one of the ways companies can fight this scam is by educating their employees. He feels the W-2 phishing scheme is particularly effective because often, employees are reluctant to question who they think is the boss. They are going to be afraid to go any further and to not comply with this email, so there is a tendency to just do it because it came from the executive, said McBride. McBride urges employees to verify requests for W-2 before sending them, adding an actual phone call is best when possible.

LAZ said in a statement They are taking measures such as offering all potentially affected employees 24 months of complimentary identity repair and protection services, including credit monitoring services.

Anyone who thinks their information has been compromised can contact the State Department of Revenue service and request a red flag on their file.
The family of Jose Cruz, the 16-year-old fatally shot by off-duty Farmers Branch police officer Ken Johnson, says they are outraged at the low bond amount the court gave the officer and that it doesn't stack up compared to other cases.

Johnson, an officer with the Farmers Branch Police Department, said he was off-duty Sunday when he followed and shot two people he said he saw breaking into his personal vehicle, according to police. One of those two, Cruz, died at the scene. The other person injured, identified by family members as 16-year-old Edgar Rodriguez, was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

Johnson was arrested just before 6 p.m. Wednesday on one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault, according to the Addison Police Department, in connection with the shooting.

He bonded out after paying $150,000 bond -- or $15,000 cash.

"The bond that was placed on Officer Johnson is very low. We look at the disparity in the placement of the bond. For example, the police officer who was shot in Fort Worth, the individual who shot him has a $2 million bond. Jose Cruz gets killed by a police officer, the bond is $100,000," Quintanilla said. "We're not saying that the situation is the same, but we're saying that there should be a higher bond. We find the bond to be offensive."

"We feel it's a slap in the face to the family that Officer Johnson was able to post such a small bond of $100,000 for the murder of Jose Cruz," Quintanilla added.

Documents obtained by NBC 5 show Johnson was being held on a recommended bond of $250,000 -- $200,000 on the murder charge and $50,000 on the aggravated assault charge. That amound was later reduced by a magistrate judge to $150,000.

Addison police have revealed few details in the investigation and have not said specifically what led them to arrest Johnson.

"Based on our investigation thus far we had probable cause to make the arrest this evening," Addison Police Chief Paul Spencer said in a news release. "But this is a rapidly-evolving situation and it remains an active investigation. Therefore, we are refraining at this time from discussing the evidence collected thus far or about the specifics of this case."

Spencer said he expected the investigation to continue for several weeks.

The office of Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk released the following statement Thursday afternoon regarding the officer-involved shooting:

The Dallas District Attorneys Office Civil Rights Unit includes a specialized group of experienced attorneys and investigators. The Civil Rights Unit responds to all officer-involved shootings in Dallas County to conduct an impartial and independent investigation.



In all criminal cases, the law enforcement agency has the option to obtain an arrest warrant if they determine there is clear probable cause. This decision belongs solely to the law enforcement agency. Once an agency has made that determination, as with all felonies, a grand jury must review the evidence and decide whether to indict the individual.



The grand jury will be given this case in its entirety and all parties will have the opportunity to address them. Only then, will the grand jury makes a decision as to whether Ken Johnson is charged.



The Dallas County District Attorneys Office will go forward in our investigation with a commitment to justice and transparency.

Ken Dewayne Johnson Warrant of Arrest and Detention

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Michelle Obama showed off her vocal chops at the South by Southwest Music Festival but drew a round of disappointed sighs when she told the crowd she has no plans to run for president.

The first lady made her debut at the Austin showcase of buzzworthy bands and technology on Wednesday, sitting with Grammy winners Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott to talk about girls' education and empowerment.

But Mrs. Obama broke into song when reflecting on seven years in the White House. She said "time is almost up" before softly singing some of the Boyz II Men hit "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday."

Mrs. Obama says she'll most miss interacting with people as first lady  but says she has no presidential aspirations of her own.

"No, no. Not going to do it," she told the packed convention center crowd in liberal Austin.

She mentioned her teenage daughters, Malia and Sasha, as two of the main reasons.

"The daughters of a president. Just think about it. Come on, young people. Not so easy," Mrs. Obama said. "They've handled it with grace and with poise, but enough. Enough."

President Barack Obama opened the festival last week with a talk about civic engagement, becoming the first sitting president to attend SXSW in the festival's 30-year history. He weighed in on Apple's legal fight against the federal government over encryption, and told a crowd of tech enthusiasts that Republican lawmakers in Texas aren't interested in making voting easier.

Mrs. Obama steered clear of hot-button topics. She instead promoted her "Let Girls Learn" initiative, which encourages world leaders to provide education opportunities to an estimated 62 million girls globally who do not attend school.

She also says she won't disappear from public view or slow down once she leaves the White House next year.

"Sometimes there's much more you can do outside the White House without the constraints, the lights and the cameras, and the partisanship," Mrs. Obama said. "There's a potential that my voice can be heard by people who can't hear me now because I'm Michelle Obama, the first lady. I want to be able to impact as many people as possible in an unbiased way to try to keep reaching people. I think I can do that just as well by not being president of the United States."
The City of Maryville and the historic Sam Houston Schoolhouse will host a day of celebration Saturday, March 19 surrounding the unveiling of a statue commemorating famous Tennessee governor, honorary Cherokee citizen and Texas forefather Sam Houston. The festivities include the statue unveiling ceremony March 19 at 10:30 a.m. at the Maryville Municipal Building and a celebration on the Schoolhouse grounds beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The statue will reside in front of the Maryville Municipal building at the corner of Broadway and Lamar Alexander Parkway. The ceremony will include remarks from Sam Houstons great-great granddaughter, a leader from the Cherokee Nation, mayors from Ireland and Texas, and Maryville Mayor Tom Taylor. The Sam Houston Elementary School choir will honor the schools namesake with an original song.

We are excited to unveil this reflection of art and history, said City of Maryville Councilman Joe Swann. Sam Houston is one of Americas most celebrated and interesting historical figures who has quite a story to tell. The unveiling of Houstons statue in our downtown area, accompanied by important representatives from Texas and beyond, will culminate the long-awaited recognition of Maryville and Blount Countys most famous historical resident. 

Donations to support the completion of the statue can be sent to the City of Maryville through March 30. Interested contributors can contact the city at (865) 273-3401.

Other events are planned in conjunction with the unveiling celebration. After the unveiling of the statue, a reception will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Sam Houston Schoolhouse, where Houston taught in the early 1800s. Attendees will listen to live music, enjoy historic tales and learn about the hidden history of Sam Houston.

Ruby Tuesday Lodge will host a private reception Friday, March 18 for special guests from around the country and abroad. The lodge has a block of rooms available to the public for the weekend. Rooms can be booked by calling (865) 981-9800 or visiting www.rtlodge.com.

The Texas Center for Regional Studies is offering a weekend-long Sam Houston Tour, which begins March 17 and lasts through March 21. Guests will visit historic sites in Dayton, Tenn., attend the unveiling ceremony and related celebrations and explore noteworthy locations such as Fort Loudoun, the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum and the Tellico Blockhouse. Interested participants can register by March 10 at www.samtrail.net.

Those interested in more information about the unveiling event can contact the City of Maryville at (865) 273-3401. For information about the Sam Houston Schoolhouse event, (865) 983-1550.
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl said he left a post in Afghanistan in 2009 to draw attention to what he saw as bad decisions by officers above him, according to documents released Wednesday that also show he was diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

Attorneys for Bergdahl, who faces charges including desertion, said they released the documents to help counteract negative publicity over the case.

Bergdahl told a general who investigated the case that he hoped to cause an alarm by leaving his post, then walk to a larger base in Afghanistan so he could have an audience with a top commander.

"So, the idea was to  it was literally, it was a sacrificial  it was a self-sacrifice thing," Bergdahl said, according to the transcript of a 2014 interview with Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl.

Another newly released document from July 2015 shows that an Army Sanity Board Evaluation concluded that Bergdahl suffered from schizotypal personality disorder when he left the post. A Mayo Clinic website says people with the disorder have trouble interpreting social cues and can develop significant distrust of others.

Bergdahl faces charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, the latter of which carries up to a life sentence. He was held five years by the Taliban and its allies before a swap involving five Guantanamo Bay detainees, prompting criticism from some in Congress that the move threatened national security.

His military trial had been tentatively scheduled to begin over the summer, but it has been delayed by disagreements over access to classified materials.

Bergdahl's attorney Eugene Fidell said the decision to release the documents was made to fight negative publicity and because prosecutors have already entered part of the interview into the court record.

"The more Americans know about this case, the better," Fidell said in an email.

An Army spokesman didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the new documents after hours Wednesday.

In the interview, Bergdahl expressed misgivings about how he and other soldiers were sent to help retrieve a disabled armored vehicle before encountering explosives and enemy fire that turned a six-hour mission into one lasting several days. None of the men was killed, but Bergdahl said an officer complained they were unshaven upon their return to base.

He said he began to worry that if he didn't say anything, a future bad order could get someone in his platoon killed.

He described coming up with a plan to leave the observation post his platoon was manning: "The only thing that I could see was, I needed to get somebody's attention."

He ruled out going to the media and instead decided to trigger an alarm by sneaking off and then walking to a larger base nearby. He described his thought process, referring to himself in the third-person: "That guy disappears. No one knows what happened to him. That call goes out. It hits every command. Everybody goes, what has happened?"

Within a couple days, he planned to show up at the base: "the Soldier shows up ... People recognize him. They ID him. They go, 'What did you just do?' And that Soldier says, 'I am not saying anything about what I did until I am talking to a general.'"

Instead, he wound up in enemy captivity.
Severe storms brought lightning, high wind and hail ranging in size from marbles to tennis balls to North Texas Thursday morning.

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Tarrant and Dallas counties expired at 8:15 a.m. after large hail and winds up to 60 mph affected much the area throughout the morning.

Hail Storm Photos: March 17, 2016

Officials with the West Division of the Fort Worth Police Department reported roof and flood damage to their building. Arlington police also reported hail damage to several police vehicles.

As of 9:30 a.m., 10,200 customers were without power in Tarrant County, where the most damage has been reported. By 1 p.m., that number had dropped to 2,500.

Chopper 5 over the aftermath of a large hail storm Thursday, March 17, 2016.

Several viewers reported hail damage to vehicles and homes.

From Chopper 5, evidence of severe wind and hail damage was heavy in Fort Worth, where the zoo also reports eight exotic birds were killed in the storm.

MedStar spokesman Matt Zavadsky said about 70 percent of the employee vehicles in their parking lot  on Altamere Drive near Interstate 30 in Fort Worth  were damaged by tennis ball-sized hail. Eight ambulances parked at the facility and three more in the field were damaged.

Severe storms drop hail on North Texas Thursday morning, damaging MedStar ambulances and multiple police departments in Tarrant County.

"The second round [of storms] was much more intense," Zavadsky said. "It became an echo chamber inside the facility."

Whenever active weather is moving into DFW, you can keep up with it by downloading the NBC DFW APP!
A Minnesota man wanted on charges of abusing and neglecting his elderly mother, who he took to a bank in a wheelchair to withdraw cash hours before reporting her death, was arrested Thursday in Pomona, police said.

David John Vanzo, 57, was taken into custody in the 1400 block of Cleveland Street by officers serving a $500,000 warrant for his arrest, according to the Pomona Police Department, which received a tip of his whereabouts from the Plymouth Police Department in Minnesota.

A criminal complaint filed against him in Minnesota cites financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, felony deprivation by a caregiver and attempted theft by swindle.

In an interview posted by Fox 9 in Minnesota on Jan. 20, he told a reporter, "I love my mother very, very, very much. I gave my life to keep my mother alive."

Police said Vanzo financially exploited his mother in the amount of about $260,000. He was provided with power of attorney over his mother in 2012, according to the complaint.

The case took a strange twist in the hours leading up to Vanzo's report of her death.

According to a the complaint filed in Hennepin County, officers investigating the woman's death discovered that Vanzo had visited a Wells Fargo Bank branch Jan. 5, 2015 with his mother and made an $850 withdrawal from her account  six hours before he reported her death. Bank employees told authorities that the woman appeared unresponsive and slumped over in a wheelchair with her feet dragging on the floor.

Vanzo and his mother were driven to and from the bank by the same cabdriver, who said the woman appeared to be sleeping, according to the complaint. Vanzo took his mother into the house, then had the driver drop him off at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in the suburb about 15 miles west of downtown Minneapolis.

Plymouth police were making arrangements to extradite Vanzo back to Minnesota.

"His actions were outright despicable," Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein said in a statement.
General Mills Canada is putting a spotlight on the declining honey bee population by temporarily taking Honey Nut Cheerios' iconic mascot "Buzz" off of its cereal boxes.

The Bring Back the Bees campaign in Canada has been launched to bring awareness to the importance of bees as pollinators for crops, the company's website says.

"One-third of the foods we depend on for our survival are made possible by the natural pollination work that bees provide," Emma Eriksson, director of marketing for General Mills Canada, told Adweek. "With ongoing losses in bee populations being reported across Canada, we wanted to leverage our packaging to draw attention to this important cause and issue a call to action to Canadians to help plant 35 million wildflowers  one for every person in Canada."

The global bee population has been in decline due to colony collapse disorder since the winter of 2006-2007, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.



General Mills Canada has also teamed up with Vesey seeds to give away free wildflower seeds packs, encouraging people across the country to plant flowers.

"Bees need wildflower pollen and nectar to stay happy and healthy, so planting wildflowers is a fun, easy way to help the bees," the Bring Back the Bees website says.

This is the first time in the brand's history that General Mills Canada has taken "Buzz" off the box, Eriksson said.

A million boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios will be sold in Canada promoting the #BringBackTheBees campaign, which will run from March to July, according to Adweek.

General Mills would not say whether it would launch a similar program in the U.S., telling NBC the company does not discuss its future marketing activities.


North Korea defied U.N. resolutions by firing a medium-range ballistic missile into the sea on Friday, Seoul and Washington officials said, days after its leader Kim Jong Un ordered weapons tests linked to its pursuit of a long-range nuclear missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile flew 800 kilometers (500 miles) before crashing off the North's east coast.

South Korean military officials said it wasn't known what type of missile was fired, but a South Korean defense official, requesting anonymity citing department rules, said it is the first medium-range missile launched by the North since April 2014 when it fired two.

A senior U.S. defense official said the Pentagon can confirm the missile launch, saying it appears to be a Rodong missile fired from a road-mobile launcher. The official said the test violated multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban North Korea from engaging in any ballistic and nuclear activities.

Friday's launch came amid a heightened international standoff over the North's weapons programs in the wake of its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year.

In recent weeks, North Korea threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul and test-fired short-range missiles and artillery into the sea in response to tough U.N. sanctions imposed over its nuclear test and rocket launch. The North says it needs nuclear weapons to cope with what it calls U.S. military threats.

On Tuesday, North Korea's state media said Kim had ordered tests soon of a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying warheads. Kim issued that order while overseeing a successful simulated test of a re-entry vehicle aimed at returning a nuclear warhead into the atmosphere from space so it could hit its intended target, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.

This led South Korean analysts to suspect that the North would likely fire a missile soon to test the re-entry technology. Some analysts also predicted the North might fire a missile carrying an empty warhead, which contain trigger devices but lack plutonium or uranium, to see if those warhead's parts can survive the high pressure and temperatures upon re-entry into the atmosphere and if they could detonate at the right time.

Outside experts said it is the last major technology that North Korea must master to achieve its goal of developing a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. South Korean defense officials said North Korea hadn't yet to acquire the re-entry technology so that it doesn't yet have a functioning intercontinental ballistic missile.

It was not clear if Friday's launch was meant to test a re-entry vehicle or other weapons technologies or was just intended as a show of force against Washington and Seoul.

North Korea is thought to have a small arsenal of atomic bombs, but South Korean officials and many outside experts say they are not small enough to place on missiles that can strike faraway targets.

Analyst Lee Choon Geun at South Korea's state-funded Science and Technology Policy Institute said the North can probably place nuclear warheads on its shorter-range Scuds and medium-range Rodong missiles, which would put South Korea and Japan under its striking range. Other analysts question that.

The North began to develop ballistic missiles in the 1970s by reverse-engineering Soviet-made Scuds it acquired from Egypt. After several failures it put its first satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket launched in December 2012. Its second successful satellite launch occurred this February. The U.N., the U.S. and others say the launches were a banned test of missile technology. Ballistic missiles and rockets used for satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology.

Experts say a militarized version of the rocket the North used to put its second satellite into orbit in February would potentially have the range to reach the U.S. mainland. However, there are questions as none of North Korea's possible candidates for an intercontinental ballistic missile have been tested "end-to-end," from launch through re-entry and warhead delivery, to show they actually work.

The Korean Peninsula officially remains in a state of war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The U.S. deploys about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea.

Associated Press Writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.
A Miami-Dade Police detective who pleaded guilty after being accused of stealing jewelry and watches during a DEA search warrant was sentenced to 366 days behind bars Wednesday.

Det. Karel Rosario pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 to the charge of dealing in stolen property. He had been facing 15 years in state prison if convicted.

"Today in court, it was apparent that former police detective Karel Rosario had forgotten that to uphold the law, one must always obey the law. He admitted to dealing in stolen property. His actions transformed him from a respected officer to nothing more than a common criminal," Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement. "Hopefully, his upcoming time in prison will help him see the error of his actions."

Officials said the theft happened on May 20, as agents executed the search warrant at the home of Yulia Martinez, who was taken into federal custody and later bonded out of jail.

When she returned home, Martinez discovered several items were missing, including a Cartier watch containing a custom diamond bezel worth $20,000, a gold bracelet with diamonds, Cartier-style "Nail" bracelet, Rolex Daytona watch, a Bulgari ring, Bulgari bracelet, a David Yurman bracelet and several expensive bottles of perfume, authorities said.

Within days, Rosario met with a jeweler to sell the items. The jeweler wasn't interested, but posted photos of the items on WhatsApp to see if other jewelers might be interested.

Another jeweler recognized the goods as items he'd sold to Martinez' husband. That jeweler then contacted the State Attorney's Office and Miami-Dade Police launched an investigation which ultimately led them to Rosario.
A New Jersey elementary school will be renamed in honor of alumni astronaut brothers Mark and Scott Kelly.

The renaming ceremony at Pleasantdale Elementary School in West Orange will be held May 19, officials announced Wednesday.

"It is not often that a community is able to recognize and honor native sons who both fit the definitions of 'Hero and Pioneer' in perpetuity so that generations to come will know where such accomplished individuals had their beginnings," said Board of Education President Laura Lab in a press release.

"Those beginnings helped mold them into the adults they have grown to be and at the same time offer our current students role models who can literally guide our children so that they too can reach for the stars," she said.

"Renaming the elementary school where it all began will personify how proud we are as a school district and community. The Kelly brothers achievements remind ourchildren of the importance of passion, hard work, and dedication. My hope is that many students are inspired byMark and Scotts accomplishments," said West Orange Superintendent Jeffrey Rutzky.

Mark and Scott Kelly grew up in West Orange, and attended Pleasantdale Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School and Mountain High School, from where they graduated in 1982.

Mark Kelly visited Pleasantdale last October, and Scott Kelly videochatted with students while aboard the International Space Station in January.

After high school, Mark Kelly received a bachelors degree in marine engineering and transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, and Scott Kelly received a bachelor's degree in electrical engingeering from SUNY Maritime in Throggs Neck.

They both became pilots in the U.S. Navy and graduated from the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School in Patxuent River, Maryland, according to the press release. Mark then received a master's in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and Scott received a master's in aviation systems from the University of Tennesseee, Knoxville.

In 1996, the Kelly brothers began their astronaut training at NASA.

Captain Mark Kelly, retired since 2011, is one of the country's most experienced pilots with 6,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft, 375 aircraft carrier landings, 39 combat missions and more than 50 days in space.

Captain Scott Kelly, who recently announced he will retire on April 1, has logged over 8,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft and spacecraft and has over 250 carrier landings. He just returned from 340 consecutive days on the International Space Station and now holds the American record for the longest unbroken stay in space.
NBC 7 Investigates was denied basic information about the firing of 11 San Diego Police Department officers from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. Citing the confidential status of personnel information, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman declined to name any of the officers or reveal why they were dismissed, even if the officers identity was not released.

The Chiefs office said it cannot make that information public because it is specifically exempt from release under the California Public Records Act (Government Code section 6254 (c)), and the California Penal Code (Section 832.7).

In other states this information is often publicly available from the officers personnel record. But in California, state law and labor contracts between the officers union and the cities they work for allow that information to remain secret, even after the officer is fired.

Critics, including former San Diego city councilmember Donna Frye, said the public deserves to know more about why officers are fired.

I believe that the public interest outweighs the privacy interests (of officers and their departments), especially if some of those behaviors may have involved members of the public, said Frye, who continues her advocacy for open government as a board member of CalAware, a public interest group that pushes for open government and transparency.

Terry Francke, General Counsel and Executive Director of CalAware, said no other public employees in California are so completely protected by state laws and codes that prohibit the release of information about their job history.

In California the public has access to license revocation information for doctors, lawyers, barbers and building contractors, who are licensed by the state. Francke said personnel information about state and local government employees is also often available, but law enforcement personnel are exempt.

Francke, who advises media outlets, including NBC 7, on how to obtain public records and get access to public meetings, said laws protecting the employment history of California peace officers is a result of the enormous power in the legislature of (labor) unions generally, and police unions specifically.

He said the Democratic Partys majority at the state capitol is very responsive to union priorities and concerns and both political parties are concerned about law enforcement priorities as voiced by labor unions that represent peace officers.

One Democrat, State Senator Mark Leno, wants to open the door of secrecy on law enforcement discipline. While not directly confronting the current prohibitions on the release of information about terminations, Lenos bill (SD 1286) would allow the public to learn more about the results of investigations into peace officer misconduct.

Right now, those documents are also generally considered exempt from disclosure. Lenos bill would also make other law enforcement personnel records -- including complaints against officers -- public record. The American Civil Liberties Union supports Lenos bill, which is now being considered in committee.

SDPD Chief Zimmerman told NBC 7 Investigates she did not personally oppose the release of information about why the 11 officers were fired, but said state law and exemptions to the CPRA prohibit her from doing so.

The department did release limited statistical information about some of the fired officers. One of them was a 27-year veteran; another served the department for 24 years. A third officer had been with the department just 10 months when he (or she) was fired.

Those statistics also reveal Chief Zimmerman fired five officers in a less than two month span, from May 8th to June 30th, 2015.

This is one of a series of posts from NBC 7 Investigates highlighting the publics right of access to information. The stories were published to coordinate with Sunshine Week, an annual campaign bringing attention to federal and local access issues. In California, the public is able to request information from government agencies, offices and officials through the California Public Records Act. For more information on how to request information click here.
For Sunshine Week, NBC 7 Investigates wanted to know how easy it was to obtain a copy of a Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) from local agencies.

In California, more than 500,000 people are required to file an SEI, also known as a California form 700, because of their position as a public official. The forms are filed as part of the Political Reform Act (PRA), according to the Fair Political Practices Committee (FPPC) based in Sacramento.

The forms are the basic conflict of interest code which say no public official can make or participate in making or influencing a government decision they know or should have known they have a personal or financial interest in. The forms are signed under oath.

According to the law, each agency must determine its own conflict of interest code based on guidance in the PRA and which people qualify to file an SEI.

The forms can be obtained by physically visiting a public officials offices.

Government agencies are required to provide a copy when asked. Currently, not all forms can be accessed online.

The FPPC said there is a movement toward centralizing access to these forms online through electronic filing.

NBC 7 Investigates visited the offices of four local government officials to see how accessible these documents are.

The first stop was at Mayor Kevin Faulconers office. Staff at the San Diego Mayors Office was friendly and helpful, but did not have the form in their office. Instead, it was located on the second floor of the building with the San Diego City Clerk. Inside the Clerks Office there is a computer where citizens can search for the SEI they want and leave with a printed copy in hand.

Click here to view the Mayors SEI.

The next stop was the San Diego City Attorneys Office. NBC 7 Investigates was not able to access the form initially. When asked about the SEI, individuals working at the front desk did not know what it was. A representative for the City Attorney called two days after the office visit with instructions on where to find it online.

Click here to view the City Attorneys SEI.

NBC 7 Investigates also stopped by the the San Diego Police Department to ask for the form. During the visit, the SEI was not immediately provided but an SDPD representative followed up with a phone call, instructing where to find the document online.

Click here to view the Police Chiefs SEI.

When searching for San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis SEI, NBC 7 Investigates was directed to three different locations before ending up in the Special Operations Department. A deputy district attorney found the form online and sent it over.

In an email, Communications Director for the DA, Steve Walker, said, providing public records and access to public information is a priority at the District Attorneys Office through our website, public affairs staff, and timely responses to nearly 100 California Public Records Act requests each year.

Click here to view Dumanis SEI.

Below are notes about NBC 7 Investigates visit to the departments in search of the SEI forms:

At the Mayors Office, no one asked who was requesting the document. A woman at the front desk said the SEI was with the City Clerk, sent me down to the second floor. I spoke to a woman on the second floor, asked her for the SEI. She told me that another woman could give me this form but I would need to wait for her to come back. After waiting, a woman helped me print off the form from a computer in the office, did not charge me the $0.10 fee because I was sent from the Mayors office.

At the City Attorney's Office, I was asked who was requesting the document. A woman at the desk wanted to know my name and why I was there. I was questioned about who I am and where I was from. I was told to leave my phone number and email to have someone call me back. A woman called me Thursday March 10 in the afternoon, said to access it on the city clerks office online, type in Jan Goldsmith, it pops up.

At the SDPD, no one asked who was requesting the document. I was asked to call a number asking for the document. After calling twice I was directed on where to find the form online. I searched for Shelley Zimmerman and found a .pdf version of the form.

At the District Attorney's Office, was asked who was requesting the document. One woman said she didn't know what an SEI was and sent me to special operations on 10th floor. Woman on the 10th floor said she didn't know what it was or why they sent me to talk to her. She went to ask people in the back of the office. A deputy district attorney was helpful and gave me his card. The deputy district attorney quickly responded, with links and a .pdf of the form.

This is one of a series of posts from NBC 7 Investigates highlighting the publics right of access to information. The stories were published to coordinate with Sunshine Week, an annual campaign bringing attention to federal and local access issues. In California, the public is able to request information from government agencies, offices and officials through the California Public Records Act. For more information on how to request information click here.
An Uber driver accused of raping a 21-year-old woman last year after picking her up from a bar in Orange County appeared in court Thursday, and prosecutors said there may be more victims.

Omar Mahmoud Mousa, 52, of Anaheim, was arrested last week and charged with one felony count of forcible rape, one felony count of forcible oral copulation, and one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object and force, according to the Orange County District Attorneys office. If convicted, Mousa faces a maximum sentence of 24 years in state prison.

Prosecutors said on the evening of Oct. 24, 2015, Mousa picked up a 21-year-old woman and her female friend at a motel in Anaheim and drove them to a bar in Fullerton, through Uber.

Mousa then allegedly gave the women his business card and asked them to call him directly instead of using the Uber driving service, a break with the service's protocol.

After picking up both women from the bar in Fullerton early the next morning, Mousa walked the women into their motel room in Anaheim where the victims friend immediately passed out on the bed, prosecutors said.

While the victim was intoxicated, Mousa placed her on the same bed, and forcibly raped her, according to the OCDA. After the woman managed to push him away, Mousa left the motel room and drove away.

The woman reported the crime later that day to the Anaheim Police Department.

Mousa told police he was helping the women up the stairs to their room because they were drunk and one of the women passed out.

The incident comes amid growing concern over the safety of Uber and other app-based ride-hailing services.

On Thursday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Herb Wesson submitted a joint letter asking the California Public Utilities Commission to allow the city to implement a pilot program that would require fingerprinting for charter and company drivers, including limos, shuttle services, Uber and Lyft.

Charges against Mousa were filed in January. He was arrested last week at LAX after returning to the country. Mousa is being held on $100,000 bail. He did not enter a plea during his Thursday court appearance.

Uber issued this written statement: "Uber has a zero-tolerance policy for violent behavior, and our thoughts are with the victim of this atrocious crime. We immediately blocked this individual's access to the Uber platform upon learning of this incident and actively assisted law enforcement in their investigation."

The Orange County District Attorney's Office is seeking the public's help identifying potential additional victims in the case.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is asked to call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Mark Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.
Students from Bradley County Schools joined approximately 350 of their high school peers in Murfreesboro to express their views on public education in Tennessee at the Tennessee School Boards Association Student Congress on Policies in Education. The event took place on the Middle Tennessee State University campus.

Attending from Bradley County Schools were: From Bradley Central High School  TC (Theodore) Jones, Elizabeth Montgomery and chaperone Penny Howell. From Walker Valley High School  Hunter Shamblin, Gable Willis and chaperone Josh Justice.

Now in its 34th year, SCOPE is designed to give students a voice where public education issues are concerned and to involve young people in finding solutions to the topics that are discussed. Attendees participated in mock school board sessions, where they assumed the roles of school board members, school officials, parents, students and concerned citizens. The sessions were led by actual school board members, superintendents and educational leaders from across the state.

Students then chose speakers to represent each of their 16 small groups who went on to take part in full-scale debates on current education issues. This years four debate topics and results from the poll were:

1. Teachers shall incorporate smart phones into classroom instruction. (Agree: 33 percent, Disagree: 67 percent)

2. All students shall be required to participate in at least one extracurricular activity per year. (Agree: 43 percent, Disagree: 57 percent)

3. Prior to graduation, students shall be required to complete 48 hours of community service during their junior/senior years. (Agree: 43 percent, Disagree: 57 percent)

4. The school calendar shall be increased from 180 to 200 days of instruction. (Agree: 15 percent, Disagree: 85 percent)

SCOPE delegates elected 2017 SCOPE officers and they are:

President: Will Clark, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville

1st Vice President: Carson Watts, Rossview High School, Clarksville-Montgomery County

2nd Vice President: Connor McClelland, Daniel Boone High School, Washington County

The Tennessee School Boards Association was organized in 1939 to provide a united voice in education for local public school boards. In 1953, the State Legislature officially recognized TSBA as the organization and representative agency of the members of school boards in Tennessee.




A San Diego mother who was high on drugs when she crashed her car into a telephone pole, killing her 3-year-old daughter, was convicted of multiple charges, including vehicular manslaughter and child abuse, the San Diego County District Attorney's office said.

Brandy Teague, 32, was behind the wheel of her Hyundai Electra in the April 4, 2015 crash that killed her daughter, Carlee Ramirez. The tot was not buckled into her car seat properly before the deadly collision on Broadway in El Cajon, a city in east San Diego County, the medical examiner's office said.

Wednesday, a jury found Teague guilty of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of drugs, three counts of child abuse and possession of methamphetamine, the DA's office said. She could spend 16 years and four months in state prison when sentenced on April 1.

Carlee was sitting in a booster seat in the left rear passenger side of the Hyundai when Teague veered off the road and plowed into the pole. While Carlees lap belt was secure, the shoulder belt was behind the back of the seat, according to the report.



Although emergency crews performed CPR on Carlee and rushed her to Rady Childrens Hospital, she died soon after. Her cause of death was blunt force injuries to her head and a neck fracture, the medical examiner said, and her manner of death was categorized as accidental.

During the preliminary hearing, El Cajon Police Officer Jeremy Fisher testified, saying he interviewed the defendant's young son, Brandon, in the minutes after the crash, Brandon told Fisher that his mom had been falling asleep at the wheel before the family arrived at a local fast food restaurant for dinner. The boy said he told his mom that they shouldn't be driving.

Brandon suffered a gash to his left eye, felt sore in his chest and arm, and told Fisher he was having trouble breathing following the crash.
Attorneys for a plaintiff in a federal class-action lawsuit against Trump University have asked a San Diego judge to allow the trial to proceed, with or without a jury.

On Wednesday, Jason Forge, attorney for plaintiff Tarla Makaeff, said she may be willing to forego a jury trial in order to speed things up, depending on what attorneys for Donald Trump request.

Makaeff was the first to bring the suit against Trumps Trump University. The class-action suit is scheduled to be heard in a San Diego courtroom.

Two different lawsuits allege Trumps school engaged in deceptive practices and scammed thousands of students who enrolled in response to claims the school would make them rich in the real estate market. Trump has denied all allegations.

Her attorneys argue that Sonny Low, one of the other plaintiffs, and other seniors, need resolution before it is too late and the case should not depend on the political process or the level of publicity this case garners, which is out of their control.

Forge said they would make their case simple, explaining that "people were promised an actual university, and they didn't get one. And they were promised an actual university with which Donald Trump was integrally involved, and he wasn't. It's that simple," according to court filings.

In another filing late Wednesday from the plaintiffs, a brief printed excerpt from Donald Trumps videotaped deposition was released.

Trump, identified as The Witness is quoted as saying, I am dying to go to court on this case, when he asked about whether he has given praise to someone because you may need their help for a deal.

The brief ends with a question from Forge: And you wont answer the question as pertaining to Jeb Bush? To which Trump responds, This is politics. His attorney says, I wont allow him to answer the question. It is unclear what the question pertained to.

On Friday, Makaeff asked a San Diego judge to allow her to withdraw from the case. The judge has still not made a decision. Her attorneys previously said she never thought she would be publicly ridiculed by the GOP candidate on the campaign trail. U.S. Federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel said Friday in court that he needed more time to review the case before making a decision.

Trumps lawyers argue that the lawsuit should be dismissed if Makaeff is allowed to be excused because the suit hinges on her testimony.
A construction worker has died after falling several feet into the basement of a home in Gainesville, Virginia.

The accident happened at 16112 Thoroughfare Road about 8:40 a.m. Thursday.

Prince William County fire officials say the worker fell from the second floor of a home that's currently under construction. First responders had to perform CPR on the worker when they arrived at the scene.

The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he later died.

No further information has been released.
Some Republican leaders kept straining Thursday to come up with a way to stop Donald Trump's likely ascent to the GOP presidential nomination while others seem headed for grudging acceptance.

With at least this week's additional states in his win column, Trump is now the only candidate with a path to clinching the Republican nomination before the party's convention in July. But he still must do better in upcoming contests to get the necessary 1,237 delegates, leaving some opponents with a sliver of hope he can be stopped.

"I still think it's a very realistic chance that nobody's going to have a majority of the delegates," said Henry Barbour, a senior Republican National Committee member who worked on Marco Rubio's delegate strategy until the Florida senator exited the race Tuesday.

There were incremental steps by some Republicans to rally around Ted Cruz, the only candidate in the race with even a long-shot chance of overtaking Trump in the delegate count.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has been sharply critical of Cruz in the past, said he would help the Texas senator raise money. Graham said that while Ohio Gov. John Kasich is his preferred candidate, he didn't believe Kasich ha s a path to stopping Trump, saying that "is most important to me."

A group of conservatives huddled in Washington Thursday morning to discuss ways to block the businessman. Organizer Erick Erickson said in a statement that the group was calling for a "unity ticket that unites the Republican Party" and was also open to unspecified "other avenues" for stopping Trump from becoming the nominee.

While the statement did not mention specific candidates, one participant said the majority of people in the meeting wanted to name Cruz as a suggested nominee but were worried about doing so because of the effect if might have on Kasich. The person insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the private meeting publicly.

The three best-financed efforts to stop Trump  American Future Fund, Our Principles and Club for Growth have no Trump attack ads planned for Arizona  a crucial winner-take-all contest in six days  or in any states beyond. Club for Growth did buy about $200,000 in ads in Utah, which also votes next week.

Former House Speaker John Boehner floated his successor, Paul Ryan, as the nominee in the event of a convention fight. But Ryan quickly took himself out of the mix, saying through a spokeswoman that he would "not accept a nomination and believes our nominee should be someone who ran this year."

Meanwhile, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton set her sights on a November showdown with Trump. Her victories in four primary contests Tuesday was a harsh blow to rival Bernie Sanders, giving Clinton what her campaign manager described as an "insurmountable lead" in the delegate count.

"We are confident that for the first time in our nation's history, the Democratic Party will nominate a woman as their presidential nominee," Robby Mook wrote in a memo to supporters.

Clinton has at least 1,599 delegates to Sanders' 844. It takes 2,383 to win the Democratic nomination.

Trump urged Republicans to view the party's nominating contest with the same sense of clarity. He said some of the same Republican senators who publicly criticize him have called privately to say they want to "become involved" in his campaign eventually.

Trump also effectively killed the GOP debate scheduled for Monday in Utah, saying "we've had enough debates." After Ohio Gov. John Kasich said he wouldn't debate without Trump on stage, host Fox News scrapped the event.

Trump has won 47 percent of the Republican delegates awarded so far, according to the Associated Press delegate count. He needs to win 54 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination by the time the primary season ends on June 7.

Just a handful of states will vote between now and mid-April, a reprieve for opponents.

"We've got four weeks to identify what the most effective path is," said Tim Miller, a former Jeb Bush aide who now works for an anti-Trump super PAC.

Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who is supporting Kasich, said there were "calls going back and forth between the Kasich-Rubio campaign" about the possibility of a joint ticket, though he said those conversations were preliminary.

Any scenarios that end with blocking Trump could leave the party in chaos. But some Republicans suggested that given the party's current state, the chaos couldn't get much worse.

"The divisions are already there," said John Jordan, a California-based donor who was leading a pro-Rubio super PAC. "There's already open warfare on TV. A couple thousand people in a food fight in Cleveland pales in comparison."

Associated Press writers Stephen Ohlemacher, Julie Bykowicz, Lisa Lerer and Nancy Benac contributed to this report.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is responsible for lead contamination in Flint, Michigan's water supply and would likely face criminal charges if he were running a business, a Democratic lawmaker said Thursday.

"There is no doubt in my mind that if a corporate CEO did what Governor Snyder's administration has done, he would be hauled up on criminal charges," Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said of the Republican governor.

"The board of directors would throw him out. And the shareholders would revolt," Cummings said.

Snyder told the panel at a contentious hearing that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality repeatedly gave him assurances that water being piped in from the Flint River was safe, when in reality it had dangerous levels of lead.

But Cummings said the governor should have done more to push back against state experts. The committee has obtained documents "showing that people all around the governor were sounding the alarms, but he either ignored them or didn't hear them," Cummings said, citing emails showing that Snyder's top legal adviser warned in October 2014 that Flint should "get back on the Detroit (water) system" as soon as possible "before this thing gets too far out of control."

The warning came a year before Snyder says he became aware of the lead contamination on Oct. 1, 2015.

"The governor's fingerprints are all over this" crisis, Cummings said. "His Department of Environmental Quality. His Department of Health and Human Services. His inner circle of top aides. His press staff. And of course the emergency managers the governor put in charge of Flint."

Snyder said he took immediate action after learning that Flint's water was contaminated nearly 18 months after the city began drawing its water from the Flint River in April 2014 to save money. He reconnected the city with Detroit's water supply, distributed water filters and began testing residents  especially children  for elevated lead levels, Snyder said.

"Not a day or night goes by that this tragedy doesn't weigh on my mind  the questions I should have asked, the answers I should have demanded," Snyder said.

Ultimately, Snyder says, he wonders how he could have prevented the disaster. "That's why I am so committed to delivering permanent, long-term solutions and the clean, safe drinking water that every Michigan citizen deserves," he said.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the oversight panel, said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also deserves blame in the Flint crisis.

"You failed," Chaffetz told EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "You had authority under the law (to fix problems in Flint) and you didn't do it."

Chaffetz and other Republicans complained that while Snyder has apologized for his role in the Flint crisis, McCarthy and other EPA have repeatedly denied responsibility. Chaffetz said he was especially galled by McCarthy's comment that it was "courageous" for the EPA's Midwest regional chief to resign as the Flint crisis worsened.

Chaffetz called the comment offensive and told McCarthy, "If you want to do the courageous thing, then you, too, should resign."

McCarthy, for her part, faulted state officials for the crisis, which occurred when Flint switched from the Detroit water system and began drawing from the Flint River to save money. The impoverished city was under state management at the time.

"The crisis we're seeing was the result of a state-appointed emergency manager deciding that the city would stop purchasing treated drinking water and instead switch to an untreated source to save money," McCarthy said. "The state of Michigan approved that decision, and did so without requiring corrosion control treatment. Without corrosion control, lead from pipes, fittings and fixtures can leach into the drinking water. These decisions resulted in Flint residents being exposed to dangerously high levels of lead."

Under questioning from Chaffetz, McCarthy said the EPA should have done more to head off the crisis, but she repeatedly said she did not have the authority to "pull a switch" and force Flint to change its water source. The EPA issued an emergency order about Flint's water in January 2016, several months after Flint switch back to the Detroit water system.

Snyder asked to testify to Congress last month, bowing to demands by Democrats that he explain his role in a cost-cutting move that resulted in a public health emergency that has rocked Flint and caused ripples in the presidential campaign, where Democratic candidates have called for Snyder to step down.

A state investigation has "uncovered systemic failures at the Michigan" Department of Environmental Quality, Snyder says. "The fact is, bureaucrats created a culture that valued technical compliance over common sense  and the result was that lead was leaching into residents' water."

In response to the crisis, the state has approved $67 million in emergency spending, with a request for $165 million more, Snyder said. The governor called for Congress to approve a bipartisan bill that would spend $220 million to fix and replace lead-contaminated pipes in Flint and other cities. Senators from both parties have reached a tentative agreement, but the bill remains on hold amid objections by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.
It was a moving moment as police officers and state troopers showed their support for one of their own lost in the line of duty.

The brotherhood of servicemen was on display Wednesday evening as a sea of blue flooded Albany Street in Boston.

Police cruisers lined the street as Trooper Thomas Clardy's body was escorted to the Boston Medical Examiner's Office by a procession of his peers.

"We really appreciate everyone coming out here, showing their respect for a fallen officer," said Sgt. Pardo Montagano of the Massachusetts State Police.

Both state police and Boston police saluted their fallen brother as the procession went by.

"The family needs to see that their loved one is honored and respected. It's a tough profession being a first responder. Everyone knows when you go out the door you may not come home again. But i think everyone saw here today a great show of respect," said Superintendent William Gross of the Boston Police Department.

Boston police Commissioner William Evans also offered condolences to Clardy's family.

"Our thoughts are with his family and the Massachusetts State Police during this tragic and difficult time," Evans said in a statement. "In honor of Trooper Clardy, all flags on Boston Police buildings will be lowered to half-staff. God bless Trooper Clardy and his family."

Clardy's cruiser was struck by another car Wednesday while the trooper was making a traffic stop on the Mass Pike in Charlton. An ambulance rushed him to the hospital, where Clardy was pronounced dead.

As fellow state police mourn his death, they're reminding drivers to be careful.



"If you see a cruiser in the breakdown lane, you're supposed to move over, keep that right lane open. That's our officer out there. We're outside the car, we're inside the car, it's a $100 fine  you're supposed to move over to the left; no one does," said Montagano.

Clardy, a family man, leaves behind a wife and six children.
Police in Braintree, Massachusetts, say five men were arrested in a motel room drug bust Wednesday afternoon.

Officers responded to the Motel 6 to enact a search warrant. A SWAT team was called in after officials learned at least one man had a handgun.

Prior to arrival, four men left the room and drove off in two separate vehicles.

Police stopped one vehicle on Route 93 and arrested Jassel A. Castillo, 20, of Roslindale and Jancarlos M. Perez, 19, of Norwood.

The second vehicle eluded police in the Boston area.

Searching the motel room, police found and confronted Eufry Cabral, 24, of South Boston. Cabral was shot once by a SWAT member. He was transported to South Shore Hospital for treatment and was later released to police.

Police found heroin, cocaine, Oxycodone and Xanax on Cabral prior to his transport.

The second vehicle was later found and Alfidis Victorino, 21, of Hyde Park and Manuel E. Martinez, 28, of Mattapan, were arrested.

During a search of that vehicle, police found 19.1 grams of heroin, a Rugger semi-automatic handgun and a magazine for a .45 caliber handgun.

All five men were charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act., among other charges.

They were all scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning.
A Boston man who was captured in the Dominican Republic faced a judge Thursday in connection with charges that he killed a woman and then left her burning body near train tracks last year.

Fernando Owens, 43, of Boston's Dorchester section, pleaded not guilty to the murder and aggravated kidnapping of 29-year-old Ashley Bortner of New Jersey.

Prosecutors say Owens knew Bortner and believed she had a role in the murder of his son. Authorities also seized evidence linking Owens to Bortner's murder, including a towel and an electrical cord, according to the Suffolk county district attorney.

Owens, who was captured by U.S. and Dominican Republic authorities on March 8, is being held without bail.

Bortner's body was discovered by Bridgewater police last November after they received a 911 call about a fire burning besides MBTA train tracks. More than 70 percent of her body had been burned, and she had been gagged by clothing and her face wrapped with a towel. Her hands and feet were also bounded together behind her, according to authorities.

A New Hampshire couple, Julian and Shannon Squires, have also been charged in connection with Bortner's murder. Police say the Squires were also in Bridgewater around the time of the 911 call and helped Owens kill Bortner and get rid of her body.

Owens' next court appearance is July 15.
A police procession escorted the body of fallen Massachusetts State Police Trooper Thomas Clardy from Boston to a Hudson funeral home on Thursday afternoon.

Clardy was struck and killed on the Massachusetts Turnpike during a traffic stop on Wednesday.

Police began escorting his body from the Medical Examiner's Office in Boston to Tighe-Hamilton Funeral Home at 2 p.m. The procession continued up I-90 to I-495, arriving around 3 p.m.

Police, Fire Line the Streets for Fallen Trooper

Massachusetts State Police, along with other Boston-area police departments escorted the hearse carrying Trooper Clardys body to the Tighe-Hamilton Funeral Home.

The investigation into Clardy's death is ongoing, and people who live in his Hudson neighborhood are grieving the loss of a friend, a loving husband and a father of six.

The investigation continues Thursday after a Massachusetts State Police trooper who was struck and killed during a traffic stop Wednesday.

"It's just really heartbreaking, to go out every day not knowing what's going to happen," said Stacey Hartford. "They risk their lives, even something as simple as a traffic stop."

"Just shocked," neighbor Cathy Scott said. "My heart goes out to his wife and his kids."

"They're just a great family," said Kelly Cabral, another neighbor. "You see them out moving around, walking the neighborhood, the little one in his little wheelie car."

He used to sit on his steps outside and wave when I would walk by, walking my dogs," Scott added. "Just a really nice guy, really nice family."

Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker ordered the U.S. and Massachusetts flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Clardy.

Clardys brothers in blue continue to sit outside of his home, providing security and protection to his family.

Meanwhile, the driver in the crash, 30-year-old David Njuguna, was hospitalized with serious injuries and remains hospitalized. He will be summonsed into court to face criminal charges once he is released from the hospital. The RMV has revoked his license.

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State police Col. Richard McKeon said Clardy was, known for his professionalism and dedication. "All who knew him have today borne witness to his outstanding character."

His neighbors say they're ready to lend a hand to the troopers widow and children.

"What we do around here, when there's a need, we all get together and do whatever we need to do," Cabral said. "Whatever Reise needs then we will go out and do what she needs - take care of the kids, get them to where they need, make meals, whatever it is that they need to do."

The Chick-fil-A in Framingham left a table empty in Clardy's honor, according to Natick Police.

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Clardy's funeral service will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Michael's Church in Hudson.
A retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer is in U.S. custody awaiting trial on charges stemming from the smuggling of narwhal tusks.



Gregory Logan, 58, of St. John, New Brunswick, waived the right to a detention hearing Wednesday in Bangor, Maine, after being extradited to face charges of money laundering after pleading guilty in Canada to smuggling narwhal tusks, prosecutors said.



U.S. prosecutors say Logan smuggled 250 tusks worth $2 million across the border into Maine in false compartments in his vehicle.



Narwhals are medium-sized whales known for spiral tusks that can grow longer than 8 feet. They are protected by the U.S. and Canada. Their tusks, like elephant tusks, are valued for their use in carvings and jewelry-making.



"As this case shows, wildlife trafficking can involve millions in illegal transactions, compounding the damage it does to the wealth and diversity of life on our planet," Assistant Attorney General John Cruden said in a statement from Washington, D.C.



Logan was charged along with two U.S. residents. Andrew Zarauskas of Union, New Jersey, was convicted and sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in the smuggling operation. Jay Conrad of Lakeland, Tennessee, pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.



According to the indictment, Logan was working as a Canadian Mountie when he began bringing narwhal tusks across the border into the U.S. in 2000.



Logan, who retired from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2003, served four months of home detention and paid a $350,000 fine in Canada, U.S. officials said.



Under extradition terms, U.S. prosecutors dropped the smuggling charges and are pursuing money laundering charges from his transfer of money to Canada after selling the tusks in the U.S.



Court documents don't indicate whether Logan has retained a lawyer.



If convicted of money laundering, he would face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000, prosecutors said.
Last week the Enterprise Connect trade show was held in Orlando, Florida. The show is the collaboration industrys largest event and because of that, there were dozens of vendors that issued press releases touting the latest and greatest innovations in the market.

One announcement that I thought flew under the radar was Ciscos intent to acquire privately held Synata. Jim Duffy wrote a short article covering the news but the importance of this acquisition hasnt been discussed.

Explaining what Syanta does is fairly simple. It lets user search encrypted files and messages, even if theyre stored in cloud storage drives. Cisco will use this technology to enhance its team-messaging product, Cisco Spark.

There are currently about a dozen or so of these products on the market including high flying Slack, HipChat (acquired by Atlassian), Glip (acquired by RingCentral), Circuit from Unify and at Enterprise Connect Avaya took the covers off of Zang Spaces and Mitel was showing off of MiTeam.

The value proposition of all of these applications is to find a better tool for sharing information for team collaboration than by using e-mail. Most of the products also let you do some form of real-time communications, such as voice and video. Its hard to understand the value of something like Spark without using it and in mid 2015 I authored this post using myself as an example.

With respect to Spark specifically, one of its competitive differentiators is the integrated security. Cisco is the market leader in IT security and applied its expertise to Spark. All messages and documents stored in Spark are encrypted. This is a mandatory feature for heavily regulated verticals such as healthcare and financial services. For example, a doctor may want to use Spark to share patient information with other specialists, but if the data gets breached, it could cause a privacy violation. Another example could be a CEO and CFO from a publicly traded company sharing financial information for an upcoming quarterly earnings call. A breach there could have serious implications, even jail time for the executives.

However, encryption is a double-edge sword. Its great that no one can see the data but that also means its not searchable. One of my concerns with the entire team messaging market is that while it is indeed cutting down the number of emails being sent, it is doing so by moving the messaging to another platform, like Spark. Once a user has hundreds or even thousands of Spark rooms, how can a worker find content without being able to conduct a search?

Synata fixes that problem. At Enterprise Connect I talked with some users of Spark and the news of the Synata acquisition was very well received as the inability to search on the content itself was starting to cause some frustration. Spark is still relatively new and the novelty of it will keep people using it in the short term. As the utilization of the product grows and businesses become more reliant on the tool, it must be enterprise grade and that means having the content be secured but also searchable.

Another feature that Synata brings is something called graph search, which indexes the connections users have made with each other while interacting with the platform. In this digital era, everyone wants more data to analyze. This feature could be particularly useful for line of business managers that want to correlate usage of Spark with productivity to help tweak processes or ensure workers are trained properly.

Cisco Spark is certainly a powerful tool enabling organizations to change the way they collaborate. Synata brings some required functionality to it required for businesses to scale the usage of it across an organization rather than just a departmental tool.
The network NASA uses to deliver telemetry ground-based tracking, data and communications services to a wide range of current and future spacecraft needs a serious bump in security technology.

That was the conclusion of the space agencys Office of Inspector General which stated: We found that NASA, [NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, which manages the network] failed to comply with fundamental elements of security risk management reflected in Federal and Agency policies. We believe that these deficiencies resulted from inadequate Agency oversight of the network and insufficient coordination between stakeholders. These deficiencies unnecessarily increase the networks susceptibility to compromise.

+More on Network World: NASA details bleeding edge communications ideas+

The OIG went on to state that NASAs network assets are located in extreme environments such as Alaska and Antarctica, making maintenance on the aging structures more difficult. Constrained budgets have also led the Agency to defer some maintenance activities, which, on at least one occasion, has contributed to the unexpected failure of network equipment.

The Near Earth Network uses four NASA-owned ground stations, three in the United States on the campus of the University of Alaska, in Fairbanks; on the Wallops Flight Facility (Wallops) in Virginia; and on the White Sands Complex (White Sands) in New Mexico and one at the McMurdo Station in

Antarctica to offer services to over 40 missions with satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), geosynchronous orbit (GEO) highly elliptical orbit, Lunar orbit and missions with multiple frequency bands.

+More on Network World: +

At the time of our audit, NASA was expanding the networks capacity by installing new antennas at the Kennedy Uplink Station at Kennedy Space Center and at the Ponce de Leon Ground Station in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. A portion of this new capacity will be dedicated to supporting the launch activities for the vehicles NASA intends to use to send humans into deep space the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion). NASA also installed a third antenna at the Fairbanks facility, which became operational in July 2014, the OIG stated.

The problems cited by the OIG included:

Information system connections between the network and the external entities that support its operations are not managed in accordance with Federal and NASA policy. As a result, the agency does not have sufficient visibility into the security posture of these external systems and cannot ensure the owners are able to adequately respond to or report security events.

IT security controls, such as software that identifies malicious code, are not in place or functioning as intended.

Due to insufficient coordination between the Network, Goddard, and NASA Office of Protective Services physical security controls have not been implemented on NASA-owned and supporting contractor facilities in accordance with Agency or Federal standards.

Network components are at risk of unexpected failure due to their age and lack of proactive maintenance. Although the network is performing preventative maintenance on NASA-owned assets, it has not been performing or tracking depot-level maintenance on this equipment. This failure to proactively inspect and replace cables and mechanical systems that are reaching their failure point has already resulted in one unexpected breakdown and could require the network to purchase more costly commercial services in the future.

NASA assigned a security categorization rating of Moderate to the Near Earth Network and did not include the network in its Critical Infrastructure Protection Program. We believe this categorization was based on flawed justifications and that the networks exclusion from the Protection Program resulted from a lack of coordination between network stakeholders. Given the importance of the network to the success of NASA Earth science missions, the contingency support it provides for the Space Network, and the plans for it to support human space flight in the future, we believe a higher categorization rating and inclusion in the Protection Program is warranted.

The OIG said that NASA management agreed with almost all of its recommendations to fix issues with the exception of reclassifying the network completely. The OIG said that NASAs Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations and the Chief Information Officer agreed to recategorize the portion of the network that supports the SLS and Orion as a High system, but intend to retain the Moderate rating for the rest of the network because it is not critical to the operation of any NASA spacecraft or spacecraft program. We have concerns regarding this rationale. As discussed in our report, we do not believe the network operates simply as a pass through for communications. Rather, network components must store (albeit temporarily) and process data and commands prior to transmitting to the spacecraft. Given the importance of the network to the success of NASA Earth science missions and the launch and contingency support it provides other Federal agencies, we continue to believe the entire network should be categorized as High, the OIG stated.

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Pre-fabricated, shipping container-like stackable modules, containing data center gear are the future, according to Keystone NAP, a startup vendor, whos recently obtained new funding.

The modular specialist has borrowed $15 million through finance adviser White Oak to complete a property acquisition, and finance expansion, the Philadelphia Inquirer says.

Modular data centers are one of the three top trends in data center land, according to Keystone NAP co-founder Shawn R. Carey, writing last year on the Advance Healthcare Network website . The other two fads being outsourcing, and hybrid cloud.

Research last year projected a 31.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) between 2015 and 2020 for the modular data center genre, with developing markets like China and India leading the thrust.

Modular data centers are better than regular ones, thinks Keystone NAP. The KeyBlocks, as the company calls the large individual containers, offer more flexibility, particularly in a shared space, it says on its website.

With different modules for different clients, companies can customize power, cooling, and network connectivity configurations, the site says. In other words, each modular unit can be unique in temperature, security, bandwidth and so on. If a client wants a certain environment, or new switches, say, it can get the work completed on the units that pertain to itthe whole building doesnt have to upgrade resources.

Modular data centers arent new. Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook have all deployed solutions, Keystone NAP says.

Whats interesting about the startups model, though, is that its business has an emphasis on multi-tenant environments. Theoretically, each container within the space can be dedicated to a different client. Previously, modular data centers have been usually implemented as a stopgap, rapid deployment, or flexible expansion solution by one operator, such as a Facebook, say.

+ MORE DATA CENTERS: 10 more of the worlds coolest data centers +

Hospital-owner Aria, Comcast, a managed cloud host, IBM, and a financial service company all have varying kinds of facilities located in Keystone NAPs Philadelphia site, the newspaper says.

Modular has advantages. Healthcare, for example, likes modular solutions for security reasons, Carey said in his article. It offers greater security over traditional data center cages, he believes.

Conceivably, Keystone NAP, and others modular business could bridge a gap between enterprises who dont want to run their own data center, yet dont want to be co-located in someone elses, and arent enamored with the cloudor any combination.

The client gets its own fully controllable module, and realizes other gains, too. They include better cooling efficiencies, explains data center real estate firm Wired Real Estate Group on its website. Heat can be easier to remove from individual units, compared to floors in a building. Plus, the stackable nature also provides better equipment densities than those traditional setups, or modular cabinets, the fanboys say.

The Schneider Electric-built blocks that Keystone NAP have implemented can be piled three-high, explains Data Center Knowledge, who wrote about the initial KeyBlock deliveries, which were shipped on the back of a flat-bed, in January last year.

The first KeyBlock arrived before the building fit-out was finished to demonstrate the capabilities to the customer, Data Center Knowledge says. Thats something that wouldnt have been possible to do with a traditional approach, it reckons.
The Team Behind #ByeAnita Tells Us Why They Don't Support Kim Foxx, Either

By Mae Rice in News on Mar 16, 2016 9:55PM

If youve scrolled past the #byeAnita hashtag on Twitter, seen the banner above flying through the sky, or noticed that Kim Foxx is Cook County's democratic nominee for States Attorney, then youve indirectly encountered Assatas Daughters. The intergenerational collective of black women and girls was central to Anita Alvarezs loss in Tuesdays primary. Working with a coalition of black activists from Black Lives Matter, BYP100, and other organizations, they disrupted Alvarezs fundraising events and posted anti-Alvarez banners throughout the city16 of them, total, to evoke the 16 times Laquan McDonald was shot by a Chicago police officer almost two years ago. (A video of the fatal shooting released last fall fueled the effort to oust Alvarez, who was tasked with investigating and prosecuting the shooter.)

Tuesday night, the collective released two statements about their victory, and threw a party (with cake!) to honor Alvarezs departure from city government. Today, Chicagoist spoke with Tess Raser, a 26-year-old teacher and organizer for Assatas Daughters, about how this happened.

Why they focused on Anita Alvarez



Helping the city keep the video of McDonalds death under wraps was just one of the counts against Alvarez, Raser said. She made it so its nearly impossible to convict officers who kill predominantly black people. Like Rekia Boyd: her killer, Dante Servin, still is a police officer with CPD, and this year will mark the four-year anniversary of her death.

Raser also said Alvarez gave harsh, maximum sentences to black and brown children, even though Raser argues that no children should ever really be in prisons and jails. ... The Supreme Court has suggested that actually when were dealing with children and youth, we should consider other things instead of just [automatically] giving them prison and jail sentences.

How they got her out of office

Quickly. Raser said Assatas Daughters and their coalition didnt really begin action against Anita until a month ago, when they noticed that Alvarez was leading in the polls despite a winter plagued by scandal. Since then, they not only hung 16 banners as far north as Rogers Park, and as far south as 79th Streetthey also strove to educate voters on why Alvarez is harmful to our community, as Raser put it, in a variety of ways.

On Friday, they even managed to use the cancelled Donald Trump rally at UIC as an opportunity to campaign against Alvarez.They blocked the Racine & Van Buren intersection near UIC, Raser said, to connect the similarities between [Alvarez] and Donald Trump, as both being anti-black, both being supporters of state violence against black and brown communities. We wanted to say that that was unacceptable.

Our official statement on the States Attorney Race. #ByeAnita Posted by Assata's Daughters on Tuesday, March 15, 2016

How they feel about Kim Foxx

Assatas Daughters doesnt endorse her, and never did. We werent working with a political candidate, Raser said. Our goal was getting Anita Alvarez out of office.

She continued, We arent on team Kim. Were on team for our people. No prosecuting attorney is ever going to be that team.

She hopes that this frame, of organizing against a candidate rather than for one, can be useful to organizers in other cities, helping them engage with politicians who have a lot of power, in our eyes, but who arent really ever going to be revolutionary or radical for us in the ways that we need them to be.

Still, she hopes that Foxx can provide harm reduction, offering police less impunity and administering less harsh sentences to people of color than Alvarez did. Not that Raser's hopes are high.Well be holding her accountable in the same ways as Anita Alvarez. Were not asleep now that we got Anita Alvarez out of office.

What they want for Chicago

Were police and prison abolitionists, so we never are here to support the head prosecutor of the state, whose job, in my eyes, is to incarcerate black people. Raser and Assatas Daughters hope that one day, the massive amounts of money that fund local police and jails get invested in services for poor communities, especially poor black ones.

Black communities in Chicago dont have resources that people need to survive part of what imagining what a world without police and prison looks like is [imagining] a world where we have services like mental health care, where we have schools.

As a teacher, Raser knows firsthand how valuable this could be. A lot of my students last year, they were in classrooms with 43 other students . Thats the experience of a lot of black people in Chicago.

Correction, March 17: This post previously said that Kim Foxx was Cook County's State's Attorney. She is the democratic nominee for Cook County's State's Attorney.
 Flash

At least 20 Al-Shabaab militants were killed and several others injured by Puntland forces in heavy fighting in Nugal region in northern Somalia on Wednesday.

Puntland Information Minister Mohamud Hassan said two of the Puntland forces were injured during the battle with the insurgents who stormed the region early Wednesday.

"We are in heavy battle with Al-Shabaab terrorist group in the two regions. Our defense forces are fighting with them and have killed 20 of the militants. Some are hiding in holes but we will end the on-going battle within 72 hours," Hassan said.

"We also call on Al-Shabaab leaders and the youth who have been misled to join the group to surrender to our forces. We will give them amnesty," Hassan added.

The insurgents seized the port town of Garaad before they were overpowered by Puntland forces. About 200 militants arrived in boats in Garaad and immediately took over the town before cutting off communication lines.

Governor of Nugal region in Puntland State Omar Abdullahi Faraweyne told reporters that Puntland forces would ultimately defeat the terrorists.

"Puntland Security and Defense forces responded to the attacks by a group of Al-Shabaab who stormed Garmal and Suuj areas in Dangoroyo district in Nugal region. We will definitely defeat the terrorists," Faraweyne said.

However, the Al-Qaida allied militant group said their forces are advancing and expanding to new areas in Puntland State in northern Somalia after hundreds of their fighters reached coastal areas with boats on Sunday.

The development came after the National Intelligence and Security Agency said on Tuesday the security of national ports were tightened following information that the terrorist group was planning to carry out attacks on local seaports in Somalia.

NISA said the militants seen in Garacad were estimated to be 200 fighters who were planning to carry out attacks on ports in the country.
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Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman has resigned from this post as the country's account at the U.S. Federal Reserve had been hacked and some 101 million U.S. dollars was stolen, an official at the Bangladeshi Prime Minister's Office told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Former Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman talks to journalists at his residence in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 15, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The official who did not like to be named said Rahman on Tuesday morning submitted his resignation letter.

Hours before submitting resignation letter, he told journalists that " I wish to tender my resignation from my employment as the Bangladesh Bank governor."

He said, "I've drafted my resignation letter and will submit it after meeting prime minister."

Ihsanul Karim, prime minister Sheikh Hasina's press secretary, told Xinhua that he will hold a press briefing later in the day to provide further details in this connection.

Some 101 million U.S. dollars worth of foreign reserves of the Bangladesh Bank, deposited with the U.S. central bank, was on Feb. 5 stolen by a racket of hackers.

And this money was transferred to Sri Lanka and the Philippines, it is said.

Some 20 million U.S. dollars of the total stolen money has so far been recovered, sources close to central bank of Bangladesh had earlier said.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

A mix of clouds and sunshine with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 60F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.

contains the active ingredient vancomycin hydrochloride CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION

What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about Vancomycin Alphapharm. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Vancomycin Alphapharm against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.

What Vancomycin Alphapharm is used for Vancomycin Alphapharm is used to treat severe infections of the body caused by bacteria, such as: severe staphylococcal infections endocarditis, an infection that causes inflammation of the lining of the heart osteomyelitis (bone infection) pneumonia (lung infection) septicaemia (infection of the blood) skin and skin structure infections infections in the intestines. It belongs to a group of medicines called glycopeptide antibiotics. It works by killing the bacteria that are causing the infection. Vancomycin Alphapharm may be used alone, or in combination with other medicines, to treat your condition. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason. This medicine is not addictive. This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Before you are given Vancomycin Alphapharm

When you must not be given it You must not be given Vancomycin Alphapharm if you have an allergy to: any medicine containing vancomycin glycopeptides any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: shortness of breath wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Before you start to take it Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, preservatives, or dyes. Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions: kidney problems hearing problems, including hearing loss inflammatory bowel disorders. Tell your doctor if you have an allergy to teicoplanin, an antibiotic used to treat serious infections. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved. If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Vancomycin hydrochloride.

Taking other medicines Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Some medicines and Vancomycin Alphapharm may interfere with each other. These include: antibiotics, such as neomycin, gentamicin, amikacin, bacitracin, tobramycin, colistin or viomycin antifungal medicines, such as amphotericin B (amphotericin) cisplatin, an anticancer medicine fluid tablets (diuretics), such as etacrynic acid and furosemide (frusemide) anaesthetic agents colestyramine, a powder taken to lower cholesterol levels suxamethonium or vecuronium, medicines used to relax muscles. These medicines may be affected by Vancomycin Alphapharm or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.

How Vancomycin Alphapharm is given

How much is given Your doctor will decide what dose of vancomycin you will receive and how long you will receive it for. This depends on your condition and other factors, such as your weight and how well your kidneys are working.

How it is given Vancomycin Alphapharm will always be prepared and given to you by a doctor or healthcare professional. It is usually given as a slow injection into a vein (intravenous drip). It can be given as an oral solution to treat serious infections of the bowel and colon (large bowel). Your doctor or healthcare professional may use a flavoured syrup to improve the taste.

How often will it be given For most infections, Vancomycin Alphapharm is given in divided doses throughout the day. Your doctor will decide for how long you will be given Vancomycin Alphapharm. This will depend on the severity of the infection being treated.

Overdose Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have been given too much Vancomycin Alphapharm. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are being treated with Vancomycin Alphapharm

Things you must do If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are being given Vancomycin Alphapharm. Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are being given this medicine. If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being given this medicine. It may affect other medicines used during surgery. Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to prevent unwanted side affects. If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.

Things to be careful of Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Vancomycin Alphapharm affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness in some people. If you have this symptom, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.

Side effects Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Vancomycin Alphapharm. This medicine helps most people with serious infections but it may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects. If you are over 65 years of age you may have an increased chance of getting side effects. Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following and they worry you: stomach ache chills pain, inflammation or flaking at the injection site nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting mild diarrhoea difficulty hearing, dizziness or a spinning sensation The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following: signs of an allergic reaction, such as shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin fever, sore throat or mouth ulcers flushing of the upper body pain or muscle spasm of the chest and back fast or irregular heartbeat buzzing, hissing, whistling, ringing or other persistent noise in the ear other infections bleeding or bruising more easily than normal skin blister and bleeding in the lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals. The above list includes serious side effects that may require urgent medical attention. Hearing loss has occurred in some patients being given Vancomycin Alphapharm. Most of these have occurred in patients who have pre-existing conditions such as kidney disease or partial hearing loss. Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.

After you have received it Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with vancomycin: severe stomach cramps watery and severe diarrhoea which may also be bloody fever, in combination with one or both of the above. These are serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention. However, these side effects are rare. Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients. Some of these side effects (for example changes in kidney function) can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.

After being given Vancomycin Alphapharm

Storage Store vials prior to reconstitution in a cool dry place, where the temperature stays below 25C. Protect from light. Vancomycin Alphapharm will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. This medicine is for single use only. Any unused solution should be discarded. Do not store Vancomycin Alphapharm or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Keep this medicine where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Disposal If your doctor tells you to stop using this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.

Product description

What it looks like Vancomycin Alphapharm is a white to almost white or slightly pink or yellow powder in a glass vial. When reconstituted with sterile water for injection or glucose, it forms a clear solution.

Ingredients The active ingredient is vancomycin hydrochloride. Hydrochloric acid may be added to adjust pH. Vancomycin Alphapharm does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
The medical tourism market consists of an increasing number of countries competing for patients by offering a variety of medical, surgical, and dental services. Many of these destinations pride themselves on modern facilities with state-of-the-art technology and alluring accommodations.

Although many of these countries offer relatively low-cost services, very little is currently known about many of the key features of medical tourism. It appears that geographical proximity is a significant, but not a decisive factor in shaping patients' decisions to travel to specific destinations.

Image Credit: rfranca / Shutterstock.com

Established medical tourism destinations

The global map of medical tourism includes destinations like Asia (India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand), South and Central America (including Brazil, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Mexico), South Africa, the Middle East (namely Dubai), as well as an array of European destinations (Central and Southern Europe, Scandinavian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean countries).

A number of countries in South and Central America have developed a strong reputation for plastic and cosmetic surgery, bariatric procedures, and dental care. India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand are well-established medical tourism destinations that have become popular for patients in need of orthopedic and cardiac surgery.

In India, medical services are especially affordable, with prices as low as 10% when compared to those provided in the United States. Several highly developed nations in Europe, including Belgium, Canada, Germany, and Italy, are enticing foreign patients by offering sophisticated modern care with an accent to patient service and satisfaction.

Traveling patterns between source and destination countries are well-established. For example, those seeking medical services in Hungary tend to be from Western Europe. Comparably, some countries exploit longstanding historical connections, as is the case between the United Kingdom and Cyprus, for example.

Some destinations have established themselves as healthcare cities, or even "biomedical metropolises." Singapore was promoted as a center of excellence for biotechnological and biomedical activities since 2001. In the last decade, the emergence of the Dubai Health Care City has emerged in an attempt to attract an extensive number of Middle Eastern medical tourists to stay within the country, rather than travel to Asia.

Which Countries Are Best for Medical Tourism? Play

Globalization and medical tourism

In recent decades, significant political, economic, and social changes have encouraged a more international role in health policy development. These interconnections between nations include the movement of people, capital, and ideas, which has subsequently resulted in new opportunities and challenges for healthcare delivery and regulation.

The growth of medical tourism is supported by the regulatory regimes, recognition of transnational disease patterns, industry development, rise in low-cost airlines, and shifting cultural attitudes about overseas destinations.

Important bilateral exchanges between members of The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also contributed towards a shift in the pattern of consumption of overseas health services. Flows of patients from OECD countries to lower and middle-income countries are also present, particularly to India, Malaysia, and Thailand.

References

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/medical-tourism

http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/48723982.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2234298/?report=classic

http://www.medicaltourism.com/en/destinations.html

Hancock D. The Complete Medical Tourist - Your Guide to Inexpensive Cosmetic, Medical and Dental Surgery Abroad. London, UK: John Blake Publishing; 2006.

Further Reading
Recently discovered biomarkers may provide valuable new approaches to monitoring immunosuppressive drug therapy in organ transplant recipients--with the potential for individualized therapy to reduce organ rejection and minimize side effects, according to a special article in the April issue of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, official journal of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

"Biomarkers should help to tailor immunosuppressive therapy to the needs of the individual patient," according to the review by an international Expert Committee. The initial "Barcelona Consensus Statement" includes a preliminary set of recommended tests for use in biomarker-based immunosuppressive drug management after organ transplantation. The lead author is Merce Brunet, PhD, of Hospital Clinico de Barcelona.

Biomarkers to Monitor Immunosuppressive Therapy--Evidence and Recommendations

A panel of 19 international experts reviewed and analyzed available data on various types of biomarkers for use in monitoring immune-suppressing therapy after organ transplantation. Transplant recipients need lifelong drugs immunosuppressive drugs to prevent their immune system from rejecting the transplanted organ.

"With current treatment regimens, a relatively high proportion of transplant recipients experience under-immunosuppression or over-immunosuppression," Dr. Brunet and coauthors explain. If there is too little immunosuppression, there may be an increased risk of transplant rejection; if too much, infections or other side effects may develop. Currently, immunosuppressive drug dosing is guided mainly by side effects or by measuring drug levels in the patient's blood.

But over the past decade, research has identified several promising biomarkers for assessing anti-transplant immune system activity. These discoveries raise the possibility of tailoring immunosuppressive treatment to the individual patient, based on genetic, clinical, or other factors.

Based on the best available research and expert opinion, the Expert Committee sought to identify biomarkers with "documented clinical utility" in individualizing immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation. The resulting document includes consensus statements on four major categories of biomarkers:

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Biomarkers to assess the risk of rejection. Certain biomarkers appear useful in predicting the risk of organ rejection. These include proteins known as cytokines with important immune functions, such as interferon -gamma or interleukin-2. Measurements of a key subset of immune cells, called regulatory T cells (Tregs), may also help in assessing rejection risk

Certain biomarkers appear useful in predicting the risk of organ rejection. These include proteins known as cytokines with important immune functions, such as interferon -gamma or interleukin-2. Measurements of a key subset of immune cells, called regulatory T cells (Tregs), may also help in assessing rejection risk Biomarkers of individual response to immunosuppressants. Other biomarkers may reflect individual differences in the response to specific drugs. For example, NFAT-regulated gene expression may reflect differences in susceptibility to a major category of immunosuppressive drugs (calcineurin inhibitors), possibly allowing use of a lower dose in some patients.

Other biomarkers may reflect individual differences in the response to specific drugs. For example, NFAT-regulated gene expression may reflect differences in susceptibility to a major category of immunosuppressive drugs (calcineurin inhibitors), possibly allowing use of a lower dose in some patients. Pharmacogenetic markers. Certain gene variants may also affect responses to immunosuppressive drugs. For example, the type of CYP3A5 gene may affect the required dose of tacrolimus, one of the major drugs used to prevent transplant rejection.

Certain gene variants may also affect responses to immunosuppressive drugs. For example, the type of CYP3A5 gene may affect the required dose of tacrolimus, one of the major drugs used to prevent transplant rejection. Biomarkers of graft dysfunction and injury. Other biomarkers can provide useful information on function of the transplanted organ. For example, the chemokine CXL-10, measured in urine, can help in assessing short- and long-term kidney graft function, while measuring cell-free DNA from the transplanted organ can reflect the presence of graft injury.

While no single test can reflect all of the complexities associated with organ transplantation, a "comprehensive panel of distinct biomarkers" can be useful in monitoring and individualizing immunosuppressive drug treatment, Dr. Brunet and colleagues believe. They propose a preliminary panel of biomarkers, drawn from each category, that are currently under evaluation in large clinical trials.

The Barcelona Consensus Statement also addresses key considerations for laboratories introducing new biomarkers and recommended next steps in biomarker research. The members of the Expert Committee outlines steps they will take to optimize analysis of the biomarkers discussed, including regular updates to ensure that the recommendations reflect the latest research and clinical practice in biomarker-guided immunosuppressive therapy.
Seldom can one say $3.8 million is just the tip of the iceberg, but a newly awarded grant from Gilead Sciences, Inc. is just that. MUSC transplant surgeon Kenneth Chavin, M.D., Ph.D., says the true value of the multi-center drug trial is closer to $26 million, including $22 million in free drugs provided by the pharmaceutical company.

As the trial's principal investigator, Chavin wants to know whether the drug Harvoni, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of the hepatitis C virus, will retain its 97 to 99 percent cure rate for patients who have undergone a liver transplant.

HCV, an RNA virus that inflames liver cells, often leads to cirrhosis - or scarring - of liver tissue. It is the primary cause of liver disease in adults and by far the most common reason for a patient to need a transplant. Unfortunately, liver transplant alone may simply delay the worst unless the virus itself is cured.

"One of the leading causes of graft failure - the failure of the organ to thrive - in liver transplant patients is a recurrence of HCV, including fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis C, a rapidly progressing recurrence with a very high mortality rate," Chavin said. "If HCV recurs within two years, then the patient is not considered a good candidate for another transplant; more than likely, it will occur again, and you'll have lost two livers and a patient in the end."

Such stark assessments highlight the need for good treatments for HCV among liver transplant patients. Other drugs do exist, Chavin explained, but they require longer courses of treatment and are much more poorly tolerated after transplant than preliminary results show Harvoni to be.

"Side effects of the old drugs include severe fatigue, nausea, body aches. The old drugs basically induce continuous flu-like symptoms in an attempt to cure the virus," Chavin said. "Direct-acting antiviral therapies like Harvoni offer patients better outcomes with fewer side effects."

The trial is the first of its kind in the United States and will include 220 patients at four centers across the country: MUSC, Emory, Georgetown and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Researchers at MUSC, including Chavin, transplant hepatologist Kimberly Beavers, M.D. and pharmacist James Fleming, PharmD, are taking the lead and have written protocols for each of the centers to follow.

Chavin said MUSC was a natural choice to head up the trial, even among other world-renowned institutions. "MUSC's transplant group has always been involved in clinical research. We have a track record of multiple, successful investigator-initiated trials with big pharma as our sponsor. And we have the appropriate infrastructure in surgery, medicine and pharmacy to lead a trial like this. It's because of that and our interest in serving our patients that I think we were selected."

Coordinating such a complex trial, not only across areas within MUSC but also across different organizations, has been a challenge, but not one for which Chavin was unprepared. "Transplant is a multidisciplinary care team," he explained. "We have proven track records in the areas of collaborative academic as well as clinical work. From the presentation of a patient with whatever disease he or she may have through the operation and post-transplant care, we have ongoing robust interactions with colleagues across the institution, and this trial is just an extension of that. Just one example, the Data Coordination Unit, housed in the Department of Public Health Sciences, is playing a key role in assisting with project management for the study across all of the sites."

Fleming, who is the lead pharmacist on the trial, hopes it will form the basis for a new working relationship between the four centers. "The new research relationship between MUSC, Emory, Georgetown, and UPMC will hopefully result in more collaborative research opportunities in the future," he said.

Chavin hopes to begin open enrollment for the trial by April 1. The other three centers will follow within 30 to 60 days. He said the trial is novel and unique, especially considering the cost of the medication provided, which typically runs in excess of $100,000 per patient for a course of treatment.

While future transplant patients may not have the good fortune to receive free medicine, Chavin said the drug is still a good deal. "A one-time cost of $100,000 saves all the cost of having liver disease, which can be millions of dollars. For a liver transplant, the average is $150,000 to $200,000, not including hospitalizations and complications. It's very cost effective in the long run, both individually and from a public health perspective, to eradicate HCV in the general population."
Red Hulk, Ronin, and more: 10 Heroes and Villains whose secret identities were hidden from readers

There's a longstanding superhero tradition of hiding the identity of certain characters even from readers
Tamana to host Pan in de Countryside

The first in this years series takes place in Tamana, at the Tamana Pioneers Panyard, Four Roads, Tamana, from 4 pm.

Pan in De Countryside is now in its sixth year. It is a Pan Trinbagos initiative to take steelbands throughout TT in a bid to expose the bands to a wider cross section of the population in their own environment. The concert-styled event features some of the countrys top performing steel orchestras.

In addition, the host band, Tamana Pioneers, is inviting people to visit the historic Tamana Bat Caves (guided tour) for a small fee of $25.

The famous Tamana Bat Caves is a prime vampire bats habitat and home to 11 of the 67 species.

Stephen Broadbridge, eco-tour pioneer and photographer, describes it as an exciting journey to visit the creepy crawly world of the vampire bats. He added that Tamana is also a sacred mountain to the Guarahoons, a South American Amerindian Tribe.

Patrons attending the event will also be able to shop for steelpan memorabilia, arts and craft at an outdoor farmers market. Fruits, vegetables, prepared food and beverages will also be on sale directly from the farmers.

There will also be a dance segment put on by the DAbadie Red Hill Foundation Limbo Dancers.

National Panorama champions, Desperadoes will headline the cast, which also includes Sangre Grande Cordettes, Diatonics Pan Institute, Star Sapphire, Option1 and host band Tamana Pioneers.

Pan Trinbago will be providing a shuttle service/excursion with a limited number of seats at $150 per person.

Maxis will depart Pan Trinbagos head office car park, Park Street, Port-of-Spain, at 1 pm.
WOMAN BUTCHERED

This can best describe the state of a womans body, discovered by police, cut in half, all limbs cut off and the parts stuffed in a blue plastic barrel floating on the Mitan River in Manzanilla on Tuesday night.

The womans head has not yet been recovered although divers from the TT Coast Guard spent most of yesterday searching the depths of the river for it. The womans identity remains unknown.

Police are hoping that specific tattoos found on the womans body, one being the word LEO and another being EMPRESS, the latter being inked above an image of a rose, can lead to members of the public assisting police in making a positive identification. The body was fished out of the river by a police constable with the assistance of two fishermen at nine oclock, Tuesday night.

At the Forensic Science Centre in St James, yesterday two fingerprint experts took prints from the womans hands which they will use to try and get a match via their fingerprint of suspects database to assist them in identifying her. According to reports, a man was fishing along the Mitan river when he observed two feet protruding from a blue barrel floating on the river. The startled fisherman contacted Inspector Ken Lutchman who is in charge of anti-crime operations in Eastern Division and informed him about the barrel. A party of officers led by ASPs Joseph and Nasar and Insp Lutchman and including Sgts Ramsahai, Lodar and PCs Racha, Hamilton and Crime Scene Investigators went to the river.

On arrival at the Mitan river, the tide began changing and the barrel was being pushed towards the sea. PC Joshua Roberts of Manzanilla Police Station along with two fishermen, using a boat, made their way towards the barrel. PC Roberts dived into the river which is about 20 feet grabbed hold of the barrel and brought it towards the boat. Fishermen hauled the barrel into the vessel and later went back to shore.

When officers examined the barrel they found the body parts, minus head, of the woman, packed in two crocus bags in the barrel. One of the bags contained the torso of the woman from her neck to the waist.

The other bag contained the legs and arms.

On the womans right forearm was the markings Alya and the word LEO was tattooed near the waist. On the top back was the tattoo of a rose and the word EMPRESS.

The remains were viewed by a District Medical officer who ordered the removal to the Forensic Science Centre. Officers along with cadaver dogs returned to the scene yesterday and searched the river banks and surrounding areas for the head. Divers arrived later and searched the river for the head.

The search caused several curious persons to gather near the river but were kept some distance away by police Caution tape and patrolling officers.

Investigators believe the womans head may have been in the barrel but with the bobbing action of the barrel in the water, may have fell into the water and was carried out to sea. Investigators told Newsday they have been in contact with colleagues in all police precincts to enquire if there are any reports of any woman missing.

A fisherman who lives near the Mitan river said there was no unusual activities taking place at the river in the hours prior to the gruesome discovery.

I dont know what is happening, here used to be a peaceful place and now we have to be so careful, he remarked. On Monday, the body of a man was found at the Manzanilla beach with his throat slashed. Police could not say if the two bodies were linked. Anyone with information can contact the Mayaro Police at 630-4333 or Sangre Grande CID at 690-1033.
OAS ex workers continue to collect termination letters

Many workers from AcelorMittal were gainfully employed for a number of years and had ample time to structure their lives unlike us, who were contracted. Government is paying special attention to them, said retrenched truck driver Russell Teesdale .

He was one of 860 workers of Construtora OAS who received his Termination of Service due to Redundancy letter and retrenchment packages at the Companys headquarters at Golconda, San Fernando, yesterday .

The financially troubled Company was contracted by the former Peoples Partnership Government to construct the extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway from San Fernando to Point Fortin .

Teesdale, 52, a father of four of Sixth Company Moruga, explained that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, in the capacity of Opposition Leader had publicly expressed issue with the project. He believed that if the previous Government had retained office, work would have continued and workers would not have been laid off .

Teesdale added: The Government is paying attention to some and not to others. It is really hard to support a family, and my youngest child is two years-old .

This is bothering me .

Right now I am building my house and the money I was getting was just making ends meet. I was looking for a more reasonable package. Workers of Construtora OAS are the latest set of workers to be retrenched .

Only on Friday last Arcelor Mittal Point Lisas ended its operations and closed its steel plant leaving more than 700 workers on the breadline .

Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus subsequently announced that Government is working out a plan to assist retrenched workers in T&T, including those of ArcelorMittal, by matching private sector vacancies with the skills of retrenched workers .

Commenting on this Teesdale noted that although he has no qualifications on paper he is a fabricator and welder and so the same principle should apply to ex-workers of Construtora OAS .

Another retrenched truck driver Anirudh Ramdeen, 64, of Penal, admitted that he is uncertain about his financial future. Ramdeen too believes that Government should intervene immediately. He noted that although his house was already paid for, he has many bills to pay .

Soon I will reach the age of old age pension and I do not know if the money will cut it when the property tax comes into effect. If the expenses for the month is more than $3,500 then I will have to go back and work . It is difficult .

I have to handle my children and grandchildren .

My father was like that and I am following suit, Ramdeen explained. Ramdeen, a father of three and grandfather of two, was employed as a truck driver for the past three years .

He proposed that if the company had no other alternative than to lay off workers, it should have cut about 10 percent or rotate shifts for workers or something .

Sending people home is no joke. The Company is keeping about 200 workers and with that amount on a project like this, it will take another 100 years to finish, Ramdeen added.Retrenched workers are expected to be paid outstanding salaries for two months namely for the period ending February 29 and March 15. Between now and April 25, they are also expected to be paid three bi-monthly salaries on April 7, 22 and May 2, although they are not required to work .

Severance benefits, include outstanding fringe benefits and unused vacation leave, to be paid on or before May 25. Former workers are expected to continue visiting the headquarters today and tomorrow to collect their respective documents .

President General of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, Ancel Roget has since given the assurance that a strategy is being implemented to address the issue .
Ag Police Sergeant pointed out in ID parade

He was told that the DPP had given no such instruction, but the officer contacted his colleagues at the Eastern Division and promised to make himself available for an identification parade which was to take place on Tuesday afternoon.

The exercise did not come off as scheduled and instead took place at about 3 pm yesterday.

Newsday understands that the Ag Sgt will be placed on two counts of misbehaviour in public office by Inspector Joseph Harris of the St Joseph Police Station, and is expected to appear before a Sangre Grande Magistrate today. The incident involving the officer took place last year where he allegedly pointed a gun at a 13-year-old boy and his father.

The father and son had gone to Coalmine Trace Sangre Grande to retrieve mechanical equipment from persons known to them.

While they were at the house retrieving the equipment, is is alleged that the officer began questioning them and allegedly used obscene language and pointed a gun at them. A report was made at the Sangre Grande Police Station and Inspector Harris carried out enquiries
Students start petition supporting Miss

In an audio recording which has went viral on social media on Monday, a womans voice believed to be that of the teacher is heard asking for a gun to fix all the problems in the world among them gay persons and atheists. It was during a class session on Friday that the teacher allegedly made the remarks as she accused the student of being gay and went on to refer to his parents as atheists, and screw-ups who didnt believe in God. The incident has gained national attention.

The school petition titled Students in Support of (name called) has already garnered a large number of signatures. However, the parents of the 18-yearold Upper Six student is determined not to get justice for their son whose life they say has been turned upside down because of the anti gay rant by a teacher.

Despite the firestorm created, the teenager continues to attend classes everyday as he is preparing for CAPE exams.

On Tuesday, students attacked him and smashed his phone. It was reported that last week Thursday, the teacher openly condemned homosexuals during school assembly. The following day, the teenager went to the front of the assembly telling fellow students it was okay to be gay - that action led to personal attack on the boy and his family.

The parents has since denied reports that their son is gay but on the day he had stood in defence of his gay friends at school.

Speaking to Newsday yesterday his mother said: Our son been ostracized at school, all the support including counselling is for the teacher. HE has been a student at that school for the past seven years, he never had problems at the school and all through this journey not a teacher has gone to him and offered him any support. Although he has been holding strong, I think it is beginning to take a toll on him. The teacher has since been asked by the schools principal not to teach any class, for the time being, pending further inquiries into her conduct. Minister of Education Anthony Garcia yesterday said he is now in possession of a very detailed report from the school principal on this incident, and having the teacher not attend classes is among the content.

The teacher is also claiming that her comments were edited.

Her presentation to the class included anti-gay sentiments, some of them directed at the parents of a student who reportedly professed to be gay: Give me a gun and I will fix all the problems of the world, the both of them first (parents of the boy) then their offspring. I have a verbatim account of what was said, Garcia told Newsday yesterday. The teacher did not deny it although she said parts of what she said were edited which would give the wrong impression. Garcia pointed out that the school, like others in the country, will be in examination mode for Forms Five and Six tomorrow.

Also, the Presbyterian Board has called a meeting of stakeholders for today to discuss the matter.

Garcia also expects input from the line school supervisor to assist the investigation. He said any action will be determined after the investigation. The minister reminded that there is a code of conduct for teachers, and also that the TT Unified Teachers Association has a code of ethics which guides their behaviour.
One student released, other detained for assaulting principal

The other student however, remained in police custody up to late yesterday and is expected to be charged with assault of the schools principal, Warren Garraway. Once charged, the Form Four student will appear before a Rio Claro Magistrate this morning.

Police reports are at about 2.30 pm, the male students, both 16 year-olds, were allegedly gambling on the schools compound when a fight erupted over money.

Eyewitnesses alerted the principal who went to break up the fight.

But during the melee, Garraway was hit in the face and about the body with a dustbin cover. He later sought medical treatment at the Rio Claro Health Centre and was subsequently discharged. Cpl Farley and other officers of the Rio Claro Police Station visited the school and subsequently detained the two schoolboys. But yesterday, one was released and police revisited the school to obtain statements from witnesses.

Cpl Farley is expected to lay the charge
Student in sex outburst

The call comes following the latest circulation, via social media, of another video involving school children in which a Form Three student of the Williamsville Secondary School is heard cursing and threatening the Agricultural Science teacher outside the schools staff room which is located on the upper floor of the building. The student was accused of having sex in class.

Laced with obscenities, the teenager who is from Marabella, accused the female teacher of reporting her to one of the schools deans of discipline telling him that she was engaged in sexual intercourse in a classroom. The teacher quickly retreated into the staff room when the students language became stronger and she threatened to slap her down. The recently renovated staff room area is off limits to students, Newsday was told.

One teacher said: It is only getting worse down here and Mr Garcia must come now. His visit is long overdue. Newsday sources at the school explained that the girls action was triggered by an incident two weeks ago at the school in which two male students is reported to have grabbed two female students and forced them into a classroom demanding sex.

The girls managed to get out but a teacher saw them and put all the blame (for the incident) on them (girls), the source said. That is why she confronted the teacher and could be heard in the video referring to the dean who she said told her that she was on a table in the classroom having sex with boys. He claimed that staff members are afraid of the students who openly use their cell phones to record their activities and post it to social media.
Need to adjust expectations

But, he added, Those who need employment must be willing to adjust their expectations, however, as they enter new areas of employment. Trestrail explained that it is not just about filling vacancies which exist today but also an opportunity to fund new investment.

He also said when the relationship between employer and employee comes to an end, full compensation and all entitlements must always be an operating standard. On the countrys current economic circumstances, Trestrail said low global oil and natural gas prices mean decreased revenue for the country and diversification of the economy is now key.

Observing that failure to diversify could suggest deeper systemic problems, Trestrail said the Chamber and other stakeholders will host a diversification conference in October.

Among the people consulted about this conference, he said, was Dr Terrence Farrell, head of the Economic Advisory Board. Indicating the Chamber continues to pursue opportunities in Latin America, Trestrail disclosed that it will be sending a trade mission to Panama in July.

Speaking later on the subject of intergenerational transfer and sustainability of wealth, Portland Holdings Inc Chairman Michael Lee Chin said opportunities are to be found in crises. Explaining that the Chinese view a crisis as a combination of danger and opportunity, Lee Chin said one should not let a serious crisis go to waste. He told his audience, You cant get an opportunity unless there is a crisis
NATUC not surprised at Arcelor Mittal closure

N A T I O N A L Trade Union Centre (NATUC) General Secretary Michael Annisette says the union was not surprised at the news that steel giant Arcelor Mittal is shutting down its Trinidad operation, pointing out that the behaviour of the multi-national steel company was reflective of the historical behaviour of multi-national corporations worldwide. Annisette noted the closure, affords the people of Trinidad and Tobago the opportunity to pursue the acquisition of Arcelor Mittal and make changes in the law regarding worker benefits and severance to ensure that what happened at Arcelor Mittal never happens to any other group of workers in Trinidad and Tobago again. NATUC is of the view that we should all come together, that is, labour, Government and the private sector, as a tripartite grouping and use our collective wisdom to come up with a plan to acquire Arcelor Mittal and reverse the anguish that has been placed on the shoulders of the workers.

We believe that if the company is managed in a specific manner, it can be profitable, a NATUC release said.

Contacted for comment, Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said the issue of Government considering the purchase of Arcelor Mittal is a decision that is not under her remit.

If Government does move to purchase Arcelor Mittals local operations, at a purported $1 sale price, it would in effect be purchasing the companys $1 billion- plus debt
'He Had the Chance to Go in

and Save the Children'
(Newser)  Right now, men really only have three choices when it comes to birth control: condoms, a vasectomy, or pulling out, Tech Times reports. But after decades of false starts, a male version of the pill is one step closer to hitting pharmacies, according to Broadly. "It would be wonderful to provide couples with a safe alternative because some women cannot take birth control pills," Dr. Gunda Georg says in an American Chemical Society press release. Georg and her team at the University of Minnesota are working with "an experimental compound" that would ideally be taken orally to stop sperm with no negative effects on health or libido and no lasting impact on fertility. But, as Georg says, that's a "very high bar."

The compound researchers are working with blocks one of three retinoic acid receptorsthe alpha receptorrelated to fertility. Studies show animals with a deficiency in that receptor are healthy except for sperm production. "If you could block that receptor, pharmacologically, you could induce infertility," Georg tells Broadly. So far, researchers are having a hard time tweaking the compound to make sure it hits only the alpha receptor (thus avoiding side effects) while also being able to be taken orally. "No one wants to inject themselves with a needle once a day or once a week," researcher Jillian Kyzer says in the press release. But the team believes it's close to getting it right, with Georg predicting they'll have a pill ready for animal tests in half a year. (But will the CDC tell men who don't go on birth control not to drink, like they did women?)
(Newser)  An Oxford professor is now $700,000 richer for solving a 300-year-old math mystery, the Telegraph reports. In 1994, Andrew Wiles, 62, cracked Fermat's Last Theorem, which was put forth by 17th-century mathematician Pierre de Fermat. Wiles will be traveling to Oslo, Norway, in May to collect the 2016 Abel Prize (including the honors and the cash) for his proof, which the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters calls an "epochal moment" in the mathematics field. "Wiles is one of very few mathematiciansif not the only onewhose proof of a theorem has made international headline news," the academy said in an announcement of his numerical feat. The puzzle had haunted Wiles for years. Times Higher Education notes he had been intrigued by it since he was a boy, leading to seven years of intense study at Princeton before he stumbled upon his eureka moment.

He found the proof he was looking for using a method involving three disparate fields that mean nothing to the layman but everything to braniacs trying to solve this problem: modular forms, elliptical curves, and Galois representations. "Fermat's equation was my passion from an early age, and solving it gave me an overwhelming sense of fulfillment," he tells the Telegraph. (For the record, the theorem states that there are no whole number solutions to the equation xn + yn = zn when n is greater than 2.) Wiles says he hopes his work will serve as inspiration for up-and-coming numbers aces "to take up mathematics and to work on the many challenges of this beautiful and fascinating subject." (Prime numbers just got a little weirder.)
(Newser)  Los Angeles will have to pay up to $30 million to provide gang members with job training, tattoo removal, and more after settling a class-action lawsuit this week, the Los Angeles Times reports. The city was sued in 2011 for enforcing curfewspart of the city's widespread gang injunctionsdespite them being declared illegal by a California appeals court in 2007. There are nearly 50 gang injunctions around Los Angeles prohibiting suspected gang members from carrying weapons, wearing certain clothes, or socializing with certain groups; 21 of those injunctions require suspected gang members to be inside by 10pm. Critics say the curfews are too broadly defined and unfairly labeled young people as gang members without proof or a trial, according to the AP.

If the settlement agreement is approved by the court, the city will pay between $4.5 million and $30 million into a nonprofit it created to help those victimized by curfews. The amount depends on how many of the approximately 5,700 people covered by the curfews come forward. The Los Angeles city attorney says the nonprofit will allow gang members "to gain the job skills they need to turn their lives around." As part of the agreement, the city will stop enforcing the curfews. Gang injunctions are a form of psychological abuse on a whole generation of young people of color, the AP quotes one man arrested for violating curfew. Because I was wrongly labeled as a gang member, I couldnt even be outside helping my mom with the groceries at night." (Read more gangs stories.)
(Newser)  Five deputies in Fayetteville, NC, are paying the price for failing to act when a protester was punched during a Donald Trump rally. The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office says the five officerswho tackled protester Rakeem Jones instead of the man who sucker-punched him as he was led out of the Crown Coliseumhave been reprimanded and placed on probationary status for a year for "unsatisfactory performance and failing to discharge the duties and policies" of the department, ABC News reports. Three of them were demoted in rank and suspended without pay for five days, while another two were suspended for three days.

"The actions of the deputies and their failures to act in situations such as that which occurred during the Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum have never been and will not ever be tolerated under the policies of this office," Sheriff Moose Butler said, per the Fayetteville Observer. He said that when deciding the punishment, his office took into account the "past bravery and exemplary conduct" of the deputies. John McGraw, 78, has been charged with assault and disorderly conduct for allegedly punching Jones. Earlier this week, the sheriff's office decided not to charge Trump with inciting a riot by making inflammatory statements at the March 9 rally. (Trump has warned of riots if he loses the GOP nomination.)
(Newser)  Smoking is officially banned in schools in France, where the legal smoking age is 18, yet even underage high school students easily get away with the habit. One 15-year-old tells the Guardian he takes three smoke breaks a day on his school's playground, where he's encouraged to smoke and an ashtray is provided. It sounds like a stereotypical French sceneonly it wasn't always this way. In fact, it's "one of the weirdest results" of the November terror attacks in Paris, reports Vice News. Officials feared crowds of students smoking outside schools would become easy targets for terrorists, so special measures under a state of emergency were used to encourage outdoor smoking areas on school grounds. "It's safer for us," says one student. But another says the move was a surprise.

"Teachers have spent so long telling us smoking is bad for us and here they are giving us a special area of the school courtyard to do it in. Wow!" she says, adding the change has probably helped some pupils smoke more often. A doctorwho notes 30 schools around Paris are allowing smoking on school groundsfears it will also encourage others to take up the habit. Some 125,000 of France's current high school students will die from smoking over the next 30 years, he says, noting, "That's huge compared to terror attacks." The Ministry of Education says officials are "very committed to the fight against addiction and smoking," adding school principals have the final say on whether to allow smoking. The state of emergency is set to expire on May 26, though it's already been extended twice. (Read more France stories.)
(Newser)  King Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered in 1922, and nearly 100 years later, it may be giving up a millennia-old secret: Analysis of radar scans of his burial chamber carried out in November have revealed two hidden rooms, Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh El-Damaty announced in a Thursday news conference. Further, the scans indicate the presence of metal and organic materials. A new scan will take place on March 31, NBC News reports, with CNN explaining that the subsequent test will reveal the dimensions of the rooms and the thickness of the walls, which will allow Egypt to plan a way forward. British archaeologist Nicolas Reeves in August theorized that the remains of Queen Nefertiti might be inside, and National Geographic fills in the timeline:

Egypt allowed Reeves and radar expert Hirokatsu Watanabe to scan Tut's tomb over two nights in November; the scans did suggest the presence of a chamber on the north side, with El-Damaty saying at the time he was 90% certain of the existence of one room. But Watanabe had not completed a full analysis of the scans then. Now he has, hence El-Damaty's Thursday announcement and the revelation of a chamber on the west wall as well. CNN explains that the size of Tut's tomb seems inappropriately small considering his importance, with Reeves suggesting the king was placed in a hastily constructed extension of a tomb intended for a queen upon his death at 17. The AP reports El-Damaty thinks the new chambers could contain a royal tomb, but he wouldn't speculate on Nefertitiwho was one of the wives of Tut's father but is not believed to be Tut's mother. Read more on Reeves' theory here. (Read more Tutankhamun stories.)
(Newser)  More than a dozen US military personnel have been disciplined, but face no criminal charges, for errors that led to the aerial attack on a civilian hospital that killed 42 people in northern Afghanistan last year, say US defense officials speaking anonymously. Per the AP, the officials say the disciplinary process is nearly complete and is derived from a military investigation of the Oct. 3, 2015, attack on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz by a US Air Force special ops AC-130 gunship, one of the most lethal in the US arsenal. The punishments, which have not been publicly announced, are largely administrative. Some actions, such as letters of reprimand, are enough to effectively end chances for further promotion; the military has previously said some personnel were suspended from their duties. The disciplined include both officers and enlisted personnel, but none are generals.

The attack, which the medical charity has called "relentless and brutal," was unleashed as US military advisers were helping Afghan forces retake Kunduz from the Taliban. The US military's outline of what happened: The crew of the AC-130 had been dispatched to hit a Taliban command center in a different building, 450 yards away from the hospital. However, hampered by targeting sensor issues, the crew relied on a physical description that led them to begin firing at the hospital, though they saw no hostile activity there. A separate US report obtained last fall by the AP said the AC-130 fired 211 shells at the hospital over 29 minutes before commanders realized the mistake. Army Gen. John Campbell, the top US commander in Afghanistan at the time, has called it a "tragic but avoidable accident caused primarily by human error." A DWB rep says the charity won't comment on disciplinary actions until the Pentagon communicates its decisions directly to the group or makes a public announcement. (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  John Kerry says the Islamic State is committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis, and Shiite groups in Iraq and Syria. The secretary of state announced his findings from the White House on Thursday, citing evidence from a number of sources. "Daesh is genocidal by self-proclamation, by ideology, and by its actions," he said, per the Boston Globe. A March 17 deadline was set last year to determine if ISIS was guilty of genocide. US officials said Wednesday that Kerry's investigation would run long, though they now say he came to a decision only a few hours later, reports the AP. Earlier this week, the House unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution condemning ISIS of genocide after pressure from several groups.

The Knights of Columbus says ISIS militants have killed more than 1,100 Christians, while the Holocaust Memorial Museum last year found Yazidis were victims of genocide in Iraq, reports the Washington Post. "We are preparing for future efforts to liberate occupied territories," Kerry said, though his determination won't force the US to take any specific action against the terrorist group. In the only other instance when a US administration determined that a genocide was being committed during an ongoing conflictin Darfur in 2004lawyers found that the 1948 UN Convention against genocide did not compel nations to prevent genocide unless it was occurring in their own country. Officials say lawyers came to a similar conclusion this time around. (Read more Islamic State stories.)
(Newser)  Not so fast, Lula. A judge on Thursday issued an injunction to suspend Brazil President Dilma Rousseff's appointment of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff, reports Reuters. This was no ordinary political appointment: Lula is facing prosecution in a corruption scandal involving energy giant Petrobras, and his appointment to a Cabinet position would have shielded him from prosecution by the federal judge handling that case. "In light of the risk of harming the free exercise of judicial power ... I grant the request for an injunction to suspend the nomination of Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva," wrote the judge who issued Thursday's ruling.

His move came after Lula had been sworn in, and the government can appeal. The appointment by Rousseff, who is facing impeachment herself, had set off nationwide protests in part because only the Supreme Court, not federal courts, can investigate Cabinet members, notes the BBC. For a primer on what's happening in Brazil, including the release of taped phone calls between Rousseff and Lula, click here. (Read more Brazil stories.)
(Newser)  The chief US district judge in Washington, DC, resigned abruptly on Wednesday, the same day a Utah woman filed a lawsuit accusing him of repeatedly raping her 35 years ago, NBC News reports. The lawsuit claims Richard Roberts was a civil rights lawyer in 1981 when he "intimidated, coerced, and manipulated" 16-year-old Terry Mitchell into having sex almost daily for weeks, according to the Washington Post. At the time, Roberts was a prosecutor in the trial of Joseph Paul Franklin, a white supremacist serial killer who shot two black men while they were jogging with Mitchell and another woman. Mitchell was a witness in the trial. The lawsuit claims Roberts told Mitchellvulnerable from her friends' deaths and past sexual assaultsthat Franklin might not be convicted if she told anyone about their relationship, the AP reports.

Roberts cites health concerns as his reason for stepping down as DC's chief US district judgea position he was appointed to in 1998 by Bill Clintonand his lawyers call Mitchell's claims "categorically false." They say Roberts had a consensual relationship with Mitchell only after the trial was over, which they call "a bad lapse in judgment." The Utah Attorney General's office investigated Mitchell's claims and decided not to pursue criminal charges against Roberts as the state's age of consent was 16 in 1981. The lawsuit states Mitchell repressed all memory of Roberts allegedly raping her until an email from him in 2013, after Franklin was executed. Roberts' lawyers say Roberts and Mitchell have stayed on good terms in the decades since the trial, exchanging calls and emails that have "always been warm, caring, and friendly," making her claims "puzzling and disappointing." (Read more sexual assault stories.)
(Newser)  Health officials have confirmed that a western Michigan resident died after contracting a bloodstream infection matching a Wisconsin outbreak that's stumped health officials. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday that it was notified March 11 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the match. The person was described as an older adult with underlying health conditions. Officials were trying to determine where the infection was contracted, Michigan health department spokeswoman Jennifer Eisner said in an email. The Michigan case has the "same genetic fingerprint" as the ones in Wisconsin, CDC spokeswoman Melissa Brower told the AP on Thursday.

In Wisconsin, 17 people with infections caused by Elizabethkingia bacteria have died since November. The outbreak is the largest recorded in published literature, officials have said. Wisconsin health officials said on their website earlier this month that the total number of reported cases stood then at 48. Elizabethkingia is common in the environment, including water and soil, but it rarely causes infections. "We really don't know how this person in Michigan may have contracted it," Brower added. But "it shouldn't be assumed that this person has been in Wisconsin because it's the same geographic region" as Michigan, she said. (Read more bacteria stories.)
Thanks to weather phenomenon, El Nino, erratic storms fed barren plants of Sacramento making them lush green. However, as gorgeous as the verdant plains look, they also brought intense nose and throat irritation for the allergic people.

Allergy expert, Dr. Travis Miller said, as the rain increased, so did the biomass of grasses, flowering plants and weeds.

"Once the sun comes out, and spring temperatures hit the 50- to 70-degree range with a little bit of wind, the trees, grasses and flowers let go of their pollen and hope that it will spore," explains Dr. Miller. He also noted that his patients exhibited signs of allergic reactions during second week of Feb, lot sooner than its usual occurrence in March.

People who suffer from allergy related symptoms will have to brace themselves for a longer period of suffering due to El Nino weather event.

Sacramento, also known as the "city of trees," will be hit the most. According to the survey conducted by Quest Diagnostics, 36% residents of the city suffer from ragweed or mold allergies as compared to nation's 20%. Due to abundant greenery coupled with mild winters, it becomes a breeding ground for pollen.

People who suffer from seasonal allergies, doctors suggest numerous ways to relieve the symptoms such as reducing your time outdoors, especially on dry, breezy days. They should also consider taking allergy medication before being targeted by spring allergies.

El Nino season is considered to be the fiercest since "Millennium Drought" of 1998 that brought with it unique effects all across the country. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA are together conducting evaluation of land, sea and air to study the weather pattern that has affected the entire pacific region.
Indiana Jones fans who are dying to have more adventures with the hunky archeologist may soon have their wish granted as the movie franchise is set to release a new Indiana Jones 5 movie in 2019. Contrary to earlier expectations, it is not Chris Pratt, but the original Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford will be taking the role.

Ford is slated to team up with director, Steven Spielberg under Disney Productions which previously bought Lucasfilms and all other movie franchise under it. Other characters for the movie were not yet revealed yet.

"Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can't wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019. It's rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn't be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven," Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said in a statement.

The release of the next Indiana Jones movie set on July 19, 2019 marks the 11th year after the last installment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released in 2008. And in that time, the Star Wars actor will also turn 77!

With the actor's age, netizens on Twitter were not fully convinced he can still crack a whip and had mocked him as too old for the role.

"#IndianaJonesTitles Suggested: Indiana Jones & The Secret Depends; Indiana Jones & The Last Gasp, Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of Senility."

"Indiana Jones and the get those damn kids off my lawn."

"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Depends."

Some fans are also skeptical that the next Indiana Jones can still keep up the thrill that Crystal Skull was not able to achieve due to its use stereotypical Russian villains and the inclusion of far-fetched existence of aliens.

Also, the previous idea of replacing Dr. Jones being replaced by son, Shia LaBeof, is said not to have been received well by the public.

It can also be remembered that Ford met a leg injury in the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens which results to his difficulty to recuperate.

Indiana Jones is said to hit theaters in the same year together with Star Wars: Episode 9" and Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War - Part 2.
Madisons MobCraft Beer didnt get a bite from the celebrity investors on Shark Tank, but founder Henry Schwartz sure did look good doing it.

Sure, there was the MobCraft-branded sport jacket Schwartz wore  procured from a Whitewater church rummage sale and screen-printed along with the first order of MobCraft T-shirts.

But the best look was Schwartzs refusal to budge on MobCrafts decision to build its own brewery, one of the companys core principles that a particularly acerbic would-be investor described as a fatal flaw in an otherwise promising business plan. In describing why a brewery was needed, Schwartz hit on some maxims craft beer lovers are most passionate about.

All of this played out on an unprecedented stage for MobCraft. The March 11 episode grabbed 5.83 million viewers, tied for TVs top rating that night, according to Digital Spy. (You can watch the episode at ABC.com, or look on demand for episode 21 of season 7.)

And while Schwartz didnt leave the tank with a new investor, MobCraft did see a spike of interest from all those eyeballs on its brand. Schwartz said that in the three days after the episode, traffic to MobCrafts all-important website was about 40 times normal, while recipe submissions were up 15-fold and orders threefold.

The episode begins with an introduction to MobCraft narrated by Schwartz that opens with a shot of a Madison city limits sign and shows furtive glimpses inside the brewing process.

The real action gets started when Schwartz goes before the panel of five sharks. He opens with a quick pitch before bringing out a flight of MobCraft beers for each potential investor. The reactions to the beer were ... telling.

Many of MobCrafts beers are truly weird, using exotic and unusual ingredients, so a Whoa! reaction isnt unexpected, but the type of whoa! showed these rich folks knew next to nothing about beer beyond the standard fizzy yellow lager.

Some sharks were curious about what was in front of them: I can get coffee AND beer? Robert Herjavec said while marveling at MobCrafts coffee brown ale. Theres grapefruit in here? Mark Cuban exclaimed about Hop Gose the Grapefruit.

Reactions after a sip were varied, with the Vanilla Wafer Porter being the biggest and broadest hit. But the negative ones  particularly to the pair of sour beers Schwartz brought  were strong, and I suspect hammed up for dramatic purposes. Fashion mogul Daymond John described the sours as vinegar, while Mr. Fabulous Kevin OLeary described it as disgusting and Cuban jumped up to spit out his sip behind his chair.

Schwartz took this all in stride; he told me in an interview after the episode aired that hes used to strong reactions to MobCrafts beer, either in person at festivals or while scrolling through reviews on Untappd.

After the tasting the sharks asked questions about how MobCrafts crowdsourced recipe process works and probed for details on the companys financials. While this is a basic of investing and a key factor for the sharks, watching Schwartz lay bare the companys financials on national TV left me feeling a bit like a voyeur.

MobCraft was asking for a $400,000 investment in exchange for a 16 percent stake in the company  a ratio that values MobCraft as a $2.5 million company. Schwartz told the sharks the company had made $350,000 so far, $280,000 of that in past 12 months. Schwartz said the company was expecting to bring in just shy of $500,000 this year, and run a $28,000 loss, due largely to outlays for the brewery its building in Milwaukee.

(Schwartz told me he wasnt allowed to say when the episode was filmed, but as he described Aloha Danke Schon for the sharks he said it was the crowdsourced beer two months ago, which would put the filming late last spring or last summer.)

Schwartz also talked about the various investments in the company  the MobCraft founders invested $33,000  and also illustrated for the sharks the handsome markup in the beer business. MobCrafts cost on a 24-can case of Hop Gose the Grapefruit is about $28, Schwartz told the sharks, while its sold to a wholesaler for $48. Each four-pack retails for about $10-$11, so you can do the math on the take for the distributor and the retailer.

But the most interesting Shark Tank exchange from my seat came when OLeary pressed Schwartz on his stated need to build a brewery of MobCrafts own. Many breweries in many places have excess brewing capacity, OLeary said, so why not avoid the significant capital expenditure to build a brewery and instead brew at other facilities? This is the model MobCraft has followed so far, brewing primarily at House of Brews in Madison but also more recently at Octopi Brewing in Waunakee and an unspecified Milwaukee brewery.

Schwartz had a measured reply: Weve looked into it and weve found that with our customers, the ones who really believe that craft beer is a craft, they want to see the beer brewed on the home front.

After further questions, it came time for the sharks to declare whether they would invest in MobCraft, and one by one they said they would not, largely because they just didnt like beer or craft beer. This rang hollow to me, as though only someone who likes fast food could invest in McDonalds.

But before OLearys Im out moment, he circled back to hammer Schwartz on the capital point again.

Theres a big quality control issue, Schwartz responded. We cant maintain the quality in someone elses facility, and that is something that will really disappoint the customers and turn them away, never to come back.

This is not merely a hypothetical with MobCraft. Some beer fans have sworn off of MobCraft, citing uneven results on what they describe as ill-conceived crowdsourced beers, including some alleged infections. This was a subtext for keen observers of the Wisconsin beer scene that was, of course, lost on OLeary.

I dont believe that statement, he responded to Schwartz. I could show you how to fix this and make you millions of dollars, and youre too stubborn. I want to spank you like a baby seal.

Im heartbroken. Its such a cool model with such a flaw, OLeary said, dragging out the last word for what seemed like five seconds. What a crime.

This diatribe was so impolitic  even for the sake of TV drama, what grown man tells another grown man he wants to spank him like a baby seal, and WHO SPANKS BABY SEALS, AND WHY?  that I just wanted to reach into the TV and give Schwartz a hug, even if he was affable and laughed it off.

Schwartz and OLeary agreed to disagree, and Mr. Wonderful, of course, declined to invest.

OLearys pitch  I could make you millions of dollars  was the money shot of the episode, and it likely came across as extraordinarily crass to many craft beer fans, who are still growing or never will grow accustomed to the notion of craft beer as big business. He represented the outside influence that seeks to remove decisions like where, or how, to make the beer from those who made it successful in the first place.

This is the big boogeyman that makes purists recoil when a brewery sells to either a bigger brewery or a investment firm, and with millions of people watching, Schwartz and MobCraft stood up to it, turning down a somewhat dubious fortune to stand up for what they believe in.

Schwartz told me he wasnt thinking in idealistic terms at the time; he was more concerned about sticking to the MobCraft plan and clearly articulating why that was important to the company and its bottom line.

As a Shark Tank rookie, this was the first time Ive been a fly on the wall for an entrepreneurial pitch, but Schwartz has been doing elevator pitches since he was a business student at UW-Whitewater.

That whole experience was like those other investment pitches that Ive done, Schwartz said. Ive been turned down by probably 10 different panels like that for a lot of the same reasons.

And his swim with the sharks was just one piece of fundraising for the new brewery and to build capital.
If you are young and healthy, then do you know how you can enhance your well-being? One simple don't is---do not live in poor neighborhoods!

This interesting study was undertaken by the University of Colorado-Denver, discovering that residents of poorer localities tend to pile on the pounds. It would be better to avoid poor neighbourhoods altogether to maintain a better body.

The study was probed by Adam Lippert, an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado. Collecting information from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health participants, it involved 12,164 students from Classes 7 to 12. The participants were followed and examined for 13 years.

"Those who consistently live in poor neighborhoods are more likely to become or remain obese by adulthood than those who never live in poor neighborhoods. Exiting severe neighborhood poverty curtails this risk, while entering and remaining in neighborhood poverty in adulthood increases it," researchers wrote in the study. "These patterns are more pronounced for young women and robust to adjustments for health behaviors and selection bias."

Hence, the study is worrying, as it emphasises the fallouts due to lower income and residential inequalities.

Study results "support accumulation of risks and social mobility perspectives and highlight how previous and current neighborhood contexts are relevant for health," wrote Lippert and his team.

The reasons for the obesity are clear---lack of healthy food options, exercise and more stress. By helping teenagers in low-income neighbourhoods, researchers can help to reduce obesity and increase healthy lifestyles.

"The research demonstrates that the long-term residential experiences of teenagers can affect their life-long health," Lippert said in a university release. "It's encouraging to see that the risk of obesity can be curtailed by moving out of low-income areas."

The findings are published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
What happened to that beautiful queen, Nefertiti, who ruled supreme in Egypt? British archaeologist Nicolas Reeves gave a new theory in August---that she was buried in a chamber just at the back of King Tutankhamun's tomb.

A radar scan of the tomb site showed a new aspect Thursday, which gave a solution to the dark mystery. The antiquities minister was firm that they are "90%" sure" they have discovered two new chambers.

Some metallic and organic material was discovered, according to Minister Mamdouh El Damati. There are some plans for more scans by the end of the month so that they can identify the size of the chambers and the thickness of the wall.

However, they will not proceed to dig before ensuring that the chambers exist.

King Tutankhamun, or the boy king, as he is called, was an Egyptian pharaoh who rose to power in 1333 B.C. when he was just 10 years old. His mother was Queen Nefertiti, and his father was Akhenaten.

The debate over what exactly lies behind the boy king's chambers has a lot of people doubting that Nefertiti's chambers are near his.

Tutankhamun's tomb, which is "less than appropriate" as a final tomb for an Egyptian king has also added to the debate. Reeves feels that the strange size and layout, due to its being built on an earlier tomb designed for a queen got "repurposed" when he died at the age of 17.

The team has been harnessing some novel surveying equipment to search for a secret door on the northern wall, in order to find an unknown chamber.

The search for her tomb has been a long, exhausting procedure---largely because of the extra care needed to protect it.

"We must find a way to protect the tomb of Tutankhamun," El Damati said in October. "Does that mean we will dig from above, below or from the side? We don't know."

Still, experts are convinced that it will be monumental to find the queen.

"When we find Nefertiti, I think it will be more important than the discovery of King Tutankhamun himself," said El Damati.
Pennsylvanian hacker, Ryan Collins was arrested for hacking of celebrity photos in their personal Apple and Google accounts, some of these pictures are nude and highly private.

Collins, a resident of Lancaster was found guilty for breaching the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for illegal access of at least 100 Apple and Google accounts or at least 50 iCloud accounts and 72 Gmail accounts, mostly owned by female celebrities.

Female stars in this Celebgate scandal include Kate Upton, Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst. Another source also included Ariana Grande, Brie Larson and Olivia Munn.

The crime is reportedly planned and had took Collins around two years phishing to obtain usernames and passwords which lead him to have personal access of their files from November 2012 to September 2014.

So how did he do to this? Reports said that he used fake accounts like noreply_helpdesk0118@outlook.com, secure.helpdesk0119@gmail.com and email.protection318@icloud.com in sending automated emails to the owner asking for her login details.

By illegally accessing intimate details of his victims' personal lives, Mr. Collins violated their privacy and left many to contend with lasting emotional distress, embarrassment and feelings of insecurity," the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, David Bowdich, said in a statement.

The verdict, which included 18 months to five years imprisonment, however, did not include charges for the spread or leakage of these pictures. And, an ongoing investigation is currently carried out and transferred to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to find out if there are more people involved.

A news source digs deeper on the personal side of Ryan Collins and found out that he is a father of two and is living in Collins' West Ridge neighborhood. In his Linkdn profile, he stated that he worked as a creative project manager for the digital marketing firm Listrak in April 2015.

Neighbors refused to comment about Collin's personal life that would give more clues to his case.

He never ever struck me as the kind of person that would be tech savvy enough to do something like that," Gavin Ferguson, a high school classmate, told the media.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Snow will taper off and end this morning but skies will remain cloudy this afternoon. Temps nearly steady in the low to mid 30s. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. Low 22F. Winds light and variable.
Pokhara (Nepal):

Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz today said he is willing to discuss all issues, including the Pathankot terror attack, with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj here in Nepal. Aziz also expressed hope that the Pakistani Special Investigation Team will be able to visit India soon to carry forward the probe into the attack at the Air Force base in Pathankot in January.

Dont worry. The main purpose of the meeting, of course, is to handover the invitation for the SAARC Summit. And then anything she wants to discuss, we will discuss, he told reporters here in the Nepali resort town as he arrived for the 37th SAARC Council of Ministers Meeting.

Asked if he was positive of an outcome of his meeting with Sushma Swaraj today, Aziz said, We will tell you after the meeting. We are always open for positive outcome. He said Pakistan has been responding to the Pathankot issue.

We are responding on that and you know it. We are talking on all subjects, he said, replying to sustained questions on whether Pathankot attack will be discussed.

Asked when can one expect Pakistani SIT in India, he replied, very soon InshAllah.

Sushma and Aziz are scheduled to meet today on the sidelines of the SAARC meeting during which the External Affairs Minister is expected to nudge Pakistan to take action in the aftermath of the air base attack, which came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modis surprise visit to Lahore on December 25 last year.

Incidentally, though Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry did not have any structured meeting till now, they met casually at least thrice.

They first casually met at a dinner hosted for SAARC Foreign Secretaries last night and later even walked together for a few minutes. They met today at breakfast and exchanged a few words before meeting again during the SAARC meet today.

This is the first time Jaishankar and Chaudhry came face to face since planned talks between the foreign secretaries were put off after the terrorist attack on Pathankot airbase.

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Bangkok:

An Air India flight from Delhi to Bangkok carrying 241 people was today searched for explosives after it was ordered to park at an isolated area of the Thai capitals main airport following two bomb threats, officials said.

Air India flight AI 332 from Delhi landed at Suvarnabhumi airport seven minutes ahead of its scheduled time of 7:13pm (8:43pm IST) and was asked by air traffic controllers to be parked at an area away from other planes, sources told PTI.

Authorities activated an emergency plan and safely evacuated all 231 passengers, including a child, and 10 crew members from the aircraft to begin checking for a bomb.

All passengers were evacuated safely via slides.

The plane was searched here as a matter of procedure and nothing was found, Indranil Banerjee, chief of Air Indias Thailand office, told PTI.

He said all the passengers on board were evacuated safely and after the search by authorities, the luggage items were also released.

However, the national carrier will depart today.

Air India said in a statement: While the plane was 1.15 hrs away from Bangkok, two bomb threat calls were received by Delhi call centre. Accordingly, the pilot was informed who asked the Bangkok Air Traffic Control (ATC) for priority landing.

With the close coordination of crew and ATC the flight landed safely at Bangkok at 1910 hrs local time and taken to isolation. The threat was for 1915 hrs local time. All parachutes were deployed and all 231 passengers were evacuated in 90 seconds.

Police from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit checked all pieces of luggage including those loaded on the aircraft, Chads Chumnanvej, deputy general manager of Suvarnabhumi airport in charge of operations, was quoted as saying by The Bangkok Post.

Air India uses a Boeing 787 dreamliner for the flight, according to the flightaware.com. The plane left the Indian capital at 2:10pm IST.

Suvarnabhumi is Thailands largest international airport and sees around 50 million passengers annually.

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Guwahati:

Assam Agriculture Minister Rockybul Hussain today filed a police complaint against an Election Commission Election Expenditure team for allegedly defaming him by searching his vehicles.

Hussain said that he along with his wife had come to his house in Panjabari area here at around 6.30 PM when the EC team, who was waiting there, asked them along with Hussains security forces in another car to get out of their vehicles to conduct search operations there.

The team did not state the exact reason for conducting the search, the Minister said.

A person of the team told me there is a reason for doing so. The team came in a car with a sticker of Expenditure Observer On Election Duty Kamrup Metropolitan District.

After the search was over, the officer who claimed to be from Gujarat cadre, said I am satisfied but refused to give me a report that the search was conducted, Hussain said.

The search is a political conspiracy as the BJP is afraid that Congress will win the Assembly elections again, he told reporters.

As soon as the Election Expenditure team left, my house was raided by an Income Tax team. We have never seen I-T raids being conducted in the night but only in the day time, the minister said.

There is a political conspiracy and an attempt has been made to defame me and the good work of Congress. I and Congress are not scared by such back door threats using the machinery. We will win the elections again, he said outside Dispur police station after filing his complaint there.

Without naming anyone, the minister blamed a one-time colleague who recently joined the BJP for the raids.

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New Delhi :

People in Delhi often look towards All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in case of any medical problem but the hospital courted controversy on Thursday after a shocking news found its way into news today.

In a shocking news, a doctor was found dead in his hostel room on Thursday.

According to initial reports, the doctor was not seen anywhere for the past two days which tempted his colleagues to start a search for him.

On Thursday, foul stench from his room forced the roomies to break open his door where the body was found after 2 days.

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Washington:

In a first, scientists have created experimental chickens with dinosaur-like feet by manipulating their genes, highlighting the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds. In dinosaurs - the ancestors of birds - fibula, one of the two long bones of the lower leg, is tube-shaped and reaches all the way down to the ankle.



However, in the evolution from dinosaurs to birds, it lost its lower end, and no longer connects to the ankle, being shorter than the other bone in the lower leg, the tibia.



Scientists noted that bird embryos first develop a tubular, dinosaur-like fibula. Afterward, it becomes shorter than the tibia and acquires its adult, splinter-like shape. Brazilian researcher Joao Botelho, working at the lab of Alexander Vargas from the University of Chile studied the mechanisms that underlie this transformation.



In normal bone development, the shaft matures and ceases growth (cell division) long before the ends do. Botelho found that molecular mechanisms of maturation were active very early at the lower end, ceasing cell division and growth.



Inhibiting a maturation gene called Indian Hedgehog resulted in chickens with a tubular fibula as long as the tibia and connected to the ankle, just like a dinosaur. Researchers believe that early maturation at the lower end of the fibula occurs because of the influence of a nearby bone in the ankle, the calcaneum.



Unlike other animals, the calcaneum in bird embryos presses against the lower end of the fibula. They are so close they have even been mistaken for a single element.



Botelho proposes that at this stage, the lower end of the fibula receives signals more like those at the bone shaft. In normal development, the calcaneum then becomes detached from the fibula.



However, its distal end has already become committed to shaft-like development, and matures early. In the chickens with experimentally dinosaur-like lower legs, the calcaneum was attached to the fibula.



Botelho also confirmed the calcaneum strongly expresses PthrP, a gene that allows growth at the ends of bones.

Another interesting observation in the experimental chickens was that the other bone of the lower leg, the tibia, was significantly shorter, researchers said.



This suggests that a dinosaur-like fibula connected to the ankle stops the tibia from outgrowing the fibula, as it normally would. Working with Jingmai OConnor from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) in China, the research team realised this was consistent with an evolutionary pattern documented by the fossil record.



The earliest forms to evolve reduced fibulas were toothed birds from the early cretaceous age, which lived alongside dinosaurs. The study was published in the journal Evolution.

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EAGLETON  After being rejected by the town Planning Commission on Monday, a proposed gravel pit mine in the town of Eagle Point next goes before Chippewa Countys Planning and Zoning Committee Thursday.

The committee meeting at 7 p.m. will be in room 302 of the Chippewa County Courthouse, 711 N. Bridge St.

About 100 people turned out at the Eagle Point Town Hall for the town Planning Commission meeting, where the commission voted 4-2 to disapprove issuing a conditional use permit to Heartland Contractors.

We feel that weve met all the requirements of the county for a conditional use permit, Jim Rooney of Heartlands parent company, Rooney Properties, said.

The county has the final say on the conditional use permit because Eagle Point has adopted county zoning. However, it takes the town Planning Commissions vote into account when making its own decision.

A dozen members of the public speaking at the Eagle Point session were against the mine.

Roc Bernier, who has property close to the proposed mining site, turned over a petition against the mine with 260 signatures.

Marge Peloquin, who identified herself as a school bus driver, spoke about Heartlands plans for gravel trucks to use a segment of Boot Lake Road. She said its hard enough on the narrow road to meet a school bus, let alone a gravel truck.

The owner of Cornell Lake Resort and Campground, Doug J. Asher, worried about the effect of the gravel pit mine on his business.

Its not going to be very appealing to my campers, Asher said, saying there are 128 families who use the resort.

He asked the town to deny the conditional use permit on the basis of noise, water quality, the negative impact the mine would have on his business and on road safety for Eagle Point residents.

It was the latter point that made a difference to the chairman of the planning commission, Dale Shipman. He said the town is facing a road crisis, falling behind on the number of roads that need to be resurfaced.

We should be doing four miles of road. In even a good year, we do two miles of road, Shipman said.

He said an agreement with Rooney Properties over maintaining Boot Lake Road would put a burden on the town, which would have to identify what segments would need help.

Several people have said (the current standard of) two inches is not enough, Shipman said.
Hyderabad:

In a bizarre announcement, a BJP worker on Thursday offered Rs 1 crore to anyone who brings All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi's tongue. The claims were made a day after a student leader of a Meerut college also announced a reward of Rs 21,000 to anyone who cuts the tongue of AIMIM leader.

Dushyant Tomar, a former president of the students union in a Meerut college, burnt an effigy of Owaisi in that city, and offered the reward.

Recently, Asaduddin Owaisi had refused to say Bharat Mata ki Jai, and this had triggered a new controversy.

He said, I dont chant that slogan. What are you going to do, (Mohan) Bhagwat sahab, the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad said, adding I wont utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat.

The statement was made by Owaisi in response to Bhagwat's provocation.





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New Delhi :

Bharat Mata Ki Jay, the patriotic slogan mainly sung by Hindu warlords in India, suddenly made its way into the newsy columns of media this week. The issue first came to notice in the beginning of March when RSS head Mohan Bhagwat said that the new generation of Indians should be told to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.'

Bhagwat without making any reference to the JNU controversy said, Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai (hail mother India). It should be real, spontaneous and part of all-round development of the youth. This is necessary as some forces are telling the youth not to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

He may be right in his opinions but forcing words down somebodys throat is not right at all!

And, the reaction was immediately seen with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi responding to Bhagwats comments.

The leader immediately ranted, I dont chant that slogan. What are you going to do, (Mohan) Bhagwat sahab, the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad said, adding I wont utter that (slogan) even if you put a knife to my throat.

He took a confrontational approach, but retiring Rajya Sabha MP Javed Akhtar chose to follow a melancholy path. He said, I will not say Bharat Mata Ki Jay as the Constitution does not require me to say so. The Constitution even does not ask me to wear sherwani (dress) and topi (cap)... I dont care to know whether saying Bharat Mata Ki Jay is my duty or not, it is my right.

Bollywood veteran actor Anupam Kher was not left out from the debate. He insisted, The only definition of nationalism for Bharatwasis (Indians) should be Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Rest all are escape routes.

The sloganeering once again turned ugly on Thursday, when AIMIM leader Waris Pathan was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for an entire session after he reportedly refused to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jay'.

He maintained, The Constitution does not say it. We will say Jai Hind. We wont chant Bharatmata ki Jay.

So one should start saying Bharat Mata Ki Jay to prove his/her patriotism? No, no one should be allowed to bully someone into saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jay or any other slogan.

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New Delhi :

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj meets Sartaj Aziz Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs today in Pokhara on the sidelines of SAARC summit. In this bilateral talks, both the countries are willing to discuss all issues, including the Pathankot terror attack, with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj here in Nepal.

Aziz also expressed hope that the Pakistani Special Investigation Team will be able to visit India soon to carry forward the probe into the attack at the Air Force base in Pathankot in January.

Though the main purpose of the meeting is to handover the invitation for the SAARC Summit. Hence Sartaj Aziz handed over the SAARC summit invitation for PM Modi to EAM Sushma Swaraj in Pokhara, Nepal today.

India and Pakistan are competing to host the SAARC Environment and Disaster Management Center, a new body to look into the environment and disaster related issues in the region.



During the ongoing meeting of 37th SAARC Council of Ministers in this Nepalese resort city, some 200 km west from Kathmandu, the two nations laid claims to host the headquarters of the newly proposed body.



India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh had expressed their desire to host the headquarters. During the several rounds of negotiations, Bhutan and Bangladesh withdrew their claims, leaving India and Pakistan in the race.



What can be confirm is that other interested member states have dropped their claims over hosting the regional body, said two diplomats familiar to the development, adding that there can be breakthrough only when one of the countries backs off.



Climate change, degradation of environment and recurring various types of natural disasters have taken a toll in the region and member states are less prepared to combat these menace. With this realisation, the member states have agreed to set up such centre to meet the challenges in a professional manner, The Kathmandu Post reported.



Member states had agreed to merge SAARC Disaster Management Centre, SAARC Forest Management Centre, Coastal Area Management Centre and Environment Centre into environment and disaster management centre.



After programming committee meeting of joint secretary level, foreign secretary level meeting of standing committee level could not make headway, the issue has now landed at the ministerial level meeting.



Sources told the newspaper that the issue figured in a brief meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Relations Adviser to Pakistani Premier, Sartaj Aziz, today during a breakfast meet hosted by Nepals Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa.

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Mumbai/New Delhi:

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is in the United Kingdom, today made it clear that he will not appear tomorrow before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the over Rs 900 crore IDBI bank loan default case and instead sought time till April to do so. ED had earlier issued summons to Mallya for personal appearance before it in Mumbai on March 18 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).



In a related development, Government made it clear that banks will recover every penny of loan of over Rs 9,000 crore given to his group firms.



... his (Mallyas) facts are very clear. Every government agency, whether its taxation department or investigative agency, wherever he has violated law, is going to take strong action. As far as banks are concerned, they are going to recover every penny of the rupee that they can from him, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.



The minister was answering questions at India Today Conclave in New Delhi on what the government was doing to recover money from Mallya.



ED said the agency officials are mulling options and studying the reply and reasons cited by Mallya in his communication seeking more time for appearing before it and will take a final decision soon whether to grant his request or not.



Mallya, promoter of long-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, had left India on March 2 and headed for UK, days before the Supreme Court heard a plea of clutch of state-owned banks seeking recovery of over Rs 9,000 crore from his group firms.



In Mumbai, auction of Kingfisher House, once the headquarters of Mallyas defunct airline, proved to be a flop show today with no bids coming in, presumably due to litigation fears and a high reserve price of Rs 150 crore.



The auction of the property, with a built-up area of over 17,000 sq ft in Vile Parle area near domestic airport here, started at 1130 hrs and ended in about an hour with no success.



The ED had recently registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on a CBI FIR registered last year. The agency is also investigating the overall financial structure of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and will look into any payment of kickbacks to secure loan.



The CBI had booked Mallya, the Chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, its Directors, former Chief Financial Officer of the airlines A Raghunathan and unknown officials of IDBI Bank in its FIR alleging that the loan was sanctioned in violation of norms regarding credit limits.

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Ankara:

A radical Kurdish group with ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) today claimed the deadly suicide car bomb attack that killed 35 people in Ankara last weekend.

On the evening of March 13, a suicide attack was carried out... in the streets of the capital of the fascist Turkish republic. We claim this attack, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) said in a statement on their website.

The group said it was a response to security operations carried out by Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of the country. Sundays attack came three weeks after a similar car bombing in Ankara killed 29 people, also claimed by TAK.

In the immediate aftermath of the latest bombing, the Turkish authorities pointed the finger at the PKK, against which Ankara has waged a relentless assault since late last year.

The government said one of the bombers was a woman in her mid-20s affiliated with the PKK and trained in Syria by the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia group the Turkish military shelled for several days in February.

The PKK launched a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984 for greater autonomy for Kurds, a conflict that has claimed some 40,000 lives and flared up again last year after a two-year ceasefire collapsed.

Authorities detained 11 people over the attack, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said, while Turkish jets bombed PKK targets in northern Iraq just hours after the blast.

Turkey has suffered five major bombings since July last year, killing more than 200 people, including two in Ankara in less than a month.

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Between the Riverfront Park plan and the new downtown hotel, its a busy time to become a part of the Chippewa Falls tourism industry.

Jackie Boos, who is just three weeks into her new role as tourism director for the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, feels the anticipation in the community and said shes excited for the opportunities that come with growth and redevelopment.

Its kind of like that anticipation of graduation, Boos said. You know its going to happen, you just have to work hard to get to it. Its just like our senior year, and were about to graduate into something really cool.

When the city does, Boos wants to be ready. Shes armed herself with research on the community and reached out to local businesses to learn more about and understand their products.

Chamber President Mike Jordan said it was these qualities that stood out in Boos when they were seeking a candidate for the position.

Just three weeks in, he said hes impressed with her efforts to connect with the businesses and organizations both in and outside of Chippewa Falls.

Shes very outgoing, shes already forming relationships and reaching out to organizations about holding conferences here, Jordan said. Shes really hit the ground running.

As tourism director, Boos will oversee the city and countys tourism marketing and sales efforts.

But you can only learn so much from words, and thats why Boos said shes been so busy meeting people and experiencing first hand what made its residents fall in love with it.

I am blown away by the potential collaborations that can happen here, there are so many different entities doing amazing things, she said. I am excited to know those avenues exist in a smaller community. It just gets you excited as a young professional to look at the city and say theyre moving forward, theres progress happening here.

Because if theres anything shes learned in her years of experience in the industry, its that tourism impacts a community more than it ever does the visitors themselves.

After almost seven years working with Visit Eau Claire, and nine years of experience in the industry, Boos hopes to bring fresh ideas to the community, mostly working on enhancing their marketing efforts to make sure the image of Chippewa Falls they broadcast throughout the region, state and nation is the best it can be.

Tourism really is a trickle effect; the better the tourism is for the community, the more it helps residents, she said.

In 2014 alone, Chippewa County saw $77.6 million in direct spending on tourism, and $127 million on total business sales on travel in Chippewa County, according to TravelWisconsin, the parent group of Wisconsins tourism industry.

Additionally, 1,313 jobs in the county were sustained by the tourism industry in 2014, meaning a lot of peoples personal income is affected by tourists.

With the new hotel, Boos said its important theyre looking at prospecting, getting new sporting events, conferences and conventions in the area to make sure hotels are being utilized and bringing businesses into the downtown.

Our efforts are really to enhance what visitors are seeing when theyre here and potentially bringing in more groups, or having a new resident because they fell in love with our community when they visited, or just to have them return because they want to consider it a second home, she said.

Shes also working on expanding the local tourism agencys social media presence. She hopes to revamp the website and summer internship program to get the interns out and about in the city.

While she hasnt run into many challenges yet, she anticipates there may be hesitation to some changes, but shes always willing to work through those issues.

Im the type of person who does my research, and Im willing to listen to different ways of doing things and strong at getting things done, she said. So if it needs to happen to push us in the right direction, well get there.
About 7 percent of Wisconsin students attending private schools using taxpayer-funded vouchers and 3 percent of public school students didn't take a state test last year meant to measure academic performance.

Among the 367,318 public school students in grades three through eight, 2.8 percent didn't take the test.

Within the statewide voucher system, 60 percent of the 415 students in grades three through eight didn't take the state test last spring called the Badger Exam, while 12 percent of the 497 eligible students in Racine's voucher system and five percent of the 10,733 students in Milwaukee's voucher system didn't take the test, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Public Instruction.

Overall, 7.4 percent of the 11,645 voucher students in grades 3-8 didn't take the test.

Most of the students who didn't take the exam were those whose parents opted them out of taking it -- a movement that ballooned last year in Wisconsin.

More than 700 students in the Madison School District opted out in 2015, part of the 8,104 public school students who opted out statewide, a substantial increase from the 87 and 583 students, respectively, who opted out last year, state and school district data show.

The surge nationwide in recent years represents a movement of parents opposing testing in growing numbers. Opposition to the number of tests given, how scores are used by lawmakers in determining school accountability, and using scores to evaluate teachers contributes to the growing numbers nationwide.

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The increase in Wisconsin also came as lawmakers moved to get rid of the Badger Exam, Wisconsin's version of the Smarter Balanced exam that was developed using questions from a consortium of states aligned to Common Core, which state Superintendent Tony Evers adopted in 2010.

The rollout of the test in Wisconsin schools last spring included several delays, and technical glitches forced schools to use a scaled-back exam that did not adapt to students' abilities as intended.

Gov. Scott Walker in his 2015-17 budget scrapped the test and signed a bill prohibiting the 2015 test scores from being used to measure schools' progress and teachers' effectiveness  giving parents another reason to have their children sit out that year's test.

Jim Bender, president of voucher school advocacy group School Choice Wisconsin, said the high rate of opt-outs among students in the statewide program -- 58 percent -- is likely because of the small number of students using a voucher in each grade. Parents choose to opt their students out because the rest of the child's class isn't taking the test and removing them from the classroom to take the test would signal to others the child was there using a voucher.

Given the statewide program's high rate of opt-outs, DPI spokesman Tom McCarthy said it would be challenging to accurately measure the schools' academic performance if the rate continues.

Bender said he expects the opt-out number to decrease as more students attend private schools using vouchers, making the data more reliable.
Democrat Russ Feingold has the backing of his party's standard-bearers, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

Feingold, D-Middleton, announced the endorsements Thursday. The former three-term senator is facing first-term Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Oshkosh in Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race.

"Russ is an honest, independent-minded public servant who's not driven by what's politically expedient; he's driven by what he knows is right for the people of Wisconsin," Obama said in the statement.

Feingold, Obama and Biden go back together, having all served in the Senate from 2005 to 2009.

Feingold also was an early supporter of Obama in his 2008 presidential bid.

Biden alluded to their shared history in his statement, saying "we've fought together to grow our economy, raise wages for American workers, protect Social Security and clean up our campaign finance system."

Feingold returned the favor, saying Obama and Biden have "guided us to a stronger economy" since they took office in 2009.

Republicans sought to cast Obama's support as a a negative for Feingold.

Johnson's campaign planned to use the Obama endorsement to solicit contributions from supporters, saying it shows "we're up against the full force of Washington liberals in this fight."

"Wisconsinites deserve a leader to repair President Obama's failures -- not a proxy to rubber stamp them," said Andrea Bozek, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Despite having the support of a bipartisan majority of senators, a proposal to help parents access treatment for children who suffer seizures was blocked Tuesday night through some procedural maneuvering.

Parents who advocated the bill's passage were left frustrated and confused by the move after the legislation had already cleared the Assembly by such a large margin that only a simple voice vote was required.

What's the legislation?

The bill would allow the sale of cannibidiol (CBD oil) without a prescription.

The oil, derived from marijuana plants, has been used to treat seizures in children. Its use was legalized in 2014, but under current law only licensed providers can obtain it. This legislation would have eased those rules to allow easier access for parents.

Authored by Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, and Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, the bill had broad, bipartisan support.

What happened in the Senate?

The bill wasn't scheduled for a vote during the Senate's final floor session on Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said there were strong feelings about the bill at both ends of the spectrum, but the concerns of three Republican senators were enough to halt its passage.

Republicans currently hold 19 seats in the 33-seat body.

As the Senate came close to completing its work Tuesday night, Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, attempted to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Fitzgerald informed the Senate that he had scheduled the bill for a public hearing on Thursday, making it unavailable for a vote. A bill can't be brought to the floor if it has a hearing pending.

That public hearing was canceled Wednesday morning.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, pushed back with a motion to suspend the rules and take up the bill. Doing so would have required a two-thirds majority vote. But before that motion got a vote, Fitzgerald abruptly adjourned the Senate.

In doing so, he prevented members of his caucus from having to cast a procedural vote against a bill they support.

How did people react?

Wanggaard said he is "disappointed and angry" by the procedural moves that blocked the Senate from voting on the bill.

"This is why people hate politics and why politicians have a bad name. It is, literally, tragic," Wanggaard said.

Wirch said children suffering from seizure disorders and their parents were "collateral damage" in an act of "pure partisan politics."

Fitzgerald said he understands why people would be frustrated by the bill's fate, acknowledging that, "from the outside looking in, it probably doesn't make much sense."

But, he said, the polarization on the bill was too much to overcome  particularly, the concerns of Senate President Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, and Sens. Duey Stroebel, R-Cedarburg, and Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa.

Fitzgerald said those lawmakers are concerned the bill could open the door to unintended consequences, including full legalization of marijuana.

"With clear support for a fix, a select few politicians in leadership positions once again failed us. Failed Lydia," wrote Sally Schaeffer of Burlington, whose daughter was the namesake of the 2014 law legalizing the use of CBD oil. Lydia Shaeffer died about a month after that law was passed, before she was able to receive the treatment.

Where does it go from here?

Fitzgerald said he expects lawmakers to revisit the issue when they return in January. He also said he hopes federal guidelines might be clearer by then.
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HARTFORD  Hospital workers dressed in white coats and scrubs stood with state lawmakers in suits Wednesday at the state Capitol to pressure Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to release state and federal aid he has put on hold.

I think people need to understand that hospitals arent a budgetary budgeting chip, said state Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, whose district includes Newtown.

Hwang was among dozens of hospital workers and lawmakers who attended a news conference organized by the Connecticut Hospital Association at the Legislative Office Building.

Were talking about lives, said Patrick Charmel, president and CEO of Griffin Hospital in Derby. Were talking about the ability to invest in the future of Connecticuts hospitals.

Charmel and several others spoke about the governors decision to put these payments on hold. They additionally spoke about the controversial hospital tax, which hospital officials have repeatedly said has forced them to cut services and staff over the last few years.

Hospitals have been feuding with the Malloy administration for months over finances. The decision to put the payments on hold further strained relations.

But Malloys office said Wednesday the governor would sign a Republican bill that tackles the states $220 million budget deficit if it passes the Democrat-dominated House and Senate.

The plan includes restoring almost all of the hospital payments.

Malloy spokesman Chris McClure said Wednesday the governors office will continue to evaluate our budget options and work with the General Assembly to balance the budget and release these payments.

In the meantime, McClure said hospitals will continue to receive billions of dollars from the state through Medicaid and from the state employees insurance plan.

This temporary hold of the supplemental payments is not a change to the reimbursement rate, and the hospitals will continue to be reimbursed for care, McClure said.

Under a budget deal passed by the Legislature in December, hospitals were slated to receive $164.3 million in state and federal funds.

So far, hospitals have received $22.4 million from the state and could see another $45.8 million from federal matching dollars, according to the state Office of Policy and Management.

This would leave the hospitals with about $96.1 million less than expected this fiscal year.

Under the GOP plan to tackle this years deficit, the state would have to pay hospitals an additional $30 million, which would trigger about $60 million more in federal funds, according to Pat ONeil, a spokesman for the House Republicans.

Since the governor announced the hold on hospital payments, several state lawmakers have urged him to release the money, and some have criticized the hospital tax.

In 2012, the state began taxing hospitals and returning the proceeds as a way of drawing down federal matching grants.

At first, the money returned to the hospitals exceeded the taxes paid, but in recent years, the balance has shifted, and hospitals are paying more than they get back from the state.

This year, the hospitals are projected to pay about $556.1 million in taxes to the state. So far, the state has received about $269 million in taxes.

The hospital tax isnt being used as it was originally enacted for, said state Rep. David Arconti Jr., D-Danbury. It needs to go back to its original purpose because thats why the hospital association agreed.

In addition to the news conference, several hundred people representing more than 50 nonprofit organizations rallied in Hartford Wednesday to protest the governors proposed budget cuts.

Dennis Perry, CEO of Abilis, a Fairfield County organization that operates group homes and provides respite, vocational assistance and daytime support services, attended the rally with 30 clients served by his organization.

Perry, a New Canaan resident, said its still difficult to predict where and how deeply the proposed cuts will hit support programs for developmentally disabled people in the area.

We will have to figure it out, Perry said. Am I going to put people out in the street? I can tell you well do everything we can to prevent that from happening.

Perry said his organization, which has offices in Greenwich and Stamford, hopes changes by the General Assemblys Appropriations Committee will result in lower overall cuts that local agencies can better absorb.

The magnitude of what theyre proposing as cuts has never been seen before, so it is very difficult to know what programs will and wont be touched, Perry said. Were very concerned about the sustainability of the funding for those in our residential programs and for those who come to us for daytime support.

mrigg@newstimes.com
CALGARY, March 16, 2016 /CNW/ - Cervus Equipment Corp. ("Cervus" or the "Company") (TSX: CVL) today announced its financial results and operational highlights for the year ended December 31, 2015.

"2015 was a year of significant growth for Cervus. We started the year with 19 more dealerships than at the beginning of 2014 which generated an additional $245 million in Revenue, and Cervus exceeded $1 billion of revenue for the first time. During 2015, we also focused on operational efficiencies, cost reduction initiatives, and maintenance of parts and service revenue which helped mitigate the impact of resource prices in our western Canadian transportation dealerships and our Commercial & Industrial ("C&I") segment," said Graham Drake, President and CEO of Cervus. "Looking ahead, Cervus will continue to manage costs while preserving our ability to meet increased customer demand when the industry cycle recovers. Further, we are pleased with positive profitability trends in our Ontario transportation dealerships, and expect continued growth from these dealerships through 2016."

2015 YEAR END RESULTS

Highlights for the Year:

The Company generated adjusted earnings 1 of $13.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2015 , and adjusted basic earnings per share 2 of $0.86 . For the comparable period in 2014, the Company generated adjusted earnings of $20.2 million and adjusted basic earnings per share of $1.33 .

of for the year ended , and adjusted basic earnings per share of . For the comparable period in 2014, the Company generated adjusted earnings of and adjusted basic earnings per share of . The Company generated a loss of $27.4 million in 2015, including the $36.9 million non-cash settlement with the Canada Revenue Agency, compared to net income of $18.5 million in 2014.

in 2015, including the non-cash settlement with the Canada Revenue Agency, compared to net income of in 2014. The Company generated $1.1 billion of revenue in 2015, exceeding the 2018 strategic revenue goal three years earlier than target. Total revenues increased $154.3 million and gross profit dollars increased $20.3 million compared to 2014.

of revenue in 2015, exceeding the 2018 strategic revenue goal three years earlier than target. Total revenues increased and gross profit dollars increased compared to 2014. Targeted cost reduction initiatives achieved a $12.6 million reduction in same store selling general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses, compared to 2014.

reduction in same store selling general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses, compared to 2014. Acquisitions contributed $5.9 million of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA"). Same store EBITDA was $40.4 million during the year compared to $50.8 million in 2014.

of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization ("EBITDA"). Same store EBITDA was during the year compared to in 2014. The Company extended and amended its revolving credit facility, extending maturity to December 2017 . The $100 million syndicated credit facility provides stability for our existing operations and maintains capital flexibility for the future.

. The syndicated credit facility provides stability for our existing operations and maintains capital flexibility for the future. The Company reached an agreement with Canada Revenue Agency, confirming the eligibility of $44.3 million of tax savings claimed by the company through December 2014 . The agreement resulted in a non-cash charge of $33.4 million related to the write-off of a portion of the Company's deferred tax asset.

of tax savings claimed by the company through . The agreement resulted in a non-cash charge of related to the write-off of a portion of the Company's deferred tax asset. The Company completed a review of branch capacity resulting in construction and relocation to a new Agriculture equipment facility in Ponoka, Alberta , as well as the relocation of our Cranbrook, BC dealership to Creston, BC . We closed our Grande Prairie C&I dealership, and relocated the Essex, Ontario Transportation dealership to a new location in Windsor, Ontario . We also opened a new dealership in Barrie, Ontario to better serve the Ontario market.

, as well as the relocation of our dealership to . We closed our Grande Prairie C&I dealership, and relocated the Transportation dealership to a new location in . We also opened a new dealership in to better serve the market. Dividends of $0.85 per share were declared to shareholders during 2015.

per share were declared to shareholders during 2015. The Company climbed to #66 from #72 on the Alberta Venture's 2015 Venture 250 ranking.

The Saskatoon Peterbilt branch was awarded Peterbilt's Platinum Oval award for the third consecutive year, highlighting their outstanding performance as a dealership. Further, Cervus Equipment Peterbilt ( Saskatchewan and Ontario ) was one of ten North American dealer groups to earn Peterbilt's Best in Class award for 2015.

2015 Financial Highlights

Total 2015 EBITDA and income from operating activities decreased $4.5 million and $7.1 million, respectively, compared to 2014. Prolonged uncertainty in oil prices reduced demand for new equipment in the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) segment and the western Canadian locations of the Transportation segment. U.S. dollar appreciation and weather concerns early in the season reduced demand for new equipment sales in the Agriculture segment. The impact of lower new equipment demand was offset by relatively stable aftermarket activity and targeted expense control, which reduced 2015 same store SG&A expenses by $12.6 million compared to 2014.

In 2015, Agriculture segment EBITDA increased $2.4 million and income from operating activities was within 1% of what was achieved in 2014, as acquisition performance offset the decrease in same store results. Same store results were impacted by lower equipment demand due to weather concerns early in the season, followed by the appreciation of the US dollar later in the season. The impact of lower new equipment sales was offset by used equipment sales, parts and service activity, and targeted SG&A expense control.

In 2015, Transportation segment EBITDA increased $2.3 million and income from operating activities decreased $0.3 million compared to 2014, excluding the impact of unrealized foreign exchange. Same store operating income from Ontario operations increased $2.4 million in 2015 due to higher revenues and integration-related process improvements. Low oil prices significantly impacted equipment demand in Saskatchewan, resulting in a $4.8 million decrease in 2015 operating income compared to 2014. Maintenance of customer relationships and a focus on internal efficiencies enabled the retention of parts and service revenues in Saskatchewan, which supported gross margin dollars.

C&I segment EBITDA and income from operating activities decreased $7.3 million and $4.6 million in 2015, respectively. Low oil prices have had a significant impact on Alberta's light construction industry, with demand for new construction equipment decreasing 32% year over year.

Selected Annual Information











Total 2015 2015 Same Store2

($ thousands, except per share amounts) 2015

% Change

Compared

to 2014 2015

Same

Store

% Change

Compared

to 2014 2014 Revenue 1,133,878 16% 889,211 (9%) 979,609 Cost of sales (926,937) 17% (720,257) (9%) (792,936) Gross profit 206,941 11% 168,954 (9%) 186,673 Other income 1,091 (77%) 1,679 (64%) 4,667 Unrealized foreign exchange (loss) (2,810) 195% (1,826) 92% (952) Total other (loss) income (1,719) (146%) (147) (104%) 3,715 Selling, general and administrative expense (179,583) 14% (145,121) (8%) (157,678) Income from operating activities 25,639 (22%) 23,686 (28%) 32,710 Finance income 195 (49%) 193 (50%) 384 Finance costs (11,428) 49% (9,279) 21% (7,656) Share of profit of equity accounted investees, net of income tax 542 (24%) 542 (24%) 712 Income before income tax expense 14,948 (43%) 15,142 (42%) 26,150 Income tax expense1 (42,327) 453%



(7,654) Income (loss) for the period (27,379) (248%)



18,496 Income (loss) attributable to shareholders (27,421) (249%)



18,362 EBITDA2 46,330 (9%) 40,444 (20%) 50,811 EBITDA margin2 4.1%

4.5%

5.2% Ratios as a percentage of revenue:











Gross profit margin 18.3%

19.0%

19.1%

Selling, general and administrative 15.8%

16.3%

16.1% Earnings per share











Basic - Adjusted2 0.86 (35%)



1.33

Basic (1.77) (246%)



1.21

Diluted (1.77) (254%)



1.15





Notes: [1] Includes impact of $36.9 million non-cash settlement with the CRA.

[2] These non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers and are defined and reconciled to their most directly comparable IFRS measure within our Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015 under the section "Non-IFRS Financial Measures", which document is available electronically at www.sedar.com under Cervus' profile.

QUARTERLY DIVIDEND REDUCTION

Cervus' Board of Directors have approved a cash dividend to Cervus shareholders of $0.07 per share for the first quarter of 2016. Payment will be made on or about April 15, 2016 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2016.

This is a reduction from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.2125 per share. Cervus continues to believe payment of a dividend reinforces financial discipline by returning a portion of annual profits to shareholders in cash. Cervus also believes in maintaining a strong balance sheet and financial flexibility. Accordingly, the Board of Directors have reduced Cervus' dividend. Investors are cautioned that quarterly dividends remain subject to approval from the Board of Directors of Cervus, and may be increased, decreased or suspended by the board at any time.

Conference Call Information

Cervus will host its 2015 year end results conference call on March 17, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Interested parties may access the conference call by dialling (647) 427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191. Please connect approximately 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call. The conference call will be archived for replay until Thursday, March 24, 2016 at midnight. To access the archived conference call, dial (416) 849-0833 or 1-855-859-2056 and enter the reservation number 59918127 followed by the number sign.

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available at:

http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1143476&s=1&k=BE642308FD160D726B4ACF75610A7A6D .

Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. The webcast will be archived at the above website for 90 days.

About Cervus Equipment Corporation

Cervus acquires and operates authorized agricultural, construction, materials handling and transportation equipment dealerships. The Company has interests in 72 dealerships in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The primary equipment brands represented by Cervus include John Deere agricultural equipment; Bobcat and JCB construction equipment; Clark, Sellick and Doosan material handling equipment; and Peterbilt transportation equipment. The common shares of Cervus are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol "CVL".

Forward Looking Information

This press release contains certain forwardlooking information ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should" or similar words suggesting future outcomes. Forward-looking information included within this press release includes Cervus' intention to continue to pay a quarterly dividend and Cervus' expectation of continued growth from its Ontario transportation dealerships through 2016. However, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and involves a number of assumptions and a number of risks and uncertainties some of which are described herein. As such, actual results may vary from the forward-looking information provided.

With respect to the future payment of quarterly dividends, investors are cautioned that the declaration and payment of such dividends remain subject to approval from the Board of Directors of Cervus, and may be increased, decreased or suspended by the Board at any time. Further, both the payment of any dividends and the expected continued growth from Cervus' Ontario transportation dealerships through 2016 are subject to various risks including, but not limited to those risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors  Risks Related to the Business" in the Annual Information Form of Cervus Equipment Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2015 dated March 15, 2016 available electronically at www.sedar.com under Cervus' profile. Cervus believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. You are cautioned that the preceding list of assumptions and risks is not exhaustive. Any forward-looking information is made as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, Cervus assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise.

The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

___________________________ 1 The Company calculates adjusted earnings as income attributed to shareholders adjusted to exclude the impact of: settlements with the Canada Revenue Agency, unrealized foreign currency gains and losses, acquisition and integration costs, and gains and losses on the sale of real estate. For reconciliation to income (loss) attributed to shareholders for the period, refer to Cervus' Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015, available at www.sedar.com. 2 Adjusted basic earnings per share is calculated as adjusted earnings divided by the weighted average shares outstanding during the period.

SOURCE Cervus Equipment Corporation

For further information: Investor inquiries: Graham Drake - President & CEO, (403) 567-2095, [email protected]; Randy Muth - Chief Financial Officer, (403) 567-0392, [email protected]
Novel collaboration to help researchers work toward solutions to alleviate pain, improve quality of life and lead to cost effective disease management

OTTAWA, March 17, 2016 /CNW/ - On March 22, 2016, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Reumafonds, and ZonMw will announce the formation of a Canada-Netherlands international partnership that funds health research in personalized treatment of debilitating inflammatory musculoskeletal diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriatic diseases). This novel partnership will start with the creation of a network that gives researchers the opportunity to expand and strengthen their research data and resources, stimulate collaboration among international scientists, and significantly move forward research in this area. CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Scientific Director Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy, Reumafonds Manager of Research and Innovation, Ingrid Lether, and ZonMw Director Henk Smid, will be available for photos and to answer questions about the partnership.

WHAT: Formal announcement of Canada-Netherlands health research funding partnership

Remarks / photo and interview opportunities



WHEN: Tuesday, March 22, 2016

11:00 a.m.  12:00 p.m. (Central European Time)



WHERE: ZonMw, Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indie 334, 2593 CE Den Haag, The Netherlands



WHO: CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Scientific Director,

Dr. Hani El-Gabalawy

Reumafonds Chief Executive Officer H. J. L. (Lodewijk) Ribberbos ZonMw Director Henk Smid

Parking is available.

The parking garage of ZonMw can be found under the building. The entrance is at the Anna van Saksenlaan (around the corner). At the entrance, located on the far left on the descending ramp, you will find a report button. The parking garage is also for bicycles.

*Media are asked to please RSVP their attendance to Mariette van Wijk by Friday, March 18th, 2016.

About the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

About CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA)

The CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) will support applications focused on diseases which fall within the IMHA mandate, i.e. to support research to enhance active living, mobility and movement, and oral health; and addresses causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin and teeth.

About Reumafonds

Reumafonds is the Dutch Arthritis Foundation protects the interests of nearly 2 million people with a rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. We support them by giving information about the diseases, giving advice on how to live with arthritis and by funding scientific research for better treatment and cure. We also represent the patients interest in our lobby for better care with health insurers and politics. Our research policy has a focus on translational research and forging international collaborations.

About ZonMw

ZonMw is the Dutch national organisation for health research and healthcare innovation. As an intermediary between science and society, ZonMw works to improve disease prevention, healthcare and health by stimulating and funding research, development and implementation. ZonMw supports knowledge enhancement, quality and innovation in health research and in healthcare. The organisation covers the entire spectrum, from fundamental health research to healthcare practice  from preventive and curative healthcare to youth care services. ZonMw's main commissioning bodies are the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research.

SOURCE Canadian Institutes of Health Research

For further information: For media assistance contact: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, David Coulombe, Media Relations, Email: [email protected], Tel: 613-941-4563; Reumafonds, Marije Hulsinga, Communications, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Email: [email protected]; ZonMw, Mariette van Wijk, Communications ZonMw, The Hague, Netherlands, Email: [email protected]
MONTREAL, March 17, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR) and the Ouranos consortium on regional climatology and adaptation to climate change are proud to present Adaptation Canada 2016: the first national symposium in ten years on the preparation for and management of risks associated with climate change. The event will be held from April 12 to 14 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, bringing together nearly 500 participants from the research community, industry, government, NGOs, the environmental network, practitioners and policymakers around 189 subjects spread over 62 sessions. The official opening of the symposium will be attended by Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

Building on the success of COP 21 and, more recently, the Vancouver Declaration on Clean Growth and Climate Change, Adaptation Canada 2016 will be a one-of-a-kind forum for information, learning and networking. In particular, it will present concrete examples of climate change adaptation and risk reduction in Canada. According to Alain Bourque, executive director of Ouranos, "This is a unique opportunity to take stock of current research on climate change and to learn about the latest products and tools concerning the climate change impacts in Canada and the adaptation to these changes."

Three prominent speakers

Among the many renowned experts from around the country who will speak at the event, we feature the following three distinguished guests:

Katharine L. Jacobs ( April 12 , around 9 am ): Currently director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions of the University of Arizona , Ms. Jacobs served as an assistant director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the United States in the Executive Office of the President between 2010 and 2013. As director of the National Climate Assessment, she also led a team comprising 300 authors and more than 1,000 collaborators and served on nine committees of the National Research Council (NRC) of the United States . She also chaired the NRC panel on Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change and was a member of the panel on America's Climate Choices.

( , around ): Currently director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions of the , Ms. Jacobs served as an assistant director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy of in the Executive Office of the President between 2010 and 2013. As director of the National Climate Assessment, she also led a team comprising 300 authors and more than 1,000 collaborators and served on nine committees of the (NRC) of . She also chaired the NRC panel on Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change and was a member of the panel on America's Climate Choices. Roger B. Street ( April 14 , from 3 pm ): Roger B. Street is Technical Director of Adaptation Science at UKCIP, a British organization seeking to advance climate change adaptation. He is also a fellow in the intergovernmental consortium Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) and researcher at Oxford University . At UKCIP, he leads the technical and scientific work guiding risk, vulnerability and adaptation assessments and the development of new supportive tools and resources. He also plays a leading role in the United Kingdom and internationally in the development and delivery of climate information aiming to promote informed decision-making on adaptation.

( , from ): is Technical Director of Adaptation Science at UKCIP, a British organization seeking to advance climate change adaptation. He is also a fellow in the intergovernmental consortium Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) and researcher at . At UKCIP, he leads the technical and scientific work guiding risk, vulnerability and adaptation assessments and the development of new supportive tools and resources. He also plays a leading role in the and internationally in the development and delivery of climate information aiming to promote informed decision-making on adaptation. Ian Burton ( April 14 , from 3 pm ): Researcher and independent consultant, Mr. Burton works as Scientist Emeritus with Environment Canada, where he is the director and founder of the Adaptation and Impacts Research Division as well as a senior policy advisor. He is also Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto , where he formerly directed the Environmental Institute (now the School of the Environment). In his current role as fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK , and consultant for the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany , he is interested mainly in climate change and more particularly in adaptation and related policies.

A program focused on reflection and action

The three-day symposium will offer plenary sessions, talks and presentations of implemented adaptation measures revolving around several strategic themes: the economic benefits of adaptation and climate change predictions (Day 1); adaptation in the private sector and efforts undertaken by the provinces (Day 2); and public health issues and the reduction of natural disasters (Day 3). This rich and varied program will highlight the large volume of research studies, information and tools that have been developed to understand and manage climate risk, in turn leading to better preparedness and a more effective implementation of measures to reduce impacts on the environment, population, and economy. In addition, the Embassy of France in Canada is organizing a panel session and discussion with the public on the implementation of the Paris Agreement at different levels of governance. This panel and discussion will take place on April 13 starting at 18:30.

"Recent weather events that affected different parts of Canada, alongside the general mobilization around climate issues we are seeing both at home and around the world, demonstrate the importance of actively addressing these challenges by adapting to climate change. The symposium aims to equip the participants such that they can effectively contribute to Canada's leadership in this area," says Al Douglas, director of OCCIAR.

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

Media representatives who wish to attend the symposium for live coverage or to prepare reports to be broadcasted or published later must complete the accreditation form available at adaptationcanada2016.ca/media/. This document is essential to attend any of the conferences, panels and other events of the symposium.

About OCCIAR

The Ontario Centre for Climate Impacts and Adaptation Resources (OCCIAR) at MIRARCO is dedicated to assisting communities and sectors adapt to climate change through the provision of climate science and adaptation tools. The Centre is also a resource hub for researchers and stakeholders searching for activities, events and resources on climate change impacts and adaptation.

About Ouranos

Ouranos was founded in 2001 from the shared vision of the Government of Quebec, Hydro-Quebec and Environment Canada and the financial support of Valorisation-Recherche Quebec. Integrating some 450 scientists and professionals from different disciplines, Ouranos focuses on climate science, in particular climate vulnerability, impacts and adaptation. The consortium's mission is to acquire and develop knowledge on climate change and its impacts as well as on socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities to allow informing policymakers about climate change and to consult them about how to best identify, evaluate, promote and implement local and regional adaptation strategies.

SOURCE Ouranos

For further information: For interviews and information: Hemisphere relations publiques, Marie-Jose Begin, 514-994-0802
MY BELATED TRIBUTE TO THE DEFENDERS OF THE ALAMO



By Chuck Baldwin

March 17, 2016

NewsWithViews.com

March 6 marked the anniversary of the fall of the Alamo outside of San Antonio, Texas, back in 1836. This event was so significant in my mind that I always try to devote a column that honors the heroism of these men on or around the anniversary of the occasion.

For 13 days, 189 brave and determined patriots withstood Santa Annas seasoned army of over 4,000 troops. To a man, the defenders of that mission fort knew they would never leave those ramparts alive. They had several opportunities to leave and live. Yet, they chose to fight and die. How foolish they must look to this generation of spoiled Americans.

It is difficult to recall that stouthearted men such as Davy Crockett (a nationally-known frontiersman and former congressman), Will Travis (only 26 years old with two little children at home), and Jim Bowie (a wealthy landowner with properties on both sides of the Rio Grande) really existed. These were real men with real dreams and real desires. Real blood flowed through their veins. They loved their families and enjoyed life as much as any of us do. However, there was something different about them. They possessed a commitment to liberty that transcended personal safety and comfort.

Liberty is an easy word to say, but it is a hard word to live up to. Freedom involves much more than financial gain or personal pleasure. Accompanying Freedom is her constant and unattractive companion, Responsibility. Neither is she an only child. Courage and Honesty are her sisters. They are inseparable: destroy one and all will die.

Early in the siege, Travis wrote these words to the people of Texas: Fellow Citizens & Compatriots: I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna...The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the swordI have answered the demand with a cannon shot & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreatVICTORY OR DEATH! P.S. The Lord is on our side...

As you read those words, remember that Travis and the others did not have the National Education Association (NEA) telling them how intolerant and narrow-minded their notions of honor and patriotism were. They didnt have the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) telling them they were a hate group. A hostile media did not constantly castigate them as a bunch of wild-eyed extremists. As schoolchildren, they were not taught that their forefathers were nothing more than racist jerks. The TSA didnt have them on a terrorist watch list. Neither did they have 501c3 pastors constantly filling their hearts and minds with this imbecilic Obey-the-government-no-matter-what misinterpretation of Romans chapter 13.

The brave men at the Alamo labored under the belief that America (and Texas) really was the land of the free and the home of the brave. They believed in God and that their cause was just. They also believed that the freedom of future generations depended on their courage and resolve. They further believed their posterity would remember their sacrifice as an act of love and devotion. It all looks pale now.

By todays standards, the gallant men of the Alamo appear rather foolish. After all, they had no chance of winning--none. Yet, the call for pragmatism and compromise was never sounded. Instead, they answered the clarion call, Victory or death!

Please try to remember the heroes of the Alamo as you watch our spineless political, corporate, and religious leaders surrender to globalism, corporatism, socialism, and political correctness. Try to remember the heroes of the Alamo as you watch the Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C., create a more draconian Police State than Santa Anna would have ever dared to create.

One thing is certain: those courageous champions at the Alamo did not fight and die for a political party or for some lesser of two evils mantra. They fought and died for a principle--and that principle was liberty and independence.

On March 6, 1836, those 189 defenders of the Alamo joined the ranks of the worlds greatest freedom fighters. Patriots such as the 70+ Christian men from the Church of Lexington who stood against 800 British troops on April 19, 1775, at Lexington Green and the hundreds more who joined them at the Concord Bridge; men such as the great Scottish freedom fighter, William Wallace, and his band of 2,000 men who stood against an English force of over 13,000 men at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297, and again on July 22, 1298, when Wallace and 5,000 Scots went up against an English force of over 15,000 men at the Battle of Falkirk; and lets not forget the single greatest example of men who chose to fight for liberty against the greatest of odds: the 300 Spartans who squared off against more than 100,000 Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae in August or September of 480 B.C. These stories--and hundreds like them--are the heritage of free men everywhere. And the willingness to stand against overwhelming odds for the cause of liberty is certainly Americas heritage.

At the same time, it is extremely important to note that the Alamo defenders (and the rest of the honorable men mentioned in the above paragraph) did NOT act as a mob. Their resistance was just and righteous under the Natural laws of God. Men do not have the right to take the law into their own hands; they do not have the right to act as a mob; and they do not have the right to violate Natural Law.

Natural and divine law must be the ultimate authority regarding mens conduct, up to and including the right of resistance--and even the right of revolution. A mans individual, personal opinion is NOT the final authority of ones actions--and men who behave as if it is are truly lawless men. Such men have no right to lead anyone, and only a fool would follow such men.

The heroes of the Alamo, as well as the heroes of Americas fight for independence, acted bravely and in good conscience under the moral law of God and the just laws of Nature. They did not act on their own authority but on the Natural authority of the Body Politic.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. (Declaration of Independence)

Human experience shows wrong judgments are rendered in individual cases, but such errors in judgment do not give the right of individuals to judge their own cause and manipulate recompense by force. This is why we form government, so that individuals are mutually bound by the same laws as everyone else and that all individuals agree not to live in a state of war, but of society, which necessitates a common authority with common laws.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. (Declaration of Independence)

John Locke (The Father of Americas Founding Fathers) said, If a long train of abuses, prevarications and artifices, all tending the same way, make the design visible to the people, and they cannot but feel what they lie under, and see whither they are going; it is not to be wondered, that they should then rouze themselves, and endeavour to put the rule into such hands which may secure to them the ends for which government was at first erected.

Of course, even if the right to forcefully resist may technically exist, the right itself is a right of the Body Politic or We the People--not necessarily of one individual or of a group of individuals acting as a mob.

Since the right to oppose tyranny rests in the People--as the Body Politic--individuals have a responsibility to persuade a critical mass of society to make a finding that the government is tyrannous and to take as many procedural steps as possible to redress the specifics of what makes the government tyrannous.

If a controversy arise betwixt a prince and some of the people, in a matter where the law is silent, or doubtful, and the thing be of great consequence, I should think the proper umpire in such a case should be the body of the people. (John Locke)

Factions, by themselves and without the support of the People, can never put the power of government into different hands, because it takes the will and consent of the People to put sovereignty into a government created by the People.

When factions, on their own, begin using offensive force against persons in government, the People must view their actions as an attempt to put them and the rest of the world in a state of war with each other. Thus, in that case, the factions have no civil law on which to use to protect their actions. That is, just as they use force against others, they permit others to use force against them. A state of war, by its nature, has no common authority, and all disputes under that state are settled only by force.

Whosoever uses force without right, as every one does in society, who does it without law, puts himself into a state of war with those against whom he so uses it; and in that state all former ties are cancelled, all other rights cease, and every one has a right to defend himself, and to resist the aggressor. (John Locke)

On this score alone, factions must have the moral approbation of the People--or at minimum a sufficient part of them--from among the community that would judge them in a trial, so that their peers can give their actions moral justification.

Without such support from the rest of the community that suffers or is familiar with the same evils that presumably gave rise to the factions resistance, the faction cannot pretend to do the rest of that community a favor by simply taking the law into their own hands, because the rest of the community has not given them the authority to break the laws that the People have consented to and have agreed should govern the Body Politic for the sake of the peace, unity and protection of that society.

Put it this way, society is formed for the protection and progress of the individuals in that society. When society sees the actions of a few as an attack on the purpose of that societys formation, that society can take whatever means necessary to defend themselves against factions that threaten that societys peace and existence.

In line with the law of conscience, for those who advance that civil societys rules must be abandoned and resistance taken (thus putting that society in a state of war with each other), there is a standard of proof that must be met, so as to convince the jury (i.e., the People) that their actions taken outside the rules of law--that all have agreed to follow in the constitutional form enacted by the People--are justified. If factions have not met that burden of proof, their actions cannot be justified by that society, and thus, the factions actions will have no positive or legitimate end.

This is why it is absolutely obligatory that:

1. The American citizenry is thoroughly informed and educated regarding the Natural laws of government--including the divine principles of lawful resistance to government.

2. Clergymen immediately familiarize themselves with the Natural laws of God and quickly begin teaching these principles to their congregations.

3. Pro-liberty men and women themselves become educated regarding the Natural laws of God and begin educating everyone in their sphere of influence regarding these sacred principles of liberty.

4. State legislators, governors, attorney generals, judges, sheriffs, etc., not only become familiar with the Natural Law principles of liberty, but also come to a comprehension and conviction of their responsibility and authority to use their office within State government to galvanize the Body Politic in the defense of liberty.

On one hand, every instance of government overreach and usurpation of power moves more people toward the liberty movement. On the other hand, every instance of an aggressive, armed-mob reaction by those claiming to be part of the liberty movement (even if they are well-intentioned) only serves to move the Body Politic against us.

The Alamo defenders, Americas Founding Fathers, William Wallace and his band of Scots, and King Leonidas and his fellow Spartans all acted in accordance with the Natural Law principles stated above. They did NOT engage in armed resistance as individuals or as a mob but under the Natural Law authority of a Body Politic.

P.S. A few weeks ago, I delivered a comprehensive message on the subject, The Right Of Revolution As Justified in Natural and Revealed Law. Please help me distribute this message to as many freedom-minded people as you can. We simply MUST educate men and women as to these fundamental liberty principles quickly if we are to have any chance of obtaining the approbation of Heaven upon our liberty fight. And without the approbation of Heaven, there can be NO VICTORY.

Furthermore, if we continue to go forward in a manner that does NOT comprehend and incorporate these immutable Natural Law principles, all we will do is turn the Body Politic (not to mention government itself) against us and hasten our own demise.

Please order my message, The Right Of Revolution As Justified In Natural And Revealed Law here.
Alabama Foundation Stands Against Obama Nominee



MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 17, 2016 /



According to Foundation President Kayla Moore, Garland's confirmation would ensure a Leftist majority on the Court for the foreseeable future. "Our religious liberty as well as our right to keep and bear arms are in jeopardy. The next justice will be critical to our country. We may very well lose our rights government is suppose to protect." Ms. Moore called upon conservatives, Christians, and all who believe in a constitutional republic to urge their Senators to oppose confirmation.



Foundation Senior Counsel John Eidsmoe added, "The Court has injected itself into all sorts of political matters, and therefore it is appropriate for Senators to consider the political balance as they advise and consent to Supreme Court nominees. While the public elected a Democrat as President in 2012, they also elected a Republican Senate in 2014. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's determination not to hold hearings is the right way to handle this. Considering that Senator Obama filibustered against the nomination of Justice Alito in 2006, his insistence that the Senate confirm Judge Garland during an election year is pure hypocrisy."

Share Tweet Contact: John Eidsmoe, Foundation for Moral Law , 334-262-1245MONTGOMERY, Ala., March 17, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- The Foundation for Moral Law, an Alabama-based legal foundation dedicated to the defense of the Constitution as strictly interpreted according to the intent of its Framers, announced its opposition to President Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to fill Justice Antonin Scalia's seat on the United States Supreme Court.According to Foundation President Kayla Moore, Garland's confirmation would ensure a Leftist majority on the Court for the foreseeable future. "Our religious liberty as well as our right to keep and bear arms are in jeopardy. The next justice will be critical to our country. We may very well lose our rights government is suppose to protect." Ms. Moore called upon conservatives, Christians, and all who believe in a constitutional republic to urge their Senators to oppose confirmation.Foundation Senior Counsel John Eidsmoe added, "The Court has injected itself into all sorts of political matters, and therefore it is appropriate for Senators to consider the political balance as they advise and consent to Supreme Court nominees. While the public elected a Democrat as President in 2012, they also elected a Republican Senate in 2014. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's determination not to hold hearings is the right way to handle this. Considering that Senator Obama filibustered against the nomination of Justice Alito in 2006, his insistence that the Senate confirm Judge Garland during an election year is pure hypocrisy."
home Tech Microsoft Surface Pro 5 update: Set for October 2016 release? Updates, specs and price

Consumers can't wait to get their hands on the new Microsoft Surface Pro 5, and adding to their excitement are the speculations that the device will be out October this year.

Microsoft consistently innovates their products with life-changing gadgets, and this time, the spotlight is on the fifth generation of the Microsoft Surface Pro series  the Microsoft Surface Pro 5.

Rumors circulating online suggest that it is set to be released October, exactly one year ago since its predecessor Microsoft Surface Pro 4 was launched. Such rumors also claim that the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will be powered by Intel's Skylake processor accompanied by Windows 10 Redstone 2. With the success of the past Surface Pros, Microsoft is compelled to deliver a more advanced device with high-technology features. A Type-C USB port is also expected from the latest addition to the Surface pro series.

In terms of battery health, Latinos Health assessed the Surface Pro 4, while giving some key features that should be expected from the upcoming Surface Pro 5. According to them, Microsoft boasted of having 9 hours of battery life, only to find out that many users only get around 5-7 hours of usage. Moreover, TechRadar rated the battery life of the Surface Pro 4 as "below average," making battery longevity a huge factor in developing the upcoming Surface Pro 5.

Surface Pro fans also hope that the noise coming from the gadget's fan will be resolved. It was actually an existing issue way back in Surface Pro 3, only to be a bit lesser with Surface Pro 4. Consumers hope for a complete overhaul to permanently remove the irritating sound. Given that Microsoft has yet to divulge official details, Surface Pro geeks anticipate a bigger yet lighter device along with a super crisp and vibrant screen resolution, Yibada reports.

The rumored price for the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will be in the $899-$1599 window.
The family members of a 15-year-old girl, Rita Clement, say they have not known peace of mind since Thursday when she was abducted by uni...





Photo Credit: Olaleye Aluko

The family members of a 15-year-old girl, Rita Clement, say they have not known peace of mind since Thursday when she was abducted by unidentified persons while on her way to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos State.It was gathered that Clement, who lived with her relatives on Gboyega Kilo Street in the Ojodu Berger area, and had UTME registration number 65061660GJ, was to sit for the exam at 6.30am on that day.Our source who obtained Clements examination printout, gathered that the examination centre was the West African Examination Council, International office on Plot B, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Lagos.It was learnt that the teenager, who sat for her Senior Secondary Certificate Examination last year, had left home around 5.30am for Agidingbi.Our correspondent gathered that at about 5pm, Clement sent a text message to her mothers mobile phone, raising the alarm that she had been abducted and she did not know the location where she was taken to.The matter was said to have been reported at the Ojodu Police Division on Friday and had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.In the text message which Clements uncle, Emeka Orazulike, showed our correspondent, the teenager wrote that the abductors had seized her phone since morning and she only managed to write a text through someones assistance.She wrote, Mummy, they took my phone and beat me up inside the bus. Mummy, I dont know where they took me to. They made me sleep and said they will kill me if I ran.Someone gave me my phone, saying I must return it before they came back. Mummy, please save me, please.The uncle, who worked as a pharmacist, said it was through the text message that the family got to know that Clement was not missing, but abducted.He said, Rita (Clement) finished from a college on Aina Street in the Ojodu area. She just concluded her SSCE; we then enrolled her for the UTME. Her father lives in Enugu.The examinations board gave her that Thursday, by 6.30am, to sit for her exam. She was to sit at a centre in the Agidingbi area. On that day, as I was preparing for work around 6am, she met and told me that she was set to leave for the venue.I gave her N1,000 when she told me the centre was at Agidingbi. She would use only N100 for transport. I then left for work.As I was coming back around 6.30pm, her mother called that she forwarded a message to my telephone. I then checked my phone and saw the scary message. I first went to the Area F Command, Ikeja, and was about making a statement when the Area Commander directed me to the Ojodu Police Division.We reported the matter on Friday at Ojodu, and the police there radioed other stations.Orazulike added that when they called the girls phone, it rang out on Thursday, adding that it had been switched off by Friday.She did sit for that exam. The abductors might have whisked her away in the bus she boarded on that morning.She was used to going out. When she wrote her WAEC, her centre was at Giwa Oke Aro, Agbado. She went there with her friends.That was why when she mentioned that she was going to Agidingbi for the UTME, I did not nurse any fear because it was just two bus stops from our area. If we knew that anything would happen, I would have taken her there myself, he added.It was also learnt that the Divisional Police Officer in Ojodu took the family members to the SARS office, Ikeja, on Monday and the SARS commander assured them that he would detail his men to rescue the girl.However, the family had yet to hear from the police as of Wednesday.The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, had yet to reply to a text message sent to her phone on the abduction.
Members of a coalition of civil society groups yesterday marched on the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, to protest allege...

Members of a coalition of civil society groups yesterday marched on the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, to protest alleged impunity, lawlessness, corruption and anti-people policies of the Ayo Fayose administration.The placard-carrying protesters accused Fayose of inflicting suffering on the people and failing to run a transparent and accountable government.They slammed the lawmakers for lying that the Department of State Services (DSS) invaded the House of Assembly, saying they have since discovered that there was no invasion.The protesters also declared their support for the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting that all those who stole the nations wealth must be punished.They called for Fayoses probe over the Ekitigate scandal and alleged ownership of property in Abuja, Ghana, South Africa and Dubai while workers and pensioners are being owed arrears of salaries and benefits.Some of their placards read: Promoters of treason must pay for their crimes; Fayose, when are you going to publicise your assets?; Stop demolishing traders shops in our state; There is nothing like DSS invasion of Assembly; Fayose has destroyed Ekiti legacy of honour and integrity; Stop using Ekiti youths as thugs while your children enjoy abroad; Fayose must explain how he collected INEC soft copies to win election; It is wrong for primary/secondary schools to pay tax, among others.Groups which participated include Coalition of Southwest Youths, Ekiti Youth Vanguard, Omoluabi Grassroots Coalition, Coalition of Progressives, Ekiti Progressive Women Alliance and Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).The protest, which started at Okeyinmi at 9.04 am, ended at the Ojumose Roundabout, where protest leaders addressed reporters.They caused a traffic snarl in the area with policemen diverting vehicles to alternative routes.One of the protest leaders, Adedamola Temitayo of Ekiti Movement for Progress, said Fayose must account for the N2.4 billion Ecological funds allegedly mismanaged under his watch.He said Ekiti people are not happy with the government being run by Fayose which he said is no longer accountable to the people.Coordinator of Movement Against Corrupt Leaders Yomi Oso insisted that the lawmakers who assaulted some judges must not be spared.Oso urged the appropriate authorities to try Fayose and some of his aides for alleged crimes against the constitution, adding that nobody is above the law.Mrs. Dunni Alabi of Ekiti Progressives Women Alliance said the truth has come to light on the purported abduction of four lawmakers claiming that three of them-Badejo Anifowose, Sina Animasaun and Musa Arogundade are hiding in Fayoses house in Afao-Ekiti.She said the government approached the Federal High Court to compel the release of Afolabi Akanni, who is the only lawmaker held by DSS.Mrs. Alabi described the alleged action as deceit of the highest order.Ade Ogidan, who spoke on behalf of Okada Riders, said members of his association have realised that the governor is deceiving the people.The state CNPP spokesman, Ayo Adelabu, lambasted the lawmakers for being partners in crime in the alleged impunity and constitutional breaches in the state.Damilare Bewaji of the Coalition of Progressive Youths said: We are opposed to imposition of taxes everywhere, particularly on pupils when their parents are also paying.
LEADER of Niger Delta Volunteer Peoples Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, has called on the Federal Government to release the leader ...

LEADER of Niger Delta Volunteer Peoples Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, has called on the Federal Government to release the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained since October 2015.He said Kanu should be released and allowed to continue working towards the restoration of Biafra, because, according to him, he has done nothing wrong.Kanu did not commit any crime by calling for self-determination and he should be freed.It is never a crime to call for self-determination, thus, he should be freed. Biafrans have to put away their differences and make sure he comes out. When I was in detention, Igbo came together to bring me out. Nnamdi has done tremendously well and has shown resoluteness in the Biafra struggle. Our goal is our independence and the good of our people.IPOB should extend their campaign to every region in Biafraland and not just Igboland. The Biafra gospel should be preached everywhere and people should be told why they should fearlessly join in this movement.He lauded IPOB and Kanu for coming this far in their struggle.It is our collective responsibilities that will make Biafra restoration a success.The Biafra struggle is for everyone and no one can do it all alone, thus, everyone should do away with differences and come together to make sure Kanu is freed and Biafra is restored. Leadership should not be our interest now; everyone should focus on our goal, which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.Any Biafran who wants to deny the fact that Kanu catalysed this quest for Biafra independence is lying to himself; it is an obvious truth.This is not time to nurse grudges against one another so that our enemies will not take advantage of it and then use it against us. I urge every Biafran to be strong and also call for the release of our brother, Kanu, he affirmed.(Sun Online)
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described President Muhammadu Buharis swift reaction to the recent political violence in River...

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described President Muhammadu Buharis swift reaction to the recent political violence in Rivers State as part of the All Progressives Congress plot to rig the election rerun holding on Saturday.According to him, any attempt to clamp down on the members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State in the guise of stemming political violence will be counter-productive.The governor, who decried the violence in Rivers and other states in the country, said, Only a President with ulterior political motives will elevate political violence above the kind of genocide carried out by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State.Boasting that Rivers State and the entire South-South belonged to the PDP, he said, Having failed in the court to steal the states from the PDP, Buhari and his APC want to use violence and intimidation.But they should know that even if they relocate the Aso Rock Presidential Villa and the APC national secretariat to Rivers State on Saturday, they will be roundly defeated.Fayose, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, wondered why Buhari, who did not utter a word when over 400 Agatu people of Benue State were murdered, swiftly reacted to the reported political violence in Rivers State from faraway Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.He said, In Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed over 400 people, including children and pregnant women, destroyed more than 10 villages. President Buhari did not raise his voice against this genocide until I condemned his silence.Also, in Mile 12, Lagos, 15 persons, including two children were killed with property worth several millions of naira destroyed during a clash between the Hausa and Yoruba; President Buhari did not give the security services any clear directive to deal decisively with anyone.Even though one is not against any action of the government aimed at curbing violence of whatever form, but it is pertinent to ask the president whether or not the killing of Nigerians should only attract his attention when it involves elections.The governor, who maintained that the Presidents reaction to the reported violence in Rivers State was part of the grand plot to rig the election rerun, added that the people of Rivers will not be cowed into allowing Abuja to impose leaders on them.(PUNCH)
A bus conductor, Taheed Adekunle, who was accused of damaging a passengers scrotum during dispute over transportation fare, was on Thurs...

A bus conductor, Taheed Adekunle, who was accused of damaging a passengers scrotum during dispute over transportation fare, was on Thursday remanded in prison by a Tinubu Magistrates Court in Lagos.Adekunle, 19, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault.The Magistrate, Mr Ade Adefulire, ordered that the accused should be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons till the next date of adjournment for fact and sentencing.The Prosecutor, ASP Ignatius Okeke, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 12 at about 5:50pm at Ajah Motor Park in Lagos.Okeke said that the accused during a dispute with a passenger, Samuel Amosun, over the high price of transportation fare from Ajah to Oshodi, kicked Amosun in the scrotum.He said that the victim was presently on admission in the hospital with swollen scrotum.Okeke said that the offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.The Magistrate adjourned the case till March 21 for sentencing.
The on-going prosecution of Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) may witness a new twist a...





The on-going prosecution of Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) may witness a new twist as the Federal Government is planning of dropping two of the 13 charges leveled against him.A source told TODAY.ng that the planned move is predicated on the discovery that count 11 and 12 of the charge sheet cannot be proved. They charges alleged he operated a foreign account while in office as governor.Charge 11 states: That you, Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki on or about August 25, 2008 within the jurisdiction of this tribunal, while being a public officer as the governor of Kwara State did operate a bank account outside Nigeria when you transferred $73,223.28 from your Guaranty Trust Bank Plc domiciliary account No 441441953210 to the American Express Services Europe Limited No: 730580 for onward credit to your American Express Bank, New York card account No: 374588216836009Charge 12 states: That you, Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki etween August 2009 and October 2012 within the jurisdiction of this tribunal, while being a public officer as the governor of Kwara State and senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria did operate a bank account outside Nigeria when you transferred $3,400,000.00 from your Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. domiciliary account No 441441953210 to the American Express Services Europe Limited no: 730580 for onward credit to your American Express Bank, New York card account No: 374588216836009Source also gathered that American Express Services Europe Limited is different from the American Express Bank. While the latter is a money deposit, full-fledged commercial bank, the former is a credit /debit card services operating company.The Code of Conduct Tribunal will on Friday, March 18 hear the alleged false declaration against the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki.
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday calmed the tension between the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo and the Awujale of I...

There have been exchange biting words between the two prominent Yoruba traditional rulers over the ranking of the Obas by the Alake.Last Monday, the Alake through 22 Egba chiefs, including 15 Ogboni chiefs, insisted that the Awujale remained the least in the echelon of status among major Yoruba traditional rulers.The Alake said his earlier listing of the Awujale as occupying the last position after the quartet of the Oni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Benin and Alake of Egbaland, was supported by documentary evidence and therefore stands by his position.According to the Egba Paramount ruler, the ranking of the Yoruba Traditional Rulers was carried out in 1937 by the then Ooni of Ife.This followed Oba Adetonas last Thursday claims among other things that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin who fled to Ibadan and that Alake is also of the same status with some Ijebu Obas like the Ebumawe of Ago  Iwoye who are under his(Adetona) jurisdiction.The Awujale made the remarks in Lagos during the launch of an Endowment Fund for a Chair at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago  Iwoye, in reply to an earlier ranking of the Yoruba obas by Alake which placed him at the tail end on the hierarchy.But yesterday, Amosun, Oba Adetona and Oba Gbadebo met privately for about 75 minutes at the Oke  Mosan Governors Office, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.Details of what transpired were kept away from reporters when they emerged at about 3:45pm.Even when prodded several times by reporters to say what happened, all of them responded in general terms.Amosun said the monarchs were in his office to deliberate on how to keep Ogun more peaceful and vaguely blamed the press for the negative reportage of the matter.He said: I dont you to go and write anything out of context. Yes, we are here, our fathers are here to see me. Of course, we deliberated on so many things.Dont forget that this would be the first time I would have the opportunity to show my appreciation for the 40th anniversary celebration  so, its an opportunity for me to still show that.So, if you think you want to ask that what is the outcome, outcome of what? We have come here to deliberate and as always, its always a pleasure for me to have our fathers around here.These (you) are the people writing the thing. Dont just sit somewhere and write. But this one, there is nothing like ranking of Obas.We know ourselves. Our fathers they have ways, even before the advent of all these colonials and what have you we have ways of how we live in harmony and I think we will continue to do that.Dont forget, and Im saying this again with all due humility and sense of responsibility, that in the context of we Yoruba, we know our pre-eminence status. Those of us from Ogun State, so we want to keep up with that tradition. We are not going to fan any ember of disunity.What we are known for in Ogun State is that all of us are one and we are still one. Indeed, in the comity of the Yoruba, we know what we do, we know what we stand for and we will continue to do that.You know I told you that they are here to ensure there is peace and harmony in Ogun State. These are parts of the things they have come to discuss with me. Unless, you are now saying that we should discuss what we considered to be classified openly. But our Kabiyesis are here; they can say maybe hello to you.Awujale said there was no problem and that he merely came to say hello when asked why he was in Oke  Mosan Governors Office.I want to say hello to you.there is no problem gentlemen, please. Thank you very much, he said.For Alake, he was in Oke  Mosan to see Governor Amosun for many things and not for issues regarding Obas ranking.I have come to see my governor for many things, including the strike actiony of the workers, and Im very sure they would go back to work very soon by the grace of God, Alake said.
A witness has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that N1.7 billion meant for the payment of Nigerian Air Force personnel was diverted by...

The witness, Salisu Abdullahi, who was director of finance at the Nigerian Air Force between October 2010 and December 2013, said personnel salary received from the federal government was N4 billion, while what the actual salaries amounted to just above N2 billion.Out of the balance of about N1.6 to N1.7 billion, the sum of N558 million was taken to Mr. Badehs personal residence at Niger Barracks after it is exchanged to dollars, he said.He added that the balance of the money was returned to Mr. Badeh for further directive, saying expenditures made from the remaining money, were usually approved by the Chief of Air Staff through the procurement and planning committee.Mr. Abdullahi said Mr. Badeh mostly didnt confirm receipt of the sum of N558 million in writing.The only instruction he gives in writing are those requests forwarded in writing from branches and units for approval, he said.Where such approvals are given, they are forwarded to my office for necessary payments, Mr. Abdullahi said.Mr. Abdullahi further said that N120 million was at one time allotted for his office on a monthly basis, but that he rejected the offer, since he did not see any need for the money.He added that his principal, Mr. Badeh, purchased several houses, including a shopping complex at the cost of N1.1 billion, named under the title of the second defendant, a company named Iyalikam.Mr. Abdullahi said the shopping complex was purchased on the directive of Mr. Badeh, and that it was located at 600, Ogun Rivers Street, Maitama, Abuja.He also added that he later discovered that Mr. Badehs son, Alex Junior, was to use the upper part of the complex as a restaurant.According to Mr. Abdullahi, another building which Mr. Badeh said he would use as his office was purchased at N650 million, and under the name of a certain engineer, Mustafa Yarima.Another building was purchased for his son, Alex Junior, at N260 million and renovated at N60 million, while N90 million was used for the purchase of furniture.A fourth building was purchased at N330 million for Mr. Badehs second son, identified merely as Kam after a previous property was purchased for Mr. Kam at N240 million which he did not approve of.Two other houses were also purchased in Kaduna, both of whom were uncompleted building.All the houses were bought under the name of a third party, and mostly paid for, from the sum of N558 million remitted to Mr. Badeh monthly.Mr. Abdullahi also revealed that Mr. Badehs official salary was within N2 million, but stated that he received absolutely no financial reward for taking N558 million to Mr. Badeh at his residence.After the prosecution concluded its examination of the witness, the defence counsel sought the approval of the court to adjourn the case, saying that some of the information contained in the witness evidence were not in the stated proof of evidence.Mr. Badehs lawyer, Samuel Zibiri, asked the court to permit him time to prepare the necessary questions for cross examination in the interest of fair hearing, giving the fact that new details had emerged that he would need time to properly analyse.The counsel to the second defendant, Simon Olugunorsiha, also asked that he be given time to see to his health.The judge, Okon Abang, adjourned the case to March 23, for cross examination of the first Prosecution Witness.
It is easier to get into a conflict than to come out of it, and every war has its consequences, whether for the aggressors or the victi...

It is easier to get into a conflict than to come out of it, and every war has its consequences, whether for the aggressors or the victims. Certainly, nearly everyone that survives a war lives with painful memories of its devastation.The event of June 2009, where security operatives shot at 20 followers of Muhammad Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram, which however prefers to be called Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in Maiduguri over a mere traffic offence  and the subsequent mismanagement of the crisis by the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, leading to the extra-judicial killings of Mohammad Yusuf and several others  was a clear indication of how an unnecessary intervention could escalate into a viciously destructive force.That decision by the late President Musa Yaradua in 2009 to resort to a military option in dealing with an unruly religious sect on his way out to Brazil on an official trip may have looked strategic to him and his aides, but clearly it was mired in a deep fog of misreadings, which unleashed an unanticipated chain of events, which Nigeria is still paying dearly for. More so, a recall of the recent violent altercation between the Nigerian military and Shia adherents in Zaria, Kaduna State, and the numerous other extra-judicial killings preceding it, not only compounds the fog of security challenges in Nigeria, but shows how political and security leaders in the country have not learnt anything from history.Many observers thought that early non-military intervention and timely mediation at the outbreak of violence could have saved West Africa the ongoing brutal war it is going through in the Lake Chad region. The same would have prevented the recent mass murder of hundreds of citizens in Zaria that is now nurturing the culture of violence in a region that often chooses violent confrontations over mediation in dispute resolution. Clearly, mediation would have created short- and long-term solutions to several of the violent outbursts witnessed in the last decades in Nigeria, but the government, whose duty it is to ensure peace and stability in the country, hardly explored options in this direction other than the brute application of force in addressing conflicts.apparently, the reaction from Nigeria is one that focuses on military action alone, without seeking sustained investment in non-military interventions that dissuade and kill the motives for bloodshed.Today, people the world over seem to be entrapped in the a unipolar choice of resorting to military force in the resolution of of conflicts, instead of seeking non-military alternatives; and worse still, the issues serving as the founts of these crises are often ignored by those with the responsibility for their resolution.For example, the ongoing military action by the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region, particularly in North-East Nigeria and Northern Cameroon has cut down ISWAPs access to arms and ammunition and blocked several of the insurgents supply lines and routes of unleashing terror, yet the number of the groups fighters willing to die for what they believe in remains strong. So, how well does it serve society when you take away guns from a people, but still leave their yearnings for violence unchanged? I imagine both are important, but apparently, the reaction from Nigeria is one that focuses on military action alone, without seeking sustained investment in non-military interventions that dissuade and kill the motives for bloodshed.The reality in the North-East today is one in which there has been a significant diminution of violence as a result of the militarisation of the region, but the intelligence and non-military interventions necessary to complement such efforts are either non-existent or in dismal forms, giving ample room for the resurgence of violence.Today, there are several members of ISWAP in the vicinity of Nigeria and different parts of Africa that still guard their beliefs tightly and continue with the indoctrination of their wards and a growing number of youths who still find the groups campaign attractive. Such groups can never be reached and disarmed through military force, except through far-reaching theological countering of the doctrines that drive religious extremism, and the encouragement of behavioural changes that can curb the renewal of violence.Sadly, critical national institutions that ought to intervene and mediate in this crisis in Nigeria today are either too weak or totally compromised. It is thus in the interest of Nigeria to work through three key institutions in society  the legal establishment, faith-based organisations and the media, and to strengthen each of them to become decisive in making quality interventions that would scale down the levels of violence and criminality in the country.Today, proponents of the peaceful settlement of conflicts as against military action are often criticised as sympathisers of those that deserved nothing but death, but there is hardly any contemporary religious rebellion anywhere in the world that has been resolved through force. It is, nonetheless, important to note that Sulhu or comprehensive peace settlement in the resolution of the current impasse in the North-East is far-fetched because the leaders of the sect are ready to entertain nothing outsides their brand of Islam. While many Nigerians consider mediation as a means of ending the conflict, this is largely not so, as mediation is only a process, which many others are not even ready to contemplate. Nevertheless, if mediation succeeds or fails, it is still not a wasted exercise, as it affords those with the responsibility to enable a termination to the conflict more accurate readings of what and who they are dealing with.Also, non-military intervention is not only about mediation: Humanitarian interventions by the international community, the civil society and well meaning citizens to reach vulnerable groups during conflicts is one of such. Also, another life-saving non-military approach is through the peaceful release of captives or cessation of violence in certain areas, with both sides making concessions in this regard. Other facets of including the address of the socio-economic and political issues in the region that may have created and exacerbated the conflict in the first place is an important form of non-military approach. The global expectations for Nigeria to deploy her potentials in focusing on development programmes in the country have been embarrassing; and, indeed, government efforts at the state and federal levels at embracing participatory democracy and accountability have been tarnished by corruption and repeated instances of violence over the years.Sadly, critical national institutions that ought to intervene and mediate in this crisis in Nigeria today are either too weak or totally compromised. It is thus in the interest of Nigeria to work through three key institutions in society  the legal establishment, faith-based organisations and the media, and to strengthen each of them to become decisive in making quality interventions that would scale down the levels of violence and criminality in the country.The World Development Report 2011 acknowledges that there are no standard fixes suitable for all manifestations of violence, but urges that efforts to resolve conflicts should be nationally led from within affected countries. Faith based organisations, local governments and community leaders must lead by introducing programmes and measures that curb the inequalities and marginalisation in society that often leads to violence.
Ex-Arsenal forward Ian Wright believes it might be time for Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal after his side were knocked out of the Champi...

Ex-Arsenal forward Ian Wright believes it might be time for Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal after his side were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona.Arsenal were second best against Barcelona for much of the two legs during their round of 16 Champions League tie, losing 5-1 on aggregate following Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at Camp Nou.And Wright is of the opinion that a change is needed at the Emirates sooner or later."I'm not sure if he still will be there after the summer - if they don't win the league," Wright told BT Sports."If they finish third or fourth again, I don't know what will happen."Especially with how it is with Leicester and Tottenham above them and with Arsenal out of the Champions League and the FA Cup."The natives have turned now; more people want him out than want him in."But Wright said that Wenger should not shoulder all the blame."All I will say is change is coming, something's got to happen," he said."[Stan] Kroenke is the one they should be putting more emphasis. Not just the boss."
The Senate and House Joint Committee on Appropriation has detected fresh errors in the 2016 budget, investigations by The PUNCH have reve...

It was gathered that the errors were responsible for the failure of the committee to present its report to the two chambers of the National Assembly on Wednesday as it had promised.Investigations, however, showed that the errors would not affect the plan of the National Assembly to transmit the budget to President Muhammadu Buhari before Easter as efforts were being made to correct them.It was learnt that one of the anomalies detected was in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where provisions had been made for procurement and installation of security systems every year since 2013.For example, in 2013, the sum of N527,000,000 was budgeted for the item; in 2014, N1,161,356,582 was allocated to the same item; in 2015, N316,420,274 was budgeted for it; and N1,710,322,610 is to be spent on the procurement and installation of security system in the SGF office in 2016.The committee also detected items without project locations in the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing (headquarters).Such projects include the construction of a block of three classrooms at the cost of N85,592,483; construction of a maternity centre for N91,124,858; and the allocation of N172,623,767 for the building of skill acquisition centres.The committee pointed out that oversight function would not be possible without project locations.It was learnt that the committee also discovered anomalies in the allocation of large amounts of money for the rehabilitation and repair of office buildings as well as purchase of office items and fittings.Not less than N21bn was allocated to such repairs and purchase at the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the government.The committee also detected duplication of items. For example, N2.3bn was earmarked for former heads of state in the service wide vote of the Ministry of Budget and Planning, while N400,190,000 was allocated to the affairs of the former heads of state in the SGF office.Other examples of duplication include allocation of N256,920,000 for the purchase of equipment, vehicles and furniture for the National Bureau of Statistics and the N230,705,000 by the NBS for the same purpose.It was also learnt that the committee discovered instances where allocations for the purchase of items were made without stating the quantities to be bought.Such include the construction of solar boreholes at the cost of N140m in the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and in the National Power Training Institute, N81m was budgeted for operational vehicles.The committee described some items as curious. These include the allocation of N340m for wildlife conservation at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and N150m for growing girls and women project at the Federal Road Maintenance Agency.Another curious budgetary item is the refund of N2,479,581,721 to states for federal roads, which was placed under the National Intelligence Agency.When contacted, the Senate spokesperson, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, said the errors had been corrected at the committee stage.He said that there were no fresh errors and challenged anyone with contrary information to publish the source.Abdullahi said, The errors in the budget were identified at the various committee levels. The Appropriation committees of both chambers had jointly scrutinised the document and had come up with an error-free copy.As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, I can confirm to you that I am not aware of any fresh error discovered after the joint committee of the two chambers had worked on the budget.I challenge anyone with contrary information to publish it together with the source.But opposition party lawmakers told The PUNCH that the report was not submitted because there were still areas to be re-touched.For example, the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor, said the report was undergoing finishing touches.Ogor added, There are areas that require finishing touches. It will cut across several parts of the budget.But, I know it is something that will be quickly sorted out and the report will be laid by the grace of God tomorrow (today).
The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has commended Nigerian youths for being agents of change in the life of the present admi...

Buhari gave the commendation on Thursday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book titled: The New Dawn Nigeria, written by a group of youths under the canopy of Flex Digest Concept, a print media organisation.The book was in honour of the change mantra of President Muhammudu Buhari. Representing the wife of the President, Mrs Pauline Tallen, a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, called on the youths to take their education seriously as it is their passport to the future.She therefore, commends the authors of this book and she prays that all of us join hands together as true change agents to help Mr President succeed in the vision for a new Nigeria. Mr. President is not a magician, he cannot change Nigeria alone.Mr President and his ministers are not magicians but each one of us must participate in making this change possible. How can we make this change possible by doing the right thing at the right time, by having the fear of God in all that we do. As mother of the nation she called on youths to take their studies very seriously because education is the greatest assets and passport any parent or any society can give its citizens. We should therefore prepare for tomorrow by doing the right things and by making sure we fight the ills in our society. Buhari also commended the NYSC members for obeying the call to serve their county as part of their contribution to national development. Through your service to this nation, you will acclimatize yourselves with what is happening in various parts of the country.In his remarks the Project Coordinator, Flex Digest, Mr Kangamma Uregati, said that the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration inspired her to write the book. What actually brought about this book is our belief in the change mantra of President Muhammad Buhari.We actually believe that he is the man, who has come to transform this nation and we have been trying to put this in place since he assumed office. We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that with Buhari there will be transformation in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.This book focuses on the new dawn in Nigeria; it portrays the coming of transformation; so, it is good morning to Nigeria. While reviewing the book, Mr Gbenga Onaiyiga of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, said that the book had identified President Buhari as the proponent of the new dawn in Nigeria. The question in the book is, who takes Nigeria to the promised land? and the authors believe that President Buhari has the capacity to take our great country to the promised land.Onaiyiga said the book was a good attempt by the authors at identifying with the wind of change blowing over the country. In his message of goodwill, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the nations leadership was in the hands of the youths.He, therefore, urged them to feel encouraged by the development. He said, My message to the youths of this country is that this is their time and you all should assume you role as leaders of tomorrow.The minister, who was represented by Mr Jimoh Lawal, a Director in the ministry, said that the youths had produced a book in which they presented their view on the struggle to deliver Nigeria out of political crisis.
President Muhammadu Buhari says the current economic crisis plaguing the nation is a blessing in disguise. Buhari said this at the open...

Buhari said this at the opening ceremony of the International Islamic Conference on Peace and Nation Building in Abuja on Thursday.The President said that through the hardship, Nigerians would be able to come up with ideas that would in turn lead to development.He said, The global economic challenges the world is grappling with today might well turn out to be a blessing for us in Nigeria, because it will stimulate the latent economic opportunities that we have left untapped for decades.Poverty breeds disaffection, which in turn leads to crime and lawlessness including confrontation against the State. To checkmate this, we must work hard to lift our economy, engage our youth and rebuild infrastructure.We can only achieve these with the full cooperation of all Nigerians and under a stable polity. We are determined to do this and we shall not be deterred.Buhari lamented the level of official corruption in the nation, adding that it led to many years of hardship for Nigerians. He, however, promised to do everything possible to curb the menace.While declaring the conference open, the President commended the Jamaatu Izalatil Bida Wa Iqamatis Sunna and the Muslim World League for the event at a time when the nation is grappling with insecurity.Buhari, who described Boko Haram as a mindless terrorist organisation, said the Federal Government was winning the fight against insurgency.He said once the war is over, the government would commission a sociological study to determine the origin, the remote and immediate causes of the movement, its sponsors, its international connections if any, to ensure that measures are taken to prevent a resurgence.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, described as erroneous claims by the Auditor-General of the Federation (Au...

The Group Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer (Finance & Accounts) of NNPC, Isiaka Abdulrazaq, who described the claims as erroneous, said in a statement that the period covered by the report was before the coming of the current management in August 2015.Mr. Abdulrazaq said since the appointment of the current management, emphases have been on transparency, accountability and integrity, while focusing on re-positioning its operations through over 20 reform initiatives.He listed some of the initiatives to include regular publication of NNPC monthly financial and operational reports in the media; cost reduction that resulted in a drop in monthly operational losses from N30 billion in August 2015 to N3billion in January 2016, and structuring of NNPC to focus on improved performance and profitability.The declaration by the AuGF may have been borne out of misunderstanding of how revenues from crude oil and gas sales are remitted into the Federation Account, he noted.Mr. Abdulrazaq said that although NNPC usually get allocation of 445,000 barrels per day for processing into petroleum products for distribution to the nation, any unprocessed crude was sold and the proceeds used to pay for fuel importation.The proceeds from the sale of these products are remitted to the federation account after deducting the cost associated with the supply and distribution, he said.As a major supplier of petroleum products, he said the NNPC was entitled to claims on subsidy from petroleum products sold at government regulated price.Mr. Abdulrazaq said between January 2012 and December 2014, total subsidy approved for NNPC and certified by Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA was about N2.34trillion, apart from additional N7.96billion claims still under reconciliation.During the same period, he said losses from vandalism of crude oil pipelines and petroleum products stood at about N202.68billion, while petroleum products strategic holding cost and pipeline repairs and maintenance cost for the period gulped N358.88billion.Consequently, he said the total figure the NNPC owed the Federation Account as at January 2015 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting report was only N326.14 billion, which he said was still being reconciled, and not the N3.23trillion alleged by the AuGF.He said NNPCs claims of N1.38 trillion pending against the Federation as at 2009 was currently being re-viewed by Forensic Auditors appointed by the former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.It is clear that the AuGF failed to reflect all the figures as they should be, not minding the fact that there is a clear process in conducting FAAC meetings where all Federation revenues are presented, discussed and approved, Mr. Abdulrazaq said.There are series of meetings before and after FAAC meetings to reconcile and resolve any issue as the need may arise.He denied knowledge about another $235million allegedly transferred to undisclosed Escrow Account from the sale of natural gas, saying NNPC does not have any secret Escrow Accounts.The $235Million, the NNPC Financial Controller explained, represented proceeds from the sale of gas feed stock to Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG used to repay part of the Modified Carry Agreement, MCA loans, applicable royalty to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and tax to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.He accused the AuGF of ignoring global best practice and established due process in auditing, by refusing to convene an exit meeting between the auditor and the auditee where any outstanding issues were finally discussed and explained before the issuance of the audit report.There was no such meeting, and NNPC did not receive any draft report from the AuGFs office for comments, Mr. Abdulrazaq argued.
After demolishing large swaths of targeted areas in Zaria and Kaduna towns, with much more marked for further removal, many residents of K...





After demolishing large swaths of targeted areas in Zaria and Kaduna towns, with much more marked for further removal, many residents of Kaduna town are on edge, with the passage into law last week of an executive bill that legalises the pulling down of structures in Kaduna deemed to stand against the citys envisaged Master Plan.It is not clear when the new Kaduna Master Plan will come into being but Kaduna, being a colonial town, already has a Master Plan.Already, many property in high brow and lowly residential and commercial areas in Kaduna town inhabited for decades, have been marked for demolition by Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority, KASUPDA, for violation of extant building regulations, though many said they had official permission to build.Gbagyi villa is an old suburb of Kaduna, occupied by mainly middle class working families and senior retired civil servants.It is estimated that there are over 1, 200 homes there, and the area had been served demolition notice by the state government, after most of its structures were marked illegal about three weeks ago. The notice expired last Monday.The new law is seen as an instrument that serves as a defence against all the law suits instituted by individuals and groups against the present government, seeking for compensation on destroyed property or restraining it from further destruction of marked ones, said Barrister Gandu Idris of Idris and Co. Chambers, Kaduna.
Policemen attached to the Dolphin Police Division in Ikoyi have arrested a 30-year-old man, Ugo Madugba, for marrying his 28-year-old wif...

Policemen attached to the Dolphin Police Division in Ikoyi have arrested a 30-year-old man, Ugo Madugba, for marrying his 28-year-old wife without the express approval of her parents.Madugbas wife, Nono Orji, who is a medical doctor, said in a Facebook post on Thursday that there were plans by the police to poison her husband.She said her husband was arrested on the orders of her parents who have been against their marriage from day one.She said, The Nigerian Police in Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi just arrested an innocent 30-year-old man called Ugo Madugba for an offence of marriage. Marriage has become a crime in Nigeria according to Dolphin police station in Ikoyi. Mr. Ugo got married to Dr. Nono a 28-year-old medical Doctor.Her father has been very distraught about it and has used the police to threaten the young couple to the extent of arresting all those who acted as witnesses to the marriage who are now in custody.He has been denied access to his family and friends and information reaching us has it that his lawyer was also denied access to him. There is a belief that a plan to poison ugo is being hatched. Please, forward this message to as many people as possible lets save Ugos life.Orji said in another Facebook post that her parents were trying to force her to marry another man but when she refused, they accused her husband of hypnotising her.However, a police source told our correspondent that they believed that the wife was hypnotised and abducted by her husband.The source said the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, today.
Sani Yerima, a Senator of the All Progressives Congress from Zamfara, on Tuesday rallied lawmakers to defeat a bill seeking equal rights ...

Mr. Yerima, a known opponent of reforms seeking to promote womens rights, argued that the Nigerian Constitution was clear on rights of citizens, including women.The official title of the bill is: A bill for an Act to Incorporate and enforce certain provisions of the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the Protocol of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the rights of women in Africa, and other matters connected therewith, 2016 (SB. 116).The bills sponsor, Abiodun Olujimi, (PDP-Ekiti State), said the proposed legislation was aimed at promoting gender parity and empowering women politically and socio-economically.Mrs. Olujimi said the proposed law sought equal opportunity, development advancement for all Nigerian citizens irrespective of gender.She emphasized the bill would promote girls access to education, freedom for women to participate in any economic activity and their right to freedom from violence.She also said the bill would ensure equal rights for women in matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance.The bill was supported Senate Leader, Ali Ndume and Bala NaAllah (APC-Kebbi State), who both emphasized the need to protect widowhood and inheritance rights of women.The deputy senate president, Ike Ekwweremaudu, Fatimat Raji-Rasaki (PDP-Ekiti State) and Binta Garba (APC-Adamawa State) also supported the bill.Mr. Yerima said the proposed law was in breach of the Nigerian Constitution. He said the bill was also in conflict with the Sharia Law which is recognised by the Constitution.Although the bill, which was scheduled for second reading Tuesday, received support from a few Senators, including males, it surprisingly failed to scale through when the senate president, Bukola Saraki, called for a vote.After the bill was rejected, a visibly happy Mr. Yerima invited journalists, and expressed satisfaction with the outcome.Apart from Mr. Yerima, Adamu Aliero (APC-Kebbi State) and Immanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba State) also strongly opposed the bill.Like his Zamfara counterpart, Mr. Alieros argument was that citizens rights were already prescribed by the Constitution.Mr. Bwacha said he was drawing perspectives from the Bible and history in opposing the bill.The Senates rejection of the bill has drawn criticisms from Nigerians.On Wednesday, the senate president, Mr. Saraki, assured the bill would be reintroduced after it must have been amended to address reservations that led to its rejection.Meanwhile, ActionAid has urged women population to be resolute in the quest to achieve gender equality.Nigerias female citizens: young, old or in-between, easterner, northerner, southerner, westerner or in-between, Muslims, Christian or otherwise, rural, urban or peri-urban, rich, poor or neither, literate or not  let this rejection be our rallying cry, the ActionAid Country Director, Ojobo Atuluku said in a statement.We have a responsibility to find a common space within which to pitch our voices and provide the source from which our women in public offices and their male allies can draw strength and rejuvenate themselves.Mrs. Ojikutu called for electronic voting in the National Assembly to enable Nigerians know the choices made by their representatives.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday restrained the Chief of Defence Staff, the Brigade Commander of Amphibiou...

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday restrained the Chief of Defence Staff, the Brigade Commander of Amphibious Brigade and the Chief of Army Staff, from deploying military operatives for the re-run elections.In a ruling delivered by Justice George Omereji in a suit filed by the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and the PDP, the Court ordered: That an order of interim order be made and is hereby made restraining , Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Brigade Commander, 2nd Amphibious Brigade, whether by themselves, their agents, servants, officers and operatives or privies from interfering with the applicants right to freely participate in the government of Nigeria either directly or through free chosen representatives, threatens to arrest, harass, intimidate, torture , incancerate the applicants and their members during the rerun elections for the State and National Assembly on 19th March, 2016.The Court based its judgment on the judgment by the Appeal Court in the case between the APC versus and others in 2015 detailing the non involvement of the Army and the Armed Forces in elections.Justice Omereji ordered that the PDP has the responsibility to serve the judgment on the Military for them to comply.That Leave be and is hereby granted the applicants to issue and serve the originating motion of the jurisdiction of this Honorable court for service on the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the Brigade Commander of Second Amphibious Brigade and INEC at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Justice Omereji said.
The sentencing of 21-year-old US student Otto Warmbier to 15 years hard labour in North Korea was unduly harsh, the US state departmen...

The sentencing of 21-year-old US student Otto Warmbier to 15 years hard labour in North Korea was unduly harsh, the US state department has said, as it called for his immediate release and experts denounced the countrys legal process.Spokesman Mark Toner discouraged all US citizens from traveling to North Korea, a longstanding recommendation of the agency, citing the risk of arrest and long-term detention for actions that would not be cause for arrest in the United States or other countries.The University of Virginia students conviction on Wednesday was conducted before a kangaroo court, an expert has said.Katharine Moon from the Brookings Institute said: Theres no due process at all and everybody is handpicked by they regime ... They are not independent assessors of peoples guilt or innocence.Warmbier, who was visiting the isolated communist nation with a backpacking tour group, was detained on 2 January in Pyongyang for allegedly stealing a propaganda sign from a staff-only area of the hotel he was staying. State media said Warmbiers crime was committed with the tacit connivance of the US government and under its manipulation.The court decided that Warbier had committed his crime pursuant to the US governments hostile policy toward [North Korea] in a bid to impair the unity of its people after entering it as a tourist. Pyongyang regularly accuses the US of sending operatives to North Korea for the purpose of overthrowing the hostile regime.Toner said a representative from the Swedish embassy in North Korea was able to confirm Warmbier was in good health and that members of the Swedish delegation were able to visit him in prison and were also present at his sentencing.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said under his leadership, Nigerians must produce what they eat. He said the nation did not have ...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said under his leadership, Nigerians must produce what they eat.He said the nation did not have what he called unlimited resources to continue the importation of food items that could be produced locally.The President spoke while granting audience to the new Bulgarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Vesselin Delcher, who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to present his letter of credence.According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President told his guest that his administration would vigorously implement policies that would revive Nigerias agricultural sector and reposition it as the mainstay of the nations economy.He added that his administration would evolve and implement policies that will help Nigeria become self-sufficient in food production because continued importation of food could expose the country to more external shocks.The President noted that the unbridled importation of food also contributes to the depletion of the countrys foreign reserves and deprives citizens of job opportunities.He said, We must produce what we eat. We dont have unlimited resources to continue the importation of food items that can be produced locally.Fortunately, some Nigerians have shown foresight by building factories that process agricultural products within the country.They have created a value chain that boosts employment, protects our foreign reserves and safeguards the economy from external shocks.We will do all that we can to encourage others to join in the effort to achieve national self-sufficiency in food production.Buhari added that his administration will also help and encourage Nigerian farmers to adopt modern, technology-driven methods that guarantee higher production and returns on investment.The President , who also received the new High Commissioner of Australia, Mr. Paul Lehmann; the new High Commissioner of Sierra-Leone, Hajiya Afsatu Ebiso-Kabba; and the new Ambassador of Iceland, Thordur Aegir Oskarsson, told them that Nigeria will welcome the further strengthening of relations with their countries, especially in the areas of agriculture, solid minerals and trade.He wished the four envoys, who were at the Presidential Villa to present their letters of credence to him, successful tenures in Nigeria.
CAMDEN -- A 43-year-old Galloway Township man wanted for trafficking drugs provided by a Mexican drug cartel was in custody Thursday following a pre-dawn raid by federal, state and local authorities, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

TeJohn Cooper was arrested by agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Jersey State Police, the Atlantic City Prosecutor's Office and the Atlantic City Police Department, Fishman's office said.

Cooper is charged with participating in a ring that allegedly trafficked heroin and cocaine in Atlantic City and the surrounding area. Authorities previously said the drugs were provided through the Sinaloa drug cartel.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday, Cooper was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin and two counts of using a telephone to further a drug trafficking crime.

He joins 11 others who have been charged in the ring, which allegedly distributed the drugs between 2010 and 2014, the indictment says.

The conspiracy charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Each telephone facilitation count carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In addition to Cooper's charges, the new indictment charges former Pleasantville businessman Toye A. Tutis, 42, with two counts of possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of a felony and five counts of use of a telephone to further drug trafficking.

The felon-in-possession counts each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

His wife, Jazmin Vega, 40, also now faces a drug trafficking conspiracy charge and two counts of using a telephone to further drug trafficking crimes, the indictment says.

Tutis also was charged with money laundering conspiracy, a charge that previously only had been filed against Vega. That count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

They were arrested in December, 2014.

Three others -- Ivan Joel Cuellar-Naranjo, 28, of Los Angeles, Tozine N. Tiller, 40, of Absecon and Kabaka Atiba, 43, of Atlantic City -- face one or more telephone facilitation counts, according to the indictment.

Six others have already pleaded guilty to involvement in the drug ring, Fishman's office said. Only one, Francisco Alberto Rascon-Muracami, 22, of Obregon, Mexico, has been sentenced. He is serving nearly six years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Talib Tiller, 43, of Mays Landing, is scheduled to be sentenced Friday in Camden federal court.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
-- The woman

shoreline was identified as a 24-year-old from New York City, police said Thursday.

The death of Natanya Gettie was not considered suspicious, according to Palisades Interstate Parkway police.

Investigators identified Gettie using a fingerprint match from the Bergen County Sheriff's Department, police said in a statement.

New York City police at the 34th Precinct, which serves the Washington Heights and Inwood sections of upper Manhattan, also worked to match Gettie with a reported missing person, according to authorities. Police found a note indicating that Gettie might harm herself.

Two people out for a walk discovered the body Monday night in the Fort Lee area of the PIP park, near the George Washington Bridge, police said. The death was "consistent with an elevated fall such as a bridge or overpass into the Hudson River."

On Tuesday the body of a man was also discovered near the New York tower of the George Washington Bridge.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Richard Ferrari

A 76-year-old convicted sex offender from New Jersey is charged with committing a string of sexual assaults against four girls in Pennsylvania beginning in the mid-1990s.

Richard Ferrari of Lyndhurst faces 61 counts of a variety of charges, according to a report on PoconoRecord.com

The girls were between 5 and 12 years old when the alleged sexual assaults took place, the report said.

Authorities first learned of the alleged incidents in September 2010, when a then 22-year-old woman contacted Pennsylvania State Police to report Ferrari raped her when she was seven. She also told police Ferrari sexually assaulted three other girls.

The other accusers were interviewed by police separately in October of that year.

In 2011, Ferrari was convicted in Hudson County of aggravated sexual assault of a minor under age 13. He has since been at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the Avenel section of Woodbridge, according to online Department of Corrections records.

Ferrari was arraigned on the Pennsylvania charges Wednesday in Monroe County.

The new charges include nine counts of rape, eight counts each of raping a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault and statutory sexual assault and five counts each of aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault and corrupting a minor.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TENAFLY - A middle school math teacher accused of misappropriating a school association's funds will no longer be permitted to teach in New Jersey, according to a finding by the New Jersey Department of Education.

Diana H. Park, 38, was charged a year ago with theft by unlawful taking and falsifying/tampering with public records after $133,414.41 went missing from the MacKay Home and School Association in Tenafly, according to the state.

As a condition of pre-trial intervention, Park - who worked in the Tenafly School District - paid the full amount in restitution on May 27, 2015.

Park holds two mathematics certificates, issued in 2000 and 2003, according to the state.

The N.J. Department of Education revoked both certificates on March 3.

Park could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Bergen County law enforcement did not respond to a request for further details about Park's case.

"Teachers are professional employees to whom the people have entrusted the care and custody of school children," the education department's board of examiners wrote in its determination.

"This heavy duty requires a degree of self-restraint and controlled behavior rarely requisite to other types of employment," the board wrote. "Moreover, unfitness to hold a position in a school system may be shown by one incident, if sufficiently flagrant."

Before the decision, the board asked Park via certified mail to show cause as to why her certificates should not be revoked.

Park stated she was "truly remorseful" and that her behavior was out of character and did not indicate what type of teacher and person she is, adding that she is "in a much better place now."

"She stated that her actions occurred during a tumultuous time in her life, which did not excuse her conduct," the board wrote. "She asked that her mistake not cost her a job that she loved and enjoyed doing."

Park declined an opportunity to appear in person before the board of examiners.

The board ordered Park to return her certificates to the state by early April.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FAIR LAWN - After her anti-Israel tweets made national headlines and landed her in trouble at school, 16-year-old Bethany Koval tells The Record her home was egged, she was called "Hitler" and she lost close friends.

"Really close friends. People I have known since I was young," Koval said in an interview with the newspaper on Thursday.

Her public comments were made just weeks after administrators at Fair Lawn High School determined that Koval's statements on social media did not meet the standards of bullying, but were a result of "peer conflict."

Koval was sent to the principal's office after a Dec. 27 tweet involving another student who had unfollowed her on Twitter because of her political views. Koval tweeted she would name the student in a private message.

Before that, Koval - a self-described Israeli Jew - had been making pro-Palestine and anti-Israeli comments on social media.

School officials at the time said they were not interested in Koval's political views. They wanted to investigate allegations she had bullied another student by allegedly threatening to name her. Officials have also said they feel compelled to investigate such incidents because of the state's strict anti-bullying laws.

"If they really oppose bullying, why did they bully me?" Koval said, referring to adults who rallied against her.

In the Record interview, Koval's mother appealed for understanding and peace.

"I'm hoping that everybody in the community can accept what the school has found and can also understand that she is a child and that she is entitled to her own opinions on politics," Debra Koval said. "But it doesn't dictate who she is as a person."

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
MOUNT LAUREL TOWNSHIP -- A 30-year-old Philadelphia man was charged with theft Tuesday after authorities said he allegedly stole $54,313 from TD Bank.

Township police said they began looking into the theft on Feb. 25 and later identified Brandon M. Collins, a contracted employee at TD Bank's customer service call center on Atrium Way, as a suspect.

An investigation showed Collins allegedly funneled the funds into his personal bank account over the course of six months.

He was arrested at the township police station on Tuesday at about 1 p.m., charged with theft and released pending a court appearance.

Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
MOUNT LAUREL -- A Monroe Township man is behind bars Thursday after police said he was caught returning to the scene of his crime.

Police said Peter Lapreta, 55, was caught attempting to steal $195 worth of merchandise from Home Depot on Wednesday at 11:35 a.m. He dropped the items and fled when loss prevention officers confronted him.

Lapreta returned to the store just a few hours later to retrieve his car, and was arrested by police at the scene.

He was charged with shoplifting and remains in Burlington County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash bail.

Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
CAMDEN -- At its meeting Wednesday, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) took a number of steps directly related to recent waterfront redevelopment proposals as well as projects on the other side of the Delaware River.

The Courier-Post reports that the DRPA voted to negotiate the sale of the long-stagnant sky tram from Camden to Philadelphia it sunk millions of dollars into as well as parking lot "nine" in front of The Victor apartment building to Liberty Property Trust.

"Liberty Property Trust has expressed an interest in the purchase of air rights and real estate in order to implement their redevelopment plan for the construction of commercial, residential, and public park facilities on the Camden waterfront," according to the agenda for Wednesday's meeting.

Liberty Property Trust is planning an $830 million project that will include residential, commercial and transportation options.

Remnants of the unfulfilled tram project, which dates back decades, includes a massive concrete structure at Penn's Landing, in Philadelphia. Detractors have often ridiculed the above-ground tram mooring as a Stonehenge-like monolith and resembling the symbol for "Pi."

According to the DRPA's 2012 annual report, the authority spent $18.3 million dollars on the project. That total was listed as a "loss on abandonment of aerial tram project

Per the report, the DRPA also voted to apply for a U.S. Department of Transportation grant that would cover roughly half of the $26.3 million it would cost to re-open the shuttered Franklin Square PATCO train station just shy of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

The DRPA meeting agenda notes that the underground train stop was closed in 1978. It was later addressed in a 2014 site condition assessment and is now part of the authority's capital program.

The report also adds that the DRPA is working on a sale of another parking facility to make way for a $28 million six-story garage.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
BRIDGETON -- A Vineland man is suing the YMCA over an exercise bike mishap that befell him 8 years ago.

Jose A. Caraballo, 20, of South Lincoln Avenue, in Vineland, filed the lawsuit against the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA in Cumberland County Superior Court on March 7.

A representative from the Cumberland Cape Atlantic YMCA could not be reached for comment by telephone.

According to the lawsuit, Caraballo was at the Landis Avenue YMCA on March 20, 2008, for the School Age Child Care (SACC) program when the accident occurred.

SACC is an after-school program where children go for supervision while their parents are still at work.

"At that time, (the YMCA), by way of their agents, servants and employees, negligently and/or recklessly failed to properly observe and supervise (Caraballo), who was permitted to ride a stationary bicycle in the SACC room while wearing baggy, non-gym clothing," the lawsuit states.

According to Caraballo, he fractured his leg and suffered medical expenses and anxiety since the accident.

The lawsuit demands a trial by jury and requests compensation for his injuries, plus interest.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
BRIDGETON -- Jacob Riley Wasserman was in his first week of graduate school at New York University in 2013, fulfilling his dream of being an artist and designer, when he found out he had esophageal cancer.

His parents, Keith and Betsy Wasserman, travelled from Bridgeton to New York to deliver the diagnosis to him and bring him home.

"That summer leading into it he had some difficulty swallowing and went to doctors and they treated him for some more minor type of things -- because when you're 23 years old nobody is looking for esophageal cancer," Keith said.

Jacob died in January after more than two years of cancer treatment, but not before leaving a legacy that can be found in the kitchen and out at the backyard grill.

The Star-Spangled Spatula is a genuine, bona fide, made-in-America utensil shaped like an American flag. It is also now the official spatula of Cumberland County, thanks to a unanimously approved resolution by the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders in February.

Money raised by spatula sales will go toward cancer research.

Inventor/explorer

Jacob was always an imaginative kid with a sense of humor, according to his parents.

"He was always full of energy," Betsy said. "He always called himself an inventor/explorer. He was always interested in things."

He liked dinosaurs and superheroes. He carried around a sketchpad and made stories about a hero of his own creation -- Super Squirrel -- and had a Super Jacob costume his dad made him.

A portrait of Super Jacob sits on a mantle in the Wasserman living room. Jacob's brother Isaac served as the model.

"He was always drawing and he was always imagining things," Keith said. "It made us all that much more creative because when you're around creativity it inspires creativity."

The Wasserman dining room is filled with other creations by Jacob -- an illustration of Isaac making a snow angel, specially designed shelves and a balancing toy with black spots on it called "The Cow Tipper."

Going away to college

For college, he applied to the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) -- famous for its application process, which involves the prospective student drawing a picture of a bicycle.

Characteristic of his sense of humor, Jacob drew a picture of three people riding invisible bikes. His family served as the models for the drawing.

"It was his dream school and I think he was as excited and surprised when he got in as anyone would be because it is one of those reach schools," Keith said. "Nobody is guaranteed."

Jacob thrived at RISD, where he started to focus on furniture design, and even spent a semester in the western Africa country of Ghana.

During his junior year, for a metal class project, he made a barbecue grill inspired by the lunar landing module. He had some metal left over and decided to make a special spatula to go with it.

"They were much more impressed with this," Keith said, holding the Star-Spangled Spatula. "They said look, the grill's OK, but you should do something with the spatula."

Family and friends encouraged Jacob to shop around his spatula and he pitched it to Areaware -- a design company in New York City that specializes in accessories for homes and kitchens.

Jacob made sure that the American flag-shaped spatulas were made in the United States. A Massachusetts knife company that dates back to the 19th century makes the metal version and the vinyl version is made in Chicago.

"You don't want to do the American flag in China," Keith said.

For Jacob, grilling was the quintessential American way to cook food and an American utensil was required.

The diagnosis

The summer before starting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts for graduate studies in 2012, Jacob was having trouble swallowing. He did some tests and went to school while waiting for the results.

"We got the news and we went up there and told him that there was something serious and we have to fight this thing and come home and work with the doctors," Keith said.

For the next year, Jacob went to the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania for treatment.

He would joke that the proton therapy was merely an infusion of positive energy and compared himself to the Incredible Hulk, a Marvel superhero that gets his powers from radiation.

During his time back at home, he worked and tinkered on different projects.

In addition to the esophageal cancer, doctors also found metastasis in his liver.

"He was not a bedridden person," Keith recalled. "Throughout most of this it would be hard to tell he was fighting a disease. Most of the time if you saw him -- especially if you didn't know him -- he did well through all of it."

Jacob returned to school for a year, but had to take another year off.

After his diagnosis, he started Flip4Cancer where sales of the Star-Spangled Spatula would go toward cancer research at Abramson Cancer Center.

Jacob died on Jan. 26 at the age of 25. When his college friends came to visit for the funeral, they hid little dinosaur figures in the dining room for the family to find -- a green triceratops sit on the illustration of Isaac making a snow angel and an orange ouranosaurus lumbers on a shelf that Jacob designed.

As far as legacies go, the Star-Spangled Spatula is characteristically Jacob -- simple yet creative, useful yet with a sense of humor and one-of-a-kind. It can be found in restaurants and gift shops across the world.

His family was able to see it named the official spatula of Cumberland County and it continues to raise money for cancer research.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
NEWARK -- During Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's second State of the City address Tuesday night, he addressed the city's schools' water crisis, saying that he wanted a permanent improvement to the city's infrastructure, not "just" filters.

"Our students' health is in jeopardy. There is nothing wrong with Newark's water, but there is something wrong with our infrastructure. It is old," Baraka said. "We don't want to send our children bottled water for the next 20 years, and we don't just want filters on water-use sights."

He also thanked those who had donated water bottles and encouraged the state legislature to support an assembly bill that could spur improvement to the state's water infrastructure.

Baraka was responding to recent news that nearly half of Newark schools have been using water contaminated with dangerous levels of lead.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even low levels of lead in children's blood can impact academic achievement, and those detrimental effects cannot be corrected.

The upsetting information about some Newark schools' water came after recent annual district testing found elevated levels of lead in the schools' drinking water, according to officials. Newark told the Department of Environmental Protection March 7, the DEP said, and a joint announcement was issued two days later. Thirty Newark school buildings are currently using bottled water, officials have since announced.

Baraka gave his speech March 15 at 6 p.m. at the the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Victoria Theatre.

The mayor said that several organizations have supplied bottled water to Newark, and he thanked them, but said it was not enough.

Still, as in his and other officials' past statements on the issue, which sought to ease local health concerns, Baraka also said children he spoke to were "upbeat," saying that they are at least drinking more bottled water than ever.

"They were more interested in how to solve these problems than scaring each other about them," he said.

He also echoed the warnings of environmental advocates, who say that Newark's issue reflects the state's larger lead contamination problems.

Following attention given to the water issues in Flint, Michigan, New Jersey advocates have asked for a renewed focus on the lead in the water across the state.

In New Jersey, 11 cities and two counties, including Newark, had a higher percentage of children with elevated lead levels than Flint in 2015, according to an analysis of New Jersey Department of Health statistics by Isles, Inc., a community development organization based in Trenton.

"We have a serious problem in our country and in this state in particular. Fourteen years ago, lead was found in the Camden school system and the schools are still using bottled water to this day," Baraka said. "We have allowed austerity, small government, regressive tax reforms, failure to invest in or infrastructure, mainly our cities where black and brown children are the majority, to be put in harm's way."

According to Baraka, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle's (D-Bergen) bill, A2281, allows consumers to turn in their plastic bottles to get a 10-cent deposit back, or to offer the money to be used for statewide water infrastructure.

Or, he said, New Jersey could put a "5-cent tax" on all plastic bags and bottles sold in New Jersey, to be put toward a fund to improve the water infrastructure.

On Wednesday morning, after a press conference on wage inequality, Baraka told reporters that 17,000 students and their parents from the 30 impacted schools have been told that "they are eligible to come (to the local health department) and get tested."

"The press has been running around saying that we are going to test 17,000 kids. We have just opened it up to all the parents... What we're saying is 'we have a health department. It's open,'" he said, adding that there was no reason for hysteria or panic. "We're erring on the side of caution and telling parents 'if you feel the need to get tested, you can.'"

But, he added, "we don't know if they're affected by it," and he said no child had come forward with lead poisoning as a result of the school finding.

The mayor said that because the state has controlled Newark's schools for the past 20 years, it was unclear how long lead has been an issue in the water.

Baraka, a former Newark principal, said that he didn't even know that there was a lead filtration system for water when he was in the schools.

"It goes back to why we need control of our schools," he said.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook
Newark CCRB Vote

Local activists gather outside Newark City Hall as the Municipal Council prepares to vote on the proposed Citizens Complaint Review Board 3.16.16 (Vernal Coleman|NJ Advance Media).

NEWARK -- With a unanimous vote, the Newark municipal council today codified into law the city's first citizen complaint review board -- a move advocates say will ensure lasting public oversight of the city's police force.

Created by executive order of Mayor Ras Baraka in 2015, the board's 11 members are empowered to review police misconduct allegations and make sure that discipline is administered when it occurs.

Speakers at the council meeting, noting that citizens had been pushing for civilian oversight of the police department for nearly 50 years, called it essential to the rebuilding of trust between law enforcement and the public.

Rick Robinson of the Newark branch of the NAACP joined other longtime advocates of the review board in thanking city officials, including Mayor Ras Baraka.

The review board will be a boon for the city, enhancing cooperation between the police force and residents, Robinson said.

However, James Stewart Jr., president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said the board with its sweeping powers, is illegal and the union plans to challenge it in court.

"The passage of the CCRB by the council doesn't finalize the matter," Stewart said. "It just brings us closer to having our day in court."

Conceived in the wake of a damning report released by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2014, the board is designed to provide additional civilian oversight of a beleaguered police department that federal investigators found routinely engaged in acts of excessive force and violations of residents' constitutional rights.

It would grant citizens the option of directing their complaints to the board or to the police department's internal affairs unit. Board members would then conduct an independent investigation on cases brought before them, and would be able to summon the officers facing the allegations to a formal hearing.

The board will issue a determination as to whether an act of misconduct occurred, which will be forwarded to the city's police chief, who can issue a final decision on punishment using a so-called "discipline matrix" that creates guidelines for certain offenses and their severity.

The provisions are key to ensuring that the Newark board is capable of increasing police accountability, power that civilian review boards in some other cities do not have, Ofer said ACLU Executive Director Udi Ofer.

"All these organizations seem to be doing cartwheels over how far reaching this CCRB is as constituted with its investigatory and subpoena powers," Stewart added. "Maybe they should be wondering why it's the first of its kind in the nation.

"We will not allow our member's rights to simply be rolled over," Stewart said after the council vote. He said the union contract in addition to state law are being violated with the creation of this board and the union prefers to "let a judge decide what is permitted and what is not, and who is allowed to do it."

The board will consist of an inspector general appointed by the mayor, three members of the Municipal Council or their designees, and one chosen each of six community organizations -- the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP, Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, People's Organization for Progress, Ironbound Community Corporation, La Casa de Don Pedro and a local clergy member.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
PHILADELPHIA -- A New York brewery plans to celebrate the release of its latest "Game of Thrones"-inspired beer with a Westeros-themed event inside a former Philadelphia prison.

Brewery Ommegang is holding the launch party for the Seven Kingdoms Hoppy Wheat Ale in April, when attendees will be able to "journey to the seven kingdoms of Westeros, located throughout the historic walls of Eastern State Penitentiary." The event will include tastings of the new beer, as well as other from the brewery's "Game of Thrones" series, as well as fire spinners, live music a chance to sit on the Iron Throne.

Tickets for the event on April 14 are sold out.

The Cooperstown, N.Y., brewery has already produced five other beers in collaboration with HBO, including a dark saison called Three-Eyed Raven and the Take the Black Stout.

The sixth season of "Game of Thrones" premieres on April 24.

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Michael Solomonov

Michael Solomonov, pictured in New York City in 2015, has been named a finalist for the James Beard Awards' outstanding chef. Solomonov is the co-owner of Zahav in Philadelphia. (Photo by Cindy Ord | Getty Images for Saveur)

PHILADELPHIA -- The co-owner of Zahav in Philadelphia is among five finalists vying for the most prestigious honor for chefs at the so-called "Oscars of the food world."

Michael Solomonov was this week named a finalist in the James Beard Awards' Outstanding Chef category, an accolade won in previous years by chefs such as David Chang of Momofuku and Tom Colicchio of Craft. The competition for the Israeli-born, Pittsburgh-raised chef, who won the James Beard Award for best chef in the the mid-Atlantic in 2011, hails from Nashville, Los Angeles, New Orleans and San Francisco.

Solomonov isn't the only chef or restaurateur from Philadelphia named a finalist for a national James Beard Awards this year.

Alex Bois, of High Street on Market, is a finalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and Stephen Starr of Starr Restaurants (including Serpico, Morimoto, Buddakan and many others) is a finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Three Philadelphia chefs were also named finalists for the regional award of best chef in the mid-Atlantic. Those chefs are: Eli Kulp of Fork, Rich Landau of Vedge and Greg Vernick of Vernick Food & Drink.

None of the New Jersey chefs who were named as semi-finalists made the cut this year when finalists were announced.

In addition to being named as a finalist for Outstanding Chef, Solomonov, along with his business partner Steven Cook, is up for a book award in the international category for "Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking."

Marc Vetri of Vetri, who was a semi-finalist for Outstanding Chef but didn't make in to the latest round, is also up for a book award. Vetri, along with writer David Joachim, are nominees in the single-subject category for "Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto."

The winners will be announced in Chicago on May 2.

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
BROCKTON MASS. -- The man who fled to the Dominican Republic after allegedly killing and burning a Paulsboro woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and murder in Massachusetts.

Fernando Owens was wanted for the grisly murder of Ashley Bortner, who was found on wrapped in a blanket and on fire, with her hands and feet tied together in November 2015. She had been gagged by clothing and her face was wrapped with a towel before being set ablaze next to railroad tracks in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, according to the Plymouth District Attorney.

Authorities identified Owens as a suspect shortly after Bortner's death, saying he believed she had been involved in the murder of his son. Massachusetts State Police searched his Dorchester home and found an Egyptian cotton towel and an electrical cord they say link him to the murder, the prosecutor's office said.

Ashley Bortner

Owens was found in the Dominican Republic on March 8 and was transported to New York by the U.S. Marshals Service where he was arraigned of a fugitive from justice charge. He was then brought to Massachusetts and was arraigned Thursday on charges of murder and aggravated kidnapping.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges and is being held without bail.

A couple from New Hampshire -- Julian and Shannon Squires -- each face murder and aggravated kidnapping charges in the case as well.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
WOOLWICH TWP. -- A 70-year-old woman died and her husband was seriously injured in a car accident on Route 322 Monday night.

The couple was driving home to Sewell from a vacation in Florida when the car drifted off the road, hitting a concrete sign for the Pureland Industrial Park, according to Woolwich Township Police Chief Richard Jaramillo.

Preliminary investigations suggest the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel, police said.

The male driver is still hospitalized in critical condition. Neither victim is being identified by police at this time.

There were no signs of any alcohol or substance use and no known medical conditions that contributed to the accident, according to police. .

"There is no foul play and no charges," Jaramillo said. "It was an unfortunate incident for a couple trying to get home from vacation."

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
timmymc.jpg

Bayonne Police Sgt. Timothy McAuliffe, seen at the annual 200 Club of Hudson County' Valor Awards ceremony in 2014, is one of two Bayonne police officers recently added to a police brutality lawsuit. The other officer is Miguel Camacho. (Journal file photo)

(Reena Rose Sibayan)

BAYONNE -- Two more city police officers have been accused in a federal lawsuit of doing nothing when a fellow officer beat a handcuffed man with a flashlight in December 2013.

Until last week, the suit said Officers James Wade and Francis Styles "stood by and did nothing" while Officer Domenico Lillo struck city resident Brandon Walsh, an allegation that Wade and Styles have both denied.

In an amended complaint filed in federal court on March 8, two additional officers -- Sgt. Timothy McAuliffe and Officer Miguel Camacho -- are accused of similar inaction.

The suit also accuses McAuliffe of doing "nothing to report or otherwise rectify his officers' wrongdoing" despite being the other officers' tour commander at the time.

He "failed to report the incident to his superiors in an effort to further the officers' collective conspiracy to cover up their heinous act," the suit states.

According to city records, McAuliffe is a 21-year veteran of the police department, while Camacho is a 15-year veteran.

Asked about the new allegations, Bayonne Police Chief Drew Niekrasz said neither he nor any other member of the police department can comment on ongoing litigation.

The defendants named in the lawsuit, which was filed by the family of Brandon Walsh through attorneys Joel Silberman and Aymen Aboushi, are now the city of Bayonne; the Bayonne Police Department; and Lillo, Wade, Styles, McAuliffe and Camacho.

In Walsh's attorneys' motion to amend their original Nov. 17, 2014 complaint, they said they only became aware of McAuliffe and Camacho's identities after receiving Lillo's responses to formal requests for further information on Feb. 5 this year.

In the lawsuit's most recent activity, attorneys for Walsh and Styles are arguing over whether the case should be paused in light of Styles' attorneys' claims that there is an ongoing federal investigation into Styles over Walsh's beating.

The FBI has previously told The Jersey Journal it can neither confirm nor deny whether there is an active investigation into Styles or Wade.

Lillo, who was arrested by the FBI last January, pleaded guilty in September to striking Walsh with a flashlight on Dec. 27, 2013, while Walsh was handcuffed. Lillo also pleaded guilty to lying about the incident afterward.

The lawsuit brought by Walsh isn't the first time that McAuliffe and Lillo have been sued together for alleged police brutality.

In May 2011, the city paid nearly $100,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by two city men who said they were brutally assaulted by police as they left a bar on Broadway in 2007.

McAuliffe, Lillo and three other officers were named as defendants in that suit. The city and officers admitted no liability or wrongdoing in the incident.

In an unrelated case, Lillo also pleaded guilty last September to illegally obtaining a $20,000 loan intended for low- to moderate-income residents. His wife, Rose Lillo, was also charged and is negotiating a plea agreement, according to court documents.

Last November, a federal judge granted Rose Lillo and prosecutors time to continue with plea negotiations until March 23. That time was also granted to let Rose Lillo attend to an unspecified illness, court documents state.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Police arrested a 44-year-old man near Dickinson High School yesterday who they say committed nine residential burglaries over a three-month span.

Richard M. Vargas of Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City is accused of committing the burglaries between October and December of last year, according to Bayonne police, who carried out Vargas' arrest.

Police couldn't be reached today to provide the locations of the burglaries.

When Vargas was arrested at 12:30 p.m. on the 400 block of Pavonia Avenue, he was also found to be in possession of heroin, police said. He was charged with drug possession and intent to distribute it.

Vargas' bail was set at $100,000 with a 10 percent option, and he was taken to the Hudson County jail in Kearny, police said.

Vargas was accused two years ago of a Weehawken robbery and burglary. He illegally entered a woman's home and pushed her to the ground as he fled her basement apartment with her check book and credit cards, a criminal complaint said.

Vargas later pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary in that incident, according to court records.

He has nine prior arrests, two disorderly persons convictions and criminal convictions for burglary, theft, drug possession and trespassing, court officials said in 2014.

Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
mayhan.jpg

Joseph Mayhan was charged with burglary after he found inside a building near Washington and 12th streets early Monday morning, according to a police report.

JERSEY CITY -- A 54-year-old man with more than four dozens arrests on his record admitted to a judge he was guilty of breaking into a Hoboken apartment during his first hearing on the charge yesterday afternoon.

Joseph Mayhan, who stated he was homeless, was charged with burglary after he found inside a building near Washington and 12th streets early Monday morning, according to a police report.

During his first appearance, Judge Kelly Austin, presiding over Central Judicial Processing court, began reading Mayhan his charges when he interrupted and said "I was sleeping in the hall, I am guilty."

Austin informed Mayhan he should exercise his right to remain silent.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Peter Stoma said the victims found Mayhan standing over their bed while they were sleeping. Mayhan was then detained in the hallway of the building by the victim until police arrived, Stoma said.

"That's the truth," Mayhan said after Stoma made his arguments.

Again Mayhan was told he should not speak during the hearing, and responded with "He (Stoma) told you the truth."

According to court documents, Mayhan has been arrested 61 times and has 45 disorderly persons convictions on his record.

Stoma said Mayhan has been convicted of two prior robberies and asked that bail be set at $50,000.

Austin opted to hold Mayhan on a no-bail status until a psychiatric test was performed, to which defense attorney Amanda Hickey agreed.

According to the police report from the incident, Mayhan additionally had warrants out of Hoboken, Jersey City, Trenton, and Newark.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Public safety was at the forefront of Mayor Steve Fulop's state of the city address tonight, with Fulop calling a decrease in crime the nucleus for the growth in development citywide and saying the city is "winning the fight on crime."

Fulop cited statistics showing double-digit decreases in violent offenses since he took office in 2013, and he touted hiring more than 100 new police officers in the last two years. For 2016, he pledged to hire more cops, add more walking posts and re-open the city police academy to boost the number of recruits.

"Public safety is the prerequisite for new parks, for residential developments and for innovative transportation systems," he said. "Without safe streets, we cannot possibly build the strong, vibrant city that we are working towards every day."

This was Fulop's third state of the city address, given in the City Council chambers in City Hall to a crowd of more than 350. It came a day after he made headlines for calling on Gov. Chris Christie to resign over the governor's frequent campaigning for presidential hopeful Donald Trump, but there was no mention of Christie and only a veiled reference to Trump.

"At a time of divisive national presidential politics, those of us who live here understand Jersey City is truly a community of harmony," Fulop said tonight.

Fulop touched briefly on a number of his administration's initiatives, including becoming the first city in New Jersey to offer health benefits especially for transgender workers; folding the Jersey City Incinerator Authority into the city Department of Public Works, a merger he has sought since before he was mayor; and presiding over Jersey City as it has seen a construction boom and a historically low unemployment rate.

But crime was the major focus. Fulop cited statistics showing a decrease in most major crime categories and said there is also a perception that crime is on the decline. People feel safer than ever, the mayor said, whether a Greenville resident walking to a corner store or a commuter walking home late at night from the Journal Square PATH station.

"A change in perception can't be measured, it can't be quantified, but I assure you it exists," he said. "Make no mistake: despite occasional challenges, we are winning the fight on crime here in Jersey City."

Fulop referenced a decrease in robberies, burglaries and assaults, but did not mention that homicides have increased each year since he was elected mayor. Omitting that fact made the speech "a distortion of reality," said Bill Matsikoudis, a chief Fulop critic and a longtime political rival of the mayor.

Councilwoman-at-large Joyce Watterman, a Fulop ally, did not dispute the crime stats the mayor touted. But Watterman, a pastor at a storefront church on Monticello Avenue, in an area of the city that has struggled with crime, wouldn't say she agrees that people citywide feel safer.

"Depends on what part of town I'm in," she said. "If I'm in a certain section, some people feel safe, and (if) I'm in a different part of town, some people don't feel safe."

Fulop's address won praise from his two City Council critics, Richard Boggiano and Michael Yun. Fulop singled out Boggiano's advocacy for re-opening the Jersey City police academy, shuttered under the last administration as a cost-saving move. Boggiano, a retired police detective, has been relentless in pushing for the academy to re-open, and Fulop tonight said he is in talks with state officials to do so.

"I'm not going to knock him," Boggiano said. "As far as I'm concerned, it was a good speech."

Tonight's audience included almost every major elected official who lives in Jersey City, plus a few political players from outside of Hudson County. Essex County Democratic Chairman Leroy Jones was in attendance, as was Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich. Introducing Sokolich, who is largely seen as the target of the George Washington Bridge lane closures in 2013, Council President Rolando Lavarro joked, "Hope traffic was OK."

Watch the speech here (starts about 56 minutes in):

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Google Workshop in Jersey City

"Lets Put Jersey City On The Map" a Google workshop to help small businesses .

Saint Peter's University and Rising Tide Capital will host a workshop on March 30 to help small businesses improve their presence online and on mobile devices.

The bilingual workshop, "Let's Put Jersey City on the Map," will include sessions on making a business more searchable on Google, email marketing, Constant Contact and digital media marketing.

It is open to students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and the community. Click here to learn more about the event.

The seminar is part of Google's Get Your Business Online program, which aims to bring community members, business owners and civic leaders together to help small businesses succeed on the web.

The workshop will run from 8 to 11:30 a.m. in the Duncan Family Sky Room at at Saint Peter's University's Mac Mahon Student Center, 47 Glenwood Ave., Jersey City.

Luis De La Hoz, vice president of the Intersect Fund and vice chair of the New Jersey Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board will be the keynote speaker.

The Center for Career Engagement and Experiential Learning and The Center for Undocumented Students at Saint Peter's University are sponsors of the event.
I told Salvatore Scarlata, chef/owner of Vidalia Restaurant, a small, casual restaurant in Lawrenceville, just how serious the competition in our N.J.'s best Italian restaurant showdown has become.

"The guy at the last place played the piano for us,'' I explained to him, in a reference to Filippo Russo, chef/owner of da Filippo in Somerville. "I don't see a piano here. So I think you should go over to Lawrenceville Prep, see if you can borrow a piano, and learn how to play real quick.''

Of course, I was only kidding. The determining factor in our statewide showdown, to be revealed live Wednesday, March 23, is not who owns, or can play, a piano. It's about the food, mostly, though other factors such as service, atmosphere, tradition and history may play a part.

I'm visiting each of our ten finalists one last time, this time in the company of a crew of lucky readers on the Munchmobile. These finalists span the Italian restaurant spectrum, from hushed, haute dining rooms to lively neighborhood trattorias.

DA FILIPPO, SOMERVILLE

Photo of rosy-cheeked grandchildren greet patrons at da Filippo, which opened as a pizzeria on July 6, 1988. July 6 is a big day for Russo and his Swiss wife, Berti -- they emigrated to this country on July 6, 1982. Friends told Russo to stay simple, with a pizzeria, but the Sicilian-born Russo dreamed big; he wanted to open a full-service Italian restaurant. Not for nothing is "My Way'' one of his favorite songs; he even played it for the Munch crew when we visited earlier this week.

For Munchmobile crew member Stephanie Dworkin, it was her first time eating snails, which she enjoyed "more than I thought," likening the taste to a "meaty mushroom."

She loved the "crispy" fried artichokes, but her favorite dish was the Spezzatino di Manzo, a beef stew with mushrooms and carrots, with the meat "pull-apart tender." She rated the ravioli alla pomodoro, involutini di Melanzane (ricotta-filled eggplant) and creme brulee all average, but enjoyed the cannoli and chocolate-sauce-topped profiteroles.

Those snails crept up on on all our Munchers; Patricia Kugel, a hairdresser and consultant, admired their "buttery mushroom texture and flavor." She loved the bruschetta -- and it's "broosketta,'' according Filippo. Which is a cue to take our online course on how to speak New Jersey restaurant Italian.

Kugel called the cheese tortellini "nice and creamy without being too heavy,'' and also was a fan of the beef stew -- "delizioso times two.'' The chocolate-y profiteroles? "Light and fluffy and oh-so-scrumptious.''

A dish you're unlikely to find at your neighborhood Italian is affatati misti, mixed Italian cold cuts, here a plate of sliced prosciutto, air-dried beef, smoked speck (a type of prosciutto) and sopresata.

Alex Hahn, who works in customer service but hopes to land a job as a food writer, admired the "smoky to sweet'' range of flavors, and the "great'' ricotta cheese filling in the ravioli al filetto di pomodoro e Basilico.

'What really blew me over was the delicious, seasoned tomato sauce" in the ravioli, said Hahn, who also found the veal scaloppine "cooked perfectly," with a "divine, cheesy flavor." But he was underwhelmed by the desserts. He called the creme brulee "bland" and thought the cannoli "tasted like pudding."

Dave Naysmith, a math teacher, called the quesadilla-like rustichella, filled with tomatoes, onions, cheese and mortadella, "very smooth and flavorful," and judged the snails "done to perfection." Like the other Munchers, he was bowled over by the beef stew -- "all the flavors blended beautifully and the meat was so tender," but found the porchetta alla romano (pork loin filled with pancetta) "a bit on the chewy side."

Those profiteroles, he said, were "absolutely perfect,'' but he considered the mille foglie (orange-custard puff pastry), "too much pastry and not enough cream."

My favorite dishes: First visit, malloreddus (Sardinian-style gnocchi). Second visit: mille foglie.

Why this restaurant can win it all: Charming restaurant with friendly owners; simple, satisfying Sicilian fare.

VIDALIA RESTAURANT, LAWRENCEVILLE

Sal Scarlata's parents are from Sicily, but he grew up in Northern Italy, so it's no surprise his menu at Vidalia spans the country. "Eclectic Italian cooking'' is how he describes his menu and "cucina con passione" -- cooking with a passion -- is his motto.

"I'm trying to follow the trends. and be innovative and inventive," he says.

His black mozzarella appetizer, sampled on my initial visit, is proof of the latter. The cheese is dusted with charcoal powder, thus the "black,'' and the dish sits pretty as you please, with its balsamic pearls, crostini mini-fort of arugula, a wisp of mortadella atop a wedge of melon, and perfectly-arrayed artichoke heart.

Naysmith loved the meal from the get-go, with Scarlata's take on that Italian restaurant standard, garlic bread. Here it's crusty toasted bread stuffed with olives and peppers in oil.

"I could have eaten much more of this I did," Naysmith admitted guiltily.

He didn't much like the ceviche, but was almost teary-eyed at the stuffed onion, with its melted cheese and ground sausage "enhancing" the onion's already-pronounced flavor.

"Absolutely delicious'' was his assessment of the mozzarella en carroza, with tomatoes and a red wine sauce. The vegetable lasagne? Merely the best he's ever had, "all the flavors blending together to make a very tasty dish.'' The veal saltimbocca, though, was "bland."

Finding agreement on any Munchmobile field trip is impossible, and this one was no different. Kugel was crazy about the ceviche, the octopus, tortilla chip and avocado "blending seamlessly."

She wasn't happy about either the filetto pomodoro (capellini, sauteed sweet Vidalia onions, prosciutto, and basil in an organic San Marzano plum tomato sauce) or fettucine Vidalia, but loved the "creamy and flavorful'' lasagne. She had one word for all the desserts: "scrumptious," singling out the "too-die-for" creme brulee pie.

Hahn was dizzy over the desserts, making note of the "divine" cannoli, the "rich" creme brulee pie, and the tiramisu, "packed with layers and layers of sweet flavors" and "probably the best tiramsu that I have ever had."

Dworkin loved the ceviche "more than expected," and enjoyed the "creaminess' of the mozzarella en carroza. She took a fancy to the garlic bread and veggie lasagne, but the standouts for her were the desserts, especially the "unique, creamy and delicious'' creme brulee pie.

My favorite dishes: First visit, panko-crusted pork chop Milanese. Second visit, filetto di pomodoro.

Why this restaurant can win it all: Creative takes on Italian standards. Excellent desserts.

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and Instagram.
The 29-year-old Jersey City woman fatally shot on Monitor Street Monday morning was a "wonderful mother" to three children and had a smile on her face every day, friends and family said yesterday.

Amelia Holmes, a Neptune Avenue resident, was gunned down at about 7:20 a.m. In the hours that followed, police searched for Holmes' boyfriend, Terrence Jackson, also 29, who was wanted in the shooting. He was found dead at around 11:30 a.m. in Bayonne's Mercer Park with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Yesterday, friends said Holmes enjoyed showing up to her job at a Secaucus security company, where everyone loved her.

"Amelia was happy-go-lucky," said Loraina Pineda, Holmes' co-worker. "She was always in a good mood. She was always happy. She was always joking around. She was an amazing person."

Shannon Cook, who has been friends with Holmes since they attended Lincoln High School together, said she wished her friend's death "didn't happen the way it did."

"She's just a loving person, always put others before herself and goes above and beyond for her friends and family," Cook said.

Cook, who also works at the security company, said she and Holmes would have "girls night" at her best friend's home and that Holmes was an amazing cook.

Tuesday morning, Pineda set up balloons and candles at the spot where Holmes was killed. Since then, the memorial has grown with loved ones leaving photos, T-shirts and balloons that spell out Holmes' nickname, "Mia."

At the memorial yesterday afternoon, Holmes' cousin Denise Robinson told The Jersey Journal that her kids have grown up with Holmes' children -- Ziasia, 13, Jazmia, 10, and Terrence, 8, whom Holmes was raising with Jackson.

"She was truly a blessed woman," Robinson said.

Shortly after Holmes was killed, Jersey City officials said the shooting was domestic in nature.

Cook said Holmes and Jackson had their "ups and downs," but that the slain woman "continued to fight for" Jackson because "that's who she loved."

Cook said while she was "disgusted" with Jackson's "selfish" actions Monday morning, she believes she will one day forgive him.

Robinson said Holmes' family is also feeling pain for the Jackson family.

"In a situation like this here, we pass judgment on no one," Robinson said. "That's just the type of family we are. Our hearts bleed for the Jackson family also."

Holmes' funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at New Hope Baptist Church in Jersey City.
PERTH AMBOY -- The Board of Education and City Hall will head to court on Monday in an Election Day dispute.

The pressing question: When is Election Day?

Two sides will head to court over the timing of Perth Amboy's school elections.

For the members of the Board of Education, who are elected to run the city's school system, that's still an open question.

The mayor and City Council want the vote for school board members to be held in November, as most school districts have done in a bid to increase turnout. The Board of Education wants voters to choose its members in April, arguing the November elections have become too political.

Earlier this year, the Board of Education moved the elections from November to April, but the City Council, a separate body, voted to switch them back to November, a political tug of war that will play out in arguments on Monday before Superior Court Judge Arthur Bergman in New Brunswick.

The school board's move bucks a trend in New Jersey school districts, most of which have gone the other way, switching their elections from April to November because more people will come out to the polls. Perth Amboy was among those to switch; now, the board is looking to switch back.

School board member Israel Varela said that the school elections in November have become too political. Moving the elections back to April 19 will help voters decide on the schools and the schools alone, Varela argued.

"In April, it's just the board," Varela said. "So you really will be focused."

Varela has also argued that school board members should have a cap on the amount of money they're allowed to spend on their campaigns, at $1,000 each.

But opponents of the move argue that the decision is self-serving, will limit voter turnout and has essentially silenced any opposition. Three incumbents -- Varela, Samuel Lebrault and Anthony Bermudez -- won't have opponents if the elections are held in April.

"If this year's Board of Education election were to happen next month, Mr. Lebreault, Mr. Varela and their running mate, who are all supportive of this sudden and costly change in dates will run unopposed - meaning they will essentially be granted another term to continue using our school system for their own political agenda," Junior Iglesia, who has run in the past for school board, said in an email. "When are they actually going to care about the education of our children?"

An April school board election would also allow school board members to run for City Council in November; if the votes were held on the same day, board members would have to choose which race to participate in.

Mayor Wilda Diaz's administration argues that in addition to depressing voter turnout, the move would be costly -- an additional $30,000.

"We as an administration are not willing to put that burden on the taxpayers," city business administrator Adam Cruz said in an email. "Overall, it is not in the voters' best interest to have an April election, as voter turnout is significantly higher in November and especially in a presidential election."

Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The Nobel Peace Prize 1993

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 1993 to Nelson R. Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.

From their different points of departure, Mandela and de Klerk have reached agreement on the principles for a transition to a new political order based on the tenet of one man-one vote. By looking ahead to South African reconciliation instead of back at the deep wounds of the past, they have shown personal integrity and great political courage.

Ethnic disparities cause the bitterest conflicts. South Africa has been the symbol of racially-conditioned suppression. Mandelas and de Klerks constructive policy of peace and reconciliation also points the way to the peaceful resolution of similar deep-rooted conflicts elsewhere in the world.

The previous Nobel Laureates Albert Lutuli and Desmond Tutu made important contributions to progress towards racial equality in South Africa. Mandela and de Klerk have taken the process a major step further. The Nobel Peace Prize for 1993 is awarded in recognition of their efforts and as a pledge of support for the forces of good, in the hope that the advance towards equality and democracy will reach its goal in the very near future.

Oslo, October 15, 1993

To cite this section

MLA style: The Nobel Peace Prize 1993. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Sat. 22 Oct 2022. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1993/press-release/>
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. High around 80F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 66F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 82F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
The Maley Drive project is much more than a road for trucks. It is the building block of the future of the City of Greater Sudbury and as such it should be welcomed by all residents.

The Maley Drive project is much more than a road for trucks. It is the building block of the future of the City of Greater Sudbury and as such it should be welcomed by all residents.



The first phase of the Maley Drive extension will only happen if the Municipal, the Provincial, and the Federal Governments each put up $27 million for the $81 million project. This will link Maley Drive to the Lasalle extension and will take all of the heavy trucks off Lasalle Blvd. as well as a large number of heavy truck traffic off the Valley route along MR 80 and MR 15.



Once City Council endorses the project and the Federal government provides its share of the funding, we will finally be able to embark on this exciting chapter in the evolution of the City of Greater Sudbury.



As for the financial benefit of this project, if we do nothing, and decide to keep our $27 million to put towards road repairs and upgrading, the damage that the heavy trucks will continue to do to Lasalle Blvd., MR 80 and MR 15 will require far more in repairs than $27 million over the next twenty years.



And keep in mind that this is just to compensate for the damage that is being caused by the heavy trucks, not the normal wear and tear that needs to be repaired anyway.



By reducing the heavy truck traffic on the three roads, the City of Greater Sudbury will actually be saving much more than $27 million in future costs over the next 20 years for repairs just to maintain the status quo.



You dont get much for 2 or 3 million when it comes to road repairs and replacement and if the trucks remain on those roads this will be the annual cost at the very least. So for this reason alone Maley Drive makes a lot of financial sense. We will actually save money by investing in Maley Drive.



Additionally, for many people in Valley East, the heavy trucks are doing much more than just damaging the roads. They are damaging the structural foundation and windows of houses that are up to one street away from MR 80 and MR 15.



Thousands of dollars of damage have already been caused by the trucks to individual houses along the route and as the years go by the structures will be further weakened and much more easily damaged.



The quality of life in the Valley is also being affected by the heavy trucks using this route. The noise of the trucks going by is constant, and the safety of vehicle drivers is being compromised by the presence of the heavy trucks.



One of the other main reasons we should be supporting the Maley Drive project is because once it is in place we will be able to build the Barrydowne Road extension to Hanmer and connect that road to Val Caron along Main Street.



Those two roads will basically eliminate most of the heavy trucks along MR 80 and MR 15, but more importantly, they will open up Valley East for further expansion as the preferred location for residential development in the northern portion of Greater Sudbury. It will be the second direct link to New Sudbury and will be of great value to residents of Capreol and Valley East.



Over 50 per cent of the population in the City of Greater Sudbury lives north of the line drawn by Lasalle Blvd. Over 50 per cent of the population growth evidenced in the last census took place in Valley East alone.



The northern half of the city is where a significant amount of residential development is taking place and in order to prepare for this growth it all starts with the Maley Drive Project.



So the Maley Drive project clearly satisfies the requirements of a good, solid business plan that is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Greater Sudbury. This is definitely much more than a road being built for trucks.

Robert Kirwan is the city of Greater Sudbury councillor for Ward 5
A Sudbury man has been fined $1,000 for an illegal deer hunt. The man pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for hunting white tailed-deer without a licence. Court heard that on Nov.

A Sudbury man has been fined $1,000 for an illegal deer hunt.The man pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000 for hunting white tailed-deer without a licence.Court heard that on Nov. 18, 2015, conservation officers received information from a landowner that a deer had been shot and removed from his property.Even though the man had a valid licence, he admitted he shot the deer in an area where he did not have written permission to hunt.The deer was seized and donated to a local charity.On Manitoulin Island, a deer hunters licence is only valid when accompanied by written permission from the landowner to hunt on the property.Justice of the Peace Darlene Hayden heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Gore Bay, on March 3, 2016.For further information on hunting regulations, please consult the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary available at ontario.ca/hunting To report a natural resources violation, call the MNRF TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours.You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).